girl night.

an off-the-cuff sleepover during VBS week resulted in my being gone on a session while superdad held down the fort with our five... plus two extra adorable little girls! anna's long-time heart-friend c. and her sweet new friend t. had a blast with our girl giving each other super-fab hairstyles. when i arrived home they were all decked out... and playing our fave game RACKO (seriously, get it!) with dad. they gave him a PINK FLORAL pedicure! THAT'S my man.

intense concentration required.
manly-man-confident-in-his-i-am-the-best-dad-ever-manliness necessary.
evil grin optional.


horrified "i'm-afraid-for-my-dad's-dignity" expression on brother's face: priceless.

what's for dinner?

well, technically, what WAS for dinner... this was a night this weekend. a super simple, but delicious, summer meal.
started with fresh basil (gift from next door neighbor - yay!).

had some chicken breasts (the go-to-wonder-meat.) we sliced sweet vidalias and layered them in a casserole dish and topped with fresh spinach.
next we topped with the chicken breasts and seasoned with steak and chicken seasoning blend (the kind you grind as you use it.)



fresh, juicy, sun-warmed tomatoes sliced atop the chicken give it another layer of sweetness.

sprinkle with basil chiffonade. (fancy-talk for fine ribbons. stack your basil leaves and roll them like this:) next, run your chef's knife through, finely cutting into ribbons. (this technique is awesome for any fresh leaves...)
and your "french-for-ribbons" chiffonade...

yummy!

i'm sure you know, but you should always use the quality of wine you'd like to drink when you cook... not just in case you want a sip while you work! this was left from the night before - a sprinkle of Chardonnay (or any white would work...) lends the onions and spinach and chicken some delicious juiciness!

bake at 350 for - well, till it's done... whole-wheat-drop biscuits make it the perfect meal.

you call to me...

Papa, my heart's love...
why is there not more scribbling in the margins? why are the pages not more worn? when those far from me give their very lives to guard a few pages, how can i callously plunk the pure gold of these Words onto a shelf? you desire not service, but repentance... you desire not works but love... and you will break me until i come back to your heart...

sweet happiness.

ok, my dear hubby says i am now officially addicted, obsessed, and unreasonably entranced (well, entranced is a me-kind-of-word, but still...) with the great ikea. it's true... after living through my parents vicariously as they built their dream home, a gorgeous, custom home but built on a chic budget, i longed for an ikea of my own. it has arrived. last week, we made the pilgrimage. it was supposed to be a recon mission, as we drug nana (willingly!) along, and although i had a list of new-bathroom-renovation needs, i anticipated checking out my options and bringing daddy back for the actual purchasing expedition. not to be, because, alas, there was more than enough to check off my complete list, and add on a couple impulse purchases. sweet jr., my son-after-my-heart, thank you for spotting my long-desired french press. yeeeeeeessss...

i love a rainy day...

remember the amy grant song? i do so love a rainy day... it makes me feel nostalgic and snuggly and drowsy and energized and longing for a cup of tea or coffee or cocoa... and it makes all my little people want to go play in it! come to think of it, next time i think i'm gonna join them. it's a good thing our forecast calls for more showers this week. thank you, Papa, for rainy days...

please can we puddle-stomp?
"if all the raindrops were lemon drops, oh what a rain that would be... standin' outside with my mouth open wide... ah, ah, a ah, ah ah ah, ah a ah..."--barney
longing...

medieval in modern...

This is the most crazy thing I discovered this week... on St. Augustine Beach, tucked in amongst overgrown brush and gates, right on a hill on a residential street, I passed a CASTLE. What? I had to stop and catch a couple photos... and guess what I read on the sign? This "decorative" castle was built to the glory of Jesus Christ. Go visit the website here and see more for yourself. What a mysterious and interesting history. Can you imagine having your wedding here?

dear, dear friends

my hubby sent me away for the most AMAZING day yesterday! i headed off to st. augustine around 6 am for a day of learning from some of the best of the best in wedding photographers... from noon till after nine, they staged all the aspects of a wedding, shot, and taught. i was in photography heaven, with some real romance thrown in... the models who "played" the bride and groom are believers who are "for real" newlyweds and photographers, as well. although we, the students, weren't able to shoot, i can't WAIT to try some of the awesome techniques on my upcoming brides!

to sweeten the trip, i got to visit one of my very best friends and bridesmaid, "aunt haley," and her hubby, along with their four beautiful girls. "coach," dad, is the athletic director of a Christian school, and my sweet haley-friend teaches there, as well! die-hard north carolina and georgia "dawgs" fans, their home is a sports fan's dream. their family radiates Jesus and covenant family-life, and the few middle-night hours i got to catch up with my heart-friend are dear to me. i just had to share, because my quick stop was a reminder to me that friendships are all-too easily set aside in life's busy rush, and i value the fellowship Papa has blessed us with. and... with their permission, i want you to see the four young women of God my friends are raising... who ever-so-willingly let me at them with my camera in the five minutes before they headed off to school!

thanks, girlies, for letting me join you for cartoons and visit your cool classrooms!