The Time Traveler's Wife...

Jason and I went to see this movie this afternoon. I have to say I had mixed emotions about this movie...but I loved it. I now think that I want to "time travel"...good and bad, huh?

And by the way, we are loving Times Square again...they have the really good, hot popcorn, unlike other theaters. :)

Unconditional Love...

I now believe, to experience "unconditional love", you must have a grandchild. I had Layton this weekend, and I totally sat, watched and played with him all weekend. The BEST!

Positive Real Estate...

Read, interesting and positive! And yes, LuLu, I am quoting Mark Dotzour from Texas A & M, it just kills me, but they are the Real Estate Center... :) Go Longhorns!!!!

RECON-Texas A & M

COLLEGE STATION— “It appears we are at the bottom of the housing market in most Texas cities,” said Real Estate Center Director Mark Dotzour after reviewing the state’s latest home sale numbers.
Dotzour mentioned two years ago that new home construction needed to fall dramatically to avoid the level of overbuilding that could damage Texas housing markets. He even picked summer 2009 as the bottom of the housing cycle because bankers would constrain credit to homebuilders and developers.
Apparently he was right on all counts. The Texas inventory of unsold new and existing homes is in good shape.
“I feel now is the time to buy a house in most Texas cities,” he said. “Housing affordability has never been higher, and I never thought I would see 5 percent mortgages in my lifetime. If you plan to live in the house for at least two or three years, now is the time to buy.
“If you are planning to build a home to retire to in the near future, now is a great time to do it. Contractors are plentiful, construction costs are lower and mortgage money is cheap,” he said.
Dotzour said mortgage rates should remain low as long as the federal government continues to purchase almost all residential mortgages. When they stop, rates will move up.The Center’s chief economist is quick to note, however, that everything hinges on one crucial assumption — “that the federal government doesn’t cause further damage to the U.S. economy with higher levels of intervention in healthcare, taxation, cap and trade and rewriting accounting and legal standards.”

Into the Pride...

This show "Into the Pride", comes on tonight on the Animal Planet channel. I was telling Jason this morning, that I think the lion is one of my favorite animals. I then was reading my devotional and "Bam", this was one of the verses,

I Peter 5: 8-10

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."

Wow, isn't that comforting. I continually, out loud, tell the devil to get away from me and my family. He will not win. Ever...

Batman...

How does Batman's mother call him home?...Dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner, BATMAN !!!

I laughed my head off... sing it y'all, get it?

Nice matters...

A friend and client of mine posted this on her Facebook profile page, I absolutely love it!

"BEFORE YOU LINK TO ME, YOU NEED TO KNOW -If your page contains profanity posted by you or your friends, questionable posts about your behavior, crude videos or pictures, or anything else I consider a lack of boundary in your life - first, you need to read my blog regarding stuff people put on the net for the world to see - then if you choose not to change it, I probably won't link to you or I will break my link to you until it is gone. My purpose for this is multi-faceted and I won't go into it here. I'll be your friend in the real world, since those lines are rarely crossed there - but in the cyber-world it will be different. I'm not being judgmental, just protective."

BLT Bruschetta...

Kraft Kitchens Recipe:

1 French bread baguette (18 inch), ends trimmed, cut into 36 slices
1 large clove garlic, peeled, cut in half
3/4 cup PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese Spread
2 large Roma tomatoes, chopped
8 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, crumbled
1 cup chopped lettuce
1/4 cup KRAFT Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
1/3 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

HEAT grill to medium heat. Grill bread slices 2 min. on each side; cool.
RUB garlic onto toast; spread with cream cheese spread.
COMBINE tomatoes, bacon, lettuce and dressing; spoon over toast slices. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Showing Houses...

I showed houses all day today in this HOT Texas heat. Ron and Jane Finley, if you are reading my blog, I really enjoy your company. Thanks for lunch in Mineola today. Looking for good times ahead!

Julie...Julia Movie...

Lauren and I went to see this movie Sunday afternoon. We loved it! It did make us want to cook...you know cooking "real" food is a really hard job. I loved the crying fits Julie (not Julia) threw on the floor, when she messed up a recipe, been there, done that! Anyway, loved Meryl Streep... It was a feel good movie!

Today's Price Improvement...

10624 Russell Drive, in Chandler. Priced at $175K. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1887 sq ft, large lot, with automatic gate and storage building. Located down the street from the Middle School.

If you know of someone who may be interested, just let me know!

Never say Goodbye...

My mother is Layton's "GG"...She came over to see him at my house yesterday and when she left, I captured this picture. His face pressed to the door...

In God We Trust...

We sure need to get back to this verse! As an individual and as a nation!
I love to say "You are MY God!"

Psalms 31:14

But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God."

Buy Equity...

This is not just a "PRICE IMPROVEMENT", it is a steal. Buy this house, you buy equity.

MLS# 9981614, $145,000 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, plus dining, office and fireplace. Corner lot located off Rhones Quarter Road in Greenwood Village.

Call today for a private showing, 903-571-8033

oooh, la, la...

For you Lauren, :) Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Treats

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® peanut butter cookie mix
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon water
1 egg

Coating
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, oil, water and egg until soft dough forms.
2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart.
3. Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
4. In small microwaveable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, butter and peanut butter uncovered on High 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds; stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla.
5. Place 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar in 1-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag; set aside.

Place 12 cooled cookies in large bowl. Pour 1/3 of chocolate mixture over cookies in bowl. Using rubber spatula, toss cookies gently to coat. Place cookies in bag with powdered sugar; seal bag. Gently turn bag to coat cookies. Remove cookies from bag to cooling rack to set. Repeat with 12 more cookies and 1/2 of remaining chocolate mixture; repeat again until all cookies are coated, adding additional powdered sugar to bag as needed.

Hand Shake...

I read Psalms 16:8 this morning, "I have set the Lord always before me, Because he is at my right hand, I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN."

I love this, "I will not be shaken"... no matter what happens in my life, I know he is at my right hand. I bet you wonder what the hand shake has to do with this...well, it is an association for me. In order for me to remember this verse, since my thoughts are often fleeting, I choose to associate, a hand shake. When someone shakes my hand, it shakes, it even shakes my arm and so on, right? But with God at my right hand, I will NOT be shaken. Say it, I will NOT be shaken...

Giddie...up...

Layton at daddy's birthday party...

Layton making noises, and below a video of him entertaining himself, yeah! I am documenting this child's life on my blog, since this family is so bad at taking pictures...and I am trying to learn and be quiet while I am videoing...sorry if there is so much background noise. This is surely not my profession!

How do little boys know how to make these sounds?

Click on the arrow above to start video.

Happy Birthday Daddy...

Hey Mother, will your chocolate cake look like this? lol...

Happy Birthday Daddy... I love you and can't wait to have dinner with you tonight! Do not work too hard today...

By the way, my dad, is the reason that I am who I am...he has always believed in me. He has never thought women were any less than a man. He constantly encourages me and is there for me everyday. He has never expected me to be perfect, but to do only MY best. A lot of kids cannot say that about their parents, especially their dads. Our society pushes our kids way too much. Anyway, I will get off of my soap box.

Have a fun day today daddy, mowing the pasture...It is HOT today, but you sure do not know that in that air conditioned John Deere, right? :)

Stop, Drop and Roll...

You know this is what I taught Lauren as a child concerning fires...Stop, Drop and Roll... last night when I went to bed, I was thinking about how I need to just stop, and search for God each day in everything I do and everywhere I go. It brought to my mind this saying, Stop, Drop and Roll. I am a person that loves, word or number associations, so to remind me each day, I have put this little saying to what I want it to mean, :)

Stop- Slow down, be still, search-SEEK each day, in the big or little things for God...

Drop-Pray,whether you are on your knees or praying all day in spurts...

Roll- Wait patiently, do not worry... God in is in Control of this Universe, not me...

Strangely enough, when I was reading my devotion this morning, this verse was the focal point. I do not believe in coincidences:

Psalms 37:7
"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him"

Chocolate Souffles'

Easy, Easy! I love recipes that you can make ahead, and oh the presentation :)

Frozen Chocolate Souffles' by Kraft
3 cups milk
1 pkg. (8-serving size) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
16 OREO Cookies, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
8 maraschino cherries

POUR milk into medium bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. Gently stir in whipped topping.
SPOON 2 Tbsp. of the chopped cookies into each of eight 8- to 9-oz. paper drinking cups. Cover evenly with half of the pudding mixture. Press gently with the back of a spoon to eliminate air pockets. Repeat layers. Cover with foil.
FREEZE 5 hours or until firm. Remove from freezer about 15 min. before serving. Let stand at room temperature to soften slightly. Peel away paper to unmold onto dessert plates. Top each with a cherry. Store leftovers in freezer.

devil better be scared...

Received this in an email today, cute!

Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the ground each morning
the devil says, "OH CRAP, SHE'S UP"!

Handsome at "1"...

I had Layton this afternoon, he looks so much like Dustin in this picture...
He loves for me to push him fast on this truck, round and round the house....he has known since he was little to hold his feet up off the floor... I had just given him a bath... and he was chillin'... he smells like Heaven...

So handsome, even if I am partial...he is my little man...

Busy lil' man...

Layton came in the door this morning and went to his toy on the refrigerator. Look at that little finger pushing the button...

He is so busy...trying to match the animals to the magnetic backing...

Now he is in my office.... I just think this lil' man is telling me what to do... as if... and guess what, I know what he wants, he wants the vacuum cleaner in my closet...that is his favorite toy...he loves me to vacuum...go figure...

Charlie bites finger...so cute...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OBlgSz8sSM

Click on the link above, it will make you Laugh!