Fall Recipes

Here are several recipes to get you in the mood for fall!

Almond Tea
Given By: Jessi Vancil

4 cups hot water
1/2 cup sugar or Splenda
2 Tablespoons instant tea (the kind in a jar)
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bring water and sugar to a boil. Turn down heat and add remaining ingredients.

This could be my favorite thing in the whole entire world to drink...honestly, it's that good!



Pumpkin Dip
Given by: Brandy Deckard

1 15oz. can of pumpkin
1 small tub of Cool Whip
1 box of Jello instant pudding- Cheesecake flavor
1/4 tsp Ginger
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 Cinnamon
or 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice to substitute for all three spices


Mix all ingredients together & serve with ginger snap cookies.



Potato Soup
Given By: Jacque Bridgeman

6 cups milk
4 Tablespoons flour
1 tsp. onion salt (I use celery salt)
2 tsp. salt
5 cups peeled, diced potatoes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can cream of celery soup
Dash of pepper
6 strips of bacon
6 oz. cream cheese, softened

Saute' onion in large pot. Add flour, milk, onion salt, salt, & pepper. Stir and add potatoes. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. STIR OCCASIONALLY!! Make sure not to let it stick! (Seriously, I scrubbed for days on a pot b/c I 1. didn't stir enough & 2. cooked on too high of heat) Last-add cream cheese & soup. Stir until melted. Simmer for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon when serving. (We add shredded cheese too!)

This is the best potato soup recipe...not too thick and not too runny...very creamy & delicious!



Sweet Potato Casserole
Given By: Erika Clements

1 stick butter--melted
3 cups sweet potato or lrg can of Yams-rinse off syrup
1 cup sugar
2 eggs beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/4 cup Milnot (I've left this out before & it tasted fine)

Mix all above ingredients & place in 9x13 pan.

Combine:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts
1 stick butter--melted

Crumble over top of first mixture. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Erika makes this at Thanksgiving. Did you catch that there were TWO sticks of butter & TWO cups of sugar/brown sugar??? Very yummy...I'm not responsible for any pounds gained from this special treat.


If anyone else has some good fall recipes, send them my way! I'm in the mood to eat!!!

Jon & Julie's Wedding Weekend

Today is our very 1st Anniversary! What a joyous year it has been. We love being married and can't wait to see where life takes us...

Yea!!! We had a wonderful weekend in Jacksonville, FL for good friends Jon & Julie's wedding. They now live in Nashville, TN so we get to see them quite a bit...but they are both from FL. It was really great to see all of Andrew's old Navy buds & their ladies.
(Pictures are way out of order and I'm fresh out of patience to correct them! Sorry!)

Oh, yes...the Best Man & his really pregnant wife...27 weeks now.


Bridal Party

Andrew holding Matt's baby, Mason, & Derek & Danielle...who now live in Italy...great to see them again...

Matt & Amanda...and new baby Mason...not happy!

The beautiful bride, Miss Julie

The handsome groom, Mr. Jon

Mr. & Mrs. Jon Wilson

100 DAYS!!!

YEA!!!! We're down to 100 days until my due date! Although 100 days still seems like an eternity, I'm thrilled! All you moms out there who liked being pregnant are crazy (no offense)...I'm definitely looking forward to holding this baby in my arms and not on my bladder. :)

I've decided to post her name...if you haven't unscrambled the letters by now...you never will! Her name is Grace Lauryn. We call her Gracie just as much as Grace. Hope you like!

Cookout

We had a cookout Saturday...lots of my girlies from Flora came down to Du Quoin for the first time and our favorite friends from DuQ came over too. The state fair has been here all week so we went for a bit. Court & Erin were the only brave ones who rode a ride...'ole preggo here couldn't...but I sure put down the cotton candy! My friend, Katrina, from Minnesota flew down for the long weekend. We were roommates in optometry school and have missed each other so much. Overall, good times were had.

Caden, Sam & John

Court & Landrey

Erin, Juli, Lindy, & Hayley

Matt, RT, & Sara

Andrew & Kenadie, John & Jessi

Kenadie is our practice baby girl...Andrew has made huge advances with this little one. She used to SCREAM every time he got close to her. Now they are buds.

Katrina & I

Ellie's Reaction

This was Ellie's reaction to the news that her baby cousin was, in fact, a girl. My mom captured it on her camera and I just got a copy for myself. Isn't it great! I wish we had a picture of Jake's face...I'm pretty sure he did a half-eye roll. :)

I'll post the baby's name shortly...in case you are still unscrambling! :) My brother's were the best...just in case you come up with these too...they are wrong... Carly Reagun...nope....Angela Curry...also a no... He finally settled on the correct names. Angela Curry???

Baby's Room

Our baby girl has some of her new bedding. I feel in love with the Pottery Barn Kids Penelope bedding...all those green & pink polka dots & stripes...and I really tried to like something less expensive...but by golly, I've got expensive taste! I decided that the little birds weren't really what I loved about this collection. So I ordered the crib bumper, crib skirt, and rug...didn't get the blanket or crib sheets. My mom is planning on making a blanket/quilt? and I surely can find some crib sheets to match.

The only thing that has been delivered is the crib bumper and it makes me so happy! We went to Lowe's and picked out paint for the room...a green that matches called Lettuce Alone...which also makes me happy. (looks like my emotions have been on a rollercoaster lately, huh?) Can't wait for the rest to arrive...and to see that paint on the wall...hint, hint, Andrew! :)

Oh, and it seems that we are telling the baby's name...which I didn't really want to at first...but I'm horrible at secrets...horrible. And it's driving Andrew nuts...because I keep saying when anyone asks, "Are we telling, honey?"...His sick of my going back & forth...So, I'll list all of the letters in her first and middle name and if you can unscramble them, you can know! Email me if you would like to know if you are correct! Oh, and the middle name may not be a standard spelling...but not crazy or anything! Good luck!

N A R C Y G L E U A R

Well, now...doesn't that look pretty!

Miss Ellie

I'm a little late on the birthday post...but Ellie Joe turned 10 on the 10th...a golden birthday! She had an Olympic themed birthday party...which I think is so cool. We talked about the fact that she would be 14 before the next Olympics...which I thought was scary...and then she said the baby would be almost 4 by then and that really freaked me out!

Side note: I'm feeling much better...bumps have scabbed over and are going way...whatever they were. We had a nice relaxing weekend...lots of visiting with friends and seeing babies...they are everywhere!