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Working on a new project this week, and this is roughly the direction I'm going. Love your thoughts!

There's Nothing Like...

...a baby belly-laugh. Proof:

Snowbirds.

[Subtitle: Florida in January and We're Not Even 65.]

Well, we're on the road again, and this time we've been in Florida for what will end up being three weeks. It's been fun, and definitely provided some out of the ordinary days, which everytime without fail makes me appreciate our normal-slash-boring days at home. On the weekends (like now), we've been at Tony's aunt and uncle's home in Jacksonville. This has been key, as there is an accessible washer and dryer and, this week, the company of family. All but one of their kids (Tony's cousins) will be coming in tomorrow, and we are so looking forward to getting to see a newborn, a toddler, and a pregnant belly!

Last Sunday after church in Jacksonville we drove down the famous A1A, mostly to find public beach access on the North Atlantic coast (which I believe I've visited now in the past three months more than all the times in my life when I've gone to the Gulf), and because Tony wanted to drive by TPC Sawgrass. Here are the resultant pictures:

And here are some others from last week:

An angelic Elizabeth (read: sleeping) with a

makeshift blanket--my shirt.

Judah is a swinging fool!

Tony's Aunt Linda Gail (or the newly named "Nana Gail" to my kids) came back earlier from some errands with at least six Jane Austen and Emily Bronte movies. Tonight's plans are set. Kids are going to bed early.

Hello again.

I haven't posted in a while because honestly, since the earthquake in Haiti, I haven't felt like there was much in my life that merited any of your time. I've been mentally absorbed with this tragedy probably more than I would have been, sadly, if something our pastor said a few weeks ago hadn't been repeating itself in my head.

He was, I think, on some sort of rabbit trail talking about slavery and he said that everyone nowadays thinks that if we had lived in the early 19th century, we would have all been abolitionists. But--and this was the kicker--he said that if we don't care about the slavery that's still taking place in the world today, we probably wouldn't have cared about it then.

Ouch. OUCH! I seriously have thought about that every single day since then. How do I even care for the poor and the needy right next door, much less the literal slave that still in bondage who lives as close to America as Haiti? And then the earthquake hit. And then I started thinking how easily I feel a moment of detached sadness for the suffering Haitian people on the news, and then go back to caring about the most trivial, worthless things, like making sure Tony got some me chocolate when he went on a diaper run.

This struggle to care has been going on since the Tuesday of the earthquake. I just started Twitter (Twittering? Tweeting? Twittererering?) about two weeks ago, and every day I have to force myself not to skim over the posts about Haiti in order to get onto the funny stuff. It sickens me that there's still such a big part of me that wants to be entertained instead of convicted.

So this is a post with a new label: confession. It's been nagging at my spirit for a while now that I never take the time to write about the things the Lord is teaching me, the stuff He's refining in me, the adventure to which He's calling me. Instead I have concerned myself with entertaining. Don't misunderstand me: there will still be kid pictures (see above) and funny stories (because my daughter facilitates them soooo easily), enough hyphenation to cross your eyes and mayhap a boring no-picture recipe or two, but there's more to my life than that, and I want to honor the God who's doing the good stuff in me.

Here's one thing I want to leave you with that hit me between the eyes today, and definitely prompted this little Rachel-revelation that's been stewing for a bit:

"A man has no right to be called faithful,
if his faith is a bare word and if he has not
in him a faith made active by love or the Spirit." - St. Gregory

I'm still a little knocked out by it, and, honestly, I hope to be for a while to come.

Something New for the Calligraphy File.

These are some I did for our dear friends that are getting hitched in March. We are so excited about that day! I'm an eternal wedding lover, on many levels.

And this is one from the calligraphy giveaway, like 14 years ago. Remember when I did that and then didn't post for...for-eeeever? Like a whole month? Yeah, so do I. And so does my mom. Shameful. I'm sorry about that.

Anyway:

I carried it around in my purse until I could remember to take a picture of it. That's why it looks like it fell out of a plane, got run over by a steamroller, and then crushed by a two-year-old in the throes of a destructive tantrum. I'm sorry about that, too. It should be noted that this was just an extra that I wanted to keep for myself; this was not sent to an actual person, who I'm sure would be completely offended by it's neglected state. I would.

Two days, two posts! Just like a real blogger.

The Year of the Horse.

Here's some belated Christmas documentation, which, I'm sorry, will not be very varied in their subject matter.

Very varied. That's right.

Anyway, these pictures will not be very varied because E got everything horse-related. It was her dearest wish. And grandparents (and aunt, uncles, cousins, and relatives many times removed) were only too happy to oblige! See here:

{1}
{2}

{3}

{4}

1. A stuffed horse from her Uncle Caleb. (That's not him, though; that's Andrew.)
2. A stuffed horse from Aunt Katie and Uncle Andrew.
[She sleeps with both of these now, every night.]
3. A horse dress with horse tights from Omi and Papaw. (That's not him, though, that's Bear.)
4. The piece de resistance--a rocking horse from Omi and Papaw, complete with leather saddle, metal stirrups, the whole bit (no pun intended).

The kitchen set from her BeBe and Bear. She cooks me some stir-fry regularly. And J really likes to chew on that plastic corn.

This is the tent from us to the kids. It has been a huuuuuge hit. We might have even tried to crawl in it ourselves a time or two! Seems we couldn't resist the draw of our childhood tent-love.

I'm sorry. I love hyphenation. Kennings, anyone?

Other presents included: some beads, some striped pants, some boots...

...some hoodies...

...and a My First Christmas present bib from Tony's Meme...

...which my bitty man got really excited about.

And that's the end of the Christmas post. I have solid, dependable internet for the next 3 weeks, so expect lots of posts. You're welcome, Mom!

El Ganador.

Ok, sorry that last picture is SO tiny, but the name E is holding is...MARIBETH! I'm sure Josh is going to enjoy using that spice a lot. :)

And props to Stephanie, who was the first to name You've Got Mail, and to Brandy, whom I will believe when she says she knew the answer without first seeing Stephanie's.

Happy weekending!

Big Chunks.

First, how appetizing is that title? Good thing this is a recipe post!

Two soups you need--must--make sometime before this Ice Age ends: chicken tortilla and taco. Both are super hearty and delicious, and also my variations, entirely dependent on whatever I have in the house and/or my ever-changing taste buds.

[Sidenote: I think Tony is growing increasingly offended that I now like "big chunks" of onions, tomatoes, et cetera, in everything (sidenote sidenote: "big chunks," to Tony, are actually minutely diced pieces, which he spends forever picking out of his food) Um, sorry I'm vegetably mature now! Sheesh.]

Also, both soups include this stuff:

Sweet nectar of the gods. If that nectar was Mexican-y. And sold by Tastefully Simple consultants.

So, to commemorate my first recipe post, and because you can't make either of these recipes to their full potential without this stuff, I'm giving one away. That's right, ladies and occasional gentlemen (Dad!), this is officially the Second Doxology Mine Giveaway. I've hit the big time, folks.

Just leave a comment and you're in!

Now, on to the deliciousness.

I apologize for the lack of step-by-step pictures. I am not the Pioneer Woman, as much as I want to be. Too impatient. And my internet is too inreliable. Anyway...here you go!

Spicy Taco Soup

1-1 1/2 lb. ground beef, chuck, whatever.

1/2 medium white onion

1 garlic clove

2 pkgs. taco seasoning

1 can whole kernel corn (drained)

1 can cream corn

1 can black beans (partially drained)

1 can Rotel

2-3 T (or more!) Tastefully Simple Fiesta Party Dip Mix

3 1/2-4 C water.

Brown meat with onion and garlic; drain. Throw into a crockpot with the rest of the ingredients and let simmer on high for about an hour. Taste and see that this is good! And then serve with tortilla chips.

Sorry about the shoddy cell phone picture (and the fact that it's in Tupperware), but if you're like me, you at least need a finished shot to see what the heck it's supposed to look like. Not that this looks as good as it does in real life...in a real bowl.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

8 C water

3-4 boneless chicken breasts

1 can cream of chicken

1 can Rotel

1 can milk

12 oz. velveeta, or 8 oz. shredded cheddar--or whatever--cheese

1/4 C sauteed onion

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 T seasoned salt*

1 1/2 - 2 T Fiesta Party Dip Mix*

1 tsp black pepper

2-3 flour tortillas (torn into small pieces)

*If you don't have the Party Dip Mix, and can deal with lesser quality taste [partially joking], then substitute the Lawry's and the Party Dip Mix with 1 tsp. chili powder and 1 tsp. seasoning salt.

Boil chicken in water. Remove from water and cut into bite-sized pieces. Return to broth and add rest of ingredients, minus the tortillas! Bring to boil, and continue boiling for 10 minutes. Add small pieces of tortillas (however many you may think you'll like) and boil until tortillas are soft.

Yum, yum, and yum.

A couple of notes:

1. I am not a paid advertiser of Tastefully Simple. But if they send me a huge check for my numerous plugs today, I would take it. Giddily.

B. Please look past the fact that the Tastefully Simple website has a spot for Delilah lovers. I saw that tonight and almost renounced my love of the Fiesta Party Dip Mix. I might start a petition for people-who-get-so-irritated-with-Delilah-that-it-almost-makes-them-boycott-Christmas-music-on-the-River-every-year-but-can't-because-that-would-just-be-so-wrong-to-my-soul.

"Or Mr. 152-insights-into-my-soul!" Name that movie.

III. I like to hyphenate things.

And to conclude, I realize that "Fiesta Party Dip Mix" is shamefully redundant, but I promise it does not effect the taste whatsoever. Don't even get me started on the woeful state of general grammar in the US. Or on facebook.

Whew! Do you love me again?

I have never stopped loving you. Ever.

UPDATE: No comments after midnight on Thursday, January 7. Sorry, I forgot that this needs a deadline.

Hiatus: Over.

At least, here's hoping. You know how sometimes there's something hanging over your head that you know you need to do, and how every day that passes makes it harder and harder to do, until actually doing it seems like obscene ridiculousness because it's been so long?

Oooobviously, that's how I've been feeling about the blog.

Fortunately for all you faithful readers (or maybe more accurately by now, all you faithful reader, singular), my mother is keeping me on the ball. Here's tonight's email, verbatim:

Seriously! Are you still without internet connection?! I need my blog fix !!!! What can we do to facilitate a new post?! Do I need to talk to Tony? I love you, get inspired, your fans are waiting with bated breath.

Your momma

There were a few more smiley faces and hearts that for some reason my copy-paste method deleted, which I felt needed mentioning as they offset the general commanding tone of the thing. She demands because she loves.

Really. If my mom didn't ask about my blog, I'd feel like it was time to remove myself from the blog world for lack of interest. Love you, Mom! I and my extensive audience and corporate sponsors thank you. Or...maybe just me.

So anyway, it's time for the traditional spewing-of-all-pictures-that-have-been-taken-in-the-nineteen-years-since-my-last-post. Take a deep breath.

During our 3-week extended Thanksgiving trip to Memphis, the kids did a lot of this:

{yeah, he's sitting straight up}

...this:

{in Katie and Andrew's supercute guest room}

...this:

{as comfortable as it looks, it didn't last long, dangit}

...and this:

{WHAT?! Who taught him to do that? GROWING UP IS NOT ALLOWED!}

That's all my stupid inconsistent internet will let me upload. So much for spewing. Will try again soon, I promise!

Thanks for coming back, reader[s]!