RANDOMNESS #1 - Sweet Taylor surprised Roxie Friday night. She wasn't supposed to be home until Friday, September 20, but she was knocking on our door at 7:00 p.m., Friday, September 13.
It was a very good surprise.
RANDOMNESS #2 - Well, we did it! Mike and I finally went to Pepper Place this past Saturday morning... and we had the best time.
Beautiful produce, flowers, baked goods, live music, free samples, well-behaved children (and dogs) and a cool autumnal breeze set the tone for our first (but not last) visit to this fantastic farmer's market.
I'll let the pictures tell the story...
The flowers were so vibrant...
As was the produce. Have you ever seen a more purple eggplant?
Dogs were everywhere, but this guy caught my attention right away.
I liked the fact this concrete jack-o-lantern would last all year round, but the odds of stubbing my toe on this 50 pound pumpkin were too great to make the purchase.
I see a rusty old bike and think, "I need to get that out of my basement and into the nearest dumpster."
This guy thought, "That would look great hanging on a brick wall with a basket of flowers on the front."
And that, my friends, is the difference between someone who is truly creative and someone who copies truly creative people.
In case you didn't figure it out, I'm the "copier."
If you're a rock-n-roll fan, you may not care for the live music at Pepper Place, but for a bluegrass lover like Mikie, it was the perfect musical backdrop.
RANDOMNESS #3 - My nephew, Brad, asked his beautiful girlfriend to marry him this past weekend, and while we weren't at all surprised by her answer, it's always good to get a little positive confirmation.
Brad and Stephanie haven't set the date yet, but please be comforted to know, I will be giving you and yours a play-by-play of each and every little detail.
Another milestone!
Another reason to buy some new outfits and get my toes done again and again and again!
Another opportunity to take millions of pictures!
Another reason to say, "Brad's old enough to get married? When the heck did that happen?
RANDOMNESS #4 - We made it to Oxford in time for my great-niece's baby dedication. With the exception of a few hiccups, Mackenzie was as quiet as a church mouse.
Amber, Jared and Mackenzie. After the prayer, the Pastor handed Jared the microphone and he introduced his new daughter to the congregation. I haven't seen it done that way before, and I really liked it.
It was a very sweet way to spend a Sunday morning, and I'm glad The Faulkner Five and The Lovely Melia were able to attend.
RANDOMNESS #5 - I taught a Pinterest Class at my church last night. I didn't actually teach people "how to" decorate seven different pumpkins as much as I showed the finished product, and I gave each Grandmother and Mom in attendance a handout with a matching family devotion.
It was a lot of fun, and while it looks like a pumpkin patch exploded in two of the rooms in my home, it was definitely worth it.
I've posted one of my favorite pumpkins and devotions from the class below.
The Red Cat (Restaurant Review) - Mike and I ate breakfast at The Red Cat while strolling through Pepper Place.
The inside of the restaurant has an urban-hipster-too-cool-for-words feel to it.
In other words, Mike and I stuck out just a little bit.
We sat at a table next to the window so we wouldn't miss a thing.
When you are cool, urban and hip, these kind of twinkly lights work great.
Mikie... after the grits.
Mike and I both ordered the Bacon/Cheddar Croissant which tasted exactly how a bacon/cheddar croissant is supposed to taste.
But Mike also ordered a side of Organic Grits.
Okay. Mike is the grits' fan in our home. While I thoroughly enjoy Another Broken Egg's Blackberry Grits, I will be the first to admit I will rarely, if ever, order grits when we are out and about.
Nor will I make them at home.
Mike buttered and salted and peppered that small bowl of grits for quite a while before he declared them to be "perfect."
"Here. Try a bite," he offered. And I did.
Can I just say, Organic Grits at The Red Cat may be one of the best things I've ever put in my mouth? I don't know how they prepared them other than they told Mikie they had been cooking for hours, but they were light and not the least bit gummy or grit-like.
Mike and I are going back to The Red Cat mid-October when we visit Pepper Place again, and we're both ordering the Organic Grits... and maybe an omelet... or two.
It's a very affordable breakfast place, and while the wait last Saturday was a bit long, in the end it was worth it.
Bejeweled Pumpkin Devotion
You will need the following:
Pumpkin
Tulle
Ribbon
Bag of Gemstones
Hot Glue
Pumpkin Prep
1. Cut the top off of a medium pumpkin. Do NOT clean the inside of the pumpkin. Leave the pulp and put the top back.
2. For a medium pumpkin, use 1/2 yard of tulle. Gather it around the stem of the pumpkin, and secure with a ponytail holder or rubber band.
3. Hot glue gemstones to the tulle (as many as you like).
4. Tie a big bright ribbon around the stem.
Devotion for Little Girls
You can be pretty on the outside, but God is only interested on the inside. “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.” 1 Peter 3:3-4
This does not mean it's wrong to fix your hair or wear nice clothes and jewelry.
God doesn’t mind seeing girls work on being as pretty as they can be, but he would rather see girls work on becoming beautiful on the inside... the kind of beauty that will last forever.
The kind of beauty God truly appreciates.
Let’s look at this pumpkin more closely.
I’m going to untie the ribbon, and take off the tulle.
And look. The top of this pumpkin has been cut. I’m going to take the top off so we can see inside.
(Let the kids take turns seeing the yucky inside of the pumpkin. Make sure they smell it, too.)
This pumpkin was beautiful on the outside, but it is NOT beautiful on the inside.
Do you think God knows when someone is pretty on the outside, but not pretty on the inside?
Do you think God knows when little boys or little girls say mean things, or do not share their toys or do not treat their brothers and sisters nicely?
Yes, he does.
And no matter how much you might try to hide what is on your inside, you can hide nothing from God.
(Talk about different ways a small child can work on becoming pretty on the inside... obeying Mommy and Daddy, playing nicely with others, learning more and more and more about Jesus, etc.)
End with prayer.
Remember... A family devotion with small children should not last over five or six minutes. It can go a little longer if you have a game or activity (cooking or art), but always be mindful of the attention span of the kids you are teaching.
Have a terrific Monday... and I will try to do the same. I'll be back Friday with another devotion from last Sunday night's class, pics, Randomness and more.
Take care, and I'll talk to you the end of the week.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
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