Weekend Happenings, If I Could Turn Back Time, Quotable Quotes, Blog Linkage, Strawberry Brownies, Trisha's Chicken Pie, Birthday Letters

Good Friday morning!

And Happy Fall!

Monday's post had an over-abundance of pictures. I like pictures. I especially like pictures WITH words. Too many words can overwhelm me. (You wouldn't know that by looking at my blog posts, would you?)

To keep you from feeling overwhelmed this beautiful Friday (and every other day), I always label the blog in bold-faced sections. You can skip what bores you, and try to find a subject that might interest you.

As always, I'm here to serve.

RANDOMNESS #1 - Once again, reality TV has impacted our lives as a family. We LOVE Duck Dynasty. It fits our mood... and it makes The Faulkner Five appear to be sophisticated in comparison. It's a really good show!

However, if Mike Faulkner walks up behind me and says, "What's for dinner, Jack?" one more time, he may lose some of his Duck Dynasty television privileges.

Uncle Si is funny on the show. In my kitchen... not so much.

RANDOMNESS #2 - My Christmas shopping is coming along nicely. Or I should say my Christmas shopping LIST is coming along nicely. The LIST is all-important. As long as the LIST is simple, succinct and direct, the shopping is a no-brainer.

That is what I choose to believe. Do not tell me otherwise.

RANDOMNESS #3 - The Lovely Melia turned 21 last week.

I decided The Faulkner Five (minus Austin) would give her a "theme" gift. I like themes. It makes everything much easier for my little ol' worn-out brain.

If Roxie told me she didn't care what she received for Christmas as long as it was green, I would be in "theme" heaven.

But I digress. Back to Melia "theme" gift.

COFFEE.

Melia loves coffee.

She especially likes Dunkin' Donuts Coffee.

However, she likes Starbucks, too.

Since her school colors are red and blue, this coffee scoop fit perfectly with the ongoing "theme."

And although the gift bag was a nice "coffee" brown, I threw in a little blue and yellow for splashes of color (her favorites).

I believe themes make life easier... and I like life easier!

If I Could Turn Back Time - I would. If I could turn back time, I would again and again and again.

That being said, I will not waste too much precious time thinking about the "remember whens." And I refuse to dwell upon the fast-approaching Empty Nest.

The "here and now" is precious.

It always has been.

It always will be.

And Roxie may not be two years-old and sitting in her Daddy's lap, but this is pretty sweet, too.

I might even say, "It is just as sweet."

Quotable Quotes - Pinterest to the rescue!

"A real man opens more than car doors. He opens his Bible."

"Time has a wonderful way of showing us what really matters." Margaret Peters (Ain't it the truth!)

Blog Linkage - Once again, go to www.kellehampton.com and read the post entitled "Tea with Milk and Honey" dated November 7. Sweet thoughts.

Strawberry Brownies

Roxie has wanted to cook this week. She came in Tuesday and made a Chicken Pot Pie for a friend (and it was very good). Last night I told her and Mikie I was going to bake Strawberry Brownies after dinner, and she informed me she felt like baking.

You go, Girl!

You will need the following:

1 strawberry cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons milk

1. Mix strawberry cake mix, 2 eggs and 1/3 cup oil in large bowl.

2. Spread in 9" x 13" pan (batter will be thick). Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

3. To make the glaze, mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 1/2 tablespoons of milk. Pour over warm brownies.

Yes. It is a Pinterest recipe. And, yes. It's pretty good, too.

Trisha's Chicken Pie

I've been watching Trisha's Southern Kitchen the last two Saturday mornings, and I've made two of her recipes... and they have both been very, very tasty.

You will need the following:

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups chicken broth
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 cup self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk, well shaken

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Put the chicken in a 2-quart casserole dish.

3. Combine the broth and soup in a medium saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Pour the broth mixture over the chicken.

4. In a separate medium bowl, mix the flour with the pepper. Stir in the melted butter and the buttermilk. Pour this mixture over the casserole and smooth the top. DO NOT STIR.

5. Bake the casserole until the crust is brown and the filling beneath is hot and bubbly (45 minutes).

Garth is a lucky, lucky man. (But then again, so is Mikie.)

Birthday Letters

Write letters to your children every birthday and give the letters to them when they move out on their own... or graduate high school... or have children of their own. (You choose.)

You can "bind" the letters any way you like, but what a sweet, sweet gift and tradition to pass down to the next generation. Very uplifting!

It's too late for me, but I could certainly do this if I have grandchildren one day.

Weekend Happenings

The Boy isn't coming home this weekend. He's trying to finish up his internship. He is producing a basketball game tonight, a football game tomorrow and two basketball games Sunday. This is a short-lived situation, but very necessary if he's going to graduate in May.

And he really wants to graduate in May.

And Mike and I want that for him.

Whoever comes home tonight will be eating cornbread and slow cooker beef stew. As soon as I finish this post, I'm going to start throwing everything in the crock pot. (And I mean everything. I'm cleaning out the refrigerator, Baby.)

Roxie and Mikie are going on a brunch date tomorrow (when she wakes up) to Original Pancake House... and I'm requesting they bring me Strawberry Crepes for my lunch. That sounds divine.

Josh will be working a half-day shift tomorrow at his new job (Fred's), but he'll be home in time for Auburn football with Mikie.

I know I reported earlier Josh would be working at the Christmas Tree Farm again this year, and he was so excited. But then he messed up his knee, and he'll be in physical therapy for five to six more weeks. Working at Fred's doesn't cause damage to his already injured knee. Working at the Christmas Tree Farm going up and down steep hills carrying trees would definitely cause more damage.

We are disappointed about the Farm, but excited about Fred's.

On Sunday afternoon, Mike and I will be attending an Open House at his office, and taking a leisurely drive through Mountain Brook after the event for our Fun Fall Ride #4. (I've already found a Starbucks along our route.)

And other than those "little" things, we are wide open... and so looking forward to NO SCHOOL MONDAY!

Yes, sir. A four-day weekend is sounding pretty good to me. And Roxie. (I forgot all about Roxie!)

Have a great fall weekend. I'll be back Monday morning with a new-to-me Thanksgiving Tradition, pictures, Randomness and a new topic.

Join me, won't you?

Take care, and I'll talk to you in a couple of days.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

P.S. I'm a little low on "people" pics today, so I'll post a couple more Front Yard Football pics from last weekend. I'm assuming you won't mind.

It may look like Brad is "doin' the Hustle," but I was there and believe me when I say, he just released the football! It was a spectacular pass!

I think we all know Roxie didn't catch this ball. Heavy, heavy sigh.

But I will say Brad was sorry he knocked it out of her hands. We can file that under "a mistake he won't make again."

And can I just say, I think I have the MOST unbelievably handsome nephews and sons EVER. I know we are blood-related, but I think I'm being very objective.

Actually, I know I am.

Mindless Monday, Butterfinger Cream Cake, If I Could Turn Back Time, Blog Linkage

Good Monday morning!

If I could describe my weekend using one word, the word would have to be "tweak." Our weekend could have been/would have been great... except it needed just a little "tweaking."

RANDOMNESS #1 - Saturday morning, Roxie, Bev, Katie and I made our annual pilgrimage to Christmas Village. (Did you notice how I put a "Thanksgiving-y" word and a "Christmas-y" word in the same sentence? Did you? That's not an easy task, you know.)

It was very crowded, but that's not really a problem any longer since the girls are not little. We don't have to worry about watching them.

It was quite warm, but that's probably a "51 year-old" problem and not a "poor circulation at the BJCC" problem. (We don't have to tweak anything here. Well, except maybe I'll wear a tube top and Daisy Duke shorts next year. Don't worry. I'll make sure the garments are red and green so I won't offend any Christmas Village "people.")

The girls were SO tired. That was a problem. They weren't grumpy, but Bev and I think/know they would have had a much better time if they had been well-rested.

Here comes the Tweaking List for Christmas Village 2013...

1. No late nights or spend-the-night parties the night BEFORE Christmas Village.

2. If you must have a late night or attend a spend-the-night party the night BEFORE Christmas Village, there will be NO Saturday afternoon plans. We will sleep late Saturday morning and attend Christmas Village late Saturday afternoon... well-rested.

3. Have more shopping money in the Christmas Village envelope.

I took Austin's little digital camera to Christmas Village because it was so much easier to carry.

As you can see, I have grown accustomed to my five-pound camera, and I don't take very good pictures with the little one.

But don't worry. Bev is going to e-mail me a couple of good ones, and I'll post those Friday.

This is Roxie's little tradition. She slides down a series of four of these railings when we leave.

I'll be interested to see if she does this when she is 51... and I am 86. (I shouldn't have typed that. Very, very depressing.)

See. I can't even get two whole faces in the frame when I'm using an "easy" digital camera.

Pitiful.

RANDOMNESS #2 - Because of extreme weekend "busyness," The Faulkner Five Fun Fall Ride had to be taken on the way to Bev's house for our annual Fall Feast. (That's right! We had a ton of "annuals" this weekend.)

It wasn't the road less traveled, but it was still pretty (and since we were headed to the Martin's home, all Five Faulkners were along for the ride).

You may or may not notice my dirty windshield. The colors would have been much more vivid if The Big Gold Van had gotten a bath this weekend.

Just saying.

The Tweaking List for The Faulkner Five Fun Fall Rides is as follows:

1. Roxie and Josh are allowed to go on a Fun Fall Ride as long as they do not realize it is a Fun Fall Ride. We had ZERO complaints yesterday because they were oblivious.

As you can see from the picture, oblivious is good... and just a little blurry.

2. The Faulkner Five Fun Fall Ride must always end with The Big Gold Van stopping at some kind of ice cream or coffee establishment for a snack.

3. Have more money in The Faulkner Five Fun Fall Ride envelope.

RANDOMNESS #3 - We have gotten together with my side of the family for Halloween for the PAST 21 YEARS. That's right. I said 21 YEARS!

But this year it was a little different.

We didn't get together Halloween night to eat and make s'mores.

We didn't have a "plan" for a fun, memorable activity after our Fall Feast since it had turned into a daytime event.

I couldn't concentrate on enjoying the family because it was obvious tweaking had to be done before everyone headed home for the Sunday afternoon nap!

Hence, the Tweaking List for Fall Feast 2013...

1. Nighttime is preferable to daytime. Don't ask me why. It just is.

2. Fire is a must.

3. S'mores are a must.

4. Any or all of the following activities are a must:

Apple Bobbin'
Hayride
Pumpkin Chunkin'
Pumpkin Carving Contest
Pumpkin Pie Eating Contest
Dinner
S'mores
Movie

5. Definitely have the Fall Feast in October... not November. (I have nothing against November. It's my second favorite month of the year. However, I like things separated a little. We celebrate the Fall Feast in October. We celebrate Thanksgiving in November. See. It's very orderly.)

The cousins did play a little football in the front yard. And I did take a few pictures.

She plays more than volleyball and basketball, you know.

Brad is known for his "form."

No one knows what Katie will ever do with the ball... including Katie.

He just thinks he'll catch her.

Once again, a perfect example of Brad's "form."

I'm not sure, but I think Roxie may be a little off sides... whatever that means.

And then I took some "inside" photos.

Josh and Katie.

Just Katie.

And Rusty. (He looks sweet, but if you aren't a Martin, he'll turn on you in a second!)

RANDOMNESS #4 - Trisha's Chicken Tortilla Soup I posted last Friday is amazing. Everyone liked it. Just be aware one recipe makes a LOT of soup. It would be great for a big family or company.

If I Could Turn Back Time - I would hold my newborns for hours on end. I wouldn't worry when people told me, "You're going to spoil them," or "You need to do the laundry, vacuum, sweep, dust, make beds, etc., etc., instead of holding them all the time."

They were wrong.

I have all the time in the world to do the laundry, vacuum, sweep, dust, make beds, etc., etc.

But I don't have any babies to hold.

Clean laundry is highly over-rated when a newborn is in the house!

Blog Linkage - If you like decorating and rearranging, go to Nesting Place under My Blog List and read the post entitled "You're Going to Wish You Had More Walls." Beautiful!

Butterfinger Cream Cake

You will need the following:

1 yellow cake mix
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 jar Smucker's Caramel Ice Cream Topping
1 small container of Cool Whip
2 or 3 Butterfinger Candy Bars

1. Bake the cake according to package instructions.

2. Poke holes in it while still warm.

3. Pour a can of sweetened condensed milk over the top of the cake.

4. Pour a jar of Smucker's Caramel Ice Cream Topping over the top of the cake.

5. Cool.

6. Spread with Cool Whip and sprinkle crushed Butterfinger Candy Bars on top.

I am an expert at poking holes in cakes. I think I could work in a bakery as a professional "hole poker."

I am also an expert when it comes to pouring things into the holes. I poured the Eagle Brand Condensed Sweetened Milk...

And then I poured the Smucker's Caramel Ice Cream Topping...

And then I tried very hard NOT to lick the cake.

A little whipped cream and some crushed Butterfinger Candy Bars and you've got a rich, decadent, super-moist cake.

And that's not bad for a few minutes of poking and pouring. Not bad at all!

Have a fun Monday. I'll be back Friday with more autumnal goodness, pics and ideas.

Take care, and I'll talk to you at the end of the week.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

P.S. I have a few more autumn pictures to share. I hope you don't mind.

I was taking a picture of the beautiful blue sky and the golden tree, and Mikie just happened to be sitting on our roof smiling! What are the odds?

Sparkle is her happiest in a big pile of leaves in the corner of her yard.

Copper is happiest sitting close to Sparkle.

I absolutely LOVE this tree.

This looks incredibly sweet, but they had just had a HUGE Acorn War... and I threatened them with an hour-long photo shoot if they didn't stop.

That's right. The Enchanting Belinda uses threats when parenting... ALL the time!

I highly recommend it!

Weekend Happenings, If I Could Turn Back Time, Trisha's Chicken Tortilla Soup, Quotable Quotes, Special Event Bible

Good Friday morning!

I hope you've had a good week.

My heart and prayers go out to the people in New Jersey, New York and other surrounding areas hit by Hurricane Sandy. The devastation of property we are seeing on television and loss of life is heartbreaking, and I'm specifically praying for quick restoration of power for millions of people and food and water provisions for those in need.

I cannot begin to imagine.

RANDOMNESS #1 - I'm posting a couple more pictures of our Beautiful Katie this morning from last week's photo shoot. (I've got a million of them!)

She has had those big eyes since they day she was born. So pretty.

RANDOMNESS #2 - One of Roxie's friends walked up to me a couple of weeks ago and asked if we could have a Pumpkin Carving Party this year. (We've skipped the last two years because 14 and 15 year-old chicks are a little too mature. Luckily, 16 year-old chicks want to have Pumpkin Parties again! I was one happy Fall Mama!)

Ciara came early and helped Roxie start a rip roarin' fire.

I'm telling you...

These chicks are ready to try out for Survivor!

We started out with a Fall tablecloth, pretty pumpkins and a bunch of cutting utensils.

The girls have decorated pumpkins for years, but they all said they had never carved one by themselves (except for Roxie and her owl pumpkin a couple of weeks ago). I'll show you the finished products in a second.

I think you'll be impressed.

Because 16 year-old chicks can build fires (without adult supervision) and carve pumpkins with large knives (without adult supervision), I spent my time upstairs getting dinner on the table.

Josh picked up bread bowls from Panera Breads, and all I had to do was fix a pot of chili and a pot of potato soup.

Easy, warm and filling.

I didn't find out until Monday night I am a very BAD jack-o-lantern photographer. Very, very bad.

Please ignore the photography, and enjoy the pumpkins!

Roxie did the Halloween Penguin... a childhood classic!

Ragan impressed with her cat and pumpkin carving.

Ally created a giant "BOO."

Ciara made a cute non-scary monster.

And Kendall carved three little jack-o-lanterns stacked on top of each other.

I don't know about you, but I cannot wait until next year.

RANDOMNESS #3 - I found this on Pinterest (shocking, I know), and it is just too good not to share.

If your child is in college, and lives at home:

I sometimes surprise them by cleaning their room during a week that is particularly busy (exam week, a big paper is due, they are working a lot of hours).

On a particularly busy day, I will do their chores for them.

I will buy their favorite candy bar and leave it on their pillow.

I love grabbing them and taking them on a spontaneous lunch date.

In the morning while my daughter is getting ready for work or class, I sometimes will bring her a hot cup of coffee or tea.

I make sure they know that our home is always open for them to bring their friends over.

I allow them to have “study parties” in our living room, and I serve their friends.

On Saturday mornings, I make sure the house is quiet so they can sleep in a little.

As they run in and out of the house, in between work and classes, I make sure I tell them I love them, they are precious, and ask how they are doing.

I ask how I can pray for them.

If they didn’t do well on a paper or test, sometimes I will take them out for coffee or ice cream just to encourage them.

I ask them how I can serve them to make a busy day more bearable.

I work hard to get to know their friends.

If they are hanging out in our home with a friend, sometimes I will suggest that we jump in the van, and I will treat them both to Starbucks!

I text them and tell them I miss them, love them or am praying for them.

I try to treat them with respect. They are young adults.

I am working hard to learn how to relate to them in a new way since they are getting older. I make sure I am reading good books for tips, or talking to women who have gone through this season already.

I try to arrange a weekly family time to make sure we are connecting as a family and keeping caught up with each other.

Sometimes on Saturday morning, I make their favorite breakfast since most mornings during the week they are grabbing breakfast on the run.

I keep my eyes open for good devotional books or Bible studies I can buy for them to help encourage them to be in the Word.

If your child is in college, and doesn’t live at home:

Send a care package or letter stuffed with a gift card on a monthly basis.

When they come home for a break, clean their room and have a small gift waiting on their pillow. Make their favorite meal. Have a “Welcome Home” sign hanging on the front door.

While they are home for a break, make sure you are as available as possible to them. This is precious time. Make them WANT to come home again.

If it is their birthday, and they live too far for you to go visit, send them a “Birthday Party in a Box” care package!

If they are close enough for a day trip or weekend trip, make the effort to go visit them monthly. Take them out for dinner. Get to know their friends.

These ideas and thoughts came from a blog called www.momlifetoday.com!

Good stuff!

If I Could Turn Back Time - This kind of goes with Monday's "Turn Back Time" theme. (Remember? I said I would let the boys wear their underwear on the outside of their jeans in public... superhero-style.)

I would buy the boys the light-up tennis shoes. And I would let them wear them to church on Sunday and Wednesday nights... and to the mall... and to see Santa.

I wouldn't look at light-up tennis shoes like a 30-something, practical Mom of three.

I would see them for the very, very cool shoes they were meant to be, and I would have made Austin and Josh's little hearts so happy.

NOTE - If you see any Size 13 (MEN'S) light-up tennis shoes in your travels, please let me know. I think I'm going to make two "boys" very happy this Christmas if I can locate such an item!

Quotable Quotes

"When was the last time you did something for the first time?"

Is that a good question, or what?

And it's already on a pillow.

That is how you can tell a good quote from a bad quote. If it is on a pillow, it's a keeper.

Special Event Bible

This is another Pinterest idea, but I think you'll like it.

Purchase a new Bible a year before your child's special event (their 16th birthday or high school graduation). Take a year to read through it with a Bible reading plan making notations in the margin written specifically to your child.

Make comments about the verse’s special significance.

Mention how you’ve seen a truth of scripture lived out in their life.

Warn them of pitfalls.

Encourage them with favorite verses underlined.

Then, on their big day, wrap it up and give it to them as a gift.

Excellent idea. I'm currently working on a Bible like this to give to my first child (and their spouse) who has a baby.

Trisha's Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have watched Trisha Yearwood's cooking show a couple of times in recent weeks, and I like it.

Her recipes aren't super fancy or hard... and she eats like I do. Southern!

I have a Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe, but I'm always on the lookout for something "better," so I'll be trying this one very, very soon.

You will need the following:

3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 14-ounce cans chicken broth
4 cups half-and-half
1 10.75-ounce can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 cup prepared salsa, mild or spicy
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, boiled, drained and shredded
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained
1 15-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1.27-ounce packet fajita seasoning
1 16-ounce bag tortilla chips
8 ounces Monterey Jack, grated
8 ounces sharp Cheddar, grated
1/2 cup sour cream

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and the onion and saute until softened (about 5 minutes).

2. Add the flour and stir well, cooking for 1 minute more.

3. Add the broth and the half-and-half. Stir in the Cream of Chicken Soup, salsa, chicken, beans, corn, cumin and fajita seasoning. Continue to simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

4. Crumble the tortilla chips into individual bowls and top with a ladle of soup. Sprinkle each serving with cheese and add a dollop of sour cream.

I've changed my mind. I think I'll make it today!

Weekend Happenings - Hold on! It's another busy Fall weekend!

Friday night Roxie will be roasting marshmallows with friends. Josh will be working. Austin will be getting ready for the JSU game tomorrow. Mike and I will hopefully be eating Trisha's Chicken Tortilla Soup and watching Amazing Race!

Saturday, Roxie and I have an annual standing date with Bev and Katie. We're heading to Christmas Village for a few hours. Mike and Josh will be hanging around the house (hopefully, working on a lovely "honey-do" list I've lovingly prepared for the two of the them). Austin will be doing his JSU thing.

Saturday night, Roxie will be celebrating a friend's birthday. Josh will be working again. Austin and Melia will be celebrating Melia's upcoming birthday.

Mike and I will be eating leftover Trisha's Chicken Tortilla Soup!

And Sunday, we are having our Fall Feast with my family at Bev's house. This year was the first time in 21 years we have not spent Halloween with my parents and my sister and her family.

It was odd.

It was strange.

It was unpleasant.

I was unusually grumpy Wednesday night.

But we're still planning on having a Fall Feast each and every year TOGETHER... watching a movie... playing games... visiting.

Otherwise, I will be having an unusually grumpy October 31 until Thanksgiving... from now until... Hmmm. I don't know when I'll stop being grumpy.

Have a glorious Fall weekend. I'll be back Monday morning with so much Fall goodness to share, you will be amazed!

Now I just have to live up to that last statement.

Take care, and I'll talk to you Monday.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

P.S. Just to get you in the mood for basketball season, I have a little surprise for you. We played a couple of 21-minute games last night to give new referees in our area a little practice.

I think you can tell from the following pics, we're going to have a good year (I hope, I hope).

I love this stance. It's laid back and intimidating all at the same time. (I need to learn to stand like this.)

Can you spot the blurry basketball? (I'm going to have to practice with my camera settings again. Basketball is a little "faster" than volleyball.)

I wouldn't even have to think about it. I would just hand the ball over to one of the three chicks charging toward me.

It may look like Roxie is about to finish knocking this girl to the floor, but I can assure you, that is not what happened.

Well, that's my story... and I'm sticking to it!