THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, Pinterest Stuff (Butter Bottom Buttermilk Biscuits AND Decorating a Birthday Door), Southern Living Stuff (No-Bake Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie), Enjoying the Rain AND Sawyer Turns Two

Good Monday afternoon!

I am beginning this post with THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I want you to listen to this Monday. Please go to Gardendale First Baptist Church's Facebook page. You can type GFBC Facebook on Google Search and it will take you to the correct site. Scroll down past photos and past videos until you see the first post (posted yesterday at 10:44 a.m.) You can listen to the worship music and announcements if you like, but you can also move ahead to the sermon which is entitled, "Responding to Anxiety."

Whether you suffer from anxiety, depression and/or suicidal thoughts...

Or if you don't personally suffer from such an illness, but know someone who does, please listen to this sermon.

It is thought-provoking and true and well worth the time it will take you or someone you care about to hear the words Pastor Kevin shared yesterday morning.

I truly hope and pray you will take the time.

Also, when you finish listening to the sermon, feel free to come back to this post to read about much less-important matters.

Thank you!

Pinterest Stuff

Butter Bottom Buttermilk Biscuits

You will need the following:

1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. In a microwave-safe bowl (or you can use the baking dish you'll be baking these in if it's microwave-safe), melt stick of butter.

3. Put melted butter into an 8" x 8" baking dish.

4 In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

5. Pour in the buttermilk. Stir until a loose dough forms. Batter will be a bit sticky.

6. Pour biscuit dough into baking dish (right on top of the melted butter). Some of the butter will run over the top of the dough, and that is perfectly okay.

7. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, rotating dish once during baking.

8. Oven times do vary since different ovens have different hot spots, but basically biscuits should be golden brown on top and spring back to the touch.

NOTE FROM ENCHANTING BELINDA - These are delicious. However, I made two changes to the recipe. I used Swans Down Cake Flour instead of just plain ol' all-purpose flour...

And I didn't add the sugar.

I will be making these often, I think.

Decorate a Birthday Door

This is super easy, and could easily become a fun-to-look-forward-to birthday tradition for the people in your home.

When the birthday person has gone to bed, tape a door-size piece of white butcher paper quietly to the outside of the door.

Using colorful markers and paints, write the following message on the paper...

"Today we have loved you for 7 Years, 84 Months, 364 Weeks, 2,555 Days... and counting!"

Tape a few colorful balloons here and there on the door, and your birthday person will have an excellent start to their day!

Southern Living Stuff

No-Bake Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie

You will need the following:

3 cups chocolate crisp rice cereal (such as Cocoa Krispies)
1/2 cup salted dry-roasted peanuts, finely chopped
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Hot fudge topping
Coarsely chopped salted dry-roasted peanuts

1. Stir together cereal, finely chopped peanuts and butter in a medium bowl. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of a lightly greased 9" glass pie plate. Freeze until solid, 15 to 30 minutes.

2. Microwave peanut butter in a small microwave-safe bowl on HIGH until melted and smooth, about 30 seconds. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Place ice cream in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer; beat on medium-low until smooth, about 30 seconds. Drizzle peanut butter into ice cream, beating on low just until incorporated, about 30 seconds.

4. Spread ice cream mixture into frozen pie shell. Cover and freeze until firm, 8 hours, or up to 24 hours.

5. Before serving, remove pie from freezer and leave out at room temperature 10 minutes. Meanwhile, beat cream and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Spread whipped cream evenly over pie. Drizzle with fudge topping, and sprinkle with coarsely chopped peanuts.

NOTE FROM ENCHANTING BELINDA - This is a very good recipe, too. The only change I made in this one was to replace regular creamy peanut butter with creamy HONEY roasted peanut butter. The next time I make it, I may substitute the salted dry-roasted peanuts with salted HONEY-roasted peanuts.

RANDOMNESS #1 - Enjoying the Rain - Melia, Austin, RT, Judith and I were going to hit the Splash Pad last Monday until Melia remembered the Splash Pad is closed on Mondays.

UGHHH!

Massive disappointment.

We decided to go to the Kiddie Park in Fultondale, eat a Chick-Fil-A picnic and play on the playground equipment. The kiddos would be happy either way.

But low and behold, a non-thunderous rain storm began shortly after we arrived, and you know what you're supposed to do during a non-thunderous rain storm, don't you?

Slide and swing and climb and run...

In that particular order...

And that was exactly what we all did.


Judith and RT coming down the slide at the same time.

Did you know a wet plastic slide at the Fultondale Kiddie Park is VERY fast?

Well, it is.

Judith was old enough to know how to work her feet and control her speed.

Little Man needed some help from Nana, and although it looks as if I am pulling his arm out of socket, I am NOT. I am helping.

That's what I do.

I assist!


Melia and RT.


A pic of RT looking like a cute little drowned rat.


A pic of Judith and RT looking like two cute little drowned rats.

RANDOMNESS #2 - Sawyer Turns Two - Sawyer, son of Bradley and Stephanie (my nephew and niece), had a Toy Story Party for his second birthday. It was excellent...

And I'm not just talking cupcakes!


Judith, Woody and Sawyer.

(It's really Brad dressed up as Woody. I just wanted to clarify.)




Judith wears her icing well, don't you think?


Stephanie, dressed as Bo Peep, helped with the opening of the gifts as well as holding our family's newest little addition, Carly Beth.




Sawyer was a very good sport and shared his brand new tricycle with the other kiddos.

He's a very sweet little guy, but it also helped that he was only two AND there were many other gifts to distract him.


Sawyer loves him a good cupcake.

Yes, him most certainly does.




Carly Beth slept through the entire party, so I'm pretty sure she won the BEST PARTY GUEST award.

I would have definitely come in second, because...

Well, just because.

I hope you have a very good week. As usual, July flew by and August (and all that entails) will be arriving on Wednesday.

Hard to believe, isn't it?

Take care, and I will talk to you very soon.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

Mindless Monday, A Spring Break Money Saving Plan, Our Family's Continuing Story - The Journey to Good Mental Health

Good Monday morning!

RANDOMNESS #1 - The Boy left yesterday evening for another week at JSU. His LAST week at JSU. It's been four years, and on Thursday, April 18, 2013, he will have completed his Bachelor's of Science Degree in Communications.

On Friday, April 26, 2013, he will graduate summa cum laude (which means he maintained good grades), and we (his entire extended family) will eat at Top of the River to celebrate.

I know Top of the River probably isn't the fanciest or most obvious choice for a graduation celebration, but we have history there.

Over the past four years, we've met there on his actual birthday and other days in between to slow down and catch up... because weekends are crazy, crazy around here, you see.

I've come to terms with celebrating at Top of the River because...

1. The Boy loves Top of the River.

2. I don't mind smelling like deep-fried hush puppies as long as everyone around me smells like deep-fried hush puppies.

3. They have plenty of room for the 20 or so people we are expecting to celebrate this milestone.

4. And the clatter of platters and the family-friendly atmosphere will absorb any and all noise we could possibly make during this joyous occasion.

RANDOMNESS #2 - The kids attended the Tim Hawkins Concert Saturday night and absolutely loved it. They came home retelling each and every one of Tim Hawkins' "bits" in between bites of Chocolate Cobbler and Chips Ahoy Pudding Cake. (For the record, I also had a Mixed Berry Cobbler, but the kids weren't having that. No, sir. Chocolate or bust!)

I asked Austin to buy the most recent Tim Hawkins DVD, and The Boy remembered! YES!

We watched it last night during our Bible Study, and we laughed out loud... or as the kids say LOL.

It was a good way to end a hectic weekend.

RANDOMNESS #3 - My niece, Amber, had a wonderful baby shower yesterday. She looked so pretty and she has the craftiest family and friends. (I took a few pics so you could see.)


Mackenzie's nursery is going to be pink and green paisley... decorated with hoot owls. Too cute.


I loved this. After we signed in, we had to put a green thumb print on this picture to hang in Mackenzie's room.


See the thumb print closest to the baby owl? Do you?

That's Great-Aunt Belinda's thumb print... right next to Mackenzie!



One of Amber's peeps actually made this wreath. How pretty is this?

Also, I want to mention something else I loved about the shower. On the back of Amber's invitation, this little poem was added.

One small request
that won't be too hard.

Please bring a book
instead of a card.

Whether Cat in the Hat
or Winnie the Pooh,

You can sign the book
with a note from you.

Baby Mackenzie will become
very smart indeed.

If we start early,
she will soon learn to read.

Needless to say, Mackenzie already has a very well stocked library awaiting her arrival.

RANDOMNESS #4 - I was blessed and honored to teach a Sunday School class yesterday on "Parenting God's Way - Birth to 5 Years-Old." (It was a one-time thing.)

It is one of the sweetest times in life... beginning a new family.

I think I may have made some new best friends. Yes, I was just a wee bit older than they were, but I think we bonded in such a good way.

You see, they are still "making" newborn babies... and I am still head-over-heals in LOVE with newborn babies.

We had so much in common it was a little scary!

RANDOMNESS #5 - "Our Family's Continuing Story - The Journey to Good Mental Health" - I read the following blog post this week, and I don't want to just suggest you read it. I want to URGE you to read it.

Go to www.aholyexperience.com written by Ann Voskamp. Scroll down (FOREVER) until you see the post entitled "What Christians Need to Know about Mental Health" dated April 8, 2013.

Here is a tiny excerpt...

"There’s no guilt in mental illness because depression is a kind of cancer that attacks the mind. You don’t shame cancer, you treat cancer. You don’t treat those with hurting insides as less than. You get them the most treatment."

NOTE - Ann's post is specifically about depression. Our family's personal story revolves around OCD and panic attacks.

Please read the post in it's entirety. Please.

I'm starting a new heading for future posts today. It will simply be called "Our Family's Continuing Story - The Journey to Good Mental Health." My prior posts regarding this subject have been called "Josh's Journey" and "Panic Attacks" (and you can read those posts any time by clicking on those headings under "Labels" in the sidebar).

You can also go to www.belindafaulkner.blogspot.com (my first blog) and click on the same headings for even more posts regarding our family's on-going struggle with mental illness.

I have to admit, I've been discouraged when it comes to talking about mental illness, but after reading Ann's post, I am reminded and encouraged to not be silent.

Being quiet will not help.

Being quiet will not heal.

Being quiet will never help another.

Being quiet may seem easier, but in the end it is just more painful.

Don't worry. I do not intend to be a "Debbie Downer" kind of blogger... and if your name is Debbie, I apologize.

However, when the subject comes up around these parts, I will address it!

A SPRING BREAK MONEY SAVING PLAN

To be honest, I thought I saw this on Pinterest, but I cannot find it anywhere.

So let's be clear. This was NOT an original idea.

I don't know where it originated, but be assured it was not in my head!

That being said, it is a good one!

1. Get a manila envelope and place it in a drawer.

2. Beginning the first Monday in January (and continuing every Monday for the entire year), you will put the dollar amount that coincides with the number of weeks into the envelope.

Week 1 - $1
Week 2 - $2
Week 3 - $3
Week 4 - $4
Week 5 - $5...

I think you get the idea.

By the time you get to the 52nd week of the year (and you put $52 in the envelope that week), you will have saved $1,138!

At least I think it was $1,138. That's the number that is stuck in my head. I don't really feel like doing the math this morning, but trust me...

There will be over $1,000 in the envelope at the end of a year.

This is something I am looking forward to starting January 2014! And I can't wait to spend on something special Spring Break 2015!

I hope you have the best week. I really, really do. I'll be back Friday morning with a new recipe (Brown Sugar Cookies), SPRING pictures, a new date and a little more. (Well, that's the plan. We'll see. We'll see.)

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

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

P.S. Since this post was a little serious today, I thought I'd leave you with some pictures from a year ago... just to get your Spring Fix!


I've been "best friends" with Ree (a/k/a The Pioneer Woman) for a year now. Can you believe it?

And when I say "best," I mean we met briefly at her book signing and I was so starstruck I couldn't even say, "Hi!"

An Easter pic...

Another Easter pic...

A fun photo shoot with these two...

And a crazy Copper pic... for good measure!