Save the Date for Kori

The bloggy world is one crazy place. Only in blogland can you make friends with women you've never met and do anything possible to support them during a difficult time. My blog friend, Kori, is going through a very trying time. Unfortunately, due to personal reasons, Kori's blog is private. Her husband, Richard, is losing his battle to colon cancer. Between being a his wife, caretaker and Mom to their two boys, she's really struggling. I just found out about a fantastic auction in honor of Kori and her family, which will be held on August 11th over at Welcome to the Nut House. All of the proceeds from the auction will be donated to the McCulley Family Trust to financially assist Kori during the times she'll need it most. I hope you'll take the time to visit the blog and read all about it. They are going to have some great items and they are still accepting items for donation if you're interested. I hope you will save the date and support this special family.

Telling the Tale of a Lake Martin Weekend

Last weekend our little family of three headed down to Jacksons Gap, AL for some much needed R&R on our beloved Lake Martin. We spent a relaxing Friday evening hanging out with the fam and J.K. really enjoyed playing with his big cousins A & E. As you can see in the picture below he and E even got to sit in the big chair and eat bananas and Cheetos. Please note that I was against the Cheetos, but of course the Cici convinced me that it was fine. Also note that the Cici (aka, my Mom) would have NEVER, EVER allowed me OR my sister to eat Cheetos growing up. We weren't even allowed to chew chewing gum!!


When Saturday morning came we all put on our swimming gear, greased ourselves up in sunscreen and headed out for the much anticipated (and slightly dreaded by yours truly) Aquapalooza! Oh my heavens, this event was insane, yet insanely organized at the same time. You see it was a HUGE lake party. We're talking 3,000 boats ALL in one spot at one time for one concert! Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen right? Yeah, I thought so too. I was against going to the Redneck Riveria Party Aquapalooza, but my dear sweet family convinced me otherwise. I guess I can say I was glad we went. It far exceeded my expectations (minus the crazy frat boys in the boat next to us). There were marine police EVERYWHERE. I definitely felt safe or as safe as one can feel amongst 3,000 boaters. The big event that everyone was there to see was the Alan Jackson concert. I'm not a huge country music fan, but I've always enjoyed his music. So I must say I did get a little giddy when I saw this driving up next to our boat..

Yes, that would be Alan Jackson in his beautiful wooden boat. He was just cruisin' around the party before the big show. I must admit, it was pretty impressive. Oh, and I loved the name of the boat..

If you know anything about his music then the Hootchie Coochie name will make sense.

As the evening wore on J.K. was ready to sail on out of the Aquapalooza madness..

But we had to let Pawpaw take the wheel for the adventure home. It was a rough ride to put it lightly, I kept referring to the ride home as the Lake Martin Rodeo! We might as well have been in the Gulf..on a pontoon. But we survived to tell the tale, and J.K. and his Cici spent the next morning feeding the fish and enjoying the quiet side of the lake..



The End. :)

Prayers for Baby Brooks

UPDATE - Baby Brooks is out of surgery and the doctors said that it went well. Please keep the prayers going. The next 12-24 hours will be critical for the little guy. You can read updates on their blog.

Original Post:

Hi friends. I've just gotten word of a family who really needs prayer at this very moment. I "met" Lauren Hess through college friends and our blogs. We've shared a common bond in that we've both lost babies due to premature birth. We've never met in person, but this little family means so much to me. They have two amazing little boys, Carson, 2, and Brooks, almost 4 months. Carson had a twin, Cooper, who passed away. Carson has dealt with his share of developmental delays due to his premature birth, but is an amazing little guy. Brooks was born full-term and has been a seemingly healthy baby since. He began to have problems eating a few days ago. They took him to the hospital yesterday and the doctors found that he has an enlarged heart due to an artery being connected to the wrong spot. As I type, Brooks is undergoing open heart surgery. PLEASE say a special prayer for Brooks, his family and especially the doctors as they fix his tiny heart.

You can keep up with the Hess family and Brooks' condition at www.andrewandlaurenhess.blogspot.com there's also a link to The Hess Family on my sidebar.

A Great Getaway to Phoenix

I just want to start this post by saying how much I love my friends! I am truly blessed to have some of the best friends a girl could ask for. I just returned from a fantastic long weekend in Phoenix for the wedding of my old college friend Matt. My BFF & college roommate, Tiff, and I flew out to Phoenix on Thursday. We were met at the airport by "our boys" Spud and Matt. This was later followed by an hour of literally driving in circles around the airport as we waited to pick up our other "boy" Luis. Later that evening we were joined by Joe & Susan.

You see, this crazy group of "adults" were the best of friends while in school at Auburn. We all now live in various cities across the country, from Birmingham to Seattle to be exact. However, when we're together it as though no time has passed. These friends have been there for me during my best of times and my worst of times. They've kept me laughing when laughter seemed impossible and they have shirts that are stained by my tears. They are true friends, which can be very hard to come by these days!

While together we reminisced on all of the hilarious college stories and played catch up on the years that have gone by since we've been together. But most importantly, we were there to see our friend Matt, a.k.a., "Schaaby", get married. We are all so incredibly happy for him and his beautiful bride Miranda. They are both blessed to have each other.

Now, I can't end this post without stating how incredibly hot it is in Phoenix. I've always heard that it was a "dry heat". That's just crap! 115 degrees in pure insanity! Of course there was a cold front coming through Birmingham while I was away. I never knew that I would be so happy to be back in Alabama!

Oh, and for those of you who are wondering, yes I did leave Ben and Jeffrey at home..alone! Ben wanted me to go out there and have fun with old friends and offered to stay home with Jeffrey. He's such an awesome hubby and Daddy. They had a great time down on the family farm while I was away. I'm waiting to get pictures from Uncle George (hint, hint George, I know you're reading this). As soon as I get them I'll post a few to the blog.

Tiff and me at the rehearsal dinner.


There was potential for this to be a good group shot, but Joe ruined it. :)


It's fun to stay at the..YMCA!!


Finally, a decent shot of us and our Auburn boys!


WAR EAGLE!!

Pampered Chef Update and a J.K. Pic Fix

The Pampered Chef party was fabulous! Margie did an awesome job and all of our guests really enjoyed it! Thanks to all of our friends who attended! I hope everyone enjoyed the great recipes that Margie shared with us throughout the week. She made the tomato-basil squares for the party and they were delicious! If you want to place an order, it's not too late, will be closing it out this evening.

I know I've slacked a bit in posting pictures of J.K. lately, so here you go!


His feet can almost reach the peddles of his John Deere tractor.


J.K. had a blast with his PawPaw Ray on July 4th. PawPaw Ray is our next door neighbor and one of J.K.'s favorite people!


I just love this picture! He's turning into such a little man. And, yes, he's wearing a Cleveland Indians romper. It was a hand-me-down. I know nothing about Cleveland or the Indians. Except that my great uncle lives in Dayton and I'm 1/4 Choctaw!

Pampered Chef Blog Party - Tomato Basil Squares

As promised, here's the Tomato-Basil Squares recipe. This would be a great dish to serve at a summer party by the pool or at dinner with a nice spring mix salad!

Tomato-Basil Squares

Ingredients

1 (10oz) pkg pizza crust

2 C (8oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

1 oz. (1/4C) Parmesan cheese (grated)

2 T fresh basil leaves (snipped)

2/3 C mayonnaise

1 garlic clove (pressed)

4 plum tomatoes (thinly sliced)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1. Roll pizza dough on RECTANGLE BAKING STONE, within one inch of edge.Grate Mozzarella cheese using ROTARY GRATER. Sprinkle 1 cup of Mozzarella cheese on crust; set aside

2. Grate Parmesan cheese using MICROPLANE ADJUSTABLE GRATER. Using KITCHEN SHEARS and PREP BOWL, snip basil

3. In BATTER BOWL, combine remaining mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, basil, and mayonnaise; mix well. Use your MEASURE-ALL CUP to measure the mayonnaise. Using GARLIC PRESS, press garlic over mixture. Blend together.

4. Thinly slice tomatoes using COLOR COATED TOMATO KNIFE. Arrange single layer over mozzarella cheese on crust.

5. Next, use your MIX ‘N SCRAPER to scoop and spread mozzarella cheese mixture over tomatoes and cover evenly.

6. Bake 20 minutes or until top is golden brown and bubbly.

Cut pizza using PIZZA CUTTER.

Serve your pizza with MINI SERVING SPATULA.

ENJOY!!

If you'd like to order any of the items you see here or another great Pampered Chef item follow these 10 steps:

1. Just visit Margie's Pampered Chef site
   
2. Click Our Products
3. Search for through all of the Pampered Chef goodness and find the item(s) that you just cannot live without.
4. Click the item you want to purchase
5. Click How to Purchase
6. Type Lurenda Avery into the Search for Host boxes
7. Click Search for Host
8. Click my name
9. Click Select this item
10. Either check out or continue shopping

Pampered Chef Blog Party - Three Cheese Pizza

Here's a great summer time recipe in honor of the Pampered Chef Blog Party! This one uses some very cool Pampered Chef tools!

If you're wondering what all of this Pampered Chef Blog Party business is about, just click here to read all about it. Don't forget to click the links to the various PC items used in the recipe.

Three-Cheese Garden Pizza
Garden-fresh vegetables and a trio of cheeses make this pizza a winner! You can serve it as an appetizer or a lighter main dish.












Ingredients:
1 pkg. (13.8 ounces) refrigerated pizza crust
1 tb. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 c. grated fresh parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 small onion, sliced into rings
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 c. sliced mushrooms

1. Preheat over to 400 degrees. Unroll dough onto bottom of lightly greased Large Bar Pan. Place oil in Prep Bowl. Press garlic into oil using Garlic Press; brush evenly over dough using Chef's Silicone Basting Brush. Bake crust 7 minutes. Remove from oven; place on Stackable Cooling Rack.

2. Meanwhile, grate cheddar and mozzarella cheeses using Ultimate Mandoline fitted with grating blade; place in Classic Batter Bowl. Grate parmesan cheese over batter bowl using Microplane Adjustable Grater; toss lightly using Small Mix 'n Scraper and set aside. Using Ultimate Mandoline, slice onion and tomatoes using v-shaped blade; slice zucchini using crinkle cut blade. Slice mushrooms using Utility Knife.

3. Sprinkle half of the cheese mixture evenly over crust: top evenly with onio, zucchini, tomatoes and mushrooms. Sprinkle with remainign cheese mixture. Bake 15-18 minutes or until crust is golden brown; remove from oven to cooling rack. Cut into squares using Pizza Cutter. Serve using Mini-Serving Spatula.

Yield: 12 appetizer servings or 6 main dish servings.

Thanks again to Margie for sharing this great pizza recipe! I LOVE making pizzas and can't wait to try this one out. I'll share her Tomato Basil Squares recipe next, which she'll be serving at our party this Saturday!!

If you'd like to order any of the items you see here or another great Pampered Chef item follow these 10 steps:

1. Just visit Margie's Pampered Chef site
   
2. Click Our Products
3. Search for through all of the Pampered Chef goodness and find the item(s) that you just cannot live without.
4. Click the item you want to purchase
5. Click How to Purchase
6. Type Lurenda Avery into the Search for Host boxes
7. Click Search for Host
8. Click my name
9. Click Select this item
10. Either check out or continue shopping

Pampered Chef Blog Party - Touchdown Taco Dip

I hope everyone had an awesome 4th of July weekend. We just hung out around the house, enjoyed having a few friends over and ate way too much BBQ! I'll have some pictures later, but for now I want to share another yummy Pampered Chef recipe with you guys in honor of the Pampered Chef Blog Party!

If you're wondering what all of this Pampered Chef Blog Party business is about, just click here to read all about it. Don't forget to click the links to the various PC items used in the recipe. I'm thinking that I really want the kitchen shears, because I've never owned a decent pair, and the baking stone.

Touchdown Taco Dip









Ingredients:
1 can (16 oz.) refried beans
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 c. sour cream
2 tbsp. Southwestern Seasoning Mix
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese
Optional toppings such as diced tomatoes, thinly sliced green onions, sliced pitted ripe olives, snipped fresh cilantro or additional sour cream.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using Large Spreader, spread refried beans over bottom of Deep Dish Baker. In Classic Batter Bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, seasoning mix and garlic pressed with Garlic Press; mix well
Baked Tortilla Chips (optional, see Tips below)

2. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over beans. Grate cheese over top using Rotary Grater. Bake 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

3. If desired, dice tomatoes and thinly slice green onions using Chef's Knife. Slice olives using Egg Slicer Plus. Snip cilantro using Kitchen Shears. Sprinkle tomato, onions, olives and cilantro over dip. Garnish with additional sour cream, if desired. Remove from oven; serve with tortilla chips.

Yield: 16 servings

Cook's Tips: Taco seasoning mix can be substituted for the Southwestern Seasoning Mix, if desired.

To make Baked Tortilla Chips, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut eight flour tortillas into wedges using Pizza Cutter; arrange half of the wedges in a single layer on Large Round Stone. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and crisp. Remove from baking stone; cool completely. Repeat with remaining tortilla wedges.

Yield: 64 chips

Thanks again to Margie for sharing another great recipe with us. I'm really looking forward to our party this Saturday at 4 p.m. Please don't forget, if you can't make it to the party, but want to place an order just follow the following steps:

1. Just visit Margie's Pampered Chef site
   
2. Click Our Products
3. Search for through all of the Pampered Chef goodness and find the item(s) that you just cannot live without.
4. Click the item you want to purchase
5. Click How to Purchase
6. Type Lurenda Avery into the Search for Host boxes
7. Click Search for Host
8. Click my name
9. Click Select this item
10. Either check out or continue shopping

Pampered Chef Blog Party - Recipe #1

I've asked Margie, our Pampered Chef Consultant, to share a few recipes with us over the next couple of weeks. This one sounds great and EASY!

Dinner Time in No Time - Pork Tenderloin & Salad

This recipe is made using the Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baker (DCB).

• Cover Pork Tenderloin with your favorite Pampered Chef Rub.
• Place pork in DCB.
• Place cover on DCB.
• Place DCB in MICROWAVE and cook for 10 minutes per pound.
• While your tenderloin is cooking, make your salad.
• For a quick and easy salad, chop your lettuce with your Salad Choppers.
• And in UNDER 30 MINUTES, Dinner is served!

For only $99, you get the Deep Covered Baker, Salad Choppers, a Pampered Chef Rub, and a Season's Best Cookbook!! The DCB can be used in the microwave and oven. There are an endless number of recipes that you can make in YOUR DCB! Just ask me!

Don't forget, if you're interested in purchasing the items used in this recipe, or any other Pampered Chef products, just follow these 10 steps:

1. Visit Margie's Pampered Chef site
   
2. Click Our Products
3. Search for through all of the Pampered Chef goodness and find the item(s) that you just cannot live without.
4. Click the item you want to purchase
5. Click How to Purchase
6. Type Lurenda Avery into the Search for Host boxes
7. Click Search for Host
8. Click my name
9. Click Select this item
10. Either check out or continue shopping

Until next time, Bon Appetit!

It's a Pampered Chef Blog Party

Here's the deal, I'm hosting a Pampered Chef Party at my home on Saturday, July 11th at 4 p.m. If you live in the Birmingham area I hope you will make plans to join us! If you haven't received an e-vite let me know and I'll get one to you. My sweet friend Margie from Two Peas in a Pod is going to be our consultant.

However, I wanted to try something a little different with this Pampered Chef shindig. I want to include ALL of my friends, including my bloggy friends who live miles and miles away. I'm doing this first because who doesn't love Pampered Chef stuff? Secondly, because I want to support my friend Margie. And finally (I'm just being honest here) I REALLY want that Stoneware Deep Covered Baking Dish, therefore I need to sell a lot of stuff in order to get it. Hey, I'm just being honest.

So, how does the PC Blog Party work? Well, it's really simple, just follow these 10 steps:

1. Just visit Margie's Pampered Chef site
   
2. Click Our Products
3. Search for through all of the Pampered Chef goodness and find the item(s) that you just cannot live without.
4. Click the item you want to purchase
5. Click How to Purchase
6. Type Lurenda Avery into the Search for Host boxes
7. Click Search for Host
8. Click my name
9. Click Select this item
10. Either check out or continue shopping

And just like that you are the proud new owner of the best kitchen tools or accessories you can find!

If you're interested in hosting a Pampered Chef party and getting all kinds of free stuff and great discounts Margie will be happy to help you!

I hope you'll join in the fun and as I said earlier, if you live in B'ham and haven't received an e-vite please let me know. The more the merrier!!

Bon Appetit!