Deeee-lish!

Okay, people, you have GOT to try this recipe. If you love mexican as much as we do, this will most definitely be a hit for your family! AND it is super easy to fix.
The thing I love about it...besides the awesome taste...it that it makes 2-13x9" recipes; one for now and one you will freeze for later. Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas:

1 rotisserie chicken (or 1 bag frozen chicken breasts, cooked)
2 cans (14-1/2 oz each) Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. dried oregano
1-8 oz pkg cream cheese, cubed
20 medium-size flour tortillas, warmed
4 cups shredded Mexican cheese

Shred chicken and set aside. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, soups, milk and seasonings. Transfer 3-1/2 cups to another bowl; add the chicken and cream cheese.

Spread 1/4 cup soup mixture into each of two greased 13x9" baking dishes. Place 1/3 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in baking dishes. Pour remaining soup mixture over tops; sprinkle with cheese.

Bake one casserole, uncovered, at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Cover and freeze remaining casserole for up to 3 months.

To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Last "First Day of School"...

Well, I knew this day was going to come sooner or later. Guess I was just hoping for "later".
Caleb headed off this morning to begin his Senior year of high school. He wasn't excited for school to begin, but was ecstatic that it's his last (well, until next year when college begins)...
We plan to visit several colleges this fall. He's looking in to NC State, Appalachian State, Univ of S. Carolina, and one other school I hate to even mention (UNC Chapel Hill)...yuck - cannot even imagine having to cheer on a tarheel! Oh well, we'll cross that bridge when it comes!
Lindsay began her junior year of college this past Monday and Heather is coming to the end of getting her associates degree (one class remains after this online semester)!!!
Thanking God today for the blessings He has given to Scott and me! We are a blessed Mom and Dad!!!!!

(Grandparent alert: Lots of pictures.....)

Enjoy our "first days of school"

Heather's first day of Kindergarten

Heather 1st grade; Lindsay - Kindergarten

Heather 2nd grade; Lindsay 1st grade

Heather 3rd grade; Lindsay 2nd
Caleb's first day of K4

Heather 4th grade; Lindsay 3rd; Caleb - Kindergarten
Heather 5th grade; Lindsay 4th; Caleb 1st
Heather 6th grade; Lindsay 5th; Caleb 2nd
Heather 7th grade; Lindsay 6th; Caleb 3rd
Heather 8th grade; Lindsay 7th; Caleb 4th
Heather 9th grade; Lindsay 8th; Caleb 5th
Heather 10th grade; Lindsay 9th; Caleb 6th
Heather 11th grade; Lindsay 10th; Caleb 7th
Heather 12th grade; Lindsay 11th; Caleb 8th
Lindsay 12th grade; Caleb 9th
Caleb 10th grade (smiles were not cool this year :)
Caleb 11th grade

The Countdown begins...

Heather, Brad, and Taylor are heading back to college today. This is Taylor's first year, Brad's third, and in just 4 more classes, Heather will be done! That will be a day to celebrate! She cannot wait to be done. They attend college here in Charlotte.

Lindsay is gearing up this week to head back to UNCG this Saturday. We will load up cars and make the trip to move her into her first apartment. She is "slightly" excited (about the apartment, not school :)
And then, of course, Caleb, heads back to high school next Thursday to begin his senior year!

Last night we had a "back to school" dinner with everyone here (even Brad's dogs). We enjoyed tacos and one of my homemade cookie cakes with icecream, hot fudge, and whipped cream! Okay, I will say that was AMAZING!!!


Scott then led us in a devotional on I Corinthians 13....Love is patient, Love is kind, Love does not envy, Love does not boast, it is not proud. Love is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. LOVE NEVER FAILS!
Ok, we all know that verse. But is that truly how we act. More importantly, is that truly how we treat each other...our siblings, our husband/wife. He made it personal and very interactive. He asked us to look at each other and apply it. "Is that how you treat your brother and sister? Is that how you treat your boyfriend/girlfriend? Is that how mom and I treat each other?"
It was great and a very special time. Then we all went around the table and prayed for each other. What a great way to spend an evening.
We ended the evening playing cards and pictionary. Man, I cannot draw!!!! Every animal I draw looks like a dog and I have no idea where 40 of the 50 states are to draw on a map. Oh well, it was still so much fun!!!!!



PS Saturday night, we went bowling and to Krispy Kreme. I was doing some amazing bowling, if I should say so myself. I'll let the scores do the talkin'! :)
PSS Scott learned that a bad back and knee are not good for bowling!!!

End of summer....

Well, for us, it feels like the end of summer. We wrapped up our vacations this afternoon...so sad! All good things must come to an end. Tomorrow everything returns to normal. The kids go back to working everyday until school is back in swing. Hard to believe Lindsay will return to UNCG in just 3 weeks, Caleb will begin his senior year in less than 4 weeks and Heather is 3 classes away from receiving her associates degree from college. Didn't summer just begin? We did our vacations back-to-back this year, and they were great! We went to the beach for 6 days and hated to see that end. We returned for 3 days of work and then this past weekend headed to the lake. We had a blast at both! We played tons of games, soaked up lots of sun (well they did), and ate alot of food. Goodbye summer! I'm sure gonna miss you....

Beach vacation:

Lake vacation:

Book Review

The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away; Blessed be the name of the Lord. Job 1:21

I love this verse! I love this song...

Blessed be your name in a land that is plentiful, where the streams of abundance flow, Blessed be Your name!...You give and take away, You give and take away, My heart will choose to say, Lord blessed be Your name.

We are enjoying an extremely, relaxing vacation this week. Down here at the beach at our precious friend's condo. This has become an annual summer vacation for our family since we moved to Charlotte over 4 years ago. And it is one of our favorite vacations ever!

One of my favorite parts of this vacation (besides being with my family) are the mornings. I get up quite early, before everyone...giving me about 2 hours of quiet, uninterrupted time. First things first, is getting my cup of coffee brewed...have I mentioned that I LOVE my Keurig? Then I sit in my corner of the kitchen table with my coffee, my Bible, and books that I'm reading. I have become a reading fanatic...my friend would be so proud!

I have 5 books with me this trip. I'm just about to finish So Long, Insecurity by Beth Moore. Excellent book and I had no idea just how insecure I am. My step-mother, Marie, let me borrow Choosing to SEE by Mary Beth Chapman. I could not wait to get started on this book so I actually started it while finishing my Insecurity book. I have not been able to put it down. Started reading it yesterday and now I am on Chapter 33 out of 41 chapters. I have laughed and sobbed. And when I say "sob", I don't mean a tear here or there. I mean "SOB"...tears gushing, slobbering, etc.

I LOVE real-life stories. Stories from Christ-loving people who share not only their hearts, but also their love for the Lord...and their extreme hope in the Lord. This has definitely been one of those books. When you read this book, you will feel like Mary Beth is your friend. She has no problem sharing how down-to-earth she is. She has no problem telling you her issues with her famous husband, Steven Curtis Chapman.

She tells you all about her "normal" family. And as you know, she shares the tragedy of losing her daughter, Maria...her adopted daughter, Maria. I have a whole new respect for families who adopt. The deep down love that is felt for these orphans. The lengths that parents will go to because they choose to love the unwanted. It will tear your heart out and give you the biggest smile at the same time.

The biggest "ah-a" moment of the book for me was the time Mary Beth adopted their first daughter, Shaohannah (this would be the first of 3 girls adopted). Ladies, you have got to read this book. Mary Beth struggled with being unconditionally loved her entire life. She had many struggles! That baby was handed to her and I quote..."God was speaking to me directly. Mary Beth, you thickheaded woman, do you not understand now that this is the very way I see you? You are this orphan! I adopted you and you are Mine! I bought you for a price! Do you see how you love this baby? That's just a FAINT reflection of how much I love you! You didn't have a name, and I gave you a name. You did NOTHING to deserve my love, and I love you anyway. You had no hope, no future, and now you are the daughter of THE King!"

Mary Beth saw it. "The second she was placed in my arms, I would have fought to the death to protect her. I loved her with everything inside of me. 'Do you get it now?' God was saying to me. Under the blanket, this baby was wrapped in rags. She was poor. She didn't smell good. She was hungry. There was nothing about her that had 'earned' my love. But I loved her powerfully, deeply, absolutely. Period!"

Ooh-eee, I lost it there people. It was a sweet reminder of how my Lord loves me. Unconditionally...deeply...absolutely...Period!

He loves me though I am sinful. He loves me despite my attitude. He loves me despite my pride. He loves me despite my insecurities. He loves me even though He knows I struggle with craving food more than I crave Him. He loves me despite my struggles with weight. He loves me on the days I have a crap attitude. He loves me enough that He died for me. He loves me....Period! (insert tears again).