Mindful Monday

Count your blessings

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.


Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Thank You Thursday

Rain or Shine Family Time!

Last week the whole gang (minus Mack and Cheryl ) spent a week together. Marci came up with the idea and did all the leg work.  Marci and Mike found a Beach House to rent and everyone saved the date.

 picture via Marci

We brought games and books but mostly sand and water toys, 

of course... 

(beach, sand, water)

You'd think, right?

  picture via Marci

(Preston catching a moment with the sun out)

Unfortunately  the weather didn't cooperate too long.

 

picture via Marci

Well we did have advanced warning about Hurricane Alex, thanks to our friend Dr.Jim.

We decided to go anyway.  We knew it would be a whirl wind ...  and we had a blast!

 

  picture via Marci
Mike and Scott got this inflatable raft... 

 Cute Guys

 picture via Marci
Oh No!

  picture via Marci
Scott and Mike walking back empty handed, a guy on the beach helped them get it back :).

Each family provided an evening meal:

GreatFrog and Grammie - Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Miner's - Marinated Chicken on the Barbie

Freeman's - Bacon Wrapped Dogs and Dill Potato Salad

 picture via Marci

I'm craving that potato salad right now!

Scott and Kayley were able to come for one night 
 and we celebrated Mike's birthday. 

 picture via Marci

Hope with her adorable little nieces♥

Definitely a new Summer Tradition for the Miner Clan!  

Mindful Monday - Family

 The Happy Family by Ferdinand Georg Waldmuller 

“A happy family is but an earlier heaven.” 

― George Bernard Shaw

Mindful Monday - America

"America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."
~Alexis de Tocqueville

Fun for the Fourth

Dipped Ice Cream Sandwiches

With just a few ingredients, including red, white and blue sprinkles, these sweet frozen treats are sure to make your family ooh and aah!—Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• 4 ice cream sandwiches
• Red, white and blue sprinkles

Directions

• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper; set aside. In a microwave or heavy saucepan, melt chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Quickly dip ice cream sandwiches partway in melted chocolate; coat chocolate with sprinkles. Place on prepared baking sheet and freeze. Yield: 4 servings.

Patriotic Place Cards

4th of July Paper Hat Place Cards

Make these charming patriotic paper-hat name cards with simple step-by-step folding instructions.

Country Living Magazine

Step 1:

Fold the square in half diagonally.

Step 2: Fold both sharp points up to the right-angled corner.

Step 3: Rotate the model 180 degrees, then fold one of the sharp points to the upper corner .

Step 4: Create the horn by folding the sharp point outwards, shown. As a guide, try folding the point so that when you have done so, the upper edge rests parallel to the horizontal center crease.

Step 5: Repeat step 4 on the other side. Then fold up a single layer of paper at the bottom, to a point approximately halfway between the top of the helmet and the center line.

Step 6: Fold bottom point to where the brim will be.

Step 7: Fold again.

Step 8: Fold again

Step 9: Fold the remaining corner on the back as steps 6, 7, and 8.

Step 10: Fold right and left side back at ends and staple down from inside. Add touches of red, white, and blue crepe paper, sparkles, and pipe cleaners.

Mindful Monday

"May I share with you a formula that in my judgment will help you and help me to journey well through [life]... First, fill your mind with truth; second, fill your life with service; and third, fill your heart with love."
~Thomas S. Monson

This is what I'm making for Father's Day!

 (one for Mark and one for Frog)

Key Lime Ice Cream Pie

aka Key Lime Frog Pie

Coastal Living, MAY 2010 

Ingredients

• 1 2/3  cups  sugar, divided
• 1 2/3  cups  heavy cream
• 1  cup  whole milk
• 1/4  cup  light corn syrup
• 1  vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
• 1 1/4  cups  graham cracker crumbs
• 5  tablespoons  unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4  cup  sugar
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 8  large egg yolks
• 1  teaspoon  Key lime zest
• 1 1/4  cups  fresh Key lime juice
• Garnishes: Key lime slices, sweetened whipped cream

Preparation

1. Combine 1 cup sugar and next 3 ingredients in a large saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; add seeds and bean to milk mixture. Bring to a boil over high heat. Immediately remove from heat, and let stand 30 minutes. Remove and discard vanilla bean.
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl, tossing until well blended. Press crumbs into a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate to form an even crust. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes or until firm to the touch; cool completely, and set aside.
3. Beat egg yolks in a large bowl. Slowly whisk 1 cup warm cream mixture into egg yolks. Add egg mixture to remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly.
4. Cook cream mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until mixture reaches 160° and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat; pour through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl. Cool custard completely, stirring occasionally.
5. Combine remaining 2/3 cup sugar and Key lime zest and juice in a bowl, stirring until sugar dissolves. Stir lime juice mixture into cooled custard. Transfer custard to an ice cream maker, and process according to manufacturer's directions.
6. Mound ice cream into prepared crust. Freeze pie 4 hours or overnight. Garnish, if desired.

Cute Coupons

Father's Day Coupons

My husband always LOVES these!
Give him coupon booklet filled with unbelievable deals for Father's Day:
100 percent off a lawn mowing, car washing, delicious breakfast, and more.

Martha Stewart Living June 2004

Coupon Booklet How-To
Print the coupon template. (You can also duplicate them on a color photocopier if necessary.) Then cut them out. To decorate the cover, we used a 1 1/4-inch round craft punch to create a hole that frames the coupon picture underneath. Here are a few more presentation ideas:
1. Fasten Cut card stock to the same size for a cover; stack on top of coupons. With a standard hole punch, make a hole in the upper-left corner of the stack; insert a paper fastener. 2. Sew Cut a cover, and place on top of coupons. Secure stack with paper clips; machine-sew along the left side (use the dotted lines as a guide). 3. Staple
Cut card stock to 2 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches. Fold end of strip over 3/4 inch; slide coupons inside flap, and staple though its center. Bend opposite end of cover over coupons, and insert under flap (like a matchbook cover); crease.

Click HERE for printable Coupon Books

from Better Homes and Garden

Have tiny kids?

Father's Day Coloring Page

Thank You Thursday - Red Velvet

Are you familiar with Red Velvet Cake?  I think maybe it is a Southern/Texas thing. We had never even heard of it before we moved here. 

It is Hope's favorite!

I think she first tasted it at Chrissy and Zack's wedding reception. Chrissy's Red Velvet Wedding Cake was beautiful and delicious!

 pictures via "The Life of Chrissy"

Whenever Hope gets to have a cupcake from one of our favorite spots,CRAVE, she ALWAYS chooses Red Velvet.

For her birthday cake she requested, Red Velvet.

....look what I found the other day at Randalls.

Who would've ever thought in  a million years!

Little Debbie® Petites Red Velvet Cakes are genuine,
moist red velvet cakes topped with creme cheese flavored
icing. Each perfectly portioned serving is individually
wrapped in a six count carton.

June 10 = 16

Another 
Birthday
~ Shout Hooray! ~

 Sunday, we celebrated Scotto's 16th Birthday

 He wanted Taco Soup, Quesadillas, Chips and Salsas and Guacamole

He asked Kassandra to make his birthday cake.  

She makes deelicious desserts.

She made an Oreo IceCream Cake and it was REALLY good!

We have no idea what Scott wished for?

P.S. THANKS Marci and Mike ♥(our resident photographers)♥