Happy Birthday Momma!

This weekend all the kids went to Raleigh and we stayed with Meade and Emily to celebrate Mom's birthday. Mom wanted to go to the State Fair which was so fun. Talk about FOOD! Lord, we ate everything you could think of from, fried snickers to funnel cake, corn, fried pickles, sausage rolls and more. We enjoyed playing games and visiting the animals on this absolutely GORGEOUS day for the NC STATE FAIR and MOM'S BIRHTHDAY!! (I took lots of pics of the food but I will have to share later b/c they are on Mom' s camera)

Birthday Girl!

AMAZING Apple Cake that I made for her birthday!!

Emily shared this yummy recipe that we made on Saturday night for Mom's birthday dinner. It was delicious!!

Honey Flank Steak:

2 c honey
1/2 c ketchup
1/4 c mustard
3 dashes Worcestershire
1/4 c olive oil
2 Flank Steaks or 1.5 lb
Lemon Pepper

Mix and coat with lemon pepper on bother sides.

Pour marinade on meat and marinade at least 4 hours. Cook 5 min per side. Pour rest of marinade in saucepan and bring to boil. Serve on side.

Enjoy:)

Carmel Apples

After mom and I went apple picking I have made several different recipes with apples. I eat at least two a day, they are so good for you as well:) I make cooked apples all the time as a side with dinner and breakfast. I made oatmeal raisin cookies and added cooked apples to them, which were delicious. I had to make the obvious, Carmel apples so I could not wait to make them and had fun doing it. One of these days very soon I will have a little helper to help me:) Enjoy!

Wash apples. Push wooden sticks into the top of chilled apples. Return apples to the refrigerator until caramel is ready for dipping.

Place sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large saucepan; boil, stirring until dissolved. Boil, without stirring, 9 minutes or until light golden. Combine half-and-half, vanilla, and salt; slowly stir into pan. Boil until candy thermometer reaches 235° (45 minutes), stirring frequently. (To make it easier and quicker, you can always just buy already made Carmel, but you know me, always like a challenge in the kitchen and homemade ingredients:) )

Here is my assembly line all ready to go. I did a few with walnuts as well:) YUMMY. Pour caramel into a bowl sitting in a hot water bath. Swirl apples in caramel, and place on baking sheet lined with wax paper.

Carmel Apples

16 wooden sticks
16 small apples, chilled
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light-colored corn syrup
1/2 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt


1. Push wooden sticks into the top of chilled apples. Return apples to the refrigerator until caramel is ready for dipping.
2. Place sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large saucepan; boil, stirring until dissolved. Boil, without stirring, 9 minutes or until light golden.
3. Combine half-and-half, vanilla, and salt; slowly stir into pan. Boil until candy thermometer reaches 235° (45 minutes), stirring frequently.
4. Pour caramel into a bowl sitting in a hot water bath. Swirl apples in caramel, and place on baking sheet lined with wax paper.

Emulating My Mother's Tradition...

My mother had such a wonderful Fall front porch display that I had to pass it down to our family last year. I revamped it with some Halloween decor but I will be honest, the spiders freaked me out when I was hanging them. I just LOVE coming home and looking a the porch during this time of year b/c it really gets me in the spirit. I have always loved the idea momma, thank you!!!

I thought this scarecrow was adorable and could not pass it up

Close up on Fall

Close up on Halloween

A Trip to the Orchard

Click here to view these pictures larger

A Trip to the Orchard..Part 2

This past weekend I went to Charlotte for a Mother/Daughter weekend and had a blast, like usual. The more this little peanut grows in my belly, I know I want a daughter one day b/c the relationship my mother and I have is to strong that I only hope my daughter and I are as close as my mom and I. We drove up early Saturday morning to Hendersonville to go apple picking at Stepp Orchard, old family tradition. Wow, did it bring back such wonderful memories and boy did we pick a TON of apples. I will be making LOTS of apple dishes, so stay tuned. The weather could not have been more beautiful, I mean it was absolutely gorgeous, perfect temperature and clear blue skies. After we went apple picking we went into town and had lunch and headed home. What a fun filled day. We are going to continue this tradition for years to come!

Please excuse me:

I downloaded the pics on my mom's computer and when sending on shutterfly I can not save it a a normal size so you will have to view above for pics

New Addition.....

Matt and I are so overjoyed to announce the arrival of our sweet little bundle of love that will arrive April 21, 2011. We are so excited and thankful that the Lord blessed us with a sweet baby and in April too, because I have always wanted an April baby:) My birthday is April 13th and my little brothers is the 21st so we can not wait to see when our little one will make his/her debute. The blessing of a child is such an exciting time in a families life and Matt and I are on cloud nine. We only ask for continued prayers for a healthy baby and safe delivery. Please keep us in your prayers over the next 6 months so we can meet our little one.

The Details:
We found out that I was pregnant 4 days before my brother's wedding and a week after our Key West trip:) We had to keep it a secret so we would not spoil Meade and Emily's big day so I did and it was hard, but waited until it was safe enough to tell and the family was so excited. How we told out parents: We gave each parent a gift and said it was a little present from Key West. In each gift they found a little onesey, found below:) I was so excited about my idea and can't wait to share how we will tell them if it is a boy or girl. We told the brothers by giving them an envelope that said "Congratulations Uncle Wes, April 21, 2011" Congratulations Aunt Emily and Uncle Meade, April 21, 2011" with a picture of the ultrasound, We did the same for Matt's sister. It has been so fun sharing the news with our family and friends and just can not wait until April.

My mom wants to be called Noni, and my dad is thinking Ozzy, but not 100%. Matt's parents want to be called YA-YA and Big Daddy! Laura always wanted it to be Big L, but she changed it, which is why the onesey says Big L.