food trucks at corner 2 corner

A few weeks ago our little town had an event on a Friday night with lots of food trucks from neighboring cities.  It literally rained that entire week, but we were going to let that stop us from food-truckin' it up!

I invited Allie and Josh to go with us and luckily Allie was off work, and we were all able to go!  We did our research on all the food trucks prior to going, to narrow down on choices, and I'm so glad we did....because it was a bit overwhelming once we got there.

On my way home from work I saw this guy downtown...(you can see in this pic how nasty it was out that day!)

Come to find out...one of the food trucks, BEAST, carries my aunt and uncle's meats from their farm!  So I had to make sure I stopped by there.  I was going to get some tacos, but they were out of chicken, so I quickly changed my mind.

Allie tried the chorizo though and liked them!

The was obviously the happening place of the evening.  I had never personally had Chicken and Waffles...but I wasn't against trying them!  I also knew that this was the only truck R would eat anything out of.  

We waited in line a good while, just to order...while Allie enjoyed her tacos!

It was going to be a 35-40 minute wait on our order, so we decided to walk around and hit up some local shops.

Kinda wished I would have tried one of these dogs...but I will next time!

We stepped in White Goat.  I placed Ryder in that chair with a plate full of cookies and a canned Sprite while I looked around.  

Our food was finally ready, and I guess somebody thought it was just too funny that we were eating waffles out of a pizza box! 

I got the baby which was just half a waffle and two chicken strips...and it was JUST enough.  I also held the hot sauce.  It could have used more syrup...but that didn't keep me from leaving a clean plate!

There was a new store open that I wanted to visit while we were there...it had a lot of random stuff, from toy police cars for kids, to chicken coops, to dog houses, to headboards.  All at decent prices too!  Allie and Josh actually left with two things so it was worth our visit!

A night out wouldn't be complete without a stop at Blue Sail.  It was a packed house, that's for sure!  We ended up staying there until 10...I was completely surprised R lasted that long.  But he was GREAT for the most part!

When I saw him like this, not making a peep...I knew it was time to go!

We had a fantastic night out enjoying our little downtown with some of our favorite people...and we can't wait to do it again!

my first go at homemade cupcakes...

One day at the grocery store, I saw the long line of extracts!  I knew those were game changers...and that was how everyone made such yummy tasting cupcakes!  I grabbed a few that sounded good!

The winter weather rolled in and I knew it was time to have my first go at making homemade cupcakes.  I decided to go with the raspberry first, and I happened to have fresh raspberries in the fridge.  

I was just happy to see them curving on the top!

 Luckily I had some food coloring on hand as well which made them even more fun!  They were a bit dry first go around...so I had to make some more!

...This time I went with purple, which was a little more "raspberry" fitting.  That butter-cream y'all is a game.changer.  I will never buy frosting from the store again!!  I used a lil more milk in this batch, and added some melted coconut oil.  It helped, but I still don't thing I've perfected them!  

I'm gonna keep working on it and see where I get.  Until then, my coworkers will be testing out a lot of cupcakes! ;)

Anybody have a recipe they want to share where the cupcake is just as moist as the butter-cream!?  ;)

obedience

The past couple of weeks, R has really struggled with simply obeying me.  We talk about it, and we talk about it and we talk about it.  But it's one of those things I feel like we have to talk about it so often, that he just listens to me do my talking and doesn't really take it all in.  He knows what he is supposed to do, but as a 5 year old full of life, it is just SO much easier for him to do what he wants to do!  Isn't that true for all of us?!

One night laying in bed, I just wanted to cry thinking about the lack of Ryder wanting to simply obey me.  It wasn't even over anything big, nothing life changing.  Just simple things like "brush your teeth", "put on your shoes", "close the pantry door"..."get in bed."  He can do all these things, but instead of doing them when I ask him to...he is doing them when he feels like doing them!  So frustrating and aggravating as a parent! 

He is always telling me, "Mom...I love you."  This makes my heart so happy and it is probably something that I take for granted more than I should.  I tell him all the time that I hope he never stops telling me that and I pray that he always feels that way towards me, even when I do something that doesn't particularly make him "happy".  

On this particular night, he had told me he loved me right after disobeying me (not doing what I had asked him to do, when I asked him to do it).  Before I even realized what I was saying, I said, "Ryder, I know that you love me, but a one way to actually show me you love me is by obeying me."  

Ummm...wow, Kati.  Where did that come from?  & can't you relate?  how is that any different than obeying our Lord to show Him that we love Him?  It's not!  It's the exact same thing!

The way my heart aches when Ryder chooses not to obey me, is the same kind of heartache that God has for us when we make the choice not to obey Him.

Being a parent can give you a whole new perspective on the love our Father has for us, and this is just one of those many ways.  

While I'm struggling to parent Ryder, I am at the same time learning how to love my Father.  

Obeying Him is loving Him.

When we obey God, we are showing our love for Him.  Obeying Him and loving Him are tired together.  

Our obedience to Him is also built on what He wants to give and bless us with.  He wants to bless us, but He always wants us to obey Him.

Just like when Jesus told Simon Peter to "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."  Simon Peter had been fishing all night and hadn't caught a thing, BUT he obeyed the Lord and let down his nets...in obedience of the Lord. 

Then what did Jesus bless Simon with?  Nets so full of fish that his nets were breaking!

This is just one of many examples of how He wants to bless us, when we obey Him!    

I am so encouraged by this message, and I hope you can be too!  

When we choose to obey Him, we become more intimate with Christ and are drawn nearer to Him!  So much goodness!

Mom & Dad's 30th Wedding Anniversary

My parents' 30th wedding anniversary was March 1st.  For years I knew it was coming up and I always thought I would be married by then and have the money to throw them a decent party with family and friends some where here in town.  That's NOT really my parents...but you only celebrate your 30th once right?!

Anyways...about a month before it was going to be HERE...I realized!  I was like I better get busy!  So I called Naynee (my mom's sister) and was like, we need to do something!!

A few years ago we went to Red Apple Inn to celebrate Nana & Papaw's 50th, and that happens to be where my parents honeymooned, so I thought we would all go enjoy some dinner there!  Nothing too crazy, and just immediate family.  It wasn't a surprise and it all worked out great!  I ordered personalized M&Ms and put in mini glass jars for everybody and they loved them!

My dad loves M&Ms, peanut specifically, which you can't get personalized, but plain ones worked out just fine!

I was so thankful that Nana and Papaw were able to make it!

Nana and Papaw with mom and dad..some how I didn't get a picture of Naynee and Mitch, and we sadly missed Bunky & Linda Sue that evening as they were preparing for the LR Marathon the next day!

 These boys have grown up and are now invited to "grown up dinners"! ;)  Stu is a junior in HS, Coop a senior and Dawson is in college some where! ;)

Mom & dad!

& some how I didn't get a picture of me and G or Korlin either!  Oh well!  We were there! ;)

While we were at dinner, R was hanging out with his dad and his wolf pup! ;)

I'm so thankful I had the opportunity to celebrate my parent's 30th anniversary with them...because not everyone can say that!  

snow days 3 and 4 (2015)

Snow Days Round Two came exactly one week after the last round!  Another two days I got to spent at home with my lil wild child!

I am boring mom...who does NOT get out in the snow.  Period.  Maybe to take some pics, but that's pushing it!  I didn't get out in it when I was in school, and I don't do it now.  It's just too cold!  (maybe I can blame it on my Raynaud's) ;)

While R was getting ready to go out to play...he was putting on his socks and said, "I need to tell you something, but I think you're gonna be mad."  [shows me the hole in his sock] Then says, "I think it means I'm growing."  He is exactly right!

To grandmother's house we go!!!

Poppy came and got R when he got off work to take him for a spin!  The waders he got for Christmas that he didn't get to use this past season, finally got put to good use!  

We pulled out some hide-away toys that are hidden away JUST for snow days when we're stuck inside and lil bit gets BORED!  It was like he was having a birthday all over again--NEW TOYS!

He made me an "i heart u" picture...I told him to not ever stop making those for me!!  I will accept them always!

KeeKee got R a package of Duck Dynasty "quackers"!!  Hilarious!  They were pretty tasty too!  We were trying to figure out who was who while he was in the bath!  

Also...Amazon PRIME took DD off the instant play and someone was NOT happy about it.  YOu would have thought the world had ended.  He quickly got over it.  Thanks goodness!

This was the last package...but he wants to go back and get more for all his friends at school!  =)

As R would say, "That's a fact JACK!"

the best yes & for the right reasons [book review]

EDIT:  I've hesitated to write this post for a while now, because I felt like my words wouldn't be able to do the book justice...and they don't.  But I still want to share it with you.  So please take them as that.  My words.  My best words. (no pun intended ;))  But the book is so much more!

I wanted to check in with my 2015 book list.  I've finished reading two books since then, and one that wasn't originally on my reading list.

The first read I accomplished was The Best Yes.  I'm not one to say "yes" too often, because I don't feel bad about saying "no" but this book still taught me so many wonderful things!

As a woman, a mom, a daughter, a sister, a friend, a teacher...(the list could go on)...we have so many different demands in our life!  There are choices we are required to make to only choose to do the things that are beneficial to those in need in our lives; our children, our families, ourselves and our Lord.  That doesn't mean we have to say "yes" to every single one of the opportunities that comes to our attention.  

Learning to say "no" can make the things you say "yes" to, so much more enjoyable!

Lysa walks you through different situations, step-by-step, teaching you how and when to say no, but also when to say "yes" and making that YES, your "Best Yes".  It's a great read for women of all ages! 

Some of my favorite quotes from the book include:

We must not confuse the command to love with the disease to please.

But I dread what saying yes will do to the already-running-on-empty me.

When all of life feels like an urgent rush from one demands to another...we become forgetful.  Forgetful of God. 

A woman who lives with the stress of an overwhelmed schedule will often ache with the sadness of an underwhelmed soul.

And that's just getting into Chapter 3.  If any of these quotes reach out to you and grab you, and you can totally relate to them, then this books is for YOU!  You can order it HERE.

I didn't even know Sean Lowe was writing a book until I saw it on IG a week before it came out.  I quickly pre-ordered it and couldn't wait for it to arrive on my door step!

Most people just see him as one of those crazy people who went on a TV show to find love, but there is SO much more to him than that.  He actually gives me hope for men in this world.  All we see of his life now is the "fabulous-ness"...but it hasn't always been that way, and he tells you that in this book.  He gets REAL.  Some of it might make you wonder how someone made it through all that...but he did, and he is here to tell you about!

Yes, he did find love via a television show, but this guy is a class act, and I'm so glad he is sharing "his story" with the world.  For the most part, this is a "fluff" read...I read it in a weekend, but that should tell you how good it was!  

This is a great vacation or weekend getaway book!

Order yourself a copy HERE!