Happy Mardi Gras!!

I've only been to Mardi Gras once but I had a fantastic time! I was in college and a bunch of my sorority sisters decided to make a trip to New Orleans. It was my first time to NO and I fell in love. The old architecture, food, friendly people; I just loved it all.

My sister-in-law's mom and dad live in Slidell, just north of NO, so I've been exposed to Mardi Gras pretty consistently for the past 10 years or so. I would get so excited when they brought us real, Louisiana King Cake. So last year I decided that I was going to do it myself, since I love to bake and all.

A nestie friend of mine married a good 'ol cajun boy and inherited his momma's recipes. She graciously shared her king cake recipe with me and the rest is history, I was HOOKED!

This year I made: 2 blueberry cream cheese, 2 strawberry cream cheese, 1 regular cream cheese and 1 cinnamon cakes.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!!

I miss you Kerbey!!

When I lived in Austin, I loved going to Kerbey Lane for pancakes and queso (weird combo I know). Since they're open 24 hours a day, I could eat pancakes whenever I wanted. But not just regular pancakes, gingerbread pancakes, yum!! Luckily, they sell pancake mix so I can make my very own Kerbey pancakes in the comfort of my home, 200 something miles away from Kerbey.

The last time we went to Austin in November for the big football game, Maddie had her first Kerbey experience; awesome food and a long wait for it (never fails that you have to wait forever to get your food, that's why you get the queso!). Naturally, I ordered the gingerbread pancakes but I bought the pumpkin pancake mix to take home. And I'll tell you what, the pumpkin are giving the gingerbread a run for their money!! They turned out so delicious! Maddie ate 3 of them, she's definitely her mother's daughter.

Why?

Whenever I hear a sad story about loss, I tend to wonder why. Why would a God as great as ours allow these tragic losses to happen to good people? Then I realize that it's not in my mind's capacity to understand why God does the things he does. His plan is so far beyond my comprehension that I couldn't even begin to question it. All I can do it cry and hope that he brings me, and everyone else who feels the same way, some sort of comfort.

I read a blog today and wept uncontrollably. Even now, 2 hours after reading it, I'm still crying just thinking about it. The family had a beautiful 10 month old daughter, named Cora. After repeated ear infections, a doctor's visit revealed something alarming, she had stage 4 cancer. 2 weeks later, she was gone. It all happened that quickly.

http://themcclenahans.blogspot.com/

Of course, I couldn't help but think about my own little girl and how blessed we are to have her in our lives. Everything can change in a heartbeat.....everything. I can't even begin to imagine my life without her and I feel awful for this family because they have to go on without their little princess. I don't even know this family yet my heart aches for them. And I know this is just one family's account, a blog that I just happened to hear about. It kills me to think of all the other families going through similar paths but I feel so incredibly blessed that we aren't one of those families. So blessed that I don't think I could ever put into words my gratitude towards God for His blessings.....but I can try.

New Sampler Pics

I'm so close to finishing I can taste it!

Sampler Pics - Updated

This thing is taking FOREVER!!! But it's really pretty.

7 Things You Never Knew About Me

Sarah tagged me to post "7 Things You Never Knew About Me," so here they are (sorry it's so late!):

1. I'll admit, I copied this from Sarah because it applies to me too. Whenever I find a shirt that I love and fits perfectly, I have the habit of buying a couple in different colors. Finding clothes that I like AND fit me are becoming more and more rare!

2. I have an annoying OCD habit of typing words on an imaginary keyboard throughout the day. I don't hold out my hands like I'm typing on a keyboard (that would look silly), just wherever my hands happen to be. Strange, I know.

3. I LOOOOVE to bake (I guess that's not really a secret) and I'd love to open up a bakery someday.

4. I really don't like to clean bathrooms.

5. If the bakery thing doesn't work out, I'd love to learn graphic design.

6. I belong to an online community of Houston girls who are young wives/mothers and I've really enjoyed meeting up with some of them in real life the last few weeks. With Jake in football all Fall, I've been pretty lonely and the nestie girls are my saving grace.

7. I'm an absolute control freak. I hate it but there's nothing I can do about it.

Remember that new hobby?

I finally started my cross-stitching. An online buddy had done a birth sampler for her daughter and I fell in love with it. I knew I had to do one for my Maddie too. But boy howdy, it's taking a looooong time. I've been working on it for a month now and here's what I have to show:

(this is after a week of stitching)

this is about 3 weeks of work - almost 1/3 done!