Dinner #2

I know this post was to be written last May.  Yet the family had to cancel due to a family emergency.   The next one didn't occur until July.  If you're keeping track, that means I let 6 months go by with only one dinner.  Don't worry.  I've somewhat caught up.

This 'Connected Robinson Baylor' family is dear to me.  Mrs. CRB is the director of the mentoring program that I've been part of for the past 4 years.  She and her husband have roots here in town and we soon found there were a lot of connections.  I tried hard this time in preparing something with less sodium and not very sweet.  Baked salmon (with Butt-rub of course) combined with a fresh cesear salad made it delish.  I don't like asparagus, but I learned how to bake it with a little olive oil as I feel it's a veggie that's now hip.  I used the classic Asiago cheese bread from the grocery store to add more flavor.  Yum!  And to polish the meal off, I served angel food cake, fresh strawberries, & cool whip.  Truth be told, I bought the cake.  The party was the night before I left for Idaho and I didn't want to stress about it.  So, I bought it instead and none one complained.

Overall, it was a lovely evening.  My recently graduated cousin joined us as Mr. CRB was the advisor for his fraternity.   It was wonderful connecting many dots between generations that we knew.  They are special in my life.

Two down, four to go.

Dinner #1

This post is about four months overdue.  And because I'm hosting #2 tomorrow night, I need to post one now. The 'Way Cool Robinson' family is a family I know from GA's.  Mrs. WCR is my co-leader with the third-fourth graders.   This family of three girls are lively and much different from my other dinner parties.  This was my first one with kids so I tried to plan dinner accordingly.  I got them involved in helping me toss the salad.  I made a cheesy pasta dish that probably needed more sauce.  Opps.  I paired it with lemonade and some garlic bread to make it yummy.  For dessert, we made ice cream sundaes with whipped cream from the can.  Made it more fun to top everything off!  I loved hosting them and getting to know my church family better.  Here's a great photo of the WCR family.  

One down.  Five to go.

New Year's Resolution 2015

I know.  I know.  It's been awhile since I've blogged.  And while I probably could review everything,  I'm not.  Ask me personally and I'll catch you up. 

So last year, Miss Swingin' Social Worker made a New Year's Resolution to make invite 26 people to dinner.  She'd make a homemade meal & serve it to them.   Some she'd know already, and the others she was just meeting.  I really liked this idea and thought about it all year.  Sadly, I don't think she completed it. 

This year, I wanted to make a similar goal/resolution.   Only I tried to be realistic with myself and make it obtainable for me.  So I set out for hosting 6 families from my church.  Varying in ages & situations.   I have 12 months to complete this task. 

Another reason I wanted to host families & broaden my scope at church, is to share my story & who I am with others.  Since Jan's death last summer, I have dearly missed that connection to my church family as a whole.  I want to engage conversations with other people who also might know a good Godly single man too.  Because I want to be married.  There I said it.  I do!  I'm looking & am willing to be setup.  (So if you reader know someone, tell me!) ;-)

So, I'm opening my home, life, & heart to six families.  Here it goes!

For KB

I've been poked and encouraged to get back to writing.  It's not as easy as one might think.  I've wanted to blog for awhile.  Yet I have no good grandeur reason as to why I stopped.  This post is dedicated to the new Mrs. KAM.  She has been taking the blogging community by storm with her awesome posts.

  I'm so thankful for her!  Her wedding was so absolutely gorgeous it felt like it was out of a movie.  The skies opened up and sun shines down on Mrs. KAM as she walked down the aisle to Mr. KAM.  The barn provided a lively atmosphere with dinner & dancing!  It was lovely! 

Congrats again Mr. & Mrs. KAM!

God Provides: August

I know it's a little late, but better late than never, right?  

So God has provided for us in the following ways:

* A wonderfully relaxing end to vacation

* Safe travels back to Texas

* Great conversations that kept us all awake

* Hours to get me closer to my license

* Great friends who answer my texts for friendship & sanity

* Friends who encourage me 

* Froyo with friends and laughter

* Girls night playing games

* Wisdom to instill into the future generations

* Game nights with friends

* Answered prayers and...

* Opportunity to vote in a pastor

* A summer surge that renovations at church were passed

* Wonderful work lunch that built bridges

* Great finds in a bookstore

* Laughs in emails and phone call when needed

More to come next month!

God Provides: June & July

So as you know, I wasn't exactly blogging much this summer.  And I never completed it so here it is for the past two months as how God provided for me:

*Good music and light traffic to the metroplex

* Great conversations with friends

* Ability to be truly happy for Miss KAM

* Fun time with sister 

* Money to spend on mani's with sister

* New friends

* Wonderful outdoor concerts

* Great weather for concerts

* Friends to go to said concerts with

* Great conversations with friends

* A perfect blue outdoor chair

* Ability to have a sense of mind to make quick decisions

* Ability and courage to make important decisions

* Wonderful family members who take care of me

* Friends who enjoy rest

* Miss FBT and our Austin adventure

* Sound mind and good times with Miss FBT

* A patient father who allows me to spend time with others

* A father who is God-fearing

* A week long visit from my father

* New co-workers who are calm and relaxed

* No crisis calls at awkward times

* Clients who show that enable me to reach licensure milestone

* Fun games with new friends

* Plans for July 4th to watch fireworks

* Friends willing to go with the flow

* More opportunities to up my 'hours'

* Friends willing to come to dinner parties

* Good times and laughter at dinner parties

* Fun times with family

* Hugs from niece and nephews

* The sound of my name from said niece and nephew

* Love from family

* Co-workers to fill in so I can spend time with family

* New friends and shopping

* Financial means for a vacation to Maine

* Safe travels to Maine

* Ability to be myself & voice opinion

* Wonderful, relaxing, amazing trip to Maine

* Temps not above 85 degrees in Maine

* Time for peace and reflection

* Rental car lady taking pity on us & suitcases by upgrading us for free

* Laughter after a long day (I thought she said 'George Strait', but she actually said 'George Street')

* Millions of stars in the sky with little to no light pollution

* Random trip to Gorham 

* Opportunity to visit another lighthouse

* Ability to laugh at our carelessness and light-hearted selves

* Dr Pepper to be sold in Maine

* Fun times at the Lobster festival

* Places where I could play with lobster and crabs

* Ability to take part in time-honored tradition of eating fresh lobster

That's all for now.  The rest, you'll have to read the next blog.

October Baby Maine Vacay

Be prepared for the massive upload/blog of photos!  These are way more than what got put out on facebook.  Enjoy!

'Because every vacay must begin with Sonic Happy Hour!'

 Pardon the bags under the eyes - it's 4am and we're off to the airport

 Look!  We got a special plane - Arizona!

Flight one done! 

 Flight two to Manchester!

 Welcome to state #32 for me - New Hampshire!

 We stopped for lunch and had to try on the hats

The bathroom wall had lots of graffiti applicable to the Airport Diner

This was my fav part 

Then we hit the road for... 

And stopped to hug Moose 

and bears 

 First pic standing on our deck with the water behind me.  Notice the tide's out and showing all the rocks below

The next morning we headed to church 

And took an afternoon stroll on the road we were staying on 

The next day I was hungry for some true maple syrup 

while they just smiled 

We split up for shopping and I strolled down to the marina 

When we met up, I found ice cream! 

On Tuesday, we headed to Gorham - they knew my name!!! 

The Gorham Grind 

Photo-op with aa Gorham cop and his Gorham police car

 Lighthouse #1 - Cape Elizabeth

They kinda frown on crossing private property

 Lighthouse #2 - Portland Head

2nd oldest on East Coast

Oldest in Maine

 Looking out over bay

 Like a postcard or something

Up close

 Bee-uuu-teee-ful

 In Portland, I found a Gorham Savings Bank

 Pretty garden at the State Capital or state house as they call it

Maine State Capital 

 From the front

The pier at the Maine Lobster Festival 

Fun times.  Goofy pics. 

Look mom, it's a crab! 

Miss CHB found one too 

Lobster! 

Uh-oh he's looking at me 

 It needs a kiss

Now say cheese 

 Sic'em Bears anyone?

Hello blue lobster 

Cheese 

Enjoying some local tunes 

One of the crates that contained over 3000 lbs of cooked lobster from the first day of the festival 

 Dinner

Must give it a kiss before eating 

Oh - no it's looking at me! 

Look mom, two of 'em! 

 Sic'em lobster

Miss CHB before eating hers 

 Bib on and ready to dig in

The finished product 

Yum! 

 Eww!

 Playing with the claws

Maine Lobster Fest

Reading along the shore - notice long sleeves/jackets

 The Bayside marina & yacht club

 View on grassy knoll and bay area

 Boats just parked out there

On a rock we stand 

smiling for pics 

 Mara cottage - where we stayed

Sad for vacay to be over 

One last pic - apparently I'm the only one sad to be leaving 

 Late dinner in ATX

 Miss SLC and I at around 11:30pm after arriving in Waco

Phew!  That was a lot!  One of the best vacay's ever.  So restful and relaxing!!  Loved it!!!