Beach Retreat 2011

Pictures always tell it best....

beach bums

the guys

the girls

beach beauties

putt putt golf

two of my favorite women: Amy Dorsey and Karen Scoggins :) LOVE THEM!

The first weekend in June I enjoyed a relaxing weekend in Panama City on the annual One2One Beach Retreat. We stayed at Blue Horizon Lodge and it was great!! We were right across the street from the beautiful white beaches and breaking waves and one block from Thomas' Doughnuts!!! YUM :) God is so good: we had perfect weather, inspiring praise and worship, and great sessions that were both enlightening and challenging. All in all it was a great way to start JUNE!

Salad in a Jar

I was buying bagged lettuce in an effort to eat healthy but it just kept turning brown and yucky before I could finish eating it. Then I heard about salad in a jar and now I LOVE IT!!! Here's the idea....you wash and cut a lot of lettuce and then put it in cans and vauum seal it. 1) It is packaged in meal size portions so you just add toppings and dressing and wa-la it's ready to eat! 2) It stays fresh, crispy, and green for up to 14 days in the refrig so no more throwing away salad or money!!

Here is the process....

Start with hearts of romaine. (Or any lettuce that is your favorite!)

Wash and cut the hearts.

Spin the lettuce well.

Fill each jar with lettuce. I like to have some jars full and some jars half full so that I can have a full or side salad depending on what's on the menu :)

Place the flat metal lid on the jar. Make sure there aren't any pieces of lettuce between the jar and lid. Then place the vaccuum sealer jar attachment (I have a FoodSaver brand and I LOVE IT!!) over the lid. Press start and listen as the air is sucked out and the freshness is sealed in!! :) (I feel like I am a commercial for the FoodSaver! ha)

Then you screw the metal ring over the sealed lid for a little extra security.

Now your salad is ready to go into the frig until meal time. It last up to 14 days!! I've been eating these salads like crazy...it is just too easy on a night when you don't want to cook, plus it's good for you! Let me know what you think :)

first nite at Natty's & egg huntin'

Easter weekend Shelley and Jason had an out of town wedding to attend so mom and I decided to divide and conquer while keeping the boys. Brooks spent the night with me (for the first time EVER) and Bennett stayed with BeBe and Rooster. Brooks slept great, played hard, and ate well while he was with me. Millie loved having him around, although they were both a little jealous of each other! ha Other than coming down with a mild case of the stomach virus myself about 8 hours into the babysitting adventure....I think we all considered it a successful weekend! :) Here are a few pictures to document our time together.

* Note there are only a few pictures....I don't know how all you momma's out there do it, chasing little ones day in and day out AND carry around a camera to catch all those memories too!! My hat's off to ya!

Brooks in his booster seat at Aunt Nat-Nat's

(Oh before this weekend he could only point to me when we said, "Where's Natty?" by the end of his time with me he was saying, "Nat-Nat!" everytime he needed something or if he was just feeling like seeing me clap and cheer!!)

Everytime he ate Millie sat under him waiting to see if he was going to drop anything...she is like my little vacuum!







Bennett and Brooks counting eggs (and candy) after the TUMC egg hunt at BeBe and Rooster's

John Conner and Brooks sliding while the big boys hunted for eggs

Bennett found an egg all by himself under the azeleas...he was so proud!

LOVE this little boy's smile :)

Bennett waiting for instructions on where to hunt....he wasn't in the mood for all of Aunt Natty's pictures! ha

Bennett and Jake....oh how the Young boys enjoy playing with the Cummings boys!!

Ladies Accessories Sale to benefit Mexico Missions

You're invited to an

at Trinity United Methodist Church

Friday, May 6th from 6pm-8pm

This year the ladies from Trinity's Mexico Mission Team have collected donations of gently used scarves, belts, purses, jewelry, and wallets (plus much more!) for our first ever "ladies' accessories sale" fundraiser. All the procceeds from this sale will be put towards this year's Mexico Mission Trip. Please join us for desserts, coffee, fellowship, and shopping!! Bring you friends and come early for the best selection of items!!

*Also, we will continue collecting items for the sale up until 4:00 Friday afternoon. Please contact me (334-703-2664) if you are interested in making a donation.

I'm Back!!

WOW...it has almost been a year since I've blogged. I can't believe I let that much time go by!! Let's see if I can recap the highlights of the past year in one blog....hold on to your hats, here we go! :)

June 2010- Mexico Mission Trip

I went with Trinity UMC on my fourth mission trip to Mexico. It was another successful trip! The Lord sent us to Tecate, Mexico and we built two houses there. The Mexican people were grateful and humbled by God's hand at work!! It was a fun week of camping and fellowship with my Trinity family. Robyn went with me too this was her first Trinity mission trip but she fit right in like an ole pro!! Oh, also Eric and I started dating right around the time of this trip so it was extra neat to be able to spend that time with him in Mexico building and playing!!

July 15, 2010- My sweet puppy, Millie, was born!!

Millie, my salt and pepper colored miniature schnauzer, quickly found her way into my heart. She and her sisters had a rough start but they grew and weaned from their mommy and by September Millie was home with me and being spoiled rotten! :) My co-worker, Debbie, owns Millie's dad, TJ, and one of her sisters, Chole, so there have been some fun puppy play dates this year!

Millie as a wee little puppy before she came to live with me.

Millie in her crate; 7 months old

November 2010-MOVING DAY

In November I moved from my townhouse on 7th Street into a house with Robyn. Having a new puppy in the house meant I needed a fenced in back yard plus Robyn and I wanted some extra space. The three bedroom/ two bath house was a perfect choice! We mixed and mingled our furniture and things and our house became a HOME!! We had some adjusting to do when we got our first power bill but after lots of belly aching and with the weather changing (plus some energy conserving on our party) we figured out how to lower our bill and we are enjoying our new home now. With summer coming I know we are going to enjoy having our very own pool! :)

December 2010- It's the most wonderful time of the year!!

To start off December Momma and I went with KC and her cheerleading squad to Disney World for the taping of the Christmas Day parade. It was a quick trip but super fun and loaded with tons of girls time!! :)

Next on the agenda was Christmas. This year's Christmas was wonderful!! :) Despite having to work through the holidays the Lord gave the rest I needed and He sustained my engery so that I was able to attend and enjoy every single family gathering that my family and Eric's family hosted this holdiay season! What a wonderful way to celebrated the birth of Our King, fellowshiping with the ones I love the most. I came away from this Christmas very grateful for the gift of Jesus, sincerely thankful for helpful co-workers, humbled by the greatness of my family, Eric, and his family, and incredibly over whelmed with how I have much more than what I deserve!! :)

January 2011- Winter Retreat

This year we went on our 2nd Annual One2One Winter Retreat. The retreat was held at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina and Josh and Alli Hunter returned for their second year of teaching and leading worship. It was a weekend packed full of fun, learning, and growing with friends (new and old). After an awesome Christmas season I could not have asked for a better way to bring in the new year!! We visited the Biltmore House, got lost everywhere we went, and had a huge overdose of laughter!! I LOVE these retreats!

Febuary 2011- Rebekah is now a Bruner!!

My sweet friend Rebekah Thomas married her "God's best," Mr. Jason Bruner, and I got to stand beside her as a bridesmaid as she took those sacred vows! :) She was a beautiful bride!! After the wedding Jason and Rebekah moved to Washington. I miss her dearly but I'm excited about the new chapter of her life that is unfolding.

March 2011-Semane, Honduras here I come!!

EAMC sends a mission team to Honduras every year to set up a temporary clinic to serve the needs of a Honduran village. This year I had the priviledge of going to Semane and let me tell you, God blessed my socks off on this trip! I resisted going initially (for totally selfish and immature reasons) but despite my crumby attitude my Father had a plan and His plan prevailed! YAY :) The Honduran people opened my eyes to see life with a new perspective. We worshiped with them each night and even though we spoke different languages some how we had a sense of unity because we were praising the same God! So cool! While on the trip I formed solid friendships with some of the team members that work here at EAMC. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to get to know these people and can't imagine if I had missed out on their friendships merely because we work on different units. Honduras definitly has a special place in my heart and I know that I have a strong desire to go back there sometime in the future; I'm praying God will fufill my heart's desire! :)

April 2011- Presenting Mrs. Amy Adams

In my second wedding of the "season" my (old) roommie, Amy Callaway, married her "Mr. Right," Mr. Ben Adams. It was a busy wedding weekend and she was a radiant, happy bride! They are living here in Opelika so I am expecting to see lots of the Adams in the near future when they get home from their honeymoon in Mexico!!

Whew, for those of you who hung in there and read this whole recap THANKS!! As you can see, my lack of blogging was definitly not due a lack of events to talk about. I'm sure I've missed somethings. I've been blessed and busy this year and I'm looking forward to seeing what God has in store for me in the up coming months :) Here are a few things to look forward to....

- Shelley and Jason are expecting their third child in October so I get to be an aunt, again!! :) And guess what.....IT'S A GIRL!!! We are super excited! Please pray for this sweet baby as God knits her together in Shelley's belly. P.S. She's spoiled already!

-In June, Eric and I are going back to Mexico for our third year in a row! In 2009 we met there and right around our 2010 trip we started dating so Mexico is a sweet and special place for us. We are beyond excited that God is allowing us to travel there again and serve Him.

-In July, I am going to Kentucky with my Pawpaw for a family reunion (more on that later) and we are also taking our annual Bennett Family Beach Bash mid July :) Super excited about that!! Then at the end of July we are traveling to Kingsport, TN for "BennettFest": a weekend full of pool time, the whole Bennett clan, and lots of FOOD! Should be a great time!! I'll keep you posted! Until then, God bless!