loving my boy

Eighteen years ago I lost my heart to this "little" man.

(That's because twenty-one years ago I gave my ♥ to this guy.)

What a blessing it has been.

I'm looking forward to his bright future,

but not looking forward to his graduation from NCS. (They just don't make mascara water-proof enough for that...)

Tonight we'll have a pizza party. Just our local families and his girlfriend & her family.

He requested Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars in lieu of birthday cake. I made a double batch of the caramel sauce...

Happy birthday, Zachman.

You'll never know how much you are loved, until you hold one of your own...

(Linking up with Paisley Jade today...)

I'm loving!

This morning I started on a new crib quilt project.

As I stitched, I listened to this song from an incredible album from incredible artists telling an incredible Story. Although part of a bigger picture, the lyrics from "Good" echo phases of my life...

I'm thankful for the beautiful winter sunrises God paints for me!

Totally loved (every.single.bite) the Lemon Pistachio Rugelach I created for a blog challenge.

We are thankful that this sweet girl is recovering from her illness & should be released from the hospital this weekend sometime.

We are very happy the grands finally got settled into their new home. They are busying themselves unpacking boxes & hanging pictures. I'm thinking they should soon hold a sleep-over so Mom & Dad can have a "date night" one evening, don't you think?
Joining up with Paisley Jade. So thankful for Kristy's reminder that: I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is.

Lemon Pistachio Rugelach

Kristen from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker is once again rounding up "foodies" for her Improv Challenge. Our ingredients for January's challenge were lemons and sour cream.

I just love the versatility of these two staples! You can go fancy-schmancy, or you can go rustic. I think I went somewhere in the middle there!

So, here's my recipe up front: 

And here's how I did it:

This pastry turns out unbelievably tender & flaky -- no matter how much you handle the dough...

This shows how I made it:

You could buy lemon curd, but this recipe is quite simple! (... & jars of curd are so expensive...)

See -- easy peasy!

The cookie is not sweet, but totally addictive. It is better a day or two after baking.  So delish!

I sampled with coffee, with milk, & with tea -- for research purposes only.


(I perused various recipe books, blogs, and Jewish baking forums to find the perfect dough. My lemon curd recipe is also a hybrid -- adapted from Ina's & Alton's recipes on the Food Network, combined with a little Joy of Cooking, Epicurious & Fannie Farmer lemon tart recipes . . . )


Linking up with 
(I'm also linking up with Sheryl...)

M is for monogram

...loving these...

Can it be the middle of January, already? What a whirlwind 2011 was... and I know 2012 will whoosh by even faster. 

(shot from "A" mountain in Tempe)

Here are some precious memories from the past couple weeks:

Sweet "H" reading us the Christmas story from his new Bible.

Family hangin' around waiting for the ham to finish glazing & turkey to be sliced...

Crazy fun time with friends from church New Years' Eve -- we did an "Amazing Race"-type scavenger hunt all over the west valley...

This boy makes my heart proud to be his mama!

Love that this one is catching up on his daily Bible reading while waiting to leave for school.

Our sweet Auggie watches (naps) bowl games with my Love...

...while Fitz keeps my toes warm.

No matter where your path leads this year; be it paved & well-lit, or around tricky bends where you cannot see... let the Savior be your guide.

(Rio Salado Parkway -- where the hubs lunches...)

Psalm 25

    Of David.

 ¹ In you, LORD my God,
   I put my trust.

 ² I trust in you;
   do not let me be put to shame,
   nor let my enemies triumph over me.
³ No one who hopes in you
   will ever be put to shame,
   but shame will come on those
   who are treacherous without cause.

 ⁴ Show me your ways, LORD,
   teach me your paths.
⁵ Guide me in your truth and teach me,
   for you are God my Savior,
   and my hope is in you all day long.
⁶ Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love,
   for they are from of old.
⁷ Do not remember the sins of my youth
   and my rebellious ways;
   according to your love remember me,
   for you, LORD, are good.

 ⁸ Good and upright is the LORD;
   therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
⁹ He guides the humble in what is right
   and teaches them his way...

(source)