Rangers v. Mariners

This past Tuesday was "Surprise Night." This is where Wes plans an evening and the only thing I'm told is how I should dress (so so important!)

This last week we went to a Ranger's game. The Rangers currently hold first place in their division and the Mariners have Ken Griffey Jr., an American great!

We had such a fun time! I have a very romantical husband who loves to surprise me. Between the SuperNachos, sitting next the most amazing man on the planet, and the ice cream on the way home...it was a FABULOUS night!



Am I a lucky girl or what?!?

Love to all!

Introducing....

Susie Mix-a-lot! Isn't she a beauty!




We're going to feed the world chocolate chips cookies and peanut butter doggie treats!

They're all here!

A few weeks ago, I started some herb seeds in pots in preparation for our vegetable garden. Nothing excites me more than big bushes of basil or giant patches of parsley that I can go snip and cook with for dinner that night. (Nerdy, I know.) It's so natural and organic, just warms my soul. Don't even get me started on home grown 'maters.

Well, I haven't grown anything for a while (ok, ever) and I wasn't sure the little guys were ever going pop their little heads out. Well, they did and I am honored to welcome them into the Briscoe household.

Check it out:



This is parsley, he took FOREVER. A full week after the others had all made an appearance.



And this is chives, he's definitely the tallest. (Is it wrong that I ALWAYS type out definAtely instead of definItely then have to fix it? )



This is the whole gang. After writing this post, I think I got a little attached. I hope I'm going to able to eat 'em up someday.


We're currently building the fence for our vegetable patch so my little girls don't get muddy or eat anything they're not supposed to.

A leave you with a quote from my handsome husband:

"Do what you like and like what you do."

Think about it. Once you "get it," it's genius. Like the baby toy where you put the circle shape in the circle hole and the star shape in the star hole. Be a circle in a circle, because a star in a circle just isn't happy because they're not doing what they're meant for.

John Eldredge puts it so well when he says; "Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and go do that because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

We all have 'things to do,' like work and school or laundry. Just be sure we MAKE time for the things that God created our souls to stir for. He loves us and knit us together for His purpose. When we are where we are supposed to be, where He wants us to be, we can be UNBELIEVABLY happy and fulfilled. We can be content and joyful regardless of our circumstances.

He created us with different passions. Let's use them for His glory.

Over and out.

:)

I know, I know....

Hey!

Ok, I took a little blog break (six weeks to be exact.) But I'm back. :)

Things that are currently on the "to write-about" agenda:

• Store bought "cream cheese frosting"? (Tune in, it'll blow your mind (or gross you out, it's whatev)
• We are starting our very own vegetable garden, I'll keep you posted!
• Meringues, I made 'em myself!

I would also like to direct everyone to the blog of my fabulous husband:

http://wesbriscoe.blogspot.com/

There's a riveting piece on recycling.

On the news front: I started some herb seeds in pots and I am ecstatic to report that we have no casualties. Thyme, basil, parsley, cilantro and chives have all sprouted. The parsley just now came up (a full week after all the others) so I was a little worried. After they get to a healthy size, we're going to put them in our garden so they can grow up big and strong!

I'm the worst blogger ever!!! My life since January 31st has been non stop craziness. We had a Superbowl party at our house on February 1st. Preparation for that was semi-easy so it wasn't that bad. But then...the madness started....

I worked (substitute teaching) four days the week following the party (meaning the house didn't get cleaned and laundry didn't get done.) Then that following Saturday night was our youth Valentine's Dinner fundraiser. This is where we (I use the term "we" very loosely here) transform our church fellowship hall into a restaurant for the night. We cook delicious food and desserts and the youth are the waiters, waitresses, valet parking attendants etc. Couples come to eat and they make donations to the youth group that go towards our summer mission trips.

The menu this year was:

Ceasar Salad.

Fettuccine Alfredo with roasted Chicken breast.
Baked Ziti with a crisp Parmesan topping.
Slow cooked green beans.

Strawberry Cheesecake.
Chocolate Molten Cake.

We had the most amazing group ever. It was probably THE single most stressful night of my life to date. I know. I'm a weenie.

I have just now recovered.

Oh, and then that week after this, we ran out socks. I must have subconsciously went on strike from my life. So I'm not only a weenie, I'm also a bad wife. :) But my honey loves me anyway!

Good morning world! My thought for the day is this:

Let someone bless you today. Many women (and men) have people that love them and would do anything for them. But we take care of ourselves too much sometime. When the moment comes along, let your sweet significant other give up something for you. Let them do something to show their love for you. Don't always take care of it. Give your better half an opportunity to bless you. You won't be sorry. When we get married, our loves are intertwined. Sometimes we separate them unintentionally.

On a side note: I have the most fabulous husband in the whole world. I feel that the blessing he is to me is a concrete thing that shows me how much my God loves me. I am the luckiest girl in the whole world!

Yay!! It's Wednesday! While these days can be a little stressful getting life ready for Revo (which is the name of our Wednesday night Youth Ministry), I really do love 'em! We have no children so I get to be a large part of my husband's ministry. This is a ginormous blessing to me. It's crazy to see how much time goes into the one hour of Revo each week. Seriously, Wednesdays are completely blocked off. We don't plan for anything but being up at the church. Our students get out of school around 3:40 and many of them walk up to the Church and hang out until 7pm when we start. We go until about 8pm them we usually get home around 9:30pm.

One of my favorite Wednesday night traditions is pizza!!!!!!!!!! When we we get home, we put on our PJ's and eat pizza together. This usually involves one of our favorite TV shows too, which ALL come on on Wednesday's. Seriously, it's absolutley impossible for us to watch one of our shows on time. DVR, how I love you!! This little traditon has been going every week pretty much since we got married.

This brings me to one the reasons why I love this cute little thing we do. Apart from the obvious (my fabulously charming, sweet, hilarious husband), I think the pizza is it. I love pizza!! Pepperoni to be exact, it's really one my favorite things in the world, haha. I could eat it everyday of my life. I like it many ways: thin crust, thick crust, wholewheat crust, with turkey pepperoni as well as normal pepperoni, lots of cheese, no cheese, and with varying amounts of sauce. Really, you can't EVER go wrong with pepperoni pizza.

But you can "never go wrong" with other combinations too. One of which is bananas and chocolate. They were born to be together. Like Wes and I. Seriously.

Just to prove that I'm right. You should make this as soon as you possibly can. Your life depends on it. Ok, maybe not. But you will definately thank me.

INTRODUCING......

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Bread (It'll change your life)


Recipe from Joythebaker.com. I used a muffin pan (yeilds about 2 dozen) instead of a loaf pan. Baking time was about 15 minutes for me, but I would check it for doneness around 12 minutes and go from there. It's not very "bready" at all. I would say more "cakey, silky, and brownie-like." Enjoy!!!!

Here's the recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 stick (8 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 ripe bananas, mashed

3/4 cup buttermilk

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9×5 inch loaf pan and place it on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets one on top of the other. This extra insulation will keep the bottom of the bread from overbaking.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt ad baking soda.

Working with a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed for about a minute until soft. Add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes more. Add the egs one at a time, beating for a minute after each addition. At this point , the batter may look a little curdled- it’s ok. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the mashed bananas. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. Still on low sweep, add the buttermilk, mixing until it is incorporated. Stir in the chopped chocolate. Scrape batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 3o minutes. Cover the bread loosely with a foil tend to keep the top from getting too dark, and continue to bake for another 40-45 minutes (total baking time is between 70 and 75 minutes), or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before running a knife around the edges of the bread and unmolding it. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

Hope everyone has a fabulous Wednesday!!