Sweet CAKES! Since my last post, I've gotten to see each of you! What a blessing and refreshment each visit was for my soul. I'm thankful for your friendships. Some visits were more eventful than others :).We'll let the photos speak for themselves.

Now for a reunion in C'ville in August anyone?? Speaking of people getting married, Peyton and I have been married 5 years as of May 19th! Since you didn't know us then (and I just recenlty got access to all my photos here's a moment from the ceremony)

Our anniversary was a sweet day to reflect on the abundance of God's grace we've experienced over the past 5 ( both realized and unrealized). Be sure, each of you were mentioned in my prayers of thanksgiving for the ways He has blessed our marriage. After pages and pages in my moleskin of thanksgiving for people, churches, books, experiences, lessons, and gift after gift I finally just said: "Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare." (Ps 40:5) In light of our wife-to-be, I think it would be fun for the married girls to share some thoughts/things you've learned on marriage??? Katherine?

Recipe Share: Zucchini Bacon Lasagna

Well, this poor blog needs some love. So, here I am with a delicious new-to-me recipe that has graced our table several times in the last month! Zucchini Bacon Lasagna. Yum. Here is the link to the recipe: http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/zucchini-bacon-three-cheese-lasagna.html. The only change that I made was instead of fontina cheese, I layered provolone cheese slices before putting the top layer of noodles. Provolone is cheaper and I already had it! So good.

I miss you all! We've been staying busy with getting two bottom teeth, getting into everything, learning to say "bababa" over and over, and reading/chewing/eating everything in sight. Caroline is busy, happy, and so much fun! I've been enjoying our broiling hot spring weather- 80* most days is so weird for march and april!!

Easter is this weekend. I was reading Psalm 66 today. What a wonderful reminder of what the Lord has done for us:

Psalm 66

For the director of music. A song. A psalm.

¹ Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
² Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious.
³ Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.
⁴ All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing the praises of your name.”^[a]

⁵ Come and see what God has done,
his awesome deeds for mankind!
⁶ He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice in him.
⁷ He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations—
let not the rebellious rise up against him.

⁸ Praise our God, all peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
⁹ he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.
¹⁰ For you, God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
¹¹ You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.
¹² You let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.

¹³ I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you—
¹⁴ vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.
¹⁵ I will sacrifice fat animals to you
and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.

¹⁶ Come and hear, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.
¹⁷ I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
¹⁸ If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
¹⁹ but God has surely listened
and has heard my prayer.
²⁰ Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!

Thoughts on Lent by Greg Thompson

When God’s people were liberated from slavery in the exodus, their understanding of the world changed. Their whole lives—their food, their worship, their very calendars—were ordered in such a way as to tell that story of redemption to themselves, to their children, and to the world. So they gathered together, week after week, month after month, in feasts, in fasts, in songs, and in tears, to tell the story of God’s liberation of His people from slavery. And they did this not so that God would deliver them—as though by the keeping of these fasts they would find favor with Him—but because He had delivered them. Salvation was theirs, and as a result they ordered their lives in such a way as to tell that story to themselves, to their children, and to the nations who lived as their neighbors. When the earliest Christians came to understand Jesus as the bearer of a new Exodus—not merely from slavery, but from sin and death—it seemed good to them to order their lives and their calendars around the story of salvation. They called it “the sanctification of time.” And so the season of Advent became a time when the church told the story of the coming of the Savior. The season of Epiphany became a time when the church told the story of the earthly ministry of the Savior. The season of Lent became a time when the church told the story of the suffering and death of the Savior. The season of Pentecost became a time when the church told the story of the abiding presence of the Savior by the power of the Holy Spirit. All these seasons were celebrated not in order to secure God’s special favor, but because in Christ, this favor has been freely given. Their purpose is simply to tell the story of God’s salvation in Christ—to ourselves, our children, and to our neighbors—as clearly and intentionally as possible.


Wednesday we begin the season of Lent, the time when—in anticipation of the great celebration of Easter—we tell the story of the suffering and death of Jesus for our sins and the sins of the world. It is a time when we, through intentional and particular reflection on the last weeks of Jesus’ life, tell the story of the gospel.First, it is a time when we tell the story of our need. We tell of our need for forgiveness of sins— and so Lent is a time of confession. We tell of our need for repentance in life—and so Lent is a time of self-denial. We tell of our need for resurrection from the dead—and so Lent is a time of reflection on mortality. Each of these is symbolized powerfully in the imposition of ashes—the humiliating sign of our own broken mortality. And we do this before the eyes of a culture that does not believe itself mortal and doomed to die. And yet we also tell the gospel story of Jesus’ work on our behalf. We tell of His work of forgiveness—and so Lent is a time to remember His willingness to forgive sinners. We tell of His work in enabling our repentance—and so Lent is a time to remember His power in our weakness. We tell of His work of raising the dead—and so Lent is a time to anticipate His resurrection from the dead. And we do this before the eyes of a culture that, even if it believes it needs a Savior, does not believe that it has one. And again, we do these things not to drown in our misery, or to secure God’s blessing through our self-denial, but because in Christ, these blessings are ours this day.


So in celebrating Lent, here is what we are doing: We are simply coming together to tell the story of the gospel and to live that story out before ourselves, our children, and our neighbors—mourning together the sorrows of the world and, in time, celebrating the glory of the resurrection.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY A!

In keeping with C's wonderful bday wish tradition for E last year... here are some great things about Amanda on her bday!

A... Amazing woman of God
M.. May's precious Mommy
A... A contented City dweller
N... Never fails to be cheerful
D... Dependable and Trustworthy
A... All around a wonderful friend!

I am so thankful for Amanda! Happy Birthday! I hope little family treats you especially well today!

Love!

Winter... Not So Bad

Not everyday you can say you had a lovely January, but I was almost sad to turn the calendar to February it was such a refreshing month ( and because the January of this new calendar that my Mom gave me was just especially cute). We were feeling so recharged that we FINALLY tackled our dining room and office and I wanted to share (although still obviously works in progress):
I even got to break it in by hosting a baby shower for my friend Mary Mills ( Katherine, AKA Baby-Shower-Throwing-Parner-In-Crime, I needed you and though so often) but it turned out great and loved debuting my sweet new stuff...
Our office is much less complete but we're loving the cozy it brings to our house just having SOME progress. And now that I have an office space outside the home ( thank you Lord), it can be just for us. I'll update you with the finished project but note the book page project. P got really into this and we selected favorite passages from favorite books and blew them up and framed. It makes us happy. But really I'm writing to update you on some very exciting news ( no, not pregnant, not trying, talk to Peyton or actually don't because he does not respond well to pressure nor do I) WE'RE GETTING A WHOLE FOODS!!!! WF announced via twitter today. It's made my day and since you know me well, you'll not be surprised. Plus, remember the weekly angst the massive Kroger caused me!?! Just this week as I was walking through the ugly parking lot dotted with security guards because I think someone was murdered there once ( seriously), I thought to myself in faith-- there will be a better option for me one day. :) I'm going to start saving now.

PS. Clock just struck midnight here in Mississippi so it's officially Amanda's birthday! Happy Birthday sweet friend! YOU and your friendship bless me.

Much love to each of you!

E

Recipe: Pork Tenderloin with Spices!

I made this recipe a couple of weeks ago and of course tested it out on a night when I was taking a meal to someone. Glad it was so good! I highly recommend! It's originally from here. I didn't have any Tabasco sauce, so I did a couple of drops of Liquid Smoke... so you could probably get pretty creative there and it would still be tasty! I do recommend that you brown in a skillet and then put the meat in a cast iron skillet to cook in the oven. I had to cook it for almost double time because of the cast iron skillet, but it was well worth it!

I served it with mashed red potatoes with rosemary tossed in, as well as brussel sprouts with butter, bread, and salad. Highly recommend for your next dinner party... also makes enough to keep one and take one if you have to make a meal for someone.

Island Spice Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:
For the spice rub:
2 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 pork tenderloins (about 2-2½ lbs. total)
2 tbsp. olive oil

For the glaze:
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. (2-3 cloves) finely minced garlic
1½ tsp. Tabasco sauce

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Combine the salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir together with a fork to blend. Pat the mixture over the pork tenderloins.

Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Place the tenderloins in the skillet and brown on all sides, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes total. Remove from the heat, leaving the pork in the skillet.

Stir together the brown sugar, garlic and Tabasco in a small bowl until blended. Spread the mixture evenly over the tops of the tenderloins.

Place the skillet in the preheated oven and roast about 20 minutes, until an instant-read themometer inserted in the center of each tenderloin registers 140˚ F. Loosely tent the skillet with foil and let stand 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Brownies from heaven

So, I made brownies today and they were literally better than the box. I've made several different brownie recipes from scratch. Never have I ever found a recipe that I liked better than the good old boxed mix. Until today. And just you wait..... here it is..... they are made from black beans! On a whim, I decided to make these because I wanted brownies, but I'm trying to lose the pregnancy pudge, so black bean brownies sounded better than the regular deliciousness. Well, these were a treat. I even gave one to Joe before I told him they were made with black beans. And he said they were the best brownies I've ever made. SO, there you have it. The verdict.

(found on a gluten-free blog and I did it in the food processor not the blender... doubt it matters)

Lila's Black Bean Brownies
1 can, rinsed and drained black beans
1/2 cup fresh spinach (more or less) (I did almost a cup)
3 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup cocoa powder (I used Hersheys)
1 TBSP vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 tsp ground coffee (I added a tsp of Trader Joe's instant coffee)
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Hersheys)


so first, throw your black beans in the blender and give them a couple pulses just to break them up. then add your oil and spinach. pulse them until blended. we want this smoooooth.





you'll have to scrape down the sides...then pulse again...scrape the sides...then pulse. you want there to be no chunks or as little as possible.
add your vanilla, coffee, salt, sugar, cocoa powder... and i threw in a TBSP of choco chips too for good measure.
pulse until it's all smooth.
then add those eggs.
pulse until well blended. you don't need to over do it here. just blend it all together and then stop.



spray an 8X8 pan with pam or butter the dish. put your runny brownies in there.
throw the choco chips on top


bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
take out and let cool completely for a couple hours. Serve with ice cream and trick everyone!

A Few More Baby Musts From A

Hey CAKE's,


Per Katherine's challenge, I wanted to add a few more things that are in my "must" category.  We have lots of overlap, such as Aden and Anais blankets, Chicco carseat, activity playmat, Soothie Pacifier, Jesus Storybook Bible, and a good breast pump.  Now on to my additions....


1) Ergo Carrier and Infant Insert - if I had to pick one item that has made the biggest impact on my life as a mother, this would be it.  Living in a big city with a dog and in an apartment building that has seven stairs to climb to get to our first floor apartment, there is at least one outing a day that I load Miss May up in the carrier instead of her stroller.  It is just so much easier to put her the carrier while I am walking Bo or when we go on the subway, etc.  Not to mention that she is a heating pad and the walking usually puts her to sleep.


2) Bouncer - she loves playing with the hanging animals and it is nice to have a place to put her down that is slightly elevated...and when she was really little, she would nap in there.


3) Sleep Sack Swaddle by Halo - our little Miss likes to break her arms out of her swaddle blanket at night, so this has been a sleep saver.  The velcro flaps keep her arms tightly by her side and allows everyone to sleep soundly.


4) The Boppy - I use it every day and at pretty much every feeding...saves my shoulder muscles from tightening up.


5) Burp Cloths - May spits up all the time, so I always have a burp cloth handy (the very soft cloth diaper kind).  They are the best and are very cute with her name or initials monogrammed on there.  This would be an excellent gift to give any mom-to-be.


6) City Mini Stroller by Baby Jogger - it folds up at the pull of one handle and fits nicely in our 500 square foot apartment...and it is relatively easy for me to lug up and down the seven stairs from our apartment to the sidewalk.


7) Books, books and books - we have story time every day, so having a good selection keeps me from going crazy reading the same books over and over and over again.


8) Whitenoise App - we have this on our phones and the iPad. She sleeps to the rain sound every night and it definitely helps set the mood so that she knows it is sleep time.  And it helps drown out some of the loud noises of apartment living.


9) Angus and Julia Stone's "Big Jet Plane" - okay, so this one is specific to May, but we started listening to them during my third trimester.  Mitch had the album on his phone, so he would often put it up to my belly and May would move around like crazy.  Now that she is out of the womb, it is calming to her....so all I have to do is play this song and she will stop crying.  It is MAGIC!


Okay, I think that is all of my must haves for 0-3 months.  And E, I will be back this week with a picture of how I am displaying our Christmas cards.  I just decided that I like them too much, so they are all going to stay up for the rest of the year. :)

Baby Musts: 0-3 Months

Wow, two posts in two days? It must be a new year!

I thought I would chronicle my favorite baby items from these past three months, seeing as two of us will have 3 month olds soon and others of us will surely do so in the not-too-distant future! This post will be about the most helpful baby gear.... saving my favorite "don't really need it but it's the best thing ever" items for another post! I am always at a loss for what to get for baby showers, so hopefully this will help me to remember when it is gift-getting time!

1. Aden & Anais muslin swaddle blankets. Not only are these cute and soft, but they have kept this baby girl swaddled in happiness every night since she came home from the hospital. Got to keep those flailing arms and legs under control! They are also useful when out in public if you need to do a quick feeding, diaper change, or general spit up cleaning.

2. The Swing. Magical sleep creator. Why would you not love that!

3. The Pump. Allowing moms everywhere to not have to whip out the boob while at Target for the thousandth time that week.

4. Soothie Pacis. Caroline doesn't LOVE the paci but when it is time for sleep, she does enjoy a little time with her soothie.

5. Baby cheeks and hands. Good for kissing and hugging. Also, the hands are good for sucking, according to Caroline.

6. Chicco car seat. Can't live without it. So glad random lady in Target talked me into buying that one. It snaps in like a breeze and is easy to get out!

7. BOB stroller. Again. So happy I have this. Gives me no excuse not to go for a walk or run. Dang.

8. Toys from Lamaze. Caroline is entranced when she sees the black and white pattern on the butterfly she got for Christmas. Lots to stick in your mouth too, which is popular with the babies.

9. Jesus Storybook Bible. THANK YOU Auntie Em, she LOVES it. It is so special to read together at night.

10. The mobile. Around 6 weeks, she started really noticing it. Really cute. And on a related note, the video monitor. SO happy I have this. It has saved me so many times getting out of bed and gives me a peace of mind.

11. Activity Play Mat. Also known as Funville (thank you Ashbrooks). We love this. She loves grabbing the toys, doing tummy time and having an all around good time kicking her legs off on this thing.

12. Baby Bjorn. This has literally been the best thing I ever purchased. She loves going anywhere in it and it allows me to cook, go for walks, do stuff around the house, play on the computer (bad mom)... all with two hands.

So these are a dozen things I've been so happy to have these past three months. Next up, all the little things that I'm glad to have with baby girl!

A, let's hear what you think on this! Maybe I'm missing something good!

A New Year, New Goals.

Well, welcome to 2012! Hard to believe it's a new year. We spent the morning of this glorious day off (Daddy home!) cleaning up Christmas and playing with our sweet baby. This afternoon we will get to celebrate my little brother's engagement! Nothing like a little New Year's Eve bling. We are excited to welcome Chelsey to our family. For the occasion, I made vanilla almond cupcakes with salted caramel buttercream. Let me tell you, these are good. And really the name is harder than they are difficult.

Source: gimmesomeoven.com via Katherine on Pinterest

More importantly, today we are setting some family and personal goals. Thought I'd share my personal goals. Wish me luck... !

1. Work on the pre-baby body! :) Yes, had to throw this one in, but seriously, I can't wait til every last thing in my closet fits again! To work on this goal, I'm using Lose It, an app where you can record what you eat and when you workout. Shockingly, eating 12 mini cupcakes adds up. Oops.

2. Read through the bible. I'm thinking I will use this plan (click on the PDF at the top of the page).

3. Read to Caroline every day. She LOVES the Jesus Storybook Bible from Auntie Em!!

4. Have a welcoming and hospitable house. Host dinners, take meals to people, and have people stay with us.

5. Be conscious about money. Ugh. Only spend on things that we need (don't pick up random crap at the grocery or at Target!)

6. Journal for Caroline.

7. Volunteer in some way at church and within our community.

The end. These are pretty broad, which is important for actual completion :)

Love and miss you all!
k

Tis the Season!

This is what I did on Sunday! Although the Halls of 1814 Piedmont are not completely decked yet, it has begun and it makes me happy. As a Work-From-Homer, I would say the Christmas lights have slightly revolutionized things for me. So cozy in this house. Do you see the little village in my book case? It's the North Pole. A little random you might say, but it is so nostalgic for me as it was my favorite part of decorating Christmas as a child. I got it out of my mom's attic. This little city has been dormant for like 15 years! Not any more--it's a bustling little village of holiday magic in here! :) Have y'all decorated your homes for Christmas yet? If so, I would love to see photo documentation. If not, I highly recommend it. Another Christmas question I have: How have you or do you plan to display Christmas cards? I got my first one in the mail yesterday ( one of my new Type A friends in Jackson... so on top of things) and I just can't decide where or how to display them for optimum cuteness and enjoyment.

What I really love about this delightful season is that all the joy and jolly is meaningful. In the midst of the dark winter and the rather dark world, we can put out little twinkle lights and proclaim He has come and He will come again! It refreshes my soul. On that note, my sister sent me a link to an Advent Guide -- a devotional to go through as a family to help you celebrate the season of waiting (slightly kid-centric at first glance but seems good, I printed off week 1). What I wanted to share with you though was this video also from the Village Church that was a beautiful reminder of what the season of Advent is all about: The Village Blog - Advent: God With Us

Back to sipping my peppermint mocha! Much love. Let us hear from you!

E

Catching Up

Dearest CAKEs,

What a delinquent I have been on our blog.

If you only knew the number of times I've wondered what fun items are on Katherine's monthly goals list, what creative projects Amanda has found online for us to tackle, what new exercise regime Emmaline would encourage us to take on ... Basically, I've missed y'all.

This post is going to be quite the hodge podge.

On the party front, I threw a baby shower for my cousin last week. She is due on Thursday! Isn't this idea from Martha Stewart for a menu amazing?

On the inspiration front, I have printed a few of these for my office and home to be good, free, daily reminders of Truth.

http://cheepideas.com/2010/11/free-thanksgiving-printable/

On the decorating front, I'm needing some feedback on my first attempt at a fall mantle. Any recommendations for additions or changes?

On the reading front, I have recently started The King's Cross by Tim Keller.

And for kicks ... Christopher and I's Halloween costume: Party + Pooper = The Party Poopers :) (yes, that is a toilet seat he is wearing...)




A and K, hope the sweet baby girls are doing well.

Much love from Tejas,
C

Goodbye, Hello

This summer certainly has been full of "Goodbye". Goodbye to friends moving away, goodbye to jobs, goodbye to world traveling on someone else's dime, goodbye to Charlottesville last week! I have never been good with change and yet, here we go again. This time, there will be a lot of "hello's" too: hello to our old stomping grounds, hello to our families, hello to a new house, hello to new churches, bible study, friends, grocery stores, routines. And last but not least, saying hello to baby sometime between now and mid-October.

Why life is so full of change will always be a mystery to me. In our marriage, we have tended to cram all the biggest changes into one, tending to move at times in our lives when everything else is also changing. I guess I'd rather have my life flipped upside down all at once rather than having to deal with every little change as it comes, but still, times of change are when I realize how much I value things that are not eternal.

While unpacking my kitchen in the new house, I found that one of the drawers only opens if you open the oven door. Finding this to be extremely ghetto, I quickly found myself traveling down the road of discontentment.... and that is a very dangerous road. How I could already forget how God has answered prayer after prayer and provided for us over and over again, I do not know.

So, how do you remind yourself of all the ways that God has heard you and been your Providence? I need to remind myself daily. I need time in the word. Hopefully amidst all this change, one of the most important changes will take place: I will find more time to spend with God.

I am considering a few studies to help myself stay on track, but would love to hear any of your ideas: Nehemiah, the Beattitudes, Grace.


On a less serious note, I am obsessed with Pinterest. I know that A and E are pinterested, but what about you, C? I find this site to be very useful for getting ideas and cataloging all the ideas floating around the interwebs. Here are a few recipes I'm planning to try:

Source: butterflyfoodie.blogspot.com via Katherine on Pinterest

Source: myrecipes.com via Katherine on Pinterest

Source: blogs.babble.com via Katherine on Pinterest

Home Sweet Home

Happy Labor Day, CAKES! I'm having a wonderfully lazy day in my PJs, listening to it rain and just wishing we could be sipping coffee together... at Shenandoah Joe's or maybe that cute little coffee shop in Brooklyn. We've been absent from the blog but with good excuses. I mean we've had a big summer among the four of us really-- moving, pregnancy, travels, romance, etc! :) I hope you all are handling all this change better than I am! Every time I think I'm getting settled here, I have to go to Kroger. It just puts me in such a bad mood. We've listened to a handful of sermon's from Trinity's Summer in the Pslams series and I so related to Greg's sermon, "Praying Our Homelessness" and thought I should share it with y'all since in one year's time all four of us have moved and have probably been reminded of the reality of our homelessness on this earth more than usual. Please download here and listen to it when you have a chance. I now "pray my homelessness" to the Lord as I walk through the unfamiliar, unpleasant aisles of Kroger ( the ONLY reasonable option for weekly shopping) and stroll my bags to my car in the hottest parking lot I've ever experienced. He is my sweet home.

So much I would love to catch up on-- Our trip was fab and you can see my pictures here:

Europe

There are some funny one's I threw in for your entertainment--like me looking cool with my eye-mask on on the plane or Peyton smoking at the Eiffel Tower ( he had a pack of cigs in his shirt pocket the entire trip-- such a dork). I've finally starting cooking again after a couple months of a sabbatical and I must say I feel very rejuvenated by my break :) I'm sure Peyton is thankful for that. My sister ( with 3 boys and a husband) just sent me her new favorite cookbook, Mad Hungry and I too am loving it. To combat my anxiety (that thorn in my flesh), I've been reading Running Scared by Ed Welch-- a great meditation on many wonderfully comforting aspects of God's character. Oh and we tore the ugly green awning off the front of our house and added a flag... we are liking the change.

Anyway, that's it for me friends. Can you share your favorite picture, project, recipe, sermon or book from this crazy summer? It would make me happy. Thanks!

Much love from Mississippi,
E

Spiced Peach-Carrot Bread

CAKE's!

It has been way too long since I last posted on here, so I thought I would share the spiced peach-carrot bread recipe I made today.  I found it in my July Southern Living, and was really excited to find a way to use peaches (which I LOVE) and carrots (which I don't love but they came in my CSA basket this week).  I might sound like Paula Deen, but it is delicious with a little bit of butter spread on your slice!  And E, I think the blog needs to see pictures of your beautiful new house and all the decorating that has gone into it!

Spiced Peach-Carrot Bread

3/4 C chopped pecans

2 1/2 C all-purpose flour

1 C sugar

1 t. ground cinnamon

3/4 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

1 1/2 C peeled and chopped peaches

3/4 C freshly grated carrots

2/3 C vegetable oil

1/2 C milk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.  Cool 15 minutes.

Stir together flour and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl; add peaches, next 4 ingredients, and toasted pecans, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.  Spoon batter into a lightly greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  Remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour).

PURE BARRE

CAKES are no strangers to trying some ridiculous exercise experiments. For me this began when A & I thought that although we hadn't run a mile in years that we were ready to train for the C'ville 10 Miler. We gave it a valiant effort and got as far as the Freedom 5K in Old Trail! :) It wasn't pretty but we did cross the finish line and shortly thereafter decided to hang up the ole running shoes. That same fall ( I don't know where all this motivation came from for me...I'm going to guess the same place it always does--my thighs) K, C, & I signed up for Boot Camp! Up at 6AM cursing that damn hill in Washington Park! And no one will EVER forget Bikram! I feel like I have a better idea what it would feel like to suffocate to death after my first class at Bikram. I hope God chooses a different way of bringing me home.

Since short-lived, crazy fitness experiments are kind of our thing, I had to share with you my latest since moving to Jackson--Pure Barre! I think we can all testify to the fact that exercising with friends is just as much about community as it is about getting a good workout? And since one of the few friends that I have here is the manager of the Pure Barre studio and my sister-in-law had been wanting to try it too, I jumped in. Who's surprised?

So sad that the CAKES have officially been scattered North, South, East, & West and we can't enjoy this new exercise fad together. However, it's kicking my butt and I like it! I just went to my 3rd class and it hurt so good! You should look it up and find a studio near you!

XOXO & Miss you all tons!
Emmaline

Before the Throne of God

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!

Feast your eyes

I also feel obligated to share a few new-to-me sites with you, so that you too can waste hours of your time online.

new Lonny Magazine-Traditional Home partnership: online magazine Trad Home!
http://www.lonnymag.com/issues/19-trad-home

Rikshaw Design: cute clothes and fun blog
http://www.rikshawdesign.com/womens/ak-110.html

Stylish Bird blog
http://stylishbird.blogspot.com/

Kelly Market blog
http://www.kellymarket.com/

Ok, I'll be back with more things to waste your time with soon!

xoxo,
k

Can I get your opinion, please?

OK, CAKEs, I have been a bad blogger. At book club tonight, we were discussing who has a blog and E and I had to look at each other and laugh because we are members of a secret blog that we don't blog on. So, here is a remedy. Like it or hate it. By the way, our next book club pick is "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" by Amy Chua. Looking forward to it actually!

I want to find a new purse. One that can also serve as a diaper bag (welcome baby M, due October 2011, Mommy is already buying crap for herself instead of you). So, I present to you a few options. This may just end up as a purse, but that's ok too. If I could merge these two options, I think that I would be in good shape.

Criteria:

• Must be cross body, for hands free grocery shopping, diaper changing, etc.
• Leather. Not sure why this is a criteria, but leather lasts forever. Even with stains. I'm cool with that.
• No metals in bizarre places. Self-explanatory, really. Have you seen some of the new trends? yuck.
  
• Has a few pockets on the inside or even a divider!

So, I've been researching on Etsy and every other site I can think of (Anthro has really failed me this time). Here are the two options I have found so far. Can I get your opinion? This all goes back to my New Year's Resolution... you might remember it... don't buy stuff you don't really LOVE. I'm trying to stick to it! Look at me, it's MARCH, and I still remember the resolutions!

Option 1:
Pros: you can design your own; Cons: expensive
http://www.etsy.com/listing/59461010/two-way-hobo-choose-your-custom-color


Option 2:
Pros: Vintage; Cons: getting into that too much metal territory; seems a little small?
http://www.etsy.com/listing/71263266/vintage-saddle-leather-hobo-cross-body?ref=sr_gallery_9&ga_search_query=leather+hobo+cross+body&ga_search_type=all&ga_facet=



So, CAKES, maybe you can be my eyes looking for a new purse. My eyes seem to be struggling to find the right thing.

Thanks for indulging this superficial and extremely shallow post.

I promise to be more substantive next time. Whenever that is.

Spring Cleaning!

Spring is so refreshing. I was complaining in my last post about being uninspired and bogged down by life, etc. February has a way of putting me in a stupor. I am was getting so tired of boots. So tired of the black wool coat. So tired of the barren branches. So tired of being inside. And then suddenly.... LIFE. I love how our Creator just bursts into winter with all His glory and beauty. One morning I drove to work and it was winter and the next morning I drove to work and there were daffodils, trees that looked dead yesterday all of a sudden blooming away. It makes me happy and thankful for how creative and kind God is. Winter doesn't last forever. Can I get a Hallelujah?

The whole process is rejuvenating and energizing. It's even got me doing some spring cleaning. Cleaned out the laundry room, vacuumed my WALLS ( that's right-- you would NOT believe the dust on a wall if you really study it), and today I finally faced my biggest domestic challenge-- our bathtub. It's a long story but I've tried A LOT of tactics and none have really been satisfactory. Since I have some VERY important house guests coming this weekend (all the way from Brooklyn) and the bathtub had gotten in a particularly disgusting state ( sorry no before pics), it was time. Who else do you turn to in a crisis such as this but Martha. She did not lead me astray.

K & C, you would eat this book up; although I know you don't need it. I'm sure you've typed up your own manual.

I'm mildly obsessed with the brush and Bon Ami. Both revolutionary really. Isn't the can even cute? Cuteness in cleaning products isn't everything, but it does help. Plus it's natural-- no chemicals. Most importantly, together with the brush ( which I think is key) it worked magic on my tub. It's as clean as it's been since I've lived here.

I was sharing my discoveries with some other girls at K's tonight and they were all raving about the Miracle Eraser? They were shocked that I had never heard of it. What's your most prized cleaning product/tool? Or do you have any impressive spring cleaning feats you've tackled yet?