What I will be eating on Thanksgiving

Here is a post for all of my dairy-free friends! Here is a recipe I will be contributing to my family's Thanksgiving dinner. I hope this helps you and your family enjoy the holiday more!

Pumpkin Pecan Pie (I am piecing together two recipes)

Gingersnap Crust:

2 T. butter (I am substituting Earth Balance Vegan Spread)
1 1/4 c. gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 30 cookies, Nabisco appears to be dairy free)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in microwave and mix with cookie crumbs and vanilla. Press into the bottom and sides of a 8-inch pie plate. Bake 10 minutes and cool.

Filling: (Calls for 9-inch deep dish pie crust, so I may have to make some changes to the crust or not use all of the filling)

1 c. pumpkin
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. allspice (or you can use pumpkin pie spice)

Combine and spread over bottom of pie crust.

2/3 c. light corn syrup
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 T. butter (or subsititute)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. pecan halves

Combine corn syrup, sugar, eggs, butter, and vanilla in a bowl; stir in nuts. Spoon over pumpkin layer. Bake for 50 minutes until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Two Month Stats

Luke had his two-month check-up today. Here are his stats...

Height- 25 inches
Weight- 14 lbs., 13 oz.
Head-16 inches

Our doctor asked if he planned on being a linebacker. :) He is a very happy guy these days since Mommy gave up dairy. His hair is still very thick, and always stands up at the crown. If there are pictures that show it flat, it wouldn't be because Mommy has put gel in it. Never! He loves kicking his legs in his bouncer to get the rattles to make sounds. He hates it when his big sister puts her hair in his face. He loves to giggle and talk when he gets Mommy or Daddy alone. Precious times!

Legacy of Faith

Aunt Vic holding Baby Greer

Last week one of my favorite people met our Lord! The exclamation point is a reminder that it was a time of joy for her and that is exactly why she is one of my favorite people. To be correct, she is one of eight of my favorite people. She came as a package...let me explain.

My granddaddy was one of eight children, and they are ALL some of my favorite people!

My Aunt Vic went to heaven last week. She was the "mother hen" and oldest child. She was a hard worker (as they all were), but most visibly seen in the fact that she refused to retire until she was physically unable to work. She was wonderfully encouraging when Chad and I joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ, and even continued supporting the ministry when we pursued other directions with our careers. She loved God, read and studied His Word, and never spoke an unkind word about another person. As I think about all her wonderful qualities, the thing I find most surprising is how her memory "melts" into the siblings that she loved.

You see, each of them fit together. It is strange in our current society. How is it that they loved each other that much? That they were able to keep their brother's (Uncle Clyde) memory alive through 2 generations that never met him? How is it that they cared more for each other than they ever did for themselves? How is it that 8 children learn to walk with God and teach their children and their children's children? You may be surprised that there is an answer.

Today I was reading a book for a parenting Bible Study I attend, and found an answer. (By the way, the book is "Disciplines of a Godly Family" by Kent and Barbara Hughes.) They attribute "family affection" to three disciplines: loving God, loving each other, and communicating. I could spend a lot of time expounding, but I want you to buy the book and hear it from the Hughes'. Let me just paint the disciplines the way that I have seen them in my family.

Loving God...singing hymns with a room full of tone deaf people! (and trusting the Lord hears our heart), faithfulness to being a part of the body of Christ by attending church, reading God's Word and listening to godly teachers, praying for God to work in the lives of people you know and love. I have to admit that I have long-thought of my salvation as the fruit of prayers that were uttered by my family and specifically by my Great-Grandmother (mother of these 8). I only know what I have been told about her, and everyone has always told me how much she prayed. It is amazing to think of how she must have prayed for my granddaddy, then later my dad, and the children that he would one day have. Wow! What a legacy!

Loving each other...generosity, laughing together, caring for one another's health, feeding each other, knowing each other. My Great Uncle Clyde died in the Korean War. My dad was named after him, which in itself demonstrates love, but every time he is brought up in the midst of his siblings they say the same things...brilliant pianist, studying to be an architect (at Clemson), and a beam of pride comes over their faces. I could listen for hours as my family laughs and recalls all of the fun times they had growing up together. Such a picture of love!

Communicating...well, I will be convicted by this one for sure. I think that the reason that they know and love each other so much is that they shared undistracted time with each other. How often do I need to quiet my life to love the people around me! Ephesians 5:18-19 is true for their relationships, "addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all of your heart." I can just imagine the camaraderie that was built around the kitchen and playing baseball in the yard together.

Lots of thoughts, very jumbled in my mind, but I hope you get the jest of my heart. I hope that one day years from now, the things that I have observed about my family will be true of the generations that come after me. I am so blessed to have seen such godly examples, and I hope that I can be an example to others as well. Thank you, God, for a beautiful, joyful legacy of faith to follow.

Where does the time go?

Here are some pictures from the last month...

Greer holding Luke about a month ago

Greer and Chad before going to the TCU game
While they were gone, Aunt Ashleigh and Baxter came for a visit.
(Baxter is on the left and Luke is on the right)
The boys had to share a pacifier and learn the art of waiting while their mommies shopped.
I love this picture because it looks like Luke is telling Baxter a secret. I hope that it is indicative of the friendship that they will have for many years to come!
Kate, Amelia, and Natalie came for a visit and we went to the Pumpkin Patch.

A picture of Luke from last weekend

Besides these things, over the last month...

• we went to the State Fair with Chad's parents (Greer loved the rides)


• Greer spent the night with Uncle Mark and Aunt April. They took her to see Elmo!


• We took a class at the Zoo about Farm Animals.


• Greer is loving preschool!


• Luke (and I) are dairy free, and enjoying life!


• Luke is on a schedule.


• I am learning a lot from a parenting Bible Study at church! I highly recommend "Disciplines of a Godly Family" by Kent and Barbara Hughes.


• Chad has been working hard and traveling A LOT. He has been to Oregon, Maryland, Virginia, NC, and Pennsylvania.
  

Thanks for being patient with our lack of communication over the past month. Time is precious these days, and I have been working hard to remain sane through our transition to a family of four. One day I trust that I will have a clearer mind and maybe a restful night of sleep (I think those may coincide with each other).

Something Fun (and Useful)

Yay! Today I have something to offer you. Chad and I use Crown Ministries' Mvelopes budgeting program and love it! I use it to pay bills and keep track of how quickly our money can disappear. I love the fact that it is online, and can be accessed from any computer when I travel. It is very easy to use, and has helped us live debt-free and meet our saving goals!

They recently offered longtime users the chance to buy a lifetime membership and some other perks. Here is a perk that I want to share- A Free 90-day membership! I will send the gift card to the first person who posts a comment asking for it. For those of you that are curious and miss the gift card, check out Crown's website where Mvelopes always has a shorter free trial offer.

Blessings and a Curse

Today was Luke's 1 month appt. Here are his stats...

Height: 23 inches
Weight: 10 lb., 10 oz.

He has been such a sweet blessing to our family, and I am really thankful for his health and growth so far!

The curse...he has officially been diagnosed with a milk protein allergy. I am thankful that this is two months earlier than Greer was diagnosed, but it is bittersweet for me. I am not looking forward to removing dairy from my diet. I had a pity party about two weeks ago when I felt this day was coming, so most of my thoughts today are cerebral. "How does someone with a milk intolerance (that has never been diagnosed) have two kids with a milk allergy?" "If I had more children, would they have it, too?" "How do I keep giving Greer dairy?" "I cannot eat out for another year of my life!"(a little emotion) More to come, but that's enough for tonight.

Preschool!

Greer has been in preschool for 3 weeks now, but I am finally posting pictures of her first day. Since then we have joined a two-day class, and both she and I are loving every minute. It is really a gift to let her have some time away from our home, and to get some time with Luke. Today Greer came home singing "Rise, Shine, Welcome to school today." She doesn't tell me much about school, but that was an encouraging reminder that she is happy!

Aunt April came to help me that week
A rare picture of Greer and Momma