{Recipe} Blackberry Cobbler

Pioneer Woman is a hit again. 
Sweet Kirby introduced me to this goodness. 


First apple dumplings now blackberry cobbler. 
Yum. 


I usually don't like any kind of crust in pies or cobbler but this is amazing. 


And SO easy. 


All you need is butter, self-rising flour, sugar, milk, and blackberries. 


Oh and you must have some Bluebell Homemade Vanilla. 


Blackberry Cobbler
1 stick Butter
1-¼ cup Sugar
1 cup Self-Rising Flour
1 cup Milk
2 cups Blackberries (frozen Or Fresh)

Melt butter in a microwavable dish. Pour 1 cup of sugar and flour into a mixing bowl, whisking in milk. Mix well. Then, pour in melted butter and whisk it all well together. Butter a baking dish.

Now rinse and pat dry the blackberries. Pour the batter into the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle blackberries over the top of the batter; distributing evenly. Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar over the top.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until golden and bubbly. If you desire, sprinkle an additional teaspoon of sugar over the cobbler 10 minutes before it’s done.

So Long Swaddle

This sweet boy has now rolled over three times and we have missed it every time!

On Wednesday he rolled from tummy to back for the first time during his nap at a friends house. I was so surprised. I put him on their bed on his tummy and went to check on him and he was awake playing on his back.

Then the same thing happened Thursday at our house.

We have still be swaddling Chandler at night and putting him to sleep on his back but Sunday morning Cody went to get him and he was completely flipped over on his tummy. Not only did he not have his arms or legs to use to flip over he even has a sleep positioner to work around. I am still not sure how he did it.

All that to say we decided that we couldn't continue to swaddle him with the chance he could roll over again so last night he made the transition and slept on his tummy in his crib for the first time all night.

No more bassinet.

No more swaddle.

I also had to clean out his dresser today.
All the newborn clothes are officially gone.

My baby is growing too fast.

Wordless Wednesday

Silhouette Giveaway

Thrifty Decor Chick is one of the decorating blogs I love.

She is having a Silhouette machine giveaway here.

You can go here to see what this awesome little machine can do.
You should enter too. Then maybe you can win it and let me borrow it. :)

Helping Haiti

Our sweet friends, the Hendricks moved to Haiti in August. 
We miss them dearly but God is doing amazing things through them there. 


In case you don't know them here is a brief run down and you can certainly read more here. 


Aaron got a job teaching at QCS and writes here on Mosaic Village. 
Heather is volunteering at Heartline Ministries twice a week teaching woman about breastfeeding and prenatal care. They have 4 precious boys. 


They were recently interviewed on abc 13 news here. 
Heather wrote a post today about this family. 

Go here to read about there story. 
Will you pray for Franshwa, Elli, and Elliswa? 
My heart broke reading about this mom. I have felt helpless so many times recently as a first time mom but nothing compares to the helplessness this mom is experiencing. 


Also, they are collecting cereal boxes for The Apparent Project. This is a non profit organization that is helping empower the poor in Haiti. They are able to take what we just throw away and make it into something beautiful that can be sold and help provide for families. Look how amazing this necklace is. 

"The Apparent Project was birthed out of a desire to see impoverished Haitian men and women be able to raise their children with dignity and not have to consider giving their children to orphanages because of poverty.  It can cost as little as $50 a month to keep a family intact.
The Apparent Project exists to provide creative means for families to earn a living.  Our jewelry program started as a small operation of four women making simple earrings from native seeds in Haiti.  Today it is a full scale operation employing approximately 50 men and women." (from the Apparent Project)


If you live in Bryan/College Station or Houston here is information about drop off locations. 


If you live anywhere else here are logistics of how you can help. 

Videos for the Grandparents

Here are a few recent videos of Chandler.

His grandparents are missing him and this is the best we can do for now!
He is getting more vocal but it has been hard to capture it on camera, he gets distracted by the red light.

Enjoy.

The New (to us) Suit

Isn't this a cute suit?

I'm pretty sure it was a hand-me-down from my cousin Alicia. 

UPDATE: It was Archer's little outfit. :) Here he is modeling it. What a cutie. 

It finally fit my little man!  

 smiley boy. 

ha, what a face. 

cheese. 

what?

playing on the couch. 

Wordless Wednesday

{Tutorial} Countdown to Christmas

This was another Bunco prize. I first saw the blocks here and loved the idea. She gives a great tutorial. I wanted to use Christmas paper instead though and I also bought stickers from Hobby Lobby for the numbers. 

Countdown to Christmas Blocks:

What you'll need:
-2 wooden blocks, I used 4x4 blocks

-sandpaper
-white spray paint

-foam brush

-Mod Podge

-scrapbook paper

-number stickers

Directions: 
1. Cut, sand and paint your blocks. Allow to dry thoroughly. (My sweet husband did this step for me!)

2. Cut your paper down to a size that is just smaller than your block. I basically made 1 square template and cut 2 sets of each paper, one for each block.

3. Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to one side of the block. Smooth paper on block, ensuring there are no air bubbles. Continue covering all sides of both blocks. Allow to dry.

4. Put stickers on blocks.  *Make sure your 6 will also work as a 9 upside down.
*Block 1 - 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
*Block 2 - 0, 1, 2, 6, 7, 8

5. I guess I forgot about sealing them once they are done but you could use a thin layer of Mod Podge on top or maybe a clear spray to seal everything. 

Some other cute ideas I liked: 

I like how the paper is rounded on the edges. 

This is fun because you could use it for all the holidays and even birthdays. 

I want to make a Countdown to Christmas block to go under them too. What a cute idea. 

Like I said, If you do make them, post it on your blog and send me a link in the comments. I'd love to see yours. 

Tummy Time Progress

We have had some progression in the tummy time area since Chandler started napping on his tummy. He will actually play on his tummy for a while without crying.

Getting the phone on a string.

Really who invented this toy?

The receiver cord is like 2 inches long. 

I know it is probably because it is a choking hazard but come on the cord you pull is just as hazardous. 

In any event, Chandler liked staring at it.  

Mom why are you making me lay here while you take pictures?

Wooah

Getting a little off balance. 

Man, I'm so tired and my head is so heavy. 

{Tutorial} Flower Canvas

Last week Bunco was at my house which meant I was in charge of prizes. Since I love making crafts I thought it would be fun to make the prizes. I mostly found everything I did online, usually just "making it my own" so I don't claim to have thought of all this myself! I am working on tutorials for most of it in case you want to recreate it for one of your Christmas gifts. If you do make them, post it on your blog and send me a link in the comments!

Flower Canvas: 

What You'll Need: 

-1 canvas (any size)

-1 old book (I used an old Bible from Half Price)

-Mod Podge

-foam paint brush

-scrapbook paper/ribbon (greenish colors)

-fabric (I used regular and felt, you just need a small amount of each, 1/4 yard is plenty)

Directions:

1. Choose pages and tear them out of the book. Make sure you have enough to cover the whole canvas and wrap around the edges. 

2. Arrange pages on canvas, making sure there aren't any blank spots.

3. Glue down each page starting at one side and working your way across. You can do them more straight or random (like I did). *To glue them get some mod podge on your paint brush and paint it on the canvas, put the page on the glue and then paint some more on the top of the page. 

4. Once you get the front done, do the same thing on the sides and wrap around to the back. 

5. Let the canvas dry for an hour or so. You can start making the flowers while you are waiting. 

6. Cut stems out of scrapbook paper/ribbon varying the length, also leaves if you want them. 

7. Glue on the stems and leaves. 

8. There are lots of ways to make the flowers, here are a couple ways. 

-Felt flower

-Circle flower

-Multi-petal flower

-Twisted flower

Or just kinda make up your own version. Thats kinda what I did. 

If you need more of a visual for the tutorial look here.

Some other cute ideas I liked:

**Ami, I am expecting a link to your cute flowers in my reply section! :)

Blankey Bear

Chandler has been working on grasping things lately.

He has loved trying to eat his blankey bear. 

bear in the mouth, see I told you!

waving it around

let me get a good look at this thing

getting very sleepy

time for a nap

Groves Family Weekend

Cody's parents came to spend a night with us last weekend and Ami was able to stay for a few days. We loved getting to spend time with them and catch up. We mostly took pictures of Chandler but we took a girls/guys picture when we went to dinner.

Oh! soul-transporting thought!

"We are to-day accepted in the Beloved, to-day absolved from sin, to-day acquitted at the bar of God. Oh! soul-transporting thought!"

accepted 

adj

commonly approved or recognized; customary; established

ab·solve 

tr.v. ab·solved, ab·solv·ing, ab·solves

1. To pronounce clear of guilt or blame.

2. To relieve of a requirement or obligation.

3.

a. To grant a remission of sin to.

b. To pardon or remit (a sin).

ac·quit 

tr.v. ac·quit·ted, ac·quit·ting, ac·quits

1. Law To free or clear from a charge or accusation.

2. To release or discharge from a duty.

3. To conduct (oneself) in a specified manner: acquitted herself well during the interview.

4. Obsolete To repay.

I saw this quote today on the Girltalk blog. It was such a good reminder to me that we bring nothing to the table. It is all about God and not our efforts. It is so easy to forget this truth and believe that we are justified by works instead of faith. 

What a sweet reminder. 

Below is the rest of the reading. 

Hope you read it and are encouraged today. 

"All that believe are justified." — Acts 13:39

The believer in Christ receives a present justification. Faith does not produce this fruit by-and-by, but now. So far as justification is the result of faith, it is given to the soul in the moment when it closes with Christ, and accepts Him as its all in all. Are they who stand before the throne of God justified now?—so are we, as truly and as clearly justified as they who walk in white and sing melodious praises to celestial harps. The thief upon the cross was justified the moment that he turned the eye of faith to Jesus; and Paul, the aged, after years of service, was not more justified than was the thief with no service at all. We are to-day accepted in the Beloved, to-day absolved from sin, to-day acquitted at the bar of God. Oh! soul-transporting thought! There are some clusters of Eshcol's vine which we shall not be able to gather till we enter heaven; but this is a bough which runneth over the wall. This is not as the corn of the land, which we can never eat till we cross the Jordan; but this is part of the manna in the wilderness, a portion of our daily nutriment with which God supplies us in our journeying to and fro. We are now—even now pardoned; even now are our sins put away; even now we stand in the sight of God accepted, as though we had never been guilty. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." There is not a sin in the Book of God, even now, against one of His people. Who dareth to lay anything to their charge? There is neither speck, nor spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing remaining upon any one believer in the matter of justification in the sight of the Judge of all the earth. Let present privilege awaken us to present duty, and now, while life lasts, let us spend and be spent for our sweet Lord Jesus.  -Charles Spurgeon

{Recipes} Bunco dinner

Last night all the ladies came to my house for Bunco.

Each person in the group hosts 1 month out of the year.
It is always such a encouraging time of chatting, eating and laughing with friends.

In all the busyness of getting my house ready I forgot to take pictures of the crafts I made for the prizes. The winners are real sweet though and are going to email me a picture of the prize they won.

I will post tutorials soon.

We had soup, salad, and bread for dinner.
I promised some of girls I would post the recipes.

My sister in law, Ashley made Baked Potato soup (I'll post the recipe soon) and I made Salsa Corn Chowder. I doubled my recipe and we had 12 people total. I would say it would serve about 8 or so if you double it.

Salsa Corn Chowder
2 T butter
1 c. onion
1 T chili powder
3 T flour
1 t cumin
1 can chicken broth
1 jar salsa (Newman's black bean and corn is awesome but I used another brand because HEB doesn't have that kind, Kroger does though)
16 oz. frozen sweet corn
1 c. milk
8 oz. cream cheese
chicken (optional)

Saute the onions in butter. Mix dry ingredients and add to butter/onion, stir. Add broth and salsa. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Warm milk/cream cheese in microwave, mix. Spoon in soup, stir. Return to low heat until mixed.

Wordless Wednesday