Possible family resemblence

My mom sent me these two pictures in the mail . . . I had no idea Caleb and I looked so much alike! crazy!

Return to Blogland!

Haven't felt like I've had much to say lately and my days at home definitely get filled up with school work = no blog posts. But, with my most favorite season of the year sort-of gracing us with it's presence here is Southeast TX (or maybe it is just teasing us), I wanted to post a couple of recipes that I have tried recently. I definitely associate fall with comfort food, so these are probably not all that healthy for you (but they sure taste yummy!).

Pumpkin Cupcakes (I love anything with pumpkin in it, but not necessarily pumpkin pie - weird!)
Source: Real Simple
1 box yellow cake mix (I like the butter recipe kind)
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 15-oz. can of pumpkin puree
Follow the directions on your cake mix box (adding all ingredients needed in the cake mix) and mix in the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. Line 2 cupcake pans with liners and bake for 18 - 22 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting (I used store-bought frosting, but this looks like a very simple recipe)
2 8-oz. bars of cream cheese
2 cups confectioners' sugar
Beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until creamy and frost cupcakes when cool. Top each cupcake with a couple of candy corns.

Pork with Blackberry Sauce
Source: Better Homes and Gardens (modified for crockpot by me)
1 - 2 lbs. pork tenderloin (I used a pork roast, as the tenderloin was kind of expensive)
1/4 - 1/2 cup of blackberry preserves (depending on how sweet you would like it)
1 cup apple juice
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard (I didn't have any Dijon, so I opted for dry mustard - 1 tsp.)
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp. finely shredded orange peel
1/2 tsp. snipped fresh rosemary (I didn't have any of this, but think how good that would be!)
Let this cook for 6-8 hrs. on low in your crockpot. You could leave your roast whole and slice to serve or shred it to put on sandwiches (or corn tortillas - that was how I served the leftovers!)
This will make your whole house smell like fall! :)

My Day in Pictures

I thought it would be fun to show a few pictures of what I do on my days at home . . .

I try to get lots of work done. Above is my "home office" . . . notice the piles of ungraded papers! :) I try to get as much done while Caleb is sleeping - some days I am able to accomplish more than others.

I make dinner for my hubby. Tonight we are having sloppy joes in the crockpot -- The Fix It and Forget It cookbook is super-handy and has lots of inexpensive and easy recipes.

I have "healthy" snacks. Candy Corn is low-fat, right?? :)

Caleb and I exercise together. He chills and I sweat.

And the best part, I get to hang out with this guy! Notice he is sporting his Husker Red (thanks to grandpa and grandma).

I would love to see what your day in pictures looks like! :)

Mystery Revealed

So, for months now I have been driving by this building and wondering what it was . . . for a while I couldn't tell if they were in the process of tearing it down or re-furbishing it . . . I was so excited to get this link in an email from Cameron: http://www.hmns.org/education/sugar_land.asp
Check it out! I see lots of fun outings in our future! :) Have a good weekend.

Picture Perfect!

The pictures were SO worth waiting for! :) Head on over to Debbie's blog and check them out - they are beautiful! http://englexasphotography.com/blog/

Running, Running Makes Me Smile . . .

I have been thinking a lot about running the last few weeks and how much I have missed it. It has been a big part of my life since high school and the last couple of years I have not run as often as I would like due to living in a sketchy part of Houston, being pregnant, adjusting to life with a baby, and just plain being lazy!
What I have noticed about myself is that I am much more disciplined in all areas of my life (in my walk with the Lord, spending habits, using my time wisely, eating, etc.) when I am exercising consistently. I am not a world-class athlete, not a fast runner, and don't have the endurance to run a marathon, but I love the feeling of tired muscles and a sweat-covered t-shirt at the end of a run.
Over the years, running has been my way to de-stress, spend time in prayer, build friendships as I run and talk, and enjoy being outside. I realize that now more than ever, in this new chapter of life, I need to build this discipline back into my life.
So, this is where you come in! Something else I have also realized is that a big part of self-discipline is community -- keeping yourself accountable to others and enjoying the journey together.
My hope is to do the Turkey Trot in Sugar Land in November . . . would anyone like to join me? (walking or running) Even if you live in another state, there might be a Turkey Trot in your area too. Think about it and let me know. We can help one another stick to the goal!

The Eyes Have It

I wanted to give you a sneak-peek at one of Caleb's photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/englexas/3887795494/