First sign of fall...

american beauty berries popping out all over the yard.

Mini Zinnias Blooming

Our family received some devastating news week before last.

My mother-in-law was diagnosed with a large brain tumor.

The day that my husband told me the news the first mini zinnia blossomed in my fall cutting garden.

I knew that the first blossoms were meant to be for her.

Right after her surgery I was able to take ten blossoms to her.  

We are waiting for the pathology report to come back.

We know that God is in control.

Working on sister's car...

My son helped Mr. H. do a little work on my daughter's car.

He's a lucky boy...

learning from the best!

Moving Day!

 The chicks spent two weeks in my laundry room and 

then we moved them into a brooder in our front shed for a few more weeks.

But they quickly grew out of  the brooder and today we moved them into the backyard chicken coop.

Me and "Anne Murray." :-)

Avocado Tree!

I  can't tell you how many times I have tried to sprout an avocado seed.

I finally learned the secret - I was giving up too soon!

It takes months, not weeks, for the seed to sprout a root and then a plant. 

After watching this youtube video I vowed to not give up this time.

I wish I knew when I had started this seed.  It was either late June or early July I think.

And here we are in September with a little plant started.

Now to research what to do next...

Lazy Saturday Morning Kitties

Chupa

Cannello

Luttrell

Muller

Messi

Muller

Reeses and Cannello

Reeses and Cannello

Messi

Game Day Snacks

Football season 2014 started for our family on August 28th at 5:30 pm

when the Fightin' Texas Aggies took on South Carolina.

I wasn't sure how our Aggies were going to play,

so I wanted our game day snacks to be tasty

just in case the food was the only good part of the game. ;-)

Turned out the food AND the game were great!

I tried four new recipes that I want to share because they were all hits 

with the family.  

We had loaded baked potato dip.  This was my favorite. 

 Definitely make it the day before - it gets better with time.

The kids loved the buffalo chicken bites.

I made the jalapeño popper spread ahead as well and just put it in the oven right before game time.

Mr H. liked the sweet and spicy sriracha chicken bacon bites best.

(He cooked them out on the grill instead of broiling in the oven.)

All four of these recipes were quick, easy to prepare ahead of time and perfect for big game munching!