A Homemade Christmas

(another post from Allen)

I drop Ethan off at school every morning.  This morning he asked me why "everybody" hangs Christmas lights on their houses.  If only he knew how people used to get in the Christmas spirit.  I informed him that when I was a child, you were frowned upon if your house didn't have Christmas lights.  Now, it seems to be the opposite.

Becky and I were married six years ago.  Our first Christmas was a nightmare.  I am Mr. Christmas.  I mean, our living room will always look like Dollywood at Christmas time.  Unfortunately, I gave no consideration for Becky's upbringing.  I am pro-colored lights.  She is not.  I am pro-artificial.  She likes to cut down then tree.  I am a November 1st kinda guy.  She likes to put away the turkey and dressing first.  In true Pruitt fashion, I took over.  Believe it or not, Becky has great ideas.  She is unbelievably creative.  She showed me there is another (and sometimes a better) way.  Okay, most of the time she has the better way.

Year 2 came around and it was a bit better.  We started a new Christmas tree tradition.  We began collecting Disney ornaments.  We collected everything from wooden puppets, to clown fish, cowboys, spacemen, dwarfs, spotted dogs, and every princess known to man.  We grew quite the collection.  However, it was never "ours".  It didn't feel like home.

That was, until this November.  We had a blast with this year's tree.  We have a homemade rustic Christmas tree,  every ornament either found in nature or handmade.  I have posted a slideshow for your enjoyment.

Christmas is about Christ.  It's about family.  It's about friends.  It's about love.  We incorporated all of those into this year's Christmas tree.  The boys had the opportunity to help us make ornaments, decorate, share stories, learn the reasons/purposes behind decorations, and spend time with mom and dad.  Becky and I spent some wonderful time together dreaming, creating, organizing, and implementing Christmas into OUR home this year.  It is, by far, the best Christmas tree we've ever had.  We will only build on it in coming years.

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

The Most Incredible Red Velvet Cupcakes...EVER!!!

(a post by Allen)

First of all, we must give credit where credit is due.  This post/recipe is derived from the Cake Mix Doctor's Red Velvet Cupcakes recipe.

 

So, when Mamaw Jean calls, you must answer.  You don't ignore the phone call.  You don't send it to voice mail.  And, you drop everything to fulfill whatever request is made.  A few years ago, on a   busy Christmas Eve, I was at work and noticed I had missed a call from Mamaw.  In a panic, I immediately checked my voice mail and there it was...the infamous voice mail message from Mamaw.  Now, before I reveal the content of the message, I must preface this by letting you know that I had not spoken to, nor heard from, my Mamaw in well over 2 weeks.  This message came (no lie) OUT OF THE BLUE.

Alright, here goes...

"Allen.  This is your grandmother.  I need three large gift bags." [CLICK]

It was Christmas Eve!  I had Christmas shopping to finish.  I had cookies to bake for Santa.  I had toys to put together for the kids.  I had Becky's family to visit.  What do you mean you need three...Yes, ma'am.

 

 



Guess who rushed to the store to buy three large gift bags and drove like a bat out of Hades to get to Louisville, TN.  Yep, you're right.  Me!

 

So, why am I bringing this up.  Well, I got another call from my precious, sweet, loving, adorable, "most-Christlike individual I have ever met" grandmother today.  Now, we all know my wife can cook.  Oh man, can she ever cook.  Mamaw Jean also knows this.  So this year, all Mamaw wants for Christmas is a teflon skillet (that's a different post) and Becky's Red Velvet Cake with cream cheese icing.

 

I wanted to share this recipe Becky came across.  I hope it blesses your, and your grandmother's, kitchen real soon.  It will change your life!  I promise!

  

Red Velvet Cupcakes

• 1 package (18.25 ounces) plain German chocolate cake mix
• 1 package (3.4 ounces) chocolate instant pudding
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 bottle (1 ounce) red food coloring
• 3 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. 
2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, water, oil, food coloring, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined (similar to brownie batter...it's thick!)  Fill 24 cupcake tins with an ice cream scoop of batter.  
3. Bake the cupcakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes. . Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 blocks of cream cheese (room temp)
• 2 sticks of butter (room temp)
• 2lbs of Confectioners sugar
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• splash of heavy whipping cream

1. Cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth.
2. Slowly add confectioners sugar and vanilla.
3. After the sugar and vanilla is well incorporated add whipping cream until you have a pipe-able icing.

Thank You

 Exodus 17: 11 It turned out that whenever Moses raised his hands, Israel was winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, Amalek was winning. 12 But Moses' hands got tired. So they got a stone and set it under him. He sat on it and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on each side. So his hands remained steady until the sun went down.  

The verses from the book of exodus have played over and over in my head for days now.  I'm no Moses. I do not and will never proclaim to be anything other than a sin sick little girl from the mountains of NC.   I can still relate to the exhaustion Moses felt during this point in the battle.  I've been exhausted before.  My faith gone, hopes crushed, and mentally, emotionally and physically worn slap out. 

It was VERY recently.  When we received the news that our baby girl would be leaving us I lost it.  While I knew God had moved mountains for me before I didn't think He'd do it in this situation.  I wasn't going to place my hopes in that.  I was to afraid to believe anything other than "she is leaving us soon". 

My arms got tired.  I wanted to lay down and sleep until it was all over with.  Any hopes of a good outcome were in a far distant corner in my mind and I refused to allow my heart to believe in it.  I had to prepare myself for the worst.  I had to come to terms with her departure.  The hope of a future with her was to "miracle-ish" for me to place any hope in. 

Where was that faith I believe in and have occasionally had?  Where was my "name it claim it" attitude?  I gave up before the real battle even began. 

In times like those when I haven't had words to pray, or the strength to muster words to my creator our friends and family stood in the gap for me. 

In times like those when I couldn't stand,  and hold my arms up our friends and family came up beside me and did it for me. 

When I have grown weary in good doing our friends and family have walked along side me encouraging and nudging me along. 

I'm so thankful for friends and family who have kept the faith when I've lost it.  Who've hoped against hope, and prayed for miracles on my behalf. 

I'm overwhelmed with gratitude when I think about that period in my life.  Thankful that God looked into my future and knew I would need people to hold me up. 

So, to all of my friends and family who have continuously held up my arms I want to say Thank you.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Your faith, prayers and support have carried me.  I love you. 

Perfection

Ahhhh.....

I'm currently blogging from my front porch on this beautiful spring morning. 

The temp is beyond perfection, a sweet wind occasionally blows by, it's glorious I tell you. 

Simply glorious!

My babies are playing on their various outside toys and I haven't seen a bug all morning.

I've really got my stuff together folks. 

Moments like these remind me of just how awesome of a mother I am. 

It's picture perfect.  Really.  Could someone swing by and take action shots of this? 

Andddddddddddddddddd that's a wrap!!!

I just remembered I fed my champions cold corn dogs for breakfast.

My 3 year old is drinking water out of the bathroom FAUCET (not a cup...the actual faucet), because I won't get up and get him something. 

I have 3 days of dishes awaiting an empty dishwasher...the only problem is my dishwasher is full of clean dishes and I can't find anyone to empty it for me. 

My HUGE laundry room (such a blessing thank you Jesus) is jam packed full of 9868376547382 loads of dirty clothes.

My floors need swept and mopped.

I need to go grocery shopping if we want to eat something other than corn dogs and pop tarts for dinner. 

I have no idea how long that snot has been on my sweet baby girls face... hmmmmm.  Grody.

When did I change Aiden's diaper last?  Can't remember.....that's a bad sign.....

Well things were perfect for a moment ;)

It's still a beautiful day and all my chores can wait.  We have the great outdoors to enjoy and I have 3 beautiful children who need their Mamma to play with them.  When they grow up they won't remember the dishes I washed or the state of laundry.  They won't even care about my blog.  They will care about the memories we created enjoying one another.  

Peace out!

Loaded Potato and Buffalo Chicken Casserole

(a post by Allen)

So, I'm a "meat and potatoes" kinda guy.  What's better than that?  Well, for me it's buffalo sauce.  Here is a recipe that forever changed me.  LOADED POTATO AND BUFFALO CHICKEN CASSEROLE...

We made this and invited our friends over.  One of the best recipes we have EVER made.  There are several versions of this recipe online (Tasty Kitchen and Cook Lisa Cook).  This one is loosely derived from those.  I promise, your life will be forever changed!

 

(Picture from internet)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings: 6+

Ingredients

• 3-4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 10 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (with peel)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon meat seasoning
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 10 tablespoons hot sauce
• Additional ¼ cup hot sauce (or more)

Topping

• 2 cups fiesta Mexican blend cheese or 2 cups Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese blend
• 1 package bacon (cooked and crumbled)
• 1 cup diced green onion 

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 500ºF
2. In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, 10 tablespoons of hot sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, meat seasoning & paprika.
3. Add the potatoes and stir to coat
4. Move the potatoes to a greased 9x12 baking dish.
5. When scooping the potatoes into the baking dish, leave behind any extra olive oil/hot sauce mix.
6. Add the diced chicken to the “left behind” olive oil/hot sauce mix and stir to coat all the chicken. Allow to marinate as the potatoes bake.
7. Roast the potatoes for 45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until cooked through and nice and crispy on the outside.
8. Once the potatoes are fully cooked, add the marinated chicken.
9. Once the potatoes are fully cooked, remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 400°F.
10. In a large bowl mix all the topping ingredients together.
11. Top the raw chicken with the topping.
12. Bake 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the topping is melted and bubbly.
13. Pour ¼ cup (or more) hot sauce over the dish and place back in the oven for an additional 5 minutes.
14. Serve with extra hot sauce and/or ranch dressing.

They're not mine.

A little while back I wrote about the news we had received on our sweet baby girl.  We were moving like a speeding bullet to getting her back with her bio family. 

 I handled the news horribly.  I have fallen so deeply in love with her that 1 day without her seems unbearable.  She is such a joy and brings so much light and happiness into what can seem like a dark world.  I enjoy every moment with her and my heart was breaking into a million pieces as we barreled towards re-unification. 

 I can now report that the caseworkers have determined that we should not proceed at the moment with re-unification.  I have a suspicion as to why but really have no answers to the millions of questions in my mind.  I don't know what this means, how it affects us, how long she'll be with us, is it permanent?  Is is just prolonged?  I have no idea and no answers.  I'm sure I'll get them in time, but as of right now I'm clueless. 

What is God trying to do to me?  I mean COME ON!!!!!!  Can I keep her?  Cause if I can 't I need her to go.  My heart can't handle it.  I can not handle it.  I can't look into her beautiful deep brown eyes every day and know that my desire to keep her forever doesn't matter when it comes to my standing next to a birth parents.  It's to hard, it hurts to much, I can't breath under the weight of loving someone so much and living with the fact I can't keep them.  I. Just. Can't.

Then, a whisper in my spirit...

"She isn't yours.  She never will be yours.  She is mine.  Her future is in my hands, it isn't and never has been in yours.  None of your children are yours.  They are all mine."

It was my Jesus.  He was telling me what I didn't appreciate hearing, but oh I really needed it instilled into my soul. 

I get so caught up in my own selfishness I lose sight of the bigger picture.  Every single time.  Will I ever learn?  Even if I had birthed this amazing soul into the world she still wouldn't belong to me.  We have adopted Ethan, yet he will never belong to me.  That fact remains regardless of what title children come with.  Foster, adopted, biological, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, etc.  They don't belong to us.

They have been entrusted to us by our creator.  We don't dictate their future because we don't hold the future.  I am learning that the things I cling to the hardest are the things God needs me to release back to Him.  The more I need to let go, the harder I hold on.  I'm still learning...and it's hard.

I needed an attitude adjustment.  I can honestly say that I am so grateful for every moment with my princess.  Regardless of what tomorrow holds I have right now, and right now is what has to matter.  Will she be with us forever?  Only God knows the answer to that.  Whatever that answer may be He will walk me through it.  My future is in His hands too.  As I cling to her tightly my heart is at peace with the fact that God will guide and protect her along her journey.  Where ever it may lead.  He will never leave my side as I work through all my emotions and feelings during this journey...they don't offend Him. 

I have been given (almost!) an entire year of memories with this beautiful baby and no one can take those away.  I can cling to those.  I can cling to now.  They aren't mine.  They are God's.  He made them, the loves them, and He wants me to love them right now.  Not tomorrow.  Tomorrow will work itself out.  He's given me today.  Today is a lot to be thankful for. 

"To invest your seeds of trust in God in mountains you can't move
You have risked your life on things you cannot prove
But to give the things you cannot keep for what you cannot lose
Now, that's the way to find the joy God has for you"
(lyrics to Joy comes in the morning)

Sunday Preperations circa 1985-2001

 Along the windy country roads of western North Carolina, amidst the rolling hills and Rocky Mountains, nestled in between two valleys a red brick church with a gleaming white steeple stands with pride dripping from every inch. I want to elaborate on the process my family went through to walk through those wooden white doors every Sunday morning. We may not all attend the same church, or share the same theological views but if you think I am sure you too have Sunday morning memories that you cherish as much as I cherish mine.

 Sunday morning at my house truly started on Saturday evening. My grandfather is a proud Christian man steeped in tradition and full of love for family, church, and country. On Saturday afternoon you could find him in a quiet place in our house putting the final touches on his Sunday school lesson. My grandmother who sits down a total of five minutes a year was busy going from one room to another making sure all outfits were wrinkle free, checking everyone’s pantyhose to make sure no one had runs, depending on the season she would be checking either my black Patten, or white Patten shoes for scuffs. After all outfits were laid out Ma would make sure her Sunday morning solo was as close to perfect as humanly possible. This was always my favorite part of Saturday nights there was always a guarantee of some old fashion hymns bellowing out of our upright piano, and my ma’s voice echoing through the house. The last touches of the evening included me in a wooden chair with my hair being jerked in every direction possible as Ma would load it full of pink sponge curlers. Every Saturday night the process seemed to take longer and longer. My butt developed a case of the worms and I wiggled and squirmed until finally a pair of silky white panties was shoved on my head and I was sent to bed.

 Sunday morning Ma would begin preparing Sunday dinner, so that when we returned home after church a piping hot home cooked meal would be awaiting us…the smells of pot roast or fried chicken wafted all over Cowee valley. Pa would still be in bed awaiting the Sunday morning call to Little Granny. After discussing all current events, the death toll, and sweet things only mothers and there sons understand the call would end and pa would begin to get ready. I still haven’t decided if Ma ever did go to bed on Saturday nights but if she did it wasn’t for long because by the time I would wake up on Sunday morning she had already put 2 people through her beauty chair. She meticulously did my mothers make up, and teased my mom’s hair until it was a perfect red football helmet. She would blow dry and do something to my grandfather’s balding head….I say this with the utmost respect because for a balding older man Pa’s Sunday morning hair still looks good!

Then after helping me with my white lacy panties, my pantyhose, and my dress which always had a big bow and thick with crinoline (which she always purchased on the clearance rack at Jack and Jill’s). The task of my hair was now at hand. The pink curlers would be removed and my hair would increase exponentially. If I was super lucky I would get some lips gloss for my lips. Then Pa would round me and my mom up, and remind us to get our bibles because as my ma always says “going to church without your bible is like going to war without your gun!” and I surely didn’t want to face a war without a gun…or my grandmother at church if she found out I left my precious moments pink bible at home. Then we would load up in the mini van and Pa would honk the horn until Ma would come storming out the garage door, carrying her shoes, makeup, her bible, her Sunday school quarterly, our tithing check, her purse, and the hymnal. I know all that sounds impossible to carry…but we are working with wonder woman don’t try and understand it. Upon arriving to the church parking lot Pa would circle the lot like a vulture looking for food. He would then back into the perfect parking spot so that upon the benediction prayer we could exit church quickly and get home to that wonderful smell that had been torturing us since the wee hours of Sunday morning.

 A simple story can’t convey what these memories mean to me. They are manna to my being. Never was there a question where I would be on Sunday mornings, or where my family was. I was singing hymns to the most high God with my family by my side. I learned how to pray by watching my family pray, I learned how to sing by listening to my grandmother, and I learned to love because of the example set before me. Church wasn’t a babysitting service, church was a family experience shared every single Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. These are my Sunday morning memories I shall forever cherish them.