Dixie Chicks, Corn Shuckin', and a Creamy Grape Dessert {InstaFriday}

Last weekend my boys came home from their Mission trip in Bolivia.
I was tempted to run onto the plane and kiss the pilot, but it was late and I wasn't up for dealing with the Feds and all.



As a mom you know there will be times that life pulls the people you love most in different directions.
There will be times you are not under the same roof, in the same car, or heck...on the same continent even.
By the grace of God you make it through those times.
The minute you are within the same four walls again...you realize you've been holding your breath the whole time.
Exhale.



Having my peeps back called for a celebration of some sort.
This is pretty much how we do it.
Fried dough.
Would you think less of me if I told you that I fantasize about laying on that conveyor belt, on my back, taking a ride through that waterfall of confectionery euphoria?
Or that I'd open my mouth and stick out my tongue?



Speaking of celebrating...my man turned 37 this week.
He's not into surprise parties and such.
In fact he requested I not.
So I decided I'd let the calm, introverted folks down at the local Mexican restaurant make a "quiet" fuss over him.
There may or may not have been an accordion involved.



I was afraid he would never speak to me again.
So I had my mom bake him his favorite strawberry cake.
It's all good now.
He loves me.
Phew.



This is so completely random but sometimes when I'm alone in my car I can't help but crank up some Dixie Chicks.
I'm sorry...I love them.
Heck, I'm not even a Country Music fan.
I really don't care what they think about our Presidents or whether or not they are "Ready to Make Nice".
Musically they are ridiculously talented.
Write.Play.Sing.
At the end of the day, I can respect that.
Especially when the poor folks that do like Country music are stuck with songs like "Honky Tonk Badonky Donk".
What tha??
Anyhoo, I had completely forgotten about this song.
I used to sing it to my boys while rocking them to sleep for naps.
I pretty much snotted up right there in the car while driving down the road.
Not a good plan.



Ever had one of these?
I had three.
In one day hour.



Yeah that's me in my Yoga pants again.
No, I don't do Yoga.
Never have.
Never plan to.
As long as the next President doesn't make it illegal to misrepresent what a Yoga body should look like, I'm good to go.
I love pedicures but lets talk about those massage chairs shall we?
Am I the only one that finds these to be awkward?
Oh they feel great and all but have you watched someone sitting in one of those chairs lately?
Too much jiggle.
Too many really awkard convulsive body movements.
I keep mine off.
I know I know...I'm missing out.
It's ok.
I've made peace with it.



I heart summer...and corn shuckin'.



You're probably wondering what the heck this is.
It is a fabulous Creamy Grape Dessert from Gina over at Skinny Taste.
I made it last night for the family.
If you haven't visited her site before go.
Run even.
She's fabulous and her recipes taste divine.
Plus, her picture of this dessert does it justice.
Only problem is that this recipe is so good that it can no longer be labeled "skinny" in my house.
I've eaten half the pan already.






"My every mortal breath, is Grace and nothing less"

What My Men Have Been Up To In Bolivia {InstaFriday}

My husband and my sixteen year old left for a mission trip to Bolivia last Wednesday.
We haven't had much communication.
We were able to Skype once but I quickly realized that it made things worse.
Getting one message on Facebook per night was best.
Having to hit "disconnect" while looking at the faces of the men I love most in the world was too much to take.

Here are some of the pictures they posted this week on Facebook.
Thought I'd share.
Thank you to those that have kept them in your prayers for me this week.
They come home tonight!!!
Whoo Hoo!!!

To read more about the radical call on my son's life and his momma's not so graceful response to it all click here.



La Paz.
14,000 feet in elevation.
A beast.
We were most concerned about this leg of the trip.
So many people get very sick during this layover due to the lack of oxygen.
The cabin of the airplane is depressurized and your body is met with very very thin air all at once.
Adam said that most of the people on the plane did in fact feel the effects but unfortunately my Tyler was the one to actually get sick.
Twice.
A flight out of the there and a Zofran later, he was feeling much better.
Poor guy...before going that is the one thing he said he was concerned about...vomiting in front of everybody.
Maybe this was God's way of breaking some pride before the trip...who knows.
Nothing says guess I don't need to worry about impressing any of you now like losing your lunch in front of your fellow travellers.



Landing in Cochabamba.
Final Destination.



While there this past week the goal was to help in the construction of a new home to be added to The Bolivian Hope Center for abandoned mothers and their children.
This is an epidemic in their culture.
Women in prison.
On the streets.
Their children along for the bumpy ride.

Adam said that I would have been so proud of our son.
That he was up early every morning and worked hard all day.
I knew one thing before he went...that he would either be miserable there or come home a man.

I have no idea what he is doing in this picture but I can't help but think that they obviously don't know him very well.
If so they would not have placed him that close to that giant hole in the ground.
The boy is super coordinated but graceful? Not so much.
He is his mother's child for sure.



They were able to travel up into the Andes Mountain range one day.
Destination 15,500 ft.
On those roads.



In the back of one of these.
So glad I didn't know till it was over.



These are houses in the mountains.
The Ketchua people live here.



Breathtaking views.
Not bad mints either. ;-)



My boy and his dad.
My heart floods with joy when I think of them experiencing this together.



Tyler and Ashten in the Andes.



More important than any physical work they could do, loving on the children of the Hope Center was the number one priority.

In my few and far between updates from Adam he sent this picture and said that this young lady named Allison had stolen his heart.
She is around our Maggie's age.



He also sent this one of a 2 year old named Sophia.
He said that they told him she doesn't "go" to anyone that comes there.
She went straight to him.
Then she cried when he left.
He said it broke his heart.
I said, "bring her home with you!"



A day of crafts with Allison and Sophia.
Beautiful girls.



It looks like it has been a wonderful trip.
I look forward to hearing all about it.
I know God has done more than take them on a geographical journey.



Here on the home front we kept ourselves busy so that we wouldn't have too much time to think about how much we missed Adam and Tyler.
I am a trip coordinator for our Homeschool tutorial.
Wednesday I took this year's Freshman and Sophomores to Holiday World for their end of the year class trip.
Minus my Tyler of course...he was supposed to be on this trip.
We had a complete blast.
Hot sun.
Cold water.
Amazing well behaved and respectful teens.
I heart them.







"My every mortal breath, is Grace and nothing less"

Put Me in the Zoo {InstaFriday..on Saturday}

Last week we attended a gorgeous wedding.



The sweetest vows I have ever heard.
They are on their honeymoon now.
In Bolivia.
With my boys.



Kelsey is Maggie's middle school Youth Pastor.
We heart her.



I took my mom to a Mother's Day dinner, just she and my sister, on Saturday night.
When I got home that night my family was in bed and this was sitting on the table.
Oh the mustardy goodness oozing out of that lamp.



I think I found the perfect spot for it.
And a new favorite place to sit.



This has been my breakfast every single morning for the past 2 weeks.



I ordered myself a Vitamix back in April for my birthday.
Happy birthday to me!
Is it possible to be in LOVE with an appliance?
I'm talking I'd propose if I could love.



I'll be honest...I was a skeptic.
How could all that green stuff taste good?
I had prepared myself to just chug a lug for the sake of my health.
Nope.
One sip and I was sold.
They are delicious.
You'd really never know all that healthy stuff is in there.
Even my kids enjoy them.



Speaking of kids...kiddo number 3 got his braces and his herbst off this week.
He will go back into braces once his 12 year molars are in.
Heck, I think they look fabulous now.



Wednesday I put my heart on an airplane to Bolivia.



I wrote about how well I handled it here.
Yes, that is sarcasm.



How does this happen?
I could write a whole post on the hot mess I am about my kid growing up.
Actually no I couldn't.
I've tried.
Remember?



This picture.
Oh this picture.
It says so much.
So symbolic.
Even the blur.
Off he goes.



To keep my mind busy I took the littles to the zoo.
It had been a few years.



I know it's awful but whenever I see flamingos I always hear the "Three's Company" theme song in my head.



My kids wanted to stop and pet this snake.
I did not.
Snake + Nothing but an elderly volunteer holding it = no thank you.
I was right.
As we were walking away it tried to bite the lady holding it.
I loathe snakes.



Bunny ears.
I didn't even try to stop them.
They were too cute.



Snow cone time.



I never get tired of looking at this kid's smile.



Lorikeet Landing.
He's a pro.



Maggie wasn't so sure.



I'm not a huge bird lover but Lorikeets are gorgeous.



A little too close for comfort.
They liked her hair.



We had a really great day together.
I miss my men but this time alone with my youngest two is a huge blessing.
All too soon they will be off on their own adventures.
And I will have a head full of gray hair.



This just in: Just as I was wrapping up this post, I was able to Skype with my boys!
Oh man...did I love seeing their faces.
And hearing their voices.
Tyler had just gotten out of the shower so his hair is a site.
He'll love me for this.
My face is equally disturbing.
Like those wonky mirrors in a fun house.
As much as I loved seeing them it was really painful to say goodbye.
Worse than the airport actually.
I may need to stick to just messaging each other.
I really stink at this.



"My every mortal breath, is Grace and nothing less"