LATE! Birthday Pictures

For each birthday we have the girls pose in my wedding dress. It's our traditional birthday picture and my wedding dress gets used three times a year! Bonus! These two had birthdays in June and July so we aren't really THAT far behind :)

Mimi turns 5.
Little Bit turns 2.

Mama Heart's Photo Challenge Week 2: Words

Mandey, over at Mama and The Dudes is hosting a weekly themed photo challenge. I missed week one but this week's theme is WORDS. This is what I found:

This is from my solo trip to Sanibel Island last fall. So very Florida.

This is from my summer trip in Kiev, Ukraine. Vladimirskaya Street.

And how could I leave out a name written in the sand?

Today is the last day to enter my $25 Walmart gift card giveaway!

No Cook Peach Ice Cream

On our way back from our summer vacation we, of course, had to purchase a bunch of beautiful Georgia peaches. We bought a ton, most of which I froze for peach crisp. I had a few that needed to be used and chose to do peach ice cream. I made another no cook peach recipe last summer than contained sweetened condensed milk. This recipe was much more creamy and less sweet. I prefer this one. The recipe made enough for two batches in my small ice cream maker (although I didn't know it when I prepared it) so I put half of the unfrozen mix in a mason jar and kept it for about a week in the refrigerator. It didn't discolor or anything and was just as perfect after being frozen a week later.

Amazing No Cook Peach Ice Cream

3 eggs
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 or 3 peaches, peeled, pitted, and chopped (need about 2 1/2 cups )
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a blender, blend eggs, sugar, and 2 cups of chopped peaches (save the other 1/2 cup) until smooth. Add cream, half and half, vanilla and salt and blend well. Add the reserved chopped peaches but do not blend (unless you don't like fruit chunks in your ice cream, then, puree them all).

Pour into your ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

ENJOY! I LOVE THIS STUFF - don't tell my family that there is a little bit left over in the back of the freezer :)

Go check out other Tempt My Tummy recipes at Blessed With Grace!

Enter to win a $25 Walmart Gift Card in my General Mills promotion HERE!

I Have Been Changed to Bring Change

We sang this song at church yesterday and it pretty much sums up my Ukraine trip. What an incredible experience I had with the team I traveled with and the orphans we were there to love. More on the trip in the next few weeks!

Changed
Aaron Niequist
In Jesus’ name I’ve been changed, I’ve been filled,
I’ve been found, I’ve been freed, I’ve been saved!
In Jesus’ blood I’ve been loved, I’ve been cleansed,
And redeemed, and released, rearranged

But how can I show You that I’m grateful?
You’ve been so generous to me.

How can I worship more than singing?
And live out Redemption’s melody.

I have been blessed – now I want to be a blessing
I have been loved – now I want to bring love
I’ve been invited – I want to share the invitation
I have been changed – to bring change, to bring change


In Jesus’ name we are changed, we are called,
We are chosen, adopted, and named!


In Jesus’ blood we are loved, we are healed,
We’re forgiven and free of our shame!


We want to show You that we’re thankful
Flooding Your world with hope and peace
Help us to worship more than singing
Giving Redemption hands and feet


We have been blessed – now we’re going to be a blessing
We have been loved – now we’re going to bring love
We’ve been invited – we’re going to share the invitation
We have been changed – to bring change, to bring change
We have been changed – to bring change, to bring change


Thank You for this new life, thank You for the invitation!
God, we want to live it loud enough to shake the nations " in Your name!


We have been saved – we’re going to shout about the Savior
We have been found – we’re going to turn over every stone
We’ve been empowered – to love the world to Heaven
We have been changed – to bring change, to bring change
We have been changed – to bring change, to bring change
We have been changed – to bring change, to bring change
©2003 AARONieq Music

Many of the kids in our eighth grade group.

CSN Stores Review

Now that it's back to school time you may be looking for backpacks and lunch boxes. CSN Stores sent me these to review.

The High Sierra backpack is beautiful! I'm kinda wishing I needed a backpack for some reason. It has dark grey trim and a garden patterned front. It has tons of room and looks like it will make it through a year or two with my daughter. She is pretty rough on things but it looks durable enough to take it. I love the way they constructed the straps. Not your ordinary backpack straps but what they call, "Yoke-Style, S-Shaped, VAPEL mesh AIRFLOW padded shoulder straps with Suspension System and integrated media/cell phone pocket".......this just translates to it being comfortable (and has a pcoket that she can hide stuff in - she is not getting a cell phone!).

The Hoohobbers lunch boxes are adorable. I can never find lunch boxes that I like. We used lots of reusable packaging so it tends to be a little bulky and hard to fit into normal lunch boxes. These have plenty of room. Even though the angled corners cut off some space their depth makes up for it. We'll see how these pretty fabrics hold up to lunch and then washing (they are machine washable!). They are almost too pretty for a PB&J. They are made in Chicago (yeah! US made). Again, if only I needed a lunch box.....

I highly recommend either product. Head over to CSN Stores to fill all your backpack and lunch box needs (and just about every other need, as they have over 200 stores to choose from).