Friday Fave 5

My family is coming into town this weekend and for some reason my mind automatically goes to food!! I was thinking about some of our favorites and what I should bring over to mom's for dinner. Here are my 5 favorite things to bring to a grub fest!

1. Puppy Chow. I love something I can just grab and stuff. That doesn't sound very lady like, I know, but I like to eat things that are hard to tell how much I've eaten. Does that make sense? For example, I know i have eaten 4 pieces of pizza and should have only eaten 2, but when it comes to puppy chow I can eat all day and I have no idea how much I have actually consumed!
2. Strawberry cake. My mom introduced me to this recipe. It is a hit 100 % of the time. It is relatively easy. The compliments I receive on the taste are way better than my cooking skills deserve. That's why I love to sign up to bring it!
3. Fondue- There is something extra special about bringing fondue to a party. It is really just glorified chocolate dip, but it makes you feel neat to use the little skewers. My sister and have also come up with some great variations on the oil used for desserts. They involve crescent rolls and candy- can't miss with those right??
4. My sweet friend Carrie introduced me to this Apple Cobbler. It is great hot, so I often bring the apples already sugared and cut and then throw the butter/sugar/flour topping on it when i arrive and bake it on location!
5. The item I get requests for most often is a sausage dip that my friend Amy Clark introduced me to. It is basically a couple of packages of cream cheese, a can of rotel and a pound of sausage. You just brown the sausage and add it to the cream cheese and rotel in a fondue pot. You serve it warm with tortilla chips. I have never been at a party where it wasn't gone before dinner was served!

"I like to go to church..." Anyone remember that song from VBS or Sunday School??

This past Sunday I realized just how thankful I am for my church. Lately Caroline has been asking all about the church. She loves to call on her little phone and say "Hello Trafis Afinue, can I speak to Papa?" It makes me so happy that she loves the house of God!

In Sunday School, we are starting Marriage Boot Camp next week. I am so grateful that we are surrounded by such Godly men and women that have been through it all and are willing to share their hearts with us so honestly!

We also had the chance to "sign the slab" of our new children's building. The excitement was so electric as people roamed the halls imagining the sounds of squealing babies and laughing children. It was such a special day.

So Sad...

I want to just say I'm sorry to my husband.

I'm sorry that you have to get me breakfast in bed 4 Saturdays in a row.

I'm sorry that your team lost 4 games in a row to mine.

I'm sorry it was a four game series you picked to wager on.

I'm sorry the Rangers stink so bad.

I'm sorry they've only won 12 games at Fenway in the past decade.

I'm sorry that you would ever consider betting on the Rangers.

I'm going to let this expression on Papelbon's face tell you just how sorry I am...

Last night was the 2nd huge storm in about a week. Last week we lost power and I had to go get ready at my mom's so I looked like a wet dog all day, but did I mind that- no of course not. Last night, however, the storm took it one step too far. It completely smashed my lovely flowers! I mean, seriously, my begonias look like mulch. It may have been God's way of humbling me because not 2 hours before the storm hit I was telling my mom that she needed to come out and see how amazing my flowers were doing. I'll never do that again!

Here's the evidence... RIP 2008 spring flowers

How 'Bout the New Cowboys Stadium...

Friday Fave 5

Here are my five favorite things right now...

1. Yard work. There is something so fulfilling about working on your own yard- or the yards of others for that matter. I am a results person, so being able to see instant beauty after a few hours of work gives me such satisfaction. Now something that is NOT satisfying is seeing all of your hard work pummeled to pieces. *See the next blog entry*


2. Field Trips- Yesterday we went to the Rangers Ballpark (or whatever it's called now). It was such a blast! We got to go in the dugout, locker room, owner's suite and MORE! There is something so great about baseball and field trips!!


3. Auctions- I love auctions. I have never actually bought anything at an auction, but tonight is my school's auction and I have a lovely date named Emily. They are selling things like a trip to Olympics, times shares... We are talking SERIOUS loot!


4. My shows are all slowly coming back on!! I have been dying without The Office (which we missed most of last night because of weather... see next post), House and Grey's!


5. My sweet daughter's voice...and attitude. She is so sassy and it always makes me laugh. She tells me every morning what song I am to sing her on the way to mom's and normally when we get in the car, she also tells me what not to say in the car also. Like this morning, she said, "Mommy, don't tell me to say nice words on the way to Nana's house." Also, last night in the storm she said, "That storm looks willy bad. Who will save us?" and I said "who do you think?" and she "Papa!" She is just so smart and learns more everyday!

It has been such a pleasure to be able to get reacquainted with my sweet friend Lindsey Coy Durham. She is honestly one of the strongest people I know! We have been friends for 16 years now and have literally been through it all with each other! I was going through pictures recently and realized just how many I have of the two of us! Here is a sampling of some of my favorites- as painful as some may be!

Our care group had the privilege of serving at Mrs. Helen Yeatts' house yesterday! What a blast!

Friday Fave 5

Here's my 5 favorite things about Fort Worth, TX

1. We have the best downtown! It is small enough that my parents felt safe letting me hang out there as a teenager and it's big enough to have anything we want to do available. It's not a mess to get into because of traffic or construction. Sundance Square has been the sight of many of the best memories I have!


2. Joe T. Garcia's is a Cowtown classic. You can eat inside or out and have a great time. It is the place to eat in Fort Worth where you can always see someone you know! Not to mention the best nachos a greasy kitchen could offer!


3. I also love our zoo. If you have never been to the Fort Worth Zoo, you have to make it a priority ASAP. One of my earliest memories of Fort Worth is going to the zoo. I have also enjoyed taking my Sweet Caroline there as well and seeing what excitement it brings to her.


4. The Bass Hall in downtown Fort Worth is a sight to behold. The two almost 50 foot angels on the side of the building are magnificent at night. Chris and I just had the pleasure of seeing a concert there last night and I was reminded of what a gem it is to our city.



5. My favorite thing about Fort Worth is that it is NOT Dallas. Don't get me wrong. I regularly take advantage of what our neighbor to the east has to offer, but when it comes down to it, I would never want to reside too close. In Fort Worth you can wear jeans and just be yourself. It's not about appearances. It's about real people. God Bless Cowtown.

"Safe for the Whole Family"

For a while I have been complaining about my local, large Christian radio station that, by the way, is not even run by Christians! The guy who writes stuffchristianslike.blogspot.com phrases this so well!!


Erwin McManus, an author and minister at Mosaic in California, has this theory that second generation Christians leave the church because they're offered a boring faith. The life their parents offer them with God is dull and monotonous and vanilla. Whereas the world is seen as fun and wild and an adventure. I think he's right. Somewhere along the way Christianity turned into the "safe approach" to life. What was once wild and free and raw in the Bible became kind of domesticated. Look at the biggest Christian radio station in Atlanta. Their motto is "Safe for the whole family." They don't focus on the quality of the music or the enjoyment you'll get from listening to the station. They just tell you that if you listen, everything will be safe. I don't want my faith to be that way and I don't think God does either. Love is a dangerous idea. Grace is a dangerous idea. Forgiveness is the kind of idea that will mess your life up, for the better, but there's nothing safe about loving your enemy. That's what I want for my life. Let's not be safe. Let's be real and raw and alive.

2 Fun Photos from Yesterday...

What I Get to Look at as I Drive to Work Every Morning...

The Fun of a Tornado Drill...