RECIPES!

I want to share two recipes that are great for this fall weather! I made both this past Sunday and they are super easy. Enjoy!

PUMPKIN BREAD

This recipe was in the latest issue of the Metro Christian Living paper that comes out each month in Jackson. It said this recipe is one of Mama T's, the Tri Delta housemother at Ole Miss from the early 70's through the early 90's. It sounded good, so I tried it out and it is DELICIOUS!

3 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 cup oil
2/3 cup orange juice
2 cups pumpkin (1 can)
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Mix above ingredients in a mixer (or use handheld mixer like i have!)
ADD:
1 cup walnuts
1 cup raisins
Grease and flour 3 loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. After an hour, check to see if bread is done in the middle, if not, bake for 5-10 minute intervals until done.


BREAKFAST MUFFINS
My mom made these all the time during the holiday months and they are so yummy and filling. I love that they keep in the fridge for 6 weeks!! That way you have them on hand for guests or just an easy breakfast on cold fall and winter mornings.

3 cups Raisin Bran
1/2 cup margaring/shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 beaten eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Put 1 cup bran in a bowl and cover with 1 cup boiling water and add melted margarine. Set aside to cool. Mix remaining bran with sugar, eggs and milk. Add to first mixture and stir in remaining ingredients.
Bake in greased muffin pan at about 375 for 20-25 minutes. Batter will keep covered in refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.

Rachel's Art Show

me, Rachel, Emmie, Mary

Emmie and I drove over to Meridian Saturday night to go to the opening reception for the Emergence of Souls exhibit at the Meridian Museum of Art. My good friend, Rachel Misenar, was one of the 4 artists included in this exhibit. We had a great night and so happy to celebrate with Rachel!!

St. Philip's Pumpkin Patch

We always get our pumpkins at the St. Philip's pumpkin patch and this year Whit had a blast! He loves running through the rows of pumpkins and trying to pick them up. I will post pictures of our carved picture soon!

sweet smiles

just a few shots i got the other day...its so hard to get a good picture of whit's face...he's so busy and hardly ever will look at the camera!

Breathing treatments

Whit had to do breathing treatments this past week to help get rid of a nasty cough and from what the doctor said, bronchiolitis. so, we made it bearable by watching tv or reading books. here are a few pictures of Whit wearing his "medicine mask" as we called it. after a day or two, he was okay about getting his treatment and he loved turning the machine on and off...whatever makes him happy!

Whit and Nana at the Fair

We had such a fun night at the fair...Buddy wasn't able to come because of his foot (wearing the boot and still on crutches). But Nana enjoyed having a fun night with Whit. I'm so thankful we live in the same town so that we can do things like this together!

Whit LOVED the Fair!!

We went into a kids farm area and they had this wooden cow that you could "milk" and of course Whit loved that...he kept running back to it!

Discussing the pros and cons of curly hair

Feeding the animals at the petting zoo

Whit didn't mind holding hands as we walked if Spider-Man was who he held hands with!

Sarah and Nate...aren't they sweet!! This was their "prom pose"! So glad they came along to the fair with us...so much fun

A rare picture of me and Whit where we are both looking at the camera and smiling!

On the "Bee Movie" ride...not really, but Whit thought it was Bee Movie

Fun Fair Rides

Ashley & Chad's Wedding

Sarah and Whit had a blast dancing!
Whit was spinning

Ashley & Chad

my attempt at getting a picture of Whit being the ring bearer! (there actually were no rings on the pillow...i think you have to be 5+ to actually get to do that!!)

Wedding Day

Whit and the sweet flower girl, Maley
i tried to get a good picture of him but 1: he's not very cooperative and 2: my camera's not that great!

They had such beautiful outfits on!

Buddy and Whit

Leahbeth and Whit

Rehearsal for Ashley's Wedding

Here are a few pictures from my cousin Ashley's rehearsal. (There are 5 girls and no boys on my dad's side of the family...Ashley is the 3rd to get married!) We weren't sure how much it would help Whit to actually walk down the aisle on the wedding day, but we tried!

L to R: Laura Alford, Whit Alford Turpin, Ashley Alford
Playing in the pews

"Practicing"

It can be done!

So, this morning I accomplished a major goal...i ran 3.3 miles! that's 45 minutes, WITHOUT STOPPING! I am super slow...now, everybody keeps saying they are slow, but I don't think they realize how slow I am!! It's okay, though, I don't care if I'm the LAST person to go through the finish line at that 5k...the fact that i finished it is what matters. I always said "i'm not a runner" but i've proved to myself that i can do this! I truly believe that having this goal of running the 5k is what pushed me...I wanted to be able to run the 3 miles before the event and its getting closer so i really pushed myself this morning...and it worked! Now, if i could just get my eating under control and maybe i could drop a few pounds. But i just love sweets and Halloween candy is everywhere!!

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Buddy captured Whit singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star last night...its almost impossible to video him b/c he wants to see what we are doing therefore, he quits whatever funny thing it is we are trying to capture! Enjoy!