Homemade Mac & Cheese

This is my cousin Kerry's recipe that we altered a bit! We absolutely love it and thought we would share it with you...

--{About} 2 cups pasta noodles
--2 Tb light margarine
--2 Tb flour
--1/2 tsp salt
--1/4 tsp pepper
--{Dash} of cayenne pepper
--2 cups milk
--8 oz shredded cheese--we use mozzarella {about 2 cups}
--1-2 pieces wheat bread

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta as directed on package. Heat margarine in a large sauce pan; add flour, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir constantly until mixture is bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring w/wisk. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted. Add macaroni and stir until coated. Pour into 8 x 8 casserole dish. Tear bread into crumbs and spread on top of macaroni mixture. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.

All Girl.

Sophia is all girl, all the time. It's pretty much the best thing ever. We used her new Barbie nail polish...little did we know, it was washable! One trip to the bath tub and it was back to {Aunt} Mandy with a new non-washable polish. She chose pink, of course!

My Bearded Husband.

i miss the beard.

Button Earrings

Last summer I bought a pair of button earrings at a local Farmers Market. I've seen these on many etsy sites since then. Of course it's my nature to never buy things I could make myself, so I did just that. My mom helped me find the kit and my mother in law let me rummage through her plethora of fabric. There will definitely be more of these in the making!

24 candles

My birthday was everything I planned it to be. Except for the severe cold that accompanied it..The coughing attack in Old Navy..Walking around with tissue hanging out my nose..and not being able to taste a thing..But my fam did the best they could to make it great! Thanks for coming to visit mom, we loved having you here!




Baby chicks @ Tai Pan.



Off to a quilt Store.



Attempting to find new shades.



Pizza & Root Beer @ Brick Oven. {Still wishing I could have tasted it}



Please excuse my 'sick' face.



My beautiful pancakes made by Husband.



Last photo op w/the mom.



Celebrating w/Sophia.

On a Jet Plane

My mom is flying in today. I couldn't be more excited!

Here's to a fun, jam-packed, candle filled, shop til you drop rest of Birthday Week!

Determined.

Just because something is hard, doesn't mean you stop trying.

I keep telling myself this. Since the day I met my husband I knew he wanted to be a dentist. He loves teeth as much as I love clothes and cooking. His nephews open their mouths without hesitation for Uncle Russell to look inside, but wont crack even a smirk in the dentist's chair. When we got married I remember Russell telling me he didn't feel like he had faced many trials in his life. I thought, 'oh, what did I get myself into!' I had faced significant trials in my life thus far and thought marriage would be this happy, rainbow filled day, after day. And although our life is not how we would have planned it, we find ways to make our own rainbows.

I am proud of my husband. We've been knocked down but I know we will rise again. We are not giving up hope. I have faith in my husband. I will stand by him til the end. We watch our friends lives move forward. They start med school, they have children, they buy homes. And we say, someday. But I've recently been reminded that our life does move on. And it will continue to move on.

I trust the Lord has a plan for us. Time will unfold that plan. This life is hard. We wont stop trying.

Cheers.

To Birthday Week!! Yes, I try to extend my birthday privileges as long as possible!



I figured I'm too old to have a theme birthday party but I'm never too old to have birthday colors! Pink, Red & Blue it is....and plus, I get to share my birthday with my very favorite niece, Sophia! So the banner I made isn't just for me, it's for her too!