BEACH

Christmas at the Beach!

Low Country Thanksgiving

Since when did a Low Country Boil have anything to do with Thanksgiving?  ... Since the Hughes Fam turned it into simple reminder of the Thanksgiving story. We said a simple prayer of thanks as we added each ingredient:

• The salty water in the pot reminds us of the Pilgrim's long journey in the Atlantic. We are thankful that they made it to dry land!
• The potatoes remind us of the hard work of the Pilgrims, even the children who had to help tend the gardens so they could have food to eat. We are thankful that they didn't give up!
• The corn reminds us of the Indians who helped the Pilgrims learn how to live on the new land. We are thankful for their friendly help!
• The seafood reminds us, again, of the many days at sea. We are thankful for the food God provided!

Easter in Texas

It was our first Easter in Texas. The Hughes Fam got ready by teaching the kids all about Christ's sacrifice. Never too early to teach that. Together we watched a kid-friendly animated version of The Passion, and used Resurrection Eggs to help them remember the events leading up to Christ's death and resurrection. More importantly, we discussed what effect those events has on our lives today and what we should do in response. It was extra special to hear Mary Hannah and Avery talk about the Easter story and to see them embrace it.

Our church services were packed! In all, there were 8,500 people present at the weekend services. The sanctuary is large, but it was full! Even our second campus had standing room only! Here are a couple pictures from the day.

Inside the sanctuary at the main campus.

The cafe portion of the lobby was also packed. See the blue screens? People sat out in the lobby to watch the service on those TVs since there was no more room.

They filled the lobby with chairs to accommodate the overflow.

Sundays are always busy in our house. It really a work day for Pastors. So we like to take it easy. We had a simple egg hunt then let the kids play in the splash park by our apartment. Here are some pics from our day:

Happy 6th Anniversary Chris and Em

Sunday is our 6th Anniversary. We decided to celebrate in the very place we were engaged: Italy. Ok, so not really Italy the country across the great blue sea. But, Italy, the pavilion in EPCOT.

Oh how our lives have changed in the last 6 years! But we love how our story has unfolded. Avery and Mary Hannah accompanied us to Disney to celebrate.

Watch a video of the best wedding gift Chris gave me HERE

We took a pic in this very spot just after we were engaged 7 years ago.
We spent some time in the Disney parks, then decided to try something fun that we had never done before...

We rented a pontoon boat and cruised the lake in front of the Magic Kingdom. It was so relaxing, and a fun new way to experience Disney. We have visited so often over the last several years that its hard to believe we haven't worn it out. But I am convinced that we could vacation here for a solid month and still not experience everything they have to offer!

Mother's Day Celebration in Miami

Chris and I celebrated Mother's Day in Miami today. He planned a fantastic day of fun, and I loved it! We had lunch at Emeril's restaurant. (Yes, we were the only ones in the restaurant. It was awesome!)Then caught a girlie movie. After the movie we browsed the mall. I have such a great husband. He knows what I like... and he takes the time to do it with me. That's love.

Simple and Sweet Mother's Day

Its Sunday, a busy one in our house. Chris took our car to church, not to return until late this afternoon. The kids and I stayed home. (We are a one car family this week). Its a special day for me because I got to share breakfast with my children, a rare delight for a working mom. Its also Mother's Day, which makes today even more special. I wanted to celebrate this rare occasion by making something yummy. So I made a delicious breakfast for the kids and me to share: Apple Walnut Stuffed French Toast. It was a hit! I made up the recipe, based on a breakfast we had while visiting friends in PA. See the original recipe below. (I am proud of myself for this one!)

Before we ate, Avery prayed. In his own sweet words he said "Dear Jesus, Thank you for our food. Thank you that Mommy gets to stay home with us today. Amen." My heart absolutely melted! It was such an innocent prayer. He really just wanted to thank God that I could be with them. I was thankful, too. Ugh, seriously, I was total puddle! Only 4 more weeks until I am able to stay home with he and MH for good! 4 weeks and counting...

And as for my very busy husband, we are looking forward to celebrating Mother's Day together tomorrow. He has something up his sleeve and won't tell me. I love it when he does that! (Ok, well, I love it when he plans things, but I can't stand the secrets!!!)

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APPLE WALNUT STUFFED FRENCH TOAST
*make ahead recipe, must refrigerate overnight*
Ingredients:

• 1 loaf Pepperidge Farm Swirl Bread (I used Brown Sugar Cinnamon)
• 1 block Cream Cheese or Neufchatel Cheese (I used Neufchatel, its 1/3 less fat, and tastes the same to me)
• 2 C. walnuts, chopped
• 2 apples, peeled and diced
• 1/4 C. brown sugar
• 2 T vanilla extract
• 8 eggs
• 2 C. milk (I used Skim, but any kind would do... I bet my great grandma would've used canned evaporated milk, and that would taste even better!)
  
• Cinnamon (just a dash)
  
• Butter
• Non stick cooking spray

Directions:

1. Spray 9x13 pan with non stick cooking spray.
2. Line bottom of pan with slices of bread until covered.
3. Spread cream cheese over bread, making a thick layer. Use the entire block of cheese.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the diced apples, walnuts, and brown sugar until apples are coated. Spread evenly on top of cream cheese.
5. Butter the remaining bread slices on both sides. Place them on top of apples.
6. Get your hands dirty: press down the bread, squishing together the layers.
7. In seperate bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, and a dash of cinnamon.
8. Pour the egg mixture over the bread, enough to completely cover the tops and sides of the casserole. *You may not use all of the egg mixture. You be the judge.
9. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

BAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Remove the plastic wrap and cover with foil.
3. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered another 30 minutes.
4. Call Emily to tell her how much you LOVE this recipe. It is ok to go on and on describing how all of your guests loved it, too.

The Night Before Christmas

Christmas Eve was a busy time, but a special time in our house. Chris led worship for the 3 Christmas Eve services at our church. But in between the last 2 he was able to come home to make some memories. After baths and new Christmas PJs, we read the the story of Jesus' birth in the Bible. Then we put out milk and cookies for Santa... and a carrot for the reindeer. The kids were very excited, and so were we. Its fun to see the magic of Christmas through the children's eyes!
Here is a little video of our Christmas Eve tradition.

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It is important to us to teach our kids about Christ, and to have Christmas as a celebration of his birth. We also love the excitement of Santa! Our kids know that we give gifts on Christmas to celebrate Jesus' birth, just like the wise men brought gifts to Jesus. And they know that Santa is a nice man who lives in the North Pole and loves to give gifts to children. It has been so much fun to experience the magic of the season through our children's eyes!!!

Ideas Anyone?

I had a brainstorm. Seeing this picture and recipe on RealMomKitchen's blog made me think of the breakfast casserole that my mom always makes on Christmas morning. Then I thought about how close we are to Thanksgiving. I started considering what new traditions and celebrations we would add this year as our kids are growing older.

Teaching Avery about the election was a huge success. The whole experience of voting with me, watching the poll results come in, and coloring in his own electoral vote map gave him a pretty good idea about how we choose a president. Since then Avery has asked many questions as his little mind continues to process all that he experienced. (For more, and lots of pics, read "Par-tay at the Polls.")

It would be a great thing to do the same with Thanksgiving. I am looking for some activities to do with Avery and Mary Hannah that will teach them about the holiday. Its great to build background, excitement, and understanding as the day approaches. Does anyone have any ideas?