MOPS Convention Nashville 2011 - Part 4

After a fantastic MOPS yesterday (I might of pictures later, I didn't use my camera) I realized I am very late posting the rest of my MOPS trip a month ago. So Here is the rest of it. :)

Saturday morning we were able to make devotions, which is really the way to start the morning. Erica was ready to go, where I went in PJs. So I had to get ready. While I was doing that Erica scored us Heart Seating in General Session. Which meant front row, baby!! General Session had Lauren Dungy as the speaker and Travis Cottrell doing worship. On to workshops: I had How to Get Your Husbands to be a Spiritual Leaders with Larry Fowler, learned alot in this one. My leadership training was Prayer and Care, I LOVED this workshop. I met some very neat ladies and learned many different ways to pray for my MOPS group and what not. It was great! Last General Session had Mary Beth Chapman speaking and her husband, Steven Curtis Chapman singing some songs for us. It was great to listen to them. They lost a daughter back in '08 and the faith they have is amazing. Travis Cottrell was also there again. Since we had Heart Seating (Erica rules!) we had great seats for this one too. Erica bought Mary Beth's book and wanted to get it signed. So I went a got some burgers, met her later. Then on to see the screening on the movie Courageous before it come out September 30. The movie was so, so good. I was worried it would be a tear jerker, but it had lots of comedy in it. We laughed more then we cried. On to our room where we packed a little, had to make sure all our goodies made it home.

Travis Cottrell

Best picture ever. Look at all those ladies worshiping.

Woodstock and my fries

Waiting to get into the movie.

Sunday morning came too fast. After packing and storing our bags we explored the hotel one last time. We had a couple of hours till our plan. We even made it really early to the airport, so we ate lunch and chilled. It was nice to get home. And it's amazing it's be a month already. Here is a few picture, just playing around on Sunday.

First Day of School

First day of school. Summer with her friend Alyssa. Cutest second and third grader I know. :) It feels strange with her not around. She likes it and will do great I know it.

Huckleberries

Labor Day was spent picking huckleberries at Mt Spokane. It was a great day for it. The sun was out, the kids had fun, and we got a good batch of huckleberries. It was an amazing, awesome, great family day.

Conrad was picking rocks :)

Summer was a little sad, she fell and spilled her berries.

Happy again in her tree.

Thimbleberries are very yummy!

Scary or cute? I'm not sure. :)

Good kid picture.

Boys LOVED to pick their own.

Great family shot.

Purple hands equals good times. :)

Peach Cake Dessert

Here is another recipe I messed up. I added baking soda instead of powder, then added the baking powder also. So I've learned sometimes baking with kids is hard and baking late at night is not good. The bottom peach part turned out yummy. But the cake part was gross. Next time we thought a crumble top would be good.

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1 to 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

5 medium fresh peaches, peeled and sliced

CAKE

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350*

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add peaches; toss to coat. Transfer to a greased 8-in square baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk.

Drop by spoonfuls onto peaches; spread evenly. Bake at 350* for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Serve warm.

It turned out pretty. Just not very great. While Summer and Eugene "helped", Conrad ate apples. He's not much into baking. Recipe from Taste of Home: The Busy Family Cookbook.



White Chocolate Cherry Chunkies

When Erica and I were Nashville living it up at MOPS convention she bought a white chocolate cherry cookie. It was really yummy so I added it to my baking wish list. Erica watched my boys on Thursday so I thought I would try to bake some as a thank you. Bummer they didn't really turn out. They had a good taste, but they stuck together. This is why, I read the cherries wrong and thought it said canned when it said candied. I know silly. :) So next time I'll do it right.

Ingredients

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup chopped macadamia nuts (which I didn't do)

1/2 cup candied cherries

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chunks (used chips)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375* F

In a medium bowl, with electric mixer, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until just combined. Set aside.

Sift together flour, soda, and salt. Add milk to the butter mixture and then add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Batter should be stiff.

In another bowl, combine nuts, cherries, and whit e chocolate. Then add to batter, stirring only to blend. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a greased cookies sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for approximately 11 to 13 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Recipe from www.foodnetwork.com

Summer's Hair

Summer got her hair cut yesterday for school and boy did she need it.

This is before. During the summer months it got pretty bad. We barely brushed it, her hair turns green in pools, and really I don't know how well she washes it. I think Whitney washed it the best in a long time.

On to the cutting, which was funny to watch. Summer leans to the side alot. She doesn't like the blow dryer and the straighter (which Whitney used to curl) scared her alittle.

   But it turned out beautiful and she wishes her hair would always look like this.

 If it wasn't so much work it might. But my goodness she is a cutie!!

       Summer took the last picture herself.



Date Night

Reggie and I went to dinner at Ferraro's on Wednesday. It's so nice to eat without kids around.

 :)