Kids Helping Kids in Ethiopia

Check out the blog excerpt linked up below from my friend Amy's daughter Addisyn. She and her mom recently traveled to Ethiopia to bring home their new baby girl. That experience touched and changed Addisyn's life.

As we prepare to send our little ones to school this next year, Addisyn is challenging us all to get involved in helping send kids to school in Ethiopia. $6.20 buys a school uniform and supplies for little boys and $5.83 does the same for little girls, which is what they need to be able to enroll. Then, it costs only $1.84/month to cover their enrollment in the school for the year. Consider doing something as simple as skipping one meal out and sending that money instead to help little ones have the opportunity to learn.

Click on the link below to read of her reflections and her encouragement for us all to get involved. It just takes a little bit to make a HUGE difference for these kids.

http://buildingtheblocks.blogspot.com/2010/07/have-you-ever-had-time-in-your-life.html

Hooray, A New Cousin is on the Way!

We just learned at the end of last week that we are going to get a new cousin.

Congratulations Tom and Jen!
We're praying for you, your little baby, and all the ways his or her life will mold and shape you. May he or she grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men. (1 Samuel 2:26)

Can you see Jacob and Ashley's excitement? I'm sure they'll be super cousins.

Red, White and Blueberry Cream Pie

Here is a delicious, easy as pie recipe our family and friends we've dined with have enjoyed this week with the fresh bounty of blueberries from the blueberry farm.


Red, White and Blueberry Cream Pie
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust (I like the larger one because you can get more slices).
1 8 oz. package Cream Cheese
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 t. vanilla extract
Sliced fresh strawberries (optional)

1. Place 1 cup of blueberries in the bottom of the crust (cover bottom with one layer)
2. Beat cream cheese in a large blowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Spread into crust.
3. Top with remaining blueberries and sliced strawberries in a fun pattern/design.
4. Cover and chill 3 hours, or until set. I also froze one and it tasted great thawed tonight with guests. Refrigerate leftovers.

The best excuse yet...

Our sweet Ashley is always coming up with 101 excuses as to why she shouldn't go to bed/sleep yet. Tonight's excuse has topped them all thus far. After being quiet in her room for about 20 minutes, she came out with a forlorn look and said, "Daddy, I was looking kind-of sad while I was sleeping." What will it be next?

Blueberries, blueberries, blueberries

Between downpours today, we ventured over to the local blueberry farm to pick some delicious blueberries. We were quite successful-all of us. Even Jacob kept busy. Of course, he had no bucket, but his tummy closely resembles that of a bucket full of berries tonight. The poor ladies in the church nursery tomorrow. My apologies in advance...I'll be sure to send him in disposables instead of cloth for your diaper changing convenience :)

In the 40 minutes we were there, we picked two full buckets (which I think is about 20 pints), ate a ton and even spilled some on accident. These berries were as large as grapes. Yummy!

Can you guess what we'll be having a lot of at our house this year? You guessed it, blueberry pancakes, blueberry muffins, blueberry pie, blueberry smoothies, frozen blueberries... Yes, yes, I know, I sound like the Bubba Gump Blueberry Factory.