Baked Jalapeno Bean Dip
8 oz cream cheese
1 Pint sour cream
1 (10.5 oz) can jalapeno bean dip (look in the chip aisle – sometimes I can only find regular bean dip – that works too!)
1 (1.5 oz) taco seasoning packet
1/2 c shredded chedder cheese
1/2 c shredded jack cheese
Tabasco to taste
tortilla chips (Scoops style works best)

Preheat oven to 350

Combine cream cheese and sour cream in food processor.
Add bean dip, taco seasoning and Tabasco, process until smooth
Place in shallow glass dish and top with cheese
Bake 20-30 minutes until bubbling.
Serve warm with tortilla chips

So good! You can thank me later

Because of God’s GRACE to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder.  Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.  For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have – Jesus Christ.  Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials – gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, straw.  But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done.  The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward.  But if the work is burned up, that builder will suffer great loss, the builder will be saved,but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

As I read this – I can’t help but see the comparison to my role as a mother and wife…. “For a WISE woman builds her house; a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.” Proverbs 14:1

Are we not the builders of our homes?  Of our children’s foundation?  Of our marriages?  This morning I am convicted of the fact that I am not always using the BEST materials, with my children!  Am I ALWAYS building on the foundation of Jesus Christ?   Or am I sometimes building on the foundation of this world (Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2)

Am I more concerned with school decisions, playmates, my kids being dressed in a certain way and behaving in a certain way…. or am I more concerned with building their foundation in Jesus?  Teaching them, to above all things, love our Lord with heart soul and mind?  In all areas am I pointing back to Jesus?

“Look how beautiful the sunset is… isn’t God creative with all the colors he used…. Look at how I love and respect your father (even when it is hard)… that is what the Bible has taught me to do…. look at how we minister to a new mommy by bringing a meal, or reach out to an elderly neighbor… we do these things because the Bible teaches us that WE are the hands and feet of the church…

Do I just rush around and do these things without taking the time to TEACH my children WHY we do these things…  Do I model the fruits of the Spirit in our home (²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galations 5:22-23)  I don’t know about your house but I can certainly say ours is not always one of JOY, PATIENCE and PEACE!

Read another translations from The Message Bible:

10 Using the gift God gave me as a good architect, I designed blueprints; Apollos is putting up the walls. Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation! 11 Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. 12 Take particular care in picking out your building materials. 13 Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you’ll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won’t get by with a thing. 14 If your work passes inspection, fine; 15 if it doesn’t, your part of the building will be torn out and started over. But you won’t be torn out; you’ll survive – but just barely. 16 You realize, don’t you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? 17 No one will get by with vandalizing God’s temple, you can be sure of that. God’s temple is sacred – and you, remember, are the temple. 18 Don’t fool yourself. Don’t think that you can be wise merely by being up-to-date with the times.

I love how this version states, Take particular care in the materials you choose – what TV shows are we allowing our children to watch – is it teaching them of Jesus? What movies do we have in our houses or apps on our iphones?  What music are we piping into their learning ears as we drive around in the car?  Our children are like sponges – and not only do they learn from the obvious – but they learn through observation – they are WATCHING how we talk to daddy, how we do or do not undermine his decisions, how we treat the rude checkout clerk…

Am I more concerned with getting the house cleaned up – or stopping and snuggling with a child that just wants his/her momma’s attention… why do I so often try to multi-task and think that that will build the foundation in my children that God so desires?  Am I more concerned with MY agenda and plan I had prepared for the day - or am I OPEN to God’s plan – willing to be flexible and not blow-up when one of my children derails the plan I had?  Perhaps God is using my child to teach me as well!!

Today I am convicted that I have been given the incredible responsibility as builder/architect of my children’s hearts  – Please God help me to build something that will survive the fires that this fallen world will inevitably throw at our children.  I pray that on the judgement day when the fire reveals what kind of work each builder has done – My Lord will look at my children and say to me, WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT!

Maple Mustard Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Apples

2 (1/2 lbs each) pork tenderloin (tonight I used a single 3lbs tenderloin and just cooked it longer)
Cooking spray
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
6 Tablespoons maple syrup divided (the real kind, not Aunt Jemima!!)
(for those of you who might not know, divide simply means you won’t use it all at once in the recipe)
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Teaspoon pepper
4 Medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 16 wedges

• Preheat oven to 450º

• Trim fat from Pork and place on a broiler pan covered with aluminum foil and then sprayed with cooking spray

• Combine mustard, 2 Tbsp of syrup, rosemary, salt & pepper in a small bowl; brush over pork

• Insert a meat thermometer (I have used this one for 6+ years and LOVE it) into the thickest part of the pork

• Bake for around 25 minutes until the thermometer reads 160° (this is the key to safe yet tender meat – go by the temperature not time)

• While pork cooks, heat a skillet over medium-high until hot

• Add apples and saute 5 minutes until lightly browned.  Reduce heat to low and add 4 Tablespoons of syrup, simmer for 10 minutes until apples are tender, stirring occasionally

• Cut pork crosswise into slices, spoon caramelized apples over pork – Delicious!!

We made these adorable little chocolate acorns for both Harrison’s and Taylor’s classmates… it was so easy and the kids loved helping out!  You can find the tutorial here.

I printed out tags and stapled them in little baggies for the kids to share in class

Those of you who really know me, know how sentimental I am… about places, moments, memories and things… like this knife…

When Mike and I first started dating over 13 years ago – I so vividly remember carving our first pumpkin together – I remember the  butterflies I felt with him – barely even knowing him at that time… still in that new dating, silly giggly stage… and I so remember this knife!  He brought it over from his house to mine to carve our pumpkin… and I thought it was so sweet that he brought his own knife… and now it is OUR knife and he is using it today to carve a pumpkin with OUR children … okay roll your eyes… I know cheesy – but a sweet memory for me!!

~

Taylor insisted on wearing her new tutu, that her Nonnie bought her, out to the pumpkin carving festivities… (she also insisted on carrying out her brother’s Cars lunchbox)

And of course Mommy had to make sure she had her huge bow in her hair!

Harrison really got into digging out the SLIMY insides this year…

Our finished product!

(Harrison picked this pumpkin because of the “twisty top”)

When my mom comes to visit I often get a tsk over the fact that I can’t seem to find time to polish my silver (I hate polishing silver) … but I now have an excuse… it makes it look so much more spooky!!!

Taylor especially gets a kick out of the new spiders that have taken up Halloween residence at the house… she often points at them, and scrunches up her face, as she loudly squeals EWWWWW!

Found these fun paper balls and glittery skeletons at JoAnne’s (trying to not get too creepy here)

From our house to yours… Happy Fall!

Slow Cooked Squash with Butter and Basil

Serves 4 as a side dish

1 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, diced
Kosher salt
4 cups 3/4 inch cubed yellow crookneck squash (about 5 small to medium)
10 fresh basil leaves, torn into strips

Over very low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a heavy saucepan.  Add the onion and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and slowly saute, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the onions are translucent and tender.  If at any time the onions begin to brown, add a tablespoon of water.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the squash, season with 1 teaspoon salt.

Cover and cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes, until squash is just tender and beginning to fall apart but still has its bright yellow color.

Add the basil and immediately stir it in to prevent the steam from turning it black.
Cook, covered, for another couple of minutes, until the basil is wilted.

Enjoy!

~Christina