Some Family Photos

The Mattocks Crew at Morgan's Tavern in New Bern, NC

Me with Adam's niece and cousins in Gulf Shores, AL

The Blanchard Cousins

The Blanchard Grands

Mom's Sweet Seattle sibs

Aprons

The purple apron was the 2nd apron I've made. My friend, Lucy, loves purple. It was the perfect b'day gift. The hounds tooth apron with red was made last week for my sister, as she is a Bama fan. I am an Auburn fan, remember. This was a big step for me. Not really though, as I'm not a big "ya-ya" about that stuff. Note the signature "DZ" marking. I couldn't figure out how to do my initials in a simple hidden stitch. Love my pink n green ladies!

Celebrating One Year!!

We made it! We celebrated our 1 year anniversary yesterday. As hard as some holidays have been during deployment, this one was the easiest. I think my codependency of staying busy kicked in to help. Nonetheless, the day's activities were very memorable and it was a happy day! We enjoyed reminiscing, skyping and sharing the day even miles away. March 6th 2011 was a great day!

Gravy Recipe

Easy Gravy Recipe (adopted and adapted from somewhere on the internet)
Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Ingredients:
•4 tablespoons butter
•2 1/2 cups turkey broth ( I use chicken broth)
•onion, celery or garlic ( I sautéed onion in the butter and added garlic salt)
•4 tablespoons flour
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/2 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
1. Melt butter in pan over medium heat.
2. Add flour, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, you want the mixture to turn light brown but not burn.
3. Add broth, salt and pepper and continue to stir for 3 minutes, sauce should be getting thicker.
4. Move to serving bowl.
5. Enjoy!

The Gravy Train

So the gravy train may not be the art of cooking, for me at least, but this was an easy recipe to make. As a first timer making gravy, it was an easier feat than I imagined. I've always been scared to make gravy. Here's why....

1. Unhealthy

2. How can something just thicken like that

3. I don't make things that require gravy

Well, when you make a dish that was supposed to be a soufle and it turns out as cornbread dressing....you need gravy. voila! Not bad for my first time.

Little did we know

These two trees mean a lot to me. I have walked under them in the spring, summer, fall and winter; bare, full of toilet paper, shading the sun from my heat-stricken body, or covering the ever so lightly falling rain. So I was totally shocked and taken aback by the recent incident of the twin oaks on Toomer's Corner. I will never look at them the same. I actually grieved, yes, grieved a sad sad day when I heard the news of them possibily not making it. And this is in all seriousness.

I took the previous picture on Jan. 22nd without knowing why they looked so bare. Was it because all the hype from the recent national championship was 3 blocks away in Jordan-Hare Stadium at that exact moment anticipating the next rolling of Toomer's, or did the oaks just seem to be lacking something? We know now, unfortunately.

All I have to say is Bodda getta bodda getta bodda getta bah, rah-rah-rah, sis-boom-bah! Weegle, weegle War damn Eagle! Kick 'em in the butt big blue! Hey!
Oh, and WAR EAGLE!!

As Sure as Spring

I see small specs of green. Green sprouting out from some cold dark days. I glance up a bit to notice that the pink of the forsythia in the front bed has begun

to bud, oh, and even open up for a peek or two. A peek at what? The new season! The season is SPRING! Probably my favorite season, and not because of baseball, though I'm trying to make my way down to the Plains this weekend to see my Tigers play their first series.

I've been in this season before and I've missed it. But you know what? Just as I have been in a new season of my life this past year, I am about to change over to a new one. A positive, beautiful down hill slope of what is to come. The return of my sweet sailor! The return of our beautiful yard! The return of two together as one! What can bloom from that, God only knows. Lots of love and amazement.

I am always amazed at the beauty of flowers and how they can completely die and come back again. Have I completely died and come back? Died to myself and come back as a someone wanting and hoping and praying to live more for others this year? I think so. I hope so. I pray so.

Last weekend I helped out at the youth church retreat. For selfish reasons; I admit at first I volunteered to be there as much as I could to bar the loneliness if only for a few days. One youth spoke words of encouragement, then another and so on. They laughed, cut up, prayed, sang and worshiped. And yes, I joined them. I was spoken to. I was rewarded and I got something out of it. "GO, NOW." Go, now...into the world, not as you are but whose you are and what you are to do, serve. Clearly, I must GO.

It had been awhile since I volunteered with the youth. It had been a season in my life, but it has returned. Deployment is a season in our life. My hubby will return. As sure as spring is around the corner, he will return. I travel through seasons in my life, but I will return...to God and to serving others.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot" Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

~This photo was taken a few years ago along the Mall in Washington, DC~