Of Masquerades and Home Improvement

Brandy attended Winter Formal this past weekend and she looked beautiful!  I can't believe how grown up she has become in the almost three years that I've known her.  Our sweet neighbor gave her the dress (she wore it to a dance at a different high school last year) and she made the mask. 

After marrying almost two years ago, we excitedly spent our Home Depot and Lowe's gift cards. We purchased items for numerous projects including new bathroom hardware, door knobs, drawer pulls, paint and more paint, and new electrical outlets and light switches. We looked forward to putting a few finishing touches on Kelly's home after I moved in. We started several of the projects right away - "we" meaning Kelly did the work and I observed and took pictures. One project though was started but needed finishing, especially now that Lil Man is on the move and crawling around our home.

Kelly was kindly updating our light switches and outlets last week, with HB's help of course!



Whatcha having for leftovers Wednesday?

It's only the second Wednesday of 2013 that I've attempted to post a recipe for "Whatcha having for dinner Wednesday" and I have already switched things up by asking what you're having for leftovers!  I love leftovers.  I can't help it.  In part it's my frugal nature that draws me to eating the same thing over and over until there are no more leftovers to be had.  I'm grateful that my hubby tolerates my creative meal mixing as I attempt to utilize leftovers in a variety of ways.  I also love a meal that gets better as leftovers.  You know, when the seasonings really have a chance to meld and harmonize?

In an attempt to clean out our fridge and stretch our grocery budget a bit we had leftovers tonight.  My sweet friend Licia kept HB on Monday so I could rest, run errands, etc. and made us dinner as well.  In fact, she made so much that we had her yummy meal on Monday and tonight - it was a shredded pork mix with black beans and kidney beans.  Yummy!  We made our own version of Chipotle's burrito bowl tonight complete with rice, the shredded pork mix and an array of salsas and toppings.

I'd love to hear your tips and tricks on stretching your grocery budget or how you creatively incorporate leftovers into a second meal or three.  Happy Wednesday!

Sugar and Spice

Sugar and spice
and everything nice
that's what little girls are made of

Sunshine and rainbows
and ribbons for hairbows
that's what little girls are made of

Tea  parties, laces
and baby doll faces
that's what little girls are made of


Come May 24 we will welcome our DAUGHTER!  We are having a girl y'all! 

Mini Diner Meatloaf

I've perused a few new blogs and enjoyed their various posts - I really liked one who posted "Whatcha Making" for dinner Wednesdays.  I thought I'd see if I could actually blog a few of my recipes weekly especially after the craziness of the holidays has subsided.  Today's recipes come from Cowboy Boot and Baby Booties.

My mom made an awesome meatloaf which I loved as a kid, both on the night it was originally served and cold the next day on a sandwich with mayo and onions.  The same holds true for my family - we love meatloaf!  I am excited about trying a new recipe and hope to cut down on some of the chaos that tends to happen around 5pm by making these during HB's afternoon nap and then popping them in the fridge until it is time to bake them later tonight.

Whatcha Making Wednesdays: Mini Diner Meatloaf
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots (I've never tried meatloaf with carrots, but I'm thinking this is a great way to include another veggie in my family's diet!)
1 tsp dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup ketchup, divided
1.5 pounds ground beef
1 cup finely crushed fat free saltine crackers (about 20)
2 T mustard
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 12 cup muffin pan and set aside.
2. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat.  Add chopped onion, carrot, oregano, and garlic.  Saute 2-3 minutes.
3.  Combine onion mixture with 1/2 cup ketchup and remaining ingredients.
4.  Spoon the meat mixture into 12 muffin cups.  (I am going to pop this into the fridge at this point.)
5.  Top each meatloaf "muffin" with 2 tsp of ketchup and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Grandma Lucy's Corn Fritters
4 ears sweet corn, cooked (or 3 cups frozen)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 T bacon drippings or veggie oil

Cut kernels from corn and place in medium bowl; stir in eggs and milk.  Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in small bowl.  Stir into corn mixture and mix gently.

Heat bacon drippings or oil in skillet over medium high heat.  Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls and cook until lightly browned turning to other side.  Serve with butter.  Makes about 1 dozen.

So, whatcha making for dinner tonight?

New Year's Prayer Requests

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."

James 5:16

That's right friends, this isn't a blog post about my New Year's resolutions, instead its about my prayer requests. I've been thinking about a different approach to the resolutions that get made, and then get broken, and thought "why am I not approaching a New Year with prayer requests instead?" I covet your prayers as I enter 2013 - for my spiritual growth and for relationships in my life.

-For protection upon my marriage. This request isn't made out of desperation just in hope that we will be protected from the devil as he attacks and tries to weaken us. I think marriages are always under attack especially when God's direction is sought. Please pray that we would work on communication between us, that we would be proactive instead of retroactive in talking. Please pray that we would be able to make a daily time of prayer between us a priority and that we would also make time for regular dates so we can continue to invest in our relationship with each other and not just make it through the day as we take care of our growing family and our small sheep business.

-An unspoken prayer request for two important relationships. 

-For my stepdaughter and our relationship. I need guidance balancing the differing needs of an infant and a teenager and tend to be more focused on my infant. I pray that I am more mindful of her needs and desires, and am more purposeful in investing time in our conversations beyond what is happening academically. I also pray for guidance in talking to her about growing the attributes of a godly young woman and guarding her heart as she goes through the awkward stage that the teenage years can be. Also, pray for her to have a healthy attitude about her body (What young girl/woman doesn't struggle with this?)

-For my husband and his relationship with his mother. They have had a falling out this year and have not yet reconciled. Through the recent miscommunications and disagreements, some past hurts have been brought up again making their reconciliation all the more difficult. Pray for humble, soft hearts and that I can encourage and honor my husband as we go through this together.

-And for me, as a wife and mom, not to mention friend and sister to you all. Pray that I may endure the growing pains as our family dynamics change this next year (praise God for a healthy pregnancy and baby #2). Pray for my endurance as I work to get HB to sleep through the night. Please pray that my pregnancy would continue to progress healthily and that the third trimester would be free of the terrible hip-back pain I had in my first pregnancy. Please pray that I would be gracious in expectations towards myself as I continue to grow and adapt to being a momma. Pray I would thirst for quiet time with God and work to protect the little time I have each day to have this. Pray that I would learn to love my husband and children in way's that help them know they are loved.

I hopefully approach this New Year, praying that I would humbly yield to the direction, guidance and shaping of God's hand, the Holy Spirit, in my life. Thank you in advance for coming alongside me in prayer, whether you are near or far geographically, and encouraging me in my walk.

Christmas Letter 2012

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Phillipians 4:7

 2012 has been a full year for the Wright’s as we grew from a family of three to four and a half!  Howard Brett “HB” Wright was born on Sunday, April 22 at a healthy 8 pounds 14 ounces and 21 inches long.  The nurses and doctors at Banner Estrella in Goodyear were such kind hearted people that our experience was truly a blessing.  We are now expecting baby #2 on May 24, 2013 – so far this pregnancy has been much easier for Katy and she has actually said she is enjoying this pregnancy!

 August brought the start of Brandy’s first year of high school at Buckeye Union where she has just blossomed.  Her four teachers this semester have contributed to a challenging and enjoyable first semester.  She has especially enjoyed being an FFA member and competed in the Creed Speaking contest earlier this fall where she won the local contest and then competed at district.  She is already looking for future speech contests to compete in!  She will be showing a whether lamb at the AZ National Livestock Show this December and has two more market lambs that she is working with for County Fair in April.  She is definitely her father’s daughter - she is a fierce competitor in the show ring and loves to work with her lambs.

 We sold 35 lambs at our sale in late-August where we had a huge turnout which was a pleasant surprise.  This was the second year that we offered the top five lambs from our spring lamb crop in the top rack which we call our “Breeder’s Choice.”  Our 2011 lamb crop performed well this past year with the La Paz County Fair Grand Champion, Coconino County Reserve Champion and several breed reserve champions at Maricopa County Fair.  We had a great opportunity to breed 10 of our best ewes in Texas again this year so we are excited to see what 2013 will hold for Wright Club Lambs.

 After 16 years as a firefighter at Chandler’s Station 3, Kelly moved to Station 9 in September where he has a new captain and company.  Companies at station 9 are still Technical Rescue Teams (TRT) so Kelly stays busy with various trainings when they aren't out on calls.  Kelly was also asked to serve as a trainer/evaluator for other Technical Rescue Teams from other cities and has kept busy with these additional training days in November and December.  This year also brought career changes for Katy; after teaching high school agriculture for five years she is now staying home with HB full time.  Staying at home has its own set of challenges for a wife and mom, but Katy is learning much about patience, grace and having a servant’s heart.  She has also enjoyed the chance to participate in several Beth Moore bible studies this past year.

 We pray that 2012 was full of blessings for your family as it was for ours.  We are thankful for all that 2012 has brought to us and all that we have learned as God revealed His mighty plan for our family this past year.  And we are looking forward to Baby #2’s arrival in May and all that 2013 will bring.

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Kelly, Katy, Brandy and HB Wright

December festivities!

Our good friends, the Copeland's, met us in Cottonwood this past weekend to welcome December with some great family friendly winter activities.  We started the day by watching the Cottonwood Christmas Parade in my mom's "secret" spot which truly was an awesome location.  We parked about five minutes from the very start of the parade and got to sit in the shade and had the view all to ourselves - no one was even blocking us!  Although HB was sleep deprived after missing his morning nap and fell asleep in my lap, Jeremy and Rebekah's daughters loved the parade.  Enjoy the few pictures I remembered to take this weekend.

Rebekah, Miss S and Brandy

Jeremy and Miss E

Hubby, HB and I

My sweet mom watched the two babies while the adults and two older girls went on the Cottonwood Chocolate Walk.  What's not to love about an event where you get to sample 40 different pieces of chocolate in a charming, restored Old Town area?  We all enjoyed the chocolate but I think we were all especially ready for the hamburgers, chili and grilled cheeses we enjoyed afterwards!

Kelly and I are both so grateful to have great friends like the Copeland's and only wish they lived closer.  God has been so kind and generous in blessing us with fellowship like this - we are especially grateful for friends at this time of year.  Happy December to all of you!