Summer 2011

I cannot believe we have lived in Tulsa for almost four months!  The weather has been incredible over the last week and I am ready to pull out my boots and sweaters.  But I realize I have to post a little about our fun and hot summer before I move on to fall.

This summer we were blessed to spend time with both new and old friends.  My biggest fear moving to Tulsa was that I would feel lonely.  As always God has provided with opportunities to meet new friends and spend special time with old friends.

We have loved watching Lola grow up this summer.  She has so much personality and love to share. Lola is not very photogenic and I am pretty sure she knows it because she hates to have her picture taken.  Here are a few that I could catch:

Boomer Sooner!

Pleeeeeease take me for a walk?

I love to play outside.

Can I go?  I have pulled all of your dirty panties out of the basket for you.

I planted these Zinnias in June hoping they would survive the heat.  They have done more than survive, these little flowers have flourished.  They make me smile every time I walk out the door.

We celebrated Bryan's grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary in July.  They are such a sweet couple and great role-models for a healthy marriage.

Holidays 2010

Today is a "snow day" (there is maybe 1/4 inch of snow on the ground) so I get to spend the day catching up on all the little things I want to do today.  Yay!  One of those is to look back on the wonderful holiday season.  It was filled with so many special moments this year.  I think not having finals to study for helped me to get in the holiday spirit extra early this year.  Here are a few of these wonderful moments:

Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving at Bev and Marshall's home.

 I made 3 different flavors of cake pops for Thanksgiving at the Brackin's: Pumpkin Spice, Strawberry and Oreo.

Obie and Poppy carving the delicious turkey at their home. 

Cuddling with dad : )

 We brought pumpkin bars and sweet potatoes to Thanksgiving at Obie and Poppy's.  The pumpkin bars are a recipe I picked up at Williams Sonoma a few years ago and have made at least once every year since.

Williams-Sonoma Pecan Pumpkin Butter Dessert Squares

18.25 oz. package yellow cake mix, set aside one cup
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 large eggs
13.5 oz. jar of Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter
2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp cinnamon

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour a 9 X 13 pan.
• Divide cake mix, placing all but one cup in a mixing bowl.
• Stir the melted butter and one egg into the cake mix until combined.
• Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan.
• In another bowl, mix pumpkin butter with two eggs and milk until combined.
• Spread pumpkin mixture over pressed cake mix.
• Stir the reserved 1 cup of cake mix with the flour, sugar, and cinnamon.
• Then add the softened butter and mix together until crumbly.
• Sprinkle over the top of the pumpkin layer.
• Bake for about 35 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool and cut into 2 ” squares. Serves 24.

We used the Pioneer Woman's Soul Sweet 'Taters Recipe:

Ingredients

• 4 whole Medium Sweet Potatoes
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Milk
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 cup Pecans
• ½ cups Flour
• ¾ sticks Butter

Preparation Instructions

Wash 4 medium sweet potatoes and bake them in a 375-degree oven until fork tender, about 30-35 minutes. When they are finished cooking slice them open and scrape out the flesh into a large bowl.

Add 1 cup of (regular grandulated) sugar, 1 cup of milk, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon of salt. With a potato masher, mash them up just enough—you don’t want to be perfectly smooth.

Now, in a separate bowl, add 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup pecans, chopped (that means measure a cup of pecans, then chop them), ½ cup flour, and ¾ stick of butter. With a pastry cutter or fork, mash together until thoroughly combined.

Spread the sweet potato mixture into a regular baking dish and sprinkle the crumb mixture all over the top.

Bake in a 400-degree oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

DELICIOUS!!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/10/soul-sweet-taters-step-by-step-recipe/

Bryan's Graduation:

Bryan and Joe both graduated with their MBA's the weekend before Christmas.  At Thanksgiving they made a bet for the OU/OSU game.  If OU lost Bryan had to wear an OSU shirt to Joe's OSU graduation and if OU won Joe had to wear an OU shirt to Bryan's OU graduation.  Well of course OU won and Joe followed through with the terms of the bet.  Everyone looks so nice in crimson! :)

I am so proud of Bryan and all the work he put into the MBA program.  Graduating from the Price MBA program required MANY late nights studying and countless hours of group projects.  Not only does he have a degree to add to his resume, but he is an overall more educated person.  I love my smartypants so much!

Christmas:

 Every year Susan (my mom's friend and roommate before she married my dad) comes down from Edmond and spends the day making Christmas cookies with my mom, sister and I.  We have done this all my life and it is one of the only traditions my family has always had.  I LOVE it! The older I get the more I value this special day.  I am already looking forward to next year.  Here are a few of our yummy treats:

 Christmas Eve at Ganny & Pop's. Talon is ready to dominate the presents and Drake is just happy to play with the ribbon.  I love these boys and sharing the joy of Christmas with them!

New Year's Eve:

 We spent NYE with Joe and Melissa.  We went to dinner and a Thunder game in OKC then came back down to Norman to hear Graham Colton at Seven.  We always have a great time celebrating with Joe and Mel!  I cannot wait to see the blessings that 2011 will hold for us and those that we love.

Happy 2011!