The Bright Eyed Brunette

 Hey friends, today I wanted to share a recipe that went viral about a year ago, Swamp Potatoes. I love me a casserole or a multi-meal where your meat, vegetable, and starch are in one dish. My family absolutely raves about this recipe, and I even gave it to Carlie and she and Caleb really like it as well. Ingredients 1 pkg. of smoked sausage (if you get the 2 back, only use one link) 1 28 oz. can cut green beans, drained 1 5lb. Red Baby Potatoes -Whatever seasonings you like. I use Italian seasoning, a little garlic powder, onion, salt and pepper (measure with your heart). 1 stick of butter cut into pats Instructions -Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  -Wash your potatoes and cut in half, then place them in your 9x13 baking dish. -Drain your green beans then add on top of potatoes. -Cut your smoked sausage and put on top of your green beans. -Add your seasonings  -Add pats of butter - Bake at 400 degrees for 40-50 minutes until potatoes are tender. We usually serve ours with ...

 Hey friends, I know it's Tuesday, but I wanted to do a little recap from the weekend (Friday thru Monday). We didn't do anything super exciting, but I use this as a digital scrapbook of sorts, so I thought I would post.  Last week was Camp BeBe. Carlie went back to work, and Wrenley was on her last week of summer break. It wasn't as easy as you might think. Wrenley is still adjusting to being a big sister. She wants my full attention, and with a baby, that just can't happen. We had lots of help though. My mom would come in, Carl would come in, and Makena also came and visited. Anything to break up our days. It also happened to be the hottest week of the summer. Heat index was around 110 some days. Wrenley loved watering the plants. Wesley loves to swing on Wrenley's saucer. Boone was so excited to go for a ride on "Old Mater" with Carl Camp BeBe even braved Story Time at the Library These were just a couple of pictures they put on Facebook. I hadn't p...

 Last week my daughter took my granddaughter to her preschool open house. She was excited to see her classroom, meet her new teacher, and maybe see some friends she hasn't seen for most of the summer. At last, she spotted two of her friends. As mom was doing her thing and speaking with the other mom's the little girls were playing.                                                                                                                                 Fast forward to when I called to check and see how everything went. Carlie said Wrenley was upset because two little girls were mean to her. Evidently, they were chatting and one of the little girls looked at ...

 I'll be honest, hidden seasons are hard. We live in a world that celebrates being seen. Share the milestone. Post the accomplishment. Announce the next big thing. It's easy to feel like if no one notices us, then maybe we're not making a difference. But God doesn't work in public.                                                                                                                    Sometimes He calls us into seasons that feel quiet. The prayers seem to echo. The opportunities don't come. The dreams we thought would happen by now remain tucked away. It can feel like everyone else is moving forward while we're standing still. I've learned that standing still with God is never wasted. Th...

 If we were having coffee today, I'd probably apologize that mine has already gone cold. It seems like no matter how many times I warm it up, something--or someone--needs my attention before I get to finish it.  If we were sitting together, I'd ask how you're really doing. Not the quick "I'm fine" we give in passing, but the honest answer. Life has a way of keeping us busy enough to avoid showing down long enough to check it with ourselves.  I'd tell you this summer has been flying by. The days have been full, the temperatures have been hotter than I'd like, and somehow, we're already talking about back-to-school season. I don't know where the time goes anymore. I'd probably laugh and tell you that I always have a running list of things I should be working on, but somehow, I find myself reorganizing a drawer, reading "just one more chapter" or convincing myself that scrolling Pinterest counts as planning. Surely, I'm not the o...

 There's something about back-to-school season that always feels like a fresh start. New backpacks. Fresh notebooks. New teachers. New routines. New opportunities. As parents we spend so much time making sure our kids have everything they need for the school year. We double-check supply lists, buy new shoes, and make sure they're ready for their first day. We want them to succeed, and rightly so. But while we're preparing them academically, it's worth asking ourselves another question: Are we preparing them spiritually? Our students are growing up in a world that is louder than ever. Every day they're surrounded by voices telling them who they should be, what they should believe, and where they should find their worth. It's easy to feel like those voices are winning. That's why staying plugged-in to a youth group matters. It's more than games. More than snacks. More than a Wednesday night on the calendar.                      ...