The Bright Eyed Brunette

 The calendar says fall is on its way, and the weather man says we are getting some cooler temperatures. There is no better time to share a few of my favorite soup recipes! Is there anything better than a pot of soup simmering on the stove, something warm baking in the oven to go with it, and everybody wandering through the kitchen asking, "When are we eating?" Bring on the comfort foods! BeBe's Creamy Potato Soup I found this recipe on TikTok several years ago and it is a family staple in the cooler months. Ingredients: 1 bag of Great Value Southern Potatoes 1 container of Great Value Chicken Broth 1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup 1 bag of Oscar Meyer Bacon Bits 1 block of Great Value Cream Cheese To cook, place your bag of potatoes, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup and 1/2 bag of bacon bits into a crock pot. add salt and pepper to taste. Top with your cream cheese. You can cut the cream cheese into chunks or place the whole block and then break apart as it melts. Cove...

 Happy Monday, friends! It's been a while since I have blogged. Last week just kind of got away from me and I guess I needed a break more than I realized!  We had Grandparent's Day last week at Wrenley's school. Nanny was sick and Pop was at a sales meeting out of state, but BeBe, Pappy, JoJo, and Papa were there! I know we are all proud to be the grandparents of Wrenley and Wesley (he is at the say school, just in daycare).  Wrenley was acting shy :) Earlier in the week, Carl, Trey and I went to the river to check on the houseboat. Trey took his boat and Carl and I took the jet boat. We have only had it out a handful of times over the summer. Pink Skies are beautiful Sittin' pretty We waited a little late to come in, because nobody wanted to leave! Loading a boat in the dark is not fun though. Even though it feels like July outside, my guys are getting buck fever! We have been feeding and watching them for weeks now! While Carl has been busy with bean harvest, Trey inv...

 Wow! I cannot believe I just wrote that title. Twenty-one years have just flown by! I always tell the same story of how scared I was in the moments after Trey was born. He was completely blue and they had a hard time getting him to take his first breath. And he has yet to stop giving me mini heart attacks!  Cutest little lion ever! Who could resist that cheesy smile?! He also loved to be anywhere his daddy was :) He loved to "play" the guitar and sing then just like he does now! Happy 21st Birthday, Trey! You have had my heart since you (finally) took that first breath. I pray that this is a great year for you and that all of your wishes come true! Much Love, Beth (Mom)

Ya'll...I want it to be fall so bad! Unfortunately, it is still over 100 degrees outside. We are literally melting over here. Better set out those fall candles so it can at least smell like fall! According to my house, we have officially entered fall. There are pumpkins on the mantel, warm colors are making their way back into the rooms, and I'm fully prepared for cozy evenings. According to the thermometer? Absolutely not. But I've decided I don't need Mother Nature's permission to start entering fall. Let's face it, if I waited for actual sweater weather around here, I might be decorating for Christmas before I ever got to wear one! So, the pumpkins are coming out anyway! I've been adding rusts, oranges, browns, and deeper greens. A few pumpkins here, some fall leaves there, and a cozy throw tossed on the couch. Now am I actually using that throw? No. It is 100 degrees. That thing is strictly decorative at this point. But I am enjoying looking at it! And t...

 Apparently, I have been out of high school for 30 years. I don't really know who approved this, but I have questions. Because 1996 doesn't not feel like it was thirty years ago. Twenty? Maybe. Fifteen if we're being generous. But thirty? Absolutely not.                                                                                                                                            And yet, here we are. The Class of 1996 has officially reached that point where we can say things like, "Back when I was in high school..." and actually be talking about three decades ago. That's slightly disturbing. We really did grow up in a differen...

 "The joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10 I've heard that verse for as long as I can remember. It's one of those verses we put on coffee mugs and wall signs. We quote it when someone is going through a hard time. We sing songs about it in church.  But lately, I've been thinking about what it actually means. Because if I'm being truthful, there are days when I don't feel particularly joyful. There are days when I'm tired. Days when I'm frustrated with people. Days when something is weighing heavily on my mind. Days when I'm worried about my family, disappointed by circumstances, or simply worn down by everyday life. But the Scripture doesn't say, "The joy of the Lord is your strength...when everything is going well."          It simply says: The joy of the Lord is your strength. Maybe we've confused joy with happiness. Happiness tends to depend on what is happening around us.    A good day makes us happy.      ...