The Johnson's Best of Birmingham- Restaurants

This weekend our Sunday School class had a Girl's Night and Guy's Night. The guys went camping, shooting, and fishing and the ladies had a sleepover, looked at wedding pictures, and made prayer scrapbooks. It was a TON of fun.

Somewhere during the evening, we started discussing our favorite restaurants in the area. Everyone loved somewhere different and I had not heard of several of them. It was fun to get new ideas for date night or an evening with friends.

I am adding mine and Brian's favorites to this post- feel free to join the party and link up- whether you are in Birmingham or Liberia, just name the place or places and let us know what they serve!

The Johnson's Best of Birmingham- Restaurants

• Rojo- Unique Latin and American food with festive atmosphere. (The Highland's area)
• Nabeel's- Greek restaurant and grocery. Intimate setting perfect for date! (Homewood)
• Superior Grill - Tex-Mex, fun for couples or groups (Hwy. 280)
• Another Broken Egg Cafe- FABULOUS breakfast, but a little pricey. Open from 6:30- 2:00 (Mountain Brook)
• Taziki's- Casual Greek. The Friday Pasta special is TO DIE FOR. (Hwy. 280 and Hoover)
• 5 Guys- Awesome burgers and fries. (Brookwood and Hoover)
• Jim and Nick's- BBQ and awesome cheese biscuit/ muffins (Hwy. 280 and Hoover)
• Milo's- The best sweet tea anywhere. (Vestavia)

If you are around Birmingham, give one of these places a shot- I promise you won't be disappointed.

Hope in waiting

*The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.*

Lamentations 3:25 (ESV)

*Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.*

Joshua 23: 14

*My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.*

2 Cor. 12:9

*So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am you God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.*

Isa. 41:10

*Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.*

Psalm 27:14

Seeing Blue

Yesterday, Brian and I had some friends over for dinner. In the spirit of spring, I made sour cream pound cake cupcakes with baby blue buttercream frosting. I found the recipe in a magazine and thought I would give them a try.

Baking the cupcakes went on with no problem. The batter was SO yummy I wasn't sure it would make it in the cupcake tin at all. It did though. Barely.

I left them to cool overnight, then woke up the next morning to frost them. It was a holy mess. I had blue icing all over the kitchen and all over me. Once I got the icing on the cupcakes, it proceeded to run, so I also had it all over the plate and all over the refrigerator. It was kind of funny in that blue, messy sort of way.

Once they had been in the fridge for awhile, they were perfect! They weren't messy at all and tasted *heavenly.* But man, through the process, I was seeing blue.

The recipe for the cupcakes and icing are here. Despite the messiness, they were delicious. Enjoy!

Have a blessed weekend my friends!

PS- Brian and I are the proud owners of a new dining room table. It's realllllly pretty. And dresses up our living/ dining room area very nicely. Look for pictures soon!

Table changes

Isn't she lovely?

Brian and I have been in love with this table from World Market since we saw it sitting in our friend's house over a year ago. It has PLENTY of room for guests or family, matches our furniture perfectly, and has a bench (Brian has decided all good tables need a bench- who am I to argue?) On top of all that, it has a leaf that can be removed for a more modest size. Simply the perfect table.

The table was a dream. A hope for the future. A piece we would buy for a bigger house.

Then we had 9 adults over for dinner for my mom's birthday in February. I looked at Brian in the process of setting up the tables (which were hilter skilter because our normal table was tooooo small) and said- "Want to go buy that World Market table today before the party?" He obviously said no to my rash, stressed, and sleep deprived question and the party went on without a hitch.

But the table stood firm in my head as an excellent piece to sit a room full of adults for dinner. Or a bench full of children in the future.

This week it is on sale.

It's a lot harder to turn it down when it is on sale.

We are still discussing it, but it just might become a part of our home.

Dinner anyone?

Who doesn't love chicken and cheese?

Tonight, I used a scrumptious dinner recipe I found on Kraft.com. I *love* that website! It has recipes for every mood- healthy, cheap, quick, etc. This chicken with tomatoes and feta was the perfect healthy meal to finish our day, plus it was SUPER easy, which never hurts! I had to make some changes from the original recipe because Publix didn't have exactly what it called for, but it still turned out great.

*

Chicken with Tomatoes and Feta*

*Adaption of Kraft recipe

1 T. olive oil

6 thin chicken strips

1/2 onion, chopped

1 can Italian style diced tomatoes (undrained)

1/4 c. olive oil vinaigrette

1/2 thinly sliced lemon

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese

Sautee onions and chicken in olive oil until chicken is cooked fully. Remove chicken and keep warm.

Add tomatoes, dressing, garlic, and lemon to the skillet. Heat thoroughly.

Return chicken to the skillet and stir until chicken is completely heated.

Top with feta cheese and enjoy!

*

We had this on top of rice, but Kraft.com said it is also good over penne pasta. It had a bit of a spaghetti feel without being Italian- soo good. It made enough for about 4 people.

Have a fabulous Thursday night!

Life is Grand..

Spring Break has been fabulous thus far.

Brian and I are finishing our stay at the Marriott Grand in Point Clear, AL. It has been glorious and relaxing. We haven't had a schedule for 5 days. We have slept late, read ALOT (well, one of us has), watched 3 beautiful sunsets, and kind of done a lot of nothing.

We are heading home today, but are well rested and ready to face the world! Or at least University of South Alabama and UAB.

Have I mentioned how much I love Spring Break?

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

And the winner is...

Using Random.org's number generator, the winner of my earrings and ponytail holder giveaway is #2- Sonya at A Day in the Life of Sonya!

Sonya, I will email you to get your information so I can send you your earrings and made-to-order ponytail holder!

Thanks to everyone who entered and who has followed us through the past 100 posts! I look forward to many more!

Have a blessed and wonderful week my friends!

Spring Break 2010

I heart Spring Break.

9 days of glorious freedom.

:)

Don't forget to sign up for my giveaway here! I am drawing a winner on Monday.

Happy Weekend everyone!!! I hope it is beautiful and Spring-like!

100th Post and a Giveaway!

Happy 100th Post!

As a

for reading, I am featuring my first giveaway!

As I have mentioned before, I love crafts and DIY projects. I recently made some button ponytail holders that have recieved so many compliments, I thought I would share the love. For this giveaway, I am choosing one reader to recieve a ponytail holder covered with the fabric of their choice (see examples below) and two pairs of button earrings.

To enter, leave a comment stating your name, an address to your blog or email address (so I can contact the winner!), and the number fabric you like the best. For an additional entry, become a follower, then leave a second comment. I would love to read about you and become bloggy friends!

I will draw a winner on Monday, March 15th!
Thanks again for reading and good luck!

Have a blessed week my friends!

2010 Writer's Festival

Each year my school puts on a writer's festival where they work with two other schools in the system to get popular children's book writers to come and speak to the students. This is the week and I am loving it. This year's authors are Gordon Korman, Stephanie Greene, and Matt Faulkner.

Gordan Korman spoke yesterday. He wrote books like Swindle, Zoobreak, Liar Liar Pants on Fire, and the second book in the 39 Clues series, One False Note. He gave fabulous insight into the importance of researching information as you write. The students enjoyed hearing from him and the book sale/ signing after school was packed.

Today, I had the opportunity to have lunch with the second author, Stephanie Greene. She was delightful! She was truly interested in knowing what students, teachers, and librarians wanted in books and had an incredible knowledge of other book authors. I was intrigued by her point of view. Stephanie writes the Owen Foote series, the Sophie Hartley series, as well as several other books. She was particularly good because her books are on my students level- she was great!

Images from Amazon.com

Tomorrow is the last day of the festival. Author and illustrator Matt Faulkner is coming to speak to the students. He is probably the author I am most excited about. He illustrated the book The Monster Who Ate My Peas which has quickly become one of my top 2 favorite picture books (next to Click Clack Moo). He also wrote and illustrated a picture book about two children's innocence during the Civil Rights movement called A Taste of Colored Water. I am anxious to hear what he shares and see some of his work in person.

Because of my internship, I have helped with the process of setting this festival up over the past couple of weeks. It has been so cool to see it come together and to see the children enjoy it. As one mother said, it's letting the students see authors as real people and opening their eyes to the possibility that they could do it too. I am blessed to be in a system that is able to organize and create this opportunity. It also has me racking my brain for a way to raise money to do something similar in my own library one day. But that is another bird to chase....

Happy Hump Day everyone! I hope you are having a great week!

7 years and counting...

Today is a super special day for me... it was the day I met one of my favorite people on the planet, Rebecca. Rebecca and I met at flag tryouts for our freshman year at Auburn. We talked throughout the tryouts and really got along well. We both made the line and thus began a friendship that has truly had a major impact on my life and who I am.

We celebrate our anniversary every year, once going so far as to meet to hang out half way between Birmingham and Phenix City. We have officially been friends for seven years. I'm thankful for Rebecca and her friendship. I truly don't know what I would do without her.

After being bridesmaids in each others weddings, she recently found out that she is going to be a Mommy! It's incredible what God does in our lives over the course of 7 years- He is good and Sovereign!

Rebecca, I love you friend! Happy anniversary!