2010 August — A Southern Fairytale

Happy Birthday, Rachel ~ A Guest Post By Her Dad

Today, is my birthday and I’m 32 years old!
Today, I’m on a beach getting a sand pedicure and camping with my family and one of my closest friends.
Today, I’m honored to share with y’all a post from my Daddy, his very first ever.
Today, I’m not ashamed to tell y’all that I cried when I read this.
Happy Birthday, to me.
Happy Birth Day to my Mama.
I love y’all!
Take it away Dad, (aka: The Grand Old Banjoist)
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Monday, 8/7/1978, Tuesday, 11/18/2003, Monday, 11/6/1950, Thursday, 8/20/1914,
Saturday, 4/18/1920, Monday, 2/5/1931

This is not a quiz; these are not dates you have to learn in World or US History. They are very important dates because they are the birth dates of the amazing women of my life.
My Mother – Mary Lou, who taught me story telling requires knowledge of the history of at least three generations of the people involved. (Southern insider humor)
My Step Mom – Fannie, who came into my life after my mother died and gave my father an additional dozen or so years of happiness and life. (thank you is simply inadequate)
My Mother-in-law, Mary Cecil, who has adopted me, loved me, helped me and most of all allowed me to marry her daughter. (I pray for your peace every night)
My Wife – Becky, the greatest gift I have ever been given and I look forward each day to see her new found enthusiasm.
My Granddaughter – Pretty Princess in Pink, who shows me every day that boundless Love, Joy and Happiness, exists in this world if we only look through the eyes of a child who is loved.
And finally, the real subject of this posting,
My Daughter- Rachel. Happy Birthday! While you may be 32 years old, my mind and heart still sees you as 5 minutes old, then 5, 10, 16, and 22 years old. I get to see glimpses of you whenever I see Princess. I now understand why grandparents so love their grandchildren. I get to spend time with a reflection of my daughter but this time without any hang-ups of being “THE FATHER”. I am so very proud of all that you have accomplished and all you take on. Most of all my heart is filled with joy that you have chosen to spend this far too short a time staying home with your children. As Dee said many times, you will have plenty of time to keep a straight house and an immaculate lawn AFTER they are grown. Thank you for seeing the wisdom in his story. I look forward to watching the day to day story of my daughter’s life.
I Love you, I am very proud of the woman that you are and I am grateful that Nate came along. If he hadn’t I would probably have had to shoot several guys who didn’t measure up. Even here in the south that might have gotten me in trouble.
You certainly hold your own as a member of the amazing women in my life and I am much better for it.

Handmade Holidays Thank You

I want to say a HUGE Thank You to the amazing ladies who contributed to the Deliciously Edible Baking Part of the Handmade Holidays Christmas in July Extravaganza!

As a SUPER bonus (like 13 AMAZING homemade holiday gift recipes weren’t enough) the amazing ladies of Eighteen25 made these GORGEOUS From The Kitchen Of Labels for us, y’all, me, them. US! Please make sure to drop by their blog and thank them and be prepared because I’m tellin’ y’all, you’re going to fall completely head over flip flops in love with them!

Downloadable PDF

Bridget kicked it off with these unbelievably easy and beautiful Christmas Light Sugar Cookie Decorating Tutorial

Karly made these mouthwatering and extremely drool-worthy Sugar and Spice Candied Nuts

Amanda showed us how to make these insanely gorgeous and super easy No Bake Petit Fours!

I don’t know that Katie’s Homemade Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows would ever make it out of my kitchen.

Jennifer’s Sweet Potato Cookies have me looking at vegetables in a whole new and quite delicious light!

Tina, one of my new FAVORITE finds, submitted these insanely gorgeous and delicious sounding Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies

Cheryl took a much loved chocolate-y salty treat to a whole new level with her brilliant and drool-worthy Chocolate Caramel Dipped Pretzel Rods

My friend Heather, shared her famous Peppermint Bark Recipe with us and I think several people hurt themselves licking their screens

The extremely talented and savvy trio of lovely ladies at How Does She submitted these crazy delicious Chocolate Mint Cookies and I am now digging through my pantry trying to find candy canes.

This blueberry zucchini bread from Jamie, is in a word. Tonguegasmic

Shaina’s chocolate dipped shortbread recipe takes a traditional holiday dessert that might normally get passed over and turns it into the cookie that everyone will fight over

Liz makes the most beautiful and creative cupcakes that I’ve ever seen. She totally surprised and floored me by offering up theses Homemade Peanut Butter cups and now, I’m convinced there’s no dessert this woman can’t conquer.

Kate and Sarah’s blog Our Best Bites is beyond appropriately named and I can’t even tell y’all the grin that spread across my face when I saw that they were sharing one of my favorite super easy and delicious recipes, Chocolate Caramel Rollo Pretzel Turtles

Ladies, thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank y’all for sharing your time, your great talents and your passion with us. I am honored and deeply grateful.

Cindy and Kelly, thank y’all for including me and my readers in this amazingly delicious and inspiring journey.

Don’t forget; y’all can find all of the Handmade Holiday Gift Ideas Here

I cannot for the life of me figure out the formatting to make everything line up correctly. I’m a cook and a photographer y’all, not a tech/html/code person Sorry, y’all. Seriously, if anyone can help me, I’ll be so grateful. Visually, it’s driving me bonkers!