They say it's my Birthday!

Okay so I didn't get to post last night 

because I was entirely too tired and wanted 

to talk to Brad while my eyes would still stay open.

I'm

27!

Was NOT exactly looking forward to that. 

I do NOT feel like I'm 27, but regardless I am. 

We slept in yesterday morning which is totally my style! 

My hubby sent me a birthday video:
be prepared. he's a total boy. No clue why I look like a hooker though.

Then I headed to the salon:

Embellish Salon and Spa in Knoxville, TN.

Amy Swank: Owner/stylist/bestie

I started out with no make-up and hair in a bun.

I already had the feathers, but they got moved so they would be more visable. 

Then onto the outlets with my mother in law and and niece...

and here is my loot:

Okay excuse my messy hair, but I can't wash it until tonight!

MICHAEL!!!

My very first Michael Kors bag! I LOVE!!!

And a little closet therapy....

J.Crew 

No clue why my cell phone is taking such poor quality photos lately, but I oh well. 

All in all it was a great day!  

I'm so thankful for every single blessing. Most importantly God chose July 5th to be my birthday which makes it special regardless of how I celebrate or who with. 

I so appreciate all of the wonderful birthday wishes!

xoxo
Court

Gour-Make It Monday - Cookie Bars

 Today my super talented, equally sweet, friend Toni Jill is guest posting.

Enjoy.

 

Hi Friends!  

 My name is Toni Jill Cox and I am super excited to be guest posting for Ms. Courtney today!  I am a licensed teacher who has been out of teaching in the public schools for 5 years, having and raising my babies!  

 

I have a 5 year old Molly and 4 year old twin boys named Cooper and Brody!  I have been married to my sweet hubby Chad for 9 years this month and he teaches school and coaches football and track! 

 

Ok, that's enough about me - on to my favorite, super-easy dessert recipe:  

 

Cookie Bars!  

  Let's get started!

 

                                                                       You will need: 

 

One box yellow cake mix, 

2 eggs, 

1/2 cup oil, 

1/2 bag of chocolate morsels

                           (or whatever you have in your cabinet - semi sweet morsels are good too)

                                                       and butter spray for your 9x13 pan!

 

Next, spray your 9x13 pan and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

 

                             Then, mix your cake mix, 1/2 cup oil and 2 eggs until well blended 

 

and add your chocolate chips!  At this point, if you have a CRAZY NEED to eat some cookie batter, please go ahead (my hubby teases me that I only make the cookie bars to eat the batter and well, he's pretty much right!).

 

 Now, Bake your cookie bars at 350 for about 20 minutes or so depending on how hot your oven gets.  I like to take mine out when the edges are just starting to turn golden brown.

 

Finally, Cut your bars, pour a glass of milk, grab your favorite book and enjoy your cookies!!

 

Thanks Courtney for having me and I hope to be back soon with a sewing tutorial!  Please visit my blog sometime and say hello at www.thecoxclanof5.blogspot.com

 

 You can also find Toni Jill on Facebook at MCBs Bows and Pillowcase Dresses. 

She will also be a vendor on July 9th at Kitts Market at Kitts Cafe.

 

xoxo

Court

Overload

Hi!

Yes, I'm still here. 

I know it's been a good bit since I've posted. 

I would apologize, but I think it's better I just explain myself. 

I was in overload.

You see, sometimes I have to live for extended periods of time without my hubby.

He's not military, but he is gone enough that often people ask me if he is. 

Over the past year and a half though, we were blessed enough to hardly fly with the job we had and then we got laid off which kept Daddy home every single day!

Not working and being laid off a blessing you say?

Well, yes. 

Have you ever had a 6 month period of time where your husband had 

no other priorities but you and your kids. 

Oh money is stressful for sure, and not knowing what, if anything, was coming was hard,

but having him here every day was priceless. 

A gift my children don't even realize they were getting. 

Anyway back to overloaded me. 

My goals are like this:

Monday: work on Evelyn's Closet orders

Tuseday: Zoo or something fun with my kids

Wednesday: Evelyn's Closet

Thursday-Saturday: more fun with my kids

Sunday: Church

Seems easy enough right? 

Except it isn't always. 

Somewhere in there I try to make the time to read my Bible.

It's a priority that I want to be more like eating..I know I have to do it to survive.

That mostly happens at about midnight every night and I 

am so interested in what I'm learning that I stay up way more than 30mins to an hour.

Then I'm tired. 

Kids wait for no man! Absolutely no rest for the tired momma if Evelyn Claire is awake! 

Then there is this super blog! 

I LOVE my blog!

But, it's a bit time consuming when you first start out. 

I found out fast that I needed to link to my facebook often. I needed a Twitter. 

That lead me to other amazing blogs that I wanted to read and learn from. 

I cut out TV altogether. 

Thought it would be hard, but it wasn't AT ALL. I don't even miss it. 

But the computer is much harder to put down. 

I need to be on here to get my orders, but I need to be working on orders to maintain timely deliveries. 

I need to be sure that I don't use the words

"Not right now baby, mommy is working" 

because this business is just a side item. This includes not saying that I'm too busy blogging either. 

My hubby works so I can stay home and our amazing family

who has taken care of us through all of our job issues does so, that I may stay home

and raise our babies. They are VERY FIRST! 

So a little over a month ago I posted about B having some emergency surgery. 

From then on it was chaos. He left, A got sick, E got sick, E got hurt. They don't even make me 

officially sign in at the ER anymore. I just initial in 3 places. 

I probably should have written a post about how I needed a break, but there was no time.

I just stopped. 

Everything computer related. 

No blog. No Twitter. Just kiddos. Some minor Evelyn's Closet when they were sleeping. 

More Bible time. 

VBS.

Hubby home. 

Now I think I'm ready to be back. 

Can you forgive me for abandoning all forms of communication?

I thought you might! 

Next week will be great! 

Furniture tutorial. 

Guest Gour-Make It Monday from my super sweet friend Toni Jill!

I'll "Pour out what's on my heart" as usual, and I really hope you aren't on 

overload so you can pop by and visit me. 

Goodbye Overload....until next time. 

I'm a mother..I know "overlaod" will be back! 

xoxo

Courtney

Pouring out what's "On My Heart" - Real ABCs

 Sorry for being on a bit of a break from the blog.
My little man is sick this week, and 1 visit to the ER later,
we're just spending a lot of time cuddling and getting well.
So a little early, but here is my Friday post:


I did a post a few weeks ago about the ABC's of Me.

While everything I wrote was factual, it didn't 

really sit well with me. It felt formal. 

Who cares what size my bed is, 

or what my first pet's name was? 

There is a LOT more to me that those things. 

I'm really this girl:

No photos. You'll see why...

I'm working on it.

I'm incredibly insecure. 

Yes. I have a blog and I share some deep stuff.

P.s. I'm sitting behind my laptop.

I'm in control of my camera. 

You only see shots of me where my nose doesn't look too, well like my nose. 

You only see me on days were I like my clothes. 

Most days I'm in sweats. I have 2 small kids ppl. Lets be real.

I am fantastic at sharing emotion. If it's possible to be "too honest"

then I've got that covered. 

What you might not know is I have always 

been completely down on my looks.

Specifically, my nose. 

Would you believe people have said that they don't like me because of my nose?!!

What does a nose have to do with my personality?

I also don't favor my teeth. They are just outright not good teeth.

I actually had a part of my tooth fall off while preggers with A. 

I want them to be all brand new teeth, but I'm a nervous 

wreck that I won't like them. Same with my nose.

(I can't afford either, and I'm trying to not care so much)

I'm flat chested. 

Most days I don't care, but some days I want to be SURE

that my husband isn't disappointed by that.

I'm super slim, but not toned. 

I hate that because people think I'm this super healthy 

chick and I'M NOT! I eat junk ALL THE TIME!

I was never happy single. 

I had NO clue how to be who I wanted to be. 

I always wanted a husband and a family. 

I don't feel like I've missed out on a single thing during my 20s 

because of marriage and kids.

I met my husband on the internet!

Yup. He is a pilot, and I was a flight attendant.

But, we didn't know one another. 

GASP! I know. But this year is our 5yr anniversary.

We had both dated and didn't want to search for people in the typical dating scene anymore.

We both wanted to get married and start a family ASAP. 

We did. We're happy!

We will probably have more kids. 

Be fine with or be shocked, but unless your God you can't control it. Sorry.

but not really sorry at all. 

My kids are the most precious blessing of my life,

and just one more way that God reminds me that he made me on purpose

and he loves me enough to fill the holes in my heart.

When I'm down I have a handful of people that I know will pick me up. 

I'm thankful for that more than anybody knows.

In elementary school there was a club of girls called:

"The I hate Courtney Club". 

No idea why they hated me. We were nine.

But, God has given me friends who are thicker than 

the thickest family and I'm so thankful for that. 

Three blog friends of mine 

have been a huge inspiration. 

They have shown me that I have my own story.

To share, to write, to let God dictate.

Their buttons are to the right of this post:

Storing Up Treasures

Casey Wiegand

and 

Little Ms Momma. 

Thanks for letting me share the real parts of 

ME.

xoxo

Courtney

Linking up with Casey

Pouring out what's "On My Heart" : When you're almost TWO

What's on my heart this week is my almost two year old little girl
Evelyn Claire

When you're a little girl and you're almost two,

your mommy will begin to think. 

She'll remember all of the wonderful things you have shared with her in just two short years. 

She'll dream of all of the times you will share over your beautiful life. 

She'll smile and laugh a little to herself because,

When you're almost two:

Mommy spends time every evening filling up your jewelry box. 

Beads, Coach tags (good taste sweetheart), 

cell phones (because every girl needs multiple phones),

your little ipod, cash, watches, and a magic wand.

I think about how I hope these things fill you with imagination.

I LOVE how girl you are. 

I also very much love your:

love for "coloring". When you are almost two, you're quite the artist.

You don't know this, but most girls your age don't get ink pens. 

You get them because you eat crayons. Like candy. Without fail, every time you get one.

So I give you the pens and spend the last few minutes before your

almost two year old head hits the pillow, wiping you down to remove the ink. 

Every night. With a smile. 

When you're almost two your mommy still makes sure

that your crib is perfect before you get into it, 

even though you'll just terrorize it in the night.

I know full well that you like more than one paci, 

and if baby doll isn't there, we're going to have some tears. 

The other two lovies are from your uncles, and you never loved 

animal toys until the week kitty and piglet came into your life.

When you're almost two  you don't know that THIS:

Is an example of how much I love you and your bubba.

That THESE:

are books you will cherish your entire life because I read them to you often, 

and you will probably read them to your kids one day.

I know you don't understand that I buy the expensive milk because:

it makes your brain smarter! 

You probably think Daddy and I are crazy when we get down on all fours frantically searching for this:

And though I said I'd NEVER buy character clothes...

I took pleasure in buying you this outfit and you love it so much that you hug it before we put it on.

When you're almost two you don't realize that your fun

is God's way of growing Mommy, and curbing Daddy's OCD about messes. 

We never knew how much we'd invest in this:

When you're almost two, the one thing you DO know more than anything....

Is that we love you more each and every day. 

We are so blessed to have our lives forever changed because of your almost two 

precious years. 

I want you to know that:

and I think you do because I sing it to you EVERY NIGHT...at least three times. 

This is you...

At "almost" TWO! 

xoxo
Mommy (Courtney)

p.s. This is a link up I do with Casey Wiegand.
You can find more about her by clicking on her
adorable photo:

Willing Wednesday - Fruit

Been thinking a lot on on the Proverbs 31 woman. 

She works hard. She rises before her children, and rests long after their heads have hit the pillow. 

Her husband sees her just as any woman desires to be viewed. She is valued. 

She uses her talents and has a bank account. She is generous. 

I think her goodness is largely in part to the fruit she bears. 

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control..

I featured some of my friends in the photo because they 

represent a time when attempting to be like Mrs. 31 came easy for me. 

I was so eager to give love. To bring peace and joy. Patience and kindness came so naturally. 

The motivation for goodness was abounding by overwhelming faithfulness from the most gentle friends. Self control is always easy in mixed company among mothers isn't it?

It was real. It was so EASY. 

I accomplished a LOT. 

After having to leave that comfortable environment I realized that receiving the fruits of others depends on the fruits I produce. 

Love, joy, kindness, faithfulness, goodness, generosity...those come so easy for me on a regular basis.

Peace, patience, gentleness, and self control aren't always a piece of cake. 

I give in when provoked too easily. When I am hurt I don't handle it gently. I'm impatient with mediocrity,lying,selfishness. I have a hard time finding peace among life's stresses from time to time.

So, what about it?

Today I will willingly take the time to produce fruit that is worth sharing.

I will do my best to be like Mrs. 31 and take each moment as an opportunity to do "one better". 

I think it will be so much easier to model after her when I focus not on her deeds, but the fact that her fruit is given fresh in all areas. It isn't siting around getting stale. 

Nobody wants someone's stale fruit. 

Shine your light and let the whole world see! 

Focus less on the fruits of your physical labor, and more on the fruits of the Spirit. 

Let the Spirit compel you forward and produce a lovely, peaceful, Mrs. 31.

"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control."
Galatians 5:22-23    

Happy Wednesday

xoxo

Courtney

Gour-Make It Monday - Strawberry Cream Puff

Summer is the perfect time for recipes that are cool to the tongue. 

It is also the season of strawberry recipes. 

Here is one that my family uses often and there are never any left-overs. 

Strawberry Cream Puff

 

Head out to the store for:

Puff: 6 Tablespoons of margarine

3/4 cups of water

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

3 eggs

Filling: 31/8-oz. pkg. Vanilla Pudding & pie filling

 11/2 cup milk

2 tsp. grated orange peel (I did not use this part)

1/2 cup whipping cream (whipped) OR 

frozen whipped topping thawed.

(Whip your own. Trust me. Whip it THICK)

1 pint (2 cups) fresh strawberries sliced. 

To begin preheat your oven to 400.

Grease your cookie sheet. 

Go ahead and get your water, margarine, flour, and salt measured out. Also go ahead and crack your eggs. (you will need to add them in one at a time, but you can still crack them into the same bowl)

My salt is sitting on top of my flour!

 In a medium saucepan (or large if you're messy) bring your butter and water to a boil over medium heat. 

 

Stir in flour and salt. 

Continue cooking, stirring constantly until the mixture is into a ball and leaves the sides of the pan smooth:

 Remove from heat and begin to vigorously stir in eggs one at a time. 

 It will separate again and look all wrong, but it's right. 

When all of the eggs are mixed in it will look like this:

Now you will spoon mixture onto greased cookie sheet into an 8 inch ring made of ...well essentially they are blobs. See...

 

Bake this for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown. Mine took exactly 40 minutes. 

When it comes out, prick it with a knife. (this has to do with the puff allowing you to fill it.) 

While that is baking....

Go back to your filling ingredients.

In another medium (large for me) saucepan

mix 11/2 cup of milk with your pudding mix and orange peel if you used it.

Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly.

(Have you made pudding before? If so then you know what you're looking for.)

Boil 1 minute and remove from heat. 

Cool 1 hour. 

Fold whipped cream into cooled pudding. 

 

Slice your strawberries: 

I used the tips for my son's lunch tomorrow. Don't waste strawberry parts folks! :)

Now you can slice your puff in half on your most beautiful cake plate or platter. Take off the top carefully and lay it aside. 

 

Spoon the filling mixture onto the base of the puff.

 

Add your strawberries.

 Put the top back on....

And share this with someone! 

Or do what I'm going to do and eat it all yourself! 

 

Happy "Gour-Make It Monday"

xoxo

Courtney

Meet Sissy - Giveaway

Since I am a self starter with Evelyn's Closet, I LOVE to meet other self starters working their little tails off to make what they love and make it well. Like Sissy...

She makes something yummy. Something natural. 

She makes....

 

Sissy's Soap

"Spa products including bath soaks,

sugar scrubs, lotions, homemade soaps 

and custom gift baskets."

This one is "Oats-n-Honey In Goat's Milk. Sounds amazing!

And I'm dying to try this one...Starbucks & Vanilla!

Are you drooling over that as much as I am?

 

 I had the pleasure of meeting her today, and she was generous enough to give me TWO bars of her soap. One for me to try 

and one for you to WIN!

Her soaps come in a wide variety of shape, color, and flavor.

(can I say flavor?..because these things sound so great they are almost tasty!!)

 Sissy can cater to your custom color or design to match your bathroom, kitchen, gift giving needs, etc. She also makes way more than just your traditional bar of soap.

Yes, that is a chocolate bath soak!!!!

single soap rose petals! Would be perfect in a foot bath.

Here is her description of her products. 

 

"Most soaps are made with goats milk & shea butter, others in avocado cucumber or olive oil including herbs and natural additives.
Shea lotions in a variety of fragrances
Sugar scrubs with all natural products including Vitamin E (a natural preservative)
Bath soaks combine old healing remedies and new age. Available with herbs or fragrance."

 

Now, most of us are ladies here, and I know there isn't a girl around who doesn't like great soap. It has to smell right, feel right, be right. 

I am beyond picky with my "products" so I will tell you first hand that I couldn't wait to get home to try mine. My entire purse smells amazing from carrying it around. 

And since Sissy was so kind to give me two... I'll give one to YOU!

A bar of Honeysuckle soap- perfect for Summer

All you have to do is "like" Sissy'sSoap

Facebook Page

and come back to comment telling me you've done so. 

 Sissy will be joining me as a featured vendor at 

Kitt's Market in Knoxville, TN on 

June 4th at Kitt's Cafe. 

You can also find her on @ her online shop:

Here

xoxo

Courtney