I love a rainy day in the kitchen

There is nothing like a rainy day to inspire creativity in the Kitchen! Today I brought out an old family favorite for some cooler weather comfort and was reminded how much I love spending the day in the kitchen, sharing and laughing with my children! Today we made Chicken Enchiladas with what we call "Coleman's Favorite Rice". We took this recipe on a ski weekend with friends and, as a 5 year old, "Coleman" couldn't get enough of this side! We thought we'd share it with you because it's easy and oh, so delicious!

1 cup of uncooked rice

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 jar of your favorite salsa

2 cups chicken broth

1 can of corn

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all the ingredients together except for the cheese and bake @ 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cover with cheese and b ake until cheese is melted.

Like I said, easy and oh, so delicious! Enjoy!

Back to School Already?

Well, the Summer is unofficially over! Labor Day has come and gone and according to the Fashion Czars wearing white is no longer acceptable (even though it's still 100+ degrees here in the South!) Back to School routines have begun...some of us have been doing this for several weeks and the routines are already old. Homework, back to school clothes, quizzes, tests, projects, reports, early morning alarm clocks...we've even caught our first official back to school cold of the season! But with the routines come the fun...Friday night football games, dances, back to school clothes ;), lockers, fun with friends, TGIF and looking forward to the weekends! Let's take the good with the not so bad and enjoy the change of seasons! Looking forward to the cooler temps and the changing leaves... It's almost Fall y'all!

A Recipe for a Perfect Summer!

Wow! Is it really July 18th? I can't believe we are going back to school in just 3 weeks! We have had an amazing Summer and I don't want it to end! We've made the most of this one and it's been one of my favorites! As we do every Summer we headed off to my family's farm in Lexington, Kentucky. It amazes me how beautiful this part of the country is every time I see it. I was warned to bring a few sweaters but hearing that when it was already in the 100's here in the deep South I neglected to heed the warnings. Thankfully I was able to raid my grandmother's closet for a jacket or two when needed. The tradition is that every Summer my entire family, my parents, both sisters and our families, head to The Farm for as long as we possibly can. The Farm is the result of a dream come true for my Grandparents (they no longer live there), and it has become our annual Summer retreat. Some people go to the Hamptons, we go to The Farm! It's very Summer-Campy...lots of fishing, no tv or video games (occaisionally we'll put in a movie), tons of laughter, good food (my favorite is the Big Blue BLT!), quiet time every afternoon and every day must start with a game of SCRABBLE and end with a game of cards or the day is not complete! There is even a trophy for the grandchild who catches the biggest Bass of the trip, it's a hard fought battle each year but a healthy competition.

Returning to reality after being in a bubble for 3 to 4 weeks is very hard. Of course, with today's technology we do get bits and pieces of news and Hollywood gossip but, for the most part, we are in La La Land at The Farm. I keep asking myself when my teenage children will liken our time at The Farm to being on restriction but they haven't yet, and to be honest...I think they enjoyed this year the most. Fishing, ping-pong, long walks in the fields, board games, tire swings, water fights, popsicles, blackberry picking...even the farm work was fun! Ugh...I miss it! I'm already counting down the days until next year's trip...just 339 more days until The Farm!

Baby Shower Southern Style!

We were so honored to be included in, what we think, was the Baby Shower of the Century! A dear friend is expecting her first baby in May and her girlfriends (50 of us!) gathered to celebrate her precious blessing!

The Low Country setting was amazing but it was the love and excitement for our friend that made the day so special. As the guests arrived they were welcomed at the door and given the choice of almond tea or a mimosa...I had the mimosa, of course! It was hand delivered and served in a Silver Goblet, monogrammed... of course! As guests mingled and posed for pictures the hostesses (with the mostest, I must add. They throw the most fabulous parties) set out a buffet for queens! The centerpiece carried out the theme on the invitation of bird nests. A tiered wrought iron piece adorned with nests with eggs and bird votives made for a perfect central focus. The food...delicious! Ham biscuits, of course! A delicious salad of mandarian oranges and raman noodles with a seasoned rice wine dressing and finally, marinated shrimp that made me contemplate giving up my own first born for the recipe! (not really, but the shrimp were just that good!) The dessert...you can guess, butterscotch bird nests topped with chocolate eggs...divine! The table was simple and elegant and should totally be the cover of the next Southern Living Magazine. One single long table (that could seat 50 mind you!) with glass votives potted with wheat grass down the center (party favors!), lavender linen napkins and more Silver Goblets filled with water! The backdrop of the May River was just icing on the cake!

As the Mother-to-Be began opening the plentiful gifts it was clear that her precious daughter would not want for ruffles or bows for atleast the first 3 years of her life! Being the monogram queen that I am, I was stumped not knowing the baby's name...so we gave her a precious white frilly dress with a tag that was monogrammed with"tBa" ...to be announced! and a pair of bloomers that said "Jesus loves me". Just because the name is a secret doesn't mean we have to give up on a southern tradition...we'll monogram the dress when this precious blessing arrives.

Please check out invitations and other party accessories at http://www.confetti.getpapered.com/ and http://www.shopconfetti.com/

Enjoy life, live it to the fullest!

The New Year is always inspiring new routines, new resolutions, new ideas, and new goals...this year ours is "Enjoy life, live it to the fullest!" It really isn't a new idea for us, it's how http://www.shopconfetti.com/ got it's start. It's the details in life that make it interesting and we LOVE finding the perfect gift or accessory for every occasion. Whether it's the invitation for a party, or a hostess gift for a weekend getaway or a birthday present for that special person, we can help you find it. As we tip toe into the first few days of 2011 we are excited about the opportunities to take on life and live it to the fullest. If you're planning a party or just want to accessorize your life, let us help...because life deserves a little Confetti!

Visit us at http://www.shopconfetti.com/ today!

Wishing you a Blessed New Year!

Happy 2011! Before you undeck the halls and pack away Christmas for another year, we have a great suggestion for those beautiful Christmas cards everyone sent you. I hate throwing all those wonderful cards away so our family puts them on a ring (bought at any office supply store) and use them as a prayer ring. Every night as we pray we flip to the next family and pray for them specifically. So know if you sent us a Christmas card your family will be prayed for. We wish you all a very blessed 2011!