05 December 2013

December 2013 Visiting Teaching Handout


Sorry I'm late in getting this up... I can't believe it's already the 5th of December. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving...I am getting ready to go to Germany and things have been crazy, as the Holiday Season always is!! This month's message is "The Divine Mission of Jesus Christ: The Only Begotten Son." HERE is the link for the handout!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!!
Hopefully I will have some fabulous photos of Europe to share when I get back!
Love, 
Nicole

06 November 2013

Barton Avenue: Photography

Watch out world! I've got a new hobby!!! I got an early Christmas present this year from my amazing in-laws...a brand new Nikon D3200 DSLR camera. I can hardly believe it. I have been SO excited to practice with it and I was lucky enough to go visit my family this last weekend! So say hello to my adorable sister. Isn't she gorgeous??




01 November 2013

NOVEMBER 2013 Visiting Teaching Message

Okay, so there is not a specifically designated visiting teaching message for this month, which means that it is up to all of YOU to choose a message from the conference talks that were given at General Conference last month... (Click) HERE, I have linked the interactive list of conference talks on the Church's website! GET INSPIRED.

My personal favorite was President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk titled: "Come Join With Us".  It was so positive and uplifting! Here is a little poster that I made with my favorite quote from this talk:
Have a fabulous weekend!


13 October 2013

Yummy Apple Pie Recipe



Hey ya'll! It's Fall and that means PIE. Lots and lots of pie...oh and don't forget the homemade whip cream! My friend and I made lattice apple pies from scratch yesterday. Can I just say that we had WAY too much fun...Thanks to Tenery for being such a beautiful pie model!








Let me tell you, these pies turn out GORGEOUS!

Here's the recipe we used: 

LATTICE APPLE PIE

BASIC PIE CRUST DOUGH:

2 1/2 C. All-Pourpose Flour       3/4 tsp. Salt
1 TB. Sugar          3/4 C. Shortening
8-10 TB. Ice cold water

*2-3 TB. milk (or heavy whipping cream) & 1 TB sugar (to brush on top crust) 

1. Combine flour, salt and sugar in mixing bowl. 2. gently cut in shortening with pastry blender until pea sized balls form. 3. Sprinkle 6 TB ice cold water into mixture, gently mixing until dough is evenly moistened. If its still too crumbly, add a little more water. (we used about 10 TB.) 4. Divide dough in half and gently gather into two slightly flattened pieces. Wrap in plastic wrap until filling is ready.

APPLE FILLING:

7 tart baking apples, prepared: peeled, cored, and thinly sliced.
3/4 C. lightly packed brown sugar                     2 T. all-pourpose flour
1/4 tsp. nutmeg                  1/2 tsp. cinnamon (we added a couple dashes extra!)
1/8 tsp. salt

1. In mixing bowl combine together brown sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.
2. Add prepared apples to the cinnamon mixture and mix until apples are well coated.
3. Let sit while you prepare your crust.

BOTTOM CRUST:
On lightly floured surface, roll one ball of dough from center to edges to form a 12" circle. Carefully roll dough around your rolling pin to place in 9" pie dish. Press gently into corners of the dish. Trim edges of dough to edge of pie plate.

PREHEAT OVEN to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Carefully pour apple cinnamon mixture into bottom crust.

LATTICE TOP CRUST

On lightly floured surface, roll one ball of dough from center to edges to form a 14" circle. Use a pizza cutter to cut dough into 1" strips. Starting from the center of the pie lay strips over filling to make woven pattern (see the photo at top of post). trim strips so that only about 1/2" hangs over edge of pie, tuck the strip edges under the bottom crust and firmly flute around the entire pie with fork.

*Brush milk (or heavy cream) over top crust and sprinkle with sugar.
Gently mold a strip of tinfoil around the edges of your pie to prevent the crust from burning.

BAKE for 35 minutes. Then remove tinfoil from around the pie, and place a simple circle of tinfoil over the middle of the pie and BAKE for another 15-20 minutes.

ENJOY your pie with a large bowl of homemade whip cream! OR ice cream, which ever your heart desires.

01 October 2013

October 2013 Visiting Teaching Message

Hello! and Happy October. I am so glad that the weather is cooling off. I love getting my sweaters and boots out! Cuddling with a blanket, hot cocoa, and reading a good book--one of my favorite things in the whole entire world...
(speaking of good books, I have a whole list of them to share! But that's for later.) 
Anyhow... Click HERE for the link to this month's Visiting Teaching Handout. I love this month's message. The Divine Mission of Jesus Christ: Creator


24 September 2013

"You are Simply the Best"


This is such a versatile treat. I mean seriously. I made this for Visiting Teaching this month, and it turned out so cute. HERE is the link to download the tags.  Make someone smile today :)

04 September 2013

College Football Season has begun.


photo credit: http://www.sportsgeekery.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/alabamawp4sm.jpg

ROLL TIDE!


this photo is courtesy of pinterest.com

01 September 2013

September 2013 Visiting Teaching Handout

Hey everyone! We made it HOME. We had such a great time with our family... but after what felt like running around the country like a chicken with my head cut off, I can't tell you how happy I am to be back... 

Anyway, I hope you all had a great summer break and are ready to get back to reality...It's September 1st, and you know what that means...The message this month is on self-reliance. 
I was able to get the handout made today... so HERE is the PDF link. Now get those visiting teaching appointments made in advance! :) and just a note...when you print this handout, be sure to print it on 'best draft'...some of the font is extremely thin and it shows up best when printed well. I will try to fix that font on future handouts...(sorry if it causes a problem for anyone...sometimes I take a fine tip pen and hand draw/fix lines that aren't dark enough.)

Have a fabulous September!


Summer in the South...



Alabama


Family Reunion!

BAMA Boys Reunited!
a vacation isn't a vacation without a Krispie Kreme stop

oh look, a horse.



I forgot how different Western tack feels!

BAMBI!!!
baby animals are so cute!!


the boys at Dreamland with Papa Barton

Road Trip to Mississippi


had to have sustenance for the 200 mile drive...

and this is Troy, thoroughly enjoying his fried pie
my epic FIRST EVER photo bomb...

Florida

Just some crazy Alabama Fans that had to stop at their favorite Hot Wing place... ROLL TIDE!
I almost fell out of the golf cart a few times...crazy driver :)

you can't go to Florida and not golf!
the boys had to play a game of football with the cousins...

 Swimming with the Dolphins

Madison getting a dolphin kiss!
Indie and her baby Zeke
Swimming with a dolphin!  Once in a lifetime experience!
this was the coolest experience! Daddy Barton wins the BEST DAD EVER AWARD.

Madison almost peed her pants.

Gulf Shores Mini-Honeymoon




Orange Beach

Veggie Fajitas at the Cactus Cantina! YUM

Pensacola Beach

Breakfast at the famous Waffle House!

this is my waffle. haha

the Bama shoes he just HAD to have :)

Lunch with Nana, Pops, MaMa, and Papa Jack the day before we left.

Summer Continued...


Colorado!

Colorado consisted of shopping, more shopping, good food, old friends, & Madison's Birthday of course!! OH and slushes! If you're ever at a gas station and see Sunkist Orange and Sunkist Cherry limeade icee, MIX them together! SO yummy!!