Rilee

A few weeks ago, I mentioned a top secret photo shoot. I spent a Sunday afternoon with my little cousin, Rilee, out at my grandparent's ranch. We ventured off into the pasture, laughing and piggy-backing around the whole time. This girl is hilarious! She came up with many of the poses herself, always being sure to ask me if what she was doing was a good idea. We got some great pictures for her mom and dad's Christmas gifts. I am so glad for the chance to spend time with Rilee! We had a blast! I hope that we keep getting together for our yearly December photo shoots.

To view and order photos, visit www.shutterfly.com/pro/sarahshalley/rilee .



A slideshow of Rilee!

Bambi

I spent about an hour or so out in the woods of Ruidoso and got these amazing pictures of the residential deer.

Ruidoso, NM

The Shalley Family:

I spent my first married Christmas with my wonderful inlaws. The Shalley Family Christmas Celebration took place in Ruidoso, NM this year. Eight Texans took off Saturday morning and arrived in NM later that afternoon. The drive wasn't too terribly long and we made great time. I spent most of the car ride napping...I guess I needed to catch up on my rest. Almost immediately after arriving at Nanny's, Guitar Hero and Wii were plugged in and played! What a hit those two games were; they definitely provided the entertainment for the week. Sunday, six of us went skiing at Ski Apache. We were quite disappointed with the fact that only 10% of the mountain was open, but decided to stick it out and make the most out of the day. Jake and Dan tried snowboarding - Dan hated it! I didn't like the fact that Dan didn't ski with me, so I'm glad that he didn't take to it. Sunday night, Jake got sick and had to be taken to the hospital. Long story short, we think he had a case of food poisoning. YUCKY! I fell in LOVE with one of our little cousins, Chris. Or maybe he fell in love with me, we haven't decided yet. All I know is that he hung out with me for hours, reviewed his Spanish vocabulary with me, played Wii bowling with me and gave me a ton of kisses. What a sweetie! The rest of the week was spent hanging out with all the Shalleys. We had a very fun, relaxing week! Thanks so much to Nanny for letting eleven of us, along with three dogs, crash at her house. Thanks also to Deeds & Chuck for hosting Christmas dinner and game night. We had a blast!

GUITAR HEROS

SKIERS

COUSINS

CHUCK, DEEDS, AARON & CHRIS

NIKKI, BUDDY & NATINA

J&H

SB&J

S&D

Road Warriors

Hayley and I are gearing up for our looooooong drive in the backseat with THE BEAST.
Here we are, THE ROAD WARRIORS.
This picture was taken in DC, after a looooooooong night of celebrating. So FUN!

Happy Holidays!

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Relax, enjoy time with your family and friends and remember what this special holiday is all about. Thank you, God for sending your son Jesus into this world.

We'll be on the road visiting family for a week and a half! More holiday postings when we have time.

Love, Sarah

We're Building a House!

I've been busy trying to wrap up my semester and haven't thought to spread the word that we're building a house! We are VERY excited. All the goods are picked out and construction has STARTED! As of today, we have pour forms up for the slab and and the plumbing pipes are going in as we speak. Since I drive by the house twice a day, I'll be sure to stop and take plenty of pics to document the process. We should have a new home and be all moved in by early April. Please pray blessings on our home. Pray that this fresh, clean, new start is also represented in our hearts, minds and attitudes.

Isn't it beautiful?

















Honey checking out her new yard!
















Floor Plan

Newlywed Christmas

Cheery Christmas!

Hoping to spread Christmas Cheer...the Rattler Cheerleaders!

Top Secret Photo Shoot

While on a top secret photo shoot for Christmas, I found these amazing trees. I can't wait to blog the photo shoot...only 10 more days till Christmas!

Prayer Request

Someone near and dear to my heart finds out if she is pregnant TODAY. Please say a prayer that God has made her belly into a safe, nurturing home for the precious embryos that were put in two weeks ago and that they have thrived, matured and become more healthy since they've been with their Mommy.

Love you LH!

Spirit

Daniel and I put our Christmas tree up tonight and it really put me in the Spirit of Christmas! Well, that and KSBJ 89.3 - those crazy people started playing Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving. Woah!
This is our first married Christmas which means that this is the first time I've ever had my very own tree (in college we decorated a ficus). I've been decorating Christmas trees for years and years and years (I'm a pro) but this year was different in that it held extra special meaning.

Since we married two weeks after Christmas last year, a few very special ladies (Laura, Michele, Tracy, Tammy & Margo) decided to hostess a wedding shower with a twist. They purchased my Christmas tree and asked all the attendees to bring Christmas ornaments instead of the regular registry items. As I unwrapped each ornament from its tissue paper, I smiled, laughed and cried as I remembered which ones my dearest friends and family had chosen for me. Ladies, I THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. Each year, I will cherish the time that I carefully select the branch to display your precious ornament.

If you ever have an opporunity to do something like this for someone..go for it! The Christmas shower was so fun and will always be special to me!

Roll On Rattlers!

Woah, are we SHOCKED and so EXCITED?!?! The Rattlers made a HUGE comeback Friday night and we won our Area Playoff Game...we're now on our way to a Quarterfinals Playoff Game next week in Temple. Wish us luck as we are competing against last year's State Champs.

Way to go Rattlers!

I'm Thankful for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is by far the BEST holiday! It stands for everything I believe in...celebrating relationships with family and friends. This Thanksgiving was shaping up to be BIG...we were going to see cousins that hadn't been with us for several years of Thanksgivings. Then, things started changing and football playoffs and babies got in the way of our great plans. We're hoping that God has better plans for us and that we'll have new little Haughn babies next year. Since the Rattlers have a playoff game Friday night in Humble, we had new additions to this year's Turkey Day. We were so excited to have the Fedoras and the Witherwaxs join our crazy fun day! As usual, our Thanksgiving really was something to be thankful for.

Now that it's all said and done, I wish I'd taken a few more pictures of all of us preparing food, sitting around talking, etc. Sorry!

*Click on the photos to view a larger version* MORE THANKSGIVING PHOTOS
Here's our annual PICTURE ON THE PORCH:
The Shalleys: Daniel, Sarah & Honey

Our little bitty family photo:

Conners, Haughns, McMurrys, Han & Brian...we MISSED you!

Bryson

Bryson and Anna, came over to see us tonight! In this house, we LOVE to hug and kiss on sweet babies. Bryson is about 8 months old and is super, duper cute! View more of Bryson's pics!

Recipes

As promised to a few gals, here are some of my FAVE recipes!

I've been making apple pie ever since Erin C. first introduced it to us at an Aggie Thanksgiving several years ago. My Granddad LOVES it and says that it tastes much like his mother's. While it is a KraftFoods recipe, I think of Mamie each time I make it.

APPLE PIE:
Prep Time: 30 min
Total Time: 1 hr 20 min
Makes: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:
6 cups thinly sliced peeled apples
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. MINUTE Tapioca
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold butter or margarine, cut into pieces
1/2 pkg. (15 oz.) ready-to-use refrigerated pie crust (1 crust)

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Toss apples with granulated sugar, tapioca, cinnamon and nutmeg in large bowl. Let stand 15 minutes. Mix flour and brown sugar in medium bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside.
PREPARE pie crust in 9-inch pie plate as directed on package. Fill with fruit mixture; top with crumb mixture.
BAKE 45 to 50 minutes or until juices form bubbles that burst slowly. Cool.
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/RecipeDetail.htm?recipe_id=54069

The next recipe is new to me and I haven't made it for myself quite yet. Stephanie Jaracz is a sweet girl from our NW class and she brought this yummy dish to our Sunday School Thanksgiving.

BAKED POTATO CASSEROLE:
INGREDIENTS:
2lb new potatoes
1cup sour cream
1 cup Hellman's mayo
1pkt Ranch Dip Mix
1lb bacon
1 bunch green onions
2 cup grated cheese

PREHEAT oven to 350.
PREPARE: Wash potatoes, cut eyes out, cut into chunks and boil potatoes until soft throughout
Fry bacon while potatoes before or while potatoes are boiling.
Put potatoes in casserole dish.
In a separate bowl, mix the sour cream, mayo, ranch together and spread over the potatoes.
Crumble bacon over mixture.
Dice green onions and saute' in bacon grease (or xtra virgin olive oil to be more healthy) and sprinkle over casserole.
BAKE casserole for 20 min's at 350. Sprinkle cheese to cover and bake/ broil until cheese melts. Let cool for about 10 min's before serving.

Finally, on to the fabulous Liz Larkin. Ok, so I'm not really a fan of pumpkin anything, but Liz's family makes the BEST Fall flavored cookies. Not only am I so thankful for a sweet friend, I'm thankful that she shares her delicious recipes with us!

PUNK'N HUNKS:

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin from a can
2 eggs
ADD:
2tsp salt
4tsp soda
2tsp cinnamon
1tsp nutmeg
1tsp ginger
2tsp baking powder
4 cups flour
12 oz choc chips


PREHEAT oven to 350.
Cook on greased cookie sheet
BAKE at 350... 10 mins? just watch them!
*These are bite-sized and are super YUMMY!

House Hunting

Daniel and I spent the weekend bustling around town looking for a place to live. We INSTANTLY fell in LOVE with a new development in Cypress. It's called Cypress Landing...the model home is adorable, but there are still many things left to question.

Please pray for several things:

-that we only pursue this if we feel like God wants us to be there

-that we only pursue this if God tells us thats we CAN afford it...with no worries!

-that if this works out, ALL 5 pieces of my bedroom furniture will fit in the master bedroom

-that Daniel and I can make this decision - together, with certainty, in a timely manner

Deer Season

Its that time of year again...the weeks go by FAST! Gotta get those deer in the few short weeks that you can.

Daniel came home with a doe opening weekend and Dad shot this guy today.

Playoffs!

The Rattlers WON last night! We're so proud and SO EXCITED to be advancing in the playoffs. What a wild Thanksgiving week we'll all have. Guys, continue to be strong, courageous fighters on the football field. We're not through yet!

Navasota Rattlers B.T.H.O. Needville!

The Rattlers take on the Needville Bluejays
tomorrow night at Klein Memorial. Needville is
TOTALLY beatable! Say a prayer that our Ratter
men play a hard and smart game! We have a wonderful team of boys that I totally love...I teach many of them and well, the others have simply just adopted me.

Here's a message that I have shared with the boys:
"They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles in the mountains." 1 Chronicles 12:8

GO RATTLERS! Beat The Hell Outta Needville!

So You Think You Can Dance

Anyone want my 2 tics to Thursday night's live dance tour?

8pm at Reliant Arena. $57 each.

I'd love to be able to go to the Rattler playoff game Thursday night at 7:30.

Let me know.
THANKS!

Veteran's Day

I have a heart for soldiers. I love them. I love what they do for me, for my country. I am amazed at their strength in following their calling and in choosing to be servants for millions of people. How amazing that is! I shouldn't complain about serving my little family. I have no idea what life is like for our soldiers...my imagination's images aren't pretty. I can't imagine being part of a family whose loved one or spouse isn't home because they're on the battlefield. I so admire the men and women who are at home alone with their children. Your faith and committment is an encouragement to the rest of us!

Men and women everywhere...you are in my thoughts. I pray for your safety and your ability to soon return home to your families. Stay strong!

Today, we salute you.
Much love and appreciation,
Sarah

Photos from our AMAZING trip to D.C.

Newlywed Thanksgiving

Our Newlywed Sunday School class at Houston's First Baptist rounded up 30+ couples and we all came together Saturday night to celebrate an early Thanksgiving with one another. What a joyful time! It's been awhile since Daniel and I saw everyone so we especially enjoyed the event. What FOOD! Turkey, potatoes, green bean casseroles, mac 'n cheese, salads, rolls, apple pies, pumpkin pies, cheesecakes, and punka hunks...OH MY! Everything tasted supercalafragistically yummy! Thanks for a great night!

Check here for pictures: www.shutterfly.com/pro/sarahshalley/newlyweds

I'm THANKFUL for:
-a wonderful, loving husband
-good health (I think...I mean, I know that I could benefit from a work out)
-an awesome family - including my IN-LAWS!
-my job...I have a love/strong-dislike relationship with my students, but I sincerely hope that I
am making a difference in their young lives
-a Church that makes me feel...I heart HFBC!
-good, encouraging friends...we need to hang out more!
-a passion for photography
-my Honey child (our dog)