girltalk Blog
Attention wives. If you’re like me, you want to bless your husband, but at times you have trouble coming up with ideas. Here’s one that’s sure to be a hit—surprise your husband with a fall picnic. (And do it soon, before the weather gets too cold!)
If possible, check with your husband’s boss to see if he can leave a little early. Or, be ready to go (babysitter already prepped) when he walks in the door. Then whisk him away to a nearby park. Bring a blanket, some candles (in fire-safe containers), and a yummy dinner for two. For dessert, consider the “Caramel Apple Crisp To-Go” from the previous post.
But also make this the beginning of a new tradition. Purchase a book you would both enjoy reading together. Present it to your husband with the suggestion that you read it aloud to each other and try to finish the book by Christmas. Not only will this keep your picnic memory alive, but it may become a new tradition you enjoy for years to come.
This recipe would be a perfect addition to a fall picnic…
Caramel Apple Crisp To Go
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp. light-colored corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
4 to 6 apples, cored and sliced
1 cup crushed cookies, such as biscotti, pecan shortbread, peanut butter, oatmeal, snickerdoodle, or chocolate chip.
1. For caramel sauce, in a heavy medium saucepan combine whipping cream, butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Bring to boiling over medium-high heat (about 5 to 6 minutes), whisking occasionally. Reduce heat to medium. Boil gently for 3 minutes more. Stir in vanilla. Transfer sauce to a storage jar with a lid. Let cool for 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.
2. To serve, place apple slices in individual bowls. Drizzle with caramel sauce. Top with crushed cookies. Makes 8 servings.
For every birthday when we were little, Dad and Mom would put up a banner over the garage. It would read “Happy Birthday Janelle” or “Hurrah It’s Kristin’s Birthday.” So every car that drove by and every neighbor that came outside knew there was a birthday celebration at the Mahaney home. It was one of the many ways our parents sought to honor and bless us on our special day.
Today we want to post our own banner.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST HUSBAND AND FATHER IN THE WORLD!
We love you, C.J./Dad.
Carolyn, Nicole, Kristin, Janelle, and Chad
The autumn season is a great excuse to have a party. Whether married or single, consider a progressive dinner as a unique way to experience the personalized hospitality of friends. Select a limited number of participants, and assign each person a course of an autumn menu (Appetizer, Main, Dessert, etc.). Each host/hostess will be responsible for preparing, decorating, and hosting that portion of the evening’s festivities. Oh, and make sure to map out the shortest route—gas prices being what they are these days!
As a way to encourage laughter and fellowship, have an assigned question for each stop. Here are a few kitchen-tested questions that have received some surprising answers:
Describe your high school experience. Public or private school? Popular or nerd? Embarrassing moments?
Share any “hide under a rock” moments. Family vacation disasters? Bad trip to the hair salon? “Clean up on aisle 3?”
How did you meet your husband? How long was your engagement? Funny or embarrassing courtship tidbits?
Honeymoon details. Where did you go? How long did you stay? Funny moments?
Any parenting adventures? Moments when tempted not to identify yourself as child’s parent? Days when going back to sleep seemed like the best course of action?
A delicious family favorite…
Caramel Layer Chocolate Squares
1 (14 oz.) pkg. caramels
1 pkg. German Chocolate cake mix
3/4 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup evaporated milk, divided in equal portions
1 cup chocolate chips
Combine caramels and half of evaporated milk. Cook over low heat, stirring often until melted and smooth. Grease 9"x13” pan. Combine dry cake mix, butter and rest of the evaporated milk, and chocolate chips. Stir just until mixed. Press half of dough firmly in pan. Bake 6 minutes at 350*. Spread caramel mixture overall. Top with remaining half of dough. Spread gently to cover. Bake at 350* for 15 minutes. Let stand until cool before cutting.
From Roxie Kelley and Friends, With Heart & Soul (Maryland Heights, Missouri: Cracom Pub., 1995), 90.
Preacher Charles Spurgeon once said in a sermon, “We are about to let
autumn preach.” And we would do well to listen. In yet another sermon,
Spurgeon elaborated on what the fall season reveals about God:
“To the Christian it should be great joy, by means of the
harvest, to receive an assurance of God’s faithfulness. The Lord has
promised that seed-time and harvest, summer and winter, shall never
cease; and when you see the loaded wain carrying in the crop you may
say to yourself, “God is true to his promise. Despite the dreary winter
and the damp spring, autumn has come with its golden grain.” Depend
upon it, that as the Lord keeps this promise he will keep all the rest.
All his promises are yea and amen in Christ Jesus: if he keeps his
covenant to the earth, much more will he keep his covenant with his own
people, whom he hath loved with an everlasting love. Go, Christian, to
the mercy-seat with the promise on your lip and plead it. Be assured it
is not a dead letter. Let not unbelief cause you to stammer when you
mention the promise before the throne, but say it boldly—“Fulfil this
word unto thy servant on which thou hast caused me to hope.” Shame upon
us that we so little believe our God. The world is full of proofs of
his goodness. Every rising sun, every falling shower, every revolving
season certifies his faithfulness. Wherefore do we doubt him? If we
never doubt him till we have cause for it we shall never know distrust
again. Encouraged by the return of harvest, let us resolve in the
strength of the Spirit of God that we will not waver, but will believe
in the divine word and rejoice in it.”
“Every revolving season certifies his faithfulness.” This is a biblical
perspective of autumn. So let this fall be more than simply a time to
enjoy the beauty of the season. But let it be a fresh certification of
the faithfulness of God to keep all of the promises of God. What
promise can you confidently ask the Lord to fulfill in your life today?
Remember, no stammering allowed.
(Taken from Charles Spurgeon, “Harvest Time, August 11, 1904 and “The Joy of Harvest, Farm Sermons)
Like many Christian children growing up, we didn’t participate in Halloween or get visits from the Easter bunny. But that didn’t mean we missed out on all the fun. Mom believed there was something else to celebrate: God’s kindness in the change of seasons.
So, on the first Saturday of autumn, we celebrated Fall Special Treat Night. Mom would invite a small group of our friends to participate. Everyone came dressed as a different character—usually a princess or Mary (Jesus’ mother) if you were a girl, or a soldier if you were a guy.
We would have a dinner of hot dogs, chips, jello, etc.—but each portion of the meal was eaten at a different person’s house. We would walk to designated homes nearby and a parent would drive us to homes further away. And not only did we get a meal, but candy at each person’s house as well.
The most memorable stop was Grandpa and Grandma Mahaney’s where Grandpa would have a bowl of pennies with dimes mixed in. We had to close our eyes and fish around in the bowl trying to come up with as many dimes as possible in our little fist. With candy, coins, and a full tummy, I think we felt as rich as any millionaire!
But more than that, from an early age we learned to mark and appreciate the change of seasons as a lavish expression of God’s common grace to man. And that, indeed, made us truly rich!
This recipe provides a fun alternative to pumpkin bread…
Colonial Pumpkin Bars
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup pecans, chopped
Cream butter and sugar together. Blend in pumpkin and eggs. Mix remaining ingredients together and add to creamed mixture. Spread in a greased 10"x15” pan, or (for a cake) in a 9"x13” pan. Bake at 350* for 25-35 minutes, depending on the size of the pan. When cooled spread with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 lbs. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Blend cream cheese and butter well. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add vanilla and blend well.
Roxie Kelley and Friends, Just a Matter of Thyme, (Kansas City, Missouri: Andrews McMeel Pub., 1998), 115.
...the Mahaney, Chesemore, Whitacre, and Bradshaw couples, plus Chad, will be vacationing in Chatham, Massachusetts for the week. During our teenage years, this was the Mahaney family getaway spot each summer, thanks to a couple who owned a house in Chatham. However, it has been almost seven years since we’ve been back. Because of Dad and Mom’s incomparable generosity, and the kindness of Nancy Whitacre, Kathy and Amanda Spiro, and Janice Dillon who are watching the four little guys, we’re returning to one of our favorite spots in North America—and maybe even the world.
But not to worry, you won’t have to go the whole week without a “Girl Talk” fix with your morning coffee. We’ve already got a whole week’s worth of posts coming soon to you.
We want you to have a little fun along with us this week, and since the first day of fall falls while we are gone, we are inaugurating our own little “Autumn Festival” on the blog. Complete with recipes, activities, and musings—we hope you will enjoy the splendor of autumn along with us.
So don’t touch that mouse. Stick close by to see what’s coming up next…
Our good friend, Dr. Al Mohler, writes with characteristic insight about cosmetic surgery on his blog this week. We thought it would be the perfect follow-up to Monday’s post on beauty. Make sure to read Dr. Mohler here.
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