"A mother ... fills a place so great that there isn't an angel in heaven who wouldn't be glad to give a bushel of diamonds to come down here and take her place." -- Billy Sunday

Family photos by Bob Prichard

Love One Another

Photos by Bob Prichard

My Lovies

Photos by Bob Prichard

Sweet Ones

Run, Emma, Run

Through the Garden Gate

Spring Lunch Menu

Saturday's lunch featured many of my springtime favorites, and all the recipes have special significance to me for Mother's Day.

Pineapple-Almond Cheese Spread

My best friend, Vonda, served this at my baby shower when I was expecting Carson.

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple in juice
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup green onion, chopped

Drain pineapple. In large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth; beat in cheddar cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Stir in pineapple, almonds and green onions. Refrigerate, covered. Use to stuff celery stalks or as dip with assorted breads. Serve at room temperature.

Frozen Strawberry Salad

After Carson was born, a friend from church brought us a meal that included this refreshing salad. This is a great make-ahead recipe with ample portions, so you can plan to use it for several occasions.

8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sugar
8 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
10-12 ounces frozen strawberries, partially thawed
2-3 sliced bananas
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained

Soften cream cheese. Beat with sugar until smooth. Stir in whipped topping and other ingredients. Use some but not all of the juice from the frozen strawberries. (This will add flavor and give the salad a pretty pink color.) Mix well and freeze.

Summer Turkey Salad

I discovered this recipe in a grocery store checkout line cookbook, Salads for Dinner, when Carson was a baby. This delicious salad takes me back to the summer days of his infancy.

SALAD
3 medium fresh peaches or nectarines (Substitute canned mandarin oranges if these are not available)
6 cups torn mixed salad greens
2 cups cubed smoked or cooked turkey (10-12 ounces)

DRESSING
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup peach jam or preserves
2 tablespoons vinegar

PECANS
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cups pecans

Peel peaches, if desired. Cut into thin slices; cut slices crosswise. In large bowl, combine peaches, salad greens, turkey and strawberries; mix well. In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients; blend well. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat. Top with pecan halves. To caramelize pecans, in heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, cook 1/4 cup sugar for about 5 to 7 minutes or until sugar melts, stirring constantly. Add 1/2 pecan halves; stir until pecans are coated with caramelized sugar. Remove saucepan from heat; immediately pour pecans onto a sheet of aluminum foil, scattering pecans with a fork in a single layer. Cool 10 minutes; break pecans apart. Yield: 6 (1 2/3 cup) servings

Zucchini Bread

My first taste of this sweet bread was in college, when my roommate's mother included fresh-baked zucchini bread in care packages.

2 cups sugar
1 cup cooking oil
3 eggs
2 cups grated, raw zucchini (about 2 large)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons cinnamon
3 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together sugar, cooking oil, eggs and zucchini in a large bowl. Add flour and remaining ingredients, and stir. Grease 2 loaf pans, and fill with batter. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the bread comes out clean.

Strawberry cake with buttercream icing added a sweet finish to our spring lunch. For this feminine design, I frosted the cake with pink icing. Cornelli lace piped onto the top and sides of the cake added a delicate touch, and ruffle and shell borders framed the cake. Fresh flowers added the final touch.

Salad photo by Bob Prichard

Four Generations to Celebrate

"We never know the love of a parent till we become parents ourselves. When we first bend over the cradle of our own child, God throws back the temple door, and reveals to us the sacredness and mystery of a father's and a mother's love to ourselves." -- Henry Ward Beecher

We were blessed to celebrate Mother's Day this weekend with four generations of my family. After lunch at our house, we toured Jasmine Hill Gardens in Wetumpka. (Left to right, my paternal grandmother, Frances Prichard; Mary Ashley; me; Emma; and my mother, Sharon Prichard.)

Photo by Bob Prichard

Mother's Day Table

Little Moments with Mother

Many of my most special memories of childhood involve times spent with my mother. Mother stayed home with my sister, brother and me, and our home was her life. As a child, it never would have occurred to me to doubt Mother’s happiness or question her fulfillment in her role as Mommy. Her devotion to us was so complete, I really don’t think it would have occurred to her either.

The big events of family life – holidays, vacations and birthdays – are documented in volumes of photo albums Mother carefully organized, but many of my fondest memories of growing up are found in the snapshots of daily life that fill my mind.

Church was the central focus of family life, and I still remember the preparations Mother made to ready the family for worship on Sunday. She often rolled my hair on Saturday night. We would watch Little House on the Prairie or talk about “girl stuff” as she brushed each section of hair and twisted it into a curler. This was a small ritual, of course, but when I longed to have a daughter of my own, one of the first images that would come to my mind was snuggling up on my bed to roll her hair in pink sponge curlers.

Even the most mundane tasks of daily living seem more significant in retrospect. I remember one particular bath time when my 5-year-old heart was unburdened. Guilt overwhelmed me as I cried, admitting that I had been paddled in kindergarten that day for talking during nap time. Always a worrier, I was certain my once spotless record of conduct was ruined forever. Mother assured me that all was not lost. As she bathed me that night, she tenderly washed the scarlet letter of shame away. She reminded me that each new day provided an opportunity to begin anew, and I emerged from that bath feeling clean and hopeful again.

These little moments of care taking that filled Mother’s day showed me that I was not just taken care of, but also cared for. Because of her love, my teeth were brushed, my hair was combed, and I had vitamins to take.

Mother made me feel special in myriad ways. I looked forward to the end of each school day, knowing Mother would have ready a cup of hot chocolate in my favorite Raggedy Ann mug. I would tell her about the ups and downs of life in elementary school as I sipped the rich, warm cocoa, savoring the marshmallows she had sprinkled on top.

On days she was called to pick me up early because of illness, I would arrive home to find the covers already turned back on my bed and a favorite gown spread out on the pillow. While I snuggled cozily under the covers, Mother would make Welsh rarebit, a cheesy white sauce she would pour over soda crackers. Although its appeal is lost on our spouses today, my sister, brother and I still think of Welsh rarebit as the ultimate comfort food.

Mother showed me in moments like these that I was valuable. Although she often told me she loved me, her acts of nurturing spoke more eloquently than her words. Each time she rubbed my hand during church, hugged me when I came home from school, or kissed me goodnight, she left a lasting impression on my heart.

Many of my happiest moments were times when Mother paused to have fun with me. Once she draped a sheet over the kitchen table and we crawled underneath. What a magical time this was for a 4-year-old, drinking invisible tea with Mommy in our secret castle!

We also spent time together cooking. I still have the preschool cookbook with our recipe for peanut butter balls. In our earliest days of making the cookies, I dutifully rolled the gooey dough into balls as suggested. As my baking confidence grew, we progressed to pressing a Hershey’s Kiss into each ball or imprinting the cookies with a fork. Years later, I was shaping the cookies into letters, teddy bears and holiday designs.

Little moments of playfulness helped me understand that Mother not only loved me, but she liked me too. I felt special knowing that out of all the people in the world, I was one of her favorites.

Now that I’m a mother myself, memories remind me of the importance of day-to-day activities in filling our home with love. Each time I run the children’s bath water, snuggle up with one who is feeling sick, or call them all to the kitchen to make our favorite peanut butter pie recipe, I am reminded that these little moments will add up to a lifetime of love. Pieced together, little moments with Mother work together like a patchwork quilt to keep us feeling secure, knowing we will always be wrapped in our mother’s love.

Happy Mother's Day!

Field of Dreams

Carson won lots of wrist bands this afternoon at Field Day. He won races and took top honors in several other events.

Focused and ready to compete.

Taking time out for a snow cone.

Two adoring fans of Carson -- and his snow cone.

Picture This

My brother, Nathan's, photography has added so much beauty to my blog. He captures many of our favorite images at family events, such as this year's birthday parties for Mary Ashley and Emma. And now, even when he stops by for an impromptu visit, I always have something for him to photograph, like the cookie cups I have made for Nathan and Shana since they were dating. He has just launched a beautiful new site to showcase his photography, so I invite you to visit Nathan at Focal Point Photography. He is such a great, talented guy with a bright future, and I look forward to sharing many more of his beautiful images with you.

My Step Children

When blogger friend Jennifer suggested I join the Design Carnival hosted by her friend Mary at Not Before 7, my staircase of family photos immediately came to mind. This once neglected space is now a feature wall showcasing my children's baby photos. Our photographer framed the three square baby panels, so I chose silver frames and white mats at a craft store to coordinate with the professionally framed pictures. I wanted to create a cohesive grouping with the photos, so I arranged them on the floor before hanging them on the wall. I hung the bottom pictures first, then worked my way up the wall, careful to keep the perimeters of the grouping straight. A little removable putty tucked under the corners of the frames keeps the pictures from shifting, and I have trained the children to hold the banister when using the stairs to keep fingerprints to a minimum.

The top row of photos are hung, left to right, from oldest to youngest child. We lived in another state when our first child was born, so he was photographed in a different studio than our other three. Since I didn't have the same portraits for each child, I did some creative planning to make sure all were represented equally. One of my favorite photos is the second one on the second row. This photo of Carson with a blanket draped over his head was taken at a discount store photo studio. I loved Carson's expression in the photo, but was horrified that nearly half the 8" x 10" was a ratty blue bath mat. So I cut the photograph down to a 5" x 7", and now this humble photograph fits in nicely with our more formal portraits.

My middle two children, still 3 and 5 when I hung the pictures, watched with interest as I shuffled frames on the floor to find the perfect arrangement. They loved hearing how special each photo was to me. And when I was ready to hang the frames, they were eager to help. I can still remember watching them at the base of the stairs, beaming with pride as they clasped their 1-year-old portraits.

"Mom says this is one of her favorites," Christian said sheepishly. "She says I look like an angel in it."

"Well look at mine," Mary Ashley responded. "Mommy says I look like a princess in this one. I'm holding my dress like a lady."

The photo above may not convey the size of this grouping, but it is actually quite large. At its maximum expanse, the display is more than 6 feet tall and more than 5 1/2 feet wide. The lowest photos nearly touch the baseboards of the staircase, while the highest extend above the nearby door frames. My husband was unsure about this arrangement at first, but now he appreciates its impact. Whether you are walking down the staircase or standing on the floor below, there is always something to appreciate at eye level -- even for our littlest ones.

Our "step children" remind all of us how precious our family is. The children feel so special seeing their photographs prominently displayed on our wall of fame, and Joe and I are reminded each time we take the stairs how far we have come in raising them thus far.

Photo by Nathan Prichard

Tagged

I was tagged this week by another Melissa. I knew her as "Little Melissa" when we were growing up together in Elba, Ala. She lived down the street from me, and our families went to church together. She was a beautiful little girl with long blonde hair that fell past her shoulders in sweet little curls. I can still remember watching her get on the school bus for the first time, and I remember how protective I felt of this adopted little sister. I haven't seen Melissa in many years, but we have reconnected through our blogs. Now she is an architect with a family of her own. Well, Melissa, we have a lot to catch up on, so maybe this quiz will help fill in some of the gaps.

What was I doing 10 years ago?
I was living in Lexington, Ky. Joe was finishing up law school and I was working as a magazine editor. We were talking about having children.

5 things on my to-do list today:
1. Neighborhood yard sale
2. Boys' soccer games (rained out)
3. A practice for Mary Ashley's ballet recital
4. Boys' end-of-season soccer parties
5. Iron Sunday church clothes

5 snacks I enjoy:
1. Chocolate
2. Baked Lays
3. Harvest Cheddar Sun Chips (Joe's sister, Emily, did a commercial for Sun Chips once. I think she was a mom sitting in a field with some children?)
4. Fresh fruit
5. Frozen yogurt

5 things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Give more to mission efforts and endow scholarships at Christian universities for preachers' kids
2. Pay for college for my children, nieces and nephews
3. Fresh flowers for my home and to share
4. Open a tea room
5. Build the house of my dreams and pay someone to do all my housework -- and I do mean all of it

5 bad habits:
1. Staying up late
2. Eating sweets
3. Falling behind in my housework
4. Spending too much on childrens clothing, especially for my girls
5. Underestimating how long it takes to do projects

5 places I have lived:
1. Born in Grand Forks, N.D., while my dad was in the Air Force
2. Memphis, Tenn.; Concord, N.C.; Jacksonville, Ala.; Weaver, Ala.; Elba, Ala.; and Morristown, Tenn., while growing up as a preacher's daughter
3. Nashville, Tenn., for college and the first year of my marriage
4. Lexington, Ky., for Joe to go to law school, then Elizabethtown, Ky., for Joe's first year of private practice
5. Montgomery, Ala., and Wetumpka, Ala., since Joe has been teaching law.

5 jobs I have had or have:
1. In high school I worked as an on-air personality for three radio stations and did segments on a local television show. I also babysat after school and in the summer for two sweet little girls. This family was so special to me! I think of their mom every time I call a sitter, hoping I can be the kind of influence that Mrs. Stephens was to me.
2. In college I worked at a daycare one Christmas. The kids were so sweet, but I had no idea how to manage a classroom full of toddlers. I was totally overwhelmed! The next year I wrapped gifts at a department store. I loved it! It was so much fun sharing in people's holiday surprises and wondering how their gifts were received. There sure were a lot of men buying gifts before we closed Christmas Eve ... . My first summer after starting college I waited tables, which is something I think everyone should do at least once. It is hard work and will help you appreciate people who work in service industries. My second summer I interned in the news department of the NBC affiliate in Nashville.
3. After college, I began working in the editorial department for Gospel Advocate Publishers, working on magazines and Bible school curriculum. I loved it! I have continued my relationship with the GA, writing a column and occasional feature articles for "Christian Woman" magazine. And they published my first book.
4. In Lexington I was editor of several magazines in the financial-planning industry. I enjoyed the editorial work, but wasn't passionate about the subject matter.
5. In 1999, I took on my most challenging yet rewarding position: Mommy!

5 people I want to know more about (and who I think might not mind being tagged): Kristi, Leah, Nancy, Julie and Rebecca

Bring May Flowers

Happy May Day! This is a fun take on a May basket that is perfect for spring gift-giving occasions of all kinds. Choose a cute tote with a sturdy base. I love the contrast in textures between the straw bag, ribbon and flowers. For shower gifts, you could choose a diaper bag for a mom-to-be or a monogrammed purse for a bride-to-be. Choose a vase almost as tall as the bag, fill it about two-thirds full with warm water and floral food, and arrange fresh-cut flowers inside. I love tulips for this project because of the way they cascade gracefully over the bag. Stuff tissue paper inside the tote to keep the vase secure, then finish off the arrangement with fluffy tissue and a pretty ribbon tied around the purse.

The first year I made this craft, I placed several on the tables for a fashion-themed dinner party with girlfriends, then sent them to school the next day as end-of-the-year thank you gifts for my boys' teachers. And I have also made them for Mother's Day, birthdays, hostess gifts and "just because." So brighten a friend's day with fresh spring flowers today, and she will remember your kindness all summer long as she carries her trendy tote!

I hope these tulips will cheer up a friend going through a difficult time.

Girls Day Out

Mary Ashley and I enjoyed a special girls day out today, and it was packed with memorable outings. It is such a treat to spend one-on-one time with one of the children, so we enjoyed our time to the fullest. First we attended Mary Ashley's preschool field trip to the Montgomery Museum of Fine Art. We had a lovely time exploring the grounds of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. After feeding the ducks and attending a puppet show at the museum, Mary Ashley and I visited some favorite spots in Montgomery. We had some time for treasure hunting at one of my favorite shops before we joined friends for tea. Then we picked up fresh flowers from a local market and browsed a favorite fabric store before picking up the boys from school and reuniting with the rest of the family at home. Along with a sweet little girl, I brought home pretty pink tulips, vivid green plates and a delicate white teapot. We concluded our perfect day by going out to dinner with the family before heading to church together. What a lovely, happy day!

Ready for some girl time.

These two became fast friends at the beginning of the school year. Raney's family heard a lot about "Mish-Ashey," and we have heard a lot about Raney too.

Girls just want to have fun!

Mary Ashley's P3 class.

Time 4 Tea

The highlight of our girls day out was having afternoon tea with the Burches. I'm so sad that this sweet family will be relocating to Huntsville soon. Shannon has been such a sweet friend. Her daughter Lilli and Mary Ashley are in the same Bible class, and already they have developed such a sweet friendship. Even at 4, you can tell that they are planting seeds of friendship that could blossom for a lifetime. We enjoyed spending a lovely afternoon with Shannon, Lilli and Mrs. Bonnie Burch.

On the lookout for Lilli. "Here she comes, Mommy!"

The girls drew smiles from surrounding tables as they giggled with delight during our afternoon tea. They decorated a princess sticker book together, tried on hats, sipped strawberry tea and nibbled teapot-shaped sandwiches. What more could a girl wish for?