Annalise Grace

Annalise Grace- 1 day old!



My spunky, yet full of life little girls turned 6 today! She truly has such a joyful spirit about her that is contagious. There isn't a day that goes by that she doesn't make us laugh. Annalise LOVES life and every day she teaches me to live it the fullest and have fun doing it.

Happy 6th Birthday to our 3rd daughter, Annalise Grace! :)



(Taco Bell for lunch with mom~ but mom didn't eat Taco Bell ) ;)


(Build a Bear tonight with money from Aunt Trudy~ Thank you Aunt Trudy, she was so proud to hand the lady her birthday money) :)

Happy Birthday to my Man

Well, Fall is here and that means a lot of things for the Prater household but one being, the family birthdays have begun.
Friday, Sept. 23, Ryan turned the big 37!!!



This man still can make me laugh like no other, smile, and make my heart skip a beat (especially in his boots and jeans.) :)
So thankful to God for an amazing and godly husband, daddy to my 3 girls, fun friend, and awesome pastor.

Happy Birthday to my Man....I love ya Ryan!

Pumpkin Muffins (from scratch)

I love pumpkin...well almost everything pumpkin. I do not like pumpkin pie or pumpkin candles but pumpkin muffin, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin pancakes are a favorite for sure!! Friday night, I took out one of my favorite cook books (Junior League of Abilene), one that has some amazing from scratch recipes and kicked off my crave for FALL by making the family some pumpkin muffins.
Here is the recipe, thought I would share. Enjoy...they were delicious!

Pumpkin Muffins/2
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 small can pumpkin
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs

Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and mix well. Add the pumpkin, oil, and eggs. Beat 1 minute. Spoon into greased muffin pan.
Bake a 325 degrees fir 15-20 minutes or until done.

You can also...
*Bake in a bundt pan in a 325 degree oven for 1 hour.

I can feel it

Its like right there! The ending of a scorcher and dry summer and now we are slowly getting to embrace the cool mornings! Ahhh :)
I.Love.Fall
And I can feel it, it is almost here, and it feels good.
I have to admit that yesterday Mr Al Rocker on the Today show was kindly showing the map of the US and the states that were already feeling cooler temps this week and I was JEALOUS! Then, on facebook last night, some friends were sharing the rain, the cool front, and their glee of what they were experiencing as the front pushed through. Again, jealous! ;)
Yesterday brought this Fall longing and so I ended up buying a huge order of Scentsy products to get me stocked up for the holidays and change of seasons. Then, in my grocery cart yesterday sat the peppermint mocha coffee creamer. I love that stuff! And even though its been out like all year long, I only buy it in the Fall.
So, today I am grateful for the cool mornings Katy TX has brought me!!! Because right now....I can feel it, FALL is coming! :)

9-11

10 Year Anniversary~We will never forget!



"God so loved us and hates suffering that he was willing to come down and get involved in it." #Jesus #theCross
~Tim Keller

Captivated by their stories

As the 10 anniversary of 9/11 approaches, I have been glued to the stories being shared on TV and on the web. I love stories....and don't we all have a story to tell....don't we all come together during a suffering, or catastrophic event to be a helping hand?! Because even with one hand of help, there is hope. You are not alone.
Our stories start weaving together.
September 11, 2001~ I was 5 1/2 months pregnant with Addie, teaching at ST. John's Episcopal School in Abilene. We were all in chapel that morning when our business lady who was in front of me, turned around and told me the twin towers in NYC had been hit by a plane. I remember when my school kids went to an enrichment, I was standing in the library with many other teachers watching this tragedy unfold on TV and we were all crying. I couldn't believe what I was watching...I remember thinking, I'm scared to now bring a little girl into this world!
As I type this, I can still see everything vividly in my mind.
So now, 10 years removed, I am still captivated by stories, heroic ones, sad ones, the rebuilding of the memorial, and how people have changed or have been moved to start a cause because of their loss.
A story shared on the Today show was on a husband who lost his wife in the World Trade Center leaving him with a 2 year old girl and newborn down syndrome little boy. Their story was beautiful of how this single dad has pressed forward raising these kids. The 12 year old girl was asked, "what would you say to your mom", she replied and crying "I would ask her, what are we going to do today together?" She longed just for the presence of her mom and a daily, simple life with her mom.
It was so touching.
Or this story...please take time to watch this video, it is incredible. I saw in early Saturday morning on ESPN, Ryan and I both were crying on the couch together. It truly is another wonderful story!!!!
May we never forget that day when so many of them face it every single day!

My Heart is heavy

I am incredible saddened by the devastation this great state of TX is experiencing due to all these wild fires! Although we woke up to a beautiful blue, clear, no humidity Texas sky filled with a northern chill, I was reminded this afternoon with the haze and smell of smoke coming from Magnolia, TX that lots of devastation is happening all around. Last night, I laid in bed lights totally out, Ryan already asleep and I prayed for rain for our land. I prayed only for the wild fires, the people, our land, the fire fighters, the animals.
My heart was heavy!
People less than 2 hours away are losing everything...wildlife are in danger......some lives have been lost.....people are letting go of their life stock so they can escape......people are sleeping in trucks & animals in trailers, beautiful TX lands are being charred down to nothing......and firemen are working endlessly to put out these fires.
It's heart breaking.
I want to help....just trying to figure out how and what that en tells. Today, the Katy ISD posted on FB ways to start donating. I'll start there. I've got some other ideas too. I'll begin again tonight, praying for rain, praying for these fires to diminish, praying hands and feet rise up and help neighbors of this great state!
Join me in praying...and maybe moving into action~