Cupcake Fanatic

What is it about cupcakes? Lately, they are all the rage. Cupcakes in so many shapes, colors, and sizes. Cupcakes for weddings. Cupcakes for birthday parties. Cupcakes are everywhere. My very creative friend Tracey Harrelson is C-R-A-Z-Y about baking cupcakes. She has declared me an official taster of her cupcakes and I am MORE than okay with that. My husband had to get in on the testing too. So he is officially one of her testers as well. What I love about Tracey is her passion for baking. She will bake and bake and bake, until it is juuuuust right. I can guarantee you that within each of her cupcakes is a piece of her heart! Her latest batch of cupcakes were Snickers! Let me begin by describing the icing: smooth and creamy, not too sweet, with caramel and snickers on top. Below is a picture. Inside, she baked a mini-snickers that added to the amazingness of them!

Side-View (notice the cute polka-dot paper wrapper)

View from the Top

Lastly, I must tell you about Tracey's fabulous Cake Pops. She made these for me a few months ago and I can not tell you how excited I was to see these waiting on my desk at school one morning. I promise, if you had one, your day would be DELIGHTFUL! She made them again for our after school gathering today and they were a HIT! Everyone had to get 2 Cake pops since she made Chocolate and Vanilla! If you would like to see how she made these, you can visit http://www.bakerella.com for the recipe. There are lots of neat treats on this site! The picture below is of the Cake Pops she made today that are made to look like Musical Notes--- NOW that is something to sing about. All I have to say is BAKE ON TRACEY! You are wonderful!

5 Kernels

This evening, Daniel and I were eating dinner with with Rosalee and Steve (my in-laws), discussing the day and sharing cute "kid stories" My mother in law is a wonderful teacher who puts thought into every word that is spoken to her children. She told me a story about the Legend of the Five Kernels.I had never heard this story and was immediately hooked. Posted below is the story. This simple story will remind you of the struggles that the Pilgrims and Indians endured. This year, our family will share in the same tradition passed from the Pilgrims. Enjoy and Blessings to all this Thanksgiving Season!

It was very cold for the Pilgrims that first winter.

Food was in short supply.

Some days, they had only five kernels of corn.

When spring came, the Pilgrims planted the remaining corn.

The sun and rain helped the seeds to grow

and much food was harvested in the fall.

Every Thanksgiving thereafter, the Pilgrims placed

five kernels of corn beside each plate

to remind them of their blessings.

The first kernel reminded them of the autumn beauty.

The second kernel reminded them of their love for each other.

The third kernel reminded them of their family's love.

The fourth kernel reminded them of their friends...

especially their Indian brothers.

The fifth kernel reminded them of their freedom.

This Thanksgiving, let us all remember the blessings of our lives.

Count the kernels, count your blessings.

Christmas Fun

So tonite I am headed to the Southern Christmas show with a few friends and can't wait to be surrounded by amazing homemade goods, great food, and neat ornaments. To get the season started I thought I would post something handmade that I found on http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com. This simple, but sweet Christmas card may need to be given out this year. If you would like to print this free card, simply click on the link underneath the picture.

If you want to get a jump on printing out Christmas goodies, here's a hand-drawn holiday card, compliments of Mufn Inc.

Dare you to Move

Everyday we step out of bed, into the shower, and then into the rest of our day. Everyday God is daring us to move- to make something happen. The song Dare you to Move, by Switchfoot is by far one of my favorite songs. It makes me think of the children of this generation and what a different world they are born into. It also reminds me of the everyday trials that everyone faces. As we makes mistakes, we learn and we "pick ourselves up off the floor" My favorite line is "I dare you to move like today never happened. Easy to sing, but so hard to remember. We walk around with scars on our hearts. Scars that many do not know about. Scars that have changed our whole life. Please take a moment to listen if you have the time.

And remember.... All of us are insecure. All of us are damaged. All of us are loved.

The Oak Inside the Acorn

"The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

A few years ago my mom bought me this book, The Oak Inside the Acorn. This book, by Max Lucado, tells the story of a little acorn that is so scared about leaving his mother Oak. Before he falls from her limbs, she tells him over and over again that " Within you is a great oak. Just be the tree God made you to be." As you journey with the little acorn, you hear of his fears and worries, but as he matures and grows, he begins to understand what his mother meant all along. Although this book is intended for young children, it is a perfect reminder to us as adults that God is still working in us and through us. This sweet story of the acorn is a powerful moral lesson, one of growth, regeneration, potential, patience, and faith. This week I will be reading this story to all the second graders at Ida Rankin, in hopes they will take away this message and walk away wondering "Wonder what I could be one day?" Have a blessed week everyone!

Feels like Home....

As many of you know, Daniel and I are anxiously waiting for our home to be built. We drive by daily and dream of memories we will make in our new home. I've been thinking lately how I have had many "Homes" throughout my lifetime. My first home was a Log Home on Belle Rd in Point Pleasant. I had many homes during college in Huntington, WV. I have a Home here at my In-Laws while my home is being built. But to me having a home is so much more. To me home is a weekend with my mom, or laughing with my dad, telling jokes with my brother, or fun days with friends. Home is listening to my Ma Ma Lee's stories, a day spent with the children at school and home is laying in bed blogging. To me, the meaning of home is connected with comfort, relationships, family, relatives, friends and traditions that give meaning to our lives. My idea of home has so many layers. Home to me can be a warm blanket, a new book, a candle burning, and a prayer. Home is a word that makes me feel safe. Think today about what reminds you of home. While you're thinking, listen below to the song, Feels like Home, By Edwina Hayes. It is so pretty and makes me feel well.... home.

Dignity

I've been reading a lot about bestowing dignity. According to the book, 10 Conversations You Need to Have with your Children, every human being has value and every human encounter is a fresh chance to let him know it. Some people believe in human kindness, others believe it is to love and be loved, but we also need to remember to confer dignity on all of God's creatures. It made me think, "Do I practice this daily." Well....sometimes, is what I told myself. Let's clear up the definition of the word before going an deeper. This is what dictionary.com stated.....

dig·ni·ty

   

[dig-ni-tee] Show IPA

–noun, plural -ties.

1.

bearing, conduct, or speech indicative of self-respect orappreciation of the formality or gravity of an occasion orsituation.

2.

nobility or elevation of character; worthiness: dignity ofsentiments.

Sounds to me like it is our job to impress value upon the lives of others. When you smile at someone, ask about their day, offer a compliment, you are conferring dignity. You bring them to life. Whenever you make someone feel that they matter, you lend them dignity.

Let me know of ways that you confer dignity to others....

Thanks for Reading!

Life Planner

Okay, I will admit it.... I LOVE PLANNERS.... CALENDARS.... ORGANIZERS and I am always on the lookout for the perfect planner. As I was blog browsing last week, I found the absolute b-e-s-t planner ever! Found it at http://www.erincondren.com. Erin is a stay-at-home mom and has twins! She is amazingly creative and her designs are so fun and funky.

I quickly messaged my mom and added this to the Christmas List! She personalizes the front of the planner to your pleasing and adds lots of personal touches throughout the planner as well!

Below is a video of what is inside the planner and how she puts it together. If you have time, please watch. If you can't stand planners and think this was a waste of time..... kindly disregard the video and return later for more postings!

Humble Me....

Church was awesome today. Both Daniel and I walked out of church seriously thinking about our own lives in relation to the sermon. We read of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in the Gospel of Luke. In this parable, two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: God, I thank you that I am not like other men --- robbers, evildoers, adulterers --- or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get." But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner (Luke 18:9-14). Do you know what Jesus said about the tax collector? "I tell you that this man, rather than the other went home justified before God.

Kendell asked his congregation which of these men that we felt like we were most like... He also reminded us that we all draw lines in life.... we say this is good and unacceptable, and this is wrong and unacceptable. However, when we draw these lines, we always draw ourselves inside of them. And it's true. At least for me.

This week I am praying that God will humble me and give me the wisdom to look at others with judgement-free eyes and a loving heart. If you have time, stop and listen to this song. The song is By Addison Road called "What do I Know of Holy?" Have a blessed week everyone!

andrea

Sophie Dahl

I learned about Sophie Dahl this past summer as I was perusing all the fun books in Anthropolgie. I noticed this interesting little pink cookbook. As I read through I was amazed. Each section of the cookbook was divided into seasons, starting with Autumn. Each season had sections for breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas. I realize that I have blogged about her before, but I wanted to post another blog with a video of her making Peanut Butter Fudge. It is up next on my "Must-Try" desserts. She is so real and delightful to listen to and watch. She makes every ingredient seem heavenly. I actually made one of her recipes this evening called Peasant Soup. It was so yummy and the husband was most definitely impressed.

Enjoy the video...

Praying about Peru

Daniel and I have officially decided to take our first mission trip! We have prayed long and hard and are really excited to visit Peru next summer. I have always wanted to go on a mission trip and it has never worked out, until now! We will leave next June, right after school. We will fly to Lima and will take a boat to Iquitos. We will be staying at a boys camp and will help sand boards, build, and varnish. Every night we will have a Bible Study and Lesson. We will sing songs before all the meals and make crafts with them as well. There will be about 40 boys at this camp, none of in which have families.

Talk about stepping out of our comfort zone. I am already praying that this experience touches our lives in a way that can only be done through God's love and mercy.

This song, Go light Your World is one of my favorite songs. I hope that I can take what God has given me and reach out to the lost and lonely, the weak and confused.

Go Light your World this week--

Sometimes a song can teach you so much...

This week I learned about a new a new artist by the name of JJ Heller. My friend, Kati Bailey posted a song by her on facebook by her. I listened and literally was silenced by her music. I just wanted to keep listening. Her music is so raw and real and truly makes you think. The song, LOVE ME FOR ME, is a ballad about different people searching for someone to love them for who they really are! It is is a beautiful reminder that no matter where you find yourself in life, God loves you, really loves you! I could not help but think about all the sweet children that I come in contact with daily. You never knew who needs love. It may be a young child, a close friend, or even a stranger.....

I have been reading a little bit about her life. This is a quote from an interview she had:

“III’m amazed to see the ways that God has used my music over the past year,” Heller says. “All this publicity wasn’t something I was intentionally pursuing, so it makes it that much more obvious to me that it’s something the Lord wanted. It’s been fun to watch Him work in my life and through my music.”

Heller frequently juggles blogging, sewing projects, home decorating, songwriting, touring, and parenting her nearly two-year-old daughter, Lucy. “None of this would be possible without my husband, Dave,” JJ says. “He works so hard to make sure we’re organized and staying faithful with the gifts God has given us.” Dave manages JJ’s career, co-writes, and shares the stage with JJ as her guitarist and backup singer during live performances. (SHE SOUNDS PRETTY COOL)

Okay if you have read this far... PLEASE LISTEN! I promise that you will be blessed!

Home Sweet Home....

One thing I remember most about my childhood is that my mom always had our house smelling good. Whether she was baking brownies, bread, or burning a sweet smelling candle, our home always smelled good. I knew I wanted my house to be just the same. My favorite way to smell up my house is by burning oils. Oils last so long and a little goes such a long way. My favorite oil that my Aunt Pam got me hooked on The Body Shop's Satsuma Oil. It smells just like freshly squeezed oranges, grapefruits, and citrus fruit but without all the work. Coming in at second is Eucalyptus Oil. It reminds me a day at the spa. I feel clean when I smell it. I can't wait to fill up my home with these scents!

What fragrances remind you of home???

Fun Find...

While "blog-hopping" today, I clicked upon a new blog that was highly recommended. "The Serendipity Factor" is a compilation of inspiring quotes, images and good news stories. Today, she offered a free goal planning worksheet. I think it looks pretty cool. Thought I would post the download form if anyone wants to print it.Scroll below to print.

Click Here: I'm happy to share a free download of my Goal Planning Worksheet for anyone who can use it!

Thanks to everyone!!!

I just wanted to take a moment and say "thank-you" to every single person who clicks on this page! I write because I need to. I write because God always places something on my heart. I would still write if no one ever clicked on this blog. Please keep clicking though! This morning I woke up and hit the 1000 review mark! Please feel free to leave a comment or email me! I love hearing from everyone! Have a blessed day!

Thanks Again!!!!!!!!!

Life is Like Coffee....or is it like the coffee cup?

Simple Things

My friend Jenny, always has a way of making me realizing how "special" the simple things in life can be. She constantly reminds me of ways to turn "everyday events" into moments that we can be appreciative.

Here are a few ideas (the first one, she gave me)

1. Washing Dishes- A chore, yes, for most of us. She told me to fill my sink with warm sudsy water and light a candle by the sink. During this time, think about all of life's blessings and how God has "cleansed" us all from our sins. Remember the verse: The Lord is my light and salvation; Whom Shall I fear? Psalm 27:1

2. Doing the Laundry- Laundry seems to be a disturbance for many people. In the crazy fast world we live in, many of us would love to be able to snap our fingers and find our laundry folded neatly and ready to be put away. One way that you can attempt to enjoy your laundry experience is to make it a place that reflects cleanliness and order. Organize your detergents. I like to put mine in a glass container and I made a cute label for the front. Hang up a sign that means something to you. Remember these lyrics the next time you wash your whites: Word of God speak, would you pour down like rain. Washing my eyes to see, your majesty. To be still and know that you're in this place. Please let me stay and rest in your holiness, word of God speak.

3. Taking a Shower- Showering is an everyday routine that we usually experience in the morning and/or evening. I "must" shower every morning if I want to make it through my day. A shower refreshes and rejuvenates my tired body. For a long time, my shower experience was thoughtless. Just a time to get clean and jump out and move along in my daily schedule. I have tried to create space when I shower to pray for people and practice remembering Jesus' words from the Bible. Now this may sound silly, but it seriously gets my head in the right place, first thing in the morning. Remember the verse: Joshua 1:5- "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Let this verse sink in and remember that He is with you every step of your day.

I hope everyone has a blessed week. Find some time to change your perspective when doing the mundane, repetitive, annoying things of life. Life is what you make it!

Streetlight: New Song by Josh Radin

I was so excited to buy Joshua Radin's new cd, the Rock and the Tide. It is very different from his first two albums. He goes from mellow to HELLO with a new spin on the beat and rhythm of his songs! I love it! Streelights is already one of my favorite songs! I found this interview that also has clips of him singing the song.... I particularly liked the fact that he was singing with kindergartners in the clip! Ahhh...Big points with this teacher!!