Bloodah

Charlie bit my finger - again !

Making of Star Guitar

Love this...I can't even imagine having the kind of mind that can come up with things like this.

Chemical Brothers - Star Guitar

This video is AWESOME! Every component of the music is represented in the scenery going by...that might not make sense, but watch it and see! I'm also posting the making of the video so it'll all make sense.

dramatic maki

This makes me laugh everytime! I finally stumbled upon Dramatic Chipmunk a couple of days ago on You Tube, and found this. Awesome.

Braces...and other horrible things

Sorry it's been a while since I blogged. Life has been crazy busy and I also just haven't been too motivated to do it. Now that I'm sitting here with a dirty house that needs to be cleaned, presents that need to be made/wrapped, dinner that needs to be cooked, etc. I'm suddenly motivated to blog. Nothing like avoidance..

Anyway, so yes, it's true, Tech lost to OU. But, I'm not ready to talk about it just yet. Maybe sometime next year. I have repressed the truth of that game, and don't plan on dealing with my neurosis until later...much later. For now, I'm going to pretend it didn't happen and continue to insist that they managed to find a High School team that looked just like the Tech players to sub in for that game. Dirty trick.

So, in case anyone cares, my hair is still behaving quite well with the absence of shampoo/conditioner. It's over it's revolt and now behaving quite nicely. I do, however, now have a serious highlights-growing-out-very-noticeably problem. I'm planning on going back to my natural color so I don't have to deal with/pay for highlights anymore, but am trying to scrounge up the money to color it back to normal. So, someday I'll update with a picture of what I should've actually looked like all these years :)

Alright, I guess it's time to explain the title of my post. Turns out that mom was right (don't ever tell her I said that), and I should've worn my retainer in high school. I still have vivid memories of epic battles over the retainer. Mom used to actually sneak in at night (since I was such a heavy sleeper) and stuff the retainer in my mouth while I was sleeping. I think at least once or twice our dog ate a retainer of mine, also (whoops!).

So, yes, I'm going to get braces again. My first reaction was "crap, how am I going to pay for this??" and luckily I have great dental insurance. My second reaction which very quickly followed the first was "dang, I'm going to look like an idiot for at least a year" which I am still dealing with. I'm beginning to think I might have a vanity problem (but that's an entirely other post). So, yes, braces it is. I get them put on the top teeth on the 29th of this month. I had my spacers put in almost 2 weeks ago, and am still unable to eat crunchy things without some serious pain. But, the upside is, looks like I might be able to loose that "last 5 pounds" afterall! Something about serious pain each time you bite into something that discourages overeating.

I think that's most of the latest news around here. My family, sister's boyfriends, and a friend of mine and I are all going skiing on the 19th for 3-4 days in Colorado. I can't wait, but need many more workouts before I'm ready for the altitude and leg muscle usage.

Also, our whole family has been making Christmas presents, so I am finishing up mine and need to wrap them still.

Kathryn and Christopher are coming down here this weekend so that Kathryn can talk to some advisers for school and move some of her stuff in. Also, they're just gonna stay and hang out for 4-5 days, WOOHOO!

Thanksgiving

I thought I'd share a few pictures from Thanksgiving. I had a great time going home. It was so nice to relax, sleep, read and cook for 5 days...thanks family!
Dad, Kathryn, Me, Mom and Carissa at Thanksgiving dinner

Carissa picking on my poor wookie of a dog (she needs a serious haircut)

Pumpkin Carmel Pecan Gingersnap Cheesecake. I have no words. Get the recipe here. MAKE IT!

Carissa and Godiva

Carissa and Stella

Three sisters

We decided to do the awkward smile for mom. She wouldn't quit taking pictures, so we made things a bit harder for her :)

Abortions for Christmas

I just read this article online today, and it broke my heart. Basically, because of the economy, Planned Parenthood is offering gift certificates for health services at their clinics, including abortions.

I am so saddened by this promotion, which makes sense, since I am Pro Life. The idea of abortion is sad for me in general, always. But, the bigger issue here, at least for me, is abortions cannot be fun.

What I mean by this is that abortions are still the loss of your child. They cause significant physical pain. Some doctors are even saddened by performing one. Anyway, the point is, even if you agree with abortions, who would want one for a Christmas present?

Let's celebrate Jesus being born...here's a free abortion. Seriously?

Here Lately

I realized it's been a super long time since I blogged, sorry about that! I've been super busy and the times I've thought about it, I haven't really been in the mood. So, here goes!

-Mom bought me a couple of baking pumpkins when she was here last, so I have about 11 cups of pumpkin puree' in the freezer after roasting them. I've been doing a lot of baking with pumpkin, so if you want any good recipes, let me know!

-Kathryn (the youngest Watts sister) is moving into our house in Denton in about a month and starting at TWU, and I CAN'T WAIT!

-Texas Tech football is doing extremely well this season and I've been watching every game. I'll always be a loyal fan, but they're very easy to love this year!

-I made an indoor herb garden over a month ago and it's still alive! I may get to use fresh herbs all winter, but we'll see, I'm notorious for killing plants.

-I found/made a great recipe of peanut butter fudge, then covered it with chocolate. Bad idea. It's amazing and currently thwarting my eating healthy plan.

-I'm already compiling recipes for Thanksgiving and really ready to go home and have a break for a while!

-I've been very busy with Homegroup, Biblical Counseling class, Recovery, Sponsoring for Step Studies, etc. but luckily now my weekends are open, so life is manageable again.

-I need to start researching what to make for Christmas presents. My family decided that we'll all hand make presents this year instead of buying them...and I need to get after it.

That's about all I can think about for now, more later!

TIMBER!!

Yay! We had a giant tree branch fall down onto our carport and fence at the house a few months ago. It was barely leaning in the tree and very heavy. I cut the branches off at one point so that we could drive into the carport, but it fell further down. So, it was still stuck in there, but we really couldn't get it out. Looking at it, it was very close to falling and if it did, it would've fallen on the power lines. So, a couple of very sweet men from the Village heard about my tree issue and came over last Friday afternoon to take it down for me! I am still SO thankful that they were so very sweet. So, below are the pictures of the tree when it first fell and afterwards as they were taking it down. At the very bottom is a video of John Warren holding onto it when we finally cut it down. It's a miracle we didn't drop it on the powerline trying to take it down.

Reformation Study Bible for Any Amount

Reformation Study Bible for Any Amount

Celebrate Reformation Week with a genuine leather Reformation Study Bible (ESV) for a donation of any amount. Lingonier Ministries is giving Bibles away for any donation amount this week to celebrate Reformation Week! I highly recommend taking advantage of this offer!

Raining Jane performs Wyoming Sky and Papercut

Again, really like them! The song Papercut was hilarious last night, so I thought I'd post it. It starts about 5:30 into this video.

Raining Jane

Carissa and I went to see Sara Bareilles and Mark Broussard last night and these girls opened for them and they were so fascinating to watch live!

Texas Tech FOOTBALL!

Hey all-

I'm headed to the Tech vs A&M football game in College Station this afternoon. YIPPEE! I can't tell you how happy that makes me! I try and make it a goal to go to a Tech football game once a year, but I missed last year, so I can't wait. Kyle Field is the best place to see college football and we're gonna whoop up! Tech is having a great season, so I can't wait to see them in person, especially with a free place to stay and free tickets to the game (thanks Jen!!).

On a more important note, thought I'd share a convo I had with God the other day, didn't turn out the way I wanted... I was praying for something, very selfishly and it was going something like this: "Lord, I know your timing is perfect, but I'm getting tired of waiting. I'm READY! Could you please just give me _______? It's all I want right now, it's exactly what I need/what would make me happy." And the answer I got was "Are you sure about that?"

OUCH.

What do you even do with that?

Of course I'm not sure, God is perfect and knows what I need. I have NO IDEA! I had no response. It's been bothering me for 2 days ever since. It's so funny how perfect He is. He didn't tell me "No" or "Wait" or "I promise I'll give it to you soon". That one simple question pulled the rug out from under me and made me stop cold...without giving me any answers. It was the PERFECT response that jerked the rug out from under me and made me trust. Not just trust that He will give me what I want, but that He'll give me what I need exactly when I need it.

So, back to waiting!

Funnies

This is definitely me! Oh, so sad...

http://xkcd.com/490/

Great Hair

Ok people, it's official! No shampoo is a miracle...

I haven't used regular shampoo/conditioner since last Monday, so it's been a week and a half, and I now officially have the healthiest hair I've ever had! And that's saying a lot...the shampoo and conditioner I was using were Frederick Fekkai and Rusk, so it was GOOD stuff. But, my hair always seems to "get used" to something and start looking crappy, so I have to find something new to wash with. And it was starting to get expensive!

For the first week, I just used baking soda to wash and I made a vinegar rinse to use afterwards. For the baking soda, you take some, get it wet enough to make a paste and scrub it all over your scalp. Then, you HAVE TO WAIT at least a minute or two. I didn't know this originally and had super oily hair. Then, you can put about 2 tablespoons of vinegar (or vinegar rinse) in a cup of water and pour all over your hair. You can leave it in or rinse it out. The vinegar helps de-tangle and makes your hair very shiny!

But, I must say, the best part is the Shampoo Bar from Prairie Land Herbs. It costs $5.50 and is worth every penny...it has done amazing things for my hair! Also, they sell vinegar rinses that are also fantastic. I made my own, but you can also just buy them!

So, my hair is now full of body (something I've NEVER had on my own), very shiny, and doesn't get oily nearly as fast!! YIPPEE!!!!!!!!

Below is a recipe for Vinegar rinses:

Vinegar (regular or Apple Cider)
Herbs (dried or fresh)

1. Take a glass container and put your herbs into it. If using fresh herbs, fill 1/3 full. If dried, I think I put about 2-3 tablespoons maybe?

2. Bring vinegar to a boil on the stove, once it's boiling, pour into the glass container with the herbs. Let sit for 2 weeks in the frig, then you can strain out the herbs if you like.

Notes: I started using my vinegar right after it cooled and the herbs are still in it, so you can do that if you like.
Also, I bought my dry herbs in the bulk section of the Cupboard in Denton. You can put in whatever herbs you like! I'm making a Spearmint/Eucalyptus one tonight!

Anyhoo, IT WORKS! Anyone who has actually seen me lately: Please comment and lend some validity to my newly fantastic hair :)

No More Shampoo

I haven't washed my hair with shampoo since Tuesday! I know, I know, it sounds insane.

Carissa has already called me a hippee no less than 12 times in the past 2 days. But, with Ginger on the same plan with me, I'm not gonna use shampoo and conditioner anymore!

So, here's how it works: Supposedly shampoo leaves a lot of residue in your hair. Also, washing with soaps everyday increases the oil production in your hair. At this point, I have to wash my hair everyday or else it's really oily. Apparently that's just because the more I wash it, the more oil it makes...kinda annoying! I've spent a long time looking for the best shampoo. I'm currently at the point where I'm using stuff like Bumble & Bumble and Frederic Fekkai. Which, I'm sure you know, is EXPENSIVE! And still, my hair will feel great for a while, but then go back to being dry/oily/unruly.

Also, I tend to be very consumeristic and I decided that I NEED the latest and greatest and when I get said thing, it'll change my life! It's ridiculous, I know, but still...that's the way I think!
Not using normal shampoo and conditioner anymore will help me with that, and also be a lot cheaper.

And, I am also somewhat concerned with all the chemicals that are in EVERYTHING these days. Food, cleaners, beauty products, soaps, etc. I'm not saying that I'm insisting they will cause cancer or anything, it just seems like something that's worth taking note of. We do have a lot more disease now than we used to, and I think simplifying parts of my life will be a good idea.

So, back to my original point. What Ginger and I are doing is using Baking Soda to "wash" our hair. You get it out, mix it with a little water, and scrub away! Apparently this will get the dirt out of the hair, but leave the natural oils in. The problem with this initially is that you will still have shampoo residue and a confused oil production system for a week or so. So, I currently have pretty funky hair and have been putting it up in a ponytail everyday, which I hate. But, I am assured that after a while, this will go away and I'll have the most healthy hair ever. So, we'll see!

The next step, my conditioner if you will, is a Vinegar Rinse. I did it the first time with plain Apple Cider Vinegar and smelled like a salad gone bad all day, so I changed it up a bit the second time. Apparently you can infuse vinegar with herbs pretty easily, so I went to the Cupboard (organic grocery store in Denton) and got herbs by bulk. It was the most fun I've had in a while! They cost about $1 an ounce, and since they are dried, they don't weigh much! I ended up spending about 50 cents on each bag of herbs. I got Nettle, Eucalyptus, Spearmint, Lemongrass, Chamomile, and Jasmine. At home I also have Vanilla Beans and Rosemary. So, yesterday afternoon, I put herbs in a jar (whichever ones I wanted), boiled vinegar, and put it over the herbs. I'm supposed to let it sit for a couple of days and then strain the herbs! The first one I made was Jasmine, Chamomile and Vanilla. You store it in the frig for up to 6 months, and enjoy!

For using the Vinegar, you put about 1-2 tablespoons of it in a cup of water and pour or squirt over your hair. You can leave it in or rinse it out, either way you really don't smell like it after you fix your hair. Vinegar helps close the shaft in your hair and make it more silky/shiny and also de-tangles as well. So far, it's made my hair feel great!

I also ordered a Shampoo Bar from Praireland Herbs. It's all natural and will take the place of the Baking Soda when it gets here. I'm very excited to try it!! I also ordered their all natural deodorant, so we'll see how that goes!

My plan is to replace most things I can with natural products. I think the less and less I can rely on stuff like lotion, makeup, lip gloss, shampoo, conditioner, etc., the better off I'll be! So, here's my list of things I'm going natural on:

1. Toothpaste- I already use Tom's and it's EXCELLENT! My teeth feel better than any other toothpaste I've ever used.
2. Laundry soap- I use 7th Generation
3. Dish Soap- 7th Generation again
4. All-Purpose Cleaner- 7th Generation
5. Deodorant- Praireland Herbs when I get it
6. Shampoo/Conditioner- baking soda/vinegar/Praireland Herbs Shampoo Bar
7. Soap- Praireland Herbs shower gel/shampoo bar
8. Body Scrub- make my own
9. Bathroom Cleaner/Disinfectant- Peroxide
10. Misc. Cleaner- Baking Soda/Vinegar
11. Roach repellent/trap- Concoction Ginger is making
12. Medicine-Try herbs/food mixtures first

That's just a list of a few things. I'm going to go through the house and replace cleaners and get rid of beauty products I don't need anymore. I've also got all sorts of random recipes and ideas collected for all of the above that I intend to type up and compile into a book of sorts. I always see ideas and natural recipes, but can't remember them when I need them, so I think if I had them all in one place, that would make things a lot easier.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to my weekend of simplifying my life and watching the Texas Tech vs. Kansas State football game. GO RAIDERS!

Ah, Men...

This post has been rolling around in my head for several days, so there's no telling if it'll come out logically, but I'll give it a try.

I've been thinking a lot about men, women, singleness, dating, etc. and thinking about how I deal with all of that. And my first thought is that women and naturally manipulative in this area and a bit obsessive and over-analytical...Before I get nasty comments, let me just say that's my own observation of mostly, well, me! I see glimpses of it everywhere, but I know those are the things that I fight on a regular basis.

First of all, I think as a woman, my role is to be pursued. This makes for a tough time, though! I've been very used to manipulating, flirting, etc to get the guy I want and it usually worked. Now, I understand that it's not about me, and I was going after relationships for all the wrong reasons. I wanted a boyfriend so that I could feel better about myself, validate that I was attractive, have someone love me, have someone serve me, etc. Now I realize that a relationship, marriage in particular, is to model Christ and the church. I am called into a relationship to love the other person, serve them, and draw them closer to Christ. It will be a very difficult road of selflessness and sanctification!

Anyway, back to my original point. I've been single for over a year, and not just single, but no one has asked me out, or really even flirted! And I know that's not long, and I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, but it's important information for me to make my point. God is perfect, and His plan is happening exactly the way it is supposed to. It has forced me to deal with co-dependence, getting my self-esteem from relationships and forced me to rely on the Lord as my source of love, acceptance, self-worth, etc. And, I must say, although I've not really been a big fan of it, I see the huge fruits of being single during this time!

So, the areas I have to fight regularly are being manipulative and over-analyzing. And by manipulative, most of this just goes on in my head, but just having constant thoughts of: "Oh, I better make sure I look good", "I should go to this because boys will be there", "I should say/do this because it'll make me sound like I'd be a good wife" and on and on and on and on and on..... It's insanity! So, I am learning to fight that . And it's good that none of those thoughts/actions work because then I would've manipulated the situation instead of letting myself be pursued. I think it would be the biggest blessing to have someone pursue me without having to "lure" them... And the best news is that God will use my retarded, selfish actions to still glorify him....amazing! So, I'm doing my best to wait and rest in the Lord and know that He is enough...and if someone great comes along that I'm meant to marry, YIPPEE! Otherwise, I will continue to fight my flesh and not pursue/manipulate men.

Also, I obsess and over-analyze. And, I think this is an issue for a lot of women. Since we wait on men to pursue us, we like to sit and analyze every move they make and try to read something into it. This seems to cause 2 big issues: 1. We start to close our fist around "dating" and it becomes an idol and 2. We then manipulate to get more and end up being unfair to men. I think it's hard enough to navigate God-glorifying relationships with brothers and sisters in the body already, but when women take everything guys do as a "sign", it makes it very difficult! I'll be the first to admit that I constantly struggle to take my thoughts captive and not obsessing, and I fight that a lot, but I really don't think it's fair to get upset with the men that want to get to know us as sisters when they're not pursuing a relationship...

I count myself blessed every time I get to spend time around Godly men. They are such an example to me and extremely encouraging to just watch, even. So, I don't want to ruin that by getting angry when they are being kind, but that kindness doesn't mean they want to date me. My goal is to enjoy their company whenever I get the privilege, and not assume that any of them "like" me until someone actually says so. I think single people interacting is enough of a minefield without me being unfair and idolatrous like that with someone.

I hope this is actually making some sense...It's just the random rants of my thoughts lately, but I thought it was something important to write down and get out there. It's tough to do singleness and relationships God's way, but like all things He commands, completely worth it!

Also, the 2 greatest benefits of me staying single right now are:
1. I am able to serve others with my time (which I have a lot of), instead of being able to serve my family at home.
2. I am working through issues and being sanctified before I inflict my junk on someone else. The more I can work out now, the less I'll carry into a marriage!!

I try to focus on the positive, people :) Anyway, hope that makes at least a little sense....

Healthy Banana Bread

Again, the baking.... I know, I know. I should just turn this blog into a cooking blog! I can't help it...I love to bake. I LOVE sweets! So, I've made 2 new rules at my house: 1. If I bake something terribly unhealthy, give it to someone else and 2. Make baked goods as healthy as possible.

I LOVE muffins, breads, etc for breakfast, but it's hard to find anything too good for you out there... So, here's yet another attempt to make something at least a little healthy!

And, I'm not gonna lie, it turned out fantastic. Not just I-know-it's-healthy-but-it-still-tastes-relatively-ok good, but I crave it, fantastic! Alright, enough of that, here's the recipe!

Healthy Banana Bread
Adapted from: More from Magnolia Cookbook by Allysa Torey

3 cups white, whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup applesauce (sub for the oil)
3/4 cup sugar (took out 1/2 the sugar)
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
3/4 cup plain yogurt (sub for sour cream)
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup shredded coconut

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour 2 loaf pans.

2. In a medium-size bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together the oil, applesauce and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat well. Add the bananas and yogurt, and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the pecans and coconut. Pour the batter into a prepared pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the bread comes out with moist crumbs attached.

The coconut sounds weird in this, but it makes it wonderful. It actually makes it taste more banana-like, it's great!

Carissa's 80s Birthday Party

Let the tackiness ensue!!

So, we had an 80s Pary for Carissa's birthday a few weeks ago. It was a great time! Kathry and Christopher came for the weekend, as well, so that was great to hang out with them.

Below are some of the pictures...several other people took some, but I haven't gottem them yet, so I thought I'd share what I did have... Enjoy!


Carissa, Kathryn and Ginger getting ready

Me in the bathroom getting ready

Carissa, the birthday girl!

Kathryn, looking very racoon-like!

Lindsey putting on her makeup


Me- the drinking series... I promise it was only one wine cooler!

Kathryn and Angie
Josh and Scott
Hai
The Nintendo Phillip got for Carissa!

Phillip
Ginger
Carissa
Lindsey!
Ginger and her brother, Jon

The Peasant Princess

This is the link to the new Song of Songs series that Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill Church is doing. I was intrigued and started watching the first video and I think it's going to be a GREAT series, so go check it out! http://www.peasantprincess.com/

I've been tagged!!

A- Attached or Single? -Single
B- Best Friend(s): Carissa, Kathryn, and lots of other wonderful ladies in my life!
C- Cake or Pie: hmm...I guess I learn towards cake, but I do love me some cookies!
D- Drink of Choice: That would definitely be coffee- right now that's a Coconut Mocha
E- Essential Item: I'm gonna have to agree with Ginger on this one, chapstick! I'm SERIOUSLY addicted....
F- Favorite Color: Oooo, I think it's still my two normal faves: robin's egg blue and red
G- Gummi Bears or Worms: sour worms for sure
H- Hometown: Borger, TX
I- Indulgence: SUGAR! I love dessert...all kinds, but especially with lots of sugar/butter and chocolate
J- January or February: I guess I'll go with January since that's when I was born
K- Kids: Sure!
L- Life, for me, is incomplete without: Jesus.
M- Marriage Date: Yes, please
N- Number of Siblings: 2 sisters
O- Oranges or Apples? Honeychrisp apples! But I also love tangerines...
P- Phobia/Fears: I have serious issues with june bugs/grasshoppers and with being in open water (everything in that water with me can see me AND move faster than I can....shiver)
Q- Favorite Quote: "God, give me the determination and tenacity of a weed."
R- Reasons to smile: God choosing to let me know He's involved in things, coffee, friends, naps, my puppies
S- Season: That's tough...I answer different each time the weather changes! So, right now it's Fall for sure...
T- Tag Ten: Carissa, Kathryn, Mom & Dad, Angela, Lisa Allen, and I apparently need more blog friends that might do one of these!
U- Unknown fact about me: I have my motorcycle license, and wish I could afford a bike!
V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animals: I don't oppress my food, just eat it
W- Worst Habit: picking at stuff and sugar
X- X-rays or Ultrasounds: Ummm...I would go with Ultrasound, I've never had one!
Y- Your Favorite Foods: Coffee, Apple Betty, Cookies, Icing, Cake, Zucchini/Banana bread, Italian, Whole Grains, QUESO, Guacamole, Homemade salsa...
Z- Zodiac: Aquarius (but that doesn't mean anything in my book)

Oh, did you know...?

I promised I would blog about something other than recipes, so here goes!

I have a tendency to enjoy being right. I also like things to be fair, just, etc. Also, my brain contains a plethora of random knowledge. All that combined tends to annoy people that know me well! I like to be right, smart, knowledgeable, interesting, witty, etc because I want people to notice/like me. Growing up, I was always the "smart kid" that got good grades, graduated from college early, "picked up on things" really quick and all that. I think that I really took pride in that and then started to use that to my advantage.

Fast forward several years...now it just always ends up that I correct people, tell them how they're doing something wrong, babble about something meaningless, make inappropriate jokes, or tell random info to people. It really annoys me, I know I'm doing it, but seem powerless to stop myself!

And, the problem with me telling people when they're wrong all the time, is that I've justified it! And it's a good one too.... I've managed to convince myself that I need to "save" people from making mistakes and the unloving thing would be to watch them screw up without saying anything! When, in truth, all I manage to do is make people feel incompetent and criticized.

So, from now on, for those of you who are around me: I might throw in interesting info into a conversation now and then, but I'm seriously going to try and stop giving advice unless you ask me for it. And feel free to ask anytime, I've got TONS of opinions. But, if you don't ask, even if I know you're about to do something really dumb, I'm gonna keep my mouth shut. If something happens to go bad and I coulda warned you, don't blame me, you shoulda asked! :) Just kidding... I will say something if it's gonna seriously harm yourself or others (especially me).

Healthier Zucchini Bread

Hello out there! I know it's been absolutely forever since I've blogged, and I apologize. I just have been busy and haven't felt like it... Anyway, here's a recipe, which is always quick and easy to blog and then I'll write an update on me and my rather boring life very soon.

This started out as my Nana's Zucchini Bread which I LOVE in it's original form, but I felt like I can't make it too often due to the huge amount of oil and sugar in it. I tend to eat it whole in one sitting and that's awefully bad for my current workout/stay fit plan! Anyhoo...below is the recipe with the modifications I made. I could've made more, but I didn't want it to turn out tasting like "health food" as my last batch of "healthy muffins" did last time (according to my family, I thought they were good!).

Zucchini Bread – Healthy!

3 eggs, beaten
1 ¾ cup sugar
¼ cup oil
¾ cup applesauce
2-3 cups zucchini, grated
3 tsp vanilla
2 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
½ cup wheat germ
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, etc)

In a large bowl, combine beaten eggs, sugar, oil, grated zucchini, and vanilla. In a smaller bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nuts

Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients in a large bowl with a spoon. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Sprinkle each pan with a little bit of sugar and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Granola

I just wanted to post this recipe. My mom has made this for as long as I can remember, and it's EXCELLENT! It is my favorite granola, even out of the kind you can buy. The ingredients are probably going to sound kinda funny, but it's super healthy and tasty. So, try it sometime! And, be prepared to give some away, it makes TONS.

Granola

12 cups regular oats
1 cup oat bran
1 1/2 cups wheat germ
1 cup dry milk (I know this sounds terrible, but you can't taste it at all)
Pecans (About 2 cups), chopped
Almonds (About 1 cup), chopped
1 cup oil
1 cup honey
3 tbsp water
Raisins (I use about 2 cups) and/or
Dried fruit of your liking (apricots, banana chips, dates, cranberries, etc)
Any other nuts/seeds you might like

1. Combine oats, oat bran, wheat germ, dried milk, pecans and almonds (or other nuts/seeds if you prefer)

2. Mix oil, honey, and water and pour over dry ingredients. Stir until all combined. If it still feels too dry, add a little more liquid (honey will make it sweeter, oil will make it more fattening, and water will just wet it) until all the ingredients are coated (not soaked).

3. Spread granola out on a cookie sheet (or 2) and cook at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes until toasted (may take longer for this big of a batch).

4. Add raisins and dried fruit after cooked. Store in a zip-loc bag and enjoy! You can easily eat it dry or with milk like regular cereal.

Children

I keep hearing about "being like children" in church, and how being child-like is a good thing, but it's never really sunk in until now. I understood it some, but mostly just logically, but not really how it applies.

So, I wanted to share with you the letter I got today from my child I sponsor with Compassion International. He is 8 years old and lives in Uganda and I love him to death! His letters today almost brought me to tears because of how he sees Christ and speaks of Him. It's not just a topic he mentions, it permeates his entire life....like it should with all of us.

Praise God so much. I greet you and your family in the name of Jesus. I am so excited to hear from you once again. I am so happy to know about you and your family. I have seen the photo you sent and you have such a beautiful family. Thank you again for loving me and praying for me. I also promise to be praying for you when I am going to bed. I love school and request that you pray for me to keep doing well at school. Again, I love going to church and I love Jesus so much. I love you and will keep in touch.

This is the second letter that was attached to the one above:

Praise God once again. I appreciate your great love and care for me. Thank you so much for the birthday gift worth 162,501 uganda shillings ($10). When we received it, I was so happy and excited. May God bless you greatly. From the money, I am going to buy a pair of shoes and clothes and I will take a photo putting on the bought clothes and send it to you so that you can see how smart I look. I have nothing to give you in return but only love and prayers that God continues to increase you everyday. God bless you and I love you.

Wow.

I hope to only have a smidge of that mindset. How often does my life and all the "things" I think are so important get in the way of my sweet Savior?

Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." Luke 18:15-17

Hard Lessons

I am going through Step Studies at church right now and it has been TOUGH but also so good... If you don't know what that is, it's a program simular to Celebrate Recovery , but our church has modified it a bit. It's been very challanging, but very worth it. I'm to the point now were I have to deal with forgiveness and serving others. It's been a hard challange and God has been working in my heart to teach me that it's not about me, I'm just as messed up as everyone else (if not more so), I can't judge others, I cannot hold a grudge against others, etc. I just am learning that it doesn't matter what others to do me, or how terrible I think things are, I am still called to behave in a loving way and serve others regardless.

I'll be honest, this is very hard for me! I have a very strong desire for justice and fairness, and hate to be taken advantage of, used, trampled on, etc. and see someone get away with it. I also like to blame others when they do things to me and therefore justify my reaction. And, even if my reaction might be "right" according to the world, holding a grudge and making things "fair" is not always loving and/or Christ-like.

So, I just thought I'd share some verses I've been reading through and ask for prayers! I am fighting so hard against this and hate to let it go, but I SO need it....I've definitely made some progress, but it's been a daily struggle.

-If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.
1 Corinthians 8:2

-"knowledge" puffs up, but love builds up.
1 Corinthians 8:1b

-So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12

-"You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.”
Leviticus 19:16-18

-For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:14-15

-You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Matthew 7:5

-For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Galatians 5:14

-he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."
Luke 10:27

Wet Ears

My poor puppy hates being wet, especially when her ears are wet. This is her trying to dry them off, the way she always does it!

Kitty Attacks!

This is what happens in my house when I'm working...all the time :) Carissa playing (or annoying) with my cat!

John Mayer Concert

Also totally forgot to blog about this one, but about a week and a half ago I got to go to the John Mayer concert...and man, is he amazing live. We had a great time! It was super hot, but so nice to be laying on a blanket and listen to him live. Enjoy!
Gina & Julie
Carissa & Phillip
Julie, Me, Julie and Gina

Brooke Fraser Concert

I have been a lazy blogger lately! Sorry about that...I need to get on it. I have a lot to blog about, so I'll try and get all updated!

A group of us went to the Brooke Fraser concert last Wednesday at the House of Blues and it was excellent! She is so talented and at the same time completely down to earth and funny. If you haven't listened to her, go to iTunes and check her out! Her latest album is called Albertine.

Also, she came with William Fitzsimmons who was absolutely hysterical! He sang mostly somber and depressing songs about topics like divorce, but had such an excellent, dry sense of humor. I thoroughly enjoyed him as well!

William Fitzsimmons

Gina, Me, Julie and Heather at the concert
Phillip and Carissa
Brooke Fraser!

Holy Ghost

I read this web comic regularly thanks to Chuck, and it's usually absolutely hilarious. Today was no exception! Check it out!!

Crazy!

I have felt the need to blog a lot lately, but my mind has been so full and scattered, nothing has materialized. So, there's a good possiblity this blog might not make a lot of sense :) I've been super busy lately with a lot of different stuff, mostly church stuff. Work has also been kinda crazy with me working all last weekend. It hasn't been that terribly busy, just one fire to put out after another, which is a bit stressful!

Anyhoo, nothing too interesting going on around here. I went to the John Mayer concert on Friday and it was fantastic. I also LOVE live music so much more than recorded. I am going to a Brooke Fraser concert tomorrow night that I can't wait for! I am then heading to San Antonio on Thursday night to throw my great friend April a Lingerie Shower/Bachelorette Party on Friday, so that'll be fun. I haven't been back to San Antonio since I moved to the DFW area in December, so I'm really looking forward to it!

As soon as I can think of something post-worthy, I'll write it, but until then I'm just gonna post some random videos of my pets, because they mak me laugh. I hope someone enjoys them!

Creamy Baked Fettuccine with Asiago and Thyme

I don't remember where I got this recipe, but I made it and it actually tasted better than any Fettuccine Alfredo I've ever had! I made this once by adding some chicken to it, which is also great. Enjoy!


Creamy Baked Fettuccine with Asiago and Thyme

1 pound fettuccine pasta
2 cups grated Asiago cheese, plus ¼ cup
2 (8-oz) containers crème fraiche
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 ½ tbsp fresh chopped thyme leaves
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.

2. In a large bowl, combine the 2 cups Asiago cheese, crème fraiche, Parmesan, thyme, salt, pepper, cooked pasta, and pasta cooking liquid. Gently toss until all the ingredients are combined and the pasta is coated. Place the pasta in a buttered baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup Asiago cheese. Bake until golden on top, about 25 minutes. Let sit for at least 5 minutes and serve.

Color Coding Salvation

Stuff Christians Like is one of my new favorite sites. It's one of the funniest things I've ever read! So, go check this one out. It was hysterical today!!!

Food Pairing

OK, I don't quite get this yet, but I LIKE! Check it out :) http://www.foodpairing.be/

Find-A-Husband Advice

I got some fascinating advice and how to get myself a husband last week and thought I would share. It was a typical, hilarious comment from my friend Chuck, but stuck with me as entertaining as we as containing some merit! So, I'll set it up for you:

I was over at Chuck and Ginger's house some night last week after taking a walk with them and some of their friends. Chuck was laying on the couch beside Ginger (his wife) and Ruby (his new daughter). Ginger and I were discussing dating, marriage, boys, authors on the subject, good books about it, etc. (which, I'll recommend the book in a bit). So, we're discussing how to be godly women in singleness and in marriage, and what God has called us to do in those seasons. I was probably talking about dating/marriage and men, when Chuck just sits up and says "OK, all you have to do to get a husband is catch him with you boobs, don't let him touch them until you're married, and then he's all yours b/c you're stuck together forever!!" First, I thought it was HILARIOUS and a very typical Chuck response...but, also had a bit of merit to it!!

I hope someone found that entertaining, I'm just going to go with it being an endorsement of there "not being a hint of immorality in your relationship until your married" instead of it being an endorsement of "just catch a man with your sexy self and figure the rest out later" because I'm sure that was the intent coming from this godly man.

Anyhoo, the book I was talking to Ginger about is called Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye? and while it sounds a little funny at first, it was an EXCELLENT book. I would highly recommend any of you single gals to go buy this book. It's written by Carolyn McCulley. It was just such an encouraging read! It was more about how to live well single by serving others, how to prepare for marriage, and how to use our womanly calling even if we're single (be involved with other people's kids, invite church staff over and feed them, etc). It was so great because it didn't sit and talk about how to find/trap a husband, but how to live well single, and how to prepare to be an excellent wife. Go buy it here!! Also, Carolyn has a great blog that is very worth reading.

Just thought I'd pass that recommendation on....

Turkey Burgers

I made turkey burgers for lunch yesterday and they turned out SO GOOD. It's times like that when I'm really thankful that I work from home!

Turkey Burgers

Homemade buns (Buttermilk Bread recipe (subbed White Whole Wheat flour for White Flour) from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day)
Avocado
Tomato
Basil Pesto
Chipoltle Mayo (if cannot find, take regular mayo and add chipoltle chili powder)
Swiss Cheese
Red Onion, thinly sliced
1 pound ground Turkey
1 tsp Spike
1 tsp Ground Sage
1 tsp Chili Powder (I used Ancho or Chipoltle)
2 tsp Mrs. Dash's Southwest Chipoltle Seasoning
Salt & pepper

I just mixed the turkey with the spices (you can add more/less spice if you like), then cooked them in a skillet on the stove.

I then assembled the burger with pesto on the top bun, chipoltle mayo on the bottom, and meat, cheese, avocado, tomato and onion on the burger.

YUM!

Practice Husband

I couldn't have said it better myself! Check it out...

Super Fast Homemade Bread!

I know this is going to sound insane, but this book/method of bread baking has truly changed my life! Ok, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration, but I'm still ecstatic about it!

When I was young and homeschooled, I used to keep a sourdough starter and make fresh bread every day or two. I loved it, but that was back when I was home all the time and had the time to keep up with it. I don't like bread machine bread too much, it always seems to come out kinda funny to me. I am also completely fed up with store-bought bread since EVERY BRAND has high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated soybean oil in it. EWW!!

I was absolutely shocked when I got this book and the basic loaf has 4 ingredients in it: flour, water, salt and yeast. CRAZY, huh? I should know that's all that goes into it, but it's been so long since I've made it and I've been looking at labels of read in the store for so long and reading a mile long list of ingredients...

Anyhoo, that was way off on a tangent. So, the basic idea for this bread is: you dump the 4 ingredients into a big tupperwear tub, stir them up, put the lid on it, leave it sitting on the counter for 2 hours, stick it in the fridge. It keeps for up to 2 weeks, or can be frozen for forever. When you want some bread, you hack off 1/4th of the dough, make a little ball out of it, and let it rest for 40 mins. Then, you stick it in the oven for 30 mins, and voila! fresh bread...

There are also tons of variations of this, you can make: pita, chibatta (sp?), baguettes, flatbread, naan, cinnamon rolls, brioche, etc. I made brioche dough the other day and made sticky buns out of it and it was BY FAR the best cinnamon roll-type food I've ever eaten.

I've also made several if the plain, regular loafs with substituting King Arthur's White Whole Wheat Flour (one of my all-time fave things) for White Flour and it's excellent. The loaf comes out crunchy on the outside, and chewy on the inside. I made a variation of that, also, by adding herbs and cheddar cheese, and made hamburger buns and they were de-lish!

So, check it out! I highly recommend buying this book here or you can also check out their website here.

Also, I have bread out my ears, so let me know if you would like a loaf :)