YUMMY PB AND OATMEAL COOKIES!

1 STICK BUTTER- I USE SMART BALANCE EVOO BUTTER
3/4 CUP PACKED BROWN SUGAR
1 LARGE ROOM TEMP EGG
1 CUP SMOOTH PB
1 CUP ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
3/4 CUP FAST COOKING OATS
1/2 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
PINCH OF FINE SALT
~IN ONE BOWL, WHIP TOGETHER WITH BLENDER THE BUTTER, BROWN SUGAR, EGG AND PB.
~IN SEPERATE BOWL, MIX DRY INGREDIENTS.
~ SLOWLY MIX IN DRY INGREDIENTS INTO WET INGREDIENT BOWL.
~ MAKES ABOUT 8 MEDIUM SIZE COOKIES- USING 2 SPOONS TO ROLL INTO A BALL, PLACE ON A GREASED BAKING SHEET, SPRINKLE WITH A LITTLE BROWN SUGAR AND THE SMASH DOWN SLIGHTY WITH FORK.
~BAKE ON 375 FOR APPROX. 13MIN

Red Beans & Sausage with Cornbread

1 lb red kidney beans
1/2 pack of frozen pict sweet season blend
5 pods fresh garlic chopped
2 Tbs. evoo
1 box chicken broth
salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika to taste
5 links of sausage cut to prefrence
~cover beans with water and a pinch of salt and soak over night.
~crock pot on high, add drained beans and all other ingredients, covering with broth.
~cook on high for approx. 5 hours or until preferred consistency, using broth to make more moist if needed.

2 boxes jiffy corn muffin mix
2 eggs
1 can cream style corn
1 Tbs evoo
3/4 evaporated milk
3 Tbs water
1&1/2 cup shredded cheese of choice ( I like shredded white cheddar or yellow cheddar)
~combine all ingredients other than 1/2 cup of cheddar, mix well, pour in greased baking dish, sprinkle with left over 1/2 cup cheddar & bake on 400 degrees until golden

The Balancing Act

Some days I wake up stressed just knowing what all I have to do in one day. But, at the end of the day, I look back and realize, it wasn't so bad!
I have learned to be over prepared- ex.- pack plenty of snacks, extra sippy, extra clothes and diapers, etc...this makes my day so much better when I don't have a screaming, hungry, dirty toddler :) Also, pack something to entertain the eldest child... because if I don't, I'll pay!
I have also learned to plan, plan, plan...write out my day and in what order it needs to be executed. That way I don't have to back track over what has been done already.
But most of all, first thing is to give my day to God! When you give it to Him, He lines everytihing up in the order it should be. Thankyou Jesus!
So, with that being said, I am going to have a great day today, because I am choosing to let God be in control!!!!! I am off to start my busy day!

Yummy Tuna Pasta Salad

2 cans white albacore tuna in water(drained)
1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow bell pepper(chopped)
5 pods fresh garlic(chopped)
1- 1lb bag of tri colored bowtie pasta
1 large lemon
3/4 cups EVOO mayo
salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder and onion powder
~Boil peppers, garlic and pasta for approx. 8 min.
Drain and rinse with cool water until room temp. Add in
tuna, mayo, lemon zest, juice from lemon, and season to
taste! Serve immediately or chill.

GOD IS SO AWESOME!

I JUST WANT TO BRAG ON JESUS FOR A BIT! JUST WHEN YOU THINK THINGS ARE AT A STAND STILL, HE JUST COMES AND ROCKS YOUR WORLD! GOD IS SO AWESOME! HE ALWAYS SHOWS UP ON TIME! NEVER LATE AND ALWAYS IN HIS TIMING! THANKYOU LORD FOR YOUR NEVER ENDING GRACE AND MERCIES!

Jury Duty????

Well, tomorrow I have my first dreaded "Jury Duty". W-o-o H-o-o. I have heard from every body and their momma how horrible it is! Thanks to you all!!!!
But, my beautiful, most awesomest
B.F.F. Cherie,

always looks at the glass half full. She told me that it was one of the best things that ever happened. Because she was able to get alot of work done, due to the down time while waiting and no distractions from the cell phone. In case you didn't know, there is to be no cellular devices in the court house that have a camera!
So, now I am looking forward to going! I will have some "ME" time, hopefully! Lol! I plan on bringing my B-I-B-L-E, my devotional, and sudoku! And I am hoping to meet some cool people!
So- to the courthouse it is!

How much do you trust God?

Do you trust him enough to let Him be in control? To give Him everything and lay everything at His feet? Do you trust Him enough to were you pray and wait on Him to be your guide? Or do you just jump and do what your mind tells you to do? Do you trust Him enough to let go of you worries and lean on Him? Do you trust him enough to know that when you walk through fire you will not be burned? Do you trust Him enough to know if you are faithful, He will be there to fulfill your needs?
~From: "Grace For The Moment" vol.2 Max Lucado~
~Enough For Today~-
"I will cause food to fall like rain from the sky for all you. Every day the people must go out and gather what they need for that day." ~Exodus 16:4
God liberated His children from slavery and created a path for them through the sea. He gave them a cloud to follow by day and fire to see by night. And He gave them food. He met their most basic need: He filled their bellies.
Each morning the manna came and each evening the quail appeared. "Trust me. Trust me and I will give you what you need." The people were told to take just enough for one day. Their needs would be met one day at a time. "Just take enough for today." Was God's message. "Let me worry about tomorrow." The Father wanted his people to trust Him.
Do you trust in God to provide for you daily? To lead your way? Are you always worried about the next day? And where you are going to the money to pay that bill? Are you going to get that new job? How is this or that going to work out?
I think what the scripture- Exodus 16:4 is saying, is to trust God and to know that if you are faithful, He is there. It may not happen when you think it should, but if you trust in God, it will happen when His will says it should. Things may be down to the wire, but it is only a test of our trust and faithfulness.
Have faith in knowing that He will carry you through what ever it is you are going through. He will push aside whatever obstacle is in your way. He will pick you up and place you on the other side of that mountain. Whatever trouble comes your way, trust and know that He is there.
"In the time of trouble, He shall hide me in His pavillion." ~Psalms 27:5
I pray to have faith like Paul. He wanted so bad to be a missionary, but for a reason, God allowed Him to be sent to prison. Paul could have given up so easily, but he didn't. He had faith while he waited and trusted that God would bring him to eventually be a missionary. He wrote the Epistle of Philemon, Phillipians, Colossians and the Ephesians. Are you willing to trust God to bring you where He wants you to be? And while waiting, glorify Him?

~Endure til the end~

~"Those people who keep their faith til the end will be saved."~ Matthew 10:22

Have you ever just wanted to give up, throw in the towel and just walk away? We all have. But Christ has called us to be fighters, challenger's, conquerors. Not quitters.
It is in His promises that if we do not give up, we will be saved. If we endure til the end, we are written in the Lamb's Book of Life!
There can be so many challenges in life, marriage, raising children, difficult family members. We must fight to make it what it needs to be! Like a boxer who is all bruised and bloody at the end of his win, like a rock climber who is full of cuts and scrapes when he makes it to the top of the mountain and like a praying mother who has marks on her knees from praying so hard for her family, we must not give up! I can't help but think of the pierced skin and beaten body that Christ endured when He willingly hung on a cross for our sins. He didn't give up. He fought for what He knew was right.
Mother Theresa is credited with saying, "God didn't call us to be successful, just faithful."
The promised land is not for those who coast through life, without a fight, it is for those who fight for what is right and endure til the end.
Are you a fighter or are you just someone who is going to lay down and let go what you know is right?

~GOOD GOBBLE SHEPARD'S PIE~

~Well as some of you know, Beau and I are going on our 4th week of changing our way of eating! We have totally impressed ourselves with what we are open to trying. New vegetables, new meats, etc. We are trying our best to stay away from processed foods, fatty foods, and things that are just plain not good for our bodies. Trying to feed our bodies the fuel that it needs to burn fat and keep healthy! Lots of grains, proteins and fresh fruits and vegetables! For the first time, Beau and I are on the same page with our eating and it feels so good! And of course exercise is a key part of what we are doing and it feels awesome!
~I have also starting taking a course online @ settingcaptivesfree.com on bad eating habits. I am learning so much about what God's word says about us feasting at His table. And filling ourselves with His love instead of other wordly things. I totally recommend this course for anyone who struggles with bad eating habits. It is teaching me alot about myself and how to get through my daily struggles.
~Here is what I cooked for dinner tonight~
GOOD GOBBLE SHEPARD'S PIE
is what I am calling it!

1 lb. Ground White Turkey Meat
1 Med. White Onion (chopped)
3 Zucchini (sliced)
3 Yellow Squash (sliced)
1 Head Cauliflower (chopped)
4 Ears of Corn (cut corn off the cob)
16 oz. Low Fat Shredded Cheddar
1 Cup Beef Broth

~Combine all chopped and sliced veg., (including corn) other than onion in large pot, and season with salt and black pepper according to your prefrence. Sautee until tender using beef broth to keep from sticking.
~Combine meat and chopped onion in skillet and season with salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne pepper according to your prefrence. Brown and use beef broth to keep from sticking.
~In large baking dish, layer veg. mixture on bottom, then meat mixture, and then top with shredded cheese, and spread evenly. Bake @ 375 until golden.
I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!

this crazy, busy, wonderful life!

~Life has gotten the best of me these days! We have been crazy busy! But the key to not going crazy, is to make sure to be well prepared for whatever may go wrong and to enjoy the good times and get past the bad. The girls have been having a great summer so far! Tristan has been going back and forth, week to week with her dad. And Aiden and I have been connected at the hip. Between 3 different play date groups that we attend, 2 being once a week, and one more that we are trying to make it to, they haven't had a chance to stop! And Tristan is about to start crocheting lessons! And then for Beau and I, he works pretty much 6 days a week, sometimes 7, plays drums a couple of weekends a month, and a couple of Wednesdays during the month....I have been busy planning a wedding for a friend, and then I am co-ordinating one this week...and one in a couple of weeks. Beau and I attend a couple's Bible study every other week and I host a women's Bible Study every other week opossite our other study and Church on the weekends. And of course every day things, cleaning, cooking, etc....and I know I am forgetting some things. I am running out of breath just typing this! But, you know, it doesn't get overwhelming when you keep God first and stay organized!!!!! I am so thankful for this busy, crazy, wonderful life!

~Isaiah 58:7~

People today are so worried about themselves. Worried about #1. Making sure to keep those walls up and not let any one in or anything out. Having a harsh exterior. Not wanting to help anyone but themself.
But that is not what we are created for. We were created in His image. Christ's image. And what did Christ do here on earth? He walked with the worst of them, poor, dirty, hungry....no matter what the circumstance and how bad. Jesus was not worried about what others thought. He didn't worry about if He was going to get dirty. He didn't worry about someone stealing from Him. He did whatever it took to bless someone else.
Blessing someone does not have to be with money. Blessing someone can be spending time doing something for someone. Helping a elderly person load their groceries. Waiting as someone crossing in front of your car and being patient. Helping someone in a wheel chair get something off the top shelf in the store. Holding the door open for someone. Even just smiling at someone. These are just little ways of showing the love of Christ.
If you really want to give your time, spend time at a shelter. Help serve food. Play with the children who do not have a place to call home. Give encouraging words to a mother that feels as though she has failed. Wipe the tears off of a woman's face who had been beaten so badly to the point of almost dying.
"I want you to share your food with the hungry and to welcome poor wanderers into your homes. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. If you do these things, your salvation will come like the dawn. Yes, your healing will come quickly."
~Isaiah 58:7 NLT

I love being filled....

Tonight was such a awesome night at Church! It is amazing how God will move when you are obedient. If you just step out and dare to be different, God will be right there next to you, where you do not feel alone. Don't worry about what others think, because their thinking does not even matter! Keep your eye's on Christ and step out in obedience and worship your creator. Even if you feel like you will not fit in. When you are obedient to your calling, God will make you feel so complete and comfortable where you are! And you will no longer be scared to be different, you will want to strive to be different.

Ladies Spa Night!

Well we started out our night by going to River Spa for mani.'s & pedi.'s!
It was really nice to have the whole room to ourselves and be able to talk as loud as we want!!! No kids napping, no kids hanging off of us, just taking time for ourselves!
~Kayla, Amber & Jamie!~

~Heather, drifting away to LaLa Land!~

~Amber's Mani!~

~Mrs. Norma w/ Cookie Express custom made cookies for our Spa Night!~
Lip Stick Tubes, High Heels, Polish Bottles and Purses!

~Amber was really enjoying her cookies and her manicure!~

~Need I say anything! Lol!~

~Kayla, Amber & Me!~

~Shannon enjoying her first pedi. since her foot recovered after breaking it!~

~Jamie's pretty french pedi.!~

~And then there was Cafe' Roma! Kelly & Amber~

~Everbody!~

~I had the Pesto Chicken Sandwich! It was yummy, it had artichokes!~
yes. that is 1 sandwich!

~Kayla & Shannon had some kind of crawfish pizza!~

~Coffee to seal the night with perfection!~

~And then back to reality! She was not happy! Iguess it messed her up, me coming in late!~

I had such a great night with my girls! It was well needed!

Love is...

By: Tristan Welch
Love is my song.
Love is when I dance.
Love is when I sing.
Love is when I kiss my sister Aiden.
Love is candy.
Love is love.
Love is when I am playing in the sun at the pool.
Love is when I am tanning in the sun.
Love is when I'm happy.
Love is when I play in the sun.
Love is when people kiss.
Love is romantic.
Love is when I read to my mommy.
Love is so sweet to me and other people.
Love is when I am playing outside.

New York Strip with Creamy Sundried Tomato and Crimini Mushroom Rigatoni

Makes 4 servings-
Pick 4 New York Strips of your choice or split 2.
Season with-
1 tsp. Steak Seasoning
1 tsp. Sea Salt
1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
2 Tbs. Worstershire Sauce
- Sautee in about 2 Tbs. EVOO in a skillet according to how you like your steak cooked.
Rigatoni-
1 box Rigatoni (boil for appr. 9 min.)
1 cup Sundried Tomatoes (drained)
3 cups Sliced Crimini Mushrooms
2 pods Fresh Garlic (grated)
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan
1 Tbs. butter
3 Tbs. EVOO
1 Egg White (in small bowl)
-Sea salt, ground black pepper and cayenne to taste.
-Sautee mushrooms in EVOO til tender. Add in all ingredients other than parmesan and egg white. Simmer on low heat for 2 minutes, sittiring so that the cream does not scorch. Temper egg white with a little hot pasta water. After turning burner off of sauce, add in parmesan and slowly add in egg white, constantly stirring. Mix well with rigatoni.
~Serve steak over pasta!

Peach Crunch & Honey Cream

Peach Filling-
3- 14 oz cans of sliced peaches (drained well)
1 Tbs. brown sugar (can use white sugar)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
-Mix all together in baking dish.
Crunch topping-
3/4 cup all purpose flour
5 Tbs. cold butter (cubed)
2 Tbs. brown sugar (can use white sugar)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
-Smash all ingredients other than cinnamon together in a small bowl, until sandy consistency. And then crumble over peach mixture. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Bake at 375 degrees for approx. 20-25 min., or until golden.
Honey Cream-
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tbs. honey
-Mix together in a small mixing bowl with hand mixer, until light and fluffy. Dollop on top right before serving warm peach crunch.
approx. 6 servings

~Artichoke& Goatcheese Crostini~

~you will need:
4oz goat cheese crumbles
14oz can of quartered artichoke hearts
(finely chopped)
1 pod of fresh garlic (grated)
1 lemon
1/2 red bellpepper (finely chopped)
2 tsp. green onions (finely chopped)
1/2 cup olive oil mayo
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
pinch of fine sea salt & black pepper
2 Tbs. EVOO
1 French baguette

~Before making spread, slice and brush bread with EVOO. Toast on 350 degrees for about 7 minutes or until golden.

~In a small mixing bowl, zest lemon peel and then squeeze in lemon juice. Grate in garlic pod. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, sea salt & black pepper. Add all other ingredients. Then slowly mash together all ingredients, until in a spreadable consistency. Serve either hot or cold!
If you serve cold, you can put it in a pretty glass or if you want to serve it hot, you can bake it off until golden, on 350 degrees. Enjoy!

Thankyou Lord

God I give you my heart, do with it what you will. I give you thanks for my many blessings and life lessons learned. You are awesome and there is no other like you. Your name is above all names, Yaweh Yaweh. Sitting high on your thrown and walking at my side. All mighty and everlasting. Our Father. Carrying me when I cannot stand. Dusting me off when I get back on my feet. On bended knee with arms wide open, calling me to your embrace. Washing over me, purifying. Molding me, never giving up. Casting my past from one end to the other. Never looking back, never holding on. Keeping my dreams alive. Pushing me past myself, into my faith. Filling me, never letting me dry out. Calming me, in to a conqueror. Being a constant reminder that I am yours. Thankyou.

mmmhmmmm thats right! Sauteed Chicken with Lemon and Artichoke Pasta!

Beau and I are so hooked on this pasta! Beau came up with the idea and I came up with the recipe! A match made in heaven!

Sauteed Chicken-
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 Lg. white onion (chopped)
1 Tbsp. spicy mustard
1 Tbsp. worstershire sauce
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. EVOO
~Cube raw chicken, and put in ziploc bag, and in all other ingredients and massage in to meat. Refrigerate for no less than one hour. Heat skillet and sautee for about 20-30, using a little water to keep it from sticking. Serve over pasta.
Lemon and Artichoke Pasta-
1 box garden ratoni
3 small lemons
1 can of quartered artichokes hearts (drained)
4 medium sized pods of fresh garlic
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp. italian seasoning
salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste!
~Boil noodles and drain. Grate in zest from lemons and add juice from lemons. Grate in all garlic. Add in all rest of ingredients, mixing together and serve warm.

Waking up next to my boo!

This morning was like a dream! I woke up next to my honey! I know this may sound weird but, Beau has been sleeping on the couch for months. Whenever I had gotten pregnant again last year, and started getting bigger, he decided to move to the couch. With him, Aiden, me and my growing stomache all in the bed, didn't make for a good nights sleep. When I misscarried, he tried sleeping in the bed, and it didn't work out well. Aiden sometimes gets in the bed with me in the middle of the night and now that she is getting so big, we cannot all sleep in the same bed.
The kids spent the night with my in laws, so him and I slept like a baby in our bed! So to wake up with him laying next to me, and no kids in the house was wild! So, I let him sleep while I got up and picked up the house, put some laundry going and made some more home made buttermilk biscuits! While I was putting the laundry washing, he snuck up behind me and scared the mess out of me! So, we called and checked on the kids, and then we ate! We ate the biscuits with some left over milk gravy and some pan fried deer steaks that my baby made the other night! It was so good!

(recipe for biscuits is in one of my previous posts, under the April category, under "Fried Chicken and Biscuits" post.)

Sushi+Strbx+Tatoo= Our Date Night Tonight!

~So we started out our night by going to Church with the kiddos. After Church we dropped them off at Beau's parents. Then we went to dinner at a place that Amberlicious told me about! "Saketini", in Broussard. It was divine! I would have to say, that it is probably "the best" sushi place around!
~Saketini~

~Just arrived!

~I started off with ~Mushroom Miso Soup~it was very light but tasty! It is a broth based soup, with mushrooms and green onions!

~Then we had the ~Japenos~ fresh jalapenos stuffed with crabmeat, and cream cheese, with some other tasty ingredients that I can't remember and fried in a tempura batter!

~And the of course, the sushi~Baked Salmon Roll~crabmeat, avacado, with baked salmon on top, with spicy mayo and chefs special sauce drizzled over it! Very delicious! I prefer a warm sushi roll, and this was right up my alley!

~And my other roll and Beau's 2 came on the same plate. I had ~Crunchy Roll~ which was basically just crabmeat and avacado, with tempura on the outside. Like I said before, I like warm, and for some reason I ordered this knowing that it was cold! But it was still really good! Just wished I would have gotten what Beau got ~The Five Star Roll~ tempura shrimp, cream cheese, crabmeat, and avacado, with no rice, and fried. And his other one was~ Santa Fe' Roll~ which basically the same thing, but with rice and not fried!

~And then there was one!~

~My saving grace! Aaaahhhh~

~So I told my Beau earlier today that I thought we should get tatoos after we went eat. I wanted to get tatoos in remembrance of our baby that I miscarried in October. So we did some research and came up with that we would get "mother" and "father" in hebrew. Well, the size that we both wanted was more expensive than we were willing to spend. So, my husband, being that selfless man that he is, decided to let me get mine, and he would wait, so I got "mother" in hebrew, in the birthstone color of the month that I miscarried. October has 2 different birthstones, one being Opal and one being Tourmaline. There is a legend about tourmaline that says that it came down off of a rainbow, because there are so many colors of tourmaline. One of the more popular, being a purplish plum color. So that is the one that I choose. I think it is very pretty! It kind of looks like the word "ON", but here it is!
~Arrived at Bazaar Ink downtown, had to wait, cause the guy wanted to smoke like a 100 cigawhatevers.......and then finally~
~me very tired
@ 11 o'clock in a tatoo parlor!~

~and then there was my tat! I was very emotional after ward, just because of what it represents. Just the fact that it meant mother! I know some may not understand why I chose this, but I guess to each his own.~

~leaving feeling like I have a sun burn
in a small spot on my back~

And now time for nightie night!

Do your friends lift you up or bring you down?

Q:~What kind of people are you surrounding yourself with?
A:~I am so happy to answer this question! I have amazing friends! Friends that are women of God and that have the same morals in life that I do!
~Friends are like precious jewels, you should cherish them. You have to work at keeping up your friendship. You have to be a great friend to have great friends. You need to choose to have friends of substance. Women who are trustworthy, honest, dependable, etc.
~Ladies night was so much fun! We started with a movie-"The Back Up Plan".....I would give it about ****'s, It had some funny parts, but then some parts that where just like, "Say what?". And then to end the night, we had a delicious dinner at one of my top fave's- La Pizzeria! Yum! Did I mention, "yum"! A few of us started out sharing a appetizer of the Spinach and Artichoke Dip, which to me is one of the 2 best in Lafayette,(other being Copeland's). Kelly and I shared the Pecan Crusted Chicken for our entree'. It is chicken that they pan fry, coated in pecans, and it is on top a pesto cream sauce pasta and not to mention the garlic cheese bread that is served on the side! To die for! Aaannnddd then, Lauren and shared the Chocolate Mousse for dessert! it was so creamy and chocolatey! It even had a thin layer of white chocolate going through the middle! Utimate bliss! It was a much needed night of me feeling like I left something behind(like my kids)! Thankyou to my husband for pushing me out the door and telling me to go have fun, that everything was going to be taken care of at home. He is the best! Love you hun!
~Now time for pics of my night!
~My honey took a picture
of me before I left~

~On the way to
get Lauren and Sadie~

~It was ladies night and we were feeling right, oh what a night, oh what a night~

Thanks girls for a great night!

Mommy love!

Okay, so let's try this again! I am not a happy camper! I just tried posting something similar to this, and it stinking erased it!
My baby with her first ice cream sandwich! She was so mad when it was all gone!

my sweetie on her swing set!

my baby and her noonie face!

Fried Chicken with Biscuits and Milk Gravy!

I know I probably shouldn't say this, in case someone wants to stalk my fine self, but.....baby girl and I are home alone! My man is at a concert with his "boyfriends", and Trissy girl is with my sister at Chuckee Cheese's! But, before everyone headed out the door, I had dinner on the table. And boy was it delicious!
~Fried Chicken with Biscuits
and Milk Gravy~

-Fried Chicken-
3 Chicken Boneless Skinless Breasts (cut in to nuggets)
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Milk
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Black Pepper
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper (I love cayenne!)
2 Cups Olive Oil
~Scramble together egg and milk, soak nuggets in egg wash for about 15 min. In another bowl, combine flour and seasoning. Put egg washed nuggets in flour, coat evenly, put back in egg wash and repeat with flour.
Heat olive oil on a between med. and high setting. Test oil with one peice, should sizzle vigorously. Fry until nicely golden. Put on a plate with a paper towel. I like to cut into mine to make sure they are done and then sprinkle a little salt!
-Buttermilk Biscuits-
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Sugar
8 Tbsp. Butter (cubed and cold)
3/4 Cup Buttermilk
~Combine dry ingredients and smash in butter with a fork until a sandy consistency. Make a well in the middle, and slowly add in milk, kneading in with your fingers. Roll out on a slighty floured surface to thickness desired. Cut out biscuits with biscuit cutter or do what I do, and use a cup! You should get about 6 medium size biscuits. Place in a greased pan and bake on 450 degrees for 12 minutes. Take out, and brush with olive oil and then put back in the oven until golden!
-White Gravy/ Milk Gravy-
Well, sometimes I make it home made and sometimes I do this- use Pioneer White/Milk(?) Gravy mix in a packet! It is yummy and very easy. You just add it in to boiling water and whisk away! And I like to top it with chopped green onions!
This recipe serves 4-6 people, depending on if you eat like a super model, or like, well, me!

What is done is done!

~Why is that the God of the universe, the creator of the heavens and the stars, can forgive us without hesitation, but we cannot forgive ourselves?
You cannot change your past, but you can determine your future. When you keep your eyes forward and let God be in control, you can focus on the goal, but if you keep looking behind you, listening to lies, you can trip and fall. If you do fall, get up and dust yourself off. Lay it at His feet and be free! God desires your restoration! Keep on going, never give up!
"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press toward the goal." ~Phillipians 3:13 NIV
~My goal is to live for eternity with my heavenly father. Whenever I fall, I will ask Him to pick me up, and dust me off. I will put it in His hands, and ask Him to give my guidance for my next step. If God is leading your way, you will never be guided off your path. But you have to totally surrender and give EVERYTHING to Him! If you only give some things and hang on to others, you are going to be so misguided. Stay on his path and move toward the ultimate goal. Live knowing you are heaven bound!

When you stay home all day....

~When the house is clean, laundry is done, supper is ready, kids are fed, etc.....and you do nothing but watch the Food Network, culinary greatness is possible! I made these on a whim~
~ORANGE GLAZED
RASPBERRY MUFFINS~

1 box Jiffy Raspberry Muffin Mix
1 Large Navel Orange
1 Country Egg
1/4 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Confectioner's Sugar
~Mix together ingredients according to muffin recipe, add in orange juice and orange zest from half of the orange. Bake at 400 degrees for approx. 12 minutes or until slightly golden.
~For glaze- Mix together confectioner's sugar with orange juice and orange zest from other half of the orange and drizzle over warm muffins. (You can also zest a little orange on top for presentation, and even top with a sprig of mint!)

This is the day that the Lord has made!

I am so thankful that His mercies are new every morning! No matter what we have done, there is always His mercy and grace. He forgives us and casts our sins as far as the east is from the west!
My day started off with waking up next to the sweetest baby girl in the world, hugging my neck, with her head burried in the crack of my neck. And then my sweet other daughter coming in the room and climbing in bed with us. She is out of school today! I love when we have girl time! We are in our PJ's watching cartoons!
The things that I dream of are outrageous! It is usually food! So, who am I to not wake up and eat what I dreamnt about? So I did!
~%100 Whole Grain Toast, Unsalted All Natural Peanut Butter & Clover Honey with some yummy Almond Milk!

I feel like a queen!

~How can I complain about the life I live? Sitting here, with Tristan at school and baby Aiden is napping. While I enjoy the "Food Network", eating hummus, carrots and a awesome salad, that I never thought I would have liked!!!! It is something we ate at a banquet at Church, and I recreated it at home and it is dead on! This is the life!

This is the salad I am having~
I usually don't measure anything, but it has~
craisans
feta
candied pecans
raspberry vingerette
spring mix lettuce
=scrumdiddlyumptious!

What are you speaking into existence?

~ God is listening for His word.
When you speak something, you are giving it birth, good or bad, positive or negative. When you speak God's word over your life, He is there waiting to fulfill His promises.
You cannot just believe in His promises, you must claim them and speak them into existence. We should not just believe what God says about us, we should speak it about ourselves. You will not be/feel healthy, beautiful, handsome, smart, accomplishing if you do not believe you are, and claim that you are.
Claim His promises- victory, health, hope and abundant life.
~"God has set everything right between Him and me."~Romans 10:8~

Easy Black Bean Salsa~

1 can black beans
1 can white shoe peg corn
1 can mild rotel
1 medium red onion
1 bag of tortilla chips of choice

~Drain all cans of vegetables and dice onion. Put vegetables in a serving dish, serve with chips!
(If you would like, you can add lime juice and lime zest! It helps it to stay fresh longer!)