Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal

I have been playing around with some clean eating foods. I will do a post on that later. As for know, I wanted to post one my favorites!

It does take a bit of time to complete but it is oh so tasty and fairly quick considering that it is good for you!

Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal

1/2 cup of oats

3/4 cup of milk

1/4 cup of water

5-6 strawberries diced

2 Tablespoons of sweetener of your choice. I use evaporated cane sugar or demerara sugar. Basically fancy ways to say raw sugar or unprocessed sugar which I prefer and goes along well with the clean eating! I tried honey but I prefer the taste of this sugar in this. I hear agave nectar is a good choice too but I haven't used it...yet! =)

In a medium to small saucepan mix strawberries, water, and sugar. Over medium heat bring water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on low until mixture thickens. Add milk and bring to a boil. Add oats stir and cook on low until oatmeal thickens and the oats plump up a bit! Remove from heat and let sit for a few minutes then enjoy!

I have played around with a few variations too!

Peaches and Cream

Same recipe. Substitute Chopped fresh peaches. Canned peaches work too but fresh tastes better!

Apple Cinnamon

1 cup of milk

1/2 apple diced or shredded (I like it shredded)

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

2 Tablespoons of sweetener

1/2 cup of oats

Boil milk with sugar and Cinnamon over medium heat. Reduce heat and add oats. Stir over low heat until oats plump and it thickens. Remove from heat and sit for few minutes.

Enjoy!

Changes

I blinked...

I swear that was all it took. Blinking.

I blinked and then it was April!

Being self-employed I always DREAD April...especially mid-April and this year didn't disappoint. Thanks to our very helpful tax guy (I don't know what you call them!) I have a plan for 2012 that will ease the blow to the account next year!

Enough about my tax woes! There are some changes happening around here!

Most of my days are filled with potty runs, diaper changes, snack dispensing, bandaid giving, battle scar kissing, kids song singing, 100,000,000,000 question answering, moments. I wouldn't trade these moments of hand's on training! Lately these kids have given me a run for my money! More on that later but I have seriously considered a change in profession...until I get them up from naps and their sticky hands wrap around my neck in the tightest hug! They know how to get me where it hurts!

These 2 princesses are actually leaving my care in June..ish. Baby brother is on his way and mommy has decided to stay home with them! Ultimately this is what I would love for them, to be with their mommy, but there is a part of me that feels sad that they are leaving! I have had little miss (above) since she was 6 weeks old! She celebrated her 2nd birthday in December and Beatle (below) just turned 1 in March.

I have loved the time I had with them and thankful that God has given me such awesome situations with work in! They have been awesome!

But the adventures God has for me aren't over. Little man's cousins are joining the crazies around here in August! Unfortunately one cousin will be in school until 3 everyday so she won't be able to join us until after noon. However, little man and *ta da* Monkey and I are planning some fun together! I am so looking forward to having him back! We are even planning on doing some preschool stuff! It will be fun to try my hand at preschool teacher to add to my list of areas of practice!

Mom and I are even mulling over planning an area homeschool group for field trips and such! Looking forward to getting these boys to local farms, grocery stores, the postal service, etc! Should be a lot of fun!
Looks like life this year won't disappoint in the area of fun! I am really looking forward to all the changes that are coming up and praying that the Father uses them for His glory! I'm excited to see what He has in mind!

5 girls, no boys!

This is a dual meaning post. Kelly's Korner has a linked in this weekend about moms of all girls and the mom I choose to display is my very own! Who also happens to be celebrating a birthday this week! The fact that my mom is a mom of "all" girls isn't entirely true. She is a mom to all girls who are here with her on earth. In actuality she was given some boys too but God decided He wanted them to meet Him first! We still look forward to the day when we will have that pleasure!

As for the children mom was given the opportunity to raise they were all girls! Of those girls I occupy 3rd place! Our ages span quite a few years and yet we all find very few and minimal reasons to not get along!

I am thankful for so many of the things my parents have worked hard to enforce in us. But out of the many, one of the ones I am most thankful for is how they have asked us to treat each other. By no means does that mean that we have it all together. On the contrary! However, I value and hold my relationships with these girls far above any others in my life! Even with the changes with marriages, graduations, birthdays, jobs, etc. we love to be together. The older we get the more and more we realize that holds so true. We love to ride for hours to spend a few days with a sister that has moved out of state! We love to cram 4 people into a bed made for 1 so that we can spend the night together Christmas Eve! We love to sit in a hospital waiting room for 6 hours while one sister gave birth to a nephew! We love to come out in a damp cold day to cheer siblings along in a 10k race!

I attribute our sincere love of one another to the very fact that my mom has worked so hard to teach us to value one another!

To my teacher, wise councilor, giver of life, friend, and mom, I hope you have the happiest birthday! I am so thankful for you and the fact that you are my mom! Praying the Father's blessings over you today and the year ahead! Please enjoy celebrating you!

I love you!

Counting the Cost

He rode in and heard countless shouts of praise from lips that would turn to hurling hatred in a matter of days.
He sat down to eat and recline at the passover dinner with friends who would, "run away", sell him, and deny knowing of His existence.
He washed the feet of said "friends" not only as an example to us, but a gift to them.
He prayed with such intensity that blood mingled with sweat as He pleaded with the Father...as again said "friends" slept.
He, with a troubled heart, calmed an impulsive Peter, healed a severed ear, and walked away to His death.
He answered honestly with kindness to the questions being thrown around Him.
He looked into the faces of the men who mangled His body and knew He was doing it for them.
He carried His cross knowing that He was carrying that burden to bring us to the Father.
He was pierced, stabbed, mocked, taunted, murdered for me and you and everyone else.
He cried, "My God, why have you forsaken me?" so that we don't have to.

To me, the costs seem huge. But, He paid them all. I can't deny the love of my Savior.

...

Banana Whip reloaded!

A few weeks ago I posted about a new fun treat I've been enjoying!

Banana Whip!

This time I took pictures and I have spent some time really mastering this art of this amazing stuff!

Here are some pointers that I have come to know about!

#1 Make sure you peel, slice, and freeze your banana. The smaller you make the pieces the quicker it whips!

#2 I have found that about 1.5 bananas make a good portion that I eat for a snack or a cool treat on some of these warm spring days! #3 When you start processing your banana, take it slow. I like to pulse it. Once it's starts breaking up and then you can begin to process consistently.

#4 Once it gets to be a gravely consistency throw in your milk. It takes a very little bit! I have never poured more than a 1/4 cup.
# 5 Once the milk is in whip away! Watch the magic happen! I don't know what combination these blades, bananas, and milk have but it makes for something awesome!
AAaaannnndddd! Viola! Banana Whip! I love, LOVE, LOVE this stuff! I seriously like it more than ice cream! It has the perfect amount of sweet and not so strong a flavor that it's over whelming.

I'm not going to lie to you. It does taste like banana! But, have no fear, I have found a solution! I have tried cantaloupe and mango! Both are awesome! It takes a little longer to process and the texture is more of a sorbet than a whip but amazing never the less!

Enjoying trying some good combinations! This one has some finely crushed choc chips! Fantastic!

Oh, and let me add that there are NO added sugars! The only sugar that is in there is from the fruit itself! Perfect!

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Total side note from bananas: One of my sister's photogs put up some of her pics from the wedding! Yeah! Super fun stuff! Check out some of the fun here! She did a fantastic job and I enjoyed reliving some of the fun memories!

3

Three years ago today my long list of titles was added to.

It was a title I instantly cherished.

I still don't know what it is that I have come to realize from gaining this name. What subtle power it seems to hold.

All I know from everything I've learned is that how very much 1 little person can change your world!

Because this big person knows first hand how much has changed from said little person. Because 36 months ago this girl became an aunt.

Happy Birthday to my Beeto! I hope you have a wonderful day little man, pirate, basketball star, and superhero! You have so tightly wound this aunt around your little finger and I am so excited every time someone asks about you! 1 hour
1 year
2 years

3 years

I love you so very much and I hope that you have a day just as special as you are! I pray for God's blessings to be in abundance over you today and the year ahead! Enjoy celebrating you!

Birthdays and weddings and changes, oh my!

Well, hello everyone! Yes this is a real person and not an automated messaging service that has been featured several times over the last few months! Pardon the informality's of my posts lately! There are reasons and I will give you 12 of them.

12 weeks to be exact. It has been 12 weeks of abnormal and crazy and I think we are on the downhill climb to normalness...

Who am I kidding! No normalness at all...just sanity...ok still stretching...it will come to me eventually!

Last Saturday my sister said, "I do." She was beaming and all the weeks of eeps came down to a 30 minute ceremony {that was beautiful} and a fabulous reception! Once the pictures come in from the photographers I will be sure to post more on the big day. As for now enjoy this lovely taste!




I am so excited for them as they begin life together. They were made for each other and they compliment each other so well that it is impossible to question the handiwork of Christ in their lives!

February is birthday month around here. That's not entirely true. It seems that way at times! This year was one of those times! Both mine and the Bean's birthdays {11 days apart} are in February! This year my parents gave us a trip to the circus! It was such a fun time together as a family! We took my gma along who had never been! She kept squeezing my arm with excitement!




Bean and I in front of the sign!




In late February we had a snow storm...ish. I was really hoping for a good snow this year and all of the 2 times it snowed the ground was too warm or the day was too warm. All that to say the snow stuck around for about 1 hour after we woke up the next day. I did get a half day and we made some creatures!


Because the weather was so warm the trees had already started budding! I loved snapping this of the new tree bud against the snow on the ground!



As I mentioned, February was birthday month! My friend, JM's birthday is at the beginning of the month and we celebrated with some carne, games and sweet frog!

Bean's birthday is mid-month and she chose CFA and...

...sweet frog!



Bean with a friend of mine who works at SF

My birthday is at the end of the month and I had to teach the night before. Just after my birthday the next day I was headed to TN to drive back with my sister and the boys for the wedding. Knowing this information my sweet class took it upon themselves to give me a fabulous birthday eve. They made dinner, and took me to...you guessed it!

Sweet Frog!

I think there is a slight addiction! We love it and really enjoy going. Needless to say it's a given in our birthday celebrations!

I'm sure I'm missing a few details but there you have it. The last 12 weeks in 12 seconds!

It's been a crazy, crazy time but I love it all! I have so enjoyed being with my family and celebrating together!

Coming next week I have some more yummy recipes, fun repurposes I've tried over the last few weeks {yes, I've snuck in some time with the glue gun}, and hopefully an on time She wore that Wednesday!?

Thanks for reading!

thinking about "him"

My Mr.,


My thoughts are never far from you. It's been an interesting few months as I ponder our lives together. There have been several events that have caused me to think about things in my future. Our future. My sister and her Mr. tied the knot now a week ago. Many caring persons' comments began to surface bitter emotions to the reality that I haven't met you. I valued their concern that this day was "difficult" for me. However, there is a truth that I hope they understood. I am thankful for where God has me. I am thankful that I stood by my sister as she committed to the Father and to her husband to display the beautiful picture of how Christ loves the church. I am thankful that I was able to witness this union of such a beautiful couple as they begin their days together bringing the Father praise. I am thankful that I assisted in celebrating with them as they prepared, planned, and were pronounced put together by God that no man should separate!


Yes, my dear, I am thankful I did all this. I am thankful I did all this without a ring of my own...or even yet, a man of my own.

Just recently someone asked to pursue my heart. This heart that belongs to first my Father, then my father, and in the end to you. Trouble with this man is that he carried the characteristics I would desire you to have. Everything that is, but you. I had to look at him and honestly evaluate if I saw you. Truth is, dear one, that I didn't. Everything he possessed I wanted in my future mr. But not everything I wanted in a future mr. did he posses.


Please rest assured that this heart of yours is still in tact, whole, untouched, and longing for you. I can not lie. This waiting for you is hard. I recently put together a picture, subconsciously, that I wasn't expecting. As you may not know {yet!} I am a nanny. My job is long, tiring, and at times difficult. On the flip side, it is wonderful, a blessing, and a great learning time! There was a moment when I wanted to show my 2 year old something. Something she wasn't interested in. As I held her hand to guide her in the right direction she tugged and pulled with all her might in the opposite. The harder she pulled the tighter my grip became. I knew that the direction she was pulling in could ultimately lead to harm. Her harm. I knew that she was trying to get to something that she thought was better than what I had to show her. She didn't want to wait to find out what I had as a surprise. She wanted to go her own way.


In many ways I feel like that with my heart. The harder my heart longs for you. Looks for you. Even seeks you out of facades that are not real. The tighter my grip has to be. I am thankful though, that my grip isn't the only one holding on. I know my Father sees you. He knows what corner you are just around and His grip on my heart is strong, gentle, and His guidance is taking me to you. Not only Him, but my father is watching for those potential facades. My father is constantly in communication with my Father over the "right" or "wrong." I have little to worry about when I have the 2 of them treasuring my heart as it is meant to be treasured.



My dear, these days of waiting for you are long. The times without you are too often. I can't wait for you. Us. However, God has me here. Right where I am. Right now. Without you. Whereas I can NOT escape the truth that I long for you. I can not escape the truth that I desire to be WHOLE heartily where He has me. Truth of this matter is that last Saturday wasn't difficult for me. I miss you but I know that God hasn't brought you yet. So, my dear my waiting heart didn't ache because I knew that the same God that perfectly formed my sister and her Mr. together was perfectly forming you.

My waiting may be of some length. I don't know what the next moment envelopes. I can't see that far. But I have hope, a confident expectation, that in one of these next moments {or maybe the next to the next} I will find you, finding me, waiting for you.

I don't know when that will be. I don't think I want to. What I know for sure is that I can wait, resting in the perfectly secure arms of my Father, in the strong confidence of wisdom of my father, and in the H.O.P.E that I am not done and neither are you.

Waiting {patient and growing} and forever yours, Your future Mrs.

L.A.U.G.H.

One of the best things about my job is witnessing that amazing joy that these little ones have no issue exhibiting! Lately this little man has been super giggly (is that a word?)! He has been laughing over the smallest things and I can't get enough of it!

Man I love this kid!

Banana Whip

Whew! Wedding week month ok, fine, half a year is over. After tons of planning, hundreds of cookies and chunks of pineapple, 2 "I do's," and a toss of the bouquet the happily married couple was off! I will update more on all of this and other events soon, very soon!

As for now I want to leave you with a clean eating recipe that I have stumbled upon and L.O.V.E! If you are looking for a fun cool treat this is just the thing! My mind has been running all day long with the possibilities but I will update on those later {if they work out! =D}!

Banana Whip!

Peel and slice a couple bananas and put in a bag in the freezer. This step is VERY important.

a. if you don't peel and slice the banana it will be an absolute NIGHTMARE with a frozen banana in the peel!

b. if you don't freeze them then you won't have the texture, consistency, of temperature that you are looking for. **You can NOT freeze it after it's whipped. It doesn't whip!**

Take your frozen banana and throw it in your food processor. I used our hand held processor tool! Worked WONDERS!

It takes some time to get it all chunked up but be patient! Once it's all processed pour in about 1/4 cup of almond milk {you can use whatever milk you prefer but I love the way almond gives it a smooth nutty taste!} and continue in the food processor until it is all whipped. It does whip! It's CRAZY! I will try to get a picture of it next time! I ate it too fast this time! =)

Some variations that you could try is to throw a tsp. of cocoa powder, some strawberries, or nuts in towards the end of it's whipping process! It is so smooth! So tasty! So YUM!

Hope to have a real update soon! For now, go enjoy some WHIP!