An Extreme Mission

Wow, y'all, those folks over at Smiley360 are apparently super concerned about my oral health.  (Thanks, guys, that's so sweet!)  This time, they sent me some ARM & HAMMER™ Advance White™ Extreme Whitening with Stain Defense (whoo-ee, that's a mouthful...haha) toothpaste to try.  Keep reading for my thoughts and to find out how to get a free printable coupon.  Oh, and if you'd like to try a free sample, let me know--I have a couple to share.

 

ARM & HAMMER™ Advance White™ Extreme Whitening with Stain Defense is made with baking soda to gently remove plaque and surface stains, along with peroxide to target tough, set-in stains with extra whitening power.  Stain Defense™ technology helps prevent new stains from setting and helps keep teeth whiter, longer.

Well, I tried it.  The taste is...interesting?  Can I say that?  The box says it's fresh mint flavor, but the mint is overpowered by the baking soda.  Or peroxide.  Or both.  In any case, it doesn't taste a whole lot like mint.  Still, it isn't the worst tasting toothpaste I've ever tried, and there is no nasty aftertaste.

It seems to work well.  My teeth feel very clean and smooth after I use it, and it definitely freshens my breath.  I can't speak to its anti-cavity or tartar control benefits, since I've only used it for a short time, but I'm sure those benefits are comparable to the other major brands of toothpaste that are out there.  As for whitening?  I don't think any of the whitening toothpastes really work.  I haven't noticed a difference with this one, or with any of the others I've tried throughout the years.

Bottom line?  I'd buy and use this toothpaste if it was on sale with a coupon, but if I'm paying full price, I'd rather use something else.

If you feel the same way about toothpaste (or just want to try something different), you're in luck, my friends.  To get a coupon for this toothpaste, along with lots of other Arm & Hammer product coupons, click here.

And don't forget, you can still sign up to receive a free sample of ARM & HAMMER™ Sensitive Toothpaste by clicking here.  Or let me know if you want to try ARM & HAMMER™ Advance White™ Extreme Whitening with Stain Defense--if you know me in real life, you can just tell me you want some.  If not, you can use my contact form.

Thank you to Smiley360.com for providing these samples for me to try, free of charge, for the purposes of this review. All opinions are my own.

A Sensitive Mission

Those folks at Smiley360 are at it again, this time sending me some ARM & HAMMER™ Sensitive Toothpaste to try.  Keep reading for my thoughts, a coupon, and to find out how to get your own free sample!

Brought to you by the makers of ARM & HAMMER™ toothpaste and Orajel™ oral pain relief medication, this toothpaste delivers maximum strength pain relief for less.  Start relieving pain triggered by hot or cold foods, acids, and sweets with this low abrasion formula that also effectively removes plaque and surface stains without causing sensitivity.

I suffer from occasional tooth sensitivity to cold and to touch.  Never know when it's going to strike, and it is all the more painful for its unpredictability.  I used ARM & HAMMER™ Sensitive Toothpaste two times a day for 2 weeks, and during that time I didn't experience tooth sensitivity once.  Then I went to the dentist, who apparently cleaned all that sensitivity protection away, and that very night, I experienced pain due to cold.  Coincidence?  I think not.

The taste is not the greatest, but it is much, much (soooo much) better than the taste of another brand of sensitive toothpaste that I've tried in the past, and after using this toothpaste, my teeth felt clean and smooth.

ARM & HAMMER™ Sensitive Toothpaste is available in 3 varieties, including ARM & HAMMER™ Sensitive Whitening, ARM & HAMMER™ Sensitive Freshening, and ARM & HAMMER™ Sensitive Multi-Protection. 

It's definitely worth a try if you experience any kind of tooth sensitivity.  And to make it easier to try, click here to get a FREE sample!

You can also click here to get a $1off 1 Arm & Hammer Sensitive toothpaste printable coupon, as well as coupons for other Arm & Hammer products, like baking soda, laundry detergent, carpet deodorizer and toothbrushes.

Thank you to Smiley360.com for providing these samples for me to try, free of charge, for the purposes of this review. All opinions are my own.

The Blessed Woman by Debbie Morris: A Review

I recently had the opportunity to read The Blessed Woman: Learning About Grace from the Women of the Bible by Debbie Morris.

From the back cover:

As women, the demands and expectations of others, and those we place on ourselves, can be overwhelming.  While trying to navigate this thing called "life," have you ever longed for a close friend, confidant, or mentor to walk alongside you and encourage you?

Why, yes, actually, I have.  In these years of mothering in the trenches (that's what I call these years when my kids need me so intensely), it's so difficult to find time for anything other than keeping the family afloat.  It is a busy and often lonely place to be, and it's hard to lift my head up long enough to find a friend, confidant, or mentor to encourage me.  That's why I love the concept of this book.  While I may not have a friend or confidant knocking on my door, I have everything I need right in the pages of the Bible.  The stories of Biblical women can inspire, encourage, and guide me through life.

In this book Mrs. Morris tells the stories of well known women, like Eve, Mary, Esther, and Naomi, as well as lesser known women, to show how each of them can teach us lessons for today.  These women were real people--imperfect, scared, insecure--and many of them did incredible things.  Debbie Morris points out their sucesses and failures and suggests ways that we can learn from them.

I enjoyed this book.  I love reading about Biblical people in a way that brings new insight, and brings their stories to life, and I love being able to apply Biblical truths to my life, which this book enabled me to do.

I received this book for free from Waterbrook/Multnomah Publishers for the purposes of this review.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Did you like this review? Please take a moment to rank it below. By doing so, you will be entered into a drawing to win a copy of the book.

Lead Me Home by Stacy Hawkins Adams: a Review

In this second book of the Winds of Change series, Shiloh Griffin is a pastor's wife and mom to 4 boys.  Two years ago, the family moved from a small town in South Carolina to Milwaukee for Pastor Griffin to become lead pastor of a large church there.  Shiloh gave up college and her dream to become a music teacher to marry her husband 18 years ago, and has struggled to find an identity apart from being a mom and "First Lady" of the church, when she's offered a long-term sub position teaching music at a Milwaukee high school.

Throughout her sub assignment, Shiloh grows to love her students and begins mentoring a teenage girl who desires to play flute professionally.  Through this relationship, Shiloh comes face to face with dark secrets from her past and learns about the power of love and forgiveness.

 

I liked this book.  It's a good story with a strong Christian foundation, and the characters and plot are real and very relatible.  I found myself identifying with Shiloh in her search for an identity beyond that of wife and mom, as well as in her quest to settle in and feel like she really belongs in a new place.

 

I enjoyed the theme of forgiveness and hope that is weaved throughout the pages of the book, and  I found the message that God still loves and forgives even the things of which we are most ashamed to be inspiring and reassuring.  This book shows, through fiction, how we can experience freedom in forgiveness.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Chia Breakfast Bowl

Hey, y'all!  Happy Thursday.  Today I wanted to share a simple, healthy recipe that comes from my cousin in law, Runner Girl.

You may have been hearing lately about the health benefits of chia seed (yes, the same stuff we seeded our chia pets with years ago.  Or y'all who were lucky enough to have chia pets did).  If not, check this out.

Anyway, I was intrigued by the whole chia phenomenon, and I knew RG was eating more healthfully, so I asked her if she had any good chia recipes to share.  And boy, did she!  This stuff doesn't look pretty, but it sure tastes good.  And it is so easy to make.

Here's what you do.  In a small bowl, mash a banana.  Add 2 T chia seed, 1/4 c milk (RG uses unsweetened vanilla almond milk or vanilla soy milk, which makes this vegan, I use skim), a splash of vanilla extract, and 1-2 shakes of ground cinnamon.  Mix together, cover, and refrigerate overnight or at least 2 hours.  In the morning, give it a stir and top with chopped walnuts or almonds, granola, fresh berries, or whatever else sounds good.

And that's it.  The splash of vanilla and sprinkle of cinnamon really take the taste over the top in this delicious meal or snack.

This recipe, prepared with skim milk, and topped with 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, contains 267 calories and is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, and high in dietary fiber, manganese, magnesium and selenium.

See?  Told ya it isn't pretty

So at this point, you might be wondering where to get chia seed.  Well, most health food and natural foods stores should have it, and I've seen it in the natural section of my local grocery stores as well.  You can also buy it online.  Or, if you're super lucky, like me, your best-ever brother-in-law will give you some for your birthday (by the way, I need a refill, best brother in law ;)

The big stuff

Not too long ago, I found myself pulling into the parking lot of a large medical clinic in a nearby city.  I was accompanying my husband on his visit to a specialist. 

I was a mess, my friends.  It's a good thing Hubby and I were driving separately, 'cause I think I would have scared him.

The Internet is, at once, a beautiful and a terrible thing, and I was scared.  Scared because in all of my research, these symptoms, combined with those test results, were looking like nothing good.  Nothing good as in chronic, last-forever things.  Nothing good as in often fatal things. 

Scared because, although I knew that God's hand was on us, I was afraid that maybe God thought I was stronger than I think I am.

I was worried enough about the implications of the visit that I didn't even stop to think about the parking situation, until there I was, in the parking lot at not quite 9 a.m., with hundreds of cars, and hardly any available parking spots.

Before we go any further, you should know that I have parking anxiety.  I simply do not go places if I don't know what the parking situation will be, because I'm afraid I won't be able to find a parking spot for the big old Suburban.

There I was, frantically looking about, trying to gauge which of the available spots would be easiest to get out of when the time came to leave, worrying about the appointment, when my husband pointed ahead.

And there, in the midst of hundreds of filled parking spots, was a pull-through.

Remember when I said this? 

If I can trust God to provide something as unimportant (in the grand scheme of things) as a parking spot, I know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that God's going to take care of me on the big stuff.

And that's when I knew, my friends.  That parking spot was a sign, a gift straight from the hand of God.  God's taking care of us on the big stuff.

The specialist thinks Hubby's suffering from something that's actually quite common and very curable, and certainly nothing chronic or life-threatening.  In fact, I think we made the Doc's day, as Hubby's case presented in an atypical way.  In the specialist's words, it's a very interesting case.

We really don't know for sure just yet that that's what it is--the Doc sent out a test to confirm--but for now, I do know, without any doubt, God's got this.  I have no need of fear.

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you;

he will never leave you nor forsake you.

Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV

Enter to win $200 gift card

Wow, y'all, this one is super easy! 

Just click here to take a short survey.  In exchange, you'll be entered to win a $200 gift card courtesy of Smiley360 and Aveeno Nourish + Dandruff Control (click here to read my review).  And by short survey, I mean just one question.  You can do that, right?

Just click here to enter by July 31.

Would you like to try new products for free?  Check out Smiley360!

Conservation of Mess

No, that's not a type-o up there.

You might have heard of the law of conservation of mass (or matter), which states that in a closed system, the amount of mass (or matter) remains constant regardless of what else occurs in the system.  The mass can move around, and even change form, but the amount of mass remains the same, being neither created nor destroyed.

Today we're going to talk about a similar theory I've developed called the Law of Conservation of Mess.

The Law of Conservation of Mess states that the amount of mess in a house remains constant regardless of what else occurs in the house.  The mess can move around, or even change form, but the amount of mess remains the same, with mess being neither created nor destroyed.

For those of y'all who are sitting there scratching your heads and saying, "wha?!", I'll translate.  It is impossible for more than half of my house to be clean at any one time.  If my bedroom and bathroom are clean, the kitchen is messy.  If the kitchen is clean, the living room is atrocious.  If the living room is clean, the family room and laundry room are hopelessly cluttered.  The mess just moves from place to place and sometimes changes form.

All because of the Law of Conservation of Mess.

Do you need proof?  (I kind of suspect you don't, considering the universal nature of this scientific discovery--you already know it to be true).  Yesterday I spent an hour in the morning straightening up my bedroom.  Yes, an hour.  And in the evening, I spent about 45 minutes straightening up the kitchen.  And then I walked back to my bedroom, and guess what?  My bedroom was messy again. 

There.  Doesn't that make you feel better?  It's not just you--it's a scientific law.

I'm gonna go get ready for my call from the Pulitzer committee.  See ya later.

What we've been up to this summer

Swimming in waterfalls

Walking on cliffs

 

Hanging out at the beach
(or in the beach?)

Swimming in more waterfalls

Catching frogs
(or did this one catch him?)

Riding bikes.
Without training wheels.

Choose an Identity

Y'all!  I've missed you!  What a busy summer this has been so far.  And no let-up in the immediate future.  All those people who say summer is slower paced and more relaxed are just wrong.  Wrong, I tell you.

Anyway, because it's so busy, I don't have a lot of time to chat--although I would love to catch up with you--so I'll just get right to it.

So I was leaving a comment on a blog, and the comment form asked me to "choose an identity."  It used those actual words: choose an identity.  It gave me several choices, including my blogger profile, open ID, my name, or anonymous.  If you post a comment on my blog, you'll have even more choices (but it won't use those words).

That struck me, my friends.

Choose an identity.

Because we can choose our identity.  We can.  We are not bound by others' perceptions or expectations, by the way people see us, treat us, or talk to us.  We are not bound by our past, our failures or flaws, our regrets, our hurts.  We are not bound by labels; we don't need to listen to the voices that tell us we're not enough. 

You, me, we can choose who we are.  Today.  Going forward.

From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view;

even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view,

we know him no longer in that way. 

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation:

everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

2 Corinthians 5:16-17

 

Who will you choose to be?

 

Me?  I am a new creation.  That's what I choose.

 

 

Chasing Francis: A Review

I recently read Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim's Tale by Ian Morgan Cron, which was provided to me by BookSneeze for the purposes of this review.

After losing faith and experiencing a spiritual breakdown right in the middle of preaching at the mega-church he founded, Pastor Chase Falson sets off on a pilgrimage of sorts.  His uncle, a Franciscan priest, leads him across Italy, where he encounters the teachings of Francis of Assisi.  With Chase's future in the ministry and even his Christian faith in doubt, he discovers anew what it means to be a follower of Christ.

This book is of the genre of wisdom literature, which means it uses a fictional story to teach the reader about a topic.  This, my friends, is how I like my non-fiction: disguised in a story.  I've shared before how difficult it is for me to read non-fiction, and believe me, I would not have sat down to read a biography of Francis of Assisi or a book about his teachings.  But after reading this book, I would love to learn more about Francis--his life and teachings are fascinating.

Here's what one of the characters says about Francis:

There is a law in physics that applies to the soul.  No two objects can occupy the same space at the same time; one thing must displace another.  If your heart's crammed tight with material things and a thirst for wealth, there's no space left for God.  Francis wanted a void in his life that could only be filled with Jesus.  Poverty wasn't a burden for him--it was a pathway to spiritual freedom.

Love that.

The wording is a little stilted at times, the author trying to pack as much information as possible into this short novel.  In fact, in the included study guide, he mentions that he had to leave out much of the information he wanted to include.  But all in all, I found the book to be interesting and informative.

I recommend this book to anyone looking to learn more about the teachings of Francis of Assisi, and those seeking to fall in love again with a Christ-centered life. 


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Snowy Trail Mix

Alright, so maybe you're not really in the mood to think about snow right now, but I can't help it--that's what this stuff is called.  You don't need snow on the ground to appreciate it, though.

I made up a big batch of this stuff to take with me on a weekend jaunt, and immediately, the kiddos insisted I make a second batch to leave with them.  This trail mix has got it all: sweet and salty, crunchy and chewy, all smothered in yummy melted white chocolate.

{Image Source}

 

I first came across this recipe years ago in Family Fun magazine.  Now you can find it here.

Or here.

Snowy Trail Mix

3 cups pretzel sticks

1 1/2 cups corn cereal

3/4 cup pecan halves

1/2 cup cashews

1/2 cup dried cranberries

12 ounces of white chocolate

1. In a large bowl, mix together the pretzel sticks, cereal, pecans, cashews, and dried cranberries.
2. Melt the white chocolate according to the package directions and slowly pour it over the mix, stirring gently.
3. Scoop the mix onto waxed paper to cool, about 20 minutes, then break it into bite-size clumps. Makes about 10 cups.

Recipe notes:

• I used vanilla chex (it's new, and yum--check out the coupons tab above for a free printable coupon) for the cereal, but this would be yummy with just about any non-flake, non-overly-sweetened cereal (other chex varieties, crispix, cheerios). 
• I ended up adding about 3 cups of cereal instead of the 1.5 cups suggested in the recipe.  I tend to do that with all recipes that call for cereal, like rice krispie treats, muddy buddies, and marshmallow star cookies.  One and a half cups just didn't look like enough.
• I used a 12 oz bag of vanilla flavored white candy melts for the white chocolate.  You could make this mix using different colors of candy melts for different holidays, like orange and black for Halloween, green for St. Patrick's Day, or use your graduate's high school colors for a graduation open house.
• This recipe is delicious as written, but as with just about all trail mix recipes, it's totally customizable to your taste.  Just make sure the keep the ratio of dry to wet ingredients about the same.  Don't like nuts?  Leave 'em out.  Want more fruit?  That sounds good to me.  Want to just coat stick pretzels in white chocolate and call it trail mix?  Go for it.

Enjoy!

The Parking Situation

Several months ago, our pastor mentioned a woman he knew who was hyper aware of God's presence in her life.  For example, he said, when this woman went to the store and found a parking spot right by the door, she would say, "thank you Jesus, for this parking spot!"

The congregation laughed deprecatingly, perhaps thinking that was a little frivolous, or even ridiculous, to think that God would care about parking. 

Obviously, those folks don't have parking anxiety.

I, on the other hand, was nodding my head, thinking, "I do that, too."  Maybe not out loud, but I am seriously thanking God for providing a parking space for me.

As I have shared in the past, my parking anxiety has definitely affected my life.  I simply don't go places if I don't know what the parking situation will be.  It's not so much parking that is the problem--it's the worry that I won't be able to leave my parking place when the time comes.  'Cause as I've also shared, I'm not the best backer-upper.

But do you know what?  God doesn't want us to live in fear, and that's what anxiety is, plain and simple.  God doesn't want us to limit ourselves based on fear or anxiety or anything other than God's love. 

For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice,

but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7

 

My friends, I was a slave to parking anxiety, letting it tell me what to do, and what not to do.

 

And that's when I realized that God does care about parking.  Because God doesn't want me to be anxious about an . y . thing.  Nothing.  Not what I will eat, not what I will wear, not what tomorrow will bring, and certainly not where I will park.

 

“Therefore I tell you,

do not worry about your life,

what you will eat or what you will drink,

or about your body, what you will wear.

Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?"

Matthew 6:25

 

So I decided to claim God's promise--to live it out every day as it relates to my parking anxiety.

 

My friends, I stared to pray.  Each day, when I set out for a destination with an iffy parking situation, like say, my kids' school on the last day, or Dairy Queen right after lunch on a sunny 80 degree day, I ask God to prepare a parking space for me.

 

Do not worry about anything,

but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving

let your requests be made known to God. 

Philippians 4:6

 

And God has provided.  Every. Single. Time.

 

Now, sometimes, I will look at the spot, the spot that God has prepared for me, and think that God's got to be kidding.  Sure, I can get into it, but no way I'm getting back out.  But I stretch and I trust, and I do.

 

Frivolous?  Ridiculous?  I don't think so.  Because I've learned to trust God for that parking spot.  And if I can trust God to provide something as unimportant (in the grand scheme of things) as a parking spot, I know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that God's going to take care of me on the big stuff.

 

My friends, what are you anxious about? What area in your life, big or small, do you need to trust to the Provider?  I challenge you to give it up to God today.  Right now, and as often as you need to.

 

And the peace of God,

which surpasses all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7



A visit from the tooth monster

The tooth fairy visited our house last night (about time--MC's been waiting for weeks...major tooth fairy fail for the 10 year old.  My fabulous friend J thinks the tooth fairy has a drinking problem, 'cause that happens at her house, too) and look what he left for a certain little boy who just lost (and I mean really lost) his first tooth!

 

It's a tooth monster!  It didn't come with instructions, but I'm pretty sure Bubby's supposed to put his lost tooth in there, and the tooth fairy will leave a surprise.

I think he likes it :)

He lost it

My baby lost his first tooth!

 

(yes, it seems awfully early to me, too)

And by "lost it," I mean, he really lost it.  In his sleep, and nowhere to be found.  Probably snaking its way through an intestine right about now.

This is probably a good thing, I mean that he really lost it, because I thought I had another week or so to make the surprise, but since we don't have an actual tooth, the surprise is not quite as critical (shew! Disaster averted).  Even so, you can bet I'll be working on it today (pictures tomorrow, hopefully).

Birthday Treats

Well, it's my birthday today. Yay me.

Here's my birthday treat, ready to go into the freezer.  It's called S'mores Ice Cream Cake.  Click here for the recipe.  All I can say about this recipe is, if you have a stand mixer, use it.  If ever there was a worthwhile time to haul that heavy old thing out of wherever you have it stowed, this is it.  The chocolate layer took for-ev-er.  I think it'll be worth it, though, if the little tastes I snuck here and there are any indication :)

Here's my other birthday treat.  You know, the one I didn't have to make myself, because my fabulous friend J took pity on me.  And good thing, too.  That chocolate layer took so long to whip, we won't be able to eat the S'mores cake today because it won't have been in the freezer long enough.

This is a

Double Chocolate Godiva Liqueur Cupcake

with Baileys Flavored Whip Frosting

And yes, it tastes as good as it sounds, which is to say, heavenly.  Thank you, J!

The Course...for Life

Last spring, inspired by my friend MomoftheWildThings, who has two heathens, aged 10 and 12, I started putting together an outline for a very special class with the working title:

15 (or however many I come up with) No-Brainer Tasks

That You Need To Know How To Do

Because Your Mama Is Not Going To Be Around Forever

To Do Them For You

 

Because there are things that our children will need to know how to do as adults, and we've discovered that their education seems to be lacking in some of these key areas.

And now, for your perusal,

The Course for Life

(special thank you to my facebook friends

Cathy, MomoftheWildThings, The Helpful Boy Scout, and KD

for helping with class session development)

  

The bathroom section:

• No one wants to be caught with their pants down: changing the TP roll (MotWT) and its cousin the paper towel roll
•  *What* is that smell?: How to flush the toilet (yes, every time)
• I love you, but you stink: why personal hygiene matters

The laundry section:

• Dirty clothes go IN the hamper, and yes, socks are clothes too (KD)
• No, I will not buy you new underwear: How to use the washing machine (Cathy)

The general cleaning section:

• Dust Bunnies do not make good pets: How to use and put away the vacuum (MotWT)
• That is not a massive pile of blankets raised off of the floor: How to make your bed (MotWT)
• Please take a moment to locate the trash can closest to you. Keep in mind that the closest trash receptacle may be located behind you... : How to identify, pick up, and dispose of trash

The kitchen section:

• Do not wave that thing at me: how to (properly) use a knife (and other sharp things) (tHBS)
• How not to starve: basic cooking skills
• You are not starving: food does not materialize out of thin air (consisting of:  No, we are not out of peanut butter: where to find the pantry;  So you used the last of peanut butter: how to write it on the list; Yes, we are out of peanut butter: where to find the grocery store)
• Manners matter: how not to fart at the dining table
• The dishwasher won't bite: how to load your dirty dishes

The general life skills section:

• No, we do not live in The Ark, nor do we wish to invite 2 of every known insect to live with us: How to close the door (MotWT)
• The importance of staying warm: No, it won't kill you to wear a coat...but it might kill you not to.
• Money does not grow on trees: how to balance your checkbook (and refrain from spending every cent you obtain immediately so there's actually something to balance) (this might have to be a whole separate class...)

And there you have it.  The Course for Life.  Each hour-long session will consist of a pre-test, lecture, and hands-on practice in our fully equipped lab environment, ending with a proficiency exam--children will not progress until they have mastered the topic of each class session.  By the end of the 16 week course, your children will be proficient in all of these tasks.  The final exam, which will consist of a real home environment in disarray, presenting random challenges from among the topics taught, will be given, by appointment, in December.  I will be working on lesson plans over the summer and hope to offer the first session beginning in September.

A sappy wrap-up

Oh my goodness, I'm having a hard time writing this post!  Much harder than it should be.  I don't know how many times I've sat down to work on it, and multiply that number by about 237 to find the number of times I've thought about it in the past month and a half.  Sheesh.

Well, my friends, enough is enough.  Without further ado,

A Sappy Wrap-Up

With the appearance of buds on our boxelder trees at the end of April, the syruping season has finally come to an end.  In total, we collected more than 70 gallons of sap, which we reduced to about 1.5 gallons of syrup.

It was fun.  It was educational.  It was yummy.

The END

To read all of the sappy posts in this series, click here.

Freezer Cooking: Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

Morning, y'all.  I came across this recipe and thought I should share it with you (yes you, Chip).  So easy to put together, and makes enough for 4 meals--perfect to throw in the freezer for those busy days when you're not sure how you're going to get supper on the table.

Source: moneysavingmom.com via Scarlet on Pinterest

 

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

• 10 c. cooked rice (I used brown, but a wild rice mixture would be yummy)
• 4 c. cooked chicken, chopped (to easily cook boneless skinless chicken breasts, just pop 'em in the oven at 350-375 until they're done)
• 4 c. chopped broccoli, lightly steamed (I actually just used fresh broccoli crowns and put it in without cooking
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup*
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup*
• 4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl

To freeze: Divide into four ziptop freezer bags, remove as much air as possible, and seal tightly. Freeze flat.  (Once frozen, these can be stored on their sides in the freezer like file folders)

To serve: Thaw overnight (or for 8 hours) in the refrigerator. Dump into a greased casserole dish (each bag will fill an 8×8-inch pan; two bags will fill a 9×13-inch pan). Sprinkle with additional shredded cheese, if desired.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly.

Each freezer bag serves 4-5 people

* If you don't like using goopy cans of cream of whatever, check out this recipe for cream of anything soup.  You can make large batches and freeze in can-sized quantities to get the convenience of a can without any questionable ingredients.

I love recipes that are so easy to put together and make my life easier down the road as well.  This large batch took no more time (and produced no more dirty dishes) than it would have to make a single batch, and now I have supper for us and some friends for tonight, plus two more meals in the freezer.

And now...a teaser. 

Did you know my birthday's coming up?  Yup.  And as I've said before, the advantage of making your own birthday cake treat is that you end up with exactly what you want.  I don't like cake, but since cake is practically synonymous with birthdays, that's what I'd probably end up with if someone else was in charge.

Anyway...this is what I'm making.

S'mores Ice Cream Cake

 

Here's the recipe, just in case you want to make one in my honor.

 

And yes, I have noticed a disturbing S'more-ish trend in my desserts recently (see here, here, here, here, and here).  Disturbing because I don't like marshmallows, either.  Not sure what's up with that, folks, but you're welcome to enjoy it while it lasts :) 

Wishing on Willows: A Review

I recently read Wishing on Willows by Katie Ganshert, sent to me by WaterBrook/Multnomah for review.

Wishing on Willows is the story of Robin Price, a young widow with a 3 year old son.  Before her husband died, they shared a dream to open a cafe in small town Peaks, Iowa, and after his death, she has achieved that dream.  Robin loves that cafe, and all it represents--the lasting legacy of the love of her life, but it's struggling.  Robin runs the cafe more like a ministry than a business and rarely turns a profit.

 Developer Ian McKay shows up in town one day with a plan to tear down her beloved cafe and an important town ministry to build condos.  Ian has strong reasons for wanting the deal to go through, while Robin has equally strong reasons for not wanting to let the cafe go.  While Robin has obvious hurt and complications in her life, Ian is harboring hurt in his past as well, and is on a mission to push this project through.  He is a man with something to prove.

This book is excellent.  It's so artfully written and real, compelling, and almost impossible to put down.  Katie Ganshert's characters are so real, I felt like I knew them, like I could just pop in to the Willow Tree Cafe for a cup of chocolate, and I found myself grieving with Robin and wondering how she could stand in the face of all that had happened.

Katie Ganshert manages to portray beautifully the pain we bring on ourselves when we try to struggle on when our Heavenly Father wants to take the load from our shoulders.  She shows how our lives can turn out to be immeasurably more than we imagine, if we just allow God to direct them instead of trying to do things our own way.
I knew fairly early on how this book would end, but I couldn't picture how it would come to pass, so I had to keep reading to find out--there was just the right amount of literary suspense. Just like in our own lives as Christ followers, we know how it all ends, but we still need to show up and live our lives to find out how we get there, and all the wonderful twists and turns in between. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the WaterBrook/Multnomah Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

For more information, please visit:

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