My one word ~ thankful

At the beginning of this year, like in years past I joined with countless others choosing the alternative to new year’s resolutions, that’s growing in popularity, called OneWord365. The idea is that rather than setting specific resolutions that may not last past February, you have a single word which you focus on for the whole year, summarizing an area of life you feel needs some kind of growth or change.

As I sat at the end of 2014 and looked back over my life and praying and thinking about what goals I wanted to set for 2015, I’d been reflecting on the ways in which God has grown me over the last thirty+ years of my Christian journey.

I looked at the words before me, mulling them over and researching their meaning. I simply wanted what God had for me. For Him to fill me with His presence and purpose. And, to truly be ready for that, I must be thankful.

There was no telling how this word was going to unfold over the course of time. But unfold it has ~ with deeper meaning, with greater revelation, and with much amazement.

Since you have to start somewhere, it made sense for me to make a list ~ a list of things/people/opportunities/moments that happen and to give thanks for each of them. So each week I pause on Thursdays and I write seven things for which I am thankful. As I write these, I am gently reminded to say thanks and to keep on believing God for what He is blessing me with.

As you begin to think about all the things in your life you are thankful for, you will be amazed at the never ending thoughts that come back to you of more things to be thankful for.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 {New International Version {NIV}}

May we become a people who are more thankful because of what He has done and because of what He had done may we be more thankful!

Take Care

mhmm monday

These glazed donuts filled and topped with sprinkles are baked, not fried and are so simple to make!

Baked Fun-fetti Donuts

{photo credit & recipe website}

Ingredients:
DONUTS
1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (careful not to overmeasure) 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (gives them that "bakery donut" taste) 
1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar 
1/4 cup (60ml) milk
1/4 cup (60g) Greek yogurt
1 large egg 
2 Tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter, melted 
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles
GLAZE
1/4 cup (60ml) milk
2 cups (240g) confectioners' (powdered) sugar 
1 teaspoon vanilla 
extra sprinkles to sprinkle on top, optional

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Spray a donut pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
For the donuts: whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and granulated sugar together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Whisk the milk, yogurt, and egg together until smooth. 
Add the melted butter and vanilla, whisking until fully combined. 
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. 
Do not overmix. 
The batter will be very thick. 
Fold in the sprinkles gently to ensure they do not bleed their color. 
Spoon the batter into the donut cups. {Cut a corner off the bottom of the bag and pipe the batter into each donut cup, filling 2 ∕ 3 –3 ∕ 4 of the way full.}
Bake for 9–10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Allow the donuts to slightly cool before glazing.
For the glaze: combine the glaze ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat.
Whisk until the glaze is smooth. 
Remove from heat and immediately begin dunking the donuts, one by one, into the glaze. Simply drop each donut into the saucepan and moved it around to coat evenly. 
Transfer each donut to a wire rack over a baking sheet to catch the glaze drippings. 
Take each donut and dunk again if you have enough glaze leftover.
Sprinkle with additional sprinkles.
Enjoy!

Take Care

Priceless

They’ve been keeping a secret.

One they shared with us several months ago, and now it has made it onto the blog world…

My eyes filled with tears the first time I saw the ultrasound picture of our grand baby when it arrived in my inbox. It was intense.  I am very eager to see our daughter and son-in-law become the fabulous parents that I know they’ll be.

Dear Baby Z, 

We love you already. All you ever needed to do to capture our hearts forever was show up. 

You know what that means?

No matter what, we’re in your corner forever and ever. We’ll be your biggest fans, loudest cheerleaders, loving truth-tellers, and steady hand-holders. We’ll be your shoulder to cry on, a refuge when you need one, and your car-dancing partners for life. 

We will stand with you, walk with you, hope with you, and laugh with you {and, let's be honest, sometimes ‘at’ you... but we give you permission to laugh at us too}. We'll shoot straight with you, even when the truth hurts, and we won’t pretend to have the answers when we don’t. 

We will learn far more from you than you likely will ever learn from us, and we’re okay with that. 

We’ll celebrate with you your successes and victories; we’ll sit in the heavy silence with you when life is hard and things don’t make sense; and for all the days in between ~ monumental and mundane ~ we’ll just be a constant presence, reminding you that you are never alone and you are loved.

All you had to do was show up. 

Down side? You’re stuck with us. 

Up side? You are already loved far more than you will ever know.

Love Gigi & Pops

It’s going to be a great day in November when we get snuggle this little person in our arms.

Take Care

"the kids"

They're celebrating their 5 year anniversary today!

Happy Anniversary!!! and many blessings for many more years!

Take Care

Thankful Thursdays

…and so we continue counting the things we are thankful for…

171. invisible dog fences
172. cordless drills and “boys” who know how to use them
173. the blessings of rain
174. zero gravity chairs 
175. gas BBQ’s
176. visits with my son
177. road trip chats

Will you join me as we begin to be truly thankful for each day, and for each opportunity given to us, and who knows? we might just see how truly blessed we really are.

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart! 

Take Care

tasty tuesday

These delicious muffins make a perfect healthy snack option.

Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins

{photo credit & recipe website}

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine 
3/4 cup brown sugar 
1 egg 
1 cup flour 
1 tsp cinnamon 
1/4 tsp cloves 
1/4 tsp nutmeg 
1 tsp baking powder 
1/4 tsp soda 
1/4 tsp salt 
1 cup applesauce 
1 cup oatmeal, quick or regular 
1/2 cup nuts* 
1/2 cup raisins* 
(**instead of nuts/raisins add 1 cup chopped apples) 

Directions:
Cream butter and brown sugar, add egg.
Mix thoroughly, then add applesauce.
In separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients, Save nuts, raisins (or optional apples) until the end.
Stir dry ingredients into butter mixture. Stir just to combine, the stir in apples or nuts/raisins.
Spoon into muffin cups and bake at 350°F  for 25 minutes.
Enjoy!

Take Care

Yard Sale

The town we live in has a community wide yard sale every year on the Saturday of the Father’s day weekend.  When we first starting packing up the farm house for the move, I knew I would have stuff for the sale.  Stuff we were no longer liked, stuff we no longer using and definitely stuff we no longer needed.

Last week I was busy.  Busy getting all those boxes unpacked and somewhat organized for the sale.

We arose early Saturday morning, gearing up for what I hoped would be a profitable day. As we set everything out, some on tables, other things were put on the driveway; hoping that someone else could use the things we no longer had need for.

I couldn’t believe how quickly the droves of people came.  It kind of felt weird having people look over our stuff, silently evaluating the price, the quality and whether or not they were willing part with their hard earned money.

By lunchtime the crowds had thinned out considerably.  And by 2 o’clock we closed up shop.

Not only did we make some money - but and this is more important, we cleaned out the garage! 

Unfortunately we did not sell everything in our sale and rather than hang onto it for another year, we decided to donate our stuff to a couple of the thrift stores in town.

Overall, I felt the day was a success.

Take Care

Three Weeks

It was three weeks ago that we moved to our new house.  {Today was the original date for “the move” and I am ever-so glad that it got bumped ahead.}  Sure it made things a little more crazier for us, but now that we’re here… it’s been awesome!

We’ve been here for three weeks and it’s felt like home since day one.  Sure I didn’t have everything put away.  Sure it was more than half empty {I was waiting for the new furniture I ordered to arrive} and yet, when we sat down for supper those first few nights, I said to the hubs “this already feels like home!”

We’ve been here for three weeks and it’s been great to walk uptown to run errands.  It’s made the commute for the hubs to work a lot quicker.  And I get to see my girl pretty much everyday! ~ it doesn’t get much better than that!

We’ve been here for three weeks ~ and this is just the beginning of what I hope for many more opportunities of becoming townies and the great things we’ll experience.

We’ve been here for three weeks, and I am simply. loving. it!

Take Care

Sometimes

Sometimes it takes years of praying and planning.

Sometimes doors open and then close again.

Sometimes you lose patience in the wait and other times you know that His timing is filled with perfection, so you continue to wait and you just don’t give up.

And then all of a sudden things start into motion and they snowball and you know that the first steps of what you prayed for is actually starting to happen.

And it is. 

Sometimes the “new order of things” is so vastly different than you expected.

Sometimes that in itself is difficult.

Sometimes that’s okay.

God has it in His hands. He’s taking care of things behind the scenes and all you have to do is...

Hard as it may be. It’s not about our timing. It’s about HIS.

“For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, “plan to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 {New International Version {NIV}}

Take Care

Thankful Thursdays

…and so we continue counting the things we are thankful for…

164. coleslaw salad
165. hostas
166. walking around the block
167. meeting new neighbours
168. technical whiz’s
169. wind chimes
170. firefighter's breakfasts

Will you join me as we begin to be truly thankful for each day, and for each opportunity given to us, and who knows? we might just see how truly blessed we really are.

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart! 

Take Care

Book Review ~ The Guest Cottage

Having never read anything by Nancy Thayer, I was excited to get this from the Library.

From the dust jacket:
Sensible thirty-six-year-old Sophie Anderson has always known what to do. She knows her role in life: supportive wife of a successful architect and calm, capable mother of two. But on a warm summer night, as the house grows quiet around her and her children fall asleep, she wonders what's missing from her life. When her husband echoes that lonely question, announcing that he’s leaving her for another woman, Sophie realizes she has no idea what's next. Impulsively renting a guest cottage on Nantucket from her friend Susie Swenson, Sophie rounds up her kids, Jonah and Lacey, and leaves Boston for a quiet family vacation, minus one.

Also minus one is Trevor Black, a software entrepreneur who has recently lost his wife. Trevor is the last person to imagine himself, age thirty and on his own, raising a little boy like Leo—smart and sweet, but grappling constantly with his mother's death, growing more and more closed off. Hoping a quiet summer on the Nantucket coast will help him reconnect with Leo, Trevor rents a guest house on the beautiful island from his friend Ivan Swenson.

Best-laid plans run awry when Sophie and Trevor realize they’ve mistakenly rented the same house. Still, determined to make this a summer their kids will always remember, the two agree to share the Swensons' Nantucket house. But as the summer unfolds and the families grow close, Sophie and Trevor must ask themselves if the guest cottage is all they want to share.

Inspiring and true to life, The Guest Cottage is Nancy Thayer at her finest, inscribing in graceful, knowing prose matters of the heart and the meaning of family.

And thus, our story begins!  Every other chapter is told in 1st person ~ with the bulk of the story revolving around their instant attraction and a will-they-or–won’t-they sexual relationship. Various friends and relatives make their appearances to complicate things between Sophie and Trevor: sub-stories about an abandoned music career and a heroin addicted dead wife come up now and again, and the obligatory miscommunications and misunderstandings occur.  But this was a delightful novel about two single parents who accidentally rent the same summer house and must soon decide where their hearts truly lie.

For lovers of light romance, the familiar elements are all there: instalove, imagined table sex, misunderstandings, weddings, and babies.  And of course, we get our “happily ever-after” when everything turns out fine at the end and life is good for Sophie and Trevor.

The Guest Cottage by Nancy Thayer is a tepid romance novel at its best and it’s a shame. I found it was just too easy to predict the story line and could tell the inevitable outcome long before the final chapter.

Those who love this author or even Nantucket might find something to interest them in the pages of The Guest Cottage; for the rest, it’s likely a cottage they won’t want to visit.

Take Care

mhmm monday

Recently I made this Asian Coleslaw recipe. Having never made it before I was a little nervous serving it to a group of our close friends.  However, there was absolutely nothing to fear because this is a super delish and super easy salad to make!

Asian Coleslaw with Ramen Noodles

{photo credit & recipe website}

Dry Ingredients:
1 bunch green onions, chopped 
2 (10 oz) bags coleslaw mix or chopped cabbage (I used Dole) 
1/3 cup toasted sesame seeds 
2 cups toasted sliced or slivered almonds 
2 pkgs chicken flavored Ramen noodle soup mix. Set aside chicken seasoning packets for dressing.

Dressing Ingredients:
1/2 cup oil 
1/4 cup red wine vinegar or white vinegar 
2 seasoning packets from Ramen noodle packages 
1/3 cup sugar 
2 tsp salt 
1 tsp black pepper (I prefer cracked black pepper!)

Directions:
First, crunch up the Ramen noodles so they’re separated. 
Empty the Ramen noodles into a large mixing bowl. Add coleslaw mix, chopped onions, almonds, and sesame seeds. Toss gently to mix.
Mix together dressing ingredients with a small whisk. Pour over coleslaw mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
This recipe would serve 8-12; it can easily be halved for serving 4-6 people.
Enjoy!

Take Care

The Other Him

About 10 years ago, this other boy starting coming around.   5 years ago, he got married to our girl. And it's his birthday, today!

I've written a few other posts about him here, here, here, here, and here.

We are extremely blessed to have this handsome young man part of our family.

Happy Birthday Gerard!
Love Mom & Dad G

Take Care

Thankful Thursdays

…and so we continue counting the things we are thankful for…

157. sunshine
158. new furniture smell
159. clean windows
160. hydrangeas 
161. giant chocolate chip cookies
162. answered prayers
163. backyard views

Will you join me as we begin to be truly thankful for each day, and for each opportunity given to us, and who knows? we might just see how truly blessed we really are.

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart! 

Take Care

tasty tuesday

This super giant and very delicious cookie is not only simple to make, but also very easy to share!

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Skillet Cookie 

{photo credit and recipe website}

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats (not quick cook or instant)
one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
ice cream, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F, spray oven-safe skillet with cooking spray,set skillet aside. 
In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute.
To the melted butter, add sugar, egg, vanilla, and whisk or stir vigorously to combine, for about 1 minute, slightly fluffing up the batter. 
Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and stir until just incorporated. 
Add the oats and stir to combine. 
Pour slightly less than three-quarters of the dough into the skillet, reserving about 1 1/4 cups to be crumbled on at the end; set skillet and large mixing bowl with reserved dough aside.
In a small bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter and stir until smooth.
Pour mixture over the dough in the skillet.
Evenly sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. 
Drop tablespoon-sized chunks of the reserved dough into the skillet, dispersing then as uniformly as possible over the surface, which forms the crumble topping.
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until edges begin to barely crisp up and most of the top surface of the cookie has set. {The center may not be completely set; this is okay because cookie will continue to cook in the skillet after it's been pulled from the oven, noting that there is a fairly significant carryover cooking effect with cast iron; so don't over bake in the oven because cookie is meant to be very gooey.}
Yield: Makes one 10 1/4-inch skillet cookie
Enjoy!

Take Care

Porch sitting

I sit on my porch and my mind wanders. Situations play out in movie-like quality, conversations, interactions, moments in life. What I would say if “this” happened or what I would do if “that” happened. Maybe it’s my over-active imagination, or the fact that I read to much, but it happens all the time. Taking my thoughts to a place…  they’re not bad thoughts, they’re just… a lot.

I watch the birds flit around dancing through the air.  The trees sway in the wind their branches whispering to me. And it seems they are speaking to the stream of thoughts running endlessly through my mind.

It’s hard for me to sit still when there is so much more to be doing.

“There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under the heavens. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1

{New International Version {NIV}}

It implies waiting and patience. It doesn’t fit in our fast-paced, get-it-done, make-every-second count world. But as I stare at the trees I’m reminded of how we’re created to live. We need silence and stillness because it’s in those moments that growth happens.

God isn’t in a hurry. He never runs out of time because He has eternity. The expectations I place on myself are more mine than His.

I seem to hear another whisper as I sit on the porch. This time it comes not from the branches of the trees but from within my heart. The One who loves me whispers “Shhh, shhh.” 

It sounds like an invitation. And this time I listen, embracing the new stillness in and around me.

There will be time tomorrow, or the next day…whenever the season is right.

Take Care

Keeping my focus

I was doing fine.

Or so I thought…

Those last few weeks before the move were busy to say the least. Trying to keep my focus only on the good, the next thing on the list, making the hundreds of decisions, and getting everything ready for the big day!  In my flurry of activity ~ packing, purging, thinking, organizing, recycling, and cleaning, I had been holding things together pretty well.

But, I knew it was coming. I just didn’t know when.

I know myself well enough that when life feels overwhelming, I need to take some time and refocus, get refreshed and regroup. And sometimes, most times, that happens through tears.

This week, I’ve been unpacking the thousands {slight exaggeration} of boxes and deciding where to put it all in our new house.  And I've had more than my share of tears this week. Tears of joy. Tears of sadness. Tears of satisfaction. Overwhelming tears of “what have we done.”

But this is what were supposed to do, right? 

Life is changing, but God is in the changes.

That comforts me today. Through the changes of life, we are not alone. God is with us, and it’s going to be okay.

Do you find yourself in the middle of a change?  What brings you comfort?

Take Care

Thankful Thursdays

…and so we continue counting the things we are thankful for…

150. moving trucks and men
151. pizza & beer
152. walks along the river
153. raspberry muffins
154. freshly laundered clothes
155. somersby apple cider
156. watermelons

Will you join me as we begin to be truly thankful for each day, and for each opportunity given to us, and who knows? we might just see how truly blessed we really are.

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart! 

Take Care

Book Review ~ The Liar

I’m always excited when I see a new romantic suspense novel by Nora Roberts.

From the back cover 
Shelby Foxworth lost her husband. Then she lost her illusions …

The man who took her from Tennessee to an exclusive Philadelphia suburb left her in crippling debt. He was an adulterer and a liar, and when Shelby tracks down his safe-deposit box, she finds multiple IDs. The man she loved wasn’t just dead. He never really existed.

Shelby takes her three-year-old daughter and heads south to seek comfort in her hometown, where she meets someone new: Griff Lott, a successful contractor. But her husband had secrets she has yet to discover. Even in this small town, surrounded by loved ones, danger is closer than she knows—and threatens Griff, as well. And an attempted murder is only the beginning … 

We meet Shelby Foxworth shortly after her husband died in a boating accident.  Shelby is left three million dollars in debt and with a young daughter, Callie, to care for. It turns out her husband was a conman and philanderer, and the life Shelby thought she was living was a lie. So, she packs everything she still owns and returns to her hometown ~ Rendezvous Ridge, Tennessee, ~ to start over and be near her family.

But things aren’t 100% peachy though. Shelby lost contact with her friends and family when she married Richard, and there are hurt feelings. Shelby meets sexy contractor, Griff, and allows herself the space to move on with him. Initially she feels guilty, but as the extent of Richard’s deception becomes clear, she realizes she married a lie. Griff and Shelby’s happiness is threatened when Richard’s past {and past associates} show up to menace them. It seems that someone is out there watching her every move and soon her peaceful hometown will not be so peaceful anymore...

The Liar revolves around Shelby’s husband’s secrets and the danger they bring. The fun of it is watching Shelby uncover the pieces of the puzzle and put them together with the help of Griff and their loved ones.  It’s not just a romance, but a story of family, home, and building dreams. Of mystery, danger, and deception.  It’s impossible not to be drawn into this story, and into the lives of its characters. It’s the perfect blend of suspense and romance for me. The mystery was there but enhanced rather than overshadowed the romance.

Perhaps my favourite thing about The Liar was Shelby’s character growth. At the beginning of the book we see her as a widow almost completely overwhelmed by the mass of deceit her husband’s death reveals. I admired her strength from the start, how she pulls herself up and does what needs to be done to make a better life for her daughter. The Griff/Shelby romance will make you smile and sigh, every up and down in their relationship is worth it for the wonderfully satisfying happily ever after.

Though it’s pretty clear what’s going on and who is behind it, it really doesn’t hurt the story any. The ending while predictable was also very enjoyable.

What would you do if you found out your life was a lie?

Take Care

mhmm monday

Raspberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake Muffins

{photo credit & recipe website}

Ingredients:
Topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 granulated sugar
Grated lemon zest (zest of 1/2 to 3/4 lemon)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, melted
Muffins:
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Put paper liners into standard muffin tins
Make the crumb topping:
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and lemon zest.
Add the melted butter and stir with a fork until crumbly.
Set aside.
Make the muffin batter:
Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until well blended.
Make a well in the center of the dry mix and add the wet ingredients.
Mix until smooth.
Add 2 heaping tablespoons of batter into each muffin cup.
Cover the batter evenly with berries. 
Sprinkle the streusel crumb topping over the batter and berries until completely covered.
Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until tops are golden brown and toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan then remove muffins and cool on a wire rack
Enjoy!

Take Care