These are a few of my favorite things....

*Having a clean bathroom (I did that this week, I don't care for the cleaning part, but going into a clean room makes me smile!)
*Getting some FUN sewing done! Ok, so most of its fun, but seeing the finished product is the best part!
Here's a pic from this week

The ruffle pants are so fun, but they're a bit long on Sam, so maybe in a few months...

*Pancakes, eggs, and fruit for dinner! (Don't tell daddy, but we'd already had pancakes for breakfast) And Sam loves it and eats well! I'm sure a normal plate for a 14 month old is an egg, half a plum, and 2 pancakes? And that was not too long after her snack of a full yogurt carton and a bunch of graham crackers. (I was tutoring and trying to keep her busy...)
*TWO Wal-mart trips in one week :-D oops...
*Colored pens for my notecard Bible verses. Yey for pink and purple! And blue and green...
*Actually making it to library story time for once this month!
*Feeling my little boy bounce around! At this stage, its still fun because he doesn't hurt me yet :-) Don't worry, as active as he is, I KNOW that is coming...

I hope I can make you smile today...
So what are some of YOUR favorite things?

Random thoughts from my neck of the woods

Today I have a few pet peeves to talk about but I'll try to sparse it up with some nice things too! And go me for adding some pictures. I take none of the credit for them. I'm no photographer...

1) Our baby boy is jumping as I write! I forgot how fun it was to feel a little baby moving around inside  you. So nice to know he's doing ok in there :-)

2) I really dislike people who can't seem to put their carts in a cart return and instead leave them next to my car or rolling across the parking lot. I am pregnant, with a 1 year old and I manage to put my cart away (every time!) and usually 1-2 others (which by the way is actually really difficult when my kid is still sitting in one of them), so get over your lazy, irresponsible self and be considerate!

3) My husband is amazing. He is rebuilding our upstairs deck (with a bit of a tight deadline) and after being out of town all week, he worked all day today, around going to his boss' celebration. Even after the celebration when I was totally wiped, he helped me get Sam to bed and came out to work again - amazing! So I'm keeping him company, typing this post from our new deck!

4) I think people need to learn to keep their comments to themselves more often. I am quickly learning that its not just that you can't make everyone happy, its pretty much you can't make anyone happy. I'm starting to care a lot less and take everything with a grain of salt. But your comments on how I shouldn't do something when I've already made the decision thats best for me and I can't turn back....not helpful. Thanks. Try being positive. And I'll try to remember that there is only One I'm trying to please.

5) I have a dessert obsession. It's so bad that I'm trying to call chocolate chip cookie dough flavored poptarts a decent snack. I know that many say that I'm pregnant and that's an excuse, but I think 4 brownies, 3 pieces of fudge, 2 cookies, and a bowl of ice cream is a little much for one day. For anyone. I'm pretty sure my arteries are almost clogged. I don't think that's a good thing. Yet somehow I'm still buying supplies to make fudge. I will create some amazing fudge soon. I'm bound and determined. I just wish someone else would help me eat a little...

6) Have you seen my shop's new logo? Check out my website I had some great help from The Creative Professional
I'm really trying to get the ball rolling, so next week, I will be featured on this blog as part of a birthday celebration!

I'm totally willing to give you discounts if you watch my kid while I work! Of course this only works for my local friends :-)

Why we're crazy...

"And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. And they'll know we are Christians by our love."

We seem to be the 'crazy couple' who asks people to be our roommates. Most people wonder why. Well, there are lots of reasons, the rent check isn't bad and I enjoy company. But mostly our reason tends to be the ability to be a witness and example.
I'm not the outgoing type. I'm not an eloquent speaker. You will NOT find me preaching...probably anywhere. But I've made an effort to make my life transparent and what I hope is a good example. I want people to know where I stand and what my beliefs are by how I live, not what I say. I've been aware of the power of my life choices as examples since as early as junior high. I'm by no means perfect, no one is. But the act of asking for forgiveness when I do something wrong is also a powerful example.
My 'slogan' for any leadership position I've been given has been to lead by example. I wasn't the organizer that told everyone what to do and sat back. In fact, I really didn't LIKE being in front of everyone as a leader. I just pitched in with anything and everything. I was the person on the team that went back to pick up trash because it just looked like it needed to be done.
Back to the roommate situation...
I know that we're doing the right thing because a few days ago our roommate came home and started questioning us both on why marriage, why kids. He put his feelings out there and asked why we felt differently. Not that we would never have this kind of conversation with him if he was just a friend and not living with us, but the opportunities arise more often when you share your living space. And he gets to see the day in and day out. And question what crazy person wants a clingy, whiney, poopy child around! Nathan, being the master of words in this house, had quite a few good answers.
And we shared our faith once again. Easily, quietly, in a way that I think hits home more than any sermon on Sunday could.

Recipe Time!

Alrighty, the FUDGE is here :-)




First some tips:

1) Get all your ingredients ready plus the final pan buttered. And try to distract your little ones, haha.

2) Use a candy thermometer and TEST it first! Mine was only off about 2 degrees, but I read where some can be off almost 10! Make adjustments in your cooking.

3) Try not to have your daughter break a glass in the middle of the ‘stir constantly’ step.

4) Attempt to have a strong man handy for the “stir till it thickens” step

5) Follow the directions and have fun!



I cut the original recipe in half, so this makes about 1 pound and fit in a 7” x 5” pan nicely. Doubling should allow you to use an 8 x 8 pan.



¾ C milk (though I did use half and half to see if it’d be really creamy)

2 oz unsweetened chocolate (should be 2 wrapped squares)

2 C sugar (yes, this isn’t healthy!)

1 ½ Tbs light corn syrup

1/8 tsp salt (I didn’t measure, just did a few sprinkles..)

1 ½ Tbs butter (Though the husband suggests more next time, but I don’t know how it would affect the setting of the fudge)

¾ tsp vanilla (I’m a vanilla lover, and threw in a whole tsp. I’m convinced I could have used even more)



Combine the milk and chocolate over low heat till melted.

Up the heat a little more (to medium or so) and add sugar, corn syrup and salt. Stir constantly till boiling.

Then stop stirring and don’t stir at all (so hard!) until the mixture reaches 234°F. (if you are a regular candy maker, this is soft ball stage and a little bit of fudge in a glass of cold water should form soft balls. Not sure what exactly that would look like, but when I put some in water, it still kinda smeared on the bottom of the glass just a bit, but also had one little bubble looking drop suspended.)

Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla, but don’t stir yet!

Wait until the mixture reaches 110°F. (This took a considerable amount of time – maybe 30 min or more)

Then stir/beat (with a wooden spoon) until it thickens and loses its gloss. The recipe says this is about 15 minutes, but Nathan only stirred about 9 minutes.

Spread in buttered pan. I then refrigerated and it was set in an hour or 2.



One last tip – they say not to scrap the sides of the pan when stirring after it reaches 234, because that can bring in some of the crystallized sugar and make it a little lumpy. Since I can’t stand being wasteful, this is probably why I don’t have the absolute smoothest fudge. Shouldn’t affect the taste, however.

Need Encouragement?

I did today.
A little over a week ago, a single male friend of ours simply asked "So...what do you DO all day?"
Really?
I wish Nathan would have been there, because I'm sure his answer would have been better, but after a minute, I simply said "Well, Samantha is pretty much my day."
I know SAHM do much more than care for their kids. One thing I knew growing up was that when Daddy was home, we got to play, because he had time for us. He might have projects or other things of his, but it wasn't a whirlwind time of housework, bill paying, or shopping, because my mom took care of all of that during the day. Our family had quality family time. A lot. And I appreciate that.

So to encourage myself, today I'm keeping a list of everything I do that isn't for me. So my shower (however wonderful and necessary it was) doesn't go on the list, however feeding Samantha breakfast, does. Yes, every little thing, that I couldn't do if I wasn't home.
I won't brag by sharing the list, but I will let you know that at 10:30 am, its already got quite a few things on it. And I'm feeling much more accomplished - and encouraged to do more!

I like Steven Curtis Chapman's new song Do Everything. Here are a few lines...

"You’re picking up toys on the living room floor
for the 15th time today
Matching up socks and sweeping up lost
Cheerios that got away

Little stuff big stuff in between stuff
God sees it all the same
And while I may not know you I bet I know you
Wonder sometimes does it matter at all
We’ll let me remind you it all matters just as long as you do

Do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you
Cause He made you to do
Every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face
And tell the story of grace"

There may be people where I used to work that don't understand why I left behind the job, the money, or the accomplishment.
But I'm pretty sure my family REALLY appreciates me. And I'm doing what *I* feel is the best thing to do.