No Bake Cookies

Ingredients:
1 3/4 c sugar
1/2 c milk
1/2 c butter(1 stick)
4 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c crunch peanut butter
3 c quick cooking oats
1 tsp vanilla

In a saucepan combine the butter and the milk.  Stir until butter is melted, add in the sugar and cocoa.

Bring to a boil and boil for 1-2 minutes. 

Add in the peanut butter and the oatmeal. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Place drops of the chocolaty mess on wax paper to make your cookies. 

Let them cool and Enjoy!

These are my hubby's favorite and I finally got around to making some for him! Hope you enjoy them as much as he did.  This recipe makes 2-3 dozen(depending on how big you make them!)
ps. I think he ate all 2 dozen in 24 hours!

 

Seasoned with salt

As Christians, is our conversation seasoned with salt?  I have been hit really hard with this question lately. Is my conversation seasoned with salt and full of grace?

Colossians 4:6 "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." (NIV)

According to the Bible it should be!  As a cook, this verse hits home.  Salt can add something to the food in a significant way.  I was once told by a dear friend, if you think your food tastes like it is missing something-add some salt. I have found this to be true.  Is our conversation missing grace? Grace is the salt to our conversations, we need to make sure it is in all of our conversations.
I have seen so many young children committing suicide because people are bullying them.  Are we teaching our children how to be full of grace, and their speech to be seasoned with salt?  Are we teaching them to help those in need? Are we teaching them to "be kind to one another?"  I hope that we are, I really do.  I hate to see all these young lives gone because no one stood by them, and they felt they were all alone in this world.  We need to make sure we are reaching the lost.

Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

I am reminded in my daily life, with my children, that I need to let my conversation be full of grace.  Because Jesus offered me grace and mercy, I should also do the same for them.  After all, children learn best when they see something in action.  They do not do just as we say(in fact we could turn blue telling them something), but will most often follow our lead.  We need to step up and lead them in the correct direction. Are we teaching them how to speak? Are we teaching them how to answer another without offense?  Are we teaching them what it means to be kind, and compassionate? Do they know what true forgiveness is?

Speech is something that can cut straight to some one's heart.  We need to think about what we are going to say before it is said, so that is may be seasoned with salt.  We need to show the love of Christ not just in our actions, but also in our speech. When we stop and think we are letting our speech be seasoned, we are thinking about how to answer according to God's Word.  When we think, we are doing just as God commanded. Is it full of love and compassion?

I don't just see bullying when it involves young children.  Goodness, I see it so much in the mommy circle it isn't even funny.  AND we are GROWN adult women caring for children.  We should be raising them up according to HIS Word!  They should not see us bickering with other moms because they don't breastfeed, or don't use cloth diapers.  OR just maybe they have to work and don't have the blessing and the gift of being able to stay home with their children(because it is truly a gift and a blessing from God to be able to stay home with your children, no matter their age).   Let us please remember we are each called to something different as a mom.  Each of our circumstances is different. 

When we speak to each other we need to make sure it is FULL of grace, because let's face it what mother doesn't need a huge helping of grace each and every day?  Which person doesn't need a FULL helping of grace when we are speaking with them?  We don't know their circumstances, we don't know what they have or don't have.  They could be falling apart on the inside.
Please I beg of you, let your conversations be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone!  Let God's Word shine forth in your life.  Be the light for the lost, and stand up for those in need, and even those who may not "appear" to be in need. We all need the Lord and we all need grace. DAILY!

Dear Father,
I pray that you will let my speech be full of grace, and seasoned with salt.  Help me to please think before speaking so that I may know how to answer everyone.  Help me to encourage those around me, and to help those in need.  To be kind and compassionate. I thank you Lord for giving me the strength to do all things through your power.  I also thank you for showing me grace and mercy on a daily basis.  I would not be where I am today without your grace.  Please help me to show others the same grace you have shown me, so they may in turn be pointed in your direction.  Make me a light to the world.
Amen

Featured...

A recipe of mine was posted on a friends blog...Go check the recipe out, I'm telling you it is amazing!  It is for my Berry Streusel Muffin.

Thanks Cherise for sharing my recipe!

Here is a sneak peak at what they look like! Click on the link above to see the recipe!

Pillow Case Dress- 12months

Pillow Case Dress:

I love these because they are super simple and they are quick!  I made one for Athaiah to wear to a bridal shower to go with my maxi dress!  It was a lot of fun and I will definitely be making more.  You do not necessarily have to use a pillow case you can obviously just use some fabric, but I found the pillowcases on sale and loved the cute little pattern!

 

What you will need:

Pillowcase(or fabric if you are going that route)

Ribbon-cut 2 equal pieces twice the length of her neck-or greater for a bigger bow

A dress of current size(for measurement purposes)

 

First step:  Cut out your dress.  To do this I placed a dress that currently fit her on top of the pillowcase.  Fold the pillow case in half width ways, that way you just measure half the dress and you won't have as many seams to sew up! Easier is always better in my book!  Make sure you add 1/2" all the way around for seam allowance.

 Second Step:  Cut it out! Easy enough, right?!

 Third Step: Sew up the sides with the right sides of the fabric together. But do not sew the part where the arms would be or the top part(along the neckline)  When you get to the arm holes, sew up each side(top and bottom) separately, this will make a nice seam ensuring you don't have any rough edges. But will keep the arms open so it is easy to slip on and makes the ribbons the top of the "arm hole."

 Fourth Step:  Cut out a piece of ribbon for the neck line.  I did one piece for the back and one for the front so it can tie together at the sleeves.  You can use any size of ribbon you like. I did super skinny ribbon because Athaiah has super, super petite shoulders and I thought a big ribbon might be overwhelming on her little arms.

Fifth Step: Fold the top piece of the fabric down 1/4"(I recommend ironing so it stays nice and straight). This is so there is no fraying fabric.  Fold the fabric down again the width of your ribbon(mine was another 1/4").  Lay your ribbon inside the flap(This eliminates having to string it thru later, but if you prefer that method by all means go ahead, I just like to cut out as many steps as possible) See picture below!

Sixth Step: Now sew along the bottom, ensure the ribbon is tucked inside, but don't sew the ribbon.  You need the ribbon to be able to move some! Center your ribbon in the sleeve with extra on either side, sew a line down the center(top-bottom) this will hold the ribbon inside the sleeve but still enable you to gather it at the sleeve so it can fit your sweet little one!

Do this again with the back piece!

 No need to hem the bottom if you used the bottom of the pillowcase.  I made sure that I did to eliminate another step of sewing, keep it simple.  That is the point of these dresses to be extremely simple!!

My life these days...

My life these days are filled with...

Smiles, giggles, and belly laughs..

Crying, because of a scraped knee...

Kisses to make every thing all better...

Diapers and a lot of them...

Sand filled hair and shoes, from our time outside...

Little shoes lined by the front door...

Reading books and Bible stories

Dancing around the house...

A mountain of laundry...

A pile of dishes...

Warm little fingers grasping for my hand...

Coloring pages and warm comforting gazes...

Cars strewn all over the floor...

Blocks being built into garages and towers...

Play dough all over the kitchen table...

Snuggle time with each of my babies...

Being silly and making faces...

Jar lids becoming bracelets...

Children playing make believe...

Late nights and even earlier mornings...

Prayer and a lot of it...

Wishing that time would slow, so I can sit and enjoy more of the little moments like these! Life may be crazy at times, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.