100 Day of School Creativity

My son's Kindergarten class is celebrating the 100th day of school this Friday. We turned to Pinterest and found some super cute ideas. My son wanted a red shirt with 100 Googly eyes so we found a shirt and the eyes at Michaels for less than $5 total. We had fun drawing the shape of a silly monster with teeth onto the shirt. We just used a black sharpie marker, and it worked great. My son attends a private Christian school, and each week they memorize a different verse so we added the verse from 1 Corinthians 2:9 “No EYE has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” Next, we just hot-glued the 100 Googly eyes randomly inside the monster shape. The shirt turned out super cute, and my six year old is so excited to be a Googly-Eyed Monster on Friday :-).



We decided to make a fun and yummy treat for his classmates as well. I took snack-sized ziploc bags and put Keebler fudge sticks as the number 1 and two Keebler fudge stripe cookies as the two zeros. We put labels on the bags that said, "I am blessed 100 times to have you as my friend". He can't wait to share them with his friends on Friday. 

 

I love that his class is celebrating little and big holidays. I love celebrations because it brings smiles to my children, helps them feel special and loved, and teaches them to show love to others.

Have a BLESSED day, my Friends. You are prayed for and loved dearly by your Heavenly Father!!

 

Rest in this Amazing Promise today:

1 Corinthians 2:9

“No EYE has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

 



Create-Your-Own Crock Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal

Create-Your-Own Crock Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
3 cups milk of your choice (vanilla almond milk tastes yummy)
1 cup steel-cut oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
Custom ingredients of your choice (see below)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in your crockpot or slow cooker, put the lid on and cook on low for three hours. Do not stir. Use a 3 qt crock pot for the four serving size. If you double the recipe, cook for 5-6 hours and use a 5 qt or larger crock pot.

Customizable Ingredients:
*Cinnamom Raisin: add raisins before cooking. Stir in ground cinnamon and sweetener of choice (sugar, brown sugar, or honey) after cooking.
*Apple Pie: peel 2 small apples, chop in small pieces, and add them to the uncooked ingredients along with 1 teaspoon apple pie spice. After cooking, add 2 tablespoons butter and 1/4 cup brown sugar to the hot oats and stir.
*Mounds Bar: Add shredded coconut, sweetener of choice, and 1/4 cup chocolate chips after cooking. Use coconut milk as your milk of choice and top with slivered almonds before serving.
*Pumpkin Pie: add 2 Tablespoons pumpkin pie spice before cooking. After cooking, stir in 1/2 cup pumpkin.
*Mocha chocolate Chip: add 1 tablespoon espresso powder or instant coffee before cooking. Sprinkle with 1/4 chocolate chips before serving.

God is My Refuge when I am Weak and there Seems to be No Hope; He is Still God and He is Able

God is My Refuge when I am Weak and there Seems to be No Hope;

He is Still God and He is Able

 

I have been so blessed to be a part of the review team for Kathy Howard's new devotional entitled "God is my Refuge-12 weeks of Devotions and Scripture Memory for Troubled Times". http://www.kathyhoward.org/god-is-my-refuge/
I never imagined how much God would speak to my heart as I journeyed through the devotional. He has healed hurts, strengthened my heart, given me a new hope, and helped me to forgive and give grace to others.

For those of you who do not know our story, we lost a daughter in 2008, and we are currently in the midst of a very emotional adoption journey (we were one of the family's who were adopting from Russia :-().

Our daughter who lives in Heaven was named Savannah Grace, and her story can be found here: www.caringbridge.org/visit/savannahgraceburrell
We have named the daughter we are adopting, Emma Charity, and our journey to her can be found here: www.emmacharity.blogspot.com

This morning, I found myself on week four of Kathy Howard's devotional which deals with "Healing". Day 3 is called "When I am Weak" and the scripture reference is 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. The main focus of today's lesson was verse 9. We named our daughter Savannah Grace because it means "abundant grace" and we clung to that scripture and the promise that "His Grace is sufficient for us because His power was made perfect in our weakness." During the rough pregnancy as I dealt with the reality of Savannah's fatal diagnosis, I desperately needed God's grace and His power in my weakness. God did not heal our daughter on earth, but He healed her by taking her to be with Him. Would that have been my choice? No :-(. But, do I trust Him? Yes.

So, four years after her death, God reminded me through today's message that He remembers, He knows my grief, and His love for me is unending. I miss my baby girl daily, with some days being harder than others. The ache and longing are ever-present, but God's grace and love are even greater and they give me strength to keep going. My sweet Savannah gets to spend her days dancing with Jesus - how I long for the day when I get to join them.

Today's devotion was a sweet reminder to my heart that "In any situation, God may choose to physically heal or to respond with 'My grace is sufficient for you'. Either way, He is seeking to work His purposes in your life. Either way, you can experience His power and His love. Either way, God is still God, and He is still able." This last statement especially resonates with me right now as we trust and wait on God to bring our adoptive daughter home. He is still God; and He is still able; and He will bring our Emma home to our hearts. In His perfect timing, in His perfect way.

One of the Reflection questions in today's lesson was "Can you think of any ways God has used this situation in your life or the lives of others to carry outHis greater purposes."
This question reminded me of all the "good" He has brought out of Savannah's life. Because of my loss, I have a greater compassion and I have been able to pray for, listen to, and encourage other women who have lost children. As I have encouraged others, my heart has also received blessing and has been strengthened and healed even further. God used Savannah to teach me the depths of His love and the intimacy found in complete surrender to His Will. God is using our crooked and long journey to Emma to reveal His purpose, His plan, and the comfort we find in abiding in His peace.

My friends, His Grace is ALWAYS SUFFICIENT! I encourage you today to cling to Him-He is your Refuge in the storm, in the sickness, in the hurts, in the sorrows and the tears. He will not forsake you.

I love the song by the Maranatha Praise Band, "You are My Refuge."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRmSILC_tJE
 

Christmas Morning Blueberry Coffee Cake

Being a Southern Girl from North Carolina, my all-time favorite magazine is Southern Living. This month, I found a wonderful recipe for a Blueberry Coffee Cake hiding in the current Southern Living issue. I made the Coffee Cake this week for our family guests,and it was simply delicious-even my young children loved it. This would make the perfect dish to serve on Christmas morning. You can serve it with coffee and hot cocoa while you open gifts and enjoy time with family.

Merry Christmas my dear friends and family. I pray that you enjoy your families and praise the one who gave us HIS GREATEST GIFT-His Son who died for our sins. I am so thankful for God's Love and Sacrifice.

Luke 2:11-14

"The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.””

 



Blueberry Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used vanilla)

3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

2 Cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

TOPPING:

1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons sliced almonds (or crushed walnuts or crushed pecans)

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Whisk together egg, milk, yogurt, and oil. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture just until dry ingredients are moistened. Toss 1 1/4 cups blueberries in 1 Tablespoon flour; fold into batter. Pour into a lightly greased 9 inch springform pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup blueberries. Stir together 2 Tablespoons sugar, sliced almonds (or other nuts), and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove sides of pan. Serve warm or cool.

Gingerbread Oreo Blondies

When I saw this recipe on one of my favorite blogs, Two Peas and Their Pod, I knew that I had to find the Gingerbread Oreos and make these yummy treats for our Sunday School Class Christmas Party. Thankfully, the Gingerbread Oreos were easy to find at my local Walmart. The recipe produces a large pan full of deliciously-thick blondies with a Gingerbread Oreo tucked in the middle of each bar. This recipe was a fun twist on the traditional blondie and is a perfect treat to package and share as Christmas gifts with friends and neighbors.

Enjoy my friends! You are dearly loved and prayed for daily. I pray that this Holiday season, you truly "Taste and See that the Lord is Good!" (Psalm 34:8)

 

Gingerbread Oreo Blondies

Yield: 20 blondies

Sweet brown sugar blondies with Gingerbread Oreos and white chocolate chips.
 

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups of all-purpose Gold Medal flour
1 cup white chocolate chips
20 Gingerbread Oreos

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside.
2. In a small pan, melt the butter over medium low heat on the stove. Or in a small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. In large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips.
4. Pour half of the blondie dough into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Press the Oreos on top of the blondie dough, evenly spacing them out. Pour the rest of the dough over the Oreos and spread as evenly as possible. The dough will be thick and sticky.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely. Cut into squares and serve.

Christmas Peppermint Poke Cake

If you are in search of the perfect Holiday Dessert to take to a Christmas party or to serve on Christmas Day for your family, then search no more. I stumbled upon this recipe from Something Swanky blog, and I knew that I would make it for our Sunday School Class Christmas Party. The party was last night and the cake was a big hit. It combines all the flavors of the season and the layer of hot fudge and oreos makes it over-the-top delicious! The crushed peppermint andes mints on top give it such a pretty Christmas look that make it even more appealing to your taste buds. I tweaked the original recipe a little by using the red holiday oreos and two containers of cool whip for the topping. If you prefer to use the original recipe, it can be found here: http://www.somethingswanky.com/better-than-christmas-poke-cake/

I encourage you this Holiday season to make LOVE your focus-share love with everyone you meet, forgive others, and put your LOVE into action as you serve and honor others above yourself. Slow down from the busy month and just LOVE someone-truly from the heart.

Romans 12:10

"Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other."

Christmas Peppermint Poke Cake

Ingredients

• 1  chocolate fudgecake mix, prepared and baked according to the directions on the box.(I always use Duncan Hines-simply the best!)
• 1 cup peppermint dairy creamer
• 14.5 oz sweetened condensed milk
• 1 jar Smuckers hot fudge sundae sauce
• 1/4 cup peppermint dairy creamer
• 1 cup crushed Oreos (you can use the red holiday oreos for a super festive look)
• 2 containers of (8 oz Cool Whip)
• Andes Peppermint Chips for topping (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
• Crushed Oreos for topping (approximately 1 cup)

Instructions

1. Once the cake has cool, use the bottom of a wooden spoon to poke 20+ holes in the cake.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and 1 cup of the peppermint dairy creamer. Pour over the cake, trying to fill in the holes.
3. In the same bowl, whisk together the hot fudge sundae sauce and 1/4 cup peppermint dairy creamer. Mix in 1 cup crushed Oreos.
4. Pour and spread the fudge mixture over the cake as evenly as possible.
5. Spread the cool whip over the fudge. Sprinkle on the Andes candy bits and crushed Oreos (as much or as little as you want).
6. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours, until the sweetened condensed mixture has soaked into the cake and it's thoroughly chilled. Cut and serve.

Sour Cream Banana Cake-The Perfect Holiday Bread to Share!

 

 

I LOVE this time of year because it gives me an exuse to bake lots of yummy treats to share with my family and friends. When I saw this recipe for Sour Cream Banana Cake, I knew that I had to make add it to my baking list. It turned out so moist and absolutely delicious. I made two batches and baked them in cute little Christmas loaf pans that I found at Michaels for $1 each. I loved sharing this bread with my MOPS group and our Sunday School class. It was a super easy recipe to follow, and the sour cream made it nice and rich

Bake some and share the love with your neighbors and friends. I love to give gifts because it makes the recipient feel loved.

 

Enjoy dear friends. You are prayed for and loved dearly by your Heavenly Father! I hope you enjoy this song that we sang in church today. It blessed my heart. One Thing Remains-His LOVE never fails; never gives up; never runs out on you!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_2qG22SPwU

Sour Cream Banana Cake

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. (2 layer size) yellow, white, or butter cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (3-4)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of almond flavoring

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Beat cake mix, eggs, bananas, sour cream and oil with mixer on low or until moistened, scraping bottom of bowl often.
3. Beat on medium for 2 minutes.
4. Bake 35 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.
5. Use a 13×9 or full size bundt pan. (I used loaf pans-both the 8 inch size and the mini ones: One recipe makes two large loaves or four mini loaves)
6. Cool cake completely in pan on wire rack.