Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Whoopie Pies

1 egg 1/3 c. vegetable oil 1 c. sugar 2 c. unsifted all-purpose flour 1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 3/4 c. milk 1 tsp. vanilla Filling (recipe follows) Heat oven to 350 F. Grease two large cookie sheets and set aside. In a large bowl with mixer at medium speed beat egg and vegetable oil. Gradually beat in sugar and continue beating until pale yellow in color. In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In a measuring cup combine milk and vanilla. Add flour and milk mixtures alternately to eggs and sugar, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Drop by tablespoons onto cookie sheet. These will spread a lot, so make 6 cakes per sheet at a time. Bake about 5 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched with finger. Remove to wire racks to cool. When cool, use filling and two cakes to make sandwiches. Makes 15. Filling: 1/2 c. butter or margarine 1 c. confectioners' sugar 1 c. Marshmallow Fluff (about 1/2 of a 7 1/2-oz. jar) 1 tsp. vanilla In a medium bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat butter and remaining ingredients until light and fluffy. Dab a glob of icing in between two cookies and sit down before you take a bite because it is delicioussssss! And if you are in the mood for a pumpkin whoopie pie, check out my friend GRITS for the delicious recipe. Happy Sweet tooth Monday!!!

Glitter Candy Bowls

Halloween craft #2:

I bought three $.99 glass bowls (even though I only photographed two...because I am a confused person) and two bags of candy corn (Seth doesn't like candy corn, so this was a good choice because I don't have to worry about him eating it all! haha)

Step 1: Using some Elmers glue, I drew the words "Trick", "or" and "Treat" on each bowl.

Step 2: Cover the glue in the glitter of your choice

Step 3:

Fill with candy...to go back and do this again, I would not have used the orange glitter because after I filled the bowl with candy corn, I couldn't see the word very well...so the black and purple glitter may work better if you plan on filling your bowls with candy corn.

Step 4 (optional):

I also added a web, spider and pumpkin to the back of each bowl just because I was having way too much fun playing with the glitter! And yes, my spider looks like a creature of some sort...oops.

Voila!

Our last day by ourselves

As many of you know by now...SETH IS HOME!!!!!!!!!!!! FOR GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

We couldn't be more excited to have our Sethy Poo home (okay, he will kill me when he reads this!)

I got a little emotional Monday night when I realized that it was me and Caleb's last night as just the two of us.  I flashed back to the first days that Seth was gone.  How difficult is was for me when I saw all of the other husbands and daddy's pulling into their driveways at 5:00 pm, heading inside to eat dinner and spend the evening with their families.  Those first few days were tough.  I didn't know where Seth was, if he was safe, if he was lonely.  I wasn't used to not being home to get dinner ready and meet Seth at the door when he came home from work.  I wasn't used to having Caleb by myself 24 hours a day with no break, no 5 o'clock quitting time helper  walking through the door.  I wasn't used to taking the trash out much less taking the trash to the dump!  I had to find someone to mow our lawn because we never had a lawn to mow and didn't own a lawn mower...plus, how do you mow your grass by yourself and watch your 12 month old?  We had just moved to a new town in December and Seth left in February.  At that point, I didn't know anyone well enough to call if I needed something.  I didn't know any babysitters.  I didn't have any one to come over and sit and have coffee with me to help get me through those first few weeks.  It was just God, Caleb and me.  I look back at all kinds of events that have taken place since I married Seth and I am overwhelmed with the fact that all of those events led me to have a deeper relationship with Christ.  I am stubborn and God knows me better than I know myself.  He knew that if I was ever going to learn how to be dependent on Him, He would have allow me to get to the point where I only had Him to rely on...and that's exactly what happened.  I spent many nights laying awake in bed, too afraid to close my eyes because I thought I heard something and then my mind would go crazy with all kinds of terrible "what if's"...and on those nights I would end up drifting off to sleep as I prayed God would watch over us and give me the peace to be able to sleep.  Every night when I laid Caleb down to bed, we would pray that God would give Caleb a peaceful nights sleep, that He would watch over us and help Caleb to grow up to be a strong man who loves and serves God with all of his heart.  The last thing we would pray is that "God be with our daddy. Bring him back soon and safe to us.  Give him the encouragement and the courage that he needs to make it through this deployment."  I write this with tears in my eyes because God is so good to us.  So many of those first days were spent worrying about Seth, so much that I couldn't enjoy my daily life.  I became so exhausted because of all of the worrying I was doing.  One day I decided that it was time to stop worrying about him and time to give him over to God.  I can't even explain to you the peace that overcame me from that moment on.  It was as if God was sitting beside me saying, "I will take care of Seth...no more worrying."  Although I didn't know whether that meant God would bring him home safe to me or not, I knew that God was in control of whatever happened and that His plans are always better than mine.

Caleb and I spent a lot of time traveling.  We went to Virginia several times and we made a huge roadtrip to Texas, stopping in Louisiana on the way.  

We laughed with each other, we fought with each other.  Caleb learned how to throw fits and how to hit...and he also learned how to come and give kisses afterwards when he felt bad.  He took his first steps and said his first words.  We played together, every day.  Caleb overcame his fear of swings and is almost over his fear of dogs.  He slid down his first slide and swam for the first time.  We played cars together, read Goodnight Gorilla more times than I can count and had a zillion play dates at Barnes and Nobles where Caleb also found his love for Thomas the Train.  We found an amazing church with an amazing group of people that would have dropped anything to come and help us if we asked.  We made friends and experienced so many firsts.  We've had ice cream for dinner and pizza for breakfast.  But most of all, we have always known that through all of these "firsts" there was always someone missing.  There are no words to explain how excited I am to have my best friend back and how happy Caleb is to have a daddy again.  God gave Caleb and I these precious months together.  I have learned so much about him that perhaps I would have never learned otherwise.  God has grown all of us tremendously through this deployment and shown us so much.  The biggest lesson I have learned from all of this though is that I know that when I feel as though I have no one else in the world to help me, God is always right there...just waiting for me to ask Him for His help...and He is always faithful.  

I wanted to take a few pictures of Caleb and I's last night together, as just the two of us.  This was what you could find us doing on many nights :)

 Eating crackers, watching cartoons before bed

 Playing hide and go seek (after Caleb ripped a napkin into a bazillion shreds!)

 Playing airplane

 I know this is fuzzy but I had to post this picture because this is Calebs signature look...so funny.

 Trying to steal my glasses...

 Grabbing my face, wrestling...

Giving the sweetest kisses in the world.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you  for everything you taught me and my family during this deployment.  Thank you for keeping us safe and for bringing us all back together again to be a family.  Thank you for all of those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom and for the ones who never made it back home...all so that we can be free.  Thank you most of all that you gave Your Son to die on the cross for us so that anyone who believes in Him and professes Him as their Savior can be free from the chains of sin and can have eternal life with You.  

We love you so much. 

In Your precious and most Holy name, Amen.

Halloween crafts! Day #1

I have been doing some cheap and fun Halloween crafts that I would love to share with you.  This first one could definitely be a family craft if you have older kids or if you don't mind cleaning up a mess for the youngin's.

Craft #1: Glitter Candles

Please note...I have no idea how these will burn with the glitter on them...they may be a fire hazard, but if you aren't planning on burning them for a long time, they are super fun candles!

Step 1: Grab your candlesticks.  I decided to use purple and orange for Halloween, but this craft can be used for Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, etc.  I plan on having tons of glittered candles for every occasion...even birthdays!

Step #1: Get some candles!  I chose long, tall candlesticks that I found for $.50 at Hobby Lobby.  Pillar candles would work great too though.

Step #2: Cover the candle in glue

 Step #3: Cover in glitter!!! Glitter glitter and more glitter...you can't have enough!!!

  Step #4: Place in candle holders and voila! A masterpiece :)

Celebrate the Apple

Did you know that October is National Apple Month?  This will make my sister very happy to know.  That girl can down a bag of apples in one day...and I'm not even exaggerating.  Since we are acknowledging and celebrating the apple this month, I thought I would spotlight its greatness as well.

The largest apple ever picked was 3lbs 2oz...that's a pretty big apple. 

Red Delicious is the most grown apple...golden delicious is the second most grown.

There are over 2500 different types of apples grown in North America.

An apple a day is supposed to help fight cancer...and keep the doctor away.

Apples ripen 6-10 times faster when left in room temperature than they do in the fridge!

It takes about 36 apples to make one gallon of apple cider.

Greek and Roman mythology believe that the apple was a sign of beauty...hence where "apple of my eye" originated.

Half of the apple grown in the US are used to make apple products (sauce, cider, juice...)

They are yummy to eat and even yummier in an apple pie :)

(info obtained from healthdiaries.com, associatedcontent.com)

Andddd, you can't go wrong with this recipe:

Paula Deen's Crunch Top Apple Pie

Ingredients

Dough and Filling:

• Dough for a double crust 9-inch pie (homemade, frozen, or refrigerated)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Dash salt
• 3 1/2 cups peeled, chopped cooking apples
• 1 (16-ounce) jar applesauce
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons butter, chopped into small pieces

Crunch Topping:

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Dash salt
• 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Line a 9-inch pie pan with half of dough. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Stir in apples, applesauce, and lemon juice. Spoon apple mixture into pie pan and dot with butter. Cut remaining crust into strips; arrange in a lattice design over top of pie. For crunch topping, combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Using a fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over top of crust. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for about 45 minutes, or until crust and topping are golden brown.

Happy Apple Eating and Happy October!!!!!!!!

What to wear....

...when I go pick up my soldier!  I definitely believe that you should be slightly overdressed rather than under dressed.  Maybe I am old fashioned, but I just think that only a dress or skirt would do for going to pick up my soldier from deployment.  I want to look nice and girly.  Sure, jeans are cute but I just don't think they are appropriate for this occasion. I want to run and hug him in a pretty dress.  I already have mine picked out but here are some others that I could definitely see myself in:

When my soldier comes home by retrogalusa featuring a slip on dress

P.S.  Check out my new poll!

Surprise Visit

My parents surprised me and Caleb and came to visit us this weekend.  We had fun but boy are we tired!  Caleb is taking a nap as we speak and I am drinking some coffee to try and stay awake until bedtime.  Here are some pictures of the fun we had :)

Caleb loved "Cack Cack's" glasses

Caleb's new face...very unique

This is my typical mom..taking a picture of me walking out of the bathroom trying not to touch the door.

Don't worry...I got her back.

Getting to know Mr. Pemberton. He created the original Coca Cola formula.  Caleb isn't a huge fan.

Hitchin a ride on the railway

Eating at "The Black Cow" with KK and Cack Cack

Mommy baby love

Grumps and Grumpy

Our best attempt at taking our own family picture...very funny to see my mom running across the park to make it in time for the picture...but we won't tell her that ;-)

Winner!

As determined by random.org the winner of the address labels is.....

aehrhart said...

I love the "Personalized Return Address Labels with initial"...great Etsy store!

~Amy~

Thanks for playing everyone! I hope your Monday was fabulous :)

A Marriage Worth Fighting For

A military friend of mine sent a book in the mail to me called "Faith Deployed" shortly after Seth left.  It is a great devotional directed toward military spouses and not just for families who are going through a deployment.  The great thing about this book is that although it is directed toward military, it could be for anyone.  Just simply swap the military scenario for yours.  I read this excerpt today and I thought it was worth sharing with you all.  In a society where 50% of first marriages end in divorce, 67% of second and 74% of third, I think it is important to remember that marriage is worth fighting for. 

by Vanessa Peters (excerpt from Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives)

So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.

Matthew 19:6

 Tonight I lay in bed awake for a long time. I listened to my husband’s sweet, rhythmic breathing as he slept beside me, and tried to imagine what life would be like without him there.

Earlier, I’d received news that some old friends of ours had divorced. This was a lovely family so similar to ours in many ways: my friend’s husband attended the Air Force Academy along with mine, we were stationed at the same base, our husbands were in the same squadron and flew the same plane, we started having babies together and attended the same social functions. So, when the news came that this couple was now divorced and he already remarried, leaving two scarred young children in the wake, my heart broke. I wept over a world gone wrong, Satan’s victories at the very core of God’s army—breaking apart the family.

The news was freshly poignant to me as David and I had recently experienced a significant fight in which tempers flared. In a moment of despair, I asked him, “Do you really think we’ll make it?”  Later, he prayed with me that I would see our marriage as worth fighting for. That really resonated with my heart.

What caused this beautiful family to break up?  While I certainly don’t know all the details, I consider this question quite stridently with the humbling realization that it could have just as easily been us. “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

We know God desires marriages to be healthy and whole. “’I hate divorce,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘…So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith’” (Malachi 2:16-17 NIV). But lest we think we are immune because we’re Christians, let’s consider the evidence: Over half of marriages in the United States end in divorce, and the rate among “Christian” marriages is no better. Some good friends of ours serve with Campus Crusade’s Military Ministry. Their entire ministry is based on defending the military marriage. With staggering rates of troubled marriage and divorce in the military, exacerbated by deployment and war, they fight to keep these marriages together – for God’s glory.

Relationships are hard, and in my own power, my marriage is surely on sandy ground. My own sinfulness will too often prevail when I rely on my strength.  Yet, I have a powerful One who intercedes on my behalf when I am weak. He specializes in resurrecting that which would otherwise be dead. What assurance returned as I pondered the words of John Newton at age 82, soon to see Jesus face to face. The author of the famous hymn “Amazing Grace,” was once a slave trader, then a sinner saved by grace and later a powerful preacher: “My memory is nearly gone; but I remember two things: That I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior.” 

 Ask

 Do I have a prideful attitude about marriage and think that mine would never fail?

What am I doing to proactively protect my marriage now?

 Pray

 Lord Jesus, You created marriage for our good and Your glory. However, we live in a fallen world, and marriage is one of the most attacked institutions of our faith. Give us your supernatural strength and grace to bind us together forever. Help me to be the kind of wife who fights fiercely for her marriage. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

For more excerpts from Faith Deployed, click here. To purchase the book, visit thebookstore.

To join the Faith Deployed Facebook group, click here.

KCWC Day #2- First Day of FALL and FOOD!!!

Oh this is a crazy post full of a little of everything.

First of all, I am participating in Kids Clothes Week Challenge where you sew kids clothes for an hour each day.  Here is what I worked on yesterday:

Felt flowers onesie...also could be for any Gator fans out there.  

Same thing in fall or Virginia Tech colors.

Infant-Youth hat with white felt flowers

Today is also the first day of fall!  How exciting?  Except the fact that I totally have a sundress on.

I am completely inspired by these fall decorations.  I can't wait to go grab a few pumpkins and decorate them and hopefully decorate the front porch in time for Seth to get home...unfortunately I am not allowed to tell you when he's coming home for obvious safety reasons.  So pretty much I will just let you know when he is home.

Better Homes and Gardens

Better Homes and Gardens

Better Homes and Gardens

Better Homes and Gardens

AREN'T THESE CUTE????????

Speaking of Seth coming home.  I am not the best cook in the world.  I love baking but cooking is not my forte.  Therefore, I need your help!  Since I will have to start cooking again when Seth gets home, I am on the hunt for some great, yummy, easy and healthy recipes.  If you have any would you care to share?  I bought a new cookbook that I am excited about so hopefully between your suggestions and my new cookbook, I can get a pretty big collection of yummy dinner ideas!  Thanks in advance :)

 Happy Fall Yall!

Even though it isn't sweater weather yet...AND KCWC

***Note:  I am joining the sewing party over at KCWC.  If you wanna join, click the link!


I am bringing back the baby sweater pants!  For all of those who live where it has already gotten chilly enough for sweaters...the babies need some warm fashion too.  When we lived in Kentucky, I really loved dressing Caleb in these pants.  Now that we are in Georgia, I may not get the chance to...maybe by January it will be cold enough for him to sport some rugby sweater pants :)

These are all made from upcycled women's and men's sweaters.  I love transforming one thing into another, and believe me, if you ever try your hand at transforming and recycling, I am pretty sure you will be addicted as well.

Rugby sweater pants/longies (80% wool and perfect for a diaper cover)

Fair Isle Sweater Pants/Longies (100% wool)

Rainbow Sweater Pants...which always seem to sell the fastest.

Argyle Sweater Pants

Speaking of transforming one thing into another...I am thinking of having another blog party all about transforming something.  Whether it be giving it a new coat of paint, adding glitter or totally renovating/transforming an item and then blogging about it.  How many of you have something you would blog about, or something you have already blogged about that you could just add your link to the party?