25 Random Facts About Me

      1.       Ketchup is it’s own food group. There isn’t much I don’t eat without ketchup.

2.       I wanted to be a farmer when I grew up. I still wouldn’t complain if that happened.

3.       I hate shopping. I only go out of absolute necessity.

4.       I taught myself to sew 18 months ago. I can also cross stitch and crochet.

5.       I love taking pictures. Love. Yet I hate scrapbooking.

6.       I love to cook. I think it would be fun to own a bakery or restaurant.

7.       I can read a book and watch a movie at the same time, and tell you what is happening in both.

8.       My favorite color is blue. Most everything I own is pink and has lace or ruffles.

9.       When I am really stressed out, I like to clean. I’m talking about taking a toothbrush to the grout lines and moving the furniture and washing everything. I can decompress and work through whatever is bothering me by the time I’m done.

10.   I love tulips. And Orchids.

11.   Right now I should be studying for an accounting exam.

12.   Part of me still finds it hard to believe that I’m just a few semesters away from a college degree. It’s very surreal.

13.   I have 3 dogs. In a perfect world where I had billions of dollars and more space, I’d probably have a whole lot more. I’ve never not had a dog, and I can’t imagine that will ever change.

14.   I love to decorate for holidays. Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, 4^th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. I even have decorations for Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Graduation!

15.   I’ve always wanted to be able to paint. I see these amazing things and would love to be able to recreate them.  

16.   I don’t watch much TV. But with the exception of Army Wives, Little Couple, and Food Network, everything I do watch involves murder.

17.   I miss my grandparents. I’d like to have just a day to spend with them and catch up. I know it wouldn’t be enough time, but I’d like to know what they think of where I am in my life now.

18.   I would love to be outgoing. I’m an introvert. I’m a crazy, scary introvert. I’m not so bad when you get to know me…except that I second guess everything and over analyze everything.

19.   I wanted to go back to college and every time I have tons of homework I hate it and want to quit.

20.   I don’t mind being the oldest student in most of my classes.

21.   I’m not a morning person. Even if I went to bed early enough to get 12 hours of sleep to get up at 5 am, I’d still hate it.

22.   I’ve never, ever, ever had a pedicure.

23.   I like plants. Especially indoor plants. I hope the house we buy has tons of natural light so I can have an indoor tree.

24.   I love to read. Love. From the end of the Spring semester until the Fall semester began, I read 64 books. I re-read every book by Carol Higgins Clark, The Hunger Games Trilogy, and 50 Shades of Gray. As well as ton of new books.

25.   I have a love/hate relationship with my job. I love that it’s slow enough that I can get homework done while I’m here. But during breaks, I hate it, because I can think of all the things at home that I’ve neglected while school has been going on that I could be doing instead. I’ll be glad to finish my degree and move on with the next chapter of my career.

Worry Only Steals Today's Joy

I have a tendency to worry. About everything.

I worry about stuff that has happened, stuff that has never happened, stuff that never will happen, stuff...well you get the point. I worry, a lot.

I think a lot of it is my type A personality. I want to be in charge and in control. That's probably why I like routines and not waiting until the last minute to make plans. I like to know in advance. I like to know everything.

I spent most of Sunday and Monday feeling overwhelmed. I've got so much going on with school, with work, with freelancing, and then add in the possibility that a bacterial infection is back reeking havoc in my colon, plus the fact that I have an exam every week until Thanksgiving. Well, it's a lot to think about and digest. It's enough to drive me to drink...you know, if I drank.

As I was driving to work Monday morning I realized that worry is a joy stealer. It takes the joy of today and tomorrow and sucks the life right out of it, especially since most of the worry will be over things that will never happen anyway. So as I drove to work I pondered how worry steals my joy over today and tomorrow. I'm so busy worrying about passing an exam that I get so wrapped up in doing the laundry and other homework that I don't study. Thus not doing as well in my classes as I would like. I worry that my husband will be disappointed if the laundry isn't all done and the house isn't clean. I want to be perfect at everything, and because I can't be perfect, I worry. And the only thing I'm accomplishing is making myself miserable. I want to make straight A's, I want to come home at night and spend time with my husband and sewing or crocheting or doing something fun instead of homework, I want to get an amazing job and I worry about all of that stuff, and that I won't actually do any of it.

Worry = Joy Steal-er

I hate that I worry about things that will never happen, about things that are never even possibly going to happen, yet I worry. And the only thing I'm accomplishing is stealing my joy in today for the what if of tomorrow. It's not doing me any good, I'm not gaining anything by worrying about all of the stuff that runs through my mind. As I write this I'm thinking about how I need to go get something for lunch and go to the bathroom before I leave a puddle, yet I don't want to haul my 40 pound (yes that's actually accurate, I weighed it, twice). around to pee and to get something to eat. But I worry about what will happen if I leave it here. Will someone steal my bag? Do they really want some chewed on pencils?

So I'll sit here and stress out about it, and eventually just pack it all up, go to the bathroom get something to eat, and come back to study until my next class starts. It's ridiculous.

I'm going to actively try to worry less. I'm going to prioritize. God, family, homework, work, and everything else. Let's at least make the grades I want so I don't worry about passing my classes and keeping my GPA up. I want A's and B's this semester, and I'm working my tushy off to make it happen. I refuse to let worry steal my joy in what I'm accomplishing in the process.

I refuse to allow worry to steal my joy in today for the unknown of tomorrow.

Tasty Tuesday - Sausage, Beans and Rice

See, I cook stuff besides tortes and pudding. When my dad had his heart attacks we began to hunt up recipes that were healthier options than the original counterparts. And as much as we love our red beans and rice, the boxed mix that he was so fond of has enough salt to scare even me. So when I stumbled across this Sausage, Beans and Rice recipe, I knew that it was a must try. And even though my picky father won't eat it (he'd rather have the salt lick original)...the rest of us love it. What does he know anyway?

It's amazing, and so easily adaptable. Want more spice - use jalapeno sausage. Want it less sweet - use less brown sugar. Want it more tomatoey - add more ketchup. Want it with white rice - knock yourself out. It's very adaptable to suit your mood. Or your preferences. Becaue let's face it, I don't make anything by the recipe except once, then after that it's game on.

The cast of characters:

 

 





Chop that onion! Chop Chop! Add the bell pepper and onion to a skillet with the oil. You want to soften the veggies, but only slightly as this will cook in the oven and you don't want to turn them to mush. Meanwhile, drain the beans and rinse them off.



 

 

 



See, just soften. Now, add the beans, the brown sugar, the ketchup, the Dijon mustard, the corn syrup, the sausage and give it a good stir. Add the rice and the broth and stir around. Give everyone a chance to meet and make friends.

After everyone has became acquainted, pour everything into a 9x13 pan. Cover with foil and set the timer for 15 minutes. Come back and take the foil off and give everything a good stir and let it go until the rice is tender.

 

 



 Then enjoy. With broccoli. Or without. You know. Because your making this and you might not like broccoli. But I heart broccoli. And Cauliflower. And...nevermind.

Now go forth and make this for your family. They will thank you for it. There will be applause and cheers of joy. Enjoy!






Sausage, Beans and Rice

2/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp olive oil
1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4" slices
1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15.5 oz) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup instant brown rice
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tbsp. corn syrup
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 350*. In a large skillet, saute the onions, green peppers, and garlic in oil until slightly tender. Add the remaining ingredients. Pour into a greased 13x9 baking dish.

Cover and bake at 350* for 15 minutes. Uncover, bake 10-15 minutes longer or until all liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

Happy Birthday To Me! (And you too!)

Thanks to everyone who entered the gift card extravaganza! And a big fat congratulations to

 

Roselyn R!!!

She was the lucky winner of both gift cards! Maybe she'll use them to buy me a birthday present. I'll make sure to send her my address and wish list, you know, just in case.

Saturday was the day. I'm officially 34. I had a wonderful birthday. My husband took me to Red Lobster for dinner on Friday night and Saturday night he grilled steaks and baked potatoes.

He's a good guy. I'm thinking of offering training courses for other husbands. Because everyone should have a husband as awesome as mine is.

It's hard to believe that now I've got a very real deadline to that list. I guess I better get busy.

So here goes:

Here are my 3 things I'm thankful for this. (It's one of my things on my list #39).

Saturday:
1. My husband
2. That my relationship with my in-laws is better than it was.
3. Orchids

Sunday:
1. Sleeping in
2. The smell of cupcakes in the oven.
3. The puppy who had to lick my face until I giggled when we went to bed.

Official List Kickoff - Part of My Birthday Random Act of Kindness- Giveaway - EXPIRED

Saturday is my birthday. I'll be turning 34 and my "bucket list" for my 30ies will officially kick off. And I figured what better way to kick off the official launch of the blog, the list, and my birthday than with a random act of kindness.

So as I've pondered what to do, I've came up with a brilliant solution. I'll let my readers be the recipients of some random acts of kindness.

I'm giving away 2 gift cards. Two. Dos. 1+1=2

The first is a $15 gift card to Best Buy.

The second. Well, this is the best one. You get to choose. I know some people don't do the whole "online" shopping thing (weirdo's) so you can choose between Amazon or Target.

If that irritates you, I'll give you my mom's email address. It's her fault. I was going with Amazon. But no...she's never bought anything from Amazon. She wouldn't know what to buy. So it's her fault. But the good news is if you hate Target you can go with Amazon, and if you hate both, then just hold on to one for Christmas and give it to someone for a gift.

So here's the official rules:

Using the form below, answer the question. Then for additional entries you can follow 40 Little Moments on Facebook and on Twitter. You can answer the question each day for additional entries. But you can only follow me on Facebook and Twitter once. Take that up with them. It wasn't my idea.

The giveaway will close at 12:00am on Sunday Sept. 22, and the winner will be announced on Monday.

Any questions?

Good.

Get on your mark.

Get set.

Go!!!!!  Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tasty Tuesday - Knock Your Socks Off Banana Pudding

My grandmother was famous for her baking skills. She was an amazing cook. However, she was notorious for taking a recipe and making it completely different that what the directions called for. So now that she is gone, my mom and I play mad scientists with some of her recipes in order to go from her "notes" (I use that term loosely) to decipher how to make some of the things that I grew up with.

This banana pudding is unlike any you've ever had. It's thick and creamy, and frankly it's just plain awesome!  It's a little bit more prep than the Jell-O kind, but it's worth every moment that it takes to make it. I think my husband would have proposed on the spot, had I made this on our first date. It's that good. However, in re-creating this the first time we discovered that her recipe makes enough to share. With several people. So when you get to the recipe I've included directions for both ways. Even if you are feeding a crowd (6-10 people) the 1 recipe is sufficient. Make 2 at your own risk.

Let's get started!

Meet the contenders:

And in this corner we have Milk, Eggs, Butter and Sugar. In the opposing corner we have banana's flour and cookies.

Ding! Ding! Ding! Let's get ready to beeeeeeeaaaaaaaattttttt!!!

I know what I'm about to tell you sounds weird. But trust me...it works. Put 1/2 the milk and all of the sugar in a saucepan. Preferably one that you don't mind using your mixer in. Then your gonna beat it. And beat it, and beat it some more. Then add your flour. And beat.Try and get your flour incorporated so that there are no lumps.

Sugar rush!

Then add the eggs. And beat. Are you tired of beating yet? Recruit some help! Add the remaining milk and beat. Don't worry. Your beating is almost over. Now you get to stir. You're welcome

Get your egg, sugar, milk mixture hot. Not boiling yet. But hot. Then drop your butter in. You can cut it up, or you can just dump it in and stir it around until it melts.

Stir, beat. Stir beat. This is an anger eliminating dish.

Your going to want to keep stirring and scraping the sides and the bottom until the mixture is thick. It will thicken some when you remove it from the heat, but not by much. So don't think that it will be okay once it thickens. You will want it thicker than gravy. See how it sticks to the scraper that I'm using? You'll want it thick. You'll also want to make sure it's lump free. If it's lumpy. Add some butter and beat it on high with your beater. Sometimes you don't even have to add the butter, if it's not too lumpy. 

Now to assemble. You can make one giant bowl or you can make individual bowls in ramekins or other dessert dishes. Just add your cookies to the bottom of the dish. Then cover with the pudding.

Add a cookie layer. A pudding layer. A banana layer. A cookie layer. A pudding layer.

Grab your banana's. First drop a banana on the floor. Then see if the dog will eat it. She won't. So toss it and attempt to peel a banana again and hope you don't drop this one too. Add a layer of banana's to your bowl. 

Drop banana. Attempt to feed banana to dog. Fail. Get new banana. Continue forth.

Then you just keep layering pudding, cookies and banana's until you run out. Then you tell your husband to make them pretty for pictures and he does this. 

Happy Pudding

You can eat this warm or cold. We usually have a little bit warm and enjoy the rest cold. It's good either way. This pudding is amazing and your going to see it appear in a few other Tasty Tuesday's, so you might as well make it now and enjoy. Then go walk 12 miles to burn off the calories. It's got banana's therefore it's healthy, right?!

Yummy. Yummy.

Knock Your Socks Off Banana Pudding

For 1
3 cups sugar
1 cup flour
4 cups milk
4 eggs
1 1/4 sticks butter

for 2
5 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
8 cups whole milk
7 eggs
2 sticks of butter

4-5 banana's add or subtract based on your preference
for 1 pudding 1 box of Nilla wafers 2 boxes for 2.
Optional whipped cream

In a large saucepan place 1/2 of the milk. Add the sugar and flour. Beat until mixed. Add eggs, beat well. Add the rest of the milk and butter continuing to stir until thickened. If lumpy, remove from heat and beat. If severely lumpy add a stick of butter and beat while hot.

In the bottom of your serving dish place a layer of cookies. Add enough pudding to cover. Add a layer of sliced banana's and another layer of cookies. Cover with pudding and repeat until all remaining ingredients are used. Top with whipped cream if desired.

Note To Self

Dear Self,

You signed up for Dropbox for a reason. So that you would never save things on your laptop at home and not have them when you were at work, or vice versa.

Now, so that my readers have something to read would you please remember to use it!

So instead of getting the post I wanted you to have, your getting the post I quickly made up so I could go back to studying. You're welcome.

PS. My birthday is Saturday - stay tuned for details on Wednesday about my random act of kindness that YOU can benefit from!!

A Day in the Life.....

You know how you look at someone else’s life and think that their life is just super freaking awesome, and you’d totally like to trade.

Here’s a chance to follow me through a typical Tuesday and Thursday (at least from now until December). Fasten your seat belts, adjust your tray tables in the upright position and prepare for takeoff…or possibly a nap.

8am – the alarm or the dog wakes me up. Just depends on which one gets to me first. Just for the record, I prefer the alarm. Less slobber.

8:02 – stumble with one eye open to the back door and let the dogs out. (Who let the dogs out, who, who?)

8:03 – crawl back into bed and wait for the snooze button to kick me out. I’m not a morning person.

8:10 – off to the shower I go. Hi ho. Hi. Ho

8:25 – find something remotely cute, comfy, and preferably that fits to wear. Since I’ll be sitting in class rooms and tables most of the day, comfort is a priority, cute is a bonus. Fitting is a must. Don’t want to show off too much cleavage or hold my pants up (a year of chronic diseases = bonus weight loss)

8:30 – hair and makeup. This is where the magic happens. I don’t just roll out of bed and look gorgeous.

8:45 – out the door. Head to class, enjoy the fact that traffic is certainly less crazy at this point than taking an 8am class. Eat breakfast on the drive. I’m not a get out of bed and eat kinda person. I have to warm up to the fact that I’m (a) awake and (b) hungry. Days I go to school, I eat whether I’m hungry or not. Days I go to work…I take breakfast and eat when I’m hungry.

9am – Intermediate Accounting part 1 with a snarky, sarcastic professor. She’s awesome. I love her teaching style. This class is kinda the middle of the road accounting. You get a review of the basic principles, and then you learn about these specific situations. It's awesome. Although so much if this class is what I do at work every day….except on a computer. Thank goodness.

11am – I get a break. This usually involves finding somewhere quiet to work on homework or write blog posts for you. Lunch is stuck in there somewhere, but this is a productive time frame. Or at least I try for it to be. It works out quite well when I stay at school. I want to set a good example and let all the young’uns see me doing homework, not feeding my Pinterest addiction.

2pm – Cost accounting. You know those people who try to be funny but aren’t? That would be this professor. He makes jokes, but they are obvious, and we all just look at him like he’s a dork. He’s boring. It is the longest 80 minute class of the day. I swear I look at my watch every 2 minutes, wishing the torture was over. I would be like your dad teaching the class and you’re a teenager again. Awkward (must roll eyes, and sound annoyed).

3:30pm – Super awesome! Another break. Again, homework is attempted. I have 2 online classes that I try and take advantage of these breaks to get stuff done. This break is always productive. I try to study for the finance class that I have next.

5:00pm – the hardest and most failed class on college campuses. Financial Management. This class is tough. The professor is funny, which makes the time fly by. I don’t spend the time wishing the class was over. The chairs are so uncomfortable, so after about 20 minutes, everyone starts fidgeting. He should slip in a 7th inning stretch.

6:40pm – headed home for dinner, more homework, and hopefully some down time that doesn’t involve school.

7:30pm I usually take Sadie for a walk on these nights. My brain has been “on” all day, and I usually can’t focus on what I need to do. Homework or not. So the 30 minutes of fresh air, and the subsequent shower, because I’m usually sweaty after walking, running, and playing with the dog.

8:30pm – usually a 2nd shower has commenced. Comfy pj’s (I heart pj's) and it’s homework time.

10pm – 4am. At some point in that range, I will go to bed. I aim for 10, but let’s face it, homework gets in the way, and sometimes you just have to suck it up and go to work tired to get it all crammed in.

Next week you can follow me to work. Learn what an exciting job I have as a bookkeeper/receptionist/secretary/office manager/keeper/babysitter for a custom sheet metal fabrication company.

I know your on the edge of your seat...don't deny it.                                                            

Truck Driver's Job Description - What They Don't Tell You

It’s funny how life experiences and events can drastically alter our perspectives.

This morning I was headed to work, and saw a familiar blue tractor trailer that my dad spent the better part of 8 years driving. Inside the cab was a man who didn’t look to be any older than I am. Part of me wanted to chase him down and beg him to listen to my dad’s story. I wanted to save his family from the heartbreak and heartache of that job.

Don’t get me wrong – I have a lot of respect for those people driving those big rigs. Without them we wouldn’t have groceries, new cars, clothes, medicines and just about everything else. They move freight from across the country just so we can have bananas from wherever they come from, or strawberries from California. They serve an important purpose. But that job it so….unglamourous. Sure, they get to see the country, and witness so many breathtaking views, but they also spend their life exhausted and so many of them put their health on the back burner just to make a living.

My dad was one of them. 2 massive heart attacks at 52. Early retirement. Living off of disability because he can never work again. Chronic health problems. Disrupted sleep patterns. General unhappiness at being forced to give up on the future he and my mom had planned.

I wanted to chase that young man down and tell him to get plenty of rest. And as awesome as truck stop food is to swap out the greasy cheeseburger for a salad and grilled fish every now and then. To get some exercise; walk around the truck stop, do sprints the length of your truck and trailer. Don’t smoke. Ever. My father lives on oxygen and will for the rest of his life because of emphysema and other breathing issues because of smoking. He can’t even walk from the living room to the bathroom without getting winded. Avoid the energy drinks. When your body is that tired that it needs a stimulant to keep going, it’s trying to tell you to rest, so you don’t wear it out too early.

I realize that he could have the “not me” attitude that so many people have, myself included. I never believed I would be touched by infertility, yet here I am.

That truck driver lifestyle will kill you. It will destroy your family. Your wife will cave under the stress and quit taking care of herself. She’ll fall into a depression because of the lack of money and will rarely leave the house. Her health will suffer. And your kids. They will realize that their parents aren’t immune to old age and dying. They will look to the future and wonder what you’ll be around to see. Your grand kids will wonder if you will see them graduate from high school. Wedding day's. The birth of their first child. Will you live long enough for the kids to remember Poppy? Of course, if you don’t take advantage of the wake up call they will wonder if you’ll still be around in 3 years to see them graduate from college or whether or not you’ll even be able to walk into the arena if you are still around.

We only get so many chances. At some point parts fail, body’s wear out, and suddenly that heart healthy diet doesn’t look so bad in the grand scheme of things. I wanted to tell that truck driver that no job is worth losing your health for. I wanted to tell him how short life is, and how quickly things can change. I wanted to remind him that there are people who love him, and would grieve his untimely demise. He doesn’t want to be 56 and rely on his parents still. He wants to provide for his family, he wants to be there for all those big moments and for the little moments too.

I want to remind him that it’s not too late to make sure that he doesn’t end up like my father. His family will thank him. Too bad I can’t slip him a pair of my dad’s shoes and let him walk a mile, or to the bathroom in them. Too bad we can’t slip everyone those shoes – imagine the world we would live in if we could all take a minute to not be so wrapped up in our own little world that we remember how to sympathize.

Thank a truck driver today, and pray for their health, and their families. They will thank you for it.

Wordless Wednesday

Blaze...watching TV.

I love rain!!

Card holder/notepad thingy. First complicated sewing project!

Cross stitched picture frame that will hold my new nieces' photos...as soon as she's born!

Helping with laundry. Silly puppy!

Tasty Tuesday - The Case of the Disappearing Strawberry Walnut Torte

I love summer. The awesome fruits and vegetables that are in season. Peaches, cherries, grapes, apricots, and strawberries. Okra and squash, oh my!!

I usually eat several cases of strawberries each year. They are awesome all alone, or with whipped cream. So when I stumbled across a recipe for a torte, I knew the addition of strawberries would make this an awesome experience.

And awesome it was. The heavens opened up and the angels rejoiced.  Until I discovered a pile of dishes to wash. Baking can get so...dirty.



Strawberry Walnut Torte - Awesomeness!

The list of suspects:

Strawberries, Vanilla, Walnuts, Strawberry Preserves, Eggs, Cream Cheese, baking powder, salt, heavy cream, flour and sugar.

Crank up the fire. We want to bake those suspects! 350* should do it. Grab some parchment paper, and line those pans, then spray and lightly flour (or use Baker's Joy) to make the suspects easy to remove. Toast your nuts. Toast them until they are lightly toasted and nutty smelling. Your kitchen should smell like you have stumbled into a walnut farm.

Beat your whipped cream. To make things go faster, freeze your bowl and your beaters before hand, but you can be like me and whip your cream until the cows come home because you forgot this handy dandy time saver.

Make sure you get stiff peaks. Not wimpy peaks. You want to beat in into submission...or you know....stiff peaks.



Wimpy! Wimpy Wimpy!                          Stiff  Stuff!

In another bowl, beat the eggs and the sugar (and attempt to make a face with the eggs and said sugar). Add vanilla and beat. In another bowl add the rest of your dry ingredients. Fold the egg mixture alternately into the dry ingredients with the whipped cream. Pour into the prepared pans. Mixture is fairly thick, don't panic, it will all work out in the end.

For frosting: beat cream until stiff peaks form. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt until all mixed together. Make them become friends. Beat them into submission. Fold in the whipped cream. Using a long knife, or dental floss, or whatever tool you think might cut the cake in half without causing you to weep.

Place a cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/2 cup of frosting. Add a layer. Top with whipped cream and half of the preserves. Then wash, rinse, repeat. Without the washing and rinsing.

Frost the rest of the cake. Arrange the strawberries over the top. And if you had way too many like I did, arrange them on the sides, on the bottom, the top, pretty much everywhere they will stick. Then those preserves you saved, well melt them in the microwave and brush them over the top of the strawberries. It makes a glaze and it just adds an extra layer of strawberry yumminess.

Poke the whole thing in the fridge until your ready to serve. Make sure you let everything set up some before you serve it, as the longer it sits out the more....melty it becomes. Then it becomes more like a strawberry pudding with cake. I let it sit out while I took the pictures and taste tested the awesomeness and it wasn't pretty.

Enjoy!



Strawberry Walnut Torte

3/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted and cooled
1/4 cup plus 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 eggs
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

FROSTING:
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
1 jar (12 oz) strawberry preserves
4 cups halved fresh strawberries

Crank up the fire to 350*. Line the bottom of two 9 inch round baking pans with parchment paper; grease and flour paper. Add the walnuts and 1/4 cup sugar into a food processor; pulse until nuts are ground and crumb like. In a small bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. (Hint: For less beating time, place bowl and beaters in freezer and then whip!) Set aside.

In another bowl, beat the eggs and remaining sugar until thick and lemon colored; add vanilla. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and walnut concoction. Fold into egg mixture alternately with whipped cream.

Divide the batter between the two pans. Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pans for about 10 minutes, then remove the paper and place on wire racks. Let the torte's cool completely.

To make the frosting: in a small bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt until blended. Fold in the whipped cream.

Using a long serrated knife (or dental floss), cut each cake horizontally in half. Place one layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting . Top with a second cake layer. Save 2-3 tbsp. preserves for later. Spread half of the preserves on top of cake, but leave a 1/2 inch area around the edge bare. Repeat the layers.

Frost the sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Arrange the strawberries over the top of the cake. In the microwave, melt the reserved preserves (10 second intervals and stir until glaze like consistency), brush over the strawberries. Refrigerate until serving.

Note: don't leave setting out for too long, as the frosting starts to "melt" and things get interesting.

Enjoy!

Why I love Jesus....and Duck Dynasty

I’ll admit, when my husband started watching Duck Dynasty I was less than thrilled. Seriously? Another hunting show? Give a girl a break. Then I watched an episode with him. And then another, and another and...well you get the point. I’ve seen them all. Heck, I own a calendar and a water bottle with Duck Dynasty on it and quite possibly a t-shirt...or two. They are sarcastic, they are funny, they have great family values, and they still believe in putting God first. I don’t know too many other TV shows that put God anywhere.

So while I was listening to Amanda Carroll on KLove one morning, she was talking about how Uncle Si was doing a voice in an upcoming Veggie Tales movie. I love Veggie Tales. I own a ton of the movies and have no children to watch them, but my husband and I love them. They are funny, they are clean, and they provide great lessons and insights for children…and let’s face it, most adults too.

So as I was listening to the story and Googling (we are like BFF's. get used to it), I was hit right between the eyes with Si’s response to his part in the new Veggie based movie. He enjoyed it – because he could tell people how much he loved Jesus.

He could tell people how much he loved Jesus.

There wasn’t money involved. There wasn’t how this is going to be great for his career. There wasn’t how this will help Duck Dynasty reach a new audience. It was just about telling people about Jesus.

That’s so incredibly selfless. He didn’t want anything out of it, other than to tell people how much he loved Jesus.

What kind of world would we live in if we didn’t want anything out of it?

How different would things be if you went to work because you loved it and the paycheck was just a bonus? How different would your marriage be if you didn’t demand anything from your spouse? You just loved them and supported them without being mad that they didn’t unload the dishwasher? What about your kids? What if you didn’t expect your 9 year old to be perfect and do all his chores based on when you wanted them done? What if you did everything because you wanted to tell everyone how much you loved it? Can you imagine that co-worker not coming to work and complaining about his girlfriend but instead praising her for making dinner last night? Or can you imagine telling your kids how much you appreciate the help that they do offer when they do their chores instead of complaining that they forgot to take out the trash again? Can you imagine how your spouse and kids would begin to treat you when you treated them like you would want to be treated?

It sorta goes back to that golden rule thing. Remember it?

Si is the narrator in a movie simply because he wanted to tell people how much he loved Jesus.

So, my challenge for today is to not complain to anyone about anything. I’m going to work and I’m not going to come home and complain about how much my co-workers got on my nerves, or how much I hated studying. I’m going to remember that I only get out what I put in. I’m going to remember to do something today, simply because I want them to see Jesus in me.

Back to School

Note: I wrote this post last week when I actually started school. Andi is a great friend, who had became family, who decided that she'd had enough of cancer and is spending her days in Heaven.

Dear Andi,

It’s hard to believe that it’s the first day of school, and that your baby, B starts kindergarten today. Time is passing much too quickly. D-boo, well she’s a 3^rd grader. How did that happen? I remember sitting in my house in Midland stitching her baby bibs, just weeks before her early arrival. It seems more like yesterday instead of 7 years ago.

I missed your pictures on Facebook this morning of those sweet smiling faces. Don’t get me wrong, Chris is doing a great job, but pictures of firsts, well that’s certainly more a mommy thing than a daddy thing. He sure loves those kids, and that’s all that really matters in the grand scheme of things anyway.

I dread tomorrow equally. You won’t be there tomorrow night to send me a text and ask me how I like my professors and what I think of the classes I’ve chosen for this semester. You won’t be there to discuss the diving birds and the other weirdness that a college campus offers. I won’t get to tell you how inadequate and old I feel surrounded by 20 year olds. And you won’t be there to remind me that I am old, yet sarcastic, which is way more important anyway.

I know that you would be less than enthused over my sentimental streak today, but I know this semester, like the rest will fly by. I’ll be so swamped with papers, accounting problems, and exams that December will be here before I know it. I’ll look up and this semester will be over. And at the same time, an entire year will have passed since you went home. The world has kept spinning, even though there have been days where I wished it wouldn’t.

I could use a dose of your snark. And in 3 weeks, when Brad will spend his first entire weekend at the lease since November of last year, well, I could really use a night of texting and scary movie watching to get me through it. And there’s a birthday in there to celebrate, and a new blog, which I know you would be excited about too.

I’m only slightly jealous that you get to enjoy the fall weather from Heaven. I can imagine the golden and red leaves, the cooler temperatures, and that fall smell of Friday night football games and gin dust, because what’s West Texas in the fall without gin dust.  Not much is the same without your delightful laugh and sweet smile.

Missing you always.

Much love,