Cookie Exchange Recipes

Here is a compiled list of recipes for some of the cookies that were brought to the cookie exchange. Thanks ladies for a wonderful evening. I hope everyone is enjoying their cookies. I can't believe what talented friends I have, they all looked lovely!

Chocolate Chews

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
DIRECTIONS:
1. Melt the chocolate chips in a heavy saucepan over very low heat. Stir to evenly melt.
2. Cream together the butter and sugars until light. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add to the butter mixture slowly. Blend thoroughly. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on a greased cookie sheet.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 12 to 14 minutes. Let sit on cookie sheet for a minute or two before removing to a rack to cool.


M&M Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups candy-coated milk chocolate
pieces
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, mix sugar, eggs, shortening, and vanilla thoroughly. Add flour, salt, and baking soda to creamed mixture. Blend well. Add 3/4 cup of M&M candies.
2. Drop dough by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet. Slightly push a few candies on top of each dough ball with remaining candies.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 9 to 11 minutes, to your liking









Peppermint Biscotti
Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup crushed peppermint candies

FROSTING:
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies
Directions
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir in peppermint candy. Gradually add to creamed mixture, beating until blended (dough will be stiff). Divide dough in half. On an ungreased baking sheet, shape each portion into a 12-in. x 2-1/2-in. rectangle. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove to wire racks; cool for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; cut diagonally with a sharp knife into 1/2-in. slices. Place cut side down on

White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon brandy 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and brandy. Combine the flour and baking soda; stir into the sugar mixture. Mix in the white chocolate chips and cranberries. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. For best results, take them out while they are still doughy. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.


Candy Cane Blossoms



1 bag Hershey’s Kisses brand Candy Cane Kisses
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons milk
Red and Green colored sugar


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove wrappers from candies (approx. 35)

Beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg in large bowl until well blended. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternatively with milk to butter mixture, beating until well blended.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in red and/or green colored sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cookies is set. Remove from oven; cool 2 to 3 minutes. Press candy piece into center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Yields approx. 35 cookies.

NILLA Turtle Cookie Balls

What You Need
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
70 NILLA Wafers, finely crushed (about 2-1/3 cups)
3 Tbsp. caramel ice cream topping
2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted
1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans

Make It
MIX first 3 ingredients until well blended.
SHAPE into 42 (1-inch) balls. Freeze 10 min. Dip balls in melted chocolate; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm.
How to Easily Dip Balls
To easily coat balls with the melted chocolate, add balls, in batches, to bowl of melted chocolate. Use 2 forks to roll balls in chocolate until evenly coated. Remove balls with forks, letting excess chocolate drip back into bowl. Place balls in prepared pan; let stand until firm.
Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.
PHILADELPHIA Sugar Cookie Cutouts
What You Need

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup colored sugar

BEAT cream cheese and butter in large bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Add granulated sugar and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour, beating well after each addition; cover. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes with 3- to 4-inch cookie cutters. Sprinkle cutouts with colored sugar. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets.
Or…instead of cutting out and decorating divide half the dough and color one ball with food coloring then roll them both out separately; then put one on top of the other and then roll it up like a log; wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate for a few hours...then pull out and roll in your choice of sprinkles; cut and bake.
BAKE 12 to 15 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 2 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Rolo Pretzel Bites

Ingredients
Rolos, pretzels, pecan halves
Place pretzel on cookie sheet, top with a rolo.
Bake in the oven at 250*F for 4-5 minutes (no longer).
When you remove them from the oven, the Rolo will still be in the same shape as when it went in the oven. Place a pecan half on top of the Rolo and press down a bit.
Place the entire baking sheet in the freezer for about 5-7 minutes to allow the Rolo to cool.
Remove from freezer and enjoy! Or place in a container to enjoy later.




Eggnog Cookies

Cookies:
1 1/4 cups white sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup eggnog
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Eggnog Glaze:
1 ½ cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons eggnog




Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C)
2. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Cream sugar and butter until light
4. Add eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks; beat at medium speed with mixer until smooth.
5. Add flour mixture and beat at low speed until just combined.
6. Do not over mix
7. Spoon onto un-greased cookie sheets or parchment paper and make the dough balls rather small, they will spread generously in the oven.
8. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg.
9. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until the edges barely start to brown.
10. While cookies are in the oven, make the eggnog glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar with 3 T eggnog.
11. Gaze your cookies warm or cooled and top with cinnamon.

Chocolate Chip Surprise
Bake a pan of brownies according to recipe of choice.
Mix together a recipe of Chocolate chip cookie dough of choice.
Once brownies are cooled, cut into small square, take cookie dough and scoop one scoop on top, and another on the bottom. Gently form around brownie and bake at 325 til golden brown.

Fudge Puddles
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Fudge Filling-
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed
milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup pecan halves
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.
3. Cream butter, peanut butter and white and brown sugars. Mix in egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir the flour mixture into creamed mixture. Shape the dough into 48 balls, 1 inch each. Place each ball in one compartment of a mini muffin tin.
4. For filling, put chocolate chips in a double boiler over simmering water. Stir in milk and vanilla, mix well.
5. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and immediately make wells in the center of each using a melon baller. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Then carefully remove to wire racks. Using a measuring cup fill each shell with the chocolate mixture. Top with a pecan half

Oct. Freezer Meals

Ok a few of these are left from last month that we didn't get to yet. But most of them are ones we cooked this time. It was a long day and half to make all the meals, but know that it's so helpful the rest of the month. If you want recipes for something specific let me know and I'll see if I can get them to you. Some recipes are my mom's or sister's.


BEEF

Chicken Fried Steak
Sloppy Joes
Roast Beef Aujou Sandwich
3 Min. Steak Sandwich
Roast Beef
Chili
Beef Stew
Stuffed Shells
Lasagna Roll-ups
Meatloaf
Slumgullion
Green Chili Flautas
taco meat
Mozzerella beef rolls
Steak Fajitas


CHICKEN
Chicken Chili
Chicken Spaghetti
Chicken Chimichangas
Pear Chicken
Angel Chicken
Hawaiian Chicken
Applesauce BBQ chicken
cranberry chicken
Chicken Bacon Sub
Orange Chicken
Honey Sesame Chicken


OTHER
Mustard ham
Minestrone soup
Alfredo Sauce
Mushroom Corn Chowder
Brocolli Cheese Soup
Pepperoni Pizza Roll-ups
Spinach and Sausage rolls
Ham and Pineapple rolls
Twice Baked potatoe casserole
Mac and Cheese and Ham


BREAKFAST
Choc Chip pancakes
Breakfast burritos
Peach Muffins
Sausage Egg Cheese Biscuits
French Toast Sticks

Aug Freezer Meals

My mom, sister and I started trying to cook freezer meals for easier weeknight cooking. We haven't worked up to Once a Month Cooking yet but we are close. We have each picked out some meals and we triple them to portion out between the three households. It has worked well and takes a good 8-9 hours of work. We feel the long cooking day pays off during the week when dinner time isn't such a headache anymore.

Here is a list of the items I cooked for August.

Beef-
Stuffed bell peppers
Lasagna
Lawnmower tacos

Chicken-
Orange chicken
Chicken chimichangas
Chicken bacon subs
Southwest Chicken Soup
Angel Chicken Pasta

Other-
Hash brown Potatoes casserole
Sausage egg cheese biscuits
Spaghetti sauce
Peach muffins
Cranberry Pork Chops

Wedding Cakes

I was asked to help with the cakes and cupcakes for a friends wedding recently and decorated about 100 cupcakes and two large square cakes. Thank goodness my little man was patient while I was working, although I had to stop and hold him or feed him plenty. Mostly he just wanted to watch what I was doing. So again one handed I made the frosting while letting him watch.

I also made the cupcake stand to display the cupcakes and since they weren't having a traditional wedding cake I made the stand take the place of it. I covered some boxes with fabric and wrapped a ribbon around them, and tiered them using the dollar store candlesticks. It looked lovely and the bride, groom, and guests were very well pleased.

I made chocolate monograms which were incredible simple. I printed out a sheet with the letter "N" on it with the font I wanted, about 12 on a sheet. Layed a sheet of wax paper on top of it and piped the melted white chocolate on top. Basic tracing.  Once hardened, gently peel them off the wax paper and place on the cupcakes.

I wasn't too thrilled with the roses for the square cakes, but they were OK enough to use. My frosting was a little too stiff and I messed the color up, but thankfully they still liked it and were able to extend grace.

Success!!!

Grad party

I have been busy planning and making cakes for the last several weeks and have some time to post about it. I got to help my sister-n-law plan an out of town surprise graduation party for my nephew. It turned out very elegant and nice, which fits my nephews personality. He's one of a kind, he always dresses to the nines, I mean what kid wants to wear a suit and tie everyday to school...him!  And even while he is being causal he's at least in a button up and tie.

Anyways, after throwing a few ideas around it was decided to go with a black and gold damask theme. Here are some pics including the carrot cake I decorated.

I used the stenciling technique for the cake and it was so simple and turned out really great. I was a little worried about doing it on the cream cheese frosting because it didn't get a crusty layer like a buttercream does, but still worked out. Once the cream cheese frosting set up, I very carefully laid a stencil on the cake and using black buttercream, I spread it on using the little scraper tool that comes with the pampered chef stoneware. Once it is covered lift up your stencil, rinse and dry it and place it where you want it next. It is important to clean it after each time, otherwise it leaves marks on the cake.

I also have my first experience with Mod Podge, I made the card box and it turned out pretty good too. I let my SIL take it home to decorate with or put to good use at church fundraisers.

Enjoy.

Chocolate Surprise Cookies

I came across these wonderful looking cookies the other day on picky-palate. So I thought it would be wonderful to surprise my Hubby with them, since his two favorite things are chocolate chip cookies and brownies. What could be better than to combine the two?

To start I whipped together a quick batch of brownies from a box.

While the brownies cooked, I made a batch of Chocolate Chip Cookies. However I didn't have chocolate chips, but I had some mini M&Ms and mini rainbow chips. I had a little helper also, my Little Man wanted to watch and help measure, with one hand the batter was made. And it looks so pretty with all the colors.

Then after the cookie dough was made and the brownies were cooked, I stuck the cookie dough in the fridge to set up a bit while the brownies cooled, maybe about an hour.  When the brownies were ready to cut I used my pampered chef mini spatula to cut about 1" squares. I then took my pampered chef large cookie scoop and put a scoop on the bottom and scoop of dough on the top to sandwich the brownie.

Very gently I smashed the sides together so the brownie wasn't showing. These babies are huge, I barely got 6 of them on a large cookie sheet. I lined the cookie sheet with parchment paper, which made them very easy to remove for cooling.

After baking them at 350* for about 18 mins, I let them cool on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes and then transferred to a cooling rack. Aren't they just beautiful.

My Hubby loved them and like the surprise in the middle.

I hope you enjoy them if you make some for your family. They were a big hit here. Only thing though, one batch doesn't make a lot of cookies, only about 10. But you'll have half a pan of brownies left over.

New Life

A few weeks ago I had noticed a birds nest on our playground. I didn't think too much of it. It was nice out the other day and I took Little Man to go down the slide. When I looked up there was a momma Robin sitting on the nest, I didn't want to disturb her so just put Little Man on the slide, then she flew off. So I got up there and there were four perfect little blue eggs in the nest. I took pictures however they were deleted.

I went out last night to take another picture, I was too late. They were already hatching. Three were completely hatched, and one was just coming out of it's egg.

I am just amazed by these precious little birds. How amazingly intricate the nest is that the robin forms from scraps and weaves it together and then how she can lay 4 eggs that are probably the same size as her, then these little birds arrive. God will take care of the birds, I know he loves us so much more!!! Matthew 6:26
"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

It was so beautiful to see this new life being born. It was very encouraged and excited.

Blessings

Listening to the radio this morning, Laura Story's song Blessings came on and it truely spoke to me.

"What if my greatest disappointments, Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy".

Nothing on this earth will satisfy me or sustain me except for my relationship with HIM. I try so hard to fill voids with different relationships and by doing things, but in the end am left disappointed. Disappointed that I've put so much work and effort into something to not have it work out. Some of my greatest disappointments are things I have done or that I've allowed others to make me feel.

When Christ took the pain and punishment for us he bled for sins. That day I recieved forgiveness, hope, and love.  If I allow myself to know in my heart the love that Christ has given then I can share that with others. Only a love that someone as great as our God can provide. Nothing we have done or will do will change His love for us.  This is so apparent this Easter weekend. His love for me was so great that he died for me. No one can love me as much as Lord Jesus Christ. That is the God I serve and praise.

Flower Headbands

I was preparing today to have a special Easter dinner with my husband and the little guy tonight. It was going to be a time of remembrance of Christ journey to the cross. We will do this another night, as we were invited to a Birthday party at the last minute.

So then comes the thoughts of we are out of money and I need a present. My mind starts processing and thinking about what I have around the house. Then I thought of it. I knew I had some fabric and have heard that it's easy to do. So I made my first attempt at making a fabric flower headband. I scrounged around and found some different fabrics and some beads and off I went. It was easy and turned out oh so cute.

Flowers:

Synthetic Fabric cut into various size circles (doesn't have to be perfect)
lite candle or a source of flame
thread
beads

Cut circles out and singe the outside, layer as you like and sew them together. Add beads or a button in the center. Hot glue to a headband.

First Holiday

Tonight we dyed Easter eggs. I feel that now that I'm mom I get to start doing all those fun family activities especially around the holidays. Even though my little guy isn't even 1 yet and could care less about doing things that he actually can't do yet. Actually I think we liked doing these types of things before you know like going to see a kids movie opening day, but without a kid.  Yeah that was my husband and I. So now at least I have a kid that I can do things with and not look like such an oddball.

Easter was the first holiday my husband and I celebrated when we first started dating. So it has always been special for us. Every year we have gotten each other an Easter basket filled with yummy treats. This year however, the basket is going to our little guy. I did get a few things for my husband, and I think most of the candy will be consummed by us loving parents. :)

I'm getting excited, of course I've had his Easter basket put together for about a week now. I like doing things ahead of time. Good thing he is still too little to know. I'm planning an Easter dinner for the family tomorrow night on Good Friday. This was we get our time to celebrate what Christ has done for us. He is Alive and Risen!!! Praise God! We will take some time out and reflect on that.

Flowers-Flours

This is the first year I'm celebrating mother's day as a mom!!!  Technically we did something last year but I wasn't officially a mom yet. Being a mom has been rewarding and challenging, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Over the weekend we went to an antique store where not everything in there is an antique. I wasn't really finding anything I needed or wanted to have after looking around for awhile. Then there it was, a newer kitchenaid mixer. I just thought hmmm...I wonder how much it is. It was $125...really?  That is a great price, I said hey honey that mixer is only $125. He said do you want to think about it or maybe get it, I said both. We looked at a couple other things then he said OK.

So I got a KitchenAid mixer for my first Mother's Day gift. My husband said, I'll still get you something for mother's day, then he said I know, I'll get you flours!! Wheat, white, bread, etc.  HaHa, my husband the jokester.

I hope to get many years of use from my mixer and I know my arm will be thankful for it when I'm making cakes.

Thrift Store Junkie

Everyone always wants to know what your hobby is. I usually am not sure how to answer this question. Today I decided that going to the thrift stores is my hobby. I love finding a one of a kind deal. I can spend hours digging for things. An addiction? Perhaps. I don't always find something and most of the time I go in looking for something in particular. But occasionally I'll just go in and see what I can find.

Today I wasn't looking for anything really, but came out with a huge white serving platter for $4, a small clear plate that I needed for a cupcake stand for $1.75, and a kids play vacuum for $3. I think I did well.

I really like going to the thrift stores that have sales. I know things are usually inexpensive to begin with compared to retail, but sometimes I don't want to pay what they are asking. So when I can get it for half off I get super excited.

So that's it, as crazy as it sounds...my hobby currently is thrift store shopping. Well...among other things too. Like making a quiet book, planning my son's first birthday, and making cupcakes for an upcoming wedding.

No Spend Month Wrap-up

It's the end of March and officially the end of No Spend Month!!!  We should have a party. Although we didn't do as well as we had hoped, we managed to not impulse buy as much and didn't spend near as much as we normally do on things.

However....with the beginning of the no spend we were fasting and had to go to the grocery store more frequently to buy fresh produce as we were eating it like crazy. And on top of that on the first day our dishwasher decided to break. UGH! I know right...no spend huh?  So since we figured we'd get a new one anyways it didn't matter that it was no spend month so we bought a new one.

Overall, No Spend Month did serve it's purpose and made us aware of what and how we spend our money.  We are implenting some of Dave Ramsey's concepts after we attending his Live event also at the beginning of the month. So onto a cash system and budgeting we go.

Spring is a fresh start and what a great opportunity to start new habits.

St. Patty's Day

So this is a little late posting. But I fully intended to post this on St. Patty's Day but then life took over.

Here are some yummy Cake Balls I made for the hubby to take to work. I love baking and have made Cake balls I think before they were "famous". Now everyone makes them and they don't seem so facinating anymore, unless you want to pay a lot for them. I should've started selling them a long time ago.

I made a yellow cake mix and added some green color to it, and put green sprinkles and green icing to decorate. They were delicious!!

Candyland Fun

I got to help with a baby shower for a friend, her theme for the baby is Candyland. I took a cake decorating class a year ago and since then have just had fun playing around occasionally decorating cupcakes and cakes. It was something fun for me to do before I had little man.

Here are pics of the ones I got to do for the Candyland baby shower. I took some other close up ones on a friends camera, so once I get those I can add them as well.

Enjoy!

Day 5

Today marks day 5 of fasting and it is going well. I'm just eating healthier and starting to not crave so many things. I was at a party over the weekend and the food smelled so good, but it wasn't that hard to not eat it. It was harder to not eat fast friendly food while we were out though. Eating on the run, however I was prepared and brought meals with us. So it worked out.

Of course with no spend month starting, our dishwasher went out. AGH...but we decided that we would still go ahead and buy a new dishwasher because it's something we would buy anyways so it's not just something we can do without like eating out or something like that.

Fasting

Today is the first full day of our fast since we actually started around 12 yesterday after deciding the Lemonade Diet wasn't for us. We are doing good so far, for breakfast I had a banana and some blueberry pomegranate applesauce. For lunch I had leftever skillet stuffed bell peppers from last night.

I am going to share 2 meals a week with a friend and she is going to split two meals with me that way we don't have to cook as many. So today I made up my two meals, spaghetti and chili. Both are things I have had before and we liked so it's not really anything new. Still healthy nontheless.

Since seeing a blog about No Spend Month over at Small Notebook a few months ago. My husband and I have talked about doing it several times. Now seems like the perfect time, so here we go No Spend Month and fasting. We are doing No spend month to get our spending back on track with our goals and to stop the frivolous spending. This is the perfect time, and on top of it we get to go see Dave Ramsey Live next weekend. I'm super excited about focus our time and energies on a better lifestyle.

I started reading Daniel this morning, as it just seemed fitting and it just confirmed why I am wanting to do this. I want to focus in on listening and trusting God wholeheartedly. Daniel was very courageous, wise, and faithful. I've been working on some of these traits for quite some time. Also, this fast is about not giving in to the flesh and simplifying. Thanks be to God for revealing this to me.  He is so faithful to answer and give direction if I'm willing to stop and listen.

Spur of the moment

Yesterday a friend said she was going to start a diet and try to get a healtier lifestyle in motion. Now I've told her many times I'm not interested in dieting to be skinny. I just want to be healthy. However in the midst of excitment I agree to join her doing the Lemonade Diet for 4 days followed by the Daniel Fast. I wasn't too excited about the Lemonade Diet but thought the Daniel fast would be good and help to get me focused on creating healthier meals.

I have to world's best husband ever cause when I presented the idea to him he said "I'll eat whatever you make". I wasn't thinking he'd actually do it, but to top it off he agreed to doing both things. Now for him to be willing to try to not drink Dr. Pepper is a huge deal. So I am super excited to start this and truely appreciate his support and love.  We went to dinner together and discussed why we wanted to do this and it's mostly to get into better eating habits and hopefully use this time to focus on a relationship with Christ.

So we started the Lemonade Diet this morning, but after I attempted the salt water flush and drinking 1 glass of the Lemonade mix, I was still starving and not feeling so well. After several text messages and agreeing that the Lemonade diet wasn't really what we were looking for we decided to go straight to the Daniel Fast.

So here we go, I hope we can stick this one out. Tonight for dinner we are going to have stuffed bell peppers. That is something we both enjoy, however I will be using beans instead of beef.

I'm ready to get started and get some new healthy recipes in my mind. I went through a cookbook today and came up with several recipes to try. I hope we can incorporate a lot of the new stuff into our regular diet.

TV

Ok so before kids, the TV was never on. Now, I hate to say it but it's on a lot. We're not always watching it, but it's on. During the day I can be found watching The Price is Right, Don't forget the Lyrics, and the news. Then the evening shows come on first with Wheel of Fortune, then the various evening ones. Well on Mondays The Bachelor is on...why oh why do I watch these shows?  My husband doesn't understand and frankly I don't either, except that it's fun remember all the gushy feelings I had when I started dating my hubby. It helps me to remember all the fun we had and how to keep the fun alive. Then bringing up conversations of what it was like the first time he met my parents, and the trips that we took and just the free and spontaneous times we had together.

Now just to keep the romance and the spontenaity going. I want to fall in love with my hubby every day and more than that I want to fall in love daily with my Savior. It's so hard to not get in a rut and just go through the motions of a relationship. I want it to be alive and strong. Anyways, sometimes watching TV does help to keep me focused on how lucky I am that God has choosen this life for me.

We are Created to Create

What things to you want to create? A beautful living space, a happy family, the perfect chocolate chip cookies, a garden? Oh the possibilities are endless, I think I desire to create something everyday, after all it's what I was made to do.

At times I find myself comparing myself to others around me and think I can't do what they are doing or if only I had that talent. Well in truth I was made perfect and unique and there is no one else like me nor can I be anyone else.  I am a daughter and masterpiece of the Creator of the universe, the magnificent one, the almighty, the most creative of all. Ephesians 2:10 says "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." If I am a branch of Him who called me to be, then I must have a little smidgen of creativity. It might not be what I think it should be or want it to be, but that is OK.  We all have tapes and lies that run through our head of not being good enough or worth enough or not important enough, don't let that paralyze you into what you are capable of. God has given us all talents and gifts to use.

Creation means the act of creating or something that is created such as an orginal work of art. Although some projects may end up messy, too time consuming, a little more difficult than I had imagined, or didn't turn out the way I had visioned they all serve a purpose. Start out small and just keep on keeping on. If one thing doesn't work out it doesn't mean I'm a failure at everything I just need to try something else.  I can't let the fear of failure discourage me. So whether it's trying to finally make homemade pizza turn out good, or figuring out how to decorate the house, or making my husband and son smile today I can create something. The things I can do or don't do well don't define who God has made me to be. But by Grace I am able to take the things that don't turn out so well and move on. Besides things here on this earth are only temporary and most of the time you can change them. So why not have fun in the process and start creating.

Psalm 139

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

 ¹ O Lord, you have examined my heart
      and know everything about me.
 ² You know when I sit down or stand up.
      You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
 ³ You see me when I travel
      and when I rest at home.
      You know everything I do.
 ⁴ You know what I am going to say
      even before I say it, Lord.
 ⁵ You go before me and follow me.
      You place your hand of blessing on my head.
 ⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
      too great for me to understand!
 ⁷ I can never escape from your Spirit!
      I can never get away from your presence!
 ⁸ If I go up to heaven, you are there;
      if I go down to the grave,^[a] you are there.
 ⁹ If I ride the wings of the morning,
      if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
 ¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
      and your strength will support me.
 ¹¹ I could ask the darkness to hide me
      and the light around me to become night—
    ¹² but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
   To you the night shines as bright as day.
      Darkness and light are the same to you.
 ¹³ You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
      and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
 ¹⁴ Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
      Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
 ¹⁵ You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
      as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
 ¹⁶ You saw me before I was born.
      Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
   Every moment was laid out
      before a single day had passed.
 ¹⁷ How precious are your thoughts about me,^[b] O God.
      They cannot be numbered!
 ¹⁸ I can’t even count them;
      they outnumber the grains of sand!
   And when I wake up,
      you are still with me!
 ¹⁹ O God, if only you would destroy the wicked!
      Get out of my life, you murderers!
 ²⁰ They blaspheme you;
      your enemies misuse your name.
 ²¹ O Lord, shouldn’t I hate those who hate you?
      Shouldn’t I despise those who oppose you?
 ²² Yes, I hate them with total hatred,
      for your enemies are my enemies.
 ²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart;
      test me and know my anxious thoughts.
 ²⁴ Point out anything in me that offends you,
      and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Creative Romance for husbands

What have you planned for Valentines day?  Do you have a traditional celebration every year?  I'm one of those guys that likes to surprise my wife with something she doesn't expect, just to make it a little more special, and preserve that feeling we get as kids at Christmas time.  You know? That feeling of magic, that someone has gone out of their way to do something special for you.  So, now that my surprise has been given, I'll share with you an idea I had this year to try something new.

I certainly don't claim to be that guy who thinks he "know's women," but I do try very hard to understand my wife.  It turns out that it is not really very hard to figure out what she wants for special occasions.  She wants me!  That doesn't mean that I'm totally awesome, and she just has to be with me because I'm so great...She wants quality time with me. 

So, this year for valentine's day, I decided to take the day off, and plan some time to focus on making the day special for her.  I started by posting on facebook last night that I was going into work late, so that we could have breakfast together, and that it was a secret.  Then, I *let* her find the post. This morning, I put on my clothes as if I were getting ready for work and I went to IHOP and got breakfast to go for both of us. After eating it at home, I left home to go pick out a couple of gifts I had been thinking about.  This allowed me to go shopping without her knowing, and to take my time picking something out.  So, some jewelry and a rose that matches sounded like a good idea.  I normally try to steer clear of the standard gifts, but that was all the more reason to do so this year.  Besides that, she had expressed some interest in similar jewelry a couple times recently.

Ready, Set, Go!!

I'm ready to start a new venture and collaborate all my ideas and projects. This will be a learning experience with the help of my loving husband. So I've thought about creating a blog for a while but wasn't sure what my focus would be. Then I thought about it and just like my life wanted my blog to have a little bit of this and that...hence the name was born TidBits so read on and enjoy. Hoping it'll be fun and interesting.