Fall is So Yummy! (Chai Pumpkin Spice Cookies)

It has become quite obvious to me now that I will never become one of those people who blogs regularly. My life is just too crazy. But today I will share with you something you do not want to miss out on, so we're all in luck!

I LOVE the fall.  It's not just because my birthday is in October (hint hint) or that the craziness of summer has subsided.  I love the fresh crisp air, apple picking, the beautiful colors of the leaves, corn mazes, sweaters, and the deliciousness that ensues as pumpkins begin to ripen.

I have to admit that I think fall has some of the best recipes. At least in baking :) Personally, I love making pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and even pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.  My husband recently asked me to make a loaf of apple butter bread which I have never done before, but in the spirit of fall I believe I will in the next week or two.  Today I will be making the first chili of the season to take the edge off the coolness that is finally settling in.

Yesterday, I ventured to try a new recipe and man did it come out scrumptious! I first saw the Chai Pumpkin Spice cookie recipe here from pinterest and it looked divine.  I had no idea that Hershey made pumpkin spice kisses! I had never seen them before and thought they were a myth...until one night we were at Walmart and I spotted them from across the aisle. I HAD to have them.

 But alas, as soon as I got home, I pulled up the recipe I had previously seen and sunk down in disappointment.

I don't know about you, but I don't regularly keep chai concentrate in the fridge (although maybe I should because chai is the bomb).  So I began a hunt for a recipe collabo that would work for my cookie dreams.  Here at My Baking Addiction I found just the recipe I was looking for! So I smashed the two recipes together and got a fall favorite.  I'm sure I will bake these over and over again, even after I run out of Pumpkin Kisses!

Chai Pumpkin Spiced Sugar Cookies

YIELD: About 3 dozen cookies

Prep time: 0:15

Total time: 0:25

Source: My Baking Addiction

Ingredients
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups white sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 bag Hershey's pumpkin spice kisses

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl combine sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice and black pepper. Remove 1/4 cup of the sugar-spice mixture, set aside to reserve for rolling the cookies.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar-spice mixture until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. Beat in egg and vanilla extract, combine until fully incorporated.
6. Slowly blend in dry ingredients mixing until just combined.
7. Using a small scoop (2 teaspoons) roll dough into balls and then into the reserved sugar-spice mixture. Place dough balls on prepared baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
8.Remove from oven. Press Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses into cookies (After this, do not touch them or they will turn to puddles!).
8. Let stand on baking sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks. Let cool completely before serving.

Bakers notes: If you don't have ground cardamom, you can always grind up some fresh stuff.  I cooked these for the full 10 minutes and they took about an hour to cool completely.

I hope that you enjoy this recipe and it brings you joy this fall season!

The Giant of Loneliness

"Lonely. I'm so Lonely. I have nobody to call my own."

This is NOT the kind of loneliness this post is about.  Now that you have that song stuck in your head, you may proceed.

I've been trying to untangle my thoughts on this for more than a few weeks now, trying to sort things out, how it started, what needs to change, and if I'm just delusional.  I haven't decided on that last one yet.

Getting married was a great decision.  I don't regret it and naturally I would do it again (to the same person of course).  I married my best friend and now I have access to that friend any time (all the time).  We laugh everyday, I tell him everything, and we're the goofiest people ever.

But I am so lonely.

What the heck.  This is NOT how this is supposed to be.  I married my best friend, I have friends that I work with, friends in the community, and my family is only a short drive away.  What is going on?

I think moving had a lot to do with it.  If you've heard me talk about Rochester at all, you know that I loathe the snow with every fiber of my being.  It was practically a frozen hell for 9 months out of the year if you ask me. Four years of pure torture.  But everything I came to know and love is within an hour of that city.  Almost every person I consider a true, true friend lives there.  Elim is there and some of my old classmates are there (and unless your one of them it's hard to understand what we've all been through).  My favorite coffee shops are there.  Heck, at least there ARE coffee shops there.  Did you know it's almost an hour to Starbucks from where I live now?  That should be illegal.

I am not physically lonely, my heart is lonely.

It's weird, I even felt lonely over the summer when everyone was here.  Admitingly, I felt left out. But I guess marriage makes things a little weird when everyone goes out for a midnight run for food and no one wants to steal me from Jude.  I understand, things change.  Change isn't always bad.  But man, it doesn't always feel good.

I miss my other best friend, Sara, more than anything else.  You still need friends after you get married, ya know? But the kind of friendship we have isn't built overnight (if you can't build Rome in a day, I don't know HOW you would build a friendship like ours in even a month!) and we've been through hell and back with each other.  It is heart wrenching to know that I am now missing some of the most awesome times of her life.  I tried to convince my hubby that we should buy a Duplex and live next to each other, but it seems I'm the only one in love with that idea.

I'm tired of being lonely.  As I say to Jude, "my sads just won't go away."  Like I said, I'm not physically lonely so hanging out with more people or going more places isn't really helping me at all.  It doesn't help that now I feel like our kitty is one of my bestest friends (oh no, am I a crazy cat lady?!?!) and he's sick.  We can't have anyone over until he's better, but our apartment is small enough that dinner at our place is pretty much out of the question anyway.  My nesting/hosting instincts have been crushed.  Perhaps I AM delusional, but I think I just need more of Jesus.

He has something for us here, right now, in this utter chaos around me and I need to tap into it.  When I do, I won't care that a Peppermint Mocha Frappachino is out of my grasp, that I'm far away from the one's I love, or that I don't have everything I have hoped, dreamed, and prayed for.  I need to see the whole picture.

I know that I'm not the only one who feels this way and I'm always amazed by how many people are going through similar situations without even knowing it. I haven't shared these intimate thoughts with you hoping for a pity party. I throw enough of those on my own, thanks.  But hopefully, those of us who are going through this can come together and say, "I'm not alone."  I will conquer this giant with Jesus on my side.  Whatever you're going through, I hope you do to.

Now, please enjoy some Aretha Franklin :)

What I've Learned in Housekeeping: Murdering Your Husband

"Friends are there from talking you down from killing your husband."

I remember exactly where I was standing in the duplex when I heard those words at the end of a conversation I had totally missed (don't you always hear the best things when that happens?).  One of my co-workers was renovating a house with her husband and it was a stressful day.  Another housekeeper called her just in time to "talk her down" from dismembering her beloved husband.

Now truthfully, no one around is here is going to murder anyone else. Got it? Good. BUT if you're married (or if you have a family), you understand that sometimes you just want to kill each other.  I am sure that I will understand this more as the years go by, but even I understand this a little bit.

But that's what friends are for.

I will admit that since the summer ended I have been incredibly lonely (I hope to share some thoughts on this in the future) and I have come to truly appreciate the house keeping ladies as my friends.  I guess that means I wear "big girl panties" now because my friends have shifted from school-mates to co-workers.  I'm okay with that because I am fortunate enough to work with great women.

We all need friends.  It's a no-brainer.  But we still need friends when we grow up, get married, and move away.  This also seems like a no-brainer, but I think sometimes we neglect this.  How many Facebook friends do you have?  If you exclude family, how many people would TRULY be there for you if you needed them.  If you are fortunate, maybe you have about two dozen but most people don't.

We need each other.  I have found that it is really hard to find a good friend who will love you no matter what, stick by you through anything, and understand you enough to talk you down when you want to kill your husband.  They are the ones who will tell you when you have broccoli in your teeth or when you need an attitude adjustment.  Most of all, they know how to listen and just be quiet when your heart is breaking.  We need each other.

I am continuously learning the value of true friendship and I am privileged to say that my education on the subject has continued in housekeeping.  I have watched them send cards to old co-workers who lost a loved one, buy knick knacks for everyone's children's fundraisers, provide rides when no one else would, and stand by each other when times were really hard.   I love those ladies.

This one's for you housekeeping ladies.  I'm grateful to have you in my life and one day I'll need you to talk me down from killing my husband.

What I've Learned in Housekeeping: It's all about the angle

A few days ago I was on windexing duty and my fearless leader came over to let me know that I missed a spot.

"Where? I don't see it."
"Well, (laughing) you have to stand exactly where I am. Come over here."
"Oh, yes. Got it."

This is a common routine.  At least a few times a day I find myself running to ever angle in the bathroom I'm cleaning to make sure I didn't miss a spot on the mirror. If you're cleaning a kitchen, sometimes you can only see the grease on the front of the stove if you stand near the door.

It's all about the angle.

Life is all about perspective.

I like to think that I'm a pretty cool, down to earth person. But in reality, I tend to be selfish.  If I had to take a guess, I would say that you can be pretty selfish too. We all can be. All of us.  It's part of human nature. We tend to put ourselves first, think about the things we desire, and even pray about what we want most.  For me, right now I have one particular thing I'm praying for everyday and I'm almost getting sick of myself because its just material.  I could be praying for friends, family, the persecuted, the hungry, my husband, or tons of things, but instead I am praying for that one thing that I want.  I'm not saying that's wrong because God does care about what we care about and we do need thing, but sometimes we need to look at life from a different angle.

Are you going through a hard time? You're not alone.  There are thousands of people who are probably feeling like you do, history is full of stories like yours, and there are many in the world who are worse off. It's ok to feel pain, sadness, and loneliness-especially if it's part of a grieving process. But don't stay there.  Change you're perspective and see life from a different angle.

King David knew how to do this.  Even though he had slayed Goliath and was anointed King as a teenager, his life wasn't easy.  He was run out of town, the current King wanted to murder him and his best friend was killed.  Even after he became King he still made mistakes (Bathsheba anyone?) that led to heartbreak and his own son tried to overthrow him.  Yet he says,

My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festival throng.  Why, my soul, are you downcast? And why so disturbed within me?  Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.


He told his soul to hope in God.  He made himself see it from a different perspective. Sometimes that's what it takes.  We have to step out to change our angle, the same way my fearless leader asked me to walk to the other side of the room to see the smudge on the window.

Life is all about perspective and we can all use an adjustment sometimes.

What I've Learned in Housekeeping: Never Say Never

Justin Bieber did not coin this phrase and I will not allow him to monopolize it.  There will no more in this post about the Biebs.

One thing that I learned while House-cleaning is that if you scrub anything long enough, hard enough, and with the right product it will get clean. This wasn't necessary a fun lesson to learn, but I have learned it a number of times and I still am.  Countless times I have called for my fearless leader to tell them that the spot simply wouldn't come out, only for them to ask "Did you scrub it? What did you scrub it with? How long did you scrub?" And in a jiffy they would whip out a product I hadn't yet tried and begin the process of scrubbing for the next couple minutes.  Sure enough, the spot would come out.  I am constantly the only one in awe of this phenomenon (probably because they've done this 2 million times).

This lesson, however, can apply not only to the grease on the cabinets but to life in general.

Anything that you will to accomplish, it is possible if you are patient, persevere, and have the correct help.

This might not be a life goal .  It could be your desire to defeat loneliness, end a bad habit, reconcile a broken relationship, or any other number of things.  You might have a spot in your life that you want to get out. Or you might have a dream that you want to come true but seems impossible.  Maybe you want to be a nurse (like me), travel to a different country (perhaps live there), do something extraordinary, have a family, or anything else.  All things are possible.

Life is not easy and when we try to accomplish something there will be obstacles.  We already know this.  The real question is what it takes for us to give up.  How much will it take for you to give in?  In my case of scrubbing the floor, it takes me about 2 minutes to see no change and give up.  But that didn't accomplish the goal and it could have been done.  Will you give up on your goal after a few things go wrong? What if people turn against you? What if you get hurt physically or emotionally?  What if what you thought would take months ends up taking a decade? And you see no change?

We must be patient.  You may have heard that good things come to those who wait.  I guess that's true, but I don't think patience is as effective if it lacks perseverance or endurance.  I kinda think the two go hand in hand.  You can scrub a floor hard, but if you give up too soon the job doesn't get done.  You can scrub a floor for ten years but if you do it with the force of a feather you won't get very far.  Patience means you can wait, but perseverance and endurance means that you keep the strength you started with and you finish strong.  Do not waver even when you don't see progress.  Things are changing.

IF you have the right help.  I have learned a lot about which products clean what kind of dirt and what kind of surfaces (making many mistakes along the way, especially when it comes to Mr. Muscle eating away at counter-tops).  In life, you need the right help.  Every single person will fail you.  Even a best friend, a parent, and a spouse.  We doubt each other, even the ones we love - it's human nature.  But there is someone who will never fail us, leave us, who dreams bigger dreams that we dream for ourselves and will stand by us until the very end.  His name is Jesus and with Him all things are possible.  Giants fall- hearts, souls, bodies, and minds are made whole- relationships are reconciled-all things are made new-all things are possible.  Maybe you're reading this and saying, "you don't understand my pain" or "but my dream really isn't possible with the financial problems I have."  I don't know your pain, but Jesus died on the cross so that we can bring our pain to Him and He can heal us and make us whole.  I don't know what your situation is, but nothing is too difficult for God.  Be patient. Persevere. Endure. And seek the Lord.  He is your help and He wants to see you finish strong.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. "-Matthew 6:33

What I've Learned in Housekeeping: Intro

During the Children's Ministry "off-season" at BMCR, I have the privilege of working in the housekeeping department.  I say privilege because it really is.  Not only do I happen to enjoy cleaning, but I work with the most amazing women.  I consider them friends (more like family) and really admire each of them. They are what makes my job great.

In honor of them and the time that I am spending in the Housekeeping department, I have decided to start a series on the things that I have learned in Housekeeping.  It's a lot, but I'm going to narrow it down to the life-changers (which is also a good handful).

On most days, I am the youngest member of the team and at first this was a little awkward, but now I embrace it.  These ladies have lived life and have wells of wisdom that I can draw from.  I try to take every opportunity to learn something from them- whether it be about love, raising children, paying bills, the best vet in town, losing a loved one or about how to get the spots off the kitchen floor.  It's funny, even getting spots off the kitchen floor somehow teaches me a good life lesson (and builds muscles like Arnold).

I hope that you check back often to find out what I've learned in housekeeping :)

Remember, we all have a story to tell and everyone is fighting a tough battle.  It is easy to complain about our situations (guilty as charged), but we can learn from them and we can learn from others.  My life is richer because of the Housekeeping ladies and I am so thankful for them!

Back to School/Changing my Major

As some of you know, this past January I went back to school...again.  After graduating both from Elim Bible Institute and Roberts Wesleyan College, I am now on the road to completing another adventure at Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC).  "What in the world are you going to school for now?" you may ask.  Simple: Nursing.

Sharing this news with people frequently leads to questions about why I'm changing my major, how this is a different path, and perhaps I'm losing my focus.

I'm writing this entry to share with you the beginning of this journey and my heart on why I am pursuing a degree in Nursing.

On January 12, 2010 an earthquake rocked Haiti that left complete devastation.  Last year, Japan suffered an Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Meltdown.  Everyday there are men, women, and children all over the world being touched by famine, hardship, and lack of resources.  It breaks my heart.

I learned a few years ago that if you really want to get down to the passion in your heart, you have to find the things that move you.  Truth is, whatever you are doing, if it doesn't move you then it won't move anyone else either.  There are two things that I find utterly gut-wrenching.  The first, is the tragedy that countless children do not have access to an education.  I found myself in the Kuwait airport on my first trip to India with sobbing tears streaming down my face as I read the statistics of worldwide education in Sider's Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity.  They dream of being lawyers, doctors, teachers, fashion designers, scientists, and more just like the rest of us, but few have the chance to see those things become a reality.  It's simply not fair.  I am SO over-privileged to even be writing this blog about going to school when so many children do not have the means to meet their dreams. I took TESOL at Elim and I knew in that moment that if the opportunity ever arose for me to teach in a foreign country, I would.  I am not qualified by some standards, but someone who wants to learn how to write their name doesn't care about whether you have a Master's degree.  Think about it.

The second thing that breaks my heart is unequal wealth of healthcare.  People die every single day of perfectly treatable and even curable diseases; but they don't have access to help.  Whether it be a matter of location, money, or political corruption, this is an injustice.  Jude was watching a program the other day about children who were born with a cleft palate in a country in Western Africa.  The narrator said that there are only about 4-5 doctors in that specific country who can perform the surgery, yet there are over 180,000 children who need it.  My heart hit the floor.  Help is available.  Vaccines are available.  But for some reason, help isn't available.

I will not pretend that I'm some Saint on a crusade to end injustice.  I am just one little person whose heart breaks knowing that I have something others don't.  Knowing that I have been blessed with a million resources and opportunities and that I can help.

If you know me, I hope that by now you know that my heart has always been to travel to harsher parts of the world and bring hope.  But I am learning that it's hard to tell something that Jesus is the Bread of Life if they're starving and you don't feed them.  In Luke 10:9 Jesus says, "Heal the sick there and tell them, 'the Kingdom of God has come near to you.'"

I am not changing my major, taking a different path, or losing my focus.  I believe that it is the heart of God to help those that are in need and bring hope to the hopeless. We are His vehicle.  I am holding onto Luke 10:9 with my whole heart knowing, absolutely knowing, that I am supposed to go to nursing school.  It doesn't happen that often that a person knows with their whole being something that they're meant to do, and I don't want to forget why I'm starting this Journey. I still haven't received my letter on whether or not I was accepted into the program, but I am so sure of this step in my life that if I don't get in this year I will simply apply again.  It's not easy.  There are many days that I doubt whether or not I am capable of accomplishing this goal, but I know that with God all things are possible.  One day in the near future, I hope to be sitting in a field holding the hand of someone who is finally getting the medical help they need and being able to tell them about the tangible love of God.

If you made it to the end of this post, I hope that you find what drives you-the passion in your heart-and I hope that you follow it no matter what the cost.  You will not regret it.  One person can change the world by changing people's lives.  That's you. And me.  We're all in this together.

Pinterest Please!

If you are reading this and you do not know what Pinterest is, this is your lucky day!  If you do already know what this lovely site is, then I'm sure you will agree with me on how awesome it is.

Pinterest is a place where you can "pin" ideas and organize them.  It is not to be used like a bookmarks bar, but for inspiration.  Mine is filled with crafting ideas, recipes, and things that I just plain love.  I used it when collecting ideas for my wedding and now it helps me find new ideas for nesting.

If you are using Pinterest, USE it!  I try my best to look back at my pin boards from time to time to see if there's an idea I can use or a project that I can accomplish.  It's pretty much pointless to have Pinterest and then not actually do or create the things that inspire you.  The best part is, I don't think I'll ever run out of ideas :)

Here's some things inspiration that I took to heart and created my own (mine are not pictured, only the inspiration)

I made mine one for Christmas "let it snow" and one for V-day "love"

8 min mini rolls

Book Marks

Nautical Headband

I made heart coasters

Breakfast Muffins

And here are some that I am looking forward to creating in the near future :)

Pallet Table

Crocheted sheet rug

Map Art

Branch Hooks

Pebble Mat

Happy Pinning :)

The Diagnoses Part 1

For those of you who have been keeping up with my sick kitty, we had a "break through" this week.  Something finally got diagnosed and is no longer a mystery! Woohoo!

A little over a week ago, our little guy started limping on his right hind leg.  It seemed like just another thing to add to the list of problems and questions.  We ended up switching vets and I actually made a list of his symptoms and all of my questions because I'm ready for some answers.  I'm not Scooby Doo; over a month of mystery diagnoses is too much for me.  The limp went on the list and it is no longer a mystery!

Sir Santa Paws has a condition called Congential Patellar Luxation, which is common in small dogs and very large dogs, but a little rare in cats.  Essentially, the kneecaps in his back legs have a tendency to dislocate and spontaneously go back into position.  He was born with two "bum knees," but it went unnoticed because he was so little.  In cats, this condition shows up normally in the first year as their bones are growing and finding their adult positions.  For our little kitty, this means that his knee caps don't quite fit.  The vet assured us that while its uncomfortable for him, it's not painful and he will learn to walk without his kneecaps, so to speak.  It has been a little sad to watch him take three steps and have to lay down and stretch his legs (to pop his knee cap back in), but over this past week he has begun to run, jump, and play again.  Just today, he resumed stealing things from the kitchen table! It will take time for him to return to him normal kitty lifestyle, but he will be ok.  When he gets older, he will most likely have arthritis, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

This is how he sits when he's putting his knees back in place. STRETCH!

So there you have it, we have a "handicapped" cat.  I know that there are some people who would right away decide to euthanize such a cat and simply buy another one.  People who don't want to spend money as the cat gets older, and people who simply want a healthy cat. I know that there are people reading this right now saying, "this is dumb, it's just a cat."  Well, he's OUR cat.  The first little extension of my family and I loved him when his legs work so I'll love him when they don't.  The shelter we adopted him from rescued him from a  kill shelter in Philadelphia.  When we adopted him, this became his permanent home. Permanent.

How could you resist this face!

Anyway, we're still waiting on some results to determine what in the world is going on with his skin, but we're becoming more optimistic now that one mystery is off the table!

Being an Adult

Is no fun. Really. So overrated.

I had a hard time titling this blog entry.  The other day on the Radio, a lady asked "what was that defining moment that you realized you were an adult." I think I had mine this past Sunday when some college students were sitting in front of me at church laughing and carrying on seemingly without a care in the world.  Housed, fed, surrounded by friends, full of dreams, and endless possibilities.  I knew I had moved onto being an adult.

Being an adult means being responsible. Yuck.  Most people who know me might classify me as over-responsible, but real responsibility is draining.  Wake up. Go to work. Do dishes during break. Go back to work. Cook Lunch. Work. Put in some Laundry. Work. Come home. Cook/help cook dinner. More dishes. Homework. Bills. Bills. More bills. Pray the car doesn't break down. Oh, and go to class.

Ok, ok. It's not all THAT bad.  But whose idea was this "growing up" thing anyway?  My advice, live your life slowly, laugh loudly, and take chances.  I try to keep life a little fun since becoming an adult, but man I cannot wait until summer when its fun fun fun every day!  More than anything, I can't wait to be surrounded by people again. Can you believe that? ME wanting to be surrounded by people?  Things really are a'changin ;)

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being married, having our own place, and all those fun things that come along with growing up.  But for anyone out there whose in a hurry to grow up, please take your time!  You can get never get back those years in high school or college when you could dream freely and take any opportunity that comes your way.  It's natural to grow up and to try to be a "fun adult" and stretch the limits of societal norms, but enjoy your youth.  You only get it once.

And I only get this period of my life once too. I'm still young! So I'm gonna live it :)  I'm going to bake as much as I want and laugh as much as I want and enjoy having no children as much as I want!

Whatever stage of life you're in, don't let it slip by.  Enjoy every moment because this life is precious :)

P.S. Don't forget to plan for eternal life too! ;)

The Long Awaited Valentines

So my Valentine's have finally reached their destinations!! I finished them and mailed them a whole week late, but I think they were worth it.  I would love such a valentine myself, so I figure whoever got one should also love it.  I found the idea on Pinterest and this link. So cool.

For those of you with limited imaginations, they are bookmarks! you stick it on the corner of your page and it looks like the little guys is eating up every word!  I wrote up a little poem to stick them on for my Valentines and I am quick pleased with how they turned out :) now I just need some time to make a few for myself!

They're super easy to make (although take a little time), so I encourage you to check out the link and make some yourself. You won't regret it!

A Sunday Sweet

Today is Sunday, one of my favorite days.  Today's kind of Sunday is rare because it's actually relaxing. Ahhh relaxing.

Our kitty's stomach has been upset since his steroid shot (for the allergies) and I read that a little bit of pumpkin puree should do the trick to set it straight.  But what in the world should I do with the rest of the canned pumpkin?  Make muffins, of course :)

In the past couple months, I have fallen in love with baking.  I think it calls to the Type A personality in me. It's so perfect! You just follow the direction to the "t" and BAM you get deliciousness.  Unlike cooking, my nemesis, which never seems to go as it should...that's another story.

Anyway, today I am making pumpkin muffins adapted from this recipe.  Instead of using raisins and walnuts, I opted for chocolate chips (so much yummier!).  I made these once before as Mini-muffins but they came out a little dry.  This time, they're perfect!! If you want to make minis, just make sure you turn down the heat to 375F and check them at 8 minutes.

Country Pumpkin Muffins
Preheat Oven at 400F
(makes 27 muffins)

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup water
• 
  
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• (1 1/2 cups raisins)
• (1 cup chopped walnuts)
• 1 Cup chocolate chips

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin and water. 

2. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, spices and salt in a separate bowl and add to pumpkin mixture; blend well. 

3. Fold in chocolate chips(raisins and walnuts). 

4.Spoon into greased muffin tins, filling 3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes.

5. Feel free to sprinkle with powdered sugar, although they are delightful just the way they are

6. ENJOY!

fresh out o' the oven

Enjoy your Sunday :)

Sick Kitty

As some of you know, our little Santa Paws has been to the vet half a dozen times since he came home with us.  The poor thing simply will not get better!  It turns out that he had an allergic reaction to the ointment we were using on his ear. With the fur on his ear and head continuing to fall off, the doctor prescribed (dun dun dunnnnn) baths.  Every three days.  Poor baby kitty.  He's actually pretty good about taking a bath, but what little one seriously wants to take one? No one.  We're seriously praying that he finally gets better and there will no more vet visits (except yearly checkups, duh).

I guess there's one "glass half-full" to this whole bath thing- snuggle time :)  Yesterday he dried himself and then crawled right into my bed as if to say "it's snuggle time now right?" Right.  Even when it's cloudy, the sun is always there :)

Get better soon my little Paws!!

Valentine's Day

Oh man, is it PAST Valentine's day already?!

I'm on the late train again. Oh well.  The good news is that I did get about halfway done with my Valentine's before the day actually arrived, but things came up and busy-ness swept away my good intentions to finish them. They will get finished. Don't you worry.  I won't, however, post what they are here just yet.  Once they hit the bottom of the mailbox I will be quick to share them with you, but I want to share them with my Valentine's first.

I happen to LOVE Valentine's Day, but this year I feel like it escaped me. It came and went so fast!  It's important to remember, though, that everyday is an opportunity to tell someone that you love them and show them how important they are to you!

As Jude and I were deciding what to do this year to celebrate, we could not remember what we did last year! Isn't that horrible? Neither of us have any memories of last year's Valentine's day.  We were so busy with everything that was happening that our minds were too full to catch that memory. Sad. I have a good idea of what we did (just because I know us) and I'm sure we went to dinner, saw a movie at Movies 10 and then went to Starbucks.  I just wish I remembered it.  If any of you out there DO remember what we did, please jog my memory!

This year, we were sure to take pictures so that we definitely would not forget.  It's not like we could anyway, our first *married* Valentine's :) We went to the Bonefish Grille for dinner and it was soooo yummy! If you ever go, definitely  gt the Bang Bang Shrimp. You will not regret it.  We had a lovely evening and took some time to spend some gift cards from the wedding on household items we still needed.  I think I like that better than flowers and chocolate.  Building our home gives me the warm and fuzzies!

Here's to hoping that you had a nice Valentine's Day, whoever you were celebrating with.  Don't forget to tell the one's you love today and everyday how much they mean to you!

You Named Your Cat What?

Sir Santa Paws.

Yeah that's right, I said it.

It's quite amusing to see people's reactions when I tell them about my little kitty.  For my entire life (practically) I dreamed of having an orange tabby named  Shampoo (Shampy for short) and many of my friends knew that. So what happened to Shampy? Something better happened :)  I had been looking around craigslist for kittens and fell in love with this tiny gray fuzzball with green eyes. So stunning.  Jude was joking with me that because the kitten would be my Christmas gift, I should name it something Christmas-y.  There's a cute girl who comes to the Mt. named Christmas so I didn't want to name the kitten that (plus he's a boy and it now reminds me of a girl's name. You know how that works) and then it hit me.

Sir Santa Paws.

Get it? Like Santa Claus?  Anyway, when I contacted the seller of that dreamy kitten, he had already found a family and I was heartbroken (although happy he found a family).   He was a little Russian Blue and I soon found out they are pretty hard breed to stumble upon. I thought my dream was over.

Then, a friend of mine told me about a kitten rescue that believe it or not was just a few miles down the road. Before leaving to India we made an appointment to visit the kittens and as soon as I walked in I saw him.

Sir Santa Paws.

I ran past the Shampys and every other cute kitten who was so tiny it's ears didn't fit its head and ran to the cage with the gray kitten with green eyes. It was a boy. He needed a home. He was a Russian Blue mix. My dream was coming true :)

We brought him home the day after we returned from India and he is so perfect.  Everything I dreamed of.  He's a snuggle bug and he loves kisses. He doesn't make messes and he doesn't destroy furniture.  He's not afraid of strangers. He doesn't claw or bite unexpectedly. He loves me and let's me love him. He also loves baked goods (as I found out when he broke into my muffins and ate all the tops off...all of them).  He's my Sir Santa Paws.

When I first took him to the vet, the tech said "Sir Santa Paws? THAT'S what we're referring to him as?" My beloved best friend tried to convince me the name would be stupid in the summer time and my mommy told me there's always time to change his name.

He secretly has lots of names.

C'mon, who doesn't call their pet by 10 different names? He's: Sir Santa Paws, Little Paws, Baby Paws, Sunshine (because he brightens my day) Stinky butt (Self explanatory) and Mr. Wet Chin (because he sticks his entire face in the water bowl when he drinks).

So laugh if you will, but I love my Sunshiney Sir Santa Paws :)

If you have any super creative "pet names" and would like to show me up, feel free to comment!!

Looking back at 2011

Now that we finally have stable internet, I can get back to blogging as my method of procrastination :)

I know that I'm a little late (ok, very late) on bringing in the New Year, but I need to officially shout HOORAY for 2012!!
The old is gone and the new has come :) In honor of the old, however, I thought I would do a quick review of 2011. It was a CRAZY, hectic, and stressful year...but one of the best.  Funny how that happens, isn't it? If you want to read my post from what I thought 2011 would be like click here.

And this is how it was...

January to May were extremely difficult.  Between work, school, planning a wedding, and working through immigration paperwork I was more than in over my head.  Anyone who was with me during those hard months probably watched me break down more than once, but God knew exactly what I needed. A floaty :) My best friend Sara came to school at Roberts that January and without her I can easily say that I wouldn't have made it.  David needed Jonathan and I needed Sara.  Looking back, its much easier to say that admist the trying times God kept light at the end of the tunnel. As I review the year, it becomes really clear that everything my heart desired I got.

In May, we graduated!! Woohooo!!! Offiicially a REAL college graduate with a REAL degree!

Two weeks later, Jude and I were married at an incredible ceremony and reception surrounded by people we love the most :) I could blabber on about my wedding for a million years...for real. But I won't this time. Maybe later (be warned).

This is where I couldn't squeeze his ring on :)

After a brief "mini-moon" in Cape May, NJ (where I did actually accomplish my bikini goal for my honeymoon!!) we moved to our current location at Blue Mountain Christian Retreat to welcome a beautiful, amazing, God-filled summer of awesome :D

My incredible fam jam :)

God did some really sweet things over the summer.  He really dealt with some of the anger issues I had been fostering since my experience at Roberts and of course there was the AWESOMENESS of becoming a new wife and growing into that new role. There was of course the trying, wearying difficulties of immigration paperwork which brought me to tears most days. More than anything though, I have become INCREDIBLY aware of how much God loves me (and you) and really cares about every little thing.  Every. single. one.

I have to tell you that even though it was a very hard year, looking back I am amazed that God still gave me every desire of my heart.
He provided a stunning engagement ring (you should hear that story, really).
He sent me my best friend when I needed her the most.
He gave me my dream husband (really, he's the best).
He made provision for a beautiful wedding.
He allowed for me to return to my dream job with people I love.
He blessed us with an AMAZING second honeymoon that we could never afford.
He made a way for us to travel to India to be with our beloved family.


I am truly blessed. Truly.  Even though 2011 was so difficult, I was probably the most blessed this past year.  Even to the point where our car broke down and the money was miraculously provided through an anonymous gift-to the exact amount. Wow. God is so good.

For all of you who have been waiting forever! We DID go to Jamaica on the honeymoon we won :D We had to delay the trip due to immigration paperwork, but we finally went in November and it was like being in a postcard. It was beautiful sometimes I still think it was a dream.  Thank you again to everyone who voted because without you it would have never been possible!

We were SO excited to go back to India to celebrate our marriage with family and friends, and most of all to see family again.  I cannot comprehend how Jude survives being so far away from his famjam.  When we were leaving the airport to come back to the States, I bawled my eyes out for about an hour.  I love them so much and I am so insanely blessed to be brought into an incredible family.

When we returned from India I received the BEST Christmas gift ever- and extension to my little family!  By now I'm sure you've all seen my little Sir Santa Paws :) I love him, he's perfect. He's currently sleeping behind me on my desk chair.  He brightens my day when Jude's not here. Did I mention he's perfect?

he's growing!

Well, that's my little rundown of the past year. Some super awesome surprises lay in store for this year.  I will be sharing them with you in the future, so stay tuned.

The word God gave me for this year is Faithfulness. Not on my part (although it is my goal), but on His.  As I share my goals for this year in future posts, I hope that you will keep this in mind with me.  I am adventuring impossible adventures and I am confident that God will be faithful.

Happy Newest Year :)
 love, the Singhs