BOO!

Happy Halloween! 

17 years ago today, I was a little 3 year old girl dressed as a pumpkin, with a new baby brother. I remember going to the hospital dressed as said pumpkin to see the cute little man who isn't quite so little...or cute anymore. Happy Birthday A! 


Hope you all have a "Spooktacular" Day! 


Blessings! 

#30...continued

These are a few pictures from A's game on Thursday. They won! By quite a bit. It was cold and wonderfully fall-ish out. They now have another game on Wednesday...with a team we don't have a great track record with. But we are going to get them this time! Pray for them! 

Blessings! 

#30

This young man’s football team is in the state playoffs. Sure this may be old hat for C-town, and maybe even for this player. But this young man is a junior and he gets to play more. Oh and they are 2nd in the State! Go Big C!

Blessings!

Sally's Sick...

This is a picture of Sally. Ok so it may not be Sally exactly but this is what Sally looks like. By the way, Sally is my 1999 Jimmy. Sally has been a great friend since I was 17 and we have traveled many miles together, on many Friday afternoons and Sunday evenings. I was told once that your car says something about you and Sally says: this chick likes to haul a lot of stuff with her, and needs 4-wheel drive at times!

But Sally is...sick I guess you could say. Yup, yesterday I noticed she wasn’t sounding quite the same. Then she wouldn’t accelerate. Thank the LORD I was in my Grandparents driveway when this happened, but I was praying she made it, I didn’t want to walk the 1/4 mile to the house. Sally found it impossible to go over 30 mph yesterday afternoon.

I called my dad and after a series of over the phone tests and an embarrassing failed attempt to “pop the hood” Dad told me to put Sally in reverse and well...she wouldn’t move. I could push the gas and...nothing...the engine was trying to go but she wouldn’t budge. By this time I was blocking the driveway and was afraid I would be stuck there, she wouldn’t go forward now either. Dad said that my transmission was probably out and he was going to have to figure out what to do. “Talk to you later Jess.” Thanks Dad! So I prayed and put Sally in gear. She didn’t want to move. Prayed again and put it in gear again, and...she moved! I went down the driveway a bit at 10 mph now, and made a wide turn in the hay field and parked Sally in her spot.

Dad and Mom came last night with two vehicles and a trailer. One to haul Sally home and one for me to drive. Thank the LORD that I have such wonderful access to Bernie Jones Automotive and wonderful parents. For the time being I am a pickup drivin’ girl! I kinda like it.

Get Well Soon Sally. :)

Blessings!

Miss Muffin...Orange Marmalade

Next on our muffin adventure is an interesting flavor. These were some that I had never heard of. Earlier in the summer I had a different recipe in mind for some Orange

Marmalade. Mom had picked it up at the store for me but I never got around to making my intended sweets.

I figured it was high time to use the Marmalade up. So back on the internet was I and I came up with this delightfully fresh recipe that included an glaze with the marmalade. (can I just mention that I am in LOVE with the word Marmalade.) The glaze was so simple just a bit of Marmalade and some powdered sugar. Which, I feel I should also mention is my nemesis. I think the picture below proves this statement.

This is the situation EVERY time I just get the powdered sugar out. It just gets everywhere, on the counter, on the backsplash, in the sink, in my hair, on my clothes and face, and of course some ends up in my baking, although I am never quite sure how much...

Blessings!

Miss Muffin...Cinnamon and Nutmeg

I have decided to go on a new adventure. No, I'm not going on my African Safari. I'm doing something just as interesting though...ok maybe it will just be tastier. I am exploring the world of muffins. Last week Mom asked me to make muffins for breakfast the next morning. I got on the internet and started my search. I was overwhelmed with all the choices! I decided I should try all different kinds and it would create an interesting group of blog post. At times I may be limited in my ingredients, but that will just make me be creative.

These are Cinnamon and Nutmeg muffins. A fairly simple and common recipe. But they were delicious.

They had almost a cinnamon-sugar drizzle on top. These are my kind of breakfast muffin!

Blessings!

Butterscotch + Chocolate

Being in college doesn't afford me the time I had this summer to bake. But when I do come home I always have a head full of ideas. A had told me that he wanted me to make my "Death by Chocolate" cake. I wanted to try something different, a little more fall-ish, and not so time consuming! So this recipe fit the bill. It had chocolate- a family staple. I went and bought my first bunt pan and was on my way.

The cake turned out very good! Mom especially loved the chocolate icing.

This cake was about too pretty to eat...but Doug came over and helped us polish it off.

Blessings!

Rainbows and Kittens...

Ok. I know its been a few days. Just when I was getting good again about blogging fairly regularly I relapse! Anyway there is a reason I have been absent and it was because I was in the middle of an extremely long rant. I was typing this rant ahead of time. I wanted it to be clear, concise and articulate-which I have been told I am extremely good at when I am upset about something. (actual quote: “Wow Jess. You are very articulate when you are b*&#/ing someone out.” Thanks Jannelle!) So yes this... I guess you can call it an essay, has been in the works for a couple days. And while I am still extremely passionate about this topic and my views have not changed one bit on it, I don’t think I’m going to post it. I have been reading my friends blogs and their blogs are happy places, and I want my blog to continue to be that. Sure the occasional small beef with something may happen but this essay.....is something else.

So today’s post is an apology and promise. I am sorry to whoever reads this blog for my absence that you will not get much out of! And I promise to try to make this blog a happy place where you can go to read and escape for just bit into the things that bring joy, interest, purpose, and laughter into my life.

While this may be my soap box and my forum to get my ideas out into the world I think we have enough negatives. And while I know and believe that not everything is rainbows and kittens, hugs and perfection, I want to be as positive as humanly possible for me for the rest of the world. (bear with me) I won’t leave you with out a small snippet though of what I have been working on....

“Ode to WalMart”

“WalMart annoys me. Let’s just get that out in the open. I can’t stand the place, the smell, the fluorescent lights, and the grimy way my hands feel after I leave, drives me up the wall. But while these attacks to my senses make any trip there unpleasurable, the thing that really torks me off is the way they do business. And what is sad is I don’t believe this mean monopoly is what the creator, Sam Walton ever had in mind. I am permanently cutting ties with WalMart. I cannot go in there and give my money and feel good about it, and I am going to try to show you why you should consider it as well.”

Yikes.

If you really want to know more let me know and I will direct you to a few sites and a documentary that only spurred this essay.

Maybe one day all this stuff with come to a head again and I will end up posting the essay. Maybe you will get that lucky/unlucky. But for now just be happy with the muffins, sweet little girls, chocolate cakes, crochet projects, book discussions, and Holidays to come.

Blessings!

Quote of the Week

Yesterday in Western Civilization we were discussing Charles Darwin. His travel, his studies, his findings. I couldn't really see why she was really showing us this but whatever. We got to talking about Evolution. Now, I'm not afraid of the word, it happens, we have characteristics that make us more adaptable to our surroundings its fact. But I believe that the LORD gave them to us. So the whole change species theory has holes in it, I believe. But we were talking about the iguanas on the Galapagos Islands, were Darwin studied. Our professor showed us this picture:

She then asked, "Has this iguana evolved much? Has he changed that much in all the eras?"

Here it comes!

A random kid in the middle of the class room says: "Yeah, he's changed a lot, he used to be part of that rock!"

It still cracks me up!

I could barely hold myself together. It was hilarious. The real answer is no, he hasn't changed much, the island hasn't changed so he hasn't had to. But what a quick and witty statement. I might have to sit closer to this guy.

Blessings!

Dear Friends

I miss my friends. Ashley and Whit. I do I do I do. They are fun, they are beautiful, they are awesome! We were such a trio last year and now...they are too far away! My selfish, loud side says "Ladies get your butts to my town!" But my nice, less-selfish, wanting the best for them side says "You're butts should stay where you are happy!"

Senor Smarty Pants has been training at a new job for the past 2 weeks...needless to say I get a bit lonely, I have become so used to having him around. Last year I would go weeks without him, and while it would be hard, I knew there was really nothing I could do about it except look forward to the next letter, text, phone call, and weekend together. Now I can hardly go hours without being in dire need! (ok maybe thats a little dramatic, give me a break people I miss MY people!) So since I haven't had Senor Smarty Pants entertaining me, (we really don't do much it's just the simple fact that someone else is around) I have been thinking about my dear friends more and more.

I miss the comrade. I miss having the shared faith and the support. I miss them knowing that yeah, I'm not the most cuddly person in the world but I will do anything for them and they for me. I miss laughing a girl things, who would have ever thought I would say that. Girls annoy me! But we are different and way cooler of course. I feel out of the loop even though I'm really not. But I will see them soon...I hope. But in the mean time, girls if you are reading this...consider coming to UNK, it would be even better if we could hang out more. :)

P.S. Kayla, I can't write this post and not include you! I so enjoy our afternoon talks, and I miss you too! I'm sure someone needs an accounting clerk here! We have always been friends but we have become even more so and I am so thankful. You are awesome, beautiful, and fun as well! Love!

Blessings!

FaLl!

Last weekend was a wonderful Fall weekend! We did all kinds of Fall related things, go to Football, wore jackets, make sunflower seeds and pick and haul pumpkins. It was awesome.

A stated that he would like me to do something with my sunflower heads...yes sir. So I looked up how to make sunflower seeds at home. I had to take them out of the flower...this was tedious and conviently A was too busy to help... you put a teaspoon of oil to each cup of seeds then in the oven at 325 for 8-10 mins and then salt! super easy!

The Triple P was very successful this year. He decided to try to grow giant pumpkins also and he did well at that too. Mom wanted them hauled into town to decorate her shop and the coffee shop so its a good thing we had lots of muscle around...and no I'm not talking about my twigs they call arms!

It was a great weekend.

Blessings!

Catching Up...STATE FAIR...

The Nebraska State Fair has moved to GI. That is only 20 mins away from where I am now. My family used to attend the Stat Fair when us kids would have something competing but it had been many years. Senor Smarty Pants and I decided to make a day of it. Plus Casting Crowns was performing a concert. The best part, the concert only cost us $8 each (our gate admission) and the 20 mins we waited in line to get our wristbands. They were first come, first serve and we got really good seats!

So we looked at the exhibits, ate some fried food, looked at the animals, and saw a concert! OH and I got to see my dear friends Ashley, Whit and Cait! I was soo glad we decided to meet up there! It was a fun day!

This is some of the fried food...this is Senor Smarty Pants' deep fried snickers and deep fried pickles. The pickles were really really good!

This is the Deep Fried Peach. It was delicious. I had never had one. I decided the state fair is for eating ridiculous food! Please disregard my wind-blown look.

This one of the quilts at the Fair. They were all so beautiful. Such tedious work.

These are a few pictures from the Casting Crowns concert. They were so good. I would go back in a heart beat!

Below is one of my favorite songs by Casting Crowns.

Favorite Lyric from the song (this week)

" And what would happen if we prayed

For those raised up to lead the way

Then maybe kids in school could pray

And unborn children see light of day"

Blessings!