Daughter of the King

1 year!

2011-07-18T11:38:00.009-04:00

Hard to believe one year has already gone by.

Hard to believe this little bundle...
Is now this big bundle. :)
He is such a delight.

Brandon just had his 1 year checkup and weighed in at 24 lbs, and was 31 inches long. He always jumping, probably due to his love of the jumperoo when he was a bit younger. This in turn, as turned his legs rock solid! He is certainly a strong boy.
He is saying lots of things now. Daddy, Dada, bye bye, ball, kitty, Mom, Mama, "I did it", and lots of other jibberish. :)

He loves to play with his cousins, and especially loves his cousin Hayden. This boy can make Brandon smile, even when he is fussy. :)

He is eating all table food, and getting picky. He is also being weaned off formula and drinking milk. He still wants a bottle before his naps and at bedtime. He is not fond of a sippy cup, but will try it. Give him a cup with a straw and he is in heaven.
He is getting close to taking off and walking on his own. He has been standing by himself quite a bit, lets go of furniture and doesn't hold on tight anymore. He enjoys "walking" on his knees all of a sudden, but will often try to stand up from this position and take a step.
He loves his blankies.

We recently had his 1 year birthday party, so I will try to get pictures of that up soon. :) My good camera's lense broke, so I had to use my old point and shoot camera while I wait for my new one to come in. Blah..oh well, it captured some memories, and I'm glad to have them, even if they are a bit grainy. :)

9 months

2011-04-21T11:36:00.004-04:00

I wish I could freeze time. I love this stage of life with Brandon. He brings such joy to our lives.

He just reached his 9 month milestone a couple weeks ago. It's really hard to believe how fast time is going by. I have to restrain myself often and not go back to look at his newborn pictures because it certainly gives me the baby desire! :) But, most times, I do it anyway. :)

Few fun things:

**We had to lower his crib now because he has learned how to pull up to the rail.

**Instead of army crawling all the time he is finally crawling on all fours some.

**He finally had his bottom tooth pop through Sunday afternoon. Now the one next to it is going to be making an appearance.

**Brandon loves pulling himself up to the couch now. He's gotten quite fast at doing so, but hasn't quite grasped the concept of holding on, no pun intended. :) Once he is up he tries walking along it, but lets go as he does it, usually ending up with him crashing to the floor. But, he is eager to do it all over again.

**He loves table food, and still has to sample from our plate. Still loves drinking from a straw!

**He had his 9 month check-up back on the 11th. He is 20 lbs and 30 inches tall. Everything looks good!

Here are a few pictures I captured a week or so ago.

He wears it

2011-04-12T15:39:00.003-04:00

Love the baltic necklace! B has been sleeping soo good since wearing it! (I don't know if it has actually played a part, but one can hope!) He has been going to bed at 8:30 and sleeping till 6 before he wants a bottle, then going back to bed for a couple of hours. He hasn't done this for several weeks due to being sick and miserable. But he just seems so much better after wearing it. He hasn't been fussy either. I'm thinking I might purchase one of the hazelwood/baltic amber combo necklaces for myself; they are just all around great, natural necklaces with so many benefits! Here's a picture of B sporting his necklace... I haven't tried the soapnuts yet, but plan to this week! I'll be sure to update on how they work; I'm excited to try them! I already make our own laundry detergent, but love finding new cost effective ways to do laundry, and it be all natural!

Baltic Amber

2011-03-30T15:38:00.003-04:00

I can't wait to get my baltic amber necklace for Brandon and soap nuts from Hazelaid! I have heard nothing but good things.

Disclaimer: To those nervous that putting a necklace on a baby is dangerous, like anything, just be wise. I would never put something on my child that I was scared would harm him. The necklaces are made safe for babies, just use common sense. :) Just don't get one that is too big and dangles too low.

Time for an update!

2011-02-21T15:32:00.006-05:00

A LOT has happened since September. I can’t believe I’ve let things go so long before writing now. I guess I will give an update on everyone’s lives.

Me: Well, I’m still working full time at our church. Loving it! Couldn’t imagine not having this job. (aka ministry!) Though, I work through the week by a checklist and my calendar, and it makes the weeks go by so fast! I’ve always said it seems I live my life by the church calendar. Staying busy at home as well taking care of B, our home, and now Jeff (this will be explained in a moment!). I’m beginning to get my VBS thinking cap on and starting to get things in order. I love to get a good head start on organizing it, that way when it gets down to the last month before VBS I can relax, and help anyone else as needed. I’m getting ready to head up the Easter choir as well here in a couple of weeks. This is a ministry I really, really like!

Jeff: He had been staying very busy with work. Back around Thanksgiving he began a new run that took him out to the East coast each week, and he pretty much stayed out there until he came home. He would be gone from Sunday afternoon until Friday evening. So, it was a long week for me, and very short weekends for the both of us.

Jeff has always driven a semi since we have been together, so I have always had a fear in the back of my mind that something could happen. However, I would say that 90% of the time I don’t let that fear over take me and just go about my daily tasks here at home, trusting God to take care of and protect Him. But, on Monday, February 7 at 7:30 a.m. I received a phone call I have dreaded to receive. Jeff had been in an “extremely violent crash” as the media called it. When I was told what had happened, although I was calm, I couldn’t gather my thoughts or even know what to say. I hung up, and called my mom to have her drive down from Indianapolis. The only thing I could do was wait. I didn’t know the extent of his injuries or any other details. After finally being able to speak with a doctor, I was told his lower spine was fractured and he was being flown from one hospital in southern PA to Pittsburgh to a Trauma center. Then, I had to wait another 2-3 hours for an update from that hospital to find out any more details. All I can say is that God spared his life in so many ways. The only injuries Jeff received from this crash were his fractured lower spine, and two very small cuts on his left arm. No other broken bones, no deep cuts requiring stitches or anything of that sort, no internal injuries, and NOTHING on his head/face. I say this because the semi flipped and landed on the driver side. Jeff’s seatbelt saved his head from hitting the driver’s side window, even though it had shattered as well. He was able to literally climb out of the cab (with a couple of stranger’s help) and walk a few feet before collapsing to the ground. I can tell you that if the crash happened a few feet earlier the end of the guard rail could have smashed through the driver’s window. I can tell you that if it weren’t for the guard rail, his semi would have gone down a ravine. I can tell you that there was NO oncoming traffic going east on the other side of Interstate 70 when Jeff’s semi went airborne over the median and flipped over onto it. God spared his life! We are so so thankful that Jeff is here at home, and recovering. It’s a miracle I could bring him home from Pittsburgh just 3 days after the accident. All of the doctors were shocked that Jeff walked away with only the injury he has. God certainly had his hand of protection on Jeff!

So, although Jeff is beginning to get around much better than at first, there are still quite a few things I have to do for him, or help him with as he is in a back brace for 6 weeks and cannot twist, lean over, cross his arms in front, lift anything more than 10lbs, or sit on a regular chair. He either lays in bed or sits in the wheelchair. BUT for this season of life, we will endure it because it could have been much worse. Now we just wait to see a neurosurgeon for more xrays and a follow up visit. Jeff said today, he is bored out of his mind.

Brandon: 7 ½ months old! Wow…my baby boy is growing! Back at his 6 month checkup (the beginning of January) he weighed 18.4 pounds, and was 28.5 inches long! He is in the 60th percentile for his weight, and 95th percentile for his height! We’ve got a tall, slender boy on our hands! I’m sure he has grown some more as I have had to put away more clothes that are just too short!

Fun facts:
**He is on the brink of crawling! He has been up on all fours for some time now rocking, and has started to move his legs, but gets frustrated because he hasn’t quite mastered moving his hands just yet!

**Loves to eat! Anything, really! He’s eating squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans, peas, mixed veggies, peaches, bananas, applesauce, mixed fruit, apples/blueberries and other fruit varieties! He gets mad if he can’t sample what you’re eating. He loves to drink from a straw! He is learning to drink from a sippy cup too; he’s getting the hang of it!

**Loves his mommy…He is going through a stage right now that if someone tries to hold him (and he is not too familiar with them) and I’m around, he puckers up his bottom lip and just lets loose. He is enjoying all his daddy time though. It’s a treat!

**He is just about out of 6-9 months onesies and other items as they are just too short after washing them. He is still in 6-9 month sleepers and sweats/cotton pants, but in 3-6 months jeans. His little waist won’t keep 6-9 month jeans up. They just fall right off when you pick him up.

**He drinks about five 6 oz. bottles a day, along with his food. He’s a hungry boy, but very active. He loves jumping in his jumperoo! He goes CrAzY in that thing!

**The last several days he has been going to bed without being rocked to sleep (which I’ve done since birth), and has been sleeping from about 9-5 or 9-6. I don’t know how long this will last, but it has been GREAT!

If you have endured this loooong post, I applaud you! But, it wouldn’t be complete without a few pictures from the past 5 months.

Trunk or Treat 2010

Well, I think I’m going to wrap up for now. Hopefully I won’t let 5 months go by
without writing SOMETHING!

Sarah :)

2 Months!

2010-09-10T20:40:00.003-04:00

Brandon is 2 months! :)

Sweet Baby Boy

2010-09-05T21:29:00.005-04:00

I looked back and noticed that it had been, ahem, a few months since the last post. :) Well, much has happened since then.

We welcomed our sweet baby boy, Brandon into the world.

Brandon Stephen Lewis
July 7, 2010 - 8:53 p.m.

8lbs. 4oz. 21.5 inches

Perfect in every way! :)

The Story...

I had been having contractions off and on since the 4th. So, we decided to go ahead and go in on the 6th in the evening to be induced. Our plan was to labor and deliver naturally. They put in a balloon catheter to jumpstart my cervix in dialating. By morning, around 6 or so on the 7th, they started the pitocin. For the rest of the day, I was able to rest pretty comfortably because I wasn't feeling my contractions or having any pain. PTL. :)

They had the pitocin turned up pretty high, and my contractions were off the chart, but for some reason I wasn't feeling them! By noon, the doc came in and broke my water hoping that would speed things up. He was hopeful that we would have a baby by 8pm. By 2pm, I was at 7cm. Still feeling good, but feeling the contractions. I wasn't entirely uncomfortable because they still weren't too painful; however, they were coming one right after another. The only downside to the whole ordeal was that I didn't feel like I was getting any type of "rest" between them. So, I continued to labor the rest of the day hopeful that when the doc would come in at 5, things would have been progressing some more. BUT I was still at 7cm. He decided to stay around and then came back in around 7:30. I was STILL at 7cm. They had the pitocin turned up the majority of the afternoon as far as possible (and still safe) but he just wouldn't come down! By this point I was exhausted, and ready for a REAL break. :)

So, because he was not coming down, and my cervix had become inflammed, I had to have a c-section. Things happened pretty fast, and before I knew it, I had my sweet baby boy in my arms. Although we were disappointed in the fact that we didn't deliver naturally, we were thankful for a safe delivery and a healthy baby boy. :)

Life has been different, but WONDERFUL, and I wouldn't trade it for a second. There are times I just can't take my eyes off the sweet face of my baby. As crazy as it sounds, I wouldn't oppose to the idea of trying for another baby in the next few months! However, we have chosen to wait a couple of years, unless the Lord has different plans. :)

I am just so in love with him!

We make our way to the doctor this coming Tuesday for his 2 month check-up and shots. I really debated on whether to get his shots now or wait till he is a bit older. I have done some reading about both sides of the argument. We just decided that for our family, we would go ahead and do it now. I am really anxious though to see how much he weighs and has grown.

I took an evening and made my own little "photoshoot" for his 2 month pictures, but I'll have to get them up in a different post because they are taking forever to load!

Have a great Labor Day!

Umm..Hello. :)

2010-09-01T22:00:00.002-04:00

Hello again. It's been a looooooong time, huh? Even I thought I had dropped off into, well, cyberspace. :)

Unfortunetly, I don't have time tonight to catch you up on everything that has gone on the past few months. I hope to do that REAL soon.

Be looking for some changes....new name and such. Need something fresh.

Oh, and I'll have to debut my sweet baby boy!

Quick Update...

2010-04-21T21:29:00.003-04:00

It's been a while since I was last on here. We have been busy with lots of things around here.

Jeff has been busy working. They still haven't quite got his schedule set yet, so some weeks I see him maybe a few hours one day a week, and he is gone from Sunday afternoon - Friday. Some weeks I see him a couple nights. We are hoping his schedule gets set soon, so we can actually see one another! He is training here and there for the manager job for the company/terminal in Lafayette. The guy who is presently there wants to move to Texas. So, time will tell.

Lots of things on the calendar at church which is making time fly by. I can't believe April is almost through, and I know May will go by quickly. June brings VBS, and then the little one will make his appearance. It is amazing how this pregnancy has just flown by!

We have the nursery all done, just stocking it now. :) I hope to take some pictures soon of it. Pictures will be taken before his name is put up. It's a secret. :) I'm excited for my shower coming up in about a month. Jeff says no more buying until after the shower. Hehe :)

I have my 30 week appointment next monday. I get to do the lovely 1 hour glucose test as well. I'm pretty sure that soon I'll be starting the every 2 week or so appointments. It doesn't seem possible that we are at that point. He is moving so much now, and sitting around watching my shirt and belly bop around is soo amazing!! :)

Happy Birthday to me! :) I bought myself a new camera. It is a Nikon D40. I can't wait to get it in the mail, mess around with it and start taking pictures. I've been wanting a better camera, more of a SLR camera than just a point and shoot. Hopefully in the next month or so, I'm hoping to purchase another lense to go with it, maybe a 50mm. I can't wait to get it!

Okay, I'll hopefully get back on here next week after that appointment. Ha ha...I know, right? :)

It's a.....

2010-03-10T12:24:00.005-05:00

BOY!

Ever since I found out I was pregnant, I was sure it was a girl. The feeling that it was going to be a girl was so strong that I had even purchased a few girl items (clothing) for next winter since they were on clearance. :)

Well...I had gone in for an ultrasound on the 22nd of Feb., and they THOUGHT it was a boy. The cord was in the same area, but it looked like a boy nonetheless. The tech wanted me to come back in a couple of weeks because she wasn't really confident in telling us that, so this past Monday, I went back in for a free check. Sure enough, as soon as she placed the wand on my stomach, she declared, "it's a boy!"

I have to say, that although for the longest time I thought it was a girl, I am more than happy with God blessing us with a boy first. We are so excited! We have a name picked out, however, we aren't sure if we are going to share it before he is born or not. Guess you'll have to stay tuned and see. :)

Things are still going well. Definitely feeling him a lot everyday; he has been very active on the ultrasounds. We expect his arrival to be sometime in the first of July.

This time of the year always seems to be the lull before the storm here at the church. When April begins, things will go into full swing until after VBS. April brings Easter, and WOL Regional Teens Involved to the church which will involve 300-400 people coming here from all over Indiana. It is always a fun day! Then, May brings something every weekend either here at the church or personally (hoping for a quick trip to Iowa the second weekend!). Baby shower on the 22nd, which I'm of course looking forward to. June will bring the final planning and organization of VBS. I'm hoping to have everything planned, ordered, and settled by the time VBS comes around, because Baby will be coming then too. :)

I'll leave you with a few of the recent ultrasound photos. Hopefully (and I say that sincerity!), I will stay up on this better over the next several months!

MIA

2009-12-20T14:58:00.003-05:00

So, I've been a bit MIA.... :)

I haven't had much motiviation or interest in getting on here to write for, well, a while now. When I get home from work, the first thing I want to do is change into something comfy and lay on the couch. And, I think I have a good excuse too. :)

I wish I had a picture to document the news, but the one we have is from 4 weeks ago, and we don't have a scanner at home. So, words will just have to do!

We're having a BaBy!!

We are so excited, and were actually semi-surprised! I say semi-surprised because we know that with God all things are possible, but I had been informed a few years ago that I probably would need some sort of fertility help to get pregnant. The good Lord knew otherwise. :)

So, we're looking forward the time around July 8 which is when the little blessing is due. I'm nearing the end of the first trimester which has been nice because the nausea is pretty much gone. I'd say I was pretty lucky in the fact that I was really only nauseous for about 3-4 weeks. So, for that I'm thankful!

Here is a picture of the baby's first gift from grandma of course.

We go for our first OB appointment in about 3 weeks. I will be 14 weeks by the time I see her, but my doc is going to be out of town and that's the next available date they had. I haven't seen or heard the heartbeat since I was 6.5 weeks, so I'm really looking forward to it.

Well, I must get back to some things, and maybe catch a cat-nap before our FLOCK Christmas musical tonight.

Merry Christmas!

Surprise!

2009-11-07T12:13:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow, Jeffrey and I will celebrate our 1 year anniversary! We can't believe how fast this past year has gone. We are looking forward to this next year and what it has in store! :)

So, because Jeff works on Saturdays, and tomorrow we'll be at church, he planned a surprise date on Thursday, his day off. He told me to dress up and be ready to leave at a certain time.

We were off! We drove to Indianapolis, and he took me to Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre. :) He didn't know exactly what musical was showing until he made the reservations. It happened to be the same musical we saw on our honeymoon.

They even singled us out right before the show and told everyone that we were there celebrating our 1 year wedding anniversary! Talk about my face turning red. :)

All in all, it was a really wonderful night.

Have a great weekend!

Trick-or-Treaters....or the lack there of.

2009-10-31T20:18:00.006-04:00

This is how much candy I have left. Yep, pretty much the entire stash I bought.

The breakdown of trick-or-treaters:

6--family
1--neighbor
1--kid from church
5--kids I didn't know

Pathetic! But, I think on our whole street, one other house besides ours was welcoming trick-or-treaters.

Oh well, at least the kids in my Sunday School class will be happy. :)

Panera at Home

2009-10-27T19:37:00.005-04:00

I love Panera. Unfortunately, the closest Panera is in Lafayette. One of my favorite soups from there is their broccoli cheddar soup. Yum! I was perusing one of my favorite websites and found this Panera Broccoli-Cheddar Soup, although I did add an extra ingredient. I HAD to try it out and see if it truly resembled the taste. Guess what? It DOES. I usually get the smoked turkey panini to go along with it. I know, creature of habit right here. We had gotten a panini press for a wedding gift, and I had yet to try it out. So, I used it tonight, and made a turkey panini. Score! A Panera meal, made right here in my home, and with my own ingredients, thus making it less expensive. :)

Here is the finished product:

(cool pic with the steam, huh? :) )

Recipe:

5 cups broccoli florets (if you have a little more or a little less that is fine)

6 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups milk or 1/2 & 1/2 <---I used milk

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

3 cups grated/shredded cheddar cheese

I added 1/2 cup of shredded carrots (I chopped them into even finer pieces)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Steam broccoli until tender, about six minutes. Chop finely. Set aside. In a large saucepan combine broth and milk. Slowly whisk in flour. Cook over med to med high heat, KEEP stirring. Cook until it starts to thicken but not too thick. Stir continuously otherwise the milk/flour will thicken at the bottom and form "clumps". Do it until it just starts to boil. Add chopped broccoli and carrots. Reduce heat to med low. Continue to cook about 5 minutes. Add cheese stir until cheese melts. Serve.

Delish! :)

Photo Booth Friday

2009-10-23T18:09:00.006-04:00

We went to the Pumpkin Patch a couple weeks ago. For the past few years this has been kind of an annual trip and we always go on a Sunday afternoon. We love going! Here are a few pics to enjoy from our visit to the patch. :)

Soup's On!

2009-10-19T20:38:00.003-04:00

I love having a nice warm bowl of soup on a crisp, cool night. :) Nothing like a bowl to warm your hands and tummy.

Saw this over at Rachel's and had to play along as well. :)

♥ What are your middle names? Mine is Marie, and I'm actually called by my first and middle name together quite often...His is Allen. He doesn't like it. :)

♥How long have you been together? next month is our 1 year wedding anniversary, but we've been together since October of 2007. i know, quick. :)

♥ How long did you know each other before you started dating? not long. we only dated for 6 months before we were engaged.

♥ Who asked who out? neither of us really asked the other out. it kind of just happened. but, he definitely started the ball rolling. <= my answer is the exact same as Rachel's. ♥ Who made the first move? he definitely made the first "move" by kissing me. ♥ How old are each of you? me: 26 him: 34 ♥ Did you go to the same school? nope, we were from two different states. ♥ Are you from the same hometown? nope, see above question. ♥ Who is the smartest? We are both bright in our own areas. I don't think it's possible to say which one of us is smarter because we are each strong in different areas. ♥ Who majored in what? me: bible/child develoment/administration. him: computer science ♥ Who is the most sensitive? OK, asking this question is like asking is grass green. Me by a landslide. ♥ Where do you eat out most as a couple? not much here in our small town, but probably Applebees or take-out from Beijing Chinese ♥ Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple? Woodland Park, CO ♥ Who has the worst temper? him, not so much a temper, but he gets frustrated more easily. ♥ How many children do you want? we would like 3-4, but we'll just have to see! ♥ Who does the cooking? i am the one that does the cooking when he's home for dinner. i think J has cooked maybe twice since we've been together? he works crazy hours so most of the time i eat alone. ♥ Who is more social? probably me. but i like to have my alone time as well. ♥ Who is the neat-freak? I like things neat, clean, and put away, but certainly not a neat-freak. my time on earth is short and would rather focus the time i have with those i love and care about. there are more important things in life than to just spend so much of my time cleaning everyday. the messes will always be there. but time won't. ♥ Who is the most stubborn? we both are stubborn. but he balances me out with his patience with certain things where i don't have it and vice versa. ♥ Who wakes up earlier? usually J. for the most part he is an early riser. ♥ Where was your first date? my house and a movie. ♥ Who has the bigger family? i do. i have two older brothers. he has one sister. ♥ Do you get flowers often? Nope. I can count on one hand the number of times I've gotten flowers. ♥ How do you spend the holidays? most of the time with my family. J's mom and step-dad live in MO, and his dad lives in OH. ♥ Who is more jealous? me. :) ♥ How long did it take to get serious? not. long. at. all. ♥ Who eats more? him. and he seems to never show it. ♥ What do you do for a living? i work for our church as the administrative assistant and sell MK. he drives for a company that delivers milk and grocery to Krogers in Indiana and Chicago. ♥ Who does the laundry? i do. always. i'm too nervous to let him do it. i have a certain way i do it. ♥ Who’s better with the computer? him. ♥ Who drives when you are together? he usually drives about 90 percent of the time. ♥ What is "your" song? you are so beautiful by joe cocker. well we don't really listen to it, but if we hear it, we always reminisce. :) J used to sing it to me when he called while we were dating, so when i answered he was singing it. :)

Photo Booth Friday

2009-10-16T19:21:00.004-04:00

This week has flown by. I can't believe we are now halfway through October already. It has been FREEZING here. Where is Fall? Oh, how I've missed fall. The crisp, but not FREEZING temps.

Not much is going on around here. Nothing new to really report. :) Finally have a break with the doctor appointments. I've been stuck more by the "bloodwork vampire"in the past 2.5 months than I have in several years. So thankful my arm can rest. :) Now, we'll just see what happens in the next 6 months until I see the doc again!

Well, for photo booth Friday, I leave you with a pic of the cutest kids around! :)

Creation Museum

2009-10-10T11:44:00.007-04:00

Here are a few pictures from our recent trip to the Creation Museum. We took a Sunday (that is the only day of the weekend that Jeff has off), and traveled east for the day. I went about a year and a half ago, but no one else had been there. It was a great day!

The building view from the gardens

The gardens

Mom and Richard

Jeffrey and I

Brian and Cathy

And of course...sweet Raley-bug :)

Have a great weekend!

Wisdom Wednesday

2009-10-07T15:36:00.003-04:00

"I just can't get over how I feel. It's making me crazy!" Sometimes you have to choose to think and live differently than what was given to you in your past--or even what may be happening today. Dwelling on the negative, on your weaknesses, on your pain is a choice. Instead, let those negatives turn you to God! By making that choice, you're choosing to love God with all your mind just as the Bible commands (Matthew 22:37).

The result? It's good "spiritual mental health," the peace and well-being the Spirit of God gives when we think and act on the truths of God's Word.

Elizabeth George

YUM

2009-10-06T17:43:00.005-04:00

Just thought I'd share a couple of yummy fall recipes, but you could have them anytime. :)

Easy Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie
(I tweeked it from the original recipe)

3 cups chopped cooked chicken (or you can use canned cooked chicken)
1 can of peas and carrots
1 1/2 cups of frozen diced potatoes, thawed (I used frozen southern hashbrowns which are diced potatoes)
1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
2 cans (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 can (8 oz.) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

HEAT oven to 375ºF.
COMBINE first 5 ingredients in a greased 13x9-inch baking dish.
UNROLL dough; place over chicken mixture.
BAKE 30-35 min. or until crust is golden brown.

(Original recipe came from Kraft foods)

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, 1 stick melted, 1/2 stick softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
- 1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon plus 2 pinches salt
- 1 2/3 cups flour
- 4 ounces cream cheese, chilled
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the baking powder, the baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour.

3. Using an ice cream scoop or tablespoon, drop 12 generous mounds of batter, spaced evenly, onto each baking sheet. Bake until springy to the touch, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

4. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter with the cream cheese. Add the confectioners' sugar and the remaining 2 pinches salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; mix on low speed until blended, then beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

5. Spread the flat side of 12 cakes with the cream cheese frosting. Top each with another cake.

(Recipe courtesy of Everyday With Rachael Ray)

Delish. Enjoy! :)

Photo Booth Friday

2009-10-02T14:13:00.004-04:00

Couldn't resist posting pictures of the munchkins. :)

Have a great weekend!

Wisdom Wednesday

2009-09-30T14:06:00.003-04:00

The word wisdom in the Bible is the translation of a Hebrew word that means "skill". Applied to God it means that He has the skill necessary to direct us in any and every situation. If you were sick, who would you call, a doctor or an auto mechanic? Of course you'd call a doctor because he would have the skill to help. He would have the tools, the medicine, the equipment needed to make you better. God is the Great Physician. He is Jehovah Rapha, the Healer. He is the skillful Creator who knit you together in your mother's womb, who formed your inward parts. He knows everything about you and has the skill necessary to conceptualize the best possible plan not only for the entire world but also for your life. Solomon tells us, "By wisdom the Lord laid the earth's foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place" (Proverbs 3:19) This being so, we can trust God, knowing that everything that happens to us was thought out by an infinitely wise Person, and all that happens will ultimately be for our good and His glory.

Linda Dllow -Calm My Anxious Heart

Swagbucks

2009-09-26T11:43:00.003-04:00

Making money online... We have all heard that it's too good to be true or that it's a scam. But there is a way to make legitimate money online just by doing online searches! You won't get rich by doing it, but a little here and a little there can go a long way. I have just started using Swagbucks, and have enough for a gift already! You can earn rewards such as gift cards, video games, electronics, and even money. And all you have to do is surf the web just like you already do! Let's get started!

Sign up for Swagbucks. It's quick and easy. Just follow my referral link and follow the directions:

http://swagbucks.com/refer/SarahMarie422

Download the Swagbucks search bar. I know that some people are wary of downloading from sites that they aren't familiar with and I felt the same way. I found them to be a very reputable site and went ahead and downloaded the toolbar and have had no problems because of it. The benefit of having the search bar is that you are more likely to win a swagbuck when you search.

Start Searching! You will not win every time you search. You will commonly win maybe 2-4 times a day in 20 searches spread out throughout the day. Everyday is different. Sometimes you may win a lot and sometimes you may not win anything. But Swagbucks has been found to be the best value for your time spent.

Watch for Swag codes. Most days "The Swag Guy" (TSG) will leave hints to swag codes most often in your tool bar. Once you have this code, go to swagbucks and enter your code.

Tips:

**Search for legitimate things such as medical conditions, current news, going green, etc

**Fridays are mega swag bucks day! This means that you have a better chance of winning 3, 5, or even 10 swagbucks for a single search!!

**Get the "swidget." They will reveal codes this way frequently.-If you are on facebook, you will want to join their fan page or if you are on Twitter, you will want to follow them as they give swag codes on these sites.

Happy surfing!! :)

Photo Booth Friday

2009-09-25T14:09:00.004-04:00

It's Friday! I can't believe how fast this week has seemed to go.

We have been living at the house now for about a month. We still have some "putting away" to do. Sometimes I feel as if it is never going to be done! I'm hoping to make a dent in it soon. One of the rooms that has been put on the back burner, as far as decor goes has been our bedroom. I just can't seem to figure out what I want to do. I knew I wanted some sort of wall art, but it's hard to find something for a bedroom. They have TON of stuff for all other areas of a home, but a bedroom is pretty limited. This one in particular seemed to be the reoccuring phrase I was seeing, so I decided on it. Plus, it's vinyl, so if I want to move it, it is easy to remove (with a hair dryer). So, here is a start to the decor of the bedroom...

Have a great Friday! :)

Photo Booth Friday..um..Saturday

2009-09-19T13:20:00.006-04:00

Well, it's going to have to be Photo Booth Saturday this week! I wasn't home much at all yesterday to even be on the computer, so this will just have to do. Here are a few pictures of my niece and nephew playing in the car. It was on a Sunday after church when we were waiting on my husband (although I can't remember what we were waiting on him for).

Lovely :)

Optical Illusions

2009-09-16T22:44:00.003-04:00

Thought this was neat to look at...

(I don't read this magazine, just stumbled across the link, and thought it was neat!)

Photo Booth Friday

2009-09-11T18:29:00.005-04:00

So, I've come up with something to do, to help keep me accountable to blogging. Every Friday will be "Photo Booth Friday". It will probably be an assortment of photos, never knowing what Friday will bring.

So, today, I bring you my mom's babies. Not of the flesh sort, but of plant sort. Her favorite plant, the hibiscus. She plants these every Spring, and used to buy them every year on the day that used to be my parent's anniversary when Dad was alive. So, now I have the privilege of keeping them alive.

So, I'm really hoping that they don't die while in my care, with what time we have left until the first frost. I don't have the greatest track record. Thankfully, they are very low maintenance.

New month, New house....so...a new post?

2009-09-08T21:45:00.010-04:00

Things have finally settled down. Finally. I'm hoping it stays this way for a while.

This past summer was a whirlwind. It seemed like it was one thing after another! I thought that after VBS, things would settle down until we would move. My Grandpa had taken a turn for the worse, and had really gone down hill during that week. We had gone to visit him at the nursing home not even thinking that would be the last time we would see him here on earth. We had only been there a few minutes, when he passed away with my brother and I sitting right next to him talking to him. I can't even begin to explain what it is like to be holding someone's hand, talking to them and them responding to you, and then see them breathe their last and slip into eternity. We had a really nice service, and we were thankful for all who came.

We got mom married off the end of July, and then Jeff and I began packing and moving. We are living now in the home I grew up in. Mom moved to Indianapolis, so we are living at the house. We are so happy to be living here. Much better than the apartment. We don't miss it one bit.

Jeff has been working a ton of hours as usual. He never knows just what time he will be leaving out the next day, and 75% of the time doesn't get back until 12 or 1 in the morning, sometimes later. He would love to have a job that has consistent hours. I would love that too. :) We don't see each other that much on the days he works. So, I really treasure his 2 days off a week.

Work for me is going really well. Still love being where I am. I couldn't ask for a better job.

Tomorrow is Wednesday...halfway through the week. And, AWANA begins tomorrow, so it will be a looong day. Looking forward to it though!

Blessings!

So much to do!

2009-07-04T15:37:00.006-04:00

I can't believe how fast this year seems to be going. One moment I look at the calendar and it says March, and now it says July! Since April, I have been counting the days at work measured in "events". April we had Easter and Teens Involved Regionals, May we had Mother's Day and the FLOCK musical, June we had the Strawberry festival and Father's Day, and then for July, we have VBS, and then my Mom's wedding, only to be followed by packing up our apartment and moving to back to the house I grew up in, since my mom is moving to Indy. We are so ready to be moving...apartment life is just not for me. We try our very hardest to be courteous to our neighbors in the noise department, but I guess other people just don't care. We are going to be doing some painting at mom's house, along with her laying new carpet in the living room and 1 of the bedrooms. I can't wait till everything is settled in!

Speaking of VBS...we have a great week planned! This year's theme is Operation Space: A close encounter with God's Word! We really like the VBS material that Answers in Genesis puts out. Solid biblical material, that isn't "fluffy". I still have some last minute things to do on Monday, but I hope all the time and effort pays off. I've had to assume several roles this year. Lets see...Director, make all decorations, Snack organizer/prep, coordinate registration, puppets, pictures, etc. When I start to think about what needs to get done....my mind usually gets all jumbled! I know everything will turn out okay...that's what I keep telling myself anyway! Thankfully, I've had a good friend who has been willing to help out in some of these areas. Without her help, I don't know how I would have done it. I hope to get some pics posted on here/facebook. It's going to be a great week!!

I'm hoping this rain clears up soon....I want to see some fireworks!! :)

2009-06-01T23:07:00.004-04:00

Ahh! It seems I just can't do it! :) We actually have a computer at home again now, but everytime I think to myself "why don't you blog Sarah?", I quickly dismiss the thought for some reason.

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It's June. Where did March, April, and May go? One minute I'm telling myself I have all this time to complete the checklist, organize events, and poof! The date is upon us. First we have the Strawberry Festival, and our booth. Then, our next biggest task to conquer? Vacation Bible School. Because we haven't haven't had anyone step up to be a director, the task has fallen on Pastor and I. This year was a bit different. Pastor has been gone to Nepal for the past 3 weeks, so the majority of it fell on my shoulders. Don't get me wrong, I love organizing it, but I feel like during the 2-3 months of planning it, I seem to lose a bit of my focus on my other responsibilities. It kind of "overtakes" me. BUT I love VBS, and I'm sooo excited about our VBS theme this year! Operation Space! :) July 6-10!

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After VBS, I can focus on the next event, mom's wedding, July 25. After that, it's time to pack up the apartment, do some painting at mom's house, shop for a new appliance, have new carpet laid, and move in! She'll be moving to Indy with Richard, and Jeff and I will move in to my old house and finish off the mortgage, which is up in about 4 years! We are excited to get out and in a house....the apartment is nice, but having really close neighbors is not for us. I believe I actually just witnessed the 2nd drug deal in a week and a half outside our window that involved our neighbor.

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Other things are happening in our lives, but I'll save that for another post! It's getting late...and I have to work in the morning.

As a sidenote, I can't seem to be content with a blog theme. Hopefully, this one will be here to stay....for a while at least.

Until next time!

2009-03-23T20:38:00.003-04:00

Hmm...so much for being a consistent "blogger". :)

We are still without a computer at home, so it makes it hard to keep up with this. My laptop is at my mom's (Jeff is working, so I'm using it at my mom's), so that she can have a computer to use.

Not too much has been going on. I feel like March just began, and now I'm already preparing for April at work. We are hosting the Regional Teens Involved in April, so that is a pretty big undertaking. It will be our second year doing so, so at least we know what needs to be done ahead of time. I get to judge vocal solo again this year, so I'm excited about that.

I have been thoroughly enjoying the Proverbs31 emails that I've been getting. It's become a habit (a good one too!) to read them each morning in my email as soon as I get to work. I love to see what each author has to say about all kinds of topics. One of my favorite devos that I have received is about helping your husband. Here is an excerpt of something she wrote concerning this topic that I love:

It is critical that I remind my husband with my actions as well as my words that he is my beloved - that he continues to be a valuable and desirable mate in my eyes. The best way for me to be the helper my husband needs is to be reading God's word and be in constant prayer. The Lord has lessons he wants to teach me and the best place for me to learn those lessons is on my knees.

Being my husband's cheerleader is exciting and exhilarating. It could also become exhausting if I'm not careful. I learned early on in our marriage that if I'm going to pour into the life of my husband, I must drink from the fountain of spiritual strength and energy on a daily basis. The living water I receive from God's Word and the Holy Spirit not only quenches my thirst, but allows me the joy of fulfilling my husband's desire for a true helper.

Just something I have challenged myself with, and encourage you to do as well if you are married. And, even if you aren't married, there are principles here you can use in your present relationships.

Enjoy this week! Blessings!

2009-01-27T16:03:00.002-05:00

I'm really going to try to be more faithful in blogging. I've never really been a "blogger", but I want to strive to use this as an outlet for encouragement, news, or just sharing my thoughts on the things of God.

I just subscribed to a really neat email devotional for women that someone I know reads faithfully each day and has such good things to say about it. I'm anxious to start receiving it!

We don't have a computer at home right now, because Jeff's laptop is broken, and mine is still at my mom's house so she can have something to use. Hopefully, his will be fixed soon. But until then, I'll have to wait to blog at the end of the workday.

Oh, and just a note about the weather...I think the snow is BEAUTIFUL only because I don't have to be out in it. :)

It's about time!

2008-12-04T19:18:00.013-05:00

Life sure has been busy! I'm finally finding a few moments to sit down here. A few things have happened over the past month. :) Where to start...

Well, the wedding! :) Jeff and I got married on November 8! It was a very cold day! Everything went perfect just as planned. Jeff was surprised by my song, and the Star Wars theme song at the reception! I pulled it off! :) We had just over 200 in attendance. I was very thankful for all who came! Here are some pictures of the day that people have sent me!

After all the festivities, we headed out west to Colorado. We stayed up in the mountains in Woodland Park, CO near Pikes Peak. That will have to be another post because of the pictures!

We came back and jumped back into our jobs. I love my job! I'm so thankful to be where I am. I couldn't ask for a better job.

We had a nice Thanksgiving. We enjoyed the day at my mom's with all the family. The friday after, Mom and I braved Lafayette. We spent a good chunk of the day up there doing some Christmas shopping.

Jeff and I have our place all decorated and the tree up. Most of the decor is "winter" decor (i.e. snowman, snowflakes, etc.). We don't do the whole Santa thing, so you won't find any Santa's in our place. We also have our nativity set up and lots of other things that remind us of the real Reason for CHRISTmas.

Mom and I are heading out to Iowa this weekend. The Coffey's, a lovely couple I stayed with quite a bit while attending college at Faith, and then while working out there, invited us to come stay with them. So, we are going to do some Christmas shopping and go to the Festival of Carols at the school. Then Sunday, we are going to go to the church I went to while out there, and I'm going to sing a couple of Christmas songs during one of the services. It's going to be a short trip, but we are still looking forward to it. Unfortunately, Jeff can't go. He has to work Sunday night, and we wouldn't be back in time. Thankfully I'll get to see him Saturday before we leave. I hate not being with him over the weekend. Because of his job, we don't see each other much during the week, so we enjoy the weekends. I don't like going places, or doing things without him. Hopefully next time we go and visit, he can go.

Next weekend, Jeff and I are having the family over for a Christmas dinner here at our place. We can't wait! :)

Christmas Eve will be a busy evening. We'll have the Christmas eve service at our church to go to, sometime make it out to my Grandparents house for a while, and then I have to sing a duet with another lady in town at her Christmas eve service at 11pm!!

Well, I'm going to get back to getting my Christmas cards ready to be sent out. Until next time!

9 days!

2008-10-30T10:02:00.003-04:00

9 days...that's it! Can't believe it is almost here..but glad that it is almost here! I'm actually ready to be done with all the planning and enjoy the day. :) I'm also ready for the vacation! Colorado, here we come! :)

Things are getting busier. Today I go to the salon so that they can play with my hair and the veil. I also have to make a run out to the pumpkin patch to get some deals. Today is there last day to be open and he told me to come out and he'd make a deal with me for the wedding. So nice!

Tomorrow is Halloween. Not much into the holiday, but Jeff and I are going to spend the evening at mom's seeing the little kiddies come with their costumes.

Saturday, a long-time friend of mine that I have known, well, since we were babies :) is getting married. So we will be heading out to her wedding in the afternoon.

So it's going to get busy, crazy busy! But, that should make the days go faster!

Another month...

2008-10-13T15:14:00.003-04:00

I can't believe another month has gone by. As the saying goes...my how time flies!

Less than a month...26 days to be exact! I haven't been keeping a "countdown" persay...so, I just counted to see how many days it was until the wedding. Yikes! So much to do! We've had both of the showers now, and now it's finding room for everything. Granted, most has been put away. It's the little things I just don't know where to put. It's hard too, because we'll only have a 2 bedroom apartment. So, some of the things that were in boxes, we have had to put in closets for now. In other news...I'm so ready for a vacation!! :)

I just love fall. The colors, smells, activities, and the cooler temps (although we have been having very warm temps lately!). My favorite time of year. However, I don't like it when the fields are harvested. Bad news for me. This past week of harvesting has left me with my allergies attacking me. Sore throat, stuffy nose, my head feeling foggy, and my ears being affected. Not the greatest timing either. :) Hopefully it will pass quickly.

Well, I must get back to work for now. :)

Update...again!

2008-09-10T14:36:00.002-04:00

Praise the Lord!

Jeff got the job! He's coming home this weekend...it sure will be nice to have him home after being gone for 5 weeks!

That's all. :)

Little update..

2008-09-08T10:47:00.005-04:00

Jeff is still dispatching out of Georgia. The last few weeks have been kind of hard. For two weeks I saw him only one hour each week. Last week, I was able to see him for two hours (one hour on two different days). He has applied for a handful of jobs, but most say they are putting his application through and then we never hear back. He calls and calls, but no one returns the phone call. Not very professional if you ask me.

We are waiting to hear about a local job that is a daily run, with him being home every night. We are hoping and praying that this is the one.

In other news, I finally finished the Sunday school room. Everything is painted, and all the decorations/posters are up. I like it!

2 months to go! As I think about it..I still have plenty left to do! I have my first shower on the 20th of this month, and my second on October 11. :)

I'll leave you with a picture of my cute Raley-bug!

Prayers Needed..

2008-08-12T20:23:00.003-04:00

We are down to just a little under 3 months! Time is going by fast! Most everything is finished...just a few things left to do.

As of August 1, Jeff lost his job. The company he was driving for here in town is no longer dispatching here in town. The company is based in Georgia. They told him that if he wanted to keep his job he would have to move to Georgia. He has gone to Georgia to work just until he hears from the other places that he has applied at. Although it is very hard having him down there with the uncertainty of when I will see him, we are trying to be patient and rely on God that he will bring the right job along. We trust He has something better in store. We would appreciate your prayers on our behalf!

In other news...I've been at my job now for just a little over a year now. I couldn't be happier in the place that God chose to place me in. I'm so thankful that this position opened up at just the right time.

I'm hoping to get some painting done this weekend. I'm starting up the new 3rd-4th grade Sunday school class, but there has to be some serious work in that room! I want it to look fresh and clean. :)

Okay..enough for now, I must get going! Until next time...

Just so you know...

2008-07-31T15:44:00.004-04:00

I know...that was really quick...2 posts in ONE day! :) Don't get used to it.

Those of you that will know me and that I'm getting married...maybe would like to see what he looks like??? :) So, I thought I'd post one picture of us.

This is the beginning...

2008-07-31T15:17:00.000-04:00

I haven't always been good about keeping up a "blog". So often, I find myself without anything to say, or things to say that seem to be of no value or that would be of no interest to anyone. :)

I am going to try my best to be a regular at this. :)

I'm just getting started, so this is it for now. I plan to be back soon. :)