Gibson Gang

Christmas Tea

2015-12-21T18:42:00.000-08:00

Christmas is just a special, exciting, dare I say "magical" time of year. I love the lights, the colors, the family time, and special treats. And nothing is quite so special as a fancy, sparkling, feminine tea party.

We are blessed with precious women at Grace Bible Church who love to help minister through the gift of hospitality. So I wanted to take this time and opportunity to do something special for all of them. Enter: the first annual Ladies' Christmas Tea! Before I share anything further about the details and dainties, let me just say this: NONE of this would have happened if not for the selfless help of my fantastic husband.

The tables were set with varying tea cups and festive holiday decor. All that red and sparkly silver made me sigh-in-my-heart happy. *sigh* Although I'm pretty certain that my sweet Ellie's favorite part were the peppermint kisses... ;)

The menu included a variety of freshly brewed loose leaf teas accompanied by a collection of both sweet and savory delights. In case you might be interested, I have linked and/or listed the recipes at the end of this post.

Along with the tea and treats, we had a quick game of "draw a Christmas tree on a paper plate... on your head". These were some seriously competitive artists!

My favorite part of the game came from some of the youngest party goers who opted to draw their tree on the table because (and I quote)... "It was too hard to draw it on our heads. This is better."

Our ~~attempted~~ Christmas tree drawings were actually a link to tie into a short devotional about how the Christmas season is a humbling reminder that things don't always turn out as we plan. Mary probably never imagined her rite of passage into motherhood would come in a lowly cattle stall... all alone, shunned from her family, welcoming the Messiah in the stillness of the night. Yet, His plan changed her life in order to change the lives of the entire world.

I loved preparing and serving and ministering to 22 ladies from different aspects of my life-- ladies from our church ministry, ladies from my school connections, and even a friend from my early morning swimming time! How I pray that the Message of hope of the season was clearly conveyed to each precious woman who was there.

For your tasting pleasure...

Swig Sugar Cookies (these things are DIVINE!)
Scones with butter and jam
Fruit Salad
Banana Bread and muffins, adapted from this recipe

Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
Crackers and Chicken Salad

Leah's Homemade Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
5 pounds chicken
1/4 cup minced garlic
1-2 cups Duke's mayo
2 tbls. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. dried dill weed
1 tsp. fried chicken seasoning
1 tsp. onion powder
1 small jar diced dill pickles, including juice/vinegar!
1-2 cups dried cranberries (depending on your preference)

Place chicken breasts in crockpot and spread minced garlic evenly over all the chicken. Cook on low for 5-7 hours (depending on the size of your chicken breasts).

Once the chicken is cooked (but not overcooked!), remove from the crockpot. Allow the chicken to cool before spreading. I will also usually add a few tablespoons of cooking juices to the chicken to prevent it from drying out.

While the chicken is cooling, whisk the remaining ingredients together. Now, I know that the mayo listing is a little bit of a wide range. However, depending on your dressing to chicken ratio preference, use less or more mayo. If the mayo/seasoning mix seems a little thick, even after adding the jar of diced dill pickes with joice, I will add a splash of rice vinegar to thin it out (but not TOO thin!).

After the chicken is cooled, shred the chicken using your favorite method. My personal favorite method (other than having my husband do it! ;) ) is to put the chicken in my Kitchen Aid stand mixer and "mix" it using the paddle blade. Fantastic.

Carefully and completely mix the mayo mix/sauce with the shredded chicken and allow to chill for several hours before enjoying with your choice of crackers or bread or even just a spoon!

NOTE: You may notice that there isn't a bit of salt and/or pepper listed in this recipe. I don't really need it with all of the other flavors. However, feel free to season as needed!

Take Me Away

2015-11-10T11:05:00.000-08:00

I have been blessed to spend all my days in a biblically-based, church-attending, ministry-focused, Christ-honoring home. The older I get, the more grateful I become for this.

Since I have spent many hours in the House of God, under the preaching of God's Word, there have been different passages read that I didn't quite understand-- even misunderstanding them as I read them during my own Bible reading times. One such passage is John 15. As a quick recap and reminder, this is the passage of Scripture that draws much focus to the importance of abiding in Christ. More specifically, seeing ourselves as a branch that desperately needs to abide in Christ the Vine. The passage in its entirety is quite encouraging and comforting. I mean, who doesn't love verse nine?

"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love."

But before we get to that friendly verse, we have verse two that we have to get around.

"Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away."

Now, this is one of those verses that always confused me. I heard many (well meaning) lessons and sermons about how if someone wasn't bearing fruit, the Lord would just cut them off and take them away. Quite frankly, it always made me a little uncomfortable and even discouraged. If ever my Bible reading lead me to this passage, I would just read through that verse quickly, not giving it much thought. I mean, who wants to think about Jesus cutting you away from the God-Vine?! Not this girl, that's for sure!

However, I have the most wonderful news for you: this verse is perhaps the most precious and tender verses in all of Scripture.

Wait..... whaaaaaat....?

We see that "takes away" and get all panicky. That is the part that makes me nervous. Yet a better, more accurate translation would be to say "every branch that does not bear fruit, He lifts up".

OK. I'm starting to settle down a bit. But what does that mean?

We get a better picture when we read on into verse three:

"You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you."

Obviously, there are believers who are abiding and thriving right up close to the vine. Their hearts are clean and don't really need any extra gardening from the Master Vinedresser. These branches are already bearing their fruit because the Word of God is actively in their hearts and minds. They are clean!

So then comes this picture that Christ is trying to paint for us in John 15:2... There is a branch that is growing. Kind of. I mean, if you even want to call it "growing". Sometimes there are branches that, for whatever reason-- be it lack of Sonshine, not enough Water [from the Word], or even simply exhaustion-- these wilted branches have floundered down low near the ground, away from the Heart of the Vine. These poor branches are getting trampled by passerbyers, stifled from the warmth and nourishment from the Son by the well-meaning branches already thriving overhead. And they don't stand much of a chance.

Oh, but then. But then.

The Loving Vinedresser sees these worn, tired branches pressed down deep into the dirt. And what does He do? He oh-so-graciously, oh-so-tenderly reaches down-- into the filth and grime and shame-- and He washes off each leaf, lovingly binding it up close to the Heart of the Vine. He binds this seemingly forgotten branch up where it is able to be sheltered and nourished and strengthened, where this branch can now safely and confidently begin to bear fruit once again. Fruit fit for the Master's table.

*sigh*

Isn't that just the breath of fresh air that every heart has needed at some point in our journey? Who among us hasn't felt like that forgotten, withered, fruitless branch? And just. like. that. The Vinedresser comes alongside and washes away our dirt and bugs, He scrubs away the grime of life-- and sometimes that is uncomfortable. But it is always best. And He is determined to keep us close to the Vine. Close so that we can bear fruit and thrive! Close so that we can abide.

And now that I know the tenderness of this act of "taking away"-- taking away from the dirt, taking away from the trampling, taking away from the loneliness of being far from the Vine-- I now look forward to "stumbling" upon John 15, whether in my own quiet time with the Lord or during a Bible lesson in the Lord's House. I love being reminded of the care that my Vinedresser has. For me.

How this verse now whispers in my heart and brings to my mind the desperate plea of the hymn writer of old:

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;

The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;

When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.

Jesus, take me away.

Winter Storage

2015-09-06T14:44:00.002-07:00

Filling my pantry and freezer with tasty treats for future days gives me an abnormally high sense of satisfaction and enjoyment. Absolutely LOVE seeing rows and rows of those red tomatoes, golden peaches, and spicy salsas. There's something oddly thrilling about opening up that freezer door and seeing shelf after shelf stocked full of summer goodness and baked treasures.

So that's what I spent my last weekend of non-teaching freedom doing: putting a few more treats in the freezer. I have a few plans for a few more before the teaching plunge begins, but I am quite happy with what I put up this past season-- especially when I comfort myself with the reminder of being on near-constant bed rest for almost 7 weeks of this fabulous summer break.

If you follow me much, you are already aware of my fan-tabulous jams and salsas that I loved making (and tasting!). If you missed it, feel free to catch up ---> here and here or even here. But if you just want that sweet [eh, ehhhh... see what I did there?!] reminder, here's a few photos:

Here we have the always popular peach and plum jams {can we say: pb&j for days?!}

Also a crowd favorite are the fruity salsas and canned ~~sunshine~~ peaches!

My newest love... tomato jam, with stewed tomatoes singing back up.

A peak at that yummy salsa with a tease of cinnamon stick in the spiced peaches...

Never before seen footage: mixed berry oatmeal bars. I cut these yummies into little bars, wrapped each one up, and stuck the whole lot of them into a freezer bag. Ready for school lunches!

What to do with that "cannot resist a deal from the farmer's market" box of tomatoes? Well, let's roast 'em and freeze 'em! This was my inspiration, and I loved it!

If you are ever on a game show, and the host asks you:

"What is the #1 way to single-handedly sabotage the diet of Leah Gibson?"

Here is your simple reply: carbs. The answer is always carbs.

So, naturally. I had to make some and freeze some. I am of the strong opinion that I could put just about anything in a fresh piece of naan or wrap it up in one of my soft, dreamy tortillas, dunk it in a zippy dip, and call it a win! [*No data has been collected for this claim. Views and opinions are based solely on the personal experiences and preferences of this blog writer.]

Who knew you could freeze whole tomatoes?! Not this girl, that's for sure. But I gave it a whirl this year! I cored these puppies, then popped them right in a freezer bag. [Also, as a disclaimer: I did use a straw to suck out ever last little bit of air that is humanly possible from each of those freezer bags. I regret nothing.]

So, there you have it. All these yummy treats help me look forward to those long days ahead. There is no greater joy to my heart than having yummers for all the tummers of my sweet Gibson Gang!

But I don't want to

2015-09-04T07:05:00.002-07:00

I have three sweet precious gifts from the most Gracious God. These babies fill my heart and day with more joy than I could ever have imagined was possible. They have an innocent hope and zest for life that often causes me to just catch my breath with the deepest of love.

However.

As every parent out there is able to give a witness, in addition to the countless hours of blessings and love and joy, there are also times when these precious Sweet Ones can work a nerve.

My youngest Sweet One is currently two years old. [And I don't even have to write anything else for every person who has ever had the briefest interaction with a two-year-old to understand exactly what "currently two years old" means.] And added to the standard "currently a two year old" package, someone decided to upgrade to "also a miracle baby" with a side of "yep, he's the youngest". So. We are getting the opportunity for a LOT of learning moments in la casa de Gibson these days.

One of the things that both annoys and entertains me simultaniously is the moments when I have asked this Sweet Sweet to hand me something-- perhaps he has something that he shouldn't, or it is time to put away a toy or a cup or a blow torch. [I'm kidding. We don't let our kiddos play with the blow torches until they're at least seven. Kidding.] And this is usually how the exchange goes:

Mama: Hand the cup to mama.
Sweet Sweet: [throws it to the floor, directly beside him/me]
Mama: Samuel, pick it up and hand it to mama.
Sweet Sweet: [weeping]
Mama: Samuel, pick up the cup and hand it to mama.

More weeping, pointing to said cup, and unintelligible moaning that I can only assume is an attempt to explain why he couldn't possibly pick up the cup.

Mama: [taking the Sweet Sweet by his hand, gently pulling the hand towards the cup] Pick. Up. This. Cup. Please.

Suddenly, my Sweet Sweet has lost all use of his fingers. Suddenly, his hand no longer possesses the fine motor skills needed to grasp a small object. I literally have his hand on the cup. And he literally will not grasp the cup.

More weeping. More moaning.

Mama: Buddy. It is right there. Pick up the cup.

What is the miraculous healing for loss of motor skills? For my precious Sweet Sweet, his healing comes with an ever slight *smack* to the cutest, chubbiest little thighs you've ever seen. Granted, there is still weeping, possibly even an additional moan or two, but he picks up the cup and {grudgingly} hands it to me.

I share these moments from my Sweet Ones because I also want to share how it relates to my own heart and life. As I have been spending my time with the Lord in recent days, my heart has felt quite a bit like Samuel-- there has been weeping, pointing, and unintelligible moaning. I don't want to pick up my "cup". It doesn't matter that it is right there. I don't wanna. It's not that I have suddenly lost the ability to do what needs to be done. No, the bottom line is that I have a sinful, willful heart. And I simply don't want to do it. I would rather grunt and groan and weep than take that big step into obedience.

But Jesus is working on that with me, every so graciously as He is prone to do. In fact, I have had several different "themes" that I have used to help keep me on the right track in recent years. One year, it was #theyearofthanks. Most recently, it was #unshakable. As I've been considering what to select for this new school year, if I was honest, it would be #theyearofpitchingafit. (I told you I didn't want to pick up my cup!)

But then the Lord gives my not-so-cute-but-unfortunatly-just-as-chubby ~~thighs~~ heart an ever slight *smack*. My most recent smack came through the words of a gorgeous, conviction-packed worship hymn. You might be familiar with it: "O Great God". If you haven't heard it, or it's been a while, or even if you just need a loving *smack* to your cute little ~~thighs~~ heart, take a moment to listen...

I don't think it is by any accident that the frame that is frozen there as the visual for the video are the very words that were the much-needed and loving *smack* from my Heavenly Father.

Keep my heart and guard my soul...

You are worthy to be praised with my every thought and deed.

I need to give my heart and will and soul to the One Who is able to guard me from the evils that I will and do face each day. I need to be reminded that no matter what is happening in my life at any given moment, as a Child of the King, my one task is to glorify the Lord-- and to have Him be glorified through me.

So instead of #theyearofpitchingafit, the Lord has gently encouraged my heart to instead focus on #lookingforthanks. This is something that I will need to learn, day after day. And I learn by practicing it-- even if I don't want to do it. I look for ways to be thankful.

Isaiah 1:17 says, "Learn to do good..."

Amos 5:14 further exhorts, "Seek good and not evil, that you may live; So the Lord God of hosts will be with you..."

So take a deep breath.
Put on your big girl pants.
Remember that training is never easy.

And for the love of all that is holy:

Pick. Up. The. Cup.

Not "the cup". No, this is mama's-- he has no problem picking up THAT one! ;)

Spiced Peaches and Jesus

2015-08-08T18:18:00.000-07:00

If your brain is even slightly less mushy than mine is these days, you may recall that I shared several different links to recipes that I either had just tried or was looking forward to trying in the near future.

Well.... drum roll, please......

I have FINISHED canning every single piece of produce in my kitchen at this moment in time.

Thank you... thank you... thank you...

I woke up this morning with grit and determination. Well... perhaps that's over-selling it a bit... But I did realize that if I was going to get the remainder of tomatoes and peaches into a state of preservation, today was that day.

Now, before I get to the good news, I'm going to need you to brace yourself for some pretty depressing information. [Are you sitting down?] Whilst I was doing all that browsing the other day, I remember reading about a woman sharing that she was canning [tomatoes, I believe it was] and heard the most horrifying sound a hard-working gal can hear: the sound of a well-packed jar burst or crack in the canner/water bath. (You know why you're sitting down now, don't you?)

I didn't have many tomatoes leftover from all that raspberry peach salsa and "regular ole' tomatoes" canning. However, I had just enough. Normal people would've probably split those blanched, peeled, and diced tomatoes into two separate jars-- you know, so that they were certain to have room for that hot water and such that keeps the jar nice and warm before placing into a hot water bath to can... But I'm not really accused of being normal too often-- competitive, yes. Normal, no. So I jammed every last one of those pieces into my one, lonely jar. I thought the jar was still warm enough from the sanitizing. But, alas. It was not. I placed it in the pot to begin the process, and I heard that "pop" that no one wants to hear. And I knew. Oh, mercy. I. Knew.

And do you wanna know what happened right in that moment?

[Since this is my blog, and I'm the author I'm going to go ahead and tell you.]

Jesus happened.

I'm all about some honesty, so I feel compelled to confess that I believe the Lord uses ordinary things to teach extraordinary lessons-- especially to the mama. As I was skimming through that article last week, and as I read about this fellow-preserver's misfortune, I kind of brushed it off and read on. Now that I am looking back to that moment {read: that moment flashed before my eyes!}, I realized that without even intending to, I had allowed a seed of pride to burrow right on into my heart. I actually remember thinking, "Huh. That's never happened to me." You're following, aren't you? And as the Lord brought those feelings to my mind, a certain passage of Scripture rushed my heart-- convicting me right to the core, twinging my little spirit more than a little bit.

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican." ~Luke 18:11

Now, you may be thinking, "Um, Leah. Pretty sure you're taking a little too much creative liberty with the Text..." However, I instead like to see it as a precious teaching moment from a loving Father Who is concerned with every detail of my life. Even that packed jar of tomatoes. Which, for the record, was so well packed that even after the bottom of the jar cracked off in a perfect sort of "lid", not a 'mater slipped out.

So I did what any mama who longs for peace in an already jam-packed heart (no pun intended!) does. I bowed my head, paused my sticky fingers, and breathed out my millionth prayer for grace today. Amazing Grace. How sweet the sound. I love it when I'm right with the Savior. I love it when the Holy Spirit prompts me of things with which need to be dealt. And here's my favorite: I love it when I'm actually listening.

Now, on to those peaches! Yum. Once again, I find myself looking forward with expectant hope to winter days. The original intent for the spiced peaches undertaking has always been with the thought of a sweet, fragrant topping to a warm dish of oatmeal on a cold, snowy morning. Mmm... I can almost smell that welcoming breakfast. I stuck to the original recipe as best as I could-- especially with the vision of that lost tomato jar still fresh in my mind! But you know I had to add a few tweaks and twists to make it my own.

~I only used cinnamon sticks and whole all spice as the spices for this recipe. (Mostly because it's all I had! ;) )

~While warming the honey/sugar/water mix, I added several cinnamon sticks and whole all spice right into the pot. I wanted those flavors to permeate the syrup, even before canning.

~I did add one cinnamon stick per jar, plus just a few all spice.

~Since my plan is to use these yummers for a topping, I just went ahead and diced up the peaches now, you know, since the more realistic picture is me dashing around getting ready for school or church!

~You may notice that this recipe yielded 5 quart jars of adequately packed peaches as well as one pint-sized jar of the leftover syrup. It was so. good. that I just couldn't in good conscience throw it out. I didn't really have any use for it in this present moment; so I decided to can it for use in the fall for some yummy spicy peach sweet tea. Oh, mercy. My only regret is that I didn't include a cinnamon stick in the jar of syrup as well. But, live and learn.

This recipe was so delish that I am almost [almost, sweet hubby] tempted to snag another batch of those fresh, juicy peaches from my Farmer's Market. Almost.

For a point of reference...

2015-08-02T18:51:00.000-07:00

... I am writing this little post just so that I won't have to hunt for 479 hours the next time I would like to make some of my treats from recent days!

I posted a recipe for raspberry peach salsa just a few days ago. However, due to an unplanned amount of already peeled and prepped peaches (but not enough to make the originally scheduled recipe which I shall share in just a few moments), I found myself in a "what to do? what. to. do?!" moment. Add to that the ever-present pressure of a Sunday afternoon clock, mocking and taunting me as the minutes slipped by-- all the while knowing that the Sunday evening Bible study time was drawing closer and closer. And, since I happen to be super close to and fond of the pastor {he's my hubby, if you don't know!}. Well... I figured I should just get this show on the road. So after frantically searching-- and getting sidetracked by all those botulism articles. Gack!-- I stumbled upon this lovely recipe that had an over-balance of the peach to tomato ratio. There were just a few alterations that I made, but I mostly followed this fruit-i-licious salsa to the "t"!

Peach Raspberry Salsa

*I only had 4 cups of peaches prepped for use, so I added 2 cups of fresh red raspberries to equal out the 6 total cups of fruit that was called for in the recipe.
*I did not use any peppers as listed, but instead added about 2 tablespoons of pickled jalapenos.
*Naturally, if I'm not putting in any diced peppers, you know the cayenne isn't gonna make the cut. But because I wanted to have just that little hint o' heat, I did add about one teaspoon of kick'n chicken seasoning.
*I used one capful of dried cilantro, as I did not have any fresh currently in my house.
*I added a small can of tomato paste, which is my new secret weapon for making salsa. I have no idea how I even made salsa in the past?!
*Because of adding the tomato paste, I also needed to add about 2 teaspoons of salt. However! Make sure to go with the "less is more" policy when adding salt-- since once you add it in, there is no turning back.
*Because of the previously mentioned "gack!" moments {not gonna lie: I spent far too much time following link after link on the dangers and horrors that is botulism}, I decided to up the ante of lime juice {of the bottled sort, of course!} from 1 teaspoon to three. Naturally...
*In regards to the vinegar, I have this lovely honey infused balsamic vinegar that I wagered would pair so nicely with honey listed in the original recipe. However, I used half and half of the balsamic with white vinegar-- I didn't want it to be too overpowering.

Yes, I am chuckling at myself as I mentioned that I just made a "few" adjustments... and then typed out this long list. Yet, I will hold to the fact that if you've ever been out to eat with me, you will indeed agree that this is "just a few" changes! My kiddos really loved it, too. In fact, my two-year-old Sweet Sweet kept eating it by the spoonful and wept when I cut him off. (#truestory) I personally love how extra peaceh-y this version is. Since there were far more cups of fruit to the usual tomato, it is very light and refreshing with a juicy peach in every bite. As can be seen here:

In case you're wondering, yes.
Yes, I did put that luscious spoonful right into my mouth.

The original intent when I began to blanch and (attempt to-- which therein lies the dilemma wherewith I found myself!) peel my not-ripe-enough peaches was to make a delectable batch of...

Honey Spiced Peaches!

As of the time of jotting down my thoughts in this original post, I have yet to make said spiced peaches. So I can not report as to whether or not-- or more probable: "to what extent"-- I altered the original recipe. However, I can tell you that currently in my spice cabinet (which is a hot. mess.) I do not have any whole cloves. So, unless I feel super inspired to visit ~~the den of Satan~~ Wal-Mart any more than is humanly necessary, I will probably leave those puppies out.

Sweet Tomato Jam

OK, if you've never had this, settle down. Stop your gagging sounds and for heaven's sake, stop scrolling and come back to me. It is: divine. It takes forever to cook it all down, and the batch (probably) won't be huge. But, mercy. Mercy, me. It is a scrumptiously delectable burst of tomato-y sweetness getting all happy in your mouth! I have visions of tiny slices of crusty bread smothered with soft cheese and then topped with my tangy tomato jam. *sigh* I can't believe I'm wishing for winter...

Moving along.

I think the link I embedded here is the one I started off trying to use. But I ended up "tweaking" it...

*I only used honey, brown sugar, lime juice, and a little salt.
*I added about a teaspoon (?) of that a fore mentioned Kick'n Chicken seasoning.
*This stuff has to cook down for a long time. I mean: a looooong. stinkin'. time.

The front row is the delightful jam, and behind it are jars of plain ole' regular 'maters
that are jealous that they didn't get to be jam.

So that's it for now. Hopefully I'll be able to come back for an update on the whole spiced peaches deal. Any thoughts on whether or not the recipe will be modified or will I be brave and just follow the rules?! Stay tuned... *cue: scary music*...

Raspberry Peach Salsa

2015-07-31T20:07:00.001-07:00

First of all, before I tell you anything about this new creation that is actually currently in my water bath, processing and getting ready for winter, I'd like to let you in on a little secret:

If you would like to simultaneously give me both a heart attack AND a stroke, feel free to stop on by my house sometime in the very near future-- preferably unannounced, of course. Our precious parsonage is laid out where the very first thing you see upon crossing the threshold of the entryway into la casa de Gibson is the kitchen. As in, when you walk in the door... *ta-da!!!* You are IN the kitchen. And my kitchen is currently in a state that looks like a cross between a strong struggle at the farmer's market and a canning jar plant gone terribly wrong. I mean, not only am I trying to NOT work too much so as to undo all the medical work I had done this summer, but I am also trying to still maintain some semblance of homemaking and winter planning. And sometimes I am simultaneously wrangling one or more of my three precious sweet ones.

(In fact, I don't even have any "these are the steps and process for making my delectable salsa" pictures-- because who in their right mind is able to keep the two year old OUT of the kitchen, away from the plethora of boiling cauldrons, along with passing out snacks to the 5 yr and 7 yr olds, all the while managing to blanch, peel, chop, and measure tomatoes AND take step by step photos?!)

I mean, I'm so horrified at the thought of you just dropping on by that not only do I not have the courage to post a picture of what my kitchen actually looks like right now, I can't even handle the thought of taking a picture (I mean, who wants that kind of documentation floating around out there?!).

I'm certain this woman is deep in the thralls of canning season.

So now that that is outta the way... let me tell you about some summer yummers that happened amidst the natural chaos that is my life. Just the other day I shared with you the recipe for a delicious peach salsa, which is kind of giving me the stink eye every time I pass my pantry shelf. Admittedly, that particular recipe is rather spicy-- which I so very much enjoy. However, my sweet ones aren't quite as fond of the heat as their mama is. ;) So, I decided to put together a salsa just for them.

Before whipping up this sweet salsa, I put up 7 quarts of tomatoes. So I was already in the tomato blanch, peel, chop mode. It was only natural to flip on over to "salsa" mode.

Here's what you need:

8 cups peeled, diced tomatoes
1 pint of fresh red raspberries (12 oz.)
1 very large peach, peeled and diced
1 small onion, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 scant cup apple cider vinegar
4 tbls bottled lime juice
2 tbls honey
2 tbls brown sugar*
1 small (6 oz.) can tomato paste
2-3 tsp. salt*
2-3 tbls dried cilantro*
2 tbls dried oregano
1/2 tbls paprika
1/2 tbls cumin
1/2 tbls onion powder*

Add all ingredients EXCEPT raspberries into a stainless steel pot and mix until well incorporated. I let this mix get good and hot and then added the raspberries. The berries start to break down fairly quickly, so I didn't want to completely desecrate them before they had a chance to cook with all those friendly ingredients!

Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. By default (read: daddy was still outside pressure washing the utility building [oh, wait... did I forget to mention that earlier???] and all three sweet ones are still awake and loving life at 8:45 pm-- completely UNHEARD OF in my house if you know me!), I let the salsa simmer for about 20 minutes. I did give it a taste several different times, and I really liked how the raspberry flavor began to permeate the salsa.

You probably noticed that several of the ingredients are marked with an asterisk ***. The reason for that is because during the 20 minute simmering and sampling stage, I added a little more of each of those ingredients (I was originally only going to use honey, but I like the sweetness of brown sugar, so that's how that friend got invited to the party.). So, just do a little tasting and adjust according to your own personal needs. HOWEVER! Don't forget that as the salsa sits and waits for you, the herbs will become more pronounced. So don't get too terribly heavy-handed... unless you are a fan!

After simmering, portion into hot, clean pint-sized jars. Wipe the rim clean, leaving at least a half-inch head space. Add the clean lid and ring, hand tighten, and slip into a lovely water bath. Bring the water bath to a boil and process for 15-20 minutes. Carefully remove from your water bath and let cool on the counter.

Step back and admire your work! (And try not to bust into this sweet, tomato-y goodness!)

Final thoughts... You have probably noticed that there are zero peppers of any sort listed in the ingredients. This was not on accident. I, quite frankly, just didn't have it in me to find (and then worry about) a mild enough pepper for this salsa-- since it was put together with the sole purpose of having a special salsa for my young sweet ones. I just decided to leave them out. But between the cilantro and cumin and garlic, this salsa has a mighty tasty appeal to it (if I do say so myself!).

Peach Salsa!

2015-07-29T19:06:00.000-07:00

Every summer I get to pretend to be a stay at home mom. A teacher by trade, I am blessed and so privileged ~~and have earned every second with many sweat drops of blood~~ to have my summers off. And I love it. I love not fixing my hair. Or worrying about whether my shirt matches my sweat pants. And ponytails. I love my ponytails!!!

But I also love all the deliciousness that comes from summer harvests. My sweet parents always had a HUGE garden as we were growing up-- and they still do! You may remember that I have done my best to follow in those rather daunting footsteps if you've followed my ramblings for very long.

Missed that post? No problem! Just click right here ---->{here!}
to read about my past endeavors.

But this summer has been a little different. My sweet Samuel has been the gift that kept on giving {again, the back story is --> here ... and --> here } so I was given the opportunity for one more adventure... I had to have reconstructive surgery and abdominal repair, including fixing 5 hernias, at the end of June. So, yah. My summer gardening has NOT been what I had originally envisioned. However! There is always a silver lining. And that is why I'm writing this post.

Peach. Salsa.

We have a fanTAStic Farmer's Market, Ware Neck Produce, that has fanTAStic fruits and veggies. They had a fanTAStic sale on peaches this week, so if one basket is a good deal, 5 must be even better. Amiright?! As I was perusing the various goodies, I noticed that they also had a fanTAStic deal on 7.11 pounds of tomatoes in the bargain bin. So what's a gal to do?! After whipping up several (and I mean several) pints of peach jam, and knowing that I didn't want my 7.11 pounds of discount 'maters to go to waste, I decided upon some peach salsa.

After much debating and surfing, I decided upon a recipe from which I would base my peach salsa. I liked what I saw from this post, but I didn't have everything on the list. Naturally, I just improvised. I was VERY pleased with the outcome, and since I did such a "menu modification" (as my sweet hubby calls it), and I didn't want to forget what I had done for future canning adventures-- I give you a perfectly peachy treat. Without further adieu, here is my oh-so-scrumptious rendition of PEACH SALSA!

This is what you will need:

2 tbls. minced garlic

2 capfuls dried oregano

1 capful paprika

1 capful onion powder

1 capful ground cumin

2 capfuls dried cilantro

1 small can green chilies

2 tbls. diced jalapeno peppers

1 small can tomato paste

Along with:
(not pictured)

5 pounds fresh peaches (peeled and chopped)

8-9 pounds ripe tomatoes (skins removed and diced)

1 package of Mrs. Wages' Mild Salsa Mix

1/4 cup salt

1 cup vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar

In a rather large stainless steel pot, add your diced peaches. Add all the dried spices (including the salsa mix pouch). Then add in all those diced tomatoes. Mix well and finally add in that little can of tomato paste. Make sure everything is well incorporated. Give it a little taste. If you'd like it a little sweeter, add some more brown sugar! If you'd like a little more heat, add a few more peppers. However, I will tell you, that I love me some heat, and this combo here had a nice little zip to it! (That being said, feel free to leave out the green chiles and/or jalapeno peppers if ~~you're scared~~ you don't care for that much heat.)

Bring mixture to a nice boil and continue to stir. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes. You will notice a not so lovely "film" on top of your salsa, so with a spoon, just skim it off. Trust me. It's kind of gross. Just skim it and be done.

Portion salsa into hot, clean jars and after adding hot, clean lids and rings, place in water bath. Get that water boiling, and once the water is a rolling boil, set your timer for 30 minutes. Once that time is up, I usually turn off the heat, remove the lid from the pot, and set the timer for another 5 minutes, letting the jars rest in the water bath pot. After that additional 5 minutes, carefully remove the jars and wait for that glorious *pop* to let you know your salsa is perfectly safe and ready for winter-- if you can wait that long!

A couple of notes:

~If you need a little reminder on how to easily peel those peaches, check out this site.
~If you need a little reminder on how to easily peel those 'maters, you have a couple of different options if you head over to one of my favorite sites (and I always use "option one"!).
~This recipe made all those lovely jars you see pictured above, minus one portion in a jelly jar that I shared with a sweet friend from church. So, seven quarts and two pints of salsa are waiting to go on my pantry shelf.

Honor and Rejoicing

2015-05-11T09:19:00.000-07:00

It is with mixed emotions that I jot out my thoughts in these next few moments.

In the aftermath of mother's day, my heart is very heavy-- very full, but also very heavy.

Before I share my heart any further, I want to urge you to hear me out completely before passing judgment or even brushing me off with indifference or indignation.

Several years ago I came across an article that kind of rubbed me more than a little the wrong way. I can't remember who wrote the article, where I saw it, or even when it was exactly that I read it. But the essence of the article from the words of the author was her anguish as a single woman and having to sit through a Mother's Day service at church. She went on to share that one particular Mother's Day, she could stand it no longer, and when the pastor asked for all mothers to stand, so that they could honor these mothers, this woman chose to stand alongside the actual mothers. If memory serves me correctly, she even stated that she felt it was her right.

Here, therein is where my rubbing began.

On Veteran's Day, when we ask our veterans to stand as we honor them on this, their designated day, no one even thinks twice about how it isn't fair to all the other people who were not eligible to serve in the military. I've never read any passionate articles about how men or women felt so shunned by their exclusion that they were compelled to join in with the actual soldiers to have other people clap for them in appreciation for their service, for their fulfillment of the life that the Lord had called them. In fact, it is against the law to impersonate an officer-- with fines being paid and up to 3 years in prison. [Settle down, I am not saying that the a fore mentioned woman should go to jail.]

My point is this: we apply honor to whom honor is due.

Somehow in our culture and society of this day, we have made it acceptable and even noteworthy for those persons who have had their feelings hurt or feel "left out" to climb up on their mountainous soapbox and boisterously proclaim that because they have been excluded from a particular group or activity, then no one should be allowed to participate in that particular group or activity.

And, most sad of all to my heart is this: it is strikingly prevalent in the church. Oh, we are all about weeping with those who weep. I mean, we will send cards of sympathy, bake those casseroles, and pray fervently for a loss or defeat or devastation. All the while, weeping sympathetically with our brother or sister.

However. Oh, how.e.ver. We are quick to neglect or forget or overlook the second part of that verse.

Rejoice with those who rejoice.

That's the hard one. And this struggle isn't something that is new. Remember Cain and Abel? Oh, there was plenty of weeping. Anybody rejoicing with Abel on his acceptance from God? Um, no.

So that brings me back to Mother's Day. Do you know what was at the forefront of my mind most of this special day? Was it my mother and all the wonderful things that she has sacrificed and given and taught and loved and shown and lived for so many throughout her lifetime? Was it my mother-in-law who painstakingly and relentlessly determined to rear and train three sons, all on her own without any assistance from father or government? Was my mind filled with my own three sweet blessings and all that the Lord had brought me through, saving lives and sparing children?

No.

My mind was filled-- and reminded as I scrolled through all sorts of social media-- with the inflicted guilt that the Lord has ordained my steps in one particular direction and ordained the steps of others in a different path. A path that was not the choice of so many. A path that seems so empty and not at all what had been planned in the mind for so long.

I felt guilty even sharing pictures of my sweet children and all they did to honor me. I felt guilty wishing others "happy mother's day!" as I went to church. I even looked around guiltily when others wished me "happy mother's day!", fearing that someone would overhear and be offended with my joy and title and task entrusted to me and asked of me by the Lord.

And you know what? That isn't right. [Also, you thought I had offended you in the previous statements? Hang on, it's about to get worse.]

When you complain about how unfair it is that you aren't a mother and how insensitive it is for me to rejoice in my motherhood, what you are actually saying is this:

"God, You don't know what You're doing. You made a mistake with my life. It isn't fair for her to show her joy and rejoice in her calling."

I don't say this out of spite or resentment or "better than thou" ideas. I say this because it is what God's Word says. How can Ephesians command us to honor our mothers, but then you plead with all those around you not to rejoice in their motherhood? How can Romans urge the Body to rejoice with others, but then you get to determine about what we are to rejoice with others?

So, on this first day of a new year before the next Mother's Day, I would urge you, sweet friend. Ask the Lord to help you to be content with the life that He has intimately and intricately predestined. For you. Ask the Lord to strengthen the hearts and arms and minds of those mothers that you envy. Their work is hard. The Evil One would love nothing more than to snatch the souls of their sweet ones away from the arms of the Father.

Encourage the Body. Edify the Saints. Exercise your gifts. Enjoy your life.

And in conclusion, without any sort of guilt or remorse, I boldly share with you the sweet souls that the Lord has entrusted to me to train and lead and guide for eternity:

Will you pray with me that as they come behind me,

they will find their Mama to be faithful?

Advice for the new mom, old mom, tired mom, single mom, I'm-not-a-mom, and everyone else out there

2015-05-05T08:47:00.000-07:00

Live in your moment.

Because this is the moment that God has given

to you.

Don't look back, don't look outside.
Don't compare, don't resent.

Look to Him.

Believe that He has given you just what you need

and kept from you that which is not best.

So, remember:

Live.

In.

YOUR.

moment.

Kinda like this.

Sweet Birthday Boy

2015-05-01T12:23:00.001-07:00

I'm officially old. I mean, not like "97 and ready for a nursing home" old, but... well, to the point in my life where I totally get that warning I was given just a few years ago:

Be careful! The time just flies on by you without you even knowing it.

Wow.zers.

My sweet baby boy just turned two a couple days ago. Where did two years... of my life-- of his life-- just go?!

This kid cracks me right up... He was so proud of his skills.

But God is good. My Samuel is a precious visual reminder of the reward of trusting in the divine plan of a Loving God. And these have been good years. Two hard, life-changing, grace-filled, good years.

We had originally planned to go back to the hospital to give cupcakes to our God-given helpers. However, one of my sweet ones had pink eye-- and my very wise hubby suggested that perhaps taking a pink-eyed child to the ICU wasn't the most thoughtful of gestures-- even if I had cupcakes.

Sweet birthday boy in his sweet birthday shirt. Loves that Monkey!

So, instead we decided to have a fantastic family day. Our day started with a yummy breakfast-- pancakes are my Sweet Sweet's favorite, you know. After that, we braved Target, allowing the two big ones to select the most perfect gift for the littlest-- a drum set and a car driving steering wheel. Pretty sure there were a couple of new balls thrown in the shopping cart, too. I mean, what's a trip to Target without purchasing at least 7 items you don't really need?!

We grabbed the most perfect cupcake cake for my ball-loving little man:

Being the very wise mama that I am, we saved it to share with all of his friends at church (you know, so mama didn't have 2 dozen cupcakes topped with 3 gallons of icing hanging around my house all day Saturday).

Yah, he loved it. And I let him eat an entire cupcake. And frosting.

The day before his birthday was a bit of a celebration as mama and the two boys went on a field trip to The Virginia Living Museum. So fantastic. This sweet boy's eyes were so busy, watching and looking and learning.

Love those little fingers, touching and learning.

What kind of a mom be if we didn't get a treat?!

Sweet brother wanted to make sure to get some gifts for the pink-eye sister.

But life is good. No, God is good. My sweet Samuel reminds me of this. My sweet, snuggly, spoiled-rotten gift from God. He is the one who God hears. May I train him to listen to God.

Perfectly Perfect Potato Soup

2015-02-24T07:46:00.001-08:00

I love soup. And potatoes. And cream. And cheese. (And Jesus and the Man of my Dreams and my Sweet Ones, but that's not part of the recipe! ;) )

I have to first warn you that this is a picture-less post. Very unlike me, I know. I am all about the visual. However, I didn't take a single picture. Partly because of the madness that is my life and partly because there wasn't any soup left. (If you're wondering, no. No, I do not feel any guilt, remorse, or shame in that fact.)

Moving along... I will also confess that I have tried and used a LOT of different potato soup recipes. Most of which I have been very happy and satisfied with the results. However, I just always felt like there was something....more... that was missing. And I do believe you will agree with me that this recipe here is indeed the nearest to comfort-y perfection that one can possibly hope to attain this side of glory. Perfect for this deliciously wonderful and snowy weather we have been having. And while it may seem like an overstatement or a bit redundant in the title, I can assure you that once you make this soup, you will know exactly why I had to include an extra "perfect".

So here you go:

Perfectly Perfect Potato Soup
adapted from this recipe

6 strips of bacon, cut into little pieces
1 cup tiny, shredded carrots (meaning, shred those carrots a LOT)
1/2 onion, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
Cracked black pepper to taste
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (TASTE before adding too much)
6-8 red-skinned potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons chicken (or veggie) bouillon
6-7 cups hot water
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk (I used 2% milk)
1/2 heavy whipping cream (no, seriously. you need this)
Shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (freshly shredded is best!)

Now, before beginning, I wanted to mention that for my vegetarian friends out there... you can skip this first step (and ingredient! ;) ) and just use a couple swirls of olive oil. I didn't, but you can. And I am certain it will still be perfectly perfect.

Turn a big pot on over medium-high heat. Add those chopped up strips of bacon. In case you are already starting to panic, all I do is pull out 6 strips of bacon, hold them with one hand, and then cut off about a half-inch sized pieces with my handy, dandy kitchen scissors. Let that bacon sizzle away, but give it a stir ever so often to make sure it gets crispy all over.

Meanwhile, get your trusty kitchen chopper. If you don't have one of these, you should really invest. The one I have is an older version of the one in the link (yes, I have a little twinge of gadget envy). I put about 6 or 8 (?) baby carrots in the cup and then-- to quote my mother-- desecrated them. That's the way she would always convey that we needed to chop something up super fine and tiny. So, yah. Desecrate those carrots.

Go stir your bacon. You want it nice and crispy, so leave it a little bit longer.

If you don't have an already diced onion from your freezer, go ahead and put that onion in the little kitchen chopper (after taking out the carrots, of course). No one likes a lonely half onion, so dice that side up, too, and double bag it to toss in the freezer for the NEXT time you make this soup.

Dice up your celery, too. I have never tried the celery in the chopper, but somehow I don't mind dicing the celery by hand. By this time, your bacon should be just about finished. With a slotted spoon, carefully remove all of those little crispy bits and let them rest on a paper towel lined plate.

LEAVE the bacon grease in the pan. Leave. It. All of it.

Add the carrots, and let them saute for about 5 minutes or so. Stir periodically. You know, in between removing your 22 month old from the trash can and helping your 5 year old with her homework.

After the carrots have been hanging out for a while, add the onions and the celery. Now, I like to let my veggies get really soft during the sauteing process as I feel like this is the "do or die" time for them to actually get soft. Once I add the liquid, it just doesn't get 'em like I like 'em. After about 5 more minutes, add your garlic. I can not abide burned garlic, so I do a lot of stirring at this point. Granted, there is usually more trashcan removing and homework helping, but I do my best.

Add the diced potatoes to the mix. No, you did not miss a step. No, I didn't miss a step. Add the potatoes to the other veggies withOUT all the liquid. (Yet.) Stir the mix up "right good" and let it cook down for about 10 minutes, stirring periodically. You know, trashcan and all that. (Yes, that boy is obsessed with my trashcan. God only knows what treasures have been thrown away when I wasn't looking!)

Once the potatoes are starting to be tempted to stick to the bottom of the pan, add your paprika and oregano. Stir it up. Then add the bouillon. Then add your hot water. I only say "hot water" because I use my Keurig to make hot water and dump it right into my pot. Put a lid on it and let it simmer gently. Leave it be until the potatoes are starting to get tender.

Once the taters are soft, whisk together the flour and milk. Add that mix to the pot, stirring well. Let it simmer another 5 minutes. Then, remove about 3-4 cups of the soup (liquid and potatoes) and using a hand blender (or whatever blender strikes your fancy), puree well. Add the now-liquid back to the pot and stir. Now, add in that 1/2 cup heavy cream. Have. Mercy.

Go gather the sweet ones and get ready to dig in! We added the shredded cheese, bacon bits, and a dollop of sour cream. Well, of course we did. Should I also confess that in addition to the carby goodness of that creamy potato soup I also sopped it up with fresh ciabatta rolls? Too much? Nah, not in the slightest.

How I know your family (or just you!) will love this soup. Keep warm, my friends!

Yah, I know I said no pictures.

But do you SEE how cute they are?!

I mean, seriously.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

2015-01-30T09:59:00.002-08:00

Did you hear me?

BBQ.

           Chicken.

                            PIZZA.

It's all together. At the same time. Land's sakes alive. I just made this and I already want to make it again. It is THAT GOOD! And... Oh.... AAAAAND: it is quick and [mostly] easy! Uh... can you say "win for the mama"?!

To offer a little background info, if you are my friend, you know that I am still continuing on this life-long journey of eating healthy, getting fit, and being the best mama I can be. And as a dear friend and I bemoan on a near daily basis: the struggle is real. So real. But it's my tree, and I am doing my best to also live my life in such a way that my sweet ones see the victory we have in resisting and resting. (But that's another post for another time...) That being said, I was craving pizza in a baaaaaad way. I know from personal experience, a little treat is better than complete denial. So, pizza it was for the Gibson Gang.

Ah, one more thing. If you've read and/or followed my blog very much, you might recall reading this post and my deep, undying love for this pizza crust. But the thing is, I didn't want pizza in 2-3 days. I wanted it NOW. So, I pulled out an old faithful recipe that I have used for years. I honestly have no idea where it originally came from before being scribbled on the back of a piece of paper, but I'm super happy that I have it! And now I'm sharing it with you. You're welcome.

QUICK and EASY PIZZA CRUST:
1 tablespoon yeast [I always use bread machine yeast]
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup warm water [If you are nervous as to what exactly that means, take a peek here]
2 tablespoons EVOO
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 to 3 cups of bread flour

BBQ CHICKEN TOPPINGS:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce
Block o' Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
Minced Garlic, optional (well, not in my house... but maybe in yours! ;) )

~If you have a pizza stone, put it in the oven now as you preheat your oven to 475*.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together and let it get all bubbly:

1 tablespoon yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup warm water

This should take about 5-10 minutes.

Then, once you are CERTAIN your yeast has proofed,
          add in the following:

2 tablespoons EVOO
1 teaspoon salt

Give it a quick whisk and then add one cup of bread flour. Whisk again, and then add one more cup of bread flour. With the dough hook attachment, turn on your Kitchen Aid mixer [I don't mean to sound pretentious, but that's the mixer I have and use. I've never made this with any other mixer, so please don't roll your eyes at me-- as I would do if I read that!].

Once the flour is incorporated, you will need to add some more flour. Probably close to 1/2 cup to another full cup. So in case you are wondering, you will use between 2 1/2 to 3 cups of bread flour total.

Allow the dough to mix on medium low. The dough should begin to form a ball and pull away from the sides of the bowl. If this is not happening after about a minute of mixing and all the flour is incorporated, gradually add a little more flour (letting it get mixed in) until a soft, smooth ball is forming.

Let it mix for five minutes, usually on a lower setting so that the mixer doesn't bounce off your counter. The dough should look smooth and soft. I usually pull it out of the bowl, squeeze all the dough off the dough hook, give the kiddos a taste, and then carefully form the dough into a ball. Put the dough back into the bowl and cover with a clean dish towel. Or it can be non-clean. There will be absolutely ZERO judgment coming from me. Stay strong, mama.

Anyway. Let the dough rest while you get the toppings ready. I had some chicken thighs that needed used, so I grilled up 3 or 4 boneless/skinless thighs in a stove-top pan. I sprinkled a little minced garlic in the EVOO before adding the thighs, added a dash of salt, pepper, and onion powder, and let them cook up thoroughly. I wish I could tell you how long this took, but with three littles running around, two of which were supposed to be practicing their piano and doing homework, and a hubby who currently has TWO infected wisdom teeth, well... I lost track of time. [But now you know why I needed that pizza!]

I cut up the chicken (With kitchen scissors. Oh, you don't know about that? Get some-- your life will never be the same! You're welcome.) and grated some Monterrey Jack cheese. All in all, I think I let my dough rise about 20-30 minutes (if that).

Then, on a well-floured surface [my kitchen table], carefully take the dough out of the bowl and place it onto the table. I usually kind of stretch the dough out a little bit, and then I have my sweet assistant help me roll out the dough.

From this recipe, I actually had one large-ish pizza crust (it filled out my pizza stone) and then three smaller rectangled pizzas. I also like to make the dough more of a medium to thin crust (you know, so I can eat more! ;) ).

After the dough has been stretched to the right size, carefully remove your pizza stone from the oven and carefully place the dough onto the stone. Then, dump some BBQ sauce onto said crust, sprinkle the garlic, cover with shredded cheese, and add the chopped up chicken. Put that puppy in the oven and let it bake for 8-10 minutes (I really start checking around 7 to make sure it doesn't get too done). Once it is sufficiently golden, melty, and delicious, remove from the oven and allow to rest/cool for about 10 minutes.

I usually have sheepish confessions, so here is the one for this post: I was so excited and involved in making this delightful creation that I didn't even take any pictures. In fact, the only picture I took was of the single, lonely slice that ~~I managed to resist~~ was left over for my child's lunch.

One. lonely. slice.

And you have no idea how much I wanted to eat it. Being the mama is not an easy job!

One Hour Rolls Intervention!

2015-01-27T11:27:00.001-08:00

I'm pretty sure I have shared this recipe before of my most favorite, loved, and go-to dinner rolls. I use them as dinner rolls, but also-- and often more frequently-- for larger sandwich buns. Nothing as yummy as sweet and spicy pulled pork barbeque, just spilling over the sides of a warm, yeasty bun. Have. Mercy.

I have also shared this delectable recipe with several of my dear friends. But, alas. They have not had any of the success with this recipe that I have! Which makes me super sad.

So I decided that a roll intervention was in order...

Without further ado ... I give you: step by step instructions for a successful one hour roll!

Ingredients:

1 c warm water

1/3 c sugar

1/3 c oil

2 Tbsp yeast

1 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

3 1/3 c flour [I always use bread flour]

In my Kitchen Aid mixer, I add 2 tablespoons of "bread machine yeast", 1/3 cup of good ole' regular sugar, and one cup of warm water.

*Now, this step is super important. This is what will make or break your bread (no pun intended!). I can honestly say that I have never used an actual thermometer to see what the temperature of my water is, but this is my method of testing my water for yeast is to stick my finger in it. If it makes me think, "Eeek! That's a bit warm!" I will add some more cold water. If it's too cool, and doesn't make me think about taking a bath in it, I add a little more hot water.

If your water is too hot, it will kill your yeast, and it doesn't matter how long you wait, it is not gonna happen for you. If your water is too cold, it will take forever to activate the yeast. I'll be honest and tell you that I've killed yeast before! It is not a crisis. (Though it annoys me b/c you won't really know until you've waited to see if the yeast has proofed. So than I have to start again, and it's longer before I get to sink my teeth into that yummy roll!)*

Here is what my mixture looked like after whisking the water, yeast, and sugar together.

If you look carefully, you can see that the liquid is thin and there are little "specks" in the mix.

I'm not a scientist, but I think it's the yeast/sugar particles getting ready to get happy! :)

Then you have to wait. I usually wait about 10 minutes (though often it's not that long-- but I know what to look for!). You will know that the mix has "proofed" because it will look frothy and thicker. Like this:

If you will notice, this is thicker looking with all those bubbles on top. Also, look at the side of the bowl... see how it left a creamy residue as I kind of "swished" it sideways to take the picture?

If your yeast mixture doesn't look like this after 10 minutes, you can either wait a few more minutes (to see if it just is a late bloomer) or toss it and start again, double-checking the temperature of your water.

Then, in a large measuring cup, I pour 1/3 cup of oil (I have used olive, vegetable, canola, and sunflower-- all are perfectly acceptable!), add one egg, and whisk them together. Then add the oil/egg mix to the yeast mix (which is waiting so patiently in my Kitchen Aid mixer bowl!). Notice how the oil kind of separates the creamy mixture?

I then sprinkle my salt on top and give it a good whisk. Next, add one cup of flour and whisk until smooth. After this, the mixture will be too thick to use the whisk, so don't even try. I just dump 2 more cups of flour into the mix, and then let the dough hook mix it all up. Now, you will probably have to add about 1/2 cup more flour to the mix to make sure it's not too sticky. If it looks like thick cake batter, you need more flour. If it's tacky, but stays together when you pry it out of the bowl with your flour covered hands, you're golden!

I always scrape it all out, gently roll it into a ball, and then put it back in the bowl to "rest" and rise for 15 minutes.

I always cover my bowl and put it on the back of the stove as I set the oven to preheat to 450*.

This helps it rise faster and more.

You will be able to see a difference in the dough after it has risen. It will look all puffy and delicious. To be honest, this is usually the stage where my sweet kiddos are kind of looking around, waiting for a taste of the dough. And mama usually obliges!

Yes, this sweet boy is saying, "Aaaaaah...." just waiting for a taste! :)

You can see the difference in letting the shaped buns rise for 10-15 minutes. Again, I cover them with a towel and put them on the back of the stove-top to utilize that heat from the oven.

Once you reach this stage, just pop this tray right into the oven. BUT! You need to then turn down the oven to 350*. I always heat my oven high so that the heat is really "ready" for baking. However, if you don't turn it down, you are in trouble.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. It usually takes a little closer to the 12 minute side with the larger buns so make sure that middle is done all the way. You want the tops to be nice and deeply golden brown.

Oh, don't you wish you could snatch one of these right off your screen?! I usually butter the tops of the rolls as soon as they come out. You know. 'Cause...butter. Yah. Plus, here's a tip: if you happen to over-bake them too much, the butter on the tops will keep them soft! I know, right?!

So there you have it! I hope that this step by step, pictures included, helps you find success in your baking endeavors. I love to bake and think there is something so special about homemade. Kind of like a warm hug all wrapped up in yeasty goodness!

Let me know how YOURS turn out!!!

One final motivational picture for your viewing pleasure... my super yummy cheeseburger!!!

Faux Pho!

2015-01-08T07:23:00.000-08:00

I love international food. I love comfort food. I love food. *grins* And as a little thought-for-free, I am also learning to love and even crave healthy food. Color me amazed, I know!

Seeing as most of the modern world is in the thralls of cold and flu season-- and our family is deep in that thrall-- I felt it would be appropriate and helpful to have some chicken soup up in la casa de Gibson. However, I also wanted something at least leaning towards the exciting side. So Old Mother ~~Hubbard~~ Gibson looked through my pantry and came up with this lovely concoction:

It was quick, it was easy, and it is DEEEEEE-LISH. Score. Now, keep in mind, I just grabbed things that I had, and I am an eye-baller by nature. So I will do my best to give as close as possible measurements. Just go with it...

Here's what you need:

1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 of an onion, diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
One "chunk" of rice noodles
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2-3 cups hot water
3 cups water, boiled and then removed from heat
Small bag of frozen peas

I cooked the thighs in a pan with a little salt, pepper, and onion powder. After they were finished, I took them out of the skillet, let them "rest" on a plate, and then used the same skillet to cook the veggies. (I saved the juices from the chicken and added it to the soup after it was all mixed.) After the chicken has slightly cooled, dice it up to add to the soup in just a few minutes.

In one tablespoon olive oil, saute the carrots, celery, and onion. I usually start with the carrots because they take longer to get soft, then add the celery and onion. Cook until tender and onion starts to be translucent. Then add garlic and cook a little longer (Don't burn your garlic. That is disgusting, in my humble opinion...). Add oregano and soy sauce, stirring well until mixed. Sprinkle dried bouillon and then add the 2 cups of hot water.

In a separate pan, bring the 3 cups of water to a boil, add the "chunk" of noodles and then remove from heat. I covered the pot and left for about 10 minutes. The noodles will soften and start to separate. Once the noodles have cooked, add the vegetable mix (from the other pan/pot) into the noodle pot. Do NOT drain the noodles... you need the water! :) Add in diced chicken and gently stir to incorporate and season to taste. Now, I believe at this point, I sprinkled a little more chicken bouillon into the pot and added just a touch of salt. But just taste it and adjust accordingly. The beautiful thing is that it's soup! So you can add more water if it's too strong (yay for my Keurig that gives me hot water at the touch of a button!!!) or more bouillon if it's not "soupy" tasting enough. And, again with my honesty: I didn't measure all of the water as I was brewing it and dumping it into the pot. I'm just trying to recall through my foggy brain how many "dumps" I did. Just taste it! :) And don't forget to add those drippings from your chicken thighs back into the soup for even more yummy flavor!!!

Once I dished up the soup for my sweet ones, I added some frozen peas to their bowls. The frozen peas cool down their soup without watering it down, thaws/cooks the peas, AND adds a little more veggie action to their meal. Eh, eh, eh... How great is THAT?!

After I took a picture of my soup,

the big kiddos asked me to take a picture of their soup, too.

Ellie said, "It makes me happy!" and Daniel said, "I want to look like I'm chewing."

There are no words for how much I love them.

I did dump the remainder of the bag of peas right into the pot after serving the sweet ones, leaving the soup on simmer before serving myself and my hubby (who actually didn't eat until almost 2 hours later because he was working in the office). It was so yummy. And I actually DID feel better after eating it.

I hope you love it as much as we did. There weren't any leftovers, so I can't tell you how it holds up the next day. However, what I can tell you is that I will definitely be making this again! :)

NOTE: I am aware that I stated "one chunk of rice noodles". Remember, I just used what I had... I had a previously opened package of noodles in a zip-lock bag, so I honestly don't even remember the brand that I used. However, I did weigh the noodles on a food scale before cooking, and the "chunk" weighed 5 ounces. I'm thinking it was half of a package similar to the one linked in the ingredients.

With such things as you have

2014-10-17T09:40:00.001-07:00

As most of you realize, I have three precious, wonderful, gifts from the Lord. My Sweet Ones. My babies. The loves of my life. I. Love. Them. No, seriously. There is so much love in my heart that I need a stronger word than simply "love" to describe and explain just how deeply, desperately I agape and phileo them.

They love each other. They love being with each other.

They love.

That is who they are,

and that is one of the things that just moves me to my very core,

every. single. time I look at them--

or even have a thought of them throughout my day.

In case you couldn't tell, the big ones are extra in love with the littlest.

*sigh*

But sometimes they drive me crazy. I mean: craaaaa.zzzzzzy. [And I am usually a big fan of NOT using extra letters to make a point, but there was no other option in my attempt to get across just how massive that level of crazy can get.]

How I look on the inside.

Yah, this pretty much sums it up rather nicely.

I told you: CRA.ZY.

Anywhoo....

I have been The Mama for about six and half glorious years to date. And up until just very recently, my prayers for my children and my mothering has been something similar to this:

Dear Jesus,

Please help me to be the mama that I need to be for my children. I just want them to be more like You. I want my babies to love Jesus and do what is right- no matter what. Lord, please help my sweet ones to listen and learn and become who you would have them to be. Father, PLEASE change them-- and me.

However, the Lord has stopped my heart. Right in its little tracks.

The Big Kids are both participating in soccer, so during practice I will frequently pass the time by pushing Littlest in his stroller-- more often than not rehearsing that little prayer over and over as I watch my Sweet One having the time of his life, but not really controlling his body as much as I would like. I would catch myself cringing so many times, trying to telepathically will my baby to behave as I had told and retold and reminded so many times. Shamefully, I spent most of this soccer season [they finish up in just a couple of week] focusing on and praying for my son to be someone else. Someone that *I* thought he needed to be.

And theeeeeeeere's the track-stopping.

I was pushing the Littlest, and I literally stopped in my tracks and started to weep as I listened to the Holy Spirit convict me to my innermost part.

"Be content with such things as you have."

"I have learned in whatsoever state I am in:

therewith to be content."

It was like the Spirit was saying to me: "Leah! Be content with who your child is right now. *I* will make him who he needs to be in *MY* timing, on *MY* terms."

And, immediately, I changed that familiar prayer. Without even realizing it, I was, in essence, presenting to God Almighty the mold and requirements of exactly who and what my children needed to be. You know, 'cause I'm so super smart and have it all together and all.

Instead, I looked at that lively child on the field and confidently prayed through my tears, "Lord, thank you for who that sweet boy is right now. Please help me to be content with who he is right now."

Then, the most remarkable thing happened. I started smiling as I watched. And every time he would jump up and down like a chicken (no, seriously) or roll around on the ground after having "fallen", I would stop my critical spirit and say, "Lord, thank You for who my son is. Please help me to be content with who is right now." I would cheer loudly and proudly, and simply enjoy the moment for what it was.

So while I am still training my children in the admonition of the Lord. And, obviously, there are consequences for unbiblical behaviors, but I am learning to just let them be. I am learning to ask myself if I am cranky with the behavior because it is sinful or because it is silly.

And how I pray that I will continue to listen to that Still, Small Voice as God the Holy Spirit seeks to lead The Mama-- even more than she wants Him to lead the Sweet Ones.

And, come on.

How can you not love that face?!

I am content with such things as I have.

Gibson Family Challenge

2014-08-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

Originally my plan was to post every couple of days about the different things we had committed to do as family for 30 days. But you may also remember that I had the ~~not so~~ brilliant idea to do 30 things for 30 days. [Every day I thanked the Lord that I listened to the Holy Spirit and did NOT do 30 things, but instead whittled my list down to a measly 11 items.] I was so busy with the challenge that there was no time for the blogging!

My favorite and most consistent goals were acts of kindness, missionary cards, and new recipes. So I thought I'd give a little recap of some of the great things we had going on...

Wonderful garden helpers!

Ellie Rose, learning how to cook some scrambled eggs.

Daniel was super excited to help snap some green beans.

Samuel has corn on the cob for the first time!
Verdict is in: LOVED IT!

Plum. Jam. (There are no words for how much I love this!)

This is the recipe that I used, but I left the peels on to enhance the flavor and color.

First comes the peach...

Then comes the jam...

Then comes a happy camper!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pancakes

This is the recipe that I loosely followed. Love butter beans!

One of our good friends from church works so faithfully,

so we made and delivered some fresh peanut butter cookies.

This recipe was truly perfect. I just added a splash of almond extract.

We made come muffins for the ladies in the finance office

of the dealership where we got our "new to us" cars.

Surprise birthday tea party for Ellie...

Cucumber dill sandwiches, angel food cake with peach topping,

Strawberry cream cheese sandwiches, and pink covered pretzels.

First try of canning tomatoes, sauce, and salsa.
Looking forward to winter! :)

Freezer full of strawberries, peaches, and blueberries.
Smoothies, anyone?!

I loved listening to my children pray for missionaries, friends, neighbors, and people we don't even know yet. Daniel and Ellie were so faithful to draw pictures, write notes, and send treats to a variety of people. I must admit that participating in acts of kindness is certainly something that I want to incorporate into a regular part of our family life-- perhaps on a weekly basis now that school is underway. I love seeing my children bless others!

Numero Uno (and two)...

2014-07-25T14:12:00.001-07:00

All-right-y! Let the games begin!

If you aren't quite sure what "the games" means, you can catch up by jumping over to this post!

First day of our challenge. As I thought about all the things on my personal challenge list (to begin with, I was grateful the Holy Spirit kept me from committing to THIRTY!), and then added in the three for our family, I thought that perhaps a daily blog post about every item on both lists might be a bit of an overkill. So I thought I'd just give some highlights every couple of days or so...

So here I go!

For some reason, I've always had this desire to try grilled watermelon. So yesterday, day one, was my day. I was super pumped. Yah... it was all right. I mean, I 'm not sure what exactly it was that I was expecting. But that wasn't it. I mean, it wasn't horrible. It just wasn't... well, it just wasn't. But it looks cool!

And if you want to try it for yourself, this is the recipe that I used. I did love the honey. And the salt. There was just something that was... off. I don't know. But it was new, so it counted!

In regards to the other aspects of our challenge, my kiddos were beyond cute when they were working on their cards and letters. The funniest moment for me was when the older two were being a little... over zealous, shall we say... in their excitement. I didn't want to squelch their passion, so I took a couple of deep breaths to gain perspective.

Daniel suddenly became very perplexed and says, "Oh, no. Mama, am I frustrating you?"

His sincerity took me so by surprise that all my tension just melted away. I was able to give a big belly laugh and assure him in total honesty, "No, baby. Mama's just trying to process it all!"

D and E selected our missionary for each day, we prayed for them, and then they began working on their cards to send to that missionary family. Well, that's what they were supposed to be doing. I had a lovely "grown up card" selected to send for part of my personal challenge; however, I somehow got momentarily distracted and set it down. When I came back, my sweet, tender, missionary daughter had already started writing a note on my special card. My initial reaction was to chide her for messing with my card instead [I thought!] of doing what I had asked her to do. However, when I asked her what she was doing, she says in the most urgent of voices, "But, mama! I'm writing my card for Cami to come to our church!"

"Please come to our church. Love, Ellie"

Now, I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but the burden my sweet Ellie has for one of her little friends from school is beyond convicting to this mama's heart. So I was thankful that my sweet Ellie Rose covered the "pass out a tract/tell someone about Jesus" part of our challenge! Without even having to be asked and outside of my planning.

Cards were written, colored, addressed, and sealed. We then proceeded to whip up a new recipe for blueberry muffins which we would be dropping off to some neighbors and invite them to church. [Um, do you SEE how many goals I knocked outta the park right there?!]

Such great helpers... they love to bake!

Please stop licking your screen. That's kind of tacky.

One of my favorite taste testers!

In case you can't read what it says, the inside of the card

(which was written all on the own of my sweet Daniel) reads,

"You are invited to Grace Bible Church. We hope you come to Grace Bible Church. From the Gibsons We are praying for you!"

Melt. My. Heart.

We gathered up all of our notes and cards and letters and muffins and headed out to make our stop. We had our plan that mama and the older kiddos would drop off the muffins and church info to the family while daddy and Samuel waited in the car. I was fairly certain that our visit would consist mostly of "We made you some muffins, please come to our church" and then we would be on our way.

But that's not exactly how it went. Yes, there is a great story is here. To begin with, when we pulled up the long-ish drive way and walked around the two parked cars, *poof* we suddenly came upon the owner of the house. Already talking with two lovely gentlemen in dress shirts and ties with "church literature".

And here I stand with my plate o' muffins and two little bright-eyed-and-bushy-tailed whippersnappers.

Color me awkward.

The long and the short of it is that I gave my little shpeel, "Hi! I know you moved in a couple months ago, but we wanted to drop by with some muffins as a sort of 'welcome to the neighborhood' kind of gesture. And we just wanted to invite you to our church, Grace Bible Church." All the while thinking, I'll just drop these off and we'll just slip away...

Not so.

Ask me how long we stayed. Go ahead. Ask me.

Twenty minutes. TWENTY.

But not with the "ties and shirts and church literature guys". They left kinda in a hurry. We met three of the six children, and my kiddos were elated. They played with all the animals; they took a nice ride on their tire swing; they played with these new friends as if they were in all actuality, old friends! Please pray that we will be able to have more contact with these new friends. Pray that our seed will truly fall upon fresh soil, watered and loved by a gracious Savior.

I'm not sure who was more blessed on this visit: us or our new friends!

Oh, and I did do my sit-ups, quiet time, and quality time, too!

30 Day Challenge

2014-07-24T13:07:00.001-07:00

So. Yah. I love numbers. And lists. And (apparently) challenges.

I only have 30 days until I go back to school (*sob*), so I thought I'd make 'em count!

Originally, as I was thinking about this idea, I thought I'd come up with a list of 30 things in 30 days-- meaning, I would do 30 things for 30 minutes every day for 30 days. (Yes, I realize there is medication for people like me). But then I realized that my list alone would account for a minimum of 15 hours a day... that is not including transition times or potty breaks. Soooo... hmmm... figured if I was gonna actually get everything done on my list for all 30 days, I should probably NOT follow that route.

So I narrowed it down to a few basic "these are really important to me" kind of topics, and this is what I've decided on for my challenge, things I will do every day for 30 days:

~30 minutes of quiet time
~30 minutes of journaling/writing
~30 minutes of swimming
~30 minutes of strength training/stretching
~30 sit-ups
~30 minutes of cleaning and/or sorting
~30 minutes of undivided time with my hubby
~30 minutes of outside time
~30 new recipes [one a day-- I'm not that cray cray]
~30 postcards [Again, one a day...]
~30 days of thanks

I'll be honest, even as I'm typing right now: part of me [a bigger chunk than probably would be considered "normal"] really desperately wants to make that list 30 items long. But I'll resist. Although, as an after thought, maybe I should add stifle one OCD compulsion each day... yah, I could do that longer than 30 days and keep it comin'...!

After ~~resisting the urge to be a psycho for 30 days~~ making my list, I talked it over with my hubby and our kiddos in a family meeting, and we decided that our family would have a list to finish our summer with purpose! My kiddos were pumped, and after much re-directing, we narrowed our family list to three things:

1. Perform 30 Acts of Kindness
2. Send an Encouragement Card to 30 Missionaries
3. Pass out 30 Gospel Tracts.

I'm excited to see how this will help our family reach out to our community as well as how the Lord will bless. I love the excitement of my sweet ones as they serve the Lord, and I can't wait to get started!

Anticipation

2014-07-21T12:40:00.001-07:00

I love to garden. I love flowers. I love veggies. I love to watch things grow.

My sweet ones love to help, too!

Yet, I will admit: I am not a patient person by nature. I am certainly a product of my generation. An instant gratification kind of gal. I plant my garden and want to see those red tomatoes............ right now. I expect to have those cucumbers in that vinegar making happy pickles....... yesterday.

But there is something to be said of the anticipation that goes into.... well, most of life. Checking those little plants each day. Carefully tending the garden. Waiting with expectant hope for new life to emerge, grow, and thrive.

So that's what I've been doing these past several weeks. Carefully tending my garden, watching for signs of new life and growth.

And this is what I've seen...

Some of my plants offer the hope of a hearty harvest. Some plants still have yet to blossom. I even have one tiny, precious tomato plant that is just barely 3 inches tall!

This was a seed that my sweet ones planted, and we have watched sprout on our front porch. I had great doubts as to if that thing had any life left in it at all-- but my babies believed! Still holding my breath as to whether or not we will actually see any fruit from this plant.

And as I carefully tend my little garden, the Spirit whispers to my soul.

I am a plant in the garden of life, and my Savior is the Master Gardener. He carefully nurtures, waters, and provides for each of us-- watching with expectant hope for our growth and production of that precious fruit. Sometimes I am filled with blossoms, lifting my leaves up to heaven, soaking up the Light of the Son. Other times there is no signs of any potential fruit, no blooms, only leaves. Yet, my Faithful Gardener continues to water, feed, and nurture my soul. With expectant hope.

Perhaps there are those who are even like that tiny seed that not many people thought would even sprout. Yet, Someone believed enough to care for them. To plant, to water, to nurture. When others wrote off a seed, the Savior saw a soul.

This little tomato plant has convicted and challenged my heart. The Spirit has nudged me, encouraging me to look with new eyes to those who might need that expectant hope. The Light of a Savior.

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

I Corinthians 3:6

Mmmmm!

2014-06-27T18:38:00.001-07:00

Hold on to your hat, kiddos. Mama is on summer VA.CA.TION!!!

Boy. How.deeee.

I love to cook-- actually, more bake than cook, but I really love to be in the kitchen. I love getting dinner ready; I love exploring new treats; I love introducing my sweet ones to new and exciting dishes. (I, however, do not love doing dishes.) And while I generally try to cook most of the time during the school year [I'm a teacher by trade, if you are new to the party], once summer break rolls around, well... my mixer, measuring cups, whisks, potholders, and oven get quite the workout!

Samuel didn't want to wear his bib.

Big Brother and Big Sister volunteered to demonstrate how great it is.

They are ready for some treats.

My kiddos and hubby are usually very adventurous with me, and all are ~~required~~ willing to try everything at least once. Usually when my sweet ones are having the privilege to try something that is not their first (or second or third or...) choice for dining, I help distract them by sharing various stories from the different missions' trips that I have taken over the years-- and all the different kinds of foods that I got to experience. Their favorite is my story of eating a fish head, complete with eyeballs, when serving in Togo, West Africa.

[And just for the record, of my husband's own admission, I have reeeaaaallly broadened his food palate, especially when it comes to shifting past the good ole' American meat and taters. Not that there's anything wrong with meat and taters...]

But this is not a post about adventurous foods. No fish heads here. No pig intestines there.

Today has been a super carb-filled delight of a day. I whipped up a batch of that delicious NY style pizza dough that I was talking about trying several weeks ago. It has become quite the favorite here at la casa de Gibson. I'll post a few pics of it once we get it all together. (In case you missed the post, this particular recipe requires a 3 day slow rise in the refrigerator.)

But what I did bake for our lunch tomorrow was THIS:

Ciabatta Rolls

If you have ever had any amount of interaction with me-- especially if said interaction involved any sort of conversation about food-- you will already know how desperately I love bread. Perhaps more than just food as a whole, bread is specifically my tree. And this bread is a powerful temptation! I made it with the intention of serving it tomorrow with my homemade chicken salad. Doesn't that look perfect? Crusty, chewy, yeasty, little chicken salad sandwiches. (We'll be eating around noon-ish; you are welcome to join us! ;) )

I also delight in whipping up some summer treats for the sweets. Since strawberry season has been upon us, and I had a delicious supply of strawberries just begging to be used, and those sweet babies were burning off some energy outside, I thought a batch of shortcake would be a perfect surprise for all of us!

I snapped this shot from the porch.

D and E are workin' as mechanics on their bikes.

This was a new recipe for me. Usually when I make strawberry shortcake, I make a drop biscuit; however, in this instance, the batter/dough is spread in a baking dish. As I have already shared, I love to be adventurous: so I decided to try something a little different. And that adventure paid off! This will be my new go-to recipe. It's simple, it's quick, and I generally have all the ingredients on hand. The only thing that I did differently from the original recipe was that I added about 3 tablespoons of sugar. And that was actually quite on accident-- I misread the recipe as I was attempting to entertain the Littlest in his high chair, grate the Parmesan cheese for the carbonara, plus keep an eye on the ciabatta dough working in the mixer so that it didn't dance right off my counter. (*That would've made me sad. Very, very sad.) But, in my opinion, it was a happy mistake! I like a hint o' sweetness in my shortcake, so I'll add it every time. Oh, and even though it said not to grease the pan, I was too afraid of ruining my delicious treat (for my sweets), so I greased 'er up anywho. I'll probably do that every time, too.

Crumbly on the top. Tender in the middle.

Delicious all the way through.

Sadly, I did not ~~take the time before snarfing it all down~~ take a picture. The one shared with you just above is actually some of the leftovers. Yes, there are leftovers. How proud are YOU of ME?! (Um, the right answer is: so very proud, Leah.)

So all in all, today was definitely an "mmmmmm!" kind of day. And I am happy to report that in spite of all those yummy treats I made, I still managed to (a) log all of my stuff onto MyFitnessPal and (b) stay under my calorie goal for the day!

Oh, and I also mowed all of the grass today.

Go. Mama.

How I love my Bible!

2014-06-25T11:52:00.003-07:00

Are you like me? Do you get emotionally attached to your Bible? I mean (and please don't think of me as unspiritual or shallow) not simply the inspired Word of God. [Yes, I am attached to that!] I mean your actual Bible. The version, edition, etc etc etc that you have used for who-know-how-long.

I had a friend in college who made a rather accurate and astute observation about the difference of how men and women view their Bibles and use their Bibles. This friend, who happens to be a guy, made the observation that women use their Bibles as a journal or a diary. And, I for one, can agree wholeheartedly with that statement!

I love recording-- and then stumbling upon and revisiting-- the different lessons and blessings that my Savior has walked through with me. [also may be read: dragged me through kicking and screaming, all the while knowing what is best for me and refusing to let me settle for less than His best.]

Anywhooo... I have a women's study Bible. I was going to post a link so you could see my Bible, but even after much too long a time of searching, I couldn't find my Bible. I know they have a newer edition, but I have used this one for so long that I just am not emotionally ready to move on. I have notes and covenants and prayers recorded along the columns and in between verses that are just too precious to my heart to simply start over in a "new" Bible. I have sermons my daddy has preached recorded all throughout the Scriptures. I have quotes and devotionals as well as triumphs, victories, and even some personal failures-- all written for me to remember one basic theme:

God. is. faithful. To me.

Yes, that is my maiden name written on the front.

Yes, there is a cup of hot tea in the picture.

That was on purpose. They usually go together.

Well, in recent days, my precious Book has started to come apart at the seams. I was afraid that I was going to have to retire this edition for another. But I searched and searched and came upon this helpful post about how to repair using Mod Podge. I was elated! :) However, my sweet hubby is beyond wonderful, and he added a few extra steps to ensure that my beloved Bible would last for many more years! Here are the tools you will need, pictured below. (Yes, that is a 10 lb. dumb bell!)

These are the valuable tools to keep your Bible/journal going strong!

You will need liquid Mod Podge, big rubber bands, two heavy weights, a board about the width of your binding, and thin paint brushes (oops! Left those out of the picture...).

I first carefully removed the "chunk" of pages that had come unattached (half of Psalms and all of Proverb, in case you were interested!), carefully brushed out any dirt or leftover residue from off of both the binding and the now completely detached pages. I want those puppies to stick! I then carefully painted a thin coat of the Mod Podge on both the Bible binding as well as the pages to go back in.

I took a deep breath and then lined up the pages carefully and pressed them back into the binding! Here's where my awesome hubby comes in... It was his idea/suggestion to press the strip of wood along the binding, add the rubber bands, and then place the weights on top of the Bible so that it would create that pressure and allow the glue to cure.

[I have to insert here a personal struggle that I had in that last step... We work very diligently to show the utmost respect and reverence to God's Word. My children have been trained from the very beginning of their days that we do not put God's Word on the ground; we do not put anything on top of God's Word; we are always very careful when handling this, the very God-breathed inspiration from a Holy Father to us, His children. That being said, my sweet hubby knew even before I said anything that I didn't really want to put those weights on top of my Bible. So he gently said, "It's all right, honey. You can put the weights on top." Love that man.]

And, I am super pleased to report: my Bible is securely bound and ready for more study! My Quiet Time this morning was all the more exciting to me because I didn't have to worry about losing the book of Proverbs or even further separate those chunks of Scripture.

So if you have a Bible that is falling apart-- and what's that they say: a Bible that is falling apart usually means a life that is not-- I encourage you to take heart, grab that Mod Podge, and put it all back together again!

PS~ I feel the need to add yet another sidenote. You may have noticed from the picture of my Bible that there is a cup stain on the cover. "But, Leah! You just said that we never put anything on top of God's Word!" Alas, you are correct. There IS a stain. It IS from a cup that was placed on top of my Sacred Book. I honestly do not remember when or how it happened. However, it serves as a visual reminder for me to show my children why we are so careful with God's Word!

Day... WHAT?!

2014-04-22T12:25:00.002-07:00

Sooo... if you've been following... or counting... or noticing.... or even just wondering...

TODAY is the official "ONE HUNDREDTH DAY" of my journey.

Confession time: I did really super at the beginning. Probably about the first 50 days were completely spot on. However, I am sad to report that I did not finish well.

Now, I could offer several valid explanations for why I fizzled:

Samuel was sick.

See how pitiful he looks?

*I* was sick...

My swimsuit needed... ah... retired...

We had spring break...

There are no words for how happy this picture makes my heart.

I kept trudging on through about day 75, and then something horrible happened [well, horrible for me].

Remember my good buddy MyFitnessPal? Yah, on day 75, I forgot to log in. I lost my streak. Now, that may not be very traumatic for you, but for a list-keeping, chart-tracking, crosser-offer-kind-of-gal... this was: the. worst. thing. ever.

See how upset we are by this tragedy?!

And I pretty much just kind of shrugged it off. But I've decided to head the wisdom of Proverbs 24:16--

"A righteous man falls seven times, but rises again."

So I am getting up, brushing off my backside, lacing up my shoes, and putting my hand to that plow... again.

Ellie has the tractor all warmed up for me!

April Dinner Menu!

2014-04-10T12:21:00.000-07:00

I really do love to cook, but one of the worst things for this cook is when I don't have a plan.

Sidenote: that is perhaps my most favorite word in all the English language. Plan. It is also perhaps my husband's LEAST favorite word in all the English language. Plan. Yet, somehow we still make it work. It's almost like Jesus knew we needed each other! You know, like HE had a plan! ;)

In case you are in a bit o' a rut when it comes to your menu planning, I thought I'd share what we are havin' in la casa de Gibson this month. Before I share, I have to add that I didn't plan until after the month had started, so if you are wondering why there aren't 30 meals listed, let me reassure you: no, you are not that sleep deprived and/or caffeine overloaded. There are only 25 meals.

Breakfast is usually cereal for the littles and eggs of some sort for the grown ups... which usually gets "shared" with the littles. Hmmm... anyone else have the scenario in your house? On the weekends I will sometimes/often fix a bigger breakfast-- pancakes or french toast or biscuits and gravy. That sort of thing. But, in all honesty, my kiddos really love cereal. (Note lunch confession in next paragraph)

Lunch is usually some sort of salad for the grown ups (or leftovers) and PB & J for the littles. True confession: my sweet Ellie will often ask for cereal again for lunch. (And here's the confession: sometimes I let her. Don't judge. She also gets some fruit!)

Dinner is usually the most tempting time to eat out for me. While I really love to cook, I also really love all the different options that come with eating out (plus, there's no clean up-- I do NOT really love clean up). However, as I am trying to tighten up our budget, I am determined to stick to my plan! If there is a linked recipe for one of the dinners, I have included it. If it's just a "go to" recipe that I make quite often, I'll give the cliff notes' version. If you need any additional information, just leave me a note in the comments! :)

So here's the scoop...

Cube Steak with rice and gravy, some random frozen veggie
~Lightly flour/salt/pepper the meat, brown in pan.
~Cook rice as you normally would (I always saute a little garlic in EVOO before adding the dry rice, stir and let it "roast" a bit, and then use chicken stock instead of water).
~For the gravy, melt 3-4 tablespoons of butter, medium heat. Add in equal parts flour (3-4 tbls). Let it "cook" as you whisk for about 3 minutes. Gradually add in 2 cups chicken stock, constantly whisking. Add a 1/4 cup whipping cream and whisk, whisk, whisk. If the gravy is still too thick for your liking, add a little more water. Let it simmer over really low until you are ready to serve.

Lasagna and salad
~I just use the recipe off of the back of the Barilla "No Cook Noodles" box! :) But I don't use meat-- we are just a 3 cheese lasagna kind of house (because that's how Mama likes it! ;) ). But I also made a super yummy desert: scones with ice cream and homemade peach topping.

*Double bonus for the recipe: I made two pans-- one for dinner and then one to freeze for later! Score one in the "W" column.

Crock Pot Beef and (I didn't use) Broccoli and an adapted version of these Rice Noodles

~This recipe actually had some leftover beef and gravy, plus we had leftover rice from the night before. So... hubby got to have one of his faves for lunch the next day: rice with beef and gravy!

Homemade Pizza

~I really want to eventually try this NY Style Pizza Crust, but currently I use this one-- mostly because from start to finish ~~if I'm not interrupted 379 times~~ it takes less than an hour for the entire pizza process.

~I even made my own sauce (which makes a lot, so again: stockin' the freezer!) from one of my favorite food blogs, Budget Bytes. She has a TON (no, seriously. A TON) of great recipes and ideas-- and she prices them all out for you. Wowzers. Color me impressed.

Pancakes

~We love us some breakfast food. I'm not sure if we'll do banana pancakes (I add a little more sugar, 2 eggs instead of one, and add a little more flour) or just maybe even chocolate chip ones.
~Ooo, ooooo! Wait! I just remembered: I have some of that leftover peach topping from my awesome dessert the other night. Plus, I have some whipping cream I can... well, whip. Yah, I'll be the coolest mama in town tonight!!!

You can tell they are always a big hit!

Pork Chops, mashed potatoes w/ gravy (of course), and random frozen veggies

~With the chops, just whisk together some flour, a little onion powder, and paprika. Lightly coat the chops, salt and pepper, and then cook in some heated EVOO in a pan, browning on both sides.

~Make them taters!

Burgers on the grill! (Super pumped for this-- hubby cooks!!!)
~I will undoubtedly make some homemade buns for these. Don't be scared: try it! I modify this recipe for One Hour Rolls, just making each "roll" larger than a dinner roll would be.

Italian Wonderpot If you have never tried this. DO IT!

Crockpot Pork Carnitas This is a new recipe for me, but I'm super excited to try it.

Deer Steaks with some random frozen veggies

~I have a wonderfully sweet friend who shared her (yes, "her"!) venison that she hunted. It's such a blessing how the Lord provides for us!

~I will probably just cook it on the stove top in some EVOO. However, I may get creative and marinate it, just for a little variety. Stay tuned...

Mac 'n Cheese with Veggies

~I love a good mac 'n cheese. And I'm not talking about the kind from the blue box. I mean, get out your pot, cook up some pasta (in well salted water!), add a little butter, generously stir in your favorite cheese (we love us some Havarti!), and then splash in a little milk that's been mixed with a tablespoon of flour. Yum. Oh.

~I have used "fun shaped" pasta before and stirred in some peas to go with it. We'll see how creative I'm feeling that night. :)

This is actually a version of carbonara that I've made. A possibility...!

Chicken Taco Bowls
~I often serve this with some tortilla chips or even a cheese quesadilla.

Spaghetti
~This will be the night that I will be able to ask my hubby to complete anything from my "honey do" list. Spaghetti is the man of my dreams' kryptonite. [*evil laugh*... *rubs hands together*]
~I usually make my own sauce... cook up some sausage, drain, and set to the side. Saute some garlic in some EVOO, add in a small can of tomato paste and let it "cook" for a couple of minutes. Add in a large can of crushed tomatoes and petite diced tomatoes. Toss in your favorite spices-- basil, oregano, onion powder, and a little sugar. Season to taste. Let it simmer and add back in that sausage.

Tacos made with Naan (instead of regular tortillas)
~WARNING: if you have never had naan before. I will warn you now. This stuff is majorly addicting. You will need to dig ever-so-deeply into your soul, finding every ounce of your self control, and then proceed with extreme caution when making-- or you will indeed eat every single portion of this, right as it comes hot off the griddle. And then no one will have any for your tacos.
~There's really nothing "special" that I do for my taco meat. I will usually use grilled chicken breasts or if I have some (that I bought on sale) carne asada beef, I'll use that.

Ham Dinner (obviously, this will be for Easter Sunday!)
~Since my sweet Man Of is a pastor, I'll definitely be putting my ham in the crockpot. My mama makes the BEST ham ever-- she puts a few slits in the top, smooshes in some brown sugar, and packs a can of crushed pineapple on top. So. good. (Is it Easter yet?!)

Tomato Soup with grilled cheese sandwiches
~This recipe is really nice because I can put it in the crockpot to simmer or make it on the stove top. Also, it makes a LOT, so I usually end up freezing several cups of it-- which I will take to school for some yummy lunches.

Mongolian Beef
~This is another new recipe, but it has five stars after over 500 reviews. Must be good, right?
~Probably will serve this over rice and add a salad on the side.

Easy Sesame Chicken My family LOVES Chinese take out. So this is a must on our monthly menu. My sweet Daniel would have this multiple times a week if I would make it! He always looks very keenly at how much is left as to whether or not he will be able to score some leftovers for his lunch the next day! So as to NOT over rice my family, I will make some sort of noodle to go along with this. I love a sort of lo mein with veggies.

Pancakes. Yes, again. There are several "late" evenings throughout our week-- the littles have Tae Kwon Do a couple nights, we have prayer meeting one night, and sometimes [quite frankly] mama is just tired. So, yes. I put this on the menu twice. Also, I never really get met with much resistance from the Gang. [note pictures from earlier in post!]

Sloppy Joes

~This is "roughly" the recipe that I use. I omit the peppers and onions [I will use onion powder for flavor], and usually I "up" the sauciness. I love sauce. Mmm...

~I will once again be making some of those delicious one hour rolls for buns.

~If I plan well enough, I'll also have some cole slaw to go along with these Joes. And pickles. I love pickles. So does my sweet girl.

Chicken and Wild Rice

~I will probably fix the chicken separately from the rice. For whatever reason, I rarely have success at the one pan, put it in the oven and bake chicken and rice. So, yah. Unless I'm feeling extra brave, I just won't risk it.

Bulgogi. Do you know bulgogi? I mean, do you really know it? Before I was married, I spent a couple of terms teaching in South Korea. Loved. It. I mean, everything single thing about it. The people, the culture, the food. The. Food. Oh, my. My. Lands. Did I mention the food? I love the spice and flavor and variety. My mouth is literally watering as I type, just thinking about it. And bulgogi is kind of like the "pizza" of Korea-- you know, tons of different varieties and just about everybody knows it and loves it. The best part for me is that it is a complete meal-- you have veggies, starches, and protein. And it's very healthy and tasty. Hmm... looks like my "W" column is rackin' 'em up!

Pizza. Yes, much like pancakes, we love some pizza. I'm pretty certain that *I* could eat pizza multiple times a week. Remember that other pizza dough that I really want to try? Maybe it will be tonight! :) If not, I actually have some dough already frozen in my deep freezer. Plus, I already have my sauce in the freezer, too. I love it when a plan comes together.

Fettuccine Alfredo Allow me to offer this bit of advice. Do not buy any sort of "pre-shredded" cheese if you can help it at all. Trust me, once you grate/shred your own: you will never turn back. The flavor is so much richer and creamier. No, seriously. It's great. Here's a great post on the pros of home shredding. (PS~ Sorry that I didn't offer this advice earlier with the pizza recipes. I also shred my own mozzarella and the results are magnificent!!!)

BLT Sandwiches. Yes, you made it all the way to the end, and this is where we are. However! Before you brush off this final recipe of the bunch, read on. These won't be any ordinary BLTs. I will be making and serving these on some of my favorite bread in all the world: focaccia. Be warned: the only difficult part of this recipe is that you have to plan ahead. This dough works in a fermenting process, so you have to let it "do it's thang" for 14 hours. But, take my word for it: it is worth the wait! Also, as a little "extra" for you, having made it all the way through this post... one of my favorite kinds of mayo is to take some Duke's mayo, then add in a few splashes of balsamic vinegar and cracked pepper. This will change your life. Well, not as much as Jesus [obviously], but it's mighty tasty.

BONUS: Since I will (hopefully!) have some leftover focaccia bread and mozzarella cheese from the past couple of days, I will be serving up my ABSOLUTE favorite sandwich (and top 5 food of all time!)... Balsamic Caprese Panini.

Happy Eating! I hope that at least a couple of these recipes and dinner plans will help offer you a little sanity in your otherwise busy life. (Um, I'm hoping that I'm not the only crazy in the bunch...)

One of my favorite patrons!

Whatsoever state I am...

2014-04-01T12:16:00.002-07:00

This week was full of highs and lows. Some verses the Lord has echoed in my heart [even when I haven't necessarily been listening] are Philippians 4:11-12, which encourages us from Paul's personal experience so he shares,

"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased [knocked flat on my back, completely wiped out by the flu], and I know how to abound [celebrate the life of my sweet babies]: every where [at work when I have to be away from my family] and in all things [no matter what changes in my schedule may come] I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need."

Contentment is an interesting thing. It is something that often creeps right on out, sometimes unawares. But something that has helped me to learn from my "abase" moments is to look at the perspective of at least it isn't... The best part of this lesson is that my kiddos have started to pick up the habit of "at least" as well! Contentment is a learned quality, you know!

But, as always, the Lord provides more than a few moments of blessed-beyond-measure for me to rejoice...and share!

So here you go:

Highlight of my week: my sweet boy's birthday. Wow! Six. My first baby is SIX. I have to use BOTH hands to show how old he is. *sob*

We know how to party in the Gibson house... We like to do a birthday month instead of just a birthday DAY. Plus, since variety is the spice of life, we have all different kinds of treats. So, we had a cupcakes for friends at school, a cookie cake for friends at church, and an ice cream cake for friends at home!

Birthday morning started with ice cream for breakfast, and then daddy brought Ellie and Samuel to school so that we could all have lunch together.

Another "up" of my week is that my sweet Samuel turned 11 months old. Again: wow. I cannot believe it. He is loving standing in his crib, thinking that he knows how to walk.

One of the not-so-favorite parts of this week is that mama was a little on the icky side. But the blessing of mama being sick is that my sweet babies love to take care of me. My Ellie is especially nurturing-- she took my temperature, sang me some songs, and even gave me some "shots".

Doc McEllie has been takin' care of Mama

There wasn't much swimming for me this week. But there were many early bedtimes! One of my personal issues is finding the balance of life. Sometimes I stress about not getting to exercise, swimming too much and not spending time with my family, spending equal amounts of quality time with each of my sweet ones, and the list can go on and on and on and... well, you get the idea.

But I think that that is one of the big "umphs" of those verses I shared [Philippians 4:11-12, in case you are just as tired as I am and can't quite remember]. Learning to be content: right. where. I. am. Not worrying about what needs to get done, not fretting about what isn't getting done. Just being content right where I am. Perhaps someday I will be able to confidently say, as the Apostle Paul did, "I have learned!" But for today, I will continue to press on and snuggle these babies.