I'm not an expert baker...but sometimes I get lucky.

The food blog world is enormous and I would never attempt to join. However, when we (and I mean me and my children) are bored or having a rainy day, we bake. Lately, we've hit the jackpot! So, I'll share.

Not So Red Velvet Cake

Cake:

2 cups sugar

2 sticks of butter (and I always use Land O Lakes LIGHT)

2 eggs

2 T cocoa powder

2 oz. water

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 t salt

1 c buttermilk

1 t vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 T vinegar

preheat oven to 350. cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy (i use a kitchen aid mixer for it all). add eggs one at a time, mixing after each. in small bowl, mix cocoa and water together, then add to mixture. in separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients and add in batches to wet ingredients, alternating with buttermilk, mixing in between. blend in vanilla. in separate small bowl (yes, lots of bowls but worth it!), combine baking soda and vinegar and then add to batter and mix. pour into 9x13 pan and bake for exactly 30 minutes!!!! let cool completely before frosting...

Frosting:

3 c powdered sugar

1 c butter (i use the same light butter as above)

1 t vanilla

1 - 2 t whipping cream

again, a kitchen aid is what i use, but you can use a hand mixer...beat sugar and butter for several minutes until light and fluffy (start out slow and increase speed to incorporate all sugar - may want to beat butter first and add sugar in batches so you don't end up white). add vanilla and cream to desired consistency (will be a little thin). i refrigerate the frosting while the cake is baking and cooling. ***it also works if you half the recipe of the frosting so you just have a thin layer on top of the cake.

Devils Food Peanut Butter Cookies

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

2/3 c butter (same as above)

1 package devil's food cake mix (they make a low sugar one, so that's what i use)

2 c pb chips

beat eggs, vanilla, and butter. add 1/2 cake mix until light and fluffy. mix in remaining cake mix. stir in pb chips. drop onto cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 8 or 9 minutes. they will not look done, but they ARE. yum.

Now, if anyone has a good granola recipe, feel free to share because I've tried that twice and it's a flop each time. Seems like that would be easy, huh?

A Good Wednesday

Does anyone get sick of hearing me rave about our new home town? Because I don't think I'm going to stop anytime soon. Well, maybe in July when I'm melting, but that seems far away.

The kids had preschool today, but Tyler was home this morning since he had a working dinner tonight in San Antonio. So...I convinced him to take a killer kickboxing class with me. He survived and I didn't laugh at him too much. Then, we went walking down the South Congress strip looking for a few gifts, but snagging ourselves a couple of items at their cool, funky, and vintage shops (Tyler got his first vintage pearl snap shirt so is well on his way to being a true Austinite); got a coffee and picked up the kids.

Tonight while Tyler was fine dining with doctors at Ruth's Chris, I took P&P to community night at the Children's Museum which means it's only $1/person and they get a fun storytime, too! We had a blast and then walked next door for dinner at Jo's...burgers, fruit, and IBC for munchkins. They love to save the bottle caps and we bring them home and make jewelry out of them. We are strange. But...the best part was the end of our evening when we walked over (we park in Timbuktu, so walk everywhere, but love it!) to Royal Blue Grocery and got the BEST cookies (thanks, Catherine for the recommendation)! We all have different tastes, so we got 3 different locally made goodies...Porter got a snicker doodle, Piper got a fancied up chocolate chip, and I got white chocolate cranberry. Mmmmmm. Not a crumb left by any.

Now, back home, kids tucked away in bed and I'm waiting for Tyler to get back so we can watch American Idol, although I'm minutes away from watching without him:)

So, I'm not going to complain about Tyler being gone every night this week or about having groceries in the fridge to cook, but letting them waste away because I won't cook when he's gone. I'm choosing, at this moment at least, to be so very grateful for a beautiful day in a beautiful place.

Lastly, reading Adopted for Life. I highly recommend it, but you better be ready:)!

Wow. (and some random goings on...)

We attended our first "First Tuesday" service with Austin Stone tonight. It was not on the actual First Tuesday of the month this month, but whatever. Our pastor, Matt Carter, said the prayer of the leaders before the service was that God's presence would be so thick, that afterwards all we would be able to say was "Wow." And indeed, that's all we could say. It was a beautiful worship, prayer, baptism, and communion service and I'm so glad we remembered to go this month. Even though I didn't know a single person getting baptized tonight (and there were 10 people--woohoo!), it gets me every time they come up from that water. When we prayed corporately for Haiti...rescue for the people still trapped; the Haitian church; and the ORPHANS, I couldn't control my weeping. I declare here and now, I have totally become an unapologetic boo-hooer. No turning back. My previous 33 years of thick skin has turned to mush. It happened when we moved here, I think. God's realness and goodness is very tangible to me all of a sudden...producing many tears, often at the drop of a hat. It's quite cathartic and freeing, actually.

Before the earthquake, we were starting to consider international adoption. Now, I almost feel as if it's my duty! I'm just praying for patience and wisdom and guidance.

I'm starting a few new things...a Mentoring Matters program in an Austin area school; applying at local gyms to teach aerobics since my certification finally came in the mail!!!; and playing guitar and singing with the preschoolers at church.

God is faithful and I am thankful.

Side note - I am so unnerved by the Pat Robertsons out there. Blegh. Why? So backwards. Such a robbery.

Another Year

Seems like just yesterday we were in our apartment in Richardson with our friends wondering what was going to happen to our power and computers when the clock struck midnight, year 2000. Nothing obviously happened, but lots has happened since then. We have owned 4 houses in 4 cities, had two children at the same time, three dogs at different times, laughed, cried, learned, experienced, and hopefully through it all...are becoming more and more like Christ. Through the trials and joys, our goal has to remain - to glorify God above all else. We have started nightly readings from "The Jesus Storybook Bible" with our kids. It paints such a beautiful picture of the BIG picture. I look forward to reading it as much as the kids do. From the beginning, God had a plan - a plan we were a part of, but a plan that is bigger than us - a plan that included Jesus from the start. It's all about Him.

So, I'm not really good about New Year's Resolutions. I do have a few goals I've thought about...run a half marathon (that's been on the list several years in a row), teach aerobics (assuming I passed my test and can get hired somewhere), read the Bible more and more intently, get involved with and serve our Austin community, consider seriously and investigate adoption, cook more, eat less sugar, impart the gospel to my children more effectively, get my mom and brother here and find my mom a husband. We'll see what happens with all that...

Moreover, Tyler is working on his impression skills and he's become quite the master - keeps me laughing like crazy as always. I think one of his goals should be stand up comedy somewhere here.

This year has tons of potential. I'm ready. I think.

Trade as One

Well, I thought I had made it through church today without crying, but no luck. At the end, they hit me with a video promoting Trade as One...fair trade products and their purpose. I immediately thought of every purchase I've made over this past month (and I'm ashamed to say it's been MANY) and the little thought I've put into who made it, where it was made, and under what conditions. Buying fair trade promotes justice and relieves poverty abroad. Instead of sweatshops, child labor and meager pay that does not provide enough to live on...buying fair trade provides for families so they do not have to live in poverty and horrible working environments. After church, we got to shop fair trade products...chocolate, coffee, jewelry, bags, etc. It was a moving shopping experience! My eyes have been opened - to spend thoughtfully and prayerfully, not just thinking of the good deal I may be getting...but of the deal the people on the other end are getting.

Look for yourself and be persuaded...

Trade as One

Small Group and The Stone

So, soon after we moved here, we found the church we definitely felt God leading us to. Every Sunday only confirms that decision! As I told Tarrah today...I'm not a cry-er, but I leave every Sunday with tears in my eyes because of the genuine worship and message and heart of this church. It is missional; believes in taking Jesus to the community and city; reaches the poor and downtrodden; works with non profits; has a wide variety of colorful people; and it is all a very beautiful thing. I feel that God has only been preparing us to be a part of this big picture. He is faithful.

So...we are ready to dive in! We found a small group and tonight was the first meeting. It's great because it's a new group with several couples new to town and the church. The bummer is that Tyler is in San Diego and I really didn't want to have to go without him, but the kids and I braved it and I'm so glad we did. Another girl was even there with her kids while her husband worked, so that was comforting.

Moving to Austin was an emotional, hard decision. But, everyday, I'm so thankful that we took the leap and came. Jesus doesn't "need" me...He is big enough to get the job done, but I'm so grateful and blessed that he "allows" me to be a part of his beautiful work of art. Fresh on my mind is Matt Chandler, his family, and making much of Jesus NOW. My prayer is that here in Austin, we do that like never before.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

I don't really like putting decorations up and I definitely don't like taking them down, BUT...I LOVE the time between Thanksgiving and New Years when they ARE up and the house feels warm and festive and cozy and beautiful. My mom always made our house so wonderful at Christmas time and helping her decorate the tree and make cookies, etc. are great memories to me. Porter helped me decorate the tree this year. Piper just played around us with hooks and balls, but they each had fun decorating their own tree to put in their rooms. This week we even have a nice chill in the air in Texas in December and "they" say it may snow tomorrow!!! Crazy. So, we are feeling jolly and enjoying the season in Austin. Adding to the happiness, my Christmas shopping is DONE! Never in the history of mankind has this happened this early. Now, I just have to get Tyler to mail them all out:) Side note of the season...I always find it a struggle to properly explain to the kids that Santa is a magical part of Christmas, but the real reason we celebrate is because of Jesus...and yes, you get toys for Christmas, but it's always most important to give to others who are without, etc. I pray their little hearts yield to the God who created and blessed them and who we celebrate not only in December, but year round. So, as I examine my heart during this season, I, too, am convicted that I need to give like it's Christmas and celebrate my Savior coming to save us everyday.

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