Feelin' Feminine Challenge Day #7

Phew! The last day of the Challenge!!

One of my favorite skirts with one of my favorite sweaters...and fortunate thrift store find!! I love shopping thrift stores, and then coming home to see what surprise matches I now have. We love thrift stores!

And for my hair...a simple barette.

Phew - that's it! I guess I got a little tired of posting pictures almost every day, but it was fun, anyway! And hopefully an encouragment to others out there to keep on the path of modesty and femininity - it's worth it!

Coming up soon...instructions for Courtney's Elegant Twist Hairstyle!

Read more...

Isaac....Our Little Cutie!!

I am SO excited about adopting Isaac!

It is so amazing to see the transition that took place after his cleft lip/palate surgery.

From this....

...to this...

....is an AMAZING change!

We love Isaac so much already. You know that you are really intent upon something when you start dreaming about it! (And I've had many many "Isaac dreams"!)

We simply can't wait to meet this little guy.

Some of the Things I Can't Wait To Do With Isaac:

~kiss his chubby little cheeks

~hold and hug him about a million times

~play cars with him

~tuck him into his little toddler bed at night

~see him in his ADORABLE fuzzy blue winter pajamas we bought for him

~watch him learn to speak English - one word at a time

~watch his short little legs run all over the place

~see him get his first hair-cut

~hear him singing little songs

~read stories to him

These activities may seem rather common placed to most of you.....but it's been several years since I've gotten to do any of those things with a little brother! And I am going to enjoy every minute of it.

I can't WAIT to go to China and get this little guy home!!!!!

Read more...

Apple Delectables.....

We have a lot of apples on hand after buying 4o lbs at our local orchard! Being the baker of the family, I decided to bake two delicious treats this week....

Apple Fritters

Soft slices of apple are found in this sweet fluffy pastry.....topped with a bit of cinnamon-sugar, they are so good for breakfast or a snack!

Apple Fritters

1 C. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 T. sugar

1 egg

1/2 C. plus 1 T. milk

1 1/2 C. apples, peeled and diced or sliced

Mix dry ingredients. In a seperate bowl, combine egg and milk; add to dry mixture. Stir just until batter is smooth; fold in apples. Drop by spoonfuls on a hot skillet with oil. Fry until well browned on both sides. Immediately drain on paper towels and sprinkle with either powdered sugar or cinnamon-sugar. Serve warm.

Apple Bread

I added a delicate streusel topping to this yummy autumn bread. Best warm out of the oven (of course!!).

Autumn Apple Bread

1 C. oil

3 eggs

1 C. white sugar

1/2 C. brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

3 C. apples, peeled and finely diced

3 C. flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 C. chopped nuts (optional)

Combine oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. In a seperate bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to oil mixture gradually. Add apples and nuts. Bake in 2 very well greased loaf pans at 300* for 1 1/2 hours, or until bread is nicely browned. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired.

Streusel Topping:

Brown sugar

White sugar

Cinnamon

Oil or melted butter

Add equal parts of sugars and cinnamon; mix in a bit of oil until sugars are slightly wet. Sprinkle over top of bread before baking.

Enjoy these delicious recipes...and have a lovely day!

And as for my Day #7 Challenge....don't worry, I haven't forgotten about it! However, my "grand finale hairstyle" did not turn out as expected, so I am a bit behind. Hopefully I will post tomorrow and finish up the last day of this fun challenge!!

Read more...

Feelin' Feminine Challenge Day #6

Today I wore:

One of my favorite sweaters with a khaki skirt......

...and a simple head-band in my hair.

Speaking of hair.....stay tuned for Day #7 grand finale hair-do!!! I have never done it before, but assuming it "works", I will post pictures and instructions.

Read more...

Feelin' Feminine Challenge Day #5

And now for Day #5 of the Challenge.....

My tiered skirt I made a few years ago.....

...and, although it's kind of hard to see in this picture, I have two french braids on the sides.

Read more...

OUR LOA CAME!!!!!!

FINALLY!!!!!!!

Today our adoption agency called to tell us that our LOA came in the mail!!

There's really only one thing to say.

(I can really relate to this one!!)

And of course......the most important thing we're saying is...

....Praise the Lord!!!!

Read more...

Feelin' Feminine Challenge Day #4

Here I am on the back porch....sorry about the shadows!

Long sleeves, of course. It's been chilly down here lately....but delightfully warm in a patch of early morning sunlight. I've been enjoying doing a good part of my schoolwork right there on the porch, just soaking up the sun and listening to the birds. It's just wonderful!!

This hairstyle is called:

The Elegant Twist That Courtney Did That I Could Never Begin To Do On Myself.

English translation: Courtney did this hair-do on me with about a million bobby pins and I could never re-create it! She's very skilled at fancy hair-do's.....I usually stick to pony tails. :) Anyway, she has fun doing my hair on occasions, and I enjoy having her do it! It would be so much easier to do fancy hair if I had another set of hands and another set of eyes. Anyone agree?

Read more...

Feelin' Feminine Challenge Day #3

Today's outfit:

Warm striped sweater....it felt so COLD this morning! I think it was 36* or something.

Princess style.....a great hair do to get all your hair out of the way!

Read more...

Feelin' Feminine Challenge Day #2

I didn't get around to taking pictures of my outfit yesterday....but I did have pictures of when I started the challenge last week (remember, I then post-poned it?). So here is (was) my outfit from last week, standing in for yesterday.

My most favorite denim skirt with a new blouse I recently bought!

Yay! This picture turned out so well that it is my school photo for the year!


Simple hair do.......

Read more...

Feelin' Feminine Challenge Day #1

Today was the first day of the "Challenge"..... here are some pictures of what I wore!

Here I am wearing a skirt that I made last year. I actually haven't worn this one for a while!

And two french braids in my hair. I am trying to figure out some nicer things to do with my hair. I feel like my #1 hairstyle has been pony tails....pony tails....on and on it goes. I'm ready for something different! Any ideas?

I'm sure you already saw it on Courtney's blog, but we were so excited to wake up thismorning and find an update on Isaac in our email! It is so fun to hear about him...it makes me feel like he's not so far away. From the update, we now know that he:

~likes milk and eggs
~likes to play outside
~likes playing with toy cars
~attends a class with other children (yikes - Chinese preschool already???)
~can say some words like "mom" and "grandma"
~knows how to go to his "Ayi" (nanny) and ask for water when he's thirsty
~is STUBBORN (Great! Sounds like this boy has some personality!!)

Anyway, we were told that we might get some new pictures of him soon, so we're really looking forward to that. I am getting so excited to go to China and see this little brother of mine!

Read more...

Musings on Revelation 21

"Behold....I come quickly!"

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away."

~Revelation 21:4

"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be His God, and he shall be My son."

~Revelation 21:7

Read more...

Feelin' Femenine Challenge Update

For all of you who were expecting me to start "The Challenge" this week.....a thousand apologies! I have been busy and will post-pone starting until next Monday.

Read more...

Feelin' Feminine Challenge

Ladies:

Starting this Monday, I am going to participate in The Challenge.

The point of The Challenge is to inspire young ladies to real femininity in the way that they dress! It is a seven day challenge in which you are to wear something feminine (like a skirt or dress). I know most of you, like me, already wear dresses and skirts every day anyway, but it's a good reminder to not just "throw on" something sloppy in the morning. Even though dressing in a ball gown is definitely not practical for every day activities, (living on a farm, I know!), it's still a good idea to make sure that what you wear reflects beautiful womanhood. God has called us to have a "meek and quiet spirit" and to "dress with moderation". We are the King's daughters, and the way we dress should reflect that fact! Let this challenge remind you of your responsibility to be modest, and yet reflect the Lord's beauty and righteousness in the way you dress.

So......who wants to join me? There is nothing formal or complicated about it; simply fill in your name and blog address below! If you don't have a blog, you can still participate; just leave me a comment. I will be posting about what I wear on a daily basis (hopefully), and if those of you participating have a blog, I'd encourage you to post as well.

At the end of the week.......let me know how it went!

Read more...

Another Jonathan Creation........

.....was made this evening! And it was a SUCCESS!! He flipped through the coookbook for a while

and finally settled on....

....golden crispy popovers!

Chef Jonathan poses with his fresh-from-the-oven popovers.

Jonathan's Popovers

1 T. shortening

2 beaten eggs

1 C. milk

1 T. cooking oil

1 C. flour

1/4 tsp. salt


Using 1/2 tsp. shortening for each cup, grease 24 muffin tins liberally. In a mixing bowl, combine beaten eggs, milk, and cooking oil. Add flour and salt. Beat with a rotary beater or wire whisk till mixture is smooth. (Jonathan says about ten minutes.) Fill greased muffin cups half full. Bake in 400* oven about 40 minutes or till very firm. Immediately after removal fromm the oven, prick each popover with a fork to let steam escape.

Chef's Note: Serve warm popovers with drizzled honey and cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Read more...

No Frills Airlines

This clip is a few minutes long, but stick with it! It is SO funny!!

Read more...

Loving God's Word

"Oh, how I love Your law! I meditate on it all day long."

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."

"Your statutes are wonderful; therfore I obey them. The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple."

~Psalm 119: 97, 105, 129, and 130

Read more...

Fall Treats......

Yes, a little over a week ago was the first day of Fall. The beginning of my favorite season! I just love those hot-chocolate-mornings and cozy evenings. A time to relax and enjoy the changing leaves on the trees.....and a time to put on sweaters.

I just love fall!

This morning was perfect - the weather, I mean. I bit chilly thismorning, but I ventured outside to sit on my park bench and soaked up the warm sun and it was just beautiful!

I love fall!

I also love baking. And I have found the best fall muffin ever.....

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

The best thing about this recipe is that you can make them healthier by using honey and some whole wheat flour and they still turn out marvelous!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

2 eggs

1/2 C. sugar or honey (honey really does work very nicely in this recipe)

1 C. canned pumpkin

1/2 C. oil

1 1/3 C. flour

dash salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/2 C. chocolate chips

Beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix together. Stir in chocolate chips. Bake in greased or paper-lined muffin tins at 350* for 10 - 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins.

This recipe has become one of our favorites!! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Read more...

Blog Giveaway!

There's a really fun blog give-away at Proverbs 31 Maiden. Be sure to take a look - it's very easy to enter!

And yes...........I am GOING to post here VERY soon. I have been horrible about updating this blog, but I am going to try and improve.

Check back soon!

Read more...