Lent

On any given day you can find anywhere from one to ten pounds of cheese in my household. Today we have 6 pounds in there. Why so much? Because I love cheese! I put it on almost everything. I hate to be cheesy (get it?) but life for me isn't as good until you sprinkle a little cheese on it. I rarely eat anything without it. But cheese doesn't do this body any good. It really causes me some agony and pain. And though I know this, I eat buckets full of it anyways. It's also full of sodium, fat and other bad stuff. 

Now I have never ever given up anything for Lent before, not once. We didn't practice, celebrate or even talk about Lent growing up. I thought it was something only Catholic families did. I still don't know the ends and outs of Lent, but I know it's about sacrifice. I assume it has to do with the 40 days Jesus wandered in the desert without food. He relied only on the word of God to get him through. And though I wish I was at that place, I sadly am not. But I want to be that way. I feel I am slowly turning my life more and more over to him. 

So this year for Lent I am going to sacrifice something. Something that is special to me, in search of something better. Something that will fill the craving permanently. Him! 

Are you giving up something for Lent? Have you given up something before? How did you do? Will you share it with me?

Next week I will post the food episode of my cruise, how appropriate huh? Not planned this way I promise. I can't wait to hear from you all! Happy Lenting! Also please forgive me most of my posts right now are being done from my phone since my laptop is broken again. So they may not be edited correctly or be full of pictures. The big posts I will do from my hubby's computer. Love to you all!

2nd Annual Christmas Baking Extravaganza 2012

After the success of last years baking day, Amey and I were really looking to up our game this year. We knew that we wanted to make more of the recipes we loved, and find new recipes to add to it. We started buying stuff early and pinning recipes. So when the big day came we had lots of stuff to start out with.

Amey's bar and dining room table is packed full of supplies.

We went shopping seperately and together and even had to get a little more on baking day itself.

We had help this year with the addition of LIzzy! We are so glad to add her to our team of bakers.

One of the biggest changes we made this year was the way we dipped our  chocolates. We learned that if we used the wax it made prettier chocolates and the chocolate was much easier to dip. 

Lizzy was the master of the mixer.

That is why she was covered in flour most of the day.

Amey was the go between. Stirring this and grabbing that. Poor girl worked her tail off that day.

While I spent most of the day in front of the stove  making  fudge and the candied things. 

Although tedious and tiring, we had lots of fun. 

Maybe too much fun.

Even Joslyn had fun playing with the animals and toys.

We decided that dipping the chocolate was the most tedious. 

WE dipped and dipped and dipped

And stirred and stirred and stirred

But the rewards were great. Homemade almond joys.

our newest recipe was homemade butterfingers, which required us to melt candy corn. 

Nope its not chex mix

It's christmas crack!

We had marshmallows coming out of our ears.

And enough cookies to feed the white house staff.

These are my favorite butterscotch haystacks

Homemade marshmallows are sticky. 

smores truffles are gooey and melty.

At the end of the day we felt like this!


SO it was lots of fun and if I wasn't so busy eating the Christmas 

goodies I would have gotten smart and posted pics of the end result. But I didn't. So here are the recipes or links to what we made. Happy New Year!

chocolate fudge

soft gingersnaps with butterscotch chips

Christmas crack

pumpkin snickerdoodles

smores truffles

English toffee

homemade marshmellows  but we liked last years recipe better 

butterscotch haystacks

peanut clusters

Homemade butterfingers

peanut butter fudge we will be looking for a new one next year if you have any ideas.

peanut butter balls the recipe worked but we had to do a lot of converting because it was from the UK

cinnamon almonds this recipe does not work with crock pot bags, dont use one if making

homemade almond joys

we also made pudding cookies and oatmeal cinnamon toffee cookies which I don't have recipes for. 

Being Bad!

There is a carnal sinful side to me. The kind that likes to disobey. The kind that says NO WAY! The part of me that  REBELS! This girl comes out anytime I want to change my life truly for the better and says You Don't need to CHANGE! You are fine, your life is perfect. But what she is really saying is that staying in bondage is easier than being free. Changing your life means getting uncomfortable. Means rocking the boat. Change means getting off the couch. Change means walking against the crowd. So do me a favor and if you see that girl tell her to GO AWAY! I want to be free!

I have had a tougher time getting off the soda than I thought I would. But I won't let it beat me. I am worth the change! I was designed by a loving GOD that destined me for greatness! I haven't been good enough on the budget to save for a scale yet, but it is coming soon. I will keep you guys posted. It has been a tough couple of weeks and I have missed writing and reading your posts. I am hoping to get back to a schedule soon.

But on a positive note, my apartment is slowly coming together. The pool is supposed to open soon and I can't wait to get Joslyn into the pool! I really think she will like it! I have been spending a lot of time writing down recipes that are healthy and delicious. Most of the stuff I am trying to make will have lots of veggies or is a healthier version of food that we love!
Like home made peanut butter, ice cream, baked chicken taquitos, grilled summer fresh peppers, and many more good recipes! I am planning on weekly meal plans and that will help me plan budget friendly menus and grocery trips. Getting super excited, every time I make a little change that will help me be a little bit happier, healthier and more energetic! Together we can do this! Thanks for all of your support!