Delicious No-Bake Cookies

Last night I made some amazing no-bake cookies that have no chocolate in them! Some of the people in my family don't like every dessert to have chocolate in it (yeah-I have no idea what is wrong with them!) so I decided to make this peanut-buttery treat!

You can find the recipe at http://allrecipes.com/recipe/peanut-butter-and-honey-no-bake-cookies/\ and the only thing I did differently was I used smooth peanut butter and if I could do it over again I would use more oats than recommended to make them a little more solid :)

Honey Peanut Butter No-bake Cookies

• 1/2 cup Butter
• 1/3 cup Whole Milk
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup White Sugar
• 1/2 cup Honey
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 cup Crunchy Peanut Butter
• 3 1/2 cups Instant Quick-Oats

1. Combine the butter, milk, white sugar, brown sugar, and honey in a large pot over medium-high heat; bring to a rapid boil for 90 seconds. Stir the salt and peanut butter into the mixture and remove immediately from the heat. Add the oatmeal quickly and mix to combine. Make sure the texture is thick with a little bit of sauce, but not too much sauce. If needed add extra oatmeal.
2. Drop rounded spoonfuls of the dough 2 inches apart onto aluminum foil or waxed paper; allow to sit 1 to 2 hours before serving.

It's A Girl!

On Thursday we found out our sweet little baby is a beautiful little girl! <3 We could not be happier! Josh and I were just so happy to find out the gender- we did not care if there was a little boy or little girl in my belly- just so long as it was a healthy baby! (I know everyone says that- but really- it's our first- how picky can a person be? ;) )

Our sweet baby girl's name is Savannah Marie and we know she will be much more beautiful than her name <3 Josh and I really loved the name Savannah and we chose Marie because both Josh's and my mother's middle names are Marie! So Savannah is named after both of her Grammies :) We hope she becomes a super awesome woman when she grows up like her Grandmothers!

Things I have learned while being pregnant with this sweet girl:

• I somewhat thought Savannah was going to be a boy because of how active she is- always jumping around- but I should have known she's just going to be an active little girl like her Momma was!
• All the burping that happens when you are pregnant is really crazy- I think this is an understated symptom!
• The amount of love and gifts we began to receive when we knew we were expecting Savannah is absolutely overwhelming! God is good <3 This little girl is already spoiled with so much love!
• The amount of advice- wanted and unwanted- about raising your baby and going through a pregnancy is also overwhelming... in a different sort of way ;-)
• I have had a really easy pregnancy so far and I feel so blessed by that! I know so many Mommas who are not so lucky. 
• I have ALREADY had people ask me how many more children we want... boy- Savannah isn't even here yet! 
• Pink does make me happy <3
• Ultrasounds are not always pleasant... those people get rough!
• Peeing in a cup seriously- pregnancy makes you a professional at that.
• Some days I still have to remind myself that it is true- we will have our sweet little baby in our arms in just a few months! We feel so lucky and blessed!

Excitement of a New Baby!

So we are expecting our first baby and of course we are SO EXCITED! I think that really with every little thing I get MORE excited :) I really cannot wait to hold this little one in my arms! I wish I could fast-forward just to meet him/her sooner! 

    This weekend Josh and I just re-painted my old dresser for the baby's room. I cannot wait to get it up there and start preparing more! Yeah, I may seem a little premature in planning but we have not actually gotten much for the babe yet- I am just setting up the organization of the room! I think my next project might be making a window seat cushion of the baby's sweet little reading nook <3 

We will find out the gender of our sweet baby on August 28th and we are pretty excited! We don't care what God has decided to bless us with- we just feel sooooo lucky to even have a baby <3 God must trust us ;) 

Finally opened my Etsy!

For a long time now I have been wanting to open an Etsy shop! Well, I finally did it! I am still working out what I want my shop's focus to be (what items). But right now I have baby things and canvas art :) I love both!

Here is one of my new canvas creations! It was my first experience with a chalkboard finish- I love it! 

I have found that in starting an Etsy you need to focus on your keywords, title, pictures, and consistency. Keep posting new stuff and see your traffic increase! The things that I thought would not get traffic are doing the best- I think it is because some of my titles are better than others! Also, some titles bring up less search results than others, therefore, people see your item more! Stay tuned for some more Etsy tips- I am just beginning but cannot wait to have my first sale!

 Check out my Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheBuddingHomemaker?ref=hdr_shop_menu

It's A... BABY!

Josh and I's announcement of the year... we're expecting a sweet addition in January! Talk about the best Birthday gift ever! We have been waiting for God to bless our sweet family with a baby and He sure did have the best plan ever <3 Here's the story of our amazing weekend:

On the weekend of May 10th we left to go to Lynchburg, VA for my college graduation ceremony. It was also Josh's Birthday that very day, and the next day was Mother's Day! So, long story short- It was already turning out as an awesome weekend! On the morning of the 10th it was my graduation day and Josh's 23rd Birthday. While I was getting ready (at the CRACK of dawn!) to head over for the graduation ceremony- I decided I would take a test just to see. I don't know whether it was because of the heartburn that woke me up (that I would learn was my first pregnancy "symptom"), or what, but who decides to take a test at 5AM on their graduation day?! Evidently ME! So the test was taken... and it was positive! Talk about a tear-jerker! We were (and are) SO happy to be adding this sweet little baby to our family! 

The day flew like a whirlwind and the whole time I was walking in graduation I just thought "the baby is with me during graduation" "I am pregnant". It was surreal- the ceremony was awesome and tiring. And it was one of the best days of my life <3 Later that night we went out to dinner and shared the great news with both sets of parents and my younger brother- they were all so shocked and happy- it was awesome!! 

Now I am 11 weeks pregnant with this sweet peanut and we are still on cloud nine <3 

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5

Cinnamon Vanilla Granola

Mmmmmmm! This week, sitting on my counter, is this yummy granola I made to top my plain-Jane vanilla yogurt! I don't like the fruit on the bottom, or any of those fancy greek yogurts, etc. I just love plain vanilla yogurt! But I always feel its lacking my need for texture. I love to add bananas or berries (FRESH) to it, but for an extra kick I whipped up some super easy granola. To my calculation here is what I put into it (I eyeball EVERYTHING ;) So have at this recipe, you won't be sorry!

Cinnamon Vanilla Granola

• 4 cups quick oats
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon (Ok, I love the stuff!)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• Any other add-in you want will work too! Craisins, raisins, nuts, sunflower seeds, etc.

I mix all of these together in a frying pan, making sure the sugar, honey, and butter are melted together first. Once everything is combined thoroughly I spread on a cookie sheet and bake @ 350 for about ten minutes. This is something you need to be watching. Because you do not want it too soft or burnt, you are looking for a toasty feeling on the edges, when it dries it will get fully crunchy! I usually turn the oven off and let it dry out a bit more while it sits in the oven with the door part-way open. It will cool quickly- then store it in an air tight container and enjoy!! :) You will love this addition to your yogurt or just to eat as is! I have even eaten it with milk poured over it! 

Vegetarian Tacos

Vegetarian Tacos!

Today I made the most delightful vegetarian tacos! I am fasting from meat for the Lenten Season (which is over on Sunday!) and have been searching for ways to avoid meat (which, after weeks now doesn't seem as hard as first imagined). Do I miss meat? yes. Where these just as good as any other dish that has meat? yes! So without further ado- here's my recipe!

Here's the "normal" stuff I put on it:

• Taco Shells (obviously)
• Sour Cream 
• Taco Sauce
• Lettuce
• Shredded Cheese

Here's the filling ingredients (In place of meat):

• 1 Cup Cooked Quinoa (any way you like to prepare it! I put with two parts water and a little butter and salt, then boil til cooked)
• 1 Can Black Beans
• 1 Can Whole Kernel Corn
• Taco seasoning to taste (I like lots and often make my own)
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

I take all of these ingredients and dump together in a frying pan, cook for about 10 mins until fully heated, and ENJOY! Yumm! And I had all of this in my kitchen already :) Happy Vegetarian Cooking!

Canvas Quote DIY

See that canvas? Yep, I finally got the guts to make one, and there it is! I love it! So here's the breakdown: SUPER EASY!

Supplies:

• Canvases from Walmart (8x10 have 2 in a pack for around $5) 
• Paint Pens (also from walmart)
• Acrylic Glossy paint (only 0.50 cents a bottle! You don't have to get glossy, the regular will seem more like matte and the glossy is more like nail polish)
• Paint Brushes (any really, or even a sponge if you want a dfferent look)

So I took my canvas and painted just one coat of mossy green color. It dried pretty quickly. One coat made mine look unfinished but I like that rustic feel so I left it that way. These dry pretty quickly!

Then I used a ruler and simply free-handed with my silver paint pen the song Lyrics! I got the bold paint pens but if you wanted a finer print they have those too! The flower is also free-hand with purple and yellow.

 Now something else you can do is use stencils for the writing and also stickers painted over and then peeled off. I am hoping to try this soon and show you! You could also use your children's hand prints or even put tape on it and paint to then peel off for stripes! :-) Happy DIY'ing everyone!!

Following God's Will and Reaching the Brokenhearted

So, long time no blog- this is ALWAYS my problem! I try to keep up with the blog but I eventually forget! So update: We bought our house and moved in in December- woop woop! My new job is being a home health aid! I love it! Ok that's the extent of the news! ;) So here's a little call to action/testimony for everyone:

Being a home health aid has brought me tons of joy! I followed God's prompting in my life and it is returning to me tenfold! Obviously going from a management position to a home health aid, in the world's eyes, is not an "upgrade" - but in God's eyes following His will for your life is ALWAYS an upgrade! Praise His name! 

The job of a Home Health Aid is to go into the houses of others, (usually elderly) and help them in daily activities such as housekeeping, cooking, dressing, bathing, companionship, etc. It's pretty awesome if it is your calling in life :) During this job you meet so many different kinds of people and hear SO many ddifferent stories, which are all awesome! But there is sadness in this line of work. I sometimes meet some people who are all alone with no family left. This breaks my heart! A dear woman I recently saw has no more family left except a distant cousin far away. Her best friend recently passed also. She has never been married or had children. Her pastor never comes around anymore. And she has many health issues. You can see into her eyes the pain she feels in life everyday- the pain of loneliness. But in those few hours we come to see her she smiles. Her eyes light up through the hurt and she feels friendship and love. How awesome is that? If only we could be there all the time and help her loneliness vanish! But every time we come to see her she feels that love and friendship just once more. 

So my call to you is why not befriend the lonely? Love on the poor and heavy-hearted? God commands us in the Bible to care for the widows and the orphans and to love and cherish all!

 

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalms 147:3

Let God work through your life today and touch those that are Brokenhearted! Simple gestures like a smile, a brief hello how are you doing, offering to help with house cleaning, bringing someone a meal or baked good, visiting those who are unable to come to church, creating an event in a nursing or assist living home, writing to someone who has recently lost a family member.  The possibilities are endless!! Letting God work through my life has brought me nothing but JOY and love to my life- let Him use you too- you will NOT be sorry!