This Man

....makes me smile each and every morning. I decided when we took down Christmas decorations that he would stay up until spring. 

 

 

I'm shamelessly burning him every waking hour. He'll not fit in a suitcase or move to the trailer....I need to enjoy him fully now. LOL 

Breakfast Oatmeal Cupcakes To Go (Vegan/DF option )

Michael said these were "ok." Stacia said they were "good." Theirs had chocolate in them. I like them with fruit. I'm going to call these boatmeal muffins and think of Melissa each time I make them. I think the ones with fruit and a smoothie will become my breakfast of choice most mornings. Recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie.  Yep, have had these for breakfast all week - and dinner on Wed too. LOL

Mine don't have chocolate in them and I don't miss it - but others would

Ingredients
5 C rolled oats (I used 4 1/2 C oats and 1/2 C protein powder)
2 1/2 C ripe mashed banana (I used 1 C banana and 1 1/2 C applesauce)
1 tsp salt
5 T pure maple syrup or agave (for sugar free skip and add dates or raisins)
2/3 C mini-chocolate chips (optional - left out for sugar free/DF)
2 1/2 C water
1/4 C plus 1 T coconut or veg oil
2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract - I used 1 T and splashes

Other Extras I added - several good shakes of cinnamon, 4 T of ground flax seed, a good amount of pecans and craisins.

Optional Add-ins: coconut, dried fruit, etc (I want to try with blueberries).

Directions
Preheat oven to 380*.

Line 24 cupcake tins.

In large bowl mix dry ingredients.

In another bowl mix all liquid ingredients (including banana or applesauce).

Mix - pour into cupcake liners.

Bake 21 minutes.

Broil 1 - 2 minutes - optional.

If you let them cool overnight, they won't stick.

Eat right away or freeze and reheat for a quick breakfast....pair with fruit, toast for a total breakfast.

Calories - 88

Note - having made these a few times now - I'll leave out the chocolate or to entice the kids and Michael cut it in 1/2. I love pecans in them. They are GREAT frosted with peanut butter or almond butter right before you eat them. LOL

Sugar-Free Deep Dish Cookie Pie (Vegan)

I've previously shared the recipe for Deep Dish Cookie Pie (vegan). It's ALWAYS a winner at potlucks...and it's not that they take it and realize it's healthy and puke. No, they EAT it. See?

I was thrilled when thumbing through my new cookbook, Chocolate Covered Katie, to find a recipe for SUGAR-FREE Deep Dish Cookie Pie. I'm currently eating no sugar. I've begun experimenting with dates - that "fruit" which used to terrify me.  I knew this is what I wanted for my birthday "cake".

Ingredients
2 (15 oz) cans of white beans or garbanzo beans, chick peas, drained and rinsed VERY WELL
2 C pitted dates
1 C quick-cooking oats
2/3 C milk of choice
1/4 C applesauce3 T coconut or vegetable oil
1 T pure vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pure Stevia extract (I didn't have and left out)
1 C chocolate chips (for completely sugar-free pie, use sugar free chocolate chips)

Directions
Pre heat oven to 350*.

Grease a 10 in spring form pan and set aside.

Stir together all ingredients except the chips. Take 1/3 of mixture and process in food processor until completely smooth. Scoop batter into prepared pan.  Repeat twice. Stir in chocolate chips.

Bake 40 minutes, until firm. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 20 min before removing the sides of pan.

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to a month.

Notes: We prefer to warm it up a bit before eating it - but it tastes good either way.

If you add ice cream it is no longer sugar-free; but it's a dessert I feel good serving the family.

Calories 130; fiber 4 grams; protein 2 grams, fat 5 grams, carbs 23 grams, WW points 4

Today

We headed for church and the car made a terrible noise. We suspect the brakes....which is only fitting as we just fixed the brakes on the van.

Our van is in the shop.

We came home and had a lazy day at home.

Great strides for Michael. He walked to park with us. Sat on a bench and walked home. It's a big step.

I threw together chili and cornbread for lunch.

We watched Beauty and the Beast and then Beauty and the Beet.

Arielle is in bed - she's got a full week coming up.

Michael, the boys and Stacia are playing a game.

I'm trying to figure out what I need or want in a domain.....and I'm going to bed too. I'm exhausted.

My Birthday Post



Earlier, a friend reminded me my birthday was approaching. Stacia began asking for a birthday list.  I made plans for a laid back year....no hiking, geocaching, restaurants or such.

 

Friday, Arielle and I stopped by Sam's club for a few groceries and found these flowers. I didn't resist. They looked like the perfect birthday flowers and I knew Michael would "most likely" have brought me birthday flowers if he could get out and about.





Yes, he confirmed they were just the flowers he would have bought me. LOL  There was a bit of drama about my gift this year. I have an Amazon wish list. I've let this be known for years. I also have set up accounts for Michael and Arielle and made it known that I'd like to be surprised and not get emails telling me what they'd ordered. ::snort:: They really tried this year. For some reason the emails still came to me...and they caught the first one....but missed the one that came the next morning saying the item had shipped. I was not as gracious as I would like to have been....I should have deleted it and not let on....but we all laughed about it in the end.....

And the night of the 23rd, when the Amazon driver dropped off a package, Michael intercepted it. There was great fanfare over the fact that my present had arrived. Michael said, "Set it on the counter."

"WHAT? No, I don't care that I know, do NOT put it on the counter! Wrap it."

Nonetheless, they left it on the counter.......my birthday gift.... Ah - the 7 lbs of Wheat Montana rolled oats. I was happy it was not my gift. ::snort::

 Arielle got up early and I saw her off to the SAT.

A dear friend, Rachel, had a free day and we went out to lunch. We had planned to try a new spot but it turns out it is closed on weekends. Ah well - AJ's was around the corner and we enjoyed our Mommy Playdate. We've not gotten together since August. We topped off our lunch date by sitting in the driveway and talking another couple of hours. In our defense we were about to call it a day, when Arielle got home and asked Rachel to keep me occupied for awhile. LOL

Rachel put together the perfect gift. It can be eaten or killed and I won't have to worry about packing and storage....and she got some of my favorites...sugar free, vegan loot. I'm not sure Matt and Michael will let us out for another Mommy Playdate without a time limit - but it was great fun.

Arielle had this little plant waiting for me - and the kids had decorated the house while I was out! Score!

Arielle made rice bowls for dinner - we usually go out to eat at the birthday person's restaurant of choice - but I wouldn't do that without Michael.....and this was YUMMY. We used the Yumm sauce Krista brought down from Eugene. The omnivores added loads of chicken to theirs. 

Arielle stopped by Target after the SAT test. The boys told her the gift she put together was "cheesy," but I thought it was perfect. It was a bag full of gifts - each with a note attached. (See below) It was pinterest worthy.

And then the "real gift." See my surprised act. ::snort::  It's a zojirushi hot water pot....

 

Ah - I think my old one could have done a lot of things if I could have read the buttons. LOL

 

Yes, there are English instructions - but it was much more fun to have these two read the Kanji instructions.

It was at this point that they remembered the Birthday Pig Hat....

 

The moment the "cake" almost slid off.....

 

A word about the cake - Arielle had made a sugarfree deep dish cookie (recipe to follow).

 

It was yummy! I wasn't the only one who thought so!

It was a great birthday - and I'm looking forward to another year!

 

 

Kids Gift

• Socks with stars  -  You're the star in our lives
• Hello Kitty Band-Aids - You're there on the good and bad days
• Extra gum - You're an extra special mom
• Pumpkin Spice Burt's Bees - You spice up our lives
• Nourishing hand lotion - You nourish us
• Relaxing face mask - You're fun to relax and hang out with
• $25 Starbucks card - We love you more than a good cup of hot chocolate



 

Things Arielle Learned at her SAT Test

Found online - not taken at the testing site!

Arielle prepared for this test. She has written almost daily essays which were critiqued by Michael.

She has worked through a giant book.

She has taken practice tests.

Friday we drove by the high school in Yuba City to be sure we knew where she needed to go.

This morning she got up bright and early and showed up to test.

And she was a bit surprised.

"Please write the following statement on the back of your test in cursive and sign it."

Dead silence in the group.

Then one raised his hand, "I don't know how to write in cursive."

"Make it up."

Really? These are college bound young adults.

She overheard several talking about how they didn't know they were taking the test and their moms woke them up and said, "Go take the SAT."

She also learned that sitting in a small windowless room with fluorescent lighting for hours on end would make her crazy. Thank you sweetie - we saw ahead and took care of this problem. LOL

And she learned there was nothing "unexpected" on the SAT....she finished in good time....and now we'll see.

She still isn't sure which route she wants to go for next year. Her goal - being a missionary - remains the same. The many paths to reach that goal are a bit tangled. She "may" attend New Hope Christian College. She "may" travel with us back to Japan (because we are sure we will go back to Japan one way or another) and take online classes for a year or two and then go to an on-site campus. She "may" move into an apartment in OR and attend community college for a year or two and get the basics out of the way before attending New Hope....lots of paths to consider. And she's considering well. We trust she recognizes the prompting of the Holy Spirit and will end up on the perfect path.

What we aren't hearing any longer is plans to attend beauty school - which I need to ask her about - because she won me over with her reasoning for that path. 

Josiah Goes Viral

Yesterday the photo below was posted on the Chick Fil A's Facebook page at 0946.  I was out and about and didn't see the photo. It was a great surprise to see it on my timeline when I got home.

Photo by Samantha Blankenship

"I'm visiting the Sunset Mall Chick-Fil-A in San Angelo, TX and this lady walked in after giving plasma. She was very shakey and lethargic looking and the team here has just been so generous and taking care of her. The store director, Josiah G, has been so caring and attentive to her needs. He called her loved ones and gave her food items to help her get her strength back. He's being extremely genuine and taking the time to get to know her. This is a good man, and I've never met him. We need more people like this in our world!"

I feel it's o.k. to share the photo without permission as I know for certain no permission was asked or given to share Josiah's photo or name around the internet. ::grin::

Josiah doesn't remember anyone taking a photo and was just taking care of a customer -  it's what he does, and he IS good at it. But wow. This thing is now at 20,276 20, 294   20,409  21,518 likes and 294  318 comments on the Chick Fil A page....and it's been shared in numerous other spots. 

The moral of the story - it pays to be on your best behavior at all times in the 21st century. There is no telling when someone will observe you, snap a photo and post it online with your name. That same photo and your name can quickly go VIRAL, it pays to be sure you are caught being good.  I've told the younger ones  someone could do the same if they weren't happy with you. {I've been rethinking all my dancing escapades at Walmart today. ::snort::} I guess the warnings to be sure to, "Wear clean underwear when you leave  home," needs to change to, "Be sure you are acting with integrity  - always."

This was really fun timing for Josiah. He will soon be leaving Chick Fil A for a new job and life in a new city. It's a great way to leave a job he's had for 7 or 8 years.

And yes, we think it's awfully cool that Samantha and others noted what we've known about Josiah for years, "This is a good man."