Smells like fall

In the spirit of fall I thought I would pass on this fantastic recipe. I found it on someone's blog last year (sorry, I have no idea where). These cookies make your house smell so yummy...almost like Thanksgiving. We are enjoying a batch today.


Woops! Thanks Misty for pointing out that I forgot to add 350 degrees for 15-20 minuts. Sorry.
Iced Pumpkin Cookies
2 1/2 C Flour
1t. Baking Powder
1t. Baking Soda
2t. Cinnamon
1/2t. Nutmeg
1/2t. Ground Cloves
1/2t. Salt
1/2c. Butter
1 1/2c. Sugar
1 Can Pumpkin - the large one
1 Egg
1t. Vanilla
Expect the dough to be very wet. I add an extra cup of flour, the dough is still really wet, and the cookies come out cake like.

Icing
2c. Confectioners Sugar
3T. Milk
1T. Butter
1t. Vanilla

Carol taught how to ice cookies last year. Maybe y'all know this. Dip the tops of your cookies in a shallow dish of icing and let the extra drip off. Turn the cookie over and let the frosting set. The icing comes out perfect every time.

Thursday already?

It has been a busy week playing catch-up after being away last weekend with the girls. Laundry, house cleaning, and homeschooling, whew...

So since my brain is not engaged, I am participating in this little tag.

1.) Favorite Smell... Something clean, I like Cotton Linen by Yankee Candles. I also like Green Apple.

2) Favorite Food... Anything Mexican!

3.) Favorite color... Red...for now

4.) Favorite drink... Killer Carmel Latte from Barracuda's or White Mocha from Starbucks

5.) Favorite Treat... Hmmm...Cake

6.) Favorite place to visit... The beach

7.) Favorite Candy... Dark Chocolate M&Ms

8.) Favorite movie to watch...You've Got Mail

9.) Favorite clothing to wear...Jeans

10.) Favorite Outdoor Activity... Walking

11.) Favorite Football Team... Dolphins B team (my son)

12.) Favorite Fall Holiday... Thanksgiving

13.) Leaving this one blank...Too weird to repeat

14.) Favorite Food at Thanksgiving Dinner... Stuffing

15.) Favorite Pie... Pumpkin

16.) Favorite Fall Hobby... Reading

17.) Favorite Fall Memory... IDK

18.) Favorite Fall Sight... Leaves turning color

19.) Overall Favorite Fall Thing... Thanksgiving, enjoying a holiday that does not revolve around gifts

20.) Favorite Season... The beginning of any of them.

If you want play along! Tag your it!

Lots of laughs ;o)

I had a great weekend away. The conference was not exactly what I expected or looking for but it was still good. The best part of the weekend was the girl time. We had lots of fun walking, looking, shopping and laughing. It was great to be able to have some complete conversations with out any interruptions from little ones (or big ones). I found a couple great deals on somethings I needed which is always fun.

I had my first experience of public transportation. I think I may have rode our local bus a time or two when I was in Jr. High, but that is the extent of my green-riding. The girls talked me into riding the Max in Portland, Or. We were going downtown to Saturday Market. When we stepped on the Max there were only three available seats so I was going to stand. There was a friendly gentleman that offered to let me sit on his lap for the ride and I nervously declined. He said he was just trying to show a little southern hospitality (Aren't we in the Northwest?) but it did give us all a good laugh. I think it gave the other girls a better laugh than me though. My laugh was a little nervous.

I was amazed at the number of young homeless people. I was thinking about that song I posted a time or two ago "Give Me Your Eyes" when a young man came and asked me for a fry that I was eating. Then a young girl, no more than 14, asked if I would give her whatever I didn't eat. It made me so sad to think of the situations and choices that brought them to this spot.

At first I thought "This is the real world", but I don't know that is all correct. It is certainly reality for downtown Portland Oregon and many other places in the US and around the world, and I know there are homeless in my community on a much smaller scale. In may corner of the world the hurting and needy look a little different. Maybe it is the family I know that is falling apart, or maybe the neighbor that is struggling to put food on the table, or maybe the mom I know that needs a friend. That is the Real World too. I need to be more deliberate in looking at people the way God sees them and finding how God would like me to partner with Him. It is all the real world, just some parts are more raw and astonishing than others.

Thank you Beth, Jamie and Kelly for a great time!! I really appreciate your friendship, you are each special treasures to me! Thank you for putting up with me and my quirks. I am sure I am like fish and after a few days...pew!

Hopefully Kelly will be joining our blogworld soon. ;o)

Yea Hoo!

Have a great weekend ladies! Until next week...

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1.02.05

Give me your eyes

So did you guess yesterday? It was Teddy Roosevelt. Interesting.

God has been working on my heart. Continuing with the theme of living a life of purpose.

Sunday night a team that recently traveled to Guatemala shared about their experiences. I also got a comment yesterday asking:

Jill, can I ask you a question? Did you ever just have one of those days where EVERYTHING seemed to go wrong and you just want to sit down in one place and barely breathe for fear of another unfortunate thing happening? What do you do on those days to survive?

Some days it seems like that is all I am doing 'surviving', not thriving and certainly not living the life of abundance. At least not abundant joy. Maybe abundant opportunity, or abundant laundry, or abundant children, but not abundant joy.

The Guatemala team shared about this sweet little deaf girl, who given a different set of circumstances would have been able to hear. Of course I immediately thought of Kate and was brought to tears. But really given another set of circumstances it could be any of us. But for the grace of God.

How much time do I waste on the trivial? As I contemplate whether we should sheet rock our basement, there are people going hungry, people without homes, children without parents, people suffering and hurting. While I am trying to figure out I picked the right shade of brown for the bathroom, someone is wondering where they will spend the night. It makes my "issues" seem so small, and they are, at least most of the time.

I find that when my eyes are in the right spot even in the place of chaos and confusion there is peace. A peace that passes understanding (right, Jamie ;o) But so often I get my eyes on the wrong thing. The trivial, the non-essential.

I have no idea what is going on with mholgate, and I certainly don't want to belittle what is going on in her life. Sometimes life is so hard that all you can do is keep breathing and trusting in the One that holds you in the palm of His hand.

God, keep working on me, give me your eyes.

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1.02.05

Blogkeeping, fitness, and menus, and trivia

This blog looks a little like my house, needing some housekeeping ;o)

I updated the miles walked...yea! Over 200 miles! Thanks again to Wendi for being my faithful walking buddy. A couple weeks ago Wendi was sick with Strep. I could have walked by myself, but I didn't. I also updated the weight ticker, yep, gained back that wonderful pound that took three weeks to lose. Oh, well. I am trying to be good this week because I am planning on not being so good this coming weekend. Is that premeditated sin?

I am thrilled to only be planning three dinners this week. I am heading out of town on Thursday with friends and can hardly wait for the fun to begin. It will be a great time of catching up quality girl time.

Monday: White Chicken Chili -YUM! I got this recipe last year from Katherine @ Raising Five! Love, love, love it!
Tuesday: Broccoli Quiche - Have been trying to get this made for the past two weeks now. Tuesday is the day!
Wednesday: Church dinner, pork roast
Thursday: Fall Harvest Chowder -I can throw this in the crock pot before I leave town and leave the family with something over the weekend. Besides it smells great, and will remind them all how much I love them.

I have pre-made dinners for my family when I leave before, but they never seem to eat them. So I am not going to hassle with it. I am sure everyone will eat. There is lots of food in the cupboards.

I made a couple loaves of Pear Bread this morning. It smells so good, just like fall.

I recieved this from my mom-in-law this morning. Any guesses??? ;o)

Who Am I?

I am 42 years old,

I love the outdoors,

I hunt,

I am a Republican reformer,

I have taken on the Republican Party establishment,

I have five children,

I have a spot on the national ticket as vice president with less than two years in the governor's office.

Did you guess? I will tell you tomorrow.

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1.02.05

The family franchise

Katherine has a great post over at Raising Five today. Go check her out.

Whiny Behiney?

That's what we call Ella when she whines.

I seem to have come across as whiny in yesterdays post. That was not my intention. I just thought it funny that when I was talking of living on purpose I was thinking big dreams and making a big difference in the big world. My big difference is right here at home ;o) One fish Two fish... Ella, keep it dry...

Thanks for all the encouragement ladies! One heart beat at a time!!!