Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

     Yay! I'm finally writing my first recipe post!

     Everytime I think about doing one, I forget to take any pictures of the food until it's half eaten.

     I found this recipe over at Life as a Lofthouse a while back and pinned it to my dessert Pinterest board but never got around to trying it. I am so glad I finally did! This will be my new go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe.

     These were the perfect soft cookie. Cookies always seem to turn out too crunchy for my liking, or they seem underbaked. I was really skeptical about the bake time because they did not look done but went with it anyway. The bake time was spot on.

     These are in no way a healthy cookie recipe. They are simply indulgent. 

     Here's the link to the original because I can't claim any creative genius behind it: orignal recipe.



     Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies (yields approximately 36 cookies)

•      1 cup (2sticks) butter, softened
•      3/4 cup brown sugar
•      1/4 cup white sugar
•      1 small pkg instant vanilla pudding
•      2 eggs
•      1 tsp vanilla extract
•      2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
•      1 tsp baking soda
•      1 pkg 12 oz milk chocolate chips (I substituted semisweet & they were fabulous.)

(My cast of characters. I forgot the baking soda for the picture.)

     Directions:
     Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat the butter, sugars, pudding mix, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl until creamy. Slowly mix in flour and baking soda. Stir in chocolate chips.
     Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for only 9-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Enjoy!

 

Teaching Children to Give

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 It's almost that time of year again! My absolute favorite time of year is just around the corner. That means decorations, baking tons of sweets, and listening to Christmas music. It also means a time to give to those who are less fortunate.

     There are so many ways to help people especially around Christmas. Operation Christmas Child and The Salvation Army Angel Tree Program are two that are really dear to me. Both require some leg work with the shopping that needs to be done for them but are totally work the effort that you put in.
    
     Most of us know about Operation Christmas Child and their shoe box program. I'm not sure if the Angel Tree is a nationwide program or more regional. Low income families apply with the Salvation Army during the fall for their child/children to be placed on the Angel Tree, which are Christmas trees placed in different locations with tags with a child's name on it. The tags list the child's age, clothing sizes, and a toy wish. You choose a child's angel tag and buy his or her presents, preferably a suit of clothes, a pair of shoes, and a toy. The Salvation Army then delivers your gift to the child's parents to give them on Christmas. These are children who may not get any other gift if other's don't help. Their parents have provided proof that they probably won't be able to.

     It has been very important to me to "adopt" some of these angels at Christmas time ever since I discovered the program right after my husband and I were married several 6 years ago. I cannot imagine how it must feel as a parent to know you probably can't provide your child with a gift like everyone else and then how it must feel to have a total stranger buy for your child. I believe it must be a bigger blessing for the parents than the children.

     It is also very important to me to teach my children to be charitable and to give to others in need. I want them to learn to give in Christ's name and for His glory not for any benefit or praise of their own. I want them to learn to give cheerfully not because they feel it is necessary.

     "But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly" Matthew 6: 3&4

 

     "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." 2 Cor. 9:7



 

     Teaching a young child to give can be a struggle. It is not in our nature to want to give what we have away. I have prayed since I was expecting my first son that my children wouldn't be selfish, but it's there in all of us. It is human nature to be selfish.

 

     I have been trying to prepare my oldest son who is 4 for what we are going to be doing in the next month or so. I have learned that with anything new we do it is best to talk to him about it a lot and try my best to prepare him for the new situation. We will be doing a lot of shopping for the items for the shoeboxes and also a lot of shopping for the toys that will be gifts for the Angel Tree children. I keep telling him that we are going to buy toys for some little boys and girls for Christmas presents so they won't be sad at Christmas. I keep repeating to him that he is really blessed because Mama and Daddy can buy him presents but some moms and dads can't so we are going to try to help them. He nods and usually repeats some of what I say back to me.

 

     However, the hard part is going to come when we are actually in a store picking up a new toy and excepting that it is not for him. He is not used to getting a toy every time we go to the store. I have made it a point not to make that a habit. When something grabs his attention, I say something like, "Wow. I see. That's really neat, huh?" and we keep walking. He is used to that, but I know it will be a little different when I am actually putting toys into the cart and trying to explain to him that he can't have them.

 

     My children are always with me so doing the shopping when they are with a sitter isn't an option. I will most likely pick angel tags that aren't boys the same age as him. I'm not a mean mom who would stuff the cart with the coolest Hot Wheels toys and army men and then say you can't have them! It will be hard enough for a 4 year old brain to except in the first place!

 

     I have been praying that the Lord will help him understand and help me with it. I hope if he can get used to giving at such a young age that it will be easier as he gets older and that he and my younger children will have hearts for it.



Pregnancy #3

     I started this blog over the summer, wrote for about a month or so, then stopped for a couple of months. Well, I had a very good reason. We found out we are expecting baby #3! I was very under the weather through the first trimester and couldn't find time to blog. I also didn't feel right attempting to sit down and right a blog post when my house and family were being so neglected. (Kudos to the moms with several children who manage to do it all. Kudos!)
     I'm 17 weeks now and starting to feel better so hopefully I can get back to writing at least one post a week. This pregnancy has definitely been harder so far than my previous two. Nausea lasted longer and was harder than before. Ginger ale, saltine crackers, and Preggie Pops kept me semi-functional for about 14 weeks.
     We also had a real scare at about 9 weeks. That Saturday morning I started bleeding very heavily and was certain I had miscarried. I went in for an ultrasound that Monday, and the baby was still there! To say I was shocked was an understatement. I really hadn't had any hope all weekend. I knew with God all things are possible, but I just wouldn't let myself be hopeful and then have my hopes shattered. Turns out, I had passed two VERY large blood clots. My doctor was as suprised as I was. She said if it hadn't been for ultrasound proof, she was sure I had miscarried as well.
     I look forward to sitting down and writing about the things that are on my mind and heart. Hopefully, I'll get the first one up in a couple of days. God bless!

Raising Boys to be Masculine

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Raising boys is a very special job. I'm honored that God would see fit to bless me with two little guys to mold and teach to hopefully one day become soldiers for His word.

It's very important to me that they embrace their "boyhood". The world is feminizing our little boys and teaching little girls to be more masculine.

I remember seeing a J.Crew ad with the company's president and her little boy. She had painted his toenails pink and stated that she was lucky her son enjoyed it. While conservatives tried to slam the ad, mainstream media declared "So what? It's just painting his nails." I don't think so.

There have been a couple of times in the past when my oldest has walked into the room when I was painting my nails. He stuck his hand out like he wanted his painted too. I told him, "No. This is something that girls like to do. Little boys and big strong men like Daddy don't paint their nails." He accepted this and went on his way. He was simply a three year old interested in what his mother was doing at the time.

Notice how I told him about his "big strong Daddy"? I tell him all the time that he needs to finish eating so he can be big and strong like Daddy. Little boys naturally want to be just like their dad. I often ask him, "Can you please help me move this laundry basket? I need somebody big and strong to help me and Daddy is at work?" He comes running to help me and tells me how strong he is and shows me his muscles. He'll often tell me, "I'm big and strong like Daddy" or "I'm big and strong like Papaw." He wants to be manly.

I also want my boys to have a clear picture of a feminine woman. I want them to see growing up that a woman can embrace feminity and enjoy it. There is clear gender distinction in our home. Their dad is the bread winner while their mom is the bread baker. Daddy does the outside work while Mama cares for the things of the home.

Daddy also wears the pants, figuratively and literally. I don't demean my husband or talk badly about him to our sons. I have heard lots of women complaining to their kids about their father. This is a definite way to go to get your kids to disrespect him and not want to be like him. Kids will learn as they get older that Mama and Daddy are not perfect; we don't need to point out these imperfections to their little minds that are soaking up EVERYTHING.

Wearing modest dresses and skirts around our my boys is giving them a physical picture of a feminine woman. I'm not saying there's no way to be feminine in a pair of pants, but I don't know anyone who will argue that a woman looks more feminine and tends to act more feminine in a skirt. I can bake a cake or play catch in a dress. I can do laundry or play on the floor with Hot Wheels in a skirt. I can stay girly and do these things with my sons despite what the world says.

They say, "It takes a village to raise a child." I've seen the village, even been a part of it, and I definitely don't want it raising my boys. If we ever have a daughter, I won't want it influencing her either. The most important lessons they will learn for life come from right here at home.

Christian Persecution

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Persecute (verb) - to oppress or harass with ill-treatment, especially because of race, religion, or beliefs.

Christians may not be being arrested or having our chuches destroyed, but we are definitely being persecuted in America today. It's almost to the point where it's easier for someone to be openly gay than openly Christian. If you declare your love for Christ and your desire to follow his word, you are automatically labeled a hate filled bigot.

Celebrities who come out of the closet are praised and sat on a pedestal. When a prominent figure prounounces love for God, he's shunned.

^"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

^\If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me."  John 15: 18-21

The owner of Chick Fil-A has recently stood up for what he and the company he has built believes in and is taking direct fire for it. The media is mocking him and trying to tear him down from every angle. Here's the article from Lifesitenews: http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/guilty-as-charged-chick-fil-a-owner-stands-by-true-marriage-stance/

The world embraces the gay community with open arms, but all they want is for this man to fall. I pray that he'll be able to withstand the persecution and not give into the world's demands.

Today is National Support Chick Fil-A Day (pretty sure that's not the official name), and we will be showing our support. We regularly eat there anyway not just because the food is good but because I'd rather spend our money at an establishment that upholds Christian beliefs.

Just for the record: I do NOT hate gay people. I hate the lifestyle and the evil of it all. We are supposed to love everyone including the sinner but hate the sin.

"Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked." Psalm 97:10









A Heart for Home

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"To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." Titus 2:5

Home sweet home. Isn't it though? There's no place I'd rather be than home. I am a tried and true homebody striving to be a good homemaker.

I love to be a stay at home mom, housewife, domestic engineer, or whatever you want to call it! While all the other girls had dreams of a career, I have always wanted to a be a wife and mother and stay home to care for my family. This is where my heart is.

 

 

I don't have to be away from home very long before I desire to be back. Even with my weekly errands, if I have to make very many stops or am gone for very long, I start to feel guilty about being away from home. I feel that I should be at home, working at home in some way.

I have an amazing husband who probably would not care at all if I spent regular time out of the house for myself. I just have no desire to. First of all, I wouldn't feel right going to do something for me when there were things here that I could be doing. Secondly, I know that I wouldn't enjoy my time away because I would be thinking of the things back home. Don't get me wrong; I do greatly enjoy the rare time that my husband and I get out together.

Am I wrapped up in home life? Yes. This is where my heart is.

In my opinion, being the keeper of the home is the best job ever. However, I am not the best housekeeper ever. Luckily, there's so much more to it than cleaning and laundry. Keeping the home means keeping the heart of it well. To the keep the heart well, priorities need to be in order. God is first, followed by my husband, children, and then the house itself.

When I aim to please my husband, the other things fall into place. Stopping to watch a favorite show with him when he gets home actually makes a big difference. I have tried in the past to make sure all the housework was done before bed because that's what all the cleaning blogs and websites say you should do. When I do that, our couple time in the afternoon is almost gone. It doesn't work for me not if I want a happy home. The priorities get out of line. Who really cares if the rinsed out dishes have to wait until morning? My husband will leave for work before dawn and not be home until almost night. I have plenty of time to do them when he's gone.

There are days when things don't get done right away because our children need extra attention. If I constantly tell them "Mama can't play right now because I have to scrub the tub" or "Mama can't sit with you because I need to wash the windows", it's going to begin to hurt their hearts. (And mine!) They are so much more important than shiny windows. The house itself is getting put above the home. When I realized Better Homes and Gardens will not be showing up for a photoshoot and began to relax, the heart of my home was much better.

My heart is in making my home a happy, peaceful place for my family. Now, there is a certain amount of order required. Messes and chaos do not equal peaceful. I just have to remember there's a difference between house work and "home work".

This somehow became more about priorities at home than a heart for the home, but I think the two go together.

"When a woman says she is a housewife

she should say it with the utmost pride,

for there is nothing higher on this planet

 to which she could aspire.” 

John Seymour

"Our house is clean enough to be healthy,

and dirty enough to be happy."

Unknown

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A Peaceful Morning

It is a very rare morning in our house. It may be a first actually. It's almost 6 a.m. and neither of the boys has woken up all night. Batman didn't need to go potty during the night. Thor didn't need to cuddle with mommy to go back to sleep. It is a truly peaceful morning.

Morning is the best time for me to read and study the Bible. Very seldom are these mornings so peaceful! Even through the usual chaos and noise, I find peace and guidance for the day in his Word.

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

Spending time with the Lord each morning sets the tone for my day. I believe He wants us to seek Him out and pray for his mercies for the new day. It makes a huge difference (a bad difference) when I forget to stop or get too busy to stop and seek Him out.

It doesn't take long on those mornings before I realize I have definitely left out something very important! Nothing will be going right. The boys will be grumpier than usual. Mama will be grumpy! Then I'll realize, "No wonder I'm having a bad day. I left the one out who controls it all!"

Taking the time to put Him first in the morning, reminds me that He controls it all. The good days and the not so great days are all in His hands.

I've enjoyed this quiet morning and know it will soon come to an end. Blue eyed boys will soon be waking and needing hugs. God has blessed me with another day to be their mother, and I can face that day knowing that He's here.

"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." Psalm 5:3