S'more Fun

We still have cooties at our house. More specifically, strep. This is the second time in 3 months Matt has had it! I think this time is worse. He woke up this morning crying because his throat was burning. He has also ran high fever (103+) and thrown up for three nights in a row! We will all be so glad when it has run it's course. Please pray that he recovers very very soon and Richard and I do not get it!

I wanted to share some cute pictures from the other night (pre-strep).

That's right. We are roasting marshmallows and making S'mores. Matt has this wacky idea that every time we build a fire in the fireplace, we should roast marshmallows. I have no idea where he got this idea. Couldn't be from his S'more crazy mother.

Did you notice the Legos strewn all over the fireplace? Life doesn't get much better then building in front of a cozy fire and eating toasted marshmallows.

Sick Boy, Cake Pops, and Catalogues

So much for the pures party tonight; Matt woke up this morning sick. Kindergarten has been tough on this little guy. He has had strep, some kind of weird virus, and 2 stomach bugs since the start of school. As I type, he is passed out on the couch. I'm not sure what he has, but it is nasty.

I'm glad he is sick now and not next week. Next week is the last week of the semester and, as we all know, it is the best. Parties, Christmas games and coloring sheets, and who knows what other fun.

Speaking of next week, I have 16 dozen cake pop orders to fill. God is so good. I also have a school party to help and bake for and the purse party was rescheduled for Monday. It will be a crazy week.

Tonight is The Office Christmas party episode. Hooray!! This is the one show we both love to watch. Even if you are not a regular Office viewer, the Christmas party episodes always have something for everyone.

Also, did you know that Williams and Sonoma mail out a Christmas catalogue? I didn't, but I got one yesterday. Even though I cannot afford anything, I love flipping through it. It's kind of like a grownup version of the Sears Christmas catalogue from when I was a kid. Do you remember those? My brother and I would take turns circling things for our list. I always loved the robots, Easy Bake ovens, and dollhouses. I know, what a odd combination. As I got older, I quit circling and started making collages with all the things I wanted. How sad is that.

Not surprising, Matt's equivalent is the Lego catalogue. He drags it around like it is some kind of NY Times best-seller.

A Box of Hope

Guess who? I kind of fell of the blogging planet AGAIN! All is well and if I don't flake out, I have some good stories and pics to share. Anyways, on with the show.

About a month ago I signed up to host a purse party through Heartline Ministries in Haiti. I was put on a waiting list, I think I was number 16, and finally received my box of purses after Thanksgiving. It felt like Christmas morning when I found it on my front porch! I couldn't wait to get it inside and see all the beautiful creations. However, I wasn't prepared for the emotional reaction I would have.

As I was pulling out and admiring purse after purse, it hit me. These were not just purses, this was hope for a woman in Haiti. Each purse represents one woman's journey. Her journey for a better life for her family. They represent her love and dedication to learn a skill so she can rise above abject poverty. They represent determination, pride, and freedom.

I'm sure this is not a shock to any of you, but I ended up in tears.

I am having my purse party on Thursday evening and can't wait. I cannot wait to introduce my friends to this amazing organization, Heartline Ministries. I cannot wait to introduce them to the women who made the purses. My favorite thing about the purse is the tag on the inside; it is signed by the artist. But it gets even better, you can go to their website, find the artist, and read her bio. This way, you can see who you are directly helping. Isn't that awesome!

Thanksgiving Food and Thoughts

I cannot believe Thanksgiving is in two days! It seems like the school year just started. Tonight I got a jump on my cooking and made Paula Dean's green bean casserole and broccoli casserole. Tomorrow I am going to try her recipe for Ritz Cracker Pie. (I am known in my family for being the "weird" cook, so I couldn't let them down; especially my brother-in-law. ) I am also making the cranberry sauce, no jiggly can stuff for this girl, and maybe a red velvet cake. I know red velvet is more of a Christmas treat but I wanted to try out a recipe to use for cake balls.

We are spending Thanksgiving with Richard's family and my mom flew to Minnesota to be with my brother and sister-in-law. It's hard to believe that my mom flew across the country all by herself because six years ago, Richard and I spent Thanksgiving at Baylor Hospital in Dallas while she recovered from major heart surgery. When she went into surgery, she was so sick that we were not even sure if she would pull through. I am so thankful God decided to let her!

Oh, side note on the green bean recipe. If you fry a couple of strips of bacon in the beginning, then saute your onions and mushrooms in the grease. It is delish! Make sure you stir in the crumbled bacon or sprinkle it on top. You can do the same with the broccoli.

'Cause we all know, everything is better with bacon!

What are you cooking?

As Promised

Here is the link to Brent's message at our church. Please take the time to listen because it is a great message.

At the beginning, he talks about taking a picture of a widow in her rocking chair in front of her new home.

Obviously, this is not a picture of the widow he is referencing but this is what he is talking about. Richard took this at the end of their work day; this is Brent and Mme. Jako. The team finished painting her house and had the honor of giving her the rocking chairs.

This is one of my favorite pictures we took in Haiti. I love it because of the expression on her face and the sweet moment that is captured between the two.

Halloween

The story of our life, LEGOS!! If we could have made a Star Wars Lego costume, that would have been the ultimate. Didn't Daddy do a good job!?!

My funny guy; he is such a comic.

I think he is imitating his pumpkin???

I decided to start a new tradition this year. We bought a "Funkin" instead of a real pumpkin. Matt drew the face and I carved it. He signed the bottom, I dated it, and wrote down his costume. We will do the same each year and end up with a nice little collection of Jack-o-lanterns. Now, if this really happens, only God knows :)

Diciple Now Wrap Up

We had a great weekend. Our church hosted Disciple Now and we were a host home for seven 10th grade boys. I was a little nervous but it turned out great! The boys were wonderful and Matt loved having them here. He tried so hard to be part of the big boys.

What made the weekend more interesting was our neighbors across the street had 20 11th grade boys at their house. Saturday morning at about 2 am, our doorbell starts ringing. Was I surprised? No. Then on Sunday morning we woke up to plastic forks, spoons, and knives sticking out of our yard. Our cat really liked that because it was like a giant scratching playground. Matt on the other hand was highly offended and ended "having a talk" with the boys. It was hilarious!

Richard had arranged with our neighbors to go over to their house about 5:30 am on Sunday to play "Reveille" on his trumpet, but he decided to sleep instead. The funny thing was that our neighbors actually woke up to let him in but he never showed up! Poor guys.

The event was great. The Jeff Johnson Band played and Brent Gambrell (the guy we went with to Haiti) spoke to the kids. I have never been to anything like this and for me, it was almost like going to a revival. Actually, I have never been to a revival either but I felt like I had been revived by the end of Sunday. Brent has been blessed with an amazing gift for public speaking and speaking the truth. When our church gets his message uploaded, I will post it here because it was heart changing.

The students were also given a group challenge. Each grade, from 6th to 12th, was given $60 and three hours to raise money for a student group home in Virgina. The entire group had a goal to bring in $3600. Instead, they raised over $10,000!!! Can you believe that?!? In 3 hours they raised that much cash! Since they raised so much money, they gave $5000 to the group home and $4500 to Brent's ministry to build a home for a widow in Haiti. I wish you could have seen Brent's reaction when he found out, it was priceless.

God is so good! It was a good reminder for me to let God be God and nothing is impossible for Him. Beth Moore reminded me of that a couple of weeks ago too. Seriously, if He can part the sea, raise the dead, and feed thousands to name a few miracles, why do I expect so little from Him at times??

Anyways, I feel a rabbit chase coming on so I better wrap it up. We had a great weekend. How was yours?

Weekend Fall Fun

What a weekend! I made a bazillion cake pops or at least it seemed like it. We had a football game, Matt's school Fall Fest and Fun Run, Halloween party, birthday party, church and small group. It was a very full weekend for the Lewis house!

I have decided to take the easy way out and post a pic collage instead of uploading every single picture. That takes FOREVER sometimes.

Pretzel Boy

Just a random cute pic of my child trying to fold himself up like a pretzel. Not sure what that was all about.

By the way, the Perry the Platypus pj's are a big deal because he loves Phineas and Ferb. It took me forever to figure that cartoon out. Anyone else have problems following it at first??

Need a Laugh??

I love the website Cake Wrecks!! I can't remember how I found it, maybe my friend Karla. If you have never visited the site, you really need to check it out. You will not be disappointed.

I have this little fear that someone is going to submit one of my cakes. I do have a great photo of a cake I made my sister-in-law where I forgot to cross the "t" in birthday. Oops. The funny thing is no one noticed at the time. It wasn't until I posted it on Facebook that someone pointed it out.

Anyways, I digress.

Today, cake wrecks is highlighting all cakes "poop". As a mom, I can soooo relate and got a really, really good laugh. So check out today's post. I think my favorite are the cupcakes, they are just plain gross looking.

(I hope I didn't just break some kind of weird internet copyright law by posting this picture. If I did, I claim stupidity.)

By the way, one site my friend Karla did tell me about was Akward Family Photo. You HAVE got to take a look. You will be laughing out loud.

Yesterday

I have been dreading yesterday for quite a while. One year ago, yesterday evening, I was in the ER losing my baby and, honestly, wondering if I was going to make it. I have been dreading the arrival of this day but at the same time, looking forward to finally moving past the one year date.
This past year has been the hardest year of my life. To finally get to this day, in tact, and somehow a little stronger is something to praise God for. I still don't understand why it had to happen or even why it had to happen the way it did. But because God is God and the author of our lives, I know He had His reason and has a purpose.
This past month our church has been studying Romans 8 and our pastors challenged us to read the whole chapter daily. I usually read it or a section of it about 3 or 4 times a week. The very first day I began the challenge, Romans 8:28 just about knocked me over.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,

who have been called according to his purpose."

Then, last week when we listened to Pastor Cange preach at my in-laws church, he spoke on this very verse. I'm not sure how to say it, but hearing this Haitian pastor passionately speak about this verse was almost more then I could handle. I had one of those "hello God" moments that morning.

This is kind of odd too. Here is a list of last years events: Friday I had a MOPS meeting, ate lunch with a friend which was when I got the call from the doctor, went to a football game. Saturday went to Richard's UIL contest. Sunday went to church and evening small group at church which is when it all began.

Here is this past weekend's events: Friday I had a MOPS steering team meeting, ate lunch with the very same friend, went to a football game. Saturday went to Richrard's UIL contest. Sunday went to church and evening small group. It was almost like I got a do-over.

My post is rambling. Sorry. My head is swimming with so many thoughts but I think I will stop here. Thanks for the prayers, encouraging words, and for listening to me this past year.

My Life in Cake Pops

I made these cake pops this week as an "experiment". I think they turned out pretty cute.

When I looked at the above picture for the first time, I laughed out loud. It reminds me of some weird junior high social scene.

Specifically, from my childhood.

That's me on the right, laughing, smiling, and thinking I'm all that. That's the boy I like on the left. He's thinking "how do I get away from this goober?" The cyclopes is the weird guy who followed everyone around and watched.

Oh how I could write and write about the horrible experiences I had in junior high. I was the poster child for akward adolescent!!

If you want to order your own horror scene in cake pops, just let me know. I can hook you up!

The Evolution of Recordable Music - According to Matt

Said at dinner tonight:

Matt: Mom, did you have a swimming pool at Grandma's house when you were a little girl?

Me: No

Matt: But you did have a record player right?

Me: Yes.

Matt: Yeah, because back in the 80's everyone had a record player. Then they got smarter and invented ...what are those called....uh

Dad: CD's?

Matt: No

Me: Cassette tapes?

Matt: Yes! Cassette tapes! Then they got smarter and invented CDs. And then they got so smart that they made a computer chip and put all the music on a tiny computer chip for your IPod.

Did my son really say "back in the 80's" ?? He might as say back in the dark ages.

What can you buy for $250 a month?

A feeding station for 300 children in Pot au Prince, thats what!

Last week I wrote about a dinner guest we were having Tuesday night, Pastor Cange from Haiti. I wanted to tell you more about him and his ministry today. Pastor Cange lives and ministers in Port au Prince. He grew up in Haiti in a house that practiced voodoo, was converted by his best friend as a teenager, and went to Bible school in Jamaica.

It was very sweet to hear him talk about his friend that led him to Christ. In a nutshell, he said what affected him the most was his friend's attitude on life. He was always happy and joyful even though they were dirt poor and pretty much starving. His friend was always talking about Jesus and Pastor Cange began to realize it was Christ in him that made his friend so special.

He and his family survived the earthquake with minimal damage to their home. He told us his story and I cannot even imagine going through anything like that. For about 8 hours, he had no idea if his wife and children were alive.

Currently, he has church under tarps on an old soccer field that does not belong to him. He also has 5 feeding stations around Port au Prince. Each feeding station feeds 250 to 300 children!!

Some of the children have parents, some live with friends or family, and some have no one.

A Bible lesson is provided with the meal and I think some of the stations actually do school lessons. It might be all of them, but I am not sure. Pastor Cange is able to do this through coordinating with other pastors. He provides the food and materials and they pass it out. Sadly, he has to make "surprise" visits to make sure all is running smoothly because some of the pastors were keeping the food for their own families. It sounds horrible that a pastor would steal, but that is the reality in a fifth world country.

I wanted to share some pictures so you could see what he does. (I did not take these)

The first three images are from his feeding stations. The picture above is Pastor Cange preaching at his church. My father in law and some other men built the frame back in March.

I think it is amazing what he is doing. He could pack up his family and move to America for a "better life" . Instead, he is obeying God's calling, changing lives, and proving hope.

When we ate dinner the other night, we asked him to bless the food. It was a simple blessing but it was very moving for me. He thanked the Lord for the food, our family, and asked Him to bless our home. But, he also prayed that God would remember all those who did not have any food and provide for them. For this man, it is the cry of his heart and a reality. It is what he faces everyday. It was a very humbling and convicting moment for me. How many times have I prayed that, but it was more like a duty. Something to make me feel better about myself because I said my "prayer".

I struggled that night and shed some tears the next morning thinking about all that we have. It was hard when we came back from Haiti but it was harder the other night. I don't know how to explain it, but having this man in my home and knowing where he had been only hours before really got me. Thinking of how many times I have thrown out food, complained about our carpet, or even the silly fall arrangement in my fireplace made me want to crawl under a rock. I went from having a conversation about feeding starving and fatherless children to tripping over my child's excessive amount of toys in about one minute. Does any of this make sense?

Please don't think that I am preaching or pointing my finger at you and I did not write this to make anyone feel guilty. I also realize that there are children in my own city who are hungry and living in obscene conditions. I just know that I have to find a balance in my life and I am struggling right now.

My in laws and their church are working with Pastor Cange to help him reach his goals in regards to his ministry. He is an amazing man, doing incredible things for his country. Please keep him and his ministry in your prayers.

Creative or Wierd

The fall decorating bug finally bit me last week. I think it was caused by surfing way too many decorating/crafty blogs.

After much rearranging, this is the final product.

Yes. You are seeing correctly. I decorated the INSIDE of my fireplace with ALL of my fall decorations.

I already had the candles (they are from our wedding) and the jack-o-lanterns are from my childhood. I bought the leaf garland and extra veggies at Hobby Lobby half off. I would prefer the candles to be fall colors and different sizes but I am too cheap.

So that's it. That is all of my decorating and it is inside of my fireplace and not on my mantle.

I wonder what Pastor Cange thought while he was here on Tuesday...Probably think we are crazy. I'll tell you about him and our visit tomorrow.

Tomorrow

I am so excited about tomorrow.

First of all, my mama is coming to stay with us until Saturday. For some unknown reason, Matt thought that if he whined and cried about wanting Grandma now, she would miraculously walk through the door tonight. Sorry kid, not going to happen. She hasn't been here in awhile so we are all looking forward to her visit.

I'm not sure what we are going to do, but I think I see the Olive Garden and an early movie in our future. Should I take her to see the one about Facebook?? LOL. In case you didn't know, my mom is not very tech savvy. I don't even know what is out right now. Any suggestions??

The other thing I am excited about is our dinner guest tomorrow night. My father in law is picking up his friend, Cangey, from the airport tomorrow afternoon. Cangey is a pastor in Haiti who my in laws support and work with. He is going to spend a week with them and speak at some local churches. Wayne and Cangey are going to stop by our house on their way home for dinner.

Cangey has a feeding station in Port au Prince for children. Everyday, I think at least 100 , maybe even close to 200, children come to his feeding station where they are fed not only food but the Gospel as well. Many of these children are true street children with no family and this is the only meal they get. I admire Cangey very much because he could move his family from Haiti and come to America for a "better life". However, he chooses to stay and follow God's calling.

I have been a little nervous about what to cook. I finally decided on chicken spaghetti. Everyone likes chicken spaghetti right??

What's Cooking

Sunday - small group - I made homemade Twix bars

Monday - beef stew and cornbread

Tuesday - company is coming - chicken spaghetti, salad, homemade bread and fresh apple cake

Wednesday - Eat out

Thursday - Tacos, tamales (homemade from one of Richard's students), rice and refried beans

Friday - hotdogs

Saturday - leftovers

Haiti: Our Video

I finally got our mission trip video finished and uploaded. Hooray! We have signed up to return next July but I wish I was going back tomorrow.

The country and the people have forever found a place in my heart.

Mwe remen Ayaiti.

*Don't forget to pause the music at the bottom before you start the video.

Growing Up

My big kindergartner went to the school library today and checked out his very first book. He chose Brave Mole by Lynne Jonell. The cover has a picture of a mole wearing a construction hat and vest while holding a shovel. It's very cute and "says Matt" all over it.

I'm not sure why, but it made me a little teary to think my boy is old enough to go to the library all by himself. That was one of my favorite outings while he was at home, going to the library.

I went last week without Matt and enjoyed the freedom to browse but I did miss my boy!


**After I typed this, I went to Amazon so I could find a picture of the cover. I was surprised when I read the description. This will be fun trying to explain to Matt! Below is the description.

Jonell (Mommy, Go Away!) here reenacts the events of September 11 through the eyes of an animal who perhaps can help young readers to shoulder their fears. Mole wears a hard-hat, carries a lunch pail and lives in a burrow with his molewife and babymole. Softly shaded pastels portray their warm haven filled with comfy chairs and braided rugs. When Mole tells Babymole a bedtime story about dragons, Babymole asks, "Will a dragon come to get me, Daddy?" "No, Son." Mole says. "Dragons are far away from my little babymole." But the very next day, two terrifying dragons destroy the tallest molehills in the city. From a sheltered spot amidst the wreckage, Mole feels called to return and help others. Jonell plants a spiritual undercurrent with references to Mole's prayers to an Overmole. She draws a contrast between Mole (as an "ordinary mole") and the "Bigmoles" and "Smartmoles" that emphasizes the importance of everyday heroes, yet youngsters may not understand the social distinction or the idea of working-class firefighters, police officers and others rescuing elite stockbrokers. The stronger theme underscores the tenuous reassurance between father and son: upon Mole's return home that night, Babymole asks, "Will I get to go fight the dragons, Daddy?" "No," replies Mole. "We grown-ups will fight them for you." Images of the moles fleeing the fire and the dragons' attack may make this best suited for reading with an adult, as well as for children who already know about the events of that day. Ages 5-up.

What's Cookin'

Monday - Meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and zucchini saute

Tuesday - Chicken and Dumplings (we are going to pretend like it is cold)

Wednesday - Grilled steaks, salad, and cheddar scalloped potatoes (new recipe)

Thursday - Bean and Green Enchiladas (new recipe) and salad

Friday - Hot dogs or grilled cheese since it's a football game night

Saturday- eat out or make pizza

Sunday - Small group - Chicken Spaghetti (from the Pioneer Woman; I LOVE this recipe!!)

Dinner Tonight

Tonight I made crock pot pork chops and sauteed broccolini. It was a home run! The boys were all but licking their plates. Since there was some interest on facebook for the recipe, I thought I would share here too.

Pork Chops

In a crock pot:

Layer chops (I used 6), sliced onion, and Lawry's Season Salt.

Cover with about a cup of vegetable broth.

Cook on low until tender. (8 hours for me today)

Broccolini

Crisp 2 pieces of bacon in skillet ( are you surprised I brought bacon in??)

Add one bunch of trimmed brocollin and stir. Cook for about a minute.

Drizzle some EVOO, coarse salt, cracked pepper, and garlic powder. Stir and cook about 5 more minutes.

Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of liquid. (I used broth from pork chops today). Stir and cover.

Cook until desired doneness.

The boys LOVED this meal. It was so flavorful, easy, and cheap. I got the chops on sale and paired with sliced bread. The whole meal might of cost $7. Not bad for a family of 3 with leftovers.

In case you were wondering what the crack broccolini is, this is what it looks like. We prefer it over broccoli. It seems to be milder, tender, and a more versatile version of broccoli. Do you like how I pretend to sound all knowledgeable??

(Oh, by the way Suzy, I can't wait to try to bean dip idea. I love fritos and bean dip! That was a favorite in my childhood home except it was the nasty canned kind. Can you give me any ratios in regards to beans and milk?)

What's Cookin'

I thought I better get back into the swing of things and begin posting my weekly menu. Remember when used to do that waaaayyy back?? I'm not sure what happened, life I guess, but my cooking has become pretty stale and unorganized. Hopefully, this habit will get me back on track and make meal times a little more interesting.

Monday - homemade lasagna and salad (I'm excited because I haven't cooked this in FOREVER!)

Tuesday - pork chops in the crock pot and sauteed bocollini

Wednesday - oven roasted chicken breast (the easiest way to cook chicken!) mashed potatoes and green beans

Thursday - pinto beans, rice, and cornbread

Friday - homemade pizzas (using leftover lasagna sauce) and salad

Saturday - ?? I want to recycle the beans but am tired of burritos and quesadilas. Any suggestions??

Remember when I made blueberry and spinach hamburgers? Maybe I should bring those back for some meal-time excitement. Ha!

Ramble

Do you ever feel like you are stuck in the spin cycle of your washing machine? That is how I feel today. I have had so much on my to-do list today that my head is spinning.

I was at Wal-Mart by 8 o'clock this morning and I have to say, it was a pleasant experience. For some unknown reason, the Wal-Mart in my town is not a very fun place to shop. I'm sure all of you are saying it's like that everywhere, but trust me, it is worse here. I have been to Wal-Marts all over the country and I have yet to encounter one that is worse then this one. Anyways, enough Wal-Mart venting.

Because of my weird shopping tendencies, I usually only buy nonperishable at Wal-Mart ( I don't care for their meat and produce). I really only needed a big stash of wash clothes but ended up buying cleaning supplies and lunch/snack foods too. I also bought one of Matt's Christmas presents. I found a huge Star Wars Lego set he has been drooling over for a couple of months on clearance. Score!

Next, I had to run to Pet-Co and pick up cat and dog food. Luckily their food was on sale and I had coupons. Another score! While there, I started chatting with another mom and ended up inviting her to MOPS and our church. I hope she comes because she seemed really nice.

After Pet-Co came Hobby Lobby. At this point I needed a break and stopped at Starbucks. I had to finalize my grocery list. After my trip to Wal-Mart, I needed to reorganize and add some things.

Finally, I made it to Kroger and finished up. Then I got home around noon, unloaded all twenty zillion bags, put everything away, and gave my kitchen the evil eye because it is a nightmare. I should take a picture.

The kitchen is still a mess because I had to call about 30 ladies to remind them about working at MOPS tomorrow. Then I decided I needed a cup of coffee and now I am sitting here typing this. I will do anything to avoid the disaster in my kitchen.

Anyone else avoiding any "cleaning" disasters??

Saw 'em Off!!

It is finally official.

My husband has said it for years.

There is no arguing now.

I am the world's worst Aggie.

The dreadful Longhorn birthday cake.

It actually turned out much better then I thought. The night before I realized I didn't know how to make burnt orange, lol. I didn't even have anything in my house to compare to. So, I guess I'm not that horrible of an Aggie after all. I asked for some advice on facebook and received some interesting comments.

The cake was much more difficult then I anticipated. All the straight lines and burnt orange color almost drove me batty. But the cow head turned out nice didn't it?? I tried a technique called frozen butter cream transfer and it was a success.

It was a blast to make and I am thinking of making another one at Thanksgiving, but A&M, for the big game. My sister in law's hubby is a die-hard Aggie (I think he bleeds maroon) and I think they would get a kick out of it.

Perspective

Ever since I returned from Haiti, my perspective has been changing. I could write a very long post about this, but I am not feeling it today. I am saving my very long and drawn out Haiti post for another day.


Instead I will get straight to the point.


Laundry. Who likes laundry? If I had to guess, I would say no one. I don't know anyone who enjoys sorting, washing, switching, folding, and putting away laundry. I don't. Long ago I loved to wash Matt's baby clothes, but that soon grew old.


Last night I was folding clothes. The more I folded, the more irritable I became.


Finally, I think God had enough of my whining and decided to shut me up. In the midst of folding my clothes, this picture flashed in my head.

This is the "laundry room" at the Bethel House in Haiti. No washer, dryer, or air conditioning. Just a couple of large tubs with water, a stick of lye soap, and more elbow grease then I could dream of. Truly, this picture came to mind in the middle of my griping. I immediately shut up and began to thank God for our clothes, the washing machine and dryer, and air conditioning.

I felt like God was watching me and thought "Seriously Aleesa? You are going to gripe about this?!" Anyone else had one of these moments lately?

More Cake Pops

Last weekend I made cake pops for a rainbow themed birthday party. I wish I could take credit for the idea, but I cannot. Her mom decided it would be cute to make a rainbow out of cake pops. She ordered 1 dozen of each primary color which ended up being 6 dozen.

It sounds very simple, but it was A LOT of work. Some of the colors I made myself and other colors I bought. It was A LOT of clean up since I had 6 bowls of colored coating.

However, I had a blast making them and they turned out super cute and sparkly. The sparkle was my idea :)

My friend took them home and turned the pops into this awesome rainbow! How cute is this!?!

Puffy Pancake Recipe

I mentioned Monday that I made Matt a special breakfast. The great thing is that it looks really really special, but in reality, it is super SIMPLE!! One of my friends made a puffy pancake for Matt and I last year for a breakfast playdate and I loved it. I loved it even more when I realized how easy it was to make. Honestly, you can have it whipped together before your oven is done preheating and the ingredients are almost always on hand.

Puffy Oven Pancake

2 Tbs butter

2 large eggs

1/2 C all purpose flour

1/2 C milk

1/4 tsp salt

fresh lemon juice, powder sugar, and/or fresh fruit for garnish

1. Put butter in glass pie plate and stick in 400 oven while preheating.
2. Beat eggs slightly in bowl with whisk. Beat in remaining ingredients except garnishes.
3. Take pie plate out of oven, brush melted butter on sides of plate.
4. Pour batter into pie plate.
5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until puffy and browned. Serve immediately with desired garnishes.

Ta-da! This is what it looks like straight out of the oven but then it begins to fall.

Here is my wanna-be food magazine shot. It is soo easy and soo good. We love to make these on Sunday mornings while we are getting dressed for church. Pop some bacon in the microwave while this is cooking and you are good to go!

Two Days Down

Trying to figure out how school was is like trying to crack a code. I ask questions, get vague and random answers, and then piece it all together. Here is the play-by-play, according to Matt, of the past two days:

Yesterday

• I had to sit on the carpet forever, like 18 seconds.
  
• I did not get to play computers.
  
• PE is boring, we had to sing songs. (Really? Singing in PE?)
  
• I want to ride the bus!!
  
• I want to eat a hot lunch!!
  
• I played Space Lego's!!!!!
  
• I made a new friend and he almost got his clip moved to yellow.
  

Today

• PE is still boring. I hate PE.
  
• My teacher had on a pretty dress.
  
• We had to sit on the carpet and get off the carpet. Sit on the carpet and get off the carpet. Over and over.
  
• It was hot again today. Like 100 degrees! It was too hot.
  
• I don't need to do my homework because I already know everything. (Oh really??)
  
• My teacher read June B Jones and she said a "S" word. Can I tell you the "S" word?
  
• Did you miss me and cry today?

"Mom. Mom! MOM! Is it time for school yet?"

That is what I heard at 5:30 this morning!! I was in such a deep sleep that I said "No, it's Sunday. Go back to bed." Then Richard jumped up and yelled "No it's not! The alarm didn't go off and I over slept!! It's Monday!"

What a memory!

However, it only gets better. Matt crawled in bed with me but that only lasted about 10 minutes. He couldn't contain himself, so he gave up on me and went to find Richard. I followed him into the living room where he spies the Skip-Bo cards, then me, and says (too chipper for 5:45am) "Want to play Skip-Bo Mom??"

Did I mention he had the cutest smile plastered on his face?

So. Guess what we did at 5:45 am the morning he starts Kindergarten? That's right. We played Skip-Bo.

Eventually, fatigue caught up and he ditched the game and settled for a cartoon. I made him a special breakfast, took pictures, and headed out.

I was so glad to find a couple of our neighbors parked next to us when we arrived. Chatting and watching all the kids was a nice distraction for me.

So that was the morning. I did good, no tears in front of Matt. I managed to hold them back until I reached my car. I am so thankful that this morning was special and such a "Matt" morning. I pray that he keeps his excitement and enthusiasm for school for many many years. I can't wait to hear how his day went!

Just around the corner!

I have tried to avoid this post as long as possible, but I can't anymore. Guess who is going to Kindergarten next week?That's right, my one and only Matt. Tonight we meet his teacher and have orientation. Honestly, I think I am more excited and anxious than he is.

We might come to blows over what he wears the first day. I see a nice little polo shirt and pair of shorts. He is envisioning his new Lego Star Wars t-shirt, a polar fleece vest, and pants. Do you know why? Because he thinks it looks like Hans Solo! All I see is my son passing out at recess because it is so stinking hot right now. I am hoping for a compromise: the t-shirt with shorts.

He also got a haircut about two weeks ago and did not have a melt down!!! This has been a struggle his whole life. I am not really sure why he hated them so much. It was pretty ugly at times. Like so ugly that we were asked to leave different barber shops.

We have not been school supply shopping because we can pay the school to purchase them. I was going to go ahead and buy my own because I thought I could beat their price. However, my friend Danielle said "don't do it!" She tried to beat the system but I think the system got the best of her. Some of the items were so specific that she was only able to find them at one store and not on sale.

We did go back-to-school clothes shopping but did not buy much. Mostly pants and a few shirts. The only thing he wanted was a Star Wars shirt and thankfully, we found it on our last outing. Did I mention it was a Lego Star Wars shirt? Have I mentioned that Matt is 110% obsessed with Legos and Star Wars?

This has been the summer of Star Wars. Matt discovered Richard's old VHS trilogy set and I think we have watched them all 5,000 times. Every time we watch episode IV, I get more and more irritated with Luke's whining. Seriously dude, grow up! You are Darth Vader's son; you don't whine!

Anyways, I'm chasing rabbits! So, my man starts Kindergarten and I will have a breakdown. Not really. I'm sure I will cry because that is what I do best, but I am excited. It's exciting to see him start a new chapter in his little life and I plan on savoring every moment.

Go get'em buddy!

Changing the subject

I am getting more baking gigs!! Currently, by the end of August I will have made 10 dozen cake pops and one football themed birthday cake. Whoop!

God is awesome! I am so glad I am able to do something I enjoy to bring in a little extra money.

I made this Larry Boy (he's from Veggie Tales) cake last month along with another Sponge Bob.

I thought he turned out pretty good since I had no idea what I was doing! In person, he was a pretty violet color but for some reason the photo distorted the colors. I made a trial cake a few days before and it was a DISASTER!

Did I mention the football cake is for a Longhorn fan?? Hmmm...I might just have to saw those horns off. Since it is for a 4 year old, I guess I will restrain myself. Maybe just a little ATM somewhere on the cake...

Haiti: Rice feeding

At the end of our visit to the village of Canez, we passed out around 90, fifty pound, bags of rice. Each family received one bag! The total cost of the rice passed out that day was $3600. Rice in Haiti cost much more. Everything in Haiti cost more because it is an island and almost everything is imported.

Before we handed the rice out, Brent, with the help of our translator Penior, spoke to the villagers. I was able to capture it on video, but it was so windy that it's hard to hear. I hope you enjoy.

Haiti: Beauty

Thought I would brighten things up around here since my posting has been a little on the sad side. I don't want you to get the idea that Haiti is all ugly and gloomy because it is not. Yes it is impoverished and needs an obscene amount of help, but the country and the people are beautiful.


When you get outside of the city it is beautiful. There are gorgeous mountains, lakes, and foliage. I think the thing that amazed me the most were the clouds.



This was the view from one of the balconies. On the other side of the mountain on the right is Port au Prince.

However, look what happens when the clouds begin to roll in.

Finally, this is the same view when you are fully enveloped in a cloud.

Pretty amazing isn't it? Even cooler, is when you are standing inside of a balcony doorway and the clouds blow through the house.

Here are some more beautiful photos.

Don't forget the people. I think they are absolutely striking.

Another picture of the beautiful Ruth. I would take this little girl in a heartbeat.

I love this photo of the oldest man in our group (who made us "young'ns" look like wimps) with a local man at church.

This is one of our translators/bodyguards Jean Marc. He ALWAYS had a smile on his face and loved to joke. On the long bus ride back from Canez, we taught him brilliant American knock-knock jokes.This beautiful young mother lives in some of the poorest conditions on Earth and you would not guess it from the smile on her face. I think a few of the guys were quite smitten with her. Finally, this is one of my all time favorite pictures.

This is Madame Jako and her grandchildren. Madame Jako is a 70 year old widow who loves the Lord with all her heart! She lost her home in the earthquake. Over the past couple of months, Brent's teams have been building her a new home. A group from our team went to paint her new house and deliver two rocking chairs. Richard said when they arrived she began dancing around and singing praises to the Lord. I don't know if I have ever seen anyone here praising the Lord for new paint.
OK. So I lied. I have one more favorite. This is Brent and Mme. Jako laughing together. Two very beautiful people. This might be my favorite. Brent is quite the comedian, so I cannot even imagine what he is telling her.