Star Wars Wisdom

"Fear of loss is a path to the dark side ...Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.'"

Word, Yoda.

I kind of like Norman Gentle...

What a personality, right?  Totally wrong for American Idol.  I know, I know.  But I'd invite him if I was having a party.

I feel like last night was a little better than last week.  I love the kid from Kalamazoo.  I really liked what he did with Coldplay, but I also get what the judges said.  I had hoped that the rest of the boys would tank, so he might still get through.  Then what's his name at the end did his thing and well...  There you have it, guy with the haircut I want.  Except I'm growing my hair out. 

I digress.

The girl who sang Heart rocked it, and my prediction is that it's her and Cool Hair going through for sure.  I also really like Betty Davis Eyes.  I'm hoping it's either her or Kalamazoo.  

We shall see.

Works for Me Wednesday - Granola and a Honey Tip!

Eating delicious granola works for me. I recently tried a new recipe and I love it! I just made a double batch today. So so good...

Any granola I've ever made calls for vegetable oil and honey. Here's a tip for easy honey measuring. Use the same measuring cup or spoon for the oil and add the oil first. Then when you add the honey it slides right out of the measuring device, since it is coated with the oil!  It's a time saver and makes for easier clean up, too.

And now - the delicious granola recipe that made me say - thanks, but no thanks Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa). Ina's is good, but Rachael's is better!

3 cups oats
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 cup of coconut

1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Optional Nuts/fruit.

Pre Heat oven to 425.
Mix together oats, cinnamon, and coconut.
In a separate, bowl mix together the honey and oil and warm in microwave for 30 - 50 seconds. Add the vanilla and stir.
Pour over oat mixture and stir together.
Spread on a large baking sheet.
Bake for 14 minutes (it can burn easily, so don't go far)
Mix up the granola and add in nuts if you choose to. (I love adding slivered almonds and chopped pecans. I use whole pecans and chop them myself, so there are big and small pieces.)
Bake for 4 more minutes.
Take out and stir.
Bake for 4 more minutes.
Take out and mix around again and add in any dry fruit such as cranberries or raisins.
Let Cool and put in a jar or in a container with a lid.

The first time I added dried cherries, but this time I didn't add any fruit. It's so delicious by itself! I eat it like cereal, but without the milk. Oh, the yuminess!

Visit We Are That Family (the new host of Works for me Wednesday) for more great tips!

Friday Funnies - Horn in a can....

I was driving home from church the other night. I may or may not have been fiddling with the radio, I'm really not sure. Ahem. I may or may not have gone slightly over the line, nearly side swiping the car that was next to me and incidentally going in the same direction as me. Just thought I'd qualify that, so you know it wasn't a near head on collision. If it even happened, at all...

Anyway - I realized right away and was like - "Oopsie. Sorry, dude." -   As I immediately corrected. I half expected to hear a horn. What I did not expect to hear was an AIR HORN!!! After nearly soiling myself, I look over and see this fool with one of those "horns in a can" hanging out the window! Are you freaking kidding me? Who does that? (PS - I'm sure there's a more accurate name for that thing, but I like "horn in a can", so I'm going with it.)

I quickly went from shock, to a fit of hilarious gut wrenching laughter.  I immediately called Emily, who I had just left at the rendezvous point, to share - since it was 10:30 PM and who else would be up, able and willing to giggle with me?

By the time I got off the phone with her, I decided that if I was going to chase the guy down, it would be to thank him for the laugh.  It was one of the really good kind, where you can hardly talk through it and your stomach muscles kind of hurt after you're done.  Those don't come along too often for me these days.

So, if you're reading  this, Mister Funny Guy Who Evidently Rides Shot Gun With Your Trigger Finger Ready At All Times On The Horn in a Can, thanks for the laugh.  I'll let it slide that you almost ruined a perfectly good pair of unmentionables.

For more laughs, visit the - run - a - muck, for more Friday Funnies.

Ta-Ta For Now Tatiana del Toro

Or TTFNTdT, if you will...

Does anyone else wonder if she was real or just some creation of the powers that be AI?  I suppose we'll never know.

This year is surely shaping up to be different.  It cracks me up how EVERY year I'm suckered into thinking, "Oh my gosh - they are all so good!  How will they ever narrow it down?"  Only to then watch this round and watch as one by one they tank.  Weeding out the riff raff, I guess.

Anyone else LOVE Danny Gokey?  He is going to be fun to watch.  I'll just leave it at that.  I'd say he's my favorite.  Especially since I don't even know anyone else's name.

Well, that's not true.  At least not according to the title of this post, right?

We are resurrecting date night!!!

And I'm so excited!!  We were really good about going out every week shortly after Chloe was born, but with pinching pennies, it sort of fizzled out.  Now, we've decided that we can pinch pennies elsewhere.  Mommy and Daddy need their date night!

Homemade Baby Food

I've opted to make my daughter's baby food. Her all time favorite is sweet potatoes. I understand completely. Especially when roasted in the oven... Holy Deliciousness, Batman!

When she first started eating solids, I would scrub them, prick them all over with a fork, wrap them in foil and roast them in a 400 degree oven (on a baking sheet) until they were soft and beginning to ooze the sugary goodness. Then I would puree them, and freeze them in ice cube trays. I can't tell you how many sweet potatoes we went through. I also can't tell you how many times I had to resist the urge to lick the blade on the food processor. I have very little self control where sweet anything is concerned.

The last time I made them, I just couldn't bring myself to do the puree and ice cube part of the process. It's time consuming, and it was getting late. I decided to cut the cooked and unpeeled sweet potatoes into portion size pieces and froze them that way. This has worked wonderfully! Now when I need one, I take it out, peel it, cut it up and heat in the microwave. This way you can mash it, if necessary or dice it if your child is eating finger foods.

One last tip - I always mix in mashed black beans with the sweet potato. If you try this, DO NOT taste it. If you do, baby just may go hungry. Take my word for it, it's amazing. I've been known to have it for lunch too. Maybe with a little sour cream. Oh, the yumminess...

For more Works for me Wednesday tips, visit Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer.

Good Word, Al...

"Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to a divine purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: That we are here for the sake of others...for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day, I realize how much my outer and inner life is built upon the labors of people, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received."
Albert Einstein

This is a really good idea...

V-Day – 5 Dollar Water from Aaron Garcia on Vimeo.

My heart is broken...

for people I don't know.  

I'm so thankful for God's grace and goodness and for the fact that the families for whom my heart breaks know Him.

Please join me in praying for these families...

The family of Tuesday, as they mourn the loss of their beautiful daughter.
Read about it here.

This family.  Read the urgent prayer request.
Here.

Pray for baby Trey.  Born much too early, but God is bigger.

http://prayingfortrey.blogspot.com/