A couple weeks ago, I posted here about the project that 9-year-old Matthew is doing on his blog: In The Air. I admire his ambition to interview 100 people and publish a book about those interviews. His interviews are fun to read and help me to find more great blogs to read. 
And today, Matthew posted his interview of yours truly. So…gratify me and support Matt by heading on over to In the Air to check out the interview! And if you like his project, sign up to be interviewed yourself!
I am in the mood for cookies. Have been all week. And to be honest, I’m a tad bit bored with chocolate chip cookies. I know. I may have to be shunned for that comment, but it’s true all the same. So. I’m wondering. What good cookie recipes are you all hiding from me? Let’s just have a cookie sharing party for a couple days…and I hope everyone will play along!!!
I’ll start by sharing my mom’s recipe for Chocolate Crinkles, which my 6 year old son is quite good at making. Then, I expect everyone who reads this post to share their favorite recipe. 
If you have a blog of your own, I would love it if you posted your recipe on your blog and then left me a comment with a link to your post. If you don’t want to go that route, please leave the recipe in a comment here.
And for a certain dear friend, *cough*, Stephanie, *cough*, I’m going to put you on the spot and hope that you will play along and share the recipe for those DELICIOUS oatmeal-raisin, chocolate-chip cookies I had the other night.
Don’t spoil the fun, now. I’ve got a huge hankerin’ for a good cookie!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chocolate Crinkles
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 ozs unsweetened chocolate, melted
1/2 cup cooking oil
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
powdered sugar
Beat the eggs, granulated sugar, chocolate, oil, baking powder and vanilla with an electric mixer until combined; beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour. Cover and chill 1-2 hours or until easy to handle. Shape dough into balls and roll in powdered sugar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 for 8-10 minutes.
Father God, You are my “refuge and strength”, my “ever present help in trouble”. God, I pray this prayer to You now as a preemptive strike against the Devil, who would love for me to live in fear. Father, You know my heart and the worries that can so easily take root there. You know that as a mother, fear is so easy to hold on to and so difficult to let go of. But LORD, I know that You are “the stronghold of my life” and that You have given me “the spirit of adoption” so that I do not ever have to be “a slave again to fear.” Father, I praise you for pulling me out of the fear and panic that I felt constantly for so long, and LORD, I don’t ever want to return to that place. In You, O LORD, I cry “Abba, Father.”
I pray as I walk through each day that, as You have promised, You will “take hold of my right hand and say to [me], Do not fear; I will help you”. I will “not be dismayed” and I will know that You are with me for you are the LORD, my God.
You have never failed me and You will never fail me. Whenever I have been afraid, You have showed me Your strength. When I have called upon You in my anxiety, “You have calmed me with Your love” (Zeph. 3:17). When I was overcome by fear of this world and the evil within it, You placed my family in a safe place, a place to breathe and to be nourished in Your love. As Your Word says, Father, “I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you to fear mortal men, the sons of men, who are but grass.”
LORD God, You are mighty, You are Sovereign, and worrying over the future of my children can do no good. LORD, teach me to “have no fear of bad news”, but instead to keep my heart “steadfast, trusting in the LORD.”
Father, as I begin this week, I pray that You give me opportunities to remember Your love and protection so that wherever you may lead us in the future, I will have already prepared to myself to not again allow fear to overcome me. To not again succomb to the panic that the evil one would have me feel. Holy Spirit, in my times of anxiety, remind me of the Word and help me to keep it hidden in my heart.
LORD, teach me to “rest secure” in You, knowing that You “shield [me] all day long…rest[ing] between [Your] shoulders.”
Father, I pray this prayer not only for me, but also for all mothers and fathers who fear for the safety of their children and families. Father, I pray that we will all learn to “lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”
In the name of Christ Jesus Our Lord, I pray, Amen.
(Deuteronomy 33:12) (Psalms 4:8) (Psalms 27:1) (Psalms 46:1) (Psalms 112:7) (Proverbs 3:21, 23-26) (Isaiah 41: 10, 13) (Isaiah 51:12) (Romans 8:15) (2 Timothy 1:7) (Hebrews 13:6)
To surprise or not to surprise, that is the question. This actually has become one of the ongoing questions in our marriage. My sweetie loves to plan surprises for me. He likes to start planning a surprise weeks ahead of time and then tease me with the knowledge that there is a surprise without giving me any of the details. He takes GREAT joy in this.
I, on the other hand, am not a surprise kind of person. I don’t like to surprise or to be surprised. That would be my controlling, worrying nature popping up in full force. If I were to try to surprise someone else, I would worry that they would not be available, or that I would be interrupting something more important, or that they would not like surprises (like me), or some other random worry.
I do, however, love the effort that my sweetie puts into planning surprises for me. And he orchestrates very good surprises. The surprises are not disappointing. All in all, I know I should just relax and go with the flow. I trust my sweetie, so what’s the big deal.
But, then again, how do I know what to wear: sweater or t-shirt? jacket or not? shoes or heels? full make-up or no make-up at all? Should I pack snacks and games for the kids? Should I prepare for an all-day in the sun kind of surprise or an enjoy-the-sights-from-the-comfort-of-the-car kind of trip.
See? There lies the problem. I overanalyze. Then I start to pester with questions. Then my sweetie gets annoyed that his wonderful surprise is being picked apart by his over-anxious wife.
And then I sweetly smile and remind him, ”But I’ve already told you, I don’t like surprises!”
Cranberries can hold there noses for up to two weeks. Did you know that? I didn’t know that. And, cranberry plants, if cared for properly, can live for over a hundred years! Betcha didn’t know that either. We, however, learned these facts and many more at the Fourth Annual Cranberry Harvest Celebration.
This was a FUN day trip for us. We headed out with our friends from upstairs who have two girls, both a little younger than Abby. So, the eight of us headed out to explore the cranberry bogs of southern Massachusetts. We weren’t sure what to expect, but we were up for the adventure.
We arrived within an hour of the festival starting and already we had to park way, way in the back. But, friendly helpers were everywhere directing traffic and answering questions, so we were able to park and get into the festival very quickly. As soon as we entered the gate, we saw the children’s area. There were pony rides (which we decided against this time, much to Abby’s disappointment), face painting, coloring contests, story time — with stories about cranberries being read by the authors, live music and much more.
After letting the kids explore the children’s activities, we meandered over to the machinery display. Having three sweet little girls in tow did not slow us down at all. In fact, they were more difficult to pull down from the machines then Jonah was! Who wouldn’t want to climb upon and “drive” those machines?
Next, we checked out a small museum, comprised mostly of various photographs from the cranberry industry and scoped out the prices for some food. (Not bad, by the way).
Then, we loaded on a bus to the bog. I didn’t know there was that much to learn about cranberries, but it was really very fascinating. We learned all about wet harvesting, sanding the bogs periodically to prevent weeds from growing, the cost of having to tear out and redo a bog (it takes 15 years to reach a profitable point again) and lots of other facts about growing cranberries. And we watched the cranberries being harvested, which could have kept me entertained all day. Seriously. I don’t know why, but I found it completely mesmerizing to watch the cranberries being lifted up the conveyor belt and then dropped down into a big truck waiting below.
The kids absolutely loved the festival. They loved watching the men in their waders out in the bog moving the cranberries around. They loved watching the frog who had decided that the cranberries made a perfect resting spot. They even loved the free sample of orange-flavored craisins…although they weren’t big on the cranberry juice.
After we returned from the bog, we sat down to have a late lunch. The kids quickly gobbled down some food and then ran around playing in the grass. We adults ate our food a little more slowly and unintentionally (mostly) eavesdropped on a group of female bikers sitting at the table in front of us. They were discussing nicknames for themselves when, quite suddenly, Jonah ran up and tickled one of the women from behind!
Scott and I were too stunned to respond. Suddenly, we both yelled, JONAH! Get over here! (While desperately trying not to be mortified). The woman was very sweet about the whole thing and smiled at us (while the other women in the group burst out laughing).
What possessed him to do that! Surely, SURELY we’ve not taught our son to randomly tickle strangers! Have we?
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Deep breath. Even now, weeks later, my cheeks feel warm just thinking about that. There’s one for the scrapbook I guess.
“Today, Jonah ticked a leather-clad, female biker who we had never met or spoken to before.”
Yep, that’s our son. And, that’s all part of the Fourth Annual Cranberry Harvest Festival.
I received this recipe as part of an e-mail recipe exchange and really enjoy it. I love stuffed peppers, so I was game to try this recipe as soon as I read the name. However, even those who don’t like stuffed peppers seem to like this soup. The recipe says to cook in a large pot, but I usually throw the ingredients into the crock-pot and let it simmer all day. Just be careful not to add the rice too soon if you’re using a crock-pot. Mushy rice does not make a pleasant soup.
Stuffed Pepper Soup
1 1/2 lbs ground beef, browned and drained
3 large diced green peppers (or a combination of sweet yellow, red or orange peppers)
28 oz can diced tomatoes
28 oz can tomato sauce
15 oz beef broth
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups cooked rice
salt, pepper and garlic to taste.
Mix all ingredients except rice in large pot. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered…stir often. Add cooked rice.
Serve and enjoy!
Check out Matthew’s blog, “In the Air”. Matthew is a 9-year old homeschooler who is currently interviewing bloggers for a book that he wants to have published. He will be donating the profits from his book to ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). He’s inspiring –and I’m on his list to be interviewed, so watch for updates!
If you would like to be interviewed, head on over to his website and check it out. There is an e-mail adress to volunteer …although the list is long, so be willing to wait for awhile.
Mandy tagged me for this Meme. So here’s the 411 on my sweetie:
1. Who is your man? Scott, My Sweetie, Honey, Babe, (but never, NEVER, Scotty!)
2. How long have you been together? 11 years. We met in the Spring of 1996, instantly became best friends and finally tied the knot 4 years later.
3. How long did you date? It depends on which one of us you ask and how you define dating. He was my best friend for 3 years before we both officially called it dating.
4. How old is your man? 35. He robbed the cradle. He thought I was older when we first started “not dating”. It freaked him out when he learned I am 5 years younger than him. I was still in Junior High when he graduated from High School! (Hee, Hee. Love ya, Babe!)
5. Who eats more? I’m sorry. Was there a question 5? Did I miss it?
6. Who said I love you first? He did. He signed an e-mail (when I was living in Japan for a year) with “love you”.
7. Who is taller? He is. Even when I’m wearing heels, he’s still taller.
8. Who sings better? Me? He has a very nice singing voice, but I only hear it in church. Whereas, I hear mine all the time.
9. Who is smarter? On paper, I am, but in reality, he is. I have always been able to “learn for the grade/test” but he actually retains the information he learns. He also has knowledge in a much broader range of topics than I do.
10. Whose temper is worse? Mine. We very rarely fight, but when we do, I’m more likely to end up raising my voice.
11. Who does the laundry? At the moment, I do. He did the laundry for two years while he was a stay-at-home dad, and to be truthful, I think he did a much better job.
12. Who takes out the trash? He does, with the help of our 6 year old son — who holds all the doors.
13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Currently, I do but it all depends on the layout of our room. He has to be between me and the door. It makes me feel more protected.
14. Who pays the bills? I do.
15. Who is better with the computer? That is sooooo him. Definitely him.
16. Who mows the lawn? When we had a lawn to mow, it was him.
17. Who cooks dinner? Usually me. But my sweetie is a great cook, and when he was home full-time, he cooked 90% of the meals. He makes me a fantastic cheesecake for my birthday every year and his Thanksgiving Turkey is quickly becoming legendary!
18. Who drives when you are together? Him…unless I can beat him to the driver’s seat. For long trips, definitely him. I sleep.
19. Who is the most stubborn? Me. He’s legendary for his Thanksgiving turkey, I’m legendary for my ‘tenacity’, i.e., stubborness.
20. Whose parents do you like the most? We are both probably partial to our own parents. I think that’s natural when both people grow up with great, loving families. But we have both been blessed with in-laws that we truly love and always enjoy seeing/talking to.
21. Who kissed who first? He kissed me!
22. Who asked out who? He did. Even if he won’t admit it was a date. We went to see a play on campus. Then we drove to the local Sonic for slushies. He asked me, he paid, he drove. It was a date.
23. Who proposed? He did. It was very romantic. He was on one knee, in the Sandia mountains, overlooking the city of Albuquerque.
24. Who has more friends? Probably him. He has maintained more friendships from high school and college than I have.
25. Who has more siblings? Me. I have three brothers (2 older, 1 younger). He has one brother and one sister (both younger).
I tag Angie.
The evil blog monster deleted my post the other day. It published the title of my post, but ate the body! I don’t know why! So, I’m typing very quietly and hoping the blog monster won’t hear me this time.
One of my fondest childhood memories is of my mom sitting in the hallway between my room and my brothers’ room reading to us at bedtime. She would read us all kinds of chapter books, like the Mother West Wind series and the Little House on the Prairie series and we would always beg her to read “just a little bit longer”.
So, when my children were born, I picked up the torch and continued the tradition. Together, my kids have read through Mother West Wind and her Children, Chatter the Red Squirrel, Winnie the Pooh, about half of the Chronicles of Narnia series and are now working on the Little House stories.
As a kid, I loved hearing these stories, but as an adult, I find them even more fascinating. I feel like I’m gaining an education just from reading Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books. What I have learned so far:
1) Everything was better when Pa played his fiddle.
2) If you pour molasses over a pan full of snow and let it harden, you have a fun candy for kids.
3) I would not want to have to feed a growing boy who wakes up at 5:00 in the morning and works hard on the farm all day. Oh my goshes, that is one hungry boy!
4) Almanzo’s dad knew how to work the land. He worked hard all year round and knew how to be successful at farming. When it snowed 6 inches before the first hard frost, he had his son till the snow into the ground as “poor man’s fertilizer”. And when they harvested the crops, they knew how to make produce last all winter long, without chemicals!
5) Ma Ingalls knew how to trust her man. Pa moved her away from her family and comfort zone, but she followed him without complaint. When wild cats screeched during the night and Indians chanted war chants for days on end, she trusted him to keep the safe. When she planted her garden at their new home on the prairie and the next day he told her they were moving, she trusted him and followed him. She trusted him to provide their food (by hunting and planting), shelter (by cutting the trees and building the house and furniture and digging the well) and livelihood (he built their wagon, traded for horses, oxen or whatever else they needed, etc.). She was a courageous woman.
6) I often think it would have been fun to live during the pioneer days, but I know in my heart I am just to satisfied with my modern comforts!
