I Need You More

Hi all!

This song has been on my heart for the past few days. A friend was sharing with me part of his testimony and this was the song he listened to at one point in his life. I've heard this song but I listened to again after he reminded me of it and it took on a whole new meaning for me. We all need Jesus more, more than yesterday, more than words can say! I played it for Leah as I was putting her to sleep and she asked me, "who do we need more of?" It was so precious. She started singing right along and it just melted my heart.

Blessings,

Absence

Hi all!

Personally I don't like when bloggers randomly stop blogging without an explanation. Well, that blogger was me this past month in a half.

Honestly, I don't know where to go from here. At one point I thought I should get rid of the blog altogether because it is the Internet and I am posting pictures and talking about my life. Do I make a fool out of myself? Then again, who cares about my blog on the Internet?? And, if you think it's foolish-that's ok! Don't read it!

So, I don't know. I restrained from blogging for a little while but my heat is still in it (does that sound silly?). Basically, I want to continue to blog. I loved scrolling through the past years' blog posts and recalling events I wouldn't have remembered otherwise. 

I don't know where to start regarding all that has happened in the last few months! One thing that comes to mind are the words I heard in a sermon: when you are in the center of God's will, you will be happy. I couldn't agree more. The Lord has been showing me His will for me for this present time so clearly and I am so thankful and so content. In the process He humbled me, and broke me of the "I" in me (and still is!), given me wisdom, and continues to lead me. Where would I be, and where would we all be, without Him?

Blessings,

Blackberry-Pistachio Meringue Baskets

Hi everyone. This is a great individual dessert recipe. I'm so bad with putting recipes on the blog. A few friends have asked me for the recipe so here it is.

         Ingredients:

Meringue Baskets
3 egg whites
1 cup sugar
pinch, cream of tartar 
Pistachio Cream:
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsps pistachio instant pudding and pie filling 
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Blackberries, or whatever other berries you'd like to have 
Chocolate Ganache
50 grams chocolate, finely chopped
50 mls heavy cream, almost boiling


Directions:
Prepare a pastry bag, fitted with a plain round 1/4 tip, or a star tip. Drape the pastry bag over a tall glass. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
1. Preheat oven to 270F (or the lowest temp your oven goes to)
2. Beat egg whites. When they have tripled in volume, look white and foamy, start adding the sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Continue whipping for about 10-15 minutes, until the meringue is thick, white and glossy. It should stay in place if you put the bowl upside down.  
3. Transfer the meringue into a prepared pastry bag.
4. On prepared parchment paper, make 1 to 2 inch circles, by piping out a swirl, then go around the edge once, creating a ‘rim’ to the basket.
5. Bake for 2-3 hours at 270F. Make sure the meringues are dry before you remove them from the oven. To check, remove one meringue from the oven and let it cool. If it feels weightless and when you knock on it, it sounds hallow, then it’s ready. If not, just place it back in the oven and let it finish drying.
Chocolate Ganache
6. When the meringues have baked, pour the hot heavy cream over the chopped chocolate, and let sit for 1-2 minutes. Mix until smooth. Drizzle on the inside of each meringue baskets.
7. For the cream: whip the chilled heavy cream and vanilla extract until thick and smooth, add the sugar, then the pistachio instant pudding and pie filling. Mix until firm. Be careful not to over mix.
8. Spoon the pistachio cream into each meringue basket.
9. Top with fruit. Serve immediately, or no later than a few hours so that the cream stays in tact.
         


 Blessings,

Spring Break

It's called spring break but it is so cold. I haven't had a Spring break in April since high school, so it's a nice change. 

I've been going to work everyday this week because it's a good time to get most of my student teaching requirements done. The more I do now, the less I will have to worry about in the coming weeks. (At "work" I get paid to do my homework). Then I met up with Yulia for some Tim Horton's chili. It was so good and we had a good time chatting since we haven't seen each other in a while. 

 One of my student teaching requirements is to create and teach a unit. The unit happens to be poetry. I found a bookmark poem on Shel Silverstein's site, (you should all know him if your took poetry somewhat seriously in elementary school) and made these card stock bookmarks for the kids. I enjoy planning and I relearn so much about the topic myself. Now I just have to decide what the best way to teach it is -that's the hardest and most exciting part. There are so many fun activities you can do with teaching poetry. 

By the way, April is National Poetry month!

Blessings,

1 Corinthians 10:24

Little Guy

I had to stop by my cousin's house today and got to spend time with this little guy. He is usually shy and does not want to go to people that he does not see often, but he went to me and kept wanting to play, eat with me, and hug me. I love toddlers.

Like I have been saying these days, "Kids are soo hard. But sooo worth it." 

Blessings,

Instantly: done at once

At out house, we hardly ever run out of milk. But when we do, it's a big deal. Monday night my sister texted me to buy milk after babysitting. I planned to go to Wegmans, but realized I did not have my credit card. 

 I got home and Lena's eyes went wide open. Before she could ask, I told her I did not have my card with me. Oh the tragedy. Oh the look of horror on her face. "You need to go to the gas station, you need to go now, and so on and so on..." My dad was ready to go out and get some. I told them how ridiculous it was. We are so used to getting what we want, and getting it "now."

This reminds me of Lena's NEED for a Vera Bradley lunchbox a few weeks ago. I ordered it after 5 minutes of her begging me. But that's another story. 

 When we want food, we expect to get it instantly and we usually do.

And then we get into this habit. We start playing a new instrument, we expect to be pro's in no time. We expect to be great at what we do (our careers) instantly. I keep saying "we." Maybe I shouldn't say that, but I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling this way. I see this in myself. It can easily become a lifestyle. I don't want to get caught up in expecting life to be this way because then we become impatient. We give up. We lose faith. We expect everything big or small, instantly.

We forget to be patient. To persevere.

  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control.

Galatians 5:22-23

Blessings,