How did they do it?

You know, I'm at a loss as to how women did it back then....you know back before the recipes.com, food network and pinterest. 

Y'all seriously....if it wouldn't be for those three things I'd be in a bind as far a cooking is concerned! My poor husband would be eating things out of cans, boxes or depend on his own self...really for me it's fend for yourself!

Suffice to say I was never one to be in the kitchen watching mom cook and helping out....no...I was more likely to follow daddy to the barn and come back with my good school shoes full of mud but a satisfied look on my face.

I'm still very hard on my shoes (Travis is making me retire my super cute black boots because I wore them in the wood shop at school and they are pretty much shot...oh well!) but I have become more creative in the kitchen lately!!

By the way...this is how now think and speak...without the grammatical errors of course...

(Who makes these things sometimes? Back to 4th grade spelling they go!)

Anywho, I digress!

Last night I made a pretty good chicken dish made with red wine vinegar, maple syrup and Dijon mustard. The author of the blog claims that it's the "world's best" but though it will probably be a repeat recipe that I use (let's face it...it's easy and pretty quick, I'm all for that!) however, I can't say that it's the best ever. You can find the recipe here! It was something different, which I like, and the flavors were interesting blended together.

Another recipe that I've tried and loved it this little gem! It's a recipe for spaghetti squash Alfredo! It's very yummy and has made me an instant fan of spaghetti squash...not sure what a spaghetti squash is? Click here and I promise you won't be disappointed! You can cook it pretty much in any recipe where regular pasta noodles are used.

If you've got any recipe's that are tried and true for this newlywed to try out on her unsuspecting husband feel free to leave a recipe for me! I look forward to trying some different things! Which reminds me....I bought more spaghetti squash to try out some different things...can't wait!!

I love charities!!

Ok...so I absolutely LOVE charities!!!

I've decided that once in a while I will highlight some of my favourite ones right here on the blog! They may either be local ones or worldwide ones but I hope to bring awareness about these causes and allow you readers to make an impact!

So here's the inspiration....last night I was being involved with one of my favourite activities....browsing pinterest of course! When I came across a picture of the cutest pair of sandals called Ssekos! These are GREAT looking summer wear PLUS they are made by girls recently graduated from high school in Uganda to be sold to help them pay for tuition at the university level!

(Photo Credit to their website)

Aren't these sandals so stinking cute?!?!

Sseko's mission is this,

 "Sseko Designs uses fashion to provide employment and scholarship opportunities to women pursuing their dreams and overcoming poverty"

How cool it THAT?!?!

They take no time away from the studies of these girls! They employ them right after high school and before they head to the university to make the products!

Here's how it works.....you pick the size of the base, then you pick the cotton straps! There are many different color and pattern selections. My absolute favorite part of this whole thing is the amount of ways that you can wear the straps (see above photo)! There are even tutorials on their website for ideas on how to wear them and how to get the style wraps that they advertise.

I absolutely adore the fact that you can personalize them in this way!

The styles of and types of straps is what mainly controls the cost from what I can see...oh and add in the fact that these are made in Uganda and there is shipping involved you could spend anywhere from $35-$65 on these babies.

However I cannot think of a cooler way to spend that extra money. I mean, are you kidding me? Getting a super cute product along with helping a girl further her education is priceless. This is going to help them before future doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc. 

So go ahead and check them out at....

 http://shop.ssekodesigns.com/home.php

Soo Busy!

I've been so darn busy lately that I think if it were possible, my head would be spinning!

Y'all seriously, between home duties and school duties, trying to make it to church, trying to find time to run and just having nights with friends things are getting hectic (so glad right now that children are not part of the equation)!

Add to that the fact that I haven't been 100% healthy for about 3 weeks now (sinuses, sore throat, loss of voice...you name it!)

Just yesterday I was out with our livestock judging team to the Area III FFA contest in Lake Charles. A fun day for teachers and students to practice what they've learned....but alas...it could not go without a hitch. For the minute the boys and I closed the door to my truck...I got that sinking feeling....you know....the one that says...oh my goodness....did I just lock my keys in my truck?

Yeap.....I did. ::sigh:: at least there was an awesome police officer near by who helped me out for free! Saved me a call and some money to Pop-a-lock!

With these next two months comes a whole lot of judging practices, from landscape and nursery to meat identification to dairy judging....pretty much every day after school and a few contests in between as well as a half marathon I'll still be somewhat of a busy bee!

On a side note...Jedi is now two days in a row of being accident free while we are at work! Let's see how the rest of the week goes!!!

Great....just realized I forgot my purse at home...::sigh::

Not Giving Up So Easily....

Most of my facebook friends will know that a couple of weeks ago Travis and I adopted the sweetest little 2 year old retired  greyhound named Jedi.....

We were ecstatic to get him and be able to love on him and share our lives with him! After a couple of week however, though we have grown to love him soo much, he has an issue being  alone :( while we are away at work. We have been working with our adoption coordinator and the president of It's a Grey Area Greyhound Adoption to help us help Jedi as much as possible. Brittaney and Lesley have been WONDERFUL in providing support for us throughout the whole process and we could not have asked for a better experience working with them. 

We have prayed and talked about it and are determined to try a few more things to make him comfortable living with us as an only child...we all realize though that in the end it may not work out and we ultimately need to do what is best for this beautiful baby boy. 

I mean come on! Look at that face! As if we could give up that easily!

At the same time that we are dealing with Jedi and his issues it brought forth something in my mind and made me feel soo convicted in my soul. 

How many times I started off with good intentions for my relationship with God but failed to push through when things became hard?

Let's face it....we all do it...for instance...I had the great idea that I was going to read the entire Bible this year. Yeap...the whole thing...in 1 year. So I started a little nifty plan on my Bible app on my phone and for a whole week I nailed it! Until....things started to get rough...flooding....getting Jedi and dealing with his issues, housework, work in general....it;s gotten to the point where I've let all these things get in my way of my relationship with God...not that I shouldn't deal with or do these things...but that I shouldn't give up so easily. 

Same thing with my prayer life....I've gotten so busy and had my eyes and mind on the things of this world more and more that I am frequently missing that quiet time with my Savior.

My relationship with God should be the number one most important thing in my life...and in my mind...I'd like to think that's so but there are many times where my actions are not aligning with my thoughts. 

And then I also think...what if God had given up on ME that easily....where would I be? Probably still down that path of destruction, not married to an amazing guy with wonderful godly friends. Where would WE ALL be if He gave up on ALL of us so easily? Noah might not have been spared during the great flood..and for certain He would not have given up His only Son for us....

So I guess the whole point of this is DO NOT GIVE UP SO EASILY, especially if it's something good in your life...like going back to school, writing a book, raising your children, in your prayer life....or even dealing with a pup with separation issues like us :)

Basically anything that pleases God and is good for us isn't always going to be easy but it'll be so worth it in the end. So here's to keeping on keeping on...and I'm off to press that little "Catch Me Up" button on my Bible reading plan, give my pup a kiss and get some one on one time with my Lord :)

Bitter-Sweet Revelations....

We've all had those moments....you know...the ones where you are so ecstatically happy for a person or   a situation only to realize what you would lose or miss out on in the process. 

Well today was one of those moments for me....today one of my bestest friends in the entire world left today for the adventure of a lifetime with her family. You see, my friend since elementary school, Mrs. Lizzy Jaqua, and family are moving roughly 4,430 miles to the town of Kenai, ALASKA! 

Which is here........

It is a peninsula city of Alaska about 2.5 hours south of Anchorage. 

And just WHY you might ask, are they moving so far when Liz, a purebred Cajun, is used to a culture where families move onto family owned property behind mom and pop's house to such a remote location? Well simply put her husband Mike landed a pretty awesome job out there with his company, he fell in love with the area and they were excited when he was offered the position. After much prayer and consideration they decided to move.....

(and with a view like this who wouldn't!)

I am so very excited for their two children, 2 1/2 year old Olivia "Livy" and 9 month old baby Michael (aka my littlest godchild!), who will be able to grow up in and experience such a magical place that most people only dream of visiting (me included!) 

I told Livy to have fun on their adventure! 

Annnnd.....that's where the sweet part ends. 

The bitter part was watching that truck pull away from the house this evening and feeling bitter that one of my best friends and closest confidants was not going to be just literally 5 minutes down the road...and that now I have to take time zones into consideration when calling and texting, not only that but I will no longer be able to get my at least once or twice a week visit! 

Since we have reconnected after a couple of years where after high school we had parted ways it's rare that Liz and I go three or four days without at least texting each other once...and while I know that doesn't have to change...I still feel a little selfish and want her and her family here and all to myself. 

As I'm sitting here in my drowning in my own self pity God is speaking to me. He's reminding me that my friends and I are world changers...and how are we supposed to change it if we do not go out into the world? 

I know He has wonderful plans for this amazing family who is dedicated to serving Him first and foremost and I have to trust Him as they did and let it be HIS will to be done and not let my emotions and selfishness get in the way of all that He has in store for them. 

So please join me in praying traveling mercies over this amazing family and that once they reach Alaska that God will use them in a mighty way! 

As a Teacher....

In light of recent events I've decided to write from a teachers point of view...specifically an agriculture teachers point of view as we tend to spend more time with our students than a regular teacher. Although I have no children at the age of 25....you might see me refer to "my children" or "my kids" well that's because I have about 100 or so high schoolers that I pour my heart and soul into on a daily basis...and they are truly my kids in a sense. So here it goes....

As a teacher....I pray for my students day and night.

As a teacher.....I worry for their safety when they are not with me.

As a teacher....I am filled with joy at their success.

As a teacher...I cry with them during tragedy.

As a teacher...I've seen what they look like at 5 am ready (or not so much) for a field trip and as late as 8:30-9 pm preparing for contests.

As a teacher....I've disciplined them and it sometimes hurts my heart.

As a teacher.....I push them to strive for their very best.

As a teacher......I help them prepare for the future.

As a teacher....I spend hours after school practicing for career development events.

As a teacher...I spend hours researching new ways to have my kids "get" the information and compiling lesson plans.

As a teacher...I spend personal time at home thinking about my classes.

As a teacher...I spend two weeks during the summer at camp and convention chaperoning them 24 hours, day and night.

As a teacher....I've given my students the opportunity to travel and have logged MANY miles with some.

As a teacher....I've watched their faces with glow with awe as they were able to witness 52,000 blue jackets take over Indianapolis

As a teacher....I've spent more time with them than some of their parents.

As a teacher....I'm on of the first to know if my kids get in trouble...whether in school or out.

As a teacher...I've poured my heart and soul into my kids.

As a teacher...I've given first aide and bandaged up wounds.

As a teacher.....I only want the best for them.....

As a teacher....I'd take a bullet for them......

Recently my students asked me if I would step into the line of fire for them if something would happen. In a heartbeat yes. Not because of any sense of duty, but because they are my responsibility and even though they, at time, give me more headaches and grey hair than I care to admit they are still my kids...and even though they act macho and tell me that I wouldn't have to because they would be the one protecting me. However, I told them that they may never (God willing) know how they would react in that situation, they may become scared and look to the only adult in the room who they think they can count on and that would be me. I realize that I too may not know how I would react in a given situation but for me it's not about a choice, they are mine and I have to protect them. I live with the certainty that I am saved and my Heavenly Father will welcome me to Heaven.

I am not writing this at all to tout my own horn so to speak but to let everyone know how teachers feel about "their kids". We would all not hesitate to protect every single one of them in our charge and for parents to rest assured that though some think of us in a negative way and that we are only doing this job for the benefits and time off....yea right! We teach because we have a passion for it and love our kids.

Just my thoughts for the day.....

He's Always by my Side....

On my way to work this morning I heard this song.......

The lyrics deliver a simple message, who shall we fear? Why do we fear when the God who commands armies of heavenly angels is on our side?

"no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD."

Isaiah 54:17 (NIV)

I'm pretty sure the promise made to us in Isaiah isn't just something to appease us, but rather something that we can hold onto. Our God is a promise keeping God and we shouldn't take His promises lightly but believe them to be true. For if we have the faith as small as mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Luke 17:6 (NIV)

I've found that reading and holding true to the promises of God is what gives me strength to face new challenges and ultimately faith when dealng with situations.

For instance, the last month or so I have been a medical mess! I have been dealing with hearing loss in my left ear and battling an infection. However, in spite of these things I know that I will be healed because God is the great physician and healer and He promises that I will be healed. One of the main roles of Jesus when He walked on earth was as a healer and I believe that He has a passion for it. Already I have been feeling MULTITUDES better and am healing nicely from the infection, nonbelievers would say this is due to man made antibiotics and doctors...but who created those two entities?

From where I'm standing penecillin and other antibiotics are a Godsend and definitely a product of intelligent design. Anywho.....I digress....

The point is we always have a God who loves us, who wants the best for us and who wants to protect us at our sides constantly. He's always there and knows every situation we are dealing with. AND He commands an army of heavenly beings who are a force to be reckoned with.

I'd say I feel pretty confident in my battle against the enemy...though he throws things at me left and right....the God of angel armies is always by my side.

~Amber