Have a Little Fun // Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

I know it's been forever since I posted, and for that, I apologize...But I must state my excuse. So many ideas have been rushing in my head about this blog and it's social media that I have lacked to post.. I've realized how depressing this blog can get. All seriousness and nothing to look forward to reading. That is, nothing fun. With that said, I have come up with a few ideas. Ones that will help you find joy in your life as a stay-@-home-daughter. Ideas, Recipes, hope chest ideas, tips on cleaning and of course some Godly tips too. So, without further ado, I give you the first post on having fun cooking with siblings.

I don't want you to think that as I post things about spending time with my siblings, that I am perfect at it. Matter of fact, I am terrible at making sure that I haven't neglected them. I have been trying to remember to listen to them, talk to them, play with them; most times, I fail. Miserably! But with God's abundant grace, He will pull me through this and I -with Him- will win this race. And so can you. Hopefully, these posts will encourage you to draw closer to your siblings, that it would most of all, make you realize the importance of being a FAMILY in action and not just appearance. ;) With that said, let's move on to what we did today. :)

Autumn seems like it always says "bake day, bake day!" doesn't it? The weather gets nice, the windows of the house are open, and it just smells like all around goodness! Dad wants oatmeal cookies to go with his work lunches this week. As I pulled everything out of the cabinet that I would need, I realized that this was one of those times that my siblings could join in, and that I could take the moment to be that "awesome big sis". So we did. We made cookies all together and had a little afternoon fun. ;)

The 3 Teddy Bears rolling dough

Pink 1 guarding the dough form Pink 2

Soft Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla 

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

3 cups quick cups

1 cup raisins

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie with a large fork dipped in sugar.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

You can also find the recipe HERE on Allrecipes.com  (Note: I have made a few changes to the ingredients than the original recipe.)

Thanks so much for stopping by and reading my blog! Now go have some fun baking those cookies!!!

Big Families Aren't A Lot of Work

"Are all these children yours?!" says the random person in the grocery store.

My Mom then replies that yes, they are all hers.
"From this one, my eldest [pointing at me] to this one my youngest." [pointing at my two year old sister].

The random person then asks and says: "How DO you do it?! I wouldn't ever have the patience to keep up with everything!" Or they say something like: "Well you have your hands full!"

My mom then says that her heart is full too. ;)

See, the problem with most of the people who ask us these questions in the grocery store is that they are seeing all the laundry pile up, undisciplined children who play all the time, and chaos. They see all the work my Mother would be doing and does. That's what they see.

What they don't see is how we all work and help together. My siblings don't sit on their butts all day or play the day away in the summer. They help! And they help a lot. They work in the garden, they help with the house work - washing cups, putting away silverware. Anything that is on their level, they do. Even my two year old sister helps. She loves to fold wash cloths and she loves to help put laundry on the line. My four year old sister hangs up all her dresses on a hanger and puts them away, my 7 year old brother sweeps and washes the table. As they get older, stronger and taller, they do bigger stuff. We work together. My mom has said before, and it has always stuck with me, "If your two year old can operate in IPhone, then they are quite capable of folding washcloths."

If the things I mentioned above aren't accessible for your children, like hanging out the laundry, then make it accessible. For example: we have 2 cloths lines. One line is toddler level. They can reach it. You will find that children are very often willing to help do "big" things. It makes them feel older. They even ask to help. Don't ever discourage that. If they ask if they can help, give them something to help with. Christ was a servant and we are to practice what He practiced. Help them enjoy serving. This means never discourage them when they want to help.

So you see, we may be a big family, and we may have way more laundry or dishes then you. But we are all in this together. We don't just stand around and make Mom do all the work. That would be ungrateful! After all, she bore us for nine months and raised us. It's our duty to serve in return.

Learn to work together.. it makes life easier. ;)

It's like Pinterest Hair! - French Braided Updo - Great for a Country We...

Why did I choose THAT title!? Well, to be honest, I felt like I had accomplished something great. I saw a similar side braid look ALL over Pinterest and could never figure it out or get it right! Until now. The reason I really like this style is because it's great for summer, meaning it's cool, and because it's slightly on the formal side, but not so fancy that you feel out of place. I think it would be a great DIY for bridesmaids that are in a country wedding! 

Thanks for watching!

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Encouraging Verses // Psalm 71:19-20

There is so much comfort in these verses! No matter how down we are or how sinful we have been, we can be assured that God will revive us again, He will bring us up! Take comfort dear hearts! This is what it is like to be redeemed!

"You who have done great things,
O God, who is like you?
20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities
will revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
you will bring me up again.
21 You will increase my honor,
and comfort me once again.
22 I will also praise you with the harp
for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will shout for joy
when I sing praises to you;
my soul also, which you have rescued.
24 All day long my tongue will talk of your righteous help,
for those who tried to do me harm
have been put to shame, and disgraced."
Psalm 71:19-24

Modesty in Social Media

My thoughts and convictions started coming together awhile back. Why I haven't said it yet is because it is difficult to kindly find the words. Difficult to say it without pointing your fingers at someone else. But, like most things I write about, it needs to be addressed. Not only does it need to be addressed, but it also needs to sink into your heart - as it has mine. The only way that will happen is for you to pray that God would give you an open mind to the things that HE wants to change in you. What I say, may be one of them. 

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Awhile back, I found a modesty blog dedicated to showing you how to wear modern day clothes modestly. I was thrilled to find someone who blogged about what I stood for and practiced to the best of my ability. After being on her wonderful blog for awhile I decided to follow her on all her social media sights her Pinterest account especially.  I love Pinterest for several reasons. It's fun, it's useful, and it's nice to find all those free ideas for crafts and homemaking on there. What I don't like is that people think that Pinterest is a place to be free in what you really feel or love in your heart. I know that this is a blunt statement. It may not be what you think you feel, but "everything you do flows from the heart." When I followed her Pinterest account I was absolutely sure that she would be safe to follow and I wouldn't have to worry about my brothers coming up behind me and being embarrassed. But man is sinful and weak. And I was wrong in being sure that she would be safe. I was dissapointed... Disappointed in the sense that once again, someone didn't practice what they preached. She taught modesty, preformed it in person, but her social account did not. Why do I tell you this story? I tell this story to illustrate the problem of societies social networks. We are a contradictory people. We say one thing, blog one thing, post one thing, on the subject of modesty (or other subjects) and yet we contradict ourselves on the next site. If we are truly about modesty it will and should show up in our social networks. We need to ask ourselves before sharing, before posting: "Is this going to glorify God? Would I wear this if I were to go before God today?" And if the answer is no, then you shouldn't share it or look at it any longer. When we look at something that we wouldn't wear without making it more modest and share it, we have failed to protect the eyes and hearts of others who look at our pins and posts.

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I write this in the hopes that you will see that our modesty standards - our christianity, needs to roll over into our social networks. I write this to remind myself  that I shouldn't blog about one thing and not obey what I preach. I do not write this is not to condemn you or the lady I mentioned above, but to help us realize what we are doing wrong, in the hopes that it will make us more like Christ. Relying and thinking on His strength and Mercy.

Dutch Headband Braid - Hairstyles for girls

It took us several times to get this video taken to where it would be efficient. My 12 year old brother was learning to video and I was teaching him how while trying to do the hairstyle for the video. I think this is actually the 4th video we may have done for the headband dutch braid.... :P I hope you enjoying watching and don't forget to subscribe! If you have any questions please let me know in the comments!

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God Bless!!

The Lord has Promised Good to Me - Twitter Post 6

There are so many times throughout the day or week in which I find that I am thinking of things that can happen or worrying unnecessarily about the day. When I have found myself in this place of ungratefulness or worry, the Lord always places these words in my head..."The Lord has promised good to me..." What encouraging words...He has promised good to me! And that good is Christ! I am very thankful for this reminder, his everlasting promises, love and mercy!!

#Godbless #AmazingGrace