IKEA

This weekend I went to IKEA with my husband. Normally when we have gone in the past it has taken us like 4 hours to get through the store. And you don't even realize that that much time has passed. It is so much fun to see how they have every room set up and just how relatively inexpensive and cute everything is. Well Erick and I thought that since we knew what we were looking for that we wouldn't be there for 4 hours. Well we ended up spending only 2 hours there. Still a long time, but better than our norm. So we got a cute cubed bookshelf, and a little cat house for Leo. I would have gotten one for Georgia our dog but I think she can be claustrophobic. The cat house was only 6 bucks..what a deal! We got him the blue one.
(Anyone who has a baby...or about to needs to go shop their baby stuff. But I wouldn't recommend ordering offline...shipping will kill you)
They are also having a sale!

If you like cheesecakes...try these!

Individual Orange and Chocolate Cheesecakes
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis


1/3 cup finely crushed chocolate wafers
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
1 orange, zested
1 egg
Butter, for greasing

Special equipment: mini muffin tin

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the crushed chocolate wafers and the melted butter. Place a tightly packed teaspoon of the wafer mixture into each mini-muffin cup and press down firmly.

In a food processor combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, 1/4 cup of the sugar, half of the orange zest, and the egg. Blend until smooth. Lightly grease the sides of the mini muffin tin with butter. Fill the cups with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cheesecake mixture. Place the mini muffin tin in a baking dish and pour enough hot water in the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the mini muffin tin. Bake for 25 minutes. Transfer the mini muffin tin to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Use a small knife to gently pop the cheesecakes out of the cups.

Just before serving, combine the remaining orange zest with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Top each individual cheesecake with about 1/4 teaspoon of the orange zest mixture and serve.

Since today is Erin's birthday I will be make these for her..she loves them...so do I

Some Cards I Made!! (My attempt to be crafty)

I went to a scrapbooking party with my mom and these were the cards that we made...I am also not very good at getting the lighting just right, but I tried.

This was a cute card that was super easy, and so so cute!



This cards was a little more involved, but I liked the look of it, I have Thank you stamped inside.


This next card was hard I'll be honest, I was proud of myself when I finished. I am not patient with small little parts. And this had many. I have Happy Birthday stamped inside, I'll be giving it to my sister in law...today, Happy Birthday Erin.




The main purpose of this "party" was to make Father's Day cards. They turned out to be cute little wallets that we are to put pictures inside, I haven't done that yet( I know that Father's Day was 2 weeks ago, they will still be special)

My Bucket List

I actually made this during college, but I recently watched the movie and made me rethink a few things because they aren't exciting enough...I made the changes accordingly. Also made notes for the ones that have been accomplished.

1. Marry the man God made for me...Check



2. Watch a surgery in person...Check


3. Meet Jimmy Wayne(My favorite country singer in college)....Check



4. Plant a cucumber garden...planted just waiting for them to grow...semi-check



5. Go inside the Blue Grotto...honeymoon check



old 6. Read Tolstoy's War and Peace...needs to be changed not very exciting



new 6. Get my Master's degree...classes begin in August



7. Save money...I'll keep this one, it will be good for my family




8. Make a difference...I teach high schoolers, I drive a hybrid, I recycle, I teach Sunday school, Missions trips...check





9. Milk a cow...check



old 10. Learn another language...Not very much fun



new 10. See the Rocky Mountains...I can't wait

Am I not meant to be a mommy....

Something that many of you know that has been on my heart for the last 2 years is that Erick and I would have a baby...well it still hasn't happened. And Erick and I believe that for the last 2 years that the Lord has been using this to bring us closer to Him and to increase our faith. I believe that it has, I remember days (especially) holidays that I would be calling out to God "Please, please, let this be the month" And then when the period comes, knowing that God is still good, and the time just isn't right. We had also felt that we shouldn't go to the doctor to see what was wrong with us, because it would be as if we were trying to manipulate the situation if we found out something.
The hardest thing about this is many many of friends and family around me are pregnant and I get to watch them in this beautiful time in their lives and the ache inside never fades. Don't get me wrong I am so happy for them, and love to be involved a tiny bit.

The reason I shared this with you all is that I would appreciate your prayers, for my heart, I go through times when I lose hope and want to just go to the doctors and tell them to make me pregnant.

(I've been feeling that going towards a natural approach with vitamins or creams could work. Teri? Carly? I should just go to Trudy huh?)

Greensburg

I don't know if a any of you have heard of the new show "Greensburg" on the planetgreen channel. WOW let me tell you just watching everything that this town has gone through brought tears to my eyes. This whole town was wiped out by a F5 tornado. Totally wiped out the entire town. But now that the town needs to start from scratch they want to build everything "green" so that it will be able to sustain itself, and be easier for the town to live smart and healthy. Anyways if you get the chance check out the show it is really interesting!

RUMMAGE SALE!

Saturday 21st of June there is a Rummage Sale at First Baptist Naples!! From 8-5ish There is a little bit of anything that your heart could ever desire! Plus it helps out the wonderful students at FBA that need a little financial support so go check it out!

Whats dirtier?

I saw this on someones blog and I thought it was gross but true, we often forget to see what other people go through or have, we are too focused on ourselves...just a thought

I've decided to tell you my Favorite 10 things

1. PAD THAI!! I absolutely love pad thai, but not just from anywhere you need to get it at Sushi Thai in Naples!! Any where else is not the same.




2. WATERMELON! I could live on the stuff! I think that no summer is complete unless you have devoured at least 5 watermelons!





3. Baked Beans. They smell awesome they are so tasty and they give you all the fiber you could ever need!! On a side note I think there should be a candle that smells like a can of baked beans...I would buy it:)





4. Babies. They are a gift from God, so precious and pure (until you need to change their diaper or wake up with them all hours of the night). I am waiting for the day that I am given this gift.





5. Candles. I love smelly things and candles are fun to have as decoration and as air fresheners, again I would be interested to have a baked bean smelling candle!!





6. Organics. I am not a tree hugger, I am not into all the global warming mambo jumbo, I just think that eating naturally and organically will help me and my family to be healthier, more energetic, and not have to worry about so many different illnesses that are caused by chemicals in our foods.



7. My dog. Even though she can be a pain in the butt, I love her. Her name is Georgia and she is a mutt, she likes to nap and eat and jump on people and lick them. She gets nervous around men and kids but besides that she is a great little pet.





8. Fireworks! The 4th of July and New Years have always been my favorite holidays I guess the wonder and awe that accompanies fireworks make me feel young and they are just plain beautiful.






9. Flip flops! I guess that comes with being a Florida girl, but I could and do live in them during the summer!

10. Finding a verse that just speaks directly to you in the circumstance that you are facing, whether good or bad. Right now the verse that means a lot to me is Psalms 105:4 which says "Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!"

What verse has been laid on your heart lately?

Weird feelings...

So my old flame from College just got married. And I was able to see the pictures and I am so happy for him and his wife. I always thought that I would be sicken with grief or feel something else. But seeing the picture I was smiling and honestly loved being able to see that special moment in his life. His wife was so beautiful and seeing how happy his parents and grandparents were was also a blessing. I mean I better feel this way I have been married for 2 years :) And I love my husband and am so thankful that the Lord brought Erick into my life...I wouldn't have it any other way.

The fun times about being a teacher

From the middle of August to the middle of May life is a blurrrrr and then all of a sudden life comes to a hard deceleration and we have summer break. I'm not trying to complain here but the summer is boring if you don't have kids or a lot of friends to do things with. I mean sleeping in past 6:30 is wonderful, and getting to dress like a bum all day is awesome! But TV gets old quick, Paper Mario on Wii only lasts 8 levels, my dog naps more than I thought was possible, and lastly my butt goes numb from sitting down so long. I need some ideas of project or crafts to busy myself with. Carly help me out...give me an idea about something to paint.

Amusment=stupidity?

I am trying to write something that is maybe interesting....and my mind is blank. I am sitting here watching "The Finals" Celtics playing the Lakers. I don't really care who wins. But wow I really hate commercials...I feel that they make me stupid. And in these commercials there are the new movie previews and the majority of the movies coming out WILL make me stupid if I spent money to see them. Like Hellboy 2, Zohan, Love Guru. Nothing that is wholesome or challenges you or makes you want to change for the better. Why can't there be any movies like that? I went and saw Prince Caspian and that movie at least had fantasy that makes you want to be a little kid again, and dream big dreams. I don't know. I just think that amusement these days is hurting the ability for people to amuse themselves, and they become stupid and lazy, or without a moral thought in their head. And we wonder why our kids ac the way they do. Like the idiots on TV that show no respect for anyone. We put our kids in front of the big screen often enough and that is who they want to act, dress, sound, look like.....Just some thoughts

Copied this from Carly

I am: constantly trying to improve
I think: I don't want to teach physics next year
I know: That I am saved
I want: A best friend, that won't move away
I wish: I kept better in touch with friends
I hate: my attitude some days
I miss: my girl friends from Clearwater and WOLBI
I fear: I will never get pregnant :(
I feel: like I need to read some good books
I hear: cars outside
I smell: a candle
I crave: watermelon
I search: right now for peace
I regret: when I don't do my best at something
I love: my Lord, Erick, family, dog, friends
I ache: for a baby
I care: for everyone
I always: pray before I eat
I am not: always exciting
I believe: in heaven
I sing: not so good
I cry: and it feels good
I fight: too much with my husband
I write: now in a blog
I win: a lot of arguments
I lose: a lot of arguments
I never: curse, drink
I confuse: myself
I listen: very well
I can usually be found: at home
I am scared: of family dying
I need: to feel cherished
I am happy about: it being summer time
I hope: Erick and I can pay off our debt

My new organic bedding! I am excited about it, I love all the different colors.

Perfect Pear?

For my wedding which was almost two years ago (June 10th) our theme was the "perfect pair" and we gave little pear candles away as reception gifts. Erick and I also thought that having something to collect on our travels and for the house would be fun. So pears became our"signature"...but now we have so many pears that we need to find something else to collect.

My first time Ever to blog

Wow I really can't believe that I have a blog. If you know me this is huge. I am normally the type of person that if I had a journal or diary, I would only write in a way that would allow people to read it and not learn anything about me. I am very reserved, and will open up only to those who I absolutely trust. That is actually few and far between. ANYWAYS, expect to be surprised. I hear that opening up is healthy and refreshing. I'm ready to be refreshed...feel free to help me.