Posts Tagged ‘Mikayla’

10 Activities

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

Well, we are nearing the end of our Top Ten Lists.  Are you sad?  Today brings us to one of my favorite lists, my Top Ten Activities.

  1. Cooking – If you have read any of my old blog posts you will be able to tell that I love cooking.  I love any and all cooking, but especially baking.  I am somewhat of an experimenter when I cook.  I like to start with a basic recipe and adapt it to my taste buds.  However, I hate to taste food until it is completely done.  A good chef tastes throughout, but I don’t like to taste really until the end.  This presents problems sometimes.  If you are interested in past recipes read here and here.
  2. Painting (I am a novice) – I started this a few years ago.  I haven’t painted much in the last year, but I find it somewhat relaxing.  I also like to do other art projects like mosaics.  Here are a few of my favorite projects:
    This is one of my favorite pieces.  The painting part is finished, but overall it isn't complete yet.  I am hoping to do a multi-media piece on some old wood with pictures of Africa.

    This is one of my favorite pieces. The painting part is finished, but overall it isn't complete yet. I am hoping to do a mixed-media piece on some old wood with pictures of Africa.

    I made this for my nephew, Tanner's room

    Mosaic made from broken pieces of tile. I made this for my nephew, Tanner's room

    Painted flower - acrylic on canvas

    Painted flower - acrylic on canvas

    Lampshade I decoupaged with old photos from giraffe calendar...can you tell I love giraffes?

    Lampshade I decoupaged with old photos from giraffe calendar...can you tell I love giraffes?

  3. Being a mommy – This is a recent development (as of April 28), but I am loving it.  I start back to work full time on August 3 and am not looking forward to it.  However, Mikayla will be in good hands with my loving husband.  I love everything about being a mommy for Mikayla – playing with her, talking to her, changing her, bathing her…the list goes on.  I mean how could you not love being a mommy to this cutey?
    Hanging at the lake with her second cousins

    Hanging at the lake with her second cousins

    Pouty face - I love it!

    Pouty face - I love it!

  4. Playing disc golf – In this post I mentioned that the disc golf course was one of my favorite places to be.  So naturally, playing disc golf is one of my favorite activities.  I love taking Shiloh out and playing by ourselves, or playing with a large group of people.  I even like walking while everyone else plays!  It is a relaxing atmosphere.
  5. Playing with my nephews – In this post I mentioned that I have two nephews:  Tyson (2) and Tanner (almost one).  They are the sons of my older sister.  I think they are the cutest and sweetest boys in the world.  Judge for yourself:

    My sister and her two boys!

    My sister and her two boys!

  6. Goofing off with my husband – If you know Ben at all you know he is one goofy guy.  I love to wrestle with him, sit around and exchange jokes, play games, run into town, and many more.  He can make almost any situation a fun one.  Here are some funny pictures of him goofing off:
    This is my goofy husband in nothing but a child's size lifejacket.  Quite humerous!

    This is my goofy husband in nothing but a child's size life jacket. Quite humorous!

    Trying to fit into my peacoat...he didn't quite make it.

    Trying to fit into my pea coat...he didn't quite make it.

    Goofy husband...enough said!

    Goofy husband...enough said!

  7. Going for a walk with Mikayla and Shiloh – I haven’t done this very often because lets be honest, I am lazy!  However, this is one activity that I thoroughly enjoy!
  8. Reading – Again, this is not one I have gotten to do very often, but I do enjoy it.
  9. Playing Settler’s of Catan – Cody and Amanda Chapman introduced us to this fantastic game.  In my opinion, it is a cross between Monopoly and Risk.  I loved it so much after we first played it that I downloaded an online version and would play myself.  I am ridiculous I know!  Just recently, the Pavey’s introduced me to Catan the card game.  It is the same concept, but only a two player game and much quicker than its counterpart.  There are many other variations of Catan games.
  10. Being married to Ben – This isn’t really an activity, but I really enjoy being with my husband.  I love him very much!

That’s it, all of my favorite activities in the world.  Well, not really all of them, but at least the Top Ten.  I think I will go and enjoy one of those activities right now!

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10 Random Facts

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

Today’s Top Ten List is 10 Random Facts.  By the end of this post you will probably know more random facts about me than you bargained for.  Some of you may know some of these, but hopefully you will learn something new about me.  Ready or not, here we go!

  1. Evens OCD – Most people are semi-aware of this one.  Everything I do has to be in evens.  This was worse in college, but still exists today.  When I eat, I eat two of everything and if I am only eating one (like a piece of chicken) I take an even number of bites.  I don’t even realize I am doing this half the time.  If I touch something, I have to touch it twice (for the most part).  It is an obsession I know, but I manage it!  I mean in some way we all have our little OCDs
  2. Alarm clock – There are only certain numbers I can set my alarm clock to.  I can’t really explain the madness, it is just that way.  Obviously odd times are out (see Random Fact Number 1).  Then when it comes to even certain numbers are out as well.  Times ending in zeros and eights never get set (i.e 3:00 or 3:08).  That leaves 2, 4, and 6 (i.e. 4:06 or 4:14).  Six is by far the most common time to set my alarm clock, but two and four are acceptable as well!
  3. Cutting split ends – This was a favorite pasttime in college.  When I got bored in class I would search my hair for split ends and cut them or break them apart.  I ran a contest against myself to see how big of a split I could find!  I think my biggest split was 10 on the same hair.  Again, I know it is strange, but this list is Ten Random Facts.
  4. Picking things (scabs, scalp, sunburn, you name it) – Who doesn’t like to pick scaps and sunburns?  Oh wait, is that just me?  As a child my sister and I would take turns putting sand in each others hair so we could pick it out.  It was a challenge to find all the grains of sand.  Even today I love to pick at things.  Just ask Ben!  I have to restrain myself from picking at the scratches Mikayla has made from her fingernails!
  5. Nostril sizes – This is probably Ben’s favorite flaw to pick out on me.  My nostrils are two different sizes.  One is short and fat and the other long and skinny.  If he hasn’t already shown you, next time you are with us, just ask him about it.  I think it comes from all the years of him picking my nose (ask anyone we hung out with in highschool and they can explain), but I am not sure!
  6. Birthmark – This one is a little personal, but hey we are all friends!  My birthmark is located on my bottom.  I think Mikayla has one on her eye (we can’t tell if it is going to stick around or not), she is much luckier than me!
  7. Name sake – I was named after my Great Aunt Ann Elizabeth.  My parents named me Elizabeth Ann.  My daughter is named after Martin Luther King, Jr.  Both are pretty cool if you ask me.
  8. Nephews – I have two nephews that I adore!  I don’t get to see them very often, but when I do it is priceless.  Tyson, or T-bone as some call him, is two and full of energy.  He makes me laugh.  He is talking up a storm these days too.Tanner, on the hand, is almost one and lazy!  He isn’t really lazy, he just seems it compared to his big brother.  Tanner just learned to crawl.  I can’t wait to see it!  My sister has her hands full!
  9. Great Grandparents – When I was born I had six great grandparents that were living.  I only really knew four of them, but thought this was a fun fact.  Sadly, I have since lost all of these great grandparents.  I spent many days with my Great Granny Carew.  Lillian was her first name and we used it for our daughters middle name.  Granny Carew would make us grilled cheese sandwiches when we came to visit.  She would also make yellow cake with homemade chocolate syrup for us to enjoy.  These are still two favorites of mine today.  People think I am funny when I make a yellow cake and put chocolate syrup on it instead of icing, but this is the way that Granny Carew used to make it!  My Great Granny Clark (fondly known as Leila Belle) was a collector.  Two of her most famous collections were corn husk dolls and a stuffed doll (I am not sure of the exact name of these).  Both of these collections were passed down to grandkids and great grandkids when she passed away.  Mikayla has 7 great grandparents alive today!
  10. Fingernail wart – This last fact is really random, but I am running out of ideas!  I have a massive wart under my ring finger on my right hand.  I have tried to put wart remover on it to get rid of it, but it always seems to come back.  I have had warts in some capacity forever it seems like, I actually think I passed this on to my loving husband unfortunately.  In high school I had a planters wart that was so bad I had to have it dug out by a dermatologist.  I couldn’t condition for basketball (bummer 😉 ) and had to walk around with socks on one foot and bandages on the other.  It was attractive!

Well, that ends my ten random facts.  How many did you already know?  Is there anyone besides my husband who knew them all?  What about you, what are some random facts about yourself?

Here is a random family photo to go along with my Ten Random Facts

Here is a random family photo to go along with my Ten Random Facts

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Posted in Random |

Look at her grow!

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

My little baby is growing up so fast.  On July 28 she will be 3 months old!  Can you believe it?  Here are some recent updates on the little doodle bug:

  • She is consistently, although not every night, sleeping through the night.  She will eat between 9 and 10 and then sleep until 6:30 or 7.  The other night she went to bed at 9:30, woke up at 7 to eat and then fell back asleep until 9:30…fantastic!
  • She rolled over 3/4 of the way the other day.  Her little arm got stuck, but it was fun to watch.  I think she has a way to go before rolling over all the time, but this was a fun thing to experience.
  • We think she is beginning the teething process.  She has been drooling like crazy and nawing on everything in site.  Fun times ahead for us.
  • She is starting to outgrow some of her 0-3 and 3 month clothing.  Crazy how fast she is growing.
  • Check out her growth:
    Mikayla - One week old

    Mikayla - One week old

    Mikayla - A little over One month old (sometime in June)

    Mikayla - A little over One month old (sometime in June)

    Mikayla - Two and a half months old (mid-July)

    Mikayla - Two and a half months old (mid-July)

    Has she grown at all?  Tomorrow will be Ben‘s first solo day with Mikayla…wish him luck!

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Posted in Parenting |

10 Books

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

Disclaimer:  Nice Sunday at KY lake with Ben’s family (pictures to come) + last day at KAP was insanely crazy (every student was out of sorts, it was basically crowd control) + entertained KY Kickert’s and Steve tonight = One tired Sugar Mamma.  Post is going to be short and to the point.  The equation above should explain why I am two days behind on this one!  That being said, enjoy today:  Top Ten Books.

In the past year or two I haven’t had the chance to do much “free reading”.  I was working on my second masters, pregnant, and working full time, so free reading was non-existent.  However, I do teach kindergarten and so I read a lot of children’s books.  I thought I would make this list my Top Ten Children’s books.  They are as follows:

  1. The Secret Garden – I read this book over and over as a kid.  I am not sure why I like it so much, but it is definitely a favorite of mine!
  2. Any Dr.  Seuss book – Ben says this is cheap, but I love them all, just ask my kids at school.  We actually spend two weeks during the year doing nothing but Dr. Seuss activities!
  3. Little Women – I just re-read this a couple of years ago, what a great story.  I read it as a kid, but I think I missed out on a lot of the story.
  4. The Giving Tree – Shel Silverstein is a great author and this is one of his best books!
  5. Runaway Bunny – A classic children’s story of a young bunny who tries to run away from his mother, but his mother follows him every step.    He discovers that he can’t run from his mother because she loves him so much.
  6. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom – This is one of my favorite read alouds, the kids really get into this one.
  7. Charlotte’s Web – This is another one of my favorite chapter books from my childhood.  Wilbur is hilarious, and Charlotte is very sweet.  I cry at the end everytime.
  8. Bread and Jam for Frances – I am not sure why I like this one so much, but I really enjoy it.
  9. The Polar Express – Another one of my favorites to read aloud.  We also make a train and enjoy hot chocolate while listening to the story.
  10. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day – Why?  Because sometimes we just have a bad day!

I have several other favorites, and maybe when I am not so tired I will share those, but this is my list for now.  This tired Sugar Mamma is going to bed!  Night all!

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Posted in Life, Random |

10 Places

Saturday, July 18th, 2009

These are my Top Ten Favorite Places to be:

  1. My bed snuggled with Ben, Shiloh and Mikayla – This one should explain itself.  Two of my favorite people, my dog and my comfy cozy bed.  Does it get any better than this?
  2. Waterfalls – I love them all, big or small.  I could sit and watch a waterfall for hours.  I think they are some of the prettiest things God created.
    Frank Lloyd Wright House built on a waterfall

    Frank Lloyd Wright House built on a waterfall

    Ohiopyle Waterfall

    Ohiopyle Waterfall

  3. Guatemala – Spent a summer here with Amy and fell in love with it, the people and the culture.  The food is awesome, the people are so loving and accepting and the countryside is gorgeous.  My brother just led a group down there for 10 days.  I couldn’t go because of commitments here (mainly Mikayla), but I relived my summer there when I saw pictures.
  4. Coffee shops – While in Guatemala I developed a love for coffee and cute coffee shops.   In college coffee shops were a popular hangout spot with friends and mentors.  Today I enjoy heading to a coffee shop with a good book or some good friends and enjoying a nice, steamy cup of joe!  In Bowling Green, my favorite coffee shop is Spencer’s on the square.
  5. Outdoors – I love being outside on a sunny, slightly breezy day.  You can do so much outdoors (and a lot of my favorite places are outdoors).  In the summer time we love to start a fire and sit around the pit watching movies on the side of the house.  In college we would spend an entire day rock climbing.  Walking through the woods on  a crisp fall afternoon with the leaves crunching underfoot is another favorite.  There is so much to do outside, why would anyone want to be glued to a tv screen?
  6. Anywhere with family and friends – I love spending time with family, even if it is just a quick trip to Target!  My love language is quality time and just being together is enough for me.
  7. On a disc golf courseSteve and Luella introduced me to this fabulous game about three summers ago.  I have been playing it ever since.  BG has some of the best courses in the state.  We actually have 8 courses.  If you unfamiliar with disc golf check out this informational video.  I have some fond memories of times on the disc golf course – like the time I played disc golf in the rain in Florida with Cat, Dave, Ben and Potter…good times!.  Check out these photos:
    Disc golf in Ohiopyle with some great friends

    Disc golf in Ohiopyle with some great friends

    Disc golf woth some of my favorite kiddos!  The love it asmuch as me!

    Disc golf woth some of my favorite kiddos! The love it as much as me!

    Disc golf in Hartford with the Pavey's

    Disc golf in Hartford with the Pavey's

  8. In the garden (vegetable garden that is) or a pick your own orchard – As mentioned earlier I love being outside.  What better way to spend the day than harvesting fruits and veggies?  This is mine and Ben‘s third year gardening.  This year we have our garden at our house.  Check out this post. I also enjoy a good pick your own orchard.  As a kid we would go with my grandma to Haney’s and pick apples.  Last summer I went with Dana to The Orchard to pick blackberries (which were made inti blackberry jam) and snagged some blueberries across the street.
  9. The Farm – My grandparents farm holds some great memories for me.  We always argued over which route to take (1, 2, 3, or 4), even to this day I will say let’s go Number 3!  Then we would take turns driving up the driveway (this was before we had licenses of course).  Even as a little child, dad would put us behind the wheel and let us “drive”.  Fishing, family dinners, gardens, blackberries, horses, golden retrievers, cinnamon rolls (but only at Christmas)…so many memories!
  10. KAP (Kelly Autism Program) – I just discovered my love for  KAP this summer (read here).  I hate leaving Ben and Mikayla everyday, but I have really enjoyed my time there.  Contrary to popular belief I get energized (most days) when working with these kiddos!
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How I met Ben

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

This is kind of cheesy, but it was fun!  I love my husband very much.  We have been through a lot and have a lot left to go!

1.) Where did you meet?
We met at church youth group.

2.) Who introduced you?
No one really, we just knew each other from church.

3.) What was the first thought that went through your head when you met?
He looks like trouble, but he is awfully cute!

4.) Do you remember what he/she was wearing?
Nope, but I do remember he wore a black long sleeve Adidas shirt with yellow lettering a lot.

6.) How long did you know this person before you became a couple?
3 years

7.) How did he/she ask you out?
We went to MORP (a sock hop type dance at my high school), afterwards a bunch of us came back to my basement to watch movies.  Everyone else had left and as he was leaving he asked me to be his girlfriend.

8.) Do you have kids with this person?
Yes, our beautiful MLK (Mikayla Lillian).

9.) Have you ever broken the law with this person?
I mean we speed, does that count?

10.) When was the first time you really liked this person?
In 8th grade I had a huge crush on him, he was kind of a flirt though!

11.) Do you get along with his/her family?
Absolutely, my in-laws are the best.  Extended family is questionable though 😉
12.) Do you trust this person?
With my life

13.) Do you see her/him as your partner in the future?
He is my partner

14.) What is the best gift she/he gave you?
My daughter!  But if we are talking tangible then probably the “gifts” he gave me for our 10 year anniversary.

15.) How long have you been with this person?
We started dating when I was 16 and have been married for almost five years (five in October)

16.) How well do you know your man or woman?
Better than most.
17.) What features attracted you to him first?
His smile and eyes
18.) Hair color?
Brown

19.) Does he/she let you wear their pants?
I don’t wear his pants, but occasionally will wear his shirts.  I pretty much stole the black Adidas shirt from him in college.

20.) Do you have a shirt of hers/his that you sleep in?
See question above.

21.) Does she/he make you happy?
More than anyone else in the world.
22.) Does she/he have any piercings?
Two, kinda.  He used to have two holes in his left ear (one he pierced himself), but he doesn’t wear them anymore.

23.) Does she/he have any scars that you know of?
He got bit by the church camp dog on his right leg.  He also recently tried to saw his leg off.  Not really, but he does have a scar from a sawing accident.
24.) Is she/he Outgoing or Shy?
Both.  He interacts with others well, but crowds drain him.
25.) Does she/he sing?
Just ask Stevenson Chapel.  The quick answer is no!
26.) Do you like her/his friends?
I love them, consider them my own.
27.) Does she/he have any tattoos?
He wants one, but…let’s not go there.

28.) Does she/he look like their mom?
Nope, more like his dad everyday.

29.) Do you like her/his sisters/brothers?
I love his brother!
30.) What is the most romantic date he has ever taken you on?
Our own private drive-in in his backyard, complete with roasted hot dogs and all my favorite girly movies is a favorite date.  He is pretty crafty when he wants to be!

31.) Do you have any nicknames for each other?
Babe is our most common one.

32.) Do you live with this person?
Have since October 2, 2004.
33.) Do you have any pets together?
Yep, our fantastic (for the most part) dog, Shiloh

34.) Where is this person?
Sitting next to me on the couch.
35.) What is your anniversary date?
Dating anniversary was March 26, but marriage is October 2, 2004

Tell me about your love!

My family minus Shiloh

My family minus Shiloh

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Posted in Life |

10 Movies

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

Here is the first in a series of top 10 lists that Ben and I are each posting.  I cheated a bit and listed both children and grown up lists.

Children’s movies:

  1. The Lion King – Makes me think of Africa!  Love it.
  2. Aladdin – This is a magical movie.  The genie is my favorite character.
  3. The Little Mermaid – I am not sure why, but I love this movie!
  4. Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory – Chocolate, candy and fun…who could ask for anything more.
  5. The Wizard of Oz – A group of people you wouldn’t picture being great friends, but they are.  Reminds me of some of my groups of friends.
  6. Finding Nemo – An underwater adventure filled with laughter and fun!
  7. Horton Hears a Who – A classic Dr. Seuss movie, my favorite children’s author.
  8. Mary Poppins – A spoon full of sugar…
  9. Sandlot – You’re killing me Smalls…a great movie to quote.
  10. E.T. – This was a favorite as a kid, but I honestly have not seen it since then.  We watched it so much, we wore the tape out!

Grown Up Movies:

  1. Cool Runnings – I used to watch this movie over and over in Emily’s basement…good times!
  2. Dirty Dancing – Nobody puts Baby in a corner.
  3. Pretty Woman – I love me some Julia Roberts
  4. Billy Madison – A classic watched with my dear friend Gretchen.  We worked for hours to get the “stair” dance down, never quite got it!
  5. Shawshank Redemption – A wonderful movie that makes you think.
  6. Schindler’s List – Just re-watched this one with Ben, really makes you wonder how anyone could be so cruel.
  7. Hotel Rwanda – I cried very hard the first time I saw this one, and the second, and the third…you get the picture.
  8. Blood Diamond – I am realizing I have some depressing ones, sorry but I love them.
  9. Friends (The Series) on DVD – I went through almost the entire series while I was pregnant with Mikayla.  Then finished the rest off while nursing her at night.  I had it completed by the time she was one month old…is that depressing?
  10. Grease – I think I can sing every song in this movie!  Another classic, must see!
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Posted in Random |

Veggie Patties = Deliciousness!

Saturday, July 11th, 2009

As many of you may know, my husband and I have a garden in our backyard (check out this for some pictures).  We only grow the veggies that we love, so coming up with summer veggie dishes is a breeze!  The other night I discovered a new favorite…Veggie Patties.  The idea stemmed from this recipe.   I altered the recipe to meet the needs of what we had on hand and here was the final result:

  • 1/2  pound okra, finely chopped
  • 1 small zucchini, finely chopped
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 jalapenos, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tbsp garlic salt
  • Cajun seasoning (we didn’t have very much, but I would reccommend adding a generous amount).  We like Tony’s.
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4-1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  1. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the okra, zucchini, onion, jalapeno, seasonings, water and egg. Combine the flour, baking powder and cornstarch; and stir that into the okra mixture.
  3. Veggies all cut up and ready to go!

    Veggies all cut up and ready to go!

    My wonderful hubby managing the cutting board.

    My wonderful hubby managing the cutting board.

    Mixed up and ready for the pan

    Mixed up and ready for the pan

  4. Carefully drop spoonfuls of the okra batter into the hot oil, and fry on each side until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels.
Finished patties

Finished patties

I completed the meal with summer sausage, steamed broccoli and cornbread.  However, these would work nicely as a main dish (I was just nervous they wouldn’t’ be very good)!  It was a perfect combination alongside a nice glass of milk.  (Mikayla even liked them, a lot better than the stuffed jalapenos she had after the 4th of July!)  We warmed them up the next night on the pizza stone in the oven.  To my surprise they were just as good the second day.  I topped the patties with a little hot sauce.

Almost any combination of veggies could be added to these; however, the best ones would probably be zucchini, okra, squash, eggplant, or any type of peppers.  Next time I think I will add more spice to it (Cajun seasoning and hot peppers) and maybe a little fresh garlic.  I may even add a little hot sauce to the mix, just to get crazy!

**I will post pictures when I can find my camera cord!

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Posted in Cooking |

Cookie Fail, Muffin Success

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

Last week Mikayla was in a good mood and I was in a baking mood so while Ben was sleeping, we ventured to the kitchen to try our hands at a couple of new recipes.  There were plenty of blueberries to go around thanks to our Local Farmer’s Market and since bananas lifespan is shorter in the summer we had a bunch of those as well.  Fun fact about Beth – I only like green bananas.  Once they start getting brown I refuse to eat them – even if it is just a little brown.  So needless to say, bananas do not last long in our house.  The two recipes I chose to try included both of these ingredients:  Loaded Oatmeal Cookies and Blueberry Banana Muffins.    We started with the muffins.  Here is the recipe that I used.  Side note – All Recipes is one of my favorite places to find recipes.

Of course if you know me at all, I had to tweak the recipe a little!!  First off I did not have any whole wheat flour so I settled for All-Purpose Flour instead.  I tripled the cinnamon and only used two whole eggs (had to save some for the cookies).   I also added in a few extra blueberries (their flavor is so good this time of year).  I had some peaches that were getting ready to go bad so I cut up a few of those and threw them into the mix, along with a little heavy whipping cream to thin out the batter.  Here is the end result:

cookies1cookies2

They were delicious too!  The cookies on the other hand…let’s just say they did not turn out as good as the muffins (at first).  I can not seem to find the recipe I found on some random cooking blog, but I can tell you that the recipe did not have enough flour.  Here is the result of the cookies when I followed the recipe:

cookies5cookies6

They completely stuck to the pan.  However, after I added about a cup of extra flour the cookies turned out looking good, I forgot to take a picture though.  They were loaded with oatmeal, banana, chocolate and craisins.  I was unsure about the combination at first, but in the end I found them tasty!  All in all, my baking morning turned into a success!

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Posted in Cooking |

Finding your niche

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

I have found my niche.  For the past three weeks I have been volunteering (and when I say volunteering I mean paying to take a class and work for free as a result) at a program here in Bowling Green geared towards working with individuals with autism (ASD).  The program is called the Kelly Autism Program, or KAP as the participants fondly call it.  This is a place that people all over the nation and world are looking at as a model for helping those with ASD.  At KAP students Kindergarten through college are encouraged to be themselves and learn coping skills to manage and deal with their disability. Although I have had to leave my sweet baby every morning for the last three weeks (and three more in July) I feel the experience has been very worthwhile.

For those of you who don’t know, I am currently finishing up a second masters in Exceptional Education (Moderate and severe disabilities) with an Autism certificate.  I have loved this masters and learned so much from it.  The past two years I have had the priveledge of working with an individual with classic autism.  I have learned so much from this student and even found a passion in working with individuals with autism (thus my second masters).  I have found my niche!  I have always known that I wanted to teach, and have loved every minute (well almost every minute) since I started almost five years ago.  However, it wasn’t until this summer, actually this past week, that I feel like I have truly found my niche.  I love, love working with students with special needs, specifically autism and feel like I have the skill base to do so effectively.  They have so much to teach me and have such a passion for life.  They live life to the fullest and don’t care what others think!  It is amazing.

Unlike most of my friends, I have always been confident in my job.  Several years ago we were in a small group of “young married” couples, all of who seemed to reach a transition point in their lives at the same moment.  People were shuffling jobs, moving to new places or just beginning their careers.  Throughout this entire time I seemed to be the only one who enjoyed their job and knew they were “in the right place”.  I still love my job and have confidence in it, but now I can see a different future with my job.  Maybe not tomorrow or ten years from now, but one day I will work daily with individuals with special needs and I will love it as much as I love teaching kindergarten.  I have found my niche and couldn’t be happier!

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