Felt Bag

Here is an idea for a felt bag I just finished. I embellished my bag by sewing 3 colorful giraffes on the front and then adding another felt color to the inside of the back so the bag ended up being a double layer. I was not crazy about the design of the handles. It makes it awkward to hold, so next time I think I'd trace out my own hand holds and sew it again. But for a first try at making a bag it turned out rather adorable and sturdy.

http://www.marthastewart.com/273303/felt-tote-bag

Citrus Coasters

This has been a fun splash of color help celebrate summer and all it has to offer.

http://www.purlbee.com/the-purl-bee/2011/6/23/mollys-sketchbook-citrus-coasters.html

Potty Training and Big Girl Undies

We are so very proud of Emily. She is doing an amazing job at potty training. This whole week has been a wonderful success and such a relief. I had braces myself for a large drawn out fight ending in her going off to college in pull-ups. :) Emily is our stubborn girl. Well thinking about it they both are. They both have our fight to the death genes. Emily is hard to move from one stage of her life to the next. She only walked because Chris made her, and once she did walk she was the happiest thing ever. She didn't want to sit on the potty when we started, but once we got her over the stubborn part she's been such a wonderful surprise in going mostly all by herself. We've had her happily go poop and potty time and time again each day. There are some accidents, but we celebrate the successes and carry on with life in the accidents. She is SO proud of herself and so excited to be wearing big girl undies just like her big sister. You can see the pride radiating in her face as she runs to get hugs and baby M&M's.

I'm so excited that this is another way that Chris and I can work together as a team and triumph as a family. We are instilling in our daughters a pride for an accomplishment well done, and they are learning that it's ok when we make mistakes. No big deal, we clean up and go on with life. I hope that this pride and these lessons being learned at such a young age can continue to translated into their lives as they grow and mature and their challenges grow bigger an harder. I pray that they will continue to grow to be confident and strong young ladies. Their strong wills and stubbornness were given to them by God. I hope that it can be trained to be used for His kingdom and His glory.

Just thought you might like to celebrate with us in this week of triumph. It's a little bittersweet though moving into a new stage of life. This means my last baby is growing up. My hands and heart must continue to loosen it's grip on them. That is what is right an proper, to slowly let them go as they grow. Training them with the right life qualities and tools to do it on their own one day. To take those tools and show the next generation how to live and love God to the fullest of their ability.

Life With Depression and Severe Anxiety

This has been a great summer. So busy, full of life, changes and new adventures. I've visited my blog countless times intending to write about many things, but have sat in a quiet cloud of thought, not knowing what really to express. So many feelings rush out of each day, some not stopping to make room for others.

Life is a struggle for me. The challenge to stay ahead of the dark wings of depression, while maintaining the normalcy of a healthy life takes its toll some days. Without the aid of medication severe anxiety makes simple chores like going to the grocery store almost an overwhelming task even without children by my side. I've learned to hide it well, but I'm not always sure that is a good thing. Without letting yourself be vulnerable you can't let others in to walk with you through tough times. It takes a combination of knowing when to be strong and when to be weak to help balance out the challenges in life.

My girls are 2 of the most precious things in my life. (Let's not forget my husband as well. He is the blessing that gave me our children.) Those girls are what I rise in the morning for. Some mornings a little more disgruntled than others. Those precious babies and my husband are why I have chosen to get help through therapy and medication. They deserve a healthy strong mommy and wife.

Taking medication is no replacement for doing the hard work. Getting up when you don't feel like it, putting make up and real clothes on when you feel like staying in bed. Getting out when you would rather stay in. Going grocery shopping when you are feeling overly anxious.

This past year God called me to go above and beyond what I was even comfortable thinking about. He asked me to lead a bible study group at my church for young moms. Please I am not asking to be seen as something extra ordinary, I just want to be seen as faithful to God. Faithful to listen and obey. Isn't that what God asks of us. To incline our ear and then to put one foot in front of the other. The very thought of leading a bible study scared the stuffing right out of me. In high school I was in a speech and drama class and every Friday I was literally sick to my stomach because I had to get up in front of a small class and give a speech. It was terrifying. God knew that, but He knows me better than I know myself.

I found by calling the group of women God's women it took my eyes off of my own inadequacy and placed everything on God who is adequate for any challange. It removed the anxiety and replaced it with peace and joy. By the end of the year dedicated to obeying God in this simple way I've been forever changed, and forever thankful for the delicate jewels I've collected along the way, in wisdom, spiritual growth, close friends, confidence and most precious of all a deeper love for the Lord.

I've been learning that it's not who you are by the worlds standards that matters, but who you are in God's eye that makes all the difference in the world. Doesn't He call us the apple of his eye.

My children, my most precious presents from the Lord, as I like to tell them they are are a constand and daily reminder to get out of bed, do the right thing because they deserve the best no matter what.

Home Made Yogurt

This is what we made growing up since there were no other options. My mom ordered a 50 pound bag of whole milk powder ever 6 months or so. I'd gotten used to buying yogurt at the store, but lately I've been revisiting some of my childhood roots through eating and was excited when my brother of all people told me he was making it. I had him pick me up 2 cans of Nido milk powder at the local Latino grocery store (where they also sell Tamarind, yum.)

So here is the recipe if any of you are interested. Mine turned out fabulous. So thick and creamy.

Yogurt-
3 cups warm milk
3 cups milk powder
3 cups warm water

Take 2 or 3 large spoonfuls of your local grocers yogurt and just drop it in and stir. (After you make your initial batch you can continue to save and use 3-4 tablespoons of yogurt to start any batch after.)

I placed my covered container on my back porch in the sun, but ended up putting my container in a larger container and pouring very hot water in around it to finish the process. Every time the water cooled down I replaced the water with more hot water. And Voila I had a fresh batch of yogurt for breakfast. Put a little honey in it, maybe a few nuts or fresh fruit and you are all set.

Hope you enjoy. Try it. It will be fun, even if it doesn't work out, but I'm tell you it's a fail proof recipe even for those who hate to cook.

Cherry Cake Pudding

Brought home a pound of cherries today and thought I'd try my hand at cooking with them so here we go. I'll let you know how it turns out.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/01/cherry-cake-pudding/

This recipe turned out really great. I wouldn't have added so much sugar to the syrup poured over top, maybe half of what's called for. It was a little more work to use fresh cherries, and boil them down, but it sure was worth the effort!

Caprese Salad

Summer is to be celebrated, specially beautiful blue sky days like yesterday with cool evenings, and chilly nights. So to toast the day and celebrate life I served up a Caprese Salad with balsamic reduction, grilled lemon garlic chicken, with a side of garlic couscous. Savored with a glass of pinot noir and fudge brownies. The Caprese Salad could be eaten alone because of how beautiful and savory it is. I can't get enough of fresh basil.

We ate under the great blue sky as the sun set in the backyard under our favorite tree in the yard. Holli, my beautiful tender souled, artistic and just plain beautiful sister shared the evening with us. I'm so blessed, so so blessed to be able to celebrate life with the people I love.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/?s=balsamic+reduction