domestic.

I've had all these ingredients stacked on my shelf at the house since I lived in Milford, and I never had the desire to use them or create something with them....until this weekend!

Call it procrastination, but this past weekend I decided to bake everything I could think of.

I had a 16 oz. can of pumpkin and a spice cake mix...plus a few other ingredients and I created this recipe....

PUMPKIN CAKE
1 spice cake mix 3 eggs 1 (1 lb.) can pumpkin 1/4 c. water 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 1/2 c. brown sugar, packed 1/4 tsp. powdered cloves 1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg Grease and flour 9x13 inch pan. Blend cake mix, pumpkin, spices, water, eggs and brown sugar. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

I drizzled a little homemade frosting on top and it was quite tasty and moist!

I also had about 5 apples that were borderline getting to old to take and eat, so I decided to give my first stab at making apple crisp. This is my favorite desert...and I did a decent job at it...but my mom's will always be better!

4	medium tart cooking apples, sliced (4 cups)
3/4	cup packed brown sugar
1/2	cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/2	cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1/3	cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4	teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4	teaspoon ground nutmeg
	Cream or Ice cream, if desired

1.	Heat oven to 375ºF. Grease bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan with shortening.
2.	Spread apples in pan. In medium bowl, stir remaining ingredients except cream until well mixed; sprinkle over apples.
3.	Bake about 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Serve warm with cream.

Then, tonight my best friends from high school made the road trip up to see me for my birthday. In attempt to take after Katie and Mark's tradition of doing something for others on your birthday, I decided that I would surprise my girls with a delicious dinner when they walked in! haha. This was quite funny since I consider my expertise to be in baking and not...cooking.

I decided to go with a simple casserole, salad, cornbread, and potatoes.

Mistakes:

• I didn't boil the noodles before I put them in the casserole...which wouldn't have been a big deal if the pasta sauce had covered everything.
• I didn't grease the cookie sheet well enough that the sliced potatoes were on...next time I also need to try tossing the diced potatoes in olive oil BEFORE arranging them on the cookie sheet.
• More Italian seasoning in the casserole next time...it was lacking a zest!
• Timing of meals is tricky...I should have put the potatoes in first.
  

I've just really developed this domestic nature the past week. I can't wait to have my own space to clean, cook for, and serve other people in. Some girls might call me crazy, but I have zero problems being domestic...I love it. You work hard, see a result, and most of the time end up serving people in the process. And no matter what...my mom always gets a great laugh out of the attempts I make to do all this :] Hopefully I'll be a pro by the time it counts for my future family!

bing crosby.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten,
and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white

I will speak joy until joy speaks of love. [chris hall]

UPDATES on the events of Novemeber:

• I decided to stay in the Lansing Area for next year to student teach! Mark and Katie have opened their hearts and home to me and although Mark continues to tell me that nothing great happens in their house and not to have high expectations...I know that God has me with two amazing people for a reason next year. God does great work through Mark and Katie, and their lives individually and as a married couple in Christ continue to teach me new characteristics of who Jesus is. It is going to be fantastic, no matter what it looks like. Three people on a mission to serve the Lord and live like Jesus...couldn't get any better then that! If anything, I get to hang out with a woman I admire, a man who chose a great wife, and a gosh darn really cute baby :]
  
• My best friend from high school, Brandy, married the love of her life over Thanksgiving weekend. Brandy's wedding was so beautiful. the family. the friends. the parents. the ceremony. It was a perfect mix of people, the bride and groom were incredibly excited and thankful for everyone who was there. I couldn't stop dancing for two days afterward [CUPID SHUFFLE!]. It was incredible.
• I came home from Big Rapids (where the wedding was) with a changed heart. Since we were so busy with wedding events, we did not celebrate Thanksgiving the traditional way. Not being with my own family celebrating our traditions together was a weird feeling. I realized that, although I love my family and our gatherings, I do not need them to make my heart happy during the holidays. This gave me a boost of confidence for the upcoming years of my life, knowing that I can move anywhere to start my teaching career and I know I'll find another family/friends to share the holidays with if I can't make it home.
• God has just opened the lens through which I've been looking through. A lot of changes are stirring up in my heart, a lot of things are shifting and moving...I'm realizing that the only way I am going to start understanding what God's promises are for my life are by spending more time reading his word and seeking his grace. I tell my self all the time I can do it on my own, but it's time to jump off my personal independence fence and creature of comfort fence (thanks Steve) and take the sword to the areas of my life I've been too stubborn to change.
• I need to get off my soapbox and start seeing the world as God sees it and not as my heart desires to see it. I need to stop cocooning in what I know and am familiar with, and start seeking changes in relationships, life decisions, and self-control.
  
• There is a start to what I'll probably blog about on the 9th. stay tuned :]

Love you all.

Prayer request: My Nonno (grandpa) was admitted to the hospital last night. Please pray for his comfort and rest as we figure out what is wrong. Thanks everybody.