Blackberry Cobbler!

Monday night, I made supper for the Sapps, I made Picante Pork and Beans and I thought that I would be a little adventurous and try to make a blackberry cobbler! I was actually kind of impressed! It was good! =)

The collection you will need =)

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees:

Then, start by washing 2 (generous) cups of blackberries:

Melt a stick of butter and then set it aside

Mix the sugar and flour

Then add the milk. Whisk. When it is all stirred together, add the melted butter and whisk until all of it is smooth:

Now, apply butter to the baking dish:

Pour the batter into the baking dish and start to spread the blackberries evenly over the batter. The more the better! =)

Then pour 1/4 cup sugar over the top so it covers it pretty evenly

Then, stick it in the oven for 1 hour! Then, vwa la! Blackberry cobbler! =)

Ingredients:

1 Stick butter

1-1/4 cup sugar

1 cup self rising flour

1 cup milk

Preperation Instructions:

Melt the butter in a microwavable dish. Pour 1 cup of sugar and flour into a mixing bowl, whisking in milk. Mix well. Then, pour in melted butter and whisk it all well together. Butter a baking dish.

Now, rinse and pat dry the blackberries. Pour the batter into the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle blackberries over the top of the batter; distributing evenly. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar over the top.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until golden and bubbly. If you desire, sprinkle an additional teaspoon of sugar over the cobbler 10 minutes before it's done.

Taylor and Elisha

Yesterday, I had the amazing opportunity of taking engagement pictures for some of my really good Challenge friends, Taylor and Elisha. They are one of the cutest couples I have met and I am so so happy for them! Thank you guys for letting me spend time with you and do this for you!!! I can't wait for our second session! =)

Are they not so adorable together?!?

The BEAUTIFUL ring!

This one is one of my favorite pictures:

The spot he asked her to be his girlfriend =)

Another one of my personal favorites =)

Happy Fourth!!

Here is an amazing video in light of the upcoming holiday! I hope God really blesses everyones family!! =) Enjoy!

Trust and Hope

Wow. This past three weeks has been crazy! With Jonny's funeral and traveling to and from Seattle, moving into the girls apartment, working, moving into my new house [=)], Summer challenge, working, and much more! There has been a lot of busyness, but at the same time, I have also had a lot of time to myself and to think. I have had a rough couple of days and I am really deciding that Trust and Hope are why I am hanging on. God tells us and shows us that he loves us everyday. So, I hate to admit it, but I have been just getting used to that. I want to wake up every morning and KNOW that the Lord is watching over me that day and that i just want to live my every minute, hour, day, month, year, and life for him! I can't just get used to the fact that of course he will be there, I want to strive to see what he is doing for me! The events yesterday have really got my anxiety worked up and that kicks my insomnia into gear, so last night I could not sleep at all! I read some Crazy Love, then I watched an episode of glee (wonderful) =), then I cried, and then I just sat on my bed and I got my bible and I haven't really ever done this, but I just opened it and started reading. Of course, he was amazing and I opened to Psalm 62. It was amazing. The part that definitely stuck out is Psalm 62: 5-8. It says:

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone,

my hope comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;

he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

My salvation and my honor depend on God;

he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust him at all times, O people;

pour out your hearts to him,

for our God is our refuge."

I figured he would show me something, but I didn't know what, when or how he would. After I read this, I prayed and then, I was really tired all of the sudden. So, around 3:15 a.m. I finally fell asleep. But, after all of this, I just want to come out of it with my Hope and Trust in God bigger than it has ever been! So, I ask you: How is your Hope and Trust in God?

(Trust him! He knows what he is doing! Even if you don't!)

Jonny

This past Thursday was a day of so many emotions... It started off with sleepiness, then went to being nervous as I waited for my final grades then to happiness as I was going through the halls of putnam done with finals and seeing all of my amazing friends and talking about summer, then I get a call from my mom saying that she was in town coming to help me pack, so that brought even more excitement (because my two best friends surprised me!) Then, when I get outside, I run to my mom and sister and basically tackle them with hugs and then another emotion comes over me. Confusion. My mom kind of calms down and suddenly her face changed. She told me that my cousin Jon died that morning. He never woke up from his sleep. Then shock hit me. "How could this be?" Not my Jonny! He is like my brother. What am I going to do without him? What am I going to do without our weekly Skype chats? I loved those. He would MAKE sure to make time for my sister and I. His brother and him were the closest things I have had to brothers. I love them so much. Oh my gosh. Then, we just stood outside of Putnam holding each other and bawling. So, after about three hours of running around doing errands, crying, packing the rest of my room out, crying, saying quick goodbyes to all of my amazing friends, and some more crying, we left Manhattan and came home to Newton to spend time with family and are headed to Seattle on Wednesday for his funeral. I have really been so confused by all of our emotions. One minute we are ok and acting like normal, another minute we are speechless, and the other minutes we are crying. The one thing that hasn't left anyone is shock. He was only 38. He has a wife and a two year old. Holy cow. My first instinct is to just get mad at God right away. But, I haven't let myself go there. I WON'T let myself go there. I know that this is what my family needs. They (we) all need the Lord more than ever now. I don't know and can't even imagine how people go through this without the Lord. I feel as it would be impossible. So, I ask everyone right now. Are you Saved?! Sorry to just put it out there, but I want everyone to be in Heaven. No one deserves to be with Satan. I know that Jonny is with Jesus, but what about you? Do you know? Also, Thanks to everyone who has had us and them in their prayers. I personally can feel them in the little things right now. So, thank you for your continuous prayers.

Jesus replied, "You do not realise now what I am doing, but later you will understand."
John 13:7

I love you Jonny. I hope you are having the most amazing time partying up there with Jesus and Dad right now. =)

Chicken Parmesan!!

So, this past sunday, Jim and I were wanting to try some recipes, so, for supper, we made Chicken Parm! It actually turned out really good! =) Here are the steps:

First, get your ingredients together. (Recipe at bottom)

Mix all of the dry ingredients in a bowl:

With your chicken, make sure all of the fat is cut off:

Take the chicken and cover it in melted butter, then dip it in the spices until it is fully covered:

Put them all on the same baking pan:

Right before you stick them in the oven, sprinkle all of the chicken breasts with fresh lemon juice:

Put them in the oven at 350 degrees

While the chicken is cooking, Start the spaghetti!

And the sauce...

We also made garlic bread =) Take the bread, cut in slices, butter and put garlic salt on the slices and then stick it in the oven for like 10 minutes

They should look like this

Vwa Lah! It is super delicious too!

• 
  
• Recipe:
• 1/2 c dried italian bread crumbs
• 1/8 t garlic powder
• 1/8 t paprika
• 1 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1/4 t parsley
• 1/3 c. dry Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c. melted butter
• 4 whole chicken breasts
• Lemon juice (fresh)

Combine bread crumbs, parm. cheese, salt, pepper, parsley, garlic powder, and paprika. Dip chicken into melted butter, then in crumbs. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Bake on foil lined pan at 350 degrees for 35 min. or until juices are clear.

14 Years

This past weekend was the Christian Challenge Formal and a couple of the staff members brought their daughters and I started to really miss my dad and realized that it has already been fourteen years that I have been without a father. That is a really long time. Then, after a while of crying, I realized that this was all part of God's plan and that his promise is that i will see my dad again. Yeah, I am still sad, but I realize that I am so truly blessed. I know for sure that his death was part of the plan and it has made me a stronger person because of that. I wouldn't trade anything that has happened to me, my mom has an amazing fiance that I see as a father figure, I have THE most amazing people in my life that I am honored enough to call friends, mentors, and brothers and sisters in Christ and lastly, I have my mom and sister. If it weren't for my dad's death, who knows how close we would have been? Would my sister be my absolute best friend in the whole wide world? Would my mom and I be as close as we were now? (That is pretty dang close too!) So, to all you fathers and mothers out there, cherish everything. =)

Revelation 21:3-4

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."