Randomness =)

I am SERIOUSLY loving my new camera. =) Soooo, todays post will be just random pictures. =) I hope you are enjoying this amazingly beautiful spring day!!!

Summit 2011

This year for spring break, I went to Summit again! =) It was so amazing this year too! I don't know, but they do a pretty fantastic job planning this thing because I haven't ever heard a bad thing about it! After Summit, I got to come back and work and it was great and it also allowed me to really think about what I had just learned. Pastor Terry Williams came and was the speaker and he spoke about Passion and Pace. It was just so great to hear some new things! Summit is not one of those conferences that you go to and come home with your head about to explode with the steps of how you are supposed to become a better Christian. This year it really came at a perfect time in my life, with my surgery troubles, and other troubles, it was great! =) Here are some pictures!

Our caravan crew!

The beautiful camp I will never get sick of =)

Watching the KSU game! =D

Our sweet Henna tattoos.

Lovely friends

A lot of Crud was played!

Terry and Jim worked behind the snack counter!

A mountain goat came to visit us! Actually a couple!

Amazing.

What an amazing sunrise God gave us this year!

Beautiful friends during an amazing sunrise

Thank you Jesus!

The wonderful girls from our LIFE group that came. What blessings!

More Crud

Two of my favorite people.

I will never get sick of this view!

Last view of the mountain as we left!

Our caravan crew on the wayhome.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you" -Deuteronomy 31:6.

Giving this another try... =)

Well, the first time I did this, the name was taken, and I didn't really feel like I liked it, and then someone hacked it, so, we are trying this website thing again!! =)

Click HERE to see it! I am excited about it this time and I hope that some good things can come from it! =)

I hope that you are all enjoying life and making the most out of every day!!! =)

"The LORD has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad."

-Psalm 118:24

What Love Really Means

This week has kind of been one of those weeks. I have really struggled with a lot of stuff internally like body image, comparison, and jealousy (What girl doesn't, right?!) I have struggled with this for so long, and I am finally starting to really notice that I am doing it and I am always reminding myself to see God's love for me and that whenever I put myself down (which, unfortunately, is a lot) it really hurts God and hurts me too. Last week, I was on my way to class and I heard this song on the radio, and I just started to cry. The words at the end are saying that God is telling this person that he will love him for who he is and not what he has done, or who he will become. That was such an amazing moment for me. I felt very overwhelmed with God's love for me and now, I just need to constantly keep telling myself that to really really believe it. I feel like it will, yes, it will take some time, but I do feel like eventually it will come!

Thank you Jesus for dying for us and showing us the most amazing act of love ever.

Here is the song:

1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

White Chocolate Strawberry Pie

Last week was our annual dessert auction at my Church in Newton. =) I made White Chocolate Strawberry pie, a Twinkie Cake and Cupcake poppers. Here are some posts on how to make them! =) Enjoy!!

First, gather the ingredients

Combine 4 oz of chocolate and the milk and melt them in the microwave and then set it aside

In a blender, mix the powdered sugar and the cream cheese until it is soft

Make about 1 teaspoon of orange zest

Add it to the mixture

Then, mix in the white chocolate mixture

Next, fold in the whipping cream

Wash and slice 2 cups of strawberries

Pour the mixture into the pie crust, and add the strawberries

Melt the remaining chocolate and drizzle it over the top of the pie

Stick it in the fridge until you serve!

Enjoy!! =D

White Chocolate Strawberry Pie –

1 box (6oz) white baking bars, divided
2 T. milk
3 oz. cream cheese,softened
1/3 c. powdered sugar
1 t. grated orange peel
1 c. whipping cream
1 graham cracker crust
2 c. fresh strawberries, sliced

In microwave, melt 4 oz. of baking bars with milk. Cool to room temp. Beat cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth. Beat in orange peel and melted chocolate. Fold in whipping cream. Spread into crust. Arrange strawberries on top. Melt the remaining baking bars; drizzle over berries. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Store in fridge.

Twinkie Cake

First: Gather the ingredients

Cook 1 cup of milk and 4 T. of flour, then set it aside to cool

After you cook that, and set it aside, make the cake batter!

Mix all of the ingredients together and blend! Pour half of the batter into a 9x13 pan and cook it for about 13 minutes, or until golden. Cool it and cook the other half

While the cakes are baking, it is time to make the filling! Add the milk mixture, crisco, butter, sugar, ad vanila and blend until it is fluffy

After the two cakes are cooled,

Spread the filling on one of the cakes,

Then place the other cake on top and add some powdered sugar to make it look purty. =)

Enjoy!

Twinkie Cake

FILLING:
1 c. milk and 4 T. flour. Cool.

I pkg. yellow cake mix
1 (3 oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding
½ c. oil
1 c. water
4 eggs

Beat until mixed well. Pour half of batter (approx. 2 ½ c.) into sheet cake pan which has been lined with waxed paper, and the waxed paper greased. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees or until done. Cool just a little, then flip over onto board, or larger sheet cake pan. Bake second half – cool. Finish filling:

Add to flour and milk mixture:

1 c. butter flavored Crisco

½ c. softened margarine or butter

1 c. sugar

2 T. vanilla

Beat until smooth. Spread filling on cake that’s on board. Flip other cake over on top. Freeze until ready to serve. Can be stored in fridge or freezer. Cut right before serving.