Simple Sunday

Matthew 6:19-21

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

But Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Back In the Saddle Again

Now that school is back in session it's time to re-start the weekly treat recipe! And let's start with the best cupcake EVER!!!

The Batter

The Cupcake

The Perfect Treat

These cupcakes are the most heavenly cupcakes ever!!!

1 box yellow or chocolate cake mix
1 4oz vanilla or chocolate pudding
4 eggs
1 C sour cream
1/2 C water
1/2 C oil

Mix together with a wooden spoon. Batter is very thick. Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes

I frosted them with homemade buttercream frosting. I googled the recipe and found this on cooks.com.

1 Cube butter, softened
1/4 C. + 2 tbls cocoa powder
1/4 mile
1 tsp vanilla
16 oz bag of powdered sugar

cream butter add cocoa. To that add milk and sugar, ending with vanilla.

YUM!!!

No! No! No! No! NO!!!

I am not happy that my kids are THIS big now!!! I do not feel good about this at all!

Except that I do. I am so amazed at the incredible people my children are becoming! I just had a moment of shock this morning watching my children go off for their first day of school this year!

Now the party can begin!!!

Simple Sunday

Photo credit: Liz Lemon Swindle

2 Nephi 25:26

We talk of Christ, we rejoice in christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

Simple Sunday

John 17:15-17

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Sanctify them through thy truth: they word is truth.

The Real Deal

Do you ever feel like you are lost? Not physically lost..but you know not sure where the old you is? I have been feeling that often lately. I thought it was because my house is a mess. Nothing new there. Because I fat.....nothing new there either! Because I am so busy.....nope not new! OK so you see the problem. If there is no new issue then where am I?

Funny it took a trip to my favorite thinking spot to figure it out. As I sat on the beach watching the waves I realized I had been slipping. Becoming a person I don't like. The girl who worries what others think about how she looks. Who is concerned about her messy house more then concerned for their friend who is ill. Who is insecure and unhappy. This is not the real me!

So, as I sat watching my son learn to surf I noticed a lady taking pictures of her son learning to surf. She had the grown-up version of my camera, with a butt kicking zoom lens! I walked over to ask her about her camera and lens. She said "here try my other lens see if you like it". Who does that? A $900 lens I feel the need to point out. Well I loved it and her. I visited with her awhile and was reminded of the old me. The one who liked who she was. The one who was generous with others.

It started me thinking about a few questions.

1. Who am I now?

2. Who do I want to be?

3. What made me forget in the first place?

I know that I am first and foremost, a child of God. I know that He loves me. This without a doubt I know. Then if God made me and thought I was good why do I not act that way? I am strong, healthy, smart, and sometimes even fun. I want to be more. I want to be less concerned with my fat and more concerned with my heart. I want to be the person who sees others in need and responds. I want to be the person who keeps my unkind thoughts to myself and one day to not have them at all! Why did I get so off track? Well frankly I struggle to be my authentic self here. I am not overly concerned with having a perfect house, car, clothes or furniture. That is not the norm here. I found myself getting in stuck in the mire. No more. Holly the cute picture taker helped me see that. Not through any conversation but rather just by watching her.

Now about the picture....Holly took this of me while I was gathering shells with Morgan and Trevor, my nephew. First I am always the one taking the pictures. Second in case you didn't notice...I am wearing a swimsuit. Third I am actually posting it. So try not to focus so much on how I look and instead look past that to what I am doing; enjoying my family! This is who I am. The real me. I am going to try to remember that more fully!

Can You Say Squash??

I have been forced to ask myself a question: What in the world can I do with all this zucchini? Last year we planted one plant and got ZERO zucchini! This year we planted 4 just to be safe. FYI if you plant a zucchini plant right in front of your compost bin you get ENORMOUS plants!!! With an abundant amount of squash!

This picture shows some of the baby squash!

While speaking with my very good friend, Sandy, who happens to live on a farm! OK not really but what do you call it when you have 10 chickens, a rooster, 3-4 ducks, 2 rabbits, a cat, a frog, and a SNAKE! Yes Sandy, I know about the snake, thanks for not asking me to feed that! GROSS!! AND an orchard with a huge successfully producing garden!
Is that not a farm?

Back to the conversation...what the heck to do with all this squash? Well you make zucchini pie she replies!! Okey Dokey, Sandy! It is so yummy!!! A huge hit! The original recipe was good on its own...but you know me! We can make it better! I will post both recipes! I promise your family will enjoy it!


Pretty huh??? This pie is with my additions!


A slice of the original recipe!

Zucchini Pie

preheat oven to 375

in a pie pan spread 1 container crescent rolls, making a crust of sorts, set aside

4 cups sliced zucchini

1/2 cup diced onion

1/4 butter

melt butter in a large skillet, saute zucchini and onion until tender

to that add

1 tbls oregano

1/2 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

stir well and ten add to the skillet

2 cups mozzarella cheese

2 eggs, beaten

stir together and dump it in the pie pan!! Bake for 20 minutes then let sit for 10 more! Slice and eat.

For my variation:

Do it all the same, expect I caramelized the onions and zucchini a bit! AND added 1 garden fresh tomato chopped (yep that would be from my garden) and swiss instead or mozzarella! I swear it was even better! Honestly this will be a summer favorite for a long time to come!

And that's good because we have a ton of squash left!