November 16, 2011

siblings, snickerdoodles, and thankfulness

Last week, my little brother and sister ( the two littles pictured below) wanted to bake cookies. Not just any cookies, but Snickerdoodles, our family's beloved easy-to-make-and-to-bake cookie of choice. These cookies are delicious--so much so I've been temporarily 'banned' from making them to preserve the health of our family...these cookies are not particularly healthful...not at all actually...and they seem to have the habit of making themselves addictive. With most recipes, I try to make them healthier by using less sugar, but with this one...not a chance. If it a'int broke don't fix it, right? With these cookies that is most assuredly true.


It is such a blessing to bake with little siblings. I loved helping the 'littler' one add the salt and mix it up, and watching the 'bigger' one take off and measure everything to the T...spoon (hey, I just couldn't resist).
Any time spent with these two kiddos is time well spent, and I loved baking with them. They've got talent!
Not to mention they're pretty cute and kinda sorta amazing. ( =
(Yes, I do love my siblings a LOT. And NO, they're not for sale.)









Freshly baked beauties! Want to learn how to make em'?

Snickerdoodles


        2 cups all-purpose flour
        2 teaspoons cream of tartar
        1 teaspoon baking soda
        1/4 teaspoon salt
        1 cup ( 2 sticks) butter, softened
        1 1/2 cups sugar
        2 eggs

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Line or grease 2-3 cookie sheets ( it is helpful if you use a couple cookie sheets because you'll need to either have several sheets OR wait until the sheet cools down before you put the next set of cookies into the oven. Make sense?).
Now, whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda,and salt until well mixed.
Next, beat in a large bowl (an electric mixer is quite handy at this point) the butter and 1.1/2 cups sugar, until creamy (and, I might add, delicious). At this point add the eggs and beat until well blended.
Now, slowly mix in the flour mixture until completely combined and the dough resembles...well, cookie dough.
Shape the dough into roughly 1.1/4 inch balls (it's very approximate-don't stress about it and I order you NOT to reach for the ruler) and roll into a mixture of:
       about 1/4 cup sugar and 3-5 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
arrange on a cookie sheet with 2-3 inch spaces between each cookie ( they WILL spread, so make certain they have plenty of room).
Bake for 12-14 minutes, turning the cookie sheet once midway through the baking process to insure they bake evenly, until the cookies are light golden brown. Let stand briefly, then remove to a rack to cool. One batch usually makes 3-4 trays of cookies.

That's pretty simple, right? 


This little face is so dear. Thank you, LORD, for my sister.


After all our baking work was done, we went out to the garden to enjoy the fruits of our labor. As I took the above picture, my heart filled with wonder and thanks to the LORD.
I am so, so thankful, and He is so, so good.

Love,
Emily

Every good and perfect gift is from above...
James 1:17









                    




November 14, 2011

she is TWO!

This is the little girl who captured my heart the moment she was born two years ago.



The first day I met her. November 2009, born at home.



What a rose!


Summer 2011

She keeps us laughing!

With mama.

Sleeping Beauty.


Making tea!


Me and my girl. 


Wearing the mama's baby dress (handmade by Great Grandma Bertha).

 So precious is she!


Oh, sweet baby!


This was taken with real film! My mom is an amazing photographer.



This is my baby sister.

My heart swells with thankfulness to Jesus that He made her my baby sister.

I love her more than words can say. I love her so much I think I might just burst.

Today is her birthday.

Happy Birthday, my little lady of loveliness.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Your doting sister,
'Eminy'

Wonderful are Your works;
my soul knows it very well.
Psalm 139:14b


November 11, 2011

eleven eleven eleven

Today is 11.11.11. 

This won't happen again for one hundred years.

That is pretty amazing, if you think about it.

So think about it.



For everything there is a season, and a time for everything under heaven...
Ecclesiastes 3:1

November 10, 2011

pray for Sudan

We just received this as an e-mail from Samaritan's Purse and I felt impressed to share it with you. Please read it.




''A few days ago I visited a refugee camp in South Sudan, where Samaritan's Purse is helping care for some 23,000 refugees who have fled the atrocities of the government of Sudan. The camp has been a safe haven for these suffering people. But Thursday, the violence followed them when the camp was bombed by the very government they have been fleeing.

Four bombs were dropped. Praise God, we have confirmed that all of our staff are safe and accounted for, and as of now there are no reports of people injured on the ground.

These people are in need of immediate prayer.  Please pray for safety for the refugees, and for our staff. Pray for peace to come to this troubled region. Most of all, please pray that the people we are helping will find lasting hope in Jesus Christ.''
~Franklin Graham


Please pray. If you feel God calling you to give to this ministry, here is the website.

Love to you in Christ,

Emily



November 3, 2011

'captivated'

This is the trailer for a documentary made by some very dear friends of ours. The message is very powerful and so needed in our media-craaazed society. I can't wait to see this film's impact. I'm  excited!

Media discernment is a topic dear to my heart. We need to glorify God with our media choices, and also to use the time He has given us wisely!

Watch the trailer and tell me what you think!





"Captivated" Official Trailer from Media Talk 101 on Vimeo.