{MWW}| Pilgrim hats

Thanksgiving Pilgrim Hats

I love being inspired to create new things! I must admit, my latest creations have been interpretations of someone else's creation or a replica by yours truely.  I came upon this blog that wrote about making Pilgrim hats with her children after reading the book, The Littlest Pilgrim.  She had been inspired to make the hat treats from a Woman's Day article. I loved the cuteness of the hat and that it used my favorite, peanut butter cups! A dear friend and fellow resident wife, invited us to their home for Thanksgiving dinner and I knew that these would be the perfect little treats to serve to the kids (little and BIG!)  They were super easy to create and a huge hit.  The little ones were told they had to eat their turkey first as they just wanted the chocolate!  Below is a tutorial on how to make Pilgrim hats.

Supplies: Fudge cookies, mini Reese's peanut butter cups, yellow icing

I purchased Meijer brand Fudge Treasure cookies.  I know Kebler has a fudge cookie as well.  For the Reese's, I purchased an assorted candy bag as a bag of just mini peanut butter cups was around $10 which was way out of my budget! I needed the icing to be quick and as mess-free as possible so I purchased the Betty Crocker yellow icing from the baking aisle at Meijer.

I failed to recognize that the Betty Crocker frosting stated to use any decorating tip once you cut off the top of the tube.  Well, this lady doesn't have any decorating tips so I did the next best thing.  Take a sandwich size ziploc bag, squeeze a small amount of frosting in one corner of the bag.  Cut off a small portion of the corner and ta-da, you have a frosting bag! No tip needed!

Lay a cookie down with the fudge side facing up.  Unwrap a mini Reese's peanut butter cup.  Take your frosting and put some on the top of the cup; the widest portion. 

Place the peanut butter cup down on the fudge cookie.  The frosting you applied will act like an adhesive to keep the two parts together.

Using your frosting bag, carefully make a rim around the bottom of the Reese's peanut butter cup and then create a buckle as well.  A few things I learned in the creation process:
If your hole in the corner of the bag is really small, the frosting will squeeze out in a squiggle and very thin like it did on the hat in the photo above.  You should test the frosting bag so that you are comfortable with the pressure needed to apply the frosting as well as what it will look like.  I also learned that it is hard to hold the cookie and try to rotate it during the frosting process.  I found it easiest to keep the cookie on the tray/plate work surface and rotate the cookie in a clockwise motion leaving my wrist in one location with the frosting bag.

When complete, you will have a cute collection of Pilgrim hats.  I guarantee that the cuteness of these hats will overshadow any frosting errors.  No need to seek perfection, everyone will love how they taste!  The children at my party were thrilled to have a chocolate treat and even walked around pretending to be Pilgrims with their chocolate hat on their head! 

I hope that you enjoyed the sharing of this treat!  Enjoy!

day twenty-two

Today I give thanks to God for:

my gift of creativity

It brings joy to my heart to use my gift of creativitity.  I love creating!  My passion for creating began as a young child and has intensified throughout my life. I have dabbled into a lot of areas of crafting including home decor, papercrafting, sewing, drawing, teaching art in the classroom, etc.  God has blessed me with the opportunity to use my passion to bless others through teaching, sharing ideas, and creating items with and for others.  Through a decoration for my home, a scrapbook of memories, or a collection of jewelry, I try to embed each item with love making it a unique and special creation.  My newest endevor is the creation of this blog to share my thoughts and ideas as well as promote my new esty store.  Please consider supporting my passion and share my resources with your family and friends.  Thank you for supporting my love of creativity!

day twenty-one

Today I give thanks to God for:

good health

I have been so blessed to have minimal health-related issues throughout my lifetime.  As a child, I was rarely sick and when I was, it was a typical episode of cold, flu, or strep throat.  I did have a phase when I suffered with migraines during high school and college, but it seems that I have learned to control my diet and actions to limit the number I experience.  I have completed 2 half marathons and a full marathon without any health concerns or physical complications.  I have never broken a bone (well, maybe a toe) but nothing that required medical attention.  I did have to take iron during my pregnancy but remained healthy and gave birth to a healthy baby.  The birth of my son was the first time I have ever been admitted to a hospital. I am counting my blessings that in my thirty years of life, my medical history is very short and does not include any major surgeries or aliments. I pray that I will continue to have good health with minimal complications in the future.

day twenty

Today I give thanks to God for:

my parents

My love and appreciation for my parents has continued to deepen over time.  As I have embarked on the journey of adulthood and now parenthood, I have experienced life with a new understanding and give thanks for my parents and the role the have had in my life. I give thanks that my parents set boundaries for me.  I give thanks that my parents made sacrifices so that I could have certain things.  I give thanks that my parents taught us self-control.  I give thanks that my parents guided our choices.  I give thanks that my parents have always been there to listen and provide advice.  I give thanks that my parents were invested in our friends and activities we participated in.  I give thanks that my parents made us a priority.  I give thanks that my father worked hard to provide for our family and allowed my mom to stay home and care for us when we were young. I give thanks that my parents pray for me and my family.  I give thanks that my parents are an example of a committed marriage. In September, they celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary; a special love story that only God could plan and orchestrate.  They truly have been through the test of love: through sickness and health, joys and sorrows.  My parents have stuck through the peaks and valleys clinging to God's goodness, His love and the love they have for one another.  There have been great joys and heartache.  They have been through job loss, extreme medical conditions, and financial stress. They have celebrated successes in their lives and of their children including the addition of two grandsons. Through it all, they have encouraged, loved and depended on the Lord and one another.  I have learned much through their example and hope that I will also demonstrate the true definition of love - a life long commitment of seeking the other person's highest good. 

Thank you mom and dad for all that you are, have been and will be in my life.  Much love.

day nineteen

Today I give thanks to God for:

the hope I have in Jesus

Do you know my King?  My relationship with Jesus is beyond the most important element of my life. My identity is in the Lord for He has chosen me and has prepare for me to spend eternity with Him in heaven.  God is my source of strength and joy, comfort and patience.  He has prepared a perfect plan for my life and each day overflows with His blessings.  My husband and I each have a personal relationship with Jesus and we commit to obeying the Lord and his commandments.  We strive to be more like Christ; representing the love that surpasses all understanding.  In doing so, we have made the decision to have our son dedicated at our church today. The child dedication ceremony honors children, as parents pledge a life-long commitment pointing their children to a life of faith in Christ.  This demonstrates obedience to God's word from the book of Proverbs 22:9: Train a child in the way he should go. It is the desire of our hearts for our son to learn and know the love of Christ and to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus. We are so thankful for our parents, siblings and friends that joined us today when we publicly declared our commitment to raise our son knowing the love of Jesus.

This is my prayer for my son and each of you as written in Ephesians 3:14-21

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

day eighteen

Today I give thanks to God for:
our home

In 2008, my husband matched into a general surgery program in Michigan.  This was a very exciting and busy time in our lives. In three short months, we got married, went on a honeymoon, my husband graduated from medical school, I completed my school year teaching kindergarten, and we moved to a new state. It makes me exhausted just thinking about it but we survived and live to joyfully talk about it! We strongly considered purchasing a home but God had better plans for us!  We honestly looked at dozens of homes, had an offer not accepted, and just continued to feel uneasy about the situation. One God detail led to another, and we found ourselves at our current apartment community office touring a 2bed/2bath apartment.  We negotiated a deal and signed our lease within the same day.  With the housing market, economy and uncertainty of my husband's future career, it has been revealed to us time and time again that purchasing a home was not meant for us in this season of life.  Today I give thanks to God for the shelter He did provide for us; our apartment.  With creative storage and organization, I have done my best to make our apartment functional and a safe haven for our family.  It will always hold a special place in our heart as each 'first' memory is made  - the home that we brought our first born son home to and this weekend, the first time we will host Thanksgiving.  I will continue to give praise to God for knowing just what we need in each season of life.  Our apartment is a perfect space for our little family in this moment.  I give thanks for a kitchen and the opportunity to prepare food for my family and share a meal together.  I give thanks to God for our pantry which stores food; meaning we have the resources to feed our family.I give thanks for a living room where we can gather together to play and spend time with one another.  I give thanks for our bed and our son's crib that we get to rest on a comfortable surface.  I give thanks for 2 bathrooms that provide the resources to be sanitary, properly dispose of waste and model good hygiene.  I give thanks for our furnace; that we can warm our home to a comfortable temperature when it is cold outside.  I give thanks for our closets; that we have clothing, shoes and space to store items.  I give thanks for a washer and dryer; that we can have clean items to wear and use. I give thanks for my crafting space; that I am able to have a space to use my talent of creativity. I also give thanks for my in-laws who are storing my teaching supplies and other items. 
Oh how I thank you and praise you, God, for providing for our every need.

Joshua 24:15 
As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

Philippians 4: 19
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

day seventeen

 

Today I give thanks to God for:

warm snuggly blankets

My thankful heart is snuggled up in a blanket with my heat box puppy. Therefore, tonight's message is extremely short as I am comfy.....and warm...and falling asleep.  What makes you fall asleep quickly?

day sixteen

Today I give thanks to God for:

technology

Technology is unbelievable and I am amazed at the knowledge God has blessed individuals with to create and improve the features of technology.  I am thankful for my television and dvr.  I am thankful for my alarm clock which wakes me every morning. I am thankful for my cell phone which gives me the opportunity to talk to friends and family as well as text them.  I am thankful for my  laptop that allows me to do work, store photos, explore the world wide web to be inspired and educated, to Skype with my long-distance family, listen to music and communicate with individuals in my life. I am thankful for our itouch which provides music, Internet, calendar, games and other applications.  I am thankful for my camera which allows me to capture moments in time and have a visual document to cherish. I am thankful for my video camera which allows me to replay special moments in my life.  I am thankful for my GPS which helps me locate places and arrive at my destination in the quickest route. I am thankful for my baby video monitor that allows me to see and hear my little love while he is in his crib.  Even though I might not have the latest and greatest version of certain technology items, my life has been enriched because of their capabilities and I give thanks.  I wonder what will be introduced next?

{MWW} Candy Buy Back

Many enjoy Halloween because it means you can raid your little darling's candy stash and enjoy the candy and sweets that you love.  After a week or so, you are left with those pieces of candy that just are not your favorite and then a week later you might be left with candy that you probably won't eat and it sits around and takes up space in your home or on your child's dresser.  Ever wonder what you can do with all of that candy?  Whether your child received more than you can ever imagine eating, you purchased too much to pass out to trick-or-treaters, or you are just ready to get rid of all candy in your home, there is a place for you to take it.  My friend, Holly,  posted this on her blog. Halloween Candy Buy Back is a program that local dentists register to participate in and they usually give an incentive to 'buy back' your Halloween candy. They in return send it to "Operation Gratitute" that assembles care packages for our military servicemen and women. The website includes a search engine to find participating dentist offices in your area.  I understand that some have or are near the closing date for accepting candy.  However, if you are willing to pay the shipping costs, you can send your candy to "Operation Gratitute". The address is located on the website.  Please consider checking out the program, what an easy way to help make a BIG difference and get your children involved...and to think it is saving you from gaining weight from too much candy!!

day fifteen

Today I give thanks to God for:
my twin sister, Emily

Emily, you are my 'wombmate' and the bestest sister and friend I could ever wish for.  God created something amazing when he created twins. You understand me like no one else.  You can read my mind.  You can make me laugh until I cry.  You encourage me to be a better person. You are dedicated to and an advocate for educating young beings. You always help me bring focus back to God. You can make me so mad I want to scream.  You have stood by me through every storm.  You are my 'chick-flick' movie companion.  You are the one who has traveled the most to visit me.  You have helped celebrate every milestone I have accomplished.  You are known as 'auntie' to my little love. You are the one I can do heavy damage with in retail therapy. You support my dreams.  You make me think outside the box.  You laugh at me when I am silly & do random things. You are the one that I look to for advice.  You have no idea how incredibly blessed I am that God choose me to be your twin.  You are an amazing, talented, dedicated, sincere, fun-loving woman that I get to call my sister.  I love you so much!

day fourteen

Today I give thanks to God for:

the blessing of dear friends

God has been so faithful in providing good, true, genuine friends during each season of my life.  Although I have learned that some friends are in your life just for one season and some are friends that last through the ages, God has always provided for me in the moment.  When I moved to Tinley Park, IL for my first teaching job without knowing a soul, God blessed me with a community of new young teachers that soon became close friends.  When I found a church to attend, I found community in serving and in small groups.  We even gained a new 'family' through the blessing of a special friendship. When my husband's residency placement required us to move here to Michigan, once again, I started this journey not knowing a soul.  God blessed us with finding a church quickly and we developed a deep friendship with a couple in our small group.  As mentioned in a previous post, the Advocate organization provided me with the opportunity to meet some wives of other residents and close friendships have developed. Now as a mother, God has blessed me with the MOPS organization and MP3 where I have met Godly mothers and we have become friends.  I am so thankful that with God, we are never alone.  God's desire is that we would be in community; loving one another as He loves us.  God has chosen a good and perfect plan for me and so I trust Him to always provide for me in every detail...including friendships.  Today I am especially thankful for: Emily, Amy M., Joanne, Kim, Jamie, Kristin, Andrea, Jade, Lindsay, Amber, Vanessa, and Lauren.  Thank you for joining me on the journey and investing in me.  You encourage me to be a better person and I love the time that we get to spend together and the moments we are able to talk and share about every topic under the sun. I love laughing with you and just loving life together through it all...the joys, sorrows and everything in between!

day thirteen

Today I give thanks to God for:
the one my soul loves

There are so many things that have crossed my mind to write about my amazing husband. I will try to just highlight a few.  I love to watch him greet our son and the joy that fills both of their faces.  I love that he is pursing his dream even though it has meant years upon years of education and training...he will one day be a surgeon.  I love being silly with him...we might never grow up! I love that he is passionate about people and caring for their needs.  I love that whenever he enters a room or I see him from a distance, my heart still skips a beat.  I love that music speaks to his soul and he shares it through humming, singing or his famous lip trumpet. I do not love that he can read my mind and knows just when I need to talk, cry or laugh. I treasure the time that we get to spend together especially since it has been very minimal lately. I love that when I put my head on his shoulder, it feels like the 'perfect fit.'  Husband, you will always be known as my 'love' and I am so blessed that God made me for you, and you for me.

day twelve

Today I give thanks to God for:
music

I love that music is diverse.  I love that no matter what emotion you are experiencing, music can speak to the heart. I love that there are different genres of music.  I love that music can be loved and created by everyone no matter there age, gender, race or religion.  I love that I was gifted to read music and play the clarinet in high school.  I love that music can fill a quite house.  I love that I can sing silly nonsense songs to my son and he smiles.  I love that music can be used as a learning resource.  I love that you can turn up music and sing at the top of your lungs and you just might not hear yourself.  I love that I married a man who loves to hum, sing and make up silly jingles and rhymes.  I love that individuals are gifted in writing lyrics that tell what my heart really feels.  I love Jesus...he tells us to make a joyful noise and that is what I do even when I am off-key!

day eleven

Today I give thanks to God for:

the military men and women who have served our country 

Veteran's Day...the day in which we honor those that have served our country.  I could not be more proud of those who have been chosen to serve our country in the military.  Today I was watching the Ellen show and the guests were a mother and the mother-in-law of a married couple who were both on a tour of service in different locations for the past 7months.  The couple had 3 young children and while their parents are serving, the children are being cared for by their grandmothers. Long story story short, each side had been in communication with Ellen and Ellen was able to surprise the grandmothers and the children by having the mom and dad travel to her show to physically see their family.  It was such an incredible event to watch and I of course was crying by the end watching as it all played out.  Then later on the Today Show, they showed videos from the TV show that does the surprise homecoming of military men and women and I was crying again. I wish that I would stop more and pray for the men and women actively serving, those in training, and more specifically the loved ones that are left behind while they are fulfilling their time, tour and duty.  I had a brief encounter of being one of those family members when my brother joined the Marines following his graduation from high school.  He was medically discharged so the experience was short but it is a memory that lives in my heart. May we each be more mindful in showing our appreciation to those we know and those we encounter in our daily lives who have served or are currently serving in our military.  For what they endure for us, we can kindly do a little act of kindness for them.

Today I remember these special people who have served our country:

My grandfather, George, who served in the Navy.

My grandfather's brother who served in the Navy.
Matt's Granddad who served in the Army.
Matt's PawPaw who served in the Army.

Matt's uncle, Denny, who served in the Army.
My uncle, Bruce, who served in the Army.

My uncle, Denny, who served in the Marines.

My cousin, Ty, who served in the Marines.

My cousin's son, Jake who is currently serving in the Marines.

My brother's best friend from childhood, Charlie, who served in the Army.

My friend, Kev, who is currently serving in the Coast Guard.

And the list could continue with people I know from high school (Aubrey) and people I know from college (Brian) and a friend's sister's husband (Jesse)....

day ten

Today I give thanks to God for:

the sound of my son laughing

It has been quite the week at our house!  Daddy has not been home for bedtime since Sunday.  I typically am able to stand strong and embrace the independence needed to be a physician's wife...but I'm not going to lie...after 4-5 days in a row of flying solo, it gets exhausting!  I do count my blessings that I have a low-maintance angel baby, but a mommy needs a break once in awhile.  I was supposed to go to a MOPS girl's night pottery painting event tonight but daddy got stuck in surgery too late to make it home in time.  I must be intentional not to get upset and I try to think of the patients my husband is caring for and the families of that loved one when situations like this occur.  I am glad that my husband is able to be there, giving them the care they need.  It can be hard to not think, what about me?  During my emotional struggle this evening, I was blessed with the sound of my son laughing hysterically at something funny I was doing and it helped change my mood.  It actually wasn't the first time he was belly laughing today and I am so thankful that God gave me that beautiful sound to warm my heart on numerous occasions today.    I am so glad that the moments of laughter will overshadow the long hours of waiting at home, parenting alone. Thank you God for being in the details and knowing just what I need in each moment.

day nine

Today I give thanks to God for:

my precious son

I wish there were more words to describe the amazing blessing it is to be a mother. My little love is truely an answer to my prayers.  My little love makes life worth living.  He entered the world at 37weeks via c-section following induction due to his healthy size of 9 pounds 5 ounces.  He has stolen my heart and will always be my 'little love.'  He is such a happy boy and radiates joy.  His smile is contagious and his dimples will melt your heart.  He is a content baby who is adaptable yet flourishes with a structured schedule. He eats well, sleeps great and is very social. I love getting him from his crib and observing the happiness he demonstrates when he sees me.  I love snuggling him close.  I love making him smile and laugh. I love watching him discover  new things.  I love watching him twist and twirl items in his hand.  I love watching him play. I love being home with him to experience his development.  Today little love is 8 months old and I can't believe he is already so big.  Each stage has been so fun and am excited for the future.  I love that God answered my prayers and blessed me with my little love.  My heart overflows with thanks. Thank you, God, for knowing exactly what I can handle in this season of life...an angel baby...my little love.

{MWW} Easy-Peasy Fruit Salad

Easy - Peasy
Fruit Salad

This easy-peasy salad is quick to put together and will always be a hit at any social gathering. Asked to bring a dish to pass at the last moment? Keep these items stocked in your pantry and you'll have something to take every time; and it can prepared within minutes. Relax and enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 bananas

1 can peach pie filling

1 large can of pineapple tidbits

1 large can of mandarin oranges

1 package of fresh strawberries

Directions:
Slice bananas into approximately 1/4 inch wide slices

Cut strawberries - quarting them or smaller

Drain the juice from the mandarin oranges

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl

Refrigerate one hour before serving

Extra info:
1 package of frozen strawberries may be used if not in season. May substitute strawberries with raspberries or use in addition to strawberries. Very easy to take items with and mix together at event. Just refrigerate fruit in their cans beforehand.  Best when served within a few hours.  Red juice from strawberries/raspberries will dye other fruit over time.



day eight

Today I give thanks to God for:

orchestrating the opportunity for us to purchase a new van

Behind the wheel of our new Chrysler Town & Country

I purchased my first car, a silver Hyundai Elantra following my college graduation before relocating for my first teaching job.  I hate to say the car has been a lemon to me with numerous problems in which I have invested my time and money in.  However, I must say it always got me to where I needed to be and the last year it was renamed the miracle car.  It has a laundry list of problems and after praying over the car, it began to function again and we were able to get almost another year out of her.  We of course wanted to purchase something new and bigger since our little love arrived and with the amount of traveling we do...add in a large breed dog and you realize more space would be a dream.  We do have my husband's Toyota Camery which has been our reliable car and is very nice.  I have learned to pack that car like it's a game of Tetris and take pride in the amount of stuff we have packed while traveling to visit our family.  We have always agreed that a bigger vehicle would be beneficial but with one car payment already, it would have to wait...and we were waiting...and then the Elantra died on Friday.  So, vehicle shopping began.  Saturday we went out and test drove some mini-vans.  I came to terms with being a 'soccer mom' as they state and was actually excited about the possibility of purchasing one.  After leaving a dealership disappointed on Saturday, my husband called the same dealership Monday and was very persistent in negotiating a deal and tonight we came home with our new van!  I am so excited! It is a beauty with lots of space.  And...my husband is thrilled to have his Camery back.  It's a win-win! 
And I would like to extend my appreciation to my father-in-law for being a wealth of knowledge and assisting us in the process of purchasing a car. 



{mojo monday} #214

Now that my blog is up and functioning, I am excited to participate in some crafting challenges again!  My first crafting love was friendship bracelets with scrapbooking/papercrafting coming in as a strong second.  Although I do more decor projects than papercrafting at this season of life, I will always love creating with paper. mojo monday is a website devoted to posting challenge card sketches each Monday and offering the opportunity to link up your card for others to view and be inspired.  They also offer prizes during the first challenge of each month; which happens to be this week! 

Today's sketch

My interpretation:

close up

Although  many are starting to make Christmas holiday cards, my heart still belongs to fall and the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.  Autumn blessings was very fun to make.  The printed paper is actually from the Target dollar bin and all of the solid colors are from the Core'dination line.  The brown leaves under the owl were cut on the Cricut using the Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge. The tree and owl were designed and hand-cut by yours truely.  The tree was also machine sewn.  Hope you enjoy the card!  Many blessings to you!

day seven

Today I give thanks to God for:

the sound of my husband's alarm clocks

I understand that my family and close friends probably can not believe that I just wrote that as something I am thankful for instead of something that I strongly dislike.  I must admit that it is slightly surprising to myself also but as I wrote in the last post, I am trying to find God in all the details. So today, I am finding something positive about the rooster cawing, the garbage truck backing up and the pager beeping sounds I hear every morning at the butt-crack of dawn. 

When I hear my husband's alarm clocks sounding, I am thankful he spent the night in our bed and not working overnight at the hospital.  When I hear my husband's alarm clocks sounding, I can give thanks that he has a job he is waking up for and that he is willing and able to provide for our family.  When I hear my husband's alarm clocks sounding, I always wake up first and have to wake him up to turn the alarm off.  I am going to try and be thankful that I can be his 'helpmate'.  When I hear my husband's alarm clocks sounding, I want to have a better attitude and give thanks for another day. I want to praise God for the opportunity  to live for him and share his love.  Do you give thanks each morning for the blessing of another day?  Let's try not to grumble at the sound of the alarm but give thanks and commit to living another day striving to be more Christ-like.
Lamentations 3:22-23 states: "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

day six

Today I give thanks to God for:

the beauty of fall in Michigan.

It just amazes me that God planned even the process of dying leaves to be beautiful.  I love that God designed the transition of leaves to include a beautiful array of colors like yellow, red, orange and brown. As of late, God has captured my attention and reminded me that He cares; planning every last detail to be perfect in his eyes. Not only does this apply to God's beautiful creation but into other aspects of our life like our marriages, relationships, finances, health, etc.  Do you trust God with every little detail, or just the big problem situations in your life? Do you give thanks to God for the little ways He reveals himself through out the day?  I have forever said, "Coincidence?  I think not!"  It can only be the work of God. 
Matthew 6:30 in The Message Bible says, "If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers-most of which are never seen-don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?"
God loves us more than we can every imagine down to every last detail including the number of hairs on our head.  He even cares so much that he planned for the beautiful display of leaf colors as they die and fall from trees. Don't you think that we should invest a little more of ourselves in knowing our Creator who cares for us beyond belief?

day five

Today I give thanks to God for:
the extra laughter and smiles in our home when daddy has a day off of work

It has been quite the week for our family and I have once again been reminded that God is in every detail, knowing just when you can use a little ray of sunshine.  Between last Sunday and last evening, my husband saw our son for maybe one hour total.  Needless to say, the week was hard on all of us.  My husband was at work wishing he could be home, I was functioning as a single parent trying to keep our home in order and I know our little love was missing his daddy.  I had to miss attending two women's ministry events due to our little love being sick and it was getting hard for me to find joy in all that we were enduring. Thankfully, daddy had today off of work!  It has been a wonderful day with lots of extra laughter and smiles! Colton just adores his daddy and gets so excited to spend time together. I love to see the joy on their faces when they see each other, the way that little love kicks and waves his arms when he sees his daddy accross the room, and the way that my husband cares for little love.
Thank you God for providing this ray of sunshine and knowing just what our family needed.  The laughter and lovin' of this day will forever be cherished.

day four

Today I give thanks to God for:
the Botsford Advocate organization

 Being the spouse to a surgical resident is quite the experience.  No matter how many stories you hear, until you are in the trenches, you'll never exactly understand the journey. This can be said for many experiences in life but it is especially true for me these past 4 years.  The Botsford Advocate organization has been such a blessing and truly a saving grace to me.  The organization is created as a support network for the resident spouses and significant others and an organization that promotes osteopathic medicine as well as participate in events to better our community.  This year I am serving as the Vice President. Each month we have specific events that are funded through the hospital that range for events just for the ladies, events for families and just for couples.  While participating in this organization, I have been introduced to some wonderful woman who have become my dear friends.  I am so blessed that while my husband is working, I have a group of woman who can relate to what I am enduring as a wife and mother and love me for who I am.  We arrange crafting dates, share meals, babysit for one another, and just support each other as true friends should! 

I would like to take this time to say a special thank you to Lindsay, Amber and Vanessa...my life is richer with you as my friend.  Thank you for sharing this journey with me. God knew I needed woman like you in my life and I give thanks for each of you.

day three

Today I give thanks to God for:
the beauty of a sleeping child

When you have a baby, one of the most common questions you are asked is, "Do they sleep through the night?" I think every mother is hopeful that they will get to answer that confidently with a "Yes!" but sometimes the journey to that point is a lengthy one. The first few months were a whirlwind for my little love and me. When he turned 3months, I initiated a bedtime routine and we haven't looked back since! As the months have passed, he has gradually slept longer and longer. I am so blessed since about 6month old, my little love sleeps between 10 and 12 hours a night. It is like a little piece of heaven for this momma. It gives me time to take care of household chores, craft, blog and just have a moment for me! I always say "God knows what you can handle" and a sleeping child is just what I need. And of course, they look so angelic when they are sleeping!

day two

Today I give thanks to God for:
an amazing mother-in-law.

They say when you get married, you not only get to spend the rest of your life with the one you love, but you also inherit their family. I am so incredibly blessed that the family that I inherited is beyond wonderful. Today is my mother-in-law's 60th birthday and I want to honor her and make sure she knows how incredible she is. It is not the number of candles on your cake but the blessings that overflow with each new year of life. She has welcomed me into the family with arms wide open, loving me like her own daughter. She desires God's will in her life and that of her family and is known to be the family prayer warrior. She is someone that I trust, cherish and look up to as a Godly woman, wife, and mother. I am so thankful that we have a relationship in which we can discuss life, consult for advice, laugh with and love through it all. She is also a new grandma to our little love of seven months. Her heart overflows with love and kindness and would do anything for our family. We are so incredibly blessed to have her in our lives! Happy birthday!

{MWW} Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is by far one of my favorite fall comfort treats! My dear friend, Lindsay, shared the recipe with me after my husband got jealous that I ate these cookies at her house and didn't bring one home for him. After making that error, my husband insisted I get the recipe and make them at home. So, Lindsay got the recipe from Tara Morris, I got the recipe from Lindsay, and now you may enjoy spreading the love of these pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! The recipe above is a .jpg document so you can just click and print as a photo. It is sure to become a frequent request as I have yet to meet a person who doesn't fall in love with them. The recipe makes a large batch of dough which is scrumptious to eat raw and keeps well in the fridge or freezer for later use. {You'll be lucky to make a second batch before the raw batter is consumed, it is just that good!} I made a batch of cookies and packaged them up to share with my table of ladies at MOPS in celebration of fall. Below is the tutorial for my packaging technique.

Make a batch of delicious cookies.

Locate fold-top plastic bags to create your own treat bags.

Use scissors and cut up the side seams that initially created the pocket.

Using the Cricut with the Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge,
cut out leaves on orange cardstock. Then, in your word
processing software, type "happy fall!" in a favorite font and
pint on yellow cardstock. Cut a rectangle around the phrase
creating a tag. Using a brown stamp pad, ink the edges of the leaf
and tag. Place the tag on top of the leaf and punch a hole.

Repeat until you have the appropriate amount of leaves/tags for your treat bags.

Place two cookies in a bag.
Using twine, tie shut and then slide on the leaf and tag.
Tie a knot. Trim off extra twine.

Deliver the delicious cookies, festively wrapped, to your friends!

my thankful heart series

Happy November! Today kicks off my November series: my thankful heart. As we approach Thanksgiving, I want to be intentional on counting my blessings and giving thanks to God for the work he is doing in my life; the people, places, things and moments that make this life worth living. Each day, I will document something I am thankful and possible post a corresponding photo. Please consider joining me in giving thanks for the multitude of blessings God has granted you.

Today I give thanks to God for:
the sunshine that warmed my face on this cool day.

The temperatures of summer are indeed my favorite as I am general cold so the warmth of summer just delights my soul. I was blessed last fall and winter to be with child and had the benefit of being an incubator for my little love and was rarely cold. Well, I can tell you that did not last after giving birth to him. The recent change of seasons already has me chilled and I honestly am dreading the cold dreadful temperatures of winter. Today I had to add an extra layer to go on a walk with little love and the dog. While we were out, the sun appeared and brought a warmth and glow that made me smile and give thanks.

drum roll, please!

From her small craft haven in Michigan, I would like to introduce faye
from forever fancy by faye.

    
hello! My name is faye and I am so excited to launch my new blog. I am a child of God, wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend.  I have a passion for children, serving and creating.  I tend to go above and beyond to make everything a bit fancy to be remembered and cherished forever. My hope is to capture a bit of who I am and what I do to inspire, commemorate, and document this journey called life.
 So please join me on this adventure as I post about crafting, decor, clothing, food, family and everything that happens in between!