The Season for Giving

Before I share this week's gift idea, I wanted to thank you for your prayers for my Dad and Uncle. They went with eight doctors/dentists, and set up two medical camps. They served 800 people. Can you believe it?!?!? Isn't that amazing!!

It has now been placed on their hearts to build a neo-natal unit in a hospital in India. I spoke to my Dad on Saturday about this, and as soon as he told me I felt so drawn to this cause. The goal is to raise $100,000. On Friday, May 7th there will be a dinner to help raise funds for this very important cause. Could you please save the date? I know that it is difficult to think about giving in these economic times, and that many of you are already committed to giving to your church and other non-profits. I truly believe that each gift counts no matter how big or small. I would LOVE to see you there! Please join me in this great cause! Thank you so much for considering this. It means very much to me!

Do you remember a while back when I shared with you about the Wild Olives Tees? They have the cutest t-shirts!!! I think any pre-teen/teen or even a woman would love one of these t-shirts. They have a variety of sizes, cuts, colors, verses. They also offer kid's sizes now as well. Something to make everyone happy. Check out their site, it is super cute.! They also have fun buttons for your blog, if you like that sort of thing. The cutest girl I know will be getting one of these t-shirts under the tree for sure!
Have a great week friends!!

x0x0
Rach

Happy Thanksgiving

"Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices and tell of his deeds with songs of joy." Psalm 107:22
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving friends!
xoxo
Rach

Holiday Baking

We started our Holiday baking a few weeks ago. I thought I would share a few of our favorite recipes over the next few weeks.

This first recipe is a twist on a family favorite. Next to snickerdoodles, chocolate chip is the favorite cookie around here. I came upon this recipe during my seminary days. A favorite professor would frequently bring cookies to class, and he shared the recipe with us. I found these fun white chocolate chips with red and green swirls and switched my recipe up a bit.

Holiday chip cookies

1 cup butter softened, no substitutes
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup white holiday swirl chips

Pre-heat oven to 350. Mix butter, sugars, and egg. Add flour, soda, and salt. Stir is chips. Spoon teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 12- 15 minutes.

This other cookie is also a Christmas favorite that I have been making for many years. It comes from pampered chef. I like to make it for our annual neighborhood cookie exchange. This recipe makes a lot of cookies, and it doesn't contain any eggs or nuts so I don't have to worry about allergies.

Spritz Cookies

4 sticks of butter, no substitutes
2 3/4 cups of flour
1 package golden butter flavored cake mix ( I like Duncan Hines)
Colored sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350. Microwave 2 sticks of butter on high for 1 minute or until melted. Slice the remaining butter into 1/2 inch pieces; add to melted butter, tossing to coat. Allow butter to stand 3-5 minutes or until softened.

2. Meanwhile, place the flour in a large bowl. Add the cake mix to the flour; break up any lumps with a wisk.

3. Wisk the butter until smooth and free of lumps. If needed return the butter to microwave for 10-20 seconds or until creamy and pourable. DO NOT MELT COMPLETELY. Pour butter, all at once, into dry ingredients. Using a wooden spoon, mix until dry ingredients are incorporated and the dough is smooth.

4. Fill your cookie press. Press dough onto baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle with colored sugar and bake 15-17 minutes or until very light golden brown. Cool for 3 minutes on baking sheet and remove to a cooling rack.










xoxo

Rach

The Season of Giving

Before I tell you about this gift giving idea, I have a prayer request. Many of you know that my parents travel to India usually once a year. My Dad heads out first and then my Mom joins him. This week my Dad and Uncle are traveling with three doctors to rural parts of India to set up medical camps. Please pray for protection and that they would be able to meet the medical and spiritual needs of the people they come in contact with. Thank you!

So on the gift giving front...how are you doing? I am not doing so well. I have some gifts done, but have way more to go!!


My brother-in-law Brian Horst owns Details Salon. You can find all sorts of wonderful gift giving ideas there. How about a massage for your Dad or a pedicure for your Mom. Can't decide on a service, how about a gift card? They have great products as well.









This brand of hair products called Moroccan oil smells so fresh and clean. I love it!!

Who doesn't love Aveda?? Brian loves their shampoos and I love their smoothing body polish. Bb. (bumble and bumble) their creme de coco shampoo smells really good and makes my hair feel so soft and look really shiny. My sister Elizabeth really likes the dermalogica skin care line.

They also carry a men's clothing line with a European influence. Brands include: Bertigo, Ben Sherman, Skunk Funk, Cloth logic, Covet, and Bjorn Borg underwear.

Next week they are hosting what sounds like an amazing open house!

Details is offering all Young Adventures readers a 10% discount on any product or service. This does not include holiday packages and cannot be included with any other discounts or promotions. Just mention that you saw the promotion here and the friendly staff will apply it. The "Young Adventures Promotion" runs now through December 31, 2009. Thanks Details!!!

xoxo

Rach

P.S.

All the images were taken from the Details Salon website.

Bits of Encouragement

"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to building one another up." Romans 14:19

Have a wonderful weekend friends.

xoxo

Rach

The Queen's Room

This little room in our home has had a few different names...The Family Room, The Guest Room, Uncle Shaney's Room, and now The Queen's room. You might be wondering how it was given that name. A few weeks ago Katie had her Birthday party, and Jen always comes along with Haleigh to keep me company.

I always like the room to be a little home away from home for our guests. We spend a lot of time in here. Watching movies, reading under blankets, playing games, and paying bills. Which means the room needs a little "pick me up."







I organized, dusted, and washed all the linens (making sure to use extra fabric softener for my bff). I also gave strict instructions to Brian, not to enter the room! I had spent some time getting it ready, and didn't want it to get messy again.

Later that afternoon Brian was talking to Shane on the phone. I'm not sure what they were talking about but I heard something about "Rachel getting ready for the Queen's arrival." And that is how it was named the "Queen's Room."

xoxo

Rach

The Season for Giving

ETSY

What a cool place to shop! There are tons of handmade items as well as vintage. They have everything from clothes, to food items, to jewelry. I've never actually purchased anything from ETSY before, but I will be this Christmas. Check out the cool stuff they have. http://www.etsy.com/ Have fun!!

xoxo

Rach

Bits of Encouragement

Something a little different to encourage you this week. Last year our Children's Ministry Director Jill mentioned a great idea in our church's monthly newsletter about teaching our children to be thankful. She encouraged us to write on top of a piece of paper I'm Thankful For... then place it somewhere in your home where everyone can write down different things they are thankful for. I grabbed a piece of note book paper and wrote on the top in orange marker those words. I put it up in the kitchen and everyone in our little family has written on it. There are lots of interesting and wonderful notes of thankfulness on this list. Here are a few:
1. My wonderful wife and kids!
2. For my books so I can read!
3. For my Mommy and Daddy and Ian!
4. My home.
5. My brothers ( I guess we have some invisible boys living here).
6. The trees.
7. My wii.
The list is quite lengthy, but these are a few of my favorites. I'll be saving these little pieces of paper. It should be fun to see how the list changes as the children grow and mature. Since Thanksgiving is just a couple weeks away, I'm going to put up a new piece of paper. The first thing I'm going to put on it is Jill. Jill gives so much love to our children! She is a Proverbs 31 women. She works as a teacher full-time outside of our church, but still has so much love to give to all of our children. She has taught our children about loving Jesus with all their hearts, mind, and soul. We are so blessed to have her in our lives. Thank you Jill for giving so much of your time and heart to our children! We appreciate and love you dearly!

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The Season for Giving

"Anyone can go to a store and buy a gift, but it's a special person who gives their time to create one." ~Paula Deen

Sure, I buy plenty of gifts. I get so much more joy out of baking gifts for family and friends though. The "Baking Center" as I like to call it opens up this week in our home. We will make between 10-13 different types of candy and cookies. We will eat some of course but much of it will be given away. There is the annual cookie exchange, teachers, family and friends, and I always like to bring a cookie tray when we have parties to go to. I'll try to post recipes as the season progresses.

If you get a chance this season "create" a gift for those that are special to you. You'll make them feel extra special.

xoxo

Rach

Pumpkin Party

As you can see we had a great time! Liza made all the appetizers and Susie made the pumpkin cupcakes.

xoxo

Rach

We're a little under the weather

It started a few weeks ago. Katie got the sniffles and a cough. She didn't miss a beat though, as far as school and her party. Then Brian got a stomach ache, he missed a couple days of work. Ian woke up at 2:00 in the morning last Thursday with a tummy ache. That turned into a cough and then a stuffy nose. He missed two days last week. I pride myself on being rather healthy and not one to get sick...it was bound to happen though. I kept giving Ian kisses on his cute checks, I just can't help myself. Fever, cough, sore throat=YUCK!!!! I have missed two days of work and I'm hoping to go back tomorrow.

This afternoon Ian came upstairs and said to me "Mom, I have a secret message for you!" Me, "what is it bubbie?" He opened up his small hand and he hand written on it PRAY. " I need to pray for you mom!" He then bowed his head and folded his hands next to my head and prayed a simple prayer "Dear Jesus, please watch over Mom and help her feel better. Amen" He apparently got the idea from a Hermie movie. Do you see why I can't resist him?
xoxo
Rach

P.S.

Photo taken by Brian.