Lessons Learned

So in coming to the all staff retreat, never thought I would meet such a cool guy who knows so much about Jewish culture & language.

The big D

We left bright & early Thursday for Dallas TX. We are here for the all staff retreat for Impact Campus Ministries' all staff retreat. It really just means that they get together & talk. Nothing too exciting, just meeting in a warmer climate. Here is a picture of the meeting right now on technology.

Apple Chips

It's fall meaning it is time for all things apple & pumpkin. So far, we have gone & picked apples and I have baked apple crisp. I recently found a recipe for apple chips and randomly enough no salt pickles, on the same blog. I had to figure out how I wanted to core the apples so that I could have round chips. I found two different ways to core the apple and kind of merged them together.
As far as doing the chips themselves, all you need is as many apples as you want, cinnamon, a pan & an oven set to 275 for 2 hours.

I cored my apples without cutting them up. I didn't cut the first apple at all , just cutting  to the outside of the core.  The next apple, I cut in half to the core, but not through the core. I then cut around the core and just pushed it out. The second apple was soooo easy! the only way, I will do it now. lol. 

The knife on the right is the one I cut the first  apple  with  and the first cut on the second apple.  The  knife on the left , I used to core the second apple. 

This is my pan of apples. The recipe said to use parchment paper but I don't have any so none got used. :) 

My battle wounds if you can see. It is two cuts just to the right of the middle of my nail. 

When I do my pickles, I will post again! :)

Homemade cleaners are for me!

So growing up, my family never made our own cleaners, BUT since I have grown up gotten married, I have realized how expensive things are in the real aspect of having to buy things for my own household. Having my own household now plus thinking about how gross store bought are, I started looking for different things that I could made on my own. More cost effective + better for me (i.e. no chemicals I can't pronounce) sounded like a great thing to me so I started with an all purpose cleaner that a friend of mine, Elise, blogged about. I made it and started cleaning with it. I love it. Really. 
It is a vinegar water solution and the recipe is as follows:
 All- Purpose Cleaner:

• 1 Cup distilled white vinegar 
• 20 drops of essential oil
• 2 cups of purified  water

               Shake to mix together and start using


Window Cleaner:

• 1 Cup distilled white vinegar
• 10-15 drops of essential oil
• 1 cup purified water

Shake to mix together and start using


If you want a cost break down, Elise has done it on her page so I won't do it for you here. 


Another homemade cleaner I started using is homemade furniture polish. I made it up this morning and used it for the first time and really like it as well! 
The recipe for it is:

• 1 cup olive oil 
• 1/2 cup lemon juice

Mix together in a bowl or a spray bottle and use! 


I used the all purpose cleaner and then the furniture polish on our coffee table and was very pleased with the results. I really should have done before and after pictures. There was candle wax and just plain dirt on the table and it really took it off and made the table shine. 
The table is a little oily but I think that will subside as the table should soak up the oil. I will let you know how it goes. 


Another project that I will be working on in the near future is homemade laundry soap. I have not done this yet but I found a recipe that should take less than 10 minutes to make and will be .05 a load/ 64 loads a batch. When I try it and if I like it I will let you know. Until then. 

Susie Homemaker, that's me!

I can cook and cook well, BUT I don't cook often. Something about being on my feet and taking care of children probably takes the joy out of cooking for me. (I work at a preschool and my class is eight children large.)
Today though, I got out of work early and had all the stuff to make hummus so I decided to make my own homemade hummus- for the first time. The recipe I have and will be posting does not really have exact measurements so I will tell you how much I used in parentheses.
I was really jazzed to make it when I got home and went searching for my can opener. I thought that would be a quick find but I think with moving three times in less than a year will cause you to lose some things you would otherwise have. (can opener, hand mixer blades, water filters, etc.)
After I realized this, I thought well this is not going to happen today. I think got on facebook in somewhat of a bummed mood and saw that Krista French had just posted and knowing that she was probably home along with the fact that she lives just around the corner from me, I asked her if I could borrow hers. She okayed that idea so I ran up there and used her can opener and I was back in business to make my hummus. :) Thanks Krista.
Okay, so this is my recipe base.

1 big can chick peas (also known as garbanzo beans), drained (2- 15 oz cans)
1 big clove garlic
lemon juice (a couple tablespoons, or to taste)
a big spoonful of tahini or peanut butter
a drizzle of sesame oil if you have no tahini
a glug or two of olive oil
a big spoonful of plain yogurt (optional; Greek-style if you have it)
a pinch of cumin is good
a big pinch of salt
a roasted red pepper is good too

Whiz all in a food processor until smooth.

Okay, so I just kinda dumped everything in like it said, but you get the idea. 

This is what mine looks like. It is pretty good especially for my first try! :)

There are lots of ways to make variations of hummus. Get creative and let me know if you come up with good ones! :)

Small re-cap of the semester....

It has been a while again, but here is another update on life. Last Sunday, our pastor was out of town & and had previously asked my husband to preach for him which he said yes to. This was the second time in a few months that he preached in front of 50 or more people! I am so proud of him. :) While I don't have a picture of him in front of the church preaching I do have a picture of him preaching in front of the college ministry that we interned at this last semester. :) Enjoy & I hope it gives you a feel for what we are doing.

There he is preaching at the campus ministry.  I think he was more nervous for this one than last week.

The band at the campus ministry practicing! They are excellent! :)

Patching the ceiling so it would not leak as bad...

So the picture just above is of Austin (one of the campus ministers) patching the ceiling because of all the rain we had while there. The building is actually two separate buildings and the one building got a new roof  last year but they did not reconnect the gutters correctly so it would leak in the offices every time it rained. With all the rain we got down there, it was more like a river at times.  We ended up pulling up the carpet in this office (which is where the water came in through the ceiling). It was interesting to walk in when it was raining to see what was wet. My husband with his roofing skills was able to fix it enough that it did not leak again. Shortly after that, the roof got replaced. No more leaking! 

This is a picture of hail, while & rain. The white though is the hail. 

I went on a trip to Joplin MO to visit the headquarters of Rapha House & just has we got into town it started hailing and when it quit, it looked liked it had snowed, er or hailed. I will post about Rapha House & all they do later. 

Bob & baby Norah Maeleigh

The last exciting thing to happen (at least that I have a picture of & remember right now) was the birth of Austin & Amy's third baby! She arrived our last full week in Fayetteville. Kris, Kirstyn, Cory, Bob & I went to the hospital and visited the family, while minus their other two kids. Bob was a little apprehensive about holding her but he finally did & I got a picture. :) She is such a sweet little thing. She was BIG though!  If I remember correctly over 10 pounds! 

Well that is all over now. I will blog again soon.

I haven't...

Blogged in two months. Exactly. I know, I need a good scolding. First there was spring break, then there was traveling- Lots of that, then moving out followed by more traveling, a wedding ( I'll get to that in a bit) & moving in again.
Sufficient to say, I have been a busy girl & I start back to work tomorrow. In someways, I am ready & in other ways I wish I did not have to go back. Ah well, I will enjoy working while I am.

Anyway to catch you up a bit about life lately.

So we were at the University of Arkansas doing a campus ministry internship.

At the fountain in the middle of campus, doing the Bob pose

Shortly after this, we were packing up our apartment & loaded down our car. Literally. My poor car was practically dragging the ground. I wish I had a picture to demonstrate how loaded down it was.

We drove to my friend Jessica's house & spent the night with her family plus a random trip to the ER because her sister is pregnant and thought she might be going into labor- that was the COLDEST waiting room I have EVER been in. Seriously.

The next day we drove to Williamsburg, KS for our good friend Lori's wedding! Out of our group of twelve girls, Lori was the 5th of us to get hitched. :)

First there was Sydney (& Jonathan)- 

Then Tiffany (&Tim)-

Then Annie (& Tyler)-

Then Me (& Bob)-

& now Lori has joined us (& Daniel)-

(Photo credit: Lacy Howard)

After this is was back down to AR & my hometown. This is where my dad pulls out a bunch of guns & my husband gets scared. Kidding, kidding. Guns did come out but only to shoot at targets and have a good time, which we did. :)

Well that is all I have for now. I will write again soon. I promise.