New Year Around the Corner

This year has been a crazy ride! I started this blog earlier in the year having no expectations and I have been amazed at the amount of people who read it around the world. I don't know who you are, but thank you for reading!

There are so many things I did in 2011 that I never expected to do. I went on my first service trip out of the country to the absolutely beautiful and friendly Belize. It was such an awesome trip and I'm so glad I went. I finally went to Washington, D.C., too. It's kind of funny that I went to my own country's capital AFTER venturing outside of the nation. Oh well, I loved DC!

I'm only half way through my junior year of college and I must say it has been my favorite semester of college so far. It hasn't been easy, but I finally made Dean's List! After being so close to making it... literally within less than a point from a 3.5 several times... I am so happy I finally did. It just topped off the semester where I got my Meredith Onyx, another opportunity I didn't know if I could have. Thank you to those of you who supported me throughout this fast paced semester and my angry rants of frustration. :-D

My faith has grown so much over this past year. I feel like I have a better connection with God, but I know it will be something I work on my entire life. There is a perfect Bible verse for this: John 3:30 -- "He must become greater; I must become less." I still struggle as all Christians do, but it takes being willing to let it all go to God and focus on Him more than myself. It's HARD. God can handle all of my struggles and bring me even more blessings than I can imagine. I need to let Him do that and praise Him!

It has been a crazy, winding year with family and friends. Not all of that has been what I expected, but God has a plan and I am along for the ride. Who knows what will come in 2012?

A Baby Changed Everything

As I get older I am reminded that Christmas isn't just a day. As a Christian, I know this deep down, but I feel like I get lost in the race to finish shopping and just getting silly things done. We all need to stop the rush and remember why we have this season in the first place: a baby named Jesus.

I can't even begin to imagine what Mary felt like when Gabriel came to tell her of her pregnancy. The confusion and fear she must have felt were put aside when she said, "I am the Lord's servant..." (Luke 1). What an amazing act of faith! The gossip and ridicule she faced in that time being a woman who was pregnant without a husband was immense. Joseph was even skeptical that this woman he was pledged to marry, who was supposed to be a virgin, was pregnant with the Son of God. The Lord came to Joseph and told him not to be fearful and to wed Mary. The baby she was carrying would be Jesus, Immanuel, "God with us."

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord." ~ Luke 2:11

God works in mysterious ways and often changes our plans. He definitely changed Mary and Joseph's plans. They were good and faithful servants who brought God's gift to us - our Savior - into the world. Jesus is the gift that keeps on giving. He has saved us from our sins.

 

Christmas Day brings a feeling of joy and eternal love from the Creator that should live in our hearts always. It is the day to celebrate the gift we have all received: the chance to accept eternal life with Jesus. It's an amazing feeling... a baby changed everything!

Get Gussied Up

It is that time of year again when Christmas parties roll around. You will likley be seeing family and friends you haven't seen since the last seasonal event and need to make an impression that will last another year. You need to get gussied up.

gussy (v) - to enhance the attractivness of something in a showy way, usually followed by the word up

This phrase can be used in different ways, so make sure if someone says to you, "Well, aren't you all gussied up" that the tone isn't condescending! They may be implying that your outfit is a little... off. There is a difference in being stylish and going overboard. You can be stylish with a few interesting pieces of clothing or jewelry and keep your outfit reined in. If you do this and someone says the same thing, then you are spot on and your oufit can be a topic of discussion (in a good way) for the ladies.



A tad overdressed
Google Images

I think it is always better to be over dressed for an event rather than underdressed, but please... you know what is reasonable to get away with. Please do not walk into an event looking like Scarlett when you should be looking like demure, Southern lady (even though that dress IS amazing)! Batting your eyelashes will not save you from whispers and being uncomfortable all evening! 



Turtle Cheesecake

I am finally done with exams and on break for a little more than a month. During this time of year I love spending time with family and friends. This usually includes the activity of eating! :)

I recently made a Turtle Cheesecake. Have you ever had chocolate turtles? They are caramels and pecans covered in chocolate. They are one of my favorites during this time of year. The Turtle Cheesecake puts a spin on this delicious dessert.

Turtle Cheesecake
Originally from Southern Living

Ingredients

2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs (38 wafers) (can make GF - see directions)
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter
1 cup (6 oz package) semisweet chocolate morsels
1 (12 oz) jar caramel topping
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Combine first 3 ingredients (wafer crumbs, sugar, butter); stir well. (Trying to make it gluten free? I made my own crust from GF cookie crumbs that I keep on hand in the freezer). Firmly press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a lightly greased 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes (I skipped this step since I already had my cookie crumbs and didn't want to add the extra sugar). Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with a mixer until creamy; gradually add 1 1/4 cups sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping sides and bottom as needed. Stir in sour cream and vanilla. Pour batter into prepared crust.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 5 minutes. (Center will not be completely set.) Turn oven off, and partially open door; leave cake in over for one hour (This is important, so really do follow these steps!). Cool completely on a wire rack; cover and chill at least 8 hours. Gently run a knife around the edge of cheesecake to release sides of pan; carefully remove pan. Transfer cheesecake to a serving plate.

As you can tell, I didn't put the crust up the side...
or spray with non-stick spray. lol

Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a small heavy saucepan; add chocolate morsels. Stir over low heat just until chocolate melts and mixture blends. Spread warm chocolate mixture over cheesecake; chill 15 minutes. (I attempted to drizzle the chocolate over the sides after covering the middle of the cake).

Combine caramel topping and pecans in a small saucepan (I didn't have a jar of caramel sauce, so I melted down about half a bag of caramel cubes with 1/4 cup a milk, adding caramels until I had the consistency I wanted -- added the pecans and followed the rest of the directions). Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, over medium heat; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes. Spread over chocolate; cool completely. Serve immediately or cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes before serving.

This cheesecake will rock your world! It was so good that I didn't want to stop eating it! It's pretty rich, but not too heavy. It may become a Christmas food staple in my family!

Turtle Cheesecake

 A word of caution: this thing takes forever to make, so I suggest starting it at night and letting it cool in the fridge over night to finish in the morning. Just make sure you follow the cook times pretty consistently, especially the time it takes to cook the actual cake. As long as you follow the directions, the cheesecake should come out... even if it is your first time making a cheesecake! Slice and enjoy!



Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

Things don't always go the way we plan them, but God's got a plan for us that is better than what we can imagine. This time of year reminds me to be thankful for all that I have. Even with how unsettled my life feels at the moment I know that God has me in His hand. A few verses from Psalm remind us about true thanksgiving:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

~ Psalm 100: 4-5

Just a few things I am grateful for...

My Savior
                      family
                                                        good friends
                                                                                               laughter
               the grace God gives me
                                                                        sunshine
 unwavering protection
                                                            this season of giving


I don't remember to give thanks as often as I should. What are you thankful for? Write them down even if they are just for you to read. Even better, share them with people. There is so much we have to be thankful for yet we forget to say something as simple as "thank you," "I appreciate you," or "I love you."

A Child's Prayer - we should take note :)

Really do take the time to give thanks and be grateful. We all have something to be thankful for!