Pecan Praline Graham Bars

Nothing says Christmas time like baking

it is quickly becoming one of my favorite Christmas traditions

(OK, yes I know there are things that say Christmas more like CHRIST)

I love to bake. Unfortunately baked goods don't always like me back.

Ever since I went on my Whole30 challenge I realized that

grains, sugar and dairy have some pretty unpleasant effects on my body. 

This make baking a challenge and then there are the time I saw 

WHO CARE I AM GOING TO ENJOY THIS!

I digress 

Here's what you need for these delightful treats

1 1/2 sticks of butter

1/2 c granulated sugar

2 cups chopped pecans

Honey Maid Graham crackers

(off brands don't work well and will break)

cookie sheets

1. Lay out grahams in squares 

2. I bought chopped pecan but you need them in pieces.

3. Bring butter and sugar to a boil, 

stir constantly so butter doesn't separate

I didn't get a picture of the next step it goes fast. 

4. Pour butter mixture over the grahams, spread 

with a spatula to even out then sprinkle with pecans

 5. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 min till brown

6. Let the bars cool on the cookie sheets.

Break into bars

What baked goodies do you make at Christmas?

Enjoy!

Updates!

Wow it's been awhile. But what can I say life do that to a wanna-be-blogger! So before I say anymore lets catch you up on my oh so exciting life!

NOT

So here it is in pictures

 I started selling Mary Kay October 1! 

Children's petting zoo at the Dallas Arboretum. The boys LOVE animals!

Brunch at a favorite Taco Joint in Downtown Dallas

 We spent a lot of Sunday's watching daddy coach 7-9 year old boys in soccer.

We also had a mini Thanksgiving Feast with some close friends

Breakfast Thanksgiving morning, Immaculate Baking Co. cinnamon rolls, eggs and bacon

I made an apple pie and pumpkin cheesecake 

Robert and I smoked the turkey this year. SO YUMMY!!! 

So that catches you up to the end of November.

I did of course do a little Black Friday shopping! 

Yes I waddled my 25 week preggo self to Kohls, Target and Hobby Lobby! 

It was triring but worth it! 

Valentine's Day

What does Valentine's Day mean to you?
Is it just another over commercialized holiday that makes men spend ridiculous amounts of money on their wives, and girlfriends? 

Now don't get me wrong, I love gifts as much as the next women, but I don't want to particular date on the calender to tell my husband that he should display is love for me. I want his love for me come from a genuine desire of his heart.
 How are we truly show love and what is that suppose to look like among Christians? 

Christ tells us in Matthew 2: 37-39 that the greatest commandment are to 

 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. AND love your neighbor as yourself' 

How do you love yourself? I am not unkind to myself, I don't gossip about myself, I don't slander myself, I take time to do things I enjoy and love. But am I treating my neighbor that way? 

Who is my neighbor? 

I view that literally and figuratively. My literal neighbors on my street and block and those I come in contact with in social and work settings. 

Do love your husband as yourself? 

Most are familiar with 

 Love suffers long and is kind; 

love does not envy; 

love does not parade itself, 

is not puffed up; 

does not behave rudely, 

does not seek its own, 

is not provoked,

 thinks no evil; 

does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 

 bears all things, 

believes all things, 

hopes all things,

 endures all things.

 Love never fails. 

¹³ And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

I'm not knocking Valentine's day all together but if this is the only day we put effort into showing our love to someone we are missing the mark. 

If my husband seeing something that need to be done, does it with out me asking that speaks more love to me than flowers and chocolate. 

Love is action, everyday action and sacrifice. 

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friend John 15:13




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Christmas Traditions

   Now that I have a child this Christmas I have been thinking of what I want to be our family Christmas Traditions.

Here are my top 10 possibilities

1. Having and Advent Calender 
2. Picking a Angel Tree child per our kids
3. Driving to look at Christmas lights
4. Seeing Santa at the mall
5. Volunteering at a shelter where less fortunate children will be spending Christmas
6. Family Christmas Pictures 
7. Opening special pj's on Christmas Eve to wear for Christmas morning
8. Watching a Christmas movie Christmas Eve
9. Attending Christmas Eve service
10. Special Christmas morning breakfast

    These are just some of the ones that I can think of off the top of my head. I think doing all of it won't be too much, spread out over the month of December. I just know for sure that I do not want my children to think that Christmas is all about them and the presents they can get. Christmas is ALL about Christ coming to be our Savior  so that we may have eternal life, the BEST gift of all.  I want to always keep gift giving low on the Christmas priority list. No TONS and TONS of gifts.

Some questions to ponder:
What are your traditions?
What is the focus of Christmas at your home?
What would you change, if anything about how Christmas is celebrated at your home?

Catching Up

My poor ignored blog! I have been gone, though not very far. We don't have internet, I had been piggy backing on someone else's connections and they moved. So no internet. We thought about getting (paying for it) but we are moving in 2 1/2 months and I really don't want to pay connecting, reconnecting fees along with the actual cost of the internet service. So no internet. I have it on my Sprint EVO but I can't use Blogger to post. So there is the  reason So let's see if I can update everyone.

• Thanksgiving was great. I have several recipes to share when I have the time. I really enjoyed having the hubby home that whole week. 
• I made it to full term with my pregnancy. Not sure I have said but I had been on modified bed rest so it is nice to know that if I go into labor he will be fine. 
• We bought big brother his big boy car seat! It SWALLOWS him! So funny.
• My son started walking at 10 months and is getting better each day. He love his new found independence. 
• No where near done with my Christmas shopping, and thinking at this point those persons may just get their gift after Christmas!

I think that covers most everything. Not much has happened between Thanksgiving and today. Hoping to have baby before Christmas. The conditions are ripe (literally) for an early birth, but he will come when he is ready (unfortunately for me since I am so SICK of being pregnant) I have been pregnant going on 18 months out of the last 24 months. Momma needs a BREAK!

Nice to back (kind of) in blog land!

Thankful Thursday

So it happens this time of year that everyone talks about what they are thankful for. I see no reason to change this. It is something I should do daily. I may have to start a once a week or month ' Thankful Thursday' post. So I am starting today Thanksgiving Day to give thanks

• First and foremost I am thankful for my Lord and Savior, who laid down his life so that I might be saved
• My little family of almost 4; Robert, David and Elliot(just 6 weeks left little man), I love my men
• My immediate family, my parents and sibling, and Robert's parents and siblings. 
• My extended family, grandparents (all of mine are still living!) aunts, uncles and cousins
• That I have a hard working husband who on any given week works 3-4 jobs so that we can have the necessities and some luxuries
• Those necessities being, a home, food, electricity, clothing, running water
• Those luxuries, 2 cars, gasoline, fancy cellphones, a computer,
• Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University. Learning now to avoid many mistakes American's make with the money God has given them
• Watermark Community Church. A loving body of believers who serve, equip, teach, and love each other
• My church playgroup, MOPS, and Building Blocks, 
• Friends
• Mary Kay

These are the big things, each of these could be broken down even further, but I will do that in my regular Thankful Thursday.

I can always find something to be thankful for. All have to do is think about families who don't have a home, food, or a job. I can think about children who are fatherless/motherless. I can think about countries stricken with famine and genocide.

I have MUCH to be thankful for, so do you! If you are able to read this post that means you have internet, or a phone w/ internet capability, or access to friend, family or library with it. That right there is a luxury that we, that I take for granted.

I hope to live this next year more thankful than the last, that I can teach my sons to be thankful. That most of the things in life we come to expect are really privileges. I hope that my family will spend 2011 blessing others who feel that they don't have much to be thankful for. That the Lord will use me to be light to those who are in darkness, so that they can have a Heavenly Father to be thankful for!

God Bless

Thanksgiving Food

With Thanksgiving tomorrow I am in the midst of cooking and baking. I am going to try to post what I make for the big day.  How many of my readers are cooking something for Thanksgiving? My portion includes;

• Sausage, Apple and Sage Stuffing
• Apple Crisp
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• Homemade Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Can't wait! So blessed that my sweet hubby is going to help me with all this. A little much for a women who is 34 weeks pregnant! But I love it!

Yummy Cheesecake!

Happy Thanksgiving All!

I hope that you enjoy your friends and family this week and are thankful for all that you have!

No-Bake Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

2- 8 oz cream cheese soften

1/2c sour cream

1c. pumpkin puree

½ vanilla extract

½ white sugar

3 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 ginger snap pie crust

Ginger snap pie crust

1 ½ c finely crushed ginger snaps

1 stick of better, melted

(I crushes the ginger snaps in a zip-lock bag with a rolling pin)

Mix melted butter and crushed ginger snaps till well  moisten

Press into a 9in pie dish, freeze while making the cheesecake

Cheesecake

1. In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla.

 Beat until smooth, 

Remove 1c. of mix and spread into piecrust set aside

2. Add pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice to the remaining batter,

 stir gently till well blended 

spread pumpkin mixture on top of the plain mixture

3. Refrigerate for 2 hours

Serve with whipped topping

For those of you who know my desire to eat clean, yes this is a very UN CLEAN dessert