A Halloween Treat Mummy Dogs | Halloween Treat for the Whole Family

With Halloween around the corner this adorable and tasty Mummy Dogs are a great option to serve at your next Halloween party or your at home Halloween Celebration.  

These Mummy Dogs are super fun and easy to make.  These dogs can be beef, pork or vegetarian it is completely up to you.  I use my favorite bread stick recipe or you can use store bought pre made bread sticks.   

I wrapped the dough around the hot dog making a mummy look.  Place on a cooking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or golden brown.  

Once the hot dogs are done take mustard a doted 2 mustard eyes.   

My kids love these and a perfect Halloween Treat!

Serve these at your next Halloween party or at home!!!

God, I need you as my Co-Pilot! | Christian Mom's View on God's Partnership

When life is crazy and overwhelming I often wonder where God is?  God is suppose to be my co-pilot but, I feel I am on my own on this journey of life.  A journey filled with ups and downs and much uncertainties.  I know I am suppose to trust God and give my worries to him but, I feel he may have forgotten about me or punishing me.  Why do I still have these feelings. 
Why can't I hear him and know what he wants me to do?  Did I abandon God because I wanted to be on this journey alone or did he forget about me?  Was God with me all along on this journey?  Am I ignoring God on this journey?  

I try my best to let go and let God steer but, maybe I need to take over.  Do I think I know what is best?  In my heart I know God knows what is best even though I hate his choices because they are uncomfortable, uneasy and take me to ports I do not want to visit.  When I am use to things being done my way or he has given me a path to follow  that I am not sure about I question and cannot let go of the control.  I do not want to walk the path that is hard, I want my life to be simple and not complicated.    

Now I am sitting here reevaluating who is the actually the co-pilot, is it me? or is it God?  It is natural for me to want to steer I am a leader with a "take charge"  attitude.  I do not like to take risk and be uncomfortable while living.  If I make the "jump" into unchartered territory I am worried about the risk, and the consequences God is offering!

When God steers I am faced with challenges that I would have never thought of and he gives me several opportunities to stretch my Faith and trust in him.  I worry more about God's outcomes, and I know I need to leave my worries to him; he will lead me to a great quest that will change my life.

Can I still worry?  Can I question God's decision?  I believe yes, but I cannot question the journey but, I have to live and know he is with me at all times.  God is there to guide me, council me and take me to Glory  even when life is difficult! 

Roasted Lemon Asparagus Easy Side Dish Loaded with Vitamin C

Asparagus Season is around the corner and this vegetable is a family favorite.  Asparagus is loaded with potassium which regulates blood pressure, vitamin C and Folate.  With Vitamin C tablets limited what better way then get it straight from God by roasting some tonight.  One more thing, 1 cup of asparagus give your 4 grams of protein. 

When buying your Asparagus look for shiny spears and tips should be firm.  Smell your Asparagus does it smell fresh and woody?  It Should!

Store your Asparagus up to 3 days and in a jar with an inch of water.  Stand Asparagus upright in the water.

When cooking Asparagus snap off the tough end of each stalk, this will be a crisp snap.  Finally, clean in cold water!

 Ingredients:

• 1-2 pounds of asparagus
• 2 tablespoon of olive oil
• Himalayan Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon of Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 teaspoon of Dill 
• 1/2 tablespoon of Lemon Zest
• parchment paper

First, preheat oven to 375 degrees.   Take baking sheet and line with parchment paper.  In a large bowl toss asparagus, olive oil, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and dill.  Spread Asparagus on line baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.

Finally, with your squeezer, squeeze lemon over asparagus and SERVE!

*****Favorite Cooking Tools ***** 

 

 

Be Still | Lessons I am Learning during a Pandemic!

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Found a Friend on the a trial at Sterling State Park.

Being out in nature restores my heart and mind in many ways.  The beauty and peace that is around me is calm, fresh, free and brings me closer to what is important.  Often in nature I am reminded of the classic tale and movie "Narnia"  not because I enjoyed the film with my family ever summer for years but, when the three children Peter, Susan and Edmund enter a world of Narnia and leave their uncertain world through a wardrobe.  The children enter a magical forest of Narnia that becomes real and a place they love. 

Butterflies were everywhere and I am glad I caption a few. 

Now the children enter this world were there is uncertainty's, good and evil.  The children discover their own capacities and throughout this tale they change as they grow.  I feel the tale of "Narnia"  we enter two world's often; the door of evil and good.  The door of God or Godless!  Being in nature brings us closer to God, knowing God and solitude with the Lord. 

My solitary place during a pandemic is in nature and absorbing all that he has to offer.  Life in nature is still going on, birds, bunnies, butterflies, trees are living, breathing and enjoying what God has to offer.  Being in nature is a land of discovery; about God and ourselves, realizing what is important and what we really need during a pandemic.  Yes, I cannot predict my future filled with much uncertainty, how it will change, which direction it will go but,  I know being in nature and with God will result in something good and beneficial. 

Being still will bring you to understand God at a deeper level and help to hear his wants for you.  God maybe calling you into a new direction in life but, sometimes he may just give you peace and spiritual intimacy.  In nature you are force to listen and not talk and therefore you can hear God clearer.  In nature you wait and listen.  I challenge you during this pandemic to get out in nature and take a moment to listen, be still and maybe life will seem clear. 

Mom, Dad and their 3 swan children.  We ran into a older man who walks the trail 3 miles 2-3 times a week and told us about the family of swans.  The children were born in the beginning of quarantine.

"Be Still and Know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

Six Easy Leg and Glutes Exercise to Do at Home

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For these exercises you should do them three times a week and 3 sets of each move in order for them to be effective.  You will need a resistance band or theraband  and a yoga mat is optional.

1.  Bottoms Up ~ Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and knees bent.  Bend forward from hips and place your elbows on knees and straighten leg and then bend knees.

Do 8-10 reps; 3 sets and make sure  your knees are forward and treading straight forward while lifting your hips.

2.  Cutesy Squat ~ Stand with feet hip distance apart, elbows bents and hands clasp in front of chest.  Rise Up to a passe (toes to the inside of the knee) point your toes and extend to the floor.

Remember to engage your core.  Do 8-10  reps per side; 3 sets. 

3.  Eleve ~ Stand with your feet together and heels together.  You can be turned out in 1st or in parallel.  Place your heads on your hips, lift up your heels and lower keeping the weight forward.  Do 8-10 reps in 1st and then open to a wider stand such as 2nd position.

4.  Eye-High Kick ~ Stand with legs together.  Knees slightly bent, place hands on hips or to your side.  Point your toes and kick in front of  your arm pit and lower back down.  Repeat kick on other side do 8-10 reps per side.

5.  Clamshell ~ Tie a resistance band/ Thereaband around your thighs, just above your knees.  Lie down on one side place one ear on the inside of your arm and other arm in front of your tummy.  Stack hips, knees and feet.  Slowly open your thighs engaging your abs and close back to the same position.  Do

6.  Flex-Foot Tendu ~ Tie your resistance band just above your ankeles and stand parallel or turn out with your heels together.  Place your hands out to your side or on your hips.  Bring your leg in front of you from the floor (about 6 inches) and make a Capital D all the way to the back; repeat to the back four times and then repeat from the back to the front.  Do 8 reps total and then repeat other leg.

~~~~~~Items I used for My At Home Workout~~~~~

Hopefulness | How to Find Hope in a World of Uncertainty

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Where is Hope?  How can I find Hope?

Hope is survival without it there is not life.  Hope for Christmas, Hope for retirement, Hope for birth, Hope for freedom, Hope for forgiveness, Hope to believe something Good will come!  Right now in our world it is filled with uncertainty and with that there is fear.

I am scared; it is not in my nature to live "day by day".  I am a planner and prepare for the future but, never in a million years did I am imagine my world, my family, friends, and especially my children would ever have to experience fear and the unknown. 

 

As a mother I try my best to never lie to my children or show how weak I actually am.  I want my children to dreams, plan, experience and have hope.  More than ever I have been tested and really not sure if I can pass the test when I feel like giving up.  Many call Hope "positive thinking" or being "optimistic" but, it is "plain and simple" "Hope" a gift given from God and when one receives a gift sometimes it is hard to see it's beauty and all that it offers.  I believe in God and have to take the gift he gives me and use it because not a simple gift of Hope maybe all we have left.

Today, is the First Day of Spring, even though it is gloomy and rainy; I do hear birds and a little bit of sunshine is trying to peek through.  Hope is a gift and one that should not be taken for granted;  I am hoping for warmer and brighter days.  More than ever I am hopeful I will be reunited with my family, friends and sweet students.  At times, we get caught up in life and each difficult situations that Hope is often far from our minds.  We believe the sun will never come up. I pray everyday, and more importantly today for hope to be able to appreciate a simpler, calm and hopeful lifestyle.

We need to hang on to faith in God that he has a plan for me, for us; a plan that we cannot see but, we are hopeful and will receive and understand.  I do not understand really what is happening in our world but, hope to grow from it to become a better person, mother, friend, teacher, sister etc.  For years I am have been trying to minimize my life and this pandemic really is making me want a simple lifestyle with less and only have the most important people and things around me. 

"I know the plans I have for you, declared the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11