Pumpkin Spice Mousse

Now you'll find out how I cheated!

1 box phyllo sheets
butter
2 packages Pumpkin Spice Instant Jello Pudding
1 c heavy whipping cream
1 c milk
cool whip
pecans

Yields: 8


Phyllo Cups:
You can buy the preassembled pastry puff cups or make your own out of phyllo. One box of phyllo sheets will yield 20 dessert cups. Unused phyllo freezes well.

Follow handling instructions on the package. Brush one sheet with melted butter. Using pizza cutter, cut into quarters. Layer each piece into a greased ramekin or muffin tin pressing down lightly into the cup. Repeat with a second sheet of phyllo for a total of 8 layers per cup. Bake 350 for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly.

Filling:
While cups are baking combine pudding mixes, heavy cream and milk in a chilled bowl. Chill ten minutes. Fold in one cup whipped cream and refrigerate til ready to use.

Assembly:
I used my Pampered Chef decorating tool to fill the cups.
Top with toasted pecans and whipped cream.
Serve on a plate because crust will flake off.

Big Maks

Brief

Been swamped
Still been reading your blogs
Leaving for a conference in Granger, Indiana today
Get back early Sat morning
Stomach isn't feeling well
Having friends over Sat night
House is a mess
What was I thinking!?

Found a treasure
Amazingly effective
Neutralizes odors instead of masking them
Just bought more for car, bathrooms, closets
May be this year's perfect stocking stuffer
Thought I'd share...
Renuzit Super Odor Neutralizer Air Freshening Pearls

Swear Free

I'm feeling introspective so decided it was time to post. I have no idea where this is going. So, yes, it will be random.

I'm feeling burdened for my sister. Husband needs a job, they need to sell their house, van broke down, kids start new school tomorrow in a district they have to move into by Oct 15 in order for the kids to attend school there. I can't imagine her life. I can only pray from this end. Can you please stop reading this and whisper a prayer for a house showing they have on Friday? And pray that someone would be burdened to drop them a huge check in the mail.

I'm back to biking now that I'm feeling better. Been trying to rack up the miles. The weather's perfect. Ran over two chipmunks on my last ride. I need to do more than biking though.

I started a serious diet thanks to an incredible iPhone app. It is totally motivating, fairly easy to stick to, and actually kind of fun. Can't believe I used the word "fun" in a description of a diet. The app tracks calories and exercise and does all the calculating for me. I'm grilling more, shopping wisely, drinking tea instead of coffee, planning ahead and saving money by not eating out. By the way, I started this BEFORE hearing this weekend's message at LP. A group of Lancaster friends started a Biggest Loser Club. They each pitched in $75 to join which ended up creating a winning pot of $2250!! Now that's motivating! Their weigh in finale is Dec 15. I guess they are all hoping to look hot in time for Christmas.

My woman's Bible study regroups next Monday. I need the discipline but I'm not a good Small Group Leader. We are going to study "Girl Talk" by Jen Hatmaker. A study on friendship. Ugh...something that's kind of a sore spot for me right now. God knew I'd need this study.

I'm excited about football season. Gonna enter all the Ravens' games on my calendar tonight. Hope I don't become too much of a couch potato.

I'm absolutely in love with my fire. I know...I've said it many times before. It is my sanctuary. However, it is a constant struggle finding wood. Every load I pick up is gone in one night.

I was attacked by a hummingbird today...three times. I don't know why he was attracted to me. I wasn't wearing bright colors. Maybe just curious. He kept hovering and darting around my head. I wish I could have snapped his photo.

My neighbors scream at their kids. I don't mean yell, I mean scream. This afternoon a two year old literally cried for hours as her mom tortured her with screaming. I don't know how people live like that. Oh, by the way, that family is "Christian."

As I was writing this my sister called. In a puddle of tears. Please pray.

So can you tell I never started that unpublished blog? I'm still talking here. Haven't started swearing...yet. Boy, could I go for some ice cream right now.

Square One

Had my Dr follow-up yesterday after being off the migraine medicine for a week. Everything I predicted was true...Lyme's negative, Vit D low, thyroid normal (yay!), blood sugar too high (oops!). Still having a few flashing lights and tipping episodes but he predicts these will continue to subside.

So overall GREAT news...on the right track!

Oh except that my headaches are back. Currently having my second one in four days. So we are back to square one...my new normal. Have to decide which Dr to pursue next. Thanks for your concerns!

Fireside Thoughts

It's been a busy week. So glad the weather has cooled off so I can enjoy the fire again. I'll spare you the pictures.

Work week: My office days were packed this week as we headed into a new chapter at LifePoint...the addition of a 4th service. We now have 2 on Sat and 2 on Sun. More on that later.

Wed night: I met with my Serve Team which is always a highlight for me. So much fun working with new people who are excited and energized as we plow new territory. I always leave that meeting PUMPED!

Thurs night: the one fun thing I had planned for this stressful week fell through. Let's just say I was not a happy camper and I spiraled to a bad place. Those details will have to be saved for my unpublished blog. But God used an unexpected call from a friend (you know who you are!) to keep me out of the pits. And guess what she wanted to talk about...how to vent when you're angry! God has such a great sense of humor!

Fri and Sat: I attended a conference in DC on the topic of Social Justice (poverty, slavery, homelessness, etc). It was phenomenal. So much to think about. And personally convicting. Now I have to decide what I'm going to do about it.

I didn't have the luxury of my catch-up productive Friday and another week starts tomorrow. So I'll really be ready for this coming Friday.

Sat and Sun: Back to the topic of our four services. We were blown away by the attendance. With around 800 people attending on Sat night we thought we'd have a lighter crowd on Sunday. Nope...still full! Where are all these people coming from? And where are we going to put them next??!!

Sun afternoon: what a beautiful day. I vowed I was going to spend the day out in it. Instead I fell asleep watching the Food Network. Man, I'm addicted to their Sunday afternoon lineup. I was rescued from my couch potato state by two friends who invited me to go to the NCR trail. I walked, they jogged. Oh and I gathered firewood. Yes, I looked quite silly walking with my arms full of kindling. But I really needed it if I was going to have a fire this evening! Success! It was a beautiful cool evening. What a great way to end a busy week.

Oh...it's not over yet. Tonight is yard trash night. Gotta drive around my neighborhood searching for firewood. I'll be totally out in about 2 hours.




Taken along the NCR trail today.

Maks Moves to Lancaster...

...and is fittin' in just fine!!

Justification, Pt 2

Just thought I'd be consistent.
Fires two nights in a row.
Wow the bugs are noisy out here!

Working on my post for 66books.wordpress.com while enjoying the fire. I must say...I build a dang good fire (there's my first attempt at swearing, Sandy!).

Justification

Is a luxury purchase a luxury purchase if the luxury becomes a necessity?


As a part of my deck renovation, I included a firebowl. It has become my favorite part of my backyard. And with the cool summer we've had, I've been able to utilize it quit a bit. So much so that I'm having a hard time keeping firewood stocked (and would welcome any dead wood anyone has to offer!). I'm looking forward to using it far into the Fall.

So what was first a "splurge" has now become an integral part of my day. And I'm thinking it is justifiable because afterall...

...it is therapy which is saving me hundreds of dollars
...it is FREE as long as I continue to scavenger for wood (my nieces and nephews are appalled that I drive around my neighborhood looking for wood after dark on Sunday nights...yard trash night).
...it increases social interaction because it has enticed friends over
...it gets me away from the TV (however, the laptop continues to stay glued to my lap)
...it motivates me. I can't start the fire until I've first completed all my priority tasks.

So wouldn't you agree? It was a very wise investment, right? Gotta throw on a log.

Friday Accomplishments

I know that most of my blog readers are moms of young children. The very, very busy type who live a very, very different life than mine. So I completely understand that my posts are basically "un-relatable"...I know, I know, that's not a real word. Bloggers are permitted to create their own words. So when I get to Friday (which is my day off) and finally get the time to blog it is usually about all the things I was able to complete in that one day. I know, you regular readers have seen the pattern. Today was no exception...

• yardwork
• laundry
• cleaned kitchen
• emptied refridge
• made grocery list
• cleaned out car
• paid bills (and am already out of money for September)
• cleaned house to get ready for nieces and nephews this weekend
• general pick up and organization
• sat down and watched storm while I blogged

So back to that word "un-relatable." Being the only single adult in my blog community, my blog content is waaay different from everyone else's. Their blogs are filled with cute stories and photos of their kids; mine is self-centered. Their's are about adventures, craft ideas, cooking, decor; mine is about the housework I got accomplished. I've been wondering what my blog audience thinks about this consistent pattern in the content of my posts. I'm guessing they must think things like:

"Must be nice to have one full day a week without kids under your feet to get so much accomplished."
"What's it like to only do laundry once a week?"
"Wish I could run errands to 4 places in less than an hour."
"Is it really possible to empty fridge, clean kitchen and grocery shop all in one day?"
"She's got it made."

I was leaving the office one day this week and a colleague asked, "Whatcha doin' tonight?" My response was, "I have no idea." He answered with an awkward chuckle and asked, "Really?" Literally. No plans, no commitments, no schedule, no agenda, no responsibilities, not even an idea. Sounds incredibly wonderful doesn't it? In my world, it wasn't. Sometimes freedom is paralyzingly suffocating.

There are no two snowflakes alike.
There are no two people who look alike.
There are no two personalities alike.
There are no two lives alike.
We are all so very different. Yet we play this lifelong dangerous game of comparing apples to oranges.

"You'll never know how hard it is to..."
"But you don't understand what it's like to be..."
"You have no idea what I have to..."
"But I don't have a..."
"Yeah but you've got..."
"Yeah, but..."
"Yeah, but..."

We all may be different but I can guarantee we have this in one thing in common. We've all said, "No one understands what it's like to be in my shoes." I think I've just realized that this statement is 100% true. If we are all so completely different in our personalities, our characters, our economic statuses, our circumstances, our jobs, our homes, our lifestyles, our tastes, our hobbies, etc, when you mix those unique ingredients together you are always going to end up with a unique result. Can others relate to what you are going through? Sure, they may have walked in your shoes for awhile if they have experienced a similar life situation. But they will never have the exact same experience as you because your ingredients will always be different than theirs. The shoe may fit but it will be worn and tattered due to YOUR life not theirs.

So where is this rambling post going besides nowhere? (honestly, I just know that the longer posts are the less chance anyone will read them) Last weekend I saw the movie "Julie and Julia" and I refrained from bursting into tears many times. Julie "found" herself through cooking and blogging. I don't have the space or time here to go into how much I saw of me in her or how God used that movie to speak to me that day. My blog is self-centered because, uh, it's about me. And me is all I've got. Well, me and God. Period. As I watched Julie's transformation, I wondered if blogging could save me the way it saved Julie. No, I'm not going to be a better blogger. At least not here. I'm going to start an unpublished blog (the 21st century spiral bound journal). A place where I can talk when I'm suffocating. A place where I can tell someone about the traffic on the way home, or the nasty email I received, or rant about the price of gas, or complain about the way someone looked at me, or describe the strange phone conversation I had, or discuss menu options for the upcoming week, or tell about the person I saw fall flat on her face in the grocery store, or dream about things I've always wanted to do, or complain about the dead animal smell under the deck, or process the day's staff meeting. Process. Hmmmm, good word. It might just make it into the title. I won't have to worry about grammer, speling, or sentanse struktur. I can speak my mind and only offend myself. Hmmm......I might even swear.

So I don't know what this means for this blog. I haven't been keeping up with it very well anyway. I'll keep you posted. Ha. Not worried about staying connected because all of you are on facebook anyway.

I won't admit how long it has taken me to write this post. It would just add to your list of "advantages of being single."