O Christmas Tree

I am going to try to make one of these. I will keep you posted on the progress. Don't hold your breath. This craft project has FAIL written all over it!

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New Boots and Cooler Weather

I am completely exhausted! And for the last few weeks something has been really bugging me...I can't put my finger on exactly what it is, but I'm 'bugged' by something!

Why am I complaining? I seriously have a great life. I am engaged to a wonderful guy. I have a job (and honestly feel like I am where God intends for me to be - at least for now). I have my studio open and running. Things are going great there. I get to see lots of singers and help them develop gifts that God has given to them. I am healthy. I have 2 awesome moms and dads. All of these great things and yet I am still totally exhausted with life and would prefer to sleep most of my days away.

Regardless of my level of exhaustion, I still have a couple of things to be super excited about.

1. New boots! Check 'em out! LOVE them! So comfortable!

2.  Cooler Weather

Thursday

High - 60°        Low - 40°

Friday

High - 58°        Low - 32°

LOVE FALL!

Political Hopefuls and Gap: A Letter

To all political hopefuls running in upcoming elections for any sort of public office:

I ran across an article today that talked about Gap scraping its new logo and going back to the one they've used for the last 20 years simply because people were upset about it. First of all, I think the fact that people were 'outraged' over a change of logo shows a slight detachment from reality, but that aside, Gap set an example that I feel you should follow. They LISTENED TO THE PEOPLE. Hey, there's a new idea for you. Stop doing whatever you feel like simply because it will benefit YOU and LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE and try to do something beneficial for them!

Regarding the logo debate and scrapping Gap said, "I think we learned a lot from this...It's clear we did not go about this the right way."  In the future, the company will make more of an effort to "engage with the online community."

May this serve as a lesson for you, Mr. or Ms. Political Hopeful - Gap is smart. Be like Gap!

Best Wishes,

Sheena

Baptist Chiclets or Catholic Wafers

So, I know this is probably totally wrong of me, but I admit that during communion on Sunday I couldn't help but have a few thoughts regarding the "bread" - the "body of Christ, broken for me". Now before you go thinking that this is some sort of moment of divine inspiration, please think again. If you are going to be offended by my ADD and child-like curiosity, just stop reading because I promise you that what follows is missing a whole lot of linkage to divinity.

I grew up in a Baptist church. For communion, we always used these things that my friend Michael refers to as "Baptists Chiclets" (mostly because they look like the Chiclets gum that we used to buy). Well, at the Nazarene church, we used said Chiclets for a while and then switched to what Kate refers to as "Catholic Wafers". I have always been disturbed by these. They taste funny and they have an iridescence about them that is disturbing. Call me crazy, but I don't think anything I put in my mouth should look blue from one angle and purple from another.

So, during communion I decided to investigate said bread a little further. Did you know that when you break a Catholic Wafer in half it looks like styrofoam inside. NOT KIDDING! STYROFOAM!  So, curious me thought...hmm, let's lick it and see if it disintegrates. Nope! Didn't even start to lose it's form and I licked on it for quite a while.

I am disturbed and thinking of mounting a campaign against Catholic Wafers! What's wrong with some real unleavened bread, people???

Tuna Casserole and Cinnamon Cheesecake Bars

Here are 2 recipes for you to try out.

Tuna Casserole


Ingredients
• 6-7 T butter, divided
• 1 (8 ounce) package uncooked medium egg noodles (I use whole wheat)
• 1 pkg. frozen mixture of celery, onion and green peppers
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cans of tuna, drained and flaked
• 4 tablespoons bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add egg noodles, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.

3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-low heat (or cooking spray works just fine). Stir in the onion, celery, and peppers, and cook 5 minutes, until tender. Increase heat to medium-high, and mix in mushrooms. Continue to cook and stir 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

4. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan, and whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk, and continue cooking 5 minutes, until sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in tuna, veggie mixture, and cooked noodles. Transfer to the baking dish. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl, mix with bread crumbs, and sprinkle over the casserole. Top with cheese.

5. Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until bubbly and lightly browned.


Cinnamon Cheesecake Bars


Ingredients
2 pkg. cream cheese
1 stick butter
2 pkg. crescent rolls
2 Tbs. cinnamon
2 cups of sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Roll out 1 pkg. of crescent rolls in an ungreased 9x13 pan (glass works best).

3. Mix both packages of cream cheese with 1½ C sugar until smooth. Smooth this mixture over the layer of crescent rolls in the pan.

4. Roll out the 2nd pkg. of crescent rolls on top of the cream cheese mixture.

5. Melt a stick of butter and pour over the top of the 2nd layer of rolls in the pan.

6. Combine ½ C sugar with 2 Tbs. cinnamon and sprinkle on top of butter.

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

8. Allow to cool for 20 minutes. Place in refrigerator overnight for best taste.

cheers

Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name.....and sometimes you're glad that someone doesn't know your name.

The security guard at school doesn't seem to remember my name. I know this because he keeps asking me my name. Am I offended? Heck no! He only remembers the names of teachers who require his escort services. I am perfectly content to keep reminding him of my name.

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a little GM product 'trick'

Last night I did the usual Sunday night routine: Women's Prayer Group (awesome therapy!), church service, dinner with Ronnie's family...

However, I forgot to get gas, so before I could go home, I had to run back into town. I was TIRED!!!!  Well, that really isn't anything new or different. I am pretty much always tired (anyone with me?)! I pulled up at Casey's, shut off my car, pumped my gas, got back in the car and when I tried to start it.....NOTHING!

Some of you may remember that on Friday, the 10th, the same thing happened at school. I had to have my car towed to my local repair man (Ronnie's uncle), who said the car "started right up" when he tried it! UGH! So, fast-forward and here we are again. So I call Uncle Jason AND Ronnie and they try everything they know to do. Uncle Jason decides it's something to do with the anti-theft system. We send Ronnie to get the spare key thinking it may have something to do with the chips in my key.

In the meantime, savior Bruce arrives on scene. Bruce is a friend of Big Brother Brad and works on cars. He shows me how to reset the stupid anit-theft system that has apparently decided to go haywire. If your GM piece won't start, turn the key 1 click to the on position. The Security light will flash for about 10 minutes. When it stops flashing and stays on, turn the key off. Wait 5 seconds and try to start it again....amazing!

Today I am praising Jesus that my car started and that even if it didn't, I would know how to fix it!