Cookies and confessions

Last year, Daniel and I attended a marriage conference (which we LOVED!) Since attending, we get together with other participants about once a month for mutual encouragement and sharing of our marriages.

Last night we hosted. I knew a friend would be coming that eats gluten free. I hate not having anything for her to eat but fruit, so I googled "gluten free dessert." I was a little nervous all the recipes would call for crazy ingredients that I don't have. But I was pleasantly surprised when I found this recipe from Real Simple.

I loved that it had normal, simple ingredients and was still gluten free. And really, who doesn't love a peanut butter cookie?! 

The only change I made to the recipe is I ended up baking mine for close to 20 minutes. The edges just didn't set until then. But they still came out pretty soft. They were the perfect cookie-crumbly but yet somehow still soft on the inside. I have to say, theses are BY FAR the best peanut butter cookies I have EVER tasted!!!! And most importantly, my GF friend loved these too! I really am considering selling them....I must have the world now how delish these are!

They made about 3 dozen and there are only a handful left. I have had ZERO self control with these cookies, it's like they secretly have crack in them or something. I have already eaten over 3 today and the day isn't even over. And I know you're not supposed to eat raw cookie dough with eggs when you're pregnant, but I could not hold myself back.......

In other random news, I feel like i've been living under a rock for the past several years months. I had heard about Instagram but was really confused on what it was. I was hanging out with some friends in their 20's and they helped explain it to me. It's a little complicated bc I can't email any pictures from my phone, but I still like using it.

Also, I heard for the first time this week, the Call me Maybe song. I had seen a few things on twitter about it, but had been mostly just confused about it. I finally googled it to figure out what everyone was talking about. I did really like watching the Olympic teams video of them singing to it.

And just to end on a more random note....this is what we had for dinner last week: Tilapia, grilled tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, and an instant noodle mix I brought back from the States. This past week has been officially processed-food week. I won't go into all the gory details, but let's just say I should go eat some fruit.

love

laura

Easter Confession

I am embarrassed to actually write this post, but it's been on mind.

This morning is Good Friday. I got on Facebook this morning and read some status updates that people were excited about their 3 day holiday weekend. My first thought was "wow, I wonder what holiday is going on right now in the states."

I wish I was kidding.

Honestly, Easter has really snuck up on me this year. I was talking to my sister and she was talking about easter egg hunts and sunday services, and she asked me if we had any plastic eggs at our house or how we were going to celebrate.

I was like "ummm we're going to have lunch with some friends."  I felt lame for not having an Easter basket to give Daniel on Sunday morning. I had a mini pity party that my house doesn't have a single easter decoration. I'm sure I could have found some craft or something on Pinterest, but again, Easter has completely snuck up on me and hasn't really been on my mind. And I don't say that passively, I'm so sad that it hasn't been.

Not to throw out blame (ha), but as I was thinking about it and talking with my sister, I realized that in the states, one is easily bombarded with easter reminders everywhere you go. I'm pretty sure that if I walked into any store in the states right now, I would be instantly reminded of what holiday was coming up next. Is it weird that i miss that? I miss seeing all the cute decorations, coloring eggs (yes we're the family that does that every year even before sarah had the boys.....i'm sure i was the only person in college who still colored eggs with my parents and grown sister), and getting an easter basket from my mom filled with candy and little treats.

I know that is not the point of Easter. And that's where I'm headed with this.....just because I don't have all the cute "stuff" to remind me doesn't mean the meaning is lost. You would think that without all the media hype and distractions of the easter bunny, it would be easier to remember the reason we celebrate. And it should be that way. But this is my honest truth...it hasn't been that way this year. I don't know if it's because things are busy and I really try to take each day one at a time, and that has kept me from looking forward.

My hope for today is to know His nearness. I want to be in awe of His saving power and the new life that He has given to me. I don't want Easter to come and go and the only thing I remember is that I need to make the jello salad for our Sunday lunch. I want to be caught up in Him. And only Him, my risen Savior!

love

laura