homemade applesauce

so i got a food processor for christmas and was thrilled to start using it. i decided my first project was to make some homemade applesauce. this was my first attempt at doing something like this. i got the idea from this fun blog that i follow and pretty much followed her recipe. if you have a food processor and enjoy applesauce then you should definitely try this recipe.


i used 10 granny smith apples and added two peaches

my new food processor :-)

i washed all the fruit

then peeled away

the finished product

it was so yummy and very fresh. you could also add cinnamon and/or red hots to give it a little flavor.

8 months of happiness

so, this week marked our 8th *monthiversary*. yes, you heard me correctly. we like to celebrate our relationship each month and we call it our monthiversary. i think it should be a real word. so in honor of 8 months together, i will leave you with 8 wonderful things that i love about our relationship.

1. i've never been treated so well by anyone in my life

2. he not only lets me be crazy and silly, but he embraces that part about me

3. being with him is EASY

4. he supports and encourages me in everything i set out to achieve

5. we both love being next to one another and would pick that over anything else

6. i'm convinced that he would do absolutely anything in the world for me

7. he makes me feel like i'm the most beautiful person in the world

8. he loves me to pieces and isn't afraid to tell me

happy 8 months babe....thanks for making them the best ones yet!

thinking....

lately it's seems that there is a lot going on with those that are close to me in one way or another. some good, some bad, and some great. it's got me thinking about my life and the fact if i'm truly content with where i'm at in life. and what is God up to in each of these individuals lives? from a friend getting engaged, to watching a friend lose his mother to cancer, my best friend finding out that she's getting a baby boy through adoption, two friends getting married this next month, watching a dear friend find out that she really doesn't have cancer, only to find out weeks later that she does and that she has to go through chemo. i feel like everywhere i turn, another person has cancer. i hate seeing people go through sickness and death, who doesn't? but i LOVE rejoicing in the good things and seeing my friends happiness. who doesn't love to see a new life enter into this world and to see a realationship develop into marriage?

i find myself at times wishing and hoping for the things that i DON'T have in my life instead of being truly happy with what i have. i love this quote from elisabeth elliot-"We accept and thank God for what is given, not allowing the not-given to spoil it." this is what i'm striving for these days. i have so much to be thankful for and i don't want to take away all the goodness because i don't have what i want...yet. how can i be dissatisfied with my life when i hear about my friend having to battle cancer? i have a healthy body that allows me to do so much. and why do i get mad at god for not giving me what i want (in my timing) when someone else is grieving over their loss of a family member? it definitely puts things into perspective and god politely slaps me in face and reminds me of all i have and all he has chosen to give to me. see, that's the thing-every single thing that i have or don't have has been chosen by god. he goes before me and knows best for my life. and i know that god is in all of these situations. he is a good and just god. he will bring goodness out of every situation if we allow him.

and how do i know this? well, lets just say that i've been there before. i've been through my own personal tradedies in the past and god has gotten me through each and every one of them. and by his grace he has turned me into this amazing, new creation that never existed before. he makes all things beautiful in his timing...and he will with each one of my friends too...i'm glad i can have hope in him.

frEEzing at Disney

scott and i decided to use our disney annual passes last week (thanks again babe). and we figured with the "colder" temperatures, it would keep people away so we wouldn't have wait in long lines. well, our plan worked, but we pretty much froze our butts off. the high for the day was 33! despite the cold, we had a great time and i can't wait to go again! here are a few pics.....


waiting for the monorail to come and get us to take us to the magic kingdom

the castle at magic kingdom. makes me smile :-)

in front of the castle on our way out

part 2 of my favorite pictures from 2009

a view of long beach in CA, on the Queen Mary

shadow kiss

visiting Dana Point in CA

so peaceful

i LOVE sail boats....one day, i'll get on one

at sea world with scott

celebrating our 6th monthiversary

this was taken at dragoncon in sept...what can i say, we take good pictures :-)

favorite pictures from 2009

one of my favorite pictures of scott and i so far...

meeting my niece, savannah, for the first time...instant love

this was taken at my house when i went home in the winter. i love me a fresh snowfall

going shooting for the first time. i loved it more than i thought i would.

right after i crossed the finish line after my first full triathon, a proud moment-trying not to cry :-)

my sweet niece

making my niece laugh-at 6 months

the best blue eyes in the world and the best lip too :-)

one of my all time faves of her

sisters :-)

i love profile shots

in brasil with my baby

playing in the leaves, at IN in the fall

my back yard in IN

leafy kiss :-)

savannah in her christmas dress

gotta love this one :-)

savannah's first time at the beach

pictures i promised

a new year, a better blog?

so i think it's pretty clear that i stink at blogging. i mean, i haven't blogged in over 6 months! how lame is that! so, i'm thinking...it's a new year, maybe i should try to blog on a more frequent basis. it is my goal to do better at this for 2010. we'll see... i mean it's not that big of a deal since i only have like 2 followers ;-) so i'll leave you with a few pictures from Christmas 2009. i went to CA with my boyfriend, Scott to spend Christmas with his family. it was an amazing trip!


ok, having trouble uploading pics...will try tomorrow. sorry, blogs are no fun without pictures :-(