Wait for the Cake

Hard to imagine that it's been 5 years.

Today my Gracie-girl turned 5... FIVE!!!  That's a whole hand!  Or foot!  Where did the time go? 

James 4:14 

For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanishes away

Dear Lord, Thank you for bringing this verse to mind.  I need help remembering to cherish these little ones before the vapor vanishes away.  Help me to raise them so that we are glorifying to you. 

Lord, thank you for giving me a husband who brings these home to his special birthday girl.

Thank you for providing for us with enough that we can give her this...

My cup runneth over...

Amen.

And now for what you've all been waiting for...

The BEST (Gluten free) Carrot Cake EVER!!!

Really it is!  People RAVE over this carrot cake... they don't even know it's gluten free.

1 c rice flour

1/2 c tapioca flour

1/2 c potato starch flour

2 cups sugar (I use 3/4 c raw sugar and 1 c white sugar)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp ground cinnamon

4 eggs

3 c finely shredded carrots

1 cup cooking oil

Combine all dry (First 8) ingredients. 

In a separate bowl beat 4 eggs.  Add the shredded carrot and oil.  Mix until well combined.

Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix until thoroughly combined.

Pour batter into 2 greased 9 inch round cake pans.  Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. 

Cool for 10 minutes.  Invert cakes and cool completely before frosting.

Yummy Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese

1 stick butter (softened)

1 lb powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter until blended.  Slowly add powdered sugar.

For extra fanciness use chopped pecans around the outer frosting. (See photo)

Photo Friday

Yes, I grew it myself.

Actually, I bought the plant at the StuffMart.

Yes, I'll tell you my secret... coffee grounds.  PLENTY of coffee grounds... 

I'll do what I have to do to oblige the roses.

Can you can-can?

This is year 3 for me... how about you?

Special Delivery

Look who came in the mail today...

How does your garden grow?

So I started this blog to write about my adventures in gardening... and thus far I have been writing more about Spiritual Fruit that about Garden Vegetables... Don't get me wrong, I am all about the Fruit.  But I am going to head on over to the garden today and give you a peek.

Kale (please send recipes...) amid marigolds, onions, pepers and eggplant.

A repurposed tomatoe cage.  My neighbor's husband welded together old calf fence.  THIS is one heavy duty tomatoe cage.  Brandywine Heirloom Tomato plant growing inside amid lettuce, onions and dill. 

My pretty peas...

I actually had a bunch of fun garden photos like this but silly me I took them in RAW mode and now my computer is being stubborn and won't share them with you all.

What's in your garden?

Just a link

Once upon a time, I wrote about how I am re-evaluating a lot of things in our home.

Now my lovely (in real life) friend Amy over at Grace Unceasing is writing a series on Homeschooling at the Speed of Life and I really like what she has to say. It pretty much sums up what I am trying to accomplish these days.

Bad Hair Day

I'm having a bad hair day.

I have a LOT of irritaion towards my children... and some other children that I babysit. I am starting to realize why school (public, private and home) lets out for the summer... because all this warmish weather makes for crazies in the short folks. Said short people are also testing the boundaries. Just to see if Mama has budged the front lines a bit. (I haven't.)

And also Cole is waking up about every hour... or 45 minutes. And I am SOOOOOOO tired.

And so everytime I go to prayer... I will be right in the middle of a conversation with my Maker and all the sudden... zzzzzzz... and I wake up a couple minutes later and say my appologies and continue on with prayer and a minute later... zzzzzz....

So needless to say prayer time has been at about the national Christian average of 10 minutes... or less and I DON'T WANT TO BE AVERAGE! And because my time with my Father has been cut short I have had irritation... do you see the spiral? Grrrr.

So today I started reading the Gospel of Mark... And this is what God smacked me in the face love tapped me with...

Mark 1:35
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Get your butt to bed Hanna. I'll see you in the morning... early.

Knock, knock... It's me... again.

Hello,
I just read my lovely friend Jocelyn's new blog post. And well, I think y'all (all 5 of you) should go on over there and take a gander. It's worth the commute. Really.
She's steppin' out. And she is a real life motivator. And I am blessed to call her friend.

Sink or Swim... or Walk?

Bear with me...

Matthew 14   Jesus Walks on the Water

25During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

27But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

28"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."

29"Come," he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."


When we are look at the world around us and start to sink, we need only CRY OUT to the one who saves. And when he catches (as He always does and always will) we are to immediately WORSHIP. :) This is what I learned today.

Whoa. I love it when God uses his Word to impact me as this has impacted me today. I have read this before but never has it touched me as it has today.