Caramel Rolls

It's not very often that my boys let me sleep in, but this particular morning, they did. My husband was getting ready to go fishing with a friend, and of course we all needed a good meal to start off our day.

 If you are looking for a wonderful, healthy breakfast, you might want to go to a different blog, because this recipe is far from good for you. It's a big pan of "You shouldn't be eating this!" If you are looking for a delicious piece of happiness, that perhaps might be served in Heaven at the dessert table, then you've come to the right place.

This recipe was concocted by myself in a moment of hunger, sweet tooth cravings, and what I had in the cupboards at the time. If you eat the entire pan yourself, I promise I won't judge. 

Caramel Rolls

Dough: 

• 1 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 Tbsp. yeast 
• 2 Tbsp. sugar 
• 1/2 Tbsp. salt 
• 3 Tbsp. oil 
• 3 Tbsp. milk 
• About 3 cups flour 

 Sauce: 

• 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk 
• 1/3 cup butter 
• 1/3 cup brown sugar 

 Inside rolls:

•  1/4 cup butter 
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
•  2 Tbsp. cinnamon 

1.  Mix ingredients for dough together, and let rest for 20 minutes. 
2. Roll dough out on floured surface in rectangle shape. Spread butter over dough. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over butter. 
3. Starting at wide end, roll dough up as you would for cinnamon rolls, and cut. 
4. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, butter and sugar, stirring until smooth. Pour into bottom of 8x11" pan. 
5. Place rolls in pan, on top of sauce. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes. 
6. Invert pan onto a cookie sheet covered with foil immediately after taking out of oven. Let cool.

Sew Happy

 I was without a sewing machine for some time after moving, but my sister was a blessing and gave me an extra one she had. I was thrilled, and began sewing things I didn't need: little girls clothes. 

I am hoping to eventually sell some things on Etsy, but for now, I'll just make a stockpile of little girl dresses.

I made this first dress by using a free bodice pattern I found online, and added the skirt. I honestly don't remember where it was - I just printed it off and didn't save the site. I cute out some white knit fabric in the shape of a flower (I used 5 layers for each flower), then sewed some of the extra yellow fabric around a button for the center. 

This dress was made from a wool sweater. I found a great tutorial HERE.

Her instructions are easy to follow, and the dress was so simple to make. I shamefully admit I tried it on my son to see if it would fit a toddler. He was not happy about that, and no, I didn't take any pictures. :)

~ It's a Beautiful World ~

Just a short post to say that my family and I have reached Kodiak Alaska. The move from Hawaii was somewhat difficult for me, because I had to leave some people who were very dear to me. God has a plan though - He always does. He has moved us to yet another beautiful place. I sometimes cannot fathom how people could deny how great God is, how he created such a beautiful world in a matter of days. I look around, and think, I can never capture the beauty around me on film. A person has to just be here, and see it for themselves. No modern device can capture all the glory of God's handiwork in true worth. I am just thankful I can experience it, in real life.

Wash Those Windows - #1

I found a great recipe for window cleaner on one of the websites I had previously mentioned.

(HERE)

They have great ideas and recipes, several which I have tried and will be posting about. 

I found another recipe on a different site that I will be trying later on, but this one works great!

For this Glass Cleaner, you will need: 

• 1cup water
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 2 - 3 drops Dawn Dish Soap
• Empty spray bottle 

Mix all the ingredients in the spray bottle. And yes, that is all there 

is to it. So simple, it should be against the law. =) 

"The Frugal Girls" posted this recipe on their site, and I am just 

passing it along because I like it. I did not come up with this 

recipe myself. =)

DIY Cleaner (409)

I was searching for some DIY cleaners, and ran across this one for 409 HERE.

I tried it out, and LOVE it. I used it in my bathroom and it worked wonders. Their site has a lot of DIY cleaning recipes, so be sure to check it out!

Now for the recipe =)

• 2 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
• 1 Tsp. Borax
• 1/8 cup Dawn dishsoap (I used Palmolive, because that's what I had)
• 1 cup hot water
• Triggered 16 oz. spray bottle
• Essential oil (optional)

Pour Borax into very HOT water, and mix well. (I did it the way they said, but the Borax kept getting clogged in the sprayer. On myy second attempt, I tried it this way).

Pour Borax mixture and vinegar into spray bottle. Continue to fill bottle with water. Add dishsoap last - you don't need to shake it. Add a few drops of essential oils, if you like. 

Notes: Like I said, I got the water very hot first, and dissolved the Borax. Secondly, I used a larger bottle, doubled the recipe, added 2 cups of water (instead of just filling the bottle up.) I didn't use any essential oils, but it still smelled fine. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! 

Baby Bubble Skirt (Preemie)

A lady in our Church is having triplet girls, so for her baby shower, I decided to make them matching skirts. I could have just made the skirts, but I found a really cute flower tutorial on Pinterest, and just HAD to use them. =) After some trial and error, I found they could be made in 2 hours or less.

You Need:

Sewing Machine 

Thread

 1/2 yard of fabric (this includes the flowers)

Small piece of felt (2")

Elastic (1" wide)

Safety Pin

*Needle (or) glue gun and glue sticks

*I opted to sew my flowers instead of using the glue gun - mostly because I couldn't find my glue gun. 

Cut out Skirt part of fabric. This will be a 26 1/2" x 11" rectangle.

Next, cut the waistband - 13 1/2" x 2 3/4" rectangle.

(Sorry for the lack of pictures here - I deleted some of them by accident)

Now, line the skirt and the waistband up, matching the top corner of the skirt with the waistband. Pin to hold in place. Now you can start making the pleats. 

I measured 2", then folded the fabric back 3/8"

Continue this pattern until you finish pleating the entire skirt. You will need to pleat the bottom of the skirt as well. Pin down pleats as you go. 

Stay-stitch at the edge, over all the pleats to hold in place. 

Remove pins. It should look like this:

Now flip the waistband up.

Take the bottom of the skirt (opposite the waistband), and pull it up to the waistband, right side out, as shown.

Stay-stitch raw edge of skirt.

Fold down waistband, turn raw edges under, and pin over the raw edges of the skirt.

Top-stitch edge, leaving an opening to insert the elastic.

Measure and cut elastic, insert through the opening you left, and sew. Sew opening closed by top-stitching to match the rest of the skirt.

 Make flower. You can find the tutorial HERE. Add safety pin, and pin it to the skirt. Viola! 

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! Thanks for stopping by. =)

Chocolate PB Pudding

The other day, I was trying to make chocolate syrup for pancakes...yes, I know - completely unhealthy. I messed up, and made chocolate pudding instead. I decided to add peanut butter, and oddly enough, it tasted fantastic on pancakes. If you are daring enough to try, here is the recipe. =)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding

• 1 cup sugar (or Stevia, if you want to go the healthier route)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/8 cup cornstarch
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 1 heaping spoonful of peanut butter

Mix all but peanut butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. After dry ingredients dissolve, add peanut butter. Continue stirring until thick and smooth. Let cool. Eat as is, or spread over pancakes instead of using syrup. Enjoy!

My Precious Gift From God

 

 I haven't kept up with my blogging for a few months now. Since I last wrote, my precious baby boy arrived! Ian Everette Ward was born June 11, 2012 at 10:22 p.m.

My due date was June 15th, but we had been praying Ian would come a few days early so that his grandpa could see him before he left to finish flight training. Around the 10th, I knew it wouldn't be long. It's amazing how God lets our bodies tell us "it's time." 

My water broke around 6 a.m. that morning, but I was having no contractions, so I had to be induced. Anyone who has ever had that done can attest that it is not fun. I always imagined labor to be horrid, but I am sure that made it worse. Hour by hour by contractions got harder, but they never really got as bad as I had originally convinced myself it would be. 

I was planning on having him the natural way, with the help of an epidural, and a lot of prayer. At the appointed time, I was given the epidural. First of all, the pain that shoots through your spine and leg as they insert that (what I considered to be) 15 foot needle into your back, is awful. Secondly, I can't thank God enough for giving someone the genius idea of that thing. After you receive it, you feel as though you could be in labor for the next 10 years and not care. Ok, back on subject.

It was about 7:30/8:00 in the evening when they couldn't find Ian's heartbeat. They couldn't find it earlier in the day, but we all assumed it was from my moving around and the heavy contractions. They began doing all they could to find it - and the last result was me on my hands and knees trying to get him to react. Nothing. By 9:30, the midwife was very concerned. She called in the head doctor and surgeons to do an emergency c-section. To be quite honest, I was scared out of my mind. They said my husband could come watch, but he had to wait to come in until they had prepped me. The room was freezing. My heart was beating faster and faster. The light's were bright, and the room seemed to echo like a scary dream. I was surrounded by people, but the only one I wanted was my husband. I didn't know if my baby was alive or dead, and I was so afraid that  I would come out of surgery with nothing but a broken heart and stitches. I was shaking like a leaf and praying that God would help me to accept whatever the outcome was. I would still love him and serve him, but please help my selfish heart to not grow bitter. Little did I know that my husband was praying outside the operating room. 

I felt sharp pricks on my stomach, and told the doctor. Next thing I know, the room is spinning, it feels like lights are flashing, and I felt like I was in a scene of a Matrix movie. I woke up in the recovery room, and couldn't remember anything.

Later I found out that the cord had been wrapped around Ian's neck. They pulled his limp, lifeless body out and laid him on the table. Roy said he prayed so hard that God would use this little boy, dead or alive, for his God's glory. They began to do CPR, and pump oxygen into his lungs, and after what seemed like an eternity, he little out a soft cry. The doctor said in all of his years as a doctor, he had never heard such a week cry. One of Ian's lungs had collapsed, and they said he would probably be at the hospital at least a week while it healed. He was hooked to all kinds of monitors, and they had his head encased in a plastic box so he could be given pure oxygen. 

I was able to see him for a brief minute through the glass window, and then I was wheeled to my room. I wasn't able to hold him until day two, and that was the longest two days of my life. Roy would go to check on him every chance he got, and reassure me that he was okay. This picture is of Ian holding his Daddy's (Roy's) finger for the first time. It is, and probably always will be my favorite picture of him. 

 Ian's lungs were back to normal the morning after he was born. The doctor said he had never seen anything like it. Roy told him it was all God because so many people had prayed for him. And the doctor just shook his head and said it was a miracle for sure. The midwife came in that day (her day off) to check on Ian. She said she hadn't slept because she was afraid he wouldn't make it through the night. Today, Ian is alive and well, and full of personality. I still pray that God will use our little boy for him, and that he can reach untold numbers of souls for God's glory. 

~ Smooth As Silk ~

A while back, I was able to get some very expensive shaving cream on sale. I couldn't pass up the deal, and I had to try it of course because it must be amazing for them to charge as much as they did. I was right. It was amazing. It made my legs feel like silk. 

When I ran out of it, I was a little bummed because I couldn't afford the normal price. I decided to search for a solution to my problem.

~ In My Darkest Hour ~

This past week has been somewhat of a trying one. We were told we had a week to find a new place to live. I don't see how that is legal at all, but trying to keep our testimony as Christians, I'm not going to fight it. My husband has been at his new job for two weeks now, but money has been tight to say the least. I do not like to owe money, and I would rather be ahead in payments than pay on the due date. I've always been good at saving money and budgeting, but the cost of living here has been a constant trial. All my life I've known what it was like to not have extra money. I remember times where we ate crackers for dinner because that is all we had. We never starved though. We were never had to live on the streets. God has always provided for us, and even in non pleasant situations, I've never had enough cause to really complain. Someone out there is always worse off than I am. God has blessed me beyond measure, and even at my best I am unworthy of his goodness. I am not writing this blog for you - I'm writing it for myself. There are many things I'm struggling with right now, and finding it hard to have the faith I should.

~ Cloth Diapers ~

I've always tended to be more on the frugal side, but with a baby on the way, I have this undying urge to sew, and to save more money for the unseen needs I'm likely to have come up. I have a problem with paying tons of money for regular diapers. You spend all that money for something that's filled with...well, you know....and then it get's thrown away. No way to reuse, so despite the convenience, I would rather use cloth. The new cloth diapers seem to be so costly though. Running anywhere from $14-$25 a piece, I just can't see paying that either. I did some research and found a site that let's you download PDF files of the cloth diaper pattern (often called "nappies"), for free. I also found a Youtube video a lady posted showing how to put one together. There are lots of sites out there and links where you can buy the patterns and instructions, but if you are just as cheap as me, or just wish to get a head start on making them before you order anything, here are the links.

~ Cake! ~

I was going through some old pictures, and stumbled on a few cakes I've made. I'm no pro, and I could use a few lessons for sure, but I wanted to post them.

My attempt at a castle birthday cake

~ Long Weekend ~

I thought that since I had a four day weekend ahead of me, I would get lots of sewing in. Wrong. My sewing machine broke, and despite the fact I am capable of it, I refuse to sew the things I planned to by hand. I have decided that I am going to make some jewelry and other craft items start an Etsy account. I am not sure about how it all works, but I could use a little extra cash now and then. Perhaps I could use it on my new addiction to  sewing things, or maybe prepare for the birth of my son. I realized today, that I have absolutely NOTHING for a baby. All I have is the baby. I suppose I should start shopping now, or maybe prepare for a baby shower, but I am such a procrastinator on some things! I hate feeling like I'm asking someone to buy me things by hosting a baby shower. I found a few patterns for diapers that I want to try to make when my machine is fixed, but until then, I guess I will have to put aside my stubborn ways and host a party.

~ Messenger Bag ~

 I made this bag mainly from scraps of fabric I had, so I'm not sure of the exact yardage needed. Here are the measurements for the pieces though =)

Front and Back Panels: Cut 2 = 14" x 10 1/2" + cut 2 for lining

Side Panels: Cut 2 = 10 1/2" x 5" + cut 2 for lining

Bottom Panel: Cut 1= 14" x 5" + cut 1 for lining

Cover Flap: Cut 1 = 13 1/2" x 8" Cut 1 = 13 1/2" x 5 3/4"

Cover Flap Lining: Cut 1 = 13 1/2" x 13"

Shoulder Strap: Cut 1 = 43" x 8" 

Shoulder Strap Padding: Cut 1 = 8" x 6" + 5 1/2" x 7" piece of felt or batting

Optional Pocket: Cut 1 = 6" x 6" 

School Days

I am a volunteer teacher at a Christain school, and like any school, there are questions children have that you have to find a way to answer. Today, one of the young boys was crying because he wanted to see his Dad. He doesn't even know who his Dad is. He sees all the other children at school spending time with their fathers, and he has no man in his life to guide him, or do "guy things" with. It is hard for me to know what to say in situations like this because I can't relate. I was raised in a well structured home, and never wondered who my parents were or if they loved me. I think too often I take for granted the fact that I was raised in the enviroment that I was. I was able to reassure the young boy, and he seemed to be okay. He just needed a hug and some words of encouragement. Perhaps this will remind me to pray for him more often. Perhaps his struggles in school are more than non-motivation or carelessness.

Google Searches

Yesterday I decided to do a search of free sewing patterns on the internet. Wasn't sure if I would find anything, but turns out, someone did a lot of research to find free patterns and put them all on one site! There are some neat ideas, some of which don't even require a pattern. If you are feeling creative, go check it out! I'm hoping to post creations I make from the ideas soon. Here's the link - enjoy!

http://thinkliz.com/free-sewing-patterns/

~ It all happened May 7, 2010 at 9:00 pm ~

I went into Anchorage to see Roy and get a few things done. I was so happy to be able to see him again because a plane ticket costs more than I'd like to pay, so we don't see each other often. The day after I arrived, I found out about my sisters baby, Lucy, not making it into this world. I was so upset by that, that the joy of seeing Roy had to be set aside for my sisters sake. She had just suffered a very great loss, and my heart broke for her. My mom headed out the next morning to visit my sister, and hopefully comfort her during this tragedy. Roy called me the morning she left and was so sweet, just listening to me, which was what I needed at the moment. He then said that my brother and I were invited to some friends' (Brunks) house for dinner, and he would pick us up that evening and take us over there. Our trip there was somewhat quiet because of the recent occurrences, but the conversations we had were spent mostly laughing or trying to figure out a way to include my brother, Cody, in them.

~ The Worth of One Soul ~

Yesterday my family and I were called at 4:00 in the morning by my sister who was due with her baby girl in a few days. She said that she had just had an ultrasound done, and the doctor could not find a heartbeat for the baby. When I heard the news, my heart dropped. There is nothing in the world like losing a child. I don't know this from personal experience, but I can't imagine how hard it must be. Hearing my little sister in such a heartbreaking situation is like something I can't describe. Seeing my parents with tears in their eyes, hurting for their daughter, is also indescribable. Trying to see what reasoning God has for taking this child, is so hard. It makes no sense, and yet, I know he has a plan and a reason. That little girl will never have to see the wickedness of the world.