give thanks.

James, Mike, and I watched The Book of Eli last night. If you haven't seen it just know that this entire movie is set in a horrible place and time. Something disastrous has happened to the sun and it has caused death, famine, and drought everywhere on the face of the earth. There is no good left in the world. Yet Eli keeps the faith some 30 years after the disaster occurs.

"Thank you Lord for a warm bed to sleep on, thank you for the food we are about to eat, thank you for a roof over our heads on cold nights such as this, thank you for companionship in hard times like these, Amen." -Eli

We need to remember to praise God and be grateful in the good times and bad. I am currently learning to be content with where God has me in life now, where He is taking me, and daily reminding myself that His way is perfect, and that none of this is about me.

We have our Thanksgiving dinner with a family of 11. I grew up with their 9 children and they are close to me like siblings (although we call each other "cousins".) Andy is the youngest of the bunch. He is 11 years younger than me. But on Thanksgiving day we have a special bond and hold at least one thing in common: we are the only people at the table who prefer cherry pie over any other.


I have one real Thanksgiving tradition. I sit next to Andy every year. We both love this tradition. I figured he would eventually grow out of it, or get too cool to sit by me, but he always saves me a seat. This year as soon as the cherry pie came out he jumped up and said, "I'll get us plates!!" He cut himself 1/4 of the pie. I had to defend him, telling the rest of the family, "It's equal to 2 slices. He'll probably have that much anyway!"


This year his sister Hannah made the pie. I don't have her recipe (it was yummy!), but here is my favorite!

do not worry

These verses seem to keep coming to mind over the last few weeks, so I might as well share them.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:25-34

I haven't been worrying so much any more. That's been a struggle for me in the past. These verses keep coming to mind because I have been in complete awe of creation recently. I don't know if anyone saw the moon last night, but OH MY GOODNESS. Our Creator, the God of the Universe, created THAT and HE LOVES & CARES ABOUT US. It's mind-blowing. (I can't dwell on it too long because my mind starts to hurt when I try to fathom something that huge.)


My favorite spot in Tulsa right now is 41st street between Lewis and Victor.


This is not always my favorite spot, just my current favorite. The foliage is gorgeous and the trees create a canopy over the road.


I have the wonderful privilege of driving this stretch of road 5 days a week on my way to work.

healthy eating and donuts

It has been decades (or maybe months...) since my last post.

I don't know if you caught on, but I was really into tea. Mainly because I was managing a certain tea shop (coughTeavanacough) which turned out to be the worst job I have ever had in my entire life. I won't share the whole story now... If I keep talking about THAT I will end up only posting about that. To make a very, very long story short, I got a job at Whole Foods Market! (And the crowd goes wiiild! WOOO!) I am eating healthier, I am much happier, getting a discount on my groceries, however, I am spending twice as much on gas. Oh well, my job is great.

Today at work I got some whole wheat pastry flour. And you know what that means? BAKING TIME!

Whole Wheat Baked Donuts with Jameson Whiskey Glaze


Yields about 6 donuts... or maybe more...
3/4 cups + 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup superfine sugar
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp unsalted butter (I used Smart Balance Olive Oil Butter Sticks)
1/4 cup milk, scalded (I highly recommend using milk with SOME fat in it. OMG FAT! You won't die. Seriously. It's a donut.)
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg, beaten

Oven at 350. Mix dry ingredients. Add in butter with pastry cutter. Add wet ingredients and combine JUST until blended. (Over mixing can make them rubbery. And gross.) Then bake in a donut pan for 6-10 minutes.


Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. While cooling happens...

Jameson Whiskey Glaze


Enough for 6-10 donuts... or more...
3/4 cups powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp Jameson Whiskey
1 tsp vanilla

Add liquids to sugar slowly while stirring. Once it's all glazey and perfect, dip donuts in the glaze. Enjoy!