Life By Design

I’ve always loved baking (thanks to my mom and my grandmother who gave me a cookbook called “Cookies for Kids” when I was little) and, if you know me well at all, you know that I truly prefer the dough versus the final baked product.  This can be anything from any kind of cookie dough, brownie or cake batter, muffin batter, biscuit dough or basically anything else.  I’d honestly rather be served a bowl of raw cookie dough than a plate of cookies.  Some of you are absolutely disgusted right now and some of you have a huge smile on your face.  Nice either way. 

I guess I have to thank my Aunt Diane (who really isn’t related) but who was our main babysitter growing up.  She would always bake cookies with us and even let me taste every ingredient as it was going in the bowl.  I LOVED it and thought she was the coolest because she would also let me lick the bowl and beaters when we were done. MMMMMM!  I use this method whenever I take care of kids now too.  It’s great entertainment for them and a great result for your effort.  Her recipe is actually the one I use to this day but I’ve perfected it over time, not for the final cookie result, but for the taste and texture of the dough so I can enjoy a perfectly raw bite.  It’s true.

I can also thank my college roomies who indulged with me in a Sams tub of cookie dough after dinner each night.  We’d pull it out of the freezer, all grab spoons, and each take a spoonful or two or three or…  I think I probably got the award for eating the most.

However, over the past several years, I’ve realized I cannot bake without major consequences.  When there are just two people in your household, it’s just not good to have a bunch of delicious cookie dough around.  I also read the ingredient and nutritional value of the cookie dough tub you get at Sams one time and realized that in one sitting of my cookie dough splurging, I could easily consume 2 DAYS worth of fat!  And I don’t care that much about counting calories or fat or whatever else women tend to do but that not only disgusted me, it scared me a little.

So, recently, I’ve gotten majorly into substitutions and finding healthier alternatives for my favorite recipes.  I now eat more fruits and vegetables than I ever have, pay attention to eating whole grains, have trained my palette not to need as much seasoning or fat for something to taste good, and try to balance my carbs & proteins in littler meals throughout the day.  I also eat a lot of cottage cheese which I still find very bizarre.

Back to the substitutions…my favorite discovery has been unsweetened applesauce for up to 3/4 of butter in a recipe!  I had heard about this for cakes but never considered it for general use and it really works!  Not to mention, it is MUCH cheaper than butter.  I also usually always switch to whole wheat flour and if a baked recipe really doesn’t taste good that way, I use a whole grain unbleached all-purpose flour for half while keeping the other half whole wheat.  It has been fabulous!  Everything from cookies, to banana muffins, to biscuits, to whole wheat bread, to brownies, etc.  Not everything has turned out well the first time and I’ve never dared to try a sugar cookie recipe without using entirely butter but it’s on my list!

I feel so much better about cutting down the fat content and adding extra nutritional value.  Next I plan on experimenting with honey instead of sugar to see if I can get a good result.  I’m also going to see about using egg whites instead of whole eggs too but I want to take it one step at a time.  I guess all of my stuff might taste horrible now but if that is the case, I’ve totally tricked my palette and I guess that’s better for me.

Any other tricks of the trade I should know about?

So I have a lot of half started posts that I am actually going to try and complete this week.  My to do list reads, BLOG, BLOG, BLOG. I think my family is about to disown me or something for not posting in a timely fashion.  But, I’ve had my reasons. So I implore you to have patience.  Thanks; you’re the greatest.

Let’s start with what my post was going to say on 8.8.08.  Basically…I’m so excited for the Olympics!  For some reason I don’t remember the Athens games very well (Oh yeah, I was working like a maniac) but I definitely remember Sydney because I got to watch it with my fun college roomies in our house and it was a great break to college studying.  So, this year, I actually have some time to watch it and enjoy it AND a DVR to record it and fast forward the boring parts.

Fast forward to today.  I really did enjoy seeing Michael Phelps win 8 golds, watching two Americans win the gymnastic all around, and seeing the sometimes frightening yet also intriguing opening ceremony.  I did lose some sleep and probably watched more TV in the last two weeks than I will for the rest of the year but really appreciated these Beijing games.

BUT, after the closing ceremony last night…I’m absolutely relieved they are over with.  I didn’t realize I felt that way until Saturday but as much as I enjoyed the hours of entertainment, I really don’t like feeling tied to my TV and I allowed myself the fleeting pleasure of it for the games alone.  I’m ready to get back to reading, and working on the house, and simply just doing other stuff besides sitting on my butt with the remote in my hand.  And I’m glad of that.

So, cheers to the 2008 Olympics and CHEERS to the joy that they are over!

So I left Alabama to head back to Nashville for one night and then Cameron & David (Daniel’s younger brothers) arrived to spend the 4th of July weekend with us! I was mainly challenged to keep enough food in the house while the men dug in the dirt and blew things up. It was their first time to visit us in Nashville by themselves so we were really excited to have them out. And 4th of July is a perfect holiday to have teenage guys visit because as long as there is a firework around, they are extremely content.

They were a huge help to us with finishing out our fence and landscaping, too. I’m particularly grateful because if they did not help, guess who would be out there trying to dig 20+ holes in the ground? Yours truly. So thanks guys!

We had a BBQ on the 4th with some friends complete with Texas brisket, potato salad, beans, watermelon and Blue Bell, a nice speech about Courage from Amy, tons of fireworks (so many that the guys got tired of shooting them off and didn’t finish them), and a skeet shooting contest with Daniel’s shotgun. Sounds a little out of control, doesn’t it?

So we dropped Cameron & David off at the airport and picked up Kristi & Bre (Daniel’s sisters) 48 hours later. This was their 4th or 5th time I believe to come out by themselves so we were all looking forward to their time in Nashville. We spent days doing girl stuff and nights and weekends hanging out with Daniel. Of course we shopped (although rather unsuccessfully this time) and they also helped me price stuff for a consignment sale, organize our childhood stuff that has been in deteriorating cardboard boxes for years (and ended up being quite a comical experience), and generally hung out with us with whatever we had going on. Bre and Daniel pressure washed and sealed the driveway together while Kristi and I read and got a tan on a few occasions too. We also watched more movies than I think I have watched in the last two years combined and of course stayed up late and slept late.

Bre had to head back to Texas for Driver’s Ed but Kristi ended up staying another week. The last afternoon Bre was there, they both helped me get ready for my surprise anniversary date. Daniel and I celebrated 7 years of marriage this year and he managed to plan a very nice surprise evening for us complete with coordinating a place for Kristi to hang out with some friends. I felt very beautiful after they were done straightening my hair and Kristi had a lot of fun hanging out with my friends that night. I am more and more grateful for Daniel every year that goes by and feel very blessed to have such an incredible husband.

So the last full week of July, Kristi, along with some other amazing women, helped me pull off a wedding shower for Paige. She gets married August 30 and I can’t wait! We also dyed Kristi’s hair, had a few more successful shopping adventures, movie nights, and one very comical but not so comical night where Kristi got to drive me home. It was a really fun month!

The end of July also marked one year since I left my “job” at the church in student ministry. I was telling a friend that I feel like God used a lot of this summer to basically tie a bow around this last year for me. A lot of the year was wondering and waiting and simply being obedient and faithful to what he had called us to without knowing how he was going to work or what of my dreams for this last year was he going to fulfill. I found myself time and again thinking of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3:17-18 where they said to Nebuchadnezzar “..our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” I don’t face many fiery furnaces and even my “big” problems are really not that big. But I also believe the same principle applies…God can do anything. But if not, He is still faithful and worthy of all glory and I desire to continue to serve Him alone and not turn aside to my fears, insecurities or what the world tells me. A lot of things that I was hopeful God would do this year, did happen. Not everything, but significant things and as I look back on even these last two months (2 posts!), I am amazed at what God wrapped together in my heart and in the lives of people I love. Thank you Lord Jesus!

I probably deserve blog-o-sphere timeout or some sort of punishment. I’ve been a blogging consumer lately, not a contributor. I’ve been reading and not even commenting. (GASP!) I somehow believe this is ok if you don’t have a blog but if you do have a blog (I fall into this category), I somehow feel like I am committing a virtual crime by not updating my blog for over a month. “I’ve been busy” is my lame excuse but aren’t we all? Earlier this week, my friend Emily M unknowingly put me in my place when she updated her blog with a very long post about her very busy past week the day after she returned from her trip. My month finally slowed down last week, but I didn’t take the time to update my blog. Shame on me. Forgive me?

Ok, so on to the last couple of months and what I could have been updating you on as it was happening. We’ll start with June. We took a trip to Lubbock, TX in mid-June to celebrate Kasey Jo & Evan’s wedding! It was so fun to be with everyone and get to be apart of such an awesome celebration. Evan is Daniel’s brother and Kasey is the daughter of his Mom’s best friend so there was lots of in-law bonding and excitement too. The sad thing is, I ended up without any good pictures of them or of Daniel and me at the wedding. So I’ll show you the only pic I have of the two of them at the rehearsal dinner so you can see how adorably cute they are. We love you Ev & Kase!

After a few nights at home, I left and spent the next 12 days with Emily M along with her husband and daughter in Birmingham as Emily continued recovery from her lung transplant surgery. It was good, hard, significant, encouraging and scary all at the same time. Emily has had a lot of ups and downs and we did the whole 911/ambulance thing twice while I was there. The doctor says that it is some of the best looking lungs post-transplant that he has ever seen. Most of her complications are related to how her body is dealing with all of the medications she is on. She is currently struggling with some rejection which is discouraging but I know she’s a fighter. I just wish for rest for my friend as she has climbed more mountains in her life than I think most people do in their entire span of life. The best way to keep up with her progress is to visit her blog.

Because she was in the hospital, I took care of her 21 month old daughter every day which I know was a huge help to them. It is amazing what God taught me about pure service and sacrifice. I was there because God called my heart there and because of the commitment in our friendship but was able to be there for her best by caring for her family and not her. Being away from home and Daniel for those 12 days after being out of town so much in May and the beginning of June was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I knew it would be hard but was stretched emotionally, mentally and spiritually in a whole other way. Thanks for your prayers and support. And a special shout out to Crystal, Paige & Zack who brought Daniel down for a surprise visit one Saturday that had me bawling my eyes out in the middle of Subway because I was so happy to see him…and them…and him. You know what I mean. I’ve told you guys already, but seriously, Thank You! I’m blessed to have such awesome friends.

We spent a long weekend in Salt Lake City for one of Daniel’s business trips and my birthday. We thought The Great Salt Lake, mountains, outdoor sports, Olympic Park, and Mormon Tabernacle Choir would make a great weekend trip. However, we didn’t realize that by going in the middle of May, everything for winter would have just closed and everything for the summer would not have opened yet. So, I was a little disappointed in our outdoor options but we still managed to have a good time.

Salt Lake City – May 2008

The Great Salt Lake

The water was really gross and so was the walk out to the lake

Olympic Park in Park City, UT

I would be a good torch bearer, right?

I think this is what Daniel normally looks like when he skis

The Ski Jumpers Practice and a little photo stitching a la Daniel

Getting ready for the 4G Bobsled Ride

And they’re off for the 60 sec/60 mph ride

My delicious birthday dinner @ Robert Redford’s Restaurant in Park City

The Salt Lake Valley

My favorite part was on the way back from Park City when the interstate was closed down for about 10 hours. What could have been a nightmare ended up being a great detour thanks to the handy Garmin we had in the rental car. It took us through an unmaintained county ranch road with beautiful views, lots of wildlife and just an off the beaten path experience…my favorite.

No, I did not run the marathon, but Daniel did! Running and Emily just do not go together…at least it hasn’t since my knee surgery. Maybe one of these days, I’ll be inspired to make running long distances one of my goals but I have yet to have the desire. I’d rather spend 26.2 miles on a bike and my knee likes that much better too. Daniel and his brother Kirk made it a goal to do the half-marathon together and both finished under 2 hours!

Country Music Half-Marathon – April 2008 – Nashville, TN

The Runnin’ Cowboy

Three Amigos: Daniel, Drew, Kirk

I’m a proud wife

Paige is a great cheering partner & friend

The KT Family of Four

We ended the day with a cook-out at our place complete with a bonfire and s’mores. It was a very fun day!

Dave Ramsey’s November Entreleadership Event is being held in the Mexican Riviera so Daniel and some other team members had some site visits in March. We decided to go a few days early to enjoy a little Mexican vacation and because we knew neither one of us would enjoy it without each other. It was so fun, very relaxing, and an incredible treat!

The Mexican Riviera – March 2008

The flowers in our room when we arrived

Our view from our room

On the beach

Mexican coffee every morning

Staring at the ocean

Aren’t we cool? Hmmm…

Our night at the Brazilian Restaurant

We missed the show but not the pic

The classic beach pic

We missed the most important pictures, though. Daniel in the hammock and Emily in the pool lounge chair. That’s where we were if we weren’t eating or sleeping. It was the slowest paced vacation ever and exactly what we wanted and needed.

I just realized how much of this past spring I have failed to blog about so I thought I’d do a few posts to basically cover the last few months of my life in pictures. Enjoy!

242 Slumber Party – February 2008 – Location: Publix

Vogue Grocery Store Models…well almost

Yes, Nicole really is in the freezer

Linsey knows the right ice cream to get…

and how much (1 each!). I love transplanted Texans!

And what would be a good grocery store photo session

without Alexa & Nicole getting in the perfect jump.

Junior Prom – April 2008 – Alexa’s House

Don’t they look awesome! Great choices ladies!

Oh, The Kindergarten Smile. Cheese!

And the Limo!

I love you girls and am so proud of each one of you!

Today is quite a day. In many ways, it marks the ending and beginning of a season of life in more than one way. I’m heading to Birmingham for the next 12 days to help care for Emily after her lung transplant. The Big News from yesterday is that she was released to the townhouse! She will now enter the next phase of rehab (attending clinics, doctor visits, etc) for the next 6 weeks or so. Someone has to be with her 24/7 for the first 8 weeks after transplant so I’m filling in the next ’shift’ to help Jason as her mom is leaving in the morning. I’m really excited for the opportunity to do this.

One of the contributing factors in deciding to leave my full-time job was Emily’s health and that her lung transplant would probably take place within the next year. I had a strong desire and calling if you will to help them. Emily has been my closest friend for several years and a significant part of my life for about 15 years now. The fact that we live only 2.5 hours apart has been a great blessing as I’ve been easily able to visit her during the last few years of ups and downs including the miracle birth of her daughter. Wow! A lot has happened.

But back to the significance of today. I’ve been trusting the Lord with each new day to bring about His desire for me in that day and to give me the focus of what I need to be doing or not doing. It’s fairly easy when you have a “job” whether at a company, a church, as a student or as a mom, to know the tasks that you need to complete in a day and to find at least some fulfillment in completing them. Basically, because of the role in life you are in, your daily purpose or responsibilities are somewhat defined for you. I’m not saying it’s easy to do those “jobs” just that it is somewhat obvious what your overall “job” is. That has been somewhat of a struggle because my role in this world is not very defined right now. So the struggle of resting and trusting has been quite an adventure and it is always interesting to see where He leads me to give and serve and what tasks I’m given to complete.

So, I guess all of that to say three significant things. 1) Thank you Lord for being faithful in leading me through this last year and allowing me to be apart of this. 2) Daniel, thank you for walking with me, leading me, and providing for us in such a way that I have the freedom to do this 3) Emily M, thank you for allowing me to walk so closely as your friend and for giving me the opportunity to serve you this way. I know it’s hard for you to be on the receiving end so much of the time, but trust me, I’m receiving so much from you.

P.S. Happy Birthday Kelly!

Oh AT&T, what should I say to thee
Today was quite an experience
Not the least of which was all of the interference

I had a simple question
Almost not worthy of even calling
But since your website didn’t answer it
I thought I’d try my luck

Not once, twice, three, or even four
But fives times it took to transfer my call
My question not fitting
For anyone at all

The first two times
My account was most recognized
And after a simple hello
The next person would definitely know

But on to three and four
My account was NOT recognized
By your computer or techy
What were they to do with me

Apparently I was an old BellSouthee
Interesting you chose not to transfer me
Into your entire computerized system
When you merged companies

On to the fifth
It took me saying “Representative!”
SEVEN times in a row
To finally get away from the computerized voice
Gosh, she sure tried hard to keep me pressing 1, 2 or 3

And all of this to only find out that yes
I’ve actually had a FREE AT&T wifi account for the past several years
Which I could have used at Starbucks, Airports, Hospitals, etc
But you just didn’t bother to tell me
Thanks for the awesome “extra” service