Let The Tears Fall Where They May

We've had bad luck with our kids - they've all grown up. ~Christopher Morley

The days are short until I take my second born child to college. In some instances time has flown, and in others, I remember every single day that drug by at the pace of a snail. There has been no more challenging child than the sweet face you see below. I've lost my temper, my sanity and possibly my sanctification more times than I care to say. She has also brought more compassion, more sweetness and more light into our house than I can possibly share in this one post.

So, here's to you, Rebecca AKA Becca Lou, Becca, Bex...

you are more than ready to take on the world, or at least one little corner of South Texas.

Home ought to be our clearinghouse, the place from which we go forth lessoned and disciplined, and ready for life.  ~Kathleen Norris

Mocha-Filled Banana Cupcakes - Take 2

READ. INSTRUCTIONS. C-A-R-E-F-U-L-L-Y. 

Or, you will find yourself wasting time and money and food and...time!

I've been wanting to try a new cupcake recipe and this one was at the top of the list -- Mocha-Filled Banana Cupcakes. No one in my house is a big fan of mocha flavoring, so that's probably why it's taken me so long to get to them. I was in a baking mood yesterday, and my friend, Cody, was headed back to college so it seemed like the perfect time to make them as a going away gift.

Essentially you make two batters -- one banana and one mocha filling. About midway through I completely botched the recipe. I added all the liquids to the cream cheese/mocha filling instead of adding them to the flour mixture. And, there is no way to fix that except to remake everything. Of course I didn't have anymore bananas or cream cheese or buttermilk...grrrr....off to the store I go.

Now, my mother will be laughing at this next part, because in my lifetime I think I have thrown away literally thousands of pounds of bananas that ripened and didn't get eaten. Thousands. I'm not kidding. Several years ago someone (thank you, whoever you were) suggested that I freeze the bananas and use them in recipes later. Genius!! (Of course, now I have a freezer full of brown bananas. Well, not now, because they are all in the garbage from yesterday. See explanation above.) 

But, I digress. Out with the old and in with the new! Bananas, that is. The cupcakes were time-consuming even without the extra time to remake everything. And, they look really good and taste great as well. I'm not sure I would make them again based on that, but they have been made and I've got a dozen of them sitting on my counter if anyone wants to drop by.

The Bible for Practical Living

I've been studying the book of Proverbs for the last several weeks. The title of the study is "God's Answers for Today's Problems." I've always believed the Bible to be relevant to life today and not just an ancient history book so I believe that title to be true.

As I was reading in chapter 23 today, the assignment was to mark all the DO NOT'S in a particular section of verses. Now, if you know me, I do not like to be told what I can and cannot do. Even the words make me want to rebel! But this is Solomon, wise man, speaking (what God wanted him to say) so I figured I'd better hush up and listen.

As I marked each DO NOT, it came to my mind that our lives would be so much better if we would just fall in line with God's instructions. Me? I often think I have a better way. I really am a rebel at heart. I don't openly defy God's instructions. Or do I? This passage gave me pause today. What about you?

DO NOT'S from Proverbs 23:1-21:

• Do not weary yourself to gain wealth.
• Do not eat the bread of a selfish man or desire his delicacies.
• Do not speak in the hearing of a fool.
• Do not move the ancient boundary stone or go into the fields of the fatherless.
• Do not hold back discipline from the child. (Note: I like this one!) 
• Do not let your heart envy sinners. 
• Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine.

Thank you, Lord, that you can bring new truths from Your Word to us every single day.

First Day of School - Junior Year

And then there was one...one little baby bird still in the nest. Today marks the beginning of what I'm sure will be a wonderful year for Abigail. I wouldn't say she's a big fan of school as much as she is say...sleeping and watching TV? But, she is a good student and I am looking forward to what God has planned for her this year.

Her schedule: 

 English 3 AP

 Pre-Calculus

  Anatomy and Physiology

 Spanish 3 Honors

 U.S. History

Art 2

 Basketball

 Tennis

She's also a Junior class representative, which means we are going to have a very busy year going back and forth to Arlington. She will get her driver's license in February, so maybe she can start driving herself to school in the spring. I know, I know...what will I do then? Oh, I can think of a few things...

We Have A Permit

My final driver -- you have no idea how good that feels to say/type those words. Not only am I not a fan of teaching a teenager to drive, the process of getting a permit is enough to kill you. Those of you on Facebook will have come along with me on this journey as I have sarcastically posted of my dilemmas with our government agencies.

In case you are not on Facebook, here are some examples...


Post #1
My head may or may not have exploded today when the guy at the Social Security office told me my daughter's (original, stamped) birth certificate was not good enough proof of her identity to get a replacement card. Ladies and gentlemen, one of our fine government agencies at work! — 

Post #2
I am happy to report that we now have 10 of the 12 required items for Abigail's learner's permit. No, we can't use the RECEIPT for the social security card. It must be the ACTUAL CARD. Of course you can't. That would be too easy. Two more weeks... If I would have known it was going to be this difficult I would have started this process when she was 12.

Post #3
DMV -- we're going in. I have all 12 required items, 16 proofs of residence, a batch of cupcakes for bribery and a vial of blood (just in case). If I'm not out by noon, they don't get the cupcakes. 

Anyway, somehow I've managed to keep my sanity through the entire process and thanks to my smart girl, the written test has been passed and she has an official State of Texas driver's permit. Now on the to the scary part --> DRIVING!

Cupcookie Goodness

No, that title is not a typo. These delicious morsels are part cupcake and part cookie! Officially, they are chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes. Frozen balls of dough are placed in the cake batter before baking. Because they are frozen they don't bake, only warm a bit; hence, the ball of cookie dough in the center of each cupcake. I'm not a huge fan of eating raw cookie dough, but even I thought these were delicious...VERY RICH, but delicious.

Visit to Pearl Harbor

"We are now in this war. We are all in it -- all the way. Every single man, woman and child is a partner in the most tremendous undertaking of our American history." 

~ President Franklin D. Roosevelt, fireside chat, December 9, 1941

The photos shown here can in no way describe how we felt upon visiting Pearl Harbor. It was a very emotional visit as we read the names of those who died in the attack. To stand on the very ground where men sacrificed their lives was a very sobering experience. 

Monument listing the fallen, with the Battleship Missouri in the background

USS Arizona Memorial

1,770 men died on this ship

Anchor from the USS Arizona

Looking in a submarine hatch

"Acts of heroism were many that day and not all recorded." 

~ Gunner's Mate Third Class Alvin H. Bruene, USS Arizona

Luau - The Feast at Lele

The luau was by far our favorite activity that we participated in during our visit to Maui. The Feast at Lele was held in an amphitheater-type setting right off the water in Lahaina. We were treated to great food, drinks and entertainment for three hours. There were four courses of food, representing the cultural influences on Hawaii - Polynesia, Tahiti, New Zealand and Samoa. Each course had its own food and entertainment. Here's a small sampling of the evening.

As we came in we chose a drink and were given a beautiful lei, something I had wanted since we arrived on the island. We drank fresh squeezed guava juice and ate fried plaintain and purple sweet potato chips with a delicious fresh island salsa.

Polynesian Course:

Pohole Fern, Asparagus and Heart of Palm Salad

Swordfish with Mango/Pineapple Salsa

Fresh Kalu'a Pork with Poi and Cabbage

Hula Dancers

Pina Colada - delicious!

New Zealand Course:

Upcountry Greens Duck Salad with Poha Berry Vinaigrette

Harore Kumara (Roasted Mushrooms with Sweet Potato)

Kuku Patties (Fishcake with Scallops and Shrimp)

Haka, War Dance

Fire and Knife Dancer

What a wonderful evening this was. I'm guessing there won't be another like it, unless I can talk Jeff into going back to Hawaii next year. I'm going to start saving my pennies, just in case...

Hawaii Flora and Fauna

I neglected to mention in the previous post that Hawaii was going to take several blog posts. There are just too many pictures to wrap up our entire trip in one posting. Part of what makes Hawaii so beautiful, of course, is the unbelievable amount of unusual flowers and plants. The temperature was around 85 degrees with a slight breeze and no humidity that I could feel. In other words, my perfect temperature! And, that's year round. No wonder the flowers there are so showy. 

Bird of Paradise

These were everywhere in the Garden of Eden.

 Orchids growing on a tree on the golf course

Bougainvillea, which grew along the roads in hedges

I will never smell plumeria again without thinking of Hawaii. The trees are everywhere and constantly drop fragrant white petals on the ground. Glorious!

Hibiscus

A crazy bird of paradise

More plumeria

Hibiscus outside our condo

Banyan tree in Honolulu

Palms in Waikiki

Shower Tree

One of these grew by my Nanny's house when I was young. She called it a Rain Tree. I thought it was interesting that the Hawaiians called it a Shower Tree.

Red Ginger

White Ginger

I think I'll go to Bath & Body and see if I can find some plumeria lotion. Ahhhhh.....