Christmas Traditions. . . . .There's Still Time:)

JOY to the world. . . . .

it's Christmas Eve!

love came down on Christmas Eve.

TRUE love.

the birth of God's Son,

Jesus.

you know that saying "it is what it is".

well, never was that more true than on Christmas.

because we can make it about a million different things,

but it is what it is. . . . . .

a celebration of the birth of Jesus.

does that mean we can't have fun and be merry throughout the Holidays?

personally, i don't think so.

my God wants me to be joyful.

and happy.

and Christmas time makes me happy. 

as long as we never lose sight of the reason we are celebrating.

that's what i think.

i hope i'm right, at least a little bit:)

maybe you've been on top of things this Christmas season.

if so, you're my hero:)

because if you're like me,

you've been so busy,

the LAST thing you've been is on top of things.

but no worries!

there are still plenty of wonderful traditions to be done on Christmas Eve

and Christmas day.

i'm going to share a list. . . . . . .

some we have done (or still do) and some i know that others do.

so relax. . . . . .

when we're through,

you'll be right and ready with a few meaningful and joyful traditions!

in no particular order. . . . . .

1.  if you're not done wrapping, you can do something we do every year.

and it is SO much fun!

when you write on the tag the to: and from: names,

put who it is for, and for the from part, use fake names,

superhero names, favorite athletes, funny names. . . .

we do this, and it is always good for a few laughs.

plus, the person who gave the gift can always pipe up and say "it was from me".

a few examples. . . . .

my girls will be getting gifts from Tim Tebow, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, 

Pioneer Woman, Rafael Nadal (tennis player) and even Martha Stewart:)

Seriously, you can get really silly and have some fun:)

2.  if you haven't baked cookies yet, now's the time.

cause Santa gets hungry!

and you can make a "cookies for santa" plate

 with a sharpie pen if you don't already have one:)

and today is a great day to have the little ones color

a Christmas picture and take it to a neighbor, along with a few

of those yummy cookies:)

you can also grab a marked down gingerbread house kit to make today

if you haven't yet.

3.  one more thing needs to be baked.

a "Happy Birthday Jesus Cake" for tomorrow's dessert.

and the coolest thing to do, is to let the kids truly make and DECORATE it. . . . . .

their way!  no need for a professional cake with this one.

such an easy reminder of what it's all about.

4.  you can still make up some reindeer food to sprinkle on the lawn.

it's easy...uncooked oats and colored sprinkles.

trust me, if you've never done this, they're gonna LOVE it!

5.  got the new jammies all ready to go?

make them festive and matching for some great photos by the tree!

6.  read "twas the Night Before Christmas" before bed.

7.  hopefully you were able to go to church,

but if not, sing carols or watch a favorite Christmas eve movie.

ours is White Christmas, EVERY year:)

8.  you can also have game night. . . . .

anything as a family is what counts, if you ask me:)

9.  go outside and sprinkle that reindeer food on the lawn.

and if you haven't driven around and looked at lights yet,

bundle everyone up, make some hot cocoa in to-go cups and go for a ride.

my girls STILL love this!

10.  when the kiddies are all tucked in, use a bit of flour to make 

"santa's footprints" on the floor.

as long as they're still young, they'll love this!

11.  it's Christmas morning!!!!!

and they can't wait to open presents, right?

but try, try, try to read the Nativity story first.

so, so, so easy and important to do.

and then let them place baby Jesus in the manger...

signifying He is born.

12.  now this is just my opinion,

but my kids were never allowed to tear into gifts and throw them aside,

reaching for the next present right away.

a.  we took turns opening to appreciate what each other received.

b.  if the gift they open is from someone far away, 

have them hold it up and snap a picture.

makes a great thank you later on.

i just think it is so important that they learn to share in the joy 

of the rest of the family too,

and not just focus on themselves.

13.  whether you do brunch, lunch or dinner,

make something traditional.

it's so tempting to try something new every year and that's ok to a point,

but part of Holiday traditions is enjoying special dishes that you

associate with that day.

again, just my opinion:)

14.  make one of the gifts a shiny new ornament.

my daughter is turning 18 in a few weeks,

and i am gathering all of "her" ornament to give to her.

a nice start for her own tree someday or even if she doesn't use them,

some nice memories of years past:)

15.  finally, make lots of memories,

take lots of pictures,

eat TONS of food...sweets too,

play, play, play,

watch a Christmas parade from Disney World,

call family far away and spend time with those you love all day,

keep the day for your family.....

and by this i mean, TURN OFF the computer/cell phone/ipad or whatever.

and for pete's sake, don't spend the whole day on facebook, pinterest or whatever.

post a simple message and get off if you have young kids.

your family is more important than that,

and deserves your undivided attention for one day, at least.

now THAT one will get me nasty emails,

but i stand by it.

16.  and before the day is done,

have a list for thank you notes,

and when you tuck your kiddos in,

remind them of all they have to be thankful for and 

also remind them of the BEST gift they got that day,

in case they forgot.

the gift of God's Love.

Merry Christmas Eve. . . . .

from my family to yours!

xoxoxoxo

Suzanne

a beautiful miracle...

a beautiful miracle......

i bet you thought there was an inspiring story behind this.

no story.....just a few things i've learned.......

or maybe it's more like a way i know i SHOULD live

and strive for daily.

i think we can all influence others and 

leave our "marks" on the world.

some leave great big GIANT marks,

and others of us leave little bitty ones.

but we leave them none the less.

i can truly only speak for myself and say

that i hope to wake up and appreciate every day for the

beautiful miracle it is.

i don't always do that, but i try.

and by doing that,  maybe i leave my mark on the world

 and on others that day.

we all can do this.......

by taking a deep breath of fresh air and thanking God

that we are alive.

by appreciating.....

 the big AND little things.

by noticing.......

every sunset, the birds chirping on a morning walk,

smiling at the clerk in the check out line at the grocery store,

by being grateful........

for what we do have instead of complaining about what we don't have.

wishing you a beautiful, blessed, remarkable week!

XOXOXO

Suzanne

Wink, Wink...

hey y'all...Merry Christmas Eve!!!

hope all is merry and bright with you!

i'd like to tell you about this little book i'm reading,

"When God Winks at You"

by Squire Rushnell.

it isn't new...2006...but it's really good!

it would make a GREAT last minute gift for someone if you need it.

see...i'm a SIMPLE person.

one time i even had a patient tell me and a fellow nursing student that he thought

we were PRETTY nurses...but kinda simple:)

the same goes with the way i learn...

i like to keep it simple.

so when i find a book on Faith,

i especially love when it speaks to me...SIMPLY:)

here's what it's about in the author's words...

"What do Godwinks mean? Think about when you were a kid and someone you loved gave you a little wink across the dining room table...Mom or Dad or Grandma. You didn't say "What do you mean by that?" You knew. It meant: "Hey kid, I'm thinking about you right now." That's what a Godwink is too: a message of reassurance from above, directly to you, out of six billion people on the planet, saying "Hey kid...I'm thinking of you! Keep the faith! You're never alone."

 it also talks about how our life is a jigsaw puzzle.

all the pieces are there and looked at from above, they all fit.

and those little "coincidences" throughout our life weren't coincidences at all.

this isn't a new concept to many of us.

but it may be to some...

so to them, THIS IS FOR YOU.

ever had a "strong gut feeling" 

or felt that "someone is trying to tell you something?"

as a believer, i don't think it's my gut talking:)

but let me tell you about a few "winks" i caught recently.

one i already spoke about happened after my daughter's

performance in the Nutcracker,

when a relative stranger reassured me that my dad did see the whole performance,

with a smile on his face and a gleam in his eye.

you can read more about that HERE.

something else happened shortly after my dad passed.

my sister welcomed a new grandbaby into this world.

i think baby Lathan Leo (named after my dad and his great grandpa)

arrived just a few days after my dad went to Heaven.

well, my sister didn't even know he was to be named after my dad.

it was a last minute change...and what a precious one.

she told me that her first thought, and what she said to my mom,

was that she wished my dad had been able to hold this little boy.

then, it occurred to her, that he DID.

he held this baby close before God delivered it to earth.

he cuddled it and kissed it's soft cheek before sending it to all of us.

now that baby has some mighty big and wonderful shoes to fill.

maybe my dad whispered some words of wisdom in his ear:)

see...i said i was simple.

but i think many in this world are.

and they want to believe...have faith...

but sometimes it seems so out of reach.

but it isn't.

God is right there.

giving winks and signs to let you know which way to go.

so what do you say...

ever received a wink from God?

i'd love to hear about it if you did!

now don't forget to get a copy of this book.

speaking of jigsaw puzzles,

we'll be starting our Christmas puzzle tomorrow

for my dad, the puzzle king.

bless and BE blessed, my friends!

XOXOXOXOX

Suzanne

Chapter 2..."It Should Have Been Me"

I found out I had MS on Friday, July 2...
and these were the words my husband said to me later that night.
"It should have been me".

Very similar to the words my Mom said when I told her...
She said "I'm old...I wish I could take it from you".

But it doesn't work that way,
This thing we call life.
I've always told my girls "you get what you get".
But I never meant this.
I meant what color straw you get or what prize is in a happy meal.
This is no happy meal!
I've got it and I can't give it away.
If only, right? ;)

Anyway, as I walked out of the dr's office that morning to find my husband and daughter in the waiting room (they already knew too),
everything changed for us.
Suddenly, mommy had a problem.
Usually I'm the one helping them with their problems.
Now I'm carrying a stack of books to teach me about my new companion for life...Multiple Sclerosis.

I remember seeing this sad, knowing look on my husband's face and tears on Jordie's face.
(Poor girl...and here she thought she was going to tennis!)
And I knew Taylor would be calling that night from her ballet school in Maine
to find out the results of my tests.
I thought to myself..."this is the hard part. I can handle anything but what about my girls?"
After lots of tears, hugs and reassurances (even through the phone;)
We started doing what had to be done.

First a few phone calls.
I also told my girls from the beginning that this was nothing to be ashamed of, that we did nothing wrong, and they should feel free to tell their friends if they wanted to.
We all need support and for a teenage girl, their support is often their friends...and each other!






So, what next?
Well, that afternoon was the first of 5 days of IV steroid treatments at the hospital. As I drove in to the hospital parking lot and parked in the space reserved for outpatients, that's when I burst into tears.




Me...at the hospital? But hospitals are for SICK people, not people like me!
But into the hospital I went for my first IV.
Have you ever heard of a transfusion center? I hope you never do.
That's where I had to go for my IV but worse than that, that's where outpatient chemo is done. I think that's when I knew for sure how fortunate I was. It could have been worse
Much worse!!!
Don't get me wrong, MS is no picnic.
There is no cure.
It still stumps the medical community in many ways, although they have made some progress and continually work for more.
But it is sneaky and stealthy...and you ALWAYS have it with you.
Some days the symptoms are not so bad, some days they're worse.
But it doesn't go away.
You may have no signs of MS for years and you may have LOTS of trouble within a year.
There is no single path it takes...and it isn't the same for two people.

But back to that first few days.
There were sleepless nights.
(you don't sleep on steroids)
Lots of cuddle time with my family




(and while I tried not to sound like it on the phone, I missed Taylor terribly. When she offered to come home, it was all I could do to say no when I really wanted to say yes. But she was where she was supposed to be, you know?)




Let's see...what else did steroids give me...
Tons of energy...
I started a new blog (which I haven't done anything with) started a book (let that go too), planned a trip to Europe, started to think of ways to raise money...(tutus and cupcakes)





AND awareness for MS...one of the "silent" diseases and I ATE.
Hey, steroids make you hungry!!!;)
That first weekend Jordie made Taylor's famous Veggie pizza (yum!)







and I casually mentioned that pineapple upside down cake sounded good so
Voilà...my husband made me a cake.







Ask me how long that lasted around here;)
Steroids, you know. haha

After the first round of IV's, I took to wearing long sleeves.
In July.
In Florida.
Because I could tell that it bothered my girl to see an IV port and my arms looked like this..(actually, they got much worse but who needs to see that. Apparently I bruise easily. And don't you love the iv cover I made up? a tye-dyed sock!







Not horrible but for a scared 13 year old girl...just too much, too soon.
Kind of like the arms of a drug addict, I know.
I now have an idea of how they feel.
After 5 days of steroids, they took me off...cold turkey.

Yikes...can you say addicted?
Because I crashed and went into withdrawal big time!
I mean, I was bawling when my husband came home from work,
Couldn't talk to Taylor to tell her goodnight because I didn't want to upset her by bursting into tears, started making a list of things I needed to do and teach my girls in the next year, as if that was all I had, freaked out at how puffy my knees got overnight and called the dr's office begging to go get more IV steroids because I felt better then.
If that doesn't sound like an addict...
The nurse thought so too, so they called in oral steroids to "wean" me off.
They don't always need to do that but apparently I'm one of those people.
Now we know...for next time.

So what comes next?
Well, the fine art of learning to live with MS.
That's what comes next...
Getting on with Life.
Not crying about it...well, not too much anyway.
Lots of praying about it though!

But that's all for another chapter...another day.
I needed to get this one in before Pink Saturday tomorrow.
The theme is an inspirational story and I have a few of those.
Don't worry, I'll do my best to make it short and sweet.
I'll do my best...but don't count on it;)
And by the way...the Barn Chicks day is NEXT Friday, not today.
Sorry about that!

Okay well, if you stayed with me through all of this, thank you and have a great weekend. And I'm sorry it was sooooo long.

Also, please remember, one of the reasons I am doing this is there is somebody out there who just found out they have ms or think they do. Hopefully they have somebody to talk to but if not, I'm here!

And to my husband who wishes it were him and not me and to my mom who wishes she could take it from me, I love you for that.
Thanks anyway!
As much as you would like to, you can't have it.
God gave it to me.
I don't know why but he does.
So we just have to have faith, trust, hope...
and courage.
But I will let you help me through it.
Because I'm sure every once in awhile, I'll need a little help;)

Something's Wrong with Me...Chapter 1-...

Okay...all of my wonderful friends have said

it's okay if I tell my story here...

on my little blog...

so it's time I started...

because there may be someone who needs this...

and I need to get my thoughts together...

IF that is possible.

I know this is not for everyone,

so in each title regarding the new road I am on,,,

I will include "chapter..." so you will know...

and can stay away if you like. 

I understand, 

really, I do!

And since I love fairytales...I'll start with

"Once upon a time"...

in the hot summer month of June,

2 weeks before we had to 

leave and take Taylor to a 6 week summer ballet program

in Maine,

I started feeling kind of weird...

The kind of feelings you brush off.

I did just that...until I couldn't any longer.

First, I had a kind of numbness/tingling in my right foot...

which spread to my lower leg,

then my right hand and arm...and finally the right side of my face.

Kind of like when you go to the dentist and they numb you

and then when you are home and the numbness is starting to wear off.

Except this went on and on.  

I wasn't in pain...

I just felt weird.

So what???

And did I mention I was sometimes tired?

I mean, stop everything and crawl in bed for a deep sleep kind of tired?

Even though I haven't worked in years,

my background is in nursing.

And my husband runs hospitals...

so between the two of us, we have just enough medical knowledge

to be dangerous:)

By that I mean, with the help of the Internet and what little I

remembered. I came to a conclusion early on...

I have MS.

Either that or a brain tumor.

I wasn't being a hypochondriac...

just putting 2 and 2 together according to my symptoms.

(Just so you know...my doctor did the same math)

One night, Jordan was at a sleepover when my husband

came home to find me in tears in our room. 

I can cry easy...

but at silly things.

This was very unusual!

And I have no doubt that it was the first time that it scared my husband.

I thought Taylor was in her room packing,

so I sobbed and told him I thought I had MS...or worse...

a brain tumor or something else.

He just listened,

gave me a hug...

and said "You don't have MS.

It isn't in the family and you're just stressed out right now

with Taylor leaving for 6 weeks.

And you don't have a brain tumor."

These were all words I wanted to hear...

but I knew weren't true. 

I heard them a lot from many people...

many people trying to reassure me and maybe themselves.

But deep down, I knew.

knew it was something.

Then I turned around...

and saw Taylor standing there...

hearing every word...

seeing her mama crying and scared...

and thinking something was very wrong.

That was when I started trying to joke about it...

and to reassure others...

when I needed to be reassured.

But I had to do it for my daughter who

just wanted to hear that everything was alright.

I wasn't trying to think the worst.

I try to stay positive.

But I do believe in facing the truth...

being prepared...and preparing others.

So this is why many of you heard me say I thought I had MS.

But I tried not to dwell on it.

Hard to do when one whole side is numb and you can't chew 

on the right side because you're afraid

you will chomp down on your tongue or the inside of your cheek.

But I managed to eat, don't worry:)

The night before we went on our girls weekend

to Kennebunkport before dropping Taylor off,

I didn't sleep.

Not one bit!

I kept telling myself it was because we had such an early flight...

but truthfully my mind was racing...

and my legs were restless.

Sleep??? Not a chance!

All I could think of was that something was wrong...

and was it smart to travel?

No...but I'm not often accused of being overly smart:)

Only  a handful of people knew what was happening...

and their advice was to relax, go, have fun with my girls...

and it would be okay.

So I went,

had a fabulous time with my girls...

fell in love with coastal Maine...

and knew something was wrong.

I was still numb.

AND I fell twice...

I mean fell big time!

The kind of fall that when a kid sees it...and sometimes us too...

you can't help but burst out laughing.

(After you see they're okay, of course)

I scraped and bruised both palms...

ME...the person with great balance.

I know how to ski, rollerblade, 

and I can still at least stand up on a skateboard.

I fell twice...

and later learned this was a BIG clue to my doctor.

So when I talked to my husband that night,

I told him I wanted...

no NEEDED to see a neurologist.

I knew that he had ways of finding out who would be best for me to go to...

and he could get me in as soon as I got home.

Because I just knew...

That weekend was about fun.

Fun with my girls...

a chance to get away from Florida in the Summer...

time to be together.

They knew I wasn't my usual self...

but we didn't dwell on it at all.

Although I did make sure they were somewhat prepared...

and made sure they knew that no matter what,

I loved them and we would all be okay.

I remember the day we were at Kennebunkport Beach

climbing over rocks and searching for sea glass.

Looking at the dark blue water,

I prayed...

and prayed...

You see, deep down, I already knew.

So yes, I prayed that this was something silly...

that I had moved one too many pieces of furniture to paint...

but I also prayed for strength...

because I could tell I was going to need it.

For me...and for those who care about me.  

We were going to need it.

I was not for one minute negative or "doom and gloom".

I believe God had already given me a sense of peace.

I tried not to act as if this was our last trip together 

because I knew it wasn't.

But I would be lying if I didn't tell you that I was still scared...

worried that I might not be climbing these rocks again.

I know...be positive.

And I am truly trying.

But there was a part of me that wanted to be real.

That just wanted to know for sure what was wrong.

Because I didn't feel right.

I remember praying...

asking God to take this away and make me feel good again...

I mean, I have never asked for much.

I want to be there for my husband, my girls...

I want to take long walks on the beach and

long walks with my dogs.

This is what I told the doctor, too...

"Please, just keep me walking."

I remember praying that if this turned out as I thought it might,

to let me be a voice to help others.

At least I could do that.

And I wanted to be an example to my girls...

because life is anything but "fair"...

at least in our eyes.

And when they are faced with a bump in the road...

that they follow my example.

To know that God is with them on their path...

to know that people care...

to know that they can go on with faith and a smile on their face...

And they can get over that bump in the road.

They might not know what is on the other side...

but they can do it.

On that note, I think I should stop.

I know this is long.

Next time I promise to get to the point.

It's more the medical side anyway...

doctor's, diagnosis, hospitals, treatments...

good stuff like that:)

Please remember my intention is not to bore...

but to record my journey...

and hopefully help or inspire someone else facing something similar.

None of us knows what the future holds.

After all, these aren't our bodies, are they?

Never take things for granted...

and never stop believing in happy endings.

I haven't given up.

This is still so new to me.

I'm still praying...

for strength and yes

...a miracle.

Because as we know,

"With God, all things ARE possible".

XOXO

Suzanne

Sea glass, Whoopie Pies and God...

Okay, I know what you're thinking...
How can God be in a sentence with whoopie pies???
Well, read on, my friends...

If you read my post yesterday, you know that my mermaid girls and I
spent a long weekend in Kennebunkport Maine.
I posted a ton of pictures yesterday...
but didn't go into detail about a few highlights of the trip...
which is where sea glass, whoopie pies and God come in:)

let's start with Sea glass...


I think it is safe to say that this mermaid mom and her girls LOVE
Sea Glass!


Always have, always will.
Finding a piece of sea glass is like finding treasure for us...
a very rare collectible.
At least here in south Florida.
Sea glass is made when pieces of broken glass are tossed around in the sea
and are weathered by sand, salt and water.
We spent an entire morning up in Maine,
climbing the rocks, walking the beach...
and searching for sea glass.
And we found it!


OH HAPPY DAY!!!
Some were more weathered than others but we're not picky:)
Taylor especially was the sea glass queen that day!


But Jordie did manage to find some beautiful pieces too, as well as
mini lobsters and starfish:)


We found green, blue, white, brown, yellow and orange sea glass.


I never even knew it came in those colors!
I would go back tomorrow just to walk along those rocks and look for more sea glass.
(Oops...I said that yesterday, didn't I? well, I really mean it:-)

Yes, I admit to being a bit of a sea glass snob...
finding the real thing beats buying a copy any day...
but I do understand desperation! haha

There are such creative people out there who make beautiful jewelry
from Sea glass...
like this...

(photo courtesy of creations by Robyn flickr)

In fact, we have a few pieces we are going to turn into jewelry too!
So if you go to Maine,
find yourself a beach...


preferably a rocky one or one with coves...
and when you find a piece of pretty sea glass...
don't be shy!
Show it off and shout "it's a Sea Glass kind of day!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whoopie Pies...
or should I say "wicked good" whoopie pies...
which is what they say in Maine to mean...
as good as it gets!
Wicked Good...


So what in the heck are whoopie pies?
Well, in a nutshell, they are a phenomena in Maine and I think other areas of New England...
(like I would know, huh?)
Anyway, they originated in Pennsylvania Amish Country.
According to lore,
they were baked by Amish women and put in their farmer husband's
lunchbox.
When he opened his lunch to find a whoopie pie,
the farmer shouted "WHOOPIE".
People living in Maine have been known to say they were weaned on whoopie pies:)

They are basically two round pieces of cake with a creamy filling to make a sandwich.
Some say they are like a giant oreo.
Mmmmmm...
The original and most popular are chocolate, but you can now find them in different flavors,
such as pumpkin, red velvet and banana.
Here are a few recipes, courtesy of whoopie pies.org and cooks.com.
Now personally, and I know real whoopie pie aficionados will not appreciate this,
I have a feeling they would be just as good filled with your favorite sweetened, light fluffy frosting.
But again, what do I know anyway:)

Original Whoopie Pies

WHOOPIE PIE:

2 c. sugar
3/4 c. shortening
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 c. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
10 tbsp. cocoa
4 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. soda
Pinch of salt
FILLING:

1 1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. confectioners sugar
12 tbsp. marshmallow fluff
2 tsp. pure vanilla

Cream shortening and sugar. Combine beaten eggs, milk and vanilla and beat into creamed mixture. Slowly stir sifted dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, and beat on medium speed about 2 minutes. Drop with tablespoon onto greased and floured cookie sheet (enough dough to make a baked cookie about 2 to 2 1/2 inches). Bake at 350 degrees until cookie just springs back when pressed in center with finger. Remove to rack and cool completely before filling.Combine fluff, shortening, and vanilla and beat until well mixed. Slowly add confectioners sugar until well mixed. Place a generous amount on the flat side of one cookie and top with another cookie. Makes about 2 dozen whoopie pies.

These store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator and also freeze well.
All Recipes from Cooks.com. Please visit them for many more.

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Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Fluffy cream cheese filling sandwiched between two moist pumpkin cookies make these Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies the perfect hand-held snack you just won't be able to resist!

COOKIES:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or line four baking sheets with parchment paper.COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in large mixer bowl on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin and vanilla extract; beat until smooth. Stir in flour mixture until combined. Drop by heaping measuring teaspoons onto prepared baking sheets. (A total of 72 cookies are needed for the recipe.)

BAKE for 10 to 13 minutes or until springy to the touch. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

CREAM CHEESE FILLING:

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

BEAT cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until light and fluffy.SPREAD a heaping teaspoon of filling onto flat side of one cookie; top with flat side of second cookie to make a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Store in covered container in refrigerator.

Estimated Times: Preparation - 20 minutes; Cooking - 10 minutes.

Yields 3 dozen mini pies.(c) 2009 Nestle,

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Chocolate Whoopie Pies

PIES:

2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
1 cup cocoa
2 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs (save the egg whites for the filling)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup sour milk or buttermilk
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour

Cream sugar and shortening together in a large bowl. Add eggs and mix. Sift dry ingredients together and add to the creamed mixture alternatively with milk. Batter will be stiff. If it is too thin, add more flour. Drop by tablespoon onto greased sheets. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the cookies comes out clean.FILLING:2 egg whites
1 box 10X sugar
1 cup shortening
4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat egg whites till stiff. Add shortening and vanilla and blend. Add milk and then add the sugar. Beat until smooth. Spread some filling on the bottom side of one cookie; top with a second cookie. Repeat with the remaining cookies and filling. Store in the refrigerator or freezer. Yields approximately 5 dozen.Note: You can buy a powdered buttermilk mix to make your own buttermilk or you can substitute 1 cup yogurt for either the buttermilk or sour milk. To make sour milk, place 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or vinegar) and fill with milk to make 1 cup. Let stand for 5 minutes.

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Banana Whoopie Pies

4 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. shortening
2 c. sugar
2 lg. eggs
2 c. mashed extra ripe bananas
1/2 c. sour milk or buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine and cream together shortening and sugar. Add and beat thoroughly eggs, bananas, sour milk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients gradually, beating after each addition.Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls on lightly greased and floured baking sheet 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake 8-15 minutes, depending on size of until they spring back to touch in 350 degree oven. Remove to wire rack to cool. Frost as for other whoopie pies.

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Okay...
we've covered sea glass and whoopie pies.
Now before I talk about God,
I should say that I am NOT a Bible teacher,
I am NOT a gifted speaker
and I DO NOT have all the answers.
I only know what I know...
from growing up in a Christian home and growing up in church.
And I write on my blog about things that are meaningful to me...
and might be to somebody else.
That's it.

If you want a blog with an inspirational, knowledgeable speaker...
who really know what they are talking about...
I can introduce you to a few...
like my friends Trudy or Courtney.
Now they can teach...and speak...and pray!

Praying...or speaking to God
is what this is about.
I'm no expert...
and I am NOT one of those people who can pray a long, beautiful, perfectly worded prayer.
Not even close.
But I don't think it matters.

I think little kids get it but not all of us.

For years I have heard my youth directors, ministers and
speakers on TV say that to speak to God does NOT always have to mean on your knees
saying the same old prayers. (those are good too:)
That God WANTS a closeness with us every minute, every day.

Every time I hear that, I think..."Why don't I remember that as I am driving down the
road for the umpteenth time of the day???"
But I don't.
This came to me as I was climbing over rocks by the shore,
searching for sea glass treasure,
staring out at the beauty of the day, the rocky coast,
the deep blue sea.

By this time we were a ways down the beach,
away from the crowd,
my girls busy on their own treasure hunt.
In my mind, I started to remark at the beauty of everything,
including this special time spent with my girls...
my gratefulness for moments like this...
and other thoughts (prayers)
and found myself sharing this with God.
Suddenly I understood what these speakers had been trying to teach all my life...
that starting the day with prayer, praying for those in need, saying good night prayers were
all very important.
But it was the little moments that God wanted to be a part of, too.

I can't even begin to tell you how at peace I felt that morning,
searching for sea glass,
marveling at the sweet little starfish, lobsters and even a sea urchin...
and sharing my finds with not only my girls...
but with God.
(And I can tell you "peace" is the last thing I was feeling as we headed out
on this adventure.)

But peace, gratitude, wonder and appreciation were what I found.

See...I told you I don't know much...
and I have no doubt this could have been said much better by some of you...
but this is how it was that morning, between God and Me...
just hanging out on the rocks...
and talking.

By the way, did you notice the comment yesterday by "Blondes in the Kitchen"?
That comment was from my Taylor who is away at ballet boot camp:)
Here it is...hope you don't mind Taylor.
I just couldn't help myself.
I'm so proud of you!
Blondes in the Kitchen said... Hi Mama,
I think that Kennebunkport is one of the best places to ever visit and live!!
I loved this blog post almost as much as I love devouring those whoopie pies. :)
Miss you all much!

Love,
Taylor xoxo

So that's how Sea Glass, Whoopie Pies and GOD
find their way into the same blog post.

And while we talk about prayer,
please remember my special friend Mollye and her beautiful family.
Mollye lost her much loved son Jake to a tragic accident this week. If you get a moment,
please stop by her blog and let her know you are thinking of her.
I promise that not only will your visit mean so much to her,
but you will have a new friend for life in Mollye!
XOXOXOXOXO
Suzanne

P.S. Mom, I realized recently you can't hear the music I put on my blog with a post.
This made me so sad, so I will try to remember to tell you what
is playing so you can tie it to the post, if I think it is something
you would like.
Like today...
it starts with Emery's favorite song,
"Everything is Beautiful"
and then "Ordinary Miracles".
Appropriate, don't you think?