Coffee and the Word

Last night, a friend and I made our own caramel coffee syrup.  I am happy to say that our diy adventure was a success.  I orginally got the idea from A Beautiful Mess.  Their blog is amazing, so please go check it out.  For the little jar that we made I halved the recipe.  I'm so excited to put this in my coffee tonight or use it for a last minute Christmas gift.

1 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of caramel syrup

Place water and sugar in a boiler over low/medium heat until sugar is dissolved.  Once dissolved, add caramel syrup.  Stir until well combined.  You can use different kinds a syrups for different flavors or make vanilla with 1/4 tsp. of extract.  Get creative.

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:37-39

Free Time

One of my favorite parts about Christmas break is having absolutely nothing to do.  I'm really not sure how I'm going to function in the real world because I really enjoy being my own boss.  Hey Katherine, would like to Pinterest all day?  Why sure, boss!  What about a two hour bubble bath?  If you insist.  I get a whole month of doing whatever my little heart desires.  It's pure magic!  Sadly, this will be my last time to do this.  Real world is fast approaching and for some reason real world doesn't like it when I get "me" time.  Selfish, I know!  Anyway, I've been soaking up every minute of this free time and I've only been home a total of 5 days.  Five days of pure bliss.  I'm pretty sure my schedule includes Pinterest, hot baths, blogs, holiday movies, etc.  All day, ereday.  Lately, I've gotten some time to be around my hometown friends.  My favorite thing about being with them is that we always involve food somehow into our gatherings.  If there is anything I like more than free time, it is food.  Can I get an amen?

that's coffee/chocolate, cake batter, and peppermint ice cream, my friends.

 

 

foxes pizza for the win.

why yes, I do enjoy pineapple on my pizza.

 

Sweet Sixteen

 

 

Happy Birthday! 

My sister, Madeline, turned sixteen today.  This only means one thing.  We're twins!  Because I can't possibly be much older than her.  It was only yesterday when I was begging for a new cell phone and learning how to drive.  Sad truth: I'm a senior in college, staring the real world in its ugly face.  Anyway, I'm glad my family came together to celebrate Macy's life.  Cool fact: I call my sister Macy.  I don't know why.  It just rolled off my tongue one day when I was trying to call her Mae (the rest of my family calls her Mae) and it just stuck.  I can't believe she is sixteen.  Our age difference is slowly getting shorter and shorter.  Soon we will be those middle-aged sisters fighting the crowds together on Black Friday for the best deals.  Or making each other casseroles and junk.  For now, let's just watch movies together.  I'm not ready to grow up.

Cracked

But now, O Lord,

You are our Father;

We are the clay, and You our potter;

And all we are the work of Your hand.

Isaiah 64:8

Here is a little more elaboration on my vase, vessel, pot obsession.  I've had a really hard last two years.  Really hard.  One day I might can share that here but not today.  If you are really interested, you can ask me about it.  Isaiah 64:8 kept sneaking it's way into my life.  I am mere clay.  He is the Potter.  If you are familiar with throwing pots on a wheel, you know how beautiful this analogy is.  Clay on a wheel is wet and gooey and nasty.  Sound familiar?  Can my life get any more disgusting?  My thoughts.  My actions.  Everything.  Let's just say my life doesn't always point to Christ.  Yet, Christ's hands are wrapped around me at every point in my life.  Through every hard moment.  Through every season of joy.  He is always there.  My life may be spinning out of control from my perspective like that of a potter's wheel but He is shaping me into who He wants me to become.  He makes each one of us unique to serve a different purpose for His glory.  If we so choose to accept Him, He then pours His Spirit into us.  Because of His love for us, we get to the privileged of being used by Him for His glory.  And let me tell you, that's amazing stuff.     

Susie Q

Does anyone remember that Backstreet Boys' song "What Makes You Different"?  The song proceeds to let me girls know that what makes them different, makes them beautiful.  Much better than singing about how insecurities are attractive.  Cough cough.  One Direction.  Anywho, this got me thinking about quirks.  I love that word.  Especially since it starts with a "q" and I love words that start with a "q".  See what I did there?  That is a quirk.  So I've compiled my own list of my special quirks to share with you.  So generous and entertaining, I know.


1.  I carry my passport with me wherever I go.  In fact, I grabbed it when I packed for Christmas break because you never no when you will have to leave the country at a minutes notice.  I am prepared to hop a plane at all times.  Apparently this isn't normal. 

2.  I love foxes!  I don't know why.  I just love how they are orange and have little whiskers and snouts.  They are the cutest.

3.  I wear matching pajama sets to bed.  I call them jam-jams.  My favorite set happens to be pink with peppermints on them.  I wear them all year long.  Pajamas know no season.

4.  I have a stuffed animal.  He is a opossum.  I named him Alan.

5.  I want to travel all day, everyday.  This might be a reason I carry my passport everywhere.  I'm not ready to settle.  I'm ready to explore.

6.  I seriously want to live out of an RV.  It's an Airstream love story.  Baby, just say yes.

7.  I also want to be a tour guide.  I don't know why.  I just think it would be a fun job to show people around a part of the world that you are in love with.  At least for just a short spell of my life.  I also can't wait to wear one of those headband microphone thingys.

8.  I choose lipstick over lip gloss any day.  I especially like red lipstick.  Or bright pink.  Besides, lip gloss is sticky.  Who wants to put goo on their lips?  Not me.  I've also never worn chap stick.  Knock on wood.

9.  My favorite food of all time is egg rolls.  Any kind of egg roll but especially the vegetable kind.  If you want to win my heart, buy me a platter of egg rolls.  No, seriously you can.  I took some to a party once.

10.  I have this thing with pots.  No, not marijuana.  I like images of vases and jars and little pots.  I like what they symbolize to me.  It reminds me that my Father is the potter and I am the clay.  When my world is spinning like clay on a potter's wheel, His hands are around me.  He is shaping me into what He wants me to be.  It also symbolizes how He uses us as vessels.  He pours His Spirit into us and allows us to be a part of His great work.  Amen sistah.  


Speaking of weird people, I have this friend named Jessica.  She has a problem.  She cleaned out her car today.  This is just smidgen of what came out of it.

Sistah girl gotta problem.

I'm Boss-ay

     Okay, so I've been a major bloggy blogger jerk lately.  Not that I think many people actually take the time out of their day to read this.  I just wish I was a bit more stable in posting.  But, hey, I gotta life to live!  I have so much to share in these next few daze.  I'm closing out 2012 like a boss.  It was a year of many firsts for me.  I plan on posting tomorrow which means sometime before thirteen.  I, however, feel an obligation to share these photo updates with you before anything else.  I hate obligations. 

Wanna hear what other things I can do like a boss? 

Ask me how I drug the Christmas tree out of the dorm.  Lights, topper, and all.

Foxy Momma

sometimes you just need a fox sweater.