Because You Asked

Because I have had several friends ask for the recipe of my Homemade granola bars....I'm posting it for them and you today.  They are a great addition to a packed lunch or an after school treat.  Something I don't always have the time to do...but this week I did.  Enjoy!

 

Granola Bars

Bring to boil:

1 1/4 cup corn syrup

1 cup brown sugar

 

Then add:

1 cup heaping creamy peanut butter

 

After peanut butter melts into mixture, add:

2 cups mini marshmallows

 

Remove from heat & add:

4 cups oatmeal

3 cups Rice Krisipies

 

Grease 9 X 13 (or larger pan if you want them thin) and put 1/2 of granola mixture in pan.  Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips (I skip this step...because I'm such a "health nut" ha ha ha) Put the rest of the mixture on top and press until flat.  {like Rice Krispie Treats} Sprinkle with mini M & M's or mini chocolate chips on top. 

 Speaking of after school I found these pictures when I uploaded the granola bar picture.  This is Donovan & Suzy as we are all waiting for the last of our kids to come home on the first day of school.  Donovan is like a little kid when it comes to this mega phone.  He hooked up his iPhone to the mega phone by some "cord" and had Justin Beiber playing when Isabella walked up the drive. 

Mainly because our kids all think Justin is......well.....not their type of music.  As a middle schooler Isabella was tormented by her dad playing music and talking on the mega phone as she walked from the bus stop.   {Don't worry-the bus and the other kids getting off the bus were long gone} William and I may have been break dancing in the drive as she walked up.  Just for a fun embarrassing factor.  It doesn't take much to get her "feathers" ruffled. 

Didn't realize Donovan got this picture.  But this is my {apology for embarrassing her} welcome home  hug.

Ahhhh....I love her.  She reminds me of myself when I was in 7th grade.  Only I got embarrassed by my parents big brown maxi van that had lots of rust and a loud muffler.   HA HA HA.  I remember asking my mom to drop me off down the block from school.  :) I'm pretty sure it's pretty common for this age to embarrass easily...right?

Black Bean Hummus

Black Bean Hummus

1 clove of garlic (I love garlic...and use 3 cloves)
1 (15 oz) can black beans (drain and reserve liquid)
2 TBS. lemon juice
1 1/2 TBS. Tahini (at health food stores)
3/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika

Process everything in blender with 2 TBS. of bean liquid.  Add more liquid if needed.  Add toasted pita bread & magazine.  Enjoy!

7 X 70

The 1st day of school was a success!!!  Everyone came home so excited about their teachers and it was so fun to hear about their days!!  William said, "MOM!!! MY TEACHER IS SO NICE!"  And Jack said pretty much the same thing, "MOM, I LOVE SCHOOL again!  My teacher is so nice to us." Awww....pitter patter.  I love to hear those kind of reports.  Suzy had a good day too and was all smiles, but said that there was one boy who kept getting in trouble and had to put his head on the table TWO TIMES!  Made an impression on her little mind. :) 

So this year I have 4 children in 3 different schools.....SO....I have 3 drop-offs in the morning.  When taking my 2 youngest to school at their elementary building.....I noticed that my friend in front of me in the drop off line ~having her daughter {that goes to the same school as Jack} get out to go and hop on the "connecting bus" that will take students needing a ride over to the Intermediate School building (4th & 5th grade building) to their school.

I told Jack, "HEY! You could ride the connecting bus!! That would save me time and gas!!" Which he responded, "Nah! I don't really want to.  I won't know anyone.  I probably won't get an assigned seat next to anyone I know.... Isabella didn't like when she had to ride that connecting bus...."

ARGHHHH!!!  MY KIDS AND TRYING NEW THINGS!!  I told him...."Well you would know Cassie"  To which he responded...."Yeah, But she probably sits with her friends--that are GIRLS."

I told Jack, "Well maybe sometime you could just give a try!"
And then I dropped it.

And then he noticed as we were dropping off the younger 2 a couple of the new songs I put on my iPod that was playing over the sound system in the van.  To which I figured he would complain...because they were some worship songs on forgiveness.  Something God's working on my with right now.

Anyways....Jack is more the upbeat song kinda guy.  He loves music and esp. electronics & iPods.  I just didn't figure this was his genre.  [Still working on the glass is 1/2 full mentality with this one.]  But when 7 X 70 came on he said he wants this song on his iPod too!  I said, "Really?" How do you know this song Jack?"
"Because we learned about it in music class last year."
"Really?  Who is the artist?"  {Wanting to know if he really knew what he was talking about..}
So he replied, "It's Chris August.  He had a really hard childhood and he's singing about his life right now.  His parents used to fight a lot.  This must have been really emotional for him to sing this, right mom?" 
WOW! The heart strings pulled!!  And all of a sudden from behind my sunglasses I had "something in my eye" syndrome!
It opened up a conversation about forgiveness and what God asks us to do. 
And just like that we arrived at his school, and after he kissed me good-bye, he says, "Time to rock and roll." I love his sense of humor and colorful ways of putting things.

Man I humbled by this job.  It moves me to see them develop and at the same time the things that God develops in me.  To have these little snippets of time that all too soon will be gone.  Something I was irritated about {him not riding a bus} turning to a really special little conversation. 

Thank you Mrs. Cinamon Short for being my kids' favorite music teacher!  Thank you for introducing them to Chis August, and for the way you love your job and students.  Thank you for the ways you teach them to get interested in the musicians you study.  You are an amazing lady making an amazing difference in so many lives.

{Photo borrowed from facebook}

In case you haven't heard the song....

"7x70"

I've been living in this house here
Since the day that I was born
These walls have seen me happy
But most of all they've seen me torn

They've heard the screaming matches
That made a family fall apart
They've had a front row seat
To the breaking of my heart

7 times 70 times
I'll do what it takes to make it right
I thought the pain was here to stay
But forgiveness made a way

7 times 70 times
There's healing in the air tonight
I'm reaching up to pull it down
Gonna wrap it all around

I remember running down the hallway
Playing hide and seek
I didn't know that I was searching
For someone to notice me

I felt alone and undiscovered
And old enough to understand
Just when I'm supposed to be learning to love
You let me doubt again

7 times 70 times
I'll do what it takes to make it right
I thought the pain was here to stay
But forgiveness made a way

7 times 70 times
There's healing in the air tonight
I'm reaching up to pull it down
Gonna wrap it all around

I lost count of the ways you let me down
But no matter how many times
You weren't around
I'm all right now

God picked up my heart and helped me through
And shined a light on the one thing
Left to do
And that's forgive you

I forgive you

7 times 70 times
If that's the cost I'll pay the price

7 times 70 times
I'll do what it takes to make it right
I thought the pain was here to stay
But forgiveness made a way

7 times 70 times
There's healing in this house tonight
I'm reaching up to pull it down
Gonna wrap it all around

Yeah, I'm gonna wrap it all around

I've been living in this house here
Since the day that I was born

The School Bell Rings.....

 Ahhhh...The school bell has rang for 2012....and I'm caught in the middle of a little sadness and somersaults.  Sadness for the days of sleeping in and goin' to the pool....sadness for wanting to freeze some of these people in time...because of all the preciousness.  AND then just a little bit of somersaults because this last week somethings been brewing in the kids.....

Kinda a mix between them being excited and maybe a little nervous....and all the energy of something new on the horizon comin' up.  They were a whirlwind of craziness the last week.  Drivin' me nuts!  Love um'  I DO LOVE THEM.  But man they were restless. 

 

William starting 3rd grade with the teacher that Isabella had in 3rd grade, Mrs. Blotkamp.  Love her and her patience with her students.  Love her sweet spirit.  So excited for what I see developing in William.  And the poor thing just before this picture was taken....he had "something in his eye" syndrome.  Bless his heart for trying not to cry.  He didn't even let a tear fall but I saw the eyes filling up.  Just a little bit of jitters about going back to school this year. 

  I think he recovered very well. 

 And Suzy has the 1st grade teacher that William had.  We Love Mr. Longacher.  Love how he keeps the classroom in order and speaks with such respect to each student.  Keeping all those little 6 & 7 year olds in line. 

And what a great surprise!  Suzy gets to sit by her good friend Ryan, that we were in small group with for 3 years and now go to church with.  I'm so excited for Suzy and her 1st day of 1st grade.  She loves school and loves to please.  I think she's gonna do great. 

 Now by this stage of my kids....no way do they want mama  going into the school with them.  Which I respect.  To be honest I don't really want to be a helicopter parent.  There really are very few parents that walk in with their kids to the Intermediate Building (4th & 5th grade building) But it kinda breaks my heart just a tiny bit...to see them so grown up so big and so brave.  Jack is going into 5th grade and I'm super excited about the enthusiasm Jack's teacher has!  She had been teaching at Jefferson and then worked at Bethel for a couple of years and missed teaching and is filling in for Mrs. Miller this year.   I have heard that Mrs. Gonzalez is a very good teacher.  School has always been a little hard for Jack (well except for the social part) and I hoping that this year he will buckle down and really apply his awesome cute self. 

Awww...tender heart Isabella has been cut from the same exact cloth as her mama.  I remember the same fears/anxiety going into 7th grade.  Although Isabella is very excited about her 2nd year at the Middle school she had just a little bit of the jitters this morning.  I told her I did the same thing at her age.  This tough love sometimes tears me apart.  I gave her a tums (for a sick stomach) and told her she'll be fine.  Prayin' for her and all the things that she will face in her day.  Prayin' that she'll make a stand when she needs to, and that she'll be a light when she needs to shine.  {Isn't she cute with her little folded paper of all 6 of her classes and locker combination in her hand?}

Love these kids so much.  So blessed to be given the chance to raise them.  Now I must get chop a loppin.  Not that they are gone I have to go back to doin' all  the dishes and laundry hangin' out.  

Strawberries & Cream Frappucino

 These 90 degree days has me looking for something cool & refreshing to sip on....how about you??  Since our little town has NO Starbucks {which is a good thing for my wallet} I googled my favorite Starbucks drink and it turned out pretty good.  Here's the recipe for you to try out. 

Strawberries & Cream Frappucino (Starbucks Style)  *copy cat*

Ingredients: 
• 1 cup Whole Milk  (I used soy)
• 3/4 cups softened Vanilla Icecream (I used vanilla bean)
• 1/4 cup Strawberry Syrup  (I used homemade strawberry jelly~next time I would like to buy & try it with strawberry syrup
• 5-6 Whole Strawberries, chopped finely
• 2-3 ice cubes
• Whipped Cream 

Sip until dry.

Results of Jack's EEG

Pretty cool how Jack got grandma to play video games with him.

Back on April 11th~2 days after we returned from Florida Jack had a Neurologist appointment in Indy.  Donovan was swamped with work after being on vacation~ so his mama went with me for the trip.  Jack LOVES going to these appointments primarily because they have some really cool video games in the waiting room, and well because he loves having all attention focused on him for the day.  It also usually involves some eating out & a movie or 2 in the car  :)

This appointment was some pretty big business in our family because he was having an EEG to determine if he could go off of seizure medication after not having a seizure for 2 years.  If the EEG was normal he was going to be done with taking Lamicital. 

Here the nurse is making marks on his head, measuring the circumference and marking the spots where the probes will go.  She was super nice and Jack was telling her during this picture..."My Mom would love this! She loves her head massaged."

Since it had been 2 years since Jack had had a seizure with only being on a very low dose of medicine...we and the Dr. were very hopeful. 

And I remember feeling very confident that God had healed him. 

I posted this on Facebook the day we left:

{Today I'm takin' Jack to Indy for an EEG to determine if he can be off of seizure meds for GOOD. Three years ago we were given only a 20% chance he would outgrow Epilepsy....And now he's had 2 years & 2 months of NO SEIZURES on a very low dose of meds. Praising God for no seizures & praying he's the 20%. God is good either way the test comes out today! I rest in Him.}

Gluing little probes to his head.

All glued up.  And ready to take a nap while the EEG runs and tells us what's in his pretty little head.

 Here we are waiting for the test results. And then the Dr. called us back.  And said their are still "seizure like" spikes on his test results.  That the first EEG that he had 3 years ago were huge spikes on the report.  These were little spikes.  And 3-5% of people this is their normal EEG.  But because of Jack's history and summer coming up and swimming....she recommends staying on the conservative side of things and putting him back on the medication.  And repeat the EEG in 2 years.

It was like the wind had been knocked out of me. 

And the tears came. 

I thought God had answered this prayer.  I thought we were done with this season.

But we are not.  And looking back on it....I have 5 million things to be thankful for.  So I'm just gonna focus on a couple of these things for now....

*We have insurance to help us with this $900 test.

*Jack HAS been seizure free

*Jack has no side effects from his medicine

*Jack is healthy

God's trying to teach me something through all of this I just know it.  And for one I am getting an education in seizures, neurology, and a different side of medicine.  I hope that I can be more compassionate to others dealing with the same uncertainty that epilepsy brings.

One thing I rest in...I am completely 100% certain that God cares and Jack is completely resting in His hands. 

I'm so blessed to be Jack's mama...he cracks me up every single day and brings so much fun and joy to our lives.

God bless medicine

I wanted to share with you something I've been learning out of a Bible Study I just finished this week.  It has to do with the life of David and the things we can learn from him.  The resounding theme of this study was to learn to MOVE past the devastation we have with God over circumstances we thought/think that are not fair or hurtful and learn to press forward in Whole Hearted Obedience.  WOW!  That one hits me between the eyes.  It was perfect timing once again with this study as it came at the time I needed to hear it most. 

Have you ever found yourself pouting over a circumstance or situation?  I have found myself there many times and sometimes it has become my reaction to things that are inconvenient or negative that has happened in my life.  Case in point: surgery on a herniated disk. 

If we stay in that spot of pouting though we can develop a life style of professional pouters.  Feeling sorry for yourself and getting stuck into a rut of poor little ol' me.  Not really something I want to have people remember me as or something I want my kids to learn from me, and certainly not somewhere I want to be stuck at for months or years.

**(I may add that the teacher Beth Moore addressed death as being an authentic devastation that only God can get us through.  And grieving is a thousand country miles from pouting. However if we ressit the grace of God and do not let Him tend to us and bring healing over time, we can develop into life-style pouters)

As scared as I was I went into surgery 2 weeks ago today.  And by scared I mean panicked.  As in uncontrollable tears that would NOT stop.  The ugly cry if you will.  I could NOT get a grip.  I just kept on a thinkin' what if they make a wrong move when they go in thru my THROAT  for this surgery and bump into a necessary artery?  Or perhaps a windpipe that I use every. single. day?  The thought kept going thru my head....that my children are so small...they need me.  I can't leave them.  And then I had one tiny thought that comforted me.  Heaven is a really great alternative.  And if the surgery does bump into something by mistake and I die....I would be spending my first Mother's Day in Heaven.  With MY MOM.  It all seems so dramatic now since I'm on the other side of it sitting well and feeling awesome.  But that day my thoughts were on a rampage. Back and forth between the 2 feelings of ~~~I'm sure it will be fine (which Donovan kept telling me) and I'm pretty sure something is going to go wrong here....I got a bad feeling.

And then these other little thoughts were in the back of my mind.... why? Why surgery? Why not heal me God? 

This is just before I was wheeled off into surgery. My Doctor saw my state of mind and the constant tears and went ahead and told the anesthesiologist to give me a little treat in my IV.  Of course he didn't say "little treat" he had a name for it.  Which I don't remember.  And I have no memory of that hat going on me or getting wheeling off.  The power and beauty of modern medicine folks.  I am in a state of oblivion in this picture.  I don't even remember Donovan taking it.  Or talking to the anesthesiologist about the laundry I hung on the line that morning.  Or being wheeled into the operation room.  God bless medicine.

And then something else occured to me....after surgery.  What am I supposed to learn from this??  And quite honestly I think that last question is one of the most important I've been thinking about since surgery. 

After we can move ourselves past the devastation the question we need to ask ourselves is how can we cooperate with God for a work that leaves us in awe saying, "Who am I, O Soverign Lord, and what is my family that you have brought me this far?"  (from pg. 81 of the David study)

Pretty doped up in this picture.  I think Donovan took it just after surgery.  I remember waking up and thinking~you spared me Lord.  You woke me up and here I am with my sweet husband.  How magnificent you are.  I would wake up for a few minutes and get a looksie at some very beautiful flowers and think~how awesome.  Flowers, I am alive and my husband all in one room!  :)  And drift back to sleep. 

Later that afternoon my mother in law and father in law brought in the kids.....what a great site to have all of them there.  So thankful for my husband's parents that moved into our house and took over for us while we were gone for 2 days. 

And while I had some pretty amazing nurses~this was my favorite.  Right after surgery I had a room that I was sharing with an older patient....and  we were only seperated by a curtain.  And as long as I had a female room mate....Donovan was not allowed to stay with me in my room thru the night.  And my room mate was allergic to some of the flowers I had~and she liked Willie Nelson music played loudly.  So while I didn't want to pay for a "private" $3000 room....I also really wanted/needed my husband with me thru the night.  And you know what happened?  The nurse on duty moved me. Explaining that she can't guarantee that in the new room I won't get a room mate eventually.  But for the night I could have Donovan stay with me.  Isn't that the coolest thing EVER?  She just did that.  The above picture he is getting ready to give me a sponge bath.  Only with a washcloth.  And not to worry it was only my face, arms, and legs. 

I had some leg squeezers on to prevent blood clots, an IV, a catheter, and a drainage tube coming out of my neck.  Making it pretty hard to get around~but with Donovan's help and a nurse I got out of bed 4 times for walks down the hall.  It felt good to move.

The next day about 28 hours after surgery the drainage tube in my neck was due to come out.  The incision and tube coming out of my neck did not hurt at all.  But let me tell you I felt that tape and tube coming out. 

Here she is pulling the tube out.  And I post this picture because of this.  To remember always how far God has brought me.  This was only 2 weeks ago...and I am sitting here pain free and feeling amazingly well. 

Here is the tube that was pulled out.  In case you wanted to see it. :) What?  You say~you didn't really want to see it?  Too late. tee hee.

And here is 3 days after surgery.  Mother's Day with my lovies.  I was definately slow moving for a few days....make that over a week.  But I could get up and move around.  There were some days I'd do too much and be extremely tired the next day.  But I am pain free.  For the first week I had a little bit of an ache in the back of my neck where the plate and 4 screws (the fusion) are...but never pain.  And now today I am moving with no ache, no arm pain, and actually hard to tell that I ever even had surgery. 

How great is our God?  To bring me this far?? I totally am in awe of that truth and thankful to be on this side of surgery. 

Thank you so much to all of you who brought meals and wonderful things.....Marlys, Arlene, Beth, Allison, Julie, Barb, Chelsea, Aunt Fran, Ashley, Carrie, & Rose.  Your thoughtfulness and generosity means so much to us....esp. when you have your own families to care and cook for!

Thank you to my pastor ~Rick~who came to see me even though I wasn't there yet....because my surgery got moved back by 2 hours.  Sorry again about that!
Thank you to Pastor Josh for the Starbucks & visit.  I love me some Strawberries and cream w/ whip!!
Thanks to Aaron that came and was there at the hospital before I was.  As I told the receptionist my name I was so choked up and cried. (EMBARRASSING) and I turned around to see Aaron there to hold me while I sobbed.
Thank you to my Bible study ladies who showed up to pray and comfort me and give me a happy face balloon.
Thanks to mom & dad Gingerich who brought the kids and helped them pick out flowers and balloons for me. 
Thanks to my sister, Holly who came to hug me <3

Thank you to friends who stopped in to encourage me when I was getting discouraged from sitting at home for over a week.  You didn't know that....but God did and sent you at the perfect time.  I so appreciated the visits and the sweet treats~Jen & your boys, Jamie and your boys, and Tonia.

Thank you to those who sent encouraging cards~Rosetta & Aunt Ruby....You lifted my spirits with finding treats in my mailbox besides bills and junk mail. 

And thank you also to my employer for sending me some beautiful flowers.  I miss you guys and can't wait to be back to taking care of babies with you!! 

And most of all I'm thankful for each and every prayer that those of you that saw my plea for prayer on facebook and lifted me up.  Funny how that social media can be such a blessing and curse. 65 of you friends left me an encouraging comment and I really truly appreciated everyone of them.