Gratitude For My Kitchen

Here is a post I found through another blog about an amazing place called The Kitchen.

It's funny and puts it into perspective.

http://momastery.com/blog/2014/08/11/give-liberty-give-debt/

Gratitude for What We Do Have

I want to share something amazing. This morning I was able to take a shower for the second day in a row.  Okay, laugh.  Seriously though, it got me thinking how blessed we are. We have a continuous stream of clean, HOT, water right in our homes. Then we walk to our closets full of clothes.  I don't know about you, but I have enough clothing that I wouldn't have to do laundry for a week.

Speaking of laundry I have these two incredible machines. One washes my clothes and the other drys them.  Instead of cleaning clothes I can head to my kitchen for something to eat because we have a lot of delicious food. Plus, I have gadgets in there that make food hot or keep it cold. Amazing!

Of course were I am eating is perfectly light. All I have to do is flip a switch and presto! Let there be light! 

Notice how early in the morning I have already been in multiple rooms?  Yes, we have three bedrooms in our apartment. And there are only four of us. I guess this has become even more wonderful to me because I have seen how others live without these things.

 I hear statistics all the time that if you have more than one room in your house, electricity, or a car that you are richer than such-and-such percent of the world. When I read those I always pictured some third world country in Africa.  Not here. Not in America.  Well,  there are places here where people live in one room huts.  Not one bedroom- one room.  Entire families- grandparents, parents, cousins, children live together in a small trailer.  People heat their homes with coal, and some don't have the luxury of indoor plumbing.  Suddenly I feel like I'm living in a palace.

How our view changes when look for our blessings.

Trying to "have it all" makes people like the Jonesses. The Jonesses are miserable people who want everyone else to be miserable too.  They tell us we need bigger and "better" devices, what we have is never enough, and that we should do whatever is necessary to obtain more, more, more.

Perhaps more stuff is not what we need, but more gratitude for what we do have.

What are your favorite blessings in life?

Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Another peanut butter recipe.  It is delicious!

http://www.thecraftpatchblog.com/2013/06/chewy-peanut-butter-chocolate-chip.html

Peanut Butter Cheese Ball

Do you want some unhealthy goodness?  Do you like chocolate and peanut butter?  Then here is a dessert for you!

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Peanut Butter “Cheese Ball”

Ingredients
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (not all­natural)
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup peanut butter chips
Graham cracker sticks, teddy grahams, and/or apple slices for dipping

Instructions
1. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until
blended.
2. Spoon onto a large piece of plastic wrap; bring up all four corners and twist tightly forming into a
ball shape.
3. Freeze for 1 hour 30 minutes or until firm enough to keep its shape. Place peanut butter chips and
chocolate chips in flat dish. Remove plastic wrap from ball and roll ball into morsels to
completely cover, pressing morsels into the ball if necessary.
4. Place ball on serving dish; cover and freeze for 2 hours or until almost firm. (If frozen overnight, thaw at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.)
Serve with graham cracker sticks, teddy grahams, or apple slices for dipping or spreading.

For more pictures:

Recipie From http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2011/08/peanut-butter-cheese-ball.html

Favorite Play Dough Recipe Ever!

Talk about soft, long lasting, and easy.
Found this recipe, and many more play dough recopies on this site:
http://theimaginationtree.com/2012/04/best-ever-no-cook-play-dough-recipe.html

Soft No Cook Play Dough

2 C flour

2 T  vegetable oil

1/2 C salt

2 T Cream of Tartar

1 C boiling water

Food coloring

We divided the recipe in two, for two colors.

• First mix the four ingredients.
• Add food coloring to the water.  Mix.
• Pour a little water into the other ingredients, mixing slowly, until you get the desired consistency.  

Add more flour or water as needed.