Beautiful Snow Pics!

Excuse my poor video shooting.  Shot this out of the front door of the Hall of Administration of Armstrong College looking at the magnificent Armstrong Auditorium.  I thought it was so beautiful...that is since I was indoors and also have a big brother who is kind enough to drive me in to work when the roads are hazardous. I realize how blessed I am to have someone to look out for me in that way. Even though I'm not that fond of winter weather, I can't miss the beauty of God's artistic creation in it.

Below:  When I got home I felt like going outside my place and shooting "snow pics."  I'm usually not the outdoor type, so maybe the cold air froze my brain temporarily.  :-)  Our great Pyrenees dogs were looking at me like they thought I was crazy.  This is one of those random posts just sharing pics that I took that I don't want to "go to waste."  :-)

Beautiful snow in my front yard.  Yes, that is my place with black shutters on the front, but since everyone uses the back as the entrance, no one ever sees this side including myself.  It looked so peaceful with the snow surrounding the house.  This pic makes me realize how God has looked out for me too.  I had this place built 10.5 years ago when I was only 24 years "young" and it has been used to have so many people in and out with dinners, out of town guests visiting town needing a place to stay/sleep. No way I could have done this on my own....God did that.  Nothing physical is permanent and can change in a heartbeat, but it's nice to have those perks throughout life's journey.  :-)  I think I should start a book of blessings or something for personal inspiration.  I don't care for winter that much, but something about the snow makes me reflect.

 ....so they said we would get maybe one inch of snow, but judging by the fruits....I don't think so.  This is my feet w/boots on, and they are almost completely submerged.

 I guess she is enjoying eating the snow.

Fav Quotes!

"Men are important in women's lives."  "One half of the population is made to defend the other half of the population."  "When women feel protected they blossom in their role and grow in admiration for their men."  "For a strong society you must have strong men who are not afraid to defend the women and children which is their God given role."------J. H.

AC Basketball Fun

Free VIDEO commentary from the "sisterhood" gal pals  :-)

Above:  This is my favorite photo of the whole batch.  The guys are being all aggressive in the last regular game of the season before All Stars next week.  Let's see, we have Steven and Justin manning it out on the court with Dwight ready on defense.  Then, there is Anthony who is mid air ready to grab the ball and make a basket with Mr. Hyde ready on defense.  There is Charles ready to defend his teammate, and Grant protecting the ball so that his team can make a basket with Josh on amazing defense.  Awesome teamwork.  I'm definitely not a sports buff, and this post definitely feels different to post, but this game was fun to watch.

 Jason ready to throw the ball into the hoop.

Sharing My Latest Blessing! :-)

 Last Thursday Gladys W. called and asked if I wanted her old china set.  I was like WHAT!!!!!  If you don't know how much a real china set cost new, then it is in the hundreds for one set.  I had been wanting a china set for years, but that is way too much money for a lone single woman to spend by herself.  I do entertain a lot, but still, getting a china set was not on my reality radar unless I got married and put it on the gift registry.....like anyone would buy that anyway, but still that was my thinking!  :-)!  Anyway, I looked at the brand name on the back, and looked up how much each piece in the set costs, and the total for the set they gave me is $632 if I were to buy it piece by piece brand new right now!  WOW, WOW, WOW!  God gave me a china set, and the Welsh's were the instruments of that blessing!  It's a full set with dinner plates, teacups, teacup saucers, bread and dessert plates, soup bowls, fruit bowls (fruit bowls are a lil smaller than the soup bowls and not as deep), creamer server, sugar dish, serving bowl, and a serving platter!....oh and she threw in some green chargers to complement it all!!!!  I have been holding off posting this for more than one reason.  For one, I don't want to come across as look at what I have, and for two I don't want to come across as too materialistic.  I try my best not to post things all about me on social media, but use it as a tool to serve though I know I'm human and definitely fail at that sometimes.  Anyway, long story short, I just want to share my BIG blessing with friends, and also publicly give the Welsh family my thanks for what they did.  I am so thrilled!  Yes, it is a nice set materially, but it's the fact that it's a blessing that is so exciting, and one that can be used to serve others as well!  I'm still in WOW shock!  My mom said since I entertain a lot this is a blessing from that.  Maybe so.  Thanks again to the Welsh's, and I am soooo stoked!  They definitely are a family that gives and gives.  I'm soooo excited!  I'm am desperately trying to figure out a way show my appreciation and to say thank you!   :-)

 BELOW:  Switching gears to design!  Working on a project for AC grad that I was asked to design.  I'm so excited to do this!  What's shown below as Exhibit A?...to be seen at Graduation in May.  Stoked to work on this!

.......completely cut off a small wedding dress train.  It wasn't one of those big ones, but it was a small one.  I had to photo document the moment.  Converting it by cutting off the train from a wedding dress for one of the AC gals grad dresses.  I am having such a lovely time with sewing these days.  It is hard work and takes up most of my evenings with the different projects, but I am happy that I can be of help in this way!  It's getting to be the time of year where people are super busy in more ways than one, so I am trying to get done with these projects early.  Busy time of year!

...and it's cut!  Whew!  :-)

Beautiful Flowers!

 This is about one week late, and I already thanked her privately via email, but here's a photo of a flower arrangement that Mrs. Turgeon left at my desk towards the end of last week.  I was out running errands and came back to a beautiful arrangement on my desk!  Rachel C, one of the gals in Mrs. Turgeon's Home Ec class (they were learning flower arranging), told me that Mrs. Turgeon actually made this arrangement herself and has it ever gotten many compliments from passer byers!  Here is how it looked for those that can't be here to see it in person.  Seeing flowers put together this way makes one reflect on how God is the perfect artist.  I'm so happy that He gives us different talents, and lets us create form His original creation.  It's pretty awesome.  Being receptionist can have many perks.  I am very thankful for my job.   :-)

A Fav Quote

"Some people dream of success while others wake up and work hard at it." ---Winston Churchill

How to make the champagne cake

 Someone asked for the recipe on my blog, so here is how it was made.  Not a big deal since I always photograph new things in the making anyway for my own future reference.  I can't take credit for making the recipe, I used a recipe from online.

Started off by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and then by separating 12 eggs whites from the yolks.

 Next, mixed 6 cups of flour, 6 tsp of baking powder, 1.5 tsp of salt, 2 cups butter, 4 cups sugar, 2.5 tsp vanilla extract, the 12 eggs whites, and 4 cups of champagne together in a large mixing bowl as shown below.

 Bubbly dough.  :-)

 Divided batter into 4 spring form cake pans....two larger pans of the same size, and then two slightly smaller pans of the same size.  Baked in oven for 35 minutes, and then removed from oven and let cool.

 I stopped taking pics b/c it got super busy b/c of the time crunch, but while the cake was cooling I made the frosting.  To make the frosting the recipe called for 180 grams unsalted butter though I did NOT use nearly that much as I don't have an electric mixer, so I tweaked the recipe in which I can't remember all that I did, but going by the book you would use the butter as mentioned above, 3 cups confectioners sugar, 1.5 cup of champagne, 1/8 cup of milk, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.  Mix it all together and what do you have....the frosting as shown below on the finished cake.

To put the cake together is just like it looks....bigger 2 cakes on the bottom, slightly smaller cakes on the top with icing in between all of the layers....then top it as you wish.  I used berries and grapes as they go well with champagne.  :-)  Voila!