Bringing Home Baby

I just found out today that Jill and Stephen will probably get to bring baby Carver home next Wednesday! God has been so faithful to provide Jill and Stephen with the necessary funds for the adoption, and I can't wait to meet this little guy! Babysitting here I come! =)

A Trip

Two weekends ago, I went on a trip with my brother. We got to go to Arkansas to see my grandparents who live about 20 miles outside our old hometown. We had such a great time just visiting with them, driving up to Mount Magazine (the highest point in Arkansas), driving their four-wheeler, and eating apple cake every night. The part of Arkansas where we were was so beautiful as the mountains were covered with trees with red, orange, and yellow leaves. It was really nice to go on a trip and not have to worry about catching up on school. In short, I had such a wonderful time that I can't wait 'till I can go back.

Sweet potato fries

I love sweet potatoes. I especially like sweet potato fries. They are some of my favorite things, and they are better for you than regular fries. Here's how I like to make them:

Wash and peel several sweet potatoes (I alternate between using a knife and a peeler). Then, slice the potatoes into fry-like pieces using a knife or fry cutter (Pampered Chef's fry cutter works really well for this). Next, soak the fries in cold salt water for anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. Line a cookie sheet with foil, grease it, and arrange the fries so they don't touch each other. Use a basting brush to spread extra-virgin olive oil on the fries, then shake some salt and pepper on them. It is best to use a convection oven as the fries won't be crispy otherwise. Set the convection oven to 425 and bake for 10-15 minutes; turn over and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!

Piano for Quitters

During this year, I wanted to learn how to play the piano again. I used to play it a little when I was younger, but then I quit and kind of forgot how to play. So, my mom heard of this DVD set that helps people play the piano without having to start all the way back at the beginning. It is called Piano for Quitters. Since I was a quitter, I thought I could benefit from this program. Basically, the guy on the video teaches you how to play basic chords and then builds on the basics so you can play professional-sounding chords. I just finished it this week, and I enjoyed it. Check out their website at http://www.pianoforlife.com/.

Adoption

As many of you know, my sister and brother-in-law are in the process of adopting a baby. A mom has chosen Jill and Stephen to adopt her baby, but nothing is certain yet as the mom may not go through with the adoption. Anyway, the mom is due in early November, and we just found out today that her baby is...a boy! If this is the right baby for Stephen and Jill, my nephew would have a new little brother to be his companion. Please pray for the birth mom to have wisdom in the next month as she continues to prepare for the baby, and please also pray for Jill and Stephen who might have a new baby in a month! I am reminded of God's sovereignty in allowing me to have a year off when Jill and Stephen are in the process of bringing home a new baby through adoption. God is so good! For more updates on their adoption process, check out their blog: http://stevejilladoptionadventure.blogspot.com/

Dinner...

One of my gap year responsibilities is to make dinner twice a week. So, I don my polka-dot apron and cook up a storm (sometimes it does look like a tornado hit the kitchen) on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tonight, I made stromboli. Stromboli is pizza dough topped with meat, onions, pepper, cheese, olives, etc. and then rolled up into a big pizza roll. After it is baked, it is sliced up and served with spaghetti sauce on the side. I enjoy making it, and my family enjoys eating it! I don't think of myself as a master cook (it is not uncommon for me to burn or oversalt something), but I am learning to enjoy preparing meals for my wonderful fam.

A Gap Year

So, what is a gap year? Well, for me, it is a time to take a break from school and enjoy some other things such as: reading, knitting, cooking, learning piano, and spending some quality time with my niece and nephew. So, I decided to start a blog to document my adventures, whether culinary or artistic, this year. Enjoy!