Post Vacation PinterTest Kitchen

welp, i just got back from vacation.
i know it's the fourth of july and all,
but i didn't have much interest in making something patriotic.

instead, i thought i'd go with something inspired by my time overseas.
in italy, i ate the best lasagna i have ever consumed.
so i decided to attempt true, italian lasagna.
but in order to do that, i'd have to make the sauce from scratch.

this homemade pasta sauce looked so promising,

but, guys, it wasn't good. 
stay away.
buy the jar stuff.
it's the most patriotic thing you could do.
this recipe earns itself a measly one blonde.

i was so disappointed, that i needed to try 
something that i knew would taste good.
so i went with bananas foster from 
the "all recipes dinner spinner" app.
(which, by the way, you need if you don't already have it.)

the picture doesn't do it justice.
i give it four and a half blondes
(deductions for being a little too sweet).


i hope you get a chance to try the easy bananas foster recipe.
if you have a good recipe for homemade pasta sauce, please enlighten me!


happy fourth!
be patriotic and link up with Jess:




cincerely,

*a still jet lagged* cindy

Leavin on a jet plane

Mom, Ellen, and I are headed to Europe today!

It's hard to believe the trip we booked six months ago and have been planning since then is finally here!

Hope you all have a great start to the summer and I'll see you back here in two weeks!

Cincerely,

Cindy

10 on 10

ten on ten.
ten pictures on the tenth of the month.
it was a..

Artist observing,

300 calories-of-goodness eating,

hanson listening,

new trail hiking,

uncle time enjoying,

cloud loving,

5K reminiscing,

europe prepping,

roman holiday watching,

 and tucker family visiting
kind of day.

grateful for a day like today!

linking up:

cincerely,

cindy

 

PinterTest Kitchen: heart to heart

well, it's six am and i must be lonely.
wait, that's three am.

anyway, i'm blogging before work
which is probably a first.
but i needed you all to know about this recipe.
it changed the way i view healthy muffins
and embraces my love for lazy.

banana oatmeal muffins.

easy, delicious, and healthy.
five blondes, straight up.
from this tele nurse to you,
you're welcome.

linking up with jess



cincerely,

*heart lovin'* cindy

when God says go

i mean, you gotta go, right?

two weeks ago, i woke up with the clear need 
to go help relief efforts in oklahoma.
i texted my friend to see if she would join me.
she had already applied. through some crazy, 
God-ordained circumstances,
marge and i ended up in shawnee, oklahoma
serving with samaritan's purse (sp).

  
shawnee had been hit with an estimated ef4 tornado
the same day as the close-by town, moore.
due to the large magnitude of moore's tornado,
shawnee has been overlooked by much of the media,
but their pain and hurts are just as deep.

samaritan's purse is serving at multiple locations throughout shawnee.
we ended up in a trailer park that had been pretty much destroyed.
our job was simple: 
clear rubble and look for family keepsakes
with a smile and a glad heart.
  

so that's what we did for four and a half days.
from clearing trees to rooting through glass in the dirt,
we work as heartily for the Lord.

but my favorite part was when we finished a property.
sp gives a bible to every homeowner they work with.
all the people who work on their property sign the front
and write something to the homeowner.
whether the homeowner is a believer or not,
it is definitely an emotional moment as we say thank you for the opportunity to serve them in the name of Jesus.

i could go on and on, sharing funny and God glorifying stories,
but i think i'll ask you to pray, instead.
pray for healing and restoration for those effected.
pray for the families we have worked with, that their hearts would continue to be softened to the gospel.
pray for endurance for those who are still working.
pray that God would use local believers and sp workers to share and shine Jesus.

many thanks to those who were praying while we were away
and will continue to pray!


cincerely,

*prayerful and hopeful* cindy

PinterTest Kitchen: delinquent post

welp, this is awkward.

i'm a bit late in posting,
BUT i hope you enjoy this pinter-test.
lemme tell you, i sure did.

reese's bottom no-bake mini cheesecakes.

yea, it's a mouthful.
but dude, totally worth it!
easy to make,
delicious in your mouth,
but a little hard on the waste-line.
i give this recipe four and a half blondes.
hope you get a chance to enjoy them
in the very near future!

missed the link-up, 

but you should check out other folks'

 recipes from this month!

cincerely,



cindy

10 on 10: simple blessings

i haven't felt like blogging much of late
and i really didn't want to blog today.
it has been a rough two years month day
and i finally closed the page on a joyous, yet painful book.

as i struggled with whether or not to participate
in 10 on 10 this month,
the Lord convicted me to photograph blessings 
that He has provided this day,
no matter how small.

here are a few examples of some simple blessings:

love hate relationship with my bed;

i love to be in it and i hate getting out

 a family that loves to explore

clean towels

this song.

repeat, repeat, repeat.

a beautiful place to workout.

 a head band acquired in Nepal 
that reminds me of where i've been

and that God isn't done with me yet.

clean dishes!

coworkers i can count on to eat my stress baking

 

these girls make everything awesome



   

cincerely,

*blessed* cindy