27

It's my 27th birthday today and I'm so grateful for another birthday and for the many gifts God has put in my life:)

Little things that make a big difference

So this morning I'm in the shower thinking of the 101 things I have to  get done before leaving home for work; when Pumpkin Pie bursts into the bathroom shouting "Mommy I wake up!" Then she runs out again. So about five minutes later, I go in my room and she's so excited, throws her hands in the air, grinning and unable to contain herself she yells "I wake up this morning!".

So I get all excited too and say "Well, Thank you Jesus!' which she echoes. And then I'm thinking, I didn't even feel thankful for waking up today, I was just like "Ugh! Another Monday morning!". Her Attitude changed where my day was heading, I can tell you that:)

Staring Impossibility Square in the Eyes

Have you ever wanted to do something that was physically, financially etc. impossible? Ever reached near the end of a goal and some obstacle came up? Have a bad habit or a bad attitude towards something or yourself you thought you would never shake? Ever been told or thought "That's impossible, it will never happen!"

Well I'm here to share that:- " The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." St. Luke Chapter 18 verse 27. This is a direct quote from Jesus himself.

My mother was addicted to smoking ciggarettes when I was younger, really addicted. She tried alot of things to quit because my Dad didn't like it and she felt bad about the example she was setting for us kids. The day she accepted Jesus Christ as her Saviour, her craving ended. God didn't want her enslaved to an addiction.
I remember just a couple weeks ago, Pookie and I were broke and didn't really have anything in the house for dinner; I was tempted to worry about it but I just prayed and trusted God. My landlords extended a dinner invitation to my family; there was alot of food to be had:) It's amazing how the Lord provided! They didn't even know our need!

There have been many more instances of human impossibilities that God has totally turned around that I have personally witnessed. So I know that with all the challenges that have come up recently, that me opening my Bible and this being the first verse I see, that my God is telling me that He's got this.

Less of me

 
Well I was starting to feel uncomfortable with my body this summer. I gained about 15 lbs since last October when I started birth control. I was taking mesigyna a monthly BC injection; and the weight just crept on.

I freaked out when one of the dresses I had just worn weeks before couldn't zip! My husband tried and tried but it just couldn't go up. So I stressed about it for a little while, then slowly started to take some steps to get comfortable again. I'm 5ft 7 inches and I'm happy at about 145lbs. Anything less and I'm just breasts and a smile:)

So first step was drinking water, which I basically didn't drink at all but only used when I cooked. So I was sipping water all day, everyday and it being so hot helped too. And I lost 2lbs in about 2 1/2 weeks doing just that. Then I stopped waiting until Pookie got home to eat dinner, as soon as it was ready I would take a reduced portion and tried to eat before 7 pm the latest. Then I stopped taking that BC because it was also making me feel very sick. And I haven't replaced it yet, which I know is dangerous seeing that we want to wait a few more years for pregnancy number two. But I just can't decide which one to take, what method etc.

Recently I've been doing exercises with Gilad from Fit tv (This is what got me back in shape post baby). So now I'm down 4 lbs.
I just wanted to say... SQUEE!!!! I'm so motivated right now.

Sweet treat

So Pookie just recently turned 26 and I wanted him to have a special cake, since we fell in love over birthday cake five years ago:) So I searched long & hard for the perfect chocolate cake recipe (because I was going to bake the most delicious chocolate cake I could on my first ever try). And I was determined not to use a cake mix! Don't get me wrong I can cook and I enjoy it but I didn't have much opportunity to experiment in the kitchen with a mother who constatnly spoiled her children with all types of homecooked and baked goodies.

So I found the Hershey's Chocolate Cake recipe and decided to use it with a few alterations.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa ( I used a Nesquick cocoa because that's what I had at home, I know a terrible substitution given the title name of the cake)1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water (ended up using 2 cups lol!)

Directions:1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans. 2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans. 3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.Frost. 10 to 12 servings.

Well the batter was really thin after I added 2 cups boiling water instead of the one that the recipe required:) Lol! but that's me these random things happen all the time. I didn't even realize my mistake until I was typing the recipe up for this blog post:) So my cake was in there for about 45 minutes total due to it not being "set" yet at 35 minutes. I used a Pillsbury milk chocolate frosting and shaved white chocolate for topping ( I am not a practised cake decorator yet!)

Well my husband's reaction after tasting his cake... "Moya, this is orgasmic! It shoulda been our wedding cake." Can you tell I'm still blushing and giddy with delight?! So it was a success and I'm glad I tried it and didn't wimp out for a bakery's finest. Others who sampled it couldn't believe how moist this chocolate cake was ( so my spoof turned into a total win!).

Can't wait until I have an excuse to make this again but better not anytime soon since I just started exercising again last week:)

(Please ignore that there are only 10 candles on the cake, I only had 24 & He turned 26 so I just chose a round even number. I'm Monkish like that)

It has begun

So this morning Pie goes off to her first day of school. I wake up pretty early because the traffic here is extremely bad when school is in progress. There are at least half a dozen schools in close proximity to each other and Pie's new school is no exception.

Well she was excited until she realized her dad & I weren't staying and she proceeded to gather her backpack & lunch bag, and stated firmly "Mommy I'm coming wit you!". It was all heartbreaking from then on. We had to quickly leave our 'crying up a storm' baby in the arms of her new teacher and continue to work. I know she will be fine but that didn't stop me from tearing up a little. Seeing my daughter reach this phase in her life that just seemed to creep up way too quickly. Seeing her little body in the uniform like I use to wear years before (they haven't changed the style at all) and knowing she'll love it as much as I did:)

I can't wait til school's over so I can pick her up & hear all about it!

(no pics in uniform will be posted for privacy purposes)

If you're interested..

A beauty site I visit is having a MAC cosmetics giveaway where you can win makeup with your choice of shade. If interested check out the link below. http://sweetshugahon.blogspot.com/2009/08/my-first-contest-mac-giveaway.html#links

I'm bringing creativity back

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain I was much more of a dreamer growing up and I was always described as creative, however, life got in the way. Reality came along and shoved my dreams aside. I am a good writer, it is a gift so I'm not conceited but God has blessed me in expressing myself this way ( I'm not good at expressing myself in the conventional ways but I try). Well there was a time I use to write stories and poems and plays by the dozen. In high school I would always do the short story and composition assignments for all my friends and I actually enjoyed it. Fast forward about 8 years and I'm struggling with even the desire to write. And recently, the Holy Spirit has been encouraging me to resume the use of this gift God has given me. But I'm all excuses, some maybe legitimate, but I can certainly get past these. Time is a major one and I've been without energy for awhile too. It's not that I have writers' block, my mind is flooded with ideas and stories to tell. I have stories for my daughter that I wish to write down and have pictures for her to enjoy, but life is in my way. This job, meal planning, laundry, cleaning, wife-ing and mothering, church and work related "after work hours" meetings; I feel I have no time to relax much less get enough sleep. I'm going to start again. I need to, it was my escape from pressures, my sanity (which isn't exactly eluding me now but needs to be stroked and cared for). Maybe start with five minutes everyday. All I need is to make a step right?

Who am I & what am I about?

Hi blog world! I'm Moya a christian mother of an almost three year old baby girl "Pumpkin pie/Pie-pie" ( my bad she says she's not a baby but a big girl) and the now 8 month wife of Pookie. Pie pie starts school (kinder1) next week and is pretty excited about it. Though I'm more excited! I did tear up when she first tried on her uniform, started buying school stuff long before she got accepted. You see this noble institution is where I went when I was small along with my closest sister. They have a two year waiting list (at least) and she really had to do an interview, observation and a little test to see if she was eligible. Yes! At two years old but I won't get into that! Pookie and I both work fulltime and met in University although we both went to the same high school together for five years:) He's in construction, just like my dad (And I actually worked in my dad's construction company for a few years) and I must say that there's just something about a man in jeans and those hard hats everyday;) I just cannot feel the suits ( no offense). I especially like when he has a deadline and actually gets his hands dirty (and everything else!) And comes home looking like that. Its not hard to get concrete and cement mixtures out of clothes at all in my opinion. Anyway, since I've known myself I've always wanted to pursue many different things. My career options along with my hobbies seem to always be changing. It's not just indecision but there is a deep fear inside me of sticking to what God wants me to do with my life, work and talents (A bit afraid of success? Because only success comes from following God). And contrary enough my greatest desire is to fulfill exactly what Jesus wants with my life. So this begins the journaling of my course to fulfilling my purpose:)