The Love of God

<3 Sarah

Happy Wednesday!!

Hi, Everyone!!! Today I bring you this beautiful picture of my girl , Annie!! I also have a DELICIOUS recipe for you too!

HOMEADE THIN MINTS!!!!!


Talk about delicous!! YUM!


Ingredients
For the cookies:
8 ounces butter
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
For the coating:
10 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate
1 ½ teaspoon peppermint oil



Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter until light and fluffy, then add the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Stir in the salt, vanilla and cocoa powder. Mix until the cocoa powder is integrated and the batter resembles a thick frosting. Add the flour and mix just until the flour is combined, making sure to not over mix.

Form dough into a ball. Knead a few times to bring together, then flatten into a disk between half an inch and one inch thick, cover in plastic wrap then place in freezer for 15 minutes.
Remove dough from the freezer and roll it out really thin on a floured surface, about 1/8-inch. Cut cookies using 1 1/2-inch cutter (any shape or design you like, we ended up using the lid of a small orange juice bottle since the circle was the perfect size).

Place cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.

While the cookies bake, make the peppermint coating. Chop the baking chocolate into very small, thin pieces. Place in a glass measuring cup or similar container and microwave in short 15-20 second bursts. Stir in the peppermint extract. Feel free to add more peppermint as you see fit.
Gently drop the cookies, one at a time, into the coating. Turn to coat entirely, then lift the cookie out of the chocolate with the fork and bang the fork on the side of the pan until the extra coating drips off. Place on a parchment or plastic wrap-lined baking sheet, and repeat for the rest of the cookies.

Place the cookies in the refrigerator or freezer to set.
These will be best eaten from either the freezer or fridge, since they start to get a bit melty when outside. They should last for months in the freezer so you can enjoy until the Girl Scouts come around again... or til you want to make another batch.


recipe & picture found @ http://chicagoist.com/2012/02/28/how_to_make_homemade_thin_mints



ENJOY!!!


<3 Sarah

Can a dog smile?

CAN A DOG SMILE?? I THINK YES! WHAT DO YOU THINK?



<3 Sarah

Welcome to the World, Gracyn Elizabeth!

On Friday, July 13th , 2012 at about 12:14 p.m., The world welcomed a beautiful little girl by the name of Gracyn Elizabeth Brown. Her big sister, Taylor Grace was so excited when we were in the waiting room! Brandon, ( their daddy) brought Gracyn in soon after, and then she went to be weighed and measured. SHE WEIGHS 10 POUNDS, 1 0UNCE and is 21 1/4 inches long!!! :)



Hope you enjoyed the pictures!

<3 Sarah

Life is about HIM

" Being one with Jesus means that you will never be slighted or offended by what people say or do, because you know that life isnt about you. Life is about HIM, and that gives you freedom from shame and embarrassment, because nothing you do is about you, but everything is about doing the will of GOD. When you submit to the will of God and lean on Him, honoring Him , and humbling yourself as Christ humbled Himself, you become one with Him, and whn you are one with Christ Himself, you are free to live with all the power with which he lived."

Written by : Hayley Dimarco (author of God Girl)


This morning, I opened my devotional book, "God Girl" written by Hayley Dimarco.. Let me just say that I was speechless after I read the above statement. It is so powerful and beautiful, yet so challenging and somewhat intimidating. I AM offended by what some people say, I AM hurt when people say mean things. This means that I am not totally surrendered to Jesus. I have to be so close to Christ, so concerned about bringing honor and glory to HIM, that NOTHING hurts or offends me.



LORD, Draw me nearer to YOU today. Bring me into complete harmony with You. I love You, and I praise You for the many ways You have blessed me. Thank You for dying for me, and for each and every person who believes in YOU. AMEN.

The FOURTH

My friend , Leanne and I had an awesome fourth! She came w/ my family to our annual 4th of July cookout, and then we went to see fireworks!!!! :) Hope you all had a great one as well!


<3 Sarah