Kokabella.com: a little talk, a lot of visual by photographic design artist, Kokabella.
I thought this was so appropriate for the day before Valentine’s Day. Take it to heart friends…
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. [Read more...]
Sophia Faith was born at 12:05 pm today weighing 7 lbs 12 oz. She is doing very well. I am groggy and tired from being in labor and delivery from 5:00 pm yesterday until noon today when the doctors performed the emergency c-section. Sophia is so amazing. Words cannot describe how I feel. It’s just such a miracle.
Please check out Sophia’s blog which will be updated with photos and video of her on a regular basis!
This is so handy! If you’re like me, you don’t have the average June Cleaver stocked cupboards of baking necessities! Here’s a list of ingredients which can be used to substitute for a missing one.
Flour
- All-purpose (1 cup): 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp cake flour.
- Cake (1 cup): 1 cup minus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour.
- Self-rising (1 cup): 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt.
Garlic, finely chopped (1 medium clove): 1/8 tsp garlic powder or 1/4 tsp instant minced garlic or 1/2 tsp garlic salt.
Ginger Root, grated or finely chopped (1 tsp): 3/4 tsp ground ginger.
Herbs, chopped, fresh (1 tbsp): 3/4 to 1 tsp dried herbs.
Herbes de Provence: 4 parts thyme, 4 parts savory, 2 parts lavender & 1 part rosemary.
Honey (1 cup): 1- 1/4 cups sugar plus 1/4 cup water or liquid used in recipe.
Ketchup: 1 cup of tomato sauce, 1 -1/4 cups brown sugar, 2 tbs. vinegar, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, pinch of ground cloves and allspice.
Leeks, sliced (1/2 cup): 1/2 cup sliced shallots or green onions.
Lemon, 1 medium: 1 tsp. grated rind plus 2 tbs. lemon juice.
Lemon Juice, fresh (1 tbsp): 1 Tbsp bottled lemon juice or white vinegar.
Lemon Peel, grated (1 tsp): 1 tsp dried lemon peel.
Milk (1 cup): 1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water; or nonfat dry milk prepared as directed on pkg with 2-1/2 tsp melted butter added.
Molasses (1 cup): 1/2 cup honey (flavor will be milder).
Mushrooms, fresh (1 cup cooked): 1 can (4 oz) mushroom stems and pieces, drained.
Mushrooms (1/2 pound): 4 oz. canned mushroom caps or 1 – 1/2 oz dried mushrooms.
Mustard (1 Tbsp): 1 tsp ground mustard (dry).
Onion, 1 small: 1 tbsp. instant minced or 1 tsp. onion powder.
Orange Peel, grated (1 tsp): 1 tsp dried orange peel.
Oregano (1 tsp): 1 tsp. marjoram.
Poultry Seasoning: Equal parts sage, thyme, oregano and marjoram.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: 4 parts cinnamon, 2 parts ginger, 1 part nutmeg, 1 part allspice and dash of cloves.
Red Pepper Sauce (3 or 4 drops): 1/8 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne).
Seasoning Salt: 1 cup salt, 2-1/4 tsp paprika, 2 tsp dry mustard, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp onion powder.
Sesame Seeds (1 tbsp): 1 Tbsp finely chopped blanched almonds.
Shortening, melted (1 cup): 1 cup salad oil (cannot be substituted for 1 cup solid shortening)
Sour Cream (1 cup): 1 cup plain yogurt.
Sugar, brown, packed (1 cup): 1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 Tbsp molasses or dark corn syrup.
Sugar, granulated (1 cup): 1 cup light brown sugar (packed) or 2 cups powdered sugar.
Sugar, superfine: Blend regular granulated sugar in the blender.
Tomato Paste (1/2 cup): 1 cup tomato sauce cooked uncovered till reduced to 1/2 cup.
Tomato Sauce (2 cups): 3/4 cup tomato paste plus 1 cup water.
Tomatoes, canned (1 cup): About 1- 1/3 cups cut-up fresh tomatoes, simmered 10 min.
Vanilla Extract: Grated lemon rind, orange rind, cinnamon or nutmeg combined with a small amount of the liquid called for in the recipe to make up the amount of vanilla extract specified in the recipe.
Whipping Cream (1 cup): 1 cup frozen (thawed) whipped topping or 1 cup prepared whipped topping mix.
Wine, Red (1 cup): 1 cup apple cider or beef broth.
Wine, White (1 cup): 1 cup apple juice, apple cider or chicken broth.
Yeast, regular or quick active dry (1 pkg or 1/4 oz): 2 1/4 tsp regular or quick active dry or 1 package (6 oz) compressed cake yeast.
Today is mine and Travis’ first anniversary. I cannot believe it was one year and a day ago that our parents were here having lasagna, wine and laughs before the big day! I will never forget my soon-to-be-mom-n-law, my mom and I in the bedroom trying to get my crazy and super sexy little lingerie “get up” on and done up that was so tight, it made me look like a China doll!!! It is one of the funniest memories I will never forget and forever cherish! Our wedding day was simple but special. We were married in a little church on a hill in Nashville.
Travis & I married in Nashville less than a year after he sent that first email off to Southern California after reading my “In Search of…” ad on ChristianCafe.com. Who knew that for the following 5 months that we built our pleasant little friendship through phone calls, snail mail cards and emails that this day would arrive! We didn’t have expectations, just a friendhip bond.
We met in person when Travis flew out to California to meet me and spent Thanksgiving together. I knew from the second he got off the plane and I met him in the airport that the little black book was toast! Thirty-plus years of never finding my prince had come to a screaching hault!
A year and a half after that first email, we are two days from the due date of our daughter! Amazing how it has all taken place! Through the ups and downs and getting used to marriage and soon-to-be parenthood, I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
Today was my baby shower and what a “pretty in pink” party it was! My very dear friend Natalie hosted it at her place and it couldn’t have been done any better! More photos to come. Here’s just a few from the ones that I shot…
Natalie made these strawberry cupcakes that were divine!
The gorgeous little glass votive candles were spread throughout her living and dining rooms.
Personalized bottled water in honor of the “Little-Princess-to-be!”
The girls trying to find the bobby pins buried in rice! Harder than you might think!
(Christine is my amazing neighbor who has in every way been my mom-away-from-home!)
The gifts… well, this is just half of them from today believe it or not! The girls were so generous. Sophia is quite a lucky little baby and she hasn’t even arrived!
I could not have been more blessed to have such thoughtful friends here today.
I love the month of February aside from the cold weather. It’s the love month for three reasons this month.
Also, my baby shower is this afternoon which I am really excited about! I have so much to be thankful for!
So enjoy this month and whatever it brings you. Don’t forget the V’s Day cards and little love notes!
