Dear Pioneer Woman,

Healthy baked muffin-doughnut/donut

Unhealthy fried doughnut/donut

In recognition of  National Doughnut/Donut Day, I took it upon myself to come up with a healthier version of the delectable doughnut/donut. (Can you tell I am still obsessing over which way to spell the darn word?)

After forcing asking my daughter to help me mix up the healthy recipe at midnight, the results are now in. The healthy baked doughnut/donut tasted like a muffin. That's right. A good healthy, hearty, moist muffin, which,  is o.k.  IF you want a muffin. But a muffin is not what I ordered, thank you very much! So it was back to the drawing board, so to speak. After much thought and deliberation the panel of judges...me, my daughter, my son, and my niece...voted to make this recipe instead. As a last resort. Redeeming the wasted time spent on the "healthy" recipe.

Now, suffice it to say, I have always been pleased with your  Pioneer Woman recipes. Never been disappointed with any of the high-caloric, fat-packed, amazing food you whip up. (Although I have strong suspicions you don't  eat the food you cook...I saw your skinny butt on T. V.)

But seriously, I must say the labor involved, the trouble of mixing the dough, allowing it to rise, rolling it out, cutting it out, getting the hot oil just the right temperature for frying was more painful than the last root canal I had. My poor daughter was breaking a sweat.

Aggravating, Ree. Really. No hard feelings. It was just NOT my idea of fun.

Just to remain fair and open-minded though, I sampled not one, but two of these little devils. And honestly, they were not fall-on-the-floor great. Better than the healthy baked muffin-doughnut/donut impostor, BUT just not worth the trouble.

Maybe one day, when I have all the laundry caught up, the weeds are all pulled, and Facebook goes out of style, I'll give it another try, but for now I am just gonna google for the closest Krispy Kreme.

Unless, and only unless, under one condition...you accept this cordial invitation to visit me in my neck of the woods and give me some and cooking tips....starting with Doughnuts 101.
 I'll even wear my yoga pants, just to make you feel welcome.

I love you. Still.

Sincerely,

Gina Morgan

Jam-packed day!

There is a list a mile long of things I want to do with my hubby of almost twenty-five years. Postponed dreams, a bucket-list for our marriage, whatever you want to call it. You see, not too far into our marriage children began to arrive on the scene. Life was jam-packed with activities that centered around our kids.
And we have no regrets. Parenting is an incredible gift.

Just twenty-two months after we said "I DO" we began the years of diapers, laundry, preschool, T-ball, laundry, dance lessons, PTO, laundry, braces, baseball, football, basketball, laundry, homework, piano lessons, laundry, soccer games, dance recitals, laundry, cars, dating, proms, laundry, and the endless energy each of those milestones require. And did I mention laundry? Occupying and diverting our attention to the importance of raising our wonderful kids was a sacrifice, but such a tremendous blessing. Years of loving, nurturing, disciplining, and now the harvest.

We are definitely blessed.

The children are grown: one Air Force-bound with a family of his own, one graduated college, and another beginning college.  Lately, I find myself dreaming and planning ways to do some of those postponed things together as a couple. I think we owe it to ourselves. And to each other.
So, while I work on that list of things we need to do, places we need to go, I will share one of the things we did today that actually wasn't on the list at all.

We made blueberry jam! Picking the berries we grew ourselves and then made some delicious jam.

This season, this harvest of fruit reminds me that we reap because we toil. Along this journey, our marriage, and in even on our personal spiritual path there will be seasons of cold, even dry times. The fruit of our labor may be hidden but we must forge ahead.  Galatians 6:9 says Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Two are better than one,

because they have a good return for their work.

Ecclesiastes 4:9

 

See how our garden grows!

National Doughnut/Donut Day

Sometimes I can get a little O. C. D . about the spelling or pronunciations of words. Take the word for
small cake of sweetened or, sometimes unsweetened rich, light dough fried in fat, typically shaped like a ring.Whether you spell it "donut" or "doughnut" we have to agree this celestial concoction is one of the greatest culinary inventions ever. In our town, we have a family-owned bakery that sells a pretty amazing doughnut/donut. I am a die-hard Krispy-Kreme fan, myself.

Today is National Doughnut Day and I feel somewhat obliged to participate in this worthy holiday. I remember the first doughnut I ever had. Must of been around 1967. I was around six years old. My mother made them from scratch at home. They were truly magical! Warm sugary little bites...a little crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Ahhhhh!
So, now you know... I have my mother to blame thank for my addiction to food. Never mind that she has never ever struggled with her weight.

Moving on. Since we have established that I am a dedicated, unofficial member of the No Carb Left Behind fan club, having met all the requirements for membership, and possessing the love handles to prove it, I feel a certain duty, a responsibility of sorts to womankind to come up with healthier versions of tasty foods. It's true, I admit, I get weak in the knees when it comes to mere visions of donuts/doughnuts. For Carbs' sake, I have been known to drive 100 miles for a Krispy-Kreme. The thoughts of butter, bread or desserts can literally throw me into a feeding frenzy that rivals a Great White vs Baby Seal attack.

But, alas, now that I am on this self-assigned mission to discover healthier ways to make and  partake of the delicious foods I am addicted to have come to appreciate, I have definitely met an overwhelming challenge head-on today! The challenge? To create a delicious, delectable, doughy, delicious, damn-good doughnut. Sorry, Mom. I get carried away when it comes to carbs.

First, to appreciate the worthiness of this self-assigned project, like all good educators, one must do hours and hours of research. But, since it is summer and I am on a vacation, I will provide you with a wonderful link I found: History of the Donut. You can thank me later.

So, study up, leave your thoughts or experiences with this small cake of sweetened or, sometimes unsweetened rich, light dough fried in fat, typically shaped like a ring in my comment box.
I''ll be back later with the scientific results of this sweet baking assignment.

Date night

Friday night and husband invites me to a movie. "Maybe Robin Hood," he suggests.

Truth is, it's not about the movie...he would honestly rather dine on movie popcorn and a coke

than a steak and potato most weekends. No kiddin!

First we stop off at Lowe's. Isn't that how every hot date begins? He lovingly asks me, "would you rather wait here or do you want to go in with me?" Since I consider this a date, I agree to join him. He even opens my car door for me. My heart is all a-flutter!

Once inside, I am drawn to the garden section. No surprise to anyone who knows me.

So, I do what any good woman does. I wave my date off and say "you know where to find me when you get ready to check out."

So much for romance, eh?

And that's when I found it... a new friend... a kindred spirit. The most beautiful, breathtaking sight I have laid eyes on in a long time. A succulent container garden. Lord, help me, I am stricken. After staring at its beauty and envisioning it as a new member of my growing succulent family for well over ten minutes, my Lowe's/movie date walks up and asks, "you ready for some popcorn? " Then he recognizes that look in my eyes. He really should know better by now. Never leave me unattended in the garden section.

Now I honestly can't think of anything more romantic than a guy buying his woman succulents. Roses. Pshhh!  But, succulents? That's just hot! And sexy, in my opinion!

Here's more information on succulents, just in case you are smitten like me, or are suffering from insomnia...

Succulent plants store water in their fleshy leaves. They are water-retaining plants adapted to arid climate or soil conditions. Succulent plants store water in their leaves, stems, and also in roots. The storage of water often gives succulent plants a more swollen or fleshy appearance than other plants. Water retention? Swollen? Fleshy? I can so relate!

And, oh, what about the movie, the popcorn you ask? Well, we didn't make it Friday night. We decided to wait til Sunday afternoon and went out for Mexican instead. I really love my man!

The sea is so wide and my boat is so small...

It's been a while since I posted anything on my blog. Life has just been incredibly eventful lately and I have great difficulty gathering any sound thoughts when life is uneventful so, well, just consider yourself lucky to get anything even half sensible out of me these days.

The "merry month of May" has been an emotional roller coaster for this Mom.
Our first son graduated from college, our second son is staring Air Force Basic Training in the face, and our daughter graduated from high school. On May 10th, oldest son, Taylor graduated from Emory University with  B. A. in Political Science. The weekend was filled with friends and family gathering in Atlanta to honor and celebrate this honored one of ours. On Mother's Day we attended the Baccalaureate Service at the Glenn Memorial Church.  During the service, I was touched by the singing of a choral anthem arranged by David Brunner entitled "Simple Boat."

Dear Lord, be good to me.

The sea is so wide and my boat is so small.

-Irish Fisherman's Prayer

Regard your body as a vessel,

A simple boat for going here and there.

Make of it a wish-fulfilling gem

To bring about the benefit of beings.

May I be a guard for those who are protectorless,

A guide for those who journey on the road.

For those who wish to go across the water,

May I be a boat, a raft, a bridge.

-The Way of the Bodhisattva

It is true, children grow up. There is a big world out there for them to explore, to experience, to conquer. They leave the harbour. I see Taylor stepping into another boat now ... taking risks, challenges with great confidence. Eyes focused and set on more goals. Griff is counting the days until he leaves for Basic Training. A young man with the many responsibilities that come with a wife and a baby ready to set sail, determined and motivated to excel. And that daughter, the baby, now graduated from high school, Eyes set on a new horizon. A vast sea with endless opportunities.

The words from "Simple Boat" speak to my heart, reminding me of the purpose of this journey I am on. The reason I am. I pause, think of the years of tireless loving, guiding, nurturing, training, disciplining my three children. Such wonderful years.  Does it all matter? Did I make a difference? How insignificant I feel at times, yet how I matter still. I do have purpose. A role. Even when what I have always been comfortable doing suddenly alters, changes, even ends. The sea is so wide and my boat is so small...May I be a boat, a raft, a bridge.


 

What it's all about

Pre-K class picture 2003-2004

Hey! Just wanted to let you know that if everything goes well I will be graduating from SGC on Thursday morning at 9:00AM and I owe it all to you and my Mom. I just want you to know that you are the reason that I went back to school. My Mom helped me make the final decision but it was your confidence in me that made me realize that maybe I could do it. When I worked with you and saw how you taught, you made me realize that I wanted to be just like you. I know that those words may sound stupid but that is how I felt. Not only did you give my confidence, you inspired me and made me want to do more in my life. You are a wonderful person and I will never forget what you have done for me. I will also cherish your friendship forever. I know that we don't get to spend a lot of time together anymore but I do think about you a lot. Your confidence and words of encouragement were what kept me going. Although the moment will be bittersweet because my Mom will not be here to see me, I am very proud of myself for what I have accomplished and you are why I was able to do that. This world needs more teachers and people like you. I know that I should probably be in the bed because it is almost 12:00 but I wanted to let you know what you and your friendship means to me. I love you and you will always hold a special place in my heart.
 Love ya lots,Brenda