A Christian is like being a Pumpkin

 A Christian is like being a Pumpkin:

God picks you from the patch

brings you in and washes all the dirt off you may have gotten from the other pumpkins.

Then he cuts the top off 

and scoops out all the yucky stuff.

He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc.

Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see.

**Remember, God LOVES You!!**

Carved Pumpkins 2010

 **William's pumpkin, of course!**

 **Corey's Pumpkin**

 **Mariah's Pumpkin**

 **Andrew's Pumpkin**

 **My Pumpkin**

Thrifty Finds Friday a few days late?

Hello Friends! I am embarking on a new column called Thrifty Finds Friday. Yes, I do know that it's not Friday, but I got seriously busy, and if I say that I will try REALLY hard to NOT let that happen again, will you forgive me? :) Anyway, I hope you like what's up for today's deals - which may or may not require you going to a store and/or website, making a purchase, and possibly using a coupon. So, here's two deals:

**With scents like Fresh Pine and Cedar or Pomegranate and Cranberries, either one will be sure to keep you in the holiday festivity spirit! Click here for the coupon offer.

**I actually checked the price of one of these candles (both sizes were the same price) and that cost was $4. So, BOGO ... spend $4 and get a $4 product for free (prices may vary from store to store). That's a deal to me!**

Up next from my friend, Jen, over at Jen's Craft Corner are these super cute bloomers for your princess!

**What a cute and great way to end the month of October!!**

Next week's edition will include finds to get you ready for Thanksgiving! :)

Thrifty Thursday: Saving ....

Hello folks! :) Welcome to the first edition of Thrify Thursday!! :) I may not always blog about specific ways to save money -- so today I have decided to post ways to save ....... CALORIES and FAT in CAKES!!

I got an email from Hungry Girl earlier this week. A portion of her email contained alternative, low fat cakes. I don't know about y'all, but I'm on the path to losing weight and am liking the steady decline in my numbers, my clothes are getting not so tight, and I just feel better - I have more energy and everything. Granted, since our vacation back home and the busyness of my life, I've had to lose the vacation pounds ... but now I am at my numbers before vacation, so now I can really say, "I'm losing weight". Over the next couple months, in between all the Thanksgiving fixins and Christmas goodie baking, I'll be checking out the different ways to make a low fat, low calorie cake. Here is the link to that particular Hungry Girl Newsletter. **In all of the below pics, you DO NOT add eggs, oil and/or water! That's where you're saving the calories and fat!**



**Be sure to check out the Hungry Girl Newsletter for other tips to making these cakes; including what cake mixes work best with the alternative addition.** 

Mmm Mmm Monday: Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I made these muffins for Sunday's breakfast. Two thumbs up and some Mmm Mmm's from the family! The muffins turned out so moist! :) **I used the variation to the original Banana Peanut Butter Chip Muffins. Also, this recipe comes from a cookbook I got for my birthday - 3 Books in 1: Church Potlucks, Sunday Suppers, and Bake Sale. You'll also find my notes in italics.** We ate them when they were still somewhat warm from the oven. THE. BEST.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (I usually do 4 turns on the salt grinder)
1 cup mashed ripe bananas - about 2 large (The more ripe they are, the sweeter. The best is either when the rind turns brown completely or when the rind is spotted brown.)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup buttermilk (I didn't have any buttermilk, so I used a substitute. Take 1 tablespoon vinegar and put in a cup {I used the 1 cup measure all cup from Pampered Chef} and then pour milk to just below 1 cup. Leave it for 5 minutes and then use whatever your recipe requires.)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla (I used 2 tsp cause I just love the sweetness of vanilla in recipes.)
1 cup peanut butter chips (variation: chocolate chips)
1/2 cup chopped peanuts (variation)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375* (I accidentally turned the oven on 350*. O.k., so it was 6:15 a.m. and I was or {may not} have been fully awake while baking these). Grease 15 standard (2 1/2 inch) muffin cups or line with paper baking cups.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Beat bananas, butter, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla in medium bowl until well blended.
3. Add banana mixture to flour mixture; stir just until blended. Gently fold in peanut butter chips. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling three-fourths full. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts.
4. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool 2 minutes in pan. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire racks. Serve warm or at room temperature. **Because of my error and setting the oven on 350*, it took the muffins 28 minutes to bake. I'm going to bake them again at the original temp and see if this dries the muffins out. If it does, I'll keep the lower temp and will let you know if it alters the moistness of the muffins.**

Good Morning

I've never seen this one before...I really like it!

When I say good morning I mean to say:

G-od

O-ffers us His

O-utstanding

D-evotion to

M-ake us

O-bedient &

R-eady for a

N-ew day with Him.

I-nspire others please, and

N-ever forget

G-od loves you!

This is cute .... especially for those Starbucks Coffee drinkers ....

I seen this on Facebook, today. Super cute and I couldn't help but share it here because it put a smile on my face. :)

http://www.helloadorable.com/blogs/helloadorable/how-make-your-significant-others-day-361