Freshman Year

As we were preparing to help with the college group in our church, it was brought up that I could easily relate to Freshman because of my recent move. It was the first time I had thought about the similarities of the two but I am in a Freshman Year type transition.

Much like Freshman Year you are struggling to find your place and your people. You're confused and sometimes uncomfortable. Freshman year is refreshing for most because it means a new start. No one knows if you were a nerd in high school or even that you might have been popular. Everyone comes in with a fresh start. I loved that about my freshman year of college. I've been thinking a lot about that year lately. Probably because it was 10 years ago {letting that sink in...} or because I feel like I'm there again except this time I'm coming into a new city as the only one starting new. I'm the only person on campus running around confused about which building to be in!* Moving is tough. I never realized how hard it could be. I have a new respect for military families who find themselves making this adjustment ever 2-3 years.

I look back on my Freshman year of college fondly. It was by far one of the more difficult years of my life. I remember in one of the early weeks of being at OBU my dad came for a visit and I begged him to take me home and he almost did but as he has shared with him more recently he knew I had to stay and taking me home would have been the easy way out.

Had I gone home to where I was comfortable, I would haven't been roommates with Bethany Swift. I wouldn't have lost Bethany in a car accident just 3 months into my freshman year. But I also wouldn't have seen the Lord work through that. I wouldn't have made the friendships or the memories and let me tell you - there's too many to count.

That year required a lot of faith and trust and there were a lot of parts that weren't comfortable, but I wouldn't trade that time of my life for something easier. It's made me who I am today. Its part of my story. Just like this new "freshman year" is going to be a part of my story. I could go home. I could quit. But that would be the easy way out. There's new friendships to be made and memories to make.

I'm going to stop looking at all the things that are different in my life now that I live in Texas because that's the equivalent of still wearing your letter jacket in college. I'm gonna embrace my fresh start and be thankful that this time - I'm not having to take Chemistry!!!


*On my first week of college I was in a building looking for my class number. I found the number and the door seemed to be locked. I was so confused, I wasn't late for class....turns out that classroom was a closet. I was in the wrong building. Luckily, a friend's sister/an upperclassman was kind enough to point it out and never mention it again.

Next Big Adventure

It's interesting that last post on this blog was from July 18, 2013. I had no idea in 2013 just arriving home from what at the time felt like the biggest adventure of my life that that date years later would be start of another adventure.

I don't find it ironic though. I feel like saying YES to going to Ecuador was part of how I ended up in Texas. The Lord needed me to be willing and able. He needed me to be open to saying YES to Him and knowing His plans are perfect and good. (It's hard typing that because I've struggled so much with actually believing that at times but more on that later.)

Shortly after returning from Quito, I began dating Clayton. I love our love story and maybe I'll blog about that some other time. It was almost a year into dating (immediately following basketball season which is a hectic time in our lives) that Clayton took me on a date to Oklahoma City. Driving home, Clayton looks at me and says "Chris called...there's an opening at DBU"

It was like the world paused. I knew that was his dream job and there wasn't a doubt in my mind what his answer would be but I didn't know what that meant for us. Our relationship was relatively new but we both knew in our minds where it was headed and I knew it meant I was headed to Texas.

Coming to Texas has been one of the most difficult things for me. I knew I loved Oklahoma but I guess I didn't realize just how much! I've almost lived here two years now and still wake up feeling in a funk about being in a new place. I think it's because there are so many daily reminders of how things are different. Don't get me wrong, we've found wonderful friends and we love our church, both of which we are so thankful for. I just sometimes I feel like I'm living in the witness protection program. New name, new home, new friends, new phone number, new husband - not much in my life looks the same as it did 3 years ago when I returned home from Ecuador. So this is where I pick back up...with our next big adventure.

A little piece of my heart is forever in Ecuador

I've postponed writing this post because I feel like it's a vulnerable one to write. Leaving Ecuador last Friday night was so difficult and bittersweet. Don't get me wrong, I was excited to come home and see my friends and family (and sleep in my own bed) but I loved Ecuador. I loved the people I met. I loved our host home and family. I loved the culture, the language and food. There is no doubt that I left a little piece of my heart in Ecuador. I also know why so many of the team members return each year! Writing this post is hard because I know I'm probably going to cry while writing it because my heart aches for Ecuador. (I hate crying!)

I'm so incredibly thankful that God put this trip on my heart and I'm also so very thankful for those who helped make the trip possible for me. Many of you selflessly gave money to my trip and it was paid in full, something I had been worried about. I was able to leave work for a week, I'm appreciative for a boss who not only allowed me to take a week of vacation but encouraged me to take the trip. This trip was a prime example of when you say "yes" God will do the rest. I've been raised in church my entire life and know this in my head...God will provide. I've seen Him provide but this trip made it so real and true in my life. For weeks I laid awake thinking about the trip. I daydreamed about the trip and one day I called about it and then literally everything fell into place. From my passport, to the funding, to getting into Ecuador with 20 bags of medicine...I can say that God had complete control over this trip. (I doubted it Friday before we left..thanks to the encouraging words of my mother, I still packed my bags and went!) I saw God move and work. We were there for physical healing but also spiritual encouragement. Also, let me state again, I was raised in church but something that never dawned on me before was how we are an encouragement to the churches we visited. Just like Paul visited the churches of the New Testament and encouraged them, we were able to go into small churches in Ecuador and encourage them. They are doing incredible things. One of the churches, Maranatha, is very much the hands and feet of Christ in their community. The testimonies they shared with us are amazing and they are not only winning people for the Lord but are actively disciplining them. We are fortunate enough to have our associations and organizations like the BGCO to encourage and rejuvenate our church leaders and we were able to go and help revitalize them. I found  that to be so refreshing. The reverse of that is we are also encouraged and revitalized through them. I'm so glad it works both ways.


I pray for the 3 churches we visited. I pray that although the clinics for the physical healing of the community are over, that the spiritual healing is just beginning. I pray for great revival in their communities and growth for their churches. I pray that the leaders of the churches be encouraged in what the Lord is doing through them for their communities and churches. I cannot wait to return next year (or hear from the team that goes next year) about the work that will be done in this coming year.

Writing a few posts about Ecuador doesn't do this trip justice so I hope we get to chat in the coming weeks about my trip and I have tons of pictures that I'd love to show you!

Quito: Day 4 of clinics

On our bus ride this morning I gazed out at the city and realized in 48 hours I'll be back on American soil. It's crazy that you can come to love place so much in just 7 days. Learning the language, the culture, the people and then sharing Jesus and encouraging the believers here, I have loved every minute of my time here in Ecuador. The whole experience has been amazing. I'm so glad God brought me to this place. It will always hold a place in my heart. I cannot wait to come back here. I want to bring my family here. I want to better my Spanish so I can be more effective here. Oh and the food here has been incredible too! I've probably gained 20 lbs! I figured by the end of the week I would be so ready to come home but my heart is so heavy as we make preparations to return home. I have love getting to know my team. We have laughed and cried together and had so much fun together! I got to make 19 new friends! (Not to mention all my Ecuadorian friends!)
I knew the church/school we were going to today was special. I had heard about Maranatha all week. As soon as we pulled up, I felt what everyone was talking about - instantly. Walking into the school that day, I felt loved immediately. Not only did they spoil us with coffee and snacks but God is definitely at work in this place and you could feel His presence among these people. We pulled up to the school with quite a crowd awaiting us. The church has advertised our clinic and people lined the block waiting for our bus. It's the closest I've ever felt to being a celebrity. As we walked off the bus  people smiled, took pictures and waved. (This is probably how Justin Bieber feels everyday.)

















Today was our longest clinic. We saw 377 people and it felt like every bit of that! I just drank 4 cups of coffee which might be a bad idea but then again I do need to go pack. How is it already time to come home?

McKenzie, my BFF, for the week. It's crazy that I've only really known this girl for 8 days but am so thankful God put her in my life and crazy that we've been in a lot of the same places at the same time without meeting previously!

The Young Girls Room. My roommates for the week! 

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Quito: Day 3 of clinics

Today we head to Olmedo, a small village located at the base of a volcano. Each morning we pray together, share scripture and also get a brief of what to expect that day. Mark started the morning more somber than other mornings telling us that the community we are heading to today is a spiritually dark place and the presence of Satan is evident. Having two team members out sick is already discouraging but I know so many people are praying for us as we enter this village and I know God will do great things through us today.

We knew leaving the house that Satan would try to stop us and that he did. We got halfway to the location when our bus overheated. The bus was smoking on the inside! So we went to the restroom and got a snack and loaded back onto the bus. About 15 minutes down the road we had to stop again and the bus was smoking again! We finally got to our destination and The Lord provided for us. We had no idea how the clinic would work at this location. The church was one room but the pastor had transformed the room into small consultation rooms and the layout worked out wonderfully. The people in that area are Quechua people. They are much more traditional and dress in a lot of clothes they make themselves! They were an interesting people group. Very hard-workers but very healthy people. Most of their complaints are pain associated to years of hard manual labor.

Seeing Satan's many attempts to stop us from getting to the clinic that day we knew God was going to work in mighty ways and He did. This day was probably one of my favorites so far. The view from the clinic was incredible and it's so evident that we were an encouragement to the believers in the church there.
Also, I'm so glad a smile is the same no matter the language.

When our bus broke down!

If you look VERY closely behind those clouds and above the visible mountains there is a snow covered volcano, Cayambe, in the distance. It was cloudy that day and we never got a clear view of  Cayambe but I've seen pictures from team members from last year and it is BEAUTIFUL!

This was the church where the clinic was located. 4/5 consultation rooms were set up inside and right of the building - you'll see a wooden add-on...that was the pharmacy! What you can't see in this picture is the outhouse!

my pharmacy!

She doesn't look it in the photo but she was happy to take a picture with me. 

This woman was 92 years old and her friends/family carried her to our clinic. 

The view was absolutely breathtaking..from every angle. I couldn't get over it! 

This couple was ADORABLE. I was taking picture with a lady next to them (see above photo) and she asked if I would take a picture of them. (So I did) When I showed them the picture they were tickled pink and kept smiling and laughing!

Quito: Day 2 of clinics

Today was the second day of clinics. It was our last day this location. We got to the clinic and had quite a few people waiting for us! Apparently the word had gotten out around the neighborhood! Over the course of the last 2 days we saw over 600 patients. We have been extremely busy and I'm exhausted. Today was a full day for me. Yesterday was my first day as a "pharmacist" and then today I was thrown a new challenge - working the pharmacy alone. The lady who has been working in the pharmacy for years and has been helping me this week got sick and had to go back to the guest house. Luckily someone was able to come help me for the remainder of the day! It made the afternoon run much smoother, but I left the clinic feeling so exhausted! On the bright side my spanish is improving wonderfully! I have been able to write most of my labels without help from my translator! She even told me she was impressed!

We have a clinic in a community almost 3 hours from here tomorrow so I'm sure we will all head to bed early.

But first I have to go prepare meds for tomorrow! That's a quick update from today. Also, please pray for Phyllis my pharmacist helper to have a quick recovery!









This little girl asked me my name and then told me she named her new toy cat "Jennifer"






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Quito: Day 1 of clinics

Today was our first day of clinics. I could hardly sleep last night because I was so nervous. I had no idea what to expect but once I got there it all came together and we established a good flow.



I'm obviously not a pharmacist. Which would matter if we were in America..last night we went through an express pharmacy licensing process. Thanks to the "5 Minute University" and about an hour discussion about meds we were trained for our clinics. That refresher course was beneficial in the pharmacy today.

(Follow this link for the 5 Minute University!) http://youtu.be/kO8x8eoU3L4

My translator saved the day! She was so quick to learn things and starts medical school in the fall and will be amazing! She also helped me on my Spanish. "Mi espanol es muy malo."











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Quito: The first few days

As I stared out the window of the plane coming into Quito looking at the lights of the city I knew that my life was about to change forever.

20 people. 24 bags. All of which were filled with medicine or medical supplies. Not one problem in customs which is a first in the history of the groups trips to Quito. (Roughy 8-9 years)

We've been doing a lot of touristy things this weekend. We went zip lining in the rainforest on Saturday. I was absolutely amazed at the how beautiful it was. We went to this reserve and did a zip line hike that consisted of 6 different lines. It was unreal and such an adventure. The crazy part was it only cost $20!














I'll also mention that I am loving the food! So many different types of fruits! They are all so delicious. We went to church today. That's a whole separate blog post though....
-----
Just a little update! We start clinics tomorrow. We finished counting the last of the medications tonight and reviewed the process and workflow for the newbies. I'm extremely nervous because I have no idea what to expect and partly because I'm not a pharmacist and feel like I have a lot of responsibility. Oh and that whole - I don't know the language thing. I'm sure it will be "fantastico"...once we are there and I get into the swing of things but until then let's hope I can get some sleep!!!
I will try to post again tomorrow. Thank you all for your prayers!

Off we go!

And we're off! Well not really.... the first team has left for Houston and I'm sitting at Will Rogers and will board around 2:30.



Last minute packing!



I'll be turning my cell phone data off. Please email me jenniferbaker87[at]gmail[dot]com or Facebook me!

If you have an iPhone with iMessage feel free to text me!

Most importantly pray for our team!

Tomorrow.

It's here. It is finally here. Tomorrow I will be on a plane to Ecuador. I'm starting to feel a little bit overwhelmed! We had our packing day on Tuesday and the reality set in. Doubt and fear tried to crowd its way into my head. "I'm not a pharmacist." "I'm not properly trained for this." "I have no idea what I'm doing." All of these thoughts and oh a thousand more have been circling around in my mind. That's where you come in...please pray for me. Pray that the doubt and fear will be gone and I can remain confident in my knowledge and be able to fully love on these people for Jesus. Pray that my nervous jitters fade. Many of you know that I am a planner and there are so many unknowns for me in this trip and that's where my nerves come in. God has already reminded me that He is in control and I just have to say "yes"...He takes cares of the rest.
Also pray I can fit all this in my carry-on.....,,,Yikes!




"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
Ephesians 3:14-19

Ecuador bound

Me holding my sister's donation to the trip!

For the past 3 years I have sat on the back pew. I've been what pastors and church leaders call an "attender." I've been attending Immanuel Baptist Church in Shawnee for roughly 3 years. I've dabbled in a few Sunday School classes but primarily, I've made excuses. 

"Oh, I just can't get connected. " 

"The singles class is old people." 

"The young adult class is married people." 

"I was in a long-distance relationship and never around."

 Those are just the top excuses. None of those excuses are really the problem. I was the problem. I was wanting the church to cater to me and connect to me. Some recent events in my life have made me realize that I have to make the move. The church isn't there to cater to my every need. I'm called to be connected and involved and to serve. So I decided to do something about it...and this is where I try to make a long story short.

Have you ever gotten a thought in your head and couldn't shake it? That's how I felt about this mission trip IBC does to Quito. I saw it in the bulletin and couldn't stop thinking about it. One afternoon I decided to call the church and ask for more information. I casually mentioned I worked in a pharmacy and come to find out - they needed someone with pharmacy experience and had been praying that someone would feel called to go. (I suppose I should thank them for all those sleepless nights!)

So I think it was pretty much determined at that very moment - I'm supposed to go to Ecuador.

Get out your tissue, folks. I later called my mom to explain to her my decision. I also told her about the cost and how I was a bit hesitant and that I'd be missing a week of work. My 5 year old sister overheard parts of the conversation. I get a text message from my mom that contained this photo:

My sister had asked my mom to get her piggy bank because she had "20 dollars and some cents for my mission trip" that she wanted to give me. Tears were flowing. God was working. If my sister could give me all the money in her piggy bank than I could make a few sacrifices myself and go! So that being said -

  I'm going to Ecuador! 

I ask that you pray for the preparations being made for our team. I'm technically signing up late and still have to get a passport! So pray that all of that type of stuff goes smoothly and QUICKLY. {Update: I received my passport! I was told it would take 2-4 weeks to process. I leaned on the side of 4 weeks. My passport came in a week and a half. Talk about a God thing. I know only God can make a government agency work that quickly!} The cost of the trip is $1,800. My 5 year old sister has made the first contribution to my trip (which touches my heart more than I can every really express in a blog.) 

If you feel led to help, I'm asking that you match my sister's donation ($21.58) to help me get to Ecuador!

HOW TO DONATE: 

You can make checks payable to Immanuel Baptist Church and be sure to write "Jennifer Baker - Ecuador trip" on the memo line. You can mail checks to me or to the church - 

Immanuel Baptist Church -1451 E. 45th Street Shawnee, OK, 74804

Mediterranean Pizza

Sometime you crave Little Caesars but know that's a terrible idea. (even if you aren't worrying about eating healthy- that's not even real cheese! um gross?) So what's a better alternative - this guilt free DELCIOUS-NESS.

Mediterranean Pizza

Thin Crust Whole Wheat Pizza

¼ cup feta cheese crumbles

¼ cup diced tomatoes

2 T olive oil

1 cup mushrooms

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup spinach

Italian seasoning

Heat olive oil with minced garlic on a low heat for just about 2-3 minutes. Set aside to infuse the oil with the garlic flavor.

Brush oil on pizza crust.

Sprinkle feta, tomatoes and mushrooms on pizza.

Chop spinach, sprinkle on top of pizza. 

Drizzle with oil

Top with some Italian seasoning.

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 425. 

Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

I rarely blog anymore. I mean, it's a been a year since my last post so that's pretty obvious. In the last few weeks, I've really tried to start eating healthy and cooking more at home. It's really me challenging myself to use my Bountiful Basket items. I've used a lot of great recipes in the last few weeks and wanted to to catalog them somewhere - mainly so my mom can find them easily! :) They are all pretty veggie-filled, so if you're a steak and tater kind person - ignore the food posts! 

Also, I often forget to take pics of my food or they are terrible quick photos. I'm cooking how am I supposed to remember to take pictures too? Seriously, Pioneer Woman - HOW DO YOU DO IT!?

I took a picture pre-baking but forgot to before we devoured it. 

Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 60 minutes

1 Anaheim pepper, cut into matchsticks

1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks

1 orange bell pepper, cut into matchsticks

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into matchsticks

2 medium baking potatoes, cut into chunks

1 can of corn kernels

1 cup of mushrooms

1 cup of spinach

3 T olive oil

2 garlic cloves

Salt and pepper

½ cup cilantro

2 cups salsa

9-10 corn tortillas

2 cups shredded cheese

Sour cream and scallions for garnish, if desired.

1.       Rinse and chop vegetables

2.       Roast in oven at 425 degrees with oil, cumin, s/p for 30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes

3.       Mix salsa and cilantro

4.       Layer salsa, tortillas, spinach, veggies, cheese

5.       Bake again, covered with foil at 350 for 20 minutes

6.       Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until cheese browns

7.       Cool for a few minutes and ENJOY :)

Letter to Dad

So this picture is of me or my brother. Not sure,
 but check out those glasses! 

For the past few years, my dad has started to write letters to us for birthdays, Christmas, graduations, special occasions we call them “Letters from Dad.” Getting letters from dad has become one of my favorite gifts. The time and consideration that go into these “love letters” mean so much more than a gift card or new clothes (notice I didn’t say new shoes here!) and they will last longer. Even after my dad is gone, I will still have these letters that he has written me over time. These letters from dad have encouraged letters to dad and letters from other relatives. I love this thing that is now becoming a Baker family tradition. This is my letter to dad. (written shortly after my dad underwent open heart surgery)

Dear Dad, 

        I think everyone thinks their dad is the best dad. Just like every dad thinks their kid is the smartest, prettiest, most talented, etc. That’s just how it is. But I honestly believe I have the very best daddy. I have known my entire life that you are a remarkable man. You are so strong and you work so hard to provide for us. I didn’t understand when I was in college the sacrifices you made for my higher education. I understand that now. I see you working 50-60 hours a week to provide for us. You didn’t have to make that sacrifice. So many parents don’t. Good work ethic is something you always taught Jonathan and I and I feel like it’s evident that we learned by example. Last week, my eyes were opened to the fact that life on earth is short and that your days with us could have been numbered. I became aware that if God wanted you in heaven he could have easily taken you, but He didn’t because your work here is not done. Yes, with Joshua and Jordyn that work is obvious. But the work I’m talking about is greater than that. Watching you in the hospital was extraordinary. You had just had bypass surgery. You could have been grumpy and mean and no one would have thought twice about it. You had major surgery, you had an excuse. But even in ICU, you were witnessing to the nurses who were taking care of you. More than once I heard you talk about church and faith with your nurses. You are an outstanding man, dad. You have inspired me and honestly this entire experience was such an eye-opening experience as to how blessed our family is. Blessed by wonderful friends, blessed by wonderful family, but most of all we are blessed because you have lead us as a Godly dad. 

The happiest day of his life - no more OBU college tuition!

I love you and I’m so thankful you’re my dad. 

-Jennifer

The Basket Case: The Savings

Let's take the January 7th conventional basket as an example and see exactly how much we are saving! For this basket, I contributed $15.00. 

Using myfridgefood.com and its wonderful grocery store list builder gives me an estimated price of what the items would cost if I just went to Homeland or Walmart and picked these items up.

Want to take a guess....?

1- Romaine lettuce

1- Spinach

1- bunch Radish

1- Broccoli

2- English Cucumbers

2- Avocados

5- Tomatoes

8- Bananas

1- Bag of black Grapes

6- Clementines (mandarins)

1- 6oz container Blackberries

3- Asian Pears

6- Fuji Apples

_______________________________

TOTAL: $45.00

For all you matheletes out there that's a grand total savings of $30.00*!

I'd like to see a Homeland reward card save you that much. 

I will also add - myfridgefood.com didn't have the option of radishes or clementines (so I priced regular oranges) so really you are saving WAY more than just $30.00!

Interesting in participating?--this is a pretty good selling point if you ask me! 

The Basket Case: Bountiful Baskets 411

I have mentioned how I started a site but haven't really clarified what Bountiful Baskets is exactly.


Bountiful Baskets is a food cooperative.  Bountiful Basket Food Co-op (BBFC) provides produce baskets, organic produce baskets, artisan bread and sandwich bread every other week. If you like eating healthy and also saving money you might want to consider this food co-op. BBFC is entirely volunteer-run. Did I mention it also operates in 19 states? How awesome is that! I think its so refreshing to see so many people active and willing to eat healthy and provide healthy options for their families! I also love that it is so affordable. I'm just a single gal and can afford this basket on a small budget. I try to live on just my basket and a few other items meats and dairy as much as I can. So I'm looking at a grocery bill of under $50 for the MONTH! WOWZA folks - that's a lotta savings - imagine what a family could save.


Not only am I able to save money but I feel so much better because I am eating good, REAL foods. I've currently been on a quest to wean myself off of processed foods until I realized how much I love M&M's and Oreos (and the list could go on!) but I really do try to eat real foods as much as I can and BBFC has helped with that! 


Alrighty - back to BBFC stuff:


What is a food co-op?
Food Co-ops take advantage of the buying power of the group to get better prices on food, typically locally-grown produce or organic food products.
There are no long-term committments.
Try it once and if you think it's not for you - you never have to participate again (but I doubt you'll feel that way!)
How much does it cost?
A conventional basket is $15 for returning participants. The first time you participate there is a one time fee of $3.00 making the total cost $18.00. Each week there are also extra items available such as breads and seasoncal cases of fruits and vegetables. 
An organic basket is also available for a $10 upgrade fee. ($25.00)
What's in a basket?
Produce baskets are 50% fruit and 50% veggies and 100% delicious!
How do I participate?
Follow this link to get step-by-step directions!


The Shawnee site is located at 1414 N Kennedy, Shawnee, OK 74804 inside the Doctor's Building/Gateway to Prevention and Recovery. This location is located off Hwy 177 taking the Kickapoo Spur to North Kennedy. If you have any questions about the BBFC - contact me! Our pick-up is this upcoming Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 11:45am. See ya then!


-Jennifer  

The Basket Case: Starting a site

A few months ago, I was home visiting my parents and went with my mom to pick up her "Bountiful Basket". For months I had heard my mom excitedly (and maybe a bit obsessively) rave about Bountiful Basket Food Co-op. While picking up my basket that Saturday, I met Stefani the Oklahoma volunteer area coordinator. I casually mentioned what a great thing this was and how I’d love it if there was one in Shawnee. I gave her a business card and we hit the ground running. By the time I got to my office Monday morning, Stefani had e-mailed me and was working on getting a Shawnee site started.

I was more than overwhelmed, at first.

There was a guidebook, training, conference calls. I was looking at my schedule and all the paperwork and thought – is this really do-able?

Once I volunteered, I realized this can be done and I want it for my community. We just had to train, find a location and get people interested! Finding a location was our hardest obstacle to overcome. Training was easily done (Thanks to my mom who trained under the Altus site then drove up here for 3 weeks to train me!) A location finally came through at the first of the year and we had a start date. We have been an active site since January 21. With a background in marketing, getting people involved - was the easiest and most fun for me!

Our first week we had 18 participants, then 32, then 50. Overall, around 65 people have participated. I now see why my mom was so excited (and obsessed) with this co-op. It’s such an amazing opportunity for families to eat healthy and on a budget. I am so hooked on my produce baskets and love telling other people about it.

Today marks the 4^th week of participation. I love “Bountiful Basket” weeks. I cannot wait to see how many people will participate! Then I cannot wait until Saturday morning to find out what produce we will receive! (I love that surprise – I think everyone else does too)

Want to know more about Bountiful Baskets? I would love to tell you about it. Just ask.

www.bountifulbaskets.org

Mini Makeover

I had a little work done.

Okay, not me personally-- but I found this adorable site: The Cutest Blog on the Block. They offer free blog designs. I LOVE IT.

Enjoy.

How you doin?

Wow, it has been forever since I logged on to this thing. My ol' laptop had been running on the slow side for awhile now. Finally, this weekend it got a little makeover. A little open heart surgery, one might say. Okay, I'm the only "one" who would probably use that analogy - and I just did. It is now running quite a bit faster...which means I'm actually going to start blogging again. Which means my parents and grandparents will have something to read. (Hello to each of you!)

My lack of blogging has not just been due to a slow computer but a mixture of that with no time which leads to no crafts or cooking - which means NOTHING to blog about.

Today after work I decided to clean up my "office space" just a bit. I live in a rent house with two other girls - we don't have a ton of free space. So my "office" is just the other side of my bedroom, but nonetheless I spruced it up just a bit! My mom and I have been working on starting this wonderful food co-op in Shawnee (Bountiful Baskets - I will share more on this whole thing tomorrow) and the need for a work space at home will be pretty important when I have to start flying solo( - after this weekend YIKES)
Excuse the crummy iPhone pictures - but you get the point.
SO before:

AFTER:

Hash Brown and Egg Casserole

Looking for a last minute breakfast idea for tomorrow morning? I've got just the thing.
A few weeks ago, I had a few girls over for a dinner party and I went with a breakfast theme. I tried out two casseroles - this was a crowd favorite.  Normally on Christmas morning we have a large family breakfast. This year we will be attending church services together so we will need a quicker breakfast, so this will be perfect!

Ingredients:
1 (2 pound package) frozen hash browns potatoes, thawed
1 pound pork sausage
1 small onion, diced
7 eggs
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
12 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2 quart baking dish. Place the hash browns in the bottom of the baking dish.
2. Heat a skillet and cook and stir the sausage and onion until sausage is crumbly, evenly browned and no longer pink; drain.
3. Whisk together the eggs, milks, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and pour over the hash brown potatoes. Layer with half the cheddar cheese, the sausage mixture, and the remaining cheese. Cover with foil.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove the cover; return the casserole to the oven and bake until a knife insterted into the cetner comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.


This recipe was originally from AllRecipes.com and has been slightly adapted for our preferences.
Enjoy and Merry Christmas.