Gloomy days are great for making cheezy crackers!

Today was just a gloomy day.  The sky was gray and overcast all day and it was very cool.  I mentioned to my husband that it almost looked like snow.  (It was only 63 degrees and it's the middle of September so I know snow is at least a little ways off.)

It was definitely a day to stay huddled up inside in the warm and either read a book or watch a movie, but, unfortunately, my students and my toddlers require much more of me so I got up and out to school this morning against my wishes.

Today also marks 2 months since I lost my baby "girl".  Since she was only about 8 weeks gestation, I don't know definitively that "she" was a girl, but as hard as I have tried, I can't refer to her as a he so "she" it will be.  "She" or more specifically my Arabella Grace.  I chose this name soon after I found out I was expecting because one meaning of the name Arabella is "yielding to prayer" and I knew I was definitely going to need prayer with two kids two and under in my house.  It also means "beautiful."  I know miscarriage is a taboo subject, but I'm not really sure why.  It's not contagious.  It's sadly way too common.  I can't tell you how many people that have told me that they also experienced a loss when I told them about mine.  I believe the statistic is something like 1 in 5 known pregnancies end in miscarriage.  So, why all the silence?  Why am I expected to forget my child just because I didn't hold her in my arms?

It's almost funny to me that when I hear from people I don't talk to often and they ask how I'm doing, I'm not sure if they are asking, "Hey, how are you?" like you would to anyone else or "Hey, how are you dealing with your loss?"  I hope some day, someone might tell me that they were thinking of me and my baby girl. I think about her often and can't wait to meet her in heaven!  But, I digress.  This post was supposed to be about making crackers and how my little monster (a.k.a. S.J.) got into the tiny bit of flour that I left on the table.

So, yesterday I attempted crackers for the first time.  I found the recipe on Oh She Glows.  It's a cheesy vegan cracker (I'm not sure if all crackers are vegan, but this one is.)  I made a batch yesterday using regular all purpose flour and added some Italian seasoning.  They turned out awesome but, of course, I took no pictures of the process.  My husband, my son, and I finished them within 24 hours.  I don't think I have a future in food blogging.  :)

So, I made another batch today.  Once again, I didn't take pictures of the ingredients or the mixture, but I did take a few of cutting them out.

And getting ready to bake.

This time I used whole wheat flour to make them a little healthier and rolled them thinner.

They were still great and my 18 month old decided he needed some more after I gave him a few.

The flour that is covering him is a result of me forgetting that I left a the small container of flour I was using to dust the table and him climbing up and finding it.  I swear, I started off with a fourth of a cup and used more than half of it.  Unfortunately, the table, the towel, the oven mitt and the toddler don't look like it.

All in all a great end to a gloomy day!

Easy Cheezy Crackers (courtesy of Oh She Glows)

Lightly adapted from Have Cake Will Travel.

Yield: About 40-60 small crackers.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons whole grain spelt flour
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 to 6 tablespoons water (I used 1/4 cup water)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a non-stick mat.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, and salt. Stir in oil and water and mix until dough is combined.

3. Roll dough on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin, or roll it between two Silpat mats, until it is 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Cut cracker shapes with cookie cutters or with a knife or pizza slicer. Using a spatula, gently remove each cracker and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat until dough is used up.

4. Sprinkle crackers with kosher salt, poke with fork, and bake in the oven at 350F for 18-22 minutes (depending on thickness), watching closely so you don’t burn them. I baked mine for about 20 minutes, but next time I would bake them up crispier.

5. Place on a rack to cool. Store in a container at room temperature. Crackers also freeze well. Makes about 60 small crackers.

 I have tried this with both whole wheat and regular all purpose flour and it turned out great!  I added Italian seasoning both times and the result was a chicken in a biskit like taste.

I'd love to hear if you tried it and how it turned out for you!

We are Christians, but are we Christlike?

I saw this video on Facebook today.  It was taken at a local college here, and it really got me thinking.  Obviously, this is only a short except, so I don't have the whole story, but apparently this preacher is calling out homosexuals and called young college women whores, and so on when a group of presumably Christian college students begin singing "He Loves You."  Here are my thoughts on the matter (not relating to this particular incident just in general.

Let me preface this by saying, I am a Bible believing born again Christian.  I believe both homosexuality and sex outside of marriage is sin.  I believe in standards and separation and calling sin what it is, but is there a time and a place for this?  It really made me think.  I thought back to Jesus' ministry.  Jesus was comforting to the sinners.  He went to them in compassion to show them the way of life.  The only people we have record of him condemning were the religious people who were making so many rules for others to follow.

We find Jesus going to the Samaritan women (technically going through Samaria and she came to the well where he was sitting) and talking to her about living water and then pointing out her sin in love.  We see Jesus loving sinners.  Sin is wrong, but when did we start just condemning sinners instead of pointing them to Jesus?

Jesus calls the Pharisees (religious people) vipers, children of Satan, and other things like that, but he never calls out those that need his help.  I'm not sure that I'm saying this how I'm thinking it.

I do believe sin should be preached about, but I think the best place to preach on sin is in the church.  Public preaching whether to an individual or a crowd should be about pointing them to Jesus, not getting them to turn from their sin.  Because, without Jesus, they can't turn from their sin.  Without His indwelling Holy Spirit, they can't conquer the flesh or the devil.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!

A little background

A little bit about me.

My name is Vicki Voorhis, and I am a wife to Stephen, and mother to my feisty 18 month old, SJ, and a middle school science teacher at Grace Christian School.  My life is crazy busy, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  This year I teach until 10:30, and then I have my little guy for the rest of the day.

My two loves.

I am mama to Stephen James (SJ) who constantly keeps me busy.  He loves to be outside and/or climbing something.  He's my little miracle boy! (*see below)

I am a Virginia transplant from Florida by way of Indiana.  Who am I as a person?  I am a Christian; I am an avid reader (or at least I used to be before my son); I love seeing new approaches to problems; I love kids of all ages even when they are being obnoxious :); I am mostly an introvert and completely non-confrontational.

*When I was 28 and unmarried, I found out I had ovarian tumors.  I had to have all of one ovary removed and most of the other.  The tumors were diagnosed as low malignant potential so according to the doctors I am a cancer survivor, but I don't feel worthy to be grouped with those who had to endure long treatments.  After my surgery, I was told that I would not be able to have children.  My blood work basically came back as post menopausal.  Almost 4 years to the day after my surgery, I gave birth to my son who was conceived without medical intervention.  I know God works miracles and answers prayers.  I see living proof every day!

I have no idea what the topics will be from day to day.  I'm sure whatever is on my mind at the moment.  I may occasionally be inspired and actually post recipes, but more than likely, I'll be chronicling my life and my thoughts.  I look forward to seeing if anyone ever actually reads this.

I don't have all the answers.  Some days, I don't know if I have any of the answers.  This is just me living life... one day at a time.

Feel free to live it along with me!

Vicki