lil shoes

i finally got to meet precious baby girl jocelyn!

how precious is she?!  So for my first time meeting her I obviously had to make her a little something.  some lil shoes like these from before.  do you like them?

(pattern)

Taters

so can i just tell you about one of my most favorite foods right now?  honey chili potatoes.  yum!  they are sooo good by themselves and they especially give a plate of veggies a yummy boost.  

(i leave the potatoes warm on top of the salad and usually use a tiny bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar as dressing)

if you know me, you know that i absolutely can't stand anything even remotely spicy.  they aren't spicy.  

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  

1. wash some red taters, then cut them into wedges.

2. put them in an old baking pan.  

3. Sprinkle garlic powder and chili powder all over potatoes

4. drizzle honey over potatoes.

5. drizzle olive oil over taters. (original recipe calls for a stick of butter, but drizzling olive oil is wayyy healthier and tastes better in my opinion)

mix in pan, this way the olive oil coats the pan a bit and it doesn't stick as badly.  

bake 25-30 minutes stirring every 10 minutes or so.  

if you need exact measurements of the ingredients, contact me and i'll make something up for you.  but seriously these are soooo GOOD!  thanks for the recipe mom!

YUM!

prayer changes things.

(Paul and I with Boh and Lori)

we hung out with two of our closest (is that a word?) friends, boh and lori last night.  boh has a brother named andrew and a sister-in-law named megan.  megan and andrew are the type of people that you are immediately drawn to.  then after you meet them, every time you hear their names, you say 'they are seriously some of the most amazing people i've ever met... even after the first interaction'

andrew is in the army.  2 days ago he was doing routine training, jumping out of an airplane.  the wind caught his parachute and he fell.  his back is broken in 3 places.  he can move his toes and fingers, and he is conscious when all the meds aren't too much.  the extent of the injuries are still unknown (paralysis and such).

i am posting because he is having surgery this morning.  please, please do me a favor and please pray for andrew nichols and family.  they said it's a tricky surgery, so please pray for guidance and wisdom for the surgeons.  they have 3 very young kids (andrew is only a couple of years older than paul).

megan's strength amazes me.  she has such an unwavering faith.  as an outsider, her love and reaction throughout this process is nothing short of a beautiful example of her savior.  please continue to pray for her.  that she will have that 'peace that passeth understanding' and continued strength for their long journey ahead.

here is a picture of megan and andrew with 2 of their little ones.  so that you can have a face to pray for.  seriously,  cutest family EVER.  (megan if you read this, i hope you're not creeped out that i have a photo of you on my blog - i told you that i think you're awesome and i wanna be like you!) 

(picture from megan's facebook)

²⁸ Do you not know?
   Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
   the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
   and his understanding no one can fathom.
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
   and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
   and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:28-31

most important job in the world

so the other day i googled "most important job in the world".  i was kind of surprised at the finds.  4 out of 5 websites that popped up were arguments about parenting and motherhood.  they were mothers being defensive about being a stay-at-home-mom and mothers being defensive about having a job outside of the home.  and why were they all about motherhood?  isn't fatherhood important too?  why so much pressure on this subject?

(source)

paul and i are still quite a few years from being parents.  but it's interesting how God is kind of preparing me and shaping me for this.  first of all, i am the least motherly person i know.  i mean seriously, the number of times that i've babysat i can count on both hands.  i can keep someone physically alive, i mean i am cpr and first responder certified and i've dealt with quite a few emergency situations.  but anyone can do that. being a mom is a whole lot more than that.

i want to be honest.  i am extremely passionate about serving people through medicine.  i love it.  it's what i have studied and how i feel called to serve the public and my community.  but i've never really thought too much about being a mom.  it's really FREAKING scary.  i mean really scary.  i definitely want to have children.  i think it is the most important job in the world.   i mean, my mom put so much time into nurturing, caring, and loving me. she didn't just 'deal' with me or make sure that i was okay in all emergency situations.  i have much respect for mothers,  good mothers who have great relationships with their kids.

so then why do i feel that i would be a failure if i was only a stay at home mom?  i honestly don't think someone else is a failure for being that way.  i honestly think that would be the hardest gig in the world.  i love being out in the public with people, having conversation, gaining respect.  to be home with a human being that has more energy and needs than anything i've ever dealt with makes me feel stressed already.  is it the american culture that has pressed this idea into my mind?  i don't know.  i know that it is not good that i feel this way.  what are your thoughts on this?  i'm trying to seek wisdom.  and be who my creator has made ME, Kylee Dawson, to be.  i don't like worrying about it.

thoughts?  anyone?  please.

sewing space

i got a place for my sewing machine and serger.  unfortunately, it is right next to the kitchen table, but at least it's not on the kitchen table like it normally is.  paul is especially thankful for that.  haha!  paul's grandma used to be quite the sewer.  sadly, because of her Huntington's disease, she is not able to sew anymore.  Grandpa Shenk was going to just throw these beautiful treasures in the dump.  Cyndi, my mother-in-law thankfully thought of me and my kitchen table sewing space!  They are just soooo beautiful and i am soo so so so thankful!  Since we are moving in 4 weeks, I haven't really made the drawers my space yet.  It's a bit pointless to unload all of my stuff just to box it back up again!  Anyway, what do you think?  you can come and join me in my little space any time that you would like!

marriage

i follow Kate Andre's blog (formally Kate Mcdonald-shawn mcdonald's ex-wife and bethany dillon's sister).  She is actually from Bellefontaine, OH!  small world, huh?  This blog post is a beautiful example of her heart.  i leave this quote with you:

"I am learning that marriage isn’t all about romance and passion and ideals that media pushes on us. It is not even about happiness or having an increasingly better marriage as much as it is about the potential for real transformation in our own lives. Marriage can make us better as people, even when or maybe especially when it is hard and things don’t go as planned and it is not easy and the demands on us feel unfair. Maybe marriage is at it’s best when it restricts us, defines limitations, exposes our sin, and calls us to die to ourself in favor of becoming what God has already declared us to be: ONE."




read that quote again.

thank you, jesus, for the gift of marriage.

word vomit

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.  Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.  My brothers, this should not be. James 3:9-10




wowsers. that stings.  those are some toe stubbing words for me.  i think about the Church.  i think about my co-workers.  and even anyway that i have wronged people dear to my heart.  my great grandpa Webster always said, "Find something good about someone everyday and give them a pat on the back for it".  it would be wise to take these words into practice.

image found via google search

pizza crust

paul and i eat pizza (home made of course) about once a week.  it's a super easy way to get vegetables in. our favorite veggies to put on top are spinach, artichokes, tomatoes, and sauteed onions and musrooms. yummm.  sometimes we use pesto sauce and sometimes we do a tiny bit of red sauce since i don't love red sauce.  i do recommend Muir Glen sauce, however.  that's what we used on the E2 diet.  yummy.  so we've been using naan bread as the crust.  i have been flirting with the idea of making my own crust, but it was just so intimidating.  well i found an awesome crust recipe that is soooo EASY and QUICK!  it has worked every time.  i am still looking for a vegan recipe or all whole wheat recipe.  but here is what i have for now.


Pizza Crust Ingredients
-1 cup warm water
-1 TBSP sugar
-2 & 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
-3 TBSP olive oil
-1 tsp sea salt
-1 & 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
-1 cup whole wheat flour


(the recipe actually called for 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour.  this is not necessary, i use the whole wheat)


Preheat oven to 425 degrees


1. Stir water, sugar and yeast together until dissolved.  add olive oil and salt. then stir in flour until well blended.  let dough rest for 10 minutes. (i set the bowl on top of the stove while it's preheating with a towel over it).


2. Pat dough into pan or on to a pizza stone (i use a stone).  if desired add basil, thyme or other seasoning to crust.  top pizza and cook 15-20 minutes.


*I first put a little bit of garlic powder and a tiny bit of seasalt on the stone before i spread the dough onto the stone.  I then brush with a little bit of olive oil on top of the crust after patting it onto the stone and cook in oven for 3 minutes.  I take the dough back out of the oven and top with my veggies and then cook for 15-20 mins.

before 10 minute rest. (just after mixing)

just before 3 minutes in oven

Final product.  my side has the cheese.  paul's side has the nutritional yeast.  haha.  it's yummy both ways if you ask me.

seriously, it's sooo easy and you know what is in your dough.  less processed.  let me know how you like it!

teach me

i really want to make this.  can someone show me how?

disciples.

i follow this blog and this post made me crack up!  a good example of how we don't have to be perfect to follow Jesus, but the process of following him and growing in him is what refines us.


8 characteristics of a disciple:

1. You think Jesus wants to take over the government so you cut off a soldiers ear in order to get the fighting started. (The neo cons are definitely disciples!)

2. You keep pestering Jesus about who he will give more power to in heaven.

3. You have no theological training but own a small fishing business which somehow makes you qualified because you “get it.”

4. The Holy Spirit crashes into one of your mini sermons so everybody can speak different languages and outsiders think you’re drunk.

5. People ask you if you know Jesus and you freak out and say no and run away.

6. You hear they killed Jesus on a cross and you figure the whole thing was a wash and you got duped.

7. You choose other disciples by playing rock, paper scissors.

8. You teach bad theology and have to have somebody else come over and correct you.

So there you go. My guess is there’s a place in there for you. So if you’re confused about theology or power hungry or just an average idiot, take the first step. You’ll get sorted out along the way. The disciples “became” some pretty great guys in the end.

source

image found via google image search

coasters.

i use these pretties everyday.  i was so surprised to get these in the mail  for my birthday from one of my besties, Amy Dizzle.  she is so very talented.  thanks again amers.  i just love them soo soo much!

around my house.

i'm gaining an owl collection on my dresser.  i love it.

i bought the one on the left at a fair trade show.  it's from an all female school in indonesia.  the middle one is from travis! it's swarovski.  he bought it for me when he was in austria.  and the last is an antique cast iron owl from my papaw!  i love them all.

the first thing i ever embroidered is in our bedroom. our landlord won't let us hang anything on the wall.  so i wanted something there that i could hang from thumb tacks.  it's better than nothing i guess.  haha!

and if anyone wants to get me the rest of the harry potter books for christmas or just because they love me, here are the 3 i have (books 5-7)!  but don't think that i haven't read them all.  i have and i LOVE them.  i also really really REALLY want the other movies.  the only one i own is the 6th one. 'Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince' movie.

apron

i've been making a ton of aprons, i know.  but i think it's really helping my sewing skills.  one of my friends is getting married and i made her this apron with some fabric i had.  i love ruffles!  i've made this apron 2 other times.  once for my friend beth's wedding, and the first time for myself.  i posted it a while back.  i got the instructions and dimensions from an apron book my mamaw bought me.  here is a pic from the book.

pardon my dead flowers, i don't exactly have a green thumb it's cold outside.  and pardon my gundgy outfit.  i left out the lace this time.

here was the one i made beth and never posted.  i used 2 of the same fabrics and lace on hers.

the end.