Women's Retreat Recap! {And A New Outlook On Friendship}

This little space on the web holds so much of my heart. When I go back to read through past posts {which I do} I'm reminded not only of the beautiful things as it relates to my family, but I'm also reminded of the things that God has done in my personal life and how much my life has been greatly enhanced over the past year since we became planted in our current church home {I wrote a little bit about that journey here; you can find more under my "Christianity" link}.

The word "fulfillment" is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of what this church has given me. Entering into this family was something that happened at a much needed time in my {our} life. Among other wonderful things that have transpired since first visiting one year ago this month, is the friendships that we have formed. We truly feel that we are doing life with people arm and arm.

I've never been one to have a close circle of many girlfriends. I just didn't see it positively working for those around me and it was clear why...all of those "friends" [at one time or another] became competitive, gossipy, catty, jealous and judgmental of one another. The friendships didn't seem pure. So why be in them? I have always chosen my friendships carefully - and now that I am giving it thought, I observe people for a bit before moving forward in getting to know them more. Which means...I am naturally inclined to be guarded at first and keep people at bay before bringing them close. I'm not sure this is the best method to follow but it has meant that my friendships usually evolve over time, rather than being instantaneous, and that's the pace that I have been most comfortable with.

Since becoming a wife and a mother, I really yearned for quality women to come into my life. Admittingly, I silently hoped for it, instead of outwardly praying for it. I knew that God knew the desires of my heart and so I just "waited". And waited, and waited and waited. And then I realized I should probably be intentional about praying for my desire to come to fruition. It was around this time that we joined our current church home...and my prayer came to pass.

My assumption about how hard it would be to form real relationships with the women within my church {because I was so jaded from past experiences at my former church} was dismissed within a short time - and I could feel my walls coming down. They were intentional in a genuine, disarming way, about wanting to get to know me....and what had been a fault of mine, in that I can spend quite a bit of time dissecting people in my head, found that I was now accepting people for who they were - just as they were accepting me for who I am. In my new friendships, I have learned a great lesson. And wow, what fulfilling friendships they have become.

I didn't plan on making all of the above a preface to the photos of our AMAZING Women's Retreat - but perhaps it was intended that I wrote all of that as maybe there's someone who will read this and can relate. All of the women that I was surrounded by this past weekend hold a place in my heart. Some of us may have deeper levels of friendships because of the length of time in which we have known someone, or shared commonalities means that time spent together happens more often than with others, but in that circle of women, you know that any one of them will be there for you, without hesitation, for any reason at all.

I took hundreds of photos over the weekend but as to not overload you with a bunch of pictures of people you don't even know, I'll keep them to a minimum ; )

Thursday afternoon, Sunny {our Pastor's wife} and I carpooled up to Big Canoe together. I sent her a text earlier that morning forewarning her that when she arrived it would look like I was moving out of my home! Ha! I was in charge of "atmosphere" so I took A LOT of stuff!

The homes were as beautiful as they looked in the photos. After we dropped our stuff in our rooms, we immediately got hard at work, making food and prepping everything to look beautiful for when the other women arrived...

After welcoming the women and everyone settling in with some food and delicious desserts, we played pictionary before our evening session - and let me tell you...it was hilarious!!...

We had a session Friday morning, and as with every session, we do a fun ice-breaker game beforehand. This one was a staring competition. Oh man....it was GREAT!! On the left is our Worship Leader, Salie, who started singing to Mariam {on the right} hoping to get her to blink and break her stare! It didn't work. Mariam has four kids and has that "mother's look" that none of her children, or anyone else, can break! Lol!....

Our morning session was wonderful and we were reminded that we all share the commonality of having God's name tatoo'd on our hearts. After the session, everyone had a few hours of free time to do leisurely activities if they so chose. Most people went hiking. At 1:30 p.m. we all gathered back together for a light lunch that consisted of a mini salad bar!...

Our evening session started with another fun ice-breaker of who could blow the biggest bubble. It was COMEDY!....

We played some fun group games for a few hours and then it was onto dinner! {Yes, we ate a lot!}. This time we took to the grill!....




Some women stayed indoors to make mashed potatoes and other side dishes....

Here's a pic of me and my roomie, Laura Jane! A young lady with a big heart! She is in our church's school of ministry program. I have sooo loved getting to know her!!....

And here is me and Dawn! Dawn and her husband are an intricate part of our church. They have five children but are so actively involved - huge servants with big hearts! We just love them!! We sit next to them every Sunday : ) ....

Me and my girlfriend Rhonda!!!! Rhonda, I love you!!!!! Whether we're at the movies, out to lunch or dinner, or just sitting next to each other, we have a great time! I can't get enough of this girl! She has a hilarious husband and they have two little boys, one of which is Ilah's exact age : )...

After dinner on Friday night, we had a great evening session, and then it was time to set up the hot chocolate bar and get ready for our "Friday Night Flannel Fashion Show". Oh.my.goodness. It was HYSTERICAL. But I'm keeping those photos private ; )

Saturday was our departure day. After breakfast we had an INCREDIBLE morning session....but not before doing another fun ice-breaker game. Do you see the cookies being passed around?...

They were for this game....

Try to get the cookie from your eye into your mouth!....

Our Saturday morning session was powerful. Our other sessions focused on girlfriends, and loving one another, but now it was time to focus on ourselves. Every woman received a piece of paper to write down her dreams on....five things that you are believing God for. We were encouraged to dream big because after-all, we have a BIG God! While I was writing down my dreams, I got so emotional...to the point where I was sobbing and just couldn't control it. I just felt the spirit of God so strong as I was writing out what I was believing Him for and His presence overtook me. I felt though, that that was coming. I rarely cry and when I do, especially in a setting in which intentional prayer is taking place, it's as if my tears are carrying me from one place to another in the spiritual world. When I looked up, I discovered that I wasn't alone in my tears. There were several other woman who were being touched by God in the same way. After our dreams were written out, we turned to the person to our right and privately prayed out-loud {but quietly} over her dreams. Oh wow. It was amazing. AMAZING. Such a bonding moment too. After that we then wrote down five things that we wanted to release and give to God. We then placed that piece of paper inside of a tiny envelope and attached them to balloons....

And together, we released them....

Out on the deck, surrounded by the beautiful nature that God created, our Pastor concluded our weekend together...

Set up in the living room, was a cork board with envelopes pinned on it. One of the things that we did throughout our stay, was leave little inspiring notes to each other, letting everyone know a beautiful quality that we see in them. At the end of the retreat, every woman took home an envelope with their name on it and was reminded of how beautiful and valuable they are!...

This weekend a few things happened: God poured into us, and we poured into each other. And friendships were taken to a new level.

I enjoyed assisting with the planning of this retreat, and baking delicious desserts to be enjoyed throughout the weekend....but what I mostly loved was the way in which I felt a part of these women's lives, and truly feeling that they are a part of mine. The notes that I received were so touching. So, so, so touching. I am immensely thankful for the sisterhood that I have come into.

Homemade Apple Crisp {With Recipe!}

Last week I had some friends from church over for dinner. For dessert I made chocolate chip cookies and homemade apple crisp. Dele kept eyeing the dish to gauge how much would possibly be left over. Ha! Unfortunately for him, it wasn't much. So this weekend he asked if I would make one again just for him. And of course I did.

Cool weather graced Atlanta this past weekend and it was oh so nice - the onset of fall has begun and the aroma of apple crisp filled our home Sunday afternoon. Isn't it funny how smells can take us to such a happy, warm place? I posted the recipe to this apple crisp before but I'll give you some steps, with pictures, this time around : )

If that photos looks yummy to you and you'd like to give this recipe a try, this is what you'll need...

• Ingredients:
• 3-4 pounds McIntosh or Macoun apples
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 
  
• For the topping:
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup oatmeal
• 1 stick + 6tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced

• 
  
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 14 by 2-inch oval baking dish.

Peel, core, and cut the apples into large wedges.

Combine the apples with the sugar and the spices. Pour into the dish....

To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment...

Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas....

Scatter evenly over the apples...

Place the crisp on a sheet pan and bake for 1 hour until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm....

Doesn't that topping look SO good!?!?! It's my favorite part about the apple crisp!!

This is one delicious dessert to make this time of year!! Add a scoop of ice-cream, and/or some caramel sauce, to make this treat even more delectable. The hub's thinks that's overkill, but if I had those two things on hand, I would have added them on my plate for sure!

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa {to see her original recipe, go here; I made a smaller apple crisp and therefore adjusted my ingredients accordingly}

7 Layer Bars {w/Recipe}

Last night, Dele and I went to a leadership meeting for church - this time, it was conducted in the home of one of our friends. We all gathered in, talked, ate, laughed, and then the Senior Pastor of the large church that we are a branch of, took the floor and spent some time sharing from his heart. It was a nice night!

A few days before, I was asked if I could bring a dessert. I was tossing up a few different ideas, but in the end, I kept it simple and made these delicious 7 layer bars {also known as magic cookie bars}....

After you follow the recipe and make them once, you could make them anytime thereafter practically with your eyes closed - they are that easy to make.

The 7 layers consist of:

1. Graham cracker crust
2. Chopped walnuts
3. Semi-sweet chocolate chips
4. White chocolate chips
5. Butterscotch chips
6. Shredded coconut
7. Sweetened condensed milk

So really, mine were 6 layer bars since I didn't use white chocolate chips.

Be forewarned: Just like potato chips, you won't be able to eat just one ; ) They are SO yummy!!!!

Seven-Layer Bars

Yield: 18 bars

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

9 graham crackers (5 ounces), crushed

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup white chocolate chips

½ cup butterscotch chips

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray. Line the pan with two overlapping pieces of foil or parchment paper, leaving overhang to act as handles for lifting the bars out of the pan. Spray with non-stick spray.

2. Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and bake until the outer flakes just begin to brown, about 4 minutes. (Keep a close eye on it – coconut can go from slightly browned to burnt in a matter of seconds.) Set aside.

3. Melt the butter and combine with graham cracker crumbs in a small bowl. Toss with your fingers until the butter is evenly distributed. Press the crumbs evenly onto the bottom of the prepared pan.

4. In order, sprinkle the walnuts, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and coconut over the graham crumbs. Pour the condensed milk evenly over the entire dish.

5. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours.

6. Remove the bars fromthe pan using the foil or parchment handles and transfer to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife or bench cutter, cut into 2 by 3-inch bars.

(Adapted from Baking Illustrated)

No Bake Cheesecake {w/Recipe!}

The cheesecake shots that I made for our 4th of July party were a HUGE hit! After seeing them here on Hostess with the Mostess, I had to give them a go! I'm bringing them up again because....
I don't think our party had even wrapped yet when my husband asked me when I could make them again - but he wanted the mac-daddy version...and entire cheesecake. Sidenote: I had a difficult time finding those shot glasses and after going to multiple stores, ended up scoring them at Walmart - the day before our party. The first Walmart I went to only had 2 sets, and I needed 3...so after two trips, to two different Walmarts, I got what I needed. Clearly I was determined to make this dessert! And I'm glad I did!

So last week I granted the husband's request for a full cheesecake and whipped one up. I used the same recipe that I did when making the cheesecake shots. It's a no-bake recipe. I do want to find a 5 star cheesecake recipe that requires the cheesecake to be baked in the oven, for comparison purposes to see which I like better. If I find one I'll be back with a post in the future letting you know how the two match up.

If you'd like to give this no-bake {and very easy} cheesecake recipe a try, here's what you'll need:

By Carrie of Half Baked

Ingredients:
– 4 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
– 1/3 cup + 1T sugar
– 1/2 tsp. vanilla
– 1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed
– 8 – 10 graham crackers
– Fresh Berries {optional}
– Finely crush graham crackers.

Directions:

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until smooth....

Gently stir in cool whip until well blended... Fill a pie crust with the cheesecake mixture. I cheated and bought a pre-made graham cracker 9" pie crust...Refrigerate cheesecake for 4 hours, or until firm. Serve chilled. Top with berries, if desired. I topped mine with strawberries....
All of my cheesecake mixture didn't fit into the pie so I had a little bit left over, but not enough to fill another pie crust with. So what did I do with the excess? I made individual cheesecakes in champagne glasses..... Whether you want to make cheesecake mini's in shot glasses, or give yourself a larger version of the mini, here's what you do: Fill individual glasses half way with cream cheese mixture, either using a spoon or a piping bag fitted with a large round tip for a more polished presentation. Top with 1 tsp graham cracker crumbs. Shake glass to level crumbs. Fill to the top with more of the cream cheese mixture. Lightly sprinkle with additional graham cracker crumbs and top with berries {optional}. Again, even with these, refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Serve chilled. Makes roughly 16 mini servings, depending on the size of your shot glass. My left over cheesecake filling allowed me to fill 3 champagne glasses.

Tips:
– Use a Ziploc bag to fill glasses if you don’t have a piping bag. Just fill it partially, seal and snip off one corner. Squeeze out!
– Set out cream cheese ahead of time so that it is room temperature. This will help everything blend together and create a smooth consistency.