Jack and Erin

Internet Addiction Test

2012-01-25T16:28:00.000-05:00

This afternoon we mentioned a test that you could take to see if you are addicted to the internet. Jack took the test and he came out normal - surprise! I still have yet to take it - I've been too busy surfing Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. HA!

Click here to take the test.

Let us know how you do ;-)

-- Erin

Ravens Game Day Menu

2012-01-16T16:37:00.000-05:00

It's the playoffs.

Therefore, special food is essential.

So, in honor of today's Ravens game, I decided to make myself a Baltimore Ravens lunch: Haloti Hawaiian BBQ, Flaco Fennel Salad, Purple & Gold Roasted Potatoes, and Black Bean Brownies.

Now that the Ravens get to play another week... I've got to figure out next week's menu. And, yes, thanks to everyone's suggestions, Ray Rice Pudding WILL be on the menu.

Haloti Hawaiian BBQ
recipe slightly adapted from here

3lbs chicken breasts or thighs
1 18oz bottle of BBQ sauce (Jack Daniels is my fave)
1 20oz can crushed pineapple
1 cup chopped onion (frozen or fresh)

In a slow cooker, layer the ingredients in this order: chicken, diced onion, BBQ sauce, crushed pineapple. Place the lid on top and cook on high 4-6 hours or low 8-10 hours. About an hour before serving, pull chicken out, shred, return to sauce, and cook until the shredded chicken has absorbed the sauce.

Flacco Fennel Salad

1 fennel bulb
1 small apple
1 naval orange

Thinly slice fennel and place into a small bowl. Core, halve, and thinly slice apple and add to fennel. Use a sharp knife to cut away orange pith and cut the orange into horizontal slices. Reserve two orange slices and squeeze over fennel and apples. Cut remaining orange slices into fourths. Add to the fennel and apple. Toss together and serve.

Purple & Gold Roasted Potatoes

1lb Purple Majesty potatoes (or any purple potato)
1lb Yukon Gold potatoes
1-2 Tbls olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Line a large sheet pan with foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray. Wash and dry potatoes and cut into bite sized chunks. Place on prepared sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt. Toss together to mix. Arrange the potatoes so they are in a single layer. Place in oven and bake for 25-35 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown.

Black Bean Brownies
recipe adapted from here

15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans)
2 ripe bananas
3 large eggs
1/3 cup agave or honey
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 Tbls instant coffee granules
1/4 cup instant/quick oats
2 Tbls mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with non-stick cook spray. In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth (you may see some flecks of black bean skins). Fill muffin tins with mixture until muffin tins are almost full (this makes 16 brownies, so you won't use all the mix the first time around). Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove from muffin tin when cool.

Yield: 16 brownies

Great Lego Videos

2012-01-16T15:58:00.001-05:00

The Lego Proposal
Okay. This is pretty unique. It also raises the bar a little too much for some guys? Regardless, it is sure to bring a smile to your face.

Here's another great one that Kenny called to tell us about. It's a lego stop animation for the Newsboys' song, "Born Again."

Get a Fu Manchu Just like Joe Flacco!

2012-01-06T15:29:00.000-05:00

Made right here in Charm City Hon! Click here for more information on the "Fanstache".

The Gift Card

2012-01-04T09:54:00.000-05:00

The minute your feet hit the ground this morning, you were handed two gift cards.

The first gift card is loaded with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The second gift card is loaded with little white lies, gossiping, sharp words, eye rolling, short tempers, anger, pride, jealousy, doubt, and hate.

Both gift cards are unlimited, and you will use them multiple times today. Which gift card you choose to use, however, is entirely up to you. Choose wisely, because the recipient will know which gift card you reached for today. But only you will know which one you reached for more often.

-- Erin

Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken

2012-01-02T18:47:00.000-05:00

One of my resolutions this year is to scale back on purchasing frozen meals like Smart Ones, Healthy Choice, etc. I L-O-V-E the convenience, but I'm growing more concerned about the ingredients included in the dinners - high sodium, lack of fiber, and ingredients that I just can't pronounce. Plus, they can be pretty pricey. So this year I resolve to make more meals at home so that I can save more money and know exactly what I'm putting in my body. I thought I'd share one of the recipes I made over the weekend. This cranberry chicken recipe was E-A-S-Y to make and quite delicious. I divided it into containers along with some brown rice, and it was a cheap and easy meal ready for me to grab and go!

-- Erin :-)

Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken
Recipe adapted from here

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup frozen chopped onion (can use fresh)
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons honey
1 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons flour mixed with 4 tablespoons cold water

Place all ingredients, except flour and water mixture, in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 6 to 7 hours or high for 4 hours, until chicken is tender. Add flour mixture in the last 15 to 20 minutes and cook until thickened.

Christmas Party For the Homeless

2011-12-22T16:38:00.000-05:00

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." - Matthew 25:35-36

We want to let you know about a really great outreach a local ministry is doing. Extreme Urban Missions is holding a Christmas party on Christmas Day for the homeless. It's going to be at the War Memorial Plaza at Fayette Street and Gay Street in Baltimore City at 5PM. It's a simple gathering - singing songs, enjoy hot drinks, and spending time with those who are homeless. You're invited to come out, love on some folks and remind them they're not alone on Christmas.

If you'd like to donate a Christmas gift or know more, visit Extreme Urban Missions website.

- Jack & Erin

God Won't Give Us More Than We Can Handle...Or Will He?

2011-12-16T12:23:00.000-05:00

‎"God won't give me more than I can handle."

It's a popular saying that I've said many times and no doubt you have too. While it sounds good, I believe it's wrong. Why? Because the implication is that God is walking alongside me as *I* shoulder the burden.

Here's a thought:

...Do you really think Mary could handle finding out she was a virgin about to give birth to the Son of God?

...Or that Moses could handle leading the Israelites out of slavery?

...Or Daniel could handle the pressure of prison and sitting in a pit with lions?

...Or Noah could handle being ridiculed by neighbors for building a boat and gathering every animal on the planet when he didn't even know what rain was?

God put these people - and so many more! - in positions and places and situations they couldn't handle on their own. Why? So His power could be shown in their weakness and that more could be brought to Himself through their example as they let Him lead. You weren't meant to handle it on your own. You were meant to be a portrait of His grace.

So... where exactly does that leave you when you're sitting in the middle of a mess?

It leaves you right where God needs and wants you. As you're going through it, God PROMISES that HE will handle it.

"When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." - Isaiah 43:2-3a

Be strong and ask God how you can give Him the glory in your struggle. Maybe the struggle you're feeling right now is because you haven't done that yet. That's typically how it works for me. There's a sweet release that happens when I invite God into the problem and take my hands off of it. I know it sounds tough, but you can do it, and you will be rewarded for it.

--Erin

Do You Have Money Out There? Claim It!

2011-12-15T15:38:00.000-05:00

Click here for some great resources on finding unclaimed monies. It might be funds left over in a 401(k), a security deposit left behind, payments never cashed and more. Let us know if you find some unclaimed cash!

12/2/11

2011-12-02T17:36:00.000-05:00

A Walton's Reunion
Ity happened on the Today Show. It turns out there was never a need for a tell all book because the cast actually like each other! If you missed it. Click here to see the interview with Matt. Goodnight John Boy!

Rent Your Children's Toys!
Would you do it? If your kids tire easily of their toys this may be just the thing you need to help save some money and sanity! The company that is doing it is called Toygaroo.

Smucker's Peanut Butter Recall

2011-11-18T16:22:00.000-05:00

The company says that salmonella has been detected in jars that would have been purchased in the last week or so. They have “Best if Used By” dates of Aug. 3, 2012 and Aug. 4, 2012. Also, look for the production codes 1307004 and 1308004. For more information, click here.

Send A Christmas Card To A Soldier

2011-11-17T16:21:00.001-05:00

Have you seen the post on Facebook that's going around?

When filling out your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to this address: A Recovering American Soldier, c/o Walter Reed National Military Medical Center 8901 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20889-5600. If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards these wonderful, special people, who have sacrificed so much would get. Please copy and post on your wall.

We want you to know that Walter Reed will NOT be accepting cards, and the post office will be filtering out all mail addressed to "A Recovering American Solider." Why? Walter Reed does not have the staff to inspect all the letters that will be pouring in.

BUT, there is still a way that you can participate!

The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes partner together to sponsor the "Holiday Mail For Heroes" program. The cool thing about this program is the cards go not only to service members in the hospital, but also to those serving in the US, overseas, plus veterans and their families.

Send cards to the address below:

Holiday Mail For Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

You should know:

-- All cards must be postmarked no later than Friday, December 9th. Cards postmarked after this date will unfortunately be returned to the sender.

-- Use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member,” and make sure to sign all cards.

-- Do not send letters, pictures, or any other type of an insert.

-- Each card does not need its own envelope, as cards will be removed from all envelopes before distribution.

-- Avoid cards with glitter because many will be delivered to military and veterans medical facilities, and the glitter could interfere with a patient’s recovery.

For more information about Holiday Mail for Heroes, follow this link. Here's to making this Christmas bright for our military and their families!

Jack & Erin

Couple Married 72 Years Dies Holding Hands

2011-10-20T15:51:00.000-04:00

It is a tragic story but at the same time very beautiful. An Iowa couple who was married for 72 years passed away one hour apart last week in the hospital as they held hands. Read the whole story here.http://www.kcci.com/r/29528191/detail.html

Just Stay Calm

2011-09-26T20:43:00.001-04:00

The Israelites were a bunch of whineys, weren't they?

God rescued them over and over again and they whined at the slightest hiccup.

Not like I can identify with that or anything.

Whatever.

Anyway, I came across this Bible verse and it resonated with me.

Quick set up: Pharaoh had just released the Israelites when he changed his mind and decided to go after them. The Israelites were at the edge of the river with no place to go. They could see Pharaoh and his army behind them, barreling down on them. So, naturally, they did what most people would do. They lost it. They'd been through so much... but this was the final straw. So they berated their leader, Moses:

"'Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’” Exodus 14:11-12

But Moses, being the ever patient leader, said to them:

" ...'Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.'" Exodus 14:13-14

I love that - "just stay calm."

I lose it when I get to the proverbial "water's edge." God's rescued me so many times, yet I still lose it when I can't see what God sees. If I was in the same place as the Israelites, I'd probably see a river too. Who would have envisioned God parting the river so they could walk through it? Yet that's what He does every time I get to the water's edge. He parts the waters to make a way out for me.

My takeaway after reading those verses is something that I needed to be reminded of. Frequently.

It's this: don't lose it. The person or thing that I feel like I can't escape from will go away. I may feel defenseless, but my feelings aren't telling the truth. God's taking care of it. He's fighting for me. So I just need to take a chill pill and let God do the thing that He does. Because He always comes through.

Such a simple lesson that I need to be reminded of over and over again.

I don't know where you are today or what you're facing, but don't lose it. God's fighting for you. Just stay calm. Get ready to watch God do something amazing...like part a sea before your very eyes.

Erin :-)

Austin Andrews: Biggest Loser Comes to Baltimore

2011-09-16T19:29:00.001-04:00

Austin, along with the Wholly Guacamole team, will be at the Baltimore Farmers' Market and Bazaar at the Inner Harbor until noon on Sunday. The Baltimore Farmers' Market is located on Saratoga Street between Holliday and Gay Streets under the JFX. If you see Austin, tell him Jack & Erin said hi!

Standing At the Foot of the Cross...Really

2011-09-16T14:02:00.003-04:00

It was a cold morning for a walk.

47 degrees cold.

I'm not quite ready for these temps. It doesn't even smell like autumn to me yet.

Nevertheless, I laced up my shoes, started out on my walk and promptly turned around to go back home and get my fleece jacket. I almost changed my mind at that point and thought about staying inside, but I told myself I needed to stick with it. I needed to go on my morning walk.

Straight up: I've been slacking. Slacking in my exercise, slacking in healthy eating habits, slacking in maintaining my stress levels... slacking in at all, it feels like.

My morning walk is my alone time. My me time. My time with God. My time where no one and no thing is pulling at me. I don't listen to music when I walk or run because I like to observe the things around me. I like to pray. This morning it was so quiet, I could hear the squirrels in the trees munching on acorns and dropping the shells to the pavement below. I nearly got dinged on the head by a squirrel mindlessly chucking an acorn shell.

Maybe I'm not as one with the squirrels as I originally thought.

But this morning, I was feeling "it." I was feeling tired of the pressure ...the pressure of not doing the things I know should be doing ...the pressure of doing the things I know I shouldn't be doing.

I felt guilty for asking it. Almost afraid...maybe because I didn't want to be disappointed. But I asked God if He could leave a heart shaped leaf or stick smiley face for me (as He's done before) because I needed one today. And so I started looking, scanning the sidewalk and the trees for a sign.

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

I started to doubt. I thought maybe I was asking too much of God, even though I know He is perfectly able to do way above anything I could hope or ask for (Ephesians 3:20). Then I thought, "What if I was putting Him in a box? What if He had a different way of showing me that He loves me and I was too busy looking for Him in my own way?" And so I asked God to do His own thing and help me not be blind to see it when He did it.

And that's when I saw it.

He gave me something infinitely better than a heart shaped leaf or a smiley face made out of twigs and bark.

He gave me Himself.

I was literally standing at the foot of the cross.

It was such a clear reminder that the pressure and stress that I've been carrying around...I need to lay them at the foot of the cross.

His cross.

The cross that Jesus died on so that I could have life and freedom (John 3:16; Galatians 5:1), not stress and pressure because of my own selfishness.

And so, today, my goal is to lay the things weighing me down at His cross...and to leave them there. Once again.

Because I know when I do give those things to the Lord, He says He'll do this (italics mine):

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." - Matthew 11:28

"He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." - Isaiah 40:29-31

"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7

"Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall." - Psalm 55:22

So what's weighing you down? What's holding you back from feeling freedom today? I'm being reminded, for the bajillionth time, that a pretty miraculous thing happens when we give those things over to God: rest, strength, and peace.

-- Erin :-)

DIY Laundry Detergent

2011-09-06T16:27:00.001-04:00

Aaaaah...laundry.

My nemesis.

I've mentioned that I hate doing laundry before, right?

That was a joke.

I'm hopping on a plane to Orlando for a radio conference first thing Wednesday morning. Whenever I go away, I do every single scrap of laundry so it's not waiting for me when I get back.

And so I have clothes to pack. I don't think my radio friends would appreciate me walking around...never mind.

So I spent my Labor Day doing the only appropriate thing: laboring.

Now, here's the thing, you've probably noticed along with me that the price of laundry detergent is ridiculous. RIDICULOUS. And I'm a single person noticing this! I can't imagine how much detergent a family goes through in a week.

I've seen a couple of folks online who have begun making their own laundry detergent. They appear to be perfectly normal people. There are no twigs in their hair. There are no pictures of them hugging a tree. They appear to be normal, hard working folk who are tired of paying for a label. I'm with them. Being raised in a home school environment has made a bit of a rebel when it comes to labels. I don't like to pay extra $$$ to wear or advertise someone's name. Frankly, the marketer in me says THEY should pay ME to advertise their biz, but that's a whole different topic.

Back to making your own detergent.

EASIEST THING EVER.

Seriously.

It took me less time to make this then it does to make chocolate chip cookies. For reals.

What I like about this is that it uses all natural ingredients, it's easy to make (grating soap is the hardest part), it can be fragrance free, and it's CHEAP. All you need is three ingredients that should be found at your local grocery store. My nearest grocery store is about 20 minutes away, but Target and Walmart are closer. I found the Borax at Target and the Washing Soda at Walmart.

Washing Soda
Washing Soda is not the same as baking soda, so let's get that out there right away. They are two different things but they are in the same family. Washing Soda can be used with your regular detergent to boost its cleaning power. For instance, to help with a heavily soiled load of laundry, add 1 cup of Washing Soda, along with the usual amount of your detergent, to the beginning of the wash cycle. It can literally be used all over the house - Arm & Hammer has more ways that you can use it around the house here.

Borax
Borax is not boric acid. They are two completely different things, so let's set the record straight, just in case you've been wondering about that. Borax is a mineral, so it is all natural, but you should know up front that this is something that needs to be kept up high away from kids and pets, just like you would any other cleaning agent...because it IS a cleaning agent. I've always had this fear that Borax was like bleach or chlorine, and it's not. It's been used for over 115 years in laundry and can clean just about everything. Check out the uses at the 20 Mule Team website. AOL also shows different ways to use it here.

Bar of Soap
That's pretty self explanatory. Some folks use a bar of Fels-Naptha, which is a heavy duty laundry soap. Some folks use a bar of Ivory or Castille soap. I decided to use what I had on hand. My grandmother gave me some milled soap for Christmas, so I decided to grate that. The Fels-Naptha bar label says it's 5.5 ounces and the Ivory bar is close to five. I have a food scale, so I weighed my bar of soap - it was only 2.5 ounces. I had two of them, so I grated both bars to equal one regular bar of soap. On a side note, I grated my wrist and the knuckles of my thumb and middle finger right after I took this picture. That wasn't awesome. But I'm sure Edison didn't come away unscathed while inventing the light bulb, no?

The recipe for DIY Laundry Detergent is simple:

2 cups Washing Soda
2 cups Borax
1 4-5oz bar of soap, grated on the small holes of a grater

Stir it up and use. The usage varies, I've discovered, but most seem to lean towards using one tablespoon for regular loads or two tablespoons for large or super dirty loads. When I was buying the ingredients, I also picked up the fancy jar for about $8 at Walmart - definitely should have purchased the smaller size. I also picked up the grater for $3 (thought it was better to have a grater that was just for grating non-food items since I grate non-food items all the time...not) and the scoop for $2. The scoop is a coffee scoop that holds two tablespoons. Since I only do super loads, that's perfect. The cost of the Borax and Washing Soda was around $6 total. Using my own soap was free. The savings are huge here. There's still QUITE A LOT left in the boxes, so I'll be able to make more. It comes out to somewhere around a nickel to do each load of laundry. That makes me happy. I did three loads yesterday using my DIY mix, and so far so good. The whites were white, and everything smelled clean and fresh. While the bars of soap that I used had a fragrance, it didn't carry over into the clothing. I do miss the fragrance, but I'm reminding myself that fragrance doesn't mean that it's clean.

So, DIY detergent was made VERY fast, it works, and I'll keep using it. Now that I've got all of this Washing Soda and Borax on hand, I'll see what else I can do with that!

--Erin :-D

I Trust You'll Treat Her Well

2011-08-30T17:52:00.003-04:00

Jack's daughter Lindsey

I Trust You'll Treat Her Well
Author: Victor Buono

World, I bequeath to you today one little girl in a crispy dress... with two blue eyes...and a happy laugh that ripples all day long, and a batch of light blonde hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs. I trust you'll treat her well.

She's off to her first day at school, and never again will she be completely mine.

Prim and proud, she'll wave a young and independent hand this morning, and say goodbye and walk with little-lady steps to the nearby schoolhouse.

Now, she will learn to stand in lines and wait by the alphabet for her name to be called.

She will learn to tune her little-girl ears for the sound of school bells, and for deadlines.

She will learn to giggle, and to look at the ceiling in a disinterested way when the little boy across the aisle sticks out his tongue.

She will learn how it is to feel hurt inside...and she will learn how not to cry. No longer will she have time to sit on the front porch steps on a summer day and watch while an ant scurries across a crack in the sidewalk.

Now she will worry about important things like grades and what dresses to wear. Now she will worry about the little boy who pulls her hair at recess time, and staying after school, and which little girls like which little boys, and the wonder of books and knowledge will soon take the place of her games and dolls. And she'll find her new heroes.

For five full years I've been her pal and playmate, her parent and friend. Now, she'll learn to share her adoration with her teachers (which is only right).

No longer will her parents be the smartest and greatest in the world. Today, when the first school bell rings, she'll learn how it is to be a member of the group with all its privileges, and, of course, its disadvantages, too.

She'll learn in time that proper young ladies don't laugh out loud or keep frogs in pickle jars in bedrooms or watch ants scurry across the cracks in a summer sidewalk.

Today, she'll begin to learn for the first time that all who smile at her are not her friends. That "the group" can be demanding, and I'll stand on the porch and watch her start out on the long, long journey to becoming a woman.

So WORLD, I BEQUEATH TO YOU TODAY ONE LITTLE GIRL in a crispy dress, with two blue eyes, a happy laugh that ripples all day long, and a batch of light blonde hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs.

I TRUST YOU'LL TREAT HER WELL.

My Secrets To The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies. Ever.

2011-08-26T17:44:00.000-04:00

My Facebook friend, Patty, posted on my wall that she needed my best - think state fair winning - chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Naturally, I have such a thing.

Well, kind of.

It hasn't won any ribbons, but if compliments were ribbons, you'd have to find a truck large enough to haul all of them.

So, I've got a couple of secrets to my cookie making that I'd like to share with you.

These secrets, I'm only sharing with you, my closest friends, because that's what friends are for.

And I am that kind of friend.

And I'm hoping I can help Patty win a blue ribbon.

My secret to the best chocolate chip cookie are as follows...

FIRST...it's the recipe. It's called "The World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookie." It's seriously the world's best. I don't know who came up with it. If I did, I would write them a letter, add them as a friend on Facebook, stalk them on Twitter or any other social media outlet. It's just that good. It's so good that I've given this recipe to two friends who have made them for their boyfriends. They received marriage proposals within two weeks. Uh-huh. Yes. I'll occasionally call this recipe "Man Snagging Cookies" or "Seal the Deal Cookies." Ladies, if you are interested in a guy or it's about time he gets to gettin' with the proposal...make these.

This is the recipe:

2 sticks of butter, softened
1 cup of light brown sugar
3/4 cup of sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten (it's worth the extra bowl to lightly beat the eggs)
1 TBLS vanilla extract
3 cups of flour, sifted (very important step!)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter with sugars.

Add eggs and vanilla and mix until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together.

Add (in small increments) to the butter mixture.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop that holds 2 Tbls of dough, scoop dough, roll into a ball and gently flatten into a patty. Place patties about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 11-13 minutes until top of cookies are dry but very light in color.

SECOND...you must use good vanilla. The cheap $2 a bottle that says "imitation vanilla" or "pure vanilla" extract needs to be tossed from the pantry.

You get what you pay for.

Spring for the good stuff like Madagascar or Tahitian vanilla. You will be able to tell an immediate difference. Trust me on this one.

THIRD...sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together. Don't skip this step. And don't cheat by stirring it together with a whisk.

My brothers, who don't know the difference between semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips, can tell a difference in the texture and freely offer their opinion. "These don't taste like the last ones you made. Whaddja do wrong??" Yeah...thanks for making me feel great guys.

Sift the flour. It makes a difference.

FOURTH...a medium sized cookie scoop is a must.

It makes each cookie into the perfect portion, and the cookies bake uniformly because they're all the same size.

You can also use the scooper for other things like measuring out a serving of peanut butter. Scooping sorbet with this scooper makes sorbet look dainty and cute. And who doesn't like cute sorbet scoops? Unless, of course, you're using a spoon and eating the sorbet straight out the ridiculously small container. Not like I've done that or anything.

FIFTH...roll the cookies into a ball, flatten them into a patty, and put them on a parchment paper lined pan.

Parchment paper will save your life when it comes to cleaning up. It's the best stuff ever. Everrrrr. Skip the foil and use parchment paper. And no, you can't use wax paper. They look alike, but wax paper is an entirely different thing.

Rolling and flattening the cookies makes them awesome. I don't know why, but it just does.

SIXTH...don't bake them too long. Watch them like a hawk and bake them until they are light brown. The sugars in the cookies will continue to cook after you take the cookies out of the oven.

What makes these cookies so good is that they are SOFT, so 11-13 minutes is the perfect time. If you're used to baking cookies until they are deep brown, it will feel weird, but trust me that this is the perfect amount of time.

And now you have my best chocolate chip cookie recipe and my cookie making secrets. I use this chocolate cookie recipe as a base to make other cookies like...

Turtle Cookies (pictured above)
2 cups milk chocolate chips (1 12oz bag)
2 cups chopped pecans
1 11 oz bag KRAFT caramel bits

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries
1 Tbls lemon zest

Nuts For You Cookies
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

S'mores Cookies
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup graham cracker pieces
1 cup dehydrated marshmallows

Tropical Cookies
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup toasted coconut
1 cup chopped, dried pineapple
1 tbls lime zest
1 tsp cinnamon

Chocolate Covered Pretzels
omit salt from original recipe
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup lightly crushed pretzels

Strawberries and Cream
2 tsp strawberry extract
1 cup chopped, dried strawberries
2 cups white chocolate chips

Apple Walnut Cookies
1 cup walnut pieces
2 cups dried apples
2 tsps cinnamon
replace vanilla extract with rum extract

Caramel Apple Cookies
2 cups Kraft Caramel Bits
1 cup dried apple pieces, chopped
1 cup chopped peanuts

Think of how many more amazing combinations there are! Different extracts, spices, the possibilities are endless. I'd love know what new combinations you discover.

And that's my secret to chocolate chip cookies and cookies in general. Here's hoping any one of these varieties will wow the judges in the cookie competition Patty is entering!

Erin

***UPDATE***

The chocolate chip cookies took 1st Place at the Maryland State Fair!! Congrats Patty!!

Hurricane Cake!

2011-08-25T18:50:00.000-04:00

It's also know as "Earthquake Cake." We don't care. The point is, you click here and then bake this bad boy!

Hurricane Check List

2011-08-25T12:24:00.001-04:00

As Irene approaches Maryland, we thought this list would be helpful to get you ready for this severe weather event.

Water - at least 1 gallon daily per person for 3 to 7 days
Food - at least enough for 3 to 7 days
— non-perishable packaged or canned food / juices
— foods for infants or the elderly
— snack foods
— non-electric can opener
— cooking tools / fuel
— paper plates / plastic utensils
Blankets / Pillows, etc.
Clothing - seasonal / rain gear/ sturdy shoes
First Aid Kit/ Medicines / Prescription Drugs
Special Items - for babies and the elderly
Toiletries / Hygiene items / Moisture wipes
Flashlight / Batteries
Radio - Battery operated and NOAA weather radio
Telephones - Fully charged cell phone with extra battery and a traditional (not cordless) telephone set
Cash (with some small bills) and Credit Cards - Banks and ATMs may not be available for extended periods
Keys
Toys, Books and Games
Important documents - in a waterproof container or watertight resealable plastic bag
— insurance, medical records, bank account numbers, Social Security card, etc.
Tools - keep a set with you during the storm
Vehicle fuel tanks filled
Pet care items
— proper identification / immunization records / medications
— ample supply of food and water
— a carrier or cage
— muzzle and leash

You'll also want to tie down patio furniture or anything could blow away. Consider cleaning your gutters and any storm drains near your house.

Blogger Awards, Cakes, and Naughty Kids

2011-08-19T19:28:00.000-04:00

In case you didn't know, Erin has her own personal blog called, "Better Than Doing Laundry." She blogs her recipes, DIY Projects, conversations, and anything else that strikes her fancy and keeps her from the pile of laundry in her room. We discovered that her blog has been nominated as one of Baltimore's Most Valuable Blogs - wow! If you want to check out her blog and vote for her, click here.

This afternoon, Jack shared a "no guilt" chocolate cupcake recipe that he and his kids made together last night...and it only has TWO INGREDIENTS. All you need is one boxed cake mix and one 15oz can of pumpkin. Yes - just a boxed cake mix and a can of pumpkin, nothing else. Stir the two together - the batter will be thick - and bake according to the package directions. Try any flavor cake mix! Jack and his kids did chocolate...Erin says a spice cake mix is great too!

Here is a little help if you have some slacker kids. Oh yeah we said it! Motivation for the youngsters can be difficult but you might just need to adjust your approach to help them adjust their attitude. Click here to read more

8/11/11

2011-08-11T19:02:00.001-04:00

The 10th Annual Maryland BBQ Festival
This weekend IT IS ON! Bel Air is the place. BBQ competition, music and kids activities. Get the details here.

Heinz Field Blown up for Batman Movie

2011-08-08T15:35:00.000-04:00

Ravens fans should be quite happy. Heinz field was used for a seen in the upcoming movie. To see it, click here.

Food Network Star DC Open Casting Call

2011-08-05T17:02:00.000-04:00

Food Network is doing an open casting call for the next season of Food Network Star in DC on Monday!

Monday, August 8th, 2011

10am-2pm

The Westin City Center

1400 M St. NW

Washington, DC 20005

They're looking for people who are full of life, passionate about cooking, and knowledgeable about food. Think about your friends...do you know who is a chef, home cook, caterer or culinary enthusiast who might be interested in becoming the host of his or her own cooking show on Food Network? If you do, CALL THEM UP.

Right now.

Opportunities like this just don't happen.

You get your friends down to that audition, STAT!

Oh, and make sure they download an application and bring it - completed - along with two recent photos. Better yet, forward them my blog page and make sure the follow this link that has all the details, K?

OK, our job is done.

If you make it, we want a recipe named after us.

And for you to tell the world that 95.1 SHINE-FM is the best radio station. Ever.

K?

K.

;-D

Jack & ERin

8/4/11

2011-08-04T16:15:00.000-04:00

Baltimore Summer Restaurant Week

It's here! Get fixed price items on some of the best places to dine in the city. Get details here.

8/2/11

2011-08-02T17:14:00.000-04:00

Make Super Giant Bubbles
Here is an awesome recipe for super bubbles. With a couple of bucks worth of supplies you can be the envy of the neighborhood! Click here for details.

Dashboard Fruit Roll Ups

2011-07-29T19:03:00.000-04:00

This morning, I got up and checked to see how hot it was going to be today.

No, it wasn't to see if it might be slightly cooler than the triple digit heat Baltimore has been experiencing the past few days.

I was checking to make sure it was going to be hot...hot enough for me to bake something in my car.

I've done the dashboard cookies and decided it's time to try something new and exciting.

It's time to make Fruit Roll Ups in my car.

FRUIT ROLL UPS.

Yes.

RAWRRRRRRR.

This is, like, one of the coolest days ever, because it worked.

IT WORKED!!!!!

Seriously, like, these things taste like the Fruit Roll Ups my mom would get my brothers and me as snacks when we were kids. I'd take mine completely out of the package, wrap it around my index finger, and gnaw away at that roll up on my finger. I have no idea why. It's just how I did it.

I did a little searching on the internet to see if anyone else had the same idea that I had and apparently there are more crazy people out there other than me.

Here are a couple of sites that I used for inspiration:

Planet Green
iPrepared
This Homemade Life

None of them talked about doing it in the car, but I figure if a dehydrator is around 150 degrees, my car is at least that or more when it's in full sun. I have baked cookies in my car before, so I know that it works.

I had some strawberries that were uber ripe, and I figured that was a good place to start. In a blender, I pureed

3 cups strawberries
3 Tbls honey
1 tsp lime juice

I made sure there were no lumps or bumps - the strawberries were completely pureed.

I lined a large, non-rimmed cookie sheet pan with parchment paper.

I set a fine mesh sieve in the middle of the sheet pan and poured the strawberry puree into the sieve to strain any seeds that didn't get pulverized.

I picked the sheet pan up and tilted it around to spread the puree verrrrrry thinly. Thin is the trick. If it's too thick, it will never dry in the car.

I grabbed a bath towel and trekked out to my car. I placed the bath towel over my passenger seat to protect the leather. Or pleather. I'm cheap-ish, so I'm sure my car has pleather.

I placed the cookie sheet on top of the towel, shut the door, blew a kiss to the cookie sheet, said a little prayer, and then waved to a neighbor who saw the whole exchange. It's OK. They're used to me doing things like this.

I did that around 11:30AM and I went out at 7:30PM. The edges were completely dry and fruit roll upee. The center was still fairly wet. I probably could have finished drying that part in the oven overnight, but in a house with only window AC units...not happening.

I cut around the non-dried parts, sampled ~~too much~~ just a few pieces and rolled up the rest in plastic wrap. Actually, we were out of plastic wrap, so I hacked some plastic baggies apart and made my own plastic wrap. Because that's just how I do.

So there you have it...the next car baking experiment.

What's next? Tomorrow I will be drying rosemary in my car.

RAWR.

No Poo - Day 11

2011-07-29T17:21:00.000-04:00

7/29/11

2011-07-29T16:52:00.000-04:00

Click Here for Poll Online Survey
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Picky Eaters

2011-07-18T18:45:00.000-04:00

Trying to get your kids to eat their fruits and vegetables?

Sometimes it requires being a little sneaky, as you have found out.

Why not try a smoothie? If they like a smoothie, then maybe try sneaking some spinach into the smoothie.

This was Erin's mom's favorite recipe to sneak zucchini into her brother's diet...it's an "apple crisp" made with zucchini...yuum! Get the recipe here.

To make food fun, check out Muffin Tin Mom. She uses muffin tins to serve cute and fun meals for kids!

Jack & Erin

Free Slurpee Day...Or Not

2011-07-12T15:25:00.000-04:00

Was your local 7-Eleven out of free Slurpees?

7-Eleven wants to hear from you.

The number to call is 1-800-255-0711.

Make sure to tell them which store you tried to get your free Slurpee and the reason why you couldn't get it (machine broken, out of free cups, etc).

Jack & Erin

7/8/11

2011-07-08T16:14:00.000-04:00

Grilled Peaches!
Jack is going to giver these a shot over the weekend. The recipe describes it as sort of a smokey pie filling that is great by itself or with a scoop of ice cream. check out the recipe here.

7/7/11

2011-07-07T15:34:00.000-04:00

Become a Child Advocate Through CASA
CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. Volunteers are everyday citizens judges appoint to advocate for the safety and well-being of children who have been removed from their homes due to parental abuse and neglect. They stand up for these children and change their lives. CASA volunteers have helped more than two million children find safe, permanent homes. Click here to get to their site.

Beauty In The Struggle

2011-07-06T17:01:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, Jack talked about the butterfly garden his daughter was growing. They had been waiting for their three caterpillars to begin their metamorphosis and finally it was happening. One butterfly emerged from its cocoon easily. The second butterfly struggled a bit, but made it out. The third butterfly tried but gave up.

It made Jack wonder why the last butterfly died - why it couldn't have survived. God brought to mind a conversation he heard between Rick Warren and Larry King. Larry asked Rick why "bad things happen to good people."

This was Rick's answer, "Well, Larry, it's because we live in a broken world. This is not perfect world. This is not heaven and that's why we're depraved. 'Thy will be done on earth as it is heaven.' Why? Because in heaven, everything's done perfectly. Things are not done perfectly on this earth. God gave us a freedom to choose. As a result of choices, we make mistakes, we blow it -- and when ever I make mistakes, when ever I sin, it always causes damage and causes hurt. The Bible teaches that since sin entered the world, way back with the very first human beings, we have lived in an imperfect, broken planet, and that causes hurricanes and tornadoes, and all kinds of things. This is not a perfect planet. So, we should not be surprised that it's not paradise. And also, life is not fair. In fact, the Bible says life is not fair. It's just not fair. We are in a flawed world, everything is imperfect and it won't be perfect until Jesus comes."

After we shared this, we received an email from SHINE-FM listener, Tamsen, in Baltimore. She had been going through a rough time and at the end of that time, she wrote herself this beautiful piece of encouragement as a reminder to herself. She graciously has allowed us to share it with
you. Hope you are as encouraged reading it as we were!

~ Erin :-)

Beauty In The Struggle
(c)2010 Tamsen Mongelli DiBlasio

I know that you are struggling.

Struggling because you do not understand what God, in His infinite wisdom, never-failing love, and ultimate sovereignty is doing in your situation.

What He's doing TO you.

What He's doing FOR you.

What He's doing ...IN you.

Maybe you feel like a caterpillar...faithfully inching along over the rough, lonely, winding path, watching the sky grow overcast, wondering what God has in store.

Could it be that the Lord has prepared you and brought you to a special place where your Creator has now simply asked you to rest so that He can work a miracle within you?

We know that it is through the struggle that this delicate creature’s unseen beauty is ultimately revealed. Through the many nights of darkness, the silent, agonizing wait, the metamorphosis, the painful emerging... all culminates in the caterpillar not finding herself in a different place, but in realizing the far greater miracle of discovering herself somehow mysteriously, completely, and utterly changed.

And so, when it is least expected, ever so quietly, it comes.

Not in spite of the struggle, but rather because of it, the miraculous transformation is finally revealed.

Her Creator has changed her from the inside out...and from the outside in!

Still the same, but altogether different.

Renewed.

Stronger.

Better.

She is a NEW CREATION.

The struggle has made her beautiful.

And now she has wings...

And she can FLY.

Start Over: Encouragement For Tomorrow

2011-07-05T16:13:00.001-04:00

When you've told your friends what you plan to do

When you've trusted them and they didn't come through

And now you're all alone and it's up to you,

START OVER

When you've failed your kids and they're grown and gone

When you've done your best but it's turned out wrong

And now your grandchildren have come along,

START OVER

When you've prayed to God so you'll know his will

When you've prayed and prayed and you don't know still

When you want to stop cause you've had your fill,

START OVER

When you think you're finished and want to quit

When you've bottomed out in life's deepest pit

When you've tried and tried to get out of it,

START OVER

When the year has been long and successes few

When December comes and you're feeling blue

God gives a January just for you,

START OVER

Starting over means "Victories Won"

Starting over means "A Race Well Run"

Starting over means "The Lord's Will Done"

Don't just sit there.......

START OVER

By: Anonymous

Lemon Cream

2011-06-28T11:47:00.001-04:00

Three ingredients and 5 minutes.

That's all it takes.

Three ingredients, 5 minutes, and you'll get a lifetime of compliments if you make this recipe.

Promise.

Every time my mom or I make lemon cream people rave. They BEG for the recipe. You know the mark of a great recipe when people hand you paper and pen to write it down. This, my friend, is one of those recipes. Try it out for yourself. We'll be enjoying it over fresh strawberries and blueberries this 4th of July :-)

Erin

--------------------

LEMON CREAM

1 lemon (zest and 1/4 cup lemon juice)
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 8oz container Cool Whip

Directions:
Zest the lemon into a medium sized bowl.

Juice the lemon to equal 1/4 cup juice.

Stir in can of sweetened condensed milk until the mixture becomes thick.

Fold in Cool Whip.

Chill in the fridge for an hour and serve over fresh fruit.

FATHER PRAYED WITH ME

2011-06-17T15:17:00.000-04:00

When I was just a little boy
Sitting upon my father's know
I would feel so very special
When my father would pray with me.

I remember Daddy praying
Many times in his busy day.
Whenever someone was hurting
Daddy would take the time to pray.

Dad seldom closed his eyes in prayer.
He prayed while he was on the go.
He said that what was important
Was the Savior we'd come to know.

He told me God was our Father
Who knew the desires of our heart.
He longed to bestow His blessings
If we would only do our part.

We must come into His presence
With a heart that is free from sin.
When we confess our sins to Him
Jesus cleans our hearts from within.

Dad said, God's never too busy
To listen to His children's prayers.
He always has time to listen
To all our questions, doubts, and cares.

God loves when we sing His praises.
He wants to talk to us each day.
God loves for us to say, "Thank you."
For the blessings He sends our way.

I thank God for the lessons learned
While sitting on my father's knee.
And thank my Heavenly Father
For a father who prayed with me.

Written by Dennis Marley

6/13/14

2011-06-13T15:21:00.000-04:00

Cool Apps Save You Money
Whether you have Android or iPhone, you can now scan grocery items thanks to these Apps and find the cheapest price, the best coupons and more. Oh, you can also find your way back to your vehicle when you are at the mall. Most of the apps are free. Click here to check them out.

6/10/11

2011-06-10T15:28:00.003-04:00

Recipes Made Easy
Check out Recipe.com. They have some amazing tools to help you get your meal together. Everything from finding the stores near you that have the ingredients you need, if the ingredients are on sale, to even providing coupons to buy them. It's basically doing everything for you except buying and cooking the food for you!

Save A Wet Cell Phone!
Apparently, it can be done with things like not tuning on the phone immediately after getting wet to see if it works. Another tip is to use rice to dry it out. See more tips on salvaging a wet phone here.

Tour Dem Bikes
It's happening this Sunday in Baltimore. There are several biking tours of Baltimore neighborhoods for every skill level including family tours. Find out more info here.

6/6/11

2011-06-06T14:55:00.001-04:00

Dad Waives At Son Wearing Different Costume Everyday
The good news is that it only bothered him for a little bit. What a cool story! Check out the Dad's Blog and see some of the crazy costumes he would put on.

Life's Embroidery

2011-06-03T16:17:00.000-04:00

Here's the story we shared this afternoon. Where you see chaos, God doesn't, because He's the One operating with the plan!

Jack & Erin

Life's Embroidery

When I was a little boy, my mother used to embroider a great deal. I would sit at her knee and look up from the floor and ask what she was doing. She informed me that she was embroidering. I told her that it looked like a mess from where I was. As from the underside I watched her work within the boundaries of the little round hoop that she held in her hand, I complained to her that it sure looked messy from where I sat. She would smile at me, look down and gently say, “My son, you go about your playing for awhile, and when I am finished with my embroidering, I will put you on my knee and let you see it from my side. “

I would wonder why she was using some dark threads along with the bright ones and why they seemed so jumbled from my view. A few minutes would pass, and then I would hear Mother’s voice say, “Son, come and sit on my knee.”

This I did only to be surprised and thrilled to see a beautiful flower or a sunset. I could not believe it, because from underneath it looked so messy. Then Mother would say to me, “My son, from underneath it did look messy and jumbled, but you did not realize that there was a pre-drawn plan on the top. It was a design. I was only following it. Now look at it from my side and you will see what I was doing."

So it is with our lives. We may often look up and question, “What is going on?” When our life is actually being embriodered. It may look a mess to us, seem all jumbled and filled with dark threads – but it is part of a master plan, a design and one day we will see the plan from the other side.

~Author Unknown

Toll Increase Public Hearings

2011-06-03T13:48:00.000-04:00

Want to speak out for or against the Maryland Transportation Authority's recent proposal to raise rates at the tolls? The MDTA has arranged public hearings throughout the month - click here to see the dates and locations.

Jack & Erin

The Camper's Prayer

2011-06-02T15:09:00.000-04:00

God bless our traveling home
And guide us wherever we roam.
Help us find the roads we seek,
But please don’t let the plumbing leak.

Save us, Lord, from engine trouble
And mechanics that would charge us double
Lord, as we cross the USA
Would you bless us with sunshine every day?

As we travel the country near and far
Let us remember who you are
Our Lord who watches overall
Could you please let gas prices fall

Lead us safely to good food and friends
And when at last our journey ends
Grant our rolling home sweet rest
Until its next endurance test.

The Starfish Story

2011-05-27T14:40:00.003-04:00

The Starfish Story
A variation of the original story by Loren Eisley

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a little girl picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.

Approaching the little girl, he asked, “What are you doing?”

She replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”

“Little girl,” the man said, “Don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a difference!”

After listening politely, the girl bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf.

Then, smiling at the man, she said, “I made a difference for that one.”

In such turbulent times as these, when we may feel alone and small and unable to make any lasting changes we may find ourselves asking "What can I do that will make a difference?" or "What can one small person like me do?"

In reality we don't have to be rich, talented or even college educated to make a difference in the life of another. We just need to remember that we are here for a purpose, and that making small changes in the world eventually add up to something bigger in the life of another.

Bacon Bouquet

2011-05-26T17:04:00.000-04:00

Quiet frankly, this is what Dad wants for Father's Day. He doesn't know it. But, this will warm his heart and hopefully not clog it too much. Seriously, doesn't it look awesome? Click here to learn how to make it.

New Muppet Movie Trailer

2011-05-24T13:27:00.000-04:00

Looks like it is supposed to hit theaters February, 2012. Are you a Muppet fan?

5/23/11

2011-05-23T16:34:00.001-04:00

Tornado Relief for Missouri
We seen so much devastation in Missouri towns like Joplin. Samaritan's Purse has mobilized and is on the ground assessing the situation. If you would like more information on how you can help the relief efforts click here.

Stink Bug Catcher-O-Matic

2011-05-20T16:14:00.000-04:00

Some may say this is an old, plastic Chinese food container.

I scoff at those people.

Scoff!

I see the Stink Bug Catcher-O-Matic.

Simply fill Stink Bug Catcher-O-Matic 1/3 full of water and squirt a smudge of dish soap in the water. When a stink bug appears, use the lid to flick the stink bug into the Stink Bug Catcher-O-Matic. After a brief moment, the stink bug will become "neutralized."

Warning, may cause you to want to say "RAWR" every time the Stink Bug Catcher-O-Matic does its job!

But, I may soon be turning my Stink Bug Catcher-o-Matic in for one of these!!

5/17/11

2011-05-17T15:34:00.000-04:00

A Variation of Footprints

"Now imagine you and the Lord Jesus walking down the road together. For much of the way, the Lord's footprints go along steadily, consistently, rarely varying the pace. But your prints are a disorganized stream of zigzags, starts, stops, turnarounds, circles, departures and returns.

For much of the way it seems to go like this. But gradually, your footprints come more in line with the Lord's, soon paralleling His consistently. You and Jesus are walking as true friends.

This seems perfect, but then an interesting thing happens: your footprints that once etched the sand next to the Master's are now walking precisely in His steps. Inside His larger footprints is the small sand print, safely enclosed. You and Jesus are becoming one.

This goes on for many miles. But gradually you notice another change. The footprint inside the larger footprint seems to grow larger. Eventually it disappears altogether. There is only one set of footprints.

They have become one. Again, this goes on for a long time. But then something awful happens. The second set of footprints is back. And this time it seems worse. Zigzags all over the place. Stops. Starts.

Deep gashes in the and. A veritable mess of prints. You're amazed and shocked. But this is the end of your dream. Now you speak. 'Lord, I understand the first scene with the zigzags and fits and starts and so on. I was a new Christian, just learning. But You walked on through the storm and helped me learn to walk with you. That is correct.

Yes, and when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in Your steps. I followed You very closely. Very good. You have understood everything so far. Then the smaller footprints grew and eventually filled in with Yours. I suppose that I was actually growing so much that I was becoming like you in every way.
Precisely.

But this is my question. Lord. Was there a regression or something? The footprints went back to two, and this time it was worse than the first.

The Lord smiles, then laughs. You didn't know? He says. That was when we danced!

5/16/11

2011-05-16T18:07:00.000-04:00

How The Royal Wedding Can Matter To Guys

2011-04-29T11:51:00.001-04:00

My qualifications for what I'm about to tell you: I have two brothers, was raised in a neighborhood of boys, and sit for 5 hours in a smallish room with a man who is 100% man (you're welcome, Jack). I'm single, so I can speak freely to what a woman appreciates without getting into trouble with a boyfriend or husband for potentially calling him out. I'm a sensible woman, not prone to fairy tales and happy endings or romanticism, and I recognize reality. I like baseball and football, and I'm not a fan of women traveling to the bathroom in packs. And I don't really like shopping.

Now that I've got that stated, on to the topic at hand.

Guys, I know you don't care about the royal wedding.

Why should you care about two people who aren't even in your own country?

Especially when there's an NFL Draft happening?

Because, guys, you can totally use the royal wedding to your advantage today.

Lemme tell you how:

Women, whether they're interested in the royal wedding or not, like to feel pretty and be told they're pretty. Feeling pretty doesn't mean they like to dress up. Showing a woman that you care for her can make her feel pretty. If you were still dating, what would you be doing today to win her affection? How can you show your woman that you care for her today?

At the altar, William leaned over to his bride-to-be and said, "You look beautiful." Daggone if I didn't feel a little something in my heart go squishy. He told her she was beautiful. It was sweet, it was tender, it was a moment. Guys, your woman wants to know you think she's beautiful. Pick a moment today, be intentional, and tell her she's beautiful. She's not going to tell you, "You're only saying that because the prince said it." And if she does say it, you can tell her, "It reminded me that I don't tell you enough that I think you're beautiful. I don't want to miss out on an opportunity to tell you... I think you look beautiful." If you throw an "I love you" in there somewhere, that'd be OK. Trust me, you'll make her day.

The uniform. Oh, the uniform. Prince William and Harry looked smart and handsome in their uniforms. We women know you don't like to get dressed up for us. Wearing a tie makes you feel like you're wearing a noose. The suit jacket makes you feel so hot that you're going to die. We know. You tell us. We hear you. So when you get dressed up for us without complaining, we know you are making a sacrifice for us. It makes us feel special, treasured, and honored. Does the fact that you look handsome and hot in a suit help? If you tell us to get gussied up because you're taking us somewhere nice, it's a wonderful thing. By the way, you don't have to spend a lot of money to take us some place nice. You could order dinner at a place down the street, put it on your nicest dishes, put some candles on the table to create a moment, and maybe some soft music on in the background. The effort you made has quadruple the value of a $200 meal at a fancy restaurant. Don't forget to do the dishes.

As they left the church, Prince William gently held his wife's hand, guiding her out of the church, helping her into the carriage. On the balcony, he once again took his wife's hand and guided her through the door. To women, it's a sign of protection, care, and being a gentleman. Last night I was walking into the mall behind a mother and her teenage son. The son's drawers were drooping and the expression on his face said, "I'm bored and I don't want to do this." He began walking through the door ahead of me, paused, and then moved to hold the door open for me, allowing me to enter first. I was shocked and surprised by his gentlemanly display. I thanked him. And I heard his mother say, "Well done, son." A droopy drawered teenage boy held the door open for me and suddenly he looked a little more mature. He made me feel like a queen. Imagine what would happen if you did that for your woman today? Or maybe held her hand? Hello! No brainer, guys!

Seriously, guys, you can totally capitalize on the royal wedding today. Any woman that was watching it is totally ready to have *her* prince make her feel like a princess. Surprise her. Bring her home some flowers today. Hold her hand. Tell her you love her. Make her feel special. Words are free. Showing her you care is free. What you'll in return for your investment will be priceless.

Note to single guys: you can get in on this by holding a door open for a lady, not zoning out when they're talking to you (unless they *really* yammer without giving you an opportunity to talk, then you get a pass), etc. Being a gentleman is a high valued currency in a woman's world.

Note to women: if your man goes out of his way to express appreciation for you, don't dismiss him or make fun of him or bring up a chore he has to do or tell him, "It's about time." Thank him and respect his efforts. Appreciate him.

And now, to restore the man balance after talking about emotions and caring and holding hands and such, I bring you a picture of a manly meat: bacon. You're welcome.

--Erin :-D

Pray for the South

2011-04-28T17:32:00.000-04:00

The story of the Lee family really touched us. They're one of the many, many families who have been affected by the terrible storms in the southeast. Please, please be remember them in prayer.

"But in his last great act of fatherhood, Tom Lee had the presence of mind to throw himself on top of his children, including his first born son Jordan. Looking up at his father Jordan saw the blood in his father’s mouth and witnessed as the breath began to leave his father, but was able to hear the last words of his fathers crying out to God for the safety of his family. Then the spirit left the body of Tom Lee."

Click here to keep reading...

Jack & Erin

Finding Strength

2011-04-26T21:48:00.000-04:00

Finding strength when there is no strength to be found.

Is it possible?

Are you struggling with strength today? Not feeling strong enough to handle what's happening? Here are some verses to remind you that there is hope, and God WILL provide the strength you need!

"Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." Romans 5:3-5

‎"The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace." Psalm 29:11

"Search for the Lord and for his strength continually seek him. Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given..." 1 Chronicles 16:11-12

"God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect." Psalm 18:32

"Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him." Psalm 105:4

"Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless." Isaiah 40:28-29

Open the Rose

A young, new preacher was walking with an older, more seasoned preacher in the garden one day and feeling a bit insecure about what God had for him to do, he was inquiring of the older preacher. The older preacher walked up to a rosebush and handed the young preacher a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing off any petals.

The young preacher looked in disbelief at the older preacher and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the WILL OF GOD for his life and for his ministry. Because of his high respect for the older preacher, he proceeded to TRY to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal intact...It wasn't long before he realized how it was impossible to do so.

Noticing the younger preacher's inability to unfold the rosebud while keeping it intact, the older preacher began to tell the following poem...

It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of GOD's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.
The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
GOD opens this flower so sweetly,
When in my hands they fade and die.
If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of GOD's design,
Then how can I think I have wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?
So I'll trust in Him for His leading
Each moment of every day.
I will look to Him for His guidance
Each step of the pilgrim way.
The pathway that lies before me,
Only my heavenly Father knows.
I'll trust Him to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose.

4/25/11

2011-04-25T15:32:00.000-04:00

Peep Recipes!
If you really love the Peeps, we are pretty sure you will appreciate these Peep recipes. Just don't ask Jack to try any of them. Click here

The Train Sacrifice

2011-04-21T18:11:00.001-04:00

The Train Sacrifice

There was a bridge spanning a large river. Most of the day, the bridge sat with its length running up and down the river parallel with the banks, allowing ships to pass thru freely. Twice a day, a train would come along and the bridge was turned sideways across the river, allowing the train to cross.

A switchman sat in a small shack on one side of the river where he operated the controls to turn the bridge and lock it into place for the trains to cross. One evening the switchman was waiting for the last train of the day to come. The train approaching was a passenger train with many people aboard. When the train was within a prescribed distance, he stepped up to the controls and turned the bridge into position. To his horror, the locking control was not working. If the bridge was not locked in position, the train would jump the track and crash into the river below.

The switchman hurried across the bridge to the other side of the river where there was a control lever, which he could operate manually to lock the bridge in place. He would have to hold the lever back firmly, with all his strength, as the train crossed. He could hear the rumble of the train, and he took hold of the lever and pulled backward with all his might, locking the bridge into place. He kept applying the pressure to keep the mechanism locked. Many lives depended on his strength. Then, from the direction of his control shack across the bridge, the switchman heard a sound that made his blood run cold.

"Daddy, where are you?"

His four-year-old son was crossing the bridge to look for him.

His first impulse was to cry out to the child, " Run! Run!" But the train was too close. The tiny legs would never make it across the bridge in time. In the same instant, he almost left the lever to run and snatch up his son and carry him to safety. But he realized that he could not get back to the lever in time for the train to pass safely. Either the people on the train or his little son would have to die. It took a moment to make his decision.

The train sped safely and swiftly on its way. No one on board was even aware of the tiny broken body thrown mercilessly into the river by the onrushing train. Nor were they aware of the sobbing man, still clinging tightly to the locking lever long after the train had passed. Neither did they see him walking home more slowly than he had ever walked before, to tell his wife how they had lost their only son.

As we comprehend what this experience must have meant to this man and how it affected him, we begin to realize what our Father in Heaven must have had to endure when He sacrificed His Son (the most innocent man ever) - to bridge the gap between us and eternal life. Can there be any wonder that He caused the earth to tremble and the skies to darken when His Son was crucified? And how it must affect Him when we speed along thru life with little thought or appreciation for His sacrifice.

Earth Day Freebies

2011-04-21T16:43:00.000-04:00

I'm writing this as I sip from a disposable water bottle. I have feeling that will be highly taboo tomorrow because it's Earth Day in addition to being Good Friday.

A bunch of places are offering freebies - free coffee/tea at Starbucks, a free reusable tote from the Disney store, a free tree from Lowe's, and other delightful freebies. Thanks to Liz at the Baltimore Sun who has already done the round up of freebies. Here's the link so you can see what you need to do to score some free stuff!

~ Erin

Resurrection Rolls

2011-04-19T17:58:00.000-04:00

I introduced Resurrection Rolls to Jack last year and he's decided they are going to be an Easter tradition for his family. Kids AND adults will have fun making them! My parents' home church made them, and it was a fun way to retell the story of Christ's sacrifice. You can find the original post here, but I'll repost it to make life easy :-).

Enjoy!

- Erin (and Jack too)

--------------------------------------

Resurrection Rolls

1 package crescent rolls
8 large marshmallows
2 TBLS melted butter
1/4 cup cinnamon sugar (mix 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon together for homemade cinnamon sugar)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper (it will make clean up soooo much easier!).

Give each child a triangle of crescent rolls (you'll want to flatten the wide end slightly).
The crescent roll represents the cloth that Jesus was wrapped in.

Give each child a marshmallow.
This represents Jesus and His purity.

Have your child dip the marshmallow in melted butter.
This represents the oils of embalming.

Roll the buttered marshmallow in the cinnamon and sugar.
This represents the spices used to anoint the body of Jesus.

Wrap the coated marshmallow tightly in the crescent roll by folding up the sides to seal the marshmallow up tight.
This represents the wrapping of Jesus' body after death.

Place in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes. The marshmallow may ooze out the side!
The oven represents the tomb (pretend like it was 3 days and nights!)

While the rolls are baking, you can read Matthew 27:57-61 and Matthew 28:5-8.

When the rolls have cooled slightly, the children can open their rolls (cloths) and discover that Jesus is no longer there. HE IS RISEN! The marshmallow melts and the cresent roll is puffed up, but like the tomb - IT IS EMPTY!

4/18/11

2011-04-18T16:54:00.000-04:00

The Extreme "Green" Family
These guys know how to save a buck and produce almost no trash. Find out how the Johnson family does it. Click here for more information.

4/13/10

2011-04-13T15:15:00.000-04:00

Free Assateague Access
You can check out all of the wonderful things Assateague Island National Seashore has to offer during National Park week. Click here for more information.

I Will Wait For You

2011-04-13T15:00:00.002-04:00

I saw this video this morning and was overwhelmed by the message. The message is directed at single women, but the message is universal. Are we willing to wait on His best for us...and be content that His best for us is Himself? Jesus IS worth the wait.

But to my Father
My Father who has known be before I was birthed onto this earth
Only if You should see fit
I desire Your will above mine
So even if You call me to a life of singleness
My heart is content
You are the greatest love story ever told
You are the greatest love ever known
You are forever my judge
And I am forever your witness
And I pray that I'm always found on a mission about my Father's business
I will always be Yours
And I will always wait for You, Lord
More than the watchmen wait for the morning
More than the watchmen wait for the morning, I will...
...WAIT

Erin

Amazing Kids

2011-04-12T17:55:00.000-04:00

This afternoon, Jack & I were talking about things kids do that amaze us.

Jack said he was stunned when his 4 year old Brady grabbed a globe and started pointing out Hawaii, Egypt, and other locations. Jack didn't know Brady even knew about them! I couldn't believe it when my 4 year old goddaughter, Devyn, pointed to her new art easel and began telling me that Claude Monet is an impressionist painter. She was evening naming one of his paintings! She's so smart :-)

Jenesse told us on the SHINE-FM Facebook page, "My child amazes me everyday. She's a gifted child who I am certain has a higher IQ than my husband or I, but when she was 5 we were in a little disagreement about something she wanted to do and I was given reasons why she couldn't do it a certain way. She looks me square in the eye and 'Symantics, Mom' I was stunned and said, 'You can't use words you don't know the meaning of.' She looks at me, smiles, and says, 'Details.' I told her she won."

We also heard from Becky who said, "When my son asked my sister if she wanted to taste the rainbow? At first I didn't know what he was talking about, but I soon figured it out... He was eating some skittles and he was asking her if she wanted to have some also. He remembered the commercial."

So as we were talking about amazing kids, it made Jack think about an amazing kid he saw on TV the other day. Eli is 9 years old and was one of the food judges for the Mt. Washington Tavern Grilled Cheese competition. Eli wants to be a food critic when grows up, but he's already getting a head start. If you missed our interview with Eli, you can listen to it here. While you're listening to the interview, check out Eli's blog here. Who knows? It may inspire your kids to try new foods or be a food critic too!

Erin :-)

Talking with Mandisa

2011-04-08T16:01:00.001-04:00

Where God Takes Us

2011-04-07T16:08:00.000-04:00

As I was packing up "The Go Girl Mobile" for this evening's Soul Surfer movie preview we're hosting, it occurred to me how drastically my life has changed since 2003 when I bought my CR-V.

I thought long and hard about what kind of car I needed. My plan was to open my own catering business, so I knew I needed a vehicle with lots and LOTS of storage space. Plus, I planned on getting married in the next few years, so I needed something with a high safety rating. I could already envision two little car seats in the backseat. And so I landed on the Honda CR-V...in blue, of course. Plenty of room, high safety rating, my favorite color...we were going to go places!

Eight years later, and there's no catering business, no marriage, and no children.

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." -Jeremiah 29:11

If I had told myself 8 years ago that I wouldn't go into catering, and I wouldn't be married by 30, I think I would have died. Just dieeeeed. I can hear my conversation with God now, "GOD! My dream is to be a caterer! My dream is to be married!! My dream is to have children!!! How do You NOT consider this disastrous?? THAT is a disaster! A COMPLETE DISASTER! What's left for me?? Where is the 'hope and a future' in THAT??"

If God had given me a choice between the life I dreamed and the life He's given me now, I would have easily said 'no' to God's plan. I mean, what could be better than my dream? Had I kept following my plans, I would have missed out on the joy of being right where He wants me.

"We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." Proverbs 16:9

The best part is it's not over yet. I'm so thankful God is the one who determines my steps. He's done a pretty good job :-).

What's the dream you had in mind for yourself, but God has turned it into something better?

Erin

4/7/11

2011-04-07T13:43:00.000-04:00

Dog Weeps for Returning Soldier
Yep, it went viral. If you know the love of a pet you will love this video.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

4/5/11

2011-04-05T14:35:00.001-04:00

Cakes For Two From Charm City Cakes!
If you love Duff and the gang's creations you can now order your own and pick them up at the store. They are featuring a limited number of designs but you can submit your idea and maybe one day your idea may "turn to cake." Click here for more information.

3/23/11

2011-03-23T14:22:00.000-04:00

Bologna Recall
The recall is for about 23,000 pounds of deli-sliced and packaged Seltzer’s Regular Beef Lebanon Bologna produced in December. this was due to four reported cases of E. Coli illnesses in New Jersey, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Lots of the bologna were sold in Maryland. Click here for more information

All the Time in the World

2011-03-22T16:16:00.001-04:00

Jack's son four year old son Brady was asking him to play Tinker Toys this morning. Jack kept putting him off...until a friend sent this story to him. We thought we'd share it with you today.

Jack & Erin

All the Time in the World
Author Unknown

While at the park one day, a woman sat down next to a man on a bench near a playground. "That's my son over there," she said, pointing to a little boy in a red sweater who was gliding down the slide.

"He's a fine looking boy," the man said. "That's my son on the swing in the blue sweater." Then, looking at his watch, he called to his son. "What do you say we go, Todd?"

Todd pleaded, "Just five more minutes, Dad. Please? Just five more minutes." The man nodded and Todd continued to swing to his heart's content.

Minutes passed and the father stood and called again to his son. "Time to go now?"

Again Todd pleaded, "Five more minutes, Dad. Just five more minutes." The man smiled and said, "Okay."

"My, you certainly are a patient father," the woman responded.

The man smiled and then said, "My older son Tommy was killed by a drunk driver last year while he was riding his bike near here. I never spent much time with Tommy and now I'd give anything for just five more minutes with him. I've vowed not to make the same mistake with Todd.

"He thinks he has five more minutes to swing. The truth is...I get five more minutes to watch him play."

Life is all about making priorities, what are your priorities? Give someone you love 5 more minutes of your time today!

3/11/10

2011-03-11T14:49:00.001-05:00

5 Ways To Make Some Extra Money!
We Love them! Click here to get some great ideas.

Getting Stronger With Mandisa

2011-03-09T20:00:00.000-05:00

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome MANNNDIIIIIISSSSSSA to the Jack & Erin Show!!!

That was my best Oprah impression. It totally worked, right?

If you don't know, Mandisa has been on a health journey and just celebrated 100 pounds gone for good! As you can imagine, there were good days, bad days, really difficult days, fantastic days, and through them all she has persevered. If you find yourself going through a similar journey of trying to lose weight or maybe you just want to feel healthier, we're excited to tell you that Mandisa will be joining us for the next few weeks to share some tips to get moving, motivated, and healthy. She'll be joining us Wednesdays from 4:30-5PM. If you missed our conversation today, click here to listen.

To start this week off, Mandisa issued a couple of challenges:

Challenge #1
Instead of parking in the parking space closest to the door, park in the farthest parking space from the door, and speed walk to the door.

Challenge #2
Instead of taking an elevator, pretend the elevator is broken and take the stairs. If you're going to the 16th floor and you don't think you can make it, try to do as many floors as possible and take the elevator the rest of the way if you have to.

Challenge #3
Be an anti couch potato! When you're watching TV, hop up during the 3-5 minute commercial break and do jumping jacks, jog in place, or some squats/lunges. When your show comes on, take a break, enjoy the show, and relax until the next commercial break. Running to the fridge doesn't count, FYI. I had to clarify that for Jack :-).

Are you ready for this? I'm going to issue an additional challenge. Ready? Readdddy?

Challenge #4
Take every thought captive.

What exactly does that mean?

2 Corinthians 10:5 says, "...we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

I don't know about you, but when I think about a brownie, I HAVE to have a brownie. If a co-worker walks in the door with pizza for lunch, I spend the afternoon thinking about having pizza for dinner. Before I know it, I'm having pizza when I know I shouldn't be. If it's a workout night and I think of reasons why I shouldn't (I'm tired, I don't have pretty/clean workout clothes, it's been a long day at work, etc), I will give in to those reasons and not go.

The things we think about are the things we often end up doing.

If I think about how good I feel after exercising or how much stronger I'm getting by lifting weights, it makes me want to do it. If I turn down pizza today, I'll schedule it in for a Friday night, so I'll have something to look forward to. It makes it easier to pass up. If you tell yourself that the brownie is no big deal, it's not. If you're doubting that you can exercise during commercial breaks or walk from the far end of the parking lot to a store, you're right. You can't do it, and won't do it, because your mind is already made up that you can't. If, however, you tell yourself that you CAN exercise during the commercial breaks for one half hour TV show, you can and (more than likely) will do it.

When distracting or negative thoughts pop up, take 'em captive! We can do amazing things when we change our thought process!

So who's up for the challenges this week??? I'm planning on doing some jumping jacks in the studio during the commercial breaks. If you call the studio and I sound like I'm about to die, you'll know why - ha!

We can do this!

Erin :-)

The Elvis {Oatmeal}

2011-03-09T14:25:00.001-05:00

A few years ago, breakfast wasn't even on my radar screen. I didn't like it, it took too much effort, and I wasn't hungry. Why eat if I'm not hungry?? Um...hello...calories saved for something better! At least that was my philosophy. Then I decided to start training for a 5K, so in January of last year, I made a change. I decided to start eating breakfast to help fuel my system. It took some getting used to. I actually felt sick after eating breakfast, so I would just have a piece of fruit. Eventually, my body began craving breakfast. REAL breakfast. Whole grains, protein, fresh fruit...the real stuff. Now, over a year later, I'm still doing breakfast, and it's helped me eat better throughout the day, and I FEEL better.

One of my staples has been oatmeal. It's cheap, it's easy to make, it's filling, but it's boring. Who wants to eat food that looks boring or ugly? Not me!

I've been playing around my oatmeal to make it more fun. I discovered freeze dried fruit at Trader Joe's (Target also has some under their Archer's Farm label - you can find them next to the nuts and granola mixes). It's great for a little snack, but I decided to add it to my oatmeal and it's just plain awesome. It makes me feel like I'm eating gourmet oatmeal. The other day I was mixing some freeze dried bananas into my oatmeal and it occurred to me that I like peanut butter on my bananas, so why not stir some in? And it was awesome. And then I thought, "Heeeeeey, didn't Elvis like peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwiches?" And so I added a piece of bacon to my oatmeal.

Boom.

I felt daring for putting bacon in my oatmeal.

Rawr.

I still feel slightly rebellious.

And my tummy is happy.

You think it's weird, but deep down inside you want to try it. Unless you're vegetarian. Then you're repulsed, and I can feel you judging me.

So I will share my Elvis Oatmeal recipe with you (even the vegetarians because they can drop the bacon from the recipe like it's hot!). It's totally non-complicated, easy, breakfast awesomeness.

Microwave a piece of bacon on high for about 35 seconds until it's crispy. That gets crumbled over the oatmeal at the very end but it needs to be cool enough to crumble.

I use the quick cooking oats, because, well, they're quick. If you've got time for the longer cooking ones, go for it.

Measure out 1/3 cup into a large bowl. Nothing's worse than cooking oatmeal and it bubbling up over the bowl and making a ginormous mess in the microwave. Yuck.

Meet my friend Freeze Dried Banana. I could eat these guys straight out the bag. Wait. That sounds weird. Does that sound like I eat my friends? I gave that up a long time ago. Promise.

Measure out a heaping 1/3 cup of freeze dried bananas. You could also use the same amount of the real thing. Pour on 2/3 cup water or milk and microwave for 1:30-1:45 or until it's done. You know your microwave. It may need more or less time.

Now stir in 2 tsps peanut butter. The heat of the oatmeal melts the peanut butter so you get peanut butter swirly goodness. Yum.

Once the peanut butter is swirled in, crumble the bacon on top, and enjoy.

Warning: if you eat this, it may be difficult not to say, "Thank you...thank you very much" to everyone you meet.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Elvis {Oatmeal}

1/3 cup quick cooking oats
2/3 cup water or milk
1/3 cup freeze dried bananas (or fresh)
2 tsps peanut butter
1 slice pre-cooked bacon

Microwave pre-cooked bacon according to package directions to crisp the bacon. Let bacon cool while assembling oatmeal.

In a large bowl, combine oats and freeze dried bananas. Stir in water. Microwave for 1:30 until done. Your microwave may need more or less time.

Stir in peanut butter.

Crumble bacon on top.

Devour.

3/8/11

2011-03-08T16:56:00.000-05:00

Courageous The Movie
COURAGEOUS is in theaters September 30. Four men, one calling: To serve and protect. When tragedy hits home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Can a new found urgency help these dads draw closer to God … and to their children? Courageous … honor begins at home. Click here to watch the trailer.

Key Lime Pie

2011-03-02T16:25:00.000-05:00

We like to celebrate birthdays here at SHINE-FM! We used to celebrate every birthday with cake, but as we've grown in staff so did the amount of birthdays. Funny how that works. Now, we all sign a card and surprise the person with a special rendition of Happy Birthday. I say "special" because you never know who will decide to sing harmony...or sing off key on purpose.

Today, we had a special celebration because one of our staff members turned 50! This person is a lime fan, so I made a couple of key lime pies. Jack couldn't make it so we saved this last slice for him.

When I was in Key West, Florida, key lime pies by a guy named Kermit were the thang. Kermit's pies were everywhere...served by the slice, dipped in chocolate, you name it, it was there. And it was DELICIOUS. I searched online and wouldn't you know...I found a copy cat recipe. This pie tastes just like the one I had in Key West...and you don't even have to go anywhere. I do recommend eating this outside in the sunshine though. It'll give you the full Florida effect :-)

Kermit's Key Lime Pie

1 9in prepared graham cracker crust (I used Keebler's Ready Crust)
2 14oz cans sweetened condensed milk
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup key lime juice (I used Nellie & Joe's Famous Lime Juice )

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix sweetened condensed milk with egg yolks.

Add key lime juice and finish blending.

Pour into piecrust.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Cool pie 20 minutes before refrigerating.

Serve chilled pie with whipped cream!

Serves 8

God's Days

2011-03-01T19:09:00.001-05:00

God's Days

There are two days in the week upon which and about which I never worry -- two carefree days kept sacredly free from fear and apprehension. One of these days is Yesterday. Yesterday, with its cares and frets and pains and aches, all its faults, its mistakes and blunders, has passed forever beyond my recall. It was mine; it is God's.

The other day that I do not worry about is Tomorrow. Tomorrow, with all its possible adversities, its burdens, its perils, its large promise and performance, its failures and mistakes, is as far beyond my mastery as its dead sister, Yesterday. Tomorrow is God's day; it will be mine.

There is left, then, for myself but one day in the week - Today. Any man can fight the battles of today. Any woman can carry the burdens of just one day; any man can resist the temptation of today. It is only when we willfully add the burdens of these two awful eternities - Yesterday and Tomorrow - such burdens as only the Mighty God can sustain - that we break down.

It isn't the experience of Today that drives men mad. It is the remorse of what happened Yesterday and fear of what Tomorrow might bring. These are God's Days...leave them to Him.

--Anonymous

2/25/11

2011-02-25T14:16:00.000-05:00

Protect Your Credit Card With A Sleeve
We mentioned that credit card information can now be stolen with a scanner that is pointed at your purse or wallet. Here is a foil lined sleeve that you can buy to protect your information.

The Ice Cream Prayer

2011-02-24T16:40:00.000-05:00

Here's the little story we read on the air this afternoon. It's called, "The Ice Cream Prayer." Enjoy, and pass it along to someone else!

Jack & Erin

The Ice Cream Prayer
Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace.

As we bowed our heads he said, "God is good. God is great. Thank you for the food, and I would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And Liberty and justice for all! Amen!"

Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby I heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice cream! Why, I never!"

Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?"

As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table.

He winked at my son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer."

"Really?" my son asked.

"Cross my heart." Then in a theatrical whisper he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."

Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember the rest of my life.

He picked up his sundae and without a word walked over and placed it in front of the woman.

With a big smile he told her, "Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes, and my soul is good already."

I Wish I Could Go Back There One More Time

2011-02-23T19:17:00.000-05:00

It's the BIG news in Baltimore today.

Gino's, home of the Gino Giant, is coming back to town.

I gotta admit, I have never heard of Gino's before. But there are a LOT of my Facebook friends and listeners who grew up in the 60's & 70's and Gino's was part of their childhood. It was sweet to hear them remember hanging out with friends, polishing off a Gino's Giant (similar to McDonald's Big Mac, only better, so I hear), and enjoying simpler times. With Gino's coming back, many are getting their shot at remembering their childhood.

We heard from a lot of folks remembering Hamburger Junction at Harford and Joppa Roads. Supposedly, a little train would run along the counter and the meal and the train cars would deliver your meal. Farrell's Ice Cream in Golden Ring Mall was another favorite. Many people told the tale of the "Pig's Trough" sundae, which was really 6 scoops of ice cream plus everything on top. If you polished it off, you got a medal and bells and whistles and people oinked at you. That probably wouldn't fly in today's PC world - ha!

I wish I could go back and visit:

Flickers in Chatham Mall on Rt 40 in Ellicott City. My brothers and I had a blast playing the games, racking up the tickets, and turning them in for fun, cheap prizes. I still have a Flickers token somewhere in my loose change.
McConnells in Denton. We always stopped there for lunch on our way to the beach and it had these two HUGE slides. I LOVED that place. It was the only time in my life when my mom had to bargain with me during meal time - "take two bites of a cheeseburger for two trips down the slide." You know it was a special place if little Erin Ashley happily didn't want to eat her meal.
Hollywood Bakery in Arbutus. Marshmallow donuts. I've never, ever found another place that makes marshmallow donuts. It was a donut covered in powdered sugar and filled with a marshmallow creme concoction. It was heaven. We'd get them on the weekend, often times before or after church. Happy, happy memories.
Father's Gay Nineties in Catonsville. It closed long before I was around. Father's was a restaurant place known for their ice cream sundaes that my mom and dad used to go to when they were dating and first married. It was the place where my dad learned to NEVER touch my mother's sundae. He thought it would be cute to swipe some of her whipped cream and put it on her face. My mother didn't think so. Thirty-five years of marriage later and he's never, ever done that again. And he still feels a little nervous at the mention of Father's.
The Enchanted Forest on Rt 40 in Ellicott City. The place was pure magic and was like stepping into a fairy tale. I'd LOVE to go back there. I know Clark's Elioak Farm in Columbia has restored many of the pieces. We took our goddaughter there last spring and she loved it. It's just not the same, but all good things must come to an end some time, right?

How about you? Your turn to reminisce. What's the local landmark you wish you could go back and visit just one more time?

- Erin :-)

2/23/11

2011-02-23T14:03:00.000-05:00

Looking for the Cheapest Gas Prices?
All you have to do is enter your zip code and you'll get the latest list with prices and locations. You can also report the prices you are seeing. Click here to get started.

2/21/11

2011-02-21T22:12:00.000-05:00

Sing The National Anthem for the Baysox
Last year 60 people sung our National Anthem before the Bowie Baysox hit the field. Wanna try out? Click here for more information.

Logan's Story of Sacrifice

2011-02-16T15:21:00.003-05:00

Last week, Jack & I shared a call with you that a little boy named Logan made to some radio friends of ours. It was such a sweet reminder of God's sacrifice for each of us that we had to share it. It's had quite an impact, so we decided to play it again for you to remind you that you are loved. Want to share the story with your family and friends? Just click on the Facebook or Twitter button at the top of this post to share the story with them!

Click here to listen to Logan's story.

You are loved!

Erin (and Jack too)

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking

2011-02-15T16:07:00.000-05:00

Parents,

All those sacrifices you make, all those things you do for your children...they notice :-)

Jack & Erin

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang up my first painting on the refrigerator, and I wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a stray cat, and I thought it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me, and I knew that little things are special things.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a prayer, and I believed there is a God I could always talk to.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I felt you kiss me goodnight, and I felt loved.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I LOOKED....and wanted to say thanks for the sacrifices you made and for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.

- Anonymous-

2/14/11

2011-02-14T13:41:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentines Day!
The Sun had some great ideas for locations in Baltimore if you are thinking of popping the question today. Let's just say some are better than others. If you think about it the location of where those four little words are unleashed is a lot like real estate. It's all about location, location, location! Check out the story here

2/11/11

2011-02-11T15:42:00.000-05:00

The Cowboy Code
The book is called "Cowboy Ethics: What Wall Street Can Learn from the Code of the West" By James Owens. Here are 10 principles of the Cowboy Code.

1 Live each day with courage
2 Take pride in your work
3 Always finish what you start
4 Do what has to be done
5 Be tough, but fair
6 When you make a promise, keep it
7 Ride for the brand
8 Talk less and say more
9 Remember that some things aren't for sale
10 Know where to draw the line

What is your "cowboy code?"

2/11/10

2011-02-10T15:26:00.000-05:00

Put That Negotiating Hat On
Here are 6 things that you should be negotiating for. What about negotiating for a lower medical bill. Or, a lower credit card rate. Find out some new wheeling and dealing tips here.

2/8/10

2011-02-08T15:38:00.001-05:00

An Amazing Gift from a Coach To A Player
A baseball coach at Wake Forest donated a kidney to one of his players. The Freshman player hasn't even played a game yet for the team. Read the story here.

Three year Old Boy Needs Bone Marrow Transplant
Harry Friner's only hope at beating a rare form of cancer is a match for bone marrow. Their was a bone marrow match drive last weekend in Joppa. His parents say they should know in about 2 weeks if there was a match. If you want to get involved and see if there is a match for Harry or, another child, check out this website

Click here for Harry's Facebook Page.

2/7/10

2011-02-07T14:30:00.001-05:00

Darth Vader Child Revealed
Have you seen the Super Bowl commercial and the boy in the Darth Vader costume trying to use his "powers"? You can get a peak under the mask by clicking here.

Cockatoo Sings "I Love the Green Bay Packers"!

2011-02-04T15:09:00.000-05:00

Do What Now???

2011-01-30T07:25:00.000-05:00

‎"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" - Philippians 4:4

...but, but, but it's a MONDAY!

"Rejoice in the Lord always."

...but, but, but it's COLD!!

"I will say it again..."

...but, but, but we're supposed to have ICE and SNOW. I'm tired of it!

"Rejoice!"

...but I haven't even had my coffee yet!

"Rejoice in the Lord always."

What's the thing you need to rejoice in God for today? Financial issues? Marriage troubles? Loneliness? Jealousy? Physical pain? Tell it to God, and follow it up with, "...yet I will rejoice in You."

-Erin

1/18/10

2011-01-18T10:36:00.001-05:00

Naturally Whiten Your Teeth
Click here for 10 natural ways to get those pearly whites even whiter by using natural products like strawberries. Just mush them up and rub them on your teeth!

1/17/10

2011-01-17T14:56:00.000-05:00

Today is Martin Luther King Day: 10 memorable MLK quotes
These are sure to inspire you and make you remember the man and what today is all about. Click here to read them.

1/10/11

2011-01-10T17:37:00.000-05:00

Why God? Why?
You may be watching the coverage of the shooting tragedy in Arizona and asking "why?" It's completely natural to go there as we search for answers with our own earthly resources. Dr. James Dobson wrote an amazing article on the question of "why". Click here to read it.

1/6/10

2011-01-07T15:21:00.000-05:00

Moink Balls For Your Football Party
Can you picture it? Bacon wrapped meatballs. Your guests will give you some big high fives. See how it's done here.

1/5/11

2011-01-05T11:55:00.000-05:00

"E-Cycle"
Don't throw your computers and other old electronics in the landfill. Click here to find out where to "E-cycle" in Maryland.

Two-year-old Knows The Presidents
Little Charlotte shows off what she's learned from her place mat. Total cuteness. Click here to see her.

The Message Is the Same, The Method Is Different

2010-12-23T13:58:00.000-05:00

Love these new ways of telling the story of Christ's birth!

Christmas Party For the Homeless

2010-12-21T21:38:00.000-05:00

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." - Matthew 25:35-36

We want to let you know about a really great outreach a local ministry is doing. Extreme Urban Missions is holding a Christmas party on Christmas Day for the homeless. It's going to be at the War Memorial Plaza at Fayette Street and Gay Street in Baltimore City at 5PM. It's a simple gathering - singing songs, enjoy hot drinks, and spending time with the least of these. You're invited to come out and love on some folks and remind them they're not alone on Christmas.

If you'd like to donate a Christmas gift or know more, visit Extreme Urban Missions website.

- Jack & Erin

He Hung The Moon & The Stars

2010-12-21T14:23:00.001-05:00

click on the picture to see it larger

I was a proud astronomy geek last night.

I admit it.

I wasn't a full on astronomy geek though.

Full on astronomy geeks never went to bed. They stayed up the entire night watching the lunar eclipse. I'm not worthy to be one of them. I set my alarm so I could get up during key moments of the lunar eclipse to take a couple of pictures as it was happening.

An interesting little piece of history, the last lunar eclipse to happen on the day of the winter solstice was in 1638. Pretty cool to witness something that last happened 372 years ago, isn't it?

click on the picture to see it larger

I'm so glad I got up to check this out. The stars seemed extra brilliant, and it really was an incredible sight.

The moon, early in the evening, was bright and big. I got up around 2AM and saw the moon almost fully eclipsed. I was up around 3AM again and the moon was a giant orange ball. It was seriously incredible. You can look at pictures of it happening, but there's something about being there, out in the cold, your hands feeling like they're about to fall off because you forgot to put on gloves but it doesn't really matter because the moon and the stars and the skies are just breathtaking. And then knowing that it's the same moon God's fingertips formed? The same moon He hung in the sky for us to see?

Yeah.

It's hard not to be in awe of that...no matter how cold it was out there!

--Erin :-)

12/16/10

2010-12-16T14:45:00.001-05:00

Paula Deen's Snow Ice Cream Recipe
How perfect for a Snowy Baltimore day. Plus, it is super simple to make. Click here for the recipe.

Pizza Soup

2010-12-16T14:41:00.000-05:00

What is it about the impending threat of snow that makes me want to hunker down, put my hair in a pony tail, put on an apron and bake. And bake. And cook. And bake. Anddddd bake some more.

Seriously.

So, at 7AM this morning, I'm rummaging through the cabinets to see what we have so I could at least make some soup. I found a bunch of stuff and tossed them in a pot, so there's no real recipe. But here's what I remember doing :-). Feel free to add and subtract...because it's soup we're talking about here. You can't go wrong! The picture above is what my soup looks like...

I've got bread rising (check out the frozen bread loaves; they are awesome!!) in my office and it's getting read to go in the oven. Oh yes...comfort food is on!

-Erin

Pizza Soup

1lb ground beef
1/2 - 1 cup mini pepperoni slices
1 onion, chopped
1 cup frozen chopped green peppers
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 14.5 cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
7oz can mushrooms, drained
4 cups beef stock (or 4 beef bouillon and 4 cups water)
2 Tbls oregano
1 Tbls basil

Brown the ground beef in a large pot. Drain ground beef (I also rinsed mine to remove the extra fat) and set aside.

Toss the chopped onions in the pot and saute in the beef drippings left in the pot for about 2 minutes or so until they get soft.

Add in the frozen green peppers and saute until they're thawed. (If you are using fresh peppers, saute them and onions at the same time.)

Stir in beef, pepperoni slices, garlic cloves, fire roasted diced tomatoes, mushrooms, oregano, and basil. Pour on beef stock. Stir and simmer 30 minutes on stove or put in the crockpot on low 4-6 hours.

12/15/10

2010-12-15T17:42:00.000-05:00

Christmas Cookies!
Womansday.com posted their most popular Christmas cookie recipes from the past. Click here and start that oven!

Secret Santa Hands out $100 Bills Anonymously
He is located in Kansas City and actually inherited the job from a millionaire in the area who did the same thing before he passed away. Check out the story here.

Ray Lewis In A...SNUGGIE??

2010-12-14T17:29:00.000-05:00

Yes.

You are seeing what you are seeing.

Your eyes are not deceiving you.

Ray Lewis is wearing a SNUGGIE.

And I want one.

Jack says the only way Ray is wearing it is because he's making some money off of it. The "blanket with sleeves" is $45 and is part of Ray's RL52 clothing line. Jack says if he was making a buck, he'd wear one too. Funny thing is...I seem to recall this picture of Jack wearing MY leopard print Snuggie...without any form of payment.

You're welcome ;-D

Erin