Sweet and Salty Cookies

On the 4th of July, our neighborhood had a small block party. It was mainly for kids with bounce houses but there was also a cookie contest. Being new to our neighborhood, Daniel and I have wanted to get more involved and meet our neighbors. We planned on going to the party for a little bit to mingle and I also decided that I would enter the cookie contest.

Deciding what kind of cookie to make was a challenge. I had never entered a baking or cooking contest of any kind before but I do love to bake! I didn’t want to make a typical cookie, like Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter Blossoms. So, instead, I started doing some research on Pinterest. There I found the best cookies I have ever made! I made some changes to the recipe posted on Dessert Now, Dinner Later and renamed the cookies. Here is my version of the recipe:

Sweet and Salty Cookies

1 stick of butter at room temperature

¼ cup plus 2 T white sugar

¼ cup plus 2 T light brown sugar

1.2 t vanilla extract

1 large egg

½ t salt

½ t baking soda

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup of broken stick pretzels

½ cup butterscotch chips

½ semi-sweet chocolate chips



1. In a stand mixer, cream butter with both white and brown sugars. Add the vanilla and egg and mix thoroughly.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the salt, baking soda, and flour. Gradually add to the wet mixture.

3. Fold in broken pretzels, butterscotch, and chocolate chips.

4. Spoon onto a baking sheet. (I used an ice cream scoop!)

5. Bake at 350F for 11-12 minutes. (Mine took about 15min).


Makes about 2 dozen cookies (if you make them small.) I doubled the recipe for a larger batch.



I didn’t win at the cookie competition although it was a lot of fun to participate. These are still the best cookies that I have ever made! My husband and mother-in-law absolutely loved them! I have never seen my mother-in-law eat so many cookies in one sitting before!!!


Here is the link to the original blog and recipe:

http://www.dessertnowdinnerlater.com/2012/12/caramel-pretzel-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

Praise You In This Storm

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

This is one of the first verses of the Bible that I memorized after I was saved about 14 years ago. However, I have come to realize that sometimes the Lord’s plan doesn’t make sense. We don’t see the full picture and it can be frustrating when we don’t understand why certain things are happening in our lives. However, we need to have blind faith and trust in Him because he can see past the storm we are in.

This past Thursday, my husband was told that he only has a job until September 3rd. The bank he works for is closing down several departments, causing over 400 people to be laid off. It is devastating since it took over a year for Daniel to get this job and then to work there for less than two years. He really loves working as a mortgage loan processor, the promotion he just got back in March. I can’t help but wonder why we would be blessed with his promotion, only for it to be taken away so quickly?

I have come to realize that a lot of my husband’s self confidence is based on his ability to provide for our family. I am sure that most husbands feel the same way. As the head of the household, they feel the most need and pressure to take care of their family. Daniel is worried about not being able to take care of us come September. Luckily, it is only June and there is time to apply for other positions in both other departments at his current employer as well as at other banks in the area.

I am trying to stay strong and supportive for my husband during this time. We are both worried and were caught off guard by this sudden announcement. However, I have to trust that the Lord is going to take care of us no matter what happens in the next two and a half months. I am trying to find ways to encourage him as best as I can when I know he is feeling down and discouraged. Anything from searching for jobs so he can easily apply once he is home from work, to mowing the lawn so it is one less thing he needs to worry about. What do you do when your husband needs encouragement? I would love some more ideas!

"I love you, Lord, You are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my Savior. My God is my rock in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and He saved me from my enemies." Psalm 18:1-3

Our TTC Journey...

Last July, Daniel and I decided we were ready to start trying for a baby. Now, about 10 month later, we have yet to conceive. In fact, what I have been warned about for years seems to be true. I am having trouble with fertility. I have always had very irregular cycles, the longest being 6 months without a period. Years ago, it never seemed to bother me. Then again I wasn’t married and trying to start a family. I was hoping that after coming off of the pill, I would have possibly outgrown the irregular cycles. I was actually semi-regular for the most part. I had longer cycles but I was ovulating. I track this with temping and charting using fertilityfriend.com.

It didn’t take long for my cycles started getting longer and longer. Right after Christmas, I went to my gynecologist, Dr. Sanchez. I have been going to her for 7 years and she knows my history. She has always been very honest with me and has told me before that I could have trouble conceiving. Luckily, she also does fertility so I won’t have to go to an RE to tests and treatment. When I saw her back in December, she told me that she is pretty sure I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Before we will discuss any treatment options, she has ordered for me to get a hysterosalpingogram (HSG) and then an ultrasound of my ovaries.

I was supposed to have the HSG done back in January or February. However, we ended up closing on our house and things were hectic for a while. In addition to that, I have been on the same cycle since the end of January. The longest one I have had in years! I’m getting close to CD100 and it is not fun! Dr. Sanchez called in a script for Provera for me. Once I complete the Provera and Aunt Flow finally comes out of hiding, I can finally call and schedule my HSG. Secretly, I am hoping that maybe it won’t come to that. I actually ovulated on May 1st so there is a chance I could be pregnant and not have to go through all the fertility testing.

I know that the Lord has a plan in all of this. It is hard to understand His purpose but only He can see the bigger picture. Someday Daniel and I will be able to look back and understand the reasons why but for now we have to learn to trust in His promise blindly. There are days where that is very difficult to do.

Mark 11:24- "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

My First Post

It’s difficult to start out the first post of a blog. Not that I would really know. I have attempted starting blogs before but never succeeded in keeping up with them. In fact, I had started this same blog about two years ago but had only a couple posts.

I have wanted to start a blog (again!) for quite awhile. There has been so much going on in our lives during the past two years of marriage that I would love to keep record of it. Who knows, maybe I can teach you something, and hopefully you will help me out with many things!

My husband, Daniel, and I have been married for two years. We are still in that newlywed stage as far as I am concerned! We bought our house this past February and have been working so hard on fixing it up. It was vacant for at least 5 years so it needs some work. You will be seeing a lot about the house on here since we are constantly figuring things out as we go when it comes to being homeowners.

Besides having our house, we have been trying to get pregnant since last July. I am unofficially diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. I don’t currently have the desire to fork over hundreds of dollars to finish the tests at the moment to get the official diagnosis, but my doctor was pretty confident that I have it. So you will be seeing quite a bit as we try to conceive despite some setbacks.

Through all this, we are trying to keep our marriage focused on the Lord. I am nowhere near the ideal Proverbs 31 wife. In fact, I loathe cleaning the house! Maybe that’s why we still haven’t finished unpacking those last few (or several) boxes. I really am trying to be more like the wife the Lord wants me to be. He has been teaching me so much through my daily life experiences. I am sure many of you can relate to what I am going through as I write about it here.



“I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles”
― Audrey Hepburn