Oh Nuts

I don't remember what website I originally found this recipe on, but I wanted to share it here. So far, I have only made this recipe once, but it is very easy to make. The cookies are amazing, and I haven't made more yet.  Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash Italian Christmas Cookies YIELDS: 30 | PREP TIME: 10 mins | TOTAL TIME: 45 mins FOR THE COOKIES 2 c. all-purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter, softened 1 c. granulated sugar 8 oz. ricotta 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1/2 tsp. almond extract (optional) 1 egg FOR THE ICING 1 c. powdered sugar 2 tbsp. whole milk 1/4 tsp. almond extract (optional) Sprinkles Directions Step 1: Adjust an oven rack to center position and preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, c...

  Here are 5 lessons from the book Forgiving What You Can't Forget: Discover How to Move On, Make Peace with Painful Memories, and Create a Life That's Beautiful Again by Lysa TerKeurst: 1. Forgiveness is a journey , not a destination. It takes time to heal from painful memories and to let go of resentment. Don't be discouraged if you don't feel forgiven right away. Just keep moving forward and trust that God is working in your heart. 2. Forgiveness is not about excusing the other person's behavior . It's about releasing yourself from the burden of anger and bitterness. When you forgive, you're not saying that what happened was okay. You're simply saying that you're not going to let it control you anymore. 3 . You don't have to forget in order to forgive. In fact, it's often helpful to remember what happened so that you can learn from it and grow. But you don't have to dwell on the past or let it define you. 4. Forgiveness is a gift yo...

  Have you ever been told not to read a certain book because it might influence your thinking? Or have you been discouraged from reading a particular author because of their controversial ideas? If so, then you may have encountered a common fear that many people have: the fear of thinking. Photo by Laura Kapfer on Unsplash In reality, books should be celebrated for their ability to challenge our beliefs and broaden our perspectives. As the famous quote goes, "If you're afraid that books might change someone's thinking, you're not afraid of books. You're afraid of thinking." The truth is that reading books that challenge our existing beliefs is crucial for personal growth and intellectual development. Exposing ourselves to different ideas and perspectives makes us more open-minded and capable of critical thinking. We learn to question our assumptions and opinions and become more empathetic towards others who may hold different views. Of course, it can be uncom...

  "Let Them”  Author: Cassie Phillips Just Let them. If they want to choose something or someone over you, LET THEM. If they want to go weeks without talking to you, LET THEM. If they are okay with never seeing you, LET THEM. If they are okay with always putting themselves first, LET THEM. If they are showing you who they are and not what you perceive them to be, LET THEM. If they want to follow the crowd, LET THEM. If they want to judge or misunderstand you, LET THEM. If they act like they can live without you, LET THEM. If they want to walk out of your life and leave, hold the door open AND LET THEM. Let them lose you. You were never theirs because you were always your own. So let them. Let them show you who they truly are, not tell you. Let them prove how worthy they are of your time. Let them make the necessary steps to be a part of your life. Let them earn your forgiveness. Let them call you to talk about ordinary things. Let them take you out on a Thursday. Let them talk...

  I don't know who needs to hear this, but you are not broken. There is nothing wrong with you. Unfortunately, there is a lot wrong in the world, and it's normal to recognize those things. Often times we feel broken, or something is wrong with us because of something that happens to us. And it can affect us down the road as we move through life. Because of this, we have a hard time asking others for help. Through our life experiences, we often think that we need to do something alone and that no one will want to help us. But don't be afraid to ask for help. Because we don't have it all together like we might think we do. While it might be easier for some people, we all need to learn that having help is okay. There is nothing wrong with needing or asking for help. When saying things like "it takes a village," some people don't have a village. Because of that, they have to figure it out on their own. And that can be hard to do, feeding into feeling like they...

When we hear the word modesty, the first thing that comes to mind is clothing that covers everything or the majority of your body. Dressing modestly is something I have grown up with and have been around my entire life. And it can be considered a "hot topic" regarding what girls and women wear. Especially when it comes to places like schools and the workplace. But most people don't realize that modesty isn't just about what you wear; it is also about how you act around others and toward yourself.  Photo by Amanda Canas on Unsplash I am talking about this because I read an article on my Facebook feed the other day about a father who posted a picture with his two daughters in their homecoming dresses. And it was talking about his response to the people commenting on the style of the dresses. I don't remember the article's name, but I do know that it mentioned "girls to dress, so they don't distract boys," as well as saying that they are "aski...

  When words fail, don't say anything.  Sit in silence and listen.  Really listen. Sometimes what we listen to is what we need to hear. But it won't be the same for each person. What one person hears as positive, another could hear as a negative. But we are all in the same storm together, just different boats. When words fail, listen to what others have to say. They may share experiences that you might not have. Words are powerful things and can be used for good or bad. Words are something that we learn from. In good times and in bad,  words are something that we turn to every time. So when words fail, stop and listen. Sit in silence and remember the words that you hear.

  More often than not, I feel like many phrases have been ingrained in our society for a long time. A good example is a common phrase, "Boys will be boys." But what is that even supposed to mean?  Photo by Ben Sweet on Unsplash Quite often, the phrase is used to explain the behavior of men and boys when they do something that other people disagree with. Unfortunately, it has been like that for a long time, and it doesn't seem like much has changed, especially when you look at current politics, sexual harassment, etc. I don't know what others think about the phrase. Still, I believe that it needs to leave our vocabulary and that people need to work on themselves and how they respond and react to different topics where that phrase is used.  A current example of how the phrase "Boys will be boys" could be used is the recent Johnny Depp/Amber Heard Trial. While I didn't follow any of the hearings, it shows how the phrase could be used to throw the blame on ...

  What if today we were just grateful for mornings. Photo by Sharon Pittaway on Unsplash  and edited by me What if today we were just grateful for nights. What if today we were just grateful for the food on the table.  What if today we were just grateful for a bike to ride. What if today were just grateful for a game to play. What if today we were just grateful for the friends we make. What if we were just grateful for a roof over our heads. What if today we were just grateful for our family. What if today we were just grateful for another day to be alive. What if today we were just grateful for everything.

  Is the customer always right? Some people out there would answer that question with a resounding yes. Others might answer it with a hard no. But which is the correct answer to that question? Photo by Hello I'm Nik on Unsplash . Edited by me It would seem like yes, and no is the correct answer. Part of this is because some people like to create a scene and use their emotions to make people feel sorry for them. Since it is a bit of a classic question, it seems like it will be around for a while. Often the phrase is used by customers when they claim that something was entered wrong during a purchase, whether at the grocery store or a restaurant. But whatever the case may be, the customer isn't always right unless it is a legitimate claim.  Although I have rarely come across "Karen's," and their need always be correct, I know they are out there since I work in retail and have encountered some annoyed/upset customers. Of course, no one is perfect, but we still need ...

  In life, we are expected to have everything planned out to the dot for our futures. But we might not realize that it is okay not to be perfect and not have everything figured out.  The photo was taken by me We need to learn and work on the fact that it is okay to feel things that are shameful, hate, and feel guilty. And we've tried to stand by the message that it's okay to have scars and show them. To show that you've been through all sorts of things and have become a different and better person because of it. It is okay to let go of anyone in your life who tries to pull you down with their own negativity.   A large part of the need to plan everything out, as well as any negativity, stems from the fact that no one likes to be wrong. In the times that something proves us wrong, it just makes us believe in it more. But we need to learn that it's okay to be wrong. As human beings, we often don't like to go outside of our comfort zone. Moving outside of our comfort zo...

  Dear Past,  Thank you for the lessons. Some days felt like a party while others just seemed to drag on. But many lessons and mistakes that we learned in the past can help with the future.  Photo by Hadija Saidi on Unsplash  and edited by me The lessons each of us has learned were often accompanied by tears, anger, frustration, smiles, and many other emotions. But they were all tools to help guide us in different ways so that we could have a deeper understanding both then and in the future. We were taught to live by love, respect, honesty, and truth. These were words that the past used to guide us forward and to reflect on the times when we failed to apply them. Even though we might be defined by some of the choices that we made in the past, we learn from those. To help us approach the future, we turn to them. As we approach each new day it often presents us with an opportunity to become new and stronger people.  We can also use the tools that we have to help ...

  Now, this is partially a lesson on why you must write things down as soon as you hear them and remember them. Because that is what happened to me the other day :P Photo by Oliver Hale on Unsplash So how does that pertain to motivation? Well, let me tell you. Several weeks ago I started going to therapy and in one of my most recent sessions, the topic of motivation was brought up during our conversation. Now about the word motivation, my therapist said something along the lines of "Motivation is a choice." While I don't remember the exact wording that was used I really liked what she said and in my head, I was like I should write this down so I don't forget it. But I didn't write it down and I, naturally, forgot what the exact wording was. There was another thing that she said as well that I really like and that was also not written down and therefore forgotten. Because that is just how my brain works right now.  But she isn't wrong, because motivation is a ...

  Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash When it comes to life and things in general it can feel a little crazy, or nuts at times. Am I right? Well, the other day, I can't remember if it was at work or at home, someone used the phrase "Oh nuts" about something that had just happened. And it stuck in my head for some reason and I also thought about my blog here, which ended up in a bit of a hole last year with barely any writing. And after a little bit of thinking, I decided that my little hole here on the blogosphere needed a bit of an update since it has been a while since I did an update around here.  Of course, an update here means changing the background color, font style, and name. I know for a while the name was the same, but after a while, it started to not feel like me really anymore. Though for a while I couldn't think of anything else that fit me and worked as a new name for here. That is until whoever it was said "oh nuts," the other day. And f...

  “Christian life is a retreat. We are ‘not of this world,' just as Jesus Christ is ‘not of this world’ (John 17:14). What is the world? It is, as St. John said, the ‘lust of the flesh,' that is, sensuality and corruption in our desires and deeds; ‘the lust of the eyes’, curiosity, avarice, illusion, fascination, error, and folly in the affectation of learning, and, finally, pride and ambition (1 John 2:16). To these evils of which the world is full, and which make up its substance, a retreat must be set in opposition. We need to make ourselves into a desert by a holy detachment. The Christian life is a battle … We must never cease to fight. In this battle, St. Paul teaches us to make eternal abstinence, that is, to cut ourselves off from the pleasures of the senses and guard our hearts against them … it was to repair and to expiate the failings of our retreat, of our battle against temptations, of our abstinence, that Jesus was driven into the desert. His fast of forty days pr...

Clapping is literally just slapping yourself because you like something?

I honestly don't remember how I stumbled on the idea for this blog post. But no matter where I found it or how I found it, the topic of social media and problems it causes is something that needs to be talked about. Especially because of how it affects our lives every day. Like with my post ' How Do You Show Love? ' I turned to social media and asked the question "What are 5 problems with Social Media?" And these are the answers that I got back along with my responses to them. Photo by  Prateek Katyal  on  Unsplash “People can be so mean…” – Unfortunately, this is something that happens online and offline. While it might not seem effective, whether it is a slow progression or not at all, we can do our best to combat meanness by being kind to others and showing them respect as people and with a positive attitude.  “False Information” – This is something is greatly perpetuated by social media and the internet, whether it is through people or the media ...