Fried Dandelions

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I always get a little leery of recipes online, and this one in particular made me laugh out loud and then shout to Jonathan from across the house, "Oh no, come here right this second! I found another one you won't believe! Fried Dandelions!?"

Sure, I haven't tried it, but who picks weeds and eats them anyway? I especially love the part where the author of the recipe (Jamez007Bond) says, "One word of caution...to avoid a bitter taste, make sure the dandelion flowers you're picking have not been sprayed by dogs or pesticides."

Enough said.

If you feel the need to find 80 dandelions and fry them up, let me know how that works out because I'd honestly love to hear if they are any good! Here's the recipe if you'd like to try them out for yourself. :)

Recipe

Photography

Here are a few engagement pics of Tomy and Mendy that I took. They are beyond amazing family and I can't wait for their big day coming up SO SO SOON!

AND...about that half marathon. It was so much fun! I'm not sure why I was stressing at all. I loved it! It was my first long race, so I wasn't sure exactly what to expect. I know now that I could have probably run it faster, but I was paranoid about losing steam at the end (and didn't at all) but I still finished in 2 hrs and 25 minutes, so I'm pretty happy with that time.

I'm running the 1/2 marathon downtown at the crack of dawn tomorrow and I'm so nervous that I can't sleep, can't eat, and can't sit down. Why you ask? I have no clue. I've pretty much done this but it's like I'm psyching myself out. I've said this to myself often today: "Michelle, seriously, quit being so dramatic."

It helps a little.

I'm an aunt!

Please meet my new nephew, McKennon. He was born on Wednesday and he's perfect. Need I say more?

Best room finds of the week...

A bed cabinet is such a brilliant idea. I might just try this out someday.

This color makes me drool. I love the darker gray with the wonderful natural light! The white is a perfect contrast to the printed pillows, splash of coral, and bold prints. It's an A+ room!

All I can say is that I wish I was here. Look at those beautiful flowers...and ohhhhh those windows!

A nook. Enough said. Someday Michelle, someday.

Windows in the kitchen are a must. It adds 100% happiness.

I love the seashell chandelier and the white everything. Clean and fresh is always in.

Pictures taken from the galleries at www.myhomeideas.com

The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.

Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Psalms 9:9-10

Bullying 101

As I was teaching yesterday, I noticed a kid sitting in the front row slightly swinging his feet and looking down, as if studying the pencil marks on his desk. Normally, I might never have noticed anything weird about a student like that, but he never looked up. Even as I began the video and other kids began taking notes, he didn't glance up once. He was taking notes, and it didn't bother me that he wouldn't look at the screen--after all, he could be an auditory learner. But, I just got the feeling that he was sad. No sooner did this thought cross my mind when three senior boys from the back row started yellow taunts like, "Hey Joe! Joe! You deaf?" and "Hey Joe, I heard someone slashed your tires last night. Is that true?" and "Hey Joe, are you gay?"

They hit my anger trigger--bullying.

It's unjust, it's unfair, and I absolutely will not tolerate it. Yes, I took care of it, but it broke my heart and it was all that I could think about for the rest of the day. What a miserable life to be Joe. He didn't ask for that. He didn't come to school looking for a fight. He sat quietly and yet still, he was persecuted, and never once retaliated with a single word. It smashed my heart into a million pieces. No matter what he's done (which I suspect is nothing), no one deserves that. No one. But, it reminded me of Jesus on the cross. People yelled insults at him and he loved them. He didn't just ignore them, he loved them and prayed blessings upon them.

When the bell rang and kids were leaving, a girl stopped and said to me, "Why do you care about Joe anyway? You don't even know him. He's the class freak." Wow. This is where I had a short teaching lesson about loving people and how what you do and say affects other people's feelings. It's sad to me that some kids really have no clue about selflessness at all.

Then it occured to me--something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers. And that was all that I needed to make the entire week worth it--that tiny little seed of hope. The fact that a kid noticed something different about me was more than enough. I serve a mighty God, and he can use anything for his glory.