Mmm D'Licious: Cherry Cheesecake

Friday was my husband's birthday and no birthday celebration is complete without dessert!! I guess I could have added this as my reason #9 that I love Sean- our mutual LOVE for cheesecake {and this cherry cheesecake in particular}.  Ok- I may love it a little more than he does. I even make it for myself on my birthday! The recipe comes from my great-grandmother Mimi's kitchen.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 (8oz) packages cream cheese {take out of refrigerator at least 30 min. before to let soften}
3 eggs
1 C sugar
11/2 tsp vanilla

16oz sour cream
3-6 Tbs sugar
1tsp vanilla

Crust:
32 graham cracker squares
4 Tbs sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2/3 cube butter

My cheat: 2 cans Comstock More Fruit Cherry Pie Filling for the topping

Directions:
Mix all ingredients for the crust in a food processor
Press firmly into 10in. spring form pan
Refrigerate

In mixing bowl beat cream cheese until soft
In separate bowl, beat eggs until fluffy
Add sugar gradually to eggs and beat (on high) until smooth and pale yellow
Add vanilla
Combine egg mixture to the cream cheese and mix thoroughly
Pour into crust

Bake @ 350 for 40 minutes (until center is firm)

A few minutes before it is done, mix sour cream, vanilla and sugar together
{I add sugar until I think it tastes good...usually 6 Tbs.}
Spread over hot cheesecake and return to oven for 5 min.

Remove and allow to cool.
Refrigerate for several hours. I have done it the day before, or the day of (in the morning for that evening).

I usually add the cherries before serving, but you can do it as soon as the cheesecake is cool. I spoon them on because you do not want all the syrup, just the cherries!

*Warning* Keep out of reach of small children...may cause sticky fingers!

                Enjoy...he did!

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Happy Birthday to One Special Guy.

Today is a very special day in the Bradford household! It is Sean's Birthday! Most of the time my blogs are about our babies, or some tasty recipe, or things we do as a family, and even sometimes just my thoughts on things, but today- its all about HIM.

For those of you who don't know our story- here is a little synopsis of our journey together and 8 reasons I love Sean Michael Bradford.

1. The Beginning:

It was 8 (wow) years ago, in the Springtime that I met this boy. I walked into a church office where I was applying for an internship to work in the high school youth group and I was introduced to him in passing.  He said, "Hi" and smiled. I thought, "ok. wow." Super tan, blondish, buff, gorgeous smile, GORGEOUS eyes, ok. hmm. first impression: I was impressed.  Over the next 5 or 6 months I got to know him and was completely blown away. It was as if God asked me to write down every possible characteristic I would want in a boy and then He promptly rolled them all into one {incredibly handsome} guy named Sean. 

2. The Real Deal:

 He, first of all, loves the Lord with all his heart and wants nothing more than to please Him and serve Him with his life.  He has a beautiful soul. He is so compassionate and loving, patient and unselfish, romantic and intelligent (just to name a few).  I fell in love with him with a guitar in his arms, sand in his hair, surrounded by high school kids; now I get to wake up next to him everyday, thankful that the Lord blessed me with this incredible, faithful, devoted, hardworking, man who inspires me to walk ever closer to the Lord, to laugh and not get caught up in the tangely-webly things of life, and to enjoy every precious moment we are given.  I'm so glad I get to walk this Road with him by my side! I love him with all my heart!! 

ahh so young and in love :-)

3. The "Rocky" part of our Road:

Our road to being "together" however was anything but picture perfect.  I knew God has chosen him for me and despite the difficulties we faced early on in our "dating" we held fast to the Lord and to each other and to the truth of the matter which was that we were made for each other {period}. 

First Valentine's Day together & Bicycle built for 2!

The River: He makes me do crazy things!

4. The Ring:

We dated for a less than a year and got engaged in July 2004, in hot air balloon right as the sun was setting over the beautiful ocean!

5. The Travels:

The next semester we both transferred to the same university and decided to study abroad in Roma, Italia! We traveled all over Italy together and also visited Spain, Scotland, and France! It was an unforgettable trip of a lifetime and I'm so glad we got to experience it together!

Rome: the Colosseum

Rome: Piazza Novona

Rome

Lake Como, Italy

Venice, Italy

Scotalnd

Paris, France

Sorrento, Italy

6. The Wedding:

We were married on January 21, 2006! What an amazing day it was! I truly was everything I had ever hoped or dreamed it would be,  because of the man that stood at the end of the aisle. He is my best friend, an amazing husband, and I'm so thankful we get to walk this road together.

7. & 8. The Babies:

Sean is such an amazing father and I have treasured watching him with Jack and now Claire too.  Its so cool to see the person you love in a new capacity.  Before we had kids I didn't know him as a father, but now it is one of the things I love most about him. He is just an amazing Daddy and Jack loves him SO much and I know he already has a special bond with Daddy's little girl too :-) These babies are blessed beyond measure to have a true example of what God's love for us as our Heavenly Father looks like.  And I am blessed to be able to witness it on a daily basis.

       

   

        I know this is the longest post ever...but I just really love this man.

Happy Birthday Babe! Here's to many, many more adventures together on Bradford Road. 

I love you.

Claire Marie: 1 month old!

It's hard to believe it has already been a month since our precious girl was born! The baby haze kind of makes one day melt into the next, so I never really know what day it is.  I was pleasantly surprised on Saturday morning when Sean didn't have to go to work {I didn't know it was Saturday- haha}.

hi jack!

love her little tongue

This little girl is already such a part of us. I love watching her sleep and listening to her breathe. I love how she studies Jack's face, and I love how he calls her "Baby Grull" and says things like, "Everytime, Baby Grull, everytime"- when she poops, right after I just changed her!  He is so proud to tell people she is his sister, that she came out of mommy's tummy {and also that she has no teeth!} It is so precious and I feel blessed to have these two little wonders!

She is an incredibly precious little baby and such a wonderful addition to our little family! I'm so looking forward to watching her grow and learn and laugh and love. 

Thank you Lord for Claire. 

I love her.

{sigh}

Mmm D'Licious: Fudge Brownie Marshmallow Peanut Butter Krispies

My sweet friend Nichole brought these over for us the week after Claire was born {along with an entire Thanksgiving feast. no joke. Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, rolls, sweet carrots- it was amazing!} Anyway- I promptly asked her for this recipe and made it a few days later. {I guess the whole I-should-be-watching-what-I'm-eating-because-I'm-no-longer-preggo- business hasn't set in yet} haha!


Ingredients:
1 package Fudge Brownie Mix (must be fudge)
1 package mini marshmallows
2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 C Peanut butter
1 Tbs butter
1 1/2 C Rice Krispies


Directions:
Make brownies according to box directions (in a 9 x 13 pan but DON'T overcook ....gooey is better)
Pour marshmallows on top and put them back into the oven for 3 min.
In a sauce pan combine chocolate, PB, and butter- on low until smooth.
Remove from heat
Add Rice Krispies
Spread over brownie/marshmallows.


Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Serve & Enjoy {make sure you have some milk or other beverage ready to go to...these babies are rich!}

So much goodness in one dessert- it's ridiculous! Oh and...they were gone before I ever got a picture of them cut and served!

the New Normal or "Surviving Baby Haze"

I had high hopes for my 40 days challenge to myself.  Well week 1 is done and I wouldn't say it was a total failure, but not a total success either. I'm finding that between feeding Tiny, chasing the Toddler, working, and attempting to keep some semblance of sanity in my household- I'm not finding tons of "me time" or "free time" to sit and read like I'd wanted to.  These days I'm excited if I actually make dinner; and lately my bedtime has been that of a two year old: 8 pm. Typically I function pretty well at night. I log hours for my work, or could hypothetically read, ect. but the baby haze takes over and I pretty much just turn into a pumpkin.  As soon as Curious George has been read to Jack, and the baby is fed and changed, I'm ready to conk out too.

My Tiny

The good news is that Claire is approaching 1 month already {What!} and I am getting a good 5 hour stretch (most nights) from about 10pm-3am, which is great! This is my "new normal" and it is slowly, slowly starting to feel just that: normal.  I ventured out into the world with 2 kids for the first time this week, and Trader Joe's never seemed so stressful {which- if you ever shop there- you'll understand the gravity of that statement because the crowds combined with the narrow aisles, often leave me feeling rather jangled}

My Toddler

I did memorize my verse {yay!} and yes my husband actually quizzed me. Col. 3:15 is now safely hidden away in my heart ;-) Now onto the new Verse(s) of the Week: 


Ps. 68:19

"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens." 

This one is short but poignant.  I will meditate on this one over and over again throughout the day. Thank you Lord for bearing our burdens- some are far too heavy to ever bear without Him. 


This week I'm hoping to make more time to read! I'm also looking forward to Friday...not just because it's the weekend but because it's Sean's birthday! Love him. 

40 Days of Freedom

Confession: I have never given anything up for Lent before.  I love the idea of a constant reminder of what Jesus sacrificed so that I might be saved, but giving up chocolate or coffee or {fill in the blank} fell into the same category as New Year's resolutions;  people saying they are going (or not going) to do this or that, mostly just to say so.  But lately I have felt a divine tug on my heart for a fresh, renewed focus on what is really important in life.  This type of self-examination forces one to analyze the way they spend their time and for me, how it is effecting my relationships and my walk with the Lord.  Maybe it is because I have been profoundly moved by this new baby, and her "freshness" into the world. She is unencumbered by all of the "stuff" this world has to offer. She is lucky.  Even as I type this, she is sleeping on my legs and the sound of her soft breath is Peacefulness, personified.  

Her newness has inspired my renewal.

So my epiphany just happened to coincide with "Fat Tuesday" and I came up with the idea of have 40 days of Freedom in my life (although I certainly hope that by the end of the 40 days it will just be the new normal) where I can focus on my relationship with Jesus, with my husband and family, and spend time doing things that will help my spirit to thrive, rather than cause my mind to feel dull and my spirit void.  So here they are:

1. Renewing my mind. 

     I'm a reader, or at least I used to be. I could give you 110 reasons/excuses that I don't read anything {other than my Bible} anymore, but I'd rather just focus now on how I'm going to start again- somewhere familiar, an old friend of sorts: 

Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. 

2. Renewing my spirit.

    I'm going to memorize a verse a week {I know that sounds very 5th grade...which it is, because that is what I did with my 5th graders when I was teaching, but it is what it is for now} My first verse is even kind of a cheat since I posted it on my refrigerator a few months ago, and have read it every day, several times a day...but it's fitting for this period of my life, so it's first:

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."   Col. 3:15

3. Eliminate distractions and clutter

     My first step was saying a big fat goodbye to Facebook. Although I still think there are good things about it, Sean has never had one and I sort of think that's cool.  It is a distraction, so I'm over it. I'm also limiting the amount of T.V. I watch. {I can just hear Sean celebrating...we only have the first like 10 channels..if he had it his way we would not have cable at all, but sadly- I LOVE that Jack will watch his shows and I can work or clean ect. and lets be honest...I like watching the Bachelor. there I said it. oh well. no one is perfect}

      In recent days the "quaintness" of our 2 bedroom condo has become overwhelmingly obvious to me, causing me to have mini breakdowns on several occasions.  Two adults + two babies + all their toys/gear in very tight quarters = my squished mind grapes and one huge {seemingly endless} lesson in patience. Maybe I'm not getting the message? hmm. more on that another time. The point is, I am making a very concerted effort to keep our house as clean and neat as possible.  I know it won't be perfect, because I'm running on next to no sleep at all, while literally running around all day after Jack- amidst piles of laundry and the never-ending task of feeding and changing the new bundle. So I'm trying to stay realistic with my expectations.

So there it is. My first ever Lent-ish challenge to myself.  

Mmm D' Licious: Meyer Lemon Semifreddo with Berries

Sunday was my Mother-in-law's birthday and I was in charge of bringing the dessert.  Knowing that she loves lemon, I went on little search for a lemon dessert recipe.  I found this one via my *adorable* (soon to be) sister-in-law's blog M loves M! It sounded perfect because it also has toasted almonds (another favorite of my MIL).  I didn't realize the recipe was for a small pan, but it was more than enough for us {6 adults and 1 two year old with a sweet tooth}...actually would serve 8-10 easily! Semifreddo means "half-frozen" and this refreshing dessert would be perfect for a warm summer night {too bad it was freezing cold on Sunday when we had it! oh well...it was still tasty!}


Ingredients:

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted 1 3/4 cups chilled heavy whipping cream 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar 7 large egg yolks 1/2 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice or regular lemon juice 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons finely grated Meyer lemon peel or regular lemon peel 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 cups mixed fresh berries (such as raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and quartered hulled strawberries) Preparation:  Line 9x5x3-inch metal loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving generous overhang. Sprinkle almonds evenly over bottom of pan. Using electric mixer, beat whipping cream in large bowl until soft peaks form. Refrigerate whipped cream while making custard. Whisk 1 1/4 cups sugar, egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon peel, and salt in large metal bowl to blend. Set bowl over large saucepan of simmering water and whisk constantly until yolk mixture is thick and fluffy and instant-read thermometer inserted into mixture registers 170°F, about 4 minutes. Remove bowl from over simmering water. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until cool, thick, and doubled in volume, about 6 minutes. Fold in chilled whipped cream. Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan and smooth top. Tap loaf pan lightly on work surface to remove air pockets. Fold plastic wrap overhang over top to cover. Freeze semifreddo until firm, at least 8 hours or overnight. Semifreddo can be made 3 days ahead. Keep frozen. Gently mix all berries and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in large bowl. Can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Unfold plastic wrap from top of semifreddo and invert dessert onto platter; remove plastic wrap. Dip heavy large knife into hot water; cut semifreddo crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices. Transfer to plates; spoon berries alongside and serve.  Mmm D'licious!

What's in a Name

Naming a child seemed like such a daunting task. I mean, they are going to have it for life...so hopefully it's a good one. Some people are really into what the meaning of the name is. That really wasn't me.  I pretty much just picked names I liked, and hoped that Sean would agree. It's funny because when I was pregnant with Jack, we had "Jack" picked out for our boy name, but could not agree on a girl name. This time it was the opposite. We both loved Claire and just agreed on it immediately, while boy names {at least any we agreed on} alluded us. Thankfully- it worked out for us both times {forget the draino test and the Chinese calendar} haha!


Well today I started thinking about what "Claire" means. So for those of you who don't study baby name books/websites:


\C-lai-re\ pronounced "Clare" is of French origin meaning, "Clear, Bright" 

It was the middle of the night, I was awake and feeding my precious new baby, as I thought about those two words. Through blurry, tired, eyes I starred down at this perfect, tiny face and realized that her name is perfect. It really captures what I think she already is, and what I pray that she will grow to be. 

Claire {like her big brother} entered the world with the biggest, brightest eyes I have ever seen on a newborn baby. She was wide awake from the moment they pulled her from the safety of my womb, ready to see the world! She is already a shinning light in my life. I love holding her and watching her study my face. She is already a gift from God, and her new life is a precious reminder of our loving Heavenly Father who creates, lives, and BREATHES LIFE into his Creation. 

I started thinking about the word "clear" and some synonyms {with a little creative liberty}. 

Transparent, genuine, real, see-through, understandable, and simple. 

My prayer for both my children is simple. To love the Lord with all of their hearts, to seek Him and to serve Him, and to know the power of His Grace, the reality of his Love and to live abundantly in His presence. 

So what does that have to do with "Clear"? I think these are characteristics that these "synonyms" spring from a life in Christ. When we are transparent, genuine, and real the Spirit is free to move and work, in and through you. 

I pray that she will grow into the kind of person that when people look at her, they see Jesus; the BRIGHT, redeeming light of JESUS.