Why I am not as active and Tuesday of Quotes!

Hello friends! First of all I just want to apologize for not commenting on my usual blogs and responding to all comments on YOUR blogs lately as I always try to do... I am just very busy, we have family from Mexico who came to spend a few days of vacations and we are very happy to have them here... but obviously I can't blog as much as I usually would... so... please just be patient with me... keep coming to "The Coffee Shop" ... trust me.. I'll get back to you!

and now... our usual tradition of "quotes" on Tuesdays... Today is going to be all about sports... since we are in this "Olympics Spirit" right?

This is the "sportiest picture" I could find in my files!

"Love is playing every game as if it's your last." - Michael Jordan

- o - o - o -

"The vision of a champion is someone who is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion when no one else is watching" - Anson Dorrance

- o - o - o -

"Remember...there is always a little girl in the stands that wants to be just like you, don't disappoint her." - Unknown (I think this one can apply for moms too!) 

- o - o - o -

"You don't always get what you wish for, you get what you work for " - my coach (Unknown)

- o - o - o -

"Even when you've played the game of your life, it's the feeling of teamwork that you'll remember. You'll forget the plays, the shots, and the scores, but you'll never forget your teammates" - Deborah Miller Palmore - Basketball Olympian

 - o - o - o -

"Remember, if you are not playing your heart out, someone else is. And when you meet him, he will win."- High School Tigers

 - o - o - o -

Have a great Tuesday!!!

© Paloma K.

Meet an artist! Fill your life with color!

Happy Monday Everybody! I usually have to start each week with a good attitude and a very upbeat post! Hopefully spreading the good mood to others and trying to fight the "I hate Mondays" mood that unfortunately goes viral week by week! So ... I thought of a great (and very colorful) way to start our week... and that is by talking to you about someone I really love... a person that I've only known for a brief period of time but I've come to admire deeply.... My very dear friend Adele Bower. She is a kind person, courageous and loving, passionate and with strong faith and with a very young heart!

Meet Mrs. Adele!

When I first met her, she was leading a Ladies Bible Study Group, I was instantly drawn to her! and I remember thinking "I hope people can feel like that around me one day" ... She is a great teacher of The Word and not only through her words but with her actions and with the love that just shines through her! I am very thankful for her friendship!

Well... she is also a very talented artist... (isn't it amazing? Some people just get it all! LOL!)  and I just love her art! It's so colorful and... well... why would I even try to describe it? I would just be short of words... let me share some of her artwork with you:

Santa Fe Girl - By Adele Bower (of course)

Gardenias - Adele Bower

Cat Nap

If you love her art... You can even make it yours... (I am sure you would love it! Wouldn't you?) You just have to visit her page HERE and you can get Prints and Greeting Cards with her colorful and unique creations!



I am sure my friend Adele will be surprised with this post (I am just letting her know I want to blog about her and asking her for permission to use some of her pictures here) so trust me ... I am not making any money inviting you there... I just want others to enjoy what she has to offer... she makes our world more beautiful!

You can also find her on facebook: The Art of Adele Bower. If you like her... let her know I sent you ;) ... Trust me you will love her ! :)

Have a great week!!!

© Paloma K.

End of Summer Day Camp

 Hello everybody! Thank you for joining us once again here at The Coffee Shop! If this is your first time here I invite you to find out why we are "The Coffee Shop"  and to read a little more About Me! ... I'd love to meet you! and pay the visit back! :)

Also... you can click here to find out how your blog can be featured! or click here to know how you can host a chat for an important and very big facebook page that will help you promote your blog "for a day"!

So... Feel right at home... navigate a little, get familiar with everything and hopefully come back soon! We love having new friends over for coffee...or... anything else if coffee is not your "cup o'joe"

and now... to my post! There's something I've been meaning to share!

So... my oldest ... (almost 4 years old) had a great week! She was part of Summer Day Camp at church! she did great, they had very nice activities and she came home happy every day! But the last day of her Summer Camp, hubby decided to surprise her and show up for the end of the Camp to take her out for lunch!

Hubby is a very hard working man... and his hours have been very long lately but I am so blessed that he did everything to be able to do this for her!

So... let's have the pictures speak for themselves!

All crafts and bags ready at the end of Summer Day Camp

You can see she had fun splashing in the water that day! happy to receive her "Award"

YAY! Daddy is here!

She loves Chick-Fil-A so... Chick-Fil-A it was!

Little sister was happy too! She is happy anywhere if there's cold water involved!

So... I am just very proud of my girl! And I can't believe how fast she is growing... I am blessed to see her grow in character and faith as well! May God keep her path always and may she grow to be a blessing to others and a servant of the Lord always!
 
© Paloma K.

Join the Party - Coffee Friday with Chelle!

Hello everybody! Welcome to the Party! Our Coffee Friday is a tradition here at the Coffee Shop, which is gaining more strength and new bloggers are joining both linking up and in our feature! Thank you for being here! If you don't know what our "Coffee Friday" is all about well... it's just a party where a special blogger and his/her coffee pictures are featured! plus... everyone else can join by linking up one of their posts to our Party! (to link up the only requirements are to "mention coffee" within the post and link back to us) so... it's very simple!

Today... I am happy to say that I am very privileged to have found an amazing food photographer! (I hope something rubs off from her to me so I can improve my picture taking skills!) her name is Chelle Caldwell (click on it!) and her site is just amazing, it's all about "Food Photography" and about herself! Very honest, very colorful, just great! You will drool over the amazing pictures! So watch the keyboard! She is a hard working, friendly woman who knows what her passion is... and as she's told me "unfortunately many have the same passion" so it gets very competitive out there!

This is what she has to share:

My bio is simple: "I am an amateur food photographer/stylist trying to get her foot in the door, having buckets of fun but failing miserably."

My favorite coffee

Coffee Grounds

My favorite cup

Thank you so much Chelle for sharing your talent with us! You might say you are failing at this but well... know that you are making the world more beautiful with your art! I hope the opportunities come soon!

So... please go say thanks to Chelle, check her site: Chelle Caldwell , enjoy it... visit her blog (it's in her page too) and let her know how "you liked coffee today" :) I am sure she will appreciate it!

<center><a href="http://www.love4coffee.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="The Coffee Shop" src=" http://tinyurl.com/84v43fd "/></a></center>

© Paloma K.

A great FOOD photographer!!!

Well... hello friends! I just want to let you know that tomorrow we are IN for a real treat! Our featured blogger for our "Coffee Friday Party" will be a very talented blogging friend of mine... she is really good at what she does... and ... she has very special pictures to share with us to enjoy "Our Coffee"

So... if you haven't mentioned "coffee" on any of your posts this week, you are still on time to do so! That way you can link back to us within that post and LINK up in our linky thingy that, as you know, has gotten better with thumbnails and it will be pretty!

The Coffee Party is getting bigger and I have very special fellow - bloggers/friends that will come and support this feature! I am very excited!

So... go and at least add the word "coffee" randomly in a post... it will be "fun to find it" LOL! or you can do something special (like Bibi from Bibi's Culinary Journey who so far has brought "great treats" to our Coffee Parties... Last week she shared an amazing recipe to make "Cherry Streusel Muffins" 

And of course she made sure to mention "coffee" on her post! wouldn't they go great together? Those muffins and a cup like this:

YUM! Right? I hope I'll see you here tomorrow! even if just to say hi! comments are always welcome to our Party!

Also... If you link up to us... I'll be talking about one or two of the best "linked posts" that joined the party within next week's posts here! cool, right?

Have a great Thursday!


© Paloma K.

Chicken Pozole Recipe! A very Mexican Dish!

 Being a Mexican in the United States is hard when it comes to finding real, authentic Mexican food... I still have found only one place that was the closest to what Real Mexican food was like and even that was way short of the mark!

I must say I actually get a little "offended" (not really, but I can't find the right word) when people eat greasy, spicy food (with lots of cumin, lots of melted yellow cheese and soooo much oil!) and think they are eating Mexican! Mexican cuisine is amazing! And the variety in flavors, colors and aroma is sooo huge that not many people can say "I've tried it all" even... Mexicans like me... that were raised in Mexico, can say they've only tried "some" of the dishes... because each city/state has so much tooo offer when it comes to recipes and traditional Mexican dishes!

Let me tell you that Mexican cuisine doesn't travel! I will do my best to share with you things so you can replicate and get some of the taste of Mexico but to eat the "real stuff" you'd pretty much need to go to a home in Mexico or to places that you'd probably consider "a hole in the earth" but that's exactly where you'd find the most authentic flavors!

Anyway... So... what's this pozole all about? Well... interestingly enough... and trying to incorporate more Mexican in my kitchen (so my girls grow up knowing what Mexican food really tastes like) I decided to give this pozole a try... Pozole is an amazing dish usually made with pork in Mexico, Americans would call it a "soup", it has spice, a little heat, so much flavor and the raw vegetables that garnish it give it amazing freshness and crunch! Making it extra special... chunks of avocado go great with it adding creaminess!

This pozole recipe... (is going to sound very weird) but ... it's a recipe that I actually found from Martha Stewart Recipes... and it didn't disappoint me (I did make some adjustments)... it's not the most authentic pozole but it's the closest recipe I could find that would do a good job displaying the colors and flavors of the dish while still being friendly to the "American Palate"

I hope you enjoy it!

Chicken Pozole

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
•  1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cans (15 ounces each) white hominy, drained
• 6 3/4 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey meat (2 pounds)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• Assorted garnishes, such as diced avocado, thinly sliced radishes, thinly sliced cabbage and "tostaditas (tortilla chips)  
• Fresh squeezed lime juice.

Directions

1. Heat oil in a 5-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onions; cook until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, and oregano; cook, stirring constantly, until evenly distributed.
2. Add 4 cups water, broth, and hominy. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until fragrant, about 30 minutes.
3. Stir in chicken; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until heated through. (When freezing, cool completely before transferring to airtight containers.)
4. To serve, divide among bowls, and garnish with the raw vegetables/avocado and add some drops of fresh squeezed lime juice.

Enjoy!

Linking up with: Simple Lives Thursday

and  

© Paloma King

Happy Monday!!! and a Super Party!

Sorry I am late today with my "Happy Monday" but it was a busy day... remember I was going to make a cake and cupcakes for a boy's birthday Party? Well... the Party was today and we had lots and lots of fun! I baked it all yesterday morning (started very early) and then went to church and decorated it all in the afternoon. It was so much fun! I was very blessed to be able to do this. I am happy to have such great friends here already! If you remember I've lived here only for a year and I already have such great relationships with amazing people! Thank you Laurie for asking me to do this for your big boy! :) Happy 5th. Birthday Kolton!

Now... I'll just let the pictures do the talking!

The cupcakes/cake I made (little signs on cupcakes too)

Laurie did a great job with the "theme decorations"

The superheroes got in a phone both to transform!

My super girl!

Bubbles were part of the super-hero activities

The superheroes getting the candy from the thief-villain!

So much fun!

Happy Birthday Boy!

Extinguishing the fire with his super powers!

Spiderman loved his cupcake!

My little princess!

So yes... a very HAPPY MONDAY!!

© Paloma King

Raising sweet girls and Lemon/Blueberry Bars

So... first of all... yesterday would've been a perfect day if it wasn't for the horrible tragedy that happened in Colorado! I happened to find out through Facebook and it made me feel so sick and sad! How can people do these things? I am so sorry for the families of the victims and for those who went through it as well of course! What a horrible thing!

So... later in the day I decided I can't stay affected by all these things that happened... especially having a family to care for... all I can do is pray and raise my girls to become a blessing to society not another evil curse! As a mommy these things can affect me even harder than they did before I had children... but we have to keep going because we do not help if just stay crying...

So... after thinking about the events that occurred there and knowing I had to still make a good day for my hubby and girls I ended up drawing with my 3 yr. old (using Paint on the computer) and making pizza and Lemon/Blueberry Bars!

Here's the result of Mommy's Drawing (mine)

Very childish... and wishing I could keep my girls naive and happy always!

So... after our "Drawing session" I started the cooking.... Started making the pizza dough early (around 2 p.m.) to allow it it rise properly... no rush!... and my patience definitely paid off!

Right before going into the oven!

Then I proceeded to make the lemon/blueberry bars... Trust me... they were both the pizza and bars just amazing! Even I shouldn't be eating pizza but had to have this! and the Bars... well... As I was making them I felt like I should share them with someone else... maybe God had intended for me to make them to bless someone... so when I finished I posted them on fb to see if there would be any takers and thankfully there was a great response so I gave them to the first one to comment! :) .... I just kept one of the bars for hubby to enjoy and he said it was really, really delicious (and he is not a fan of "lemony" or fruit desserts) so I was very pleased!

Now... the recipe for all of you!  (you can find the recipe for the pizza in my recipe index page)

Lemon/Blueberry Bars 
I got this recipe from Monica at: Lick the Bowl Good

For the crust: 

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• Zest of one lemon

For the filling:

• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 (14 ounce can) sweetened condensed milk 
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish as you usually would (I usually do it with CRISCO because this really keeps anything from sticking to the pan). Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and lemon zest. Mix until graham cracker crumbs are moist. Press crumbs firmly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of prepared pan. Bake the graham cracker crust for about 10 minutes if your oven is on the "hot side" then just bake it for about 8 or nine mins. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Let's make the filling! 

Combine the egg yolks and condensed milk in a medium bowl. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir until mixture is smooth and begins to slightly thicken. Gently fold in about 3/4 of the blueberries, to use the rest for the top. 

Pour the lemon blueberry filling evenly over the graham cracker crust then top with the remaining blueberries. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until just set (I baked it for about 17 mins.)

Cool for about 20 minutes at room temperature, then refrigerate until completely chilled. Cut into bars and serve.

 Enjoy!

© Paloma K.

Come over for Coffee! Coffee PARTY!

 Today is a very special day here in "The Coffee Shop" Our featured blogger is just such a great, encouraging, inspirational woman of faith that makes you feel right at home in her blog "Come Over For Coffee" I love reading her posts because it's not pretentious ... it's just a down to earth, honest, genuine blog that makes you feel like you are talking to a friend! and that's what she's become for me! So please help me thank Dawn for sharing her coffee today with us here in our Coffee Party! Really... if you want a good friend you'll find one in her so please... head over there and say hi!  "click here to Thank Dawn!"

These are her pictures:

I love it that she shared her "Starbucks coffee" with us... :) (I love Starbucks!) by the way... has anybody tried the "Komodo Dragon" Blend yet? YUM!

Thank you Dawn for serving coffee for all of us today here at the Coffee Shop! I appreciate it so much! I am sure everyone enjoyed it!

And now... if you posted ANYTHING about coffee this week.... if you even just mentioned the word "coffee" is enough... just make sure you include a link back to "The Coffee Shop" on the post and LINK UP!!! If you didn't post about coffee this week... you are still welcome to our party and you can leave a comment... plus you can still join us next week! Will you?  .... If you'd like to be featured here just snap a picture to something "coffee related" (that coffee you are drinking, coffee maker, coffee rings on your table, coffee sign, anything coffee!) and send it to: love.for.coffee@gmail.com (you can also add a brief caption and something about yourself and your blog if you'd like)... I'll do the rest!


© Paloma King

Our Coffee Party just got better!

Hello dear friends! Happy Thursday! I love Thursdays because that's usually when I start preparing for our Coffee Party... right now it's just a few of us... right? But coffee with a few friends is very enjoyable too! :) And hopefully our Coffee Party will get bigger and bigger as time goes... Plus I have news! We will finally have our Coffee Party with THUMBNAILS! so it'll be prettier and more fun to visit everybody who joins the party! Isn't that cool? I am very happy to start doing this. You want to be part of this? We'd love you to! All you need to do is mention the word "coffee" somehow in one of your posts every week, Coffee doesn't have to necessarily be the main topic of your post, it can just be "randomly mentioned" somewhere ... you can just say "I love coffee" or even "I hate coffee" (hopefully not though! LOL!) or "I had coffee with friends" or "I wish I liked coffee" ... and the other requirement to join is to link back to us! Just post a link back to "The Coffee Shop Blog" or if you prefer you can just use this button which will make it easier for people to start "getting familiar" with what's going on here:

<center><a href="http://www.love4coffee.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="The Coffee Shop" src=" http://tinyurl.com/84v43fd "/></a></center>

If you are already a faithful guest of our Coffee Party... why don't you share about this with your friends so they can enjoy the party too! The more the merrier! Am I right? Tweet, blog or share on facebook about this party if you can... I'll really appreciate it! Tomorrow we'll have a very special person serving coffee for all of us! If you'd like your blog to be featured just SNAP A quick picture to your coffee mug, coffee bag, a coffee shop, coffee beans or even a coffee ring on your table! basically ANYTHING COFFEE... send them to my e-mail love.for.coffee@gmail.com  and I will do the rest... you can send a small caption with each picture if you want or you can also share a little bit about yourself and your blog so others get to know you better... I will invite everyone to head over your blog to check it out and thank you for the enjoyable time!

Well... enough about our Coffee Friday... I hope I'll see you tomorrow!

Have a great Thursday!

© Paloma K.

Such beauty!!!

 Yes... another post on the same day... but I just had to share!

Today's sky!

 Speechless!

Paloma K.

Showing off and Pizza Recipe!

Good Wednesday Everyone! How is the week treating you so far? It's been really good to me :) I've had a great time enjoying the pool, time with friends and doing some running last night! but the highlight so far is the sky yesterday! It was AMAZING right before the sun set! There were clouds like towers so tall and fluffy! there was even a rainbow and ... everything was just majestic! I kept wishing I had my camera with me when I was on my way to pick up my friend to go run together... in my car... singing a beautiful song that talks about God and who He is... and the sky was singing along with me! .... ♪♪♪"...Wonderful, Glorious, Holy and Righteous, Victorious, Conqueror, Triumphant and Mighty, Healer, Deliverer, Shield and Defense, Strong Tower and My Best Friend, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Soon Coming King, Alpha, Omega, Lord of Everything..." ♫♫ I was singing this SOOO loud! how wouldn't I, right?

 So... that's been my week so far... But the "showing off" part comes now...as I post a drawing my 3 yr. old made today in paint... she is really good with the computer (which scares me sometimes) she handles the mouse like a true pro, opens the program by herself, makes the space for the drawing bigger and then chooses her tools (lines, triangles, or the colors she needs) ... unfortunately she never has enough room left for the legs of her pictures LOL! but here's what she made today

Left to Right: Natalia (the artist), Karina (the artist's sister) and ... Daddy!

Isn't it neat? I think she does a great job... although I must admit I might be a little biased.

And now... our Pizza... shall we?

Pizza Dough
Adapted from original recipe found at: Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 cup whole wheat  flour
• 5 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. italian seasoning

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in the warm water. Let sit until creamy; about 10 minutes.
2. Stir the olive oil, whole wheat flour, salt, 4 cups of all purpose flour and italian seasoning into the yeast mixture. Mix in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large mixing bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and put in a warm place to rise until doubled in volume; about 1 hour.
3. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into three equal pieces and form into rounds. Cover the rounds and let them rest for about 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
4. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into the desired shape and place it on a slightly greased pizza stone or on a baking sheet or round baking pan (the one with little holes in it) , Pre-bake your pizza (without toppings) for about 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and increase the temperature @425F. Now cover the pizza with your favorite toppings (I used spaghetti sauce, mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, green bell peppers, onions and ham) and bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for about 18 minutes or until the crust and cheese are golden brown. 

 You can also make individual pizzas if you'd like... I made one just for my hubby and he loved it!

Linking to:

Simple Lives Thursday
 
and    



 © Paloma King

Tuesday of Quotes - Family Quotes!

Hello everybody! I am kind of late with today's post... but I couldn't let the day pass without our traditional "Tuesday of Quotes" and inspired by the fact that my mom and sister were here... and with all the wonderful close friends God's blessed me with that I consider they are like family... I decided today's quotes would be all about that:

 “What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.”  - Mother Teresa

 “That's what people do who love you. They put their arms around you and love you when you're not so lovable.”  - Deb Caletti

 “Your children are the greatest gift God will give to you, and their souls the heaviest responsibility He will place in your hands. Take time with them, teach them to have faith in God. Be a person in whom they can have faith. When you are old, nothing else you've done will have mattered as much.” - Lisa Wingate

“Traveling in the company of those we love is home in motion.” - Leigh Hunt

So... have you shown your family and friends how much you love them today? Hugs for you my blogging friends! I appreciate you all so much!

Thanks for all the comments on my previous post... replies and comments back are coming!

Now let me go kiss those pretty girls of mine!

© Paloma K.

Happy Monday and a Movie opinion

Good Monday everybody! How was your weekend? I enjoyed my mom and sister's visit from Mexico... they arrived on Wednesday night and left yesterday morning... The days passed tooooo fast! But I was very happy to enjoy them for those days!

I also went to a "Sip and See" party for my friend Sheri and her new baby Johanna! We had a lot of fun  welcoming Johanna and here's a picture of me, Johanna and her mommy, my friend Sheri.

Then... yesterday we were going to watch "Machine Gun Preacher" and even when the name already raised some red flags we heard it was a movie based on a true story and that it was supposed to be inspirational and convicting... so we rented it... but let me just say I highly discourage you to get it... My dad used to say "would you eat garbage and justify you ate it because there was 'something good' in the middle of it?" and that movie has a lot of garbage to probably get something good out of it... we couldn't watch past the 4th minute and I think watching 4 minutes is watching too much! It is not worth it.

To get a good message or be convicted of something we don't need to get our minds filled with obscenity and swearing! ... so... I suggest do not watch it!


Now... after the busy days we had things will go back to some normalcy... Although I am getting involved with more things at church... BUT I will try to do what I always do and comment back on your blogs if you comment here! :) Plus I'll try to visit some extra friends that might not comment as often but they are always on my mind too! :)

Remember to start your week with a positive, thankful attitude! Focus on your blessings, count them and Praise the Source of every good gift! ...

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." James 1:17

In this crazy hectic life it is good to know that there is SOMEONE that never changes! Everybody and everything can change... but He is the same... the One who Was, who Is and who will always BE!

So... ready to embrace your week? What are your projects for the next few days?

I have some calls to make and things to organize... Laundry to put away and stuff like that...

Let's see... I am getting random here... anything else? mmmm Well... have a good week! I'll get to visiting some blogs and paying some visits back! ... 
 

© Paloma K.

POW, CRASH, WHOOSH!

Happy Saturday everybody! Short post just to share the sound signs I made to decorate some birthday cupcakes:

As you can see the "theme" is "Comic Super-hero" ... and it's very cool! The party will be on the 23rd. and I will be making the cupcakes and the birthday cake for the birthday boy who will be turning 5! ... These signs will go "randomly" on some of the cupcakes (the cupcakes will be arranged on a black cupcake cardboard stand) and I'll share the finished "set up" once it's all done... :) I am having fun making it all!

POW!

Happy Saturday Everyone!!!

© Paloma K

Coffee Party! Coffee With My Mom!

Sorry... This Coffee Friday I didn't have much time to prepare! I have family visiting... and I don't have more pictures from you... dear coffee lovers... to be able to feature you and your blog here... (Please snap a photo of that coffee you are drinking, send it to me and I'll do the rest!)

I am just taking advantage my mom is here and I will post a coffee picture I took a while ago and a picture of me with my mommy that I just took! ... I am having some of the best coffees I've had lately... because I get to enjoy them with my best girlfriends :) My mom and my sister!

I hope you join us for today's Coffee Party... as I said... I promise a "thumbnail list" is coming soon so we have a more colorful celebration!

Link up! (or at least leave a comment! I promise I'll comment back and check out your blog too! it might take me a little bit but I'll get to it!)


© Paloma King

Same Kind of Different as Me - Book Review

Good day everybody! How are you all doing? I am sorry it's taking me a bit longer to answer comments and visit blogs back! I will get there! Don't worry! These will just be a few wonderfully busy days because my mom and sister are here from Mexico... so I am sure you can understand I want to take advantage of the time I get to spend with them as much as I can... Remember to join us tomorrow for our Coffee Party!!!

Now ... the Book Review...

 Well... I really loved this book! I enjoyed it very, very much! It is a very easy read, it's the true story of two men whose lives, being very different collide due to divine intervention and end up realizing their differences aren't as big as they thought or as appearances might make it seem.

I highly recommend you to read this book. It's entertaining and convicting at the same time, at times the events in the book make it all sound like a novel and like it "can't be true" but it is... I also invite you to visit the website of the two men who are the protagonists of the story AFTER you read the book (or you'll spoil it) samekindofdifferentasme.com 

Here ends my "vague review" for those who haven't read the book... so now:

**** SPOILER ALERT!!! Please do not continue to read the rest of this post since I'll disclose important/relevant information that will spoil the book for you ****

And now... for those who have read the book! WOW! Right? LOL! ... I was shocked when I read Ron Hall was behind JFK's car in that last "drive" he took! and shocked also to see how he made his fortune! interesting how he had such talent with art... without being an artist himself and coming from such humble beginnings...

I loved the honest description of Ron's marriage with Debbie... and the struggles they went through and how the were triumphant over the very thing that seems one of the hardest moments of a marriage! WOW!

I was also amazed to read Denver's stories... Racism is a horrible thing! And the results and consequences from slavery are still felt through the victims and descendants of those victims. I've heard "good Christian people" to this day say that "letting slaves go" wasn't right for them... because they didn't know "what to do on their own" ... amazing!

I loved to see the love of those women who didn't care about the external appearance of the people at the Mission and read how God (it had to be Him) moved them to "hang out with them", love them, care for them and just dedicate their time and lives to serve them with passion!

The only thing I didn't entire like of the book was when talking about cancer... I mean... I loved how honest Ron Hall describes his feelings towards God in such times... but I don't like it when it seems most Christians say "cancer, death, miscarriage, tragedies in general" all come from God for a bigger purpose! I feel like bad things happen in this world... to Christian and non-Christian... it doesn't mean God is "putting us there" or "testing us" I feel like the fact that God "allows it" to happen doesn't mean that "He is happy about it" or "He caused it in the first place" .... it seems that everybody in churches nowadays has adopted the "He gives and takes away mentality" when... of course... if that was the case... well... Yes... Blessed Be His Name! But... The fact that that happened specifically to Job doesn't mean that "every bad thing that happens to us" comes from the Lord! I feel ... if anything... that God doesn't waste any trial we go through... but it doesn't mean "he caused the trial in the first place" ... I've gone through things in life and I've been amazed to see God's hand in my life REGARDLESS of it... I've been divorced and made mistakes... and it might seem that BECAUSE of that divorce and mistakes I ended up being blessed beyond measure... and it would even be easy to say "God took me through those things to bless me like I am blessed now" but how could He cause the very thing He hates? You know? Maybe I am not making much sense... I just feel like we often jump into the conclusion of "God's testing you" or "she died from cancer so many could be saved" when we just "don't know exactly what happened! ... God in His mercy does bless us even when we go through bad things and yes... He forms our character even during the tribulation that he almost for sure didn't cause... it's like Zadrak, Mezak and Abednego in the time of Daniel in the Bible... they were thrown into the furnace of fire and God protected them! It doesn't mean God put them there... it was Nebuchadnezzar!!! ... We live in a sinful, corrupted world where bad things happen! God never promised he'd stop all pain from our lives! He is faithful and Good and He still gets something out of the pain His children go through! But... it doesn't mean He is behind the pain! That song "He gives and takes away" (with a very happy tune) really bothers me! but I guess I would have to go through  a lot more explaining and I don't have the time to write that much more right now! yes... Blessed Be the Name of the Lord... whatever our circumstance! That is for sure!!! and yes... One day He will end all pain and all sin and erase it from the world! It's because of His mercy that He doesn't end it now! ... Talking with my husband many times I've told him "I wish God would just end all sin and evil right now" and he reminds me of those who don't know The Lord yet... and how in God's mercy He provides a new day for them to have an opportunity to know him ... and I remember I once was lost... and my mom too.. what if the Lord had decided to end it all before them... before I was saved? right? .... interesting! 

Something else I loved was the friendship, the strong bond that was formed between Denver and Ron....

*** SPOILER ALERT ENDS **** You may continue reading! 

 

Still... very good read! that's overall my point of view of the book... there are some tiny things I could get on detail ... but not now... I'd love to hear your opinion on the book if you've read it! and I'd love to know if you haven't read it and you will as a result of this review!

© Paloma K

Creamy Risotto with Roasted Red Peppers

 Today I am just going to share a very easy (and delicious) recipe! I hope you try it! I love making it! But before the recipe I want to remind you that Friday is our Coffee Party... so make sure that somehow you "mention coffee" in one of your posts this week so you can link up with us and all the coffee lovers! I promise soon our party will have thumbnails so it's a prettier and more attractive party! ... Also... If you are interested in having your blog featured just send me an e-mail love.for.coffee@gmail.com and I'll let you know how it can be done (it's very simple) or visit The Coffee Friday Page for more information!

And now... the recipe!

Creamy Risotto with Roasted Red Peppers

• 1/8 cup  Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup Risotto Arborio Rice
• 4 cups chicken stock, heated (you may have a little bit of stock left over)
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 container (12 oz) of roasted red peppers with olive oil and garlic (you will use only the red peppers  -chopped- and only about 1/2 the amount in the container)
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese, plus more for serving

Directions:

- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add the onion and cook until translucent and softened, about 8 minutes. Make sure not to brown the onions.
- Add the rice and stir to coat each grain. Cook until they are opaque, about 4 minutes.
- Combine with about 1/4 of a cup of chicken broth and cook for 3 minutes, or until the liquid has absorbed. - Add the roasted peppers and 1/2 cup of simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed.
- Incorporate the 1/3 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese. Continue cooking the rice by adding the broth one ladle at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to be absorbed before adding the next.
- Continue this process (do not stop stirring) until the rice is tender and creamy, yet still firm to the bite (al dente), about 22 minutes total.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter. This last touch of butter will give the dish extra shine and creaminess.
- Serve with additional Parmesan.

Enjoy!

© Paloma K.

Tuesday of Quotes/Inspirational Thoughts - Change!

So... we all fear change if just a little bit... sometimes... the uncertain and unknown can make us feel anxious... even when the change is good and needed... Even if it's weight loss, marriage, anything... Reading other bloggers I've realized we are all (or many) going through changes so I thought it would be adequate to get some quotes about change... and our attitude towards it:

"A year from now you will wish you had started today.” -Karen Lamb

“You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.” -Wayne Gretzy

“Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.” -C.S. Lewis

 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6

So I hope these quotes inspire you to move forward, to let go or to start whatever you've been postponing :)

Is there anything you are going through you'd like to share? Anything that seems to hard? I am here... you know? I know I might not know you well or anything but I can listen (or read) you can share with us... or with me by e-mail... if there is anything you'd even like me to pray for I'd be happy to!

Tune in tomorrow... I have some great recipes I'll be sharing! ;)

© Paloma K.