An Invisible Grace

We celebrated Sawyer's baptism a couple weekends ago and were blessed to have all of our family there to witness this visible sign of an invisible grace.


While helpless like a baby, it is my deepest belief that our creator loves us all beyond understanding, knows our need, and claims us as his own. It is our prayer that our boy will find his hope in Christ alone.

In Christ Alone | Owl City | www.owlcityblog.com

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork

It's fall my friends and high time to break out those crock pots. I know, I know... slow cookers can be used in every season, summer included. But let's be honest: the wafting smell of your crock-pot simmering on low is best accompanied by a crisp fall day.

I have a decent library of crock pot recipes that are near and dear to my heart and someday I'd like to share them all with you, if the fates allow. Today, we're going to make some BBQ pulled pork. Sure, pulled pork sandwiches are a bit summery, but it's 70 degrees in Chicago today! Plus, I'd eat pulled pork any season, wouldn't you? Ain't no shame!

In addition to a five to six pound pork shoulder (bone in), here are your ingredients. They are very basic and most likely items you already have lying around in your cupboards or fridge, and they're asking to be used.

After setting the pork on top of the chopped onions placed in your crock pot, combine all of the other ingredients and pour the saucy concoction over the pork, covering it from top to bottom.

Cover and set your slow cooker on low for 7-8 hours, sit back, relax, take a walk, do whatever it is you do when you having a delectable meal cook itself.

Look how it just slides off the bone once it's been cooking for a good several hours. Oh doesn't it look like a treat? Once it's ready, shred it and remove the bone and any extra fat. You can let it sit and get comfortable on warm for a bit too. Now serve on the bread of your choice and eat up the BBQ goodness!


Ingredients
5 to 6 lbs pork shoulder (bone in)
1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
1 2/3 cup BBQ sauce
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
2 TBSP mustard
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 pinches sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/3 cup water
10 to 12 kaiser rolls

Preparation
1. Place onion on the bottom of your slow cooker. Place pork, trimmed of any obvious excess fat, into slow cooker on top of onions.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all remaining ingredients to form the barbecue sauce. Pour half of the sauce over the pork and cover. Set remaining sauce aside.
3. Cook over low heat for about 7 to 8 hours.
4. Shred with two forks and cook for a few more minutes, until meat has soaked up the sauce. Pulled pork can be held on the warm setting in the slow cooker for serving. Serve on soft sandwich rolls, topped with extra barbecue sauce.

Boo!

Halloween is a day that I've always despised. Since I was a little girl I hated being scared and, to be honest, still can't event watch previews for a scary movie. I can never find the costume I want and then I'm guaranteed to be scrambling at the last minute to attempt to throw together something that isn't completely lame. Last year, a friend and I gave up on the whole thing, reconnected with my bundt pan, and called it a day.

I don't want to be the worst, most boring mom in the history of holidays though, so now that junior has graced us with his presence, it's inevitable that Halloween will experience a revival. I might as well suck it up and join in on the "fun."

After visiting a few party stores, I decided on the spot that homemade costumes will be the way this family rolls from here on out. After racking my brain for a costume I could make for an eight-month-old with little to no supplies, I settled on a mummy.

White muslin...check! White sweat pants and onesie...check! His outfit may have looked a little haphazard at points, but the total cost for this year's costume was zero dollars and zero cents... Sarah=1, Halloween=0.