Feeling Accomplished {Wednesday Wins}

Well, I have been feeling accomplished the past few days.  But, accomplishment does not come without its frustrations either.

First Win:  I finished another scarf already!  I wove it so fast that I didn't even take a picture of the warp for a sneak peek.  I really should have though.  The warp by itself was just mesmerizing.  It made me think of peacocks and circuses.  The colors are so vivid and lively.

Win #2:  I am reading a book that was actually written for adults!  It's true, I'm generally much more enraptured by the endless possibilities of teen fiction.  It seems that adult readers just won't stand for such outlandish and unthinkable things like magic powers, imaginary worlds, talking animals, and heap loads of daring rule-breaking.  However, right now I am reading a book that was written for an adult audience!  Wow!  This is also where the frustration comes in... a lot of the book is set in the early 1900s, and that's exactly how it reads.  The phrasing and diction are a challenge to follow sometimes.  In a section I read just today, the author went on for the long half of a paragraph about the behavior of electrons, and the subject of the book has nothing to do with science!  It is very rambling, winding, and descriptive, but I'm enjoying it nonetheless.  It's an impossible love story at heart, and I'm a sucker for that kind of thing.

Third Win:  Thanksgiving is tomorrow (and Friday, for me), and I can't wait!  I love Thanksgiving!  I wish it was not followed by Black Friday, but I just decide to act like Black Friday doesn't exist.  Yay!  A holiday that is purely for stopping to think about all the wonderful things we have in life is just wonderful!

Last one:  The weather today is just to die for!  All the windows in the house are open, and it's a beautiful, sunny, breezy 74 degrees!  Love it!

Woohoo!  Yay for wins!

I am my Father's Daughter

To be completely fair, I have a lot of both of my parents in me.  Even my father couldn't tell my mom and I apart on the phone when I lived at home because our voices sounded so similar.  I love to cook and bake (though I was a late bloomer in this area), which comes directly from my mother.  My mom and I get along so well.  But a lot of the way my brain works comes from my dad.  He's a very analytical, straight-forward, logical, always-has-a-plan type of person.  I have a bit of a crazy, unbalanced, artistic side in me, but mostly, I have my father's over-prepared brain.  (We're also both corny nerds, but that's beside the point!)

Thus, when I was preparing to cook my very first complete Thanksgiving meal last year, I had the plan to cook the exact replica of what my mom cooks, but I planned it in a way that, I think, would have made my dad smile with pride.   

Oh yes, I made a spreadsheet.

Let's say I based it on the fact that I had never cooked such an intricate meal with a number of dishes that graced the double digits that all needed to be ready at the same time to be packed in the car to take to a friend's house to eat the meal.  That truly was the reason behind the spreadsheet, but it turns out that the spreadsheet itself gave me so much satisfaction that I decided to one-up it this year.  (Of course, I typed it up and saved it on my computer for future use.)

So, this year, when I decided to invite some friends over on Black Friday just so that I could have the pleasure of cooking this wonderful meal again, I pulled out that lovely spreadsheet.  And edited it.  And decided that it wasn't quite detailed enough.  Oh no, a time schedule of exactly what I'm supposed to be doing during half hour increments for the whole morning leading up to eating time was not enough for me!  This year... I added the dishes I will use for each portion of the process.  (Are you laughing at me yet?!  If not, we might be kindred spirits.)

When my husband laughs at me for this (which he already has and will continue to do so), I always add some feeble excuse like, "Well, if I don't plan out all the bowls and things, I'll end up running out and won't have a dish to serve _______ in!"  (In my defense, I do have a limited number of serving dishes and a tiny kitchen.)  But since that never convinces him that I'm anything other than crazy, I just shrug and say, "Well, I am my father's daughter!"

Now, only because I am shameless and actually quite proud of this lovely spreadsheet, I have included a picture for your viewing enjoyment below!  The only problem I had with it this year was shrinking it down enough so that it would fit on one page!  And as you can see in the corners, it is already hanging on the fridge eagerly awaiting Friday morning at 10:30 am when I will walk into a spotless kitchen, lace up my apron, and wreak an organized havoc!

Happy {crazy} Thanksgiving!

Thankful Thursday #3: The "Basics"

*I got this ready yesterday, but I forgot to post it, so here you go!

This Thursday, I am thankful for the things that I consider to be basics in my life.  And I am even more thankful for them when I think about the fact that there are many people in this word who don't have any of these things.

• A wonderful home!
• Delicious and nutritious food to eat every day.
• Air conditioning!!!
• Clothes that I (most days) like to wear.
• A kitty that's adorable!
• Hobbies that I enjoy.
• Books to read and the fact that I can read.

Obviously, there are just a few things!

 *Friday Update: Something I'm not thankful for: falling up the stairs with too many groceries so that I have knees the size of grapefruits!  Yep, I fell up the stairs today with about 9 million groceries in my hands and a metal pan clattering all over the landing, and now I don't want to move.  (Sarcastic) Awesome! 

Scarves=My Fave Accessory {Wednesday Wins}

 

Welp, I finally took this baby off the loom, got it all finished up and ready to go, and.....  I don't love it.  Lol.  Not surprisingly, this happens sometimes.  Usually when I try to push out of my comfort zone and use different colors/materials that I normally wouldn't gravitate towards.

I DO like the way the pattern turned out.  I like how scrunchy and thin it is.  It looks a little messy and lived-in, and I like that about it.  I always love the way this yarn feels too.  How could you go wrong with 100% silk?!

The thing I don't like about it is mainly the color.  I chose these colors, if you remember, because they were like a less ukky version of fall colors.  As it turns out, I just still don't love it.  I'm more of a vivid, vibrant, pop color kind of girl when it comes to my scarves.  This one just isn't quite as bright as the ones I normally tend towards.  (It doesn't help that fall is my least favorite season.  I'm a summer girl, and I like summer colors.)

Also, it doesn't help that it started raining today before I could take the photos.  So the lighting was all wonky.  I was able to edit them up a bit, but I never really feel like photos show the true colors anyway.

So, you're probably thinking, how is this a win?  True, I don't love the scarf, and it will probably go in the closet with the other scarves that I'm not crazy about and therefore hardly ever wear, but it is just such a sense of accomplishment to finish something tangible.  Something that took hours to complete and was frustrating.  And one of the best parts of weaving, for me, is getting to pick out the next one and warp it onto the loom, watching the colors come together!  (Speaking of that, I already warped up another one last night!  I'll take some photos when the lighting is better, a.k.a. when it's not raining.)  So, finishing it is a win, even if the scarf itself isn't.

One last thing, (not to be a saleswoman or anything) if you ever like a scarf I've made or want one made-to-order, I'd love to weave one for you if you're willing to cover the cost of the yarn.  Just as an example, this scarf is made of really nice quality yarn (and of course it's my fave) and it cost me about $15 to make (so this one's up for grabs if you like it; like I said I'll probably never wear it!).  So, just let me know if you ever want one!

Funny Story {Lundi Little Lovelies}

So, nothing major today... Just a mild Monday.  It certainly has not been a bad day; it's really been pretty good.  But, still, nothing major has happened.  So here are a few little lovelies.

I have several different types of fresh fruit in my fridge right now!  I know it sounds ridiculous, but I just love fruit, and I love variety.  I've caught some good sales in the past few days, so I have different fruits to choose from when I want a snack.  In fact, I'm eating an apple from the huge bag I bought the other day, and it is a-maz-ing!  Seriously, it's like eating apple cider it's so sweet!

Guess what came off the loom today?!  Yep, the latest scarf!  Woohoo!  I literally just pulled it off and walked away, so photos will come later this week.

Thomas and I are having date night tonight!  We're going out to dinner, and though we've discussed where to go for about 20 minutes already today, we still don't know where we're going!  

Not a little lovely, but a funny story...  I woke up with a shot of adrenaline this morning.  I was slowly resuming consciousness while hearing weird noises.  I was thinking that Lo was probably digging around in the closet (as she does every so often).  But then I shot up out of bed when she started (cat) screaming!  (Like a high pitched gurgle-y meow)  Freaking out, I started to untangle myself out of bed when I saw the bottom two drawers of the dresser open, looking over, there was Lo, sitting next to them shaking herself out.  So she managed to get herself stuck in the bottom drawer, then pulled the one on top of that out on top of her so that she had to squeeze out a tiny 2 inch space to get out.  Yeah.  Not the nicest way to wake up in the morning!

Happy Monday!

Three Sneak Peeks

Ok, so maybe I don't have any funny stories to tell today or anything.  But I do have a light-hearted, not-so-sappy post!  So there's a change!

Two of these sneak peeks are of my own making.  One is very much not, but possibly the coolest of the three.  (Shocker, right?!  I have nothing to do with the coolest thing I have to share today!)

#1:  Here's a much over due sneak peek of my current scarf project.  The photo's not great, but you get the idea.  This scarf is a first for me.  The weave you see is called "Leno Lace", and it can be really cool, but it is also a big fat pain in the butt!  So it's coming along.  Mainly, though, I just can't wait to finish it so I can see what it looks like off the loom.  I can't really tell if I'm going to like it yet.  Anyway... moving on!

#2:  I just pulled a batch of these babies out of the oven.  Mmmm!  I haven't ever made these, but they're a staple at my parents' house during the holidays.  And I just so happened to buy a ginormous bag of Reese's on clearance after Halloween, so these were the perfect thing to make for Life Group tomorrow.  You can find this recipe on basically every recipe website there is.  Just type in something like Reese's cookies and you'll find a billion of them (and they're all basically the same).

#3:  Alright, here's the coolest sneak peek of the day.  Guess what?!  It's a movie trailer!  (Another shocker there!)  So, last night Thomas was trying to tell me about a movie coming out about Noah (yes, the one from the Bible) starring Russell Crowe.  But I was in a not-great mood at the moment and kind of blew him off (sorry honey).  But, a little later, I got on my favorite website ever and a trailer was right there on the front page (the source of Thomas' info), so of course, I watched it.  And WOW!  I am stoked for this movie now!  Talk about capturing the epic proportions of the story!  Wow!  You have to watch it.  Seriously, you have two minutes to be awed!

Woah!  Right?!  Well, that's all.  Enjoy your weekend!

Thankful Thursday #2 - People Edition

So, this week, for Thankful Thursday, I want to focus on some of the people in my life.  And please note that it would take for-e-ver to list everyone I'm thankful for, so don't get all huffy if I don't mention you or someone.  Know that I'm thankful for a lot more than I can take time to list.

I am most thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ.  Without Him in my life, forgiving me, loving me, leading me, saving me, I would have nothing.  Without the Lord, I wouldn't have anyone or anything to be thankful for.

I am truly and wonderfully blessed that God gave Thomas to me.  We are best friends (which means that many days I want to throw him out the window just as much as kiss him), and I am honored that God chose me to get to take care of him and love him for the rest of our lives.  (And Thomas, I better get rewarded for saying such nice things about you so publicly!  Lol)

I am so thankful for my family.  To have grown up in a godly home is a blessing that so many do not have, and I am so glad to have the parents I have.  And now that I'm not a stubborn teenager anymore (mostly), I can say that with a sincere heart. 

Since we have moved to Florida, God has placed us in a wonderful church!  And through that church we have received so many blessings.  We have friends that truly sharpen us just as we have the honor of sharpening them.  It is a joy to have people to live life with.

There are so many people who have poured into me and helped to shape me into the person I am today.  And I am thankful for each and every one of them.  It would take entirely too long to list everyone by name, and I don't want to do so because I would inevitably forget someone.  But the list ranges from friends, friends' parents, teachers, youth pastors, pastors, friends' friends, parents' friends, family.  So many people have taken the time to invest in me, and I am so thankful to be so blessed.

Ok... was that sappy enough for you?!  Somehow, I struggle with writing a sincere post that doesn't sound so rehearsed and sappy.  Oh well though, this is the best I got!  I'll have to come up with a not-sappy post for tomorrow or Saturday... now I just need something funny to happen to me so I'll have something to write about!  Lol.  Not likely!

Ranch Chicken Pockets {Wednesday Wins}

Ok... so I've felt so bad that I haven't blogged any recipes in a while that I thought you should get two in a row!  Also, today's recipe really is a win!  Every time I tell Thomas that we're having these chicken pockets for dinner, he just about drools.  We love them so much, and they're incredibly easy!  Lots of times, I stir up the filling earlier in the day or even the night before so that it's super quick to just toss everything together at dinner time!  We usually eat these with a green veggie for a simple and delicious meal!

Ranch Chicken Pockets
Adapted from: Will Cook for Smiles
Makes: 8 pockets

Ingredients:
1 can of crescent rolls (8 rolls)
1-2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning mix
3-5 ounces cream cheese
1/4 shredded cheese (I use cheddar)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together the chicken, ranch seasoning, cream cheese, and shredded cheese.  (To make sure I'm really happy with the consistency and taste, I start with the smaller amounts listed (about) and taste and add more if I want to tweak it.  We really like the creaminess, so I may add a little extra cream cheese.)
3. Spread the crescent roll dough out and separate into 8 individual rolls.  Spoon chicken mixture onto each roll, then seal each roll completely.  (They may not look very pretty, but make sure they're sealed.)
4. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the rolls start to brown nicely.
5. Eat and enjoy!

This meal is so simple and quick.   I hope you enjoy it!

Vanilla Madeleines

 I've loved the French language since I started taking classes in high school.  I very quickly learned that I also loved a lot of French foods and culture too!  And these madeleines are a French food that I just absolutely adore.  They are a delicious, light and sweet treat that will not kill your calorie count.

 The only thing that makes these difficult is that you have to have the special madeleine pans to make them.  Yes, technically you could bake these in whoopie pans or something of the like, but you really miss out on their beautiful shape.

 These lovely treats are dusted in powdered sugar for just a little extra sweet-ness.  My favorite way to eat them is dipped in a steaming cup of hot cocoa or coffee.  Since they're so light and fluffy, they just soak the liquid right up and melt in your mouth!  To die for!

 If you're in the market for madeleine pans, they can be found online at places like Bed, Bath, and Beyond (depending on where you live, your local store might even have them).  You can also find them at specialty kitchen shops a lot of times.  There are trays with several different sizes of molds.  And there are also trays made of both metal and silicone.  I have silicone pans, and I like that you don't have to grease them, but they sometimes collapse a little bit and make a mess in the oven.  So, really, it's up to you which pans you decide to buy.

Vanilla Madeleines
Adapted from: 101 Cookbooks
Makes 2-3 dozen regular madeleines

Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
a pinch of salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  If using metal molds, grease with butter or cooking spray.  (This part isn't necessary if you have silicone molds.)
2. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium high heat until it turns brown and gives off a nutty aroma.  It should take about 15-20 minutes.  Strain the butter using a paper towel over a small bowl.  Allow the butter to cool while you stir up the rest of the ingredients.
3. Whisk the eggs and salt in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until the eggs double or triple in volume.  
4. Continue mixing on a high speed and add the sugar.  Mix for about two minutes.
5. Fold in the vanilla.
6. Fold in the flour.
7. Fold in cooled butter.  Stir as little as possible.
8. Use a tablespoon (a cookie scoop works really well) to spoon the batter into the molds.  Fill each mold about 2/3 of the way full.
9. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges start to brown.
10. Unmold immediately onto cooling racks and then dust with powdered sugar.

These madeleines are fluffy and delicious!  I hope you enjoy!

A Beth Moore Girls Weekend {Lundi Little Lovelies}

This is definitely NOT one of those Mondays.  The ones where I'm depressed and just feeling off.  Today, I am so thankful for this Monday.  Mainly because I need a mellow day to relax and catch up and process the past few days.

This weekend, I had the absolutely fabulous opportunity to attend a Beth Moore conference in Daytona with a big group of women from church.  And I have been so incredibly blessed by God, Beth, the worship team, and the lovely ladies who went on the trip.  Frankly, I was a little nervous to go.  I'm so shy.  I also don't have children.  I didn't even know the names of several of the women who were going.  I was afraid of not enjoying myself because I so often don't fit in.  But, I was wrong.  The wonderful, godly women who went included me, and the Lord spoke to me so much that I simply cannot look back on the trip with regret.  I know I was meant to go, as was each of the other women who went.

I so greatly enjoyed getting to know them better.  One of the wonderful things about the trip was that there was a lot of "unplanned" time where we could all just gather around and talk, share, pray, laugh, and cry.  And I think I'm right in saying that we all walked away from the weekend changed in some way.  

God moved powerfully through the worship, Beth's speaking, and through our time with each other.  Though I cannot fully explain how God spoke to me in a way that will speak to you, I'd like to share some of the things that Beth said that moved me.

• "Jesus knew firsthand what it was like to be a man." -  Now, I know that when Jesus came to this earth, he was fully God and fully man.  But I have never thought about it to the point that Beth explained.  Jesus took his 100% God-ness and put it into the confines of a human body.  Beth thought about the fact that God never sleeps.  So, it may have annoyed Jesus that his human form got tired and had to sleep.  He surely got sores on his feet from walking miles in his sandals.  He got hungry.  He probably had a cold at some time in his life.  And Beth focused on Mark 7:34 where is says that Jesus groaned.  He knows the limitations and the afflictions of our human forms, and he longs for us to experience our heavenly forms that have no imperfections.  Wow!
• She also spoke on a verse that has long been dear to me.  Isaiah 40:11 says, "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young."  (NIV, Italics added)  Oh how I just love that God gathers me in his arms and carries me close to his heart.  I so dearly need to be loved and cared for in such a tender way by my Savior.
• Beth's last point was that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God in heaven until he comes back to bring all the saints home.  Amen!  I have read the accounts of Christ's ascension into heaven many times, however, I have failed to picture the scene in my mind.  "After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God."  (Mark 16:19, NIV)  Just as he had proclaimed right before his crucifixion (Mark 14:62), men witnessed him being raised into heaven and sitting down beside his Father!  Wow!  And there he remains until the day no one knows except the Father, when God will turn his head to his son and say "Go get her!"  (Paraphrased from Beth Moore)  Hallelujah!

I was so tremendously blessed through Beth's teaching of the Word.  I am so thankful to her that she is daily obedient to the call that God has placed on her life.  And I am also thankful for the wonderful group of women that He has placed me in.  They are Godly influences on my life, and I am glad to be counted among them.

And we finished up the weekend with a life group party.  What a great way to keep the fun going!  We played True Colors, and I have not laughed so hard in ages!  I am so glad that God has given us such a wonderful group of friends!

This, indeed, is a happy, happy Monday!

Thankful Thursday #1

Well, it is already about a week into November!  Wow!  It's amazing to look back and see how much has changed in 2013 so far.  Sometimes I look back and think about how quickly it has gone.  And yet it feels like it's been forever too!  (I know, so cliche!)

For the month of Thanksgiving, a lot of people post one thing they're thankful for on Facebook each day.  I think it's a lovely idea, however, I've decided to adapt it so I can blog about the things I'm thankful for rather than post them on Facebook.  So, this month I decided that I am going to write a "Thankful Thursday" post each week with a few things I'm thankful for!

1. I am honestly so thankful for Thanksgiving.  It's one of my favorite holidays for several reasons.  If I had to choose one holiday to label as "the most selfless", it would definitely be Thanksgiving.  It's all about reminding yourself of how good you have it, even though we don't deserve all these blessings.  And it's about family.  There's really no other agenda than to sit around the table sharing stories, laughing, helping each other, playing games.  And food.  (Of course I would love the holiday that is all about food!)
2. I am thankful that the Lord has caused one of my dearest dreams to come true.  I live in Florida, mere single-digit miles from the beach.  Wow!  God has caused my two biggest dreams in life to come true so early, and I can't thank Him enough.  His generosity blows me away.  What's the other big dream, you ask? Well, not to be overly sappy, but it's Thomas.  Since before I was a teenager, I prayed that God wouldn't give me the opportunity to date a bunch of boys who weren't the one.  I just wanted my husband.  And God answered that prayer enormously!  In fact, I was so focused on waiting for my husband that he had to work pretty hard to make me pay much attention to him in the first place.  But, once he and God got me to pay attention, I knew he was the one less than two months after we started dating.  God gave me so exactly what I wanted that I wasn't even really looking for it yet!  He answered faster than I would have ever even thought to ask for!  I am ever so thankful for my God!
3. I'm thankful that tonight is the last football game of the regular season for the high school I work with.  Though the team made the play-offs, this is the last regular game the band is going to.  (I don't know if we'll go to the play-off games or not, but we'll see.)  I'm thankful that the band only has to stay to half time so that I can come home earlier than usual!
4. I am excited and thankful that I get to hang out with some girl friends this weekend and see Beth Moore speak at a conference!  I haven't had a "girls weekend" since before Thomas and I got married over 5 years ago, and I am so incredibly excited!  And Beth Moore's Beloved Disciple study has touched me so much over the past few months, so I just want to bask in that as long as possible, and seeing her speak live seems like a great way to do that!  I am so thankful that she is obedient to the call God places on her life.
5. Ooh!  I'm thankful that Thomas and I got 3rd place in trivia last night!  Woohoo!  (I know this one is silly!)  But it's just so fun to find something new to do together that isn't expensive.  We have a lot of the same interests and hobbies, but we don't always get to enjoy some of them because we're on a budget, of course.  So this (almost) free activity is so much fun for us, and it helps that we're a good team!

Well, I've got to get going for that football game tonight, so I'm going to stop there!  I hope you stop and take a moment to think of some things you're thankful for.  If you'd like, feel free to comment with them; it's always wonderful to rejoice in each other's blessings!

Today You Get a History Lesson

"Remember, remember

the fifth of November,

the Gunpowder treason and plot.

I know of no reason

why the Gunpowder treason

should ever be forgot."

(English Folk Verse c. 1870)

Today is Guy Fawkes Day!  I'm not sure I've ever heard of Guy Fawkes Day, you say.  Well, that's because it's a British thing.  Here's the scoop:

Guy Fawkes lived in the late 1500's and early 1600's in Protestant England.  During this time in history, religion was a very important and touchy issue.  There were many people who wholeheartedly embraced the new Protestant era, but there were also those who held fast to their Catholic heritage.

James I, the current King of England, was a protestant.  And there were some Catholics who wanted to overthrow him in favor of a Catholic ruler.  Guy Fawkes was one such man.  Though he did not hatch the "Gunpowder Plot", he became an integral part of it.  The plot was to blow up the House of Lords while the King and the Parliament members were inside, sparking an overthrow of the entire government.

After months and months of planning, the fateful night of November 4, 1605 arrived.  Guy Fawkes was in charge of making sure the 36 barrels of gunpowder that were piled in a room below the House of Lords would be detonated correctly on the following morning as Parliament opened.  However, you've never heard of anyone blowing up Parliament before because Fawkes was arrested just after midnight on November 5th, mere hours before the months of planning would have paid off.

Fawkes was the tortured for several days before he confessed the plan.  Afterwards, he was sentenced to a gruesome death, but he managed to jump from the gallows after the rope had been tied around his neck in order to meet his death more swiftly than planned.

Though this isn't a particularly fascinating history lesson, it is one that has lived on in English history.  To this day, people across the country still celebrate Guy Fawkes Day and burn his effigy at bonfires to commemorate the plot.

Today, I'm going to celebrate the day by watching "V for Vendetta" (a movie in which a man tries to recreate the plot in a future version of England) and eating toast (that movie always makes me want toast)!

Happy Guy Fawkes Day!

Apple Raisin Oatmeal

Generally speaking, I don't love oatmeal.  The texture grosses me out.  It's so blech.  But, the only oatmeal I've tried in years is the instant stuff.  Obviously not the best quality in the world.  But I love love oats.  Granola is a huge fave of mine.  And I love crisps and things that have baked oats as a topping.  So, like I said, it's the consistency of the oatmeal that I don't like, nothing to do with the taste.

With that in mind, I was absolutely dying to try a crock-pot oatmeal recipe that I've seen on Pinterest a few times.  I finally got around to throwing everything in the crock-pot late Saturday night for breakfast on Sunday.  And I actually liked it!  The consistency was less yucky and the big chunks of apples and the juicy raisins helped.

Though this would never be my favorite breakfast option.  I would always choose a huge, hot, fluffy baked good hot out of the oven.  But this oatmeal is a great change up.

Apple Raisin Oatmeal
Adapted from: Pinterest  (I'm not sure what the original source is.)
Serves:  about 6

Ingredients:
2 sliced apples (I used small-medium Gala, and I cut very thin slices and then cut the slices in half.)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 cups oats (I used old-fashioned oats)
2 cups milk
2 cups water
1/4 - 1/2 cup raisins (I eye-balled it.)

Directions:

1. Place all the ingredients in the slow cooker in the order listed.  Do not stir.
2. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.
3. Stir in raisins and allow them to warm for a few minutes.
4. Serve.

If you're not a huge fan of oatmeal consistency, I'd recommend this recipe. 

Enjoy!