Rainy day blues... and grays!

This summer has started off to a rather... rainy start. Rainy and overcast, day after day. But it sure does make us appreciate the sunny, warm days more!
Anyway, here are some shots of an outfit I put together for those rainy summer days. Comfy, warm (but not too warm) yet still stylish! Take a look...

Thanks to my sister for taking these pics. We swapped places for once! I;m usually the photographer :)

Thanks for reading!
XOXO,
~Sophie

Fool-proof French Macaroons! (For beginners)

I'm hoping on the band wagon for this one. Macaroons are all the craze right now, and after making them, I know why! They are not only adorable, but delicious and really fun to make. When I was looking up recipies and tips for making macaroons, I was intimidated by repeatedly hearing phrases like "very advanced" "hardest cookie to make" and "now this part is easy to mess up by over or under stirring..." but if you follow these tips that I have gathered from experience and different sources, you should be fine!
Tips and tricks for the perfect macaroon!
1) Sift, sift, sift! Sifting our powdered sugar and flour makes a huge difference. This will give you light, fluffy cookies. If you don't, you will end up with unattractive and bumpy cookies that are more prone to cracking.
2) Use a piping bag. Using a piping bag is necesary for both the cookie itself, and the frosting. If you don't own a piping bag, you can pick one up at any craft store and most grocery stores for just a few dollars. (My bags and tips are from Wilton) Or, you can make one out of a Ziplock bag!
3) Use parchment paper. I would recommend not spraying or greesing the pan that you will be placing the macaroon shells onto because you don't want any added greese. Also, make sure to use parchment paper and not wax paper. The outcome will be much better!
4) Tap out air bubbles. After your cookies have set for a bit on the trays, hit the tray against a couter or table top to release all air bubbles. This is more of a cosmetic step for the cookies but will still help a lot.
5) Every recipie I have come across has called for almound flour, which I didn't have. So I used King Aurthur whole wheat flour and it worked just fine!
This seems like a lot- I know, but by following these five tips you will be a macaroon pro in no time!
I'm not going to list the actual recipe here because that would make this an extremely long blog post, but I will direct you to the sources I used.
Nerdy Nummies on youtube - HOW TO MAKE KIRBY MACAROONS
Pinterest - Various pinners (just look up macaroon recipie)
Entertaining with Beth on youtube - Beth's foolproof French macaroon recipe
Hope that this helps!
Until next time,
XOXO

~Sophia
*DISCLAIMER I realize that my macaroons (pictured above and below) do not have "feet" or "ridges". This was my first try and I'm actually really happy with how they turned out! If you can get the feet then that proves you truly are a pro, but they are really hard to perfect. Happy baking!

#confirmation2015

Yesterday I proclaimed my faith in Jesus Christ. I was so blessed to have my family and loved ones with me and get to experience confirmation with such a wonderful group of people. Thank you Jesus! ❤️ 

Holidays at my house...

So the holiday season is always crazy at the Waters' household. But then again... everything is crazy at our house! Halloween reminded me just how hectic it can be during this holiday season. My brothers were bouncing off the walls with excitement and  literally could not stop talking about "trick-or-treat." Right after dinner (which for them was like two bites...) they asked for permission to get ready and, after getting the okay from mom and dad, ran over to their costumes (Mikey and Raph from Ninja Turtles) to "suit up." I have to admit, they made the cutest Ninja Turtles I ever did see! We of course, were the very first people outside and it wasn't even dark yet, but the boys had a grand old time... well, so did I! It was adorable to see them running about collecting sweets and enjoying this much anticipated moment. But now that Halloween is said and done, they have moved on to the next subject; Thanksgiving, and then of course... Christmas. So all said, it has been crazy; a birthday in September, a birthday in October, Halloween, another birthday to come in November, Thanksgiving, Christmas, the New year. Then we have a quick break before the birthday rotation starts up again in February! It may be busy and hectic around here, but that's just how I like it. It's for sure that we are never bored!


~Sophia

Count it all Joy [delightful devotions]

"Count it all joy, my brothers when you are faced with trials of various kinds." James 1:3 This verse is so necessary to a Christian's world view. This world will throw the most horrible and crazy things at you. They will obscure your path, cause heartache, prevent happiness, but there is not a loss of hope. As Christians we are called to find Joy in everything. Now, joy is not happiness. These are two different things. To be happy is to be pleased or glad, perhaps to be enjoying yourself. To be joyful is to be filled with the spirit and to rejoice in all matters. You may not be happy that you have to do something (I know that there are many things I am not exactly pleased about doing) but you can be joyful while doing them. This is the key!


Let's break this verse down...




-Count it all Joy,- You can, and are called to, find joy in all things.


-My brothers- That's us. Christians.


-When you are faced with trials- When the world throws chaos into your life


-Of various kinds.- Expect anything. Jesus is perfect, however this world is not.




It is easy to be joyful when you know that Jesus Christ, the savior of the world, died for you. How can you not rejoice?


~Sophia Waters

chaos times seven

Go head over to youtube and check out me and my sibling's channel called "chaos x 7" We would love to have you join our journey there and experience all the craziness!










(Chaos x 7 is a W Studios company owned and operated by W studios)

Something that must be earned

Being a big sister is not easy. I'm not gonna lie, it can be very frustrating sometimes, especially with a family the size of mine! But it is not only a very important position, it is a position that God has hand selected for you! I have found that spending time with siblings really helps not only make your bonds as friends stronger, but also the whole family unit. There is an old Native American tale that talks about a family being like a bundle of sticks, and that if the sticks are not grouped together, they are easy to break and fall. Whereas if the are together in a tight bundle, they are impossible to break. Families should stick together and support each other, and always be there for one another. I know that fights break out and a little matter can escalate quite quickly, but if you all pitch in and just try to give each other grace, the fights can become minimum and the relationships made stronger. Being and older sibling is being a role model to your younger siblings. And there have been many times where I have not been the nicest or best role model for them. I know I have gotten really mad and frustrated with my younger siblings for something that they could of picked up from me. Or if I'm tired or just mad about something that had nothing to do with my family and I lash out at them or set the mood to be negative. Striving to be the best friend, role model, and sibling you can be, will not only make things easier for your family, but make things easier for yourself. Having respect from siblings is an amazing thing, but it is something that must be earned.