Extra Chocolate Cookies

So proud of my eldest son, AJ (6), who made these cookies! We love being in the kitchen together, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to build memories one-on-one with him.

While I gave him the recipe and managed the oven aspects, he did all of the other steps of baking delicious cookies to take to dinner at GiGi and Pop-Pop’s house! 

We thought these were super yummy and extra chocolate-y, so it seems like it might be a recipe worth sharing here. 

First, AJ got together these ingredients: 

  • 1 box dry chocolate cake mix
  • 1/2 cup oil 
  • 2 eggs 
  • 1/3-1/2 cup M&Ms 

We preheated the oven to 350F. 

AJ stirred together the first 3 ingredients, blending until all of the batter was dark brown. I explained that when the batter is dark, it’s wet, and that means all the parts have come together to make the cookie dough! We don’t want any of the mix to still be lighter, dry cake mix. 

Then, AJ added in the M&Ms. 

Once the M&Ms were stirred in and evenly distributed, we made ping-pong sized dough balls, set them on baking sheets, and smooshed them down some. (The smooshing step is very scientific – haha – I basically just use my palm to flatten them a little, which helps them not rise into puffy cookies, since they are made with cake mix.) 

We baked these in a 350F oven for 12-13 minutes. 

Then let them cool, and enjoy! (You may want a big glass of milk, because they sure are chocolate-tastic!) 

Ladybug, A Poem

It’s World Suicide Prevention Day, and September is Suicide Prevention Month. I can’t let this day slide by without acknowledging the terrible void that suicide has left in my life and in my family. 

In May of 2023, one of the most important people of my childhood committed suicide. 

My cousin Rachel was one of my first best friends – she was only three and a half years younger than me (and only a few months younger than my sister Samantha). So the three of us, plus my second cousin Amber who is just a little younger than the others, made up “The Ladybug Club.” 

My aunt offhandedly called us that once and it stuck – we were at the age where belonging is important and clubs are cool. Just four girly girls, forever known in our family as the Ladybug Club. 

I’m not sure why Rachel is gone – I ache at the thought of her having felt alone, but I also know she was (and continues to be) so loved by our whole family. I know that our minds can sometimes cause us to feel isolated even when the reality is that we are more cared for than we know. 

I posted about Rachel on this blog around the holidays last year (see here), and I think about her often. All week I’ve shared posts on my Instagram stories from 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 

It’s been over a year, but I think I’ll grieve Rachel for a lifetime. I want so badly to be here for my family and don’t plan to go heavenward until the Lord calls me, but I long to see her again, to hear her laugh. 

I wanted to post today in remembrance of her. 

About a month and a half after her passing, I had a visitor on my windshield – a ladybug – and I wept on my ride home at the memory of Rachel. When I got home, I wrote this poem, and shared it on my personal Facebook that day. In the preamble to the poem, I called it “half journal entry, half poem.” I think that description remains fitting.

So here it is, my original poem, first penned on 6/30/2023.

I believe in a God who dearly loves his creation, who doesn’t leave us or forsake us, who waits for us at the doors of eternity with open arms. And I believe that Rachel is at peace there – feeling loved and waiting on the rest of the Ladybug Club’s arrival. 

I’ll see you then, Ladybug, and I’ll miss you everyday on this side of forever. 

SPECIAL NOTE:

If you are struggling with your mental health – you are not alone. 988 is a resource for you. Your life is worth living, and I will remind you of that any time you need me to. 

Pizza Quesadillas

Dinner tonight sure was good! Pizza quesadillas are a new fave in the Miller house! 

I figured I should give this recipe a spot on the blog so it’s permanently posted for anyone who wants to give it a shot. 

Here’s what you’ll need: 

  • 6” Flour Tortillas
  • Pizza Sauce 
  • Shredded Pizza Cheese (or mixed Italian cheeses) 
  • Pepperoni 
  • Italian Seasonings 

I heated my electric griddle, but you could just as easily use a pan on your stovetop. 

I laid out the bottom tortilla of my quesadilla on the heated griddle, layering it with sauce, cheese, pepperoni, and then more cheese. I sprinkled on Italian seasoning, and then added my top tortilla. 

I let this cook on the griddle for a few minutes, then used a spatula to flip it. I flipped until I was happy with the color on both sides and until I was certain the cheese had melted inside. 

While these cooked, I put some sauce in a small serving dish, sprinkled in Italian seasonings, and simply heated in the microwave. This served as our dipping sauce. 

Also while the food cooked, I cut up fresh fruit to go along with this – to help me feel better about the salt intake with pepperoni and sauce, ha ha! 

I cut the quesadillas into 4 pieces each and served them on a big cutting board with the dipping sauce. 

This is a perfect game day dish, movie night snack, or weekend lunch! I hope you’ll love it, too! 

Jake and I ate them while we watched the first episode of the new season of Rings of Power.

If you try these out, let me know how and when you enjoyed them in the comments below!

Note: You can add any other toppings you enjoy – olives, peppers, mushrooms, etc., in addition to the pepperoni, cheese, and sauce.

Treating Others As You Wish to Be Treated

Bear with me, as today’s post is one I felt called to share, but is not my usual home decor hacks, recipes, or parenting tips.

This is not about your politics; this is about your humanity.

You cannot claim to support “family values” (however you may define that) and then laugh in the face of a child who is overcome with pride and love for their father. Furthermore, you cannot claim to support family values and to value life and then mock someone with diagnoses.

I don’t care who you’re voting for – any political post of mine won’t change your mind and your comments won’t change mine – but the way you treat other humans continues to matter after ballots are counted. The way you treat mankind, as a whole and individually, determines how others perceive your character. Your actions ARE related to your character, and a “delete” button on a mean-spirited post doesn’t solve that.

Ann Coulter should be ashamed of herself for mocking Gus Walz, a son who was moved by seeing his father on a national stage, a father who had just expressed his love for his family as he accepted the nomination for VP by the DNC. If it were me in the chair and my dad on the stage, I’d be proud and emotional, too. If it were me at the podium, I’d be moved to see any of my children emotional and proud as I did my job. And, no, her explanation that she “didn’t know” about his diagnoses is not enough – that’s not an apology and, frankly, mocking someone for being transparent about their emotions (even with no diagnosis) is shameful.

What happened to the golden rule? Treat others as you wish to be treated – or as Jesus said it in Luke 6:31:

And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. (KJV)

Do to others as you would have them do to you. (NIV)

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. (ESV)

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: as an adult, many children are watching you. MY children are watching you. Choose to model compassion and kindness.

This post is not in support of any political candidate; this post is in support of a child showing unbridled pride in and love for his parent, which is a beautiful thing to witness – and a far cry better than the usual nightly news stories we usually see on our screens in America.

Screen shot of the original post by Coulter on X (formerly Twitter).

Also, please do not post how you’re voting in the comments. My website is not a front yard for you to stick your corrugated campaign signs into, and if you try, such comments will be removed. However, I welcome your comments on the topic at hand.

Theological Ramblings on Philippians 1 & 2

I’ve been reading Philippians daily with one of my youth group members, and Paul has a lot to say about how to treat one another and a lot to say about joy despite circumstance.

When I scroll through social media, I see an awful lot of complaining. What’s interesting is that it seems that well over half the time, the complainers are NOT the people struggling to make ends meet. Rather, many of the complainers are folks who have ALL their needs met and MANY of their wants satisfied.

Perhaps spiritual joy has a lot to do with choosing to be content and a lot less to do with what we have.

Some spiritual food for thought.

Philippians 2:14 (first part) in a few different translations – take your pick:

  • NIV – “Do everything without grumbling or arguing”
  • NLT – “Do everything without complaining and arguing”
  • ESV – “Do all things without grumbling or disputing”
  • KJV – “Do all things without murmurings and disputings”
  • The Message – “Do everything readily and cheerfully – no bickering, no second guessing allowed!”

Philippians 1:27 (again, first part)

  • NIV – “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”
  • NLT – “Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.”
  • ESV – “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ”
  • KJV – “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ”
  • The Message – “Meanwhile, live in such a way that you are a credit to the Message of Christ.”

My church-worker heart wants me to add: I am not a cherry picker of verses – these verses sum up a reoccurring theme and therefore are worthy of being used in this manner. If you’re curious about this topic, I encourage you to read all of Philippians to see what I mean.

Have you read Philippians, fully, recently? What do you think Paul is saying about joy, contentment, how we treat others, and grumbling? I’d love to hear in the comments!

Registry Checklist for Subsequent Babies

When having Baby #2 or Baby #3 (or even further down the line), it used to be said that mothers didn’t need an additional baby shower. That mindset has definitely gone by the wayside, and it’s very popular now for moms to have a friend or family member host them a “baby sprinkle” (mini shower) or diaper shower. I love this practice! It acknowledges that every baby should be celebrated, and it helps the parents prepare for that baby – even if all they need are diapers, wipes, et cetera.

If you’re a second-time or third-time (or beyond!) momma-to-be, you may be wondering if you should have a registry and, if so, what is appropriate to put on it. Hopefully today’s blog post will help you prepare!

I do think a small registry is helpful – not just for someone who wants to gift you and baby something, but also so you have a sort of checklist as you prepare before your due date.

While most moms will only need the basics, please note that if your children are very far apart in age, you may not still have things like an in-date car seat, and adding those larger items is totally appropriate if you no longer have them or they no longer meet the safety procedures/guidelines of the day. (Recalls happen a lot – so check your bigger items to be sure they’re still good to go for your new baby!)

For MOST moms who are expecting an additional child, this guide should help you add the most essential items to your registry.

  • Diapers & wipes in preferred brands (I do suggest adding 2 different brands, and adding multiple in each diaper size, size 1 through size 3 or 4)
  • Diaper Cream
  • Infant medicines
  • Care kit (such as the Safety 1st Baby Care Basics or Safety 1st Health Kit)
  • Diaper genie bag refills (or diaper bags if you bag them and use a regular trash can)
  • Baby lotion & soap/shampoo
  • Replacement bottles, nipples, pacifiers, teethers
  • Replacement safety items (IE – outlet covers, cabinet door latches, baby gates, et cet)
  • If nursing/pumping: Milk storage bags, breast pads, lanolin, pump replacement parts

I do suggest going through your bibs, burp cloths, swaddles, muslin blankets & flannel receiving blankets, hooded towels, and crib sheets to make sure you have items in useable condition; if not, definitely add a few to your registry!

I do think it’s totally okay and appropriate to add a couple “fun” items to the registry – a new blanket to match the nursery or personalized with the baby’s initials on it, some board books you don’t have yet, or a lovey that is brand new for this newest baby! For example, on our third son’s registry, I added a Harry Potter baby toy that I couldn’t resist, some Disney baby bib sets I just adored, and a couple books we didn’t have yet.

For parents who have had more than one child: what else would you suggest restocking on and/or adding to your registry for little ones after Baby #1? Comment below – I’d love to hear from you!

Pro-Tip #1: I love Babylist, and I think it’s very appropriate when you are having a first baby or, on a later child’s registry, when you’re having to rebuy lots of items. When you are just registering for the essentials and a few fun items, and when you’re having a smaller celebration, I do suggest just choosing one store and registering there – or two if you prefer. (I registered at both Target and Walmart – our nearest city has a Target, but our smaller county area where we live only has a Walmart, and we had guests who lived in both areas.)

Pro-Tip #2: Check out Pampers’ tool, Diaper Stash, if you have a need for mostly diapers! This is a free, online diaper fund that folks can add money to ($10 or more) as a gift to you. You can, through the Diaper Stash login, use those funds to order the kind and size of diaper and wipes you need when you need them. Totally free! (They’re not like a sponsor or partner – this was just a cool thing I found.) you can find this service at DiaperStash.Pampers.com. (If you want to see a sample fund, feel free to look up mine by typing “Kate Miller” in the search feature.)

AJ’s woodland-themed baby shower, hosted at a local historic inn by my family for family, friends & church members to attend (2018)
AJ’s fox-themed baby shower hosted by my work friends when I was employed at a local college (2018)
AJ’s baby shower thrown by the church youth group – I was youth leader and our kids were so gracious to want to celebrate (2018)
Teddy’s animal-themed baby shower hosted at my sister’s by my family for family & friends (2022)
Franklin’s surprise baby shower, hosted by our church’s UMW/women’s group at their February meeting (2024)
Franklin’s brunch-time baby sprinkle hosted by my best friend at her home for family to attend (2024)
Pink-themed baby shower hosted by me for church friends in our fellowship hall (2019)
Donuts & Diapers-themed diaper shower for my best friend, hosted in my backyard (2021)
Diaper Shower (“A Baby Girl is on the Horizon”) that I helped the women’s group at church throw for our music director (2025)
“Heaven Sent & Showered with Love” baby shower I hosted for my sister and my nephew-to-be (2025)
Cake & Cards Baby Celebration our church small group hosted for two expectant moms after worship service (2025)

Hello, Franklin!

If you follow me on social media (Instagram: @kate_witha_twang or Facebook: Kate with a Twang), you have seen the announcement of our littlest boy’s arrival! I decided it was time to share the news – and more newborn photos – on the blog!

Franklin Joseph arrived on April 4, 2024 at 4:55 AM. He ended up inbetween his brother’s newborn sizes – 7 pounds and 15 ounces and 21 inches; his oldest brother was smaller at 7 pounds 1 ounce and his other brother was 10 pounds even.

My labor with Franklin was difficult – approximately 19 hours long – and we both had some scary moments. I honestly haven’t processed all of it on my own yet, so I won’t go into details here. Despite the nerve-wracking moments in L&D, we ended up with a healthy, happy baby boy! (Still thanking God every time I look at this sweet baby.)

His big brothers and his grandparents got to meet him that evening, and now that we’re home and working on adjusting to our new normal as a family of five, our hearts feel really full. (Even more full than our diaper genie with 2 under 2, haha!)

Here are some sweet photos of our littlest boy in the hospital!

And one of his daddy taking the photos… (We’ve found our photo-taking rhythm – Jake takes the shots, and I edit a little.)

And a few since we’ve been home!

Italian Cucumber Salad

It’s fresh veggie season! The countdown to summer is here, and I’m already excited about and making some favorite summer dishes.

This Italian cucumber salad is a favorite veggie dish of mine – especially when the veggies are fresh and at their best!

You just need:

  • Red onion
  • Roma tomatoes
  • Small cucumbers
  • Italian dressing

Chop a few slices of red onion. Dice your tomatoes into large – but bite sized – chunks. Then place all three in a mixing bowl.

Add several squeezes of Italian dressing – basically until you think your taste buds will be satisfied or any Italian ancestors you have whisper into your soul that you’ve got the right amount! Your vegetables should be sitting in the dressing so they get all of that flavor as they sit and chill in a bit.

Pro Tip: Don’t have ant Italian dressing? Just use Italian seasonings and olive oil!

Stir everything together so it’s well mixed – you want your veggies mixed up and your dressing to be on all of them.

Cover your dish and chill until serving!

It’s delicious – and really that simple! Comment below if you’ve made this before or if you try it this spring or summer.

Postpartum Essentials Basket

Postpartum health is critical – and it’s not talked about nearly enough or candidly enough. This isn’t a comfortable topic for someone who considers themselves pretty modest, but the importance of being transparent about maternal health outweighs discomfort, in my opinion.

As we approach having our third baby, there are several essential items I want to have in my bathroom during postpartum recovery.

So, what’s in my postpartum essentials basket?

  • Frida Mom disposable boy short briefs
  • Frida Mom upside down peri bottle
  • Target’s Up & Up medicated pads
  • Target’s Up & Up flushable cleaning wipes
  • Always Radiant overnight sanitary pads

If it helps, for shopping purposes, I got all of these items through Target – in person and online. (I do not get any benefits from sharing these – just trying to be helpful to other mommas-to-be!)

If you’ve been through labor & delivery before: What would you add to the must-have list? Comment below!

If you know a friend expecting soon, share this blog post with them in the hopes that it helps them prepare for their “fourth trimester.”

Theological Ramblings on Psalm 69

I am very fortunate and blessed to lead a Bible study, twice a week, at church as a part of my job as Christian Education Director. (Some might use the verb “teach,” but I often learn as much from the group members as I share, and often times they teach me in ways I could not have anticipated.)

We currently have a session on Monday nights and a session on Tuesday mornings, covering the same book and lesson so that both working folks and retired folks have an opportunity to gather in study together. These groups have been a big blessing to me this Lenten season.

I have felt led to share some of what we discussed this week, so I hope you, as my blog readers, won’t mind a slight detour from the usual parenting and recipe topics I usually post.

In preparation for this week (week 5 of 6 of the study Finding Jesus in the Psalms by Barb Roose), we read Psalm 69, with suggested New Testament readings from Matthew 26 and John 18.

In both sessions, we talked about how King David experiences the full gamut of human emotion – grief and overwhelm, guilt and shame, frustration and anger, affliction and pain – but he doesn’t end there. He ends this fairly long psalm – which, in my opinion, has a sense of being like a very raw, personal journal entry – with a prophetic word: he calls out the messianic promises and future reality in God’s plan – that God will restore Zion (which we see in Revelation and the teachings of Jesus to be Heaven), and he calls out the promise of dwelling forever in God’s house (again, Heaven or eternity).

This is so important: David doesn’t end with his own downtrodden emotions, but with the promises of God, in a prophetic understanding that only God Himself could have given to David.

David was an ancient Jewish man – they religiously and culturally did not have the same understanding of eternity that we have as Christians in a post-Resurrection society. And yet God ordained David, appointed him, and anointed him. God directed him when he would accept direction; God gave him the ability to see and share His vision for His people. God gave him an understanding of life after “here,” of salvation, and of messianic signs that would not have made sense to most others in that time and place.

God used an imperfect man (who committed numerous sins and lived through numerous sorrows and numerous joys) to help pen and foreshadow His ultimate plan – our salvation and our eternity.

I write this to share that if King David, his heart hurting so badly as he wrote this psalm (even writing that he is sinking and drowning and worn out), can end his litany of distress with a call to the hope that God has for us, then so can we. In the midst of personal hardship, we can remind ourselves that God is good and has a plan for our future with Him.

Whatever your hurt is – loss of loved ones, fracturing of relationships, illness or disease, financial concerns, employment loss, etcetera – please hear me when I say that I’m so sorry the world has been so cold. I’m so sorry that humanity so frequently causes pain, frustration, and grief. God is warm, and God is good, in the midst of the highs and lows of human experience.

Perhaps, as you pour over a list your own grievances and concerns, you – like David – can add a few words of hope at the end of the list.

Psalm 69:29-36 (NIV)

But as for me, afflicted and in pain – may your salvation, God, protect me. I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hooves. The poor will see and be glad – you who seek God, may your hearts live! The Lord hears the needy and does not despise his captive people. Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that move in them, for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. Then people will settle there and possess it; the children of his servants will inherit it, and those who love his name will dwell there.