Still cooking!

Does anyone else get in a dinner rut? I sure do and have been in one lately. Ugh...

Last night I was talking to my mom and she happened to mention a new recipe she was going to try. So she asked me if I wanted to try it and it sounded do-able so I did!

Saute onions until they're carmelized & add garlic ( I did 3 cloves - so it was stronger)

Add 1+ cup of milk, 2 cups of cooked noodles, and cooked chicken - cut up.

Then 2+ cups of shredded parmesan cheese.

Bring it all to a boil and coat the noodles with the sauce then serve!

It was delicious! I'm sure you could add veggies too. I had broccoli on the side though. My husband told me it tasted like he would be served at Macaroni Grill - but way less $$$ of course!

I've actually been watching the Food Network at night and feeling a little inspired to try new things and be more creative with my cooking. It's been so interesting to watch the Challenge cooking show and Cupcake Wars too. I think it would be SO fun to try something like that with my girl friends - just need to find a place that has more then one stove/oven!

I tried growing a garden this year and can definitely see areas I can improve on. Most things are doing pretty good. Although for some reason all I can grow is a lot of zucchini flowers. NO actual zucchini's! Grrrr!!! I have been able to get 2 green peppers, several banana peppers, green beans, cucumbers, sugar snap peas, and tomatoes! I have a lot more tomatoes then I thought I would - which is nice. I have a compost bin and out from under it has grown about 5 or 6 tomato plants! Then I found one up front in one of my flower beds - which I'm not sure how it got there but can think of a number of possibilities.

Anyway, yesterday I went to the grocery store and it was fun not buying so many veggies because I have some growing at home!

I'm also learning new area's that I need to grow in the Lord. Finding the balance of caring about people without taking their problem's on as my own. Which actually tries to take the place of God in their lives. My struggle especially is when it comes to children. Yesterday I saw a lady about 5 months pregnant standing outside smoking. I thought about saying something to her but, no doubt, she's heard it all. Then I started thinking - what's going on in her life that she's so stressed and has to smoke? Is she okay? Or is it just a nasty habit that she can't quit and doesn't care about hurting her unborn child? Either way - I KNOW there's power in prayer so I'm going to pray for her. I may never see her again - but God will.

I have to remind myself that God loves everyone SO much more than I do or am capable of.

3 cheers for Summer!

Summer is here! YAY!

First I have a HUGE praise! My kiddies were playing in their little pool this morning and a 4-5' tree branch fell about 30' and hit the other side of the pool 1-2' from where they were playing! Thank you God for watching over them!

I like living in an area that has 4 seasons but summer time is my favorite! I think it's a combination of things like the smell and taste of bbq (it doesn't taste the same to me during the winter), the smell of a fresh mowed lawn, fireflies - our ALL time favorite, knowing when you get up in the a.m. you can dress like it's summer - no more sweatshirts on the 4th of July! (if you've lived in the Pacific Northwest - you know what I mean by this), the kiddie pool, the ice cream truck, and I could go on and on.

So I've decided to start some experimental cooking - well not really - just some new dishes for us. Last night was bbq'd spare ribs with a dry rub and sauce, baked potatoes, and broccoli. Tonight I'm trying bbq'd jerk chicken! I've been marinating the chicken since this a.m. and decided to give Tyler Florence's recipe a try. I'll report back.

It's been a few days since I've made my Jerk Chicken and I posted it on the comments but meant to add it here!

The recipe was actually really good! The taste wasn't what I expected - I think of Jerk chicken as more of a BBQ flavor but this was more spice. Not hot spicy - just a lot of spice flavor! So maybe I haven't been clear on Jerk Chicken flavor or maybe this is an offshoot of it. Either way - I'd definitely make it again!

The Winter

So we're at the tale end of our winter now and it's been a doozy! We've had snow on the ground for almost 2 months straight. This year, all the snow hasn't really bothered me that much. I've decided to try and change my outlook on things out of my control. It's definitely still a "work-in-progress" but that's life in general.

So instead of hating all of the snow, and snows not my thing that would be my husband's thing, I decided to like it and not wish for hot summer day's again, when all I hear is complaining about how hot it is. I've really noticed how I view the grass is always greener on the other side of things...and I don't want to do that anymore - it just makes for a miserable life and I know that's not what God wants for us.

What's wrong with 2 feet of snow? I get stuck inside until they plow my neighborhood and that's about it. I have a warm home and can spend time with my kids and they LOVE playing in the snow. It really makes all of our bare trees look so much better during winter time too! Now if I had a job that I had to be out in it, that might be a different story but I don't so no sense in complaining about all the snow that I have no control over.

Is anyone truly happy where they are or are we always wishing for something different? I've done that so much in my life and I don't want to do that anymore. I guess it helps us "escape" a bit because reality isn't always fun and excited or new. So in my small effort I really have enjoyed this winter but I don't want it to stop there. I want to enjoy every day life too.

Delicious Dishes

(It's been a while so it's a long one tonight!)
Now that cooler temps have arrived I've started baking again! I LOVE baking during the fall and winter but not so much in the summer, it's usually SO hot here and the last thing you want to do is make your home even hotter, so we do a lot of grilling during the hotter months.
Two nights ago I baked a whole chicken, green beans, and croissant rolls for dinner. It was delicious and made the house smell so good (I think that's 1/2 the goodness when my home smells good from good food:) The next night I had to run off to school, so it was a sandwich night. Tonight I finally was able to use some more of the baked chicken that was left over and tried Chicken Pot Pie (pictured). Absolutely delicious thanks to my Betty Crocker recipe book! Although I tried to cut down on the fat and only made a top crust instead of a bottom crust as well. I'm glad I did because it was plenty rich!
So I still have chicken left over and will make homemade chicken noodle soup tomorrow. Or maybe I'll freeze it - have to see what I feel like baking tomorrow. My husband loves when I experiment and serve up delicious dishes - so it's fun trying new things!

As for my girl and school, she's loving it and I'm loving it too :) I feel like it's a partnership with the teacher and us. I love the emphasis on Jesus, the atmosphere and vision of the staff, as well as the academics(she's reading fantastic!)
The other day she told me her friend got in trouble for talking during quiet time because she was singing " Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, wait upon the Lord." (Lincoln Brewster http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYx4Cv9CPFE) "wow" I thought, I'm glad that's what she got in trouble for and not for singing something else!

She keeps asking me when she can take the bus, she can't because we don't live in the vicinity of the bus route. So she asked me if we were going to move closer, which we're looking at, and if we did it would be a "dream come true" for her. Wow - this girl REALLY wants to ride a school bus! LOL!
As for my boy, we're settling into a little routine and I'm loving spending time with him. Although he misses "sissy" so I'm trying to help him adjust with that too.
I've started a little bit of homeschooling with him (I homeschool for preschool) but he's just over 2 years so I'm trying to make it fun and keep up with his short attention span. It's funny, well I think it is, because he's the youngest and is bossy wanting things his way (a common trait in toddlers!) but I always thought younger children weren't that bossy. I wasn't and was pretty easy going as a child but that's my personality so maybe birth order doesn't have as much bearing as I thought? Anyway, he likes things a certain way so has good Leadership abilities which I pray for wisdom in guiding him. I put a new table runner on my coffee table the other day and he told me he didn't "yike it!" So he brought out the previous one, took off the new one, and put the other one back on. Then put my pumpkin decoration in the middle. Funny I thought then I switched it back. I thought of all the things that were "wrong" with that scenario but then decided to look at the good :)
Speaking of looking at the good, God has put that on my heart lately instead of looking at the negative.
I really have a heart for people and want to convey his love and freedom he desires for them. I sometimes wonder if people really know how much God loves them. I don't even think I realize it half the time. Do they know how absolutely special God created them and how awesome it is that the HUGE GREAT BIG God of the universe wants to have a relationship with them? Do you know it? I'm still learning and in awe how much I need and want my ways to be his ways.

Well I'm going to go for now, I'm getting tired and need to help daddy put our pip and squeak to bed.

First day of a new journey

Our oldest daughter started kindergarten today and I bawled like a baby...even now if I think about it too much I'll start crying.
I knew this day would arrive and it's such a weird feeling, excited and sad all at the same time.
She's such a wonderful girl in every way! I'm so thankful that God chose me and her to be mom and daughter.
So now I'm sitting in a VERY quiet house as my son is napping and wondering what I'm going to do. I mean I know what I'm going to do but it's all a bit of an adjustment. I'm reminded, again, of how fast time flies. It seems not very long ago at all that I was holding their newborn little hands in mine and holding their floppy heads safely. Wow! How do you redeem the time with them each and every day? Isn't there a way to make it all slow down? I'd like to know how...if it's possible...but I know it's not.
So I will try my hardest to enjoy every single stage in their lives and always let them know how much they mean to their dad and I.

Sometimes...I know...

Sometimes it's hard to keep looking up and trusting that God has ALL things under control.
Sometimes I get caught up in looking at my circumstances or disappointments instead of at the big picture.
Sometimes I can't see the big picture...
I know God has perfect sight even when I can't see.
I know God let's everything happen for a reason or even many reasons.
I know God is sovereign, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient.

God please help my times of doubting and replace with knowing that ALL things work together for the good of those, who love God, and are called according to HIS purpose.

Easter 2010

So yesterday was Easter and we really had a great day!

My two little cuties were absolutely thrilled with the baskets well actually my daughter (4yr old) was but my little boy (almost 2 yr old) only wanted the chocolate.

Church was great too! I really like teaching the high school Sunday School class. I spent most of the Pastor's sermon in the nursery though with little buddy.

Then after church we went to Mrs. H's house, where she goes ALL out for Easter. It was like Christmas! Lots of food and presents. We really had fun! It was so nice of her to invite us over.

Here's a pic of my little ones dressed up. Caleb is trying to smile -that's why he's squinting. :)