Thursday Thirteen

This morning I woke up early to do my Bible study, I try to do this daily but that doesn't always happen, and I was able to join TW at the dining room table during his quiet time as well. In between our studies we had some good discussion. And, even when we weren't talking it was just nice to be sitting next to each other in the quiet house studying God's word. So, in honor of our morning together I will share Thirteen things I love about TW...

1. His outgoing yet approachable personality.

2. He is caring and wants the best for those he loves.

3. His dedication to me and our three children.

4. His love of the Lord and spiritual leadership in our home.

5. His work ethic. Although I do complain that he works too much at times, I do admire this about him!

6. Okay, this is a silly one but I love it. The fact that most times he is asleep when I crawl into bed, yet he NEVER complains or even says a word when I cuddle up to him and place my ice cold toes in between his legs to warm them up!

7. His ability and willingness to relationally connect with the kids daily.

8. Our silly times together dancing and singing around the house.

9. He strives to be better everyday.

10. His ability to connect and share on an emotional level with me. Yes, again one that I complain about at times...he often wants to process feelings more than I do, but what a gift that is! A lot of women yearn for this out of their man!

11. He gets me a coffee every morning!

12. He tolerates me! That is a big one!

13. His continual desire to learn more. He is a life long learner.

These are just a few...I could go on and on!

Click here to see other Thursday Thirteens!

Wordless Wednesday - Bubby's First Birthday

Menu Planning Monday

So, I know these posts may be boring for you all...as I have said before. But, it helps me hold myself accountable to what I have planned on cooking for the week.

Monday: Roast with noodles over mashed potatoes and Peas
Tuesday: Jeremy's chicken (chicken marinated in lemon, rosemary, garlic, and red pepper
flakes), breaded tomatoes, and cottage cheese
Wednesday: Brad's (my sister's boyfriend) Pork Tenderloin (don't have the recipe yet)
sweet potatoes, steamed broccoli
Thursday: Mexicali Pie
Friday: Out-Holiday weekend

High School Musical 2 Review

***I was wrong. It is the song "Bet On It" that cracks us up!

I have been wanting to do this post for a couple of days, but haven't gotten around to it. I must say that my review of the movie a few days ago would have been much different than the review I will be giving you today. We are avid High School Musical fans here at our house. We all know the songs, characters, and some of the lines from the movie...yes even TW. AAP and AKP attended a party to watch HS Musical 2. We didn't end up watching the movie until after we picked the kids up and put them in bed. The first time I watched it I was not a fan. However, the more it is on at the house the more I like it. It plays at least once a day on our TV. There are still somethings in the movie I could do without. Sharpay's attitude is taken to a whole new level in this movie. She is one materialistic, self absorbed, brat! Definitely NOT someone I want my daughters being exposed to. I am not sure if I am more appaled over the lyrics to the song Fabulous or at the way she treats her parents...well treats anyone for that matter! Glad to see her somewhat humbled by the end of the movie. Hopefully if there is a HS Musical 3 she can stay resectable and they can all get a long. Yeah, right. :) The whole scene to the song Work It Out just cracks me up. TW and I couldn't stop laughing at Troy. Very cheesy!

Fabulous:

Sharpay-
Its out with the old and in with the new,Goodbye clouds of Gray, hello skies of blue.
A dip in the pool, a trip to the spa
Endless days in my chaise
The whole world according to moi
Excuse Me Thank You
Iced tea imported from England,
Lifeguards imported from Spain,
Towels imported from Turkey,
Turkey imported from Maine,
Sharpay and Ryan-
We're gonna relax and renew,
Sharpay-
You, go , do!
I want fabulous,
That is my simple request,
All things fabulous,
Bigger and better and best,
I need something inspiring to help me get along,
I need a little fabulous is that so wrong?
Fetch me my jimmy choo flip flops,
Where is my pink prada tote?
I need my tiffany hair band,
And then I can go for a float.
Ryan and Sharpettes-
A summer like never before
Sharpay-
I want more!
Ryan and Sharpettes-
She wants fabulous,
That is her simple request,
All things fabulous,
Bigger and better and best,
She needs something inspiring to help her get along,
She needs a little fabulous is that so wrong?
Fabulous pool,(eww) fabulous splash,(read my lips)
Fabulous parties even fabulous trash,
Fabulous fashion,(no) fabulous bling,(yeah)
She's got to have fabulous everything.
Ryan and Sharpay-
Nothing to Discuss
Everything's got to be perfect.
Sharpay-
For me
Ryan-
She wants fabulous,
That is her simple request,
All things fabulous,
Bigger and better and best,
She needs something inspiring to help her get along,
She needs a little fabulous is that so wrong?
Sharpay-
This won't do, that's a bore,
That's insulting, I need more!
I need, I need,I need, I need,I need, I need
I Need FABULOUS!
I want fabulous(FABULOUS)
Sharpettes-
Fabulous Hair, fabulous style,
Fabulous eyes and that fabulous smile.
Sharpay-
I like what I see,I like it a lot
Sharpettes-
Is this absolutely fabulous?
Ryan-
Fabulous, Fabulous, Fabulous?
Sharpay-
Absolutely... NOT!
Ajouté par

Show Off

God has been showing off...in a good way...here at our house lately. Often times when someone says you are showing off there is a negative connotation around the phrase. But when it comes to God it can be an amazing thing. I often pray for God to "show off" for me. Well, he has been doing just that lately! A few nights ago TW and I were sitting on the front porch while bubby was playing in the yard and we were enjoying the birds. TW can even talk to the owls. :) He does a mean owl call and the owls respond. It is pretty cool. He said that the morning before when he was pulling out of the drive way there was a huge owl perched up on top of our house. How often do you see something like that? While watching the birds TW said that he wished we had a blue jay that would come to our feeder. Now, if you remember right I have shared my new found love of birds and that we have a bird feeder and hummingbird feeder in the backyard. We have never had a blue jay at our feeder! This morning, I kid you not, there were three blue jays that were hanging out on our deck and eating from our feeder. They were there all morning. They are some mean looking sun of a guns! Beautiful, but mean looking. And, as far as my hummingbirds that I thought had left. They are back in full force! One of the little guys is going to get fat...he sat there and chugged from the feeder for a long time; and he did this multiple times. Plus there were several cardinals visiting us today as well. We were so delighted! To top it off when I came out of HyVee tonight there was the most amazing sunset! I stopped right in my tracks and took a picture of it. I then noticed that everyone else in the parking lot was just going on about their business and they totally missed this amazing art. God was showing off and I stopped long enough to notice. By the time I had the car loaded the sunset was gone. Just that quick. I could have missed it! How many times in a day does this happen? We just go on about our busy lives and don't notice the gifts right in front of us! Take time today to notice something new and beautiful around you.

Happy First Birthday Bubby!

Move Over Rachael Ray

I have gotten back into cooking more regularly for my family. Thanks to the Menu Planning I have been doing, and posting some of them, I have been more creative and consistent with my cooking. This week I went out on a limb and decided to try a salmon recipe. This is going out on a limb because I don't like to cook fish. It scares me...that I won't get it done enough. Bema, TW's grandma whom I have taken as one of my own, gave me a Rachael Ray cookbook for Christmas and I was looking through it for some new ideas. I ran across a picture for the Lime - and - Honey Glazed Salmon with Warm Black Bean Corn Salad. Not normally a fan of black beans but this looked really good. So, I added this to the menu. Not only was it delicious when I cooked it, but it was so pretty as well. It had so much flavor! Wow! I was proud! :)

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
Pepper
Juice of 2 limes
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 6-ounce salmon fillets
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 10oz. box/bag frozen corn kernels, defrosted
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
1 15oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (I left this out)
6 cups baby spinach (I left this out)

Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.

While the onions are cooking, preheat a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. In a shallow dish, combine the juice of 1 lime, honey, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Add the salmon fillets to the lime-honey mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Add the seasoned salmon to the hot skillet and cook until just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. (I added the lime-honey mixture to the skillet as well and cooked it for 8 minutes on each side...it was cooked just perfect temp.)

To the cooked onions, add the bell peppers and corn kernels and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Add the black beans and cook until the beans are just heated through. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the juice of the second lime, the cilantro, and spinach. Toss to wilt the spinach and then taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the lime-and-honey glazed salmon on top of the warm black bean and corn salad.

Heat Wave

Warning: This entry is one big complaint!

I am totally disgusted by the heat we have been having. I can't stand it...in fact I hate it, yes TW I know hate is a strong word. :) For one, you wake up in the morning to look outside and see a beautiful sunny day with clear skies. I want to get out there and enjoy the beauty of the world that God has given us. But, I open my door and almost get knocked over by the intense heat. It is like walking out into thick air. Your body can't move as good and geez, if I could only take a deep breath. You know it is going to be a hot day when it is already above 85 at 9:00am. I just watched the news...9:18pm it was 90 out and with the heat index it feels like 102 they said. That is just sick and wrong. And, the depressing part...actually I can't decide if it depresses me or just angers me...is that it isn't supposed to let up until the end of the week. Oh and get this, you wanna know what let up is...instead of being over 100 it will only be in the mid 90's. Wow, cool! NOT! And my poor yard. It looks like we live in the middle of the desert. I want to start watering, but that sure seems like a lost cause now. I am trying to patiently await the cooler, Fall weather. But, I must say my patience is running low. I am already in Fall mode here inside the house. I bought all new candles from Pier1 that are the Ember scent, a nice fall aroma. And, I am keeping it very cool in the house. In fact I am covered up with a blanket right now. I love that. I love the cold weather. I am one of the wierd ones that LOVES when it snows and it is hard to get around town. I love that! BRING IT ON!!! I think I will have to get some more patience for that though. :) Hope you are finding ways to stay cool.

Complaint session over!

13 of my Favorite Things

1. Coffeemate's Hazelnut creamer
2. Origins Ginger Body Cream
3. Quiet time in the morning before the kids arise. This one rarely happens because I am much more a night person, but I love my mornings on the deck with my Bible and a cup of coffee.
4. Autumn. The weather and the beauty of the changing earth.
5. A cozy fireplace on a cold, Winter afternoon.
6. A big warm sweater.
7. The sound of a baby laughing.
8. My bus. This is what I refer to my Household Executive SUV as. It has everything I love in a car. Comfort and style.
9. Sleeping in the car while traveling; of course when TW is driving. :)
10. Downy's Wrinkle Releaser. I am notorius for putting a load of laundry in the dryer and then leaving it there for hours or even days. This spray comes in handy when trying to get the wrinkles out without having to iron.
11. Easy Weeknight Favorites cookbook from Southern Living at Home. Definitely easy recipes and ones that my family love!
12. Oatmeal Carmelitas! This is a dessert from a local bakery/restaurant. I frequent this restaurant several times a week. They have three locations and one is about 20 seconds from my house. This dessert is absolutely amazing!
13. Salsiccia Baked Mostaciolli from a local pasta joint in "The District". Mmmmmmm! It is delicious as well.

I think I know what I am doing Friday night...dinner of Salsiccia Baked Mostaciolli followed by an Oatmeal Carmelita.

Mrs. Green Thumb

Every year I buy hanging plants to hang on our front porch. We have kind of a "country front porch" with the rocking chair and all. So, I love to hang plants in the Spring to add color to the house. I also buy some flowers to put in some pots in the front of the house and a couple for the back deck. Well, it never fails that these flowers start to die off by early to mid-July. The heat starts to get to them and I forget to water them as frequently so they suffer and eventually die resulting in me throwing them away. Well, it is officially Aug. 6th and all of my plants are still alive (except for one very small plant that didn't make it)! I LOVE it! I think we are going to make it through to mum season! Yes!

On a side note...Mrs. Green Thumb has a tip of the day for you. I enjoy when TW buys me fresh flowers. I asked to get frustrated when they would only last a few days, even less sometimes, before they started wilting away. One day we were buying some flowers and the florist told us when we got home to cut the stems at a diagonal and then place them in a vase with equal parts of water and Sprite. Odd, but it works! Seriously! I have had flowers that TW got us for our anniversary that are lasting well past a week! It helps lengthen the life if you change the water/Sprite mixture everyday and re-trim the stems occasionally as well!

Sing a New Song

I saw this clip on Patti's blog and it cracked me up! I was literally LOL! I think I will take her new approach to disciplining at those times when I don't know what else to do. I have learned that lightening up the environment is best for you/me and our kids. I just might have to memorize this song.