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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

A Day in the Life: the Kitchen


Welcome to our little home!  Would you like a cup of tea or coffee while we chat for awhile? 


Last week I had a sudden burst of energy and decided to do some serious cleaning & reorganizing in our kitchen. Our very small kitchen. And while I was cleaning, I decided it might be fun to give y’all a tour of my happy little place. Our kitchen is small and not laid out very efficiently, but I LOVE to cook so I have learned to make the best of it.

The stove is not the ‘norm’ for the modern-day family. It is what I would guess to be a 1950-60’s style with two ovens that are so narrow half my cookie sheets won’t fit in them. That being said, I LOVE my stove because the burners heat perfectly and the ovens cook to perfection! The white beast might be an eye-sore, but it cooks like angel! Aesthetically speaking however, I think it would more appropriately belong in either Aunt Bee’s or Lucy Ricardo’s kitchen.

Our lovely avocado-green refrigerator stands at a mere 5 ft tall, making it what my mother calls “a conversation piece” because you can talk to another person while looking right across the top of it. Because our refrigerator is so short it becomes a catch-all for things much like a dining room table might: vitamins, coupons, gift-cards, mail, etc, making it a cluttered-up mess! And speaking of that, the top of the refrigerator was the first thing I tackled when I started deep-cleaning the kitchen.

BEFORE

AFTER



I also needed to jazz up the overhead of the cupboards because that is the first thing people see when they walk into the house. I just grabbed a few things from different places in the house and I thought it turned out rather cute.






There were several other adjustments made, things gotten rid of that don't get used, shelves organized, and then the counter tops were scrubbed, floor swept, dished all washed. 

Just in time for me to cook a big meal and dirty it all up again!




Tonight's Menu:

Classic Italian Lasagna
Sautéed Green Beans w/ Pecans
Cheddar Biscuits



Biscuits baking in the oven 
Pecans caramelizing on the stove
Finished Green Beans

Let's Eat!!!

  






Saturday, March 27, 2010

Wonderfully Made

In my last post I mentioned that at times I feel like a bit of a contradiction.
Could that mean that I have *gasp*… quirks?
Indeed I do. (Just ask my husband!)

But you know what? I’m okay with that.

Also in addition to quirks, I have insecurities. Big. Time.

I hate being the center of attention or being up in front of people (even if it’s only going around the room and everybody having to say their name – hate that!).

I don’t really like ‘friendly’ social gatherings because I would much more prefer a quiet chat over a cappuccino than a high-energy party where I have to mingle and come up with cutesy small-talk chatter.

I spent a long time not feeling brave enough to step out of my comfort-zone and try new things, even if deep down I wanted to. (My husband is amazing at helping me with this one!).

I constantly struggle with feelings of failure and inferiority. Often scared of trying something because I’m afraid I’ll fail at it.

But guess what?

Regardless of the quirks or insecurities I may have, I am so glad that I am created in God's image and am fearfully and wonderfully made! (Psalm 139:14) He knew me before the foundations of the earth, and He chose me to be His own. He loves me, quirks and all, and delights in the fact I am His child. Each day He is working on me, working in my heart, on my attitude, and leading & guiding my life. This work of sanctification won’t be completed until He calls me Home, but I’m so glad He doesn’t give up on me while I’m here. I get scared and insecure, and all I want to do is retreat into my “bubble” or comfort zone (or crawl under my desk…) but that’s when I have to remember that I am a child of the Most High God and that is where my confidence will come from, must come from, and does come from. The ‘confidence’ the world offers us isn’t the real deal. It comes with strings and no sort of lifetime warranty. It’s a teaser, often with consequences…but I’ll save that for another post.

So reach for Truth – God’s truth, and that is where your strength will come from.

Friday, March 26, 2010

This & That

I get bored:
  • I read three books at once because I get bored when I have to stick to just one until I finish it.
  • My craft room has 3+ projects going at once with ideas for a dozen more just waiting to explode from my brain.
  • I try to find new ways to accessorize my outfits because I get bored with the way they look.
  • Our menu looks different every single week because I get bored with making the same dishes all the time.
  • I often get the urge to move furniture around the house to jazz up my surroundings.
  • My “signature scent” is really three different ones, because the one I choose to wear that day depends on my mood.

But on the flip side…
  • I love watching the same half a dozen movies over and over and over because they are always the same, always happy, and I know how they’re going to end.
  • I love living in the same town I grew up in, and thinking that if winter didn’t last for six months it would be the most perfect place to live.
  • I love ‘timeless’ pieces that never go out of style: jewelry, clothing, art.
 I feel like a bit of a walking-contradiction.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

These Days

These days I am:


Listening to:
Michael Bublé: Crazy Love
the trumpet bridge on “Haven’t Met You Yet” rocks.


Cooking:
Homemade Mozzarella Sticks
Things with Spinach


Drinking:
Dark Cherry Mocha @ Starbucks


Wanting to read:
“The Blind Side” by Michael Lewis
“Feminine Appeal” by Carolyn Mahaney
“Becoming God’s True Woman” by Nancy Lee DeMoss


Making:
Ribbon-Pearl necklaces
Great big messes!


Searching for:
the perfect open-front Cardigan


Wishing for:
More time in Hawaii


Trying to:
Get the house more organized
Be more diligent about Pilates



What have YOU been doing these days?



Tuesday, March 23, 2010

A Bit of Pizzazz

Last week I acquired my first pair of red shoes.

I’m in love.

 
They’re such a blast; who knew a pair of shoes could be so fun!

Well, Mrs. Southern Bride knew, but I’m glad to have the chance to find out for myself!

Pair them with jeans and a red sweater, a black & white dress…
the options are endless!

Admittedly, they are quickly becoming one of my favorite ‘accessories!’

But of course these will always be at the top of my list…

My Clarks “Luna Galaxy” dress boots.

Oh. So. Classy.
Be still my heart.

What’s your favorite pair of shoes?

Thursday, March 18, 2010

I Am Woman: see me cry

DISCLAIMER: there were a few tears shed during the writing of this post.

We pray, we make plans, we figure out the long term goals and we come to mutual conclusions.

The one variable: I am female and my husband is not.
This is not a bad thing because God had it planned that way.
Male + Female = God’s design for family.
It also means that although we are in total agreement on decisions, sometimes emotions can get stirred up and the resolve with which you once viewed a situation can become a bit skewed for awhile.

A perfect example of this? Children.

We are of like mind on the timetable for children. We have talked through our decision, sought God on our decision, and are in total agreement on the matter.

However, in the midst of this decision, there are moments when my desire for children wells up inside of me and I find myself placing my hand where a baby-bump should be. It’s not conscious and it often catches me off-guard when it happens. There are quiet moments when a tear will escape my eye as I think of the baby that will (Lord willing!) be in my arms someday.

I find my feet wandering down the baby aisle at Target or taking a detour through the adorable baby clothes department. Oops, how did I get there? Wouldn’t a little girl’s room be so cute in pink polka dots and butterflies, or a boy’s nursery decorated with airplanes and trucks? Get me out of those aisles.

A couple times when we had "scares" I had to take a PG test. When it came back negative my husband would give a sigh of relief and I always ended up shedding a few tears. My dear husband, although he tried, never really understood the tears… He would always asks me quizzically why I’m crying, not understanding this because he knows that we are united on the decision to wait.

I guess there is a part of me that will always be disappointed until the day it comes back "positive." At first the tears shocked me. Why was I crying?

It took me awhile to figure it all out, but in the end the conclusion I came to was that God planned it that way. He designed women to be caregivers, nurturers, and gave us an incredible capacity to love. He created Eve to be “the mother of all living things.” From the beginning of time women cared for what was around them and were made to “mother” things. The more I thought about it, the more sense it made to me of why there is this deep desire to hold our own little one.

There are mornings I wake up startled by my empty arms because our someday–babies had invaded my dreams all night. But I know God’s plan is perfect, and when it’s time, we’ll know that it’s time. I need not worry about the future and the empty arms, for they will be filled when (if) God wants them to be filled.

God created me as a woman, and as such, there are many emotions that surge through me, thoughts that fly fleeting through my brain that may not make much sense. But that’s okay, because it’s who God made me…and I am “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Sometimes it’s just a struggle for me to remember that in the midst of things about myself that I don’t always understand.

A few years ago my mom sent me a poem {posted below} that I kept posted on the wall of my closet. Every time I would get discouraged by my emotions or feel a rush of mothering desires, I would read this poem and be reminded that God made me special and that the things that may be seen by the world as weaknesses are truly strengths. God made us this way to compliment our husbands and to add the nurturing aspect to relationships.

Being a woman is a gift, a beautiful gift, and one I wouldn’t trade for the world. My life does not become complete when I have a child; it is complete the way it is now, because that is how God has it. I choose to be content in His greater plan.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When God created woman, He was working late on the 6th day.


An angel came by and said: “Why spend so much time on that one?”


And the Lord answered “Have you seen all the specifications I have to meet to shape her? She must be washable, but not made of plastic, have more than 200 moving parts which all must be replaceable and she must function on all kinds of food, she must be able to embrace several kids at the same time, give a hug that can heal anything from a bruised knee to a broken heart and she must do all this with only two hands”.


The angel was impressed. “Just two hands….impossible!” And this is the standard model?


“Too much work for one day….wait until tomorrow and then complete her”.


“I will not”, said the Lord. “I am so close to complete this creation, which will be very dear to my heart”.


“She cures herself when sick and she can work 18 hours a day”


The angel came nearer and touched the woman.


“But you have made her so soft, Lord”


“She is soft”, said the Lord “But I have also made her strong. You can’t imagine what she can endure and overcome.”


“Can she think?” the angel asked.


The Lord answered: “Not only can she think, she can reason and negotiate.”


The angel touched the woman’s cheek. “Lord, it seems this creation is leaking! You have put too many burdens on her.”


“She is not leaking….it’s a tear.”


“What’s it for?” asked the angel.


And the Lord said: “Tears are her way of expressing grief, her doubts, her love, her loneliness, her suffering and her pride.”


This made a big impression on the angel; “Lord, you are genius. You thought of everything. The woman is indeed marvelous!”


———————————-


Indeed she is! Woman has strength that amazes man. She can handle trouble and carry heavy burdens. She holds happiness, love and opinions. She smiles when feeling like screaming. She sings when she feels like crying, cries when she is happy and laughs when she is afraid.


She fights for what she believes in and stands up against injustice. She doesn’t take “no” for an answer, when she can see a better solution. She gives of herself so her family can thrive. She takes her friend to the doctor if she is afraid. Her love is unconditional.


She cries when her kids are victorious. She is happy when her friends do well. She is glad when she hears of a birth or a wedding.


Her heart is broken when a next of kin or friend dies. But she finds the strength to get on with life.


She knows that a kiss and a hug can heal a broken heart.


There is only one thing wrong with her – She forgets what she is worth…

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Date Nights

The busier life becomes the more important our "dates" are to us.  Dates don't always have to be of the traditional variety...just happy time with the two of us together.

These are some of ours that have happened recently:


Chinese take-out & Kung Fu Panda


Popcorn and a movie on the couch at 4:00 AM because I couldn’t sleep.
(Yes, he really got up with me and popped up some popcorn. What a guy!)


Highschool performance of “Annie” and Mexican for dinner!


Dark Cherry Mochas @ Starbucks


Have YOU had any fun dates lately?

Monday, March 15, 2010

Menu Plan -- the good and the ugly.

Sometimes weeks can go by and everything on the menu turns out fabulously. No disasters, no gagging, no half-eaten plates of food. Yet at other times I seem to hit a string of recipes that just aren’t so wonderful and are much harder to swallow. Like lately.

My “Cream of Green” soup, although eatable, was a color that made swallowing rather difficult, and in the words of hubby, “it needs more chicken.” But the “Chocolate Avocado pudding” just wasn’t redeemable. The combination of avocado, cocoa powder, and almond butter simply couldn’t be disguised even with honey & vanilla mixed in and mashed strawberries on top.

Ok, so I can’t be a kitchen-genius all the time.

As requested last week, here is the recipe for Sesame Chicken & Asparagus.  I have to tell ya, it was definitely one of my golden moments.  This was sooooo good!  I never stick to a recipe, so here if my revised version, best I can recall.  I hardly ever measure and I usually just add ingredients as they strike my fancy, but this is as close as I can get to having it all down on paper.  Hope you like it as much as we did! 
 
Package of Rice noodles, cooked as directed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs rice wine vinegar
1 Tbs brown sugar
6 Tbs chunky peanut butter
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup sesame oil
1 ½ c. cooked chicken, diced or shredded
5 Tbs sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 lb thin asparagus, chopped
1 small cucumber, halved, seeded, and cut into 1/4 inch dice
Olive oil

Wash & chop asparagus, set aside
Toast sesame seeds, set aside.
Cut cucumber as directed in ingredients. Set aside.

Prepare sauce: Place the garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, peanut butter, sesame oil, and soy sauce in a food processor. Process until well blended.

Sauté asparagus in olive oil until tender (I like mine to be a bit crunchy). Combine cooked rice noodles, sauce, asparagus, and sesame seeds.
Mix until well coated and serve immediately, topped with cold cucumbers.


Now onto my menu plan for the week! 


Sunday: Cheddar Bacon waffles, sausage
Monday: Cheeseburger Pie, sugar snap peas
Tuesday: Chicken Panini
Wednesday: Almond Chicken Salad
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Baked Pasta, Chicken & Spinach Casserole
Saturday: Classic Italian Lasagna, garlic bread

 
Eat hardy, folks!

Monday, March 8, 2010


I have been very delinquent with my menu planning lately.  Bad me.  Back in the swing of things this week, so here it is!

Sunday – Mac & Cheese, salad, fruit
Monday – Sesame Chicken & Asparagus pasta
Tuesday – Cream of Green soup w/ homemade Beer bread
Wednesday – out with a friend
Thursday – Bacon-wrapped BBQ Chicken (crockpot), mashed potatoes
Friday – BBQ Ranch Chicken rollups, fruit salad
Saturday – leftovers

Extras: granola, bread, something yummy for Saturday breakfast! :)

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Children

Sometimes I am amazed by children -- their ability to see past disabilities, quirks, and even past the “unloveliness” that we as adults are often made awkward by. The hug of a child can light up the faces of those who never smile, and their kind words can warm a lonely heart.

My grandma always used to say that it was us grandkids that “kept her going.” I understand that better now as I observe the impact children have on the older generations. Children bring a joy to life that most other things cannot.

I don’t think God ever intended for there to be such generational-segregation as there is now in society. The older should teach the younger, the younger should learn from and respect the older, and the youngest, well, they’re just delightful and we can all learn a thing or two from them!

My grandma said it was us grandkids that gave her something to live for, but the day she died my heart broke in half.  In His grace and perfect timing, God then brought a child into my life, giving me something else to love. Two days after we buried my grandma, God brought sweet Mary into my family’s arms. Only five weeks old and needing all the love in the world, God used that little angel to start healing the sadness in my heart. Although my grandma never met my baby sister, I always think of them together knowing how much they would have loved each other. I had spent so much time with my grandmother the last couple years of her life, that when she passed, that energy was then poured into the little baby who had much to overcome at such a young age.

That little darling is now 5 ½ and never ceases to bring a laugh & smile to all who are around her. She is so loved and spreads sunshine everywhere she goes. She is without a doubt, the Little Princess.