Saturday, February 25, 2012

Homecoming!!!!

Jim went on another short term missions trip last week....he is on his way home and I can't wait another second to see him!!!


This was the 2nd team sent to Hackleburg.  The town has become so dear to us all!   45 people went this year---they got some major work done on finishing the new church.   What a full circle, last year helping them take down the old structure ruined by the tornado and now putting finishing touches on the new building.   


I know that God has moved mightily through their group this week and I can't wait to hear their stories and put my arms around my hubby's neck!!!!


For more pics, go to the team's website Crossroads Community Church construction outreach team.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Hey Mom....

You know when a conversation starts with "hey mom" it's Never gonna be good ;)

Tonight was a much needed girls night...nothing lifts this mama up like a couple good 'ritas and a chick flick!

On the way home, Jamie dropped the Hey Mom bomb. Let me set the stage: it's after 10:30 pm, the boys just got done with an evening with the gparents, I was tired, and of course SNOWING. Sooooo, just driving and minding my own business (praying that they'd just fall asleep on the ride home so that they'd Stop talk talk talking!)....then Whamo!!!

Hey Mom, was high school hard?

Well.....yeah....that age is a hard age. You're trying to figure out who you are and where you fit in this almost adult, but not quite....

10 minutes later, while I'm still grasping at straws to say the right thing, I get this answer:

Ummmm, I meant was it hard school-wise....


DuhOH!!! (Smacking head on steering wheel repeatedly!)

Just another day in the life ;)


And Jim, if for by some crazy chance you're reading this...Miss You!!!!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Good at Failing

This week I started a new challenge of sorts....I really liked body rocking, but this seems like a more complete package.  (well that and my fellow crunchy/fringe/gym rat Krystal was starting it too...it's always so much more fun having someone to hold your hand through it all!)

Jamie Eason's LiveFit 12 Week Trainer

There's meals and workouts in stages to really boost your training....so far so good...well, I'm on day 3, but you know ;)


Yesterday was killer in the gym.  I'm talking hanging in the back with the big guns--this is some serious shtuff here--intimidating as heck.   


No cardio for 4 weeks, clean eating and weights...I'd kill for some time on the ellip right now!!!!  It's so easy and mindless.  Just plug in your ear buds and watch a movie while you sweat up a storm.   


Lifting weights is totally different.  There's form and balance and what weight do you want to push yourself with....    Yesterday I had the honor of having Krystal in the gym with me to seriously kick my behind (and my arms and my back..).   Day 1 was good, I whipped through my workout and thought "What's the big deal".  Yeah, I was doing it all wrong!   Resting between each rep, pushing yourself to the limit..like impossible to move that bar one more time.   


Pushing to Fail


Sounds horrible doesn't it?   But in all reality, that's what makes you stronger.  If you were only using weights that you could handle, you might as well be lifting soup cans (thanks for that Krystal).   


That got me thinking.   Life's kind of like that too.   If we only did what we knew we could handle, where would any growth happen?  We'd be comfy. (and probably living in yoga pants with a coffee stain on the leg....ok, that's me this morning, but you know)   If we push ourselves to the point of failing, where we have Nothing left to give, God takes over.  


Less self, more Spirit.


Sure, there's pain...believe me...there's pain (like can hardly hold my coffee cup..hence stain on my pant leg lol).   But after the discomfort of working the muscles you haven't used for awhile, there's reward!  There's the smokin' hot bod or an adventure or just living outside yourself.   


We Are Made To Push Ourselves To Failure.   


And it's not a bad thing!  


In fact, the most tragic thing that I can think of would be a life not inspired to pour themselves out.


We all know the verses telling us that God's power is made perfect in our weakness, that when we are weak then we truly are strong.   Maybe there's something more to it...like this isn't in the bible just to give hope to those who are struggling, to blow a little sunshine and rainbows into their misery.  But through our struggle, we are made strong---strong enough to add more weights next time, to push a little harder, to be bold and live the life God created us for....


Hmmmm....


Ok, that was my deep thought for the day.  Now I'm off to eat and lift ;)

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Funny How Much Difference A Couple of Months Makes...

I woke up to snow this morning...and then promptly turned right around and went back to bed.  


It's funny how in November, the thought of snow invokes reenactments of the Snow scene from White Christmas...


Snow


Snow


Snooooooowwww....


Now it's the end of February and just the thought of the old white stuff brings 4 letter s words to mind that aren't exactly "snow"!  


My heart is not here.   I left it in a place that sees snow for a few moments and will be in the 70's this weekend..there's still time to make it if I leave now...sigh....


Soon, someday soon....

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Where Did The Time GO?!?

Sorry to have gone awol on y'all....


I thought that I caught the plague, but now I'm seriously thinking it's most definitely ebola..yep...just waiting while this headache liquefies my brain before it runs out my ears.


Just joking..sort of ;)


Let's see, we've had more dentists (fixed tooth, new jacked tooth, waiting), got a terrible cold from Jim which turned into the plague from hell, and then in less than 24 hrs I got an entire lip of cold sores and PINK EYE!   


My lips are swollen and my eyes were red....I looked like a rabid Angelina...


Things are getting better, still have a terrible headache but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.


I promise, once my brain reforms and I can think straight, I'll post something amusing :)

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

The Battle of Good and Evil

  Food---oh, the battle that rages within!!!


Let's start with the Good:


I'm calling this my Clean Out the Crisper Drawer Chicken:  (excuse the cruddy night time cell phone pic...but this wasn't going to last until morning...mwahahaha!)
 First off, brown your chicken in a skillet with about a Tbs of Olive Oil.   I've fallen in love with this little packet in the ranch packets--Herb and Garlic--YUM!  I sprinkle each side when it's almost browned (last turn in the pan).   The chicken won't fully be done so pop those babies into the oven at 400 while you saute your veggies :)


Veggies...here's where it get's a bit dicey (ahahaha..seriously...).   Use whatever you have in your fridge.   Tonight it was mushrooms and a summer squash....always add an onion and a pack of grape tomatoes.   Toss your veggies in the chicken pan.   Cook until it's all gorgeous...squash is soft, tomatoes are ready to just melt into the rest of the pan.   Add a good amount of chopped basil...I probably added around 10 leaves...but we Love Basil so add to your liking.   I also threw in rosemary (1 good sized sprig).   And last, but not least...when everything is juuuuust about done...pour in your balsamic vinegar.  I just poured in what was left in the bottle..probably a couple of Tbs...but again, do what You like :)


Isn't that just beautiful?!?   Most of the time I use a bell pepper, but they were in the garage fridge and I didn't feel like walking outside...we have done this with broccoli too..   Have you ever roasted broccoli?  Fantastic!  I'll have to take pics next time and show you how :)
 Now to the evil....oh, this is sooooo Bad!


Reeses Ice Cream Cake...(one of those little monsters has been sneaking the candies of the leftover cake in the freezer!)
 Jim's a huge peanut butter cup fan...or at least he was until I made this cake ;)
Layers of peanut butter bar crust, chocolate, and Bryer's Peanut Butter Cup Explosion!

A very small slice was all you'd need.   If you're daring, here's how I did it:

Reese's Ice Cream Cake:

For the cake part I used the recipe from Here.   It was good, but frozen the bar part was a little bit too hard.  Next time I'd try more of  a cakey recipe.  I made the bars in 2 9in. round pans, but left off the chocolate filling.   

In a new pan lined with aluminum foil, I smooshed in the slightly melty ice cream (we used Bryers, but whatever you want!  1 quart was plenty).   Let the ice cream refreeze for a couple of hours.   

Melt your chocolate, butter, and condensed milk, using the bar's recipe.   Let it cool.   This is where things got messy.   The slightly warm chocolate melted the ice cream into a huge puddley mess after I set my creation in the freezer.  By that time that I caught it,  things were starting to refreeze slightly and it smooshed back into shape very easily.   Just annoying, but worked out for the best ;)

On the day of his little party, I frosted the outside of the cake with whip cream (I used cool whip, but the ice cream cake recipe I was following said to make real....by this time, there was so much processed junk in that cake that I wasn't messing with it).   Line the rim of the cake with mini pb cups, chop the rest of the bag (after previously mentioned monster children raided the bag) and sprinkle in the middle.

Refreeze until ready to serve.   Take out about 10-15 min before serving.

Alright, so go make yourselves that veggie chicken to clear your mind from all the bad peanut butter cup thoughts ;)