I shared this with some of my friends a few days ago, but I thought I’d share it here, too.
Last week DH and I were watching the repeat of Larry King Live where he was at Graceland. They were talking about how Elvis and his mother had such a close relationship and how much he loved her.
I was having a moment and said to DH “I hope one day that Brady and I have that sort of relationship.” DH’s response? “We can only hope that one day Brady will love you so much that he buries you in the front yard.”
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
The Tabernacle and Rainy Days
Happy Wednesday! Our Bible study last night went really well. I’m exciting to be studying this part of scripture, about the Tabernacle, because it’s a part that I’ve never really looked at in-depth before. From last night’s introduction, we’ll really be able to see Jesus in every part of the Old Testament. There’s a great group of girls in the Tuesday night session and our facilitator is a wonderful woman named Joyce. I’m looking forward to going through this journey with them.
It looks like we’re in for some rainy days ahead. Wouldn’t these be the cutest to wear around town?
Stay dry!
It looks like we’re in for some rainy days ahead. Wouldn’t these be the cutest to wear around town?
Stay dry!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Book Review - "Marie Antoinette - The Journey"
Well, I finally got those thank you notes finished from Christmas. It’s amazing how hard it can be sometimes to just sit down and work on something like that. There always seems to be something (or someone!) else that distracts me or needs my attention.
I’m very excited because my new Bible study starts tonight. We’re doing the updated version of Beth Moore’s “A Woman’s Heart, God’s Dwelling Place.” She has such a way of getting your attention and helping you understand even the most complicated things in Scripture. I can’t wait to see how it goes.
I did finish one of my Christmas books this past weekend. Marie Antoinette – The Journey by Antonia Fraser.
It takes you from before Marie Antoinette was born up until the very end of her life. It’s really a very tragic story. I feel like she was very misunderstood. Yes, they were very extravagant and excessive in their lifestyle, but that was all they had ever known. She didn’t come across as the cruel, heartless villain as she is so often portrayed. It’s a long book with lots of detail and you can sometimes get a little bogged down in the facts, but I’d definitely recommend it if you like history and particularly French history. Now I want to find a book about Versailles.
I’m very excited because my new Bible study starts tonight. We’re doing the updated version of Beth Moore’s “A Woman’s Heart, God’s Dwelling Place.” She has such a way of getting your attention and helping you understand even the most complicated things in Scripture. I can’t wait to see how it goes.
I did finish one of my Christmas books this past weekend. Marie Antoinette – The Journey by Antonia Fraser.
It takes you from before Marie Antoinette was born up until the very end of her life. It’s really a very tragic story. I feel like she was very misunderstood. Yes, they were very extravagant and excessive in their lifestyle, but that was all they had ever known. She didn’t come across as the cruel, heartless villain as she is so often portrayed. It’s a long book with lots of detail and you can sometimes get a little bogged down in the facts, but I’d definitely recommend it if you like history and particularly French history. Now I want to find a book about Versailles.
Monday, January 7, 2008
A Lazy Weekend and Two New Recipes
We had another nice, lazy weekend. We were able to get a lot done around the house, including taking a big load to Goodwill on Saturday. It feels so nice to get things cleaned out. We also took Brady to the zoo and the park thanks to the beautiful weather.
I tried out two new recipes this weekend. The first was a recipe for Honey White Bread from Barefoot Contessa at Home. I don’t usually have time to make homemade bread, so this was a treat. Actually, it’s probably been years since I’ve done it. This recipe was really easy and was made even simpler with my new mixer. J Unfortunately, I can’t find a copy of the recipe online and I don’t have time to type it out. But look in that cookbook and you’ll find it!
The next recipe is for Slow Cooker Veggie Chili from the January issue of Southern Living. DH was not thrilled when I originally mentioned this recipe, as he insists on having meat at every meal. I made him a baked chicken breast which he cut up and mixed into his chili. Whatever. This recipe is really good and very hearty. Perfect for winter, it fills you up but it’s super healthy at the same time. The prep work does take a while since you’re chopping up all the veggies. I actually cooked mine on HIGH for 4 hours and it was fine.
Slow-Cooker Veggie Chili
Prep: 25 min.; Cook: 8 hr., 18 min.
Add a dash of hot sauce to your bowl for extra heat. Use a variety of your favorite beans if you wish.
Ingredients
2 large carrots, diced (1 cup)
2 celery ribs, diced (1/2 cup)
1 medium-size sweet onion, diced
Vegetable cooking spray
2 (8-oz.) packages sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large zucchini, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1 yellow squash, chopped (1 cup)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
3 cups tomato juice
2 (14 1/2-oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
4 (15-oz.) cans pinto, black, great Northern, or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1. Sauté first 3 ingredients in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add mushrooms, zucchini, and squash; sauté 3 more minutes. Add chili powder and next 2 ingredients, and sauté 5 more minutes.
2. Stir together tomato sauce and tomato juice in a 6-qt. slow cooker until smooth. Stir in diced tomatoes, next 2 ingredients, and carrot mixture. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours.
Note: Cool leftovers, and freeze in plastic freezer containers or zip-top plastic freezer bags for up to 2 months. Yield: Makes 15 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)CALORIES 124 (0.0% from fat); FAT 0.8g (sat 0.1g,mono 0.1g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 7.4g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 63mg; SODIUM 566mg; FIBER 7g; IRON 2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 24.5g Southern Living, JANUARY 2008
Have a great week!
I tried out two new recipes this weekend. The first was a recipe for Honey White Bread from Barefoot Contessa at Home. I don’t usually have time to make homemade bread, so this was a treat. Actually, it’s probably been years since I’ve done it. This recipe was really easy and was made even simpler with my new mixer. J Unfortunately, I can’t find a copy of the recipe online and I don’t have time to type it out. But look in that cookbook and you’ll find it!
The next recipe is for Slow Cooker Veggie Chili from the January issue of Southern Living. DH was not thrilled when I originally mentioned this recipe, as he insists on having meat at every meal. I made him a baked chicken breast which he cut up and mixed into his chili. Whatever. This recipe is really good and very hearty. Perfect for winter, it fills you up but it’s super healthy at the same time. The prep work does take a while since you’re chopping up all the veggies. I actually cooked mine on HIGH for 4 hours and it was fine.
Slow-Cooker Veggie Chili
Prep: 25 min.; Cook: 8 hr., 18 min.
Add a dash of hot sauce to your bowl for extra heat. Use a variety of your favorite beans if you wish.
Ingredients
2 large carrots, diced (1 cup)
2 celery ribs, diced (1/2 cup)
1 medium-size sweet onion, diced
Vegetable cooking spray
2 (8-oz.) packages sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large zucchini, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1 yellow squash, chopped (1 cup)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
3 cups tomato juice
2 (14 1/2-oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
4 (15-oz.) cans pinto, black, great Northern, or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1. Sauté first 3 ingredients in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add mushrooms, zucchini, and squash; sauté 3 more minutes. Add chili powder and next 2 ingredients, and sauté 5 more minutes.
2. Stir together tomato sauce and tomato juice in a 6-qt. slow cooker until smooth. Stir in diced tomatoes, next 2 ingredients, and carrot mixture. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours.
Note: Cool leftovers, and freeze in plastic freezer containers or zip-top plastic freezer bags for up to 2 months. Yield: Makes 15 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)CALORIES 124 (0.0% from fat); FAT 0.8g (sat 0.1g,mono 0.1g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 7.4g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 63mg; SODIUM 566mg; FIBER 7g; IRON 2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 24.5g Southern Living, JANUARY 2008
Have a great week!
Friday, January 4, 2008
And Now for a Taste of Spring!
After my post yesterday about winter, I got a lovely taste of spring in the form of an email from www.Anthropology.com
I love this outfit!
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Maybe Global Warming Isn't Such A Bad Thing
Let’s just be honest – IT’S COLD. When I turned on the tv this morning at 6:20am it was 21F. For this born and bred Southern girl, that’s just a little on the frigid side.
God knew that I wasn’t cut out for 10 months of winter, snow drifts higher than my head and long underwear. That’s why He put me in North Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee and now South Carolina. Sure, we get cold weather. One day of snow a year and the possible ice storm. The city shuts down, school is canceled and the grocery stores are ravaged of every loaf of bread when the threat of one inch of snow is announced. It’s exciting. Then the next day it’s over. By the next weekend we’re usually back in flip-flops or at the very least a long-sleeve tee shirt.
I love the catalog images of snowy winters and curling up by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate. But I know I’d be totally over it after a week. It does have to be cold at Christmas, though. 75F and sunny on December 25th just isn’t my idea of fun. That’s why I could never live in Florida.
So I’ll be bundling up for the next day or so and putting an extra blanket on the beds. By Sunday it’s supposed to be in the 60F’s. Now where are those flip-flops?
God knew that I wasn’t cut out for 10 months of winter, snow drifts higher than my head and long underwear. That’s why He put me in North Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee and now South Carolina. Sure, we get cold weather. One day of snow a year and the possible ice storm. The city shuts down, school is canceled and the grocery stores are ravaged of every loaf of bread when the threat of one inch of snow is announced. It’s exciting. Then the next day it’s over. By the next weekend we’re usually back in flip-flops or at the very least a long-sleeve tee shirt.
I love the catalog images of snowy winters and curling up by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate. But I know I’d be totally over it after a week. It does have to be cold at Christmas, though. 75F and sunny on December 25th just isn’t my idea of fun. That’s why I could never live in Florida.
So I’ll be bundling up for the next day or so and putting an extra blanket on the beds. By Sunday it’s supposed to be in the 60F’s. Now where are those flip-flops?
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
The New Year
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great start to 2008. Our evening was quiet as I expected. We just aren’t the partiers we once were. Actually, we’ve never been big New Year’s Eve people.
I can honestly say that these last few days have been so relaxing and peaceful. For those of you who really know me, peaceful is not a word that enters my life often. I’m a little high-strung and rarely sit down. I’m always off to the next thing, working on my eternally long list of “to do’s.” It’s just my nature. But over this past long weekend I was able to sit and read and watch a little tv, play with Brady a lot, do some baking. All those things I want to do but never have the time. And I feel a huge sense of peace about this coming year. I can’t wait to see what happens and where we are at the start of 2009.
Speaking of tv, I Tivoed and watched a marathon of “Jon and Kate + Eight” yesterday. www.sixgosselins.com I’m really loving this show, although it isn’t filling me with the desire to have 8 kids. What I like so much is that they’re real people who really lose their temper and get tired and stressed out, but yet they love their kids so very much. And Kate and I stress out over all the same crazy things. What’s exciting is that they’re coming to speak to my MOPS group in April! I’ll get to meet them! I can’t wait!
While watching the marathon, I was introduced to Sara Snow, www.sarasnow.com, who has a show on Discovery Health called “Get Fresh with Sara Snow.” She’s young and hip and all about going green and healthy, organic eating. Since focusing on healthy eating and trying to help the environment a little is on my list for this year, I’m really excited to find out about her show. She has a great website, too.
I know this entry is a little all over the place, but I really am excited about this new year and all it holds. I’m so thankful for my family, my friends, my job, my church, everything. We’re so blessed!
Happy 2008!
I can honestly say that these last few days have been so relaxing and peaceful. For those of you who really know me, peaceful is not a word that enters my life often. I’m a little high-strung and rarely sit down. I’m always off to the next thing, working on my eternally long list of “to do’s.” It’s just my nature. But over this past long weekend I was able to sit and read and watch a little tv, play with Brady a lot, do some baking. All those things I want to do but never have the time. And I feel a huge sense of peace about this coming year. I can’t wait to see what happens and where we are at the start of 2009.
Speaking of tv, I Tivoed and watched a marathon of “Jon and Kate + Eight” yesterday. www.sixgosselins.com I’m really loving this show, although it isn’t filling me with the desire to have 8 kids. What I like so much is that they’re real people who really lose their temper and get tired and stressed out, but yet they love their kids so very much. And Kate and I stress out over all the same crazy things. What’s exciting is that they’re coming to speak to my MOPS group in April! I’ll get to meet them! I can’t wait!
While watching the marathon, I was introduced to Sara Snow, www.sarasnow.com, who has a show on Discovery Health called “Get Fresh with Sara Snow.” She’s young and hip and all about going green and healthy, organic eating. Since focusing on healthy eating and trying to help the environment a little is on my list for this year, I’m really excited to find out about her show. She has a great website, too.
I know this entry is a little all over the place, but I really am excited about this new year and all it holds. I’m so thankful for my family, my friends, my job, my church, everything. We’re so blessed!
Happy 2008!
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