I voted yesterday!
It was amazing to exercise that right, it was my first time. I was expecting to have to wait in line at the polls, but that wasn't the case. Our precinct had only three voting booths and Sam and I got right in. Since it was my first time I wasn't familiar with the process so Sam brought home a sample ballot and I looked it over. He told me when I am done filling in the ballot to fold in and put it in the box..... Well, when I was done, I folded the ballot before I stepped away from the booth, I looked around for the drop box and didn't see one. Then I saw what looked like a copy machine with a sign with a large red arrow "put voted ballots here" so I did. This lady stands up and says LOUDLY, "Your not supposed to fold it!" I looked at her and said "OH" and looked beyond her to the line of people waiting to vote, staring at me and my folded ballot! Ugh. So I quickly unfold it while the lady says, "I don't know if it will take it." But much to my delight it took it! Then I hurried out of the building, excusing myself passed all of the waiting voters, red faced I'm sure.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
It was 35 degrees this morning! And the first day this year that I wanted to just stay in bed under the covers where it was warm. But I got up anyway. When I was thinking about what to make this week I wanted all comfort foods. Things that warm the soul. So I am making a couple soups and some things that bring comfort to my family. The fish dish is a new recipe, but it looks really good, and I have fish I need to use up. I am trying to use up everything I have in the freezer. Twice a year I take inventory of my pantry and freezer and make meals using what I have. I totally blew my grocery budget last month, so this is a good month to use what I have and stay out of Wal- Mart as much as possible!!!! I will just need to go to the store and get potato bread cause its just the best bread for split pea soup, milk and some fruit and I am set for the week. Yay!
Split Pea Soup (I didn't make it last week)
Lemon Basil Chicken with mashed potatoes and veggies
Red Chile Enchiladas (homemade sauce) with Pinto Beans and Spanish Rice
Sausage and Fish One-Pot (Rachel Ray)
BLT with fried green tomatoes and homemade onion rings
Italian Wedding Soup
Chicken Cacciatore
Pollo alla caccitora or Hunter-style chicken (cacciatore) is one of my favorite meals. It is a hearty meal with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, herbs, wine and chicken braised to tender perfection. Serve it over al dente pasta and you have a good wholesome meal. My kids like it too!!
Split Pea Soup (I didn't make it last week)
Lemon Basil Chicken with mashed potatoes and veggies
Red Chile Enchiladas (homemade sauce) with Pinto Beans and Spanish Rice
Sausage and Fish One-Pot (Rachel Ray)
BLT with fried green tomatoes and homemade onion rings
Italian Wedding Soup
Chicken Cacciatore
Pollo alla caccitora or Hunter-style chicken (cacciatore) is one of my favorite meals. It is a hearty meal with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, herbs, wine and chicken braised to tender perfection. Serve it over al dente pasta and you have a good wholesome meal. My kids like it too!!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Menu Plan Monday and Mission statement
I haven't posted my menu plan for a few weeks, things have been so busy!
Monday- Pork chops with homemade applesauce and a veggie.
Tuesday- Meatball casserole
Wednesday Split Pea soup with Potato bread
Thursday Roast chicken a veggies and mashed potatoes
Friday Chicken Divan and crusty rolls
Saturday Spaghetti and garlic bread
Sunday Chile (done in the crockpot)
A good friend brought us a box of fresh apples. Today I am making applesauce and apple cake and a caramelized apple ice cream topping... yum!
This is my mission statement that I wrote about a year ago. I look back on it often to make sure my focus is where it should be. It is a great reminder of the mom and wife that I strive to be... there is more to my statement than I am actually going to post, just the details of how I accomplish my mission, but to spare you I am just putting the first part of it ...oh and I call myself the household CEO...
As the Household CEO, I am committed to providing my family with a loving, Godly home that is safe, organized and functions smoothly. A home that is respectful to the needs of others. A home where mistakes are acceptable and one that is a teaching ground for the children in it. A place where we will celebrate the little victories in life.
Monday- Pork chops with homemade applesauce and a veggie.
Tuesday- Meatball casserole
Wednesday Split Pea soup with Potato bread
Thursday Roast chicken a veggies and mashed potatoes
Friday Chicken Divan and crusty rolls
Saturday Spaghetti and garlic bread
Sunday Chile (done in the crockpot)
A good friend brought us a box of fresh apples. Today I am making applesauce and apple cake and a caramelized apple ice cream topping... yum!
This is my mission statement that I wrote about a year ago. I look back on it often to make sure my focus is where it should be. It is a great reminder of the mom and wife that I strive to be... there is more to my statement than I am actually going to post, just the details of how I accomplish my mission, but to spare you I am just putting the first part of it ...oh and I call myself the household CEO...
As the Household CEO, I am committed to providing my family with a loving, Godly home that is safe, organized and functions smoothly. A home that is respectful to the needs of others. A home where mistakes are acceptable and one that is a teaching ground for the children in it. A place where we will celebrate the little victories in life.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Yep, I'm a foodie...
I haven't always been though. When we got married nine years ago I could make three, maybe four things and hamburger helper was on the menu A LOT! Oh and I could make a mean sandwich.
Then I discovered the Food Network.
And my love for cooking began. A passion really. I love food. My friends would look at me like I was a nut when I would say, "that's beautiful" during a commercial for broccoli! I have never been afraid of being adventurous and trying new things. I'd spend hours in the kitchen and enjoy every minute of it! And I have way too many cook books!
At one point, about four years ago, I was going to open up a little Bistro. I was licensed, I had my menu ready, purveyors in place, and a really huge commercial fridge waiting to be filled in the kitchen. And then I backed out. My passion didn't change, it was more of a priority thing.
Then I decided that becoming a Personal Chef would fit our lifestyle so much better...I AM licensed, have my business cards and office all set up. Three years later I have done one job! Yes one! Sad I know, even sadder than is that is was for family! I just haven't put myself out there, rejection tastes bad!
I digress....
I am in such a rut right now!! This is so not me. Its been hard to get in the kitchen lately. Where'd my passion go?? Part of my problem is that our family has grown over the last few years. Not only has it grown but its fluctuated a lot. We started out as two.. then we became three.. then four... then eight... then three then we swiftly became a household of 7. We are foster parents ... and I just don't have the time that I once did to spend time in the kitchen. On top of that all recipes have to be at least doubled and that can get expensive. Just coming up with meals that EVERYONE likes is proving to be difficult. ( a six year old that is appalled by anything green or red, and a 13 year old that is opposed to meat doesn't help matters.) Oh yeah, meat. That is another issue all together. Have you ever seen the documentary Food Inc.? It messed me up.. but thats another post.
Then I discovered the Food Network.
And my love for cooking began. A passion really. I love food. My friends would look at me like I was a nut when I would say, "that's beautiful" during a commercial for broccoli! I have never been afraid of being adventurous and trying new things. I'd spend hours in the kitchen and enjoy every minute of it! And I have way too many cook books!
At one point, about four years ago, I was going to open up a little Bistro. I was licensed, I had my menu ready, purveyors in place, and a really huge commercial fridge waiting to be filled in the kitchen. And then I backed out. My passion didn't change, it was more of a priority thing.
Then I decided that becoming a Personal Chef would fit our lifestyle so much better...I AM licensed, have my business cards and office all set up. Three years later I have done one job! Yes one! Sad I know, even sadder than is that is was for family! I just haven't put myself out there, rejection tastes bad!
I digress....
I am in such a rut right now!! This is so not me. Its been hard to get in the kitchen lately. Where'd my passion go?? Part of my problem is that our family has grown over the last few years. Not only has it grown but its fluctuated a lot. We started out as two.. then we became three.. then four... then eight... then three then we swiftly became a household of 7. We are foster parents ... and I just don't have the time that I once did to spend time in the kitchen. On top of that all recipes have to be at least doubled and that can get expensive. Just coming up with meals that EVERYONE likes is proving to be difficult. ( a six year old that is appalled by anything green or red, and a 13 year old that is opposed to meat doesn't help matters.) Oh yeah, meat. That is another issue all together. Have you ever seen the documentary Food Inc.? It messed me up.. but thats another post.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
A Promise from God
"Sing , O barren, you who have not borne!
Break forth with singing and cry aloud. You who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate
Than the children of the married woman," says the Lord.
"Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords,
And strengthen your stakes.
For you shall expand to the right and to the left,
And your descendants will inherit the nations,
And make the desolate cities inhabited."
Isaiah 54:1-3
I long to see a person that looks like me And my husband. To see the look in my husband's eyes as he firsts glances at our little one. It has been a difficult eight years of wanting and not getting. We have done countless cycles of fertility treatments and have seen a specialist, all for not. I did have one pregnancy and was thrilled, it was taken from me at 10 weeks. That was a hard lesson of "the Lord gives and takes away." I have struggled with all the questions; why me? Why her? And seeing teenagers and women who don't want children have one after the other, or hearing of their abortions. Seeing my younger siblings have children, and everyone tells me "your time is coming"....I hate that one!!!! We have had opportunities to possibly adopt several times and it always fell through. My thoughts, "I can't even have someone elses kids." Oh, I have cried many tears!
The Lord first gave me the scripture in Isaiah in 2003, while I was praying over a situation, and many times since then through others. I have stood upon that promise! It took me a long time to BEGIN to see the plans He has for me (for us).
In '03 a little 10 year old boy came to stay with us. His mother was an acquaintance, and she was not in a good place. I offered to take him until she got on her feet again, so the state wouldn't take him....she agreed...he has never left!! He is our son now, I am his Mom. His sister was with us for a time and went back home. Then in '06 I received a phone call that she was in CYFD (Children Youth and Family) custody. We became foster parents and at 16 she came to live with us, we adopted her. It was final 2 days before her 18th birthday.
May of 07 is when I lost my baby. I cried out to the Lord, I told Him that I was leaving it in His hands. I was finally at the piont where I could say, "God if you never give me a child I will still love you with all of my heart and move on with my life in You without sadness. My days of crying and dwelling over not having a child are over." His Grace is sufficient for me. I will serve Him in the waiting. I will worship in the waiting.
We opened our home to other foster children in April '08. There has been 25-30 kids stay in our home since then. Some for a night and some for a year. We have four girls right now that have been with us for almost a year and a half.
We have let them stretch out the curtains of our dwellings, we have lengthened our cord and strengthened our stakes. We have seen this promise from God come to pass in our lives!! Our God is a good God and He has a plan for us! We are blessed because He has CHOSEN us to do this work. We are privillaged to be able to touch the lives of so many youth. To show and share the love of Christ with them. He has given me the desires of my heart, just not in the way one would expect.
God is Great!!
Break forth with singing and cry aloud. You who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate
Than the children of the married woman," says the Lord.
"Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords,
And strengthen your stakes.
For you shall expand to the right and to the left,
And your descendants will inherit the nations,
And make the desolate cities inhabited."
Isaiah 54:1-3
I long to see a person that looks like me And my husband. To see the look in my husband's eyes as he firsts glances at our little one. It has been a difficult eight years of wanting and not getting. We have done countless cycles of fertility treatments and have seen a specialist, all for not. I did have one pregnancy and was thrilled, it was taken from me at 10 weeks. That was a hard lesson of "the Lord gives and takes away." I have struggled with all the questions; why me? Why her? And seeing teenagers and women who don't want children have one after the other, or hearing of their abortions. Seeing my younger siblings have children, and everyone tells me "your time is coming"....I hate that one!!!! We have had opportunities to possibly adopt several times and it always fell through. My thoughts, "I can't even have someone elses kids." Oh, I have cried many tears!
The Lord first gave me the scripture in Isaiah in 2003, while I was praying over a situation, and many times since then through others. I have stood upon that promise! It took me a long time to BEGIN to see the plans He has for me (for us).
In '03 a little 10 year old boy came to stay with us. His mother was an acquaintance, and she was not in a good place. I offered to take him until she got on her feet again, so the state wouldn't take him....she agreed...he has never left!! He is our son now, I am his Mom. His sister was with us for a time and went back home. Then in '06 I received a phone call that she was in CYFD (Children Youth and Family) custody. We became foster parents and at 16 she came to live with us, we adopted her. It was final 2 days before her 18th birthday.
May of 07 is when I lost my baby. I cried out to the Lord, I told Him that I was leaving it in His hands. I was finally at the piont where I could say, "God if you never give me a child I will still love you with all of my heart and move on with my life in You without sadness. My days of crying and dwelling over not having a child are over." His Grace is sufficient for me. I will serve Him in the waiting. I will worship in the waiting.
We opened our home to other foster children in April '08. There has been 25-30 kids stay in our home since then. Some for a night and some for a year. We have four girls right now that have been with us for almost a year and a half.
We have let them stretch out the curtains of our dwellings, we have lengthened our cord and strengthened our stakes. We have seen this promise from God come to pass in our lives!! Our God is a good God and He has a plan for us! We are blessed because He has CHOSEN us to do this work. We are privillaged to be able to touch the lives of so many youth. To show and share the love of Christ with them. He has given me the desires of my heart, just not in the way one would expect.
God is Great!!
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