WOW!

This is so long overdue! This is my attempt to update from the last few months so stay tuned!

Recipes!

Pomegranate chicken with walnuts

5 skinless, boneless thighs (about 1 lb.) cut into quarters

Salt and pepper

1/4 C. EVOO

1 large onion, halved and sliced

1 clove of garlic

3/4 C. Chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 C. cranberry-pomegranate juice

2 Tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over med-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned, about 7 min; transfer to plat. Add onion,garlic and walnuts to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about 5 min. Stir in the cinnamon, scraping up any browned bits. Return the chicken and any juices to the pan, add the cranberry-pomegranate juice and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 min; transfer the chicken to a serving platter.

2. Cook the sauce, stirring occasionally until thickened slightly, about 3 min; stir in the parsley and pour over the chicken.

Serve on top of white rice:)

Sweet potato wedges

1 large Sweet potato

1 Tablespoon EVOO

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

Heat oven to 500 degrees.

Cut sweet potato into wedges and put on a baking tray.

Mix above ingredients together and toss onto wedges. Bake for 18 to 20 min.

Baked stuffed apples

Apples

Brown sugar

Cinnamon

Raisin's

nuts (optional)

Butter

Heat over to 350.

Cut out core of apple leaving just a bit behind so that the apple has a bottom to it. Peel off the apple peel only to about half way from the bottom. Place about 1/2 tablespoon of butter into each apple.

Mix together desired amount of ingredients together and stuff into the apple. Place in a baking dish and bake for 45 min covered. Then another 30 min uncovered. Serve with vanilla ice cream or cool whip!

I don't the exact measurements because I just eye ball it!

Sept 10th

School has started and we are only on day 3 and I find myself bored already. Now that both kids are in school all day long its weird having all this time to myself. As of last night ( after church ) I made a list of things that I plan on doing to keep me busy. We will see how fast I fly through that list! I tend to work faster when I have a lot of time on my hands!

We have had a crazy busy summer. It really has gone by fast. We really had no time to be bored, which was great. The weather has been getting cooler, I can feel fall making its way in. Its a bitter sweet goodbye to summer. Summer and fall are my favorite seasons. I'm sad that the long days are over and the hot weather is turning into the wet season.

I'm getting excited for the pretty colors of fall, the crisp air, warm blankets and hot tea, pumpkin patches, baking treats, and the best one of all the Starbucks pumpkin spice latte! Mmmmm! Mmmmm! good!

As we transition into fall our lives are also transitioning. We feel the Lord really moving in our lives and in a new direction. We having been helping out in the Jr. highers at church the timing was perfect we slipped in as a couple that have been helping out for years slipped out. It just kind of landed in our laps too. Funny how God does that. I was very hesitant to do it and mike was a little scarred. Now after 1 "camping expedition trip" with the group and helping out 3 times he loves it and I'm very much out of my bubble. I currently work in the 2 yr old class and I love it. I love the couple I work with and the kids. They are so cute and fun to work with.

Jr highers are like aliens. I have been in the class 3 times now and I still cant seem to figure them out. What an awkward age! was I like that?!?

I know that this is where God wants us. I know that just when you are feeling comfortable with where you are at God likes to pull you out. I know that he does it to change you and mold you but man! its painful! I'm excited in a scared kind of way. I have been learning each kid names, family back ground and some I must say have sad stories.

Just when I thought that I was going to jump ship and go to my comfortable 2 yr olds the Lord gave me a compassion for these kids. Last night as I was watching them run around out side before the service the Lord told me, I put you here to minister into their lives. To help, to be encouraging, to teach and the big one... to love on them like Christ loves us. I remember having those people in my life as a teen that I looked up to and respected. If I have the chance to be that for someone else then this is where I need to be.

It will be an interesting road but it will be good. God has a plan and who am I to say no?

July 31st

4 years ago today I married my best friend. We have had quiet the whirlwind of life in the last 4 years. We have grown together, laughed, cried, joked, danced, talked till wee hours of the night, prayed, read our bibles together and I can honestly say that there is no one who knows me better then mike. And I know him, we have truly become one. Often time we find ourselves acting like each other. I'm excited to see what the Lord is going to do in the next 4 years of being being married. He has brought us so far. I'm blessed to have mike in my life, and couldn't picture my life any different. Happy Anniversary Hubby! I love you!

Summer

Its been a fun but busy summer! You could say that the kids will remember this one for a long time, although sadly I'm afraid that they will compare the next coming summers to this one and they just might not compare. This summer just might set the standard for summers to come:)

We kicked off summer with the kids going to their dad's for a week where mike and I slipped off to Disneyland! My first trip ever! and it measured up to everything that I had imagined as a girl. I had been waiting for this moment since I was 9! I had a blast! Now that I have "Disney" out of my system we can now take the kids... that is planned for March next year.

We came home to my uncle Bruce and aunt Jana Meagan and Matthew here from Nebraska. So we spent time with them and the rest of the family till they left.

Then came my birthday, which I admit I suck the every last bit of birthday out of it. I had 2 dinners and got to float in Hagg lake with my best friend and it was great. Its more like the week of birthday. Mike likes to make fun of me because of it but oh well!

That weekend/week after my birthday we went camping first camping trip of summer! it was perfect weather so we floated around Detroit Lake at the hottest part of the day. We rode bikes and took walks it was great!

Last weekend was Old Fashion Festival in Newberg. Its tradition that we go every year. So of course I went to the parade ( mike had to work, first year with out him ) and when mike got off of work we went to get an elephant ear, apple pie fries and sit to watch the fireworks. Each year they get better, this year was spectacular!

This week the kids are off to kids camp for the week and will be back on Thursday only to be swept off to another camping trip that we were just invited to as of yesterday!

Still to come we have is 2 more camping trips, one is with the church, our 4th anniversary, a white water rafting trip and for me Portland to Coast.

And there you have it folks.... the summers of summers. Busy action packed and full of fun! that's an update on what we have been doing!

Whole wheat Banana~Strawberry muffins

I made some delicious, healthy muffins yesterday. Thought that I would share them with you! 

Whole Wheat Banana Strawberry muffins

2 eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 bananas, mashed

2 cups whole wheat flower

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 cup frozen sliced strawberries

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease 12 large muffin cups or line with paper liners.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, applesauce, oil, brown sugar, vanilla and bananas. Combine the flower, baking soda and cinnamon; Stir into the banana mixture until moistened. Stir in the strawberries until evenly distributed. Spoon batter into muffins cups until completely filled.

3. Bake for 20 min in the preheated oven, or until the tops of the muffins spring back when pressed lightly. Cool before removing from the muffin tins. 

Note~ instead of vegetable oil I use coconut oil, it is much more healthy for you and your body actually benefits from eating it instead of causing damage! and instead of 3/4 cup of brown sugar I use 1/2 cup. If you really want to go further then you can also omit the oil all together and use more applesauce also omit the sugar and let the apple sauce be the natural sweetener. Good for diabetics! 

June~ 13th

Today is our "date day" since this is the first REAL day that I get to spend with mike since he has been gone. We went to check out a new camp ground out by Sea Side. It was real pretty but not much to do so probably wont camp there. It would make a good day use hiking/ picnic place though. It did have lots of trails. Anyhow~ It was a fun little adventure. 

We then headed out to Seaside for the remainder of the day, we walked around, shopped and got ice cream. Then went home to watch a movie and eat nachos! It was a good day:)

June 6th~ Today is the day!

Mike is coming home from Georgia today! We are so very excited and very ready to have him home! Iv had so many Friends and Church Family that have been keeping me busy and checking up on me, I really appreciate it! With out you  my month would have been much slower. 

More kitty's!

My cat had baby kitten 5 weeks ago, its been fun watching them grow. The kids of course love them and have given them names but we cant have 9 cats in the house! Its getting time to find them homes so if any one is interested let me know:) 2 of them are already spoken for and 1 is a maybe but the rest rest are up for grabs! There are 3 that are available.

Zazzle

I just started this, check it out if you want to! I make custom postage and other fun stuff and then sell it! Im just getting started so there is not much to see yet but keep checking because Im adding things daily:) 

make custom gifts at Zazzle

May 6th

Tomorrow Mike is leaving for Georgia for a month:( Boo! 

I would love company or hang out with anyone who has extra time! I plan on doing fun stuff with the kids but on the weekends that they are gone it will just me by myself! Call me!!!!!

THe little things matter.

Its amazing that the little matter to us matter to God. 

My Cat, piddles had kittens on Saturday. On Sunday night she was acting sick, vomiting and diarrhea. It continued thru till Monday. By Monday night I started to get a bit worried, so I called the Vet. Of course they said it was bad and I needed to take her in. Because of our "farm" of animals I really just couldn't bring myself to pay yet another Vet bill. So I thought about it for a bit and decided to take her in today ( Tuesday ). Later on that night I went in to check on mama kitty and the kittens and decided " ya know, I'm going to pray over her, and believe that God will heal her" I know its just a cat but I didn't want to have to take care of 6 kittens. I have enough on my plate!  It only take the faith of a mustered seed right? an hr or 2 later I begin to notice that Piddles is eating again and acting like she is feel better! Praise God! How quick he works and cares about the little things that we care about! 

Hobbies

I have been taking pictures for some time now. I have always loved photography, its slowly becoming a hobby of mine. I have a program on my i phone that adds color to pictures that I have taken ( there is one that I didnt take but I did edit it ) here is what I did. 

Mike is staying!

As most of you know, Mike was to deploy. And as most of you know, he is now NOT going! yay! well I'm just now posting it because it will be officially locked in tomorrow! His orders will be changed to AGR tomorrow which is a permanent position. 

Learning to trust God even when things get shaky can be hard but in this we have seen his hand in it all the way and are truly thankful that he sees the big picture and guides our paths.  

I lost my wisdom!

I lost my wisdom last Thursday. I will admit I was very scared. I was almost in tears when the lady called me back. I have never been under before, have never been on pain meds and have never had surgery before. I'm actually pretty healthy! Praise God! So for me, this was huge! 

I had a ton of friends and family praying for me. Mikes mom even sent me flowers:) My wonderful friend Esther made me soup so I could have something other then pudding and jello to eat.... Thanks Esther! Anyhow~ All those prayers were heard! My surgery went so well that I don't even need to go in for a check up. I was only in surgery for about 45 min. give or take a few. I had all 4 teeth pulled! Yikes! 

It really wasn't that bad, it was all in my head... go figure! 

Recovery is actually worse then I thought. The stitches are nasty feeling and food gets stuck in them, looking forward to when they dissolve and I have gaping holes back there..... fun! The pain meds made me feel really funny. Not a fan. 

I'm glad that its over and don't have to do that again! Just another experience I get to add to the book. 

We still don't know...

As most of you know, Mike is on the deployment list. In a nut shell ( if you want to read the whole story go to mike page its called " cats out of the bag" His web address is mjmarugg.blogspot.com ) his boss is trying to keep him here and of course he does not want to go as well. We have been in limbo since Oct? I think it is. It has been "your going, now your not, your going, no your not" and so on and so forth. All the while mike has been working on trying to transfer to a different unit that is not deploying. That got denied. Mike was offered a job this month, a position that would mean he would belong to recruiting as of now he belongs to an infantry unit. Its a position from what I understand is non-deployable. He has to pass a board and a PT test which he has been working hard on. But of course there is a catch... The troops are scheduled to leave on April 6th the board is scheduled for April 9th. Yesterday recruiting higher ups had a meeting with mikes unit higher ups about him not deploying. We were expecting to here word sometime yesterday and of course nothing so far.

I am on edge. I'm uneasy, and extremely nervous. At this point I want to know ether way. The deployment is only a couple of weeks away and I want to know do I continue on as normal? do I prepair myself and my family for mike to be gone? How do I spend these next few weeks? I don't know. This is defiantly a test of faith for me right now. I must say I am really having a hard time with this. I don't show it and I don't want to talk or think about it. God is that only thing that seems to keep me sane right now. I know that he has a plan and whatever that plan is its for his purpose. 

I don't know when we will hear the official word. It may be the day before the troops are supposed to leave. In the mean time PLEASE, PLEASE keep up in your prayers. 

Thank you all for your love and support. I don't know what I would do or where I would be with out my friends or family. 

Adventures on the Mt. #2 - Feb 1st

                                               Anthony was sliding away so I had to hold him!
                                              Mike attempting to be silly

We took Anthony snowboarding Sunday after church. Aaliyah went to spend the day with Grandma.

Kutless Concert

 
My Friend, Jenn was in for the weekend from Walla Walla. Mike and I had planned on going to the Kutless concert and she came along. The concert was really good, of course and we had a blast! By the way its been years since I had been to a concert so it was really nice to go to this one:)

( The top left picture, I tried to capture some of the concert but my camera was not having it so thats the best I could but you get the idea)

Jan 26th- 30th Family trip to Eagle Crest

                                                   The Girls, Me, Aaliyah, and Lindy

                                                The Boys, Mike, Anthony, Kalvin, and Kody


                                       The Kids, Aaliyah, Anthony, Kody and Linden

                                          Linden sitting on Uncle Mikes lap... she fell asleep there not to long                                                                      after this picture was taken:)



                                                                   Lindy and Nancy

I'm back! I have found my camera and have some catching up to do:) So here it is the latest!

We have started an annual family trip to Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond, this is our 2nd year at this new "tradition". Mikes Dad and step mom, His sister Lindy and her husband Kalvin and their kids Kody and Linden we all spend the week hanging out, eating and spending time together.