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:)