Changes...

God wants to change my heart, not necessarily my circumstance.

Warning!

Stay clear of our house! We are contaminated with the flu! Kip and Maddox got sick over the weekend and they are still not feeling well. No fun! Maddox isn't sleeping which means mommy isn't either. The doctor did put me and the other kids on tamiflu so hopefully no one else will catch this stuff. I think we will do the flu shot next year...

Senorita Embarazoso!

Over the weekend I went to a Southern Living party at my good friend, Marcey’s, house. Melissa and Marcey (twin sisters) and I have been friends since the seventh grade and I love getting together with them. We always have something to laugh about! The party’s theme was South of the Border and at the beginning of the meeting there was a hostess quiz. You got points for if you owned an apron, made homemade guacamole (instead of buying the bag kind), made weekly menus to shop from, owned more than one set of dishes… Anways, the winner had like 18 points and the loser had 6… Which do you think I was?!
So embarassing! I should have lied about my points. Oh well, it was funny! And the picture turned pretty good :).

Deceptively Delicious

Cookbooks are not something that I usually read or care for, but I love this one! In case you haven't heard the gist of the book is that you steam and puree vegetables and then hide them in ordinary foods from muffins to tacos! I've decided pureeing is actually an art form, my mom let me borrow her cusinart and oh there is no turning back! The other day I fit an entire butternut squash in that sweet machine and it gave me all kinds of thrills, scary! Well, I love vegetables and my family doesn't so this is the perfect idea for us. I get to nibble on all sorts of fresh veggies (steamed cauliflower, yum!) while I puree and my family gets their nutrients without even knowing it! They turn their nose up at what Maddox is eating, little do they know! The rebel in me loves to hide crazy vegetables from my them, epecially my husband :)! He has no idea what he's eating! No, if he asks I tell him, well usually...

Here's my favorite recipe Tacos, the crushed tomatoes and vegetable puree make them thick and rich (I also put leftovers inside soft tortillas and make quesdillas)

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 Tbl olive oil
• 1 lb lean turkey (I use half lean and half extra lean)
• 1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes with juice
• 1/2 cup sweet potato, carrot, or butternut squash puree (you could just throw a sweet potato in the microwave for 10 minutes and then puree in the food processor)
• 1/2 (1.25 ounce) packet of taco seasoning
• 1 package taco shells
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese

I also puree canned black beans and salsa as an additional filling, no need to cook before hand.

1. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and set over med-high heat. When skillet is hot, add oil. Add meat, breaking it up with a spoon. Brown for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in tomatoes and their juice, vegggie puree, and seasoning mix. Reduce heat to low and simmer until meat is no longer pink and the mixture begins to thicken, 10 to 15 minutes longer.
3. Preheat the oven to 325 F. (I preheat my shells a little) Then I put fill with my black bean mixture and then meat mixture and finally sprinkle with cheese. Stand the shells in a baking dish and bake until the cheese melts, 5 to 10 minutes. Add your favorite toppings!

MY MAN!

My sweet lover, there are so many things I treasure about Kip! I decided to just list twenty! Happy Valentine’s Kip!

1. He’s so funny, he always has everyone laughing
2. He sings! That voice gets me every time!
3. The way he chases Myla until she will kiss him
4. He’s a little boy in a man’s body (this can be annoying, but it’s also really cute)
5. The way he plays with Mason (see above)
6. He makes Maddox laugh and practices saying “dada” with him
7. There’s a lot I don’t understand so he explains things to me (he makes up an answer if he doesn’t know)
8. He’s really smart!
9. I love it when he’s excited and his whole face smiles
10. He’s sensitive, we both cry at sad movies
11. He protects me and the kids and turns into a bear if we are threatened
12. He’s a great negotiator
13. His kisses send me off to far away places :0
14. He always wants to open gifts early
15. He works hard and those that he works with respect him
16. I tend to be uptight and he has a way of relaxing the mood
17. He’s loyal and devoted to whatever he does
18. He’s a natural giver
19. He’s a musician, can play songs on the guitar just by hearing them
20. He’s MINE!!!

Who Me?

Awh, denial... Darn pink elephant! Everytime it's exposed I am shocked, surprised, mortified, and embarrassed. Well, today it was exposed again and I still felt all those same emotions, but instead of rolling up in a ball and crying I started laughing. I mean big, full laughs. Maybe it was just the way it was delivered or something else. Whatever it was my immediate response was laughter and now I can't stop smiling. A line from the song Amazing Grace came to mind.

"T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear. And Grace, my fears relieved. How precious did that Grace appear the hour I first believed."

I can't put it into words, but in that moment Grace was there.

Pictures

Pictures, pictures, pictures... When I look at other people's photos I imagine that they are somehow perfect. Like they have found the secret that makes life right. That's a lie, a lie that unfortunately I sometimes take advantage of for my own life. Pretty on the outside means pretty on the inside. Anyways, try not to imagine perfection in my photos and I'll try not to imagine it in yours :).

Great Wolfe Lodge

So the Great Wolfe Lodge was truly great! Despite the fire alarm that woke us at 8 am on Saturday and Mason getting sick at 6 am on Sunday! The waterpark was awesome it is truly a little person's fantasy! Here are some pictures to prove it!