Jan. 30

I love pinterest. I love how there are so many ideas on how to do everything but I really love how it has opened my eyes to so many different recipes and foods; not to mention, all the health and fitness tips.
Yesterday I began the at home body circuit and it was challenging but a LOT better than that devil Insanity crap.
This morning I ran by some hummus recipes and kept seeing it as a healthy alternative to snacking. I have never had hummus and never really had an opinion on the spread. So I found a sweet potatoe recipe and went to get the ingredients. Of course our store didn't have tahini so I am going to have to try to substitute something for it but I did find some fresh spread there.

Mmmm it is divine! I have only had it with carrots but I'm gonna make me some pita chips later. The pita chips in the store are $5 a bag so I bought the bread which was only $2.50.

Also this month we have cut back on sodas (which I could count on my fingers and toes how many I had last year) and sugary drinks. However, I have been seeing all the benefits of teas on pinterest so I picked me up some today.

Last night at my women's book club I had some honey chai and it was so wonderful!

Another healthy snack is applesauce. I love the homemade apple sauce I make here and it cuts down the sugar even more. My last batch I made with agave nector and YUMO! I actually liked the taste better than the brown sugar.

Little changes are going good in our house so far. Lots of water, veges, and exercise(well more than none).
Another great change in my life is that I am no longer taking the devil pill (aka birth control)! I know that it stays in one's system for some time after taking it but I feel so much better. The only thing I didn't think about was the painful and dreaded cramps that creep up on you for hours upon hours in the mornings....oh well. This morning I just laid and waited it our while sipping some herbal.tea and looking at pinterest. I froze all my bananas or I would have been downstairs munching on some. I've heard those help.

Sewing is coming along nicely...stubbornly...but nicely. I made my first infinity scarf for Aubree. Its a spring scarf and she BETTER like it and WEAR it always!
haha...
no but really...

This past weekend we had the most wonderful day date. Sunday was absolutley gorgeous outside so we decided to go for a motorcycle ride along the coast to North Shore. I loved it! We stopped at China Man's Hat park and watched a little girl fly her kite then we drove around Koulua Ranch where they have horseback rides and the Jurassic Park tours. We drove up throught the mountain and then watched some North Shore surfing. We stopped in the Historic Haliewa town and ate some fresh sandwhiches before we drove up to Dillingham. Dillingham is where they have small planes that fly and people sky dive out of them. Also, there is a wind surfing beach there where we stopped and watched all of these parachute surf riders ride the waves. There was a golden retriever there. Made the scene perfect.
Rode back home and saw the huge wind mills, sugar mills, macadamia nut farms, and the pineapple farms. Drove ahead of this huge rainstorm and made it back in time to watch Once Upon a Time!
 I mean to tell you it was wonderful! The whole trip was about 6 hours but totally worth the sore bum!




China Man's Hat park




Kualua Ranch Park




North Shore Windmills




Haliewa Historic Town





North Shore Pipe Line



Saturday we went and saw the Grey. Ughhh..I hate that movie. Nothing good to say about it except that I thought the wolves were pretty. Well when they weren't eating people. HATED IT! RUINED MY DAY. We were about to get up and leave after about 30 min. but I didn't want to waste our money so I just burried my face in Jakes shirt and cried my way though it.
BUT....lessoned learned. I mean it ranks up there with My Dog Skip and Little Nemo.

Jake kinda liked it. Probley because of all the blood shed and horrible ending. He's such a man.

I always feel as if I need to end my posts with some ending of my day or week but I really don't know what else to say. Its only 12'oclock in the afternoon here so I'm gonna go off and enjoy the rest of the day!

Car Sales

So I have a story.
We put our Xterra up for sale Monday and have recieved 2 phone calls about it. Yesterday, while I was at the beach, Jake tells me that someone is interested in looking at the car that night but they don't know their way around the island. Jake suggests meeting them half way at a Walmart. We don't ever go to walmart because it uses about $20 in gas just to get there for one car. But Jake is kind and the couple were new to the island and interested. So we take both cars in case they want to take home the Xterra. I was nervous because I had to drive in traffic on a 4 way lane highway at night. But I was in a good mood. We get there and wait. and wait.
Jake called the couple to see if they may have gotten lost or was running a little late. Turns out they thought they had called us two hours ago to cancel the meeting. Needless to say I was so mad. $35 down the drain just in gas and a wasted hour and a half. Jake on the other hand was so nice and understanding. He was polite and a total sweetheart. This infuriated me! I just sat there and looked at him. How could he be so understanding? How is he not getting mad? MOST people would have maybe sworn, gotten angry, or who knows what else with those people on the phone...not my husband. He told them no worries and to have a good evening!!!
I jumped out of the car and into the Xterra dreading the drive home in the dark. During this time I had about 45 minutes to think. Talking on the phone is illegal so I prayed and thought.
Why did I get so mad? Yes I hated the fact that we wasted the evening and threw away money but why didn't I rejoice over the fact at what a wonderful man I married? He is so kind and patient and all I did was fume!
I know there was a purpose for the situation last night and if the only purpose was to remind me of how blessed I am to be married to such a wonderful man, then that should is enough.
God tells us to rejoice in all circumstances and that He has His purposes. Latley I have been really trying to see that and last night was just another situation where I had an oppurtunity to glorify Him or act like a 2 year old brat.
Fail.
So I will approach the next phone call and meeting differently and hopefully each situation that presents itself to me with a little more kindness and patience like my beloved husband.

the end

Just another post :)

Well I am excited to tell you all that I am still living and not dead.
The reason I write this is because I seriously thought I was dying this morning when working out with the Insanity DVD. It was Day 1 and I thought I was going to die. I'm serious. Jake is so commited and is really wanting to do this for 60 days. Ummm...one day at a time for me. I did make it through the entire first day without passing out but I did hobble upstairs and sat next to the commode until the vomiting sensation left me (which was an hour and a half later....yes I am pathetic.) I don't know if I want to ever do that again. I don't feel good about doing it I just feel pain....
So anywase....

On a lighter note, I got to finish eating my baked oatmeal (which is the most wonderful baked oatmeal I have ever eaten!!) and not having to throw it up went to go work on some sewing!


Making these into little therapy wheat pouches




Some beautiful fabric my momma sent to me




There is so much ironing involved




Getting a head start on some baby burp rags!




My little set-up (sorry its so dark)

 I love learning about the sewing machine and making new things. I am hoping this saves me some money down the line when I learn more than just straight-stitching and the basics. Not to mention all of the home-made gifts!

I have been journaling latley. Recently during my quite times I have wished that I had a journal to just write down all of my prayers, thoughts, decisions, doubts, worries, and goals. I am learning so much and am really trying to 'listen' more.

Vegetarian week went well, and the second week went well also. I did have some chicken thigh strips today on my salad but other than that veges have been everywhere. Not doing so great with the water intake. I haven't been drinking anything other than water and gatorade not even tea. I just cant get those glasses into one day!
We went to the beach yesterday and got belted with sand. Jake looked so uncomfortable but kept telling me he was having a good time. After an hour of not complaining one bit we finally went back home. He is so nice to me. We got to watch my beloved Once Upon a Time and screamed when Mary Margarete and James kissed!!! Ughh I was so excited. It really is the most wonderful show.
Put our Xterra up for sale! Hoping someone will make an offer soon....well kinda...I have really liked that car but the military will only move 1 car per family which makes complete since for families here to only have 1 car??*sarcasm*
Even tho it has broke down and cost us thousands of dollars in repair, it really was a nice car ;)

My Christmas tree is still up....Jake thinks it looks nice in the frontroom and I'm not going to argue with him. I just thought the movers could pack it while they are here so I don't have to worry about it.

I'm gonna go post about the baked oatmeal I made Saturday. You really should try it. It was so delicous and SO HEALTHY! woo woo. I love those recipes.

Sewing Machines :)

So last week my mom called and said she had a suprise coming to me in the mail and that it was a sewing machine!!
I already have my sewing room set up and have the DVD How To instructional video ready to be played.

I'm pretty excited as you could probley imagine!!! I have been on pinterest nonstop trying to find some projects that I want to do!

   





   

and

     

There are so many options now available to me! I wish that the only awesome fabric store wasn't on the other side of the island and hidden in China Town. These projects seem pretty 'easy' and hopefully I can start on some baby burp rags for some gifts and for my own :)

Also last week was vegetarian week here. Let me just tell you that everysingle meal that was made was AWESOME! the only meal that I probley wont make again was the black bean soup but thats because it made a whole lot and we are still eating on it 4 days later.

Our bodies are a lot more....regulated...haha...but I don't feel really weak from lack of protiens but we did eat a lot of beans and rice. I LOVED the stuffed speghetti squash.

This past weekend we went to a surfing contest and it was so cool. The waves huge on Saturday! We went out to a little bakery for breakfast and then to the craft store to make a new spring wreath and the Jake suprised me by taking me to the contest. It was packed so we just parked the truck and sat on top of the roof and watched for awhile. We went back Sunday in our bathing suits but it rained the entire time. Jake saw a whale! I missed it. I only saw the aftermath and then it swimming away spraying water from his blowhole. When his mom and grandma were down we went hiking to go see the whales and he saw a whale jump out there too but I missed it! I want to see a whale jump out of the water!! I only see the fins or blowhole water.

Jake had yesterday off so we just stayed at the house. I went to the gym again and came home and spent the afternoon making the wreath. Jake made all of the flowers for it because I could not make them look good for anything.
We ordered some pizza ($10 large pizza Monday Madness!) and watched The Thrill of it All!! I love that movie.
Today he is back to work and I am desperatly needing to go grocery shopping. We are going to have Salmon this week and maybe a chicken breast over the weekend but I do have another week full of vegetables and beans!

Hope everyonoe enjoyed their 3 day weekend!
Can it be Sunday again? I LOVE ONCE UPON A TIME!!!

Aveeno

So I cleaned out my bathroom today and I think I may like Aveeno products......

Needs vs. Wants

Ever since Jake and I have come back to Oahu, I have been constantly thinking. Thinking about resolutions, new recipes, moving, military, BABIES, money, and family. There are things I would love to have. Back in Arkansas if you were to go up to my room you would find my closet full to the rim of items that I keep there for my future home. I have pyrex galore, camping gear, bedding, clothes, dishes, and other items that I have set aside to wait for. I can't ship everything out here because it will break sooner or later OR scratch during the move.  I know this because of TMO's reputation around base and through word of mouth. SO I wait.

This may be the most selfish thing in the world to read but it is true. I want things. For the last 15 years of my life I have wanted one thing. One  little tiny thing that would make my house a home.



I know it seems ridiculous. I KNOW your saying, "Emily, thats not what makes a house a home!" Ok, so I may have exaggerated a little bit but it would make me happy. Living here it is just not practical to have one. It wouldn't be smart. There isn't anywhere for it to go and play and it would scratch up the floors and aggravate my neighbors. Sigh..... I mean my sisters both have dogs and I know for a FACT that they haven't dreamt of their dogs for years and included them in future home drawings and looked at every commercial knowing if it is a dog commercial a golden retriever will pop up any second. Yet, they have one. I suppose this is a 'letting out steam' and completley 'selfish' post. But nonetheless, it is MY post.

On another note, I would love to have children. It seems strange to me to think about this because I still feel like a child in a lot of ways but I want to have a child to hold and to care for. I want to bring it 'home' and nurture it and show him/her how wonderful of a daddy they have. I want to smell it's little head and rub baby lotion on his/her feet each morning and night. I want to bring him/her to Memaw's house and see what a great family they were born into. I want to take pictures and experience why God created me as a woman. I want to rock him/her back and forth until they go to sleep and sing to them.

On still another note, I want a home. I want a place to decorate and to organize. I want to make it into our little Gordon world where Jake can escape the day and relax. I know we have that here in a since. In another since we share our little world with our loud neighbors and 7,000 other people in front of our window. I grew up living on the farm and the only other people besides my family were the Sandifers!? I want to garden, sew, cook, entertain, paint, craft, and play with MY DOG outside.

I want a vaccum.

I want to be warmed by my church family and go to lunch on Sunday afternoons with my families. I want to pick up the guitar again and worship. I want to see my sisters. I want to have friends.

I want a golden retriever....did I metion that?

It is SO hard to recognize the difference between the desires of one's heart and the leading of where God wants you to be. As a woman, these wants are natural. They are. There is not one thing wrong with them. However, where they are placed and with whom are not my decision. That decision belongs in the hands of God.

This morning I read about Samuel. At 12 years old and not even knowing God voice was eager to serve his Master at His calling. He went to Eli willing to serve. Eli told him to wait and IF God calls to him again, to listen and serve. I am hearing a lot about sitting still and wait. I don't want us to make the wrong choice. I don't want us to be unhappy with our lives.

I don't want Jake to leave again.

I need God. I need to wait and listen to His whisper or booming voice. I need to get off my lazy behind and go to the gym...BUT...

I know what the desires of mine and Jake's heart are. God knows, more importantly.
So we sit and wait.


And in the mean time I look at pictures of Golden Retrievers and dream :)

Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas!

I love sweet potatoes and black beans. When I saw that there was a recipe for those components in an enchilada, well I knew it was going to be either good or a total fail.

They weren't good.

They were AWESOME.

I made a few changes in the recipe that I felt were needed. One was cheese. An enchilada needs cheese. Noted, it was only like 3 T of low fat Cheddar because thats all there was left in the fridge but it was put on there. I also drizzled the cut up sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper before roasting them because thats what Giada would have done :)

These ingredients are for 2 batches, I just made one but next time I will make 2 and freeze the other. Just half it if you want 1 pan full.

Ingredients:

-4 large sweet potatoes

-2 T. olive oil

-2 cloves garlic

-2 roasted green chilis

(or two 4 oz. cans chopped green chiles)

-2 cans black beans, rinsed

-3 large tomatoes

(or two 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes)

-2 T. chili powder

-salt & pepper

-4 C. salsa

-16 large tortillas

-1/2 red onion

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Peel your sweet potatoes and chop them into 1-inch chunks.  Spread them out on ungreased cookie sheets (Or use a Silpat!) in a single layer.  Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, tossing halfway through.

 

Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Chop up your garlic, red onion, green chilis and tomatoes ( I used canned)

After 20 minutes, remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and reduce the temperature to 350 degrees.

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, add the garlic and green chiles and cook for about 30 seconds.

Add the black beans, tomatoes, chili powder, salt and pepper.

Stir in the roasted sweet potatoes and let everything cook together for about 5 minutes.

 

While the filling is on the stove, prepare two 9×13 glass dishes by spraying lightly with olive oil spray..again just use 1 dish if you are halving recipe. Coat the dish with a thin layer of salsa

Grab your tortilla (use whole wheat!) and spoon out a spoonful in the middle. The recipe should make 8 enchiladas. Lay the seam side down on the dish. If you have any extra filling (which you more than likely will) add it over the top with some another cup of salsa (and cheese).

Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes and serve and ENJOY!

http://inspiredrd.com/2010/08/black-bean-sweet-potato-enchiladas.html

You won't be left hungry after one serving! I made spanish rice with these and ate one enchilada and was filled to the rim! Jake had 2 and was over-full. We still have leftovers!

Healthified White Chili

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• coarsely ground black pepper to taste
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 green chile peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 (8 ounce) package mushrooms, sliced
• 3 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 2 cubes chicken bouillon
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 bay leaves

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook chicken in olive oil with black pepper until brown. Stir in onion, garlic and chiles and cook until onion begins to soften.
2. Stir in bell peppers, mushrooms, beans, green onions and parsley. Pour in wine and chicken broth. Season with bouillon, rosemary, thyme, oregano and cumin. Place bay leaves in pot, cover, reduce heat and simmer 90 minutes.

I put all of the herbs in it and only 3/4 c white cooking wine and let me tell you it was so amazing! And completly satisfying! Mhmmm

The Weekend!

This past weekend was so wonderful based on the fact that Jake and I had a show marathon.
Not just any show marathon.
 I LOVE ONCE UPON A TIME.
I mean there are a few movies/shows that I will actually say I love:
Harry Potter
Lord of the Rings
As Time Goes By
and now....
Once Upon a Time

Yes. It's that good to make my list. The first time I saw it was on the airplane back in June where I watched the first two episodes. At the time I thought it was this amazing movie that I wanted to watch over again but didn't know anything about. Then on my last flight where I was throwing up the entire time in the airplane's restroom, this show calmed me down and helped me make it through that horrible 6 hour flight.



When I came back home my Aunt Sandy and Chanel asked me if I had ever seen it and I was just amazed how it kept coming back up in my life. I knew I was meant to see more. Oh goodness. Now for the next 6 weeks I can keep watching it!!!!
You can watch all 7 episodes for free at ABC's website. DO it. Now.

Before the amazing marathon; however, I had an incident. An incident that involved a VERY hot pepper, lips, milk, and vegetable oil. I was making this white bean soup (SO GOOD and I will share recipe) and 'thought' I had bought a regular pepper like the kind my dad grows out in the yard. The green kind. I forgot the name. Well anywase I washed it and cut it open and took a bite. At first I was like,''hmmm this is a bit hot.." and then went to go get my thawed out chicken to cut up. Then it happened. I have only had this intense pain once before in my life and it was in the second grade. We had a ethnic food day and each student was supposed to bring some type of food that characterized their ethnic class assignment. My best friend at the time had some 'pickle' juice in a styrofoam cup. I told her I drank 'pickle' juice all the time and could I have a swig? She looked at me and said, "are you sure?" I told her I did it all the time. So I took a HUGE gulp. It was jalepeno juice people. It scarred me. I spent the rest of the class under a water fountain.
Anywase back to Saturday. I stood there cutting up chicken when the intense pain hit. I grabbed my gatorade and it emptied so fast I'm suprised I didn't throw up. I called Jake and he just looked at my lips which had swollen up at this point. He asked me why I looked like that and why anyone would take a big bite out of a Anaheim chile.... he poured me some milk and I literally just stuck my face in the glass. It helped but only when my face was submerged. He looked online and found that rubbing vegetable oil over the area would help. I was up for anything. I got me some vegetable oil and rubbed the heck out of my lips, nose, chin, it seemed to hurt everywhere.
In a matter of minutes the extreme pain lessened to an unatural burning numbing sensation and then it stopped. Jake kept asking me why I was frantically rubbing the oil all over me instead of just my lips but I didn't care IT WAS WORKING!
So if this ever happens to you go grab the vegetable oil!
Just realize the next day your face will break out all over but its totally worth it.


Yesterday we went to church and came back home to watch the rest of the episodes of Once Upon a Time. Yesterday morning I finally woke up and hit the gym. I could literally hear the angels singing Hallelujah while walking to the gym. I felt so good afterwards. Showers just seem to be so much better after going to the gym. Last year, earlier on in the year, I would go to the gym every day. But then I went home and got out of the habit. When I came back I never went again. Then my little bit of depression came along and weight watchers came and THAT was just wonderfully pleasant.
Hopefully I will go again today. My thing is is that I will have to do my hair all over again.
I know....pathetic.

This week starts our vegetarianism trial. Hopefully it will be great! I'm really excited to see how our bodies react. I am still drinking tons of water! Well a lot more than I used to. I could go an entire day without drinking anything. Each day. Maybe a cup of tea for lunch. That was it. But I feel so good after this past week and drinking at least 8 glasses a day.

I am trying the Sassy Water this week as well.


Ingredients:

• 8 cups of water plus a little (2 Liters)
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, very thinly sliced
• A Dozen or So small spearmint leaves.

Instructions:

MIX ALL INGREDIENTS IN A LARGE PITCHER AT NIGHT.

Sassy water is an easy way to increase weight loss as part of a weight loss system. Help yourself by adding this mix to your daily routine. Before you go to bed, slice the lemon and cucumber, grate the ginger, and snip off some fresh spearmint leaves. Put everything in the same pitcher and stir a little.

ALLOW MIXTURE TO SET OVER NIGHT IN THE FRIDGE.

Any weight loss system is partially about discipline and routine. This part of the routine is easy ... just let it sit. If you get it done the night before, the flavors will mix overnight, and your drink will be cold, refreshing and ready to go the next day. 

DRINK THE ENTIRE PITCHER BEFORE BED.

A weight loss system always begins with a principle (drink 8 glasses), moves through discipline (routines), but always ends in execution ... nothing helps if you don't do it. The pitcher provides an easy way to keep track of your water intake. If you drink it all, you drink it all. Some people prefer to strain out the water before drinking to remove the rinds and grains that have not been absorbed.

 

I hope everyone had a great weekend and a wonderful Monday! I'm so excited that I didn't have to go back to school today!!!!!

 

Best Swedish Meatballs EVER!

So last night I made Weight Watchers Swedish Meatballs with egg noodles.

OH MY FREAKIN WORD!

Thats all I'm going to say.



http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/05/swedish-meatballs.html



Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 celery stalk, minced
• 1/4 cup minced parsley
• 1 lb 93% lean beef
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 2 cups reduced sodium beef stock
• 2 oz light cream cheese

Directions:

In a large deep saute pan, heat oil on medium heat, add onions and garlic; sauté until onions are translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add celery and parsley and cook until soft, about 3-4 more minutes. Let cool a few minutes.
In a large bowl combine beef, egg, onion mixture, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and allspice. Mix well and form meatballs with your hands 1/8 cup each (fill 1/4 cup then divide the meat in half).

Add beef stock to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and slowly drop meatballs into the broth. Cover and cook about 20 minutes. Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon and set aside in a serving dish. Strain the stock, add to blender with cream cheese and pulse until smooth. Return to pan and simmer a few minutes to thicken, then pour over meatballs.

Each Serving is 5 meatballs and 4pts! It should make around 22 meatballs. Pair this with a nice salad and your good to go.

I didn't add the celery stalk because I didn't want to buy a bag of celery just for one stalk and I seriously didn't miss the taste of it in my meatball ;)

Goodmorning Goodmorning

Goodmorning everyone! Jake has left for work and I just finished my devotional so I thought I would blog. I am still jet lagged so I wake up entirally way too early and can't go back to sleep. Yesterday I was up at 2:50 AM just sitting there. This morning it was 4:15 which wasn't too bad since Jake went for a run around 5:30. I guess I fell right back to sleep because when he got back home he came and kissed my cheek and started another As Time Goes By episode for me....he's so romantic.

Started the morning off with some fresh pineapple and raspberries. I have been craving some raspberries ever since Sarah's wedding reception. Brent's uncle Marty made the BEST fresh raspberries ever I guess by soaking them in sugar but i just put them with vanilla yogurt and YUMO!

It is beautiful outside today so I may go and clean the garden out since everything has overgrown by leaving it alone since December 12th. Oh well, I have gotten to the point where I really don't care anymore and I am just ready to leave!

I got to skype with my family yesterday as they celebrated having Chase home. It was nice seeing them all again and I felt right at home.
I've been practically obsessed with pinterest and the baby finds on there. I love classic Winnie the Pooh Themed rooms and can totally seeing myself doing that for my future child. I also found this awesome portable fireplace:



$250 compared to thousands... :)

 Wouldn't this be great in the nursery or bedroom? When I was home, one morning I woke up super early and went downstairs to lay in bed with mom. Dad was just leaving to go to work so he tucked me in and turned the fireplace on in their room. It was absolutley wonderful. I went and got all the dogs and accidently woke mom up but we just layed there and enjoyed the morning with the fire going.
I want to have that every morning!

Oh and I found the perfect project I need to do!


Isn't it beautiful? All you need is 2 king size sheets, a sewing machine, scissors, and patience. This would be a great project!

Well now I am wanting to go scour Pinterest again so I'm gonna get off of here. Hope everyone is rooting for the Hogs today!

Trying Some New Meals!!

Well it is a new year and I have yet to make any resolutions other than just one which is to drink more water. Which reminds me, I need to go make me a glass right now.....ok so other than drinking more water I haven't really thought of anything. Both Jake and I want to be stricter with our budget (which personally I think we are pretty strict already but...).
While thinking about some new resolutions, I am always aware of the fact that I need to be more physical and eat healthier. Last year I was on Weight Watchers for 5.5 months and lost a total of 6 pathetic pounds. Pretty depressing.
Have I mentioned I hate my birth control?
So anywase, while still trying to contemplate whether or not I still want to be on the devil pill I start thinking about how much meat costs Jake and I each week. 3 chicken breasts alone costs us almost $7. We eat alot of chicken people. I usually just buy the frozen bags of chicken but it still makes me sick to my stomach to see the prices.
So....
While I was searching for WW meals on Pinterest, I came across a few vegetarian meals that looked SO GOOD! It made me start thinking about limiting our amount of meat more.
My dad's a butcher. We had meat at each meal. This may be difficult.

I decided I would give it 1 week. See how it goes. See if Jake notices that there are more beans and veges and less porks and chicken.
I've never really done this before. I mean, we have pinto beans and cornbread for meals and that doesn't really have meat in it right?

I have found some recipes that look so good even Jake should like them:

• Crock Pot Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna
• Black beans and Sweet Pot. enchiladas
• Southwestern Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
• Zucchini, Corn, and Tomatoe Casserole
• A variation of a Crock Pot Black Bean soup

Dried beans and potatoes are inexpensive here and so I hope to pair these meals with extra veges and salads.
This is not a resolution just a test to see how we like it and to see how our bodies react. Jake may still have some bacon or turkey for breakfast or lunch but for dinner we are trying these.

      



Hopefully this next week we can save some money and learn to try new things!

WW Crock Pot Enchilada Soup

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/12/crock-pot-chicken-enchilada-soup.html

Do you like healthy, tasty, and affordable meals? What about meals that you can prepare earlier on and put in a crock pot to cook throughout the day to be ready for you when you get home? I'm sure everyone does! I love skinnytaste.com and was so excited to see her recent crock pot recipe for enchilada soup. Each serving is 1.5 cups and it is so filling! Even Jake was full after just one serving! This soup could easily be eaten without the chicken if you want to cut the cost even more.


Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups low sodium fat-free chicken broth
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1-2 tsp chipotle chili in adobo sauce (or more to taste)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish)
•  15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 8 oz skinless chicken breasts (16 oz total)
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions, for topping
• 3/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
• fat free sour cream (optional)

Directions:
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, 3-4 minutes. Slowly add the chicken broth, tomato sauce and chipotle adobo sauce and bring to a boil. Add cilantro and remove from heat. Pour into crock pot.

To the crockpot, add drained beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano and stir. Add the chicken breasts; cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.

Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Add chicken back into the soup, adjust salt and cumin to taste. Serve in bowls and top with fat free sour cream, cheese, scallions and cilantro. You can also top with avocado or crushed tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Welcome 2012!

Hello Everyone!
It has been awhile since I have updated this blog and since I am back to almost my normal life once again, I promise to update more often.
Jake and I just got back home last night after a long and depressing day full of flights, layovers, and tears. We really hated to leave our families. These past few weeks have been so wonderful and I sit here really not knowing where all the time went? I have so much to blog about that I will probley have to break it into sections.
Sarah June got married! She was absolutley beautiful but who would have thought anything different? The News Years weekend went by so fast and was filled with pictures, decorating, tears, smiles, and lots of family and friends.





Getting ready for the big day!



I love them both so much



My friends are so beautiful!



Sarah at her tea party



Love you Rachel!



Fell in love all over again with this little guy at the Tea Party!



Cleanup crew and future bride!

 We all loved seeing our friends and having showers and a wonderful tea party. I loved hanging out with everyone after Sarah's wedding and staying up till the ball dropped to bring in the new year.

We have so many decisions to be made this year that could change our life completly. We had decided to reinlist before we came back home for the holidays. We don't want to base any decisions on emotions but what we feel led to do by God and for what will be the best for Jake and I. While home however, we were reunited with family that loved us and that we got to be with and with friends that loved us and shared our values and beliefs. We laughed and smiled the entire time and felt at 'home' of course. Now after all of those wonderful moments we don't want to ever leave again. It is such a hard decision.

Christmas was so WONDERFUL! We both had such an amazing time with our families and reuniting with some family we haven't seen in so long. Once again we were both extremely blessed, my husband is sitting here right next to me enjoying his christmas present (new xbox...). This morning I woke up and asked him if Zumba had to have a kinect to be able to play it because I thought that would be really fun to do; however we don't have a Kinect so I didn't think anything of it. While I was grocery shopping Jake suprised me with using his store credit at gamestop on me and bought a kinect! He is so kind to me. We spent the afternoon trying to figure everything out and are downloading some demos to try to see what we like.

My mother suprised me by getting me the most wonderful bedspread ever from Pottery Barn!!!!!


Seriously the most beautiful quilt ever

 I can't wait until we move to the mainland so I can start using all my new things! I am getting a stand mixer and vacuum also! Haha doesn't christmas lists change so much over the years?



Our annual Christmas picture with our matching jim jams



Girls weekend in Silver Dollar City!



Christmas dinner with my family :)


Needless to say we had such a wonderful time and we can't wait to go back home soon!
I have a WW enchilada soup in the crock pot and am thinking about having a classic Disney marathon with all of the new Disney movies we recieved but I am jet lagged and am tired so a nice bath and As Time Goes By may have to suffice for now :)