100

Today marks a special moment in my journey of 1000 gifts. This morning I wrote down my 100th gift of thanksgiving. Only 900 more to go! Learning to live eucharisto continues to present challenges...but the rewards are far greater. I am learning the true meaning of grace, thanksgiving, and joy. I am learning to rest and find gratefulness in all of the things that I once overlooked as commonalities.

There were so many things I took for granted before this journey began. I looked at life with a monochrome palate, and an often ungrateful heart. This was not intentional, but without putting a name to all that is, I was completely unaware of the gifts that God has so graciously poured over my family and I.

I am learning to live with expectancy.
I am living with true, unsuppressed joy.
I am learning to love myself.
I am living in moments of grace and thanksgiving.

Even the hard eucharisto is becoming more natural for me as I try to view all that is from the lens of my God. It's amazing how much we learn and how much change can occur in one's heart when we begin to practice looking beyond ourselves and into the heart of God. His goodness is boundless.

Tis the Season

So...I had some fun things to post for my Five on Friday but due to chaotic circumstances, the post did not get completed. However, before moving away from this past week, I wanted to quickly share with you G's first Halloween...

I must say, she was seriously the cutest little caterpillar I have ever seen! I just love her to pieces!

Okay, moving on. This past week was a whirlwind and as this weekend passes far too quickly, I am trying to prepare both physically and mentally for this upcoming week. We have a major road trip coming up, and while the destination will be a good time, the trip...probably not so much. I'm usually pretty optimistic, but a 10+ hour car ride with an opinionated 6 month old does not sound like a load of fun.

To take my mind off of the miles ahead, I took some time tonight to lift my spirits. I fought off the urge to put up the tree, but presents...yes, Christmas presents, were wrapped in this house tonight. I usually have much more of my shopping done by this point in the year. However, with all we've had going on, very little has actually been accomplished. I was however, simply thrilled to feel the colorful paper slide beneath my fingers. There is just something so satisfying about placing that bow on top as a finishing touch. While I am not one to wish away time, I do look forward to my daughter's first Christmas.

We were also fortunate to have a beautiful day for some quick pictures earlier this morning. My wonderful sister-in-law came and out and took a few shots for us. My favorites were put onto our Christmas card (which I'll put up soon). I bought a Groupon a while back and had forgotten about it. It expires in the next few days so I had to get our card together. I'm pleased with how they turned out. I typically order from Vistaprint, but thanks to my Groupon deal, I was able to order my cards, along with some prints, for about $19 (the cost of my Groupon) from Picaboo. I will say that the cards I made and purchased this year cost more overall than those that I normally make and had I not had my discount, I probably would have opted for the company that I've used in the past.

Here are a couple of shots that I really liked, but did not make it to our card...

One tradition that I also always look forward to is filling a shoe box for Operation Christmas Child. I enjoyed this project growing up and it has stuck with me since. I even received a letter from a child in Honduras one year. Both my husband and I want to instill a mentality of giving in our daughter. This year, she'll of course be with us filling the box, however, we can't wait for (I take that back...I can wait but I do look forward to...) the day when she can pick out her own items to place in the box. We always pray over the box and its contents in hope that which ever child receives it, will come to know the love of Christ and greatly benefit from the items inside. It is so exciting to think of the joy that spreads across the receiver's face. Another cool thing that OCC has added over the last couple years is the online option to track your package and see which country it goes to. We'll definitely be taking advantage of that this year. I hope you'll consider sending a box this year.  It truly is better, and more blessed, to give than receive.

Bitty Bowties

I was going to wait to post this until Friday for my Five on Friday...but I could not wait! I had to share with my small little world the amazing goodness that I delved into this evening.

I am now officially declaring myself an Alfredo snob. I've used the short cut jarred Alfredo sauces for years. As of late however, the tables have turned and the jarred sauce just won't do (not to say that they aren't tasty...but after tonight, I am solidly sold on making my own).

After cooking my chicken and the pasta, I combined them with all that is creamy, cheesy goodness. Combine a finely shredded Parmesan, some cream, some garlic and other tasty ingredients and you  have the type of sauce that will make you physically stop and savor your first bite. I actually heard myself "mmm" in a moment of complete cream sauce bliss. I could have stayed in this perfect moment if it weren't for my darling 6 month old who was eager to have her own moment with her plums.

I can't say enough good things about this delicious dish. While it will have to be an every-once-in-a-while meal, I look forward to making it again. It's a shame that such garlicky, cheesy perfection does not go well with the loss of baby-weight.

Without further adieu, I present to you...The Pioneer Woman's Bowtie Chicken Alfredo (no surprise to you I'm sure).

 

Yum!

Making a Menu

Every month I pull together my cooking resources to create a menu. It saves me time, money, and energy. Several of my friends have asked how I do it. I believe 100% that if you have something that works, share it!  I have a lot of type A in me and this menu task is just one way I put it to good use. Here is my basic system.

1. Compile the resources from where you wish to choose your meals. I have a variety of sources ranging from cookbooks, blogs, Pinterest, etc. This month's meals come primarily from The Pioneer Woman's blog, The Pillsbury Soup & Crock-Pot Recipes cookbook, and Pinterest.

2. Have a game plan. My system is pretty simple when choosing meals. I want meals that will not take too much time away from my family and have minimal prep. I have a basic meal outline that cycles through each week.

Monday: Pasta (or as I like to call it, Noodle Night)

Tuesday: Taco Tuesday (various Mexican recipes and of course, the tried and true taco smorgasbord)

Wednesday: One Pot (these meals are usually soup or crock-pot related. The rule is that the meal has to be able to be made in one pan or pot, thus easy clean up)

Thursday: Throw Together (these are simple meals that can be made from leftovers or require minimal ingredients. Often times casseroles are used  this night.)

Friday-Family Favorites (I pull from my family's favorite recipes)

Saturday and Sunday-I'll experiment with new recipes, eat left overs, or grab a bite out while we run errands. You won't see meals listed for these days on my menu, mainly because I rarely know what the weekend will hold.)

3. Map out your meals.

4. Create a grocery list. I do this as I go along. As I write down the recipe I'd like to use, I place the ingredients on a grocery list. I typically know what I do and don't have in the house and only include items I need to purchase.

5. This is where my type A kicks in. I organize everything and transfer the menu to a printable calendar. You'll notice that some meals have letters in parenthesis. These letters indicate which cookbook, blog, etc. that I need to pull from along with the page number if needed. This goes on my fridge. I love having it there for easy access and my husband, when he's feeling it, can begin making the meal on the nights he's home before me.

6. My final type A maneuver is yet another list. I break my grocery list into sections such as "produce", "canned", "cold", "household", etc. This helps me work my way through the grocery store without any major backtracking. My list also contains other items that I need to replenish, such as shampoo, paper towels and the like.

This system can be used for any length of time, whether it be a week or a month. If you are super ambitious, I suppose you could even do a year. More power to you:) Sometimes I break up the process, and then other days, like today, I was able to complete everything between G playing and taking her nap. This process allows me to have a month's worth of meals. We eat leftovers throughout the week for lunch as well. I am proud to say that by the end of all of this, I have one grocery trip that provides my family with 3 meals a day for the entire month. Should I not feel like a certain meal one night, I can swap it out with another knowing that I have the ingredients already on hand. I simply replenish perishables throughout the month. I hope you'll find this process just as beneficial as I do.

Just for Fun

This weekend, my hubby and I went out of town for a very special baby shower. While visiting our friends, we were able to have an anniversary dinner out while they graciously kept G. The weekend was grand despite G's 3 day fever, teething, and the obnoxious hotel guests next door. The baby shower was a wonderful success and we can't wait for baby Cadence to get here come December!

Five on Friday

Finally! The week has reached its end. The ground is speckled with golden leaves and the trees are showing off their fall color flair. Absolute perfection. We have some wonderful things in store this weekend...More to come on all of that. For now, I'm linking up with The Good Life and RunningMOMentum for this week's Five on Friday.

 

 

[one]

 

Today marks a very special day for my husband and I. On this day, in about an hour from now, we will have been married for 5 years! I can't believe how quickly time has gone. We laugh about the first year or so. We definitely learned about all of the fine print that comes with the "for better or worse" part of the vows. God has blessed our marriage in ways we could not even imagine. He has carried us through awkward moments, the joining of two very different lives, infertility and the birth of our first child this year. I can't help but smile as I think about all of the possibilities that lie ahead of us.

 

 

[two]

 

To celebrate our anniversary, my husband gave me a very, very special gift. He gave me an anniversary band for my wedding set. I LOVE IT! We'll be celebrating tonight with dinner and some just us time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[three]

 

This week has been filled with joy and sorrow. While we celebrate today, just yesterday we were mourning the 1 year anniversary of my grandpa's passing. He was one of the strongest, bravest men I've ever known. There was so much strength in the hands of that farmer man. The power and callouses that were used to plow the earth, mend fences, feed the livestock, and split wood are the same gentle hands that would play keep away with our noses, hold us while he told us stories of days gone by. Those same hands held his Bible during the church sermon and the hymnal when we'd sing. I miss him dearly and hate that Gracelyn will never get to know the man that made us laugh and love the outdoors. However, I smile when I think of how he waits just inside those pearly gates to greet his grandchildren, children, and wife on the day we come Home.

 

 

[four]

 

Pumpkins, spice and everything nice! I took some time this week to enjoy a little baking. I have a simple recipe that was given to me by a friend of mine from collage. It's simply a can of pumpkin and a box of spice cake mix. They make the yummiest pumpkin spice muffins! I of course had to top them off with something sweet and delicious. I made some of my Cinnamon Maple Cream Cheese Icing. I could have ate half the pan...thus I took them to school to share with my much deserving co-workers.

 

[five]

 

My obsession with The Pioneer Woman's recipes continue. This week I made her Roasted Chicken. Oh. My. Word. This recipe was simple and is definitely a keeper. Paired with some brown rice and green beans it makes the perfect meal. It would also be delish in some chicken salad or on a sandwich. I strongly encourage you to try it!



Carving

What a good day!

Church was a blessing as always. Afterwards, G and I headed to town to eat lunch with one of my dearest friends. It was so nice to have "adult conversation". C has been pulling 72 hours from home and I was in much need of some grown up time. She made me feel so much better about my mommy moments. I had another one Friday night. My sitter informed me that G's nap schedule is changing. She is sleeping for a shorter period in the morning and longer in the afternoon. I felt so bad that I didn't even know my daughter's sleep schedule. I know in reality that there is nothing wrong with this. She has her routine at the sitter's house and she has her routine with us. I'm working on being okay with that. It's just hard sometimes knowing that I'm missing out on things.

With that being said, there have been a lot of things in my life as of late that remind me to cherish every moment with my daughter. I can't get enough of her! God has blessed our lives beyond comprehension. While we have a little while before we attempt to add another child to our home, I try to imagine what it would be like to love another child this much. It becomes almost overwhelming and yet I know God has made my heart large enough for all of the children He will place in our home. What a beautiful thought.

As the beginning of the week draws near, I'm trying to figure out the best way to approach our "homework" from Sunday School. We were challenged to carve out at least 5 minutes of time for ourselves that we would not regularly do. It cannot be a part of our regular routine. I'm trying to develop a plan to accomplish this task. I'm asking God for wisdom. He is good. He is faithful. He provides each of us the same 24 hours in a day. It's what we do with it that counts.

This week holds a lot of wonderful things. On Thursday we'll be taking G to the doctor for her 6 month appointment. I can't wait to see how much she's grown. On Friday we'll be heading out to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. On Saturday we'll be celebrating the upcoming birth of our friends' daughter with a jungle themed baby shower. I'm in charge of the cupcakes. I take great pride in my baking and decorating...unfortunately both have been very limited due to the demands of a baby. The cupcakes for this weekend will be simple, but will taste just as they should...delish!

At some point we'll be carving our pumpkins...well at least the big one. We'll probably paint G's. Who knows, we may just paint them both. It's nice to have options.

As I add to my "to do" list, have been taking the time to really be intentional with the things that I am doing. This includes G's night time routine. I love reading to her and I hope she too will have a love for literature as she gets older. Tonight I broke out a new book to add to G's list. I read The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed this story. It is so simple and sweet. If you haven't read this story to your little one, I encourage you to do so. It is also a great "first day of school" book and has been used by several of my teacher friends.

I suppose I'll head to the kitchen and finish the dishes. There are just a few things that I need to take care of before the week begins. Enjoy the rest of this beautiful weekend!

Where Did The Time Go?!

At 1:33am, 6 months ago today, our beautiful daughter entered into the world. I cannot believe that she is 6 months old! Time has flown! She is so much more active. Her laugh is contagious. Her smile melts our hearts. Everyday with her just gets better!

My hubby had to work today (by the time he gets home on Tuesday he will have been gone 72 hours) so G and I attempted to celebrate this milestone. We went to the Apple Butter Festival at a local orchard. I typically go with a good friend of mine, but since her move a few months ago, I had to go solo this year.

G and I enjoyed the sights and sounds. There were crafters and food vendors. One of the best parts is the apple tasting. They have samples of all of their apples. This is always so fun! 

We also always make our way into the pumpkin patch. G got to sit among the pumpkins and play with her very own. I only brought home two this year. I figure two will be more than enough since our time to carve or paint will be limited. G seemed to have a blast strolling through the pumpkin patch and watching the other pickers. There were babies toddling, older couples pulling wagons full of grand kids, and younger couples making a date out of the day. I had to laugh at one of the little boys. He was walking around and loudly announced that he had found a "big pumpkin gold mine" and that he had found what was possibly the biggest pumpkin in the patch. He was so proud of himself and waved frantically until his father came to see his prize. While I don't want to rush the years, I do look forward to when G gets excited about these types of things.

I took some time to work on G's memory photo book tonight. It's always fun to look back at the months and see all of the milestones she has met. I still can't believe how much she has changed since that chilly day in April.

I also took the time to finally do the voice recording for one of her story books. While it's weird hearing my voice, I do hope she'll enjoy listening to it as she gets older.













I look forward to tomorrow. I've missed my church family and our Bible Study. I also have nursery duty tomorrow which is always fun.