Blessings, blessings, abound, even though its been a tough week. A best friend from college has had her world turned upside down, a best friend from work is moving on, and another one at work HAS moved on. (Jill Beall that would YOU). I totally understand the moving on and am in fact a little jealous. I don't understand why young mothers get stage 4 brain cancer though. One day they are fine, the next, normality is gone for their whole family. Kind of like when Denise had her wreck that changed her life forever. One night she was baking chocolate chip cookies with her son, and the next night she was paralyzed. I'm concluding that there are something we aren't supposed to understand and that has to be enough. It's kind of like trying to figure people out. Some you can't, others you have no chance of-for whatever the reason. Those of the ones I spend endless hours trying to figure out, too. I shouldn't. I should simply TRUST HIM. He never promised I would understand the why of everything and everyone else's business. He has promised to love me like no one else can. One thing I am learning through Sunday School....in the book of Judges for those who use the same curriculum....is that there are always consequences. Yes, God loves me and yes he forgives me when I ask, but he doesn't take away consequences. There are temporal and everlasting consequences of the things I choose. While I don't have what most people would call 'serious' sins, to ask forgiveness for, I do sin. Sin is sin. Period. Sin means there will be consequences, whether I like it or not, whether I WANT it or not. At that point I just have to accept it and GO ON. Staying where I am and griping or pouting only makes for more consequences (from my experience).
Blessings
1. Leigh Ann and Cassie--we may not see each other alot, but I am so thankful we keep in touch and text and facebook! Leigh Ann we love you and are here for you. One step at a time, sweet sisters.
2. Air conditioning (and Gary Smith who fixed ours). It's just plain hot here. Over 105 today. Way too hot to get out and do anything. Just laying on the couch in the dark with the curtains closed is the best thing to do while its so hot.
3. The little snow cone stand we discovered in Mabank. Sort of like Mr. G's in Brownsville but without the mango and tamarindo flavors! Coy's favorite so far is pink bubble gum. I think mine was the strawberry lemonade flavor.
4. Television-especially during the Olympics. I just like the Olympics and watch it nonstop-even what Grace calls the 'dorky' sports such as handball, ping pong, field hockey, water polo, and synchronized diving. I really don't even understand how to even play those sports!
5. Coy working me out in the gym. Yes, I actually typed that. My workout today was kind of wimpish, but others have not been. He tells me what to do then leaves me to do it. I enjoy that he isn't constantly critiquing me. I am overweight, so I'm not the picture of a healthy body yet. My blood sugars have done well, too. I have to eat something before I work out, otherwise it gets whacko on me. My knee is trying to be a pain but I'm determined to not let it stop me. I ice after every workout and take advil. That seems to help (til the advil wears off).
6. Christian friends. Friends that show me how to stand up for what's right. I have a friend who was in a difficult situation. Her friends were all telling her to divorce her husband but she refused-said that was not what God intended when they got married. That made me really stop and think. Looking for the easy way out is not always the right way out. Friends that listen to me and love me despite my downfalls and insecurities. Friends who don't care if my house is clean or what I make for supper. They just love me because I'm me!
7. Food to cook and experiment with. I am blessed to be enthralled with recipes and blessed to have enough money to go get what I need when I truly want to try a recipe. Lots of people in the world can't do that. God has blessed me in this area. We have enough to eat and often enough to share.
~Laurie
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!
This dinner is so easy it isn't funny! I got the stuff, threw it together then we went and worked out. Came home to a great smelling and great tasting dinner! It's fairly cheap, too. Everyone liked this, just as it is, so it'll start making our 'rotation' (if there really is such a thing). I stole the recipe off pinterest. There was a picture there and a recipe, but no link. So I'm not sure really where this came from. I just had a thought that this would make a great Sunday lunch. Set the oven timer and come home to a cooked lunch!
Oven Baked Chicken Dinner
4-6 chicken thighs (really any kind of chicken would do)
1 large can Allen green beans (drained really well)
6-8 red potatoes (washed and sliced into equal size peices)
1 stick melted butter
1 package Good Seasons Garlic and Herb dressing mix
13X9 pan
Preheat oven to 350. Spray pan with pam. After draining green beans, line them on one side of pan. Put chicken in a row down the middle. Put sliced red potatoes on the other side. Spread seasoning mix over all, but really focusing on the chicken in the middle row. Pour melted butter over all. Bake at 350 for an hour.
Coy roughly calculated this at 400 calories, that's with getting 2 chicken thighs and 1/2 cup each of the red potatoes and green beans.
Oven Baked Chicken Dinner
4-6 chicken thighs (really any kind of chicken would do)
1 large can Allen green beans (drained really well)
6-8 red potatoes (washed and sliced into equal size peices)
1 stick melted butter
1 package Good Seasons Garlic and Herb dressing mix
13X9 pan
Preheat oven to 350. Spray pan with pam. After draining green beans, line them on one side of pan. Put chicken in a row down the middle. Put sliced red potatoes on the other side. Spread seasoning mix over all, but really focusing on the chicken in the middle row. Pour melted butter over all. Bake at 350 for an hour.
Coy roughly calculated this at 400 calories, that's with getting 2 chicken thighs and 1/2 cup each of the red potatoes and green beans.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Blessings
Time for a Sunday Seven! That's even things I am thankful for...
1. My husband. I know you've all heard me before, but I am truly blessed by the man of God he has become. He has a deep understanding of God and reminds me almost daily that my main goal in life is to Glorify God. Period. (he's kind of matter of fact like that.) When I have something to talk about he listens. He wraps me in his arms and reminds that I'm God's daughter and that everything will be ok. I am truly blessed by him.
2. Air conditioning that works. Our air conditioner had issues this past week and boy am I ever thankful for Gary Smith and his working knowledge of air conditioners! It was fixed relatively quick, and I am also thankful for that. As we got hot the one night it was out, I had the chance to tell the girls that this was what it was like growing up. Windows open, listening to crickets and cars going by. You take a bath to cool off. It was definitely a blessing but I 'm not hoping to repeat the adventure soon!
3. The stupid spartica workouts. Coy found this sparticus workout in Men's Health and starting doing them. That's how he toned up and lost 30 pounds. He finally convinced me to do them. The exercises hurt like crazy. but I kind of look forward to doing them. Yes, I'm probably still doing half of the exercises wrong, but I am doing something. I had to move up in weights last time and I have been sore again. It only takes 33 minutes to complete the workout, but let me tell you that can drag out! The other days he has me walking on the treadmill. I actually jogged a little this afternoon. Scary, huh? But it does perk me up and I think I'm feeling better. My main motivation for doing this is to spend more time with Coy and get STRONGER. I've almost been doing them a month.
4. My church. My church is my second home. There are people there I can talk to, I mean really talk to., who give me Godly advice. Are we perfect? No. But we try in everything we do, to Glorify God!VBS was last week and I cherished the memories of my daughters helping. They are both naturals at it and loved every minute, even though they got tired as the week went on.
5. The girls friends. They both have friends who accept them for who they are and don't try to change them. Kids that come over and just talk and hang out. Plus their mom are pretty cool, too!
6. MSAN...Mandatory Sunday afternoon naps (stolen form my college friend Jeff Reedy).....there is just something about relaxing after a great Sunday morning worship service and just sleeping--no medication required, just laying down and falling asleep. They are the best ever!
7.I have thought several times this week that I am truly blessed to enjoy cooking. I love making food for my family. I love perusing recipes and making meal plans. And yes, we do tend to stick to them and rarely eat out unless we are on the road.
and 8. (because #8 (Tommy Kasner would want me to have 8 things instead of 7).....I am thankful that a baby girl came into our lives 8 years ago. She was teeny tiny and here for only a short amount of time. She has brought my sister Melissa and I very close even though we live a long ways apart. We are close in heart and spirit and I am forever indebted to sweet Marci for that. I can't wait to see her again someday. I know she'll be waiting on me when it's my turn to get into heaven and I an thankful beyond measure for that!
1. My husband. I know you've all heard me before, but I am truly blessed by the man of God he has become. He has a deep understanding of God and reminds me almost daily that my main goal in life is to Glorify God. Period. (he's kind of matter of fact like that.) When I have something to talk about he listens. He wraps me in his arms and reminds that I'm God's daughter and that everything will be ok. I am truly blessed by him.
2. Air conditioning that works. Our air conditioner had issues this past week and boy am I ever thankful for Gary Smith and his working knowledge of air conditioners! It was fixed relatively quick, and I am also thankful for that. As we got hot the one night it was out, I had the chance to tell the girls that this was what it was like growing up. Windows open, listening to crickets and cars going by. You take a bath to cool off. It was definitely a blessing but I 'm not hoping to repeat the adventure soon!
3. The stupid spartica workouts. Coy found this sparticus workout in Men's Health and starting doing them. That's how he toned up and lost 30 pounds. He finally convinced me to do them. The exercises hurt like crazy. but I kind of look forward to doing them. Yes, I'm probably still doing half of the exercises wrong, but I am doing something. I had to move up in weights last time and I have been sore again. It only takes 33 minutes to complete the workout, but let me tell you that can drag out! The other days he has me walking on the treadmill. I actually jogged a little this afternoon. Scary, huh? But it does perk me up and I think I'm feeling better. My main motivation for doing this is to spend more time with Coy and get STRONGER. I've almost been doing them a month.
4. My church. My church is my second home. There are people there I can talk to, I mean really talk to., who give me Godly advice. Are we perfect? No. But we try in everything we do, to Glorify God!VBS was last week and I cherished the memories of my daughters helping. They are both naturals at it and loved every minute, even though they got tired as the week went on.
5. The girls friends. They both have friends who accept them for who they are and don't try to change them. Kids that come over and just talk and hang out. Plus their mom are pretty cool, too!
6. MSAN...Mandatory Sunday afternoon naps (stolen form my college friend Jeff Reedy).....there is just something about relaxing after a great Sunday morning worship service and just sleeping--no medication required, just laying down and falling asleep. They are the best ever!
7.I have thought several times this week that I am truly blessed to enjoy cooking. I love making food for my family. I love perusing recipes and making meal plans. And yes, we do tend to stick to them and rarely eat out unless we are on the road.
and 8. (because #8 (Tommy Kasner would want me to have 8 things instead of 7).....I am thankful that a baby girl came into our lives 8 years ago. She was teeny tiny and here for only a short amount of time. She has brought my sister Melissa and I very close even though we live a long ways apart. We are close in heart and spirit and I am forever indebted to sweet Marci for that. I can't wait to see her again someday. I know she'll be waiting on me when it's my turn to get into heaven and I an thankful beyond measure for that!
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Chocolate protein bars, leftover chicken spaghetti, koolaid pie
I'm trying to catch up on some recipes. I have made this at least once a week this summer for the girls. This recipe is orginally from themarathonmom.com. I took out some ingredients to suit the girls' tastes, though. I'm not sure how much protein is actually in these bars, but I do know there's some healthy stuff in them. You could easily add dried fruit, coconut, flaxseed, etc. They don't travel well because they melt so easily, but they are good to keep in the fridge and let the girls munch on.
Chocolate protein bars
1/2 cup peanut butter (orginal recipe called for natural peanut butter)
1/3 cup (local) honey --I used wal-mart to be more cost effective
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup oats (NOT quick oats)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Other original ingredients include 2T wheat germ and 1/2 cup coconut
Melt peanut butter, honey adn butter over a low heat stirring to keep it from scorching and sticking to the bottom. Turn off burner when it's melted. Pour in oats and stir well. (add wheat germ here if you want) Stir til combined. Let is cool slightly then stir in chocolate chips (and coconut if using). Pour into a pam sprayed foil lined 8x8 pan and refrigerate. Once cooled cut into bars.
How I foil line my 8x8 pan.....I take 2 pieces of foil and put in the bottom, laying one the opposite direction than the other.
I have been boiling Grace a chicken to eat every week this summer. She eats it like crazy. She loves to dip it in A1 sauce........so I had 'some' chicken left and some whole wheat spaghetti left from lunch yesterday. Since I don't mix the spaghetti and sauce, I was able to make chicken spaghetti for lunch today. I got recipes together and realized I didn' t have quite all the ingredients to make 1 specfic recipe, so I made my own. It really didn't turn out that bad.
Leftover chicken spaghetti
Leftover spaghetti, cooked
Leftover chicken (I'm guessing about 2 cups)
1 small can mushrooms drained
1 can mild rotel drained
2 cups shredded velveeta
1 can cream mushroom soup (lowfat)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
I put the spaghetti in the bowl first and used my kithcen scissors to cut it into small pieces. I then did the same with the chicken. I sitrred all that together in a big bowl then baked it at 350 for about 30 mins. It's not too cheesy and was very moist.
I orignally saw this recipe on the internet years ago and make it once or twice a summer. Not sure why I don't make it more often since it's super easy and always gets eaten very quickly. We absolutely love it with the lemonaide kool aid mix. I've also read that its very good with the strawberry kool aid mix.
Kool Aid Pie
1 package kool aid, any flavor
1 8 oz tub cool whip (I used the lite)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 graham cracker pie crust
Gently mix first three ingredients together then place is graham cracker crust. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
I've been making these bacon wrapped eggs for the girls for the last couple of days. In fact I hve to go get some more bacon to keep making these. They love to eat these when they come in from workouts. I don't mind because it's simple and full of protein. They usually eat a protein bar (store bought) or granola bar before workouts. They hold the girls over til lunch pretty well.
Bacon wrapped eggs
4 large eggs
6 pieces of bacon
salt/pepper
Mix eggs and salt/pepper together (like you are making scrambled eggs). Spray 6 cup muffin tin with pam (Spray really well-especially if it's an old pan like mine.) Take 1 piec of bacon and fold in hald. Wrap around the inside of the muffin cup. Do for all 6 cups. Pour eggs into the 6 cups....Bacon at 350 for 20-25 minutes. You could also add cheese to the scrambled egg mixture. Less than 150 calories per serving (1 bacon egg per serving) You can also just bake the eggs without the bacon.
Chocolate protein bars
1/2 cup peanut butter (orginal recipe called for natural peanut butter)
1/3 cup (local) honey --I used wal-mart to be more cost effective
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup oats (NOT quick oats)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Other original ingredients include 2T wheat germ and 1/2 cup coconut
Melt peanut butter, honey adn butter over a low heat stirring to keep it from scorching and sticking to the bottom. Turn off burner when it's melted. Pour in oats and stir well. (add wheat germ here if you want) Stir til combined. Let is cool slightly then stir in chocolate chips (and coconut if using). Pour into a pam sprayed foil lined 8x8 pan and refrigerate. Once cooled cut into bars.
How I foil line my 8x8 pan.....I take 2 pieces of foil and put in the bottom, laying one the opposite direction than the other.
I have been boiling Grace a chicken to eat every week this summer. She eats it like crazy. She loves to dip it in A1 sauce........so I had 'some' chicken left and some whole wheat spaghetti left from lunch yesterday. Since I don't mix the spaghetti and sauce, I was able to make chicken spaghetti for lunch today. I got recipes together and realized I didn' t have quite all the ingredients to make 1 specfic recipe, so I made my own. It really didn't turn out that bad.
Leftover chicken spaghetti
Leftover spaghetti, cooked
Leftover chicken (I'm guessing about 2 cups)
1 small can mushrooms drained
1 can mild rotel drained
2 cups shredded velveeta
1 can cream mushroom soup (lowfat)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
I put the spaghetti in the bowl first and used my kithcen scissors to cut it into small pieces. I then did the same with the chicken. I sitrred all that together in a big bowl then baked it at 350 for about 30 mins. It's not too cheesy and was very moist.
I orignally saw this recipe on the internet years ago and make it once or twice a summer. Not sure why I don't make it more often since it's super easy and always gets eaten very quickly. We absolutely love it with the lemonaide kool aid mix. I've also read that its very good with the strawberry kool aid mix.
Kool Aid Pie
1 package kool aid, any flavor
1 8 oz tub cool whip (I used the lite)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 graham cracker pie crust
Gently mix first three ingredients together then place is graham cracker crust. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
I've been making these bacon wrapped eggs for the girls for the last couple of days. In fact I hve to go get some more bacon to keep making these. They love to eat these when they come in from workouts. I don't mind because it's simple and full of protein. They usually eat a protein bar (store bought) or granola bar before workouts. They hold the girls over til lunch pretty well.
Bacon wrapped eggs
4 large eggs
6 pieces of bacon
salt/pepper
Mix eggs and salt/pepper together (like you are making scrambled eggs). Spray 6 cup muffin tin with pam (Spray really well-especially if it's an old pan like mine.) Take 1 piec of bacon and fold in hald. Wrap around the inside of the muffin cup. Do for all 6 cups. Pour eggs into the 6 cups....Bacon at 350 for 20-25 minutes. You could also add cheese to the scrambled egg mixture. Less than 150 calories per serving (1 bacon egg per serving) You can also just bake the eggs without the bacon.
Saturday, July 07, 2012
Well, it's been a long day! We officailly ended vacation this afternoon with a trip to teh movies. Grace has been begging us to take her to see Abraham Lincoln Vampire Slayer. We were leery because it's Rated R. Grace read the book and so did Coy. No sex scenes in it just gory blood. So off we went. I normally do not like movies in general, but this one was actually ok. There really wasn't that much blood in the movie. Coy said there was waayy more in the book and that the Aveangers movie probably had more violence than this opne (it wasn't rated R). Anyways, its was ok. Poor JoGail. We have probably tainted her view of Abraham Lincoln. I'm not so sure she can separate history from myth. (Actually I'm not sure she KNOWS his history) Everytime I looked down at her in the movie she was just watching, munching on her popcorn.
We started my workouts today and oh my am I sore. Like really sore. Like I can't remember the last time I was this sore! Coy's having me do the Sparticus (or Spartica...ahem Missy) workout. It's basically alot of variations of pushups and stuff. I've decided that Coy needs to be a personal trainer when he retires. You should see some of the food we are eating and the recipes we are trying. I'll post a few so I can find them later on. Most have been decent. The power protein balls (20 g protein per ball) were ok. I could get tired of them pretty quick, though. The bacon wrapped tuna was delicious. I also made a bacon wrpaped egg thing for breakfast. You just take a piece of bacon and wrap it inside a muffin tin. Then mix up scrambled eggs and poor in teh muffin tins and bake at 350 for 30 mins. Very high in protein breakfast. My muffin tin had to soak to get clean though. Bacon and eggs seem to be favorite meals of protein for people looking to add more protein to their diets. And the bacon's not so bad when bake it and only have one slice. I think it's like 35 calories or something ridicuously low.
We just got back from a great vacation .It was very relaxing and peaceful. With two teenage girls we did some retail therapy which has helped with back to school shopping. We are about done with that! They are almost in to the same size clothes, so you would think that would mean they could share and we could buy less, but it isn't soooo! They actually do share clothes pretty well. I think it's because they are at different school campuses though! One highlight of vacation was catching the Fourth of July parade in Fredrickburg. I highly recommend going to see that and the National Museum of the Pacfic War. It was, of course, educational, and VERY informative. The parade was probably the first parade the girls has seen were there was actual political candidates in the parade and there were numerous political party floats. Of course we toured UT and I must admit that it wasn't as 'spread out' as I thoguht it would be and the people on the campus were very friendly. Grace still wants to go there. JoGail said she was thinking about Texas Tech....but who knows where they will end up or what they will even major in. I'm still praying for a smaller campus, simliar to ETBU when I was there. I made so many lifelong friends there. Truly though, I'll be happy when they are happy, big or small campus.
Hopefully this week will be a fairly quiet one. One thing on the agenda is cleaning the wooden cabinets really good in the kitchen. Of course, I may be too sore to help!They (the girls) will finally figure out why I have been buying them ice cream in the gallon buckets......so each can have their own bucket when we do that! :)
We started my workouts today and oh my am I sore. Like really sore. Like I can't remember the last time I was this sore! Coy's having me do the Sparticus (or Spartica...ahem Missy) workout. It's basically alot of variations of pushups and stuff. I've decided that Coy needs to be a personal trainer when he retires. You should see some of the food we are eating and the recipes we are trying. I'll post a few so I can find them later on. Most have been decent. The power protein balls (20 g protein per ball) were ok. I could get tired of them pretty quick, though. The bacon wrapped tuna was delicious. I also made a bacon wrpaped egg thing for breakfast. You just take a piece of bacon and wrap it inside a muffin tin. Then mix up scrambled eggs and poor in teh muffin tins and bake at 350 for 30 mins. Very high in protein breakfast. My muffin tin had to soak to get clean though. Bacon and eggs seem to be favorite meals of protein for people looking to add more protein to their diets. And the bacon's not so bad when bake it and only have one slice. I think it's like 35 calories or something ridicuously low.
We just got back from a great vacation .It was very relaxing and peaceful. With two teenage girls we did some retail therapy which has helped with back to school shopping. We are about done with that! They are almost in to the same size clothes, so you would think that would mean they could share and we could buy less, but it isn't soooo! They actually do share clothes pretty well. I think it's because they are at different school campuses though! One highlight of vacation was catching the Fourth of July parade in Fredrickburg. I highly recommend going to see that and the National Museum of the Pacfic War. It was, of course, educational, and VERY informative. The parade was probably the first parade the girls has seen were there was actual political candidates in the parade and there were numerous political party floats. Of course we toured UT and I must admit that it wasn't as 'spread out' as I thoguht it would be and the people on the campus were very friendly. Grace still wants to go there. JoGail said she was thinking about Texas Tech....but who knows where they will end up or what they will even major in. I'm still praying for a smaller campus, simliar to ETBU when I was there. I made so many lifelong friends there. Truly though, I'll be happy when they are happy, big or small campus.
Hopefully this week will be a fairly quiet one. One thing on the agenda is cleaning the wooden cabinets really good in the kitchen. Of course, I may be too sore to help!They (the girls) will finally figure out why I have been buying them ice cream in the gallon buckets......so each can have their own bucket when we do that! :)
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