Thursday, July 31, 2008

Another Recipe

Ok...tried another new recipe. I was skeptical of this one, but it turned out pretty good.


Corn and Salsa Tortilla Soup

from August issue Everyday with Rachel Ray (pg 85)




3 poblano chiles
6 corn tortillas, halved then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick strips
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
6 ears fresh corn, kernels scraped from the cob, or two 10-ounce boxes frozen corn kernels
1 red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Pepper
One 32-ounce container (4 cups) vegetable broth
One 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced or crushed tomatoes
1 avocado, chopped
1 lime, halved
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves
1/4 cup sour cream


1. Preheat the broiler. Broil the poblanos until blackened, 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover and let cool. Peel, seed and chop the poblanos.


2. Preheat the oven to 400°. On a baking sheet, toss the tortilla strips with 1 tablespoon oil and the cumin. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes; season with salt.


3. Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add the corn and cook until charred at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the red onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the broth, tomatoes and poblanos.


4. Divide the tortilla strips among 4 soup bowls. Add the avocado and a squeeze of lime juice. Ladle the soup over the avocado. Top with cilantro; serve with the sour cream.



Ok, Blake didn't love it much...but he didn't hate it..and considering he's a very picky eater...that's HUGE!!

Mallorye liked it, but didn't love it.

Quentin loved it! Which is also huge, considering this is a vegetarian recipe!

August Goals

I thought I'd share a few goals I have for August...so maybe you can help hold me accountable and cheer me on to the finish line!!

*clean out garage in preparation for September Yard Sale

*lose 10 pounds

*pay $300 toward student loan debt

*continue to be diligent in my 5:15am TAG (time alone with God)

*breakfast with family every morning

What are your goals for the month??

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

New Blog Design

Well, what do you think? I am lovin' my new blog design! Christy at Ruby & Roja was absolutely wonderful to work with! (Thank you Christy) She captured my vision quickly and within a week had me a new design. I'm so excited!

A few details:
If you're looking for the blogs I link to...click on the Blogroll...it will take you to a new page where they're all listed.

Daily Inspiration will change...hopefully at least weekly, but the goal is ...well, daily.

Meet The Family will have pix and brief bios of my family soon...keep checking back.

Ok, Hope you enjoy the new look!

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

KC Mission Trip...be prepared for picture overload

As you all know, last week, Quentin, Mallorye, and Blake went to Kansas City, KS on a Mission Trip with our church. They worked hard and helped to make a Kingdom difference. The first day they did prayer walking around the neighborhood and distributed flyers telling of the church they were helping....just praying over that area that God would have His will.

The Southside Crew

The next 3 days were .... WORK. They tore off FOUR layers of shingles and re-roofed a house. Yes! These kids worked ON THE ROOF in the July Summer heat...not for a paycheck...or because they were made to...but because they wanted to make a difference... a positive difference! Wow!

Adrian sweeping the roof

Look, she's still smiling...even through the dirt and sweat


Adrian, Katie, & Alicia...gathering the shingles


Blake in the foreground...Andrew and Mallorye in background. I never quite understood why they had to get IN the dumpster, but that's what they did...shoveling shingles!


New meaning to Dumpster Diving!! That's Mal 2nd from left...who'd thought she could do all this with a broken leg! Chris, Andrew, & Brittany are the other dirty culprits.

Mallorye...she really was a trooper...broken leg and all..she's never missed a mission trip that our church has gone on...this was her 5th trip...3 times to New Orleans and once to Marmaduke...she sure wasn't going to let something trivial, like crutches, stand in her way.

Takin' a little siesta on the roof! Hey, get a break where you can, right?


Ground crew taking a water break


Pastor Pat...he's our Missions Pastor at church and does an awesome job of finding opportunities for our church to minister to others.

Mallorye, Adrian, Brittany, & Ashley

Mallorye, Katie, Brittany, & Ashely with their new friend Sienna...isn't she adorable?!

Really, only a face a mother could love...or three mothers! They are some dirty faces!

Dazed and confused after a week of roofing and painting

The Southside Gang posing with their hosts!

After a week of working hard the gang was treated to a Kansas City Royals baseball game. It was nice that they were able to relax a day before making the trip home.

Enjoying the game...and soem icees!

The Jumbo-Tron...I think they were more fascinated with this than they were the game!

All in all, it was a great week for them. The End.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

More Stampin' Fun

Here's a few more pix of the Christmas in July of the wonderful people I shared the night with...I also share my life with these people and I think they're all pretty great!

Me..showing off my tri-fold card!

My good friend, Misty...we go way back and there's probably not anything she doesn't know about me...and she still likes me!! We're currently going through a Bible Study together and holding each other accountable to be a Proverbs Woman...tall order for me. She's the organized one of the bunch and resident speed stamper.
JoAnn, another great friend...just went to Myrtle Beach with...and the other partner in my current Bible Study. JoAnn is one of those extremely crafty people that can make something out of nothing..kinda like a Stamping MacGyver.
Micah & Lisa. Micah is Mallorye's friend (Lisa's daughter) and she loves to hang out with us old folk and do a little stamping. Lisa has been my best friend for a LONG time and also knows everything about me and still loves me. We have one of those tell-it-like-it-is relationships. She also happens to be a Stampin Up demonstrator!

The brownies I didn't eat! Even though they were calling my name...LOUDLY...I did not cave! I remained steadfast and had fruit and water. Yeah. I really wish I had a better attitude about it and could enjoy eating healthy....but do you see that plate of brownies?!

Saturday, July 26, 2008

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas!

That's a bunch of serious stampers!

It will be here before we know it! I spent last night with some great friends at a Christmas In July Stampin' Up event hosted by Sandy Risi. We had a great time and made some awesome holiday projects. I will tell you though, the Christmas in July event is not for the faint of heart...only serious stampers need apply...we stamped, cut, glued till our fingers bled (ok, not literally) from 6pm to midnight (and some were still going then!)

This was my favorite card of the night and after Misty figured out how to do it...it wasn't really all that difficult to make and super cute!
Inside that super cute card!


Lynn showing off her ornament "earrings." I have to tell you, I love this girl! She was a huge supporter of Quentin (& all the troops) while he was in Iraq and still never fails to send us a card of encouragement at all the important holidays or sometimes just to say how much she appreciates our sacrifices.

A couple of my favorite projects...a cocoa pack with chocolate/peppermint drink stir...how cool is that AND a penguin snowglobe! I love it!



Ok, I have a few more pictures to share with you, but don't you wish you'd been there? It really is alot of fun...mixed with a good kind of stress. I'm telling you, we laughed and just had a wonderful time.

Amy & Lynn sharing a laugh! I have worked with Amy and her family for almost 10 years and she has become one of my closest friends. She was a newlywed when we first met and now is a mother of a wonderful little boy. She's super creative and I'm so glad I got her hooked on this little hobby!!

Another favorite card of mine, using a Versamark technique.

Ok, I've got to get busy cleaning...my family will be home in about 5 hours!! I'll share some more pictures of our fun later on! Ta Ta!!

Thursday, July 24, 2008

A Rustic Christmas Card


A Christmas Card I needed to make for a card swap I'm doing tomorrow night. I wanted something different, so settled for this outdoorsy, rustic style. What do you think?!

And yes, I made 22 of these tonight...nothing like procrastination!!

What I used;
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke (all SU)
Stamp Set: Noble Deer (SU), Inside stamped with stamp shown in photo that I picked up at Hobby Lobby
Accessories: Natural Hemp fiber, Extra Large Eyelets, Photocopy of Scripture foretelling Jesus' Birth

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

A Tuesday Recipe

Following Andrea's lead, I thought I'd share a recipe I tried tonight for the first time. It's nice to try new recipe's while the family is away ;)


This is a super easy recipe (if I can do it, anyone can), healthy (only 39 calories & 2g. of fat), and a feast for the taste buds!


Broiled Squash and Peppers




1. Preheat broiler. Line baking sheet with foil.

2. In large bowl combine the following, tossing to coat;


1 medium yellow squash, cut into 1" diagonal slices


1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and quartered


1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and quartered


1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar


2 teaspoons olive oil


1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional; makes it pretty hot!)




3. Transfer to prepared baking sheet.


4. Broil vegetable mixture for 5-7 minutes on each side, until lightly charred.



5. Serve it up!



Ta-da! Doesn't that look yummy?! Believe me it was!! I had mine with a Baked Sweet Potato and glass of ice water...you'll need the water if you use the red pepper flakes!!

Monday, July 21, 2008

Things That Make You Go Hmmmm


What does it say about a person when they drink Organic Fat Free Milk and eat Oreo's?
I'm trying to be good...even purging my pantry tonight of all that "not-so-good-for-you non-food food"....but I had to have a snack and since I'm getting rid of all the junk food anyway, why not eat it. Right? OH! I was supposed to throw it away.

What I Saw

On my morning drive to work I noticed something different. The world seemed....brighter. I think it had more to do with my attitude, the simple fact that I took time this morning to stop and smell the roses...to notice things.

So, what did I see this morning?

...a woman mowing her yard, trying to beat the day's heat
...a young guy taking pride in his possessions, washing his truck
...an older man taking a leisurely walk at the track
...a man jogging, obviously trying to stay fit and healthy
...a friendly wave from a passing motorist

I wondered about each of these peoples lives. Was it a hard life? Are they lovin' life? Do they need a friend? Do they wake up each day and give God praise?

Today I didn't just see things. I saw people.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

All Alone...

...what ever will I do with myself??

Quentin, Mallorye (yes, even with a broken leg), and Blake left this morning after our 2nd church service for Kansas City, MO for a mission trip. This is Blake's first and Mallorye's 4th. I'm so excited that Q is able to be there for Blake's first trip (he was there for Mallorye's first one) and I know they're going to have a great time serving God's people.

I have a few rather large projects I'd like to get done while they're away...we'll see how that goes. Already I miss them. This house is just to big and empty with everyone gone. Hopefully, my "projects" will keep my mind occupied.

Please pray for their safety while they're away.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Saturday Reflection (Becoming Week One & Two)

I really want this blog to be more than a glimpse of the chaos in my life...I want to be able to share what God is doing in my life and challenge you (the reader) to listen for God's whispers and see what He wants to do in your life.

I decided the best way to do that is a weekly reflection telling what God is showing me in my current Bible Study...(I'm actually doing two at the moment, the other one is by Lisa Whelchel and is a scrapbooking your legacy kind of thing) ..."Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be, A 90 Day Guide to Living the Proverbs 31 Life" by Donna Partow.

I'm currently finishing up Week 2, so I'll do a catch up this week and then try to stay current on here! Be patient with me!

Week 1: Faith Foundations
Donna asked us to start a notebook that would really be our lifeline, not just now, but to be used for years to come. I already use a planner, but this is going to be different. It combines every aspect of my being into one concise notebook...kind of like Flylady meets Franklin Covey meets Beth Moore. She also had us develop a Personal Vision Statement and write it in the front of our notebooks, so that we can make sure that the things we're doing line up with our personal mission.

My Personal Vision Statement:
is to use my gifts of singing and creativity to inspire and encourage others to actively serve God and one another, so that non-Believers can SEE God's love.

The remaining part of the week was concentrated on developing our spiritual disciplines, such as TAG (Time Alone with God), Scripture Memory, and getting our mind focused on God. I learned that you make time for what's important and if I don't consciously schedule time for God then I probably won't make the time to build my relationship with Him. I also was challenged to be more disciplined in becoming the woman that God desires me to be, so that I can be the wife my husband needs and deserves and that God has planned for him.

Week 2: Godly Habits

Now we're getting into the nitty gritty of spiritual disciplines! The first day was on being consciously selective about what we allow in our minds. This hit home hard for me. I've struggled with this for years...wanting to give up certain things, but worried about how it would be perceived by others, even my family. Not anymore. I was challenged to clean up my IPOD, get rid of a large portion of my books that are not glorifying to God (actually had started this process already) , and only listen to Christian music, as well as fast from the TV. It's a tall order and I'm sure that I will face scrutiny along the way, but I know that when I'm spending time with God and not dawdling away precious time on mindless things, that I feel better and have a more positive attitude...which everyone loves! This week I also made a commitment to TAG at 5:15AM. If it was important enough for Christ to meet with God first thing in the morning, then it should be for me as well.

I also added to my notebook a Prayer Section, Bible Study section, and Morning and Evening Routines.

So, what has God shown you this week?

Mallorye's Sweet 16 Bash

Princess Mallorye

The cake...not completely pleased with it, but it was close to what we wanted


Finally, I have pictures!

First of all, thank you to everyone that prayed for me...I felt better on party day...not completely up to par, but well enough to host a party.

The party was a huge success....47 people came to help celebrate Mallorye's 16th birthday. Of course no party would be complete without a few glitches.


Glitch #1...Quentin had Guard Drill.
He thought he'd be able to leave early and even called me at lunch and said he'd be out of there by 2pm, so he could bring the cake and meat when he came out to the park (20 min. away). Well, he didn't get to leave and at 3:15 (party starts at 4pm) I still don't have cake or the meat for the BBQ. Mom & Jack to the rescue!! And since Q hadn't quite made it to the park, one of our good friends (and assoc. Pastor of our church) fired up the BBQ grilles! Awww. Ministry at work.

Glitch #2...HEAT Index of 109
Cakes do not hold up wel under extreme heat...we improvised and did dessert first!


Glitch #3...Thunder, Lightning, Rain
There is nothing like being at a park in a lightning storm! Ground to cloud lightning I might add. Needless to say the kids didn't get to swim, but the storm moved past fairly quickly and just left a little sprinkles. We just improvised a little more and let Mal open her presents while the guys (Q's here now) finished up the BBQ...in the rain I might add!!

Quentin, Pat, & Blake ....BBQ in the rain! What a father will do for his baby girl!


Other than that, it was a great party. The kids played volleyball, walked around the lake (where one accidentally fell in...hmmm), had a water balloon fight where Carson (age 3) got in on the action, ate and just had a great time hangin' out!

Friendly game of volleyball...this is pre-broken leg...lol

Three Generations...Nana (aka, Deborah), Mallorye, and Mom (aka, Ginger or ME)

Mallorye's Purity Promise Ring given to her by me and her dad as a symbol of the precious gift of her heart to be guarded well


After the party was cleaned up, most of the kids went over to Kathryn's to swim, since they didn't get to at the party and the storm had passed. I can't believe Ken was ok with this, but oh well.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Happy Birthday Blake


Momma and Blake with big sis, Mallorye, looking on...you're about 8 hours old in this picture and have a tube in your nose to help you breathe. You spent 24 hours in the NICU, so this is the only time that momma got to hold you the first day.

It's official! I now have two teenagers...they're no longer babies, or middle-schoolers, or even pre-teens...today is Blake's 13th Birthday! (I'm feeling old)

What I love about you!
*you still snuggle with your momma
*you're very tenderhearted
*you are a nurturing soul
*you are so kind...very rarely do I see you mean spirited
*you're an awesome athlete
*I've never seen a ball that you didn't know what to do with
*your big brown eyes with amazing eye lashes
*you have dish pan hands...I'm so proud of the fact that you know how to do all types of housework
*you love life and have a great time just being
*your smile
*you attract friends (good quality to have)
*you have great hair
*you love God and your family and you show it regularly

Blake and Mallorye at home...look at that hair!!
Blake, you will always be my little man.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Oops...She Did It Again...

Ok, I know you guys are anxiously awaiting the party update, but I haven't got the pictures on there yet...but it's in the works. For now, be entertained with this!

Yep! That would be my graceful child. She was at volleyball practice this morning and went up for an awesome tip and came down wrong on her foot...which translated into a LONG DAY!

We've spent most of the day at doctor's offices...first the pediatrician who didn't want to touch it. He wanted us to see an Orthopedic Surgeon. The lovely world of military insurance came into play there and they didn't want to see her until tomorrow because of the whole referral mess that comes along with Tricare. By this time I'm getting a little frustrated. The pediatrician sends us to the ER where they will have to treat her because he doesn't feel it can wait 24 hours. We go to the ER (which we were trying to avoid by going to the pediatrician in the first place) where we get x-rays. While waiting on the x-rays the pediatrician calls and states they've gotten an approval from Tricare and we have an appointment with the surgeon in 45 minutes. I'm in the ER...we all know how slow that can be!! Luckily, the ER doctor comes in and verifies we have a fib fracture and we need to see an Orthopedic. Yeah! We already have an appointment if you can get us out of here SOON!! She did and we made it to the appointment. They put her in a removeable cast for 3 weeks and then we go back. He said to be prepared for 12 weeks. So much for volleyball season. I don't guess I have to tell you how bummed she is.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Prayer Request #2 (kinda urgent)

...ok..request #2 for the week...

I woke up this morning at 1am sick at my stomach...spent several hours in the bathroom...got a few hours of sleep...and still don't feel real well.

I have a party to throw my little girl! I need some intervention here. Momma's cannot be sick!! Especially on the day of their daughter's 16th birthday party!

Friday, July 11, 2008

Exhausted...

...that's what I am!

It has been a crazy week and I can't tell if I'm coming or going. I've spent the evening getting things ready for the big BBQ Birthday Bash for Mallorye. Celebrating turning 16 is alot of work...at least for mom...

As of this afternoon, we have a confirmed 45 people coming....21 of those are teenagers! {{yikes}} Which is a ton better than the original guest list...74 people were on the invitation list...wow!

I am pretty excited about it...I think we're going to have a blast. I can't wait to show you guys pictures...

some of what's on the agenda...
....1000 water balloons
....silly string
....frisbee
....swimming
....volleyball
....limbo (complete with the music)
....burgers and dogs
....cake

I mean really, what more could you want!?

Wish me luck!

Thursday, July 10, 2008

I {Hate} Bid Day

Ok....hate might be a bit strong, afterall, it is the livelihood of my job...but I strongly detest bid day! (how's that?)

We had a major bid today at work that consumed the majority of my day...actually most of my week! Anyway, my stress level reached an all time high at work. Bid days are always stressful trying to crunch numbers and beat the clock, but for some reason today's was extremely stressful. It could be that I did alot more leg work on this one than I normally do...and there were addendums at the 11th hour...and it was ALOT of money...and I don't understand alot of it (it's electrical, plumbing, hvac...I'm not an electrician, plumber, heat and air tech, or an engineer :)

Right now I just need some peace and quiet...and maybe one of those fruity drinks with the little umbrellas!

Just breathe. Right?

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Land's End Giveaway

Ok, who doesn't love free stuff...especially when it's from Land's End!! Monica over at Homespun Heart just emailed them and asked if they'd want to do a giveaway through her blog and guess what? They Did!! Yeah for all of us in Blogland.

Go check out Monica's blog for all the details!

Need Prayer!

God says to pray for everything and we have a need...it may seem trivial...but it's important to us.

Q's truck is leaking transmission fluid and he thinks he may have blew a seal. Now, I don't pretend to know what all that means, except to know that it means money we don't have and he relies on that truck for work.

We need God to intervene here! He's taking it to the mechanic this morning...please pray it's nothing!!

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Real Life---bedroom edition!



I know I'm a little late, but I thought I'd participate in the "Real Life" over at Farm Fresh! This weeks venue was the bedroom...where the "magic happens."

*under the bed
*what's in and on your dresser
*what's on your bedside table
*the pictures and the decorations
*what you love about it
*what you hate about it
*what makes it uniquely you
*what you sleep in

Ok...I'm letting the whole world (or at least the 25 people that read my blog) into my bedroom!! {{yikes}}


*under the bed
one lone hanger and some boxes of pictures...and really ugly carpet

*what's on and in your dresser
I don't actually have a dresser...all my clothes are in the closet or my night stand...so this is Q's (he has two..this is his everyday dresser)


this is his military clothing dresser...plus the millions of boxes downstairs!


and look what's inside...military clothes

*what's on my bedside table
a lamp to read by...my favorite picture of me and hubby...alarm clock...glasses...book I'm reading (At Home In Mitford)...and the ever present cell phone

*the pictures and the decorations
the only picture that I could get to hang on stucco walls

all the cute pictures that are piled behind the dresser because I can't get them to hang on these walls...aargh

*what I love about this room
we have our own bathroom and it's open to the bedroom...love this

*what I hate about this room
no picture for this one...but the fact that the walls are stucco and I can't get a nail to drive to save my life...therefore, no decorations...makes me sad

*what I sleep in
usually just my skin (it's hot in Arkansas!) but sometimes jammies. I haven't worn a cute nightgown in a long time...but you girls have inspired me! May have to get back to that!

*what makes this room uniquely me
again..no picture...but I think the fact that we've chosen to only use photographs in this room of hubby and I...there are absolutely no pictures of our children in this room...it's a place just for us...to relax...be romantic...and enjoy each other without the demands of our children and life

Ok...there you have it. A tour of our boudoir! Be sure to check out the link above for more