one word's been sticking out at me lately:
WAITING
everyone goes through seasons of waiting.
here are some of ours:
i waited for ben to come into my life :)
we waited for him to get his orders
we waited (although not very long) to get married and move :)
we waited to move back to the states after our 3 yrs in japan
we waited for ben's college to be done and for the next chapter
we've waited to buy a house...settle down... start a family...
we've waited for many things.
each season of waiting and each thing we wait for has different challenges.
but the Lord teaches us patience, faith and trust during each of the seasons.
and more importantly, He teaches us that His plans are not our plans, and His ways are not our ways, and how we think things should go, or how we try to plan things for our life may not be what He wants for us.
sometimes it's hard to let go of those things we want and the timeframe we want them to happen, and to trust that the Lord's ways are the best.
a few lessons that have come through seasons of waiting for me:
DON'T COMPARE!
we need to remember not to compare ourselves to others and what they have. sometimes our life has seemed so very different from those of our friends who got married right out of college, bought a house, had a baby, settled down and stayed in one job. our life is NOTHING like that. sometimes we wonder why things have been different for us, but it does nobody any good to compare. the Lord has a plan for each of us, and every plan is different! and just because some people may have what you want, it doesn't mean that you don't have things they want also. the grass is always greener on the other side, right? just food for thought. let us be thankful for what we do have and strive to be content with where the Lord has us, even if it's in the waiting game.
DON'T GET STUCK in the WAITING
don't let your mind and heart be so focused on what you're waiting for that you aren't in the present and living the life the Lord has for you RIGHT NOW. (i'm reminding myself of this as much as anything, because i know from experience this is so much easier to say than it is to put into practice!) it is great to dream and to hope and to want things, but it's not good to be so focused on what we want to happen next that we forget to be present in the here-and-now, focused on what He's teaching us and doing in us, and the things He wants us to do while we are waiting!
i just want to encourage you today if you're waiting for something - the Lord knows our hearts. He knows what we want, and this verse is always so encouraging to me in seasons of waiting:
"for i know the plans i have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper and not harm you, to give you a future and a hope". jer 29:11
may we cling to this promise, and remember that the Lord has a plan for us, and it's better than what we could ever imagine for ourselves :)
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
tuesday treat: tacos/tortilla soup
The treat about today's recipe is that it's actually 2 recipes! :)
Last week I tried a pinterest recipe for
CROCKPOT CHICKEN TACOS
So simple:
2-3 chicken breasts
1 jar salsa (I used Pace medium)
1 packet taco seasoning (I used McCormick)
Combine ingredients, give it a stir, and then leave it!
6-8 hours on low, 4-6 hours on high.
When it's finished, the chicken shreds very easily and we had ours as soft tacos in tortillas, with lettuce, cheese, salsa, and I used a bit of greek yogurt instead of sour cream. So yummy!
The second recipe you get out of this is to use the leftover chicken meat (it makes alot, especially for just 2 people) to make:
CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
(same source)
I looked a few different recipes and used what I had and what we like, so my recipe is a bit different than the one she posted, but same basic idea :)
Here's what I used:
Leftover shredded chicken meat
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small chopped onion
24-32 oz chicken broth (I put in a little less as I like to make soup a little more chunky)
Chili powder
Onion powder
Cumin
Salt
Pepper (Spices to taste)
Shredded Cheese (I used Monterrey Jack)
Tortilla strips (I used Mission)
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Dump everything in the crockpot besides the cheese and tortilla strips. Give it a stir and leave it - Same directions as before - 6-8 hours on low, 4-6 hours on high. When ready to serve, scoop out into a bowl and top with cheese and tortilla strips. This was great and I loved being able to use the chicken meat in a different way!
The crockpot is so great too, because once you have everything dumped in and it's hot, it's ready to eat whenever! Run your errands, and you can leave it cooking so it's ready when you are. It also makes your kitchen smell delicious all day :)
If you try these, let me know what you think! Ben and I were definitely a fan!
Last week I tried a pinterest recipe for
CROCKPOT CHICKEN TACOS
So simple:
2-3 chicken breasts
1 jar salsa (I used Pace medium)
1 packet taco seasoning (I used McCormick)
Combine ingredients, give it a stir, and then leave it!
6-8 hours on low, 4-6 hours on high.
When it's finished, the chicken shreds very easily and we had ours as soft tacos in tortillas, with lettuce, cheese, salsa, and I used a bit of greek yogurt instead of sour cream. So yummy!
The second recipe you get out of this is to use the leftover chicken meat (it makes alot, especially for just 2 people) to make:
CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
(same source)
I looked a few different recipes and used what I had and what we like, so my recipe is a bit different than the one she posted, but same basic idea :)
Here's what I used:
Leftover shredded chicken meat
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small chopped onion
24-32 oz chicken broth (I put in a little less as I like to make soup a little more chunky)
Chili powder
Onion powder
Cumin
Salt
Pepper (Spices to taste)
Shredded Cheese (I used Monterrey Jack)
Tortilla strips (I used Mission)
.JPG)
Dump everything in the crockpot besides the cheese and tortilla strips. Give it a stir and leave it - Same directions as before - 6-8 hours on low, 4-6 hours on high. When ready to serve, scoop out into a bowl and top with cheese and tortilla strips. This was great and I loved being able to use the chicken meat in a different way!
The crockpot is so great too, because once you have everything dumped in and it's hot, it's ready to eat whenever! Run your errands, and you can leave it cooking so it's ready when you are. It also makes your kitchen smell delicious all day :)
If you try these, let me know what you think! Ben and I were definitely a fan!
Monday, May 6, 2013
make it monday: anthro letters
Today is the first post for "Make it Mondays"!
Since we have moved back to the states, I have been working on lots of crafts and projects that I wasn't able to do on the island.
Today's project is:
KNOCK OFF ANTHROPOLOGIE LETTERS
I'm sure alot of you have seen these Anthro letters:
I had pinned this tutorial on pinterest, making the letters E-A-T for the kitchen, but I don't really have a place to put them in my kitchen.
when my friend Jan posted this link for B-A-T-H for the bathroom and I knew I wanted to try it! :)
I bought 4 cardboard letters from Hobby Lobby, some Martha Stewart paint (sterling), and decided to give it a try.
Start with your blank letter:
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And your paint:
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I used a foam paintbrush to put 2 thin coats on:
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After the letters dried, I hung them in the bathroom over the towel rack:
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And that's it! Super easy DIY. :)
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Here's a rundown of the cost.
Anthropologie letters are $18 a piece
The blank letters I found at Hobby Lobby were $2.47 a piece, plus they were 50% off, making them only $1.24 each (so 4 were around $5)
I used a 40% off coupon for the Martha Stewart metallic paint, so it was only $1.30
Total cost for 4 Anthro letters: $72
Total cost for my 4 letters: $6.30
I was pretty happy with that deal! :)
Happy Monday everyone!
Since we have moved back to the states, I have been working on lots of crafts and projects that I wasn't able to do on the island.
Today's project is:
KNOCK OFF ANTHROPOLOGIE LETTERS
I'm sure alot of you have seen these Anthro letters:
I had pinned this tutorial on pinterest, making the letters E-A-T for the kitchen, but I don't really have a place to put them in my kitchen.
when my friend Jan posted this link for B-A-T-H for the bathroom and I knew I wanted to try it! :)
I bought 4 cardboard letters from Hobby Lobby, some Martha Stewart paint (sterling), and decided to give it a try.
Start with your blank letter:
.jpeg)
And your paint:
.JPG)
I used a foam paintbrush to put 2 thin coats on:
.jpeg)
After the letters dried, I hung them in the bathroom over the towel rack:
.jpeg)
And that's it! Super easy DIY. :)
.jpeg)
Here's a rundown of the cost.
Anthropologie letters are $18 a piece
The blank letters I found at Hobby Lobby were $2.47 a piece, plus they were 50% off, making them only $1.24 each (so 4 were around $5)
I used a 40% off coupon for the Martha Stewart metallic paint, so it was only $1.30
Total cost for 4 Anthro letters: $72
Total cost for my 4 letters: $6.30
I was pretty happy with that deal! :)
Happy Monday everyone!
Thursday, May 2, 2013
thankful thursday: may 2nd
it should be everyday that i find at least 1 thing that i'm thankful for, but i'd like to at least make an effort to post about it once a week. even when things are hard, there's always something to be thankful for. i try to think of things in that way, even though i don't always want to.
something i'm thankful for this week:
GOD NEVER GIVES UP ON US.
what a blessing. He teaches us, guides us, loves us and will teach us the same lesson over and over and over. if you're anything like me, then there are lessons He's been teaching you for years. some of them i have a harder time learning than others.
sometimes my mom will say (about a tough situation) "you better learn your lesson from this situation the first time so He doesn't have to try to teach you this one again!" :) since she first said that, i've repeated that to myself often.
i came across a journal the other day while organizing some of our things in the office, and read some of the entries i had written years ago. i am still struggling now with some of the same things i was then. finding my place, doing what the Lord has for me, being content regardless of what situation i find myself in -- when things are nothing like i pictured things or wanted them to be. thank goodness He knows what's best. and i find such comfort in knowing that He hasn't given up on me. i'm still learning and He's still willing to teach me. and the same is true for all of His children.
that's something i'm thankful for today... and everyday.
something i'm thankful for this week:
GOD NEVER GIVES UP ON US.
what a blessing. He teaches us, guides us, loves us and will teach us the same lesson over and over and over. if you're anything like me, then there are lessons He's been teaching you for years. some of them i have a harder time learning than others.
sometimes my mom will say (about a tough situation) "you better learn your lesson from this situation the first time so He doesn't have to try to teach you this one again!" :) since she first said that, i've repeated that to myself often.
i came across a journal the other day while organizing some of our things in the office, and read some of the entries i had written years ago. i am still struggling now with some of the same things i was then. finding my place, doing what the Lord has for me, being content regardless of what situation i find myself in -- when things are nothing like i pictured things or wanted them to be. thank goodness He knows what's best. and i find such comfort in knowing that He hasn't given up on me. i'm still learning and He's still willing to teach me. and the same is true for all of His children.
that's something i'm thankful for today... and everyday.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
wednesday words: stuff
the first in hopefully many wednesday posts about life lessons.
i'm sure if you're reading this blog, you probably know that since ben and i became mr. and mrs., we've moved. A LOT. (some of you are laughing, agreeing that this is an understatement!) we've moved more than most couples we know probably ever will).
we've lived in 3 different countries, 5 different homes, and 4 different places. we now consider ourselves pros at packing. :) while that definitely can be fun, it can also be pretty challenging, and sometimes hard to put down roots, never knowing how long we're going to be in one place.
one of the lessons i've definitely learned over the all our moves during the last 6 years is:
STUFF IS JUST STUFF
as you can imagine, we've gone through our share of "stuff" during all our moves. when we very first moved to japan, we could only bring about half of our stuff. wedding presents that we had just received stayed in boxes in my parents basement, knowing that we wouldn't have a very big place there, and we didn't want to bring too much.
as i packed for our first overseas move, i really had to ask myself "is this important to me? can i live without this for 3 years?"
stuff takes on a different feel when you have to look at it that way. there are many things that remained in storage for those 3 years that i didn't miss one little bit and that didn't make the next move with us. something that's been SO helpful is to remind myself that "stuff is just stuff". our stuff does not (and should not!) define who we are.
yes - we all have stuff that we love, stuff we hold onto, stuff we think we can't do without, but you'd be surprised what you really can do without. this last year in the bahamas, we packed the littlest amount of our stuff in all our moves to date, and our place was absolutely the smallest of any place we've had. it was basically the size of a hotel room. we did without most of our things, and whatever we brought with us was what could fit in a car. while that was certainly a challenge, it was also kind of freeing to not be tied to too much "stuff". something i've discovered is that friends that have lived in one place or who haven't left america don't always understand this mentality because i have observed that america is all about STUFF. how much or how big or how fancy your stuff is.
ever since i've met my husband, he has not been attached to stuff. when we moved him from maryland to my parents house for the month before our wedding, all the things he had to his name fit in the backseat of my car. i've always had more stuff than him (he would certainly agree, i'm sure) :) and he has taught me so much in regards to this issue too, and his perspective has helped me adopt the "stuff is just stuff" mentality.
basically, the lesson is this: stuff doesn't matter. it's just stuff. don't let it tie you down and don't let your worth be caught up in your stuff. it's not going to last past this life anyways. do your best to let go of things that you're holding on to a little too tightly and use your stuff to bless others as much as you can. (that's a whole other lesson for a different day).
i think that if we can adopt this mentality and focus more on the people around us rather than things, we'll all be a little better off. :)
i'm sure if you're reading this blog, you probably know that since ben and i became mr. and mrs., we've moved. A LOT. (some of you are laughing, agreeing that this is an understatement!) we've moved more than most couples we know probably ever will).
we've lived in 3 different countries, 5 different homes, and 4 different places. we now consider ourselves pros at packing. :) while that definitely can be fun, it can also be pretty challenging, and sometimes hard to put down roots, never knowing how long we're going to be in one place.
one of the lessons i've definitely learned over the all our moves during the last 6 years is:
STUFF IS JUST STUFF
as you can imagine, we've gone through our share of "stuff" during all our moves. when we very first moved to japan, we could only bring about half of our stuff. wedding presents that we had just received stayed in boxes in my parents basement, knowing that we wouldn't have a very big place there, and we didn't want to bring too much.
as i packed for our first overseas move, i really had to ask myself "is this important to me? can i live without this for 3 years?"
stuff takes on a different feel when you have to look at it that way. there are many things that remained in storage for those 3 years that i didn't miss one little bit and that didn't make the next move with us. something that's been SO helpful is to remind myself that "stuff is just stuff". our stuff does not (and should not!) define who we are.
yes - we all have stuff that we love, stuff we hold onto, stuff we think we can't do without, but you'd be surprised what you really can do without. this last year in the bahamas, we packed the littlest amount of our stuff in all our moves to date, and our place was absolutely the smallest of any place we've had. it was basically the size of a hotel room. we did without most of our things, and whatever we brought with us was what could fit in a car. while that was certainly a challenge, it was also kind of freeing to not be tied to too much "stuff". something i've discovered is that friends that have lived in one place or who haven't left america don't always understand this mentality because i have observed that america is all about STUFF. how much or how big or how fancy your stuff is.
ever since i've met my husband, he has not been attached to stuff. when we moved him from maryland to my parents house for the month before our wedding, all the things he had to his name fit in the backseat of my car. i've always had more stuff than him (he would certainly agree, i'm sure) :) and he has taught me so much in regards to this issue too, and his perspective has helped me adopt the "stuff is just stuff" mentality.
basically, the lesson is this: stuff doesn't matter. it's just stuff. don't let it tie you down and don't let your worth be caught up in your stuff. it's not going to last past this life anyways. do your best to let go of things that you're holding on to a little too tightly and use your stuff to bless others as much as you can. (that's a whole other lesson for a different day).
i think that if we can adopt this mentality and focus more on the people around us rather than things, we'll all be a little better off. :)
making a plan...
while i'm currently unemployed, i have more time on my hands (in case you couldn't tell from the baking and crafting i've been busy doing!) :)
i really want to get more consistent with blogging, and think i will try the following blog schedule:
MAKE IT MONDAYS:
i'll post a craft or project i'm working on
TUESDAY TREATS:
i'll post a recipe that i enjoy or want to try
WEDNESDAY WORDS:
i'll post a lesson that i've learned from all our moves and travels and experiences
THANKFUL THURSDAYS:
i'll post something i'm thankful for -- this is something i really want to get in the habit of doing way more often!
i'm not sure i'll be able to stay on top of posting so often, but i figured i can at least give it a try!
stay tuned!
and i just want to say THANK YOU to my sweet supportive husband who encourages me to try new things and to blog and just loves me in spite of me :)
i really want to get more consistent with blogging, and think i will try the following blog schedule:
MAKE IT MONDAYS:
i'll post a craft or project i'm working on
TUESDAY TREATS:
i'll post a recipe that i enjoy or want to try
WEDNESDAY WORDS:
i'll post a lesson that i've learned from all our moves and travels and experiences
THANKFUL THURSDAYS:
i'll post something i'm thankful for -- this is something i really want to get in the habit of doing way more often!
i'm not sure i'll be able to stay on top of posting so often, but i figured i can at least give it a try!
stay tuned!
and i just want to say THANK YOU to my sweet supportive husband who encourages me to try new things and to blog and just loves me in spite of me :)
rainbow goodness
yesterday i had a craving to bake cupcakes. normally i use a box mix since that's what i've used so many times for my cakepops, but i didn't have any box mixes, and have been thinking more about all the preservatives and not-good-for-you things that are in processed foods, so i decided to do some searching online and find a recipe to make my own! funfetti is for sure my favorite type of cake, so when i stumbled upon this recipe, i knew i had to try it :) (SOURCE)
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CUPCAKES
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
4 egg whites
1 cup whole milk
1 Tbsp vanilla
2/3 cup salted butter, softened
1/3 cup rainbow sprinkles
FROSTING
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons milk
extra powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake tin with baking cups.
2. Sift flour, sugar and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and then mix together on low.
3. In another bowl, stir egg whites, milk and vanilla together.
4. Add butter to the flour mixture and mix together. As it starts to combine, slowly pour the milk mixture in and mix until completely combined. Stir in rainbow sprinkles.
5. Fill baking cups a little more than halfway. Bake for about 16 minutes or until done. Remove and cool. Makes about 24 cupcakes.
6. For frosting, beat butter and vanilla together. Add sugar slowly and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides and add milk. Mix until smooth and creamy. Note: Double the recipe if you will be frosting all 24 cupcakes like the pictures above, because you probably won't have enough unless you are lightly frosting them.
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*one side note: i used only butter for the frosting, no shortening
i decided to half the recipe for both the cupcakes and the frosting and ended up with 12 delicious cupcakes!!
if you're in the mood for some yummy funfetti cupcakes, you should definitely give this recipe a try!
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CUPCAKES
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
4 egg whites
1 cup whole milk
1 Tbsp vanilla
2/3 cup salted butter, softened
1/3 cup rainbow sprinkles
FROSTING
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons milk
extra powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake tin with baking cups.
2. Sift flour, sugar and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and then mix together on low.
3. In another bowl, stir egg whites, milk and vanilla together.
4. Add butter to the flour mixture and mix together. As it starts to combine, slowly pour the milk mixture in and mix until completely combined. Stir in rainbow sprinkles.
5. Fill baking cups a little more than halfway. Bake for about 16 minutes or until done. Remove and cool. Makes about 24 cupcakes.
6. For frosting, beat butter and vanilla together. Add sugar slowly and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides and add milk. Mix until smooth and creamy. Note: Double the recipe if you will be frosting all 24 cupcakes like the pictures above, because you probably won't have enough unless you are lightly frosting them.
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*one side note: i used only butter for the frosting, no shortening
i decided to half the recipe for both the cupcakes and the frosting and ended up with 12 delicious cupcakes!!
if you're in the mood for some yummy funfetti cupcakes, you should definitely give this recipe a try!
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