Day 19: A photo that makes you laugh

The things you can do with Bendaroos!

Cheesy Beef (Or Turkey) Stroganoff

A fellow blogger posted a super duper yummy recipe she took from Quickies in the Kitchen: 30 Minute Meals.  I stole the recipe and tweaked it up a bit.  Here is her post with pics: The Queen of Dilly-Dallying: Quick Dinner: "If you are interested in a quick and cheap dinner idea, just follow this simple recipe for Cheesy Beef Stroganoff. The ingredients you need ..."

Since I'm in weight loss mode (or attempting it anyway), I thought I would take the recipe and tweak it a bit. This recipe was cheap, simple and incredibly delicious!  Here's what you need:


1 lb. ground beef (I used ground turkey breast)
3 c. uncooked medium egg noodles ( I used whole grain egg noodles)
1/2 lb (8 oz.) Velveeta Cheese, cubed (I used 2% velveeta)
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup (I used fat free cream of mushroom soup).
1/4 tsp. pepper

Step 1:  Cube the cheese up pretty small to melt easier.
Cook your ground beef and drain the fat, keeping the ground beef in the skillet.  Stir in 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.

Step 2: Stir in egg noodles, reduce to low medium heat and cover.  Let it simmer for 8 minutes until noodles are tender.  (I added the 2 cups of water and 1/3 cup of Reduced Sodium chicken broth)

Step 3: Add the Velveeta cheese cubes, cream of mushroom soup and pepper.

Step 4: Stir until your cheese is melted and serve warm.

This recipe was so incredibly yummy!  I paired it with peas but you could pair it with any side you like.  My kids absolutely loved it.  Bon Appetit.

Day eighteen: a photo of your town.

Downtown Dallas.

Little Bee

Our February book selection was one that I've had on my reading list for quite a while.  To have finally chosen the book was a little exciting.  Is it possible to get excited over book selection?  If you are a book worm, it's completely acceptable.  If not, then you should probably crawl out from under that rock get to reading.  The book we chose was Little Bee by Chris Cleave.  I really liked the book with the exception of the ending.  Not quite what I was expecting.  The following description was taken from readinggroupguides.com.  

The story is about a young Nigerian refugee named Little Bee whom has just been released from the British immigration detention center where she has been held under horrific conditions for the past two years, after narrowly escaping a traumatic fate in her homeland of Nigeria. Alone in a foreign country, without a family member, friend, or pound to call her own, she seeks out the only English person she knows. Sarah is a posh young mother and magazine editor with whom Little Bee shares a dark and tumultuous past.

They first met on a beach in Nigeria, where Sarah was vacationing with her husband, Andrew, in an effort to save their marriage after an affair, and their brief encounter has haunted each woman for two years. Now together, they face a disturbing past and an uncertain future with the help of Sarah’s four-year-old son, Charlie, who refuses to take off his Batman costume. A sense of humor and an unflinching moral compass allow each woman, and the reader, to believe that even in the face of unspeakable odds, humanity can prevail.

Day seventeen: a photo of something that has changed your life

You are probably reading my blog thinking... wow these daily photo challenges are really neato and quite profound.  Then you stumble across this post and think... what tha what?  Yes, my bloggy readers my ASICS Women's GEL-Cumulus 12 Running Shoes have changed my life.  When I gently unlace and slip my feet in, I feel a little empowered.  Okay... a lot!  I feel like I could run for miles and miles.  I'm not your typical gal that gets a thrill out of cutie patootie pumps.  No sir, I get a thrill, a jolt... an electrifying sensation when I slip into my running shoes.  I run... they help... a lot.  Kind of like running on rubber cushions.  You know you want a pair. 

Day sixteen: a photo from your childhood

My cousin, Jess and I sitting in her front yard.  Growing up, we were two peas in a pod... she was the peanut butter and I was the jelly.

Oh Glorious Day!

I love to listen to music.  I love all kinds of music provided the lyrics are clean and the beat makes me want to raise my hands, belt out loud,  rock my head or shake my tush.  Music inspires me and keeps me going.  I listen to music with the hubs and kiddos, I listen when I'm going places, I listen when surfing the net and almost always listen while I exercise.  While working out the other day my I-pod shuffle mix played one song that I just can't get out of my head.  The lyrics are so beautifully poignant and capture my soul as I listen.  This song is my praise to my heavenly Father.  The song is called Oh Glorious Day by Casting Crowns.

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises
One day when sin was as black as could be
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin
Dwelt among men, my example is He
Word became flesh and the light shined among us
His glory revealed

Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He’s coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain
One day they nailed Him to die on a tree
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He
Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree
And took the nails for me

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now He’s ascended, my Lord evermore
Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him
From rising again

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming
One day the skies with His glories will shine
Wonderful day, my Beloved One, bringing
My Savior, Jesus, is mine

Day fifteen: a photo of you and a family member

My little pumpkin head and I

How does your garden grow?

I'm an avid follower of an awesome blog called Skip to My Lou which shares info and tips on anything from hosting a shrimp boil to celebrating holidays, making homemade scratch art paper, sewing gifts and throwing parties to cooking delicious food. The site is full of free patterns, downloads and lots of inspiration on cute, fun and novel ideas.

Although it's March and Valentine's Day was a month ago, I just happened to stumble across one of the cutest and quite simple Valentine's gift ideas, a Lollipop Lily Valentine.  Is this not precious?  I know what I will be making next year for my kid's Valentine's.  For the free download info click here: Lollipop Lily Valentine.

 

Day fourteen: a photo of your best friend (s)

Okay so this one is a little tricky because I've only a couple of best friends in my lifetime.  I know... I know... but who is your BEST friend is what the photo challenge is specifying.  One special friend, in particular, has been in my life since the year 2000 when we both began working for a major corporate insurance company.  We were in training at the same time and pretty much were inseparable for many years.  When we were both struggling as single mothers, we banded together with our kiddos and lived our lives the best way we knew how... as best friends.  This friend is Kim B. Growing up my daughter called her Na-na.  Over the years our season of lives have separated us but that has not kept the bond we share from wavering.  Kim is one of the most loyal, loving, warm, devoted and kind persons I have ever known.  She is one of those types of people that you can depend on for anything.  Kim has a beautiful and magnetic personality and never have I seen her not make a friend wherever she goes!  She works hard for her family and has a heart the size of Texas.  Kim and I have gone through so much together.  We've laughed, we've cried, we've argued, we have ticked each other off but always made up later.  To say we have had some wild and crazy adventures is an understatement.  Kim has always had my back and supported me through the thickest of thick and the thinnest of thin.  She's even witnessed the birth of my son Caleb.  We've celebrated birthdays, weddings, holidays, and even sharing in the sadness for the loss of friends and loved ones.  This gal definitely holds a special place in my heart.  I love you Kim and although we are miles apart, God has placed you in my life for a reason.

Day thirteen: a photo of one of your favorite movies.

One of my all-time favorite movies is Gladiator with Russell Crowe.  I'm a huge fan of historical fiction, particularly from Ancient Greece and Rome.  From the love story to the fierce fighting, this movie most definitely keeps me captivated.

Day twelve: a photo of when you were happy.

While I know this isn't the best picture, it personifies a time in my life when my emotions ran the gamut.  From joy to excitement, from anticipation to happiness and elation.  I married the love of my life.  One of the happiest days of my life.

Prayer

Prayer is a powerful tool in reaching out to God and having a private conversation with Him.  Even if you have never prayed or you pray daily, know that your prayers are heard by our Heavenly Father.  The bible tells us the following:  

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8(NKJV)

Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; and listen to the cry of my supplications. Psalm 86: 6

Be earnest and unwearied and steadfast in your prayer [life], being [both] alert and intent in [your praying] with thanksgiving. Colossians 4: 2

Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; have mercy on me, and hear my prayer. Psalm 4: 1(NKJV)

The bible tells us many times in the bible that prayer changes lives, changes people, can change circumstances and can change things.  Someone forwarded an email with a prayer that I absolutely love.  I have even printed this one out and posted it to my wall.  It's beautiful and says all that I want to say when I don't know what to say.  Prayer has changed my life in so many ways.  My prayer is that is changes your life as well.  Be well and blessed!

Dear Lord, I thank You for this day. Thank you for the person reading this right now.  I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to You. I ask now for Your forgiveness. 

Please keep me safe  from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You.

Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over. Let me continue to see sin through God's eyes and acknowledge it as evil. And when I sin, let me repent, and confess with my mouth my wrongdoing, and receive the forgiveness of God. 

And when this world closes in on me, let me remember Jesus' example -- to slip away and find a quiet place to pray. It's the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will. 

Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak.. Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others. I pray for those who are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those who are  misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those who will delete this without sharing it with others. I pray for those who don't believe. But I thank You that I believe. 

I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers. For every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes that they are out of debt and all their needs are met. 

I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.    I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees them and every mouth that confesses them willingly..

This is my prayer.

In Jesus' Name,  

Amen.

Day eleven: a photo of a night you loved.

This is a photo of four special ladies I love dearly.  They are my Scrappy Chics.  On this day, one of our fellow chics got married.  Not only did we all get to fly to the BEAUTIFUL San Marco, FL but we stood as witnesses to such a beautiful and breathtaking wedding.  These ladies are so very special to me and I feel honored to have been a part of such a special day for one of them.  I love this photo because of the joy I feel when I am with my friends.  Great friends + Great times = Priceless Memories!

Book Club Pick for January

Our book club selection for the month of January was The Hand that First Held Mine by Maggie O'Farrell.  This was a story of motherhood, determination, love and loss.  Overall I really enjoyed this read.  The author delicately portrayed the lives of two very different women set in different time periods and intricately intertwined their lives together in a pretty amazing story.  Not too many authors are able to pull that off effectively.   Here is a description taken from www.readinggroupguides.com

Lexie Sinclair cannot stay. Enclosed within her parents’ genteel country lawn, she yearns for more. She makes her way to the city, and meets a magazine editor, Innes, a man unlike any she has ever imagined. He introduces her to the thrilling world of bohemian postwar London, and she learns to be a reporter, to know art and artists, to live her life fully and with a deep love at the center of it. She creates many lives --- all of them unconventional. And when she finds herself pregnant by a man wholly unsuitable for marriage or fatherhood, she doesn’t hesitate for a minute to have the baby on her own.

Later, in present-day London, a young painter named Elina dizzily navigates the first weeks of motherhood. Her boyfriend, Ted, traumatized by nearly losing her in labor, begins to recover lost memories. He cannot place them. But as they become more disconcerting and return more frequently, we discover that something connects these two stories --- these two women --- something that becomes all the more heartbreaking and beautiful as they all hurtle toward its revelation.

A stunning portrait of motherhood and the artist’s life in all their terror and glory, Maggie O’Farrell’s newest novel is a gorgeous inquiry into the ways we make and unmake our lives, who we know ourselves to be, and how even our most accidental legacies connect us.

What's your word?

Over the past few months a few of my lovely friends have been sharing their "word" for the year.  What I mean by their "word" is this... a word you will claim as your mission to live out through the rest of the year.  One friend's word is "intention" and I think another friend's word is "peace".  So what exactly is my "word" and how can I live out my word.  Being a woman of Christ, I feel it necessary to always try to live intentionally but what does that really mean?  Day in and day out we live our lives.  We wake up, go about our day and basically go through the motions.  Being intentional does not come naturally.  It's a conscience effort to be the best you can be according to God's plan and purpose.  Along the way, we all have shortfalls and shortcomings.  We stumble, we fall, we get back up and move about our merry way.  It's often hard to live each day by what God called us to do.  Just a few weeks ago I went through a somewhat difficult situation.  My first instinct was to react in a way that is not pleasing to my Holy Father.  Isn't reacting in a negative way the natural thing to do?  I say YES, but God says NO.  Immediately following the situation, I began to pray and before I could get two statements out of my brain, the word Grace was uttered.  I felt this strong sense that God wanted me to handle the entire situation with Grace.  So I did.  I retreated and continued to pray.  I had to let the situation go.  It was an extremely difficult thing to do.  Ten years ago, I would have probably put on my sassy pants, gone into the war zone with my sharp words and quick temper as my ammo.  Ten years ago I would have said some not so nice things and severed that relationship.  I would have allowed the enemy to control my emotions and all cool would have been lost.  For me personally, it was an incredible gain.  Not only did I feel better but I got something that I needed most.  Peace and calm.  While I cannot say what will come from the situation later on down the road, what I can say is this... if you allow God to take control of your life you will remain victorious.  Just letting go and letting God is no easy task but with time and lots of prayer it gets so much easier.  Thank you heavenly father for this one small victory in the constant battles I face each and every day.  Today and each day after my "word" is Grace.  What's your word?

But He gives us more and more grace (power of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully). That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace [continually] to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it). James 4: 6