Another Year Older

So I was just looking at my blog reading the "about me" section and saw that I was "a 27 year old paralegal". I was so thrilled until I remembered that I was no longer 27, I am 28! But 28 is like the new 21, right? No, not so much! I am getting up THERE!

So I began to think about what I done in my grand 28 years of life, but when you put it all together, there is still much to accomplish! But regardless of what I have or haven't done in my 28 years, there are events that have changed me and made me who I am today.

1. Accepting the Lord as my Savior at a young age and learning to love Him more each and every day.
2. Going to the Orphanage Emmanuel in Guiamaca, Honduras for 2 months after college. Working with, caring for and loving 200+ children was exhausting, but yet the more rewarding time of my life, thus far!
3. Marrying the love of my life in 2007 made me realize that I am not perfect and he is not perfect, but that God truly made us perfect for each other.
4. Experiencing and battling infertility for over a year - this has made me rely so heavily on the Lord knowing that everything truly is in his hands. This has given me such a tender heart for women struggling with infertility and for mothers who have lost children.
5. Meeting the Mitchells - the couple I met on a plane home to Texas from San Diego who had just found out their son had been shot, and later found out had died once we landed. God really does have a purpose in everything...even who we sit by on planes.
   

These few events have impacted my life in such a way that it changed me - it became another fabric in the tapestry my life is weaving.

What events have changed you?

Tips on Being a Good Parent...

DON'T DO THIS!!!!!

Couple robs East Dallas bank with infant in getaway car, police say

02:58 PM CST on Thursday, January 21, 2010

By TASHA HAYTON / The Dallas Morning News

A couple robbed a Comerica Bank this week with an infant in the back seat of their getaway car, Dallas police said.

About 2 p.m. Tuesday, Inequa Rushing went into the bank along Interstate 30 near East Grand Avenue while Waylon McDonald waited outside, police said. She gave the teller a note stating she had a gun and demanded cash, police said, and the teller put the money in her purse along with a dye pack.

As the couple left the bank, the dye pack exploded and McDonald threw it out of the car window, police said. Officers found it with Rushing's ID and address inside, Dallas police Senior Cpl. Janice Crowther said.

U.S. marshals arrested Rushing, 23, and McDonald, 32, about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at their home on the 2300 block of Hatcher Street, officials said. They are being held without bail at the Mansfield Jail on aggravated robbery charges.

The child, who is about 3 months old, was placed in the custody of a grandmother.

"The witnesses said the baby appeared ill," Crowther said. "It was a premature child."

Delicious-ness!!!

I know I have been writing a lot about our fabulous meals, so I thought I would provide you a few mouth-watering pictures ...and of course the corresponding recipes!


This was our dinner tonight - Roasted Chicken and Balsamic Peppers. I got this recipe from Cooking Light and you print it out right here. This is definitely on of my new favorites! I fixed some garlic mashed new potatoes to go with it and it was the perfect match!



This is the delicious green apple salsa that I told you about here. I made it on Sunday and enjoyed with just a few chips.


Then last night, we covered our grilled salmon with it. It was a great meal with our baked asparagus.


Here is the recipe for the salsa:
3 plum tomatoes - chopped
1 cup Granny Smith apples - chopped
1/2 cup cucumber - chopped
1/2 cup corn kernels - chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper - chopped
1/4 cup green onions - chopped (I actually used about 1/2 a cup because I love green onion)
1.5 tbsp of fresh lime juice (equals about 2 small limes worth)
2.5 tbsp of fresh cilantro - chopped
1 tbsp of jalapeno - seeded and chopped
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1.5 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Simply combine all ingredients and serve at room temperature, or chilled. I personally added about 1 tsp of garlic just to give it a bit more flavor. Next time I make it, I will probably add more jalapeno only because I would like it a bit more spicy. I think this is a great recipe just the way it is, but it is also a great recipe to add your own touch to!

Well I hope you try these out! I promise it is worth it! Oh, and just in case you are watching you calories, then you might want to know that 2 tbsp of the green apple salsa is only 24 calories. The Roasted Chicken and Balsamic peppers is 282 calories per serving.

New Meals

Well I did it! WE have had two completely new meals and really enjoyed both of them! And actually, we have something new on the menu EVERY night this week! I'm going to be Betty Crocker before my husband knows it!

Last Thursday we had our first new meal. We had Orange Ginger Tilapia with caramelized Brussels Sprouts tossed with Bacon and Cranberries. Brant was not very happy when I told him I was cooking Brussels sprouts, but caramelizing them with the cranberries gave them a sweet flavor and he really like that taste of them.

On Thursday, I was actually home all day because I pulled a muscle in my back, so I was literally in bed almost ALL day. So what did I do...watched the Food Network! Now, I must be honest - I have never really cared for Rachel Ray...I mean, I like her dishes, but the recipes in her cook books have always seemed a little difficult, time consuming, and use unusual items that are not in my pantry. But my opinion officially changed on Thursday! So last night, I made on of Rachel Ray's recipes for Herb Chicken Cutlets (link below) and we have spaghetti squash with marinara sauce. This was fabulous!

Herb Chicken Cutlets

This weeks menu is:
Tonight - grilled salmon with green apple salsa and grilled asparagus. (I made the salsa yesterday since I knew it would chill well and so like any good cook I tasted it.....it is FABULOUS!) I can't wait for dinner tonight.

Tuesday - Balsamic Chicken with roasted peppers

Wednesday - Italian Meatloaf with roasted new potatoes.

Thursday - I have Bunco - so Brant gets to have leftover!

Friday - Shrimp Pomodoro

Saturday - Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Honey Mustard Glaze and Garden sautee

Julie and Julia

Have you see it yet???? It was a FABULOUS movie, in my not-so-expert opinion! Yes, the movie was great, but even more fantastic than that was the fact that I was so motivated by it!

Here's the thing...I would love to say that I am a good cook, but I have a feeling that my husband would disagree. Now I don't think that he would call me a bad cook, but I do tend to cook the same things over and over...until last week, the only fish I had ever cooked was salmon!

So this movie TOTALLY inspired me to get into the kitchen and make something NEW! If you haven't seen it - go get it - especially if you enjoy cooking!!!!!!! So since I am so inspired I now have this longing to cook...but no, I am not going to do a Ashley/Famous Cook project because I DO NOT have the time for that, but what I am going to do is make a point to cook a full NEW MEAL at least once a week. By NEW I mean something that I have never made before.

So, in my preparation for this weeks meal, I have been reading articles online and finding some fun recipes....and I was THRILLED when I came across this link completely by chance: The Original Julie/Julia Project Blog!!!!! (caution: expletives used).

So yes, each week I will post about our NEW meal and let you know how it goes...now I just have to decide what this weeks meal is going to be! Any suggestions???????

Back to School

Yep - that is exactly where my husband is going..back to school at Penn State University!!! Brant was accepted to Penn State's online degree program last week and begins his new classes next week! He is going to back to school for a Bachelor of Science degree in Turfgrass Science.

I am so proud of him!!!!!