family christmas photo

This year we decided because of yucky weather and poor planning to just take our own Christmas picture instead of having a photographer take them...so we ended up in our backyard with a tripod and timer...worked great. We got the kids and ourselves ready in our outfits and went outside took a few shots and in less than 15 minutes had our photo shoot complete...the kids were great and smiled for every picture, which I thought was amazing in and of itself...maybe this will be a new tradition for us...

fall leaves

The day after Thanksgiving we decided to get out for a while and head to our favorite bookstore/park/coffee shop hangout with the kids. It was a beautiful fall day and the kids found a huge pile of leaves in the park to dive in...so much fun.

.my recipe. Chicken Noodle Soup

This fall, I've been craving soup constantly. For one thing, its something that most of the time you can make healthy and it always makes your belly warm.

I love chicken noodle soup, but most recipes are pretty high in fat and so I was inspired to write a recipe that would be a healthier version. Honestly, I can't tell the difference and I don't miss any of the fat. If you are familiar with Weight Watchers, this recipe only has 3 pts for 1 1/2 cups of soup.

Serves: 8
Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:
3 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 med. red onion, chopped
1/2 bunch of parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp ground sage
2 bay leaves
48 oz fat free chicken stock
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed *see note below*
8 oz. whole wheat spiral noodles
salt and pepper to taste
cooking spray

Directions:
In a dutch oven (or large pot), over medium high heat coat pan with cooking spray and add carrots, celery and onion. Add a small amount of salt and pepper. Saute until onions are translucent, stirring frequently. Because you are only using cooking spray, the vegetables will burn easily if you don't stir frequently. Add sage and bay leaves, stir for another 2 minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 45 minutes. Add parsley, chicken and noodles. Continue to cook for 10 minutes or until noodles are tender but still firm. Ladle into bowls and allow to cool for a few minutes. This also freezes well. If freezing, allow to cool completely and then ladle into freezer bags (I like to put them in individual portions for quicker re-heat time).

**Rotisserie chicken works great for this recipe. If you make your own chicken ahead of time, I like to use chicken breast tenders. Put 4-6 tenders in a 350 degree oven with salt and pepper. Cook for 20 minutes. Cube and use. **

.halloween.

This year for Halloween we went to the Harvest Carnival at church. Elijah wanted to be a football player and Savannah wanted to be a ballerina...They had a great time. Pumpkin carving was fun. Its not my favorite thing to do, maybe because I end up having to scoop out and clean everyone's pumpkins and then do most of the carving too, but the kids have a blast, so that makes it all worth it.

.cambria.

Well, once again its been quite a long time since I've posted...I just haven't had the motivation or time lately. I have a lot of new recipes to share as well as some pictures from life lately...So, I'll start way back in September...

In September, we went on vacation to Cambria. This year we rented a house and it was perfect for our family. My parents were able to come for a few days and then we stayed there a few days after them. The weather was warm and lovely. We had a great vacation.

Someone learned to ride

When we were up at the retreat last week, Elijah declared (much as he did when potty training) that he was ready to ride his bike without training wheels so when we got home, we took the training wheels off.

They neighbors saw Phil trying to teach Elijah how to get the hang of it and brought out this little bike-without-peddles. It allows kids to get the hang of balance without having to remember to peddle at the same time...brilliant. He rode it for about 30 or so minutes...see the little video below.





And then hopped on his "big-boy" bike and hasn't looked back since! It was an exciting moment!

First Day of Pre-K

Elijah's first day of Pre-K was a huge success. He love's his new class and new school. Can't believe my little man is going to be a Kindergartner next year!

My boys

Retreat Blessings

This past week Phil was the guest speaker for our local Christian High School's All-School Retreat up at Jenness Park Christian Camps. The kids and I were invited to come as well. It was a fabulous week up there. It was such a blessing because all the kids and I had to do was play. That doesn't happen very often with at home trying to juggle all the day-to-day activities that make life happen...We felt honored to be there and were blessed beyond belief with the school's generosity.

Phil and the kids with their favorite bear

Trying to take a picture of Elijah...this is what I got

My sweet little one

Family shot in front of the pond

.roseville.

****this should have posted back at the beginning of the month, but for some reason it didn't***

While Phil was in Jamaica, I went with the kids to Roseville to visit some old friends. It was a wonderful day. In the late afternoon, we went to our dear friends Jon and Carly's home for b-day parties for their kids Macy and Cameron. It was a princess and glitter party and a bike ride scavenger hunt. Here are a few of the highlights...

The kids at The Fountains, an old favorite hangout

The birthday girl, Macy

Cameron, Macy, Elijah and Savannah in
the pool

The Party

Oh, my cuteness!

t-ball

This spring/summer Elijah had a great time playing T-ball.

He was on the Beavers and loved every minute of it! We loved it too. It was so fun going out every Saturday to watch his "game".

its been a while...

Its been a while since I've added pictures...here are a few from the summer...

Our newest additions: Sock and Charlie

Movie night

Our favorite hangout in Concord

The Oakland Zoo with great friends

.daily funnies.

E: (very seriously) "Mom, I lost my attitude, I can't find it."

Makes me think that maybe when I tell him to change his attitude, he doesn't quite know what I'm talking about. Oh, how he can make me laugh! :)

Book Review: The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns

WOW! This book was amazing. I started reading this book and couldn't put it down. Richard Stearns, President of World Vision, writes a part autobiography, part challenge for those reading and a charge for those who claim to belong to the Church.

The way in which he writes make you feel at home and doesn't make you feel like you are being "preached at" yet somehow challenges you to make a difference. He challenges you to make a difference, not just so you feel better about your life here on earth, rather so you make a difference because of your love of Christ and what He did for the Church.

This book is pretty eye-opening with respect to what's going on with the AIDS epidemic in Africa and poverty around the world. Stearns also reminds us, Americans, how really good we have it and what our responsibility is as Christians.

I really appreciated the effort made by him to be honest about where he is coming from and reminding everyone that this is a process. Our lives and the way we live them is not going to change overnight yet we can't sit idly and wait for the world to change. We have to be the ones to help with God's grace. We have to start somewhere.

I also appreciated that he didn't just write the book and leave you at that. He gives the reader ideas on what to do next and a place to start. He reminds us that we all have something to give whether that be with our time or resources. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to make a difference in our world and am excited for what World Vision is doing in our country and around the world.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Recipe Reviews: Roated Shrimp and Orzo

Photo taken from Food Network website

I had this salad at my friends' Beth and Lauren's house when they hosted a ladies brunch a few weeks ago. I'm not a huge seafood person but I about died out of delight for this salad. It has shrimp, chunky feta, loads of fresh herbs and a light summery dressing. Ina Garten from the Food Network authored this recipe and it is truly delicious.


MY THOUGHTS: There's very fresh ingredients in this recipe and its interesting that it is served at room temperature (neither hot or cold). You can make it ahead and just set it out until you are ready to eat. I made this salad for dinner as the main dish, but it good for a large crowd too. It makes WAY too much for a family of four. I could have served 6 adults with this and several more if it were a side. I would lighten the salt suggested as well. Phil and I both thought it was too salty. When I had it at my friends' home, it wasn't salty at all. I'll have to ask her if she used less or not. Oh, and make sure to not over cook your orzo. I think I over did it a bit and it was a little mushy.

DIFFICULTY: Easy.

MAKE AGAIN: Yes, with the few modifications as noted above and cut the recipe in half if its a small crowd. :)

Roasted Shrimp and Orzo Salad

Ingredients

nocoupons

• Kosher salt
• Good olive oil
• 3/4 pound orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta)
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds (16 to 18 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
• 1 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
• 1/2 cup small-diced red onion
• 3/4 pound good feta cheese, large diced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a splash of oil, and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.

Meanwhile, place the shrimp on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer. Roast for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Don't overcook!

Add the shrimp to the orzo and then add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Add the feta and stir carefully. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, taste again for seasonings and bring back to room temperature before serving.

Recipe Reviews: Blueberry Muffins

photo from www.thepioneerwoman.com

I love bluberry muffins but I don't like blueberry muffins from a mix. Usually the blueberries are so tiny and hard you hardly get a taste of them. When I saw this recipe I knew I had a winner. The recipe is again from The Pioneer Woman.

MY THOUGHTS: Simple. They are made with yogurt and whole fresh blueberries. Between the two, you get a moist mouthful bursting of blueberry flavor. Nothing dry about these muffins. The recipe doesn't specify how many they make so I made mine extra large and I got a dozen out of the recipe. Make sure to grease your pans (I found some Pam w/flour, for baking, spray and I tried it out with these and it works like magic and so much easier than greasing and flouring your pans the normal way). I used non-fat yogurt instead of regular and they still tasted great. I used the large sanding sugar which adds nice texture to each bite and makes them look a little more fancy. I froze these as well and popped them in the microwave for 30 seconds and they were good as new. The recipe comes with a yogurt sauce which I didn't try but sounds good too. Make sure to head over to the recipe site and there are step-by-step pictures to follow along with if you need them.

DIFFICULTY: EASY

MAKE AGAIN: For sure.

Enjoy!

RECIPE TAKEN FROM: THE PIONEER WOMAN WEBSITE (www.thepioneerwoman.com)

The Awesome-est Blueberry Muffins

3 cups minus 2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
Heavy pinch of salt
Dash of Nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 generous cup plain, unflavored yogurt (throw in extra if you want) **I used nonfat**
2 cups fresh blueberries
Vanilla Extract
Softened Butter, for muffin tins **or Pam w/flour spray**
Turbinado sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 385 degrees.

In a large bowl sift flour, baking soda, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In another large bowl whisk together sugar, oil, cap-ful of vanilla, egg, and yogurt. Add the dry ingredients and stir to a count of 10.

Add blueberries, reserving 1/2 cup, to mixture and stir 3 times.

Add mixture to well-buttered muffin pans. Sprinkle remaining berries on top and press down lightly. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over top. (Brown sugar can be used instead.)

Bake 20 to 25 minutes and allow to cool completely.

Yogurt-Blueberry Sauce:

In small saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together 1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries (if using fresh, add 2 tsp water) and 1 tsp sugar. Cook until berries pop and liquid begins to thicken. Dump in heaping 1/4 cup plain yogurt and stir to combine. Drizzle on muffins.

Beach Fun

During our stay at Camp Hammer, one day was a "free" day so we decided to spend the day at the beach down by the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz. It was an absolutely wonderful and surprisingly easy day with the kids. Neither of them took a nap that day and you wouldn't even know it. Not one fussy moment the entire day. Is this what life is like when you don't have babies anymore? (I kinda like it) :)