Reflections From a Nine Year Journey

As I sit here and prepare for my last Sunday at our church before moving on, I can't help but find my mind wandering back over each of the nine years we've lived in Central Pennsylvania.

My heart will be forever linked to these lovely plains and rolling hills. Pennsylvania was somewhere I had never thought of living, but now, after living her for quite some time, I'll never be the same.

The beauty of this state is unsurpassed by what I've been used to in my life. The sweet, simple way of life here has been a well of refreshment for my soul many times.

I will miss:

• The sweet laid back culture of kind, hard working people
• The Amish community and all they have to offer-fresh, locally grown produce at a fraction of the cost grocery stores charge
• The lovely Mennonite women at the farmers market who have loved on my daughter since I first started bringing her there that warm fall day in 2009
• The lush green hills and rolling pastures that spring and summer have to offer
• The absolutely beautiful trees as they change color in the fall
• The numerous farmers markets in varying towns that offer local, fresh produce year round
• The loving people of our church 
• The amazing friendships I've made and those Addison has made
• My job where I've been stretched, and challenged so much at times I cried. But in the end, learning so much about myself, has helped me change things I've been needing to change for years.
• The numerous parks and playgrounds our family have come to love! 
• The BEST soft serve peanut butter ice cream in the world. :)
• Amazing state parks and lakes! 
• The close proximity to New York City, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Baltimore, the beach, and my family.

Mostly, I'll miss our home. Our home we've created so many memories in.

Brought our first baby home to. 

The house that was the first home for our little family of three. 

 I will thank God every time I think of Pennsylvania. I will thank Him for the challenges, the times of stretching, the tears, the joys, and sweet comforts of a home made in a land rich with beauty.

   

Cookin' From the Pantry Challenge

Many times in the past I've made a meal or two in a pinch from only items hidden in my pantry. These nights usually were Wednesday's because those are the busiest nights in our house (church night). Tonight I was thinking over things...two things actually. Our tight budget and moving. So in an attempt to save a bit of money and to prepare for our upcoming move I decided to make our next two week menu based off of only items in my pantry. I will be purchasing some meat, and fresh fruit to go along with the meals.

So, my challenge to myself is to plan meals around what I have. Now, this is hard for me because when I plan our meals I always choose a new recipe to try each week. So I'm going to have to resist that pull to try a new recipe to focusing on being creative with what I have.

My goal is to spend less that $30 on the meat I need for the next two weeks when I shop tomorrow. And to go to the farmers market on Tuesday and spend less than $10 each week on my produce.

Have you ever tried this? Wish me luck!Tomorrow night's dinner: Tacos, black beans, corn, brown rice, and pears

If You're Happy and You Know It!

Last week when it was really starting to warm up I brought home a huge bottle of bubbles for Addy to play with outside. I was so excited to get home and play with her outside and enjoy chasing the bubbles together. She was thrilled when I showed her what I had brought her home. So off we went outside to play!
It was at least 65 degrees out and the sun was shining in the clear sky. Just a beautiful day. Perfect for outdoor play.
After playing with the bubbles, and spilling half the jar (which I totally prepared myself for), Addy stopped still in her tracks and looked at me and said "I happy." She melted my heart right there, once again. As her Mother I try my best to teach her about feelings, along with many other things, but as a counselor myself I know firsthand the importance of feeling expression (and parental empathy) at a young age. To this date she had only said "I sad." But today was different. Joy. I felt so "happy" right along with her.

Crunchy Oven Baked Chicken Strips

Good evening friends! Have you ever made homemade baked chicken strips or nuggets only to find them dry and lack luster in flavor? I like to cook healthy meals for my family but sometimes find the recipes lacking in appeal after trying them once. Tonight I decided to try a new recipe that I found on Pinterest for Weight Watchers baked chicken fingers. When I went to my Pinterest board the link for the recipe was incorrect. I wasn't able to find it. So...since I had the chicken all defrosted and ready to go I decided to create my own recipe. I will say I borrowed some ideas from different recipes I've found here and there for the same baked chicken idea. I just combined them and added a few other ingredients.

So here's the recipe. If you have time, give it a try. I'm sure it will be a family pleaser. :)

Crunchy Oven Baked Chicken Strips

1 1/2 lb of chicken breasts, trimmed and cut in strips
1 egg
1/2 cup of light sour cream
2 cups crushed corn flakes
1 cup seasoned or plain panko break crumbs
1 tsp onion powder
t tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic salt
cooking spray

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut the chicken into strips.
3. In a shallow bowl whisk the egg with the sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. (Tip: seasoning each layer is the best way to cook, in my opinion).
4. In a separate shallow bowl, combine the crushed corn flakes, panko bread crumbs, onion powder, salt, pepper, and garlic salt.
5. Beginning with the egg mixture, dip each piece of chicken in the egg and then cornflake mixture. Making sure to coat the chicken well. Place each piece on a rack that has been placed on top of a cookie sheet. Repeat until all the chicken is coated. Spray chicken with cooking spray to create a golden, crisp crust.
6. Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes or until no longer pink.

Serve with your choice of light dipping sauce and enjoy!~

Days Like These

I'm so very grateful for days like today. A day where the sun is shining and it's not too cold out where my Addy girl and I can explore the world. I thank God every time it comes to mind, that I can be a stay-at-home Mommy.

Today we went to feed the ducks at a local pond. We love feeding ducks. I'm not exactly sure why but I guess it's quite peaceful and serene.

After that we went to the park. Boy do we love Charles Park! The swings totally ROCK! They're hung from longer chain-link so Addy can swing high. She laughs in excitement every time as if it was her first time swinging. I remember her first swing ride. She was about 10 or 11 months old. The look her her face was sheer delight. It's something I'll always remember.
I'm thankful I'm with her today and every day. Some days might be more trying than others but I wouldn't change a thing. I don't want to miss a moment!

Carrying Cupcakes in Style!

I love cupcakes and I'm such a sucker for cupcake shops! So, since I like cupcakes so much I decided I wanted to invest in a portable carrier to transport these beauties to parties and schools (someday). Complete side note: I can't wait to be a room mom when Addy goes to school (not like I'm rushing this though...)! So I figured, why not get one now and make it more convenient to travel with them and then I'll be prepared when Addy goes to school.

I shopped high and low for just the right carrier. I found ones that were pretty short, short as in there wouldn't be room for gourmet cupcakes or those decorated more luxuriously ;) Which, by the way, is the way to go!

I finished my search at Bed Bath and Beyond. I was thrilled to find this beautiful carrier. The top pops up to carry 24 gourmet cupcakes and then pops down to save storage space. It will also carry a round cake as well. I used it to transport cupcakes to church today. It worked perfectly.
I'm a happy girl.

Look Around, then Look Up!

This morning I woke up, looked out the window and saw this...
And the first thing I thought was this"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will" Romans 12:2

I love how the snow looks untouched, new, fresh and white. It reminds me of this new day God has given me, how it's a fresh start, a new beginning.

So many times I think we as Christians get caught up in all that's going wrong in our lives, what we don't have or what we are struggling with day in and day out. What we fail to see is what God IS doing around us. I need to work on transforming my mind to be more like His. As a people we need to stop conforming to this world (peers, society) and move towards more Christ-likeness!

I love how our new series at church (SoulShift) is teaching me this. To grow in Christ is a matter of the soul transformed. My prayer is that God will teach me at the soul level and my life will be forever changed to be more like his.

So I say, happy Thursday dear ones! Remember to focus on Him and the good, Abba Father that He is, only then will we grow deeper in love with our King.