Saturday, November 27, 2010

I heart diapers dot com


As you can see from my Costco post I really like deals. So there is no surprise that when it comes to diapers I am always looking for the best deal. Michael jokes that I hate changing diapers because I don't want to spend twenty cents. So I buy in bulk with free shipping and get diapers for lots cheaper!

They have $10 off coupons for new customers and now that I am a regular they have a cashback program. 30% credit on your next order from now until the end of december!

See the bottom of my blog for a code to get 20% for first time customers...try it!!!

Friday, November 26, 2010

easy chicken

To make this especially yummy you have to use chicken with skin on it. I cut it off the bone before serving. Roasting chicken with skin makes for more flavor and the skin gets nice and crispy!

mix 1/4 tsp paprika, basil and oregano and 1/8 tsp red cayenne pepper
rub olive oil on and spices on chicken
place in oven on 400 degrees for 1 hr

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Thanksgiving...

is always such a funny holiday to me...what are we celebrating. By definition we are celebrating a bountiful harvest but today that is not the case. So is this just an excuse to watch football and eat delicious food? My husband would be glad to eat "thanksgiving dinner" while watching football year round. In this new season of life of being a parent I am more aware than ever of how our lives teach those around us and what we learn from others. Our culture says a lot about this season: you spend it with family whether you want to or not, you eat turkey because if you don't you are considered weird, you eat pumpkin pie, you say something you are thankful for which is typically something vague. But is that the tradition I want to pass down to my family? Is that even something I enjoy enough to celebrate every year? I don't like pumpkin pie, I spend lots of time with my family holiday or not, I eat "thanksgiving dinner" in July sometimes. So it is the being thankful that I want to embrace, an entire day where we remember that God is providing.

My mom reminded us of a Thanksgiving tree we did every year when we were little. We decorated cards and wrote things on it we were thankful for with the year. She tied ribbons on them and hung them on a small Christmas tree. She pulled out some of those cards this year and it made us thankful all over again to read them. Some were being thankful for the beach or friends but all of us had written that we were thankful for dad's new job. He had been unemployed for months and had just gotten a job before we made our Thanksgiving tree that year. So when John is old enough maybe in another year we are going to start a Thanksgiving tree, to remember what God has done for us and celebrate His provision with turkey, pumpkin pie and football!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Mahi with coconut rice and mango salsa

2 TBLS olive oil 4 4oz mahi mahi fillets
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce 2 cups uncooked jasmine rice
2 tsp lemon juice 2 cups water
1 clove garlic, crushed 1 cube chicken bouillon
2 tsp red pepper flakes 1 TBLS butter
1 tsp black pepper 3/4 (14oz) can coconut milk
1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger 2 TBLS sugar
2 TBLS chopped green onion 1 1/2 tsp butter
salt to taste 1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cups fresh mango, cubed

Whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, black
pepper, ginger, green onion, and salt in a bowl. Add the mahi mahi and toss to evenly
coat.


Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Bring the rice, water, chicken bouillon, and 1 tablespoon butter to a boil in a saucepan
over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the liquid has
been absorbed, about 20 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and 2 tablespoons of
sugar. Stir, and simmer uncovered until the rice has absorbed most of the coconut
milk.
While the rice is cooking, remove the mahi mahi from the marinade, and shake off
excess. Discard the remaining marinade. Place fish in a large baking dish in a single
layer. Broil in the preheated oven until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 10 to 15
minutes. If the fish browns too quickly, cover the baking dish with a sheet of aluminum
foil.
Melt 1 1/2 teaspoons butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar in a skillet over
medium-high heat. When the mixture begins to bubble, stir in mango cubes. Cook
and stir until mango is tender, about 5 minutes

Serve by placing a mahi mahi fillet
over a scoop of hot rice and top with the mango salsa.

bathroom day 5

Tile up and grouted, corner shelves installed...we can't stop admiring it!


Stay tuned for the final pictures once we have sink and toilet installed and the walls painted!

bathroom day 4

This is actually the living room which has had a floor to ceiling hole in the wall for months and now has been plastered!

Dry wall taped and mudded in the bathroom

bathroom day 3

Bathroom day three

Dry wall up
cement board up in the shower


Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Look what I can do!

This week John is 3 months old! On Sunday he started grabbing toys. I have had some hanging on his car seat for a few weeks now and have been getting him to grab onto them with help during tummy time but Sunday he did it all on his own and he hasn't stopped!!!

warning: this video is really long...can you tell I was excited about this accomplishment?!

video

Monday, November 8, 2010

Hello!!!

John had a lot to say about being all bundled up to run some errands!



video

Sunday, November 7, 2010

The Incredible Doctor Taylor!

Michael got Taylor a few months after we started dating but he has always felt like our dog. When I was little my parents got rid of our dog because they found fleas on us. They bought us pound puppies in an attempt to distract us from no longer having a dog. I do remember LOVING my pound puppies but have wanted a real dog ever since! I love my dog and thought it was time a blog post was dedicated to how great I think he is!!!

We were a little worried about how Taylor would be when we brought John home. He has been a little curious and very protective, so he loves John too!
Taylor loves the sunshine and always looks for some rays to nap in!

He knows the word "ball" and would gladly chase after it for hours!

And what makes my dog the BEST dog ever...he can catch snowballs!!! It makes cold weather more enjoyable!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

the little dragon

We didn't know it at the time but Michael was a dragon one year too!


Monday, November 1, 2010

boldness

Do you go before God with confidence? Do you boldly praise him and make requests confidently? I have been reading through Psalms and have been amazed at how bold the Psalms are in what they ask God to do. We are told to be bold and yet too often I lack in that area!

Hebrews 4:14-16
"Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Ephesians 3:11b-12
"Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him."

Proverbs 14:26
"In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge."