#5 Cook

Here's another yummy recipe! This is a great recipe if you like leftovers. Andrew and I can eat this a couple times a week without getting tired of it.

Oven Beef Stew

1 and 1/2 pounds of Lean Stew Meat
2 teaspoons of salt
1/2 teaspoon of basil
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1 small package or carrots (eyeball it)
2 small white onions or 1 medium/large white onion
1 can of tomato soup
1/2  of the soup can filled with water
2 or 3 potatoes peeled and cubed

Spray a 9 by 13 pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Put beef in pan and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and basil.
Put in the carrots, onion, and potatoes.
Pour the tomato soup and water over everything.
Cover with foil.
Bake at 300 degrees for 3 hours.

#5 Cook

I have got to improve my cooking skills! So, I bought the new Cooking Light magazine because it had  "25 Ways to Makeover Chicken". Here's one of the recipes that I tried!

Chicken with Cherry Tomato Sauce

Chicken
First, pound the chicken in plastic wrap, so the chicken will cook evenly. Make sure you pat the chicken with a paper towel, so it gets seared! Then sprinkle it with a little salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of EVOO in a pan and cook the chicken. After the chicken is cooked move it to a serving dish.

Sauce
Add 5 coarsely chopped garlic cloves to pan; saute for a minute, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 pint of cherry tomatoes and 1/3 cup of low sodium chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Spoon the sauce over the chicken! YUM!

I put some of the sauce over white rice too!

DE-LISH!

#12 Settle In

Well looks like Andrew and I will be moving to Jackson, MS.

So by the end of May we will be official Mississippi residents......again.

I have so many questions and emotions about moving back to Mississippi. Will Andrew and I find a church that we love as much as FPC, will I renew relationships with old friends and make new ones, will I be able to find a job, where are we going to live, where will I live in April and May when Andrew moves,  etc....

all of these ROADBLOCKS.

How forgetful am I? 

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in balance? Isaiah 40:12

How often do I turn to worry, anger, frustration, and doubt about the unknown.

When I should look to.....

the Sovereign God.

I know the One, who has measured the water in the hollow of his hand, will be with me during this time.

These ROADBLOCKS are just the ROAD.

HE is at work.

Comfort and peace.

#6 Attend Numerous Concerts

Andrew and I kicked off the New Year with #6 on our Cradle List- concerts.We went with my aunt and uncle to a Martina McBride with Joe Nichols concert on day 1 of the New Year. We had front row seats! I am not typically a big fan of country music......I didn't know much about Joe Nichols and hadn't listened much to Martina McBride in a long time. Andrew and I had to do a little research to make sure we knew what we were getting into.  He swore that Martina sang "I Hope You Dance"....actually that's Lee Ann Womack....

Crazy girls were going nuts over this Joe Nichols guy. Who knew that songs like "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off" and "She Only Smokes When She Drinks" could steer the crowd into insanity. Next up Martina-  I'll let you know that I did scream a couple of times and even sang along to all of the words to "This One's for the Girls", "Independence Day", and " My Baby Loves Me". Martina sang "Help Me Make It Through the Night" and  I do believe it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard, along with an amazing steel guitarist solo. I had a great first day of the New Year with Andrew, family, and Martina of course!

We have also just purchased our next concert tickets to see The Civil Wars w/Lucy Schwartz! I think #6 on the list is off to a good start with a concert in January and one planned for February.

Resolution: The Cradle List

I cannot believe it is the start of another year. Andrew will be having his ten year reunion and we will be another year older in no time. I am completely freaking about all of this!

So, Andrew and I begin the year of "The Cradle List".

Andrew and I love the sitcom How I Met Your Mother. Marshall and Lily want to have a baby, but before they decide to have a baby, they make up "The Cradle List".  Andrew and I (mostly me) thought it was a pretty awesome idea. We (mostly me) have decided to come up with our own "Cradle List". 

It's true...we feel like we may be getting baby ready and we just want to do some things before it happens. 

Who would have thought that this girl would want to be a MUMMY!  (oh crap!)

I must admit that it is this little things fault!

Meet Emma....our new niece. She is the sweetest little baby and I want to hold her every chance I get!

Someone at church warned me about this..... (in old lady voice) "you know when my sister-in-law had a baby, I got the fever".

I said, "yeah, whatever".

It's true.