Updates and News!

Whew, it's been a long time since I updated this blog. I cannot believe the support I've been getting while away, though. Thank you!

In case anyone was wondering, I've been away due to work, family, and all sorts of things taking up my time. Most recently, the expectation of a baby coming in January!

18 Weeks Pregnant!

I'll be posting some of my DIY projects I do for the baby.We don't know the sex yet (we'll know September 2nd!), but we know our nursery theme. It's going to be "desert fox." Essentially, I have wanted a fox nursery for a few years, and recently I wanted to add my Arizona roots to the nursery. I'm not a big fan of all the woodland themed nurseries with foxes going around - but desert fox fits!

What was your baby's nursery themed? Any tips for a first time mama?

Cheers!

Baby Shower

Hello all!

I know, I know. I haven't been posting very frequently... or at all. I hope to change that!

This weekend, I threw my best friend Rachel a baby shower. I scoured pinterest to see what great ideas I could get. Today, you get the benefit of my hard work!

First, let me show you some pictures from the baby shower. That way, you can see if you even want to replicate it. I think it turned out great! The shower colors were yellow, red, gray and white.


I had a "Ready to Pop!" area with soda pop, pop corn (caramel and butter), and some blow pops. I made some food labels using some I found on pinterest. YOu can find them here. They are originally in yellow, and I just used photoshop to make them gray. I then added some red text to them. My handwriting is HORRIBLE so I printed out text, but if you have great handwriting, there is no need to print out the text then!

I also had a food area where all the food was labeled with the same print out. I picked out the food based on what my friend had been craving throughout her pregnancy  She had been craving eggs, bananas, apples, and rootbeer. So, I had deviled eggs, a fruit salad with apples and bananas, and some rootbeer in the soda pop area. I just happen to make a great pasta salad, so I provided that as well. I also had a "baby brewing" area with some great tea I brewed at home. I also had some cupcakes, but they didn't turn out well. I don't think cupcakes like me very much!

(Sorry about the semi-blurry pics. I was rushing to take pics before the guests arrived!)

I didn't want to go out and spend some more money on placeholders to put the labels on, so I just used some binder clips, and it worked like a charm. Who needs fancy stuff anyways?

Anyways, there you are! It turned out great! I found a bunch of these ideas off pinterest and just kinda mixed them all up! Guests loved it. Have you thrown a baby shower? Do you have any ideas to add? Cheers!

New Years Resolutions

I've seen some friends of mine make new years resolutions on their blogs (25th and Skillern, MandytheOutfitter, CatherineDenton), so I'm jumping on the bandwagon. I haven't posted in a while, and I'm sorry for that. Work has been very busy, and I've been bad about cooking at home. I'm hoping to change that (hey, there's a resolution right there!) Let's start.

1. Start cooking at home more. I really, really want to get in the habit of cooking more at home, and making things from scratch. I get in moods where I cook at home for a while, but it never ever really "sticks." So, I am going to start the year by going grocery shopping and making things at home.

2. Blog more. I think if I'm cooking at home, then I will blog more of my recipes. I also want to learn some new recipes, and create many more. I hope I can be more consistent with this blog as well1

3. Love more. I have many times in the day when I can share and show God's grace, and I don't think I ever take those opportunities. I want to show God in my small actions throughout the year, and I definitely need to talk about him more.

4. Become healthier. 2012 was not a great year for my body, nor my health. I started the 2012 by dieting and exercising, and I lost about 10 pounds. I felt fabulous and it was great! The best part was also becoming a healthier person with my husband, who also lost about 10 pounds. We did that for about a month and a half and then it all went downhill. I've since gained the weight back (plus some maybe?) and I haven't exercised in a while. I think I can do this with my husband and be successful!

5. Read  more. I really, really need to read more. If I read right now, it tends to be fictional and for teens. I love fiction, but I cannot only read teen guilty-pleasures. I have a lot of amazing books I have bough in the past, in the hopes that I would read them. I need to make a list and then go through it and read it all!

6. Work on the house. It's pretty self-explanatory, but my home needs to be worked on.

Well, I'm sure I'll come up with more, but I don't want to over-stretch myself. What are some of your new years resolutions?

Veggie Lasagna

I have been craving some delicious Italian food, like manicotti, lasagna, and tortellini. I have been looking for an easy and delicious veggie recipe that wasn't horrible for me, and I finally just decided to attempt one.

I made a veggie lasagna for my husband and I, and guess what? It was delicious and easy! It took about an hour to make (1/2 was baking time),

Ingredients:

(Serves 3-6 people. Double recipe as needed).

•  3/4 cups shredded Mozzarella & Parmesan
• 15 oz container of low-fat ricotta cheese
• 1 24 oz jar of your favorite marinara sauce
• your favorite veggies (I used spinach, onions, and green onions).
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• Dash of nutmeg (optional)
• Lasagna noodles (about 9 noodles) for a 9 x 13 pan.

Directions:

1. If using frozen spinach, thaw and drain of all liquids before anything.
2. Cook the lasagna noodles in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Rinse with cold water, and drain. (or if you buy quick-cook noodles, follow directions on box).
3. In a large saucepan, cook and stir vegetables, including onions, garlic, green onions the pasta sauce. If using spinach,   
4. Mix together ricotta frozen spinach.I also put the salt, pepper, oregano and some garlic powder in as well. (Also a dash of nutmeg, cause why not?!



5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread 1/4 pasta sauce into the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer 1/3 lasagna noodles, ricotta mix, sauce, and Mozzarella/Parmesan cheese. Repeat layering, and top with remaining the remaining mozzarella/parm cheese.



6. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. 
7. I put the broiler on for about 5-10 minutes and let the top get really cooked to be crispy. If you like a gooey top, then take it out!

Crispy top... mmmmmm.....

8. Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.

I hope you enjoy!

Motivation of the Day

 

"Just breathe, relax, trust God, and get things done." I have to tell myself this probably once every two days, especially when I am feeling overwhelmed. I like to remember that millions and billions of people have somehow survived certain situations, and that my problem or work is not the end of the world. Hope this motivates you to de-stress, and know that you can handle your life!

Staycation in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Hello readers (all... 10 of you or so?)! If you remember, several weeks back I told you that my husband and I had a "staycation." This, of course, is where you stay at home and have a cheaper vacation than going out of town. We were originally going to go to Dallas or Oklahoma City, but we could not find a dog-sitter (and I cannot imagine putting my dog in a kennel). So, we decided to hang out in our wonderful city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and see what new adventures we could find in our own backyard.

First of all, one of our main objectives of our staycation was to eat at local places that we had never tried before. One such place is Queenies Plus, a local joint that is known for its desserts and brunch. Here is a vegetarian eggs benedict that WAS TO DIE FOR. Seriously, look at that. Yum! I am going to try to figure out a way to make a home-made version, and will have to post the results in the future!

Next thing we decided we should do was to check out local attractions - like art museums and garden areas. First, we went to our favorite local art museum - the Philbrook Museum. It's a museum that was made from a converted old mansion left by the very rich Phillips family in Tulsa.  It's absolutely gorgeous for its art, architecture, and gardens. Here are just some of the pictures I took while touring the museum.

I heard about a green house garden open to the public from a friend, and we jumped on the chance to check it out. We found a big room full of cacti - which made me feel really at home. Seriously. I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, and whenever I see cacti, I get really nostalgic. Usually this isn't a problem since I live in Tulsa (where there is no cacti), but this greenroom was amazing! I could have stayed in there by my little pointy friends all day.

I also thought I should add a picture of my silly, wonderful husband. He seemed to like the greenhouse also!

Well, that's about it, actually. Most of the rest of the staycation was us being lazy, enjoying life, and being sweaty due to the hot weather. It's cooled down since, but that weekend was especially hot, so we stayed inside for most of it.

Motivation of the Day

Love your neighbor as yourself. It's a pretty simple statement, but it's not so simple to put into practice. Today, be motivated to truly love your neighbor today, even if your neighbor is a drug addict, a prostitute, or a tax collector.