Hello, all! I desperately need to put some updated pictures of Mr. Weiss here on the blog; he has grown so much and is changing every day!!! Now that I am "working" (internship), on the weekends, I want to relax and spend time with my boys. I feel like I am missing out on so much with Weiss when he is now in school from 8 to 5. Don't get me wrong---I am VERY happy with his teachers and school (my only wish would be for the food selection to be healthier, however---typical cafeteria food stuff), but I don't get so see him like I used to. So lately, we've been scheduling fun things to do on the weekends. Last weekend we were in New Braunfels with the Burns family. We went to Gruene, Texas to eat at the lovely Grist Mill for lunch, followed by some time by the river for the kiddos to "skip" rocks. We then went to New Braunfels to the great McKenna Children's Museum. Weiss absolutely loves it, and I would highly recommend it to all of my parent friends. (I prefer it much over Austin's or San Antonio's.) We then made a Chick-Fil-A run---we have to do that when one is in sight! Weiss always says "Chick-Fil-A and play!" We had some ice cream, lemonade, and a cookies and cream shake, followed by 30 minutes on the playground! We drove in to San Marcos and stopped at the Tory Burch, Gymboree, Pottery Barn, and J.Crew outlet stores. Weiss was such a trooper; after all, everything so far had been all about "him!"
We headed in to Austin for Weiss a haircut at Cool Cuts for Kids... (He is NOT a fan of haircuts, even when holding a Thomas the Train and watching Thomas!) We then spent a long time in PetsMart.... Weiss has been loving guinea pigs lately because our precious neighbors own one.... He loves "Mr. Piggy." He is so gentle and sweet with him.... We are contemplating adopting one from Austin's guinea pig Rescue society, but haven't taken the plunge just yet....
We then went to Pei Wei in Bee Cave. (Because I could get my weekly fill in San Antonio, I desperately miss Pei Wei now!!!!) We ended the night in Target, walking up and down nearly each and every aisle. By this time, Weiss was starting to get cranky, so it wasn't the most pleasant shopping experience we've had.... I had a great time with my boys that weekend!
This weekend, we had a wonderful Friday dinner.... Weiss is SUCH a good eater and eats pretty much whatever we cook. (And we don't modify our menu around our house for our kiddo because he will learn to like what we like---we like yummy, healthy, food!) Logan helped me cook because we could prep the food faster, and he is good about making sure the food is perfect! (And whenever I use a Bon Apettit recipe, they are always more complicated....) We had tri-tip beef with shallots, fresh shitake mushrooms in wine and cream, served over tomato-basted sourdough bread.... Our salad was arugula and spinach, pinenuts, fresh blueberries, and goat cheese, with a yummy raspberry balsamic reduction.... Dessert was Ina Garten's tiramisu..... It was a great dinner, and will be repeated because Weiss ate it up! (I know I talk about food alot in my blogs, but we are big foodies, and it is such a big part of our family time--we all enjoy cooking together and spend lots of time in the kitchen....) Weiss really loved the tiramisu, as well....
Saturday morning I went on a 5-miler with Judi and Donna.... I am still feeling good at 18 weeks but starting to show more... I have to take more walk breaks now, but feel great! We then got ready and headed in to Kirby Lane Cafe on Llamar in Austin for brunch.... YUMMY!!!! We all had different varieties of pancakes, and I love how they offer farm-raised eggs and natural sausage, grilled, so it is not greasy. It was wonderful and we will definitely be back to Austin's popular local hangout. We then went to Stride Rite to take advantage of the "buy one get one half off" for Weiss.... Logan went clothes shopping at Barton Creek Mall and then the Domain. (He needed to---it's funny how guys can wear stuff for years before they think they need new clothes!!! Some of his poor shirts were getting really worn out!) Weiss and I went to Border's Books, where we read--you guessed it---Thomas the Tank Engine's Easter book.
We came back to Marble Falls to go to our Sunday School's cookout at a local park. The BBQ was great, and Weiss got to burn off some steam on the great playscape. (We had never been to this particular park before.) We had a fun time; it was starting to get colder, so I was getting miserable. We went home and I slept for 2 hours while the boys built--surprise---a Thomas the Train track/layout. (I think the weather change was getting to me.....)
Sunday morning we went to church, came home for leftovers, and then took a WONDERFUL Sunday afternoon nap. Logan and I had some friends (Justin and Ashley White) in town (Austin) from San Angelo, so we went to Barton Creek Resort to pick them up. (Weiss stayed with his grandparents.) They are huge foodies, as well, so we went to Hudson's on the Bend. It was absolutely wonderful, and we had a wonderful time catching up with Justin and Ashley. They have a little girl, Sydney, who just turned two, and Ashley is expecting their second, who is only two weeks after our baby is due to arrive!
Weiss has been busy around the house, as usual, with his obsession, Thomas the Tank Engine. He plays daily with his train table and cannot get enough of Thomas and friends! However, we recently got him some Step2 outdoor toys, and he has wanting to spend more time outside. (Last week, Logan was so kind to assemble his extreme coaster, and we have to assemble one more....) It's great Weiss is spending time outside, but he is at the lovely stage where I have to be a continual, captive audience....
"Watch, Mama!" "Look at me!"
I don't mind some of that, but if I am trying to get dinner ready and need him to be occupied, it makes it kind of difficult.....
(Even though our kitchen looks right out into the backyard and he can see EVERYTHING I am doing in the kitchen, and vice versa...... Stubborn little dude!!!!!!!!! But I love him anyway!)
Monday, March 8, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
Tomatillo and Shrimp Enchiladas.....
Okay. I have been a baaaaaaaaaaaaadddd blogger in 2010. (It's been almost 2 months since my last post----what a shame!!!) However, I have a yummy, kid-friendly recipe I would love to share.....
Tomatillo and Shrimp Enchiladas
1 jar tomatillo salsa (approximately 16 oz. or so)
1.5 lb fresh raw shrimp, deveined and tail removed--cut in half (not butterflied)
1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2 T of olive oil
1 medium purple onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup frozen corn
12 corn tortillas
3 T of half-and half
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I had sharp cheddar on hand, so I used that)
1/4 cup water
1 t chili powder
1/2 t cumin
1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper, cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp, cook an additional 3 minutes, until shrimp is opaque. Stir in corn, water, chili powder and cumin. Heat through.
2. Heat oven to 375. Coat a 13x9x2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray (I use olive oil or coconut oil).
3. Wrap four tortillas in damp paper towels. Microwave 30 seconds. Brush one side of each tortilla with salsa. Spoon 1/2 cup shrimp mixture on each. Roll up and place seam-side down in prepared dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Top with any extra filling.
4. Mix remaining salsa with half-and-half. Spoon over enchiladas. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until bubbly.
Weiss LOVED this dish, so it will be repeated in the future!
It may look complicated at first glance, but was really super QUICK to cook and assemble, not to mention quite tasty! For those of you who are more health conscious, I was able to find all of these products in an organic version at my local HEB this time, but they are somewhat inconsistent with their produce at times. (We try to eat organic produce/food when it is available, avoid GMOs, and highly avoid any dairy product(s) with rBGH.) I also had some cilantro on hand, so I topped the enchiladas with that....
I enjoy posting recipes because I always know where to find them if I misplace them!!!!
Tomatillo and Shrimp Enchiladas
1 jar tomatillo salsa (approximately 16 oz. or so)
1.5 lb fresh raw shrimp, deveined and tail removed--cut in half (not butterflied)
1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2 T of olive oil
1 medium purple onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup frozen corn
12 corn tortillas
3 T of half-and half
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I had sharp cheddar on hand, so I used that)
1/4 cup water
1 t chili powder
1/2 t cumin
1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper, cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp, cook an additional 3 minutes, until shrimp is opaque. Stir in corn, water, chili powder and cumin. Heat through.
2. Heat oven to 375. Coat a 13x9x2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray (I use olive oil or coconut oil).
3. Wrap four tortillas in damp paper towels. Microwave 30 seconds. Brush one side of each tortilla with salsa. Spoon 1/2 cup shrimp mixture on each. Roll up and place seam-side down in prepared dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Top with any extra filling.
4. Mix remaining salsa with half-and-half. Spoon over enchiladas. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until bubbly.
Weiss LOVED this dish, so it will be repeated in the future!
It may look complicated at first glance, but was really super QUICK to cook and assemble, not to mention quite tasty! For those of you who are more health conscious, I was able to find all of these products in an organic version at my local HEB this time, but they are somewhat inconsistent with their produce at times. (We try to eat organic produce/food when it is available, avoid GMOs, and highly avoid any dairy product(s) with rBGH.) I also had some cilantro on hand, so I topped the enchiladas with that....
I enjoy posting recipes because I always know where to find them if I misplace them!!!!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
I just thought I was busy.....
Hello, all!!! I hope you are all having a great start to the new year. I cannot believe we are quickly approaching mid-January.... (yes, I know it's not here yet, but it is right around the corner!). These past few days, there have been some major adjustments in the Stanley household--Weiss began "full-time" to FBC preschool. He is going 8 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday. Although I love his teachers, the administration, and the school itself for its values, I feel so HORRIBLE having to leave him there that long every day! Don't get me wrong--I'm not knocking all of those working moms out there. It's just that he's been so healthy and used to hanging out with me all of the time. He had been going 3 mornings a week for socialization and to give me some "alone" time and to do my school work; however, this is MUCH longer. The reason he is doing this is for my internship; I begin two Mondays from now. I am leaving EARLY EARLY this coming Sunday morning for Lynchburg, Virginia to the Liberty University campus to get in my last requirement class for my internship. It will be my LAST class other than the working part of my practicum and internship! WOW!!!
I hate to leave Logan and Weiss, but I know I will be busy and the week will fly. I also made two friends from the last 2 classes, and we are all staying together. I am looking forward to that! I am going to visit Thomas Road Baptist Church on Sunday evening and Wednesday at campus church (which has like 10,000 people attending on Wed.), and I'm going to eat LOTS of Chick-Fil-A! (Okay, not too much!) I have loved Liberty and am sort of sad the book work is coming to an end. My master's courses were like a giant BIble study; Liberty grew me so much spiritually because of the great books we read that were related to Christian counseling. (Granted, we had to learn theories and techniques, too.)
Anyway, I will return home on Friday evening late and then begin working at the Highland Lakes Crisis Center the following Monday. This will be my location until I complete 800 hours!!!! AHHH!!!!! However, with the clientele, things should stay busy and I know I will learn so much and my eyes will be opened to the needs of those precious people. God orchestrated that perfectly! Logan will be moving in the new dental office hopefully at the end of January, so it will be busy for him and his dad, as well. It will be chaotic around here for a time, with everyone adjusting to new schedules! I personally don't know how I am going to cook the dinners we are used to having after work being pregnant and all! I normally start dinner early because we rarely do "quick prep" meals. I can see why working moms want to grab something quick or eat out because they are exhausted when they get home, and they have to pick up their little ones after work from day care/preschool! I am thankful this will only be a season for us, but I hope we can continue to eat healthy.... I need to get another grilling lesson from Logan and/or my dad because I think that would be the simplest option.... veggies and meat on the grill, or something in the Crock Pot.
I get off work on Tuesdays because I am still teaching the preteen homeschool class of my Community Bible Study. I am sad because Weiss would always go and he had GREAT teachers in his toddler class.... I love my students; they are so mature and kind--wise beyond their years. We are still studying Revelation in the children's department and adult department. We have been going since September and are now midway through Revelation. It has been a wonderful study so far. On Tuesday afternoons, I will probably go back to work to squeeze in 3 or 4 more hours at the crisis center. I don't know just yet what I will do about the schedules of my piano students (I have five); they are normally scattered late afternoon throughout the week, but they are all so great about wanting to work with my schedule.
All I know is the next few months will be jam-packed and probably a bit stressful because of the nature of my work. I am looking forward to the adventures ahead, and know this year will fly by! I just want to finish my internship in time to relax a bit before "the new kid on the block" arrives in early August. Mom is on her way as I type to help me organize the house before I begin working.... I like things clean, but I am such a clutter bug and live with one, as well. (He may not be quite as bad....) This may be my only time to get my ducks in a row! Mom is going to watch Weiss this weekend so Logan and I can clean out the garage. (Yes, it is REALLY needed....hahaha!)
I hate to leave Logan and Weiss, but I know I will be busy and the week will fly. I also made two friends from the last 2 classes, and we are all staying together. I am looking forward to that! I am going to visit Thomas Road Baptist Church on Sunday evening and Wednesday at campus church (which has like 10,000 people attending on Wed.), and I'm going to eat LOTS of Chick-Fil-A! (Okay, not too much!) I have loved Liberty and am sort of sad the book work is coming to an end. My master's courses were like a giant BIble study; Liberty grew me so much spiritually because of the great books we read that were related to Christian counseling. (Granted, we had to learn theories and techniques, too.)
Anyway, I will return home on Friday evening late and then begin working at the Highland Lakes Crisis Center the following Monday. This will be my location until I complete 800 hours!!!! AHHH!!!!! However, with the clientele, things should stay busy and I know I will learn so much and my eyes will be opened to the needs of those precious people. God orchestrated that perfectly! Logan will be moving in the new dental office hopefully at the end of January, so it will be busy for him and his dad, as well. It will be chaotic around here for a time, with everyone adjusting to new schedules! I personally don't know how I am going to cook the dinners we are used to having after work being pregnant and all! I normally start dinner early because we rarely do "quick prep" meals. I can see why working moms want to grab something quick or eat out because they are exhausted when they get home, and they have to pick up their little ones after work from day care/preschool! I am thankful this will only be a season for us, but I hope we can continue to eat healthy.... I need to get another grilling lesson from Logan and/or my dad because I think that would be the simplest option.... veggies and meat on the grill, or something in the Crock Pot.
I get off work on Tuesdays because I am still teaching the preteen homeschool class of my Community Bible Study. I am sad because Weiss would always go and he had GREAT teachers in his toddler class.... I love my students; they are so mature and kind--wise beyond their years. We are still studying Revelation in the children's department and adult department. We have been going since September and are now midway through Revelation. It has been a wonderful study so far. On Tuesday afternoons, I will probably go back to work to squeeze in 3 or 4 more hours at the crisis center. I don't know just yet what I will do about the schedules of my piano students (I have five); they are normally scattered late afternoon throughout the week, but they are all so great about wanting to work with my schedule.
All I know is the next few months will be jam-packed and probably a bit stressful because of the nature of my work. I am looking forward to the adventures ahead, and know this year will fly by! I just want to finish my internship in time to relax a bit before "the new kid on the block" arrives in early August. Mom is on her way as I type to help me organize the house before I begin working.... I like things clean, but I am such a clutter bug and live with one, as well. (He may not be quite as bad....) This may be my only time to get my ducks in a row! Mom is going to watch Weiss this weekend so Logan and I can clean out the garage. (Yes, it is REALLY needed....hahaha!)
Friday, January 1, 2010
Christmas, New Year's, and More.....
Happy New Year, everyone! I can't believe it is 2010. It seems as though only yesterday it was 2000--how time truly flies!!! Our Christmas was a laid-back one this year, but it was definitely exciting for the grandparents. When we do Christmas around here, both sets of our parents get together to celebrate because our families are so small. We announced to them we are expecting in August, and boy--they were excited!!! (I'm glad we finally told them because I had kept the secret from them since December 1st--and I felt really yucky on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.... I think it was all of the food smells at once... Those are really getting to me right now!) Anyway, that was an exciting surprise for them! Weiss really had a great time; this year, he was REALLY into Christmas, saying "Merry Christmas," and opening packages. In fact, he kept opening packages when I would walk out of the room! (Good thing I only put out packages on Christmas Eve, or he would have opened everything!!!!) And by the way, Weiss is STILL saying "Merry Christmas....." We tell him Christmas is over, but he tells us "NO! Christmas is NOT over!!"
As for New Year's Eve, I had friends from San Antonio come to visit for lunch--Lucretia, Kayla, and Alexis Kebreau. I was certainly glad to see them; we ate some Cajun food and had some fun catching up on old times. Last night, we went out to Leslie and Jason Coleman's house and had a great time with their 3 kids, the Duvalls, the Burns, and the other Coleman family. We ate a feast of king crab legs, Chef Leslie's (yes, she really is a chef!) oven-baked chicken, and sides we had all brought. We then went outside and popped fireworks with the kiddos and the kids lit sparklers. The kids all played and Weiss LOVES their Step 2 extreme coaster! He loves that thing whenever we go over there... I've included a picture.... We're going to have to get him one for the spring/summer.... Anyway, the adults played Rockband on Wii and sang some country songs.... Super fun. We rang in the New Year early and then were out by 9 PM for the kiddos. I was in bed and asleep by 11 PM. Because it was New Year's, we let Weiss snuggle in bed with us last night. Today, I think we are going to take it easy; I want to see Avatar in Austin on an IMAX screen in 3D, so I think we are going to do that today or tomorrow evening..... I hope you all have a wonderful New Year and had a blessed Christmas.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Recent Recipes.....
I have had some friends recently exchange some really good recipes with me. Not only do I want to share them with you on our blog, but having them on my blog helps me if I misplace my paper copy!!! So here they are…. We have tried them all, and they are each wonderful…..
Lime Scented Quinoa with Black Beans, Tomato and Cilantro—from Hannah Burns
3 cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups uncooked quinoa
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
zest of one lime
1 tablespoon of hot sauce (we used Central Market Organics Chipotle hot salsa)
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed, and drained
1 cup diced red or yellow tomatoes (we used a plastic container of Cherubs)
1 cup diced red or yellow bell pepper
--Bring stock to a boil; add quinoa. Stir, and bring back to a simmer. Cover, and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the quinoa is fluffy and tender. Strain and let cool. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper, zest and hot sauce. Place quinoa, beans, tomatoes and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the olive oil mixture, and toss. Suggestion: Serve with sautéed kale or spinach lightly tossed with olive oil and garlic.
NOTE: Logan and I added a chicken we had oven roasted. We shredded the chicken and added it to the meal, adding some protein and flavor. (And we always want some type of “meat” with our meal!!!) This is a great dish, served hot for winter and would be great cold (like couscous) for the summer.
ABOUT QUINOA: That was the first time I had ever cooked with quinoa (keen-wah). Hannah and Casey had us over for dinner and she had made a wonderful quinoa dish with chicken, carrots and celery. (I’ll post that recipe later….) Quinoa is a very nutrient-dense grain, is safe for a gluten-free diet, is high-fiber, and it has anti-fungal properties. So in a nutshell, this is a very healthy, nutritious meal! Quinoa is a complete protein (one-quarter cup of uncooked quinoa has about six grams of protein, about as much as one egg), and contains vitamins B and E and trace minerals. There was no quinoa here in Marble Falls (go figure!), so Cinda got me some when she ran in to Whole Foods in Austin. You can buy it packaged in health food stores or in the bulk section of larger stores. If you buy bulk, make sure to rinse it off and drain before you cook it because it has a bitter taste if it is not rinsed.
Baked Spinach---from Ashley White
NOTE: Not only do we love spinach because it is healthy, but with cheese, it is even better! Ashley said their almost 2 year-old LOVES this…..
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
½ medium onion, chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups small curd cottage cheese
6 ounces Cheddar or Colby Cheese, shredded (1 ½ cups)
freshly ground pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a 7 by 11 inch Pyrex dish. Add onion. Stir in flour. Combine spinach, eggs, cottage cheese, and Cheddar or Colby cheese in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon spinach mixture into onion mixture. Stir to combine. Back uncovered 1 hour.
This casserole can be prepared a day ahead, refrigerated, and cooked the next day.
Osta Kaka (Swedish sweet cake)---From a friend of Ashley White’s
24 oz small curd cottage cheese
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 cups half ‘n half
almond extract (use your preference)
Drain the small curd cottage cheese into a colander for 2 hours. Discard milk. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the 4 eggs. Add the sugar, half ‘n half, and almond flavoring. Stir. Add cottage cheese. Spray casserole dish and pour in mixture. Bake 1 ½ to 2 hours. You can serve with fresh fruit or just eat alone! Yummy!
Lime Scented Quinoa with Black Beans, Tomato and Cilantro—from Hannah Burns
3 cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups uncooked quinoa
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
zest of one lime
1 tablespoon of hot sauce (we used Central Market Organics Chipotle hot salsa)
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed, and drained
1 cup diced red or yellow tomatoes (we used a plastic container of Cherubs)
1 cup diced red or yellow bell pepper
--Bring stock to a boil; add quinoa. Stir, and bring back to a simmer. Cover, and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the quinoa is fluffy and tender. Strain and let cool. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper, zest and hot sauce. Place quinoa, beans, tomatoes and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the olive oil mixture, and toss. Suggestion: Serve with sautéed kale or spinach lightly tossed with olive oil and garlic.
NOTE: Logan and I added a chicken we had oven roasted. We shredded the chicken and added it to the meal, adding some protein and flavor. (And we always want some type of “meat” with our meal!!!) This is a great dish, served hot for winter and would be great cold (like couscous) for the summer.
ABOUT QUINOA: That was the first time I had ever cooked with quinoa (keen-wah). Hannah and Casey had us over for dinner and she had made a wonderful quinoa dish with chicken, carrots and celery. (I’ll post that recipe later….) Quinoa is a very nutrient-dense grain, is safe for a gluten-free diet, is high-fiber, and it has anti-fungal properties. So in a nutshell, this is a very healthy, nutritious meal! Quinoa is a complete protein (one-quarter cup of uncooked quinoa has about six grams of protein, about as much as one egg), and contains vitamins B and E and trace minerals. There was no quinoa here in Marble Falls (go figure!), so Cinda got me some when she ran in to Whole Foods in Austin. You can buy it packaged in health food stores or in the bulk section of larger stores. If you buy bulk, make sure to rinse it off and drain before you cook it because it has a bitter taste if it is not rinsed.
Baked Spinach---from Ashley White
NOTE: Not only do we love spinach because it is healthy, but with cheese, it is even better! Ashley said their almost 2 year-old LOVES this…..
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
½ medium onion, chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups small curd cottage cheese
6 ounces Cheddar or Colby Cheese, shredded (1 ½ cups)
freshly ground pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a 7 by 11 inch Pyrex dish. Add onion. Stir in flour. Combine spinach, eggs, cottage cheese, and Cheddar or Colby cheese in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon spinach mixture into onion mixture. Stir to combine. Back uncovered 1 hour.
This casserole can be prepared a day ahead, refrigerated, and cooked the next day.
Osta Kaka (Swedish sweet cake)---From a friend of Ashley White’s
24 oz small curd cottage cheese
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 cups half ‘n half
almond extract (use your preference)
Drain the small curd cottage cheese into a colander for 2 hours. Discard milk. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the 4 eggs. Add the sugar, half ‘n half, and almond flavoring. Stir. Add cottage cheese. Spray casserole dish and pour in mixture. Bake 1 ½ to 2 hours. You can serve with fresh fruit or just eat alone! Yummy!
Monday, December 21, 2009
WOW!!! It's almost Christmas!
I can't believe this month has flown by already.... Here's a recap of what we've been doing. This month has been particularly busy for us, not only because of the Christmas holiday, but because Weiss had his third birthday. I had my finals for two classes at one time (which ended Friday---HALLELUJAH!) and had to secure my internship in late January to complete my master's program. All of this has made the first part of December busy, and unfortunately, stressful.
A bit about my internship: God worked everything out beautifully; I will be working at the Highland Lakes Crisis Center. It services four counties here in Central Texas and houses up to 40 women (and children) at one time. I will be working with women and children who are victimized by domestic abuse and sexual assault. (It is also the sexual assault crisis center for this area, as well.) It stays very busy and is open 24/7, so I am sure I will be very busy. I am required to complete 800 hours there, so this will take me several months working full-time.
Weiss was so excited about his birthday approaching; he really had a great time this year celebrating. For the longest time, he said he was "five" if anyone asked, but I think he has figured out he is three now....
We attended the Main Street Bethlehem production in Burnet this year.... If you've never been, it was incredible and so worth going to see. There were plenty of live animals (chickens, geese, camels, sheep, donkeys), everyone dressed in period costumes, and everything was so realistic. Burnet FBC has a permanent "Bethlehem" set up outside of their church on some property they have there. The buildings are stone, and there is a wall around the city, just like it really would have been. There are Jewish priests, many merchants, Roman soldiers, wise men, shepherds, tax collectors, prostitutes, vagrants, lepers, prisoners, and families with small children. And of course, there is Jesus (a real baby!), Mary, and Joseph. Weiss loved it and learned how to say "Shalom!" We went late on a Sunday evening (someone had told us that was the best time.... It really wasn't crowded. We had no lines. We had heard people waited for TWO hours in line! After all, over 10,000 people go through in 2 weekends.) Mary and Joseph were supposed to remain "stoic" with the baby Jesus, and Weiss kept hollering at Joseph and waving to get his attention. It was so cute--finally Joseph looked up and casually waved. We were the only ones around the manger at that point, so I guess he thought it would be okay to break character....
We went to a wedding in the Merkel area this past weekend (Kelle Hicks and Derreck Ratliff). We had a great time; I got to see and visit many people I had not seen in quite some time! Thanks, Kelle, for including us! We left Friday morning and Weiss got carsick right off the bat. (He has never done that!) We pulled over and Logan was cleaning out/"Lysoling" Weiss's carseat; I took Weiss in the back with the tailgate up and changed his clothes. When he was covered in yuck, he kept saying, "I need a doctor...." I thought that was hilarious! He perked right up and was fine the rest of the drive and weekend. We think he got too hot because the heater was on and he had just had a big breakfast. Poor dude.
We stayed with my parents and enjoyed visiting with them. It was so COLD there. The temperature isn't too bad, but the wind makes it feel soooo cold. We had the rehearsal Friday in Eriksdahl (Avoca), and then the dinner in Abilene. Saturday, we drove to Eriksdahl (near Stamford) and then the reception was in the Elks Building in Abilene. We then left to eat at Catfish Corner! (Logan was craving it.... Good choice, Logan!) Sunday we left to go visit Logan's granddad at Big Spring in the Veteran's Hospital nursing facility. It was great to see him and know that he recognized all three of us. He was glad to see us and Weiss was in a great mood. We then left to go to San Angelo to visit Justin, Ashley, and Sydney White. It was a fun but short visit. We made our way home last night. We had many hours in the car this weekend, but it was a fun one!
A bit about my internship: God worked everything out beautifully; I will be working at the Highland Lakes Crisis Center. It services four counties here in Central Texas and houses up to 40 women (and children) at one time. I will be working with women and children who are victimized by domestic abuse and sexual assault. (It is also the sexual assault crisis center for this area, as well.) It stays very busy and is open 24/7, so I am sure I will be very busy. I am required to complete 800 hours there, so this will take me several months working full-time.
Weiss was so excited about his birthday approaching; he really had a great time this year celebrating. For the longest time, he said he was "five" if anyone asked, but I think he has figured out he is three now....
We attended the Main Street Bethlehem production in Burnet this year.... If you've never been, it was incredible and so worth going to see. There were plenty of live animals (chickens, geese, camels, sheep, donkeys), everyone dressed in period costumes, and everything was so realistic. Burnet FBC has a permanent "Bethlehem" set up outside of their church on some property they have there. The buildings are stone, and there is a wall around the city, just like it really would have been. There are Jewish priests, many merchants, Roman soldiers, wise men, shepherds, tax collectors, prostitutes, vagrants, lepers, prisoners, and families with small children. And of course, there is Jesus (a real baby!), Mary, and Joseph. Weiss loved it and learned how to say "Shalom!" We went late on a Sunday evening (someone had told us that was the best time.... It really wasn't crowded. We had no lines. We had heard people waited for TWO hours in line! After all, over 10,000 people go through in 2 weekends.) Mary and Joseph were supposed to remain "stoic" with the baby Jesus, and Weiss kept hollering at Joseph and waving to get his attention. It was so cute--finally Joseph looked up and casually waved. We were the only ones around the manger at that point, so I guess he thought it would be okay to break character....
We went to a wedding in the Merkel area this past weekend (Kelle Hicks and Derreck Ratliff). We had a great time; I got to see and visit many people I had not seen in quite some time! Thanks, Kelle, for including us! We left Friday morning and Weiss got carsick right off the bat. (He has never done that!) We pulled over and Logan was cleaning out/"Lysoling" Weiss's carseat; I took Weiss in the back with the tailgate up and changed his clothes. When he was covered in yuck, he kept saying, "I need a doctor...." I thought that was hilarious! He perked right up and was fine the rest of the drive and weekend. We think he got too hot because the heater was on and he had just had a big breakfast. Poor dude.
We stayed with my parents and enjoyed visiting with them. It was so COLD there. The temperature isn't too bad, but the wind makes it feel soooo cold. We had the rehearsal Friday in Eriksdahl (Avoca), and then the dinner in Abilene. Saturday, we drove to Eriksdahl (near Stamford) and then the reception was in the Elks Building in Abilene. We then left to eat at Catfish Corner! (Logan was craving it.... Good choice, Logan!) Sunday we left to go visit Logan's granddad at Big Spring in the Veteran's Hospital nursing facility. It was great to see him and know that he recognized all three of us. He was glad to see us and Weiss was in a great mood. We then left to go to San Angelo to visit Justin, Ashley, and Sydney White. It was a fun but short visit. We made our way home last night. We had many hours in the car this weekend, but it was a fun one!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Some Catchin' Up to Do.....
Hello, All! I have been enjoying the cooler weather the past few days here in Marble Falls and my recent trip to West Texas last weekend. Weiss and I had a great time, but we came back with sinus junk! Logan had gone to a dental conference in Dallas with Dickey, and he escaped the lovely allergy/sinus junk. What have we been up to the past few weeks this month? Weiss has been busy with school, going to the library, Lo busy with work, we finished Financial Peace (we LOVE Dave Ramsey--he's an awesome guy!!!) and I ran the San Antonio Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon. We all were gone last weekend (what I mentioned earlier) and this weekend is the lovely Thanksgiving holiday with family! We are officially celebrating on Friday because my Mom and Dad are getting here on Friday because of work. So tomorrow (Thursday), we will be doing the Austin Turkey Trot with Dickey, which is hosted by Thundercloud Subs and helps to feed the local homeless. (It is really fun---last year, there were many dogs and costumes---people dressed as turkeys, Santa Claus, Indians, and pilgrims!) We can't wait for this year's five miles!
And as always, I feel overwhelmingly blessed this Thanksgiving. I hope all of you do, as well. My God blesses me abundantly and keeps on blessing me each breath I breathe. I am so thankful for my faith, family, friends, health, church family, community, our nation ('m a bit partial to Texas--teeheehee), my dog, our beautiful world--plants, animals, and all, good food, my beautiful home, good music (my favorite pasttime), books (another favorite pasttime), and much, much more......
Today, Weiss and I began to set out Christmas nativities. I put a special table in his room to place his 3 nativities upon--Veggie Tales, Fisher-Price, and his newest and coolest, Playmobil. For those of you who want to get your child a nativity set, I would highly suggest this one. Granted, I will really have to watch him around this one, but each of the kings have special gifts to give to baby Jesus, and there is so much DETAIL. You can REALLY tell the Christmas story in detail, and the kings LOOK like kings, and the shepherd really LOOKS like a nomadic shepherd. (The only complaint I have is the little, kidlike angel, but Weiss got a kick out of it.... He raced around his room saying, "Fly, Angel, FLY!") It even comes with a small story book telling the Christmas story. The neat background is included. I will have to post pictures of his nativity table and Texas Tech Christmas tree when they are all finished, but here is the Playmobil nativity....
We also got him a neat Playmobil advent calendar instead of a candy one this year. It's pretty incredible..... Every year, Playmobil changes their advent calendar and does a different theme to collect, and they aren't expensive--about $18.00, but the previous year's versions sell for quite a bit because there are BIG Playmobil collectors out there. I think this will be something we do for each Christmas season.... Here is this year's Playmobil advent calendar... It's a forest animal, winter theme.
And as always, I feel overwhelmingly blessed this Thanksgiving. I hope all of you do, as well. My God blesses me abundantly and keeps on blessing me each breath I breathe. I am so thankful for my faith, family, friends, health, church family, community, our nation ('m a bit partial to Texas--teeheehee), my dog, our beautiful world--plants, animals, and all, good food, my beautiful home, good music (my favorite pasttime), books (another favorite pasttime), and much, much more......
Today, Weiss and I began to set out Christmas nativities. I put a special table in his room to place his 3 nativities upon--Veggie Tales, Fisher-Price, and his newest and coolest, Playmobil. For those of you who want to get your child a nativity set, I would highly suggest this one. Granted, I will really have to watch him around this one, but each of the kings have special gifts to give to baby Jesus, and there is so much DETAIL. You can REALLY tell the Christmas story in detail, and the kings LOOK like kings, and the shepherd really LOOKS like a nomadic shepherd. (The only complaint I have is the little, kidlike angel, but Weiss got a kick out of it.... He raced around his room saying, "Fly, Angel, FLY!") It even comes with a small story book telling the Christmas story. The neat background is included. I will have to post pictures of his nativity table and Texas Tech Christmas tree when they are all finished, but here is the Playmobil nativity....
We also got him a neat Playmobil advent calendar instead of a candy one this year. It's pretty incredible..... Every year, Playmobil changes their advent calendar and does a different theme to collect, and they aren't expensive--about $18.00, but the previous year's versions sell for quite a bit because there are BIG Playmobil collectors out there. I think this will be something we do for each Christmas season.... Here is this year's Playmobil advent calendar... It's a forest animal, winter theme.
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