This weeks eats!

I haven't blogged in FOREVER and it's something I would like to do more consistently since I'm not working full time anymore. (Who am I kidding, being a Mom is the busiest job I have EVER had) Anyways, after talking with friends the last month or so I think there is a great deal of women that don't have the time or energy to feel like they can meal plan for the week. So I thought maybe I could help out with that. I will try to do this every Monday where I post our weeks meal plans and links to those recipes. (I rarely create my own recipes, so Pinterest is my BFF)

Brad and I decided with the new year that we wanted to make a lifestyle change and eat ALOT cleaner. By clean I mean, less processed foods, more vegetables and fruits, etc. We aren't prefect and quite honestly we just had a couple weeks of our old way of eating and I personally can tell. Blah!

Mon- Honey Salmon in Foil with quinoa

Tues- Greek Marinated Chicken & Chopped brussel sprouts salad and walnuts (without the chicken)

Wed- Mexican Chicken Lime Soup (I will leave out the celery because Hubby doesn't like it)

Thurs- Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Ranch Beef Tacos & Crockpot Refried Beans

(I will use this dry mix instead of the ranch packet. Probably a tablespoon or so.)

Fri- Crockpot Balsamic Chicken & Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey and Cinnamon

Sat- DATE NIGHT!!

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I hope you have a blessed week!

So thankful

 

I am thankful for my family!

 

I am SO thankful for God's endless love and grace!

 

I am thankful for precious memories made!

 

 

I am thankful for Pinterest and the inspiration it gives me!

 

I am really missing this man today!

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving break with your families! May God bless you tremendously!

So I made a new dessert!!

I was looking for a dessert to make for our Thanksgiving potluck at work and I ran acrossed this recipe on Pinterest. I will say I had a difficult time finding the Pumpkin Spice Pudding but it was so worth it. This will be a huge hit at your Thanksgiving meal!! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

 

Pumpkin Lust Cake

1 stick butter, melted
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tbs sugar
1 (8oz) package of cream chees, soft
1 cup powdered sugar
2 (8 oz) containers cool whip (or one 16 ozz container)
2 small packages (3.4oz) of Jello Instant Pumpkin Spice Pudding
3 cup cold milk
Nutmeg for sprinkling

For the crust:

1. Combine butter, flour, chopped pecans and sugar and press into a 9 x 13 in baking dish. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes. Let cool completely.

For the Cream Cheese Layer:

1. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 1 1/2 cups cool whip until smooth. Spread over crust.

For the Pumpkin Layer:

1. Mix pudding mixes with cold milk, whisking for several minutes. Set it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to let it thicken. Spread over the cream cheese layer. Top with remaining container of cool whip. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Cut into squares and serve. Keep refrigerated.

A few of my favorite things

I know, I know. It's been awhile, but I am going to try and do better about blogging consistantly. Christmas is just right around the corner so I thought that I would share some of my personal favorites!!So here ya go......

Smith's Lip Balm in Minted Rose

So I purchased this a few months ago and I am certain that I will never use anything else to keep my lips moisturized. It's AMAZING!!And believe me I have tried everything. I might have a slight lip balm/lip gloss addiction.  I think it's great for daytime wear too, if you don't feel like doing lipstick. Or it would be great to pair with a bold eyeshadow. I got mine here for just $7. I think it will last me a while too.

 

 

L'Oreal Volminous Carbon Black Mascara

 I love mascara! It's one of the things I won't leave the house without. I have tried several differet kinds and this has by far been one of my favorites. I have long eyelashes but they aren't very full. This really defines and thickens each lash. I will definitely be repurchasing this one!

 

Glam Slim Case for Iphone 5

 

I just got the Iphone 5 and I was really paranoid for the 2 days that I didn't have a case on it. I bought this one at Best buy for $35 and I really like it. It protects my phone really well but also super cute. Which is obviously more important than keeping my phone safe. You can purchase it here or just look at the other great color options.

 

Spotify

 

 

I love Spotify! If you haven't heard about it you can go here to check it out. I listen to it ALOT. In my car on the way to work, at work and on the way home. We plug it into the sterio while we clean dishes or fold laundry. It's great you can pick exactly what you want or let it pick a radio station for you, similar to Pandora. But I think it's better than Pandora. I HIGHLY recommend this. I have discovered so many new songs/bands since I started using it. LOVE

 

Sharpie Retractable Fine Point Pen

 

 

This is a great pen and when I was doing this post I discovered that it comes in other colors, not just black. I'm pretty excited about that!! You can buy it online here or probably at any office supply store. I like to use mine taking notes at church or notes from my book studies.

 

How People Change

 

 

We are doing this book study with our lifegroup through church and I can honestly say that this has been the best study EVER! It has been very convicting but such a fresh drink of water knowing God's grace. He truly does give us a fresh start every morning. PRAISE HIM FOR THAT! We haven't finished it yet but I will definitely be recommending this to anyone asking for "the next read".

 

Well I hope you check some of these things out and love them as much as I do. 



At the fire station

I work at a pharmacy that services school district employee's and city employee's so we get treats and goodies sometimes as a "thank you". Recently, my coworkers and I, were invited to go have lunch at one of the fire stations. It was so kind of them to invite us because I know they are super busy. (They were called out on 3 times while we were there) I was really excited because I have always heard that firefighters are really great cooks. They definitely lived up to that. We had chicken tortilla soup and salad, nom nom :) They shared so really funny stories with us too. The firefighters kept talking about the dessert that they had in the oven called "kunglope". (Sounds scary right?!?) Unfortunately we weren't able to eat it because it wasn't quite ready when it was time for us to leave. However, they had these cute little "cookbooks" made up of favorite recipes from the different stations in town and one of them happened to be this AMAZING dessert. So I took one home and made this "scary" sounding dessert. OH MY GOODNESS, it's dangerous! First off its so easy to make and so delicious. I think I have made it 3 times already. (See what I mean, DANGEROUS.)  So I wanted to share it with all of you because I HIGHLY recommend making this. Be prepared for people to request it time and time again. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do and the family/friends I have made it for :)

"Kunglope" AKA Peach Dump Cake

1 box yellow cake mix

2 cans sliced peaches in syrup

1 stick of butter

cinnamon, to taste

Pour your peaches into a greased 9x13 pan, then sprinkle dry cake mix over the top. Next slice the butter and place it all over the top of the cake mix. Then dust on cinnamon to your taste. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve warm out of the oven with a scoop of Blue Bell Vanilla ice cream

**I used 3 cans of peaches and drained 1 can of the syrup. I also only used ½ stick of butter.

Here We Go!

I started following a group of ladies that started a website called Shereadstruth.com and let me tell you it has been a blessing! They pick different plans on the You Version bible app, for iPhone and Android, to do daily devotionals. The app is completely free and there are also daily verses and you can also use it as your Bible on the go. They have a lot of different translations you can pick from too. We are currently on Day 17 of Living the Surrendered Life by Cindy Beall and it's a 21 day plan. I want to share from today's devotional because it really spoke to my heart today.


It comes from Joshua 6:2-5


This is the story about the Fall of Jericho. Cindy talks about what the Israelites must have felt like while they were walking around the wall for seven days. How they were probably wondering if Joshua was crazy, and thinking how in the world walking around for seven days was going to make the walls just come crashing down?!? She goes on to point out that the Israelites were probably even being made fun of by the people of Jericho. Still, they marched on.


Cindy says, "I bet some of you have been marching for a while. Those seven days seem to feel like seventy years to you. Your legs are numb yet they keep moving. Your neck and shoulders are carrying more weight than they were intended to carry but you press on. You and I were placed on this earth to bring our Heavenly Daddy glory! And lots of it. Your tumultuous circumstances may be the very catalyst that helps someone see Jesus. I really only have one thing left to say to you. MARCH ON. AND ONE DAY, YOUR WALLS WILL FALL, TOO.


I know that I grow tired sometimes from the trials in my life. They seem like they will never end. My husband lost his job February 2011 and was unemployed for 4 months. He was able to find another job but took a significant paycut. We have struggled and had to give up a lot. But I know without the grace of God I would not be sitting here now telling you to keep marching on. I think of how I have been faithful to God and wonder why he hasn't rescued me from the storm yet. I encourage you to read Galations 6:9! This will be on the forefront of my mind and heart today. I love that the Lord reminds me of His love and grace through my quiet times with Him each day. Read this verse, write it down, say it out loud, meditate on it, memorize it.


I challenge you to join me in these studies. Even if you just start today, I promise you will not be disappointed in what the Lord wants to reveal to you through His Word. Once we finish this plan I know there will be another and isn't it great to know that there are women all over the country reading the same promises as you?


Have a blessed weekend!