Five Things Friday

It's May! Here are five things from me on this Fabulous Friday!

{one} 

Garden. Last Saturday, I spent time tilling my small garden and getting it ready to plant my new crop of vegetables and fruit 🍅😉. I was so excited that we stopped by my favorite small business plant/garden pop up shop and picked up some plants and flowers. I came straight home and got them planted, and woke up the next morning to unexpected rain💦. There was two inches of water standing in my garden! I must say I was a little bummed, if I had known I would have held off in planting. However, I think all is well. I planted tomatoes (4), green peppers(4), red peppers (1), macarroni peppers (4), jalapeños (4), zucchini (1), and basil (1). I would like to find cilantro (I've stopped at two stores and still no cilantro). I've never had much luck with my bell peppers or zucchini but maybe this will be my year. What are your favorite things to plant?

{two}

Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts by Jennie Allen
I can't wait for this book to arrive on my doorstep so I can start reading. Would you like to join me?

"In Get Out of Your Head, Jennie inspires and equips us to transform our emotions, our outlook, and even our circumstances by taking control of our thoughts. Our enemy is determined to get in our heads to make us feel helpless, overwhelmed, and incapable of making a difference for the kingdom of God. But when we submit our minds to Christ, the promises and goodness of God flood our lives in remarkable ways. It starts in your head. And from there, the possibilities are endless."

Jennie Allen also has a Bible study on this topic that I will be starting with a group of women via Zoom, in a few weeks, a 6-week study in the book of Philippians. If you would like to get involved in a women's Bible study, I would love for you to join us.

{three}

Whole 30 Comfort Food. If you are looking for a "clean eating" meal that tastes great give these Lazy Meatloaf Muffins a try. The recipe calls for Whole 30 approved ketchup, My favorite is Primal Kitchen Ketchup Organic Unsweetened you can find it at Walmart, Target, and your local grocery store. I've made my own ketchup, but it just doesn't come close to Primal Kitchen's Ketchup! 

{four}

Next Tuesday, we are going to run a virtual 5K as a family, the Fiesta Frenzy5K, on Cinco De Mayo! It's been fun to have the boys get out and "train." It's a great way to for them to some physical activity, and to get out of the house. We have been taking daily 5K walks, where they either ride their bikes or walk. I hope that maybe we are developing little runners, and maybe one day some of my boys will want to do some distance running with me, a mom can dream 😉! But no matter what, it's great to get out and move your body and get some exercise. What have you been doing to get out and move?

{five} 

The Chosen. Have you heard of the new series on the life of Jesus? My family and I have thoroughly enjoyed this portrayal of Jesus. Check it out https://studios.vidangel.com/the-chosen. The Bible study I'm currently in "Finding I Am," by Lysa TerKeurst, looks at the "I Am" statements of Jesus. In the last episode of season one, two of those statements were covered and it's fun to see what you are studying in the Bible be acted out on the big screen.

Have a great weekend!

In case you missed it this week:

Healthy Chicken and Veggies

Healthy Chicken and Veggies

If you are looking for a healthy meal that the entire family will love, look no further. This easy chicken and veggie recipe is sure to be a crowd pleaser. It is a family favorite at our house! It even gets rave reviews from the picky teenager. Actually, the last time I made this meal my 13 year old said, "Mom, can you make this meal again soon?" My jaw about hit the floor. He's hard to please unless you are serving take out or anything that fits in the unhealthy category 😂. I felt like I had just won an Academy Award or 1st Place on Top Chef! 

The beauty of this recipe is you can use any combination of veggies you have on hand, and you can change it up each time you make it. It is a great meal for busy nights because you can prep the veggies ahead of time and simply line the pan and pop it right in the oven! If you serve it over cauliflower rice it is a clean eating recipe!

Healthy Chicken and Veggies

Ingredients:

• ●2 medium boneless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
• ●1 medium red onion, chopped
• ●1 medium zucchini chopped
• ●1 medium yellow squash
• ●broccoli florets (2 cups)
• ●bell peppers (any variety you would like. I used red, green, and orange bell peppers), chopped
• ●any other veggies you would like to use (mushroom and grape tomatoes are also delicious in this recipe)
• ●2 cloves garlic minced
• ●1 T Italian seasoning
• ●1 tsp salt
• ●1/2 tsp pepper
• ●1/2 tsp paprika
• ●2 T olive oil (avocado oil for clean eating recipe)
• ●Brown, Wild, or Cauliflower Rice, cooked (optional)

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Line a cooking sheet/pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking   spray.
2. Cut all veggies and chicken and line on cooking pan.
3. Drizzle chicken and veggies with olive oil.
4. Prepare seasoning in a small bowl, stir to combine and sprinkle evenly over chicken and veggies.
5. Bake 15-20 minutes until chicken is tender and veggies roasted.
6. Prepare rice, and place portion in bowl. Spoon chicken and veggies on top of rice.

Enjoy! This meal is delicious and is great for left overs!

Three Ways to Wait Well

You will be restless in your waiting, until you surrender your will to God.

Are you in a season of waiting? Maybe you are waiting on:

• *A child (positive pregnancy test or adoption)
• *A new job
• *Healing (illness, restoration of a relationship, or marriage)
• *A spouse
• *A loved one to come to Christ, or a wayward child to return home.

As humans we don't do waiting well. Why is that? Because we want what we want when we want it!

In the Bible (Genesis 15-18) we see Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years for the child the Lord had promised. The answer did not come until Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah, 99. By the world's standards, all hope seemed lost for them. During the waiting, Sarah let fear and doubt take hold and she took matters into her own hands by giving Abraham her maidservant, Hagar, so that Hagar might bear a child for them. Most of us are thinking, "HOLD ON! Stop! This is a bad idea." Yes, it was a bad idea, but how often do we try to step ahead of God and take control in situations in our life? We all may be a little more like Sarah than we thought.

God had promised Abraham that Sarah would be the "mother of nations." Genesis 17:16 tells us she would conceive and bear a son, but Sarah did not believe, so much so, that in Chapter 18 when she overheard the promise, she laughed. And the Lord responded,

"Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'will I really have a child, now that I am old' Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Genesis 18:13-14

Think about that for a moment. Is your situation too hard for the Lord? Is my situation too difficult for Jesus? No. Nothing is too hard for Him. Let that encourage you in your wait today.

Waiting is hard. Especially in our microwave mentality culture. Waiting can feel like a passive activity. That we have no part other than sitting and twiddling our thumbs, while time slowly ticks by, wallowing in our circumstances. Waiting is not a passive activity. God wants us to actively participate in the waiting, to seek Him. We do this by filling our mind with truth about God's character.

"Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth." Colossians 3:2

Waiting reveals where we are putting our trust, in ourselves or in Christ? Let me give you three ways to wait well while putting your faith in Jesus, not self.

Three Ways to Wait Well

1. Seek Him Through His Word

To wait well, we need to seek Him through His Word. There we can find wisdom and patience for purposeful living. The Bible is full of God's promises, which bring hope in our waiting.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgement." 2 Timothy 1:7

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and courageous. Wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:14

I love how the psalmist starts and ends the verse with the same phrase. By repeating it at the beginning and the end we see waiting was being emphasized. It was as if the psalmist knew would need to hear it twice for it to really sink in.

"Wait for the Lord." 

2. Seek Him Through Prayer

The second way to wait well is to seek Him through prayer. When we engage our Savior through prayer, the automatic response is we are no longer focusing on our fears, our troubles, our issues, or even our circumstances. We are fully present in our relationship with our Creator.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

3. Seek Him Through His People

The third way to wait well is to seek Him through His people. We can find encouragement through fellowship of others. The primary purpose of the gathering is encouragement. Encouragement to live a faith-filled life, not a fear-filled life.

"And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encourage each other, all the more as you see the day drawing near." Hebrews 10:24-25

Peace will come in your waiting when you realize you exist for Him. As a believer in Christ, our life is a beautiful testimony to the saving grace of Jesus. When you focus on this fact, you realize that no matter the outcome of your waiting, your life will bring Him glory. No matter the outcome, whether it is what you hoped for or something less, your life will bring Him honor, if you are surrendering your will to His. When we have the right perspective on Christ and our circumstances, there is peace and purpose in the waiting.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

Valentine's Day Scavenger Hunt

One of my favorite childhood memories involved the Valentine's Day scavenger hunt that my mom would create for my brothers and I each year. She would create clues and my brothers and I would work together to figure out where the clue was taking us and at the end was always a fun surprise. What a fun way to make Valentine's Day special. I love that this activity encourages siblings to work together to read and figure out each clue, it is a fun way to promote team work and strengthen sibling bonds. Fun memories are sure to be made that will stand the test of time. 

This activity is quick and easy to put together. You just need a little prep work, paper or note cards to write the clues on, and a writing utensil! To make it easy, I sit down with a notebook and plan out the places I want to send the boys for each clue. After listing out fun locations in and around the house, I decide the order of the clue locations to send the boys the farthest distance between clues, so the entire hunt can last as long as possible! Now that you know the locations you are sending your kids, the last step is to write the clues. You can be as simple or creative as you like. You can make it festive by adding stickers or using Valentine cards to write the clues on.

A few fun places to send them include the mailbox, microwave, somewhere outside, shower or bath tub, closet, toy box, the sky is the limit. I like to get creative and have a few more challenging clues. You can use a line from a favorite book on their bookshelf and hide the clue in the book. I've hidden a clue inside a board game before, and they had to go get if off the shelf and open the box to find the next clue. I have as much fun creating the clues as the boys do figuring each one out and running to the next place.

Don't forget to write the clue number on each card so you don't forget the order. It makes it easy to hide. You will hand them clue #1 when it is time for the scavenger hunt to begin, so keep it out, and hide the rest of the clues. To ensure they don't see where you are hiding the clues, have them go to a room that you are not using during the hunt. Excitement will build as you are hiding the clues. 

At the last clue spot have a fun small treat or surprise waiting for each child, or a group treat. A few ideas would be a fun item from the dollar store or Target dollar spot, a small box of chocolates, book, favorite sweet treat, hair accessory, etc.

Another fun idea would be to create a family scavenger hunt and the last clue take you to your favorite ice cream shop for an ice cream treat.

Most years my boys want me to hide the clues all over again, even though they know where to go the second time around. They think it is so much fun, and watching the smiles and joy on their face is priceless! Each year they ask if we are going to do a scavenger hunt again, it has turned into a fun family tradition at our house. Enjoy making memories with your family this Valentine's Day!

Here are some more fun Valentine's Day ideas:

Valentine's Day Canvas Art for Kids

Hand Stirred Milkshakes

Special Valentine's Day Breakfast

How do you like to celebrate Valentine's Day with your family?

39 Things I've Learned About Myself

Yesterday, I turned 39! I thought it would be fun to share 39 things I have learned about myself over the years!

1. I'm an early riser.

2. I prefer the beach to the mountains (but I love the mountains too)!

3. I love having a big family.

4. I'm very goal oriented. I love to set a goal, plan how I'm going to reach it, and go after it!

5. I'm not a naturally organized person, but once I get a system or plan in place for a certain area, I can stay organized.

6. I work well under pressure.

7. Chris is my favorite person, and I love spending time with him.

8. I love to laugh. I love to be around people who make me laugh.

9. When I feel stressed, I like quiet.

10. Reading God's Word not only draws me closer to Him, but takes the focus off me and places it on Him, lessening anxiety and worry in my life.

11. I feel the best when I eat clean.

12. If I could go back and pick a college major today, I would pick something completely different.

13. My life as mom, has brought me more joy than I ever knew was possible. It's a hard job, but also rewarding.

14. I have more time than I think I do, I've been finding this by staying off my phone.

15. Being creative brings me joy.

16. I love to read, but would pick doing something with my hands/being creative to fill my free time nine times out of ten.

17. I like to mow the grass. Random. I don't mind it at all. Maybe it's the instant gratification of the nice neat rows of a manicured lawn as you go up and down each row. Now that I have boys that are old enough to help with this chore, I make sure I allow them enough mowing time 😂.

18. Chipolte is one of my favorite places to eat.

19. I love a classic, tailored style of clothing.

20. I love to learn new things.

21. I love to run. I found this completely on my own. I would take off from my house with my walkman back in junior high and high school. I never come home from a run disappointed that I went. I love to run long distances. Short races don't do it for me, half marathon (13.1 miles) is where it's at (about to run my 12th in October). I would love to run at least one full marathon, maybe before I turn 40!

22. When something is bothering me, I tend to hold it in. Chris has to often pull it out of me.

23. My favorite quick snack is hummus. Thankfully, two of my boys love it too!

24. I love all the seasons. There is something amazing about experiencing 4 seasons. You never get tired of any one season.

25. Jesus has to be the one I turn to.

26. I'm destined to be surrounded by boys. I have two brothers (who are both great by the way), and always wanted a sister. I now have five boys! We got a puppy last Christmas, and I was sure we would pick a girl dog, but picked a male goldendoodle puppy. See always surround by boys 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙!

27. I don't like change. The older I get, the more I see that change is hard for me.

28. I love Hallmark movies ❤️.

29. I would pick a pedicure over a manicure any day. They last longer.

30. I don't like waste. If the boys get an apple out to eat, I hate finding an apple with one bite out of it.

31. I'm old school in many ways. I still love to write with pen and paper. I have a paper planner. In a day and age where most people text. I still enjoy a good phone call with a friend, especially if we need to catch up on life.

32. I love photography.

33. I don't like conflict. I avoid it at all cost.

34. I prefer deep cleaning to surface cleaning (weird, I know).

35. I enjoy a good game of badminton or whiffle ball in the backyard.

36. I love a good deal!

37. I run on spark water! I haven't had soda pop in almost 2 years!

38. I don't like my calendar to be jam packed with activity. I like to have margin built in. I love nights at home. A slow weekend is my favorite!

39.  Growing old hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be. 10 years ago, I thought I was the perfect age, 29. Old enough people start to take you seriously, but still young. I'm 39 and I don't feel a day older than I did back then. The difference however comes that I feel more comfortable in my skin. I'm not as worried about what other people think of me. I want to look at each new year as a blessing!

I'm praying year 39 will be as great as the last 38. Here's to another great year of growth, happiness, and growing closer to Christ as I serve Him.

Five Things Friday-September 6

It's Friday! Yay! This week was a short and quick one. I hope you enjoyed an extra day off from your regular schedule.  Let's jump right into five things from me on this Friday.

{one}

Serving at City Union Mission on Labor Day. We took the boys down to City Union Mission and served lunch. It's great to live to bless, and good to help instill that from an early age in our kids. It's important to get outside of the four walls of your home and get your kids serving those in need. It helps them develop compassion and kindness toward others.  I'll be honest a couple of my kids weren't too pleased at the thought of giving up part of their day off school. But, I think they would all tell you that they enjoyed serving and I was proud of each one of them for jumping in serve. If you are looking for a way to serve as a family, give City Union Mission a call!

{two}

A Very Brady Renovation. I could not be more excited for this new HGTV show. HGTV is renovating the Brady house. You know the one, the front of the house they always showed from the outside, but it wasn't really the actually inside. Well, HGTV bought the home and is turning it into the actual Brady house, down to the very last detail. The actors who played the Brady kids are each helping renovate a different room in the house on each episode. I LOVE this concept! I told Chris the other day that I grew up watching all the reruns of this show and could not love it more. I would be surprised if I haven't seen every episode. We decided we need to start watching The Brady Bunch with the boys, it is such a good, clean show. First episode airs Monday, September 9 at 8:00 pm central time.

{three}

Birthday Weekend! My birthday is Sunday! I've always been a birthday person. My birthday falls on a very busy Sunday this year, so it might feel a bit different. None the less, I'm thankful for the blessing of another year of life. I used to not enjoy turning another year older, until I finally realized age is just a number. I feel just as good, if not better, at almost 39 as I did at 29, so just live every day to the fullest. Take good care of yourself, eat well and exercise, and then age really is just a number. There is something great about the mid to upper 30's, you start to feel comfortable in your own skin. A natural confidence begins to exude from you, because you've lived life and have some wisdom. I'm coming at you with open arms 39, it's going to be a great year, I just know it!

{four}

Loaded Bacon Burger Bowl-Paleo Running Momma does it again! Chris and I are on a little Whole 30 reset, no big deal, we eat clean a lot of the time, so it's not a very drastic change. However, over the summer, with vacation, and the boys home, and all the fun summer treats, a few old habits slipped back in. September is the perfect time for a little reset! I've said it before, Paleo Running Momma is one of my go to Whole 30 recipe sources and all my kids ate their entire dinner when I made this meal this week. So, I had to share it with you, find it HERE. Healthy and kid approved! Make it this weekend!

{five} 

Grout Cleaning Solution. I've received feedback that several of you tried the trick I shared a few weeks ago about my dishwasher revelation. I'm so glad that it is working for so many of you! Well, I'm back to share a new cleaning solution I discovered this week. I have some light colored grout in my bathroom. I've tried a few different products to clean the grout and have not had any success. I came across the simplest cleaning recipe for grout the other day, 1 part vinegar to 1 part water. I had nothing to lose so I mixed it up, not really thinking it would work, it seemed too easy 😂. I applied it to the grout, let it soak for a few minutes, and then used a scrub brush, and I was amazed at the finished product. I could actually see the difference as I was scrubbing. It doesn't smell the best while you are cleaning (hello, vinegar), but for clean grout I can take one for the team!

In case you missed it this week:

Lunch Box Ideas for Kids-Part 2

Do you have any life hack or cleaning tips and tricks to share? I would love to hear yours in the comments section. Have a wonderful Friday and enjoy your weekend!

Lunch Box Ideas for Kids-Part 2

Today, I'm back with part two of lunch box ideas for kids. It's imperative to keep things exciting in the lunch box if you want your child to finish their lunch everyday! My goal for my kids lunch is to help them properly refuel their body, so they are can better concentrate and focus on their studies, setting them up for success in the classroom. It's really important to me to find foods to add to their lunch that are somewhat healthy and they enjoy. The best way I've found to do this is to keep a running list of items that my kids like, anytime I try something different and it's a success, I add it to the list. This gives me a great list to refer to when I'm creating my grocery list and it sets me up for a successful school year. Here are five more ideas I've been sending in my boys lunch that have been winners!

1. Bagel with cream cheese. Strawberries and yogurt.

 2. Ham and Cheese Wrap, applesauce, carrots, and animal crackers. I spread ranch dressing on a tortilla and added a layer of ham and cheese. You could modify the meat and toppings to create new wrap ideas to keep things exciting. These animal crackers from Aldi are the best, they have such a great lemony favor.

3. Cheese (or chicken and cheese) quesadilla. I made the quesadilla on my stove top. It only took a few minutes. You can wrap the quesadillas in foil after you cut to keep it warm longer. Sour cream and salsa for dipping. Chips and salsa.  I keep my box of go-gurts in the freezer, add it to the lunchbox and it's the perfect temperature by lunch time.

4. Pasta (spaghetti with sauce or fettuccini alfredo), applesauce, breadstick, and dessert (optional). Don't forget to utilize leftovers! Pasta is the perfect meal when you have leftovers, to reheat and enjoy again. Simply warm your thermos by boiling water and placing in the thermos for at least five minutes to get the thermos hot. Dump water out and place re-heated pasta inside.

5. Ham, strawberries and blueberries, yogurt, and mini banana chocolate chip muffins. These banana chocolate chip muffins are a huge hit with my kids. If I don't want them to disappear quickly, make them when no one is around! You can also make a double batch and put some in the freezer to use at another time.

For five more lunch box ideas check out, Lunch Box Ideas for Kids-Part 1. What other lunch ideas do you have to keep kids lunch box selections fresh and exciting?

Grocery List:

bagels
cream cheese
yogurt
animal crackers
carrots
tortillas
ham
cheese
ranch dressing
applesauce
shredded cheese
tortilla chips
salsa
sour cream (optional)
chocolate chips
drinks
any snack/dessert items

various fruit:
strawberries
blueberries
ripe bananas (for muffins)