New Season of Hell's Kitchen

I feel somewhat silly posting this after my last entry- a feeble attempt at fancy food!

The new season of Hell’s Kitchen airs Thrusday @ 9pm on FOX.

And for those Charlotteans out there, one of our own is representing- Her name is Lacey and she is a corporate buffet cook from the Queen’s City!

Hope she doesn’t get called a bleeping donkeh! Yeah?

Orecchiette with Roasted Broccoli & Walnuts….Sort of

I decided to glam it up a bit this evening with a recipe from February’s issue of Real Simple. Of course I didn’t have all the ingredients so I tweeked it just a bit, but it still turned out super yummy!!

I’ve attached the original recipe if you’d like to go by that. But then I’ve added my changes in Red.

Bon Appetite!

Orecchiette with Roasted Broccoli and Walnuts

12 ounces orecchiette or some other short pasta (3 cups) (I used Whole Grain Rotini)
1 bunch broccoli (1 1/2 pounds), cut into small florets
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (I used chopped pecans)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce) (I used shredded)

At the end when I mixed it all together, I also added real bits of bacon (1 small bag) and a couple of handfuls of Craisins!

Heat oven to 400° F. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot.

Meanwhile, on a rimmed baking sheet, toss the broccoli, walnuts, oil, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast, tossing once, until the broccoli is tender, 18 to 20 minutes.

Toss the pasta with the broccoli mixture, butter, and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. (Add more water if the pasta seems dry.) Sprinkle with the Parmesan before serving.

New Season of Hell's Kitchen

I feel somewhat silly posting this after my last entry- a feeble attempt at fancy food!

The new season of Hell's Kitchen airs Thrusday @ 9pm on FOX.

And for those Charlotteans out there, one of our own is representing- Her name is Lacey and she is a corporate buffet cook from the Queen's City!

Hope she doesn't get called a bleeping donkeh! Yeah?

Orecchiette with Roasted Broccoli & Walnuts....Sort of

I decided to glam it up a bit this evening with a recipe from February's issue of Real Simple.   Of course I didn't have all the ingredients so I tweeked it just a bit, but it still turned out super yummy!!

I've attached the original recipe if you'd like to go by that.  But then I've added my changes in Red. 

Bon Appetite!

 Orecchiette with Roasted Broccoli and Walnuts

12 ounces orecchiette or some other short pasta (3 cups) (I used Whole Grain Rotini)
1 bunch broccoli (1 1/2 pounds), cut into small florets
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (I used chopped pecans)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce) (I used shredded)

At the end when I mixed it all together, I also added real bits of bacon (1 small bag) and a couple of handfuls of Craisins!

Heat oven to 400° F. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot.

Meanwhile, on a rimmed baking sheet, toss the broccoli, walnuts, oil, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast, tossing once, until the broccoli is tender, 18 to 20 minutes.

Toss the pasta with the broccoli mixture, butter, and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. (Add more water if the pasta seems dry.) Sprinkle with the Parmesan before serving.

Random Thought

You know what absolutely boggles my mind?

Dreams.

I had a dream about two weeks ago that is still so colorful in my brain it’s as if I just had it last night. Or it’s as if it were real, rather. In it were all these details, places, people and times that were merely a concoction of my own brain- it amazes me that we (or our subconscience) is capable of creating entire storylines that have little or nothing to do with what goes on in your daily life. Nor do we have to have even the foggiest of notions about any of the sustance that makes the dream up- it just flows out.

For instance, my dream included a Native American man. I’m reading a book that also has a Native American character in it- I can link those two ideas together. But the rest of the dream, the state this man was from, the house he lived in, the clothes he wore, his upbringing- all of it was a creation of my imagination.

How fascinating…how intriguing…

I would love to know what it all means. And not in the “oh you dreamt about a having a baby, that means a new beginning” sort of way. I mean, what I am supposed to do with it. How am I supposed to use it? Of course not all dreams are as poignant, but this latest one, most vivid…

There’s something there, there’s something to it.

On a different note, this brings to mind how totally complex and intricate we are! God is one smart cookie to have created us and though we are but feeble humans in comparison to Him, we are still made in His image and that makes us pretty remarkable beings. To think even deeper that our minds are but a reflection (beit a minute one) of His mind.

I’m not venturing to state that I understand God by any means, but it just helps me to appreciate even the little things (like details in a dream) because I know that that is how I was created to work. That my amazing and creative God made me this way.

Hmm…..pretty neat I think.

New Link

You'll notice to the left there is a new button titled The 1 Cor. 7:5 Challenge. Like the one right here.

I'll leave looking up the scripture to you, but in short it's a challege to uphold our end of the bargain concerning, uh, "relations" with our hubbies.

Just click on the button to be linked to all the details. Please feel free to participate; it should be fun!

Best of Luck!!

Too Funny

This was absolutely too funny not to comment on...

Sesame Street's very own Bert of Bert and Ernie was cleaning on today's show and when Ernie put on some music, Bert couldn't help but dance to it.

The hilarious part was when Bert called the music "kicky"!

I love it!!

First Snow

We woke up this morning to a beautiful scene....

The season's and my daughter's very first snow.

Having lived in Charlotte for so long, it's been a while since we've seen anything remotely Winter Wonderlandish, but today nature has blessed us with it's fluffy cover of white.

Even as an adult, I get these feelings of flutter when I see snow fall. It takes me back to more simple days when snow meant no school and sleding down some gigantic Fallon Park hill. Those were the days.

But today my heart felt something similar, though totally different, as I watched my daughter's reaction to the scenery. She was in complete amazement and uttered these gasps of excitement. She's now learned to point, so she did a lot of pointing, too. Her little eyes mezmerized by all the white. Oh how I would love to be inside her little brain to see what she was actually thinking.

This first snow makes me so proud to be a mom and only makes me ponder and enjoy the thoughts of how many firsts I get to be a part of and how many little looks of wonderment I get to set my own gaze upon.

What an awesome gift!

Quote of the Day

“It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thanks, Christie for such a wonderful weekend! We had an awesome time and can’t wait to get to do it again soon!

I love you !

Love

I love a great love story- who doesn't right?

I'll read a book or watch a movie and get so caught up with the characters adoration for one another; I'll wonder if that sort of love is even possible in real life. I'll compare it to my relationship with my husband and sometimes I'll be thankful for what I have...and sometimes I won't. How dangerous it is to live vicariously through fictional love- it can get your mind and heart into a lot of trouble.

This has been something I've been thinking about for a while, so it came as no surprise to me I was able to relate it to this past Sunday's sermon (even though it had little or nothing to do with the topic in my brain).

Preacher was talking about how everything changes when Jesus comes to town. And he kept shouting, "GOOD NEWS!" after every point or story. The foundation of his sermon was rooted in John chapter 5 where the woman with the bleeding disorder had so much faith that she simply touched Jesus' robe so as to be healed. His point of the story was to show, not only the significance of cultural times and what it meant to a bleeding female, or the magnitude of her faith and what it took to actually reach out and touch Jesus, but more importantly the events that led up to her coming to this paticular gathering in order to be healed. Word had spread rampant and Jesus was in town- things were happening, changing---GOOD NEWS!!! He spoke of revival breaking out in our current day because people had faith and Jesus was allowed to work!

That made me think of my own personal love story.

For far too long, I have coveted the marriages of my friends and even those with in the book/movie realm. Instead of focusing on the issue at hand and trying to illustrate love in my own life, I would, well daydream and then brood.

But, in a manner of speaking, I had kicked Jesus out of my marital town. I wanted to handle it on my own, I could handle it on my own, or so I thought. And how ridiculous was that because I wasn't handling it, I was wishing my husband were more like Joe Schmoe on TV- HAH!

Anyway, as I sat there in church, I realized that if left to my own devices, I would be the bleeding woman, suffering for years if I allowed this to continue. I had to have enough faith that ONLY Jesus could create in me a new love for my husband. ONLY Jesus could grow the passion in me that I had lost for my husband. ONLY Jesus could allow me to see Himself through my husband's eyes. But I had to give in and relinquish all control. Despite my flaws and total undeserving self, I had to fall to my knees and reach out to touch His robe.

On a deeper level, I knew too, that if I didn't make Jesus MY one true love, my knight in shining armor, my sun and air, then I would never be able to find the sort of earthly love I so longed for. He has blessed me with my husband and I should consider him a gift, but he is still human. Yet still, ONLY Jesus can fulfil my every need, but He is gracious and loving enough to have provided me with my husband on this side of heaven.

As I thought about these things, I held Jon's hand (nothing out of the ordinary). But instead of feeling just the palm of his hand against mine, I felt a man. My man, made in Christ's image. A good man, with a heart and feelings and needs. I traced the veins on his arm with my opposite hand, brushing his arm hair as I did it. I looked down and noticed definition in his muscle even though his arm was relaxed. My heart began to rush. I looked up at his face, him intent on the sermon, and admired his jawline, strong. I appreciated his eyes, tender.

Jesus was falling me in love with Jon all over again, right there, in the middle of church!

After that, I felt giddy.

And from that moment I made a vow to myself... As human as I am and as much effort it is going to take, I must let Jesus be the focus and foundation of my marriage, but first and foremost my life. And as I continue to do that, I can have the love story I want. Each day I have to look at Jon as a precious present from the heart of God and then treat him as so.

My goal is to ask myself each day- What is one thing that will make Jon happy today? And then do it! Afterall, this is his love story, too.

Ahh, Sweet Sound!

I did something today that I haven't done for quite some time.

I had to attend the funeral of a dear man this afternoon.  I had worked with him for the past four years.  His death was sudden and unexpected.  He was a wonderful individual; quirky, funny and chuck full of useless, but interesting knowledge.

Hatten celebrated life every day of his existence.

Anyway, on my way to the church, which was an hour away, I found myself alone on the journey there.  Jon stayed home with Emma so I could go and pay my condolances without a screaming child (she's teething mind you).

As I started down the road, it occured to me that I had a CD waiting in my door pocket that hadn't been played since I bought it- roughly a year ago.

Now, if you know me, or my husband rather, you know that he has hearing loss.  That means we don't listen to much music around here.  It's merely noise to Jon and gets in the way of  him hearing what he needs to hear.  In the car I occasionally listen to the radio, but because Emma is with me most of the time it's turned down so low I can barely hear it and then when Jon gets in the car its turned off completely.

Now, in college, I was a HUGE Dave Matthews fan.  I was one of legions of young groupies, but I did love him so and I tortured my dorm neighbors playing the sames songs over and over and over.

For the past several years I have listened mainly to Christian music.  I have a strong effection for music, but it has been forever since I have just been able to sit and really listen and enjoy some.

That is until today.

My love affair with music was to the tune of Coldplay today and I rocked it so loud my head was spinning when I finally reached my destination.  Joy pulsed through my veins as I reminisced days past and I danced and sang the entire hour I was on the road.

I must say, having not listened to my Coldplay cd previously I didn't really know what to expect, but how Euro funkalicious it was.  I could just imagine myself in London by the River Thames, wintertime, in my peacoat and popped collar with a sweet punky hairdo.  If only I had my Beatles and David Bowie CD handy, my daydream would be complete.

But I did enjoy myself to the fullest.  It had been too long- I missed this side of me.

It sounds odd, though, the exhileration I felt on my way to a funeral.  However, all of my fun was validated when Hatten's daughter got up and spoke.

She asked the congregation to carry on his legacy of spreading happiness and laughter wherever he went.  Then she listed several ways in which to do so....

And the last one was Dance.

Thank you Hatten for spreading happiness and laughter in my life and we'll miss you.

Twilight the Movie

I went to see Twilight the Movie while I was home for the holidays. I could barely contain my excitement (like a little schoolgirl) as we bought our tickets and despite mediocre reviews, I set out to ignore them and happily form my own opinion.
Which was sure to be a superb one I might add. My mom was with me as she insisted on seeing the movie before she read the book because most movies aren't half as good as the actual read. However, again, I just new this movie would be different.

It wasn't.

As for the casting, I must say, all of the actors met my expectations for the characters, especially Robert Pattinson as Edaward Cullen. But that's where the buck stopped for me.

Overall, I guess it was ok, but my imagination must be too vivid for my own darn good because the director left a lot to be desired in telling what she thought was a decent representation of Stephenie Meyers' masterpiece. That may be why she was replaced by someone else for the next movie based on the second book, New Moon.

My main complaint wasn't so much the acting or the storyline (which stayed fairly true to the book); it was more the graphics. They were really poorly done. I mean I know with a low budget production you can't get the same caliber as say The Matrix or Harry Potter, but you can at least have better make-up!! On a positive note, though, it did have some great dry humor- that aspect was portrayed excellently.

In any event, I will most definitely go see the next installment when it hits theaters in November and I still remain a faithful fan. But for the time being I'll stick to the Forks, WA and Edward Cullen of my mind!

New Year's Resolutions

This cartoon is by no means a representation of my relationship with my husband, I just thought it was really funny!!

My resolution this year is to actually keep my resolutions!!

For the past several years, I have resolved to read my Bible daily, floss more and lose weight. And for the past several years I have failed miserably at doing so.

But this year is different and I feel a motivation unlike any other time in the past. Maybe it's because I'm a mom now and I know that with this new year there will be so many changes and developments in my little girl's life. I know there are a ton of reasons, but for this one reason, I want my resolutions to spill into Emma's life, thus inspiring me to keep them.

If I read my Bible and apply God's word to my life then that will reflect into my child's life and I can raise her as a godly mother should and as God instructs me to. If I lose weight then I'll be strong and healthy so as be here for as long as possible and if I floss, she'll learn good dental care!

I really do want to stick to this this year and I know I say that year in and year out, but again...something is different now.

This year, already, I have so many new things taking place, aside from the fresh start of the new year. I start working different hours for a VERY different pay so we will learn the art of budgeting. I am starting to see a Chiropractor, which will sort out the pains and strains I deal with on a daily basis. This will improve my moods and overall well-being. These two things are huge changes and ones that should be supported by living more healthy and spiritually. We never truly know how long we even have to make a resolution to do anyway, so start living people!!!

And I know I can do this. I actually WANT to do it!!

So Happy New year and may you keep all of your resolutions this year as well!! I'll be cheering you on!

Quote of the Day

“We enjoy warmth because we have been cold. We appreciate light because we have been in darkness. By the same token, we can experience joy because we have known sadness.”
- David Weatherford -

What an amazing quote and so true when we can compare the person we were before we had Christ in our life.

What a Wonderful Christmas and New Year!

So, we loaded up and went to VA for an extended visit over the holidays and it was an amazing trip. I so miss the mountains and all that Roanoke is and has to offer. It is such a blessing to be able to go home and spend time with my parents, friends and just enjoying the city.

I hope you all had a blessed holiday as well and may this new year bring many exciting things into your lives. I know I'm thrilled for this new beginning and can't wait to share all that goes on in my life these coming months.