It's been a busy one, that's for sure.  I've not written a chapter, a paragraph, or even a sentence in this story of ours since six days ago.  With work, family stuff, and life itself sometimes being busy, there's not enough time to write.  So, I jot down some notes of what I need to write as time allows, then I write.  Yesterday, I didn't even take one photo...normally I take at least one a day, but sometime no photos tells just as much of a story...sometimes it tells that life is happening just as much as a photo does.

Anyhow, to catch up here on my life this week...those moments I want to remember...

I want to remember these kind of moments...the kind that happen in our kitchen.  The kind when I am cooking and she is reading to me the latest findings on her research.  And, even our Bo...he is just happy to be hanging out with us!

Oh, and I am so appreciative of the new lockscreens that She Reads Truth sometimes comes out with. 

Matthew 4:4 is on this lockscreen.

Matthew 4:4 KJV reads...

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. -Matthew 4:4 KJV

I had hot ham and cheese sandwiches (more than once) this week for lunch...





And, it snowed some more...




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I've still not quite gotten over the fact I had to wear boots (instead of flip flops) this week when traveling back and forth from our house to our building to do laundry.



The snow is beautiful, but I'm definitely looking forward to Spring.

At least the snow didn't keep the kids from going to school today. Life is starting to return to normal.

And, on an even happier note...my husband is coming home from his business trip today! Woohoo!

My Wednesday Blessings!

So, Sunday is Valentine's Day.  It's the day we are supposed to celebrate love, although love should be celebrated all year long (and the people I share life with try to do just that...celebrate our love for one another all year long).  So, anyhow, today, I write.  I write what's on my heart and what's on my mind and I seal it up in an envelope and I'll give it to my guy on Valentine's Day (this will be no surprise to him as I usually do this each year, it's something he probably expects...the gifts will be a surprise to him though).  

As I sit and write the words that are only for his eyes to see though...I think of how do I put into words our life that we share, how do I put into words the days that are not only mine and his but ours together that I am so grateful for, and how do I put into words the love I have for this man?  The truth is, I don't.  My actions have to be my words...all year long, and oh, how I try to show my love for him each day.  Not only that I love him, but that I am in love with him!

So, I'll write my love note inside this card...different words, with the same meaning as every other year.  My daily words of love to him though are the actions I show every single day.  Earlier this week my love was spoken through the simple act of making him soup when he was sick, his love for me is shown through him helping me complete tasks when my to-do list seems a little bit too much.  This is how we really speak love.  Not only by doing things for one another (but that too...it shows we care), but also by the simple way we hold hands in the middle of the store aisle (yes, after 15 years of marriage, we are still that couple), or the simple phone call during the middle of the day just to say "hey."  These are the things that a Valentine's card will never be able to hold, but are written on my heart and are written in our day-to-day, by our actions.

Anyhow, I am writing in this card...I'm writing what needs to be written, and then I'll celebrate Valentine's Day with my husband every single day for the rest of my life!

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18 Degrees with Snow Flurries this Morning. 

It has been snowing on and off here since Monday. While I'm really, really, really looking forward to Spring and warmer weather, I'm choosing to still take in all of the beauty that Winter offers. If we just pause and take a look around in the quiet of Winter it's amazing at the beauty that surrounds us with the cold temperatures and the snow. 

Sometimes just watching birds amazes me. How awesome our Creator really is!

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Matthew 6:26 (KJV)

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Matthew 6:26 (ESV)

Today we are starting something new, fun, and really useful for you all, and we're really excited about it!  We've put in a lot of time and effort to make these available to you, and we hope you enjoy them.  A lot of us want to be able to have adorable things on our lockscreen.  Well, we are going to fix you right up!  We now are offering you the option to download and save some adorable lockscreens for your device.  

Today's verse that we are focusing on is Revelation 3:20.  So this is the first lockscreen that we have up for grabs (and...it's free)!

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. -Revelation 3:20

How great is it to know that the Lord is such a friend as this?!?  He is our best friend, and we're thankful!

Ready to download and save the lockscreen?  Here you go!

Because coffee with whipped cream and some extra quality time with the fam makes for great reasons to be home early from work!

And...by the way, I'm super excited about my new lockscreen, Psalm 13:5!

Our son has the stomach virus, so we're spending the day at home to take care of him. While we're missing church, he is laying on the couch while I'm pouring into the Lord's Word. We'll watch the Super Bowl.  We will take good care of our boy, and we'll relax at home. 

Ingredients:

1 cup pastina pasta (any small pasta should work)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)

1/2 cup diced onion (about 1 small onion)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. Cook chicken and cook pasta until done. 

2. In skillet saute onions and garlic with olive oil and add chicken. 

3. Place the chicken mixture into a large bowl with the cooked pasta, the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. 

4. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking dish. 

5. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs as well as the Parmesan cheese, and sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. 

5. Place small bits of butter on top. 

6. Bake until the top is golden brown (approximately 30 minutes).

Tip: I also added some jalapeño peppers to the mixture. 

Enjoy with your family!

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina for dinner. And, I've got freshly painted toenails, finished a full cup of coffee, and had pancakes for breakfast. 

It's gonna be an awesome Saturday! 

Oh, ya know...full time working mom life...putting away the groceries while eating lunch. 

Happy Friday! :) 

Today=a work day and laundry day. Ready, set, go!

And...while all of this craziness is happening in my day, I see those eyes right there!

Our Maisy girl...always happy to keep me company during lunchtime. 

Happy Wednesday! :) 

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Yesterday, as we were sitting in the living room, our son playing on his tablet, he asked me, "Mom, why does everyone take everything so seriously?"  My response was asking him what he meant. "Why can't everyone just have fun instead of taking everything so seriously," he continued. I explained to him that sometimes things were really important while other things may not be as important. He then said something to me that really, really made sense. "In the end though, what's it going to matter?  We're going to go one of two places.  Isn't that what really matters?"  I told him that we, of course, want to try to go to only one of those two places (meaning Heaven) when it's our time to go to our destination. He agreed saying, "That's what I'm saying, so that's what should really matter. We shouldn't take life so seriously, but have fun, and have that as the only thing that matters, instead of taking everything else so seriously."

While I totally see that some things in life are really more important than others, life is about priorities and responsibilities, I get what he's saying. What a smart boy we have. The one thing that our son thinks should really matter should definitely be on the top of the list of the things that matter most, because in the end, that really is what's going to matter.  He's not even a teenager yet, but he gets it!

Many live their lives making plans for finances, healthy lifestyles, and even for retirement. In the end though the cross is what's important. Our destination is what's important. While many things here are important for the short term, our one true destination is what is important and what will always matter.  This life will pass, but that one will not. 

Smart boy we have!

Oh, and this smart boy drew this cross. He most certainly is an artist!  He's also starting to fill out his schedule for 8th grade (and I'm not sure how my Mama heart feels about that yet)!

I think maybe!



By the way, yummy goodness is happening in our kitchen this evening. Stir fry (beef, green bell peppers, and onions), broccoli and cheese, baked sweet potatoes, and these awesome spinach and artichoke stuffed mushrooms.  

Happy Monday!