Bedside Table

If you've been here for a while you know I'm a big reader. I am a READING teachers after all! My parents kick started this passion young in life, and it has continued since then. I literally cannot fall asleep at night until I have read something-a book, magazine, Twitter, anything! When I was a wee one I had trouble keeping up with more than one book at a time, but as I've aged, so have my multi-tasking abilities. At this current moment I have seven books on my bedside table that I am in the process of reading. Yes, seven. Here is a look. . .

Rumble Fish by S.E. Hinton

She graced us with The Outsiders, and so I've made it a point to try to read everything she has written. I mean if you can pump out at classic as a teenager then you've got some talent.

Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Patillo Beals

This young adult book about the Civil Rights Movement came highly recommended by a teacher friend. I've had it for about a month, but am looking forward to diving in!

New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer

This gem was gifted to me by a sweet friend at church. She brought over supper one evening and a stellar goodie bag full of pampering items, including this devotional. It truly does pamper the soul and I look forward to keeping up with it daily this year.

Noah's Rainbow by David Fleming

My mom's cousin's wife (keeping up?) sent me this book following the loss of Emerson. They had lost a baby at 20 weeks and she found this book helpful. The author is a writer for ESPN.com and lives in Charlotte! He and his wife had a perfectly normal pregnancy, but due to a placental eruption lost their baby boy (Noah) the day they were set to give birth. A very emotional book that has offered me some help and insight.

Two Kisses For Maddy by Matthew Logelin

I found this at the local used bookstore and thought it would be a good read. It's by a man who lost his wife only moments after their daughter, Maddy, was born. Tear jerker all the way.

Here I Go Again by Jen Lancaster

Have you ever read anything by this hysterical woman? If the answer is no, then scurry over to amazon.com to pick up her collection. Everything she writes will have your belly aching from laughter. This is her second novel, but she's written a few nonfiction pieces chronicling her life's mishaps. 

Connect by Nelson Searcy

Our pastor recommended this to me as a way to open our ministry team's eyes to ways to love our volunteers. I'm excited to see how this can grow our volunteer base to glorify Him.

What's on your bedside table?

Filling Up Your Bucket

I worked as a nanny for a wonderful family the summer before I began my teaching career. All four children were full of love and grace, and I wish they were closer so we could continue to see them grow! Anywho, they had this book about "filling up others' buckets". The premise was that with each kind thing you say you are filling up someone's bucket, or heart, with good things and with each bad thing you say you take something away. It was a very sweet book that taught a great lesson.

Sitting in church a few weeks ago it hit me that Jesus calls us to continually fill buckets, and to resist the temptation to take from a bucket. By doing as we are called to do by Christ, we are filling up the buckets of those around us. Whether it's listening to a friend going through a tough time or preparing a meal for a sick neighbor, we are filling buckets. It's when we gossip with that friend or prepare the meal in hopes of getting one in return that we are taking from their bucket.

Like any other person, I struggle to fill buckets. I'm not purposely malicious, but in the haste of day-to-day tasks I get caught up and forget to minister to those around me, or fill their bucket. Thinking of my students, how hard is it for me to pause and compliment one when they do well on a weekly quiz? It's not hard, but I don't always do it. Or, is it really that tough for me to turn off my computer and phone and really listen to someone who just needs an ear? It's not tough, but I don't always do it.

Now, that my eyes have been truly opened to my selfishness I am going to work to fill others' buckets. What's stopping you from doing the same?

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

-Ephesians 4:29 

Thin Mint Brownies

Today I am linking up with Tamara and Brianna for Tasty Tuesdays!

What's a girl to do with extra boxes of Girl Scout cookies? Well, throw them in a recipe of course! This brownies were so yummy that David, who is not a fan of mint flavored things, had more than a few;-)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 sleeve Thin Mint cookies, crushed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Line an 8 or 9-inch square pan with foil and grease.
In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and cocoa until combined.
Add sugar and mix.
Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until mixture is blended.
Stir in vanilla, peppermint extract, flour, and salt.
Fold in Thin Mints.
Pour batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, be careful not to overbake!
 Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting into squares.
Enjoy!

Raleighwood Visit

This past weekend found us venturing North on I-40 to Raleigh. One of our friends moved to Colorado, but was going to be in town this weekend. What a perfect excuse to visit him and a few other friends!

We arrived Friday evening before Scott's flight got in. We grabbed supper with Steve and Caroline before picking Scott up. It was so fun to catch up with them and see some of how the area has changed since graduation. We made grand plans to go downtown after picking up Scott, but that all flew out the window when around 10pm we decided we were tired and old. Caroline is a teacher too, so between the two of us we were able to convince the fellas it was more fun to stay in and hang out. We even made the wise choice to grab a cookie cake form Harris Teeter to nosh on;-)

The next morning we picked up David's brother, John, and headed to The Farmer's Market for breakfast. This place has pancakes the size of your head and omelets that are so stuffed with farm-fresh veggies you won't eat for days afterwards. We then meandered around the real farmer's market and picked up some veggies for the week. Love buying fresh and local!

Afterwards we headed over to explore the new Hunt Library on Centennial Campus. Sounds lame, right? Wrong. This place is amazing! For starters there is a way for a robot to retrieve any book you need. How cool is that? Also, it is incredibly unique in its design. Floor after floor caters to thinking and productivity with group centers, work spaces, well-designed furniture-the list goes on! Needless to say, if we lived close that is exactly where I would get all my schoolwork done.

After dropping John off at his dorm we drove through campus and years of memories came back!

That evening we headed out to watch the State vs. Carolina basketball game. My little, Amy, was able to join us in the festivities! If only NC State had no played their usual ridiculous way and lost it would have been a perfect evening. It was still fun, but that W would have been even better!

It was an amazing weekend, and I'm so glad we were able to make the trip. Looking forward to when they can all come visit us!

Friday's Letters [02.22]

Happy Friday, folks!!

Dear TOMS ballet flats, Oh, how I adore you! You were so comfortable and so cute that I had to get another pair. Welcome your cousins to the fam:

Dear weekend, I am excited for your arrival and the travels you will bring!

Dear Peeps, You continue to amaze me with your creativity and yumminess. I was happy with the plain marshmallow chicks. Then, you took it to a whole new level of awesome with the chocolate-dipped chicks. Now, you have totally blown me away with your newest treat-cherry with chocolate! Keep 'em comin!

Dear Spring, Please hurry! Your warm temps and warm colors are just on the horizon, and I couldn't be more excited. I am SO over this cold weather and these dreary days.

Inaugural Trip to NoDa

A few (okay, more than a few) Saturdays ago. The weather had been absolutely despicable for the past few days and I was itching to try something new. I'd heard a lot about an area in Charlotte called NoDa and proposed the idea of heading there to David. He was willing to do anything he thought would make me happy, so we began to put the plan into motion. A few phone calls later and we had a few close friends joining us.

We decided on supper at Cabo Fish Taco. Kelley and Kellie had been there multiple times and said it was good choice. We attempted reservations, but were told they didn't take them. Due to our large party (8 people total), we ended up with a wait. Not a big deal. We figured it would happen and made the most of it by visiting and catching up. 

As our 30-minute wait quickly approached an hour our patience was no longer present. Apparently the only table that could accommodate us had a group who just wanted to chat. Wouldn't have been a huge issue if we weren't waiting in the freezing cold! Anywho, we were finally seated and were not disappointed.Supper was fantastic. There are no words to describe the stellarness of the tacos, burritos, salsa, etc. Even my carnivore-prone brother was pleased with his steak tacos. It was all gone too quickly for any pictures (remember that hour-long wait?).

We then headed over to Solstice Tavern to visit some more (no holding a table for us!). We caught the end of the Bobcats game before this Cinderella started turning into a pumpkin. Before we headed back to suburbia we decided to stop by Amelie's Bakery for a treat. When I asked for NoDa suggestions from the Twitter world Amelie's came up multiple times, so I knew we had to make a pit stop. The cool thing? They are open 24/7! Despite knowing this I was still surprised at the long line and 20 minute way that greeted us. Once again, the wait was well worth it. We ended up with an eclair, a Neapolitan, and a salted caramel brownie that were all devoured on the car ride home. Too fast for pictures again.

It was so nice to casually enjoy the evening without rushing around. To enjoy the company of those around us without worrying about the time and the responsibilities of the world. We were able to rejuvenate and relax with some of the people we love most in this world. God has created a wonderful community for us to enjoy and for that I am grateful.

A few pictures from the evening. . .

Me and my love

Kellie, Lauren, Kelley

A nifty picture Kelley took with the panoramic option on Kellie's phone

Kellie and Kelley

Ashley, Bird, and the ghost of Brian

Your Love

Your love never fails
It never gives up
It never runs out on me.

Though I had heard this song on the radio a few times, our church has recently started singing this beautiful song of Christ's love for us. The words of His continual love through all situations speaks right to my heart. 

It reminds me that without Him we can never find our way out of the dark this world brings. It reminds me that His love is always with us, even when we feel most alone. It reminds me that no matter how how much we feel like we are drowning, His love will rescue us if we only accept it.

Someone told me the other day they don't know where I find the strength right now. It's an easy answer-His love. My being able to return to work and my routine activities has nothing to do with me, but everything to do with Him. I've always been one who tries to take it all on myself without asking for help, but I quickly realized I could not survive without His rescuing love. 

It never fails. It never gives up. It never runs out on us.

I pray that others find their strength in His love and realize it's saving power.

Cookie Dough Dip

Today I am linking up with Tamara and Brianna for Tasty Tuesdays!

This sweet treat was a HUGE hit the first time I made it. I mean, cream cheese and butter, how could you go wrong? I'm thinking about switching up some of the mix-ins and making different flavors. This is great to set out at get togethers and gatherings. Let me know what you think!

Ingredients

1 stick of unsalted butter at room temp

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 package cream cheese

1/2 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

 In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and brown sugar.

 Stir until the brown sugar dissolves.

Remove from heat, and whisk in the vanilla. 

Set aside.

Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. 

Slowly beat in the cooled butter mixture and beat again until all ingredients are combined.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Place in the fridge to set.

Serve with graham crackers.

Enjoy!

Note: Remove it from the refrigerator about 15-30 minutes before you plan on serving it. This way it has time to soften up and guests can easily eat it up.

He Will Not Forsake

This past Thursday we went back to the OB for a follow-up appointment. We scheduled this appointment, so we could ensure we would receive the autopsy results together and in a more controlled environment than if the doctor called us randomly.

As you can imagine I felt a lot of anxiety leading up to this appointment. In my head I've known from the beginning we may never know what caused us to lose Emerson, but my heart still ached to know. I put a lot of weight on this appointment giving us some answers.

I left school that afternoon and set out for the doctor's office. Every minute I drove closer I felt more anxious. My nerves were a total mess. I prayed to God for the strength to walk into this appoint, and for peace with whatever we learned. As I pulled into the parking lot, Meredith Andrews's song "Not For A Moment" came on the radio. I knew in that instant that God was answering my prayers. He had not forsaken me and would be right there with us the entire time. What an amazing way to comfort me in such a broken moment. I headed inside where David met me moments later.

Our wonderful doctor did not keep us waiting for long. After the routine check up procedures, he got down to business. The autopsy results were not in. My heart sunk. We'd been waiting six weeks at this point, but it felt like forever. Thanks to the reminder from God prior to walking in, I was okay with it. The doctor filled us in that they were running some tests on the placenta to see if that offered any other results, and he patiently answered all the questions we had. He assured us that he would call us if/when they heard something, but he did not see the need to set up a follow-up appointment in the office again.

We went home and went about our business the best we could. David kept reminding me not become downtrodden about the lack of results, because we may never really know. We went on a walk with the dog and tried to regain some normalcy. We arrived home to a missed call from the doctor. Apparently he had found some results after we left. After a little bit of phone tag we finally caught up with each other. I guess that the results came in after we had left the office, but they were there now.

The doctor told us that the placenta tests had revealed some new information. Of the cells tested, 14% expressed an extra copy of chromosome 7 and 86% were normal. What does that mean? Emerson had partial trisomy 7. From what I've found, it is a chromosomal condition similar to that of down syndrome (trisomy 21). What makes the situation unique is that it was only partially expressed. The doctor believes that is why she lived for so long. In many chromosomal conditions the baby does not make it past the first trimester, but because it was not expressed in 100% of her cells, she lived longer. 

The doctor told us this is very rare and not likely to happen again. That did offer me some peace, but at the same time raised many questions. For instance, they told us that since we were so young, the chance was 1 in 24,000 and not to worry. If we weren't supposed to worry the first time around, we're not supposed to worry next time? Uh, not likely to happen. We did chromosomal tests with the Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) specialist and they revealed nothing. How did they miss this? How are we supposed to calmly attempt this again?

We must walk by faith.

So many things went through my mind in the days after hearing these things, but I've come to peace with it. I know that God has not forsaken us, and as He patiently reminded me before our appointment, He will not. We are waiting to set up an appointment with MFM to hear their thoughts on everything. The doctor thinks it would be a good idea to talk with them because of their specialty in situations like ours. Until then we will continue to pray for His guidance as we walk the path toward full healing.

 Fear not, for I am with you;  be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you,  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

-Isaiah 41:10

Winter Wonderland

Some of you may have seen my tweet from early Saturday morning:

My sweet husband was over the moon when we awoke to a few flurries Saturday morning. Me? Not so much. I was very pleased when it stopped and the day's temps grew. 

 

Later that afternoon I decided to brave the cold and take the dog on a walk. Poor life choice. This is what happened about halfway through:

The snow just started pouring down. I'm not talking about pretty, fluffy flakes either. I'm talking about the painful stuff mixed with ice. I attempted to run home, but the pelts against my face were so painful I had to stop every so often to walk backwards. I was miserable, to say the least. Daisy? Loving every minute of it. Within 10 minutes arriving home we had this:

Did I mention it wasn't even snowing when we started walking?!? David and Daisy were in hog heaven and rushed outside to play with all the neighborhood kids to play. I joined them for a bit, but this snow-hating grinch decided the warm fire was much more appealing. Here are a few photos from the afternoon:

David pelting snow balls at the neighbor kids

 

She was born to be a Yankee dog-she LOVES the snow!

 Shaking off the snow after David hit her with a snowball.

 

Did you get any snow??

Friday's Letters [02.15]

Happy February Friday!

Dear scratchy throat, Why, oh, why are you still here? Three days of this mess is more than enough. Want to vamoosh?

Dear post office, Why are you making it so difficult for me to get a passport? I know I shouldn't have waited this late in the game to apply for one, but not accepting appointments for the next month? To quote Michelle Tanner, "how rude!".

Dear cruise, We are very excited to set sail and soak up some sun. Only six and a half weeks until we depart!

Dear Francis Coppola, Thank you for creating such a fantastic film rendition of S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders. My students and I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing a baby Tom Cruise and baby Patrick Swayze (among others) fight for their freedom to be Greasers!

Dear David, I guess great minds think alike, huh? Too bad you were more prepared and beat me to the presentation of it!

 Please note HIS version is made up of healthy, organic granola bars. HER version is made up of sweet treats.

Happy Hallmark Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day!
  Or as a fellow teacher said today, Happy Hallmark Day. Te he he

Valentine’s Day is not a monumental day in the Mobley house. Not because we don’t love each other.

Definitely not because we don’t love each other. 

There are a few reasons we don’t go all out. . .

David’s Birthday
His birthday is on the 10th. I absolutely adore birthdays and always try to celebrate big despite David’s wishes that I keep it low-key. Instead of spending money unnecessarily, we tend to celebrate the two events in one big swoop.

Love
Yes, love is one of the reasons we don’t celebrate the day of love. I feel so blessed by our marriage and time together that we don’t see the need to celebrate our love on one day because we celebrate it every day. Every afternoon walk, every evening of relaxing, every trip to Target, etc is a time we get to celebrate our love. Cheesy? You betcha.

Ritual
Neither of us sees the reason to celebrate the day just because you’re supposed to celebrate a day. If I really wanted a box of chocolates I could march my fanny over to the Teeter and pick some up. Neither of us needs a calendar to tell us we have to buy a card and some candy.

I hope I don’t sound like the Grinch of Valentine’s Day and I hope that all your days can become like Valentine's Day!

Launching Out

Our pastor is really knocking it out of the park with his sermons these days. Not that they haven't always been awesome, but I feel like God is really speaking to me through the sermons these days. A few Sundays ago was about launching out of your comfort zone. Our pastor spoke to us out of Luke 5 when Jesus calls Simon to leave what he knows and become a "fisher of men". Like most of us would do, Simon denies his capability, but Jesus quickly silences him and tells him not to be afraid.

Let's be honest here, how many of us don't do things out of fear? Both hands are raised right now. I'm not much of a risk-taker. It's just not my thing. I do better with my own bubble of comfort. For example, I didn't register for my first 5K until I knew I could run a 10K. Why? Because I didn't want to fail. It's only been in recent years that I can actually admit I need help and ask for it from others. So, to hear that I need to stop staying with what I know and launch out scared the mess out of me.

It also got me thinking. How many people have I passed by and not stopped to talk to them? Or, how many people have I had a conversation with, and knowing they are struggling, didn't offer to pray for them? How many times have I not stepped in to help because it would be beyond my realm of comfort? Too many is the answer.

I'm nowhere close to where I need to be, but I can fully admit that the Lord spoke to me that Sunday and told me to launch out. To stop hanging out in my bubble and to seek ways to aid/comfort others. Simon left everything; the least I can do is search for ways to help those around me with what God has already blessed us with.

Are you launching out?

Healthified Taco Dip

I'm linking up with Tamara and Brianna today to share a new favorite in the Mobley household!



This has always been one of my favorite dips to have at games and gatherings, so why not enjoy a healthier version?? It's slimmed down a bit and super yummy with whole grain chips.

Ingredients

 8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese

8 oz reduced fat sour cream

1 jar mild salsa

1 packet taco seasoning

2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa and taco seasoning.

Mix well with an electric mixer. 

Spread on the bottom of a 13x9 dish. 

Top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese. 

Serve with baked tortilla chips.  

 Enjoy!

Tiny Prints-Teacher Edition

As a teacher I am constantly jotting down messages, to-do lists, and thank you notes for various reasons. This means that I am constantly on the search for cute stationary! So, when I found Tiny Prints carried more than just holiday cards I was over the moon. The fact that they have an entire section devoted to "teacher stationary" made it even better! Here are some of my favorites. . .

Adorable card to jot a quick note.

found here

How about a more personalized thank you?

 found here

How about the matching notepad to keep track of my millions of to-do lists?

found here

This would be great to stamp in all the books in my growing library.

found here

Not a teacher? Not to worry! Check out their HUGE selection of stationary, cards, stamps, gifts, photo books, and more!

Call My Name

This song came on Pandora this morning, and it was at a perfect time. I wrote earlier this week how a song can hit you at just the right moment. Well, God spoke to me this morning through this song.

 When you feel like you're alone in your sadness
It seems like no one else in this whole world cares
And you want to get away from the madness
You just call My name and I'll be there
You just call My name and I'll be there

It started on Friday, the loneliness. For no particular reason at all, it just kind of hit me all over again. I was at school, and there were no triggers, but I just felt sad. I could feel myself slipping into the despair that I knew all too well a month ago. The sadness was magnified by the lack of hope I felt. For the first time in a while I was struggling to find hope. So, I did the only thing I knew to do and I prayed to find the hope and peace that kept me going.

The pain inside
Has erased your hope for love
Soon you will find
That I'll give you all
That your heart could ever want
And so much more

Then, yesterday we were at Target and I almost lost it as I walked past the baby section. The last time we were there we were updating our registry for our sweet baby girl. I saw a couple picking out bibs and it about killed me. I just kept walking, praying to God to give me the strength to take those steps. 

You just call My name
You just call My name
Call My name say it now
I want you to never doubt
The love I have for you is so alive
Call My name say it now
I want you to never doubt
The love I have for you is so alive

 

Yesterday evening I received a facebook message that threw me off a bit, but as I reread it I recognized God speaking to me through it. He wanted me to know that He was there. He was right next to me the entire time. At school, at Target, and there as I read that message. He was telling me there was hope. He was telling me that if I just continued to call His name He would never leave me.

The love I have for you is so alive
You just call My name

 

 

 

Monogrammed Wreath

Our door was little pretty bare after our fabulous Christmas wreath came down. What to do? To Pinterest I go! I was inspired by this pin

to create this

But first, the supplies. . .

Jute twine, red & green felt, piece of styrofoam, scissors, hot glue gun, x-acto knife

First, cut letter out of styrofoam using an x-acto knife.

I traced a template before I started cutting.

Next, glue piece of twine to the letter to give yourself a starting point. Then, start wrapping!

Keep wrapping until you've covered the portion you are working on. Next, I cut smaller strips to give the twine something to hold onto.

then I kept wrapping other parts until the entire letter was covered.

and

Then, I patiently watched this tutorial to make the rosettes and cut ovals for leaves

All together it created this

Let me know if you give it a try!

Friday's Letters [02.08]

Happy Friday, folks! Want to blog? Link up with The Sweet Season for Friday's Letters!

Dear Davido, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I am so excited to celebrate your birthday even though you would prefer it pass without even a whisper. You're a quarter of a century old now, old man, we better do all the celebrating we can:-)

Dear long week, You have thoroughly kicked my booty. I cannot wait to relax this weekend with the hubby and leave you in the dust.

Dear OB appointment, You make me nervous. You probably will for many visits to come. Please provide us with results of some sort. We'd appreciate it if you could toss some good news in there too. It's very draining to continue to visit doctors and continue to be disappointed. . . thanks.

Dear freshly painted house, You look amazing! Grassland was the perfect shade to complement the furniture and woods throughout the house. You make it seem so much more homey and we are very pleased with it!

 This picture doesn't do it justice!

Dear Spring Break, What to do? What to do? What to do? Where would you like us to go to celebrate your gloriousness? Preferably somewhere warm and sunny so we can kiss this gloomy winter goodbye!

Deroutinizing Date Night

Date night has always been important to us, but like lots of other couples we fall into the trap of routine. Instead of seeking to try new things we go to our usual restaurants for supper and our usual grocery store to pick up dessert and a Redbox. Sound familiar? This weekend we got out of our bubble and tried some new things!

We began with supper at the local TacoMac restaurant. We'd heard great things about it from friends, but had never given it a go. We will definitely be heading back come March Madness time and football season. I lost count of the number of TV's surrounding us, not to mention the 100 beers on tap pleased my beer snob hubby.

Then we skedaddled over to the local used bookstore. They were running a promotion on Groupon, but we wanted to check it out before we took the plunge. At The Last Word we sipped on a hot s'mores mocha (they have an in-house coffee shop!) while we wandered around. I ended up finding three copies of The Outsiders for $1.80 each! When we went to check out we found out they offer teachers a 10% discount-score! AND, Fridays are "Magic" nights; great for people-watching;-)

We wrapped up the night catching up on The Office. I totally realize that's not out of the norm, but it was a cold night and snuggling on the couch was just what we needed after a long week!

Not For A Moment

A few weeks ago a dear church friend sent me an uplifting email letting me know she was praying for me. She also mentioned that she heard a song that reminded her of me in this situation. I started crying the moment I heard it, and have every time since then. Monday marked a month since she was born, so this song has meant even more to me this week.

It is a beautiful proclamation of the Lord's grace over our lives in all facets. He is faithful and will not forsake us. There may be dark times in our lives, such as the one David and I are in, but He is constant. He has not left our side one step of the way and because of His love we are able to take steps closer to healing every day. How fortunate we are that He is the light in the dark! 

Please take the time to listen to these touching words of worship by Meredith Andrews...

Salsa Chicken

Today I am linking up with Brianna and Tamara for the very first edition of Tasty Tuesdays! Have a great recipe you want to share? Link up with these lovely ladies and let us all know what you've got cookin'!

We needed a yummy, low-cal supper using what we had in our fridge. What came out? This gem that will be repeated!

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts

1 packet taco seasoning mix

1 cup salsa

1 cup cheese

sour cream

Directions 

Preheat oven to 375. 

Place chicken breasts in a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. 

Sprinkle taco seasoning on both sides of chicken breasts.

Pour salsa all over. 

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes. 

Sprinkle chicken evenly with cheese. 

Continue baking for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. 

Top with sour cream if desired.

Enjoy!

We also enjoyed some yummy homemade guacamole with ours!

Saturdays

One of the great things about living so close to family is being able to see them on a semi-regular basis. We're about 45 minutes from David's parents and about an hour from mine. Well, this past weekend we were able to celebrate David's birthday a smidge early (a week) with some of his fam!

We started the day catching his cousin's basketball game. It was a hard-fought game, but unfortunately this tough group of 10 and 11-year olds lost. Cameron still had fun, though!

Afterwards we hit up a local restaurant for lunch. When we finished, David's aunt insisted we slip into this little boutique in the shopping center. Thirty minutes and $40 later I was the newest owner of a pair of TOMS ballet flats. For all you TOMS fans out there, I highly suggest investing in a pair. They are extremely comfortable and offer great support for those of us always on our feet!

 What's a birthday lunch without a celebratory treat? We wandered over to the local cupcake shop for a sweet treat. Ever seen Cupcake Wars on the Food Network? Well, this shop won! We tried a hazelnut latte (my favorite!), a peanut butter cream cheesecake, a red velvet, a chocolatey chocolate, and a crab cake. You read that right, a crab cake cupcake. It wasn't as bad as it sounds. It was very dense with cream cheese frosting, and the crab taste was more of an aftertaste. They also had a chicken wing flavor!

On the way home we stopped at IKEA to pick up a bookshelf to aid in cleaning up the office. Here is the before. . .

It's still sitting patiently in it's box. I'll keep you posted on that adventure!