What's for Dinner Wednesday?

I'm gonna be honest.

This is what's for dinner.

I think a really important part of being a good meal planner is setting realistic expectations.  Don't set your self up for failure with your menu if you know you are going to be having an insane week.  This week is the beginning of the semester for both me and my husband.  He is teaching two nights a week and I have 3 classes, mostly online, but one does meet in the classroom.  This week I planned lots of easy, "semi-homemade" dinners.

Thankfully the freezer aisle has lots of options that aren't bad for you.  These fish are already nicely seasoned and are actually quite good.  I love some rice pilaf, it is very kid-friendly and frozen veggies can taste amazing tossed with some EVOO and herbs.

Remember that even though your fish may be "previously frozen" it is still better than getting chinese, a burger or ordering pizza, or even going out to dinner.  You not only save money, but a lot of fat, calories and other bad things :)

So in addition to your famous chicken piccata, make sure you have some easy "semi-homemade" stand-bys.  Make 2011 the year you get the family around the table more and learn how to cook something new for your family.  We all can improve our cooking skills!

If you need some help with meal planning, check out this blog post from Little Birdie Secrets.

Hope everyone has a fantastic Wednesday!

Random

So I did not forget about What's for Dinner Wednesday.  Just regouping after the new year.  We had Turkey Bolognese which I have already posted about and yep, it's still really yummy.

My traveling has caught up with me and I am feeling not so good.  Ugh.  I could go on and on about how bad I feel but I won't cause that's boring.

Fortunately the kids are being pretty good.

Yes, this is being good :)

I pray daily for a playroom, but the reality is that I will just have another room that looks like this.  And as I look at this picture I realize that the Thanksgiving garland is still up...oops!  We did try to make a Christmas one but Leonard just kept tearing up all the Christmas trees after he colored them.

Here's a fun one.  Isabela's hair is going through a funky phase.  It's sort of rooster tail in the back and major widow's peak in the front.  The hair is getting really long in weird places so we can't really trim her bangs.  I snagged some teeny elastic bands at Wal-Mart and figured we would give it a shot.  She actually doesn't mind the bands at all.  So I'm thinking that if I put the  band in then clip a bow on top she won't notice the bow...maybe.  

More random stuff...I have been trying to think of something new to add to my Etsy.  I am going to be doing a lot of fabric hairbows this year so I figured it would be fun to have a matching bag like toddler size.  This did not make the cut, it's way too big, but it would really make a great bag to tote a diaper and a cup in for quickie trips.  Isabela loves toting it around still...I really need to work on my measuring skills...haha!

And here is a gratuitous plug for my brother's band, Crippled Kings.  Click on the link to go to their Facebook and check out their music on Myspace.  They really rock and they really love Jesus and that is really cool.

Now a plug for my mom.  I am trying to convince my mom to make a quilt to try and sell on my Etsy.  She is SUPER good at quilting.  The quilts in the first photo are Leonard and Isabela's, the 2nd photo is the one she just made for Alexa.  They are just the most wonderful things EVER.  They machine wash beautifully and get softer and more wonderful every time.  Leave a comment on how much you like them so I can use them to convince her further!

And here is how I am hoping to spend my afternoon.  I know we all have these stacks lying around our houses of books we either want to read, are currently reading, etc.  Anyone else been totally hungry for the knowledge of the Lord?  I actually LOVE reading the Word and getting into this stuff.  That's definitely a new development!  Now more than ever the Lord is calling us to extravagant intimacy with Him.  Not just having good feelings and experiences, but KNOWING and LOVING His Word.  Read Ps. 119 (yep the really long one).  In the description of the chapter in my Bible it says "Meditations on the Excellencies of the Word of God".  How awesome is that!  As we walk that narrow path, spending our lives in prayer and fasting, the works of justice come forth in an INCREDIBLE, powerful way.  The bound will be set free, the lost will be found, the sick healed, it's good stuff!  Above ALL ELSE, let us remember to keep the 1ST commandment in the 1ST place in our lives.  

Well that was very random...hope everyone is having a great day!

Yay for Cameras and Cute Kids!

My hubby ordered a new camera, just a point and shoot.  I think I need to manage to not destroy a camera for a year before we make the plunge into buying a nice one...ANYWHO, my hubby took some wonderful photos of my kids while I was away.  He gets the BEST pics of the kids.  Kinda makes me think that I should probably try SCRAPBOOKING some of this stuff!

I feel so incredibly blessed that my husband would send me away to have a wonderful week with NO KIDS and totally step up and be a "house-husband".  He even did laundry!  My husband rocks!

New Year!

I am finally back home after spending about a week in Kansas City, MO at the International House of Prayer's Onething conference and WOW, what an incredible way to ring in the new year!

I have been to MANY conferences over the years and this will be my 3rd Onething and of all of the conferences I have attended it is the ONLY one where I have been truly challenged and this year I have been awakened, it has been incredible.  The yearning that has been placed inside me for the Lord and to really seek Him has been like nothing I have ever experienced, and I have been doing this for a LONG time. 

I have never experienced such a burning for the Word of God.  A few months before the conference (I didn't even know I was going to go) I began to experience such discontent and I had this desire to read the Bible that I had NEVER experienced.  Not just reading but truly EXPERIENCING the knowledge of the Holy One.  I had no idea what was going on!  After going, I understand that he was cultivating a DESIRE within me for HIM, not just to read some good passages, but to experience them and the love of God as He began to speak to me throughout the day.

So this year in the midst of the crafty fun, I am committing to these things.

1) Fast one day a week (I encourage you to read The Rewards of Fasting by Mike Bickle and Dana Candler, it will mess you up)

2) Wake up early and go to bed early.  We already go to bed early, but I sooo want to really commit that time to the Lord in the morning, before all the craziness starts.

3) And for normal resolutions, LOSE that pesky 13 lbs that is hanging on for dear life, haha!!!

4) Take some sewing classes so I can actually figure out patterns!

I hope everyone is having a fantastic year so far!

Traveling, New Year, Fun Stuff

Well I will be en route to KCMO tomorrow, so no blogging till after the new year for me. Going to spend time with my family and attend the Onething conference. I am so excited. Almost 30,000 people are registered this year, can you imagine worshiping with so many people?!?!?! Exciting!

I am really praying that the Lord gives me an awesome impartation and some direction for the new year. We are living in some incredible times, God is moving all over the world in such an incredible way and we get to be a part of it!

You can get on ihop.org and watch the webcast of the conference for FREE (yay! free is good!).

There are lots of good resolutions to make this year, but I for one want to pursue the HOLY ONE and live with boldness, unafraid to open my mouth and speak what is on my heart. I love many things, my hubby, my kids, crafting and anything involving pretty fabric, but to gaze on the one who calls US his BELOVED! THAT is everything.

"My Beloved is beautiful, dazzling and excellent, my Beloved is beautiful, he stands ALONE!"

I think I am finally starting to learn how to incorporate living a life in pursuit of Him, and being a mom, wife, sister, daughter and it is so much easier than I thought. Some days really just stink, but HE is our peace, the fire in our hearts and he is fully capable of making it all work!

I am going to try to incorporate some little tidbits from Jesus in my blogging this year :0) I think He has something to say this year for stay at home mommies.

Be blessed and bask in his love and favor
-Erin-

Earwarmers and Laptop Sleeve

After all of the crafting for others, I really needed to craft something for myself :)

Of course the crafting bug hit on Christmas Day, when we were bored and had nothing to do and of course not a craft store ANYWHERE is open. So I made some earwarmers for my upcoming trip to Kansas City. Turned out quite cute.

I was working from my own depleted stash so I turned to my PJ drawer.

This one was made from a pair of thermal pants and some flower poms that were going to be a necklace, but I made a brooch-type thing instead. The broach is removable :)

This was made from an old dance t-shirt. It is super cute in person and I even got to wear it today since it was REALLY cold!

Delia over at Delia Creates is the brain behind the earwarmers. She is so clever, please be sure to check out her blog :)

Now for more fun :)

I've been needing a laptop case since I take mine with me for school and travel so I came upon this clever tutorial. You simply must check out Amy a la Mode, especially if you are into knitting/crocheting or quilting.

I rushed out to Joann today to grab some materials and was pleased to find some really cute fabric. I used a heavier weight fabric and a quilting cotton fabric for the inside. I also used fusible batting. Which was really nice considering I've never quilted. It was nice that I didn't have to pin the fabric when I was quilting and that it just stuck on.

VOILA! So happy with how this turned out. Now my hubby wants one for his new laptop :) This was also really easy :)

Hope you all had a fantastic Christmas!

What's for Dinner Wednesday? HOLIDAY style

I am not going to do a detailed recipe today, just sort of re-cap on some things as the year comes to a close.

It's my stepdaughter's year to do Christmas with her mom so we are having Christmas Eve dinner early since she leaves tomorrow morning.

My stepdaughter doesn't like turkey (yeah, I know...haha) so we are having ham since everyone likes it. Gotta love pre-cooked hams! So with some mashed potatoes, green beans and carrots, it will be super easy and stress-free! I think we are all a bit overdone with sweets...so I'm a little uncertain on dessert.

Skinny Artichoke Dip

Something I might make for me :)

As the only person who eats artichokes in my house...

I have a cute little vintage dish for these...as much as I DON'T want to go to the grocery store...this sounds sooo good! If you haven't checked out Gina's Skinny Recipes go now! All of her recipes have points values if you are on Weight Watchers and are just good!

On a SERIOUSLY HAPPY NOTE!

My hubby gave me my Christmas present early....

A plane ticket to KCMO to visit my family and attend the Onething conference!

If you are not familiar with the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, MO you need to check them out. Here is a wonderful article that was recently in Charisma magazine about IHOP.

I am totally thrilled, but I am a little sad to leave me babies for so long! They are expecting about 25,000 people (yes THOUSAND) at the conference this year and I am STOKED to go!

I am praying that some of the fabulous fabric stores up there are open if I have a little spending money :)

So anyways, I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a happy New year! I am off to find some fun chilly weather things to make for my trip!