Thursday, December 30, 2010

New Potatoes

A few weeks ago I spent an overnight with my sweet and sassy sister, Hannah. I was so fun to watch movies all weekend, relax, and talk together. I wish we lived closer and could hang out more! She is so amazing. She's encounter all kinds of various trials, and is one STRONG cookie!

While we were there, I made a dinner that has become a personal favorite! It's super easy, gluten-free for those who care, and is a healthy take on potatoes. Here it is:

Drizzle chicken breast (I did thighs, yum!) with olive oil, and sprinkle with Garlic Dude Dust (haven't ordered this online, but search it out. It's a favorite!), and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes (shorter time for thighs).

While the chicken is baking, boil cubed sweet potatoes (light flesh) for 15 minutes, or until tender. Mash potatoes with a little butter, salt, pepper, and lemon zest. It's the zest that sets this apart, and does help keep your glycemic index lower. The combination of the sweet potatoes and garlicy chicken are so yummy.

Add in a mixed greens salad or broccoli, and you've got a delicious and healthy meal.

Routines and Wishbones

As I enjoy the last little bit of a quiet before bed, was reading some blogs and feel semi-inspired to update before any more time slips by. This will be random . . . I promise.

This Christmas break I've gotten a couple chances to sit and revisit my normal routines and changes are coming! Between feeling the desperate need to spend more time with Jesus, getting a gym membership for Christmas from my main squeeze, and feeling the need to be done with singing my sweet baby to sleep every night, I needed to work a few things out. Unfortunately some of that requires that I start getting up REEEEAALLLYYY early again. And that also means trying to get to sleep early most nights. Oh boy. Here it comes. The struggle between sleep and hangin' with my honey. I hate this! He is such a night owl and can't seem to find his way to bed before 11. Was just thinking yesterday about how I needed more opportunities to grow. Felt a little stagnant. :0) Here's me asking the Creator of the universe for a little help and inspiration to find a balance. HELP! I've got a tentative schedule put together for when my cherubs return on Monday, and we'll see how things shake out.

As far as the baby boy goes, He and David now have their two twin beds put together and we've established a really great bed time routine that gives me snuggle time AND time to finish up my chores BEFORE 9, and thank you to David, who tells Johnny all sorts of silly stories to put him to sleep. Halleluia! Mommy might just survive. This is me wearing a BIG smile.

Today I attended the celebration service for a beautiful lady who went to be with Jesus on Christmas day. It really made me take stock of my life and my legacy. All I can think of is, "WISHBONE!" A few months ago I'd made a turkey and gave the wishbone to David and Johnny to break. David won and I asked him what he wished for. He said he'd wished for a better mom. Haha. I laughed. We all laughed. A few weeks later David was trying my patience with needing to get out the door to soccer practice, or something like that. My voice started to raise, and then escalated to a yell. I hate to admit it, but it does happen from time to time. To this he responded with, "Well, I guess the wishbone didn't work!" Oh man. He's brought it up a couple times since then as well. I know that I need to work on my responses, being more consistent, and teaching rather than a no-mercy/no-grace approach, but come on kid! Beth's service today reminded me that if my focus is on Jesus my Savior and not on myself, that He will use me in greater ways than I can imagine. I'd rather be used for God's glory, then be reminded that the wishbone didn't work! That's a pretty shortcut way of saying what I wanted to say. Did that all make sense?

I am looking forward to what God has to teach me in 2011, and will embrace each opportunity, or will maybe throw a fit and then remember half way through it to embrace each opportunity.