Today I was finding myself a little dissatisfied with the fact that we are still on our 2-week break between volleyball and basketball seasons, so I decided to make a list of the things I like and am thankful for about the break. (Since I have a little extra time :P)
1. Several afternoons have been spent with my mother, tea, and good conversations
2. Our house is cleaner than usual since I've had more time to work on it
3. Some of my craft projects are getting done... I have a hat in the making and am attempting card making again (never very good at either but I try! Haha)
4. My shins love me so much more.
5. I've gone to the gym several times a week.
6. I'm ahead in some of my classes since I'm spending more time working on lessons
7. I completed a big (4-5 hr) Amazon project
8. I've been able to make more meals evening-of rather than serving "freezer" meals I've made in the past, and have baked more
9. I've been able to help out by taking my siblings places and going on more errands than usual for my Mom
10. I've pondered what I did with my life when I played just basketball...
Friday, November 18, 2011
Cold Weather = Soup
So I decided to post one of my family's all-time favorite soup recipes. We eat this soup all year round, but especially in the Fall/Winter months. :-) Not exactly a science of a recipe, and it comes out differently every time... Serve it with chips and salsa, and it's a meal! Or homemade nachos... or cheese tortillas... or salad... or beans and rice... or just by itself...
Tortilla Soup
3 cups boiling water
1 tomato
1-2 carrots
1-2 stalks of celery
Wedge of onion
1 pressed garlic clove
A little sqaush
A little zucchini
A little red bell pepper
A little cabbage
A little spinach
A mushroom or two
Any other desired veggies :D
1 TBSP chicken broth mix/bouillion cube
1 TBSP Mexican/Taco Seasoning
1/2 c cooked chicken
1/2 c corn
Olives
Beans - pinto or black
~
Blend all veggies and water together for several minutes, until pureed. Add seasoning and chicken broth. Blend for another minute. Add chicken, corn, beans, and olives and blend for a few seconds, just until mixed but not pureed. Top with sour cream, cheese, tomato, avacado, lettuce, chips, etc. If you like it spicier, add some green chilies.
This yields about 5 c. of soup... enough to serve our family of 6 when we haven't just come home from an athletic game/practice. :P
Yummmmmmmmmmmm
Tortilla Soup
3 cups boiling water
1 tomato
1-2 carrots
1-2 stalks of celery
Wedge of onion
1 pressed garlic clove
A little sqaush
A little zucchini
A little red bell pepper
A little cabbage
A little spinach
A mushroom or two
Any other desired veggies :D
1 TBSP chicken broth mix/bouillion cube
1 TBSP Mexican/Taco Seasoning
1/2 c cooked chicken
1/2 c corn
Olives
Beans - pinto or black
~
Blend all veggies and water together for several minutes, until pureed. Add seasoning and chicken broth. Blend for another minute. Add chicken, corn, beans, and olives and blend for a few seconds, just until mixed but not pureed. Top with sour cream, cheese, tomato, avacado, lettuce, chips, etc. If you like it spicier, add some green chilies.
This yields about 5 c. of soup... enough to serve our family of 6 when we haven't just come home from an athletic game/practice. :P
Yummmmmmmmmmmm
Sunday, November 13, 2011
November
In 1995, President Bill Clinton declared November to be "National Adoption Month". So I decided I would blog about it... thank you to the former president for giving me a blog topic! :-)
I think adoption is one of the coolest things in the world for so many reasons... God's Word is brimming with verses about Christian's responsibilities to care for children without families.
Psalm 82:3 "Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy."
Isaiah 1:17 "Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow."
James 1:27 "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you."
God gave us a huge calling as Christians. When Jesus came to the earth, He showed compassion to and cared for orphans and we are called to imitate Him.
Ephesians 5:1-2 "Be imitators of Christ, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God."
The whole foundation of adopting starts with God's adoption of us as Christians. The way that God chose each one of His children, and loves us unconditionally. We did nothing to deserve God's love for us, but He pours it out on us and continues to show it no matter what. It is so exciting that we as Christians now have the opportunity to show the love that Christ showed us to others... to choose to pour out on a child the unconditional love that can only come through Christ's power. I am so incredibly thankful for the love that God showed me, and am amazed at why God would choose to lavish His love on me. What an amazing blessing and privilege to show the incredible love of Christ to others.
Ephesians 1:5 "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will."
There is a huge need for Christians to step up to the calling to care for and show love to fatherless children as there are literally millions of children in the world without families with an estimated number of over 420,000 children in foster care in the US.
Adoption is so dear to my heart and is such an awesome picture of Christ's love for us. As I was listening to a family tell their story of how they came to adopt one of their children, and telling us about the horrible circumstances at the orphanage they came from, I was thinking of the countless other children who have yet to be adopted living at that orphanage and how this one child they adopted is just the tip of the iceberg. But that's how you change the world: One person at a time.
I think adoption is one of the coolest things in the world for so many reasons... God's Word is brimming with verses about Christian's responsibilities to care for children without families.
Psalm 82:3 "Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy."
Isaiah 1:17 "Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow."
James 1:27 "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you."
God gave us a huge calling as Christians. When Jesus came to the earth, He showed compassion to and cared for orphans and we are called to imitate Him.
Ephesians 5:1-2 "Be imitators of Christ, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God."
The whole foundation of adopting starts with God's adoption of us as Christians. The way that God chose each one of His children, and loves us unconditionally. We did nothing to deserve God's love for us, but He pours it out on us and continues to show it no matter what. It is so exciting that we as Christians now have the opportunity to show the love that Christ showed us to others... to choose to pour out on a child the unconditional love that can only come through Christ's power. I am so incredibly thankful for the love that God showed me, and am amazed at why God would choose to lavish His love on me. What an amazing blessing and privilege to show the incredible love of Christ to others.
Ephesians 1:5 "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will."
There is a huge need for Christians to step up to the calling to care for and show love to fatherless children as there are literally millions of children in the world without families with an estimated number of over 420,000 children in foster care in the US.
Adoption is so dear to my heart and is such an awesome picture of Christ's love for us. As I was listening to a family tell their story of how they came to adopt one of their children, and telling us about the horrible circumstances at the orphanage they came from, I was thinking of the countless other children who have yet to be adopted living at that orphanage and how this one child they adopted is just the tip of the iceberg. But that's how you change the world: One person at a time.
Friday, November 4, 2011
2011 Volleyball Musings
This past volleyball season was completely fantastic and I am quite disappointed it's come to an end so quickly. This season was so different from the previous one, but so. much. fun. I learned so much... about volleyball and about life, and I would not trade these past few months for anything.
I think that I first knew it was going to be a fun season, was at the JEM summer camp when we played "Barnacle". It is officially one of my favorite games to play, just to let you know, and is so much fun. :-) The first day my dear friend Mariko and I were the last two and she ended up winning... this was the first of several Barnacle games to come, and I have had an immensely fun time with each game. (One especially that sticks out in my mind was competing with Liberty as the last two people, sprinting and pushing each other around the gym... or running into the wall at BFCC and supposedly making a dent according to some of my team mates... whatever it takes people! :D)
Then we started learning to do diving and rolls at the camp, and I was getting frustrated with them and thinking "ugh I don't think I like these very well". And after doing them over and over and over, and not being able to do them well AT ALL, I purposed in my mind that I was going to understand how to do these rolls well even if it killed me. Thankfully we got a lot of practice over the season, I think I've gotten alright at them, and I'm not dead. ;-)
Then the actual season started and the team started practicing together. I am so super blessed by each one of the amazing girls that I am privileged to call team mates. The fact that these girls are some of the sweetest, most encouraging young women on this planet is such a huge blessing. We all learned so much together and grew in immeasurable ways. It is amazing what you can accomplish when you rely on Christ and focus on others rather than yourself. I truly believe that as individuals and as a team, we gave this season - each game, each point, each play - to Christ as an offering to glorify Him. And I truly believe He was honored.
It was a little bit different having Caleb coaching us for the most part. I was not quite sure if I was going to like it very well, but his coaching ended up being a huge blessing. I felt like I learned so much every time I stepped onto the court for practice, game, or whatever. He poured his time into all of us girls, and I am so thankful for the skills he taught us and the way he centered everything on Christ.
This season was unique because we had three seniors on the Varsity team... last year when I played volleyball, we did not have any seniors so it was kind of interesting knowing that it was these girls' last year. I am so thankful for each one of them... and thankful for the amazing ladies they are on and off the court. Their Senior night was really cool, seeing each one of their families supporting them and them getting flowers and all that good stuff... We won which was an added bonus I think. :-)
Overall this season has been an incredible time of learning new skills and practicing them, as well as growing closer as a team and closer to Christ. I am so thankful for the opportunity to play and for each one of the girls I am blessed to play with!
Highlight favorite skills I learned/practiced... Blocking! Hitting 1s... Alora and I are going to ROCK them next season! Hitting 2s :D
I think that I first knew it was going to be a fun season, was at the JEM summer camp when we played "Barnacle". It is officially one of my favorite games to play, just to let you know, and is so much fun. :-) The first day my dear friend Mariko and I were the last two and she ended up winning... this was the first of several Barnacle games to come, and I have had an immensely fun time with each game. (One especially that sticks out in my mind was competing with Liberty as the last two people, sprinting and pushing each other around the gym... or running into the wall at BFCC and supposedly making a dent according to some of my team mates... whatever it takes people! :D)
Then we started learning to do diving and rolls at the camp, and I was getting frustrated with them and thinking "ugh I don't think I like these very well". And after doing them over and over and over, and not being able to do them well AT ALL, I purposed in my mind that I was going to understand how to do these rolls well even if it killed me. Thankfully we got a lot of practice over the season, I think I've gotten alright at them, and I'm not dead. ;-)
Then the actual season started and the team started practicing together. I am so super blessed by each one of the amazing girls that I am privileged to call team mates. The fact that these girls are some of the sweetest, most encouraging young women on this planet is such a huge blessing. We all learned so much together and grew in immeasurable ways. It is amazing what you can accomplish when you rely on Christ and focus on others rather than yourself. I truly believe that as individuals and as a team, we gave this season - each game, each point, each play - to Christ as an offering to glorify Him. And I truly believe He was honored.
It was a little bit different having Caleb coaching us for the most part. I was not quite sure if I was going to like it very well, but his coaching ended up being a huge blessing. I felt like I learned so much every time I stepped onto the court for practice, game, or whatever. He poured his time into all of us girls, and I am so thankful for the skills he taught us and the way he centered everything on Christ.
This season was unique because we had three seniors on the Varsity team... last year when I played volleyball, we did not have any seniors so it was kind of interesting knowing that it was these girls' last year. I am so thankful for each one of them... and thankful for the amazing ladies they are on and off the court. Their Senior night was really cool, seeing each one of their families supporting them and them getting flowers and all that good stuff... We won which was an added bonus I think. :-)
Overall this season has been an incredible time of learning new skills and practicing them, as well as growing closer as a team and closer to Christ. I am so thankful for the opportunity to play and for each one of the girls I am blessed to play with!
Highlight favorite skills I learned/practiced... Blocking! Hitting 1s... Alora and I are going to ROCK them next season! Hitting 2s :D
Thursday, November 3, 2011
I scream, you scream, we all scream for... pumpkin
One of the main ingredients of Autumn cooking is PUMPKIN. My family are pumpkin-holics and each member thoroughly enjoys the various pumpkin dishes that get made around this time of year. So I thought I'd blog a few of our favorite pumpkin recipes in honor of the season! :-)
Pumpkin Pancakes
Yield: 24 pancakes
Pumpkin Pancakes
Yield: 24 pancakes
Pumpkin Bread
1 cup evaporated cane juice crystals (or 1/2 brown sugar, 1/2 white sugar)
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup unsweet applesauce
3 eggs
15 oz. pumpkin puree
2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
4 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. powder ginger
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Mix all ingredients and pour evenly into two loaf pans. Bake at 350 for about an hour... check at 45 minutes.
This pumpkin bread is pretty "spicy" so you could cut down on the seasonings if you want something a little milder...
Pumpkin Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. unbleached flour
1 1/2 TBSP. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/3 c. evaporated cane juice crystals
1/2 c. pumpkin puree
3 TBSP. oil
3/4 c. milk
1 Egg
1 Egg
Chocolate chips (If you're Mercy)
Mix ingredients and pour evenly into greased muffin pan. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.
These are the muffins I made for the Andrew Peterson concert road trip. :-)
Or, if you're Mercy...
Pumpkin Cream Cheese
Mix pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and a little allspice with cream cheese... YUM
So there is a little sampling of all the lovely, yummy things I have been making lately that are probably not very good for us, but taste good. :D I am going to try a pumpkin soup recipe with beans and vegetables and we'll see how it turns out... I am also going to attempt healthy pumpkin cookies and possibly pumpkin scones. My Mom put pumpkin in her morning green smoothies and evidently it is really tasty, so if any one is brave enough to try that, there's an idea too. :-)
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