Winner, Winner, Chicken (& Dumplings) Dinner

Color me happy - I just tried something new, with great success!  After seeing a friend's Facebook post about using her Kitchen Aid mixer to shred cooked chicken, I thought I'd give it a try with my Bosch.  Because really - who enjoys shredding 10 pounds of cooked chicken breast by hand?  My first attempt was using the dough hook, but all it did was chase the chicken breast around and around the bowl.  I swapped the dough hook for the cookie paddles and 10 seconds later, I was done!  This will be a huge time saver for me, as well as a way to save money on groceries.  I confess that when I stand in the store and weigh the pros and cons of canned vs. fresh, I usually go with canned, for several (selfish and lazy) reasons. 

10 Pounds in 10 Seconds

After the shredding, I looked at my big pot of steaming broth and thought, "I should really do something with this."  I considered making Chicken Noodle Soup, but Suzanne preferred Chicken and Dumplings.  So that's the direction I went.  

Chicken and Dumplings, simmering away

Dumplings need to simmer for 20 minutes uncovered, then 20 minutes (or more) covered in order to cook fully.  But after that, they're good to go.  

Chicken and Dumplings, ready to eat

If you would like my recipe for Chicken and Dumplings, go ahead and snag it over at my other blog - Leah's Recipe Exchange. 

The Simple Woman's Daybook

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW: things are looking very bright, which is fitting for the beginning of a brand new year! The entire sky is milky white and the ground is covered in snow - a beautiful blank palate, if you will. It is currently 10° in my neck of the woods, but feels like 0° with the wind that we have.

I AM THINKING: how ironic it is that each time I make another re-entry into the blog world, I use this Daybook as a tool to get me started. It's good for me to have prompts I guess. Do any of you use special blogging formulas, calendars, websites, tools, or schedules to help keep you on track, specifically with blogging? If so, I would LOVE to hear from you!

I AM THANKFUL: for blessings in my life. The older I get, the more appreciative I am for the ways God has blessed me and my family. With age, it seems I become more intimately acquainted with death and dying, sickness and struggles, and people with an array of problems. In the midst of those situations, I hope I always see God's hand, working "for the good of those who love Him." (Romans 8:28)

FROM THE KITCHEN: Suzanne continues to relentlessly churn out recipes. Her goal for the month of December was to bake every Christmas cupcake she'd pinned to her Pinterest board. My favorite was her Snowman Cupcake. After baking white cupcakes, she scooped a little out from the middle and stuck in a white Lindor truffle. She frosted them with cream cheese frosting then dipped the tops in sugar and decorated them like a snowman. Delish! (see photo below)

I AM WEARING: my favorite old blue jeans, an IOWA Hawkeyes hoodie, and slippers. Perfect for a lazy day at home.

I AM CREATING: nothing. Truth be told, I'm tired of creating. Emily and I had so many Christmas orders to fill this year that I'm just plum tuckered out. But I do have some winter projects I'm contemplating. There's a salvage/thrift place about 20 miles from here that has old doors and windows for $10-$20. When I decide what wall to hang one on, I'll make a trip over and get started.

I AM GOING: to be a Grandma in July!!  I know it'll be wonderful, and I can hardly wait! The kids have asked me to babysit when Emily goes back to work this Fall, and I'm more than happy to oblige. I am also going to be transforming the school room into a nursery of sorts. Brittany will have graduated high school by then, and Suzanne has already moved her desk to a more conducive spot.

I AM WONDERING: if the rest of our family will get whatever Brittany has. She was fine last night when we had supper with friends, and was fine at midnight when I went to bed. But she woke up this morning, vomiting. I put some Ginger Ale and the laptop and some movies on the steps for her, hoping it's short-lived and that she'll be content in her room, away from us, today. Thank goodness for texting!

I AM READING: not much these days. But browsing through Carrie's 2012 Book List, I'm freshly inspired. With some Christmas cash still left in my envelope, I will be visiting Amazon, as well as my local library, shortly. Thanks, Carrie!

I AM HOPING: that somebody else will want to fix meals today, or that my family will be happy with leftovers and various snack foods!  I'm also hoping that the slight gurgle in my tummy just means I'm hungry.

I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO: July, for obvious reasons.

I AM LEARNING: my way around Microsoft Publisher. I had no idea it was even ON my computer until this Fall, when I consented to create and mail monthly invitations/postcards for our MOPS group at church. There are so many wonderfully talented designers out there who offer their creations for free! Needless to say, I am enjoying this new creative outlet immensely!

I AM PONDERING: Jesus' humanity lately. Here's a short except from an Advent devotional book by Max Lucado: "God as a fetus. Holiness sleeping in a womb. The creator of life being created. God was given eyebrows, elbows, two kidneys, and a spleen. He stretched against the walls and floated in the amniotic fluids of his mother. God had come near. No silk. No ivory. No hype. To think of Jesus in such a light is - well, it seems almost irreverent, doesn't it? It is much easier to keep the humanity out of the incarnation. But don't do it. For heaven's sake, don't. Let him be as human as he intended to be. Let him into the mire and muck of our world. For only if we let him in can he pull us out." Much to chew on there.

A FAVORITE QUOTE FOR TODAY is from Lamentations 3:22-23: "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness!"

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS: Dove dark chocolate. Always has been, always will be.

A FEW PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK: create a family calendar for the new year, take down the Christmas stuff (but leave up the winter things), and make a healthy 2-week meal plan.

A PEEK INTO MY DAY:

(Suzanne's Snowman Cupcakes)
Thanks to The Simple Woman's Daybook for inviting us to join in! Click on the link to read some amazing thoughts by other women during the month of January.

Our Florida Vacation

My family and I were able to take a vacation in Florida this winter.  Here are a few photos collages I created (just discovered iPiccy.com recently - love it!) in order to share some of my trip with you.  Outnumbering the boys, we spent several days at different beaches.

In an effort to keep the boys happy, we agreed to accompany them on a 2-hour air boat swamp tour.  Our expectations were fairly low, based on our surroundings when we arrived, but it was the absolute highlight of our trip!  We went fast.  We went slow.  We observed gorgeous scenery.  We ate Spanish moss.  And we saw lots and lots of animals - alligators included!

We split our time fairly evenly between being out-and-about (seeing different attractions and eating out), and enjoying the pool and game room in the home we rented.  It was the perfect balance for me!

Anyone want to take a guess at any of the places we visited, based on my photos?

Bridal Shower Decorations

I promised photos of the bridal shower that Emily, two friends and I decorated for on Sunday at church.  Just following through today.  

Here's a shot of all nine tables we did:

For the four outside middle tables, we used burlap and navy fabric runners with lanterns and enamelware:

For the four corner and center tables, we used burlap and navy fabric squares with a variety of things:

Emily and I revamped an old window, adding the bride and groom's names and wedding date, which hung above this decorated bench:

The guest book table:

The podium, adorned with a twine-wrapped letter:

And a fork bundle (a fork wrapped in a navy napkin and tied with a hand-stamped tag and twine) which sat at each place:

It was so much fun to work together and create an atmosphere that the bride-to-be and her guests enjoyed.  And best of all - we spent a small amount of money on necessities, and used things each of us had around the house.  Doesn't get any better than that!

Our Projects

As I said in my last post, my DIL Emily and I purchased a Silhouette Cameo (a digital cutting machine) last fall and set to work creating things that we hoped our family and friends might like. We've had success, and are contemplating what our next step might be. As promised, here are a few photos of some of the things we've made:

One of our first projects was this "Be Thankful" tile. It's a simple 12x12 ceramic tile that we cut and added adhesive vinyl to. It rests on an easel and provides a reminder for all who see.

 Also during the fall, we decided to try our luck with painted blocks. These "Autumn Blessings" blocks were cut, roughly sanded and painted before we added the vinyl.

As Christmas neared, we found some "create-your-own" Christmas balls and couldn't think of a reason not to give those a try.  We thought die-hard Iowa fans might appreciate the black and yellow, while the Iowa State folks would like their red and yellow.  So we did both.

With spring approaching, we knew we wanted to make some personalized Easter baskets for the kids. We used the power of free advertising - we gave two away and took many orders after that!

After creating some Easter blocks, a friend asked if we could make her some Spring blocks that she could leave up a little bit longer. So we did!

We did some cute blocks for baby shower gifts:

And now we're on to bridal shower tiles:

It's really been a fun business to begin! We both enjoy what we do - I design the layouts and cut the vinyl while Emily prepares the various surfaces and applies the vinyl. There are so many more things we anticipate creating. It's just making the time for a work day. I mean fun day. :) If you have seen any cool projects using a digital cutter (Silhouette Cameo or Cricut) send me the link.

The Simple Woman's Spring Daybook

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW: things are beginning to look like spring. The sky is a gorgeous shade of deep blue, and the whitest-white clouds provide a sharp and beautiful contrast. The rhubarb is up, all the plants have unfolded their leaves, and the second batch of kittens has been born on the farm.

I AM THINKING: about so many things - lots of tough situations going on around me. Also, I think the more stressed out I get, the more I tend to read. (Is that a legitimate, healthy coping technique?) Hence the long book list already this year.

I AM THANKFUL: for too many things to mention.

FROM THE KITCHEN: the smell of take-out pepperoni pizza. That's it.

I AM WEARING: my favorite jean capris, a long-sleeved green shirt, padded Nike flip-flops, and a squirt of Oscar de la Renta.

I AM CREATING: lots of fun things with my daughter-in-law, Emily. We purchased a Silhouette CAMEO last fall and are now in business - even considering an Etsy site! I'll post some photos next week so you can see what we've been up to.

I AM GOING: to stay in tonight and catch up on some DVR'd shows. Have any of you been watching the new Fox show called Touch? It's pretty good!

I AM WONDERING: where the time goes. Really. It's sad how it passes so quickly!

I AM READING: MUCH this year! After finishing the complete new-to-me "Baxter Family Series" by Karen Kingsbury, I am rereading an old favorite series by Francine Rivers - The Mark of the Lion. Even though some parts are vaguely familiar to me, most of it is like new!

I AM HOPING: that our attempts at decorating for a bridal shower this coming Sunday will be successful. I'll post photos of that next week, too, and let you decide.

I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO: a short road-trip with my husband on Saturday. Just the two of us. Alone for the day. Not many things are nicer than that.

I AM LEARNING: that I can do more things than I thought I could. Between self-doubt and being a procrastinator, I haven't given myself a fair shot at a lot of things.

I AM PONDERING: the fact that today is a gift, and tomorrow is never a given. I have a sweet young friend who had a complete hysterectomy today after finding cancer in her ovary two weeks ago. She is 36, has been married just two years, and hoped to start their family this year. Both sad and scary!

A FAVORITE QUOTE FOR TODAY: "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS: A hot cup or two of coffee with flavored creamer to start my day. No coffee, no workee. :)

A FEW PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK: Finish making a burlap sign, and cut vinyl letters for a vintage/crafty window re-do.

Thanks to The Simple Woman's Spring Daybook for inviting us to join in! Click on the link to read some amazing thoughts by other women during the months of March and April.

Birthday Girl

So yesterday (01-16) was my first daughter's 17th birthday. Since there was no school for MLK, Jr. Day, she wanted to sleep in rather than do the traditional breakfast in bed.

Slightly off-topic, but did I tell you that this fall, she began taking four classes each morning at a neighboring school district? We did a lot of praying about it during the summer, and after the first week and a few tweaks here and there, we arrived at a compromise that was acceptable to everyone. After driving 15 miles, she picks up her best friend every morning and they go to school together. She was welcomed into a great group of Christian friends, got all A's her first semester, and overall we're pleased with the results. She still has some core classes at home in the afternoons, and I'm having to be flexible with her busy schedule.

She continues to drive 40 miles to the chiropractor to receive adjustments for her scoliosis. When we saw the first xrays of her spine back in June, I about cried and wondered if we'd ever get it straightened! She began going three times a week, then twice a week, once a week, and now she goes once every two weeks. Very often, she says her back hurts and wants someone to rub it for her. This makes me feel terrible! At Christmas time I began to doubt if the chiropractic-only course of treatment was actually working, and if her back was actually getting worse. Then I thought back to when I was a kid and had braces - it hurt to have them tightened, and I wondered if her back adjustments that were pushing her spine back in alignment were the source of her pain. Only one way to find out - another xray. At her age, the chiropractor was hesitant to xray more than once a year in order to prevent any damage to her ovaries, but she said she would. The good news is that the treatment is working! She called last week and said that after measuring the curvature of Brittany's spine, six months of care has decreased the upper curve from 34.5° to 19°! She asked if Britt was continuing to hang upside down twice a day on her inverse gravity machine, and I said no. Together we decided that she just needed the right motivation to keep up with that. I knew exactly what it was, as she asks for it often - a massage. So that's what she's working to earn. If she hangs twice a day and works up to 10 minutes each time and does. not. miss. one. single. time, we will treat her to a massage every other week. In our neck of the woods a 30-minute massage is $20, so it's well worth it!

Gosh - how did I get so side-tracked so quickly!? Sorry. Back to her birthday...

After biscuits and gravy at 10:00, she chose to catch up on some episodes of "Say Yes to the Dress" so I sat down to do my devotions. Since it was 01-16, I decided to look up chapter 1, verse 16 in different books of the Bible to see if I could find something meaningful for her. Here are some doozies that I found:

Proverbs 1:16 - Their feet run toward trouble and they hurry to commit murder.

Titus 1:16 - They say they know God, but their actions show they do not accept him. They are hateful people, they refuse to obey, and they are useless for doing anything good.

But here are some others, on a more positive note:

Ruth 1:16 - But Ruth said, "Don't beg me to leave you or to stop following you. Where you go, I will go. Where you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.

Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.

Ephesians 1:16-17 - I have not stopped giving thanks to God for you. I remember you in my prayers and ask the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, to give you the Spirit, who will make you wise and reveal God to you, so that you will know him.

1 Timothy 1:16 - But I was given mercy so that in me, the worst of all sinners, Christ Jesus could show that he has patience without limit. His patience with me made me an example for those who would believe in him and have life forever.

James 1:16 - Do not be deceived, my dear friends!

1 Peter 1:16 - It is written in the Scriptures: "You must be holy, because I am holy."

It was fun to reveal my findings to her later on. Maybe one of them will be meaningful enough to her that she'll choose one for her life verse. Have any of you done a Bible search based on your birth date? If so, I'd be interested in hearing about your best and worst finds!

And to wrap up this badly-organized, "all over the place" birthday post, we headed to the city for some shopping and dinner before dropping her off at a surprise party in her honor. What fun! She is a really great girl, but is quickly growing into a young woman - and I feel so blessed to have her as a daughter!

Here's a photo of her, taken at her brother's wedding last June:

And this was taken after breakfast yesterday morning, after she'd finished her coffee (yes, she loves coffee!):

Books Read in 2011

Before we get rolling too far into 2012, I wanted to save my book list here from 2011. I read several single books last year, and two Christian fiction series. Of all the books read, 19 I had read before, and 15 were new to me. I'm a little embarrassed to say that every. single. book. was fiction! I gotta work on that this year!

Going Rogue, by Sarah Palin
Choosing to See, by Steven and Mary Beth Chapman
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis
Prince Caspian, by C. S. Lewis
Voyage of the Dawn Treader, by C. S. Lewis
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society, by M. Shaffer and A. Barrows
The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
Holes, by Louis Sachar
Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier

The Left Behind series, by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins:
The Rising
The Regime
The Rapture
Left Behind
Tribulation Force
Nicolae
Soul Harvest
Apollyon
Assassins
The Indwelling
The Mark
Desecration
The Remnant
Armageddon
Glorious Appearing
Kingdom Come

The Zion Covenant series, by Brock and Bodie Thoene
Vienna Prelude
Prague Counterpoint
Munich Signature
Jerusalem Interlude
Danzig Passage
Warsaw Requiem
London Refrain
Paris Encore
Dunkirk Crescendo

This year, I'm going to try to write more reviews of the books I read. Usually I'm in such a hurry to get on to the next book that I don't really take the time to digest what I've just read. After Christmas I began a new series by my all-time favorite author. It's really good, and I can't wait to tell you all about it!

Christmas Daybook

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW: the sun is just beginning to make its appearance. Such a beautiful sunrise! I've seen many of them lately, but this one seems to be telling me it'll be a great day!

I AM THINKING: that it's past time to start the coffee. The leftover stuff I heated up from yesterday just isn't doing it for me.  It's gotta be fresh and piping hot!

I AM THANKFUL: for a wonderful Christmas with our kids last night.  For the dusting of snow we got - just enough to pretty it up.  For beautiful Christmas music.  For a family who loves each other.  For Jesus, born to die for me!

FROM THE LEARNING ROOM: nothing.  We've been on vacation all week.  It's become my emergency storage room for now.

FROM THE KITCHEN: Yesterday?  Ham balls with a brown sugar tomato sauce, cheesy hashbrown casserole, sweet corn, homemade rolls with cinnamon honey butter, orange tapioca salad, and a chocolate ice cream dessert.  Today?  Leftovers.

I AM WEARING: glasses, pajamas and slippers, covered up with a super-soft throw.

I AM CREATING: a dip in this chair, where I've been since 4:15 this morning.

I AM PLANNING: on a somewhat low-key day. I'll probably make some Christmas candy and more homemade rolls. Somebody needs to clean up the family room after things seemed to explode from under the tree last night. I should really take the pictures off my camera, too.

I AM READING: regrettably, not much – I've just been too busy lately.  I see that I have over 300 new blog posts in my reader that I need to catch up on.  That's overwhelming to me, but I will read them all. Eventually. 

I AM HOPING: that everyone will wear an ugly Christmas sweater tomorrow.  I'll be looking lovely in light blue!  Every once in awhile, you've just gotta let yourself be silly. 

I AM HEARING: the refrigerator running, some ice cubes dumping, and some trucks going by on the highway.

AROUND THE HOUSE: Bath & Body's Frosted Cupcake Candle.

A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS: Christmas music, toffee with whole almonds, fun scarves, good books, and Christmas break.

A FEW PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK: Christmas with Gary's family on Saturday. Play for church on Sunday; brunch to follow. My parents arrive Sunday afternoon. Christmas here with my family on Monday.

Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Thanks to The Simple Woman's Daybook for inviting us to join in! Click on the link to read some amazing thoughts by other women during the month of December.

My 2011 Thankful List

Just wanting to get my 2011 Thankful List saved for posterity...

30) a wonderful month,
29) a reliable vehicle,
28) Burt's Bees Lip Balm,
27) plumbers,
26) daughters who enjoy cooking,
25) my Christian heritage,
24) champagne cake,
23) working bathrooms,
22) family,
21) reasons to celebrate,
20) SIRIUS XM channel 6017,
19) lunch out with friends,
18) painter's tape,
17) Alka Seltzer Cold Medicine,
16) good hair days,
15) laughter,
14) books,
13) fall candles,
12) completed projects,
11) my new Silhouette CAMEO,
10) my feather pillow,
9) talented musicians,
8) a new box of contacts,
7) coffee,
6) pumpkin bread,
5) trusty computers,
4) uneventful days,
3) autumn,
2) my new daughter-in-law, and
1) new blog friends!