Shopping

 I met my mom and sister in Birmingham on Saturday and we had lunch at Superior Grill then went to World Market! We had a lot of fun, and found some great stuff (shocking I know) in there. I got 2 new glasses to get me in the mood for Spring and some cute storage containers (.99 each, oh yes)! I also surprised David with a crepe pan... it was a late Valentine's gift :) His original gift has been bumped back (thanks Rite-Aid) for another celebration!

Cuteness in a cup!

Great if you buy your spices in bulk!

I also bought a book--- I needed a devotional-type book that I can read either at night or in the morning. I have heard a few GREAT reviews on this one... so I chose it!

Let me tell you... my grad school friend, C, and I made a commitment to memorize verses (1 per week, month, whatever we can do) and BOY have they come in handy! I told her it is like once we made that commitment things got really tough really fast. We find ourselves reciting and depending on them more and more. So as another form of "defense against evil" we want to read this book and discuss it at least once a week. Maybe an hour or even 30 minutes of discussing 5 pages or a chapter from this book! 

Have any thoughts on this book?  Let me know! We are curious to know how it has helped others out!

Got feedback? Let me know!

This is a "get with it" Wednesday for me... 

I made a list (shocking I know):

• Put away the pile of clean clothes in my room (I am usually waiting for them to come out of the dryer to fold... and well it just didn't happen this go-round). 
• Do my Severe Weather Assignment.
• Meet about thesis and pet paper at 1pm.
• Go through my Methods notes for the review tomorrow night (note areas of confusion.. in the "cint," C I know you get that hahah).
• Yoga... Cross-fit kicked my toosh this week... it hurts to walk, yessss.
• Read in the book.
• Love on my girls tonight at Nightshift.

Crazy chicks.

Watch the weather late tomorrow night--- we have a chance for some intense thunderstorms.

I am putting the NWS graphic up on the weather tab!

Laugh a lot today-- it is WEDNESDAY, hump day, half way through the week!

Hello Sunshine

Good-bye snow...

Birdhouse that looks like our apartment building... really cute!

Hello sunshine...

This has been a crazy week with school--- BUT I made it! And I am still standing-- tired, but here! 

"Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up."

Proverbs 12:25

Tonight David and I are going to the PINK MEET! Yah! Here are some pictures from the Power of Pink Meet I went to with the Nightshift girls... last week.

Let the photoshoot begin....

Model Pose!

You just saw something scary!

You just smelt something horrible!

You have tickets for the meet! Haha

We are cool!

Oh yeah, and Valentine's Day happened! 

David made me chocolates with tiny pieces of bacon in it! He even made them in Valentine's shapes... cutie! He was waiting on me when I got home from class with a big smile on his face.. even cut a piece of parchment paper in the shape of heart :)

My daddy got me some new boots--- I am in love with them! 

Hope everyone enjoys the beautiful weather!!

Laugh a lot :)

Suck it up Buttercup!

The Mercedes Marathon today was great! Beautiful weather for race day :)

I found this online- I did not take this haha I would been ran over!

So we did the marathon relay race-- our team: 2 boys (one of which was David) and 3 girls!

Race Day!

Northridge Teams (Co-ed and all ladies)

Suck it Up Buttercup!

Really great day! Now it is "get down to business" time--- I have  BIG week with school! And I have to get David's Valentines Day gift together! He is being all secretive and has given me NO clues on what he is doing for me-- I am excited!

Hope everyone had a beautiful day! 

 

After the race!

Laugh a lot this week--

S-N-O-W

SNOW IS HERE!

This was David's path... to throw snowballs at me!

We got about 2 inches here.

Pretty snow.

Pine Trees covered in snow.

Snow is hard to capture.

He is the best person to play in the snow with!

Had fun in the snow!

Whew I just went out and took some more pictures and it is COLD!! BURR!

Hope everyone is pleased with their snow amounts!

Sleep good... and stay warm!

Wednesday

I just can't wait to see these chicks tonight-- I am needing to see them and their smiling faces!

I hope the snow won't hold us up-- if it does though, we are taking them to the 

"Power of Pink" gymnastics meet Friday!! OH YES!! 

Alabama vs. Auburn: Friday night at 7:30

I am sore from Crossfit--- like I am afraid to wake up tomorrow because I know how sore I am going to be. Haha I love it though! Seeing how far you can push yourself-- and let me tell ya, no thoughts of school go down while working out (which is a good thing).

Today my grad school/life friend and I will be picking a verse to memorize! I am TRULY blessed to be in school with such a Godly woman-- it makes the tough times better. We encourage one another and that is what it is all about. Our goal is to pick a verse and memorize it... maybe 1 per week... or month. 

The snow is coming :)

Laugh. Show Kindness.

Be still.

This week, so far, has been good BUT crazy and overwhelming (school wise).

I needed to be reminded to just BE STILL and KNOW THAT HE IS GOD!

I am needing encouragement this week and God is putting people in my path to help me out. Thank you Lord :)

The snow should be here this time tomorrow night... this is probably our last bit of 

"winter storm madness!"

Bundle up!

60s on Sunday... great weather for the Mercedes Marathon YAH!

Blue skies and colorful plants are not far away!

    He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; 

   I will be exalted among the nations, 

   I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:10

Show kindness this week,

Laugh-- trust me it helps!

Weekend Trip

Friday afternoon David and I headed up north to the ol farm for a visit with my family. On my lunch break I went and ran some errands... one of which was to pick up my mom's birthday surprise. Let's just say it was around 3000 calories (total)... yeah. BUT so good :) I went to Gigi's Cupcakes and got 4 different ones:

 Strawberry Shortcake, 

Tiramisu, 

Wedding Cake, 

and White Chocolate Midnight Madness. 

They were all wonderful and Mom loved her gift!

Opening her gift... 

Strawberry Shortcake was my favorite.

We had 4 slivers :) Haha... the icing was taller than the cake!

Saturday we went to my cousin's baby shower then went and visited my sister at work. I got some cool things from Speciality Wellness... David and I always enjoy looking around in there and buying some great health products! 

Of course I had to go visit Gus... he is the coolest dog.... ever. Just a beautiful dog isn't he?

I mean handsome ;)

I love him! 

I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend-- David and I spent a lot of time outside yesterday enjoying the pretty day. 

I did get some preliminary work started for my thesis! YAH! Survey is in the making... researching hurricane evacuation-- what makes people evacuate/or not evacuate and how to educate the public better on what to do in natural hazards. Whew... the ball is rolling yah!

Got back in the swing of working out yesterday and today-- yah! Sickness is almost out of me and soreness is back in (darn you Crossfit... fist clinch in air haha but I love it)! 

This is pre-race week for David and me. We run in the Mercedes Marathon this weekend... we are a part of a 5 person relay team! 

David made some amazing seafood soup last night-- oysters, shrimp, crab, brown rice, spinach, and onion (I think that was all)... it was just amazing and perfect to watch the Superbowl commercials haha ;)

I did not get to do a post on Country Strong... but David and I saw it a couple weekends ago and it was great! Good guy/girl/group of friends... anybody who enjoys country music would enjoy it :)

Praying for everyone to feel great this week and to get many things done!

Verse for this week:

"The Lord says, 'I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name."

Psalm 91:14

Everyone take a BIG deep breathe--- it is going to be a good week.

Make sure you laugh... and show love to everyone!

Na-chos

It might be cold outside... but we are heating things up with this seasoning!!
No need to buy taco seasoning when you can make your own!

David and I found this recipe here... 

and we doubled it... 

cause we love it!

Taco Seasoning:

• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 3 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper

Ingredients... yup 9 of 'em

Dried Oregano

Paprika

Cumin

Sea Salt

More Sea Salt

Back Pepper

Combine the spices

That is somewhat hypnotising... don't stare at it too long

1-2 Tablespoons of this goodness will turn anything into amazing

Throw it in with some meat= awesome nachos

Speaking of nachos... since it seems everyone is either snowed or iced in... 

lets warm it up by having NACHO NIGHT!

Chips

LIME

Meat

Cheese

Salsa

One last squeeze of lime

Avocados were buy 1 get 1 free... BUT they were green... which is better than them being TOO ripe to buy. We are in the process of ripening them babies now. SO for the this NACHO NIGHT we went without guacamole... it is hard but they still tasted awesome!

This seasoning can also make DAVID's MEXICAN SOUP... we made it Monday and it has been great to have this week with my sickly-ness

Ingredients-

• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 15oz. cans of organic fire roasted tomatoes 
• 2 15oz. cans of black beans
• 1 15oz. can of corn
• 1 heaping tablespoon of minced organic garlic
• 2 pounds of diced fresh tomatoes
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
• Sea Salt/Pepper
• 2 tablespoons of TACO SEASONING (shown above)
• Serve with lime, chips, and avocado :)

Steps-

1. Wash all your vegetables and go ahead and cut your onion up and dice your tomatoes.
2. Open your cans of beans and corn. Drain and rinse these under cold water. This just gets rid of some of that sodium from the canning process.
3. Get a skillet and cook your beef and drain most of the fat off now sprinkle your taco seasoning and give it a good stir-- don't stress out and try to get every drop of fat because you will end up dumping out the meat.... I have had a close call or two ;)
4. Set aside meat. Now put your olive oil in your SOUP POT and warm it up over medium heat. When you can "swirl" the olive oil around in the pan (to coat the bottom) throw in your onions. Cook the onions until they are clear.
5. Throw in your garlic.
6. Put your diced tomatoes in... juices and all.
7. Continuing over medium heat still--- dump your beef, corn, black beans, fire roasted tomatoes, and stock in the pot.
8. Let it simmer... so turn it down to between low/medium heat. 10-15 minutes to get it all warm throughout.
9. Taste and now add sea salt and pepper to your liking. REMEMBER YOU CAN ALWAYS ADD more later :)
10. EAT UP

It made 10 servings... and took us under 30 minutes to make... great reheated! Just bring some lime to squeeze on top. The fresh lime (even with reheats) just livens it up and gives you the fresh factor!

Today is my mom's birthday! Happy birthday Momma :)

She is beautiful... and sweet... and makes me pancakes :)
And teaches me how to shop... bargain shopping of course! 

Love you Momma!

Hope everyone is super careful driving (if you have to)... if you don't have to get out stay in and drink coffee and have a cookie and snuggle with your loved one(s) :) 

Enjoy the true winter God gave us this year!

Sending love and laughter,