Sweet Potatoes.
So nutritious and delicious. Something you can eat without anything added to it, totally amazing on their own.
Sweet potatoes were just calling my name at the store and I have been wanting to try them in a soup with sweet peas. So, naturally I decided to make my own soup up and this time it turned out well.
Eliza's Sweet Potato Soup
4 Medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 Medium zucchini sliced
2 Large Carrots sliced
2 chicken breast, cooked and shredded (cook how you like, I bake in the oven covered with foil for 30 min at 350)
a few sprigs of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Enough chicken stock to just cover veggies. (If you don't make your own, I use "Kitchen Basics, UNSALTED")
Frozen Sweet peas
I make sure to cut all the veggies into bite size pieces and pop them in the crock-pot on high for 6 hours, or simmer on the stove covered for 1 hour. I tried the stove this time because I ran out of time.
Add the frozen peas in the last few minutes (5 or so), just enough so they thaw and warm up. Otherwise they turn all yucky green and keep their beautiful color for best presentation (or so I think...I didn't do that this time)
Serve with Cornbread smothered in honey!
It was delicious if you like soup and sweet potatoes.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
I LOVE to Knit
Just so ya know....
I have been obsessed recently about knitting. I am always craving time to knit around this time of year....never really know why.
I have had a Christmas stocking pattern to knit since David and I were married (over 5 years ago) and now that we have Little Man Noah in our family, David has informed me that it is absolutely essential to finish all 3 stockings (just started the 2nd one this last month). They are very easy to knit, when you know how to knit in the round and with multiple colors, but I have been a BIG procrastinator!!
I am almost done with a project I have been working on all summer and am excited to get something done since my scarfs I knit family members....ummm, GOSH, that has been 3+ years???? Ridiculous I know!
I think I kept getting caught up in other patterns, yarns, and my imagination that I would actually stick with a follow through with all these projects.....needless to say I have a TON of yarn sitting around with ideas attached to them. Since I am now staying at home I don't have a lot of extra money to spend on frivolous things, need to spend it on the necessities (like groceries!), I have 4 years to use this yarn. BUT, I don't have a lot of any of it....so not sure I will be able to knit a sweater. Either way I will have plenty of yarn to use while I can't just go buy yarn and feel the itch to knit. It will be good for me, right? I basically have my own little yarn store in my basement!
So, now I can say I will be finished with the biggest (but simple) project, but I can't tell you what it is, yet, soon enough I will post pictures! I am very excited about it!
Then I will be able to post pictures of my stockings I will complete, probably right before Thanksgiving....since I want them hanging for Christmas!! They are these gorgeous patterns for someone who likes knits. They are from a place I found online somehow called Annies Woolens. We have the bear (for me), the snowman (for David) and the moose (for Little Man), and I also have the tree and snowflake ones. I love these patterns!!
Now... enough ranting, on to more knitting! :)
I have been obsessed recently about knitting. I am always craving time to knit around this time of year....never really know why.
I have had a Christmas stocking pattern to knit since David and I were married (over 5 years ago) and now that we have Little Man Noah in our family, David has informed me that it is absolutely essential to finish all 3 stockings (just started the 2nd one this last month). They are very easy to knit, when you know how to knit in the round and with multiple colors, but I have been a BIG procrastinator!!
I am almost done with a project I have been working on all summer and am excited to get something done since my scarfs I knit family members....ummm, GOSH, that has been 3+ years???? Ridiculous I know!
I think I kept getting caught up in other patterns, yarns, and my imagination that I would actually stick with a follow through with all these projects.....needless to say I have a TON of yarn sitting around with ideas attached to them. Since I am now staying at home I don't have a lot of extra money to spend on frivolous things, need to spend it on the necessities (like groceries!), I have 4 years to use this yarn. BUT, I don't have a lot of any of it....so not sure I will be able to knit a sweater. Either way I will have plenty of yarn to use while I can't just go buy yarn and feel the itch to knit. It will be good for me, right? I basically have my own little yarn store in my basement!
So, now I can say I will be finished with the biggest (but simple) project, but I can't tell you what it is, yet, soon enough I will post pictures! I am very excited about it!
Then I will be able to post pictures of my stockings I will complete, probably right before Thanksgiving....since I want them hanging for Christmas!! They are these gorgeous patterns for someone who likes knits. They are from a place I found online somehow called Annies Woolens. We have the bear (for me), the snowman (for David) and the moose (for Little Man), and I also have the tree and snowflake ones. I love these patterns!!
Now... enough ranting, on to more knitting! :)
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Do Everything
So I was listening to the radio last week and heard a song by Steven Curtis Chapman called "Do Everything". It was super convicting to listen to and also pumped me up at the same time! I thought about how everything we do can speak to our character, even when no one is looking (because there is always someone looking, God) I love how it makes you think about the every day things are just as important as bigger things like how you raise your kids, treat others, and the work we do, no matter what it is.
I remember a couple years ago I was reminded of a verse:
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people" Colossians 3:23
This was something that was brought up to me in a conversation about work, how hard it is, how I was ready to be a mom. My heart ached for a child, at this point I do not think I was even pregnant. This person reminded me that I am working for a reason, that God had me there and I needed to put forth my good foot and do my work as a nurse for the Lord. I needed this verse more then ever when I had to pull myself away from Noah for 2 days a week. It wasn't so hard at first, but when he started to have more of his personality emerge I began to ache for the day when I didn't have to leave him for a long long day.
I have been praying ademently for the day when I can do work full time at home. I prayed first if it was His will for our lives, after knowing the answer was YES, I prayed for giving us a good clear answer of when it should be. David and I had talked about it but needed to make sure we could do it. We kept waiting and putting it off, waiting for that final "Go, you are ready for the challenge" from God. Finally we decided after a long June/July with my Dad's illness and passing that me working outside the home was not working for our family. David was so busy with his rotation and I was so tired with everything pulling at my heart that it was taking away from my energy for working at the hospital and home.
October 1st is my LAST day!!! I am so ready for this!! We know this is what God wants for our family and are excited to take up the challenges that will occur and to rely on God to provide for us like he has our whole lives!
I have been energized each weekend I get closer to things like church, being home every time when David is able to be home (which is not going to be enough!!) and being available for everyone and everything that needs to be done! I am taking on all the responsibilities of our home. David has always done our laundry and handled Ginger Lou to name a couple, but those are very time consuming each week! I was mostly slacking at home verses at work, because I had no accountability, but now I realized that God is my accountability with everything I do!
God knows when I walk my Dog
God knows when I sit on my butt when there are things to get done
God knows how I spend my money, time, and energies!
I was reminded again of this simple and obvious (now) concept in a book a friend gave me before Noah was born called, A Mom After God's Own Heart, by Elizabeth George.
It says at the very begining that how we spend our time, money, and other things are all a matter of the heart, including how we raise our kids and what type of mother we are.
I have been filled up in ways I haven't felt in a long time with a desire to work harder and become a better person by the simple everyday things I do and also by the big things like being a Mom! I am excited to get back into church on a regular basis (something I have been longing for since I started working again), Mom's In Touch group, hopefully a bible study, spending time with friends, family and most importantly my little Man Noah!! I am ready to get my health up to where it needs to be for a good role model for my children and to be a good stewart with all the wonderful things God has blessed us with! Clean home, happy puppy, good meals, LOTS of playtime with Noah, and Engery to give to my wonderful Husband David for all the efforts he has put forth and will be putting forth as he journeys thorugh residency!
I AM SO READY!!!!
I AM SO BLESSED!!!!
I remember a couple years ago I was reminded of a verse:
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people" Colossians 3:23
This was something that was brought up to me in a conversation about work, how hard it is, how I was ready to be a mom. My heart ached for a child, at this point I do not think I was even pregnant. This person reminded me that I am working for a reason, that God had me there and I needed to put forth my good foot and do my work as a nurse for the Lord. I needed this verse more then ever when I had to pull myself away from Noah for 2 days a week. It wasn't so hard at first, but when he started to have more of his personality emerge I began to ache for the day when I didn't have to leave him for a long long day.
I have been praying ademently for the day when I can do work full time at home. I prayed first if it was His will for our lives, after knowing the answer was YES, I prayed for giving us a good clear answer of when it should be. David and I had talked about it but needed to make sure we could do it. We kept waiting and putting it off, waiting for that final "Go, you are ready for the challenge" from God. Finally we decided after a long June/July with my Dad's illness and passing that me working outside the home was not working for our family. David was so busy with his rotation and I was so tired with everything pulling at my heart that it was taking away from my energy for working at the hospital and home.
October 1st is my LAST day!!! I am so ready for this!! We know this is what God wants for our family and are excited to take up the challenges that will occur and to rely on God to provide for us like he has our whole lives!
I have been energized each weekend I get closer to things like church, being home every time when David is able to be home (which is not going to be enough!!) and being available for everyone and everything that needs to be done! I am taking on all the responsibilities of our home. David has always done our laundry and handled Ginger Lou to name a couple, but those are very time consuming each week! I was mostly slacking at home verses at work, because I had no accountability, but now I realized that God is my accountability with everything I do!
God knows when I walk my Dog
God knows when I sit on my butt when there are things to get done
God knows how I spend my money, time, and energies!
I was reminded again of this simple and obvious (now) concept in a book a friend gave me before Noah was born called, A Mom After God's Own Heart, by Elizabeth George.
It says at the very begining that how we spend our time, money, and other things are all a matter of the heart, including how we raise our kids and what type of mother we are.
I have been filled up in ways I haven't felt in a long time with a desire to work harder and become a better person by the simple everyday things I do and also by the big things like being a Mom! I am excited to get back into church on a regular basis (something I have been longing for since I started working again), Mom's In Touch group, hopefully a bible study, spending time with friends, family and most importantly my little Man Noah!! I am ready to get my health up to where it needs to be for a good role model for my children and to be a good stewart with all the wonderful things God has blessed us with! Clean home, happy puppy, good meals, LOTS of playtime with Noah, and Engery to give to my wonderful Husband David for all the efforts he has put forth and will be putting forth as he journeys thorugh residency!
I AM SO READY!!!!
I AM SO BLESSED!!!!
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