Learning to be a Wife

2012-01-31T06:24:00.000-08:00

You know the saying "You make plans and God laughs?" My dad used to say that all the time. And it is so true. Garth's big 30th birthday was last week and I put all this pressure on myself to make it PERFECT.
First, I was going to plan a surprise party, but Garth had a hunch I was going to do that and begged me not to. So then Garth suggested that he wanted to get away so we took the time off work and started planning a vacation. The deals were not that great unless we went out of the country so we decided to hold off on the vacation and get our passports and plan something big later in the year.
We decided we would work on the basement. Garth wanted a lazy boy recliner so we started researching them. They are expensive! For an extra $300 you can have a whole new furniture set and free TV from ArtVan. So we nixed that idea and thought we would just have a staycation and work on the basement for his 30th.
Garth was happy with the staycation plan, but I was not. It wasn't big and grand and celebatory enough for a 30th birthday. I wanted it to be SUPER special. So I started researching vacations again. Our favorite hotels and b&bs were booked, leaving a few expensive, less ideal options so we nixed the idea.
I was not satisfied with the staycation, but I knew we would enjoy being home together for three full days without work. We would work on the basement man cave, go out to eat, explore cities we haven't been before and make the best of it.
I was even starting to look forward to our plans of a staycation. But then it happened. What you cannot plan for. The inevitable after planning and stressing over something. Garth got sick. On his 30th birthday. I thought it was a case of the man cold, but I took care of him. I did make him go out to a Japenese steakhouse with me and we had an amazing meal and great entertainment! He wanted to get home afterwards though and lay down. So after our delicious meal we rented movies and chilled out at home.
The next day I got sick. It was not a silly little cold, it was the gosh darn flu. And I'm still fighting it five days later. So we didn't do anything we had planned on doing. We were in our pajamas for the entire week and weekend. We did not leave. We did not cook. We did not go out of the house at all. Garth was feeling better by Friday and he took care of me while I slept. Jeez, I haven't been that sick in a long time and it stunk big time.
But I am thankful we didn't plan a vacation, that would have been a big waste of money! And though it wasn't what I had planned, it was a good lesson to me. Life doesn't always go as planned and that is just the kind of thing that makes life intereting. I know we will never forget Garth's 30th because we both had the flu and what a funny story that is!
And why stress so much on one darn day? I have this whole year to make Garth's 30th year special!

Menu Monday

2012-01-30T06:11:00.000-08:00

Last week was a bust when it came to trying new recipes. My turkey tetrazzini was too soupy and my lasagna was too rich. I was so annoyed because I spent a lot of money and a lot of time only to throw away food which I hate to do! So this week I'm sticking to oldies but goodies.

Monday - Beef Enchiladas
Tuesday - Tuna Melts (whole wheat bread, tuna in water, no mayo, with onion, celery and string cheese and in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted).
Wednesday - Slow Cooker White Bean Chicken Chili
Thursday - Grilled Tomato and Goat Cheese Pizza
Friday - Beefy Corn and Black Bean Chili

These are my tried and true recipes. I know they are good, healthy, and delicious. What are you tried and true favorite recipes?

30!

2012-01-25T06:31:00.000-08:00

Garth is 30 years old today. In honor of that fact, here are 30 reasons I love him so stinkin' much.

1. The way he can finish my sentences.

2. He makes me laugh all. The. Time.

3. He loves God with his life.

4. The way he prays.

5. His accent. Swoooooooooooon.

6. Those curly locks of hair.

7. The way he can recite When Harry Met Sally. I thought I was the only one!

8. The amazing foods he makes.

9. The way he tucks me into bed every night.

10. That laugh of his. So innocent and genuine.

11. The way he can hold me and I immediately feel safe.

12. His love for the Savior.

13. His devotion and unconditional love for me.

14. He thinks I'm pretty with no make-up on.

15. He does not mind when I sing, even though it's horrible.

16. He never grows tired of House Hunters.

17. He pushes me to be spontaneous and adventerous.

18. He makes me want to be a better person.

19. His passion for adoption.

20. The way he plays guitar and sings the songs he wrote. He is so talented.

21. His gentle spirit and generous heart.

22. The courage he has to pursue his dreams.

23. He stands up for me no matter what. He has my back.

24. The way he listens to me.

25. He looks at me like I'm the only girl in the room.

26. He enjoys reading and learning about marriage as much as I do.

27. His obsession with card games.

28. He never takes himself too seriously.

29. He can relate anything to a Friends episode.

30. His love for travel and a good story.

Happy Birthday to my favorite person, I love you to the moon and back!

Birthday weekend

2012-01-24T06:45:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was very relaxing.

Watched Ides of March.

Saturday we celebrated our first year in our house with thai food and champagne.

We went for a three mile run/walk.

Shoveled after a mini snow storm.

Drank coffee and read through Exodus.

Church with my family.

Lunch at Bahama Breeze.

Delicious cake at my parent's to celebrate Garth's birthday.

My mom NAILED the Manchester United Cake!!

Garth ADORED it.

Skyped with my brother, Brad, who is in NYC.

Miss that kid so stinkin' much.

Read The Pact by Jodi Picoult.

Sushi by the fireplace was the perfect end to a perfect weekend.

One Year Anniversary of Home Ownership!

2012-01-24T06:18:00.000-08:00

On Saturday Garth and I celebrated one year of home ownership. We closed on our house on a Friday last year and picked up champagne and thai food. We sat by the fireplace in the empty house and ate our food with our plastic cups filled with champagne. It was the most amazing feeling walking into a house that you owned. It was just incredible.

Here we are after closing in our brand new house:
We celebrated Saturday by ordering thai from the same place and grabbing a bottle of champagne to celebrate one crazy fun year of home ownership.

Menu Monday

2012-01-23T06:09:00.000-08:00

This week I have some yummy, less healthy choices. But it is a special week because it's Garth's Birthday Week! So he gets all his favorite meals this week. Though the menu may have some slightly more indulgent meals, we plan to still watch our portions and exercise everyday.
Here is what we have on the menu this week:

Monday: Creamy White Chicken and Artichoke Lasagna
Tuesday: Chicken Enchilada Soup
Wednesday: Garth turns the big 3-0! Out to dinner.
Thursday: French Onion Soup
Friday: Avocado Grilled Cheese

I was asked where I get my menu ideas. My favorite sites for recipes are: Allrecipes, Cooking Light, and Pinterest. What's on your menu this week?

Fit Friday!

2012-01-20T05:23:00.000-08:00

Today I weighed in and lost two pounds. Woohoo! This past week has been really busy, but I planned ahead with dinners which made things so much easier. I am loving meal planning now. It is my new obsession. All the meals I made this week were full of lean meat or beans, veggies, and delicious. We watched our portion control and did not snack after dinner. Garth has been running after work and I walk an hour on my lunch break. I think the biggest challenge is continuing to cook healthy meals and watch calories on the weekends.

Thanks for all of your advice last week, I really appreciated it! We really are trying to make this a lifestyle change and not a quick weightloss plan. The changes we have made do not feel like sacrafices at all. And seeing the loss this week really helps motivate me for another great week! How are you all doing?

All Things Pinterest

2012-01-19T06:10:00.000-08:00

Brilliant idea!

I am obsessed with this lamp.

I want to recreate this photo wall.

I believe this.

I want this chair in my house.

I would like to be here right now.

These Mozzarella Sticks look so yum!

I love these boots and I want to make sweater leggings.

I want to make these, so pretty!

Random Musings

2012-01-18T05:31:00.000-08:00

1. Garth and I are reading the Bible in a Year together. We just finished reading the story of Joseph which has prompted me to pull up every Donny Osmond YouTube video when he was on the Broadway cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I'm sure Garth is relieved we are in Exodus now, ha!

2. I had to sit on a jury for an actual trial. I was sick to my stomach nervous about it, but once I was there I got into it. It was interesting to see the prosecuter and defendant state their cases and to hear witnesses testify. It all seemed so glamourous though there was a lot of waiting around in the Jury Room, which is basically just a small room with a bathroom, table and chairs, and a tiny kitchen with coffee and muffins. I guess God was protecting me from having to make a tough decision because at the end of the day if there are still 7 jurers they chose a name and that person gets to go home. Well guess who that person was? Me! I was so angry because I had spent all day there and I wanted to deliberate! Oh well, wasn't meant to be...

3. I made beef enchiladas with ground turkey on Monday. While they were baking I prepped cabbage soup in the crock pot for Tuesday night.Last night I prepped white chicken chili for tonight. Who am I?! I love it though. It is the best feeling in the world to have dinner ready for you when you get home. I love my crock pot! It's like my own personal chef making my house smell so yummy and with dinner ready when I walk in the door. Where has it been all my life?! I can't believe I went so long without using one of these.

4. Garth and I had not seen a movie in the theater since Avatar so we went and saw Mission Impossible a couple weeks ago. It was so good! The theater by us offers tickets for $4.25 before noon which is a great deal, though we ended up spending $20 in popcorn and slushies so it evened out.

5. Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is crazy this season! It is one of my guilty pleasures and Garth gives me a hard time for watching such garbage but I can't get enough of it. It's like a car crash and I just can't look away.

6. I cannot believe Garth turns 30 next week! How did you celebrate your big 3-0?

Weekend in Pictures

2012-01-17T05:59:00.000-08:00

This weekend was very relaxing and fun. Friday night we had a game night with some friends.

On Saturday we made a Target and Starbucks run. Our pillows were so old and worn out that we were losing sleep and suffering achy neck pains. Not fun. We found the most comfortable $3 pillows at Target, success!Took a silly picture with the statue in the park.
We tried a new sushi place for lunch.
Walked around downtown and saw the coolest Pink limo.Sunday we went to church and then babysat the cutest two-year-old I know.

There was lots of Miss America and Golden Globe watching. We tried ChocoVine which is chocolate wine. Delightful! Played cards. It was such a good weekend and it went by way too fast. How was your weekend?

Menu Monday

2012-01-16T05:08:00.000-08:00

I live in Michigan. It is cold. Bitter cold. And snowy this time of year. This will explain why my meals this week are comfy, warm your soul type of meals. I crave those types of dishes this time of year!

Monday - WW Crockpot Cabbage Soup
Tuesday - Beef Enchiladas
Wednesday - Turkey Tetrazzini
Thursday - Slow Cooker White Bean Chicken Chili
Friday - Broccoli Chicken Stir-Fry

I started using this cute Menu Planner template from Mommy Tracked and I love it. I print a new one each week, plan my meals, fill this out, grocery shop, and then stick this cute little Eat Sheet on the fridge. Looks like a yummy week to me! What's on your menu?

Fit Friday!

2012-01-13T05:40:00.001-08:00

It is official. I have gained ten pounds since Myrtle Beach. That is really annoying! I have the hardest time maintaining my loss. So I am joining the lovely Erika on the 10 Pound Challenge. I need to lose this weight and keep. It. Off. For. Good.

I have been eating healthy this week with low calorie meals with tons of veggies and keeping my portions and snacking in check. I have been working out for an hour a day and so I hope to have a loss next week!

Garth and I are thinking of getting P90X, but for now we are both running and watching our calorie intake. I cannot tell you how much easier it is to lose weight when Garth is on board with me. We encourag each other, work out together, and snack on the same healthy foods. He will even eat my low calorie dinners and enjoy them! I will share my meals on Monday since I will be meal planning this weekend. Any favorite low calorie meals you recommend?

Wedding Wednesday

2012-01-11T05:41:00.000-08:00

This week we discussed the issue of parenting our spouses. Stanley used the analogy of a rope and how we tend to give our spouse some slack if they obey, but if they mess up we will pull the rope tighter. The whole mind set of (for example): "Well, he left work on time and made it to dinner all five nights this week so I will let him go out with his friends on Friday night." In this instance the rope just got loose, but if he messes up that rope is getting tighter! You get the idea...

This is NOT how the marriage relationship was supposed to look like. That type of relationship will suck the intimacy right out of any marriage. From a wife's perspective, I am not Garth's mother. It is not my job to limit his freedom or punish him. It is my job to love him unconditionally, pray for him, and put his needs, desires and dreams before my own. I bet you are thinking, "that is so much easier said than done!" and I would agree with you.

As Gary Thomas said, "What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?" Whoa. That is intense and so opposite of what our culture says. I hate to judge especially when I do not know the whole story (and when Garth tells me all reality shows are fake), but I immediately think of Kim Kardashian and her short marriage. In the show Kim basically says she isn't happy anymore and wonders if that is normal. Obviously, we know how their marriage plays out. It is just so sad though. What are these celebrities teaching young kids who look up to them? That if you aren't happy in your marriage you can divorce? That you don't have to work at it? It is frustrating to me, as a happily married woman, to see our culture treat divorce as the first option when the roads get rocky.

I think I got a little bit off topic here, but hopefully I made some sense. Bottom line: We are equal partners with our spouse. We are called to love our spouse unconditionally. God never promised that marriage would be easy but it will be worth it. We all treat our spouse like a child now and again, it is just something we need to be aware of and work on. Thankfully, God's grace is unlimited.

Resolutions

2012-01-09T06:29:00.000-08:00

Last year I set resolutions and was pretty surprised to see that I accomplished them! Studies show most people do not and I usually fall into that category, but last year I was proud to see I finished what I started. Hopefully I can continue that trend this year as well!

This year I have a list of resolutions I would like to accomplish. Some of them are the same as last year in order to keep on doing what I'm doing, but some are new...

1. Continue to cook at least five times a week and limit eating out to once a week. Utilize the new crockpot and cook healthy, easy meals.

2. Continue to work at being the healthiest you possible. Workout at least five times a week and take the 80/20 approach and eat healthy 80% of the time while allowing yourself some splurges.

3. Do at least three crafts from Pinterest this year.

4. Read the Bible in a year using this plan.

5. Do at least three devotionals this year. I am currently starting with So Long Insecurity by Beth Moore and The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian.

6. Memorize Scripture using the DailyBible app.

7. Do not take yourself so seriously. Laugh more. Live in the moment. Discipline yourself to pray first instead of worry first. Be thankful. Don't be so hard on yourself.

What are you resolving to do this year?

Hello 2012!

2012-01-06T05:49:00.000-08:00

We spent New Year's Eve with our small group, 80s style!

I tried to give Garth a mohawk but no matter how much hair spray I used his hair kept curling back down. Booo! Next time for sure!

It was a really fun night of roast beef and yorkshire pudding, 80s music dance parties, games, White Elephant gift exchange, and watching the ball drop at midnight. Fun times with fun people.

Happy New Year!

2011

2012-01-05T05:38:00.000-08:00

This past year was filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows...

Bought our first house. It was the best feeling in the world when we closed on our house and walked into it for the very first time and knew it was all ours.

Recovered from eye surgery.

Went to Myrtle Beach with my family.

Met some amazing new friends.

Celebrated three wonderful years of marriage.

Hosted a Friendsgiving.

Cooked many yummy meals.

Hosted a Housewarming party.

Bought our first lawnmower and snow shovel.

Started a new life in a new town.

Maintained friendships with oldies but goodies.

Lost ten pounds.

Threw a surprise baby shower.

Saw Wicked.

Traveled to the west side of Michigan for some r & r.

Visited our first close friends' baby in the hospital.

Learned another set of close friends' were pregnant!

Started to learn how to cook.

Furniture shopping and making our house a home.

Leading an awesome married small group.

It was a great year filled with many happy memories. I loved making our house a home, growing in my faith, meeting new friends, falling more in love with Garth, and learning to be the best me I can be. I cannot wait to see what the next year has to bring!

The Real Housewife of Michigan

2012-01-03T05:01:00.000-08:00

I got to play housewife for a week while Garth went to work each day. I took the week off and it was amazingly restful, productive, and fun.

I saw Wicked and it was incredible! I loved everything about it - the music, the costumes, the set, the theater. LOVE.

I did some reading.

I got to do some decorating with my new Chrismas presents:

I reorganized all the closets and kitchen cupboards.

I caught up on my daytime talk shows.

I went shopping and used Christmas gift cards to purchase a new winter jacket from Target and a crockpot (my old one died last week) from Bed, Bath & Beyond. I made a killer chili in my beautiful new crockpot yesterday too.

I spent some time with an old friend at her new apartment and had a Twilight marathon.

Watched Manchester United with Garth.

Went to a small group New Years Party. Watched Michigan State win a bowl game!!! Made beer cheese soup. Spent New Years Day with my brother and sister-in-law and their adorable pups. Slept in. Took down Christmas decorations.

Ahhh bliss! It was a great week off and now I'm rejuvinated, relaxed, and ready to start the new year!:)

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T07:49:00.001-08:00

From our home to yours, have a very Merry Christmas!!!

Love,

G & L

Life Update

2011-12-21T05:20:00.000-08:00

1. I am so excited for Christmas!!! Last year at this time I was about to have eye surgery and buy a house. Crazyness! Life consisted of lots of sleep, darkness, and an amazing husband taking care of me and packing up our apartment.

2. Yes, last December was a crazy time to say the least. But all the praise to God for healing my eyes and providing vision again. He is good. All the time. I am forever grateful for that.

3. This December things are much less crazy. Tomorrow is my last day of work for the year and I have casseroles and crockpot recipes to try, house projects to undertake, and a 30th birthday to plan!

4. AND for the first time ever, I'm done Christmas shopping a week in advance! Garth and I did all our shopping this past weekend, wrapped gifts, and we are DONE.

5. I'm seeing WICKED this week, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I am so excited you just don't even know. I've been dying to see this for years and it will finally happen THIS. VERY. WEEK. YAYAYA!!

6. My high school ten year reunion is this week. That is just plain insane. How has it been ten years already?! Gosh, time flies! I'm not going... I don't know why, I just get nervous even thinking about going... And I enjoyed high school, I did. Did you go to ours? Or are you planning to go?

7. CoffeeHouse International Peppermint Mocha creamer is Christmas in a cup. I love it!

8. Tonight our small group is having a Hot Chocolate Bar. I am making Crockpot Hot Chocolate that I found on pinterest. Everyone is bring something - marshmellows, whipped cream, peppermints, caramel chocolates, cookies, and donuts. Should be a sweet night!

9. This December it has not snowed at all. We had a freak snow storm on November 30th, but it has been all rain since then. From the girl that loathes snow, I am happy! If the rest of winter can be like this I will be one happy girl.

Home Improvement Weekend

2011-12-19T05:46:00.000-08:00

I don't know what got into Garth, but he was on a roll this weekend playing Mr. Fix-it. First, he tackled our kitchen faucet. It was old and ugly and my dad mentioned we would need a new one the first time he saw the house. Well, a year later and we noticed the faucet was started to leak so we headed to Lowe's and bought a new one.

For some reason my phone will not load the old pictures of the sink. But just picture a cheap little silver faucet. The hardest part of the whole process was getting that old sink off! But with the help of DIY Network and Home Depot videos Garth did it. You know you are a homeowner when you are SO excited about a beautiful new faucet!!!

I thought Garth went upstairs to change after the faucet project, but I came into the master bedroom to find half the toilet on the floor...

Our master bathroom toilet was very difficult to flush. The longer we lived in the house, the harder it became to flush. It is a cheap fix, but required installing a new flushing system. Garth decided to tackle it on Saturday and I am very impressed! He spent a good four hours up there taking things apart and following directions. He did it!!Garth is becoming quite the fixer upper! Hmmm what would I like done next? I have my sights set on some new ceiling lights in the kitchen...:)

Keeping your Family Active during the Holidays

2011-12-18T08:24:00.000-08:00

I am excited to share a post from my friend, Kathleen Thomas on behalf of Primrose Schools, leader in educational day care through an accelerated Balanced Learning® curriculum. Kathleen has written a number of articles on topics varying from bilingual learning to teaching the importance of volunteering.

In the weeks leading up to the holidays, children eagerly anticipate a vacation from school. They compare gift wish lists with friends and obsess over celebration plans. Unfortunately, children often grow bored during the break from school. They miss their friends, watch too much television and over indulge on seasonal sweets. This year, keep your children physically active, prevent boredom and make memoires by incorporating several holiday activities into your family’s holiday schedule.

Include your children as you shop for presents. Solicit their help in writing a gift-giving list. Include family, friends, teachers, extracurricular instructors and other influential associates. During the shopping process, pack nutritious snacks and take the stairs rather than the elevator. Purposely park far away from the store or carry packages to the car after each purchase at the mall.

Tour holiday displays in the neighborhood. Private homes and businesses often celebrate the holidays with elaborate displays of lights. Extravagant displays utilize props to create entire villages or seasonal scenes. Increase physical activity by walking around your neighborhood after dark to enjoy the variety of lights.

Bake and cook seasonal treats together. Share Grandma’s recipes for sugar cookies or try new variations of family favorites. Design a gingerbread house or string popcorn and cranberries to hang outside for the birds. Delegate cooking or baking tasks to every family member. Young children help decorate cookies with sprinkles while older children stir and measure ingredients. Play music and dance between baking batches of cookies, while washing dishes or during the clean up process.

Sew or knit blankets, scarves, hats, mittens and ornaments for local children in need. Visit a hospital or homeless shelter to meet the recipients of your homemade generosity. Remind your children to give thanks and share their talents with others all year long.

Visit a local library and read books about holiday traditions in the past or from around the world. Discuss how you can incorporate different traditions into your celebrations. Serve ethnic dishes, dress up or role-play unique stories from other lands. As you read about the holidays, write your own book. Interviews family members and include traditions, recipes, favorite gifts, wish lists, and photos.

Donate gently used clothing and toys to a shelter or charity thrift store. Enlist your children to clean out closets and toy bins in search of outgrown items. For every new gift they receive, expect them to donate two used items. Build gratitude while housecleaning.

Wrap presents and write cards together. Under adult supervision, children exercise fine motor skills and math skills when they cut paper and tape the presents. Wrap presents in brown craft paper for children to decorate. Help children write their own thank you notes or apply stamps and address labels to the envelopes. Chart each holiday card address on a map and mail cards to soldiers serving overseas as a geography lesson.

Walk through the neighborhood singing carols or invite neighbors to a holiday play. Adapt a favorite holiday book into a performance or write an original play. Dress in costume, design props and share seasonal treats together afterwards.

Visit shut-in family members, friends or a retirement home. Sing seasonal songs, share cookies, play instruments, and ask about their holiday memories. Encourage your children to participate in the conversation and ask relevant questions. Share holiday spirit with people who may have been forgotten.

Participate in community holiday celebrations. Cities and towns often sponsor tree lighting or holiday parties for community residents. Visit with neighbors, drink hot chocolate and support local businesses in your town. Walk to the celebrations if possible for extra exercise and fresh air.

Stay active as you celebrate the holidays this year. With a few creative ideas, your family maintains traditions and creates new ways to spend time together. Reach out to family members, friends and strangers as you stay active, fight boredom and make memories this holiday season.

Textbook Rental!

2011-12-17T08:04:00.000-08:00

I remember my college days fondly. I loved living on my own for the very first time, meeting new friends, learning lots, becoming the person I am today... What I do NOT like remembering is how much I spent on textbooks. Those same text books that are sitting in the closet at my parents' house that I have not touched since I took the final.

That is why I wish I had a site like Campus Book Rentals when I was in college! You can easily search for your textbook rental, rent them, receive the textbooks (with free shipping offered!), and then return your textbooks (and you are provided with the return envelope and shipping is FREE!). Easy, right?

Campus Book Rentals makes it SO easy and affordable! Are you wondering how long you can rent the text books? You have the rental books the whole semester (130 days) and you are given a grace period of 15 days in case an exam is not given during the normal final exam time. You can even rent during summer semesters for 55 day rentals with 15 to 30 day rental extensions. If you need to re-rent a book you can for 30% less than the original rental price. How easy and awesome is that?!

So what are you waiting for? Why pay a lot more for books that will sit on your shelf collecting dust long after the class is over? Search for your books, place your order (allow for 24-48 hours for processing), and your book will arrive within 5 to 8 business days.

Beef Enchiladas

2011-12-15T05:12:00.000-08:00

6 Servings / 10 min prep / 20 min cook

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 (.75 ounce package) taco seasoning mix
1 cup water
2 cups cooked rice
1 (15.5 ounce can) refried beans
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
10 flour tortillas
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa

Directions
1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in rice. Cook and stir until liquid is evaporated. Spread about 2 tablespoons cheese down the center of each tortilla; roll up. Place seam side down in two greased 13-in. x 19 in. baking dishes.

2. Pour salsa down the center of enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake one casserole, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Cover and freeze remaining casserole for up to 3 months.

Recipe from the Android app Food on the Table

My Revisions
I used black beans instead of refried beans. I layered the tortillas in casserole style instead of wrapping them individually.

This recipe was SO good and so easy! Garth and I both loved it and couldn't wait to eat the leftovers the next day. I think this recipe will definitely be going into our weekly menu planning!

Wedding Wednesday

2011-12-14T05:30:00.000-08:00

This week in Chapter 3 of iMarriage by Andy Stanley we discussed Ephesians 5:22-25:
"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her..."

These verses are HEAVY because our culture has such a negative view of submission. I find this humorous because God called wives to be submissive, but called husbands to die for their wives. Personally, I would rather be called to submission! In all seriousness, I think submission gets a bad rap because people do not understand what it means. Stanley defines submission as putting your husband's hopes, dreams and desires before your own.

Now you may be thinking: "WHAT?! My husband does not deserve that!" But do you deserve the unconditional love God has given to you? No, we are not perfect so why would you hold your husband to a standard you cannot uphold? Marriage is not a "you owe me" relationship. We cannot keep score or we will lose the intimacy and unconditional love God designed marriage to be.

Think of it this way - God called us to love our husbands unconditionally and to put their hopes, dreams, and desires before our own as a way of loving Him. Whoa! It takes on a whole new perspective, right? By loving our husbands we are loving God. I'll tell you one thing, when you are constantly putting your husband's needs, desires, and dreams ahead of your own it will transform your marriage. And you know what? Your husband will start doing the same thing for you.

A Year Ago Today...

2011-12-13T05:22:00.000-08:00

We put an offer on our house and it was accepted. I cannot believe it has been a year already! Time sure flies. We knew then and we know now that was our house. It is perfect for us and even a year later, we are still in love with it.

We cannot imagine living anywhere else. We have wonderful neighbors, a church we love just ten minutes away, a small group of amazing people, our favorite Chinese restaurant .5 miles away, a lake across the street to spend summer days, fall bonfires on the deck, downtown light parades and summer concerts, Kroger on the corner with double coupon days, sledding in the backyard, Friendsgiving in the basement, learning to decorate, and dancing with Garth in the kitchen. So many fun memories and so many more to make!!!