My Beloved

Relay for Life!

2013-02-23T07:25:00.000-08:00

"For we walk by faith, not by sight"

2 Corinthians 5:7

Welcome everyone! I am ecstatic that you are here! Last year, my Tiger family and I joined the Relay for Life walk put together by the American Cancer Society in honor of our loved ones who are suffering and who have suffered through cancer. It was an unforgettable experience. We walked, we laughed, we cried :') It was a wonderful time for us to reflect and honor our precious friends and family. It was surreal to watch as our grandmother walked the survivor's lap, to be able to release a balloon to my sister with a note telling her hello and I loved her and to see the hundreds of luminaries light up the field as the bagpipes played "Amazing Grace". It's an incredible event and I am simply honored to be a part of it. It has become our family tradition and this will be year number two! This walk is so wonderful because not only do we get to honor those with cancer but we also get the opportunity to raise awareness and money to help fund research! With that being said, I would love to tell you all about our exciting drawing we have put together to help raise money! Seriously, I'm stoked people :D

ENTER TO WIN!

* For every $5 you donate to our family's cause, your name will be entered into the drawing to win a FREE photoshoot! You could win professional photos to treasure for a lifetime!

But first you need to get ready!

To prepare you for your shoot, you will receive professional hairstyling from the awesomely talented Andrea Linzman of Zoe & Co.

Your makeup will be beautifully applied by Lindsey Busin of Ulta Salon

You will receive a fabulous mani/pedi! Ahhh, I love it!

AND last but not least one free laser whitening service so graciously donated by My Dentist dentistry!!

AWESOME!

If you are a winner in the Henryetta/Dewar area

You will receive a professional hairstyling and makeup job from the fabulous ladies of Upscale Salon in Okmulgee!

You will receive one free mani/pedi from the famously talented Wilma Tiger of Upscale Salon

And you will also receive one free laser whitening service from My Dentist dentistry {you can receive your whitening at any My Dentist location. Check out this link for your nearest location http://www.mydentistinc.com/locations/locations.php}

A total value of
$1,000

Yours FREE!

How to Enter

Simply click on this link...

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?fr_id=52374&pg=personal&px=31479820

There you will find an orange button to your right that says "Donate Now" and "Dedicate a Luminaria". For every $5 you donate to our walk or luminaries {which is a beautiful way to honor your loved ones} your name will be entered into the contest. For example, if you donate $20, your name will be entered 4 times. Once you have donated, make sure to provide me with your name, phone number and amount donated. You can do that by emailing me at katurahtiger.photography@gmail.com. Also, feel free to donate and enter the name of a loved one so they might have a chance to win! For example, if you donate $10 and want to drop your name and your best friend who just happens to be a survivor or is battling cancer, or anyone for that matter! Please do so! This is all in good fun and I'd love for everyone to be involved. If you make a donation and wish to enter the name of a loved one, please email me your name along with the name of the person you wish to enter, both of your phone numbers and the amount donated. There is no limit as to how many times your name can go into the drawing. I will write the name on a small piece of paper and drop it into a fishbowl. We are going to have a good ol' fashioned drawing on this one! On the last day, I will reach into the bowl and that is how the winner will be chosen. Donations will end Sunday, April 28th, and the winner will be announced that day at 3:00 pm via Facebook and this blog! The winner will be contacted at that time as well! Best of luck to you all and please help us spread the word by sharing this post. We are so blessed to be a part of something so special and look forward to being able to help. Will you join us in the fight against cancer by making a donation? We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and love you all!

* {The fine print} There will only be ONE winner, two locations are provided above because our walk will take place in Henryetta. That way, if the winner is from this location, they will be provided for as well and if they wish to travel to the city, that is perfectly fine! There is no limit as to how many times your name can go into the bowl, if you are the winner and wish to do a family shoot, hairstyles and makeup can be provided for up to 4 people. Laser whitening and mani/pedi will be provided for one person. Also, I am willing to travel to Shawnee and Henryetta for the photoshoot if the winner is from any of these areas.

{One of the MANY reasons we walk}

http://www.facebook.com/MaddysMission

You can email me at katurahtiger.photography@gmail.com if you have any questions, thank you!

I'd like to extend a HUGE thank you to those who have so graciously donated their services to our cause. Andrea Linzman of Zoe & Co., Lindsey Busin of Ulta Salon, Kyearra Wyont-Morris and all of the My Dentist staff, Wilma Tiger and the ladies of Upscale Salon.

* WE THANK YOU! *

You can check out Relay for Life for more information on their cause and look for ways to get involved in your community!

http://www.relayforlife.org/?ts=1361633470&signature=98db16c86f1b148bca0c80c11d8125b4

Answered Prayers

2012-11-07T14:56:00.001-08:00

It has been a LONG time since I took the time to sit down and write on my blog but today I just keep thinking about my Father who answers prayers and feel Him gently nudging me to my computer to pour out my heart ;)

As most of you already know I am the proud auntie of a new baby boy who goes by the precious name of Tuck. And let me tell you, he is precious in every way. He has been such a blessing in everyone's life. I first want to thank everyone who has reached out to help the Aldrich family. You have all been so wonderful in helping out my sister, Ryan and the boys! My heart is full of gratitude for each and every one of you.

A couple week prior to Tuck's birth, I discovered the magical world of Narnia. If you have never read "The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis....friends, you are missing out ;D As I read, Aslan the lion (who is the Christ-like figure of the series) completely captivated me. I kept thinking about it and how powerful the imagery was for God to be like a lion. It's perfect. With the beautiful stories of Aslan swarming around in my head and capturing my heart, I began to love lions. I just kept thinking of them and I really began to love the song, "My God's Not Dead"...you know the one, "My God's not dead He's surely alive, He's living on the inside roaring like a lion" (sorry if that's stuck in your head now, haha!) It felt great when my husband and I would belt it out at church or in the car. Aslan had put into perspective for me a beautiful new look on my savior. I was enamored by it :)

fast-forward - Then my honey decides he wants to come join us in the world on September 19 when he wasn't due to arrive until late December. Immediately I come home to help take care of all my Aldrich little boys. About 2 weeks or so into Tuck's arrival, things were just like a roller coaster. He was up and down at the beginning, doing really great then not so great. It was heartbreaking at some points. I prayed constantly for the Lord to be with Tuck and to surround him and strengthen him.

On one particular day I went up to see him with my sister and when I walked in was floored when I looked into his incubator. What did I see as I looked down to admire my little honey? A sign from my Father telling me everything is going to be just fine. I teared up and choked back tears of relief as I saw this...my treasured Lion resting upon my nephew's precious resting tummy.

“I have come," said a deep voice behind them. They turned and saw the Lion himself, so bright and real and strong that everything else began at once to look pale and shadowy compared with him.” Aslan

"...you have laid your hand upon me." Psalm 139:5

"I will never leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

"Don’t be afraid, for I am with you...I will strengthen you and help you." Isaiah 41:10

I kind of did that thing where you close your eyes and shake your head for a second. It hit me like a ton of bricks. This was God's way of telling me, "Your prayer is being answered, Katurah. I am here with him, do not fear for I will never leave this baby boy, He is going to be ok for I have my healing hand upon him!" From that point forward I knew he was going to be ok. I couldn't wait to get back to the car so I could tell my sister all about how Tuck was going to be ok :) Days turned into weeks and weeks have turned into months and just look at this little miracle baby now...

And I just have to say, I have been noticing lions around him often since then. They are on his blankets and he sometimes has this little stuffed lion in his crib. I love it because I see God in those lions ;) Last week when I paid him a visit he had gained 3 ounces over night!! Praise Yahweh!! God is so good to answer our prayers. Big like this one He has faithfully answered for Tuck, and even the not so big ones.

This past Sunday morning, I was due to return home to my husband in Texas. As I was about to get ready for bed the night before I had a late night snack of chips and I'm telling you, my veneer, the cherry on top of my brand new smile I've been so excited to show my husband since I got it 4 weeks ago (that he hadn't seen yet) popped off without me even realizing it and I can't believe I'm telling you guys this, but I ate it along with my huge bite of chips, uuggghhh!!! It was awful!! Then the realization hit me that I'd be either, a.) headed home without my beautiful smile I so looked forward to showing my husband or, b.) having to stay behind to get a new one put on....*sigh. It was a total bummer. So first thing Monday morning I called the dentist office at 7:59 (they opened at 8, haha!) And asked if they had my new veneer in yet. (They had fitted me for a new one because the one I had on had cracked so they made a new one two weeks prior) Right before I called, I said a prayer to my Lord saying, "God, I know this is so selfish of me and I feel so bad even asking because there are so many other important things going on that need prayer but will you please, PLEASE have my tooth ready for me so I can put it back on before I go home to my honey?"

The secretary picks up the phone and informs me that no, they do not have my veneer ready.

:'(

I was deflated. I kept repeating to myself, "His ways are higher than mine, this is happening for a reason." And I get ready to leave Oklahoma without my new smile :p

As I finish up getting ready about 15 minutes later, my phone rings and it's my dentist...?? "Hello?" I say. "Kat, guess what?! The UPS guy just got here and delivered your new veneer!"

WHAT?! YAY!! Ahhhh! I was so excited, I'm pretty sure I did a little dance of excitement! And I just have to say, the fact that the UPS guy arrived first thing in the morning is a miracle in and of itself because I always have to wait till the end of the day to receive my packages, haha! So on my way out of town I was able to get my tooth back on and I got home safe and sound, new smile and all :D

The point of this whole post is God cares about the things that I/WE care about. He delights in showing us His love for us! Whether it be the big things (Tuck's strength and growth) to the seemingly not so big things (my smile). Shame on me for ever thinking that something I care about is something that He would not care about or have time for. I am so in love with God and thankful for His answered prayers in my life! He continues to remind me daily of His great love.

"Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

Thank you, Father, for hearing my prayers. Even when I sometimes think the small things aren't worth your time, YOU think they are and you are faithful to hear me and help me. We are SO grateful! Especially for answering our big prayers concerning our little happy, growing baby boy :)

We love you, Jesus!

Love, Aunt KK & Tuck

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2012-06-30T08:41:00.002-07:00

Hi guys! Are you looking for a super easy, cheap and DELISH recipe? If you're anything like me, you are always on the lookout for a recipe like this one! I'd like to give a shout out to my girl Nat for passing this recipe along to me! Thanks, Nat! We are always swapping recipes and trying to find delicious ones we can't live without and this just happens to be one of them so I just have to share! Pretty much every time I ask my honey what he wants for dinner, this is what he wants. It really is so yum! Don't let the simplicity of it fool ya!

1 - 16 oz large jar of salsa (our favorite is Guy Ferrari's Original Old Skool Salsa from Walmart, I think it's like $2 and is perfect for this soup!)

1 - Small can of mexican corn

1 - Chicken bouillon cube

Water - Fill the empty salsa jar with water and pour it into the pot

1 - Rotisserie chicken; shred the whole thing (or to your liking) and put it in the soup, yum!

Put all ingredients into pot and bring to boil. Once it boils, turn heat down low and let simmer for a few minutes.

That's it! Can you believe it? You won't until you try it, it's amazing.

Now for the fun part, add anything and everything you like to enhance your soup! Our favorites are fresh squeezed lime and chips with my daddy's famous guacamole on the side (I'll save that recipe for another day!) But you can add cilantro, sour cream, cheese, whatever you like! I have to be honest though, it's so good all I add is lime and hot sauce.

Enjoy!!

Do You Think I'm Beautiful?

2012-06-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

Ok, ok I'm not really asking you if you think I'm beautiful. That's not what this post is about, haha! The reason I entitled this post "Do you think I'm beautiful?" is because the other day after I finished up my previous study on the women of Genesis, I excitedly made my way up to Life Way to pick out a new study...it's the little things ;) I almost walked out with a study on being brave, the one my sister and her precious friends just finished recently that I've heard so much about, when another one caught my eye.

So I put down "brave" and picked up "beautiful". I wanted to learn more about being brave but I guess my Father wants me to know how beautiful I am to Him. Looking back it's perfect really because a lot of the time I don't feel beautiful. I get impatient, and am pretty stubborn. It's not fun to look in the mirror anymore because of my "pizza" face! I hate it when I go to the mall to poke around and I see myself in those long mirrors because I instantly feel nerdy and hate my clothes. Ridiculous really ;)

So yeah, I'll admit it...lately, I haven't felt very beautiful.

My Father hears my silent cries that I don't even notice myself, He is so good to lovingly point this out to me. A couple days ago my study asked me to journal a prayer asking our Father, "Do you think I'm beautiful?" I thought, this is crazy! I shouldn't ask Him that, I felt kind of uncomfortable because I already knew the answer to that question. I felt like I should be learning new and different things! Not things I already knew. It was kind of weird for me for whatever reason, I guess I felt like I was fishing for compliments in some way. Silly me. My entry was something like this...

"Hey Papa, I feel kind of silly asking you if you think I'm beautiful? I mean, I already know the answer, I'm just being honest. (I like to keep it real) but I'll go ahead and ask anyway...do you think I'm beautiful? I know you delight in showing your love so it's my heart's prayer today that you'd show me how beautiful I am to you."

*side note-by saying I already know the answer, it's not because I think I'm beautiful. I just know how much He loves me ;)

My study suggests I date my letter, when He answers me and write down how He answered me and what He did. Ok, I wrote my letter June 6, 2012 and here I sit four days later with a heart overflowing with joy at my Father's love for me. First off, ever since I wrote my letter I keep seeing this verse...

Just so ya know, this is not me seeking out answers or verses on love and beauty. I like to sit back and let Him come to me which is the whole point correct? He delights in showing us His love, we don't have to seek it out. It's already there! This verse has literally been popping up in random places. Anyway, I after I kept seeing this verse I thought, "The King is enthralled by my beauty?!" Enthralled means "captivated, smitten, fascinated, spellbound, and delighted". So beautiful but for whatever reason, after I kept seeing it, I wasn't totally moved just yet. I didn't feel that heart pounding "this is IT!" moment that I normally do when I know for sure without a shadow of a doubt it's my answer so I waited...but not for long.

My answer, June 9, 2012

It's a bit of a trail, but when I put all the pieces together, it makes perfect sense.

"You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, your works are wonderful, I know that full well...When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."Psalm 139:13-16

From there I read 1 John 4:7-18, a section completely devoted to God's love. Then I close my study and pick up my devotional, "Jesus Calling". It was so beautiful and matched perfectly along with what I had just read. Then I notice the verses at the bottom, at this point my spirit really perks up because anytime my devotional has the same verses as my study when the two have absolutely nothing to do with one another, I know God is trying to get my attention. The timing is perfect.

"...focusing on His immeasurable love for me, it allows Him to love others through me. His love will quiet my fears and give me confidence." 1 John 4:18 Life Application (I changed a few us's and you's to me's to make it my own)

Ok Papa, I hear ya, you LOOOVE me very very very x's infinity much! I know He's at work but I haven't quite grasped the fullness of it yet so I close my eyes and just meditate and spend precious moments with Him. As I pray, it hits me like a ton of bricks.

"KK, I have put you together piece by perfect piece. Don't you see? I made you the way I see perfectly fit (wow, I am truly having that heart pounding moment as I write this, as He speaks through me at this very moment. Be still my heart!!) Everything about you, from the top of your head right down to the very tip of your toes, I created and put you together myself. You are my perfect little puzzle that I put together. Do I think you're beautiful? Let me count the ways! Everything about you, I created you to be, my child! I think you are a most beautiful creation because I created you and I love you more than you will ever comprehend! Quiet your doubts sis, you may be stubborn and impatient at times but guess what? I created you that way! So do not fear or doubt and be so hard on yourself but have confidence in these truths."

Do I feel beautiful? Well, for one I feel floored! And yes, I feel beautiful. I feel joyful and LOVED. Everything about me that I don't' care for...my crazy hair, those extra pounds, all my insecurities, He sees me as perfect. Perfectly beautiful. Now I grasp the full concept of Him being enthralled by my beauty, he is "captivated, smitten, fascinated, spellbound, and delighted" by me! Lil' old me, because He made me ;) Wow. I feel like I've just unearthed this great and glorious treasure! Thank you Father for helping me to understand and for showing me how beautiful I am to you!

I'd like to encourage you sisters!! Ask your Father how beautiful you are to Him, let Him show you! He delights in showing you these things if you only let Him ;D

World's Best BBQ Meatloaf!

2012-04-04T09:29:00.001-07:00

Alright people, my sister gave me this recipe and it is hands down my most favorite recipe of all time! It truly is that good, I'm tellin' ya!

BBQ Meatloaf

2-3 carrots
2 celery stalks
1/2 onion
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 large egg white
1 lb ground chuck or sirloin
1/2 cup of favorite BBQ sauce (Head Country is my FAVE!)
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 450. I like to combine the carrots, celery and onion in my food chopper, it takes literally seconds. Then combine those with remaining ingredients in bowl (S&P to taste) and mix it up. After shaping the loaf, I pour the remaining BBQ sauce on top. Bake for 30 minutes.

That's it! I hope you guys enjoy it as much as my honey and I! ;D

Easy Crockpot Italian Chicken

2012-02-04T15:15:00.000-08:00

Hi friends! I found this recipe online and gave it a go for dinner and it is MMM-MMMMM good! And oh so perfect for those of you on a budget like us. This recipe cost me a whopping $11, SCORE! I was so excited to show Tiger how much I had spent for our dinner that will easily last us two nights. That's $2.75 a piece per meal AND I even have plenty of chicken left over in the freezer, yay! *patting myself on the back* :D Anyway, I'm excited to share this and I hope you enjoy it as much as us! And I'm sure you'll enjoy those extra dollars in your pocket too ;)

Easy Crockpot Italian Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 packet Zesty Italian dressing seasoning
1-8 oz. cream cheese
2 cans cream of chicken soup

Cook on low for 3 hours. If sauce is too thick you can add a little milk. I used light cream cheese and chicken soup, so delish. Serve over pasta with your favorite veggies and crusty hot bread, YUM! Viola, easy peasy!

Encountering Jesus

2012-01-31T11:12:00.000-08:00

Hello all! Feeling inspired today to share with you a fun story out of a super awesome book called, "Beautiful Outlaw" by John Eldridge. If you have yet to read this book, I urge you to check it out. It is THE coolest book ever! It's all about the personality of Jesus and his true, honest and cunningly playful character.

People in my life who have known me forever who I don't have the pleasure of visiting with everyday are probably wondering what's with my sudden lifestyle change over the last year or so. Well, I'll just get right to it, I myself had a very real and life changing experience with Jesus a week before my wedding that changed me forever! Some people might think I'm crazy or choose not to believe me because it's not realistic to have supernatural experiences but I'm here to tell you, it is very real and it truly happens! Don't take my word for it, experience it for yourself and see what I mean ;) That's the best way if you ask me...experience it for yourself! And I guarantee without a shadow of a doubt there are millions of people out there who would back me up on it! Just ask me and I'll tell you how to experience it too!

Back to the story I'd like to share, I just love this because it shows the hilarious-ness that is Jesus ;)

"I was going to call this book Jesus of a Thousand Hearts, because of the ways he continually breaks into my life. He "speaks" to me through hearts. I'll find stones in the shape of hearts in the rivers where I'm fishing. I've seen them almost step by step up a mountainside when on a grueling climb. Praying in the morning I'll look out the window and passing by will be a heart-shaped cloud. Dinner rolls, seashells, stains on my jeans. I've won the lottery when it comes to hearts from Jesus. But I am ashamed to admit that last summer, I grew a little impatient with them. I was going through a trying time and seeking God for the answer to many questions. Often, he would simply give me a heart in reply. I'd be walking down the sidewalk, and there in the cement see a heart-shaped hole, made by a bubble when they poured the sidewalk. I actually grew a little dismissive of them. I didn't want hearts- I wanted answers.
So, Jesus stopped giving these treasures of our friendship.
Last fall, while walking through an alpine meadow bow hunting, I was asking him, How come you don't give me hearts anymore? I asked it in a pouting kind of way. At that moment something gray caught my eye. I looked down midstride, and there in the grass, about as big as a dinner plate, was a dried piece of cow manure-in the perfect shape of a heart.
If I didn't know Jesus adored me, if I didn't know he is playful, and if our relationship didn't allow me to recieve a playful tease, I might have misinterpreted the icon. But I loved it. It was both, Oh, so now you want a heart? and, I adore you still. A cowpie heart. That is so Jesus."

"Let him be himself, friends. He'll come. He'll come."

(Eldridge, 195 & 196)

2011-12-12T08:57:00.000-08:00

Upon reading my "Bad Girls of the Bible" book the other day, I stumbled upon a most beautiful little encouragement. This is coming from Eve's chapter...the original bad girl ;)

I'm going to start my note with Genesis 2:15 "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."

Eden is often translated as "delight" or, by way of a Persian word, "paradise". This was no ordinary garden people. It was a carefully designed and beautifully executed park of wonderful trees and beautiful flowers, everything we could ever imagine I'm sure, and then some. Such gardens don't maintain themselves; that was Adam's job. Even before the Fall, he was given the task of caring for the garden. It was a cushy gig though, far from hard labor. There weren't any weeds, mosquitos, thorns or grub worms. Adam had everything he needed to be happy in this garden of his; food, water, warmth and shelter. It engaged his senses with all its colors, fragrances, and textures. Not to mention, the sway of the trees and sound of flowing streams were music to his ears. Sounds like Heaven to me!

After giving Adam the one commandment he was not to break, say it with me everybody..."Don't eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil". Like any good parent, our heavenly father built a hedge of protection around his child to keep his innocence and to keep him from things he just didn't need to know. And of course Adam was obedient, but he was lonely. Leading to my main point...

The Lord says, "it is not suitable for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Genesis 2:18

Was this announcement to give Adam a helper to keep his mind off the forbidden fruit? To help with gardening? Or was it in response to Adam's very human longing for companionship? One commentator (myself included) voted for the last option:"Solitude is not good; man was created for sociability." Even those of us who enjoy our quiet moments begin to get stir crazy. It's a God given drive to connect with other people (hence the popularity of facebook!). Those with very little of that drive are labeled "loners", people with even less are called "hermits" and those with none are put in straightjackets. People need people.

"So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh" Genesis 2:21

And here goes the purpose of my entire story :) ...

Why the rib??

Maybe because the rib isn't exactly a load bearing wall. But I choose to go with the second opinion of the two and completely agree when the author says, "...God wisely chose the bone nearest to the man's heart as a gentle reminder to keep his helpmate close by his side-physically, emotionally, spiritually."

Uh! Steal my heart, what a wonderful way to look at it! When I read that one sentence, it sent my heart a flutter. I love it and just wanted to share. Enjoy!

2011-12-09T15:26:00.001-08:00

She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.

Proverbs 31:25

A Beautiful Role

2011-12-07T09:58:00.000-08:00

"The essence of a woman is beauty. She is meant to be the incarnation-our experience in human form-of a captivating God. A God who invites us.

"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters...Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the riches of fare. (Isaiah 55:1-2)

Beauty is what the world longs to experience from a woman. We know that. Somewhere deep down, we know it to be true. Most of our shame comes from this knowing and feeling that we have failed here. So listen to this: beauty is an essence that dwells in EVERY woman. It was given to her by God and it was given to you. Surely you would agree that God is nothing if not beautiful. All around us his creation shouts of his beauty. The sound of a brook, a quiet beach, the sun streaming from a billowing cloud. As Sam Weil wrote, 'The beauty of the world is almost the only way by which we can allow God to penetrate us...' Beauty capitvates the senses in order to obtain permission to pass straight to the soul. God has given this beauty to every woman, it is our core. It is who we are and who we long to be and one of the most glorious ways we bear the image of God in a broken and often ugly world."

I just wanted to share this with my sisters this morning. I think it's a beautiful thing that we are the human form of a captivating God. We represent His beauty and mystery. I love to relish in this fact and am so thankful not only for it but that it was shown to me. It makes me feel more beautiful ever to know this ;)

(Eldridge, 131 & 132)

Mmm mmm! Delish Recipes ;D

2011-12-05T17:44:00.000-08:00

Hi all! I have a great recipe here for these cold winter days that will really hit the spot. We LOVED it and I had it whipped up in no time! Everything was in the bowl and ready to go before the noodles had even finished boiling and the best part is, it was easy on our wallet ;) So here you go, enjoy!

Chicken & Spinach Pasta Bake

8 oz uncooked rigatoni
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 an onion-chopped
1 (10 oz) pack of frozen spinach
3 cups, cooked shredded chicken breasts (I used chunk chicken in a can to save time & $$. It took 2-12.5 oz cans)
1 (14 oz) can italian-style diced tomatoes, drained
1 (8 oz) container Philadelphia chive & onion cream cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare rigatoni according to package directions. Cook your onions in skillet over med high heat until tender and put in mixing bowl. Drain chopped spinach, well, pressing between paper towels to make sure it's pretty well dry. Add the rest of the ingredients (except for mozzarella) into bowl and mix. Spoon mixture into casserole dish and sprinkle mozzarella on top. Bake covered for 30 minutes then uncover and bake for 15 more minutes or until bubbly.

Disruptive Honesty

2011-12-05T09:34:00.000-08:00

Don't let the title of this post fool you, just keep reading ;)

I think it's safe to say that it's a pretty common thought to see Jesus as this untouchable and perfect person. We probably envision him as we see him paintings. As this dreamy, whimsical, angelic man. And yes, I think it's a beautiful image but I think it causes us to not be able to relate to him as much as we could. It's a little intimidating, right? Well, I've been reading this incredible book called, "Beautiful Outlaw; Experiencing the Playful, Disruptive, Extravagant Personality of Jesus" and it is THE most incredible book. It has helped me to see Jesus for who he really is. Playful and fun, honest and real. I'd like to share a little bit from the chapter about his disruptive honesty. I just love it...

To come to know Jesus intimately, as he is, as he wants to be known, is to release a redemptive landslide in your life. What if at this moment you have terminal cancer, but don't know it. The disease is silently ravaging your body while precious days slip by in which you could be taking action. Now-what if your doctor knew but didn't want to tell you because it would inconvenience him? You'd sue him for malpractice. What if your family knew and didn't tell you because "they didn't want to upset you"? You would be furious. Don't you see how incredibly important it is to know the truth? Well, we can always count on Jesus to tell us the truth. Sometimes he's playful; sometimes he's fierce; the next moment he's generous. This is the beauty of disruptive honesty, you can count on him to to tell you the truth in the best possible way for you to hear it because you need to hear it. We love his honesty when he goes gunning for the Pharisees in Matthew 23:15 but when he turns his sights on us we begin to squirm, something in us gets offended. The world is stone drunk, and raging at Jesus because he's trying to keep us from taking the car. Who is being unreasonable? The spirit of our day is a soft acceptance of everything-except deep conviction in anything. This is where Jesus will suddenly confront the world as a great rock confronts the river flowing ever downhill. He is immovable. Conviction might be a matter of personal opinion, but truth is like a great mountain, solid and immovable whether we like it or even acknowledge it. Chritianity is not a set of convictions-it is a truth. The most offensive thing imaginable.
And Jesus is a rock alright. "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense" (Rom. 9:33). A rock is offensive in your shoe because it is an inconvenience. If we said, "Away with all rocks!" we would wish the planet right out from under our feet. But a rock is also the only refuge from the raging seas. The shipwrecked soul doesn't curse the rock because it is immovable; he clings to it, weeping for gratitiude. Remember-when Jesus tells us the truth, he doesn't say, "You are on your own now. Deal with it." He offers us a way out. As John said, "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (1:17). Truth and grace. Anytime Jesus pulls the rug out from under us, he extends his hand to lift us to a place of refuge.

(Beautiful Outlaw)

Elf on a Shelf

2011-12-01T18:45:00.000-08:00

So I was chatting with my girl Nat today and she shared with me the cutest Christmas idea for the little ones! Stop me if you've heard of it...elf on a shelf?! I'm sure it's already a tradition for many families but if you've never heard of it, you may want to try it with your kiddos this year for fun :D The concept goes a little something like this...get a cute little elf and put it up on the shelf and tell the kids he's santa's helper from the north pole and he's come to your house to be santa's eyes and ears. They observe for santa, letting him know who's naughty and who's nice, hehe! And they don't stay in just one spot, elves like to play games and are very mischevious so they don't stay in one spot for long! When the kids aren't looking you take the elf and move him somewhere different. A fun idea is to put him in the freezer for them to find, since it reminds the elf of the north pole ;) hang him from the fan, or put him on the couch holding the remote, haha! The creativity is limitless, it'll be fun playing hide and seek with the elf. And after Christmas of course the elf "goes back to the north pole with santa" until next year. I love it! Nat was cracking me up with ideas to do with your elf. This was my fave, get a dry erase marker and draw mustaches on all the faces in your frames around the living room, what a mischievous elf ;) Take funny pictures of your elf and once developed, switch out pictures in frames with pictures of the elf, he likes pictures of himself, hehe! A good spot for your elf would be in front of an open book, maybe even a Christmas book! Like I said, the ideas are never ending. I was cracking UP looking at all the things different people did with their elf, here are some of my favorites...

What child doesn't love milk? When they go to get some out of the fridge, the look on their face would be priceless!

Mom painted the kid's noses red while they were asleep, haha!!

Have fun with your elf on a shelf!! I can't wait to do this someday with my kiddies ;D And let's not forget the real reason for the season everyone, the birth of our savior and friend, Jesus Christ!

For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given...And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Idols

2011-11-19T09:46:00.000-08:00

My precious sis sent me a study on Hosea. I'm only 3 days in and am already getting so much out of it. Today I looked at chapter 2 and did some soul searching on idolatry. Although I don't worship any little handheld wooden idols like we've read about in the Bibe (yes, I left out the "L", it's my Bibe, always has been. Haha!) I can safely say that I can be accused of having an idolatrous heart toward Him because I give too much attention to other things. Boy, was that an eye opener. I thought I was safe since I don't worship those wooden religious relics BUT Idols can be anything from someone you love so much to music, clothes, money or power. What do you spend too much time on aside from God. That very well could be your idol. Anyway, after my conviction of the realization that I idolize my husband more than my Father at times, I was directed to some familiar scripture that I love & can relate to my new found conviction.

"Therefore I will block her path with thorn bushes; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way. She will chase after her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them." Hosea 2:6,7

When I read this, I see "chase after her lovers" and the word "lovers" as a form of idolatry. What do you chase after? Money? Popularity? The finer things/labels? Love? Poor Gomer (the woman for whom these verses were inspired) She was chasing after lovers, clothes, food and drink. You see it to this very day, I know I'm guilty of having a few idols myself. For example, when you do finally get that coach purse you've been wanting all year, does it bring you happiness? Of course it does! But, do you not agree that eventually that purse ends up in the back of your closet? Material things are fleeting! It only brings temporary happiness-->"She will chase after her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them." Your "idols" don't bring you true soul quenching love, satisfying you to your very core forever and ever. Don't you long for this? I feel like it's in our very make up, in every fiber, the desire to feel truly satisfied, fulfilled and loved. These verses might seem a little harsh but just consider it for a moment. He is purposely thwarting our efforts to find a life apart from Him. He does this in order to wear us out, to get us to turn back to Him in thirsty longing.

He then begins to woo us. Which is exactly what happened to me and I'm willing to bet has happened to EVERY single person who believes.

"Therefore I am going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her." Hosea 2:14

The moment this happens is the most beautiful, indescribable (there are literally no words) thing that will ever happen to you. These are not empty words, they are living and true and have happened time and time again to His children all over the world. Can I get a AMEN? Haha!

"In that day," declares the Lord, "you will call me 'my husband'; you will no longer call me 'my master...'

"I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion." Hosea 2:16, 19

THIS is what I long for. Reading this, experiencing this firsthand is what I was made for. My sister said it well after her travels ," I'm grateful that my true home is where I've yet to set my feet :)" I'm thankful for this conviction today. I will begin to try my hardest not to put any other idols before Him.

"Those who cling to idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." Jonah 2:8

Tamar

2011-11-04T10:32:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! This morning, I read from Tamar's story and would just like to share a little. "Her story has it all: mysterious deaths, deceptive relatives, mistaken identities, hidden babies, even a woman sentenced to burn at the stake!" At one point in my life, it never interested me to pick up my Bible because I thought I'd be bored to death reading about facts and historical figures. No no no, don't be fooled as I was! It is filled to the brim with excitement and intrigue. Her story can be found at the end of Genesis 37, I encourage you to read it for yourself. To sum it up, this poor young woman is married off to Judah's son. Judah was a mean and stubborn old man. Her husband was put to death in his evil ways and she was handed off to his brother (customary of the Levirate tradition) who was also struck dead for the same reason. They were horrible husbands, poor Tamar. After a series of events, not in her favor of course, and over a period of time, she took matters into her own hands. She disguised herself and tricked Judah (the stubborn man, her father-in-law) using her feminine ways to become pregnant with his offspring. And yes, this is a story introduced to me through "Really Bad Girls of the Bible" so bear with me ;) Get to know her and her story before you judge her actions. She was an emotionally abused, grossly ignored woman who'd been through hell and back who was desperate for a child, the child she felt she deserved after everything she'd been through. She was an honorable woman who made one bad decision. But that's the tricky thing about God's grace and master plan, everything happens for a reason friends and when this story comes full circle, a savior is born. Anyway, once he finds out she is pregnant, as his daughter in law and part of his family, he demands she be put to death. But clever Tamar isn't going down so easily. "she sent a message to her father in law. "I am pregnant by the man who owns these," she said. Gen 38:25 You see, she had asked for his seal and staff at the moment of um...how to put this nicely....conception. It was his payment to her. These were items of great importance and identity to the man who owned them at the time and he had given them to her as she had asked (that's what you get Judah!) and finally, for once, Judah did the right thing. When the seal and staff were shown to him, he recognized them and acknowledged them, admitting his wrong doing. In the Bible, he even admits "she is more right than I am". She eventually gave birth to twins, how like God to replace Judah's two sons with twin boys through all of this.

Lesson learned: "The Lord uses her in spite of her sin. That's the hook we hang our hope on, sisters. Not in 'getting it right,' but in knowing that although we get it wrong over and over, consistently, even blatantly, God's power to accomplish his will is not limited to our meager efforts. We are made for one purpose: to worship and glorify God. Our challenge is to stop trying to make things work out for our good and let God work things out for His good and perfect will through us." Which is always in our best interest to begin with, am I right? ;)

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T08:27:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody! I've been out of town for a couple weeks and I'm back just in time for a few last minute recipes for a spooky fun dinner tonight! I started a tradition with Zac last year of making a scary dinner on Halloween night and will continue that fun tradition tonight and top it off with a scary movie, oooOOOoooo ;) Last year the menu included eyeballs (I will share the recipe because he loved them so much he wants them again this year, ha!) monster cupcakes and witches brew with shrunken heads. We just had spaghetti to go along with it all but of course it was scary spaghetti or something like that. Anyway, today's menu is going to be super fun! I'm going to make his favorite meatloaf and turn it into a mummy! I'm also going to pair it with cheesy swamp creatures and of course we have to have the eyeballs too. I can't wait to get started! Also, just to let you know, I'll include the links to the recipes for last years Halloween dinner as well at the bottom of the post. Enjoy!

My Mummified Meatloaf

* You can use your favorite meatloaf recipe or use the one I've included. It's a Tiger family favorite sure to please!

Prep: 20 min
Cook Time: 1 hour

1 1/2 lbs of lean ground beef
3/4 cup of milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
3/4 cup of crushed saltine cracker crumbs

1/2 cup of ketchup
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar

*Additional ingredients special for the mummy part

Sliced olives stuffed with Pimiento
American cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 5x9 inch loaf pan. After you mix the ketchup and brown sugar separately from the rest of the ingredients, spoon a little bit onto the bottom of your pan. Only spread about 2 spoonfuls of it down. In a mixing bowl, mix all remaining ingredients and place in pan. In this case I plan to add a little bit extra of cracker crumbs so I can shape my meatloaf into a mummy. After you have created your mummy, spread rest of ketchup mixture on top of loaf then place in oven for one hour or until juices run clear.

After it is cooked and removed from oven, wait about 3 minutes, then lay one inch thick strips of American cheese across the body leaving a narrow space on the head for the olive slice eyeballs. Trim any excess cheese from sides and place loaf back into oven to melt the cheese for about one more minute.

Scary Swamp Creatures

Prep: 15 min
Cook Time: 25 min

Macaroni & Cheese
Sautéed Spinach
Olive slices stuffed with Pimiento

Mix up the batch of macaroni & cheese then spoon it into greased muffin cups and bake until firm, about 25 minutes. Let the creatures rest for about 10 minutes, then gently remove from tins. Then, place them upside down on a bed of sautéed spinach and add olive slices for eyes.

Spooky Eyeballs

Prep: No time at all ;D
Cook Time: 10 min

Eggs (choose amount based on guests, it's just my husband and I so I will do 5-6 eggs...I know it's a lot but he really likes them, haha!)
One package of cream cheese
Sliced olives stuffed with Pimientos
Hot sauce or Ketchup

*Also on this recipe, you can use your favorite deviled egg recipe instead of mine.

Boil your eggs, cut in half and remove yolks. Place yolks in mixing bowl with cream cheese and mix with fork. Fill egg whites with filling and top with olive halves to create your eyeball. Next, dip a toothpick in your hot sauce (or ketchup) and draw on your veins. Easy!

Can't wait to get started on our fun dinner for tonight. I hope you all are able to enjoy some of these recipes too! Happy Halloween!!

- Recipes from last year's Halloween dinner...

Witches Brew with Shrunken Heads

http://www.marthastewart.com/317697/shrunken-heads-in-cider?czone=holiday/halloween-center/halloween-center-desserts

Monster Cupcakes

http://www.kids-fun-and-games.com/monster-cupcakes.html

Halloween Costume Ideas!

2011-10-07T08:53:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! The topic of halloween costumes came up today as it always does this time of year and the big question on everybody's mind is, "What should I be this year?! What are you going to be?!", haha! It always sneaks up on us right? And then before we know it, all the costumes at Target & Walmart are all bought out and then we're really stuck!

Well I've always been a huge fan of "do it yourself-ers", a word I just made up for those who think outside the box. Those costumes that get your attention and make you think to yourself,"Why didn't I think of that!" My favorite part about Halloween is the creativity involved in the costumes people come up with. I love it! SO on that note I've explored lots of fun costumes that will maybe take a little legwork out of your search. Here is a small list of some fun costumes that are sure to set you apart from the crowd. Just a little something to get the creative juices flowing!

Rock, Paper, Scissors

Oh man I love this! When I saw this picture all I could think to myself was BRILLIANT!

Publisher's Clearing House

This I love. I actually did this with a friend about 4 or 5 years ago, needless to say I didn't have a digital camera back then and I don't have a scanner so I can't share my own pic :p BUT we were a hit at the party! Everyone loved it! Ladies, just rat your hair a little, give yourself the "I just rolled out of bed" look and throw in a couple pink foam curlers and wear some jams. Guys, make your big check, get some balloons and put on your suit. Go ahead and spray a little gray into your hair and grab some thick black glasses!

Garden Gnomes

So fun! Do this as a group or on your own. I love their props! You could even make a sign that says "welcome to our lovely garden" or make yourself a fishing pole with a bright red fish like this guy...

Go ahead, google "garden gnomes" and see what other fun props you can come up with ;D

I Love Lucy

My friends Jasmine and Manny did this last year for Halloween, how fun is it?! They look so amazingly great and I'm a huge Lucy fan so I instantly fell in love!

Castaway

Oh yes, love this movie, love this idea. Tom Hanks and his side kick Wilson!

Birthday Girl & Piniata

I'll explain this one a little. This is my friend Thi! She basically found a little princess dress, wore birthday girl accessories such as a tiara, birthday girl button and birthday girl sash. Then she found those little ruffle fold down socks like you used to wear when you were little ;) and I think she had a Hannah Montana purse (nice touch) and brought a big plastic bat. Then she found this big "animal" type costume and glued tissue paper all over its head to make it look like a piniata (you have to really get creative with your piniata folks) and when it was their turn to show off their costume on stage, she pretended like she was hitting him with her bat and he threw candy out to all of us, it was hilarious and they won first place!

Spice Girls

Oh yeah, I used to love the spice girls back in the day. Great idea to do with your ladies!

Roller Coaster Riders

Awesome!! How did these guys come up with this idea?! I don't know but I love it! This would have your friends cracking' up :D

Paper Dolls

I love this, so clever! Well done ladies.

Where's Waldo

My husband and I are suckers for a Where's Waldo book! If I make it home in time for Halloween this year I want to be "Waldette" Waldo's lady friend ;) The funniest part about this costume is you can hide behind people in all your pictures, how hilarious is that?! Ha!

Tetris

This is so cool, I love how they did this. Great idea!

Raining Cats & Dogs

This is too cute, anyone could do it and it would be such an easy, cheap DIY costume!

Toy Story Slinky Dog

Not sure how they pulled this off but how awesome would it be to see this at your next Halloween outing? Super cool.

Three Blind Mice

I absolutely love this, such an original and cute idea!!

Forrest Gump

AMAZING! All I got to say about this one ;D

Nerds

This is fantastic! I used to eat these like it was nobody's business back in the day. What a super fun idea!

Target Lady

For the SNL fans, how amazing would it be if the Target Lady showed up at your next Halloween party?! She is HILARIOUS and my favorite SNL character, I gotta do this one year!

Pac Man

Haha!

Wind Blown Lady

Too cool, love this! The link to this website is at the bottom of my page if you're interested in this one.

Humpty Dumpty

For you soon to be mommas out there!

More Ideas

Deer & Hunter
A couple years back I was a hunter and my friend was a deer. I found myself a bright orange hunter vest from the thrift and wore camo pants and a camo hat with a badge that said "if it flies, it dies" haha! Then Chels wore a bullseye on her dress, pinned on a bushy little tail and wore antlers. It was a hit!

The Whomping Willow
For all you Harry Potter fans out there! We saw a whomping willow at the Harry Potter premiere a few months back and it was so funny! He walked around whomping everybody, I think it would be cool to put a little blue car in your branches too. Love it!

I hope some of these inspired you! You could modify any of these for kids, babies or pets too. The options are limitless! Have fun getting creative this year folks, I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with! Please feel free to share any other creative ideas in the comment box below, I'd LOVE to hear them! Here's the link to my favorite Halloween costume website if you'd like to search more ideas. Happy Halloween everyone!

http://www.coolest-homemade-costumes.com/

Love, Kat

Feelin' Crafty {DIY Tutorials}

2011-10-04T15:55:00.000-07:00

Coasters!
When I was a little girl, my mom & dad used to jokingly call me the "mod podge" queen. My bedroom had pictures cut out of magazines taped up all over the walls expressing my creativity, individuality and latest famous crush, especially around my bed where I'd lay my head ;D So it's only fitting that here I am years later doing my first tutorial on what else?! Mod podge! I can here them giggling already, haha! The whole idea started with this monstrosity...

My husband's idea of a trusty coaster, the one he's been using for the last two weeks because we don't have any, poor guy! Well here is a fun idea to help you peeps like us out there that could use a coaster or two instead of a stained index card :D
..............

DIY Mod Podge Coaster Tutorial

1. You'll need tiles (see #2), scissors, mod podge, felt, sponge brush, hot glue gun, fun paper - either scrapbook paper or wrapping paper and some polyuerthane spray paint.

2. Purchase your tiles. I bought mine at Home Depot and grabbed a handful of the cheapest ones they had at only 16 cents a tile!

3. Go ahead and lay your tile down onto your fab paper and trace around it with a pen.

4. Cut your squares out next.

5. After you cut the square out and get it to your desired size (it took me a few tries to get it exactly the right size), apply about 3-4 drops of mod podge to the top of your tile and spread with your sponge brush. The first time I tried I put too much on and the paper bubbled up on me. I figured out as I went that less is more ;) Let dry for about 20 minutes.

6. While it's drying, cut out four small felt circles. Or you could cut out a square to fit the bottom of your tile. Then use your hot glue gun to apply to the bottom of your coaster.

7. Now, drop about 4-5 drops of mod podge on top of your decorated tile and spread with your sponge brush. Let it dry for about 15 minutes and then repeat. Do this about 5 to 6 times.

8. Voila, that's it for now! Let your coasters dry over night and the next day spray a coat of your polyurethane on and let sit over night one more time. Then you're ready to use your fab new coaster. Don't set anything hot on your coaster for one month, that's how long it takes for the mod podge to fully set.

Enjoy!!

......................

And for those of you who are just not interested in making your own or don't have time, I've made a handful for sale! Please comment, email or Facebook me for more information, thank you!

Vintage

Fall Vintage

Beauty

Royal Vintage

Prices

One coaster - $3

A set of 4 - $10

(includes shipping & handling)

So far I have the 8 different designs. If there is one in particular you like I can make four of the same design for a set. Also, I can combine any of them to make a set if you'd like to get creative! Or you can go with one of the combinations I put together already. I'll be sure to post more as I make them! Comment, e-mail or face book me for more info!

Kat

Nifty Ideas!

2011-10-03T05:52:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you guys but my cabinets at home are busting at the seams with spices, cans and whatever I can jam in there that I don't want to get rid of, haha! I'm not really sure why I never googled "space saving ideas" and things of that matter before, but I stumbled upon this nifty idea as I was searching for some space saving tips for a friend yesterday. I can't wait to try it out! How incredibly clever is it to use a $2 (maybe even cheaper than that really!) tension rod from walmart to maximize your cabinet space?! Love it!

Fall Recipes

2011-10-02T16:47:00.000-07:00

Tomato Basil Soup & Grilled Cheese

Hi everybody! I stumbled upon this fabulous recipe the other day and tested it out on my husband...he ate three grilled cheese sandwiches with his soup. He wanted four but decided last minute he was just too full, haha! It's one of those things, it's so yummy you just can't stop! This recipe is beyond easy and lightning fast. I didn't think it would be as good for that reason, but was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be "the best grilled cheese I've ever had, honey!" and the soup was delicious as well ;) This would be a great recipe for a chili fall day, a snowed in type day or a fast "home-y" meal for an under the weather loved one. It's wonderful for any time really! We are going to have it again for dinner tonight, it's just too delicious I had to share. I hope you all love it as much as we did, I know you will! Plug in this link for the recipe, enjoy friends!

http://jennysteffens.blogspot.com/2011/01/recipes-tomato-basil-soup-best-grilled.html

Kat

To Be or Not To Be...Prepared

2011-09-29T13:59:00.000-07:00

This morning after I did my devotional, I decided I wanted to spend a little bit more time in the word and headed for 1 Peter. No reason really, I've just been seeing some great verses from that chapter lately on different websites and wanted to start from the beginning and read my way through it. I knew one minute into reading it that I had stumbled upon a golden nugget of wise words. When I got to chapter 3, a verse I've read and heard before and know all too well, caught my attention. I paused and relished over the words for a few moments. "...Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" verse 15. Not sure why I really lingered on that one this morning the way I did. The entire chapter was filled to the brim with wisdom but I couldn't get my attention away from this verse. I thought to myself..."Ugh, I'm horrible at memorization. All the verses I've tried to memorize in the last couple months have already slipped out of my mind. If I had to give a verse I just don't think I could." So I compromised...bad girl..."If anyone asks me I'll just tell them why I think the way I do from the experiences I've had that have led me to where I am today" and felt that was good enough.

"Not so fast little one", is what I'm sure He was saying to me.

So I put up my things, do the dishes, piddle around the house a bit and head for the local gym. Yes, can you believe it? I went to the gym. Can't tell you the last time I went, which really kind of adds to the dynamic of the story if you ask me. I went and walk/ran for about 30 min and on my way out the door to go back home I noticed some candles and a marker on the desk. "What is this?" I ask the girl sitting in boredom behind the desk (we were the only ones there). Then she begins to tell me about someone who works up there with her who just found out they have stage four cancer...ouch. That's serious. For those of you who are not familiar with it, that's the last stage. My heart sank immediately and I asked all about her friend. She said they were selling the candles for a donation and were going to display them across the work out stage next week when their friend shows up to do a class. I thought that was such a lovely idea and wanted to contribute. So I tell her thank you and wish them the best after making my donation and start to head out. Then she stops me and says "Here! Decorate your candle with this marker" and smiles at me. That kind of caught me off guard, I'm not super creative especially on a whim. Hmmmm, so I thought I'd send this person some words of encouragement through scripture. I sat down and racked my brain and wished I had something to share. I had nothing, horrible feeling...fail. I searched in my iphone and finally about 20 min later found something I felt stood out the most.

I felt a little disappointed that I couldn't think of anything like that. Even just a verse about His love. Good one Kat!

Although I was not asked to give any reasons to share why I believe the way I do, I felt like this opportunity and situation fit the bill. Really, I feel like I should've been able to share something on this person's candle just to give them some hope and encouragement. I'm not being too hard on myself today because lots of people have issues with memorization. I feel like this happened today to prove to me and remind me that I can't just give an excuse for what my Father wants and expects from His daughter. I'm not a little girl anymore, I'm an adult now, no more excuses. And to think, I was just making them this morning-->shaking my head. I'm grateful to have been shown this though. The written word is right, I know I would've felt so wonderful if I'd been able to share a favorite inspirational verse! As the minutes ticked on though searching for a fitting verse, I was reminded more and more of what I read this morning & how I responded. Lesson learned, I feel humbled and want nothing more than to be obedient from now on. I'm not going to do what I feel comfortable doing but what is expected of me :D

*I just wanted to add also, how wonderful would it be to encourage this person who is suffering this horrible illness and flood that stage with candles. If you're interested in adding a candle with encouragement or scripture I'd be more than willing to help with that! They were only $3 a candle and the event will take place very soon on Oct. 5th (next Wed.!) Message me on my fb page or leave a comment if you're interested and we can help make it happen!

"...love one another as I have loved you" John 15:12

Our First Anniverse

2011-09-28T11:51:00.000-07:00

Haha! That's how we like to say it because it rhymes. All weekend we congratulated each other on our "first anniverse", so silly! Anyway, we had a most lovely anniversary everybody. Zachary took me to San Antonio Saturday night for a most lovely date. We went to a fabulous restaurant on the river, it was so wonderful & delicious. We got to stay in a beautiful old hotel right next door to the Alamo. The next day we had brunch at one of our favorite places, "The Monterrey". We sat out on the patio that morning and I had the eggs benedict, only instead of ham, they replaced it with fried green tomatoes. It was deeeelish! Later that afternoon we relived our wedding day by watching our wedding video. We had so much fun reminiscing that evening. We even watched it right at the time we were getting married one year back, it was about 7:30. Zachary pointed that out, we thought it was fun! He made me the most beautiful, precious note for our anniversary. Since paper is the first year gift, he did that and went above and beyond with it like I knew he would, that's just his style ;) he's a super romantic, I love that about him! He made it look very old and even burnt the edges and wrote a most precious note to me on it. I know it had to have taken him hours to complete. I made him a "Tiger Book" all about how we met and our wedding day and our first year of marriage. I'm not quite as creative as him so it's only about 6 pages, haha! We thought it was fun that we both got each other "paper" gifts. I also got him a ring with our initials and anniversary date, he wears it around his neck everyday and he got me some fall boots last week in honor of the occasion! I can't wait for it to start cooling off so I can wear them! All in all we had a perfect weekend everyone. Thank you so much for helping me out and giving me tips, hehe! We love you all and miss you so much! Here's to another year and many, many more to come!

Love Kat & Zac

Slow Cooker Recipes

2011-09-23T15:15:00.000-07:00

Oh man, do I have another fab recipe for you! My husband and I just finished eating this for dinner and are very happily stuffed. This recipe is AMAZING and perfect for these icy cold days! I know you guys will enjoy this as much as we did! Yay for crockpot recipes!!

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Chili

1/2 an onion, chopped
1-16oz can black beans
1-16oz can kidney beans
1-8oz can tomato sauce
2 small cans of corn
2-14.5oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies
1 packet taco seasoning
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
240z. boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used two 12.5 oz cans of chunk chicken to save money)
1-4oz can of diced green chilies

Combine beans, onion, green chilies, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover-or if you used chunk chicken like I did, add the chicken in with everything else halfway through cooking time. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in.

Yummy additions to add to your finished bowl of chicken taco chili...
-sour cream!
-cheddar cheese!
-a few squeezes of fresh lime!
-avacado slices!
-fresh cilantro!
-use tortilla chips as a spoon!
-and for those who like it hot ;) siracha!

These yummy toppings really make it absolutely perfect my darlings. Enjoy!!

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My favorite chili recipe!

Slow Cooker Chili
(and it is delish let me tell ya!)

Prep Time- 15min
Cook Time- 4 hours (on high) or 8-10 hours (on low)
Ready In- 4 hours and 15 min

Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef
2 (16 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 small can of green chills
1 can of corn
2 medium onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Top servings with shredded Cheddar cheese and sour cream. Serve with crackers or cornbread.

Directions
In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a slow cooker. Add the next nine ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4 hours.

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Hi friends! I made this the other day in a pinch and let me tell you, not only was it easy peezy, it was out of this world DELISH! My husband and I both loved it! It will certainly become a staple in the Tiger family household. So, with that being said, if you're in a pinch and want something fast, cheap, delicious & could easily feed a family of 5? We ate on it for three days and never got tired of it believe it or not! You can't go wrong with this recipe. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 5 hours on low setting
Ready In: 5 hours & 10 min

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup of milk

Directions: Put the uncooked chicken breasts, dressing mix, both cans of soup and milk in slow cooker and cook for about 5 hours. After chicken is moist & tender (4, 4 and a half hours or so), remove from cooker and shred. After shredding chicken, put back in slow cooker and add cream cheese. Let cook for 45 more minutes so the flavor can blend.

Serve over whole wheat egg noodles or brown rice. We ate ours with brown rice, broccoli & corn. MMMMM mmmmm! I also used fat free soups and cream cheese and it was heavenly. You can even get creative and add fresh mushrooms, corn, any kind of vegetable really or sour cream when you add the cream cheese. The options are limitless. Make it your very own! I promise you'll love!

Kat

Yummy Treats!

2011-09-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

In honor of my absolute favorite time of year, I just had to share this recipe I found for pumpkin spiced crispy treats! Yum! I've had this treat on my "I gotta try this fast-to do" list! After eyeballing it for the last week or so, I finally made the trip to the grocery store to buy what I needed for this fun recipe. I just made my first batch and it's delicious! And the best part is, it took me about 5 minutes ;D This makes for a great snack/dessert and I invite you try some for yourself!

Pumpkin Spiced Krispy Treats
1/4 cup of salted butter
1 (10.5) bag of mini marshmallows
1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
6 cups of Rice Krispies (one regular sized box of Rice Krispy cereal)

That's it!

On med/low heat, melt your butter. Once it's melted continue to cook until golden brown (be careful not to burn, once it begins to brown it can burn easily). Next, add the bag of 'mallows (like they'd say in the Sandlot, haha!) and the pumpkin spice. Stir it up until the marshmallows have melted. Once they've melted, remove from heat and stir in the krispies. Once it is all stirred together, put in 9x9 pan. Last but not least, spray a piece of wax paper with non-stick spray and use that to gently press down krispies into place. Wait 30 min before cutting into squares. Viola! At this point you can just dig in, as my husband and I plan to do, or if you have a decorating bone, you could take it a step further and get "fall" cookie cutters. For example, pumpkins, or leaves, and really get creative with your treats. Ice your squares how you want with different colors and sprinkles, the options are limitless.

Have fun and enjoy. Happy fall everybody!

Kat

A Special Kind of Hatred

2011-09-20T15:29:00.000-07:00

Hello all! Today I would like to touch on an interesting subject regarding a special kind of hatred. Ladies...unfortunately, this one's for you. But take heart Daughter's of Eve, trust me and just keep reading.

This is an exerpt from one of my favorite books, "Captivating".

"Turn your attention to the events that took place in the Garden of Eden. Notice- who does the evil one go after? Who does satan single out for his move against the human race? He could have chosen Adam...but he didn't. Satan went after Eve. He set his sights on her. Have you ever wondered why? It might have been that he, like any predator, chose what he believed to be the weaker of the two. There is some truth to that. He is utterly ruthless. But we believe there is more. Why does satan make Eve the focus of his assault on humanity?

You may know that satan was first named Lucifer, or Son of the Morning. It infers a glory, a brightness or radiance unique to him. In the days of his former glory he was appointed a guardian angel. Many believe he was the captain of the angel armies of God. The guardian of the glory of the Lord.

You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the Garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz, and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were annointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. (Ezek. 28:12-14)

Perfect in beauty. That is the key. Lucifer was gorgeous. He was breathtaking. And it was his ruin. Pride entered Lucifer's heart. The angel came to believe he was being cheated somehow. He craved the worship that was being given to God for himself. He wanted the attention and adoration for himself. ("Mirror, mirror, on the wall...")

Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. (Ezek. 28:17)

Satan fell because of his beauty. Now his heart for revenge is to assault beauty. He reaks destruction on the glory of God in the earth like a psychopath committed to destroying great works of art.

But most especially, he hates Eve. Because she is captivating, uniquely glorious, and he cannot be. She is the incarnation of the Beauty of God. More than anything else in all creation, she embodies the glory of God. She allures the world to God. He hates it with a jealousy we can only imagine.

And there is more. The evil one also hates Eve because she gives life. Eve means "life" or "life producer." Women give and nourish life. Satan was a murderer from the beginning, he brings death. His is a kingdom of death. Ritual sacrifices, genocide, the Holocaust-those are his ideas. And thus, Eve is his greatest human threat, for she brings life.

Put those two things together- that Eve incarnates the beauty of God and she gives life to the world. Satan's bitter heart cannot bear it. He assaults her with a special hatred. History removes any doubt of this. Do you begin to see it?

Think of the great stories- in nearly all of them, the villain goes after the hero's true love.

This explains an awful lot. It is not meant to scare you. Actually, it will shed so much light on your life's story, if you let it. Most of you thought the things that have happened to you were somehow your fault- that you deserved it. If only you had been prettier or smarter or done more or pleased them. somehow it wouldn't have happened. You would have been loved. They wouldn't have hurt you.

And most of you are living with the guilt that somehow it's your fault you aren't more deeply pursued now. That you have no beauty to unveil. The message of our wounds nearly always is. "This is because of you, this is what you deserve." It changes things to realize that, no, it is because you are a major threat to the kingdom of darkness. Because you uniquely carry the glory of God to the world.

You are hated because of your beauty and power."

(Eldridge, 83, 84 & 85)

All I have to say is wow. If that doesn't open your eyes to a new truth, I don't know what does. I am so thankful this was revealed to me and find it incredibly fascinating. Not only that but it answers so many questions that have been lingering in my heart for so long.

Incredible.