Get Busy Living

{2.24}

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 02:50:00 +0000

I've been thinking all day about what to write. What do I write to mark 2 years? I can't think of any words. You can read the story of 2.24.10 here, or read what I had to say on 2.24.11 here. And since I can't think of any words to write on 2.24.12, I'll just share some pictures that make me smile.

Growth vs. Perfection

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:02:00 +0000

Today is my "Wednesday Weigh In". Every Wednesday morning since June, I've hopped on the scale to check my progress. Last week, I was 0.2 pounds away from hitting the 30 pounds lost milestone. So, this morning when I stepped on the scale I expected I would finally see that number. But I didn't. In fact, this week - I gained 2 pounds.

I had 2 immediate reactions to this:

1) be really upset and then eat whatever junk food I want today because it doesn't matter

2) be really mad and "buckle down" - counting every morsel that goes into my mouth and banishing all foods that are not vegetables.

But then I started to just pray about it, and ask God to remind me why I'm on this journey and how far I've come. I remembered this section from the book I'm reading right now (You're Already Amazing by Holley Gerth - more on this book is coming soon!)

This list exemplifies the differences between my previous attempts to lose weight and this current one. Growth - not perfection - is the goal here.

The truth is, even if the scale had said the number I'd wanted it to this morning: it wouldn't make God love me any more than He already does (which is already more than my earthly brain can fathom).

There are a bunch of reasons that could've caused the scale to go the wrong way this morning. Maybe it was too many of these amazing granola bars I couldn't stop eating yesterday, maybe it's more muscle, maybe it's stress, or water weight, or that "time of the month" or maybe it just is what it is because I'm not perfect.

And that's okay.

My pants are now 2-3 sizes smaller.

I did all 3 sets of push-ups on my toes for the first time yesterday.

I gained 2 pounds this week, and still made my Green Monster for breakfast instead of getting an Egg McMuffin.

God still loves me.

And that is enough.

Impossible Don't Exist

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 23:12:00 +0000

No, that isn't just my poor grammar in that blog title! It's the lyric from today's "Monday Melody" song that stood out to me.

The whole lyric is:
"I'm feeling better than I ever thought, it's possible but now I know. Impossible don't exist."

I heard the song "Tonight is the Night" by Outasight while I was cleaning today and loved that line!

What really sparked this blog is an exercise class I took today. My gym has started offering a new class called "Phases Fit Physique". The class is led by the gym's owners, Brian and Mindy. It's only offered on Monday mornings at 10:00, which is not conducive to my schedule. But, since I had off today - I was excited to try out the class!

Did you catch that habit change? I was excited about my day off because it meant I could go to an exercise class? REALLY? Yup!

So, I walk into this class and there are probably 20-25 other people there. We're told to partner up and we'd be going through 1 minute circuits. My first thought was "Oh man, my poor partner got stuck with the out of shape fat chick." but then I realized - THAT'S NOT ME ANYMORE. I'm not "the out of shape fat chick". Sure, I'm not at my goal weight yet, and I won't be running any marathons soon - but I can really, honestly say that I'm in good shape. In fact, I'm in the best shape I've been in EVER. And my partner was awesome. She was motivating, encouraging, and supportive. I never felt like the fat chick - I felt like the FIT chick.

The class reminded me of what I see on The Biggest Loser when they do their "last chance workout". By the end of the hour, my face was red and I was sweating like CRAZY.

And you know what? It was FANTASTIC.

(in the car right after the workout!)

"Better Than Take Out" Honey Sesame Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 02:06:00 +0000

Yum! This was quick, easy, and delicious! Plus it heats up great in the microwave for leftovers!

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken
Recipe from Six Sisters (via Pinterest)
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce (I used Liquid Aminos)
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons oil (I used olive oil)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional - adds flavor, I used about 1/2 tsp for some heat)
4 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 6 Tablespoons water (if you put in 4 TABLEspoons by accident, this will turn out weird. Trust me.)
Sesame seeds

Directions:

Season both sides of chicken with lightly with salt and pepper, put into crock pot.
In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes.
Pour over chicken.
Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through.
Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce.
Dissolve 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of water and pour into crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce.
Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened.
Cut chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce before serving.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.

*When I made this, I added the shredded chicken back into the crock pot after adding the cornstarch and let it cook for another 20ish minutes on high.*

Fit Tip Friday - Be Prepared!

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:09:00 +0000

One of the biggest culprits in the choice to eat poorly is lack of preparedness. It's the "I don't have anything for dinner so I'll just swing through the drive thru" or "I'm out of lunch supplies so I'll grab something from the cafeteria" choices that easily derail my healthy eating.

Being prepare with lots of easy, quick and healthy foods is essential! Typically, I make a batch of some sort of healthy soup every weekend that I can use as the main part of my lunches for the week. In the picture, you can see it already packed in portioned containers.

Along with my soup, I buy a big container of plain Greek yogurt that I also portion out. In the morning, all I do is add some frozen organic fruit and toss it in my lunch bag. A bag of mini carrots or rounds out my lunch!

Having the things ready to grab and go, pre-packed and sorted saves me time and calories. It's not as easy to think about grabbing chicken fingers from the cafeteria when I know I have lunch ready to go in the fridge!

(p.s. this is the first time I've blogged from my phone, so please excuse any typos!)

A Song Inspired Craft

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:25:00 +0000

One of the albums I have been listening to on repeat lately is "Sigh No More" by Mumford & Sons. They are sort of indie rock, country-ish, mellow band.

One of my favorite songs is the title track from the album. There's a lyric in "Sigh No More" that I simply love. It says "Love. It will not betray, dismay or enslave you. It will set you free."

From what I've read about it, I don't think Mumford & Sons meant this to be religious in nature, necessarily. However, I immediately connected it with Jesus. So many times, the church is thought of as a place of condemnation, rules, and hypocrisy. But that's not what it really is. The church - not the building or the denomination or the religion - but the church in terms of the body of Christ...should be love. God is love. We love because He first loved us. God so loved the world that He sent us His Son. Love - is not something that will betray you. It won't let you down. It won't bind you in shackles. Love...God's Love - TRUE love - will set you FREE.

I had a canvas hanging around (or...not actually hanging around yet - haha) from a 2-pack I'd used only half of. I wanted to put this song lyric on the canvas somehow. I saw this picture on Pinterest...

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And used that design as my inspiration for my canvas!

The canvas is painted in Martha Stewart's Root Beer Float craft paint, with the edges in a dark brown (Martha's Vanilla Bean). Painting it with just one coat gave it that sort of antiqued look.

The letters were cut on my Cricut using some scrapbook paper that color coordinated with my living room. I edged the larger pieces in brown Sharpie to give them some definition and a little antique look too.

And there it hangs on my living room wall!

Fit Tip Friday - Read

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:41:00 +0000

There are a few books that I have read recently that have made a HUGE impact on my health journey. I've share about 2 of them before, but they are so awesome that I have to share again!

Made to Crave

by: Lysa Terkuerst

(If you are a Christian woman struggling with weight...RUN, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore and BUY THIS. It truly changed the way I approached the journey to health. Doing it God's way is completely different and completely AWESOME.)

Reshaping it All

by: Candice Cameron Bure and Darlene Schacht

(This book is similar in message to "Made to Crave". It shares Candace's personal journey, as well as recipes and other helpful tips. It's packed full of Scripture! And, it's on sale on Kindle for less than $5 right now!)

The Eat Clean Diet

by: Tosca Reno

(this book has GREAT information on nutrition and overall healthy eating)

Master Your Metabolism

by: Jillian Michaels

(This is the book that convinced me to go organic. Well, this and the documentary "Food Matters". Jillian also has great free podcasts packed full of helpful advice!)

Magazines!

Some of my favorites are Shape, Oxygen, Health, and Women's Health.

I love getting monthly doses of inspiration, great recipes, and fit tips.

Anything you're reading or have read on the topic of diet/nutrition/health that you'd recommend?

Dear February

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:06:00 +0000

{the view from my evening walk/run around the fairgrounds}

2 years ago, I went into February writing a post called "Heartbreak". Last year, I wrote about how I wished I could skip this time of year all together and have it just be Spring.

This year, 2 years after the hardest February of my life (okay, the hardest month of my life), I have a totally different attitude.

This February is a new beginning.

And I realized that today God answered the prayer I prayed this time last year: "I'm ready for sunshine and warm breezes, driving with the windows opening and watching my daffodils bloom."

Today, despite the fact that it is still winter, it was 60+ degrees here in PA. I drove home with the windows down. My daffodils are poking up from the ground. The sun was shining. I went for a walk/jog in weather warm enough for capris.

God provided a little dose of Spring, and I pretend He did that just for me. (you're welcome, everyone) He did that just to remind me that He is always doing a new thing, that He is making streams in the deserts and granting me a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

Thank you, Lord. Thank you for being faithful to answer prayers in YOUR perfect timing. Thank you for glimpses of Spring, reminders of You, and NEW BEGINNINGS.

Crockpot Taco Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:19:00 +0000

I guess this recipe is more of a chili, but I like the name "taco soup" - it just sounds more festive! I made this up in the grocery store!

Quick and Easy Crockpot Taco Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef (use grass fed - it's better!)

1 large can fire roasted tomatoes (28 oz)

2 cans black beans (14.5 oz)

1 can pinto beans (14.5 oz)

1 can green chilies (4 oz)

1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped (7 oz)

1 small onion, finely chopped

1-2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning

1 cup water or stock

How it's done:

1. Brown and drain the ground beef.

2. Rinse and drain the beans.

3. Put everything in the crock pot on high for 4 hours.

4. Do something fun for 4 hours while you wait for this to be finished.

5. Serve with cheese, sour cream, and a side of tortilla chips!

Sharing this at Tasty Tuesdays!

Fit Friday - Accountability

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:42:00 +0000

source

One of the biggest things that has helped me have success on this journey to health has been public accountability. Now, I don't go sharing my weight all around - I'm not that brave (yet). But, I do use things like Facebook, Twitter, and this blog to share the journey. In the past, I've always kept attempts at weight loss a little more under wraps. I'd talk about it with my family, close friends, and co-workers, but I never made it at the forefront of my life. This time around, I can't seem to shut up about it. But, that helps keep me motivated. It helps me to remember that everyone knows about my journey and that so many people are cheering me on. So don't hide it - share it! Tell the world...shout it from the rooftops! Be proud of what you are trying to accomplish!

With that in mind, I'll share...
-I did my first set of push ups in my workout yesterday OFF my knees (as in - military style!) and then the first 6 of 12 reps for the 2nd two sets.
-I REALLY wanted to curl up in my sweats with a glass of wine tonight, but I went to Zumba and TRX anyway.
-I'm down a total of 27.4 pounds.
-I ate at least 10 Palmer Peanut Butter Chocolate hearts today. Oops. See - not all good! ;-)

Instagram weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:58:00 +0000

{watched a student at her clarinet recital}

{crafted my my Valentine mantle}

{went into school and worked on some lesson plans}

{made tons of delicious food for crafts and wine with Michelle}

{did some serious crafting}

{spent time with Jesus over breakfast}

How was your weekend?

Fit Tip Friday: Try Something New!

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:45:00 +0000

Last week my tip was to find an exercise you LOVE. Once you do that, don't get stuck in a rut! Try new things! Planting yourself on the treadmill and running the same distance every day is not the best way to get fit. You need to shake things up and break your body out of its comfort zone!

I have tried 2 new things that I thought for sure I'd hate and have actually ended up loving: Bodyflow and TRX.

Bodyflow is a Les Mills class that combines Tai Chi, Yoga, and Pilates. It's a faster moving class, in that they switch from one pose to the next a little quicker - which is good for me because the thing I hate about yoga is all the holding! I am really enjoying this class and I'm so glad I tried it!

Another class I tried and am LOVING is TRX. TRX is suspension training. It's hard to describe, because it's strength training using your body weight as resistance as you work through exercises using a set of straps anchored to the ceiling. That probably didn't make a whole lot of sense, but here is what it looks like:

I don't actually look like that when I do it. Haha! Here's a video of TRX in action, too!

What's something you've been wanting to try lately but haven't? Why are you waiting - go do it! :-)

Crazy for Quinoa

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Have you tried quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah") yet? If your answer is NO, then you are missing out!! Quinoa is a delicious, versatile, easy to prepare grain. It's like rice with a kick.

Here's a side-by-side comparison of quinoa's nutritional info with that of brown rice. It's a little hard to see, but quinoa has more fiber (4g vs. 2g), more protein (5g vs. 3g) and more vitamins and minerals than brown rice. It is slightly higher in calories (170 vs. 150), but not by much. Quinoa also contains essential amino acids like lysine, which aids the body in absorbing calcium.

This is the most popular yellow quinoa. Though often thought of as a grain, quinoa is actually the seed of the plant. Cooked quinoa seeds are fluffy, with a little crunch and a slightly nutty flavor.

Quinoa comes in a variety of colors. I've been able to find the yellow and red in the organic aisle of my regular grocery store. I found black quinoa at Whole Foods. My favorite is the red. It is a little nuttier in flavor than the yellow. I don't like the black as much, its flavor is a little stronger.

Quinoa is really easy to cook, and fits like rice into any dish. The only additional step to cooking it, is to rinse it with cold water first to help ensure that the coating has been totally removed. Most of this coating is removed when the seed is harvested, but this extra rinse helps. You simply add one part quinoa to two parts liquid, bring to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.

I have quinoa several times a week as the grain portion of my dinner. The picture above shows black quinoa, cooked in chicken stock, that I tossed with some roasted tomatoes.

Here some other quinoa recipes I like:

Breakfast Quinoa

Lentil Quinoa Salad

Curried Quinoa

Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms

Find more recipes at Tasty Tuesday!

Monday Melody - Still Here

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:37:00 +0000

Last week I shared an important health milestone I hit on Wednesday. Later that same day, I wrote about the "coincidences" that happened. I think one of the biggest struggles to hit that 25-pounds lost mark was the release of the emotional weight more than the physical weight.

As part of helping myself release that emotional weight, I started taking the BodyFlow class my gym offers. According to the Les Mills website, "BODYFLOW™ is the Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates workout that builds flexibility and strength and leaves you feeling centered and calm."

Last night was the launch of the new round of Body Flow class material, and as we were doing one of the exercises, I heard the word strong in the lyrics of the song that was playing. Of course, that made me listen in closely and I heard this beautiful song that I feel was yet another message (not coincidence!) from God - a reminder that I'm not moving on from Isaac, but rather moving forward - and that's okay.

You looked at me and saw what I never could see
You made me feel more than I thought I could ever be
And when I needed a friend you were always there to lift me up
To make me strong
You're not gone

You're still here
With me all the time
You're still here
When I close my eyes
I still see you
I still feel you
And we'll never be apart
You're still here
Still here in my heart
In my heart

Because of you I knew how it felt to be loved
You made me feel beautiful 'cause you believed I was
And I will never forget how you touched my life
You made me feel like I belong
You live on

All my life
You'll be in my life
You'll be part of me
I'll just think of you and you'll still be
You'll still be here

Fit Tip Friday: Love it!

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Something that has dramatically impacted my weight loss is finding an exercise I LOVE doing. For me, it is Zumba! I love, love, love it. I've already told you about how much I love my gym. And I do, I really love it there! But Zumba is what got me hooked. When I realized I could spend an hour of my life dancing around and having fun while getting fit, I was in! I also love that with Zumba, I have to concentrate on the steps, so my mind can't focus on things that it might be stressed out with. I always leave Zumba with less stress and more energy.

Also, as promised, here are my latest progress pics!

I lost 5 inches in 8 weeks! I actually only lost about 8 pounds between November and January. That's 1 pound a week, which is good! However, the really awesome thing is I lost almost FIFTEEN pounds worth of FAT! The percentage of my body that is lean mass has increased - meaning...I am STRONGER! Remember that word?

I'll report more results after the next 8 weeks. (at my gym, I get weighed/measured every 8 weeks) My goal is to have lost 10 pounds. Oh, and to be able to do the push ups in my workout routine as regular push ups, not girly style push ups. Stronger, right?

The $170 Wreath

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

No, I did not make a wreath that cost $170. I did, however, make a wreath that cost under $10. My inspiration was this wreath:

Pinterest via Etsy

I spotted it on Pinterest, and when I followed the link to the Etsy shop I was SHOCKED at the price. $170??? I don't understand. Why is this wreath so expensive??? Are those real diamonds? Haha! So I set out to make my own for MUCH less than $170.

I started with the outside of an embroidery hoop. I had it left over from my crayon wreath!

I painted the hoop white and tied the ends together with a little ribbon that will also serve as the wreath hanger.

Then, I cut 10 billion pieces of tulle. Okay not quite 10 billion. But it was 50 yards of white tulle (about 6 inches wide, $4.99 a 25 yd spool at Hobby Lobby), cut into 12 inch sections. It was a LOT of tulle. I don't have a picture of all the tulle, but I do have this picture of one of my cats watching the tulle very carefully. She really wanted to eat it.

Next came the tying process. I just tied double knots in the center of each piece around the edge of the hoop.

After that, I hot glued some shiny stuff onto the center. I chose a piece of tinsel ribbon (found in my ribbon stash) and a string of silver beads ($1.49 at Hobby Lobby).

One more addition I need to make is to attach some sort of snowflake to help signify that this is a winter wreath and I did not, in fact, just hang a tutu on my door.

Voila! $170? Puh-lease. Try under $10! And it wasn't even time intensive. It took about 1 episode of House Hunters followed by 1 episode of Cupcake Wars to complete this. Also known as, 1.5 hours.

It Can't Be Coincidence

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:55:00 +0000

This morning, I wrote about how I finally broke the "widow weight" barrier and hit the weight I weighed on my wedding day.

Today when I went to the grocery store and saw these for the first time this Valentine's season.

After Valentine's Day 2009, my mom bought 20 bags of these hearts and we sprinkled them on the tables at my wedding.

I thought that was a funny coincidence. Then, I was sitting thinking about that coincidence and I realized that today is another anniversary of sorts. This day, 2 years ago - the Wednesday before Martin Luther King, Jr day, Isaac and I had a conversation I'll never forget. Isaac was scheduled to go for blood counts the next day, and he'd been feeling really tired all that week. He said "Tomorrow they'll tell me either I need more red cells and I'll get a transfusion, or it's my oxygen level and I'll have to go on oxygen" I immediately burst into tears, recalling the words of the MD Anderson oncologist - "When/If Isaac goes on oxygen, he will have only a matter of weeks left." The next day, Isaac was admitted to the hospital and put on permanent oxygen. He died 7 weeks later. So I started thinking maybe this wasn't all coincidence.

Then, just now I sat down at my computer to do some schoolwork and turned on my Pandora. The first song that came on was "You Never Let Go" - the last song I remember standing with Isaac and singing, and also a song we sang at his funeral. Immediately after that, the song "Came to My Rescue" came on. That song rarely ever comes on. That song is the last song that was playing on my Pandora the morning Isaac died.

It can't be coincidence.

The Weight

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:32:00 +0000

1 Corinthians 12:9-10

{original image source}

There is a number on the scale that has been taunting me for some time now. Since the end of November the closest I have come to this number is 1.5 pounds above it. Throughout December I bounced between 1.5 pounds and 4 pounds about the number. I haven't been able to get past this one darn number.

You see, it's the number I weighed on this day:

Most women who gain weight after their weddings think of that "wedding day weight" as a major goal. For me, it was that but it is also a major milestone. I gained a few pounds after we got married, but most of this extra weight was gained throughout Isaac's declining health and after his death.

And as of this morning, I FINALLY broke that number. I've lost the 25 pounds of "widow weight".

Mostly, I feel completely and utterly THRILLED with this! I am so proud and I feel so strong. But, there's this little piece of me that has struggled to get past this number because in some way, I feel like holding on to that extra weight was a way of holding on to Isaac. I know in reality that Isaac would be SO PROUD of me for doing this. He would be cheering me on every pound lost and every time I up my weights at the gym and he might have even choked down a green monster for me. Okay, that last part might be pushing it.

Along with the physical weight I have lost, there has been a huge change in the "emotional" weight I've been carrying. I can't begin to explain how GOOD I feel. I have more energy, I sleep better, I am more confident, I am in a better mood (usually). This comes from not just the physical work I've been doing, but the spiritual work as well. I work hard at staying in God's Word regularly, at praying more consistently, at praising more frequently.

I can't remember a time in recent memory that I have felt this much peace, joy, and contentment. I thank God for giving me the strength to keep working at this. I thank Him for blessing me with 8 months of marriage to someone as amazing as Isaac, who showed me what it really means to have God's strength in even our weakest times.

Progress photos coming on Friday! :-)

Find more inspiration at Word Filled Wednesdays and Women Living Well!

Fit Tip Friday - The Green Monster

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

While I'm in the process of losing weight and working out, I thought I'd share some of the tips, tricks, and information I've been learning and gathering along the way! So here's the first "Fit Tip Friday"!

Every morning for breakfast, I drink a "Green Monster". The original recipe can be found at Oh, She Glows. My recipe is almost the exact same thing, just a few minor tweeks. It has enough protein to keep me full for several hours, some healthy fat from the coconut milk and peanut butter, and the nutritional benefits of spinach and bananas! It's a delicious and easy way to start the day off with a couple servings of fruits and veggies. And I promise - you really, truly, for real CANNOT taste the spinach. I mean it!

My Green Monster

1 cup vanilla SoDelicious coconut milk (90 calories)

1 tbsp natural peanut butter (100 calories)

1/2 scoop 100 calorie Whey Protein powder (50 calories)

1-2 cups baby spinach

3-4 ice cubes

1/2 frozen banana (50 calories)

Put the ingredients in a blender and mix!

Total calories: 290

WFW - Be STRONG!

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

January's "Word Filled Wednesdays" will feature verses that tie in with my 2012 word: STRONGER.

I took this picture along the beach on Sanibel Island in Florida. There were tons of these beautiful conch shells all over, but every one I picked up had a live animal in it, so they were left on the beach. My mom and I were both wondering how the little creatures would survive when the tide went out. But I realized, the conch animals weren't worrying about that. They weren't frightened of the tide or being left in the sun, they were just rolling around in the ocean doing whatever conch creatures do. Sometimes I wish I could be more like that, less worried about the "what ifs" and more content to just hang out in the waves.

Find more inspiration at Word Filled Wednesdays.

Adventures in Pasta Making

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

I spent my Christmas in Ft. Myers, FL with my parents. With beautiful 80+ degree weather, blue skies, and lots of sunshine - it was a great way to spend Christmas! Little did I know it, but Santa actually visits motor homes, too! If you're wondering, he comes in through the furnace (not the exhaust pipe, as some might think). This year, Santa brought me a really fun present! A pasta maker! So, naturally, the first day home I spent several hours in my kitchen teaching myself how to make pasta. It is SO EASY. It won't take several hours every time, but the first time always takes the longest.

Here's my step-by-step teaching myself how to make pasta tutorial!

Basic Pasta Ingredients: (from the book that came with my pasta maker)

Per Person:

125 grams of flour

1 egg

1. Measure your flour.

2. Add flour to your bowl, making a small well in the middle.

3. Add the egg into the little well.

4. Use a fork to mix the egg and flour.

5. Add water if necessary until you get a nice firm dough. (I added about 2 tbsp of water)

6. In small sections, run the pasta through your pasta maker. Start off running it through a few times on the widest setting. Then turn it down a notch, run it through, turn it down another notch, run it through, etc. Continue until the pasta is the desired thickness.

7. Play around! This was my first batch of dough. I tried running it through the fettuccine cutter, the regular spaghetti cutter, and making a ravioli.

8. For ravioli, I cut squares the size I wanted out of the pasta. Then I used my 1 tablespoon scooper to add the filling. My filling is a puree of roasted mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, garlic, and olive oil.

9. Add the second square on top.

10. Use a ravioli stamp to seal. Trim the edges. I also played around with using a biscuit cutter and then sealing the edges with a fork. That worked well too!

11. Place the raviolis on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Freeze until ready to use!

12. Pop the frozen raviolis into boiling water for 4-6 minutes.

13. Smother with super healthy pasta sauce.

YUM!

This was much, much easier than I had expected it to be. They froze really well, and cooked up quick. It'd be easy to spend a Sunday afternoon making a big batch of ravioli to freeze!

I also made a batch of fettuccine, let it dry overnight, and then cooked it a few days later. It was delicious, too!

Find more recipes at Tasty Tuesday!

Monday Melody - Stronger Song #1

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

To kick off the new year, I chose my 2012 word - STRONGER. In keeping with the theme, I decided that my January "Monday Melody" songs and "Word Filled Wednesday" posts will have something to do with "stronger".

My current favorite song to turn up really loud in my car and/or dance around like an idiot to in my house is Kelly Clarkson's "What Doesn't Kill You". It is about a break up, but it has a great beat and I love the chorus:

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Stand a little taller

Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone

What doesn't kill you makes a fighter

Footsteps even lighter

Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone

At the risk of completely over-thinking a Kelly Clarkson song, let me explain what this means in my life. It reminds me that in God's strength, I am stronger than I ever thought. It reminds me that as I lose physical weight, I am also working through and losing emotional weight. It reminds me that allowing God to fight my battles makes me a stronger fighter. It reminds me that instead of thinking "Poor me, I'm a lonely widow", I need to remember to think "I am blessed. I had the chance to be married to someone AWESOME and I am STRONGER because of it."

What's the Word, Hummingbird?

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Alright folks, it's that time of year again...the end of one and the beginning of another! That means time for resolutions, right? Eh...not for me. Last year, I did my first "word of the year" and I like this approach better. Before I share the 2012 word, let's take a look back at 2011, shall we? My 2011 word was "renew". I set out to renew with 3 goals in mind:

- I will renew and strengthen my relationship with God through the Bible in 90 Days Challenge. ( I alllllmost completed the Bible in 90 Days Challenge (I stopped at Revelation...pathetic, I know!!). But I did find the Good Morning Girls study of 1 John this Fall to be AWESOME. I also did Beth Moore's Breaking Free this summer, and that study is outstanding. Goal #1? Accomplished.)

- I will renew my physical health by eating something other than the 4 holiday food groups of fudge, candy, cookies, and coffee. (I really kicked this goal off in June, and then hit it outta the park this Fall. So far, I'm down 25 pounds and I feel better than ever! Goal #2? Accomplished.)

- I will renew my home by tackling the disastrous mess that is currently my craft room. I want a place where I can do my crafty stuff without having to mess up other rooms in the house. (DONE! It feels so good to have this room completed. Check it out! Goal #3? Accomplished.)

Not bad, huh? So - what's in store for 2012? This year's word is:

This was the very first word that popped into my head when I started thinking about the 2012 word. I recently read the book "Working It Out" by former Biggest Loser contestant Abby Rike. She lost her husband and 2 small children in a car accident a few years ago. There is a quote in her book that has really stuck in my mind. In reference to her experience with grief and loss, she says "I'd been better the first year than the second. The second year was when I really started thinking, This is your life. Is this it? This is not enough. This is not cutting it. I can't live like this. I didn't ever give up; I kept trying, but the longer time went on the more I realized that was just surviving - not living."

Boy is she right. I heard it from a lot of people - "the 2nd year is harder" - and in some ways it was, but not in the ways I expected. Abby hit the nail on the head with that quote. That's what makes it harder - the reality of life continuing on really set in during the 2nd year.

But, I've also found myself feeling stronger. Spiritually, physically, mentally - I am getting stronger.

Here are the STRONGER goals for 2012:

-Spiritually Stronger Goal: Get back into Youth Ministry. I haven't done youth ministry since the Fall of 2009. Isaac and I met as youth leaders, and since he died I just haven't been able to jump back into that ministry. But, I made a church change this fall and I'm excited to get back to youth ministry!

-Physically Stronger Goal: Keep hitting the gym. In 3.5 months of regular strength training, I am already so much stronger and it gives me the incentive to keep at it!

-Mentally Stronger Goal: Get more sleep. I think this is a goal a lot of us have, right? I am a 9 hour a night girl when given the time, but during school I consistently get 6-7...and I feel it. So the goal now? 7-8 hours.

"I know my heart will never be the same,

But I'm telling myself I'll be okay.

Even on my weakest days,

I get a little bit stronger."

{Sara Evans}

Need more strong? Check out my 2012 = Stronger Board on Pinterest!

Christmas Home Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:02:00 +0000

Here's a little glimpse into my Christmas-y house! I'm busy this week spending time with friends every night, then jetting off to Florida on Friday night! Merry Christmas!!

{Can you find a Christmas kitty?}

{can you find another Christmas cat?}

{spray painted branches with mini-ornaments}

{snowmen on the top of the piano}

{hanging ornaments}

{spray painted dowel rod + hanging ornaments}

{lights on the banister}

{mini stockings}

{a 1-footed snowman and a little cactus JOY}

{gingerbread pillows and some snowflake coffee table decor}

{Christmas fireplace}

{the mirror at night}

{fake presents by the fireplace}

{top of the Christmas mantle}

Merry Christmas to you all!

I'm taking a 2 week blog break...

See you in 2012!

Complete the Christmas Sentences

noreply@blogger.com (Jess) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 03:44:00 +0000

My favorite part of December is....Christmas vacation. I'm a teacher, what can I say??

The Christmas song I can listen to over and over is....Ahhh so many!!! See this post from last year. I LOVE the Chris Tomlin Christmas songs of worship CD, and this year I'm loving Francesca Battistelli's Be Born in Me (not technically a Christmas song, but SO SO SO beautiful and about Mary) And also I LOVE Feliz Navidad. Don't judge me.

My favorite Christmas gift when I was a child was....CLOTHES! I used to spend all day changing from outfit to outfit to outfit. So fun!!

If traveling anywhere in the world were an option I would spend Christmas....Somewhere warm - hey lucky, I'm going to Florida for Christmas! ;-)

Christmas movies are....fantastic. Especially on Lifetime. The cheesier the better!!!

My must have Christmas treats include...Gingerbread lattes from Starbucks. Specifically: grande, nonfat, 2 pump, no whip, no foam Gingerbread Lattes. :)

Decorating for the season looks like....lights. I just love Christmas lights! I didn't do a tree this year, but I do have to post my little house tour so someone besides me and the cats can see my decorations!

When it comes to Christmas gifts I prefer to...not buy them. For anyone. That is, unless I see something and think "that would be perfect for ____" or come up with a cute idea without much thinking. I refuse to stress myself out thinking up gift ideas.

The Christmas season makes me feel....hmmm - this is an interesting one, and something I've been meaning to write about. I'll just leave it at that and you'll have to check back later this week for more!

To me Christmas means....I'm going with a "hmmm" on this one too. This year Christmas is feeling different, and I can't explain that without a whole separate post. I guess the obvious answer is Christmas is Jesus. I just feel like there's more - Christmas should be a time that we stop all the busy craziness of life and just enjoy our family and friends. Be thankful for what we have, show our appreciation for those we love, just enjoy!