Happy Halloween! No dressing up for me this year....Oh wait, I normally don't dress up, that's right...but, I am wearing my black deep-V, does that count?
Just mixed up a batch of peanut butter cookie dough. Couldn't help but think of my mom, as I mixed with my old wooden spoon (remember when I blogged about it?, my favorite utensil...) and followed the recipe out of her old Betty Crocker cookbook. I love looking through this cookbook, noticing the pages with two decade old buttery fingerprints, a brownie batter smear here, a biscuit dough crumb there....
~I had a great childhood~
Anytime I make peanut butter cookies, I can't help but laugh, remembering the one time Jill & I were playing "kitchen"....she was the instructor and I was the student, naturally. Anyway, to make a long story short, instead of 1/4 tsp. of salt, I decided to add 1/4 cup of salt. Needless to say, the dog wouldn't even eat the dough (why we even tried to feed it to her?? Poor, Dusty..) and I failed "kitchen" miserably that day.
This got me thinking...
cooking and being in the kitchen
will always be homey to me.
Full of....
love
memories
joy
hope
laughter
tears
and of course....
delicious baked goods (typically from my mother or sister)
and
savory dishes
prepared, not out of feelings of responsibility
but out of desire and love.
oh.. p.s., that soup I made yesterday, it's even better today.
loves-a.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
10.30.10x2
Per request of my old roommate and long time friend, Ninja, I've decided that at least once a week, I would post something that I've cooked or baked that week....Sometimes I dream about being a foodie blogger..some days I think I could do it..some days I realize I'm not that good with my words. And..I totally forget to take pictures, which is really the whole point of a food blog
...you lure readers in with tantalizing photos of a perfectly roasted turkey or a flawless cheesecake..
good thing there is the world wide web...otherwise you'd just have to imagine how yummy this soup was...
Now, Ninja and I are kind of in the same boat, both of our husbands are gone (granted, I think she wins, with having Kenny deployed in Iraq, while mine is playing music at a bar in So. Cal. tonight)..anyway, cooking for one can be quite depressing, full of salads and grilled cheese. Or you make a dish the way you would to serve 4-6 people, then you're eating that dish for the next 5 days. . .Good thing, Ninja and I are both good cooks, so we don't mind eating our delicious cooking for days on end (and we're both too frugally minded to even contemplate throwing out leftovers--especially homemade leftovers!
so, enough with the writing (see, I just blab..)
we'll call this Hearty Vegetable and Chicken Soup..the original recipe, I think I saw in an old Rachael Ray magazine of mine..and it was called Hearty Chicken and Vegetable Soup..but with the amount of veggies I put in mine, it only made sense to make veggies the star. I think the thing that puts this soup in a class above other Chicken & Vegetable soups, is that you roast the tomatoes...seriously, don't skip this step.
ingredients:
1 lb. plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 onions, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
5-6 carrots, peeled & chopped
1 lb. potatoes (I used fingerling but yukon gold would be delicious too) peeled & chopped
1 zucchini halved, and sliced into moons (I used 1/2 a reg. zuc. and a yellow zuc. b/c that's what I had)
4 cups chicken broth (normally I have homemade, but this time I used a box Imagine Organic Free Range--which is my favorite boxed broth)
1/2 lb green beans, trimmed and halved (I used frozen, b/c once again, it's what I had)
a handful of parsley, minced
First step.....
Heat your oven to 500, yes this is hot, but you're going to roast the tomatoes quick-style. Place the tomatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with evoo (extra virgin olive oil) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Slide those puppies into the oven for 20 minutes. *Around the 10 minute mark I noticed quite a bit of smoke coming from my oven...terrified that my smoke alarm was going off--note, it's not a bad thing for smoke alarms to go off, but this is the first time I've lived in a place that has sprinklers too--and I don't know HOW much smoke it takes to set those babies off* Anyway, the parchment just got a little charred is all and the tomatoes looked delicious. When they're done, put them in a bowl, with any juices that accumulated too.
Second step....
Did you chop all your veggies? You could totally do them now if you wanted, while the tomatoes are roasting. In the mean time, heat your soup pot over medium heat with 1 tbs. of evoo and add the chicken, cooking for 10 minutes, flipping just once. Oh yes, season with salt and pepper, I always figure that goes without saying.. and I imagine that the chicken would be just as good if you roasted it as well, I might try that next time. Anyway, once the chicken is done, set it on a plate and let it cool for at least 10 minutes, so it's cool enough to handle. I shred mine b/c I like the texture of that better in soup, as opposed to chopping it..but do whatever you'd like. That's the beauty of soups :)
Third step...
In the same pot you cooked your chicken in, heat another tbs. of evoo over medium and add your onion, cooking it till soft...about 5 minutes or so (at this point...I thought about putting in some garlic, because I tend to put garlic in everything, but decided against it, wanting all the other veggies' flavors to shine. So after the onion is soft, throw in the carrot, celery, and potatoes (oh yes, don't forget the salt and pepper back when you're cooking up the onions!) Now, you're probably wondering why I didn't just put the carrots and celery in at the same time as the onions, well, good question...going the traditional route of the mirepoix (the holy trinity of the culinary world), you get a lot of soft textures, and I wanted to have a little variance in my soup........
anyway..back to the soup.
So after you add the carrots and what not, go ahead and throw in your broth and cook for about 5 minutes, just simmering.
Fourth step...
Put in your green beans, zucchini, and tomatoes w/their juices, and let this simmer for about 10 minutes, until your potatoes are tender, and then add your shredded chicken (oh yea, I forgot to mention that step...shred your chicken once it's cool :) and your minced parsley.
Then I let it sit on medium low heat for another 10 minutes to let all the flavors blend. So there ya go..
The only thing I would say would make this better is.....
a crusty loaf of bread for dipping
a few friends to share
an apple pie for dessert
loves-a.
...you lure readers in with tantalizing photos of a perfectly roasted turkey or a flawless cheesecake..
good thing there is the world wide web...otherwise you'd just have to imagine how yummy this soup was...
Now, Ninja and I are kind of in the same boat, both of our husbands are gone (granted, I think she wins, with having Kenny deployed in Iraq, while mine is playing music at a bar in So. Cal. tonight)..anyway, cooking for one can be quite depressing, full of salads and grilled cheese. Or you make a dish the way you would to serve 4-6 people, then you're eating that dish for the next 5 days. . .Good thing, Ninja and I are both good cooks, so we don't mind eating our delicious cooking for days on end (and we're both too frugally minded to even contemplate throwing out leftovers--especially homemade leftovers!
so, enough with the writing (see, I just blab..)
we'll call this Hearty Vegetable and Chicken Soup..the original recipe, I think I saw in an old Rachael Ray magazine of mine..and it was called Hearty Chicken and Vegetable Soup..but with the amount of veggies I put in mine, it only made sense to make veggies the star. I think the thing that puts this soup in a class above other Chicken & Vegetable soups, is that you roast the tomatoes...seriously, don't skip this step.ingredients:
1 lb. plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 onions, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
5-6 carrots, peeled & chopped
1 lb. potatoes (I used fingerling but yukon gold would be delicious too) peeled & chopped
1 zucchini halved, and sliced into moons (I used 1/2 a reg. zuc. and a yellow zuc. b/c that's what I had)
4 cups chicken broth (normally I have homemade, but this time I used a box Imagine Organic Free Range--which is my favorite boxed broth)
1/2 lb green beans, trimmed and halved (I used frozen, b/c once again, it's what I had)
a handful of parsley, minced
First step.....
Heat your oven to 500, yes this is hot, but you're going to roast the tomatoes quick-style. Place the tomatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with evoo (extra virgin olive oil) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Slide those puppies into the oven for 20 minutes. *Around the 10 minute mark I noticed quite a bit of smoke coming from my oven...terrified that my smoke alarm was going off--note, it's not a bad thing for smoke alarms to go off, but this is the first time I've lived in a place that has sprinklers too--and I don't know HOW much smoke it takes to set those babies off* Anyway, the parchment just got a little charred is all and the tomatoes looked delicious. When they're done, put them in a bowl, with any juices that accumulated too.
Second step....
Did you chop all your veggies? You could totally do them now if you wanted, while the tomatoes are roasting. In the mean time, heat your soup pot over medium heat with 1 tbs. of evoo and add the chicken, cooking for 10 minutes, flipping just once. Oh yes, season with salt and pepper, I always figure that goes without saying.. and I imagine that the chicken would be just as good if you roasted it as well, I might try that next time. Anyway, once the chicken is done, set it on a plate and let it cool for at least 10 minutes, so it's cool enough to handle. I shred mine b/c I like the texture of that better in soup, as opposed to chopping it..but do whatever you'd like. That's the beauty of soups :)
Third step...
In the same pot you cooked your chicken in, heat another tbs. of evoo over medium and add your onion, cooking it till soft...about 5 minutes or so (at this point...I thought about putting in some garlic, because I tend to put garlic in everything, but decided against it, wanting all the other veggies' flavors to shine. So after the onion is soft, throw in the carrot, celery, and potatoes (oh yes, don't forget the salt and pepper back when you're cooking up the onions!) Now, you're probably wondering why I didn't just put the carrots and celery in at the same time as the onions, well, good question...going the traditional route of the mirepoix (the holy trinity of the culinary world), you get a lot of soft textures, and I wanted to have a little variance in my soup........
anyway..back to the soup.
So after you add the carrots and what not, go ahead and throw in your broth and cook for about 5 minutes, just simmering.
Fourth step...
Put in your green beans, zucchini, and tomatoes w/their juices, and let this simmer for about 10 minutes, until your potatoes are tender, and then add your shredded chicken (oh yea, I forgot to mention that step...shred your chicken once it's cool :) and your minced parsley.
Then I let it sit on medium low heat for another 10 minutes to let all the flavors blend. So there ya go..
The only thing I would say would make this better is.....
a crusty loaf of bread for dipping
a few friends to share
an apple pie for dessert
loves-a.
10.30.10
Having a nice, lazy Saturday thus far... slept in till 8. . . lounged around, drank a couple cups of coffee, ate a breakfast of Hemp toast, slathered with Trader Joe's peanut butter (thanks Mom for sending me a jar!) and a sliced banana. Watched a little bit of the news...then turned it off, the news quickly depresses me. Got my butt in gear and did my workout, slacked yesterday and didn't do it...so it hurt extra today...karma...dangit. Took a long, hot shower...put on an old pair of jeans and t-shirt that actually are starting to fit me better! Went down to the mailbox to drop our rent check in the mail...but the mail man came early today..and the September issue of Bon Appetit was in our box..that was a nice surprise, sure wasn't expecting them to send me the back issues since I signed up in September...one of the best $3 I've ever spent, I do believe. Had a simple lunch of leftover brown rice & pine nuts, topped with some yum sauce (I do think I'll be putting that on everything from now on....) and now....working on a couple mixes for some precious people in my life....
sometimes making mixes can be overwhelming, 20.5 days worth of music on my iTunes, it can be hard to canvass the entire music library...So quite often, I put it on shuffle and wait for the inspiration to kick in....And actually, my iTunes (and my iPod in the car) stay on shuffle at least 80% of the time, a good way to hear music I haven't heard in a while...
so, here's what my iTunes has played the past 10 songs...with maybe my favorite line or two....
#1 Ryan Adams "You Will Always Be The Same"
-------- Go on little girl, feet twirl, go and make him smile-------
#2 Minus the Bear "Dr. L'ling"
#3 AU4 "Everything's Moving"
#4 Phil Wickham "Holy, Holy, Holy"
#5 M.I.A. "World Town"
-------Every wall you build I'll knock it down to the floor--------
#6 The Beatles "Hey Jude"
------Remember to let her into your heart, then you can start to make it better------
#7 Fionn Regan "Bunker or Basement"
#8 Wilco "Handshake Drugs"
#9 Au Revoir Simone "Shadows"
-------I'm moving on, I hope you're coming with me. Cause I'm not strong without you------
#10 Karate "First Release"
-------When I'm alone, I want to feel like one kid getting stoned, only to keep things a little more clear, just to be able to hold on to a simple idea. And when I'm with you, I want to notice everything as we do, to catch every bit bit of blur, squint, chill, and red, from sand dunes, San Soliel, and sunsets------
loves-a.
sometimes making mixes can be overwhelming, 20.5 days worth of music on my iTunes, it can be hard to canvass the entire music library...So quite often, I put it on shuffle and wait for the inspiration to kick in....And actually, my iTunes (and my iPod in the car) stay on shuffle at least 80% of the time, a good way to hear music I haven't heard in a while...
so, here's what my iTunes has played the past 10 songs...with maybe my favorite line or two....
#1 Ryan Adams "You Will Always Be The Same"
-------- Go on little girl, feet twirl, go and make him smile-------
#2 Minus the Bear "Dr. L'ling"
#3 AU4 "Everything's Moving"
#4 Phil Wickham "Holy, Holy, Holy"
#5 M.I.A. "World Town"
-------Every wall you build I'll knock it down to the floor--------
#6 The Beatles "Hey Jude"
------Remember to let her into your heart, then you can start to make it better------
#7 Fionn Regan "Bunker or Basement"
#8 Wilco "Handshake Drugs"
#9 Au Revoir Simone "Shadows"
-------I'm moving on, I hope you're coming with me. Cause I'm not strong without you------
#10 Karate "First Release"
-------When I'm alone, I want to feel like one kid getting stoned, only to keep things a little more clear, just to be able to hold on to a simple idea. And when I'm with you, I want to notice everything as we do, to catch every bit bit of blur, squint, chill, and red, from sand dunes, San Soliel, and sunsets------
loves-a.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
10.28.10
I can't believe how windy it is outside right now....I feel like I'm over on the Coast..or maybe it's that I wish I was! Either way, I think winter is definitely settling in up here in Idaho, and it won't be too long before I either discover I really DO love the cold or if that's just something I've always said because I hated the heat in Redding.
So this time next week, Jeremy will be home!! Oh man, I seriously cannot wait, my life just doesn't seem complete when he's not by my side. I feel like such a different person, like I'm not myself unless he's around. I haven't decided if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but I take delight in knowing that we must complement each other well. The other night he text me the sweetest thing about he couldn't wait to get home, so he could be a better husband to me...doing the dishes, cleaning the house, drawing me a bubble bath..just made my heart SO full. I've definitely learned to miss him, all over again, and I think this is the most I've ever missed him in my life.
Come the end of January, it will be Jeremy's turn to learn to miss me (not that he doesn't miss me while he's out on the road...but I mean, him being home and missing me:)... Bought my plane ticket the other day to fly out to California the end of January for 9 days. I am SO excited about this trip for many reasons...
#1 It will be my first trip w/o Jeremy since we've been married (minus a couple weekend getaways with my sister and mom)
#2 It will be my first time flying by myself...haha, not so scary since it's only a 45 minute flight!
#3 I will get to spend 9 days with my mom--I am SO looking forward to this...because my mom is amazing...
#4 I'll get to see some of my favorite people on this trip
#5 I'll get to go to two of my favorite places...the northern California coast and Ashland, Or.
and I'm sure there are many more..but it's going to be great..I'm flying into Reno where my parents will pick me up..and I'm sure we'll spend a couple of days there..then drive down to Redding and see my sister and Erich..maybe spend a night or two there..drive over to the Coast, see Jeff & Melani for a day or two..drive up the coast and cut over to Ashland...oh man, it's going to be amazing.. I'm already praying that the weather will cooperate for us taking a road trip :)
So anyway...guess I should get myself ready for work. loves you all.
loves-a.
So this time next week, Jeremy will be home!! Oh man, I seriously cannot wait, my life just doesn't seem complete when he's not by my side. I feel like such a different person, like I'm not myself unless he's around. I haven't decided if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but I take delight in knowing that we must complement each other well. The other night he text me the sweetest thing about he couldn't wait to get home, so he could be a better husband to me...doing the dishes, cleaning the house, drawing me a bubble bath..just made my heart SO full. I've definitely learned to miss him, all over again, and I think this is the most I've ever missed him in my life.
Come the end of January, it will be Jeremy's turn to learn to miss me (not that he doesn't miss me while he's out on the road...but I mean, him being home and missing me:)... Bought my plane ticket the other day to fly out to California the end of January for 9 days. I am SO excited about this trip for many reasons...
#1 It will be my first trip w/o Jeremy since we've been married (minus a couple weekend getaways with my sister and mom)
#2 It will be my first time flying by myself...haha, not so scary since it's only a 45 minute flight!
#3 I will get to spend 9 days with my mom--I am SO looking forward to this...because my mom is amazing...
#4 I'll get to see some of my favorite people on this trip
#5 I'll get to go to two of my favorite places...the northern California coast and Ashland, Or.
and I'm sure there are many more..but it's going to be great..I'm flying into Reno where my parents will pick me up..and I'm sure we'll spend a couple of days there..then drive down to Redding and see my sister and Erich..maybe spend a night or two there..drive over to the Coast, see Jeff & Melani for a day or two..drive up the coast and cut over to Ashland...oh man, it's going to be amazing.. I'm already praying that the weather will cooperate for us taking a road trip :)
So anyway...guess I should get myself ready for work. loves you all.
loves-a.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
10.24.10
it's all rainy and windy outside....the rain is splattering against the windows and the wind is howling around my apartment. It's quite lovely, actually. This kind of weather makes me feel creative, like I could sit inside and make mix cd's all day long for my friends, and make great collages for the cases. My first thought this morning, though, when I looked out the windows (I love to watch the rain fall...) was "I wish Evan and Nancy could come over for dinner..." Guess I'm missing me some Persons this morning.
Been thinking about people in my life that I feel like I've never had as much time with as I wanted....
Evan and Nancy
Jordan and Bethany
Marty and Becky
Jeff and Melani
Mel and Tysen
Nina and Kenny
Jordan C.
those are the people back "home" that have really been on my mind & in my heart lately... It's just strange that all these people, I haven't spent much of life with (except for a couple of you :)... yet, I feel the biggest connection to them, more than any friends I've ever had. Maybe it's the whole "you always want what you can't have" thing.... well, regardless, I miss them and wish they could all come over for dinner tonight.
*on a side note*
today is the last day of the Master Cleanse for me! SO excited to be able to cook and eat again. I feel good though, I must say, better than my first time. Purposely, I did not weigh myself at the beginning, because I didn't want to base my success on how many lbs. I lost, but on how healthy I felt..and I feel good and like I lost a few lbs., which is great. I'm sure the combination of doing the cleanse and doing the 30 day shred every day has helped.... Would love to get back to how I felt 3 years ago, but I'm pretty happy with where I'm at right now.
*another side note*
went to a show at the Flying M last night..my friends are in a band called Mickey the Jump.... and they blow me away every time I see them...seriously, the passion and excitement that they play with is infectious. I'm so proud of them........such talent, such great sound, man....I hope they get to play music like this forever. Following them up at the show was Wye Oak. Incredible band from Baltimore...do yourself a favor and get one of their albums.
loves-a.
Been thinking about people in my life that I feel like I've never had as much time with as I wanted....
Evan and Nancy
Jordan and Bethany
Marty and Becky
Jeff and Melani
Mel and Tysen
Nina and Kenny
Jordan C.
those are the people back "home" that have really been on my mind & in my heart lately... It's just strange that all these people, I haven't spent much of life with (except for a couple of you :)... yet, I feel the biggest connection to them, more than any friends I've ever had. Maybe it's the whole "you always want what you can't have" thing.... well, regardless, I miss them and wish they could all come over for dinner tonight.
*on a side note*
today is the last day of the Master Cleanse for me! SO excited to be able to cook and eat again. I feel good though, I must say, better than my first time. Purposely, I did not weigh myself at the beginning, because I didn't want to base my success on how many lbs. I lost, but on how healthy I felt..and I feel good and like I lost a few lbs., which is great. I'm sure the combination of doing the cleanse and doing the 30 day shred every day has helped.... Would love to get back to how I felt 3 years ago, but I'm pretty happy with where I'm at right now.
*another side note*
went to a show at the Flying M last night..my friends are in a band called Mickey the Jump.... and they blow me away every time I see them...seriously, the passion and excitement that they play with is infectious. I'm so proud of them........such talent, such great sound, man....I hope they get to play music like this forever. Following them up at the show was Wye Oak. Incredible band from Baltimore...do yourself a favor and get one of their albums.
loves-a.
Monday, October 18, 2010
10.18.10
4 months ago, Jeremy and I drove away from a place I called home for 25 years of my life, Redding. Through the north eastern corner of California, through the barren eastern Oregon, and finally landed in the Treasure Valley, Nampa, Idaho. It's been a good, strange, hard, joyful, tearful, inspiring 4 months to say the least.
2 months ago, I started a new job using my degree as a PSR worker (psychosocial rehabilitationist). This was a big step for me, as many of you know, I was a loyal worker at Sunset Market for the past 10 years it seems. It's been good, strange, hard, joyful, tearful, inspiring 2 months to say the least.
4 days ago, I started the Master Cleanse for the second time around. My caffeine withdrawal headache only lasted for Day 1, unlike last time till Day 3, maybe I'm not drinking as much coffee as I used to. The saltwater in the morning is still gross, but I drink it with ease, all at one, unlike last time.
3 days ago, I started the "30 day shred" dvd by Jillian from Biggest Loser. Man, it's so hard to stick with her for 20 minutes, especially, since I cannot recall the last time I worked out. But I'm excited to be in shape, to lose my pooch, and to look like a smokin' hot wife for Jeremy when he comes home in November.
Yesterday...I had a rough morning. Not sure if it's partly because of when you detox, you typically become more emotional.... but, I was "homesick" like crazy. All I wanted to do was go pick up my sister and drive up to see our Mom and Dad. It didn't help that Jeremy wasn't home to comfort me...and that was another part of it, I just wanted him to be home with me. This is the farthest I've lived from my family, and I think it finally hit me how much I missed being around them. After spending last weekend with them camping in the mountains, fishing at Eagle Lake, sitting around my parents house chit-chatting, I really really missed them. And I knew it was bound to hit me sooner or later..I just wasn't expecting it to leave me teary-eyed for most of the day.
Today...I'm going to practice crocheting, I'm determined to learn this craft! Go to the library and check out some new books. Work with 1 client this afternoon (wish it was more..but nobody called me back today to confirm appts! grrrr). Watch some silly tv shows with Kaysha tonight as we drink our yummy lemonade and laxative tea (ha!).
I love you all... God is so good, all the time.
xo-a.
2 months ago, I started a new job using my degree as a PSR worker (psychosocial rehabilitationist). This was a big step for me, as many of you know, I was a loyal worker at Sunset Market for the past 10 years it seems. It's been good, strange, hard, joyful, tearful, inspiring 2 months to say the least.
4 days ago, I started the Master Cleanse for the second time around. My caffeine withdrawal headache only lasted for Day 1, unlike last time till Day 3, maybe I'm not drinking as much coffee as I used to. The saltwater in the morning is still gross, but I drink it with ease, all at one, unlike last time.
3 days ago, I started the "30 day shred" dvd by Jillian from Biggest Loser. Man, it's so hard to stick with her for 20 minutes, especially, since I cannot recall the last time I worked out. But I'm excited to be in shape, to lose my pooch, and to look like a smokin' hot wife for Jeremy when he comes home in November.
Yesterday...I had a rough morning. Not sure if it's partly because of when you detox, you typically become more emotional.... but, I was "homesick" like crazy. All I wanted to do was go pick up my sister and drive up to see our Mom and Dad. It didn't help that Jeremy wasn't home to comfort me...and that was another part of it, I just wanted him to be home with me. This is the farthest I've lived from my family, and I think it finally hit me how much I missed being around them. After spending last weekend with them camping in the mountains, fishing at Eagle Lake, sitting around my parents house chit-chatting, I really really missed them. And I knew it was bound to hit me sooner or later..I just wasn't expecting it to leave me teary-eyed for most of the day.
Today...I'm going to practice crocheting, I'm determined to learn this craft! Go to the library and check out some new books. Work with 1 client this afternoon (wish it was more..but nobody called me back today to confirm appts! grrrr). Watch some silly tv shows with Kaysha tonight as we drink our yummy lemonade and laxative tea (ha!).
I love you all... God is so good, all the time.
xo-a.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
10.17.10
Been having some quiet time this morning, just me and my Jesus. . .
this song explains my heart right now.
"All my Devotion"-Kristene Mueller
Beautiful Man,
Beautiful God,
You're more than worth my time.
You're more than worth these longings of my heart
Left unfulfilled,
Just for a time.
Beautiful Man,
Beautiful God,
You're more than worth my time.
You're more than worth these longings of my heart
Left unfulfilled,
Just for a time.
And I know You don't come as easy as some,
But I will watch and pray,
I will watch and pray.
Beautiful Man,
Beautiful God,
You're more than worth my time.
You're more than worth these longings of my heart
Left unfulfilled,
Just for a time.
And I know You don't come as easy as some,
But I will watch and pray,
I will watch and pray.
And I know You don't come as easy as some,
But I will watch and pray,
I will watch and pray.
Take it all,
Take it all,
Just give me Jesus,
Just give me Jesus.
Take it all,
Take it all,
Just give me Jesus,
Just give me Jesus.
I don't want any other lovers,
I don't want any other lovers,
I don't want any other lovers,
I don't want any other lovers,
For all my devotion belongs to this Man,
All my devotion belongs to this Man,
All my devotion belongs to this Man,
All my devotion belongs to this Man.
And I know You don't come as easy as some,
But I will watch and pray,
I will watch and pray.
And I know You don't come as easy as some,
But I will watch and pray,
I will watch and pray.
this song explains my heart right now.
"All my Devotion"-Kristene Mueller
Beautiful Man,
Beautiful God,
You're more than worth my time.
You're more than worth these longings of my heart
Left unfulfilled,
Just for a time.
Beautiful Man,
Beautiful God,
You're more than worth my time.
You're more than worth these longings of my heart
Left unfulfilled,
Just for a time.
And I know You don't come as easy as some,
But I will watch and pray,
I will watch and pray.
Beautiful Man,
Beautiful God,
You're more than worth my time.
You're more than worth these longings of my heart
Left unfulfilled,
Just for a time.
And I know You don't come as easy as some,
But I will watch and pray,
I will watch and pray.
And I know You don't come as easy as some,
But I will watch and pray,
I will watch and pray.
Take it all,
Take it all,
Just give me Jesus,
Just give me Jesus.
Take it all,
Take it all,
Just give me Jesus,
Just give me Jesus.
I don't want any other lovers,
I don't want any other lovers,
I don't want any other lovers,
I don't want any other lovers,
For all my devotion belongs to this Man,
All my devotion belongs to this Man,
All my devotion belongs to this Man,
All my devotion belongs to this Man.
And I know You don't come as easy as some,
But I will watch and pray,
I will watch and pray.
And I know You don't come as easy as some,
But I will watch and pray,
I will watch and pray.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
10.16.10
God is good beyond words......
that's it....
I could write a whole blog about just how good He is...
and how real He is
and how big He is
and how loving He is
and how gracious He is
but I'll just leave it at this..
God is good beyond words.
loves-a.
that's it....
I could write a whole blog about just how good He is...
and how real He is
and how big He is
and how loving He is
and how gracious He is
but I'll just leave it at this..
God is good beyond words.
loves-a.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
10.14.10
What a day...
woke up to check our bank account to find that Jeremy's last check from work bounced. *sigh* ... I was stressed & worried in an instant...but then had to remind myself that those things are not of God...I'm feeling much better now...after some prayer and some reminders from some dear friends of mine....
in brighter news...
I start the Master Cleanse tomorrow (2nd time doing it!) and am excited about the whole process, as this time I have 2 friends, Chad and Kaysha, that are committing to the 10 day cleanse with me. I think this will make it easier on me--although, last time, I did have to test my strength and cook for Jeremy 2 out of my 10 days...silly me.
as part of a mental/spiritual cleanse....I've decided to sell my iPhone (for financial reasons too)... I've been thinking alot about how much time I waste on that silly phone...and all the silly apps that I use every day. That phone has just made me lazy I think. Sure, I'll miss being able to play Wordswithfriends...and some of the other silly games... and you wonder how I'll get to where I'm going without my Maps app? I plan on actually using real paper maps to navigate my way when I'm on trips!! What a crazy idea, eh? And then I won't be checking my face book all the time, or reading every email I get throughout the day as soon as I get it... I'm looking forward to just being able to actually be where I am, instead of having this little computer with me. Technology, is not all it's cracked up to be, in my opinion. I just want a phone that can call people, text, and maybe take pictures...do they even make those anymore??
anyway.... today is day 2 of being home with Jeremy officially out on tour..and I miss him terribly. I thought it might be easier, since we've done this twice before..but I think that since I love him even more than I did back then--that's why it's hard. But I'm blessed up here--surrounded by great people that make sure I'm not just sitting at home feeling sorry for myself.
oohh---forgot to mention that I was camping in California with my fam this weekend! We had SOOOOOO much fun, but I'll save that for another post, when I get the pictures.
loves-a.
woke up to check our bank account to find that Jeremy's last check from work bounced. *sigh* ... I was stressed & worried in an instant...but then had to remind myself that those things are not of God...I'm feeling much better now...after some prayer and some reminders from some dear friends of mine....
in brighter news...
I start the Master Cleanse tomorrow (2nd time doing it!) and am excited about the whole process, as this time I have 2 friends, Chad and Kaysha, that are committing to the 10 day cleanse with me. I think this will make it easier on me--although, last time, I did have to test my strength and cook for Jeremy 2 out of my 10 days...silly me.
as part of a mental/spiritual cleanse....I've decided to sell my iPhone (for financial reasons too)... I've been thinking alot about how much time I waste on that silly phone...and all the silly apps that I use every day. That phone has just made me lazy I think. Sure, I'll miss being able to play Wordswithfriends...and some of the other silly games... and you wonder how I'll get to where I'm going without my Maps app? I plan on actually using real paper maps to navigate my way when I'm on trips!! What a crazy idea, eh? And then I won't be checking my face book all the time, or reading every email I get throughout the day as soon as I get it... I'm looking forward to just being able to actually be where I am, instead of having this little computer with me. Technology, is not all it's cracked up to be, in my opinion. I just want a phone that can call people, text, and maybe take pictures...do they even make those anymore??
anyway.... today is day 2 of being home with Jeremy officially out on tour..and I miss him terribly. I thought it might be easier, since we've done this twice before..but I think that since I love him even more than I did back then--that's why it's hard. But I'm blessed up here--surrounded by great people that make sure I'm not just sitting at home feeling sorry for myself.
oohh---forgot to mention that I was camping in California with my fam this weekend! We had SOOOOOO much fun, but I'll save that for another post, when I get the pictures.
loves-a.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
10.03.10
A list of things I want to accomplish in the next....3-6 months.
1) Master the art of making biscuits & pie crusts (i'm a cook, my friends, not a baker...)
*my mom and sister are amazing cooks & bakers, so I can be too, right?*
2) Master the art of either crocheting or knitting
*once again, my mom and sister are incredible at this..well crocheting atleast..so a part of me wants to knit, so then I can be the master knitter of the family.. :)*
3) Master the art of sewing, and being able to alter ugly, thrift store finds into sweet, one-of-a-kind outfits just for me.
*I grew up wearing, almost all, homemade clothes by my mom. Eventually I'd like to make my own clothes, pillows, curtains, all that stuff, so I can create the same kind of one of a kind clothes I had growing up*
4) Eat, drink, breathe organic.
*this is a challenge right now, financially, but I've learned that I have SO much I can cut out of my life to make room for buying organic....baby steps though, for now*
5) Make all my own cleaning products (used to do this..but have grown lazy over the past few months).
*seriously, all you really need is vinegar, baking soda, castile soap (which is not even a necessity), salt, lemons, and elbow grease*
6) Eat more vegetables, maybe just eat meat twice a week?
*Jeremy will hate this, I imagine*
7) When I do eat meat, it must be local, organic, free-range.
*Yet another thing that seems out of our budget, but after doing some research, this just makes sense*
8) Start buying all the "new" stuff I need, at thrift stores or discount stores, only.
*thrift storing is a favorite, forgotten past-time of mine and I can't wait to scout the Idaho stores*
9) Getting an old typewriter and actually typing my friends & family letters/cards (Yet another thing I used to do....back in the day).
*of course, I had to get rid of 2 awesome typewriters back in the day...now they have become trendy & expensive...but I bet I can find one for under $10*
10) Exercise atleast 3 but hopefully 5 days a week, and therefore, becoming "fit" Amy...losing that lovely "i've been married 3 years" weight.
*Thanks to Tori, I'm going to be working out to the "Biggest Loser" dvds...that Jillian lady really freaks me out but maybe she's what I need to scare me into making exercise a part of my everyday life*
Just a few things, friends.....sometimes I need to just write things out...and put it out there, for people to read..so check in on me...see how I'm doing. K thx bye.
xo-a.
1) Master the art of making biscuits & pie crusts (i'm a cook, my friends, not a baker...)
*my mom and sister are amazing cooks & bakers, so I can be too, right?*
2) Master the art of either crocheting or knitting
*once again, my mom and sister are incredible at this..well crocheting atleast..so a part of me wants to knit, so then I can be the master knitter of the family.. :)*
3) Master the art of sewing, and being able to alter ugly, thrift store finds into sweet, one-of-a-kind outfits just for me.
*I grew up wearing, almost all, homemade clothes by my mom. Eventually I'd like to make my own clothes, pillows, curtains, all that stuff, so I can create the same kind of one of a kind clothes I had growing up*
4) Eat, drink, breathe organic.
*this is a challenge right now, financially, but I've learned that I have SO much I can cut out of my life to make room for buying organic....baby steps though, for now*
5) Make all my own cleaning products (used to do this..but have grown lazy over the past few months).
*seriously, all you really need is vinegar, baking soda, castile soap (which is not even a necessity), salt, lemons, and elbow grease*
6) Eat more vegetables, maybe just eat meat twice a week?
*Jeremy will hate this, I imagine*
7) When I do eat meat, it must be local, organic, free-range.
*Yet another thing that seems out of our budget, but after doing some research, this just makes sense*
8) Start buying all the "new" stuff I need, at thrift stores or discount stores, only.
*thrift storing is a favorite, forgotten past-time of mine and I can't wait to scout the Idaho stores*
9) Getting an old typewriter and actually typing my friends & family letters/cards (Yet another thing I used to do....back in the day).
*of course, I had to get rid of 2 awesome typewriters back in the day...now they have become trendy & expensive...but I bet I can find one for under $10*
10) Exercise atleast 3 but hopefully 5 days a week, and therefore, becoming "fit" Amy...losing that lovely "i've been married 3 years" weight.
*Thanks to Tori, I'm going to be working out to the "Biggest Loser" dvds...that Jillian lady really freaks me out but maybe she's what I need to scare me into making exercise a part of my everyday life*
Just a few things, friends.....sometimes I need to just write things out...and put it out there, for people to read..so check in on me...see how I'm doing. K thx bye.
xo-a.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
10.02.10
Yes yes, it has been a long time coming, my friends. I have not abandoned my blog...but instead, every time I sat down to write...my mind would be flooded with thoughts, dreams, ideas, lyrics, verses, etc...
you get the idea
The past 3 months have been a time of reflection for me. Moving to Idaho may have been the best thing I've done for my soul. I'm hardly working (which is + and a - ) and therefore, have hardly had any money to do things with.
So instead....
I've been sitting...
reading..
praying...
journaling..
spending time with like minded folks..
dreaming..
hanging with my love..
Living in Redding, working full-time, I never had this much time on my hands..to just sit and think. To dwell on all the possibilities God has for me. To dream---to truly dream, and to believe that God is breaking and shaping me each day, so that I'll be ready when those dreams come to fruition. I've become a more emotional being that ever before, finding joy and tears are quite often best friends. Living in Redding...I had some great people around me... but I didn't have anyone in my life there, pushing me towards who I'm destined to be. . . and I think up here, I've caught a taste of what it's like to be surrounded by people that are going to support you and push you, because they love you.
so...
where am I at now, you ask??
well....
-Jeremy leaves for tour on Monday for a month. . . *sigh*..I sigh because Jeremy has really only been here with me in Nampa for 2 out of the 4 months we've been here. . . so it's bittersweet to send him off again....but I'm grateful for the opportunity he's getting to play with Matt and actually get paid!
-We're going camping with my family next weekend in California (going to be an incredible weekend!)
-I'm going to do the Master Cleanse when I get back, with some friends this time, I'm a strong person and all, but it was SO hard doing it on my own.
-I'm going to start exercising at least 3 days a week.... I turn 29 next month (what the heck!?!) and I have to start taking better care of myself.
-I've been reading books like crazy these days.... books that are inspiring me to eat organic, make everything I can possibly make-instead of going to the grocery store, shop at 2nd hand stores for clothes, and overall be grateful for what I currently have, and stop wishing for things that I don't.
-Dreams are becoming an exciting occurrence for me... dreams of owning some land (for some reason it's always on the coast of California?) and having a "retreat" that tired souls can come to for a few days, a week, a month..or however long it takes to restore their souls..and of course, we'll have a huge garden, some chickens, maybe a cow, tons of flowers and herbs, a few barn cats, and a lazy dog sleeping all day long on the front porch.
-Dreams of living a simple life...without all this junk that gets in between me and God. All the noise that muffles His voice in my life.
-Dreams of not putting so much value in material things.
-I'm thinking about getting rid of my iPhone... it has become way more than a phone to me, and I hate that....I don't want to be dependent on a phone...or feel like anytime someone emails me or facebooks me, I have to go check it right then--regardless of what I'm doing or who I'm with.
-I'm thinking I'm going to stop dying my hair.... you think this may not be a big deal...but I've got quite a bunch of gray hairs that have appeared on my head in the past few years...but, I just want to embrace them, and be me. Gray hair and all. Is that true beauty? We'll see, I'm just at a point where I want to be as natural as I can....plus, we just don't have the money for it these days.
-I think I finally am feeling alive.
so that's it....
that's what's been happening in the past few months. Man..it feels good to write...I'm sure I'll be doing a lot of this once Jeremy is gone....even more time on my hands.
I love you all and hope each day you are being pushed closer towards who you are intended to be.
xo-a.
oh yea..p.s. to hear a bit of my heart the past few months, listen to this song...props to my brother, Christian for blogging about it (days ago...hint hint, Christian... ;)
you get the idea
The past 3 months have been a time of reflection for me. Moving to Idaho may have been the best thing I've done for my soul. I'm hardly working (which is + and a - ) and therefore, have hardly had any money to do things with.
So instead....
I've been sitting...
reading..
praying...
journaling..
spending time with like minded folks..
dreaming..
hanging with my love..
Living in Redding, working full-time, I never had this much time on my hands..to just sit and think. To dwell on all the possibilities God has for me. To dream---to truly dream, and to believe that God is breaking and shaping me each day, so that I'll be ready when those dreams come to fruition. I've become a more emotional being that ever before, finding joy and tears are quite often best friends. Living in Redding...I had some great people around me... but I didn't have anyone in my life there, pushing me towards who I'm destined to be. . . and I think up here, I've caught a taste of what it's like to be surrounded by people that are going to support you and push you, because they love you.
so...
where am I at now, you ask??
well....
-Jeremy leaves for tour on Monday for a month. . . *sigh*..I sigh because Jeremy has really only been here with me in Nampa for 2 out of the 4 months we've been here. . . so it's bittersweet to send him off again....but I'm grateful for the opportunity he's getting to play with Matt and actually get paid!
-We're going camping with my family next weekend in California (going to be an incredible weekend!)
-I'm going to do the Master Cleanse when I get back, with some friends this time, I'm a strong person and all, but it was SO hard doing it on my own.
-I'm going to start exercising at least 3 days a week.... I turn 29 next month (what the heck!?!) and I have to start taking better care of myself.
-I've been reading books like crazy these days.... books that are inspiring me to eat organic, make everything I can possibly make-instead of going to the grocery store, shop at 2nd hand stores for clothes, and overall be grateful for what I currently have, and stop wishing for things that I don't.
-Dreams are becoming an exciting occurrence for me... dreams of owning some land (for some reason it's always on the coast of California?) and having a "retreat" that tired souls can come to for a few days, a week, a month..or however long it takes to restore their souls..and of course, we'll have a huge garden, some chickens, maybe a cow, tons of flowers and herbs, a few barn cats, and a lazy dog sleeping all day long on the front porch.
-Dreams of living a simple life...without all this junk that gets in between me and God. All the noise that muffles His voice in my life.
-Dreams of not putting so much value in material things.
-I'm thinking about getting rid of my iPhone... it has become way more than a phone to me, and I hate that....I don't want to be dependent on a phone...or feel like anytime someone emails me or facebooks me, I have to go check it right then--regardless of what I'm doing or who I'm with.
-I'm thinking I'm going to stop dying my hair.... you think this may not be a big deal...but I've got quite a bunch of gray hairs that have appeared on my head in the past few years...but, I just want to embrace them, and be me. Gray hair and all. Is that true beauty? We'll see, I'm just at a point where I want to be as natural as I can....plus, we just don't have the money for it these days.
-I think I finally am feeling alive.
so that's it....
that's what's been happening in the past few months. Man..it feels good to write...I'm sure I'll be doing a lot of this once Jeremy is gone....even more time on my hands.
I love you all and hope each day you are being pushed closer towards who you are intended to be.
xo-a.
oh yea..p.s. to hear a bit of my heart the past few months, listen to this song...props to my brother, Christian for blogging about it (days ago...hint hint, Christian... ;)