Category: blog posts

The Green Smoothie

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If I told you that I have several (16 to be exact) posts saved in my drafts folder with titles and pictures already edited with pretty words on them that are only lacking a few words here and there to be post-ready, would you scold me? (Editor’s note: If I had an editor, or was an editor, he or she would probably add some extra commas in that really long sentence you just read. But alas, no editors here.)

Editor’s notes aside, I should be scolded! And not for my lack of comma usage. Words are the easiest part and I need to get some dang words added to those drafts. One day. One day, or not, but hopefully one day, I’ll easily be able to make time to blog regularly again. But until then, I’ll randomly happen upon a draft every few months and throw a little something out in the blogosphere. Or I’ll type a bunch of spastic thoughts in my iPhone Notes and post it (like I’ve done quite a few times amidst the most “recent” blog posts).

Now I will stop speaking so I can share something that almost seems extinct around this space lately… A RECIPE! This smoothie is a regular staple for me, but super on my mind right now because I did a self-imposed made up burger detox last week. I went to Boston the week before for a work conference and had FOUR burgers. I was only there for 5 days y’all. I needed a healthy eating/living restart anyway. So I’m did smoothies for breakfast (a berry detox smoothie I might post sometime soon) and smoothies for lunch (this green smoothie). This week I’m back to just this smoothie for breakfast and healthy packed by me lunches. (I also must confess that I ate two burgers last weekend immediately following the burger detox that ended Friday. And they were delicious!)

I’m going to post the “base” recipe, but depending on your needs you can add extra things to it. And let me tell you, don’t be scared of the green! This smoothie literally tastes like a peanut banana smoothie. My friend Lindsey introduced me to a version of this and I’ve been hooked since. The spinach is tasteless in this and just adds extra needed nutrients! Lately I’ve been adding protein powder (just basic vanilla whey protein). I started working out again and noticed I wasn’t meeting the protein goals My Fitness Pal sets for me. I looked back at old logs and notice I rarely meet my protein goals! So I decided it was time to supplement. I add two scoops for an extra 90 calories and 15 extra grams of protein (I use this one). Previously I added a tablespoon of chia seeds. So like I said, depending on your needs you can tweak this how ever you need to!

THE Green Smoothie

  • Servings: 1
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

IMG_2056

Calories: 260 for 1 serving (via MyFitnessPal)

INGREDIENTS (IN ORDER OF USAGE):

  • 1 medium banana
  • 1 cup of cold water
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1 cup ice
  • 1 cup frozen strawberries
  • 2 tablespoons PB2 (note, if you use real peanut butter the calorie count will go up)
  • 2 handfuls of raw spinach

DIRECTIONS:

Easy! Add all ingredients randomly or in listed order and blend. For my cheap Black Friday deal way less fancy than the fancy blenders kind of blender, I’ve found this order of ingredients blends the best. Putting the banana on bottom followed by the liquids and remaining ingredients seems helps it get going and blended smoothly. This makes a large serving, about 30 ounces. I drink the whole thing and just that (with protein powder added like I said previously, which is a total of 350 calories) for breakfast (or lunch if a detox week). If you need to not just drink your breakfast, you could split this with your housemates.

New Mercies

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I don’t think this is a magical hard and fast rule, but it repeatedly seems to be true for my life, and therefore I want to talk about it.

First, sin hurts. It hurts a lot. I hate it. Being real, I always struggle with hating myself when it happens. Which is just more sin on top of sin. And I know all the answers. I know the truth. If anyone I love, or even like, or even tolerate, or even don’t really like all the much (be honest, we all know some people who fit into that category) came to me and confessed to me of being broken over the same exact sin I was broken over, without missing a beat I’d tell them (and mean it) all the truth. “No sin is greater than any other.” “Jesus already died for this.” “You are forgiven.” “God knew. He’s not surprised.” “You are free.” “There is no self condemnation for those is Christ.” Etc. Etc. Etc. But when it comes to me talking to me, I make exceptions. “But this sin IS worse.” “No, I AM defined by this, this is who I am.” “I disappointed God.” “No, I’m not holy. I can’t be holy and do THIS.”

So onto my second point, for me self condemnation is often easier than forgiving myself in the midst of dealing with that hurt. For me, the new mercies we’re promised as believers, aren’t something I can even be aware of when I’m stuck in the dark self condemnation place. They seemingly aren’t there and seem to not come in that dark place (but I think they were there all along – prideful self condemnation just prevents their recognition). But when we (I) finally are able to forgive ourselves, the blinders are taken off and new mercies seem abundant.

After three days of asking God for forgiveness over and over again, mixed in with many moments of telling Him I don’t deserve forgiveness and wish that He’d give up on me (I don’t mean that, but I feel it, you know?), I finally forced myself to speak the same truth to me that I would to my people. I added a few more tears to the buckets I’d cried over the last days, and then just forced it, 3rd person style. It was hard and I hated it. For the grand finale of this dramatic moment, I looked myself in the eyes in the mirror and said, “I forgive you.” And then of course, cried some more. But when I heard me tell me (I do realize I sound like a crazy person right now, but whatevs) that I was forgiven, for the first time in several days I felt like I was going to be okay. And just like that I was made aware of all the new mercies surrounding me that I thought I had been deprived of that morning and the day before.

It’s not magic. It’s not a “rule” and I have nothing to back up my theory. But I do know these two things:

1. IT IS NOT WORTH IT. I promise, the sin you miss, the sin you’re contemplating, the sin your dabbling with and getting entangled with, the sin you are planning, the sin you want to stop fighting against, IT IS NOT WORTH IT. It’s not. It’s not worth the pain. It’s not worth knowing you momentarily decided that your enticing sin is better than Jesus only to promptly be reminded that it’s not and broken over the fact that you’d even consider it was.

2. Self condemnation is not okay! It’s not holy. It’s just as unholy and sinful as the sin that lead you there. It’s dark and lonely and isolating and FULL OF LIES! It’s all a lie. It really is. Shame and self condemnation are not where we should go. And if you’re like me and don’t know how to not go there, it’s definitely not where we should stay. GET OUT!

I’m not okay. But I am okay. And so are you. And not for any other reason than Jesus. So, I’m thankful for a God who for some crazy reason chose to pay the ultimate price for my life (and yours) knowing all the sinful things I’d do. But I’m also thankful for being able to see new mercies without the self condemnation blinders. New mercies in the form of Chick-Fil-A breakfast, cute baby visitors at work, the unconditional love and patience of friends, Apple Music letting me listen to all the old Taylor Swift albums I lost, and comforting encouragement in the form of a Taylor Swift song meant just for me, a 32 year single girl still trying to figure out how to live life well and fight for the things that matter and against the things that don’t, that I shall now quote:

“I guess you really did it this time. Left yourself in your warpath. Lost your balance on a tightrope. Lost your mind tryin’ to get it back.

It’s alright, just wait and see. Your string of lights is still bright to me. Oh, who you are is not where you’ve been. You’re still an innocent.

Did some things you can’t speak of. But at night you live it all again. You wouldn’t be shattered on the floor now, if only you had seen what you know now then.

It’s alright, just wait and see. Your string of lights is still bright to me. Oh who you are is not where you’ve been. You’re still an innocent.

It’s okay, life is a tough crowd. 32, is still growin’ up now. Who you are is not what you did. You’re still an innocent.

Time turns flames in to embers. You’ll have new Septembers. Every one of us has messed up too. Minds change like the weather. I hope you remember, today is never too late to be brand new.”

(Note: Clearly Taylor Swift lyrics aren’t from the Bible and therefore not perfect words. But, I do think God can speak to our hearts and provide comforting words from unsuspecting places that remind us of the Gospel.)

 

32, Goals, Taylor Swift, and Fairies

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32, Goals, Taylor Swift, & Fairies

Warning: This post contains LOTS of pictures, but I’m not sad about it! I continue to be what one might call “bad” at blogging in this season of life. The good news? I’m currently feeling the writing itch. I’ve already written a couple of posts for the TWU blog (one was posted last week), and the Holy Spirit continues to make me keenly aware via promptings, messages, etc. that writing is something I’m called to do and I only get one little life on this earth to do it! So I’m gonna try harder okay? The bad news? I’m a forgetful, easily distracted human and will probably disappoint you/myself. Life happens and distracts us from things we really want to do, but let’s keep going okay?!

32

First up on the list of things I want to talk to you about (which I conveniently and non-creatively listed as my blog post title), I’m 32 now! I’m not one of those people who takes their birth year off Facebook so people don’t know how old I am (yet). I’m proud of my 32 years of life! I’m sure there will be days, or a stage of life coming soon, where I might not be so proud of my age and can no longer boast about being asked if I’m a college student, but for now, no shame. Does my life look like what I thought it would at 32 when I was 22 or 18 or 28 or even 30? Not at all. I think it looks better. Don’t get me wrong, I still would like to trade my last name in for a new one, BUT my life is way more beautiful and full than I ever imagined it could be, single or married. I genuinely LOVE my life. Even in the seasons where I haven’t loved love quite as much, I still loved birthdays. Combine life love + birthday love and you get some pretty magical birthday celebrating!

Sometimes I wonder/worry that my love for celebrating my birthday (and all the other days I like to celebrate/remember: October 14th, first day of fall, my dad’s heaven anniversary, my dad’s birthday) might seem selfish. To clarify, this is why I celebrate: I LOVE THE PEOPLE IN MY LIFE! I love the people I live life with daily now (roommate, besties, gospel family, college girls, etc) and I love the people still in my life that I’m not currently getting to do daily life with (besties, family, former gospel familes, etc). In the dream world I’d like to live in called Cardiganland where fairies are real and it’s never too hot or too cold (and therefore we can wear cardigans year round) and it looks like fall 8 months of the year, all of my people live close by and we have weekly/daily dinner parties and sit at a huge farm table together and magically have endless pantries and fridges so dinner parties aren’t expensive and never gain weight from the yummy food we consume. Since Cardiganland isn’t real, I use special days as an excuse to gather my people together! And I photo document it like crazy so I can always remember it and so the people who live too far away to gather can feel like they were there. So now that you know why I celebrate, pictures! I’ll let the captions share how I brought 32 in with a bang. (And then if you don’t really want that much detail, you can skip over, but if you do click on the pics and scroll through.)

My roommate stayed up way passed her bedtime to decorate the house so it was a birthday explosion when I woke up!
4 year strong tradition of a solo breakfast over Jesus time at Starbucks! They buy my coffee, I buy myself a pastry or sandwich.
My coworkers took me out at our local Mexican restaurant! I never say no to Mexican food.
We couldn’t say no to free dessert!
And of course, they made me wear the hat.
I made a lemon Texas sheet cake (with sparkles) to bring to share with my coworkers.
Our local restaurant Froghead lets you eat free(ish) on your birthday! Obvious choice. (Also, handsy frog!)
My two favorite kiddos (and their parents) came by the restaurant to bring a balloon, flowers, and hugs!
My DNA besties all gave me gifts in cupcake bags! Life of a baker.
So many perfect gifts! I definitely have the best people.
I strategically plan my outfits for extra fun days like birthdays. I debuted my new tulle skirts for the occasion! Black one + sparkly graphic tee, a gold headband (grownup equivalent of a tiara), and gold glitter flats. Birthday DAY ended with a late night premiere showing of PITCH PERFECT 2!
For party day the cake was pink (strawberry, my fav). And so was the water.
Party day outfit debuted the white tulle skirt, a cropped powder blue top, a flower headband, and gold glitter flats (not pictured).
We had dinner at my fav restaurant then came back to my house for cake, a fairy movie (Maleficent), and a photo shoot. (sadly not all dinner goers and cake eaters are pictured! they left before the photo shoot.)

 GOALS

Next up, a 2015 goals check in. Why? Because what’s the point in making goals if you don’t allow them to motivate you more than just in January when everyone is motivated? Also, vulnerability! You see me post all my big fancy goals, and I want to be honest with my self and you on where I still need work! The BIG goals for the year, fighting and loving are going pretty well. Fighting is going REALLY well, and loving is going decently well.

For basic year goals:

1. Forgive others and myself quickly. {Happening.}

2. React less, think more. {Getting better for sure.) 

3. Read more. {NOT happening. Still half a year to attempt though!}

4. Resist, fight, flee from temptation like never before by being dedicated to cardio as a healthy outlet. {Happening!}

5. Be more loving and kind (to my roommates, my friends, my family, and my neighbors). {Work in progress, but I think it’s happening, definitely lacking with neighbors.}

6. Write more and learn to write at home and not need to be somewhere else. {Never ending work in progress.} 

7. Make wise choices with money. Tithe consistently. Save monthly. Buy less. {Definite progress overall, but as of late need to get back at it.) 

8. Give away time, resources, and talents more liberally. Feed people, share with people, bake for people, and more. {Some yes, others no, work in progress.) 

Monthly goals so far:

January: Workout every day in January and beyond, goal – 66 days, not counting exclusion days. Exclusion(s): work + church Wednesdays and traveling days. {HAPPENED} Finish Let’s All Be Brave by Annie Downs. {Didn’t happen}

February: No drinking any sugar or artificial sugar. Exclusion(s): occasional hot cocoa on cold nights with roommates and pink coffee on Valentines Day. {HAPPENED! No longer drink sugar in my morning coffee, prefer it without! Still going strong with no diet or regular soda, gonna try for all of 2015. Only drink sweet tea on special occasions, and usually half and half unsweet/sweet.} Finish Love Does by Bob Goff. {NOPE}

March: Bring neighbors and landlord baked goods. {Nope, though I am still collecting frozen bananas to FINALLY make banana bread.} Clean out closet. {YES} Finish I Want God by Lisa Whittle. {NOPE}

April: Call a grandparent every Sunday. {Big fail. Totally forgot I made this goal, I GOTTA make this happen.} Finish 1000 Gifts. {NOPE} Make 32 things birthday list. {Ish. I didn’t write it down and think of all of them before my birthday. But there is a list – see below!} 

May: Do 32 things (TBD, but for sure plant things, FINALLY make my fairy garden, and load a Starbucks card to gift Instagram followers with coffee). {I’m extending this to go from May 14th to June 14th since May was a tight financial month due to not having an extra roommate, so not calling it a no yet, and I have done SOME of the 32 things I decided on. See the “fairies” section for the 32 things.} Finish Make It Happen by Laura Casey. {Probably a nope based on current track record haha.}June: Invite a different family from church to dinner every Thursday. Finish A Million Little Ways by Emily Freeman. {Including June to stay motivated! I really want to do this one!!} 

FAIRIES 

I FINALLY CREATED THE FAIRY GARDEN! It’s been a year long process, and will continue to be added to, but it’s finished enough for me to be proud enough of it to share the progress.

32 THINGS FOR BIRTHDAY “MONTH”: 1. “Finish” fairy garden. 2. Write an encouraging letter to someone. {this week} 3. Finally acquire tulle skirts. 4. Eat a snowball. {hopefully happening this weekend} 5. Wear flowers in hair on birthday. 6. Visit a family member. {planned for May 22 and one other time asap} 7. Eat at Froghead for free. 8. Load a Starbucks card to Instagram to spread joy to a few others. {early June, need a new paycheck} 9. Bring cake for coworkers. 10. Finish a book, any book. 11. Write for TWU. 12. Finish gallery walls. {prints acquired, need frames} 13. Blog.  14. Print some new pics of friends.  15. Actually use the photo booth “banner” made for party last year. 16. Eat from a food truck.  17. Give something away.  18. FINALLY hang hammock. {planned for this Thursday}  19. Deep clean bathroom (hey practical things count as things too!).  20. Go to the Livingston Farmers’ market.  21. See Pitch Perfect 2. 22. Plan/participate in an Indian food/Bollywood movie night. 23. Watch a fairy movie. 24. Get other people excited about and into the Clinton farmers’ market. {15 days y’all!} 25. Bake a new dessert. 26. Acquire an actual fairy figurine for the fairy garden. 27. Put clothes away (hiding them in the closet doesn’t count – this is ALWAYS a struggle, but a clean room makes me happier). 28. Expand fairy garden with a few items from The Olive Branch. {new pay check} 29. Go to a Brilla game to support the Taylors (and play with Hazel and Henry).  30. Work out five days in a row (I work out 3-4 times a week almost every week, which is a victory and hasn’t happened in previous years, but been losing motivation). 31. Make cold brew iced coffee concentrate.  32. FINALLY SEE TAYLOR SWIFT IN CONCERT! {SEE BELOW!!!!} 

Note: Okay since I didn’t actually “pen” the list until today I cheated a LITTLE and included some things I’ve already done or had planned to do. BUT, some of them were already floating around in my head and would have been on the list anyway. And for the others, well, it’s my list and I can make the rules right? 🙂

TAYLOR SWIFT

I’M GOING TO SEE TAYLOR SWIFT IN CONCERT Y’ALL!! I haven’t shared this publicly yet because I wanted to make it an ANNOUNCEMENT! I do prefer Taylor’s new stuff along with most of the world, BUT I’ve been a fan to the core since the beginning Teardrops on my Guitar days ! She’s what made me be able to tolerate other country again. And I do so tolerate, not like, because she was never really THAT country. But because I loved her, I stopped having deep hatred for country music. I’m convinced we’re kindreds. I love her music and ability to tell stories through song. And I love the way she loves her fans. It’s inevitable that I’m going to cry. Therefore, I’m taking my cousin Marissa, who is really more like a sister, for two reasons: 1. she can’t decided she doesn’t want to be friends with me after the inevitable tears I will shed at a Taylor Swift concert because she’s family and 2. we need some quality time together!

Not just a TSwift concert, but a 1989 tour concert!
SEE?! This is really happening!
I’ve never been to Tiger Stadium, but from what I can see our tickets aren’t too bad. (And are much better than the upper sections not pictured!)

Meal Planning 101: Week 56

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This is a short week of meals due to traveling over Easter weekend, but still posting it! Need more ideas? Check out the 10 month supply of meals I posted!  

meal plan 3-30

Monday: 

crock pot beef and broccoli with rice + edamame with ponzu

Tuesday: 

out for the roommate’s birthday!

Wednesday:

missional community meal – we’re hosting! weather permitting we’re doing an outdoor meal! serving par-cooked hot dogs and sausage dogs to roast over the firepit with toppings + a smores bar.

Thursday:

leftover beef and broccoli/out of town

Friday:

out of town visiting friends in Georgia

Saturday:

road food while traveling back from Georgia

Sunday: 

egg mcmuffin sandwiches + hashbrowns

Breakfast/Lunch:

Having my fav green smoothie for breakfast all week. Still not tired of it yet! For lunches, since I’m only working three days this week, I’m just going to do leftovers. More creative lunch ideas coming soon, I promise!

 

WHAT ARE YOU EATING THIS WEEK? POST IT IN THE COMMENTS! LET’S GET IDEAS FROM ONE ANOTHER.

 

Remember, I also have a meal planning Google spreadsheet that I use and CONSTANTLY update. These options are ALWAYS available for anyone who happens upon my blog or reads it regularly: 

1. I can email you the meal planning spreadsheet template I created for your personal use.

2. I can share the 2014 meal planning spreadsheet with you that has 7 months of meal planning on it.

3. I can share the current 2015 meal planning spreadsheet with you that will have all my meal plans for 2015 on it and has January and February on it now. 

Note: If you ever see a dish or meal you are curious about and want to know if I have a recipe or recipe link for, you can add a comment to the document and I will respond! 

If you are interested in any or all of these options, email me (click the envelope icon at the bottom of this page)! I’ll be happy to share any of it with you. 

Meal Planning 101: Week 55

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Well, it’s not Monday, but I am posting a meal plan! AND I have the one for next week (though it’s a shorter one), already schedule to post next Monday. Baby steps (like actually posting and/or schedule a post) count right?

 

meal plan 3-24

 

Monday: 

out with the roommate (we had Mazzio’s salad bar) then roommate grocery shopping

Tuesday: 

leftover chicken tamale bake + mini corn on the cob (note: chicken tamale bake was a big hit! and pretty low cal, gonna have to do way more Emily Bites recipes.)

Wednesday:

missional community meal – contributions already covered that week

Thursday:

trial eggs benedict + sweet potato hashbrowns + fruit (doing a trial one while roommate is out so I can make sure I know how to do it to make it for another meal – using this recipe/method for hollandaise and egg, but using a light english muffin and canadian bacon)

Friday:

out in Starkville for weekend adventures!

Saturday:

spaghetti squash chicken parmesan boats (variation of this recipe) + caesar salad with tomatoes

Sunday: 

leftover spaghetti squash boats

Breakfast/Lunch:

Trying to detox a little this week from eating out so much in Texas. Doing juices for breakfast and green smoothies for lunch also accompanied by 1/2 an avocado. Plus normal dinners, greek yogurt snack, fruit snack, and some other “clean” snack if I need it. Don’t worry, getting plenty of nutrients. 🙂

 

What are you eating this week? Post it in the comments! Let’s get ideas from one another.

 

Remember, I also have a meal planning Google spreadsheet that I use and CONSTANTLY update. These options are ALWAYS available for anyone who happens upon my blog or reads it regularly: 

1. I can email you the meal planning spreadsheet template I created for your personal use.

2. I can share the 2014 meal planning spreadsheet with you that has 7 months of meal planning on it.

3. I can share the current 2015 meal planning spreadsheet with you that will have all my meal plans for 2015 on it and has January and February on it now. 

Note: If you ever see a dish or meal you are curious about and want to know if I have a recipe or recipe link for, you can add a comment to the document and I will respond! 

If you are interested in any or all of these options, email me (click the envelope icon at the bottom of this page)! I’ll be happy to share any of it with you. 

Meal Planning 101: Catch Up

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IMG_2207

Remember that time I posted a meal plan and promised to try and post them more regularly and also promised to catch you up on the meals I missed since June? Oops. Somehow this always happens and I never learn that don’t make promises lesson. BUT, though giving you all those back months of meal plans may seem like a tall task, for an OCD planner/spreadsheet hoarder like me, it was a breeze! And so June through now. And maybe one day I’ll start posting them again regularly.

First, a few things about my meal planning.

1. As mentioned, I use a Google spreadsheet. I “plan” the meals and then use the same spreadsheet to make a grocery list for the meals. (See below, always willing to share template or the ongoing plan).

2. I am obsessed with meal planning paper products. I hoard days of the week magnetic pads and keep them (mostly) update on the fridge and can’t say no to buying any sort of meal planning or reciping planning pad. And recipe cards. #hoarder

3. My meals are for me and my roommates. I usually plan most things to feed us twice, and I cook about three times a week. Every house/family is different, but I hope you at least can get some ideas to apply from my meal planning!

Here are the things I noticed while posting it all back to back like this.

1. We eat A LOT of green beans. I’m gonna work on that. More variety!

2. We eat rotisserie chicken a lot. I’m not gonna work on that. It’s just too dang easy! Pretty much once a month when we go to Sam’s we get a rotisserie chicken because it’s a BIG OL’ delicious already cooked chicken for $5! I use a big knife and cut that sucker in half and serve half on the first night and wrap the rest in tinfoil to reheat in the oven the next.

For more meal planning stuff see the Meal Planning 101 section under my recipe index. For a refresher, check out my How to Meal Plan post (ignore the wonky format of that post, some of my posts didn’t make it over in a pretty format from the blogger to wordpress switch).

AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOUR IDEAS WITH ME ANYTIME! I get stuck sometimes too. 🙂

June meals: 

  • rotisserie chicken + green beans + roasted diced sweet potatoes
  • entree chicken cobb salads
  • basil pesto smoked mozzarella grilled cheese sandwiches + sauteed mushrooms
  • farmers’ market smorgasbord dinner
  • tukey pancetta lettuce tomato avocado wrap (TPLTA?)
  • fettuccine chicken alfredo + salad + garlic bread
  • crockpot roast with carrots and green beans + rice and gravy
  • french dip sandwiches + squash
  • mexican food bar (salad shells, soft tacos, nachos, etc)
  • grilled salmon + grilled corn
  • salmon mango salsa tacos + mango avocado salsa + corn on the cob
  • buffalo chicken wraps + sweet potato wedges

July meals: 

  • buffalo chicken pizzas
  • rotisserie chicken + corn on the cob + salad
  • baked chicken breasts + roasted squash and green beans
  • taco lettuce wraps + smashed bean + chips and salsa
  • go-to entre nachos
  • turkey meatloaf stuffed peppers + buttered rice + butter beans
  • BLTs + roasted potatoes + summer creamed corn
  • crockpot honey sesame chicken + brown rice + roasted broccoli
  • honey sesame chicken lettuce wraps + veggie stir fry + edamame hummus and wonton chips
  • crockpot meatballs with brown gravy and mushrooms + mashed potatoes + green beans
  • brown gravy meatball sandwiches + sweet potato wedges
  • lemon chia seed pancakes + scrambled eggs + bacon + sweet potato hash browns

August meals: 

  • rotisserie chicken + green beans + mac and cheese
  • buffalo chicken pizza + crudities and skinny ranch
  • crockpot bbq ribs + mashed potatoes + butter beans
  • frozen pizza night (hey, sometimes it’s so good)
  • buffalo chicken quesadillas + buffalo blue cheese salad
  • buffalo chicken grilled cheese with ranch dipping sauce + buffalo fries
  • crockpot red sauce meatballs and spaghetti + garlic bread + salad
  • chicken nachos
  • marinara meatball subs + roasted potatoes + salt and vinegar kale chips
  • poppy seed chicken casserole + green beans
  • skillet chicken pot pie + wilted spinach
  • chicken corn chowder + semi-homemade biscuits
  • goulash + green beans + cornbread
  • omelets + cheese grits + sweet potato hashbrowns + bacon

September meals: 

  • rotisserie chicken + roasted brussel sprouts + mac and cheese
  • jalapeno popper grilled cheese sandwiches
  • crockpot black bean soup
  • black bean enchiladas + creamed corn salad
  • crockpot red beans and rice + cornbread muffins
  • crockpot chicken pesto with pasta + green beans
  • crockpot peach rosemary pork tenderloin + sweet potato casserole + butter beans
  • crockpot chicken philly sandwiches + roasted sweet potatoes
  • skillet shepherd’s pie + crescent rolls
  • thanksgiving casserole + cranberry sauce + green beans

October meals:

  • semi-homemade tomato bisque + grilled cheese
  • stroganoff hamburger helper + butter peas + corn
  • chicken enchilada soup + chips and salsa
  • pumpkin french toast casserole + scrambled eggs + sausage
  • homemade sloppy joes + roasted butternut squash
  • crockpot chili + cornbread
  • chili cheese dogs + frito pies
  • chicken alfredo pasta bake + green beans
  • crockpot potato soup + bacon grilled cheese

November meals: 

  • beef and bean baked tacos + spanish rice
  • taco pizzas + spanish rice
  • crockpot chicken taco soup
  • crockpot turkey breast and gravy + sausage stuffing muffins + homemade cranberry sauce + green beans + sweet potato casserole + pumpkin cobbler (roommate Thanksgiving)
  • taco soup + tortilla chips
  • breakfast casserole + cheese grits
  • crockpot meatballs with mushrooms and brown gravy + mashed potatoes

A holiday month with all roommates away, so less meals.

December meals: 

  • breakfast burrito bar + monkey bread
  • buffalo chicken pizza + caesar salad
  • crockpot pot roast stew + cracker
  • white chicken chili and rice

And then VACATION. I was gone most of December therefore eating out at HARRY POTTER WORLD or people’s houses.

January meals: 

  • frozen pizza night
  • rotisserie chicken + mac and cheese + green beans
  • crockpot creamy chicken noodle soup + grilled cheese
  • spinach chicken alfredo biscuit pizzas + caesar salad
  • one pot garlic parmesan pasta with chicken apple sausage and spinach + garlic bread
  • crockpot turkey meatloaf with potatoes + roasted asparagus
  • crockpot lemon chicken kale orzo soup + salad
  • meatball soup + garlic bread

February meals: 

  • spinach bacon onion frittata + cheese grits + brownie waffles
  • southwest chicken skillet + roasted corn on the cob + roasted brussel sprouts
  • crockpot pulled bbq chicken sandwiches + baked potato salad
  • bbq chicken pizza + zoodle pasta salad
  • poppy seed chicken casserole + stewed squash + green beans
  • sausage potato corn chowder + spinach pear cranberry pecan blue cheese salad
  • teriyaki chicken zoodle stir fry
  • taco night with crockpot taco ground beef and crockpot shredded fajita chicken + mexican sour cream rice 
  • biscuit and gravy casserole (used turkey sausage and skim milk) + spinach egg scramble + fresh pineapple

March meals: 

  • individual buffalo chicken pizzas
  • deer sausage skewers + mashed potatoes + wilted spinach
  • triple meat egg avocado burgers + crispy sweet potato curls
  • rotisserie chicken + roasted eggplant + mexican corn
  • strawberry french toast + bacon + sunny eggs
  • crockpot pork roast with carrots and parsnips + rice and gravy
  • creamy spinach tomato tortellini (using fat free evap milk instead of half and half) + parmesan roasted broccoli

AND NOW YOU’RE CAUGHT UP! AND MAYBE, just maybe, I’ll start posting them again soon.

Remember, I also have a meal planning Google spreadsheet that I use and CONSTANTLY update. These options are ALWAYS available for anyone who happens upon my blog or reads it regularly: 

1. I can email you the meal planning spreadsheet template I created for your personal use.

2. I can share the 2014 meal planning spreadsheet with you that has 7 months of meal planning on it.

3. I can share the current 2015 meal planning spreadsheet with you that will have all my meal plans for 2015 on it and has January and February on it now. 

Note: If you ever see a dish or meal you are curious about and want to know if I have a recipe or recipe link for, you can add a comment to the document and I will respond! 

If you are interested in any or all of these options, email me (click the envelope icon at the bottom of this page)! I’ll be happy to share any of it with you. 

Meal Planning 101: Week 54(ish)

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I have months and months worth of meal plans that I never posted. I wish there was a way for my meal planning spreadsheet to instantly generate into a nice polished blogpost. That would be lovely! I’m gonna try harder to post these (and going to give you some of the meal plans you missed below). By a landslide, meal planning posts are always my most viewed. I know you want/need/like them, so I really AM gonna try!

And remember, I also have a meal planning Google spreadsheet that I use and CONSTANTLY update. These options are ALWAYS available for anyone who happens upon my blog or reads it regularly: 

1. I can email you the meal planning spreadsheet template I created for your personal use.

2. I can share the 2014 meal planning spreadsheet with you that has 7 months of meal planning on it.

3. I can share the current 2015 meal planning spreadsheet with you that will have all my meal plans for 2015 on it and has January and February on it now. 

Note: If you ever see a dish or meal you are curious about and want to know if I have a recipe or recipe link for, you can add a comment to the document and I will respond! 

If you are interested in any or all of these options, email me (click the envelope icon at the bottom of this page)! I’ll be happy to share any of it with you. 

meal plan 216

Monday: 

leftover sausage corn potato chowder (used this recipe but didn’t add cheese and used turkey kielbasa) + spinach salad with pears and pecans (and blue cheese and cranberries and anything else I can find in the fridge/cabinet)

Tuesday: 

teriyaki chicken zoodle stir fry – inspired by SkinnyTaste’s chicken zoodle “lo mein” but mine will be pretty different AND I PROMISE (already typed up, just waiting to add pictures) to post my recipe

Wednesday:

missional community meal – contribution to be determined

Thursday:

taco bar (using crockpot taco ground beef and crockpot shredded fajita chicken I made extra of several weeks ago and froze) + mexican sour cream rice

Friday:

leftovers

Saturday:

leftovers

Sunday: 

college girls’ dinner night – contribution to be determined

What are you eating this week? Post it in the comments! Let’s get ideas from one another.

Beauty Favorites

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You might remember that one of my 2014 goals was to wear makeup more regularly. In an effort to do that, I subscribed to Ipsy, a monthly makeup bag subscription where you receive 4-5 beauty products a month. It was fun and I highly recommend the subscription if you’re in the market for a monthly subscription. I recently cancelled mine, but not because I didn’t love it! I cancelled because thanks to Ipsy, I now have a favorite everything. I started noticing regardless of the new stuff I’d get, I’d continue to use my favorites. New is fun and great, and I’ll continue to try new products occasionally, but I think favorites and staples are the best! In an effort to keep my goals for 2015, I switched my monthly subscription to a stationary one, A Beautiful Mess Happy Mail. I want to be as intentional this year to love the people in my life well, which for me is often done by writing notes and encouraging words, as I was to wearing makeup last year. But, you must know my favorites!

MY BEAUTY FAVORITES

HAIR

 SHAMPOO:

If you’ve been around me for any amount of time in the last year or so, you know I was/am a huge advocate for DIY beauty care. I still am! But I recently found a shampoo and conditioner, via my Walmart Beauty Box samples, that is as good to my hair as DIY shampoo. I rotate out the “real” shampoo and conditioner and the DIY stuff these days. My friends told me I lost some of my hippie cred by using “real” shampoo, BUT it is 100% vegan, paraben free, sulfate free, and an oil infused shampoo. SO I think I get to keep SOME hippie cred.

DIY Shampoo – Combo of honey, baking soda, and water

“Real” Shampoo – L’Oreal Oleo Therapy Oil Infused Shampoo (paraben and sulfate free – the stuff that’s really bad for you hair and the reason I started doing DIY hair care)

CONDITIONER:

DIY Conditioner – combo of organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar (I get it at Whole Foods or Kroger for $5 or less), lavender oil and water

“Real” Conditioner – L’Oreal Oleo Therapy Oil Infused Conditioner (paraben and sulfate free)

DETANGLER:

Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner – I LOVE THIS STUFF! Was an Ipsy bag sample, and then I had to start buying it. I get it on EBay for slightly cheaper than most places.

DRY SHAMPOO:

You can read more about my hair washing routine in the DIY beauty blog post, it’s still the same for the most part, I just rotate DIY shampoo and “real” shampoo now. I usually use DIY dry shampoo on day 2 or 3 and “real” dry shampoo on day 3 or 4.

DIY: mix of cocoa powder and corn starch, applied with a blush brush

“Real”: Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo

FACE

 FACE WASH:

In shower – combo of local honey, coconut oil, baking soda, and Aztec clay

Makeup removal – Equate Night-Time Soothing Makeup Remover Towelettes

FACE MASK:

I mix Aztec clay, lavender oil, and organic ACV. I don’t do this as often as I did, but it really helps with black heads. I apply it just on my nose and you can feel it tingle.

MOISTURIZER:

Night time – organic coconut oil applied with a cotton ball

Morning time – Avon Elements Moisture Boost with SPF

BLEMISHES:

Organic ACV – spot treat with a qtip or cotton ball

TONER: 

Witch Hazel

MAKEUP


BASE FACE:

Avon Magix Face Perfector with SPF. This is probably my fav beauty product overall. I use this instead foundation because I don’t have any major cover up needs. It’s a gel to powder formula and it evens out creases, lines, and imperfections.

CONCEALER:

NYX Above and Beyond Full Coverage Concealer in Fair

POWDER:

Was Avon Everlasting Pressed Powder BUT they just stopped selling it. I’ll probably go back to Maybelline Fit Me Pressed Powder.

BRONZER:

Essence Sun Club All-In-One Bronzing Highlighter in Sunlight – I use this in place of blush. My cheeks are naturally REALLY rosy, so I prefer bronzers to blushes.

BROWS:

Hard Candy Brows Now! Fiberized Brow Gel in Medium Dark


ALL OVER BASE EYE SHADOW:

Miss Adoro Silky Eye Shadow in Fairy’s Tale – When I run out of this I’ll just get a drugstore brand of a light color, but I do LOVE it and use it daily.

BOTTOM LID BASE EYE SHADOW:

Elizabeth Mott Pop! Goes the Shadow in Champagne – I got this in my Ipsy bag AND won a free one, I LOVE it, and though it’s a little pricy, might rebuy it when I run out if I can’t find a similar replacement.

EYE SHADOW palette:

Coastal Scents Revealed 1 and Revealed 2 palettes. I will buy and rebuy and rebuy these for as long as they sell them. Revealed 2 is my favorite because of my skin tone, but I LOVE both. They are frequently compared to the Naked palettes. They also last forever. I can’t see the bottom on any of my colors yet.


EYE SHADOW BRUSH:

Crown Brush Deluxe Infinity Shadow/Crease Duet – Major Ipsy treasure! I just my ring finger for blending and applying to my eye lid, but I LOVE this brush for all over base color application and crease colors. I also use the crease end to apply color to my lower lash line (I don’t do eyeliner).

MASCARA:

Maybelline Falsies Flared. I also LOVE Tarte Cosmetics Lights Camera Lashes that I got as an Ipsy sample, BUT I can’t justify spending $20 on a tube of mascara.

LIPS:

I don’t have a favorite. I love them all! My go-to daily for a little color but mostly to stay moisturized is Maybelline Baby Lips in any color (fav is Peach Kiss). My go-to everyday colors are Revlon Lip Butters. My go-to for staying power for pictures, fancier occasions, or just because I want colored lips all day are Revlon Balm Stains. I have more lippies than anything else. #obsessed

NAILS

 Polish:

As you may or may not know, I have roughly 300 bottle of nail polish (and by roughly, I mean I stopped counting at 300, BUT don’t buy regularly anymore so probably still close to that.) I love LOTS of polish brands, but by far my favorite remains to be Wet-N-Wild Megalast. OPI, Essie, and China Glaze make the best colors. But as far as staying power, my go-tos, application, and formula, Megalast continues to be my fav. Everyone’s body chemistry is different, so what works well for one person might not work well for another, but for me, Megalast works!

Top CoaT: 

Another thing that’s different for everyone, and I’m always trying new ones. I’m currently using Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Topcoat, and I like it okay, but the “miracle” combo for me for slowest chipping seems to be using NYC In a New York Minute Quick Dry Polish in Grand Central Station then adding Wet-N-Wild Megalast Clear on top.

Base Coat:

Hands down ORLY Bonder Rubberized Base Coat.

Cuticles:

For cuticle conditioning, Julep Essential Cuticle Oil. For removal Julep Vanish Cuticle Softener and Remover + Julep Cuticle Pusher + QVS Cuticle Clippers.

Quick DrY: 

Can’t live without the Julep Ta Da! Quick Dry Drops. I get them on super sale deals and never pay full price.

Remover:

For glitter polishes I use the ONYX Professional Glitter and Polish Remover dipper. For everything else I use a nourishing acetone from Sally’s – Beauty Secrets Professional Nail Polish Remover.

Clean Up:

I clean up the inevitable polish I get on my cuticles and skin by dipping the E.L.F Concealer Brush (I get it at Big Lots for 95 cents) into acetone.

What are your favorite beauty products??

Do Something BIG

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This is another one of those thoughts I jotted down on my virtual scrap paper, but this one was months and months ago. One of the college girls in the group we (my DNA group – one of my roomies and two of our besties) organize (or chaotically organize, it’s very “roughly” organized), said something that made my brain go 90 to nothing on a thinking trail.

She was flustered about her first semester of college, experiencing all kinds of existential crisis thoughts all at once, confused about her major, life, and all the like. She said, “people always tell me I’m going to do something big, and I just want to do that, I want to do something BIG.” (I mean, it’s been a few months so possibly not an exact quote, but something similar.)

We’ve all been there, right? I know I have. I got lost in thoughts of why I didn’t long for my BIG thing as much as I did in college, I still do some days! But it’s not an existential crisis sort of thought anymore. And then I realized, I think my philosophy on what’s big has changed.

I think that maybe we really put BIG in a box.

Maybe big isn’t just the flashy things. Maybe big isn’t just moving to new countries and writing books or having a famous blog or being a famous speaker or having your own bakery or fill in the blank. (Notice I said JUST – those things are big and brave.)

But I think, maybe BIG is something else too. Maybe the biggest thing we can do, is live big right where we are, in the everyday. Whether that’s in another country, or the little town in Mississippi that we live right now. Whether that’s while doing your dream job, or while doing the job God has given you right now.

We constantly see people do big things all over social media like move to other countries, write books, speak to huge crowds, open new businesses, and a whole bunch of other brave things. It’s easy to be envious, and to think our lives aren’t as big or that we don’t have as much purpose. But the truth behind those big things is that the little steps to get to big things are just as scary as the little steps to living our daily lives in a big way.

For you big-dreamer college student, to live these years not just for yourself, but to believe that God can use you, even at that Christian school.

For you superhero mom, to believe and live every day like it matters, because it does. And to see every moment with the precious lives you’re raising and disciplining like they’re important, because they are.

For you weary post-college 20-something discouraged because you aren’t getting to use your degree yet, or don’t like the degree you got and the jobs that come with it, to trust that where you are now matters, that one season isn’t forever, and that you can love life NOW and don’t have to wait until the BIG thing comes.

For you (ahem, me) single 30-something, to cling to hope against hope that your life is and will be good regardless of your marital status now or in the future and to love your life and believe that this season is HUGE and full of beauty.

For you griever, to believe God is still there in the midst of your hurt and loss, to believe He can handle it, to let Him comfort you.

For you redeemed addict, to keep fighting, to never stop fighting, or telling your story.

For you wandering child of God who feels like she’s gone to far and can’t come back, to come back, running, walking, or crawling, to just return to the arms of your Savior.

For you abused woman, to never give up the fight to believe truth, that you are worthy and wonderful and loved and chosen.

For all of us in the daily mundane of life…

to live and love life with intention,

to celebrate every victory,

to be vulnerable and trust someone with our messes,

to bring cookies to our neighbors,

to wake up early for our Savior,

to pray for our coworkers/roommate/neighbors,

IT’S ALL BIG!

How can you live big today?

The Real Blessing

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I have this note in my iPhone Notes called “Blog Post Ramblings” full of these thoughts that overwhelm me so much that I have to get on [virtual] paper right then and there. One day, maybe, I’ll complete most of the thoughts and share them. Today though, I really really want and need to share the words overwhelmingly flooding over me so much so that I can’t even quiet them by typing them into my virtual sheet of scrap paper.

The topic?

#blessed

This morning my pastor said something that shook me to the core, to the point of the overwhelmed happy sort of steady stream of tears flowing for the rest of the morning.

To briefly summarize the context of the teaching, we’re in a series called Disciple Maker, going through what it really means to live like a disciple so we can be disciples who make disciples who make disciples. Today’s focus was on loving like a family (previous weeks have been thinking like a missionary and living like a servant). We studied Genesis 12 and talked about Abraham, the father of the Israelites, God’s chosen family, the beginning of God’s redemptive story to make us all part of His family.

In Genesis 12: 2 God says to Abraham, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.”

And then he (my pastor) said the thing that I CAN NOT stop thinking about.

The blessing of God wasn’t any sort of anything that receives a hashtagblessed declaration on social media (my words, not my pastor’s, he doesn’t speak in as many hashtags as I do haha). God’s blessing wasn’t a thing or a feeling or even protection or provision (not that by definition those things don’t make us feel blessed).

God’s blessing to His people was this: “I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

His blessing is His presence! Whether life is good, bad, ugly, messy, in seasons of want or plenty, we are overwhelmingly blessed by His presence.

God’s blessing isn’t just the husband or marriage I long for, God’s blessing is being aware of His presence and goodness even when I don’t have the spouse I long for.

God’s blessing isn’t the prefect marriage, God’s blessing is being aware of His goodness and presence even when it’s really hard AND when it’s really good.

God’s blessing isn’t a seemingly perfect unbroken family, it’s being aware of His presence and goodness even if your family is broken or non existent and recognizing the ways He places the lonely in families (Psalm 68:6) and inviting the lonely into your family, into His family.

God’s blessing isn’t life, the lives of loved ones, or our own lives, it’s being aware of God’s presence and goodness IN life, and being aware of God’s presence and goodness in death, in loss, in our weeping and mourning, in pain and sickness.

I’m so overwhelmed by the beautiful ways God has placed the lonely version of me into family after family after family. I’ve yet to spend a holiday alone even though I earth shatteringly fear that I will every time. Family after family that has no blood relation to me at all continues to invite me in and allow God to place the lonely in me into family. And that’s just one of the many ways His presence is a consistent blessing in my life.

We are His people. He has blessed us with His presence. But that’s not the end. He blesses us so we can bless others (Genesis 12:2). Blessing other isn’t just about finances and provisions, though we SHOULD share our resources with others. It’s also about recognizing all the ways God has been present in our messes, and loving the people surrounding us like that too.

I am #blessed. And so are you. May we never keep it to ourselves, may we invite others into the presence of God that we experience, may we bless others the way God blesses us, but inviting others into our lives, into our families, into His family.