Proud Wife

Three years ago, I married a man who I thought there was no possible way I could love him more than I did then, but I was wrong.  As I dropped him off at the airport today to go to basic training for 10 weeks, my love and pride for my husband was simply overflowing and overwhelming.  

Now I know my ABC's

I know my last post was a "list" of some sort, but this one looked fun too.  Now you can know me a little bit better!

Age: 25.  The first year I have felt "old".

Bedsize: Queen.  Husband and I like to snuggle so anything bigger doesn't make sense:)

Chores that you hate: Dusting

Dogs: 2 year old Husky Mix and 3 year old black lab (my babies)

Essential start to your day:  hitting the snooze...at least 3 times, and then coffee

Favorite color:  Pink

Gold or Silver:  I have more silver, but I'm really digging gold right now.

Height: 5 feet/8 inches.

Instruments you play: Piano

Job title: 4th grade teacher

Kids: not yet

Live: Denton, TX

Mother's Name: Rhonda, or Mom 

Nicknames: Beej, Bren, B, Bub

Overnight hospital stays: none

Pet peeves:  smacking gum or any other food

Quote from a movie or tv show:  "Childbirth is just as disgusting as it is miraculous." Army Wives  

Right or Lefty:  Righty.

Siblings: 4 wonderful sisters and an awesome brother

Time you wake up:  6:00 but remember, I hit the snooze 3 times.

Underwear:  bikini

Vegetable you hate: lima beans   

What makes you run late:  hitting the snooze 3 times 

X-Rays You've Had:  none.  I'm pretty healthy.

Yummy food you make:  My husband would say poppyseed chicken, pizza, or chicken fried steak.

Zoo Animal: giraffes or elephants

99

I really haven't ever made much of a "bucket list", but there are plenty of things I say I would like to do before I am ___ years old or before I die.  This "little" list is a good starting place.  I saw it on a friend's blog and decided to give it a go myself.  The ones in bold are the ones that have been done:)

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo 

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightening storm

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch 

15. Adopted a child dog

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetable

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked 

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb baby calf

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon 5K! 

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise 

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community --quite often!

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing && repelling 

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant 

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling 

52. Kissed in the rain 

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie 

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business (does selling stuff on Craiglist count?)

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check-I don't even write checks
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar 
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person 
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee wasp

What's for dinner?

Pinterest has definitely been a life saver when it comes to dinner ideas. I have heard some people say that the recipes they have tried have been a total bust, but I have had some successes, so I wanted to share my favorite Pinterest recipes. Click on the picture to get the recipe.

This taco soup is super easy to throw together with ingredients that you probably already have on hand.

Crockpot Italian Dinner. This picture doesn't do it justice. This is the best comfort food to come home to after work! I usually do all the prep work the night before, and throw it in the crockpot the next morning.

I didn't make the individual lasagna cups, but I used this recipe to make a full pan. This was the first time I had made lasagna, so it probably is similar to any other standard lasagna recipe. But I thought it was delicious!

Crockpot Barbecue Chicken. I love coming home to the smell of this in the crockpot. I usually make a side of mac and cheese and some type of veggie with it. Then I shred the leftovers and put it in a tortilla the next day for lunch!

Crescent roll breakfast casserole. This makes a huge pan and the leftovers are GREAT! I usually make this on Monday morning for breakfast and then we can eat on it the rest of the week. I like to add green chiles to it for a little kick of flavor.

Baked Ziti. I could eat this almost every day for dinner and then left overs for lunch the next day. Another super easy dish that tastes delicious!

What recipes have you tried that are to die for? I have found a couple chicken salad recipes I want to try next and a homemade chicken pot pie! Happy cooking!

Refreshing

I fail.

Every day.

But I am so thankful that my God still loves me.

He accepts me every time I come back to him.

I spent about an hour praying and spending time with the Lord this morning. I'm not really sure when the last time was that I have truly done that, with no distractions. Why don't I remember how refreshing it is to spend time with my Savior?

"for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10

So Many Things to be Thankful for

Several people I know have done the "Thankful" challenge either on facebook or on their blogs. I was tempted to do it, but I knew with my track record, I would fall behind and end up only writing about 5 things I am thankful for. So instead, I wanted to wait until Thanksgiving (tomorrow). I wanted to really think about everything I am thankful for, and not just post little things that are really unimportant.

God has blessed Landon and I beyond our wildest dreams this year. We have had lots of ups, lots of downs, and lots of just a-ok's. Through it all, God has been SO faithful to us.

1. God has so graciously provided jobs for Landon and I. When the education system looked like it was going to fail us, God had a bigger plan.

2. In the midst of our job crisis, The Lord opened up a door for us to be able to buy our first home. While there are many home improvements we would like to do, we are so thankful that God put this home in our path at just the right time.

3. While it might seem silly to some, and it might have even seemed silly to me a year ago, I am thankful for my 2 crazy dogs, Ranger and Myla. They sure keep things interesting around here, but they are great company when I'm home alone, and they definitely keep us entertained. I will admit, I am officially a dog lover:)

4. Last October, Landon and I changed churches. Landon had been leading worship at a satellite campus in which they decided to shut down that campus. Landon and I prayed about where God was leading us, and we wanted to be where we could be in community with people in our stage of life. We are so thankful that God led us to The Village, and opened a door for us to join a homegroup of wonderful young couples who love the Lord. We have been challenged, encouraged, and loved on in just the few short months we have been with them.

5. Today marks 2.5 years of being married to my husband. I couldn't ask for a better person to share my life with. Landon is my best friend and my soul mate. I'm so thankful that God allowed our paths to cross:)

6. Both Landon's and my family have been such a huge support to us over the last 4 years. They have been encouraging when things are rough, and rejoiced with us in our victories. We couldn't be more thankful of 2 families who love and desire the Lord.

Give thanks to God, for he is good. His love endures forever.

Psalm 107:1

Halloween

Landon and I dressed up as a couple for our first Halloween party together. GUESS WHO WE ARE?????

Kat Von D and Jesse James :)

(Landon told me when I dyed my hair red that I looked like a tattoo artist.)

We also had our first Halloween in a neighborhood where we had trick or treaters. It was a lot of fun, but after spending almost $40 on candy and my dog bursting out the door to attack another dog who was trick or treating, I'm glad the night is over.

Let's just hope my kids are too high on sugar tomorrow, or else it's going to be a LONG day!