Crunch Wrap Supreme

I had a Crunch Wrap Supreme at Taco Bell and later found this recipe on Pinterest.  We have made these at home and love them!  We've put chicken and black beans in and it makes a yummy wrap!  Here is the blog where I found the recipe.

A Relaxing Sunday

The last two days have been gorgeous!!

Justin and I went to church this morning and were challenged by a great message.  We came home, grilled hamburgers, and enjoyed the fresh air.

We drove into town to play disc golf.  I tried my hand at it today.  It's kind of a reverse discus throw, so I'm beginning to get the hang of it.  Justin's playing in a tournament later this month.

Sometimes Jezebel thinks she's a lap dog and fits places she really doesn't.

Well tomorrow I must return to reality and go back to school.  I'm ready to get back in my routine, but am going to miss the sleeping in and craft time.

Spring Banner and Birds

I finished my spring banner this morning!

I wasn't real sure how it would turn out when I started, but I like the finished product.  I did not have a picture in my head like I did yesterday with the "hello" banner.

It's kind of hard to see hanging up...the sun has actually been shining all day!

I enjoyed some time outside.  I did a little weeding and a little bird watching.

I don't think I would have believed anyone a few years ago had they told me that I would enjoy feeding and watching the birds as much as I do.

In the middle of my weeding I heard this little guy pounding away.

Wood peckers fascinate me!  It's so cool how God created them in such a way that they can peck so hard, yet not hurt their head.  Did you know, they open their eyes between each peck!

This pudgy little guy was over by the coral. 

Spring has definitely arrived!

Enjoy your weekend!!

Hello banner

I set out today to make a banner that said "spring".  As I was brainstorming what I was going to do, this idea came to me.  I decided to start with it and make the spring banner next.  I used some cardboard and made a template for the banner pieces.  Once large and one small.  I traced the large one on burlap and cut it out.  I traced the small one on the striped card stock and cut it out.   

I used my silhouette to cut out the letters I wanted.

I cute small circles out of the left over burlap. 

I glued the letters on using a glue stick and hot glued the rest.  My grandma had TONS of buttons so I went through the stash and found 5 matching buttons.

I used hot glue to attach my string to the back.

And that was that.  Now we have a cheery little banner to welcome visitors.

Could it be??

The sun is finally out!!

I won't complain about the rain because I know the farmers needed it, but it sure is wonderful to see the sun again!

I went outside to take some pictures in the natural light...it's been way to long!  Emma was belly crawling through the grass.

Jezebel enjoying a nice nap.

They had to come see what I was doing. 

I just love her little nose 

and floppy ears!

Spook got a welcome kiss! 

He was enjoying the sun too.

My little squirrel friend is back sneaking the bird food again.

He gets himself in the weirdest positions!

My tulips are about to bloom!

The sun is supposed to be back to stay for awhile! 

It's amazing how a little sun can lift your spirits!

Perfect Peace

Yesterday I was listening to my music as I was working on several projects.  I have listened to Laura Story's "Perfect Peace" many times, but yesterday it was like I was supposed to pay close attention. 

Later that evening I was reading, "The Christian Atheist" by Craig Groeschel.  The words I read tied in perfectly with the words I had listened to earlier.  Craig was talking about worry and he says,

"If God does what you think he should do, trust him.  If God doesn't do what you think he should do, trust him.  If you pray and believe God for a miracle and he does it, trust him.  If your worst nightmare comes true, believe he is sovereign.  Believe he is good."

He goes on to quote Jeremiah 29:11 and then says,
 "Even if the future God chooses for you isn't the one you would choose, trust him."
At the very end of the chapter Craig says this, 
"I don't know what you're worried about today, but I do know that worry distrusts the promises and the power of God.  I believe in God, and I choose to live in a way that demonstrates my confidence in him."
For me the key word is choosing, I will choose to trust God no matter what, and then I will have His perfect peace.

Lemonade Layer Cake

Ingredients
Cake:
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons thawed lemonade concentrate
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups fat-free buttermilk
Cooking spray
Frosting:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons thawed lemonade concentrate
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare cake, place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; stir well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat well after each addition.
Pour batter into 2 (9-inch) round cake pans coated with cooking spray; sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.
To prepare frosting, place 2 tablespoons butter and the next 4 ingredients (2 tablespoons butter through cream cheese) in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, and beat at low speed just until blended (do not overbeat). Chill 1 hour.
Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Store cake loosely covered in the refrigerator.

This cake has just the right amount of lemon flavor.  I don't think mine turned out quite as fluffy as it was supposed to, but it's still tasty. 

Our Newest Pet

Ok, so technically he's not a pet, but he is hanging out in our yard.

He has yet to notice that all the birds flew off when I stepped out.

I had seen him around last year and it looks like he decided to spend another summer with us.

He finally realized I was watching him.

Spring Break Day 2 and 3

Yesterday I sewed a skirt, did some laundry, and worked in the garden.

Emma's toy basket was overflowing with toys so we went through them all.

She rips the toys open, pulls the stuffing out, and then quits playing with them.

This poor bunny didn't last long.

Her two favorite toys on top.

Justin started playing with her.  He would lunge at her and she went crazy!

She's ready to go here.

She ran around and around the sofa as fast as she could barking the whole way.

She stopped to chew on a toy.

She was growling the whole time she was chewing.

And ready to fight!  She provides us with much entertainment!

Last night we planted our potatoes!  It's supposed to rain tonight and there's a possibility several days next week as well.  We have onions ready to go in the ground as well.  After everything dries out again we will plant them.

So I just posted that my back was doing so much better, well Friday when we worked outside I'm afraid I over did it.  It wasn't too bad Saturday until we went out to plant potatoes.  All the bending irritated it so much I could hardly walk.  The chiropractor I go to has his cell number on his business card.  Justin encouraged me to call him this morning even though it was Sunday.  I felt horrible about bothering him, but he was very gracious and met us at the office.  He said it really didn't look too bad, there were just a couple of things out of line.  He put me back in place and now I can at least sit and lay without being in too much discomfort.  I think a lot of it is the muscles.  Everything has been so out of place for so long they are trying to figure out what's going on and anything I do out of my ordinary routine makes them sore.  I am still certain I am getting better, making the muscles stronger is all just part of the healing process.

Spring Break Day 1

My daffodils are blooming!

Mamaw had dug up a wheel barrow full of daffodils several summers ago.  She was going to throw them away and told me I could have them if I wanted.  I LOVE daffodils so I planted them everywhere!  It's taken them a while but they are finally blooming. 

We have a little path leading out to an old shed.  Mom and I planted alternating daffodils and dianthus along the path when Mamaw gave me the daffodils.  I cleaned out all the dead stuff and weeds yesterday.

We had hauled dirt in to finish up the back fill and even out our yard after the house was back on it's foundation.  The north side settled really bad.  Justin borrowed a skid steer yesterday and we hauled in more dirt to put beside the house.  Hopefully this will be the last time.  

Justin also cut down an old cedar tree in the front.  Eventually I want them all out.  They are all very old and don't look so good anymore.  We were thinking we would plant new trees and let them grow up and then cut down more of the old.  

He finished up with the skid steer and left to return it and run another errand.  I was moving some plants around and working on cleaning out all of my beds.  We had two bags of mulch under the back steps I hadn't used last year.  I wanted to fill in one of the beds so I went to grab a bag. 

When I lifted it up, this is what I found! 

Four sleepy little snakes. 

Snakes don't usually scare me, but I will admit I let out a scream as they startled me.  I grabbed my camera quick to take pictures.  After I had the pictures I wanted I grabbed a shovel, a hoe, and my wagon.  I loaded up one of the snakes and dumped him in my wagon and went for the next.  As I turned around with number two I noticed number one trying to make an escape.  I knocked him back in the wagon with snake number two and picked up number three.  I dropped in him the wagon and turned back for number 4 only to find that he was no where to be seen.  The three in the wagon were really starting to get quick so I grabbed my wagon and ran to the lagoon.  (The running kept them down in the wagon:))  I picked them up one at a time and threw them over the fence.  After I tossed 2 in (that never hit the water...it was a windy day;))  I went back to grab number 3.  He was all coiled up shaking his tail like a rattler.  Now I don't know what a rattlesnake looks like.  I know they have shapes (diamond like) on their backs and that babies don't always have rattles.  I began worrying that I had just pitched two rattlesnakes into the lagoon without killing them only for them to make their way back up to my house!  Number three was not as lucky as his brothers.  I chopped his head off, felt his tail, and put him back in the wagon to show the husband, praying that I hadn't just been a "dumb girl".  I walked back to the house with my dead snake to hunt for number four.  I couldn't find  him, so I continued on with my yard work.  Justin came home soon after and assured me that the snake was a bull snake.  I hadn't been a dumb girl after all!  (I will be looking at pictures on the Internet to brush up on my snake identification!)   

Who Me?

Yesterday I went to the chiropractor and he told me I was the "perfect patient".  I nearly asked, "Who me?!?":)

Two weeks ago on Tuesday I woke up feeling pretty good.  My back was a little tight, but the whole week before I felt like we were really making progress.  I figured as I moved around more it would stretch out and I'd be good to go.  I did my usual walk on the treadmill and got ready for school.  As I was reaching for something in my closet I felt a horrible pain in my lower back.  When I straighten it almost went away but not quite.  By end of the day I couldn't tell which side hurt, but it did and not just my back but all the way down into my legs.  I was incredibly frustrated.  It felt very similar to the pain I had about 2 weeks prior.  That pain had been on my left side and lasted for a week. I could barely put my shoes on for fear of getting "stuck" all bent over.  I was not excited about another week of hardly being able to move.  Thankfully Tuesday is one of the days I see the chiropractor.  By the time I got there I was almost in tears.  I told him what I was feeling and he got all excited!  I couldn't believe it!  He did some checking and told me that it was a good thing the pain was were it was.  Up until that point my pain had been on one side or the other, but not the middle.  He said that for whatever reason when the pain goes to the middle of the back it means the body is starting to heal.  He adjusted me and away we went.  A day later I couldn't believe how good I felt.  I knew for certain we were on the downhill slide!   

Yesterday I made my bi-weekly trip to see my chiropractor.  He was very pleased with my progress and told me I was the perfect patient because I walked in willing to try whatever he thought would help and stuck to the plan.  I guess my willingness paid off.  Before I started my supplements he had done some tests that told him which ones I needed to take.  He did those same tests again and they showed that the supplements were helping and my body was no longer lacking what it had been.  We were both pretty excited!

He did learn about a knew concoction of supplements that are supposed to be even better for "my condition".  So once I finish the ones I have we will change over to those and see what happens.

I'm not sure what all the future holds, but my back is starting to feel better then it has for a long long time!  I'm looking forward to the day it's 100% better!     

Taste of Home Tuesday: Best Beefy Burgers with Roasted Onion and Peppercorn Mayo

Ingredients
1 small red onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns, crushed
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
4 kaiser rolls, split and toasted
Optional ingredients: tomato slices and lettuce leaves

Directions
Place onion on a greased baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss to coat. Bake at 400° for 8-12 minutes or until tender. Cool slightly. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, crushed peppercorns and onion mixture; set aside.

Sprinkle beef with remaining salt; gently mix. Shape into four patties. In a large skillet, cook patties over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 160° and juices run clear. Serve on rolls with mayonnaise mixture and, if desired, tomato and lettuce. Yield: 4 servings.

These hamburgers were pretty good.  Justin said he wasn't sure about the onion mixture at first, but after we ate them said he enjoyed it.  We did not make our own patties since we had some from Basinger's Backyard Beef;) and we grilled them on the grill instead of in the skillet.  We used onion buns instead of the kaiser roll because there's nothing better then a fresh onion bun.  We will be making these burgers again!

White Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken enchiladas with green chili sour cream sauce
*These are seriously so so good*
10 soft taco shells
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 oz) can diced green chillies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan
2. Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.
3. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
4. Stir in sour cream and chilies. Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.
5. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
6. Bake 22 min and then under high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.

I found this recipe on Pinterest instead of Taste of Home, but I wanted to share it because it's delicious and easy to make!  It was labeled on pinterest as the BEST white chicken enchilada recipe ever!  I would have to say they just might be right, and if it isn't it's running a close second. 

Coasters

Justin and I bought tiles from Lowes a while back with the intention of making coasters.  I wasn't sure how I was going to cut out what I wanted, or even what I wanted.  I decided today was the day.  I used my Silhouette and created the "S" design.  Justin came up with the verse.  I just typed it out along with "live, laugh, love" and my machine cut it out.   

Now I'm going to enjoy the best cake ever and relax!

Happy Saturday!