Poppy Seed Chicken!

What you will need:

1. Boil a few chicken breasts, remove fat, and cut into small pieces).

2. Softened cream cheese

3. Stick of butter

4. Poppy Seeds

5. Ritz (or generic) crackers

6. Can of cream of chicken soup

Preparation: Take out your stick of butter and cream cheese so that it can soften a little while before you prepare this meal.

Place your cream cheese, butter, and one can of cream of chicken soup into a large mixing bowl and mix until creamy.

Next, add your chicken and stir this all together. Place into a casserole dish. Here you can bake it (45 minutes) OR you can place this in your fridge until you are ready to bake it. I like to make this in the morning so that dinner is basically finished and all I have to do is pop it into the oven later! But the night before would work great as well!

When you are ready to bake place the dish into the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the topping!

Heat 1/4 stick of butter, crush a sleeve of ritz crackers and add a few teaspoons of poppy seeds.

Place the topping onto the hot casserole and bake for 10 more minutes.

This pairs great with green beans or corn, a salad, and rolls!

This is a super yummy meal! We had this brought to us after we had Alyssa and it was so appetizing! Such a great comfort food!

A couple of recipes...

We are going over budgeting in our Sunday School class and it has been an awesome series. It's amazing how your life will change when you get your finances in order with how the Lord expects us to manage our money. With that said, Grocery shopping is a BIG deal in our family! I love to grocery shop! I love to see how cheap I can get things and how much I can get for free. It's not always easy. It takes some time, but there's nothing greater than knowing I have saved a lot of money just by being discipled with my pre-shopping preparation. I make a list and I follow it! I make my menu for 2 weeks at a time. It makes things sooo much easier and saves a ton of money!

So with all that said, here are some great meals that are easy to make and so yummy!!

It's not always easy to sit down and think of a couple of weeks of meals. I get in a rut just like everyone else, but I love trying new things and I love looking for new recipes!

This is a great meal that is always satisfying to our family!

Recipe: Sloppy Joes

Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Cook Time: 20 Minutes | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 8

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Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2-½ pounds Ground Beef
• ½ whole Large Onion, Diced
• 1 whole Large Green Bell Pepper, Diced
• 5 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1-½ cup Ketchup
• 1 cup Water
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Chili Powder (more To Taste)
• 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
• ½ teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes (more To Taste)
• Worcestershire Sauce, To Taste
• 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste (optional)
• Tabasco Sauce (optional; To Taste)
• Salt To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• Kaiser Rolls
• Butter

Preparation Instructions

Add butter to a large skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until brown. Drain most of the fat and discard.

Add onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, or until vegetables begin to get soft.

Add ketchup, brown sugar, chili pepper, dry mustard, and water. Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Also add tomato paste, Worcestershire, and Tabasco if desired. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Spread rolls with butter and brown on a griddle or skillet. Spoon meat mixture over the rolls, topping with a slice of cheese if it makes your skirt fly up. Serve hot with kettle cooked chips!

Recipe: Macaroni and Cheese

Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Cook Time: 15 Minutes | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 6

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Ingredients

• 4 cups Dried Macaroni
• 1 whole Egg Beaten
• ¼ cups (1/2 Stick Or 4 Tablespoons) Butter
• ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
• 2-½ cups Whole Milk
• 2 teaspoons (heaping) Dry Mustard, More If Desired
• 1 pound Cheese, Grated
• ½ teaspoons Salt, More To Taste
• ½ teaspoons Seasoned Salt, More To Taste
• ½ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
• Optional Spices: Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Thyme

Preparation Instructions

Cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain.

In a small bowl, beat egg.

In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.

Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low.

Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth.

Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.

Add in cheese and stir to melt.

Add salt and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.

Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.
Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.

(I don't usually use the dried mustard only because I don't have it on hand and it tastes

great without!)

This makes a great meal! I don't like sloppy joes but these are amazing!

Happy Cooking and Happy Meal Planning!!

Bye Bye...

We have officially taken away Bella's binky. Or as she would say. "Binty." It was time..ok maybe it was past time, but you know, she's the baby and the past 2 years have literally pounced right on top of me that I didn't really even realize it was time. Ok...maybe I did, but I like to ignore things. Like her getting WAY too big!!

So last night we took the precious love. of. her. life. away!!! She did GREAT! She asked for it when she went to bed and did not ask for it again. She didn't cry for it once. It took her much longer to go to sleep but I knew that would be the case! She woke up a few times last night and just struggled to go back to sleep, but I am praying tonight will be much better as far as her sleeping goes!

Today she has done fine without it, but nap time is still not happening! I laid her down at 12:30 and now 2:49 she is still not asleep. She has been up several times and has played in her room a lot! I would like to say it has been oh so fun, but it hasn't! This afternoon has been tough. My nerves are shot. I have prayed a lot. I have needed guidance and have needed patience.

It amazing that I can spank her (yes we partake in spanking), and I can tell her NO, but she will still get up out of her bed!

Makes me think about how frustrated God must get with me a lot of times. I can do the same things over and over...or not do what I need to do over and over! There's always a purpose in life's trials. This afternoon has been a trial, I know nothing major, but something that has brought me down.... but I am thankful that God cares enough about me to bring me to a point where I have to simply trust him and rely on him in order to keep my cool....and to remind me that I am very child-like at times!

So..if you think about it, please pray that through this process I will remain calm and that Bella will find a peace to rest without her little love:)

Told you she LOVEd them!!:)

(In her mouth...and one very close to her!!)

GOD IS our Refuge and Strength , a very present and well-proved help in trouble.Psalm 46: 1

What have I been doing???

Man it sure would be much easier if I just updated a few times a week....but instead I like to make things more difficult and bore you all to death! So hear I go!!

It's been a busy few months! Let's see..

In November we did a small little party for Bella's 2nd birthday. It was fun..she did not have a clue it was all for her. She opened her first couple of gifts and then she was ready to go watch her new Barney DVD...so I opened the rest! We ate the cake without her! I know....I'm sure you other mom's are frowning on me...sorry! She's 2! She didn't care...what's a mom to do?!?!

These were some of the party favors!!

Matt and I also made a trip to NYC over Thanksgiving! We were gone a week and though we missed the girls, it was definitely one of the funnest trips ever! We went with some great friends and had an absolute blast! If you ever get the chance...GO. If you don't...you will still live! :)

December was a busy month celebrating Christmas! We like to use the WHOLE month to celebrate! It was fun and just a very relaxing Christmas for us. They are not always that way so we throughly enjoyed this one! The girls were fun and we focused our Christmas on teaching the girls more about Christ and why we really celebrate Christmas!

We got our first snow of the year ( I know you all know this already but this is more for me to look back on) and the girls were loving it. Alyssa has been waiting all year for some snow to play in. She had a great time. Me on the other hand...I stayed in and drank coffee.:)

The girls are growing up way too fast! It just is flying by for me. I wish I could stop time but I am also loving each and every stage. Bella can just slow down a little...I know she's the last so I am trying to savor every moment with her!!

Ok that's all for now! It feels good to just sit down and write out a post! Ok I am saving some stuff to post again tomorrow.....we will see if that happens!!:)

Merry Christmas!

We wanted to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas this year! What a year it has been. A fast year!

We marvel at the thought of Mary and Joseph as they welcomed sweet baby Jesus. What a sight that must have been. We often look back at the birth of each of our girls and it is overwhelming to think about each of them. How we love them more than we ever thought we could, and the miracle of their birth. How much more amazing is the miracle of the birth of the Son of God....JESUS!

We pray each of you stop and take the time to remember Christ this season. Not only his birth, but the sacrifice that was made on the cross for us. Oh what a sacrifice it was. I am so thankful for His willingness to lay down His life for me. The Savior of the world!

May JOY fill your hearts this year and may the blessing of God be with each of you through the coming year!

Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

2 Already???

Well 2 years ago today we were welcoming our sweet Bella Grace into this crazy world!

(Wow, seeing this picture takes my breath away at how fast she has grown)

We knew our home had to be her place of peace and stability. We wanted our example of Christ to lead her into a personal relationship with Him and for her to be a Godly leader as she grows up.

She is definitely growing up. Fast! It seriously feels like we just brought her home from the hospital. We spent Christmas just staring at her and teaching Alyssa what it meant to be a sister, a helper, and an example for her younger sister. We thanked God for the Christmas gift he brought us....and we are thanking Him again this year. As we reflect on all God has blessed us with, we are thankful for our two little girls. Today and every day!

Bella you are a bundle of JOY. A ball of ENERGY!! You are so smart, and so silly. So beautiful and so loving. You are a light to others. You bring a smile to the faces of those around us and for that we are so thankful!

Thank you for bringing a smile to our faces every. single. day. And for keeping me running ALL. DAY. LONG!! I love every second of it...ok that might be a stretch!!:) JK!!

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

the fruit of the womb a reward.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior

are the children of one's youth.

Blessed is the man

who fills his quiver with them!

He shall not be put to shame

when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Psalm 127:3-5

Family pics...

We recently had a few family pictures done! Matt's cousin Drew has an amazing eye for photography. Drew has always loved taking pictures, but recently decided to do photography on the side! Drew is good at everything he does. He is the youth pastor at FBC Lavaca and is turning that group in to some disciples for Christ. What an example He and Emily are to all!!

Drew did a great job with our girls. A 2 year old and a 4 year old are not always the easiest to capture, but he did just that. We love action shots and he definitely got some of those!! Oh wait...they were all action! Bella didn't stop moving!!:)

Check out our most recent pictures HERE!