27 Things Before 27

I've learned this about myself... I don't have very many goals. My whole life all I have ever wanted to be was a wife and mother. And, those are very respectable goals, but I want to work, this year of twenty twelve, to accomplish some small victories. Well, some small and some not so small.... actually some are really BIG deals. Regardless, here is my list of 27 things to do before I turn 27.

The Task: Check off all 27 things

The deadline: November 12, 2012

The Reason: Accountability/Why Not?

The Things:

1. Sell our house in Rogers, Arkansas (Been on the market since October 2009).
2.                     (Sorry cyber-world... This one is secret).
3. Go to Nicaragua.
4. Get to my goal weight.
5. Participate in a 5K. May even run a little..
6. Talk to my brother about his relationship with God.
7. Go to the dentist and become cavity free.
8. Build a pergula in our backyard.
9. Go get my kidneys checked out.
10. Paint the outside of our house.
11. See the Mall of America in Minneapolis.
12. Start reading a chronological Bible.
13. Build a piece of furniture our of pallets.
14. Sell something online.
15. Keep a prayer journal.
16. Visit my family once a month.
17. Read 2 Books.
18. Take a vacation just Nate and I.
19. Pay off my car.
20. Learn something new.
21. Try sushi - Hopefully with my good friend Cassie V!
22. Volunteer at a shelter.
23. Sew a piece of clothing.
24. Support Nate as he trains for a marathon. I'm gonna ride my bike!
25. Get my house decorated just right and totally organized.
26. Get a massage.
27. Make a menu for one whole month and go grocery shopping one time for everything.
 

Well, there ya go!  I'm excited to see what this list will look like later this year.  It will be a fun little experiement.  I have added it to my tabs at the top of the page so follow the progress... if you want.  Or make a list of your own and let me know about it!

 

 



Baked Spinach Dip Mini Bread Bowls

I made these little bites of heaven over Christmas and wanted to share the recipe.  They are very delish!  Enjoy…

 

Baked Spinach Dip Mini Bread Bowls

13.3 oz roll of refrigerated french bread loaf, I used Simply Pillsbury

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 Cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped

1 clove fresh garlic, minced

3 oz softened cream cheese

1/2 Cup light sour cream

2 Tablespoons fresh shredded parmesan cheese

1/8 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet Ancho Chile Pepper

1/8 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet Garlic Salt

1/8 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet Sicilian Sea Salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 Cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray muffin cups with non stick cooking spray.  Unroll package of french bread loaf and slice into equal size slices, about 1 inch thick.  Press each slice into about a 3 inch round, I did this by pressing in between my hands.  Press into the bottom and up sides of the muffin cup.  Set aside.

2.  Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat.  Cook and stir spinach until wilted, about 3 minutes then add garlic, cook and stir for another minute then turn heat off.

3.  Place cream cheese, sour cream, cooked spinach and garlic, Parmesan Cheese, Ancho Chili Powder, garlic salt, salt and pepper into a medium bowl.  Mix until well combined.  With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dip into each of the centers of bread bowls.  Top evenly with shredded cheese (I am rather generous with the cheese…. in everything I make. ha) and bake for 15-17 minutes until just turning brown on edges.  Remove and let cool for 3-5 minutes before removing from oven.

Christmas 2011 and Welcome Twenty Twelve!!!

Christmas came really fast this year… and it was over just as fast as it came.  It didn’t really even seem like the Christmas season until around Christmas Eve-ish.  Nate and I had to use a week of vacation time to get our house in Rogers ready to sell again, so we had to work through the holidays.  It was just the two of us at the church office for two weeks.  Nice, huh?

My family got together on the 23rd, because Brian and Kim always go to her parent’s on the 24th.  Our plan was to have breakfast and spend a lot of quality time together all day.  It didn’t work out because my brother ended up in the hospital with pancreatitis.  We all missed him a lot, but he wanted us to go ahead and have it for the boys.  So we just got together for dinner and presents.

Speaking of the boys… Are these not the cutest nephews you’ve ever seen?

They got a new Mario race track thing and we spent a few…. hours… putting it together.  It was worth it though.  Landry was really excited watching the cars go round and round.

On Christmas Eve we came back to our house.  It was good to have a little time to ourselves in between family gatherings.

We went to see the lights…

Christmas Day was on a Sunday this year so we went to church and then came back to our house for Nate’s family Christmas.  We were excited to host this year…

I borrowed Mom and Grandma’s dishes to make the table look extra festive.  I thought it was pretty pretty.

Next year we will have another family member and that will be great!  Nate’s sister will have baby Aubrey in the last part of May.

     

On the 30th we ventured back down to Mamaw and Papaw’s house for the big McConathy Christmas.  It was a shorter visit than we were used to, but it is always great to see everyone.  It is also always hard to leave these two… sweet Papaw…

and funny Mamaw.

We got back on New Year’s Eve and went to our friends house for a little par-tay.  And by par-tay, I mean we played stupid games to keep ourselves awake for the ball drop. haha

It was a great way to bring in the new year.  I couldn’t be more thankful for the wonderful friends we have been blessed with.  And, I wouldn’t have wanted to ring in the New Year with anyone else :) 

(I eventually made like 4 in the basket, okay)

(Nate put an oreo on his face and caught it in his mouth)

I am super glad to welcome TWENTY TWELVE!  I am already looking forward to the great things God has in store for us.

And because I don’t have a baby… Here is Claire Bear to say “Happy New Year” blog world.

Project Scarves. Operation Christmas.

I love to give gifts.  It is one of my favorite things to do.  It let’s your friends and family, or maybe even complete strangers, know that you are thinking of them.  Why not give a little?  The reward you will feel on the inside is way better than anything you can receive on the outside.

However, gifts at Christmas time is a different story.  Don’t get me wrong… I still love to give.  I just don’t love to forget what the holiday is all about, ya know?  Like the Savior of the whole world’s birth.

So this year to save some moolah (we do have two mortgage payments right now) and to minimize the gift hype, I decided to make infinity scarves for all the women in my life.  And there are a lot of women in my life… so it took a few nights at the sewing machine.

In the end, I was very pleased with how the turned out and even a little inspired to sew other things.  We will see…

Merry Christmas!

I love getting Christmas cards… like a lot.  It doesn’t really make sense that I don’t send them myself.  The only excuses I have are:  stamps are 44 cent a piece, and nobody wants to see pictures of just Nate and I.  So, maybe when we are blessed with a little one, I will bite the bullet and spread some Christmas cheer ;)

Anyway, here is the “digital Christmas card” I made this year.

"I found out what the secret to life is--friends. Best friends." --Fried Green Tomatoes"

Even Frankenstein said, “Alone.  Bad.  Friends.  Good.” 

I have learned these two statements to be nothing but the truth.  I am so thankful for the wonderful friends that Nate and I have made through our twelve years together.  Some have lasted a short time, and others will last our entire lifetime.  And, in some cases, even enduring the test of living four hours apart.

Great friends quickly become like family.  It is always a great time when you can hang out.  When you don’t get to see each other, you miss your times together…. and when you do see each other, it’s like you were never gone.  Birthdays and holidays are shared.  Hugs are given in times of need.  And lots of prayers are lifted up as you go through life together.  Friends.  Just don’t know what I would do without them.  I have never had such great friends in my life and I am super thankful and blessed with all of you :)

For our birthdays this year, a few great friends surprised us with an awesome cake and a fun gift that we got to bring back to OK and enjoy.  It was super fun and I thought I would share.

This picture of Nate was just too cute.  I love that man!

Incase you couldn’t read the envelope here is a close up…

 

Our sweet friends Carmen & Andew, and Cassie gave us these two “dates.”  We weren’t allowed to open the envelope until we were actually ready to go on a date.  So…. here is what was inside date #2….

I know…. you’re jealous of our super great friends, right?  This was great for us because Nate was wanting to see that Moneyball movie.  It’s about baseball.  You know the one about the Oakland A’s with Brad Pitt.

Anyway… We went to see it and there wasn’t any yogurt close so I got this…

An icee as big as my head. haha

It was a great time and we really enjoyed the day together.

Thank you Carmen & Andrew, and Cassie for this stinking awesome gift.  You guys are among my closest friends and I love you dearly.

Thanksgiving ~ Twenty Eleven

“In all things, give thanks…”

Thanksgiving came fast and was over just as fast this year.  We were able to get together with one side of my family before going to Texas to see Nate’s family.  It was at my cousin’s house this year, and she likes to take pictures….

*Disclaimer*  I know I look like I may, in fact, be with child… but I am not :)  All these holiday goodies have not been kind to my waste line.  Come January, things will change!

Me, Nate, and Crystal

.

Nana and Pops!

.

Tommy and Pops

.

Mom and Dad

.

Me and Tommy…(missed getting to see Brain, Kim, and the boys this year)

.

Nana and I

.

I cannot stop thinking about how blessed I am to have such a wonderful family.  I wish that we could get together a lot more than twice a year, but I guess that’s life.  With all the distractions out there… good and bad… take some time right now and thank God for your family.  And, resolve to thank God more for the people that mean the most to you this holiday season.