slacker

i'm not typically a slacker. in anything. ok, maybe my blog loses out on some love every now and then and i could paint my toe nails more often, but we'll just forget about that for now. i have been a blog slacker, and i really don't like blog slackers. i quit looking at blogs that are written (or not) by slackers. they are boring. this blog has been boring. my apologies to the 3.7 devoted readers that check in on us.

last week was crazy and fabulous! i am blessed to be a part of a new women's ministry at church. we started getting things together last spring and we have been working like crazy to get everything ready for the launch of the ministry, which was tuesday and thursday of last week. our church has two campuses so we launched at each campus on a different day. most of the things that i had to do were things that could only be done last minute and i was running around last week like a chicken with my head cut off. let me just make it known that i don't like that analogy... i don't think that i ever resemble a decapitated chicken.

this new women's minsitry, stepping stones, is part of our girlfriends group. girlfriends is an amazing ministry for women and it was started by two amazing women in our church, lisa and patty! girlfriends is now an international ministry, changing the lives of women!

we had over 600 women (and lots of kiddos) at our launch events last week and i am amazed at the work that God has been doing. i'm not surprised, He always does things bigger than we could have imagined, but i am amazed. i am excited to see what else He has in store for the women that come to stepping stones.

my moms group started again last week as well, as part of stepping stones, and i am so excited! i am the creative activities leader for MOMs, or moms on a mission, formerly MOPS, and i'm really looking forward to the year... i love this group!

my dear friend karla became a mommy last week! she and christian, her husband, welcomed sweet jaden into the world on tuesday! he is a doll and i am looking forward to spending tuesday afternoons getting to know him and helping karla out a little bit. really though, i'm just going to hold the baby and take picture of his small sweetness, she can do whatever she wants :).

emily has blowing all of her tests out of the water, as well as us... she's pretty special! ethan has been telling us "that's so nineties" and nick has no more five day, five city crazy trips planned!

happy monday!
a

can i just tell you...

that emily really loves this song. ok, ok, i really love this song too!

happy friday!
a

favorite recipe

this mini meatloaf recipe is one of my favorites, we even had it for dinner tonight, along with mashed potatoes and steamed carrots... it's a big hit!

mini turkey meatloaves

20 oz. ground jennie-o-turkey
1/4 cup yellow onion
1 large celery stalk
1 large carrot
1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1/4 cup quick oats
2 egg whites

topping:

1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from can of chipotle peppers)

pulse onion, carrot and celery in food processor until diced. add chipotle and pulse until just combined.
put turkey, oats, egg whites and vegetables in large bowl and mix until combined well (i use my hands).
scoop mixture into lightly greased muffin tins.
bake at 350* for 20 minutes.

while the mini meatloaves are baking, combine topping ingredients in a bowl. after the meatloaves have baked for 20 minutes take them out and spoon topping evenly over them.
bake for 10 more minutes, or until the meatloaves reach an internal temperature of 170*.

enjoy!
angie

i believe that the recipe is from biggest loser

this is what saturdays are for...

does he look excited, or what!?
ready daddy!

and, he's off!

he's not too familiar with the brakes yet!

it definitely helps him to concentrate if daddy sticks out his tongue :)
i guess this is what i get for wanting to get a picture from in front of him...

he rode right to me, and like i said, he's not too familiar with the brakes yet.

i jumped out of the way just in time... he ran into the garbage can instead of me.

hey, a girls gotta protect her camera, right!?

happy saturday!
a

sidenote: please excuse the garbage cans in the background, i don't like visual clutter (or any clutter for that matter). i don't think my neighbors would have been to happy if i would have moved them and they didn't get emptied, but you know i thought about it.

i can't get enough of this song...

More Beautiful You

Johnny Diaz

Little girl fourteen flipping through a magazine

Says she wants to look that way

But her hair isn't straight her body isn't fake

And she's always felt overweight

Well little girl fourteen

I wish that you could see

That beauty is within your heart

And you were made with such care your skin your body and your hair

Are perfect just the way they are

[Chorus]

There could never be a more beautiful you

Don't buy the lies disguises and hoops they make you jump through

You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do

So there could never be a more beautiful you

Little girl twenty-one the things that you've already done

Anything to get ahead

And you say you've got a man but he's got another plan

Only wants what you will do instead

Well little girl twenty-one you never thought that this would come

You starve yourself to play the part

But I can promise you there's a man whose love is true

And he'll treat you like the jewel you are

[chorus]

So turn around you're not too far

To back away be who you are

To change your path go another way

It's not too late you can be saved

If you feel depressed with past regrets

The shameful nights hope to forget

Can disappear they can all be washed away

By the one who's strong can right your wrongs

Can rid your fears dry all your tears

And change the way you look at this big world

He will take your dark distorted view

And with His light He will show you truth

And again you'll see through the eyes of a little girl

[chorus]

wordless wednesday

waiting for our table at margaritaville (great french fries!)
yes, please don't leave your kids unattended.

especially these two, they're a bit unruly!

happy wednesday!

a

how is it possible...

that we have a big third grader in our house!? em started school today and she was so excited! she's been asking for weeks how long she had to wait for school, the girl loves it and that makes nick and i so happy! i didn't like school until high school, then i loved it (i think that's the point that i stopped caring what anybody thought of me and just learned to be myself). she definitely takes after her daddy in that area!
ethan was a little lost without her, being alone with boring ol' mom all day. he kept saying "i want to go pick em up now." so cute. we went to the store and got him his own school supplies so he didn't feel left out, he was pretty happy about that and was occupied doing "homework" for part of the day!
she has the most popular teacher (a male!) in the entire school! we were so surprised and happy when we got her welcome letter!
i'm excited for the new school year (this year is extra exciting since nick is finally finished with school and will be home every night!). i like the routines that a schedule brings and i'm looking forward to the mom's group starting back up. i still get a little sad that summer is over, it goes by so quickly. i try to make it fun for the kids and do things that they like and when it's over it's just a reminder that taking the time to enjoy the little things is so important! having kids in school definitely makes time go by faster (is that possible!?).

beautiful third grader!

don't you just love her backpack!? peace signs made out of tiny flowers...

she picked it out and loves it!

i almost cried with this one, they were so sweet

we have ice cream at mcdonald's after every first day of school!

why do i have to stop eating to smile!?

happy monday!
a

wordless wednesday

em brought this to me when we were camping last weekend. it was our centerpiece for our table. she's too much. do you see the little "visitor" in the picture?

happy wednesday!

a

timing...

i receive a daily devotion from proverbs 31 ministries. i love them. they are encouraging and real and something that almost every woman can relate to. today's devotion struck a chord with me and i wanted to share it. these are not my words, the devotion was written by Wendy Blight. i am thankful for her words today, His timing is perfect.

happy tuesday!

a

I Choose NOT to be Offended

4 Aug 2009

Wendy Blight

"A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense." Proverbs 19:11 (NIV)

What did she mean by that?

Why does she always hurt my feelings?

Why does she treat me that way?

Do any of these phrases sound familiar to you? It took my 15-year old daughter to show me that these words played through my head on a continual basis. She ended many of our conversations over the last few years with, "Why do you get your feelings hurt so easily?" or "Gosh, Mom, we are always hurting your feelings." Or, "Mom, you're so sensitive." At first, her words angered me.

Over time, I finally began to hear what she was saying. God used my daughter to teach a powerful truth to me. For years, I allowed people's words to hurt my feelings. In turn, I harbored anger for those words. The anger took root. Satan fed the words to me over and over again. I replayed them in my mind. Each time I replayed them, the anger grew deeper roots.

I would find myself sitting in church listening to a sermon and saying, "I wish ______ was here. They really need to hear this sermon." I never heard the sermons for myself because the words of others consumed by thoughts and stole my time.

About this time, God called me to teach a Bible study on the book of Proverbs. I spent days and weeks absorbed in this amazing book of Wisdom. One afternoon, God brought this verse across my path, "A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense" (Proverbs 18:11). Wow! It leapt off the page and into my heart.

I had a choice here. Up until now, I received people's words, jumped to a conclusion, and chose to be offended. God's Word spoke and said, "Wendy, you have another choice...choose to look past their words and not receive them with an offended heart." I discovered that I needed to LISTEN objectively and ask: What is driving their words? Do they have a valid point? Do they have a deep hurt? Do they need something I am not giving? Are they someone who is just plain mean and negative?

The responsibility was on me to stop the words from entering my heart and taking root. I discovered in this process that I NEEDED the approval of others. Yet, God's Word clearly says that He is the only One whose approval I need. When I accepted this, my heart changed.

Yes, it took time, and I am a work in progress. But, now when someone speaks a hurtful word, I check it at the door of my heart. I hear the words, I recognize my issue, and I speak Truth over my heart. I literally say, "It is to my glory to not receive this as an offense." God is pleased because I honor Him with this choice. It is a win-win for everyone because I do not ruin the rest of the day by pouting and making it all about me. I do not soak in self-pity. I let the words go.

Heavenly Father, thank You that I am created in Your image. Thank You that in You I find my identity. Thank You that it is only Your Words and Your opinion that matters. Lord, give me Your ears to hear. Help me not to be easily offended and easily angered. Help me lay down any offenses to which I am currently holding. Let me live in the freedom of Your love and forgiveness. Help me live not in my flesh, but supernaturally in the fullness and freshness of Your Spirit. I ask this in the powerful name of Jesus Christ, My Lord, Amen.