Light at the end of the tunnel

Whew! Life has been a rollercoaster lately! Trying to get a business up and going is less than easy. A couple of months ago Jacob passed his test to be licensed by the state in HVAC. Way to go babe! And now, for the past few weeks, we have been going back and forth with the state, trying to get a name approved that wasn't already taken or even close to another company name throughout the state. Who would have thought that would be so hard? We still haven't received official approval but we have received an unofficial approval. Just waiting on the Secretary of State to get back to us.

We've also been going back and forth with trying to get insurance. We have to have insurance before he can receive the license from the state. In order to work for the warranty company's, we have to have a minimum of $500,000 in insurance and since I work for an insurance company, we are hoping they will insure us!

Then there's been talks with lawyers and CPA's about the best way to go about doing everything, especially since he is partnering with someone else.

We have been very blessed to have found an investing partner to get this business up and going! Without him, it would have been a lot more difficult for us to do it all on our own.

Now I'm on a mission to find HVAC software, uniforms, business cards, signs for the truck and advertising space! Whew! Got a lot on my plate.

So, after all of the stress and wondering what's next, there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel!!

The plan is to have the company up and running by May 1. Wish us luck!!

Stay tuned...As soon as everything is set in stone, Brenham will have a new AC and Heating Company!!

Good things are in store for us!!

Wordless Wednesday - Enjoying Spring

Relay for Life - Chapel Offering

This weeks Chapel offering for Avari's school was to have us decorate a small bag and fill with coins for the Relay for Life Fundraiser. We could do this in memory of someone we had lost. We chose to do ours in memory of Nanie (my grandmother, Avari's great-grandmother) and of Aunt Susu (my aunt, Avari's great Aunt).

Avari and I discussed why we were doing this. At first she didn't quite comprehend but that's ok. She understands that Nanie and Aunt Susu were sick and had to go to Heaven and that we miss them very much.

We talked about how we should decorate her bag. I suggested a rainbow and explained to her that a rainbow seems to make everyone smile, just like the memories we have make us smile and a heart representing how they each live on inside of us. Although she never met Nanie, she will know her for the wonderful woman that she was and I will teach her all of the things that she taught me. Aunt Susu was only here for the first 3 years of Avari's life so I am hoping she has some rememberance of her. We have several pictures in our home that she gets to look at and when she's older, I'm hoping she'll inquire more about how special these 2 were to me!

The quality of the photos aren't the best, they were taken with my phone.

This was a very special chapel offering assignment for me and I am so glad that the school had us do this with our kiddos! 

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Man Pleasing Chicken

Tuesday: Spaghetti

Wednesday: Taco Salad

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Out - Brenham Fire Department Fish Fry

Saturday: Out - Chili Cook-off at the Green Door

Sunday: Crockpot Taco Casserole

Wordless Wednesday - Glowstick Fun

Yee-Haw - Rodeo Round-up 2012

Avari's Bouncing Bear class participated in the Rodeo Round-up again this year at her school.

I was so proud of her. She did a great job and didn't even cry when I had to go back to work this time. (Although I wanted to) She's growing up too fast!

 

Sorry about the quality of the pictures, my camera was not cooperating that day!!

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Hawaiian Sweet Roll Ham Sandwiches

Tuesday: Grilled Fish

Wednesday: Crock Pot Ranch Pork Chops

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Quesadillas

Saturday: Cheesy Hamburger Pasta

Sunday: Meatloaf

St. Patty's Day Celebrations

We celebrated St. Patty's Day with family and also celebrated March Birthdays!
The boys fried fish and we had all of the trimmings. All of the food was super yummy and the company was great.          We also had a great game of 42!

Avari and I also made special St. Patty's day rice krispies!

Mixing it all up

Green Rice Krispies. We cut this with cookie cutters and placed on a platter to look like Shamrocks!

 

My Shamrock CuTiE!!

Lucy loves her Daddy!

Lucy and Momo

Playing Croquet

All the kiddos having a BLAST!

How was your St. Patrick's Day?

Our First Garden

Recently, we planted our very first garden. I can remember growing up, my grandparents always having a garden and knew that I wanted one. Jacob was none too thrilled about the idea but as always, went along with another one of my crazy adventures.

Not having a very big yard to work with and very little space, I knew I would have to settle for using a planter box. Luckily, Pinterest was full of ideas but building one myself would have cost a lot. Did  you know you can't use treated wood for a vegetable garden? Yea, me either. I've read that the treated wood is made with arsenic and obviously that is not something you want you veggies absorbing. I priced cedar and red wood and it was all just too expensive to buy individually, so I settled for this...

(This is not my garden)

I purchased 2 of these from Home Depot for around $40.00 a piece. Of course they are now on sale for $30....oh well. You can find them here.

I am very pleased with the way they turned out, even though we couldn't get it completely level. I am excited to see everything grow and what I will be able to produce. We've planted squash, pickles, tomatoes, jalapenos, beans, onion and okra. So hopefully out of one of these, we'll get something.

Here's how it turned out...

Almost done...

And the finished product....

I'm still needing to add the tomatoe cages but will do that once the tomatoes start to grow.

Anyone else have a planter box garden? How did it turn out for you?

Taco Casserole

This Taco Casserole is super yummy and will be added in to our rotation for our menu plans!! Hope you enjoy!!

Ingredients

Tortilla chips (enough to cover bottom of pan)
1 can cream of chicken
1 tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 - 1 onion
1 lb ground beef
1/2 package of taco seasoning
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup salsa
1 cup shredded cheese
Black olives
Jalapeños
Optional: tortillas and sour cream

• Heat oven to 350

• In large skillet, combine oil and onions and cook until onions are tender. Add ground beef and taco seasoning. Cook until done. Drain grease. Add beans and salsa to meat mixture.

• Crush tortilla chips in bottom of pan. You can use as much or as little ad you like. I like a thicker base.

• Spread cream of chicken over crushed chips. Add meat mixture to top of cream of chicken and top with cheese. Add olives and jalepenos to the top. (I only put olives on 1/3 of it and kept the jalepenos to add after its cooked)

• Bake for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.

• Serve with tortillas, sour cream or just the way it is.

Bacon Chicken and Rice

Chicken and rice casserole is always a favorite in my house. What could be better than adding bacon to the mix? Who doesn't love bacon?!?








































Ingredients

3-4 chicken breasts
1 cup of rice
2 cups water
1 can cream of chicken
4-5 slices of bacon
Salt
Pepper
Dried basil
Seasonings to taste


Heat oven to 350

Combine uncooked rice, water and cream of chicken in a casserole dish. Add salt, pepper and basil to taste. Add any additional seasonings you like.

Cut uncooked chicken into chunks and mix in with rice mixture.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until all water is absorbed.

While casserole is cooking, fry bacon and crumble.

Remove casserole from oven and stir. Add bacon to the top and cook for another 7 minutes.

Let cool and Enjoy!!

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Goulash

Tuesday: Tacos

Wednesday: Tuscan Ravioli

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Chili Dogs

Saturday: Pineapple Bacon Burgers

Sunday: Hot Wings

Feature Friday - Layla Grace Foundation

Two years ago today, Layla Grace Marsh earned her angel wings.







































         I can remember reading Ryan and Shanna's (Layla's Parents) blog posts and twitter updates daily, hoping and praying for a miracle for this little girl and my heart aching when I read that she had passed. I cried, cried harder then I ever have for someone I didn't know. She was 2 weeks older than Avari and I couldn't imagine if that were my child.

On April 11, 2010, Ryan and Shanna founded the Layla Grace Children's Cancer Research Foundation in an effort to continue little Layla's legacy.




























Throughout the year, they hold many community events to raise awareness and money for Childhood Cancer and have a website devoted to this cause where you can learn about upcoming events and make donations.

I never truly realized until a few years ago, how many children are diagnosed, go through the agonizing treatments and die of cancer each year. Did you know that every 4 hours a child dies from cancer? That's 4 too many and we should be doing more. We see so much support for breast cancer (which i fully support) that it seems that childhood cancer is put on the back burner when truly, childhood cancer should be our main focus!!

What can we do to get more research done? How can we help?
We can start by visiting The Layla Grace Foundation's Website. Make a donation and let's kick childhood cancer's butt!!

Wordless Wednesday - Bike Ride

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti

Tuesday: BBQ Baked Potatoes

Wednesday: Taco Casserole

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Bacon Chicken and Rice Casserole

Saturday: Steaks

Sunday: Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

My love for....Coffee!

Let me just start out by saying...I never really liked coffee. In fact, I couldn't stand the smell of coffee half the time. That is until I received this awesome Keurig Coffee Maker!!

This is the greatest thing ever!!

Keurig has so many coffee choices, along with hot tea and hot chocolate!

My all time favorite is Golden French Toast! This was, of course, a limited edition coffee so I am hoping that they bring it back this next fall!

My new favorite is Caramel Vanilla Cream!

Every thing that I have tried has been so very good! I can't wait to get my next order in from them!

Coffee is my new ADDICTION!!

Check out the Keurig Website...You won't be sorry!!

Justice or Forgiveness?

Have you ever been hurt by someone and wanted to hurt them just as much as they hurt you? I know I have. But is that the way we want to be? Is that what our society has come to? Is seeking justice more important than seeking forgiveness?

Not for me! Forgiveness frees the soul, justice buries it. There is not one single instance in my life that I can truly say that I would rather seek justice than forgiveness. Yes, I've been hurt. Yes, some have hurt me bad enough to not let thost people be a part of my life anymore. Yes, I forgive them. Do I still hold some anger in my heart? Of course, who wouldn't but through forgiving them, I am able to let go of some of that anger over time.

In reading Gary Chapman's The 5 Love Languages, I have learned that Forgiveness is the way of love. He states: "Love doesn't keep a score of wrongs. Love doesn't bring up past failures. None of us is perfect."

This is held true in all relationships, not just with a spouse but with friends, family, co-workers, etc. I have had many friends who I loved like a member of my family. I hurt them, they hurt me and in the end, weren't true friends at all. Although they are no longer in my life, I have forgiven them, and even if they haven't forgiven me, my heart is clear. Same thing goes for family. Although family will always be a part of your life, the one's who have hurt you, can no longer have a hold over you if you forgive and let your heart love them, despite having hurt you in the past.

He also states: " I have the option of justice or forgiveness. If I choose justice and seek to pay her back or make her pay for her wrongdoing, I am making myself the judge and she the felon. Intmacy becomes impossible. If, however, I choose to forgive, intimacy can be restored. Forgiveness is the way of love."

Who are we to judge others? That is not our place. Every one has skeletons in their closets and judgement should be left to our maker. I am not here on this earth to judge your actions, your choices, your life. I am here to love, be loved and be the best person that I can be.

I will make mistakes. I am not perfect. All I can ask is that you forgive me.

What do you choose? Justice or Forgiveness?

The 5 Love Languages

Feature Friday - Enjoying the Small Things

If you haven't heard of Kelle Hampton, you definitely need to check out her blog. She is an amazing blogger, writer and mother.

I love to read her blog and take inspiration from her. The way she writes, the way she views life...very awe inspiring. I can not wait for her book Bloom to come out soon. That will be the next one on my book list!

I only wish that I could be half the person that she is...such great talent....such a great heart! She has a way of writing that pulls you in, makes you feel like you are right there in that moment in time that she is sharing with you. You can feel the love she has for her family in friends through her writing and photos.

Go and check out her blog...read the whole thing, it will change your life. It has mine!

Click on the link in my side bar or access her page by clicking here. You won't be disappointed.

A new swing set for Avari

Avari received a new swingset from her Grandma and Papa John for Christmas. We picked it up a few weeks after Christmas and then it took a few more weeks for Daddy to get it out and get it together. Of course the rain didn't help either.

Jacob and my cousin, Jason, worked one weekend to get it all put together. When they first opened the box, I really had my doubts....but they managed, followed directions (thank goodness) and did a great job!

Just a few of the many pieces

Sorting through it all

Slowly but surely....

Hard at work! HA!

Daddy's little helper!

Looking good boys!

Just need swings and a slide...

Last step...

They're all done!!

Enjoying the new slide!

I'd say she likes it!

Thanks Grandma and Papa John!!!