Thanksgiving #17

Today I am thankful for music. If you know me, you know that I have a very weird taste in music. I like EVERYTHING. From worship to rap... from pop to heavy rock. And my favorite of all, Josh Turner, is country. So when I say everything, I mean everything.
I tend to listen to songs that say what I'm feeling (which is not always helpful at times). For example, I was listening to P!nk's song Who Knew the other week, beacuse I felt exactly that. Or one of my favorite songs at the moment Here Without You by 3 Doors Down. If you know these songs... you know these are not very uplifting or encouraging. And when I am listening to my iPod, and I'm convicted (which is 50% of the time, but wish it was 100), I switch it over to worship music. Like the song I Have A Shelter or Out of the Depths, both by Sovereign Grace Music. I'm truly thankful for God in those moments, because most of the songs I pick like that, it seems like he is picking those songs for me... speaking to me thru them. They are so encouraging, and in those moments I sense he is with me... caring for me. And the best part... he is! What a great God he is!!!

Thanksgiving #16

Last Monday evening, my aunt Stacy picked me up to go Christmas shopping. What a night we had! God really blessed us. I am thankful for that night we had... but this thankful post is about Stacy.
She is only 15 years older than me, so we are fairly close in age... but she is not just my aunt. She is my second mother, one of my best friends, and a big sister as well. She is one of the few people I can go to with everything. I've always had a special relationship with her, and it seems to be growing every year. God has truly blessed me with giving me an aunt like her! She is one of a kind!
Our night started out at Cordova.... (I'm not gonna say where we went because it might give presents away...) but of course we went to Starbucks while we were there. And when we closed down the mall... we headed over to Target, and closed them down as well. The night was filled with a bunch of laughs, and I got all my shopping done. It was so special to spend time with just Stacy... something that does not happen very often.
Thank you Stacy for always being there! Love you very, very much!

Looking Ahead

Well, some of you know I've been going thru a difficult and changing season in my life. It's not at all where I thought I would be a month ago... but I know God has a plan for me. Isn't it funny how we'll be going on with our life, and then God will turn it totally around in just a few hours? But he does it for our good.
The day after things began to change... my cousin Kaitlin, called to comfort me. I'm very close with my cousin, and it was so good to talk to her. At the moment she is going to pharmacy school, and found out about this pharmacy tech test you can take with no college experience, and get certified. I was very interested.
After praying about it and talking to others, I am hoping to take it at the beginning of the year. Some of you know that I was thinking at different times about going to school for business, sports managment, zoology, and accounting... and I was really leaning to accounting for a long time. But this summer, after much prayer, I felt like God wasn't leading me to go to school. Yes, I was interested in accounting... but I never was excited to do it, or thought "yes, that's excatly what I want to do". But with this pharmacy tech thing, I am really excited, and I really want to do it!
Please keep me in your prayers as I'll hopefully be buying the study book soon, and studying to take the test in the beginning of 2011. (It's so weird to think it's almost the beginning of the new year!)

Penne Parmesan Alfredo

This past Thursday I made Penne Parmesan Alfredo. As always I had french bread, and I also did sauteed green beans. I've made Alfredo before, but it was the kind from a jar.

It calls for;

- 1 medium onion, minced

- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

- 1 cup hot milk

- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

- 1 pound penne pasta

- 1 (8 ounce) package frozen peas, blanched in salt water

- Salt and white pepper

You have to melt the butter first, then saute onion in the melted butter. You then mix the flour, and when all is mixed in you gradually add the hot milk as it cooks on low heat. Stir in the Parmesan . I cooked the pasta while I was making the sauce, so it was ready to be mixed. After pasta is drained, mix it with the peas and the pour into the cheese sauce. When all is stired together, season with salt and white pepper.

*I did not put the peas in it because I'm not a fan of them, so that is why I did the sauteed green beans.

It had a different taste, but mom, dad, Josh and I really liked it. I think it's a do-over... but next time I will double it for our 5.



Thanksgiving #15

I know that I haven't been posting lately, and I know it's December now, but I've decided I'm going to still be posting thanksgiving post till I get to #30. (Since I missed a few days.)

So today, I am thankful for my grandparents, GG and Popa Don. A few weeks ago, I went up to VA for a week, and they were so kind to have me stay with them the whole time... feed me... take me where I wanted to go... and encourage me when I was feeling down and crying. It was so encouraging to be with them... more than they know. But it's not just then. They have always been there for me. Cheering me on when I was playing basketball... putting up with me 3 days a week when I was working on their side of town (haha ;) )... and always there to encourage me in my walk with the Lord. I love them so much, and I'm so very greatful for them.
Thank you GG and Don for everything! I love yall so much! See you Christmas Eve! <3

Pumpkin Cream Soup

Last night was not Thursday, but I wanted to make my next meal on the list, Pumpkin Cream Soup. I wanted to make it because of the the name, Pumpkin Cream Soup, since it's Thanksgiving.
I made it along with fresh Italian bread.
It has;
- 2 Tbs butter
- 1/4 cut onions, chopped
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1 Tbs flour
- 2 cans chicken broth
- 1 can pumpkin
- 1 Tbs brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp peper
- 1 cup half and half
It was so easy, cuz you just throw everything in the pot, and heat it up. It took me no more than 5 minutes to make, and everyone loved it. Mom said "It's a keeper", and I agree. But next time, I am going to double it.
(Sorry, no picture.)

Thanksgiving #14

Today I am thankful for food. What a wonderful think food is... and there are so many ways to make it. Something I look forward to every year is the Thanksgiving meal. It's one of my favorite meals, and we have it Thanksgivng day, and a few times in between the two major holidays. This year I am really looking forward to it because we are spending Thanksgiving with just the Keene family, and Ross is my favorite chief.
Hope yall are having a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Turkey day everyone! Hope yall are having a blessed day as you spend it with loved ones. At the moment, my family, Diego and Lili are all in the living room watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.... A family tradition.
Later, we'll be to the Keese's for the day, along with the Cruz kids, for a day filled with the 3 F's... fun-food-football. What are you doing? (Comment if you'd like). Happy Thanksgiving!

Bad Weekend for Watching Sports

So this weekend, I wasn't sure if I would be able to watch any football this weekend cuz I'm in Richmond. Well, I was. Yay... kinda. Saturday afternoon Kaitlin and I were hanging out at GG's and we were watching the LSU vs. Ole Miss game. I was clearly rooting for Ole Miss... and they lost. Later that night I was watching the FSU vs. Maryland game.... GG and Don even came and watched it with me. Well, if you are up to date with sports, FSU won. And if you know me, I hate FSU. But it was fun watching football with GG and Don.
Sunday, I came home from Kingsway, and yes, I was rooting for the Steelers. And they did win, but then we started to watch the Colts game... and what a game. I felt so bad for Peyton. 3 interceptions . And also for Collie, he kept wanting to come back into the game, but they wouldn't let him. Before the half they were down by 14, but knowing my Colts, I was not so worried knowing they are a second half team.
Half time we headed over to the Kury's for dinner. They did come back in the half like I knew they would... but it wasn't 100%. We were all getting excited, it was so close. Karli and I were squeezing each other's hands, we were so nervous. It came down to the last few seconds, Colts were down at the Patriots' 20, and Manning got ready to throw to Tamme with 40 seconds left of the 4th... but it was to far, and a Patriot intercepted it. This was Manning's 3rd for that game, making it a total of 7 this season.
I'm not the kinda fan that says, "Oh, my team is perfect, they did everything they could." They didn't. Just like the Jag game I went to, they were not out there to play football. Peyton didn't do so well, along with the D and receiver's. We are hurting, with Addai, Clark, Collie, and many other starters out... but the backups could really step it up.
I then watched the Giants and Eagle's game last night... and the Gaints lost.
Well, this week Auburn takes on Alabama in the Iron Bowl and Colts are going up against the Chargers on Sunday Night Football... and I hope we tear them apart! WAR EAGLE & GO COLTS!

Thanksgiving #13

I am thankful for God's will. At times I don't like it, but I know he does things for my good. And this does not mean it's easy and fun... but he does things with my good in mind. Right now I don't know what he has for my life. It's hard... but he is at work. I'll post about this later... but I can see things he is starting to lay out for my life. It's hard, you can be praying for me.
But this morning I went to Kingsway with my grandparents, and it was so good. But one song during worship really spoke to me, God Moves by Sovereign Grace Music.

♫God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm
Deep in His dark and hidden mines
With never-failing skill
He fashions all His bright designs
And works His sovereign will

So God we trust in You
O God we trust in You

O fearful saints new courage take
The clouds that you now dread
Are big with mercy and will break
In blessings on your head
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense
But trust Him for His grace
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face

So God we trust in You
O God we trust in You
When tears are great
And comforts few
We hope in mercies ever new
We trust in You

God’s purposes will ripen fast
Unfolding every hour
The bud may have a bitter taste
But sweet will be the flower
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain
God is His own interpreter
And He will make it plain

"The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower." I'm excited to see what he has for me. He is good!

Well, Colts are about to play.... gotta stop blogging. GO COLTS!