2014 Vision

I'm sorry I haven't been here too much. I have just needed a little time to re-focus after suddenly moving, all of us being sick before, during and after the move, celebrating Christmas and New Year's, etc. I have photos of the house to share and hope to get back to some normal blogging this week.

Today, though, I wanted to share something I'm pretty excited about for 2014.

Do you do the "word of the year" thing that has been poplar for a number of years now? 

I have never chosen a word, for various reasons, although I will say that the Father spoke the word "HOPE" over me last year and I clung to Him and to that promise like never before. It was a tough year. I was pretty ready to say goodbye to 2013.

When January 1 was getting close, I started asking Him if there was a word for 2014 that I should focus on, since He had given me one last year, even without my asking. He gave me a plethora of words instead of just one. Thanks to Tagxedo, I have made my words into a word cloud to commemorate what He spoke to me.

I have learned so much more about Who God is the last seven years, especially, and one of the things He has been teaching me is about His Kingdom. I have so much more to learn, which is why I believe KINGDOM is the main word for my new year. I am on pins and needles, eager to dig in to what more He is going to explain and demonstrate to me about His Kingdom in 2014. 

Did the Lord give you a word for this year? I'd love to know what it is or what you're looking forward to learning or experiencing in 2014!

Love and blessings. xo

Weekly Menu Plan {6 January}

(Hot, delicious Wassail is always a part of our holiday festivities.)

Happy New Year, friends! I hope your year has started out in celebration. Isn't it always exciting to think about all of the blessings of the last year and the possibilities God has for us in a brand new year? Wow!

Here is my menu plan for this week:

Monday - Chili's Skillet Queso, salsa, guac, chips, veggie tray (I have loved Chili's Queso for a long time and this was pretty darn close to the restaurant original!)

Tuesday - Mom's Minestrone Soup, salad, garlic bread

Wednesday - Crock Pot Roast, potato casserole, green beans

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry with Sesame Noodles

Saturday - Nourishing Rice (Arroz con Sustancia) (Thanks to my friend, Jen, for pinning this one!)

Sunday - Snack-y supper

Blessings and love! xo

I'm linking up with Org Junkie for Menu Plan Monday. Click over to get some new ideas for the new year!

Weekly Menu Plan {30 December}

(I am excited about taking photos in and around our new home. This is a shot of part of the backyard.)

Well, hello, friends, and a late Merry Christmas to you! I skipped all blogging last week. I didn't even post a menu plan, although I assure you we did eat. Four wonderful friends made supper for us while we were sick, so we had quite a few leftovers, as well as leftovers from the Chinese meal I made on Christmas Day. We saved our Mexican meal, normally enjoyed on Christmas Eve for later in the week, which was fun because friends had come to see our new house, so they were able to enjoy our Mexican feast with us. 

Thankfully, the horrible virus we have all (except Bob) had is mostly over. There are still a couple of coughs here and there, but we were all able to go to church yesterday for the first time in a few weeks. We are so thankful and back to unpacking boxes and making this house our home. 

Here is what I am thinking for this week:

Monday - still enjoying the leftovers

Tuesday - Creamy Tomato Soup, Parmesan Crisps

Wednesday - Black-eyed peas, cornbread (traditional, of course) and maybe some appetizers, like Spinach Artichoke Dip with pita chips and a veggie tray

Thursday - Thai Chicken Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Friday - Pizza (possibly homemade, but possibly from a pizza place in our new town)

Saturday - Leftovers

Sunday - Snack-y supper

Happy last two days of this year! xo

I'm linking up with Laura at Org Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

Weekly Menu Plan {16 December}

(Here's a peek into my new, cute farm kitchen!)

Greetings, my friends! 

My blog is feeling a little neglected, but moving is hard and exhausting and consuming. We moved into our new house on Thursday (thank You, God!!!) and things are slowly coming together. I am eager to get it all Christmas-y, but due to sick kiddos, we still do not have a tree. Hopefully, we'll be able to get one in the next few days. I have done absolutely no shopping and haven't even ordered my Christmas cards yet. Yikes. I'm thinking Happy New Year cards might be in order instead. Flexibility is one of the keys to life, right?! And I'll be back to blogging more soon. 


Here is the meal plan for this week:

Monday - I made a big pot of comforting Chicken Chili. It really hit the spot on this cold night.

Tuesday - Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry, rice

Wednesday - Rustic Lasagna, salad

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Pizza night (homemade or take out, we shall see)

Saturday - Grilled cheese sandwiches, veggie tray

Sunday - Snack-y supper 


I hope you are enjoying this wonderful season of Christmas! 

Love and blessings. xo


I'm linking up with Menu Plan Monday.

Weekly Menu Plan {9 December}

(We celebrated Bob's birthday tonight with supper out at a Mexican restaurant!)

Hello Friends! I hope you are staying warm, if the December cold has come to your neck of the woods. We have snow and ice and are expecting more snow in the morning. We love, love, love the snow and the kids have had a wonderful time playing out in it, but we do want it to stop by Thursday, as that will be moving day for us. Praise God for His provision of a new house! We were able to get the keys to it tonight and the three older kids finally had the opportunity to walk through it. We have two more days to finish packing and then on to new adventures!

I am kind of flying by the seat of my pants with the menu, since this is moving week, but here is a tentative plan:

Monday - Bob's birthday dinner at a local Mexican restaurant!

Tuesday - Baked potatoes and salad

Wednesday - Some kind of chicken in the crock pot, maybe BBQ or taco (???)

Thursday - Grilled cheese or something easy, as we will be moving in all day

Friday - Roast, mashed potatoes, green beans

Saturday - Penny Pinching Pasta, salad

Sunday - Snack-y supper

We would appreciate your prayers this week as we finalize everything with our packing and move. We are moving to a new town, not just a new house, so there will be quite a few adjustments. The kids are excited for the most part, but a couple of them seemed a little anxious or unsure tonight. I know we'll all be fine and will adjust, but I want to be sensitive to their needs/fears/etc. as we walk through this together. Thank you!

Love and blessings. xo

As always, I'm linking up with Menu Plan Monday!