As promised here are two really yummy meals that I have made in the past week and you should make them soon for your family. I got both from an awesome blog called Annie’s Eats – she is so talented and reading her recipes makes my mouth water.

I made this first, Thai Chicken with Cashews. Make your mouth melt and it was easy! And an extra bonus is that it is mostly good for you. I did use brown rice instead of white rice and it was yummy or as I like to say Yumilicious

Then on Sunday I made these Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas. I don’t have a grill pan but that is ok because they turned out delicious. The marinade for the chicken is so good. I think that I’m going to try it next and just grill the chicken instead of cooking it on the stove. The lime favor was good and yet again such an easy recipe. I hope that yall enjoy her site and recipes as much as I have. Thanks to Lindsey for sharing her site with me!

Now a change of subject.

A few weeks ago at church we were given a message that to me was a great reminder. We are called to be different, to be set apart from the world. I know the message, I’ve heard it many many times yet this is just one that continues to strike my interest. We are to live in the world NOT of the world. But what exactly does it mean to be different. In a world that we all strive NOT to stand out and we all want to fit in so bad and be accepted and then we’re told by Christ that we are supposed to be different. Sometimes I can have a self confidence problem and become insecure about who I am and what others will think of me. When I truly think about what we’re called to do in Christ it does give me confidence that I am created by God and that my purpose is to be pleasing and true to Him not others (family, friends, co workers, etc).

John 17:15-17 (NIV) Jesus prays “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”

As I was sitting in church thinking about how I am going to apply this to my everyday life it was actually difficult for me to think of how exactly I am set apart for the sake of Christ. What can I do different in my life that will set me apart for Christ to be pleasing to him. We then sang Let Us Be Bread, I don’t think that I have ever heard it before, or maybe I have and just never listened closely to the words. The chorus caught my attention and started to shed some light on my question. “Let us be bread, blessed by the Lord, broken and shared, life for the world. Let us be wine, love freely poured. Let us be one in the Lord”. Oh that is so sweet. I think particularly the “love freely poured” is especially what caught my attention. That is how I can be different. Not judging and being opinionated about others but to just love them freely for who they are – to be one in the Lord as He created us! To feel free to love others and not be worried what others think of me for loving that person.

I really liked this version of Romans from The Message.

Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

I just love that! It certainly does remind me of sharing my love with others as God loves us and how we can give every part of our day to God as we seek to be pleasing to Him.

Giggles

Collier giggled out loud for the first time tonight. He has been on the verge for a few days, he opens his mouth wide and will smile so big and wiggle and squirm well, it finally busted out tonight and it was tooo cute! I hope to get a video of it soon. But I was so excited. That is by far the best sound ever...a giggling baby or child. I just love it.

We had a nice weekend. Justin was out of town so we took it easy and spent some time at mom and dad's which was great. I was really glad to have Justin home on Sunday. I am thankful to have a sweet husband who is helpful and involved with Collier. When he is out of town, it just isn't the same and it is definitely harder to get ready for work and out the door without the extra help. It does really make me appreciate him while he is here for sure!

I've made two yummy meals in the past week that are worthy of posting about....hopefully one day this week! Stay tuned.

No use in crying over spilled milk

Is that how the saying goes? probably not, but that is all that has been in my head since Friday morning. Thursday Justin went and picked up Collier from mom's and I went to run a few errands and then to the grocery to pick up something for dinner. I came right in and nursed Collier and then started dinner. Oh and it was pouring rain when I came in too! Justin had been gone for a few nights and it was nice to finally have him back home. We had a great evening.

Friday morning as I was in the shower it occured to me that I may not have taken my pumped goods out of my little cooler and put it in the frig the night before. My blood pressure spiked I'm sure as I rushed to get done with the shower to see if I had done it or not. After all, this was Collier's feedings for Friday. Run, dripping wet, with only a towel wrapped around me to look into that cooler and see 15oz sitting there. With a glimpse of hope, but knowing it was no good I rush to the computer to look up Madela's rules on how long breast milk is good in a cooker (it did at least have an ice pack in it) tears begin to run down my face and I don't know if I was really sad, angry or disappointed. Actually I was all of those things. Nope. I had to poor all of that out and I just can not tell you how badly it upset me. I cried the whole time I was emptying the bottles and then I just got mad and started stomping around. Justin really tried to make it better and tell me it wasn't that bad and that I was not the first or last mother to do this....It didn't make me feel any better... I took a deep breath, wiped away my tears, unclenched my teeth and asked God to reveal to me what I was supposed to learn from this situation. I chilled out and tried to enjoy the rest of my morning before I had to go to work. So back to the saying.....I did cry over spilled milk and hope to not have to do it again!

I am very hard on myself about these sorts of things. It is stupid and dumb that I didn't even consider putting that away yet the cheese and eggs seemed to make it to the refrigerator just perfectly. How dumb. I'm still waiting to understand and know the exact reason. Maybe to lighten up a little. Probably though that I am NOT in total control and to let go and let Him!

Korey Family

Yet another memorable Compass Lake weekend. We spent this weekend with my Dad's brother's (minus one) and their families. It was wonderful and relaxing. I'm including the below picture just for Uncle Ken who thought that Collier was the perfect child until Saturday rolled around and he wouldn't stop crying! Uncle Ken insisted that we have a picture of Collier crying....this one is just for you!!!

It was a really fun time to spend with family. Don't you just love when you have fun family and you make special memories with them. Collier sat in a floatie for the first time and LOVED it! My little water baby!

Today mom put Collier in the exercauser for the first time and he enjoyed himself to the fullest. He loved all of the activities and stuff that he could play with. I love to see him growing but am also sad. I look back at old pictures and realize how fast he is growing. Gosh and he isn't even one yet..much less in college. What am I going to do? Well for now, go to bed!

sweet dreams!!!!

Short and Sweet

I'm smiling and cooing

I found my hands and do my best to stuff them in my mouth

I'm getting so strong and holding my head up so good!