HEATHER'S HOME

MENU PLAN FOR THE WEEK

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Mon, 04 May 2009 21:11:00 +0000

It's that time again, I can't believe it's Monday already. Here is our dinner menu for the week. However, since Carino's is having there Mom's Eat Free deal, one of these dinners, might not get cooked. ;-)

MONDAY - Alcatra over Brown Rice (a portuguese beef dish that I'll post the recipe for this week over at What's Cookin')

TUESDAY - Remix

WEDNESDAY - bulgogi over brown rice (another recipe to post this week on What's Cookin') and Asian Flavored Coleslaw

THURSDAY - Spaghetti Marinara with meatballs, Green Salad and Whole Wheat Country French Bread

FRIDAY - Buffalo Chicken Wraps (new recipe. I'll post the recipe if they turn out.)

SATURDAY - Grilled Asparagas and Red Onion Pizza (Good Life {eats})

SUNDAY - Remix

For more menu plans, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.

MOM EATS FREE AT CARINO'S MAY 4-8

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Fri, 01 May 2009 19:14:00 +0000

Take mom out to Carino's May 4-8! According to the manager at our local Carino's restaurant, Mom's get a 3 course meal (appetizer, main course and dessert) plus a beverage free with the purchase of just one regular entree.

Also, if you go to the Carino's website, you can sign up for free email notifications of upcoming special offers.

I personally love Carino's and hope to talk someone in this house into taking me there this week! One can only hope! ::sheepish grin::

MENU PLAN AND NEW RECIPES

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 03:04:00 +0000

Hey everyone!

I have posted my Menu Plan for the Week and some new recipes over at What's Cookin'. I created recipes for Asian Chicken Noodle soup and Mushroom Cream Sauce with Onions. Both were big hits in our house.

I also did some tweeking of an old favorite of ours, Creamy Light Chicken Enchiladas, that everyone devoured.

So, head on over to What's Cookin' in Heather's Kitchen for these and other recipes as well as product reviews.

Come back to Heather's Home tomorrow for my Union of Twosday Relationship Carnival and link up your relationship posts. See you then.

TWENTY YEARS OF BLESSINGS

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 20:23:00 +0000

Twenty years ago today, a precious blessing was born after 24 hours of labor. Every second was worth it when I looked upon that sweet face, scrunched though it was.

She weighed 8 lbs 6 oz and was 21 inches long.

It's hard to believe that so much time has past. She grew far too quickly to her father and me.

Eighteen years old and graduating from High school. It was a joy to be her teacher all of those years.

Now at 20, she is putting her teen years behind her. It has been and always will be a great pleasure to watch her grow into the Godly woman she is. I look forward to see what God has in store for her life.

HAPPY 20TH BIRTHDAY, ARIELLE! WE LOVE YOU!

WEIGH IN - My Healthy Journey and Update for the week

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:41:00 +0000

Update from my NO MENU PLAN post and last weeks My Healthy Journey post: Well, no surprise, I haven't lost anything this week either. I did count ww points this week without changing what I had been eating. Turns out, I have been eating just a little more than I thought I had. Just goes to show you that keeping a food journal is so very important if you want to lose weight. I'm working on eating more salads (light dressings), fruits (fresh, not juice) and cutting calories out of my recipes.

I haven't been to the gym either. Instead I have been moving furniture. No, we didn't move, just spring cleaning. It took all week to clean the entire house and still function as a mom, homeschool teacher, chef, chauffeur, executive assistant (bills had to be paid, calls had to be made, errands had to be run). I like that, I'm an executive assistant to my hubby, making sure that our house doesn't fall down around us.

I didn't get to the yard yet. Who wants to come over and dig out my sprinklers? No takers? Oh well, there is always next week.

We took Arielle out for her birthday dinner a few days early. However, I'm going to write a separate post about that.

In the meantime, I'll be posting my recipe for Creamy Chicken Enchiladas on Sunday over at What's Cookin' so come back then and get the recipe.

I tweeked and tweeked to get this one just right. I have to say, they are the best Chicken enchiladas I have tasted. I even lowered the fat and calories by substituting a few ingredients and they are still mouth watering.

I guess that's it for my week.

BASKIN ROBBINS 31cent SCOOP NIGHT

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:34:00 +0000

Baskin Robbins is having a 31 cent scoop night on April 29 from 5 to 10pm! I think it's time for a treat.

My daughter clued me into this great savings on her favorite ice cream shop. We seldom get ice cream out, instead we buy it at the store when it is on sale, but I do love Baskin Robbins' chocolate chip more than any other chocolate chip I have ever tried, so I can't resist this deal!

The deal is in honor of the sacrifice our Firefighters make everyday to keep us safe. Let's show our support for these brave men and women. You can go to Baskin Robbins website and sign up for a reminder to be sent to your email. See you there on the 29th!

NO MENU PLAN - ack!

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 18:45:00 +0000

I can't believe how fast last week went. I totally forgot about planning for this weeks menus and now I'm stuck creating them on the fly. I'll post new recipes on What's Cookin' if they turn out. Tonight is Spicy Oriental Chicken Noodle Soup, so I hope to have the recipe up tomorrow. I also have in my mind to make some Creamy Chicken Enchiladas. I'll post that this week if I do make it. So at least I have 2 meals I can make without too much thought. My family won't starve. For some great Menu ideas, don't forget to check out I'm an Organizing Junkie. There are over 300 menu plans to choose from every week.

I'm workin' on clearing out paperwork and doing some real cleaning in the house and our yard this week. It seems like every time I plan on doing these all important chores, something else comes up. I will also be doing some digging in the back yard as 2 of our sprinklers broke off too deeply for me to fix without digging out the area to work on it.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for Union of Twosday!

MY HEALTHY JOURNEY - No weight loss yet

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:06:00 +0000

Well, it has been almost 2 weeks since I updated My Healthy Journey, so I figured I better write something. I am still not up to my goals yet, but I'm working on it.

I did go to WW yesterday, just to see what their new Momentum program is about. From what I can tell, they have combined the old Core and Flex plans together. The points are still the same, but they emphasize healthy food options and they now have a walking program you can join. I think I might try counting points again. It did help somewhat when I was doing it before, but my real hang up is getting out and exercising. I know "Just Do It"!

I weighed myself, and haven't budged a bit. This is not encouraging. Oh well, I did hear a quote that was motivating. "A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." Lao Tzu

PRAY FOR KELLY UPDATE - Surgery tomorrow

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:59:00 +0000

Please pray for Kelly. Her lumpectomy is scheduled for tomorrow morning. She has posted on her blog about it. Go on over and leave a comment.

MENU PLAN MONDAY

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:52:00 +0000

Menu time again. Head on over the What's Cookin' for some great recipes and my menu plan for the week.

And don't forget to come back tomorrow for Union of Twosday. I'll be continuing my study of Submission. Come back and link up with your "Union" posts or just leave a comment.

HAPPY EASTER!

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 23:36:00 +0000

I just wanted to wish everyone a Blessed Easter Sunday! We're celebrationg quietly at home this year. Things are quite different now that our little ones are no longer little. We used to color eggs and hide them. We also used to give big baskets of all sorts of not so good for you candies and little trinkets. As the years have gone by, we no longer do either of these things, but we always make time to remember the sacrifice our Lord and Savior made for us! Thank you Jesus, He is Risen!

I've shared my Easter Menu on What's Cookin'. Go on over an check it out. I'll be sharing my Ham and sweet potato scramble recipe on Monday, love leftover ham and potatoes.

Have a very Happy Easter!

KELLY'S JOURNEY THROUGH CANCER BLOG

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 03:21:00 +0000

Update to prayers for Kelly. She has decided to start a blog to chronicle her journey through cancer. You can read more about her story and her continuing journey at Kelly's Journey Through Cancer. Your courage, peace and trust in God are a real inspiration to us all Kelly!

GATHERING AT THE WELL - Am I doing all I can as an older woman?

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:26:00 +0000

Today's Gathering at the well questions really hit home for me. As a mother of a daughter who turns 20 on April 25, I try to make sure I am a good model of what God wants women to be. But, inevitably, I fail more often than I want to. I would like to say that God has worked in my life to a point that I am holy and above reproach (I am holy, only because Jesus made me holy ~but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior ; because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." 1 Peter 1:15,16~), but I know that won't happen until the good Lord comes and delivers us from this world.

I can, however, use the lessons God has chosen to bestow upon me over the last 42 years to help my daughter (and any younger woman) grow towards the goal God has for us all, to be a Godly woman of noble character.(~Proverbs 12:4 NIV A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.~)

I don't think that I am nearly as good at training up my children as some women I know, but I must look to what God wants me to do with my life He has worked in, not what other women can do better than me. He has presented me with these children to raise up, not any other woman, therefore, God says I am the perfect woman for this task. So I will focus on my job at hand, not theirs, specifically, my job as an older woman training up my daughter.

Now for the questions:

How are you doing as an older woman? I am doing a lot better than I was as a younger woman. I knew of the Lord when I was young, but didn't ask Him to be my Lord and Savior until I was 21 years of age. Those younger years were spent in ways I wish I could take back and am so thankful my daughter has chosen not to follow, but I must look forward and view those "youthful" (i.e. stupid) times as a well of information on what NOT to do as a young woman. I believe that it is my experiences I have shared with my daughter that, with Jesus at the wheel, has led her to be the Godly woman she is today.

Do you live in a way that is appropriate for someone serving the Lord? I believe I am. Although God is always revealing to me things that would not be edifying to Him, therefore he is always refining me (that also happens to be my verse for the week: ~ Zechariah 13:9 NAS "And I will bring the third part through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, 'They are My people,' And they will say, 'The LORD is my God.' " ~).

How is your speech, your attitude? Again, God is still refining me. I remember a time, when I was "young" that profanity was part of my every day speech and I seldom noticed when others were cursing. Now, however, it is rare that you hear even the h word from my mouth, although I do occasionally slip. (Praise Him, he forgives and is still working on me).

Only with God's help over the years (through circumstances and people that have been brought into my life - both to help and hurt (see this post about that), have I been able to turn from a very selfish / self-centered woman (so sorry about that Mom & Pop!)to a more giving and understanding woman I am today (but I guess you would have to ask my family about that one to be sure). Again, there are days that Satan subtly plays me and I have to rebuke my selfish woman inside, but those days are few and far between (I think).

Are you producing the fruits of the Spirit in your life? Hmmm...let me see: ~But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22,23~

Love - Only because Jesus is in my heart, do I have "real" love. The unconditional love that Holy Spirit allows to flow through me even when someone seems unlovable. Do I stumble at times, yes, but that agape love always brings me back to forgiveness and understanding.

Joy - not happiness, but God's joy. Yes, I would say that even through adversity I feel the deep joy that abiding in Christ brings. I may not always be happy as the world sees it, but Jesus sacrificed so I could spend eternity with My Heavenly Father. That is something to have Great Joy about.

Peace - Goes along with Joy. If I feel peace slipping away, I simply go to my father and ask for that Peace that only comes from Him. I have a peace about the outcome of my life being completely in God's hands. He is the author and finisher of my faith (~Hebrews 12:2 KJV
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God~).

Patience - That is still one I have trouble with. 'Nuf said! LOL

Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness - With the Holy Spirit all things are possible. I am only good, kinda and faithful because of the Spirit within me. I don't believe as sinful man, we are capable of being truly good, kind or faithful because our own selfish desires can get in the way too much.

Self-controlled - Well...didn't I just answer that with patience? No? Well...I do believe that we, in ourselves, have a minute amount of self-control, but when we have Holy Spirit directing our lives and thoughts, that "self" control is really "God" control, so YES, I am mostly controlled, not of myself, but because of the One who is in me.

I pray each day that I can be a good example to the "younger woman" in my life; an example of what it really means to be a Godly woman of Character. Thank you Jesus I have had this opportunity to serve you in this way.

How would you answer these questions? If you look at them an realize that you have a long way to go, welcome to the club!

The last request for today is this: If you can't answer a resounding yes to these questions!..then share with us what your starting point is in being an older woman who is well equipped to teach the younger.

How can it be anything other than the example Jesus has set before us? I must drink in His word so that I may be able to equip myself to teach others.

My thanks to the ladies at The Well for hosting Gathering at the well. What a wonderful restorative source of inspiration!

MENU PLAN MONDAY

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 03:45:00 +0000

Time for Menu Planning again. Head on over to What's Cookin' for my plan this week. You can also check out last weeks Menu Plan Monday post here.

This week at My Home look for a new feature called Union of Twosday which I hope to have up with Mr. Linky. And I may write a post for Gathering at the Well Monday on At the Well. Plus, I will give an update to My Healthy Journey. I have some health tips to share this week.

Happy Cooking everyone!

For other great Menu ideas go to orgjunkie.com.

GEM OF THE WEEK AWARD

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 14:37:00 +0000

Hey, You have to check this out! I've won The Gem of the Week over at my What's Cookin' blog! Thank you Sandy, I am very pleased and excited that you chose me! Head on over to Organize with Sandy to check it out or go here for the original post.

MY HEALTHY JOURNEY AND MY HEALTHY SHAKE RECIPE

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 23:36:00 +0000

With the frustrating week I have had, I am surprised, but very happy, to say that My Healthy Journey is on a roll again. Woo Hoo! Yes, I went to the gym 4 days this week, drank a lot of water and got in 2 healthy shakes (still not my goal of 5, but better than none)

Healthy Journey Stats:
Cardio - 4 times
Strength - 2 times
Water - 8 glasses - 6 days this week
Healthy yogurt shake - 2

As promised, I have posted my shake recipe on What's Cookin'. Check it out here.

If you are new to My Healthy Journey, you can check out my first post on my old blog here.

GET AN EXTRA 15% OFF AT JCPENNEY

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 23:26:00 +0000

LAST DAY (April 4)...to get an extra 15% off your entire purchase at JcPenney. I'm sure most of you have already heard about this, but I figured I would share anyway.

Go to JcPenney.com and print out their 15% coupon. It is good on all sale and regularly priced items. The only restrictions are cosmetics and fragrances.

We're headed there first thing tomorrow. DH needs another pair of work slacks and maybe a new pair of dress/casual shoes.

PRAYERS FOR KELLY

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:24:00 +0000

Update on my friend Kelly S. She received her results from her MRI and went in for an ultra-sound yesterday. Turns out that one of her Internal Mammary Lymph Nodes looks suspicious. She saw the Surgeon today and at the suggestion of the Oncologist will have a Lumpectomy to remove the tumor and lymph node on April 14. If the lymph node is cancerous, she will have to undergo chemotherapy. If not, she will still face 5 to 7 weeks of radiation after she heals from surgery.
She is very positive and has a peace that can only come from God about the situation and the outcome. Please continue to keep her and her family in your prayers while they face this.

NEW TASTY PRODUCT

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:32:00 +0000

Our family has found a new delicious snack that we can't get enough of. Full of Protein and good fats with minimal sweeteners, I am happy to share my discovery with y'all. Want to learn what it is? Head on over to What's Cookin' In Heather's Kitchen to find out.

A WOMAN'S ONE FLAW

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:18:00 +0000

Ok, I admit it, women do have more than one flaw, but I just received the below message from my sister-in-law and really felt that it needed to be shared with all of you reading. I know some of you may not be women, but you always have women in your life that need to know they are important.

God doesn't give you the people you want, He gives you the people you NEED. To help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you into the person you were meant to be.

One Flaw In Women

Women have strengths that amaze men.
They bear hardships and they carry burdens,
but they hold happiness, love and joy.

They smile when they want to scream.
They sing when they want to cry.
They cry when they are happy
and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in.
They stand up to injustice.

They don't take "no" for an answer
when they believe there is a better solution.

They go without so their family can have.
They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.
They love unconditionally.
They cry when their children excel
and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about
a birth or a wedding.
Their hearts break when a friend dies.
They grieve at the loss of a family member,
yet they are strong when they
think there is no strength left.
They know that a hug and a kiss
can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you
to show how much they care about you.

The heart of a woman is what
makes the world keep turning.

They bring joy, hope and love.
They have compassion and ideas.
They give moral support to their
family and friends..

Women have vital things to say
and everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,
IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

Please pass this along to all your
women friends and relatives to remind them just
how amazing they are.

(author unknown)

PRAYER REQUEST

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 02:36:00 +0000

A good friend of mine, Kelly S., has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. She found out on Thursday and had an MRI Friday to determine if the cancer had spread, but hasn't heard anything yet. She goes to the Doc on Wednesday and will learn more about what is going to happen then.

She has a very positive attitude about all this and a peace from God regarding the outcome, but I am asking if you would please keep Kelly and her family in prayer during this stressful, uncertain time. I will keep you updated as I learn more. Thanks y'all!

MARINARA AND NICOISE SALAD

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:25:00 +0000

Update to my Menu Plan Monday from Last week. If you are returning for the Spicy Sausage Marinara recipe or the Nicoise Salad recipe, I have posted them to What's Cookin' in Heather's Kitchen. Check it out!

Happy cooking and have a great Thursday!

HEALTHY JOURNEY WEEKLY STATS

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 11:30:00 +0000

What can I say, if you read my post Fishing and my week, you will know that things didn't go exactly as planned last Sunday. I did have 1 smoothie this week and I exercised 1 day this week. I guess that is better than nothing at all. Can I count hours on my hands and knees scrubbing the floor as my cardio and upper body workout?

I did pretty well with the daily water intake. I averaged 7 glasses a day, close to my goal, but that is because I drank 10 glasses a few days to make up for the 5 glasses on other days. ::ugh::

My goal remains as it did last Sunday (check it out here). Encouragement would be appreciated! I WILL do this! I WILL do this! ...

PASTA RECIPE

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 01:59:00 +0000

Hey there!

If you are here to see my latest recipe, Creamy Basil Pasta Salad, you can click here to go to my new blog What's cookin' in Heather's kitchen, or you can go to the Recipe Index in the sidebar of this blog.

Happy Cooking!

KFC COLESLAW

heatherwgirl@gmail.com (Heather) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:59:00 +0000

Happy Thursday everyone! I'm including a link to my version of KFC Coleslaw. This will also introduce MY NEW BLOG. Check it out!