*Day 16: Someone or something you definitely could live without.*

Definitely the television!
I can sit in front of the TV longer than I am proud to admit. I just love living vicariously through the characters in my shows :)
But I also know that I get so much more done and I am able to spend more quality time with my family when I don't sit in front of the TV. Carissa has already started showing more of an interest in TV than I am comfortable with. So I have started trying to make a conscious effort to turn off the TV, turn on music, and give her productive things to do or play with.
All the shows I am interested in watching I can watch online so I really don't need the television. :)

Dr. Mommy

Probably one of the hardest things about being a mom is seeing your precious babies sick. I wish I could just snap my fingers and make my little girls better. Although, while I can't magically make my baby girls all better, I do have healing powers of sorts.

... Hugs ...

When my girlies are sick, they just want mommy to hold them. There is something so comforting about hugs from mommy when you aren't feeling well. When my babies are sick, I just want to hug them and never let go.

... Kisses ...

I love how mommy's kisses can make anything better. My poor Carissa had a sore throat and told me, "Mommy ... kiss it." Melts my heart.

... Nursing ...

This is my real super power. Who needs medicine when you have mommy's milk? My sweet Kathryn is so young still and really should avoid having most medicines. But every time I nurse her, she is receiving a whopping dose of antibodies that are specifically formed to meet her needs. It is such a fascinating process! When Kathryn is exposed to germs, she nurses and passes the germs to my body. My body immediately gets to work making antibodies to help her fight off those germs. The next time she nurses she receives special germ-fighting milk!

Another medicinal function of mommy's milk is something like a throat lozenge. Kathryn woke herself up tonight having a major coughing fit - you know, one of those uncontrollable ones due to a really itchy throat? I nursed her, it soothed her throat, she fell back to sleep, and hasn't coughed since.

On top of all the wonderful powers of mommy's milk, the act of nursing also has healing powers. The comfort of being close to mommy, the relaxation that comes from nursing, and the overall calm that ultimately helps her immune system do what it needs to do without the extra obstacle called stress.                        

There is such a heart-warming feeling when you see your sick baby finally fall asleep peacefully, or have them cuddle up on your chest, or see them muster up a smile or laugh even though they feel sick.

I love my babies. I hate when they are sick.

But I love my job as their mommy, and my maternal abilities to make them better.

*Day 15: Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.*

I know this is probably cliche, but I have to say my husband here.
When David and I met in 2000, we lived 12 hours away from each other. He lived in Virginia, and I lived in Florida. The first two years we "talked" - in other words, we liked each other, but weren't dating and didn't date anyone else. In 2002, we officially added the title of boyfriend/girlfriend (although others would insist we were already those things haha). From July 2000-August 2004, we lived apart. We wrote letters, arranged times to chat online, spent lots of money on "calling cards" - back before we had cell phones, and occasionally we were able to arrange meet ups in person. In 2004, we went to college together in NC, but spent summers apart until we got married in 2007.
I know we beat all odds making our relationship work so well with the distance in the beginning. But now that we are together, I couldn't imagine going back to being away from each other all the time. There have been a few occasions that the girls and I have spent a few days with David's parents while he has had to stay behind to work, and I am usually going crazy by the time he joins us or we go back home. I thoroughly enjoy David's family, but it's just not the same being away from him. And I really miss him. During those times, I realize sometimes we take advantage of having each other around all the time.
I have the biggest respect for military wives. I am definitely not cut out for something like that.

*Day 14: A hero that has let you down.*

Dear Hero,
     When I was young, I looked up to you. I stood up for you. I would have done anything for you.
As I got older, I was able to realize that you didn't always make the right choices. Of course, as a teenager I had no place to say anything. Over time, it seemed you'd changed. But now, I've seen you fall back into your same patterns. As sad as it is, I feel as though I have passed you in terms of maturity. I pray one day that you will finally take necessary steps to improve your life instead of falling into the same cycles over and over again.
Love,
Missie

More Imitation

The day after I wrote my last blog, Carissa and I had another feast with her kitchen set. I began to cut my "food" with my fork on my left hand, and the knife in my right - cutting between the prongs of the fork. Carissa also started cutting her "food" too. I tried taking a picture of her doing it. Even though I paused my cutting long enough to snap a picture, I managed to catch one of her sneaking a peak at my fork/knife :) 

I just love how this picture shows her inquisitive look while mastering a new skill she saw mommy do!

Love.

Imitation is Flattery

When I have looked at this picture, I always assumed Carissa was looking at Kathryn. While talking about this photo with my mother-in-law, she pointed out that Carissa is looking at me, and holding the bear in the same fashion I am holding Kathryn. She said she loves it because Carissa is imitating me, and imitation is the biggest form of flattery.

I always knew that Carissa learned things from seeing or hearing me do things, and I try to make an intentional effort to demonstrate good practices that I want her to pick up. And I often chuckle or beam with pride when I see her do something or hear her say something that I know she learned from me.

But until this conversation with my MIL, I had never really paid attention to Carissa's process of watching me. I have started watching her watch me, and oh I wish I could describe with words the feelings that brings. It is simply amazing to see her look at me, study my movements, and immediately try to do them herself.

My biggest example was from earlier this evening. GiGi and Papa have this Little Tikes kitchen they bought when Carissa was in my tummy and finally brought it out of their basement today. But sadly, there weren't any dishes to go with it. After dinner out, GiGi ran into the store and bought Carissa a set of dishes to go with her kitchen set. The dishes included a couple pans with lids, a tea kettle, a ladle and spatula, salt and pepper shakers, and 2 sets of plates, cups, forks, knives, and spoons. While Kathryn took a nap, mommy got to spend some special playtime with Carissa. We poured tea into our cups and drank them. We served some soup and ate it. We added salt and pepper to our meals. Washed our hands before we ate. Washed dishes etc. It was loads of fun.

But what I enjoyed most of this time was watching her copy me. After she poured me "more tea" I took the spoon to stir my tea. She picked up her spoon and began stirring her tea. But as she was stirring she was looking at me, studying how I was stirring my tea, and trying to mirror my movements. My heart swelled.

Imitation truly is the biggest form of flattery - especially for a mother whose two year old daughter tries to imitate her. For me, that means Carissa views me as someone worth imitating. She wants to me like mommy. What an honor! And what a responsibility. I pray that I am able to do right by her and set a good model for her to imitate. I know that I am already seeing a reflection of myself in her, and I pray to God that I am able to always see a reflection that I am proud of ... but most of all, that God is proud of. Oh how I love being a mommy. God could not have given me a better job in the world. This is by far the best job ever, and is definitely the most important ministry that God could ever have asked me to do. All I can say is I have found my calling!

Thank you God for my beautiful girls! Amen.

A Quarter of a Century

Quiet places often lead to reflection. I am sitting here at my in-laws, David is back in NC working, both of my girls have been sleeping for over an hour now, David's parents are both at work, his brother has been quietly working on his computer, and his soon-to-be sister-in-law is taking a nap. I am not used to having this much quiet. At home I would have filled this quiet with trying to accomplish a huge to-do-list. But alas, I am able to think (which could be dangerous).
Every year this season sneaks up on us so quickly. This year so much has been happening, and now I am sitting here thinking about what the future holds. I looked at the date and realized today is the 23rd of November .... already?! Wait ... that means .... Tomorrow I turn twenty-five years old!? When did I grow up so quickly? Wasn't I just in high school? Where does time go?
It's funny though, 25 means I am a quarter of a century old now ... but it doesn't feel very special lol. But you know, in just a mere 25 years I have a lot to be proud of.

• I survived being the oldest of 5 children.
• I was always active in my church.
• I twirled baton for 9 years.
• I played soccer for 4 years.
• I have read every hardback classic Nancy Drew book (you know, the yellow ones?)
• I was baptized 4 days before my 9th birthday.
• I finished K-12 with straight A's.
• I graduated Valedictorian.
• I earned 3 full tuition scholarships (although only used one).
• I participated in World Changers every year from 6th grade-12th grade, and have since taken a group as the leader for 3 years.
• I met my husband 10 1/2 years ago!
• I have a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Christian Ministry (and have some of a Master of Divinity finished).
• I graduated college as Cum Laude.
• I got my first job as a bagger for Winn-Dixie when I was 15 years old, and by the time I quit that job 6 years later, I was an Assistant Customer Service Manager.
• I finished my undergraduate school in 3 1/2 years (but the last semester was also my first semester of graduate school).
• I got engaged on February 24, 2006.
• I got married on June 23, 2007.
• Bought our first house April 2008.
• I found out I was pregnant with our first child on January 23, 2008. Found out in April she was a girl. And gave birth to my beautiful Carissa on September 21, 2008.
• I found out on September 28, 2009 that I was pregnant with our second. Found out January that she was a girl. And gave birth to my precious Kathryn on June 9, 2010!

I probably could come up with so many more things to add. I could also create a list of the not-so-nice things that have happened in these last 25 years, but somehow the list of the great things has a way of outshining the bad.
I look at where I came from, at how immature I was growing up, and I look at my life now and I am so blessed. I love my life. Sure we still hit bumps in the road. But because of who I am, who God is, and the wonderful man God created to be my husband, I know I will always have reason to be thankful.
Sunday, the sermon was about being Thankful - makes sense with Thanksgiving this week. But it wasn't about just being thankful for the things we have. But rather, in all things we should be thankful. In times of happiness, we should be thankful. In times of struggle, we should be thankful. In saddness, we should be thankful. etc. And I know that I have many reasons to always be thankful, no matter what comes my way.
So while I don't know what the next 25 years will hold, I know that because of my first 25 years I will always be blessed with a wonderful life and family.
Happy Birthday to me and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone else :)

*Day 13: A band or artist who has gotten you through some tough days.*

I love listening to music. I have to have music on for filler noise ... and definitely as I am driving down the road. (I even used to have a radio in my shower.) I mostly listen to Country or Contemporary Christian, but I am a child of 80s rock, and even enjoy some pop. I am generally able to be pleased with most music genres - just kind of depends on my mood.
I have always found it funny that whatever mood I am in, or whatever struggle I might be dealing with, a song always manages to come on the radio that is perfect for what I am feeling. But today's prompt asks me to name a band or artist, so I guess I need to pick one.
If I really had to pick one, I think it would be Chris Tomlin. I just love his songs because they are worship. As soon as I hear one, I am compelled to sing along ... and as soon as I do, the words start hitting hard and I can't help but worship my God. No matter what I am dealing with (good or bad), spontaneously breaking out into songs of worship are perfect. My God will help me through the hard times ... but He is also the reason I am as blessed as I am.
One particular song that always comes to mind when I start reflecting ... or somehow always manages to play on the radio when I need it most is Chris Tomlin's song "Our God" .... it completely defines who God is to me and gives me comfort that no matter what I face, He will lead me through. Perfection.

Here are the lyrics to that song:

Water You turned into wine
Open the eyes of the blind
There’s no one like You
None like You
Into the darkness You shine
Out of the ashes we rise
There’s no one like You
None like You

Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome in power
Our God, Our God…

Into the darkness you shining
Out of the ashes we Rise
There’s no One like You
None like You.

And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?
And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?
What can stand against?

Cheesy Spaghetti Bake

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 8oz spaghetti noodles
• 1lb ground beef
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups spaghetti sauce
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup (10 3/4 oz)
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• shredded cheese to top

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Cook spaghetti noodles; drain.
3. Brown ground beef; drain.
4. Return beef to pain and add milk, sauce, soup, and cheese. Mix well.
5. Heat on medium until smooth
6. Mix sauce and noddles in casserole dish
7. Sprinkle with cheese
8. Bake for 30 minutes

Personal Flair and Reflections
    This was definitely a family pleaser! My 2 year has been going through a phase of only eating her fruits and veggies, but tonight when I gave her the plate of "sgetti" she gobbled it all up and asked for more! I will definitely have to make this more often for her!
    This is my own variation of a recipe I found at "Taste of Home" .

Family Friendly Tips
   This can be done and put together at any time, and popped in the oven right before dinner time!

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1lb boneless chicken breast
• 2 cups mixed veggies
• 4 cups stuffing
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup (10 3/4 oz)
• 1 can cream of chicken soup (10 3/4 oz)
• 1 cup milk

Directions

1. Cube and cook chicken
2. Cook veggies
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
4. Mix chicken broth and stuffing in a bowl
5. Mix cooked chicken, cooked veggies, milk, and soups in a 2 qt casserole dish
6. Spoon stuffing over chicken and veggie mix
7. Bake for 25 minutes

Personal Flair and Reflections
     We used to do a lot of "dinners in a box" before our children were old enough to eat what we prepared. One of my favorites was a turkey stuffing casserole. So I played around and modified that to make this recipe. Tastes yummy, but is a little healthier than the boxed dinner.
You can really use whatever type of veggies you want for this recipe. I used frozen mixed veggies.

Variation
 This recipe will also work well with biscuits made from scratch instead of stuffing. However your prefer to prepare homestyle biscuits, the spoon out multiple biscuits and spread them out on top of the chicken mix.

Family Friendly Tips
     The chicken and veggies can be cooked at any time, and kept in the refrigerator until time to cook. Also you can put this casserole together completely and freeze or put in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

*Day 12: Something you never get compliments on.*

    Hmm ... I think my clothes or sense of style falls here haha. I am not the "trendiest" person, not a girly girl, and usually just dress for comfort. I tend to buy clothes for daughters (mostly 'cause they outgrow clothes so quickly!) and I make sure they have nice cute clothes. But I haven't gone *clothes shopping* for me since maybe high school? I have picked up a thing or two here and there, and received some for Christmas/Birthday, but I still wear clothes I wore in high school. So needless to say, I don't get many (if any) compliments on my clothes/style. Maybe one day when we aren't living paycheck to paycheck I can afford to update my wardrobe, but until then bring on the jeans and T-shirts :)

Stepping out of the Boat

     Sometimes in life we are presented with opportunities to show God that we trust Him. It is in these moments that we are asked to step out of the comfortable boat and walk on water. The only way that is possible is to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, and not to be overwhelmed by the waves crashing all around us. These moments are difficult but can be a very rewarding experience.
     When I think about these moments and struggle, I am reminded of when Jesus chastised Peter for not having enough faith. (Matthew 14:31: Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”) I must take comfort in the fact that Jesus will help me take the necessary steps to following Him towards that rewarding experience; and if for some reason I do get overwhelmed and fall ... I know he will catch me and not let me drown. 
     I am now at a point in my life that God has asked me to step out of the boat and take that step of faith. God put into motion the ball that ultimately is ending my job as Minister of Youth and Children at my church. I know this is the step God wants me to take, as when I realized my job was ending I felt physical relief - almost as if a weight was being lifted from my shoulders. I have no doubts that Jesus is standing there telling me to step of out of the boat and come.
     The waves, though, are high and fierce. I try not to look around at the wave too much because it can be overwhelming, but it hard to not see them. Some of these waves are finances, living arrangements, job details, and other stresses that probably should stay out of my blog for the time being. With my job ending, we will be on David's income alone and right now his income is less than mine. So our income would be cutting drastically. Which leaves us with how to pay bills, and what to do about our house. Right now we own it and pay a mortgage on it. So do we sell it and turn to family for support? Or do we stick it out and eat away at savings until we can't do anything else hoping that something turns around for us? As for job, all of this that has happened was God's way of answering my prayers and making a tough decision for me. I do not plan to look for a new job, especially not one in a church.With me not getting a new job, it puts a lot more pressure on David getting a new job. We prefer one that is with his degree (but that's a whole different blog about companies that require people to have experience, but that leaves people unable to get experience because no one will hire them - vicious cycle!), but if he can't get one with his degree just yet, we hope that something will open up for him that will at least pay the bills.
     All of these waves could really bring us down. They could lead us away from God's plan. And we, like Peter, could start sinking. But Jesus tells us to Trust Him! When we take that step of faith, and we get out of the boat He will protect us and guide our each step. For me, I feel God is calling me away from congregational ministry, but not away from ministry. God is still guiding me in the direction of the ministry that He has planned special for me; I just don't know what that is yet. I've always known I was still on a journey following Him. He has now made it clear it's time to take that step. For me, that step out of the boat is me being able to be a SAHM, teaching my children, taking care of my family, and teaching my children to be lovers of Jesus. My ministry for now is my family. I would hate it if I spent all my time and energy to minister to other people, and I neglect the spiritual and physical needs of my family. I want to devote all of who I am to bring my children up in the ways of the Lord. They were given to me as a blessing from God. He has entrusted David and I with the duty of raising them to be children of God. This is what I know I am called to do. I know that God has more plans in store as life goes on, as my children get older, and I've matured more in my faith. But God only reveals small parts of His plan at a time. And for now this is it.
    So here I am God. I don't know how you will provide, but I know you will. I don't know what's to come, but I know you do. I am getting out of the boat. I am taking a step towards you. My eyes are fixed on you. And, with your help, I will not be overwhelmed by the waves around me.   Amen.

Footprints

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed He was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from His life. For each scene He noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to Him and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of His life flashed before Him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of His life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of His life.

This really bothered Him and He questioned the LORD about it. LORD you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.

The LORD replied, my precious, precious child, I Love you and I would never leave you! During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.

---

Carolyn Carty, 1963

*Day 11: Something people seem to compliment you the most on.*

    I would have to say that the thing I am complimented most about is my smile. It is one of those things that is contagious, and I try to brighten people's day with a smile. Through high school and some college, I worked in the customer service field and my cheeks usually hurt by the time I got off work. I would always have so many people tell me that I have a nice smile. I don't know what else to write about that ... I guess never underestimate the power of a smile. :)

"Like Mother, Like Daughter"

     Over the summer, I read an article in a Homelife Magazine that I really liked. It was titled "Like Mother, Like Daughter" and had a list with 10 things a mother should do to set a good example for her daughters. I jotted down the main list to write about later ... and now is later.

     As I watch my daughters grow and learn, there is one thing that is extremely obvious. They learn what they see. They copy other people's behaviors, and say what they hear other people say - especially things they see and hear Mommy and Daddy say.

     When I was growing up, my mom used to say "Do as I say, not as I do." I have always hated that saying. And often my retort was "What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you are saying" or "Actions speak louder than words." When it comes to raising children, it is so important to remember that parents must model good behaviors so their children will see a good demonstration of what is expected. If what I do does not match what I am trying to teach my children with words, my attempts are futile. Before children even have a vocabulary or have language comprehension, they learn from watching those around them.

A country song has a line that I love. It says, "I'm gonna be the kind of woman I want my daughter to be." That is my goal in life. 

With that being said, here is that list of things a mother should be sure to do to teach her daughter well.

• Reading your Bible and praying
•  It is so important for me to show my children how to have a relationship with God. They can learn things from church, but it ultimately falls on my shoulders to teach them how to practice what they are learning at church. If I want them to carry their faith with them when they grow up and start a family of their own, then I need to show them how to make it part of their daily life.
• Treating your husband with respect
• How I, as a wife, treat my husband will lay the foundations that will go with my daughters when they get married. I want my daughters to have healthy loving relationships that thrive and succeed. If I can set a good example for my daughters now, then maybe I can help them make good decisions when it comes to getting married that will ultimately help prevent a potential divorce or years of fighting. 
• Also, if my husband and I can model a good loving relationship that is filled with respect for one another, then our children can learn good relationship skills. They will learn not only how to relate to a spouse, but with their friends and family.
• Dressing and behaving modestly
• In today's world, so many girls and women have lost respect for their bodies. They dress to attract guys or act in ways they think will get someone to "love" them. The sad thing is the attention this behavior and clothing attracts is not "love" and is usually less than they deserve and could get from being true to themselves. I want more than anything to instill in my daughters a healthy respect for who they are as women of God. I want them to protect themselves from potential harm by dressing modestly and acting appropriately, but I also want them to know in their hearts that it is *who* they are that matters most - not how they dress, what they look like, or how flirty they can act. I hope I can teach them that they need to be true to who they are inside, and of course, I pray that I raise young ladies who are self confident, good, Christian girls with values and modesty. And the number one way to do that is to carry myself with the same values, modesty, and attitudes that I am trying to teach them.
• Looking well to the ways of your household
• This is an area I am still working on. I did not grow up in a clean house with good housekeeping routines in place. And because of that, I am still teaching myself how to set good routines that will help keep our house clean, and that I can teach our children good practices for housekeeping. If they don't start learning from a very young age, it will be harder to teach them when they get older. I pray that I am able to set a good example for my daughters on how to have a clean home and good routines that keep the entire household running smoothly. I have to remind myself that the things I do or do not do now have the potential to affect my daughters' households in the future, which then could be passed on to my future grandchildren etc. I have to decide now that I will do all I can to pass on good habits for my children, grandchildren, and so on.
• Speaking kindly to unkind people
• We all encounter unkind people in our lives, and human nature is to respond to them with the same attitude they are giving us. But that is not how Jesus expects us to respond. When our children are faced with those unkind people, they will respond in like manner unless they have been specifically taught and seen model behavior of the proper way to respond. It takes a lot of training to go against human nature, and therefore it is very important for me to always show my daughters how to be kind when faced with unkind people.
• Reaching out to the poor and needy
• Children often learn judgmental attitudes from their parents' behavior - even if subtle. When we see a homeless person, or beggar, or someone else in need, our children see them too, and then they look to see what we do or don't do. If we ignore them, look away, or go out of our way to avoid them our children, then translate that into these are people we don't associate with and that in some form or fashion these people are bad or there is something wrong with them. And this is not the behavior Jesus teaches we should have. Jesus set the example for us that we are to feed those who are hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, visit the sick, etc. We must model the behavior Jesus expects of us for our children.
• Keeping a positive attitude, even in difficult circumstances
• Through life, we all - including our children - will encounter hardships, but it is how we handle these hardships that define the kind of person we are. If we want our children to be positive people who are able to grow and come out of hardships a stronger person, then we have to show them how to do that. If we are always negative and out of control when we face hardships, our children will not learn healthy ways of dealing with these trials.
• Giving honor to your parents and your in-laws
• As parents, we all want our children to respect us and obey us. We can tell them that the Bible says so all we want, but if they see us disrespecting our own parents, they will have a hard time finding respect for us. If we want our children to respect us, we must respect our parents as well.
• Turning off the TV
• There are so many inappropriate things on TV these days. If our children see us watch things without hesitation, they will consider those actions, words, and ideas acceptable. We must demonstrate for our children what things we should or should not allow into our minds by censoring the things we see on TV. If our children see us turn something off because it has bad language or inappropriate content, they will have a clearer picture of what we should and should not allow into our minds. 
• Telling the truth
• This one falls heavily into the "actions speak louder than words" category. We expect our children to always tell the truth, and we discipline them if they lie. But if our children catch us lying, how are we to expect them to always tell the truth? 

All in all ... as a mother to two daughters, I must model good Christian behavior if I want my daughters to grow up to be good Christian woman.

Source the article was found: Homelife magazine July 2010

*Day 10: Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.*

     Had this question been asked of me when I was in grade school, I probably could have created a list in response. But now that I am grown and more mature, I can honestly say that I don't spend time with people who I know have a negative influence over me, bring me down, or just someone I wouldn't want my children spending too much time with. I now surround myself with friends and family who will only encourage me to make good, sound decisions, and will uplift me. Most people who don't fit this category don't stick around much and don't go out of their way to spend time with me, and I don't go out of my way to spend time with them either. All in all, the people who are worth my time also show me that I am worth their time. And usually, people who consider me worth the effort have similar values that I do.
     I know ... boring. But I'd rather have a happy boring life than have it filled with unnecessary drama. :)

Melissa's Meatloaf

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1-1.5 lbs ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 cup ketchup
• 1/8 cup BBQ Sauce
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix all ingredients well (best results, use your clean hands!)
3. Shape into 1 or 2 loaves on pan 
4. Bake for 30 minutes/or completely cooked through.

Personal Flair and Reflections 
     Over the last few years of cooking, I have played around a lot. Meatloaf is one of those foods that I've never had a recipe for, but I've always done a little bit of this, a little bit of that etc. I have finally gotten to where I use the same ingredients each time because we absolutely love it. I never measure things out, so I pulled out my measuring cups to get an idea of how much I usually use so I could share my yummy meatloaf (and so I could add it to my binder and hubby could make it sometime ;)).
     So this recipe you have is an estimation of what I normally do. But feel free to add more or less of your favorites. Have fun! Play until you find the taste you like!
     Additionally, I do sometimes I add oregano, or top with cheese during the last few minutes of cooking. I have also added BBQ sauce to the top while cooking.
     My favorite pan to use while making this is my broiler pan. It is a wonderful way to let the grease run down into the bottom portion of the pan so the meatloaf is not too greasy!

Family Friendly Tip
     This is so easy to make. One way to help with the dinner time crazies is to mix all the ingredients in bowl earlier in the day when you get a free moment (like nap time!) or even the night before. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to cook!

*Day 9: Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.*

I grew up in a small town in Florida. I have friends I've known since I was born. We went to the same church, and to the same school from 1st grade-12th grade. After high school, I moved to North Carolina for college and I am still here. It's been almost 2 years since my last trip to Florida. Needless to say, I have drifted apart from some of those friends. Some of them I still keep in touch with some on Facebook, but nothing like I used to.

But out of all those friends, there is one person who I really miss: my best friend, Tana.
I met Tana in the 5th grade. In 6th grade, we rode the same bus and I have her highlighted in my yearbook as my one of "good friends." But in my 7th grade yearbook, she isn't highlighted - guess we didn't have similar classes that year. But in 8th grade, (if you remember I went to 3 different schools that year), my 3rd school of the year was back to my hometown school - Eustis Middle School. We had art class together and sat at the same table, and I got a chance to really get to know her. I invited her to church with me one Wednesday. She started coming with me, and ended up accepting Jesus as her Lord and Savior - I will NEVER forget that day! From then on, we were inseparable. We went to school together, church together, lived within walking distance of each other, played soccer together, and I even got her a job with me! We were so close that she was like family. She never knocked when she came over ... just walked in and came right up to my room. We have so many good memories! I could write a lot if I were to talk about all of them haha!
But then college. I left for North Carolina, and she went allllll the way to Seattle, Washington. We both got busy with college. We do still make a point to call each other to catch up. And when we do, I love that it's as if nothing has changed and we pick up where we left off. Which reminds me ... it's time for one of those catch up conversations!
She flew out and was a bridesmaid in my wedding - after not seeing each other for over 2 years ... and that was the last time I've seen her (June 23, 2007). My sweet Tana got married this past summer .... and the plan would have been for me to be at her wedding too ....... but, my sweet Kathryn decided to be born 2 weeks before her wedding. That would have been really overwhelming trying to fly all of us with a newborn out to Seattle. So I sadly and regretfully missed her wedding. But I do plan to try and go see her as soon as I can!
I miss her so much. I have yet to have a friendship like the one her and I shared! *tears*
Love you Tana!

Pics are from my wedding June 23, 2007

Day 8: Someone who made your life ---, or treated you like crap.

     This is tough. I really don't think I have had anyone be that horrible to me.
     Honestly, when I think about this the only thing that really comes to mind is 8th grade (I know so juvenile).
I went to three different schools that year. The second school I attended that year had a group of "preps" who for some reason didn't like me from the beginning. I really don't know why they seemed to hate me so much because there was never any big "thing" that caused conflict between us. They just singled me out from day one. The only thing I can think of was that they didn't like the fact that I was new and made a lot of friends so quickly.
     Whatever their reason, I soon became "big nose" and "grasshopper" to them?! Like I said, juvenile. I got used to the giggles as I walked by, or being called the names, or mean looks and snide comments. But the type of person I am never let it get to me. It's funny how even though it never really bothered me, I still remember it.
I guess that's my story for today.
Sorry nothing really deep and reflective today. :)

Crock Pot - Zesty Italian Sirloin Pork Roast

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Italian Dressing OR
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 packet Good Season Italian Dressing Mix
• 1.5-2lbs Boneless Sirloin Pork Roast
• 2 cups spaghetti sauce
• shredded cheese and/or grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Place pork in crock pot.
2. Pour Italian dressing over pork
3. Cook on LOW for 4 hours.
4. Break pork into smaller chunks.
5. Cover pork with spaghetti sauce.
6. Top with cheese.
7. Cook on LOW for 2 hours.
8. Serve over pasta.

Personal Flair and Reflection
     I chose to use the Good Season Italian dressing mix, but using already prepared Italian dressing would work the same. The spaghetti sauce can be whichever kind is your favorite. I use Ragu Traditional Sauce.

     I was looking through recipes and found one for pork chops that included using spaghetti sauce. I had already been thinking about doing my pork roast in the crock pot with Italian dressing, so I thought about putting the two together somehow. So this recipe was really a creation I played around with. I wasn't sure what to expect having the spaghetti sauce flavor with the pork roast, but surprisingly it took on a whole new taste. The meat was delicious and tender, with just enough flavor to make your taste buds dance.
     You can scoop the sauce and meat over pasta if you wish. I actually added the cooked bow tie pasta to the crock pot and mixed well. I served with corn and buttered bread. Over all it was a success! Enjoy!

*Day 7: Someone who has made your life worth living for.*

     I have a side note written in the margins of my Bible that I immediately thought of when I read today's topic. It says, "He is worth living for, because I am worth dying for." My answer for today is that Jesus Christ is someone who has brought meaning and purpose to my life. He is the reason I live. He is the one who brings worth to my life. Without Him, I am nothing.
      I don't always know what direction my life is heading. I don't always know why certain things have happened. And I certainly don't have all the answers. But the one thing I do know is that no matter what happens in my life, I have someone who loves me and wants the best for me. In fact, He loves me more than I can fathom. Who else would give up their spot in Heaven, take on the chains of human flesh, be tempted with a sinful nature, spend day after day with sick, poor sinners, and eventually be murdered a criminal's death all so I can be with them in heaven one day. It is so humbling to realize that someone literally sacrificed His physical life so He could be with me forever.
     It is also mind-blowing to think that when it came time to create me, God spent intimate time designing every characteristic of who I am. I wasn't made from random particles bumping into each other and by chance I am human. He thought about who I would be. He thought about the name my parents would give me. He thought about what I would look like. He thought about what kind of child I would be growing up. He thought about the kind of student I would be. He thought about the kind of friend I would be. And he decided how little ol' me would fit into His masterpiece He is creating - His Kingdom. I like to think that He is painting a wonderful portrait of His Kingdom, and we are the tools he uses. And when he made me, he thought about what kind of tool I would be, and what part of His portrait He would use me to paint. He knew my thought processes. He knew the different things that would happen in my life to shape me into the person I would become. All of these things He spent time thinking about as he carefully shaped me with His own hands and as He breathed life into me, leaving His fingerprints and DNA on me.
     I may not know what else is to come in my life. But I know that there are so many big things in store, and that I have a wonderful life because my God, my Father, my Creator has laid out some wonderful blueprints for me life. And I have an amazing future in heaven one day because my Jesus, my Savior, my Lord sacrificed His all so I could have it all.
     I couldn't ask for things to be any different. I am truly blessed.

*Day 6: Something You Hope You Never Have To Do*

     There are many things that I could list, but I think number one on my list would be that I hope to never have to experience a violent crime against my family. I watch too many crime shows and I cringe just to think about if something like that were to ever happen to us. I like to think "that will never happen to us." But then I think about all the people who really do have vicious crimes performed against them, and I wonder if they thought the same thing. I honestly don't want to ever be faced with a situation like those I see on Criminal Minds, the CSI shows, etc etc. It's horrible. And the sad thing is that prisons are full because those crimes are a reality. There are a lot of sick people in this world, and I would hate to be the victim of chance. I couldn't imagine if something horrible were to ever happen to my family.
     A close second in my list of things to never do would be to experience the death of one of my children or my husband. And I also hope I am able to live a full life with them so David doesn't have to raise our children without me.
     I know this is kind of dark. But it's a real fear I have when I think about my daughters and husband.

*Day 5: Something You Hope to Do in Your Life*

I really hope to take a trip that includes leaving North America. My number one place I have always dreamed of going is Italy! Florence, Italy would be my first choice. I would love to see the art and architecture. Just to experience the grandeur would be amazing. My second choice would be Paris, France. But when I get to take a trip like this, I want it to be a family trip. I would love to take my children places that I never got to see when I was young. I want them to have lots of cultured experiences growing up to give them a well-rounded foundation. I want my children to grow up with an appreciation of the different cultures. Then maybe they will continue the tradition with their children. I love getting to see my little ones experience something new, and I think it would be fantastic to share the experience of seeing a different country. (Especially since David rubs it in that he has been to those places :-P)

Fluffy French Toast

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 6 slices of thick bread
• 3 tablespoons butter
• powdered sugar
• butter
• syrup

Directions

1. Mix together eggs, milk, flour, sugar, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon
2. Heat skillet or griddle
3. Butter skillet/griddle
4. Dipe each side of bread in mix for 30 seconds
5. Cook each side until golden brown (1 1/2-2 minutes)
6. Add more butter if necessary

To Serve

• Dust with powdered sugar
• Top with butter and syrup

Source
http://www.food.com/90674

Chuck Steak Teryaki

Prep Time: 4-24 hours
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• boneless beef chuck steaks

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix all ingredients except meat.
2. Pour into a large zip lock bag or shallow baking dish.
3. Place meat in marinade and coat.
4. Close bag or cover dish.
5. Refrigerate for 4-24 hours, turning over occasionally.
6. Remove meat from marinade and place on broiler pan.
7. Broil 10 minutes, basting often.
8. Turn meat over and broil 8 minutes for rare to medium, 10-12 minutes for well done.

Personal Flair and Reflection
     I had to keep on eye on this while they were broiling. Mine were done before the given time. But they were super yummy - and juicy. I know, I love juicy meats!

Source
http://www.food.com/67662

Oven Baked Boneless BBQ Ribs

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2-2 1/2 hours

Ingredients

• Boneless Pork Ribs
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon Grill Mates Pork Rub
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 cups favorite BBQ sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Mix together sugar and spices.
3. Rub mix on all sides of ribs.
4. Lay ribs on 2 layers of foil.
5. Lay 2 layers of foil on top of ribs.
6. Fold edges of foil together to seal.
7. Place on baking sheet.
8. Bake for 2-2 1/2 hours.
9. Remove from oven and heat broiler.
10. Carefully remove ribs from foil and arrange on broiler pan.
11. Brush on BBQ sauce and broil for 2 minutes
12. Repeat on other side.

Personal Flair and Reflection
     These were scrumptious and juicy!

Source
My own variation of http://www.food.com/107786

Homemade Mac-n-Cheese

Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 ounces elbow macaroni 
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 4 cups milk
• 16 ounces block cheese
• dash of salt and pepper
• saltine crackers

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook noodles until tender and drain.
3. While noodles are cooking, mix butter, flour, milk, and salt/pepper over medium heat.
4. Cut cheese into smaller chunks and slowly add to mixture.
5. Cook over medium heat until smooth.
6. Continue stirring to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
7. Add noodles to the sauce.
8. Pour noodles and sauce into baking pan/casserole dish.
9. Crush crackers and sprinkle on top.
10. Bake for 25 minutes.

Personal Flair and Reflections
     Growing up my grandmother and my mom would make homemade mac n cheese that was my absolute favorite! After I went off to college, I asked my mom for the recipe (thinking it was some secret family recipe). All to find out this recipe came off the back of the Mueller's pasta box.
I have adapted it to my style and even like to add our own special ingredient. This special ingredient is cubed ham! Yum!
     The recipe on the box only calls for half the ingredients. But we love it SO much, that I double the recipe so we can eat it for lunch the next day. :)

Juicy Oven-Fried Italian Cheesy Chicken Breasts

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 packet Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing Mix
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• shredded cheese to top

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a bowl, mix butter, garlic, and salt.
3. In another bowl, mix Italian dressing mix, bread crumbs, cheddar cheese, and Parmesan cheese.
4. Dip chicken in butter mix.
5. Coat buttery chicken pieces with cheese mix.
6. Place in baking pan
7. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes (longer for thicker pieces)
8. Top with shredded cheese for the last 5 minutes

Personal Flair and Reflections 
     Can you say yummmmy? This was a huge hit in my house.
The Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing Mix has become a favorite seasoning of mine! It has fantastically sensational blend of flavor!
     I am not a huge fan of white meat - mostly because it is too dry or flavorless. But not the way I make this recipe! My personal flair on this recipe is that I cut the chicken breasts into fourths, and I cook them in a pan that is barely big enough to fit them all. I place the chicken so they are touching and have a tight fit in the pan. The smaller pieces allows for the juices and flavor to get absorbed all the way through. And fitting them tightly in the pan causes them to cook in their own juices more.
     This recipe is very juicy and full of flavor in every bite!

Special Note: This recipe can also be used with pork chops! (Although the pork chops don't need to fit tightly and touching,  and can be normal size etc.)

FLYing Habit of the Month

     Each month, FlyLady focuses on one thing to make a habit. For the month of November, we are working on making menu planning a habit. To help me with this habit, I am starting a pretty pink binder (in honor of Breast Cancer) with recipes that have been family tested and approved. I have different sections, and plan to eventually have at least 30 recipes in each section (although this will most likely take me longer than the month of November, but that's OK)!
    My sections are: Main Dish, Sides, Veggies, Fruits, Desserts, Lunch, and Breakfast.

I hope to provide a nice variety of foods for my family (kid-friendly!). I have never been the most daring eater in the world, and really was never taught to like or eat many foods. As I am a mom now, I want my children to learn to be better eaters than I was/am. In attempts to do this, I want to learn to like new things, which means I need to learn new ways to cook things. I will eat a lot of things if they are prepared the right way (I am a very textural eater). So I have decided to add this journey to my blog about the Gunter Life journey! As I add a new recipe to my binder, I will add it to my blog to share. And of course, please feel free to share some of your tried and true recipes as well!

I already have a few recipes in my binder (not including our family favorites that I make without recipe). I will begin with those, and continue as more are added. Enjoy the next few posts with some yummy food!

*Day 4: Something You Have to Forgive Someone For*

This answer came pretty quickly to me, but it is something that I have been working on for a long while. In some regards, I have moved forward ... in others, it is still a work in progress.

The people ... my parents.
The what ... a lot.

Without writing a book about my life story (which I could and maybe I should someday), my childhood was not all peaches and cream. I grew up with parents whose personalities made them clash ALL the time, so much so that there weren't many days without fights (that sometimes turned physical). As the oldest of 5 kids, I took on a "caregiver role" for my siblings. When I was around the age of 12, they decided on a divorce - which opened up a whole new can of worms revolving around custody battles, bad mouthing one another, using the kids to hurt the other parent, and the list could go on and on. We went from parent to parent, to foster care, to parent, to family members, back to parents; and some13 years later, they are still having issues (that I am thankfully completely separated from).

Upon starting my own family, I resolved to forgive my parents and move on so we can all have a good relationship. I want my children to know and love their grandparents (all of them), and I don't want them to inherit the stupid drama that I have dealt with for the first 22 years of my life.
I am happy to say that I have a good relationship with both my parents and my stepmom, and I have been able to learn from their failures (and their successes) to make me the mother and wife that I am today. I have been able to see the way they treated each other and their children (even if unintentionally) and turn that around so that I can have a healthy relationship with my husband, and am able to encourage my children and teach them good values in life. And most importantly, I have learned the value of modeling for my children. My parents forgot the value of their actions when it comes to raising children. Words only go so far. Children pick up on what they see the people they love do.
For me, I think who my parents were has helped me to define the kind of person I want to be. And I thank God for helping me create a good life out of something yucky.

The part of all this that I struggle with 100% forgiveness is when I look at my siblings. I think they were impacted more so with all the "junk" because they were younger. I have seen my siblings struggle with issues of faith, with relationships, and some even with the ability to make wise decisions for themselves. And this ... I blame my parents (both of them). I see my parents' issues and their inability to demonstrate for my siblings how to make good choices or how to love your spouse as reasons why my siblings don't realize there is more in store for them if they just fight for it. I pray that they can see that even though I grew up in the same  household as them, I was able to break the cycle and make a great life for myself ... and this is possible for them as well. THIS is my work in progress in the forgiveness department.

*Day 3: Something You Have to Forgive Yourself For*

Honestly, as crazy as this may sound to some, I have to learn how to forgive myself when I fall short of my given expectations. And for those of you who know me know that I hold myself to pretty high standards. When I was in high school, I had a handmade "sign" on my wall with a quote for me to live by. The quote was from Henry Ward Beecher and it said, "Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anyone else expects of you." And I do. I am your typical perfectionist. And when I am unable to live up to my own expectations (which is often), I beat myself up. It's amusing to me that I have so many people comment on how much I do, and how impressed they are with me, and yet I just want to laugh and say, "Yeah right! I am horrible." as soon as people start complimenting me, I start thinking of the areas I fall short of where I would like to be. I have always been this way. One good example is school. From K-12 I had straight A's (and yes I was valedictorian), but in 7th grade one of my midterm report cards (not even the final grade) had a B on it. I got sooo upset and actually crumpled up my report card. Of course I got fussed at for what I did to the report card, not the B.
I have found that now that I am a mom with the responsibility of modeling good life skills to my daughters, I have raised my standards and beat myself up more when I fall. So much so that I emotionally feel down and almost depressed at times.
     In my attempts to solve this problem, I have started the FlyLady "self-help" for people like me. The entire premise behind this process is to help us FLY. FLY stands for Finally Loving Yourself. I still have a long way to go. But once I learn to forgive myself for not being perfect, then I think I can be happy with less than.

*Day 2: Something You Love About Yourself*

I love that God created me to be a Mommy.  My body was literally designed specially for this purpose. It fascinates me to think about all my body did to create a little being inside of me, to give birth, and to nourish them. Wow. I just love how loving my daughters from the start, knowing how to meet their needs, and raising them seems to be so natural for me. It is truly one of my greatest blessings.

  I simply love being a Mom! Watching two little girls grow up, learn new things, and prove how smart they are absolutely makes me beam as a Mom. I truly feel like this is my purpose in life. L-O-V-E <3

*Day 1: Something You Hate About Yourself *

     I hate the never-ending cycles of catch up, crash and burn, fall behind, catch up. Now, to be truly honest, I hate that I know the root of the problem, and still I somehow fall into the same trap. I am a perfectionist. If I am going to do something, I want to be able to give it 200%. So I end up taking on a project and making it 20 times harder than it needed to be. Then I get behind in other areas of work (usually in the department on cleaning), and it completely stresses me out to look at how much I need to do. And then I become so overwhelmed, that I physically can't seem to function to anything. Before I know it, I have company coming and I have to get my house cleaned, and clean it all at once. And the whole cycle starts again! I hate the feeling of getting behind but not being motivated to catch up and stay caught up.
     I KNOW that I need to take small steps, and allow myself to not be perfect, and just do little things to stay caught up instead of playing catch up all the time. But I hate that no matter how much I *know* this, I haven't been able to fix it yet. *Sigh* One of these days ....

*30 Days of Truth*

I found a writing challenge from a friend, and I think I am going to venture on this journey.
We all must be willing to stop and do soul-searching, and be brave enough to be honest with ourselves. Only when we can honestly evaluate our lives can we be open to bettering ourselves.

This challenge calls for 30 days of honest reflection. Each day has a given topic to reflect upon.
Anyone who would like to take on this challenge should feel free to join me!
Here is a preview of the 30 days.

Day 1: Something you hate about yourself.
Day 2: Something you love about yourself.
Day 3: Something you have to forgive yourself for.
Day 4: Something you have to forgive someone for.
Day 5: Something you hope to do in your life.
Day 6: Something you hope you never have to do.
Day 7: Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Day 8: Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like crap.
Day 9: Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 10: Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11: Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12: Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13: A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough days. (write a letter.)
Day 14: A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Day 15: Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.
Day 16: Someone or something you definitely could live without.
Day 17: A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.
Day 18: Your views on gay marriage.
Day 19: What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
Day 20: Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21: (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22: Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23: Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24: Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25: The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26: Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27: What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28: What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
Day 29: Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30: A letter to yourself: tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself.