Weekly Menu

Monday- Taco Soup

Tuesday- Lesley is cooking for us! (Amazing Race Night)

Wednesday-grilled chicken topped with bacon, mushrooms, and cheese, veggies, and salad

Thursday-salisbury steak and mashed potatoes (requested again)

Friday- spaghetti and meatballs, salad, garlic bread

Saturday and Sunday- I'll be tired of cooking, so leftovers or out to eat : )

Thankful Thursday

So here it is...so many people griping and complaining about everything!! Enough...It's time to find things to be grateful for! So, I am devoting Thursdays as a day to be thankful! Find at least 10 things you are thankful for!!!! It can be big things or little everyday things!
Here are mine:

I am thankful for:

*Thursdays (they are so close to the weekend)
*This beautiful day of sunshine
*DVR so I don't miss my shows!
*lunch dates with my husband
*quiet time
*Reece's smile
*Ashlyn's laugh
*the corner of my couch to relax with a great book
*the way God is working in my life and shaping me into what I need to be
*creamer for my coffee (ugh..wouldn't want it without it)

So find some things you are thankful for!!!

Friendship

A sweet friendship refreshes the soul. Prov. 27:9

I read this verse on one of my online devotionals the other day and it reminded me that I am blessed with fabulous friends! Each day I get to go to work with some of the best girls anyone could wish for! They make me laugh so hard I cry and we are known to be a little too loud! They make my life easier. I'm blessed to have one of my best girls live right behind me and we share our gate between our two yards with a worn path in between. I've made great friends with people in my small group at church that I enjoy spending time with. Several of my best friends also show up in the form of family-my husband, sisters, niece, and mother in law. Some friends are only a phone call away and I have new friends that I am loving getting to know better and spend time with!! So here's to my friends - for laughing with me, crying with me, praying for me, keeping me straight, acting like fools, exercising when we don't want to, overindulging, and listening to me vent!! Thank you for refreshing my soul! You Rock!!! What friendships refresh your soul??

Stuffed Pasta Shells

I've been making this recipe for a few years now and my family loves it!! There usually aren't any leftovers. For smaller families, you can make the whole batch and freeze some to pull out when you want them.

1 box jumbo shells
2 pounds hamburger meet
2 env. taco seasoning
1 package cream cheese
salsa
cheddar cheese
sour cream
tortilla chips

Cook pasta shells according to directions. Let cool. (easier on your fingers as you fill the shells) Brown your hamburger meat and add taco seasoning. Put cream cheese in the mixture and stir really well. Once the shells have cooled some, fill each one with several tablespoons of the meat mixture. Coat the bottom of a 9x13 pan with salsa. Place the shells on the salsa. Top with cheddar cheese and crushed tortilla chips. Cook for 20-25 minutes at 350.

Weekly Menu

Monday- Sour cream chicken, brown rice, and broccoli

Tuesday- Penne Pasta Bake, salad, cibatta rolls, chocolate cake

Wednesday- Salisbury steak, brown rice, and green beans

Thursday- Stuffed Taco Shells, spanish rice, chips

Friday- Mexican casserole and salad

Saturday and Sunday- leftovers or whatever we can find :)

Ashlyn's UIL Ready Writing

Several weeks ago Ashlyn told me she would be staying after school a few days a week to help students with their ready writing preparation for the competition. I was proud of her for that! Well, it ended up the coach needed her to participate in her grade level competition too. Yesterday we went to the awards' ceremony. As we sat there waiting for the names to be called, I found myself smiling from ear to ear. I am so proud of Ashlyn and how hard she works. When they called her name out for second place, I was thrilled!!! As a writing teacher too, it doubled my pleasure!! Way to go Ashlyn!!

Joining the blogging world

Some of my friends have blogs and I LOVE keeping up with their lives, the events they have going on, and the daily tidbits they have to share. This is a great way to stay in touch and share our lives with family and friends! God has really blessed me with an amazing family and I love the journey we are on! So I am looking forward to learning some things from you out there and sharing events from our daily race!