Sightseeing

Here are the two sites we saw the most on our 4 day whirlwind trip to Phoenix. 

We remembered to take these few photos during our final hours of our trip yesterday. You should have seen how overgrown everything was in the front yard before we spent 5 hours in the 100+ degrees trimming and weeding. Don't worry, we drank about 6 bottles of water each that one afternoon! Besides yard work, we cleaned, painted, fixed some plumbing issues, and had measurements taken for new carpet for the entire house. It was quite a trip! 

We were also able to spend an evening with our friends Shane & Jes (see Jes - husband is first. LOL) and their super well-behaved and cute kids. They gave us free reign of their garage to borrow any tools that we may need. I love good friends! Thanks, guys!!!

We met our new tenants and they will be awesome! They are such a lovely family and most importantly, they love the Lord. I just know they will take great care of our house! They have said thank you about a million times already for the new carpet and it's not even installed yet. That was something they really weren't expecting. 

We dined at two of our "regular" spots: The Keg and Shanghai. Oh, and we found a new favorite breakfast place: The Good Egg. (It's similar to Le Peeps.) We decided our meals would be our "vacation" portion of the trip. :)

As an after-thought we took one final photo of us in front of our house.

God at work

... through blogs.

When we lived in Phoenix, I met a wonderful neighbor whom I am honored to call my friend. We actually briefly met on the street before Mark and I moved when we were visiting and home hunting. She told us how great the neighborhood was, etc. It turned out we didn't buy the house across the street from her, but around the bend instead. When we moved in, she knocked on our door and was greeted by a crazy St. Bernard and a tired lady who had been unpacking all day and probably looked disheveled (ok, I'm sure I looked worse than disheveled). I didn't even invite her in! She, not knowing if we were church-going people, invited me to a neighborhood women's bible study that was just starting up. Jesica led the Precepts Bible Study (Having A Real Relationship With God) and it was amazing! This was my first experience with a Precept study and let me say that it truly is an awesome way to dig (and I mean dig deep) into God's word. 

Ok, so you get the idea... Jesica is a special friend whom I treasure. I'm still learning from her. She posts some very meaningful entries on her blog and  is always raw and honest with where she is in the moment. If you have a minute, would you mind praying for her now? She has an undiagnosed health issue she is battling and we are praying her doctor's will find the reason behind a brain lesion recently found in an MRI. 

I guess I wasn't done yet. ;) Now that you've "met" Jesica and prayed for her I'll get to the main story I wanted to share. 

Our current renters have a lease that expires at the end of May. We really didn't want to hire a realtor again to find new tenants because of the extra cost and rent prices seems to drop every year as it is. We planned to post an ad on Craigslist to generate some interest. We were still in the planning process for advertising when I visited Jesica's blog. I read an entry and went to leave a comment when I noticed a comment from someone else. I don't know why, but I clicked on the gal's link and checked out her blog. I read a few entries when BAM she wrote, "Okay, so we found out this weekend that we have to move out for sure at the end of May or June because our landlord..." Whoa! I thought, "Why not?", and left a comment asking if they had found a new rental yet and that I was a friend of Jes's and we own a rental home in the neighborhood. I left her my email and thought if she contacts me cool.

She did, she emailed me that day! I will spare you all of the details, but within 4 days they visited the house and a week later we sent them a lease and they returned it with all the deposits we require.  This may not seem like a big deal to you reading this, but let me say this is such an answered prayer for us! First, our neighborhood is over-saturated with foreclosures and rental homes are in abundance. Second, we have been praying for trustworthy, honest tenants since we are so many miles away. What we found out, was that this family had also been praying for Christian landlords who are honest and forthright, as well. 

We are flying out next weekend to get the house ready for their move-in and are looking forward to meeting the new caretakers of our Phoenix house. They have three children and are due with their fourth in just a few weeks. It's funny because when we bought that house we bought it with the intentions of it being large enough to house a family with a few kids. (We thought we'd be there awhile.) Well, now it's happening. Our house is going to be filled with a family of 6! 

See, the Lord works mysteriously... even online. :) 

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." -- James 1:17

Mid-May already?

It seems that May is flying by!  It's been a busy few weeks for us so here's a recap...

May 4th -- We had the back deck power-washed and stained. It needed it and we're very pleased with the results.

Do you see that grass? Mark has worked really hard to achieve these thick, green results! :)

May 6th -- Stephanie turned 35. eek! Mark surprised me with reservations downtown at The Oceanaire. We were treated well! Here's the menu for the night...

May 8th -- We babysat Rachelle at our house while Matt & Ashli enjoyed a dinner out with friends. That was a whirlwind evening all on it's own. M&A dropped Rachelle off at 5:30pm and I had gotten home from work about 15 mins earlier. Once Mark got home I passed Rachelle off to him while I cooked our dinner. He started feeding her while I finished preparing our meal and then by the time we were all finished eating and were cleaned up it was Rachelle's normal bedtime. I took her upstairs to get her changed and thought we would play a bit but she was already tired so I read her a book and put her down. She was asleep in the crib before I even made it to the stairs! When I looked at the clock 2 hours had gone by. Wow, that was fast!

May 10th -- Mark and I enjoyed our first 11 mile bike ride of the season after church. When we got home we grilled out for lunch and then spotted a beautiful sunny patch in the backyard that we thought would be the perfect place for an afternoon nap. :) Sheba joined us as well.

May 17th -- The Mulchman (Terry McMillan) delivered and spread 6 yards of mulch to beautify our flower beds and play area. Remember I did it last year? We decided it was well worth it to have the mulchman take care of it this year. He did a beautiful job!!

Enjoy our blooming iris, we sure are! 

For the Coupon Cutters

Just a quick post for all you deal seekers out there. I know these days many of us are looking for ways to save money and some out there are looking for ways to fill their cellars to the brim with non-perishible items. ;)

It's time for Kraft's Delicious Summer Savings promotion. If you're a registered member then you can print out whichever coupons you think you'll use. My money saving tip is that you only print the coupons for items that you normally buy and use. No reason to waste money on things you'll never eat just because it was "a deal." But who doesn't want a good frozen pizza available in their freezer when they don't feel like cooking? Triscuts and Wheat Thins always have a place in our pantry. We go through sour cream at our house like we're Hungarian. ;) Oh, and Starbucks coffee...need I say more? 

Throw caution to the wind and print those coupons, my friends.  One can never have enough JELLO pudding and CoolWhip on hand. 

I say hello you say goodbye...

Do I have that backwards? Either way, I feel like I just welcomed our tulips and they have already said their goodbyes. :(

Here they are in their glory days:

I don't know why you say goodbye...

Happy Earth Day

Just some small things we do to help out:

• Recycle -- Roche has made this much easier for us!
• Compost -- This way our leaves and food scraps don't make their way to the landfill
• CFL bulbs -- Saves energy & lasts longer
• RO system -- We don't need to buy bottled water
• Programmable thermostat -- Heat or a/c run less when we are at work
• Reusable Grocery Bags -- I rarely bring home my groceries in the store sacks

Do you have any other simple tips for Earth Day 2009? :)

Update: I was linked to this entry today and found it intersting. 40 Tips to Go Green At Home

I totally agree with this writer. It's not about politics, it's about stewardship. 

Update2: This post talks about cleaning supplies with examples of "make your own". Hip Organic Mama

Update3: This site has homemade baby food recipes. "Homemade baby food is a green thing to do! Because it is prepared and stored in reusable vessels, homemade baby food creates substantially less waste. " Nuture Baby  I like that their recipes are organized by age range - no need to guess what is appropriate for your xx month old. 

Update4: Another interesting article. This one is about cloth diapering. 3 compelling reasons to try cloth diapers.

Taxed Enough Already

April 15th we attended a peaceful "rebellion" with a few thousand (estimates are 12-15,000) Hoosiers who are tired of wasteful government spending. It was very patriotic as we exercised our first amendment right to peaceably assemble and speak freely.  

More photos and possibly a funnier commentary will eventually show up on the Billmeier blog. 

The Bunny Delivered

The Easter Bunny made a little stop to our house too. In our basket were a few of our favorites: peanut M&M's and smokehouse almonds. We also received chocolate w/ caramel bunny treats and the Bunny left Sheba a new toy. 

Good Friday

A song that is fitting for today and everyday.

Chris Tomlin
Amazing Love

I’m forgiven because You were forsaken,
I’m accepted, You were condemned.
I am alive and well, Your spirit is within me,
Because You died and rose again.

Amazing love,
How can it be
That You, my King, would die for me?
Amazing love,
I know it’s true.
It’s my joy to honor You,
In all I do, I honor You.

I’m forgiven because You were forsaken,
I’m accepted, You were condemned.
I am alive and well, Your spirit is within me,
Because You died and rose again.

You are my King
Jesus You are my King

or click here for video: Amazing Love

Google Confused by Weather

I've been talking about spring. I've been enjoying spring. Today, we see snow falling. I am as confused by this as google is. 

Exhibit A: my igoogle page shows sunshine today.

Exhibit B: my gmail page shows snow today.

I vote for sunshine!

Video Day

I saw this video and wanted to share it with you. Wow!

For anyone who can't see the video here, click HERE.

Did You Know...

Extreme Makeover Home Edition is coming to Indianapolis! It's been in the news and chatted about on Facebook so you probably already knew. We were planning to volunteer this Saturday until we received this email...

They don't need us. I looked at the schedule and it looks like they pushed everything one day back so on Saturday they won't be doing demo work like they originally planned. Oh well, it's probably for the best since I start physical therapy for my lower back on Monday. 

What are you doing this weekend? 

More Spring

We came home from work today and saw that a few of our daffodils have bloomed. I can't wait for the rest of the choir to start singing! 

Spring is Near -- Gardening

Can you feel it in the air? Spring will be here soon and we've already started enjoying the warmer weather and beautiful sunshine! This past weekend we started working in our yard.

You know spring is right around the corner when you see these popping up:

 Also when you see these two getting to work: 

And now you know spring is really coming:

We have BIG plans for our gardens this year. Yep, plural gardenS. We are excited to use a spot in our own yard plus we are renting a 10x15 plot at the Roche gardens. Home grown veggies you will elude me no longer...

Out of Retirement

I know, all my posts lately (few and far between) have not really been about "the things we do." There just hasn't been much to blog about recently. But all of that is about to change. Ha! I've come up with a blog series idea. Look for it soon and it will only last about a week. So far I have 3 ideas for the "series" which means I'll be updating a bit more often in the next 7 days. 

I'm also trying to fit some scrapbooking into my schedule. This is one that I started months ago but could never quite get right. Even though it's pretty simple, I'm pleased with it now. The photo captures the view of our first night in the back country of Glacier National Park, MT. When we made our way into camp we were amazed at our view!

I'll see you back here soon!

Another internet find

I "found" an online store that sells tees with meaning.  The store is called Wild Olive and their phrase is "Get your Verse on". Not only is their product cool, but they give away a portion of their profits (10%) to Christian based charities. I'm not sure if they change their charity each month or how often, but currently they are sponsoring Shaohannah's Hope. This is super cool to me since Shaohannah's Hope is an organization focused on caring for orphans by providing need-based grants to families seeking to adopt. 

Anyway, I just wanted to share the link in case you were in need of a tee with meaning. ;) I think I'm going to order this one. Oh, and they currently have free shipping through the end of March. 

Update: I DID order the one shown above. I can't wait to get it in the mail!

White Chicken Chili

A friend (Hi Stephanie!) sent me this recipe awhile back and I have used it twice with a few tweeks. Here is the un-tweeked original.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 lg cooked chicken breasts, cubed

2 lg cans chicken broth (49 ½ oz)

2 4oz. cans diced green chilies, drained

2 cans Great White Northern beans or white kidney beans, drained

½ lb. orzo or other small pasta

Spice Blend:

Garlic powder

Ground cumin

Oregano

Cilantro

Ground red pepper

Directions:

Over medium-high heat, brown the onions in the olive oil. Add chicken and cook until browned. Add the broth, chilies, beans and spice blend (to your taste). Bring the mixture to a boil and add the orzo. Simmer until pasta is fully cooked and chili thickens.

Now, let me tell you my customizations. 

1. I usually make chicken chili with our rotisserie chicken leftovers. Believe me, if you get your chicken from Costco you will definitely have some left over! I shred up what is left and use that instead of chicken breasts that I have to cook and cut up. 
2. I am pretty sure I use more chicken broth. (I use this organic broth from Costco.) Plus I add water.  Just use however much broth and water you feel is appropriate so chili isn't too too thick.
3. I only use one 4 oz can of diced green chilies. (This time I forgot to drain and I think that is what led to the extreme heat.)
   
4. I use less orzo than the recipe calls for.
   
5. I use chili powder instead of cumin. 
6. I "garnish" with sour cream and crunched up tortilla chips.

The BEST white chicken chili I have ever had though was from a mix. (I know, I know, don't throw the first stone people!) When we were in Montana last fall we went through this place called Wheat Montana and stopped at a deli that had the most fabulous breads! Anyway, I picked up this little mix and now I wish I had bought a dozen or so. I'm thinking about ordering from their website because the mix is only $2.99. I think their secret ingredient is the wheat berries.  Although, it really isn't a secret if it is labeled in the ingredients list is it?

Toys

I just stumbled upon this specialized toy brand and I love it! Haba. Maybe you've already heard of them. The toys (and other kid items) they make look amazing! Lots of wooden items and toys that just look like they would encourage imaginative play. Items that are not related to cartoons or other over-marketed  characters. Their slogan: Inventive Playthings for Inquisitive Minds. 

After searching around for Haba items, I found an online store that guarantees the lowest pricing. Moolka also carries other inventive toy brands. 

Here are a few Haba items that I think look fabulous and fun! (all images are clickable to the Moolka store)

Here's a general link for the Haba toys at Moolka. You can search by category or age. Maybe you'll find something for your little one(s). Happy shopping! :)

Home

Kent Eloe is with his Lord and Savior. He passed from this world Friday, February 13. Please be in prayer for his family. His 3 young boys are especially saddend by the loss of their daddy.

Sausage-Filled Mancotti

1.  Meet your ingredients

  6 oz - Italian sausage

  1 box - Manicotti 

  1 jar - Your favorite sauce

  15 oz - Ricotta

  1 egg

  3 Tbsp - Fresh parsley or less dried parsley

  1 cup - Mozzarella cheese shredded

  1/3 cup - Parmesan cheese shredded

2.  Boil water for pasta and preheat oven to 350 degrees

3.  Add pasta and cook per directions on box, no salt please

4. Heat skillet w/ olive oil

5.  Add sausage to skillet 

6.  Brown sausage, then drain and set aside

7.  Check pasta

8.  Drain and set aside

9.  Mix all ingredient in bowl - use 1/2 of mozzarella

10.  Fill manicotti with cheese/sausage mixture  

TIP 1: Use a pastry bag for less mess

TIP2: This recipe makes a lot! I only baked what we wanted and I flash froze the rest to bake at a later date.

11. Top with sauce (I used about 1/4 to 1/2  jar for this amount) and remaining mozzarella

12.  Bake about 45 minutes until hot and melty. ENJOY!