Note: I wrote this post on Thursday!

This post is brought to you from Pennsylvania (where we arrived the Wednesday before Christmas, after approximately 25 hours of driving).

Having spent a week at my parents' house (with my parents, sister, the boys for part of the time, my sister's boyfriend on occasion, Nana for a couple of days, Grammy and Cindy off and on, and four dogs), I have come to realize that I really do consider Texas home, now (or at least our home in Texas ... maybe not all of Texas. ...).  On the drive north, I worried that maybe I wouldn't want to leave, and would be absolutely miserable the whole way back to Texas.

But, that isn't the case.

Alan and I have established our own routine, and as much as we love spending time with family, we miss doing things our own way.  We've realized that spending quality time with each other is a top priority in our lives.  Also, I got my mountains-and-trees fix about an hour into the drive in northern PA, and I now feel claustrophobic and ready for the flat lands of Texas.

Now, that's not to say that I won't feel sad when we leave tomorrow morning, because I will miss spending time with my family.  But, we are loving newlywed life with each other in Texas, and we have the support of some great friends there.

It's kind of odd to see how life changes.

happiness = waking up before the sun.

Thanks to Pinterest, I stumbled upon four beauty tips for women who normally don't [care].  While I was reading, I thought about my own self-care routine, and how much it's changed over the past few months.

All through college, getting ready took me ten to fifteen minutes.  That included everything between me turning off my alarm to me leaving my dorm for breakfast (or prepping it in my dorm, if I happened to be eating there).  On the whole, I was very low maintenance, and didn't put much thought into styling my hair or picking cute outfits.

And then there's my self-care routine now.  The two biggest changes that I've noticed revolve around my hair and my clothes.

Hair
I love to curl my hair.  Sometimes I use a heated curling iron, and sometimes I use the no-heat method that Nish Happens mentions (and it's pictured at left!).  The latter is typically more difficult because my hair is extraordinarily heavy and thick, but I love the result and it's less damaging than blasting my hair with a hair dryer and curling iron.

And, I can get away with cleansing my hair only every other day (which is apparently standard for many women, but I had no idea).  About a year ago, I switched from using shampoo and conditioner to using a mixture of water and baking soda for shampoo and water and apple cider vinegar for conditioner.  For me, the results were immediate--my scalp isn't oily at the end of the day, I save time by not washing it daily, and I noticed that my hair has a lot more volume and feels lighter.  Plus, I feel better about the products I'm using (and they're cheaper).

Clothes
My standard college ensemble consisted of jeans and a shirt or layered shirts.  Flats, flip flops, and sneakers were the norm.

Now, I still wear jeans (and I think I will always be a fan of layering shirts), but I put a lot more thought into the shoes I'm going to wear, how I'm going to accessorize (I love learning different ways to tie scarves), and what hairstyle looks best.  Some of my friends here have never seen me in sneakers or wearing a hoodie (but you'd be hard-pressed to find one of my college friends who hasn't).

Reflecting, I wondered why I suddenly don't mind spending half an hour drying my hair, or why I suddenly take pleasure in getting ready for the day.

And I realized, it's because I'm really happy.

I take pride in looking my best, both for myself and for my husband, and I enjoy taking that time in the mornings.  I even wake up (normally) between 5:00 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. to exercise and feed the dogs, and I'm happy about it.  Which is really weird if you consider the fact that I hated waking up at 6:30 in the morning to catch the bus for school, and I even thought that 8 a.m. classes were early when I was in college.  But now?  Push-ups at 5:30 for the fun of it?  Holding a plank while the dogs lick my face/nip my hands because they want to play?  Savoring a cup of tea before the sun rises, so I can dust the house?

Sounds like fun to me!

ministries

We are busy.  Busy and blessed.

"The Case for Christ" is going to be good, we can tell--we're breaking the sessions in half because of the involvement in and debate around the discussion questions.  I think one of our struggles will be the fact that we are all fairly strong in our faith, so the best way to approach this study will be to gain knowledge in order to answer those tough questions we might not expect (but that might be the opportunity for us to be fifteen).

The fall quarter of Sunday Morning Life Group ended today.  Teaching is a little overwhelming, sometimes, and I've really stepped out of my comfort zone (I am a fan of my introverted tendencies and I strongly dislike praying aloud, but I've done it for the past eleven weeks).  However, I would like to continue teaching.  Classes and teachers typically change every quarter (granted, this is only the second quarter that Chapel Next has offered Sunday Morning Life Group), so I would like to be able to offer a stable class that people can count on.
I'm just not sure if I should offer it for women (PWOC meets on Tuesday mornings, but I know that not everyone can attend), or if I should offer something similar to "Captivating" meets "Wild at Heart"--a class where men and women can learn about themselves and each other, and how to relate to one another in a Christian sense.  Or maybe something completely different.  I brought this up with a friend Monday night at dinner--we talked for two and a half hours about this and that and life in Texas and ministry opportunities, and it was a blessing.
Meanwhile, Alan keeps busy with Children's Church, which he teaches on the first Sunday of the month.

This was my first week off between semesters.  With God's help and direction this semester, and much support and love from my husband, I earned a 4.0 and believe that this is exactly where He wants me.  One of my professors said that she would "strongly encourage" me to go for a doctorate after this program, because she believes that I have "a brilliant writing style" and sharp skills--both of which are generous blessings from God and just the message I need to hear (and remember) during those times when I feel inadequate.

giving thanks ... and buying stuff.

We spent Thanksgiving with friends this year.  Not that that would be a particularly surprising statement, coming from Alan.  But, this was the first Thanksgiving that I didn't spend with my family (or, to be more precise, this was the first Thanksgiving that I spent with my own, grown-up family).

A couple of weeks ago, one of my friends asked me what I thought of Texas, now that I've been here for about five months (I like the fact that everything is close and the weather is warm, but drivers are unpredictable and social etiquette is ... not what I'm used to).  The conversation turned to homesickness, and we both admitted that with the holidays approaching, we missed familiar faces and places.  (This will be the first year I can't attend my hometown's Christkindl Market, and even though I always hated traipsing around from booth to booth in the freezing cold, it's the principle of the matter.)  Fortunately, she and her family were some of the friends who joined us for food, fellowship, and the longest game ever of Dicecapades.

Alan and I even took glazed ham and baked pineapple (my mom always makes those two dishes for Christmas).  And I don't even like glazed ham.  Or baked pineapple.

Alan also experienced Black Friday for the first time ever.  Because we ended up staying so late at our friends' house, we dropped off food at home and then went shopping.  It wasn't nearly as bad as we anticipated, since there are far more people in Killeen than what we've been used to, but we also didn't even attempt stopping at Best Buy or Kohl's (the parking lots were absolutely full).  We purchased a TV, which was due to be replaced ... our old TV was so small that the last line of subtitles sometimes got cut off when we watched foreign films.  And, if that's not reason enough to replace the television, there was a VHS deck in the bottom of the TV.

Actually, the main reason we wanted to upgrade was because we finished "Resilient Warriors," so our Home Life Group will start studying "The Case for Christ" on Friday, and the lesson comes with a DVD series.  Nine (or more) people watching a session on our old TV?

Not happening.  We couldn't see the screen properly if we sat on the couch, so we typically watched movies sitting in front of the couch (which kind of beats the purpose of having a couch) or lying on the floor halfway between the television and couch.

busy + blessed

I've started so many posts (and finished them and left them sitting in draft form for weeks), but since Alan and I wanted this to be a joint effort, it's sometimes difficult for us to coordinate schedules.  And by that, I mean that I usually write during the day, and then forget to tell him that I wrote something I'd like him to read/add to/edit so we can post it, so nothing ever happens.

The house is looking a bit more homey--Alan hung some of our wedding photos in the entryway and we strung some Instagram photos in the hallway.

We wrapped up "Resilient Warriors" on Friday (we moved our home life group to Friday evenings, since we have a penchant for staying up until the wee hours talking) and will start studying "The Case for Christ" next week--we decided to take a break this week to relax after Thanksgiving--we provide dinner each week, so preparation can be a bit exhausting.  We're (the ladies' class) also preparing to wrap up the fall Sunday Morning Life Group sessions--there are only a couple of chapters left in "Captivating."

Work- and school-wise, we're both doing well, even though our dream job is to be attached at the hip every day and somehow manage to still earn an income.

Unfortunately, we still have yet to figure out that one.

chocolate chip cookie for one!

A few evenings ago, Alan and I made hot chocolate and a chocolate chip cookie in a bowl to enjoy outside.  It was cool outside, and we wanted to try to use the pergola bed half as much as the dogs do ... seriously.  If they aren't sleeping on it, they're jumping on it to see who can rock it the hardest and cause the others to fall off.  So far, Ophelia can make it swing the hardest, but Chipmunk always seems to be the last dog standing, because she's closer to the ground.

Anyway.  I found the chocolate chip cookie recipe on Pinterest, but when we tried it, I thought it tasted like a pretzel.  With some chocolate.  Not cool.

So, I decided to change things a bit, and this is what I came up with earlier:

chocolate chip cookie in a ramekin (or bowl, or mug, or wherever you'd like it)

• 1 T. butter, softened
• 1 T. white sugar
• 1 1/2 T. brown sugar
• splash of vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 1 T. egg, whisked
• 3-4 T. flour (I used wheat, but apf would probably give it a smoother texture)
• 3 T. chocolate chunks/chips
• 1 T. milk

Combine all of the ingredients in a ramekin or microwave-safe bowl and heat for approximately 90 seconds in 20-second intervals.

Enjoy/Eat guiltily because your dogs are watching you.

life is full of blessings!

Life has become so full, and we have been so blessed over the past few weeks!

+ Alan was supposed to be "in the field" this week, which would have meant that he would have been sleeping on post all week, but plans were changed, so he's been home every night.  We love being able to see each other in the morning, enjoy lunch together, and spend time together in the evenings.  It's especially nice on Thursdays, because Thursday seems like the weekend for me (because of grad classes) and he gets off early on Thursdays.

+ I'm (Elizabeth) a graduate student!  It's challenging and stimulating, and I've met some really great people in the program.  There's a Chinese student who's been in the country for two weeks.  We met at the graduate student welcome reception--she asked where I was from and seemed a little disappointed that I wasn't Chinese, but I asked if she spoke Mandarin (in Mandarin), so we've been practicing our English and Mandarin together, and I've been trying to get her off campus and out and about.
I've also met two women whose husbands are serving in the Army.  One is writing a novel and one works for the Army as a civilian.  Last night, I went to the writer's house and we talked a lot studied together.  She said it would be cool if I visited her church and she visited mine.
Lastly, I met two women at the reception who seemed really nice.  We started a conversation and were rather gregarious and extroverted ... and then we all admitted that we usually aren't so outgoing, that we'd much rather just sit in the corner and eat our food and people watch.  Immediate bond?  I think so.
Here's to the introverts of the world.

+ Alan and I are going to start leading a home life group, which is like a home Bible study.  We'll be studying Resilient Warriors.

+ I (Elizabeth) am going to start teaching a book/Bible study on Sunday mornings at chapel.  When we first arrived, Chapel Next had only just started life groups (the chapel's version of Sunday School), and they were for both men and women.  I really missed the cohesiveness that I had with the ladies class in Pennsylvania.  (Also, I had attended the same church for over two decades.)  While we were undergoing training to lead a home life group, I asked if something like a women's group was available, or if one could be started.
I think there's a need for a women's group (especially because not everyone can attend PWOC on Tuesday mornings), and I've been wanting to teach ever since I took an inventory on spiritual gifts at my home church in PA.  The home life group leader mentioned it to the chaplains, and now we'll be studying Captivating.

+ I (Alan) would just like to say that the lord our God has brought us together and is pouring out his blessings around us. As for me and this house we will serve the lord. Our cup runneth over.  For Christ's sake . . . for when I am weak I am strong.

chipmunk's first haircut

We gave Chipmunk a haircut on Monday.

The hair around her ears was starting to get matted because it was so long (which is a breed trait), and she desperately needed a trim.  She has a tendency to pick up all sorts of debris while exploring the backyard.  The fur around her paws was also really long, so she looked kind of like The Grinch/Gremlin.  And now she sort of looks like a boy with a bad mullet.

Or "a" mullet.  Is there such a thing as a "good" mullet?

All I have to say is that hair styling is not in my future and it's a good thing that puppies don't bully each other because of their haircuts.

At least it'll grow back.

on being grateful

Pretty, romantic images on Tumblr and Pinterest had me yearning for a life full of writing and moody, still lighting and bright, airy lighting and tea.

And then, I realized that I spend most of the day writing; morning light is really moody and still here; afternoon light is really bright and airy; and I drink tea like it's my job.

Also, I sometimes spend evenings daydreaming while lying on my back on a suspended pergola bed, staring at the stars.

Also, I'm eating chocolate-covered pineapple because my caring and supporting husband surprised me with Edible Arrangements today.

My life is awesome.

miscellany wednesday

+ Alan made a delicious chicken and pineapple pizza for lunch on Sunday.  We dipped it in sriracha.  I love it when food is made from scratch + love.

+ Chapel Next hosted Date Night with Dr. Gary Rosberg on Sunday evening.  It was entertaining; I definitely enjoyed the fellowship and Alan was glad to know we're on the right track--for example, when we scored ourselves on our emotional and physical connections, we both seem to be doing the right things.  When we read the suggestions to improve our connections (i.e. text throughout the day to communicate or affirm your spouse), we realized that we're already doing those, too!

+ The temperature has been in the low 70s all week, with rain off and on.  It's been so cool that we haven't used the central air for the past two days; we've been content with keeping the windows open (usually, it starts getting warm around 2 p.m., so I close the windows and turn on the air).  We finally have grass that looks like grass.
Last night while we were sweeping the cracked cement slab that passes for a patio or something like that, Alan said he could buy some weed killer at Lowe's that, according to other people in the area, will kill the weeds and not the grass.  I told him that I thought half of our grass was comprised of weeds. ...

+ The dogs have taken over the pergola bed.  For a while, it was just a frame, and we could take out the futon mattress or a comforter when we wanted to use it.  The dogs didn't climb on it because they were afraid of falling through.  But, Alan recently came home with some sleeping pads that the Army was throwing away, so he stuck them on the frame.  We haven't tested it with the pads yet, but the dogs have.
And, he recently added an old quilt to make the dogs more comfy. :)

organizing life: the bathroom

Both counter space and cabinet space are at a premium in the master bathroom, and hair styling tools (especially the cords) were difficult to keep organized and out of the way.

I don't use the curling irons, straightener and hair dryer on a daily basis--or even a weekly basis, honestly--so I wanted to keep them under the sink and reserve counter space for daily items, but it was difficult to keep the cords untangled when everything was shoved in a box.  Plus, then I forget that I even have them.

So, Alan stuck some 3M hooks on the side of the vanity (3M hooks seem to be the solution to a lot of our problems around the house).  Now, everything's accessible and we have more space.  Plus, the hooks will be easy to remove!

cappellini alfredo

To those of you who know my aversion to angel hair pasta, please note that my preference has not changed.

It was just that we had an opened container of cappellini.

Also, this was the first time I've made fettuccine Alfredo since we moved to Texas!  The original recipe that my mom used at home came from my middle school FCS class.  The variety of cheeses adds some depth to the dish, but I will probably add some garlic apart from the cheese next time.

This recipe serves two.  It could probably serve three, but Alan said we weren't going to have leftovers and ate whatever was left in the pan after I served the first helping.  And actually, Alan says:

Actually it was two more servings so it will probably feed four.

Fettuccine Cappellini Alfredo

+ 4 oz. cappellini, dry and uncooked
+ 2 C. heavy cream
+ 1/8 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
+ 2 T. butter
+ 1/2 C. parmesan, grated
+ 1/4 C. jarlsburg, grated
+ 2 T. garlic and herb spreadable cheese
+ salt and pepper to taste

In a medium pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook the pasta.  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the cream and lemon pepper over a low setting.  Add the butter.  Once the butter has melted, add the cheeses.  Stir continuously until the cheeses have melted--if you don't stir everything constantly, the cheese will stick to the bottom/sides of the pan/your spoon and then it will be a mess.  Once the pasta is cooked, drain it (but don't rinse it!) and add it to the saucepan.  Stir until the pasta is well-coated and the sauce thickens.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve it immediately.

Also, this is almost nothing like the original recipe for Fettuccine Alfredo, so it should actually probably be called something like, "Three Cheese Cappellini."  Which is how you will find it tagged if you ever search for this recipe.

coconut-chocolate syrup

A few days ago on Pinterest, I stumbled across a recipe for chocolate syrup, but I didn't bother pinning it because we never have chocolate syrup in the house, but I thought it was a cool idea because we are fans of all things homemade.

And then T requested a peanut butter pie for his half/belated/unbirthday, and peanut butter pie is topped with chocolate syrup.

Of course, I couldn't find the recipe I wanted.

So, I made up one.

coconut-chocolate syrup
1 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 C. raw sugar
1 C. water
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. coconut-vanilla extract (or regular vanilla extract)

Mix the cocoa powder and water in a saucepan until the cocoa is dissolved.  Add the sugar and salt and slowly bring everything to a boil for three minutes.  Remove the mixture from heat and add the vanilla extract (we make our own, which is why I used coconut-vanilla).  Once the chocolate syrup cools, pour it into a jar and store it in the refrigerator.

This is really yummy in chocolate milk or as a topping for peanut butter pie, which instantly becomes a peanut buttery, chocolate coconut-y pie of goodness.  Next time, I'm adding more cocoa and vanilla.

italian meatloaf

For his half/belated/unbirthday, T requested Italian meatloaf, which I made once before.  T's been waiting for it all summer, so I made it last night while Alan and T played Super Mario Bros. for Wii (C watched--when given the choice to play the Wii or a game on the iPod Touch, he chose to play on the iPod, which he later regretted once T began setting up the Wii, but he had already used up his screen time).

The meatloaf was juicy and the serving plate was completely empty by the end of dinner.  We served it with a garlic and herb spreadable cheese.

Italian Meatloaf

1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. minced onion
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 bay leaf
2 eggs
2 lbs. ground pork
1/2 C. grated parmesan cheese
1 T. olive oil
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. ketchup
2 T. bread crumbs

Glaze
6 T. ketchup
3 T. honey

Preheat the oven to 350F.  In a large bowl, mix the first seven ingredients and add the ground pork.  Add the eggs and mix everything together.  Then, add 1/4 C. of the grated parmesan, as well as the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, ketchup and bread crumbs.  Mix everything well and allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes, then place in a loaf pan and bake for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, mix the ketchup and honey in a small bowl.  After the meatloaf has cooked for 10 minutes, spread the glaze on top and cook for 30 minutes, or until done.

permanent love notes

You can tell it's almost time for the boys to fly back to Pennsylvania.  In an effort to step up our efforts to let them know they are loved, we did a project we've been considering since before summer began.

I stumbled across the original idea via Pinterest (but I've since either deleted or moved it to a different board, because I cannot find it).  The concept is that you take a sheet of notebook paper and frame it, and then use a window marker to write a love note every day.  We've been leaving the boys occasional Post-It notes with little gifts (i.e. their favorite gum or snack foods) in their rooms, but we wanted more permanent displays.  Plus, I was home alone keeping an eye on dinner while Alan took the boys to youth group, so I wanted something extra to do.

However, because we don't have any spare/large photo frames, I decided to try sheet protectors on a whim.  It just so happens that we have several 3M adhesive strips and a dry erase marker (and I have more notebook paper than should be legal), so the entire project was free and took about fifteen minutes (mainly because I had to look for a Nerf gun so I could see the logo ... not that finding one around the house was difficult).

I wrote the boys' names on their permanent notes, using crayons in their favorite colors.  For T, our aspiring football player and chef, I made a bottom border with a football silhouette and a repeating fork, knife and spoon motif.  For C, our creative builder and strategist, I made a bottom border of a Lego brick and a Nerf logo (or what sort of looks like a Nerf logo ... if you really use your imagination).

Then, I slipped the notebook paper in the protective sleeves and use the 3M strips to stick them on the wall between their doors.  Alan wrote each of them a personal note and I slipped little letters in the tops--at Barnes & Noble today, C picked up a little Hello Kitty letters set for me, and they both requested that I write notes to them.

When they came home from chapel and saw the notes, they were both very thankful and happy about the projects.  And they requested new notes tomorrow.  We've decided to take photos of each day's note

I also made one for Alan, although I used markers instead of crayons.  Between the time I spent making theirs and starting his, he found the markers I had been looking for earlier.

I think it looks pretty nifty.  The words around his name are from my wedding vows to him. :)

miscellany wednesday

We were going to post a Miscellany Monday post.  And then I realized it's already Wednesday.

+ Alan had a four-day weekend, and we spent part of it at a chapel retreat in Waxahachie.  The topic was "Guard Your Heart" and focused on the Proverbs 4 passage.  Not only did we learn more about the passage and its application to our lives, but we really enjoyed spending time together as a family (or partially together--most of the time, the boys wanted to spend time with their friends from youth group) and fellowshipping with friends from the Soldiers' Hospitality House.  There would have been photos, but phone reception was horrible, so our phones were constantly drained.

+ Aside from the regular chores the boys may choose to do to earn money, C mowed a neighbor's lawn with Alan's help.  The neighbor paid him 50 percent more than what he asked.

+ Following the retreat's topic, the youth group leader is running a session this week on anti-bullying and guarding yourself.  He apparently served in protective services during his Army career, and is leading self-defense with a spiritual perspective.

happy support freedom of speech day!

We experienced our first FRG meeting as a couple yesterday.  Driving across post to get to the venue took longer than the actual meeting.  And I never thought I'd be so happy to see 40 m.p.h. signs.

We also stopped by Alan's office building.  I was hoping to see his office and he was hoping to pick up his coffee mugs.  He told me that there was a certain parking spot where I should park, and it was designated for the first sergeant.  As I pulled into the parking lot, he explained that there were a few spots for different people, so I needed to look for the first sergeant one.

Who knew "first sergeant" would be stenciled on as "1SG?"  Clearly, not me.

On the upside, after we picked up the boys from Bob's Diner (which is actually held at the chapel ... and not by a man named "Bob"), we went to Chick-Fil-A to support Chick-Fil-A Day.  On the way, we explained that it had nothing to do with the CEO's personal beliefs, but that there is a difference between disagreement and discrimination, and we live in a country where we should not be punished or discriminated against for disagreeing or standing up for our own beliefs.

whether you're a mom or a stepmom ...

... it seems to me that as soon as you become one of those, you automagically obtain some secret power that makes things appear the moment someone says, "I can't find it/It's not here/I don't see it."

This makes me wonder how our heavenly father deals with us. So many corrections and disappointments; asking for his guidance and him saying it's right there. In front of our eyes.

I love how every situation in our small lives can be used to show us how awesome our creator is. Thank you Jesus for giving us the privilege to serve you and be blessed to tell others about your amazing love and forgiveness.

With love,
Alan + Elizabeth

look what came in the mail!

Along with a pretty sweet key chain and car decal.  And let me tell you, any university that sends you a key chain and car decal is a pretty cool university.

Anyway.

This Friday, we're leaving for a Chapel Next retreat at Lakeview, which we're all excited about.  This weekend is a four-day weekend for Alan.  Aside from the sessions (the retreat focuses on family), C has repeatedly mentioned that he can't wait to try the zip line, and T is excited about "the blob."

We're hoping to stop by UMHB on the way to Lakeview so I can register for the fall semester.  I am so excited to start grad classes (I can't wait to buy books!) and be back on a college campus.

C found a sea urchin fossil near the house yesterday.  We went fossil hunting and the boys returned with a rucksack full of fossilized seashells--we're going to put some of them in our aquarium.

miscellany monday

+ C painted my nails on Thursday.  I'm currently sporting five different colors in three different patterns.  T asked if he could paint my nails this week.

+ Spending so much time at home has greatly heightened my intolerance for dirtiness.  Blanket forts across the hallway, Nerf darts and dog food are perfectly acceptable (Shooter always levels his food with his nose, so there always seems to be dog food on the kitchen floor three seconds after I sweep it).  But I don't think I've ever cleaned a bathroom twice a week.  Except for that one time, when I was in England.

+ I made sea salted butter and organic banana-peanut butter ice cream on Thursday.

+ Alan took the boys for frozen yogurt after exploring the area on Saturday.

+ Alan and the boys went to the playground across the street and played tag basically all Saturday morning.  And then they played "ninja," a game they learned at Bob's Diner (chapel youth group).

+ We had an incredible time of fellowship at the Soldiers' Hospitality House yesterday.  We finally connected with another couple who married only five days before us (we've been attending the couples' Bible study together, but haven't talked much beyond that).  We have some similar experiences, and hearing their story and how God brought them together was really touching.

+ Afterward, Matt and Yessica came over so Alan could teach Matt how to replace his brakes.  Yessica and I spent three hours chatting.

+ We wrapped up Sunday evening with Alan and C playing hide-and-seek Nerf tag while T made rice with a tadiq/tahdig.

great britain is reassembling the empire + there's actually water in texas

Who wants eslaamboli polow?  Or, better yet, who wants to  pronounce it?

Yesterday, the Soldiers' Hospitality House hosted a "Taste of Nations" in honor of the opening ceremony for the 2012 Olympics.  Families signed up to bring dishes from different nations.

We took eslaamboli polow (chelow), an Iranian lamb and rice dish.  (Didn't see that one coming, did you?)  I couldn't form a nice tadiq, or crust, on my rice--mainly because I forgot making rice is a +2 hour process--so it was sadly not totally authentic.  Oh well.  Lamb makes the world a better place.

And so does my husband.  He made rice in a South American pot after I told him about my tadiq-less rice.  I have no idea why I did not know about this pot earlier, because yesterday was the first time I had crispy rice since 2007.

Anyway.

The food and fellowship were a blessing.  As was seeing London on television.  We had the opportunity to try food from Norway, Indonesia, Peru, Japan, Korea, Greece and a few other countries.  While representatives from various branches of the armed services raised the Union Jack, one of the soldiers at the house joked, "Your stripes are upside down!"

Unfortunately, we (at least Alan and I) were tired by the end of the night, so we only stayed long enough for me to watch the South Korean team enter, and then it was time to head home for prayers, summing up the day and bed.

We explored the neighborhood this afternoon--or rather, we explored what's behind the neighborhood.  There's a small stream bed with lots of fossils nearby, so we took Chipmunk and Ophelia and I charged the battery for the Nikon, all ready to take the first photos of summer with something other than my phone.

And then I realized that I left the battery at home.

So, I carried around an expensive necklace and took photos with my phone.  We also picked up some interesting fossils, some of which I plan to ship home to my dad.

ginger chicken rice + kongnamul muchim

Because the Army (or at least Fort Hood) says that Thursdays are family days, Alan came home early today.  After he stormed the barricades in the living room and lost the battle to three new Nerf guns (his misfired), I made ginger chicken rice and a Korean bean sprout side dish for dinner while we played Apples to Apples.

Typically, I make ginger beef rice, but we had some extra chicken in the freezer.  Also, my measurements are mostly guesses--I never measure anything when I cook.

Ginger Chicken Rice

3/4 C. soy sauce
1 T. mirin
1 tsp. sugar
1 T. ginger, finely chopped
3/4 lb. chicken, cubed
5 C. rice, cooked

Bring the soy sauce, mirin, sugar and ginger to a boil.  Add the chicken and reduce heat to low--cook for two to three minutes.  Add the rice and stir until well covered.  Serve.

more savings, a workshop and an early birthday

We made another trip to Target yesterday!  We picked up two Milky Way bars with a $.75 off coupon.  I also picked up another cami--originally $8 and on sale for $5, it cost me $2 with a $3 off coupon.  The boys each got a pack of gum--I had a buy one, get one free coupon and the peach mango variety was on clearance.  We also picked up another trial-sized tube of Aquafresh, which was free (plus some overage) after a $1 off coupon--we gave it to the Soldiers' Hospitality House.

While the boys attended the chapel youth group, I went to a "Peace of Mind" workshop at the Soldiers' Hospitality House.  Elizabeth covered 72-hour emergency kits to keep in the event of a natural disaster or anything else that might stall normal life (like having to evacuate) for up to 72 hours.  It was interesting, considering that my family is prepared for a major crisis, but that I haven't given much thought to a shorter event.

Alan made dinner last night (potato parmesan soup) and picked up the boys while I was at the workshop.  Youth group ran late and Alan said everyone seemed enthralled (okay, not his exact words) during the extra half hour--they discussed the Aurora tragedy and how it is part of God's plan--so I had enough time for a quick run when I returned home.

We also celebrated C's "other" birthday--since he won't be celebrating his actual birthday in Texas with us, we gave him a cookie cake (and he had a burger from Five Guys for dinner) and some gifts last night.  Gifts are his secondary love language, and Alan and I are trying to learn to speak it better.

school's {not} out for the summer

We've been spending the mornings prepping for the upcoming school year--or at least as far as math and communications are concerned.

C has math workbooks that review what he learned last year and preview what he'll learn this year.  We had some tears of frustration yesterday (not that I blame him; I remember those well), but he figured out the answer and understands the concept, and I've been learning to adapt my tutoring techniques from the campus to the living room.

I've found that he does better work when we first do several examples together, before I supervise while he completes a problem on his own.  He completes three worksheets each day while T watches math videos and completes assessments through Khan Academy.

For communications, the boys are writing their own stories, which they've enjoyed reading to their dad when he comes home from work.  First, they wrote them with paper and pen, and now they're using OmmWriter.  The program has sounds, music and backgrounds, which they enjoy.  After they've typed them up with OmmWriter, we'll copy and paste them over to Microsoft Word for editing and revising.  We plan to act them out with Lego characters, take photos and then publish their stories through Blurb.

Also, we started Free Rice for grammar and vocabulary practice.

They were thrilled, of course.

couponing--new camis, pens and toothpaste

Thanks to coupons and sales at Target, we purchased two trial-sized tubes of Aquafresh, two tubes of Aquafresh Kids (one isn't pictured because we gave it away), two Mossimo camisoles and two packs of PaperMate pens for $1.92!

Target currently has coupons for:

$1 off 4.3-oz or larger Aquafresh toothpaste

$1 off PaperMate writing instrument

$3 off Women's Mossimo apparel item

Mossimo tank tops are on sale for $5 (originally $8), so the coupons brought the price to $2.

A 10-pack of PaperMate pens is $1, so they were free when we used coupons!

The Aquafresh Fresh 'N Fruity toothpaste is $1.87 (and it's 4.6 oz.), but the Aquafresh website has a $1 off coupon, and because we paired it with the Any Aquafresh Extreme Clean coupon on a trial-sized tube of Aquafresh ($.97), the toothpaste cost less than $1 and the trial-sized tubes were free!

sweet and sour chicken

Having shopped our pantry, I decided to make sweet and sour chicken this week.  I've never made it before, and thought I'd give it a try and maybe add it to our repertoire.

While I knew the basics, I was able to find a more authentic recipe at the last minute, and tweaked it for our tastes.

Alan, T and I loved it.  C liked the chicken, which quite frankly says a lot.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

1 lb. chicken (it was actually slightly less, because I trimmed the meat from the bone and fat, which I use for chicken stock)
3/4 C. soy sauce
1 T. mirin
1 tsp. sugar
1 carrot
1/2 onion
3 spring onions
1 C. chopped pineapple with juice
1/2 C. vinegar
1/4 C. pickle juice

Place the chicken in a pan and marinate it in soy sauce, mirin and sugar for 20 minutes.  Turn heat to medium and steam chicken mixture until almost fully cooked.  Remove the chicken and marinade (reserve).

Add sesame oil and stir fry the onion over high heat.  Add the carrot and spring onion, then cook until slightly tender.  Add pineapple with juice, vinegar, pickle juice, chicken and marinade.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until chicken is cooked through.  Add more soy sauce, pineapple juice or vinegar to taste.  Serve over rice.

geocaching

While scrolling through some iTunes apps, I came across an app for geocaching.  I'd heard of geocaching, but never tried it, and since the app was free and an international treasure hunt dictated by a GPS system seemed like a very "boy" thing to do, I downloaded it.  Alan and I decided we'd take the boys and try it in the evening, after church on Sunday.  The closest geocache location was at the mall.

Since we didn't want to get the boys' hopes up (What if someone moved the geocache, or we couldn't find the coordinates?), we drove to the site and I explained geocaching while we started walking around the mall perimeter.  We couldn't find the first one, but fortunately there were a few more in the series, so we drove around to the other side of the mall and started looking for the cache. 

The boys (especially C) had fun being stealthy and trying not to draw too much attention to us while we looked in the bushes.  We finally found it and C pulled it out of its hiding spot.  We signed its log book, left another treasure and drove home to play Cranium (which C and I won, by the way). :)

one month later

It's hard to believe it's been a whole month since Alan, Chipmunk and I started our adventure from my parents' driveway.  Our adventuring took us to an Arkansas gas station with more cockroaches than I ever want to see again in my life.  To a Wendy's at 2:30 a.m., after which Chipmunk ran around crying and carrying a chicken nugget in her mouth (at 2:30 in the morning, remembering to tear up a chicken nugget was not the first thing on my mind).  To two hotels with no vacancies.  And finally, home.

Although it didn't actually feel like "home" until we returned from visiting some of Alan's family in Oklahoma.  Up until then, I just felt like I was on vacation, but while turning on one of the last roads before the house, I realized that I was excited to finally get out of the car and just be home.

+ We are mostly unpacked--there are still a few boxes, but they're mostly office things for which I have no room.  At least they're in the office.