Grilled Chicken and Strawberry Salad

The last 6 months I've made a few new recipes here and there, but mostly I've just stuck with what I knew worked.  Over the last month, Kevin has taken charge of cooking a few meals occasionally (which has been a huge help to me).  He told me one day he had found a new recipe he wanted to try for dinner.  I was excited about the idea of him cooking, but trying a new recipe pretty much worried me.

I knew it was a salad, which I generally like, and I knew there was chicken, strawberries, and pecans in it, and I love all three of those.  I got stumped on the homemade vinaigrette for a couple reasons... first, I don't love many dressesings besides ranch... probably because I haven't ever tried anything besides ranch.  Second, I was worried about some of the ingredients I knew were going into the vinaigrette (red wine vinegar, dried mustard...).

Kevin worked so hard on the meal, and this vinaigrette turned out to be such a pretty pink color!  I was interested, but still afraid to try it.  Kevin was brave and soaked his salad in it.  He was raving about how good he thought it was.... so I put a little on a bite of my salad.  I couldn't believe how much I loved it!  Did you hear me?  I. Loved. It.   I took claims to all the leftovers the next day and we are making it again this weekend.  It's the perfect spring/summer salad.  The colors in the salad scream, "Welcome Spring," to me.  And I can not wait to eat it again!!! 

Recipe source: All Recipes
Serves 6
Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1/2 C pecans
• 1/3 C red wine vinegar
• 1/2 C white sugar
• 1 C vegetable oil
• 1/2 onion, mined (He used 1 Tbsp dried minced onion, since none of us love onion)
• 1 tsp ground mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 2 heads lettuce (rinsed, dried, then torn) - or a bag of the fancy spring blend lettuce.
• 1 C sliced fresh strawberries (He used more like 3 C of strawberries b/c we LOVE strawberries!)  If strawberries aren't in season, you can substitute for mandarin oranges.

1. Grill chicken, cool, then slice.  (Kevin grilled ours on our electric skillet inside).  
2. While the chicken is cooking, wash and cut strawberries, and place in the fridge until ready to serve.
3. Meanwhile, place pecans in a dry skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook pecans until fragrant, stirring frequently, about 8 mins.  Remove from heat and set aside.
4. In a blender (He used my food processor), combine the red wine vinegar, sugar, vegetable oil, onion, mustard, salt, and pepper.  Process until smooth.
5. Arrange lettuce on serving plates.  Top with grilled chicken, strawberries, and pecans.  Drizzle with the viniagrette to serve. 

I hope you all love this salad as much as we do!  I'm going to be posting another new recipe Kevin made that was amazing.... check back next week for that one! :)

Allie's 1st Haircut

I've gone back and forth for months on whether or not I wanted Allie's hair trimmed.  I thought about taking her to my hair stylist for a trim, but I just had a hard time knowing that what I wanted trimmed was that bright blond in her hair.  Her hair is already getting darker and it makes me slightly sad how fast she is growing.

Last Friday I just got the wild idea that I'd just trim her hair myself and maybe the idea wouldn't be so painful.  I do think it helped I did it myself because I had to put the emotions aside to try and not screw up her hair!  I have no clue how to cut girls hair because I only have experience cutting Kevin and Haydens, but I figured it out as I went. 

Before & After

Her ends look so much thicker and her hair still looks pretty blonde.  I'm so glad it turned out as well as it did!

6 Months

1 month old

2 months old

 

3 months old

4 months old

5 months old

 6 months old

Things Krissy is doing at 6 months:
She bounces the whole entire time she is awake!
She smiles at everyone and loves attention.
She loves fruits AND veggies.
Still no teeth, but I'm expecting those bottom two soon.  (Hayden & Allie both got their bottom teeth at 5 mos)
She is very aware of her surrondings.
She is learning how to drink from a sippy cup.

 

Homeschooling It Is!

I mentioned a few weeks ago that Kevin and I were attending a homeschool conference in Evansville this month.  That took place this past weekend.  Kevin and I learned so much!  I didn't even know there were different approaches to teaching that you could mix and match to find the right balance for your family.  It was very eye opening. 

Kevin and I made up our minds before the conference that we were going to homeschool starting this fall, but we hadn't decided on a curriculum, so that was our major focus during the conference.  We are planning on using the Abeka studies.  Evansville Christian School uses that curriculum and it seems really traditional and structured.  We figured that would be a good place to start.  We also thought about trying to incorporate a literary approach in one area of study (like history) and see how it works.  We educated ourselves on some other options, listened to a speaker (that is a homeschooling mom of 12), and then took our overloaded brains to Canton Inn to talk about all the information we'd just been given.  We did some talking, but the conversation was so agreeable that mostly we just pigged out.  Hey, c'mon, it's Canton! 

After we filled up, we took our two unopened fortune cookies and headed home.  Allie quickly found them and opened one of them.  She asked us to read the fortune, and it read, "You are headed in the right direction.  Trust your instincts."  I'm not at all a believer in fortune cookies, but it was ironic and I do believe we are headed in the right direction for our family. 

Whitney's Family Baby Shower

Whitney's Family Baby Shower was hosted by yours truly.  The day of the shower wouldn't have come together without the help of Kevin (who played super dad many many days), my mom, my sister in law, and my dad. 

I have really been looking forward to Whitney's trip home.  I couldn't wait to see her belly in person, and I was also anxious to see the end result of all the planning I'd done for the shower.  My parents house was transformed into party central and it looked better than I could have imagined!  Whitney received lots of great gifts for Olive, and many people told me they had a great time.  The planning and work was definitely worth it!!!

Here are a few pictures from yesterday's shower. 

The shower invite that matches her bedding - bought on Etsy.

Momma-to-be and my sis :)

I made a few of these pennants to coordinate with her bedding.  I figured I'd make decorations that she could reuse in her nursery if she wanted to. 

Tissue paper flower balls hanging in the hallway.

We made mini baked ham and cheese sandwiches that weren't out of the oven when I took the pic.  Lots of yummy food!

The cake table

I made the cake (of course) and covered it in fondant to coordinate with her bedding!

I ended up with more leftover material from the pennants than I planned, so I made poppy flower pins for all the guests!  My dad spray painted some sticks in their yard, we dug out an old baby stroller from the attic and ended up with a smashing display, if I do say so myself.

Whitney was chatting with all the guests and ended up not getting to eat much before opening gifts!  You can blame the hostess that was snapping pics for that mess up!

Me & Whit with her cake

Sister-in-law, Sister, Me, & Mom.

3 layer chocolate cake with light pink buttercream icing.

3 layer strawberry cake with light pink butter cream icing.

Guest Post: The Little Things a Dad Does

I want to say, "Thank you" to my wife, Haley, for letting me use her blog.  She is the reason I am the man I am today.  

I know the truth in this world can be painful.  It seems like you see a single mom everywhere you look trying to raise her children without the help of a man who decided to leave for one reason or another.  We can't change the past.  All we can do is work on the present and encourage the Dads who are in the picture to start (or keep) fighting the good fight!  

For every Dad that's in the picture. I want you to ask yourself the real questions about being the leader in your home... 

• Am I seeking God and following His word, even when I don't want to?  
• Am I going above and beyond to show my wife I love her every day, even when I don't feel like it?  
• Do I take the time for my kids and tell them I love them every day, even if I'm busy with other things?  

I've learned that the best way to move forward and become a Dad that can make a positive influence is to have a close relationship with God.  If you do nothing else, start there, and the rest will follow.  I believe every man can improve his life;  I'm a living testimony.

My dad did a great job and we never wanted for anything;  but, he wasn't the spiritual leader in our home and growing up we didn't attend church.  That has since changed.  My parents now attend church regularly and they continue to grow in their faith.  (It's amazing how many lives can be changed by one person.  Thanks Haley!)  It's not that I didn't believe in God my whole life, the problem was I didn't know how to trust in God the way I do now.  I had to search deep into my past, answer some very difficult questions, and address some very painful things in my life before I could move forward and be the man God has called me to be.  I believe you have to address your past before you can begin to change.

So how do we Dads start fighting the good fight?  

1. By reading the bible (by yourself and with your kids) and praying with and for your wife everyday!  Your kids will learn the meaning of unconditional love that comes from our Heavenly Father.  It will also teach the kids how to pray when difficult situations arise in their lives.  
2. By treating your wife with respect and doing nice things for her (writing her an encouraging note, buying her flowers or chocolate or something else she likes, or taking the time to hear how her day went)!  By watching your example, your sons will learn how to treat a young lady when he begins to date, and your daughters will know they deserve a man that treats them as good as there Dad treats their mother.   
3. By taking time for the kids and telling them you love them, and how special they are!  You fill there little hearts with love which also builds their self esteem.  

Let me share with you one thing that I will never forget about my Dad.  He always told me he loved me. I'll never forget hearing the words "Dad loves you" over and over again.  The little things we do as Dads can make a huge impact on our children.  If you have little kids, it's important to start reading the bible with them now.  It's never too late to reconnect with God or your children.  Make time, not an excuse.  Tell them everyday how much you love them.  Remember, it's the little things you do.  Your family will shine when you become the leader of your home.   

Article by Erma Bombeck

Our Senior Pastor, Ken Idleman, led our DOK class this morning.  He read us this article today that really struck a few chords with me.  Wanted to share with you all......

When Children Have Grown Up - By Erma Bombeck

One of these days you'll shout, "Why don't you kids grow up and act your age?" And they will. Or, "You guys get outside and find yourselves something to do ... and don't slam the door!" And they will.

You'll straighten up the boys' bedroom neat and tidy ... bumper stickers discarded ... spread tucked and smoothed ... toys displayed on the shelves. Hangers in the closet. Animals caged. And you'll say, "Now I want it to stay that way!" And it will.

You'll prepare a perfect dinner with a salad that hasn't been picked to death and a cake with no finger traces in the icing and you'll say, "Now there's a meal for company." And you eat it alone.

You'll say, "I want complete privacy on the phone. No dancing around. No pantomimes. No demolition crews. Silence. Do you hear?" And you'll have it.

No more plastic tableclothes stained with spaghetti. No more bedspreads to protect from damp bottoms. No more gates to stumble over at the top of the basement stairs. No more clothespins under the sofa. No more playpens to arrange the room around.

No more anxious nights under a vaporizer tent. No more sand on the sheets or Popeye movies in the bathrooms. No more iron-on patches, wet, knotted shoestrings, tight boots or rubber bands for ponytails.

Imagine, a lipstick with a point on it. No babysitter for New Year's Eve. Washing only once a week. Seeing a steak that isn't ground. Having your teeth cleaned without a baby in your lap. No PTA meetings. No car pools. No blaring radios. No one washing her hair at 11 0'clock. Having your own roll of transparent tape.

Think about it. No more Christmas presents out of toothpicks and library paste. No more sloppy, oatmeal kisses. No more tooth fairy. Only a voice crying, "Why don't you grow up?" and the silence echoing, "I did."

Raggy Quilt

For Valentines Day, Kevin surprised me and told me he signed me up for a raggy quilt class at Let's Sew.  I've been saying for months I want to learn how to quilt, so it was a very thoughtful gift!  It's a newer fabric store on Morgan Avenue just down from Showplace East.  I'd absolutely recommend going in there if you are in need of a new and unique fabric! 

Ok, back to my class.  I was a little nervous to go because I am a totally self-taught sewer.  I was afraid my teacher would be throwing around sewing terms and I wouldn't know what they meant.  All those little fears were a total waste of my time.  I was the only person in the class, and my teacher was very helpful and laid back.  We did everything at my own pace and it was nice.  I'm hoping to take more classes there in the future. 

I had to cut out tons of 8x8 squares.  The colorful flannel was the front and the soft denim was the back.

I laid them out in the pattern I'd sew them.

After sewing them all together, I clipped my edges, which gave the quilt the raggy look :)

Make sure to check back later in the week!  I'm going to have my first guest post to my blog!  I'm hoping this guest will be interested in doing a monthly post... :)