Goodbye Waco... Hello Austin

This move has been in the works for a long time.  Shortly after we got married, we knew that Waco would not be the place where we would settle.  Unfortunately, we were stuck until we completed our renovation of 1212.  After years of constant house projects, months of job searching, and many tears of frustration and disappointment... it finally happened.  I'm sure that someday I'll look back and it will all become clear as to why it took so much longer than expected.  For now I am just relieved and thankful.

Four weeks ago, Patrick was offered a job with Holtzman Partners, a local accounting firm, and the next day we accepted an offer on our house. Praise God for His timing.

Two weeks ago, Patrick finished up his job in Waco and we began the search for a place in Austin.  We came down on Tuesday, found our rent house on Wednesday, and went back on Thursday to begin packing.  It was a fast and furious 48 hours.  I'm so thankful to my parents and some good friends for helping us and making that possible.  On Saturday, we drove our Uhaul to Austin and unloaded in our very cute, but tiny, new home. 

We have been here for a week now,  and are loving it.  We really feel like this next year is going to be a season of rest and fun.  We look forward to reconnecting with old friends, and making new ones.  We are also looking forward to all that this city has to offer, and discovering it together.

Goodbye 1212, onto 1213...

Ava's Birth

Kelly and I have been friends since 5th grade. She is one of my closest and dearest friends. We have been through all kinds of seasons of life together, and I feel confident in saying that she has seen me at my worst. Amazingly, she has loved me still and has always excepted me just as I am.

Ever since I have known her, Kelly has been a mother. Not to children of her own, but to her cousins, little brothers, nephews, me- whenever needed, and practically anyone else who would let her. There is just something in her that thrives when she is taking care of others. I love that about her. Now she has her own little one to take care of, and I know that she is going to do an amazing job at it.

I am so blessed to have been apart of this pregnancy. From the phone call of her telling me she was pregnant, to the "Congrats You're Pregnant" party Sherry and I through her, to her 3 precious baby showers, and on Monday- the birth. It has been such a sweet experience. And although I have been apart of other pregnancies and births of friends and families, this one was different. Perhaps its the many years and tears we have shared together. I usually am not this sappy, but something about this just really gets me. My heart is full and I am thankful.

Here are some photos from Monday. Although these may not be the most flattering photos, I feel like they tell the story well of what went on that day. The waiting, the watching, the disappointment, the stress, which all led up to the final decision to have a C-section.


A little after 8pm she finally introduced herself to the world. And she's perfect. Well done Kelly and Jeff, well done.

Day at the Park

Only in Texas can you go the park in February wearing shorts and still be sweating. Today was a perfectly sunny day to get outside and play, and play we did. Here are some of shots of my pup and my favorite little boy- Asher.

From the pics it seems that Asher was experiencing a myriad of emotions today...

Brave

Scared

Happy



Unsure



Confident



Sad



Disappointed



Not really sure what to label this one as. Any ideas?



And yeah, dogs can play on the playground too.



Thank you Lord for sunny days, parks, babies, puppies, cameras, and great friendships.

Happy February 1st!

Santa Fe Chicken

Before I was married, my weekly menu consisted of rice and beans, precooked frozen chicken, eggs, and mac and cheese. I quickly learned that my old ways would not cut it if I wanted to keep my husband happy and well fed.

Ever since then, I have been cooking from new recipes (at least 1 a week), in the search to find some family staples to add to the menu. To my surprise, this has not been an easy task for me. It seems like the yummiest meals I have cooked are the highest in fat and calories, making them a once a year type of meal. Ex: my chicken pot pie. Sooo yummy but ever so fatty.

One of the main issues that I have had with many of the healthier meals I have made is that they don't leave my husband feeling full for long. Thus causes the late night snacking, thus canceling out my attempt for a healthy and low calorie night. Grrr.

Needless to say, I am still figuring this out and refuse to give in to those high fat, high calorie staples that would make life easier, but that we would pay for in the long run.

I said all that to introduce you to this recipe that I made this week, which will now be making a regular appearance in our menu. It was easy, yummy, and can be styled several different ways. This is a plus for me, considering it makes a lot of leftovers. I ate it the first night over rice, the second in a tortilla, and the third with crushed tortilla chips mixed through it. I didn't add in the cheese or sour cream as it suggests, and I thought it was great without it. If you decide to try it, let me know what you think of it.

Found on skinnychef.com. Wanted to just put a link to the recipe, but I couldn't figure out how to do that. So here you go...



Slow cooked shredded chicken with corn, tomatoes and black beans. Prepare the night before and turn your crock pot on in the morning for an easy weeknight meal. Low fat and low in points. Serve over rice with chopped scallions, fresh cilantro, fat free sour cream and reduced fat cheddar.

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 servings • Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 190 • Fat: 1.5 g • Fiber: 5.6 g • Carbs: 23.1 g • Protein: 21 g

• 24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
• 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
• 15 oz can black beans
• 8 oz frozen corn
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
  
• salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice (extra pts).

Happy Eating!