Who's Flying Your Plane?

This weekend we were fortunate to be able visit with friends we haven't seen in a while which allowed us to attend our old church. I can't even begin to describe the feeling of walking in the doors there, I love that church and all those in it.

During Sunday School we were directed to a part in our book with a picture of an airplane and the question "Who's flying the airplane?". It was to make you think about who's in control of your life, you or God. It struck me as funny because just two days ago my husband and I had watched Airplane '77. I was immediately taken aback by the similarities between that movie and the thought the Sunday School book was trying to convey.

In the movie, the co-pilot drugs everyone, including the pilot. The co-pilot then hi-jacks the plane, alters the course and in the process of trying to do what he wanted he crashes the plane and they end up on the bottom of the ocean. When the pilot wakes up he is the one who is eventually able to get the passengers rescued while the co-pilot finds himself dead.

This movie is actually a great picture of what happens in our lives without God. When we kick Him out of our cockpit and decide to go off His plan for our lives for our own selfish reasons we will almost assuredly crash. Unfortunately we are not always the only ones who crash. Sometimes a lot of other people are hurt as we pursure our own agendas. But once we let Him back in control, He is able to rescue us from ourselves and the situation.

Without God, we are all dead. But once we have decided to let him be our pilot, then we have to follow His plan. Anything else is just a crash waiting to happen. God knows what the plan is. He can see it from beginning to end, airport to airport. He doesn't need a co-pilot. It's better to just go take a seat in First-Class and enjoy the peace of knowing that He is in control.

What's For Dinner

Tacos. A staple in our house since we all love Mexican. Last night I decided to try something new to liven up our meal. I based it on a recipe we tried a couple of years ago for BBQ Beef Cups which called for biscuits filled with flavored beef. We ended up throwing away that dinner (and the recipe) and ordered a pizza that night! A few days ago, my husband and I were talking about that recipe and it got me thinking about trying it with tacos, remembering I had a recipe for making tortillas. The kids loved getting to help make the tortillas and dinner was delicious!! So here what was for dinner last night:

Taco Cups, Fiesta Rice, and Refried Beans

Tortillas:

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 cup water

3 Tbsp vegatable oil

Mix it all together into a dough. Pull off pieces and roll into a ball in your hand then press flat. I used a cupcake pan upside down to form the tortilla cups. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 mins or so until firm.

I filled some with and some without refried beans, taco meat then topped them with cheese and sour cream. you could fill them with whatever you want but they are small so keep that in mind. Serve with Fiesta rice (1 cup salsa, 1 cup water, 2 cups rice) and it makes fun and yummy dinner! 

We ALL loved them and I hope you will too! Enjoy!



What's For Dinner Tonight

I love Kraft Food's recipes. You can go and find all sorts of yummy family recipes there. Last night's dinner of Easy Italian Pasta Bake came from there. Tonight's dinner, however, came from their magazine Food and Family. On the menu was Sweet and Sour Meatballs. This is a super fast meal because it utilizes fully cooked frozen meatballs and frozen peppers. Of course, make your own meatballs or use fresh veggies, which is what I did tonight.

What you need to make this yummy, fast and easy meal:

12 oz. frozen fully cooked meatballs (3/4 of 16 oz pkg)
     I usually just use the whole thing and add a little to the rest of the ingredients.
1- 16 oz. package frozen stir-fry vegatables (sliced green, red, and yellow peppers and white onions)
1/4 cup apricot jam      I use apricot preserves because I can't find jam
1/4 cup catalina dressing
2 Tbsp soy sauce

You can also add 1/2 tsp each of ginger and garlic powder to the sauce while it's cooking to, as the recipe says, " jazz it up".


Mix it all together and let it cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until it's all heated through, and don't forget to stir it occasionally.

I serve it over white rice, though you could certainly serve it with pasta if you wish, and usually a baby spinach salad on the side.

Simple, Fast, Delicious. What more could you ask for?? Enjoy!

What's For Dinner?

The other day my friend said I should start a blog series about dinner. I don't know about that, but I did feel that tonight's dinner warranted a blog post.

When I asked my daughter what she wanted to eat tonight she playfully said "Apple sandwiches!" and I said to myself "Why not?" Now I'm sure we are not the first people to make apple sandwiches, but I liked ours so good and since she came up with what to put on it, we decided to call these "Audi's Apple Sandwiches".

So here's what we ate tonight

Audi's Apple Sandwiches and vanilla yogurt topped with frozen blueberries.

And just in case you want to make this simple and yummy sandwich, I thought I'd leave you with the "recipe", if you can call it that. First, start two pieces of bread in the toaster and while it is toasting very thinly slice some apples.

Next, add creamy peanut butter to the two pieces of toast. Arrange the apple slices on the toast and top with cinnamon and sugar. That's it!

ENJOY!

Fun With Kool-Aid Dough

So since there is only two days left until vacation, I have been trying to get the house cleaned up.(Because who wants to come home to a dirty house?) Well, everyone knows when you have kidsit's incredibly difficult to keep them from destroying a freshly cleaned house. So, this afternoon I decided to dig into my "Things I want to make" folder and pulled out a recipe from Beckie at Infarrantly Creative, gathered the kiddos, and got to making. The kids enjoyed getting to help and couldn't wait to play with it once it was cooled. Unfortunately, I realized I had used 1/2 Tablespoon too much oil so it was super sticky! Extra flour and it was ready for use.

They have been playing with it now for over an hour! It's so wonderful to see the creations they come up with. They have made pizza, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows, had sick snakes, baby worms, and balls galore!

 

 

          Chicken and her girl



 



 

      The General and his Optimus Prime

 

El Segundo working on his creation



We had some other fun things show up as well, including a snowman and a herd flock pod group of turtles!










Chicken's Snowman and Turtle

The General's Turtle

El Segundo's Turtle

Overall, I'd say this was a success! The kids had a blast and my house stayed clean for more than ten minutes. ;)

Ready2Read

One of my Goals for 2011 is to teach Chicken to read. Now she can do it, but it is v-e-r-y slow going as she has to sound out almost every word. I came across this FREE Ready2Read program that I'm going to try. Chicken doesn't take instruction from me very well so I am hoping that making it fun will help. I will keep you posted on how it is going.

Today's Thankful Thought

You know, as part of my Goals I was supposed to make sure I was thankful for something everyday yet somehow, like a few other of my Goals, I have not been doing it. So today, I'm going to make sure I do. Today I am thankful for Good Friends.

When I say Good Friends, I mean real friends. You know the kind, the one that you can call at 10 o'clock at night to ask for prayer for your seizing child, or the one that is there for you when no one else is. They've seen you at your best, your worst and everything in between and yet they still call you a friend. Those are few and far between and I am thankful to be blessed with such Good Friends.