Random-ness

I read THIS POST on David Wilkerson's blog

and wanted to share it with you.

It's titled:

Putting Limits on God's Power

Very good encouragement

not just to think about,

but to apply and act on.

Right now, God is showing and teaching me

how to practice delighting in Him.

I really stink at it.

I'm serious.

But He is such a good and patient teacher.

He doesn't give up on me

and He's not letting me give up either.

Which reminds me...

I can't give up on other people, either.

Okay, so this post is a little random,

but it's what's on my heart as I'm writing.

Have a blessed day,

A Decorating Tip

People that know me well are probably shocked with this title.

A decorating tip? From Adriel?

I'll be honest, I'm not very big on decorating

and my home is pretty humble.

It's not because I don't want to decorate.

It has more to do with that (a lot of times)

annoying thing we call "money".

I have this thought in the back of my mind

that it's somewhat wasteful to spend money on something

that is just going to sit and look pretty.

Am I alone?

At the same time, there's a part of me

that wants to have pretty things.

I think I'm just weird.

Okay, so enough about my issues

with home decorating.

I told you about a decorating tip

and I'm not going to let you down!

I came across this article today about fall trends

written by Elaine Williamson.

She lists eight fall trends and #6 got my attention:

"Pillow talk. Today's pillow designs offer an array

of textures, colors, shapes, sizes and accents,

and can completely transform a room's aesthetic.

Accordingly, pillows have become the ultimate interior design accessory.

Choose an assortment of pillows for the spring and summer,

and another set for the fall and winter.

This is an easy, budget-friendly way to transition a room

from one season to the next."

Okay, I think even home decorating handicapped little old me

can handle something like that!

Plus, she mentioned "budget-friendly".

I think some decorating might be in my future!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Goodbye August, Hello September!

In a way it's hard to believe that September is already here,

but in another way it seems that August was a very long month.

Life seems to be going by fast...

i n   s  l  o  w   m o t i o n.

That doesn't make very much sense,

but it's a feeling that is hard to explain.

Here's my month of August highlights!

We went to a Diamondbacks game.

The kids earned free tickets through

our library's summer reading program.

My brother came along with us. =)

Jacob celebrated his 8th birthday.

He made his own pinata with the help

of his sister and neighbors.

We ended up having a kid party,

a family party, and a party with the families we fellowship with.

I don't know how all that happened,

but it did, and that's all that matters. ;-)

The kids and I continued our 50 state unit study.

We covered Arkansas, Arizona, and California.

We spent lots of time in the kitchen making

a recipe for each of the states we studied.

Allison took her first dip in the pool!

I wasn't sure if we'd do that this year,

but it seemed like the right moment last week

and it's always cute to see a baby in the pool with a diaper. =)

I was able to spend some time crafting this month!

Here's one of the cards I made. =)

What was one of your highlights from last month?

Recipe for Beef & Spinach Shells w/ Creamy Tomato Basil Sauce

Wow! What a title, huh?

A tad bit on the long side,

but it could honestly be longer.

No kidding.

So I tried out my idea for this dish tonight.

I liked the flavor a lot,

but my original sauce was too heavy.

I revised the recipe based on my first impressions

and here's what I've got!

If you give it a go, let me know what you think! =)

Beef & Spinach Shells w/ Creamy Tomato Basil Sauce

Makes 10 stuffed shells or 4 servings

Beef Mixture:
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C. packed spinach, fresh or frozen (if frozen, thawed and squeezed dry)
4 oz. cream cheese (regular or reduced-fat), softened
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 C. shredded Italian cheese blend

Creamy Tomato Basil Sauce:
1 8 oz. can Roasted Garlic flavor tomato sauce
1 8 oz. can Basil, Garlic, & Oregano flavor tomato sauce
1/2 C. packed fresh basil, coarsely chopped
1/2 C. shredded Italian cheese blend
1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese
4 oz. cream cheese (regular or reduced-fat), softened
1/2 TBS. sugar

Additional Ingredients:
10 large pasta shells
1 C. shredded Italian cheese blend

1. Bring large pot of water to boil and cook large pasta shells according to box directions. Drain, rinse with cold water and keep in pot with a small amount of cold water to keep noodles from sticking together; set aside until ready to stuff.

2. Brown ground beef in medium skillet; drain fat. Add in onion, garlic, and spinach. Cook for 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Stir in cream cheese, salt, and pepper, combining well. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before stirring in the Italian cheese.

3. In a small saucepan, heat both cans of tomato sauce over medium-high heat. When heated through, stir in the Italian cheese blend and grated Parmesan cheese until melted. Add the cream cheese, blending it into the sauce mixture (a whisk or a hand blender may be helpful). Add the basil and sugar, stirring to combine. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 375. In a medium baking dish, place a small amount of sauce in bottom. Drain pasta shells and stuff with beef mixture. Arrange shells seam-side up in baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over shells. Sprinkle the top with 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend. Bake for 20 minutes, then place under broiler and broil top until cheese is slightly browned. Serve with a nice green salad and garlic bread!

Enjoy!

Linked up with:

Tuesdays at the Table @ All the Small Stuff

Tuesday Night Supper Club @ Fudge Ripple

Tasty Tuesdays @ A Beautiful Mess

This Week's Menu in Adriel's Kitchen

Here's what's going to be on our plates this week!

Monday

Beef & Spinach Stuffed Shells w/ Creamy Tomato Sauce

(This is an idea in my brain...

I'll let you know how it goes.)

Salad

Garlic Bread

Tuesday

Roasted/Baked Chicken Breasts

(This is another idea... stay-tuned!)

Garlic Rosemary Red Potatoes

Fresh Sauteed Green Beans

Wednesday

Chicken & Steak Fajtas

(I've got yet another idea for a marinade!)

Mexican Rice

Refried Beans

Fresh melons

Thursday

Mongolian Beef

Red Curry Chicken & Green Beans

Friday

Leftovers

Linked up with:

Yummies I'd Like to Try

I'm still in the process of getting life organized,

but I have made some progress.

We've been tracking along with school,

the house has been staying fairly clean

(a couple rooms are a work in progress),

most of our meals have been cooked at home,

and we've still managed to fit in some free time!

Right now I'm just maintaining necessary meals and such,

but here's a few yummies that I hope to try soon!

Safe to Serve Raw Cookie Dough

from My Computer is My Canvas

Okay, YUM! Must try this dipped in chocolate!!

Iced Spice Cookies

from Scrambled Hen Fruit

Are these cute or what?!

I've been wanting to do some cut outs with the kids

and this dough looks really yummy.

I don't know if I'll be brave enough to try the icing

(it looks a little too complicated and time-consuming at the moment),

but we'll see.

Peaches and Cream Amish Bread

from Debbi Does Dinner Healthy

I've got starter in my freezer!

I've never thought of making it this way, almost like a cake.

It looks super yummy!

Super Chewy Donuts from Super Bananas!

I've wanted to try making donuts for a long time! Yummy!!

Clouds in the Sky

Right now I am sitting at my kitchen table

looking outside and noting the cloudiness.

The kids were planning on swimming today,

but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

Clouds during the summer here usually mean

T H U N D E R S T O R M S

(and I have heard some thunder).

Not too smart to swim in.

They have done a great job with school today.

Too bad I can't reward them with swimming.

They worked so hard to get done in time to go.

Sometimes life doesn't always go as we planned.

They're having really good attitudes about not going

and it is encouraging to see them honoring God

and pleasing Him even in the middle of disappointment.

My husband and I got some news today that didn't seem so great,

but I listened to my husband respond in a calm, controlled manner.

I saw him glance at the clouds and turn his gaze back to the Son,

and he spoke words of faith that I wasn't expecting to hear.

As a family, I see the Lord gaining ground in each of our hearts

one step at a time, little by little.

Thank you, Father.