Meals as a Mrs. ~ Honey Garlic Slow Cooker Chicken

The other night a friend from college, her husband, their adorable 13 month old son (Henry), and their dog (Gadget) stopped by for dinner as they traveled from Pennsylvania to Cincinnati.  It turns out we were nowhere near along the way but they took a detour to dine with us.  The night went by way too quickly but we enjoyed the fellowship and laughs.  Gadget was a hoot, especially watching him climb the stairs from the basement to the first floor.  Henry had the cutest expressions and it's always good catching up with Kelley and Christopher!

Not only was this dinner and visit occurring on the one month anniversary of our wedding date but this family was also the first dinner guests we entertained since tying the knot so I wanted to prepare something extra special!  It's not every night that we can say we had our first dinner guests over as husband and wife.  ; )  I chose to set the table using our wedding colors of light green, purple, and a splash of hot pink.  However, last week was a busy one with also volunteering to teach arts and crafts at Vacation Bible School from 8:30 - 12:30pm each day so when planning for the dinner, I knew I would need something relatively quick and easy.  Out came the crock pot and a note asking Adam to place the chicken and sauce I had prepared the night before into the slow cooker around 10:30am that morning.  With a cook time of six hours, dinner would be ready right on time.

The recipe I selected was Honey Garlic Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs.  You can find the recipe here.  As usual, I made some tweaks along the way.  We had chicken breasts in the freezer so I opted to make Honey Garlic Slow Cooker Chicken Breasts instead...haha.  Also, since four adults (and one baby) were planning to eat, I added six pieces of meat rather than the four as called for on the recipe.  Therefore, I increased each ingredient slightly to adjust for the increased meat.  The result was a savory flavorful chicken dish that was served with a Caesar salad, sweet corn, mashed potatoes, and buttered potato rolls. 

For dessert, we served one of Adam's specialties:  Chocolate Creme Dessert Pie!  However, after sinking our teeth into the first bite, we realized that we had forgotten to bake the crust so we improvised and enjoyed the creamy chocolate pudding made from scratch topped with the homemade whipped topping garnished with chocolate shavings that was oh so delicious!!  I can't access the cookbook right now as our kitchen wallpaper is currently being removed (HIP HIP HOORAY!!) but here is a similar dessert pie recipe I found online if you would like to try your hand at the dessert.  Just remember to bake the pie crust!  ; )

 

 

God's taking pictures

Earlier this summer one afternoon I was skyping with my friend, Doris, out in Colorado.  The windows were open, the summer breeze was blowing throughout the house, and Dusty was content on my lap as Doris and I got caught up with one another.  We were so engrossed in our conversation that I didn't notice the afternoon daylight gradually getting darker and darker and the wind picking up outside the large bay window in our living room.  All of a sudden, as the pitter patter of the rain was heard and the scent of rain permeated my nose, Adam came flying out of the office saying we must close the windows for the rain was coming and we must hurry!  I didn't understand the sense of urgency until I realized that this nearly everyday occurrence of summers from the past for me was a very new one for Adam.  I asked Doris to hold on while I helped Adam shut the windows and we cranked up the A/C.  The windows have been shut ever since due to the seemingly neverending bursts of rain showers we receive each day (today included).  I would prefer to see the curtains blowing in the wind and hear the birds chirping outside our windows but for now we'll leave the windows shut and rely on the A/C until the rain abates some later this summer.  My mother-in-law shared the other day that the usage of water is being patrolled in her neighborhood as well as in our siblings' neighborhoods out in CA due to the scarcity of water there.  Even if I wish I could leave the windows wide open without fear of the carpet or curtains getting wet, I'm grateful we have the water we do have.  Hopefully CA will get some of before summer ends!

Other than the grass that grows too fast to keep up with and the flowers that are being watered too much we also have spectacular lightning storms at night due to the humidity and storms.  One of my favorite expressions as a child was, "God's taking pictures" to explain why there is lightning.  This is another first for Adam as he is not used to these kind of lightning displays so the other night when he asked me to film some of the storm so that we could share with family on the West Coast, I quickly snatched up my camera and began recording.  The interesting part is the lightning was too far away to hear any thunder associated with each strike and it was a bit hazy/foggy so the lightning for the most part does look like a flash of a camera going off...again, God likes taking pictures!  ; )  Please see the snippets I filmed below and let's hope rain comes sooner rather than later for folks everywhere who need more moisture!

 

New things for my hubby

Even though Adam has been living in the same time zone as me since January (praise God!), little things come up every now and then that still remind us of the differences in west and east coast living.  For instance, on our honeymoon earlier this month, as we strolled the dirt roads of Colonial Williamsburg at dusk, Adam excitedly pointed out the lightning bugs.  "Yeah?" I commented not realizing that this was his first time seeing the fireflies!  Now, it makes me smile all the more when I see our backyard aglow with them on these warm summer nights.
 

Another first for Adam was a sighting of the beautiful cardinal.  We were at our neighbors' house the other night enjoying the view from their back deck when we glimpsed cardinals in their backyard.  Blue jays and cardinals have always been favorites of mine and I took it for granted that they were everywhere.  Apparently cardinals don't take up residence in California.  Who knew?!  In an effort to draw cardinals to our birdfeeder and yard, we threw some peanuts out into the yard, upon the recommendation of our neighbors, but so far just Dusty has been finding the peanuts.  Silly pup!
Something else Adam recently experienced for the first time was Relay for Life.  He had heard of it and even did some work-related tasks for the organization but never attended one...until the other weekend.  I didn't realize until we were on the way there that he thought it was an actual relay race.  I explained to him how it is more of a walk that you do in memory of those who have had cancer or are currently fighting cancer.  I told him about my Aunt Ollie and how I like to do at least one lap each year for her wherever I am.  I have walked laps in North Carolina with my little brother and other friends.  A couple of us in high school used to go to Pottsville and walk at Martz Hall.  A few years back, I walked with my twin and his family who is very active in the movement outside Philly.  The point is, no matter where you are, you can find a Relay for Life happening in the summer and I'm glad we stumbled upon the one held here during Father's Day Weekend.  A first for me at this particular Relay was the lighting of the lanterns and lit up balloons that were released into the nighttime sky.  It was an emotional moment and while I'm glad we did the lap I so badly wish that we didn't have to....I hope that we find a cure for cancer in this lifetime!  Thinking back on this night earlier this month makes me wish all the more Aunt Ollie were still here with us!

 

 

These unexpected discoveries over the first month of marriage make me realize just how often we take the things we take for granted when living in a certain geographical area. It's been fun experiencing life in a different way as a result!  In closing, the last thing we learned recently is that pie crusts from the freezer are not the same as pre-baked pie shells.  We discovered this as we ate our first mouthfuls of dessert pie that we made the other night....oops!  I would rank that mistake up there with the time that I forgot to bake the pizza dough when making BBQ chicken pizza back in the apartment I shared with my twin in Harrisburg one time.  Nothing like raw dough or pie crust to spoil the taste of the finished product.  Good thing we were able to turn the dessert pie into a custard or pudding instead by eating the delectable chocolate mousse filling and homemade whipped cream!  ; )  Stay tuned for that yummy recipe in a future "Meals as a Mrs." blog posting!

Introducing the newest (and smallest) addition to our family!

Yesterday afternoon Dusty Shamrock became a big brother!  Yes, Adam and I adopted an adorably squeaky and spunky little Morkie!  He is ten weeks old and weighs about two lbs.  What exactly is a Morkie?  I had never heard of or seen one until doing research on this little guy.  Well, he is a mix of a Maltese with a York Terrier which is good for allergy sufferers like me.  Their temperaments are generally playful, adventurous, and they exhibit explorer tendencies which we have seen so far since bringing him home.  The average life expectancy is 12 - 14 years and we're excited to watch the bond between the brother pups grow.  Even though they are different breeds and Dusty looks SO much bigger than this little one, they resemble each other in the face a little which is so cute to see.

I hadn't really considered ever having multiple dogs in the past but considering Adam had four pups when living in California and after seeing firsthand how much Dusty LOVED being with Shelby, my former roommate's lab, when we would go back and visit over the last 4.5 years, slowly I began to think about someday getting a sibling for Dusty Shamrock. I mean can you even handle the cuteness overload in these pictures?!  It was always so cute coming home and seeing the two of them co-existing in the same place and their wagging tails greeting us as we returned to the house.

Therefore it was no surprise to me when halfway through the spring semester this past year, Adam suggested we get another pup.  I asked if we could wait until after the wedding and I moved in so that we could share the experience together this summer!  Adam obliged and in the meantime, purchased two dog training books with some of our wedding registry gift money.  We began reading the one book as we drove to Lisbon, Ohio to pick up the newest addition yesterday.  We're already a couple chapters into the book and are hopeful we can get the hang of this puppy training thing.  Fingers crossed!

~ On our way home ~

Getting comfy in Daddy's lap!

Dusty Shamrock looks so big next to little brother.

 

Doggie Kisses

Just chillin'

 

 

Dusty showing how it's done...

 

Bath time!

 

Two clean pups!

 

 

Being a big brother is tiring work.

 

Meet Dusty's little brother, Hershey (Kiss)!!

Adam and I were unable to decide on a name until this morning.  Before going to bed we had gone through:  Sparky, Charlie, Flopsy, Brownie, Peanut, Tootsie, Snickers, Churro, and many other potential names.  However, this morning we both were drawn to Hershey!  He's a combination of brown and reddish fur with some white, silvers, and black mixed in there but we're unsure what his grownup fur will look like after the puppy coat falls out....but due to his small size and love of giving kisses (like big brother), a little miniature Hershey candy bar or Hershey Kiss seems appropriate so Hershey it is!  A sweet name for a little sweetie!

"Love boldly!" ~ a quote from a friend I couldn't agree with more!

I saw this status on a friend's page this morning and couldn't agree more.  Below is a paraphrase of what Paul said with parts that really resonated with how I feel being highlighted:

Love boldly, even if you're misunderstood...We must always be ready to accept and support a brother or sister who has same sex attraction, as much as the brother or sister whose struggles differ from them. In season and out of season. For we who are Catholic, we cannot support, publicly or otherwise, any form of sexual act that is in opposition to Marriage as we believe it. If we do, we willingly separate ourselves from being able to fully take part in the Sacraments...To paraphrase a post I read, If you are straight, I love you. If you are gay, I love you. If you are struggling, I love you. I pray for you. Please pray for me. And if you need me, I'm here for you as much as possible. Peace and all good!

*I know this is against what many of those I am friends with believe or perhaps think about us as Catholics but I ask that we all respect one another as we should any issue or idea in which we fall on opposite sides of the fence.  This is probably the only post I will make regarding this issue and it is not meant to stir up a debate or add fuel to the fire or whatnot but I felt compelled to share especially since we're all in it together...no one has to go it alone!
 
 

Flashback 80s style

The other afternoon, Adam and I dropped off some donations at a rescue mission downtown.  While waiting for our tax paper, I saw two original Care Bears (Tender Heart and Cheer Bear) in their original packaging on one of the shelves that had been donated and were now for sale.  Oh, how I loved Care Bears as a kid (who remembers, "Care Bear Stare!"???).

 I also was a fan of "My Little Pony".  I mean what little girl in the 80s wasn't??  Remember this?

I had too many favorite "My Little Pony" ponies to list and the few I had went everywhere with me until I became a Rainbow Brite fan..hehe.  The other night, a friend came over to Jamberry her nails with me after work, and the pattern I chose to wear this time is "Carnival".  After putting them on my nails, I realized that not only did they remind me of my niece who loooooooves Elsa and the movie, "Frozen", but they took me back to my days of being a fan of "My Little Pony" since many of my favorite ponies had glitter and these colors.  It's been fun reliving the 80s via my nails now in 2015!

In retrospect, both of these childhood favorite shows featured rainbows which I have always loved.  Coincidentally as I wrote this little piece, it is POURING.  One side of our house has brilliant sunshine shining down on it and the other side of the house has grey clouds with rain just torrentially falling down BUT there is a small rainbow hovering over the trees just outside our front door. Can you see it!?

This is the day....

Last night, on my parents' 39th anniversary, I watched a wedding streaming live online.  One of my friends from my all time favorite church in Maryland got married yesterday!  She had her wedding streamed lived and it was awesome being able to watch from Ohio on my living room couch with Dusty in my lap and a bowl of ice cream in my hands as I sat back and took in the joy. 

This couple, too, had their parents bring up the gifts during the Offertory and they were allowed to use the responsorial psalm that I had so badly wanted to use (This is the Day which is also my niece's favorite Kim Kalman song).  Since we weren't able to use that during the nuptial mass as I had hoped, we opted to have Kim Kalman sing it just before the mass started....however, those of us in the wedding party couldn't hear any of it due to being behind closed doors in the narthex.  At least Adam could hear it from where he and Fr. Jack were waiting and of course our lovely guests.  Kim also sang another favorite song called, "I Will Follow", just before "This is the Day" that we couldn't hear but hopefully the guests within the church enjoyed the beautiful music and lyrics.

Anyhow back to last night and seeing the beautiful and my favorite church of all time made me feel like I was there at the wedding and was a nice way to end the day amidst all the political changes that dotted the landscape.  Yesterday was also the feast day of St. Josemaria Escriva who is credited with the saying below:

After watching the wedding, I clicked on the podcasts that the church has available on the website and listened to a couple talks before bed.  One was called, "In Your Head", and emphasized the importance of being mindful about what you do, watch, hear, and with whom you associate because it all matters.  If it's not bringing you closer to God then it's acting as an obstacle much like what St. Josemaria Escriva says.  We are made for community and naturally, want to be with others.  In some social circles this can explain why some people may fall into the wrong type of crowd even if he or she knows that what the gang is doing is wrong, he or she may do it anyway because of the desire to fit in or blend in with the crowd.  However, what good is following the crowd if it's not leading you to happiness or holiness?  If you can't be your true and authentic self with others why do you want to spend time with those folks?  If you fear ridicule or embarrassment over what they may think then are they really truly your friends?  Do these people build others up or do they talk about others behind their backs but act like friends in the presence of those same people they were mocking?  Yes, it's lonely to break away from that type of social situation.  Yes, it's easy to fall into complacency and not rock the boat.  However, deep down inside, if you can't completely trust the so-called friends or be your self in the process then that is not of God and is not leading you to achieving self actualization.  We should surround ourselves with others who are also reaching toward the same ideals and standards.  We should associate with those who will hold you accountable in being all you can be.  This does not mean we shouldn't be friends with those who believe differently from what we believe or who hold opposing views.  Far from it!  Some of the nicest and closest friends I have had came from completely opposite ends of the spectrum.  As long as there is respect on both sides of the friendship and growth can occur then have at it!  I am not at all advocating for carbon copy friendships in that one must only associate with one type of individual.  This can be a common misassumption made by others though.  We, as people, were designed for so much more and have so much potential.  Aim for that rather than just doing what everyone else is doing to fit in...which goes directly counter cultural to today's way of thinking & living.  I promise you it is worth the loneliness and heart break, worth the pain of losing who you thought were close friends, and will be tremendously hard to try to stick to your principles.  People may make false assumptions about you, may choose to not associate with you anymore, and may ridicule you but honestly, it's not about the here and now.  We should all be striving toward the final destination of Heaven and trying to live out our calling in the most authentic means possible.  I would rather be with this man of God I'm blessed to call husband and have solid friendships with those who will help me to grow closer to God than to have ten superficial friends.  Perhaps this will be the day you will make more conscientious decisions to surround yourself with those who truly support you in good times and bad??  I saw this image the other day and couldn't agree with it more in this moment.  What a relief it is to know that we won't be overcome; we just need to put our faith and trust in God!