Fun in the kitchen (i prefer when that says sun)

I've been on Pinterest a lot lately getting inspiration for photography and how to decorate my new home on a budget and with items found in nature and around the house (or in an old city surrounded by desert, mountains and the sea, with no WalMart or Hobby Lobby!) While perusing Pinterest I have also found some really yummy recipes, most claiming to be "easy." However, when I click on the picture linking me back to the original site and I view the list of ingredients and instructions for preparing and cooking said easy meal I find that some peoples idea of an easy meal does not match mine.

Anyone who knows me knows I'm no Betty Crocker or Julia Childs or even Iris Ricucci (my grandmother) I'm not very good at cooking OR baking but I'm especially bad at baking. While Brian lovingly eats and enjoys every dinner I've ever made for him (politely informing me when he'd rather not enjoy it a second time) he has liked few if any desserts I have made. So when it comes to baking, for him at least, I stick to seriously EASY recipes like this chocolate chip recipe below. If he doesn't like it, at least I didn't put much effort into it, and most times it is so fool proof that it turns out fine and he ends up enjoying every crumb!

Easy Peasy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

add to bowl 1/2 stick butter/margarine softened (not melted) and 1tbs water slowly add 1 package Betty Crocker choc chip cookie mix stir until all ingredients are combined and place one cookie sheet in any size you desire. Place in oven, wait 8 minutes (or so) pour a glass of milk and ENJOY (see EASY) (yes, these are the instructions on the Betty Crocker package, is there anything easier than out of a package? though so!)

I probably need to work on my baking and cooking skills a little more as the country we are moving to is not known for take-out or frozen dinners. It will be hard for me to find cookies in a pouch or cans of tuna, and if I do it'll cost more than I'll be willing to pay! So I'm stocking up on recipes other people consider easy and praying I am able to have the patience to do what it takes to make them tasty.

Hope you enjoyed a little laugh and if you have any cooking tips (especially anyone who currently lives or has lived overseas!) send 'em my way!

~KM

In the waiting

These past few days I have been SO eager to hop on the next flight out and start our new lives overseas. It has been so hard to make my mind focus on what still needs to be done here when my heart is focused on the work needing to be done there.
Even so, I have been learning important lessons through this transitioning time and continue to learn more. The longer we have to wait, the harder it gets, but I know in the end it will make it that much more rewarding. In the meantime, here is a glimpse of what we've been up to.....

As I mentioned in the last post Brian is getting his Personal Training certification. He is spending hours a day studying the material and memorizing the information like any diligent student would (his teachers from LHS would be shocked, and I hope pleased, at his change in study habits!)

Check out how thick this book is!

He has been pouring over it, taking practice tests and having me drill him on topics I know very little to nothing about. If nothing else I entertain him with my poor pronunciation of words like mitochondria or glycogen and then after listing off a few long and unfamiliar words mis-pronouncing an easy word like flexion. It's been a good laugh

As you pray for us pray he will retain the information he is studying and that he will have quick and easy recall when he takes the test. He'll be going to Dallas Thursday, August 4, to take the 100 question exam. It is important that he get this certification and while he can retest if he fails that is just more money we will have to pay and so we'd like to see him pass the first time. I'm confident he will do well!

The week after Brian returned from taking his PT class we were busy serving in FBC Lindale's Vacation Bible School. The theme was "Big Apple Adventure" and we had a BLAST spending the week in New York City with cool kids, Louie the Lefty, CaptainRandom and Sidekick Stretchy! It was so encouraging to be able to speak to kids kindergarten through sixth grade about the work we will be doing overseas and how they can be a part of it. We also shared with them how they can make a difference by loving people right here in Lindale. When asked, they shared ways they can make a difference like giving away their old toys or buying school supplies for children who can't afford any.
That week they also helped us out by bringing in over $1,000 for our work overseas. What a huge blessing to see the children and VBS workers come together to meet a real need for us. We were so surprised and humbled at the amount brought in and are still excited as we share with you how these children invested in eternity.

While Brian has been busy with his PT studies I have been cleaning houses and helping the administrative assistants at FBC. It has been nice to have some part-time work to bring in a little income and it has helped us to buy gas and groceries as the monthly support we have so far is just enough to cover our housing. It helps me to not stress when I focus on who my Provider is and I am amazed as I watch the ways in which He has been supplying all our needs.

This is just a little of what our day-to-day has been consisting of the past month. We have also been speaking in Sunday School classes and in both services sharing with our congregation about how we are going to Central Asia and asking them to be a part of sending us. We have been greatly blessed by their encouragement in this time as they come along side us and invest in this life-changing work. We hope to move in September but the closer it gets to that time the more it seems it might be later. We are continuing to trust in our faithful Provider to supply all our needs in His timing.

Next post maybe I'll share with you some of the 'crafty' things I've been up to. I'm not a very talented person in way of artistic design, especially when it comes to paint & brushes and needle & thread. However, I LOOOOVE taking pictures and so I am working on some fun things to include for photography sessions I have booked for the month of August.

Until then, here is a peak at what I'm doing tonight (typing this up while waiting for the paint to dry)

Let's take a walk...

Brian and I went on a walk last night...and it wasn't the hand in hand down a sidewalk lined with green grass and picket fences, talking about our week and watching the sunset kind of walk either!

You see, Brian just got back from a week at Cooper Institute where he completed their Personal Training course (still doing some fierce studying before attempting to conquer the beastly test!) He went in preparation to take said beastly test which he has to pass to have an internationally recognized personal trainers certificate so he could train at a gym in Central Asia. Even before he left I knew that once he was done with training I would be in for it. I could already hear him giving me tips on proper form and meticulously looking at calories and content (not just calorie counting people it's about what the calories are made up of) in all the food I prepared because "nutrition is key" (which is true.) I just don't like being told what to do, and frankly 'unhealthy' food is cheaper and easier to cook not to mention more flavorful. I took a physical fitness course in college and know basically how to have a good work out and eat right, and I know I feel better when I do both those things...I just wasn't looking forward to criticism and constant critiquing in these areas, because like I mentioned, I just don't enjoy being told what to do or not do. BUT I was surprised to find this negative expectation wasn't met, and for once I've been thankful for unmet expectations!

His first night home Brian invited me to go run with him and at first I made an excuse but because I enjoy time with my husband, because I know I feel better after working out, AND because I wanted to see how much he had learned (and if he'd be critical of my lack of knowledge and bad form) I went with him...He was super motivational, really kind and patient and while he did critique my girly running he was nice about it. We had a great mile run and then did a mile speed walking, where I passed him up twice. It felt great (the working out, not passing him up...okay, that felt great too.)

Brian will make a great personal trainer and I am looking forward to working out with him more to reach our fitness goals so that we can better live a long and healthy lifestyle that brings honor and glory to our Creator. We are excited for the opportunity to train others on how to form healthy eating and exercising habits that stick for life.