Three Months

Today is my nephew's three-month birthday!
My SIL has taken to making a cake each month on Isaac's special day!

Look at what she made today. Can you imagine what his twelve-month cake will look like? We've dubbed Amanda the official family baker. She loves it, and she's amazing!

Isaac and I had a little date in the front yard this afternoon. Isn't he a cutie?

And here is my beautiful SIL with my adorable nephew. :)
So glad they're both in my family!

Happy three months of life, Baby Isaac!

Creative Cooking

Hi, my name is Jessie, and it's been four days since I've last used a crock-pot.

Yes, it's becoming borderline obsession.

When Mom and Dad left for SE Asia two weeks ago, I made a commitment to myself to use food already at the house and not go grocery shopping. We had plenty of ingredients in the fridge/freezer/outsider freezer/pantry from which I could concoct something edible.

Not only were these somethings edible, they were delicious! I used the crock pot for most everything, because it fit my busy schedule. (Making dinner at 4am? Why not!)

The meals I made using the crock pot:
1. Black bean chili
2. Meatloaf
3. Chicken-tortilla soup
4. BBQ beef (I also made homemade, gluten-free macaroni and cheese and baked beans to go with this one, but not in the crock-pot! Yum!)
5. Salsa chicken with brown rice
6. Apple-nut oatmeal (Tsukasa and I ate that for breakfast all last week.)

Tsuchan and Carissa made homemade egg rolls one night. We filled them with cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, cilantro, and gluten-free spinach noodles. :) So good!

I also made spaghetti last night, using up the last of our green pepper.

We have successfully eaten almost all of our leftovers, cleaned out the fridge, and used pantry goods to survive these last two weeks. It's kinda fun. I think I may continue!

Confession: I'm dying for produce! Carissa actually bought a pint of strawberries, because we were all craving fresh fruit. (And it was on sale!) They were consumed within 24 hours.
Today I went on a hunt around the house for any spare dollars I could put towards produce, but there's not a single bill to be found! (Hear that, robbers??)

Mom and Dad are not coming home a day too soon. :)

Pause

I'm feeling more than slightly overwhelmed right now.
I'm holding down the fort, fighting a messy house, studying for two exams, trying to prepare for two piano lessons this week...

But.
I'm pausing to remember God's Goodness.

I'm reading Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts, and I'm learning that thankfulness begets joy. It is a diligence I must practice. I get that, the whole practicing thing.
And there is much to be joyful about. Yesterday I attended a wedding, which was a beautiful reminder of God's love for His Bride, the Church.

The day's joys include:
1. Seeing my good friend, Haylee, and failing quite miserably together at the dinner games! Ha!
2. Seeing my good friend, Sierra (also the maid-of-honor), beaming so beautifully! You looked stunning, Sia!
3. Seeing Jesus on display at the ceremony.
4. Wearing a new dress that my friend, Amanda, made/gave to me! How sweet is that? (Side note: the fabric is from a vintage dress, and she used it to make this new dress!) This is my shameless plug. Amanda is amazing.
5. Taking two of my students to a piano concert. I love that they're excited to hear great music.
6. Running into Ms. Williams at the concert.
7. Ty sticking by me the whole day! What a man!
8. $1 hot fudge sundaes on the way home! :D
9. Coming home to an inhabited house - I'm so glad Carissa is staying with me. What a blessing!
10. Toots slept all night, and I woke up on my own this morning.

Now it's time to give thanks with my Church family. Have a wonderful Sabbath, friends.

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Here are a couple pictures from yesterday, a visual reminder of God's gifts.

(Thanks for taking care of the shadows, Snyder!)