Stuffed Pepper Soup

I have to thank my friend Gabrielle for this easy and delicious recipe. Thanks Gabe! If you like stuffed peppers, this dish has all the flavors without nearly as much work! It's pretty quick to make, even on a weeknight. 

Ingredients:
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
1 lb. ground beef (or turkey/chicken/pork)
1 beef bouillion cube
1/2 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 packet onion soup mix
3/4 cup water
1/4 - 1/2 cup brown sugar (or less, depending how sweet you like it)
rice  (2-4 servings)

Directions:
Brown ground beef and season with onion soup mix. 
Fill kettle with other ingredients. 
Add cooked beef with onion soup seasoning to kettle.
Bring to a boil.
Simmer at least a half hour or until peppers are tender.
Serve hot over rice. 


Delicious! Great the next day too, and you can double this recipe and freeze for later. Enjoy!

Life-Changing Gifts

If you're looking for Christmas gifts that will really make a difference in the life of someone who needs it, here are two great websites that make giving life-changing gifts easy.

Compassion offers a wide variety of food, household, educational and survival gifts. Essentials like clean drinking water, dental care, food for newborns and much more. Things that we take for granted could actually save a life. You can donate in someone's honor and the website provides options to mail, print or send an e-card to your honoree. 

www.compassion.com

World Vision offers life impacting gifts as well, such as animals, clothing and shelter, emergency aid and medical care. There are many to choose from in a wide range of donation amounts. You have the option to honor someone with a card via mail, email or printing a card yourself. 
www.worldvision.org

Not only do these gifts provide physical needs, they also provide hope and the message of Jesus Christ. If you're interested, you can also learn more about sponsoring a child. I can't think of a better Christmas present. 

"Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Matthew 25:40

Got Any Cheese?

Last night, some of my favorite girlfriends came over for an evening of wine and cheese tasting. I think it goes without saying that when 8 ladies get together, there will be LOTS of conversation and laughs. Man, did we have a good time! I only wish I took this photo earlier because we're missing Lindsay, and everyone had their coats on, ready to head out. 

We all agreed that we love "grazing". 

And good cheese!

Congrats to Megan on her beautiful new braces-free smile! This group of ladies are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside. I am so blessed to call them my friends! It was the perfect evening - good friends, food, wine, and conversation. And I didn't have to drive home, because I already was home. A win-win! 

Love you girls so much! Thank you for being in my life. 

Aunt Mickey

My sweet Aunt Mickey (Mary) went home to Heaven on November 24th, after experiencing a very bad stroke. It's still hard for me to believe, because it was so sudden. She was just visiting my parents in October. My heart is filled with sadness, knowing she is gone now, and that I didn't get to say goodbye. But my heart is also filled with comfort and hope because I know I'll see her again one day. Right now she is where she wanted to be, with her Lord and Savior, and reunited with her dear late husband, Lindy. 

They were quite the couple. I was always awed by the love they had for each other. Together they raised 4 children, have 3 grandchildren, and 1 great-grand daughter. My heart goes out to all of my cousins. Aunt Mickey's memorial service is today, in California, and I'm not able to be there. 

 

I have such wonderful memories of my Aunt and the times we spent together with family, both when they would visit us in New York, and when we would visit them in California. We would always have family dinners outside on the patio, everyone lined down a set of picnic tables and chairs. I remember when I was 13, and my Mom and I took a trip to Anahiem together and stayed at Aunt Mickey's house. I was amazed by the master suite my Uncle Lindy had built onto their ranch home for Aunt Mickey. Old Hollywood glamor. I loved trying on Aunt Mickey's gowns and jewelry.

I got my first taste of Disney Land, which has always had a special place in our hearts because Uncle Lindy worked on it when it was being built. We also went to Knot's Berry Farm. 

It's hard to believe Aunt Mickey was 86. Such a beautiful and classy lady. She was also a talented seamstress and made many of her own clothes. I loved her sewing room.

This photo was taken in 2002 with a big group of us! We always joked that Aunt Mickey's house was like a hotel. There was always someone coming or going and if you needed a place to stay, you could stay at her house. She was a blessing to so many people and anyone that knew her, knew that her door was always open. 

Aunt Mickey was a sweetheart. She loved God with her whole heart and she showed so much love to others. She also loved her dogs.

She was a tiny little thing! Here she is with towering bookends, my cousins Brad and Todd.

A visit at our house in the 1990's. Left to right: Jim, Lindy and Paul (I know you're not gonna like this photo Dad, but it was the best one I could locate :)

I forgot that we took this photo in 2000, for Aunt Mickey's 75th birthday. 

Looking beautiful with her granddaughter Amanda, at Amanda and Joey's wedding in 2006.

I'm so glad we got to go to attend my cousin's wedding. Here we posed before the wedding, in front of the house. This was Andrew's first time meeting my family in California. It was a wonderful time. 

Aunt Mickey, I'm so thankful I got to know you and spend time with you. Your home was always such a welcoming place that I loved visiting. You are a treasure and an irreplaceable part of our family. I miss you already, but I know I'll see you again. Please give a hug from me to Uncle Lindy and my Grandma.

More Meaningful Christmas

Without sounding cliche, I'm finding it hard to believe that today is December 1st. This time of year has crept up on me like never before. I literally feel like it was just the middle of August and we were enjoying summer meals out on the deck. I put the patio furniture away too soon this year. We have been blessed with unseasonably warm weather lately. It hasn't really snowed yet (none that stayed). I'm so thankful that autumn has been lingering. But I have a feeling winter may be right around the corner. But enough about the weather.

I've been thinking about Christmas a lot. It's hard not to, when stores start merchandising for it in September! I actually set up our tree and decorated the house a little bit the other day. It felt weird and fun at the same time. I like the glow of our skinny (fake) tree decorated with ornaments we've collected since we got married. I especially like seeing it from the outside window when I come home.

I've also been thinking about ways to keep Christmas "real" this year. Not giving into the hype and consumerism. I purposely didn't go shopping on black Friday because part of me hates the idea of being one of those people that have to buy the latest thing, scramble to take advantage of "door-buster deals", or check off a list just to get it done and over with, all the while battling rude shoppers and wasting my time just looking for a parking space. The whole scene just doesn't appeal to me. And I don't need anything that badly enough. Don't get me wrong. I love shopping and I love giving gifts, but not at the risk of getting trampled to death or ending up exhausted, angry and annoyed. 

In November, way ahead of the Holiday season, our pastor preached about "rethinking Christmas" and keeping Christ at the center of it all, in a series called "Advent Conspiracy." In summary, taken from our church's website: "It seems that there are really two narratives at Christmas - two stories. One is the story from the Bible of a virgin giving birth to the Son of God. That story is all about Jesus. The other narrative is our cultural narrative. That narrative of Christmas isn't really about Jesus; it just uses Jesus for consumption. It is about gifts, stuff, family, stuff, food, and celebration. But Jesus is, in reality, absent from that narrative of Christmas." Click here to view or listen to sermon

The introductory video clip really got me thinking about how I could make Christmas more meaningful. The video stated: "Everyone wants Christmas to be meaningful. But instead it becomes shop, shop, shop. Credit cards. Traffic jams. To do lists. Useless gifts. Then off to church. Noel, noel, noel. Sometimes we're just glad to survive it. Did you know Americans spend $450 billion on Christmas every year? So we ask, how did Jesus celebrate? Jesus gave Himself. He gave Himself relationally, incarnation, time, space, presence (do you see where this is going?). What if you bought fewer gifts? That sweater she won't like. That random gift certificate. That toy he doesn't need. Then, instead of buying that, give something valuable, like your time. Talk, eat, sled, bake, bike, read, play, create, craft, together. Make gifts (like when you were a kid). And remember that money you didn't spend? What if you gave some of it away to the poor, the hurting, the lonely, the hungry, the sick, the thirsty." 

This has been on my mind ever since. How to make Christmas more meaningful, without spending hours shopping for meaningless gifts. Instead, spending time with family and friends. Doing things together. Giving back to those in need. Helping people. It sounds wonderful. And it sounds easy enough to do. But I'm already feeling "busy" and like my to do list it getting longer. I want to make some gifts (I also want to buy some gifts). I want to bake cookies. I want to listen to Christmas music while candles are glowing. But I really want to celebrate Jesus. And I want to give and make a difference. Even if it's in small ways.

Here's to a more meaningful Christmas and keeping the focus on Jesus!

Thanksgiving 2011 Recap

Wow, I feel like I have a lot to catch up on! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving (that is, if you celebrate). I feel especially blessed because I got to see extended family three different times in one week! 

We traveled to my in-laws in Pennsylvania last Saturday for our annual pre-Thanksgiving dinner at Nana's house. We had a great time, as always, and got to catch up with the Ohl folks, minus a few who couldn't be there. We missed you Statler's and Maney's! We definitely missed Pop-pop too. It not the same without him.

Alex and David and of course the jackalope.

After dinner, it was time to make s'mores. Nana builds a mean fire! Yikes! 

Cousins, Bruce (with fierce marshmallow roasting face), Alex and Andrew.

Just before we headed back home, I got to see my in-law's new neighbors. Some colorful fluffy chickens! As you can see, they're running away from me. Maybe next time I'll catch one.

We spent Thanksgiving day at my Sister's house.

My niece Emma

and my nephew Elijah. I made them pose like this. Literally. Isn't it sweet? You'll never see this happen again.

The Burke sisters, who could very well pass for triplets! They are a lot of fun. When it was time for dessert, we had an entire table full of pies and cakes! Yum.

On Friday (black Friday), I didn't go near a mall or store. No crowds or stampedes for me! I headed to Niagara Falls to visit my Aunt, Uncles and cousins. It was great to see them. I just wish I took more photos of everybody. We were too busy enjoying good food, conversation and playing with the kids.

I did catch a couple of my adorable little cousin, Lucy, who just started walking! What a cutie pie!

Meanwhile, Andrew went back to Pennsylvania for the annual pre-hunting season kick-off man's weekend (plus Nana). Here's a clip of the kinds of things they were up to. In other words, riding 4-wheelers, target practice and blowing things up (barrels). Oh, and eating deep fried anything. That about sums it up. Sorry this video clip is sideways. It took us long enough just to figure out how to edit and upload it! Hope it gives you a laugh. As you can tell, they were having a great time!

A great week for both of us! I am truly thankful for my wonderful family and friends, both near and far.

Happy Thanksgiving 2011

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 

 

Ephesians 5:20

Every year, I think of this table in the house I grew up in, and sitting around it with my family, giving thanks and sharing an amazing meal prepared by my Mom. More important than the food or the location, are the people in my life who mean so much to me. Wherever you are today, I hope you know how much you are loved and how thankful I am for you. I'm also thankful for the love of my Savior, Jesus Christ, and the life He has so richly blessed me with.

Happy Thanksgiving!