an adoption fundraiser

My friend Robin over at Blessed Beyond Belief has shared some wonderful news on her blog today! Go read her post, please...and consider her plea!

creamy chicken & spinach casserole

Hold the phone.

I decided to make up a recipe.

I know, I know...it's scary!

Here's the thing: I have a picky 18-month-old who doesn't like a lot of veggies. She loves casseroles with pasta; aka, baked spaghetti, etc, so I try to make a lot of those with whole wheat pasta & sneak veggies into them. I've made baked spaghetti with chopped up carrots, baked chicken cheesy casserole with peas, chopped bell peppers & onions, and...that's about it. It's hard to come up with stuff with different veggies that she will approve. So I was thinking the other day about trying to sneak some spinach into a casserole, and this is what I came up with! The hubs & I loved it, and...wait for it...SO DID NATALIE! Kid-tested. Mother-approved. :)

Creamy Chicken & Spinach Casserole

1 box whole wheat pasta

2 large cans chunk chicken (I am lazy & used canned; obviously you can cook chicken breasts if you want)

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (if I'd had more in the fridge, I would have totally used up to 2 cups! I love cheese. You can add as much or as little as you'd like.)

1 pkg Bird's Eye Steamfresh Lightly Sauced Cream Spinach (frozen)

1 pkg Pictsweet Seasoning Blend (frozen)

Cook pasta. Cook seasoning blend in skillet as directed on bag. Prepare cream spinach as directed on bag. In large mixing bowl, mix chicken, cream of chicken soup, cheese, spinach, & seasoning blend. Add pasta & mix well. Pour into 9x13 baking dish & cook at 350 for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

(I know, it's not the most appetizing picture. Just trust me, it tastes good!)

the secret.

"...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." ~Paul, in Philippians Chapter 4

I am dealing right now with a major case of the discontentments. No, that is not a word. But it's what's up. I read lots of blogs, and browse Pinterest, and see friends' things, and I want. I want my house to be cleaner, I want the list of projects to be done, I want those new pillows, and I want a prettier home office. I want my daughter to obey me, I want more money each week for groceries, and I want a garage for all the stuff overflowing my house. I want to get the van fixed, I want to go back to the doctor so maybe my ear won't be stopped up anymore, and I want to have money to go eat lunch at McAlister's on any given day. I want to be a better mommy, I want to be a better wife, and I want to love God more.

That is a LOT of wants. And that's just the short list. Well...no wonder I feel so overwhelmed! I expend a lot of energy wanting things that I don't have. They are not necessarily bad things, but constantly wanting things is leaving me feeling in a state of disarray. I am a busy mom of an 18-month-old, trying to maintain some semblance of a proper household, while working a part-time job and still trying to make time for family & friends. I don't need to add to that stress, the energy it takes to want all of this stuff. I am tired. I am way too tired to do all of this extra wanting.

So, I am turning to God, to show me the secret. Paul said in Philippians that he had learned the secret of being content in any situation, whether in plenty or in want. Wait...hold on. You can be content while also "in want"? Evidently so! I need to learn this secret. I need to work on being content while I am in want, and stop using up my much-needed energy on all of the wanting.

What I need to want, is God. I need to just want God.

cute & easy roll tide wreath

My sister-&-brother-in-law are moving soon from Tennessee to Arizona, and we went to visit them this weekend. I wanted to give them something to represent The South over in the desert, and they are big Bama fans, so I decided to make this super easy Roll Tide wreath! I got the idea from Jamie at Two Plus Jilly, just doing a random Google search. I made the felt flowers using a tutorial from Katie at Little Things Bring Smiles, also found through a Google search. I realize everyone's been making these flowers forever, but I'm always late to jump on the bandwagon. :) I also decided to print a little Roll Tide banner and string it across with yarn. I love how it turned out, and it was so quick & easy to make!