PRONUTS...

My kids are all in their 20's now, and apparently I did a little something right (or maybe wrong) and they are all focused on eating whole, healthy foods.  Some of these foods I tried over the years to get them to eat and they have forgotten.  Some of them I've never attempted to eat myself!

My daughter informed me there was a new store out near the mall, Fit Freak Nutrition, that sells healthy donuts!  Would you ever believe those two words would be in the same sentence???

Be prepared - they're a whopping $4 with tax.  They have several flavors, and get this - they will last in the fridge for a month.  That pretty much contradicts everything I've heard about eating healthy.  Who knows what kind of preservatives are in there?  You can go online and get all the nutrition information about them.  Taste?  Well, if you like vanilla cake with some pretty good frosting, these are for you.

So there you go.  If you are hankering for a donut, you can still be healthy with PRONUTS.

THE NEXT BEST THING TO BEING THERE...

is awesome pictures!  When my oldest proposed to his girl, he just wanted it to be the two of them, plus a great photographer.  He planned a beautiful setting in a old little shed behind her house.  It oozes with character and charm of a 50+ year old shack.  He decorated it up, ordered a beautiful live garland, had a photo album made for her, and of course pizza from their favorite restaurant.  It was precious, and I pray their marriage reflects this evening.

REHEARSAL DINNER SAFARI...

For  a couple who met via a Tanzania mission trip, a safari themed rehearsal dinner was a natural choice!  My daughter hosted (at our house) a rehearsal dinner for her brother-in-law.  His mother and grandmother traveled from Colorado, so they had worked really hard and brought a lot of decor with them.  So happy for my daughter to offer and share with her relatives!  I snapped these photos before their party began:

Do you have any themed parties in your summer plans?  

TWIST ON FAJITAS...

Recently we ate at a Mexican restaurant in Altus called The Plaza.  My BIL suggested to me a dish that is similar to Fajitas but with more vegetables.  I loved it, so I replicated it here at home the other night:

It's basic fajitas plus zucchini and yellow squash.  

Oven Baked Fajitas with Squash

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel)
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into strips

1 zucchini, cut into 3" sticks

1 yellow squash, cut into chunks

2 fresh tomatoes, quartered

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken strips in a greased 13×9 baking dish.
In a small bowl combine the oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt.
Drizzle the spice mixture over the chicken and stir to coat.
Next add the Rotel, peppers, and onions to the dish and stir to combine.
Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes. Stir and add zucchini, squash, and fresh tomatoes and cook for 15 more minutes. 

Can be eaten over rice or in a tortilla.  I like to double the recipe and use both chicken and beef - makes great leftovers!

I'd love to hear how you are adding more nutrition to your meals!

CAKE TASTING...

Because donuts and breakfast were a big part of our last wedding, I hadn't thought about tasting cake for our son's wedding!  He and his fiancee brought over their "cake tasting kit" from a local bakery.  There were several kinds of cakes, fillings and icings.  It was fun tasting all the different combinations!  Butter pecan cake with caramel filling was one of our favorites.  But the final choice belongs to them.

Getting excited for these two!

BE A BRIDGE...

Yesterday dealt some hard blows.
Two young people that are dear to me are dealing with very difficult things.

My heart hurts for them and their parents.  I try to put myself in their place and imagine all they are thinking and wonder what in the world I could say to comfort them.  There is nothing, absolutely nothing at this point.  We are cut down again.  Only the hope of Jesus can rescue us from this pit.

Yesterday gave some blessings.
A long walk with a dear friend and encouraging conversation.
Attending a long awaited concert at school, watching sweet students I know and hearing uplifting music performed so well.

Yesterday made it clear to me once again that life is filled with ups and downs.  As if we could ever forget.  There is pain and sorrow and prayer.  There is joy and appreciation in little things.  There are praises to God the Father.

A friend posted a video clip from last night's concert this morning and I was reminded in the song, "Bridge Over Troubled Water" that pain is all around.  But we can be the bridge for someone.  We can appeal to the Father on their behalf.  Encourage them with hugs and scripture.  Do what you do best for them.

BE A BRIDGE

This passage from Ephesians 3 continues to be my go-to scripture this year.  May you find hope in it:

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.