Taco-Topped Baked Potato

This isn't really a recipe per se, but it is delicious! And if you use baking potatoes (the larger ones) you can get by with 1/3 to 1/2 of a potato per person.

Taco-Topped Baked Potato
serves 4

4 baked potatoes (or 2 large baking potatoes)
1 lb taco meat
shredded cheddar cheese
shredded lettuce
green onion, thinly sliced
tortilla chips, crushed
sour cream
salsa

Like I said, it's not really a recipe but another way to dress your baked potato to make it a meal on it's own. I served fresh sweet corn with our Taco-Topped Baked Potatoes. Yum!!

Wednesday Weigh-In 8/5

I didn't post about my weight-loss last week, so I'll update you on my stats:

starting weight: 158.8
current weight: 157.6
loss: 1.2 lb
original starting weight: 166.4
cumulative weight loss: 8.8 lbs

My new goal is to get my 10lb button next week! That would be awesome!! The other goals are still the same:

1. I will not give up.

2. I will go to bed on time.
More important than ever before since I started babysitting this week. I need to get to bed on time because I have to wake up on time. ;) Which is a good thing, just hard to get into a routine.

3. I will exercise daily (walking, shredding, swimming) and post on my blog - just for some accountability.
Still have been struggling with this. I've been getting up on time and getting my housework done so when the afternoon tiredness hits I can rest. Still working up to the daily workout, although I am feeling better. ;) Still 3 more weeks before I have my blood tested again.

4. I will only weigh on Wednesday.

5. I will do this for me!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

This is a recipe I've been wanting to try for a long time now. It's a recipe from my husband's aunt. It's delicious and I hope you give it a try!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 can (16 oz) pumpkin
1 1/2 cups oil
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

In large bowl beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil until smooth. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 16-20 minutes until muffins test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Makes 36 muffins.

**Tip: if you want to cut the oil in the recipe:
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce


The batter is fairly thick, so don't be surprised. I used a zip-top bag to fill the muffin cups to make it an easier clean-up. Just make sure you cut the hole big enough for the chocolate chips to come through. To serve as cupcakes, frost with cream cheese frosting. Enjoy!!

Homeschool vs. Private Christian vs. Public

We already know that I'll be starting preschool with my oldest (3 years) this fall at home. We would love to send him to preschool but for 2 mornings a week, it's just not worth the cost. And I think we'll have fun at home learning together.

I went to a Christian school and am glad for the biblical foundation I received as a child, although I didn't realize how important that was until I was out of the house and on my own. I took my Christian high school totally for granted but I think most high school students do.

I feel a little guilt over homeschooling. I don't want families that we minister to to think that we are looking down on them and think they're horrible for sending their children to the public school.

Jon Acuff writes on his blog, Stuff Christians Like (Christian satire), about the stereotypes of home school, public school, and private Christian schools. It's a great article and I appreciated the honesty/humor from all views. I've seen examples of all the stereotypes and I've seen families defy the stereotypes.

Let me hear some feedback about why you chose private, public or home. Have you defied the stereotypes of your school choice?


* My husband and I really enjoy Jon Acuff's sense of humor and realize it's not for everyone.

Taco Lasagna

I needed to make something for dinner when we were housesitting last week. So I looked in the fridge and managed to come up with Taco Lasagna. It was really good!! Sometimes I surprise myself. ;)


Taco Lasagna

1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
chili powder
cumin
cayenne pepper
3 tortillas
1/4 cup salsa
2 cups cheddar cheese
1 small can sliced black olives
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped

• Brown hamburger and onion. Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Drain fat and mix in spices.
• Grease an 8x8 baking dish. Pour the salsa on the bottom and then place a tortilla on top. Layer with meat, cheese, black olives, tomatoes and green pepper.
• Continue to layer ending with cheese, olives, tomatoes and green pepper.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until cheese is golden brown (may need to turn the broiler on).
• Top with sour cream, salsa, crushed tortilla chips, lettuce and chopped tomato.

You can add taco seasoning to your ground meat in place of the spices. I don't know amounts I just added and tasted as I went. Also, you can change up the veggies and add some chopped zucchini, green onions or anything else you want to add. This recipe can easily be doubled for a 9x13 baking dish. You'll just have to cut the tortillas to fit. Enjoy!!

Feeling Exhausted?

I read this post yesterday from Sarah Markley at The Best Days of My Life. I cried. I feel like that today (most days, as of late). Tired of disciplining. I need some refreshment for my spirit. I need refreshment with my husband.

Thank you, Sarah, for putting it into perspective. God is so almighty, caring, and tender. And He never gives up on us.

Prayer Request

**Update (7/23): The fire department determined that the fire started in the pick-up in the garage. We're just glad this didn't happen while they were asleep.

Please pray for my baby sister and her new husband (married 5 1/2 weeks ago).

I got a call last night that their house was on fire. I know that the garage, breezeway, and kitchen are gone. That was at 9ish last night so I'm not sure on the damage this morning. Neither one of them got hurt so that's a blessing.

Please pray for them as they grieve this loss. Thank you.

Wednesday Weigh-In 7/22

It's our last week for the Shrinking Summer Challenge at the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans. I haven't done as well as I would have liked, but there have been losses nonetheless. So I'm proud of that. And extremely proud of this: I am out of the 160's!!!!!!

I've been really good about not weighing myself everyday. But it's hard not to want to know if there's been a loss (yeah) or a gain (NO!). And I always want a little preview on Tuesday night to mentally prepare myself for Wednesday. This morning I was pleasantly surprised with a 2 lb loss!! Yeah!!!

Here are the stats for this week:

starting weight: 160.8
current weight: 158.8
loss: 2 lb!!
original starting weight: 166.4
cumulative weight loss: 7.6 lbs

continued goals for this week:

1. I will not give up.
This has been a great goal for me because I was about to quit the Sisterhood. I'm glad I didn't (but it will be nice to not have the team "pressure" when I'm working through thyroid issues.

2. I will go to bed on time.
Again, has been getting better. I'm naturally a night-owl and I love to sleep in (but with two little boys that has become impossible). So was staying up way too late and having to get up way too early. Not a good combo. ;)

3. I will exercise daily (walking, shredding, swimming) and post on my blog - just for some accountability.
I'm still not on the daily exercise train. I've just been doing outdoor activities with my boys, but no Shredding and no real sweat-inducing workouts. Major improvement needed here.

4. I will only weigh on Wednesday.
Like I mention, I did great with this goal (except for my Tuesday night preview).

5. I will do this for me!
I continue to make healthy choices daily even while my body adjusts to my new medication. I'm feeling a little more perky this week so hopefully I'll get some workouts in.

Let's go Team Navy!!!