Busy busy busy...

I had a wonderful... and very FULL past few days.  I spent five wonderful days with Patrick... and we made some timeless memories.

As I watched him go through security at the airport today, I was struck by how it never gets easier.  Every time I think it has to get easier... and yet it never does.

Then in the Hartsfield Jackson Atrium, I was confronted with just how lucky we are.  As I turned to leave I saw a soldier and his family saying goodbye.  Wow... just when I thought it was rough putting Patrick on a plane.  I cannot imagine.

So, I want to thank all the families, husbands and wives, moms and dads, sons and daughters of our soldiers.  Your sacrifice is so much more than most of us can imagine.  Your sacrifices do not go unnoticed.  Your service to our country is exceptional!

Happy Memorial Day... and THANK YOU to our soldiers and their families... Thank you Damien and Jen... Rachel and Phillip... (a few of those I know who are serving our country).

Congrats Graduate!

Foodie Friday will be back next week...

This Friday I wanted to say Congratulations to Patrick on his graduation from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.  He will graduate today with his Masters of Divinity degree!  I am so proud of him!

We have so much to look forward to over the coming months... I can't wait to start this new chapter in our lives!

Cleaning lady...

Just call me the cleaning lady... I spent literally ALL day today cleaning my apartment!  Well, all day minus the two hour Grey's Anatomy finale on Hulu.  I cleaned everything... base boards, bleached the kitchen... the whole thing!  Now I don't want to touch anything... I don't want to get it dirty!

I did find one new cleaning supply that I love...

I went through about 6 of those over the last few days... it was so convenient to just put the little duster pad on... and go for it.  I highly recommend this!

I also highly recommend this...

A Chick-Fil-A Peach Milkshake...And, if you have the 2010 calendar the May coupon is for a free shake (which is what I used to get mine).  A great treat after a long day of work!!

Tomorrow I am going to be running all kinds of errands to get ready for Patrick's graduation this weekend... I am so proud of him!!!

*Photos from Google images*

Foodie Friday: WW Mexican Chicken

A few weeks ago I really wanted some Mexican food... but I also wanted to be healthy... You see, I have a little something I am preparing for... it happens 3 months from today... I want to make sure I stay in tip top shape for that day! (In case you are confused... my wedding is officially 3 months away!)

I decided to google "Weight Watchers Mexican food"... this is what I came up with... the recipe tastes really good!  The serving size is a little small... but just eat it with a salad and you will be good!

Weight Watchers Layered Mexican Chicken

-1 package boneless skinless chicken breasts
-2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
-3 cups fat free sour cream (I used 2 and it was fine)
-2 cups reduced fat Mexican cheese
-2 cans (4oz each) chopped green chilies
-2 tsp cumin
-1/2 tsp black pepper
-12 corn tortillas
-Salsa... to use as a garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and spray a 9x13 or lasagna pan with non-stick spray.

Boil the chicken.  Let it cool.  When the chicken is cooled cut it into bite size pieces.

Mix the chopped chicken with the black beans, sour cream, 1 cup of cheese, chilies, cumin, and pepper.

Cut the tortillas into strips, layer the bottom of the pan with half of the strips.  Overlap as necessary.  Place half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas.  Repeat (tortillas then chicken).  Top with the remaining cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes.  This makes 12 servings.

Foodie Friday: Butterfinger Cake

I am always on the lookout for an easy and tasty dessert recipe.  I have a few that I always go to... but I am excited to be building my repertoire.  I got this recipe off Kelly's Food Blog.  It did not disappoint!  I only had a tiny piece (my small attempt at a wedding diet)... but all my friends at work said it was wonderful!!

Butterfinger Cake

-1 box yellow cake mix (and all the ingredients to make the cake)
-1 jar caramel sauce
-1 can sweetened condensed milk
-1 tub whipped cream
-3 or 4 Butterfinger candy bars, crumbled (I used the food processor)

Prepare the yellow cake as instructed on the box.

Just before the cake finishes baking mix the caramel sauce and sweetened condensed milk in a medium bowl.

After you remove the cake from the oven... while it is still hot... poke holes all over the cake with a fork. Then pour the caramel mix over the cake.  On top of the caramel mix sprinkle the crumbled Butterfinger bars.

Allow the cake to cool completely, you can put it in the refrigerator.  Just before serving, spread the cool whip on top of the cake.

100 days!!!

I can't believe it there are only 100 days until I say "I do".  When we first got engaged I had high hopes of blogging so many fun details about the wedding... well, needless to say between planning, traveling, working, and everything else I have had little time to blog.  So today I will take a little time to share what I am thinking... and some pictures of our past... as we look toward our future.

I would have never imagined that December day when a strange boy called me that a year and a half later we would be getting married... my first blind date and last blind date, all rolled into one.

The other night I was lying in bed trying to go to sleep, and I couldn't help but pinch myself thinking I must be dreaming.  I have prayed for him and for us for a very long time, long before I knew his name.  I prayed that God would guide each of our steps... so that when we finally met we would be in step together.  What a faithful God we serve!

Each time I see him, I get more excited about our lives together.  With each new day, I love him more... though I am really not sure how my heart grows every day... it's crazy really!

We compliment each other... where I am weak he brings strength.  We make a great team!

He likes me when I'm "nappy"... early in the morning... when I've had a rough day... when my hair is crazy and I have no make-up on... he loves me and tells me I'm beautiful!

He is my best friend... I have had the time of my life in our relationship so far... I can't wait to spend the rest of our lives as husband and wife!

Foodie Friday: Chicken Enchiladas

I did a crazy amount of cooking on Tuesday!  I made 3 full dinners, and a cake for my office!  Two of the dinners are in the freezer for Patrick... and I am eating one of them for the week.  Needless to say, I will be set on Foodie Fridays for a while.

This week... in honor of Cinco de Mayo (I know I'm a little late)... I am featuring my mom's chicken enchiladas.  My mom actually got this recipe from another lady who went to our church.

It is a crowd pleaser... and not too hard to make.  I forgot to take a final product picture... I had already divided it into individual portions... and put it in the freezer when I realized my error.  Ooops... sorry

Chicken Enchiladas

-5-6 chicken breasts (I used one package... it turned out fine)
-1 c. sour cream
-1 can cream of mushroom soup
-1 can chopped green chilies
-Salt & Pepper, to taste
-Salsa
-2 c. cheese
-1 small onion, chopped
-1 package large flour tortillas

Boil chicken breasts until tender and juices run clear.  Remove the chicken from the pot, allow it to cool. SAVE the chicken broth in the pot.

Once it has cooled, chop the chicken into bite size pieces.  Mix chicken, sour cream, soup, chilies, salt, and pepper.  (The recipe calls for you to add the onions later... I usually just add mine into the mixture)

Dip a tortilla into the broth.  Spread some of the chicken mixture, a spoon of onion (unless you already added it), spoonful of salsa, and cheese.  Roll the tortilla.  Place it seam down in a 9x13 pan.

Repeat until all of the chicken mixture is used, and the pan is full.  Top the enchiladas with salsa and remaining cheese.

Bake at 300 degrees until cheese is melted.

These are so YUMMY!!  There are a lot of steps... but I promise they are easy!!

***One last thing... check out some more of our engagement pictures on the A.D. Foto Blog!!!****

Engagement pictures...

They are here!!  Our engagement pictures are all done.. . and they are quite lovely if I do say so myself...

Two weeks ago we went to Simms Park in Suwaneee to take our engagement pictures with the wonderfully talented James and Lindsay Christerson.  They are good friends of my friends John and Cassie Moates, so I knew it would be like meeting friends!

We had such a great time...  although, I don't think we will be heading to New York to start a modeling career any time soon.

I love that they were able to catch us in some very natural moments... moments that truly symbolize our relationship.  (The picture above is Patrick "spinning" me.  What can I say, I'm a dancer at heart!)

And just for fun... we showed our team colors for a few pics...note, we are holding the opposite team's shaker.

But I think out of all of them... this is my favorite... I think it will be in our signature frame at the wedding... what do you think?

If you want to see more pictures go to their Facebook page, A.D. Photography.  Or visit their website... If you want to see all the images e-mail me or comment here and I will send you a password.

We totally recommend James and Lindsay for any photos you need... wedding, family, baby, anything!  They are so fun... and as you can see, their pictures are GREAT!

Wicked!

Last weekend I made a quick trip to Raleigh... I flew out Sunday and flew back Monday... whew!!  It was a wonderfully fast paced trip!

My flight arrived at RDU about 10am on Sunday.  Patrick picked me up and we attended service at Open Door Baptist Church.  That afternoon we decided that we would try our hand at winning tickets to the Broadway show Wicked.  

Two and a half hours before the show the theatre holds a drawing for $25 Orchestra section seats.  We had no idea how many people would show up, or how many tickets they would have available.  When we arrived at 4:00pm, there were only about 10 people there, we thought we had a great shot!  But, by they time they got around to the drawing there were about 40 people in the drawing.  But guess what...

My name was actually the last name drawn.  We were counting the winners and Patrick and I were both pretty sure we were going to walk away without tickets.  They drew my name but there was another girl there who's name was "Elizabeth Newell"... she walked up to claim the tickets thinking they called her name.  We felt really bad... she was so upset!  However, there was nothing we could do because our tickets were the last ones!

Our tickets were in row "G"... very close to the front!!  They were all the way over to the side... but well worth the price! 

This is one of the main reasons I wanted to attend the show... Lindsay Wood... one of my friends from Brookwood High School is a part of the touring cast!  It was so exciting to see her on stage... she is so talented!  I can't wait to see her in more shows in the future!

We loved the show and highly recommend it for anyone!  It was different than what I expected... but it is now one of my favorite musicals!  I have been humming the songs all week!

*I was half asleep when we left for the lottery... I blame the 3 hours of sleep I got the night before... so I forgot my camera... sorry there are no pictures from the actual show.*