Chicken Milano

With this (simple!) recipe quickly becoming a family favorite, I decided to share it with you. It's as tasty as Macaroni Grill's, but without the $11.50 per serving price tag (and the mushrooms. Yuck)

Ingredients:

8 oz bowtie pasta
1 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, minced (Or more. When a recipe calls for 2, I usually add 4. Or 5. You can always add more garlic!)
½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil (don't use sweet basil)

Directions:
1. Heat the butter in a large sauce pan. Once melted, add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and chicken broth. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. (Um, if you don't know how to boil water and add pasta, you should probably get this book.)

3. Add the heavy cream to the mixture and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat until the sauce thickens. That takes about 10-15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in another pan, warm oil over medium heat. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook until browned and the inside is no longer pink. Add to the cream sauce.

5. Drain pasta and mix with the (delicious) cream sauce.

6. Finally, add the basil and mix it all together.

Mmmmmmm. Enjoy!

Nella's Trip to the "Toy Store"

Well, the 'toy store' was actually just Lifeway on campus at the seminary. But to Nella, it was as awesome as any toy store! We took her to the back to look at the children's books. We thought she'd run right to the huge TV playing Veggie Tales, but she didn't. She did, however, run right to a pink princess play set! Such a little girl! Naturally drawn to a plaything that reinforces something she already believes; that the world revolves around her and everyone is here to serve her!

Then she spotted the princess scepter! While we'll obviously teach Nella that Christ taught that true greatness means to be the servant of all, I think it's ok that she'll like to play with pretty, pink, princessy things.

Next she discovered the Dr. Mohler bobble head. What fun!

Perhaps you'd like one for yourself! Perhaps you'd rather have that C. H. Spurgeon painting.

Church Dress

This adorable dress has done some traveling. I believe it started here (a true southerner!), then was passed here (to some midwesterners!) until it was handed down to us. That makes this sweet smocked dress even sweeter! We'll pass it along too. Anyway, here are some pictures of Nella before church this morning.

Strollin' Into The 15th Month

Our sweet little Nella girl will be 15 months old tomorrow. She is becoming a true toddler. She loves playing with her baby, looking at photo albums, carrying purses, and climbing all over daddy. She does not, however, love eating anything except for oatmeal muffins, hot dogs, Kix cereal, or cheese. Mealtime is quite a battle lately and mommy is very ready to see this stage pass soon. Hopefully it is only a stage! Somebody please tell me it is only a stage! Also, she is just starting to talk, or at least trying to say words, and will just chatter like crazy (which is adorable).

In other news, Caleb just finished his Spring semester and is preparing for his Summer classes. After this June, he'll only have 1 class left and will graduate in December! He'll have earned his degree in just 2 1/2 years and I am so very proud of all his hard work.

As for me, I'm almost halfway through the pregnancy (20 wks on 5-11). I am feeling mostly good, just tired and a bit like this:


Also, we have named our son Silas.
(Middle name TBD)

Nella Walks

Oh Boy!

Meet our son. Here is his tiny skeleton-face looking at you.

Here is his little leg, practicing some soccer kicks. Or perhaps some roundhouse kicks. Either way, he was squirming up a storm in there, so he is already an active little guy.

We are so thrilled to be having a boy, and feel blessed to be able to have one of each gender! Caleb is already looking for the world's tiniest baseball glove. And I'm trying to switch my thinking from all things pink, cupcakes, and sparkles, to include some blue, super heroes, and bugs. We are so excited about the new dynamic our son will add to our family.

Please continue to pray for a healthy pregnancy and our growing boy.