Ballpark Pretzels

Every week, our church small group does dinner together before our discussion time and each week has a different theme for the potluck meal.  Last week, our theme was Ballpark Food! Any and everything you can get while watching baseball at your favorite ballpark.  I had all the ingredients for soft pretzels, so I thought I'd give it a shot!  I used this recipe and had, unfortuneatly mixed success with it.  Next time, I think I'll try a different recipe just to see what the differences are.

Before rising.

After boiling/baking.

The results looked good, but were kind of strange.  Parts of them tasted pretty good, while other parts tasted really bad! (To me, it seemed almost like pockets of yeast had gathered in areas and gave a very bitter taste...not sure though.  The dough was mixed well in a KitchenAid mixer.)  If anyone else tries this recipe or finds a better one, let me know your results!!! 

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I Miss Rogers Park

I can't even think about writing this post without tearing up.  I loved Rogers Park and all that living there entailed.  I miss our friends. I miss our church. I miss hearing people banging around the dumpster in the middle of the night.  I miss taking walks with my fellow mommies and their kiddos.

Texas is just so different.  I have made some great friends here. I love our new church. I love being closer to family. I love the sky here.  But I will always look back on our time in Chicago with very fond memories and probably teary eyes.  Praise God for the time we got to spend there!  Praise God for the friends we made there!  Praise Him that we moved to Texas with peace in our hearts about the decision.

I try not to dwell on RP too much because it makes me long to be back there.  I don't want to seem ungrateful or unhappy about being in Texas, because I'm not!  I do love so many things about being here.  I just sometimes have trouble reconciling my feelings about moving away from Chicago with those of living here now.  I can accept that I was happy there and that I am also happy here.  I think I am just hoping for a kind of replacement for the friendships that I left behind.  I know I will never find that though.  I think that living in a place like RP just builds different relationships.  I am unable to just walk a few blocks to join friends for coffee.  I can't catch a bus or train to visit a museum with them.

Conclusion: I need a car to have friends here.  :)

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I'm bad at this blogging thing...

Yeah...

So, we moved to Texas in November. Jon started his job on March 5. Seth turned 1 on March 20. Now it's time for us to start thinking about getting a place of our own to live.  It's been wonderful living with Jon's parents, but it will be nice to have our own space again.  I'll try to be better about updating. We shall see.  :)

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July 4

We had a great trip to Arkansas to visit with my family and old friends for the July 4th week.  

See a little photo diary below! 

Seth met his Great Mamma (my dad's mom.) 

They had a lot to talk about!

Our little family. :)

Father & Son

Mother & (sleepy!) Son

Friends! (Stephanie and her daughter Charlotte, Tatiana, Clair & Seth)

My family.

(Dad, Uncle Chuck, Jon, me, Aunt Marla, Mom, Seth, Grandpa (also Seth) and Ellen)

Seth got to meet the 2 youngest of his 5 cousins. This is Meredith!

Seth & Seth

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Tonight's Dinner

This is a recipe I loved growing up.  The original recipe my mom gave me has some kind of interesting, very exact measurements and cooking times.  My version is a little less strict.  :)

Quick & Easy Skillet

Ingredients: 

1 lb. ground beef

2 cups macaroni noodles

2 cups canned diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 bell pepper, diced

1 small onion, diced

2 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. seasoned salt

1/2 tsp. salt

By the way, it's really fun to arrange and photograph seasonings!

Brown the ground beef in a large, deep pan.  Then add all other ingredients. 

Give it a good stir, then cover and simmer for 18 minutes (or until noodles are cooked.)

Eat & enjoy!  :)

I also made a special dessert today, but I'm going to see how it tastes before I post it on here! haha

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Smiley Baby Boy

Thanks to Laura for setting up this little photo shoot today!  :) 

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I love one pot meals!

Last night was another Real Simple recipe night.  This time it was roasted tilapia, potatoes and lemons and it was quick and tasty!  I just love the simplicity of meals that cook all in the same dish.  So, here's the recipe for the tilapia, but you should definitely also check out Real Simple's other one pot meals! Fun and delicious!

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