a puff pancake

Originally saw this recipe here, and just had to try.

plus strawberries drenched in cinnamon-sugar and powdered sugar.

Made it for the brothers Johnson, as Kyle made a stop through Dallas, and I think it may have passed the test. It got two Johnson approvals (or maybe they were just being nice to me)! The only thing I may try to add next time, some homemade whipped cream, ohh, my mouth is watering.

life is beautiful

In this season, this new year, this start of a second year of marriage, where a lot of things are going absolutely wonderfully, God has been teaching me about how ultimately fulfilling His gospel is, and what that really means.

I've been meditating a lot on how truly great life is right now, right this very day.

I mean... the job is good. I've been feeling content in this position for the first time since joining the work force in '08. My work feels do-able and I feel accomplished. I know God has sent down this peace in this season, it couldn't have come from anywhere else.

My friends have been making life so worthwhile. I have friends that are making beautiful, healthy babies, friends that are exploring their creativity and making beautiful things with their hands, friends that are chasing their dream in regards to their occupations. I have new friends, that are so dang delightful, that encourage the crap out of Blake and I in our marriage, and make any time together super fun.

Blake is making A's and constantly putting up with me and my crazy dreams. He is continually stepping up to show me how much he loves me. And more than loving me, he is loving my soul. He is constantly reminding me of how much I am in need of Christ.

With this deep rooted appreciation of how magnificent life is right now comes the idea of how Christ is all we need. Somehow, and I haven't identified it yet, these thoughts have been piggy backing each other lately.

Christ is all I need, and God doesn't need me to be happy.

It's not Christ + homegroup, Christ + praying every night, Christ + serving communion at church. Though those things can be very good, God doesn't need any of it. He sees Christ when he looks upon me and he feels love. It's not anything I've done, not any particular part of my personality - it's Christ and he sees this and is in love.

Lord, please let me remember always that you are first, Blake is second (and everyone else for that matter) and I am last. I also pray to deeply understand that Blake and I are on the same team - brought together in marriage to be an image of what's to come. I pray that I can continually see the big picture.

God has chosen me as a daughter and Blake as a son, brought us together not for our happiness alone, but for His glory. To be an image of Him and that we belong to God and nothing here on earth. That I am made to be with my creator (my physical creator and my spiritual creator) for eternity.

Sugar Coma

After a 2 or 3 hour eye evalutation on Monday and then learning that I was NOT an "ideal candidate" for LASIK, I headed home to sulk the disappointment in cake batter. Red Velvet is a personal favorite and I've never attempted a "from scratch" recipe... enter Paula. Paula Deen.

An early Valentine's treat, followed up with a pretty kick-butt night of celebrating the AMAZING and GRACIOUS love we receive daily from our Father. Coal Vines white pizza. If I could eat one thing for the rest of my life I think this would be it. We finished the night off by watching New Girl. :)
The best part - Blake took a night off from studying! This doesn't happen during the week, like ever. I tried to take in every moment from laying on the couch, to eating dinner, to getting ready for bed together. I really love that guy.

The Recipe on the Bisquick Box

Hello!! I need to make more of an effort of reading recipes from boxes, bags, packets, etc. This chicken finger recipe on the Bisquick box was SO tasty. I normally try to be much healthier with dinners around the Johnson household, but sometimes you just need a chicken finger with white gravy and homemade mac and cheese with bacon.

3 chicken breasts - sliced into strips

2/3 cup bisquick mix

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp paprika

1 egg

3 tbsp butter

Mix bisquick mix, parmesan, salt and paprika in a ziplock bag. Dip chicken into egg, place in ziplock, shake shake shake, place on a foil-lined, cooking-sprayed cookie sheet, drizzle with butter and bake at 450 for 12 minutes.

I'm all about the fast and easy when it comes to dinner.

Also... this weekend I received one of these:

it's huge and it's white and it's heavy, and I love it!!! THANKS MOMMMM!!! I haven't been this excited about a kitchen-y object in a really long time, maybe ever. I'm taking an adventure in bread making this weekend, we will see how she turns out!

babies, babies, babies

not mine of course... I was one lucky little girl on Monday. I got to spend the day with two Kimmel babies. The morning was spent with this little one...

Kyler and LaLa. Playing with the "BEEEAN" (beans, in his sensory table), asking for hugs followed by the cutest little "nuh" (no) and telling him he was about to be a big brother with absolutely no reaction. He will realize all too soon when this little babe moves home.

Little Hayes Davis Kimmel. Precious little precious. So sweet, so quiet, so handsome.