This Moment

Joining in on Amanda's this moment project.

A moment from the last week.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

I've been meaning to share this easy, healthy, and delicious recipe with you.  My daughter loves this soup.  I think I might double the recipe next time so I have lots of leftovers for the freezer.  

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

2 chicken breasts cooked and cut-up

8 cups low sodium chicken broth

4 large carrots, sliced

3 celery stalks, sliced

1/2 medium size onion, diced

1 tsp parsley

1 cup uncooked egg noodles

salt and pepper to taste

You will want to use a large pot for this recipe.  I use a 5 quart dutch oven.

Directions:

Sauté the onion in olive oil on medium heat for about ten minutes.  Add the carrots and celery and sauté for a few additional minutes.  Add the chicken broth, and cook on medium heat for about thirty minutes, or untill vegetables are very tender.  Turn heat to boiling, and add noodles.  Cook noodles for twelve minutes.  Add chicken, parsley, salt and pepper, and serve.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Resolutions for 2014

I have decided to keep a word in mind this year.  My word is Relax.  I need to learn to just relax, as my husband often tells me.  I really need to work on being more relaxed about life in general.  

I have also set a few goals for myself.

1.  Lose another eight to ten pounds, and keep it off!  I have lost eighteen pounds since last March, and I am very proud of myself.  My current weight is 148 pounds.

2.  Learn to sew... something.  Even if it's just a button on a pair of pants.  

3.  I definitely want to blog more.  I miss this space.  

4.  Spend more one on one time with my husband and daughter.

5.  Travel to someplace new.  Hopefully Portland, Oregon.  It has been on our list for a while now.

6.  Take more photos of the three of us.  We only have three photos of our family from last year.

7.  I starterd this one a bit early. I decided to deactivate my Facebook account last weekend, and I do not miss it at all.  I think it was a bit of a time waster for me, and very much a distraction.  

8.  I want to be more in the moment with my daughter, and every day life.

9.  Be more appreciative.

10. Learn to just go with the flow.  I can seriously be so stubborn.  And I wonder where my daughter gets it from!

Happy New Year

We are relaxing at home on this New Year's Eve... just the way I like it!  I'm blogging on the sofa, and Charlotte and daddy are playing in her room.  It's a very nice evening!

I wish you all a very happy and healthy New Year!

We are looking forward to a fabulous 2014!!!!

Christmas 2013

We had a wonderful Christmas, and I hope you did as well!  The photos are from Christmas Eve spent with my family at my brother and sister-in-law's house. 

My little family!

My sis in-law always sets the most beautiful table setting for Christmas Eve.

Charlotte is super excited!  She is the only grandchild in my family, and always gets tons of gifts.  Seriously, so many gifts this year that I am making a trip to Ikea next week for a bookcase for her bedroom.  It's time to get organized.

She absolutely loves the sweet bunny my mom gave her. 

About 10pm Christmas Eve, and she totally passed out on the ride home.

It was a great Christmas!

Merry Christmas

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!  Many blessings to you and your family!

Getting Ready for Christmas

Just an update on our Christmas decorating, and life in general.  As you can see in the photo, Charlotte is very ready for Christmas.  She is super excited this year.  I love to see her little eyes light up when she looks at the lights and decorations… it's the sweetest!

  We are baking cookies with her friend on Sunday, and we are also having his parents over for dinner that evening.  I am looking forward to it!

I am almost finished with my shopping.  I just need to order one other thing for Charlotte, and something for my in-laws.

This photo was taken last weekend before we went to see the movie "Frozen" with her friend, Colson.  She wasn't a fan of the movie, but enjoyed spending time with her sweet friend.

Our "fake" tree is up and all decorated… I like it!  We would have a real tree, but I am just too allergic.

I am loving the lights in my dining room this year.  And I found the adorable pom pom garland at Target.

And at night… my favorite!

I hope you all are having a wonderful December.  We are enjoying the holidays, and staying busy.  I can not believe Christmas is only two weeks away.  I still need to address my Christmas cards, and do some wrapping… I have two weeks, right???