Gnocchi Soup

Might not be as good as Olive Garden's version, but I adapted a recipe I found for Gnocchi Soup, which turned out pretty well. If you like gnocchi, you may like it. It's super easy and simple, and takes a total of about 25 minutes.

Gnocchi Soup (Yields 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 lb. gnocchi (typically 1 package)
• 3/4 can of cream of potato
• 2 medium potatoes, diced
• 32 oz. of chicken broth
• 2-3 strips of bacon, cut into corse bits
• 1/4 c. evaporated milk
• thyme (fresh or dried) for garnish

Directions

1. Bring chicken broth to boil on med-high.
2. Stir in cream of potato soup.
3. Add diced potatoes. Cook until potatoes are tender.
4. In a small pan, cook bacon. Drain. Add to soup.
5. Bring a separate pot of water to boil. Follow directions to cook gnocchi. Drain.
6. Add gnocchi to soup.
7. Stir in evaporated milk.
8. Garnish with thyme.

Our Smart Cookie

We are so proud of our daughter. She has been blessed with such an amazing mind. Click here to see what she's learned this past week. She has also been learning pratcially one new word a day. I am so amazed. I really do not want to go back to work. I've just really enjoyed working with her. She loves books, and asks us to read her multiple books, numerous times each day. Enjoy!

Choices

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Do you, or anyone you know, live in Orange County, California? If so, let them know about Thursdays with Greg Laurie, a new Bible study starting this Thursday, March 12. For more information, click here.




Choose Life!

Therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live . . .

— Deuteronomy 30:19


In making a covenant with His people, God made an interesting statement. He said, "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live . . ." (Deuteronomy 30:19). It's amazing that some people consciously choose death. But that is essentially what we do when we decide to go against God and His Word.

I must admit to you that sin can be very appealing. Because of the short-term pleasures sin brings, we often don't think of its long-term repercussions. I ask you right now, is your sin forgiven? Or are you without that hope, without that knowledge that your sin is forgiven? Until you deal with your sin, it's as if you have erected a wall between you and your God. There is an old saying, "If you feel you are far from God, guess who moved?" God hasn't gone anywhere. But perhaps we have. Perhaps we have let our sin separate us from Him.

We may pray, we may try to draw close to the Lord, but the sin we have not dealt with must be confessed before we can find the forgiveness God wants us to experience. God does and God will forgive sin. He can and will forgive your sin. Choose forgiveness, choose life.

Free Tote from Fresh and Easy

Found this cool link.  We have a couple of Fresh and Easy stores opening up in our area.  On their site, you can get a coupon to receive a free tote back.  Go here.

Enjoy and Good Monday Night (or Tuesday Morning).

Free Diet Dr. Pepper

Go HERE and receive a coupon for free Diet Dr. Pepper!

Oh how I love freebies!

Get on Your Knees and Pray...

Happy Thursday everyone.  I have definitely enjoyed the past 4 days I've had with Natty.  I'm off track for most of March.  It is such a blessing to be home. 

It's been a busy week with errands, Dr. visit, and CA Adventures (we finally used our last 2-fers).  Tim and I have been looking at other places to live.  Quite a few months ago, we discovered that we qualified for a good size home and our mortgage payments would be HALF our rent, yes, HALF our rent.  So we've been picking up the housing search again.  Please keep us in prayer.

In attempts of trying to save up for a down payment, we've really been cutting our budget everywhere.  My new goal has been getting groceries weekly w/ $30 or less.  I've noticed that if I went more often, I spent less at a time, and I tend to run out of items less frequently - eliminating "emergency" runs.  I did pretty good 3 out of 4 weeks.  I was just under $40 this past week, but it was time to stock up on meat.  But hey, I saved 66% of my bill.  So, a good day over all.  I'll post some money-saving "tricks" and "tips" I've found to work for me later on.

Our doctor's visit for Nathan went great.  We really like my doctor.  He is a great guy, very thorough, and has a great personality.  He has reported that my ultrasounds gave me 7/7 as a due date.  I am 21 weeks along, but measuring 22 weeks.  Nathan is growing great, and is already weighing in at a pound.  Please pray he continues to grow and is healthy.  He's such an active little guy.  He's been letting me sleep more, which is nice.  =)

In other news, I received an e-mail from a friend, and I posting an excerpt here.

Call to Prayer




Today, March 5th, one of the most significant court cases in America’s history will take place. The California Supreme Court will hear arguments regarding the overturning of the vote of the people last year to pass Proposition 8, which defines marriage between a man and a woman. If this vote is overturned, not only will it set a major precedent of the court’s power over the will of the people, but it will likely be the flash point that will determine the future of America as liberal and homosexual agendas will disseminate throughout the educational systems and into the very fiber of American culture. The California State Senate just ruled against the peoples’ vote and asked the court to overthrow the defining of marriage as between a man and a woman. Senator Leno likened the people who voted for Prop 8 to the Germans who voted for the Nazi Regime.



During these past three months since President Obama’s election, the voices of rage against Judeo-Christian values and against the church have been emboldened to use inflammatory language and pass bills and laws that are anti-Christian in their very nature. When senators use such language, persecution is close at hand. We are in a desperate moment in American history. Everyone is pointing to the severe crisis of our economy, but I am convinced it is only an indicator of a massive moral decline America has slid into. It is time to pray, humble ourselves, and rid ourselves of moral compromise in the Church. If the salt loses its savor, it is only good for being thrown out and trampled under the foot of man.

Thank you for praying of us and keep Prop 8 in prayer.  No matter the circumstances, we believe that our Lord will prevail.  He is all-powerful, and His truth is a two-edged sword that pierces the heart.  We pray that people in high places will lend an ear to His Word and their hearts to His. 
 
Have a great Thursday!

Free Degree for Men Sample

Hey everyone.  Happy Tuesday.  Go HERE for a freebie sample of Degree for Men.