Winter Break Will Not Kill Me

Sometimes I just need a moment.  Just that little moment of quiet and stillness.  That moment for a deep breath and a clear thought.  Winter break with 5 children does not naturally provide this.  I know all you parents out there with 6+ children are laughing at me right now.  Laugh away.

I keep telling myself what doesn’t kill me will make me stronger.  Insert killer set of Kelly Clarkson pipes.  Hence I will not let winter break kill me.  I won’t.

So I have a few things to share today.

We got our China travel packet from our agency yesterday and for the last 24 hours I have been fully immersed in more paperwork and reading and group texting my SIL & BIL who lived in China.  We have made our general plan for travel and touristing we just don’t have an exact date yet, but soon.  My blood pressure has been off the chain and I just finished eating some double stuffed oreos with milk because #emotional-eater

We still have some funds to collect so we’re trying to push some stationary sets asap plus Bible journaling classes.  Head over to my shop HERE and buy away…and please feel free to share.  All sets purchased today will be shipped out tomorrow morning.  We also will be having a book fundraiser in January which I’m super excited about.  Books are something our family really loves.  Plus I’m working on getting custom orders done and shipped.  I’m going to stop taking orders pretty soon since we’ll be leaving the country and want to make sure everything is done and shipped before we leave.

I meal planned today all the way until February 4th.  I have never done this in my entire life.  Never, but I felt like I needed to take something off my plate so I planned out each week and went ahead and made corresponding grocery lists for each week as well.  I have several of my SIL’s traditional Chinese meals in the mix and Josh Kelley picked me up a giant bag of rice from the Chinese market.  I’ve got to get some practice in before our little guy comes home.

This guy.  Well, I’m just not sure what else to say.  Geez I’m the luckiest momma in the world.

I enjoyed seeing sooooo many children in one chair over the course of a few days.  When I say they love their cousins they really love their cousins as in how can we sit closer together all the time.

I caught a pic of the mustache again.  And these two make me swoon quite a bit.  Not much really kills Josh Kelley, but Harper Kelley is definitely one of them.  Melts him like no other.

Lastly let’s talk food.  I’ve tried a few new recipes lately and one oldie but goodie.

THIS is the best steak marinade I’ve had.  LOVED it like it was my boyfriend.  And have made it 3 times now.

THIS chicken marinade is the bomb-diggity.  Crazy good you guys.  Everyone devoured it and there were sadly no leftovers.  I just cooked the chicken in a skillet and then served it over a big salad plus some fruit on the side.  The end.

 I’ve been making my own pico and it’s changed my life.  I started with THIS recipe and then just kind of winged it because I didn’t have a jalepeno and purple onion.  Any way you dice this it’s going to be delish in my opinion.  Now I keep a bowl of pico ready to go in the fridge.  Pico de Gallo for you and Pico de Gallo for you and Pico de Gallo for you.  Pico for everyone.

I made 4 different pies for Christmas and THIS one was the ultimate hit.  Gone in no time.

And I am officially an Instant Pot  owner.  Aaaaaand it’s still in the box because it makes me nervous and sweaty, but everything I hear is that it’s like making your own pico…life changing.  So I’m picking out recipes and I’m going to make my first Instant Pot recipe THIS.  I’ll let you know how it goes.  In the mean time if you have some good recipes I’d love for you to share.  Hook a New-To-Instant-Potting sister up.

Happy Thursday.

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