((this moment))

((this moment))

A Friday ritual. A single moment - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember.

~SouleMama~

\\Thankful Thursday Vol. 9//

I find that it is impossibly easy to get into a rut of negativity. And once you're there, it's hard to climb your way out. Writing down my thankfuls for each week has become a way to stay away from the negative. Feel free to leave your thankfuls in the comments.

This week, I am thankful for...

...grandparents. I know I have mentioned family before, but this one is just focused on the grandparents. Kid has 4 of them, and they live within 10 minutes of us. He also has 4 great grandparents, that live within 20 minutes of us. What a lucky boy he is! But really. I am so fortunate to have family so close. Just last weekend, we relied upon my parents for babysitting during a cross country ski lesson and for a low key evening out of the house. It's so wonderful to be able to cal them up, bring over some fresh vegetables and have a quick dinner together. Kid reaches for his Mootzie as soon as we arrive at their house and snuggles in close for some love. It's such a wonderful thing to witness. Again, I am thankful and we are so fortunate!

...friends. My closest girlfriends and I are all turning 30 within a month of each other. We have started planning for our birthday bash: a night out on the town and a slumber party downtown. Oh my goodness, I am so pumped! I have known these women since 9th grade (and one of them since first grade!). We have all been through so much together and, while we are different points in our lives, we still manage to get together on a weekly basis for dinner. I call upon these women in times of need, knowing that they would give me the shirt off their backs if needed. And I would do the same for them. Again. So thankful.

...the sun. It's been dreary around here lately. It's wintertime. The sun rises late and sets early. Sometimes, when I arrive home, it's already dark. But lately, the sun has shown his pretty face longer and longer. This weekend, while Kid napped, I pushed my comfy chair into the window and soaked up the sun. Oh, the vitamin D! Winter gets hard. It's cold. It's dark. It's blah. But when the sun joins us in the winter, life is so much better! There really are a ton of things to do in the winter, and they are all so much more enjoyable when the sun shines.

{recetas} "Breaded" Chicken Tenders

I made these the other day for our lunches, and my husband had a good laugh. And then he said, "okay, mom. I'll go do my homework." Which says to me that chicken tenders, to him, are kid food.

But, I'll let you in on a little secret.

It's kind of the hubby's fault.

I had planned to make "breaded" chicken breasts for dinner with the chicken breasts from Costco. The hubs and I took a big run to Costco last weekend. One of our purchases was chicken. I told hubs that I would get the chicken thighs. He was in charge of getting the chicken breasts.

And what did I find when I opened the freezer? Chicken breast tenderloins. AKA chicken tenders.

Chicken tenders for lunch it is!

What you need:

1 bag of pork rinds

Seasonings of your choice (I used herbes de provence)

Freshly ground black pepper

Chicken breast tenderloins

What you do:

Preheat your oven to 325. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet (okay, I call them cookie sheets).

Empty the bag of pork rinds into your food processor (or into a Ziploc bag). Add a fair amount of your seasonings and a bit of black pepper. Turn on the food processor (or roll over the bag with a rolling pin) until the pork rinds become crumbs (think bread crumbs). Pour the pork crumbs into a bowl.

Coat the chicken breast tenderloins in pork crumbs. I suppose, if you put yours in a Ziploc bag, you could add your chicken to the bag and shake it up. Like Shake 'N' Bake! Do you remember Shake 'N' Bake!?

"It's Shake 'N' Bake, 'n' I helped!"

Once the chicken is coated, pace it on a wire rack over a cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees. My chicken, in my oven, was done in 25 minutes. Cooking times vary. Adjust your times accordingly.

Serve with your choice of dipping sauce. The hubs prefers Cholula sauce. I like them plain.

Enjoy the Pork "Breaded" Chicken Tenders!

Proud Mama Moment

Tonight, I had a proud mama moment.

I thought to myself, I am doing something right.

Don't get me wrong. I feel that way a lot. I am doing what works for our family, what is best for our family. But tonight, there was this moment. I had full confidence in the actions leading up to this moment. For a moment, I knew that I was building confidence in my child.

There are so many posts, articles, books, statuses floating around the internet that lead a mother (well, a family) to question whether or not what they are doing is "right." I've made it a point to read fewer and fewer of those things. It makes for a happier life, let me tell you!

Anyway. Back to the Proud Mama Moment.

Wow. It was amazing.

Early in Kid's life we learned that he was a shy boy. But also an outgoing boy. In our home, with just his mama and daddy around, Kid would talk with a loud and proud voice. With new people around not one sound came from Kid for at least 20 minutes.

Tonight, we brought Kid to my husband's school (did you know he's a teacher, too?) to watch the varsity basketball game. Kid's third basketball game there.

At the previous games, the hubs would walk in holding the kiddo. When Kid saw the amount of people there, he'd reach for me until I held him. So, I held him. For the entirety of both games. My back was sore after sitting on those bleachers and holding a baby! He would watch the basketball game (or the other people in the stands) with his head on my shoulder. He wouldn't make a peep.

But, tonight!

Tonight, he was the Kid we see at home every night. Loud. Happy. Independent. Sitting on the bleachers. Letting his daddy hold him. Banging his toys together. Talking. It was such a wonderful moment. I saw that the comfort provided to him during the two previous games made him feel safe. Taught him that it was okay.

I am one proud mama.

Winter Blues

I know, I know, I just posted about loving winter. And I do. I love winter. I love snow. I love to snowboard. I love to snowshoe. It's all so fun.

I think winter is great. But, I also struggle at times with the winter blues. I think everyone does, to a point.

The sky is usually gray. It's dark a lot (but, yay! the days are starting to get longer!). Winter activities are necessary for a healthy outlook.

On Saturday, we went to a sledding party at my aunt's house. She dug out a "luge course" and had us do time trials down the hill. It was fabulous! And really fast. We took kid on his first sledding run there. And may have tipped over. But, he enjoyed laying in the snow!

Then, the hubs and I took a ski lesson. That's right. Learning how to cross country ski. Did you watch cross country skiing during the Olympics?! Holy cow. It was incredible.

I was a member of my high school's nordic ski team for two years. I participated in classic skiing, and never really tried skate skiing.

But skate skiing is so much faster! A friend of mine was interested in doing a lesson and wanted a partner in crime.

Sign. Me. Up.

We rented skis and had our private lesson.

And now, my muscles are sore. Muscles I didn't even know I had are in pain. But, really? Skate skiing is complicated. We learned about 4 different "gears." I also learned that I am not an automatic transmission. It takes some work for me to switch from one gear to another. And I get a little confused/my timing gets off.

It is tough.

My parents babysat Kid while we were at the lesson. And I sat in their hot tub afterward.

It. Was. Heavenly.

Now, if only skate skis weren't so ridiculously expensive. I'd buy a pair and ski every day.

Can you believe that I didn't take even one picture of our outdoor activities this weekend?

::Dinner Plans #6::

We've made it through another week!

Meals last week were much more successful than the week before. That's just how life goes--sometimes, we find ourselves incredibly busy. This, of course, will all change as our family grows. Amazing how life is ever-changing.

Sunday: Paleo Cheat Night: Spaghetti and Meatballs

Monday: Lemon Garlic Shrimp

Tuesday: Asian Inspired Lettuce Wraps

Wednesday: Crockpot Jambalaya

Thursday: Breakfast Skillet

Friday: Venison Burgers

Saturday: Cream of Broccoli Soup

I know what you're thinking. That's a lot of links. That's a lot of new recipes. Yikes, is she crazy!?

Have no fear, have no fear.

I've made all but two of these recipes before (the crockpot jambalaya and cream of broccoli soup are new). I just haven't linked to them before, or had them in a meal plan. I don't suggest making all new meals in any given week. I usually only allow myself 2 new recipes a week, especially during the school year. Summer is a little different, when I am home more.

Linking up for This Week's Eats at Jessica Lynn Writes.

Kid is Turning ONE!

I know, I know, it's a little ways away yet, but the planning has begun.

Mostly Pinterest planning. Can you tell that I've decided upon a theme?

That's right. Kid is going to have a fiesta.

And I couldn't be more excited (it's super fitting, too, as I teach at a Spanish immersion school).

I've begun to work on a simple invite, using PicMonkey. Such a wonderful site!

Besides searching for inspiration on Pinterest, all I have done is decided upon the theme, a date, and the beginnings of this invite. And, of course, I may change my mind completely on the invite. You just never know...