To Do Board

My secret sister at church is beautiful, kind, caring, is in college, and lives in an apartment that is very brightly decorated. I wanted to make her something for the start of the school year that would go with her decor, but also be useful. I've been seeing diy dry erase boards on Pinterest and wanted to try my hand at it. This is what came out of it:

Supplies needed:

$3 ugly picture frame from Goodwill

$1 can of white spray paint

2 sheets of scrapbook paper from your pile of scrapbook paper that's not ever going to be used

Hot glue gun

Ribbon from your bridal shower that was 2 years ago

Brown paper bag

1. Start with your $3 ugly picture from Goodwill. Remove backing, picture and glass from frame. Lay frame on top of the brown paper bag and spray paint. It might need to do this a couple of times.

Picture before.

2. While paint is drying, make your "picture." My goodwill picture was glued to two borders and backing. I flipped the picture over to the backing side and pasted my paper on the smooth surface. My backing and frame were larger than my paper, so I added another sheet of paper to make the border. I first measured my center paper and determined how wide my border needed to be. I then stick glued strips for the border and then added the full sheet.

Like this!

3. Put your frame and picture back together. I wanted to add a little more pizzazz, so I added ribbon I had stuck in my closet since my bridal shower 2 years ago. Hot glue the ribbon to the back of the frame. Cover the back of the frame with packing paper for a cleaned, finished look.

4. Ta-Da! It's done. That's it! It really only took me 10 minutes to make (not counting drying time) and cost me $4. I hope she likes it!

P.S.

My secret sister totally knows who I am. It's ok if she sees this :)

Freezer Meals- Chicken Style!

I must confess. I'm tired of last minute, throw together meals. I only work three days a week, but on those three days, I leave at 5:30 am and get home at 8:

30 pm. This usually means Andrew and I fend for ourselves, or something quick is made- usually spaghetti (Not knocking your spaghetti Andrew. I appreciat

e you making supper and you do a great job at it.) I just need a little variety. I decided to try my hand at freezer meals.

Disclaimer: I have never tried freezing and then baking these recipes. Hopefully they work. Also, I played a lot of these by ear- sometimes making for great results and sometimes not so awesome.

I started by using 14 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts. I got an awesome sale on them $1.88/lb. I usually pay over $2/lb- and that's for frozen.

Before I started any of the recipes, I grilled 12 of the 14 lbs of chicken with a little steak seasoning (I left 2 or3 lbs for the Italian Chicken). This is a healthier approach and I'm not dirtying extra pans. I can also cook a lot of chicken at once, saving time. I then shredded all of the chicken with 2 forks. Make sure to shred the chicken while it's still warm. It will make the job much easier!

My first recipe was the easiest and most simple:

Italian Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 packet Italian dressing mix

1- 16 oz jar banana peppers

1. Combine all ingredients into your crock pot. Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6-8.

2. After chicken is cooked, shred and place in freezer zip-lock bags. You can also increase this recipe to make more. I used 6 chicken breasts, 1 jar of peppers, and 1 1/2 packets of seasoning, making 2- 1 liter bags of chicken.

For serving: Thaw chicken in refrigerator or microwave. Heat through and serve on toast or buns. The chicken can also be used in soups, on salads, in tortillas....the options are endless.

Baked Spaghetti with Chicken

3 lbs spaghetti

shredded chicken

4 jars spaghetti sauce

1 package mozzarella cheese

1. Boil pasta and drain. Drizzle olive oil or butter to prevent sticking.

2. Place spaghetti in aluminum pans. This recipe made 2 large pans and one smaller pan. Pour 1 1/2 jars of sauce for each large pan and 1 jar for the smaller pan. The spaghetti may require more or less sauce- just eyeball it, but make sure you use plenty of sauce. The spaghetti tends to soak it up. Add chicken (eyeball this too) and combine. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover with plastic wrap (to help prevent freezer burning) and then foil.

3. To serve: Defrost overnight for an evening meal the next day. Bake with foil on (don't forget to remove the plastic wrap first). When spaghetti is almost heated through, remove foil and bake until cheese is melted. Serve with bread and salad.

Chicken Fajita Enchiladas

I made these for my brother and sister-in-law one day after church. That time I used leftover grilled pork tenderloin. They loved them, I loved them, and Andrew really loved them. I hope they freeze just as well!

3 green pepper

2 onions

1 tbs oil

Shredded chicken

1 packet taco seasoning

20- 10 inch tortillas

1 packet shredded mexican style cheese

1 jar salsa

1. In a large pan, heat oil until very hot. Add peppers, onion, and chicken. Cook until peppers still have a little crispness to them. Add seasoning packet and a small amount of water. Stir until chicken and vegetables are coated.

2. Fill each tortilla with mixture, add cheese, and roll. Place tortillas seam side down. Each large pan should fit 10 tortillas. Spray tortillas with cooking spray for extra crispness when baked.

3. To prevent sogginess, place salsa and cheese in 2 separate freezer bags for each pan. Plastic wrap and foil.

To serve: Thaw overnight. Serve with Chipotle Style Rice, baked tortilla chips, salsa, and fat-free refried beans.

BBQ Chicken

Please note on this recipe: I have no idea how it tastes. I'm a little skeptical. You could also just combine chicken and a bottle of bbq sauce and it would be just as good. But...if you want to try to be super home-makerish, use this recipe and cross your fingers.

1 1/2 c ketchup

3/4 c spicy brown mustard

1 onion

1/4 c lemon

2 tbs apple cider vinegar

1 tbs Worcestershire sauce

1 tbs brown sugar

1/2 c water

2 tbsp grill seasoning

Shredded chicken

1. Combine all.

2. Place chicken into 1 gallon freezer bags (makes 2 bags). For low mess, place bag into a blender. Fold bag over the sides and fill. Genius!

In the end, I made 2 bags Italian Chicken, 3 pans Bakes Spaghetti, 2 pans Chicken Fajita Enchiladas, and 2 bags BBQ Chicken. It took only 3 hours and not very many pans. And I'm very tired of chicken :). Maybe we'll save these meals for next week!

Turtle Cheesecake

Out of all the sweets I've baked, I've never made a true cheesecake. Why? I have no idea! I insisted we get spring-form pans on our registry two years ago so I could make cheesecake, but they've been piled and shoved and rattled in my cabinet waiting to be used. On our date Friday, I asked Andrew what his favorite dessert was besides ice cream and cake. He answer was cheesecake. Who knew? So being the good wife I am (ok, maybe I secretly really like cheesecake too) I decided to bake Andrew a cheesecake. A turtle cheesecake to be exact. I found a recipe on Kraftrecipes.com and went with it (and changed a few things also). It's Kraft, it has to be easy! And it was.

Ultimate Turtle Cheesecake

24 Oreo Cookies, finely crushed (about 2 cups)...which means you can eat some and still have plenty left)

6 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

1 pkg. (14 oz.) Kraft Caramels

1/2 cup milk

1 cup chopped Pecans (I only had walnuts, so I used those)

3 pkg. (8 oz each) Cream Cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1Tbsp Vanilla

3 eggs

1/2 cup chocolate chips + 2 Tbsp milk

1. Place your 24 Oreos into a gallon sized Zip-lock bag. Using a rolling pin, crush the cookies until they're small crumbs.

2. Melt your butter and add it to the cookies. Seal bag and shake (smoosh) around until combined.

3. Press your cookie mixture onto the bottom and 2 inches up the side of your 9-inch springform pan. (BTW: I had three sizes of pans, but didn't know which one was 9 inches, and I couldn't find a ruler or tape measure. If you are ever in a bind like I was, there is a website called iruler.net that has an actual ruler to measure. What did we ever do before we had the internet?)

4. After you've made your crust, melt your bag of caramels with the milk for 3 minutes, stirring after each minute, until melted and smooth. Pour 1/2 of the mixture over the crust. Sprinkle 1/2 of the nuts on top. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

5. While the crust is cooling, combine 3- 8 oz. packages of cream cheese (I used reduced fat), vanilla, and sugar (I might try Splenda next time) until smooth.

6. Add room temperature eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. pour over caramel layer in crust.

7. Bake at 325 for 1 hour 10 minutes or until center is almost set. Tip: Place a pan of water in the oven, along with the cheesecake, to prevent cracking.

8. When done, remove from oven and run a knife around the rim. Refrigerate until cool (about 4 hours if you can stand it) before removing the ring.

9. Melt remaining caramel and pour over cheesecake. Combine the milk and chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted. Drizzle over cheesecake. Sprinkle remaining nuts.

10. Eat and enjoy!!!!

It was way easier than I ever expected and didn't really take that much time to make. I'll definitely make this again soon!

Belize- Day Six

Today has been a day of rest and relaxation. We are staying at a beautiful resort on the beach and today we were able to enjoy it. After taking a morning nap on the beach, we headed for the town of Placencia where we bought souvenirs and ate yummy ice cream. We didn't want to stay too long, so we decided to take a taxi back to the hotel instead of taking the group bus back. Let me tell you, the taxis in Belize are not the same as the ones in the US. They are primarily identified by having a green license plate. We weren't having any luck finding one, so we decided to go searching. We found one parked at a barber shop. The driver was getting his hair cut, but had his friend drive us. The van we rode in was fresh out of 1993, no air, and the driver had to open the door from the outside to let us out because the handle on the inside was nonexistent. It was all a little shady, but the driver was nice and we made it back safely. After our shopping spree, we hung out by the pool and got burnt. I was hoping for a Belizean goddess tan, but instead I got a burn. I'm still hoping it turns into a beautiful dark tan though!

Right before supper, four of our team members decided they wanted to be baptized in the ocean. It was amazing and brought tears to my eyes. It was just one more way God was glorified this week.

Today has also been a day of reflection on the entire week. There have been so many highs and lows running through, that we are spent physically, mentally, and emotionally. The things we saw and experienced will stay with us and impact the rest of our lives. I'll never forget the children, their smiles, their laughter, and their hugs. I'll never forget the mothers who so desperately wanted vitamins for their children. I'll never forget the people who I worked with who cared for over 500 people, trying to make a difference. Dr. Paul suggested we write down three things that impacted us the most on this trip. I have so many more than three, but I've narrowed them down to three:

1. My God qualifies the unqualified. I felt like I was going into this mission trip blindly. I had no idea what I was getting into, I just knew I had to go. I had doubts and fears, but God showed me that there was no question I was to be here this week. God's timing is perfect and should never be questioned. God also has unbelievable patience as I question so much, yet he always carries through.

2. I am blessed and selfish. I have so much while other have so little. I buy another pair of shoes when the $12 could be spent on sponsoring a child. I take my blessings for granted. I take healthcare, my family, my country, and my God for granted. God has showered me with more blessings than I ever deserve. My goal after leaving is to use the blessings God has given me and spread them to others, whether in Belize or in my own country.

3. I am blessed to have been raised in a country, home, and church where my needs were always provided for, where I have healthcare when I need it, where my closets are full, and where I never wondered where or when my next meal would be.

Belize- Day Five

I can't believe today was the last day at the clinic. We saw a total of 173 patients, plus many other who were seen but not charted on. The the line was forever long again when we came to the clinic. We were so busy today and it was so hot. Mom and I were able to begin the day by giving two little girls dresses the New Hope ladies had made. The construction team was building them a new house as well. The smiles on their faces were priceless. Many people in Belize only have one set of clothing. To have your clothing collection double is pretty awesome. While we were there a 4 year old neighbor girl came up to us with a severed foot that needed stitches. The mother and father were digging a ditch for their first ever "pipe water" and were unable to take the child to the clinic, so we took her 6 year old sister along to be the interpreter and packed both of them into the SUV. The child was so scared. I can't imagine being the little girl, having white people take me from my home, having them stick a needle in my foot and stitching up my foot, and not having my mom there. I also can't imagine being the mother and knowing my baby was getting her foot stitched up and not being able to be there for her. The girl's foot was stitched and everything worked out. The drive and survival of the Belize is amazing.

As the clinic got busier, we knew there was no way we were going to be able to see each patient. The medical director came up with a brilliant idea to have the nurses act like doctors and give OTC meds (vitamins, tylenol, etc.) to well children and also give them worm pills. This freed up the physician so that they could see more seriously ill patients. It was pretty cool, but I don't think it'll work in the states :).

The last thing we were able to do was hand out goody bags that New Hope VBS made for the children. We handed out 60. Each child received a toy, crayons, a starburst, and a toy. The smiles on the children's faces were priceless. I'll always cherish their hugs and love.

This week has had so many ups and downs. I've met some amazing, loving, and strong people. People like Delia, our interpreter, who aspires to go to America and obtain a degree in science. She is so smart. She interpreted everything from education on hypertension, to diabetes, to hand washing and food preparation. By the end of the week, she was able to teach the patients on her own and she'll be able to continue to education her village once we are gone. We have fallen in love with her and are hoping to be able to help her get into the US so that she can reach her dream.

I have fallen in love with Belize and it's people. I've been humbled and shown how blessed I am.

Belize- Day Four

Today was probably the most emotional day yet. We saw around 130 patients, which makes for a grand total of around 300! It's amazing how great the needs are. Many people don't have any running water. Many of the villager's water source is from a well or stream. How are you supposed to teach someone how to bathe, clean, and cook safely when they don't have clean water or soap? So many of the illnesses we have seen could easily be prevented if they just had the basics.

The most saddening, I want to take you home so I can help you, I can't believe it can get this bad, what can we do to help moment was when a 15 month old girl came in with a cast that had been cut open on her left arm. We learned from her parents that her upper arm had been run over by a car 3 months previously. They had taken her to a visiting doctor who put a cast on the arm and told the family he'd be back in 4 months and to keep the cast on until he saw her again. Three months has past. The father knew the arm was not healing properly and had taken the girl to 2 or 3 other doctors. Each time the doctors would look at the arm, it would rebreak. When our physician examined the child, the same thing happened. When he barely moved the cast, the arm visibly rebroke causing the arm to bend above the elbow. The physician was finally able to take the cast off. This only revealed large open sores, some as large as 2-inch circles, on her entire arm from having the cast on. Like I said, lack of cleanliness and skin issues are rampant in Belize. The poor child was in excruciating pain. All we had was tylenol and ibuprofen, which wouldn't even touch it. Now let me back up, when we were given a list of meds to bring to the clinic, narcotics were on the definite NO list. Somehow (well we know how....some of us call it "A God Thing") a bottle of tylenol with codeine, in liquid form no less, had been donated with the other medications. We gave it to the child with so relief. The doctor cleaned her wounds the best he could and made a make shift cast and sling. We are already trying to set up a way for the child to come to the US and have surgery, which she desperately needs. Without it, her arm will never heal properly if at all. Being an orthopedic nurse, this hit hard for me. If I was at work, if this little girl was in the U.S., supplies would be readily available, the arm would be healed by now, surgery would have been done within hours of the break. Instead, this child has suffered and the family feels helpless. Please pray that the family will be able to take the child to the U.S. quickly and that her arm can be healed. It could take up to a month for everything to come together. That's a long time, especially if you're 15 months old.

Now after a sad story, I must end with a happy one. The people of Belize are always smiling. It doesn't matter if they had to wait 7 hours to see a doctor or they have scabies and lice, they still smile, are thankful for what they have, and are always loving. They are so Christ like in their own way. It's so easy for us to get wrapped up in our "stuff." Sit back, soak in your blessing, and thank God for them. Then smile.

Beliz- Day Three.

I can't believe it's day 3 already! Today was awesome. I felt as though I made a little bit of difference in my patient's lives. They are so appreciative of our care. So far, we have treated 206 patients. We have been so busy, and we wouldn't want it any other way. Education went much better. We were able to work with the MD's and NP's on diagnosis and the patient's specific needs. We worked in the clinic starting at 9 and ending at 4:30, making for a long day. Some things I learned about Belize:

1. The people are happy. They are so poor, yet they are always smiling.

2. Families are big and the girls start having babies young. One villager told us sometimes as young as 14. I had one patient who was 23 and had 5 children including a 7 year old. I can't even imagine.

3. I am so blessed.

4. I taught a patient what arthritis is. I could see a light bulb click on when I told him his joint pain was from old bones rubbing on old bones. It made so much since to him. He told me no one had ever told him why his bones ached. He also called us angels and said God sent all of us for a very big reason. He was 80 something and quite the ladies man. He definitely stole my heart.

5. A one month old also stole my heart. She had fever and the mother had no tylenol to take the fever down. We take so much for granted. The poor mother could do nothing for her new baby's fever until she came to us.

6. God has made the unqualified, qualified.