Rice Bowls--new recipe

So we have a new recipe in our house that I love! I stole to idea from a restaurant we have in town called chipotle. I went recently and just loved their rice bowls. So i decided the next week to try to mimic it and make it for us at home (and we can make it a whole lot cheaper at home than eating it out!). So here is what I came up with:
Cilantro Lime Rice (that is how they do it at the restaurant)
--I took just plain old white rice (but i am sure it would be good with brown rice too) cooked it like normal, but added some lime juice in place of some of the water. after it cooked all the liquid out, i added in fresh cilantro (or you could use dried).
--We then added things we wanted on top. Choices could be endless, but we did:
Black beans, homemade salsa (another easy recipe), cheese, and cooked shredded chicken seasoned in taco seasoning.
michael loved this new recipe, so it will be a keeper around our house. And the cost is so low for this meal:
--Rice--I got it free last week with coupons!
--Chicken=I used 3 chicken breast to feed 4, so it was about 1.5 lbs.--so $3.50ish
--Salsa--all ingredients i had on hand already, but cost was probably about .75 cents
--Black beans--stocked up on those a while back for .17 cents a can
--taco seasoning--was free some time back when i stocked up on it
--cheese--probably about .50 for 1/2 a bag used
total cost:
under $5.00 for feeding 4 adults! Not too bad!

Newest Sewing Project

So the most recent issue of Sew Beautiful has the cutest swimsuit pattern that I saw and decided it was a must, even though I have many other projects that I need to be working on. I must say it was pretty easy though! and turned out pretty stinkin adorable! now i must decide whether to monogram it with her initials or not....i am thinkin it would be cute monogrammed in pink :)
We also went strawberry pickin' yesterday with friends and it was so much fun! Sarah Kate loved finding ones that she could pick and filling up the baskets! plus, it was fun to get to sit down and have a snack too :)

While I am blogging, I thought I thought I would share a great coupon for dove deodorant, that you can get free (or make some mula on it!) at publix this week! Here is the link--look for the $1.50 off dove deodorant on the right side of the screen and print 2 per computer! they have it b1g1 at $2.29--so free with coupon!!!

Next sewing project--Maja is creating a Flowergirl Dress for Sarah Kate to wear in her aunt's wedding (Michael's sis, Lauren) in a few weeks. Here's the fun part--We are creating the dress using Michael's moms (Sk's Nana) wedding dress!! Her dress has some beautiful lace and we are hoping to create a beautiful dress for sk from it! Pics will come soon!

Learning to Trust

This is a hard week for me. I try to pretend i am ok, but those who really know me know that i am not a good pretender. I know God is sovereign and His timing IS perfect, but it doesnt make any of this easy. I know that there is a reason for all of this, but still not easy. I sit and think about this time last year...I was so excited to find out I was pregnant (a little nervous too). Sarah Kate was gonnna be a big sis....We announced it, and then the miscarriage happened. man, it hurts...i dont think i have ever cried so hard. Now, looking at it, it still hurts and my heart aches to see my baby that I never got to meet, but I know some day i will see that baby in heaven and he will be perfect and beautiful (We didnt know the sex, but i tend to think it was a boy..) it is comforting to know that this baby never had to see the brokenness of this world, he (or she) is living in a place where there is no brokenness, or sin, or pain, or hurt. I long to be there, that is the home that i long for. I have seen so much lately the fallen world that we live in and how jacked up we really are and how we need Christ so much in our lives. Christ is my strength, even when i feel like falling down and not getting up, He is still there. Sometimes I just want a glimse of what He sees to understand, but I know that i cant, He is God and I am definitely not. I dont understand why we had to suffer a miscarriage, and dont know if i ever will here on this side of heaven, but that isnt what is important. That Christ is glorified through all of it, is what is important. God is good, even in the pain, He really is. He has already given me so much more than i deserve. I look at sk now and am so thankful (most of the time, at least, there are times i should be more) for her. she is such a gift that i or michael did not deserve. She is such a precious gift...So maybe i just needed to ramble for a bit, not sure if i really want anyone to read this, except, maybe i do, maybe i need your prayers. please pray for michael and i this week. Mother's day was a very hard day last year for us...i miss my baby...
Yesterday i found myself looking at other stories of ladies who had had multiple miscarriages and such a hard time getting pregnant and have yet to be able to have children, and my heart breaks. I long for Christ and his return....I long for no more pain and sorrow, and having to say goodbye to a child that we have yet to hold...
i know through this whole thing i have learned to be honest with God about my hurt. for so long i think i tried to say it was ok and act like i could handle it, but i cant, I NEED Christ to handle it for me. David said in Psalm 139,
O Lord, You have searched me and know me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thoughts from afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

A couple good deals at Publix!

Just thought i would post some good deals I am planning to get this week at publix!
1. Mccormick Garlic Powder is on an unadvertised b1g1 supposedly (I will check when I go tomorrow)--Here is a Publix .55 cent coupon, and You can pair it with the $1 off 1 Mccormick seasoning or spice coupon found in the 4/25 rp--should make them free!!
2. While you have out your 4/25 rp, clip the .50 cent Mahatma rice coupon--the small bags of rice are priced around .89 cents I think, so when the coupon doubles, you will have a small money maker!!

Great coupons!!

Finding some great coupons this afternoon online! Just thought I would post some up here:
Here is a coupon for Classico Pasta Sauce, buy one red sauce and get a white sauce free
Here is a Pillsbury .70 cent coupon for 1 crescent roll. Personally, I found the best deal to use this coupon at Food Giant (I will wait till Monday, so it will double)--they are on sale 3/$5, so with the coupon it will be .27 cents each. I was only able to print 1 coupon at each of my computers, but try to see if you can print 2! that is a good deal for crescent rolls!

Hope someone finds these helpful!!

Menu Plan

I was thinking that I might start to attempt to set up certain themes for each day (not something everyday, but a few days a week). After my couponing class last night, I got to thinking it would be a good idea to do:
1. Our menu plan for the week. I thought this might inspire ideas for your own kitchens and help me stay organized. If I tell you I am going to do this, then I feel committed and therefore I will be sure to have my menu planned each week and not have any last minute, " Oh, NO! what am i gonna cook for dinner" nights.
2. Deals I got from publix. I love posting pics with sk and I will try, time willing, to post some coupon matchups for the best deals i got that week.
Not sure about any other days, what I might do, but this is a good goal to start with. Dont want to shoot too high, I will fail miserably.
So on another note, my couponing class last night was so fun! I had a great group of ladies, some brand new to the couponing thing and some that have been trying it for a few months. I think we all learned some new things! I can't wait to see these ladies start reporting their incredible savings with the heads held high!! This is so much fun!
Now to our menu for this week:
Monday: We ate out (Subway=with a coupon), since we weren't going to be at home for dinner.
Tues: Taco Soup
Wed.: Chicken Enchilladas
Thurs.: Leftover Taco Soup (Michael won't be home, so it's just me and sk)
Fri: Ham (Frozen leftover ham from Easter), Green Giant Steamers Mixed Veggies, Homemade Bread, and Salad
Sat.: White Pizzas (with Chicken, Alfredo Sauce, Spinach) and Salad
Hope this helps someone :) Hope y'all have a lovely day!

Sarah Kate's day at the Zoo with friends!

Sarah Kate went with her friend Haynes to the zoo today and had a blast! We started out our day of fun with a picnic at botanical gardens and then decided to stroll around there and try to get some pics, then we headed to the zoo! Sarah kate loved seeing all the animals and playing with her friend Haynes (he loved the first half, and passed out for the second half in his stroller). It was a beautiful day to go, not crowded and not too hot!