Psalms 100:4

Week 5 - Psalms 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

I have a lot to be thankful for. Sometimes I focus too much on the things that I don't like and I forget all the blessings I have. This week I am extra thankful for all that God provides.

Absolutely Ultimate Potato Soup

Here is my first recipe for the year. I like to make soup in January - even though it isn't cold here, it just seems appropriate. This soup was very delicious and I will be making it again...Bill loved it!

At the end of each recipe, I will give an overall score - judging taste, number of dishes dirtied, and time/effort spent making it. This recipe took me about 1.5 hours to complete (including all the peeling and chopping).

The required ingredients.

Peel and cube the potatoes.

Chop the celery and onion and garlic (I use pre-chopped garlic from a jar).

Fry the bacon in a large pot (we love bacon!).

Fry celery, onions, and garlic in reserved bacon grease.

Add potatoes and bacon, cover with chicken stock, and simmer.

Melt butter, whisk in flour, whisk in cream and herbs.

Add cream mixture to potato mixture. Blend half the soup (I used an immersion blender, but you could pour half the soup in a regular blender too).

Ladle delicious soup into bowls.

Garnish with crispy bacon, shredded cheese, and pepper. Enjoy!

Absolutely Ultimate Potato Soup (from allrecipes.com)

1 pound bacon, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups chicken stock, or enough to cover potatoes (I didn't have chicken stock, so I used chicken bouillon cubes with about 4.5 cups of water.)
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup heavy cream (I used 3/4 cup heavy cream and 1/4 cup milk)
1 teaspoon dried tarragon (I didn't have tarragon but I used thyme - I like it better)
3 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro (I didn't have fresh cilantro so I used dried)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
-In a dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until done. Remove bacon from pan, and set aside. Drain off all but 1/4 cup of the bacon grease.
-In the bacon grease remaining in the pan, saute the celery and onion until onion begins to turn clear. Add the garlic, and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cubed potatoes, and toss to coat. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Return the bacon to the pan (I saved some for garnishing later), and add enough chicken stock to just cover the potatoes. Cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender (about 12 minutes for me).
-In a separate pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream, tarragon and cilantro. Bring the cream mixture to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir the cream mixture into the potato mixture. Puree about 1/2 the soup and return to the pan (I used an immersion blender and just pulsed it a few times to blend some of the soup but still leave some delicious potato chunks). Adjust seasonings to taste. (I garnished it with some crispy bacon and shredded cheese - and extra pepper!)

AND, what they don't show you on the glamorous cooking shows are all the dirty dishes. So, I thought I'd show you just how many dishes I used to make this recipe.

The dirty dishes for this potato soup.

Absolutely Ultimate Potato Soup
Taste: 5 out of 5
Dirty Dishes: 2 out of 5
Time/Effort: 2 out of 5
TOTAL: 9 out of 15

James 1:12

Week 4 - James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Everyone encounters trials at some point in their lives - some are big and life-changing, others are small and personal. But, they are all important...and they can all teach us something. We just have to be willing to listen and learn. And, although we often can't control our trials, we can control our attitude. My goal this week is to have the right attitude when I face the trials in my path!

January 20 - A Day In My Life

It may not be very early - but anytime you wake up to an alarm clock it's annoying! This is what I saw when I finally opened my eyes.

Bacon supervises as we get ready for work.

I enjoy a nutritious breakfast of Cocoa Puffs!!

Driving to work on a beautiful "summer" day.

Bill is careful to protect the animals on our short commute...we don't run them over or honk at them - or anything else this sign could mean.

I have this in my cubicle at work...it has become my motto. (In case you can't tell, it's a donut.)

After work, we stopped to see what the embassy was selling in their auction. A lot of furniture and computer equipment, but most of it is old or damaged. We'll probably come back tomorrow to see how much people bid.

Going to lunch. The green Volkswagen tried to cut us off...but Bill did NOT allow it. Defensive driving is very important!

Lunch at Tamburelli's. We're been here over 2 years but this was our first time.

I had chicken lasagna (although I ordered meat lasagna). It was good.

Bill had a tasty little pizza.

After lunch, we made a quick stop for groceries. This is the tiniest can of sweetened condensed milk I've ever seen. The can is so tiny and Bill is so silly!

Our groceries.

Making Key Lime Cheesecakes for a baby shower tonight. Zesting delicious limes.

While I slave away in the kitchen, Bill sleeps...

and Bacon sleeps...

and Ubi sleeps!

After all the hard work baking, I look at pictures of "our" house while Bill gets a quote for homeowner's insurance!

Time check - an obligatory part of doing "A Day In My Life" is repeated time checks!

All dressed up for the baby shower tonight...ok, not really dressed "up"! I think it's also obligatory to take a picture of myself in the mirror on these days.

I'm not sure if I'm cool enough for these shoes...we'll see how I do tonight!

Abby driving us to the baby shower - but always taking the time to pose for a picture!

Writing sweet messages and prayers for the new babies, mother and family.

Clare (it's her baby shower) leading the way through a delicious buffet of salads and soups.

The fruits of my labor - those are the Key Lime Cheesecakes I made earlier. They aren't very cute, but they tasted good!

Abby is the master of self-portrait picture taking. Unfortunately, my camera chose to focus on the table behind us.

Time check. Still at the baby shower...it was a good, long, evening!

The "tree" with all the messages and prayers for Clare and her family.

Everyone is already sleeping when I get home.

My last picture of the day is technically not even the same day. But, it's the end of my photo journal for this month.

Psalms 119:11

Week 3 - Psalms 119:11
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

This pretty much sums up Bible memorization. We need to have verses in our heart and mind so when we are tempted, we can fight back! This is a good one to remember as I start learning new verses and I'm trying to keep them all memorized.

San Blas Trip

On Saturday, we took a day trip to the San Blas Islands - located on the Caribbean side of Panama. So, we left the Pacific side in the morning and drove across the country to enjoy a day on the sandy beach...and then we drove back. It was a long day, but it was a lot of fun. I'm so glad Jen was able to go with us...I really enjoyed hanging out on the beach. The water was beautiful and we really enjoyed ourselves (and no one was hit on the head with any coconuts!). Thanks to Bob & Shelly for leading the way. Here is the montage from our trip (my video for this month). Enjoy!

San Blas Trip from Kara Hurt on Vimeo.

Colossians 3:17

Week 2 -Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

This is another good verse to start my year with. It's a good reminder to keep my focus on pleasing God. Even when I'm not very happy with my situation or circumstances, I need to live my life in a way that glorifies Him and count my blessings.

5 New Year's Resolutions

I don't normally make New Year's Resolutions because they usually end in failure. Sometimes I think of things that I should work on in the coming year...but I rarely verbalize them because that would make them "real". This year, since I'm making lists as part of my blog, I thought it would be fun to list my resolutions. Maybe if I publish them, I will work harder at keeping them (probably not!). One thing I can guarantee is that I won't be making any food or exercise related goals...I don't get motivated that way so I always fail. I have to stick to goals that I have a chance of keeping. So, without further ado:

New Year's Resolutions 2012
1. Update My Blog Regularly - isn't this a good one to start with? I've already told you what I want to do with my blog this year and it's officially my first resolution.

2. Read The Entire Bible - I've tried this one before (twice actually) but I have yet to finish the Bible within one year. In fact, I'm already behind this year. But, I really want to do this so I'm announcing it out loud. I'm using a Bible my sister gave me that is specifically organized to read in one year. I'll let you know how it goes.

3. Stick To Our Budget - this one is important this year. We have a nice budget, with a fancy spreadsheet, but we haven't had to follow it that closely because we've been in a good place financially. Now that we're buying a house, and our employment will be changing, it is more important than ever to follow the amounts we have budgeted. I need to consciously adjust my lifestyle to fit within our budget.

4. Be More Positive - or Complain Less. I'm not always the most positive person, especially when things aren't going the way I think they should. This year, I want to try to focus on the good things, be more appreciative, and count my blessings instead of dwelling on what I don't like. I'm hoping that memorizing Bible verses will help me with this one.

5. Be A Better Wife - I guess I could try to be a better person in general, but I'll start with just being a better wife! This one is very vague, but that's good. I need to generally be better at being a wife. This is a lot like #4 - less complaining will make me a better wife. Additionally, I should try not to be so lazy...that will make me a better wife too. I've got room for improvement!

OK - it wasn't very exciting, but there you have my first list of the year. What other lists would you like to see?

Jeremiah 29:11

Week 1 - Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

This is my favorite verse, so I already have it memorized. I thought it was a good verse to start the year with...because God has plans for us. Even if all our plans change or fail, we can trust that God has better plans. His plans include prosperity and hope. We just have to wait and see what He has planned for 2012.

New Blog Themes

OK - since I did a pretty good job at keeping up with my blog last year while I had a theme, I decided to try again. (I'm afraid if I go back to blogging only when I have something interesting to say, I may never blog again!) I guess I need ideas and direction...something to keep me on track and give me a topic. I didn't think I could keep up with a daily project this year (I'd already be several days behind) so I thought I'd try a weekly or monthly goal. But, then I couldn't decide what I wanted to commit to each week...and once a month didn't seem like enough (although probably more manageable). That's why I decided to do a combination of weekly and monthly themes. I have 4 different topics that I will blog about each month. That will mix things up, keep me blogging fairly regularly, and give me a goal. At the end of the year, I should have 12 blog posts for each of my topics. Do you want to know what they are??

--A Monthly Video. I will make some sort of video each month. Something that I'll attempt to edit and add effects or music or something. It will let me work on more video clips and hopefully give you something interesting to watch. They probably won't be long videos, but it will be different.
--A Monthly Recipe. I will post a recipe each month with pictures of the process and finished product. I love to cook, so this should be an easy one. I'll try to pick exciting recipes. If you have any suggestions, let me know.
--A Monthly List. I love lists. I like making them and I like reading them. I will share a list with you each month and blog about it. Maybe a Top 5 list or a wish list or something else. Again, if you have suggestions, leave a comment!
--A Monthly Photo Diary (A Day In My Life). Several years ago, my friend Rachael introduced me to "A Day in my Life"- a photo journal where people post pictures from one day in their life. I've done it once before, on our Road Trip, and it was fun. So, once a month, I will take pictures all day and share them with you...a diary of my day through photos. It will help with any withdrawals from Project 365 and all the photos I took for that!

There they are! I know these may not be the most exciting topics, but I feel like they are broad enough to not get boring and vague enough to let me decide what I feel like each month. Hopefully, you approve.

Another thing I decided to start doing this year (and I want to use my blog to help me keep up with it) is to memorize one Bible verse each week. I will write a verse on a note card (yay for office supplies!) and carry it around with me all week. Hopefully, I'll be able to memorize 52 verses in one year (although I may use some verses I already know). I want to use these verses to remind me of God's promises on days when I feel sad, angry, happy, lonely, bored, lazy, etc. Each week, I will post the verse and tell you why I picked it...maybe you can memorize them with me!

So, welcome to 2012 and my new blog themes. I hope you like them and are anxious to get started with me. As always, thanks for reading and let me know if you have suggestions!

The End

Well, I did it. I finished my Project 365! And, I only missed two days (so I guess I should say Project 363). It was quite the adventure. Some days I took really boring pictures (sorry) and other days I took fun pictures that told a story. But, I'm happy to have all of them and I intend to make a photo book to remember 2011 and this memorable project. I thought it would be fun to share a few statistics with you as a recap. I know it seems like I was constantly boring you with pictures of our pets, but it wasn't really that many, I promise! Here are the numbers:

*FOOD: 72 - My most popular category, by far. I added up all the pictures I took of food (although I only counted actual food - not boxes, wrappers, containers, etc. - and it was a lot. Obviously, I really like food...and I'm ok with that!
*PETS: 48 - That's only 13% of the total, not so bad...and besides, they are so cute!
*BILL: 52 - I guess it's appropriate that Bill was in a bunch of my pictures. I'm just thankful he was willing to be a part of this fun idea with me.
*AIRPORTS: 9 - Over the course of 1 year, I took 9 different pictures in airports!! That number makes me happy - it means I traveled (or someone traveled to see me). I hope to be in even more airports this year!
*MALL: 16 - Apparently, we go to the mall often. At least half of these pictures are from movie theaters located in the malls.
*CLOCKS: 4 - When it was late at night and I had nothing to take a picture of, I sometimes resorted to taking a picture of the clock. I guess I didn't do this as often as I thought...just 4!
*DUCKS: 9 - As in, OREGON Ducks!! These pictures were all pertaining to watching Oregon games or just general love of Oregon Ducks! Yay, Vamos Patos!
*BRACES: 3 - Braces were a big part of my year (an annoying part), but I didn't like to focus my pictures on my teeth...so just a few that actually highlighted my braces.
*GAMES: 4 - I'm sad that this number isn't higher. I know we played games more than 4 times, but I didn't always get a photo of it. Oh well, I'll try to improve this one for the coming year!
*ABBY: 19! - This is one of my favorite statistics. Abby was always willing to be in a picture for this project...and she's always smiling! It is fun to see the pictures and remember the great times we've had together. Thank you for being a super fun part of my year, Abby!

Looking back, I really enjoyed my Project 365. I am not continuing with it this year because I need a break - but I'll think of something else to keep my blog interesting. Thanks for dropping by from time to time.

Here's a reminder of how I started the year and ended the year (both in airports!!).

The Beginning
January 1

Bidding farewell to my sister and her family in the airport.
I miss them!

The End
December 31
A quick visit with my parents as they pass through the airport. Toasting to a wonderful 2012!

Also a quick look at the wonderful (*sarcasm*) pictures of me from each month. I look pretty much the same, except for the braces and my hair length. I just need to smile more, but part of that is because I usually took these shots at the end of the day, often when I was tired or grumpy (and January's was after having my teeth pulled, so I wasn't smiling and my cheeks were puffy). This is the most pictures of me you'll ever seen all at once!

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

That's it - that's all the pictures for 2011. Thanks again for coming along on this adventure. I'll let you know when I start the next one.