taco's!

Oh my...I am dying!!! I stumbled across these lil yummer's posted by another fellow blogger, and thought these were too fabulous not to share :)

Eat up buttercup.

Oh, I will most likely sub grouper, or tilapia for the salmon. I don't dig the salmon. I think it smells/taste like cat food. Sorry salmon lovers...no offense.

By all means put whatever lil fishy's you want...I won't judge. I have a weakness for tacos.They're abundant, typically cheap, and vibrantly flavorful. When I cook at home, I strive for healthy dishes that are rich in both flavor and color—and these tacos win on all fronts. The spice rub is so simple and so versatile: you can use it with veggies, tofu, shrimp, fish or chicken.


Recipe: The Best Healthy Tacos

Serves 4

For the salsa:

*2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered

*4 green onions, thinly sliced

*3 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

*1/2 small jalapeño, finely diced

*Juice of 1 lime

*1/2 tsp. sea salt



For the salmon:

*1 tbsp. paprika

*1 tbsp. cumin

*1 tsp. chipotle chile powder

*1/2 tsp. sea salt

*12 oz. wild Alaskan salmon, in filets

*Corn tortillas for serving



Garnish:

*Feta cheese, crumbled

*Lime slices

*Cilantro


What to do?

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

First, make the salsa. In a mixing bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes with the green onions, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice and sea salt. Set aside until ready for use.


Next, combine the paprika, cumin, chipotle and sea salt to make the rub. Generously season the salmon with the rub. You may have a little left over—you can save it in a sealed glass jar in the pantry for future use.


Lightly grease a medium baking dish and place the salmon fillets inside, skin side down. Roast for about 12-15 minutes, until the salmon is cooked through but not dry. (Cooking times will vary depending on the thickness of your fillet—so be sure to check after about 10 minutes.) Remove salmon from heat and set aside to cool for a few minutes. Flake the salmon with a fork for serving.


Prepare the tacos on a single corn tortilla with the salmon first, followed by the salsa, feta cheese, and a cilantro/lime garnish if desired. Enjoy!

Thank you so much, Kimberley!

shout out to mom's

Well hey there, friends! It's been a good bit since my last post, and I suppose I've been a little lost of inspiration. Sorry. But good news...

We're back in action!

I woke up really early this morning...2:34 a.m. to be exact. This rarely happens. I'm usually out like a light once my head hits the pillow. But for some reason Nick just couldn't sleep, and was wide flippin' awake at 2 a.m. His excuse: my snoring woke him up. I snore? No way...this can't be?!?!

Nick not sleeping rarely presents a problem, unless he's rediculously loud, and disruptive...which he totally was in the wee early hours of the morning. I'm a super light sleeper, so once I'm awake, it takes a while for me to go back to sleep because I hear everything. This morning I heard the toilet flush, light's flick on and off, the T.V. talking, the shower running...endless. He finally slipped back into bed just after 4 a.m...after he paid bills. Lordy.

This made me think of all my "Mom" friends, and really put things in perspective for me.

It's probably very typical for most of you to be awaken by a crying baby, a sick toddler, a scary dream, wet underpants, a monster in the closet, and the list goes on...

How do you do it, Mom's? Do you just run on adrenaline, and caffeine? It's only a little after noon, and I'm feeling the great effects of my very broken sleep last night.

I just wanted to take a moment, and say that I'm really amazed by all my fabulous, and awesome mom-friends that God's generously placed in my life! I LOVE living vicariously through you all, and being apart of your really long days...and nights :)

Calling my best friend, and hearing "KIKI" through the phone because the little girls know who's talking to Mommy.

Trying hard not to laugh when their getting scolded for talking back, or being sassy because I see "mini me's" of the personalities that I love so dearly.

Smiling when I hear the sweet baby sounds of the itty bitty's.

Cracking up when my girlfriend calls me to tell me that her daughter just dressed herself, and it involves a pink leotard, daisy dukes, a fedora and shoes on the wrong feet.

Mom's- I love y'all dearly, and have such a respect for what you do! Cheers!

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

life's a changin'...

I've been thinking today about how much my life has changed since I've gotten married, and grown older. Things that I use to think were "so important" have long been tossed to the side as I embark on the newer, and ever changing seasons of my life these days...

I now:

*Attend home-owners meetings.
*Clip/organize coupons, and typically know what's on sale before hand.
*Plan week night dinners, and experiment with new/healthy recipe's.
*Exercise is no longer an option.
*Bed time is never later than 10PM on a week night, and weekend fun usually winds down by 11PM.
*Realize the importance of sunscreen, and cutting out processed foods.
*Lingering longer in the 'Lawn and Garden Center' at Home Depot.
*Applying anti-aging creams before age 30.
*Saturday afternoon's consist of friend's kid's birthday parties.
*Appreciate clothing styles that flatter my body type.
*Loving and needing the different types of people God randomly places in your life.

Yes, my life is very different now, but I have such an appreciation for this.

Embrace whatever, and wherever God has you right now, friends. It's good.

xo,
K

death by body wash

I decided to half way clean the house last night at 7:45 PM. I'm not sure why I only decided to clean half. Maybe I was feeling lazy? Why not clean the whole thing, and be done? Nope, half way works. So, I opted for a bathroom quickie, rearranged some lamps, vacuumed the den, and mopped the floors without a mop. Not fun. My mop snapped in half 2 weeks ago, and I've put off buying a new one.

I hate mopping and dusting.

I glanced in the master shower. Not bad. So I gave it a few squirts of Clorox, and called it a day. Forget scrubbing tonight.

After this, I decided to take a shower, and snuggle in to watch "Keeping Up With The Kardashians."

Don't judge me.

So I quickly rinsed the shower, and jumped in.

I was on a 4 minute mission. In and out. Multi-task. I suds up my hair, and rinse while scrubbing my face. I squirt in some conditioner, get soap in my eye, flush out the eye-ball, while reaching for the shower brush to comb through the conditioner. I open my poor inflammed eye to see a flipping cockroach just chillin' in his little sauna on the ledge UNDERNEATH my shower brush.

I scream. Talk myself out of fainting. Scream again. Shallow breathing. It was bad.

I can kill just about anything except roaches. They make my cry. Literally.

I had to kill it. What if it was a flying one? Oh gosh, my heart would stop beating, and then who would call 911?? Nick was working till mid-night, and he'd come home to a dead wife in the shower with a flying cockroach in the bathroom. No! I had to find the courage to kill it. Had. To.

Very slowly I grab the huge bottle of Dove body wash (Sam's Club, baby) closed my eyes, and just started slamming the heck out of this roach, while screaming my head off. I'm surprised my neighbors didn't call the police upon thinking a serial killer had broken into my house and was trying to murder me.

4 seconds later the roach is dead, and is in a bunch of little pieces.

I collect myself, turn off the shower, shutter, and smile.

I will never, ever half way clean again. Like ever.

Happy hump day.

xo,
K

family matters

I am full of happiness, and fresh off a 3 day vay-cay from reality with some of the greatest people on this planet.

My fabulous, and crazy family...just missing brother Chance in Washington :(

Nothing fills my soul more than spending time with these sweet faces. We laugh till our stomach's hurt, and can talk about literally anything. It's good. It's fulfilling. It's like air to my lungs. I miss them...a lot.

My brothers...gosh their pretty. And humble. And funny. And tan. And muscles. And scared of anything that touch's their feet in the Gulf. Love them.

Mom and Dad...I mean could they get any cuter? Ok, maybe if you insert two little girls in pink tutu's?

Bingo!

My Dad, the most giving, Godly, goofy, and humble man I know. One of a kind. And my Mom. She's life, and love, and un-masked. She's funny, and strong, and I need her more than anything.

And my sister. I don't know if I could ever put into words what she means to me. She's my priceless treasure. I'm a better person because of Alexa Rae.

I love every moment I'm given with my family, but somehow it's just never enough time. I'm blessed, times 6 by their presence.

We celebrated 3 birthday's, drank too many strawberry daiquiri's, chased stingray's, and laughed about reading 50 Shades of Grey...in a row. Literally.

My heart is full. My body is less white, and my soul is simply blessed.

Don't miss these moments, friends. Enjoy the people you love most, because this is the good stuff.

Carpe Diem,
K

public restroom disgrace

Warning: Today's post may/may not contain TMI. Just sayin'.

Yesterday I went to Target on my lunch break.

I do this often, but I don't always buy stuff. Just sometimes. I do heart clearance.

Most day's I just need to stretch my legs, and get a little change of scenery before I head back to work.

I walk into Target, and make a bee line for the ladies room. I've been on this smoothie kick, so I now frequent the porcelain express.

I really hate public restrooms! Truly! They are usually disgusting, smelly, and it's just an all together unpleasent experience that I try to avoid.

But when you drink a lot of fluids...it's pretty unavoidable.

Inside the restroom there were 5 people in line. Really? It's 1PM on a Tuesday. What's happening? After the 5 people in line each proceed to tell me, "Oh, I'm not in line..." I gratefully slip into the next available stall.

Not relief.

There's no purse/coat hook on the door!

Nothing!! Nowhere to place my purse when I tinkle!

I tried to smoosh it ontop of the toilet paper container, but since I carry everything a girl could possibly want/need in this purse...umbrella, vitamins, make-up, body spray's, hairbrush, sunglasses, contact solution, nutrition bars, etc...that wasn't happening.

Floor? Out of the question!

So, I clutch my suitcase purse in my hands, as I hover over the potty all the while thinking to myself how awkward, and super uncomfortable this situation is. If only there was a blessed hook on the flippin door!

Word to the wise, ladies. Consider this next time you tinkle.

Your welcome.

Love,
K

pointed fingers

Y'all, I'm burdened, and struggling today.

Why do we judge? Why are we so quick to cast blame when our own lives are marred with sin? Why is it so easy to see other's fault's, but we are somehow blinded by our shiny plastic exterior? I posted Casting Crown's video this morning on my Facebook wall. Their lyrics are profound, and this song never ceases to bring conviction to my heart.

"Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away; We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing; Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth's become so hard to see; The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over me; Always looking around but never looking up I'm so double minded; A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided;

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners; Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers; Let our hearts be led by mercy; Help us reach with open hearts and open doors; Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours."

When I was in high school, I was such a sad example of Jesus. I was the WWJD bracelett with the pointed finger. I acted holier-than-thou, and was so quick to stand in judgement of my classmates who chose to live life different from me. Gosh, it literally makes me sick. I was so immature, and severely hung up on legalism.

I think we could all use a heart check every now and then, bloggies. I want to be remembered as one that loved, because He first loved me. I want to forgive, because I am a cleansed product of Grace. I want to accept, because I am welcomed with unconditional acceptance.

Romans 2:1 (NIV)
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

Choose THIS day to be authentic in your love for people, sweet friends!

xo,
K