Find Your Happiness

For Today (June 28, 2011) Outside my window... 99 degrees and dark I am thinking... about our upcoming trip to Indiana. Nathaniel was quite a handful last time we flew (teething, wanting to walk, etc.) and Hubby was with us. However, it will just be us this time and I hope he behaves! I am thankful for... air conditioners. It's hot in Texas! I mean it's almost midnight and the temperature is still in the 90s. From the kitchen... leftover Orange Chicken from dinner this evening. It is soooo good and taste very authentic! I'm sure it's a lot better for you too since you control the ingredients. I am wearing... tank top, shorts I am going... to sleep! I am reading... One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp I am hoping... our BAH pay gets resolved soon. We're still getting California BAH instead of Texas. Essentially, we are getting more housing allowance at the moment and we know they will want their money back! I am hearing...   the air condition

There is just something so delicious about roasted vegetables especially when they are in season. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness in vegetables and intensifies the flavors without adding a lot of fat and calories---can't beat that! In fact, I love roasted vegetables so much that not even the three-digit Texas heat can prevent me from cranking up my oven just to have a taste of this yummyness. This recipe is so easy to prepare and is very versatile when it comes to the ingredients. I actually substituted the red bell pepper with eggplant. I also opted to use panko bread crumbs instead of regular bread crumbs for the added crunch. Adapted from Parenting Magazine July 2009 Serves 8 Ingredients: 1 large onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 zucchini, sliced 1 eggplant, sliced 2 tbsps olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 1 lb ziti pasta 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese 1/4 cup parmesan, plus 1/2 cup Pinch of nutmeg 1 pint cherry tomatoes, chopped 1

Week 25: June 18th to June 24th 169  It makes me happy and sad at the same time at how much of big boy my "baby" now looks, especially in this (iPhone) photo. 170  Hubby's Father's Day cake: Lime Coconut Sour Cream Bundt Cake. Recipe found here . 171  For breakfast, I gave Nathaniel these three cereals to choose from. He said: "Oh my!" 172  Nathaniel wanted his bear Mr. Calimlim to nap with us. This week, he has been napping and going to bed with one toy of his choosing. 173  Baby Toddler toes and Boots ( Dora the Explorer ) in the background. We don't have cable anymore (goodbye Food Network!) so Nathaniel has to watch his favorite show via his portable DVD player. 174  Baked pasta with summer veggies (zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, garlic)---oh so delicious! And trust me, you won't miss meat. 175  Finally re-potted my tomato plants ! I hope they bear really tasty tomatoes and soon. Linking up to: Inspire Happiness Daily NapTimeM

Welcome to our 365 Project! Each week, Audrey ( The Daily Wyatt ), Tracey ( Inspire Me Photography ) and Diana ( Find Your Happiness ) will be picking our Top 5 Photos to highlight on our blogs. In order to be a winner, you must add your photo(s) from the week (not a collage) to our Flickr! group: 365 Days in Pictures . We are choosing our winners based on entries that week, not where you are in your 365. For more information, go here .  Top 5 this week: Betsy Blue What a wonderful photo; one that will definitely be cherished forever. I especially love that it is in black and white; adds more to the nostalgic feeling! Tara on the Wander   I love how the overall photo looks desaturated so the color blue pops out even more. I didn't even know artichokes have such a wonderful bloom! Through a Photographer's Eyes   Great detail! Really thinking about turning on the sprinklers now with weekend :) Blue Bubble Awesome bokeh! Very clever to use the camera as a swing

When we were in Indiana earlier this month, we spent a lovely afternoon catching up with family/church friends. And after a delicious meal and fellow-shipping, Nathaniel and little Miss Katie went outside to play with bubbles. I tried bubbles with Nathaniel a couple of months ago but it always ended up badly because he wanted to blow the bubbles himself. This time however, he had a great time catching the bubbles with Katie! Katelynn truly is a blessing from God. She was born prematurely but she has blossomed into a beautiful big girl! Emily (Katie's grandma) gave me tomato, dill, basil, and oregano plants that I am finally planting to a proper place this weekend. The Texas sun has not been too kind so I'm resorting to container vegetable garden so I could move them if necessary. Nathaniel and I hope to see them all again when we go back to Indiana in a few weeks for my nephew's second birthday!

For Today (June 21, 2011) Outside my window... 99 degrees and my first daybook in San Angelo, TX! And I want to add that 99 degrees is actually cool . It's been 105+ since we got here a little over a week ago. I am thinking... about my tomato plants that needs planting! A family/church friend from Indiana gave them to me when we were in town and I reeeeally need to move them out of those tiny pots and into a proper place. The delimma: I need a place that's sunny but not in direct line of the Texas sun. I accidentally placed them in what I thought would be a shady part all day and they wilted :( But just like Hubby said, they perked right up after watering. I am thankful for... a house that now looks like a home! I just realized this morning that every thing is unpacked and we just have a few organizing left to do. Yay! From the kitchen... for the first time, I have more cabinets, drawers, and counter space than I actually have stuff to put on/fill them with. I love

Week 24: June 11th to June 17th 162  Hugging a tree with Nathaniel's first cousins once-removed (Hubby's first cousin). It was the first time they have seen each other and Nathaniel was smitten by them. He followed the girls young ladies all day and wanted to do every thing they did. I think the feeling was mutual, too :) 163  Hubby with his maternal grandparents. I love visiting them and I always leave their house with tons of family recipes :) (On our way to Texas) 164  Strawberry-Mango margarita. It was huge; barely drank half of it. 165  Hubby and Baby playing outside while I cook our first dinner in our new home in Texas. 166  Half -birthday boy about to go down the slide (1.5 years old); we celebrated his half-birthday early with his great-grandparents, great-aunt and uncle, and first cousins once-removed while we were in Missouri. 167  Keeping Nathaniel entertained while I waiting for the Commissary to re-open. There was a change in security level at the b

Week 23: June 4th to June 10th 155  Nathaniel loving on my cat, Pepper. (Nathaniel says "ow" instead of "meow") 156  Having fun with bubbles with little Miss Katie 157  One of Mom's beautiful flowers in her garden 158  Spending alone time with our dog Riley; she's not going to Texas with us :( 159  I let Nathaniel "drive" to keep him busy when filling up gas during our road trips; (on our way to Missouri) 160  Playing the piano at Nathaniel's great-grandparents house in Missouri 161  Joplin, MO after the tornado; (about 13 miles from where my husband's grandparents live) Linking up to: Ni Hao Y'all: Sunday Snapshot  

Week 22: May 28th to June 3rd 148  Hubby and Nathaniel waving; Day 4 of 4-day road trip from California to Indiana 149  Mom's beautiful orchids; it was also her 53rd birthday. 150  My nephew Daniel playing in the pool on Memorial Day; Nathaniel didn't want to get in because the water was chilly. 151  Inside Mike's Express car wash to remove all the million bugs I killed during our four-day road trip 152  My sister's 28th birthday; we spent all day with her and little D: brunch at Zest, fun time at the park, and dinner at Buca di Beppo. 153  Dinner at Hirosaki Japanese Steakhouse for Nathaniel's first hibachi experience 154  Adorable umbrella holder at Longhorn Steakhouse (one of my favorite steakhouses); Dinner with Hubby's family.

Week 21: May 21st to May 27th 141 After dropping off my mom and hubby's best friend to the San Jose airport, we stopped by Gilroy, CA to buy fresh picked cherries. 142 Nathaniel's first time roller skating. Our last outing with our church family in Marina, CA. 143  Homemade Baklava. Tedious work but oh so delicious! Recipe found here . 144  While the movers where packing our house, Hubby and Nathaniel went on an adventure walk and they found this little caterpillar. They eventually set it free and hoped it will turn into a beautiful butterfly. 145  Sunset at I-40 in New Mexico . Day 1 of 4-day road trip from California to Indiana. 146  The Appalachian Mountains viewed in my side view mirror (I-40 in Arizona ). I liked how the pavement blended with the mirror. Day 2 of 4-day road trip from California to Indiana. 147  Silly little boy after a bath at his great-grandparents house in Missouri . Day 3 of 4-day road trip from California to Indiana. Linking up to: