Chicken Florentine Pasta

Pioneer Woman is my hero and when she posted this recipe on her blog yesterday, I knew I had to try it. It's quick, it's easy and my kids ate it. It was a win-win in this house.

 Chicken Florentine Pasta

Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Cook Time: 20 Minutes | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 1 pound Penne
• 4 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 3/4 cups Dry White Wine
• 3/4 cups Low-sodium Broth, More If Needed
• 1 bag Baby Spinach
• 2 cups Grape Tomatoes, Halved Lengthwise
• 4 ounces, weight Parmesan Cheese, Shaved With Vegetable Peeler

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions in lightly salted water. Drain and set aside.
Cut chicken breasts into chunks and sprinkle on salt and pepper.
Heat butter and olive oil over high heat in a large skillet. Add chicken chunks in a single layer and do not stir for a minute or two in order to allow the chicken to brown on the first side. Turn the chicken and brown on the other side. Cook until done, then remove chicken from the skillet.
Turn heat to medium. Add garlic and quickly stir to avoid burning. After about 30 seconds, pour in wine and broth, stirring to deglaze the pan. Allow the liquid to bubble up, then continue cooking until it's reduced by at least half (most of the surface of the liquid should be bubbling at this point.)
Turn off the heat. Add spinach, tomatoes, chicken, and cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss to combine; the spinach will wilt as you toss everything. Add plenty of Parmesan shavings and toss to combine.
Serve with extra Parmesan shavings.

While making chocolate chip cookies with AJ,

He carefully set out two cookie scoops (one for me and one for him) and then took out an enormous serving spoon, filled it with cookie dough and proceeded to eat it.
AJ:(Through his chewing) First things first, one must taste the cookie dough to see if it's actually good. And this stuff is delicious.

AJ's Preschool Spring Sing Fling

 AJ had his last preschool performance this past Friday night. I was sad. This growing up stuff kills me. He sang well and I even took pictures of him singing, but my bad memory card deleted them. More sadness.

Here is AJ's artwork on display. He's the next Monet? Right? :)

I love you AJ. I can't wait to see what you do in Kindergarten next year.

Billings Special Olympics 2012

Garrison bowled today for Billings Special Olympics. After bowling two games of 82 and 119 he earned a 1st Place ribbon. Good Job Garrison. State games, here we come!

Rough Morning

It was a rough morning. Privileges were taken away. Lots of privileges were taken away.
AJ was interrupting a conversation I was having with another parent at school. He was telling me it was clearly time to go home. He was extremely vocal about it.
So, I excused myself from the adult conversation taking place and looked AJ in the eyes and calmly said, "I am the adult, you are the child. You may not interrupt my conversations and you may not tell me when it is time to go."
AJ looked at me and asked, "Why are you the adult?"
"Because I'm older than you and I'm your mother." I said.
"Not if I'm an orphan," he politely responded.
More privileges were taken away.
Did I mention it was a rough morning?

On My Heart Imprint Your Image

On my heart imprint Your image,
Blessed Jesus, King of Grace,
That life's riches, cares, and pleasures
Never may Your work erase;
Let the clear inscription be:
Jesus, crucified for me,
Is my Life, my hope's foundation,
And my glory and salvation!

Things I Learned While Teaching 4th and 5th Graders This Week...

1. I can't play chess. I can't play chess with a patient 4th grader. The 4th grader won in two seconds flat-and then proceeded to hand me the chess directions to study for next time. (UM, sorry buddy, there won't be a next time.)
2. Math is still my least favorite subject.
3. English is still my favorite subject. I could have sat all day reading stories, discussing characters, analyzing plots, figuring out Greek Root words and their meanings. It was heaven.
4. 4th and 5th graders have weird habits. Poking holes through tissue boxes. Calling each other freaky knees. Playing tiddlywinks with their pen caps.
5. I love chapel. I love Matins. I love 4th and 5th graders singing Matins at chapel.
6. 4th and 5th graders don't quite have a grasp on sarcasm. Maybe I shouldn't use it so much. It could get me in big trouble someday.
7. Even though I wasn't teaching Kindergarten today, I still got a picture from a Kindergartner-because that's what Kindergartners do-they draw things, lots of things.
8. I actually got a picture from one of my 4th grade students today too and it made my day. Seriously.
9. 4th and 5th graders want to talk. And talk. And talk. And they really want you to listen. So just do it.
10. I need to learn more  Latin. I need to learn more Latin. I need to learn more Latin. Ora Et Labora.

Easter Sunday

Praise we Him, whose love divine

Gives His sacred blood for wine,

Gives His body for the feast-

Christ the victim, Christ the priest.

Alleluia!

--At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing (LSB 633:2)

Easter Eggs dyed.

Easter Dessert made.

Cosette, Dwight and AJ freezing for their Easter picture.

Garrison looking handsome in his suit.

Grace looking beautiful in her Easter dress.

Let the Easter Egg Hunt begin. Cousins, on your mark...

AJ

Dwight

Cosette

 This photo is out of order. Sorry, I apologize. I'm sure it threw you off. :)

 The Easter Egg Pinata made by Grammie/Mimi. It was beautiful.

 Ayden takes a big swing.

 Then Catherine took a turn, with Chandlebray's help.

 Next was AJ.

Then William...

 Cosette

 Dwight took the last big hit and FINALLY...

Success and Candy.

Happy Easter!

Good Friday

He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

--Philippians 2:8

And on His thorn-crowned head

And on His sinless soul

Our sins in all their guilt were laid

That He might make us whole.

--O Perfect Life of Love (LSB 452:4)

Thanks Martin Luther

Once in awhile my kids drive me crazy (true story). Maybe it's wrong to feel this way, but it's the truth. Last week, I had enough. I gathered the little devils angels into my bedroom and told them so.
"Your behavior needs to change and it needs to change right now. No more excuses. No more I'm sorry mom. No more."

AJ: But that's impossible?
Cosette: I'll try harder, mom.
Dwight: Mom, I believe that I am a lost and condemned person. This is most certainly true.