Parmesan Encrusted Bruschetta Chicken

Parmesan Encrusted Bruschetta Chicken
{The fresh flavors of Bruschetta topped perfectly on moist chicken}

I adapted this recipe right off the back of the Hellman's Olive Oil
Mayo Jar and it is amazing!



Ingredients:
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 lbs.)
4 tsp. Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup Italian Dressing
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves or 1 tsp. dried basil leaves, crushed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°.
Combine Hellmann's® Mayonnaise with cheese and spinach in medium bowl.

Arrange chicken on a lightly greased baking sheet. Evenly top with mayonnaise mixture.

Then sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked and lightly browned on top.

Meanwhile, combine chopped sweet onion, Italian Dressing fresh basil leaves or 1 tsp. dried basil leaves, crushed
 
To serve,evenly top chicken with bruschetta mixture.


Recipe adapted from{here} .  Only thing different between mine and the original recipe is I added
the spinach and used a sweet onion instead of a red onion.

This is a great recipe to freeze and bake later :)

enjoy (:

Flower Tags- How To

So for Erin's baby shower we did a Pirate theme.  Actually it was pretty easy to come up with seeing as Jason and Erin are already pirates at heart. {I guess their Jolly Roger flag in the garage gave them away...}

For the shower Lauren was in charge of the flowers.  And she did an UH-mazing job.  The key to any shower/party/event is to divide and conquer.  Many hands make the load light :)  And stay w/ theme or color and you've got an amazing party on your hands!

Lauren and I decided that these flowers needed a little piratey touch to it, so I can up with these tags.  I stole the pirate dude image from our invite {see image and invite below}.

I purchased some labels, Avery 5294 to be exact.

I opened word and inserted the image of the pirate dude and added some words above it by using Word Art.  When you are satisfied w/ the layout, print!

Now, I got kabob stick, b/c they are thin but still sturdy, and long enough to stick above the flower arrangments.  And most importantly, inexpensive!! I peeled off 2 labels and gently placed the stick in the center of one label then stuck it to the other label.  Make sure both are facing up and try to line up the edges as best as possible, you can use scissors if you are a little off, nbd :)

Stick in your flowers and vwella!!  Flower tags, or whatever you want to call them ha!! An easy little extra to add a lot of pizzazz!!

linking here Tatertots & Jello & Making the World Cuter Monday & HOH

Parenting: Chalking in the Lines

A proverbs 31 woman is what I strive to be... yet I so often fall short, really short.   But good news, we serve a GREAT God full of GRACE!  I was so encouraged by the devotion from today on the site Proverbs31.  Feel free to sign up for your free daily email devotional (:


The author use the example of how at a  football game they chalk in the lines, and these lines face a tough day through rain, snow, cleats, and smashed bodies beat against them for hours. And at the end of the game, they are no longer white, straight and clean. In some places, they may have been completely rubbed away. But when it game time the next weekend, they chalks the lines back in.

She related this to how as parents we "chalking in the lines." And society so often tries to go against those boundaries you work so hard to set.  And so, as parents we continue to chalk in the lines again and again by reminding our children of the boundaries that we feel the Lord calls us to put in their life. And the boundaries are to spare them from the consequences of bad choices or keep them out of harm.   And oh my goodness, sometimes you are so tired from a long day of work and you walk into a house where your kids are immediately screaming, whining, misbehaving and wanting your attention and it's hard to stick to those boundaries because your exhausted, but you do it because you love them enough to give them your last breath and it's what God wants you to do for them - out of love and for their good.

When we set boundaries we need to do it with love, and make sure that our kids know that they are cared for deeply and we do it because we want to protect them - even if they don't like the boundaries set.  I was most encouraged by the ending prayer because that is life as a mother. True story.

"My prayer for you is that when your day has been long and you're

trying to cook, run a load of laundry and figure out when the next

sports practice is, you will not grow weary in "chalking the boundary

lines." And that one day your children will come back and thank you.

In Your strength, help me to lovingly show my child the way. 

Soften their heart to accept and trust me as I follow You."

Wyndham's 2nd Birthday Letter

Every year on our daughters birthdays we write a letter to them. Below  is the letter we wrote to Wyndham this past January, but I just realized I never posted as I originally intended - I'm going to blame it on "mommy brain"!


Dear Wyndham (or Wyn Wyn as you like to call yourself as of late),

Wow, here we are another year later. You just turned 2 and none of us can believe it! It is crazy and so bizarre how fast the past 2 years of gone! A lot has happen in the past 2 years; you have grown physically and are more so a little girl than a baby, your hair is getting long and you love to have it in braids and ponies. It is so sweet, your Daddy has learned to braid and you request for him to braid it every night after your tubby, and of course he does because his is wrapped around your pink. You have matured and developed in many ways from last year, your vocabulary amazes us every day, you continue to say new phrases and put things together, it's like we can actually see you putting things together. You watch and observe me and daddy and you want so badly to be like us, it is so flattering.  When you take your shoes off you want them to be lined up right next to mine, and when you see Daddy with a coffee cup you will ask for drink so that you can line yours right up next his. Really you are so smart, nothing gets by you.

Another big change in your life from your 1st birthday is you have become a big sister! You are already an amazing big sister; you love your 'sissy'! You call her 'sissy' and we love that, you even have the little neighbor girls calling Paisley 'sissy'! You love to hold her and kiss and you often do so without being provoked in any way. When you hurt yourself you love to have mommy and daddy kiss it and then you will say, "Sissy kiss too" and you will pull her pacifier out and then shove whatever appendage is injured into her both and then say "feel better". And you are already protective of her; you don't like people you don't know talking to her or touching her. At night
when I rock her to sleep, you love to sneak in and say "I rock sissy down too" and climb up in the rocker with us. When we go down the stairs you love for me to hold both of you and then you put your arm around Paisley and you say "I got you sissy".

You have an infatuation with the color yellow and all things girly. You love your (fake) lipstick, purses and you LOVE to play dress up. We got you new clothes and shoes for Christmas and you were so enthusiastic and delighted about it! We put your new outfit on and you came downstairs and I said "Poppy look at Wyndham's new outfit" and he responded with "What a pretty Jacket", you then kicked your foot out and said "Shoes too Poppy" which of course made all of us burst out laughing. You really are "God's gift to comedy" already- as your daddy would say.

A few words that I think would describe you well right now are: Funny, Fearless, Charismatic and lovable.  I'm not one to believe in Karma… but let's just say that me and Daddy are getting what we deserve with your tantrums. You are so strong willed and we are working with you to talk through your melt downs and insane tantrums. This strong will that is in you will be a great and amazing thing; it will be the driving force to accomplish so many great things in life! I assure you, you will be
successful at whatever you do! You are coordinated, beautiful, and smart and everyone you meet immediately loves you. You have yet to have a teacher or babysitter that has not told me that you are their favorite.

We love you big girl! Happy 2nd Birthday!

OBX, NC 2012

Here are some pictures for our 2012 Outer Banks Trip.  Had so much fun and we are already missing those beautiful beaches so much!!  This was Paisley's first trip to the beach so we may or may not have taken a few extra pictures of her : /  Not showing favoritism, just capturing a first :)

 Now see... This picture I almost didn't put it in b/c I look ROUGHHH but I couldn't not b/c Wyn's bedhead and Pais' sleep face were so cute.  We woke up before the sunrise and decided to do the rollout and drive down to the beach.  Us in the raw.  No make up, nothing. And bedhead all around.  Enjoy that little treat!

 We stayed in Outer Banks, NC, in the 4x4 area.  I highly suggest visiting if you have not yet done so!

Sibling Love

Sibling Love. Sisters. There have been so many moments of the past 11
months were I have wanted to melt all over the floor due to the way my
girls love each other. They love each other so intensely, sometimes a
little bit more than the other ones liking... for example the way Pais
kisses Wyn open mouth, tongue out. And the way Wyn gets protective
over Pais approaching the stairs and will forcefully grab to her carry
to safe ground (Pais'face is beyond classic bc she is beyond put out,
pouty lip and all!) I love seeing the difference in these girls and
love noticing some of the same threads woven in them. I love that
they are getting old enough to snuggle each other and snuggles are
reciprocated both ways (in other words I'm not going berserk thinking
Pais is sure to not survive Wyn's brawny hugs and loving). I love the
way they make each other laugh and giggle about things that I don't
understand. I love how when me or Dada are hugging or playing with
one the other one wants to join in, but not in a jealous way (at least
not yet…praise Jesus) I come from a big family, 4 girls to be exact.
I'm not naive and I know that it will not always be sunshine and roses
but my hope and prayer is that beyond siblings they will be best
friends and will know how to talk through things, love each other and
forgive each other. Even now they have their little tiffs, but I love
to watch them make-up. I love Wyndham's little apologies and
Paisley's slobbery kisses in return. I hope that they continue to
grow together and be there for each always, through the fun time and
the hard times. My fav mommy of 2 moment is every night at bed time
Wyn says, "love you Sissy, you my best friend".