This Is Kristin

• 2 cups diced cooked chicken
• 2 cups thinly sliced bok choy
• ½ cup thinly sliced green onions with tops
• 8 oz. mushrooms sliced
• ½ cup julienne cut carrots, 1 inch long
• 1 inch piece peeled fresh gingerroot, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves pressed
• 3 cups water
• 1 can (14 oz.) 100% fat free veg. broth
• 2 TBSP reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 package oriental flavor ramen noodles

➢ Put mushrooms, carrots, gingerroot and garlic pressed in 4 qt. casserole. Add water, broth, soy sauce and seasoning packet from ramen noodles; bring to a boil over medium high heat. Add chicken bok choy onions and noodles. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand 3 minutes, serve immediately.

~Yield 8 servings.

“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul – and sings the tunes without the words – and never stops at all.”

~Emily Dickinson

This week I have been in and out of the house, my wonderful in laws are here spending a lot of time with the kids, so I don’t have much content on what they’ve been saying this week! But I received an e mail of kids talking about church related topics, and some are so funny, so I thought I’d share….

~”A little boy was overheard praying:

“Lord, if you can’t make me a better boy,

don’t worry about it.

I’m having a real good time like I am.”

~A Sunday school teacher asked her children as

theywere on the way to church service,

“And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?”

One bright little girl replied,

“Because people are sleeping.”

~A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons,

Kevin 5, and Ryan 3.

The boys began to argue over who would get the

first pancake.

Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral
lesson.

“If Jesus were sitting here, He would say,

‘Let my brother have the first pancake, I can
wait.’

Kevin turned to his younger brother and said,

“Ryan, you be Jesus!”

~For more tiny talk Tuesday visit Mary@notbefore7

~ It is a lot harder to let go of worry over situations, than it seems, especially when you care about someone, or the relationship, or the thing, or whatever it is that you are worrying about. I know that the bible says not to worry, or fear, to give our burdens to God, but at times letting go of that worry and fear is so difficult. I am starting to realize that God works through our inadequacies. He tells us not to worry, because He’s there, but He would not have to tell us that if it were not our natural tendency.

I worry about my husband, being away, and being sick, but it encourages me to pray for him more. I worry about my son not listening, and being rebellious, so it causes me to focus more and find ways to help that. I worry about why people treat me a certain way, but it causes a healthy detachment, and the realization that God loves me, even if they don’t. I think that God works through my natural draw to worry, but He is always there telling me, “you don’t need to worry, everything is in my Hand.” So inevitably, I end up giving Him my worries, literally saying, “Here it is God, the outcome is yours.” and this enables me to move on in action and peace.

~ There are so many re calls going on right now for toys, mostly affected with lead paint. I checked out the list and found a few that my baby had been chewing on and got rid of them. Check out Consumer Product Safety for the list of toys, and they advise always allowing your doctor to test the child for lead.

~Also in the news is the recall of Infant Cough and Cold Medicines which at least is coming out before cold season is underway!

~Anything else anyone has heard about lately??

INGREDIENTS

1 box (8 oz) uncooked manicotti shells (14 shells)
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend (8 oz)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
1 box (10 oz) frozen cut spinach, thawed, drained, squeezed dry
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 jar (25.5 oz) pasta sauce (any flavor)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Cook manicotti as directed on box. Rinse with cool water; drain well.
2. In medium bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups of the Italian cheese blend, the red pepper, ricotta cheese, spinach, garlic and egg.
3. In bottom of ungreased 13×9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, spread 1 cup of the pasta sauce. Spoon ricotta mixture into manicotti; place over sauce in dish. Pour remaining sauce over manicotti.
4. Cover tightly with foil; bake about 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbling. Uncover dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Italian cheese blend. Bake uncovered 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Increase first bake time to about 45 minutes.

(Recipe from Betty Crocker)

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

~William Shakespeare

~I was sitting (in the car) waiting to turn, and my 5 year old says, “Why are you just sitting here?”
I said, “Because if I turn too soon, those cars will hit me.”
My 2 year old, (who is so precious) said, “Mama those cars don’t want to hit you!”
So I turned when I got the chance, and we made it safely to the other side, and my two year old says, “See, told ya!”

~My two year old showing me his band aid- “It’s Scooby dooby doobby dooby do.”

~My two year old went potty on the potty, and my 5 year old was very encouraging, saying, “wow you are like a big boy, like a 10 year old!” My two year old replied, “yeah, I am like a cat!” (no our cat does not go on the potty!)

~To read more Tiny Talkers visit Mary@notbefore7

…. is what we did this weekend! It was not as traumatic as last year and we had a lot of fun. The kids went on a pony ride, bounced in bounce houses, rode a train, got ice cream… The picture is the boys watching the bees on the hive (?) while I was buying some fresh honey.

~Are the fall festivities beginning in your area?