Pizza

I love pizza, but have found lately that I'm so tired of pepperoni and all the other blah toppings. So, next time you're in the mood for a great speciality pizza give this one a try...

Chicken and Artichoke Pizze

1 prepared pizza crust (Walmart deli has some that are yummy)
3 medium size boneless, skinless chicken breast
2/3 cup basil pesto
1 can artichoke hearts, drained
1 jar sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 cup shredded mozzerella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper and cook through on a griddle, stainless skillet, or cast iron skillet. Allow to cool slightly after cooking. While Once chicken is cooled, cut into strips and set aside. Take a small non-stick skillet and toast pine nuts until fragrant...set aside.

To assemble pizza:
Spread pesto over the crust, leaving a 1" rim around the edge. Layer with chicken, chopped artichokes, sundried tomatoes, and toasted pine nuts. Spread cheeses over the pie and bake at 400 until cheese is melted and bubbly.

This really is a great alternative to your plain jane pizza...so enjoy!!

Tip for Julie: Invest in a good cast iron or stainless steele skillet. When cooking meats these type skillets help create a nice crust on the meat. The key to keep food from sticking is high heat and minimal contact with the meat. Don't put the chicken in the skillet and then try to play with it and move it around, it will stick and tear the meat. Once the meat has made contact with the skillet, let it sit. The meat will detach from the bottom when it's ready to be flipped.

I don't like to use a non-stick skillet for searing or when I'm trying to develop rich flavors. So, unless your fixing pancakes or scrambles eggs put those non-stick skillets away!

Adley on my mind...

So, it's been a while! I have been really busy lately trying to find Adley the PERFECT bedding and room accessories for her "big girl" room. She will be three soon and still has a crib in her room. She's been sleeping with Judd for about six months now, but I just have not been able to decide what to do in her room. I've been thinking simple and classic Pottery Barn Kids and even filled up my shopping cart, several times. (I love Pottery Barn...it's my fav and their stuff is great quality... ) Then Adley started putting in her two cents! I know now that God does have sense of humor because my beautiful, sweet little girl wants nothing but PINK in her room...the one color I grew up hating with a passion!! It's hilarious! She wants a pink bed, walls, bedding, you name it, she wants it! So, I have decided to paint her "big girl" bed pink and some of her furniture pink...as I begin my project I will post pictures and info as to how I went about creating Adley's Perfectly Pink bedroom.

I was not the girly-girl growing up, so she's really making me dig deep to find my girly side...and I will admit, it's been kinda fun! I didn't even know I was capable of being sooo girly. :)

Adley also has a birthday coming up soon! She will be 3 on August 22 and wants a Pink Super Woman birthday...more pink!! HA! But to see the smile on her face is worth all the pink in the world. I know some may think I'm being silly to give into her wants, but really, she's in the middle of 2 boys and rarely gets anything of her own. If I can put a smile on her face with something like a pink bed or a pink birthday cake, I will!

I know what it's like being the middle child and feeling like I got the short end of the stick...here comes that middle child syndrome! I want her to know that she matters and that is just as special as her brothers. I want her to feel like her wants and likes are just as important to me as they are to her....let's just hope I don't go broke in the process!!

Just for you Amanda...hahaha

So, it's been a while I know since I posted anything. Not that there are many of you paying attention to me, but apparently my friend Amanda is...so this post is for you!!! I made some brownies the other day so I'm going to post the recipe for those and the Swedish meat I fixed for fellowship supper the other night.

Mocha Cheesecake Brownies
for the brownies:
1 Box dark chocolate brownie mix
1 bag Semi-Sweet chocolate CHUNKS---not chips---they're too whimpy for these brownies
1 can Evaporated milk
1/4 c oil
3 T instant coffee granules
1T vanilla extract
2 eggs

the cheesecake:
1 package cream cheese
2T flours
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2T cold coffee

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 and set aside. Pour brownie mix into a large mixing bowl, lightly dust chocolate chunks with flour in a seperate bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix together all the "wet ingrediants". Once all the wet incrediants are combined pour into the brownie mix. Mix on high with your mixer until just incorporated. DO NOT OVER MIX!!! At this point you will fold in the "flour dusted" chocolate chunks.

Using a mixer, combined all the ingrediants for the cheesecake batter until smooth. Take the cheesecake mixture and pour over the brownie

To assemble the brownies, pour half of the brownie batter into your baking dish. Top with half of the cheesecake mixture and then the remaining brownie batter. With the cheesecake batter that is left, pour it slowly over the top of the brownies and swirl the batters together to give it a marbling effect.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center.

*****My tip with brownies, is this...let them cool before you cut them!!! I am a huge fan of warm brownies, but unless you are serving the whole pan right then, DO NOT CUT THEM!! If you cut brownies before they cool all the seam and moisture will escape, leaving you with a dry crunchy-edge brownie. But if you allow them to cool, they will stay moist and delicious!!*******

Swedish Meatballs
1 package frozen meatballs
1 pint of heavy whipping cream
1 can of beef consumme or double strength beef broth
1 T flour
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp pepper

In a large skillet, dump out the meatballs and allow them to start browning up. Keep them moving in the pan, this may even take two batches depending on your pan size. At this point add your onion and garlic powder and pepper. After the meatballs have started to brown up a bit, add the can of beef consumme (or broth) and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together about 1/4 cup of heavy cream and the Tablespoon of flour and set aside.

Add your heavy cream to the meatballs and allow to simmer 5 more minutes. After 5 minutes, add your cream and flour mixture to the meatballs. Bring this to a boil to thicken the sauce. Meatballs are ready when sauce has thickened.

I really love these over egg noodles or even rice. This is a supper fast dinner too, done in about 15-20 minutes tops!


Recipes coming soon:

Breakfast Burgers
Potato Chip Baked Beans
Grilled Corn on the Cob

What's on my mind?? ALOT!!

Whoa! What a time we have had in the Walker home lately!! God is at work friends! The enemy is also at work! My faith hasn't been tested like this in a LONG time! I've been through trials before, but this one is totally different. God is already teaching me so much. I'm so tired of depending on people. I don't care who they are, people FAIL! It's that simple. I'm learning to lean on the Father. No matter what. I cannot stand without him. Here are just a few things that the Holy Spirit has brought to my attention so far...
1. I must be quiet. There is a time to talk and a time to be silent. Now is the time to be silent.
2. I must love. This is in complete contradiction to my nature. For some reason, I want to be mad. I want to hold a grudge and watch as people who wronged me get what's coming to them. But in no way is this of God. I must love those who don't love me and I must pray for those who have hurt me. Ouch! This is not easy, but it brings so much peace.
3. I must not let Satan win. This has alot to do with being quiet. I have a hundred different emotions going on right now, but letting those out would bring no glory to God. In fact, it was do just the opposite. So, I'm not letting Satan win the battle over my emotions.
4. I must pray!! The only way I am able to get through any of this is through prayer and through the prayers of friends and family. Whoever thinks prayer doesn't work it sadly mistaken. I have relied on it like the oxygen I breathe.
5. I must submit to my husband. Through the trials, I have to submit to Jimmy's authority over our family. I get mad and want to start kicking and screaming or pack up and move to another country, but I have to trust that my husband is in tuned with the Spirit and is doing what is best for me and the kids and bringing GLORY to the Father!

Trials stink! Heartache stinks! But how reassuring to know that this is not the "big picture"? There is a light at the end of this tunnel. I may not see it yet, but one day I will. And when that day comes I will get on my face and praise the Lord for being faithful! He is always taking care of us, not because I am worth it or deserve it but because he is good! I can do nothing to deserve his rich blessings, he graciously gives it to us! I cannot take credit for any good thing I have or will have. It's not by my works, it's by his mercy.

God will be glorified! When everything else around me is filled with uncertainty I believe with all my heart that this is all working together for HIS good.


---side note----
I don't know how I got through life without him. How was I able to stand? Why can't I make everyone see how meaningless life is without Him as the foundation?? I'm so broken for those who don't see God for who He really is. How can you call yourself a Christian and not have passion for the God who created you and chose you? It just blows my mind! How foolish was I to think that life was about me. It's never been about me and it never will be about me. It's about the Father. It's about giving him all the glory he deserves. If you don't find pleasure in praising Him now, how in the world can you even look forward to Heaven?

I also need to pray that I would not be judgemental of the ignorant because for a long time I was one of them. I went to church, gave my tithe and offering, sang the songs, prayed the prayers, voluntered, and made my presence known in the church, but my love and passion for him had not increased. I was just playing church. So many people are doing the same. They are playing the part, but are not letting it change them. Why?? Because they don't want to change. They don't want to be convicted of their sin. They want God to save them from Hell, but they don't want anything else to do with him after that. Selfish! I'm so afraid to think of all the people who will one day be told "Depart from me, oh worker of iniquities. I never knew you!" I must pray that the Holy Spirit will convict those believers and that they will fall madly in love with God. Also, that I will show them the love of Christ.

I hate my Thermax!!

I need a new vaccum cleaner!!! I am so tired of lugging around my huge Thermax! With three kids, everything someone ends up on the floor. So, I need a vaccum that is easy to get to and use. Anytime I need to vaccum I have to go through like 10,000 steps before I can even plug my stupid Thermax in! It is RIDICULOUS!!! So, I've decided to save up for a Dyson Ball...maybe by the end of the summer I can chunk my old vaccum and say hello to a new one! Wish me luck!

Adoption

Recently, Nolan had his first birthday, so I've started weaning him. I have really enjoyed nursing him and am really sad to see this special time come to an end. For those of you who have nursed, you know emotional this is. Especially when this could be the last child I nurse.

I'm sure those of you who know me are thinking "What? I thought she wanted like 4 or 5 kids!" And you would be correct. I do want more children, but feel the Lord is leading us to adoption sometime in the future. I have always wanted to adopt but lately have really felt this calling on my life. What better way to model the adoption of believers into the family of God than to adopt a child or two into our family. I have always felt like my purpose in life was to be a mother and my greatest goal is to teach my children the truths of the gospel. I long for them to fall madly in love with their Creator and see Him as beautiful and that as they grow, their lives would GLORIFY Him!!

I feel a strong sense to reach out and be a mother to the motherless and to show them the love and mercy that God has shown to me. Christ did not adopt us based on our worth or anything we had done. We were not pleasant to look at, but were sinners and rebels. But in his mercy he called us unto himself and that his grace would be praised. In will not adopt a child for myself but for God's glory. I want to glorify the grace of God - to train our precious children to make much of God.

I am looking forward to seeing what the Walker's look like in 5 years!! This could be very interesting:)

John Piper - What makes you happy?

A Time of Prayer

I have really been convicted lately of our church's children's ministry. Don't get me wrong, I attend a great church (FBC - Magnolia) with an aray of ministry opportunities. I just feel like there has got to be a change. We need workers, teachers, people who truly care about the spirituality of our children! I really feel like it's time for a change. I am really praying that God will reveal his will to me and that he would show me what I can do to make a change and encourage others to join in my efforts to grow our precious children in the knowlegde and truth of Scripture and to fall madly in love with the One who created them!

As a mother to 3 wonderful kids, I have really been convicted of the way we have watered down and "dumbed" down the Gospel because we think our children are too young and "simple" to understand it. I think it has alot to do with the secular humanistic philosphies we, believers, have aloud to encrouch on every aspect of our lives. We think we are doing a good thing by teaching songs like "Jesus Loves Me" and "This Little Light of Mine", but I have come to realize we are really cheating them out of a passionate relationship with the Creator.

I realize I may be somewhat crazy, but I find it of dire importance that my children fall in love with God early and grow in that love. So what if they know all the stories of the Bible? That in itself is not what will get them to Heaven. Somewhere through the years, we have decided that Hell is too harsh a subject, sin is to complicated to explain, and our total depravity makes us look too needy. We have given our children way to much freedom in their thinking, like this life is solely theirs to live. What have we done?

Why are we, as parents, holding back on our children? Are we doing it on purpose? No. I really think it's because we, ourselves, don't know what we believe. So, we aren't going to push anything on our kids that we don't know how to answer. How arrogant and prideful can we be? It's time we put away the flesh and walk in truth. This world is only getting worse. It's hates God and everything He stands for. I want my children to walk in the POWER of the CROSS! It is my job to train them and pray that God, in his sovereign glory, will call them to Himself.

I recently found a Reformed Baptist Children's Catechism that Jimmy and I will be starting soon with the kids. If your interested go to "The Reformed Reader: committed to historic Baptist beliefs". http://www.reformedreader.org/. They have several catechisms to choose from. I chose the "A Catechism for Babes, or Little Ones" and "A Catechism for Boys and Girls". I'm really excited about starting Judd and Adley on the journey to spiritual growth. God is good and my children need to know it! Completely!

So, I'm entering a time of prayer. I want God to prepare my heart and to help me teach my children solid biblical truthes and theology. This will be their very foundation, it must be a firm one to stand on!

Welcome to My Crazy Life...

Holy Cow! It's been crazy around the Walker home over the last couple weeks! With a broken arm, spring break, resetting the broken arm, sick kids, easter parties, and all the daily tasks I have, it's possible I could lose my mind! I feel so scatter-brained! I remember NOTHING and am loosing everything! Today was the kids' Easter party, I had to go to Wal-Mart and buy Adley a basket because she doesn't have one. What kind of mother am I that my child doesn't have an Easter basket?? After dropping off the basket, I then realized I forgot to buy plastic eggs for egg hunt. Now I look like the mom who doesn't read the notes sent home.

Ok...as I was typing all that, I was interrupted by a phone call reminding me, yet again, of something I was suppose to be doing and COMPLETELY forgot!

I know some may think that this is just part of being the mother to three small children and having a lot going on, but I am pretty sure it is more than that. I have never felt so out of control in all my life. I have no time to do anything. We got back from Colorado on Friday night and I have yet to go to Wal-Mart to restock the fridge and the pantry. My poor kids feel like they are being punished cause I have no snacks to give them in the afternoons. This would be a really good time in life to develope OCD tendencies. Maybe then I could get structured enough to get things together.

What to do? What to do? It's not like it's going to get any better! Things are not slowing down any time soon. If anything, it's just going to get busier. Judd starts T-ball soon, Nolan has a first birthday that needs to be planned, Adley has outgrown her baby bed and needs a new "big girl" bed, but at the same time, Nolan needs somewhere to sleep, the kids need new spring clothes, I need new spring clothes! I'm feeling an anxiety attack coming on!

It's in these moments I need to run to feet of my Savior and cling to him with all that I have or else I will surely drowned in overwhelmingness that is my life! If you can relate, let me get an AMEN.

We love our bath time! It's fun to stick them all in together and watch them play.

Bath time will not be nearly as easy now with Judd's casted arm! I'm sure Adley and Nolan will appreciate the extra space in the tub tough. :)

Life With a Cast

It finally happened! We had our first visit to the ER Sunday evening. Judd fell off the trampoline at his cousin's house and broke his radius. The bone broke all the way through! My poor baby!! He has been quite the trooper though. His only complaint is that he can't play all his favorite games on the Wii. I have really been amazed at how he has bounced back. He should be ready to play some T-ball in about 4 weeks! To bad he won't be skiing with us next week though.

Having a kids with a cast is like going back about 4 years. He can't bathe himself, or dress himself, he can't button his pants (luckily we have lots of elastic waist sweats and track pants), and it's hard for him to feed himself (I never realized how much he used two hands to eat!). There have been some frustrating moments for both of us, but we are adjusting and are trying to be as patient as possible with each other.

Spiritual Awakening

There are a number of things going on in my life spiritually right now. I'm probably going to be all over the place with this post, so forgive me. I'm just typing as it comes...


Simply put, I'm tired of playing church. Something in my life has got to change. I want to be amazed by the glory of God and I want others to share in that amazement with me! What good is our faith if we're not reaching out to those around us?? Why are we holding back the most awesome gift we have ever been given?? We're being selfish with the gospel of Christ and it's wrong. The world is not our home and the life we live is not ours to do what we want to with. As a child of God, We are to proclaim HIS name until He comes! It's not a message that we are to keep to ourselves or just share with our children and friends. This is a message for EVERYONE!

So, that's it. I'm done putting on a show. It's time to get make a change. Will you make that change too?

It's not an easy change. There will be A LOT of self-denial involved. It's realizing God is not our genie in bottle to do as we please. He is not sitting in heaven looking for ways to make sure we are always happy and healthy with all the money and material things we want. We have made our religion all about us and how it makes us feel. If we read something in the Bible that offends us, we throw it out. I heard it said once, "the parts of the Bible we truly believe are the parts we LIVE OUT." So, I ask, what parts of the Bible do you TRULY believe?? All the things in the Bible are to be obeyed and believed. They haven't lost anything with time. Adultery is still wrong. Murder and addictions are both still wrong. Many of us don't have a problem believing those. But what about sex before marriage? Jealousy? Materialism? Gossip? Homosexuality? We sure have done a wonderful job as a culture in ignoring these sins and, on some level, accepting them.

So, why have we accepted these things and let them slip into our daily lives and even churches? Because we are selfish and we want to see God on our terms. Not His. We want a religion of convience and not of self-denial. We don't want to feel like we are sacrificing anything to anyone. We live for ourselves. We have become so extremely selfish.

I've come to realize, life is about GOD. It's about me bringing Him glory in everything I do. I was put on this earth so God would be exhalted...not me. In the very beginning, God had a plan and it didn't include me being put on a pedistal. It was GLORIFYING HIMSELF. He created everything with just a word! So I would say He deserves that Glory.

SuPeR JuDd

This weekend we celebrated our oldest son's 5th birthday. He wanted a "superhero party where everybody dresses like their favorite superhero!" So, that is just what we did! My wonderful and talented mother made 22 capes for the event and every child got his or her very own superhero cape. It was really cute to watch all the kids running around with their capes blowing in the breeze. We tried to play a few games, but with that many kids, we found it nearly impossible! All of the decorations were homemade. I got the invitations and party favor tags from a coupl different sellers on Etsy.com and they turned out too cute!! Using a really cute comic book style font I made couple different banners for the party, hung "boom" "bam" "pow" "splat" and "kaboom" signs from the ceiling tiles, and butcher paper on the tables, so the kids could color on them if they wanted. All the kids got to color and decorate their own masks too. The cake was a three tiered cake with Batman, Spiderman, and Superman layers. It was too stinking cute and tasted even better!! Over all I would say the party was a success and was "super" cute too!

Now that this one is over, I can start planning for Nolan's 1st birthday!!

Me and by beautiful kids! I am absolutely amazed at how gorgeous they are!!

Adley's outfit was made by my mom. I hoping to help her get a little business going. So, keep up with the page to see the latest creations by "Nann".

Not Real Sure What I'm Doing...

So, I'm not exactly sure what made me decide to start a blog. It's not a typical "Julie" thing at all and I am definetly not an interesting person. (Nor can I spell and my writing will probably make all you "grammar people" cringe!) I'm just a wife and mother of three, trying to raise my children in a world that seems to be against everything we, as parents, believe in. So, this is my journey and maybe it's your journey too.

Motherhood

People ask me all the time how I handle having three small children. (Judd,5, Adley, 2 1/2, and Nolan born last April) Apparently, I look like I have it all together. Sadly, it couldn't be any further from the truth. Being a mom is hard! I feel like I'm walking around in a fog most of the time. I think mom's-to-be are made to think that motherhood comes naturally and is a walk in the park but I am here to say it's just not true.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE being a mom. As far back as I can remember, it's all I have ever really wanted to do with my life. But here I am living my dream and feeling like I'm in over my head at times. Can you relate?

I hope to fill this blog of stories and pictures of my children. Some posts may be funny, some kinda boring, and others may be filled with the frustrations of motherhood. But not matter what, these posts will be real!

Being Mrs. Jimmy Walker

I love my husband. God has blessed me with an amazing man to share my life with. I honestly don't know what he sees in me. He is kind and compassionate. Me? Not so much. He is patient and affectionate. Again, me, not so much. He is everything I am not, but want to be. I respect him in so many ways. He is a man of principles and integrity. He loves God and loves his family. But like being a mom, marriage, is not easy. We struggle to stay close. To keep the same passion we felt before life happened and three kids joined the picture.

I love praying with Jimmy. To know that he is leading our family the way God intended for the man to lead is comforting. I don't have to doubt him because I know that he is spending time with the Father. I can trust him completely. I love that!

Life with the Father

I grew up in a Christian home and I am so very thankful for that. My parents gave me a great foundation. Over the years, God has revealed himself to me in so many situations and trials that remind me over and over how dependant I am on Him. I have tried to get through life on my own. I have tried to be good. But everytime I do, I fail. Miserably. I not only fail spiritually, but I fail as a wife, as a mother, and a friend too. I can't give God part of me. He must have every aspect of my life. It doesn't mean my life will be easy or that pain will never come my way. It's the peace in knowing that NO MATTER WHAT, my Father is there.

It's this faith I want to share with my children. I want to teach them about the deep love of God and his Soveriegnty. To watch them fall in love with this Holy God. A God that is truly IMPRESSIVE. Raising children in this secular, humanistic world is scary. It is in complete contridiction with everything I stand for as a parent, but I will not compromise. I will stand firm in my convictions and pray my children do the same.

That is All...

So,let the blogging begin!!!