The Sunday Currently Vol. {10}

CURRENTLY

Reading Nothing I just finished the screwtape letters! It was a really good book, C.S. Lewis is amazing as always!

Writing Not enough! I didn't do as well as I wanted this week on my blog posts. Oh well! I have a couple in the process:) It's been much too nice out believe it or not to be inside sitting at a computer!

Listening To the birds and the breeze coming through the open windows! Finally!

Thinking This is going to be an insane week! We're short staffed and a full schedule! Pretty much going to put my running shoes on and not take them off! That's okay though I like to be busy and I love a challenge!

Smelling The fresh spring air and loving it!

Hoping To see one of my new nieces next weekend! I miss both of them! It's only been a couple weeks since I've seen them but they are only little babies for so long!

Wearing Navy floral skirt cream T and navy sweater! Loving spring clothes finally!

Loving The SUNSHINE and running and walking outside! It's amazing I didn't think it was ever going to come with all this crazy snow we got in April!

Wanting A summer shandy on this sunny day!

Needing Nopthing at the moment I have everything that I could ever need!

Feeling So blessed with my awesome family, amazing friends even if they do live hundreds of miles away! They are only a phone call or text away and I love that:)

Linked up with Lauren and the Sunday Currently!

~Rachel

Let's Cook

I am finally getting to posting some of those yummy recipes I've been telling you all about! These recipes are from Father Leo's Cook Book "Grace Before Meals"  My parents and I were able to see him in person last summer when he made the recipe I am going to share with you today! He was captivating and it was seriously none stop laughter! Not only is he a Priest and an amazing chef but he's hilarious too! So full of personality! He was on Iron Chef America as well, and won! So obviously he's an amazing chef!

Meatball's In Creamy Vodka Sauce

Meatballs

2 pounds ground beef

1 onion, finely chopped

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 t salt and pepper

2 eggs

1/4 C Italian bread crumbs

2 T soy sauce

1 C all purpose flour

4 T olive oil

Use your hands to combine ground beef, onion, garlic powder, salt, pepper, eggs, bread crumbs, and soy sauce in a bowl. Shape into meatballs about the size of golf balls. Roll them in flour and shake off excess. 

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a skillet and add meatballs. Cook until brown on all sides. Set aside to cool. You can also freeze the meatballs at this point! Which is super nice because a whole batch was too much for me so I froze half of them. They were just as delicious after being frozen!

Here my Mom used the vodka sauce over chicken breasts.

Creamy Vodka Sauce

1 T. olive oil

2 garlic cloves minced

1 medium sized white onion minced

2 T fresh parsley, chopped

32 OZ tomato sauce

1 6 OZ can tomato paste

1 C heavy whipping cream

1/2 t salt

1/4 t black pepper

3 pinches red pepper flakes

1/2 C vodka

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. saute garlic onion and parsley until onion becomes translucent. Add tomato sauce tomato paste and heavy whipping cream. stir well. Add salt black pepper red pepper flakes and finally the vodka. Continue to stir and let simmer for 2 to 3 min. or until the smell of alcohol is not as strong. 

I made the vodka sauce exactly to the recipe the first time and found it to be a little heavy for my taste. The second time that I made it instead of 32 OZ of tomato sauce I used 1 14.5 OZ can of tomato sauce, 1 14.5 OZ can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, and 3 fresh roma tomatoes along with the 6 OZ can of tomato paste. It was I thought much better and lighter than with just all tomato sauce. These recipes are easy to make and they don't take all that long either!

Bon Appetite! 

~Rachel

Sunday Currently vol. {9}

Oh where to begin what a work week and what an incredible weekend it was last weekend! Those of you who follow me via Instagram know! More to come later:)

Missing my sweet Niece!

CURRENTLY

Reading: Not a whole lot lately in terms of books. Still working on Screwtape letters. I was mostly studying for my Tae Kwon Do test that I took yesterday! Getting closer to that black belt:)

Writing: This post and needing to be writing more posts! I've been a slacker. Busy though, I have had good reason:)

Listening: To my Christian radio station on Pandora! I love it because it doesn't get annoying and it's calming! 

Thinking: About the amazing weekend I had last weekend! There is nothing like good friends and celebrations! Can't wait to do my post on it:)

Smelling: Honest to God my stinky feet. ha ha I'm going to wash them as soon as I'm done with this post. You see I have this pair of shoes that are at least six years old, and I like to wear them without socks. The problem is, they make my feet smell. I still love them though:)

Hoping: Really really hoping for some real spring weather! Seriously MN you suck at spring this year! I feel like we have had more snow this April than we did all winter!

Wearing: Leggings, so comfy, sear sucker yellow gingham shirt and a sweater. I cannot wait to ditch the sweaters!!!

Loving: Looking at the fun pictures from last weekend and reminiscing!:) It was an amazing time =)

Wanting: Hunter boots! I've been wanting them for a couple years and I am thinking it's time to finally just buy them! I could have used them this last couple weeks with all the SNOW!

Needing: SPRING! I can't take many more gray days and treadmill runs! I need to get outside! And that sun well it makes me so happy when it's shining!

Feeling: Calm and content with life. Looking forward to the fun plans that are just around the corner!

Clicking: On everyone's Sunday Currently posts!

Linked up with Lauren!

Happy Sunday all!

~Rachel

Life Lately

I spent a wonderful day with some of the cutest kids ever!

Building forts and playing pirates!

 Ate some delicious food at my parents! My Mom made the Vodka sauce over chicken, and the Mushroom pasta! Delicious!

 This dessert was so light and creamy! Creme Caramel!

I went back to the "Mother Ship" Mayo in Rochester that is. For a day of work last week! Man I really miss Rochester! It was a great day!

 Mayo Gonda and Plummer Building

 My first Summer Shandy of the season while playing none other than Dominion!

I headed back to the Coffee Hag on my day off so I could try one of their homemade scones. The last time I went it was Lent and I had given up sweets. It was so yummy I want another one!

 I have been enjoying the few nice days we've had with long walks and runs!

I am so happy spring is here! Even though we are having a couple cold days this week! I can feel spring in the air! (This was true when I wrote this post but now it is currently snowing and blowing like January!! What is this?? Gotta love Minnesota!)

 

Linked up with Heather at Bumble Bee!

 ~ Rachel

Sunday Currently vol. {8}

Oh what a wonderful weekend it is! Sunshine, so many giggling nieces and nephews! Walks outside! LOVE my family=)

Reading: C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters. It is a very thought provoking read!

Writing: Not a whole lot lately, mostly text messages ha ha! Exciting ones though=)

Listening: To my gut and not letting what I want right now get in the way of what I know is right. Patience!

Thinking: About the fun summer that is coming up! Come on warm weather, and tulips!

Smelling: Spring and the fresh air after the rain! And absolutely loving the smell of lilies when I walked into church!

Hoping: For warm weather so I can do my running outside this week!

Wearing: Yoga pants a vintage T and a sweater. J Crew as usual!

Loving: My nieces and nephews, and building forts with them! They are so darn cute and fun! Also loving this warmer weather and that I was able to get out for a nice long walk today! 

Wanting: Something exciting to happen.....!!!!;)

Cooking: Not really cooking per say but making myself green drinks! I'm not sure that I really like them, mostly because I don't like to drink my food ha ha! They are so good for me though so I'll keep doing it!

Needing: To do some serious yoga! My muscles are feeling like they nee to be stretched, and I could use some good core strengthening!

Feeling: So blessed with such a wonderful family and such great friends=)

Clicking: Mostly Instagram this weekend;) I went a little crazy! @ranelson1

Linked up with Lauren @ siddathornton!

Have a blessed Sunday!

Grateful Friday, Easter edition!

I am ever so grateful for the wonderful Easter with my family!
He has Risen Alleluia!

The greatest Feast Day of the year! And I would say it was the greatest day of the year so far!

 So thankful for the delicious feast, my Mother is an amazing cook!

For chocolate cake!

 For this beautiful baby girl, and my other brand new niece who was just born!

 For my beautiful sister! That smile means the world to me, and it makes me so incredibly happy to hear her laugh!

 So incredibly thankful for my whole family!

We are never goofy!

He looks like a mountain man!

For the challenges that God keeps throwing at me!
For every morning, it's a brand new start to the day, another chance to live life more fully than the last.
The sunshine! I am loving it so much.
SPRING!
Running outside!
Legs that can run!
A mind that can think!
My piano=)
Long phone chats with friends!
Phone call from my niece who had funny jokes!
Random text from cousins that make me laugh=)

Have a wonderful weekend!
~Rachel

{Reflections} Patience

"What hard lessons have I learned when I've tried to make things happen on my own? What is my experience of true rest?" Scott Hahn

This reflection that I read a few weeks ago really hit me! Because it is so me! In my driven personality I feel as though my life is going nowhere if I am not achieving and working towards something. I want to force things to happen in MY time. I have learned many hard lessons when I try to make things happen on my own. When I finally slow down and look at what it is I want to do, I realize that I am usually focused on the wrong thing. The end result and that's it. Yes you have to know what you want the end result to be. But, I have found that to be where very little of your focus should be. The focus is on the process of getting to your goal. The day to day challenges, how can I do them better? Let go of the perfect end result, mess up and try again. Let go of perfection and perfection will happen. When I finally refocus and give it completely to God I feel so much more at rest. It's kind of like a HELLO moment "You didn't have control over it anyway, God did, so stop trying so hard!" No matter how hard I tried to make it happen, God had it the whole time! I have had to relearn this over and over again to let go and let God, His timing is perfect!

~Rachel 

Cara Box

Well I just participated in my first ever Cara Box a wonderful gift exchange through wifessionals with Kaitlyn! 

I received this wonderful package from Rebecca at Just Another Day in the Life!

Ribbon for a DIY with the headbands! That I love because now that I have long hair I have actually been needing more headbands:)
Some great decorative scissors! I literally just bought some colored paper and blank cards so I can start making cards! So these I am sure are going to come in very handy for my card making!
Easter candy! Seriously how did you know I gave up sweets for Lent and would be wanting sweets this Easter week?=) I ate the Reese's right away ha ha!
Some doggy treats for my sweet pups=) She is going to be spoiled I almost never give her treats!!

Thank you so much Becca, I LOVE everything, and so will my dog! You should go and check out this sweet girls blog! Her posts make me laugh and some of her stories with her family remind me of my own family!

I got to send a package to Nickohl over at Aprons and Anchors. She posts some yummy recipes and being a Navy wife!

   See what was inside here!

If you want to get to know some other bloggers better and love snail mail and packages, you should definitely check out the Cara Box with wiefessionals! I had so much fun getting to know these two lovely ladies!

Rachel