Best. Weekend. Ever.

And here is a list of why this weekend was amazing.

1. It was my first full weekend off in over a month. Okay, it's already turning out to be a winner.

2. Going to the Saturday Market in downtown Greenville with my sweet husband and sweet friend Dorothy. People, you are missing out if you have not yet been. Fresh bell peppers. Zucchini. Squash. Tomatos. Rresh pasta. Basil. Peaches. Blueberries. This is just a short list of all the delicious and fresh foods you can get down there. Oh, and did I mention the fresh chevre cheese? I'd recommend the garlic and dill. Oh sweetness.

3. Haircut! It had been almost 8 months since my last haircut. There is fewer better feelings than getting a new hairdo. She straightened it, as always happens when I get it cut. I think hairstylists are scared of curly hair or something. But it looks awesome now! We'll just have to see how it looks curly, because it is short my friends.

4. Becoming members at Costco! Okay, we didn't even buy anything, but it was so fun to walk around and explor. All the cheese and wine. Heaven.

5. Inception. Amazing movie. Interesting ending. Go see it.

6. Church service at Downtown Presbyterian. The sermon this morning was about loving and praying for the church despite it being filled with sinners. Beautiful and convicting.

7. Delicious lunch with friends. Pork tenderloin. Tomato caprese salad. Wine. Lemonade. Swedish visiting cake for dessert. Sweet friends and good conversaton. Sunday afternoons don't get much better.

8. Nap! I am a terrible napper. There is always just so much I want to do, it's hard to make myself relax enough to sleep in the middle of the day. It usually makes me feel like I'm missing out on life. But today, it happened. And it was good.

9. And lastly, Barley's pizza and beer with friends. We go almost every Sunday. I love ending the weekend/starting a new week by relaxing with friends over good food and drink (yes, this is a recurring theme in my life) and conversation.

I am so blessed and thankful to have a weekend to rest and spend time with my husband and friends!

I have to share a recipe with you.

It's delicious. Fresh. Simple.

It comes from one of my new favorite magazines, Cooking Light. These magazines are filled with a wonderful variety of meals that are healthy and made largely from fresh fruits and vegetables. I'm addicted to them.

Tonight, Adam and I made this wonderful dish, chicken and guacamole tostadas. But without the guacamole. Okay, I made an attempt at the guacamole. I am just now beginning to like guacamole, and I have to admit that I had never even bought an avacado until tonight. Let's just say that my attempt at the gucamole was unsuccessful. Perhaps it started with my not knowing how to pick a ripe avacado. Next time.

Nonetheless, this meal was still delicious. We got a roasted chicken from Publix, pulled it into shreds, and then seasoned it with paprika and lime juice. For the topping I just chopped some tomato, onion, a poblano pepper, cilantro (my own home grown cilantro!), lime juice and a touch of sea salt. Top it all onto a tortilla and you have a meal. It can't get much simpler than that. I'm sure it would be so much better with the guac. Next time. This is a picture of the recipe from the Cooking Light website.

And now I have leftovers for work tomorrow rather than more of the same old gross hospital cafeteria food.

Come over to our house sometime and share a meal!

And hopefully I can get my act together and blog on a more regular basis.

I could use some discipline.

"It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline,in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." ~Hebrews 12:7-14

Amen.

My name is Lisa. And I like being on vacation.

And all that comes with it.

1. I got a public library card. I haven't had one since I lived in Charleston. Which was over 4 years ago. It was so exciting to be in the library and choose books to read while on vacation. During the last few years, reading consisted primarily of medical textbooks, and now, pediatric journals. But to read a fictional book again. Oh man is it good. I checked out 6 books. How many can you check out at a time? Oh, how about 50. That's what the librarian told me when I asked. No wonder I couldn't find some of the books I was looking for. Someone is harboring 50 of their own. One down, 5 to go.

2. I went running for the first time yesterday in about 6 months. I can't say that I actually "liked" going for a run, but it was nice to have time to actually go. And it was refreshing to feel the cool, crisp air in the early morning. I miss running, and would love to get back to where I was when I had stopped.

3. Baking. It is not much of a secret that I love to cook. And since I have all this time off, I've had more opportunities to bake. Yesterday was zucchini bread, and it was delicious. Today, I tried a new recipe for chocolate chip cookies. I know, I know. I have sworn by my cake-mix chocolate chip cookie recipes for years. They are delicious, easy, and most people want to eat the whole batch. But, I wanted to try my hand again at home-made, get your hands dirty, flour-mixing, egg cracking cookies. My house has the sweet smell of cookies now. And the taste? Chocolately. Gooey. Moist. Delicious. I think I'm still partial to my old recipe though. We'll see what Adam thinks. Tonight for dinner, we're making roasted vegetable soup. Yumm. Maybe I'll take a picture of it.

There are other things I am loving about being on vacation. But we'll keep it here for now.

Smells of Summer

I love to cook. Being in the kitchen, filling the house with delicious smells, and producing healthy and appetizing food is relaxing to me. Often, when Adam is at work and I'm looking to occupy my time, I go to the kitchen. One of my new favorite cookbooks comes from Cooking Light. It is filled with tons of recipes that are quick, light, healthy, and fresh. And many of them do not require a 20+ item list of ingredients. Fish is not my favorite. But I do like salmon and it is one of the healthiest meats you can eat. This salad is AMAZING. Go try it. It is super easy to make and is perfect for the warm spring weather. Yummmmmm.

Summertime is calling me.

I love being married. I do not love being stuck inside all evening answering phone calls when it is beautiful outside (and 91 degrees according to my car). I want to be outside playing and enjoying creation. I long to do this at the lake where my parents live. I want to go for a ride on the jet ski, feel the sun on my skin, and feel the wind around me. I want to lay on the peaceful dock, listening to good music anddrinking good beer, in the company of my sweet family and husband. I want to watch other boaters, wakeboarders and jet skiers go by, wishing I could do the jumps and tricks too. And I want to get back on the wakeboard and try those jumps. I'm ready for summer.

He Is Risen!

It has been a long time since I have written. Almost a year. And so much has changed. For one, I'm married now. Whoa. But I can write about that another time. It is Easter day, spring is here, and I've had the weekend off. I was so thankful to be off today. Especially since it's Easter. It is so sweet to worship with friends, and to celebrate Christ's resurrection. It is also good to hear that I am not the only who does not always get especially get "excited about Easter." In today's sermon, our pastor said so many believers respond to the resurrection asking, "So what?" I know that is very true in my life, and so often I am overwhelmed by not knowing how to change that response. Which of course, I can't change it without God's help and grace.

And no, these tulips are not in my house. But I want some.