If you have read my blog long or know me in “real life,” I’m sure that you’ve picked up on the fact that I love Aldi!

I love their cereal, but probably our favorite product of all is:

The Sweet Onion fresh salsa. Oh, man. This stuff is GOOD!!! [I lived in San Antonio, Texas for quite a few of my "formative years," so I appreciate a good salsa!] I’ve heard the other flavors of fresh salsa they have are really good, too, but we just can’t branch out – we love this stuff too much. (And by the way, it’s only $2.00!)

I could live on it. And, I figure it’s ok – it’s all vegetables, after all! :)

You can even eat it for breakfast if you make breakfast tacos! I posted something on facebook a couple of weeks ago that I made bacon and egg breakfast tacos, and some of my Yankee friends had never heard of this delectable Texas staple. Here’s how I make them (although I’m sure this is not “authentic”… but since there are more Amish bulk stores than Mexican groceries where we live, cut me some slack.)

1. Cook 1-2 strips of bacon per taco.

2. Meanwhile, make some scrambled eggs. 1.5-2 eggs per taco is quite sufficient. When the eggs are set but not completely dry and cooked, add in a handful of shredded cheddar. Scrape the eggs and cheese to one side of the skillet, and put a few spoonfuls of salsa on the other side to warm through (try to squeeze out as much of the liquid from the salsa as you can so the eggs don’t get too watery.) Stir the warmed salsa into the eggs.

3. Spoon the egg/ cheese/ salsa mixture into warm tortillas. Top with whole strip(s) of bacon and additional salsa if desired. (I do, thank you. More is better!)

Ole!

Ya’ll should turn on some loud Tejano music and dance yourself over to thediaperdiaries.net for more Things I Love Thursday posts. ;)

It’s been a while since I took you for a walk in our garden! For Things I Love Thursday, I thought I’d show you a few of this year’s favorite plants.

This is the first year that we have planted caladium, although we have often admired them in the past. We planted the bulbs in May and by mid-to-late June had concluded that none of them made it… and then they started popping up their lovely heads! Since our yard is almost all shade, it’s hard to find many plants that provide much color, but these caladium work wonderfully!

My love for them my wane when we have to dig them up this fall, but perhaps pictures of them will motivate me to keep them alive for next year. We bought a little pot of these and replanted them – I was afraid they wouldn’t make it, but they have filled in beautifully!

Another flowering option for our shade that has worked quite well are begonias.

We received a couple of begonia plants in flower baskets after my mother-in-law passed away – my husband really loves begonias already, so he is especially attached to these.

By the way… anyone know if we can somehow keep these guys alive over winter? We tried with a different begonia last year but it didn’t make it. I know NP would love to keep these going.

Do you have any favorite shade plants you recommend we try out next year?

For more “Things I Love Thursday” fun, head over to thediaperdiaries!

Know what I’m loving this week? This is a bit of a departure from my typical “things I love” posts… we’re not talking about a housework gadget or coffee or birthday cake… this is one of the things I love most of all.

I love it when God speaks.

I’m not talking an auditory voice (although, I’m positive He does that, too!) – I love it when God clearly shows me something in His Word.

If you haven’t noticed from the random bunny trails I take within the “studies” on here, I tend to have quite a few topics and study-focuses (foci?) spinning in my head at once. I have been spending a lot of time in the Proverbs this summer and specifically reflecting on how the Proverbs speak to parenting. I hope to come back to this down the road, but buckle up… we’re taking a detour.

Back when we were going through the Psalms, I had a lightbulb moment (or at least a partial lightbulb moment) when I did a word study on “blessed” in the Psalms. After compiling the verses in the Psalms about those who were blessed, it was ringing a bell – Jesus’ definition of those who were “blessed” in the ‘beattitudes’ lined up amazingly well with how the Psalms described the “blessed.” It gave me a deep hunger to study more closely the words of Jesus.

I had the privilege of walking a dear friend through the book of John after she came to know the Lord in high school. As we discussed how the Old Testament and New Testament tie together, I loved that she exclaimed, “Jesus is like the decoder ring to the Old Testament!!” This is such a great analogy! I think it also works a bit in the reverse – the teachings of Jesus make much more sense to us with the background of the Old Testament in our minds!

I think we often miss out on the vivid pictures He paints and the Truths that He teaches because we are unfamiliar with the Old Testament that He draws from so frequently – His listeners would have known the law well, if not had it memorized, so it makes sense that He would allude to it frequently. And sadly, it usually flies right over our head.

So, we read those words of life, shrug our shoulders when they don’t make sense to us, and take a blind stab at what it means based on how we feel about it. I’m speaking about myself here, too – that’s why I have felt burdened to start studying the words of Jesus, keeping them in context with the entire scope of Scripture, longing to hear more of what He is telling us as His followers.

As we continue through this bunny trail, I will tell you more of the spinning ‘foci’ in my mind that are lining up as I study Jesus’ teachings. I’m sorry if it bugs any of you that I keep switching subjects, but I’m loving that God is redirecting. His Word is so rich – sweeter than honey from the comb – and it is a delight to study it with you. I hope and pray you hang on for the ride, that God would bless you as you consider His Truths, and that the Holy Spirit would use them to change and transform you into the image of Jesus Christ.

Open our eyes to your Truth, Lord – how we need your decoder ring!

It’s my birthday! It seemed to be an appropriate post topic for Things I Love Thursday. :)

My day started out with a surprise waiting for me on the kitchen island when I came downstairs…

A thoughtful and appreciated surprise from my sweet husband who had to wake up, shower, and get ready for work before I pulled my lazy bones out of bed… and he even did it extra early to make a coffee run. He’s a keeper. [Is it tacky to suggest this becomes a birthday tradition?!?]

I was greeted with a very enthusiastic, “Happy Birthday, Mom!” from AG, who then asked for help finding some paper to make me my card.

An impressionistic caterpillar on a leaf?

I treated myself to a nice long shower (not quite as relaxing when you’re constantly listening for a screaming child… or a too-quiet child…) and decided to wear my new jeans I found on clearance at JCPenny’s this weekend (using my Christmas gift card!) just because. Then I watched some Bonnie Hunt for kicks.

And now I am sitting here reading lovely facebook birthday wishes (birthdays are a great reason to be on facebook) with a milk mustache and icing on my teeth. Mommies do not have to wait for candles and singing before cutting into their cakes – I think that’s in a constitutional amendment somewhere.

Happy birthday to me!

[Forgot to get me a gift, eh? :) You know I do love comments... and if you wanted to become a follower or subscribe by email, that would be stellar.

Or you could just bring me some more coffee.]