Valentine's Weekend!

Jason and I had a GREAT Valentine's Day this year! You must be thinking it involved roses and mushy love letters...but nay, this year it was about basketball and friends! Jason and I took our good friends, Tim and Jaya, to good ol' Waco to go to a Baylor Basketball game. The only weekend that worked out for all of us was Valentine's, and it was so fun!! Baylor played A&M...and we won! Good thing we went to this game because the other games before and after this one have been a big disappointment. What happened this season?? Thats a whole different story....But, the weekend with Tim and Jaya went like this. We ate big, juicy burgers at Kitoks, walked on Baylor campus, went to Dr. Pepper museum and devoured floats & shakes, then went to common grounds for more tasty treats, and then off to the basketball game! It was fun to be able to spend time with the Birdwell's because they are moving to Austin in May to plant a church, so our time with them is limited! We will miss them very much, but are excited for God's plans for them...which includes the arrival of a little baby girl in May, also! wahoo!! ok, here are some pics from the weekend!!


Tim and Jason at the Dr. Pepper Museum!


The Birdwell's...being Birdwells!


Jason and I


Cute!


I thought Tim would want me to post this one...This is Tim and Jaya with Antwone Wright, who plays for the mavs! He was at the game because he played for A&M!

Anyways, thanks to the Birdwell's for coming to the game with us! Hopefully we can do it again some day!!

Alex's Top 5 Ideal Travel Spots in the World

I love to dream about places in the world that I have never been to and may never have the chance to see in my lifetime. If I was a trust fund baby...then I would definitely use some of that money to travel the world. And ever since Jas and I got married, I love to think about how much fun we would have experiencing different people, sights, foods, languages...etc. So I have compiled a list of the top 5 places I want to go in my life. Who knows if we will actually set foot in any of these places...so in the mean time I will dream.

-- Africa...anywhere in this continent, just get me to Africa in my lifetime.


-- Jerusalem...I really want to make this one happen.


-- The Patagonia in South America...hello hiking and beauty.


-- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil...the exoticness is calling me.


-- Turkey...its my favorite food. no, but seriously, I want to go here. i've been so close, but didn't quite make it over the Aegean Sea.


What are your top 5???

Moroccan Meal for Two

I saw this recipe in Women's Health a while back and it intrigued me because it was Moroccan. Jason went to Morocco a few years back and it was one of his favorite mission trips and he brings it up all the time...so I wanted to make a Moroccan meal. Anyways, it turned out pretty good. So here it is

Moroccan Stewed Chicken
1 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
1 large zucchini, cut into cubes
1 can (16 oz) garbanzo beans
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomotoes (i used organic)
1/2 tbs. olive oil
1 c. chicken stock or water (i used chicken stock)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp gorund cinnamon
chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

- Place oil in large saute pan or wide pot over medium heat.
- Season chicken with salt and black pepper and cook in pan until browned, 2 to 3 mins. per side. Add zucchini and continue cooking, stirring often.
- When zucchini pieces have browned lightly, add garbanzo beans(drained), tomatoes chicken stock, cayenne, cumin, and cinnamon. Turn heat to low and simmer until chicken is tender and cooked through, 10 to 15 mins. Seasons to taste with more salt and pepper; garnish with chopped cilantro.

**Now I have a grocery budget, and I don't like buying spices that I probably use for only one meal, so I nixed the cayenne pepper, cilantro, cinnamon, and cumin...which might have made this meal less moroccan. haha i dont know. i added garlic when i was cooking the chicken and that was my added flavor. Overall, it was pretty good, but i think it would be good with the cayenne pepper and cumin. I also made couscous...the boxed Far East brand...which was easy to make and was tasty.

Mars Hill

I was reading in Acts 17 yesterday and I was reminded of my time in Greece back in 2006. I had the privelege to live in the Netherlands for a few months and study abroad. We traveled through out Europe, and Athens, Greece was one of our stops. Visiting the Acropolis was such a memorable time for me. Especially standing on top of Mars Hill, which is where Paul preached to the Athenians in Acts 17. This is where Paul said these words to the philosophers and idol worshipers who had an altar dedicated to "the unknown god"... "The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything."
This scripture is a good reminder to me and I was encouraged by it yesterday. I hope it speaks to you too. Here are some pics from Greece...


Mars Hill...the big rock that all the people are standing on.



Me standing on Mars Hill...not the most attractive picture, but im ok with that.