Chicken Fettuccine with Pesto Cream Sauce

Grand Island can be quite boring and I find that when I'm not working, I don't have much to do. One of my resolutions is to spend more time cooking/baking. I'm fascinated by the art of food I just lack confidence once I set foot in the kitchen. But since Truman and I plan on getting married in the near future, I figure I should start practicing so we aren't living off of ramen noodles and frozen pizza.

Truman headed to Colorado yesterday with his friends to do some camping so I had the perfect opportunity to get some practicing in. I spent hours on the Martha Stewart website and decided to make chicken fettuccine with pesto cream sauce.

The meal turned out well. I plan on making many more this summer with my free time in hopes that one day I'll feel like I belong in the kitchen. I might even start growing my own herbs!

I'll add the link in case you'd like to try for yourselves!

J.

http://www.marthastewart.com:80/recipe/chicken-fettuccine-with-pesto-cream-sauce

Au Revoir, Facebook.

I went to Lincoln the other day and Tru came with to keep me company (and go to Scheels, of course). We were headed back to GI and had been silent for a few minutes. Out of the blue he says "I'm going to delete my facebook, you should do it with me." It didn't even take me a second before I laughed, shook my head, and said no way. But I sat there for a few miles thinking about why it seemed so crazy to delete my account...once I was finally honest with myself, I realized that it was because I was addicted.

Facebook can be used for great things like keeping in touch with friends. I, on the other hand, am guilty of misusing facebook. I find myself spending time looking at people's profiles and pictres (some whom I don't even really know) and coming to the conclusion that their life looks better than mine. Comparison. Jealousy. Those words taste like vinegar on my tongue. But it's truth- I get jealous. I find it ironic that while I'm spending time watching other people live their lives, I'm missing out on living mine.

If I would quit worrying about what someone else has, I would find so much more contentment in my own life.

Therefore, I deleted my facebook.

I'll have to re-open my account once school starts for the sake of UPC, but I think this will be a good summer cleanse. You know you have a problem when you get online to check your email, and your fingers automatically type in "www.facebook.com" without even knowing it.

Oh, technology....

J.

P.S. Currently purchasing the new Band of Horses album!!

Humility

Truman and I have been listening to sermons given by Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church. The podcasts are free to download on itunes and I seriously recommend that you check them out. Driscoll has such a gift for teaching the bible. He's, at times, brutally honest about the selfishness of humanity, but he speaks truth (obviously because the bible IS truth).

As Truman and I get closer to starting a life together, I feel it is most important that I continue to grow in Christ as a godly woman. The desire to be a godly human being has never been so strong. One thing I took away from the last sermon I listened to was that to be godly is to be self-less. And in this world, that is not an easy thing--it's all about OUR wants, OUR needs, OUR careers, OUR appearance, OUR happiness. I am most definitely convicted of this way of thinking.

Philippians 2: 1-4 says this:

"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

That's some powerful stuff, eh?

A Little Music Update

Working a ton at the coffee shop this week. It's tiring, but the atmosphere never gets old. The fact that I get to listen to my own music all day probably helps, as well.

Speaking of music...

Been listening a lot to Mumford & Sons, Nathaniel Rateliff, and Hem. I recently bought Nathaniel's album and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Glen Hansard (or the Swell Season). Very similar sound.

I went through my iTunes and got rid of a bunch of icky stuff I have kept over the years. This means I need to fill my library with more quality sounds. Though my list is long, my next few purchases will consist of....

1. Band of Horses (I can't even begin to explain how excited I am for this one)

2. Rooney

3. Megafaun

4. William Fitzsimmons

5. The Dead Weather

6. Rogue Wave

My three favorite songs as of late:

(1) You Should've Seen the Other Guy- Nathaniel Rateliff

(2) Horsey- Hem

(3) Little Lion Man- Mumford & Songs (if your foot isn't tapping by the end of the song, there is something wrong with you).

Look em' up and enjoy!

j.

"Like Riding a Bike"

Sunday was my first day back at the coffee shop and it felt so good. I was a bit rusty and not as fast as I used to be, but Jewel assured me that "it's like riding a bike" and I'll be back to my old ways in no time.

Speaking of bikes...

I started riding my bike to work. Like I said earlier, I'm going to do it as much as possible. Grand Island is a small enough town that I can get to just about anywhere on my bike (if I plan my time wisely, of course).

Riding my bike around GI all summer sounded so glamorous a few weeks ago. It's a lot harder than I anticipated. The Nebraska wind isn't very forgiving and I forgot how out of shape I am. What am I saying? My legs have ALWAYS been wimpy.

By doing this, I am killing two birds with one stone: (1) "Going Green" and (2) working out (trust me, I'm panting by the time I get to work).

I feel silly when I say I have gone green. I haven't, really. I do little things here and there. I don't do anything radical, but I feel that it doesn't hurt to make simple changes that are beneficial to the environment. Plus, I'm saving money on gas!

Cheers, J.