Lasagna Rolls

I really like this fun take on lasagna. It is easy to serve, great for kids to help with and wonderful for a potluck because it's individually set up :)

Lasagna Rolls:

You will need:

*a package of lasagna noodles

*1 cup of frozen spinach

*1 brick of neufchatel cheese (like cream cheese, only lower in fat)

*1 large jar of pasta sauce (I used A Spinach marinara from barilla) or equal amount of homemade sauce

*1 lb Ground Turkey

*Non-stck spray

*3/4 cup shredded or shaved Parmesan cheese

*1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

*Garlic powder

*Italian seasoning mix


1. Brown ground turkey and start the noodles boiling. Par-cook the noodles. You do not want them too mushy, but they need to be cooked enough to be pliable. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. After the turkey is browned, add it to a bowl and add the nuefchatel cheese, frozen spinach, half the Parmesan, a sprinkling of garlic powder and a sprinkling of Italian seasoning. Mash it until it makes a paste.

3. Take a noodle and lay it out on a plate. Put a tablespoon of paste inside and roll it up. Place in coated baking dish. I used a large glass cake pan. (13 x 9). Repeat until the pan is full and add your jarred pasta sauce on top.

4. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese and the rest of the Parmesan on top. Cover with tin foil. Put in oven for 15-20 minuets,checking. It is done when the cheese is melted and the sauce is boiling and heated through. Take off foil and turn on broiler to brown cheese. This should only take 5 minuets or so. Keep an eye on it.

5. Let cool for 5-10 minuets and serve!

Here is my Daughter, Jaeda, 9, helping out in the kitchen :)

Don't forget to vote for me!

I am a part of Top Mommy Blogs :) My numbers are going up, but I need YOUR help to get to #1

Please, if you like my blog, click on the banner on the top of my page or at the bottom of this post and vote for me! I really appreciate any votes! You can even vote once a day. All you need to do is click on the banner!

Thanks again to my loyal readers!

March Into Spring Blog Hop Giveaway!

Welcome to the

March Into April Giveaway Hop

hosted by Planet Weidknecht and

Going Crazy!! Wanna Go??!!

All the bloggers participating in this hop are giving away prizes

worth at least $20 on their blogs. After you enter my giveaway,

be sure to hop around to all the blogs on the list below

to enter more awesome giveaways!

I will be giving away a package to get your feet ready for flip flop weather! It will include an Easy Feet exfoliator/scrubber, 2 Pure Ice Nail polishes and a Nail File

Drop it like it's Hot blog hop!

Welcome to Drop It Like It's Hot Hop! This hop is hosted by Charisma Media Network

<a href="http://www.charismamedianetwork.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t406/StressedRach/dilih.png" border="0" alt="Drop It Like It's HOT Hop"></a>

One Day without Shoes

I had heard about this event a while back called "One Day Without Shoes". I read about it on Essie's (nail polish) website and entered to win a bottle of their exclusive polish in the shade of "Barefoot in Blue". Turns out I won and got my polish today.

I am excited to share with my readers what Tom's shoes is doing for this event. They, along with Essie, are raising awareness by going without shoes for ONE day, "so kids don't have to".



So many kids go without shoes in other countries because they can't afford any. This is A HUGE problem for these kids. It keeps them from being able to attend school (because shoes are required to attend school), leaves them open to getting infections and injuries and open to getting parasitic infections like hookworm. Imagine having to deal with no shoes. I feel so blessed that I have never known what that feels like.

Tom's is encouraging you to donate to charities that help kids get shoes and raise awareness. I am also encouraging you to participate on April 10th, 2012 and go without shoes for the day and raise awareness. If anyone asks you why you are not wearing shoes, tell them why.

I know I will be wearing my polish on my bare feet April 10th.

You can find more info on the Day Without Shoes movement here:

http://www.onedaywithoutshoes.com/learn-more

Tom's and Essie's websites also have more info:

Tom's: http://www.toms.com/onedaywithoutshoes

Essie: http://www.essie.com/

For more info on where to donate to a charity that helps kids have access to shoes see Tom's blog

http://www.toms.com/blog/giving

Jesus is always there

I saw this video several months ago on youtube. I went back to find it tonight because I needed to see it again.

As I said in a recent post, I suffer from depression. I often feel so alone when this depression comes into my life. This skit serves as a reminder to me that I am not alone. That Jesus' heart breaks when I am depressed and don't reach out to him. He never leaves me.




I know this is a small blog post, but just felt the need to share this. God Bless!

FREE blogger event! April 4th-11th!

This is a great opportunity for Bloggers! Sign up and get in on this great opportunity! It is FREE to enter!

Sign up HERE!

Join me for this FREE blogging event!

The prize is provided by "The Ultimate Baby Shower."

Yay! The tulips are coming up!

I made a post a couple weeks ago about being excited to start my gardening. I have noticed the last couple days, the tulips are coming back! I am getting very excited to get to it now! The best thing about tulips is they come back every year. They are almost my personal indicator of warmer and milder weather ahead. :)

We have had a couple of beautiful days here in Western Montana. One day even got up to almost 70! Most of the country has had these kind of days, but here this is wonderful to finally see it! Montana winters are very long and often very harsh. We say there are three seasons here; Winter, Summer and Construction.

In Montana, the month of March really does "come in like a lion and go out like a lamb" most of the time, but this IS Montana and weather here can be pretty unpredictable. We have a saying here-

"Don't like the weather here? wait five minuets!"
That is so true! Today, it was pouring rain, thundering and lightning, the whole bit and now, its semi-sunny and you would never have known it was so windy and rainy just a couple hours ago.

Here's a picture of my tulips that are coming up!

Now, as much as I am looking forward to spring warm weather, I am equally NOT looking forward to what comes after that- the summer heat! We don't have an air conditioner so the house can get pretty darn hot!

I hope you are having a lovely spring!

It's a Scentsy kind of day!

I had the opportunity to test this month's "Scent of the month". I love Scentsy warmers and wax. They make the whole house smell wonderful and are high quality and reasonable in price.

The scent of the month is "Sunlit Morning" My sponsor consultant is Michelle Johnson. Thanks Michelle, for the opportunity! Michelle is very friendly, easy to communicate with, very fast in responding and sent my order very quickly! I live out of state and got it in about a week, from consultation to arrival of products.

"Sunlit Morning" has a wonderful flowery/spring scent. I loved the "clean" scent it provided.

Scentsy has wonderful products. The wick-less candles are easy to use. Just buy a warmer and place your wax in the top dish. No flame, soot or smoke! The warmer uses an easy to find and buy low watt light bulb to heat your wax. When you are done, just turn the warmer off and the wax will solidify for next time. I have found that if I want to change scents, it is easiest to let the wax come to a liquid, drain it back into its package and wipe clean with a dry cloth or paper towel. No mess! The wax melts fast and has a great balance of strength. Not too overpowering, but enough that you can smell it throughout the house.

Scentsy also sells some other neat products. They sell Scentsy Buddies-unique stuffed animals with a great scent for your little ones and Scentsy now offers solid roll-on scents that last all day.


Michelle was gracious enough to offer my readers a chance to win the scent of the month, "Sunlit Morning"! Please show her some support and consider making a purchase from her website http://mjohnson.scentsy.us

Please click on "Read more" to see giveaway form! Giveaway is open to US addresses only!

What does God think of my mental illness?

Now that I have a following, I am a bit afraid to open myself up to this topic: Mental Illness. I feel I must today because it is laying on my heart heavily and I feel I need to be transparent to my readers so they can see my person-hood, my vulnerability.

I suffer from mental illness. I have bipolar disorder (schizo-affective disorder to be specific). I also suffer from daily panic attacks. I take prescribed medication. There, I said it. Hopefully my vulnerability didn't scare you off. I often struggle with wanting to please people and keep this hidden (a sin I am very well aware of-wanting to please man).

The question that always makes me wonder, though, is what does my Father in heaven think of my mental illness and what does his word say about it? Often, my illness leads me into sin. This is not to say that I am using it as an excuse, but more a reason and I try very hard to be self aware and correcting in my behavior. This not only helps me grow as a person, but as a Christian.

The Bible says, in 2 Timothy 1:7, "For I have not given you a spirit of fear, but of one of love and sound mind."

I often repeat this to myself on my tough days because I often do not view myself as having a sound mind. I wonder, sometimes, why does God say I have a "sound mind", when medically speaking, I do not? I have yet to answer that question or find the answer to that question, completely, but I know when I reach out to him, he gives me the sound mind I am looking for in the moment.

I wonder, and honestly sometimes even feel anger at God. Why does he choose not to heal me from it? I know God has a plan for me. I know he does; this is written deep in my soul. I just have to cling to the knowledge of this and know that HE IS and He knows what he is doing.

The good thing is, God knows my heart. He knows my struggles and He is always there to comfort me. His word says so.

Psalm 34:17-20

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.


I have been suffering from a bout of depression as of late. I have called out to God and the Son and I have felt their presence. I will continue to do so.

Silly Lips Giveaway!

Now that I have done the review on Silly Lips Lip Balm, I am doing a giveaway for the flavor of your choice! These lip balms are great and I have been using them for a couple days now and my lips are so smooth! Read my full review here: http://savedbygrace82.blogspot.com/2012/03/silly-lips-product-review.html

Some of the entries can be done once a day so remember to come back and re-do them for maximum entries!

Feel free to share this giveaway!

It is open to US residents only, 18+ to enter.

The three flavor choices are:

*Kinky Katie (Hint of Vanilla Mint)

*Tasty Tracy (Hint of Peach Coconut)

*Bangin' Beckah (Hint of Sugared Strawberry)

Silly Lips retail for $12.50 Each and each tin is 40 Oz.
They can be purchased at sillylips.com.

The Giveaway starts 3/25/2012 and ends at midnight on 4/14/2012

Good Luck!!

Broccoli Cheese Potato soup

My husband really loves my homemade soup, so I made him some tonight. Just doin' my usual-making it up as I go. That's the beauty of soup; you can do that! Soup is also great because you can use whatever you have and use up leftovers or odds and ends.

Wanted to share the recipe with my readers. Enjoy <3 Broccoli Cheese Potato Soup

You will need:

~7-8 medium sized potatoes

~48 oz Chicken or vegetable broth/stock

~2 bags broccoli or broccoli/Cauliflower mix (frozen)

~1/2 pint heavy whipping cream

~2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

~1 stick butter

~1/4 cup flour

~spices: white pepper, salt, Muchi curry, onion powder


1. Peel and wash potatoes.

2. Cube potatoes and start broth boiling. Add potatoes to broth/stock and partially cook on boiling.

3. When potatoes are boiling, make a roux. A roux is a thickener for soups and sauces made from flour and a fat, usually butter. To do so, melt butter on med heat, in a separate pan and slowly add the flour, whisking as you go until it is the consistency of wet sand.

4. Whisk the roux into the soup, slowly. Add a dash or salt, white pepper, muchi curry and onion powder to taste.

5. Add the broccoli ad stir, add the cheese and whisk.

6. Add the whipping cream slowly, while whisking in.

Top with Cheese and enjoy :)

Silly Lips Product Review

I am so excited to review this product as lip balm is a huge need if you are in Montana.

Silly lips is a product that is VERY fun. The tins are cute and appeal to a wide array of people. I really like pin-up girls so I was excited to see them featured on the box and the tin and each box and character has a story with them :)

A little about the company:

*Silly Lips was founded 6 years ago by Leila Larson in her kitchen. She formulated recipes to end up with the perfect combination

*The company features 3 different flavors/scents. Peach Coconut, Vanilla Mint and Sugared Strawberry, each with its own name and character story. The balms were named after Leila's 3 friends Tracy, Beckah and Katie.

* The lip balms add shine and moisture and can be worn under or with your favorite lipstick.

They retail for $12.50 each tin (40 OZ-these are large sizes!)

At Silly Brand, they are all about having fun and want everyone to have fun, too!

So onto the review:

Bangin' Beckah (Hint of Sugared Strawberry)

"Bangin' Beckah is always having Fun..her beauty and radiant energy always draws a crowd wherever she goes. Dancing is her middle name and music is her life. Get ready to rock the night away with bangin' beckah!"

40 Oz

$12.50 each


Kinky Katie (Hint of Vanilla Mint)

"Kinky Katie is the ultimate temptress...she's quirky, outspoken and plays by her own rules. Her stunning looks and captivating charm is an irrisitable combination. Be prepared to surprise yourself with Kinky Katie!"

40 Oz

$12.50 each


Tasty Tracy (Hint of Coconut Peach)

"Tasty Tracy is a true exotic beauty. Her love of the beach matches her funny disposition and free spirit. She may be laid back, but she is full of life. Make sure you are ready for some fun in the sun with Tasty Tracy!"

40 Oz

$12.50 each




I tried all three lip balms and the Tasty Tracy was my favorite. The flavor was the best and strongest, I prefer my flavors strong. I really liked how smooth the formula was when it went on. I also think the size of the tins is well worth the price. A great value!

I should also mention:

*All lip balms are made with natural ingredients
*No animal testing!
*Made in the USA
*Original formula created by the owner of the company, Leila.


You can purchase Silly Lips @ sillylips.com EXCLUSIVELY!
and as a reminder ,"...no sweeteners are added to our lip balms, so don't lick away the benefits!"

Please see my giveaway HERE as well, where you will have a chance to win a flavor of your choice! Thanks for reading!

Beauty and God's Kingdom

I often wonder where my liking of purses and my Love of God has a balance in my life. Does my being a "bag hag" take away from my closeness with God or is it innocent? Does it make me materialistic? I think the answers can always be found in prayer and in the Bible (of course!).

In Proverbs 31:30 it states, "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord should be praised

What does this mean exactly?

Since materialism is defined as the preoccupation of material things, rather than things or an intellectual or spiritual nature, I guess it would depend on how far I take my love of purses. Do I obtain my purses in morally wrong ways or skip out on opportunities God has for me to obtain them? In other words, would I spend my money I should be tithing on a purse? Why am I buying a purse? Is it to simply compliment attire I have or is it something deeper, like a "need" for material things?

What does my outward beauty portray to the world? Is it that I am a loving, kind, God fearing person or is it that I am about labels and that I may be unapproachable?

I think when deciding if our outward beauty is pleasing to God, we need to look at our motives behind it. Are we trying to please the world? Do I chase after beauty because I think it will fulfill me? No amount of beauty will ever fulfill a person, because God has designed us to not be fulfilled by anything but HIM. If I am chasing after purses and outward beauty as a way to find fulfillment, I will be sorely disappointed.

I need to keep in mind that my Father in heaven loves me for who I am, not the way I look or what newest fashions I have. I will never look more beautiful in his eyes no matter what I wear. It is almost always about motivation as to what is sinful and what is not. I have to look at my own heart. Am I do this because I am trying to be beautiful and gain the world's approval? (I see nothing wrong with wanting to "fit in" as long as that is not your number one concern in life on this earth)

As with anything you are questioning if it is sinful in nature, ask God and read his word.
Remember:

1 Peter 3:3-4 "...Your unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit is great in God's sight"

Thursday Bloggity blog hop!

I am doing my first blog hop! I am looking forward to checking out some new blogs!

I want to make this as easy as possible!

There is only 3 rules:

1. "like", follow my blog or follow me on twitter. You can see the links for that one the right hand side of blog>>>>>

2. At least check out one other blog on this hop and comment, "like" or follow them.

3. Have Fun!

Some other things: Please only family friendly blogs!

<a href="http://savedbygrace82.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="" src="http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/Christine_Tolhurst/blohopbutton.jpg"></a><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />

Media Kit and Disclaimers for my Loyal Readers!

A Brief Overview of Saved By Grace:

Saved By Grace is a blog that was started with the intention of connecting to others about the newest products, recipes, Christian Living articles, health, beauty and everyday living.

I LOVE to do reviews! More and more consumers are turning to blog reviews of products before making a purchase and to find out about the newest items available on the market! Want a piece of the action? Talk to me! I love to work with awesome companies, large or small and do partnerships!

Contact me at borntimestwo@hotmail.com

I Do Have a Review Policy:

In order to effectively do a review, I require a product be sent to me to review and use, and ideally a second product set aside for a giveaway for my readers. Your company would be given credit for sponsoring the giveaway, but I would handle all the details. I will set up the giveaway, pick a winner, contact the winner and upon discussion in SOME cases, ship the product out to the winner. Please be advised that I prefer that your company ships, though, it makes it easier on both of us

The review product will not be returned. Please note, I only accept full sized products. My readers expect me to fully test a product so I can give an honest and unbiased review and that is very important to me. While I will accept SOME samples,based on product type, most of the time, I require full size products. Please discuss before hand the size of the product you are sending as "sample" can mean different things to different folks.

Please forward me any information you would like included in the review. I would like to spotlight your product and company as accurately as possible, so any information you have about your company or product really helps me do so.

I give my 100% honest opinion.

Book Review Policy:

I review certain types of books. I do not, under any circumstance review novels or fiction. This is mainly because I do not read these types of books and do not enjoy them so I could not offer a fair review. I do however review the following types of books:

~Self help
~Medical/health related
~Christian living
~Parenting
~Home-Making related "help" books
~Cook Books

Most non-fiction I will consider.

I do have a 9 year old daugher here who DOES enjoy some types of YA fiction. Please pitch me and I will see if it is a good fit.

In order to review a book properly, I ask that you expect to wait 2-3 weeks for your review to be posted. This is because I review several books at a time and need to give my attention fairly to all of them.

Advertising Policy:

I also offer advertising in my sidebar for your business. Typically the cost is 10-20 dollars a month (depending on the size of the ad), with at least a 3 month commitment, paid in advance via paypal. You can send me a button or a small ad to use, or I can design one for you for an extra 10 dollars.

Sometimes advertisers want a larger ad and they want it more above the fold, for this, there are some extra fees. please message me for questions you have concerning this. Most of the time, I can accommodate your needs.

I also would be willing to do paid posts. Please write me for more info and to pitch your idea of a paid post to me.

Something new I would like to offer for advertisers is "Sponsored by" posts. In other words, for a period of time, all the posts I write would say "This post was brought to you by XYZ company" and a link would be added. This would be on every post for a period of time. I would love to discuss this advertising option with you if you are interested.

Some Stats About My Blog:

Facebook fans: 1,814 and growing daily

Personal Facebook friends: 450+

Twitter followers: 1,792+ and growing daily

Klout: 55

Alexa rating: 191/817  USA: 38,124

Google Page Rank: 2

Total followers/subscribers (in all avenues): over 5000 and growing

Page views per month: 4000+, with about 1/3 being returning visitors, and 2/3 being unique views

Newsletter and RSS subscribers: around 300

Above stats updated 6/24/2012

What others have said about working with me:

"....Chrissie’s professionalism has made the experience as flawless as possible. Thank you, Chrissie!"


~Tyra from Braquel's Bathroom


Saved By Grace was awarded a grassroots award given to up and coming blogs by other bloggers called the Liebster Award. I have worked with some larger, well known companies such as Newman's Own Organics, No Greater Joy Ministries, The Epsom Salt Council, and Suave.

Typical Readership of Saved By Grace blog is Women of various ages, ranging from 20's - Middle age. Some men also look at my site as well, but the majority is women.

Choosing to work with and/or advertise with Saved By Grace is a wonderful option and you can be rest assured that this blog is my primary focus. I not only write a post about your product, but I also make sure it gets promoted several times a day on twitter and Facebook as well as other social media platforms for a period of time. Also, your post will be a permanent fixture on my site as I do not delete posts made for this purpose, unless requested to.




A Bit About Me:

I am a 30-something mother of one 9 year old daughter. I am married and I live in Montana. I am a Christian and I try to stay active in my church. I started blogging because I have always had a passion for writing and connecting with other people. I was raised here in Montana.



Legal Stuff:



Saved By Grace blog and Christine Tolhurst receive compensation for giveaways and reviews of products for the purpose of reviewing product.I am also an affiliate for several companies through which I receive compensation for advertisements.

All opinions on products are my 100% my own.

This disclosure is in accordance with the FTC (Federal Trade commission of the United States) per 16 CFR, part 255 concerning the use of endorsements and testimonies in advertising.

Privacy Policy for Readers and Those Entering Giveaways on Saved By Grace:

Saved By Grace and it's owner/writer, Christine Tolhurst will NEVER sell or giveaway your info provided such as email addresses, phone numbers, mailing addresses, Facebook or Twitter account names or Names of it's winners to any entity unless needed to facilitate getting a prize you have won. If needed for a prize redemption, your information will only be provided to necessary parties for the purpose of prize redemption and you will be informed of this. After the info is given to the proper parties, your info is placed in a folder in my contacts, for verification purposes only. 


Info About Giveaways

No purchase necessary to win; only an email address is required. Your privacy is important to me, I will not share (other than with a sponsor for the purpose of getting a prize to you) or sell your email address or mailing address. Winner will be chosen randomly through Rafflecopter Random Selector (which uses Random.org) and contacted via email. A reply to the winning email is required within 48 hours before a new winner is chosen. The winner's entries will be verified. Saved By Grace Blog and it’s owner and writer, Christine Tolhurst is not responsible for any technical failures or for any sponsors inability to live up to his or her prize obligation. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery of prize, unless other wise noted. Unless otherwise specified, open to U.S only, ages 18+. Facebook, Twitter and Google+ are in no way associated with this giveaway. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Saved By Grace blog reserves the right to publish winner's first name and last initial. Saved By Grace blog also reserves the right to choose a different winner in the case that the randomly chosen winner refuses to co-operate with rules, reply to winning email in 48 hour time period or does not have verifiable entries. Contact information for sponsor(s), if applicable, can be found in the review text via website links. Giveaway is subject to the laws of the state of Montana. Taxes due, if any, on prize winnings, are the sole responsibility of the winner. Void where prohibited by law.

Saving Money-My personal tips!

I wanted to make a post about the things I personally do to save money. Feel free to add your tips to my comments section!

*First of all, I don't buy expensive cleaners (for the most part). I make my own. Vinegar and water makes a great all purpose deodorizer/cleaner. I also buy a jug of bleach and mix my own disinfectant with just some water.

*instead of paper towels for window cleaning, I use coffee filters. MUCH cheaper and no lint/streaks!

*I re-use plastic grocery bags for everything-Packed lunches, holding wet clothes in a gym bag after going swimming, draining grease into, cleaning the catbox, small trash liners...

*I make my own "febreeze". I mix about 1/6 cup fabric softener with a tablespoon baking soda and hot water. Works better than the brand name :)

*I make rags out of everything! My husband's old work shirts, old t-shirts, old towels, old sweats. I even have made a headcover out of one of my husband's old work shirts:

*I buy whole chickens, cut them up and use the carcass to make my own stock. Just put it in a pot, add celery, carrots and onions and seasonings (in some fine cheesecloth or a teas strainer and simmer for a few hours, strain. Or put in a crock-pot and simmer all day.

*I do not buy canned soups or sauces. You can make your own spaghetti sauce and soup way cheaper and make a larger quantity for way cheaper.

*I often buy veggies in season in bulk and freeze them. Some veggies that freeze well are green beans, broccoli, peas. Don't freeze high water veggies like lettuce.

*I buy craft odds and ends at the Goodwill.

*I garden in the summer.

*Buy an air popper. It is so much cheaper (and healthier!) to make popcorn in an air popper than those microwave bags. You can gets 10-12 bowls of popcorn out of a bag of kernels. A bag is only 2-3 dollars.

*If you have a Scentsy type wax warmer, save the wax from scented candles by pouring the wax out when it is burning into ice cube trays and allowing to harden, then use them in your warmer.



Share your frugal tips!

Stepping out for God

I often struggle to step out for God. It can be so scary to do things that are maybe out of our personal element or comfort zone. I make up all kinds of excuses why what God wants me to do will not work. I say "I don't have the money." "I don't have the time." "God couldn't possibly want me to do that." and on and on. The bottom line though, is God would not be asking me to do it if he didn't have a plan. He wouldn't be asking me to do it if he wasn't going to help provide a way to do it, either by placing people in my life to help me do it or provide the resources. I need to start praying to God to give me the strength to be Obedient. Our holy father asks us to be obedient.

My church, River of Life, has really started to open my eyes to the desires of my Father in heaven for my obedience. I wanted to share a video from my church, featuring my new friend, Shannon. She bravely talks about this kind of obedience.



What has God been asking you to do that you are making excuses for? I know I have a whole list I need to work on.

Blessings!


You can follow River Of Life on facebook, here https://www.facebook.com/rolmt

Jamaician Jerk-ish Salmon

I decided to make Salmon for dinner tonight and wanted a Jerk-style sauce. I did not have any scotch bonnet peppers (a hot pepper that is irregularly shaped), so I can't really call this a Jerk sauce, but its close and good.

You can either marinate your salmon in it or just cook it with it. I didn't marinate, but I imagine that would really enhance the flavor.

I served my Salmon with plain rice and a serving of steamed broccoli, my favorite :)

For the sauce: (You may adjust to your taste. I have this issue when I cook, I do not usually measure ingredients, I just make a guesstimate on what I put in-my apologies!)

This makes (2) servings


*1/4 cup ground allspice

*1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

*1 tbsp soy sauce

*1 small bunch green onions, chopped

*1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground

*1/3 tsp nutmeg, ground

*1/3 tsp thyme, ground

*1/2 of a green, yellow or red pepper (I used green), chopped

*salt and pepper to taste

*water to add moisture

*1 tsp molasses

*pinch of onion powder

*orange zest or a couple tsp orange juice


1. Combine all ingredients except water in a blender or food processor.

2. Slowly, add water if more moisture is needed. You can make the sauce as thin or thick as you like, thinner works better if you are using it as a marinade. You want it to be smooth and free of chunks.

To marinade:

Place meat (would work good on chicken, steak or fish) in a shallow dish or plastic bag, add sauce, marinade overnight in the fridge for best flavor. Toss out or COOK and remaining sauce. Do NOT save.

To use in cooking:

Cook meat first, then add towards end, and simmer.

Enjoy <3

I am on Top Mommy Blogs!

I was very excited when I opened my email today and saw that I had been accepted to a website named, "Top Mommy Blogs"! The website works by a vote system. Since I am on it, I need YOUR vote! Click on the banner at the top of my blog or below to vote for me! I would really appreciate it!

Looking forward to Spring-come on and get here already GIVEAWAY!

In Montana, sometimes spring feels like it will never get here!

I am participating in a blog-hop giveaway and I want to give my readers a chance to win some sweet prizes to help them feel more "spring-y" :)

I will be giving away:

* A 10 dollar gift-card to Walmart
* A selection of flower seeds
* A 5 dollar gift-card to the Dollartree

The contest starts today, 3/18/2012 and ends 3/31/2012
Open to US RESIDENTS only because of shipping costs! sorry!

Also, PLEASE check out the blogs on the list below! They also have giveaways!

Just enter below and GOOD LUCK! (CLICK ON "READ MORE")

 

Learning to love the way God made me!

I always hated my freckles. I used to actually pray they would disappear! As an adult, I have actually learned to like them. They keep me young looking and add character to my face.

I have them everywhere! You can even see them through my tattoos!

No one in my immediate family has as many freckles as me and I am the only one with blue eyes.

I used to look in the mirror and hate what I see. Don't get me wrong, I still have .."UGH! I am sooooo ugly!" days, but I am learning that God made me with a plan in mind and he made me so perfect in HIS eyes and that is quite a compliment if you ask me!

Psalm 139:14
 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

 So, I will continue to try to not look for my flaws in the mirror as I see them and start to try looking at myself the way God sees me.