Date Night at Home

I made Chicken Fried Rice for Dean on Sunday night before he headed back to work on Monday morning.  It was a "date night at home."  I made this dinner, we went on a walk to the new frozen yogurt restaurant near our apartment (Cherry on Top), and then rented the Adam Sandler/ Jennifer Aniston movie: 'Just Go With It.'  

Watch the 'Just Go With It' trailer HERE 

Chicken Fried Rice With Vegetables

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Nutrition Score per serving:

(1 1/2 cups): 375 calories, 17% fat (7 g; 1.5 g saturated), 47% carbs (44 g), 36% protein (34 g), 4 g fiber, 42 mg calcium, 2 mg iron, 781 mg sodium

Ingredients

• 2 t sesame oil
• ¹/₂ cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup uncooked brown rice
• 1 T reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 2 ¹/₄ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• ¹/₂ t salt
• ¹/₄ t ground black pepper
• ¹/₂ cup frozen green peas, thawed
• ¹/₄ cup chopped green onions

Directions

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sautée 2 minutes, until soft. Place chicken in saucepan and sautée 5 minutes, until browned on all sides, stirring frequently. Add rice and cook 1 minute, until translucent. Stir in soy sauce to coat rice.

Add carrots, chicken broth, salt and pepper and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Stir in peas and green onions and heat through.

The only other thing I added was egg whites for more protein! :)

Molly was watching Dean get/buy the frozen yogurt!  

Sunday Morning Breakfast

This past Sunday, Dean woke up extra early to make a Price Chopper run.  He surprised me with breakfast before we left for church!  He made scrambled eggs with ham, mushrooms, peppers and onions - plus he made a side of hash browns.  What a man!  I like to call him Chef Boyardean. :)

These Mr. & Mrs. coffee cups were given to us as a wedding gift from my best friend from high school, Amy.  We love them --- Thanks Amy!  

I found the one my heart loves.

Song of Solomon 3:4 NIV

On Monday - we got some news.  This was Dean's 2nd week back to work from our wedding/honeymoon and he found out that they need him back in Kansas City to help out the job there for a few months.  I am literally jumping with joy --- no more Iowa!  I owe it all to the Lord - I feel very blessed to be able to start our marriage in the same town and home.  Hallelujah amen! :)

Girls Night

Saturday night - I went to dinner with my Children's Mercy girls!  We had a great time catching up - since we now work in different areas of Mercy.  All 3 of us started out at Children's Mercy South on the Inpatient unit.   Cassie (right) still works at south but only on the opposite end of the hospital - in the Cardiology Clinic.  She loves every bit of it!  So happy for her.  Stephanie (middle) still works on the inpatient unit at South but currently got oriented to the charge nurse position.  So she does that on occasion and on Tuesday she passed her CPN so she's officially a Certified Pediatric Nurse --- Go STEPH! :)  Now I currently work in the Inpatient Float Pool.  

So it was so nice catching up with them that evening.  Here is a picture from our get together.

Honeymoon - Playa Mujeres, Mexico

We had a wonderful relaxing time on our honeymoon at the Excellence Resort to Playa Mujeres, Mexico (30 minutes outside Cancun).  Check out our resort HERE.  We really enjoyed our time hanging out and being together for an entire week --- even if it did rain 90% of the time!

Part of the resort ---> B-E-Autiful!  

On the plane and ready for some Mexico sun!  We left on the 4th of July - Even though we went to Mexico on the 4th we still represent the USA baby!

Once again - we represent!!!!

So --- I had to re-enact the Jessica Simpson USA picture!  For those of you that don't know - I love Jessica Simpson and her love for God.  

So there it is! :)  Not quite the same - I did my best!

 

They made us feel at home with 4th of July decorations, fire works and a Michael Jackson impersonator!  It was tons of fun!

 I was excited about our first letter that said Mr. and Mrs. Shackley!

Dean and I both loved Anthony!  I pretended to have his job for the picture.  

hammock time.

Martin helped us take our bags to the room and gave us a quick orientation of our resort.

On our way to swim with the dolphins!  This was my dream! :)

It rained so much causing flooding of the streets.

 

Right before seeing the dolphins! 

 

We switched hats!  

 We told them it was our honeymoon - they brought us an Anniversary dessert! It's the thought that counts. :)

 

 

Our room number - 5105.  We had a wonderful honeymoon!