My Word of the Year: GROW

I posted my 2016 goals last week, so click here if you want to check them out. As I was thinking about my goals for this year I seemed to come across a common theme, to grow. I want to grow this year in all ways possible, with the exception of my weight... I would rather that shrink lol.

I want to grow intellectually... reading as much as I can. 50 books, who is with me??
I want to grow spiritually, connecting with Him and spending my time in the word more than ever.
I want to grow from our tiny little apartment to a house lol, but seriously though, we need to move :)
I want to grow as a person and stop fixating on what others think of me. This has always been a struggle.
I want to stop focusing on the things that make me scared and actually do something new that will challenge me and stretch me... aka GROW :)

Starting my blog last year was a HUGE leap for me because it meant putting so much of myself out there to the world. When I say world, I mean the 5 people that I thought would read this blog. I'm now at over 10,000 views and I can't believe it! This was such a dream of mine and I'm so excited that it is actually a reality. It wouldn't have happened if I didn't just take the leap and create the blog or my husband didn't make me click publish lol. Then I had to make it public, because for the first 4 months it was private. Let me tell ya, that was painfully hard for me to do. I've gotten such a wonderful response and I'm blown away but the kindness from people I've never even met. Also, the constant support of my family and friends cannot be ignored. Thank you for believing in me and being my first and continued readers :)

Now, I am taking a new leap and giving myself the opportunity to grow in different ways. I decided to join the Rodan + Field's business and I am so EXCITED. R+F is a dermatologic skincare line brought to you by the same doctors who created Proactiv. I have always been super into skincare and beauty so these products are right up my alley. I love hearing the stories from other consultants about how positive this business has been for them and seeing the amazing results after people have used the products.

I'm committed to making this a year of growth in all areas of my life and I continue to add to my plan to make it happen. What is your word of the year? I would love to hear what you are doing to grow in 2016!

The Pioneer Woman's Pawhuska Cheesesteak

I received the Pioneer Woman's new cookbook, Dinnertime for Christmas and I've been loving trying her recipes. Mark is a HUGE fan of Philly Cheesesteaks so when I saw her Pawhuska Cheesesteak recipe I knew I had to make it. These little guys did not disappoint! So yummy and I'm not even a cheesesteak fan. Mark want as far as to say it was the best thing I've ever made...what??? lol

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces Velveeta cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup milk
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 6 sub rolls
• 2 lbs. thinly shaved good quality deli roast beef
• 1 yellow onion, cut into thick rings
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into rings
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into thick rings
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thick rings

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, combine the Velveeta, black pepper, cayenne, and milk and heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, until totally melted. Set aside and keep warm.

2. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter on a griddle over medium heat, then place the roll halves on the griddle and toast them until golden grown. Remove them from the griddle and set aside.

3. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Throw in the roast beef and move it around with a spatula, breaking it up as you go to warm it up quickly. 

4. After about a minute, remove it to a plate and set it aside.

5. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and throw in the onion and bell peppers.
6. Cook until the onions are soft and dark golden and the peppers are soft, 8 to 10 minutes.

7. To assemble the sandwiches, pile the meat on the bottom halves of the rolls and spoon on a generous amount of the cheese sauce. Pile on the onions and peppers, and for the heck of it add a little more cheese. :)

ENJOY :)

Book Lovin'...Books I Read in 2015

In 2015, I had a goal to read 50 books but I came up a little short. I still feel like I read more than I normally do, so mission accomplished :) Here is a list of the books I read during the year minus a few. I'm pretty sure I'm missing a couple but I can't figure out which ones lol. If you click on the book title it will take you to Amazon so you can purchase it. I've also included links for any book reviews I've done :)

I have the same goal again this year and I'm really hoping I hit my goal. Who wants to join me??

American Sniper by Chris Kyle

Saving Grace by Jane Green

An Island Christmas by Nancy Thayer

The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton Frank

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Bossypants by Tina Fey

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah 

Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist 

The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

Against All Grain: Meals Made Simple by Danielle Walker 

Nantucket Nights by Elin Hilderbrand

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

The Sweet Spot by Stephanie Evanovich 

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins 

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn 

Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand

28 Days to Fit, Fierce, and Fabulous by Karena & Katrina

Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews 

The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand 

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty 

American Wife by Taya Kyle

Paris Wife by Paula McLain

Wild by Cheryl Strayed 

Down the Rabbit Hole by Holly Madison 

The Other Daughter by Lauren Willig 

Circling the Sun by Paula McLain

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman 

Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll 

The Idea of Love by Patti Callahan Henry 

Summer Secrets by Jane Green 

A Praying Life by Paul Miller

The Good Neighbor by Amy Sue Nathan

Winter Stroll by Elin Hilderbrand

Wildflower by Drew Barrymore

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying by Marie Kondo 

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Comfort & Joy by Kristin Hannah

Fates & Furies by Lauren Groff

Good Girl by Mary Kubica 

Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica 

The Elite by Kiera Cass

The One by Kiera Cass

The Heir by Kiera Cass


**Book Over-Reviews**

Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff

Winter Stroll by Elin Hilderbrand

Circling the Sun by Paula McClain

The Other Daughter by Lauren Willig

The Good Girl by Mary Kubica 

Weekend Recap: Last Week of Break

Hi everyone! I hope you had a great weekend, I know I did. I still can't believe I have to go back to work tomorrow. Don't get me wrong, I love my job and I can't wait to see my friends but I would also love to sleep in and spend the day in work out clothes haha. I decided to start my weekend recap from New Year's Eve so I could share a few pictures from that night as well. Let's jump in...

The gang on New Year's Eve

 The boys

Playing LCR- I LOVE this game!

Our yummy ricotta cake from Extraordinary Desserts

On New Year's day we went to breakfast with the Weldins at To the Point, per usual lol. Then we spent the rest of the day relaxing and watching TV. I made the Pioneer Woman's Chipotle Chicken Chili and it was the perfect comfort food. We spent the rest of the night playing Mexican train with Greg and watched Sicora. It's a creepy movie but it was super good! :) 

My first workout of the new year! Woot woot!

On Saturday, Mark and I both worked out then decided to have a day date. Mark found a German restaurant in Ocean Beach that we were excited to try. Unfortunately, the kitchen closed right when we got there and wasn't opening until dinner. They still gave us a giant pretzel to try and it was super yummy! We ended up going to Sushi for our lunch date and then hunkered down to finish The Man in the High Castle. The ending was a total nail-biter and I'm really hoping they have a 2nd season. Once again, if you haven't watched the show yet, go to Amazon and download it! :) You'll thank me later! After we finished the show we went bowling with Greg and some of his friends. It was a great night! 

New purse from Laura and Tracy- I love it!

Sunday was a day of crossing stuff off my to-do list. I went grocery shopping, did multiple loads of laundry, cleaned, etc. I like to setup my week by meal prepping on Sundays so we have plenty of yummy healthy food for the week. I also made the Pioneer Woman's Orange Chicken and it was SO GOOD!

I hope you all had a great weekend! Check back in tomorrow for my roundup of books I read in 2015. Happy Monday!! :)

Five on Friday: The First of the Year

Happy New Year everyone!! I hope you all had a great time surrounded by family and friends. I know we did :) This whole break has gone by so incredibly fast and I'm not ready for school to start on Monday. I'm holding onto this weekend and I'm going to make every minute count :) Let's jump into this!

One- Makeup Geek Brushes

My sister bought me these Makeup Geek brushes for Christmas and I LOVE them. They are fluffy and extremely soft. I've mostly been using the angled stippling brush for foundation, the large fluffy brush for powder, and the smaller angled brush for contouring. The price tag isn't bad for five brushes either. While you're on the Makeup Geek site check out the eyeshadows too. They are awesome!!

Two- Dinner with the Woosters

We had dinner with some of the Wooster/ Dorfman fam at 100 Wines Kitchen and it was YUMMY! It's always fun getting together with everyone when they are in town. :)

Three- Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette

I got this little beauty for Christmas and I couldn't wait to use it. I've been eyeing the Hourglass Ambient Lighting blushes and powders for so long and when I saw this palette I was so excited to try multiple Hourglass products. I love the Luminous flush (middle on the bottom row) and the bronzer. I need to mess with the other products more to figure out how I want to use them. 

Four- She Reads Truth

I love the devotionals on the She Reads Truth site because they are uplifting, super informative, and relatable. I'm excited to start the new series- Genesis: a study of the book of beginnings, and a look into the first glimpses of God's covenant faithfulness to His people. It starts today... click here to join!

Five- The Man in the High Castle

We just started watching the Man in the High Castle on Amazon and we are OBSESSED! It's so good! The show is based on the idea of what would America be like if the Allied Powers lost the war and Japan and the Nazis were in control. We watched one episode and were sucked in! We only have three left and I'm going to be so sad when it's all over. Hopefully they will come out with a season 2! If you have Amazon Prime the show is free so go download it now :)

As always I'm linking up with April, Natasha, Christina, Karli, Erika, Narci, and Andrea.  I hope you all have a great Friday and a super relaxing weekend!