Bring on the mud!

This week did NOT start as I expected it to. The sleet and snow mix that we got Monday afternoon was an welcomed surprise after spending a week in the 50's. Usually, I bundle up when I head to work...yes, complete with my snow boots and skiing gloves! But not Monday. Monday, I ventured into work ready for spring, and happy to finally see the grass again! I had my heels and just a thin winter coat. A few hours later, I stared out my office window in disbelief as I watched the grass get covered again with a thick blanket of snow.

When I left for work, it took me nearly 20 minutes to scrape off the ice that had overtaken my windows! As I left work, it was less than 5 minutes into my drive when I had to pull off the road to re-scrape my windshield. I literally could not see the road in front of me. I had to pull off twice within a few minutes. On my second attempt to pull off to the side of the road, I pulled off into a church driveway. Unfortunately, I couldn't even see the driveway, so I slowly felt my car going down a hill into some grass, as I frantically tried to steer my car back onto the drive (that I couldn't see). No luck! My car quickly sunk into a pit of mud and ice. It was so deep that if I would have opened my driver's door, mud and water would have seeped into my car. My whole front driver's side tire was submerged in mud. Disgusting! Luckily, I was able to crawl uphill out my passenger side door and call a co-worker for help. Before, he arrived, I summoned another guy pulling out of a nearby business to help pull me out as well. With their big trucks, I was out in no time! What a blessing. There is no doubt in my mind that the situation could've been a lot worse. I probably would've ended up in a collision if I would have stayed on the highway much longer with such low visibility. My car has no visible damage except for a thick layer of mud, now covered by a layer of ice! It is now in desperate need for some TLC from the local car wash.



This picture honestly doesn't do my car justice! My whole tire is still caked in mud.



Designed for Love

One of my favorite hobbies is dabbling in graphic design. Over the years, I have had the privilege of being asked to work on some fun projects for friends and family! One of those projects came up a couple months ago when I was asked to design a cousin's wedding invitations and programs. She gave me an idea of what she wanted, so this is what I came up with for the invitation and response card. It was so fun! The only thing missing is the bow, which they'll be tying to the top of the invitation. Next, on to the programs!

A Subzero Temperature Recipe

This week's recipe is perfect for a day like today, when just from walking outside for 5 seconds, your nostrils begin to form icycles! Luke and I enjoyed this warm soup last night (and will probably again for lunch today).

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup
Recipe from Julie Babb, Huntington University Cookbook

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz) can Chili Beans
1 (15 oz) can Black Beans
1 (15 oz) can Whole Kernal Corn, drained
1 (14 oz) can Chicken Broth
2 (10 oz) cans Rotel Diced Tomatoes w/ Green Chilies
1 (1.25 oz) pkg. Taco Seasoning
6-7 Chicken Tenders

Optional Toppings:
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Sour Cream
Tortilla Chips, crushed

Place chili beans, black beans, drained corn, broth, and diced tomatoes in a large slow cooker. Add taco seasoning and stir to blend. Lay chicken tenders on top of the mixutre, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker on low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours. Remove chicken tenders from the soup and shred. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup and continue cooking for 30 minutes. Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

If using 3 whole chicken breasts instead of chicken tenders, slice into strips first. For chili beans, Rotel tomatoes w/ green chilies, and taco seasoning, choose your heat preference. Even when using mild, there is still quite a kick as it intensifies cooking in the slow cooker.

Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 5 minutes    
Cook time: 5-1/2 hours

Before & After

And now...for the promised before and after pictures! I'm just posting the living room pictures for now. I'll be sure to post the others later after we get more unpacking done.

We're Finally Home!

After nearly four weeks of living out of boxes, wondering where my favorite pair of scissors went, and coming home after work with a to-do list larger than we could manage, I am happy to say WE ARE DONE MOVING!! We had a very smooth moving day yesterday. I am so thankful that we decided to move then instead of today because today we are getting a ton of snow. Now, it's time to make our new house a home! Although that's easier said than done. When I woke up this morning, I told Luke, "It doesn't feel like we're home." It's definitely an odd feeling. Even the adjustments of showering in a different bathroom and cooking in a different kitchen are a little difficult to get used to. But needless to say, we are happy to be settled in!

You can check out some pictures of our moving day below.



Bidding Farewell to Our House in Huntington




Luke Getting Ready to Unload the Trailer




Our New Front Door!! We're Home!




Luke had fresh flowers waiting for me on the dining table at our new place! It's a belated Groundhog's Day gift--a tradition in the Diehl household!



A Winter to Remember

With blizzard conditions in the forecast, this winter seems like it's going to be a winter to remember. Luke and I would definitely have to agree, but for different reasons than the weather. We spent Friday - Sunday in Evart, Michigan, with 23 senior high students! We traveled to Spring Hill Camps for a winter retreat and came back with a renewed passion for youth ministry and a stronger desire to thrive in our walk with Christ. It was an awesome weekend! We couldn't have asked for a better one. The roads were clear for driving, we didn't have any injuries, and we were able to get to know the students on a deeper level. On Friday night while we were there, we got 6 inches of snow on top of the accumulation that was already well established on the ground. I hadn't seen that much snow in a long time! We experienced a lot of new things - snow tubing, horseback riding throughout the camp, snowboarding, and broom ball (essentially hockey with boots and a ball instead of skates and a puck)! There were also amazing times of worship and messages that challenged us to thrive in our relationship with Christ rather than just get by.

I've posted some pictures of the weekend below to give you a glimpse of our awesome weekend!