Announcing Alexandra!

I have another niece!!! Alexandra Leigh was born at 6:53 tonight. She was 7 pounds, 10 ounces and 20 inches long. I'll post more later after I get to see her this weekend! I've been waiting up until now for someone to finally send pictures! Here are a few that Justin just sent...

She really does look like Victoria did when she was born!

Apparently Victoria was very excited for her new sister. Mom said that they were standing outside the door and could hear the baby start crying and Victoria said, "She's out!!!" :) I don't know where she comes up with some of the stuff she says!!! Then she said, "She's ready to play with me now!!!" Oh boy...I think this little one will be in for lots of attention!!

Thank you to everyone who was praying for Kim and the baby today! It sounds like everything went really well.

Now I just can't wait to meet her! :)

Retirement....Sort Of.

On our way up to Chicago / Wisconsin, we stopped in Nebraska City to celebrate my Dad's retirement from UPS. He's driven for UPS for the past 25 years and was eligible for retirement this year. The preacher position opened up at our church in Nebraska City and Dad decided to apply for the job. The church offered the position and now Dad is "officially" putting his preaching degree into use about 30 years after he graduated. Of course, any of you that know my Dad know that he has always used his spare time to work for the Lord. Now he'll just get paid for it and hopefully have a little extra time at home in the evenings!

We were already at the house Friday night when he returned home from his last day at work and we all had to get pictures with him while he was in his uniform one last time. My whole life Dad has come home in that uniform. I have so many good memories of him in it. I think he's probably going to have to buy some new clothes now... :)

Kim & Dad

(notice Victoria in the back more interested in the cookies someone gave Dad!)

Mom & Dad

Justin, Kim, & Victoria - a nice family picture!

All of us appreciate so much the hard work that Dad did to support our family. I know that this was never his "ideal" job. It wasn't until I was older that I found out that Dad wanted to go back to school to become an accountant (that was were I got it from!), but when we got back from Cyprus (where my parents were missionaries for 5 years and Rachel & I were born) it just didn't work out financially and he took the job at UPS. Over the years, the days were LONG and the winters were COLD, but he stuck through it for us.

I always knew how thankful we were for Dad, but it was such a nice surprise to see how much everyone that Dad met on his route appreciated him. During his last week of work there were signs up all over the small town he delivers to that said how much they were going to miss him and wishing him luck. I think people made meals for him everyday that week and he had more cake and treats than he could handle! I always knew my dad was a special man, but it's so nice to know that other people saw it as well.

I am reminded of the verse in 1 Thess. 4:11-12, "Make it your ambition to live a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders..." I think Dad did exactly that.

This is the newspaper article (front page!) about Dad's retirement. I love the headline: "UPS Driver Terry Duffy Enjoyed Joking with His Customers." That sure sums up Dad! He can never talk to anyone without kidding them about something. The second page has some pictures of the signs that were up around town.

The family (minus Rachel & Ryan) all went out to eat that night at the Lied Center. I don't know why we didn't go there more growing up in Nebraska City. It was great food and it was such a beautiful night out on the deck. We took a few pictures, but some of them didn't turn out so great in the dark...

Mmmm....cheesecake.

Kim & I - this may be the last time I see her pregnant!

Dad - I was so glad to be able to be there to celebrate with you and thank you for all your hard work! I can't wait to see what amazing things you do with the church there in Nebraska City. I love you!

Goertzen Wins Silver Medal!

Ok, so it wasn't exactly the Olympics, but Trevor did win a silver medal in wrestling at the Kansas Sunflower State Games on July 12th!

I was sorting through my pictures from the past few months and found these and thought I'd share. Don't worry, I wouldn't let him wear a singlet! :) *Shudder* Not that I don't think my husband is attractive...I just think those things are awful no matter who you are. Seriously, who decided those were a good idea?!?

Sorry, back to the topic at hand. Trevor wrestled in high school and he started coaching wrestling at Blue Valley Northwest this past winter. He was working out a lot with the boys, so he decided to go ahead and try to compete in the State Games this summer. He prepared by losing about 20 pounds by working out a ton and eating a lot less. Do you know how embarrassing it is to go out to eat and have your husband order salad while you order meat and potatoes?!? I do.

I have never really spent much time watching wrestling and I don't really understand it. I think I have a little more of a feel for the rules after spending a whole day watching the wrestlers. We got to Topeka about 7:00 in the morning and Trevor didn't wrestle his first match until 4:00 in the afternoon. I watched a LOT of wrestling because I didn't have anything else to do after I read the entire newspaper and finished the sudoku puzzle. OKAY, I didn't actually FINISH the sudoku puzzle - that thing was impossible!!

When it was finally Trevor's turn, he pinned the first two guys he wrestled. Here's a picture and some videos of the day.

Staring each other down.

Here's a video showing Trevor pinning the above guy. Pay special attention to the maneuver done at about 0:20- I thought it was hilarious. I nicknamed it "The Frogger." Did I mention I don't know a lot about wrestling?!?

This bald man in the blue singlet was 81 years old. He was wrestling in the 50 and up division. I think the guy he was wrestling was in his 50's. Very impressive!! He pinned the same guy twice in one day. If you pay close attention at the end of the video you can hear Trevor say "Uh Oh!". We both thought that he was collapsing. Fortunately, he was just bending down to take off his shoes. Apparently, it is a tradition in wrestling to take off your shoes and leave them on the mat when you retire. Whew. That would have been depressing.

Trevor was pinned in his last match, but he did good enough to get second place! All in all, it was a fun experience. Congrats Trevor!

Four

Trevor and I were married four years ago today. Sometimes it feels like just yesterday and other times I can't imagine a time when we weren't together. I feel so blessed to have such an amazing husband. Those of you that know both us know that we are quite different people, but the longer we're together, the more I realize what a great complement we are to each other. I can't help but love Trevor's enthusiasm for life, his hard-working nature, and most importantly his desire to serve God.

We've been through a lot of changes in the past four years. We lived in 3 apartments in three different cities before we finally bought a house and settled down here in Kansas City. We're excited about this part of our lives now that we can visualize where we'll be living and raising a family (someday - don't get too excited Dee Ann!). Life is good right now - it's comfortable. I realize more and more every day that there's no one else I would rather spend the rest of this life with than Trevor.

Happy Anniversary Trevor!!! Love you.

#64: Try 30 New Recipes (1 of 30)

Bourbon Chicken

I came across this recipe online somewhere and I was excited to make it the week before we left for our vacation. Both Trevor and I LOVE Chinese food, but because of our small dining-out budget (thanks to Dave Ramsey) and since a lot of Chinese food can be really unhealthy (remember #59 - Lose 15 pounds!!), we rarely go to Chinese restaurants. I don't really have any good Chinese recipes to make at home and this one looked fairly simple so I thought I'd try it out.

Here's the recipe:

Bourbon Chicken

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 teaspoon ginger
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned.
2. Add remaining ingredients, heating over medium heat until well mixed and dissolved.
3. Bring to a hard boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.


I was going to document the whole process like my favorite cooking blogger The Pioneer Woman, but we really need a new camera and some of the pictures didn't turn out so great. It also doesn't help that I was home alone and trying to contort myself into some awkward positions to attempt to take some of the pictures!

Anyhow, here are a few pictures of the process...

The Line-Up: Chicken, Red Pepper Flakes, Ketchup, Cider Vinegar, Apple Juice, Olive Oil, Soy Sauce, Ground Ginger, Brown Sugar, and a Garlic Clove

Now I'm going to have to keep it real here, so brace yourselves cooking pros: I've never used fresh garlic. I know, I know. I wouldn't say I was "scared" of it... I just never really knew what to do with it so I never bothered. Yep, I'd come across the phrase "clove of garlic" and just throw a few shakes of garlic powder into the recipe and call it good. I was determined to learn how to crush garlic during this recipe, so I did what I always do when I need serious answers - I consulted the ultimate authority on everything: Google. So here's what a website told me to do:

Cut off the end of the garlic bunch. Bunch?! Is that what you call it? I'd google it if it wasn't so late.

Peel off the skin.

Pull out one of the garlic cloves. Look at your pasty, white hand and realize that your skin is almost the color of the white piece of garlic.

Wrap the clove in a paper towel.

Now confuse people by pulling a random can of tomato sauce out of your pantry and crush the little thing. Slam it down as many times as it takes to feel pretty flat. I somehow didn't end up with a picture of what the clove looks like after it is crushed. The clove's skin should slide off really easily after you crush it.

You'll then want to cut it into little pieces while also pressing down on it with the side of your knife if it still looks like it needs crushed.

This is how the crushed garlic should look before you add it to the cooked chicken.

Here's how the chicken should look after you have added all ingredients.

Finally, after you have brought the mixture to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Trevor enjoyed it! At least he said he really liked it...I just noticed he looks kind of scared in this picture!

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with this recipe. It was really simple and had a great flavor. If you really don't like spicy food, I would cut down on the red pepper flakes, as this dish did have a little kick. It was just right for Trevor and I though. I'll definitely make this again!

To see my full 101 in 1001 list, go here.

Chi-Town here we come!!

I've been wanting to update the blog all week, but it's been a little hectic around here. I did make a new recipe (#64 - Try 30 new recipes!), but the post will have to wait a week until Trevor and I get back from our vacation. We're on the way out the door for our first "official" vacation since we've been married! Wow, I hadn't realized that yet. We've obviously traveled some to visit family and taken some short weekend trips, but we've never taken a full-out vacation. I'm really looking forward to it. :)

We're stopping tonight to eat dinner with Mom, Dad, Kim, Justin, and Victoria to celebrate Dad's last day working for UPS. He's retiring after being there for 25 years! Well, semi-retiring, anyways. He's going to be the full-time preacher at our church in Nebraska City. So I'm sure he's going to stay very busy. Although, I think he'll feel retired the first time he doesn't have to go out and drive in a foot of snow!

We'll head out Saturday morning to drive up to Racine, Wisconsin to visit my grandma and her husband Paul (#3 - Visit Granny in Wisconsin!). Trevor's never been there and it's a really pretty area so I've been wanting to take him there. Not to mention Granny's been bugging us for the last 4 years to get up there! :)

Mid-way through the week we'll make the hour and a half drive to Chicago (#11- Take a vacation together to Chicago!) and stay with Trevor's cousin Sara and her husband Michael. We've been wanting to get up there and visit for a long time as we've heard it's an amazing city. After we see the sights and sounds of the big city, we'll head back to Kansas City Friday or Saturday and spend the weekend relaxing. I always feel like I need a vacation after a vacation...Trevor thinks I'm crazy!

So don't think I've forgotten about this blog already! I'll be back in a week or so with posts about the completion of these three goals!!

Stephanie's 101 in 1001 List

I explained fairly well the 101 in 1001 concept in my first post. For more information on the "rules" go to this website.

Start Date: July 28, 2008
End Date: April 24, 2011

Family
1. Take a vacation with Duffy family.
2. Take a vacation with Goertzen family.
3. Visit Granny in Wisconsin.
4. Visit Adam & Elaine in Arkansas.
5. Have Heather over to dinner.
6. Visit Rachel & Ryan in Memphis.
7. Take family picture of Duffy family (all of us!).
8. Hold all 3 of my "Duffy" nieces (Victoria, Alexandra, and ?) at once!
9. Have Erica and Matt over to dinner.
10. Have Lindsay and Brad over to dinner

Trevor
11. Take a vacation together to Chicago.
12. Go on a picnic together.
13. Go to a concert of a band that Trevor likes (and I don't particularly like yet!).
14. Take Trevor with me to visit family in Canada.
15. Take a spontaneous weekend trip (can't decide we're going until Friday after work).
16. Have a date night at least once every 2 months.

Friends
17. Host a Girls' Night at my house.
18. Meet up with college roommates Mary Ellen and Gladys.
19. Take a vacation with friends.
20. Get back in touch with a friend from high school.
21. Take Mary Ellen to the Omaha zoo.
22. Have a good old-fashioned sleepover with my friends!

Spiritual/Service
23. Read the Bible all the way through.
24. Begin a prayer journal.
25. Volunteer at a city mission.
26. Donate blood.
27. Make dinner for someone in need.
28. Adopt a family at Christmas.
29. Have someone from church over for dinner that we don't know very well.
30. Donate 400,000 grains of rice (enough to feed 1,000 people for a day).

Work
31. Decorate my cubicle at work.
32. Get to work everyday by 8:00 for 3 weeks in a row.
33. Stay off internet at work for 3 consecutive days.
34. Update my resume (you never know with Sprint!).

Home
35. Grow my own tomatoes.
36. Tile kitchen backsplash.
37. Finish touching up paint in living room, kitchen, guest bedroom, and office.
38. Sew my own roman shades.
39. Resurface fireplace.
40. Paint master bedroom.
41. Landscape our yard.
42. Purchase new ceiling fans/light fixtures.
43. Grow a hydrangea plant.
44. Install new front door.
45. Organize the basement, i.e. actually unpack all the boxes from when we moved.
46. Paint both extra bathrooms.
47. Paint laundry room.
48. Paint empty bedroom.
49. Hang crown molding.
50. Actually hang something on our walls!

Financial
51. Pay off the car.
52. Pay back Dad money I still owe him from college.
53. Pay off Trevor's graduate program student loans.
54. Set up a more accurate budget and review it at least once a month with Trevor.
55. Save up to buy new furniture (with cash!).
56. Buy a new computer (with cash!).
57. Save up to buy Trevor's next car (with cash!).
58. Continue using coupons to build my "stockpile" of items I get for free or close to free.

Health
59. Lose 15 pounds.
60. Run a 5K.
61. Take a multivitamin every day for at least 3 months.
62. Floss every day for at least a month.
63. Exercise at least 3 days a week for 2 months.

Cooking
64. Try 30 new recipes.
65. Make a pie from scratch.
66. Make meatloaf for Trevor since he's been wanting me to since we got married (gag!).
67. Organize a recipe book/system.
68. Learn to make home-made bread from Trevor's mom.
69. Make my own salsa.
70. Grow my own herbs and use them!

Miscellaneous
71. Visit Truman Library in Independence.
72. Get a massage.
73. Finish catching up on "24" series.
74. Watch entire Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Lord of the Rings movie sets.
75. Go to the farmer's market.
76. Take a dance lesson.
77. Finish my cross stitching project I started 3 years ago.
78. Make my bed every morning for 3 weeks.
79. Hang Christmas lights on our house.
80. Actually send Christmas cards.
81. Eat at 5 new local restaurants.
82. Vote in the Presidential Election.
83. Go to a drive-in movie.
84. See a play.
85. Don't watch TV for an entire week.
86. Watch a sunrise.
87. Watch a sunset.
88. Read 10 books.
89. Buy a plant (and keep it alive!).
90. Have my wedding dress cleaned and preserved.
91. Go camping.
92. Go see the Plaza Christmas lights.
93. Learn how to make a quilt.
94. Get a new passport (I lost mine!).
95. Go sledding.
96. Create a blog. Hey, I wanted to be able to cross one off my list the first day! - Completed 7/28/08
97. Left open for new goal - to be determined by 1/1/2009
98. Left open for new goal - to be determined by 7/1/2009
99. Left open for new goal - to be determined by 1/1/2010
100. Left open for new goal - to be determined by 7/1/2010
101. Left open for new goal - to be determined by 1/1/2011

Wish me luck! I'd love it if you would join me! Make sure you send me the link to your list.