Emerald Bay

We went hiking to Eagle Lake and Eagle Falls near Emerald Bay.

The island in Emerald Bay.

Aren't these mountains breathtaking??

Still snow-covered in many places...

Emerald Bay

Dinner Cruise on the Lake...

On our get-away, we took a sunset dinner cruise on Lake Tahoe on the Tahoe Queen.

The Tahoe Queen.

Snacking on the yummy appetizers while we wait for dinner.

We enjoyed a delicious dinner of prime rib with all the trimmings! And watched the old folks boogie down on the dance floor to the oldies! LOL!

Lunch on Lake Tahoe...

We had to stop and take a picture in the snow near the summit...snow on June 24! :)

We had lunch at this fancy resort restaurant on Lake Tahoe! We both had these amazing burgers with blue cheese and bacon...mmm!

This was the view from our table on the patio...Lake Tahoe at its finest!

After lunch, we walked right out onto the beach...pretty cool!

My Anniversary Gift...Guns and Roses!

So here it is! My anniversary gift from my hubby! He got me my own gun - a Smith and Wesson 38 Special. :) Might seem like an odd gift to some...but even though we don't get to do it very often together...it is something that we can share. Just shooting in the desert.

He got this gun for me specially...of course, it is great for safety at home. It is super light and simple to load. I love it!

So my hubby planned a surprise get-away and the first thing we did was go to the desert to try out my gift! :)

Beware all bunnies! LOL!

Chevron, Coffee and My Jean Skirt

My husband and I are away for a few days in Tahoe. This morning, I was up early and made a coffee run to Chevron across the street. Ahhh...coffee! I need the flavored good stuff! :)

I went up to pay for our coffees and the young Spanish man at the register started chit chatting with me. After the day before...walking around Tahoe and getting whistles and hellos...with my husband beside me :/...I thought...oh, here we go again! He is going to flirt with me!

Instead, he commented on my long jean skirt and the way I was dressed. He said I reminded him of his sisters in Christ at his church. I asked him where he goes to church and he told me he goes to a Spanish Apostolic church here in Tahoe. I told him that my husband was a pastor in Reno.

He said, "Then you know, as a pastor's wife, what a great responsibility you have to dress the way you do."

We said our goodbyes and thank you's and I left to enjoy my coffee with a smile on my face.

He was a blessing to me by appreciating my modest dress and I believe the way I was dressed encouraged him.

I LOVE the fact that just the way I looked...someone knew that I was a Christian.

What a great start to my day!

Aluminum Anniversary!

My flowers that we delivered to our home today for my anniversary from my husband!

My favorite flowers - 10 yellow roses - for our 10 years of marriage. :)

The message said...

"Aluminum is a symbol of how a successful marriage needs to be flexible and durable and how it can be bent without being broken." Love, Eric

Happy Anniversary to my Sweetheart!

Just thought I would share a few pictures of our wedding day...ten years ago today. :)

Probably my favorite one! Sorry so blurry!

My sisters, Rhoda (left) and Rachel (right) - my bridesmaids.

After cake cutting and feeding each other! :)

Ten years ago, I married my best friend. June 23, 2001. What a happy day in our lives!

Often people say...I wish I could go back to high school again...I wish I could go back to my college days...I wish I could go back to my single days...

I don't wish for things like that. I enjoy living my present life...just like it is. Sure I have good memories of my childhood, teen and college days. I don't want to go back and relive them over.

There is one day I would relive over and over again...the day I married Eric Joseph Tastet.

It was not just the perfect wedding day that I want to relive.

It is the day that we started our life together...that is what I would love to relive.

For the day that I married Eric...my life became complete.

I love you! Happy 10th Anniversary!

Video: Summer and Her Talents

The girls taught Summer how to shake her head no and click her tongue! LOL!

Video: Summer Saying MaMa and DaDa

Summer saying ma ma and da da. :)

Goodwill Deals...

Well...I haven't been couponing...but I did make a trip to our Goodwill today! I really did find a lot of great things!

Sierra - a brown and pink fall jacket. Autumn - a jean skirt and a cute patterned church dress. Addie - 2 jean skirts. Summer - a pink Nike jacket, 2 fall/winter pajamas and 5 jumper! She also got her first pair of shoes! A nice little white tennis shoe - good for learning to stand and walk. :)

I got a jean skirt, a brown and green casual shirt and a great pair of brown dress boots for this fall! I always get my boots at the Goodwill and the summer is a great time to find them because nobody thinks to buy them when it is 95 degrees out! LOL!

I also found an unopened Christmas table set with 4 place mats, 4 napkins and 4 napkin rings. Yay!

A fun day!

Reno Rodeo 2011

Last night, we went to the Reno Rodeo - an annual event here in our city. It is one of our favorite activities of the year!

The girls ride the ponies every year. :)

Me and my cowboy! :)

Addie and Autumn picked out their outfits and always wear their cowgirl hats and ropes!

Sierra...AFTER the cotton candy!

Summer and Daddy!

David and Danyelle went with us!

The arena before the rodeo started...

SVBC - 1 Year Anniversary Sunday!

What a great God we serve! Yesterday,

we celebrated our church's one year anniversary!

Sierra View Baptist Church was first born in the heart of my husband and I several years ago. We were living in Northwest Indiana in a town called Schererville. My husband was working at a Bible college called Hyles-Anderson college. Our daughter attended their Christian school. I was a stay-at-home mom and ran our side business of restaurant hood cleaning. We were doing very well financially. We were involved in our church and had a teen ministry on Friday nights called Young Leader's Council - YLC.

But we knew there was something more. Even though life was good, something was missing. My husband was called to preach...we had went on several trips to see about taking a position at different churches across the country. We didn't know exactly what or where we were supposed to go...

Through much prayer, we were burdened that the Lord wanted us to start and pastor a church. We moved to Reno in 2008 knowing that in our future...we were going to start a church. We joined a local Baptist church and became involved. We bought a house.

But we kept putting off starting the church. We knew we would only have one chance to start the church right. Should we go on deputation? Should we raise support? What location should we choose? What building should we seek? So many questions...

Finally, one day, my husband received a call from a family friend. Who was drunk. LOL! They talked for a very long time...and after my husband ended the call, he told me he was convicted to start the church. The man had actually got on my husband about why he was waiting to start this church!

We realized that we had not started the church for one reason..."WE" were trying to start and build a church...when we needed to let "GOD" just start and build a church!

My husband immediately called Papa Vern and Bro. Shaun and they met.

It was decided that Sierra View Baptist Church would be started on June 20, 2010.

The church was started and yesterday we celebrated one year of God's blessings!

We had our highest attendance of 79 and 24 visitors!

God is so wonderful to us!

My Gift

I just had to share this...because it makes me chuckle every time I think about it. :)

My hubby called me today on his lunch break. Our 10 year wedding anniversary is coming up next week...and he told me that he had bought my present. He said, "I almost got you a kayak for your anniversary present."

Trying hard to think of the right response...I replied, "Oh, did I mention I wanted a kayak?"

Hint, hint! (A kayak is not on my list of "My Top Ten Anniversary Gifts". LOL!)

To which he replied, "No, you didn't, but I know how much I love my kayak!"

And he was totally serious.

So, I am not sure what he has up his sleeve...or what gift I will be receiving for my anniversary...

but I am sure it will be interesting! And it will come from his heart with the most sincerest intentions.

And for those reasons, it doesn't matter. :)

Our New Maple Trees

On Saturday, we planted two red maple trees in our front lawn!

We took pictures of the girls to see next year how they both have grown. :)

You may not recognize it but this was our front lawn when we bought our home!!

Nothing but weeds taller than our girls!

It has improved with lots of hard work! :)

A New Pulpit!

A man in our church, Papa Vern, has a very talented friend who does woodworking for a hobby. His friend made my husband this beautiful pulpit for our church!!

Isn't it wonderful! He did everything handmade.

Amazing and a wonderful blessing to my husband and our church!!

Every Person Counts!

Every person counts.

My husband and I used to attend a very large church. Thousands of people. We became involved in small groups/areas so we wouldn't feel lost in the crowd. We have many special memories working with our special group of teens on those Friday nights...

But you could still get lost. You could still feel like if you didn't show up, no one might notice. No one would text you saying you were missed. No one would call you or Facebook you saying "Hey! We missed you!"

As a pastor's wife of a new and small church, I try my hardest to let people know they are missed if they were not there for a service or function. I am not perfect at it...but I do work very hard at it.

And even with all our good intentions, people fall through the cracks. People say to my husband and I..."I just don't feel welcome or a part of the church." That statement saddens my husband and I and we try to make amends and let them know they are welcome and loved!

So here are a few thoughts from my heart on the subject...

1. Do unto others.

If you enjoy knowing that you were missed, let others know that they were missed! Come out of yourself, stop complaining about what others are NOT doing for you, and start doing those same things for others! You will then realize how many true friends you do have - and you will have become a true friend! :)

2. Realize that you are an important part of your church!

Do you really realize that no one can fill your place?? No one is exactly you! (For some, that is a good thing! LOL!) Every person is important!

3. Remember the real reason that you should be coming to church...to gain strength, guidance, food and encouragement for your walk with your God.

It is not to be a number on a clipboard or to fill a seat in an auditorium. It is not to fill your Christian duty. It is not to make the Pastor happy or pleased.

Every person counts! And you are loved!

WDJSTD?

I have been thinking lately about the many varieties of people that attend our church...everyone is different in their own ways! Quiet...loud...outgoing...shy...happy and bubbly...melancholy...friendly...well, I could go on but you get the picture. :)

As a pastor's wife, I realize I am looked at by everyone who attends Sierra View. To be honest, it can be intimidating! I think everyone inside, no matter how outgoing and confident they may seem, cares what others think about them.

In fact, I used to think that the most outgoing people were the most confident. However, being married to a very outgoing person, that is exactly the opposite! I know because the first thing he asks when we get in our van to go home on Sunday afternoon is..."What did you think about the sermon?" He needs the encouragement and praise from me for his confidence in pastoring.

Well, I am not a naturally outgoing person. I would not say that I am shy...I used to be. I would say that I like my space. Do you like your space? I like my alone time. :) I do not need someone to be with me all the time. I like quietness...I do not listen to a lot of music when I am at home or in the van...I like the stillness. I could live out on a ranch in the middle of Montana and be happy. :) LOL!

So...at times...I wonder what others think about me. Am I the kind of pastor's wife they wish they had? And I know these things...

1. I won't try to be a personality that I am not.

God made me who I am. I am happy with that. I am not saying do not try to work on flaws that you may have! Don't be the person that says - I am loud and bossy! That is just who I am so like it! I am saying be happy and be the best you that you can be!

2. People will like you for who you are if you are REAL.

My husband and I try very hard in our ministry to show people that we are just normal people. Our lives are very open on a day to day basis. That is one reason I blog - to share my daily life...my normal, everyday life. :)

3. The person that you should care if you are pleasing is your Saviour!

My husband said on Sunday...the statement should not be - WWJD - What Would Jesus Do? It should be WDJSTD! What Did Jesus Say To Do?

I do not do what I do because my husband or pastor said I should do it. I have been asked why I do not wear pants. To that I answer... I do everything in my life because I feel that is what my Saviour has said to do to me. If you live your life with this motto, you will have a blessed life!

Cilantro and Summer...

Sunday, we had our first Sunday evening service and I loved it!

I loved looking out at the people gathered together...that were there because they loved the Lord. What a sweet and wonderful time!

We also had our home school kindergarten graduation...and I was so proud of my Autumn. As she recited her Bible verses, I thought she was going to break down and cry...but she kept on like a trooper! The sacrifice and hard work that is involved in being a stay-at-home mom and one that home schools...suddenly doesn't seem like a sacrifice.

It is just a blessing.

I am starting to feel it...summer, that is! Only 6 days ago, it was snowing!

Today, we worked outside in our flip flops and short sleeves!

Even pulling weeds - by the way...I know where that saying comes from..."growing like a weed"!...was fun!

Mowing the lawn...planting tomatoes, red and green peppers, marigolds and this year, I am trying cilantro! Yay! I hope that grows because I should have been a Mexican - that is how much I love cilantro! LOL!

I also got my hair cut and colored it...which took my husband 45 minutes to realize that it was a different color. That cracks me up!

So much else has comprised my week...but it is getting late so I will stop rambling. :)

Recipe: Pesto Chicken Penne Casserole

I made this new recipe and my family loved it! My kids even love the spinach in it...yay!

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 ounces) penne pasta
• 6 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Italian cheese blend
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 1 jar (15 ounces) Alfredo sauce
• 1-1/2 cups 2% milk
• 1 jar (8.1 ounces) prepared pesto
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the chicken, cheese blend, spinach, tomatoes, Alfredo sauce, milk and pesto. Drain pasta and add to chicken mixture; toss to coat.
• Transfer to two greased 8-in. square baking dishes. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and oil; sprinkle over casseroles.
• Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly.
• To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until bubbly. Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

Happy Anniversary!

I want to wish my parents, Patrick and Marcia Holt,

a very happy 36th wedding anniversary today!

They were married on June 7, 1975.

We love you!!!

Family Spring Photos - Part 11 - Tastet Ladies

One of my other favorite photos of the girls! Especially Summer's tongue! :)

Someone must have told a joke...but Summer missed it! LOL!

Yep...it is pretty hard to get four kids...to all look at the camera...and smile...at the same time!

What am I doing with these crazies...says Summer! :)