Leader Bio-Tara

Whose Day Highlight- Tara Gazaway
Family Stats- My husband, Matt, and I met on a blind date and have been married 7 years. We have two girls, Eva (4 yrs) and Isabel (2 yrs).
Spiritual Gifts – Administration, Wisdom, Leadership
Spiritual Pathways- Activist, Relational, Worship
Passions- Family, being part of a team, excellence, truth, God’s love, authenticity, cooking, cake decorating
Pet Peeves- Disarray, unclear communication, a meal without color
Secret Shames- I’m a political junky, love spreadsheets, need deadlines to complete things, and would eat popcorn twice a day if I could.
Books That You Love- Story of Esther in Haddassah, One Night with the King.
“Can’t Live Without” – Unique restaurants, popcorn, coffee, Bible and journal
Favorite Room In Your House- During this phase of my life, I love my master bedroom because it is like a retreat to me.
Favorite Tradition- Eating German Chocolate Cake every year for my birthday

Leader Bio-Melba

Whose Day Highlight: Melba Mueller
Family Stats: Happily married to the love of my life , architect keith mueller from St Louis Mo for 23 years, 2 kids, Lily 13 and Cale 10 born in Overland Park Kansas , bilingual English/Spanish.
Spiritual Gifts: faith , The Creative Arts, healing , word of knowledge, wisdom, teaching, discerning of spirits, speaking in tongues, pastor
Spiritual Pathways: worship, relational, serving, intellectual, contemplative
Passions: God the Father , Jesus The Son, The Spirit.  My marriage ,My kids,  music, dancing, cooking, friends, traveling,  foreign languages, movies, reading
Pet Peeves: messy rooms, messy kitchen, dust, dirty bathrooms, messy basements, baskets filled with laundry, Yuck!!
Secret Shames: growing up with maids, felt shameful when they would serve me.
Books That You Love: The greek mythology (when I was young), the Left Behind series (the first 4 books), The Shack, The bridges of madison County, One last dance, Psychology today, Barefoot contessa , Space magazine, Redeeming Love, Bill Clinton's Bio, the Help,
Can't Live Without: God, Jesus, my family, music, food, The Ocean
Favorite Room In Your House: My prayer dent/ music room as you walk into my home. Tiny, filled with crosses and guitars and piano. Love to sit there and talk to God, worship. My kitchen, love to cook, dance and entertain.

Leader Bio-Erin

Whose Day Highlight: Erin D.
Family Stats: Husband: Jason, son: Jack (8), daughter: Dylan (6), son: Tyler (2), yellow lab named Truman (12)
Spiritual Gifts: Encouragement, Administrative/ Leadership, Hospitality
Spiritual Pathways: Intellectual, Relational, Worship
Passions: Children, Education, Running, Cooking & being the best wife & mom I can be
Pet Peeves: gum chewing (really anything that has to do with gum period) and whining
Secret Shames: Curling up on the couch in the middle of the afternoon while my kids are at school and my 2 year old naps with a good book & a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream! And, I like to hide my favorite candy in the pantry where my husband can't find it! 

Books that you Love: The Help (my all time favorite), The Hunger Games (don't get me started!), Sarah's Key, and a good Nicholas Sparks love story
Can't Live Without: My family, of course, running, and my morning cup of coffee
Favorite Room In Your House: our bedroom, it's so cozy & peaceful. The paint color is Secret Garden, and that says it all!
Favorite Tradition: Our evening family dinners where we all share the highs & lows from our days and going to Colorado each summer, swimming, hiking, biking & enjoying being in the beautiful outdoors!

Speaker Bio-Michelle

Whose Day Highlight: Michelle Pemberton
Family stats: single mom-Stacy 21 senior in college Amy 17 senior in high school
Spiritual gifts: Leadership, Teaching and Administration

Spiritual Pathways: Intellectual and Contemplative. I love time with God to think with Him, write and read.
Passions: Learning, my sheltie Ron, Jesus, reading, writing, talking deeply, chocolate, laughing loudly, flavored coffee in the morning, activating (getting stuff done)
Pet peeves: that my children often do not listen to my voice mails
Secret shames: I don’t wear cute shoes I wear comfortable shoes-I envy cute shoe wearers.
Book that you love: Anything by John Ortberg
TV show you watch: Top Chef and Chopped I watch it with Amy ( I am not much of a cook but enjoy these shows)
Favorite room in your house: my study which is painted blue(my favorite color) has all my books, pictures and my grandmother’s love seat where I have my study time in the morning with my sleeping dog by my side.

Leader Bio-Whitney

Whose Day Highlight: Whitney Eicherl
Family Stats: married with one child, daughter Leighton, 15 months
Spiritual Gifts: Administrative (planning), Creative Arts (photography, marketing)
Spiritual Pathways: Intellectual, activist
Passions: My daughter, photography, travel, continually learning
Pet Peeves: wasting time, being late, messy house
Secret Shames: I can’t get enough of the Real Housewives series on Bravo
Books That You Love: I have a one year old… books have become a thing of the past!
Can't Live Without: Diet Coke
Favorite Room In Your House: Living room/family room

Slow Cooked Roast with Mushrooms and Barley

Slow Cooked Roast with Mushrooms and Barley
from the kitchen of Tara G.

Yield: 8 servings Cooking
Time: 8 hours on LOW or 5 hours on HIGH in 6 quart slow cooker

ingredients:
1 (3 lb) boneless beef chuck roast
1 T veg oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 (3 in long) fresh rosemary sprigs
8 oz cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, stemmed, cleaned and sliced
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 bay leaves 10 large garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
1.25 C low sodium beef broth
½ C medium pearl barley 2 C fresh baby peas or frozen, defrosted
1/3 C sour cream

directions:
In large skillet, brown roast in oil on all sides over med-high heat. Place meat in slow cooker and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Scatter rosemary sprigs, mushrooms, onion, bay leaves and garlic around roast. Pour broth around meat. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours. Quickly add the barley to the liquid, cover and continue to cook for 3 more hours on LOW or 2 more hours on HIGH, until the beef and barley are tender. Remove bay leaves.

Transfer roast to carving board, slice, and place meat on serving platter. Stir the peas and sour cream into the cooking liquid left in the insert. Stir well to combine and then pour the sauce over the meat.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake
from the kitchen of Katrina Kanary

ingredients:
1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 big box instand chocolate pudding cake mix (or other flavor)
8 oz sour cream
4 eggs
1/2 c water
1/2 c oil
12 oz chocolate chips (1 bag--I put these in last because it's easier to mix)

directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt pan. Mix together all ingredients in a medium bowl, adding chocolate chips last. Pour batter into greased bundt pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  It is done when it no longer jiggles when you gently shake the pan.  You can jazz it up by sifting powdered sugar over it or drizzling a basic powdered sugar icing over it.