According to Carey

2012 Resolutions

2012-01-16T15:53:00.001-06:00

Brush my kids' teeth more consistently.

Add flax seed more often.

Log my runs.

Cook through my recipe box.

Get the doors on the laundry cabinets.

DIY Fail

2012-01-15T00:00:00.000-06:00

Dang, friends. I was trying to be all thrifty and not spend money but it back fired on me. I should have done some research first before jumping right in.

With the little updating kick I've been on lately around my house, I decided that I wanted white lamp shades for the one in our living room and the two in our bedroom. They were a boring cream color that kind of blended in with the walls.

So I painted them white. (If you already knew what I wish I would have, a melodramatic "wah wah" noise now would be appropriate.)

Painted lamp shades are in fact the antithesis of what I was going for--brighter lit rooms. Now I know.

They actually make the room much darker because the light doesn't shine as easily through the shade.

Learn from me. Don't paint your lamp shades.

Cooking Goal in 2012

2012-01-14T00:00:00.000-06:00

When I got married 6 1/2 years ago, I was given quite the collection of recipes from family and friends. I store them in a little box and rarely look through them. But I want to change that! So I figured I would challenge myself this year to cook through the whole box. Maybe I'll conquer my fear of casseroles through this experience. Kidding. I don't have a fear of casseroles, for Heaven's sake. I'm an equal opportunity eater, folks. You know me.

I digress.

I reserve the right to tweak the recipes though, such as making my own crust instead of buying pre made. I'm sure I will share with you some thoughts along the way.

Do you have a similar collection of recipes? Do you use them or do they collect dust, like mine? I'm hoping to find some stellar dishes that I didn't know about.

Why I Hate Religion

2012-01-13T06:51:00.000-06:00

We Gained A Drawer In The Kitchen

2012-01-12T00:00:00.000-06:00

Simple, but a nice change.

Found it here.

What I Did Today During Naptime {The Great Switcheroo}

2012-01-10T21:32:00.002-06:00

I've been doing lots of switcheroo-ing 'round these parts lately. The goal being to spend very little money if any at all, but to get my 'freshing up' fix.

I took our master bathroom mirror, painted it white, put hooks on it and hung it in the laundry room.

I took the mirror caddy that was on the laundry room wall previously and positioned it in our front entryway. I removed a dark console table that was there, too, to open it up. When friends come over, there's always this awkward moment of Where do I go? We both don't fit? and a little shuffling around happens. But now I like both the laundry room space and entryway better.

If you're still tracking with me, imagine if you will, the now laundry room mirror in the master bathroom (below). It was the mirror that came with the "kit" and matched everything else. I'm discovering about myself that I'm not a fan of matchy-matchy stuff.

The current mirror in the master bathroom (painted turquoise awhile back) was in the entryway of the house (confused yet?). Now that it's in the master bathroom, I find the pop of color refreshing.

I Kind of Have a Thing for Lobal Decor

2012-01-10T20:59:00.003-06:00

Hi, my name is Carey and I have an earring addiction.

When I was a little girl, pre-pierced ears, I would yearn for the pretty things that hung from cooler, older girls' earlobes. I specifically remember an afternoon I was shopping at my all-time favorite preteen jewelry store and decided I was a 'dangly earrings' kinda girl. I like studs and all, but I really liked the look of big, dangling, colorful, bright, unique earrings. After much anticipation, my mom finally let me get my ears pierced at age 12. I kept in the default cubic zirconia studs in my ears for the recommended 6 weeks, turned them every day and cleaned them gently with hydrogen peroxide. Then at last the day arrived that I could remove those boring studs and don my sparkly girly dangly earrings. I was a happy girl. The end.

Annie said that you're never fully dressed without a smile, but I say, you're never fully dressed without earrings. How about that? Ha.

In a continued effort to reorganize, I took my jewelry box and found a way to display my earrings. I'm thinking I'll be wearing them more often now.

(before)

(after)

I copied this idea from her. I went to both Lowe's and Home Depot today and neither store had the decorative radiator plates that she mentioned, so I used this instead. Now our bathroom wall is girl-ified. :)

If I Used Groupon

2012-01-09T14:05:00.000-06:00

Do you subscribe to daily deal sites? I get alerts through my email and phone about the local deals going on in my area. I occasionally look through them to see if anything peaks my interest, but I've only about about 2 Groupons before.

If I actually used the site and had endless discretionary funds to spend, here are a few things I'd do:

* a beginner's improv, sketch, and comedy-writing class

* admission to a trampoline park

* fitness boot camp

* teeth whitening services

* segway tour of Austin

* voice lessons

Reorg: Pantry Shelf

2012-01-08T20:05:00.002-06:00

I declare 2012 as the year of organization in my home. I'm energized to spruce things up and change things around. I'd like to get rid of stuff and simplify. First project was a cluttered shelf in our pantry. I bought a tiered expanding shelf today and reorganized a bit.

before

after

Have you got any organization goals this year?

The Gift of Gifts

2011-12-26T23:42:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-20T20:10:00.003-06:00

Funniest 2 Year Old: Vera

Cutest Tax Deduction: Lydia (born Apr 15th)

Craziest/Most Loved Dog: Marlow

Best Scenery: Rocky Mtn. Ntl. Park

Longest Running House Project: Laundry Room cabinets

Most Listened To Album: Josh Garrels,

"Love &War & The Sea In Between"

Most Comforting Weeknight Activity: "Parenthood" on Netflix

with fresh popcorn

Best Description of God's Love:

"Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever"

(The Jesus Storybook Bible)

The Progression of a Quiet Time

2011-12-16T15:31:00.000-06:00

Quiet Time: a 'Christianese' term for a time set aside reading the Bible, praying, and listening to God; being quiet in His presence so that we can hear from Him.

I try to have a QT every day. Why? Because it's a moment focusing simply on the relationship I have with my Creator. It centers me. It reminds me of Whose I am and who I am. When my life is in order, I usually get up early before the kids in the morning to do it. When my life is not in order (which is most of the time), I squeeze it in during nap time or during breakfast, doing it in front of the girls while they eat. It looks different every day. Some times I just read, just write, just pray, or am just quiet before Him.

Last Monday I spent it soaking in the lyrics of the Christmas song, O Holy Night. Some powerful lines that popped out to me: The weary soul rejoices. His law is love. His Gospel is peace. In His name all oppression shall cease.

I then moved on to study the lyrics of my all-time favorite hymn, It Is Well With My Soul. What makes it my favorite is the story behind the words. Have you read about it?

The gist is that the writer endured many trials. His 4-year old son died of Scarlet fever. His heavily invested real estate properties were completely destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire. His wife and four daughters set sail on a ship that collided with another, resulting in the death of his girls. He received a telegram from his wife that said, "Saved alone." Upon hearing this news, his heart cried out and he penned the powerfully written song. The first verse is amazing, considering it was the ocean waters and storm that overtook his daughters.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Chorus:

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Pretty incredible, right? No matter life's circumstances, I want the echo of my heart to be "Praise the Lord, O my soul." (Ps. 146:1)

Making It Stretch

2011-12-14T00:40:00.000-06:00

Chris and I each get $30 a week for our personal spending money. Anything that does not fit it the categories of groceries and gas has to be purchased using our weekly cash. Some weeks it's easier than others to make it last through Friday. Other weeks it's more difficult. It is Wednesday and my money is already gone. Here's how I spent it.

$2.50 French Press coffee at Thunderbird Coffee

$2.15 oatmeal at Whole Foods

$5.00 Christmas gift

$7.82 stuff at Home Depot (supplying my Pinterest addiction)

$13.00 jeans at Old Navy (I had a Groupon and store credit in addition)

----------

$30.47

Considering I've got Thursday and Friday yet, I'll depend on the coinage in my change purse if I need anything. Most weeks I think it's a fun challenge to stay within our means. But I could do a better job and especially need a boost this time of year when spending comes so easily.

Anyone else live on a budget? Love? Hate?

There's Some Impressive Lights In Our Hood

2011-12-12T21:28:00.001-06:00

You've Got Mail

2011-12-11T14:04:00.000-06:00

It's true. Sometimes I am too lazy and too cheap to go to a store to find real toys for my kids. But hey, it makes their imagination work harder, right? :) And look how happy she is--not tainted in the slightest. What comes to my mailbox as junk mail is treasure to my 2 year old. She loves to go get the mail and if her name is on it, then that's more mommy points for me. She rips it up and looks through it with concentration, then has a ball pretending some more that someone sent her mail. Sweet, gullible thing. And yes, that's my baby in the background ingesting some of Vera's "mail."

What It Looks Like When I Am Wanting To Be Irresponsible

2011-12-10T19:18:00.001-06:00

Chris walks in the door and these are his observations:

Vera is watching the Sesame Street credits roll (for who knows how long).

There is a humongous dough pile that has risen 3x it's size sitting on the counter in a bowl.

There are unpacked groceries still sitting in the bags all over the kitchen floor.

The trash is smelly and needs taken out.

And I am on the computer looking at shoes online.

And I'm Imperfectly Ok With It

2011-12-09T13:29:00.000-06:00

Under no circumstances do I want you to come to this blog, read it, and leave with the sense that I have my act together. Despite the crafting kicks I get on, staying up way too late or the occasional organized weekly menus, I don’t have my act together. My life is far from perfect. You don't need all the deets, but trust me. I just follow a good God who gets me through it all.

I was perusing pictures of spray painted lamp stands last week because I am considering changing the color of the ones in our bedroom. I came across a picture of a nightstand and I noticed how unrealistically perfect and dull it was. Three things were on it. Something fancy made by Steve Jobs, something that probably smelled like roses in heaven, and a perfectly placed designer magazine. Perfect layered on perfect, with a dash of perfect. I'm pretty sure my nightstand is a dusty clutter of books that I’m currently ignoring. There's a baby monitor and water marks and used tissues.

While we're there, you should also know that I have to put my phone in the trunk of my car while driving to keep myself from texting and driving. Every time I've done it, what goes through my head is, Carey! You have your precious babies in the car with you. What are you thinking? Put the phone away! Yet for whatever reason, I still do it.

There's visible dog hair on my carpet. I let my anger get to me. My trash smells like poop. Hubs and I get in fights. My kid's finger nails are dirty. I haven't brushed my teeth yet today and it's nearing 2 o'clock. That's barely scratching the surface and only the stuff that's blog-appropriate to share. I don't have it all together, folks.

Embracing the Scarf

2011-12-09T06:04:00.000-06:00

I have several scarves in my closet, most of which were given to me as gifts. They are beautiful and I like the concept of wearing one, but I'm never sure how to do it without feeling a little awkward. My goal this season has been to wear one once a week. I've consulted this guide more than once to give me a boost of confidence in how I should wear them.
--
Is there an article of clothing that you own that makes you feel a little awkward?

Tub Time

2011-12-08T07:02:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas To Me

2011-12-07T00:09:00.001-06:00

It was my goal this year to make as many people's Christmas gifts as possible. I have been mostly successful, even for my difficult-to-buy-for-hubby, and it has been really fun. I stay up late a couple nights a week for hours while everyone in my house is sleeping. It is energizing to work by myself on projects and not be needed by anyone. I have had piles of 'ingredients,' if you will, of stuff to complete these projects. They had been mounding and I was feeling a bit overwhelmed, so I promised myself I wasn't going to start anything new until all of my started on things were finished. One of those things was this pillow that I made for myself. Well, for our bed, actually. It needed some kind of personalization. West Lafayette, Indiana is where Chris and I met, fell in love, and got married. Needless to say, it will always be a special place to the both of us.

Why I Run {This Is Church}

2011-12-05T20:10:00.001-06:00

When picking up the race packet at the Expo on Saturday, I found a booth that was asking people to write down their reason that they run and say it in front of a camera for the news. Why do I run? That seemed like such a deep question to answer so quickly. There are so many reasons. I have to pick just one? Because I was with a friend and we were headed out, I wrote down the first one that came to mind, but I've been camping out on this question all weekend.

Yes, one reason I run is to set an example of a healthy, active lifestyle and be a role model for my daughters. If momma is healthy and happy, then that's a good recipe for teaching the daughters to be so, right? I want them to grow up thinking it is normal and fun be physically active. I want them to not be afraid to get dirty and sweat hard. I want them to enjoy moving and exercise. I don't want it to be a rigid, legalistic thing but more so something that is innately ingrained in how they live their lives. They don't write "exercise" on their calendars, but instead head out for a run in between homework and TV because it matters to them and makes them feel alive and good.

But there are other reasons, too.

One thing I love about running is that it's just me and the road. There is no one helping me or hindering me. I've* got to come up with the strength and drive to do it.

It is the best mental release I've found. With music or without, I zone out from mommy-hood, life's problems, and all other worries. It gives me emotional balance.

I love that I don't have to watch what I eat. It's worth it for that alone.

It makes me feel strong, empowered, and motivated in life.

It really feels good to know that I am taking care of my heart, lungs, and muscles.

When I am out on a run, I often get to a place where it just feels holy. I don't have any other explanation except that I feel that it honors God. Perhaps it's tapping into the way He created humanity to be; physically using our bodies and doing hard work. When I am pushing myself and sweating, I often tell Him "Thank You, God, for creating my body to work hard." I love experiencing a life opposite of laziness. It makes me feel alive. And it makes me feel closer to God. There's something about the stillness when it's just me and the road. Using my body in this way, I have experienced worship on a whole new level, and on those runs, I feel, this is church.

Christ in me, cuz really, I'm nothing without Him.

My Second Half Marathon

2011-12-05T09:25:00.001-06:00

This was by far my most fun race yet! It couldn't have been more perfect than running with a friend that I've known since middle school! Stephanie just moved outside of Dallas this year so it made perfect sense for us to run The Dallas White Rock Half Marathon together. We kept the pace with each other pretty well and made the time go by fast by being in conversation the whole time. It was a blast!

Here's a quick recap (so I can remember in the future more than anything else):

The weather was awful! It was pouring down rain and we were drenched the entire time. Our feet were soaking wet from all the puddles and nothing was dry on us. It was so cold, too. The temps were in the high 30s, which is freezing in Texas. I started off with a poncho, over-sized jacket, gloves, ear warmers, and then two layers of shirts. By the middle of the race, I was warm enough to shed the poncho and jacket and gloves. Though the conditions were unideal, it didn't put much of a damper on our moods. We were excited to run.

That morning I slept through my alarm clock (of course), but woke up in the nick of time to throw on my clothes, eat some toast with peanut butter, do my pre-race dump, down a couple glasses of water and head out the door. Stephanie and I had planned a rendezvous point to meet up in downtown Dallas before heading to the race.

Miles 1-5 went by like a blur. We talked the entire time and were laughing at funny things we saw.

Mile 6: I got emotional seeing a quadruple amputee running the race alongside me and everyone else. It was so inspiring and I thought, If they can do this, I certainly can, too. I also got a text at this point from a friend who took a picture of her and her daughter holding up a sign, rooting me on, from Austin! It was so thoughtful and meant so much to me since no one was at the race cheering for me. I ran with my phone and was able to read other texts I'd received from friends while running. It was so encouraging!

Miles 7-9 were still on the easy scale. I was actually really surprised by how manageable, enjoyable, and easy it was at this point. I decided to kick it into gear and run faster. I was still feeling really great and had tons of energy. I put in my ear buds to zone out and listened to music. I found the 2:10 pacer and kept up with him. Whenever there were people cheering on the side, I'd hold my hand out to get some high fives from strangers.

Miles 10-12: I was ready to start seeing mile markers by this point. More than anything else, it started being a mental battle. I knew I could do it but really wanted to beat my previous time, so I tapped into my reserve of mental power and busted it out. At this point, I started focusing on my breathing and elongated my stride.

Miles 12-13: Ready to get 'er done and still felt strong and optimistic. Felt like I could keep going a few more miles, but was glad to see the Finish Line. My final time was 2:16 which was 20 minutes faster than my last half marathon, so I was pleased. Looking back, I think I could have finished in less than 2:10 if I'd increased my speed earlier. Good to know for next time, I guess.

Once through the Finish Line, I slowed to a brisk walk to allow my heart rate to come down. I walked as far as I could until the masses of people started piling up. I found a spot to stretch until I met up with Stephanie. After we had caught our breath and had a moment to rest, we both commented how we felt like we could run a few more miles at that point. Not that we were going to. :)

We were given heat sheets to keep us warm and were stupid to let those go after we'd warmed up inside because the walk from the pavilion to the car was miserable. We were so.incredibly.cold. Our lips were blue, were were shaking, and we wanted to fall on the ground and cry in a fetal position. The race started and ended on the Texas State Fair grounds, so you can imagine how many parking lots they have and how far we had to walk to get back.

All in all, a fantastic race which I would do again in a heartbeat. I've caught the running bug, ya'll. Today I am feeling pretty well and not too sore. Last night I felt like someone had drilled a screw into the middle of both knee caps, but a good night's rest did me good.

DIY Holiday Decor: Letters

2011-11-27T19:26:00.001-06:00

I have to start off by saying I did not make these myself, but was actually gifted them from my in-laws! I had similar gold letters that I bought several years ago that read "Noel" that I put out every Christmas, but I am convinced that they were my arch nemesis of all my holiday decor. For the life of me, each year I could never figure out where to put them or how to arrange them. It was the kind of thing that at the time I paid way too much money for, but hindsight is 20/20, I guess. The previous letters ended up breaking this weekend. They were just not designed well and ended up falling off the mantel and shattering. I took that as a sign that I was being released from them! :) However, I did really like the idea of them, so my in-laws (who stayed with us for Thanksgiving) surprised me and went to the craft store to make me some similar ones. They spray painted them and secured them on sturdy blocks (painted white to blend in with the mantle) so they would not tip over. I have to say that I like this version ten times more than the old ones. What a thoughtful gift, right?

My mother-in-law helped me decorate the house for Christmas this past weekend. It was fun to do it with someone else. She's really good at arranging things for display. And if you are curious about the stockings, my mom hand made those for us! I love them and they mean so much more than store bought stockings. There are some creative women in my family.

DIY Advent Calendar

2011-11-22T15:41:00.001-06:00

I love this idea (taken from here) for an Advent Calendar. What a fun what to create your own board with stuff you already have around.

Look Down and Smile at the Ground, Tilt Your Hip, Angle Your Leg and You've Got It

2011-11-21T13:20:00.001-06:00

In general, I would say that I'm clueless about fashion. I'm not a big shopper and I have several pieces of clothing that I still wear from high school. I don't keep up with trends but I do enjoy looking nice and feeling put together. I was at a second hand store recently and came upon a couple of nice items that I thought I could pull off, but I wasn't sure how. Thank goodness for Pinterest! I typed in "black blazer" and "denim dress" and it pulled up a ton of options, a few of which I really liked. The pictures below sold me on them and I walked up to the cashier.

My Favorite Fashion Blogs

These are my favorite go-to places for inspiration, although I always make fun of fashion bloggers 'stances' when they are posing for the camera. :)

Jen Loves Kev-- I just adore her and I don't even know her!

Kendi Everyday--I like her style, but she shops at places that are too expensive for me.

What Would A Nerd Wear--Fun blog concept. Some outfits are winners, some losers. Wish she'd cut her hair!

Just So I Remember

2011-11-16T12:50:00.000-06:00

At 25 months old, Vera...

...is obsessed with doing somersaults, however precarious they may be.
...is beginning to identify emotion with words such as happy, sad, and mad
...likes to laugh alongside anyone.
....loves to color!
...drew a picture of a cat.
...sings songs on her own.
...knows the names of colors.

At 7 months, Lydia...
...crawls and sits on her own.
...feeds herself finger foods.
...bounces when she hears music.
...jabbers like it's nobody's business.
...lights up when I walk in the room.
...loves being held.

These Times Are Fleeting

2011-11-15T22:30:00.000-06:00

Have you ever had to get up out of bed for something, but you were in the most comfortable position ever and wanted to remember exactly how it felt? You study how your arm is laying and at what angle your legs are so that you can climb back into bed and feel that same exact comfort? I do that with my babies, too. What I mean is that I know these times are fleeting. Sometimes I will catch an expression or will study how it feels to be holding my baby so that I can lock it into my memory as best I can. I don't want to forget what it's like to see Lydia gleefully clicking her tongue, imitating me. I don't ever want to forget how it feels to hold Vera after she's been freshly bathed, smelling her hair, touching her soft skin, hearing her echo the words I am reading in a book. I wish it were possible to hold these memories in a jar so that years down the road when my heart aches for my littles, I could open it up and remember exactly what it was like.

But we can't do that.

So instead I settle for leaving smudged handprints on my front door, even for company to see.

I keep her blankie unwashed for awhile longer just so I can smell her night time lotion and picture her cuddled in my lap.

I leave a few crumbs in her car seat that show just how much she enjoyed that snack on the ride home.

They are my reminders of the incredible gifts they are in my life.

Pantry Chocolate Cake Saves The Day

2011-11-13T14:12:00.000-06:00

You know why they call it 'Pantry Cake', right? Because most likely you have all the ingredients on hand, in your pantry already, which meant Hallelujah-Praise-the-Lord in my book. You see, last week I got my second speeding ticket within 3 months. The first one occurred as I was driving my screaming kids home after a morning of holding both of them on my lap as I gave blood. Both arms were poked, of course, since my veins are hard to get into, so I'm driving home with both elbows wrapped and can't bend my arms and I'm trekking a little too fast (10 over, I think) on the interstate home. Though you don't want to have mercy on this momma, Officer, guilty as charged.

Second ticket happened last week and I thought for sure the reason I got pulled over was that our permanent plates are not on the van yet and maybe the paper one was expired. I definitely wasn't speeding because the speed limit is 65mph. Buuut, apparently I was going 9 over the speed limit which warranted him in writing me yet another golden ticket to ComedyDriving.com. Awesome. To make matters worse, he came up to my window and mumbled a bunch of words in a harsh tone. Since I was clueless at that point why I was pulled over, I said, "Say that again?" Okay, maybe I should have rephrased but that's what came out at the time. He thought I was being smart and threatened some kind of additional charge of disrespect. What the crap, man? I'm driving an Odyssey and clearly have no malicious intention as I hold a naked plastic doll in my lap while "Praise Baby" Lullaby tunes play in the background. He gives me a talkin-to, writes me my ticket, and walks away. I try to gather myself but I am just pissed. Tears spill and I hear Vera's little whisper from the back, "Momma crying." Sweet girl...yeah mommas cry, too. This second speeding ticket (costing $170 a pop) occurred the morning after I had a conversation with my husband about how I feel like I've been spending too much money the last couple of weeks. He agrees, so this situation didn't help. Gah.

Hence, Pantry Chocolate Cake. Yes, sometimes I eat my feelings.

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book

Pantry Chocolate Cake

1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
3/4 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso or instant coffee (optional)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with a foil sling and grease the foil. Whisk the cocoa and the boiling water together in a small bowl. Let the mixture cool slightly.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder (if using) together. In a medium bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, egg, vanilla, and cooled cocoa mixture together. Stir the oil mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.

3. Give the batter a final stir with a rugger spatula to make sure it is completely mixed. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and gently tap the pan on the counter to settle the batter.

4. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Let the cake cool completely in the pan, 1 to 2 hours.

Quick Chocolate Frosting

Makes enough to frost an 8-inch cake or an 8-inch pan of brownies

After the cake has cooled for about 1 hour, melt 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil together in the microwave, stirring often, 1 to 3 minutes. Cool the mixture until barely warm, about 5 minutes, then spread evenly over the cake or brownies with a spatula. Continue to let the cake cool until the topping is set, 1 to 2 hours. If your kitchen is too warm for the frosting to set (like mine was) then place cake in fridge for 10 to 20 minutes to set the frosting.

Menu Making

2011-11-12T00:00:00.000-06:00

I wrote a post awhile ago about my process of menu planning. I get started mid-week and hope it is complete by Friday evening since I shop on Saturdays. It is a task that usually takes a couple of days, but I love to see the week's menus come to completion. (Okay, maybe I get a little too excited about it.)

Now that you know my process, here's another 'What We're Eating This Week' for ya. For the sake of freshness, you'll notice we eat our fish first (fish deliveries arrive Tuesdays and Saturdays where I shop), then our meat, and onto the rest of the meals. Sunday doesn't count though. I'm off on Sundays. That bread will be baked the night before and the slow cooker will be doing the magic for the chowder.

Sun.

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

No Knead Bread

Mon.

Trout with Almonds and Orange Zest

Porcini and Parsley Farro

Green Salad with Granny Smith Apples and Beets

Tues.

Turkey Burger with Spinach, Chevre, and Cranberry Sauce

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Lime Juice and Cilantro

Wed.

Night out with Girlfriends--frozen pizza for hubs

Thurs.

Eggplant & Chickpea Stew

Wheat Couscous

Wilted Garlicky Spinach

Fri.

out with hubs

How do you plan your meals? Any helpful tips?

By Far, Her Best Birthday Gift

2011-11-11T00:00:00.000-06:00

My mom is an amazing woman. One of her many gifts is being a skilled seamstress. For Vera's birthday, I asked if she could make some doll clothes. Not only did she exceed my expectations, but she went all out on the details. The pictures don't do them justice. They are just darling and Vera has had so much fun dressing and undressing (and dressing and undressing) her babies. I am so impressed and wanted to brag. :)

Different fabrics, textures, and styles of clothing to choose from.

She is so creative!!

What cute little details!

I love this little outfit. It makes me think of watching "Little House on the Prairie" growing up. It's got little white pantaloons to go with it.

She topped off this project with a Purdue cheerleader outfit. Perfect!

These are the types of presents that mean so much more than anything store bought. Handmade by my mom, these are priceless gifts that we will treasure forever!

Making Fun With Junk Mail

2011-11-10T08:56:00.000-06:00

When Chris and I first got married, we would tear open the junk mail and stuff it back inside the prepaid envelopes and send it back to the marketing companies. The things we did for a laugh back then. :)

Now, in my more mature years (ha), I've found a somewhat productive activity in which to use the advertisements. This being only Vera's second time using scissors, I definitely had to help her cut, but she enjoyed the challenging task. We flipped through the junk mail, she would identify objects, then we'd cut them out together and tape them on a black poster board.

I find it interesting the things she picked out. Coffee, for example, and boots. For a quick clean-up, we picked up all the scrap paper and chucked it in the recycling bin.

Then we flipped over the poster board and got out the chalk. I think she enjoyed breaking the chalk into little pieces more than scribbling.

Let's Wait a Month To Call These Gingerbread Cookies

2011-11-04T17:39:00.000-05:00

While a culinary student, I remember learning some interesting marketing ploys in the food industry. One in particular stands out in my memory. How does it sound to order Patagonian Toothfish for dinner? Sounds distasteful, doesn't it? Then how about Chilean Seabass? Much more appetizing-sounding, right? However, the interesting thing is they are two names for the same fish. Though not a bass, nor is it always caught in the waters surrounding Chile, it was named this because it was a more attractive name to consumers than Toothfish. Things aren't always what they seem.

Likewise, this (really yummy) recipe I made today was called "Molasses Spice Cookies." Sure, that's true and because of that name, more people will be drawn to make them any time throughout the year. However, looking at the ingredient list, it's the same stuff that would make up a Gingerbread cookie. But with the word Gingerbread comes the connotation of Christmas. And Christmas only comes once a year. My assumption then would be that to make this recipe more marketable in a year-round cookbook, they chose the name Spice Cookies instead.

Ah, that's just my two cents for the day regarding food business. But I don't know anything. (Except how to eat one too many!)

Molasses Spice Cookies

(America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/2 cup for rolling
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened but still cool
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup molasses, light or dark

Directions:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In shallow baking dish or pie plate, place 1/2 cup sugar for rolling dough;set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, spices, and salt until thoroughly combined; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter with brown and granulated sugars at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and add yolk and vanilla; increase speed to medium and beat until incorporated, about 20 seconds. Reduce speed to medium-low and add molasses; beat until incorporated, about 20 seconds, scraping bottom and sides of bowl once with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to lowest setting; add flour mixture and beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping bowl down once.
Roll one heaping tablespoon of dough into a ball between your palms, roll the ball in the sugar, and then place it on the prepared baking sheet spacing the balls about 2 inches apart Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake one sheet at a time until cookies are browned, still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, about 11 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Do not over bake.
Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes then using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely.

Yields: 22 cookies

This Is Not A Recipe Post

2011-11-03T13:27:00.000-05:00

When it comes to breakfast (what they say is the most important meal of the day), I've never done a very good job. For whatever reason, I'm not hungry when I wake up in the morning and it takes me a couple of hours for food to even sound good. My typical morning routine is to down a tall glass of water with my vitamins, but on occasion I will make a bowl of oatmeal (with 1 T. raw honey and flax seeds). But it takes effort for me to eat breakfast.

With both pregnancies, I tried to change that habit to give myself more energy and do the babies right. Since upping my weekly long runs in training for this race, I have been getting into a routine and feeding myself this perfect post-run breakfast. It is so satisfying that I crave it most days of the week now.

Scrambled eggs and raw tomatoes sprinkled with salt. I spring for the organic at this point since they taste soo much better than the picked-when-green-hoping-they-are-red-upon-arrival ones. This gives me the post-run protein that I need and is extremely quick to make.

What's your favorite breakfast?

Save A Buck {Make Your Own Pumpkin Pie Spice}

2011-11-02T20:47:00.004-05:00

Well, hi there, November. I thought you'd never get here. It's good to see you again and I hope you brought with you some cool weather to last us longer than a couple days. This heat, geesh, is killin me. Because I love you so, I decided to celebrate your arrival today with my first batch of pumpkin muffins of the season. You're welcome.

In recipes when it calls for pumpkin pie spice, I reach for this line-up of spices in my pantry. In recipes where it doesn't call for pumpkin pie spice, sometimes I still add it. Like to milky iced coffee. Or pancakes. Or smoothies. Or homemade doggy treats.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

makes about 2 tablespoons

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Blend all spices together. Shazaam. It's that easy.

If you were a spice, which one would you be? I have a friend named Cori Anderson. Her hubs calls her Coriander. I think that's the sweetest thing ever.

Nothing Amazing

2011-11-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

Well, the hallway closet went from this

to this.

I did a little switcheroo with the guest room closet and decided that I like having the coats here as well as all of our games in one location. Extra blankets folded on the bottom. Dangerous chemicals are no longer kept at a child's reach. Next re-org goal is the guest room. It's a little scary in there, so wish me luck!

One of the 18,705 Reasons Why I Love My Husband

2011-10-31T11:35:00.000-05:00

There's been an empty spot for awhile now in Vera's baby book awaiting a letter from her daddy. He filled it this past weekend and I got permission to share. Grab a tissue first though, will ya?

---

My dear, sweet Vera,

My first born. You are two years old as I write this. You are inquisitive, smart, independent, and eager to do the right thing. I am so thankful for you and love you deeply with a kind of love I did not know until you were born. I want to give you three pieces of advice for this life...

First, the world can be a confusing and difficult place. I will try to shield you from the harshness of life as best I can but at some point you will experience trial in this life. Do not be surprised by it or lose your courage. There is One who has gone before us and has overcome. He said, 'In this life you will have trouble, but take heart for I have overcome the world.' And indeed I have found that even when all else fails, He is true. This world will tempt you into thinking that Jesus is not who the Bible claims Him to be. Do not be afraid to ask honest questions but know that I at least have found Him and His Word to be true and sound both from an intellectual and experiential perspective. I pray that you will as well and that in your love for the Lord you will find safety and security to weather the storms of life.

Second, love people but do not let their approval rule your life. If you pursue happiness in life, you are unlikely to find it, but if as an overflow of your love for the Lord you spend your life serving and loving others, you most certainly will find joy in this life and supreme happiness in the next.

Finally, your mom is a beautiful woman who loves the Lord and thus has wisdom beyond herself. She is the love of my life, my better half, and my best friend. She is worthy of your trust and admiration and you would do well to keep her in your confidences and lean on her for guidance.

Love you,

Dad

What the Heck Are People Thinking?! {What Goes Through My Head When I Shop}

2011-10-30T16:27:00.003-05:00

You've probably figured out by now that one of my soapboxes in life is in regards to food and making wise decisions in what I choose to put in my body. I used to be self conscious about it because I wasn't raised with this acute awareness nor are many of my friends passionate about it. I know at the end of the day it isn't a matter worthy of division in relationships, however the more I learn, I just can't shake my convictions about it. I think it started in culinary school when we watched videos about the current food system in America, how food gets from farm to table, and how corporations have come in control over what is available in the aisles of our grocery stores. It was such an eye-opening experience for me and since then, I have read a lot and watched more mind-infiltrating documentaries about what we eat. It is not my goal to judge others on what they eat. That is their prerogative and I can leave it be. But when it comes to the diet of my family, I prefer to be as educated as I can be and make choices I believe in. Call me crazy, but I'd rather be in control of our nutrition, not just trust production companies on what they do to create "food." I'm not saying I am a health-nazi, because let's be honest, I majored in cream and butter and it's not like I've never enjoyed an Oreo (or gasp! fed my kid hot dogs and mac n cheese), but more times than not, I just want to eat real food.

Okay, now that we know that I love you and you love me despite all this, allow me to take you through some thought processes in my weird brain.

About a month ago I was checking out the jams. Though this is my absolute favorite brand in the whole wide world and I swore my faithfulness to her years ago, every now and then I find my eye a-wandering and considering other brands to try. What catches my eye but CALORIE FREE jars of jams and preservatives. My first thought? Holla! Alas I can eat as much jam as I can hold and it not count against me in the love-handle department! Tires screech. Whoa, Nelly. I know better. Nothing that I want to eat is calorie-free. That would make it a synthetic, laboratory-created product. My second thought then was to check out the ingredient list. Fake, fake, fake. Of course, the marketing technique of bold and enlarged letters on the label will get some people's attention and might make a sale, but I'm not a believer.

With skepticism, I continue my shopping. In the baking aisle, I come upon this fellow. To some, a first impression might be: Awesome! All I have to do is add water, shake, and I've got muffins. #winning But really, friends? Moreso, what appeals to me is real butter, granulated sugar cane, unbleached, un-enriched flour, eggs hatched from chickens that cluck, and blueberries that I myself can look over and wash before folding into my batter. Add a little turbinado sugar on top before baking for that extra crunch of sweetness. For me, there is satisfaction in knowing what is in the food that I put into my body.

Here's a napkin that made me scoff. "Real Food. Simply Delicious." I know this is just me speaking, but I disagree with both statements here.

For example, from their website, here's the ingredient list for the pumpkin scone which is quite the rave these days:

unbleached, enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), icing (sugar, water, corn syrup, fructose, contains less than 2% of the following: gum arabic, agar, potassium sorbate [preservative], citric acid, natural flavor, mono- and diglycerides, locust bean gum, cinnamon), unsalted butter (cream [from milk]), pumpkin puree, sugar, whole eggs, honey, buttermilk (from milk), soybean oil, leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, corn starch, monocalcium phosphate), soy lecithin, salt, invert syrup, vanilla extract, spices.

I don't know about you, but I don't have monocalcium phosphate or guar gum in my pantry.

All this to say, it's everywhere you look and not hard to find. I have to give voice to the fact that I know it would be incredibly expensive to eat all natural, all organic, all the time. We don't even do it in our household, but I can't help but wonder what kind of movement would occur in Washington if people would make healthier choices in the supermarkets. Don't even get me started on kids that qualify for free school lunches that come with cash-galore to spend on candy, sodas, fried "chicken" sandwiches, gelatinous-cardboard pizza, and processed cheesy fries in the lunch rooms across America.

(Okay, I'm done. Can we be friends again?)

Friday Night Special: Roasted Portobello Sammie

2011-10-29T21:11:00.001-05:00

We sat down for dinner on Friday night and as Vera was eating through her sandwich, she said, "mmm, yogurt" to which I replied, "yeah, it does taste kind of like yogurt." (She was tasting the soured/tartness of the goat cheese that is similar to the Greek yogurt that she eats on a daily basis.)

This sandwich sums up the way I like to eat. No meat. Hearty. Substantial. Healthy. Delicious. Here's the run-down:

Roasted Portabella (olive oil, salt, pepper), sliced

Arugula (or spinach would be great)

Soft Goat Cheese (let it come to room temp.)

Creamy Dijon

Whole Wheat Pita

And ohmygoodness, these fries are so yummy and made the perfect addition to our meal.

T.P. Pumpkins

2011-10-27T09:03:00.001-05:00

I got together with some friends a few weeks ago and we made these adorable pumpkins that are simply wrapped with toilet paper. How simple and creative for some Fall decor on the cheap!

In the Bumbo and Everything

2011-10-25T23:23:00.000-05:00

When I wasn't looking, apparently Baby got fed.

Why Couponing Doesn't Work For Me

2011-10-24T17:23:00.005-05:00

You've probably heard those amazing stories of people who save oodles of dollars by clipping coupons, right? A few weeks ago I was at a friend's house and saw TLC's "Extreme Couponing." Wow, those people are something else. They trash dig to get extra newspapers for more coupons. They grocery shop after midnight to get the newest stock of stuff. They have their system down for saving money. Kudos to them. I can't imagine saving so much money. I am a bargain deal hunter, that's for sure, but I've never scored that big before. When looking for coupons online, I come across extraordinary pictures of the piles of stuff that have been purchased for such a small amount.

It would feel like quite the accomplishment to walk out the store with bags of stuff having spent only a few dollars, or even having been credited to take it out! However, the more I research money saving tips and look at the available coupons in newspapers, magazines, in mailers, and online, I'm finding that they just don't match up with what we are spending our money on in our household.

I certainly don't look down on anyone else for how they might take advantage of these coupons, but our family doesn't eat most of the food products that provide savings; cereal, candy, chips, baking mixes, crackers, processed pastas, beans, etc. I look at these pictures and find nothing that we would buy. Therefore, I certainly wouldn't buy them just because they are on sale or free. With grocery coupons, there's not much that work for us.

I have a similar mindset with deal-saving sites like Groupon, too. If I wouldn't already be looking to purchase a good or service, then I'm not going to buy one just because it's a B1G1 or at a discounted price. But again, that's just the way I roll and I understand that others find couponing advantageous for their families, so that's great.

What works for you? Do you have any money-saving tips for groceries or other products?

Dance Party

2011-10-24T13:44:00.000-05:00

Vera likes to play the game 'dance party' quite frequently. Chris recorded our most recent one. And yes, that's all natural talent.

It's a Poll!

2011-10-24T00:18:00.000-05:00

I like you. Really, I like you a lot. And I appreciate your reading my nonsense.

If you're reading this through an RSS feed, would you mind heading over to this page to answer a question for me? The poll will be on the upper right hand side. I'd be most appreciative!

It's The Best Tasting Gross Candy Out There

2011-10-24T00:10:00.000-05:00

Have you ever said a word out loud over and over until it sounded completely absurd? Try it with "thank you," for example. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you....

In a similar way, the more felt candy corn I made tonight, the more absurd they started looking and I questioned upon the completion of this project if that's what candy corn even looks like. But it must have just been the wave of tiredness that was doing the crazy talk in my head.

It was one of those nights that I got the crafting bug and didn't want to stop. I started by working on the girls' Halloween costumes, then decided to keep up the momentum and create this project seen on a friend's sewing blog. Like I mentioned, I don't have any Halloween decorations, so I decided to remedy this tonight.

But the problem with this is that fake candy corn are now staring at me in my house. Creepy? Perhaps. But I was thinking more along the lines of how can I not buy candy corn now? And peanuts. Because that's the best Halloween snack combo ever.

Do you decorate for Halloween? Do you do ghouls and ghosts or leaves and pumpkins? Or felt candy corn?

Weeknight Stuffed Pizza

2011-10-21T03:30:00.000-05:00

9 times out of 10, I prep dinner during nap time. I do whatever I can to maintain the freshness of the meal, but to only have a few steps left in finishing it off at dinnertime. Last night we had this Stuffed Pizza. This is another good 'clean-out' meal where you can use whatever you have on hand in your pantry/fridge.

I had a green bell pepper, cremini mushrooms, shallot, garlic, and mozzarella cheese. And to be honest, I just cracked open a jar of marinara to use as the tomato sauce. That made it extremely easy. I simply sauteed the toppings in some olive oil, seasoned it with salt and pepper, and let it cool. My dough had proofed in the refrigerator overnight, so it was ready to roll out and fill. I rolled it into a long rectangle shape and placed the marinara and toppings down the middle, leaving about 3 inches on both sides. To close, I folded in the ends the braided it close, though you could just fold it over and crimp the edges. Then I wrapped it and placed it back in the fridge. Come dinner time, I turned on the oven, brought it out to room temperature, then baked it until GBD (a very technical term I learned in culinary school meaning golden brown and delicious).

Then I called it a day and sipped some cider beer. I love quick fixes to mealtime.

Believing The Best In Our Kids

2011-10-21T03:06:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure typically when the "Terrible Twos" stage really starts, but we have already seen glimpses of a tantrum-throwing toddler inhabiting the body of our sweet girl. We have days that I wish we could do all over again because the whole day was just wrong in attitude and heart. But sadly, those do-overs are desired more so because of the way that I handle the frenzy. I don't know when I started assuming that my daughter and I were enemies on those days. I have to remind myself often that she has only been alive for 2 years. She is merely a babe. She is in the midst of figuring out life; how to behave in social settings, how to make decisions, how to react to others. She is learning and growing and experiencing things for the first time.

Recently I came upon yet another amazing post by this lady that just stopped me in my track. I had to read it out loud, then read it to my husband, then read it again. I want to print it off and hand-deliver it to all my mom friends for Christmas. It's not everyday you read something so moving.

To even write these words, I have to assume that she spends a heck of a lot of time inhaling Scripture because where she's arrived in her thought process is just so full of wisdom to be from any self-help or parenting book. These are her words, not mine.

_________

The practice of assigning positive intent is, as Fancy Nancy would say, just a fancy way of saying "believe the best." I try to make my starting point for the day a belief in their goodness, in their love for each other and for our family, in the work that we have already done together towards wholeness.

So when things go pear-shaped, instead of assuming that they are manipulative little buggers out to get their way and rule us all, I choose to believe that their heart is as much for me as mine is for them.

A small example: When Joe was quite a small toddler, I met a scene from a mother-horror movie when I went to wake him from a nap. There was excrement everywhere - on the walls, on the sheets, in his hair. He was rubbing it with his stuffed animals, spreading it everywhere. Part of me wanted to holler at him: WHAT THE CRAP ARE YOU DOING? (Pun unintended, I assure you.) This was unbelievably gross, he had probably pulled that diaper off himself and was now gleefully making a mess on purpose, painting with it. But then I realized that he was sick, his diaper had been insufficient for the experience and he was actually making an attempt to clean it up. His intent was positive even if the results were, um, absolutely disgusting.

I try to operate from the standpoint that they want to be good and my job is to help them navigate, with grace, the mistakes and missteps that naturally come with the enormous job of growing up to love God and love people well.

I enjoy mothering so much more if I believe we're all on the same side. It's not us vs. them in the war of the family. My role here is to help them learn and so if I try to assume that they truly don't know yet or are still figuring it out. (But even if they are trying to be bad, even if it is manipulation, few people are not disarmed by innocence. And that includes my tinies. If they do something wrong on purpose, gentleness goes a long way to bringing them back to right living, reconciling them with us and God, much farther than bellowing and isolation and fury.)

When I assign positive intent, I have much more grace, patience and gentleness to offer and I believe that they can sense this change of perspective. It moves us from adversaries to partners or co-operators in their wholeness. But, on the other hand, if I operate from the starting point that they are out to take a mile if I give an inch that is one sure way to make the days very, very, very long.

I enjoy mothering when I believe and hope and love in their personhood. I enjoy my tinies when I notice and talk about the things that are noble, pure, beautiful and good about them. I enjoy mothering when I remember that they really, truly don't know everything yet, that most of my expectations come with development, and my job is to really, truly, teach them well.

They will learn the big nouns of love, grace, forgiveness, mercy and peace in the way that I handle the small verbs and actions of our life together. And so will I. (I have so much to learn.)

So even if the action is wrong or infuriating, unless otherwise proven, assume that their heart is to love, to please, to help and learn the right way from you.

_________

These words have changed me. They have given me a much-needed redirection of perspective. Makes me excited to meet my little girl in the morning and do life with her again, realizing that we are not adversaries on those tough days. On the contrary, she is my sweet, little girl that I get to teach and help mold. What a huge responsibility.

Where Is An Organization Fairy When You Need One?

2011-10-20T13:36:00.000-05:00

I seriously need to get to business on some organizing in my home. The temperature drop here is invigorating and has made me feel so motivated to clean out and organize. For the most part, I'd say my house is pretty organized (though you'd never guess it from these pictures!) I am one of those odd ball gals that really enjoys being domestic; cooking, cleaning, laundry, yard work, etc. In my house, there is a place for everything and it's easy to find things. But sometimes life gets busy and I get lazy which results in piles of stuff that need to find new homes. I wish I could hire someone to help me because it takes work to figure this stuff out. All I know is that when my house isn't in order, it doesn't feel peaceful to me. And these pics ain't peaceful.

Anyone got some organization tips?

Feeling Thankful

2011-10-19T14:49:00.004-05:00

I don't have any Halloween decorations, so I usually skip it altogether when decorating and go straight to Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday. The past couple of weeks I have seen this at the grocery store (minus the pumpkin) and said no every time...until my most recent trip. I decided I needed* it. I mean, who wouldn't think a Turkey-Pumpkin (Turkin? Pumpkey?) isn't just awesome? I think it's awesome. Works perfectly standing right next to our "NO SOLICITING" sign. Ha. Happy Thanksgiving to you, solicitor.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because the emphasis is all about being grateful. We surround ourselves with family, eat home-cooked goodness, and football is playing in the background. Our family tradition is to write on a small slip of paper what you are thankful for and drop it in a box. The anonymous notes are tossed and each family member takes one and reads it aloud to the group. It's a sentimental way to show your gratitude, but also a fun game to guess who's is whose. (This wouldn't be as challenging with smaller groups, obviously.)

I've been chewing on what my list might include this year. I am extremely blessed by my friends. Wow, God has been good to me. One thing I ask of God on a consistent basis is that He would surround my children with great friends as they grow up. This must have been a prayer of my parents', too, because throughout my life, I have been attracted to wonderful, amazing, healthy friendships.

Since living in Austin, we have met a lot of wonderful people. Some of them have been seasonal friends who are in your life for a purpose, but for a short amount of time. With others, we've had the longevity, them sticking around and becoming permanent people in our lives--our local family, really. When you don't have family close by, we've found that it is necessary to take up the reins and live life together with friends, giving and receiving.

These friends and those friends (the seasonal and long-term kinds) are what I am thankful for and where my thoughts are camping out today. If you're reading this, most likely I'm talking about you. Thanks for being in my life, pursuing a friendship with me, and allowing me to be a part of your life, no matter how big or small.

* false.

Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions?

Selfishness 101

2011-10-17T13:21:00.000-05:00

I am thankful for the ebb and flow, but seriously, I don't think this parenting thing gets any easier, no matter how long you've been at it or how many times you've done it. For me, nothing in life has brought about more sanctification than through marriage and raising kids. If you wanna look more like Jesus, say "I do," and live with that person everyday for the rest of your life. That's sure to show you some character flaws. If you want to know how imperfect you are, raise some kids that stare at you in the face like little mirrors that reflect the condition of your heart. It ain't always pretty, that's for sure.

Today I am working through some devil in me.

I came to a conclusion this morning on my run. An ugly one at that.

When it's easy, I am an excellent mom. But when it's hard, I am terrible mom.

When we've got the routine down, the kids are sleeping well, eating well, playing hard, obeying, learning quickly, not teething, not fighting, and not sick--life is good. I feel like I am in my element as a mom. I enjoy waking up and doing it over again the next day.

But. When ~~shit hits the fan~~ control (and comfort and routine and stability) are out the window, I realize that I like motherhood a whole lot less. I love my children, don't get me wrong, but what starts creeping up in me gets pretty ugly pretty fast. It all boils down to my selfish heart.

Selfishness steals joy. I've been acting like life is about my kingdom, not God's.

Love does not easily anger. (1 Cor. 13:5) In my head today has been the phrase, "Angry parents breed angry children." If that's the case, Lord help them.

Rather abrupt ending perhaps, but right now I have no other consolation.

If after reading this you want to call CPS, I'll understand. In the meantime, I'll be pleading for more of God, less of me. That same prayer I've prayed a million times, but the one I'll keep on saying.

Animal Heaven

2011-10-16T21:34:00.001-05:00

To celebrate the birthday girl, this weekend we went to the zoo with the grandparents. She was in animal heaven. Her favorites were the elephants, monkeys, and bears. She had popcorn as a snack and chased down a gift shop cart on the go, carrying monkey accessories. She walked herself tired and conked out in the car. It was a good day.

Happy Birthday, Vera

2011-10-15T00:00:00.000-05:00

Our birthday present to Vera

Vera,

My sweet, little big girl. How is it that you are 2 years old already? Part of me is sad because you are growing uptoo fast, but part of me delights so much in watching you become your ownperson. You have filled my heart to thebrim with joy. You have changed so muchin just two short years. At first youwere a little cuddly baby who just laid on my chest. Now you are a very active, happy, energetic,social, funny, charismatic little girl. You became an older sister this year. I remember the night before I went to the hospital, walking into yourroom while you were asleep, picking you up out of your crib and holding youclose in the rocking chair, savoring you as my only child for that last time. My tears were of joy, yet sadness at the sametime. I was excited to bring forthanother little girl into our family, but it pained my heart to think of thatchapter ending. You were my first childand you taught me how to be a mom. Thefirst couple months of your life were rough, but we got through it, you andme. There is still some jealousy fromtime to time between you and your sister, but that doesn’t touch the love youhave for her. You love sharing a roomand must always kiss ‘Sissy’ goodnight. It’s not easy, but you are getting better at sharingyour toys and attention. You are such a great big sister and one of my prayers has been that you always share a close bond.

As much as I want time to slow down, I have to admit that Iam looking forward to seeing who you become. I’m excited to find out what your interests will be and what your giftsare. It is so fun to watch you discoverlife. God gave me the greatest gift ofbeing your mom. I hope to have rubbed off on you as much asyou have rubbed off on me. You’vechanged my life and made my world a better place. Thank you for your forgiveness as I continuelearning how to teach, instruct, disciple, and lead you in life. Crazy as it is, you believe that I am the bestmommy in the whole world.

Happy Birthday, Cocita. With all my love, Momma

Ready For A Bed

2011-10-13T16:08:00.002-05:00

Happy Fall, Ya'll

2011-10-12T17:29:00.002-05:00

Some of my favorite things so far this season include:

hitting up the pumpkin patch with my best friends + kids

wearing my boots even though it makes my feet sweat

the smell inside my house while bread rises

early morning runs in pleasant weather

hearing rain in the middle of the night

mod podge pumpkins

spice candles

And you??

Goal # 6: Accept the fact that I am not in Student Council and don't attend.

2011-10-10T23:44:00.003-05:00

The last time my parents came to visit they left a carload of stuff that had been stored in my childhood home, to which I replied, "You mean I can't keep my stuff there forever?" Apparently not. But going through boxes upon boxes of stuff (dated back as far as 1987--I was 3 years old) has been a humorous and nostalgic process for me. Yearbooks, scrapbooks, Valentines handwritten from 4th grade classmates, notes from friends that I'd saved (the kind that end with "Check yes or no."), and much more. I have thrown out or recycled 99% of the stuff, however, I have saved a few gems that are blog-worthy.

For your evening chuckle, I came across "Carey's Goals," which from the looks of it were written by my mom for me in elementary school sometime. There's no date, so I can't be certain, but I'm betting that I was pretty young. Geez, I hope so at least.

I don't know if I like exposing the person that I was, but here goes!

Some favorite lines: "and move away from them" and "Quit calling home." Ouch.

What We're Eating This Week

2011-10-09T23:59:00.000-05:00

Monday
Oven Roasted Fryer Chicken
Sauteed Kale with Sweet Onion
Wheat Couscous with Roasted Butternut Squash, Cranberries, and Toasted Almonds

Tuesday
Mushroom Crepes with Poblano Chile Sauce
Cheesy Scrambled Eggs

Wednesday
Falafel with Tzatziki
Wheat Pitas, Tomatoes, Red Onion, Lettuce

Thursday
Beef Chili with Sour Cream Cheddar Biscuits

Friday
Out

And holy crap, one more week until we start Lydia on baby food! I cannot believe she's almost 6 months old. Kinda makes my heart sad that I won't be her sole provider for nourishment anymore, yet it will be fun to help her explore the world of food. Tomorrow I will cook and freeze. First two on the menu include Spinach & Yams and Bananas with Mango.

Behold! {My Collections}

2011-10-07T14:09:00.000-05:00

Sometime during early elementary school I remember learning what having a collection meant. It was probably closely tied with the days of Show 'n Tell. Kids would bring their collections of things; polished rocks, arrow heads, and the like. I jumped on that bandwagon, too, and collected bookmarks and pencils. I even have genuine pictures for a show 'n tell today. Lucky you.

Collected from many a family vacations. Trolls were so in.

A few of my favs. My mom and I took an American Sign Language class together. The ruler one would have been a helpful ~~cheating~~ studying tool. U.S. Presidents stopped with Reagan. I did, in fact, visit the Wisconsin Dells and have a never before used pencil to prove it. And lastly, should I be embarrassed that I had no idea what minuend and subtrahend meant?

My bookmark collection reminds me of a few characteristics about my grade school self: I was kind of obsessed with Anne Geddes products (loved me some babies, even awkwardly posed ones), I loved all things Berenstein Bears, and again, trolls were cool. Err, rad. Err, bogus. (What was the saying?)

In your elementary school days, did you have any collections? Or did you watch 90210? Or how about actually keeping any of that stuff? No? Just me? *Twiddling thumbs.

Thrifted Finds

2011-10-06T21:58:00.001-05:00

She loves me not.

She LOVES me!

More thrifted finds today. I'm going out on a limb and trying the 'big and flowy' dress style, hoping it doesn't make me look 'big and flowy.' The last one is the only one that looked decent. The green dress zipped but wouldn't fit the milk bags. The red dress just made me look like I was wearing a big sheet.

Dear Caesar, I'm Sorry My Armpits Were Hairy.

2011-10-06T20:44:00.000-05:00

A friend came ~~to my rescue~~ over to my house today and hung out while my kids took naps and then played with them when they woke up. She gave me some time to myself, which I feel like I haven't had in a long time. Very last minute, I called the massage studio where I've gone in the past and asked in my most sweetest, persuasive voice if they had any last minute openings. They did! Of course it was too fat of a chance to get in with my tried and true therapist, but I was happy nonetheless to just get an appointment. I have had a gift card sitting in my wallet since last Christmas that I just have not had the time to use, so it was the perfect opportunity. I booked with a burly man named Caesar whose strong hands worked their magic on my tight muscles (from cooking, running, and carrying chillins). He had me at hello. He said, "I am Caesar. Welcome to my table. My English no good, but no need to talk here." I couldn't agree more, Caesar. It ended up being the best one I've ever had.

I've always felt that massage therapy works wonders for your physical health, but more recently, I'm finding that it's mentally beneficial, too. It's such a service to give that gift to someone who can't work their kinks out on their own. If I had the time and money, I think I would enjoy getting certified myself.

During the massage, to my surprise, I started getting emotional. I've talked with friends before who do massage therapy as a living and they say it's not uncommon. It's never happened to me until today. They say something triggers an emotional release, resulting in tears. Not happy tears, but not sad tears. Just one of those cries that makes you feel better after it's over. Caesar asked me if I wanted to take a break, but I said no. So he just kept working and I just cried. It wasn't awkward at all, actually. He was very sweet about it.
--
What's your guilty pleasure?

On Behalf of Our Hottie Ody

2011-10-05T22:43:00.003-05:00

Well, we are officially ~~reluctant~~ owners of a new-to-us van. As much as I wish I could keep my cool factor (Did I ever have any??), I do have to say that it's pretty awesome.

* Space to move

* Being able to cart friends and their kids around

* Tinting in the back so I can breastfeed in a parking lot

* Having my dog accompany me around town again

* Comfort for long road trips (Nappy naps in the backseat!)

Though we didn't get a Sienna (Honda Odyssey got us for the 8th seat), everything about this mother father video is great and brings a smile to my face.

I Am a Very Rich Woman.

2011-10-04T00:48:00.000-05:00

Applesauce Fail

2011-10-03T16:36:00.000-05:00

I can't count how many times I've made applesauce in my life, especially since Vera started eating solid food. I probably make it almost weekly. I usually stick with Red or Yellow Delicious because they are cheap and "less gassy" for kids. I cook them with a cinnamon stick or nutmeg, but no sugar. After cooling, sometimes I mash them for a chunkier texture and other times I run it in the food processor to quickly puree. I do that on days that I have it together.

But today was not one of those days. In every way possible, I was ill-prepared for life to happen today. Sad face. Call it a case of the Mondays or waking up on the wrong side of the bed, who knows. But I will conquer tomorrow! Failed applesauce and all.

Dining Table Trivets

2011-10-02T22:09:00.000-05:00

Copied the idea from here. Ever since purchasing our dining table, I have wanted to get some trivets because it made me nervous setting hot stuff on dish towels. These inexpensive Ikea trivets ($3 for pack of 3) did the job. I borrowed a wood burning tool and it was finished in an evening. Pretty cute, if I say so myself.

What Not To Include On A Resume When Interviewing At A Tech Company

2011-10-02T20:55:00.000-05:00

Team Leader

I lead and organize all lifeguards during emergencies and day to day situations

I operate pool mechanics and maintain chemical balance in the pool water

I interact with patrons who have a problem with the pool, staff members, or with other patrons

Life Guard

Saved lives of victims, provided first aid and prevented accidents

Interacted with patrons, explaining rules and provided customer service

Enforced pool rules and health code regulations

Let's just say that Chris and I had ourselves a few chuckles after reading this one.

Simple Epiphanies

2011-09-28T22:11:00.000-05:00

After a restless last couple months of pregnancy, I slept in the guest bed by myself a.lot. It was wonderful having it all to myself, as well as the five pillows I'd squish in for comfort; between my knees, next to both sides, under my head, and one under the arm of the side that I was sleeping on. Complicated, I know. After baby came, obviously, it was a goal of mine to begin sleeping in the same bed with my husband again. To feed Lydia in the beginning, I'd take her from her crib into the guest room and feed her while laying down (the BEST nursing position ever, in my opinion!). Often I'd just sleep with her next to me (a known controversial statement) and feed throughout the night. I could never do that with Vera. My anxiety and not knowing how to nurse on my side were the obstacles, but this time around, I had it down. And I have to say, it's pretty blissful sleeping next to a baby. When Lydia began sleeping through the night, I began weaning myself of the guest bed. It was harder than I thought it would be. Chris and I share a queen sized mattress and although it is a very, very comfortable one, it was a transition going from a bed all on my own back to sharing space and having only one pillow (sniff, sniff). I can say that jokingly now since I'm glad to be bed buddies with the hubs again. (Although I love me a nap in the guest bed from time to time...and I will take Lydie there for an occasional 6am feeding, then put her back in her crib.)

All that to say, it arose in me an epiphany. The only way to sleep all night in the same bed with your husband, is well, to sleep all night in the same bed with your husband.

This spoke to me in other areas.

The only way to run longer and faster is to (wait for it), run longer and faster.

The only way to spend more time reading the Bible (you guessed it) is to spend more time reading the Bible.

What is a short term goal that you have?

Dang Expensive, But So Worth It!

2011-09-27T11:06:00.001-05:00

And as I turned the corner, my heart skipped a beat and I heard the angels in heaven singing "The Hallelujah Chorus."

How are you welcoming Fall?

A Frequent Activity

2011-09-23T16:57:00.001-05:00

We go on a lot of walks. I have Marlow on a leash, Lydia in the Ergo, and Vera leading the way. It's a fun way to meet neighbors.

Currently Snacking On...

2011-09-23T12:22:00.003-05:00

How I Got Pee On My Face {And Other Musings From My Week}

2011-09-23T12:19:00.001-05:00

Lessons learned...

1) Always check to make sure the pee is no longer in the potty before chucking it under your arm to carry through the carpeted house to the car (for those times a toilet is not around, such as the park or long road trip).

2) Driving around town all.day. with the emergency brake on is not in the best interest of your car.

3) Before leaving home, make sure child #2 is in the backseat, not just secured in her car seat...in the garage.

4) Tantrums in the middle of Target are not a big deal. Tantrums in the middle of Target are not a big deal. Tantrums in the middle of Target are not a big deal.

5) Homemade chai tea latte has the potential to fix just about anything.

It's The Little Things

2011-09-21T15:22:00.000-05:00

What makes your home special? What are the details that you love, even if they don't matter much to anyone else? What gives you that cozy feeling when you walk in the door? Are there sentimental items that are important to you, no matter what the price tag was? What holds memory or value? Here are a few snapshots, which I love, from around my home.

A chalkboard sign right outside our front door. On the other side is written, "No Soliciting" for those times we start getting door-knockers at dinner time. I change it up seasonally, too. Last year we welcomed guests for our Christmas party and it read, "Eat, Drink, and Be Merry with the Bonsers."

This little item I picked up for $10 at Pier One a long time ago. I love displaying holiday cards, birth announcements, and other photos we get in the mail throughout the entire year. This is on a wall in our hallway.

On Chris's first business trip to Singapore he brought me back this jewelry box, which is by far the sweetest, most thoughtful gift he's ever given me. I love it.

For whatever reason I just love the linen closet. (And that little furball.)

With the very little cabinet and counter space that we have, we found this to be the perfect storage solution for my knives. The blue and red tape (a frequent question) was to differentiate my knives from my fellow culinary school buddies' knives. When we paid the tuition fee for school, it included our books and equipment, therefore everyones' knives looked the same.

Maximizing storage in the pantry meant utilizing the door. Thank you, Elfa!

Silly to others but wonderful to me. When we retiled the master bathroom, I chose to install corner shelves in the shower. I always hated soap getting wet in it's normal spot on the side.

This shot was taken as I sat on the floor of my closet. I believe this was meant for belts, but it seemed perfect for necklaces. The only downfall is that it is at the perfect height for Vera to play with. I really don't mind that much though.

My sister-in-law gave us this new-to-us entryway mirror. It was perfect for this spot. A place for Chris to throw his keys and wallet when he walks in the door. We also hung our pool bag here for the whole summer which contained everything we needed to hop in the car and go at a moment's notice (sunscreen, swimmer diapers, hats, pool toys, towels, and Vera's flip flops). I loved having it at the ready. This is also the spot I write a daily love note to my hubs.

What you can't see in this photo is what I really like about my small countered kitchen. There is a little white dish drainer down there on the left side that fits pefectly. I got it from Ikea a long time ago and never knew how much I would love it. We don't keep dishes in there very long, but when they are drying, they are only in the sink and not cluttering up the countertop.

--
What are your house loves?

If Only I Had Some Canned Pumpkin

2011-09-20T12:38:00.003-05:00

Knock-knock...

Who's there?

Banana.

Banana who?

Knock-knock...

Who's there?

Banana.

Banana who?

Knock-knock...

Who's there?

Orange.

Orange who?

Orange you glad I didn't say banana?

Wow, today has been a fun day. We are focusing on learning the color orange and it has been been a hit with Vera. She picked out an all-orange outfit (picture to come) with a little help, including hair accessories. I cut up some peaches and added them to her oatmeal which I dyed orange using food coloring--so fun! And her milk was orange, too. After the gym this morning we went to the grocery store and just meandered throughout pointing out orange foods. We left with some whole grain Goldfish for an afternoon snack. We got home and piled on the living room floor all sorts of things from throughout the house that are orange. She really got into the treasure hunt. We would say, "Orange thing, where are you?" and run around until we found it, then we'd throw it in the pile.

For lunch was roasted sweet potatoes, carrots with hummus, yogurt (dyed orange), cheddar cheese, and papaya.

This afternoon the plan is to pull out all the art supplies that are orange to color and decorate an old shoe box. I fished out the scrapbook paper, finger paint, chalk, markers, colored pencils, crayons, stickers, glitter, and yarn.

DIY Dry Erase Board

2011-09-20T07:31:00.000-05:00

I came across this idea on Pinterest and decided to use the same concept for wall art in our guest bathroom. Originally I had written "You look lovely today," as a little pick-me-up, but decided to write something a little more honest and wise.

(I bought Chalk Ink, wet wipe markers for this job.)

What words of encouragement do use as a pick-me-up?

Baby Names That Make You Think, WTF?!

2011-09-19T13:41:00.002-05:00

You've come across names before, I'm sure, that have different spellings or pronunciations. You've probably even heard a lot of odd names, and like me, wonder what in the world the parent was smoking when they signed that birth certificate. They make good laughs though, right?

I have a good friend (a hilarious blogger) who works as a Labor and Delivery nurse and has met these unfortunately-named babies herself. In fact, cruise on over to her blog if you want to laugh so hard you have to cross your legs to keep from peeing in your pants. (Orrrrr, perhaps that's just me.) She's writing a series right now on 'FAQ to the L&D Nurse.' If you don't mind reading about vaginal discharge, pooping during delivery, and obese pregnant girls that lost Twinkies in their rolls and never knew they were knocked up...then you're in luck because this blog is for you!

In regards to funny names, I thought I'd gather a list of peculiar names of people my friends have personally met. These are great and if you're in the market for a baby name, perhaps these might be the inspiration you were looking for.

First off, sisters named by the same momma...

Rondayvoo (pronounced Rendezvous)

Dayjavoo (pronounced "Deja vu")

Saylavee (pronounced "Se la vie")

Next, a great idea if you're wanting a no-nonsense masculine name for your little boy.

Imaman (pronounced "I'm a man")

This one with the emphasis on the "th" sound, such as "thing."

Shithead

Great if you're wanting to incorporate real creativity:

La-ia (pronounced La dashia)

And the winner in my book...

Abcde (pronounced much like Obesity)

What's the most crazy name you've ever heard?

Competitve Parenting

2011-09-15T15:12:00.000-05:00

Recently I debated whether or not to start Vera in preschool. I saw how she could really benefit from a group learning environment, the social setting, and learning to respect and obey other adults. I decided not to enroll her because I simply wasn't ready. I'm sure she would love it, but the gut feeling I had was that it just wasn't necessary. I think Mothers Day Out programs are great and I don't think anything less of moms who do send their kids to these types of day cares, but I suppose I am being selfish in that I want to be around my daughter as much as I can before she has to go away to school someday.

But wrestling with it got me thinking.

I know this isn't a new problem, but being fresh in the roll of parenting a toddler, I am just now recognizing the social expectations/competitiveness of parents. I started to question whether or not Vera was up to speed and on track. I started wondering if I was doing enough; teaching her enough, exposing her enough to new environments, and giving her enough new experiences.

It bothers me to be around other parents who feel they have to 'one up' you with the amazing-ness of their kids. Do you feel me? Written best by Alicia from Magical Childhood, "We are such a competitive culture that even our toddlers have become trophies and bragging rights. Childhood shouldn’t be a race." Well said. Here's more wisdom found from the same website that, to me, is profound.

So here, I offer my list of what a toddler should know.

She should know that she is loved wholly and unconditionally, all of the time.

He should know that he is safe and he should know how to keep himself safe in public, with others, and in varied situations. He should know that he can trust his instincts about people and that he never has to do something that doesn’t feel right, no matter who is asking. He should know his personal rights and that his family will back them up.
She should know how to laugh, act silly, be goofy and use her imagination. She should know that it is always okay to paint the sky orange and give cats 6 legs.
He should know his own interests and be encouraged to follow them. If he could care less about learning his numbers, his parents should realize he’ll learn them accidentally soon enough and let him immerse himself instead in rocket ships, drawing, dinosaurs or playing in the mud.
She should know that the world is magical and that so is she. She should know that she’s wonderful, brilliant, creative, compassionate and marvelous. She should know that it’s just as worthy to spend the day outside making daisy chains, mud pies and fairy houses as it is to practice phonics. Scratch that– way more worthy.

But more important, here’s what parents need to know.

That every child learns to walk, talk, read and do algebra at his own pace and that it will have no bearing on how well he walks, talks, reads or does algebra.

That the single biggest predictor of high academic achievement and high ACT scores is reading to children. Not flash cards, not workbooks, not fancy preschools, not blinking toys or computers, but mom or dad taking the time every day or night (or both!) to sit and read them wonderful books.
That being the smartest or most accomplished kid in class has never had any bearing on being the happiest. We are so caught up in trying to give our children “advantages” that we’re giving them lives as multi-tasked and stressful as ours. One of the biggest advantages we can give our children is a simple, carefree childhood.
That our children deserve to be surrounded by books, nature, art supplies and the freedom to explore them. Most of us could get rid of 90% of our children’s toys and they wouldn’t be missed, but some things are important– building toys like legos and blocks, creative toys like all types of art materials (good stuff), musical instruments (real ones and multicultural ones), dress up clothes and books, books, books. (Incidentally, much of this can be picked up quite cheaply at thrift shops.) They need to have the freedom to explore with these things too– to play with scoops of dried beans in the high chair (supervised, of course), to knead bread and make messes, to use paint and play dough and glitter at the kitchen table while we make supper even though it gets everywhere, to have a spot in the yard where it’s absolutely fine to dig up all the grass and make a mud pit.
That our children need more of us. We have become so good at saying that we need to take care of ourselves that some of us have used it as an excuse to have the rest of the world take care of our kids. Yes, we all need undisturbed baths, time with friends, sanity breaks and an occasional life outside of parenthood. But we live in a time when parenting magazines recommend trying to commit to 10 minutes a day with each child and scheduling one Saturday a month as family day. That’s not okay! Our children don’t need Nintendos, computers, after school activities, ballet lessons, play groups and soccer practice nearly as much as they need US. They need fathers who sit and listen to their days, mothers who join in and make crafts with them, parents who take the time to read them stories and act like idiots with them. They need us to take walks with them and not mind the .1 MPH pace of a toddler on a spring night. They deserve to help us make supper even though it takes twice as long and makes it twice as much work. They deserve to know that they’re a priority for us and that we truly love to be with them.

Recent Reads

2011-09-15T13:13:00.002-05:00

--
What have you been reading lately? I'm looking for a historical non-fiction next, like WW2 era or pre Civil War. Suggestions?

Muffin Tin Smorgasbord

2011-09-15T12:50:00.001-05:00

(strawberries, brown rice, slow cooked black beans, applesauce, vegetable soup, shredded chicken)

I ran across this idea online and thought it would be perfect for a lunch time change-up for Vera. She loves containers, compartments, and sorting things, so I knew this would be right up her alley.

A Monday Morning Run

2011-09-12T19:38:00.000-05:00

Adventures in Thrifting

2011-09-08T00:20:00.000-05:00

Chris had a conference call tonight. Working from home, I left him "in charge" even though both girls were already in bed. I had an errand to run and on the way back home stopped by the Goodwill. If you know me you know that I LOVE thrift-store shopping. There's something about digging through what looks to be piles of junk and discovering a gem.

I really loved these metal canary-yellow chargers, but there were only three. They'd make fun wall art for somebody though.

Who doesn't need a cute clipboard? However, I already own a ~~boring~~ functional one.

I did buy these though. I found a great crafty idea that I plan to make for gifts. I bought the entire box for $1.99, which means that for one ornament, the cost was 16 cents. Steal!

Great bones to this piece. It mostly inspired me to try out contact paper on the back of my china cabinet. (I'm wanting to make our dining room less formal feeling.)

$6 Franko Sarto wedges with a peep toe half a size too small? Absolutely!

Have you any great finds lately at a thrift store?

On Mindless Eating

2011-09-07T16:54:00.000-05:00

When running a half marathon last year, one of the most encouraging things about the race was all the people on the sidelines cheering me on along the way. Sure, they didn't know my name and I didn't know them, but they were out there to support somebody and I soaked in their applause and cheers as if it were meant for me. Some held signs on poster boards, encouraging the runners. "You trained for this!" "You got this, girl!" "Make this race your bitch!" < - - Quite frankly my favorite one. They gave me so much inspiration (and laughter) that it was easier to finish the race because they reminded me that I believed in myself, and yes, I could do it.

You shall have no other gods before me. -Exodus 20:3

Recently I have admitted to myself that I have used food as an idol. How does that play out in my life? I am a mindless eater. I don't do a very good job watching the amount that I eat or listening to my stomach to stop eating once it's satisfied. I eat without much thought sometimes, probably a glazed look over my face, not even realizing what I'm doing. Snacking here, snacking there. It doesn't seem like it would add up to much, but at the end of the day, I feel sluggish and bloated. I don't think that's how God intends for us to take care of ourselves. After all, we are His temple. I think He wants us to choose wholesome fuel so that we can be productive and efficient for His Kingdom. Eating right and being physically active makes me not only feel good, but it makes a spiritual connection for me, too. You see, I feel worshipful when I practice self control (one of the fruits of the Spirit). Instead of indulging myself, I have been making a mental effort to choose Christ. He alone satisfies.

I don't desire to be skinny. I just want to take care of the hot body that God has already given me.

I refuse to eat all that low-fat crap. It's fake anyway. I choose real food; eating less and moving more.

(On a side note, I think God has given us wonderfully diverse food to enjoy and sustain us. I just go a little far with the enjoyment part.)

I don't want food to be a god in my life. Can you identify? If you're in this race with me, here are some signs along the way to cheer us on.

On Fire

2011-09-06T09:16:00.000-05:00

In case you haven't heard, surrounding parts of Austin have been engulfed in wildfires. The relentless dry heat and record lack of rain this summer offer no containment for the burning. Many people have lost their homes. My best friend's parents had to evacuate their home, but fortunately they had a place to stay. I think the count now is up to 400 homes that have been lost.

Though our home is not in the endangered path, I cannot help but think of those who've lost everything. I know that possessions don't hold eternal value. I know they do not make up the sum of who we are. I know that it is just stuff. However, we live day in and day out using this stuff that we've accumulated over the years and can find ourselves attached to it.

You've probably thought about this before, but what would you quickly gather if you knew your house was burning down and you would lose everything inside? Besides the obvious of my family (Marlow included, of course), I'm not sure. I guess grabbing social security cards, birth certificates, marriage license, and business identification would be good choices. I inherited my great-aunt's china from Japan, but I'm not personally attached to it. I have some hand-made clothes my mom has made, but I could live without those. There are a lot of pictures in storage from my childhood, before digital photos came about, so once they are gone, they'd be gone forever. But even without those, I could carry on. Wedding ring? Honestly, I could do without it. It symbolizes the commitment of my marriage, but still it's just stuff. Once I'm in the ground someday, it won't have any value to me then. I am sure there are things that I would genuinely be sad if I lost, but today I'm trying to keep the perspective that none of it really matters.

What about you though? What would you take in case of a fire?

Update: I would be devastated without the journals that chronicle my life, beginning in 5th or 6th grade. A rather narcissistic response, I guess, but writing was often my lifeline and my way of finding sanity at times. As an avid journaler, I have books filled since 1995. God's story of redemption in my life, personal growth, and perseverance through trials are in these books. Can't be replaced.

Aaaaaannd our computer hard drive!!

Growing Old Together

2011-09-04T20:25:00.001-05:00

For the last couple of weeks I have been waking up around 6am. As much as I covet my sleep, it has made a world of difference in the mentality of my day. Blurry-eyed, I put on my tennis shoes and head out the door with Marlow at my side. He's up and ready for his walk and though it takes a few minutes for the sleep fog to vanish, I love our quiet morning walks in the neighborhood. The heat hasn't yet set in and there are few people out.

Except for this sweet, little old couple. I've never spoken to them. We haven't crossed paths yet, but I've seen them from afar taking their daily stroll together. He wears black socks pulled up almost to his knees and she wears a sunhat. The man uses a cane and isn't very steady on his feet, yet they still hold hands. Be still my soul. Tears come to my eyes watching them. Slow and easy they go. Perhaps their walk only consists of going around the block or even just up and down their street, I'm not sure. But they are always together, hand in hand.

Some words that come to mind as I imagine who they are and what stories their lives could tell; commitment, perseverance, forgiveness, laughter, companionship, heartache, mountains, valleys, babies, death, victories, long haul, and friend.

It settles rightly so in my heart when I think about waking up next to the same person for the rest of my life.

The Very Hungry Vera-pillar

2011-08-31T13:27:00.010-05:00

Anyone who knows my kid knows that she likes to eat. Vera even knows where the snacks are kept at our friends' houses. I thought I should record what she typically eats in a day.

For breakfast she ate through:

* 2 bananas

* 1 c. cooked oatmeal with honey and pecans

* a handful of blueberries

* 6 oz. skim milk

But she was still hungry.

For lunch she ate through:

* a bowl of chicken and noodle soup
* a large spoonful of mashed potatoes

* 10 red seedless grapes

* 5 carrot sticks

* 5 chunks of cheddar cheese

* 3 crackers with almond butter

* a cup of water

But she was still hungry.

For dinner she ate through:

* a bowl of applesauce

* 1 c. steamed zucchini and yellow squash

* 1/2 c. whole wheat spaghetti with cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese

* 8 oz. of strawberry agua fresca (purred strawberries, strained, thinned out with some water to make it drinkable in a sippy cup)

And finally she was satisfied. She waddled to bed with a rotund tummy and fell fast asleep.

The End.

--
What'd you eat for lunch?

My Girls

2011-08-30T17:14:00.001-05:00

Vera Corrine will turn 2 in October and I can hardly believe it. Like her hair, she is wild and carefree. Her element is amongst other kids her age or running outside, anywhere. She loves to be dirty, still loves to eat, and really enjoys books. Right now her current love affair is with Elmo and occasionally she gets to watch old school episodes of Sesame Street from the '70s. Her booty just got smaller in the sense that she no longer wears a diaper during the day. Using just two diapers a day now (nap time and bedtime) is amazing and is saving lots of money. We never officially started potty training but just sort of merged our way into it, so it's been about a month now and she's doing great. When she is caught up in playing with other kids, I still need to make sure she is aware that potty opportunities are available, but all in all, she has been accident free for over a week. Can't believe what a big girl she is now. This afternoon I stripped Lydia's bed to wash the sheet and left the mattress on the floor. Vera spent about a half hour making all of her stuffed animals 'jump' on it.

Lydia Ruth is 4 months old and a tank of love. She enjoys hearing her own voice. Each day she becomes a little more opinionated and her current obsession is kicking. Her smile melts my heart and my biceps are getting stronger the more I carry her around. I am still so thankful that both girls sleep so well in their own beds, sharing a room. Life is really fun right now; each day an adventure. I feel extremely blessed with two beautiful, sweet girls that rock my world.
--
What was your favorite TV show as a child?

Last Week

2011-08-27T19:42:00.001-05:00

The Executive of Quality Control in the kitchen

Cold Pizza (pizza crust, goat cheese with herbs, raw veggies)

Rolls

Curls

I died and went to heaven.

A missing appendage

An Elmo care package from the grandparents

Apple Pie in the works

Heartsick

2011-08-25T07:27:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure if I've ever truly carried someone else's burden before until now because it feels like it has broken my own heart. I have been up the last two nights, not being able to sleep. I've tossed and turned and prayed that it would be just a nightmare that we could wake up from. Nothing else is on my mind and it's hard to find joy when some things are absolutely devastating, heart-wrenching, and full of grief. I am hurting alongside a friend, and knowing there are no words that I can say to make things better makes it worse. My heart is just sick and my body feels ill, too, carrying this burden with her.

This Ain't No Leap Frog

2011-08-24T16:36:00.003-05:00

There are so many neat learning activities for kids out there, but gosh, the costs can really add up. I don't know about you, but I'd rather utilize stuff I have on hand without spending any money. I used to be a scrapbooker/card-maker, but I have been freed from that bondage! So I've got lots of extra supplies to use now for creating lessons for kids.

My friend gave me the idea of using poker chips for developmental lessons. I decided that it's time we start teaching colors. Vera's totally not there yet, but I figure repetition has to count for something, right? For now she enjoys just 'clinking' the chips into the cups (extras I had on hand from hosting parties), but I hope working with her will help her comprehension. I will have to try to dig up some more solid color paper, otherwise there will be important colors she won't learn because of me. Just kidding.

--
What's your favorite color?

Therapeutic Crafting

2011-08-24T13:21:00.002-05:00

I bought a boring "laundry" sign from Hobby Lobby, 50% off for $5. To zhoozsh it up, I decided to decoupage! A craft from the '80s, but fun and relaxing. In the picture above you can see the mound of ripped paper that Vera and I created--we were a bit too ambitious with our tearing up of the Crate and Barrel magazine advertisement. Mod Podge is awesome stuff. I've had it for several years since the last time I used it in 2007. (I know, I have a strangely good memory.) I finished it in about 4 hours, which might sound like a lot of time, but I was particular with how I wanted it to look and making sure to cover the edges and corners.

A craft like this takes awhile, but I find it to be therapeutic in a way. While we watched 'Mad Men' last night on Netflix, I was working on it and enjoying the repetitive activity. Gave me time to think through some thoughts.
--
Agree or disagree? Crafting can be therapeutic.

Ick, That Feeling In My Heart.

2011-08-22T23:08:00.000-05:00

I met up with some friends tonight at a nearby dog park to let our pups sniff butts and hump each other. We chatted until it got dark and slowly meandered our way back to our cars to head home. While driving away, there was this sickening feeling in my heart and it did not resonate well with me. I had to shoot out an email to them once I got home because I identified that feeling as sin. You see, while it may have seemed like innocent 'catching up,' my psyche was desperately desiring some praise from women. I told how awesome potty training has been so far, how awesome it is that I walk my dog so frequently, how awesome work has been for me, and (the kicker) how awesome my quiet time in God's Word has been lately. I was gloating on myself to get some recognition from my friends, to lift up myself, and to ultimately bring myself glory. How ugly is that? For they loved the approval of man more than the approval of God. (John 12:43) Yep, that was me tonight, folks. Thankfully, I have loving friends who forgive and are willing to look past it and not write me off as a self-centered, gloating bag of poop. (Picking up dog doo-doo at park + dookie in Vera's little potty = poop on the brain) Moreso, I am incredibly grateful for God's continual redemption in my life. I loved being reminded on Sunday that there is nothing I can do to become separated from the love of Christ (Romans 8:39). There is nothing I can do to make God love me more. And get this, there's nothing I can do to make God love me less. Nothing.

Foil Packet Dinner

2011-08-22T13:29:00.000-05:00

I didn't go to the grocery store last weekend. I was lazy and we were all getting over the 24 hr. flu that invaded our house. I need to go at some point this week to get some odds and ends, one of which are more sweet snacks because I may or may not have eaten Vera's potty treats all gone. How she is satisfied with one mini M&M for each pee is beyond me. But hey, I'm not complaining.

Back to the food picture.

This is my kind of meal. Foil packets are the easiest thing to throw together for dinner. I like them so much because they are not fancy, there's no clean-up, and they are prepped and ready to go at dinner time. I had some navy beans, instant polenta, goat cheese, julienned peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli on hand. I tossed the broccoli with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, but the rest I simply layered on top. Season with salt and pepper, then just seal the packet and stick in the refrigerator until about 30 minutes before dinner time. Easy peasy! This is a great "clean out" meal in the sense that you could add any number of elements in your pantry or fridge and it would be tasty.

To make it more 'husband-friendly,' add a protein or some bread on the side.

--
What's a go-to meal in your home?

More Than Just The Movies

2011-08-21T21:38:00.000-05:00

We are pretty fortunate that we have a close-knit group of friends whom we trust to watch our kids, therefore date nights are not foreign to us. We know this isn't the case though with a lot of people, especially parents with little kids, so we count ourselves blessed. We get in a rut though when coming up with ideas, especially without spending a ton of money. So we did a little brainstorming tonight to make it easier to decide what to do. Chris added some suggestions and I came up with some, too. The only thing that did not get added to the pile of ideas was shopping. Chris + shopping = complete meltdown. For the both of us. We have been shopping twice together in our marriage and both times I've had to bribe/reward him with pizza and beer.

I digress.

Hopefully this little tool will help us branch out and take advantage of our great city!

--
What are some of your favorite date night activities?

Strand of "Beads"

2011-08-21T17:12:00.001-05:00

I found a cute little onesie on Pinterest that I decided to make myself. Hers is much more precise-looking. I used a Q-Tip to make the painted black "beads" because that's the only thing I had on hand during nap time when I made it. The pink rosette was actually part of a broken hair accessory that I reused, and the green button from my extra button box.
--

What craftiness have you got up your sleeve?

Creature of Habit

2011-08-20T19:41:00.000-05:00

I wouldn't say that I'm much of a made up lady, (My 5-minute face, after all, includes Suave moisturizer and Chapstick) but I do enjoy color on my nails every now and then. I have heard good things about the Essie nail collection at Target and since I was there yesterday, I thought I'd pick up a new color to try. But then I got home and realized I had three other almost identical shades. I guess it's what I'm drawn to.

Do you branch out easily for change or stick with the tried and true?

Not Your Average Membership Photo

2011-08-20T19:33:00.000-05:00

I went to Costco today to get a new card since somebody* most likely threw it in the trash along with some gift cards from last Christmas (boo). They let me get photographed with my lil shopping sidekick.

* sneaky, mischievous, curious little girl who lives in my home

On My Knees and Out of Luck, I Look Up

2011-08-17T00:29:00.001-05:00

F.A.T.

(Sorry, Steph, I didn't have a group picture with all of us...had to steal one off your Facebook and figured I'd pick a good one!)

That is, our humorously coined acronym for Fostering and Adopting Together. The ironic thing is, I am neither fostering nor adopting right now, but these girls are and I've somehow happened upon their group and get to be invited to all their fun gatherings. It's nothing official, really. We just meet, eat great food, hang out, and talk about our families. Tonight we met at a friend's house who will be bringing home their fresh-out-of-the-womb, adopted baby boy. We wanted to shower their home with some love and prayer before they arrive tomorrow.

I truly, truly feel blessed to be among these gals. I wonder why I am even in 'their group' sometimes. I think it started one time with the default that we all love homemade, fresh, real, delicious, beautiful-looking food...and somehow we all just kept meeting and eating together and it formed a friendship. A God-inspired one, in fact.

You see, there's something about this group of girls. Regarding motherhood, life, and faith...they are raw, and that is refreshing. During our get-togethers, we often find ourselves confessing out loud ~~over lots of red wine~~ ways we feel like we failed that day as a parent. We admit that we make mistakes. We admit acting out of selfishness. We admit giving the Devil a foothold and choosing our flesh over our spirit.

It's refreshing to me because I realize that I am not the only one. We are broken, dirty, and will always choose ourselves over anything else without Christ. But among these sisters of mine, I am reminded that we are all in this battle together. They encourage me to joyfully place God before anything else in my life.

I love these gals, and though we all live in different parts of Austin, it's always such a joy to get together with them. I figure I will learn as much as possible ~~from there mistakes, ha!~~ before we are in a similar position. I am just thankful for such encouraging friends who exhort, correct, and give me tough love when I need it.

Nothing in my life has brought about more sanctification than through marriage and parenting. Motherhood is hard. Today was hard. Tomorrow might be another hard day, too. But if it presents more opportunities for God to work on me, then by all means. I don't pretend to have any answers. I am on my knees in prayer A.LOT. I heard a phrase once that has always stuck out in my head--to look up and not sideways. God has the answers, not the world.

What's something you battle on a daily basis?

*Bonus points if you can guess from whom's lyrics is this post's title.

She Makes My Heart Smile

2011-08-16T16:19:00.000-05:00

4 months old now.

What they say is true. With multiple kids, you don't love one more than the other, but you love them differently. I'm loving the infant stage again and Lydia just brings me so much joy. Her little personality is so sweet, she's a chunk to hold onto, and I'm anxiously awaiting her laugh.

Should Have Asked Bubba

2011-08-13T13:41:00.000-05:00

Me: "Hey babe, what should we eat with shrimp this week?"
Chris: "Um, how about steak?"

...I was thinking more along the lines of how to prepare it, or a side dish perhaps.

29 Cent Lollipops

2011-08-11T17:24:00.001-05:00

One of Those Days

2011-08-11T16:16:00.000-05:00

I am blogging this while sitting outside of Costco.

I left the house over an hour ago exhausted and with a migraine, needing to shop for a work event. The girls were down for their nap, so hubs would be able to chillax while I was gone.

First thing, upon entering Costco, I realize I cannot find my membership card. It's not in it's usual place. But then again, several other cards are missing from my wallet, too. I think a mischievous toddler is to blame. So I state my case to a disgruntled employee, get issued a temporary card, and head off to shop.

After a modest (for work) $300 bill, I steer my cart, full of mainly frozen items, in search of my car. It takes me 20 minutes pushing the heavy thing because I couldn't remember where I'd parked. And I had a slight suspicion that my keys were locked inside because I'd tried to use the alarm on the remote to help locate the car, but to no avail.

Suspicion was confirmed as I saw my keys resting on the driver's seat.

Predicament ensues. By now the girls have only been napping for an hour and my cart of shrimp and bacon and goat cheese and 5 lbs. of mushrooms are starting to get soft in the 100+ degree Texas heat.

I called my ~~knight in shining armor~~ hubs to rescue me and he's on his way now with under-napped girls. It's all just annoying today, not to mention the sweat dripping down my back.

Tell me you've had days like this before. Care to share?

They Called Me Condom Head

2011-08-03T05:32:00.000-05:00

Middle school kids can be crude, but really, what was I expecting from wearing this? How in the world did I think this hat was cool? Why my mom didn't stop me from leaving the house like this, I'll never know. There are so many other things I could mention about these photos, ~~the obvious cheese of the "twin pictures," how much I liked dark nail polish, the closed mouth smile due to braces~~ but let's leave it at that.

~~~

What are some fashion trends gone-bad that you wore with pride?

In My Not-Junk Box

2011-08-01T14:03:00.002-05:00

I went through and cleaned out my 'junk box' a couple of nights ago. It's where I store things that I most likely want to keep, but will decide later. Do you have one of those? Mostly it was full of old holiday family photos, hand written cards, and memorabilia from my past. I've kept every love note that Chris has ever written me because I know how much effort it takes him to write down sincere words. I definitely don't throw those away. I did get rid of a bunch of invitations that I'd kept, some pictures, and random stuff from vacations. I did find some treasures though.

One item that I'm keeping just for memory's sake is the below printed class schedule from my last semester at Purdue. I especially like the blocked out nap times. That's awesome. And it brings me back fond memories of my Tuesday date nights with Chris every week. Oh to be young and in love!

I came across a wedding photo of my mom and dad. Priceless.

I'm keeping this lovely poster that friends put on Chris's desk at work in Indiana when he had been offered the position at AMD. Too funny.

There's a bumper sticker from my elementary school days! "Meadowbrook, Meadowbrook, what do you say? We're the best in the USA. We're good, better, best. We never let is rest until our good is better and our better is best!" Well now, I guess I've still got some Panther pride in me.

A funny photo of me from my sophomore year of high school. I was in a photography class and classmates were often each others' subjects. Your hair is ca-ra-zay.

Also found my hair piece from my wedding day and dog tags from my Army days.

And a stack of hand-written letters from my Grandma J. Nothing like the original thing. I love seeing her penmanship. So pretty. And it's fun to read back how people used to write letters; telling you about what's growing in their garden, what they did after dinner, and what the lady at the grocery store told them. Good, old-fashion entertainment.

~~~~~
What are some items you keep just for memory's sake?

Book Jacket Puzzles

2011-07-29T23:17:00.000-05:00

Hardcover books come with that paper jacket, right? I don't know if this is the case with other peoples kids, but Vera loves to take them off and they get ripped up easily. It's kind of pointless putting them back on, so I decided to reuse them and make puzzles. Again, another use for cardboard. All you do is glue the jacket onto the cardboard, trim off the sides, and cut into puzzle shapes. I also store these in manila envelopes.

Supplies

book jacket

cardboard

scissors

glue stick

Total Cost - free!