A Feathered Nest

Cooking 101 - Old World Chicken Cacciatore

2012-01-24T08:56:00.006-05:00

Knock-your-breath-out-good.

{prob'ly gives you bad breath, too, what with all the onion and garlic in it...so maybe you should hold your breath in.}

I have this old, rustic Italian cookbook that I got on a clearance rack somewhere and it inspired me. There's something so grounding and wholesome about good, rustic Italian food. This dish, however, is pretty universal - it's a chicken stew simmered in vegetables, which most countries have their own version of. This version, though, it's my twist on the dish and it's now one of my family's ultimate favorite comfort food dishes! The flavors were deep and rich, and the chicken just fell off the bone.

OLD WORLD CHICKEN CACCIATORE

{cacciatore means 'hunter' in Italian, so this is often referred to as a 'hunter's stew'}

You'll need:

olive oil

5-6 chicken thighs, bone in, skin off

5-6 chicken drumsticks, bone in, skin off (I didn't take the skin off of the drums...too much work)

1 c. flour, seasoned with salt & pepper, spread onto a pie plate

1 1/2 c. chopped, thick pancetta (I used a lean, smoked turkey bacon - about 6-7 slices, but regular bacon would work fine, too. Just drain off the fat after you cook it)

3 x 14 oz. cans diced tomato

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, fine minced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 c. heavy cream

1/2 c. water

1/2 c. dry white wine (it cooks off...don't get fussy with me now)

1 T. chicken base (or 3 chicken bullion cubes--but chicken base is better)

1/2 tsp. brown sugar

1 1/4 tsp. dried oregano - or one sprig fresh

1 tsp. ground rosemary - or one sprig fresh

In a large dutch oven pot or stock pot, heat about 2 T. olive oil and sautee onion, garlic, and celery until the onion turns golden brown and a little translucent. Add the chopped pancetta or bacon and cook for about 6 minutes or until the pancetta/bacon starts turning a golden brown color. Spoon out onto a plate and set aside.

In the same pot, heat another 2 T olive oil. Coat the chicken pieces in the flour mixture, brown on all sides, working in batches, using more olive oil as you need it. Set the chicken aside on a large plate. Then add the white wine and deglaze the pan. {those browned bits add a great flavor to the dish} When all of the liquid is mostly evaporated, add the tomatoes, water, chicken base, brown sugar, oregano, and rosemary - stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Add everything else back into the pot - the chicken, as well as the onion mixture. Simmer on low heat for about 30-45 minutes, until the chicken is tender - almost falling off the bone. (I cooked mine for an hour on a low simmer)

When you're ready to serve, add the heavy cream and stir to incorporate. Season with salt or chicken base - sometimes if I'm missing some flavor, I'll add a little scoop of chicken base, which seems to be just the trick.

Serve this with some pasta or a crusty loaf of bread.

Cooking 101 - Cinnamon Roll Multigrain Waffle

2012-01-23T08:00:00.002-05:00

So.....very.....good. Perfect for a slow Sunday morning.

Our church is later in the day, so we have some time in the mornings for a tasty Sunday breakfast.

{and I don't feel that guilty because of all of the protein-rich grains I used}

CINNAMON ROLL MULTIGRAIN WAFFLE

(makes 7-8 large waffles)

For the waffle:

1 1/3 c. flour

2/3 c. whole wheat flour

1/2 c. quick cooking oats (or grind up some regular oats)

2 T. chia seed or 2 T. ground flax seed (chia has a delicious, nutty flavor and adds the smallest amount of texture. Plus, it's freakishly good for you with the antioxidants and protein)

1 1/2 T. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

Whisk to combine.

In a separate bowl, combine

2 c. evaporated milk (canned milk)

1/2 c. milk (to thin the batter a little--use it however you want/need)

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 T. canola oil

Whisk to combine - then add to the dry ingredients until everything is well incorporated. Let sit for a minute while you make the sauces. Original sauce recipes from: Recipe Girl

Brown Sugar sauce:

1/2 c. butter, melted

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 T. ground cinnamon

Whisk together in a small bowl. You can drizzle from the bowl or pour it into a plastic baggie, clip the tip, and drizzle from the bag. (I used a Wilton bottle)

Cream cheese sauce:

2 oz. cream cheese

4 T. butter

3/4 c. powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla

Combine everything together in a small heat-proof bowl; microwave, stirring every 30 seconds or so until melted. Drizzle from the bowl, bottle, or plastic baggie as mentioned above.

I'm not saying it's healthy, but it was a fun, slow start to a beautiful day. I highly recommend doing this for yourself every now and then!

Cooking 101 - Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

2012-01-16T11:57:00.002-05:00

aaaaaaand....another huge hit from Pinterest!

I found another incredibly amazing foodie blog--"Lulu the Baker"--and that is where I first laid eyes on her Fresh Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze. {Lulu, I love you!}

We had this after our Sunday dinner and it was everything I could have ever imagined it would be.

I followed the original recipe {weird, I know} and I added 2 tsp. cinnamon and 1/4 t. nutmeg. She suggested to add some. It's an option. I like options.

Dense, rich, chunky, buttery.

{your mouth is watering, isn't it?!}

Talk about winter comfort food. WOWSA! The best part is that you can use applesauce instead of oil---especially because it's an apple cake!

This is definitely going to be in our small list of dessert favorites.

Magical Mornings * Getting my Groove Back

2012-01-13T13:45:00.001-05:00

{property of Disney's "Emperor's New Groove" movie...and all that proper photo reference protocol!}

I can relate, little buddy.....I can relate.

Mornings are the beginning of a brand new day - it's pretty important to kick-start ourselves early so that the rest of the day can flow together easier. We have two choices in the morning: 1.) Cry about having to get out of bed, resist, and complain or 2.) Get up cheerfully and get moving. I'm done fighting the morning groggs - I want to get moving! {jazz hands} I want more purpose, I want to be more productive, and I want to have more time to do things I want to do instead of the constant housework. The key to this? Mornings. How you treat your mornings can most definitely affect the rest of your day/week/month.

SO...I came up with my own personal morning/day worksheet. I've been testing my new methods all week and I am living proof that lazy people can be productive, have a clean house, and be more focused! haha. There is hope out there for us, girls! It's been interesting for me to see that I need two things to make my day productive:

MORNING HABITS.

EXERCISE.

I'm lost without them.

And, interestingly, I'm a happier person with them.

Now don't get me wrong---I don't LOVE being chained to a schedule. I'm not a die-hard routine person - I thrive on spontaniety. But as human beings, we need routine or some way to keep us from wandering too far from where we should to be. I know this - I've got the attention span of a gnat and whenever there's the next big 'organizational productivity' idea, I pay attention for, like, a minute, and I'm over it.

Knowing this about myself, I tailor-crafted something that is working marvelously. Wanna join me?!

LET'S DO SOMETHING TOGETHER!!!

WHAT DO YOU DO IN THE MORNINGS?

We're going to smooth out the mornings - who doesn't want more smoothness? (my husband does, that's for sure...this 'no-leg-shaving-in-the-winter-thing must be annoying...) And then we're going to share our successes with one another!! Doesn't that sound like fun? We'll get to know other women, share our stories, and make some morning magic.

As for my plan - here goes. You don't have to use this, but I've made it available in the event that you want to try it out. And FIRST THINGS FIRST: You're going to have to go to bed earlier so you can wake up a little earlier. This isn't hard.

This is the worksheet I created for myself. Feel free to use it, adjust it, copy/tweak it - whatever helps you out the best. You can even just keep a notebook and customize your morning that way.

DOWNLOAD .PDF LINK HERE

(it takes a minute or two)

Here's what I've been using - it's a plastic 'report' file folder with a locking mechanism that holds everything in place. (and you don't have to hole punch it! {gasp!} genius, I know) Got it at Wal-Mart.

About my list:

The idea is that you print ONE FOR EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK! To go along with it, make sure to print off a grocery list too - they go hand-in-hand with staying organized.

FIRST: Your To-Do list. Start out simple. Don't fill up your to-do list with very many things. Sometimes over-planning can be counterproductive---and that's not what we're trying for here. Only list the critical items on your to-do list than can reasonably be done in one day. I also made a little space for dinner that day. For me, it seems like that is always the big question, so if I know ahead of time what I'm doing, it's easier to move forward.

SECOND: Goals by the end of the week. What is one or two things you want to have accomplished within this week? When you see this list, and if you have some spare time, you can start working on these things and have it all done by the end of the week. You don't always have to have this filled out, but it can help you get more stuff done.

THIRD: Room Tackle. Pick one room each day to completely clean/detail. If that room is small, pick two small rooms or some kind of combination that you can handle easily.

FOURTH: Daily items. These are just suggestions - you can always customize this. If you're not very religious, then maybe you could have some meditating or journal time to yourself briefly each morning. As for the physical activity, this is a must. Whether you just need to do some stretching to wake yourself up, or whether you have a specific time to go to the gym like I do, make sure to fit it in somewhere. It's proven that people who exercise in the mornings tend to actually make it happen as opposed to people who put it off until evenings. Good intentions don't help you at all.

FIFTH: Treat yourself! I don't mean with food - but with little happy things. Treats can be a few minutes on the computer, some yoga, a good book, some music, or whatever else makes you happy.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Work hard at it, but don't push yourself too hard---you'll be exhausted and burn out quickly. Like I said before, if you go to bed earlier, you can wake up earlier and get a big kick-start before the rest of the world has time to catch up to you.

By following my list, I've accomplished more of the "little things" than I would have otherwise. I have stayed on-task better, and, most importantly, I wake up to a clean kitchen every single day!! It's pretty awesome!

So I want to hear from you! Whether you follow my format, or whether you have your own, I'd love to share it with everyone else. {abbywelker(at)yahoo(dot)com} Don't forget some photos and a brief bio!

Sunrise through the trees...

2012-01-10T19:38:00.001-05:00

This was my sunrise this morning--looking out the window from my kitchen. Blazing reds and oranges! It was one of those moments where I was feeding kids, wiping goop, and doing dishes--then I looked up and saw the blazing reds on the horizon and...everything stopped for a few minutes. Everything got quiet and we all looked outside for a while.

I've got a lot of trees in the way, but I think that's what makes my winter sunrises so special. In the summertime, I don't get to see the sunrise from my windows because the leaves block the view, so I have to wait until winter to catch glimpses like this.

I was tempted to get in my car and drive to a clearing where I could see the entire sunrise unobstructed....but the toddler with sticky cereal spilled all over the floor kind of deterred me a little.

ahhhhhh. I LOVE mornings! Sunrise is one of the most magical times of the day---especially if nobody is crying at me. I'm loving how the colors go from blazing red to oranges, to a soft purple. Seriously---it was so pretty.

Anyhoo---more to come about mornings - I've got a fun little project in the works for all of us. {yesssssss.} Here's a glimpse...

...needless to say, my morning sunrise was very inspirational! I think we're going to have fun with this project!

Embroidered Heart

2012-01-05T11:03:00.005-05:00

Right on time for Valentine's Day! Just for you - here is a big hunk of love from me to you!

I don't get into the whole lovey-dovey thing for Valentine's Day - my husband and I do little things every day, all year long, for each other that go beyond a commercial holiday. So that's not why I love Valentine's Day. I love it because it's fun, whimsical, bright, and makes winter a little more pleasant! I love me a good, simple, beautiful piece of decor, too.

Is anything better than something you made with your own hands?!

I think not.

Don't stress out about this one - you can do this. Practice your stitches with some felt or something and then move on to a piece of linen like this.

This sweet little heart is basically several rows of different border stitches repeated.

I used DMC floss #712 and a piece of tan, earthy linen.

This would also be so pretty with soft pinks, bright raspberries, rich purples or even some gray. hmmmm....

For you newbies, I have a stitch guide HERE with most of the basic stitches. I've included a couple in this post that aren't on the guide....yet.

To start you need:

Embroidery hoop

Floss (cream color is DMC 712)

Needle

Scissors

Fabric marker

Heart outline - on cardstock if possible

(Here's one from the internet I found. Just save it and open it in a document and stretch it to your desired size)

Trace your heart using a disappearing or washable fabric marker. Make sure you trace BEFORE you stretch your fabric onto the hoop.

Attach the hoop gently - you don't need to get the fabric too tight. With the stretching, the image will distort a little bit and that's totally okay. As long as your lines are there, your image will turn out fine. Just try to adjust it a little bit so that it looks as normal as possible with the heart outline as your guide.

Now you're ready to go! Put in a good movie or some relaxing music, and stitch away!!

Start off with a knot - see the stitch guide above for the easy knot tutorial. I LOVE it!

FOR MY SAMPLE:

Here's what I did:
{one strand of DMC floss has six tiny strands within--I used all six strands in all of my rows with the exception of the leaves around the stem. I only used three strands out of the six.}

1.) split stitch as my anchor row - the first one I did
2.) scallops around the split stitch
3.) Straight stitch or running stitch
4.) French knots
5.) stem stitch
6.) leaves around stem stitch with lazy daisy (scallop stitch but skinnier)
using only 3 strands of the floss instead of six
7.) back stitch
8.) split stitch right up against the back stitch
9.) French knots

FEEL FREE TO USE YOUR MARKER AND TRACE ALONG THE MIDDLE AS YOU START EACH NEW ROW. You can easily freehand more hearts inside your original heart just to keep your rows straight and on-track. I had to pick out an entire row because I was off just a little bit. That wasn't fun.

Here are a couple of stitches not on my guide. The only one missing is the stem stitch. If I get some time later on, I can show you how to do that one. Otherwise, here is a great diagram of the stem stitch

{SPLIT STITCH}

come up from the bottom, go down through the top

Come right back up through the middle of the stitch. Try to come right between the threads, too - it's easy to catch the threads unevenly. Repeat over and over again and you'll get a nice, pretty row of stitches.

{SCALLOP STITCH}

Up from the bottom, down again, making a loop...pull gently until you get the size you want

Come up at the underside of the loop and go back down just above the outside of the loop, securing it down with just a tiny stitch.

{STRAIGHT STITCH}

this is in my guide, but I called it a 'running' stitch.

Easy...needs no explanation. Up from the bottom, and in and out of the fabric in even stitches. Try to keep them the same size.

You can either frame this in something sweet and simple, or leave it on the hoop and fabric glue the hoop to your creation. I think either option is pretty.

Enjoy!!!

Don't forget that I want to see your creations!!! Email me and let me know if you need some help or have questions!

Love to all of you!!

A Little Sumthin'

2012-01-04T10:54:00.000-05:00

January is SO awesome!!! I love January because it's a well-deserved fresh start, a big, fat break from the festivities. For me, the craziness hits when summer break ends-- the whole back-to-school frenzy in September (for us), then on to Halloween costumes and parties a month later, then on to Thanksgiving festivities a month after that, and then straight into Christmas and the exciting Holiday season for a month solid. January is a big, huge sigh of {ahhhhhh} relief. January says, "Well done, my friend, and now you get to send the kiddies back to school, curl up with some hot cocoa, grab a project or a new book, and enjoy some peace before Valentine's Day sneaks up on you." {gasp!} Oh, January, you're so good to me!

So it's the end of a beautiful, fun chapter and the start of a new one. {exciting, isn't it?!}

During the New Year celebration, I always contemplate what new thing I'm going to do now that I don't have to focus so much time and energy on Christmas. Naturally, I turn to Pinterest. And, like a miracle, out comes the thread and the creative juices flow.

...unfortunately, when the thread magically appears, so does a curious toddler, and before you know it, the well-organized, labeled, tagged, color-synchronized scheme of your threads become a jumbled mess like this. #$@#%!

We don't really need to know the color/numbers of the thread, do we?! I mean, you can eyeball match them up or something, right?! I mean, what is the difference between DMC 724 and DMC 726...just a tiny shade, right?! ....right?! {Did I mention that my color schemes are very organized?}

ahhhh....here we go. I want a creamy color - going with a monochromatic thing here....rare for me since I'm pretty much a color spaz.

...but not this time. Just wait and see! It's going to be simplistic and pretty--I can't wait to finish!

{sunlight coming in through my windows - this is so very rare for me and I just want to soak this all up.}

Until Next Time...

2012-01-04T10:20:00.002-05:00

SAYONARA to the Christmas clutter! The next time I dig this stuff out, I'll be settled in a new home in my warm, sunny, beautiful hometown in Arizona surrounded by beautiful mountains and desert. ahhhhhh.... I wasn't just excited for the new year to begin, I was ELATED!!! After living away from home for 10 years, we're finally moving back to AZ this summer and we couldn't be more excited. It's taking all of my willpower not to pack up the whole house, along with the Christmas crap, and load up a moving truck right now!! {aaaakkk}

...but anyway...I can't get myself too worked up...I need to exercise control. I do have six months left to enjoy the most beautiful place in the world.

My baby...my pride and joy...my beautiful Advent Calendar...being packed away into storage. On account of the crazy toddler living amongst us, I can't really use the pockets, but it was fun to hang this up and admire it for a few weeks. It has been my MOST fun project so far! {you really should make one...}

Do you really have to go back into storage? Yes, little friend, you do. Because if we see you all of the time, we'll get bored of you. {sigh} We never want to get bored of you.

Until next time, my little lovey...

Down, down, down it all goes. Did I mention that I had everything down, cleaned up, and back to normal BEFORE the New Year even struck?! It's not that I didn't enjoy having Christmas splendor all around me...but I have been SO ready for 2011 to end and I thought that maybe I could speed up time a little bit by un-decorating quickly.

Do you know what it's like to clean / un-decorate, and organize a fairly large space with a baby chimpanzee running around creating chaos and confusion? I can honestly say that I do. I do know what that is like.

You can almost feel her chaotic energy through all of the debris.

I don't even have to tell you what's going on here. You can see it. She's challenging me here. Can you believe that?! Can you see that on her face?! Blatantly challenging me.

But then she turns on that whole 'cute face' garbage and I just cuddle and love on her like some kind of gullible fool. I am her fool!

{but oh how I love, love, love that little precious, face with snot and dried food on it! kissykissykissy}

ahhhh.....normal again. Feels good. And what could be better to offset the horrifically depressing winter blahs than a precious little lemon tree?! It's precious!!!

{cute story about this...} So last year I was hunting and hunting for a dwarf lemon tree, but to no avail. I began my hunt too late in the season {rats!} and couldn't stand the thought of paying $75 for the tree plus shipping from like Georgia or somewhere down that way. Anyhoo--my BFF Kadie has this really cool, supernatural power of finding the most random, specific objects at yard sales...and after hearing me blab on and on about how bad I want to find a dwarf lemon tree, she finds THIS LITTLE BABY....at a yard sale....for $1.00. {WHA'?!} I told you. supernatural.

You CAN buy happiness - and for me it was a $1.00 lemon tree! I wake up in the morning, look at my precious little lemon tree (it's fake, but don't tell my kids...) and feel joy, energy, and excitement coursing through my veins! Okay, it's not that dramatic, but I sure do feel joyful and happy when I look at it. Even a little bit sunny....

And now, with not even a shred of Christmas left behind, I feel renewed hope that I can get through this winter without going insane. Light is visible through the end of my long tunnel, and I'm so happy about that!

...and....I know what you're thinking, and yes - I moved all of Brooke's toys and junk over to a different space so as to keep my living room as bare as humanly possible. I LOVE it. Clean, bright, and no clutter. yesssssss.

Christmas Clean-Up

2011-12-29T09:36:00.000-05:00

And a Merry Christmas it was for our family!!! I hope everyone had a happy holiday season - we sure did. Today is the day, however, that we take it all down. {sniff...gasp...} This part is always so hard for me because the Christmas break, the excitement, the spending time together, the celebration, all of it is so much fun and when we take the decor down, it means that the fun is officially over. So to keep myself from lapsing into a post-Christmas depression, I'm looking ahead.

Is it weird that I'm already excited for Valentine's Day?!

Here's some of the decor that will all be destroyed today... I didn't take a whole lot of pictures this year...I know, shame on me, but I'm so preoccupied with way too many things going on.

My tree this year....ahhhhh....

I wanted sort of a golden/sugar plum kind of thing going, and at night, that's exactly what I got. It was gorgeous. And then, slowly, it got un-decorated from the bottom up to where my little baby girl's arm reaches. Thank goodness everything is plastic! Glad I learned that lesson long ago...

And this is my little baby tree up in our window mantle area.

(it's dark here...always cloudy...not much natural light...OY!)

zoomed out, a little crooked, and kinda dark... but you get the idea, right?!

It was all so magical.

Some Christmas whimsy.

And my little elf 'helper' peeking out! And when I say 'helper', I mean 'destroyer.'

So now it's onward and upward. January is not only the start of the new year, it's the start of my MOVE TO ARIZONA COUNTDOWN!!! wahoo!!!!! To say that we're excited is a severe understatement. Not that we don't love it here in Michigan, we really do, but we're pretty much homesick for all things related to home. Our families, Mexican food that will never be matched, outdoor activities all year long, the scenery, the scenery, and more scenery. This year couldn't end fast enough for me....come on 2012!!

Happy New Year to all of you!!!

Coming Up for Air...

2011-12-06T13:35:00.001-05:00

So my last blog post was early November. OY! That's pretty typical for me during this time of the year. It all starts with Halloween and all of the fun things I think I'm going to do...and never manage to do...

Now that it's December, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I wish I had a fun Christmas craft to post, but nowadays it's getting so hard to squeeze in some craft time. I know, I know. Not cool.

Since school has started back in September, my typical day goes something like this: wake up at 6 a.m., stagger to the kitchen and take the thyroid meds, send the hubby out the door for his 1.5 hour commute, get the oldest kid up and ready and out the door; get the younger two up and ready and out the door; the little one wakes up sometime in between and needs food FAST...get myself dressed, get the baby dressed, go to the gym and pound it out for 1.75 hours (I know...it's a luxury and I desperately depend on this), come home, collapse, feed little one and put her down for a nap (or at least hope she naps), check email, convince myself that taking a shower would be a good idea, or not, but the smell usually wins out {eww} and I end up in the shower, do the whole hair routine crap (wish I could wave a magic wand for this step), clean the house, do chores, scrape crust off the floors; oldest kid gets home, needs food, little one wakes up, needs food, younger ones get home, needs food; homework, start dinner, clean more stuff, do dishes, feed the family, hubby comes home tired, feed him, tell kids to bathe and hope it all works out; teeth brushing, scriptures, prayer, tuck the kids in bed; vege for a little bit with the Love Nugget, crawl into bed and start the whole thing all over again in a few hours.

AND I LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT!

Honestly, I love it. And there are so many happy little moments in all of the day-to-day things that it makes me want to bottle it all up and save it for when my little ones are grown and gone. {sniff}

my beebies... They're getting bigger. Older. Wiser. Soon they'll leave me. Then what?! I'm dying. [are you loving the sweet sock/shoe combination on my little robo-cop guy?!]

These rad little kids make my job feel like the most important thing in the world.

Then came Thanksgiving. November just kind of crept up, lingered for a minute, and then ran off. We had the most beautiful, spectacular November I've ever had while living in the Arctic. Thanksgiving was busy and fun--and I only managed to take two pictures. What the?! See what I mean? It's all like a giant, fun blur. Our food was SO good, too!!!

Now it's December and the Christmas season is upon us... and I feel like I just got Halloween taken care of! ???!!!

So whattyagonna do? Go to the biggest Christmas store in the WORLD! I took some photos for all of you - so you could experience a taste of it!

Any type of theme you could imagine is available. How could you not want a pizza tree?! Pizza, burgers, hot dogs, and breadsticks?! If that doesn't scream Christmas, I don't know what else does.

Of course, I naturally gravitate to the candy/cookie/ice cream themes.

And look at all the fruit!!! How FUN!

This place really is so huge. Every nook is filled with something magical.

Someday I want to have an amazing little mini-village. There were so many here.

Even the miniature village has a Nativity scene.

America the Beautiful on display here.

And.....chocolate?! I. will have. a chocolate tree. someday.

...it was a little embarassing when my kids found me gnawing on these...how do you explain that?...

And so it continues...December is rolling by and I'm finding that it's getting harder and harder to squeeze in a project here and there. I'm ready to make something fun, but when?

HOWEVER...I am proud to say, though, that my Christmas shopping is all done. Thank you, internet shopping. Because of you, I didn't have to feel overwhelmed and irritated.

And my little baby girl. She's going to be TWO in February. ???!!! {hold me...} Where did the time go? I really don't know. Slow the heck down!

My baby girl. And she looks at me with that little face and no matter how many times she drops sticky things, powdery substances, and liquids all over the house, I just want to squeeze her and kiss that little face!

Well. Time is ticking. Soon I'll be welcoming the kiddies home, so I better to scrape some crust, do some dishes, and if I don't sniff my sweaty self, I can get an hour's worth of work done while I can!

Merry Christmas to all!!

Cooking 101 - Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

2011-11-10T08:06:00.005-05:00

{ohhhhhhhhhh} This soup is so good. Like..."mmmm..." out loud good. I'm a tomato lover, so that helps, too - and when you use fresh tomatoes like this, you can only imagine how flavorful this tastes. It's the ultimate gray/winter/blah weather soup because it's warm, bright, and has rich, deep flavors.

I have this awesome cookbook by Ina Garten and the original recipe is found here, among so many others that I LOVE. However, after cooking, tweaking, and adjusting it to my taste, I found the perfect balance. I'm giddy to have found a recipe for the perfect tomato soup!

...and this makes your house smell ahhhhh-mazing.

ROASTED TOMATO BASIL SOUP

adapted from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

serves about 8 adult portions

You'll need:

3 lbs. ripe plum (Roma) tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

1/4 c. + 2 T. olive oil

1/2 T. salt

1 1/2 t. fresh ground pepper

2 c. chopped yellow onion (2 medium onions)

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 T. butter

1/8 t. red pepper flakes (a shake or two)

1 28 oz. can plum tomatoes with juice - (I didn't use plum, I just had diced and they worked fine)

4 c. fresh basil leaves, packed (lots, and lots of basil!)

1 t. fresh thyme leaves

1 qt. chicken stock or 4 c. water and 3.5 tsp. chicken base or 3 chicken bullion cubes

1 c. half & half or 1/2 c. heavy cream - optional but heavenly

Toppings:

grated asiago or parmesean cheese

sour cream

fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Using an immersion blender, or a regular blender, blend the soup until it is smooth but still chunky. Add the half & half or cream; adjust salt and seasonings. If it's lacking some flavor or salt, add a small tsp. of chicken base, stir it in, and then adjust. Sometimes chicken base can make all the difference, rather than adding salt. The chicken base adds depth and flavor, as well.

Serve with your toppings and some amazing grilled crusty bread! OR a grilled sandwich of any kind! I LOVE to dip a grilled sandwich in this soup!

Happy Thoughts & Fun Printables

2011-11-03T13:56:00.021-04:00

First, let's have some good-humored fun, shall we?! Because if there's anything we like, it's to have fun.

**NOTE** Due to a scathing comment, which is not published because {ouch}, I want to make it clear that I'm seriously only having fun with this post. I'm not trying to hurt anybody's feelings - this is all very light-hearted. {wow} I guess it's not funny to everyone.

Okay...back to the post...

Quick backstory: I grew up in a teeny, tiny little town that was 3 hours from the nearest shopping mall and clothing stores. We had: Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and Factory 2-U. All too often, my mom would come home with a shirt from Wal-Mart, off the clearance rack of course, and I'd show up to school wearing it, right alongside 32 other embarrassed, unfortunate souls. The absolute WORST was when my shirt came from the cringe capital of the universe, Factory 2-U. Anyone showing up in matching clothing from that place instantly buried their face into a brown paper bag and tried so hard to walk the other way! haha. Anyone from my hometown would totally laugh about this.

SO...maybe it's because I'm psychologically damaged from post traumatic clothing stress as a youth, but there is something within me that dies inside when I see something being obtained by thousands of women and it makes me step back and re-evaluate if I really want the latest and greatest thing in my home or not.

CASE IN POINT #1:

hahaaahaha! good stuff.

Confession: I actually had a print of the original-style "Keep Calm and Carry On" sign in my home up until a few days ago. I have a love for anything during the WWII era and the message struck me. However...I did it way back before the became all the rage and because we've beaten it to death, it's no longer unique and special to me, so I've had to replace it. {sniff}

CASE IN POINT #2:

SUBWAY ART. And it's all over Pinterest. So, because I like to waste time, I created my own version! I removed it, though because my integrity was questioned by a reader and I don't like that. I do have it on Pinterest, though, for those of you who can handle a good laugh.

Fun, {CUTE} Printables for you!

These are *never* going to be considered tacky, by the way.

I like the use of words - when done tastefully - in moderation. Words can stick into our minds whether we realize it or not, so it's important to have positive words floating around wherever we can see them. I also think it's important not to make anything PERMANENT. Find a cheap frame, and fill it with positive images like what I've created below, and brighten up your space!

I made this one below for my kiddies - we often talk about the importance of developing good character traits. How wonderful if they see this sign, their spirits lift {even if it's just a little} and they are reminded once again how to be positive in a fun-loving way. So this is what they look at whilst eating breakfast and contemplating the wonders of the world. ....or whatever kids think about when they eat...

- all of these print on an 8.5 x 11" piece of cardstock. I take my thumb drive to Staples and get a *nice* color copy for $1.00 each.

DOWNLOAD link here

I'm ALWAYS telling my kids, "Well, life is hard sometimes. You can either laugh or cry. Either way, you are the only one who can choose how to feel." I think it helps us put into perspective on whether we want to be whiney or not - and that includes grown-ups. You either laugh or cry - but keep moving forward. Right?! Right.

DOWNLOAD link here

Well, I hope maybe some of you will enjoy these! Let me know if you have a special request!

Lazy Halloween Food

2011-10-28T17:55:00.000-04:00

I. Love. Easy.

Let's be honest here - I love to bake and create amazing food...but not for a classroom full of 6-year-olds who shove all they can into their mouths as quickly as they can before they pass out. I've learned over the years that, rather than spend my precious time cooking and baking homemade goodies for class parties, I'll just jazz up the pre-made crap. The end result is the same: sugar consumption. Why waste time, ladies?!

Here we have The-Lazy-Mom's-Amazing-Looking-Halloween Treats! Credits: I found them on Pinterest. Love Pinterest.

Nutter Butter ghosts dipped in vanilla almond bark, and cookie witch hats. Do they even look like witch hats? What witch has a bow on her hat, anyway? They definitely needed the bow...but I'm sure many of you are more capable of making prettier bows. I was in a hurry, folks. Besides, they're just going to be inhaled by kids who could care less if the bow is pretty. {I think it's just me who cares....}

Some of those 'bows' kind of look like doggie turds. eww. Maybe I should have grossed the kids out by saying that!

That would have been rad.

For the ghosts you'll need:
Almond Bark (that melty stuff over by the chocolate chips)
Nutter Butter cookies
Tiny chocolate chips. If you are an over-achiever, you could pipe some chocolate circles for the mouth.

Melt the almond bark in a microwave for 20-30 seconds at a time, stirring each time. Maybe towards the end, you could stir it every 10 seconds. Then dip the cookies and roll them around with a fork, lif them out, tap off the excess, and set them on waxed paper. Put the eyes on before the chocolate hardens.

Takes maybe 30 minutes---if you're slow.

For the witch hats you'll need:
{These took me 15 minutes--start-to-finish! GASP!}

Circular fudge cookies
Hershey kisses (better get 2 bags because you'll pretty much eat half.)
Plastic baggie, corner clipped a teen, tiny bit
Frosting - and color it whatever color you want. (1 stick butter, 4 c. powdered sugar, pinch of salt, 1 t. vanilla, some canned milk - blend it up, adding more canned milk as you need it. It needs to be thin enough to pipe but not too thin.)

I did this assembly-line-style:
Line up all of your cookies
Unwrap all your kisses; keep them in a little bowl next to the cookies
Scoop your frosting into the baggie, and begin:

Pipe a pearl-sized drop of frosting in the middle of each cookie
Set a kiss on each drop
Pipe a circle around each kiss - your frosting should be just thin enough where you can circle your hand around and it should fall around the kiss without you having to fuss with it too much.
Finish with a bow.

BOO-YEAH. You're done. And you look like Super Mom. And that's what's really important.

...Still Remembering...

2011-10-25T10:43:00.001-04:00

MY GOODNESS - feelin' so nostalgic!! What's wrong with me?! (darn website!) I think it's partly because there is so much turmoil in the world right now, and because my kids are at the age that I was during the 80's & 90's, that I'm being drawn into this old world of mine that no longer exists. We really had the best of everything - Gremlins, E.T., the catalogs we would scour before Christmas, and a much simpler world around us. I would hop on my bike and drive all over town to play with a friend without a second thought from my mom. Nowadays, I'm too freaked out to let my kids ride through the neighborhood on account of the seemingly normal-looking perverts out there waiting to prey upon a vulnerable, alone child. Is it worse now or were we less worried back then? Life was so magical as a kid.

Anyway--step back in time with me for a minute and let's remember some of the good stuff!!! {heaven knows there's a lot more out there than this}

Check out these old commercials!! awww--takes me back! Why didn't my mom do my hair cute like the little girls in the commercials?! Oh, yeah, I wouldn't let her touch my hair. What was I thinking?!

How fun was that?! What were your favorite toys growing up?! You know you're feeling nostalgia--don't fight it!!

Now back to work for me.

Cooking 101 - Ghirardelli Chocolate Truffle Cake

2011-10-24T08:10:00.001-04:00

{think of a gooey truffle bite melting in your mouth....that's what this cake is like...}

Every woman needs this cake in her recipe box. It's not cake, really - it's more creamy than anything. It's thick, dense, gooey and SO very rich. When I'm craving some deep, flavorful chocolate, I always think of this cake.

It's super easy, it will impress all of your friends and family...and let's be honest...you do enjoy that...

But most importantly, it will flood your mind, body, and soul with deep, rich CHOCOLATE beyond your wildest dreams...so go ahead and try it.

GHIRARDELLI CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE:

For the cake:

1 pkg. Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet baking chips - or 2 cups
{**do not substitute anything for the Ghirardelli - hence the name...and the flavor...}
2 sticks butter
8 eggs
1/4 t. salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Arrange rack in center of the oven. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x2" round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. (place the pan over the parchment paper, trace the bottom circle, cut it out and set it inside)

In a double broiler, or a large heatproof bowl placed over a medium pot of barely simmering water, melt the chocolate chips and butter together until smooth, stirring occasionally. **do NOT let steam or water get into the bowl. Make sure to barely simmer the water. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer using the whip attachment, whip the eggs and salt together on medium speed for about 5 minutes until the eggs have doubled in size.

Gently fold the whipped eggs, a third at a time, into the melted chocolate. Pour the batter into prepared cake pan. Prepare a water bath for the cake by placing the cake pan in a larger pan and filling the large pan halfway up the sides of the cake pan with hot, but not boiling, water.

Bake for 40 about minutes, or until cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and is set in the center. Remove the pan from the water bath to a cooling rack and cool the cake completely in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (or put it in the freezer for 30 min. to an hour, and transfer to the fridge for another couple of hours.)

To remove cake from pan: dip the pan in warm water halfway up the sides and run a thin metal spatula around the inside of the pan. Invert onto a plate to unmold and remove the parchment paper.

Prepare Ganache:

1 c. heavy cream
1 bag Ghirardelli Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips (or 2 cups)
(you could also do half semi-sweet and half milk chocolate--but I like the semi-sweet)
pinch of salt

Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over low heat. Pour heated cream over chips and whisk gently until smooth. Allow to cool slightly. Pour little by little over the top of the cake and spread to evenly cover. (There will be soome ganache left over - save it for some ice cream or French toast!)

Chill the cake for a few minutes for the ganache to set. To garnish, grate some white chocolate bar over the top of the cake. It's also heavenly with some fresh homemade whipped cream. (never Cool Whip. never.)

Remember When...

2011-10-24T07:00:00.007-04:00

So I've had this discussion MANY, many times and the consensus is the same: the 80's & 90's had the best of EVERYTHING. Movies, TV shows, Saturday morning cartoons, McDonald's toys, and let's not forget music. My childhood was filled with the best-of-the-best. For me it was a time when all was right in the world, I had no worries, and TV commercials with toys or McDonalds involved were magic. Case in point:

..Beastmaster - who didn't want a ferret after watching this movie?!

um...THE BEST. EVER. My friends and I would laugh hysterically at this movie - I probably watched it a hundred times all through high school.

It wasn't until I had children of my own that I noticed the horrible language in this movie!!! As a kid I didn't notice - one of my ultimate favorites.

And the TOYS - just to list a few---

I totally had this Barbie. Loved her.

All I ever wanted was a Cabbage Patch Kid. THREE CHRISTMASES LATER I finally got two of them. No two dolls were ever as loved as mine.

McDonald's Happy Meal toys - I had all of these!

Strawberry Shortcake - my cousin had all of these and we would play with her homemade doll house and these dolls for HOURS and hours and hours. They smelled so good, too!

...and let's not forget the Saturday morning cartoons and rad TV shows!

I can't remember this one---anybody know?

The Cosby Show

Duck Tales

The Golden Girls. Classic.

Gummi Bears

These all need no explanation:

Wuzzles.

And the music. Goes without saying.

So I found a fun website if you want to see some more childhood fun: I'm Remembering! has hundreds of pages of great memories. **Warning: it's a major time waster--but lots of fun if you can set a time limit!!**

Long live the 80's!!!

Cooking 101 - Slow Simmered Beef in Rich Tomato Sauce

2011-10-10T09:22:00.008-04:00

So many things to love in Michigan....so many things....but one of our family favorites is the Pegasus Taverna in Downtown Detroit.

It's called "Greektown" in that area, and this is our FAVORITE place to go! Not only is the food amazing, but it has been our family tradition to go down there during the Christmas/New Year season and live it up Greek style with flaming cheese and all. OOOOOPAH! ...and the food....the food....oh, the food....makes me drool all over myself...

Often, I get a craving for some amazing Pegasus food. We have many favorites there, but the dishes I continue to gravitate towards have been the slow simmered meats in deep, rich tomato sauce and they serve it with the most amazing potatoes I've ever tasted. At first, the potatoes look bland, boring, and boiled - like big chunks of white, boring potato - until you take a bite and they have this incredibly tangy flavor.

SO...rather than have our traditional Sunday Roast & Potatoes Dinner, I decided to mix it up a little - Greek style {yahh!} - and although my family wasn't outwardly moaning and swaying with eyes closed like I was, I think they liked it okay. OOOOOPAH!

Slow Simmered Beef in Rich Tomato Sauce

with Seasoned Mashed Potatoes (yum....)

For the Meat:

**you could also use lamb for this dish - just cut the sauce in half because lamb comes in much smaller portions**

Medium-Large Chuck Roast, fat trimmed as much as possible

Flour, Salt, Pepper

Oil

Heat up a large pan, very hot, with about 1-2 tsp. oil. Coat the meat generously with salt, pepper, and flour. Sear on both sides and place it in your crock pot.

For the Sauce:

1 28-oz. can stewed tomatoes

2 carrots, peeled, chopped into pieces

1 medium/large onion, diced

2 stalks celery, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped (or that minced kind you can buy)

2-3 tsp. fresh thyme

1/4-1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1-2 tsp. dried rosemary, ground - or 1/2-1 tsp. fresh, ground

Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 heaping scoop chicken (or beef) base (link found HERE if you don't know what it is or where to get it)

Combine everything into a food processor (or blender) and puree until carrots are small, tiny chunks. Dump over the top of the meat.

Cook in your crock pot on low heat for about 8-12 hours. When it's done cooking, shred the meat in the sauce. (I put mine in at 10 p.m. Saturday night, lowered the heat to 'warm' at 12:30 p.m., and ate at 2:30 p.m. It was tender and delicious.)

For the Potatoes: (I fed a large group, cut this recipe in half if you need)

Fill a stockpot with salted water - add:

8-10 large red potatoes, diced (you could probably use any kind you want - I just had red on hand)

a heaping teaspoon or two of chicken base (or a couple of bullion cubes)

about 1/4-1/2 c. vinegar

1 can evaporated milk

1 stick butter

salt

Boil until potatoes are fork tender, drain, dump into a large bowl. Add butter, salt, and a little bit of canned milk to the potatoes, mash them up (I use a hand mixer) and add more salt if you need. These potatoes are supposed to be a little big tangy - it adds to the whole flavor.

To serve: heap a large scoop of potatoes onto your plate, top with meat mixture, serve with your favorite crusty bread & fresh veggies! ...and escape to a quaint little Greek restaurant...so delishy.

OOOOOPAH!

It's That Time Again!!!

2011-10-03T17:51:00.000-04:00

It's October - HORRAY! The leaves are turning all kinds of colors, Fall is in the air, we're drinking hot cocoa, making appley carmel junk, and.....thinking about.... Christmas! {...making my cheerleader spaz face...} and the crowd roooooaaaars....

Seriously, though. It's time. If you're dying to make my amazing-better-than-Pottery-Barn Advent Calendar, start NOW! It works up quick but takes some time.

My new obsession: Waldorf Dolls.

{gasp!}

(doll found here on Etsy)

Why? WHY, you ask?! Look at them - they're adorable. I normally don't fall for homemade dolls like this, but these go beyond your average homemade doll. I am nervous/excited to make one for each of my 2 girls for Christmas - and to compensate for any mess-ups, disasters, and general hair-tearing-out, I'm going to get a head start this month.

You can do all kinds of cute hair variations....love this one....

(doll found here on Etsy)

...and personalize them how you want.

(doll found here on Etsy)

This one reminds me of my brown-eyed-blonde daughter - LOVE it!

(doll found here on Etsy)

SO...the juicy details....I bought this pattern here today on Etsy, and found this site here for supplies. I'm definitely going to track my progress with you here on the blog because there aren't any YouTube videos or many tutorials online that are useful - or in English.

Does anyone want to do this with me?!

I'M EXCITED! {scream!}

and scared to death!!

Forget-Me-Not

2011-09-25T19:08:00.001-04:00

Back in May, my girlfriend, Amber, came to visit me and together we went on a photography spree over at the Edsil Ford Mansion in the Detroit area. Within the walls of the beautiful gardens, I was mezmerized by these beautiful, tiny, blue flowers. They were so cute and tiny!!! I had no idea what they were called but I couldn't resist taking some shots. Or a hundred. The photo below is my favorite from that day.

Then...as most of you know...last night I found out what my little tiny friends were called - "Forget-me-Nots." {meaning: true love, hope, rememberance, memories} My face was beaming as President Uchdorf spoke to us about my little friends and what each of the five petals can stand to remind us of things never to forget.

As with everyone else, this talk has resonated with me in ways that are unspeakable, only felt. One must actually view the video rather than read the talk - it's just way too important to see with the eyes - but until the video is available, here is the written talk. What a blessing to hear these words - I needed this.

SO...this is my own personal photo, my own personal creation - feel free to use it (or not) however you'd like.

Happy Sunday to all!

Fall Baby Shower

2011-09-17T20:54:00.002-04:00

Just comin' up for air briefly to show you another fun baby shower that Kadie and I put together today. We went with a Fall theme and it was SO much fun!!!

I'm glad to have this week over because maybe now I can get to some Fall projects!!! {gasp!} My Pinterest files are getting filled up with some great ideas--can't wait to tackle some. I'm no longer in denial about summer being over {sniff} --- and getting excited about Fall (not totally there yet)!!

...but on with it now...

This cute girl I've known for a few years is having her first baby and I offered to help out with the shower. And when I mean help out, I mean: call BFF Kadie, put our heads together, come up with something fun, and make it beautiful. And we did. Whatta team. AND...what amazing weather we had today!!! (thank goodness, because we planned an outdoor party) There was a teensy Fall crispy coolness, there were just a few leaves on the ground, the sun peeked out and was shining on everything---it was glowy and magical! Thank you, nature, for giving us perfect weather for today. {I love you, nature. Please go easy on us in winter.}

On the menu:

Caprese skewers (toothpick with tomato, fresh basil leaf, seasoned fresh mozzarella balls. These were Kadie's gorgeous creations with everything from her garden. Except the cheese. These were so fresh and delicious.)

Harvest Chicken Salad (rotisserie chicken, nuts, dried cranberries, diced apples, celery, and whatever else is harvesty. Also scrumptious.)

Mixed Berry Popovers (pie crusts cut out in circles, filled with: semi-thawed package frozen mixed berries, sugar, cornstarch, topped with powdered sugar)

Pumpkin Pie we bought this one. shhhh. don't tell.

Chocolate-Dipped Carmel Apples (apples cut in slices, soaked in ginger soda, dipped in carmel...what an adventure..., then dipped in chocolate, then dipped in crushed nuts, coconut, sprinkled with mini chocolate chips...these deserve their own post...)

Water. with apple & lemon slices. We can never have boring water. Ever.

Lanterns, pumpkins, and autumn leaves. ahhhhhhhh.....

Kadie and I got an education whilst making these dipped apples. The secret: don't make the carmel too thin--just water it down a smudge--and it will most likely only stick to the skin of the apple, not the flesh. Maybe if you dried the apples off really, really, really well, the carmel might stick to the apple flesh, but don't count on it. Let the carmel set and harden before you dip the apples in chocolate.

We made these the day before--I loaded up a couple of cookie sheets lined with waxed paper, covered them, and put them in the fridge overnight.

Our favie fave flavor of the apples were: carmel-dipped white chocolate, dipped in coconut, sprinkled with nuts, drizzled with carmel. The chocolate-chocolate ones just weren't as good as these ones were. Go figure. I could use one right now.

mmmmm.....Kadie knocked this chicken salad out of the park. It was SO good!! We scooped it onto toasted baguette rounds. Perfect.

...mmmm....berry popovers. Gosh. I'm getting hungry doing this post. This is getting ridiculous.

Sunflowers clipped fresh from Kadie's front yard. Aren't they gorgeous?! Sunflowers are stunning.

I love fall.

Remembering...

2011-09-12T08:34:00.001-04:00

Ten years ago, our family lived in Gilbert, AZ, my son was 2 1/2, and I was so excited to find out that we were expecting our 2nd baby. My husband was working a job he didn't like while applying for medical school, and our little family was sort of in an unsettling phase with some uncertainty about our future. My happy days were filled with sunshine, playing with my little boy, and taking care of our first real house that we had recently purchased. I LOVED that little house!!!

On September 11th, I remember getting up early with Brandon, making him breakfast, sending him off to work, and getting on with my morning with our little boy. I was doing all of those mom things like cleaning the kitchen, switching out the laundry, and making sure my quiet, self-entertaining little boy was fine. (he was the EASIEST kid we ever had...so mellow and easy-going) Brandon called me during his morning commute after listening to the radio and told me to go turn on the TV because some big news was happening in New York. I turned on the Today Show (back when I didn't utterly despise it) and saw the horror unfolding. We were 3 hours behind New York, so by the time I tuned in at 6:30ish a.m., it was 9:30ish over there, and although the 2 towers had been struck, we didn't know anything about the Pentagon and the Pennsylvania Flight 93 yet. Moment by moment was slowly unfolding on the news and I couldn't understand or believe what was happening. A news correspondant, who had an office at the Pentagon, was talking live when all of a sudden there was this explosion and shaking of the screen. He wasn't sure what just happened, but they thought it was some sort of bomb.

I sat on my brown sectional in the living room, with morning sunlight streaming through the large windows, completely silent and sad, watching. I hugged my little boy when he came into the room, and sat him on my lap, grateful that he didn't have any idea what was going on. I thought about my unborn child - and counted my blessings.

Ten years ago today, on September 12th, I couldn't get to the news fast enough to see more of what was going on. The stories poured out; the events unfolded; the streets of New York were vacant and eerie; there were people looking for loved ones; message boards on the streets of New York were plastered with messages and photos. I couldn't tear myself away from the news for DAYS. There was so much talk of prayer, of God, and of uniting together. This tragedy brought us to our knees in prayer, and though I'm not glad it happened, I'm glad that as a country, we prayed.

God Bless America.

Busy Summer...Lazy Morning

2011-08-29T14:56:00.001-04:00

ONE MORE WEEK LEFT!!!!! {can I get a 'wahoo!'} School starts soon and I feel like I'm about to be released from the mental institution from which I've been bound since June. {aaaaak!} Don't get me wrong...I dearly love hangin' out with my babies - but you know how summer kind of becomes unscheduled? unruly? unrestful? (I'm talking about me, not the kids here)

Now I realize that public school is not a daycare, but the fact that they're learning, experiencing life lessons, socializing, making fond memories of horrible cafeteria food, knowing that I can stay home and do my thing - it brings me great joy. MAMA'S READY!

So...on with it now...I digress.

My ENTIRE FLIPPING FAMILY has been sick with a GI-bug. That's right. Gastroenteritis. {not the flu} Barf. Diarrhea. Lysol. Clorox wipes. midnight cleanings. You know what I'm talking about. You can feel it in your gut right now. It leaves haunting, traumatic memories.

To make it worse, my cute mom is here visiting from Arizona. She got it, too. "Here, mom, as a token gift for your long journey from us to you!" not cool.

SO...after an exhausting week of cleaning & disinfecting, I made us all a little treat for Sunday dessert.

......mmmmmmmm......

It's a lemon pound cake, cut in thirds, topped with fresh strawberries {with a splash of lemon and sugar}, and lemon cream. (lemon curd folded into whipped cream)

The basic parts to this dessert is found on my BFF Kadie's blog - Lemon Berry Trifle . I bake my pound cake into loaf pans, but either way - it's lemon pound cake. Also, for this dessert here, instead of cooking the berries, I just used fresh strawberries.

It's fresh, bright, and utterly delicious. I'm going through a lemon obsession right now and this dessert makes my soul feel bright and happy!

...and do you ever just buy some fresh flowers and feel so happy when you wake up in the morning and there they are in the sunlight?! me, too.

Inspired by Granny

2011-08-06T12:14:00.002-04:00

SO....I caught another bug....you know, when you see something somewhere and you say, {in your teenage high school voice}, "oh...my...gosh...I have to try that...like, NOW..." And then you ignore everyone and everything until you've had your 'fix.' What? No? That doesn't happen to you? oh....

Well. I was prancing around the internet one day {I don't browse, I prance} and saw Carina's Craft Blog. I don't even know how I found it, but, like the child that I am, I saw all of the bright colors and drifted far away from the safe clutches of boredom. She had the most beautiful granny square afghan with the most amazing colors ever ----and so the bug hit me. Carina did a full tutorial HERE on how to make a granny square - **however, I only put one single crochet between my sections and I like the look of it better with this particular yarn I'm using. AND THEN...Carina did a tutorial on how to join granny squares. !! What the?!! Can you see her amazing blanket?! Can you see why I want one so bad?!

SO...here is my progress. 18 squares done, a bazillion more to go. Wahoo! Thanks, Carina - you're amazing and you ROCK. {I'm pretty sure that phrase 'You Rock' will never grow old for me...just like Joan Rivers....}

Although I am lamenting the fact that I can't find the AMAZING colors of yarn that Carina uses (found and purchased in Denmark...a little far for me...) I did find some yarn that matches my home. I'll start with something subtle for my house while I search for bright yarn.

Now go put in a good movie, throw the kids outside to play, and go, granny, go.

Updated Links

2011-07-28T08:44:00.001-04:00

SO....I don't think I've updated my sidebar links - maybe EVER. So I did this morning. 'Cause it's raining, and I don't feel like exercising or feeding my children, and I want my links in one spot. I also added a Photography section {gasp} - what took me so long?! I don't know.

So go check it out. To your right. Scroll down. And now it's off to do laundry. {groan} And change my baby - she smells like she just took a swim in the sewer. eww.

Dinner Tonight-Summer Salad

2011-07-27T20:22:00.001-04:00

My dinner tonight. hhhhheaven.

I just started throwing in random stuff that I had in my fridge:
3 varieties of chopped lettuce
grilled chicken
tomatoes
chopped pecans
chickpeas
asiago cheese shreds
hard boiled egg (don't gross out---it's delish)
dried Michigan cherries
...am I missing something?...
oh, yeah, sliced carrots.
dressing was one tiny scoop of {good} blue cheese dressing & a couple'a squirts of tangy Caesar vinaigrette. {gasp!!!} Delish.

I flipping LOVE SUMMER!!!

Summer Splendor - Queen Anne's Lace

2011-07-27T08:00:00.020-04:00

I still think these Queen Anne's Lace weeds/flowers are spectacular. I know I already posted about these girls, but as I was watering my almost dead flowers up front, I noticed these thriving, beautiful beauties in the back, shady part and they just made my heart start fluttering. {gasp!} I love them!!! They just grow all over the place here - on the sides of every road, out in open fields, right in my back yard - and I never get sick of them.

...ahhhhh.....it means that summer is still here---and not going anywhere.

ahhhh-Summer...

2011-07-26T10:30:00.001-04:00

Loving summer. Are you loving it?! Are you loving the fact that we can run outside with bare feet, the skies are blue with fluffy, white clouds, and the only ice in sight is in my glass of water?! It's blazing by far too quickly. Part of me is excited to have this year fly by because we're moving home to AZ next summer, but part of me wants this summer to take it's sweet, slow time because I'm loving not being cold. ??? !!! Whatta conflict!

Yesterday we gathered the girls together to celebrate my dear, BFF Kadie's birthday. We had a fun b-day brunch, complete with stuffed French toast, scrambled eggs & sausage, chocolate sauce, and homemade whipped cream. It was pretty much heaven. And a trick Kadie and I have been doing lately is tossing some fruit in ice water - this time lemon and strawberries - and it's SO good!!! Forget mixed beverages - there are few things as refreshing and pure as ice water infused with lemons and strawberries.

A perfect, quaint celebration for the perfect friend! Love ya, Kadie!

---now back to the treadmill!!!

Friendship Bracelets

2011-07-26T10:18:00.000-04:00

Here's a fun blast from the past. Only the coolest of the cool kids wore these bracelets. {probably just I wore them...and I wasn't cool...but I felt cool...and isn't that what counts after all?}

I wanted a fun summer project for the kids so we looked up how to make these. I do NOT recommend teaching this to your kids unless they are quick to catch on and are capable of tying knots without help. If not....don't do it! For the love of all humanity---choose wisely. It will only drive you crazy---and I speak from experience. The fun "happy-mommy-loves-to-craft-with-happy-kiddies" turns into "mommy's-head-blowing-off-and-senseless-screaming."

Anywee--here's a great tutorial on how to tie them. (why reinvent the wheel, right?! There's no way I can take tutorial pics for this one! Plus, this one has a video!) I used tape on my table because pinning just makes the bracelts twist and turn. I did one tape at the top and then I used another piece of tape across the middle of the bracelet as it got longer - and just moved the tape down further - to keep it from twisting and moving.

My eldest was the only one who could manage this project - and he's doing a 2-color (4-strand) small bracelet. If, for some reason you have to unpick anything, a straight pin works wonderfully.

My kids love these, actually. Bracelets are all the rage right now and these are custom made. And so the tradtion continues....my kids are now the coolest of the cool.

Cooking 101 - Linguine with Chicken Sausage & Cannellini Beans

2011-07-12T12:14:00.001-04:00

Um.....DELISH.

I'm not eating pasta right now---but I caved after I created this delicious dinner last night. (I only had a smidge, though--just enough to say I had some and had to stop myself!) I did dish myself up some without the pasta, though, and it is still amazing without it.

Cannellini beans are so versatile and they're full of good things for you. Well, check this site out---you can see for yourself how great these little beans are. (they have twice the amount of iron as beef!)

LINGUINE WITH CHICKEN SAUSAGE & CANNELLINI BEANS:

For the sauce: (start 1 hour before)

1/2 large onion, or one small onion, finely diced

2-3 cloves garlic

2-3 fresh basil leaves, chopped

2-3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes

1/2 c. water

salt

1/4 c. heavy cream (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a large pan, saute onion and garlic until soft. Add basil leaves, water and tomatoes, saute for about 45 minutes until everything is soft and thick. Add heavy cream and stir until combined. Add salt to taste.

For Sausage mixture:

1 pkg. of 4 Chicken Sausages (mine were chicken, onion, asiago, and pepper), sliced into rounds

1 Tbsp. butter

1 14-oz. can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

salt

Heat a large saute pan, add chicken sausage and brown for a few minutes. Add cannellini beans, butter, and a little salt; stir and saute until everything turns golden brown and is heated through. Set aside in a bowl.

**NOTE: you could also add thin sliced peppers to this mixture

For Pasta:

Well, you pretty much know what to do, right? Cook it and drain it. The noodles should be soft but not too soft.

To assemble:

Dish some pasta in a bowl; add sauce; add sausage mixture; top with grated Parmesean or Asiago cheese and serve with some yummy Italian crusty bread. mmmmm.....

Pretty.

2011-07-12T11:30:00.001-04:00

Even though they're weeds, I love these flowers. They grow all over the place here - on the sides of the roads, in huge fields, in my sand-box-turned weed-pit. The blossoms are called "Queen Anne's Lace" and that's exactly what they look like. Queen Anne. Oh, I mean lace. Very delicate and pretty.

They especially look pretty in a jar! {gasp!}

Thanks!

2011-07-05T14:28:00.001-04:00

Thanks so much for all of the well wishes when I hurt my back. What the?! I've never done that before and hope to never again. Geeze that was painful!! However, after a few stiff days, I'm good as new! Thanks for caring!

I Love America.

2011-07-05T13:10:00.001-04:00

With no apologies, I proclaim loud and proud that America the Beautiful is the greatest country in the world! God Bless America. Land of the Free - Home of the Brave.

...and a big, fat cheers to backyard fireworks!

The BEST Carrot Cake. Ever.

2011-07-05T12:47:00.001-04:00

Thanks to our good friend, Dr. Frederick, who has painstakingly adjusted this recipe and graciously passed it on to us, may I present to you the BEST Carrot Cake I've ever had. {and trust me...I've had it everywhere and my own personal opinion is that this recipe exceeds even the Cheesecake Factory!} I know, ladies, but it's true. I would never lie to you.

{SO moist. Just look at it for crying out loud!}

DR. FREDERICK'S CARROT CAKE:

4 eggs

1 1/4 c. vegetable oil (or 3/4 oil and 1/2 c. applesauce)

1 c. granulated sugar

1 c. brown sugar

3 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 c. all-purpose flour

2 t. baking soda

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

3 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. ground nutmeg (fresh ground is best)

3 c. grated carrots - (coarse grate, not fine grate)

1 c. chopped pecans

8 oz. drained crushed pineapple (I drained the pineapple and measured 8 oz. - or 1 c.)

FROSTING:

1/2 c. butter, softened

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

3 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. chopped pecans

pinch of salt (I added this in - I've found that if I add just the tiniest pinch of salt to my frostings, it makes the flavor pop.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13" pan or two round cake pans.

*Note: Using a food processor with the grater blade attachment, you can grate your carrots in no time. I started dropping handfulls of baby carrots into the opening of the lid and had 3 cups of grated carrots in seconds. You can also chop your nuts in the food processor, as well. Save yourself some time.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a large bowl (I used my Kitchenaid mixer), beat together eggs, oil, applesauce (optional), sugars, and vanilla. Mix in flour mixture. Slowly stir in carrots, pineapple, and nuts.

Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. (baking times may vary) Let cake cool in pan for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting:

Beat everything together except the nuts until it's smooth and creamy. Fold in pecans. Make sure your cake is completely cooled before you frost it.

...and now enjoy...

Owwwwwww!

2011-06-29T09:42:00.000-04:00

Okay, so have any of you ever been just standing there, minding your own business, with a baby on your hip, and then quickly bend over and pick up the millionth thing the baby dropped - ONLY TO BE GRIPPED WITH THE MOST EXCRUCIATING PAIN EVER AND DROP TO YOUR KNEES IN AGONY (screaming like a little girl) ?! That happened to me 2 days ago and I'm still crippled! Obviously I pulled something in my lower back and MY GOODNESS!!! It hurts so bad - I can't do anything - I'm just an invalid. My poor family.

Needless to say, I'm grateful for good medication, my helpful children, and my loving husband. I haven't been able to finish out the June Photo Challenge, and I'm not beating myself up about it. I've already hurt myself enough - hahaaaa!

SO...I'm kickin' back, hoping that my back gets better soon and until then, I'll be checking out the Flickr group looking at all of your photos. This has been SO much fun to see what everyone is doing!!!

Day 25: Citrus

2011-06-25T20:57:00.002-04:00

SO....after getting home from a very busy day, playing with kids at the park, and a quick run to the grocery store - I came home to look at what today's phtoto theme would be----and smacked myself in the forehead! {doh!} Citrus!!! Then, panic. Luckily I had a bowl full of these beauties. My "citrus" shot could have had more variety but Clementines don't need extra company. They're gorgeous all on their own.

May I present - the most juicy, tangy, delectable Clementines....

is your mouth watering yet?!

Still Catching Up...

2011-06-23T18:37:00.000-04:00

Still playing catch-up but I'm almost there! We've had rain for the past 2 days, so I had the perfect 'water' opportunity. I wanted to get some running water, but that didn't happen and I'm all out of steam from a long day. Even though I'm not making my dream shots happen, I love that this Photo Challenge is making me think really hard. {and if you know me at all, you know how painful that is...haaaahahaa.}

This photo: {besides gorgeous flowers} - 'Water'

Another 'Water' shot - I loved this right out of the camera - I just sharpened it - no editing.

This shot: 'Micro' {and 'water'} I absolutely LOVE water droplets on plant life. It's so earthy, refreshing, and a beautiful reminder of how we are all dependent on the life-giving substance of water.

This shot: Black & White

This is one of my very first hydrangea blooms this summer - and they're stunning. The petals are actually grainy when you look at them up close - even a little splotchy - and I love the texture they make all bunched up like that! So pretty.

Photo Challenge Catch-Up

2011-06-22T20:48:00.000-04:00

Cheating just a little bit here - I've got a lot to play catch-up with!!! And...can I just say again how much I *FLIPPING* LOVE SUMMER?! Every day I wake up giddy because it's warm, sunny (mostly), and pure heaven outside. Giddy!

Okay...now about my photo challenge. I'm behind and trying to catch up---

This shot: "Someone You Love" and "Action" - my man jumping off a sand dune. I LOVE this shot...and I love him, too.

This shot: "Mason Jar" and "Summertime" - nothing says summer like fresh Michigan cherries. We were just up in cherry country a few days ago and I've got cherries on the brain! Aren't they gorgeous?!

This shot: (also "Someone You Love" and "Summertime"-she's on my dreamy hammock out back!) but this one is for "Eyes" and even a little "Bokeh" - with the light coming through the trees in the back. It's not a very good bokeh - so I'll try for a different one - but for now, this is what I'll use!!!

So now I need to catch up on: Childhood, Water, Micro, and Landscape. Whew! I'm going to have to do a few two-fers {two 'fer one} on those, as well.

Back to Reality

2011-06-21T14:34:00.001-04:00

Hi all! I hope you're all still cruisin' along with the Photo Challenge!!! I had to take a little break, I don't know if I'll catch up, so I'll just have to pick up where I left off. We've been having some serious summer fun - and since summer has just begun, I'm giddy that we have a lot more to look forward to!!! Honestly - this winter/spring lasted waaaaaaaay too long!

Although I didn't live behind the lens of my camera, I did take a few fun shots while we were out of town.

My Love Nugget - jumping off this huge sand hill. The older boys had more fun than the little boys!!!

We stayed up in Frankfort, MI - on the northern coast of Lake Michigan. Then we traveled up and over through small beach towns and orchard towns - and stopped to buy a fresh cherry pie - and on to Traverse City where we had some of the world's best 'Moomers' ice cream. The weather didn't cooperate much, but it was still beautiful. I can't wait to go back!!!

Havin' a fun Vacay

2011-06-16T21:18:00.000-04:00

Taking a little break from the photo challenge - SORRY!!! (no tears, please - it makes me uncomfortable.) We've got some familia visiting form out of town and we're going all over Michigan having some serious fun. I am taking pictures, though, so that should count for something.

Have a great week all!!!

Days 11 & 12 - Silhouette & Lens Flare

2011-06-12T20:52:00.000-04:00

ooh---some fun ones! I must confess that I'm lacking creativity with the silhouette shot, but I love my little girl's body position - and her hair - in this photo! When anybody comes or goes, especially her daddy, she runs to this window to throw back the curtain and see what's going on.

I just LOVE any shot with a sun flare - and I almost missed this opportunity because I remembered at the last minute to catch the sun as it was setting. Within minutes, the sun falls behind the houses and trees, so I lucked out and caught it at just the right moment. Whew!

Days 9 & 10 - Fruit & Animal

2011-06-10T17:17:00.000-04:00

Fruits of all variety are just absolutely stunning to me - I could photograph any kind of fruit in any way, all day long!! I happened to have this beautiful bowl of apples handy, though, and I have big plans for these beauties. I'm thinking about smothering them in caramel, then chocolate, then rolled in nuts for some end-of-the-year teacher gifts. Who can resist something beautiful and yummy like that?!!!

And now for my animal.....

I've always begged the question, "Do kids count for pets?!" Because mine 1.) smell, 2.) make huge messes, 2.) snuggle, 3.) need a leash, 4.) drool, 5.) and love affection. Not seeing much of a difference, folks!

My little man came home from a fun-filled day at school with his face painted like a tiger and I couldn't have found a more adorable little animal!!!

(I really wanted to photograph some more horses, but it's raining and dark, so this little animal will have to suffice.)

...this is the kind of pet I prefer. (not the baby - she's too much of a hand full) Stuffed animals don't poop, therefore they're my favorite pet! haha.

Day 8 - Sunset

2011-06-09T17:39:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was my b-day, so I'm a day behind in my photo challenge. Today has been spent dealing with a teeny little silly crisis, so berries coming tomorrow. I am actually having FUN with this challenge, though! Every day in June I am capturing something specific and it's been a lot of fun so far! I hope everyone else is enjoying it as much as me!!!

Day 7 - High Angle

2011-06-07T19:30:00.000-04:00

My adorable nephew - taken today. I LOVE this kid - and I love that he's wearing a band-aid!

Day 6 - Books

2011-06-06T16:36:00.000-04:00

I have a love of all books - particularly the old classics with their original artwork. I found these at a yard sale a few years ago and fell in love with the vintage looks. AND....don't hate me....but I have NEVER read any of these! {gasp!} Maybe I will someday.

Day 5 - Breakfast

2011-06-06T09:11:00.001-04:00

Okay - so it's a day late - but I took the photo yesterday, so that should count.

Sunday's breakfast for my little guy.

I did NOT plan it this way, but being that it is what it is, I made the best of it. Being a Latter-Day Saint, the first Sunday of every month is "Fast Sunday", which is where those of us who are able will skip two consecutive meals in a 24 hour period, and then give a generous fast offering at church to help take care of those in need. It's such a great way to refocus on the important things in our lives, sacrifice a little something, and get closer to the Savior. Obviously we wouldn't have the little kids do this, so at my house they usually get cereal. My breakfast didn't happen until dinner time (sweet pork burritos which were heaven), but I forgot to snap a picture. Oopsie! Luckily I took one of my little guy eating this morning in case I didn't get a chance to take any more pictures.

Now...off to find some cool books to photograph!!!

Day 4 - Clouds (...or the lack thereof..)

2011-06-04T22:19:00.000-04:00

On the one day we don't have clouds, I have a CLOUD picture to produce!!! What the?!! When is it NOT cloudy here?! Summertime in Michigan is fluffy cloud heaven - but not today. And....since it's my son's birthday and since I'm lacking any kind of creativity whatsoever, I snapped the sky in the hopes that the faint wisps of cloudness could be seen.

....can you see them? they're those little see-through wisps next to the sun. Those are my clouds today.

Not a single cloud in the sky!!! WAHOO!!! For a girl who is sick of bad weather, this couldn't be a more welcome sight!!!

Day 3 - Hands

2011-06-03T20:33:00.000-04:00

Is there anything sweeter than baby hands?! This photo is so sweet to me - it's my baby girl and I touching hands - her holding on to me. Isn't that the essence of motherhood? We hold on to them for whenever they need us - all throughout their lives if need be. I'm so thankful to have two beautiul little girls and two amazing boys to love and guide them into happy adults.

Day 2 - Shoes

2011-06-02T16:40:00.000-04:00

SHOES?! Did somebody say shoes?!

I happen to love shoes....when I'm not wearing them. My favorite shoes are the kind off of my feet.

{eww} Please disregard my horriffic pedicure. Maybe this will entice me to go visit my hilarious {and a little creepy} Vietnamese pedicure guy.

I'm even teaching my baby girl to love shoes! What a good mother I've become! She brought me these to put on for her this morning. She won't let me take them off. {atta girl}

But if there was a fire in my house - and all of my precious heirlooms, photos, camera, and computers were safe - and I could only grab one pair of shoes....I'd pick these!

They're buttery yellow, they go with everything, and they're absolutely adorable.

{stop it...} Now they're just showing off.

Day 1 - Self Portrait

2011-06-01T17:26:00.003-04:00

As much as I love to take photographs of myself, it's not that easy. I should have busted out the tripod, but it seemed a little silly to go to all the trouble to photograph myself. I mean...seriously...do I have that kind of time?! No. So here's myself on this day:

Nevermind the fact that I had many ideas on how to interpret 'self' with this assignment...but for the sake of time, and since my crazy psycho baby was sleeping....this is as good as it gets, girls.

Moi. With my computer on the kitchen table because it's too hot upstairs. And I'm working on something speical.

Notice the fresh flowers on the table---{gasp!} They were cheapies at Sam's Club and in my perfect world, I would have fresh flowers in every room every day.

{gasp!} Refreshment!

...excuse me...

...no reason...

...um...seriously?

...hair pulled back because it was touching me...

and where are my amazing earrings?! I feel naked.

...and I think this will be my final portrait for the day - and the one I post on our Flickr group page.

How fun was that?! Well, only mildly, but the fun has just begun!

AND....can I share my necklace?! as seen in photographs above....WAAAAAAAAAAY back {5 years ago} before these became the staple of every mother's wardrobe - adorned with pearls, jewels, and other bojangles, I was given this necklace as a gift from a very dear, dear friend. Of course, it only had three childrens' names and I added Brooke when she was born. I had never seen anything like it before and I got to choose the symbols for each childs' name. I will never, ever forget how exquisite this gift has been for me - and I don't even cringe when I see that these necklaces have become just a teensy bit annoying.

Kyle - Star

The north star is constant and immovable, and as the eldest child, my hope for Kyle is that he will always shine - for himself and as an example to his family.

Kendra - Crown

My little queen - she has always been wise beyond her years and to me, the crown represents her regal demeanor and special talents. She's more mature than I am!

Reed - Sunshine

This boy is the sunshine of the family - so funny, always hugging and snuggling, and keeps me feeling bright and youthful. He's always got a sunny outlook on life and likes to do things well.

Brooke - Heart

She's my little Valentine baby for one thing, but she's also the love of this family. As crazy as she can be, Brooke is full of life and we are all madly in love with her. I hope that she will always be able to draw people together the way she does now. The heart also represents for me the love between Brooke and Brandon (dad). These two are crazy about each other!

June is Tomorrow!

2011-05-31T13:52:00.001-04:00

June is exciting for many reasons---#1 being that IT'S FLIPPING SUMMERTIME ALREADY!!! We have had the coldest, most rain-filled spring (not to mention all the sadness with the flooding & tornadoes all about us). For me, June marks the official end of bitter cold and when the sweat drips off of my face and I feel like I'm dying from heat stroke {eww}, I've got a big grin on my face----because I'm not cold!!!! {scream!}

Another happy June thing---it's BIRTHDAY WEEK at my house! Myself and my two boys have birthdays within days of each other - one on the 4th, 6th, and 8th. {wahoo!} Talk about going into a sugar coma. Then school gets out, then we have more company coming because my Love Nugget is graduating his Residency program, and we're going up north for a couple of days. Bring it on.

AND....{drumroll.....} Our 30-day Photo Fun Challenge starts tomorrow!!! We've already got a bunch of people joining in the fun, so don't make sure to join us, too. Seriously---don't have fear. Only fun.

'kay - back to work. My psycho baby girl has figured out how to slide a chair up to the refrigerator water dispenser/ice-shooter-outer. WHAT THE?! That's going to be fun.

Photo Fun in June-come join the party!

2011-05-28T11:21:00.000-04:00

Okay - all of my good ideas really come from Kadie - and this is another one. {you rock, Kadie} We've all seen those photo challenges popping up all over the place, so we {being madly in love with our cameras} wanted to have our own kind of fun, too. AND WE WANT THIS TO BE A PARTY!!! SO...here's the deal:

COME JOIN US!!! You DON'T have to take amazing photos, you don't have to be a photographer, and you don't need a high-end camera. Use your crap phone, smart phone, point & shoot, SLR, whatever you have - this is not a competition - just an 'art' thing. It's your own personal interpretation of the subject matter.

Get creative! Your self portrait could consist of you wearing a spandex leotard and a feather boa - who cares?! {well...maye I would care...spandex is just gross...} But you get the point, right?!

AND...these photos have to be taken ON THE DAY SPECIFIED - or one day before and posted on the day specified. No old photos are allowed. No cheaties. So since the challenge starts June 1st, you can take your self portrait on May 30th, edit it that night, and post it on June 1st. Make sense? Otherwise, take pictures & post them on the specific day.

Come join our Flickr Group!!! Just make sure to add your "subject" description and/or date so we know what you're posting. Now go gather up all of your friends to join us for the party. {Kadie and I don't want to be 'those girls' sitting at the party and nobody shows up. How nerdy. And hurtful.}

You should be able to print this and hang in somewhere so you can remember what we're doing. Let me know if you have troubles.

Mason Jar Branch Vases

2011-05-24T14:49:00.002-04:00

Why do you want some of these vases?

This is why.

{photos by my girl, Amber Halversen. She's amazing. And my babies are cute, too! {gasp!}}

And this, too.

This, too.

Remember when I posted these a while back when we did Kristine's baby shower?! I'm finally getting around to posting pictures of how Kadie and I made ours. Kadie saw the idea on Pinterest {love this place!} and we made our own versions of what we saw. If you're having a gathering of any kind, these couldn't possibly be easier to make - and they sure do make a huge impact!

Here's how we did ours:

Go out and find--

*Big sticks

*Mason Jars

*Zip Ties - got mine at Home Depot

*Raffia or Twine

Zip the jars onto the sticks nice & tight. I used some needle nose pliers to help me - but be careful!

Tie 'em up with raffia, twine, or that thick, satiny ribbon would be pretty, too.

And that's it. Fill 'em with flowers or whatever makes you feel joyful.

**BE CAREFUL when you stick them into the ground. You can snap a stick. Moistening the ground before you stick them in can help - otherwise make sure you dig a small, deep hole for each one and secure them by packing the dirt around the bases really tight.

That's it...I'm moving to Kentucky

2011-05-24T13:58:00.000-04:00

First - I am so sorry for the Joplin, MO tornado victms. The news coverage of the damage is horrific - I just feel so bad.

While all of the storms were hitting certain places, my husband and I were vising beautiful Kentucky so that he could take his Radiology board exams in Louisville. For the past 6 months, our lives have revolved around nothing but Boards. To say that it has been excruciating for our entire family for the past few weeks would be an understatement - but it's over now and we'll see if he passed on Saturday. The stress isn't over yet, but most of it is gone so that's nice.

After his exam, we hopped in the car and drove - and drove and drove through the most breathtaking scenery we have ever seen. WOW!!! Fence-lined horse property as far as the eye can see. I don't have enough words - and I didn't get to stop and take that many pictures - but the ones I did get will always remind me that I want to sell everything I have and buy a horse ranch in Kentucky!!!

These gorgeous Thoroughbreds were out in the pasture at our B&B that we stayed at.

The B&B we visited. Gorgeous home - gorgeous landscape - horrible breakfast. Oh, well.

Leaving the B&B down the driveway - seriously didn't want to go!

Tree-lined back roads

Sunset on the farm. {ahhhhh...}

One of many horse stables. {sunset again} Everything from the buildings to the grass is beautiful on these ranches.

...now we're back to reality and I can't decide whether to shower, clean the house, or put clothes on the baby. ....hmmm...

Get Some Kleenex Ready...

2011-05-06T14:01:00.000-04:00

This story has reached the deepest parts of me today. I don't even know these sweet people, but there I was, reading along, sobbing my eyes out. This one his way too close to home for me - and maybe it's good to be reminded every now and then how temporary life is. I'm grateful today for my knowledge of life after death and the principle of eternal families.

Click here for story

Berries & Babies

2011-04-30T22:13:00.003-04:00

First of all - can I tell you how blessed I feel to have only had RAIN for the past month? {it has seriously been raining all month} We've been watching tornado and flood coverage all weekend and I'm just heartsick and praying for those people down South. And I won't complain about rain.

Secondly - the baby shower was awesome and my *adorable* Sis-in-Law felt our love - mission accomplished! {and...it looked pretty swell, too} I can't wait to share more - but I have to get some sleep. Throwing parties is exhausting!

I can't wait to show you these cool stick vases, too - SO much fun!!!

Happy Easter

2011-04-23T20:06:00.000-04:00

Feeling especially grateful for Spring, new growth, warmth, and the peace I feel when I see God's creations all around me. {This precious little dove sat perched in my tree yesterday - isn't she so beautiful?!} I'm grateful for my personal relationship with my Savior - He lives and loves all of us regardless if we care or appreciate it. I'm grateful for his lasting Atonement, Death, and Resurrection.

Happy Easter!

Cooking 101 - Eggs Affettuoso

2011-04-20T14:43:00.006-04:00

{affettuoso=Itailan for 'warm-hearted'}

This breakfast dish is my own creation - inspired by a visit to our favorite breakfast joint. {I tweaked it, of course} It's scrambled eggs cooked with sauteed tomatoes, basil, and asiago cheese. This is excellent for you low-carbers out there like me who need some flavor in your mornings!

I named this his bright, sunny breakfast 'affettuoso' because it's very Italian (because I'm Italian blooded, you know) and it's so light, incredibly delicious, and it really warms the soul! Just like any Italian meal should do, right?! You'll transport yourself to a beautiful Tuscan bed & breakfast with a morning meal like this! {sigh...} (and then get slapped back into reality when you're all done eating and the kids are climbing the walls, food is all over the floor, laundry is piled on the couch, the TV is blaring, and the naked baby is sitting in something slimy.)

I'm not kidding, though - this breakfast is SOOO good - I made it for the first time this morning after the kiddies were gone and my husband was home studying - he just wanted a bite but couldn't stop eating! It's amazing how simple, earthy ingredients can turn boring eggs into something amazing!

Eggs Affettuoso
Yield: Two adult servings

1/2 Roma tomato, small dices (or whatever you have)
1 T. butter (or a little olive oil if you'd like it healthier)
1/8-1/4 t. garlic powder
2 T. fresh basil, sliced thin (stack 4-5 leaves on top of each other, roll up a little, and slice thin)
5 large eggs
3-4 T. heavy cream
Asiago cheese, fine grated
salt & pepper to taste

In a small, nonstick pan, melt butter; sautee tomatoes and garlic powder for a couple of minutes, until some of the moisture evaporates from the tomato. Add 1/2 of the basil, stir for a few seconds.

In a medium bowl, combine eggs and heavy cream, beat until smooth. Pour into the pan with the tomatoes and basil. Add the rest of the basil and about 1 T. of the grated asiago cheese. Salt & pepper your eggs and cook them to the consistency you like them. {I detest overcooked eggs - they get all spongey and weird}

You're done! Scoop the eggs out onto your serving plates and garnish with more asiago cheese on top. Serve with some toasted whole wheat bread - or here is Kadie's homemade seed bread. (HERE are some more yummy bread recipes) mmmmm... Now go get your iPod, put in your favorite music, and enjoy your brief trip to Tuscany!!!

Berrylicious Baby Shower

2011-04-15T15:09:00.001-04:00

If I had to be honest and pick my ultimate dream job, I don't know whether it would be photographing beautiful food on beautiful dishes or planning baby showers/kid parties. Not that my kids EVER get great parties, let's be honest here, but I'd do it as a dream job. {I think my first two kids got a couple of rockin' parties, but after a while, they just become painful}

SO...Kadie and I have been working on a shower theme for my beautiful, ADORABLE sister-in-law and what could be more perfect right now than strawberries?! {gasp!!!} No pink rubber duckies or diaper pins here - we're going straight-up classy, sophisticated, and sweet! {oh, and no weird, miniature naked babies swimming in the punch, either...???...who does that?!}

Here's some of my inspiration so far! The cute napkin below is something Kadie brought back from her vacay. {she was gone so long I almost died} It's the inspiration that spurred on this baby shower idea.

...mmmmm....how beautiful is a basket of berries?!

The invites are almost done! I took my file to Staples and had them printed - I TOTALLY pushed the easy button and it worked!!! haha. They look much better laser printed than on my home printer.

Yes, ladies, that is machine stitched. AND...the name tag/jam jar stickers are from Wal-Mart! ??? Who would have thought?! They match my invites perfectly. I'll have to take back some of the horrible things I've said about Wal-Mart.

The best part?! I went to one of many of our antique stores here and LOOK at the eye candy I found! I'm in love with all of it - I haven't even put it away yet because I just want to look at it. I have an illness, I know.

...mmmm....berries again. I could never tire of them. In a pink dish even?! It's all so overwhelming.

SO - the planning will continue but here's a little taste of the fun so far. I don't know what I'm more excited about - the baby shower or getting to snuggle a new little family member!!! Ahh--life really is good.

**For my strawberry invitations, I used a digital scrapbooking mini kit called "Strawberry Patch" from Designer Digitals.

Another Fun Find

2011-04-13T22:21:00.000-04:00

Do you ever wish you could catalog all of the beautiful things you see in this wide world of internet goodness?! Do you ever see a really good idea and then save it to a file on your computer only to forget about it and never see it again?! Do you wish you had a little haven full of beautiful things, just for YOU?!

{cue annoying informercial music}

WELL...Kadie introduced me to the coolest. site. ever. It's called "Pinterest" and you have your own personal space to post anything and everything you love! {gasp!!!} And heaven knows we all like our own personal space. {and I prefer mine NOT to be filled with crumbs from last week, drool, used *moist* kleenex, dirt, and fingernail clippings. I don't have a fingernail clipping problem at my house---but it's just gross.}

Anyway---I just started pinning, so my boards are a little bare, but feel free to follow along HERE and let me know if you're pinning up some cool stuff, too!!!

Inspiring me today...mmmm...

2011-04-13T11:19:00.000-04:00

I'm having fun with strawberries right now!!! I can't wait to show you everything - but here are a few things that have been inspiring the creative juices:

photo from jello recipes

photo from tea party ideas

photo from pinterest

photo from Allposters

"Strawberry Fields" fabric by Sandi Henderson

Full Plate

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

Hungry?! Is your plate full like mine?!

Here's what I want to do:

Have a perfectly clean house

Get plenty of sleep

Exercise like a maniac 6 times per week

Never have to go grocery shopping

Make cute pillows

Finish my embroidered seasonal tree

Scrapbook each of my children's life in a digital album

Sew cute dresses for my girls

Make cute hair crap for my girls

Make cute Easter/Spring decor

Organize my basement

Take amazing spring pictures and spend time in Photoshop

Here's what I have to do:

Taxes (barf)

Cleaning as much of the house as I can

Grocery shopping (barf again)

Take care of kids, do homework, oversee piano practices

T-Ball & Softball practices & games

Feed my family, then clean up the mess

Laundry, then clean up the mess (barf some more...I get sick of barfing...)

Something secret that I can't talk about, which is taking up a huge amount of time but is going to be amazing.

Baby shower for the Adorable Kristine {gasp!} ...between you and me, out of all of this crap on my to-do-list, this one is my favey fave!

My Relief Society calling - planning, following up, lots to keep track of

Clean, organize, and de-junk the entire house on account of LOTS of company coming in May

AND....

the kicker....

loose 20 pounds by May. ???!!! hmm.

So my plate is full, but it's full of great things - I just have to take it one bite at a time, I guess! Now off I go to barf at the grocery store...

Meet our Winner!

2011-04-11T10:05:00.003-04:00

Hi Everyone!!! I'm giddy for you to meet the adorable Margo! She is our 2011 Fitness Challenge winner and I couldn't be more proud! So many of you worked very hard - I'm thrilled that you were able to get the nudge you needed. Here is Margo's story for some more inspiration. Don't stop working now that the contest is over - keep going!

Before:

After:

I am thrilled to have lost 38 lbs and thank you all for the motivation and inspiration of this contest to get me going! I still have 22 lbs to go, but I now know that I can do it. I have lost weight before and have been on almost every diet. The older I got, the harder it has been. I know I am a carbohydrate addict and cookies have always been my stress relief. (Can anyone relate???)

I really didn't think I could do it anymore. I had no motivation and no will power. Then my daughter, Kadie, told me about the contest. I wanted to support it even if I didn't lose weight myself.

I decided to try a diet I had never tried before...Medifast. It worked wonders from day 1. I lost a pound a day for the first 8-10 days, which was very encouraging and exciting. That got me hooked! Kadie got me started watching Biggest Loser every Tuesday and that was very motivating. I also prayed every day to have the determination and motivation to stay on this. I have learned to eat to live, instead of live to eat. I feel 100% better! I have even been on 3 trips and have been able to stay on the plan. I just last night wore a pair of pants 4 sizes smaller than I had been wearing and can now buy clothes in regular clothes stores! (That could be dangerous...lots more available and many more choices!)

Again, thank you so very much for the help in getting started on the road to better health and feeling better about myself! Keep up the great work everyone...we can all do it!

Hugs,

Margo

Thanks, Margo, you're gorgeous! And thanks to everyone who participated with us!

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!

2011-04-06T10:34:00.000-04:00

{haha...a weiner! ...how could I resist??}

A BIG, huge congrats to our fitness challenge winner. {yaaayyy!} I just contacted her and we will all get to meet her soon. She lost over 35 pounds, 18% of her total weight, and worked it! Good for you!!! I can't wait to share her fun story with you!! {...little secret...it's my BFF Kadie's mom and she is the most adorable person ever. I'm excited for you to meet her!!!}

Until then...I have another fave site, Garnish. {large gasp!} I just ordered some stuff from them for a little get-together and I love everything here.

These are my fave little straws!!! They've got different colors, too!

And I got a bunch of this stuff....to make stuff cute...for the cute stuff I never make but want to...

And some of these...just because... I'm dying for summer and I want to pick berries. No other reason besides that. Do you need a reason to have cute berry crates?! really.

Now off to clean the house. yuck.

Wonder Women!!

2011-04-05T10:53:00.000-04:00

Wow! I've heard from SO many of you and I'm so proud of your weight loss success!!! Wonder Woman would be proud.

At this point we have a winner, but to be fair, I'm still collecting emails - I'll give it another day and then I'm going to call it. {eeek!!!} So if you haven't checked in with me, and if you are pretty sure you've lost a lot of weight, you should send me an email. for heaven's sake.

Keep up the healthy stuff - warm weather is a'comin' and you know what that means...... Ice cream season!!! haha.

TODAY IS THE DAY!!!

2011-04-01T09:32:00.000-04:00

Fitness Challenge is OVAHHH! Congrats to everybody who participated! So now it's time for everyone to email me - HERE IS WHAT I NEED:

your beginning weight
your ending weight
and USE THIS CALCULATOR to get your percentage lost. We had so much confusion last time and people not adding correctly, so let's do this carefully.

Email me - abbywelker(at)yahoo(dot)com

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!

Glitter!

2011-03-24T10:52:00.000-04:00

This is what happens when it rains diamonds! They stick to the trees and when the sun comes out, it makes everything *sparkle*!!

I am TOTALLY ready for spring, but how do you resist all of these glittering, sparkling diamonds?! We had a panoramic view of this shimmering wonderness this morning - my pictures don't come close to capturing how magical it was.

'kay - that was fun. Now STOP with the cold. I'm ready for summer.

Happy St. Pat's to You!

2011-03-17T13:50:00.001-04:00

Happy St. Patty's to all of you!!! May there be a huge pot of gold at the end of your rainbow! (or chocolate....I'd settle for that)

I told my kids this morning that since I go ALL OUT for....Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's, Easter, and all six of our birthdays....I get a break for St. Patty's! We had green eggs and pancakes - that was the extent of my celebrating. The kiddies are on their own after that. We might get a green layer cake tonight - we'll see how crazy Brookie is today.

Something fun to do on St. Patty's day - sit down with some Irish Cream Soda and watch "Leap Year!" {squeal!} Nevermind that it kind of has a cheesy ending - {what chick flick doesn't?} - but the scenery, music, and Amy Adams' outfits are amazing!!! Randy Edelman did an incredible job with the music, and I've even purchased some of the soundtrack songs, as well. I've got the instrumental music in my iTunes for when I need something fresh, bright, and easy to listen to.

{LOVE} this movie!!

...for fun, here are some fun Olde Irish sayings:

“You've got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was.”

“It is easy to be pleasant when life flows by like a song, but the man worth while is the one who will smile when everything goes dead wrong. For the test of the heart is trouble, and it always comes with years, and the smile that is worth the praises of earth is the smile that shines through the tears.”

“If you're lucky enough to be Irish, then you're lucky enough.”

“Beware of people who dislike cats”

{I personally disike cats...what does that say abou me?!}

“Who gossips with you will gossip of you”

“I believe in the sun when it's not shining, I believe in love even when I feel it not, I believe in God even when he is silent.”

“Continual cheerfulness is a sign of wisdom.”

“There are fish in the sea better than have ever been caught”

“It is better to be a coward for a minute than dead for the rest of your life”

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures”

“Better fifty enemies outside the house than one within”

“Put silk on a goat and it is still a goat”

“Don't give cherries to pigs or advice to fools”

“A silent mouth is sweet to hear”

{haha!! I like that one!!}

“When God made time, he made plenty of it”

“Where the tongue slips, it speaks the truth”

“A cabin with plenty of food is better than a hungry castle”

“What is nearest the heart is nearest the mouth”

{does that include chocolate?!}

Strega Nona! viva Italy!

2011-03-17T13:36:00.000-04:00

Like so many of us, I have a mixed ancestry. My family mostly came from Wales, Great Brittain, and Ireland. I'm almost 100% positive that there was an Italian in there somewhere because I have this unexplicable love for everything Italian. Their deep friendships and family ties, their mass quantities of amazing food at any kind of gathering, and their love of celebrations, all resonate with me and we naturally have those things in common. My brother even married a cute Italian girl and cooks incredible Italian food. My dream vacation would be a tour of Italy - along the sunny coastal areas, up into the countrysides, all through towns and villages, and sampling all of the Italian cuisine. ahhhh--- There MUST be some Italian blood in us somewhere!!!

SO...you can imagine my joy upon discovering this cute little book at the library with my kids. It's the cutest little pop-up book I've ever had my hands on!!! We were all enthralled - and once again I am reminded how much I love Italian culture! (not my 5-year-old, though - he hates pasta...weird-o)

Nona comes from a big family tree, where she inherited certain qualities within herself. (love that!!)

Her big family gathering under her arbor ; everything fresh, made from scratch, I'm sure, as she was taught by her elders!

pull the door open - watch that little green hat on the roof pop up---

AHA! How fun is that?!

...and then the last page...

This says it all!

Family, friends, good food, celebrations, and lots of love! Brava!

(I'm definitely buying this book...if only just for me!)

I like Birds & Bees.

2011-03-15T11:16:00.004-04:00

I think it's no secret that birds fascinate me - especially the 'couples' birds who work together to build a beautiful, perfect nest for their future babies...and then work together to take care of the little birdlets. Hence the name of my blog! However - another crazy fascination I have is with BEES! Interesting....the two things I'm obsessed about - birds & bees...hmmm...!

Let me make myself perfectly clear---insects of all varieties creep the heck out of me---except BEES. I LOVE bees!!! {I don't love getting stung by them, though} I've actually nicknamed my baby girl "Brookie Bee" because she's so dang busy all of the time!!! ...and Brooke starts with "B" - get it?! haha. {cleverrrr}

Bees are amazing little guys and here's why I love them so much:

1.) They symbolize hard work and industry. You know, "Busy as a Bee!" Exemplifying bees goes back to ancient days - bees and beehives have been used in many civilizations as a symbol of hard work and productivity. In fact, my church {The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints} adopted the term "Deseret" meaning "honeybee" as an inspiring symbol of our people's desire to prosper and become self sufficient. I love that!!! {Utah was requested to be named "Deseret" but obviously that didn't happen.}

2.) Every bee has a job and they spend their short little lives fulfilling that role with precision. They don't compare or compete with each other - they work together - and they work HARD. They are each different and unique, complete with their own individual scent and...get this... they dance to communicate! {gasp!}

3.) Bees make honey. We could spend all day talking about the amazing qualities of honey. Don't you just LOVE to look at a beautiful jar of liquid gold?! Honey is the only insect-produced food, and it is the only food that includes all life sustaining ingredients: water, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. Honey is the only food with the substance "pinocembrin" which is an enzyme to improve brain function. {interesting!} Looks like I need to eat a lot more honey...my brain needs improving.

Another interesting tidbit: The average worker bee {all are female, by the way} produces 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime -- AND it takes only an ounce of honey to fuel a bee's flight around the world. WOW! Does it surprise you that the hardest working creatures are female?! {girls rock.}

4.) ...you still with me? Another reason why I love bees...They pollinate! They help this whole earthly ecosystem function through the pollination process - as if honey production wasn't fascinating enough! Without bees, about 70% of the earth's crops would fail, eliminating many animal species, as well as humans. {eeek!} Live on, little bees---may you flourish and prosper.

5.) And, finally - every colony has a Queen Bee. Enough said. She stays home, has the babies, and gets lots of help. {interestingly enough, the male bee doesn't work--just mates---go figure.} A bee colony is a highly organized society with everybody cooperating and doing their part. They provide life-sustaining services by hard work - VERY inspiring!

Do you see why I'm so in love with and fascinated by Bees?! Now you're going to want to collect bee stuff with me - and look at what I found on Etsy! {squeal} I want all of these! I want to have little bee reminders around me to inspire me to work hard and be productive. Which is your fave?!

Bee Tags from Creative Visions

Bee Bracelet from Lili Swan - I REALLY think I need this one. It's perfect.

Beehive wreath from A Work of Heart
Oh MY - I want this so bad! It would be perfect for my house.

Honey Bee locket from Rose and Raven

SERIOUSLY - I love the little drop of honey on this necklace...

Also from Rose and Raven - another Honey Bee necklace - I LOVE the simplicity of this one.

Bee pendant from The Pendant Emporium

LOVE the golden yellow and the bee image.

How perfect is this for me?! Birds and Bees painting?! OH, how I love it!!!

from RozArt's shop

Credits: Here is where I found some interesting info: 10 Amazing Honey Bee Facts

Praying for Japan

2011-03-11T15:26:00.000-05:00

So, so very sad today - my heart is heavy. My prayers are with those who are suffering. I'm going to be looking into ways we can help these people. Small, simple things can make all the difference.