Humble Pie

take a stand

2011-06-01T11:03:00.000-07:00

Ephesians 6:13

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Yesterday was my parents 43rd wedding anniversary.

When I was growing up my mom always had this photo of her and my dad on the bulletin board in her sewing room. This was taken when they were dating. My mom was only about 17 or 18 years old. Let me tell you what. My parents have been through some stuff yet here they stand. They've seen times of plenty and times when my mom made top ramen or mac n cheese for every meal because we couldn't afford meat. We qualified for the free lunches at school. There were stressful days. There are always good years and hard years. I've watched my mom and dad STAND through the hard years. And in watching they've taught me to stand.

This is my grandpa and grandma. Recently I had a dream that my grandma passed away and I woke up crying. My husband did the sweetest thing and arranged for them to come to my birthday party so that I could spend some time with them. My grandma is starting to lose her memory a bit and really counts on grandpa to take care of her. She's always scanning the room looking for where grandpa is standing because as long as she knows where he is she feels safe. In my ignorance I thought that this might irritate my grandpa. I half expected him to meet her searching gaze with irritation but instead I saw more love in those eyes than I could ever find words for. This year they are married 68 years. He knows their time left together is short and he showers her with love. This is another couple that has faced great adversity in their lifetime and yet I have watched them STAND. When I was going through my own hard times 2 years ago I would think of my grandparents and all that they had been through and hold onto their example as I also was learning to stand.

One blessing that has come from attending the same church for 20+ years is watching people I love go through extreme adversity and handle it with grace and dignity. I've also watched people that have become bitter or rebellious. We are always quick to give them an excuse, "well, they've had a hard life... etc." But I find myself so impressed with the ones that handle adversity and come out on the other side stronger. People are always watching. My parents and grandparents are not perfect but what I've watched since I was a little girl was how they would pick up the pieces from their mistakes and continue forward.

This summer marks my FIFTEEN year anniversary!!! There was a time when I wasn't sure we'd make it past thirteen years. Those were some hard days for us! But God taught us to stand. We've never been happier! And I appreciate my husband and my marriage so much! Do you know that I live a life completely free of fear now??? It used to completely paralyze me. So now we stand and you'd better believe my girls are watching!

Oh my goodness. I just got all choked up! Do you see the generations here? My parents watched my grandparents stand. Then I watched my parents! And now the girls are watching us!!

Maybe you don't have the same heritage that I'm blessed with. But you can be the first! YOU can STAND! And in standing, teach your children to stand! I'm not just talking about marriage! I have friends that have lost their spouse at a young age, friends that have lost children, friends that have lost everything they own in a fire, an auntie that is battling her SEVENTH round of cancer, friends that have been through tremendous difficulties in their marriages. To be around these people is a JOY! What a testimony! What an incredible example. Do you know what this says to people in the midst of the storm? It says, "I've been that way before and I'm here to show you that you WILL make it through to the other side!"

So to my parents, my grandparents, my auntie Elaine, Melissa, Leah, Cindi, Wendy, Eli, Stefie, and many many more THANK YOU for standing!! I've been watching you! You've been an incredible example to me.

2011-05-03T17:32:00.000-07:00

visit my new blog to find a fun idea for cinco de mayo!

2011-04-29T17:05:00.000-07:00

for a wonderful mother's day idea please visit me here

learning to take better pictures

2011-04-21T17:42:00.000-07:00

I've been practicing!

I'm excited about what I came up with today!

come take a peek!

new wings are meant for flying

2011-04-20T15:49:00.000-07:00

My dear, wonderful, supportive, loyal readers!

Oh how I appreciate you! As each of you has visited my new blog by following or leaving a comment I felt your support. All day long I felt like I received little hugs from some of my faithful readers! You have had me smiling that's for sure! You never know when you begin a journey if anyone will walk alongside you or if you'll be heading out on your own with your long stick over your shoulder and your bandana of belongings tied at the end.

So Thank you! THANK YOU! from the bottom of my heart!!

Many of you have also said that this news saddens you. Take heart! While I do still plan to close this here humble pie I am most definitely still Lissa! Just a NEW healed version that's ready to jump head first into my dreams!

I've had so many inquiries as to whether or not I will continue to blog about cleaning and organization. I can't imagine that I wouldn't! That is DEEPLY imbedded into who I am (thanks to Martha Stewart!) A clean, organized house makes my heart sing! And now it just has LUSCIOUS smells coming from the kitchen to add to it's charm!

Humble pie has been through a long, deep, and personal journey. With that came a myriad of negative emails. I've never addressed that issue on my blog but they were slowly stripping me of my voice just the same. The last 6 months felt like trudging through quicksand off and on as I blogged along.

Finally I've found my true passion! And it's feeding my friends and family. It's time in the kitchen. And most definitely it's becoming a ROCKING cook! I did not grow up in a family of cooks. Fancy occasions called for that Lipton soup mix that you mixed with sour cream and Ruffles potato chips! However, I'm so THANKFUL for that upbringing!! I think it gives my new blog an organic approach to the photography and food. It's not fussy, fancy, or unattainable. Anyone can cook the food I will write about! And it will be something that you will be proud to serve to your family. I deeply hope that my photography continues to improve as well!

So don't worry! It's still me!! It won't just be recipes! It will be LOTS and LOTS of love poured out to my dear readers who I wish could sit around my kitchen table so that I can FEED you YUMMY food! And of course listen to you oooh and ahhh about what an amazing cook I've become. ha!

And one little order of business:

I've had several inquiries as to how to follow my new blog since I've chosen to keep the followers tab off of my blog. The only thing I know to do is this; when you're logged into blogger and you come to my new blog Keep it Simple Keep it fresh on the upper left corner of the screen will have a link that says follow. Just click it and voila you are following! :)

cheers!

my new passion!

2011-04-19T08:26:00.001-07:00

Good day my readers. The other day my husband and I found ourselves wandering into the bookstore on our date night. I've always been a huge lover of magazines which is probably why I've enjoyed browsing blogs so much. Lately I find myself drawn to cooking magazines or articles having anything to do with being in the kitchen. I find a passion being birthed inside of me regarding gluten free cooking and converting those beautiful recipes you see in the gorgeous magazines like Donna Hay, Jamie, etc. As I find success with these recipes I would LOVE to share them with you! Many people are finding themselves diagnosed with celiac disease or discovering that they just feel better if they eliminate gluten from their diets. I've been living with this disease for 22 years and have a lot to offer in regards to eating well while living a gluten free lifestyle.

So humble pie will be closing and I hope that you will join me on my new journey to a delicious gluten free life!

http://keepitsimplekeepitfresh.blogspot.com/

See you there!

2011-04-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

images from Martha Stewart

Hey my sweet readers!

How did you do on your bathrooms? Did you try any of those new products?

We really need to remodel our master bathroom. It has a pink tub with a pink sink and it's just icky. We're thinking we want a walk in shower! I am crushing on these photos right now.

I am going to be taking this week off to be with my sweet little girlies (don't tell them I called them little). I will return to blogging on April 11th. I have a new order of aprons coming in but I've already sold half. Make sure to leave me an email if you want one. There aren't many left.

Have a fabulous spring break! We'll chat next week!

bathroom cleaning 101

2011-03-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I told you that I would try some environmentally friendly bathroom products and then let you know what I thought of them. I ended up buying Mrs. Meyers toilet cleaner in basil and the Method Tub-n-tile in Eucalyptus mint simply because I liked the smell of these products a bit better than the seventh generation cleaners.

The other item I picked up was this spa smelling candle from Aveda in lavender. 100 percent of the profits for these candles goes to Aveda's clean water program. LOVE the scent for the bathroom and at 12 dollars I feel like it's a pretty good deal- especially since it's for a good cause!

The way I like to clean a bathroom is to start from the top and work my way down. So the first thing I do is wipe down the light fixture. Next I tackle the mirror. Here's my sure fire way to clean a mirror with no streaks.

1. make sure the mirror is cool (I clean it before I turn the light on.)
2. make a bucket of sudsy dish soap~ it doesn't leave a greasy streak. Then wipe down the mirror with a rag that's been in the sudsy water and wrung out.
3. then spray the mirror with glass cleaner (I used windex~ forgot to try one of those new products) then use a squeegee to clean off the cleaner and dry with a cloth in between each stroke.

~voila~ streak free mirrors!

Next I sprayed down the tub with the tub and tile cleaner by method. LOVE the scent. And it didn't leave an oily streak which some cleaners do and that drives me crazy. My mom taught me to always rinse the tub, sink, etc. after I've cleaned it with clear water and then dry. This keeps your bathroom from having that grimy, sticky feel after it's been cleaned.

After that I do the same thing to the sink. I polish the faucets up with my drying rag and make everything sparkle.

Last I tackle the toilet bowl and toilet. I spray the cleaner on the toilet and let it sit while I scrub the bowl. I was very happy with the Mrs. Meyers toilet bowl cleaner as well. Then I wipe down the toilet rinsing my rag in the soapy water in between wipes. (don't forget to do the back and bottom) Then I wipe the floors as I make my way out of the bathroom.

One last little tip. If you throw your bath rug into the dryer while you're cleaning it will fluff right up and look brand new to place on your freshly cleaned floors. This works well in between washings.

I'm really happy with these new products! My bathroom smells fresh and a bit spa like. LOVE it! And everything is nice and sparkly! I'm sure you'll be happy with these products.

And I don't want to tell you this cuz I want to win BUT my friend is having a wonderful giveaway of environmentally safe products on her blog and you should go enter! It's a good one!

Have a fabulous weekend!

2 of my favorite things from Toast

2011-03-30T07:48:00.000-07:00

I consider glass containers and breadboards to be kitchen essentials. They're practical for everyday uses like storage and chopping but also make beautiful servers and displays. I have quite a collection of each and find that I use them all.

Aren't these images yummy?

all images from Toast~

great cleaning tips from martha

2011-03-29T15:24:00.001-07:00

I will always love Martha! I mean isn't it amazing that if you throw a great party or have an impeccably clean kitchen someone will say, "that's so Martha." Will you do me a favor? If you make a yummy gluten free carrot cake or organize your pantry with your label maker will you say, "that's so Lissa?" That would make me feel SO cool! :)

JUST KIDDING.... sort of.... hee hee!

Anyway, back to the reason for this post. On page 163 of the April issue of Martha Stewart Living are some great cleaning tips for small appliances.

For the toaster:

"a. unplug the toaster, and use a thin, soft brush to remove crumbs stuck inside. b. take out the crumb tray, discard crumbs, and wipe it clean with a damp cloth. c. If there's no removable tray, turn the toaster upside down, and shake gently.

** cotton brush with braided wire handle $3, gracioushome.com"

I'm totally buying one!

And might I suggest that you spray a bit of glass cleaner on a rag and polish that baby up until it "shines like the top of the Chrysler building." (if you can tell me where that quote came from you get 10 points.)

"For the microwave. a. loosen caked-on residue by heating 1 cup of water in a bowl for three minutes on high. (to get rid of orders, add 1/2 cup lemon juice); let sit with the door closed for five minutes. b. Wipe the interior with a sponge dipped in warm water and dishwashing liquid. Rinse well. c. Clean the control panel with a barely damp cloth."

There are other great tips for cleaning your stove and oven as well. You may want to grab yourself the April issue before the May one arrives!

And is there anyone else out there that is begging their husband for an ipad for the soul reason of getting the Martha Stewart app? no? just me? hmm....

entertaining your gluten free guests at the BBQ

2011-03-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

I LOVE to eat with people. I almost think it's part of my love language. Sharing a meal with friends and family is one of my family's favorite ways to spend time. I wish we could do it more often. WE so enjoy being invited over to someone's house for dinner but there is always that awkward moment where I have to explain to them that we'd love to come but we have to eat gluten free.

We hear about more and more people having to remove gluten from their diets. But we still want to enjoy a meal with our friends! Have no fear! I'm here to help! Over the next few months I'd like to offer a variety of EASY options for entertaining those of us who can not have gluten. File these ideas somewhere and then when the time comes, let me promise you that there is nothing that will bless someone who can't eat gluten more than feeling like you took the time to prepare them a gluten free meal. Whenever someone does that for me it blesses my socks off.

My first idea is not fat free. ha! BUT sometimes you just have to eat a juicy burger! You could totally do these as turkey burgers but my goal here was fast, easy, and not intimidating.

Here we threw some pre-made sirloin burgers from Costco on the grill. Once the patties were just about done grilling we added some pepper jack cheese to melt over the top.

For ease you can buy gluten free hamburger buns by Kinnikinnick at your local grocery store in the health food freezer section. Right now they're on sale at Fred Meyer for $4.29 for a package of 4 buns. (you can totally use the english muffins if they're out of hamb. buns- I swear they're the same thing in a different package.) They taste great and can be kept in the freezer. When it's time to eat just toss them into the microwave to defrost. You can also toast them on the grill for added flavor.

Then just spread some chipotle mayo over your buns. I make this by taking 1/2 cup of best foods mayo and adding about 1 tsp of chipotle chili powder then stir together. Place the meat with the melted cheese on the bottom bun and layer lettuce, tomato, red onion- whatever you like over the meat. I can't even tell you how much you will bless a gluten free guest by serving them a delicious BURGER!

To continue with our easy theme let's just bake some sweet potato fries and maybe even some steak fries to dip into our chipotle mayo. Don't even think about the calories! This is for fun! You can eat clean tomorrow. ha! :)

If you really want to go all out you could make this very easy carrot cake recipe. You MUST try it! Let's just say it's not your grandma's carrot cake. I baked this one up today in about 20 minutes.

For the cream cheese frosting just take 1 cube of cream cheese (NOT nonfat!), 1 cube of unsalted butter, 1 box of powdered sugar and about 1 tsp of vanilla. Cream the butter and cream cheese together 1st and then add the sugar and vanilla. Blend until creamy. Spread on your cake.

Don't look to closely at my frosting. I'm still learning. But this is the best I've done yet! ;)

Happy entertaining!

recipe for a happy marriage

2011-03-27T12:51:00.000-07:00

I've learned what makes a happy man and in turn a happy marriage. The first and most important thing I've learned is to treat him with respect. I decided one day that no matter how my husband acted I could do my part by responding with respect~ whether I agreed with his actions or not! At first this was incredibly difficult for me. My philosophy was "fake it until you make it." So even though I didn't feel respectful on the inside I acted respectful on the outside towards him.

Something funny happens when you begin to treat your man with respect. All of the sudden he will want to rise to the occasion and be respectable. It doesn't happen over night and it certainly needs to come with a whole lotta prayer but it works! A man needs and desires to be respected just as much as a woman desires to be loved and cherished.

For 2 years now my husband and I have gotten up every weekday morning while the kids are sleeping and we read our Bibles together. It's become a favorite part of our day. We set the coffee on the automatic timer the night before. We get up, pour ourselves a cup of coffee, light a delicious smelling candle, Oscar crawls up onto our laps and we read. When we first started it felt like a chore. Now I will get a text message in the morning from Neal if he's out of town which will say, "I miss our mornings together." I believe that reading the Bible together is a safeguard for your marriage.

I also believe that about prayer. We've learned to start and end each day by praying for each other. I never EVER feel safer in my marriage then when Neal is praying for me.

Please don't feel discouraged if you're not at this point yet in your home. We were married for 13 years before this changed for us. I started by praying for about 2 years for our marriage before I saw the huge changes that I see now! But I believe that during those 2 years God was still protecting us through my prayers and changing our hearts for this day.

The final thing that I think will safeguard your marriage is regular church attendance. The reason I feel this way is because our church is our family. I've shared many times how they came along side of us when we were falling apart. We have amazing examples of godly marriages in our lives! People we've come to respect and love so deeply. Going to church has also reminded us often to get our eyes off of ourselves and onto God. EVERY time we quit looking at ourselves we see God do amazing things in our marriage.

The other day I was driving down the road and I said to God, "I'm tired of having the label of the girl that was in a broken marriage. I want to blog about cooking and cleaning and be just like everybody else" That's when God sweetly said to me, "That's not your label at all. Your label is REDEEMED."

Don't give up if you're in the thick of it in your marriage right now! I am so very, very happy! So deeply in love!!! Last evening we went out to a restaurant. Neal got up to go to the restroom and upon returning to the table, he sweetly played with my hair on his way by. And yesterday I was doing a silly dance to a reggae song in the living room and I said, "look neal. I look just like my mom!" We had a good laugh and then he said, "don't ever EVER do that again...." I mean who wants their wives to look like their mother in laws right?

If I had thrown in the towel I would've missed out on this! And THIS is what I dreamed of as a little girl.

it's time to think about spring cleaning!

2011-03-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

Happy weekend everyone! It's a bit grey and sprinkling around these parts. I'm starting to think about spring cleaning. A great place to start are your closets. Yesterday I took everything out of the coat closet. I made a pile of coats which we no longer wear or that kids have outgrown to either donate or add to my garage sale pile. I did the same thing with the shoes. I have to admit that when the closet was empty there was an embarrassing amount of dirt that had piled up in the corners. I vacuumed it out and then neatly arranged what was left inside.

I read an inspiring article about cleaning here. I have to admit that although I've switched to organic cleaners for the kitchen I have still been cleaning with scrubbing bubbles in the bathroom because they're just so darn good at removing soap scum. One thing I've never thought about though is that my kids and I will take baths in that tub after I've cleaned it. I'm sure there is chemical residue that seeps into our baths while we soak and I've decided to make a change even if it means I will have to use a little more elbow grease when I clean.

My family and I will be headed to Target soon where I will pick up a few seventh generation cleaners. I'll let you know what I think about performance, smell, etc. when I do the bathrooms early next week. I've been working hard to eliminate things from our lives that could make us sick. I'll be blogging more about this as I figure out new and healthy ways to clean and cook.

For now, grab a cute apron~ I may know a great place where you can order a really cute one- wink! You can begin with your closets! Then next week together we can tackle our bathrooms!

And don't you find that when you clean out a closet you find yourself looking at it several times during the day admiring your hard work? It will also feel so good to clean out those items you no longer need and either give them to someone who could use them or make a little extra money by having a big garage sale this spring!

Don't forget to email me if you want to be included in the next apron order! I think I will be doing it soon and I already have a list going of sweet ladies who are ordering one!

a glorious day

2011-03-23T07:25:00.000-07:00

It's a gloriously, beautiful day here in the PNW! The sky is bright blue, the sun in shining and I thought I'd take this opportunity to share with you a little bit about my garden. My garden is evolving. I've never taken a class, have no idea what I'm doing- really but I find gardening to be so calming, so relaxing, so therapeutic.

It might be fun to share my garden with you in stages as we go through the seasons. About this time of year I'm getting excited for my spring plants! My garden is prettiest in May and June. Now as I share with you my plants I only know the common names. I think that the korean spice plant is a viburnum. You are welcome to correct me if I'm mistaken. If you have a spot in your yard that needs some spring color May I recommend this plant to you. It's smell would be hard to rival! If possible you should plant this next to your deck or entry. I think my top two favorite garden plants for the PNW would be lilacs and peonies. Lilacs because they remind me of my grandpa. He had a long driveway lined with them and every spring would fill our home full of the amazing scent and sight of lilacs. My husband also loves them because they remind him of his childhood as well. Lilacs are slow growing so I would suggest buying the largest plant that you can afford. I bought a tiny 6 dollar plant which I planted 6 years ago and I am just now able to make several bouquets in the spring.

Another favorite of mine is sedum- autumn joy. It starts out in early spring almost looking like tiny little cabbages coming out of the ground and by the early fall is taller and turns a dark reddish/ pink color. I also love blue fescue grasses sprinkled through the beds for texture and color.

In the early spring before the peonies bloom my garden is blue and white. I love grape hyacinths because they signal to me that Easter is on the way! Last year I found these darling little blue primroses at the grocery and added them to the garden for early color. My favorite way to spend a sunny afternoon is outside with my hands in the dirt, Oscar by my side, and the sun tanning my arms. My boy was so happy to be frolicking about with me this afternoon!

My star magnolias are just about to burst into bloom and behind them you can see a rod iron trellis which is in place to hold my peonies as they grow.

We were finally able to afford a small hedge around the side of the playhouse. It was just planted last week! I love how it looks. Soon I will fill the window box with spring color. We will also finish the garden around the deck area to hide the rest of the gap. After a beautiful sunny day I love to bless my family with a light a fresh meal!

Might I suggest this Mexican Chop Salad with Chili Lime Vinaigrette from the Fried Chicken and Champagne cookbook?

For the dressing place 2 jalapeno peppers- roughly chopped with seeds, 1 T chopped ginger, 1 T chopped garlic, 2 T sugar, 4 T gluten free soy sauce (La choy), 4 T lime juice in a food processor and puree until smooth. Then slowly pour in 1 1/2c canola or vegatable oil in a slow, steady stream into the mixture while the processor is running. Fold in 1/4 chopped cilantro and add salt and pepper to taste.

for the salad:

chop up some jicama and gala apples into small chunks- about 2 c. Add about 2 c of corn (frozen is fine- thaw), 2 c of unpeeled english cucumber cut into chunks and pour the vinaigrette over the top. Garnish with cilantro! yum!

** I forgot that I added chicken to this salad. I just chopped up some chicken breast and cooked it on the stove in olive oil, onion, garlic and some mexican seasonings... red pepper flakes, chili powder, whatever you have on hand.

you could also serve chips and salsa on the side.

Happy weekend to you

2011-03-19T07:01:00.000-07:00

These 2 images are rocking my world right now. The one the left I found on the blog french by design and the one on the right is from What Katie Ate (a blog that kills me she's so talented).

Anyway, my husband will land in just a few short hours finally returning from Japan. I am just so glad that he will be home and safe with us. We will be getting our home prepared for disaster this week stocking up on bottled water and some non perishable foods. There are also a few things I need to know like where to turn of the gas line in case of an emergency, etc. I want to be more prepared as a family in case something were to happen than we are now. While I will always enjoy cute clothes and a cleverly decorated home I find myself thinking that "you can't take it with you" and it just encourages me in my pursuit of a simple life.

Psalm 91 The Message

God you're my refuge. I trust in you and I'm safe!" That's right- he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you- under them you are safe; his arms fend off all harm.

2011-03-15T21:37:00.000-07:00

Psalm 36:5-6 The Message

God's love is meteoric
his loyalty astronomic
His purpose titanic,
his verdicts oceanic.
Yet in his largeness
nothing gets lost;
Not a man, not a mouse,
slips through the cracks.

truth be told

2011-03-14T15:44:00.000-07:00

Something in my heart is changing. Maybe I'm growing. Maybe God is calling me to something more. Maybe both.

Here's the short version of the story.

I've been WAY too affected by the computer. In fact, I confessed to Neal that I have a great life yet something I read on the computer, either on facebook or through blogging, can get me down for an entire day. Something tells me I've been way too obsessed with instant gratification that the computer has brought me. I've been at home for 2 years now recovering and healing from all that I've been through in my marriage. I feel like it's time for me to step out.

I've received countless emails from wonderful women who are struggling in a hurting marriage and I've offered them my story and encouraged them to look to the Lord. But I feel that I've missed something critical and things are going to be changing around here. From now on, when I receive an email from a lovely lady in a hurting place I don't want to offer my story, INSTEAD, I want to stop what I'm doing and start to PRAY for this wonderful woman! The fact is, there is nothing I can do to save anyone's marriage or pull someone out of depression but I know someone who absolutely CAN! And I can PRAY! I feel that it's time for me to stop talking and start ACTING!

When my kids grow up I don't want them to remember their mom as a great blogger. I want to set an example of a godly woman. I've told the Lord that I want to be available to whatever he's called me to. This morning I prayed that God would show me where he needs me this week and how I can serve. I remembered my grandma who is moving and I called her and offered to help her pack in the afternoon. Then I made lunch for a sweet friend today who's going through a difficult time and tried to encourage her. Turns out, she needs some help feeding some high school kids who come from families that can't afford to put food on the table for every meal. So now God is using me to FEED people! How awesome is that! He gave me a heart's desire to feed people and now he's opened a door for me to go where I'm really needed.

I don't say any of this to impress you. In fact, quite the opposite. I'm ashamed about the amount of time I've wasted on the computer. I want to be used by God. I want to pray with you if you need prayer, I want to encourage you, and I want to feed you if you're hungry. I know that God will open doors.

I want to make a difference for the kingdom of God! And I say this so humbly because if you are watching my life to see a perfect christian I will fail you every time! My heart is that you will look to God! He is the only one who will NEVER fail you!

I would love to continue blogging my passion for the Lord, my family, home keeping, and cooking. I hope you will continue to visit me. Please don't feel bad if you don't see a comment from me on your blog. I appreciate you all so much but it's time for me to step out of my house with a servant's heart and I can't do that if my head is buried in my computer.

practical beauty and your gluten free pantry

2011-03-12T07:30:00.000-08:00

I am attracted to organization articles like a moth to a flame. Those men and women that can make the chaos of everyday life fall into beautiful, organized piles excite me. With my new found view of home- that while it indeed should be clean and organized, it should also reflect life and the people who live here- I find that instead of purchasing items that tell the story of "us" I can look around the house and find all sorts of things that say who we are.

I am a homemaker who loves to cook and bake. I live a neutral colored life where I throw in color by adding the classic green of an apple, the bright yellow of a ripe lemon, or the vibrant orange from a bouquet of tulips on the table.

I am a girl who fills her bucket with hot water and a dash of vinegar to scrub the kitchen floor on my hands and knees. Why do I choose to do it this way? Because while I'm down there I can wipe off splatters on the cabinets that I could've missed had I been standing with a mop and also give the moldings a quick wipe down.

My kitchen tells our family's story. We must eat gluten free and therefore you will not find products containing gluten in our home. We like things fresh which means you won't find any prepared meals in our freezer. I cook from scratch and LOVE the flavor of foods! Sometimes the simple act of squeezing lime juice on a bowl of nuts or a plate of phad thai can take your meal from mundane to extraordinary.

I decorate with what I use. Green apples fill a jar next to the sink. Red potatoes add color to the hutch... and now I've found beauty in the organization of gluten free baking staples. The grains have gorgeous colors while the labels look professional and organized. I also add the expiration dates right on the fronts of the jars so that I can watch what needs to be replaced.

In a gluten free kitchen it's nice to have brown rice and jasmine rice along with baskets of potatoes, onions, and lemons. These things make great staples to use in your meals. I can't live without chocolate chips as we make the BEST gluten free chocolate chip cookies in town and they're requested often. I tend to buy items that I go through quickly like this at Costco. I love to use the sealed glass jars ensuring that my staples remain fresh.

Keeping the basics on hand allows me to prepare a meal and even bake a batch of cookies for my family without having to run to the store.

Gluten Free Kitchen Basics:

Flying Horse Thai Rice Flour which I mention here.
Brown Rice flour
Tapioca flour
Potato starch
Baking Powder
unsweetened cocoa powder
xanthan gum
Evaporated cane juice (which is just a fancy phrase for organic sugar)
vanilla (the real stuff)
chocolate chips
Brown sugar
corn starch
eggs
unsalted butter
yeast if you plan on making bread
nonfat milk powder- also for bread
salt
creamy peanut butter
and an array of gluten free noodles. The best tasting are by Bio Nature.

I hope you find this helpful. As I grow I'm trying to incorporate a more organic approach to gluten free baking and eating. I'm learning as I go.

And for the record~ I am not one who believes that every grocery item that comes into my home needs to be placed in a proper glass container. While I think pouring your olive oil into a beautiful glass bottle is appealing for me it is not practical. We go through our groceries way to quickly to pour everything into matching containers. I do "contain" my baking supplies because I find that it keeps them fresher longer than just sealing the bag.

home is where the heart is

2011-03-11T20:55:00.000-08:00

I've found myself feeling a bit heavy with the worlds turn of events lately. Things are spinning out of control. The break-ins in my personal life left me feeling a bit exposed. Every year at this time I begin to complain about the rain longing for warm, sunny weather. All of these things in my life seem so small in comparison to today's events in Japan. It is such a reminder to me that in an instant your world can be turned upside down. Suddenly, I find myself thinking about home and the things that really matter.

Putting the first things first.

I've been doing some deep thinking lately about my life and my priorities. Things have gotten a bit out of whack. I find myself stressing about things that don't really even matter in the larger scheme of things. I've been feeling a bit stressed. A bit out of control. I've felt a loss of inspiration.

So today I decided to spend the afternoon at home. I put on worship music and got my eyes off of myself and onto my Heavenly Father. I had felt tense and suddenly I felt peace. I remembered that it's NOT about me but, in fact, it's all about HIM!

Putting my eyes back on the Father where they belong brought peace to my life. I found myself bustling around the kitchen and spontaneously decided that I was going to bless my family when they got home. I started baking gluten free peanut butter cookies. While they were baking I busied myself organizing my pantry staples and gluten free flours.

I got out the label maker...

I started thinking about home and about family. I am always attracted to photos that have a bit of "soul" in them if you will. I LOVE organization but there comes a point when simple becomes sterile. I want my home to reflect warmth and love. I've decided that it's okay if the bed didn't get made because I was busy making cookies for the family. And I find I quite like leaving a few more things around the house that make it look lived in. I even find myself adding a little color here and there (gasp). My home is for my family and I want it to be comfortable to all who enter. I want it to say a little bit about who we are. I want my family to come home from a hard day to delicious smells coming from the kitchen and the warmth of a smile and hug. If there are magazines left out on the coffee table next to an empty coffee mug it just says that we are comfortable here. Comfortable in our surroundings and hopefully comfortable in our skin.

I spent the day caring for my family. They were not home yet but I was thinking of them as I planned the menu. I knew that my girls would be thrilled to smell cookies when they walked in the door. I even sent a box to my brother because I know they're his favorite.

So today I return to my roots. I'm all about family. My parents always taught me Jesus first, next is your family, then your friends. I've got some hard parenting years coming up and I need to be diligent in my priorities. I need to keep the first things first.

chicken with peanut sauce and green beans:

Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce from Real Simple Magazine:

1/2 c creamy peanut butter
1 c unsweetened coconut milk
juice of 1 lime
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 T brown sugar
1 t salt

In a saucepan, over low heat, whisk together the peanut butter, coconut milk, lime juice, cayenne pepper, sugar, and salt. Cook, whisking frequently, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve warm.

For the chicken I just cut up 4 breasts into chunks and stir fry them in garlic, onion, and lemon pepper until cooked through.

You can find the green bean recipe here:

Rachel Ray's Coconut- jasmine rice

I always make a double batch.

In a stock pot combine 1 c chicken stock, 1/4 c coconut milk, and 1 c jasmine rice. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 15-18 minutes. Turn off heat and keep rice covered until ready to serve.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway at Mimi Charmante for one of my aprons and notepad. There isn't much time left!

Your weekend project~ bringing a bit of spring into your home

2011-03-09T14:53:00.000-08:00

I love to decorate with neutrals and my mom is always telling me that I need to add a little "green" to bring some life to my space. It's been raining... and raining... and raining here and I so badly need it to be spring! There is something in my mind that clicks over on March 1st to spring. Suddenly I am ready to paint my toenails, pull out the flip flops, and lose the coats! Well that ain't happenin' around here so I thought I'd try my mama's advice and bring a bit of spring into my home.

And one of my readers left me this lovely little tidbit about the color orange recently and I just love it since orange is my color! I thought I'd share it with you.

While we wait for spring to arrive let's enjoy a bit of "green" in our homes and hopefully it will take our minds off of the rain (or snow) until sunnier weather arrives. You Cali girls don't know how good you have it!

A giveaway at Mimi Charmante!

2011-03-08T09:02:00.000-08:00

My friend Kim has generously offered to host a giveaway of one of my aprons and notepads. Her blog is one of my favorite and frequent stops for inspiration on cooking, baking, shopping at local markets, and sustainable living. She is a fabulous photographer and I often leave her blog inspired to learn more and more.

Please stop by her blog to enter the giveaway! I'm sure you'll end up staying awhile and then marking her blog as a favorite!

Make sure to visit me this weekend!

2011-03-03T10:33:00.000-08:00

*** UPDATE *** The shipment that I was waiting for to do my big announcement was delayed and I'm very disappointed that it will be a couple more days before I can share my news with you. *** Thank you for being patient.

I have some something really exciting to share with you!

ps Thank you so much for your supportive comments yesterday and this morning. It's been a crazy week and so many of the words and verses you shared with me brought me peace.

mellow yellow

2011-03-02T12:22:00.000-08:00

images: Anthropologie, Donna Hay, Cooking Light.

I need the cheerfulness of yellow this afternoon!

We've been going through a rough patch. Maybe you read on Becky's blog that while she was here my car was broken into and we had a few things stolen. We just got the car fixed a few days ago and replaced the girl's DSs that were stolen. Then last night I get a call from my husband that his car was broken into! (in a completely different location.) I was okay with it and know that it's just stuff until we realized that the thief has taken papers out of my husband's car which had our home address on it along with our garage door opener. Talk about feeling unsettled. It's not the stuff I'm concerned about but our safety. We're in the process today of re-securing our home- replacing locks, having a security system installed, etc.

Last night I slept okay but I did seem to wake up all night long. The cool thing is that every single time I woke up the first thing to go through my mind was an old hymn. I could picture my grandparents standing in church singing out the powerful words of this song;

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

I am so grateful for those words of peace that were in my mind this morning and for the beautiful heritage that has been left to me by my grandparents. I may have been known to utter a complaint or two in the past calling the old hymns boring but after the peace that those words brought me last night you will not hear me uttering those negative words again.

good cookin

2011-02-28T18:30:00.000-08:00

I hope you had a GREAT weekend!

My husband just returned from overseas and I always like to great him with a warm, home cooked meal. This week I tried a new recipe from this month's issue of Sunset Magazine. I was just making it to bless him but when we took the first bite we knew we HAD to share it on my blog. This is truly one of the yummiest dishes I've ever made. I hope there are some of you out there that are trying the recipes I share with you. I never knew I could be a good cook. RIbs used to scare me! Every time I've ever tried to make them they've turned out tough. The more time I spend in the kitchen trying new ingredients and recipes the better my cooking is becoming. I believe that if you can follow a recipe that you can be a great cook! It just takes experimenting with ingredients that you've not cooked with in the past. This time for me it was Pork Ribs. I hope you will make this because if you do you'll want to kiss me for sharing it with you~ it's THAT good~ In fact, my husband DID kiss me... a few times... ahem....

just double click on the recipe to make it bigger.

Roasted Pork Spareribs with citrus-soy sauce

I served it with brown rice and a simple side salad.

This might be a recipe you want to try on a weekend because you need to be home while it's cooking to turn the ribs and add the sauce. It's really doable! And you can impress those you love with "better than restaurant" cooking. :)

fried chicken and champagne

2011-02-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

I have just purchased the most FABULOUS cookbook written by the talented Lisa Dupar who owns the lovely restaurant Pomegranate Bistro. Today she was having a cookbook signing at Mrs. Cooks at the University Village and I just had to meet the author behind one of the most beautiful cookbooks I've ever purchased. I was told about it from a friend who's taste I admire.

The layout of this cookbook is just lovely. It almost looks like your grandma's cookbook with handwritten tips on some of the pages. The photographs are beautiful and I can't even choose which recipe to start with. Lisa recommends the chili lime vinaigrette which is the dressing for her mexican chop salad that looks so delicious I will HAVE to make it right away!

Lisa was a delight to meet and offered us many tips on where to dine on an upcoming trip to Charleston. I highly suggest you purchase this cookbook. This is the kind of cookbook that stays out on the counter because you will be cooking from it so often.

the post that won't leave my mind

2011-02-26T07:22:00.001-08:00

Good Morning!

I have a busy day ahead and had no intention of blogging this weekend but this post keeps running through my mind for about 3 days now so I figure maybe I'm supposed to post it. I share this with full permission from my sister. I don't know if you ever pop over to her blog but for valentines day she shared how much she loves her man.

My brother in law has a big heart for helping young men. He used to be the area director of young life which is an organization dedicated to seeing high school boys and girls come to know Christ. Recently an old friend of his contacted him and confessed that his marriage was struggling and that he needed help and prayer. I don't know how it came about but this young man ended up reading my sister's blog post. He and his wife were chatting and she confided in him that she didn't even know how he wanted her to love him.

HE PULLED UP MY SISTER'S POST AND DECLARED TO HER

I WANT THIS

stefie's post...

"I'm sorry, but lookin' at the man in the above picture, I am like "hubba-hubba". WOW! I am one lucky girl! I am blessed to have the most unbelievable man as my husband. He's ridiculously amazing. See, I don't even sound educated when I talk about him because all that comes out are sound affects and cat calls like "Yowza", and some sort of growling prrrr.

Loving my husband has become such an enjoyment to me. I am his biggest cheerleader, his biggest fan. He's terribly handsome, getting hotter and hotter every year, the few gray hairs that he's starting to get drive me crazy (in a good way), I just can't stop looking at him. But the most amazing thing about MY husband, isn't his looks. He's actually even better looking on the inside.

I think my husband is hysterical. There's not a day that goes by that I am not hysterically laughing. He's got my sense of humor pinned. He's not afraid to play the fool, and let me tell ya, he looks good doing it to. (oh yah, I am talking about his insides now!)

His heart for the lost is H U G E. He's led more people to Christ than anyone I know. His relationships are intentional, his heart is sincere, and his greatest attribute is loyalty. He takes care of others before himself. He would give his very last dollar to you if you needed it. He loves Jesus. He pursues Him, He listens to Him, He finds Him.

Robert is wise in the Lord. Someone once said "It's hard to hear what Robert has to say...but he's always right". And it's true. Robert has such a solid foundation for what is biblical, what is sound, and what is just. It's like he has a grasp on the Lords heart, and wants to share it.

Robert has made me a better woman. I was lacking in so many ways without him. He's taught me to be bold, to go after my dreams, to pursue the Lord first, to love others more than myself, to be intentional and present.

I seriously love this man more today than yesterday. More today than the day we got married, and more today than the day we first fell in love. Our love for each other is sincere, passionate, giving, and faithful. We believe that our strong love for each other can with stand the fiercest of trials. We aren't stupid enough to believe we are out of the woods, but we believe that having a solid relationship with each other and the Lord are going to be the two things that with stand the storms.

I love you Boo, you make me laugh, you make me swoon, you cause my heart to flutter, and I can't wait for the rest of our forever. I have loved you with an everlasting love. (Jeremiah 31:3)

You complete me. You had me at hello. (ha ha ha ha...ok, I just killed it)"

If you are in a struggling marriage I want to share a book with you that really helped me when my marriage was a mess.

Since this post is long enough already I will just share with you that I was not loving my husband in the way my sister describes her love for her man in the beginning of my marriage and it cost me dearly. As I've learned to love my husband by respecting him our marriage has grown and changed and girls I've never felt more loved in my whole life!

This is what every man wants! My sister is full of respect for her man! My man has not been a perfect husband and neither has my sister's. But what we've learned is that when we treat them with the highest respect whether they deserve it or not there is something in a man that desires to rise up and be the man that you see him to be.

Are you up for the challenge?

sprucing up your home with citrus

2011-02-25T03:00:00.000-08:00

I found myself cuddled up this morning with a warm cup of coffee and candlelight. School was cancelled which left time for a leisurely morning filled with magazine articles and inspiration.

I came across this old book my mom made me years ago which she entitled "helpful tips." It's full of wonderful information from preparing for disaster to some great cleaning tips. She cut out magazine and newspaper articles and arranged them in a book as a reference guide.

Since I'm so passionate about citrus I was so excited when I stumbled across these tips this morning written by James and Morris Carey. I couldn't wait to share these tips with you! Citrus makes food taste better and your home smell fresher. Just yesterday my mom and I were discussing how unfortunate it is that we introduce so many chemicals into our lives- from the products we use on our hair and skin to the items we use to clean our homes. My mom and I are inspired to try and rule out as many chemicals as possible which includes trying to purchase more and more organically even though it costs a bit more.

I'm excited to share these organic cleaning tips with you.

For cleaning lime deposits on shower doors:

"Simply use a piece of extra-fine steel wool dipped in lemon oil to clean shower doors. Once the door is clean, wipe the surface down with a fresh coat of lemon oil and future lime deposits won't have a chance. Grab a lemon and rub the whole piece of fruit firmly between your hands. The warmth of your hands and the pressure you apply to the skin will extract lemon oil from it's skin and your hands will smell wonderful. That's why a lemon rind is so absolutely perfect as a deodorizer for your garbage disposal."

One more great tip from the article using grapefruit:

"Cut a grapefruit in half, dip the exposed fruit in a dish of salt and you have the best marble cleaner that money can buy. Caution: Don't leave the citric acid on the surface any longer than it takes to remove a stain. Flood with fresh water and towel dry immediately. And don't use citric acid to clean marble when it isn't stained."

Happy Cleaning!

thoughts of spring

2011-02-23T21:50:00.000-08:00

As I sit here tonight bundled inside as the snow falls outside I can't help but dream of spring. I want to shed my coat and feel the sun on my arms as I dig in the garden. I'm so anxious to tend to my herbs and add some new ones. The thought of a vegetable garden full of lettuce, tomatoes, and sugar peas where I can go out and grab what I need for a fresh salad excites me.

source

My big dream for this year is to purchase patio furniture. I want a long grey weathered table that seats at least six out on the deck where we can sit late into the evening and chat or enjoy a cup of coffee on a leisurely Saturday morning. We tend to grill every night during the warmer weather adding fresh fruit and salads. Hopefully life will allow time for family and friends to join us as we enjoy eating outdoors.

Our winter clean up is finished and our garden is ready for spring. There is nothing quite like watching as the peonies start to sprout through the ground. And very few flowers rival the fragrance of the lilac. Soon I will be making beautiful centerpieces from the garden. I must be patient. March 1 is only 5 days away! It's beginning to feel so close!

food for my soul

2011-02-20T13:19:00.000-08:00

I have several little snippets of life that I'd like to share with you all today. I feel like God just poured some sunshine into my soul this last week! SO MANY WONDERFUL BLESSINGS! My heart is so full.

Yesterday I was able to meet Sasha and Becky at Ruffles and Rust which is a local flea market type show similar to the Farm Chicks. We had a great time walking around together. I was such a good girl but in the end the girls talked me into bringing home this chicken feeder planted with hyacinths. It just brings the warmth of spring into my home. I read the most amazing article by Nate Burgess in O magazine this month that caused me to stop and think a little bit. He talked about being to much of a minimalist (me for certain) and that a home truly becomes a home when you allow a little stuff into it. That just rung true with me because while I think that purging is important there is wisdom to be found in allowing things that speak to you to find a home in your house. I really enjoy attending local flea markets because I find unique treasures- like this chicken feeder or some of the items on my hutch- they add character to a home and take away the Pottery Barn catalog look. I'm a big fan of mixing the old with the new.

I also love souvenirs. My favorite souvenirs are shells. I have a basket of them on the sofa table and there is a memory attached to each shell. One is a rare shell that I picked up in Hailewa on the north shore of Hawaii from a diver who just set up a folding table outside his truck and was selling his finds to those passing by. When people ask me about each shell I am happy to tell them the story that is attached to each one.

And the final thing I'm bursting to share was another incredible gift from the Lord this morning. Late last night Becky received a call that her flight had been cancelled and that she had to wait another 24 hours before she could get another flight. While she was so disappointed because she misses her family terribly it gave us the most amazing and unexpected opportunity. I had to sing at church this morning so there was no option of skipping. (not that I'm in the habit of doing so.) Becky had to come with me. As we stood side by side next to each other singing and worshipping God I realized what a wonderful moment God had blessed us with. We are 2 girls that would not know each other if it had not been for blogging. Two girls who live in different states that have become close friends. Today we were 2 girls who love God with all of our hearts and we got to stand side by side worshipping Him together in unison. For me it is the most special memory of our friendship and one I will cherish always.

My heart is full. Just when I think that life cannot get any richer God blesses me with moments like this.

having a great time!

2011-02-18T11:36:00.000-08:00

We've made it to the weekend! And what a week it's been! I have SO enjoyed having my friend Becky here visiting me. I took a little break from my blog and was able to focus on the things in life that are truly important and inspire me. Having Becky here has been a JOY and a BLESSING! It's so easy having her in my home. I told her that she's just about as easy as my sister!

We've been busy little bees! Thankfully Becky enjoys many of the same things that I do! I feel like spring is in the air! We visited a farmer's market and a nursery! I feel SO excited about cooking with fresh vegetables from our local market and beginning to be out in my garden!

I have spring fever! I'm thinking about the kinds of herbs and vegetables that I want to plant this spring!

My very favorite thing that Becky and I did together was to spend quite a bit of time in a greenhouse full of orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, and meyer lemon trees! The smell in the place was EXTRAORDINARY! We went around smelling the blooms and taking tons and tons of photos! I've made a decision that this spring I'm going to plant an orange or lemon tree on my back deck to enjoy along with my herb garden. I can't wait to smell the breeze wafting through the blooms while we sit on our deck! It's really not warm enough here to keep an orange or lemon tree but even if I only get to enjoy it for the summer I've decided that I'm going to do it because it will bring me such joy!

It's almost time to start our gardens! I can't wait! I plan on blogging about what herbs and vegetables I plant and then later in the summer I want to add recipes that I cook with them. I hope you join me on this journey!

And here are the promised recipes!

To quote Becky "these steaks are better than restaurant food!"

double click to enlarge

She also insisted that I posted this side dish recipe as well. Serve both with brown rice.

enjoy!

ps I still have some exciting news on the way!

stay tuned...

visit me here today!

2011-02-15T06:00:00.001-08:00

Good Morning Friends~

I am guest posting this morning at between you and me. Tara is one of the sweetest girls I've met through this blog land and if you have not met her before you are in for a treat! Her blog is bright and beautiful and full of fabulous ideas.

Today sweet Becky arrives and I'm cooking for her tonight. I have not been myself since getting so sick last week and have been living a bit uninspired. Today I'm making one of my favorite meals! It's in my top 5 and I will be sharing it will you later this week! If you love steak on the grill then you better come back and visit me for this recipe!~ In just a few hours I will have a dear friend in my kitchen and I'm sure the inspiration will begin flowing again.

We shall chat soon!

Don't miss this post I wrote on Tara's blog. It's a personal story of my love life. :)

let's talk about fashion!

2011-02-11T18:11:00.000-08:00

** all images from free people **

I am so excited about the styles that are coming out for spring and summer! It's been a long time since I've been thrilled to death about clothes but this season's style is calling my number!

LOVE the layered look! Just piles and plies of bohemian goodness layered up on top of each other! Plus it will keep me warm until sunnier/ warmer days come to my area.

Totally digging the little bit messy hairdos that they're showing- like you've just gotten out of a convertible or you're back from a stroll on the beach.

** skirt- free people, shoes- nordstrom, sunglasses-juicy **

And wedge sandals are back!! Yes! They've always been my favorite! I like em stacked high with lots of strappy, sexy goodness!

The maxi skirt is the greatest invention of all time! It's like dressed up sweatpants and everyone looks thin wearing them! Talk about comfort! Throw on some killer bangles and you're good to go!

** images from nordstrom **

As much as I love the fashion that is out right now the biggest lesson I've learned about beauty is this:

We've all hear the quote by Audrey Hepburn that happy girls are the prettiest girls and I do think there is something to that. When I was younger and deeply insecure I remember saying to my husband one night, "I don't feel pretty." (I used to say it all the time and he got so sick of hearing it) and do you know what his reply was?

"do you know what's pretty? A girl with some self esteem." It may sound harsh but there is definite truth to those words!

GOODBYE comparing ourselves to others.
GOODBYE to believing that beauty is determined by the number on the scale
GOODBYE to Victoria Secret commercials!! ha! :)
GOODBYE low self esteem!!

Do you know what we're gonna be???

COMFORTABLE IN OUR OWN SKIN!!!

(or was it comfortable in our maxi skirt?? oh boy, now I can't remember...)

haha!

happy weekend to you PRETTY GIRL!

decorating on a dime!

2011-02-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

Awhile back I received an email from a special reader who asked me for my help. Here is a snippet of the email:

****

Our home is cute, but "so eight years ago" :) We are on a budget, a rather tight one, but eager to update and freshen up our home.

I love love love your style. And would be SO HONORED if you could give us a little help.

Here's the idea that I have....would you be interested in taking a look at picture's of my living room, dining room and kitchen (all attached to this email) and giving me some humble pie ideas? :) I would do practically anything you suggested (given it is within my budget) We work with three hundred college students a week...a few of which would be willing to help paint if need be.

****

When I opened this email I was completely flattered to say the least. But also a bit nervous as I've never done anything like this before and I would just hate to hurt someone's feelings if I pointed out something that I didn't like but they loved.

So this is what I decided to do. I tried to look at her house as if I were a potential buyer and was going to do some updating for it myself like it was my own home- keeping in mind her request to keep it on a budget.

I sent her these 3 photos for inspiration. I thought that the pendant lamp would look fantastic over the kitchen sink after she removed the valance. She's still saving for and awaiting approval (husband) of this idea.

Then I suggested that her curtains could be updated to something simple like linen or burlap panels.

I also thought it would be a great idea to paint the adjoining rooms in a matching color to simplify the flow in between rooms.

I think the kitchen looks so much brighter!

But my favorite change so far HAS to be the dining room! What a transformation!

Isn't it amazing what a little elbow grease and a lot of paint can do!

Thank you Becky for this opportunity. Your home just looks so fantastic! Thank you for believing in me and my taste so completely!

Enjoy your beautifully updated home!

you can find me over here today

2011-02-09T09:44:00.000-08:00

Today I am guest posting for my new friend Tracey at 7294 Cottage Way. This was the first post I ever read on her blog. She MADE/ PAINTED that giant blue crab painting over her couch!! Isn't it to die for! Well I just liked her and her blog right away and she honored me by asking me to do a guest post! I would love it if you would go over and say hi!

I'm stuck at home with the flu today and it's beautiful and sunny out with blue skies! Bed is the LAST place I want to be! Thankfully my husband did a remarkable job getting the girls off to school. I'm so thankful for that man!

Hope you're feeling better than me!

Have a happy day!

make your path

2011-02-08T14:56:00.000-08:00

I just LOVE that quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson. I want to live by that quote don't you? Doesn't that just sound like LIVING?? Getting out there and leaving a trail behind you? I'm ready for that! It's just one foot in front of the other, one step at a time! It might even involve taking a risk or two. But those risks could lead to a life of adventure!

I don't want to be a wall flower! How about you?

What are your dreams? What lights a fire inside of you?

I say go for it! Don't let anything hold you back.

No more sitting back and watching other people live! Ladies (and Jim) we're taking our lives back and it's going to be AWESOME!

Don't go anywhere because I will have some fun things to share with you soon and I'm really excited (and nervous) about it! But I'm going for it!

for your valentine

2011-02-04T16:15:00.000-08:00

I'm such a romantic! And I'm such a girl! The minute I saw these adorable pink marshmallows by Kraft at Target I had to buy them! I wasn't sure how I was going to use them until today. I realized how cute they would be casually strewn about the table as a decoration for our Valentine's meal.

I keep lots of basics on hand. So it only takes minutes for me to add a few touches to turn this:

into this:

I keep several clear votives from the dollar store and a giant bag of tea lights from Ikea. It's a cheap way to add a lot of candlelight to your table which is so romantic. The wine glasses are from Ikea which cost about 6 dollars for 6 of them. I have a few different sets of dessert/ salad plates which I mix and match with. I also keep a basket of cloth napkins when I want to take it up a notch. I think cute paper napkins work just as well if it's not in the budget to pick up cloth napkins yet. The base is just a cut piece of the wrapping paper I used at Christmas.

I always love to have fresh flowers on the table. In the winter I buy tulips on a weekly basis. In the spring and summer I'm able to use flowers from my garden.

We are big fans of Brie and cheese platters complete with yummy olives. I just put out several types of cheeses on a wooden serving board with lots of crackers and we just pick away. I love to serve the brie all warm and bubbly and then top it with apricot preserves. Our girls enjoy this too and they will be with us for our Valentine meal. I am going to surprise them each with a little treat! Can't wait.

Wouldn't it be special to bless your family with a few extra touches this Valentines?

your weekend project and a happy story

2011-02-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

Today was a gloriously sunny day! There is something about a bright blue sky and sun streaming through my windows that fills me with energy. I was completely inspired to clean my windows and wipe down my blinds. After I was finished I opened up the windows for a bit to let in the fresh air. You can light a wonderfully scented candle in your home and it will never smell as fresh as clean air! Maybe these pictures of my clean and shiny windows will inspire you to do your own! Do you know what works the best? A bucket of dish soap and warm water!

First: wipe down the blinds with the soapy water on a damp towel and then dry. Then wipe down the windows with your soapy water. Now you're ready to spray your glass cleaner. Then use a squeegee to clean off the glass cleaner. Dry the squeegee with a towel in between swipes!

And HOORAY you have beautiful shiny windows to let the sun stream in!

and can I share one more personal story with you? Are you sick of reading them? :)

I had such a HAPPY THOUGHT today!

Neal used to try and encourage me to go out and DO SOMETHING. I was an insecure mess at the time and didn't even know what I wanted to do. So sadly I did nothing. I kept the house clean and took care of the kids but I was living without inspiration or passion.

Last year my goal was to try anything and everything and just see what I liked. It kind of reminds me of the movie Julie and Julia where Julia Child doesn't know what she wants to do with her life so she experiments with hat making and bridge until she stumbled into her passion which of course became food.

Just this month alone I've signed up to run the Rock n Roll half marathon, registered for an art retreat, and today I just signed up for a photography workshop, not to mention learning to snowboard on weekends. I LOVE living with passion! It makes life so exciting and FUN!! Remember my new years slogan? Do one thing a day that scares you? Well, WHY NOT! You will probably find something that excites you and motivates you! I've found so many things I love and have even made some new wonderful friends in the process!!

I sent Neal an email today that basically said, "remember when you used try and get me to try new things? well look at me now!" And he replied

"fly baby"

And that has me smiling SO BIG!

finding beauty in the every day

2011-02-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

There is beauty in every day. Sometimes it's in a beautiful painting that someone has created, once for me it was sitting on the shore of Waikiki with my husband and girls watching the fireworks above us just after a gorgeous orange and brown sunset. Lately I see beauty all around me. I will look across the room and see my hunter boots sitting against a wall opposite a beautiful bowl of tulips and feel like the scene in front of me has captured the essence of spring. This morning it was a half eaten birthday cake sitting on a pedestal reminding me of the celebration the night before.

I see beauty in food. The bright reds of tomatoes and peppers. The vibrant greens of fresh herbs.

A special friend shared some excellent recipes recently with me that use fresh ingredients like lemon zest, cilantro, basil, tomatoes... and I would like to share them with you.

When I take a quick photograph of the food I've prepared for my family there are always 3 hungry people watching me with anticipation as I try to hurry and snap a few photos. These are the dishes we eat on. I am not staging the food we eat. I'm not remaking it if it's not as pretty as I would like. This is exactly as it goes on our family table.

Beauty in the every day.

This first recipe is so good that I could hear myself saying "oh man! this is SO good" as I'm eating. My kids have later informed me that it was embarrassing. Seriously good! When my husband and I really like a meal we say, "this is restaurant good." I don't know why. Many times what I've prepeare at home is much better than what we would order at a restaurant but still we refer to really great meals as "restaurant food." This Chimichurri recipe is restaurant food for sure! :)

Put a handful of cilantro in the cuisenart and add olive oil, lemon juice, salt, garlic, a splash of white wine vinegar, and spices. My friend uses the menudo mix from the latin isle but I couldn't find it so I used red chili flakes, garlic powder, and chili powder. Then just blend it up in the food processor.

We put it on grilled chicken with sliced grape tomatoes you can also add sliced avocado.

This one has a really fresh taste to it. The jalepeno gives it a little kick. Even my 7 yr. old ate it though.

Thai coconut chicken soup-

6 cups chicken broth
1finely chopped jalepeno or red chili
3 cloves chopped garlic
1T grated Ginger (I buy the one in a little jar to keep on hand)
2 tsp lemon zest
1tsp lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon(or lime) juice
4 T fish sauce
2 cups mushrooms optional (I sauté them first)
1 can light coconut milk
2 cups baby spinach
I small bunch cilantro chopped (I usually mix basil with the cilantro)
I rotisserie chicken sliced ( to save time, but you can add sliced raw chicken if you have it)
Rice noodles or udon noodles (soak rice noodles first in warm water, or buy prepared udon)

Combine broth, chili pepper, garlic Ginger, lemon and lime zest, lemon juice, and fish sauce, in your le crueset :),season with salt and bring to a simmer. Add sautéd mushrooms, chicken and coconut milk, stir and simmer on low. A few min before you are ready to serve put in noodles and top with the spinach, then cover with lid so spinach wilts. Garnish with the chopped cilantro/basil mixture, and serve with lime wedges on the side to squeeze at the table.

I love this recipe, I like to add soy sauce and mirin (sweet rice wine) for added flavor. Sometimes I use baby bok choy and omit the spinach. It's a great recipe to play around with and just use what you have on hand.

**make sure to soak the rice noodles in warm water to soften before placing in the soup**

(I totally just copied and pasted this recipe right off the email! Thank you sweet Shannon!)

these are my time saving tips for the day. If you do not have a garlic press you NEED one! It really saves time when making soups, etc.

When squeezing fresh lemon or lime juice I always place this sifter over my dish and squeeze the juice through it so that it catches any seeds that fall out and I don't have to go in after them. :)

And while we're on the subject of finding beauty in every day I looked up from my cereal this morning to this beautiful display of the remainder of Neal's birthday cake from last night.

beauty in every day!

I love it!

views from our weekend and a winner!

2011-01-31T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hi there! How was your weekend? Ours felt really busy. The girls have been off of school since Thursday so I didn't have time to do a weekend project this week. The weekend just flew by! My husband is downstairs building a new mantle on our fireplace and I've been busy doing homework with my daughter.

Did you know that the Pottery Barn website offers video tutorials? They are extremely helpful. They have tips on throwing parties, making centerpieces, decorating, etc. I found myself watching some of the tutorials on Saturday morning and I learned something new that I'm excited about.

I have always loved big bowls of fresh fruit with the leaves still attached~ like they've just been picked off of the tree. I am not able to buy them like that here. Pottery Barn offeres a little tip on one of their tutorials. They said that you can go to your local florist and buy lime or lemon leaves. Then he shows how he makes an arrangement by layering the base of the bowl with lime leaves.

I ran to my local grocery store to buy some leaves. They didn't have lime or lemon leaves but they did have something similar. Then I stuffed my jar full of satumas and cut pieces of the branches. I think the final outcome is so beautiful.

it's very fresh and very simple!

I liked the way that turned out so much that I ended up going back to the grocery store and picking up a bag of cumquats. Then I just poured them into the base of these candle holders which used to be on my mantle in the living room.

One of my readers recently suggested in a comment that I might like Bill Granger's cookbook. I looked him up and read great reviews about his book. I ordered it on Amazon and it arrived this weekend. I think he is my male counterpart. Somehow he writes what's in my head. I am excited to explore this cookbook further. I am pretty excited about this one! The recipes look wonderful!

And here is a quick tip if you have a stovetop like mine. If you use a light dusting of baking soda and water on a sponge to clean your stovetop it will remove all of the cooking residue. Then I just use a little glass cleaner on a rag to shine it up when I am finished washing.

and last but not least I read this tip on Dreamy Whites over the weekend. I've always had lavender sachets and never known what they were for. Maria shares that you can launder your sheets with the lavender Meyers detergent and then you throw them in the dryer with a lavender sachet as your dryer sheet. I actually can't wait to wash my sheets this week! They're going to smell like heaven!!

and the lucky, lucky winner of Kerrie's Shabby Chic Vintage Boutique giveaway is....

Lucky number 78!!

Suzanne from Privet and Holly!!!

congratulations!

kids in the kitchen

2011-01-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

I don't know what has gotten into me lately but I've become so passionate about being in the kitchen, cooking, providing healthy meals, reading cookbooks, spending time at the table as a family, reading Paula Deen's book... I guess I've been talking about it a lot and the girls have taken notice. Emma's begun to ask me to help in the kitchen. At first I was hesitant because of the extra effort and mess but I realized that this could be a fabulous thing to start teaching my daughters! Since today was a half day and we are on duty for snack at church tonight I decided to have Emma help me make some gluten free chocolate chip cookies. She was ecstatic! She insisted on doing everything herself.

So I taught her how to crack an egg, how to measure dry ingredients, firmly pack the brown sugar, etc. and she had a great time! It's funny because at first my oldest didn't want to bake with us at all but as she heard our chatting and laughter coming from the kitchen she soon came wandering down the hall asking to help.

What I absolutely love about times like this is the special time I get to spend with my girls. I feel like so much of our conversations involve questions like, "have you finished your homework? did you finish your piano? is your room clean?, etc." When we sneak some time in together in the kitchen we are not discussing all of the "have to do items" instead we are spending quality time together enjoying something fun. Plus, these are lessons that they will be using in their kitchens for the rest of their lives. I think it will make for great memories one day when my girls move out and remember the time we spent together baking or cooking in the kitchen.

It's surprising we were able to have any cookies at all considering the amount of cookie dough that was consumed!

And if you haven't yet don't forget to enter the giveaway on the previous post!

let's celebrate with a giveaway!

2011-01-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

To help me celebrate my 2 year blog anniversary my sweet friend Kerrie has generously offered 25.00 to one of my lucky readers to spend in her etsy store!! She has lots of beautiful items for you to choose from. If it were up to me I would definitely choose this!

She also has a lovely blog frugal and vintage and it would be wonderful if you would stop by and say hi!

To enter please visit her shop and tell me which item you would choose if you won in your comment. This giveaway will close at midnight on Sunday January 30th. The lucky winner will be announced on Monday Jan 31st.

Good luck!!

And thank you always for reading!

cooking with fresh ingredients

2011-01-25T14:54:00.000-08:00

Because of being diagnosed with celiac disease years ago I had to learn to cook from scratch. Back then there were not as many choices when it came to gluten free prepared foods. So I learned to cook with fresh ingredients. I got so excited when Costco started offering some gluten free prepared meals. I thought they would make my life easier but when you've been cooking from scratch for 20 years prepared food does not taste good. Fresh ingredients make all the difference in your cooking. This week I was craving mexican food so I picked up some fresh cilantro, limes, garlic, etc. and whipped up a batch of black beans and rice. I promise you it's quite easy! You can whip it up lickity split! And you will even have leftovers! I served it last night with fajitas and tonight it will be a side dish to steaks on the grill.

When I serve it I add a bunch of cilantro to it~ you either LOVE it or you hate it! I happen to LOVE cilantro. I think it makes food taste so fresh! Then I take a wedge of the lime and squeeze a bit of lime juice over the top of the rice. It brings out the flavor. And won't your guests be impressed when you have them squeezing fresh lime juice over their meals?

and this is the napkin I tucked into Natalie's lunch box today but I thought I'd share it with you because you make me smile every day too! :)

"thriving in your calling"

2011-01-23T11:00:00.000-08:00

This week will mark my 2 year anniversary of blogging! And if there is one thing that I've learned on this journey is to never, ever, EVER give up! Girl~ I don't know what life has brought you but I can tell you this with certainty "I've been there! I promise you I have!" But one day almost 2 years ago now I decided "enough is enough!" and I began to fight. I was determined to get my life back! I poured my heart out to God every day and walked every painful step with Him while He healed all the brokenness that was inside of me.

I can't even begin to tell you how much I'm enjoying life! It's like something has exploded inside of me and every day is a new adventure! My whole life I've been passionate about home keeping. Even in high school my mom would come home to find me stenciling my walls. (remember when that was the big thing?) I was always rearranging everything. I even started a hope chest in high school and I would go shopping for dishes, towels, glasses... When Neal and I were first married he would joke that he was concerned we were losing square footage I would repaint our walls so often.

I LOVE to bless my family! I love to linger over dinner listening to my husband tell me about his day. I LOVE to hear him and the kids tell me how good the food I've prepared is. I enjoy hearing my youngest jump in the car after school and the first thing that comes out of her mouth is "mama! that was the best lunch ever today!" I've been writing love notes to the girls and Neal on their napkins in their lunch boxes everyday. Come to find out my girls have saved all of those napkins in a pocket in their backpacks. I guess those little notes mean a lot to them. I think I might tuck a little Valentine's surprise in their lunch box on Valentine's Day! Neal's too! I love to know that when they open their lunches in the middle of the day that they know that I'm thinking about them and that I love them very much!

This is my calling! Being a wife, mom, keeper of the home ROCKS MY WORLD!! It's a blessing! And now I am truly blessed that God is using what I love to inspire others in their own homes! What is that passion that God has placed deep inside of you? It's there for a reason and I'm here to tell you that you can THRIVE in your calling! Just be patient. I've been walking down this road for two years now and I truly feel like I'm thriving!

Last night Neal returned home from a business trip and I put this simple meal together and we were able to sit around the table again as a family. He told me how enjoyable it was to come home and relax at the table. I've shared this recipe before but I've decided to share it again since it's one of my favorites. The amazing yellow bowl was given to me yesterday by a dear blog reader who I got to meet and sit for a bit with at my table in my home! What a treat that was!!!

If you find yourself at the beginning of your journey let me encourage you to keep going! Every day is a new day and you get a fresh start and a clean slate! Cause I will tell you what! I will never take happiness for granted again!

Thank you SO MUCH for reading and for blessing me with every comment, email, and kind word on your blogs! You have me smiling from ear to ear!!!!

HAVE THE MOST FABULOUS WEEK EVAH!

Here's a few quick answers to some questions I've been asked lately.

1. The countertop in my kitchen is called simplicity from Home depot. It's like a generic corian and it's been fabulous and easy to keep clean. I just clean it with soapy water from my dish soap because the countertop spray leaves to many streaks for my liking.

2. My table and chairs are from Pottery Barn but I've had it for years. It's been painted cream.

3. The locker baskets are from restoration hardware which i buy when they're 20 percent off.

4. I clean my wood floors with plain ol' vinegar and water.

5. My canisters are from Target.

setting up shop * your weekend project

2011-01-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

This weekend's project is a FUN one! Many of you have shared that you like the idea of feeding your family but you lack inspiration in the cooking department. I'm hoping to help in that area by posting recipes regularly but FIRST let's set up shop! Let's set up our kitchens in a way that they beg to be cooked in! First we will look at the kitchens of some successful cooks. The one of the left belongs to Ina Garten. The one on the far right is Martha's. The middle one I just found on Martha's website and it was a perfect example of what I want to do.

What do you notice about these kitchens?

I see lots of fresh ingredients, stacks of cookbooks, pots that tempt you to make some soup, or place a roast in the oven. I see fresh flowers, beautiful glass bins full of flour and sugar. I see COLOR- and why not? Food is FULL of wonderful color!

Now all of those fresh ingredients will not be nearly as tempting if your counters are full of clutter and your sink full of dirty dishes. Fill a bucket with soapy water (just use your yummy smelling meyer's dish soap), remove EVERYTHING from the counters and wipe down all surfaces including the backsplash. Then I would like you to scale down what you've allowed to rest on the countertop placing only what is functional. If you use it every day go ahead and find it a home on your counter but clean everything before placing it there. There shouldn't be any breadcrumbs in the bottom of your toaster or dust behind your canisters. Pretend like your staging your kitchen for an open house. Think about the kitchens in the photos above. What about them appeals to you?

I bake often so I leave my flour out on the countertop with large scoops in each canister for easy filling. I love the simplicity of these glass canisters. I keep one extra large one out for my rice flour since it requires an additional errand to the asian grocery store- that way I can buy 12 bags at a time.

I bought some lemons and limes to use in my cooking. They're right on the counter where I can see them so that I remember to plan meals that require lemon zest or a bit of lime juice.

I saved all of my Christmas money and decided to purchase a Le Creuset in "ocean" because I love to spend time in the kitchen cooking healthy meals. This is a good investment for me because I will use it at least twice a week. These french ovens really hold their heat which is great if anyone wants seconds. I love that I've added a bit of blue to my kitchen. I love that the pot is called ocean and the candle is called fleur de sel (salt of the sea) it makes me think of a sunny vacation.

I added the whimsey of the owl towel just to bring a bit of playfulness to the room (and even a bit more color.)

You might be surprised how fast I go through these onions. I'm having to refill all the time. When you buy in bulk it makes menu planning easier because you have so many ingredients on hand. This also helps with cooking because every meal doesn't require a trip to the grocery store. The apples are for the kids and for healthy snacks.

This week I went through all of my cookbooks. I had quite a few that I never cook from so I took them to the 2nd hand bookstore and got a little bit of money for them which I am using towards a cookbook that will inspire me in the kitchen. I also think it's a smart idea to keep your cookbooks where you can see them. Maybe you'll be inspired to flip through one while you drink your morning coffee and find a new recipe to try. I did not grow up cooking with my mom- at least not with what I call fancy ingredients. In the last two years I've made an effort to try new things like leeks, fresh artichokes, a whole chicken and I've improved my cooking skills. Once you get cooking you realize that it's not really that hard.

So first things first. Let's get that kitchen in tip-top shape! Find some attractive baskets or bowls around your house and fill them with fresh ingredients. Then purge the cookbooks you're no longer using and buy one that tempts you to cook! Get inspired! Get cooking!

come in and chat for a bit

2011-01-18T15:26:00.000-08:00

Let me pour you a cup of coffee. I want to tell you about something that has me so inspired my wheels have been turning 100 miles an hour.

It all started on Sunday evening. We have this tradition. Once a month the girls and I head over to my mom and dad's house on a Sunday evening for grilled cheese sandwiches. Then we sit and watch a show together before I take the girls home for bed. There is nothing fancy about this evening. My dad is in charge of the sandwiches which we eat on paper plates. But it's a special time because I get to chat with my parents, Emma knits with grandma, and we laugh together watching America's funniest Videos.

Well since Sunday wasn't a school night I decided to allow the girls to stay and watch Extreme Home Makeover. Did you see it? I can't stop thinking about it. Paula Deen was a guest on the show. I've never given her any thought before because I know she cooks with a lot of butter and cream and I'm more of an olive oil kind of girl. I'm so happy I got to see this show and get a peek into the personality of this wonderful woman! She was using power tools, cooking, and acting just plain adorable! She helped plan their kitchen which I have to say I LOVE!!! It's not my usual simple style but I could live in this kitchen and not change a thing. It's just SO INVITING! and I'm so drawn to the yellow and white damask paper next to the bricks!! Love Love Love!

But this is the main thing that I can't stop thinking about. In the show she makes a statement, "I just love to feed people" and it was an "ah-ha" moment for me. I've always been a big Martha Stewart fan. She tends to use the word "entertain" which to me sounds formal and maybe even a bit intimidating- like you have to set out the fancy dishes with cloth napkins, etc. When I'm headed over to my mom's on a Sunday night I am not looking to be entertained- I just want to spend time with my parents. Wouldn't you agree that you don't need a fancy quinoa salad or coq au vin when you go to your friends' homes? Aren't you perfectly happy with a grilled cheese, a cup of coffee, or a burger from the grill served on a paper plate?

I am passionate about family dinners. I think it's incredibly important to sit together as a family and share a meal. I think as wives, daughters, and moms we can greatly bless our families by "feeding them." It doesn't have to be anything elaborate or fancy and you can certainly serve it on a paper plate! What's important is time together.

I hope my blog will inspire you to cook more even if it's simple and spend time at the table with people you love. Don't try to entertain! Just have a heart to bless and call your friends or your family and put on a pot of chili. They will just be so happy to be invited over!

And look what I found at the 2nd hand bookstore today! A true rags to riches story! I LOVE that! I can't wait to dive into this book~

comfort

2011-01-16T13:14:00.000-08:00

I hope you've enjoyed a wonderful weekend! Now that Sunday is here and you've tidied your home and cleaned your fridge I'd say it's time for some good ol' fashioned comfort. Super bowl Sunday is coming up and I thought I would share my favorite chili recipe with you. No fancy food here- no special ingredients- just pure comfort. This is a slow cook recipe which simmers for a half hour and then another hour. I just leave it simmering on the stove while I go about my business, so it makes the perfect weekend food. Another bonus, I don't have to cook tomorrow night because this leaves plenty of leftovers. It is simple to make you just need to make sure you have enough time to leave it simmering. It tastes great with a side of tortilla chips.

While at the grocery store might I suggest you treat yourself to a bouquet of tulips. You can usually get 3 bunches for about 10 dollars. I haven't had fresh flowers for awhile and I forgot how a "simple" bouquet of "fresh" flowers brings so much warmth and life to a room.

I was about to say "ready or not Monday's coming" and then I realized that it's a holiday. There is still time to clean your fridge if you were meaning to but hadn't gotten to it yet! And it just might make the perfect day to simmer a pot of chili for your family to enjoy together at day's end.

weekend project

2011-01-14T13:57:00.000-08:00

So I have this plan which I hesitate to share because I'm afraid that the minute I share it I will run out of ideas. Many of you have shared that it feels incredibly overwhelming to tackle a whole house and that you would prefer to tackle one room or even 1 drawer at a time. I shared here 6 tips that will help you maintain a tidy house on a weekly basis.

Then there are the extras. Those jobs which can feel like an overwhelming task on top of all of the tidying. I thought it might be helpful if I posted a weekend project idea on Fridays of those things which don't need to be done on a weekly basis or really even a monthly basis but should be done every once in awhile.

This weekend I thought it would be great to tackle the refrigerator. Honestly, I don't remember the last time mine got a thorough cleaning and I was amazed at the amount of grime inside! And this is where I store my food!

Thoroughly wipe down and clean each piece separately and wash all sides of the inside of the refrigerator.

Optional:

I am a bit on the picky side so I use the tip of a wooden skewer to pull the grime out of crevices that I can't reach with my sponge. This may be going a bit to far for you. :)

Once you've completed cleaning out the refrigerator and replacing all of the shelving and drawers begin placing the unexpired food back into the fridge in an organized manner.

And VOILA! Another mission accomplished! You will feel so GOOD when you're done!

I love to clean to music! Right now I'm craving beautiful sunny weather and some HEAT! So I've been doing my washing to reggae music. I've put a caribbean sounding playlist on my blog for you to play while you clean.

side note:

Yes. My tomatoes are in the fridge. I know that you are NEVER under any circumstances supposed to put your tomatoes in the fridge. I take full responsibility for my actions and accept whatever happens to my tomatoes by doing so. :)

Visit me at Becky's place today

2011-01-13T06:05:00.000-08:00

for my top 6 tips on making your home sparkle come visit me at Farmgirl Paints today!

I also share my very favorite scent combination.

See you there!

You will love me forever Orange brownies!

2011-01-12T14:35:00.001-08:00

since I'm on an orange kick these days I thought I would share my recipe for gluten free orange brownies.

We were served these glorious brownies a few years ago and I could not eat them because they had gluten in them. Everyone around me was RAVING about them so I begged for the recipe so that I could go home and try to convert it to gluten free. It took me a few tries but I've finally got it!

Just to tell you how good they are- one of the batches I made was way to gooey and would not come out of the pan in nice squares. We had company over at the time. The 9x13 pan ended up in the middle of the table while everyone preceded to eat the entire pan with spoons!

** Just make sure the brownies have completely cooled before you pour the glaze over the top or they will be way to gooey. **

** if you double click on the image it will blow up larger and be easier to read! **

** and if you would like to make them the regular way omit the xanthan gum and use 1 1/2 cups of regular flour instead of 2 cups of rice flour. **

combining color and scent

2011-01-10T15:08:00.000-08:00

yes! I said COLOR! I'm a little surprised myself.

While on my run today I had this idea of combining the colors of the rooms of my home with scent- almost as if the scent is part of the decor. I put the top image together and seemed to have formed my dream kitchen. I would LOVE my kitchen to have the exact feel of this collage. I saw the image of the wine holder in the pottery barn catalog and about fell off my chair. Isn't it gorgeous! And the way that PB put together the juicer photograph makes me feel like I NEED a juicer like NOW!!! (I'd better save some allowance!)

My living room is the first room off of the entry. Recently I purchased a grapefruit scented candle and it makes my home smell so FRESH when you walk into the house! Something about the smell of citrus says "clean" to me.

This would be my dream bathroom full of fluffy white and light grey towels, a plush robe, big, fat square soaps from France, stainless steel accessories, and the room filled with the scent of lavender.

For the bedroom I dream of linen sheets, rustic metal, juxtaposed with crystal lamps. For me the room should feel warm and cozy and that's why I like the addition of the smell of ginger for the bedroom.

top bedroom picture found on Tricia Foley's site.
bathroom photos that are not of my own home are from Restoration Hardware's site
all candles are from Williams- Sonoma.

mission impossible

2011-01-09T17:36:00.001-08:00

Keeping your home clean and tidy can be simple if you put in a little extra effort in the beginning.

I believe that the biggest obstacle in keeping a tidy home is clutter.

Just paper alone; mail, school papers, sunday school papers, kids drawings, bills, etc.

Keep a large bin for each child and only keep the most special items. The rest can be tossed. (when they're not looking!!! -very important!) Throw junk mail away as soon as you pick up the mail ~ this will keep it from accumulating on the counter. Have an organization system in place for bills or go completely paperless if you can by paying your bills online.

extra bottles in the bathroom of products you haven't used in years, hotel soaps and lotions that you always planned on using but never did, 10 different kinds of hand soaps that have accumulated...

First order of business:

If you haven't needed or used it for a year THROW IT AWAY! That is so hard for some people. It can seem downright wasteful. If you can, donate it so someone who would appreciate it.

Simplify your decorating. Corral like items together in an attractive container which you can move easily for dusting. (i.e. my shells are kept together in a locker basket on the sofa table)

Keep only what you LOVE and what is functional.

I was cleaning the other day and I realized one reason why I can zip through it so quickly is that I don't have a lot of items to move around while cleaning.

Instead of 10 small things I will go with one large item every time.

When I was growing up my mom had towels that we could not touch, throw pillows that were just for show, etc. Which made for so much extra work as she would move them around every day.

It is much simpler to limit the number of pillows on your bed. Then you can make it in minutes.

When you have to many throw pillows on the couch they just end up on the floor when people want to sit down so I say it's just easier to simplify.

The other day I finished cleaning the house from top to bottom. I decided to reward myself with a new candle and hand soap. Just that little treat brought new life to the kitchen for me. I was able to light the candles in my sparkly clean home and enjoy the clean look of the new bottle of hand soap that I bought.

It is so much more enjoyable to add a small touch like a new candle to your home if it's been freshly cleaned.

It's still January!

You could make it a goal to simplify and de-clutter in 2011~

The "B" word

2011-01-07T19:35:00.000-08:00

We've almost been living on a budget for a year and a half now and I will tell you it has changed our lives! It's not like we were severely in debt but every month we would charge everything and I mean everything on the visa card thinking that this was a smart move because we were earning air miles. Somehow we managed to pay off the balance every month but the weight of the growing balance each month and hoping that we would make enough money to cover it would lay on me at night like a weight on my chest. I hated living that way. Instead of us being in control of our money our money was completely controlling us.

My dad bought each of us kids the "Total Money Makeover" book by Dave Ramsey and his philosophy on money has changed our lives. We joke and call one of our close friends a Dave Ramsey clone. We watched him work through the steps of the Total Money Makeover. The results were unmistakeable and impressive! You never know who is watching because I was watching them like a hawk and being so impressed with what I saw! I started asking them all sorts of questions. The real turning point was when I asked him why we are never able to save a dollar. He told me that you must live on a budget and actually budget in savings almost as if it is one of your bills.

So my husband and I got together and went over our bills. Being the math major that he is he came up with all sorts of ugly pies and graphs and tables which showed where our money had gone over the last year and it wasn't pretty. I spent a RIDICULOUS amount of money on groceries, shopping at the most convenient grocery store and stopping in several times a week picking up anything I was craving rather than having any sort of a plan.

When my husband first showed me our new budget I thought it was a joke and said to him "no seriously, where is the real one." When I found out that actually WAS the real budget I'm ashamed to say I cried.

HOWEVER, Living on a budget feels SAFE because you always know where your money is going to go. Neal and I get an allowance in cash which is what we're allowed to use for lattes, lunches, trinkets for the house, candles, etc. and when it's gone it's gone until next payday. That has really curbed my trips to the mall and I never do that buy, return, buy, return thing anymore because usually I have to think about something while I save up for it so I'm not making spontaneous purchases any longer.

I will leave you with one neat story about living on a budget.

Christmas tends to be one of the most expensive times of the year, right? Before we would be in a PANIC over our Visa balance (that heavy weight on my chest) and HOPE that our tax return would be enough to cover it. Now we have budgeted all year for Christmas so even though we ended the year with a small amount in our checking account we were still able to go snowboarding because we had BUDGETED for it and we just pulled the money out of the snowboard fund. That was a moment when we really knew that the first year of living on a budget had really changed our lives.

It's hard at first! It takes will power, determination, and self control!

But it WILL change your life and if you're like me, you'll even sleep better!

I really recommend this book! I mean it couldn't hurt to at least check it out, right??

gluten free bread

2011-01-06T15:30:00.001-08:00

If you find yourself recently diagnosed with celiac disease or told that you have a gluten intolerance I think the hardest thing to figure out is what to do for bread. Let's face it- gluten free food is expensive! A decent tasting loaf of bread can run you anywhere from $5.50 to $7.50. If you're like my family and have 3 people that cannot eat gluten the cost for bread alone adds up QUICK! I have found that if I put a little extra effort into making my bread at home I can save a lot of money. My sister-in-law and I each make a loaf of bread a week and we figured this morning that it probably runs us about $3.00 a loaf. Now my sister in law has a LOT more patience than I do and she makes her bread by hand each week allowing it to rise and so forth and I will be honest and tell you that her bread tastes a bit better than mine even though we use the same recipe. I don't have the desire to put that amount of time into my bread so I've invested in a bread maker. I've had it for years now and faithfully use it once a week. The other item that I LOVE is my meat slicer. It slices the bread thin enough, evenly, and quickly. When you bake gluten free bread you will find that it is more dense than regular bread so the slices can be cut thinner. We've tried several recipes and in our opinion this one tastes the best.

Gluten Free bread~ from the Gluten Intolerance Group

Place in a bread machine in the order that ingredients are listed

2 lg eggs~ beaten
1 3/4 c water
1 c brown rice flour
2 c white rice flour
3 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 c + 2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c butter -melted
1 1/3 c nonfat milk powder
1 pkg or 1 TB yeast

My bread maker has a setting that is especially for gluten free bread and I choose the light crust. It is by Cuisinart.

I've been hesitant to share my bread recipe with you because it requires the use of a bread machine. However, in the long run if you plan on buying a lot of bread it will save you a ton of money. And let's face it, when you've lived without bread for a long time, there is nothing that tastes better than a grilled cheese sandwich or a blt!

After it is sliced I keep it in airtight containers in the fridge. This bread needs to be toasted before serving to taste its best.

I would LOVE to know if you find this recipe helpful! I've had several questions lately on gluten free bread and this is my go to recipe.

getting busy in the kitchen

2011-01-04T19:48:00.000-08:00

I am a rock star!

I cooked my first bird.

I stuffed the cavity, pulled the skin away to rub the butter mixture under the skin, I tucked the wings.

I've always wanted to be an amazing cook.

I've learned by trial and error. My new motto on cooking is "I'll try it once." More often than not things turn out.

Can I just tell you how AMAZING my kitchen smelled while this bird was cooking?

The first thing my husband said when he walked in the door after work was "mmm, smells good in here!"

I was so proud to present my chicken!

You would think I was a gourmet cook.

Here's the secret. It wasn't really all that hard. I will TOTALLY make this again! It's so delicious!

I just LOVE spending time in the kitchen!

I put on some tunes, light my fleur de sel candle that I talked about in the previous post and cook.

I try to clean as I go so that I present my lovely meal in a clean kitchen.

For some reason, a dirty kitchen would ruin the presentation for me.

I encourage you to make this! It will bless your family!

From the January issue of Martha Stewart Living:

Garlic-Butter rubbed chicken with roasted oranges and red onions

1 garlic clove
Course salt
4 TB unsalted butter, softened
2 naval oranges, 1 zested, both cut into 2" wedges
2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme, plus a few sprigs
1 whole chicken (4 to 4 1/2 lbs)
2 red onions, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch wedges.

1. Preheat oven to 450*

Mash garlic and 1 tsp salt into a paste. Combine garlic paste, butter, zest, and chopped thyme. Gently separate skin from breast of chicken, and rub half of the butter mixture under the skin on each side. Season with salt.

Fill cavity with 2 orange wedges, 1 onion wedge, and thyme sprigs. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rimmed baking sheet, and tuck wings under. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Scatter remaining oranges and onions around the chicken. Dot oranges and onions with 1 TB butter mixture.

Roast for 30 minutes. Brush chicken with remaining butter mixture. Flip oranges and onions. Rotate sheet, and roast for 15 minutes more. Remove oranges and onions if caramelized. Roast chicken until juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reaches 165*, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

I hope I've inspired you to spend a little time in the kitchen. I find such joy in it. Tomorrow I hope to buy this magazine and find more inspiration to keep me cooking!

January inspiration

2011-01-03T10:59:00.000-08:00

bucket image from Martha Stewart Living Jan. issue

How are you doing on your resolutions?

Have you started?

Do you need supplies?

My favorite go to scents:

I'm obsessed with William-Sonoma's new scent "fleur de sel"

I plan on making this in the coming week. The recipe is in the January issue of Martha Stewart Living

Is one of your goals to get more exercise?

I started today.

I'm hoping to complete 2 half marathons by the end of the year!

Are you drinking your water?

I LOVE that this shirt says "Push Yourself"

sometimes that's just what we need to do!

Have fun!
Enjoy your family!

Don't be afraid to make a fool of yourself.

Try something you've never tried before!

And my favorite quote for 2011

"DO ONE THING A DAY THAT SCARES YOU"

It will change your life!

keep it simple, keep it fresh

2011-01-02T17:11:00.000-08:00

That's my motto on home keeping, organization, and life.

A few years back a friend of mine who lives in Arizona took me to the La Grande Orange Grocery in Phoenix. That placed rocked my world and forever changed my style. I fell in love with oranges; their smell, their taste, their color. I began to use the fruit as a centerpiece in my kitchen. Everything about oranges or tangerines represents "keeping it fresh" to me. I also love the simplicity of the added color while using something from nature to bring life to my home.

I became inspired by the gourmet grocery store way of displaying produce, using industrial items for storage, and chalkboards for menus.

There is nothing I enjoy more than tinkering around the house and fluffing it. I try to keep to "fresh" items like citrus, basil, and fresh flowers. Tulips will be in season soon and I LOVE a large bouquet of orange tulips in a simple glass vase. I also am excited to try the Garlic Butter Rubbed chicken with Roasted oranges and red onions from the Martha Stewart Living January issue this week.

Tomorrow the house will be quiet as everyone heads off to school and work and I plan to do a little cooking, cleaning, fluffing, and sprucing. I wonder if it will feel just a little too quiet?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

starting the new year with a clean slate

2010-12-30T19:10:00.000-08:00

As we prepare to enter 2011 I've been thinking about the direction I would like my blog to take. I laugh because I post so many pictures of my kitchen and now my dining room complete with new shelving unit. But that's my life. That's ME. I'm a passionate homemaker. As we took down the tree after Christmas my fingers began to itch. They were ready to tackle every nook and cranny of this home so that we could ring in the new year in a squeaky clean house. The blinds have been vacuumed, the molding has been wiped down, the house is dusted, vacuumed, washed, and primped.

I LOVE beautiful organization. I remember watching Martha Stewart on TV years ago and she had those metal baskets hanging on her wall full of potatoes, onions, etc. And now I have some metal baskets on my open shelving. It's like a dream come true!

I want to cook healthy, colorful meals for my family. It's important for me to keep the clutter at a minimum. I cannot relax in clutter. I also believe that owning fewer items means that you have less stuff to maintain and therefore more time for fun.

Daily I pick up the odds and ends that get strewn about the house. It's definitely been a lot more time consuming this week while the kids and neal have been home on vacation. Once a week I scrub down the bathrooms, dust, and vacuum. I also will quickly vacuum the high traffic areas as needed. I clean the kitchen after every meal and keep the sink free from dirty dishes and I wash the sheets once a week.

Truth be told, if you keep up on your home maintenance you truly spend less time cleaning. I also recommend a good purge a couple of times a year. It's surprising how many happy meal toys, chuck e cheese goodies, etc. can pile up in your kids rooms. I keep a garbage can in the garage next to the door so that all junk mail gets tossed before it ever even makes it into the house. I try to only buy what I really need and will USE.

And I just wanted to say a gigantic THANK YOU to those of you who sent me a Christmas card. I am one of those people who gets giddy when I get a card in the mail. The cards truly mean a lot to me and I've arranged them on a board downstairs where I can see your smiling faces every day even though we're miles apart! Thank you so much for thinking of me! It means a LOT!

families that play together stay together

2010-12-29T19:35:00.000-08:00

First off I would just like to state that running two 1/2 marathons last year did not even begin to prepare me for 1 day of snowboarding!

Last year at this time Neal and I began to re-evaluate our priorities. We talked about what we wanted our lives to look like. We decided that having fun as a family was going to be one of our top priorities. Neal shared a dream with me of his. He dreamed of us being a snowboarding family that would spend weekends together up in the mountains.

Last year we also started living on a budget for the first time in our marriage. One of the things we decided to work into our budget was snowboarding. Over the last year we've saved for coats, boards, goggles, etc. (all of the things we would need.) And today we spent our first day up on the slopes!

It was more fun than I could even anticipate. I spent more time falling than actually snowboarding. Emma took to it right away. Neal was patient and basically spent the whole day picking us out of the snow, teaching us how to turn, etc. Tonight I found him in the garage happily hanging all of our wet snow gear up to dry. He was grinning from ear to ear and said that this was such a great day for him.

I'm completely sore! Totally exhausted. But I am so excited about this new adventure. I can't remember who said it but one of the budget people we've read about said that it is always a good investment when your making a memory. Did I say that right? But I do think that we are not only investing money into the snowboarding adventure but also time with our kids and time with each other.

On the drive home we chatted and our dream grew. We could picture our girls as teenagers each bringing a girlfriend with them up to the mountains. They could run off to ski together while Neal and I spent time together as a couple. I think that this is going to be such a great thing for our family and also makes the winter so much more fun!

time to celebrate!

2010-12-24T09:55:00.000-08:00

I woke up giddy this morning! I feel like a kid filled with excitement and anticipation. The girls and I baked for hours and hours yesterday and it certainly has paid off! Tonight our home will be filled with family from ages 2 to 86.

I would like to share a fun cookie recipe with you which I found in the Sunset magazine years ago.

Egg nog meltaways

2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c confectioners' sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla ext.
1 tsp bourbon
1 tsp rum extract
2 1/4 c sifted cake flour (I use this rice flour)
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 c confectioners' sugar (for sifting)
2-3 tsp grated nutmeg for sprinkling.

1. position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400'. Line 2 cookie sheets w/ parchment paper and set aside.

2. prepare the dough. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 min. Add the vanilla, bourbon, rum extract, and blend well. Stir the flour, salt, and 1 1/4 tsp nutmeg together in another bowl. Gradually blend the dry ingreds into the butter mixture, stirring until just incorporated.

3. Shape and bake the cookies: Drop the dough by heaping teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Or roll into balls for a more uniform appearance. Bake about 7-8 min, until the cookies are set but not brown. If you handle them to soon they easily break. While the cookies are still slightly warm sift the confectioners' sugar over them. Sprinkle with remaining nutmeg.

Tonight the table will be filled with cheeses, crackers, olives, salads, cookies, and we will have spiced cider simmering on the stove. Candles will be lit everywhere. We will light a fire. Grandpa will read us the Christmas story out of the Bible. Then we will open a few gifts... whoo hoo!! Tonight Santa will fill the stockings and tomorrow will be a cozy day spent with family.

Have I told you lately how much I appreciate you? I haven't?? Well I DO!!!

MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

IT'S FINALLY HERE!!!

just remember the camera adds 10 lbs. hahaha

2010-12-22T20:00:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-20T16:36:00.000-08:00

I have this fabulous idea in my head of posting a Christmas video from my family to yours. I have the girls all taped. The song chosen and there just doesn't seem to be time to put it all together. I am still hopeful that I will be able to post my Merry Christmas video by the end of the week so please check back! If we don't get to it then this will be my Merry Christmas post.

I treasure my readers. I DO! Thank you for being so patient with me as I often get way behind on visiting your blogs but know that I look for your name and little face in my comment box. Your comments mean so much to me. Thank you so for reading my ramblings and giving me such generous compliments. I wish you a VERY VERY merry Christmas!

Thank you for reading! Don't forget to check back! I hope it works out!

love ya mean it.

just a touch of christmas

2010-12-08T17:17:00.001-08:00

Well here we are. Christmas 2010. Just like many of you I have kept my decorating quite simple this year. My mom and I are polar opposites. She loves to decorate every single nook and cranny of her home for Christmas. She does a Disneyland themed Christmas tree in the living room for the grandkids complete with world of color type lights and a red and leopard print tree in the formal living room. Outside my dad has set up a Disney wonderland for his grandchildren. There is Mickey driving an old car, Goofy sitting in Santa's sleigh, lots of bright lights, color... you get the picture. As you can imagine my children think that grandma and grandpa's house is WAY cooler than mom's house. That's just fine with me. I'm so glad my parents do this for the kids. I could never ever relax in that much color.

So here is mine- simple green and white and I love it! The hardest part was finding the white candy canes. I've cleaned and organized- even the garage and storage room. I'm ready to ring in the season! So without further ado...

This is Christmas 2010:

I found the candy canes at Target in a package that comes with green and red and we're just giving the colored ones to the kids at school.

christmas inspiration

2010-12-06T07:35:00.000-08:00

Would you believe I'm still working on my Christmas decorating? I've given myself until Dec. 8th and if it's not done by then it's not happening. These are the inspiration photos I've been using. It's almost as if I have 2 sides to my decorating personality. One side of me is completely enamored with Tricia Foley and a simple, modern country lifestyle while the other side of me is attracted to fur and blingy peace signs. Somehow I am going to merge the 2 styles into one. Tonight my sister is coming over to watch the Martha Stewart Christmas special with me (a favorite tradition). That will be my last big dose of Christmas inspiration.

I think about all of the styles out there. There is the dreamy beach house living, farmhouse simplicity, minimal modern and I'm wondering what to call my own. Do you think that split level chic would take off as the new up and coming style?? :)

This candle is my new favorite scent. It's found at Restoration Hardware. They're starting a friends and family sale on the 9th where you could get it 20 percent off. It smells so good and christmasy!

So today I will finish cleaning and organizing the house. I will try to finish putting every decoration in it's proper place. You will be surprised to see that I've changed my mantle. My mantle is not very deep and everything kept falling. It was making such a mess and stressing me out. So it looks completely different now.

I'm using lots of natural elements for decorating. Rosemary, clementines, cranberries, poinsettias, and paper whites. I've tried to find boxes of white candy canes but have had no luck. Does anyone know where to find some?

Once I'm done with the decorating I plan on making lots of yummy gingerbread!

photos 1, 4, and 5 Tricia Foley
photo 6 found here
photo 7 Martha Stewart
photo 3 ???

Grandma Lu's gluten free apple pie

2010-11-24T20:28:00.000-08:00

I spent the day in the kitchen baking for Thanksgiving. Today I will share the gluten free pie crust recipe I use along with the ingredients to make an apple pie.

First of all I will share with you my favorite rice flour. I purchase it at an asian grocery store. It is milled in Thailand and is so finely grained your gluten free goodies don't get that grainy texture that regular rice flour can leave. I can not vouch for the milling process in Thailand, however, I've heard that they do not mill many products containing gluten and so it's a pretty safe flour to use. If you're at all worried about cross contamination I suppose you may want to investigate further. I've used it for years and it's never made me or my girls sick. It's about 79 cents per bag and I tend to buy about 10 bags at a time and store it in a large canister on the counter.

for the filling:
You will need 6 cups of granny smith apples, cored, peeled, and thinly sliced.
3/4- 1 c sugar depending on taste
1 Tb cornstarch
1 tsp ground cinnamon
a couple of shakes of nutmeg
2 TB butter- from a hard, cold stick

combine the sugar, spices, salt, and cornstarch.
Pour over apples in the bowl and let sit at least 10-15 minutes.

**** REMEMBER TO DO THE FOLLOWING STEP BEFORE PLACING THE APPLES INTO YOUR PIE ****

Put a couple of Tablespoons of sugar mix in the pie shell base before placing the apples in the shell.

**** REMEMBER TO DO THIS STEP BEFORE PLACING THE TOP CRUST ****

Place cold slices of butter over apples before placing the top crust.
After placing top crust sprinkle more cinnamon/ sugar mixture over the top.

for the crust:

** combine in mixer **

I use a recipe called Elaine's cream cheese mixer pastry. It's just a xerox copy that I've had for years and I do not know who Elaine is but it's a good tasting flakey crust.

2/3 c vegetable shortening (I know that crisco is kind of icky but it does make a flakey crust)
2 oz cream cheese

** add and mix well **

1 c regular rice flour
3/4 c sweet rice flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp salt

** add and mix well **

1/2 c cold water

For double crust pie:

place 1/2 of dough in center of pie pan. Pat out dough with fingers, covering bottom and sides of pan. Place filling in pie pan (add your sugar/ cinn. mix) Sprinkle rice flour onto waxed paper. Roll out top crust on waxed paper. Using waxed paper to support dough, flip crust onto top of pie. Remove waxed paper. Trim edges. flute.

Bake approx. 45-50 minutes at 400 degrees.

Tip: If you forget to place the butter on top of your apples (like I did today) before you place the top shell you can place small slits in the top crust like an asterisk and carefully slip thin slices of butter into the openings.

17 degrees?!?

2010-11-23T08:35:00.001-08:00

Well I'm surviving. Are you midwest girls laughing at me? I do have to say though It's BEAUTIFUL outside this morning! We had a heavy wind storm last night which blew all of the snow off the trees. My old house does not have insulation in the walls so my poor furnace is working so hard. It's keeps shutting down from exhaustion.

As much as I could live somewhere hot and sunny I do think that this cold/ snow spell is a lot of fun. It certainly feels very festive! I've been cooking up a storm so that my husband comes home to hot food and a warm smell in the house.

My mama has put me in charge of the pies this year. Tomorrow I will be making gluten free pies and will also share my favorite gluten free flour with you. If you don't have a chance to visit me tomorrow I would love to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving!! We have so much to be thankful for!

Right now I'm just thankful for heat. ;)

it's freezing over here!

2010-11-21T14:39:00.001-08:00

those of you who know me or have read for awhile know that I don't do cold. I'm a hot and sunny girl. Our weather forecast for the next 3 days shows a high of 31 degrees. It's been snowing on and off all day. (nothing is sticking) This morning when getting ready for church I basically layered on every knit piece I own. And apparently I have to much time on my hands because then I asked Neal to take my picture. Clearly I need something to do. :)

I was feeling very scandinavian. We're just missing the snow in the photos.

and just because I think I have the cutest kids in the world.

well enough about me! ha ha! How are YOU!
**
** because so many of you are asking, I bought the socks last year at Anthropologie but I've seen similar ones around. **

calm before the storm

2010-11-20T08:20:00.001-08:00

Good Morning!

It's that time of year.

In preparation for the upcoming holidays I spent yesterday scrubbing the bathrooms, de-cluttering, and cleaning the kitchen. Today I will finish the dusting, floors, and the girl's rooms. I'm hoping that if I start the holidays with a freshly cleaned house it will be easier to keep it tidy during this busy season.

I've had a difficult time deciding how I would like to decorate for Christmas this year. I really would like to keep it fresh and simple. I want a lot of live greenery. I'm hoping for fresh garland, a fresh tree, fresh wreaths, and maybe cranberries. I think my main colors will be grey, cream, and green.

This is my inspiration

We have a lot of fun Christmas traditions coming up. I'm hoping to post about them! The whole gift giving tradition is not that important to me this year. For me it's more about family, making memories, celebrating the birth of our Lord, and time spent together. I have bought a few things for the girls but other than that I'm keeping it simple.

I love this time of year and can't wait to enjoy it all!

heavens to betsy Martha!!

2010-11-17T18:20:00.000-08:00

this is the COOLEST thing I've ever seen!!!

she just may be the coolest person that I don't know.

I just may try to copy that wreath!

I'll keep you posted!

just like you

2010-11-12T01:01:00.000-08:00

I was chatting with a store owner this evening who told me "everyone reads your blog. My friend in California reads your blog... customers read your blog..." and while I'm completely flattered and humbled I'm also perplexed.

I'm just like you. Just a girl who has been through some stuff. I come across blogs of the insanely talented and catch myself saying to God, "I want to be fabulous." It baffles me the amount of creativity that oozes out of some people. But I truly believe that God has put into each of us our own destiny to be fabulous.

a year and a half ago:

(can we even believe it's been that long?!?!)

I was standing on the edge of the plank facing the destruction of my marriage when I laid my life down before God with the attitude of "do whatever it takes." Sometimes I would get angry and think "stop working on me and do something about HIM." and God would gently remind me that when it came to us (God and I) He was just concerned about me. Here I thought I was walking through life doing pretty well. Everyone on the outside would've thought so. All I knew was that life shouldn't always have to feel like this.

So I let God go to work. Man, it felt like he was chiseling off my skin. Just like my puppy wants to run when I place him in the tub for a bath but allows me to finish scrubbing him I sat there while God chiseled... and plucked... and bent... and I wanted to scream...

But here I am now. One happy mug. And I know that there are so many people walking around feeling miserable. I know this because I was one of those girls. But I also know that it doesn't have to be this way for the rest of your life. YOU, my dear, can be FABULOUS!

When you allow the Potter to mold and make you as he forms your lump of clay into something beautiful it may hurt. You may bleed. But he is the greatest healer I know. I think that people are so amazing. We really can survive some horrible ordeals. We can pick ourselves up and go on. I want to suggest that there is more than just "going on." I believe that there is total healing. That you can be free. But that it only comes by walking in faith and obedience with God. And I'm talking THE God. Not one of the many substitutes out there but the one who sent his son to give you LIFE and not only life but LIFE ABUNDANTLY!

God is going to strip off all of that crazy insecurity that has stood in the way of your fabulousness! And we my dear readers are going to take this world by storm! He is one outrageously creative and talented God and He has placed more fabulous inside of you than you can possibly imagine!

Don't give up yet! Not when you're so close! Today is the FIRST day of the rest of your life! Why waste it???

Let's get busy!

and I would just like to add that I was sound asleep in my cozy bed. I woke up in the middle of the night and instead of falling asleep this post started running through my head. So if you are the dear person that this post is for I think this should prove to you that God is thinking about you. He hasn't forgotten you. You WILL be fabulous!

mama's sportin the skinny jeans

2010-11-10T08:44:00.000-08:00

oh my...

I have been in desperate need of new clothes! I've tried shopping around but it seems like everything I pick up is over 100 dollars and I just can't get myself to spend that kind of money on a piece of clothing lately.

I have wanted to give those crazy, skinny jeans a try. I figure with as many miles as I've logged running I might as well try and be fashionable right? So I was walking around Nordies and every pair of jeans I found was at least 200 dollars and way to conservative for my taste.

Thankfully I had the most helpful sales lady in TBD who walked me over to BP and showed me these skinny jeans by Vigoss Studio which are on the half yearly sale for $27.90! Can you believe it? I haven't paid that little for jeans in years. The sales lady made me laugh when her pitch was, "they're practically free." I'm pretty excited about them and feeling rather hip!

All of those tops I bought mix and match to make several outfits!

Now I'm ready for a night out on the town!!!

Who's with me???

shopping preparations

2010-11-05T07:14:00.001-07:00

I have been looking forward to tomorrow for 2 weeks! My sister and I are heading down to Ikea and then Anthropologie to do a little pre-decorating shopping! Walking into either one of those stores can be completely overwhelming for me. I get absorbed by all of the beautiful decorating ideas and completely forget what I went there to buy. So I took a little time this morning and made a shopping list. Can I just tell you that my heart is fluttering a little bit with anticipation right now??

Thanksgiving is in just 3 short weeks and then it will be time to begin spreading Christmas cheer.

I'm completely in LOVE with the simplicity of scandinavian decorating right now! I love their use of greys, creams, galvanized metal, and most important REAL christmas trees! I've used a fake tree for about 10 years and I'm ready to bring a beautiful, live tree into our home this season and fill our home with it's fresh scent! I can hardly wait! So armed with these inspiration photos I've come up with my shopping list.

Tomorrow morning one of my favorite people in the whole world will pick me up bright and early. We're going to play Christmas music on the way down while we sip on steamy hot lattes! We will laugh and shop and be inspired!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

ps 2 of the top photos are from the Jeanne d' arc living magazine which can be purchased from French Larkspur. I just ordered my first one (the christmas issue). I had to really think about it because it's such an expensive magazine but I've been told it will be well worth it and I will refer back to it for inspiration for years to come. I can't wait for it to arrive!

A Happy Halloween and some great recipes

2010-10-31T15:05:00.000-07:00

I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Halloween with your family. My girls dressed up as spider girls and enjoyed every minute of the weekend.

Here are a couple of the recipes that have been requested:

The BEST gluten free Chocolate Chip cookies EVER! (you won't be able to tell that they're gf!)

-from the food network

8 oz butter
2 c rice flour
1/4 c corn starch
2 T tapioca flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp xantham gum
1 tsp bkg soda
1/4 c sugar
1 1/4 c brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg + 1 yolk
2 c choc chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. The recipe says to cook for 14 minutes but I cook mine for 10.

The way I do it is I cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Then I add the egg, yolk, and vanilla. Last I mix in the dry ingredents and add the choc. chips.

The yummiest caramelized onion dip served with sweet potato chips

- from southern living

2 T butter
3 large vidalia (sweet) onions thinly sliced
1 8oz pkg cream cheese -softened
1 8oz block of swiss cheese -shredded
1 c freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 c regular or light mayo

sweet potato chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Melt butter in a large skillet over med. heat; add sliced onions. Cook, stirring often, 30-40 minutes until onions are caramel colored.

combine onions, cream cheese, and next 3 ingreds -stirring well. Spoon dip into a lightly greased baking dish. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes until golden and bubbly. Serve with sweet potato chips.

Neal impressed me with his Tinkerbell Pumpkin.

The best part of the night was when Neal put on a spiderman outfit to match the kids and surprise my sister by trick or treating with the girls at her door. It was pretty funny!

it was SUPPOSED to be spooky!

2010-10-28T14:45:00.001-07:00

but my husband has informed my that my spooky halloween decorations are quite cute and cozy.

we're having a small dinner for a couple of our friends. I was hoping that this might inspire you to do the same. I really didn't put as much effort into it as it may look. All of the decorations came out of a bin which I had in the storage room from last year. I just picked up some paper plates, plastic silverware, and a plastic tablecloth from Target. You can't get much easier cleanup than that!

Most of my decorations were found at Pier 1, Walgreens, and Target.

The menu is going to be kept quite simple as well.

I went to williams-sonoma today and picked up their AWESOME cider spices so that my guests will walk into my home smelling of hot apple cider. I picked up some BLOOD orange drinks at Trader Joes.

For our appetizers I'm making a caramelized onion dip with sweet potato chips. Then I will set up a cheese/ cracker/ olive plate with brie and that cranberry cheese from Trader Joes. (easy peasy) I'm going to poke plastic spiders into the cheese for decoration.

Our main course is just going to consist of comfort food (as requested). So we're going to have lasagne, ceasar salad, and garlic bread. (simple)

Then for dessert I'm just going to have some chocolate chip cookies ready to go into the oven so that they come out fresh and warm. They will be served with the hot apple cider or coffee.

See... it's not a lot of effort and we'll have some fun eating and spending the evening together!

epiphany on a fall walk

2010-10-27T19:01:00.000-07:00

Monday morning was a blustery, rainy, cold day. Instead of hunkering down in the house with a cozy fire and candlelight I decided to grab my camera and head out for a walk. I needed to spend some time alone without distraction. I grabbed a latte and spent some time walking, thinking, and talking to God.

I've always battled fear. I will replay a worrisome situation over and over in my head trying to come up with a worst case scenario as if in some way that will prepare me for the very worst thing that could possibly ever (or NEVER) happen to me. When I do this I tend to retreat inside myself behind those ridiculous walls I've been so good at building and try to protect myself from "the worst." Which we have to remember has NOT happened but I've just imagined it in my head.

As I was walking quietly alone the thought FEAR IS THE OPPOSITE OF FAITH ran through my head and I realized that I can continue to retreat to where I think I'm safe OR I can face my fears HEAD ON and do the thing that is scaring me. The slogan that we've all heard "do it afraid" finally makes sense to me. Fear can stop you from living a completely abundant life because it robs you of your security. Faith is complete security because as you begin to face your fears you are trusting that GOD is FOR YOU. He's watching over you. He WILL protect you. HE IS your safety net. The next time that fear tries to rob me of the abundant life God has for me I'm going to turn and face my fear head on and RUN towards my dreams and my future without allowing fear to hold me back. I can think of so many missed friendships, successes, victories I've missed all because of fear.

We've all heard that verse in Philippians that says... whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right...

But listen to this translation in The Message BIble

Philippians 4:8

Summing it all up friends, I'd say you'll do best by FILLING YOUR MINDS and meditating on things True, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious- the BEST, NOT THE WORST; the BEAUTIFUL, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

So RUN after your dreams and that abundant life and don't let anything hold you back! I mean, what are you afraid of anyways?

You know who's got you in the palm of his hand.

have a cozy weekend

2010-10-22T08:19:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you but I had a crazy, busy week. There is paint under my cuticles and fingernails. After painting the downstairs fireplace with much success I did decide to tackle the upstairs fireplace as well. Let me tell you... Not all brick paints the same. The upstairs project has not gone nearly as well. I used the same paint as I did downstairs. Unfortunately the lighting is different upstairs and the grey paint actually looked like a light blue. So then I put a cream wash over the top. The color is better but there is no character. I've had knots in my stomach over the whole thing. I went through my decorating ideas folder and found the picture below where they've removed a bit of the white paint on the brick to make it look aged. I may try this but I'm completely nervous to make it worse! ack!

On another note I was so blessed this week to spend some time with some old friends. When I was growing up my mom would always say to me "make new friends but keep the old. One is silver but the other is gold." She also always taught me growing up that the Bible says that "you are who your friends are" so she would carefully watch my selection of friends knowing the type of influence that they can be. Let me tell you, I have GOOD PEOPLE as my friends! One of the greatest things about old friends is that they've certainly seen you at your worst and they choose to love you anyways. I've visited with my brother who is in town, had lunch with my best friend who was here on a business trip, and had a lovely phone conversation with a dear friend in Arizona. I'm so grateful for old friends. There is something comfortable and safe about them- like the cozy blanket that Oscar is laying on in the top picture. Through blogging I've been blessed to make some new friends and to be honest I am so impressed with the caliber of people that I've come to know. Maybe one day you also will be considered old friends.

Invest in your friendships this weekend. Maybe you could take a minute to give an old friend a call or maybe drop a happy fall card in the mail. Thank them for the investment they've made in your life! If you've had a struggle with an old or new friend maybe this could be the perfect weekend for reconciliation!

My heart is full this weekend.

Now if I could just figure out what to do with that stinkin fireplace! grr....

**and one last little bit... I was working in the kitchen the other day and had my playlist from my blog playing in the background. I was so embarassed when I actually listened to the words of one of the songs. I never thought you would have to preview a song by Ella Fitzgerald!!! So if you heard some inappropriate lyrics on my blog I'm sorry that I had them on here! ack!

the push I needed

2010-10-19T15:57:00.001-07:00

We are in the process of turning our downstairs rec-room into a family room. Our kids are getting older and they need a place where they can retreat to with their friends to watch movies, play video games, or whatever. So we're in the process of doing a small remodel downstairs. We may just be the last people on the face of the planet to buy a flat screen tv. We STILL don't have one but my husband has been working away downstairs getting the wiring all ready and is hoping to finally buy one! He's been saving his allowance since January!

I've been thinking about painting the fireplace downstairs. But thinking about and doing are two completely different things! That is until I read this post which gave me the push I needed.

Here is the fireplace before:
sadly we had already torn the mantle off.

Lori was so gracious to send me some detailed instructions on whitewashing your brick.

You choose a color of paint (I went with a light grey) and mix 1 cup paint with 2 cups water and stir. Then you use a rag and wipe it onto your brick. Thankfully she warned me how messy this process can be so I planned accordingly. Then after it is all dry I used a cream color with a dry brush and just "dry brushed" the paint on for some contrast and texture.

Thank you so much Lori for the inspiration and help! I still get surprised by how much difference a can of paint can make!

Now I have to decide what kind of mantle to build...

I'm also tempted to paint the upstairs brick too!

interesting organization

2010-10-18T16:26:00.001-07:00

dept. of interior

Probably one of my favorite things to do is find pretty ways to organize. Lately I've found a love of combing antique stores for cute vintage items that can be used for organization. I love old metal, old glass, old wood... there is so much character there.

Today my dear friend Jeanne launched her fall line on her etsy store. It is absolutely amazing. I fell immediately in love with the drawers above and purchased them from her this morning. I'm not quite sure how I will use them yet but I can see spices or bottles of oil in it next to the stove in the kitchen, white quest towels rolled up next to the sink, or tags and ribbons in them at a wrapping station. I can't wait for them to arrive so that I can begin finding their proper place in my home.

you've probably already noticed my love of locker baskets for towels, shells, now onions... I will find any excuse to buy another locker basket.

When I purchased my new shelving unit for the kitchen I didn't quite have enough items on hand to fill it. So I went to antique stores and bought the large pickle jar for our rice and then the blue jars for brown rice, pasta, etc. You have to be careful when shopping at antique stores. I've found that you really need to check around for prices. I saw the same pickle jar at a more "upscale" type antique store for 50 dollars!! I bought mine for 18 dollars.

I think that finding interesting bins makes organization become part of your decorating. Can you picture the bins below holding cds, or stamps, or tags, or napkins... whatever your passion.

These two photos are from the white flower farmhouse. They have tons of cute items you could use for organization. I've also used an old toolbox to store all of my gift wrap supplies like tape, scissors, tags, labels, shredded paper for packaging, etc. If you use your imagination it's endless how cute your organization can be with a few well chosen items.

wanna come over?

2010-10-13T19:24:00.000-07:00

Well this is not the front door. This is our dutch door which is right off the kitchen/ dining room. I love having my new kitchen herbs right outside this door as it makes it easy to grab them when I'm cooking.

I always wanted to live in this neighborhood. We used to drive round and round down here after church on Sundays looking at houses where I would dream and tell Neal that I would take any of them- even a fixer.

At the time we lived in a beautiful, brand new, craftsman style home up north but my heart kept pulling me to this area. Neal was in Dubai when I found this house. It was a TOTAL gut job. Major fixer but structurally sound. When Neal called I informed him that I wanted to buy the ugliest house in the neighborhood. So we did it. I bought it without Neal having ever laid eyes on it.

It took a LOT of getting used to! In order to afford it we had to live in it while the remodeling was going on. It was FILTHY which was hard on me and then also it was QUITE UGLY which was hard on my pride. No one could understand why I would have given up a brand new beautiful home to live in this filthy, ugly split level. There were RATS! (low point) Ivy was growing through the cracks of the doorways and up the walls, the carpet was really old, DISGUSTING shag and each room had it's own color! Thankfully when we pulled it up we found beautiful hardwoods underneath! (highlight) The best part of all was a beautiful view of Puget Sound.

My sister taught me something that has helped me with making this 60s split a beautiful, inviting home for my family. She taught me that you can live in the most meager of houses but if it's decorated cute then no one will notice!

So I've worked to decorate it really cute. :)

I also read on a blog recently (I have no idea where but it stuck with me) about a girl who wanted to simplify her life, pare down her belongings and move. But she found that as she simplified and pared down she didn't have to move after all. That she could make her house exactly how she wanted.

So for now we plan on staying put. Thankfully I have a husband who allows me to make changes like my new hutch (do we call it a hutch or is it shelving?) which makes everything feel new again. And luckily I have been able to find floor models or outlet prices to help with cost.

It's such a surprise every time I walk down the hall from my bedroom and see my new shelving unit in the dining room. It feels like Christmas every day. I'm really beginning to develop my own style. Not sure what you call it though. Maybe it's just Lissa's look. :)

Here's a few more photos around the house today.

During the summer I began to work on an herb garden in front of the playhouse. I should've taken before pictures because it was a real eye sore. Anyway, I'm done for now until next spring so it's time to share it with you.

I placed the walkway in the corner for little feet. I planted chamomile, rosemary, white lavender, echinacea, thyme, and boxwood. Next year I would love to add dill and lemon verbena which are to tender for our winters. I had a hard time trying to capture how cute this garden is so you'll just have to take my word for it!

I've loved having you over. Let's do it again sometime!

You're not going to believe this

2010-10-11T20:02:00.000-07:00

I decided to take a drive up to the outlet mall today! My beloved shelf that I gave up last week was at the outlet store! Not only that but it was another 450.00 of from the sale price last week! Waiting really paid off and I can even pay cash for it now and not feel guilty about my purchase!

In order to give my new shelf a home I am selling my french looking/ chicken wire cupboard. It's a really good brand (sadly I don't know what it's called) but I've seen desks at a furniture store down in seattle for over 2000.00. Mine is in excellent condition. I don't believe there is a single nick on it. I'm going to list it on craigslist in the morning but I thought I would give my readers 1st dibs if anyone happens to have been coveting my hutch. Local sale only please. I am asking 400.00 for it.

If anyone is interested please email me at lissaandneal@hotmail.com

It's 8ft tall, 15 1/2" deep, and 32" wide. It comes apart into 2 pieces for easy transport. The top is chicken wire. The base is solid doors.

***SOLD!*** YIPPEE!

smitten

2010-10-09T08:52:00.001-07:00

kitchen of Paul Massey

Just poking around this morning I came across these images. There is something so lovely and comfortable about them. There's just a touch of sparkle, a bit of rustic, not to much clutter, but at the same time completely inviting.

these images have set my heart a pitter patter this morning and now I'm in full blown nesting mode. So I'm going to share these images with you real quick and then I'm going to putter around the house. It's a bit misty and grey out this morning and I feel the urge to pour another cup of coffee and then tidy.

I'm so ready to redo my bedroom. I have lovely images in my mind of a dark grey metal bed. Various layers of grey and white bedding. A completely mismatched set and rumply. Glass lamps, and I did want antlers above the bed until my husband announced that they did not say cozy to him but instead say "hunter." He's not into the antler thing. bummer.

I think I might move a few plants in the yard this afternoon as well.

a perfect day.

images found here

i took a vacation day

2010-10-06T17:27:00.000-07:00

I've been a stay at home mama for 9 years. NINE YEARS of two little girls attached to my belt buckle. Oh how I adore those precious babes -you KNOW I DO! But let's just be truthful here. There are no sick days, no vacation days. Everywhere I go- they go. Everywhere I am- they are. I've rarely taken a bath without a little girl dragging in her pet shops so that she can "be with me."

They are smart and beautiful and fun! OH yes indeed!

They're also exhausting at times.

For the first time in my whole life I have my 2 girls in full time school.

It's HEAVEN. Truly it is. :)

I haven't just "done my thing" in such a long time.

Just like you I want to be a great mom- not just a good one. So when I've had babies... then toddlers... then preschoolers... then kindergarteners I've done what was required of me. My husband used to travel ALL the time so I RARELY saw a girls night out.

So today was a remarkable day in the PNW! So I grabbed a friend and we took a VACATION DAY! I HIGHLY recommend it! We had the best time and it was soooo relaxing! We drove to a beautiful nursery up north and then stopped for lunch on the way home.

After we parted I went home, made some lemonade and sat in the sun. When my husband called and said, "what are you doing?" I replied "I'm sitting in the sun. I'm taking a vacation day."

And it was soooo good!

time at home

2010-10-04T15:20:00.000-07:00

Today was my favorite kind of day. I've been completely on task. The laundry is almost done, I vacuumed and washed the floors, I washed the lower cabinets in the kitchen, cooked, and ran 3 miles.

I had some spare time this afternoon so I decided to make Melaine's Pumpkin/ chocolate chip muffins and see what all of the fuss is about. :) I just substituted gluten free flour for my family and followed the recipe as is. Let me tell you they live up to the hype! They're good. Really good! My kids AND my husband are going to be so happy when they see these sitting on the counter this afternoon.

The weekend before last I got to spend the day with 2 lovely, lovely ladies. We drove down to the Barn House Fall Harvest event and then we stopped at Monticello's for some shopping on our way home. (After an amazing brunch at Mother's in Portland) The girls talked me into buying this old wash basin. I'm completely in love with it and I'm completely copying a friend of mine's idea to plant kitchen herbs in it. It's right outside the dutch door next to the kitchen and is so convenient. (and cute) :)

I've GOT to keep myself busy until midnight tonight. You see, I've wanted this (pictured below) for like a YEAR and it's only on sale until midnight. I haven't saved up the money yet so I'm doing my best to stick to my Dave Ramsey ways and NOT spend money that I haven't saved up yet. My sister was so surprised and said well this definitely is a new Lissa.

But I mean really, how much self control can a girl really have?? I just need the sale to end so that I can stop thinking about it 24/7. Good news is I'm more determined to start saving my allowance (yes, I get an allowance- it really works for me) and next time it goes on sale I WILL BE ready!

I have visions of it in my dining room full of chunky white dishes. Oh how I wish I could order it today. But I'm going to be good... I'M GOING TO BE GOOD...

all my ladies!

2010-10-03T13:21:00.000-07:00

Have you walked by the Lulu Lemon windows lately? If you have not it is an athletic store and they had each employee take pictures of their favorite body part and write why they considered it their best feature.

At first I was surprised by this. I thought to myself "what body part would I even put?" and then the "how embarassing" thoughts came because what if someone else didn't consider the feature I chose to be all that good? But as I've pondered this I've decided it's a great thing. Why not focus on the parts of yourself that you consider your best features? I've spent so much time over my 38 years working on the parts that I consider to be not so great. I've decided to change my focus. I've determined to let no negative thing come out of my mouth. Funny thing, I have to stop myself mid-sentence often when I catch myself saying something negative about myself or even others. I didn't realize how many times in a day I would say something negative regarding myself.

So I'm pulling out the stops and I'm going to walk forward with confidence.

I'm going to be brave and tell you what I consider to be my best features.

The top picture is of me today. I think I have good hair and really great long eyelashes. Becky calls me a llama. :o)

When I see a picture that someone took of me that maybe isn't quite flattering I've learned to look at my eyes and think to myself that I really, really look happy and that is so much more important that a great pose.

So here is my challenge:

Are you still with me?

Are you willing to concentrate on your BEST features- playing them up and forgetting that you even have a less than perfect feature?

Are you ready to play the song I posted on my blog in the morning while you're getting ready and sing to yourself

I LOOK FLY

I LOOK GOOD!

I'll tell you what! Confidence is more beautiful than the prettiest girl in the room! I know a couple of people that have less than perfect figures but their confidence works a room and I'm serious when I tell you that all eyes stop to look because there is something so intriguing about a girl that exudes confidence.

So for example: When I'm tempted to notice something less than perfect about myself in the mirror I've decided to stop myself and instead think Hey! good hair! Not in a cocky way but in a CONFIDENT way!

I'm nearing the big 4-0 and I've decided that I'm gonna rock my 40s!

Are you with me?

Grab your brush and flaunt your sexy, bad self in the mirror and sing with me

I LOOK FLY

I LOOK GOOD!

AND would you be brave enough to write one feature about yourself that your think is totally rockin?

I double dog dare you!

you blessed me today!

2010-09-23T12:51:00.000-07:00

You have no idea how you blessed my sister and I this morning.

I went to the you tube site and saw that my sister's song "can you still hear me?" has almost had 600 views, 350 which came directly from my blog. So I just want to take a moment and say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for taking a moment to support my sister. What I should have done is tell you to click HERE to go to her blog where you can order a cd.

This has been kind of a funny week for me. I don't completely feel like myself. When I feel this way I find comfort in staying home and just sort-of puttering around my house.

I decided to keep my fall decor quite simple and natural this year.

I just placed some pumpkins and gourds around the house and garden and I'm quite happy with its simplicity.

just a touch of fall

In keeping with my "keep it natural theme" I also added a few mums and kale as well.

I think it's "just enough" don't you?

Just one last little bit

I know that some of you are going through some very difficult things. My sister sang this song by Britt Nicole at her concert and the words just touch my heart. I've listed a portion of the lyrics below. If you find yourself in a tough place today please take a moment to listen to this song and allow it to bless you.

Have a wonderful day

Feels like I've been here forever,
Why can't you just intervene,
Do you see the tears are falling?
And I'm falling apart at the seams,
But you never said the road would be easy,
But you said that you would never leave.
And you never promised that this life wasn't hard,
But you promised you'd take care of me,
So I'll stop searching for the answers,
I'll stop praying for and asking,
I'll trust you God with where I am,
And believe you will have your way,
Just have your way,
Just have your way,
My friends and my family have left me
I feel so ashamed and so cold,
Remind you take broken things and turn them into beautiful
So I'll stop searching for the answers,
I'll stop praying for and asking,
I'll trust you God with where I am,
And believe you will have your way,

Can You Still Hear Me?

2010-09-20T15:04:00.000-07:00

I love my sister. One of my favorite things about her is her love for the Lord but not only that but how real she is. I love the words of the songs she writes because she describe feelings that we all have. In this song that she wrote she's crying out to God "Can you still hear me?" How many of us feel that way. Then she writes, "I know you're what I want but I question who I am." How many of us know that we're supposed to be something else than what we are? I've sooo been there. I've know that God had called me with a big purpose in mind but I felt so stuck in a rut. We all have battles in our minds. We hear those negative thoughts that we're not good enough. or strong enough, or important. We hear that we're not beautiful, that we're failing, or that we'll never keep up. And what's sad is we entertain those lies and allow our minds to go there. My sister sings about this in her song and about how we actually can allow ourselves to become prisoners to those lies.

But the thing I've learned and that my sister has learned is that there is FREEDOM!!! In the song my sister writes that God speaks to her "don't listen to the lies, don't be deceived, you are MY own! You have been FREE since you found me no go and sin no more." Then the songs goes, "I was a prisoner and now I'm free at last."

Freedom has brought me new friendships, a new love of life, and a contentment I've never known.

Please take a moment to listen to this song "can you still hear me." Words and music by Stephanie Nelson

I just call her stefie. :)

an important arrival

2010-09-18T15:30:00.001-07:00

Someone very important is arriving at our home tomorrow.

Everything has been cleaned, straightened, freshened...

Today was the epitome of a perfect fall day! Clear blue sky, around 75 degrees, crisp and cool evening. For me it doesn't get much better than this.

We took advantage of this gorgeous day by walking down to our local farmer's market.

I wanted to pick up a bouquet of zinnias to add a pop of welcoming color to the kitchen.

The roast is ready to be baked in my brown pot.

The candles will be lit!

I'm going to be sporting my cute new pink T shirt.

Can you guess who it is?

fall nesting

2010-09-16T18:10:00.001-07:00

I love this time of year.

As I type I can hear the rain beating against the pavement outside my window. It's already beginning to turn dark. Lamps are casting a glow in the dark corners of my living room and fragrant candles are filling the air with warm scent.

Emma is curled up on the ottoman with her hot pink frilly skirt lying in piles around her. I might think that this was peaceful except for our dog who is nipping at her hair dying for someone to play with. As I ask her for 15 minutes of peace and quiet to finish this post she pleads, "but mom! I just want to be with you!"

I can't argue with that so there is a disturbing ruckus right past my computer screen which is making it hard for me to concentrate.

I've spent my child free days organizing closets which were dug through many times by little hands over the summer making it impossible to find anything.

More boxes are ready to be driven to the thrift store.

I find comfort in having less.

Life seems to feel more free as I eliminate those things which have been cluttering up our closets, and in turn cluttering up our lives.

I tend to keep only those items which we absolutely cannot live without.

Only decorating with items that are the most meaningful to me.

I've become the poster child for less is more.

I've learned not to buy.

I wait until I have that flitter in my heart that happens when I know I've found something that I can't live without.

I find comfort in the familiar at this time of year.

Curling up in a cozy throw with a good book and flickering candlelight.

I've purchased a roast for Sunday dinner along with all of the trimmings.

I'm keeping my seasonal decorating quite simple this year with just a few pumpkins and gourds.

I enjoy the beauty of simplicity.

in decorating, in time at home, in family meals...

I encourage you to embrace this coming season.

embracing Sept.

2010-09-12T19:29:00.000-07:00

For the first time in a long time I've found myself longing for an Indian summer. We had a very short sunny season this year and I just haven't been ready to embrace cloudy days, storms, and rain quite yet. But for the life of me all of my wishing has not been able to change the weather so I'm waiving my white flag in surrender and embracing the coming season.

Fall to me means eating. Well actually, so does winter... and maybe spring... and definitely summer! Don't you wish you could eat whatever you want and as much as you want without consequence?

I'm ready to come home to smells of a roast simmering in the oven or something stewing in the crock pot. What is it about the cool temperatures that make me want my house to smell like food? I remember when I was younger and still lived at moms I would come home to smells of roasts, spaghetti sauce, or a turkey dinner and that left a lasting impression on me.

Fall makes me want potatoes... and carrots... and leeks...

and PUMPKIN BREAD!

Actually, truth be told, I'm ready to fill my house with pumpkins! Like really ready!

I drove out to the country yesterday hoping to pick some up at a farm stand. No luck.

So this morning I drug my kids down to the Pike Place Market thinking that for sure I could find some down there.

Na da

So I'm forced to wait on the pumpkins for now...

But there are still zinnias and sunflowers, and kale...

And I'm expecting this new cookbook to arrive this week and I'm hoping to find LOADS of inspiration in it!

This is the first time I've bought a cookbook solely based on the cover.

cute huh?

it's time

2010-09-11T08:26:00.000-07:00

I remember when I took this picture. Life felt like it was spinning out of control. I would take the girls to the beach and while they played I would sit and think. I would think about the person I had become compared to the person I knew that God had called me to be.

I would pray.

I would ask God to show me how we got to that horrible place and then ask for wisdom on how to change it as I began the painful climb out.

I took this photo of my feet as I spent the summer looking past my feet into the horizon looking to God's strength and not my strength as I learned how to be the woman God saw in me all along.

I found the quote that I placed on my header

"a woman's heart should be so lost in God that a man needs to seek Him to find her."

I knew this would be where I would find my safety

This is where I knew i could find my rest.

I prayed without ceasing that Neal would indeed seek the Lord in order to find me.

and he did.

Yesterday I was chatting with my friend and I heard myself say, "that part of my life is so OVER!"

And it really is!

As we both chose to seek Him we found each other.

And what we have now... well let's just say that romantic novels could be written of our story. :)

maybe just maybe including the steamy parts. :)

But it's not our story

It's GOD's story.

and what he CAN do!

What he WILL do

when 2 hearts are open to him and willing to do whatever he asks in trust and obedience.

So now we celebrate with a new header!

a NEW LIFE!

Can I just give a shout out here?

PRAISE THE LORD!

she can fly

2010-09-09T13:23:00.001-07:00

Sunday June 7, 2009 I wrote a post entitled You're gonna fly.

I was going through so much at the time.

So much pain.

So much hurt.

But I wasn't lost.

Because I knew who I could trust.

And He told me, "You're gonna fly."

And I believed him.

It's been a long road.

But without hesitation I can state before you today that

I'M FLYING BABY!

Life is good!!

GOD IS SO GOOD!

This morning I read this post! It's a GOOD one!

And we were taught exactly the same thing in our marriage counseling! PLEASE go read that post!

The verse that our counselor continued to use with us was this:

Exodus 20:5-6 (NIV)

You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

He taught us that the sins of our fathers could affect the third and forth generations. BUT if we were to work really hard to see those curses broken in our lives then God would bless 1000 generations after us! That is exactly what Paige's post talks about! She talks about how God used Rahab the prostitute in the line of King David!

So Not only can I fly because of our obedience to God and hard work!

BUT NATALIE CAN FLY!!!!

AND EMMA CAN FLY!!!!!

AND NEAL IS FLYING TOO! (he's just too embarrassed to do it in front of a camera. hahahaha!

Can I just tell you that flying feels SO GOOD!

It is SO WORTH all of the hard work it takes to get here!!!

Keep trucking on my friend!!!!! Matthew 10:28 The Message says ..... God holds your entire life -body and soul- in his hands!

all photos taken by Tiffany

And I read this verse in Philippians today and it made me think of YOU

Philippians 4:1

My dear, dear friends! I love you so much. I do want the very best for you. You make me feel such joy, fill me with such pride. Don't waver. Stay on track, steady in God.

what we're up to

2010-09-07T17:19:00.000-07:00

Today marks the first day of school for the girls. For me this feels like the start of a new year way more than January 1 does. I've made some goals for myself as this is the first time I've had both girls in school full time. I just snapped the top pic of my kitchen this morning. I love it when all of the fall kale comes into season. I put it everywhere. It feels very beatrix potter to me.

Here are my goals:

1. to be better about meal planning/ grocery shopping. I want to take 1 day a week and plan the meals for the week and then buy all of the groceries it requires.

2. to clean the house from top to bottom one day a week.

3. Natalie and I have completely different styles so I've decided to compromise. She has this skater girl look going on and instead of trying to conform her to my look I've decided to let her dress in the way she feels most comfortable. So we went shopping for skinny jeans, vans, and funky hoodies. I actually think her style is looking pretty hip and shame on me for trying to make her a mini lissa.

4. I'm going to work on my photography skills.

5. I'm not going to walk around in sweats and no makeup everyday anymore. I'm going to get dressed in real clothes. So today was my first day of school too and I wore a dress. I bought if for California and had only worn it once so far. I hope once the rainy season hits I don't slip back into my old ways. We shall see...

well that's what's up with me.

what's up with you?

falling for grey

2010-09-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

My husband says I'm a trend follower.

He tries to encourage me to make my own path when it comes to style.

I can't help it!

I'm easily influenced by catalogs, magazines, and blogs!

So I have a confession.

I'm not so much into white anymore.

My new love is GREY!

** insert Neal rolling his eyes right now... he really is **

I know

I KNOW!!

I can't help it!

You all just make it look to good!

So it's out with the white

and in with the grey!

You would think I wouldn't like it since it's so grey outside all the time!

But I'm in love!

These are my new loves from restoration hardware!!! (below)

I think I may have had a dream last night of that light hanging over my kitchen sink!

I woke up smiling... until I realized it was only a dream!

Keep your grey inspiration coming!

Or maybe you'll start posting about yellow or turquoise and before you know it I will be posting about my new favorite color!!!

*side notes*

1. pictures 1, 3, and 4 are taken of my potting bench. I can't wait to stack grey and white pumpkins all around those pots! That's my favorite part about fall!!!

2. Those cupcakes are for my sweet girl's birthday today! So happy birthday to Emma!

3. That cement sign that says "forever and a day" was bought by my husband and I on our trip to Cali. and marks our commitment to each other! When Neal picked it out I thought it was so amazingly romantic! I smile as I pass it many times during a day!

i don't get it

2010-09-01T14:58:00.000-07:00

I did not grow up camping.

My dad never took us.

Not even one time!

And now I know why...

:)

So this has been the year of trying new things.

Most things have worked out great.

Camping.... not... so.... much....

Things started out okay....

my husband wanted to make the trip so enjoyable for me.

He set up a coffee station.

All I had to do was hit brew in the morning.

There was also a chair next to the table where I could look at blogs or read my book and enjoy my coffee.

I was pretty excited about it!!

And then the real camping began.

Out of nowhere the temperature dropped about 20 degrees.

The heavens opened up and POURED on us!

We still had food on the grill.

Neal is still determined to make me LOVE camping so he stood out there with an umbrella cooking my dinner while everyone else was huddled under cover.

Poor guy. The stove wouldn't get very hot. So he just stood there with his golf umbrella in one hand trying to make me a burger.

The burgers fell in the molehill.

He heated up a kettle and poored boiling water over them.

I didn't want to be the prissy girl who didn't camp.

So I ate the molehill burger.

I chewed on dirt.

I put on a good face but the whole time I'm praying, "Lord, please help me not to get some horrible disease from my molehill burger!"

so far so good.

Then we went to bed....

The heavens opened up again!

Our tent had many leaks.

Being our first time we didn't know to bring a tarp.

Natalie and Neal's sleeping bags we're soaking wet.

Water kept waking me up as it dripped on my face.

I was singing in my head "I hate camping in the summer. Oh boy oh boy do I hate camping..." (to the tune of that song that Meg Ryan sang in the movie French Kiss.)

We just tried to make it through the night. Luckily we had air mattresses because they were both sitting in puddles.

I woke up thinking that Neal must be packing up to head home.

Not so lucky...

He was still trying to make me LOVE camping.

So he slaved away at the stove to make me a yummy breakfast.

It only took about an hour and a half because the stove wouldn't get very hot.

Finally the sun came out for a bit and we hung all of our sleeping bags out to dry.

We put a tarp over the tent.

we dried off my poor coffee station.

I got to warm up a bit.

Now be honest.

When you think of me do these images of deer run to your mind?

Do you picture me chomping on a molehill burger?

Freezing in a rain soaked tent?

I had to include this last picture!

This is the amazing restaurant we stopped at to eat on our way home!

Do you see the bucket on the floor catching all of the dripping water? There were more than one of those...

We didn't even shower because it started pouring again the next morning so we all packed up to head home. It was raining to hard to make lunch. So we found THIS place.

I've never been happier to see a washing machine, my bathroom shower, SOAP next to the sink, and clean sheets in my life!!!

Camping really makes you appreciate being at home!!!!!

And you know what?

I would do it again!

My husband took more time off of work to spend time with us!

The girls had a BLAST!

We were all together~ even our dog!

And we certainly made some memories we will never forget!

and I just have to say that after looking at this post again~ each picture of me makes me look like I'm miserable. I like to think I'm just relaxed. :)

a very special night

2010-08-28T18:25:00.000-07:00

Last night was one of those special nights.

I've replayed it over and over in my head. I don't even think I can relay my thoughts about the night. I will never forget the words spoken. Words I've longed to hear. Gratitude for these amazing men who came along side my husband during the hardest time of our life. Men who would become Neal's mentors and friends. Godly men who taught my husband about the kind of man he wants to be.

A Celebration.

If you are a new reader of my blog I will give you a very quick history of our lives so that you may understand the depth of gratitude for my husband last night. In spring of 2009 we were on the brink of divorce and chose to give our marriage one last desperate attempt. We sought Godly counsel.

He taught us to look at God and not at each other. He taught us to allow God to change us as individuals and not to look at the other person but to keep our focus on God. As we learned to listen to and trust God we started to obey Him and as we did he changed our hearts. He changed our hearts towards each other. We fell in love. Deep love. We are more in love now than we've ever been before. God blessed our obedience and gave us the deepest desire of our hearts. We are a family. We are grateful.

We had a dinner to thank these men and their wives for standing shoulder to shoulder with us. For never judging, always loving, always believing in us even when we couldn't believe in ourselves.

My plan was to capture the evening with photos but it was such a precious night that I didn't want to interrupt the specialness of it by bringing out my camera.

So much laughter.

The most beautiful words spoken.

My husband shared his heart.

I've never been more impressed, more in love, more in awe of God and what he can do!

What a difference a year makes!

Are you ready for some football????

2010-08-26T10:27:00.000-07:00

Ok~ so this title has absolutely nothing to do with this post. The other night my brother informed me that he is trying to follow my blog but that it's really written more for girls and that I usually lose him with the title or certainly the first sentence of each post. So this time I figure he's read at least this far... ;) Also, he and my sister pointed out that I've allowed spelling errors in my posts which is a little embarrassing since English was my best subject.

Soooo...

What I've been up to...

1. I've put in HOURS of work planting my herb garden around the playhouse! It's not quite finished but you can be sure you will be the first to see it! I'm really happy with it!

2. I'm working really hard on learning how to use my camera. I haven't had much time to put into it yet but once the girls are in school I plan to put at least an hour a day into reading, watching tutorials, and then some more time into shooting. I just learned the term ISO in the last 2 weeks. So I'm going to start putting my photos on my blog without using picnik or photoshop for now (at least that's the plan today) so that we can all watch my improvements. It makes me nervous to tell you this because suddenly I feel like I need to shoot photos like a professional. I remember when I started my garden 6 years ago. It was so overwhelming. I didn't know which plants to buy... I had no idea how to lay it out... I certainly couldn't afford a landscaper... But each year as things have grown I've transplanted, pruned, added plants, added beds, and I am much more confident with my gardening skills now than I was 5 years ago. I hope it will be the same with photography.

3. I'm going to try and keep my camera with me and shoot my life. This week I caught Neal carting Oscar around after putting all of our yard waste in the garbage can. I also tried to capture us picking blackberries but the lighting was very shady and I couldn't get the camera adjusted correctly.

4. I baked my very first gluten free blackberry cobbler last night and it tasted like heaven! :)

5. Then I decided to take some pictures of my kitchen with some late summer color in it.

I hope we see some serious improvement over the next year in my photography skills!

Jimmie~ Are you still with me?????