Retreat Sneak Peek

So, since the topic of moving is off the table again, for now... if just for another few years, we decided to keep moving forward with some of the plans for the backyard.

When we first moved here, there was nothing in either the front or the back yards... just grass (and weeds) up to our woodline. Slowly, we've made it ours, and it's really starting to grow up and look somewhat established now. Fencing part of the backyard has had the biggest impact on how we use the space. We've enjoyed the firepit for a couple summers now, and last weekend we finally completed our mini "orchard"... apples, pears, peaches, raspberries, blueberries, grapes and pecans... oh my!

This weekend we are hunting down lots of (free) pallets for a couple other projects, and finishing up the small details towards our "Wildlife Habitat" certification.

Here is a sneak peek at what's going on... on the new sign post that I made.

I see

You hear it all the time about growing 'older'...

how we (well, most of us anyway) start to see things differently.

Our perspectives, insights, expectations, needs, wants, thoughts, etc...

all evolve into something so clear that it's hard to even understand how we never noticed them before.

Almost like someone gave us new eyes to watch life through.

I just read this quote in the back of May's 'O' and

thought it summed up this perk of 'middle' age pretty perfect.

Stand up is a real stand up

Everyone already knows I have pretty limited interest in the TV world and that few topics push me to an emotional ramble... but last night those components came together... during Survivor One World. One kinda' cool detail is that this season got queued on the DVR only because my hubs served a tour in Iraq with Bill... one of the castaways... and the target of last night's episode. I've considered that an element in my disgust, but I think most people that watch Survivor can relate.

A shift in power revealed such a deep rooted heir of superiority from Colton. Unexpected from the same kid that pulled many heartstrings during the first episode when he felt isolated himself. I'm not sure what prompted his attack, but "ghetto trash" Bill is not. He is a combat veteran... one who didn't even feel a need to re-credit himself for that... and a man who showed nothing but great character... even throughout the sometimes misleading editing process. Watching Colton display his ignorance...about class, race and personal differences... stirred some emotions for sure. Reality TV drama aside, there was a truth about Colton's personae... and I never understood how seemingly bright/educated people could stay caught in the narrow thoughts of the past. And sadly because there's still a portion of us that will judge entire groups by only an individual, I hope that Colton's behavior didn't fuel any ignorance towards the LGBT community either, because the two are completely unrelated. Today, I hope Colton recognizes that his new challenges are deserving and that he grows from them... that he learns empathy and acceptance in his own adversity. As for Bill, thank you for representing a class that no amount of money can buy... you didn't win Survivor, but I have a feeling something better is in store for you. Good luck!


Watch Survivor Episode 4 here

Jump start

OBX 2012

So the hubs and I took another quick roadtrip last week... to the Atlantic again. It still feels so selfish to do kid free weekends, but we keep reminding each other that this is a new stage of our life... still unfamilar though.

Whenever my soul needs recharging, I know that some quality time with the sea is required. It's where I feel most like myself... where things always make the most sense... and where it's endless fluidity provides the comfort of my roots no matter where I am. It's my church... my peace.

The ocean always speaks louder... more clearly at night... when no one else is around. My favorite time. There's that sensory change that happens with the darkness... when all you can hear are the persistant waves on the shore... and all you can see is what the moon deems worthy. The damp surface beneath bare toes, always lending a reminder... if we pay attention... that something so individually small can become part of something so big. I don't know if anyone could sit there in that true pause, and not realize just how amazing our world really is.

Grateful and recharged. Again.

Featured

Just a quick thank you to Babble.com for featuring my living room
(more specifically the TV nook over the mantle) 

and blog link in a home improvement article. :)

Check it out here!

Have a seat

I just recently heard another conversation about cell phone etiquette... and it still amazes me that some people are so addicted to their phones (or other electronics), that they are allowed at the family dinner table! An absolute rule in our home and has been since I've been a mother... only people and food are allowed at the table during a meal. Not even the TV is welcome... and let voicemail do it's job for the house phone. What message are we sending when buzzing phones (most likely not that important or urgent) are a higher priority than giving our uninterrupted attention to each other during dinner... at least. We are all becoming slaves to this technology as it is. But I refuse to let it interfere with the time that I consider so important. This is the time that we share, consider, dream, plan, question, solve, and connect as a family, and no FB notification is more significant than that.

End rant.

Our MLK Tribute

Anyone that knows my family, understands why Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
 is held in such high regard in my home.

MLK Memorial Park - NC

And on a personal level, I've always been drawn to his era in history.

MLK Memorial Park - NC

Over the past number of years (6 or 7), we've introduced a  new tradition
on this holiday to pay homeage to him... his life, vision and his spirit.

 And of course, it involves food...

MLK Dinner 2012

Lots of it.
 Old school, traditional Southern cooking
(thanks to JB for teaching me 'the ropes' once upon a time)...
an occasional treat for my 're-conditioned' hubs.

MLK Dinner 2012

 Sunday would have been his 83rd birthday.

I often wonder how different the world would be today if he were still in it,
but so thankful that he was for his 39 years.

"MLK - A man who lived, fought, and died for what he believed in." - Me, circa 1990

RIP

Life Lessons III

Another New Year is upon us already huh? Does each year just gets faster or what? 2011 sure has been an interesting year... one of milestones, debuts, adjustments, and sprinkled with some more life lessons...


Life lesson #7... Change can be good. As I sit here, I realize that I used to hate most change. Not very good at it either, having not dealt with too much "new" in people or things (good, bad or indifferent), so I didn't learn the coping skills to deal with major life changes earlier in life. But the last 7 years especially have been huge in comparison and looking back right now, I can see the positive that ended up because of it. Change can bring opportunity with it... to do ... to be... to see... something different.


Life Lesson #8... Choose your battles wisely... and daily. In the same breathe I can say that my 'filter' has become clogged and my inner voice speaks much more freely now, I can also say that I've also taken on a 'live and let live' approach, where I've adjusted the priorities of what even deserves my time and/or energy. This continues to remind me about what is/should be most important in my little world. Yep, I still fail and have moments when 'needless' things consume my attention... but I keep practicing.


Life Lesson #9... Choose happy. I have definitely realized that happy is a choice... not a place to reach... and there isn't even unicorns or rainbows there. It still kinda' looks like everyday, but it carries with it a grateful heart. The same day can be looked at however we decide. Life is going to hand us some hard things to deal with... and it's pretty unavoidable that we will all have some downright devastating days handed to us throughout our time here. So, in the grande scheme of things, I'm going to keep appreciating and enjoying these less eventful and better days... even the rainy ones.

Happy New Year everyone!


Read Life Lessons II here.

Read Life Lessons I here.

Holiday food rewind

Hope everyone's Christmas was what they expected... with a nice surprise or two thrown in!
With the unseasonable temps we'd been having, it hardly felt like Christmas around here,
but the kitchen always has the power to help out when some extra holiday cheer is needed.

The start of our celebration always begin with making these...

Pizzelles

and...

Italian Anise Cookies

Growing up, nothing said Christmas Eve much like those two on a plate garnished 

with some ribbon candy at my Aunt and Uncle's house.
(aka comfort food)

Here are our gingerbread masterpieces...

And the winner is...

On Christmas morning, we always host a brunch...

And this year, I experimented with a few ideas that I found on Pinterest.

Of course anything with bread and cheese is always a big hit right? 

Here's the recipe that I used for the 'wreath' here.

Breakfast Wreath

Rather than standard sized pancakes, these mini pancakes worked out better as a side. 

Same recipe as you'd normally use, just spoon the mix into the pan with a tablespoon 

then stack a few together with a toothpick.
Oh, and add a berry to counter some of that guilt... 

Mini Pancakes

A simple festive touch added to the fruit bowl using a cookie cutter.

We actually made these acorn cookies for Thanksgiving, but thought 

they deserved a mention. Are they not cute?

You can find the instructions we used for these here.

Acorn Cookies

Speaking of Thanksgiving... since I didn't do a post...

Before

After

Our buffet style Thanksgiving 2011

Coming out of this carb overload, I'm already on Day 4 of an early "resolution". 

Since I enjoy cooking and eating, I have no choice but to move around a little lot more. 

Ready, Go.

The spirit of Christmas

I wrote this post last year after a very proud moment, 

and wanted to re-post it again this year to spread a little holiday cheer ...

Doing some last minute scurrying thru the aisles of Walmart during the week of Christmas, my son and I found ourselves suffering the consequences of long lines with fellow procrastinators. To keep ourselves entertained during the wait, we laughed at the always ridiculous stories found among the newspaper tabloids in front of us. We just couldn't believe that Oprah was pregnant (again), but there it was in black and white, so it must be true... ahem.

Anyway, I noticed that the line seemed to get even slower as we finally approached the glorious register. I looked ahead and recognized the look on the face of the woman in front of us... it was the "Dammit.Hurry-up-and-choose-the-least-important-things-to-put-back-before-the-line-behind-us-gets-all-judgy-and-impatient" look. 

The dad shot us a warm smile with an apologetic shrug of his shoulders. I returned the "No-worries.Been-there.Done-that." expression. They finally figured it out, and each of their three young children was handed a bag to carry as the mom waited for the receipt.

Without skipping a beat, my 15 year old stepped forward and said to the cashier, "Um, let me get those" pointing to the small pile of misfit groceries. I took it all in as fast as I could, and tears welled up in my eyes as I realized what he was doing.

The mom instantly resisted with "Oh, no hunny", and the dad said, "Hey, let him be the gentleman that he wants to be." With that, my eyes started streaming... and hers did too. 

The cashier... well, he had the same confused expression as her kids, seeing their mommy and this strange woman (me) start crying from out of the blue. 

I looked on with much pride as D payed for the items...with his own money from his own paycheck... he stated, "It's Christmas, so... Merry Christmas" in his recently deeper voice, as he handed them the bag.

We shared a few more pleasantries, and I'm pretty sure I saw a tear threatening to drop onto the dad's cheek before they walked away. I don't even remember paying for my things after that. I just remember walking back thru the parking lot, joking with D that we are only the first of many grown woman that he is going to make cry. 

He tried to hide his grin... "It's no big deal" he said in his typical laid back manner, as he wiggled the car keys from my hand before getting into the driver's seat. And I didn't even use my "passenger side brake" one time the whole way home...

Elf on a Shelf

(google image)

How bad is it that this concept pulls on my maternal 'baby' strings a little more than necessary. I'm not that crazy, but I do wish this would have been around when my kids were little for a fun tradition. For those unfamiliar, Elf on the Shelf reports back to Santa with tales of naughty/nice, etc. I love how creative some are getting at staging the elf around the house.

Here's a website with 100 cute ideas.

Of course nothing is without it's critics. Some don't like to promote the fantasy. That's cool... to each his own... but I bet there are hardly many kids out there resentful about how that buck really appeared under their pillow, or how those eggs got hidden in the living room either. Ah, live a little... magic in this world is too limited anyway.

30 days hath November

I can't believe that it's the last day of November... the last few weeks have flown by! Lots of busy... lots of thoughts. While I've learned to carry gratitude with me for longer than the holiday season, I wanted to keep with the tradition, so...

I am grateful...

for my children's health, spirit and relationship. I love seeing the combination that our expectations, balanced with their growing freedom of self presents, especially now that they are both becoming young adults.

for a husband that busts his booty and defines unconditional love.

for family and friends that have my back, and even the ones that don't... or just can't right now.

for both down time, and too much to do.

for free will and an open mind.

for the strength to fight tired thoughts, and the decision that led me to here.

for music that makes me dance.

for those best moments we have when we are in the absolute present and the memories that let us relive them again.

for the ocean and the way it makes me feel.

and for migraine meds...

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, 

turn routine jobs into joy, 

and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” 

— William Arthur Ward

And your name is?

Anyone hosting Thanksgiving this year? 

I'm making these cute place setting tags to order - customized - for my ETSY shop. 

Check them out here!

Polymer Clay Charms

I've been playing around with some ideas, and came up with these pieces of jewelry yesterday. All the charms are made out of raw polymer clay, hand stamped and painted.

I'd love to get some feedback on them. Are they worthy of selling? Anything you would change? Do you have a favorite? But tell me what you really think, and not that they are great just because you love me. Please leave a comment below... there's even an anonymous comment option if you want to tell me they suck. :) Thanks in advance!

See some other handmade clay jewelry that I've made here.

Meanwhile, during a muse

To follow suit in expressions of gratitude, I want to say this... today I am thankful for a supportive husband and encouraging friends that believe in me, more than I believe in myself... xox.

15 seconds of marriage

A benefit of not watching a lot of tv, and the selective power of DVR when I do watch something, is that I can usually maintain a healthy level of ignorance to "reality" shows and celebrity gossip. Yep, I probably miss a whole lot of pop culture references... and I'm totally okay with that. Facebook always calls attention to the "important" stuff going on anyway... like yesterday, Kim Kardashian filed for divorce after only 72 days of marriage. Not at all a shocker, but I guess what strikes me is the amount of money that was spent on this wedding. 10.million.dollars. Her engagement ring's cost alone could literally feed a third world country. So wasteful and selfish. Who are they (the girls) anyway? Sure, they are a beautiful family... but there's a lot of beautiful families out there. Where's the talent... the humanity... the great story that made society create this ridiculous platform for them to flaunt their self importance, while we look on like peasants, awaiting their empty instruction. Sigh. (Stepping off soap box and going back to my rock)

3 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins

These are the easiest muffins to make! Non dairy too. 

Just 3 ingredients... one cake mix, a 15 ounce can of (pure) pumpkin and 1/2 cup water. 

Mix ingredients together, pour into liners, and bake @ 375* for 20 -25 mins.

You could also stick some icing on top and call it a cupcake,

or make a layer cake with the same ingredients... click here!

Cutting strings and bows

Lately, some things have felt what I can only describe as weird. Not weird bad... just weird different. Our home feels like it's in this temporary 'transitional' stage... but knowing that it's continuous ... such an obscure feeling to explain. Not only because our daughter left for college, but also because our son is a free spirit... with his license and a busy schedule. I forgot (denied?) that all these milestones would happen at the same time.

I realized that when our kids were born, we were surrounded by other new parents. Everything was the "norm" between households... we all shared similar lifestyles, common topics, and busy rhythms throughout the years raising our kids. But now, our family is among the first in our group to arrive here. Not empty... but so much quieter. I'm trying to appreciate this free time, but it's not comfortable yet. I still feel selfish in some strange way... like I'm always forgetting something...

But I'm taking in every moment.

Homemade clay bracelets

Polymer clay is a versatile and fun medium to work with, 

and so easy to integrate into jewelry making.

Just hand knead the clay (good stress reliever too) until pliable,
and then roll smooth. 

Create the shapes you want - cookie cutters are great for this.

Not the same set you use for the sugar cookies though. :)

Pierce any holes you need for jump rings, etc., before baking.

Bake 275* for 15-30 minutes 

(check clay brand for specific cooking instructions).

Let cool completely.

Add glaze/poly coat and let dry.

Attach ribbon, cord or chain to (overall) 7 inch length.

The one furthest to the right is actually a distressed
washer used the same way.


The cream one has a thumbprint pressed into the clay 

(before baking)...

a fun gift idea for parents and other loved ones. 

See more bracelets here.

Awesome Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

1 cup butter - softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp hot water
3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups chocolate chips



~Cream butter and sugars together.
~Beat eggs, and add one at a time.
~Add vanilla and salt.
~Dissolve baking soda in hot water and add to mixture.
~Stir in flour and chocolate chips.


Scoop generous spoonfuls on to ungreased baking sheet.
~Bake in preheated 350* for 10-13 minutes

Turning 39

39! Saturday marked the beginning of my final year of thirty-something. Certainly a birthday (week) of epic celebrations with much thanks to my hubs, kids, and friends! And while occasional comments like "Did you give birth at 4?", when introducing my kids, still fuel my denial... I can assure you that my body doesn't feel the same air of youthfulness first thing in the morning... especially after a night out... and all those damn shots. Who's idea was that anyway? But I digress. Here's the deal. I had shared a post about a week ago about a woman that spent her 38th birthday doing 38 random acts of kindness. It inspired me, but I'll admit that my birthday was a little lot less selfless than hers. Sooo, I decided to spend the next 39 days acting on that inspiration. Yesterday, October 16th to November 23rd (ironically my late Gram's birthday <3), I will do at least one act of kindness per day. I'm not sure how "random" they will all be, as I imagine some days will have an ordinary, subtle gesture (like holding a door or testing my traffic etiquette), but I want to make others fun and creative... and I'm hoping that more ideas present themselves too. I'll keep them updated on the new tab at the top of this page... check it out!

Homemade Card Ideas

 Many holidays and occasions are acknowledged with a quick store bought card, but when I have the time, I prefer to make a homemade card. They are inexpensive, easy to make, and more personal for the recipient. You can customize not only the size and message, but also select papers and embellishements to fit their personality. The materials and tools are the pretty much the same as for scrapbooking, so no need to buy additional products if you are already a paper crafter. And a great way to use those smaller cardstock scraps instead of throwing them out. Here are some ideas (ones that I've actually thought to take pictures of before sealing the envelope). 

BIRTHDAY

THANK YOU

WEDDING/ANNIVERSARY

BABY

GRADUATION

FATHER'S DAY

OTHER

Random Acts of Kindness

This is great and so inspiring...

a woman celebrates her birthday doing one random act of kindness for every year of her life.

http://mixmingleglow.com/blog

Easy Apple Crisp Recipe

   

8 apples - cored & cubed
                 (I prefer granny smith for baking)

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup flour

1 cup old fashioned oats

2/3 cup butter - softened to room temperature

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp nutmeg

~Mix brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and nutmeg together.

~Cut butter in to dry ingredients until moist.

~Grease 9 x 13 baking pan, spread apples, and crumble mixture over apples.

~Bake in preheated 375* oven for about 40 mins (or until apples are tender)

~Serve warm, topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!