Living a beautifully blessed life

Sushi Wednesday!

2012-02-08T16:53:00.004-05:00

I have had seaweed wraps in the pantry just waiting to be used for way too long!

I had never made sushi on my own before, and honestly, it was a lot of work for lunch for one person, but in the end it was delicious!

I filled the rolls with brown rice, avocado slices, slivered cucumber, and matchstick carrots... mmmm!

Followed directions from this blog

I put too much rice on the first roll, but by the second all of the kinks were worked out!

Not trying to go pro or anything, but I'm pretty proud of it :)

This Crazy Life!!

2012-01-26T18:16:00.004-05:00

This semester is flying by!

Here are the top ten things going on in our lives lately:

1. We have stuck to our healthy {mostly} eating routine. Both have continued to eat vegetarian and DJ has stayed away from sugary sweets completely. I have managed to keep my resolution and have planned at least two meals a week ahead of time. These Mexican Baked Eggs were my most recent accomplishment

visit here for the recipe:

http://www.closetcooking.com/2011/09/mexican-baked-eggs.html

2. I got a car!!! We made it through the first 8 months of being married with just one, which was not easy, but definitely worth it for how much money we saved,
and I love my cute little zippy car! :)

3. We are still at the same church and in the same Sunday school class, studying Song of Solomon right now, which continues to challenge us in our relationships with the Lord and each other everyday.

4. I started swimming... I was researching the most efficient way to get maximal resistance and cardio training at the same time and that was it, so now I run most days and swim 2 or 3 days a week.

5. Gross Dissection. Is exactly what it sounds like, we are dissecting a human body this semester, which I am surprisingly LOVING. There are so many things about the human body that I appreciate so much more now that I have seen it all in person! Our buddy was a 90 year old pilot who died of prostate cancer... SO interesting!

I am so thankful for the people who donate their bodies to science, we really have learned so much through this.

6. DJ has really enjoyed looking into getting more involved in politics, especially the Presidential race, which has given us some awesome discussions lately, and surprisingly enough, we have come out on the same side in almost everything :)

7. The bulk of my classes are based on orthopedics this semester. I have been focused on learning how to evaluate patients, use ambulatory devices (crutches, walkers, etc) correctly, and tons of really interesting information about injury and treatment mechanisms.

8. We still love taking Peyton for walks as often as we can {this is where most of our political discussion and plans for the future get talked out, which is always tons of fun (in my oppinion)}

9. We have started reading Frances Chan's book Crazy Love together. Which for those of you who are not familiar, it is about the crazy awesomeness of our God and how unbelievably amazing it is how and why He loves us. It really helps us keep everything going on in perspective and focused on what really matters

10. DJ still plays basketball pretty much every chance he can get, which works out perfectly for us right now because I study all. the. time.

That is the story of our lives right now. We went out to lunch with some friends after church Sunday and were asked how we manage things, with me living the student life and DJ being a grown up. Neither DJ nor I had any sort of answer. Our life is crazy and chaotic, but really, whose isn't? At the end of the day we just have to realize that everything happens for a purpose and the Lord is molding and shaping us right now for His master plan.

Some New Favorites

2012-01-07T11:59:00.007-05:00

In my last few days before classes start I have been trying some new recipes to see what is possible and what is just too time consuming. Last night I made baked tomato slices and baked sweet potatoes. Not the best paired together, but I did want to try both and they were both pretty simple and very tasty :)

Baked Sweet Potatoes:

Ingredients:

2 sweet potatoes
2 T extra virgin olive oil
dashes of rosemary, thyme, salt, and black pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees & lightly grease a baking dish

2. scrub sweet potatoee & remove ugly spots and ends

3. slice into ~1 inch square pieces

4. in a mixing bowl combine ingredients, stir until potatoes are coated with oil & spices

5. spread in a single layer along baking dish and place in the oven for about an hour, or until potatoes reach desired texture. Halfway through baking I flipped potato pieces and brushed tops with oil.

The recipe I began with I found here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-sweet-potatoes/

But wanted to keep the skin on and ended up using different spices :P

Baked Tomato Slices:

Ingredients:

1 cup of plain breadcrumbs
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
2 t "Italian seasoning" from the spice rack
2 sliced tomatoes
1 egg
1/2 cup mozarella cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a jellyroll pan

2. Slice tomatoes into rounds

3. You will need two bowls. In the first, crack and lightly beat the egg. In the second, mix the breadcrumbs, cheese, and seasoning

4. Dip each tomato slice in the egg and then the breadcrumbs, coating both sides with each, and then place the breaded slice on the jellyroll pan.

5. Place the pan in the oven for 30 minutes. Flip the tomato slices after 15 minutes. Sprinkle the mozarella cheese on with 3-5 minutes remaining.

Again, the idea for this recipe came from here, but was very modified: http://twofoodfuddies.blogspot.com/2011/07/farm-girls-baked-fried-green-tomatoes.html

Not the best picture, and DJ added some pasta to make his a little bit more substantial, but overall both recipes were absolutely delish :)

The Easiest Granola EVER

2012-01-06T11:10:00.008-05:00

I started making this in high school using the Bread Beckers cookbook. My grandpa LOVED it, adopted the recipe, and always has a huge tub of it at their house. Anyways, there is not much bang to a bowl of fruit with unsweetened almond milk, so hopefully a 1/4 cup of this will liven it up a little bit:

The Easiest Granola Ever

Ingredients for base:

4 c. rolled oats
1 stick of butter
1/2 c. of honey

You can add whatever you want to this! I have tried adding nuts, coconut, cinnamon, raisins, even sesame seeds, and all are super good. This time I went with good ol' cinnamon & raisins :)

Bake on a lightly greased jelly roll pan at 400 until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

And THAT IS IT! :)

For more information about Bread Beckers visit here: http://www.breadbeckers.com/

20 Secrets of Very Fit People

2012-01-06T09:00:00.000-05:00

1. Keep a water bottle with you at all times and drink from it often. Water should always be your drink of choice. To kick things up every once in a while, try adding lemon, lime, cucumber, or a few berries to liven up the flavor without adding significant calories.

2. Look at exercise as a pleasure and a privilege, not a burden or chore. Think positively about the changes regular exercise will produce. Rather than obsessing about your next meal, get excited about your next workout!

3. Eat well-balanced meals and remember that excess calories, even if they’re from food that’s fat free and high in protein, will turn to excess weight. No matter what the latest fad diet says, extra calories equal extra weight!

4. Limit caffeine and exposure to even secondhand smoke.

5. Focus on short-term fitness goals with an emphasis on completing daily exercise.

6. Keep a daily log of what you’re actually eating. This includes every time you grab a handful of chips here or eat the crust of your kid’s sandwich there, and ALL of your snacking.

7. Enjoy an occasional (once a week) “unhealthy” treat, but never an unhealthy week or unhealthy vacation.

8. Enjoy contributing to the health of others by having a partner or friends to exercise with, as well as recruiting others who want to feel better and have more energy. Have a neighbor who’s sitting on the porch every morning when you walk by? Ask him or her to join you on your walk!

9. Avoid monotony by taking up new forms of exercising, or using things that keep you motivated and inspired, like new shoes or great music.

10. Subscribe to fitness magazines to keep focused on health as an overall way of life.

11. Invest in the right tools—good shoes, a portable MP3 player or iPod®, fitness equipment, a new series of tapes, etc.

12. Make it your goal to do some form of exercise 6 or 7 days a week. If some days you exercise once in the morning and once in the evening, even better! If you’re eating right, exercise will fuel your energy level!

13. Don’t compare your body to others’. Instead, work to be your personal best.

14. If your diet is unbalanced, take daily vitamin and mineral supplements for total health.

15. Work to take your exercise to new levels of intensity.

16. Create an exercise schedule the day before instead of leaving it to chance or waiting to “find” the time. If our last three Presidents of the United States can make time to work out every day, you can make time too!

17. Move beyond the boundaries of weight loss and into total fitness. Measure success by the way your clothes fit, not some number on a scale.

18. Stick with eating plans you can maintain indefinitely. Remember that no matter how hard you’re working out, if you’re consuming too many calories, you’ll never see the muscles that lie beneath layers of fatty tissue.

19. Get adequate amounts of sleep, but remember that people who exercise regularly fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.

20. Limit alcohol intake to special occasions.

(Source:http://thehealthystrawberry.tumblr.com/post/12760246091/20-secrets-of-very-fit-people)

Healthy for the Month of January

2012-01-05T12:40:00.004-05:00

I have been reading books on diet and living for health lately. Out of the kindness of his heart, DJ agreed to watch the documentaries Forks Over Knives and Food Inc with me. Both address how the food in the is supermarket unhealthy and how terrible the American diet is for health.

I highly suggest watching both of them, while politics are present in both, they each report compelling factual information that is at least worth looking into.

Anyway, eating for health has never been a key motivator for my husband. As far as he was concerned, whatever food would save him the most money and still taste good was what he would eat.

However, on New Year's Eve, DJ brought up to me that he planned on cutting out all sugary sweets in the new year, and also wanted to try eating vegetarian for the month of January, to see if what the documentaries claimed would actually happen {more energy, weight management, and better health overall}.

All of that being said, I am now on a quest to expand my vegetarian/vegan repertoire of recipes as much as possible so we eat healthy plant based meals without getting sick of eating the same things everyday.

The coolest part is that I did not pressure him at all, this was completely out of the blue! I am sure part of it was him wanting to support me in my efforts to eat healthy, but it means so much to me that he is being interested in what I am :)

Anyway, last night I tried vegetarian recipe #1 from the Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health cookbook. It was more dairy heavy than I had hoped and did not win any glamour points(hence the lack of picture), but it was delicious and DJ inhaled it.

Greek Vegetable Pie
page 204 - serves 6 - hands on time 50 minutes - baking time 35 minutes
Ingredients:
Crust:
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
Filling:
2 T olive oil
3 C asparagus, 1-inch pieces
1/4 t salt
3 cups thinly sliced leeks, using the white and tender green parts, thoroughly rinsed (this came out to about 2 stalks for me)
1 cup diced red bell peppers (I used 1 whole pepper)
3 ounces neufchatel cheese
1 cup grated or crumbled feta cheese
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
pinch of ground black pepper

Instructions:

In a food processor, pulse the crust ingredients until crumbly. Set aside
Warm oil in a skillet or saucepan on medium head. Add the asparagus and salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the leeks and cook for 3 minutes. Add the bell peppers, cover, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until all of the vegetables are tender, 5 or 6 minutes. Place the neufchatel on top of the vegetables, cover, turn off the heat, and let sit for several minutes to soften.
Meanwhile, press the crust mixture into a lightly oiled 9-inch pie plate
Stir the neufchatel throughout the vegetables. Add 3/4 cup of the feta cheese and the eggs, dill, and black pepper to the skillet and mix well. Spread the filling in the pie crust and top with the remaining feta
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until the filling is set and golden, about 35 minutes

Moosewood Variations:

use 2 or 3 chopped softened sun-dried tomatoes in place of the olives in the crust
use broccoli instead of asparagus

My Variations:

Substitutions: green olives for kalamata, frozen asparagus for fresh, used dill from a spice jar rather than fresh
used the pie dish I had which was 9.5"

Nutrition information for 1 serving:
Calories: 364, Protein: 14g, Carbohydrate: 30g, Dietary Fiber: 5g, Total Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 139mg, Sodium: 716mg

Moosewood suggests to keep this recipe in mind for when you have some leftover rice. I made a bean salad from scratch to accompany the pie.

Chili Bean Salad

Ingredients:
1 can of drained and rinsed chili beans
1 roma tomato, diced
1/2 of a medium cucumber, chopped
1/4 cup of chopped sweet onion
1 T chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup thawed frozen corn
1 clove of minced garlic
dash of salt, pepper, & balsamic vinegar (to taste)

Combine ingredients and enjoy :)

Resolutions!

2012-01-03T12:20:00.002-05:00

2012 looks promising so far!
We both have laid out some attainable resolutions and hope to stick to them :)

Due to Peyton coming down with a kennel cough, it slowed our time down a little bit. I spent some time in the bathroom "steaming" him to try and loosen what was in his chest a little bit. While all of this was a bit tedious, it did give me some good down time to decompress, slow down, and pray. And my prayers were answered in a big way.

I over-stress myself much more than necessary and I took Peyton's cough as the Lord telling me to slow down, and enjoy the time I have with the people I am with. I did not do this well on New Year's eve, leading DJ to be frustrated with me and in hindsight me being disappointed in myself. {We left Peyton with my sisters overnight, but instead of leaving him, I kept my phone on my hip, worrying excessively, and not enjoying the time we had with DJ's siblings}

Anyways, in my times of reflection and prayer, I felt like the Lord affirmed my efforts to start fresh and try and stick with these resolutions:

plan at least two meals a week ahead of time, so we do not get sick of our "usual" meals and try new things!
eat {and stick to} a plant based diet, not for weight, but for health.
spend time with the Lord daily
limit my social media use {how can I find so much time for facebook and not fit in a devo or run, really?}
pray for DJ without ceasing
overall, seek the Lord in all I do, be the Godly woman He has created me to be
act on the opportunities the Lord has given me, and see all things as blessings
give of myself without ceasing, and know that the closer I am to Him, the more of myself I give, the more He will refill me
walk Peyton everyday (for his health, mine, and decompressing my stress)
try and make time to work out, but not beat myself up if I don't

Overall, I want to manage my life in a way honoring to the Lord, so that the stress that I let overcome me will not have a foundation to stand on, because my foundation will be in the confidence and peace of the Lord.

That is what it all comes down to. I can work-out and eat healthy to decrease stress, but the more I rely on myself, the more I am inviting that stress in. It is when I think I am in control that the stress can take root, but by realizing things are not up to me, and God is in control, that is when the weight will be taken off of my shoulders, and the stress will not be mine to bear :)

Playing Catch Up

2012-01-02T10:52:00.000-05:00

Christmas time came and went and was absolutely wonderful. There was never a dull moment. Always something fun or exciting going on and always someone to spend time with :)

We kicked off the end of the semester with a PT tacky sweater party :) I then was able to take a week or so of down time until we headed to Atlanta for Christmas :)

We were only in Atlanta for about a day but in that time my mother had a Christmas tea, we celebrated our own Christmas morning at home, and concluded that day celebrating Christmas with DJ's family at their Feliz Navidad celebration!
We spent the 23rd driving from Atlanta to Michigan (undocumented, for obvious reasons), shortly after we arrived at Nona & Grandpa's house we had some unexpected visitors, who kicked our whole visit off to a good start! :)
Christmas eve day was wonderful, we ran some errands during the day, went to 4 o'clock mass with my grandparents,

and then went to my Aunt Kathy & Uncle Joe's to celebrate with family
Christmas morning was spent at my grandparents with cousins, we then headed out to my Aunt Steph & Uncle Matt's house for my favorite meal of the entire year of homemade ravioli. We ate and ate and played TONs of different games too :)
The day after Christmas we had a huge bowling party which was a reunion with about 75 of our closest cousins ;)
On the 27th we headed up to Paula and Steve's house for their annual snow or shine sledding party, which is always so nice and relaxed, we always have fun catching up with (you guessed it) cousins
I would just like to point out that DJ did not sled, he did not want to get wet and cold {pansy}
We did end up getting a beautiful snow that day and took this right before we left (a little narnia-esque for me, but still cute)

Rochester, Michigan has the coolest light display, and we were complete tourists and took loads of pictures around them :)
Stopped for pizza on the way home: Gluten free crust? Yes please! :)

We drove home the following day, Lindsey had her annual Euchre party on the 30th and DJ and I spent New Year's Eve at DJ's brother's house.

Unfortunately, Peyton came down with a kennel cough, putting a little bit of a damper on things, but we ended up staying home on the 1st and were able to meet some of Lindsey and Audrey's friends from school.

I know, this is a little bit over the top information wise, but I have the worst memory ever, and want to remember all that I can about my favorite Christmas yet :)

It was the little things that made it memorable, my gift from DJ was a HUGE surprise and meant so much to me. DJ was willing to stay in the basement with my sisters at my Nona's & Grandpa's house and witness/take part in our silliness. DJ meeting ALL of the family and not letting it overwhelm him/handling it like a rock star. Jill getting engaged and reminiscing about how much fun/stressful that time was for us. :P

Anyways, better late than never, but I hope you enjoyed your holidays as much as we did :)

Merry Christmastime :)

2011-12-20T13:25:00.000-05:00

It is our first Christmas together and I am loving every minute of it :)

The Merriest of Christmases!

2011-12-06T12:45:00.007-05:00

It has been almost four months since I have been signed on here, I have missed it so much!

The place in my heart that loved reading blogs, crafting, and posting pictures to stay in the loop with family and friends, was filled with anatomy, biomechanics, and researching for way too long! I love all of that, but can not wait to take a breather from it all!

It has been a tough semester, but finals are almost over, my grades a pretty set, and I am SO ready for a break!

I am on a quest to find a number on the scale that has alluded me lately, clean our lived in disaster of an apartment, and conquer the mile high mound of laundry that has accumulated over the past stressful couple of weeks.

{yes, it has been a couple of weeks since I've done laundry, don't judge}

Despite life and hectic-ness happening over the past few months, we are still the same little newly-wed family, trying to love every minute of our insanity :)

More updates to come, but for now...

Merry Christmas from our home to yours! :)

Until Christmas Time...

2011-08-22T18:39:00.006-04:00

It has started... real life in the form of PT school.

So far, everyday has been a constant battle to keep my head above water, yet I am loving {almost} every minute of it!

It took me a little while to get acclimated. I still am not entirely convinced I really understand what we will accomplish by the end of our three years {let alone the end of this semester!}

But I am welcoming it with open arms because I KNOW this is where the Lord has put me {and us},

not on accident but as part of his intentional plan.

Due to this drastic change in well, everything, I don't think I will be blogging for awhile. I wish I could, because I love chronicling things and keeping those who care in the loop. I would love to look back at a photo documented few years, but thats just not in the cards right now.

So, on that note, I am headed back to my semi-permanent location of my head burried in my anatomy book(s).

Au revoir!

Nine Ingredients to Keep Out of Your Diet

2011-08-15T12:52:00.002-04:00

As I start school, I become more and more aware of my desire to eat and live healthfully.

While staying at a target weight is important, I would much rather have as much energy, be as focused, and enjoy life as much as possible!

For me, that means closely monitoring my diet, I know not everyone has the same standards for health as I do but here is a list of nine ingredients everyone should avoid!

Nine Ingredients to Avoid {at all costs!}{not at all costs, but really, they're bad}

1. Artificial Colors

What: Chemical compounds made from coal-tar derivatives to enhance color.
Why: Linked to allergic reactions, fatigue, asthma, skin rashes, hyperactivity and headaches.
Artificial Flavorings

2. Cheap Chemical mixtures that mimic natural flavors

Why? Linked to allergic reactions, dermatitis, eczema, hyperactivity and asthma
Also can affect enzymes, RNA and thyroid.

3. Artificial Sweeteners

What: (Acesulfame-K, Aspartame, Equal®, NutraSweet®, Saccharin, Sweet’n Low®, Sucralose, Splenda® & Sorbitol) Highly-processed, chemically-derived, zero-calorie sweeteners found in diet foods and diet products to reduce calories per serving.
Why: Can negatively impact metabolism
Also, some have been linked to cancer, dizziness hallucinations and headaches.

4. Benzoate Preservatives (BHT, BHA, TBHQ)

What: Compounds that preserve fats and prevent them from becoming rancid.
Why: May result in hyperactivity, angiodema, asthma, rhinitis, dermatitis, tumors and urticaria
Also, can affect estrogen balance and levels.

5. Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO)

What: Chemical that boosts flavor in many citric-based fruit and soft drinks.
Why: Increases triglycerides and cholesterol
Also, can damage liver, testicles, thyroid, heart and kidneys.

6. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

What: Cheap alternative to cane and beet sugar, sustains freshness in baked goods, and blends easily in beverages to maintain sweetness
Why: May predispose the body to turn fructose into fat
Also, increases risk for Type-2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer
Also, isn’t easily metabolized by the liver.

7. MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)

What: Flavor enhancer in restaurant food, salad dressing, chips, frozen entrees, soups and other foods.
Why: May stimulate appetite and cause headaches, nausea, weakness, wheezing, edema, change in heart rate, burning sensations and difficulty in breathing.

8. Olestra

What: An indigestible fat substitute used primarily in foods that are fried and baked.
Why: Inhibits absorption of some nutrients
Also, is linked to gastrointestinal disease, diarrhea, gas, cramps, bleeding and incontinence.

9. Shortening, Hydrogenated, and Partially Hydrogenated Oils
(Palm, Soybean and others)

What: Industrially created fats used in more than 40,000 food products in the U.S. {Cheaper than most other oils.}
Why: Contain high levels of trans fats, which raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol, contributing to risk of heart disease.

Harvard's Take on the Food Pyramid

2011-08-08T15:59:00.007-04:00

This food pyramid is SO much more accurate than the FDA food pyramid! This food pyramid is from the Harvard University Health site.

1. DAILY EXERCISE is very very VERY important!

Daily exercise should be part of your routine. We all know that only eating healthily isn’t enough to remain completely healthy.

2. HEALTHY FATS AND OILS are not bad for you. In fact, they should be an essential part of your diet, especially plant based oils.

3. VEGETABLES AND FRUITS should not be limited by a number of servings.

4. Good whole grain CARBOHYDRATES are just as important as fruits and vegetables!

6. NUTS, SEEDS, BEANS AND TOFU - these should be part of your daily diet.

Nuts, seeds, tofu and legumes should be part of what you eat everyday. They are another source of all sorts of vitamins and minerals, calcium (tofu), plenty of fiber, protein and good fats (nuts). Beans keep you full for a really long time!

7. FISH, POULTRY AND EGGS should also be an essential part of your diet.

8. Alcohol IN MODERATION

9. Dairy products/Calcium supplements - eat 1 to 2 servings.

Dairy is not the only source for calcium, there are many vegetables, such as broccoli, that have high levels of calcium. Tofu is also a good supply of calcium.

10. USE SPARINGLY - RED MEAT & BUTTER, REFINED GRAINS, POTATOES, SUGARY DRINKS & SWEETS, SALT

It may be a little of a surprise to find red meat in this category but red meat is incredibly hard to digest and often very high in saturated fats, as is butter. Refined grains such as white rice, bread and pasta are highly processed, bleached, and are high GI and should be eaten very little if not at all. Potatoes are also a form of carbohydrates to consume sparingly.

Just An Antler {or Two}

2011-08-04T12:44:00.005-04:00

If there is one thing my husband has learned, it is that when I want something, I am so much worse than a dog with a bone.
If there is one thing I have learned, it is that my husband is much more "by the book" than I am.
I like to think I am conventionally unconventional.
I love to find alternative routes to reach a goal, place, or pretty much anything that would save more time or money than the "conventional" method.

When I got the idea in my head that I would love to have an antler to put on our bookshelf, I was pretty sure I knew how my husband would respond.
He said what I expected to a "t"

Last Night:

Me: So how do you feel about antlers?
DJ: {questioning look}{imagine Despicable Me "Whaaa?"}
Me: Well, I think I might buy an antler {or two} to put on the bookshelf

Here it comes... wait for it....

DJ: But We Don't Hunt.

I knew it!
Where is the rule that you must hunt to have an antler?!?!?!
I don't want a whole moose head on our wall, just one little antler!

I know, you're probably thinking "poor DJ"
But NOT poor DJ!
He has done this every step of the way in decorating our apartment,
he looks at me like I'm a crazy person {which is a possibility} before, but ends up liking things once they're put together.

Anyways, PT school starts in two weeks, so I do need to bring my summer full of blog reading, pinterest pinning, craft attempting, and overall decor loving to an temporary end.
I will probably not get an antler {or two} in the next two weeks, but I can still love decorating with them.

{I bet Keri Russell didn't hunt the moose that antler belonged to... just saying}

Last night was wonderful, just big salads {his with buffalo chicken, mine with beans a corn}
for dinner, followed by some quality How I Met Your Mother watching :)
I love our simple life. I just keep praying we will still be able to have some of those nights even after school starts :)

Decorating with Antler Accents?

2011-08-03T15:37:00.004-04:00

Love the look!
They're rustic but can be combined with pretty much any other decorative style :)

{the turtle shells on the wall kind of creep me out, but love the antlers on the table :)}

What do you think? :)

Definitely Not Using the "V" Word

2011-08-03T12:56:00.006-04:00

So, I have been eating meat-free for the past three weeks or so.

I am not a real fan of the word "vegetarian"
I feel like when most people say it they have a purist "I'm better than you" mindset about it. While it is a conscious disciplined lifestyle, its definitely not a superiority thing. Everyone's bodies are different, some respond well to eliminating meat, whereas it would be detrimental for others.

For me, it has been great, I sleep better and have more energy throughout the day.
Since eliminating meat has been so successful, I decided to try going all the way animal free.

I was already mostly there, why not? :)

It was pretty easy for me to eliminate meat, fish, and eggs right off the bat three weeks ago.
It was the cheese holding me back. I know its SO fattening and not even good for me, but it adds so much flavor to things! I don't do much dairy, but where I do, I REALLY do. :/

Parmesan cheese, half & half, and pizza are the three main culprits.
Pizza most of all (I LOVE pizza, probably more than most kids I know... its bad)

So, last Friday we took a little date to EarthFare.
LOVED exploring. Hubby found some out of the ordinary German beer, and I found...

Vegan sliced cheese

Vegan Pizza

Vegan Parmesan Cheese

and....
Soy Coffee Creamer

I figured it would be fun to try and at least see if it could work.
EPIC FAIL.
On all levels :(

First of all, I have read in more than one place that excessive soy consumption is not great for estrogen levels, guess what one of the main ingredients in all of these products is?
You guessed it!
Soy overload.

Secondly, taste did not compare, while it did add flavor, it was not good, the Parmesan just tasted like I poured a bunch of salt on my pasta, pizza was really spicy and flavorless, and creamer was no more than over priced soy milk (ick! - I'll stick with my almond milk, thank you very much!).

It is totally a mental and marketing thing. I will not die if I do not have dairy substitutes, they add very little to my health. It's labeled "creamer" so it must be better in coffee than regular sweetened soy milk, right? I tell myself "I need Parmesan cheese on my pasta," so I seek an alternative rather than go with out. The main ingredient in the alternative is walnuts... seriously? So instead of going without I put flavored walnuts on my pasta?

Come on Shelb, big picture here!

Finally, the price was not justifiable. The tofurky pizza was $8.99 for a pizza with a diameter less than a foot! I would rather spend our money other places than on overly processed soy and rice products.

In conclusion, I would rather wean myself to eat less dairy than put these things in my body. While they are all animal byproduct free, I can not imagine they are much better for me than the real deal, and are most certainly not better for our budget!

Thank you for listening to my somewhat rant on vegan products :)

The Vow

2011-07-27T14:50:00.004-04:00

Such a sweet trailer!
Rachel McAdams is beautiful and not to mention Channing Tatum!
I hope the movie is a good one!

Some Quickies :)

2011-07-26T09:03:00.005-04:00

Currently: catching up on the bachelorette online {JP, Constantine, Ben maybe? :P}

Recently: spent the weekend at the pool - put in my two weeks notice - have been working A LOT of long shifts

Crafting:
kidney bean wreath {for our "fancy wall"}

jewelry frames for our bedroom wall :)

chalk boards {three different ways and places}

{for the living room}

{for the kitchen}

{for the porch, and the aloe plant, I think?}

Running: I have been! This morning I ran 3.4 miles in 25 minutes... constant increase in mileage and decrease in time! SO exciting and loving my running highs :P

{for real though!}

Reading:

{LOVE this book! Definitely keeps things in perspective and keeps me from pointing the finger, examining myself and my motives more than anything!}
{VERY interesting, out of the box, and alternative}
{pretty raunchy (obviously, from the title) but very informative and inspiring}
{also pretty alternative}

Eating: In response to the last two books I have weaned myself off of meat and am in the process of completely eliminating sugar, empty carbs, and dairy out of my life :)

Life is wonderful, I love my puppy and husband and can't believe classes start in 23 days!

Just Staying on Our Toes! :)

2011-07-19T11:16:00.010-04:00

Another wonderful weekend!
We traveled up to Clemson to spend a couple days with Mike, Sarah, and Madison
and had an absolutely great time!

On the way back to Columbia we stopped in Greenville.
DJ had spent a weekend there and kept telling me about how awesome it was, and I was not disappointed!

This park is pretty much in the middle of downtown Greenville

the bridge over the river definitely adds a cool architectural look

the whole park was just so clean and landscaped

We only stopped for a little while, but completely enjoyed exploring the city :)

We came home to a little bit of a flea scare, but after extensive scrubbing and cleaning, I can confidently say the apartment is cleaner than it probably has ever been
{Still completely gross, I know}

{He was not happy with us 1. for leaving him for the weekend and 2. for giving him a bath pretty much the minute we walked in}

I definitely should have taken extra precautions with it being summertime and all of Peyton's afternoons in the river.
Live and learn!

He hates swimming, but could lounge and play in the river all day long, and I let him :P

On another Peyton note, I have had this fear for awhile and it finally came true yesterday.
When we leave Peyton home alone, he always stays in his kennel.
Yesterday, as I was heading to work, I said "Peyton, get in your kennel"
But forgot to go lock him in.
I left at about 1:15 and around 5:30 DJ came home to this...

{oops}
He did much better than expected, he usually chews on cords
{which could have been a BIG bummer!},
But, needless to say, I hope not to forget again!

We have had an eventful few days, and are enjoying them as much as possible!

I can't believe how time flies! One month from yesterday I will be starting fall classes! {ahhh! and yay! :P}

Thinspiration :)

2011-07-14T17:31:00.006-04:00

I have become one of the many.
The many who gain a few extra LBs as a newlywed.
After a panic moment or two, I have begun to transition from wanna-be homemaker extraordinaire, to a more moderate wife-y role.
{Ironic that this post follows one completely dedicated to food :P}

I have set goals to...

1. Run everyday
{outside is BEST}{love it when I get up early, but nights work too}
2. Alternate abs and arms every other day
3. Walk Peyton every afternoon
{in the hot HOT heat}
4. Drink TONS of H2O
5. Walk on the treadmill while studying as much as possible

So... thinspiration photos
{thanks mostly to Pinterest and we heart it}

Still living a beautifully blessed life :)

Happy Happy Birthday! :)

2011-07-12T11:46:00.008-04:00

Yesterday was SUCH a fun day!
My sweet and wonderful husband of {a little over} 3 months turned 24
and I was sure to take that opportunity to show and tell him how special he is to me :)

Not only did I get to show him how much I care for him, but I was also able to enjoy my day trying new recipes, which were all pretty big hits {yay!}

Breakfast in bed came really early, so I gave these little guys a try

They were as easy as could be, quick, and looked much fancier than they were. Paired with a bagel and cream cheese, breakfast was balanced and filling :)

Once he left for work, the real fun began, making dinner and dessert!
I found a great link on Pinterest to a Family Circle article with some slow-cooker recipes

Beef Stroganoff was our main dish and gets two big thumbs up for its success :)
The only suggestion I have is use regular soy sauce. The recipe called for low sodium soy sauce and while it tasted good, it probably could've used a little bit more flavor.

These rolls were so cute and much easier than they looked! I used basil in the topping instead of oregano {i'm allergic} and they tasted like they had a pesto spread on them {SO good!}

We also had a salad {nothing special} with a vinaigrette dressing :)

And for dessert, oh dessert!
I decided to try this

"The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie n' Oreo Fudge Brownie Bar"

And oh my goodness it was ultimate!

Our simple little birthday table-scape :)

We had such a fun night, and despite what it looks like, we did do more than just eat :P
Presents followed dinner, and a late night watching of Sherlock Holmes after that.

Happy Birthday Babe, I hope it was all you wanted!

Finally, Pillow Covers! :)

2011-07-10T16:06:00.002-04:00

This is the day that the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it! :)
It has been a beautiful day, it began with a nice quiet run this morning and will conclude with an early dinner and an episode of Prison Break (my husband's new {yet old} favorite show) before bed.

Before that, I wanted to share some pictures of our little home with our recent updates, especially the pillow covers, since I was so enthusiastic and dramatic about finding the right fabric.

my favorite and the most complete part of our apartment :)

Love how they turned out, all of the fabric is from fabric.com

The red ticked pillow is Ralph Lauren from Homegoods, but the other two are my covers :)
{yes, he regularly rests his chin on the coffee table... weird... yet still irresistible}

another bookshelf picture, moving things around already! :)

I took this picture of Peyton on Friday afternoon, it was laundry day, there were piles of clothes everywhere, it just seemed like our little home was in chaos, and I absolutely loved that he had no problem with any of it, just cuddled up with a front row seat to my busy day :P

We had a beautiful weekend, on the lake with family Saturday, and met up with them again today for some birthday celebrations :)

Tomorrow is my loving husband's birthday and I have been searching for fun recipes for the past few days to show him how much I appreciate him.

We'll see how it goes!

An {almost} Surprise Party!

2011-07-06T12:44:00.003-04:00

I tried, really really did, but in the last minutes...
it was no longer a surprise, but tons of fun to see everyone, and make him feel special :)

We had a great time at Ashley and Jesse's wedding Friday night,

Saturday had a fun {almost} surprise party,

complete with shuffle board tournament!

Headed to the lake with one of my and my family's favorite families ever on Sunday,

Yes, we tubed, he held me on most of the time, but it was still tons of fun!

Spent a wonderful brunch with my in-laws Monday,

And am now still completely exhausted!

Needless to say we had a wonderful weekend, spent with family and good friends, and enjoyed remembering and discussing the reason for the celebration of those who risked their lives to give us the freedoms we cling to today :)

Back to School Gifts :)

2011-06-30T12:16:00.007-04:00

Last year I made each of my sisters one of these picture boards, as a "going back to school" gift.

I loved how they turned out and was so excited to see them in their rooms when I went to visit.

While we were in Atlanta a few weeks ago the question came up "what are you going to make us this year?"
As a person who loves 1. gift giving and 2. trying new projects
I jumped on researching right away!
And found this project for them

Love. It.
I knew finding cute yet solid frames for a low price would be difficult, so I quickly started scouring Craigslist, only to find over-priced, ugly, and disappointing :/

Anyways, Tuesday I was going to see my new Columbia doctor for a check up and on my way passed a Salvation Army Thrift Store. I stopped in and it was wonderful!
No, it wasn't Nordstrom wonderful, but for 2.99 each I was able to score these two very solid {albeit a little on the mangled side} wooden frames!

I plan to use this cute {very light pink} floral fabric as a background

And spray the frame, hooks, and screening with a light turquoise color :)

On top of that excitement, I finally finished THE tablecloth!
Love it. Love love love it!

Peyton does too, can't you tell? :)

Anyways, tomorrow we are headed back to Atlanta for this wonderful friend's wedding and some 4th of July celebrating!

Can't wait!

The How-to's of Throw Pillows {for and from a beginner}

2011-06-29T08:25:00.012-04:00

Call me a perfectionist or just one with too much time on my hands, but I really do think throw pillows can make or break a room.

I thought it would be easy to make pillow covers, I knew my colors, all I had to do was find some fabrics I liked and make them.... I was SO wrong!

We have a sort of mild nautical/beach theme going on in our living room. Which pretty much means I love navy blue and red and with those two colors the theme would either come out nautical or 4th of July, so we opted for nautical :) We definitely don't have a perfectly themed room, we are decorating with what we have, which makes the pillow fabrics even more important in pulling the room together, instead of apart!

Here is what I am working with:

5 pillows for the sofa and 2 for the arm chair

I'm going to recover all of the pillows, except the one with the red ticking

eventually we will slipcover the arm chair
{but haven't decided if I will try to make or just buy one}

Here are some tips I found so your sofa will be your own, and not look like it just popped out of a cheesy furniture store!

1. Depending on the look, shape, and size you will want 3-5 throw pillows for a sofa. Traditional looks should be more organized, usually using an even number of pillows. For a more modern or eclectic look, try going odd.

2. Try to refer to other pieces in the room, do you have splashy drapes with a muted sofa? Add some coordinating splashy pillows. A print on a chair or ottoman? Consider adding a pillow with that fabric to the sofa to tie the room together.

3. Make sure the throw pillow pattern pulls out at least one color already in your room. You can mix and match, as long as there is a common thread tying everything together

4. Make sure you have at least a pair of matching pillows. When mixing colors and textures it is important not to completely eliminate order, and using the same fabric in two places is a good way to maintain that.

5. Try to mix and match textures and patterns with styles and looks, the idea is to creatively coordinate, and almost tell a story, not to end up with a bland cookie cutter room.

Real Simple has some great simple guidelines here
For more intermediate info visit here

Had to add just one more because I LOVE Serena and Lily! :)

I hope that was helpful,
I know I will definitely be using some of these rules of thumb and photo inspiration to pull things together :)

A Pretty Lazy Summer Day :)

2011-06-27T15:15:00.016-04:00

As her dad was walking her down the aisle

Katherine was stunning and seemed so carefree and joyful the entire night. We had such a wonderful time and are SO excited to add Derek to the family!

The decorations and food were beautiful as well!

They used sunflowers for the centerpieces... LOVE!

Amazing homemade bread!

The weekend was packed full of fun and good family time :)
It was so packed full, upon returning home {very sleep deprived}, we were both in bed with a movie at 7:30, and asleep by 9... definitely one for the books!

Today has been a sluggish one, to say the least. Trying to reset my sleep schedule and cleanse all of the sugar and other goodies out of my system is not an easy task!

However, I have managed to select a number of different fabric ideas for living room pillow covers.

More info and larger pictures here.

And also, pick out fabric for the Christmas projects I want to get done this summer before Physical Therapy school starts!

More info here

Here are the projects I really hope to finish!

Amy Butler Design's free tree skirt pattern

My own {more casual} version of Pottery Barn's Christmas stockings

Our book shelf is finally finished and loaded. I am sure I will continue to move things around, but I am SO happy to have things settled!

The tablecloth is in the process of being completed. I had planned on just sewing two pieces of fabric together, easy peasy, but once I did that and put it on the table, the seam down the middle looked absolutely horrendous! So, now I plan to have a single piece of fabric going down the center of the table, with seams on either side. I hope to FINALLY complete the sewing today or tomorrow :)

Until then, I need to go study the skeletal system to take an online medical terminology test tonight. I LOVE studying this stuff and can't wait to start classes in the fall!

...Gonna Get Married :)

2011-06-24T11:14:00.002-04:00

Yet another wedding weekend! Headed to Atlanta for my wonderful sister-in-law's wedding this weekend.

I am SO excited for them both and can't wait to see her as a beautiful bride! :)

This is The Day! :)

2011-06-23T09:51:00.002-04:00

This is the day the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Psalm 118:24

Joy > Perfection

2011-06-22T09:47:00.006-04:00

As I have looked over my last few blog posts, I felt convicted that all I ever talk about are things I am excited about or joyful about. In the blogging world it is easy to disconnect from reality and seek perfection or try and portray it. While joy and excitement are pretty natural reflections of my personality, I don't want to ever try and portray myself and my life as perfect or unflawed.

I enjoy life and people with my whole heart, not perfectly, but to the best of my ability, thanks to the never-ending grace of God.

I absolutely LOVE how it turned out!

That being said, our projects are still in progress, there were bumps in the road, {most} of which we maneuvered pretty well :)

As beginners in painting, we went into this endeavor pretty blind, other than my online research, which later went to show that oftentimes, street smarts are much better than book smarts!

Most of our frustrations were caused by under-knowledgeable Lowe's sales associates.
We ended up buying a gallon of paint we did not need, which on our home improvement budget was SUCH a bummer, but all in all our wall is blue and I LOVE it.

We definitely had tons of laughs and fun though :)

Our painting extravaganza went a bit like this:

Thursday: Went to Lowe's to purchase what we needed for the project. {The sales associate sold us a gallon of regular paint, after we had told him exactly what the project we were attempting was and the materials we needed}

Saturday morning: We began painting the wall, however, we were dragging the brush through the paint to no avail because the paint dried too quickly :( After a few tries, I ran out to Sherwin Williams seeking answers. The man that helped me there was able to 1. clearly explain the issue to me and 2. tell me exactly which products I needed to go to Lowe's to get to finish our project. Sherwin Williams gets two thumbs up from me!
{Stopped at a Krispy Kreme on my way home to help remedy my sweet husband's frustration... because, yes, we had many moments of very non-perfect communication}

Saturday Afternoon: We took a break from all of that, put our attitudes back in the right place, and headed back to Lowe's. We purchased the correct GLAZE (because we did not need paint at all) choosing a shade lighter than we had wanted, because at this point our wall was completely painted our initial dark blue. The glaze worked perfectly! We did our vertical lines alone the whole wall, ate dinner, and then went to see the movie Midnight in Paris
{which I did not absolutely love, but definitely enjoyed, and did love having a date night :)}

Dragging the brush, top to bottom, and back to the top
His 6'6" height on our 8 foot ceilings really helped!

Rolling the glaze in sections

Sunday Afternoon: We FINALLY finished the wall with the horizontal lines!
Although, the wall does not look as intended, the linen finish does add a subtle depth and seems to soften the wall. {yay!}

In conclusion,
1. I HIGHLY recommend using Sherwin Williams for painting projects, especially faux finishes
2. When working with the correct materials, the linen finish was not difficult, or very time consuming, with two people {thank you, babe}

Aren't they handsome?

Sunday was wonderful, Peyton gave his father a Colts cup, because his namesake is Peyton Manning, and he knows how much his dad loves the Colts ;)

We are SO close to being put together! I can't wait! Just the shelves to paint and we can put the brushes away for awhile!

Pillow covers are very much needed too, I am just having the hardest time deciding on fabric. Hope I can find the perfect fit soon! :)

Happy Wednesday :)

Summer is Almost Officially Here!

2011-06-17T12:19:00.007-04:00

Here it is, my beautiful fabric, home safe and sound. And ready to be made into a cute summer table cloth!

I can't wait to have it on the table, but other projects must come first for the sake of our sanity in our small space.

Peyton and I have been painting since yesterday afternoon. We have primed the book shelf and ice chest (end table) and are almost finished applying a base of cream paint to both pieces. Which we are planning on covering with white paint and {possibly} distressing.

{our current mess and new wall color being tested in the background}

Everything was going really well until Peyton decided to take a nap on the drop cloth, thankfully only one side of his face got painted {he still looks cute and guilty as can be}

Tomorrow is going to be a full day! We bought some paint and are going to try to paint a natural linen finished accent wall using Valspar Deep Twilight Blue.

{Deep Twilight Blue}

{Natural Linen Finish}

We will also be completing the white coat on the book shelf and ice chest, depending on how determined we are...

My husband is a perfectionist, so I know he will not rest until our wall looks wonderful {praise the Lord!} but on the down side, he might not be up for another project in the same day :P

I just hope hope hope that by Sunday our apartment will no longer look like a construction zone, but a peaceful, sane, and settled apartment
...ready for sewing ;)

I guess we will see.
I hope you enjoy your last weekend of Spring in 2011!

Currently Love:

2011-06-16T13:39:00.006-04:00

Reusable Polycarbonate Straws!

They are SO cute and happy
AND
did you know you drink more quickly when you drink through a straw?

SO...

fill your cute little tervis with some H2O and get sipping! :)

Pottery Barn

My Family is Wonderful :)

2011-06-16T12:56:00.007-04:00

They made the trip from Atlanta to stay for less than 36 hours!

During that short time my husband and dad made this book case

{from scratch.. using an old door for the sides... yay!}
{and jump starting our painting and project plans}

We spent the morning exploring historic Charleston

{I turned into quite the little shutter bug}

And the afternoon at Isle of Palms beach.

Not to mention my mom brought all of the food already prepared, giving us more time to enjoy each other over yummy dinners and desserts.

{and it gave me an excuse to break out the new dinnerware!}

We had such a great time full of tons of laughs!
I am so blessed to have such supportive parents, wonderful sisters, and a loving husband willing to host everyone in our little one bedroom :)

I know we made memories I will always remember!

Date Night, Peanut Butter Pancakes, and Pesto

2011-06-11T12:03:00.009-04:00

What a wonderful weekend so far! And it is only going to get better from here :)

Date night last night for dinner.... Chicken Parm... mmMMmm

Made a quick stop at JoAnn's, found {and photo documented thanks to my sweet husband} the cutest fabric for a summer table cloth, I think, and will be returning soon with a coupon :)

I thought these wonderful peanut butter pancakes would be perfect for breakfast in bed this morning

Ran errands this morning, stopped at a garage sale, and updated our DVD collection with these titles for a mere dollar a piece... woohoo!

For lunch we went simple with sandwiches, but to add a yummy kick, I tried the basil pesto recipe from this month's Southern Living, which was SO simple and put some of this basil to good use!

The recipe can be found right here and it was SO easy! I can't wait to try using some of our mint to make mint pesto, sounds interesting? Or maybe some pizza dough to use our pesto sauce on?

Off to the pool! I hope you are enjoying this beautiful summer weekend! :)

To Paint or Not To Paint

2011-06-10T21:06:00.003-04:00

We have gone back and forth trying to decide if we want to paint our apartment. If we do, we will have to repaint it to eggshell before we move out, if we don't, we will have all eggshell walls :/

We have decided to try an accent wall.
I LOVED this cross-hatching idea in the last pottery barn catalog to add texture to the wall.

I have tried googling more information on technique and tricks, but there isn't much info out there on it, that I could find.

Do any of you have any tricks or have you tried it or know of someone who has?
I REALLY want to just go for it, but am scared it won't turn out

Any advice? :)

The Beauty of A Tablescape

2011-06-09T12:03:00.007-04:00

While I have always loved looking at wedding pictures, it seems odd now that my wedding has passed to keep doing it.

I just love to see how brides mix colors, and flowers, and centerpieces.... the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it is really the tablescapes of the wedding I love most. All of the little details of the centerpieces and place settings, how you can tell a story and show your personality in the details and use of color... is just wonderful to me :)

I loved how the tables at our wedding turned out.
The navy blue and white toile runners and toppers with the antipasto and dogwood blooms.
With the simplicity of navy and white brought to life by the color in the meal and the apple green accents.

Yes, I love tablescapes :)

I am so excited that after working tonight I get almost a whole week off until my next shift next Wednesday!

Giving me a much needed time to step back and prioritize my time and pretty much life in general :P

Two Months :)

2011-06-08T21:02:00.005-04:00

Two months ago was our wedding day.

Our lives have been a wonderful blessing of a roller coaster since then. It seems like time has flown by, yet so much has happened at the same time!

He is wonderful, and continues to direct my eyes and steps towards the Lord everyday.
To me, there is nothing greater a husband could do.

To celebrate, I pretty much turned everything in our fridge and pantry into a fajita topping, and we celebrated, with our very own fiesta :)

Adios amigos! :)

Pillows!

2011-06-07T10:43:00.008-04:00

Another labor day sale purchase was this boudoir pillow cover for our bed :)

(the pillow form is still needed)
(and I know the monogram is backwards, I just like how DSS looks much better than SSD :P)

On top of that I have been busy looking online and in store for some fabric to cover these throw pillows with for our living room

(Peyton WOULD NOT move, and really, who would rather see old pillows than a cute puppy?)

AND if I have time before school starts in the fall I would REALLY like to try to reupholster our chair with this fabric!

I have been looking for free pillow cover patterns/directions online, I know there is not much to them, but I would like to work with directions and be safe rather than sorry!

From Amy Butler Design (pdf)

And then there is the envelope pillow cover, shown in wonderful detail

here

here

and here :)

My resources are plentiful, I just need to pick the fabric and DO it!

Happy Tuesday!

Busy Town

2011-06-05T10:30:00.002-04:00

Google just made my morning! A blast from the past to Busy Town :)
Happy 92nd birthday Richard Scary

Have a wonderful Sunday

A {not so healthy} Victory in the Kitchen!

2011-06-03T11:27:00.004-04:00

The Chicken pot pie was a success! I need to work on the aesthetics, but I'm the only one that mattered to, so no worries :)

{reminder: I made the top out of biscuits, not pie crust, causing the oddly textured top}

I give the recipe an A+.
It was very easy and tasty

Healthy not so much, but better luck with that next meal :)

Its a Pot Pie Sort of Day :)

2011-06-02T15:30:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, we received a package with two of these

and two of these

It took me awhile to find some oven mitts and trivets I really liked. I wanted pot holders that would do their job, look nice, and hold up, and unfortunately that combo was hard to find. I thought I was settling on function rather than looks... the picture at Macy's portrays them as U-G-L-Y.

Au Contrere!
They are beautiful... only adding to my excitement upon their arrival.
As for the trivets, I loved them from the start but I didn't want to spend that much for something a pot would sit on top of ... but thanks to Macy's Memorial Day sale... it all came together :)

Anyways,

I feel like a little kid, all excited to use my {our} new gifts right away.

So, I have spent {practically} all day thinking about what 'something new' I want to try to make for dinner tonight.

And I have settled on Chicken Pot Pie because I will be able to
1. try making something new and
2. try these new goodies out

Here is the recipe I am going to try:
{reminder: we are not going for heart healthy today}

Biscuit Topped Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients:

buttermilk biscuits
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup of milk
1 cup shred chicken or turkey
2 cups carrots
1 yellow onion
2 small russet potatoes
olive oil
fresh ground black pepper
sea salt
basil
garlic powder
parsley

Directions:

In a pot, add olive oil and heat on medium
Add chicken and spices, cover
Cook on med-high until mostly done
Remove from pot
Chop the carrots, potatoes and onions until good morsel-size
Add to the pan and reduce heat to med, cover
Remove meat from heat and chop well
Place in pot
Add cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup of milk and more spices
cover and let cook for 10 minutes
While this is cooking, take a deep pie pan or small casserole dish. Use a nonstick spray on the bottom and press 4 biscuits into the bottom to form the bottom of the pie. You could also use a cutting board and rolling pin.
Use a cutting board and rolling pin to flatten the other 4 biscuits into the top pie crust
When potatoes are mostly soft, add the contents to the pie dish slowly. Gently place the top crust on top and press the sides together. Add a couple of slits on top for steam.
Bake at 325 for as long as needed for the biscuits (about 11-12 minutes).
Remove and let cool.

Total time estimated at 45 minutes.

I am headed to the post office and to spray paint some shelving brackets after that, but as soon as I get home its go time in the kitchen! :)

A week in review...

2011-05-27T13:04:00.005-04:00

What a week!

My sister-in-law gave birth to a healthy baby girl Tuesday at 11:59 :)

The mother and baby are both in wonderful health and are now getting settled in at home.
All 5 siblings are very excited about the new addition :)

On top of keeping two of the beautiful new big sisters for a night, hubby and I had a very productive week!

1. I soaked/dried/boiled/redried/aired-out these little guys and can confidently say they no longer wreak of a bar

instead, they are now quite the cute bowl filler :)

2. did not get to hemming yet :/
3. should be receiving updated subscriptions soon!
4. RSVPed and Thanked those who needed to be :)
5. made a cute little cord cover from some left over nautical striped canvas I had {yay!}

6. found a new dry cleaner in Columbia, no need to ruin a suit as I try to be domestic, maybe I'll try to be a hero on our next big stain :P
7. nothing has happened with the window yet... unfortunately... more updates to come next week?
8. my mint is now happily settled in its own planter, nicely next to the rosemary, basil, and cilantro :)

9. We completely filed our FAFSA and registered me for fall classes, so I am all set for Physical Therapy School to start in August!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe Memorial Day weekend! I will be working some and relaxing and exploring Columbia with my Hubby and puppy for the rest of it :)

Taking Things One Day at a Time :)

2011-05-23T11:04:00.013-04:00

The bride was beautiful.

The wedding was wonderful.
And most importantly, Emily and Nathan are very married :)

* Better picture here ASAP!*

Now, on to my {big} tasks for the week
{potentially taking me through the month and summer to complete}

1. Find out how to get the wine smell out of my collection of wine corks

*I did not drink all of this wine... btw
so I can use them to add some texture to this dresser, by hopefully making the bowl look a little less lonely in our cozy little apartment

...as you can see we are still very much still getting settled {hence the empty picture frame}

So far, I have read soaking them in dish soap and water works well, boiling them also is effective... any feedback?

2. learn how to hem, so all of these cute summer skirts actually get worn!

Thank you ehow! :)

3. transfer magazine and catalog subscriptions to our new address
4. send wedding RSVPs and graduation thank yous
5. make a cord cover for this lamp, so the cord not so icky looking next to the stove

you know, something like this maybe?

as seen here at Pottery Barn
and found a couple tutorials here and here

6. look into getting a very noticeable spot out of a light colored wool suit... eek!

any pointers? dish detergent? laundry detergent?
I REALLY do not want to go wrong with this!

7. turn this amazing old window into a fun wall hanging/picture frame

and hope it turns out as cute as thisidea borrowed from here

here are some other ideas I thought were darling too

artist

artist

7. finally transfer this over-eager little mint plant into its own home so my little basil, cilantro, and rosemary stand a fighting chance!

Now off to take the puppy for a walk! :)

All{most} Clear!

2011-05-19T10:09:00.002-04:00

After {way too much} ado,
I have heard back on my follow up ultrasound results,

ANNNND

I now have the option to

(1) get the remaining cyst removed

(2) return every 6 months for check up ultra sounds and risk re-infection

I'm leaning towards #1, but we will see, we're getting a second opinion

As of right now, I get to spend a wonderful few days at home with my family {I love ATL!}

in anticipation and celebration of the wedding of my sweet friend Emily and her fiancee Nathan!

I am SO excited for them!

On top of all of that, it is my beautiful mother's birthday today,

I have been so blessed to have such a wonderful and giving mother,

always seeking to serve the Lord above all and loving us unconditionally.

I love you mommy!

And can't wait to see my loving hubby again tomorrow :)

Mint Julep Cupcakes! :)

2011-05-06T11:38:00.003-04:00

It's that time of year!
The Kentucky Derby is right around the corner!

For those of us not attending, I thought this delish cupcake recipe was appropriate (and adorable!) to brighten this wonderful Friday!

I will be graduating college tomorrow morning, so there are no complaints about missing the race here :)

Have a blessed and wonderful weekend!

Garage Sailing

2011-05-02T11:57:00.007-04:00

And I'm off... off the couch and ready to go!
Loving adjusting, organizing, and decorating our little home in Columbia, SC!

We have loved getting settled into our little apartment, just my new hubby, the puppy, and me.
This Saturday, we decided to give garage sales a try, we need a big bookshelf and figured it couldn't hurt to look for little things either.

Epic FAIL!

Before giving up completely and just concluding that garage sales are not for me, in my usual fashion, I decided research could not hurt. Maybe there was some trick or secret that those who L-O-V-E garage sales know, and maybe my good friend Google could help me find the answer?

Thanks to Weekendtreatsure.com, I will probably give garage/estate/yard sales another chance

The secret is in reading the add. (Duh moment)

Listings with the words "everything must go," "liquidation," "moving," or other "cleaning out" verbage are good signs of worthwhile sales.

One tip I wouldn't have thought of is listings with the words "antiques" or "collectibles" often means either 1. the person knows the value of their items or 2. the seller thinks their items are worth more than they are and are priced accordingly.

All in all, life is simple and we are loving it :)

Just My Luck!

2011-04-26T12:53:00.001-04:00

And its almost back to real life!

Took a little unexpected post-honeymoon detour to the hospital, got some good medicine, an abscess on my kidney drained, and am now home, heavily medicated, and for some reason blogging?

Pulled out the sleeper sofa and am camped out here, in front of the TV, for an indefinite amount of time.

Until I am a little bit more lucid, our wonderful photographer has put a sweet post and some more wedding pictures on her blog!

April 8, 2011--- The Best Day Yet :)

2011-04-23T10:11:00.003-04:00

We are now very married :)
More details (and pictures) to come very soon!

A Monogrammed Giveaway! :)

2011-03-19T17:15:00.000-04:00

Happy Saturday! To make myself feel better about being an absent blogger, I thought I would share this sweet summery giveaway, enjoy! :)

Visit College Prep to enter this very cute giveaway! :)

Moving Right Along! :)

2011-03-07T19:35:00.000-05:00

We switched Our centerpiece idea!!

To something like this:

From something like this:

Very nice, but too simple and doesn't match our theme...

I am just SO excited! :)

So pretty and happy and Italian countryside-y

Just some google images, but I think it will all come together, I can't wait to see how things happen! :)

Help me with Red and Blue!

2011-03-03T22:42:00.002-05:00

Is this not one of the most beautiful tablescapes you have ever seen?

Thinking about decor has been a lot of fun so far. We decided to go with Navy and Red as our accent colors after we chose the poet society duvet cover from Ralph Lauren.

As I have continued to shop for decor, it has been difficult to find settings that use those two colors but are not overly nautical or formal. We want things to be comfortable and welcoming but simple and coordinated at the same time.

Here are some of my favorite idea inspirations so far:

While the colors are not exactly what we are going for, I love the use of neutrals with bold colors and prints to add accent and character! :)

Simplistic yet so detailed, oh summer :)

Dinner party anyone? Again, simple, but enough to get thoughts rolling :)

And this! Oh my goodness, what is not to love! I want this room! Isn't this whole look just wonderful!

If you have any advice or pictures please help me and our soon to be little one bedroom apartment!!

I am now a regular frequenter of Houzz, but definitely do not want to get absorbed by decor, we have SO many more things to be excited about as newlyweds :)

The countdown continues and my patience wears down a little bit everyday. I can't wait for April 8th to come!

Currently Craving: Pesto :)

2011-02-22T23:42:00.004-05:00

As the weather gets warmer,
so do my cravings for lighter more "summery" meals.

Vegan pesto sauce over some brown rice pasta is definitely one of them!

Okay, not completely vegan, I usually add butter to the pasta, but here is my absolute favorite (and easy) recipe for pesto sauce :)

You'll need:
2 cups of tightly packed fresh basil leaves
4 finely minced garlic cloves
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper

1. Chop basil in food processor or blender
2. Add garlic, salt, pepper and about half of the pine nuts and blend again
3. In a dry pan, brown the other half of the pine nuts and add them to the blender
4. Blend, while slowly adding the olive oil, until it makes a smooth paste
5. Add more olive oil if sauce is too dry

The sauce will keep for about a week, but also freezes very well :)

As for the nutritional benefits of the ingredients
Basil has antibacterial and anti-inflamatory benefits as well as offers vitamins iron and calcium
Extra Virgin Olive Oil contains Vitamin E and EFAs, which serve as good fats, especially helping your skin
Garlic is an antioxidant, working in many different ways
and
Pine Nuts contain good protein and monounsaturated fats

Wonderfully fresh tasting, without all of the icky fat from piling on the cheese!

Lets get growing that basil! :)

Another Exciting Step Forward!

2011-02-22T17:50:00.002-05:00

Hubby-to-be and I bought our first car together today... Dave Ramsey style :)

The Lord has provided abundantly once again, we have been so blessed!

Always Looking Up :)

2011-02-21T21:38:00.007-05:00

I found the cutest cake topper ever :)

Nao The Perfect Day

Our four beautiful layers of sour cream cake,
with cream cheese and raspberry filling,
and sweet buttercream icing,
NEED this on top!

Now I am trying to find a way to justify buying it :P

46 days until THE day! :)

My Top Five.... No, Six :)

2011-02-14T22:10:00.005-05:00

I'm pretty sick of hearing the term "super food" especially because the essential "super foods" list seems to change depending on the sponsor.

So, here are my top five... turned six, top top "super food" choices

Now, before you read further, please forgive me for not adding dark chocolate, red wine, and all of those other justifiable goodies to this list. This is not a pretty list, but it is real, not gimmicky or go-with-the-flow-y, just my research and me :)

For starters, let me get these out of the way, real quick

1. Dark Chocolate is only good for you when its sugar content is low... think baker's chocolate, pretty bitter, and not very tasty. If it serves as your sugar fix, the benefits of the dark chocolate are far outweighed by the drawbacks of the amount of sugar it contains

2. Red wine, has health benefits when there are no sulfites added and it is made organic... Unfortunately, this is not the case with many of the wines on the market, making the nutritional benefits far inferior to the drawbacks.

No more of this doom and gloom! Moving onto some bigger and better things!

Here they are, in no particular order, my top five... turned six...

1. blueberries

- natural sugar fix - low in calories - high in vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants - fight free radicals in the body - have almost 40% more antioxidants than red wine - raw is best, but are delicious with almost anything -

2. avocado

- loaded with vitamins minerals and fiber - high in oleic acid which helps lower cholesterol - when added to salads, the body absorbs more nutrients from the other vegetables and fruit eaten -

3. wild salmon

wild is better than farmed, because it has a natural diet and can better develop - low in calories - high in protein - contains large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids - low mercury content - comes canned too (think instead of tuna fish?) -

4. pumpkin seeds

- high in fiber and protein - full of minerals like magnesium, manganese, iron, and zinc - contain phytosterols, which help cholesterol levels and immune system - convenient snack and yummy to cook with (I love to add them when I make granola) -

5. cranberry

- low calorie - high fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants especially - help prevent UTIs, lower cholesterol, and oral health/reduces tooth decay - help prevent food-borne illness in GI tract -

6. sweet potato

- satisfies sugar cravings - curbs appetite - helps stabilize blood sugar - easily substituted for regular potatoes (in pretty much any recipe) - high in antioxidants - has anti-inflammatory benefits - is also high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber -

I am sure there will be recipes to follow soon :)

What Is This Thing Called Love? :)

2011-02-14T08:09:00.002-05:00

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
1 John 3:16

I hope your Valentine's Day is wonderful and full of many memorable moments :)

Oh My Goodness!

2011-02-07T15:58:00.001-05:00

They're getting married!
Congratulations to my future sister-in-law and her new fiance! :)

I don't know if I have mentioned before, but my fiance comes from a very large family.
He has ten siblings, TEN.

I absolutely LOVE how there are so many of his siblings so close in age!

In fact, they are so close that there will be FOUR sibling weddings within 12 months :)

August 2010

April 2011 (us!)

June 2011

August 2011

Needless to say, I am VERY excited for all of these sweet couples :)

Oh Special Day! :)

2011-02-05T22:21:00.004-05:00

Day 1: Success!

Lots of these

with other surprise encouragements along the way!

Due to the "drink lots of water" resolution I decided to invest in an exciting reminder of the future:

= me staying happily hydrated :)

Also, Cadi from Confessions from a Georgia Peach gave me this sweet blog award!

And as if those things are not wonderful enough, I won this adorable giveaway from
Trudie Davies Designs!

I highly suggest checking out her cute cute creations!

Only 13 more days until I get to see my sweetheart again,
and only 62 days until I get to call him husband.
I'm counting them down. :)

Bring On The Sunshine!

2011-02-04T17:40:00.000-05:00

Its official: my soon-to-be hubby booked our honeymoon!

Cancun it is!
And now I need all of the inspiration possible to get into wedding shape :)

1. Buy a bathing suit to hang in the bathroom as a reminder of "get in shape" goals!

Target special: an essential on my budget.

2. Scour old magazines to find inspirational pictures to stick wherever is convenient

love it!

the band-aids make me smile :P

3. Start a 3 day apple detox to kick off this pre-wedding initiative

3 days of eating just apples to help clean up my digestion, complexion, and cravings!

4. Put together a work out/diet plan to actively accomplish my goals

Diet:
-mostly raw fruits and veggies
-no dairy, sugar, or meat
-minimal starchy carbs

Work out:
a combination of pilates, running, and stretching with some free weight work

Most Importantly:

5. Keep first things first!

Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
Psalm 62:1-2

I want to be a beautiful bride, but not just on the outside. The beauty will last for a day, but what is buried deep in my heart and soul, staying focused the One who gives purpose, will last forever.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
I know I will, apple filled and all :P

Let's Go Play Outside :)

2011-01-29T17:37:00.002-05:00

Today was wonderful!

I crave spring so much more than I realized!

I hope its coming soon :)

Ceremony Decor and Other Wonderful Surprises :)

2011-01-27T19:55:00.007-05:00

No one ever told me the most difficult part of planning a wedding would be finding a beautiful church for the ceremony that accepts non-members!

We finally found a very cute quaint church within about two miles of the reception facility. Traditional with a center aisle... SO perfect, well, almost :)

We have these to work with in the decor department...

We will take the banners down, but were looking for something to hang to cover the plastic hooks and dress up the walls a little.

I was looking for cute wreath ideas to inexpensively fill the spaces on the walls, that we could also make ahead of time.

Magnolia wreaths are our perfect fix! :)
Southern Living has an adorable tutorial here.

Things keep coming together, it is SO exciting! I have finally overcome being overwhelmed and am just enjoying making quick decisions and plans now :)

Oh! On another exciting front, Macy's is having an awesome sale on their china place settings right now and...

I bought ALL of my everyday china place settings today without spending a penny of non-giftcard dollars!

Regularly priced: $125.00 a place
On sale: $84.99 a place
with 15% off coupon: $72.24 a place
with buy 1 get 1 free promotion: $36.12 a place

I would not usually share dollar amounts with people, but I am REALLY proud of the savings I made today! :)

Anyways, invitation addressing party at my house this weekend! We would LOVE for you to stop by :P

It was a good day... :)

2011-01-23T23:10:00.002-05:00

I have a little confession to make. I talk a big game when it comes to garage sales and the like but when it comes down to it, I honestly had never bought anything at a "sale" of that sort until yesterday. Now, I started out small, no huge money saving success stories, but I am proud of myself on my own small scale :)

We added two sets of these Pottery Barn place mats and napkins to our wedding registry a couple of months ago and received a set of six of each for a shower. Unfortunately, I was not impressed; they were very thin, the linen seemed a little impractical for a simple set of everyday place mats, and the napkins were way too big. So, we returned them, and I kept looking for a set of place mats I would like for everyday use.

Well, lo and behold, we stopped at a moving sale on Saturday. There was not much left in the house, but there was a good amount of fabric and old curtains etc. I fell in LOVE with this fabric the moment I saw it! Cotton, with a texture somewhere between a canvas and burlap... an adorable pattern, AND matches our colors and overall look perfectly!

So, needless to say, I plan on making myself a set of everyday placemats and possibly napkins or a runner, if there is enough fabric for both :) AND had a very successful first garage/moving/estate sale purchase :)

Our casual flatware and china: Waterford Carleton Flatware and Wedgewood Nantucket Basket China

75 days and counting! :)

We're getting married... so we took some pictures :)

2011-01-18T10:26:00.001-05:00

Well, the snow and ice have finally melted, people are out and about again, and I received our engagement pictures on Saturday! :)

We spent an afternoon in Marietta Square, just outside of Atlanta.

Three Hundred and Twenty Two pictures later,

these are some of my favorites :)

Wedding plans are coming along nicely,

next comes invitations, which we are going to try and do ourselves.

I hope they turn out the way we are picturing them :)

Have a happy Tuesday!

Bringing in the New Year well! :)

2011-01-03T19:10:00.004-05:00

It has been almost 3 weeks since I have last blogged.
So many things have happened since then! This has been such a beautiful time so far and I am doing my best to enjoy every part :)

My sister is one that can not stand change so this Christmas was one full of lasts...

... our last Christmas morning as sisters...

...our last Christmas eve and day as husband-less cousins...

In my mind, it was just another celebration of the end of a chapter :)

My sweet aunts threw a shower for me the day after Christmas. It was so great to see all of my aunts and cousins. I was so blessed by their love and support of hubby-to-be and me :)

I started 2010 with a quote from our pastor, Dr Michael Youssef. He said,

If you do one thing this year worthy of all eternity say; 'Lord give me undauntable faith and Lord give me irrepressible commitment to see lost people come to faith,' and He will do the rest!

I lived this past year by that quote and hope I will continue to live that way.

As the new year begins, and (relatively) normal life continues, I have been thinking over the things that are most important to me and that I want to especially remember and work on developing this year.

The first item that came to mind is that I don't want to pretend I have all or even many answers to life, but I do want to be confident in the things I know. I know the Lord is the author and perfecter of my life. I know that the purpose of our marriage is so that we might serve the Lord's purposes for our lives better than apart. And I know that no matter what I do, there is nothing I can do to escape the Lord's loving hand.

The second is that I don't want to try and be the perfect little wife. I am a very performance driven person and know that if I try to fill a role by comparing myself to others I will drill myself into the ground. Not only will I end up completely exhausted and never succeed, but I will not be serving the Lord in the role He has created me for. Make no mistake, I want to serve my husband and do the best that I can to make a home, but trying to do it like other people is the wrong way to go about it.

Finally, I want to serve the Lord in all that I do. I hear that so often sometimes it seems rather trite to say, but I mean it one hundred percent. This Sunday our pastor spoke on John 17. He said that the only way we can truly have unity in our relationships with each other is if we are seeking a relationship with the Lord, filled with His word and His plan. I had heard that so many times, in so many different ways, but it stuck with me especially this time, and I want more than anything to apply those words well!

I would love to have a new quote to write on the front cover of my 2011 planner and look at everyday when I am going about my routine. I am sure it will come, through reading and learning as this year progresses :)

362 more days of 2011 and 95 more days until our wedding! :)

Just Another Day In Paradise :)

2010-12-13T19:49:00.007-05:00

Do you believe in miracles? I do! I know, especially as grown ups we don't get to see as many of them. But I have a good one for you!

A few posts ago I mentioned "taking a year off" because I probably would not get into physical therapy school where I needed to. Well...

IT HAPPENED!

I GOT IN!

I found out Friday and am still working on overcoming the shock.

I applied two weeks after the deadline, only applied because my fiance wanted me to, and never in my wildest dreams expected to get in to this particular school. Most physical therapy schools accept about 30 students per class, but this school only accepts 18!

I am SO blessed and continue to be amazed by what the Lord is doing in our lives. Every baby step we take in planning our future together seems to continue to be affirmed in His perfect plan and timing. And so far His plan has been so much more than I could ever have imagined for myself!

Not only was I accepted, but because we will be married when I start school, I also am able to get in state tuition, which will still be a lot of loans, but will be much less in the long run :)

We spent this past weekend apartment hunting, it was just another addition to my excitement about our CRAZY life!

116 days :)

Two finals left and I will be finished, SO close!

Six Simple Steps... Yeah Right!

2010-12-09T23:22:00.013-05:00

Tomorrow: A final and a quiz and a five hour drive
Saturday: Apartment hunting (for our first HOME!)
Sunday: Engagement picture shoot (weather permitting!)

And the excitement continues!

Today was a great day! One of my mom's friends is downsizing and sold (practically gave) these two beautiful pieces of furniture plus a couple of lamps and some wall decor to us.

I am SO thankful and completely excited because these are the first pieces of furniture we have purchased for our new home!

This buffet is one of our new-to-us pieces and I am so excited to have a nice central piece to decorate around, rather than just Ikea-ing everything (not that I have any grudge against Ikea!). She also generously included this table with the buffet to help us get started :)

I am so excited because ideas are finally starting to flow. Due to our small budget, we are getting more and more resourceful. And on top of all of that, this weekend we get to find a space for all of our plans to live. :)

We are going to use his current bed and dresser, I am going to try and redo his bedside tables, and my parents are lending/giving us a dresser, sleeper sofa and coffee table. With this buffet and computer desk, we are pretty close to set in the furniture essentials area for our small apartment. I of course hope to "pick up" some end tables and such, but for now, I am not in need of anything but...

A round kitchen table and some sturdy chairs are what I will spend my January through March scouring Craigslist and garage sales for! I fell in love with this table redo that I saw on Kendra's blog.

She took this sturdy yet out of date table:

And refinished it into this gem:

I figure I will give this making over furniture a try, if I fail, I will take it to a professional and we will be no worse off, but if I succeed, that is further budget stretching success :)

Now the big question is (aside from where this table and chairs will come from) whether or not I try and re-stain the table top. Gabrielle has a beautiful table make-over on her blog, which gives me hope! I would LOVE to be able to make something beautiful like she did! Here is her amazing transformation:
She took this:

And transformed it into this:

Wouldn't it be beautiful to re-stain a table top to match the buffet and desk? And then do a white bottom with white chairs? I am getting SO excited!

So...
Step 1 - finish this semester
Step 2 - research re-staining and re-finishing furniture
Step 3 - find table
Step 4 - find chairs
Step 5 - convince myself I CAN do it :)
Step 6 - GET TO IT!

If anyone has any advice on refinishing furniture, apartment hunting, used furniture buying, decorating, wedding planning, newlywed living, budget stretching, or anything else in between, I am all ears and wanting to learn! :)

Anyways, back to studying Sport Psychology and Nutrition! Due to some distractions, I am thinking this might be a 3.0 semester rather than a 4 :P

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Current Craving: Avocado :)

2010-12-07T15:15:00.004-05:00

1. Makes almost anything taste better
2. Can be added to most dishes
3. Delicious raw and/or Guacamole is EASY to make
4. Major immune system booster!
5. Is AMAZING for you!

"Avocados provide nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid. They also act as a "nutrient booster" by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha and beta-carotene and lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit." more info here

Aside from Sweet Potatoes, I am convinced that Avocado is the second best super food, chocked full of everything we need, just saying :)

Just a quick reminder not to forget about this amazing fruit (yes, fruit) as you are enjoying this wonderfully cold soup weather!

Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire...

2010-12-04T17:38:00.003-05:00

... Jack Frost Nipping at my Nose :)

I get to spend my weekend in Nashville with my lovely sisters and am enjoying every minute of it!

I have missed blogging so much lately!
There are so many things going on right now though.
Between concluding my last semester, applying and interviewing at physical therapy schools, and wedding planning, there is not much space for anything else!

Due to the possibility of me starting physical therapy school in May, we have set our wedding date for April 8, 2011. Which has put us into hyper drive with wedding planning, but it has been great and I am sure will be well worth it! It was either April of 2011 or June of 2014, so we decided to go with sooner rather than later!

Two more weeks left in the semester and then real life starts!

Hubby-to-be will be starting a new job in Columbia in the beginning of January, which has thrown my hopes of starting physical therapy school this spring or fall for a loop, but has not crushed them. I am holding onto a thread of hope that I will get into South Carolina or Medical College of Georgia. South Carolina I applied to two weeks after their application deadline and MCG I was already wait-listed for applying there after all of the spots were filled also. :/

I know we have to go though, it will be a great career step for him and they will pay for him to get his master's too, so he really could not turn the opportunity down.

I have become more comfortable with the realization that I will probably be taking a year off now, and although it took me a little while to adjust to, that now idea thrills me because I would love to have a year to make a home and learn to be a wife. I would love to try re-doing furniture like so many bloggy women do, quilting, and decoratively crafting in general.

I am so excited about everything going on right now! It is very overwhelming at times but I just keep telling myself that the Lord will never put us into situations we can't handle, and that He has given me an amazing support system through all of this perfectly lovely insanity!

Have a happy weekend!

21 more days until Christmas and 125 more days until we are married :)

We're getting married :)

2010-11-21T20:02:00.002-05:00

I am living on a cloud right now!
He is amazing, and I am SO excited for what the future will hold for us!
This has been such a special time so far!
Oh my goodness, SO excited! :)

I will be sure to post updates soon, I just wanted to share the reason for my recent blogging absence real quick :)

I (heart) running... a lot.... a lot a lot :)

2010-11-13T09:11:00.002-05:00

In an attempt to keep my fitness level high I have been running 3.1 miles (a 5k) everyday with half mile warm up and cool down walks.
I LOVE it!
I have not realized how much I missed just exercising for the fun of it and pushing myself and training for races and everything that comes with it!

That just looks fun to me! (the running, not the having my picture taken while running, ugh, how awful!)

To celebrate my returned excitement for running, and ensure my continued dedication picked up a pair of new tempo shorts. Go Dawgs! :)

On top of that, I have also focused on scaling back the amount I eat. It has worked out really well. As I scrutinize the amounts of food I am eating, I tend to eat healthier because I know I can eat more apples and baby carrots than kettle chips, which helps me mentally feel more full.

That sounds like such a "duh" plan, but it so much harder than that!

Here is my current running playlist, titled "intense running"
because that's what it is.
crazy intense :P

K'naan feat. David Bisbal - Waving Flag (this song always makes me visualize passing people in a race for some reason, but it is awesome)
Basshunter - All I Ever Wanted
Maino feat. T Pain - All of the Above
Taio Cruz feat Ludacris - Break Your Heart
Shakira - Waka Waka
O.A.R. - Love and Memories
Sean Kingston - Replay
Capital Lights - Mile Away
Enrique Iglesias - Escape (love him, and this song, and him)
B.O.B. feat. Rivers Cuomo - Magic
Boys Like Girls - Love Drunk
Fabolous - My Time
Darude - Sandstorm

I am always looking for new songs to run to though, so if you have any good ones send them my way!

PS - College Prep is having yet another darling giveaway here!

Queen of Green

2010-11-10T10:36:00.000-05:00

I am all about recycling and taking care of the things that we have been given, here is a little bit more motivation to save the planet :)

Visit Sweet Southern Prep to enter this adorable giveaway!
Be sure to mention my name in your entries :)

Visit take heart to see this cute bib giveaway!

Also, be sure to check out these great giveaways:
AZO Immune Boosting Products
CSN Stores
Mauviel Pan
Lamps Plus
CSN Stores
iTouch
Amazon
Necklace by Zionshore
Market Tote by Take flight Boutique
Personalized Sign from BOSHEREE

Opinion Queen.com also has some great giveaways going on!

Also, I just came across this adorable blog with an amazing pottery barn giveaway! :)

Only Good Things Can Come From Whole Grain Rolled Oats :P

2010-11-09T22:31:00.004-05:00

If you are at all interested in living a healthy life Whole Foods Market has a wonderful website! It is full of yummy looking recipes and healthy tips!

I just read one of their blog posts about oats and did you know one cup of rolled oats contains:

4 grams of fiber
4 grams of fat (only 1 gram of saturated fat)
6 grams of protein
no cholesterol
Iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and manganese

And oats are practically as cheap as dirt!
Especially in winter, why go for the cheerio's when there is such a warm and happy alternative?

Not to mention they offer all of these awesome recipes to encourage oat filled decisions.
Who could say no to Oatmeal Apple Pancakes???

Just saying, eating healthy does not have to be expensive or yucky, it just takes a little research :)

P.S. Random fact - Whole Foods Market purchased the Greenlife Grocery chain in May, I guess it was just a matter of time, the stores were identical already :P

Getting Back On The Wagon

2010-11-08T23:24:00.004-05:00

Soccer season is over... for good... which means....

First of all - I will miss seeing those girls and laughing with them everyday :(
Secondly - I have MUCH more time! That opens up 3:30-6:00 every evening
But Lastly - I need to STOP EATING LIKE A COW!

Seriously, the other night after practice I was so exhausted, I made jambalaya and finished off FOUR servings of rice! Now, during season I usually pack on a few extra LBs, which is good, you know, with muscle and all.

I am pretty health conscious and nutrition savvy. I know what to eat, I just have very little self control to do it.

So, I am in the process of formulating a diet plan. It will start with holding off on the sweet tea, but I am not sure which step to follow with.

I will be sure to keep you posted though. Because I DO NOT want to be one of those girls who blows up like a balloon right after her sport ends, or ever for that matter!

'Tis the Season for (Gluten Free) Pumpkin Bread! :)

2010-11-03T23:51:00.004-04:00

I made gluten free chocolate chip pumpkin bread tonight!
It tasted (and smelled) delicioso :)
Here is the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix
3 Eggs
1 Stick (1/2 c) Softened Butter
2 tsp Vanilla
Pumpkin (15 oz can)
2 tsp Cinnamon
Pumpkin Pie Spice to taste

DIRECTIONS:

CREAM - Butter, Eggs & Vanilla
MIX IN - Pumpkin, Cinnamon & Pumpkin Pie Spice
MIX IN - Cake Mix
POUR - into greased baking pan
BAKE - using box directions
and let COOL

recipe source

What do you think about sushi?

2010-11-02T09:49:00.006-04:00

Okay, girls, yay or nay?
Before you answer that, look at some of this information:

Studies have recently found that in testing the tuna in sushi at 20 restaurants in the Manhattan area, that most exceeded legal limits of mercury. Not only did most exceed, but 5 of the 20 had mercury levels so high in their tuna, the FDA was legally able to go in a remove the tuna from the restaurants.

Similar studies had the same findings in Los Angeles. This article noted that Tuna in particular is a more mercury laden fish, especially sushi grade tuna, because of its age. The larger and older tuna fish are the ones ideal for sushi, however, the larger the fish, the greater the mercury concentration, leading to higher levels of mercury in tuna than those fish that are caught younger, such as wild salmon and crab.

Despite reports of salmon's healthy mercury content, we still must be careful. The spread of a tape worm parasite found in undercooked salmon is on the rise, especially in Japan, but there have been cases reported here as well. Clearly rare, but still a concern.

Keeping in mind that sushi is not all raw salmon and tuna, there are TONS of health benefits to eating sushi:

Wasabi sauce contains isothiocyanates, which destroy the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Isothiocyanates also inhibit cancer causing carcinogens.

The seaweed wrap is a great source of vitamin C, potassium, and iron

The vegetables offer a good source of fiber and other vitamins and minerals - especially avocado which is high in the carotenoid lutein, which has been shown to reduce macular degeneration
The fish offers a great amount of omega-3 fatty acids and protein - crab and wild salmon have the lowest mercury levels.
Try to find sushi made with brown rice rather than white rice, this gives you most of the nutrients from the rice as well as much more fiber.
Not to mention, all of these nutrients can be consumed for a relatively low calorie count.

Living on a budget? Check out this simple sushi making tutorial
(PS - in buying fish, a Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter suggests that buying organic fish is often a waste of money because organic fish is not closely regulated and the rules for organic fish are not as concrete as those for other food groups)

Overall we can see there are many pro's and con's to eating sushi, however, this is the case with all things we eat. Just because we are concerned with the mercury levels of fish does not mean that chicken or steak are better choices. There are just as many dangerous toxins there, even eating organic meat provides many risks.

I vote, avoid tuna, cook your salmon, and enjoy the rest :)
Yay, definite yes!

So, what do you think?

Grocery Shopping 101

2010-10-29T08:24:00.000-04:00

As a relatively new grocery shopper, I probably overpay for many of my purchases.
However, I am in a nutrition class this semester and we are learning all about grocery shopping well
My thrifty side is loving every minute of learning!
I am sure most of you already know these but, here are some of my favorite tips so far:

Stores will reduce one item to advertise, but mark up another to compensate for their loss and your "savings" - so its best to shop at two grocery stores
Coupon cutting helps! American consumers saved $3 billion dollars in 2005 from clipping coupons, most of the coupons were from Sunday newspapers, but they can also be found in magazines and online :)
Study grocery store's flyers online to find the best prices on household staples and to save time by not running around
Always check the unit price, bigger is not always cheaper

Also, something I ALWAYS do when I'm shopping online is google coupon codes before I check out, it usually gets me at least free shipping :)

Do any of you have any price cutting tips? :)

A, B, C, all the way to Z! :)

2010-10-27T23:32:00.003-04:00

In conclusion, A is for Arbonne and Apple Pie... and Z is for Zebra print and Zzzz's and all of the wonderful things in between!

I had such a fun time blogging every letter!

I guess we'll just have to wait to see what comes next :)

Lets Talk About Zebra Print! :)

2010-10-27T22:57:00.003-04:00

Zebra Print... some people love it some people hate it.

However, I prefer to take a healthier approach to it,
like all things, it can be great
...in moderation :)

It can look adorable as an accent to decor (love this room!)

photo credit

yet can even blend in as a more lively piece in a simple room...

photo credit

...not to mention can SUBTLY add fun to a wardrobe!
...plus, if Carrie Bradshaw wears it, it can't be all wrong, right? :)

In conclusion, the lesson learned is that zebra print, while often loud, obnoxious, and tacky, is not the fault of the print itself, simply user error.

I hope you ladies have a lovely last week of October
and enjoy the BEAUTIFUL weather before it gets cold! :)

Futbol: The Last Chapter

2010-10-23T08:30:00.002-04:00

Tonight is my last soccer game on our home field.
I have grown to love this group of girls over the past four years,
more than I thought possible .

It felt like some days would never end but four years sped by so quickly!

I want to be Kathleen Kelly when I grow up!

2010-10-21T09:02:00.002-04:00

You've got mail always makes me smile :)

Tom Hanks is adorable and Meg Ryan does the "kindergarden teacher" look in the cutest way possible!

I know she is only a character but I wish I could be as confident in myself as she is. I speak up far too little. When I do speak up it seems to be about insignificant trifles that don't really matter all that much.

I also love how she enjoys simple things, almost as a child would, yet is not childish. I think, those who live life getting excited about small things and trying to be optimistic are often looked at as childish, when that really is not the case at all. It takes a good deal of maturity to keep the difficult things of life in the right perspective. They need to be kept in a place where they are not merely blown off, but do not ruin a day either.

Above all, I love her honesty and dedication. So often I try to make situations look better than they truly are, but am entirely terrible at making myself vulnerable. I know I have missed out on developing more meaningful relationships with people because I was so busy trying to look put together, rather than living in my own shoes.

Anyways, I know I have looked into this movie much more than necessary,
but I do love it,
and it does make me smile :)

Crafts, Ready In Time For Christmas!

2010-10-19T11:44:00.003-04:00

Words CANNOT describe how much I love the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays! I know, we have time still and I am not in Christmas mode yet...

...but I have still been looking for fun Christmas craft ideas!

I am not a huge fan of the whole commercial Santa and presents thing, more of a "reason for the season" believer, but still love the giving spirit that seems to come over so many during this season!

One of my favorite times of the whole year is the week after finals week in December. Classes are over, I am home with my family, and we have nothing to do but get ready for Christmas!

During this time I LOVE to craft. My mind is still comatose from the previous week, but my creative side takes over and makes decorating and crafting all the more fun!

With that said, here are some of my Christmas crafts I can't wait to try :)

1. I am a huge fan of wreaths. In my mind they can make any door look welcoming. Not only do I think this wreath would look adorable on my door for the Christmas season, but doesn't it just make you smile? :)

The tutorial for this wreath can be found on Cheryl's blog a pretty cool life (which I HIGHLY suggest checking out) or you can buy one in her etsy shop!

Out of all of the blog reading I do, a pretty cool life is probably one of my favorites :)

2. A quilted Christmas? Yes please! I LOVE this tree skirt. In my opinion, the tree skirt pretty much makes or breaks a Christmas tree. Wouldn't this be adorable under a tree with matching stockings? :) Just an idea though...

Visit the tutorial here. I love it because you can purchase a kit or just follow the tutorial yourself!

I need to stop blogging about Christmas though or I will end up way too excited and break out Christmas music or some other sort of craziness like that!

Have a happy Tuesday! :)

PS - this is the best I could do to share the letter "X" with all of you, like X-mas? Maybe? :)

Wellingtons for "W" :)

2010-10-11T17:01:00.001-04:00

Okay ladies, quite honestly, I am ready to be finished with this alphabet! I know, its my blog, I can do whatever I want. This blog event can end whenever I decide (believe me, I have been told this a number of times) but, I figure, if I can't even finish a blog event, that is not a good sign for real life!

So, since the letter "V" was blogged (a little out of order) as a victory, I wanted to share with all of you beautiful readers my favorite thing about the letter "W" right now!

Ever since my birthday (in August :P) when I was blessed with a pair of Hunter Wellingtons, I have been putting together wet weather outfits just for the fun of it :)

So, you guessed it!
The letter "W" is all about Wellys! :)

Not only do I LOVE the versatility Wellingtons bring to rainy weather, but am also completely loving the different socks offered for them!

Hunter has a whole collection but I also found an adorable shop on etsy that features these Welly socks, or slugs as they call them

Be sure to stop by Those Alaskan Girls Etsy shop. Not only do they have adorable products but I am in love with the photography as well, as you can see above!

It makes me want to try and make some myself, especially because my boots are red, and there are not many socks that match that color :/

I know, two posts in a row about boots seems somewhat silly, but 'tis the season for boot wearing!

I am so excited to have a FULL week off for fall break this week, I plan to be very productive. Hmmm, we will see :)

U is for Uggs! :)

2010-10-05T13:28:00.001-04:00

I was a little behind the curve when it came to adding Uggs to my winter wardrobe. I thought the classic boots were hideous and firmly stood on that platform, until my sisters both had them and wore them with EVERYTHING. Needless to say, I bought a pair, and now agree they are the most comfortable boots ever.

With the first sign of cold weather, I visited the website to pick out a pair of Dakota slippers and fell in love with these:

The Highkoo II.
I wish I could squeeze them into my budget somehow, but I have tried every way possible and the only solution would be to, you know, not eat or something.

I'm sure most of you have heard that the Ugg children's sizes run pretty large. My classic pair is actually a kid's size 6 rather than a women's size 8. Unfortunately, the Highkoo II boot is not made for Children (so sad) but the Dakota is :)

So, no Highkoo II for me, but I did get an adorable pair of chestnut Dakota's for $60 instead of the $100 adult price!

Slippers: check!

I would never say "bring on the cold" but I am now ready for when it comes :)

Where is October???

2010-10-05T10:05:00.006-04:00

Is it just me or did the weather skip October and jump straight into the cold of November?
Usually winter clothes are slowly phased into the wardrobe... not this year I guess.
Pea coats here I come! :)

While I get over my cold weather shock, here are some giveaways for you to enjoy:

Southern Proper Giveaway At Kitchen Belleicious!
Be sure to mention I sent you! :)

True Prep Giveaway at Sweet Southern Prep!

Pleated Poppy Giveaway At Bird Crafts!

I'm sure we will at least get a few more warm days in before we get into the thick of the coldness of winter... surely :)

Loving Life, One Day At A Time! :)

2010-09-29T09:34:00.000-04:00

For the letter T, lets focus on today. Living in this moment! It is so easy to get caught up making plans for the future and living in past glories and regrets. Today is all that we are guaranteed, so lets live it!

I confess I have gotten caught up in thinking constantly about the future lately, and not enjoying the things I have been given today! I am in the middle of a soccer season that is 7 and 2 so far, that is awesome! Yet, I still catch myself getting excited about starting triathlons up after the season. I need to focus more on the now and less on the not yet!

I am so thankful for the life I have been given and the blessings I am living right now! I want to live joyfully in the today, not waste it away by looking toward tomorrow.

1. Tea Parties

2. Trader Joe's

3. Triathlons

4. Thrifty Creations

lima bean wreath tutorial here.

Moss covered ball tutorial here.

5. Tevas

6. Tea Cups

7. Trivial Information

8. Tuscany

9. Thank you notes

10. Tuna (favorite meal ever, seared Ahi Tuna, mmmm)

I hope everyone has a lovely Wednesday :)

V is for Victory :)

2010-09-27T09:24:00.003-04:00

Yes, I played against my sisters' team.
1-0 in overtime.
We won.
'nough said :)

Deuteronomy 33:12

2010-09-23T07:15:00.001-04:00

75 North. Left lane. Heavy downpour. Hydroplaned. Spun out.

Ricocheted off of two trees.
Finally stopped, on the right side of the highway.
We were protected the entire time.

My mind did not block out any of it. I am still haunted by the vivid image of my sister in the driver's seat, screaming my name, looking at me full of fear, as I watch a tree quickly approaching behind her.

The cop and wrecker agreed that if we would've hit the trees anywhere but where we did on the frame and if we would've been in anything less than our tank of a Volvo, neither of us would still be here.

Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him,
for he shields him all day long,
and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders.
Deuteronomy 33:12

A year ago, I had the most fearful experience of my life. But God is SO good, not only were we kept safe, but we have both recovered physically and emotionally from the terrifying wreck and nightmare filled weeks that followed.

I Love A Good Southern Lowcountry Shrimp Boil! :)

2010-09-22T10:25:00.007-04:00

There are few meals that I enjoy more than a shrimp boil. There always seems to be a different atmosphere that comes from eating with your fingers and being messy, and I love it! :)

I found two really good recipes. The first is from Martha Stewart, I love this one because she has a video tutorial and recipe for a spice mix on her website. However, she doesn't include the andouille sausage in her recipe, so I also wanted to share Guy Fieri, of the Food Network's awesome recipe as well.

So, how to serve it? Traditionally, newspaper is laid, and everything is eaten straight off the table. Pretty rough. If you're like me, you always want to add the extra touch or two to tie everything together and possibly even put a themed spin on the meal.

This is why I absolutely loved Martha Stewart's suggestions for turning a casual shrimp boil into a cute dinner party. She gives these tips:

Serve your country-style dinner as a buffet so you'll have time to spend with guests.
Skip the tablecloth; newspaper is simple and makes clean up easy.
If you decide to go with a buffet, pile seafood high and separately on large enamel platters.
Use bandannas for napkins.
Add a distinctive touch; serve beverages in mason jars.
Keep it traditional; ladle iced tea from a wide-mouth jar.
Don't save the best for last. Display your dessert on the table, and give guests something to look forward to.
Spice up your meal, and put a dash of color on your table.

This is a great meal, fun for a summery family dinner, or even an event. I feel like this could be a fun idea for a casual rehearsal dinner or something like that. Just fun to gather around and have a good time with family and friends :)

I absolutely could not be finished with the letter "S" without mentioning a Shrimp Boil!

And, technically Autumn doesn't start until tomorrow, so we can still celebrate summer for now at least :)

Let's Celebrate Tuesday A Little Bit :)

2010-09-19T21:28:00.009-04:00

I love the letter "S" not only does it make an adorable monogram, but so many fun things start with "S"! :)

stationary
sisters
swimming
sweet tea
scarves
sailing
sperrys
strappy sandals
strawberries
sushi
san francisco
snacking
sunglasses

Its such an exciting time! I just CANNOT let myself get stressed about things :) Finished a few physical therapy school applications yesterday, which I am SO pumped about! Game tonight and then a week off to catch up on other things like.... class work :P

I hope everyone is having a fabulous week! Be sure to see every situation as your glass half full, it makes loving others and living joyfully much much easier :)

Sunday, Beautiful Sunday

2010-09-19T12:43:00.004-04:00

And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were,
grace would no longer be grace.
Romans 11:6

"Who can fathom immeasurable love?
As far as the rational soul exceeds the senses,
so does the spirit exceed the rational in its
knowledge of thee.
-Puritain prayer, from The Valley of Vision

I hope you have a peaceful and blessed Sunday as
fall continues to move in :)

I Am Not A Fish....Among Other Things :)

2010-09-17T22:04:00.003-04:00

I am sure many of you have heard the analogy/fact that a fish only grows as large as its surroundings can accommodate for. Meaning that a fish stops growing once he has "grown into" his bowl or pond, wherever.

I am struggling with not being content in my surroundings. I feel as if I have outgrown them. I am at a small school in a small town, and feel like I am outside of the rest of/real world looking in.

As I continue to apply to physical therapy schools I continue to crave a bigger "pond." My outlook has been broadened. I don't want to go back, but I don't want to be left out of the present either.

I play soccer for the school and the majority of the team has the "soccer is life" mentality. It has been difficult for me, because, I have seen and continue to realize more that soccer is a minute detail in the grand scheme of life. While I always give 100 percent on the field, however, I am getting tired of being obligated to take everything SO overly serious!

Anyways, I don't like all of this not fitting in, but I don't at all right now. It takes everything in me not to criticize things (esp with soccer) and be content in my circumstances. It is difficult to focus on the Lord's purpose for me in this place at this time, when my next chapter is so close to starting.

I don't know, finishing up is a completely exciting time, I am taking all of the opportunities I can, but it is also a very lonely time, because there are very few people who I can really truly and openly relate to.

Anyways, at a successful attempt to distract myself from applications, I decided to share with you some of my favorite things about the letter "R" lately :)

running
ric rac (cute and easy apron how to here)
rowing
riding boots
rainbows
roses
road trips
ray ban
ralph lauren

I am going to do my best to keep up with the alphabet, but as deadlines approach, free time becomes sparse, which in turn means blogging may have to become even more seldom for a time.

Have no fear, I am still here, loving the Lord, and living life, just with fewer updates :)

Stella & Dot :)

2010-09-16T12:24:00.003-04:00

I LOVE Stella & Dot! Be sure to check out not only the website, but also these adorable giveaways! :)

Visit Edit by Lauren to win this beautiful Stella & Dot bangle! :)

Design-A-Peele is also having an adorable Stella & Dot giveaway! :)

All I Have To Say Is TGIF

2010-09-10T10:15:00.001-04:00

I can't believe it has been almost a week since I last posted!

We have a rough schedule this year, most of our games are away, which means a game could take not only a long bus trip, but also an overnight stay. Which means I need to work my rear off to get everything done between the travel!

On the up up up side, I was able to see my amazingly beautiful sisters tonight, which was such a treat! I can't believe it has been a month since I have seen both of them! Anyways, I met up with their team for dinner and we had quite the little post game feast :)

Here are some favorites with the letter "Q" :)

Beautiful Quilts

Quiche
Quaint Things
Queen Anne's Lace
Quiet Time
Quality
Happy Weekend! :)

Quilted Potholder Giveaway from Quilty Therapy!

2010-09-05T13:29:00.001-04:00

I know you must be sick of hearing about my etsy exploring by now, but I just can't help sharing about cute find, and I especially love giveaways! :)

These were the potholders that first caught my eye. I LOVE the nautical print fabric!

Here is yet another amazingly special etsy shop!

Tisha of Quilty Therapy began sewing at the age of five and has been quilting for about ten years now. She first started doing it because of her love of fabric. She first started making quilts as a business for friends a few years ago. She now makes her friends wedding quilts in their colors and one for their first baby, which has kept her very busy!

It was not until earlier this year that Tisha joined etsy and really started making and designing more. She has set lofty goals for herself, hoping to put a new quilt a week in her shop.

When Tisha is not quilting works a full time job, spends time with her husband, LOVES cooking, enjoys long runs, seeing her friends, and last but definitely not least, Tisha loves fabric shopping! As you can see she has quite the eye for picking out fabric!

"Patterns and designs come to me when I look at fabric."

And now for an absolutely adorable giveaway :) Tisha has generously offered this set of her recently quilted potholders to be given away!

First:

Be sure to visit Quilty Therapy on etsy and comment about your favorite item!

Next:

earn 1 entry: add Quilty Therapy to your favorite etsy sellers
earn 1 entry: follow my blog
earn 2 entries: add this giveaway to your blog sidebar
earn 3 entries: post about this giveaway on your blog
earn 10 entries: making a purchase from Quilty Therapy

This giveaway ends Monday September 13th at noon EST. Be sure to leave your e-mail address in at least one of your comments so I know where to find you when you win! :)

Aren't they just darling? I am so excited!

I am no Julia Child but when there are pretty things in the kitchen, it makes cooking all the more joyful :)

Perfectly "P" :)

2010-09-04T19:25:00.000-04:00

Here are lots of good "P" favorites! :)

cute proposals
popsicles
pearls
physical therapy
pottery barn
taking pictures
polka dots
the proposal
pumpkin
puppies

Happy Saturday! :)

An Alphabulous Ornament Giveaway!

2010-09-02T23:27:00.003-04:00

As you all have probably noticed, I am a huge fan of all things personal and personalized.

If you are anything like me, I know you will enjoy Alphabulous on etsy!

Alphabulous describes this shop perfectly! Started by a stay at home wife and mom of two, Alphabulous offers a wide variety of iron on decals, ornaments, and many other decorative pieces.

Alphabulous was started by a graduate from University of Texas with a degree in art, which is so obvious in her use of colors, designs, and patterns together.

You must check out this selection! After just looking through this shop, so many decorative ideas kept popping into my head!

I hope you enjoy shopping at Alphabulous as much as I have!

Just to give a small taste of the variety, I am privileged to giveaway one of these adorable Monster Ornaments!

For starters: be sure to visit Alphabulous and let me know what your favorite item is!

Next:
earn 1 entry: add Alphabulous to your favorite etsy sellers
earn 1 entry: follow my blog
earn 2 entries: add this giveaway to your blog sidebar
earn 3 entries: post about this giveaway on your blog
earn 10 entries: making a purchase from Alphabulous

This giveaway ends Friday September 10th at noon EST. Be sure to leave your e-mail address in at least one of your comments so I know where to find you when you win! :)

I can't believe fall is almost here! Cute boots here I come! :P

G-I-V-E-A-W-A-Y-S :)

2010-09-02T23:07:00.004-04:00

Visit Lily Lemontree to enter to win this book!

Visit Simple Finds for some cute giveaways!

Win this sign

or a $25 gift certificate here!