MIA

Oh my gosh its been so long since i've blogged that i couldn't remember how to get started!!! 

Please forgive my lazy typing....its just the way it is...k? Thanks, we can still be friends then!

Started a new chapter in life....and i love it. call me crazy, some do....thats totally fine by me, i get to hang with my BlakeyD every single day. Yep, he's doing school at home..homeschooling!!! Its a long story...one that i will share here on my blog...very soon. Like the next time i post.....which i hope won't be in another year...

I've missed you

New Recipe....with Quinoa and Other Super Foods!

A while back I had the opportunity to teach a class about healthy eating.....and when I mentioned "Quiona" people gasped and whispered....."quin who?" "Quin-what?" So if you are new to Quinoa and eating healthier then try this!!!

Quinoa is a super food. It's a grain that is really really high in protein .....its a rock star in my opinion! Move over boring brown rice and plain couscous....try Quinoa!

Source

Yesterday I made the most delicious salad {looked very close to pic above}.....chocked full of amazing healthy foods that taste great! Even my 6 year old loved this and wanted to drink the vinaigrette from his empty salad bowl.

All I added:
Quinoa {one cup uncooked yields approx 2 cups cooked...available at Trader Joes and health food stores}
One can of Tuna Solid Albicore drained
1-2 Roma Tomatoes diced and seeded
1/4 English Cucumber diced with skin on
1/4 C diced red onion
1/2 Avocado diced
a HUGE bunch of fresh raw baby spinach {get organic at sams or costoco...cheap!}
Last...and my fave part....crumble some amazing Gorgonzola cheese in there!

For the Dressing:
I never measure and it always tastes great! Promise! Remember my 6 year old son wanted to drink this stuff!

Grab an old jar with tight fitting lid...I used an empty jar that had marinated artichoke hearts in it...about 1 pint size

add:
1T Dijon
Sweetner...just a pinch or two{stevia, agave, sweet n low, sugar...what ever you have on hand but the first two are the best!}
1 part e.v.o.o
2 parts vinegar {apple cider is fine}
fill the rest with water
use your garlic press and press 2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Shake it baby! When the dressing is combined....you can pour or spoon it on your salad. SO SO Good!

This salad can be as large as you want it or as small...depending on how much you add of the quiona. You can add all the salad ingredients except the baby spinach and it can all get happy together in the fridge, then just add the spinach to the mixture when you want to eat it!

ENJOY!

A Daughter is a Sweet Gift From Above

How to express how much I love  my girl....my sweetest Cami. She blesses my life each and everyday....like a lot. I think I know her.... but only her Father in Heaven knows what real gifts she possesses and what her own path will be. I will only know her for a short time as a child......I know that these wonderful days that I am blessed to help shape her are so few.

New Year....New Goals.

One of our family's goals this year is to read more....A LOT more!!!
On our list this month are:
The Secret Benedict Society {both in the series}
The Ranger's Apprentice Book 1
The Incorrigible Children {Read it and finish it this time}
When You Reach Me
Total Money Make Over{Reading now}


Tonight was our first night to implement our reading routine. If you know my children they you know they love and are obsessed with any item with a screen. They are drawn to a tv/computer screen like a moth to a light. To my great surprise and pleasure it was generally accepted by the children and no one said they wanted to watch tv, play the computer or the xbox. I say that was a HUGE victory in itself and Jeffrey made brownies! Blake gave me a hug goodnight and said he wanted to keep reading!!! I eon't know what is different about tonight....but I'll take it! {i know!!!!!!!i use waaaaay too many exclamation points}


Ahhhh    SUCCESS!

Introducing my new series...You Can Make This!

You can make this:

a simple FALL WREATH 

all you need is:

A wire hanger
1 1/2 yards of burlap
black fabric for bow or your favorite color{could also use ribbon}

Cut your burlap into strips going the width not the length of the fabric....don't want them too long.

Take your wire hanger and twist it so that it unhooks.

Shape your hanger into a circle as round as you can but it DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT!

Next: take one end of your hanger and take the end of one strip of fabric and poke the hanger into the middle part of the end of the fabric strip. Fold the fabric over like a zig zag and poke again.....repeat with each strip until you have it finished!


**I think I will switch the black fabric out for a burgundy color for November

Love this Project!

Love this bib necklace! I made it entirely of materials that I already had on hand including sleeves from a long leave ruffled vintage style blouse, ricrac, lace and buttons.

Got a sweet deal on the chain and clasps at Michael's. 

I get tons of compliments on this and have recently made one for Fall and Winter seasons that I will share soon!

Teaching Children to Keep a Journal FHE

So tonight for our FHE {Family Home Evening, a weekly activity encouraged by my church}
We are learning about journaling and why it is so important. We can't possibly remember everything in our day to day lives{or even every special occasion} so we need to write it down! I love going back and reading what I wrote as a young girl and the kids love reading what I wrote in each of their books that I have kept for them through the years. I think they are old enough to understand why this is important.....cuz their mama can't remember ANYTHING!!! lol

Visit www.teamdavy.org

My husband and I have always considered ourselves very blessed to have had 4 pregnancies, 4 healthy babies that all hit their expected milestones. My friend Ruth, is sooooo amazingly strong. She found the strength to do what she needed to do to take care of her sweet lil girl. Read her blog and get some tissues and count your blessings. I know she does and Im sure that her sweet lil girl is one her biggest blessings.

The Lunch Box Diaries

When I saw that this was the lunch of a picky eater I couldn't believe my eyes!!!  I have a picky eater and  let me tell you I would love it if this was his idea of the ideal lunch ~ he wants only a plain sandwich of either peanut butter on white bread or pepperoni or turkey no mayo or cheese just dry on a roll not on flat regular sandwich bread, Doritos and a Juice Box....he's 13 and I'm afraid to show you his lunch!

{source}

{Now, my daughter would love the above lunch}

My other 3 children eat most things and like "healthy" food. I can't tell you how much my oldest's son's diet has tugged on my heart strings. Ever since he was 2 1/2 yrs old and ate his last scrambled egg I have worried about him and his nutrition. The only healthy food i.e fruits and veggies he really likes are:  Soy beans, green beans, green apples not red, fresh corn on the cob, plain baked potato, sometimes spinach. Not a vary expansive diet but I am happy that he does eat the foods listed at least. I still work on him and hope that his tastes don't rub off on our 5 yr old who looks up to his big brother in every way.

Will he ever just sit down at the table and eat everything on his plate? I really don't make gross food....it's not like I serve him Carob Cake or Sprout sandwiches. If it is a combined food of any kind other than pasta than it will not touch his lips. He will pick through it.....melted cheese???? Well you can just forget it! I mean what kid won't eat melted cheese? Well, my brother won't and I'm blaming it all on a family trait!

Hmmm, maybe I have a new series of posts here.....
"The Lunch Box Diaries?" 

It's a Link Up

So, I'm sharing my layered ruffled tank top!

Click {here} for the photo tutorial!

Favorite Things

Here are just a few fave things I'm loving right now!

source

   
i  saw this project while perusing google images for vintage monograms.......no monograms here but the new life given to this shade makes such a huge difference wouldn't you agree? The flowers remind me of the fabric flowers I make for myself, my daughter and for my etsy shoppe. I especially love the olive toned ribbon at the edges.


 I know these are belt buckles but I love that they look like stacked Tiffany rings!
 {Source: the pink monogram}

Loving ANYTHING from this gals blog~She has  stirred up an old flame  I had for Shabby Chic!

Saw this @ the 36th Avenue    
It even has a "C" for my Cami girl!

Meal Plan Monday!

Here is this week's menu!

Monday : Chili Ghetti {recipe here } The only thing I changed was I used homemade chili! {I like it better than canned} Side dish: sweet frozen corn, salad and fresh homemade rolls! Want the roll recipe? I'll post that tomorrow!

Tuesday: Dinner out with the missionaries

Wednesday: Linguine with lemon sauce parsley and grilled shrimp, salad....need some new recipes for salads, got any?

Thursday:  Grilled chicken with herbs, Quinoa and broccoli

Friday: Garden vegetable pizza with chicken {for Mike} and the sauce is alfredo! YUM Recipe video here


Saturday: BBQ Pork Sandwiches {North Carolina style} cole slaw of course and potato chips, Oranges

Sunday: ?? What are your favorite Sunday dinners?

I've Been Featured!!

You can check it out over at ***Every Day is a New Adventure!*** Really this is the sweetest thing anyone has  ever said about lil' old  ME!!!   {I will probably read it and re read it every day!!!!}


Thanks Jaime

A Tank Top Repurpose {Tutorial}

I've seen these all over blog land and in the catalogs and thought that I could make one in miniature for my daughter!

I love taking everyday items like an under shirt and a  tank top in this case and turning them into something special.  Cost: $0.00
 {I had everything on hand}

Here's what I started with:

One of my daughter's many tanks

An extra pre washed under shirt {new} of my older son's

I cut the sleeve's off, can use for another project, cut the strips for ruffles at approx 3 in. then cut each of those at the side to make 2 strips out of each.

Sew the strips with a running stitch or gathering stitch

pull the under side thread or  bobbin thread

it should look like this

now you are ready to pin the ruffle in place at the very top

add the next layer just under the first, but be careful here, you don't want it too low or else the top will show

continue until it looks like the pic above

ta da!

{Lace and brown velvet head band}...just for fun!

Hope you like this Ruffled Tank Top tutorial! Make one and let me know how it turned out.

Meal Plan Monday!

{Make it Fun!}

My sweet daughter wanted to have the table set and looking nice for our family. All the boys even liked it!

I sat my 4 kids down last night before bed and asked them all what they wanted for breakfast, lunch and dinner this week plus the ever looming snacks!
Here's what they came up with:

Breakfast: " Coffee cake with that amazing buttery brown sugar topping" my picky eater said!
Oh's and waffles{they must be toaster for a busy school morning}
Smoothies and French Toast Stix {also must be the frozen kind or we can just give up on getting out the door on time}

Lunch: Turkey Hoagies, Tuna salad and the usual stuff to make lunch complete

Snacks: Cheese crackers, home made chocolate chip cookies, fruit etc.

Dinner: Baked Potato bar with Chili and fixings, Tostadas, Bread bowl with moms chicken noodle soup {my kids fave}, Pasta and on Friday, Homemade pizza!  Also, homemade rolls were requested and I have to figure out still what to make with those, probably for Sunday dinner!

Another Meal Plan..Weekly Menu

So I have just discovered some wonderful recipe/cooking blogs! It's like scoring an awesome deal at your favorite store!!!

Obviously the week is half over so I won't be planning the entire week but here is what we are eating!

Thursday: Potato Bar with all the toppings

Friday: Date night for Mike and me, yay, a night off from cooking! { Pizza for kids}

Saturday {Dinner with friends } But look what we are having for lunch!  Get the recipe here !  

Sunday: Grilled Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo {my own recipe, all you do is open a jar of Alfredo sauce!} Try it with Barilla Plus! My kids love white pasta, but the really didn't mind the wheat version at all! Whole wheat though is a different story!
And: Caesar Salad {our Favorite dressing is Girard's}

I'm So Lucky, Look What I Found!

I love all this "refashioning" going on in blog land don't you?

Check out Ruffles and Stuff for this awesome tutorial.....if you are not careful you could end up spending your whole day there...not that that has happened to me or anything! LOL

The "D" Word

Diet!!!! I know for most of us January brings on a clean slate for our eating habits and this year I have better tools to help aid success! You really should go and visit Angela at The Grocery Shrink! She is a wealth of knowledge and information. I am so excited to get started and know that she is there {well her blog is always there} for me to go back to for reassurance!!!

I have the 1200 calorie a day cookbook and I really like it.....do you have other suggestions for low cal cooking? Bring 'em on!

Another Year ...... A Brand New Diary!

To quote Bridgette Jones......I love it!

If you ask my husband, my journal's purpose is to vent my frustrations about him on it's pages!! But I promise you that is only once in a while, better to write it down and hopefully throw it away then to say something that can't be unsaid I always say!

So the other day I found my old journal from when I had first met my husband! I couldn't stop laughing I tell you! I was hung up on the guy big time! I told him that if he ever needed an ego boost then he ought to read the pages in my hot pink book! {we met on my 18th birthday!}

I also keep a church journal. It helps me remember the inspirational speakers I hear and to apply thoughts with that inspiration into the days of my life!

I believe my blog to be a journal of sorts but the one thing it is missing is my own handwriting! In the years to come, some one some where will want to know more about me......and a handwritten journal fits the bill!
I have started many over the years since I was a young girl, and looking back and reading the pages warms my heart.

I don't know that I believe in resolutions for the sake of New Year's but I know that I do want to be better at:

drinking more water
writing in my journal
blogging
exercising
etc.

Way cute scarf tutorial!

I saw this darling tutorial on Gracie Lou's blog and I think I have everything on hand to make one tonight!


If you are feeling crafty and want to make one for you or some cute little girl then head on over to Oh So Happy Together's blog!