Sunday, June 9, 2013
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Fun Friday Blog Hop!
Welcome to another fun Friday blog hop party!
First of all, we would like to thank you all for linking up every week.
Every week we will choose two bloggers and will be the recipient of our certified blog hopper award.
We will put the button of the chosen two bloggers on our side bar for ONE MONTH.
Free advertisement for one month, isn't that awesome?
There's only one thing that we request is you should be a follower.
PLEASE FOLLOW THE HOSTS and Co-HOST via GFC or BLOGLOVIN
If you would like to be a co-host, email me at thepinkmommablog@yahoo.com
First of all, we would like to thank you all for linking up every week.
Every week we will choose two bloggers and will be the recipient of our certified blog hopper award.
We will put the button of the chosen two bloggers on our side bar for ONE MONTH.
Free advertisement for one month, isn't that awesome?
There's only one thing that we request is you should be a follower.
PLEASE FOLLOW THE HOSTS and Co-HOST via GFC or BLOGLOVIN
If you would like to be a co-host, email me at thepinkmommablog@yahoo.com
Hosts:
Home Life Series Part 1-Kitchen & a Link up!
Deciding which room I would begin with for this Home Life series was not a hard decision. So much of life happens in the kitchen-so lets just jump right in! I love bright colors in a kitchen, and I'm sure these favorite/most used items of mine will definitely reflect that.
These bowls were one of the first things I purchased for our kitchen right before we got married-
When I walked into Anthropologie that day I was greeted by a bright and beautiful display of these latte bowls in more colors than I can remember. When I picked one up I was pleasantly surprised by the $5 price tag on the bottom and immediately started choosing my colors. $5 may seem a bit steep for just a small bowl, but I can't tell you how much good use I get out of these daily. They are dishwasher safe, microwave safe, and "us" safe (that's saying something. we're kind of clumsy.) I use these for quick snacks, meal times, or just to re-heat leftovers in. and a year later out of the 8 I purchased there's not a scratch or chip out of one. They are still all in perfect condition-and I really have used the heck out of them! But they are also pretty enough to entertain with. These bowls can make a drab table come to life in color!
I also picked up their co-star with these mini versions of latte bowls-
These were I think $2.50 a piece. Once again-microwave and dishwasher safe. I use them all the time for dipping sauces or gravy or salad dressing. When I bought them this was my only purchase I was slightly "iffy" about, but turns out I use them all the time!
I grew up in a paper towel kind of house. I know they have benefits of convenience, and I do fall back on them sometimes. But when we were registering for our wedding I knew that I wanted to be a little more environmentally conscious where I could, and save us some money. So I went on a mission to find really cute kitchen towels-because let's be real, if something is cute I'm going to be more likely to use it-and I found them here.
These towels are from Martha Stewart and they are great quality! In a year I've only had 1 towel (out of about 10/12) fray a bit at the ends.
Along the same lines of using more kitchen towels instead of paper towels, I also wanted some nice cloth napkins! I found these at Target (I can't see where they still sell these particular ones anymore, but they do still sell some great ones)
Target is also where I got these great salt and pepper shakers!!
I wanted something that was simple, but not boring, and would go with any season/holiday! (Yes-I probably put way too much thought into something silly like salt and pepper shakers, but they're at the center of the table for every meal!) I looked for quite a while and finally found them here.
Now onto food storage. Here's just a random tip that I've learned works best for us
When purchasing food storage go for square/rectangular containers over bowls! This is a small idea but it's made such a difference in how much refrigerator space we have. I do use our Tupperware bowls sometimes, but more often than not, I reach for these "flatter" shaped containers. They fit and stack perfectly and make the refrigerator seem so much bigger! For example:
You can find the ones pictured here.
The mixing bowls I definitely grab for first when cooking are these.
These are plastic, but they are a sturdy and durable plastic. I use my hand mixer with these bowls all the time and have never had a problem with scratches. I love all the different sizes that came with this set, and the spout has really come in handy as well when pouring batter. I'm not sure if they still sell these exact ones, but I got these from JCPenney.
Next up, mason jars. I think I started using these kicking and screaming the whole way because it seemed like a silly fad. All of a sudden mason jars were like the new "chic" thing and everyone had them. So I resisted. I'm an individual anyways-and a stubborn one at that. But somehow I caved and got a pack of them at Wal-Mart one day. And what do you know, I use those crazy things all the time.
These are perfect for whipping up salad dressing or marinade-anything that needs to be shaken up. On the mornings that my coffee has gotten cold and I'm still not ready to pour it out, I typically pour the leftover coffee in a mason jar full of ice, with caramel sauce and creamer. (Disclaimer: I'm not recommending that much sugar and caffeine before 9 am is a good idea. But it definitely a delicious one. Moving on to a more healthy idea...)I also love using mason jars for fresh fruit on the go. It's convenient because mason jars fit in most cup holders, and once again, if it looks pretty I'm most likely to use/eat it.
Plastic wrap/Ziploc bag storage:
Nothing special is happening here except one thing that I wanted to make note about. Always keep a marker in the same place you store these kinds of things! This makes it super easy to label leftovers or freezer bags when I'm freezing food.
I also always keep a container of bulldog clips in a kitchen drawer!
It might sound odd, but these are the perfect and cheapest fix for opened bags and packages of food in the kitchen!
This tip isn't exactly a pretty one-so I always simply stick it under the kitchen sink when I'm not using it or when guests are coming over. But this has been such a convenient help!
I noticed that we use a ton of cups with lids that have to be washed by hand and I always hated doing them! So I finally came up with keeping this inexpensive giant plastic bowl near the sink that I simply fill with hot soapy water and drop in the lids and other small pieces. This way I don't have to fish them out of the sink. It's the little things that help the most to me!
My favorite cleaner for kitchen countertops
This is a non-toxic cleaner, and doesn't have a strong "chemical" scent to it, so I feel good about using it in our kitchen. It is also a great price because you dilute the product! You can get a gallon for about $11 here. You definitely get the most bang for your buck here seeing as I clean my countertops daily and my gallon purchase is still half full a year later!
I saved the most important part for last. Memorizing scripture is very important to my husband and I, and we like to work on it as a family. So we have this wall hanging in the middle of our kitchen, because we realized that was where we spent the most time throughout the day. Every Monday we post a new scripture on the board to work on memorizing the upcoming week.
Alright now it's your turn! Grab a button and link up!!
Part 1-Kitchen
Part 2-Bathroom
Part 3-Craft Room
Part 4-Laundry Room
Linking up with Crystal, Hip Homeschool Mom, Seven Alive, Anne,
These bowls were one of the first things I purchased for our kitchen right before we got married-
When I walked into Anthropologie that day I was greeted by a bright and beautiful display of these latte bowls in more colors than I can remember. When I picked one up I was pleasantly surprised by the $5 price tag on the bottom and immediately started choosing my colors. $5 may seem a bit steep for just a small bowl, but I can't tell you how much good use I get out of these daily. They are dishwasher safe, microwave safe, and "us" safe (that's saying something. we're kind of clumsy.) I use these for quick snacks, meal times, or just to re-heat leftovers in. and a year later out of the 8 I purchased there's not a scratch or chip out of one. They are still all in perfect condition-and I really have used the heck out of them! But they are also pretty enough to entertain with. These bowls can make a drab table come to life in color!
I also picked up their co-star with these mini versions of latte bowls-
These were I think $2.50 a piece. Once again-microwave and dishwasher safe. I use them all the time for dipping sauces or gravy or salad dressing. When I bought them this was my only purchase I was slightly "iffy" about, but turns out I use them all the time!
I grew up in a paper towel kind of house. I know they have benefits of convenience, and I do fall back on them sometimes. But when we were registering for our wedding I knew that I wanted to be a little more environmentally conscious where I could, and save us some money. So I went on a mission to find really cute kitchen towels-because let's be real, if something is cute I'm going to be more likely to use it-and I found them here.
These towels are from Martha Stewart and they are great quality! In a year I've only had 1 towel (out of about 10/12) fray a bit at the ends.
Along the same lines of using more kitchen towels instead of paper towels, I also wanted some nice cloth napkins! I found these at Target (I can't see where they still sell these particular ones anymore, but they do still sell some great ones)
Target is also where I got these great salt and pepper shakers!!
I wanted something that was simple, but not boring, and would go with any season/holiday! (Yes-I probably put way too much thought into something silly like salt and pepper shakers, but they're at the center of the table for every meal!) I looked for quite a while and finally found them here.
Now onto food storage. Here's just a random tip that I've learned works best for us
When purchasing food storage go for square/rectangular containers over bowls! This is a small idea but it's made such a difference in how much refrigerator space we have. I do use our Tupperware bowls sometimes, but more often than not, I reach for these "flatter" shaped containers. They fit and stack perfectly and make the refrigerator seem so much bigger! For example:
You can find the ones pictured here.
The mixing bowls I definitely grab for first when cooking are these.
These are plastic, but they are a sturdy and durable plastic. I use my hand mixer with these bowls all the time and have never had a problem with scratches. I love all the different sizes that came with this set, and the spout has really come in handy as well when pouring batter. I'm not sure if they still sell these exact ones, but I got these from JCPenney.
Next up, mason jars. I think I started using these kicking and screaming the whole way because it seemed like a silly fad. All of a sudden mason jars were like the new "chic" thing and everyone had them. So I resisted. I'm an individual anyways-and a stubborn one at that. But somehow I caved and got a pack of them at Wal-Mart one day. And what do you know, I use those crazy things all the time.
These are perfect for whipping up salad dressing or marinade-anything that needs to be shaken up. On the mornings that my coffee has gotten cold and I'm still not ready to pour it out, I typically pour the leftover coffee in a mason jar full of ice, with caramel sauce and creamer. (Disclaimer: I'm not recommending that much sugar and caffeine before 9 am is a good idea. But it definitely a delicious one. Moving on to a more healthy idea...)I also love using mason jars for fresh fruit on the go. It's convenient because mason jars fit in most cup holders, and once again, if it looks pretty I'm most likely to use/eat it.
Plastic wrap/Ziploc bag storage:
Nothing special is happening here except one thing that I wanted to make note about. Always keep a marker in the same place you store these kinds of things! This makes it super easy to label leftovers or freezer bags when I'm freezing food.
I also always keep a container of bulldog clips in a kitchen drawer!
It might sound odd, but these are the perfect and cheapest fix for opened bags and packages of food in the kitchen!
This tip isn't exactly a pretty one-so I always simply stick it under the kitchen sink when I'm not using it or when guests are coming over. But this has been such a convenient help!
I noticed that we use a ton of cups with lids that have to be washed by hand and I always hated doing them! So I finally came up with keeping this inexpensive giant plastic bowl near the sink that I simply fill with hot soapy water and drop in the lids and other small pieces. This way I don't have to fish them out of the sink. It's the little things that help the most to me!
My favorite cleaner for kitchen countertops
This is a non-toxic cleaner, and doesn't have a strong "chemical" scent to it, so I feel good about using it in our kitchen. It is also a great price because you dilute the product! You can get a gallon for about $11 here. You definitely get the most bang for your buck here seeing as I clean my countertops daily and my gallon purchase is still half full a year later!
I saved the most important part for last. Memorizing scripture is very important to my husband and I, and we like to work on it as a family. So we have this wall hanging in the middle of our kitchen, because we realized that was where we spent the most time throughout the day. Every Monday we post a new scripture on the board to work on memorizing the upcoming week.
Alright now it's your turn! Grab a button and link up!!
Part 1-Kitchen
Part 2-Bathroom
Part 3-Craft Room
Part 4-Laundry Room
Linking up with Crystal, Hip Homeschool Mom, Seven Alive, Anne,
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Liebster Award
A few days ago I got nominated by the lovely Nicole for the Liebster Award! At first I had no idea what this meant and just hoped this was a compliment and not like the secret "kick me" sign on the back of the new girl that didn't know better. For reals ya'll-I wouldn't know the difference. But turns out, it's pretty fun and great and I'm so excited to be taking part. So without further ado (or embarrassment using the "ya'll" phrase), let's get started!
Rules are:
•Acknowledge the blog that nominated you
•Tell 11 facts about yourself
•Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger(s) created
•List 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers that you believe deserve some recognition
•Post 11 questions for them to answer
•Notify them that they've been nominated
•You can't nominate the blog that nominated you
11 Facts about Stephanie @ New Mrs. Adventures
1.) I bruise like a peach. (Odd to start with but let's just get it out there in the open.)
2.) I'm such a girly girl. I grew up in a house full of girls except for my dad who learned early on that he was very outnumbered. So learning to live with Mr. was a shock to my system to say the least. The Lord has been gracious, we have transitioned well, and the blessing of separate bathrooms might have saved us thousands in couple's counseling in the years to come. But there are still moment's where I just shake my head and wonder...example: A couple days ago Mr. got into my bag of nail stuff to find some nail clippers. He pulled out a couple orange sticks and said, babe...why do you use chopsticks to do your nails?? ...speechless...
3.) A few years ago I went through a season of tremendous pain, I finally walked away from a very long, very abusive relationship. A week later my best friend since junior high, who's more like my sister, got diagnosed with cancer. I dropped out of college that semester to help care for her. Praise God, she recovered. But in the end, I think the "world crashing down on me" kind of year it had been caught up with me and I found myself in a pit of depression and anxiety you wouldn't believe. I literally ate, breathed, and lived on Scripture and prayer those days. I hardly slept at night, and vividly remember taking walks in the middle of the night that I would gaze up at the stars with tears streaming down my face saying to God-if I ever get through this, I know I'll never be the same person I was going into this. And I wasn't. Praise God. Sometimes He has to burn the "junk" out of us, and while those flames sure do hurt to a depth we can hardly put words to, we come out pure and refined. Thank You Lord, forever humbly grateful. Anyone else been there?
4.) I'm borderline obsessed with holidays/birthdays/special occasions/totally made up holidays/anniversaries. Basically any excuse for a party with decorations-specifically with a "theme" (because that's when I really shine)-I'm there. Looking back, I've been this way since childhood. I was the kid who always insisted on celebrating everyone's half-birthday's in the family and tried to come up with a "first day of the month party" for each month, running around all day yelling Happy March!! Happy September! Let's make a fancy dinner tonight to celebrate! Weirdo-I know. (For the record, the "first of the month parties" never really took off. Shocking, I know)
5.) My husband'skind of my hero. Really. He loves me in a way there are no words to express it, I'll never understand it. I consider it one of the highest honor's of my life to be considered his.
6.) Sunday's are my favorite. Absolute favorite. Most Sunday nights this convo goes on in our house:
Mr: What's wrong?
Me: Oh nothing. Sunday's just almost over. Not another one for a whole week.
I love church. I love ministry. Those people just aren't my church friends or fellow church members, they're my family too. And every Sunday we gather at my parent's house for a big Sunday family lunch, which I'm always in charge of dessert for. We eat and linger around the table talking and laughing for what seems like never long enough before returning to our own homes for long naps before going back for evening services.
7.) I like caramel. With a side of caramel. (P.s. I've been spelling it carmel my entire life until 2 seconds ago when I just typed it and spell check told me it was wrong. It's like a whole new world over here. How did I go 26 years not knowing this?? Mind. Blown.)
8.) I have a thing for make-up, perfume, and skin care products. It's a terrible habit of mine, and Sephora is my worst enemy in this battle. Now I'm tempted to swing over to their website and browse awhile.
9.) I cannot handle seeing people eat alone. Like in restaurants and such? If I see someone sitting alone it's a fact that I'm either heading over to ask them to join us or I'm going to be miserable the rest of our meal. Though the Mr. tells me some people actually prefer this, I can't wrap my mind around that concept. In high school I had the best group of girlfriends who did everything together, but our table at lunch was always growing by a few people each month because of this issue of mine. We eventually ran out of room and my bff and I had to share a teeny-tiny seat most days.
10.) The Mr.and I's relationship was a crazy whirlwind, that nobody but the good Lord could've seen coming. A few weeks into dating he had to fulfill a speaking engagement with his ministry that took him hundreds of miles away for 2 months. Long distance relationships are always hard, but just baby-less-than-a-month-old long distance relationships seemed impossible. However, we both made a ton of sacrifices that summer, traveling for weekend visits and staying up all night skyping because sleep-time was the only free time available. But on a hot day in August that man of mine finally returned home for good, little did I know he came with a ring in his glove box. And the rest was history.
11.) I've never been to the beach, am bound and determined to change this someday.
11 Questions from Nicole!
1.What's your favorite color?
Pink. Any form, any fashion.
2.What is your favorite place in the world?
Honest? Dork central over here but it would have to in Mr's arms. Nothing safer or sweeter. Specifically under the stars because it takes me back to the days of dating when we were broke college kids who couldn't afford anything but a blanket under the stars talking until we couldn't stay awake any longer. The best.
3.What is your favorite childhood memory (or one that really sticks out)?
Oh man, I was kind of a nutty kid. I think one of my best shining moments was when I was very young, think 3 or 4 years old, and was covered in pink ruffles going up to older gentleman in our church throwing my tiny fist at them saying, "wanna a knuckle sandwich?" Nobody knows where I learned it. My mother is a saint for not giving up on me right then and there.
4.Would you rather cook or eat out?
I love going out because I love an excuse to get dressed up. But I'd have to say cooking.
5.What's your favorite cheat food?
Caramel. And coffee in unhealthy amounts. Sometimes together.
6.What's your guilty pleasure?
See #5.
7.What's your favorite sport?
I kind of giggled when I read this as did any of my friends reading this and picturing me answering this. But if I had to pick one, I'd say tennis. I do love playing tennis. However the way I play probably can't be considered actually playing tennis.
8.Where is your favorite place to shop?
Sephora.
9.What is your biggest regret in life?
I thought about this way too long. But I really don't have any? Not to say I haven't made my mistakes-far, far too many. But I've been shown such grace over my messes of life, and God has been so faithful to use them to further His work in my life and allow me to minister to others out of them, that I couldn't really call them a regret. Mistakes though? Plenty upon plenty. Biggest mistakes would probably be my worry and scaredy-cat tendencies.
10.Who is the one person you can tell anything to?
Mr.
11.Who do you look up to in life?
My mom. Easy peasy. If I could handle half of life with the kind of grace and integrity that she has, I'd consider it a victory.
And goodness the countless ways that God has worked through her in my life.
I'm nominating:
Katy
Saxon
Lauren
Kendra
Francesca
Lauren
Casey
Deanne
My 11 Questions for you Lovely Nominee's:
1.) What made you want to start blogging?
2.) Describe yourself in 3 words
3.) Favorite movie?
4.) What's your #1 most replayed song on your iPod?
5.) What's the hardest thing you've ever done?
6.) What's the best gift you've ever been given?
7.) What story does your family re-tell the most about you being a kid?
8.) Best part about waking up?
9.) Were you named after anyone?
10.) Mountains or beach?
11.) Any special hidden talents?
Have fun ladies! Also-I know I'm adding in an extra rule here-and I'm probably not allowed to do that? But I really want to see your responses!! SO please let me know when/if you participate by answering these questions! Comment or email me so I'm sure to head over and read your response!
Rules are:
•Acknowledge the blog that nominated you
•Tell 11 facts about yourself
•Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger(s) created
•List 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers that you believe deserve some recognition
•Post 11 questions for them to answer
•Notify them that they've been nominated
•You can't nominate the blog that nominated you
11 Facts about Stephanie @ New Mrs. Adventures
1.) I bruise like a peach. (Odd to start with but let's just get it out there in the open.)
2.) I'm such a girly girl. I grew up in a house full of girls except for my dad who learned early on that he was very outnumbered. So learning to live with Mr. was a shock to my system to say the least. The Lord has been gracious, we have transitioned well, and the blessing of separate bathrooms might have saved us thousands in couple's counseling in the years to come. But there are still moment's where I just shake my head and wonder...example: A couple days ago Mr. got into my bag of nail stuff to find some nail clippers. He pulled out a couple orange sticks and said, babe...why do you use chopsticks to do your nails?? ...speechless...
3.) A few years ago I went through a season of tremendous pain, I finally walked away from a very long, very abusive relationship. A week later my best friend since junior high, who's more like my sister, got diagnosed with cancer. I dropped out of college that semester to help care for her. Praise God, she recovered. But in the end, I think the "world crashing down on me" kind of year it had been caught up with me and I found myself in a pit of depression and anxiety you wouldn't believe. I literally ate, breathed, and lived on Scripture and prayer those days. I hardly slept at night, and vividly remember taking walks in the middle of the night that I would gaze up at the stars with tears streaming down my face saying to God-if I ever get through this, I know I'll never be the same person I was going into this. And I wasn't. Praise God. Sometimes He has to burn the "junk" out of us, and while those flames sure do hurt to a depth we can hardly put words to, we come out pure and refined. Thank You Lord, forever humbly grateful. Anyone else been there?
4.) I'm borderline obsessed with holidays/birthdays/special occasions/totally made up holidays/anniversaries. Basically any excuse for a party with decorations-specifically with a "theme" (because that's when I really shine)-I'm there. Looking back, I've been this way since childhood. I was the kid who always insisted on celebrating everyone's half-birthday's in the family and tried to come up with a "first day of the month party" for each month, running around all day yelling Happy March!! Happy September! Let's make a fancy dinner tonight to celebrate! Weirdo-I know. (For the record, the "first of the month parties" never really took off. Shocking, I know)
5.) My husband's
6.) Sunday's are my favorite. Absolute favorite. Most Sunday nights this convo goes on in our house:
Mr: What's wrong?
Me: Oh nothing. Sunday's just almost over. Not another one for a whole week.
I love church. I love ministry. Those people just aren't my church friends or fellow church members, they're my family too. And every Sunday we gather at my parent's house for a big Sunday family lunch, which I'm always in charge of dessert for. We eat and linger around the table talking and laughing for what seems like never long enough before returning to our own homes for long naps before going back for evening services.
7.) I like caramel. With a side of caramel. (P.s. I've been spelling it carmel my entire life until 2 seconds ago when I just typed it and spell check told me it was wrong. It's like a whole new world over here. How did I go 26 years not knowing this?? Mind. Blown.)
8.) I have a thing for make-up, perfume, and skin care products. It's a terrible habit of mine, and Sephora is my worst enemy in this battle. Now I'm tempted to swing over to their website and browse awhile.
9.) I cannot handle seeing people eat alone. Like in restaurants and such? If I see someone sitting alone it's a fact that I'm either heading over to ask them to join us or I'm going to be miserable the rest of our meal. Though the Mr. tells me some people actually prefer this, I can't wrap my mind around that concept. In high school I had the best group of girlfriends who did everything together, but our table at lunch was always growing by a few people each month because of this issue of mine. We eventually ran out of room and my bff and I had to share a teeny-tiny seat most days.
10.) The Mr.and I's relationship was a crazy whirlwind, that nobody but the good Lord could've seen coming. A few weeks into dating he had to fulfill a speaking engagement with his ministry that took him hundreds of miles away for 2 months. Long distance relationships are always hard, but just baby-less-than-a-month-old long distance relationships seemed impossible. However, we both made a ton of sacrifices that summer, traveling for weekend visits and staying up all night skyping because sleep-time was the only free time available. But on a hot day in August that man of mine finally returned home for good, little did I know he came with a ring in his glove box. And the rest was history.
11.) I've never been to the beach, am bound and determined to change this someday.
11 Questions from Nicole!
1.What's your favorite color?
Pink. Any form, any fashion.
2.What is your favorite place in the world?
Honest? Dork central over here but it would have to in Mr's arms. Nothing safer or sweeter. Specifically under the stars because it takes me back to the days of dating when we were broke college kids who couldn't afford anything but a blanket under the stars talking until we couldn't stay awake any longer. The best.
3.What is your favorite childhood memory (or one that really sticks out)?
Oh man, I was kind of a nutty kid. I think one of my best shining moments was when I was very young, think 3 or 4 years old, and was covered in pink ruffles going up to older gentleman in our church throwing my tiny fist at them saying, "wanna a knuckle sandwich?" Nobody knows where I learned it. My mother is a saint for not giving up on me right then and there.
4.Would you rather cook or eat out?
I love going out because I love an excuse to get dressed up. But I'd have to say cooking.
5.What's your favorite cheat food?
Caramel. And coffee in unhealthy amounts. Sometimes together.
6.What's your guilty pleasure?
See #5.
7.What's your favorite sport?
I kind of giggled when I read this as did any of my friends reading this and picturing me answering this. But if I had to pick one, I'd say tennis. I do love playing tennis. However the way I play probably can't be considered actually playing tennis.
8.Where is your favorite place to shop?
Sephora.
9.What is your biggest regret in life?
I thought about this way too long. But I really don't have any? Not to say I haven't made my mistakes-far, far too many. But I've been shown such grace over my messes of life, and God has been so faithful to use them to further His work in my life and allow me to minister to others out of them, that I couldn't really call them a regret. Mistakes though? Plenty upon plenty. Biggest mistakes would probably be my worry and scaredy-cat tendencies.
10.Who is the one person you can tell anything to?
Mr.
11.Who do you look up to in life?
My mom. Easy peasy. If I could handle half of life with the kind of grace and integrity that she has, I'd consider it a victory.
And goodness the countless ways that God has worked through her in my life.
I'm nominating:
Katy
Saxon
Lauren
Kendra
Francesca
Lauren
Casey
Deanne
My 11 Questions for you Lovely Nominee's:
1.) What made you want to start blogging?
2.) Describe yourself in 3 words
3.) Favorite movie?
4.) What's your #1 most replayed song on your iPod?
5.) What's the hardest thing you've ever done?
6.) What's the best gift you've ever been given?
7.) What story does your family re-tell the most about you being a kid?
8.) Best part about waking up?
9.) Were you named after anyone?
10.) Mountains or beach?
11.) Any special hidden talents?
Have fun ladies! Also-I know I'm adding in an extra rule here-and I'm probably not allowed to do that? But I really want to see your responses!! SO please let me know when/if you participate by answering these questions! Comment or email me so I'm sure to head over and read your response!
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Tasty Tuesday- Summertime Cauliflower Salad
Today is a very special Tasty Tuesday for me because I have the opportunity to share one of my family's favorite recipes when I was growing up. Most of the things I make for the Mr. and myself are variations of dishes or brand new ideas from the internet or cook books. But today's recipe is my mom's, and every time she made it I knew it was officially summer. This dish comes with a lot of love, and so many sweet memories. I asked her if she minded if I shared it with you all and I'm so glad she happily agreed.
Oh...and it's insanely delicious and easy too.
Here's what you need:
Printable Recipe
1 head of cauliflower
1 green bell pepper
Shredded velvetta cheese (growing up my mom always got the "brick" of velvetta and shredded it herself. You can see here I wasn't as motivated this time)
1 packet of Ranch dressing mix
1 cup of milk
1 cup of mayonnaise
In a large bowl combine the dressing mix, milk and mayonnaise. Whisk together until smooth.
Next chop up the veggies in bite size (or smaller if you prefer) pieces and add them to your bowl of dressing.
Stir to combine and add in your cheese. The amount of cheese is purely your preference! I always just eyeball it, but we like cheese around here so I'd say it was about a cup to a cup and a half.
Stir it up and that's all! You can definitely eat this right away (which I happily did), but it's really best after it's been chilled a bit.
It's absolutely delicious and such a fun twist on salad during this time of year when everyone is bringing pasta salad or potato salad to the cook out's. I hope you try it and add this to your own family favorite recipes as well!
Printable version found here!
Linking up with:
http://www.chef-in-training.com/
http://www.growinghomeblog.com/2013/06/teach-me-tuesday-homemaking-link-up-97.html#.Ua4e3awo7IU
http://jaysonandashley.blogspot.fr/2013/06/tell-me-tuesday-big-giveaway.html
http://feedingbig.com/2013/06/in-and-out-of-the-kitchen-link-party-19.html
http://www.jamhands.net/2013/06/recipe-sharing-monday-52-features.html
http://www.mamadish.com/
http://mandysrecipebox.blogspot.com/2013/06/totally-tasty-tuesdays.html
http://www.makeaheadmealsforbusymoms.com/melt-in-your-mouth-monday-recipe-blog-hop-119/
http://www.pintsizedbaker.com/2013/06/two-cup-tuesday-no22.html
http://www.thelifeofanotsoordinarywife.com/
http://www.therecipecritic.com/
http://www.time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/
http://www.watchoutmartha.net/
http://www.nap-timecreations.com/2013/06/tasteful-tuesdays-64-happy-healthy.html
Oh...and it's insanely delicious and easy too.
Here's what you need:
Printable Recipe
1 head of cauliflower
1 green bell pepper
Shredded velvetta cheese (growing up my mom always got the "brick" of velvetta and shredded it herself. You can see here I wasn't as motivated this time)
1 packet of Ranch dressing mix
1 cup of milk
1 cup of mayonnaise
In a large bowl combine the dressing mix, milk and mayonnaise. Whisk together until smooth.
Next chop up the veggies in bite size (or smaller if you prefer) pieces and add them to your bowl of dressing.
Stir to combine and add in your cheese. The amount of cheese is purely your preference! I always just eyeball it, but we like cheese around here so I'd say it was about a cup to a cup and a half.
Stir it up and that's all! You can definitely eat this right away (which I happily did), but it's really best after it's been chilled a bit.
It's absolutely delicious and such a fun twist on salad during this time of year when everyone is bringing pasta salad or potato salad to the cook out's. I hope you try it and add this to your own family favorite recipes as well!
Printable version found here!
Linking up with:
http://www.chef-in-training.com/
http://www.growinghomeblog.com/2013/06/teach-me-tuesday-homemaking-link-up-97.html#.Ua4e3awo7IU
http://jaysonandashley.blogspot.fr/2013/06/tell-me-tuesday-big-giveaway.html
http://feedingbig.com/2013/06/in-and-out-of-the-kitchen-link-party-19.html
http://www.jamhands.net/2013/06/recipe-sharing-monday-52-features.html
http://www.mamadish.com/
http://mandysrecipebox.blogspot.com/2013/06/totally-tasty-tuesdays.html
http://www.makeaheadmealsforbusymoms.com/melt-in-your-mouth-monday-recipe-blog-hop-119/
http://www.pintsizedbaker.com/2013/06/two-cup-tuesday-no22.html
http://www.thelifeofanotsoordinarywife.com/
http://www.therecipecritic.com/
http://www.time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/
http://www.watchoutmartha.net/
http://www.nap-timecreations.com/2013/06/tasteful-tuesdays-64-happy-healthy.html
Monday, June 3, 2013
U.H.S.
I have often said on this little blog of mine that I aim to encourage and uplift each other on this road to Godly living. Living up to our calling of Godly women.
But
I also consider you my friends.
And if I'm not real with my friends, then I'm nothing and I might as well walk away right now.
So in being real and transparent with you all I have to admit, I had an ugly weekend.
I'm not really sure why. Maybe it's because the Mr. and I have had a couple of weeks of just pure stress. Not like just the typical stuff that stresses you out either. But the kind of stuff that hits, and then right when you are about to take a breath something else hits out of nowhere. It's been like this for a couple weeks now. We've prayed through it and clung to our God and each other. But let's be honest, it just wears on you sometimes.
Maybe it's because of the weather we've had around our neck of the woods lately. Which sounds so lame I know, but I feel like we've been in tornado watch after tornado watch and we've been glued to radars watching the development's and then watching lives destroyed. It's been more than just a rainy "funk", it's been scary and destructive, and down right exhausting. We've endured many a sleepless night lately because it simply wasn't safe to fall asleep yet.
No matter what caused it though, it all caught up with me this weekend, and it culminated in U.H.S. (Ugly Heart Syndrome). I found myself snapping at my sweet husband, and anyone else I could come in contact with, for no reason at all. After a rocky morning with Grouchy McGroucherson over here, we sat down for lunch.
And then it happened.
Out of no where (I'm still not sure how it happened) my bowl of cole slaw flipped over onto my lap.
For some reason I froze. My eyes got big and I was holding back the tears. But I wasn't really picking up the disgusting mess all over myself? Time stood still and it's like I didn't know how to fix this? Then I noticed my husband staring at his mess of a wife, and that's when I really lost it.
Why wasn't he swooping in to save me? Why was he just sitting there? Why wasn't he doing something? Anything?
(Because he was scared of me at this point probably.)
I flipped. I didn't just snap at him this time like I had all morning, I snapped loudly.
And then I ran out of the room, coleslaw dripping down my legs, and sobbed like you wouldn't believe. Ugly-face crying to match my ugly heart. I was being dumb. I knew it. But that didn't stop me of course.
I know I'm safe with my sweet husband. He held me with my ugly-cry face and my ugly heart until his shirt was soaked with my tears. I didn't deserve it, I knew I didn't. After the way I had acted I probably deserved for him to punish me with pouting and not speak to me until I had apologized profusely. But instead he held me and dried my tears and reassured me of his love for me. I told him I knew I had been ugly and how sorry I was, we talked and prayed about my U.H.S. condition. We moved on and tried to make the best of the what was left of the weekend, which actually turned out to be wonderful and relaxing-just what I needed.
But as I laid in bed last night I couldn't stop thinking what had happened that day. Not because my husband and I hadn't recovered-gratefully we had, and had even had a lovely evening with lots of much needed laughter. Not because I wasn't forgiven, because I knew I was. Even when we really are trying to live out Godly lives and Godly relationships, we just miss the mark somedays. (or maybe a lot of days if you're me and tend to freak out on your husband over spilled cole slaw) But I still couldn't shake what happened. During my Bible study the next day God made a portion of favorite scripture have new life in it and I realized why God had allowed it to remain so fresh on my mind.
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. (2 Peter 1:3-9)
All of a sudden the lights came on for me-somewhere in the past few days, or weeks even in the midst of all the stress, I stopped living out of the divine power that He had already given me to live in. Does anyone else want to join me in beating my head on the nearest wall over that one? It's as if I'm sitting at a table with a feast in front of me and complaining about starving to death because I refuse to take a bite of the delicious-ness in front of me. For crying out loud!
He has given me everything I need to live a godly life. It's time to get to it. But not out of my own "ambition" or "motivation"-those kinds of things are sure to only get me so far. And God knew that. He knew that all of the desire and will power would run out quickly on those days that I'm feeling just done and exhausted, so He provided a way and provided everything I would need to live out this life to His glory.
So while I could easily list off 10 things that I really want to do well this week. I'm just going to aim for one, to live out my days in the grace and power He's given me instead of myself.
It's the perfect prescription for U.H. syndrome.
Linking up with:
http://www.happywivesclub.com/
http://joleneengle.com/
http://www.thebettermom.com/
http://momstheword--livingforhim.blogspot.com/
http://bestlifemistake.blogspot.com/
http://thenaptimereview.com/
But
I also consider you my friends.
And if I'm not real with my friends, then I'm nothing and I might as well walk away right now.
So in being real and transparent with you all I have to admit, I had an ugly weekend.
I'm not really sure why. Maybe it's because the Mr. and I have had a couple of weeks of just pure stress. Not like just the typical stuff that stresses you out either. But the kind of stuff that hits, and then right when you are about to take a breath something else hits out of nowhere. It's been like this for a couple weeks now. We've prayed through it and clung to our God and each other. But let's be honest, it just wears on you sometimes.
Maybe it's because of the weather we've had around our neck of the woods lately. Which sounds so lame I know, but I feel like we've been in tornado watch after tornado watch and we've been glued to radars watching the development's and then watching lives destroyed. It's been more than just a rainy "funk", it's been scary and destructive, and down right exhausting. We've endured many a sleepless night lately because it simply wasn't safe to fall asleep yet.
No matter what caused it though, it all caught up with me this weekend, and it culminated in U.H.S. (Ugly Heart Syndrome). I found myself snapping at my sweet husband, and anyone else I could come in contact with, for no reason at all. After a rocky morning with Grouchy McGroucherson over here, we sat down for lunch.
And then it happened.
Out of no where (I'm still not sure how it happened) my bowl of cole slaw flipped over onto my lap.
For some reason I froze. My eyes got big and I was holding back the tears. But I wasn't really picking up the disgusting mess all over myself? Time stood still and it's like I didn't know how to fix this? Then I noticed my husband staring at his mess of a wife, and that's when I really lost it.
Why wasn't he swooping in to save me? Why was he just sitting there? Why wasn't he doing something? Anything?
(Because he was scared of me at this point probably.)
I flipped. I didn't just snap at him this time like I had all morning, I snapped loudly.
And then I ran out of the room, coleslaw dripping down my legs, and sobbed like you wouldn't believe. Ugly-face crying to match my ugly heart. I was being dumb. I knew it. But that didn't stop me of course.
I know I'm safe with my sweet husband. He held me with my ugly-cry face and my ugly heart until his shirt was soaked with my tears. I didn't deserve it, I knew I didn't. After the way I had acted I probably deserved for him to punish me with pouting and not speak to me until I had apologized profusely. But instead he held me and dried my tears and reassured me of his love for me. I told him I knew I had been ugly and how sorry I was, we talked and prayed about my U.H.S. condition. We moved on and tried to make the best of the what was left of the weekend, which actually turned out to be wonderful and relaxing-just what I needed.
But as I laid in bed last night I couldn't stop thinking what had happened that day. Not because my husband and I hadn't recovered-gratefully we had, and had even had a lovely evening with lots of much needed laughter. Not because I wasn't forgiven, because I knew I was. Even when we really are trying to live out Godly lives and Godly relationships, we just miss the mark somedays. (or maybe a lot of days if you're me and tend to freak out on your husband over spilled cole slaw) But I still couldn't shake what happened. During my Bible study the next day God made a portion of favorite scripture have new life in it and I realized why God had allowed it to remain so fresh on my mind.
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. (2 Peter 1:3-9)
All of a sudden the lights came on for me-somewhere in the past few days, or weeks even in the midst of all the stress, I stopped living out of the divine power that He had already given me to live in. Does anyone else want to join me in beating my head on the nearest wall over that one? It's as if I'm sitting at a table with a feast in front of me and complaining about starving to death because I refuse to take a bite of the delicious-ness in front of me. For crying out loud!
He has given me everything I need to live a godly life. It's time to get to it. But not out of my own "ambition" or "motivation"-those kinds of things are sure to only get me so far. And God knew that. He knew that all of the desire and will power would run out quickly on those days that I'm feeling just done and exhausted, so He provided a way and provided everything I would need to live out this life to His glory.
So while I could easily list off 10 things that I really want to do well this week. I'm just going to aim for one, to live out my days in the grace and power He's given me instead of myself.
It's the perfect prescription for U.H. syndrome.
Linking up with:
http://www.happywivesclub.com/
http://joleneengle.com/
http://www.thebettermom.com/
http://momstheword--livingforhim.blogspot.com/
http://bestlifemistake.blogspot.com/
http://thenaptimereview.com/
Sunday, June 2, 2013
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