Any exciting things happen over the weekend? Or did you get lots of rest and time with people you love?
I got a little bit of both. Friday and Saturday were super super nice days….like the kind of days that feel just like spring. It was seventy degrees and sunny, and the husband and I took full advantage of it! In the afternoon on Friday, Olive and I went for a drive with the sunroof down to run some errands and surprise Jon with a drink at work. Sadly, he had already gotten one without us, but we still had a good time.
don’t worry – she got a bath on Sunday:)
Saturday we had plans to head back to my hometown to watch my little cousin play in the championship game of her basketball tournament…and even though I knew we needed to spend every possible second at home packing and getting work done, we just couldn’t resist taking a long walk around our neighborhood during the morning.
We know the path from our house to downtown quite well after many afternoon walks and early morning runs…and I don’t know how many more times we’ll get to spend time on it before we leave our town. But I’m pretty sure it will be few or none. So we walked. And walked. And stopped to take photos before walking some more. And got chased by a huge dog.
As we were heading back home, we passed a fenced yard that was home to this dog. It was barking like crazy and jumping up on the chain link fence. I said to the husband “that dog could totally jump over that fence.” The words had barely even left my lips and his front paws hooked over the top of it, he pulled himself up and over he went! Barking and running after us. Talk about scary! He really wanted to eat Olive in one big bite. My motherly instincts kicked in and I started running at him, screaming (probably not the smartest move in retrospect). It worked mostly. He definitely slowed down a bit…but kept following us for another several hundred yards. Every few steps I would turn around and shake my fist at him. ha. Olive was completely oblivious to the whole episode. Must be nice to be her.
Aside from that it was a lovely walk. Wearing shorts and t-shirts, we were still sweating…it really was that warm. We soaked up every last second of it. And then arrived back home to realize that we had exactly twenty minutes to shower and be on the road. We’re fast like that though. And we even had time to make waffles for breakfast (before the epic walk).
We spent the rest of the evening after the game hanging out with my mom and step-dad. We cooked up a fun dinner of couscous, broccoli, steamed cabbage, tofu for me and grilled chicken for them. My step-dad and mom even volunteered to try a bit of tofu, and they actually kind of liked it! Well, she kind of liked it. He tolerated it. But I was just happy that they were willing to try!
Sunday was just the perfect end to an already amazing weekend. We went to Sunday school and church and then the husband took me to one of our old favorite mexican restaurants from our college days. We’re beginning to feel the urgency to hit up all our favorite places before we leave town…and I don’t mind a bit! After lunch we took a little bit of a nap on the couch, and then made a Starbucks run to get woken back up. I also had a very happy snack! Along with part of a chocolate chip cookie.
2 tbsp homemade almond butter + a banana. I only ended up eating about 3/4 the AB though
We spent the rest of the afternoon working on some Outbox financial matters. We use Quickbooks for our bookkeeping, and let me tell you – that program can be confusing! We had to go back through our records from the year, and rework some stuff we had put in incorrectly. It was a long process, but it felt so good to get it done! After several hours of working we broke for a dinner of mexican pasta, and then I talked to my grandma on the phone while I whipped up a batch of super-charge me cookies for the husband! So church, mexican food, nap with husband, Starbucks, productivity, talks with Grandma and cookies. Really, truly doesn’t get much better than that in my opinion. I could spend every single Sunday exactly like that.
So that’s the weekend. This week should be a little bit exciting as there’s a huge winter storm predicted for tomorrow night. I think my Arkansas friends might be getting the same one, no? If the weathermen are right (which is definitely up for debate) we’ll be snowed in for awhile. And honestly? I wouldn’t mind a bit. I could use another Sunday for sure:)
I hope you all had a lovely weekend!
Have you ever used Quickbooks before? What do you think of it?
What was the best part of your weekend? (I love this question:)
Am I the only one who feels like this week has seemed sort of long? I’m so glad it’s Friday!
I’m off to teach PiYo this morning, and then I have a tutoring appointment right before lunch. The rest of the day I’ll be just working around the house – Outbox, moving etc.
While this week has seemed long, it has been great as far as food is concerned. I’ve incorporated so many more juices and raw fruits and vegetables, and I feel great for it! It’s cool the way your body starts to crave those things when you give it lots of them. I’ve been craving fresh juice and green smoothies so much this week. The only downside is I’m going broke over produce. But it’s so worth it.
I’ve also been eating a lot of salads, which is not usually my cup of tea in the winter months. Almost every lunch this week has been a plate of fresh greens with lots of toppings. The key is to make a really full, great salad with lots of textures and flavors.
I made a batch of tahini salad dressing that I found in Crazy Sexy Diet, and the creaminess has left me craving more after every meal. It’s so basic – a mixture of 1 cup tahini, 2 tbsp lemon juice and 1 minced garlic clove. Whisk it all together, adding water until you reach the desired consistency. I love simple ingredients that create a lot of bang!
I’ve switched my additions up a little bit each day, but it’s been some combination of tons of spring mix and spinach, pinto/black beans, chopped carrots, chopped bell pepper, onion, unsweetened dried cranberries, corn, diced avocado and chia seeds. Perfect! It has helped a lot for me to make a large batch of the dressing ahead of time and even pre-chop all the veggies (except the avocado)…then all I have to do is throw it together and it’s done!
I’m thinking I’ll probably top off the week by having another one for lunch…I really might turn into a big lettuce leaf.
Switching topics.
Remember last Friday when we talked about geese, and I told you all that I used to catch ducks when I was little? Well my Grandma has come through with the evidence (thanks Grandma!!).
These showed up in my mailbox yesterday and gave me quite a laugh.
Photo 1: candice luring the duck to shore.
Photo 2/3: the catch.
is it just me or is that a very large duck?
I love side bangs, don’t you?I should totally rock those again.
Photo 4: HELP!!
thank you mom and Cristen, for being completely oblivious to the duck attack;)
Photo 5: Quote from my grandma – “This one has nothing to do with ducks. Tom was a big cat. Seems you’re trying to lift him.”
looks like it’s not going too well….for me or Tom…
There are many things that are funny to me in these photos, but one in particular is that in my quest to grow my hair out – the image in my head of what I want eventually is uncannily close to photos 1 and 2. ha!
Happy weekend ya’ll!
What is something funny or crazy that you did as a child? What are you most looking forward to this weekend?
I’m feeling better since yesterday – I think it helped to get everything down on paper. It’s funny how that is always the way it works. It was also encouraging to hear that not everyone is content in their current career. I wouldn’t wish that on any of you guys, but of course it feels good to hear that I’m not the only one. So, thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I realized yesterday that we have exactly one month until we have to move out of our house – eeek! I’m going to have to get going on all the packing. I have too many memories of being up until 3am the night before a move, so I’m going to try my best to not let that happen this time.
Yesterday was my busy day of the week – full of tutoring and then yoga in the evening. I truly think it may have been my best yoga class yet. It definitely was my biggest class, and I got some really nice feedback afterwards. I haven’t been able to tell my students about the move yet because my boss wanted me to wait a little while, and it’s really hard to carry on with them as usual, knowing that I won’t be there in a month. I feel like I’ve built a lot into that class, and I’m getting really sad to have to leave it. I really hope I can find another yoga position in OKC sooner rather than later!
Continuing with my focus on eating more fresh/raw fruits and veggies (ala Kris Carr) than I have been, I had the most epic salad yesterday for lunch – I can’t wait to share it. Usually in the winter salads just don’t sound that good to me, but I could eat this salad no matter what the weather is like…it was that delicious. I made a new tahini based dressing, which really was the star of the show.
But what am I doing talking salads right now? We’re supposed to be talking cupcakes!
I made these cupcakes for our Sunday school party last Friday night, and as I mentioned before they were a big hit! No one suspected they were vegan, and when I saw a couple people go back for number two, I knew I had done something right.
I found this recipe in my Vegan with a Vengeance cookbook (you really must check it out!), but you can also find it online here.
Lemon Gem Cupcakes
Ingredients
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola oil
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar – I used organic cane sugar
1 cup rice milk – I used almond milk, but I think these would turn out fluffier with rice milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Icing
1/4 cup Earth Balance
1/4 cup almond/soy milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Enough water to achieve desired consistency
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin tins with papers or grease them
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
In a separate mixing bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, milk, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest
While mixing, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, combining thoroughly
Get a good taste of the delicious lemony batter. mmmm
Pour batter into muffin tins, filling them about 3/4 of the way full
Bake for about 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the cupcakes spring back when you touch them.
Allow cupcakes to cool completely before icing them.
Icing
Whisk the Earth Balance until it reaches a fluffy consistency. Add in the almond/soy milk and lemon juice and stir. The mixture will look a bit odd, but don’t fear! Begin mixing in the powdered sugar until it is all well combined and smooth. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
The ingredients aren’t necessarily healthy as there is plenty of sugar (though I used organic cane sugar), but they are vegan and delicious! So, they’re more of an occasional treat – but it’s so awesome that vegan baked goods can taste this good. Further proof that you can be vegan and still eat all kinds of delicious food!
And they’re pretty easy to make, too!
First, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
Use the small section of a grater to get your lemon zest.
Then mix the oil, sugar, almond milk, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest in a mixing bowl. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet, and mix thorougly.
Pretty batter!
After your batter is mixed well, fill 12 muffin tins a little over 3/4 of the way full. These cupcakes don’t rise very much, so you’ll want to really fill them up!
I went back and added more to some of mine
Bake until they spring back when you touch them and a toothpick comes out clean!
In the meantime, mix together the Earth Balance, soy/almond milk, lemon juice and powdered sugar, adding water until you get your desired consistency. Place the icing in the fridge until ready to use so that it can harden up a bit.
Allow cupcakes to cool completely before using the icing. It really is more of a glaze and will run right off the sides if the cupcake is warm at all.
And there you have it – animal free and unbelievable tasty! I will definitely be making these again in the future.
Today I’m playing catch up on some stuff around the house, and then I have a hair appointment this afternoon before tutoring. I’m still contemplating whether to let her cut my hair again or have her just trim my bangs and try to grow it out. I’m so torn about it, but right now I’m leaning toward growing it out. I can always go back and get it cut if I change my mind, but I think I’ll feel disappointed if I let her cut it all off. You never know what I’m going to do when I get in that chair though:)
Hope you all have a wonderful Thursday!
If you could only have one dessert for the rest of your life, what would it be?? Mine would either be chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing or peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream – yum!
Wow. Thank you all so much for taking the time to offer encouragement and advice regarding our dilemma from yesterday. I love how I can always count on you guys for great perspective, and I really appreciate every single one of you so much:) I love you guys!
The husband and I are still weighing out the options and considering all the input we’ve received. We have yet to settle on a decision, but I’m just praying that between our considerations and God’s provision, something will work out soon.
Yesterday we spent the day with my mother-in-law; she had to have out-patient surgery, so we went to be there for her and spend some time with my father-in-law at the same time. Thankfully, her surgery went really well and within several hours she was in the car headed home. What a relief!
Before we left on the two hour drive to get there, I whipped up a green monster from the book.
5 romaine leaves, 1 cucumber, 1/2 an avocado, 1 banana, 1 scoop Amazing Grass, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk and ice
Unfortunately it was another semi-fail. I gulped it down just like the day before, but it was not that enjoyable. I’m honestly not sure what the culprit was this time…maybe the romaine? Also, I think it was just a bit greener than my usual, so it may take some getting used to.
I also packed some snacks since I knew we’d be on the road most the day.
I brought along carrots and pretzels with a side of salsa, which I ate within the first 20 minutes we were gone. And later I munched on two brown rice cakes with natural peanut butter and a banana. One of my favorite things about roadtrips (however short) iseating snacks along the way…especially healthy snacks that make you feel good!
On the way down we also stopped at a deli that I have only been to a couple of times, but that has a pretty incredible salad bar. I piled up a ton of spinach and mixed greens and then added some dried fruit, walnuts, almonds, onions, bell peppers, peas and a drizzle of honey mustard dressing. I’m sure there were a few other things I threw on too, but sadly I was so hungry I totally forgot to take a picture! It was a really beautiful salad. The restaurant is called Jason’s Deli, and its only about a mile from our soon-to-be house so hopefully I’ll have plenty of opportunities to take pictures of my salads in the future.
After a full day of driving and hanging out with family, we set out on the long drive back home, stopping at Pei Wei in the city to grab some stir fry. We have eaten Pei Wei in the car so many times in the past couple of months – I’ve completely lost count. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it either!
Lately I’ve been struggling a bit with everything that’s going on. I’m excited about it all – moving, new job, new house – but at times I let my excitement become overshadowed by all the hard decisions and uncertainties. Especially the uncertainties. Remember in January when I decided that my word for the year would be peace? Well, obviously it’s a very appropriate word with everything going on right now, and I have to be honest…I’m not doing too well at maintaining peace inside. The last couple of nights have been especially hard. I’m just worried about what the next few months are going to hold. I feel like I need to get some sort of job in this time before we move, but I’m not sure who is going to hire me for such a short amount of time. I’ve thought about subbing at the school, but I’d like to use that as a last resort. In Duncan (where my in-laws live) it only pays about minimum wage, which if it was something I loved and really wanted to do it wouldn’t be a big deal. But since it’s not really something I want to do, minimum wage seems a bit discouraging.
I realize that in sharing all this I’m risking appearing to be high maintenance, prideful, discontent or a plethora of other not so great things, but it’s just weighing on my heart and as many of you probably know, it’s very therapeutic to write it all out and process through everything. I think I’m just going through a phase in my life where I’m trying to figure out what the heck I want to do…I have some leads for sure, but haven’t landed on anything definite yet. Since I left my job last July, I’ve been actively pursuing, searching and thinking about where I’m headed, but I feel like all of a sudden it’s coming to a screeching halt, and I’m about to waste four months just doing something to make a little money and pass time. I hate the thought of that.
Anyway, sorry to be a debbie downer. I know that this is all just temporary and that I need to stay positive…but as always it’s easier said than done:) How sad too – because I promised you guys cupcakes today and instead gave you this. But tomorrow there will be cupcakes, I promise (for real this time:)!
I hope you’re all having a great Wednesday, and again – thanks for being so great!
Are you or have you ever been in a place where you feel uncertain about the future or about where you’re headed personally?Do you feel happy and content in your career? Or do you have moments where you feel confused and unsure of what you want to do?
Well, I’m coming in a day late with my recap of the weekend. The husband and I spent most of the weekend in our new city, and I spent this morning playing catch up with some of the things I didn’t get to even think about doing.
On Friday I really enjoyed hearing all of your stories about geese! I had no idea that so many people were afraid of them, ha! It seems that several of you have some kind of scarring memory about a run-in with a goose as a child – never knew they could be such ferocious creatures. In fairness I think I must clarify that I was catching the smaller, cuter white ducks…not the geese as shown in the picture. And it sounds like it’s a good thing based on all your stories!
As I mentioned on Friday, we went to a party with our Sunday school class. We played a game that Jonathan and I had gotten for Christmas called What’s Yours Like? I was a bit skeptical about it in the beginning, but it ended up being pretty fun! Everyone had brought different desserts, and there was definitely no shortage of sugar. I took cupcakes as planned, and I’m excited to share them with you tomorrow! They were a hit. No one knew they were vegan, and our friend Greg went back for a second which let me know that they truly passed the test:)
Saturday we got up and after doing some tasks around the house, headed to the city. We had plans to drive through our future neighborhood to get some ideas for the exterior of our house. Jonathan carefully crafted a fun design that resembles a craftsman style, and now we’re just trying to get inspired about a color scheme. While we recognize that building a house is going to be a lot of work, we are pumped to get to pick out everything and make it unique to our style as much as possible. We also met with our builder and signed our contract! Our names are written in blood…there’s not turning back. Yay! Building should start in the next month, and we’re looking at about 4ish months until it will be done.
gotta love that Oklahoma red dirt
The biggest decision (of many) that we are trying to make right now is where we’re going to live between now and the time our house gets done, which will be around the end of June. Both Jonathan’s parents and my mom and step-dad have graciously offered to let us live with them. We are so thankful for family who are supportive and will sacrifice to help us out. But the big decision is looming of which one to go with. Jonathan’s parents live about one hour and fifteen minutes from his job, so he would have to commute back and forth everyday, which would be really taxing on him. Especially considering he’ll be working on Outbox in the evenings as well. My mom and step-dad only live about thirty-five minutes from his job, but the situation is such that Olive cannot live with us there. So, we would need to figure out somewhere else for her to live, and it will be really hard for us to have to be away from her for 4 months. I honestly cannot imagine it right now. I know some people probably think that is crazy, but those of you who have pets surely understand…right? But living with my family would be so much less draining of a commute for Jonathan, and more convenient all around (i.e. dropping by our house to check progress, finding a church to get involved in in the city etc). If we are unable to find somewhere for her to live, then that will obviously make our decision…but even if we do find somewhere we are still torn as to what to do. Too many decisions!! The good news is we love both of our families, and living with either one, while being an adjustment, will be great. We are very blessed. I’m hoping to get some new perspective from you guys on this!
Anyway, so Saturday night we headed to my hometown and got to watch my little cousin play basketball. I hadn’t seen her play in years, and I had the best time! I was a super proud cousin too because she played so great. I think she scored the first ten points of the game all by herself! She’s super cute, too:)
My sister played on the state championship team when she was a junior, and now a giant picture of her team hangs in the gym. We got a huge kick out of taking our picture with the Cristen of 1998…I’m sure anyone walking by thought we were ridiculous, but that combined with my cousin being so embarrassed was what made it quite funny. Maybe you had to be there.
The husband and I partied late with my family and didn’t get back home until late. We spent Sunday morning at church, and then headed to the city once again to meet my mom and step-dad to show them our lot and walk through a house that has our floor plan. It was fun! But I realized one thing really quickly – looking at houses after you’ve already signed a contract for yours is like looking at wedding dresses after you’ve already made the purchase for your big day. Not a good idea.
All in all it was a busy busy weekend, but I’m pretty sure that’s becoming the norm these days….and we’re okay with that. I’m really making every effort possible to stay in a routine in the important areas of my life during this super chaotic time. I’ll be sharing much of the journey with you as the months go by! And for starters, that’s going to mean getting a lot more sleep.
The last few days I’ve been focusing more on getting a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables in my body. When things get busy, stressful and/or crazy, the first thing I tend to slack on is having fresh food around. While we were in the city I picked up Kris Carr’s new book, and I’ve really been enjoying it the last couple of days. Sometimes a little inspiration goes a long way! I’ll share more about the book as I keep reading, but so far it has really helped me get back on track.
I’ve been starting each day off with some warm lemon water, which is great for your skin (and we all know I need that!).
Green monsters have also been a daily staple. Unfortunately the other day I ran out of spinach, so I got creative and decided to try broccoli!
I wouldn’t recommend it. The only way I got the entire thing down was to chase each sip with water and picture all the amazing nutrients coursing through my veins with every swig. It was not pretty. I think I’ll stick to leafy greens for now.
I also had an apple mid morning
For lunch yesterday I threw together a concoction I haven’t had before, and it totally rocked!
baked sweet potato, Earth Balance, black beans, salsa, broccoli
I’ve always thought I only like sweet potatoes baked as rounds or fries, but those days are long gone! I do think the key for me was having different foods mixed in with each potato bite – it helped break up the mushy texture, and all the flavors worked so well together. Delicious!
Unfortunately, last night didn’t exactly go as planned. The husband and I got a late start to the grocery store, and by the time we got done with all our shopping it was 9pm. I was so tired and hungry, so we stopped at our favorite mexican restaurant. I ordered two black bean tacos and ate a couple handfuls of tortilla chips. Not exactly clean fresh food on the chips, but not a bad choice for a restaurant either!
One thing I love about Kris’s book so far is her stance on perfection. It coincides exactly with my thoughts on the topic.
“The crazy sexy diet (not a diet, but a lifestyle) is an optimum way of life. Let it be your foundation, a home base to come back to whenever you veer off. The cleanse is intended to give you freedom from obstruction and liberation… It’s not meant to create or support more stress in your life. As I said earlier, there’s no such thing as perfection. Perfect is beige. Obsessing over every bite is completely contrary to the purpose ans spirit of my book. Your overall goal is to have a peaceful feeling in your heart and in your body.“
With that, I’m off to bed…I hope you all had a great weekend and are enjoying the start to the week!
Any advice on our living situation? What would you do?
Less than half the commute, but being separated from our baby? Or a much further commute, but keeping our little family together? Ahhh!
I had my usual appointments (PiYo and tutoring) this morning, and then our realtor called this afternoon because the people who are buying our house wanted to show it to some potential renters. So, I had to make myself scarce for awhile. I went to Hastings to check out the new Kris Carr book, but they were completely sold out…good for her! But bad for me.
Tonight we are going to a party with our Sunday School class. It will probably be the last one that the husband and I go to (tear), so we’re planning on savoring every last minute. Plus, I volunteered to bring cupcakes! Exciting times:)
Sooooo, I’m off to bake…but first I wanted to wish you all a happy happy weekend!
Fun fact: when I was little I was known for catching ducks (by the way, I am aware that the above are in fact geese, not ducks). I had a strategy and everything. Get as close to the duck as possible. Lay down a large piece of bread. As soon as the duck starts in on the bread, snatch it up! Sounds cruel, but I was only about 10 years old – a harmless little thing. My duck catching days are over – now I am satisfied just capturing them from a distance.
What is something funny you were known for as a child?
I felt so blessed by the response to yesterday’s post. Thank you so much for every encouraging word, congratulations, prayer and thought. It really means so much to Jonathan and I.
As we are going through so many changes, I’m so thankful for this blog and all of you who stop by to read it. This is a constant in my life that brings me calmness and familiarity to focus on.
Yesterday was yet another milestone marked off in the journey toward moving to OKC: our house inspection. I think because everything has happened so fast and easily since we put it up for sale last Friday, I had a bad feeling about the inspection, like something just had to go wrong. But it didn’t! We passed with flying colors, and we’re so relieved.
We went to bed last night feeling so at ease, and woke up this morning to the best surprise.
Not only was everything covered in white, but the husband’s office had decided to not open until 10am! Not a bad way to start the morning for sure. We laid back down and slept off and on for another 45 minutes or so, and then got up to have some breakfast and get a few things done.
On my to-do list was to cook up a side dish of some sort to take over to a friend’s house for dinner tonight. Earlier this week, when Grace and Jonathan invited us over, she said she’d be making a vegetable soup, but also some quesadillas for the guys. I promised to make a side dish to go with the soup…I was originally thinking salad, but this morning I just couldn’t get hummus out of my head! So, I pulled out a slew of cookbooks, searching for a recipe that I would already have the ingredients for. Finally, I stumbled upon one in, you guessed it – Eat, Drink and Be Vegan. I adapted the recipe a bit to suit our tastes and due to the fact that I didn’t have a couple of ingredients.
I think it turned out great! But I guess the true test will be tonight. I love how the peanut, tamari and sesame add a distinct sort of flavor, but the garlicky hummus still shines!
Peanut Sesame Hummus with Chias
Ingredients
2 cups canned chickpeas
1/4 cup lime juice
3 tbsp natural peanut butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp tamari
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes , or to taste (I like it hot!)
4 tbsp water
1 tbsp chia seeds
Directions
Place chickpeas in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 1 minute
Add remaining ingredients except water to bowl and mix thoroughly
Pour mixture into Vitamix or a food processor
Puree, adding water until consistency is smooth. You’ll also have to stop to scrape down the sides at regular intervals
Garnish with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and chia seeds, crushed peanuts or a wedge of lime!
Hummus is one of the top items on my list of favorite foods. I especially love how versatile it is – you can eat it for breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner…and you can eat it so many different ways. My favorite store bought kind is Sabra Roasted Garlic, but homemade just can’t be beat…especially because it’s super easy and you can add whatever flavors you want! I’m thinking maybe mexican inspired next time…
Now I’ve got some Super Charge Me cookies baking in the oven, and I’m working on a few projects – planning my PiYo class for tomorrow being one of them. I always end up waiting until the last minute to plan my class, and I’m really trying to work on getting it done early. It’s much more fun when I have plenty of time!
Hope you’re all having a great Thursday!
Do you have a love for hummus? Or have you never tried it before? What’s your favorite kind?
One hot August day in 2002 the husband and I met on a volleyball court about one mile from where I sit right now.
And now, 9 years later we’re leaving our little college town to pursue new things in a new city.
And we’re really excited about it!
It all started back in October when Jonathan was approached with an offer for a job in Oklahoma City. For the next three months we weighed the options, struggling to come to a final decision. And then with the new year, everything suddenly became a lot more clear.
We took some time to really think about what our ultimate goal really is for the future. I know I’ve talked about Outbox from time to time, but Outbox really is where we want our future to be. Our plan is to hopefully launch our business full time in the next 3-5 years, and we feel confident that Oklahoma City is a much better place to do that than where we currently live – one reason being that it’s much bigger. In addition to that, it is closer to both of our families, which we are really excited about.
Part of what made the decision so difficult is that we really do love our little college town, and we’ve become so connected here and formed so many relationships. Also, the husband has loved his job for the past five years, and as you know I love what I do as well. It’s really hard to leave a place that you love and that holds so many memories. But after about a million conversations of hashing out all the pros and cons, we realized that we can’t just keep holding onto the past because it’s what we know and love. We believe that sometimes we must leave behind something great in order to achieve something even better.
So, upon arriving home after being gone for the holidays, we finally felt confident in our decision and ready to move forward. Around the second week in January, the husband gave the final word at his current job, and so began the craziness of the last several weeks.
Fast forward to one week ago today. We met with our realtor to talk about what needed to be done to our house to get it in shape to sell, and then two days later the sign went up!
The first time I pulled up to our house and saw that sign I cried.
Then I started cleaning.
And it was a good thing I started cleaning because less than twelve hours later we got a call that someone wanted to see it! So, not only were we babysitting little Jinsol last Saturday, but we were also running around like mad getting our house as clean and as organized as possible in a four hour time span.
Less than 24 hours later, we got our first offer. Our house had been on the market for 48 hours. I just about died. Turning to the husband I said “I don’t think I’m ready for this” and he pulled me to him, nodding in agreement. We went through about 4 hours of negotiations, signing back and forth four times. And then at 8:30 pm Sunday night we had just started grocery shopping when my phone rang. It was our realtor – “we have a deal” she announced.
And again, right there in the middle of the frozen foods section the husband pulled me to him, and we hugged in disbelief.
I honestly still cannot believe we’ve sold our house. If you had asked me last September where we’d be in six months, there’s no way I would have said anywhere other than right here in our little house. It’s still beyond surreal, and even though we’re excited we’re in complete shock!
It has been a hard last few days for me. I’ve loved having a handful of jobs – it keeps things exciting and fresh! But it’s not fun when you have to quit five times, and every time is just as hard as the time before. I’ve now told all of my tutoring students except one and yesterday I stopped by and told the manager of the gym where I teach yoga. Sad times.
But I’m pushing through the sadness of it all, and trying to focus on the future. We think this will be a great move for us, and I’m really excited for what’s ahead! We close on our house February 28th, and we’re still looking at options of where to go next. We are highly considering building a house this time around, and we’ve found a neighborhood we love and even a specific lot that we’re excited about. If we move forward with it, our house would be completed around mid-June, so it’s just a matter of figuring out where to go between now and then.
I know one thing for sure – life is only going to get more crazy in the coming months! While I don’t admit it, the husband can vouch for the fact that his wife loves a little spontaneity and excitement. I hope you’ll continue to follow along in the coming months with me. I honestly don’t know what they’re going to bring – but I’m trusting that God’s plan is the best plan and we are going to make the very most of it!
Have you moved a lot in your life? Where’s your favorite place you’ve ever lived?
Well, in true Candice fashion I was up until 2am last night baking away.
But first, let’s back up for a second. It’s time for a little honesty. Over the last couple of weeks I have really been slacking with my workouts and with putting energy into eating clean. My workouts have consisted mainly of the classes I teach and a couple sporadic short treadmill runs, and my eating has included a few too many Amy’s frozen burritos. There has been so much going on here as of recent, and I’ve been hanging on by a thread as far as taking care of myself. I’ve been getting an average of about 6 hours of sleep a night among other things….and it’s really starting to wear on me.
So this morning I got up with the best intentions of really making the extra effort to treat my body really well and start replenishing my energy. As many of you know, I believe that just because you slack a little in any area of healthy living for awhile, doesn’t mean that you should give up or be discouraged. It’s all about whether (and when) we get back on track. There’s no way I’m going to eat, sleep and exercise perfectly for the rest of my life, so I’m adamant about cutting myself some slack when life gets crazy. But there is definitely value in getting back on track when you feel like you’ve derailed a bit.
So, things started off really well this morning in regard to eating; I made up a bowl of oats cooked in water, and then added a few spoonfuls of soy yogurt and a sprinkle of Kashi Go Lean Crunch. It definitely was lacking a bit in the fruit and veg department, but otherwise made me pretty happy.
The rest of the day continued on a pretty good track, but then I started feeling a little crazy, oh…sometime after dinner. I got this serious craving for a cinnamon roll. How do these things happen? lol.
Even though it was nearing 9pm and I still had some tasks to complete before bed, I naturally started brainstorming how I could get some vegan cinnamon rolls stat. Oh boy.
After a few moments I suddenly remembered this recipe from Project Food Blog several weeks ago. At the time I thought it looked awesome, but I just wasn’t feeling cinnamon rolls. But this is the kind of thing that I tuck safely back in my mind to be pulled out on a perfect night such as tonight. While I realized that this recipe would no doubt be outrageously delicious, I didn’t realize just how involved the whole process would be. Let’s be real…do I ever?
But once I get started on an idea like this…there’s nothing that can stop me. And for the next 3ish hours I was mixing, chopping, kneading, sifting, stirring, rolling, flossing and of course baking. And man oh man was it worth it.
These rolls were like everything that is good in the world being wrapped up in a soft and doughy little spiral, baked at 350 degrees and coming out just the right shade of golden brown. They were chewy and hot, with the mingled flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon and butter baked into the inside. To. die. for.
I used this recipe…and only made a few changes like maple syrup instead of vanilla extract, organic cane sugar instead of regular white, soy milk instead of almond milk. I also replaced two cups of white flour with bread flour, and I did not put Earth Balance in the Pecan Cinnamon Streusel filling (I was buttered out!). It still worked just fine! Lastly, instead of the cream cheese frosting on the recipe, I simply mixed a little bit of powdered sugar with some soy milk for a nice, thin glaze.
Hey – at least I did have a green monster on the side this morning. I am trying to clean it up around here after all.
Obviously my biggest problem now is how to not eat the entire pan in the 48 hours. Thankfully, I do have a few ideas up my sleeve.
So, aside from sabotaging myself by staying up until 2am making cinnamon rolls, I am really trying to step it up and take better care of myself, even during these crazy times. Because when it seems that so many things in life have been turned upside down, my health is the one thing I can still control. The one thing I can still hold onto that makes me feel sane. And vibrant. And like I can take on anything.
So tell me, what are your tricks for keeping these things in order when life gets crazy?
Are you a cinnamon roll fan? What’s your favorite morning baked treat?
This past weekend was crazy busy with so much going on! It was mostly good though, which I’m thankful for.
One of the best parts was that the husband and I got to babysit my Korean student’s daughter on Saturday morning. It was crazy – but so fun! We hung out at the house for awhile, and then we went to the park and the library.
After lots of play time, we decided to head to Chick-fil-a to get some lunch. She informed us on the way to Chic-fil-a that she doesn’t like chicken or french fries, so I was a little worried. Hye-Kyoung had packed a couple of things for her to eat though, so I decided it would be fine. The husband was really wanting CFA, and I knew Jinsol would love the playground area. Turns out she is a fan of french fries. But what she really loves was the bar-b-que sauce. It was hilarious! She had never tried it before, but by the end of our meal she was practically drinking it. Her favorite use for it? Dipping her teddy grahams. Yum, right?
I never promised that all the food I show on ChiaSeedMe would be appetizing.
Anyway, I was kind of sad when we dropped her off and said goodbye. I sort of enjoyed having a little one around these parts:)
Now for a quick change of subject – If you remember, last night was the last chance to enter to win chia seeds or a special care package from yours truly as a celebration of ChiaSeedMe’s first year of life!
I am so thankful to Monterrey Bay for sponsoring the chia seed giveaway (check out their website when you get a chance…they have some great prices on chia seeds and lots of other healthy products), and I’ve been having a great time deciding what’s going in the box! I love these types of giveaways. They’re fun:)
*The winners of these giveaways were chosen using random.org
If each of you will email me your information, Monterrey Bay and I will get your packages to you soon!
Thanks so much to everyone who entered and all the sweet birthday wishes. I appreciate all of you more than you know. And not just those of you who entered. I’m beyond thankful for every single person who comes to my little blog. Just knowing that people stop by to check in means so much. So, thank you.
Yesterday was a bit of an emotional day for me. There are a lot of changes going on for the husband and I, and while the changes are good…the transition phase is not easy. I’ll be sharing all about it in the coming days, but for now I have something else I want to share with you.
This something else really topped off my Friday, and the tears were flowing for sure. I had a tutoring appointment with Hye-kyoung and afterwards I just needed something comforting. So I headed to the health food store. I bought a Thai peanut noodle dish boxed mix, drove straight home and started chopping vegetables and soaking noodles.
Fifteen minutes later:
I sat down at the computer and was clicking through blogs when I landed on one of my favorite sites.
You know when you hear a story of someone or you read about something that really impacts you all the way to the core? It causes you to see life from a new and different perspective. It makes you better in a way that is lasting…that doesn’t fade when the next TV show comes on or when a friend calls to catch up.
I’ve experienced this in some forms ever since I started reading Kelle Hampton’s blog, as it has been a continual source of all kinds of inspiration. But it all really hit me yesterday when she shared a very special video.
Inspiration is so important in life. Different things speak to different people in different ways. What inspires me may not hit you in exactly the same way. Kelle inspires not only me, but thousands of other people around the world, and I couldn’t help but feel compelled to share it with you all as well.
I have to say I do believe we have the funniest little dog there ever was.
Something you may not know about me is that I dreamed of having a Yorkshire Terrier from the first time I ever saw one. I don’t know if it was their tiny size, their silky silver hair, the fact that they don’t shed or something else, but I was hooked. I spent many years really truly believing that I would never have one because they’re a little bit costly, so I would just gaze at them from afar when I’d see one while trying to contain my envy.
So, you can imagine my disbelief and excitement when some friends of ours in Thailand asked us to dog sit their yorkie and a friend’s yorkie for a couple of weeks right before we were about to head back to the states. What luck!
At the point that the husband and I decided we would return to the states instead of staying a second year in Thailand, we started talking about getting a dog. We’re both dog lovers, and we felt that it was time for us to take on a little more responsibility, a third member of the family if you will. During our long talks about what kind of dog we would get, we discussed all kinds of different breeds, and it didn’t take long for me to win the husband over to Yorkies as well. With one stipulation that is. I had to promise to never, ever, ever…..put a bow in its hair.
While I wasn’t happy about his aversion to bows, obviously it was an easy deal to make. And so it was decided…a yorkie it would be.
Needless to say, going into our dog sitting days we were so excited because not only would we get to hang out with two yorkies, but we’d also get a taste of what it would be like to become yorkie parents.
Over those two weeks, we fell absolutely in love with Mocha and Lilly.
They were the sweetest, cutest dogs I’d ever met. They’d follow anywhere we went in the house, and they always wanted to be as close to us as possible. They were well behaved, they didn’t shed and again, they always wanted to be as close to us as possible. How sweet is that?
I think we were back in Oklahoma for about a month at most before we started the search.
And then we found her.
She was the one that wanted to lay in the corner, liquid brown eyes staring, too shy to come over and play, but sweet as pie if you picked her up and cuddled her. Her mom told us that she was holding out on selling her because she wanted to make sure she went to a home that would show her an abundant amount of love and attention. She was special.
By the way – she doesn’t have glowing blue eyes. Our camera was a little rough at the time.
We were sold.
That same sweet little Olive did the funniest thing yesterday. Like Mocha and Lilly, she never wants to leave our side when we’re at home. But now she’s taken it to a whole new level.
I was working at the computer in our office when she trotted in from the living room and hopped up onto my lap. Just like I always do I started scratching her back and rubbing her little ears. And then without warning, she stood up, turned toward the computer and jumped up onto the computer desk. It was the strangest thing she’s ever done. I just sat there laughing at her, and within the next several minutes she went from this:
to this:
I may be like one of those parents who thinks everything their kid does is SO cute, but seriously? Does it get cuter than this?
She spent about the next hour assuming all kinds of different positions on all different parts of the desk, dozing off and on as I worked away.
She has brought so much fun, happiness and love into our lives in the last two years…and I honestly can’t imagine our lives without her.
Are you a dog person? If so, what kind of dog do you have? Does he/she ever do something completely funny and out of character? Let’s talk dogs!
Happy Friday:)
**Don’t forget to click over and enter my giveaway! I’m dreaming up lots of crazy stuff to put in the secret package. muahaha.
Wow, guys. Thanks so much for all the love you showed to me and my blog yesterday. It may seem kind of silly, but yesterday really did feel very special to me. ChiaSeedMe has seen me through so many moments this past year, and it has been such a blessing as it’s allowed me a place to express myself in so many different ways. It’s really quite amazing when you think about it. A blog makes it possible for a person to have a responsive audience to whatever it is you need to share – fears, hopes, dreams. It also has allowed me to express myself through photography and writing, which I never would have had the opportunity to do otherwise.
Another aspect I thoroughly enjoyed yesterday was hearing all the comments from those of you who love chia seeds! These little guys are taking the world by storm.
And speaking of chia seeds, last night I added them to a meal that I’ve never added them to before. And they were delicious as always.
When I was growing up, it was a rarity for my mom to not have a homemade meal on the table. It was a norm for her to call us in from playing outside five times before we would actually come, and I remember never wanting to stop for dinner (who was I?). But now I hold very dear the memories of our whole family sitting around the table every night. My mom was (and is:) a great cook; some of her specialties included mexican casserole, tacos, meatloaf, chicken and rice casserole, roast with cooked potatoes and carrots, and last but definitely not the least – her famous spaghetti sauce.
I always loved spaghetti nights. The sauce would simmer on the stove for hours as each flavor mingled together giving off the most mouth-watering aroma you can possibly imagine. It would fill the entire house, luring us in from any part of the house; she probably got so tired of us inquiring “when will dinner be ready, mom?” Sitting here right now I can vividly taste the slightly sweet, warm tomato flavors.
Now that I am older I can appreciate more than ever before the fact that my mom valued having a healthy, homemade meal on the table (almost) every single night. Having my own family (minus kids) now, I realize how challenging it is to meal plan, get the groceries bought, plan ahead for preparation and create a tasty meal in time for dinner. But I’m so thankful that it was important to her to do so and that she instilled that importance in me.
Last night’s dinner was the ChiaSeedMe version of spaghetti sauce. Honestly, it doesn’t taste a whole lot like my mom’s. But, I’ve dabbled in making from scratch spaghetti sauces before, and this one is by far the most delicious. The flavors are much more complex and they work so well together, but this recipe was super easy as well.
I started off by sauteeing some chopped onion and garlic in olive oil until both turned slightly golden and then adding one and half chopped bell peppers.
As soon as the peppers had turned tender, I poured in the tomato puree, tomato sauce, and tomato paste, mixing them together until the different textures became one and it became smooth. Already my nose was being filled with the fresh italian aroma.
Next came the seasonings – basil, a lot of italian seasoning, rosemary, garlic powder, sea salt and ground red pepper. Dumped them all in and stirred like crazy. When they were all incorporated well, I completed the second best step – the taste test. I recommend you definitely not skip this step as you may want to adjust the seasonings to perfectly suit your tastes:)
And lastly, it was time to add in the namesake of this recipe…the star of the show.
As many of you know, the chia seeds did not affect the flavor of this sauce, but what they did add is protein, iron, omega 3’s and 6’s, calcium, fiber and other vitamins. After sprinkling them over the sauce, I stirred to incorporate them well and then allowed the sauce to simmer for another ten minutes or so. This gave the chia seeds time to soften and gel up; they were undetectable in the sauce, but they gave it a little bit thicker texture and absorbed some of the liquid so that the sauce wasn’t the least bit watery when ladled over the noodles.
After adding the chias, I took a quick break from the sauce to toss a handful of thin spaghetti noodles (the best kind) in some boiling water so they’d have just enough time to cook. We can’t forget the noodles!
My only question is: how did I never think of this before now?
Spicy Chia Spaghetti Sauce
Ingedients
29 ounce can tomato puree
8 ounce can tomato sauce
small can tomato paste
2 tbsp italian seasoning
2 tsp dried basil
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp rosemary
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground red pepper
1 – 1.5 tbsp chia seeds
1.5 bell peppers, any color, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp olive oil, for sauteeing
2 tsp minced garlic
Directions
Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil over medium high heat until both are slightly golden.
Add bell pepper and continue to saute until tender.
Pour in tomato sauce, tomato paste and tomato puree and stir until well combined.
Add in garlic powder, basil, rosemary, sea salt, italian seasoning, ground red pepper and stir well.
Lastly, add chia seeds, stirring to combine.
Allow sauce to simmer on low heat for at least 10 minutes.
Serve over whole wheat thin spaghetti with a sprinkling of Angela’s vegan parmesan and a side of sprouted bread slathered with Earth Balance and garlic powder and toasted in the oven until slightly crispy.
Mexican look out – italian just might be moving in for good!
How did your family handle dinnertime when you were growing up? Did you eat around the table like me? Was it family night around the TV? Do share – I love hearing how other families live!
**Also, don’t forget to enter ChiaSeedMe’s one year anniversary giveaway for some chia seeds or a special secret care package of my favorite little things! You can enter by clicking here or by clicking the button on my side bar.
Yesterday I mentioned that today would be a very special day in the life of my little blog.
One year ago today, I sat down and wrote my very first post on ChiaSeedMe.
I was beginning my second semester as a first year high school English teacher, commuting two hours every day, and in desperate need of something besides work in my life. CSM provided that for me; it quickly became the highlight of my days. With every post I fell more in love with food, writing and photography. Now I can’t imagine my life without this little space.
One of the questions I’m asked most often about my blog is “why ChiaSeedMe?”
When I started this blog, I had been eating chia seeds for quite some time, and I loved so many things about them. What’s not to love? They are high in protein, high in omega 3’s and omega 6’s, help balance blood sugar, help keep you full longer, high in iron and so much more. But chia seeds themselves aren’t the only reason why I chose the name.
I also chose it because of what chia seeds represent for me. They’re tiny little seeds, hardly bigger than the tip of a pencil, but they pack a serious punch. I try to focus my life around the little things that make a big difference, and the words I write here and photos I snap every day have brought to light all the little things in my life that make it what it is. The way the light filters through the trees in our backyard just at the onset of evening, the way I can see the husband just perfectly through the space between our living room and office, and the softness of our down comforter when I pull it up over my shoulders each night – these little things bring me such joy and are a constant reminder of just how blessed I am to be living this life.
This blog has never been just about what I eat for dinner each night or which workout I choose each morning, although I do love writing about those things. It’s about this all encompassing idea that this life we live really isn’t just about what we do each day. It’s about really feeling our experiences. It’s about seemingly unimportant moments that make a big impact by bringing a smile, focusing on the good, working through the bad and coming out better at the other end. Moments that embed themselves in the very fabric of our minds and change us forever, one little thing at a time and sometimes without us even realizing it. I believe these tiny little things matter more than we even understand.
And along the journey of this past year, I’ve gained one of the greatest things I could imagine. Friendships with other people who not only have the same interests in life, but who are so thoughtful, caring and supportive. Who reach out with comfort when I’ve quit my job and I’m feeling doubtful or help me decide whether to keep my hair short or grow it long. And in the midst of it all, I can hardly believe how blessed and thankful I am.
So, thank you for coming alongside me this year. Thank you for reading. Without you all, my small corner of the internet would be awfully lonely…serving only as a space to bounce my thoughts into the air and watch them as they fade in the distance. You are the glue that holds this little blog together. You give it energy and life, and it truly wouldn’t be the same without you.
As a small way to show you just how thankful I am and to celebrate the first birthday of CSM – there is only one thing I can see fit to do.
Let’s give away some chia seeds!
Monterrey Bay Spice Company is a great source for not only chia seeds, but herbs, spices and teas as well. They have been a great sponsor for ChiaSeedMe me throughout this year, and have kindly offered to send two readers each a bag of my favorite little seeds. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post by midnight on Sunday, January 15th to enter! You can say anything you want…just make yourself known:)
In addition to that, I personally want to do something for you guys as well. I will choose one more winner from the comments on this post, and you’ll receive a little care package of some of my favorite “little things.” I’m not telling what will be in it, but I promise it will bring a smile to your face!
Because it’s the little things that matter most.
**Unfortunately, the contest is open to U.S. residents only. International readers – I don’t love you any less!
**I will choose a winner using random.org.
“It’s so tempting to shut people down, to limit the upside, to ostracize, select and demonize. It makes things a lot simpler. Not seeing means you don’t have to take action. Not opening means it’s easier to announce that you’re done. And not raising the bar means you’re less likely to fail.”
-Seth Godin
I was reading Seth Godin’s blog recently when I stumbled upon this quote, and the hard truth of it really struck me. It reminded me of a situation that occurred during our time in Thailand.
In the far northern part of Thailand, settled in among the mountains you’ll find a city. Our Thailand home. Chiang Mai.
And in the middle of that city, you’ll find a little something called Night Bazaar, or as the Thai’s say it “night ba-saaaaah.”
Every single day at about 4 o’clock, rain or shine, the people would begin pushing their carts out to the sidewalk, ready to take on the crowds of people that would come pouring in in a couple of shorts hours. They sold everything from t-shirts to perfume to oil burners, lamps, watches, shoes and much more. You could gaze for miles down the busy road and still not see the end of it.
For us, Night Bazaar was a fun date night, a place to get cheap massages and a great people watching venue. We’d weave through the backpackers carrying their babies high up on their backs and the locals stooping on the curb to slurp up noodles before the next bargaining challenge came along.
And in all the craziness there was always one thing that caught my eye – a small Thai women who looked to be about my age sitting on the dirty sidewalk with a cup held out for change and a tiny baby at her side. While she wasn’t the only local who had found her home on the dirty streets of Night Bazaar, she was the one who caught my gaze every time I walked by… and held it. I couldn’t forget her.
After many nights of walking by her, pretending not to see her outstretched hand or her deep eyes, I finally broke down. I found a stand in the alley selling hot soup and bought her a small bowl and some water. I inched up to her, feeling quite shy, and taking a deep breath knelt down and, using all the broken Thai I could muster I expressed my concern for her and her beautiful baby.
But night after night of this same routine left me wishing I could do more. But I wrestled with the idea of it – what more could I do? Ultimately she needed a place to live, to raise her baby….to be safe. But I couldn’t provide that. And with the date of our departure fast approaching, there were only so many more days I could do anything at all.
And then just like that…she was gone. She stopped coming. I never found out what happened to her, and I probably never will. And that lack of knowing, lack of being able to do anything real and significant for her left me feeling disheartened and sad. And I realize that that is often what keeps me from reaching out to impact the world in any way – the fear of failure. The fear of feeling like I just can’t do enough. The fear that if I allow myself to see the need, then I will always feel the ache of what I wasn’t able to do.
And the same translates to the constant pursuance of goals and dreams. Being scared to death of setting the bar too high because I just might not be able to reach it. And that would mean failure. Six months ago I walked into my principal’s office, and I turned in my letter of resignation. Sure, I did it for a number of reasons, but ultimately I did it because I wanted to pursue more. I wanted to step out into the unknown and embrace something that would fulfill my vision for my life. And in these months, I’ve held back, sabotaging myself because of the fear of not being quite good enough.
But I want more. I don’t want to still be sitting here another six months from now envisioning in my mind what it is that I want to do with my life. I want to be doing it. It’s time to raise the bar and leap for it because I would much rather be brushing dust off my backside than never getting dirty at all. I want to see things, open myself to possibility and experiences, and offer myself to people freely, embracing the risk of hurt and disappointment.
What is one thing that you’ve been envisioning in your life for awhile, but you just haven’t quite gotten the courage to leap for? What are you holding the bar low for because you’re scared of raising it high?
And now here’s a small ray of peace for your day:
**Also, don’t forget to stop by tomorrow because it’s a very special day in the life of ChiaSeedMe, and I’ll have a very special surprise for you!
Our very first snow of the season decided to grace us with its presence this weekend.
It wasn’t very heavy at first, but I was still oohing and ahhing over it every time I glanced out the window. It would have random bursts of thicker, heavier flakes, and then it would taper off again to a light mist. It was lovely.
Guess what the husband and I did on Friday night?
If you’re thinking we had some friends over, popped open a bottle of vino and stayed up playing charades until the wee hours of the morning…then you’d be wrong.
We slept. Yep, that’s right. We layed down on the bed at about 6:30 pm, and the next thing we knew we woke up and it was 11 pm. I guess we really were just that exhausted. So, we got washed up, poured ourselves a bowl of cereal and watched House Hunters for a little over an hour.
All would have been just fine had we both gone to bed afterwards and slept soundly until the morning. But that just wasn’t the case for me…I was so wound up and restless at that point, and I didn’t end up falling asleep until about 3am. Bah.
Saturday morning I woke up feeling like a train wreck. I made myself a green monster which significantly boosted my morale, and then we spent some time cleaning up the house and getting ready to head to the city for the day to run some errands and do some top secret investigations (more to come on that soon). One key thing I had forgotten that was set to happen on Saturday was that the water in our neighborhood was going to be turned off from 11am until 6pm. We had received a notice on our door earlier this week, but who really ever pays attention to those things?
Anyway, so I had just gotten my green monster all mixed up, and I set out to run some water in my Vitamix so the chia seeds and spinach wouldn’t stick to the sides and never come off (not that that has happened before). But when I turned on the water, nothing came out! And then it hit me.
Now one thing you must know is that I am very very protective of my Vitamix. After every time I use it I immediately wash it with soap and water and dry out the inside so there are no water spots left behind to taunt me. So I was really in a stitch when there was no water and the inside of my Vita was coated in green. And that’s when the husband came up with a brilliant idea. First, we went around the house, rooting around desks and through yoga bags, coming up with several mostly empty water bottles. We dumped those in, and then turned to the freezer, breaking apart the huge ice chunks that had cemented themselves to the bottom of our ice maker and dropping them in as well. Now we’ve got some soaking action. yesssss.
That things could take on the Titanic, no? Obviously ice cold water isn’t ideal for soaking, but we made due and my heart rested easy the rest of the day.
On Sunday, aside from staring at the beauty outside, we also went to early service and sunday school at our church and spent much of the afternoon sorting through Outbox stuff. Tax season is approaching all too quickly, and there is much to do on the home business front. Every single other year we’ve done our taxes ourselves, but this year I think we’re going to hire an accountant. Kind of a bummer on the financial side, but with our business and my fourteen (exaggeration) jobs it just seems like the only way to go. Hopefully it will make tax season a little less stressful and hopefully we’ll be able to get everything taken care of before the first week in April this year. Fingers crossed.
Obviously the tasks had to be done, and there was one distinct way I could think of to make it a bit more enjoyable.
How about some hot and gooey vegan white chocolate and milk chocolate chip cookies, husband? yes, please.
Husband’s Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies adapted from here
Ingredients
2 cups unbleached white flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
chocolate chips of your choice, as many as you want
1 cup organic cane sugar, sifted to remove clumps
1/2 cup Earth Balance, mostly melted (should be room temperature)
1 tsp maple syrup
1/4 cup water
1 EnerG egg replacer egg
2 tbsp non dairy milk
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray or use liner.
In a medium sized bowl, mix together all dry ingredients including chocolate chips. Create a well in the center and set aside.
In a small sized bowl, mix together the melted Earth Balance and the sugar. Add in the maple syrup, egg, water and milk and stir until well combined.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix by hand. Dough will be very crumbly after it is all mixed. You will have to get down and dirty with this dough:) Scoop a spoonful of dough and use your hands to form it into balls. Space the balls evenly apart on the baking sheet and then press down with the palm of your hand to flatten it. The dough will not spread while it is baking – it will look the same when it comes out as it did when it went in.
Bake cookies for about 15 minutes. They will appear to not be done, but take them out anyway and transfer them to a wire cooling rack as soon as they are movable.
I referred to these as “alien cookies” because it seemed like they just weren’t getting done. I kept having to put more time on the timer, but when I finally just decided to take them out and let them cool, they turned out great! Keep in mind that oven temperatures can vary, so it would be a good idea to check them after 10 minutes and then again ever couple of minutes to make sure they don’t burn.
The husband gave these a great review! He actually loved them even more than I did, although I certainly ate my fair share:)
Perfectly warm treat for a frigid day and a perfect end to the weekend. Bring it on, Monday.
What was the best thing you did this weekend? Has it snowed where you are? Do you love snow?
I say if it’s going to be cold, then I’m more than thrilled to have pretty snow to look at. I hope we get more!
Also, are you the type of person who gets your taxes done early? Or do you procrastinate until the last minute? Do you use an accountant or are you talented enough to figure them yourself?
“Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a
I spent the summer of 2003 and 2004 working at a summer camp for kid’s in the hills of Missouri. I was a boat driver by title, but I also taught everything from mountain biking to diving to archery. I still cannot believe that parents left me alone with their children and a bow and arrow. Or a boat motor for that matter.
Those were the best summers of my life and the worst summers of my life. The morning call would blare over the speakers in our cabin (John Tesh in person some mornings!), and we would have 15 minutes to get up, get our kids in motion and book it to the dining hall. Many mornings I would sneak out of our cabin before the sun rose and tiptoe down to the lakeshore, where I would meet my best friend, Ann. We’d grab a couple of kayaks, shake all the spiders out and head off across the lake to the rock cliffs on the other side. Once we reached them, we’d rest our paddles across our laps and sit forever, just talking about nothing or something. The water was like reflecting glass, so perfectly still, the only ripple a consequence of the slightest shift of our kayaks. And then, at the last possible second, we’d grudgingly head back across the lake to resume our positions.
Ann and I with the husbands at her wedding reception
As a counselor I was forbidden to have a cell phone, so the summer was filled with daily races to the main office, hoping there was a letter with my name on it. The husband and I had only been dating about a year, and two months away from him seemed beyond eternity. I would sit each night, listening to the bugs outside. Flashlight in hand, I’d write and write and write hoping that my words would convey to him just how much I truly missed him.
Not only were we not allowed to have a cell phone, but we were also not allowed to bring our own food (I know). The dining hall was pretty much hit or miss, but there were two things in particular that they were famous for: lasagna and coffee cake.
The coffee cake in particular was my favorite, and I can still remember the taste of brown sugar as if it was just yesterday. I remember exactly the way it looked on the cheap, plastic serving dish and the way it crumbled ever so slightly when my fork would slide into it. Bliss I tell you…bliss. I believe I had only experienced coffee cake maybe once in my life before that, and since then I honestly have not eaten it again. The husband hates it when I make absolute statements like that, but I promise it’s true:)
From time to time my mind has drifted to thoughts of that coffee cake, and I’ve had visions of sinking my teeth into a warm square of it once again. And I’ll tell you, if I stumbled onto that exact same recipe made by the exact same people again I’d snatch it up in a second. But you guys know me. If I’m going to branch out and make it myself, I’m going to veganize it and healthify it. Because that’s what I do. It makes me happy:)
Which brings us to the other day. I was browsing the pages of my awesome new cookbook Vegan With a Vengeance, given to me as a Christmas gift by my lovely friend, Grace. I’ve wanted VWV for a long time, and I’m so excited to finally get to dig into it! Awhile back, I unknowingly baked a chocolate muffin recipe from it, and the muffins were to die for, and ever since I’ve been itching to get my hands on a copy.
Anyway, so I was flipping through and suddenly my eyes landed on a recipe for blueberry coffee cake. I did a double take. Vegan blueberry coffee cake! The best part was that I already had all the ingredients waiting in my pantry except for soy vanilla yogurt which I ran out of last week. So, I grabbed my purse, grabbed the husband and headed to the health food store.
A half hour later, this:And this:
And this:
Then, finally…this:
Did it taste exactly like the coffee cake of my camp counselor days? Honestly, no.
But it was oh so delicious. I could go on and on, telling you about how moist it was and how it had just the right amount of sweetness – not sickly sweet – but soul satisfying. But instead I’ll just be honest and say that I’ve had a slice of it every morning for the last 4 days, and one day I had it for lunch as well (my appetite has been a little funny lately, but that’s another story).
I’ll still be on the lookout for one of the white aproned, chef hatted cooks from the summer of ‘04, but until then…
Did you go to summer camp as kid? What’s your favorite memory (food or otherwise) from those days?
I realize that I’m coming in a little late on the 2011 goals discussion. But I like to think of it as fashionably late.
It’s no fluke that I’ve waited until a week into the first month of the year for this. The end of December is just so busy that I didn’t even start contemplating goals until the 1st. And then I needed some time to really think about what kind of goals I want to make this year.
You see there are many strategies out there when it comes to goal setting. Some people take the route of picking the same number of goals as the current year. For instance, this year they would choose 11 goals to focus on throughout 2011. Other people decided on a magic number, say…..3 for instance. Lucky number 3. And then I’ve heard of others who decided to fore-go goals altogether and choose a single word to represent their ambitions for the new year.
My goals sort of encompass multiple strategies.
I’m a simple girl, but when it comes to goals I get a little crazy.
For those of you who have been reading CSM for awhile, you may remember last August when I decided on 27 things that I wanted to accomplish in my 27th year of life. Some of these things I’ve already accomplished – get certified to teach yoga, learn how to make great tofu, drink more fresh juice – and some of them I’m still working on – run another marathon, open up a CSM t-shirt shop. Considering I am still working on at least half of this list, I decided that I probably have enough definitive goals in the works right now. Oh sure, along the way I’m certain to set new goals, but as far as a specific goal list, I don’t think I can handle many more!
Even though I’m sticking to my existing list of goals for the most part, I really love the idea of choosing a word for the year. It’s a great idea because this word can encompass every goal I have as well as every goal I might make as the year goes on. It’s sort of like a mantra…an idea I can come back to day after day that will inspire and encourage me to grow in an area of character. And isn’t that where it all starts?
So, I’ve been thinking through this for the past week, and honestly I’ve been pretty stumped. I’ve come up with several words that would be okay, but none that just seemed to fit. Until yesterday.
I was standing in the bathroom blow drying my hair. And as usual when I’m blow drying my hair I was thinking through a lot of things going on right now. Things that Satan is trying to use to drag me down and cause me anxiety. Things I’ve been dealing with for weeks/months now. Things that make it hard to stay positive each day. You get the idea.
And suddenly it all just seemed like too much. I couldn’t keep it in for another moment. I clicked off the dryer, placing it on the bathroom counter. And I headed for the spot I always head to when I’m feeling like the world has just become too tough. Laying down on our bed, I pulled Olive’s furry little body up next to me, and I began to pray. And with the first words that came out of my mouth I instantly knew what my word would be:
“Father, I’m really struggling with all of these issues going on right now…please just give me peace in my heart and let it spread throughout my whole body, from my fingertips all the way to my toes. The peace that only comes from You.”
No matter who we are, where we live, how much money we have, whether we’re married or single, have children or don’t have children…there will be trials in our life. It’s a non-negotiable. So the questions is not “will I I face challenges, sadness or conflict this year?” The question is “how will I react when I face these things?” Will I shut off? Will I yell and scream and place blame on myself or others?
Or will I turn to the Lord, who is the only one who can and will provide peace in my life? Will I remain calm in my heart and continue to press on in my daily life?
I want to grow to become a woman who finds peace in all situations, be it the last 2 excruciating miles of a marathon, fear of life circumstances beyond my control or frustration over falling to the mat after just 1/2 of a tricep push-up.
So these are my goals for 2011. I believe my life will be just as or more full than it was during 2010. And my biggest hope and prayer is that I become a better person. A better wife, friend, daughter, sister, granddaughter and child of God. And that I learn to be more thankful for the life that He has given me as I accomplish each and every goal.
Also, as a way to help enforce my word of the year, I’ll be posting a quote of some sort or scripture each day for the next month (today through February 6th) that relates to peace. My goal is to memorize as many of them as I can (hopefully every one) so when I need a little inspiration or reminder I’ll have something to focus on.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
- John 14:27
On a lighter note – one other goal I’ve decided on recently (possibly during that same hair drying escapade:) is that I think I’m going to grow out my hair! What do you guys think? You probably don’t know that I cut my hair to this length only a year and a half ago. Before then I was always changing it – the color, the cut, the style – I was a hair chameleon. But when you really take the plunge and go this short, there really isn’t anything else you can do until you take on the challenge of growing it out. I still like my short hair, but I’m just ready for a change.
Here are some past pictures to give you a frame of reference – they’re kind of random.
I also wear it pulled back like this a lot when it’s long
and some short pics
So I need your opinions – stay short or grow it out? You won’t hurt my feelings either way…promise.
I’d also love to hear one goal that you have for the new year. I know you may be sick of talking about goals by now, but I’m just getting started…so humor me:)
If you all are anything like me, you may have felt a little sadness in letting go of the Christmas season.
It inevitably happens every January. The tree is taken down, candy canes are placed on the clearance rack, the lights are stashed in the closet for another year and the Christmas music is turned off. The season of festivities is over and it’s back to the daily grind for another year.
I always get into sort of a rut, feeling more than ever the dreariness of the cold, leafless streets. I’m past the initial excitement of a new year of possibilities and am in need of change, refreshment and a little bit of inspiration.
So this year I decided to get a one up on the January blues. Starting in my favorite place.
The kitchen. Getting rid of the clutter, consolidating the 4 canisters of cinnamon that have taken up residence in my cabinet over the past 6 months, and vacuuming out the trail of flour weaving its way around my baking shelf.
it must get worse before it gets…
better
The husband and I spent hours over the weekend, cleaning out every last cabinet, shelf and drawer in the kitchen, getting rid of anything we haven’t used in the past year and re-organizing everything in the most efficient fashion possible. It’s funny how clearing out the clutter from the house seems to simultaneously de-clutter my head as well. With every pot that was placed in a new, clean, accessible spot, my thoughts became a little more clear and my motivation gained a little bit of momentum.
After the kitchen, we moved on to the rest of the house. There hasn’t been time to re-organize every closet and drawer quite yet, but there is a plan for it. And just scrubbing everything down and sweeping up all the dust and pieces of ribbon leftover from wrapping gifts was so energizing.
Once the cleaning was all done, it was time to bring some life back to the house!
Plants have a way of breathing freshness into a space that feels a bit lifeless.
I gathered up every vase in the house
I also potted some new plants for our office. I never imagined that the process of potting them would be as helpful as getting to admire them as we work late into the night. Squishing the soil between my fingers pressing it firmly down around the roots almost made me feel like spring had made an early appearance.
Have you started to feel the post-Christmas wintertime blues? Or are you still riding on the wave of the new year?
It’s time for part two of my epicly long recap post! Part I is here.
I really wanted to recap the year primarily so in the future I can look back at what all happened during the year twenty ten, but it turns out there is another huge bonus to spending hours going back through posts from this year. It was so good for me to go back and re-live all the major events and circumstances that led me to where I am now. I was reminded of my goals and dreams and the reasons why I made the decisions I did; I’m now left with a fresh excitement to keep chasing after all the things I want for my life.
So let’s get back to it!
September 2010 started out on a contemplative note as I talked about learning to trust myself and live in the moment, enjoying where I am in life right now. A week later we celebrated Labor Day with a spur-of-the-moment trip to Tulsa, stopping to see my brother-in-law and sister-in-law and then paying a visit to Whole Foods.
A not so great highlight of September, but definitely a big issue that came about this year was the problems I began having with my skin. I decided to clean up my diet even more plus implement several other strategies to try and get it to clear up. While my skin didn’t miraculously heal, the changes brought more energy and satisfaction to my every day life.
And then in the middle of September, things started looking up when I entered the FoodbuzzProject Food Blog competition. I had so much fun thoughout the month, stretching and challenging myself in new ways. I made it to rounds one, two and three before getting cut, which was way farther than I ever thought I would make it! I also picked up one more student named Nada for tutoring, and began meeting with her three times a week, and we (grudgingly) put our Mini Cooper up for sale (still hasn’t sold!).
September ended with a long roadtrip to Iowa (part II, part III) for a wedding that Jon was in. We got to spend great time with friends, eat lots of good food and see some site along the way.
Later in the month we got the chance to travel to the nation’s capital (part II, part III, part IV) where (when Jon wasn’t in meetings) we explored the district, did lots of walking, ate cupcakes and I got to meet Emily!
2010 has definitely been a year full of everything that the husband and I value – family, travel, each other – and it’s been so full of possibility! We’re so thankful for everything God has blessed us with this year. Here’s to 2011 being even sweeter.
2 tbsp homemade almond butter + a banana. I only ended up eating about 3/4 the AB though
