Loving Pretty Things

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T13:49:00.000-08:00

I would probably drink more Starbucks
if they had these cups year-round!

Today is my favorite holiday.

YES, Christmas is way up there, tied with Easter.

But today...we celebrate LOVE....

...for Love's sake.

Valentine treats for our girl.
(notice how my husband and I spell her nickname differently!)

These past few weeks, our family

has experienced an

outpouring of LOVE from

family, friends near and far and even

strangers turned family

as we stand side by side as prayer warriors.

I Corinthians 13 is the 'love chapter'

of the Bible and holds a very

special significance to me ever since college.

(wink, wink)

This was found on my sweet friend, Teri's FB page. Perfection.

I received a text this morning from

one of my dear friends saying,

"Happy John 3:16 day!"

'For God loved the world so much

that he gave his one and only Son.

Anyone who believes in him will not die

but will have eternal life.'

So true.

Sweet treats from my husband this morning.

In today's bible lesson in homeschool,

we happened to read John 3:16-17.

John 3:17.

The *forgotten/overlooked* verse.

'God did not send his Son into the world

to judge the wold. He sent his Son

to save the world through him.'

We are to live as Christ.

We are all sinners.

We need Christ.

Christ did not come to live among His people

to ridicule, put down and judge their life.

He came ONLY to LOVE on us.

He cam to GIVE US LIFE in Heaven forever and ever.

This was on my heart so much this past week...

and I'm so thankful the Lord has John 3:17

to remind us of our place.

To believe and accept the gift of His Son in our life.

We are to LIVE HIS LOVE in our life.

We are to love all sinners.

Jesus is the only perfect human.

Hate the SIN.

NOT.THE.SINNER

That isn't our job.

Valentine heart crayons for our daughter's cards.

This was such a great reminder to me

on this day set aside in our busy

lives just for LOVING.

Thank you, Jesus for LOVING us.

Thank you, Lord for creating us just to LOVE us.

Thank you, Heavenly Father for sending

your only Son so we may live forever in Heaven with you.

xoxo Amen xoxo

My man is taking our daughter & I out tonight!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

**linking at Dear Lillie again today!**

Valentine Brunch

2012-02-13T07:46:00.000-08:00

Invivations sent by Paperless Post

On Friday, I hosted a smallish

Valentine party for a few

of my dearest girlfriends.

Valentine's Day being my favorite

(broken record...I know...)

and the love that I've received from these

women over the years -

it was a very LONG overdue party

honoring them.

All recipes that I made were from

pins I've found on Pinterest.

I created a board especially documenting

what recipes I have used for

parties - so I can have a quick reference

when I need it.

There are so many fabulous ideas

out there that are literally

at my fingertips.

'Regular people' with fabulous original ideas

that inspire me to act, create and DO.

I have had so much fun planning this,

and I posted on Facebook how

EVERY Friday should start with a brunch

of your dearest girlfriends.

Pinterest, makes it SO easy...

the question remains:

When are you having a party?

Go check out my board for the recipes that

were used for this party.

They were all delicious, and so easy, too.

xoxo

I've linked to Dear Lilly's Valentine Linky here!

Feed My Family - Valentine's Day

2012-02-10T07:05:00.000-08:00

The fabulous Becky @ FarmGirl Paints

is hosting her weekly

Feed My Family Friday!

Today's edition is

an updated repost from a 2009

(gasp! LAST DECADE!)

post I did.

(don't judge the writing, photos, etc...I was SO NEW at blogging!)

I have updated the photos

but the recipes stand the test of time,

they are still some of my tried & true's.

It is a simple but delicious meal

that fills the house with yummy smells,

as well as warming the soul

with its earthy comfort.

It is great for a special occasion,

or to add into your monthly rotation -

budget-friendly and even good for a crowd!

RECIPE:

Dijon-Rosemary Grilled Flank Steak

1/2c Soy Sauce

2T Sesame Oil

1/2c Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2-4T Dijon Mustard

1T Herbes de Provence

2T Worcestershire Sauce

1lb Flank Steak

1. Mix above together, salt and pepper the meat, and

marinate for at least an hour, or overnight.

2. Heat grill pan on medium-high heat until well heated through.

3. Reserve the marinade**. Place meat diagonal on grill,

do not move for at least 5 minutes.

4. Flip, and do not move meat for another 5-8 minutes, depending on desired done-ness.

5. Remove meat from heat, cover with foil and let rest for at least 15 minutes.

6. Cut thinly against the grain and serve immediately.

**To make a sauce out of the marinade,

pour marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Let simmer 5 minutes.

Add 1/4c white wine, 2T butter and continue to simmer 5 minutes.

Add 1T Wondra flour or corn starch to slightly thicken.

Once incorporated, serve with meat.

Serve with your favorite green salad and risotto recipe

Here's a good risotto from Ina!

Happy Friday!

Meet Bucky ~

2012-02-08T07:52:00.000-08:00

Bucky is a special name in our family.

My husband's nickname is Bucky

from his days working on

his family farm in southern Ohio.

(Could be because of his obsession

with ALL THINGS Ohio State Buckeyes,

his alma mater...)

Our nephews call my husband Uncle Bucky.

But this Bucky is a little different than the

Bucky I fell in love with 16 years ago.

She's...paper mache.

Hand formed by hands in Haiti

with french magazine & book pages.

But just like Uncle Bucky - this baby is all mine.

She sits proudly over the mantle,

in the heart of our home - the family room.

She joined our family at Christmastime

and it didn't take long for her

paper mache antlers to be adorned

with sweet hearts,
a hand-crafted 'Paris' banner dangling
from her chest,
and a crown resting (quite comfortably) on her brow...

I think she is doing a great job taking good care

of our family, watching over us proudly.

Not unlike Uncle Bucky.

Your very own 'Bucky' can be purchased here

Restoration Hardware Baby & Child.

Happy Wednesday!

PS - Thank you, LISSA for the sweet PARIS banner...I treasure it like I treasure YOU!

loo-key-me-uh...

2012-02-07T08:18:00.000-08:00

Sometimes seeing a something spelled

phonetically alters the meaning of the word.

We have made up our minds

what a word means based on our life experience,

what we have been taught, etc.

Sometimes we haven't even thought of what

the word meant before because

we hadn't heard it or it didn't have

a chance to enter our world yet.

Appendicitis

White Blood Cells

Cancer

CML

Perhaps you're not as familiar with the last

acronym, but CML is our new reality.

Last month my husband went to see

our doctor for a stomach ache.

Doctor referred him to a surgeon, who confirmed

the suspicion for appendicitis.

We check in to the hospital and within 6 hours

he is out of the operating room

appendix-less.

During those 6 hours, the standard tests

were run, as hospitals do on new patients.

Blood Pressure

Blood Tests

Temperature

All came back normal, except for the

white blood cell count during

the routine blood tests.

It wasn't just abnormal,

it was startling to the doctors.

Words like:

"highest EVER"

"never seen before"

"you should feel worse than this"

sent our heads on a spin wondering

W.T.F.

(ahem)

Hemotologist

Oncologist

Bone Marrow

Biopsy

All these words were so new to us

and becoming a part of our

everyday jargon.

I must say this:

never once were we in a panic,

a rush or in any extreme pain.

It has been like a lazy-river where the

Lord has been covering us with

peace, love and guidance

through each step of this 'reality'.

It felt like a dream...

so far out of our norm but so vivid

one of those dreams where you wake

and it takes time to differentiate

between sleep and awake.

Sleepless nights

Tears

Prayers

Love

The details are too many to express

but trust me when I say there

is no other explanation for the path that

we are on now other to say

THE LORD IS/WAS ALWAYS IN CONTROL.

We live in a fallen world.

The Lord can absolutely stop whatever

He wants to stop.

He allowed this, and allows for things to happen

because He loves us.

Seems counter intuitive?

How else can we know what love is

if there wasn't an opposite....

Think of it this way:

Time after time we warn our kids

'be careful', 'you'll get hurt', 'watch out'...

and they do it again - sometimes we

allow for them to fall so they can learn themselves

what to do/what NOT to do.

We can swoop in, love on them,

make them feel better

never once knowing they were

in real danger anyway.

(does that even make sense? is this thing on? check, check 1-2...)

The Lord is loving and logical.

He is not mystical or magical.

He doesn't cast spells of 'cancer' because

He toys with people's lives.

He created us to love us.

He created us in His image.

He created us to be His light to the world!

I don't know the WHY behind many

of the Lord's WHATS.

I do know that no matter WHAT....HE IS LOVE.

He has shown us that SO vividly

through this process.

He has allowed for this

at this specific moment

and we are praising Him for that.

THIS moment in our lives.

And you know what?

We can handle it.

We are covered, surrounded, completely engulfed

with prayer, love and support.

It is unprecedented.

The Lord has placed the most amazing

people in our lives in EVERY avenue.

Friends

Family

Work

Play

We are currently experiencing on this Earth

only a fraction of what we know will be completely

overwhelming love in Heaven.

What an opportunity that not everyone has!

And if my husband had to get this CML

to experience this love...

then what a gift it truly is.

I'm not saying it is easy.

I'm not saying there aren't fears, or anger, or sorrow.

We are human. We are adjusting. We are adapting.

But the fear, anger and sorrow

is completely overshadowed by the

LOVE

SUPPORT

PRAYERS

PATIENCE

UNDERSTANDING

It is surreal, this new reality.

We are blessed the CML is

at the earliest possible detection.

We have fallen in love with

our City of Hope affiliated Oncologist.

We are confident the drugs

that have been very successful will

be successful for my husband.

We are hopeful, prayerful and overwhelmed.

We are not alone spiritually, physically or even mentally.

My husband and I are more in sync now

than ever in our marriage.

This story is still being written,

and there is such comfort knowing

we are co-authoring it with our Creator.

We are guaranteed a happy eternity.

(so much better than a "happy ending"...no?)

All images taken by the super talented Adrea Scheidler.

xoxo

Lee-sah

2012-02-06T07:01:00.000-08:00

One of the many things that

the Lord has blessed me with is a

community of women that

were strategically placed

in my life via blogging.

I've posted about her before.

She is an absolute

RAY OF WARM SUNSHINE

that comes from one of the most

cloudy & damp places

in our great United States of America.

My breakfast

She was only around for the shortest

amount of time and carved time

out to see ME.

I'm so humbled...(humble pie? ha!)

Sweet Lissa was in town.

We went to brunch at Julienne's in San Marino.

Its quite the spot just a few

minutes from my little house.

Lissa's GF breakfast

We shared, shopped, giggled, chatted...

as if we did it weekly....

(oh how I wish we could do it weekly!)

I was with my friend, dare I say,

my dear friend Lissa.

Thank you, Lord for putting HER in MY life!

Lissa & Me

xo Happy Monday xo

Feed my family: Quick 'n Healthy

2012-02-03T07:31:00.000-08:00

Today's recipe is something our family craves.
Especially after a weekend of who-knows-what...

It is the perfect quick & easy week-night meal
that is great for any season full of healthy greens,
fresh ingredients, low fat meat and
gluten free polenta.

Polenta Caprese with Chicken Sausage

chicken sausage (I used tomato basil)

fresh mozzarella, pre-sliced (makes life so easy!)

cooked polenta

fresh tomatoes, sliced

baby spinach

fresh basil

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat grill pan

2. Slice polenta into 1/2" thick slices,

sprinkle with salt, pepper & olive oil. Add to grill pan.

3. Add sausage to grill pan.

4. Polenta will be ready to flip when it doesn't

stick to the pan.

5. Chiffonade basil. (or leave leaves whole...)

6. Assemble on the plate:

Make a bed of spinach, top with polenta, cheese, tomato.

7. Sprinkle basil on top, finishing with

salt, pepper and a splash of balsamic vinegar.

8. Serve with sausage.

Enjoy!! Have a great weekend, everyone.

xoxo

I love you more....than chocolate

2012-02-01T07:47:00.000-08:00

I have received some email about where I received

this pillow.

I purchased it through WUSLU -

a daily deal site for vintage-like home goods.

Today, and only today - they are offering

this pillow as their deal of the day!

Just in time for Valentine's Day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On a different note, my sweet blog-friend
Sasha

has a very important post today
about being responsible & knowing WHERE our
beloved chocolate comes from.

Please read the post, and make the life-saving change.
Create a revolution of a standard that we will
NOT stand for something as *stupid* as
chocolate to be traded for a precious life created by our Lord
when there are alternatives.

Read here for more cocoa information
if you would like to investigate further and be a part
of this important movement.

If you're going to be consuming any sort of
chocolate this Valentine's Day,
send the gift of life & love by choosing a Fair Trade variety.

Love is in the air ~

2012-01-30T07:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday!

Have a great weekend?

I hope so - it always passes SO quickly...

I typically don't get too 'theme-y'

when it comes to decorating the house

for each season or holiday

but Valntine's is my 2nd favorite

holiday after Christmas.

Hearts, red, pink, flowers, LOVE.

It is my favorite.

I don't buy into it when people say

"it is a commercial/fabricated holiday created to sell cards."

Love is to be celebrated.

Life is busy these days. No matter where you live -

small town, big city - we have booked

ourselves to the gills.

There is a day we can schedule to

SAY I LOVE YOU

do something sweet

PLAN A DATE NIGHT

send a note to those you love

What are your thoughts on Valentine's Day?

Do you do anything special?

Do you decorate?

Don't worry!

There is still time to start planning something.

Happy Monday.

Feed My Family Friday

2012-01-27T13:18:00.000-08:00

Ok, here we are...FRIDAY!

Thank God for the gift of another week.

Becky @ FarmGirl Paints

is having her weekly series - FEED MY FAMILY FRIDAY!

I am doing a re-post about my

'Tracy Tetrazzini'

I have done my best to update

the fatty-comfort classic

Tetrazzini

to a relatively gluten-free,

much lower fat version.

I'm not a sufferer of gluten allergies

but I do know it is best to limit when possible.

Brown Rice Pasta is my

favorite substitute.

So, without further adieu -

Tracy Tetrazzini:

Tracy Tetrazzini

8oz brown rice spaghetti noodles

4Tablespoons butter

4Tablespoons flour

3/4teaspoon salt

1/4teaspoon pepper

1/2teaspoon garlic powder

1teaspoon onion powder

1cup beef stock

1cup fat-free half-and-half

2Tablespoons dry white wine

2cups cooked chicken breast, chopped

1/4cup canned roasted red peppers, diced

1/4cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2cup grated Quatro Formaggio (Trader Joe's)

{Italian 4-cheese blend}

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, onion and garlic powders. Cook, stirring, until smooth. Remove from heat, and gradually stir in beef stock and fat-free half-and-half.
Return to heat, and bring to a low boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add wine, then stir in cooked spaghetti, chicken and peppers. Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish, and top with cheeses.
Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbly and lightly browned.

I took a lot of help from my lifeline: Trader Joe's.

Things like the cooked chicken, the jar of roasted peppers
(they have red & yellow!), brown rice spaghetti and the cheeses.
I do know that many of the same things can be found
in any grocery store.

Hello Linky...

2012-01-25T07:43:00.000-08:00

It is time.

Time for a spring...er...winter cleaning!

I haven't been too far away,

I've been devouring Pinterest like the air I breathe.

It is my favorite.

Right now, I'm using Pinterest as my 'google'.

If I need ideas for a party, homeschooling,

bedroom/living room/kitchen/bathroom styling,

recipes for dinner or dessert,

if I find myself in a style rut,

see pretty Paris pictures, etc etc.

I have found so many amazing women (and some men) out there

and I really want to start a

Pinterest Linky Party each Wednesday.

I know it may be a silly thing since

Pinterest is already linked,

but sometimes we don't know who else is

'out there' and what other ideas there

are that we are missing...gasp...

Since today is the first day and we are trying to

get our feet wet with this -

lets link up a post to something you have created

from Pinterest...anything!

Link etiquette are as follows:

~ Link to your blog page with a reference to the original source of the Pin.

~ Can be an older post

~ Please add my button to your post or blog

<div align="center"><a href="http://lovingprettythings.blogspot.com" title="Loving Pretty Things"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-bYzMZ3fL_CI/TxdV4sPfW-I/AAAAAAAAE_M/03qts3OOt2o/s245-c-k/button.jpg" alt="Loving Pretty Things" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Happy Linking!

all sources from the images on this post can be found on my Pinterest 'Be My Valentine' page.

Mouth-watering....

2012-01-23T07:58:00.000-08:00

We had a little Christmas dinner party

at our house and since it has been

ages since we hosted any sort of dinner party...

I had to pull out some big guns.

But those guns had to be cost-effective,

fit in a small window of time

and not make me a slave to the kitchen.

Really.

So, I turned to the Pioneer Woman.

(so obsessed with her fabulousness)

I knew that I wanted to do some beef short ribs

because they're a 'special occasion' protein

and very cost effective.

She served her short ribs with goat cheese polenta.

no brainer.

I then went to my 2nd go-to: Ina Garten

and roasted off some winter veggies...

And because my sweet friend, Jaki is

a salad-lover, I made a Jaki-inspired arugula salad

with Ina's simple vinegarette.

(pancetta, pomegranate seeds, dried figs, candied walnuts, parmesan crisp)

RUN. TO. YOUR. BUTCHER.

BUY. SOME. SHORT. RIBS.

These are SO mouth-watering delicious,

the polenta is so creamy and SIMPLE

and the veggies add such a great

sweetness and color.

It was so good, in fact - I did it again for New Year's Eve!

Here are the inspired recipes with a little "Tracy Tweaking":

Pioneer Woman inspired

{boneless} Overnight Short Ribs

8 whole Beef Short Ribs (boneless from Costco)
Kosher Salt and Pepper To Taste
1/4 cup All-purpose Flour
6 pieces Pancetta, Diced
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 whole Carrots, Diced
2 cups Red Wine
2 cups Beef Broth (enough To Almost Cover Ribs)
2 sprigs Thyme
2 sprigs Rosemary

Instructions for Day 1:

Salt and pepper ribs, then dredge in flour. Set aside.

In a large dutch oven, cook pancetta over medium heat until complete crispy and all fat is rendered. Remove pancetta and set aside. Do not discard grease.

Add olive oil to pan with the pancetta grease, and raise heat to high. Brown ribs on all sides, about 45 seconds per side. Remove ribs and set aside. Turn heat to medium.

Add onions, and carrots to pan and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape bottom of pan to release all the flavorful bits. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes.

Add broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed. Add ribs to the liquid; they should be almost completely submerged. Add thyme and rosemary sprigs (whole) to the liquid.

Put on the lid and place into the oven. Cook at 350 for 2 hours. Remove from oven, and cool completely. Refrigerate overnight.

Instructions for Day 2:

Preheat oven to 200. Skim fat that has solidified on the top of the short ribs.

Bake with the lid off for 3 hours, checking frequently

to make sure the sauce hasn't reduced too much.

(If it has, add more beef stock and replace the lid

for the remainder of the cooking time.)

Remove pan from oven and allow to sit for at least 20 minutes, lid on, before serving. At the last minute, skim fat off the top of the liquid.

Serve 1 on bed of creamy polenta, spooning a little juice over the top.

Pioneer Woman inspired

Goat Cheese Polenta

1 cup Yellow Cornmeal

1 teaspoon Salt

2 Tablespoons Butter

6 ounces, weight Goat Cheese

1/4 cup Heavy Cream

**optional** 1t dried Thyme or dried Rosemary

Instructions:

Bring 4 1/2 cups water to a boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer, add optional herbs, and cook for 15 minutes, adding salt and extra tablespoons of water as needed.

Add cornmeal to the water in a thin stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.

When polenta is done, stir in cream, butter and goat cheese.

Check seasonings, and add salt to taste.

Serve with your favorite meat main course...or eat by the spoonful!

Ina Garten's Roasted Vegetables

1 pound carrots, peeled

1 pound parsnips, peeled

1 large sweet potato, peeled

1 small butternut squash, peeled and seeded (about 2 pounds)

3 tablespoons good olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, and butternut squash in 1 to 1 1/4-inch cubes. 
All the vegetables will shrink while baking, so don't cut them too small.
Place all the cut vegetables in a single layer on 2 baking sheets. 
Drizzle them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well. 
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender, turning once with a metal spatula.
Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot.

Ina Garten's Vinaigrette

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

3 tablespoons champagne vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup good olive oil

Salad greens or arugula for 6 to 8 people

Instructions:

In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, garlic, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. While whisking, slowly add the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified.

Place the salad greens in a medium bowl and add enough dressing to moisten. Sprinkle with a little extra salt and pepper, if desired, and serve immediately.

(just had to add this photo of my nieces...)

Stay Tuned for Wednesday...

A little look back ~

2012-01-20T07:45:00.000-08:00

Hello!

Seriously, we are 20 days into January of 2012?!

We have nearly one semester of homeschool

under our belts and I couldn't have

imagined how well it has been so far.

We are in our groove, finding out what is

working (and learning what is NOT working...)

and I know that this semester will get

better the longer we are doing this.

We had a very Merry Christmas,

and hope you have too!

It was a blur and I only have a few

house images to show for it.

So, if you don't mind indulging me...

Our Christmas 2012 tree was

different than any tree we've had before.

We went aluminum. Real vintage. Real sparkle-y.

I didn't want to take it down!

I found this fun wrapping paper at Ikea -

and thought it fit well with our

retro-sparkle-tree

We had so much fun with the cousins

especially the two wee ones who

came from Austin...!

Six kids under 8 (7 being 3 and younger!)

It was hard to capture a 'still' shot.

We had tons of fun with our dear friends,

the 'Byzoos' decorating cookies!

Gigi & Papa from Ohio to spent Christmas with us -

they took our girl to see a

Christmas Cinderella play in Hollywood.

(did you think that those 3 words would be in the same sentence?)

So fun watching my nephews growing up!

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas...!

PS - sneak peak for next week:

I cry mercy!

2011-10-13T11:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was one of *those* days.

Homeschooling was rocky.

Odds & ends that I thought were figured out

were unraveling before my eyes.

My glasses lost a screw on the ear piece.

My backup glasses have my old prescription and gives me a headache.

And then lets just say Aunt Flo has overstayed her welcome.

By 2 weeks.

Our girl had dress rehearsal for a local production

of Seussical the Musical

that started at 4pm and was supposed to end at 8.

Our church is having their Wednesday

dinner & classes and we thought

it would just be *perfect* to attend in one car,

leave a wee bit early and run to pick

up our girl when rehearsal was over.

I should have known that that would just

be too perfect for the day I had...

Husband was stranded at the park

after class was over and I was stranded in the parking lot

waiting for our the kids to be released

from rehearsal. At 9pm. ONE.HOUR.LATE.

(sounds like jail, doesn't it? felt like jail...)

And as I drifted off to sleep last night,

I was so blessed that I know the Lord who is in control of my life

and while He doesn't promise this life to be easy

(infact, he warns it to be just opposite!)

He does promise new mercies every morning.

Lamentations 3:23

Amen.

PS - all these images are of our girl - her new 'uniform'

for school happens in the form of a costume...

I never know what I'm going to see each day.

I'm so thankful for such a spirited and

blissfully cheerful daughter.

What a gift to be her mother especially on days like today!

An adventure underway ~

2011-10-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

"Hello Blog...its been a while..."

(sung to the song: "Hello, World by Lady A)

Its not because we've been lazy over here

that this blog has taken a back seat.

It also isn't because I'm "just not that into it" either...

I've missed my personal space here,

and know that now more than ever I may need it.

You see, we've embarked on a journey that

started in July with this post.

I have just finished our 2nd week and

am oh-so encouraged that we have

made the right choice for our family

to homeschool our girl.

Late last spring and throughout the summer

we transformed our 'spare bedroom'

into our school room.

I know it isn't required or necessary to have

such a space when homeschooling but

far be it from me to waste an opportunity to redecorate.

My husband is the best at obliging me in such whims.

The curriculum we have chosen is

fabulous, the hours we spend schooling

are so well spent, and we do not rush through anything.

About every Friday we will be in a school-setting

(called Friday School...go figure)

where we interact with many other families

who have made the same choice we have.

At Friday School, our kids learn

science, art, physical education & music.

All taught by mom's with a heart to homeschool.

This school offers field trips, park days and

many other extra curricular activities.

Our weekends have been filled with

soccer games and rehearsal for

the TESOCAL production of

Seussical the Musical.

It has been a great summer and early

fall of growth. Our family is in a great groove

right now - and while I know we have

some growing pains that are imminent, I will soak

up each and every peacefully happy moment I can!

It won't be so long until my next post -

While I may not have all the same time I used to

to comment on your posts, I will do my

best to get around to as many as I can

with the time allotted...

I always love hearing from you - I've missed you SO!

xoxoxo - Happy Tuesday - xoxoxo
all pics of our guest room/school room

Cassydy, you've WON!

2011-08-10T16:45:00.000-07:00

I sincerely apologize for the in

getting this winner chosen -

I have been out for the last 2 1/2 days

with a NASTY bug that has given

me 102+ fevers and body aches.

It hasn't been pretty.

So, now that I'm getting back to my old self -

it is time to pick a winner.

The winner is lucky #13, CASSYDY who said this:

Tracer - If I won I would use the gift certificate towards

a purchase for Jessica Joy Rees' mom with the letters NEGU.

Her mom must be so proud of her daughter and her amazing fight!

XOXOX - May we all be as inspirational and positive as this family!

I love random number generator.

It takes the pressure off me, and makes it completely

unbiased.

SO...Cassydy - email me your address

and I will get the card off to you immediately!

And to everyone who LOVES Lisa Leonard Designs:

he perfect time to shop is NOW:

use coupon solongsummer for 15% off your entire purchase!

hurry, coupon expires friday, august 12 at midnight PST!

Meal planning w/Pinterest

2011-08-05T08:36:00.000-07:00

Pinterest is my happy place.

This weekend, I had

some time while my daughter was

at her children's theater rehearsal

I found myself with an hour

and thought I'd meal plan.

I haven't been the best at meal planning

this summer...I think it is when

we ran out of peanut butter that really

knocked me back into reality.

So, since I've been spending so much

time with my new friend, Pinterest -

I thought I would use it to draw inspiration -

LOTS of inspiration!

At any moment, my fridge is stocked to make

any of these recipes...

(all photos have links to their recipes!)

Roasted Veggies

Asian Chicken Kebabs

Mozarella, Tomato, Avocado Salad

Stuffed Green Peppers

Mongolian Beef

Lime, Shrimp Avocado Salad

Lemon Chicken

Stuffed Zucchini

Grilled Balsamic Pork Roast

Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Mexican Chicken Casserole

Don't forget about my amazing giveaway....

Enter here!

Have you heard of....

2011-08-03T07:55:00.000-07:00

So, I've seen her around on blogs everywhere.

She's an awesome talent.

She's an amazing mom.

She's an inspiring businesswoman.

Her shop is one I've oogled over (and over and over)

and watched countless OTHER people

win giveaways from her site.

And to have the opportunity to giveaway...

...a gift certificate...

...in the amount of $50...

I'm so excited for all of you - and you have NO idea

how hard it is for me to not KEEP it selfishly...cause its tempting.

Its sitting right there on my dining room table.

Taunting me.

You know who I'm talking about yet?

Let me give you a bit more information if you're still wondering ~

My cousin is blessed to work for this fabulous company.

He is using his God-given talents, and is being

able to use his creative, entrepreneurial brain

while working his 2nd job

as an incredible wedding photographer.

LOVE this model!

Lisa Leonard Designs is what I'm talking about!
(have you heard of her? hahah!)

This is an amazing opportunity

that YOU ALL HAVE -

to have a piece from this fabulous company.

One minute on her blog you will immediately

be taken in by her candor, sweetness and faith.

She talks about her family with such

a spirit of happiness and joy that

is absolutely contagious.

Her taste in jewelry is trend-setting,

her style is enviable

and her photography, writing and creativity

are so engaging - I want more!

AND now you have an opportunity to

have piece of Lisa Leonard Designs.....!!!!

$50 gift certificate can be yours - simply by

commenting on this post

with what you would choose with your gift certificate.

Become a follower,

Tweet, Facebook, Blog about it -

gives you one more entry.

Just make sure you leave a separate comment

for each different entry.

Winner will be chosen Monday, August 8th.

xoxo Tell your friends! xoxo
Until then, if you want a great read - click here.

Lastly - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER, ALLIE!!

I LOVE YOU,

ALLIEPANTS/YAYA/YAZERS/ALLIEMYGALLIE!

You can also find me linked HERE!

blessings ~

2011-08-02T08:30:00.000-07:00

This weekend a sweet friend sang this song in church.

It is a familiar song to me, and to many -

but for some reason, the Lord chose

this Sunday to speak to me.

We pray for blessings, We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

It made me think of my blog, and how

the Lord has used it as an amazing

piece to the story of my life.

'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops

What if your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

I've been reunited with past friends.

I've connected with family in a way I never knew possible.

I have met new friends - amazing women of the Lord

(among MANY others!)

that have shown me strength in their life

that helped me when I was weak.

We pray for wisdom Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near

We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

The Lord comforted me in this song -

He assured me that while I have a deep cry of my heart

that He knows better;

that while it is painful - He *could* be protecting me

from an even greater hurt.

I have no idea what hurt that *could* mean ...

but He promises in the Bible over and over

to never turn His back on me.

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise

The loving reassurance that He is faithful

even when I'm distant from Him,

when I'm doubting if He even does love me,

that His love doesn't look like how WE

think it SHOULD look...who are

WE to say what it SHOULD look like, anyway!?

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not our home

And so - in the 11th hour of this Monday night -

{see? I said I was going to post}

I need to tell you about the giveaway!

(you thought I forgot?)

Well, tomorrow - {Wednesday} - I will

post about it in deatil.

Pinky promise ;)

A journey begins with a single step~

2011-07-28T14:37:00.000-07:00

I've always thought it was so hokey when people

would talk about a path in their life

was a JOURNEY...it sounded so cheeseball and I didn't get it.

via

But perhaps with age I'm understanding
all things cheeseball - as I get what *journey* means:

I've found it is something that no matter how hard you plan,

*something* will come up and

will cause you to stop, question & either perservere or redirect.

It is rarely something that happens perfectly

each.and.every.time.

It has great moments, rough roads and

tends to begin with a single step of faith.

via

That is where we find ourselves:

Stepping in faith on this homeschool journey.

We have chatted with families we trust

who are on this journey - and have prayed about it -

and now we are prepared to take our first

step and decide *what* our philosophy

for our school will be.

What is our "WHY" of education?

Our familiy believes that the primary responsibility for our

child{ren} is us: the parents.

We believe that the Bible is the center of our life

and is ultimately the center of our learning.

via

What is the PURPOSE of education?

In the workbook that we have that is asking such prompting questions,

"An Introduction to Home Education" [p.23, 12th ed.]

we agree with this statement:

"...the goal of Christian education is to cause the Christian person

to be growing in grace and knowledge of Christ,

pursuing godliness of character and action (2Tim 3:17)."

"Academics becomes secondary to the godly character

values, but we are nevertheless to gain dominion

over all academic disciplines in order to bring glory to God".

via

And so we have taken the first step.

Our journey has begun.

On a different note:

I have a LOOOOOONG overdue GIVEAWAY

for you peeps - a celebration, a gift for YOU...

Whaddaya-say - how about Monday!?

Answering the call ~

2011-07-18T13:44:00.000-07:00

If you are a Christian, you know that

the Lord has a way of calling you to an action.

I believe parenting is one such call,

and while I thought my 'call' would look differently

than it does now,

I'm confident in the Lord's plan for

our one & only daughter at this time and this place.

It is a difficult call, as well as deeply rewarding

and such an amazing way the Lord

uses these precious people we call our children

to shape our character.

I remember nearing the end of my pregnancy

and having breakfast with my parents & siblings.

The subject came up about schooling

and I mentioned that perhaps I wanted

to homeschool our future child(ren).

We grew up in the public school system

as homeschooling was really

something that we city folk understood

only appropriate for Laura Ingalls and the like.

You could say we were ignorant. You'd be right.

I know that the idea of homeschool didn't

come from me or the environment I grew up in.

It was all from the Lord.

You would have thought that when our daughter

came of age and we had to decide on schools

the choice would have been easy.

It wasn't.

I was still bitten by the homeschool bug

but we decided upon private school

as our finances allowed.

Last year, our finances were very affected

by the economy and we were unable to

send our girl to the private school

that we loved.

We sent her to the public school down the street.

And while it was great to walk to school

each day, that homeschool nudge from

the Lord only got more persistent.

To prepare us for our homeschool journey,

we attended the annual Christian Home Educators Association convention

conveniently located in Pasadena (practically our backyard!).

We rubbed elbows with other families who

just answered the call like we did,

as well as families who have been mulit-generation homeschoolers.

It was a great place to get educated and enlightened

on how important and special this decision

to homeschool is for our family.

We left absolutely convicted that we are doing

His will in *finally* responding to the nudge

that the Lord placed on our hearts years ago.

Our children are a gift.

What are we going to do with our gift?

For our family, the answer was definitely to take

control and teach our daughter to not

only know the Lord but to be His light to

the world around her.

We are to instill her with knowledge

of The Word, and equip her with

skills to live her best life according to the gifts

she's been blessed with.

We are not going to worry about

state education budget cuts,

subjects that the government deems

'important' for all children to know,

hurrying for school in the morning, or hurrying to

get homework done in the afternoon.

I'm not going to worry about what new

4-letter word she will pick up

from other students, or worry about

my daughter feeling like she needs to

compete with other students

for her teacher's attention or to stress about her grades.

We will have a less stressful, more peaceful

day-to-day where we will be students of the

world around us, rather than have

the world school her in its ugly ways.

God is in control of our life.

Our family is taking control back from the government

who deems our children *their* responsibility

and even property.

It is going to be a year full of learning,

growing pains and a lot

of trial & error.

But since we are walking with the Lord,

we know we will have

His light for our path - and there isn't any way

we can get lost.

**all images from google**

Ne-blog-lect....

2011-07-07T11:51:00.000-07:00

My friends and whoever still reads this blog....if anyone....

I apologize for the absence in my posting!

Summer has been off to such a great start,

and we've been having so much fun

that it hasn't even occurred to me to turn the computer on.

The last few weeks of school and the first week of summer

was spent preparing for what our early summer

had in store:

10 days in Paris/Budapest for my husband and I

as well as

10 days in Ohio for my daughter with her grandparents.

We had such an amazing time and I will tell you

SO MUCH MORE about it

when I get my hard drive/space issues

worked out on my computer.

I can't download the pictures to my computer yet

- and its killing me!

I've also been up to my eyeballs with research & planning

for next year. You see, with lots of prayer - we

have decided to homeschool our girl.

I'm so so SO thrilled to take this huge leap of faith

and to have the family & friend support

that we have received will make it possible for us

to be successful.

SO - all that being said - since I can't upload any pictures

to my computer - come find me HERE.

If you have an iPhone, iPad - download it HERE.

If you want an invitation, let me know:

t e e s t i g g y {at} g m a i l {dot} c o m

xoxoxo

***click on all images for credit***

Masks, capes and crafting...OH MY!

2011-06-15T11:29:00.000-07:00

The essential gear of a super hero

are the cape and the mask.

As I previously posted, the

Silhouette machine

really helped make this a cinch.

I found a shape that I liked,
used the Silhouette to cut through a piece
of cardstock - and that was my
template for the masks and details on the cape.

From the $1 spot in Target, I found
some fun felt and gem stickers that the girls
used to decorate their $1 crown, masks and capes.

Once they were decorated,
WONDER WOMAN surprised the girls
with some 'must-have' moves
essential for ANY super hero.

We then took the girls to fill their tummies
and to let the neighborhood know
that they are safe: there are superheroes in their midst.

The girls then had a mission - to deliver capes and masks
to some dear friends and little brothers/sisters
that were at home. A commission for new superheroes
as you can never have too many. :)

The night ended with a rainbow cake,
the Justin Bieber movie,
lots of sleeping bags and even more giggles.

The morning began {quite early}
with french toast and fruit kebabs
and LOTS of playing.

It was a fabulous 8th Birthday!

Meet Sara

2011-06-11T07:32:00.000-07:00

Sara is the newest addition to our daughter's ever growing family of furry stuffed friends.

She is more special than any other animal as she has the most unique filling inside. Her special blanket (nuh-night) is lovingly folded and stuffed inside sweet Sara, the lamb we got today at build a bear.

For the past 5 weeks she has been working so hard to stop sucking her thumb. It has been going so well but the last piece of the puzzle was her sweet nuh-night.

This morning, even though she cried, she bravely gave the OK to get rid of her precious blanket. We surprised her with the idea of putting it in a build a bear - and now it loving rests in her sweet little lamb, Sara.

photo credit: my daughter with my iphone.... too cute, huh!?

Silhoutettes & Superheroettes...part 1

2011-06-01T07:56:00.000-07:00

Let me start this post by saying

I. LOVE. THE. SILHOUETTE. MACHINE.

I am in no way affiliated with this

awesome company

(although, it would be AMAZING if I were!)

but am a huge fan.

And truthfully, this birthday party

was made possible

by this amazing piece of equipment.

It all began with my girl...a girlie girl

who loves boy things.

She's the perfect yin to the yang.

She said she wanted a Mario Brothers party.

I politely steered her elsewhere.

As soon as she said 'superhero', I quickly obliged.

The invitations were made from paper

that I already had from my favorite

Paper Source.

I found a shape from the Silhouette store

and adapted it a little so it would

be less 'supermom' and more 'supergirl'.

Having only invited 5 other girls,

it was easy to let the ideas snowball into

something bigger & better without

breaking the bank and taking

precious time away from the family.

When the invitations were mailed,

the fun began.

We will talk about the supergear tomorrow.....

Oh heyyyy....

2011-05-31T10:33:00.000-07:00

Its been a while, huh?

These last few weeks have been such a blur.

They've been filled with fun

crafts

gatherings

parties

projects

redecorating

all of which I will be posting about in the next few days.

I can't wait to show you

the 8th birthday we had for our girl

AND

the guest bedroom turned bonus room.

I'm so ready to be back blogging -

how I've missed you AND missed your blogs, too.

Things are slowing a bit and while we have

EIGHT more days of school ...

I'll be able to focus on your blogs and this one too!

Pop on over and see my old friend Tara's nursery...

she just had #2 and it is sweet little space!

My other Tarah-friend has just posted about

her family rules sign that are FOR SALE (!!) - don't you JUST love it?

They are fabulous - and a must-own.

Also, go check out my sweet friend Lissa's blog.

She has the BEST recipes that are not only

perfect for everyday - but she has

such a great way of making it all look like

a page from a magazine...a comfy, cozy magazine.

While you're at it - Shauna is one of those bloggers

that I want to know in real life!

She is such a ray of sunshine while remaining firmly

planted on the ground with her 3 kiddos

and her inspiring faith & love for her husband...

AND LOOK AT THE COLORS OF HER HOUSE!

She uses color in ways I completely envy.

I'm off to edit photos to show you soon.

The few in this post are just a tease for what's to come.

xoxo

PS - While I was away, I hit 400 follwers!!

I am so flattered and I am working on a little 'thank you' - stay tuned!

BIRTHday...

2011-05-12T12:21:00.000-07:00

EIGHT years ago,

I was in the cozy maternity ward

at Saddleback Hospital

eagerly awaiting the arrival of our girl.

waiting.

If I knew then what I know now...

I think that day would be so different.

It would look more like:

savoring...

praying...

dreaming...

praising...

cherishing...

rejoicing...

If I knew then that it would be *my* only

day to give birth, it would change

the makeup of that day dramatically.

I think being a young Mom has its perks -

but also the drawbacks...

Feeling that time is infinite,

moments are destined to be repeated,

hurry up and move on to the next big thing,

as there is always something new/exciting around the bend.

This year is the first year that I haven't

hosted my first pity party...party of 1.

No woe-is-me-isms about letting down

myself, my husband, my birthday girl

that our collective dreams of a big family

have not come to fruition...

and look how quickly the time is passing...

Today is all about my girl.

My only daughter.

I am savoring the time NOW.

I am praying NOW.

I am dreaming NOW.

I am praising the Lord NOW.

I am cherishing each moment NOW.

I am rejoicing NOW.

My only girl is 8 only one time,

and today is HER day.

I'm just privileged to be in the front row

as her #1 cheerleader.

Just remember YOUR words...You're not a big girl, YET. ;)

I love you, Katie Roo.

Jeanne-e-ology.....

2011-05-09T11:28:00.000-07:00

Jeanne-e-ology: The artful study of all creations by Jeanne Oliver.

Hurry over to Jeanne's blog.

She is debut'ing her Town and Country Summer collection.

The photographs were taken by Jeanne.

The items were hand made by Jeanne.

The marketing has been done by Jeanne.

Oh, and she's a full time Mom.

A full time home schooling Mom.

A wife who admires and deeply loves her husband,

a mom committed to her family,

a woman with talent oozing out of her pores.

Don't take my word for it,

go see for it yourself.

Way to go, Jeanne!!

Week in Review~

2011-05-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

fresh berries - my favorite summer treat!

It has been a great {hot!} week

here in Southern California -

definitely a teaser of the summer that is on its way.

BIG plans for these babies...

And I've been busy around the house

while my girl

finishes up her last few weeks of 2nd grade

{g.a.s.p.}

doing projects here and there that

will be put on the back burner

while we focus on the

FUN of summer.

these cuties took flight to a few mailboxes...

Here are a few shots of what's been

going on - some teasers of

posts in the near future....

....May tends to be a BIG month 'round here.

a new dresser for our bedroom..

Missed many of you - my commenting

has been severely lacking on all

of my favorite {your} blogs.

spent our 10th anniversary 5 minutes from home at the Langham...

Will be back at 'em in the next few weeks.
Lots to share, lots to show...
just need to finish it up!

some scrub for my favorite Mom's!

Hope all of you are getting more sunshine,

are able to smell the flowers a bit more,

and get out and enjoy the Spring!

a fun project for our dearest friend's First Holy Communion

xoxo

A decade ~

2011-04-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

ten years ago, this was us.

practically children, having no idea where

our paths would take us.

We had lofty dreams, hopes and goals...

and after this decade, I think we've learned that

we're great at dreaming together.

We take our vows seriously, we've learned

how to love each other - not in

that self-serving way young lovers do.

Each tear shed has helped pave a solid foundation

of our relationship. Each laugh helped us

grow deeper in friendship and love.

I love you, my husband.

I thank God for His wisdom of putting YOU in my life,

as my partner. Together we can weather

any storm, jump any hurdle and sail through this

life with a richness no money can buy.

Hungary for Paris

2011-04-27T09:28:00.000-07:00

Toxic Tuesday will be on hiatus

as all of my research hours

are going to be knee deep in the

in's and out's of

Paris and Budapest.

It will be almost exactly 11 years since

my feet were touching

Parisian soil and let me just say,

they've been aching ever since.

Last time I was in Paris,

it was for a week after I had spent 6 weeks

studying in the South of France.

This week happened during the week of my

22nd birthday - and I was solo.

Alone in Paris

roaming the streets, museums and cafes

with no one but myself to soak up the city.

It was magical.

I vowed to one day take

my beloved there as the romance

of the city is palpable.

This trip is a HUGE blessing that is such a provision

from the Lord and this time,

it will just be my husband.and.I.

Magic.

So, I know many of you have been recently,

and I'm anxious to hear your

"must-do's", restaurant & cafe suggestions,

flea market tips, etc.

I'm all ears.

We will be finishing off our European vacation

with 5 days in Budapest, where we will

be hosting clients for my husband's work.

(I use the term 'work' loosely...it will be an amazing trip)

So, Paris - I'm coming back.

Time to dust off my 'parlez-vous francais'

and let the immersion process begin.

**all images from google**

Savory Bread Pudding

2011-04-26T08:10:00.000-07:00

I adapted this recipe

for Easter brunch.

It. Was. SO. GOOD.

It smelled the house with wonderful smells.

It was full of flavor.

I added a few extras to kick it up a notch.

(like goat cheese and pancetta..mmmm....)

Recipe:

3 pounds plum tomatoes such as Roma, halved lengthwise
1 1/2 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 head garlic, left whole
10 cups cubed (1-inch) country-style Italian bread (1 pound)
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
8 large eggs
1-1 1/2 cups crisped pancetta
8 ounces goat cheese
2 cups coarsely grated chilled Italian Fontina (9 ounces)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish (about 13 by 9 inches).

Toss tomatoes in a bowl with herbes de Provence, 1 tablespoon oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Arrange tomatoes, cut sides up, in a large heavy 4-sided sheet pan.

Cut off and discard 1/4 inch from top of garlic head to expose cloves, then put on a sheet of foil and drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Wrap garlic in foil and roast in pan with tomatoes until tomatoes are browned but still juicy and garlic is soft, 50 to 60 minutes. (Leave oven on.) Cool garlic to warm, then force through a medium-mesh sieve with a rubber spatula, discarding skins. Reserve purée

While garlic cooks, toss bread cubes in a large bowl with remaining oil until coated, then spread out in a large 4-sided sheet pan and bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

Whisk together milk, cream, eggs, garlic purée, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir in cheeses. Transfer bread to baking dish, then pour egg mixture over bread and add tomatoes, pushing some down between bread cubes. Bake until firm to the touch and golden brown in spots, 50 to 60 minutes.

Easter 2011

2011-04-25T20:48:00.000-07:00

Easter morning started at 5:30.

We woke to dark skies

to dress in our Easter best for

the Sunrise Service at our church.

It was a very overcast and cool week -

with the occasional drizzle.

We met at the park on the mountains

we look at each day

and listened to the pastor preach

the message of reason for this

Easter season.

It set the tone the right way

for the day.

Back at home, I put on my apron,

and got busy making

Savory Bread Pudding

(my adapted recipe next post)

and

Spring Salad.

11:30 rolled around and up rolled my family.

It was a smaller group this year,

but the intimacy made for a relaxed day.

We fed the kids, put them down

for a little nap, and we ate and

chatted and laughed a lot.

The kiddos hunted for eggs after

their siesta and then each family were

sent on their merry way.

It was a beautiful Easter celebration

but definitely incomplete

with my sisters and

brother & sister in law missing, too.

Hope you had a beautiful day, too!

Happy Easter to you all.

xoxo

My nephew was working off his sugar high by going
back and fourth singing the USC fight song...he's amazing.

WHY we need Jesus

2011-04-21T16:33:00.000-07:00

My sweet friend Suzanne

at Suziebeezie

had this awesome post yesterday morning

that really clarified my perspective

in who I am as a Christian,

WHY I am a Christian and WHY I need Jesus.

It broke my heart when I read

An (Atheist) Easter Message from Ricky Gervais

where he quoted Ghandi by saying:

“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

Ouch.

It is something that I think most atheist/agnostics

don't fully understand - that YES, while we're called to life according to Him,

we are a MESS like Mike Cosper wrote.

And just because we believe that Jesus is the center of our life

doesn't change the fact that we need Him - day in, day out.

We are not magically perfected and do not walk around with halo's

(or should I say divine halos, I have seen many man made halos out there....)

I'm sad for atheists/agnostics who don't believe in Christianity

because of some bad eggs. Ok, lots of bad eggs.

I'm always inspired by people who did their own research...

hard research with an open mind and

have come to believe the Truth of the Bible. (like Lee Strobel, et al)

Ricky Gervais's message was eye-opening to me, as a Christian

- we have an opportunity here to learn and take responsibility

one person at a time,

and make sure we are not arrogant.

We need to know the truths of the Bible

and live our faith in a way that will be pleasing to Jesus.

(*note, Jesus never rammed His Truth's down people's throat.

He never boasted/gloated and threatened.

He did not get jealous, envy others and always acted maturely

and treated EVERYONE - especially the doubters with

the utmost dignity and respect. EVERY.ONE.)

We will mess up - Christians and non Christians.

WE ARE A MESS.

...and that's why we need Jesus.

Daily.

OK, hourly.

...maybe every minute. :)

Happy Easter.

Its easy to be clean ~

2011-04-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

JR Watkins

It has never been a better time

to be a consumer...

Method

With all the choices that we are faced with,

we also have the research and resources

to really find out about exactly

*what* it is we are consuming.

Borax

Food, cleaning products, plastics, etc -

there is all sorts of information

out there for us.

Mrs. Meyer's

The most important thing to do is read the labels.

Neutrogena Naturals

Making sure to take the time and

ask yourself WHY you're making that choice...

"because I have for years"

"because my mom did"

"because it is on sale"

"because it is the cheapest"

Seventh Generation

All valid reasons - but they could also be

blinding reasons - and reasons that

could have potential harm on your family.

Purex Crystals Fabric Softner

All these photos are also linked

to their companies.

These companies have taken the extra effort

and answered the call to be more pure.

Removing the toxins from our environment

will only mean we will be a

healthier, happier community.

Yes To {Carrots, Cucumbers, Tomato, etc.}

Think of the extra expense these products *may*

incur as an insurance policy where you

will avoid any nasty side effect in the doctors office

or even worse, hospital later on.

Burts Bees

This is just a start - and there are lots of

choices left to research - but

I'm grateful that these big companies are listening

to their consumers right now.

Toms of Maine

Each of these products I've listed above, I've used.

They have passed my initial label screen

test, and it has been easy for me to incorporate

into my daily life - as they are available

right next to where I have shopped previously.

Join their facebook pages (linked through their websites)

and you can also receive coupons and special offers.

More toxic talk next week!