the LIFE LESSONS blog {things crafty, thrifty, family, yummy & rambly)

Lesson #180 My Valentine's Card Secrets

2012-02-14T09:11:00.000-08:00

Can Valentine's Day be CHEAP and CREATIVE? I think so!

PART I: The Girlfriends

These postcards were SO easy to create!

Last month I found an adorable vintage postcard at a local antique store.

Some of the little kid valentine's from the 50s were HILARIOUS!

I even saw a few really old valentine's that had sweet old fashioned messages penned inside. I couldn't help but read a few AND wish we still wrote so properly and eloquently.

Of course I had to use the one that used the words 'coy' and 'sublime'.

How could I not?

$3 of my budget spending money later I was out the door.

A quick scan into my computer and an upload to vistaprint and I was golden!

I think it ended up being $12 total for 100 cards.

Man, I think postcards are the best thing ever.

VALENTINE'S POSTCARDS?

That just takes it to the next level.

PART II: More Girlfriends

BECAUSE I can't POSSIBLY go a Valentine's Day without HAND MAKING A few cards... these did the trick :) Card stock, cheap stamps from Michael's, corner stamps, corner inking. DONE.

Since I went 20 years of my life boyfriend-less, I have always associated Valentine's Day as a girlfriend to girlfriend holiday :) A time to tell your friends how much they mean to you. I think I will always see it mostly that way. hehehe...

Part III: The ManFriend

As for David, well he got a special card that I spent a FORTUNE on.

(okay, okay, FINE it was $1)

Tiny Prints has the cutest templates EVER for every holiday you can imagine. I'm on their email list and LOVE when they send specials like this. One dollar and this beauty is delivered to my door? Yes, please.

Sometimes the less expensive and the more creative our gifts are, the more they mean :)

Lesson #179 Fancy Camo Valentine's un-Date's are the Best

2012-02-13T23:23:00.000-08:00

Last night was SUPPOSE to be our substitute Valentine's Day since class invades my week nights.

Well... let's just say by the time we finished...

Church in the morning
Discussed our career philosophies
Mapped out our entire future
Debated and solved every political and moral standard in existence

...all we had time left for was homework. We pick the strangest times to have 4 hour conversations on big-picture-life things! ha! SO, we nixed the nice dinner out and decided to run and grab some yummy food to-go to get us through the homework.

David: On a scale of 1 to 10 how fancy are we going?
Anna: Zero.
David: Great. I'll WEAR MY CAMO SHIRT
Anna: grrrreeeaaaat.
...which somehow led to a fight between deodorant and mascara...

Sometimes I think I like the riveting discussions and the take-out and camp more than a fancy formal dress up dinner. Wait did I just say that? :)

Lesson #178 Every Weekend should have a Little Sun and a Little Rain

2012-02-12T14:41:00.000-08:00

Dearest Weekend,

Thank you for being full of sun and rest and BBQ and little friends and me-sized-friends and games and rain and bonfires and sweets and naps and and study parties with pancit.

Love, Anna

Lesson #177 Moms Can Read Your Mind

2012-02-11T19:42:00.000-08:00

Dear Mom,

This week had been a MAJOR week for school... group projects, papers, mid-term exam..

AND somehow, yes, somehow you read my brain?

Am I surprised? No.

Pleasantly pleased? Yes.

You sent me an adorable package.
Stuffed to the brim as usual.
Maximizing every square inch as usual.

A TON of tiny little presents. One to open each time I finish an assignment.

If it weren't for lunch dates with friends, a hilarious husband AND ESPECIALLY this awesome package, I may have classified this week as a dud, but I am totally not. No never, not after this awesome package.

Thank you for always thinking of me, even when you have your own crazy life to worry about.
Thank you for always loving me.
Thank you for being you.

Love you so so so much.

Always,
Anna

Lesson #176 One Man's Stress is Another Man's Luxury

2012-02-10T23:10:00.000-08:00

Many of the poor in our world own only the clothes on their backs. They have no closets. -Richard Stearns

Day #7 Fast From Options

It is Day 2 of a 30 Day Challenge to become more globally aware, have better perspective, have a clearer focus on the larger world around me. I get so easily stuck in my small work of circumstances, delightful things, hard things, my city, my country... this month I hope to gain a bigger perspective.

Ummm... yesterday I wore the same clothes twice.
On purpose. How did I feel about this?
Okay, it was strange for sure.

At first this challenge was hard.

THEN it was sort of freeing. If people were making judgments about me, I feel like that reflects far more on THEM than it does on me. I know what I'm doing, I don't need to explain.

... which makes me think of all the times I may have been judgmental towards other not knowing, and not even trying to know, their side and reason behind the 'out of social norm' behavior.

The following is the convo that happened in my head yesterday morning in front of my closet.

My body was like, "umm... Anna you wore that yesterday"
Which makes my mind say, "Your clothes aren't dirty, and you wear skirts several times before washing anyway"
My body says, "that's true"
My mind says, "so why does it matter?"
My body says, "well, people will think, "hey she wore that yesterday!"
My mind says, "which matters because..."
My body says,"they will think I'm forgetful or made a mistake, or that I really like this outfit"
My mind says, "wow, anna, wow. really mature. That would be the worst thing EVER. The world would end!"
My body says, "I guess you're right. I guess I have just gotten used to the cultural norm that you don't wear the same thing two days in a row. I guess it's because it shows that you have enough money and clothes OPTIONS to not have to do that. Now, even though everyone KNOWS I have more than one outfit, it still feels out of the social norm to do this."

Pangs of guilt wash over me as I realize how self-centered and self-conscious I am. How many people in the world would LOVE to have ONE NICE set of clothes to wear multiple times... and here I am feeling awkward about it. Awkward is nothing in comparison to poverty, loneliness, fear that many people face daily because they don't have the OPTION to feel otherwise.

I get so overwhelmed with options and deciding sometimes, and maybe just maybe I need to SPEND THAT precious time spent worrying, on more important things like thinking about those that don't have ANY options at all or the luxury to have things to stress over.

Okay, now let's be real here... the method I use to pick out my outfits is one that gives me the MAX amount of sleep in the morning... and looks something like picking the first things I see. I'm not super great at matching, so I figure why try? Best friend Jessie on the other hand, pro matcher.

HOWEVER there are TONS of "OPTIONS" in life I stress over. LOTS of em.

Stress over what food to order
Stress over what classes to take
Stress over my job
Stress over my house being messy

ALL of these things listed, yes ALL OF THESE things that I have considered STRESS today, would be considered LUXURY in the eyes of so many.

Truly humbling. Kind of makes me want to get rid of all my clothes.

Lesson #175 Never Underestimate a Good Song

2012-02-09T17:34:00.000-08:00

I purchased this album just in time for my little heart.
Just what I needed.
Also grateful for two friends named Cassidy & Lynette today.
Just what I needed.
Listen to this song with your eyes closed.
It's just what you need :)

Glorious by Bryan & Katie Torwalt

Hope fills my soul
The love that You've shown
Bring refreshing like the rain
Peace floods my heart
I've known nothing apart
Apart from Your goodness, God

You are glorious
You are holy, holy
The heavens shout
You are worthy, worthy

Your love frees my soul
And fear has no hold
For You have broken the chains
Now joy fills my life
Your Spirit, Your Light
I'm undone by the kindness of Christ

Lesson #174 You Never Have to Let Fruit Go to Waste {Homemade Fruit Leather Baby!}

2012-02-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

There are some things you learn in life that are just priceless... like the fact that you never have to let fruit go to waste. ALSO priceless is the taste of fruit leather... should this be legal? AND you don't even need a fancy pansy food dehydrator.

Right before anything goes bad I peel/slice it up, put it in a zip lock bag and freeze it! Then it just sits waiting for a beautiful smoothie to be made... or this awesome fruit leather...

How to Make Homemade Fruit Leather (base recipe)

3-4 cups of fresh or frozen fruit
sugar or honey (optional)
lemon (optional to minimize browning)

Fruit Leather Sample Recipes (also known as 'what Anna had in the freezer')

Apple-Pinapple-Lemon Fruit Leather

2 cups frozen apples (peeled)

2 cups frozen pinapple

4 tablespoons of honey

juice from half a lemon

Raspberry-Peach Fruit Leather

2 cups frozen raspberries

2 cups frozen peaches
1/4 cup sugar

Directions

Combine all ingredients from recipe
If your ingredients are frozen, heat in a pan until well combined
Add thick liquid to food process. Blend until smooth
Line a pan with parchment or plastic wrap. Pour liquid on pan and spread evenly.
Bake in oven at 140-170 degrees for 6-8 hours
Let cool. Keep it in an airtight container, and enjoy within the week.

Lesson #173 Learning my Value

2012-02-07T08:24:00.000-08:00

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—

he who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, he who watches over Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you—

the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm—

he will watch over your life;

the LORD will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore.

Psalm 121

(photo by hubby)

My husband read this chapter over me yesterday, and that same night one of my best friends texted me this same chapter. Isn't it beautiful? So is this quote below. It helps remind me that just as I sit, just as I type, just as I am, I am enough.

You are valuable because you exist.

Not because of what you do or what your have done,

but simply because you are.

-Max Lucado

It is so against my nature to believe this. It is so against human nature to believe this. This makes all my great accomplishments and all my great failures kind of sit on the same page of my life. It's like my results don't make me valuable, me just BEING makes me valuable. If I truly believed this I wouldn't be so crushed by my failures and enthralled/addicted with my successes. So long as I try my best, and am being the best me that I can be, I am doing the best for my life.

My head creates so much unnecessary pressure that is not helpful or productive. I want be full of peace and focused and joyful and still EVEN in a busy and stressful circumstance.

I want to LEARN how to be a better me.

I want to LEARN what it's like to not let me circumstances rule me or my emotions.

I want to be steadfast and calm in every situation.

I want to LIVE and be someone not defined or overcome by my circumstances.

I want to RESPOND and not REACT. It's so much easier to react though.

It's almost gratifying to react. It takes disciple and patience and confidence to wait, to RESPOND in trying circumstances.

I want to live not for SUCCESS or FAILURE, but for what I know God has called me to do, think and be.

Lesson #172 Weekends Should Never End

2012-02-05T21:19:00.003-08:00

sometimes weekends call for dinners out with family.

sometimes weekends call for ice cream dates with little friends.

sometimes weekends call for more acrylic paint.

sometimes weekends call for quiet time and long baths.

sometimes weekends call for reading lots of research articles.

sometimes weekends call for day hikes.

sometimes weekends call for chocolate chip espresso cookies.

AND sometimes weekends call for my least favorite part, the whole "end" part.

Lesson #171 Discovering How Intertwined My Life is with the Internet

2012-02-04T23:59:00.000-08:00

The internet is absolute communication, absolute isolation. ~Paul Carvel

Day #2 Fast From Internet

So ummm... I did TERRIBLE at this one.

I thought to myself yesterday, "how hard can this be?" I would LOVE to fast from my work email, and just email in general! I skip out on facebook now and then anyway! This is going to be a breeze.

So today I got to spend my morning with a young friend who I get hang out with every few weeks :) We went for a walk, talked about life, went out for fro-yo, wandered barnes and noble... checked my phone to price check amazon for one of the books I was eyeing... PAUSE! Hello Anna! You used the internet! sigh. fail. AND this continued throughout the day... the weather, netflix, wanting to know the news, my etsy sales, realizing I was out of face lotion... bad job Anna. I need to try this one again.

I wonder how many hours a day I spend online without even realizing it. Before today I would have guessed that it is less than an hour a day, but after today... I'm realizing it is probably much more. I feel like I spend a good deal of the day at work staring at a little screen. I bet that people hundreds of years ago would that we are just CRAZY to stare at little screens for work and for entertainment, and for shopping and all that we do!

In response to how fasting from the internet will help reshape my global mindset... I think the internet makes the really BIG world really SMALL in so many ways. I am able to keep up on local and global news so well. I really enjoy this, but I can't help but think it has desensitized me in some way or another. I see and hear tragedies and see horrific images every day in global news so it is never a huge surprise. I WANT to be sensitive to them. Though I don't see the news on my TV, the internet makes things so immediate and real. I want to balance not feeling overwhelmed by the happenings of the globe, but remain aware, conscious and active when necessary in response what I see on the screen.

It is amazing how quickly this technology has become an everyday 'essential' in my life. I literally couldn't do my work or my school work without it. The rest of my life? That would take a lifetime to unlearn. AND not that I need to UN-learn it, but perhaps I need to RE-learn some of it.

Lesson #170 Discover what you Cling to for Comfort

2012-02-03T17:23:00.002-08:00

Around 11 million children live on the streets in India, according to UNICEF Estimates.

Day #1 Fast From Comfort

It is Day 1 of a 30 Day Challenge to become more globally aware, have better perspective, have a clearer focus on the larger world around me. I get so easily stuck in my small work of circumstances, delightful things, hard things, my city, my country... this month I hope to gain a bigger perspective.

Even if I can't complete all 30-days of the challenge, I hope to complete as many as I can. Hopefully this will provide a wider-minded perspective day-by-day as I choose to have a focus outside of my immediate circumstances. Being engaged in moment while keeping a bigger-life-globe picture is so difficult.

Many of the poor in my own country, and in other countries have a bed that looks very different than mine. One of my GREATEST PLEASURES is the warmth and the softness and the comfort my bed provides. It makes me feel calm and peaceful at the end of the day. It tells me that the day is over and that I am safe for the night.

HOW MANY people go through a day, a harder day than the ones I experience by far, and yet STILL do not have the PHYSICAL comfort of a mattress and big blankets. HOW MANY people go through a day, a harder day than the ones I experience by far, and yet still do not have the EMOTIONAL comfort of feeling and being safe from harm.

The night is a time of restoration for me, I can only image what it would be like to have a tough day, and an even tougher night. The night can be a time of danger, and a time of constant watch. How can one survive and thrive during the day when they aren't getting what they deserve at night? What do they have that is comfort to them? What do they have the recharges and renews and refreshes them? Growing up on city streets is something I have never had to do.

Many people in the world spend the night on a thin piece of foam, some spend it in a sleeping bag, others sleep on the dirt floor with a small blanket. I am overwhelmed with the fact that not only are there many who spend the night uncomfortable, but they spend it worrying about their safety and survival. How pampered I am indeed.

Tonight David and I have chosen to sleep on the floor.

Not because it will make the world any better.

Not because it will make things any easier for those in developing countries.

Not because it will change the world.

BUT because we are praying it will help us understand what WE HAVE and what others DON'T HAVE just a little bit better.
BUT because we hope it changes our heart and mind to make us more compassionate in the way we spend and give our money.
BUT because we hope it changes our heart in the way we see others.
BUT because I want to find comfort and focus in things beyond the possessions of my blanket and mattress.

Won't you join me on this small journey from comfort and a big step towards true compassion?

Lesson #169 Life can be so Priceless

2012-02-03T09:47:00.000-08:00

Priceless is...

How crazy and silly and ridiculous David and I can be after a long, long day. Sometimes we can't tell if it's how late it is, how tired we are, how hungry we are, how relieved we are that we see another human we can be completely honest with... we usually don't care :)
A ten minute nap SQUEEZED between work and class
Having lunch with sweet friends SQUEEZED between work and work
Finding a new iPhone app that lets me take 360 degree pictures! I will TRY not to post a billion of these ;)

Working with students that blow me away. Almost cried three times during interviews last week. What character and integrity and diligence and honesty.
Doing well on our new fancy white-board budget system for the month of January.
Sleeping in till 9:30 am after a work week of so far over 40 hours I can't even count.
Choosing not to let stressful circumstances make me feel stressed.
Keeping the house semi-clean for the THIRD week!
The new emoticons that my Dad and I developed over texting...

I will spare you from my failed rhino attempt!
Cyclops: O-)
Cyclops Knocked Out: +- \
Cyclops in Love: @+}
The Bee: 'o(()-

Lesson #168 Peace in My Heart is just Wonderful

2012-01-31T09:12:00.000-08:00

Dear new-beautiful-and-peaceful-feeling-that-has-swept-over-me-this-morning,

I just wanted to inform you that you are more than welcome to take a permanent residence in my heart, and my mind, and my body too.

Maybe it was the nice weekend.
Maybe it was a nice night's sleep.
Maybe it was the hot-cookie-ice-cream-dessert I ate last night.

Maybe it was being with beautiful ladies last night, sharing stories, sharing life.

No matter what it was...

You make me view things through a filter where all things are possible.

You give me a fresh perspective.

You give me hope for today, and make me appreciate the moment.

You help me extend grace and love to others.

You put a spring in my step.

Please, please stick around.

Love, Anna

Everything has beauty, not everyone sees it.

-Confucius

Lesson #167 Always be Grateful

2012-01-29T22:20:00.000-08:00

Grateful for the early service at church.

Grateful for getting errands done.

Grateful for a bike ride.

Grateful for the new Kari Jobe album.

Grateful for frozen yogurt.

Grateful for long baths.

Grateful for surprise guests.

Grateful for kale chips.

Grateful for a clean house.

Grateful for peace in my heart.

Lesson #166 B is for Balance

2012-01-28T14:41:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I get A's in my classes, and sometimes I get B's.

I try to be happy with the B's because B- is for Balance. B is for my Best.

I like to think that if I achieved high marks in school, was perfect at work, but wasn't a good wife or friend or mentor... then I wouldn't really be happy anyway.

Balance means sleeping in sometimes, and other times getting up early.

Balance means staying up late talking to friends, and other times just staying home.

Balance means reading my bible and sometimes just sitting still.

Balance means trying my very hardest to get everything done at work, but being okay if not everything gets done.

Balance means loving my husband and calling my family.

Balance means doing homework ahead of time, and sometimes it means finishing last minute.

Balance means sometimes sweating and sometimes laughing.

Balance means making space to do nothing.

Balance means drinking this green smoothie.

I am a HUGE smoothie person, but this is the first time that I have added a VEGGIE to my smoothie. Not too bad, not too bad at all. In fact, I might say it was delicious... I think my taste buds are still getting used to a new taste.

Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker for a basic Green Smoothie

2 cups water

1 banana, peeled

1 orange, peeled

1/2 apple, peeled and cored

1/2 lemon, peeled and seeded

1 tablespoon of minced ginger

2 cups of spinach

I think next time I will toss in some frozen pineapple or sub-fruit juice for water, or add ice. Kick in some yogurt? Can't wait to experiment!

After I finished making it... I had half an apple, half a lemon... and lots of extra ingredients... SO I got inspired to prep another batch of this smoothie to pop in the freezer! This should make it super quick and convenient next time I need a meal. I think I will try and do on the weekends for the weeks I know will be a little extra busy.

Usually I have about half an hour between my long day and my night class... so it's usually anna-makes dinenr-ahead-of-time, david-makes-dinner, grab-something-super-quick or buy-a-snack-during-break. NOW I have another option. PRE-MADE SMOOTHIE!

For me, being balanced and healthy doesn't mean going on a crazy 60-day juice fast, it means finding LITTLE ways to make my life healthier. For me, this means taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work. For me, this means taking walks. For me, this means sometimes adding green leafy stuff to my smoothie.

Lesson #165 Things Anna Will Never Say

2012-01-27T18:17:00.000-08:00

If David buys me another bouquet of flowers I am going puke.
Gee... I wish there was more laundry to do.
Why can't work start earlier?
Mmmm... mushroom tomato sardine sauce!
David, can I pretty pretty please get a pet tarantula?
I hope I get assigned another group project!
Snail mail is SO dull.
I wish I could trade my iphone in for my old LG Dare, or the razzle or alias.
I need more textbooks.
I wish my friends would stop inviting me places.
Seriously. I need brighter lipstick.
David, can you stop putting the dishes away and just leave them on the table for once?!?
Ugh. Not another massage appointment.
I can't wait to paint my bathroom olive green.
I have WAY too much cupboard space in my kitchen.
What? That meeting got canceled? Now what am I suppose to do?
Can you make me generic mac and cheese for dinner?
If only all my arguments happened over email life would be so much simpler.
Check out my new bikini!
I have the best, best friend ever. okay, that one I will ALWAYS say. Especially when she comes to hang out with me and plays games with me and hubby after a way-too-long-day.

I think I had a little too much fun doing this. Okay. Your turn! ;) Click HERE for AMAZING original version of this :)

Lesson #164 Homework and My Destiny

2012-01-26T01:28:00.000-08:00

It's times like this, when's it's 1:03 in the morning and you ask yourself:

Is this paper really going to make a difference in my life?

Who invented this whole homework thing anyway? What happened to following Dad out to the field to harvest the grain. Now, THAT is good old homework if you ask me. Milking cows, fishing nets, pulling teeth... those all make so much more life-applicable sense than reading trauma research.

I can't help and pause between sentences of dozens of research articles and think. What am I doing to change the world? Is this even making a difference? Are these 4 hours, that I will never get back, something I will be proud to have spent my time on, when I look back at age 80? Okay, I know that's dramatic, but really, I want every hour of my life to count. I know education is important, but right now all those tiny lines that connect this annoying paper with my destiny seem a little blurry. I'm sure it will apply... somehow... right? right? I think a diagram would help.

At least I know that this 'oh-so-important-paper' isn't worth too much stress because

A) I am practicing being present and having peace

B) Stress does not make me more efficient

C) I will forget I ever wrote this paper in a matter of days as I work on my next one!

hehehe... I was feeling VERY unmotivated when I sat down at my computer to work tonight. Long day at work, Long day in class. I literally could not process, and just stared at my blank screen. I kept thinking, "what am I suppose to be doing again?"

Focus Anna, focus. You got this girl. Wait.

What do I got? What do I need to focus on??

Before I could zone out for too long, David jumped in and became my homework warm-up drill sargent. I tried not to think about how rediculous I looked in my pony-tail and sweat pants, obeying demands to do push-ups, crunches, windmills (did he make that name up??) and the beloved jumping jack. Blood rushing back through my brain... I was ready to conquer it again :)

Lesson #163 Life Doesn't Always Make Sense

2012-01-23T18:34:00.000-08:00

I'm realizing many things.

I'm realizing that sometimes in life, yes, sometimes we can do better and sometimes we can work harder. I'm realizing that sometimes in life, yes, sometimes we do our very best, the very best that we can.

Sometimes when we can "do better and work harder"... life somehow still ends up going strangely well and we still end up being successful.

Sometimes when we do our very best, the very best we can...
AND we think things will go right, they don't. We fail.
OUR VERY best, and THINGS STILL don't turn out right.

Our very best is sometimes just a tiny dent in the big aluminum foil sheet of life.

What do we do when this happens?
What do we do when the world doesn't make sense?

~~We crawl under the covers and our big brown fuzzy blanket and drown the world out with music by Kari Jobe. That's what we do!!~~

We realize that results in this world are not always correlational with our actions.

Does that mean we should stop trying? nope.
Does that mean we shouldn't celebrate success? nope.
Does that mean we shouldn't re-evaluate failure? nope. nope. nope.

It does mean I have GOT to stop worrying about results.

I have got to be SO GROUNDED in my identity that results don't shake me.

I've got to be SO DEDICATED to my creator, that HE is my identity.

I've got to just make my little corner of the world beautiful, and leave it up to him to figure out the rest.

I have to BE SECURE enough to let my best be enough.

I have to HAVE CHARACTER to be the same person in every circumstance.

I have to BE OBEDIENT to the SMALLEST most MENIAL most UNREWARDING tasks I have been called to.

How can I complete the big picture of what I am called to in life, if I can't be obedient with the small corner of the painting I am finishing right now?

I have to be ~~OKAY~~ ~~HAPPY~~ ~~FINE~~ CONTENT with leaving things undone, unfinished, broken, unsuccessful if that is what I am called to. I can't rely on my narrow-minded-selfish brain to to define what is successful, finished and complete.

Maybe someday, yes, someday as I grow older, I will have a CLEARER PICTURE of what is truly successful, truly beautiful, truly glorious. Until then, I will just have to try my best and not try to interpret the results.

(photo by hubby David Frandsen on his last backpacking trip)

Lesson #162 Weekends Have a Mind of their Own

2012-01-22T21:02:00.000-08:00

This is why my weekend started out great.
David: Put your shoes on, I'm taking you out to dinner.
How in the world can I refuse that?
Anna: Ummm, let me think about that for a second... OKAY!
I swear, David knows what I need in life before I know I need it.

It's pouring rain outside this week and David always holds the umbrella over me and drops me off on my side of the car so I can stay nice and dry. There is something about the pouring rain that makes the nice-and-dry parts of my life oh-so-wonderful. Warm blankets, warm car, warm hands...

The weekend filled itself up. Don't you love how they do that? Weekends have a mind of their own I tell you. Relatives over for breakfast, making cookies (the best way to use up random treats), doing homework, beautiful-beautiful-mini-concert at church, glow in the dark wrist-bands, late night snacks out, little naps, more church, more homework, more relatives, and crocheting while watching American Idol with Trin. Reminds me why David and I don't have television.

I think I've just decided to stop resisting weekends when they run-rampid-out-of-my-control. It makes things more pleasant when you just let the inevitable happen. BUT someday, yes, someday, I will take a WHOLE weekend and let it do nothing except what I want. Someday...

Lesson #161 Self-Care is so so so Hard

2012-01-19T08:18:00.000-08:00

I love, love this picture. I took it over Christmas break on my phone. The ocean is just so breathtaking. It gets all your senses engaged at once, just demanding your attention.

It makes me feel so small and powerless... and I love it.

It's sort of how I feel when I'm in David's arms.

It never felt so good to be so out of control in life.

It's sort of like an overwhelming gush of peace.

In school we are learning about how self-care is one of the best ways we can care for others. Here are some of my goals that I jotted down in class. This felt so so weird to do!

Lesson #160 Learning and Growing is Hard Work

2012-01-18T22:19:00.000-08:00

I am learning lots in life. Thought I'd share. This background art is brought to you by my frozen windshield :) What are you learning?

Lesson #159 Make Homemade Microwave Popcorn!

2012-01-17T08:22:00.000-08:00

I am a HUGE fan of popcorn, if you haven't already noticed :)
It's one part snackie, one part circus, one part childhood, one part munchie, one part savory.

This year I learned how to make kettle corn and carmel corn in the comfort of my home.

AND now thanks to squawk fox (see her post here), I learned that if you are having a quick hankering for plain old wonderful buttered popcorn, you can use a brown paper sack and your microwave!

I don't know why, but I thought that the bags you buy from the store were magic or something! Apparently not!! This is great because...
a) you don't have to mess up your kitchen with pots and oil
b) you can have popcorn in minutes
c) you don't have to eat all the chemicals they put in bagged popcorn

This is SUPER SIMPLE to make :)

Directions
1. Find a regular brown paper lunch bag
2. Fill it with 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup of popcorn kernals. I like to leave a little room because the butter mixes in easier
3. Fold over the end 2-3 times.
4. Sit in the microwave right side up, not laying down or anything too exciting.
5. Microwave until the you can count to 2 seconds in between the pops. That about 1 minute 45 seconds in my microwave
6. If you would like, add a tablespoon of melted butter right into the bag and shake until mixed. You can also add salt, parmesan cheese, taco seasoning... whatever your little heart desires.

Popcorn can be made JUST as fast as store bought microwave popcorn BUT better for you? AND more cost efficient. I think I'm going to go try this again... it's quite hard to believe that it works...

Happy Popping!

Lesson #158 Always be Squeaky Clean {giveaway!}

2012-01-16T17:18:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who entered!

*WINNERS: Katie, Laura & Living in the Bay*

Message me your addresses (via my contact tab) by the end of this week!

Don't forget to check out Jaclynn's amazing shop HERE!

Ummm... so I may or may not have completely organized my husband's closet on my day off.
Is that weird?
Don't tell me.

It makes me feel happy, and it was kind of restful just jamming out to tunes and folding.
Is that weird?
Don't tell me.

So, now that my house is squeaky clean... I thought I'd help you be squeaky clean too :)
Okay, make sure to always floss.
Make sure to clean your belly button.
AND that's why you read my blog, helpful hygiene tips. Just kidding!

I am GIVING you something to help you keep clean :)

One of my awesome friends Jaclynn, makes the most AMAZING handmade soaps. Really, they are great. I have one in my bathroom right now. Jaclynn makes them all herself with awesome ingredients like goat's milk, and sells them at local farmers markets. She has an etsy too, you can see it HERE. Her soaps are so reasonably priced, especially when you consider all the time and energy that goes into making those little beauties!

She sent me a few extra soaps in the mail this week...and I am already stocked, so I'd love to share them with you! I will be giving away a soap bar to 3 different people. The flavors are: Lemon Biscotti, Chocolate Raspberry and Apple Jack.

To enter, simply comment below! That's all!

Enter by at Saturday January 21 at midnight PST

P.S. Don't forget to wash behind your ears!

Lesson #157 Backpackers are Crazy

2012-01-15T08:14:00.000-08:00

Good Morning!

This post is brought to you live from the comfort of my WARM, SOFT, PLOOSHY bed.

David spent the night in the wilderness in 8 degree weather, and I only SORTA feel bad, because he totally did that on purpose. He and his brother went backpacking this weekend! It's given me some time and space to do some homework AHEAD of time for once.

Anna: Why in the world would you purposely go out and freeze?
David: *lists various reasons about the wild and nature and being an explorer*... AND it's affordable.
Anna: You know what else is affordable, staying in the warm cozy apartment we already have!
David: Hey. Someone needs to go out and take those pictures that you get to look at from the comfort of your dentist's chair.
Anna: Good point.

I appreciate that they work so hard to plan everything ahead of time and be extra prepared. David has his official backpacking list they always go over to make sure not to forget anything, and let's just say this list is VERY thorough.

*David checking supplies while Luke reads off 'the list'*
David: Okay, what's the first thing on the list?
Luke: backpack.
David: Okay, got that.

I guess it would be a bummer to forget that. :) By the looks of their backpacks, I'm pretty sure they didn't forget anything.

I read somewhere that you are suppose to tell guys "have fun!" and not "be safe!". Is that true? I need to get better at that. Last time I told him to be safe and he still came back with a story about exploring a cave that turned out to be a Mountain Lion Den. Great. I'm sure there are even better stories that he is wise enough not to tell me. I can't even image what he would come back with if I told him to actually have fun!

Now you get to have a little peak at our office (turned backpacking headquarters) as my two favorite backpackers sort out the MOST IMPORTANT and vital factors in backpacking...

Lesson #156 Take Time to Stop and Evaluate with a Starfish

2012-01-12T23:04:00.000-08:00

Today in class we did the 'starfish activity'. I challenge you to try it.

Never mind the fact that this activity is named after an eye-less five-limbed creature who resides in a tide pool... do it.

Starfish Balance Exercise Directions

1. Draw a starfish.

2. Now in each of the little arms write these words: mental, physical, emotional, relational, spiritual.

3. In each area, rate yourself on how you are currently doing on a scale of 1 to 10. Then next to it write how you can improve on that number, or if it is a high number, write what you are currently doing that you can continue.

This is WHY I like this exercise...
a)So often I think to myself, “my day stinks”, “I’m having a terrible week”, “I’m in a rut!”, and yet I can’t pinpoint anything. This exercise is a practice in focus.

b) It forces me to be still and reflect on my current balance

c) It gives me time and space to think how I can be doing better

d) It allows David and I to have a discussion on how we are doing… more than ‘fine’.

(Photo Caption: I wore my slippers to class today, I ate cereal out of a mason jar, and David and I talked about our starfishes. I like having a cold.)

Ironically, I think I rated myself in the area of ‘physical’ higher than I would have at any point in the last semester. Ironic because I am still getting over a cold, and yet I am watching what I eat, going for walks, staying hydrated, resting and I feel excellent physically. An area I need to improve on is the ‘spiritual’ leg. I need to get into healthy habits and a groove with my mornings more than I have these past few weeks.

It is so weird that I am doing BETTER in so many of my starfish limbs than I was when I was ‘healthy’. I set better boundaries, stay more focused, and am so much more intentional when I’m sick! How sad is that??

So, go on… draw your silly starfish, and talk to someone about it.

Photo Source: HERE, starfish concept adapted from the book "Thriving! A manual for students in the helping professions."

Lesson #155 Keep Calm and Carry On

2012-01-10T08:34:00.000-08:00

Today I will...

Take deep breaths, because they feel good.
Take the day off work tomorrow, because I'm sick, and well, that's what sick people do. Or so I've been told...
Enjoy the people I'm with, and not rush ahead to the next moment physically or mentally.
Wear my big chunky $1 thrift store belt... because I can
Wear a striped shirt and plaid pants, matching is so last year.
Have a positive attitude about starting class tonight, because education is a privilege.
Give my husband and extra long hug, because he is priceless.
Soak in Ephesians 3, because it's true.

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:16-21

Lesson #154 Don't Talk about it and it Won't Happen

2012-01-08T23:02:00.000-08:00

phew. i'm pooped.

You know the feeling... where your body is staring to get sick...

BUT you convince yourself that if you don't THINK about it or TALK about it or ACKNOWLEDGE it... it won't happen.

It's like I'm trying to 'will' myself well. It sort of worked for the last three days.

After church and work and, oh yeah, making a yummy dinner for 35 awesome peeps... I think I'm loosing hope my self-denial.

Oh, and P.S. if you ever need to make soup for 35... I highly suggest quadrupling pioneer woman's Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe. Just sayin'.

Lesson #153 Being 24 is Neat-O!

2012-01-08T21:59:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I turned one year older.

Actually yesterday, I only really turned one day older than how old I was on Friday, but let's keep things simple... I grew a year between Friday and Saturday.

I think I'm liking this new age, yes I am. I think it suits me. Nearly half-way through my twenties.

I can't allow myself to think about the concept of age for too long, or I go a little nutty. In fact, I can't really let myself think about time or space or language or really ANYTHING for too long. I get lost in a tunnel of thought so easily, but today I won't.

INSTEAD, I will think about being 24, and all the wonderful things I adore about it already. When you are 24, you get flowers, your favorite type, delivered to your office. That's neat-o.

My first day of being 24 was spent with 17 beautiful ladies whom I love ever so much. It was spent with yellow balloons and pearled cupcakes made by my best friend, and presents! (24 year olds still get those??) and a lunch prepared by the husband, and HOURS of making homemade cards with pretty paper and punches... and I couldn't forget the fudge lined ice cream.

My first day of being 24 ended with...

An AMAZING lasagna birthday dinner at the in-laws

AND a sweet prayer of blessing from Grandpa

AND raspberry lined brownies

AND games
AND husband-designed balloons

AND cupcake glitter stickers

Just wow.

Once again overwhelmed by friends, family and just feeling so darn loved!

Did this birthday blow all my expectations away? Yes.

Could this have been one of my favorite birthday EVER?

Quite possibly.

Lesson #152 Let Go of Irrational Expectations

2012-01-05T22:51:00.001-08:00

Tonight is my last little taste of freedom before work starts again. We celebrated with garlic and currie fried risotto and a few games of connect four. I may have won three times in a row. That's why David looks so thrilled ;)

I decided I want to do better at seeking space and rest during the busy periods of my life... even if it's just a change of mindset. I think I just push through knowing a break is coming... but that often just sets me up for disappointment. I want to live balanced ALWAYS. Is that possible?

I want to be content at all times. Why is that so hard? Why is it so easy instead to strive and push and always want more?

When can we say... I have enough. I can find peace where I'm at. I can rest in the Lord. I will seek joy. I will let go of irrational expectations. I will stop striving and start living.

Goodnight sweet friends.

Sent from my iPhone

Lesson #151 Educate Yourself On the Deep & the Shallow

2012-01-04T09:29:00.000-08:00

After being a good girl and getting all my errands done yesterday, I was ready to settle down for a nice little evening. David was editing photos so I got cozy on the couch with my huge brown fuzzy blanket and my ipad looking for an interesting documentary. I always turn the volume up so that David and I can listen together. We always pause it several times throughout so that we can talk/comment. We are probably very annoying as we are so easily impressed by the tiniest things.

These are the documentaries I watched back to back:

Building of the Golden Gate Bridge

The History of Monster Trucks

I know this may sound crazy to you, but this is kind of how my brain works. Simultaneously shallow and deep. I want to understand true history in the making but also understand this crazy culture that we live in.

(Click below for more)

Is it sad to say that I learned a ton from both documentaries? AND by the way, if you aren't into documentaries, you have TOTALLY got to get into them. They will blow your mind. My favorites so far have been the prosthetic eye and the telephone. History is so darn fascinating!! Documentaries are so great because you get to cram information in your brain without a single textbook. Glorious.

In the building of the Golden Gate Bridge in the 1930's (can you believe it was that early!) people in San Franscisio put a lean on their homes to help fund the project! The technology that went into the design and building of that huge beast was incredible to watch. There was tons of actual footage that was so fascinating... men heating the rivets and throwing them a few yards to a guy with a baseball mitt who would catch it and pound it in. Did you know that each of those huge draping beams on the top of bridge is actually thousands of little wires? It's fascinating to think about all the people that invested their blood sweat and tears for such a bridge amongst the era of the great depression!

(source)

I wonder if we will ever experience anything like the great depression during our lifetime. I hope not, but I sort of hope so. You see, I feel like my generation is so good at reading news on discussions boards and CNN.com and feeling apart of what is happening in the middle east, having and opinion, and strongly commenting on each article. BUT HOW can we really know? Except those who are serving and their families, how invested is this generation in the wider globe? (getting off my soapbox now)

Monster Trucks are something I knew pretty much NOTHING about. Somehow, just somehow there was enough information and history about them to create a documentary. I was actually quite riveted through the whole thing (please don't tell anyone). It was actually started by one man, and his truck Bigfoot. After he realized all that he could do with the truck he built, people starting going CRAZY for them. This picture below is the first monster truck, but they don't use actual trucks anymore... it's just a shell to make it look like that. Weird. Apparently Bob Chandler who started this whole crazy stayed very active his entire life... changing shock size from 6 inches to 3 feet, creating 'drivers tests', safety regulations... I feel like it's uncommon for people to start something and remain the leader in it for their lifetime.

(source)

It's crazy how many industries and 'little worlds' there are out there that I am completely oblivious of. I mean, people spend their whole life dedicated to this stuff!! I wish I could go to a world buffet where I could get a tiny bite of everything in the world...

...every culture, every hobby, every perspective, every bit of history.

Lesson #150 Doughnuts are the Most Delightful Way to Mess Up Your Kitchen

2012-01-03T09:19:00.000-08:00

What's the best thing to do to an absolutely clean and organized kitchen?

Make the messiest thing you know in existance. Of all the things to do to your kitchen at 10 pm, I say, slather it with dishes, dust it with powdered sugar and splatter it with hot oil. Who knows why I do the things I do. Maybe to initiate it back into it's normal state?

THIS IS TOTALLY like whenever I get the urge to paint my nails. Stick with me here.

Usually once every other month or so I decide to act like I girl and paint my nails. EVERY time I paint my nails, yes, every time, right when I paint my last little pinky, I suddenly get a HUGE urge to do one of the following:
1. zip a zipper
2. clean something
3. move something
4. vacuum
5. OR something that requires me messing them up!

WHY I can't sit still for 20 minutes I don't know. My little head thinks, "Why of course you can do a few dishes while your nails are drying". Somehow it tricks me every time. Now I count it a triumph if I only have one nick in the batch.

NOW back to the messy kitchen, which was COMPLETELY worth it by the way.

Doughnuts. Oh doughnuts. Eat them warm, that's when they're best... you may want to have friends over when you make them, just for insurance that you don't eat them all. I adapted this recipe from Joy the Baker.

DOUGHNUT RECIPE

1 (1/4-oz) package active dry yeast  

2 tablespoons warm water  

3 1/2+ cups of flour, plus a little extra for rolling 

1 cup whole milk at room temperature 

1/2 stick softened butter 

3 egg yolks 

2 tablespoons sugar 

1 1/2 teaspoons salt 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

Vegetable oil for deep frying

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water

2. Mix flour, milk, butter, yolks, sugar, salt, cinnamon and yeast on low speed until dough forms. Mix on medium speed for 3-4 minutes more.

3. Use a spatula to scrape edges to put all the dough in the center. Sprinkle top with flour. Cover bowl with a towel and let rise until doubled. This usually takes 1.5 hours at room temperature. If your house is cold, place bowl in the oven on the 'warm' setting with the oven door cracked.

4. Roll out dough on a lightly floured counter until thickness is 1/2 inch. Use a 'doughnut cutter', or if you're like me and don't have a doughnut cutter, use two different sized circular objects. I used a glass cup for the outer cut and the wide end of a turkey baster for the small cut. Try not to re-roll scraps.

5. Put doughnuts on a baking sheet to rise one last time, usually about 1/2 hour. When puffy, fry in oil. This usually works best in a thicker pot like a cast iron skillet so that the oil heats evenly. Please be careful and remember to never mix oil with water. The oil temperature should be 350. The outsides should be golden brown and the inside should be puffy and not doughy, usually about 1.5 minutes or so. Doughnut holes cook in about 45 seconds depending on the size.

6. Drain and toss immediately in powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. You can also dip in frosting! Enjoy!

Lesson #149 Fresh Starts are Just as Fun as Resolutions

2012-01-02T17:44:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!!

I'm not the hugest fan of New Year's resolutions, but I am a big fan of fresh starts! I feel like I always get a second wave of energy as the new year starts. I don't really do fresh starts intentionally, but when I look back at the month of January, I notice that I've run on turbo speed. Here are some of our fresh starts...

NEW budget system. David and I had a team meeting yesterday and are trying a new system for our budget.. or lack there-of. We have tried several methods and are now reverting to the GIANT whiteboard in the office method. It's very complex. You write the amount of money you allot for each area of your life, and subtract and record as you spend. Wow. If we can't do this, I think I will give up on us completely.

NEW clean house. I went a little crazy these past 5 hours and went ahead and detailed our spice cupboard. I just want to have everything at least somewhat settled before I start up work and school again. I am seriously considering having David and I camp out on the front lawn and just leave our house as a museum so I never have to clean again! I have such a respect for people who have BOTH children AND a clean house. I have enough trouble as it is with just the two of us. I think that someday when I have kids I either need to inherit superpowers or just live in a messy house... not sure how else to do it!

NEW master to do list. While it's daunting to have all the things I am suppose to get done on one list, it's also settling...so I know I won't forget to do everything.

NEW blog vision. Excited to take the blog even deeper as I have guests share this upcoming month on the topic of chronic illness. If you are interested in contributing, drop me a line :)

What fresh starts are you taking this year?

Lesson #148 Behold the Bacon Pancake

2011-12-31T16:59:00.001-08:00

David and I have been having loads of fun with all his relatives around these past few days. This morning we had everyone over for eggs and sausage and potatoes and fruit and... well a new experiment that I have been meaning to try for a little while now.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, may I introduce you to a beautiful invention?

Drumroll please.

It's called the bacon pancake!

It takes two ordinary breakfast foods and turns them into one extraordinary breakfast food at no additional cost. Skeptics be ready to be amazed.

1. Fully cook your bacon

2. Place a bacon strip on a hot griddle. Pour batter over top of bacon.

3. Flip

4. Consume

Mind you, this simple recipe might become a tad more complicated if all the outlets in your kitchen stop working. hehehehe. Then you might need an awesome sister in law and cousin to help you cook things in the living room ;)

All 30 people ended up fed and full. This operation was a success.

Lesson #147 Family Cookie Recipes Make you Feel Right at Home

2011-12-29T13:10:00.000-08:00

This year David and I got to spend Christmas with my family :) We had a beautiful time eating and playing games and watching my sister in a play and unwrapping fun presents and seeing the ocean and most of all we just enjoyed being together.

Since this was David's first official Christmas away from his family I made his mom's FAMOUS angel thumbprint cookies to make him feel right at home. His mom makes them every Christmas and let me tell you, they taste even better than they look.

Thanks sissy for helping me out!

Angel Thumbprint Cookie Recipe

½ cup soft butter

½ cup oil

1 cup sugar

2 eggs separated

½ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp almond extract

2 cups flour

1 cup finally chopped nuts

jelly or jam (strawberry is a favorite)

1. Beat butter, oil, sugar, egg yolks, salt, vanilla extract and almond extract together until fluffy.

2. Add sifted flour and mix to moderately stiff dough

3. Roll dough into small balls about 1 inch in diameter

4. Dip balls into unbeaten egg white and roll in chopped nuts

5. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cooking sheets.

6. Using clean thumb, make an impression on the center of each ball and fill with jam

7. Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes

8. Cool thoroughly before storing

Makes 2 ½ to 3 dozen delicious cookies

Lesson #146 Road Trips Are Fun

2011-12-27T12:12:00.000-08:00

Today is our travel day.

Of course it isn't a road trip without: at least one disagreement, at least one time of Anna having to go to the bathroom "really really bad", discussions that solve all the worlds problems on race and immigration, In n Out, lots of dance parties with new invented dance moves and of course lots of chapstick and fun snacks.

Once all those things happen... then we feel our 13 hour road trip is complete :)

In traffic now but my dad snuck "curmudgeon" in my purse to keep me company. I got the little rat for him a few months ago and we've been passing it around ever since.

This trip was suppose to start last night but our car had other plans. Daddy and David replaced one measly little wire and Luna (because she has a moon roof) was back to running again. AND I got a Denny's date and with mum and a movie date with my sister out of the mix. Grateful to have men in my life who are so handy at everything!

David and I are working on our Spanish with little podcasts on this roadtrip which inspired a new exclamation! When David saw a load of traffic ahead he proclaimed, "MACHU PICCHU!!" Thanks Peru for keeping our road trips interesting :)

Sent from my iPhone

Lesson #145 Enjoy the Insignificant Moments of the Holidays

2011-12-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

Dear Blog Readers,

Hope you had a beautiful Christmas with those dearest to you. I am still enjoying lots of laughter with mine :) AND beautiful views, and yummy food.

I wanted to take a minute and thank you readers out there in outer cyber space for what a true GIFT you are to me.

Have I told you what a blessing this blog is to me? It gives me time at the end of the day to take a breath, reflect, be honest with myself and the world, and just time to decompress and occasionally be creative. Basically it's my version of TV since hubby and I gladly live in the semi-dark ages without one.

Thank you for putting up with the many title and design changes as I am still trying to figure out what niche my life fits into ;) I know I am often confusing and an over-thinker and uhhh well just crazy. I know my life is both simultaneously shallow and deep. Thanks for putting up with that.

Thank you for reading and supporting and loving me. It means so much.

Enjoy this season of celebration and joy to the fullest! Enjoy the uniqueness of your family, the gift of Christ we celebrate and the little insignificant moments of life we remember for years to come.

Love, Anna

PS... I drew the winner last night for the headband giveaway so check back to that post to see who won :)

Lesson# 144 The Best Gifts are Homemade {Natural Chapstick}

2011-12-20T11:22:00.000-08:00

After searching FAR AND WIDE for an awesome Christmas gift for my girlfriends this year... I finally landed on the best gift project I'm made thus far.

I mean, this is way better than painted frames, decorated mugs and puff painted totes. Introducing the gift that's inexpensive, fun to make, and is actually useful in real life! WOAH! What a concept, right?

Homemade Natural Chapstick

(because who needs another crocheted tissue box cover?)

INGREDIENTS

1.5 oz beeswax (1 and a half tablets)

6 vitamin E capsules

2-3 tablespoons of olive oil (2=more rigid, 3=softer)

2-3 teaspoons of coconut oil

2-3 teaspoons of cocoa butter

25-30 empty chap stick tubes OR 15 lip balm containers

DIRECTIONS
1. Boil water a few inches deep in a pot
2. Combine ingredients in a measuring cup. If your vitamin E is in pill form, create a small hole and squeeze gel out of capsules.
3. Place measuring cup in few inches of mildly boiling water (creating a double boiler effect to avoid burning and encourage even melting). Please handle with caution as hot oil and water mixing can be very dangerous.
4. Stir while ingredients melt together into a combined liquid
5. Once liquid is melted, poor into a spoon and let harden about 1 minute
6. Test the consistency of your mixture. Add more solids or liquids as needed. (example: more beeswax firms it up, and olive oil will make it less firm)
7. Place spoon back in melted mixture to remove test.
8. Once happy with consistency, carefully pour into tubes or containers. Measuring cup handle may be hot. I have heard that plastic droppers work well, but we had no problem carefully pouring it right out of the measuring cup.

Where I found my ingredients:

Organic olive oil (local health food store)

Organic coconut oil (local health food store)

Vitamin E tablets (local health food store)

Raw cocoa butter (ebay)

Empty chap stick tubes (ebay and a few pill boxes)

Raw beeswax (ebay)

clear printer labels (walmart)

Aren't they adorable?

Be Brave and EXPERIMENT!
Okay, so obviously this isn't a perfect science! What is nice, is you are able to test out your melted ingredient mix VERY easily along the way. I really enjoyed being able to adjust it until I was happy with it. The amount of ingedients may vary on your preference, but also the quality and density of your products. Use this recipe as a base, but don't be afraid to be creative.

Be Kind to your Recipients
Be sure to buy product that are basically edible, or food-grade quality since people will be putting this on their lips :) You can add flavors, colors and all sorts of exciting things... but beware that it may change how long your chap stick may last.

The Natural Smell
My end product had a nice and very light honey/coconut smell to it, and I REALLY like the texture. I was impressed with the product more than I thought I would. The vitamin E really helps to smooth everything out, so don't skip!

Dress 'em Up!
I think it is SO worth it to spend a little more to add the finishing touch of personalized labels. I purchased the tiny clear avery printer labels and listed the ingredients so those with allergies could be aware :)

Cost per Tube
The total cost I think was around $1 per tube, but I have seriously 75 percent of all my ingredients left! Most things come in 10-16 ounces worth, so go half-sies with a friend. If I used up all my products, I think it would be around .25 a tube!

I would LOVE to hear how your chapstick-making adventures go or if you make any awesome new recipes or discoveries, so keep me in the loop!

I have to show off my chap-stick helper who snuck into a photo :)
(don't mind my messy closet in the background) My family was visiting this week, and of course my dad jumped right in on my newest project and did all the pouring! He has always been so supportive of my little hobbies through the years. I love you dad!

Lesson #143 Always Keep Your Ears Warm {GIVEAWAY}

2011-12-19T16:08:00.000-08:00

THE WINNER IS... Lynda Thomas

Thanks to everyone who entered :)

Oh my word.

Okay, so I have two categories of work clothes, and only very rarely do they overlap.

1. comfortable
2. fashionable

Allow me to let you in on something that lets these overlap quite well.

I bought a new knit headband off etsy a week ago, and let me tell you... it is the best thing since the invention of the beanie! It is the comfort of a beanie, the warmth of a beanie... but it doesn't give off the "Hi. I'm wearing a beanie to work" vibe. You can roll out of bead, put this little beauty on, and get more compliments than you know what to do with.

Somehow this math so works: Beanie - Kippah = Fashionable.

When I was searching around on etsy I INSTANTLY fell in love with this one. The thick yarn, the big chunky button. Yes. Yes. Yes. The yarn is SO soft and cozy. So, I professed my love to Astacia from
WhiteBat, and she agreed to do a giveaway on my blog! I feel so cool.

Yes, that's right!

You could win your very own little head-muffin!

(my words, not hers)

Merry Christmas Bloggy Readers!

Here is what you need to do:
(You can have up to four entries in this contest :)

FIRST ENTRY: Be my blog follower via email subscribe OR blogger. Leave a comment below letting me know.
SECOND ENTRY: Like WhiteBat on facebook HERE. Leave a comment below letting me know.
THIRD ENTRY. Visit WhiteBat on Etsy HERE and tell me what color headband you would like to win in a comment below! (Yes, that's right you don't have to have boring grey like me, whitebat will let you choose any yarn color your little heart desires) Leave a comment below letting me know.
FOURTH ENTRY: let your friends know about the giveaway by putting it in your FB status or tweeting about it. Leave a comment below letting me know.

You have until Saturday December 24th at Midnight PST to enter.

IF you can't wait to see if you win the contest or not OR you need an awesome winter present OR you just want to support an artist OR if you want your own headmuffin right now... WhiteBat is offering my readers the promo code XMAS10 for 10% off any item through Christmas! Just use the code at checkout.

P.S. support your local stores and buy handmade for your last minute purchases this Christmas!

Lessons #138-142 A Whole Group of Lessons

2011-12-18T07:12:00.000-08:00

Am I allowed to group several lessons into one post? Hope so!

Thanks to finals week keeping me a busy woman, the lessons from my past week come compliments of the camera on my phone.

Lesson #138 Accomplishing nothing sometimes accomplishes quite a bit. Take it slow and do a puzzle with someone this holiday season. It counteracts the principle that life cannot be fascinating in the mundane. It makes me feel completely inefficient and unproductive and like I'm not making a difference in the world... and yet it also feels completely wonderful for some reason.

Lesson #139 Try fruitcake. It kind of tastes like a big fig Newton. It's not as bad as it looks. Not saying that you should go out of your way to make it, BUT if someone from work kindly gives it to you, go on, give it a try. It won't bite.

Lesson #140 Don't use Hair product to compensate for height. If you are tall, embrace it. If you are short, embrace it. Please. Please-oh-please do not use your hair to adjust what you have been given, it is just...strange.

Lesson #141 Examine 5-dollar bills closely, especially held up to the light. There are an incredible amount of secret features waiting to be discovered! I'm sure there are websites that list all of the hidden features, but we had a fun time seeing how many we could find on our own. It's like a treasure hunt that you carry around in your pocket. You are welcome ahead of time for a nice little piece of entertainment next time you are in line at the DMV.

Lesson #142 Respect the recipe that is battle tattered and hard to read, it must be a good one. Can’t wait to try this and share it with you! It kind of reminds me of an ancient artifact.

Lesson #137 Be a Happy Camper

2011-12-17T22:52:00.000-08:00

makeup washed off my little face

cozy in my fuzzy blanket

no homework due tonight

I am a happy camper

Now I just need some zucchini sticks and life would truly be perfect.

Have I told you that I have really been digging raw zucchini dipped in ranch lately? Delicious.

I am done with my second term of grad school. It feels so very nice.

I feel like there's a little more breathing room in my life.

Kind of like eating a big meal and loosening your belt a few notches, except better.

OKAY, so friends.

Friends, friends, friends... can I tell you that I have some SUPER excitement coming this week? Now that I am not spending my evenings looking like this...

I have time to give you a rocking tutorial on what I made for Christmas gifts this year, AND a maybe do a giveaway or two! Oh goodie. Oh yes. Stay tuned.

AND while you are bustling around this week Christmas shopping, partying and going crazy... REMEMBER...this season is about the gift of time and love that we give to those closest to us in honor of the GREATEST gift ever given, life in Christ Jesus.

Lesson #136 To be Organized, One Must Find a 'To-Do' Method that Works

2011-12-14T08:31:00.000-08:00

I wake up every morning.
I wake up to the sun peering through my little blinds.
I wake up grateful for another day.
I wake up under a load of warm soft covers.
I wake up with a to-do list flooding my mind. bleh.

I try to press all those pressing thoughts away for a good 10 minutes, and I just lay there. I enjoy the sun. I enjoy the warm covers. I am grateful for life. I listen to some audio bible chapters on my iphone.

Then I get back to the to-do list in my head. It is so kind to re-join me right back where I left it the night before: incomplete and full. sigh.

Question: How do YOU, to-do your life?

We all have ways of organizing the tasks that we need to get done. Even those that don't claim to have a method... have just revealed their method. Some of us are planner people, others are list makers.

Some write down notes on their hand...

Some write notes on a little pad by their bed...

Others keep their task list in outlook...

Others put little notes on their phone...

Some send text messages of memos to themselves...

Some stick little post-it notes EVERYWHERE.

Some write down things on a little whiteboard...

Others write down everything on a wall calendar

Some jot notes in the margins of their class notes...

Others create acronyms in their heads of the things they need to finish.

What would you do if I told you that I know someone who does ALL these things simultaneously? Would you call this 'someone' crazy and insane? Would you think that it's a wonder they sometimes stay decently organized?

Well, then you would be correct about me ;)

THIS IS WHY.... I. NEED. A. BETTER. METHOD.

How can I consolidate my 'to-do' life better?
Suggestions from the wise and mentally organized?
ALSO, while you are volunteering, would anyone like to take some 'to-do's off my list?

Lesson #135 Appreciate the BIG Gaseous Ball in the Sky

2011-12-13T08:14:00.000-08:00

I love my job.

I get to eat greek yogurt, drink mango drinks and let the radiant sun warm my back, all while takin' care of business :)

I would like to dedicate my gratitude for this day to the beautiful, powerful sun. Is that okay?

I don't know WHY I have been so obsessed with sunlight lately. I think it just is a HUGE stress reliever for me because a) it literally warms me up and relaxes me b) It's just awesome to think about such a crazy gaseous ball up in the sky!

I like to imagine the sun as being a large snack of some sort. Usually what comes to mind is some sort of burning hot sugary bubbling outside and a soft gooey marshmallow inside with a jawbreaker core.

I won't tell you what I imagine the sun to be like, or you would think I was crazy.

Here are some sun facts, to help you think about that big ol' ball of fire that we see everyday but think very little about. I don't know if you know this about me, but I LOVE facts. They're like bite-sized knowledge just WAITING to be instantly digested. These facts were provided by NASA.

SUN FACTS

1. The sun is a star. This makes it extremely important for life on Earth. The sun provides us with energy, which brings life on our planet. It defines the seasons, the harvests, and even the sleep patterns of all living creatures on Earth.

2. The sun is way bigger than the Earth. In fact its radius is 109 times bigger than the radius of the Earth. For those of you who are curious, the sun’s Radius is 696,000km and the Earth’s radius is 6, 376km.

3. The sun’s average surface temperature is 5700 C. Compare that to the Earth’s average temperature, which is 20 C.

4. The sun is 150 million km (93 million miles) away from the Earth.

5. We know that the Earth’s structure consists of different layers. The sun also has layers but unlike the Earth, the sun is entirely gaseous; there is no solid surface.

6. The sun rotates on its axis approximately once every 26 days. The sun is made of gas, which is why its different parts rotate at different speeds. The fastest rotation is around the equator and the slowest rotation is at the sun’s polar regions (more than 30 days).

7. The sun changes. No matter when or where we look at the sun, we will always see something interesting. Scientists observe these changes by watching the sunspots. They increase and decrease on a regular cycle of about 10.8 years.

There's a great National Geographic article HERE if you're burning for more ;)
(pun intended)

Lesson #134 The Best Way to Avoid Life is Cooking

2011-12-12T07:43:00.000-08:00

Yes, of COURSE I would choose Sunday night (when I was suppose to be doing LOADS of homework) to make a nice sit-down dinner for me and the husband.

I had a leftover mini-martinelli's bottle... and I had to make SOMETHING for dinner, so I had to make turkey (pre-made from trader joe's)...and red potatoes... and gravy... and stuffing to go with it, right? I really had no other choice. What was I suppose to do, make mac and cheese with martinellis?

Yesterday was the PERFECT unproductive day. It was beautiful.

Church was AWESOME. I swear the pastor must have read my blog post a few weeks back on 'how to measure your life'. The sermon was on SUCCESS...and it was SO. GOOD. Good reminders.

Lunch out. Thrift Store. Errands. NAP. (oh the beauty of a sunday afternoon cat nap). homework. cleaning. turkey dinner. clean up with David (it took twice as long because we kept throwing towels at each other). a little more homework.

Okay, I guess it wasn't too unproductive, it just felt beautifully SLOW. AND I should have got more HW done. All well. This week is my last week of school anyway :)

Lesson #133 Figure out how old you are, Make a Wish-List

2011-12-11T21:05:00.000-08:00

okay, so as I started e-shopping this holiday season for gifts for my friends and family...
(at this point I still thought I was a normal person)

I would occasionally add things that I saw and liked to my amazon wishlist per hubby's request...
(still thought I was a normal person)

I never really ask for anything in particular for Christmas...
(I am normal right??)

Because my family has always been better at picking out what I like than I am...
(please say that you will still be my friend.)

(source)

This is my first year in the history of my life that I compiled a wish list.
Now I know why I have never done this before.
If 'wish lists' say anything about who I am... sigh.

Here are the things I compiled. Seriously. I have been totally serious as I have been adding these over the past few weeks. I genuinely think these things would be fun to have. (not expecting them all of course)

Pollyanna (a movie)

An Introduction to Danish Culture (a huge book)

Galaxy Quest (a movie)

Zen Magnets (a toy)

Psychology, Theology & Spirituality (a book)

Wits &Wagers (a game)

Pre-Order Joy the Baker cookbook (duh.)

DixIt (a game)

Life Together (a book)

nalgene bottle

an ant farm (self explanatory)

Okay, now JUST looking at the list? How old do you think this person is?

I can't decide. Either an 84 year-old or a stinkin' 7-year old!!!
What is wrong with me? Who does that? An ant farm?

Sigh. I guess the nalgene bottle could be typical for my age.

Predictable. This is totally the story of my life.
I am convinced I have an inner 7 year-old and an inner 84 year-old. Lately I have reflecting on death/aging/purpose AND also I've also been obsessed with play-doh. I think about my past memories and what I will leave behind on this earth AND I snack on trader joe's mango fruit snackies all day long. I wear grandma socks under my boots AND I throw a mini-tantrum because I don't want to do my homework.

Maybe I need to embrace the dichotomy of my daily battle between extremes of age.

I don't think it's going to change anytime soon :) AND I don't know if I want it to. It's like being young at heart while simultaneously thinking about long-term repercussions.

I hope I'm not missing out on anything fun that normal mid-twenty year-old people do.

Lesson #132 Being the Hostess with the Mostest is not what you DO, It's Just who you ARE!

2011-12-09T23:50:00.000-08:00

How do I even describe this week?

Maybe "BLEH!" will suffice. Yes, I think that does very well.

Finished TONS of school work, checked lots of things off my work to-do list, completed Christmas and grocery shopping, got the Christmas cards out, did nearly 10 loads of laundry this week (don't ask), went to who know's how many Christmas parties... and want to know my highlight?

It was dinner with our good friends Heide and Willie tonight. AND the 101 desserts that we got to sample weren't all bad either ;)

Today I am grateful for the Coxes. They are just those people who you've only known a brief amount of time, but feel like you've known them forever. They're the people that make me want to laugh and cry all at the same time. They make me revaluate my priorities, frustrations and what I'm grateful for. They make you want to stay in their house ALL. NIGHT. LONG.

because wisdom isn't always easy to find in this world. because it's not always easy to find people who have lived a life that's just been so darn amazing. because you just want to borrow just a little bit of all that goodness tucked away in their head.

What is hospitality?
ummm... here's a picture of it.

Is it having your house perfectly clean? (Ummm...their's was!)
Is it providing amazing food? (check.)
Is it making you feel special? (I did)
Is it taking a moment in time and space to pause your own life for someone else? (yes.)
Is it putting aside your world to listen to another's?

OH, and by the way, Heide is the go-to person for awesome recipes... pretty sure half of the recipes in my favorite church cookbook are from her ;)

BUT more than all those things it was just a general presence. It wasn't anything said or done, it was just WHO THEY ARE.

Lesson #131 Homemade Cranberry Ginger Ale Makes you Feel Fancy in your PJs

2011-12-08T17:09:00.001-08:00

This CRAZY end-of-the-year projects week is brought to you by this DELICIOUS cranberry ginger ale.

Yes, it's cranberry juice, club soda and the very last (tear) of that homemade ginger syrup. Yes, brain science I know, that's why I get paid the big-bucks folks.

Goodbye ginger syrup, you have done me well. You have soothed sore throats, entertained guests and kept me very occupied and feeling fancy even in my studying PJs.

(Now take your smell from my living room and be gone already!)

Lesson #130 Adorable Oreo Truffles are the Perfect Holiday Dessert

2011-12-07T10:05:00.000-08:00

Don't hate me for what I am about to say...

I am not a huge 'cake pop' person. For some reason this craze never really got me excited. It's just cake... and frosting... all mashed up together. I think it's because I'm not a huge CAKE person in general. I think that's where my problem lies.

Saturday I went to an AWESOME craft fair where there were lots of booths with baked goods. I decided to give the whole 'ball thing' another chance. I bought a little oreo cake ball for .50. Not a huge investment. The risk/benefit ratio seemed fair to me.

Oh my word.

DELICIOUS! It took all my will power not to eat the second one that I bought for David.
I looked up recipes as soon as I got home...and low and behold... no actual cake in these things!!! I little deceitful, but I definitely approve.

These were oh-so-simple, and I am convinced they are the perfect bring-along to any holiday party :)

You will need:
1 package of oreos
1 package of cream cheese (8 oz)
Chocolate melts/chocolate bark
Decor

DO IT!
-In a food processor (or in a big ziplock with a mallet), crush those oreos into fine crumbs
-Mix with cream cheese until smooth
-Use a cookie dough scoop, or your clean hands to make little balls. Freeze for 3 minutes
-Once firm, dip in melted chocolate and decorate! I think that chocolate melts don't have the BEST flavor, but they are easy to work with. Experiment with different chocolates.
-Store in the refrigerator. If you are bringing to a party, you may want to freeze them...

Lesson #129 Nothing Says Holiday Cheer like Fresh Ginger Ale

2011-12-05T08:17:00.000-08:00

I'm think I'm a tad paranoid.
It's December 4, 2011. I feel like the world's being taken over by mini candy canes.
Those things are EVERYWHERE this season.
Lights, decor, stickers, on cards, and the actual thing too.

It's also the season for Christmas party mania.
Work christmas parties, family christmas parties, friend christmas parties...

I think we should bring back the tradition of bringing along a gift for the host/hostess of the party.
Personal opinion.
Want the perfect gift to bring to your next Christmas party?
I've got you covered.

I think you should bring along homemade ginger syrup, a bottle of club soda and a couple limes.
It's just ginger ale.
It's just from scratch.
No big deal.
You're just that cool.
You can't help it.
The party starts when you get there.
So go on, make some!

Buy
-Ginger Root (2 cups chopped)
-Sugar (2 cups)
-Club soda (puleze don't buy the generic type, it's not nearly as fizzy)
-Straws (it really makes it more exciting, promise!)
-Lime

Make
-Use a food processor or finally chop ginger root to make 2 cups
-Combine chopped ginger with 2-3 cups of sugar, 6 cups of water
-Simmer and occasionally stir for 1-1.5 hours till reduced
-Use a strainer to separate ginger from syrup
-Store in a jar and use in the next 3 days for the best taste
(recipe from joy the baker)

Use
-Sweeten your tea
-Use as syrup for waffles
-Make Ginger Ale (syrup + club soda + squeeze of lime)

WARNING: This stuff is on the spicy side so start out with just a tad of syrup and lots of club soda. You can also add additional sugar if you want the store bought taste. I won't judge you. It' s all about the baby steps.

Lesson #128 Friday Nights are Best Spent Purchasing Ginger and Coconuts

2011-12-02T11:52:00.000-08:00

When you go to the store on a Friday night at 11 pm, these are the things you should purchase:

6 pack of mini martinis bottles

1 coconut

2 limes

3 lbs of ginger root

1 mango

club soda

I mean, that's what normal people do, right?

They also check their backseat like 5 times because they just watched a scary movie.

Did you ever take note that watching the scary scenes between your fingers is less scary?

Also, hiding in a friend's armpit helps as well.

I'm not sure if it's the huge gash David got on his hand today, the fact that I showered and got ready for work in 15 minutes, the A I got on a huge paper, David still getting over a cold, or my 4 hour meeting this afternoon that's driving us to such strange behavior. Then again, not like it's out of character behavior ;)

Just wanted to fill you in on what's normal.

Lesson #127 Apples, Peanut Butter & Honey make the Best Study Snack

2011-11-30T08:14:00.000-08:00

David and I had a MAJOR homework night last night.

He sat at his big desk, I sat at my little desk.

MAJOR TIP: If anyone feels like they are stuck in life OR have nothing they can think to do/accomplish... find some homework to do.

Homework, well, it has this amazing way of making your little brain INSTANTLY create an ENTIRE list of things you should be accomplishing instead of the homework. Your brain tells you that these things are way more fun/productive/exciting than homework.

Last night the two that popped into my mind were air guitar and crunches. Do I EVER get the urge to do these things otherwise? Nope. Never. Did I take some breaks to accomplishes these desires. Yes. Very necessary.

David "You're going to break the couch!"

I couldn't help it, the new CD I bought was just too good. You know you're in really dangerous territory when laundry sounds appealing.

Oh and ummm... if you need something ELSE to add to your list... make a snack.
Oh and ummm... if you haven't tried apple slices with natural peanut butter with drizzles of honey, you are missing out majorly.

Lesson #126 Sometimes You Don't Need to Make Things from Scratch

2011-11-28T22:02:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I make things from scratch,

Other times I don't.

Today was a definitely a DON'T day.

My poor sick husband hasn't been feeling very well today.

So I turned to my good Old Faithful Lipton soup packet. My aunt got me started on these when I was quite young. Whenever I was at her house and not feeling well she would make me a little cup of Lipton soup. The tiny noodles always felt good on my sore throat and the broth was so soothing.

I added some white corn and fresh chives and just a bit of fresh pepper. It was gentle and just so yum.

This is also a great base to make an egg drop soup out of. I think I could eat soup every night for dinner. There's just something about soup that makes me feel calm, warm and fuzzy inside.

What are your favorite simple soup variations?

Lesson #125 Sometimes You Needs Some Empty Time

2011-11-27T23:44:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it's just a weekend of FULL, and you need some time called EMPTY.

Usually that empty time does not include cooking.

OR the cleaning. OR the laundry. OR homework.

That's when you go out for a soup dinner date at 9 pm.

It's also when you go Christmas shopping at 10 pm.

We all need those mini-three-hour-reality-vacations.

Lesson #124 Doing Brave Things Happen One Step at a Time {and free printable}

2011-11-26T14:04:00.000-08:00

Do you ever do brave things in life?

Sometimes it may be something big, other times it may be very small and seemingly insignificant to others. It may be sky diving or bungee jumping, or it may be getting back into a car after an accident or forgiving someone that's hurt us.

Yesterday I did something brave.

David and his cousin and his brother went out shooting yesterday. I came along to watch.This may not be a big deal to you, but it was a big deal to me. Growing up I only saw guns in tense and frightening situations, and never in normal circumstances like this time. I came to watch, but when they gave me a change I listened to all their instructions, shook a little... and shot it. twice. I was nervous, but it wasn't that bad after all. I was brave. Being brave doesn't mean being perfect, it usually just means baby steps.

I don't think FEAR is always the issue. It's not what we are naturally or circumstantially afraid of, it's more what we let get in the way of us living and enjoying our life. We can't let fear control us.

My last little printable I made on 2 Timothy 2:17 is a great reminder for WHY we can be brave. I made another little one. It's just a 4x6 inch printable. You can print it for 10 cents at cotsco, or from your printer with my easy-to-print format. It's a reminder you and I can do brave things in life. It's a reminder that little accomplishments are important too.

This is my latest bit of 'free happiness' so use my contact form if you want me to email it to you :)

Lesson #123 Thanksgiving Should be a Mindset, not a Holiday

2011-11-24T21:00:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for so many things.

I'm thankful for:

the ability to smell and taste and touch

different cultures that make the world fascinating

the privilege of higher education

board games and laughter

a husband who always has grace for me

a warm place to sleep at night. especially my fav brown fuzzy blanket

a roof to keep dry from the rain, but also I'm grateful to live in a place that rains

fresh smelling air and beautiful tall trees

family... lots of family that loves me :)

a thanksgiving celebrated with my family AND david's family under one roof!!

I have so much to be grateful for.

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.
William Arthur Ward

Lesson #122 Leaves Provide the Best Therapy

2011-11-23T16:35:00.000-08:00

do you ever have THOSE days?

yup. one of THOSE days.

the ones where you kind of forget to breathe.

the ones where your shoulders are keeping your ears warm.

It's just been one of those cleaning the house-grading essays-making lunch for hubby-sorting paperwork-emailing-finishing invites-finishing term paper-wishing thanksgiving dinner was here already-days.

AND, right when I look at the clock and think of all there is I have yet to do, I look outside at the beautiful fall leaves, and realize that really, life isn't that bad at all. Life is good and beautiful. There is a God. He creative and all-knowing. Am I reading into the leaves a little too much? Who cares! :)

Why am I so obsessed with leaves lately? Who knows!!!

I think it's the fact that leaves represent something for me. Something that's...

stunning,

timeless,

natural,

consistent,

full of beauty,

simple,

steady,

powerful,

undemanding,

creative and

assuring about leaves.

Basically, I wish I were more like a leaf sometimes!

Okay, now back to finishing this 5 pager...

Thankful for God's grace in my life, and the gift of leaves!

Lesson #121 The Cutest Party Decor Will Only Cost You $5

2011-11-21T16:02:00.000-08:00

Banners are the best things EVER!

They up the 'neat-o factor' of a party to the next level
They are easy and quick to make
They are pretty and affordable

Here is my recent FAV when it comes to banners and bunting... a doily banner!
My sweet friend Cassidy used this decor at her GORGEOUS outdoor wedding... it really set the tone, and served as a beautiful accent to all the majestic trees and barns.

For a few swings across the room, it costs around $5 to make!

You will need:

-Paper doilies (I found mine at the dollar store!)
-Hot glue/craft glue
-twine/ribbon/string

Ready, Go!

Fold all your doilies in half
Fold over a long piece of twine
Place small dots of glue along the crease and apply preasure
Try using a combo of small and large doilies, or adding brown coffee filters under!

Here's how it turned out!

Hubby and bestie helped me finish the banner up :)

What are your favorite things to make banners from?

Happy bunting!

Lesson #120 Nothing is Sweeter Than a Family Visit

2011-11-20T21:56:00.000-08:00

My sweet family is visiting. Yes they are :)

Enjoying the museums, board games and, yummy food and of course just being together.

Tonight's dinner was comfort food, very necessary in this cold weather. It's a great meal for rainy day...

Ultimate Grilled Cheese

(sourdough, cheddar, provolone, bacon)

Tomato Basil Soup

(topped with fresh grated parmesan)

Lesson #119 A Fancy Hairdo Can be Done in 3 Minutes

2011-11-18T21:18:00.000-08:00

Long Day.

Longer Night.

Sometimes I work on 5 things at once.
Sometimes I don't have time to shower.

Sometimes I pick out my outfit last minute. (Okay, more like always)

Sometimes I throw all my hair up on my head and call it a fancy up-do.

Nobody has to know ;)
How to?
1. High pony tail
2. Rat pony tail
3. Loosely wrap and bobby pin

Lesson #118 Every Problem has a Solution

2011-11-18T09:02:00.000-08:00

Problem: Life sometimes gets to me.

Solution: God gives me the beautiful fall leaves to look at.

Problem: I needed an easy lunch.

Solution: I had leftover broccoli soup with french bread.

Problem: I hated my stinkin-paper-writing life.

Solution: My hubby took me out to dinner.

Problem: Email slump at work.

Solution: My co-worker brought me some African tea.

Lesson #117 Broccoli Soup Tastes Better in a Bread Bowl

2011-11-18T08:13:00.000-08:00

If and when you make broccoli cheese soup this wonderful soup season, I think you should use real ingredients.

There's something about a week filled with a 19 page paper, a messy house and a long work week that makes chopping fresh broccoli meaningful.

You should probably also make it in a bread bowl. That ups the excitement about ten notches.

Just sayin'.

Click HERE for PW's recipe that I used this time. I think I like my church cook book recipe a little better, but this one is definitely really good and I LOVE that it's all fresh stuff.

Butter, onion, flour, milk, half-and-half, fresh broccoli, nutmeg, cheese, and salt and pepper. So simple. So good.

Lesson #116 Sometimes You Just Need a Good Laugh. Here's One for You...

2011-11-17T08:22:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness.

I can't stop laughing.

Here's something to add a little giggle to your probably long day :)

love, Anna

Lesson #115 We are Surrounded by Wise People {Borrowing Wisdom Wednesday}

2011-11-16T09:16:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends :) Here's a new little thing that I will be trying starting next week. Just wanted to give you some background info and my heart behind this project.

This is what's going down:

We are constantly surrounded by a wealth of knowledge every day. I will start trying to collect a little of it by simply asking. I think you should too. I will choose occasional Wednesdays to interview those whom I admire for the sake of gleaning wisdom.

This is why:

To recognize that everyone has a story to tell.
To recognize that we can learn from everyone. No matter how young, old, silent, loud, engaging, disengaging, smart, witty etc.
To record wisdom that won't always be around with us.
To help encourage just a little more deep conversation in this ever-shallowing world
To honor age and wisdom and to gain life knowledge
To help me, and others think 'big picture' when it is so easy to get bogged down in 'today'.
To make others feel significant. Recoginizing that everyone's voice matters.
Encourage youth to draw others out. Encouraging a culture of focusing on others rather than self.

This is how you can participate:

YOU also can participate by engaging in conversation with the plethora of wise people that surround you. So, pick up a pen and pad and have a conversation, I dare you. Most people are a wealth of information just waiting to be asked. Don't have anyone that comes to mind? Go to a nearby retirement home and you will have enough information to create a library.
I am trying to find a way so that other people can contribute posts of interviews too :)
RIGHT NOW, I need help developing a set of questions that I will ask each person. Here are some I am thinking so far... I would LOVE if you'd COMMENT and add some questions ideas!

What is your earliest childhood memory?
Did you experience a war? What was it like?
What was the most astounding invention in your time?
Tell me a funny school story.
What did you do that got you in the worst trouble in school?
Who was your best friend when you were groing up?
What was the best every holiday you had?
Who do you think was the most important figure of the 20th Century?
What is the biggest change you have experienced in your lifetime?

Thanks for your help friends!

Lesson #114 Christmas Cards can be Thrifty & Fun

2011-11-15T17:59:00.000-08:00

Last night at 10 pm I declared that we need to get our photos done for our Christmas Postcard this year. I know hubby, I know, I always pick the most inconvenient times. BUT, it just makes one less thing on my ever-expanding to-do list!

HERES THE BIG SECRET

(shhhhh! don't tell)

All ordered. 100 postcards. $20 shipped to my door. Seriously people, vistaprint... do it.
I won't hate it if you copy me, because well, it just makes sense. It's creative and economical. win-win.

You can order through other company's and pay $1.50-$2.50 per photo card plus a .44 stamp OR with vista print postcard's it's .20 stinkin cents per card plus .29 cents postage!

I won't ruin the surprise by sharing the final product, but here is one of the MANY outtakes ;)

Lesson #113 Sometimes I flirt with Feminism ;)

2011-11-15T08:32:00.000-08:00

Please excuse me as I have one of my feminist days.

Life has just been getting to me, but I have hope! :)

Focusing less on what a woman should do, or would do in different situations,

and focusing more on who God created me to be in every situation of my life.

Lesson #112 Weekend Recaps are MUCH more Fun in Bullet Form

2011-11-13T22:46:00.000-08:00

I have decided that talking about your weekend is more fun with bullet points.

road trip with 3 am arrival
a beautiful wedding. sweet ceremony. good food. great couple.
road trip part two. a delicious lunch date.
my first experience with macaroons
time with family and lots of babies running around :)
learning to play ladder ball
big fancy yummy dinner
stayed up late & finished steve jobs biography
church with a poignant message
homework in the library. David is ~~distracting~~ great to study with.
a nice bath and zumba fitness, done in the wrong order
yummy crunchy sweet apples
BEDTIME!

Okay, now your turn :) Tell me about your weekend... in bullet point form ;)

Lesson #111 Pot Roasts CAN Indeed Be Cooked in Pots

2011-11-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

Tonight I made a pot roast in a POT for the first time.

Of all things!!

No really though, I've always made it in a crock pot.

I'm branching out of the crock pot... and into some serious cooking territory.

Okay, not that serious, just semi-serious ;)

Let me tell you. This was easy, and yum. Yes it was.

Easy, as in 15-20 minutes prep.

Yum, as in I was eating this stuff out of the pot.

Notes: Please oh please use real herbs. Also, I think you should turn the broth into gravy after. Serve this puppy with some roasted red potatoes and you will have one happy tummy.

Step by step directions from Pioneer Woman HERE.

P.S. Did you notice that this is Lesson #111, published on 11-11-11?!

How rad is that! I totally planned it...errr... as of two days ago!

Lesson #110 You Should be a Leader, but the Type Only YOU are Meant to be

2011-11-10T08:43:00.000-08:00

Today I realized that I have people in my life who love me. Yes I do.

I rushed home after class to tell David all about the encouragement my professor had just given me... and he had flowers waiting for me... just because. I said a quick thank you and then talked his ear off for an hour... I'm sure he appreciated that :)

I told him how my professor challenged me tonight after class. Yes, she did.

It is so silly and simple that you may laugh. I give you full permission.

It's that she wants me to grow in confidence and stretch myself into being more of the leader that I am. The leadership style that nobody else is called to but me. Sure, it may be tid-bits of examples, and role models, and leadership books, and experience, and articles, and scripture... but it's really specifically my calling.

(click below for entire post)

I have always been a fairly confident person. Lately I am becoming a more and more confident as a leader... but really in reality that has been me, becoming more of the leader that others want me to be. Not that there isn't a time and place for that, but OVERALL... I should be becoming more of the leader that I am called to be. I don't need to blend into something that others are. That may not look like how a man leads, or how some women lead, just how I know I am called to be a leader.

It's like she gave me permission to be more of me.

Clarification, to be more of who Christ is calling me to be. Calling me more into the fullness of who I ought to be. To grow towards a more confident and fuller version of the person I already know I want to be in my head. Sometimes that vision gets so lost and seems so far away... but not tonight.

Tonight it seems so clear.

Confidence may mean speaking up, it may mean being quiet. Being a confident leader that I am called to be may mean getting the task done, it may mean building the relationship, it may mean being firm, and it just might be overwhelming compassion.

So what about you?

As I come before the Lord, I am asking him... begging him to show me a little bit more of who he designed me to be as a leader. Sometimes it may look typical, and that's okay... other times it just won't, and well, that's okay too.

Lesson #109 Figure Out What Sort of Ruler You are Using to Measure Your Life

2011-11-09T08:15:00.000-08:00

Dearest Readers, Thank you for putting up with me. The me that bakes, and the me that crafts, and the me that sometimes rambles and doesn't make much sense. Every bit of it is me trying to figure out a little more of who I am... and in turn I hope I somehow challenge you to figure out a little bit more of who you are :) Love, Anna

Some mornings I get up early. Other mornings I sleep in.

Other mornings I get up early, take a shower and crawl back in bed and read a book for two hours. Okay, so I don't usually do this, but it's been a habit I've been getting into lately especially since I've started reading Steve Jobs's new biography.

What is it about reading that makes me feel unproductive and like I'm wasting time? I have nothing to show for the last two hours. I have no tangible results.

Unfortunately, I think this only points back to my mentality that developed who-knows-where, that in order for me to feel successful in life I need to have tangible results. A product. Proof.

I think one of my core beliefs that I've accidentally established is efficiency. What does that even mean? Getting it done quickly? Getting it done well? Checking things off a list? Where does the list come from?

(click below for entire-probably boring-post)

What does success mean?
Can it be measured?
Can it be standardized?
Can it be defined or even understood?

What makes one day more accomplished, successful, efficient than next?

When I am 80, what days of my life will I look back on and be most proud of? Will they be the ones that today define successful or unsuccessful? Efficient or non-efficient?

What measure do I use to measure my success? In my using a ruler that I purchased from American society? Was the ruler handed down to me from past generations? Is it something I've borrowed from friends and family? Is it from a higher authority?

Is it an adapted ruler that I've compiled from a few inches of each?

Certainly the old plastic one I used in first grade is far less superior than the fine wooden ruler with the metal edge I use now... or is it?

I just can't help but imagine my 80 year old self laugh at my 20 year old self and the current ruler I am using... that I can't quite yet define. Surely I look back and laugh at what I found my happiness, and fulfillment in. Looking back at the days that I deemed 'insignificant' at the time, that were truly life shaping for me in the long run. Surely I will giggle at how many times I swapped my ruler in for a new one... changing how I measure sucess like its trendy clothing.

This is something so much more important than trendy clothing. But do I treat it that way?

Is the ruler that I hold in my hands for others to see the same one that I hide in my heart? This scale that I hold inside is a little set of weights and measures that somehow determines at the end of the day if I did things right. If I go to bed satisfied or frustrated. The scale that tells me I am a failure or a success.

My prayer is that I would find a scale that is more TIMELESS than the one I am accidentally using. The way we measure our life should not be an accident, it should be intentional.

The problem is, this stuff is way to frustrating to be intentional about. It's more easy to ignore the scale that we use or just change the scale when it's not fitting our current lifestyle and goals.

What if I could somehow figure out this sort of TIMELESS scale that I could use through the rest of my life for every phase of my life. Through school, through work, through rest, through marriage, through motherhood, through grandmotherhood, in politics, in conflict, in tradition, in change...

I know that the answer I pine my life after is the life of Jesus. I say this. I know this. This is my deepest desire. To know him more, to follow him more.

Jesus, I want you to be the way I measure my life, my success, my standard.

How does this work itself out in how I measure the success of my life...

Tangibly second by second of TODAY,

day of day of this year,

decade by decade of my life.

Thoughts anyone?

Sent from my iPhone

Lesson #108 You Can Fake Your Way to a Great Dessert

2011-11-08T09:34:00.000-08:00

I am always prepared for everything.

When I have guests over for dessert I always have it planned out weeks in advance.

I grocery shop the week before and spend hours making sure it turns out just perfect.

beep. beep. beep.

(Anna wakes up from her dream)

Back to the reality of getting off work, rushing to the grocery store, whipping some ingredients together and tossing it in the oven.

The good thing is... in this case, the dessert of my dreams & reality taste shockingly similar :)

Ingredients:
2 Apples (I heart granny smith)
1 sheet of puff pastry (in the freezer section by the pie crust)
1 cup of brown sugar
Optional: I tossed in a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg to add a bit of fall (about 1/2 teaspoon each)

Directions:
-Thaw puff pastry sheet
-Cut into thirds, then cut each third in half to make six little rectangles
-Peel, core and thinly slice apples.
-In a bowl mix nutmeg, brown sugar and cinnamon and add apples
-Place apples on puff pastry and bake in 415 degree about 13-15 minutes or until golden on the edges
-top with powdered sugar, carmel syrup or ice cream

P.S. If you won't tell anyone how easy this is to make, than I won't :) It will be our little secret.

Adapted from Pioneer Woman Recipe HERE

Lesson #107 How to Avoid a Lame Weekend and Avoid Doing Homework

2011-11-07T09:43:00.000-08:00

Saturday: When you feel like you're having a lame Saturday night and want to avoid doing homework, call a friend and make them bring pizza. To further avoid doing homework, scavenge your cupboards for recipe leftovers and make rice krispe treats.

Sunday: If you miss your husband, eat breakfast with him. When you get home and have to do homework AGAIN and want to avoid it, hold your book in your hand but stare at the ceiling and make pictures in your head out of the microscopic dots.

Monday: When you don't want your week to start: wear ruffles, eat sticky buns, get caught up on laundry. Now you are ready to face your week.

Lesson #106 Leftovers do not Have to be Casseroles

2011-11-05T17:51:00.000-07:00

Simple. Healthy. Yummy.

(nobody has to know that it's leftover night!)

The Dish
Let's call it... Chicken Veggie Fajita Bake

Here's How

1 carrot, a handfull of string beans, 1 medium red potato

chopped, cooked & drained

tossed in a bit of organic olive oil

spread on a baking sheet with chopped chicken

sprinkled with fajita seasoning

sprinkled with a bit of cheddar

broiled till crispy

topped with cilantro & eaten immediately

There was no way I was going to blog on leftover night... but this was WAY too good not to share. Why in the world do I ever spend more than 10 minutes on dinner? Can't wait to make this again!

What are YOUR favorite leftover dishes?

Lesson #105 Thursdays are Awesomer than Wednesdays (and creepier too...)

2011-11-04T09:34:00.000-07:00

You don't really want to know about my Wednesday.

BASICALLY, I got my classes mixed up and did the wrong set of homework. I got to the door of the classroom, saw the professor. It was the wrong professor. Didn't she know she was teaching on the wrong night? I starting bawling.

Bathroom, thank you for being right next store. Why did that upset me so much? I don't really know, I think it's because I THOUGHT I was prepared. I wasn't even on a rebellious streak! Anyway... I really paid attention in class as you can tell...

Thursday was better. Actually, my Thursday was awesome.

1% awesome because I accomplished a ton a work.

1% awesome because I kept my class schedule straight

5% awesome because David and I got to hang out and talk and catch up

5% awesome because David sung a Justin Bieber song to me. He was joking, I was pretending he was serious.

1% awesome because I made homemade popcorn on the stove with just a hint of butter and salt

1% awesome because I got to pull out my favorite sock monkey slippers for the first time this season

1% awesome because I got to read more of the Steve Jobs biography that fascinates me

85% awesome because I got greeted by this little dude right before I went to bed...

...a creepy looking praying mantis in my BEDROOM! How awesome is he?!?! Creepy, but awesome! Isn't he so crazy looking. He was on David's backpack.

I'm pretty sure I've never seen a praying mantis in my life. Thank you camera phone, for being here to capture this (trying not to think about how creepy!!) awesome end to my Thursday :)

Lesson #104 Potato Salad Need Not Contain Mayo, Like this Pesto Avocado Potato Toss.

2011-11-03T07:58:00.000-07:00

flashback.

church picnics.

seventy different types of potato salad.

all gloopy, droopy, dripping with the dreaded mayonnaise.

it doesn't taste good. it's not good for you. WHY ARE WE EATING IT?

flash forward.

Pesto, greek yogurt, avocado, cilantro... now this, I can do... good, and good for you.

I think I will call it "Pesto Avocado Potato Toss" that way it doesn't even migrate towards 'potato salad'

ready? let's go.

You will need...

3 lbs. of red potatos

1 1/2 cups of plain greek yogurt

3/4 cup of pesto

1 avocado

a few pinches of cilantro

pepper to taste

Do it...

Potatoes: chop potatoes. boil in salted water till a fork can polk through. about 25 minutes. drain. rinse. cool completely.

Dressing: mix fresh pesto, yogurt and pepper until smooth. stir in potatoes. gently blend in cilantro and chopped avocado. Chill.

base recipe loosely adapted from Martha Stewart Food Magazine

Lesson #103 Seasonal Rebellion is Often Necessary. Make Peaches & Cream Ice Pops!

2011-11-02T08:56:00.000-07:00

*lalalalala I can't hear you*
*lalala lalala I'm not listening*

Remember when we used to do this in 3rd grade? Obnoxiously singing while holding our hands over our ears? It's called denial and I am way too mature for that now.

Mostly.

I may or may not be doing that to the season of fall.

My little heart loves the fall leaves and carving pumpkins. BUT, what about those care-free summer days? Laying out and letting the sun drain all your energy, having BBQs, hanging out with friends AND of course eating ice pops. I realized this week that I didn't make a single ice pop this summer! SO, I'm catching up ;)

They are so simple, and not terrible for you either.

Ingredients for about 6 Ice Pops

Vanilla Ice Cream (I like using frozen yogurt)
Frozen Peaches, about 1 lb.
White Grape Juice, about 2 cups

Directions

Puree frozen peaches and grape juice. Adjust proportions as necessary. It should be smoothie consistancy.
You can also add 1/2 cup of sugar at this point, I didn't and they turned out super sweet anyway.
Pour an inch or so of puree in 6 little cups. I used disposable styrofoam ones that were easy to peel away.
Freeze for 5-10 minutes to firm up the bottom part. Plop a little ice cream in the center leaving space on the sides. Fill the rest of the cup with peach yumminess
Stick a stick in your ice pop and freeze!

This recipe is loosely adapted from a Martha Stewart Seasonal Food Magazine

Lesson #102 You Should Not Throw Away the Seeds When You Carve a Pumplin

2011-10-29T21:56:00.000-07:00

This fall I think you should carve a pumpkin.

I also think you shouldn't throw those lovely seeds away. Who CARES if they taste good or not, they're pumpkin seeds! They must be cooked. I love THIS recipe, that just calls for 1/4 cup of brown sugar for every cup of fresh pumpkin seeds. You can also add pumpkin spice. OR not, if you don't want to run to the store like I didn't. I've heard it's best not to wash the seeds, just wash your hands and separate that gross pulpy stuff out. I may have felt a little like I was gutting a fish.

INSTRUCTIONS!

Line a baking sheet with foil.
Pour your mixture (1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 cup seed) onto baking sheet.
For other fun options, experiment with: maple syrup, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
Cook for 55 minutes at 225 degrees. Stir every so often.
Let cool.
Yum! (clarification: they are pumpkin seeds, not candy. If you have never had pumpkin seeds, don't be expecting anything too crazy exciting, even with the brown sugar)

Lesson #101 The Best Way to Accomplish Things is to Decide What it is You Want to Accomplish

2011-10-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

(I thought this would be appropriate my my 101st post! I will be adding to this over time... )

101 Things I want to do before I turn 30

Start liking grown-up foods like mushrooms and tomatoes (ick!)
Mentor more young women
Memorize a fancy recipe so I can just make it from my head
Learn how to use/thread a serger and makes something cool with one
Be a better wife.
Learn a few more guitar chords

Lesson #100. There's No Place Like Home. Really.

2011-10-28T23:49:00.000-07:00

A yummy dinner with my family after a long day at work and a flight. Yes please.

Lesson #99 Dating Around isn't Always a Bad Thing

2011-10-28T08:46:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite types of dates are lunch dates with good friends.

I also had a much need 3 hour long date with peach tazo tea to keep me awake in class. It's kind of a dependent relationship.

I do speed dating daily. Usually with about 47 different emails. I know. I get around.

I have several dates daily with the fall leaves that surround me. I love seasons. Each leaf is unique and different and beautiful. They are very admirable little leaves and I love watching the color changing process unfold.

Only thing I'm missing now is a date with my hubby. We sort of finish our days at like 11:30 pm. My body takes the first deep breath it's had all day, and it's practically asleep.

I love seeing little moments in life as dates because it makes them special.

Lesson #98 How to be a Good Friend

2011-10-26T22:47:00.000-07:00

This is my friend Taylor.

This is what she has taught me about friendship.

Friends wake up at 5 am to eat pancakes with you.
Friends want the very best for you.
Friends let you grumble, but not more than necessary.
Friends are willing to plan lunch dates, but be spontaneous too.
Friends know when you just need to talk and sometimes don't mean anything you say.
Friends don't try to make themselves irreplaceable in your life. Friends aren't your answer to everything. They don't need you to need them... but if do need them, that's okay too.
Friends tell you the truth in love, even when it's hard. AND multiple times when necessary.
Friends ask about you, but they're willing to share their own troubles too.
Friends encourage you to be more of who you are, and more of who you really want to be.
Friends are self-less. Friends listen. and listen. and listen. and listen.

Lesson #97 One Can NEVER Have too Many Good Soup Recipes

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

Yesterday was a typical Monday at work. You know, you sort of take a fresh breath along with you to work AND you're sort of exhausted already. It dragged quickly along.

(yes I know that first sentence is probably confusing)

I actually got off right at 5:00 for once. Okay, it was 5:16.

It was one of those raining days, and David was working late so I decided that it was a soup day.

(please excuse the messy bowl edges, and the crummy lighting. I barely got this shot before hubby scarfed it down :)

Mmmm... I have tried many tortilla soup recipes, and this is seriously up there with the best.

Step by step pictures and recipe from Pioneer Woman HERE.

yum. I went ahead and baked my own little tortilla strips. We had tortilla chips, but I just wanted to anyway. SUPER simple.

Tortilla Strip Recipe

Cut 'thin style' corn tortillas into strips
In a bowl coat lightly with vegetable oil
Bake for 12ish minutes at 350

There is something that feels so good about cooking soup. AND, eating the soup isn't bad either ;) David scarfed down two bowls when he got home at 8 pm. That's what made 2 hours of cooking all worth it.

Lesson #96 Learn to See Your Glass Half Full. Especially if Apple Juice is Involved.

2011-10-25T22:49:00.000-07:00

Is your glass half empty or half full?

Mine's half full.

Half full with homemade apple juice.

An 8 ounce glass has 4 ounces of liquid in it. That is a fact. One verbal interpretation of this statement is that the glass is half full. Another perception is that it is half empty. They are both 'true' in the fact that they are both an accurate interpretation of the fact, but which perception is a more accurate reflection of my heart and mind? Only I can say.

Was I irresponsible not going into work till 10 am or did I for once get 8 hours of sleep last night?

Am I spending this weekend away from my hubby or with my family?

Did I leave my kitchen dirty this evening or did I spend my evening investing in young women?

Did I neglect my inner homemaker or did I run out of time and buy veggie trays for the event tonight?

Am I a bad wife for not making dinner or was I blessed by a husband bearing a nice yummy chipotle burrito?

Perspective is everything in life. Which side will I CHOOSE to believe?

Lesson #95 Don't be an Inconsistant Shower Valve

2011-10-24T21:42:00.000-07:00

The far right is definitly cold. Like I can't feel my limbs cold. Like I feel so cold, I can't feel temperature anymore at all, cold.

The far left is hot. ouch. hot.

Everything else in the middle... good luck. Pretty much temperature lottery.

It sort of switches between gradual temperature change and shocking surprises of either extreme.

Now wait, I am talking about my shower head, or am I talking about me?

This is what I've been noticing about myself lately. In you know, the way I live my life, my views, my convictions, my morals, my beliefs. I am a lot more like a lowsey shower gauge than I am one of those perfect panels that come with the nice new massaging, water efficient shower heads.

When you look at this shower control panel, it makes sense. It's clearly marked, no surprises. Let's just say this little spectrum doesn't live up to all it's promises in my shower. I don't feel like I always live up to what my labels promise either. SURE. On either end of being moral or immoral I might do okay. I believe, I do, I say, I think, I feel what's obviously right and avoid what is obviously wrong. Where I feel I have slacking is in that nice little peel-ly part that lands between red and blue.

I don't feel like my decisions and my logic are always consistent. I always use a different rational. The reasons I use to take action are not the same reasons I use to stand still. I make excuses. I convince myself of what I want by making up some sort of rational belief that makes sense to my head. I take responsibility for things I don't need to. I don't feel burdened for the things I ought to. I stretch the truth, and of course have a great excuse to make me feel all better.

Hot. Cold. Hot. Cold.

I think I need to work on my red and blue overlap areas in life. Yeah, and my shower valve needs to work on this a bit too.

Lesson #94 Learn How to Tame Your Belt

2011-10-24T08:05:00.000-07:00

Turn belt slack into a fashion statement.

I have done the 'use a bobby pin on the end' trick way too long. This also works great for converting 'regular' belts into a belt you can wear higher up on your waist. This is my FAVORITE way to use big old thrift store belts.

Step 1: Thread Belt through the metal loop (sticking the metal thing through the little holes in your belt is not necessary especially when you are turning a normal belt into a skinny belt )

Step 2: Bring the end down on top of the belt and then up through the back side of the belt.

Step 3: Thread the belt back down through the new loop you just created

Lesson #93 Attending Pumpkin Patches is a Must in October

2011-10-23T17:19:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin patches are definitely a must in this season.

Awe. Look at my little buddies picking out their pumpkins.

I'm still feeling a little out of it, so I found a nice big ugly pumpkin to sit on while my friends found their perfect pumpkin match. Taylor joked that the pumpkin she found was 'love at first sight' because she only took like 5 minutes to pick hers out :)

I must admit, my favorite are the funky ones. The little pumpkin that I bought on my anniversary trip with David is so cooky and crooked. It sits perfectly lopsided. I just love it. I really do prefer it to the perfectly proportioned ones.

I think it makes me feel like don't have to be perfect for others to love me.

Lesson #92 Cooking Cinnamon Apple Chips makes your House Smell like Fall

2011-10-22T17:06:00.000-07:00

I really think you need to make these apple chips.

1. They make the whole house smell like fall!

2. They help you use up extra apples

3. They're a healthy snack!

4. They are delicious

INGREDIENTS
4 apples
2 baking sheets
sprinkles of cinnamon
1.5 cups of sugar (optional)
other fall spices (optional)

APPLE TYPE

I tried three different types of apples... but green granny smith was by FAR my favorite taste. Lots of natural zip and sweetness... especially a good choice if you are choosing not to sweeten yours. All apple types work though... it's whatever you have on hand

SLICE

-To make crunchy apple chips... cut the apples about 1/16 of an inch thick

-To make the apples more of a chewy snack... cut the apples about 1/8 of an inch thick
I've heard a mandolin slicer works awesome. So does a husband.

TO SWEETEN OR NOT TO SWEETEN

I tried the apple chips BOTH ways, and they both turned out great, it just depends on what you are looking for in an apple chip. The sweetened ones taste much more store bought apple chips, the non-sweetened don't have as distinct of a flavor and are more plain.

-Sweeten: Mix one and a half cups of sugar into two cups of boiling water. Cool syrup mixture. Set sliced apple rings in syrup for a few hours before baking. Sprinkle with cinnamon or other spices.

-Not Sweeten: Just sprinkle apple slices with cinnamon or other spices.

BAKE

I've heard food dehydrators work awesome for this sort of thing... but I don't own one. Baking them in my oven worked GREAT for me. Place apple slices on parchment lined baking sheets, without any overlap. Bake at 200 degrees for 1 hour to 2.5 hours depending on how crunchy you want them. Flip every half hour or so. Mine took about an hour and forty five minutes. Once they cool they will harden up a bit more too.

Adapted from a food network recipe HERE

Linking up at Tatertots&Jello

Lesson #91 Insignificant Accomplishments are Surprisingly Fulfilling

2011-10-21T17:35:00.000-07:00

So, I may not have accomplished much these week.

I may not have blogged.
I may not have finished all my projects at work.
I may not have worked on my homework.
I may or may not have a giant laundry mountain in my bedroom.

What the heck DID I do this week? Well, Thursday I stayed home sick and accomplished many, many great things. I know you are dying to know what they are.

Thursday's GREAT accomplishments

Used up an ENTIRE tissue box.
Sipped up my Jamba Juice from my Bestie. Mmmmm.
Caught up on the newest thanksgiving trends. SO behind on magazines. Why are there so many ridiculously insignificant things in life to get behind on?
Watched the latest episode of the sing off. I may or may not have sung along in my sick pirate like voice.
Made homemade apple rings. I must share this recipe.
Ate all my homemade apple rings. All four apples worth.
Turned all my sheets and blankets into a giant tumbleweed of bedding by the end of the day

Lesson #90 Be Related to People Who Rock

2011-10-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

Is my mother in law not the cutest thing ever?

My hubby brought me home her famous homemade DELICIOUS chicken noodle soup.

WHICH reminds me of one of my favorite favorite interactions with her :) A few years back, when David and I just started dating, she heard I was sick so came to deliver soup to my college dorm. She couldn't get in the building, so I got this text...

Couldn't get in. Left the soup in the pumpkin.

I was already sick, and out of it mentally and was so confused. I walked out to the front of the building. It was Halloween so one of the RAs had decorated with carved pumpkins outside of the building. Low and behold, I could see though one pumpkin's buck tooth that a glass jar was hiding inside with soup for me :)

This soup is seriously the best thing ever. I would hound her for a recipe but I'm pretty sure she doesn't have on. Yup... she's one of those fancy-pantsy-dont-need-no-recipe types :)

Lesson #89 Homemade Birthday Cards, are the Best Birthday Cards

2011-10-18T08:17:00.000-07:00

Taylor is one of my dearest friends. She is one of the kindest, hard working people I know. I knew that her birthday card had to be a special one. SO, I made her a personalized cross-word birthday card. The answers all have to do with her :)

I used one of the many 'create your own crossword puzzle' websites to type in my words so I could see how everything would best fit together best, then copied it by hand. For all my wordy friends out there... I'm sure you could make up your own from scratch too ;) I've also seen people do this with cross word puzzles.

Hmmm... what other puzzles could we turn into birthday cards?

Lesson #88 Sometimes We Must Disappoint the Dancing Green Monster

2011-10-17T22:36:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I just want to be right.

I know in my heart that I don't NEED to be right. It won't really do anything... except sometimes make more of a mess. BUT, my head. My silly little head. It persuades me into thinking that I MUST be right. I MUST.

If I argue, and argue, and finally I'm right... for a second it's like a wave of victory! I feel it through my body! But, it only lasts a second...and it doesn't really feel as good as I thought it would.

I think my ego is a little green monster inside of me that tells me I can't rest.... I can't let go... I can't give up... I must be strong... until I get. the. last. word.

BUT. If I do get the last word...

As my little green monster is doing his victory dance... I just sit and think about why I am happy about letting a little green monster do a victory dance inside of me. Then I want him to go away, but he won't. He keeps doing the chicken dance, and the electric slide and all the songs I can't get out of my head. AND I'm just annoyed. Annoyed with the happy green monster, and annoyed with myself.

Surrendering our right, to always be right can be the hardest thing in the world, leading up to that moment...and even the very moment of humbling yourself.

BUT, as soon as it's over... literally seconds after surrendering our stubborn will... you feel like a million bucks! Then I have to watch that I'm not cocky about being THE ONE to humble myself. I am such a freak.

Seriously though, when you give up the right to be right, it is then that you realize that you have won the right to something so much greater. A deeper peace comes over you and you realize there is more to life than having the last word or even complete justice being served to you on a silver platter.

Suddenly my arms uncross.
My eyebrows unfurrow.
My sholders stop touching my ears.
My heart calms.
I feel relieved.

Who knew that being a looser could feel so good?

Lesson #87 Everything is Better with Pesto. Especially my Sourdough Pesto Burger.

2011-10-17T17:34:00.000-07:00

I have seriously been on such a pesto kick lately.

It makes the ordinary taste gourmet.

USUALLY, my favorite way to do a pesto-sourdough sandwich is with grilled or breaded chicken breast...mmm! But today, david got his way and he did burgers with sauteed onions. Also yum, just a little manlier.

(finished product pic is of course of David's burger. Mine would never have ketchup, tomato, mayo...and would just never look so manly... I mean look at the thing! I think I grew a few chest hairs just taking the picture)

Lesson #86 Find a Best Friend. They are Awesome

2011-10-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Jessie,

I love you friend.

Hey, remember when we used to be roommates?
Remember making breakfast sandwiches in the caf ALL the time?
Remember me getting 'great ideas' that never really worked out?
Remember when we used to take cat naps under the warm window?

Remember when we went to Europe? Remember how you trusted everyone and I was the skeptical guard dog? Remember that super sketchy bed and breakfast? Remember eating lots of fun food, and sharing EVERYTHING? Remember that you didn't like the stack of meat shaved off with a razor? Remember when we met a band that opened for famous people in the train? Remember our fabulous hostel experiences with nudists who liked to do yoga? Remember only wearing three shirts the entire trip? Remember when I ran out of options and put my tank top on top of my teal shirt? Remember how you loved me anyway? Remember getting lost in Denmark? Remember hanging out in a closed mall for 4 hours? Remember when the airport confiscated our laundry detergent? Remember seeing the violin quartet out of our window slats in Italy? Remember hanging out at the park in Ireland?

Thanks for not getting your hair cut with me yesterday, that was fun.
Do you know what would be more fun, if we actually get our hair cut next time!

I love that we still hang out.

Thanks for going to weddings with me.

Love, Anna

This weekend has been FILLED with friends and rest. Perfect way to end my break before school starts up again :) Coming later this week... the last and my FAVORITE project of the 'I robbed a thrift store' series :)

Lesson #85 You Can Write Your Own Destiny. Literally. {Make Your Own Fortune Cookies!}

2011-10-14T08:09:00.000-07:00

SO, basically my bat dream two nights ago got me thinking about the generic things in life...

including generic one-size-fits-all fortunes....

which got me thinking about fortune cookies.

This, my friends, is how my brain works.

I have never made fortune cookies before. I was home last night, ditching a party because I didn't feel well and noticed that I had all the necessary ingredients for fortune cookie making right in my cupboard!

That's what I call good fortune, fate, good luck and my destiny! I knew it was meant to be!

(I was SHOCKED that that actually turned out looking like actual fortune cookie! look!)

Ingredients

2 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract (I just doubled the vanilla)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup tablespoons granulated sugar
3-4 teaspoons water

Instructions
1. Write out some fortunes
2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Grease 2 9-X-13 inch baking sheets.
4. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the egg white, vanilla extract, almond extract and vegetable oil until frothy, but not stiff.
5. Sift the flour, cornstarch, salt and sugar into a separate bowl. Stir the water into the flour mixture.
6. Add the flour into the egg white mixture and stir until you have a smooth batter. The batter should not be runny, but should drop easily off a wooden spoon.
7. Place level tablespoons of batter onto the cookie sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart. Gently tilt the baking sheet back and forth and from side to side so that each tablespoon of batter forms into a circle 4 inches in diameter.
8. Bake until the outer 1/2-inch of each cookie turns golden brown and they are easy to remove from the baking sheet with a spatula (10-15 minutes).
9. Working quickly, remove the cookie with a spatula and flip it over in your hand. Place a fortune in the middle of a cookie. To form the fortune cookie shape, fold the cookie in half, then gently pull the edges downward over the rim of a glass, wooden spoon or the edge of a muffin tin. Place the finished cookie in the cup of the muffin tin so that it keeps its shape.

Recipe adapted from THIS

Helpful Video to watch HERE

Okay, now I MUST tell you a funny fortune cookie story about my dad.

Isn't he handsome?

So one night, many moons ago, we had just finished a nice Chinese dinner.

We all cracked open our fortune cookies. My father, as fate would have it, did not have his glasses with him.

(the plot thickens)

He handed me his fortune to read.

I, of course, did not skip a beat and read out his fortune aloud.

"You are attractive and good looking, make the best of it."

(see I was born to write fortune cookies! I missed my true career destiny!)

He was very proud and proclaimed that he would have to keep that one, as he nodded a contented little nod and smirk. Of COURSE I busted out laughing. It said really something blah blah blah about fate and life, not about his looks! You have GOT to try this one on someone, it is the best.

AND, if you make your own like I did, you actually can put whatever fortune you want :)

Maybe fortunes help people to be a little braver, a little more hopeful, a little more confident. It's pretty sad that we need a generic piece of paper to help us live in the confidence of who we are.

I thought if someone else can make up fortunes why can't I? I didn't do a very good job at my fake fortune though. If I would have been completely honest, I would have read an extended version of my fibbed fortune...

"You are attractive and good looking, and I admire you very much daddy because you are truly the greatest, make the best of it"

Lesson #84 One Should Avoid Generic Cheetos

2011-10-13T21:40:00.000-07:00

I had the weirdest dream last night. It was about bats. I thought I'd look up what 'bats' mean in a dream dictionary. Just for kicks and giggles. I searched 'bats' and this is what came up...

Acrobats

Bats

Wombats

Dang it! Why didn't I dream about acrobats or wombats!

Those both sound so much more exciting.

Okay... this was one smart author. Let's just say he covered his bases.

I mean COME ON. Talk about a 'one size fits all dream description'

Possibly demons. (appeals to the paranoid)

Possibly unrealized potential. (appeals to the hopeful)

Possibly you are going BATTY! (appeals to the crazy)

I can just see three different people reading this and thinking. OHHHH this is so so true, this just fits me perfect. This is just like one of those fortunes cookie slips. Something generic wrapped up into a poetic saying.

"Take risks and you will be rewarded"

"Someday before you die, you will love someone"

'Tomorrow brings another sunrise, and also a sunset, and then a sunrise, and then a sunset, and then a sunrise, and then a sunset and THEN low and behold another sunrise."

"breathe in. breathe out. repeat as needed."

"Eventually you will see a spider. You will be terrified"

"Tomorrow may or may not be a good day."

"You just ate some Chinese food that enriched your deep soul, now tip your waiter accordingly"

Fortunes are so darn generic. It's a 'make it anything you want' and fulfill your destiny. A self-fulfilling prophecy maybe, but certainly not a prediction of the future.

Other things in life that are generic and just don't work: store brand mac and cheese.

Lesson #83 One Should Always Make SMART Goals, Not Stupid Ones.

2011-10-13T08:04:00.000-07:00

Today I'm teaching my class how to study.

After my official lecture on learning styles, SMART Goals and action plans, I am making it practical.

My wonderful facebook friends chimed in and shared their favorite ways to study. Hopefully this will take my lecture from being just educational and informative to practical, realistic and applicable. I left the internet grammar and emoticons in. I think students sometimes automatically zone out when they read their textbook or get a handout that looks official. I'm hoping this will mix things up for them and they will actually engage in tips that are really very useful.

Many of these tips are theoretically based, but shhhhh they don't have to know that :)

AND, for those of you who have never heard of SMART goals, man. You are missing out. I was first introduced to this concept a few years back. Here are some academic examples that my friend Catherine created...

Specific

“I will attend 3 study group meetings” instead of “I will find a study partner”

Measurable

“I will study from 8-10:30” instead of “I will study more”

Achievable

“I complete assignments 1 day before they are due” instead of “I will get my roommate to remind me about deadlines” It must be under YOUR control

Realistic

“I will study for 2 hours and then take a break” instead of “I will spend all day Saturday in the library” You must be both willing and able to do it.Keep in mind other commitments and responsibilities that you have!

Time specific

“I will go to the Career Center by November 1st” instead of “I will go to the Career Center”

I think this is one of the BEST ways to make specific life goals.

Go ahead. Try it out. I dare you.

Take SMART for a test drive. Make a goal and test it against the 'SMART' test by asking yourself; is it measurable? Is it achievable?....If not, adjust it accordingly.

So, what's your goal for this week?

The only real failure in life. Is the failure to try.

Lesson #82 Pumpkin Chip Muffins are Delicious and Should be Made

2011-10-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like it's one of those days that you're just 9 11 voicemails, 16 texts, and 38 emails behind? Not to mention the real life people connections (huh? what are those?) that you need to make. What about the real life people connections that you WANT to make?

I KNOW that you know that feeling. So what do you need? I think you need an encouraging verse and a good heartwarming-fall themed-recipe. Here ya go!

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

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David and I have been snacking on these all week long :)

They taste so YUM especially right out of the oven or re-warmed in the microwave.

Recipe from Taste of Home

(I used a little less oil then called for in the recipe)

Lesson #81 The First Year of Marriage Flies by

2011-10-10T21:49:00.000-07:00

I married the man of my dreams three hundred and sixty five days ago.

I got to hang out with my bestest of girl friends, have my hair done all pretty, be with my dear, dear family, wait in anticipation, walk down the aisle, sing hymns with three hundred and fifty others, kiss my best friend, hug all my friends from near and far, pass out plates to those friends so we could eat delicious food, dance a little, dance a little more, AND cry a lot, AND smile a lot. I wouldn't have changed a thing about it.

It was a beautiful day.