Did you all at one point try to tell me that I was going to carry the main writing duties of our blog? Well you were WAAAAAAAAY off the mark weren't you? :)
A is our professional blogger dreaming up a new business and going for it, C is saving the world as usual and still has time to count her 1,000 gifts, K is brimming with her standard amount of creativity, craftiness, and damn ambition ( homemade butter... seriously?) and well I'm just sitting here a little befuddled. It's not really that I think you have it all together. I know, I know...you don't. But I stop to reflect and this is what happens:
I just see February's calendar, how many days til the weekend ( thanksfully ONLY 1 at this exact moment), where do I even start on my to-do list at work tomorrow, how many months left in Charlottesville, what house are we going to buy, I am tired of cooking and laundry, I need to exercise, I need to be a better wife ( you can read between the lines on this if you like-- I'm trying to keep things G rated, but mabye you can guess... I've had a cold this week...it's been a while). Well, I digress but you get the picture.
But I just wonder how you have time and maybe even more importantly energy to reflect, dream, create, etc. I ask this while I'm half watching House Hunters International ( I don't know what country because I'm only half watching, but there are some amazing houses with crazy views) so maybe I can begin to answer my own question by turning off the television! But, I defer to you my inspiring, lovely friends: When/where are you most inspired? What is your secret to reflecting on life, beauty, etc? What gets your creative juices flowing the most? Any thoughts on any of the above questions I would love to hear. I better see some comments or this will be my last post ever!
Sincerely Yours,
E
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
one thousand gifts
the name of the new book i'm reading.
and can i just say, you need to put your laptop on the coffee table (or under the big leather armchair, if you're the smiths), grab your keys and head straight for the nearest bookstore to buy it.
or if you're K and amazon likes to send you things with free shipping, you can order it here.
do you ever read passages in books that articulate something you have felt so deep in your soul but would never have known how to put into words? that has been my experience with this book. take for instance this excerpt:
"I wonder if the rent in the canvas of our life backdrop, the losses that puncture our world, our own emptiness, might actually become places to see.
To see through to God.
That that which tears open our souls, those holes that splatter our sight, may actually become the thin, open places to see through the mess of this place to the heart-aching beauty beyond. To Him. To the God whom we endlessly crave."
and this one:
"When we lay the soil of our hard lives open to the rain of grace and let joy penetrate our cracked and dry places, let joy soak into our broken skin and deep crevices, life grows. How can this not be the best thing for the world? For us? The clouds open when we mouth thanks."
the thread woven throughout her story is a dare from a friend to come up with 1,000 things she loves ... in other words, 1,000 blessings in her life ... 1,000 gifts from the Father.
i've decided to take on the challenge myself, beginning with gratitude for
1. precious letters delivered to my inbox from the girls of vintage CAKE
"And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Eph. 5:20).
with much love,
c
and can i just say, you need to put your laptop on the coffee table (or under the big leather armchair, if you're the smiths), grab your keys and head straight for the nearest bookstore to buy it.
or if you're K and amazon likes to send you things with free shipping, you can order it here.
do you ever read passages in books that articulate something you have felt so deep in your soul but would never have known how to put into words? that has been my experience with this book. take for instance this excerpt:
"I wonder if the rent in the canvas of our life backdrop, the losses that puncture our world, our own emptiness, might actually become places to see.
To see through to God.
That that which tears open our souls, those holes that splatter our sight, may actually become the thin, open places to see through the mess of this place to the heart-aching beauty beyond. To Him. To the God whom we endlessly crave."
and this one:
"When we lay the soil of our hard lives open to the rain of grace and let joy penetrate our cracked and dry places, let joy soak into our broken skin and deep crevices, life grows. How can this not be the best thing for the world? For us? The clouds open when we mouth thanks."
the thread woven throughout her story is a dare from a friend to come up with 1,000 things she loves ... in other words, 1,000 blessings in her life ... 1,000 gifts from the Father.
i've decided to take on the challenge myself, beginning with gratitude for
1. precious letters delivered to my inbox from the girls of vintage CAKE
"And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Eph. 5:20).
with much love,
c
Friday, January 21, 2011
So many clothes and nothing to wear!
You're going to have to indulge me for a minute. I have written a post about clothes.
And not just clothes, but the frustration of looking your closet and seeing lots of things and not a single cute, pleasant combination.
So, after book club last night (SO wish C & A were there!), E and I discussed how I feel about the current state of my closet. It's not about having MORE things, because I definitely don't need one more thing in my closet. Why is it hard to fork out a larger sum of money for something you really like than it is to shell out lots of little bills over and over and over?
E, being the expert encourager and voice of reason throughout the conversation, pointed out that spending a few extra dollars to have something tailored to fit you WELL is the best possible way to curate a collection of clothes that you love, that are perfect for you.
So, what is your go-to outfit for work? What would you add to your collection?
Thanks for the indulgence. :)
*Our next book is the Hunger Games by Susanne Collins. Yall read too, ok!?
And not just clothes, but the frustration of looking your closet and seeing lots of things and not a single cute, pleasant combination.
So, after book club last night (SO wish C & A were there!), E and I discussed how I feel about the current state of my closet. It's not about having MORE things, because I definitely don't need one more thing in my closet. Why is it hard to fork out a larger sum of money for something you really like than it is to shell out lots of little bills over and over and over?
E, being the expert encourager and voice of reason throughout the conversation, pointed out that spending a few extra dollars to have something tailored to fit you WELL is the best possible way to curate a collection of clothes that you love, that are perfect for you.
So, what is your go-to outfit for work? What would you add to your collection?
Thanks for the indulgence. :)
*Our next book is the Hunger Games by Susanne Collins. Yall read too, ok!?
Thursday, January 20, 2011
I Thought of It First!
So have you heard of the magazine Garden & Gun? My cousin Leigh and her husband John were telling me about it over Christmas. They said that they don't garden or hunt, but it is just a great Southern magazine. And then I had a friend up here tell me about just a few weeks ago, so I went to the website today.
It is a super cute website, and I saw an article named "Decorating with Maps." As you know, we have been collecting maps of all the places we have lived and framing them and displaying them on a single wall, so I figured I would read to see what the article had to say. Shock, awe, pride are just a few of the emotions I felt when I was reading this article and the author was talking about collecting maps of all the places she has lived and displaying them all together. I wanted to comment and say that we had done it first, but I figured it would be a tacky. :) However, if I could find her email address, I would email her a picture of our wall as an "example." On my blog post yesterday, I have a picture of said wall, so you can see it here. And you can read the article here.
Thanks for loving me even though I am prideful at times. :) And so thankful that our Father loves me even though I am full of sin and mess up every single day.
It is a super cute website, and I saw an article named "Decorating with Maps." As you know, we have been collecting maps of all the places we have lived and framing them and displaying them on a single wall, so I figured I would read to see what the article had to say. Shock, awe, pride are just a few of the emotions I felt when I was reading this article and the author was talking about collecting maps of all the places she has lived and displaying them all together. I wanted to comment and say that we had done it first, but I figured it would be a tacky. :) However, if I could find her email address, I would email her a picture of our wall as an "example." On my blog post yesterday, I have a picture of said wall, so you can see it here. And you can read the article here.
Thanks for loving me even though I am prideful at times. :) And so thankful that our Father loves me even though I am full of sin and mess up every single day.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
I made butter
Yes, I made butter. And you won't even believe how easy it is. I don't know why I've never tried it before. Here are the super simple steps. It is SO GOOD on freshly baked bread or waffles. We tried it on both!
Makes about a 1/2 cup.
Pour half (or whole, depending on how much you want) a container of heavy whipping cream into a glass or metal bowl. Beat with a mixer until the mixture starts to look like butter. This takes a while.... maybe 15 minutes. Once you can see the butter curds separating, you take all of the butter and wrap it in a cheesecloth. Squeeze the milk whey out of the butter until you are satisfied with the consistency. Serve on hot fresh bread!
So good, you guys. So good that I didn't feel bad about serving my husband chips and salsa for dinner last week!
Makes about a 1/2 cup.
Pour half (or whole, depending on how much you want) a container of heavy whipping cream into a glass or metal bowl. Beat with a mixer until the mixture starts to look like butter. This takes a while.... maybe 15 minutes. Once you can see the butter curds separating, you take all of the butter and wrap it in a cheesecloth. Squeeze the milk whey out of the butter until you are satisfied with the consistency. Serve on hot fresh bread!
So good, you guys. So good that I didn't feel bad about serving my husband chips and salsa for dinner last week!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
ADPi Slaw
During those long days of sorority rush, our mamma's provided this wonderful piece of refuge during lunch. It was there during every recruitment and will always be dear to my heart because of it. It quickly became a staple at the yearly tailgate with Ann's mom carrying the torch. I had never actually made it myself until Monday night when I made all sorts of tailgate foods for the National Championship, and boy was it good! There were no leftovers, and I have been craving it all week. Try this delicious recipe, and I promise you won't regret it. And this is from a girl who doesn't like coleslaw. :)
ADPi Slaw (or as the rest of the world calls it Asian Slaw)
- 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup vegetable oil
2 10-ounce packages angel hair coleslaw mix
8 green onions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 packages ramen noodles, uncooked and crushed
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the rice wine vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Then drizzle in the oil, whisking as you go, until it is well-incorporated. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw mix, onions, almonds, and broken ramen noodles. Drizzle with the dressing and toss until well-combined. Refrigerate until serving.
- Note: I did not toast the almonds and they tasted just fine. So if you are in a pinch for time, the toasting isn't necessary.
Monday, January 10, 2011
sometimes, i'm a bad wife
I just don't always do the right things.
Take dinner tonight, for example.
We had....
Tostitos Dipping Chip Strips with melted cheese dipped in Pace Mild Salsa mixed with sour cream
and I won't lie.... it was EXACTLY what I wanted. You should definitely try it immediately.
To make matters worse, we followed it up with Hershey's Chocolate Sour Cream Cake. Probably one of my favorite cake recipes. With ice cream.
Can't be beat.
Tomorrow, I resolve to be a better wife. We're going out to dinner! :)
NEXT WEEK, I'll really be better. We'll be having this.
PS I am loving The Civil Wars. Have you heard??
PSS On A's Behalf, I am cheering on the Auburn Tigers tonight!! Go Tigers!!!
Take dinner tonight, for example.
We had....
Tostitos Dipping Chip Strips with melted cheese dipped in Pace Mild Salsa mixed with sour cream
and I won't lie.... it was EXACTLY what I wanted. You should definitely try it immediately.
To make matters worse, we followed it up with Hershey's Chocolate Sour Cream Cake. Probably one of my favorite cake recipes. With ice cream.
Can't be beat.
Tomorrow, I resolve to be a better wife. We're going out to dinner! :)
NEXT WEEK, I'll really be better. We'll be having this.
PS I am loving The Civil Wars. Have you heard??
PSS On A's Behalf, I am cheering on the Auburn Tigers tonight!! Go Tigers!!!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Hyacinths
HAPPY 2011 CAKEs!
What a joy that we get new, fresh starts each year. I, for one, am excited to see what the next 359 days have in store. To me, a new year is like a huge pot of fertile soil awaiting seeds to be planted and nurtured.
I adore flowers, and one of my favorites (after hydrangeas and peonies) is a hyacinth. They have a rather peculiar shape, but for such a small flower, they have a powerful fragrance that can make a room such a happy place to be. Here's a picture of the hyacinth that begged me to buy it when I was supposed to be purchasing groceries...
And here's an interesting Greek myth, thanks to Wikipedia, surrounding the hyacinth (making our blog educational - it's the teacher in me :)) ---
Hyacinth as a beautiful youth loved by both the god Apollo and the West Wind, Zephyr. Apollo and Hyacinth took turns at throwing the discus. Hyacinth ran to catch it to impress Apollo, but he was struck by the discus as it fell to the ground, and died. A twist in the tale makes the wind god Zephyrus responsible for the death of Hyacinth. The youth's beauty caused a feud between Zephyrus and Apollo. Jealous that Hyacinth preferred the radiant archery god Apollo, Zephyrus blew Apollo's discus off course, so as to injure and kill Hyacinth. Apollo did not allow Hades to claim Hyacinth. Instead, Apollo made a flower, the hyacinth, from Hyacinth's spilled blood.
Praying the Lord richly blesses the seeds we plant in 2011. Let the fun begin!
Much love,
C
What a joy that we get new, fresh starts each year. I, for one, am excited to see what the next 359 days have in store. To me, a new year is like a huge pot of fertile soil awaiting seeds to be planted and nurtured.
I adore flowers, and one of my favorites (after hydrangeas and peonies) is a hyacinth. They have a rather peculiar shape, but for such a small flower, they have a powerful fragrance that can make a room such a happy place to be. Here's a picture of the hyacinth that begged me to buy it when I was supposed to be purchasing groceries...
And here's an interesting Greek myth, thanks to Wikipedia, surrounding the hyacinth (making our blog educational - it's the teacher in me :)) ---
Hyacinth as a beautiful youth loved by both the god Apollo and the West Wind, Zephyr. Apollo and Hyacinth took turns at throwing the discus. Hyacinth ran to catch it to impress Apollo, but he was struck by the discus as it fell to the ground, and died. A twist in the tale makes the wind god Zephyrus responsible for the death of Hyacinth. The youth's beauty caused a feud between Zephyrus and Apollo. Jealous that Hyacinth preferred the radiant archery god Apollo, Zephyrus blew Apollo's discus off course, so as to injure and kill Hyacinth. Apollo did not allow Hades to claim Hyacinth. Instead, Apollo made a flower, the hyacinth, from Hyacinth's spilled blood.
Praying the Lord richly blesses the seeds we plant in 2011. Let the fun begin!
Much love,
C
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Etsy
CAKES!
I hope you each had a fabulous Christmas and New Years! Mitch and I had quite the action packed Christmas, so it is nice to be back home and settled into our cozy little apartment once again. It is such a blessing from God that I now feel like this is our home and desire to be here over almost anywhere else. Praise the Lord!
Now on to what I really wanted to post about....ETSY! We all know it and love it, so I figured I would post a couple of my favorite shops.
1. Pixelimpress - this is the site where we got our Christmas and change of address cards (speaking of, I have a Christmas card for one C, but no address...can you please send it to me via email?)
2. Reshape Studio - thanks to one E my husband found me a wonderful Brooklyn ornament to put in my stocking and she is based in our lovely neighborhood.
3. Stella Bella Boutique - her necklaces are great and really reasonably priced...they make great gifts!
I am off to get a start on the day. Hope ya'll are getting back into the swing of things after a long vacation.
Love,
A
I hope you each had a fabulous Christmas and New Years! Mitch and I had quite the action packed Christmas, so it is nice to be back home and settled into our cozy little apartment once again. It is such a blessing from God that I now feel like this is our home and desire to be here over almost anywhere else. Praise the Lord!
Now on to what I really wanted to post about....ETSY! We all know it and love it, so I figured I would post a couple of my favorite shops.
1. Pixelimpress - this is the site where we got our Christmas and change of address cards (speaking of, I have a Christmas card for one C, but no address...can you please send it to me via email?)
2. Reshape Studio - thanks to one E my husband found me a wonderful Brooklyn ornament to put in my stocking and she is based in our lovely neighborhood.
3. Stella Bella Boutique - her necklaces are great and really reasonably priced...they make great gifts!
I am off to get a start on the day. Hope ya'll are getting back into the swing of things after a long vacation.
Love,
A
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Wrapping up 2010... hello 2011!!
Happy New Year, CAKEs!!!
Hard to believe that 2010 is over... some good, some sad, some hard, some happy days! I, for one, am missing our few days in NYC. Brunch in Brooklyn on Sunday, anyone?
So, my big chance to complete my December goals is done. How did I do? Ok, I'll tell you.
1. Order and send out Christmas Cards. (CHECK.... I liked them a lot too!)
2. Make at least one meal for someone else. (CHECK... thank you, Expectant Parent Ministry!)
3. Sing at least one Christmas carol together. (CHECK.... bible study christmas party, Lessons & Carols, and not one, but TWO Christmas Eve services)
4. Go to Starbucks and get a salted caramel hot chocolate! (BIG FAT FAIL. Went to Starbucks multiple times in December and failed, still. Ok, well there's always January!)
5. Make an ornament for our tree to remember 2010. (CHECK!! Thank you to the lovely C, I did not have to make anything :)
6. Bake a batch of Christmas cookies. (CHECK, CHECK, and CHECK. Two were good, one was bad. Here is a new recipe I tried that I liked)
7. Write down the things that God taught us in 2010. (CHECK, sort of. This happened in 2011, yesterday in fact. How much He has taught us. How much we have to learn!)
So, all in all, my December goals went pretty well. One goal I should go ahead and write down for 2011 would be to get my Christmas shopping early. Going to the mall on Christmas Eve certainly has to be close to what life in you-know-where must be like.
So, welcome January 2011! I hope you bring big things. And I have big plans for you!
January 2011 Goals:
1. Be more positive about work. Take this a day at a time.
2. Host Book Club.
3. Sign up for at least one creative class (maybe pottery, calligraphy, or letterpress).
4. Plan meals each week.
5. Don't buy junk! Think through purchases more thoroughly and decide if they are worth it. Example, buying plane ticket to NYC=excellent impulse purchase; buying ugly green shirt that was on sale to get home and see a hole=bad bad purchase.
6. Stay consistent on doing bible study daily. (Ok, this one has to start today, otherwise I will be starting at fail level).
7. Try at least one new recipe. Preferably out of my new cookbook!
Happy 2011. I hope this year will bring many wonderful things.... the least of which being a new blog from each of you favorite friends!!
Much love,
K
Hard to believe that 2010 is over... some good, some sad, some hard, some happy days! I, for one, am missing our few days in NYC. Brunch in Brooklyn on Sunday, anyone?
So, my big chance to complete my December goals is done. How did I do? Ok, I'll tell you.
1. Order and send out Christmas Cards. (CHECK.... I liked them a lot too!)
2. Make at least one meal for someone else. (CHECK... thank you, Expectant Parent Ministry!)
3. Sing at least one Christmas carol together. (CHECK.... bible study christmas party, Lessons & Carols, and not one, but TWO Christmas Eve services)
4. Go to Starbucks and get a salted caramel hot chocolate! (BIG FAT FAIL. Went to Starbucks multiple times in December and failed, still. Ok, well there's always January!)
5. Make an ornament for our tree to remember 2010. (CHECK!! Thank you to the lovely C, I did not have to make anything :)
6. Bake a batch of Christmas cookies. (CHECK, CHECK, and CHECK. Two were good, one was bad. Here is a new recipe I tried that I liked)
7. Write down the things that God taught us in 2010. (CHECK, sort of. This happened in 2011, yesterday in fact. How much He has taught us. How much we have to learn!)
So, all in all, my December goals went pretty well. One goal I should go ahead and write down for 2011 would be to get my Christmas shopping early. Going to the mall on Christmas Eve certainly has to be close to what life in you-know-where must be like.
So, welcome January 2011! I hope you bring big things. And I have big plans for you!
January 2011 Goals:
1. Be more positive about work. Take this a day at a time.
2. Host Book Club.
3. Sign up for at least one creative class (maybe pottery, calligraphy, or letterpress).
4. Plan meals each week.
5. Don't buy junk! Think through purchases more thoroughly and decide if they are worth it. Example, buying plane ticket to NYC=excellent impulse purchase; buying ugly green shirt that was on sale to get home and see a hole=bad bad purchase.
6. Stay consistent on doing bible study daily. (Ok, this one has to start today, otherwise I will be starting at fail level).
7. Try at least one new recipe. Preferably out of my new cookbook!
Happy 2011. I hope this year will bring many wonderful things.... the least of which being a new blog from each of you favorite friends!!
Much love,
K
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