Get Out & Get Refreshed
Are you bored by your schedule and routine? Are you in a rut? Sometimes all you need is to get outside or get out of your routine to get a little refreshment! Here are five fun (maybe NEW) ideas to do just that:
1. Try a New Activity with friends
A few friends and I have recently been planning to attend a “Paint Nite.” There are paint studios all over where you go and get a step-by-step process to all paint the same picture (and it usually includes wine which is a bonus for many!). We are really excited to go be crafty, spend some quality time together, and try something new – and we get a canvas painting out of it, too! Rachel recently tried the “Ladies Night Out” at her local rock climbing gym with friends! There are so many fun, inexpensive ways to find refreshment.
“Learning something new is a fabulous way to be refreshed. When work can grind you down, something about learning a new activity thrills the soul. It reminds you that the world is bigger than your desk and your to-do list.” John Ortberg
2. Go on a date somewhere you have never been!
Try that new restaurant you have always been wanting to go to; Find a local, free activity; Go somewhere in the city you have never been; go to a movie in the park; find a yoga event in the park; go to a new exercise class with your spouse or find a video online (try YouTube!)
3. Go on a walk, run, hike or bike ride; Go to a new park with your kids
Spring is here which means the sun is shining (at least down in So Cal :D)! It can be so refreshing to just enjoy the …
Read MoreOn Being Brave
Who is the first person that comes to your mind when you think about BEING BRAVE?
When I was young, I remember learning about Amelia Earhart and how she was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean-I thought she was BRAVE. In my young adulthood I heard the true story about how my husband’s grandfather had an opportunity in the 1920’s to become a wealthy man and hold a high official position in the Turkish government if he was willing to deny his faith in Christ. He was BRAVE and would NOT deny his faith in Christ and therefore was to be put to death by execution. But God had a different plan for his life and a greater purpose for his future and miraculously his life was spared. He was BRAVE! Ten years ago when my husband received the news that he had cancer, we all had to be BRAVE!!! Every step of the way, through all the decisions we had to make and every year since, when he gets his check-up he has to continue to be BRAVE. Many people have ongoing trials in their life that require them to be BRAVE-infertility, cancer, loss of loved ones, wayward children, aging parents, chronic illness….the list goes on and on….so the question I ask of myself and I want to ask of you is…When have I been BRAVE?
This weekend, I attended a women’s conference called Be You Be Brave. 
I was completely refreshed and encouraged to take a deeper look at my life and to pay more attention to the opportunities that come up in my life where I can be BRAVE. There was an ongoing theme that God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. He can and will give us the …
Set Intentions–Find Refreshment
Our theme for this month is REFRESH.
Refresh can be defined as to provide new vigor and energy by rest, food, etc.
Here are two tips to find refreshment in your daily routine:
1. End each day with gratefulness.
We are using and amazing gratitude journal that is so helpful for journaling each day and it is filled with inspiring quotes! Take time to reflect on things you are grateful for and find refreshment in each blessing.
2. Set intentions for the next day
It is so important to be intentional about the way we spend our time. When we set intentions for our day we are more likely to follow through with our plans and find pockets of time to get things done. “Start each day with intention: make a simple plan and then follow through with it.” -Crystal Paine, author of “Choose Gratitude: Blessings Journal”
I know it is so easy to get lost in the business of the day, but when I have intentions or small goals it keeps me focused when I find a pocket of time. Ending each day with gratefulness also helps me to reflect on how I am spending my time. If I didn’t get to something on my list because I was living in the moment spending time with my kids, I don’t see that as something that got in the way of my plans. Instead, I can be grateful for that time and see the blessing of time spent with my children.
Be intentional about fitting these two tasks into your routine and see how your life is changed.
I love this paragraph by Crystal Paine in the introduction of her journal. She writes, “No matter what season of life you’re in or what burdens you’re carrying, there is always, always, …
Read MoreRefreshed Perspective
A few weeks ago, I heard a talk on “Start with Why”. Since then, the “start with why” perspective has come up in my job, relationships, church, and mentoring. It seems like everywhere I turn I am reminded to think back to that talk. That reminded me to dig down deep, to dig around, and discover what drives me. What is the reason I do what I do? Who am I? What makes me tick? The why of life communicates from the inside out. So what is going on in the inside is the most important piece. The why to life gives context and meaning behind actions. It isn’t just what you do, but the reason behind why you do it. It is the emotions, the reasoning, the authenticity lived out.
Without knowing the why of what we do and who we are, we can feel like we are walking around aimlessly. We don’t have clarity in our vision, in who we are, or our actions. We feel insecure and doubt ourself. We make halfhearted decisions. The why is unknown. So the how and the what remain unclear. Or if the how and the what are clear, it can feel lukewarm if its not based on deep conviction or an understanding of the why. The why brings trust and consistency to decisions.
The crazy part is there are actually chemicals in your brain that affect decision making and motivation behind your actions. Decision making happens not in your logical part of your brain, but your limbic part of your brain. The limbic part of your brain is the survival, the emotions and feelings. So decisions are made with emotion, not just the formulas and strategies. So the right side of your brain and decisions need to be tied to the …
Read MoreBirthday Cupcake Cones
First of all…
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RACH!!
I hope your day is as AMAZING as YOU ARE!!
We love celebrating! And, celebrating can be refreshing – it is the opportunity to stop all the busyness of life and focus on somebody else! This weekend, our family got to put our focus on THREE “somebody elses” celebrating Calvin, Hanna, and Rachel’s birthdays all in one day!
Jess decided to try something new and fun for the party. Instead of just making cupcakes for the kids, she made Cone Cupcakes – literally making cupcakes that go in a cake cone. The kids thought this was so fun – they are easier to hold and easier to actually get the cake into their little mouths! The directions were on the box of the cake cones but were not descriptive at all. So, after we did a little research, Jess decided to give it a try!
Here is the How-to…
1. Follow the directions on the cake box to make the cupcake batter (Funfetti is our favorite and #1 choice :D)
2. Cover a muffin tin with a piece of foil so that you can tuck it over the edges. Poke a small hole in the foil in each of the centers of the muffin spots. Widen the holes so that the tube of the cake cone can fit into it so that they will not tip over.
3. Place the cones in the holes. Fill the cones with the batter in the tube and halfway into the upper section of the cone. Do not fill too much or the cake will spill out of the cone while baking.
4. Bake at 350º for 20-30 minutes. Check at 20 minutes and place a toothpick in the center of the cake to see if it is …
Read MoreRanger Cookies Refreshed and Revitalized
Growing up in a family of excellent cooks was fun and there was always some party or family gathering which required menu planning and food preparation. I often times volunteered to be in charge of the baking because I had learned how to bake at a young age and it was something I could do on my own.
Ranger Cookies were one of my favorite cookies to bake. 
Ingredients
1 cup coconut oil (original recipe calls for 1 cup shortening)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups oats
2 cups crushed Kashi sprouted Grains cereal (original recipe calls for Wheaties)
1 cup coconut
Cream coconut oil and sugars, in kitchenaide or with hand mixer.
Add eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly.
Add vanilla and stir well.
Sift dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Add oats, crushed Kashi cereal and coconut and mix well.
Drop by spoonfuls (2 inch cookie scoop) onto greased cookie sheet.
Press down with hand or with glass dipped in sugar.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.
These cookies freeze well. Makes 40 cookies
These Ranger Cookies pack a delicious crispy goodness with a satisfying coconut surprise crunch. The cookies freeze well and stay fresh for days in an airtight container. They travel well and are a perfect cookie to send in a care package. Today I refreshed the old favorite by substituting coconut oil for shortening and Kashi Sprouted Grains Cereal for the Wheaties in the original recipe.
Since the original recipe is one of our extended family’s all time favorites it was featured in the original Baby Bear Stew Family Heritage Cookbook. (featured in our December Passion Perspective …
Giveaway Winner and Passion Perspective Week Refresher
AND THE WINNER IS………Kristin Rubow
If you missed any of our posts this week we would love you to go back and read them and you will be truly blessed.
MONDAY: It was our privilege to feature Rhonda and Cara this week on our Passion Perspective. Check out this first post as we introduce you, our readers, to two fantastic women who have dedicated their hearts and lives to bringing blessings to others through their business, Forever Vintage Rentals
https://www.growingweisser.com/2015/02/23/passion-perspective-getting-to-know-forever-vintage-rentals/
TUESDAY: Read Tuesday’s post about the success they are having in their business which comes from their true passion…”We are passionate about weddings. We love all things vintage. But even more, it does our heart’s SO good to invest into the lives of each of our brides. We are blessed to be able to live out our passion and be a part in creating the day of their dreams.”
https://www.growingweisser.com/2015/02/24/passion-perspective-interview-rhonda-and-cara/
WEDNESDAY: Check out the Wednesday blog post where we spent time asking them some of the ins and outs of their business and the challenges and triumphs they have experienced along the way……”Our greatest challenge has been to keep our commitment of remaining debt free in the process of building a business.” https://www.growingweisser.com/2015/02/25/passionperspective-interview-day-2-forever-vintage-rentals/
THURSDAY: This post is a must read with stunningly beautify pictures from Bethany and Bekah’s weddings. Our family had the joy of being spoiled by Forever Vintage Rentals.
https://www.growingweisser.com/2015/02/26/forever-vintage-rentals-blessings-for-our-family/
Find Forever Vintage Rentals here…
Website: http://www.forevervintagerentals.com
Contact Page: http://www.forevervintagerentals.com/contact-forever-vintage-rentals/
Give Us a Ring: 916-720-9123
Facebook: Forever Vintage Rentals https://www.facebook.com/pages/Forever-Vintage-Rentals/
Instagram: ForeverVintageRentals
Twitter: @fvrentals
Pinterest: Forever Vintage Rentals
Thank you so much for joining us in our journey of sharing the Passion Perspective of Rhonda and Cara and their business, Forever Vintage Rentals.
…
Forever Vintage Rentals-Blessings for our Family
A wedding is one of the most treasured days of life. The day is filled with love, cherished people, celebration, joy, laughter, and promise. Not only are there family, friends, and people enjoying the wedding, but there are a number of people behind the scenes. There are always countless people involved in the planning, the preparation, and the logistics. There are vendors, caterers, planners, decoraters, djs, and the list could go on and on. Two of our family weddings had the blessing of having close family friends help either the venue, decorations, coordination, or the photography. And not only were they a joy to work with (which I am sure you have already read about how wonderful they are), they sure do know how to decorate and throw a party! They did an amazing job with each of the weddings unique taste and flavor. And both of the days exceeded our expectations.
Bethany shared, “I was never one of those little girls that dreamed about the details of my wedding or planned it all out in my head, but if I had been, I could not have imagined a more beautiful wedding than what I experienced, thanks to Rhonda and Cara and Forever Vintage Rentals. Even though I already knew them as family friends, they took the time to get to know me and Mike, our relationship, and what we pictured for our wedding day. They didn’t miss a detail. From the tables, to the decor, to the head table, to the food presentation, to the character of the wedding, it was all perfect. I got endless compliments of how wonderful my wedding was. And not just for the food, or the people, but for the atmosphere. People loved the decorations, the beautiful pieces placed all around the property, the …
Read MorePassion Perspective Interview Day 2-Forever Vintage Rentals
As you have seen from the past two days posts, Rhonda and Cara have created a very special business. We continued their interview with more specific questions about their hopes for the future and what they have learned along the way as they have worked together to establish Forever Vintage Rentals.
We asked them…..
What are your long-term goals and dreams?
“Continue to follow wherever the Lord may lead. He has opened so many doors and allowed for opportunities we would have never dreamed possible thus far.”
How has your inventory changed and expanded?
“Every day brings something new… literally:). One of our favorite pastimes is shopping for the business. We are constantly scouting new finds that will suit our brides and the latest trends. We are currently building another FVR storage barn and it will be full in no time at all.”
They have wonderful decorative pieces that they stage for their clients on the vintage pieces of furniture. They love to help brides create their own personal theme with accent pieces.
How do you promote your business?
“We have found social media and our website to be most effective. Rhonda is diligent about keeping FVR active on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. In addition, we have been featured in highly acclaimed national wedding blogs such as Style Me Pretty, Green Wedding Shoes, Ruffled and many others. The blogs are probably our best form of advertisement because of the fact that they are earned rather than purchased, they speak volumes to our clientele.”
What are the next steps for your business?
“Continue to supply for the unique vision of each of our brides and current trends within the industry.”
What marketing mistakes have you made?
“We have tried advertising in Wedding Magazines; to our knowledge it has not been …
Passion Perspective Interview- Forever Vintage Rentals
Today we will take you on the journey of Forever Vintage Rentals…..
We asked Rhonda and Cara a series of questions about their original passion…..
How did Forever Vintage Rentals developed into a business?.
“We are passionate about weddings. We love all things vintage. But even more, it does our heart’s SO good to invest into the lives of each of our brides. We are blessed to be able to live out our passion and be a part in creating the day of their dreams.”
How and when did this passion begin?
“The summer of 2011. We decorated Rhonda’s daughters wedding with vintage items from our homes. Vintage doors, windows, bottles, suitcases and anything else we could find. Cara’s daughter owns a wedding planning business in San Diego. She was planning her own wedding in 2012 and had a vision for farm tables, mismatch china, chandeliers, ladders, hutches and buffets surrounded by architectural pieces from the past. She convinced her dad & uncle to build farm tables for her wedding and promised that she would have them rented if we would start a rental business. At the time, she was in close contact with First Vintage Rental Company in So Cal. She was relentless in persuading us to set the trend for Nor Cal; hence Forever Vintage was born.”
What steps did you take to make it a reality?
“Within a month we had decided to do just that. We decided on a few potential names and put it up for a family vote. Rhonda went to work shooting pictures of everything we could possibly find to start our inventory. Our website was designed and we continued purchasing. Farm Tables were built… and rented within a month.” 
What sets Forever Vintage Rentals apart from other wedding rental companies?…