Refocus
Yesterday I was able to spend a few hours by myself in a new environment on a little vacation. Usually in these situations I get really distracted by my phone, something back at home, or flooded with the list of to do’s… I can never fully enjoy where I am because my mind is in a completely different place. Which is a little selfish. If I am so stuck in my own world that I can’t see beyond my own two feet, where is that going to get me. But yesterday I feel like I was able to take it all in. Just be. Be present. Be engaged. And don’t just coast, but live.
If I had been distracted by my own life yesterday I may have missed out on the interesting and unique culture I was visiting. The people, the restaurants, the sights, the architecture, and the history. People didn’t all just arrive and become who they are in their own worlds. There is a history, a story, and a personality to each culture. It is an amazing experience to open your eyes and take it all in.
I could focus on the idea that rushes into my brain that I accomplished nothing at all yesterday. Which may be partly true, but in that moment, it doesn’t have to matter. I was able to be me. I was able to enjoy some time alone. I am the kind of person that doesn’t do nothing often. And I for sure do not do it well. When I have those few hours, I feel a little guilty. But I am not being useless. I need to be thankful for those moments and be refreshed. Life isn’t about just rushing around doing as much as possible in a short amount of time. …
Read MoreTrader Joe’s Yummies
On Saturday, we will be heading out with our loaded moving truck to move to our new home! Trader Joe’s is a 6 minute drive from our new place! This was one of the first places I checked once we received our placement and will be one of our first stops once settled in. I love Trader Joe’s, and after living out of the country without it, I love it even more! I feel like I fill my basket to the brim and am always so surprised with the affordability of the groceries! Here are a few of my favorites…
Breakfast: Rolled Oats
You wouldn’t think that a brand or style of oats would make that much of a difference, but it really does! And the rolled oats from TJ’s are definitely my favorite!
Cereal: Puffins
Great with milk or to just toss in a bag for a snack while you are out!
The Healthy Snack: Organic Apple Strawberry Fruit Wrap
An easy on-the-go snack to throw in your purse!
The Somewhat Healthy Snack: Peanut Butter Pretzels
These are delish, but be careful, it is very easy to eat too many (or half the bag)!
The Healthier Chip: Flaxseed Chips
A crunchy chip with a healthy twist!
The Side: Farro
Takes 10 minutes to make and has a variety of uses! Make as a side for Mediterranean or Mexican, or use it as your base for a salad
The Peanut Butter: Creamy Salted Peanut Butter from unblanched peanuts
My all-time favorite peanut butter! Made from roasted peanuts and salt, no added sugar, and delicious on anything and everything!
The Patty: Masala Burgers
A vegetarian patty with Indian spices!
The Dangerous Dessert: Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds with Sea Salt and Turbinado Sugar
If you have not tried these, you should stop …
Read MoreSplash of Summer Creamy Chicken Salad with Blueberries
We have had a stretch of long hot days. Preparing dinner can be a challenge when you do not want to heat up your house anymore than necessary. I created this salad a few days ago and it was delicious. If you are not a curry fan, just use another seasoning like tarragon or basil on your chicken as you sauté it and follow the rest of the recipe as is. I love curry and it is so good for you (full of Tumeric) so give this salad a try. It is healthy and light and a wonderful summer salad.
Ingredients
½ cup thinly sliced red onion
1/3 cup diced celery
¼ cup torn fresh basil
4 cups washed and torn spinach leaves
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh small tomatoes
½ cup diced cucumber
1 avocado diced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic smashed
2 chicken breasts
1-2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Dressing
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup plain greek yogurt
1-2 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Wash and cut up all vegetables and blueberries and place into a salad bowl.
Heat oil in small pan and add garlic, curry powder, salt and pepper and stir until garlic is soft. Cut chicken breasts in half length-wise, add to oil and sauté in the garlic curry oil until cooked through. Shred chicken or cut into bite-sized pieces.
While chicken cools a bit, mix yogurt, lemon juice balsamic vinegar and honey. Stir and adjust to taste. Toss chicken into salad and pour dressing over all. Toss to coat vegetables, blueberries and chicken. Serve with crusty French bread or crispy crackers.
Have you tried a new yummy salad this summer?
…
Read More“You’ve Got Mail”
One of my favorite things to do is make and send hand-made or handwritten letters and cards. Ellie had developed a recent interest in mail and art, and I couldn’t be happier. We have had a blast the last few days making and sending cards to Ellie and Hanna’s friends.
Cultivate an interest:
We just happen to be reading books and watching shows about mail recently. I’ve received great advice from friends about learning at this early preschool age and that it should come naturally from play related activities. Because Ellie became interested in mail all on her own, this activity has been really fun for her.
Book we read: “I Miss You Every Day” by Simms Tabak
Show we watched: Elmo’s World “Mail”
Gather supplies:
Essential supplies are paper, crayons or markers, envelopes, and stamps. We had a lot of fun with stickers too.
Create a space:
Create a fun space that you can comfortably create your art. We tried a small table and also the dining room table.
Make your cards:
Let your kids be the artist. I only helped with writing names and the stickers.
Prepare the envelopes:
I briefly talked to Ellie about how to address the envelope. I said that her name goes on it because it is from her and then you write your friend’s name on it so the mail person knows where to send it.
The big thing Ellie was into (from Elmo and the book) was the stamps. I helped Ellie place the stamp on the envelop in the appropriate space.
Mail your letter:
We had a blast walking to the mailbox, but you can even go on a field trip to the post office to mail your letters. I prefer activities that don’t require a lot of in and out …
Read MoreBeing Present
Do you ever feel bored? Do you feel like you are going through the motions? Do you feel stuck? Sometimes life can get very mundane or very routine. With these moments come feelings of monotony or lack of excitement. But what causes that emotion? I have a feeling we really aren’t bored… There is probably a number of things that you could spend your time doing. I am not sure what bored actually means. I think we just fall into a mode of not taking advantage of living in the moment. There’s plenty to do if you actually think about it. (Or we can give you some ideas, look to previous posts from this week) It is just the mindset and perspective about being right where you are.
So my encouragement for all of us this week is to be present. Be here and now to take advantage of this moment. Be present physically. Be present emotionally. Be present spiritually. Open your eyes to see bigger and see broader. Open your mind to think beyond. Open your heart to love a little deeper.
Put away the distractions that so easily take away from the ability to be present. Whether it is the phone, tv, a to do list, or an agenda, put it to the side for a little bit. Allow yourself to be.
Live for today. Don’t live in the past or the future. Don’t be held back by something in your past. Don’t only look forward to tomorrow because you think it may be better than today. For today, you have today, so make the most of it.
Be blessed by what you have. Don’t focus on the things you don’t have. Be content right where you are. Be blessed in the task at hand and make the …
Read MoreHow to make a “Bored” Board
How to beat summer boredom in kids is a common theme in many homes. It is not that the children are ready for summer to be over but the reality of school starting is just a bit too far away and the novelty of the freedom from structure has worn off.
Yesterday, Kerry wrote about boredom and gave you many ideas of things to do to break the “I’m Bored” mentality. Today, I am going to give you one more creative idea: how to make a Bored Board.
Here are the supplies you need:
One large frame-I bought a 16×24 inch frame (with a hard back and no glass) on the clearance shelf at Marshalls for $7.
1 bottle of chalkboard paint (any color but darker is better)
paint brush or sponge brush
chalkboard pens
I painted the hard purple back of my frame but if you buy a frame with glass you can either paint the glass or take the glass out and paint the back of the frame (or cover the back of the frame with poster board and paint the poster board).
Paint one coat and let it dry completely. Decide if you need to paint a second coat.
Once your board is dry, you can start writing your list and hang it in a place where the kids can see it and add to it as they come up with new ideas and erase the ones you have accomplished. Here are the chalkboard pens we use. They come is all colors and cost about $3.50.
This style of “Bored Board” is just one idea that might be fun for you to try. 
The possibilities are endless and you can use anything from a piece of blank paper that you laminate, scrapbooking paper that …
I’m Bored….
Summer is always one of my favorite times of year. Sunshine, long days, a house full of laughter and non-stop activities. Although we usually had a less structured schedule during the summer months, we did have a constant flurry of sports practices and other commitments with four busy daughters but the underlying feeling was one of excited contentment. When my kids were young, summer was a time for freedom, adventure and all kinds of new experiences. Being “bored” was not an option.
Boredom is defined as the condition of being bored-tired or wearied by dullness, tedium or unwelcome repetition. In our culture, instant gratification is an expectation. We have so many ways to satisfy that need for constant stimulation because most people have a smart phone, computer, tablet, radio, or television easily accessible. But these technologies, although wonderful in many ways are a cheap substitution for real life experiences. Summer is the perfect time to learn how to use other modalities for acquiring new skills, obtaining further knowledge and discovering your hidden talents.
This summer, when the kids say, “I’m BOOOOORED!” get out a piece of paper and spend time together brainstorming and writing down all the fun things you could possibly do together before school starts back up in the fall. Use those wonderful computers, smart phones and tablets to search the web for options. The sky is the limit.
Here is a list of ideas that might help you get started:
Call your local Parks and Recreation department to find out about all the classes they offer.
Join a community pool.
Sign up for tennis lessons.
Join a local sports team or a Community Recreation league.
Vacation bible school-attend or serve at your local church.
Do “Fix-it” projects around the house together.
Check out your local library for …
Sponge Ball Water Play
My first encounter with a Sponge Ball was at a splash pad. A mom and her son had brought them as a fun toy to play with in the water. They were so cool because they are made out of sponges and create fun effect when you squeeze them or throw them. Furthermore, because they are just sponges, they are soft and I don’t have to worry too much about the kids throwing them around.
I have been meaning to make them every since I first saw them, but life happened and I never got around to it. I went on Pinterest to remind myself how to make them. If you search “sponge balls” you will come across a variety of posts and activities, or you can just use my suggestions!
Materials Needed: Sponges, scissors, and hair bands
Actually, the hardest part for me was finding sponges without the hard scrubbing side. You want the soft colored sponges. I was only able to find wavy sponges at Walmart, but that just meant I had some fun wavy pieces in the sponge balls.
A three pack of sponges will make 1 ball. So buy according to how many sponge balls you want to make.
Any type of hair rubber band will do. I used goody brand “ouchless” hair bands because I had them at my house and they don’t have the metal part that some hair bands have.
What to do:
My sponges came in a pack of 3. New sponges come slightly damp so it is easy to cut them and assemble the sponge balls. I cut each sponge into 4 equal strips. Then I bunched the strips together (all 12 of them) and tied the rubber band tightly around the bunch.
DONE!
Have some fun:
Take your sponge …
Read MoreBlue Apron: Get a Meal on your Doorstep
Are you in a cooking rut?? Do you need something out of the ordinary to switch things up? Well I have a recommendation for you to try. The website is called Blue Apron and they send you all the perfect ingredients to create a great meal! And you get to cook the meal which makes it pretty fun! All you have to do is read the recipe, do a little chopping, dicing, and zesting, and follow the steps and voila’, you have a great meal!
Details:
- Costs $10 per person per meal (But right now you can get two deliveries free)
- Original Recipes that take avg 35 minutes
- Fresh Ingredients
- Flexible Meal Plans
- Convenient: Delivered Right to your door
Sounds pretty cool right?
We got our box last week and have had so much fun trying the recipes. We received an asian lettuce wrap with rice recipe, Dukkah dusted Tilapia with eggplant sofrito recipe, and a Roasted Poblano and Quinoa Sopes Recipe. They are all things that I hadn’t had the courage to try before, but with a few simple steps and the exact ingredients, it made it less overwhelming. And it was fun!
It probably isn’t something worth while if you are looking to try a new meal on a tight budget, but if you are willing to do something out of the box, and receive a box meal, it’s worth a try. Here are some pics I snapped while enjoying the awesome experience.
What new cooking/baking/ or experience have you tried in the kitchen recently?
…
Satisfied
What does is mean to be truly satisfied? The definition of the word satisfy used as a verb is to fulfill the desires, expectations, needs or demands of a person or to put an end to a desire, want or need by sufficient provision. Some of the synonyms for the word satisfy are gratify, pacify, appease and please.
How are we satisfied? What brings satisfaction…..? For some people it might be when their relationships with family and friends are going well and they do not have conflict. For others it may be when their “To Do” list is completed. Still others to be “satisfied” may be when they feel they are making a contribution to society. Satisfaction comes when our hopes or our expectations are met by people, or circumstances that we can control or events that occur in our lives that we have no control over. Often times we think of satisfaction only in terms of the fulfillment of our material wants and needs. In our culture of consumerism and materialism we get off track easily. Every where we turn there is an opportunity to to be discontent because the goal of media marketing is to makes us believe there is “more and better” of everything we could possibly need or want.
A few months ago, my husband and I read a book with a few friends called “Satisfied-Discovering Contentment in a World of Consumption” written by Jeff Manion.
There was a workbook that went along with this book that had some challenging tasks for us to do, to help us begin a journey towards contentment and generosity. One week we had to count all the shirts and shoes in our closet. One week we were asked to write all the blessings we could think of that we …
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