Run with your heart.... A Vacation Race review and giveaway

Ahhh Blogosphere!

    It has been a while since I have been here! Life happens. Children are born, children grow, lives change. Our interests and passions grow in different directions. Its been a few years since I stepped away from my corner on the web. Where have I been? On the run... literally! What began as a distraction, a daily exercise routine has turned into a real life passion. I'm officially half 13.1 crazy!

    In the past few years I have managed to come to a place of overall health and well being. No longer overweight, no longer dependent on glucose medication, or anxiety pills... I owe it all to plain and simple asphalt therapy. How? While on a summer get away to my favorite place on earth I witnessed the runners of the inaugural Yellowstone half marathon completing their journey! I had to know more. I had to participate. I waited patiently until the following years registration opened and tentatively trained for the race that would change my life! The race that would inspire me to help others obtain their goals and dreams.

    The Yellowstone half marathon will change you in ways you did not think possible. You will find what you are made of. The Yellowstone half marathon became my Everest and I will return for a fourth time this year to conquer her once again! Each year I have returned to the beauty and serenity of the Custer Gallatin National Forest a little stronger, a little faster and with eager anticipation for a new experience with an old friend! In 2017 I participated as a pacer.

    Vacation Races have become a part of my life, of my family traditions. The opportunity to get away with family, to create memories, to run a race in a place on the planet few can say they have is indeed a privilege. I recently completed the inaugural Joshua Tree half marathon. The experience was otherwordly!

    The Yellowstone half marathon takes place in the town of West Yellowstone Montana. The race is held outside of the park mostly on a packed trail. You will cross the South Fork of the Madison River as you begin your wild adventure and then again run alongside the river for a stretch in the later miles. A literal "Over the river and through the woods" Do not let the fact that it is not inside the park dissuade your decision to participate! The views and scenery of this course will stay with you forever! You might even see some of the native wildlife!

    This course can be difficult and has been referred to as a trail run due to some technical sections. I have participated in this race in the rain, sun and snow. Last year as we lined up with excitement for the 5k (which is held the night prior to the half marathon) the rain was unrelenting! Spirits remained high! We knew we were a part of something special! This family friendly race ended up being a riot! Not a single frown could be seen at the finish line. Muddy soggy finishers lined up for enthusiastic photos eager for the morning run!

    One of the most awesome aspects of the Yellowstone half is the opportunity to get some real sight seeing and time in two national parks!  Vacation Races have created a series centered around Grand Teton and Yellowstone. By participating in the Caldera Triple you get entry into the Grand Teton half June 2nd, the Yellowstone 5k June 8th and the Yellowstone half June the 9th. Totaling a impressive 29.3 miles! There are also double races you can receive some fantastic bling and notoriety for! Clubs and Trifecta will complete your trip as well.

   Why am I stepping back into blog land and sharing my experience with you? As a newly minted Vacation Races ambassador....touting your love for a race series does pay off! I want you to have the same experience that I have. I want you to plan a trip with your family. I want you to escape! I want you to live! Come away to the forest! Beginner and intermediate training start soon! Active at Altitude has teamed up with Vacation races to provide you course specific training plans. Come see what a Vacation Race is all about! Early Bird pricing ends today so....

I will be giving away one free race entry into the race of your dreams!


 

 
    This is your year! Don't miss out! Enter below for your chance to run this unique and breathtaking race! Feel free to ask any questions about your stay in West Yellowstone! I am very familiar with the area! See you June 9th and good luck!


 


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DIY Money Tree! For those hard to shop for! A post from the archives!

We all have a few of them on our lists!

   You know! Those hard to shop for friends and family! For me it is a handful of teen and pre teens! My daughter and I shopped aimlessly with little luck! I finally surmised that we could just get them a gift card or money.... Money is the ultimate gift after all. Your recipient is free to do as he or she pleases, but it has always felt a little impersonal to me! I give you the Christmas money tree!

Start with two pieces of felt. Trace a tree pattern, cut and either sew or glue them together with hot glue. Leave about a half inch border and a hole for stuffing the tree at the bottom! Next stuff your tree! Do not be afraid to get into the corners.

I used a small dowel cut into equal pieces for the trunk! To create the candy cane striping, paint first your base color. Then when dry apply painters tape in a spiral around the dowel and paint your secondary color! Once you remove the tape touch up and even out where necessary! These blocks that I used for the base were only .30 at Hobby Lobby! I painted a primary color then topped it with ivory and sanded the edges for that unique look! Once your base is completed use a cute piece of scrapbook paper to cover the top!

So Cute, Easy and Affordable!

Assemble by closing the opening to the tree around the dowel! Use a small amount of hot glue to attach the trunk to the base! Decorate!

Use ornaments that reflect the personality of the intended recipient!

 I found tiny clothespins at Wal Mart. Use them to attach money or gift cards! Have fun! 

          What are you working on?

"Turkey for you and turkey for me!"

I have a dilemma!

    This years turkey will be the third or fourth turkey we have prepared. We have tried a few different methods. Last year with a medical grade serum bag.... (Yikes! Um, what? From the hubs work! Insert image of "Frankenturkey". Anyway, they actually make fantastic bags for brining, and of course.. Thank goodness! Medical purposes!) We brined for the first time. Delicious moist and flavorful! Really splendid! My hubby usually gets a turkey from work. "Frankenturkey".  I hit a few different stores looking for the right spices and ingredients. Intent upon recreating the juicy goodness of last years bird. Bought them all. Got home. Saw turkey was pre injected.

Great! Commence hair pulling!

    I just spent half my paycheck on spices. Good grief. I have been trolling the internet for rescue. Someone to say "Yes! Proceed with your dream of turkey that falls off the bone! Brine your already salted turkey! Rejoice with a triumphant leap from the table as they shriek Eureka!" High fives all around! Tears of joy! Victory! Random, vivid imagination. Oh how your dreams change as you age. Laughing. Out. Loud.

    Determined am I! I think Tom will get a bath anyway. I think he will spend a luxurious 24 hours in chilled apple cider. Floating amidst fleshy pomegranate kernels. Orange peel swirling around our esteemed guest. Steeping in spices and crisp fall apples...

Because I'm Fairly certain last years turkey was also pre injected!

In addition to my usual determination I am also an:

op·ti·mist

  (ŏp′tə-mĭst)

n.

1. One who usually expects a favorable outcome.

    The cheesecake turned out silky smooth. No cracks on the top. Buttery golden. Happy birthday to my Grammie. Baby girl made the most beautiful place cards for the guests. Rolls are rising as we speak. The people I love, and who love me will gather to give thanks. At this time next week Thanksgiving 2015 will be on the books. What will we remember?

How is your turkey day prep coming?

A little inspiration...

        The Holidays are approaching! Are you getting ready? Or waiting a few more weeks?

     We are doing things a little different this year. We typically are not completely done with shopping and/or decorating before Christmas Eve. Sincerely. I couldn't really tell you why. It is just how it has been. Our "style" you could say. This year we are in new territory! Our shopping is very nearly done, and I have a jump start on our decorations! I must say.... It is kind of nice! This lull, the quiet before the holiday storm. Taking advantage of this slow time has been most productive! Now ordinarily crazy time will be spent snuggled up in a blanket downstairs with my cute family. Christmas lights glowing on the tree.... Yes! We even have one of two trees up!

    Last Saturday while the hubs was pheasant hunting my gals and I headed into town. Our little valley is the newest to welcome Tai Pan Trading. Really exciting! I did not want to leave. I was completely enamored  by the hanging Christmas wreaths they had displayed. As I quickly began formulating a plan to duplicate the wreath, the total started to creep upwards. Although completely head over heels with the store and their wholesale pricing, I could not bring myself to spend the nearly sixty dollars it would have been to purchase all the supplies.... and really, sixty is not bad, but cursed am I with a frugal mind.

 
    A simple Christmas garland can be purchased for less than a traditional wreath. I wrapped a tree garland around an old grapevine I already had. Then secured it with wire. I used white string to attach silver snowflakes at different lengths to the grapevine on the outer edge. My old reliable friend jute was used to hang the ornaments from the ceiling first then through the middle of the wreath after it was hung.  I literally only spent $10 on this wreath! Hobby Lobby is having a fantastic 50% off sale on all of their Christmas items. I bought 5 large ornaments. Everything else I had from previous years! The cute deer? Dollar store!

  Inspiration and creativity are endless. It is really what we do as bloggers. Inspire one another. Make our own special touches and contributions. I really love Tai Pans wreath. Like, love it! I really love mine too! Maybe a little more. Something rewarding about creating for my family.

    How have you been inspired this Holiday season?

Mini Cheesy Turkey Shells...

        This is the picture that popped up in my "memories" from Facebook this morning! Two years ago today we were enjoying our first snow fall! You would have to know my family to really understand the disappointment today's mere rain showers are bringing! I promised my hubby a snow dance before he left the house for the day. Channeling ancient Winnebago Indian powers....... Just kidding, but really we are on pins and needles. 

     You could say we bleed ski doo. Its an old family tradition passed down through many wintery generations. The past few Utah winters have been... meh! We have had snow of course, but it has been years since we got a good dumping.

     So as I sit here with my hot chocolate and Ludo omelet... Did you watch "What Phil is having" last night? He is a riot! The little one is busy with "homework" and AM 1390 has been transformed into the annual holiday station fittingly playing "Let it snow"... I realize just how ready for the season I am. Yesterday the little and I got a jump on Christmas shopping. Putting the horse before the cart as usual, because first of course is turkey day! Our family will have the opportunity to host, and I couldn't be more excited. Stuffed with the fixings, blissfully content as we welcome the holidays! I can hardly contain myself waiting for time spent with my little family away from the hub bub. 

     Just in case you are feeling like me today, lets talk turkey! Lets take it a day at a time. A holiday at a time. Here is a turkey recipe to rein the emotions back in....  

My intention was turkey pot pie but I ended up with a "cheesy turkey shell" due to my poor planning and not purchasing enough pie crusts to top these tasty little things!

Try them out my kiddos and husband loved them! You cannot go wrong with a creamy white sauce and cheese! You will need:

1/4 cup butter or margarine

3T. finely chopped onions

3T. finely chopped celery

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 cup flour

2 c. milk

paprika

two 9" pie crusts

about a cup each of your choice in veggies

and of course turkey!

    Preheat oven to 375. In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add onions, salt, pepper and celery. Saute until tender. In a separate saucepan bring your diced mixed veggies to a boil. Do not overcook them! They will cook in the oven, so you want them slightly crunchy. Once your onions and celery are tender add flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in milk and bring to a boil. Boil one minute then remove from heat. Stir in your veggie mix and your turkey...diced or shredded will work!

1. Roll out the pie crust. Using a cookie cutter or kitchen glass cut out 12 circles.
2. Place pie crust circles into greased muffin tin.
3. Load them up with your turkey mix! Don't be afraid to fill them up as they will cook down in the oven! Top with cheese.

                   Top with shredded cheese and paprika. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Tulle Mermaid Tail...

   Tulle and hot glue have always been kind to me. Seriously if the house was on fire I would grab the kids, family pics, my craft bins and my glue gun... Maybe some clean underwear if there was time to spare.

     There was the seven (fingers bleeding by the end) Peter Pan fairy costumes. Two Halloweens ago an adorable Hoot Owl . Last years Olaf and Elsa. Tulle and I are friends. Inexpensive, easy, with endless possibilities....

   This year the baby doll has been dreaming. Dreaming of mermaids... or "wormaids" as she pronounces it. She is dreaming of red flowing hair and a shiny green tail. However, one thing I truly cannot stand about tulle is how messy bunches of it can get. I have tried everything to keep it from bunching up. Its usually a catastrophe. The Elsa dress was fabulous, but by the end of the night it was a ball of static electric leaves and crud.

    I kept thinking about this as I began to formulate a plan for the wormaid tail of a little girls dreams. After playing around a bit... this is what I came up with. I used this technique for fairy costumes and it was a hit. I have had numerous dance teachers ask how this was done. I am finally getting to posting a tutorial. By far my favorite. A little tedious, but totally worth it! The best thing (besides its not a fluff ball) is that she can use this tail for dress up after Halloween!

Supplies needed:
For a child size tail.
*4-6 rolls of 25 yard tulle. You can do solid colors or mix up a few.
*Safety pins
*Measuring tape or ruler
*Sewing thread and needles
*Scissors
*Hot glue gun and sticks
*Ironing board. Not necessary, but will make life much easier.

1. Start by taking two measurements. One of the waist and one from the waist to the floor. Add a few extra inches to both of these so the waist can be tied in a fancy bow and you have material to work with on the bottom. Double the waist to floor length so you can fold the material in half, securing it to the waist piece in a slipknot. This is how a basic tulle skirt is fabricated. If you are new to skirt tying Ben Franklin Crafts has a quick and easy tutorial here. Use your waist to floor measurement to cut multiple strips before beginning to tie.

 2. You can tie all of your strips onto the waist band first or take it in sections. I find sections easier. You will be braiding three strands and stitching braids together. The excess tulle will get in the way. Its really up to you. I have done it both ways.

   3. Taking three strands create a braid. Keep even tension. Use a tape measure or ruler to decide where your braid will end and the flared portion of the tail will begin. I like to use safety pins to secure the bottom until they are stitched together. This will also help you keep your braid ends consistent and even.

  4. Take two completed braids, secure your thread at the top of the braid closest to the waist band and use a simple whip stitch to bind the braids together. When you get to your safety pin at the bottom whip stitch the ends of the tulle braids as well to prevent them from coming undone. The third picture in the frame below shows how this is done. Each braid has a straight line of stitching along the bottom.

     5. Secure the end of your thread. I found that the bottom was not quite thick enough, and could be fluffier. Simply add an additional strip of fabric to the backside of the skirt as shown above.

  6. Continue tying, braiding, stitching (I just noticed the typo in my photo) and gluing until the desired width is achieved. Once it is wide enough to go around that wiggly little body you are done! You can stop there, or flip it over to the front and add some bows and additional length and thickness on the front. Your little one will adore you! Tie the excess tulle on the waist band into a fancy bow. I did not apply fixed fasteners on the back. I found looping extra tulle through the braiding secure, adjustable and flexible enough for her to run around in! Trim any long pieces from the bottom.

 
    The stitching portion could be done with a sewing machine for added strength, or just to be a bit quicker. Someone more talented than myself with the sewing machine could probably accomplish this. I found the sewing machine difficult. Once you get the hang of it, the whip stitching goes pretty quick!

    What is your go to material? Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

A Family Favorite! Easy Peasy Sweet and Sour Chicken!

    The baby is eating eggs and crunchy, crumbly toast in our bed, my side this time. The washing  machine is whirling and twirling around the first of at least five hundred loads of laundry. The gorgeous fall sun is warming up the house and soul. Kiddos are off to school, besides the one littering the bed sheets with tiny toast crumbs of course. My amazing guy is out the door for the day. Its just me, my coffee, Dr. Meredith Grey (How did life exist before Netflix anyway?) poised to take on the day!

    Ahhhh! The quiet lull in between the summer and the holidays. A few quiet weeks between mayhem. Local pumpkin walks with toasty mittens and melty hot chocolate. Leisurely afternoons with my best girls. Perhaps that's really why I prefer Fall? Besides the warm aromas. Crisp morning air filling your morning run lungs. Beautiful scenery..... and on and on. Fall really is special. Last week as we bribed and begged with the little one to smile and pose one more time for the 2015 family photo spectacular, I mused about the year that has so quickly passed us by. Time as usual is flying by.

    All we can do is cherish today. Savor these minutes that will come, and most assuredly go.  Sit down together at the family dinner table and remember this day, this season. The times their faces aren't glued to their phones. The statistics on family dinners are amazing. After the world has its way with your family, welcome them home with a favorite. Enjoy the quiet times in between the whirlwind of life. Here is one of our favorites. From our family to yours!


                                                      Sweet and Sour Chicken

    You will Need:
For the sauce
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup vinegar
* 1/4 cup pineapple juice
* 1/4 ketchup
* 1 T soy sauce
* 1/2 t salt
* 1/2 cup pineapple chunks
* (optional) diced onions and peppers

For the chicken
* 4 chicken breast cut into bite size pieces
* 3 eggs slightly beaten
* 2 cups flour
* salt
* pepper
* olive oil

Directions:
Pre heat oven to 350. In a large skillet heat about a tablespoon of olive oil. In batches, dip the chicken pieces in the egg first followed by the flour. Make sure the pieces are well coated. Place them in the large skillet season with salt and pepper and allow them to brown, flipping occasionally. After browned place in a baking pan in a single layer.

       Allow the crust to set for about 10 minutes while you prepare the sauce. In a small saucepan, mix all of the ingredients. Heat the sauce over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and sauce is bubbly. We prefer a little extra sauce. This sauce will thicken in the baking process. If you would like a little extra sauce for dipping, simply double or repeat the sauce recipe.

    Once sauce is prepared pour sauce and pineapple chunks over chicken. If you doubled recipe, only use half of the sauce over the chicken. Place chicken in the oven and bake for one hour. To keep the chicken coating crisp, allow the chicken to bake for at least 35 minutes before flipping. While the chicken is baking start your rice cooker!

 Enjoy! I'm off to fold laundry. Sweep the bed. Snuggle a lil one while we work on the alphabet. Perhaps grab a shower.... Bring it on Tuesday!

Pumpkin buttercream? Yes! Please, and thank you!

    I have been having a lot of fun with buttercream lately. Tis the season! Birthdays and celebrations all around, but more importantly pumpkins abound! One cannot login to Facebook without an inundation of pumpkin spice jokes, recipes, and photos. I am by no means a pioneer to the buttercream society. Just dabbling in the joys of creation. Nibbling away at spoonfuls of elation. Turning to tabata in the mornings to keep up with this dangerous habit!

    Last week the lil one and I stood in the kitchen with satisfied grins as we licked the Nutella buttercream beaters clean! This beautiful fall crisp morning, after a few days of recuperating from a wonderful head cold, little and I were feeling ambitious! Working with what we had on hand it was decided warm, flaky, soft centered sugar cookies would be our contribution to the day. Having no cream cheese or traditional ingredients on hand my mind wandered to the stockpiled cans of pumpkin puree.

    A quick Google search confirmed it was possible! I played around with it a bit to create a frosting that would win the hearts of men, women, and children alike! Woah! Cold medicine high! Whip up a batch of your favorite sugar cookies, or chocolate cupcakes, or whatever you fancy! Slather them in orange pumpkin goodness! Our sugar cookies taste like mini ,buttery, melt in your mouth pumpkin pies! Enjoy!

1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie mix)

1/2 cup unsalted sweet cream butter at room temp

1tsp vanilla

1tsp cinnamon

3-5 cups powdered sugar

    With a paddle attachment combine the pumpkin, butter, vanilla and cinnamon. Once it is well combined begin adding powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Mix after each addition. You may notice pearls of butter not combining well with the pumpkin. This will not be noticeable in the completed butter cream. Add powdered sugar until the desired consistency is reached. Once consistency is achieved allow the buttercream to whip for and additional 3-5 minutes. This recipe covered 30 sugar cookies with a luscious thick layer!

Pita Pockets from scratch!

    We have all heard the news! How our store bought, over processed foods are making us sick and causing an obesity epidemic. How scary! When I look around the dinner table each night at my family I yearn to provide the best for them.

    Processed foods are convenient, quick and over purchased. It is overwhelming to imagine eradicating every processed food in the pantry! In fact it was so overwhelming to me that I could not fathom where one would even begin! Many of the foods we create in our own kitchens become "processed" but at home we do not possess many of the harmful components big brands are adding to our foods. 

    I began to realize that little by little, step by step... we are very capable of learning new ways to provide nutrition for our families. With a little bit of time and effort, which is hard to come by at times... we can teach ourselves to be less dependent on convenience foods. 

    In an attempt to cut down on the lunch meats my family consumes I had chicken on the stove ready to be used for chicken sandwiches. Then my mind wandered to the bread. Grabbing the pita bread out of the fridge I glanced at the nutrition information...Yuck! After a little research and a few experiments the following recipe delivered pita bread gold! So easy! So basic! Great for a family on a budget!

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water

2 teaspoons yeast

2-3 cups AP flour (you could also use wheat)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons olive oil. Plus a little more for coating a mixing bowl

Directions:

Mix the warm water and yeast in a medium size mixing bowl. Allow the mixture to set until the yeast is nice and foamy. About 10 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups flour, salt and olive oil and mix until combined. Turn dough out unto a lightly floured surface, adding flour to hands and surface as needed. Knead dough for 5-7 minutes. Until it is soft and stretchy. Form a ball and let the dough rest as you rinse out the mixing bowl and dry thoroughly. Coat the bowl in a little bit of olive oil and add the dough turning to make sure the dough is coated. Allow the dough to rise in a warm area covered until it is doubled in size.

Once dough is doubled, punch down. Pre heat oven to 450 and place a baking stone on middle rack, you may also use an inverted baking sheet. Divide the dough into 6-8 even pieces and set aside under a dish towel. Take your first piece and roll it out on a floured surface. Roll until it is about a quarter inch thick. Place it on the warm baking stone for about 4 minutes. (I only baked one at a time but feel free to place as many as will fit on your stone.) While one is cooking you can prepare the next. You will notice the pita has puffed. That means it is ready! The bread is meant to be light in color. Do not cook until golden, or you will have a crunchy flatbread! While the pita is still warm slice in half and use a small paring knife to gently separate and open the pocket. Store in an airtight container until ready for use!

It was an instant hit! Soft and chewy! Warm and salty! Whip up your favorite salad and feel good about knowing what your family is eating! Enjoy!

Vintage desk upcycle and milk paint!

    Baby Keeg, Ab and I loaded into the car and hit the local Deseret Industries! Living in a DIY valley, finding treasures is a rarity! We lucked out! I found this great desk, a matching head and footboard, and fantastic set of shutters! My mind was racing as we crammed our prizes into our small car! We were certainly a sight! 

    

    Milk paint is making such a comeback! I was just about to hit the checkout button and purchase milk paint over the web.... then me, being me thought "I have to try to do this on my own!" I try everything once! It was amazing! I highly recommend the following recipe! I started out with the Martha Stewart recipe, but after 24 hours had few curds. I did a little experimenting and was very pleased! Not to mention I saved so much learning how to create my own!

1 quart skim milk (must be skim!)

1 cup white distilled vinegar

acrylic paint

cheesecloth

strainer

Allow skim milk to reach room temperature. In a large bowl combine milk and vinegar. Let the mixture sit overnight. The next day cover a strainer with cheesecloth and pour milk mix in to separate the whey from the curds. Rinse well and place the curds into a mixing bowl and mix until smooth. Add a few drops of color and continue adding until you reach the desired hue! I got about 2 cups from this recipe. enough for three coats on the desk. Do not mix until you are ready to use. It is important you use it quickly, as it will not store.

    If you have never used this type of paint before.... Be patient take your time and figure out how to apply it. The first coat is very nearly transparent. Making sure your surface is properly sanded and prepped is crucial! It will begin to lift itself off as it dries. So it will just fall off of any unprepped surface. It will not stick to a varnished surface real well. I promise you will love it once you figure it out! If you love that chippy, vintage paint look... this is the paint for you! I used to spend hours painting, sanding, and distressing! This paint does it for you!

   

       I was able to keep a reasonable budget with this project by using what I had on hand! Using a little spray paint and spare buttons, I covered unsightly areas. The original hardwood seat was upholstered. This desk is solid wood. Very sturdy! It has a functioning book rack, and desktop! Made even more fun with a few chalkboards! Perfect for any corner in your home! The desk was finished and sealed with several coats of polyurethane and furniture wax! 

AND.... she's for sale! Available for pick up in Cache County Utah! Asking $100 If you would like more information please email: curiouswisdomlj5@gmail.com

A step back.... Before moving forward

    My teenage step daughter just finished "The fault in our stars" late last night. I awoke to a lengthy hand written note on my bedside. How I wish I had not been so very tired, and had passed out the minute my head hit the pillow. On the other hand she is a talker and we would have been up all night discussing life's injustice! She wrote "It has changed my life!"

    It has been quite a while since I last visited my little corner of the web world! A lot of events and... Life have transpired the last few months. Frustrated emails from "Pinners" brought my attention to my long neglected blog hobby. My domain name had expired and in the mix of small tragedies, and momentous victories I had toyed with shutting everything down. My tutorials and project pictures unavailable from a parked domain. I simply did not have time to sit down and give any more of myself. It has literally been eons since my last project, and I am feeling it. I long to feel my own identity again. Indulge in favorite past times. Relax and breathe... All the little things we give up to serve and care for others.

    Life has changed my life!

    As I read over the words that my step daughter had written regarding her feelings, one line stuck with me. "They did not focus on the negative! They knew they were dying. Yet they chose to focus not on how they were dying, but on how they would live until they died!" Apparently she bawled in her room for a good while grasping to understand the new understanding she had found. 

    Isn't it funny how in the least expected ways we become "aware" 

    In a way we are all living in the same predicament as Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters. We are all living until that fateful day. Service to others has changed my life. Embracing friends who have lost all. Encouraging family members who are so close. Will you be happy with your decisions?

    I miss blogging. I miss the community. I miss the inspiration. I miss the freebies! I want to be an inspiration, to share what I learn... I am ready to reclaim that stupid old dresser in our bedroom. Ready to gain my clarity and courage again. Feel as if I can breathe again. Ready to live out the summer of 2014 with all its intent. Chasing little blonde pigtails through soft green grass. Watching from a safe distance as a young lady gains her confidence.This little family has been hard at work. Together and individually. We are ready to get back to "normal"

    New perspective, lessons learned and love in our hearts. It is time to move forward to whatever the next chapter holds!

   

    

Salted Caramel Sticky Rolls...

    It has been snowing here for three days straight! For our family this is not bad news, unless you have to survive work, school and all the other responsibilities of the week before you can play! We are chomping at the bit to get out and ride! Patiently waiting for Saturday to arrive, I decided to appease my crowd with a warm ooey gooey treat!

    I often try out new recipes and experiment with rolls. I have yet to find one my heart is set upon in my quest for bakery perfection. For this batch I found a pretty tasty recipe at Lost Recipes Found. The name of the recipe? Giant Glazed Cinnamon Rolls! YUM! You too can try this amazing recipe here. I substituted half of the AP flour with whole wheat flour and used applesauce in place of the butter in the filling!

    While these were rising I reached for the cream cheese. Realizing it was fat free, I had a problem! You see I do not mind fat free cream cheese and in fact prefer to indulge in healthy options. My husband however would never stand for this! I was already pushing it with the whole wheat flour and apple sauce filling! LOL!

Hmmm! 

    I have been learning how to make salted caramel. My kiddos eat it up! If you have tried your hand at salted caramel you know it can be a pain! I have actually had to throw a pan away! By the time I had removed the hardened sugar crystals from its surface the Teflon was flaking off into our food! "Wow! You put a lot of pepper in the soup!" Bleh! It was not pepper!

    So here is my salted caramel recipe. Along with a few beginners tips! 

*First: While heating, do not stir your sugar water! I learned this the hard way! Stirring causes the quick evaporation of the water and you are stuck with a hard dried up chunk of sugar, even if you add more water you will have a difficult time achieving the right consistency, and it will keep drying up. Combine your water and sugar in a saucepan and stir until dissolved over low heat until dissolved. Once dissolved do not stir again!

*Second: Every time I remove my amber colored sugar from the heat and add the cream, no matter how slowly I whisk it in, it still sets up too quickly! Again making hard clumps. Once the sugar is colored a deep amber simply turn the heat to low and add the cream, and butter. I like to keep it over heat because it will keep it warm enough that your caramel will stay nice and smooth! I am no pro! Just a few tricks I have learned that have kept me from pulling my hair out!

Salted Caramel

1/2 cup white granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup water

3/4 cup heavy cream

3 1/2 Tbs unsalted butter

1 t salt

     In a large saucepan combine sugars and water. Stir until dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Do not stir during this phase! Boil the sugar water until it is a deep caramel color. Usually 5-6 minutes. Turn heat down to low and slowly stir in the heavy cream. The mixture will be hot so be careful! Keep stirring to prevent any clumping, gently crushing any lumps that may form. Add butter and salt. Keep stirring over heat until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a glass container and allow to cool. To reheat simply microwave in 10 second increments.

The gift of service.

    I was running around frantic! Somehow in between my other daily responsibilities I had found myself overwhelmed with the "task" of service. Several hearts were in need of mending. There were dinners to be made. Babies to hold. A run to be ran. A pile of laundry to the sky. An after school play. Somewhere in the madness and anxiety I found peace. I felt that even though my load was... well, overloaded! Everything would be fine. Silently praying I began to reflect on the wonderful gift of service. I began to really focus on how and who I was blessed with serving on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon...

    Nearly eight years ago I took a leap of absolute faith! With nothing to lose and everything ahead,  I packed up the sparse items my daughter and I owned and set on a grand adventure. Thirty miles away from home our new life began to form. These were tough days. Going back to school in my late twenties with a baby in tow was nothing short of a miracle. We were able to qualify for housing, and I was not allowed to hold a job at this time because I was the recipient of a generous state program that paid my tuition in full. We had to survive on a government stipend that was under $400.00 a month.  My objective was to complete school as quickly as possible and become employable. At times I felt as if the weight of the world was upon my back. I knew however this was the only way to make a better life for the two of us.

    Not long after we had moved into our apartment we began to experience the humble service of others. I would often return home late in the evening, sometimes just long enough to give my sweet girl a bath and kiss her goodnight. On our porch I would often find small packages of toddler clothing. Or bags of food items, blankets and toys. Twelve days before Christmas a baby doll and a hand mixer, the first I had ever owned and a dolly she has to this very day. We had nothing, yet because of the kindness of others we had it all! The gifts continued throughout our time in that apartment and I learned a very wonderful lesson from our angels. I may never know who these silent angels were. Keeping watch over us, but I vowed when I could, when I had enough to give....

 I would! Not once. Not twice. Every chance I got. I would serve those in need. I would show my gratitude.

    Fast forward several years, my husband and I are sitting close together fidgeting on our couch. Across from us the Stake President! In our home to commend us for an act of service we had just completed. "We just did what anyone would have done." I offered meekly. Knowing in my heart of hearts that is simply what we are meant to do. Take care of one another...

    Back to the eye of the storm within my kitchen. I felt a warmth spread through me as I recounted the many times I have been blessed by service. Knowing that I posses the power to serve. That it is indeed a gift. Understanding the power of being a blessing in someones day. The blessings that come back three fold.

    We are all capable of great service. As mothers we serve our families daily. Its the warm batch of cookies awaiting school children. Their arms around your waist. The prepared dinner for the returning husband, a kiss upon his cheek as he teases you about your yoga pants. The clean house full of love. Or perhaps a disastrous house that you didn't get to because you were too busy playing peek a boo and painting tiny toe nails.  As friends we serve as a patient heart willing to listen. Help me to understand. Let me take your kids...

Sisters, Brothers, Aunts and Uncles, Neighbors, cousins...

    Service does not require an invitation, but rather intuition. Who will you bless today?

Wordless Wednesday!

 

        Almost finished with Personal Progress! What a journey...

How to freeze spaghetti squash in 4 simple steps!

      No joke! I am sitting here at the counter with the local Christmas station softly playing Silver Bells in the background! Where on earth did 2013 go? As the year end approaches I have found myself experiencing the usual emotions. Anticipation of the season. Excitement for the new and wonderful possibilities. Dread for the weeks of hard work ahead. Elation at the thought of Christmas morning with the family I hold so dear. Hope for positive outcomes with the challenges we face.

    This time of year is certainly full of emotion. Last night as I listened to my ten year old baby rehearse for her solo debut in the school Christmas program, warm tears found their way to my eyes. The First Noel never sounded so sweet, so innocent.

    There is more than enough work to do! Winter preparations must take place before the fun can begin! Last weekend we worked our fingers to the bone getting the yard and house winterized. Next order of business? The garden produce. My grandfather has a large orchard and the Fall months are full of fresh goodies! I was sent home with not one, or two.... but eight spaghetti squash! It breaks my heart to think hard work will go to waste! I thought back to when we prepared fresh freezer corn! It is delicious! So why couldn't you do the same with squash? You can! It is so very easy!

    While your squash is cooling treat yourself to a bowlful of Fall goodness!

    

    Spoon into freezer bags. Lay flat to freeze. Admire your work! On a frosty winter night a warm buttery bowl of squash will warm you to your toes! 

    As the holidays approach I hope you find peace and merriment in every detail! Remember it won't last forever! Savor the moments loved ones are near! Relish in the laughter of children! Take deep breaths and survive! 

Enjoy this season because it is the only 2013 season you will have!

WHOOO WHOOO is ready for Halloween!

    With Halloween right around the corner I had been dragging my feet some! Knowing I would need to come up with something fantastic for my little one! Whilst the older kiddos were still busy pondering the correct look for their Halloween debut I started gathering items from around the house to get the creative juices flowing! 

HMMM?!

    In my search around the house I found a couple of old dresses and an idea began forming!

     I first covered the bodice in strips of brown felt. Once the felt is in place, carefully snip the ends to create a feather like look! Next grab a few cups out of the cupboard and create the eyes! So far fairly simple and my cost $0.00!

    I did have to purchase tulle, but found Hobby Lobby just happened to have theirs on sale! Saving half at the register! With the dress on the wiggly intendee, use a ribbon to measure the circumference of the skirt! I used three layers for extra fluff! Remove from wiggly body and carefully pin the layers into place. Then glue or sew onto the dress!

    With a long sleeve brown under shirt, fuzzy brown tights, and....

    We have a winner! Paint an old pair of shoes and use scraps of felt to create one of a kind Halloween goodies! Total cost for this "Hoot" of a costume: $6.00