wish list

I am a save-money-get-a-good-deal sort of girl. I rarely buy anything unless it's on sale. The times I've bought an article of clothing for more than $50 I could probably count on 2 hands. But if I $300 just laying around, I think I could totally get on board with splurging for this bag.

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It's just so pretty...and functional...and beautiful...and awesome. J.Crew, you can do no wrong.

a servant's heart

For the past few weeks, Tim and I have been going through a servant's class/Bible study at church. And it has been so good for my soul, and I'm so incredibly thankful to be a part of this church we now call home. We've been discussing what it means to be a servant of the Lord and what exactly that may look like for each of us - whether it's nursery or children's ministry or worship or cleaning the bathrooms.

Through the Bible study, I've been realizing just how serious it is to serve and lead others. It should not be taken lightly. I don't say this to make it seem dramatic or intimidating, but because of the fact that these are people's babies, children, parents, and lives we're dealing with...and they all belong to the Lord. As cleaners, teachers, babysitters, and counselors we have a responsibility to be the hands of feet of Jesus.

The other night, we went over seven things that should always be on a servant's heart. It was convicting, to say the least. And I know I'll need to review this list daily if I am to serve God's people well.

the state of hockey

disclaimer: please watch/listen to this while you read this post. for real.

Last week I fulfilled a life goal: attend an NHL hockey game. The best part was that it was free. Ah the perks of being married to someone in the corporate world where they have weekly drawings for sporting event tickets. We may have spent $7 for a hot dog and $15 dollars for parking and gotten home at midnight, but it was soooo worth it.

produce card

Tim and I have been talking a lot about food lately, and I feel like I'm constantly reading and researching, trying to get to the bottom of the whole organic vs. non-organic debate. For the most part, the jury is still out on our decision of this now-common topic. I'm not a "jump on the bandwagon" sort of person. I know that for the most part, things at the grocery store marked "organic" are better for me, but I need to find out on my own just why that is, and, in addition, figure out if it's worth it for us to pay almost double for something that is organic. It's just not something I'm going to start doing on a whim.

Many times during all this talking and thinking and researching, I start to get very overwhelmed by the amount of information and differing opinions out there. Being the cynical person that I am, it sometimes makes me want to dive into a bag of Cheetos and down a Mountain Dew just for spite. So instead of trying to take on researching all food ever, I've started breaking it down into manageable topics and issues. Since we eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, right now my researching has been focused on fresh produce and the subject of pesticides, also known as "The Dirty Dozen" and "The Clean Fifteen." And while I am still not yet willing to shell out twice as much $$$ for organic apples, it is good to know that there are fruits and veggies out there that people actually recommend to not buy organic, such as pineapples.

I am a big believer in the grocery list. Without it, I get all impulsive and distracted and usually end up buying one weird/not needed thing just because it was a good deal. And even though I've read over and seen the "dirty dozen" and "clean fifteen" lists many times now, I would never remember them all. So I made a handy dandy little card that fits in my wallet. I'm planning on printing mine at a local print shop and having it laminated.

Here's the link to download and print a produce card. Happy eating!

lunch time

Lunch is always a good idea, and can never seem to come soon enough. I used to say that breakfast was my favorite meal of the day, but I've been in sort of a breakfast food funk lately and lunch is quickly taking it's place. Since I'm able to run home for lunch, I don't always have to rely on leftovers. One of my favorite things lately has been to make a rice bowl consisting of white rice, black beans, salsa, cheese, and a few squirts of lime. It's filling, it's fresh, and it's fast.

I'm also a huge sucker for sandwiches, especially sandwiches made with onion bagels. Last week, while flipping through my recipe binder, I rediscovered a "recipe" I had ripped out of a Real Simple magazine awhile ago. It was a page of sandwich pairings and ideas, and this one really caught my eye.

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Avocado mixed with fresh lemon juice, a few sprinkles of salt and pepper, topped with freshly sliced crunchy radishes. I have eaten this twice in the past 3 days. It is so simple, but soooo good! Watch out rice bowl, you've got some competition.

something new :: green smoothies

I am a pretty huge fan of smoothies, especially in the summer when the berries are ripe for the pickin'. And for months (maybe years) I've wondered about these so called "green smoothies," sort of envious of people who actually make them and like them because, c'mon, could it really taste good? They seemed revolutionary - fruits AND veggies in one swift swallow - yet I always imagined it tasting like a blade of grass or a bale of hay. Who knows why.  So this past weekend, I finally jumped into the world of green smoothies, and I am not turning back. I have made two smoothies so far and woah, so good. So simple and so good.

There's a million different ways to make a green smoothie, but here's what I put in mine:

Lunchtime Green Smoothie

OJ - just a splash in the bottom of the blender
banana - broken into chunks
apple - peel left on and apple cut into chunks
strawberry banan kefir - a splash on top of the apple chunks
spinach - a good handful

Blend. Pour. Sip. Mmm...

on being real

Everything always seems to look so perfect in the blogging world. Pretty women with interesting lives, happy babies, killer style sense, and a witty joke to boot. And that's where I struggle with this whole blogging thing. I started this blog so I would have an outlet for writing, creativity, and everyday thoughts and happenings. I've always loved to journal/keep a diary, and while having a blog is a super way to do that + put pictures with my thoughts (which I love), it feels a little too vulnerable to pen my thoughts on the days when I've had a rough day or when I'm angry or when all I want to do is sink into the couch and cry.

But I have this thing for "realness." It's my favorite. I have always been drawn to people who are real, who don't put on a front. I admire those people. And I would like to be known in the same way.

I say all of this to say that in my being real and sharing my thoughts about the not-so-good days, I'm not looking for sympathy, but more for encouragement and wisdom. I'm not one to ask for help or even to voice what's wrong, but that's something I need to get over. Easier said than done, of course. I shouldn't shut people out just because I'm scared of looking needy or stupid. And I don't have to look like I have it all together all the time. After all, no one can read my mind and the only way to receive help is to ask for it. And in my limited life experience a). there's always someone who's going through the same growing pains as me and b). that person never thinks I'm needy or stupid, and is always willing to listen and come along side of me.

So tonight, at the end of this long week, I have a weary and tired heart. Things like uncertainty, loneliness, and feelings of not being good enough have been wearing me down. Even as I'm writing this, I'm shaking my head thinking, "Who am I to complain?! I have SO much to be thankful for when so many others are suffering. And I'm whining about having no friends? I'm so pathetic." And so the cycle continues.

Lord, you know my heart and I take such comfort in that. You also know the future and I know that you've promised to prosper me and guide me. You know my frustrations and my worries. You store up my tears in a jar. God, I pray for patience and peace, and that you'll keep teaching me how to speak up when I need help or advice or prayer. That's why you've given me brothers and sisters in Christ - to lean on and learn from. Thank you for your blessings that surround me daily. I never want to take them for granted. I love you.

friends of rodentia

You know how every year at Christmas there's that one gift that you really excited to give? Well, this year, Bob was the lucky recipient of that gift and anticipation. Quick backstory: Bob is the squirrel whisperer. Seriously. On any given morning, there are between 10 and 20 enormously fat squirrels feeding in his yard. One evening, Tim and I were picking up a few things at Menard's and happened to find this little gem of product sitting on the shelf - the "Cobs A Twirl."

After nearly rolling on the floor with glee and awe that such a product even exists, we quickly threw it in our cart and counted down the days until Bob would open it.

And giving it was every bit as good as I imagined it would be. Tim and I could hardly contain ourselves. Maybe the best part - Tim modified the product name to be "Bobs A Twirl." Perfect.

Pinterest projects

I'll be the first to admit to the greatness that is Pinterest. I honestly love it. I still remember the days pre-Pinterest and they were just plain confusing and clumsy. I would make separate folders on my bookmarks bar so when I would find an article to stash, a recipe to make, a blog to follow, or a logo that was really inspiring I could save it to the corresponding folder. But you know what happened oh so soon? The folders started getting massive and things would get buried in the mix.

Enter Pinterest. Now everything is neatly organized, easy to find, and even has a pretty picture to go along with the web page/recipe/design. However, there is one small issue with using Pinterest: I forget what I've pinned. I'll be perusing blogs and sites and come across GREAT ideas and AWESOME recipes and then completely forget about them. So one of my unofficial new year's resolutions is to be more intentional with actually using the ideas, suggestions, inspirations, and recipes that I've bookmarked.

And with several free weekends coming up, I think I'll try tackling:

colorful painting for the office or one of our many blank walls

hanger magazine holders - now that I actually have space

cultured veggies

start a "good things of the year" jar. love this idea!

actually start using the coconut oil that I bought

bamboo volume spray / product review

A couple of weeks ago, I went in to get my hair cut and styled for the first time in a year (yeah, I know). After cutting my hair, my stylist asked if she could put some wave curls in my hair. Ummm....do you even need to ask me that? And while they were full and gorgeous for the first 20 minutes, I thought that the curls would never last. My hair is thick, but too smooth to ever hold curls. However, those big waves stayed for 2 full days! And the best part was, my hair didn't feel greasy or sticky because of an overdose of product.

So I went back to my stylist a couple of days later and said, "How did you get my hair to do that?!" She laughed, promptly handed me this bottle, and without hesitation I said, "I'll take it!" Often times when I ask a stylist to suggest a product for my finicky locks it either doesn't deliver or it weighs my hair down. Not so with this stuff - it honestly doesn't feel like I have any product in my hair and it really does work for 48 hours. A product that actually does what it says, and it's free of parabens and all that nasty stuff? Yes. Seriously love this stuff.

hello volume!

a new year

I always get a little nostalgic in the last few moments before a new year, looking back and remembering all the thankfulness, blessings, trials, and challenges. And then thinking ahead to a new year, a fresh slate and the perfect time to set new goals and aspirations. I've never been too big on resolutions, however the only one I've actually ever kept was when I began my Project 365 back in 2011. It was such a sense of accomplishment (not to mention a great way to document everyday life) that I've decided to make that my resolution again this year. Boom, there it is.

Watching fireworks over Lake George at 12:01am. Happy New Year!