January 2012
Daddy’s Girl
There is no getting around it: Princess is a Daddy’s Girl. It occurred to me this morning, as they skipped down the sidewalk together, that I have lost her completely. I think I probably knew it already. It was crystal clear a few days ago during this conversation: “Mommy, I’m making a picture for Daddy and you can’t see it.” “Why can’t I see it?” ”Because it is a secret, and it is only for Daddy.” “Why is it only for Daddy?” “Because I love Daddy!” “Well don’t you love Mommy too?” “Yes, but I love Daddy more.” Ah, nothing like brutal honesty from a five-year-old to keep you humble. ... read more
Easy Corn Flake Chicken {Recipe}
If you are looking for a quick and super easy chicken recipe that your family will LOVE, then look no further! I whipped this up last night and even though I had planned to share a different recipe, it was such a hit I decided to share it with you today! As a vegetarian I don’t cook chicken that often. It’s not because it bothers me, but mostly because I don’t eat it, I have a hard time knowing whether it is done, and out of a desire not to poison my family, I end up overcooking it. It turns out dry and then no one eats it and I ... read more
kitchen towel pillows {easy DiY project}
A few weeks ago I popped into one of my favorite little local shops–Pomegranate & Fig–to get a gift for a friend and I stumbled across these cute little embroidered kitchen towels. I loved the little quotes on them & decided to grab a couple for myself. I had every intention of using them as kitchen towels, but I wanted to first sew loops onto the corners so they would hang nicely from my towel hook, so I set them aside until I could get to it. However, as they sat there, I couldn’t help think that they were almost too cute to waste in the kitchen, where they would ... read more
busch gardens tampa {family fun}
On Saturday we spent the day at Busch Gardens in Tampa. It is only about 2 hours from our house and yet this is the first time we’ve ever gone as a family, and the first time Husband and I have been since 2004. We had a GREAT day! When we went to SeaWorld last April it was only a little bit extra to get an annual pass that would allow us entrance to both Sea World AND Busch Gardens. We figured we would go a lot since it is so close but then life got so crazy that we hadn’t used our passes again until now. Luckily we still ... read more
Winter Diet Soup {Recipe}
Am I the only one that ate a few too many goodies during the holidays? This week I finally admitted to myself that the 7 or so pounds I put on during the month of December isn’t going to just melt away on it’s own like it did when I was in my 20′s and decided it was time to whip up a batch of my famous Winter Diet Soup. I’m not normally one for dieting but this week I was definitely looking for something to help me drop a few holiday pounds relatively quickly. The great thing about this soup–besides the fact that it is super yummy–is that it makes ... read more
Simple Joys {5 Ways to Simplify Your Life Right Now}
It has been several weeks since I started Project Simplify 365 and already I feel like my life has changed. As I look around my house, I can see the tangible results of my effort, but the biggest change, I think, is the intangible one: the deep sense of inner peace that has settled over me In a word, I feel renewed. It isn’t so much that I’ve managed to do one thing each day, as that I took the time to write out my goals and priorities. I refer back to that list almost daily and it keeps me focused on the things that matter most. I still have ... read more
manatees, ice-cream, & some really hot wings {a mini road trip}
We took a little family mini road trip yesterday. It was a great way to spend a Sunday. We first went to see the Manatees at the Tampa Electric viewing center. It was pretty cool. It was also free, which made it even cooler! Do you ever wish your kid could wear a sign that said “I dressed myself today?” Princess insisted on wearing her slippers instead of shoes. Whatever. After the Manatees we headed to Munchies 420 Cafe in Sarasota. It is semi-famous, at least to us, thanks to an episode of Man vs. Food that we watched a while ago. Husband has been wanting to try their “Fire ... read more
Grilled Salad with Homemade Honey-Dijon Dressing {Recipe}
Mmmmm….doesn’t this look good? My fall-back method of cooking vegetables always seems to be roasting–I just love the depth of flavor it brings–but I don’t usually think about grilling them. However, my Facebook friend Valerie (of the fabulous fashion blog Charmed Valerie) posted something on her status last week about grilling radishes–something I have never heard of before. It suddenly made me realize I not only had radishes in the fridge, but a lot of other Worden Farm vegetables we could grill as well. I threw in some chicken for the rest of the family and we had ourselves a feast! It was SO yummy! All you need for a ... read more
Crafty Inspiration {Cleanliness is Next to Craftiness}
One of my goals for the year is to spend more time doing crafts and other creative things (like finding things to fill my very empty walls and adding a little color to my oh-so-vanilla home decor!) I was hoping to do a project this week, but my plans were thwarted by annoyingly practical husband. Ever had a conversation like this? Me: I think I’ll stop by the craft store today to look for a new project [translation: I'm feeling restless & want to avoid all the things I should be doing at home] Husband: [looking like his head might explode] No. Way. Have you SEEN your craft closet? Me: ... read more
the great vegetable battle {intentional parenting is hard}
I feel so utterly inept as a mother sometimes. I always swore I would raise my kids to be good eaters, to be willing to try new things and not be picky. I wouldn’t be *that* mom, the one who consistently gives in to an unimaginative kid-centered diet of chicken nuggets, tacos, mac & cheese, spaghetti, & pizza. I am totally that mom. Inspired by our weekly box of vegetables from Worden Farm, I am on a mission this year to improve our diet and serve healthier foods, to cook real meals and increase our vegetable and whole grain consumption while cutting out the convenience foods that pervade our diet ... read more
Roasted Tomato & Root Vegetable Cream Sauce over Farfalle {Recipe}
We are in Veggie Heaven! Granted some smaller members of my family aren’t quite as thrilled with all the garden-fresh meals we’ve been enjoying lately, but as a vegetarian I don’t think I’ve ever eaten so well. Every week we pick up a new very full box of vegetables from Worden Farm & I spend the week trying to think of new ways to use them. It is definitely a challenge, but I love it. It has inspired me to be far more creative in my cooking–I’ve cooked more new things in the past 3 weeks than in the 3 years–and I feel so much better about quality of the ... read more
project simplify 365 {free download}
On Monday I promised to tell you all about my new endeavor for the year, Project Simplify 365. Even though I’m still working out the final details, I am so excited to share it with you that I just can’t wait another day. In a nutshell, Project Simplify 365 is based on the idea that consciously doing one small thing each day towards creating a simpler life can ultimately add up to a big change. The older I get, the more oppressed I feel by the excesses in my life. The past few weeks, as I took some time off to devote to spending time with my family and create ... read more
A New Year, A Fresh Start {Welcome 2012}
Happy New Year! The past few weeks have been so fun and productive and relaxing and all-around wonderful that as I now finally sit down at my computer to get back to work, it is not without more than a little reluctance and some major feet-dragging. I needed some time to focus on my family & my friends, to get my house in order, cook some elaborate meals, catch up on sleep and, most importantly, remember that I am a mom & wife first and a blogger second. 2011 was a hard year for our family. For most of the year, Husband’s time was completely filled by a demanding job ... read more
