in the cottage

in it to win it.

2011-03-23T18:11:00.000-07:00

Well, we're still kickin it health style over here at Casa del Harrison. It's been almost 3 months of our gluten-free, caffeine-free, yuck-free, coconut-a-go-go diet and we've lost a total of 35 pounds between the two of us! My badunkadunk is decidedly smaller. And the bestest part: we feel better than we have in forever! And not just physically. Mentally, I am so much clearer and happier. My fog is gone and I feel calm (except for when my child is pummeling the dog.)

The no Starbucks thing seemed pretty daunting at first, but we were both shocked at how easy was to get out of our systems. I really like not having to rely on any outside stimulants. Letting my body feel it's natural surges and ebbs... Makes me feel all pure and stuff.

(And just for those keeping score: Yes, I do admit to sipping a little green tea and yerba mate from time to time. But it's only every once in a while... And I think the antioxidants pretty much cancel it out.)

Here's what I'm making in the morning:

Gluten-Free Carrot Date Muffins

2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup melted virgin coconut

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3/4 cup chia seed flour
3/4 cup ground almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or oil with natural cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place carrots and dates in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse and then blend until finely chopped. Add walnuts and pulse to finely chop. Transfer to a bowl; add oil, eggs and maple syrup, stir to combine completely. In a separate bowl, combine all remaining dry ingredients. Pour liquid ingredients over dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

correction

2011-03-17T18:33:00.000-07:00

I'm enjoying a Saint Patty's evening all by my lonesome tonight, as my usual co-couch potato is currently off at band practice. Thanks to a dear friend who sent us home with a sixer of home-brewed porter, Mama's doin' just fine on her own. :)

I didn't really have much more to say except to reiterate to the general world wide web just how happy I really am! (considering that my last post seemed to come off a bit woe-is-me, (which incidentally was not my intention. (nobody likes a whiny baby.))) -That was a lot of parentheses.

.... I'm getting off target here...

But seriously...

I am literally busting at the seams with gratefulness and love for every little thing in my life. Today was an exceptionally beautiful day of realizations. Of just how proud I am of my little Jack and how honored I am to be his Mama.

It's been a great day.

owning it.

2011-03-10T16:32:00.000-08:00

At dinner tonight I told Andy how it had hit me as I was doing laundry today (somewhere around the 5th load, i think) that I am now truly A Legitimate Housewife. The calls of "Oh Momma!!" that jar me from my dreams every morning are the sound of my alarm. And my feet hitting the floor is me punching my time card. In other words, It's on.

The rest of the day is filled with the seemingly never-ending array of chores. Menial tasks that I could SERIOUSLY do without, like picking up discarded clothes off the floor, loading/unloading/loading/unloading the dishwasher, and breaking up the ~~cage matches~~ playfights between Jack and Fiona.

And then,
of course,
there are all those other little priceless moments that only I get to enjoy: Getting Jack's early morning sleepy smell all to myself, being privy to his thoughts and questions all. day. long. :) and being able to squeeze in a few tiny moments of peace for myself to be able to meditate and listen to what God wants me to do next -(sometimes these get pushed to the wayside, but it has become very clear to me just how important they are for my everyone's happiness!)

I've battled a lot lately with feeling worthless. What do I contribute? Why am I not out there being Fabulous all over town? What do people think of me? Ugh... such gross feelings. I've felt all jumbled up inside. Bombarded with self-doubt and unloving feelings toward myself. And then.... I just had to snap myself out of it. Realize that I MUST get over this awful ugly monster. Like over it for good. And really get it through to the heart of me that I DON'T have to live to impress! My work is good! I'm good enough, smart enough and doggonit...... just kiddin). But above all, my happiness/peace/fulfillment doesn't rest in finding success in this world.

It's so hard to keep a pure heart, free of pride and self. To just listen and be. But I'm working on it everyday.

And so, I am feeling good in this role of Housewife and Mother (and cage fighting ref) for as long as God wants me to. This is my time to really know myself, find peace (often the hard way) and as my Mama Faye would say be a helpmeet for Andy. I wonder how many women's lib peeps out there gagged while reading this?
Sorry bout that. Haaaha
Oh, well... :)

just another wedensday.

2011-02-16T08:03:00.000-08:00

Well, shucks. I really wanted to win this:

PW

Have you ever seen anything so glorious? I love it. (Andy's comment was, "Oh. Is that cute? Or not cute?..." Men.)

Today is one of those rare days where I find myself able to actually sit here and muse a bit. There is no happier thing to me than a quiet house- well, at least these days. We got a puppy shortly after Christmas and her name is Fiona. And since the addition of one more to our little household, things around here have been a tad ~~insane~~ livelier than normal. Basically, Jack thinks she's his punching bag-light saber sparring- furry new toy, and I've had my nerves tested on every level.

Prayer, my friends. Lots of prayer.

Well, my break is over. Off to pickup the young one from school... Happy Wednesday!

Workin on my fitness.

2011-01-31T17:05:00.000-08:00

I've started chipping away at the ice pack I've had this old blog in for the last few months. I'd all but given it up for good, and then lo and behold! I felt like writing a little something.

I'm feeling the calm that comes along with seeing progress. I've changed my diet and have been feeling the wonderful effects of eating whole foods! Thanks to the inspiration and information that I've gotten here, here and here, I've made some major changes and I'm excited about getting healthy.

Basically, what I've done is:

1. Cut out all added sugar.
2. Cut out all artificial sugar. (I was a Splendaholic, so this was a biggie. I now use Stevia.)
3. Cut out (almost) all caffeine. (No more coffee, now I do green tea, but not even every day.)
4. Cut out preservatives.
5. Eating grass-fed free-range organic meats. (Here's an anecdote for ya: Grain-fed chicken is the worst. Because of their high-sugar diets, these poor animals end up contracting all kinds of mess; cancer being one. The butchers that process the meat are trained on how to cut away these tumors and separate them from the "sellable" chicken. What happens to the tumor chicken pile? Well, my friends that is the answer to why places like McDonald's are able to produce those lovely little Mcnuggets, sell them for only cents, and still make a profit. They buy THAT chicken!! sickness.)
6. I'm now eating (mostly) gluten-free.
7. Drinking water with lemon at every turn. (The lemon alkalizes your body, which helps you out in a multitude of ways. )
8. No food after 8 at night. (Hard.)
9. I'm all about the coconut! I now like to cook with Coconut Oil instead of Olive oil and drink this. (The principle fatty acid in coconut milk is lauric acid, which is the same fat found in abundance in mother's milk and is known to promote normal brain development and contribute to healthy bones. And it's SUPER yummy!)
10. A couple glasses of wine, but only on the weekend. (This one was harder than I'd like to admit.)

One great thing I'm implementing is my friend Lesley's "free meal a week". I love knowing that if I behave, I can at least look forward to one splurge!

So, I guess this sounds pretty strict, but to be honest, it has not been as hard as it looks to be. Thanks to the wonderful recipes and tips I've gotten from different people, I'm 3 weeks in and going strong.

Here's to change!

our thanksgiving.

2010-11-30T15:45:00.000-08:00

Our Thanksgiving was wonderful; chock-full of all the usual good things: delicious food, sweet family, football, crazy kids running everywhere... it was wonderful. Watching all the cousins playing really made me nostalgic. I loved watching them interact. Even the one's who were meeting for the first time, they just became friends within a matter of minutes. It really says something about the openness of heart that children possess... and their zest for life; squeezing every drop of fun out of the day; taking advantage of all the opportunities that lay before them... (Of course, i know that not all kids are this way, but I can at least say that much for this bunch. Awesome little people.) They remind me to play more.

Bye.

t.t.f.o.

2010-11-22T13:29:00.000-08:00

Today I am simply ttfo! Touched The eFF Out, that is. For those who may not be familiar with what this means: It is the way a mother feels after an entire day of your child's/children's endless, constant, and unrelenting touching, grasping, climbing, poking, whining, asking, talking and all-around general nerve-grating over stimulation from the moment you wake up until you just can't abide another second (usually around 4pm.) and decide to put yourself in a mandatory time-out, wherein you promptly sit down at your keyboard and frantically rant away on your blog about how ttfo you are!

Holler if you hear me.

And now this is the point where I feel the ~~guilt~~ need to reassure all of you (but mostly myself, really) just how much I LOVE being a stay-at-home-mom.
I do. Really.
But some days are just like this.

Did you think I was a goner?

2010-11-21T16:40:00.000-08:00

I miss blogging.

I really do.

I've had a serious lack of enthusiasm about it lately (which is probably evident by my near 3 month absence).

But instead of going on and on and on and on about why I've been so blah about it and filling up an entire post with boring excuses and validations and then finally ending up not publishing anything yet again because what I've written sucks a duck egg...(sucking duck eggs= not cool)... and then sulking away from my computer with my head down because I succumbed, yet again, to my writer's block...
Let me just cut to the chase and say...

Hello, again!

It's gonna be baby steps, my friends, but I'm a comin' back!

Some things you missed:

1. We had an awesome Halloween.

2. Jack turned 4.

3. Jack broke his arm. (...while I was pushing him on the swing in the backyard. Horror. And the reason why I now refer to myself as "Mother of the year"... yeah, I feel very responsible. waaaaaahh... But he's OK, and will be out of the cast by Christmas. sigh.)

And now here we find ourselves on the cusp of the Thanksgiving holiday! My personal favorite holiday because it's smack dab in the middle of Fall (my favorite season) and because there's still SO much to look forward to once Thanksgiving's over (as opposed to the Day after Christmas when I spend the day crying on the inside.)
But mostly, I love this time of year because of the F-O-O-D, duh.

I plan on making these things at some point during this next week:

Nantucket Cranberry Pie

Creamed Spinach

Pineapple Cheese Casserole

Mmmmm........
Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

quinoa and roasted corn salad: a recipe

2010-09-02T17:59:00.000-07:00

Tonight's dinner was off the hook if I do say so myself (and I do.) I snagged a recipe from a comment left on another friend's blog... My interest was initially piqued because of the health-factor, but I'll be making it again and again because of how ridiculously yummy and slap-yo-mama delicious it was! Andy said it was the perfect end-of-summer-beginning-of-fall meal.

The original came from (who else) Martha, and can be found here.
Of course, I like to slightly tweak things (heehee) and so here's what I did:

{Quinoa and Roasted Corn Salad with Chicken and Pumpkin Seeds}

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

pinch kosher salt

1 cup quinoa, thoroughly rinsed and drained (about 4 Cups cooked)

2 cups veggie stock

3 ears fresh roasted corn, kernels cut from cob

Earth Balance spread for "buttering" corn

1 medium red pepper, cored, seeded, and diced

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Seasoning for chicken: Juice of 1 fresh lime, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. chili powder, Kosher salt, Fresh ground black pepper, 2 Tbsp. olive oil.

1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 ripe avocado, pitted and thinly sliced

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

I started by roasting the corn. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pull back husks of corn, but don't remove. DO remove the silks. Coat each cob with a nice spread of Earth Balance or butter, replace the husks, roll tightly in aluminum foil, place on baking sheet and cook for 35 mins. When done, allow it to cool slightly and then slice kernels from cobs.

To toast pumpkin seeds, place in a hot, dry skillet. Constantly stirring and flipping so they don't burn. When they begin to pop and smell "toasty" remove them to a pan to cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, cumin, chili powder, garlic, oil, and salt to taste; set aside. Cook quinoa according to package directions, substituting the 2 cups veggie stock for the water.

For chicken: Rinse it, and pat dry. Cut it into chunks, and completely coat it in seasoning mixture. Heat a large non-stick pan over high heat and add chicken. Cook until browned and done.

In a large bowl add roasted corn, cooked quinoa, diced red bell pepper, diced and seeded jalapeno, sliced scallions and reserved lemon juice/spice dressing. Mix well.

To assemble:
First arrange a big pile of quinoa, topped with chicken and sliced avocados. Sprinkle on a handful of toasted pumpkin seeds, and chopped cilantro.

...And you're in bidness.

Pair it with one of these naughty buggers... and you're in big time bidness! (You know I had to sabotage that "health-factor" somehow.)

(And yes, I will admit, this recipe was a little more labor-intensive than I normally dig but it was WELL worth it! It was absolutely bursting with flavors and very guiltless! A new favorite!)

jack attack.

2010-07-25T13:52:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my youngun's about to be 4! WHAT? Craziness. And now that Summer is drawing to a close (thank the SBJ! Sweet Baby Jesus, that is.)... I actually have a moment to sit and write. And I'm blown away at how much Jack has changed and just how much time has flitted by.

Dang.

I'm seriously ready to resurrect this zombie blog of mine. I've got to start documenting this life that seems to run through my fingers like water.

And so, for posterity's sake, here is a random sampling of hijinks and shenanigans from Young Master Jack's most recent exploits:

First day back to school! He was pumped!

His alter-ego, "Clean-Up Robot", who's directive is to make a huge mess and then cram it into whatever cranny he can find. (Note the robot claws; a tell-tale sign of the clean up robot.)

Laser eyes.

Just one of the aforementioned shenanigans.

Nakey and trying to preserve his modesty after his slacker-mom forgot to bring any dry clothes to put on after the pool. A bit trashy...
but pinchable, no?

I love him.
Especially his feet. and hair... and smell... and voice......
Ok, enough.
The end.

if this blog could speak it would say 'meh...'

2010-07-22T17:19:00.000-07:00

Here are some things making me happy right now:
1. Mad Men! (Season premiere on Sunday!)
2. This blog. (...it makes me laugh out loud every day.)
3. This house. (Saw this a long time ago, and loved it. Chock-full of decor and design inspiration!)
4. The Pillars of the Earth! (One of my FAVORITE books ever is now a mini-series! AND with a decent cast! I. Cannot. Wait.)
5. What I scored for free today! (I got the yellow one. And as Jack would say, "I super like it!")
6. Rediscovering this lovely blog. (I love the way this lady lives! SO dern inspiring!! And I kinda wonder what Andy would say if he came home one day to see I'd constructed a gypsy tent in our front yard... )
7. THIS (I could go on a rant about how much I love this show... but you already probably feel sorry for me because of the fact that 3 out of 7 things that make me happy include watching TV. But hey... I'm old and tired and it's what I do after chasing a toddler all day. OK?! ok.)

Things that don't make me happy right now:
1. The lame factor of my own blog.
2. Having just exposed to y'all just how addicted I am to my TV.
3. The no eating after 8:30PM rule we've started enforcing. (I reeaaallly want something chewy and chocolate and salty right now...)
4. The fact that after weeks of blog-silence, this pathetic thing was all I could muster.

meh...

amy's wedding.

2010-06-29T17:48:00.000-07:00

My stunningly beautiful friend Amy's BIG day was featured in Eco-beautiful Weddings. She is one of the most unique and creative people I've ever known... and did I mention stunningly beautiful..? I loved all of her little touches. So sweet. Have a looksee!
I especially loved the pinwheels and the turquoise and red color pops throughout! And it was eco-friendly to boot! Gotta love that.

my favorite squash.

2010-06-28T17:06:00.000-07:00

Growing up in the country had it's ups and downs. But definitely one of the things I'd consider an "up" was always being exposed to good ol' Southern cookin! My parents always had a garden full of good veggies along with other yummy things like fresh eggs from the chickens we kept. There was usually a mason jar or two full of peach or fig preserves and always a pitcher of fresh sweet tea in the fridge. I have memories of shelling peas on the back porch with my mom, and tip-toeing into the coop every morning to get my breakfast. Now, at the time I may not have thought all this to be as precious as I do as an adult... but I must say that I've become quite proud of this upbringing and love that I have such sweet memories to share with my youngun.

One of my favorite things to see on the dinner plate was my mom's squash. I loved it then, and love it now... and even though it's about as simple as you can get... I've never had better! It's slowly cooked down in it's own juices and then cranked up at the end to dry it out and almost give it a "caramelized" quality. It's hearty, filling, rich, peppery, and NEVER enough! Every time I make it I always wish I'd thought to double the recipe.
Just trust me and make it, y'all!

Mama Faye's Cooked-Down Squash

4-6 Yellow Squash, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
1 medium white onion, diced
1 Tbsp. Canola Oil (or if you wanna be real Southern; bacon drippings is the alternative.)
1 Tsp. of salt, and a lot of fresh pepper. (and I mean, a lot... at least 2/3 Tsp.)
..................................................

Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, squash, salt and pepper and give it a toss. (As you can see, I really piled it in there. But that's only because it will end up cooking down to less than half that amount. Promise.)

Cover and cook over medium/low for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the squash with the back of your spatula. All of the juices will be released from the squash during this and it should be simmering.

Just keep checking it every 5 minutes or so and breaking up the squash.
After it's simmered down and looks kinda pulverized, uncover, crank up the heat to high and cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Making sure to scrape the bottom the bottom of the skillet as I go, getting up any brown bits -aka- the extra yumminess.

And here's what it should look like:

Golden goodness! And though it may not the prettiest dish you've ever seen...
I promise it won't do you wrong.
Straight from my Mama's kitchen to yours!
Hope you enjoy!

...

2010-06-16T12:13:00.000-07:00

Thinking a lot today about expectations. You've got them. I've got em. We put them on others and on ourselves. Is it just me, or do you also find that most of the time we focus on the things that don't live up? And what comes from that?... Disappointment, guilt, anger, judgment, self-loathing, embarrassment.... a lot of icky stuff.

I'm always catching myself trying to live up to others (supposed) expectations. I say 'supposed' because it's really me only assuming I think I know what people are thinking about me. Wanting me to do or be... Which is ridiculous for obvious reasons.

No. I think that expectations just need to go. I know I at least can say that they do nothing for me. I get disappointed when someone doesn't meet mine.... and in turn I'm scared to death to let others down by not meeting theirs. An ugly little cycle.

Imagine not placing any strictures on people or things or actions... Just letting everything unfold in the divine way that God has planned. No judgment. No asserting our own thoughts or plans or will... Free to be!I love that idea! I'll do it for you, if you do it for me.
:)

font fun.

2010-06-10T21:00:00.000-07:00

life is like this...

2010-06-08T17:11:00.000-07:00

Beautiful and tempting. But full of pits.
When it's sweet, it's perfect.
But watch out for the sour ones, they look just like the sweet.
And yes, you have to work. Prising the fruit off that hard center; working your muscles, but
Aaahh... the reward.

Eat slowly, my friends.
Savor each bite of your life.
Because when the bowl is empty... you'll wish you had more.

our country fried weekend.

2010-06-07T07:50:00.000-07:00

Me, my homie Katie and a select few children trucked it on down to the farm on Friday. We had a fun (yet scorchingly-hot) time exploring, fishing, swinging on the porch, listening to the frogs and visiting my sweet family.

We also spent a little bit of quality time with some furry friends. Mo, Heaven and Manny the goat. They've been BFFs ever since the horses saved Manny from a pack of wild dogs who wanted to eat him for lunch. The horses literally fought them off. ...And now the goat follows them wherever they go.
Now ain't that just the sweetest thang!
I love being able to share all of this with Jack. Seeing him run and play and ride his bike in the same places I did when I was his age is priceless. Such a gift.

Thanks for another beautiful visit, sweet home!

three words: homemade. twix. bars.

2010-05-25T11:41:00.000-07:00

Why do I do this to myself? And why am I now doing it to you? The only answer I can give is this: We're awesome and we deserve it! So, do yourself a solid and make these yummy treats tout suite! There are few bad things in life that a little chocolate, caramel and peanut butter cannot set right. Right? Right.

Twix Bars
by Hoosier Homemade

1 Box of Club Crackers
1 Cup Graham Crackers, crushed
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup White Sugar
1/3 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Margarine
2/3 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Cup Milk Chocolate Chips

Begin by putting a layer of Club Crackers in the bottom of a 13x9 pan. Then, in a saucepan add the graham crackers, sugars, milk and margarine. Bring to a boil and boil, stirring constantly for almost 5 minutes. ...Until it has become caramel-like and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Immediately pour this mixture over the club crackers. Add one more layer of Club Crackers and press down slightly. Place this in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes. Next place your PB and Chocolate Chips in a small microwaveable bowl and heat for a couple minutes. Stir until melted and then pour over the top of the Crackers and spread it out evenly. Put it back in the fridge to harden and chill... and then cut the goodness into bars.

Simply put, they're redonkulous.

(Thanks for the tip off, The Cottage Cheese!)

the end.

2010-05-24T13:02:00.000-07:00

Ok. I've been fighting back the urges all day... But I can't anymore.
I simply MUST blog about this:(Beware the spoiler!)

Andy and are die hard fans. Yes, the annoying kind. We get super serious when we watch it and then usually spend another 30 minutes after it's over debating and comparing our theories. I think we felt as if there would be NO way they'd be able to surprise us with a resolution that we'd not already thought of. That no matter what happened we would have seen it coming... But after watching last night's finale, I fully admit... they got me! Those sneaky sneaks. It never occurred to me that the sideways reality would turn out to in fact be "the purgatory" that so many people had thought The Island was. Brills. And without going into a 50-paragraph LOST-gushing tear-filled monologue, I will simply say that I really did think it ended well. It did right by me. It answered most of the questions... it wrapped up the loose ends, surprised me, justified my predictions, made me cry, made me cheer, and never compromised itself for the sake of "throwing in" a black and white explanation. That's the thing I think I loved most about this show- the smartness. It makes you think and reason things out for yourself. You can watch it and get something totally different out of it than someone else does. And I will be watching it all over again from the very beginning.... Oh, yes... someday. But for now, I'm in mourning that my most favorite show of all time has come to an end. A great end, but an end nonetheless.
Oh so bittersweet. Aloha, my friends...
(sniff sniff)

movie night.

2010-05-20T12:59:00.000-07:00

While Andy was out of town this week, I took advantage of the opportunity to get my "chick-flick" on! Well... I say chick-flick, but that's actually not true. They were just movies that I knew Andy wouldn't really be into. An Education was the first. I had been dying to see it since the Oscars and Carrie Mulligan's nomination for best actress. I think she is just the cutest thing. A little pixie. And I really did like the movie.... But it was definitely her poignant performance that made it worth watching.

The other movie was one that I had had on my list for over a year now...
Happy-Go-Lucky.This one was about a 30 year old school teacher named Poppy, living in London. She's a ray of sunshine, loud, colorful, incurable optimist who sees it as her goal to make everyone's life she touches brighter. So fun! This actress, Sally Hawkins won the Golden Globe for best actress for her performance. I loved it! And left it with the goal of trying harder to do this in my own life.
See it, for sure!

Seen any good one's lately???

vacay!

2010-05-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

I'm baaaaack! And with somewhat of a peely-burnish-tan. We enjoyed a full week of relaxation at a beautiful, historic beach house on Saint Simon's Island, Georgia. Perfection. The temp never rose above 90, and it was sunny and breezy the entire time! I'm tellin ya, I'll NEVER want to go to the beach again in any other month than May... it was bliss on a cracker.Fin.

who's your mama?

2010-05-07T14:11:00.000-07:00

Oh Happy Day!
Andy surprised me with an early Mother's Day gift!

Hoooooweeee! I love that guy!
I've been wanting one for as long as we've been married, and now... It's ALL MINE.
Take that Pioneer Woman!
(just kidding. I love you P-Dub. I will continue to enter your giveaways! Please be my BFF.)

Happy Mother's Day to all you ladies out there that rock it out on the daily! Here's hoping you all have a fabulous, relaxing weekend!
I will be somewhere with sand, sun, a salted rim and sea foam green nails!!

Toodles.

ew.

2010-05-05T11:59:00.000-07:00

So...

Apparently I look like this gal:

That is... According to the new creepy old man OBGYN I saw today! Gag! And gag! He was adamant and spared no detail of how hot he was for Linda Ronstadt back in the day.
All this, and then the stirrups?
Seriously. I was bothered.

Flirting+Speculum=Gross

your daily dose of cuteness.

2010-04-29T12:38:00.000-07:00

Behold the adorableness in this chick's house!

{all images: Trisha Brink's Photostream}

I think she crawled into my brain and read my thoughts. I love the kitchy-ness and the lived-in-edness and the fearlessness! It's what I woulda if I coulda.
SO cute!

color me sick.

2010-04-26T10:53:00.000-07:00

Being somewhat artsy, you'd think I'd be pretty adept at picking out interior paint colors. Yeah, not-so-much. I always go into it with the best intentions of picking out the subtle yet punchy enough color that looks exactly like what I see in my mind's eye... and I always end up with something very much NOT that. Take for instance... the bedroom incident.

For a very long time I've had an obsession with finding the perfect turquoise. Not a bright, vibrant turquoise, but an antique-y, dusty, regency sort of hue. When we first moved into this house I painted the bedroom in what I though was just that. Something to complement the white painted floors and give rustic charm. Hahaaa... turns out, I was more than a little bit off! Upon seeing it for the first time, Andy called it the Guatemalan hospital room. And it totally was.
(I am desperately searching for a photo, but I think I must have incinerated all evidence.)

But today I saw this pretty little cottage featured on House of Turquoise......and I said, "Now that's my color!"

I love it.
Reminds me of this...
So beautiful.

And Oh!
Oh, how I do wish I were in some Jane Austen-esque countryside manor house frolicking with my Mr. Darcy instead of where I am in actuality... the sick house.
Nursing a feverish baby whilst simultaneously coughing my ever loving lungs out.

Oh well.... That's why God invented the internet.
:)

i heart earth!

2010-04-22T12:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Earth Day!

Every little thing makes a difference. Recycling, planting, turning off lights and water... And the best part is that it's never too late to start! I'm a little ashamed to say that I wasn't recycling until about 2 years ago, but now I'm obsessive about it! It makes you feel good to know you're at least doing something!

God put us on this Earth and told us to be good stewards.

Love what you've been blessed with, live responsibly and pass it on to your children...

It'll make God smile!
Alex MacLean, Flower Fields, Carlsbad, California
(via Drollgirl)

Like, gag me with a spoon...

2010-04-21T10:42:00.000-07:00

I'd say, with absolute certainty, that the Dirty Thirty 80's Night Extravaganza was a roaring success! Almost everyone dressed up and so... since pictures are worth a thousand words, I'm just gonna let these do the talking...
In addition to Strawberry Shortcake, Boy George, Prince, The Karate Kid, Doogie Howser, Wind-Suit-Guy, and (me)The Party Girl..... there were also appearances by Punky Brewster, a Care Bear, and a snobby John Hughes-esque Rich Girl Villain! I hate that I'm missing the pictures on those.... but like you can like imagine, they were all like totally awesome!

(Our elderly neighbors must've been seriously frightened for their lives when they saw this
motley crew out on the street!)
Haaahahaaa.... I don't blame them.

nature is a mother...

2010-04-15T17:27:00.000-07:00

Pollen.

It may look like a 6 letter word, but it acts more like a 4 letter word. It's bad bad bad. Naughty. The pollen count here in Atlanta is at obscene levels right now; somewhere in the thousands! (Anything over 120 is considered "extremely high".) And we're in the thousands?! What the foot.
I've been hacking and snotting and just having a pretty gross week, I must say.

But there has been light at the end of the tunnel, my friends.

I've seen it growing ever closer all week...

My fab friend's Dirty Thirty 80's Night Extravaganza of a birthday party is this weekend, and I just can't wait to rock some awesome 80's threads! (Word on the street is that we will be seeing the likes of Boy George, Prince, Doogie Howser and Punky Brewster just to name a few...) Fear not! There will be many pictures and much embarrassment in the blog to come.
:)

As for this evening, well, I'm thinking the extent of it will be settling in with a little Office and 30 Rock... and a big fat loving friendly chunk of partially hydrogenated goodness (or a Kroger deli cupcake, as it is sometimes referred.) Hey, no judging. We're all supportive friends here. This is my safe place. Happy place. (That's the allergy meds talking, pay no attention...)

I've been dreaming of this ever since I saw it posted all those weeks past...

And I just too sick to bake.

*cough*sneeze*cough*

So, Kroger it is!

our easter.

2010-04-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

We were able to travel down to my Mom's for Easter (the first time in 10 years! Shame!) And we had such an amazing time. I've got one big honkin' family! And although they weren't all able to make it we still had quite the gathering. Jack had an almost obscene amount of fun running barefoot, playing in the dirt, sweating and just all-around embracing his good ol' country roots.

For me and Andy there were late-night card games, lazy afternoon porch swinging, muddy 4-wheeler escapades, awesome barbecue, guitar pickin and a graveyard tour!
Southern fun at it's best!

You may be thinking this an odd activity to be doing on Easter... But this is actually the ancestral graveyard for my maternal Grandmother's side of the family, the Sheppard's. It lies at the end of a long, shady dirt road just down from our house and has always been a favorite place to go exploring. Some of the gravestones date back to the 18th century. And we even uncovered some unmarked graves out in the woods, which were very mysterious and a little spooky. It was neato.

Here are some other highlights of the weekend.
I love knowing that Jack will always have sweet memories like these. It's a true gift to be able to share it all with him. To watch him play in the same places I use to when I was 3 years old, walking barefoot through the clover and running around the same giant pecan trees. It's a beautiful thing.

The ultimate was getting to watch him hunt for his basket on Easter morning. (Because when I was little, the Easter bunny would hide mine somewhere on the farm and I would have to go out and search for it. It was our thing. And just another one of my favorite little traditions.)

(me, circa '83.)

The above sweetness is too much to be borne! I'm so thankful to my Lord for all of these blessings! And I hope you all had an equally perfect holiday.

Smooches!

in memoriam.

2010-04-06T13:18:00.000-07:00

R.I.P.
Tuck
June 2009 - April 2010

"Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did."

And by the way...
I'm sorry for saying I hoped you would just go ahead and kick the bucket already. I didn't mean it... too much. Yeah, it sucked having to clean out your pond-smelling bowl every week. (Maybe I should have cleaned it more often...) But, you lived a pretty sweet life for a turtle I think. And we'll miss your slimy feet. Have fun in pet heaven.

i am woman, hear me roar!

2010-03-31T11:40:00.000-07:00

Long time, no blog.
I've been busy basking in all of this beautiful weather perfection we've been having! Glorious! This past weekend me and some fellow Team Afro supporters trucked it on up to the wilderness for our first all-girl camp out. T'was a raucous time indeed. ...and just what the doctor ordered!

We came. We saw. We may have left a little stinky and wet and muddy... but we're basically total mountain-women-rock-stars! We fear nothing and no one. We laugh in the face of adversity. We build fires. Pitch tents. Sleep on freezing hard ground. Drink out of flasks. Dance to Thriller in the wee hours of the night. Taste moonshine (blech!) And make friends with people with names like "Rabbit" and "Zell". That's right...

Zell.

Pure T. Awesome!

Thanks for a great weekend, Ladies!

Now can someone please come check me for dear ticks?

...ergh.

on the market...

2010-03-24T11:41:00.000-07:00

The OPEN HOUSE is Saturday, April 17th
From 1-3!
C'mon out!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Well, it's official, y'all. Our sweet cottage has been listed and is now for sale! If you or anyone you know may be interested, please direct any inquiries to me at
christycharrison@gmail.com.

To see a house tour and get all of the listing information, simply click here!

More pictures will be added soon to the website,(like the kind that don't feature fire trucks and Lego blocks in the middle of the floor... Don't ask. I've apparently grown blind to the toy clutter...) So, anywho...
check back for updates!

Thanks, y'all!

a few things of note...

2010-03-23T12:48:00.000-07:00

Whoa! Cuteness overload! I haven't had a chance to really catch up on my blog-reading until today, and whew! there was just so much awesomeness to behold.
I have to share some stuff I'm digging on...

Firstly:
The Cottage Cheese's adorable 50's inspired kitchen find.

Second:
The Young House Love blog. How am I only just now finding this?!

Thirdly:
Desire to Inspire never fails to do just that. Here are a few Flickr finds of laundry rooms to-die-for.

Fourthly, and finally:
I am loving all of these cute, colorful prints. And plan to take note of a few I'd like to have for my new(yet to be found) kitchen or studio.

{via: Design is Mine}

{via:A Cup of Jo}

{via: A Cup of Jo}

{via: Design is Mine}

...And now, I will leave you, my lovelies, as I hear myself being beckoned to attend to the youngster. (Plus, I'm afraid he may be in there eating all of my Cadbury creme eggs as I type this!)
Yikes.

Happy Tuesday.

springalingadingdong!

2010-03-19T12:18:00.000-07:00

O Spring! Tomorrow it will be official, and I am already welcoming you with open arms!

Change.

Growth.

Humming, buzzing life.

Beauty popping up all around.

This time of year makes Mama frisky...

Makes me wanna open all the windows
smell the narcissuses (or should that be 'narcissi'?)
walk barefoot in the dewy grass
eat fruity things
play outside 'til dark
plant stuff
do naughty things on park blankets *wink*
listen to bluegrass
and just overall ...rejoice!

It's the season of luurrve, my friends! And boy do I lurve this youngun! He climbed up on this rock, got all pose-y and told me to take his picture. Haaaahaa....
I think he may be onto the fact that I'm completely obsessed with him. Ya think?

Happy Friday!

...worth a thousand words.

2010-03-18T12:26:00.000-07:00

I found a ton of pictures on my iPhone that Jack took. Really, they'll probably bore the pants off most of you, but being the proud mama that I am, I wanted to share. I just love the fact that he's already a budding photographer! ...just check out some of these compositions.

The boy's got an eye.

Right now his main inspirations are obviously floors and trains. But I will say, I was a bit uneasy when I found this one that he had snapped of me while I was, um... obviously asleep on the job.
I think he may be trying to compile evidence against me.... Uh-oh.
...and then again today. What gives?!

Ok, seriously... Put the phone down. DFACS doesn't need to be notified. I only appear to be sleeping in these. In actuality, I am fully aware of what's happening at all times. Swear.
I can't believe that little scamp's trying to rat me out to the Feds. I mean, you breast feed someone for 10 months; you think you know them... and then this! ?
C'mon.

Haaaaaahaa!
Love it! He truly is the awesomest kid around, and I love that he's also super stealthy with a camera.

Mama=proud!

Happy day to you!

2010-03-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

May you always have walls for the winds,

A roof for the rain,

Tea beside the fire,
Laughter to cheer you,
Those you love near you,
And all your heart might desire!

May those who love us, love us
And those who don’t love us,
May God turn their hearts.
And if he can’t turn their hearts,
May he turn their ankles
So we will know them by their limping!

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

rainraingoawaycomeagainanotherday.

2010-03-12T12:18:00.000-08:00

It seems like quite a few people I know are going through rough patches right now. And it's hard to know that people you love are hurting. Lord knows, I've had major ups and downs over the past few years. Experiencing things that have left me changed forever. And though I still hurt when I recall certain events, I know KNOW with absolute certainty that God allowed it to happen at that time and in that way for a purpose. His purpose... of building me up, thickening my skin, straightening my backbone, exposing the false and highlighting the true. Above all, His purpose for making me the person He needs me to be.

I try to always remember this, when I'm feeling totally crushed by sadness or disappointed in people or in myself... It's making me better. I'm humbler. More appreciative of the happy times. Thankful for the people I have around me for support. I remember that I am blessed beyond measure and most definitely without deserving it. And that nothing that I could be feeling could even touch the pain that others cope with everyday. I've truly got it made in the shade compared to some.

I'm so thankful for my life!

My undeserved, imperfect, often hilarious, beautiful beautiful life.

Here's hoping you have a super sweet weekend. Spend it with people you love!

rainy-day-pick-me-up?

2010-03-10T17:25:00.000-08:00

Here t'is. Enjoy!

I love these peeps! Isn't she just adorable?

eat your greens!

2010-03-10T07:50:00.000-08:00

Andy and I are dead-set on eating healthier up in here. More fruits, more veggies, less, um.... late-night french onion dip and brownies. And of course, my goal is to be eating all organic all the time, but who can afford this? I ask you. Who? Not we. Luckily, a good friend recently turned me onto this:

{farmersmarketbaskets.com}

What a great resource! You sign up, pay a $10 basket fee, and then you're on your way to having fresh, locally-grown fruits and veggies at half the price of that yucky grocery store produce! My bud tells me that she does it every week and LOVES it! With prices ranging from $10-$15 for a small/large regular basket or $20-$30 for small/large organic basket. Literally overflowing with yum-yums. Now, you can't beat that with a stick. If you want to try it out first (without paying $10 for your basket) you can go here and sign up.
I'm gonna!

Aye!

2010-03-03T12:26:00.000-08:00

Waaaaahhhhaaaahhaaaa......

That's the sound of me crying from the depths of my soul. Crying to be the kind of person who could rent a castle in Scotland. Seriously, could you imagine anything more awesome than staying here for your next vaca?!Balbegno Castle is a 1560's castle, which has been completely refurbished and jazzed up by Charlie and Caroline Gladstone (the owners of Pedlars, one of the awesomest shops ever.) and is available for rent! Not only is the castle breathtaking, the interiors and decor have me positively screeching like a banshee over here.
Too. Freakin. Cute.Look. If you call yourself a friend, it's time to put your money where your mouth is. Book it, baby! ...and let me know when we leave!

change is in the wind...

2010-02-25T11:23:00.000-08:00

I'm beginning to get excited about moving and starting fresh in a new house. I get bored SO quickly with my decor and always wish I had a clean slate to start fresh on. Pretty soon, that'll be the case. My daily source of design inspiration is forever Desire to Inspire; where I ran across this:

{source}

There are so many design elements here that I have been adoring for a while now. Filed in my mind under "things I plan on implementing in our next place". The bold horizontal stripes, the whimsical yet polished look, the mixing of casual and elegant textiles. Plus, I really want a cow hide rug. They're always a staple in the rooms I love. (Andy doesn't agree. But he will soon see the light. Oh, yes. He will.) I'm also really into this wallpaper:

{source}

What do we think? Cool, huh. I keep seeing it everywhere... and I dig it.

Hope you all are having a beautiful, relaxing Sunday! I'm off to make dinner and then plant my hiney firmly on the couch for the rest of the night. It's Oscar night, baby!

on being real...

2010-02-23T14:17:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking a lot about being a better, truer me. Sometimes I really do feel like I have to fake it. Being what I think people want me to be, or toning myself down (or cranking it up) depending on who I'm with. And that makes for an unfulfilled life. I am endeavoring to be truer to myself. Pursuing the things that interest me, embracing my quirky senses, not making excuses for anything... because it's who I am and who I want to be. Take it or leave it, ya know.

And with these thoughts running through my head, I was totally enthralled with something I ran across on Design is Mine today...

{all images:The Selby}

It's chock-full of creative people living in their unique spaces... messy, artistic, and real. I love taking peeps into people's private spaces (um, that sounded creepy.) But, for real... it's cool. Check it out.

And remember...

{source}

adorable adornment.

2010-02-22T11:02:00.000-08:00

Just have to brag a little on my sweet Andy. He got me the most precious necklace from this Etsy shop. I meant to post this a week ago, ya know... when it was actually Valentine's Day. But it came late in the mail.I love it and love him because he knows what I like...
and that is no easy feat.

He's a keeper.

ear infunktion junktion.

2010-02-19T17:52:00.000-08:00

Poor sick boo. He's got an ear infection and is just so pitiful. Literally has not let me out of his arm's reach ALL day... that makes for a very l o n g day, my friends. But now. Now, he is sleeping. All is quiet and calm. (Except for the sounds of me foraging for junk food in the kitchen cabinets...)

I need something to do. I'm goin' nuts upinhere.
Deciding to give up Facebook for Lent is one of the best/worst decisions I made this week. Best because I am sickeningly addicted to checking it on my phone at least 50 times a day; that had to stop. And worst because I am locked in a sick house with nothing to do and no connection to the outside world. I would even be more than happy to read Farmville updates; that's desperate.

If someone out there hears this distress call, please send chocolate, magazines, hard liquor... Johnny Depp.... an avatar of myself...and avatar of Johnny Depp... just something to take the edge off this cabin fever!!

Oh, it's like that, huh?!

2010-02-16T16:15:00.000-08:00

Don't you just love it when you find out that other people are just as hopeless and hapless as you are? To hear other people openly admit their own silly faults? To know you're not the only one who does things like goes a day(or so...) without showering or trips and falls down like an old woman on the way to the P.F. Chang's bathroom or accidentally spits on someone's cheek while talking or.... well, I guess you catch my drift. It makes us all feel better to know we're not alone. That there's someone else who can relate to being imperfectly perfect.

I am that person, my friends.

Among other things (the spitting on the cheek thing) that I did today, I also completely botched dinner in the worst way. The desired outcome: Thai Chicken Pizza. The actual outcome: A big overly-salty catastrophe. It's not like it's the first time I've ever put something less-than-perfect on the table, it's just the fact that I really put a lot of time and effort into this meal... I bought organic free range chicken and gluten free whole grain pizza mix and all kinds of fresh veggies and herbs and jazz... it took me a long time to get that junk made! It came out looking so dern good too! But alas, it was inedible. The sauce! That butt-munch of a sauce! I shake my fist at that sauce... I usually buy a peanut satay sauce, delicious and reliable... but they didn't have it today so I bought some unheard-of brand of butt-munch sauce, a black bean sauce that I thought would be different and good.... It was not.

I literally threw the whole pizza out.

And I hate waste.

And I especially hate working for nothing.

It sucked a fatty.

The upside? I feel totally entitled to use my un-spent calories drinking several glasses of wine and eating ice cream on the couch while watching this!
Goodnight, fellow imperfectionists!

This woman is trying to kill me...

2010-02-09T16:34:00.000-08:00

Seriously. (ok, not seriously. But kinda.) The Pioneer Woman can't possibly know the effects that her gorgeous food photos and ridiculous decadent recipes have on me. It's hard to see things like this and be workin' on my fitness at the same time. Very hard.

Butter Chicken
(the name alone being enough to send me into a swoon.)

{4 pieces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts}
{5 cloves Garlic, Minced}
{1 teaspoon Salt}
{½ teaspoons Black Pepper}
{½ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper}
{¼ teaspoons Ground Coriander}
{¼ teaspoons Cumin}
{¼ teaspoons Cardamom}
{1 whole Lime, Juiced}
{1 whole Onion, Diced}
{¼ cups Butter}
{1 can (14.5 Oz. Can) Tomato Sauce}
{1 can (14.5 Oz. Can) Petite Diced Tomatoes}
{1 pint Whipping Cream}
{Chopped Cilantro}
{Basmati Rice}

Combine first 9 ingredients and marinate overnight.

Saute the onion in the butter until soft. Add marinated chicken and cook about 10 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Cook for 30 minutes over medium-low heat with the lid on. Add the whipping cream (I have used light cream or half-and-half also) and cilantro just before serving over Basmati rice.

Yum.

done and done.

2010-02-07T14:54:00.000-08:00

For those who may be wondering... Here are the finished shutters and door, freshly painted. After polling(bugging) my friends and family on which colors to choose, I ended up even MORE confused on what direction to go. The results were pretty split down the middle. The red door/brown shutter combo was what my heart was yearning for... but after hearing such differing opinions I opted for the slightly "safer" choice. Boring ol' green and brown. (And I must confess, the green turned out a tad yellower than I was wanting... but so be it! I'm sure as sure as sure not gonna be re-painting those suckers!) I think it looks just alright.
I'll be saving that red for MY next front door. One that I can enjoy for a long time to come! :)

Cuteness levels are spiking!

2010-02-07T14:41:00.000-08:00

Jack had a special visitor yesterday. His newest little cousin, Lexie Grace stopped over for some lunch. I can tell that she and Jack are gonna be fast friends... He's already completely enamored with her, asking if he could hold her/ feed her/play with her... He sang to her and tried to soothe her when she got a little fussy. He got teary when she cried... He is so tender and sweet, I can't help but brag on him. I hope/pray/beg that this will last. I love that he is emotional and kind and loving and sensitive...
My favorite kind of guy.

a bit o' news...

2010-01-27T14:36:00.000-08:00

Well we've decided that the time is finally right to make our move. We are putting our much-beloved little house on the market. It's such a strange feeling, and hard to describe. One I never had when we were moving from apartment to apartment. I mean, this is our house, it belongs to us. Bought while I was pregnant, and the place where we brought our sweet little new Jack home to. There have been countless memories. The idea of other people living here... well, frankly, it weirds me out a little. But we want to start growing our family and also have to start thinking about the school district we want to be in for Jack. ...and so, with a bittersweet taste in our mouths, we've started trying to spruce the ol' place up a bit.

First on the agenda: A new door color and new board and batten shutters (which I have the zany idea of trying to build myself... hmmm, we shall see how that works it's little self out.)

I've been taking a poll for which colors to go with. Care to add your two cents?

(and please don't be jealous of my photoshoppin' skills. I know they be awesome.)

at bath time.

2010-01-22T17:53:00.001-08:00

While he does this:

I do this:
No, these aren't my multiple personalities. Don't be afraid.
It's just something I do.
Gotta pass the time, ya know.
Yeah. I need to get out.

But he thinks his mom's freakin' awesome!
I don't blame him.
:)

say what????

2010-01-22T13:25:00.000-08:00

Coo-koo doesn't even begin to cover it. Last night whilst channel surfing I came across a documentary on the BBC. Within seconds, I knew there was no way I would be able to change the channel... even though I so desperately wanted to. The topic was just too bizarre not to watch.

The name of the documentary: I Married the Eiffel Tower. It explored the lives of several women that call themselves "Objectum Sexuals" who have intimate long-term relationships with objects. Yes, like, they have sex with them and stuff. They talk to them (and the objects talk back using telepathy). There was one who was completely obsessed with an amusement park ride, a church banister, a pipe organ, the empire state building, and the twin towers. The other women they profiled first fell in love with a bow (like the archery kind.) named "Lance" which she actually went on to become a world champion archer with... attributing it to their strong intimate connection, then moved on to the Berlin wall, and finally ended by marrying the Eiffel Tower.

I am telling you right now that I was literally on the edge of my seat with one eye open and one closed, willing myself to stop watching.... but I just couldn't. It was and is the strangest thing I have ever heard of in my life! I mean, I just can't get my head around it! Has anyone else ever heard of this??? Crazy! Ca-Ra-Zy!

You have GOT to watch this if you get a chance.... it's just.... just..... friggin' crazy!

jaded, party of one...

2010-01-19T17:35:00.001-08:00

So I've been a little aloof here lately (or so I've been told.) I think it's just been a very "internal" past couple weeks/months for me... and I've been spending a lot of time in my own head. But now I feel as if I'm beginning to come out of the fog. I'm really wanting to make my blog a daily thing, but as of right now... I am SO not in love with it anymore. I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that I am no longer content to just write about things that inspire me... I'm ready to start actually creating! It's gonna happen, my friends... Yes, it is.

In the meantime, though, at least I have really creative friends that I can live vicariously through! Colleen just added some super cute pieces to her Etsy shop! Yes! It's up and running... check it!
...until my next semi-pathetic post. Au revoir, my steadfast friends!

Music I love...

2010-01-11T19:15:00.000-08:00

Currently loving and listening only to this:

There is nothing like finding something that truly moves you. Music is such a personal thing with me. It's always on. In the car. In the kitchen. In the bathroom. Getting ready. Going out. Staying in... It's a part of every day. And right now I just can not get enough of these guys. I love that they can't really be classified into a specific genre. Bluegrass, roots, Americana, rock, punk, country... they are all that and more. The bottom line is that I love them.
Love. Them. Period. And that's all.

must win!

2010-01-08T07:56:00.000-08:00

I want this.
I need this.
I must have this.

It's from one of the sweetest little Etsy shops I've ever seen, Bird in Flight Boutique. One of my daily-read blogs, Down and Out Chic is doing a giveaway today from this shop... and I am just waiting with baited breath to find out if I am the winner!

It would really make my week.

oh, the weather outside is frightful.

2010-01-06T13:51:00.000-08:00

It's cold here. (Why thank you, Captain Obvious.) and it's steadily getting colder. There's a rumor that tomorrow we'll even be seeing some snow! I've been feeling giddy about this all day. ...What is better than a snow day?! Nothing. I LOVE being on lock-down with my favorite peeps... playing hookie in your pajamas all day?! Love it. And the best part is that here in the South, all it takes for a complete and total city-wide shut down is just a light dusting of snow and a whisper of ice.

Today, while at the grocery I couldn't help but laugh at the nearly-depleted bread shelves. I mean, why is it that people always feel like they need to stock up on bread when snow is coming? Are they planning on making a lot of sandwiches? I just don't know. But I will say with total certainty that a sandwich is NOT what I'll be indulging in on this most precious of days!
I'm making this:

In The Cottage Pie

(Named as such because a traditional Shepherd's Pie is made with lamb. If you are using beef it's called Cottage Pie. Appropriate, no?)

{1 lb. ground sirloin}
{1 onion, diced.}
{1 cup diced carrots.}
{2 tablespoons flour.}
{1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.}
{1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning.}
{1/4 teaspoon cumin.}
{2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.}
{1 cup beef broth.}
{2 tablespoons tomato paste.}
{1/2 teaspoon salt}
{1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper}
{8 to 10 red new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into chunks.}
{1/2 cup sour cream.}
{2 cup whole milk.}
{2 cups instant biscuit mix.}
{2 tablespoons butter, melted.}
...................................................................................
Preheat oven to 375.

For the meat filling: Place a large skillet over medium heat. Crumble in ground sirloin and saute 1 minute. Add onion and carrot, then continue to saute until meat is no longer pink and onion begins to brown, about 8 minutes. Mix in flour, cinnamon, Italian seasoning, cumin, salt, pepper and parsley and cook for a couple minutes, just so that flour has time to cook.

In a small bowl, combine beef broth and tomato paste. Mix together, then add to beef mixture. Lower heat and simmer mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens into a gravy.

For potatoes: Place diced potatoes in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and place over high heat. Allow to come to a boil. Boil for 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain. Mash potatoes with hand mixer, add butter, 1/2 cup milk, sour cream and whip until fluffy. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For biscuit topping: Mix 2 cups of biscuit mix with 1 1/2 cups (or so) of milk. You want it to yield a slightly thinner mix than you'd usually use for biscuits.

Layer it all as such: Spray a 9x9 casserole dish, spread the potatoes in the bottom, next spread the meat mixture over the potatoes, next spread the biscuit mix over the meat mixture. drizzle the top with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.

Bake for 30-40 minutes until brown and bubbly.

Sorry about the lack of picture, but seeing as how I haven't actually made it yet... I'll have to get back to you on that.

Now, as for my mid-afternoon treat is concerned... I'm thinking this will suit!

shout out!

2010-01-05T17:26:00.000-08:00

I'd like to draw attention to a few things. Firstly, I know a really awesome chick. She is probably THE most stylish person I know. She inspires numerous people on the daily. Has incredible faith, true love for her friends and family, impeccable taste in pretty much everything under the sun, and on top of all that... has an incredibly humble and modest spirit. If I didn't love her so much, I might hate her. (joke. joke. jooookkkkeeeee. the mere concept of hating her is laughable.) Her name is Lesley, Bloggess Extraordinaire! And she just (and finally!) opened up her very own Etsy shop. And because I love her, miss her, (and want to bribe her into hanging out with me more often...) I wanted to dedicate this little shout out to her!

I can't wait to see what else she comes up with!!

The other thing that needs mentioning is this. My ultra-crafty, fabulous, inspirational, sweet-hearted friend Madame CoCo McJoJo (also known as Colleeny Weenie, also known as
Co-Bear, also known as... um, Colleen.) just announced to me yesterday that she will also be opening her very own Etsy shop. As of right now, there is nothing listed... but she has the raddest of rad ideas and I can't wait to see! (...I'm kinda hoping that the fact that I just officially announced it will inspire her to get a move on! heehee. Or, she might just be mad at me for jumping the gun. But I'm not worried about that possible second option because I know I can take her. No prob.) ANYwho, stay tuned, my lovelies to see what unfolds.

I'm so proud to have such talented friends. Just wanted to share.

Be resolute!

2010-01-02T17:08:00.000-08:00

I've learned a lot this past year. There have been a number of changes, a few for the worse, but most- I am proud to say- for the better. I will always remember 2009 as the year I really, truly "grew up". The veil was lifted on a lot of different things in my life, light was shed, the glamour was shattered and the truths that I realized have changed me forever...

Making new year's resolutions has never been a huge thing with me. Yeah, I always proclaim a few, but it's never really a serious SERIOUS sort of commitment. Gonna exercise. Gonna diet. Gonna get organized ...yadda yadda. This year, it's not so much what I will be changing. What I truly want to be resolute about is remembering the lessons that 2009 brought with it, and carrying them forward.

Be honest.
Be loyal.
Be true to who I am.
Don't measure myself by other people's standards.
Don't judge others according to mine.
Don't be a trash-talker. It will teach people not to trust you.
If things seem too good to be true- they are.
Be polite.
Be giving.
Be secure in myself.
Be proactive in making my life what I want it to be.
Not taking my cues from others.

And with that, I graciously want to thank 2009 for what it's taught me. I am looking forward to an even better year in 2010. More growth. More fulfillment. More truth. More time with my family. More time with my friends. And a little less booty in my pants might be nice as well.
teehee...
(Thought this post might've come across a little too serious. It needed this face.)

CHEERS!

bringing the cuteness...

2009-12-30T13:38:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't picked up on this already.... I sorta have a thing for wreaths. I flippin' LOVE this one!I came across it here, but it originated here.
So cute! And definitely the next wreath-to-make on my list!

Christmas, the remix.

2009-12-29T18:10:00.000-08:00

Is anybody else tired? I am having a very intense bout of blog-apathy right now. I just ain't feelin' it. I'm hoping that I'll get a surge of inspiration soon. For now, the only thing that is keeping me hanging on is the idea that I am doing this whole blog thing for the purpose of posterity. So with that... Here are a few things you missed.

We made a cute Christmas train with "Titty" (that's Katie, for short.) Good times.
(But please forgive my scary comb-over... it was a long day.)
Thanks, Titty!

...And then came Jack's school Christmas party. He was so dang cute and was LOVING that I was there. At HIS school, on HIS turf. He had a blast. But, um... as for me.... um. Well... I don't want to look back on this and think- "Gah! Why was I such a whiny butt...?!" But I have to keep it real. It was less than fun. A tiny room filled with screaming sugar-induced 3 year old tantrums, anti-social mom's, bossy teachers.
Yeah.

But one look at this face, and I forget.
And last, but most certainly not least... Christmas DID come at the Harrison's! Jack was really into it this year, all about Santa, and saying his prayers to Jesus every night before bed... in the hopes for some loot!
Well, he made out pretty well, I must say! Trains trains trains.... candy, candy, candy.....
It will go down in our memories as a super sweet time. Andy was home from work all week, and there was some significant male-bonding going on... I know it had a profound effect on Jack. (and Andy.) (and Me.) Sweet times.

So here's hoping you all had just a fine a time as we! And a very Happy New Year to you!!! I'm off now... I have a date with my own Santa surprise... our new KINGSIZE baby!
Yeah, I'm uppity now. I'm big time.

G'night, my darlings.

A Christmas list of sorts...

2009-12-14T17:50:00.000-08:00

Wherein I will disclose to you some of my favorite things about this time of year.

1. Candles that smell of things like clove, snow, cinnamon, fir trees or peppermint. (my FAVORITE candle of all time being this one.)
2. Putting up big, colorful, Charlie Brownish Christmas lights.
3. Scarves.
4. Boots.
5. Fleece pajamas
6. Drinks like mulled wine, spiced cider, silknog, and pumpkin spiced lattes.
7. Having my family together, under one roof on cold rainy nights.
8. Outdoor fire-pits (and the people who fall into them on New Years Eve... teehee).
9. Chocolate chocolate chocolate is everywhere!
10. Watching It's A Wonderful Life.
11. Crying while watching It's A Wonderful Life, even though I've seen it over 100 times.
12. Remembering how it felt to (truly truly) believe in Santa.
13. Woolly hats.
14. Getting hand-written Christmas cards in the mail every day.
15. Crafts, crafts and more crafts.
16. Watching Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer with Jack, and trying to explain that The Bumble is actually a "sweet monster with a toothache."
17. Peppermint brownies.
18. DOMINATING in the gingerbread house competition! (Yeah, I said it.)
19. New Christmas socks.
20. Singing my favorite carol: O Holy Night. (And choking up at the "Fall on your knees..." part. Unable to go on.)
21. Keeping these albums on repeat.
24. Feeling the humility and joy that come with knowing it's all about Jesus.
25. Constantly being reminded of Number 24.

I know it's been said... Many times... Many ways.
Merry Christmas to you.
See you back here after the Holidays!

in love with...

2009-12-10T16:58:00.000-08:00

I just have to come right out and admit.... I have a serious girl crush going on. I am in love with Zooey Deschanel. (Who isn't, right?) I love her. I love her quirkiness and her slight uneasiness. And above and beyond all else I desire two things:
A) Her hair.
B) Her style.
So friggin' cute.

And, oh yeah... I love her old fashioned-y voice.

Over the river and through the woods...

2009-12-06T10:43:00.000-08:00

You can call off the dogs... Contrary to what you may think, I am indeed still alive. Sorry it's been sooooo dern long since I've written anything (that is, if you actually care, which you may not, in which case you may not have even registered my absence at all. And I guess that's OK.... just don't let it happen again. What? No. I'm not reprimanding you, I just need you to care a little more. Ok? OK.)

Ahem, Moving on...

Don't let my lack of posting lead you to believe that we have not been busy around here. We been busy. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with our family here. Followed by a precious visit to the farm and the warm and much-needed arms of my sweet Mama. Jack played 'til his little heart's content. Out running in the yard with his cousins from beginning to end, red-cheeked and dirty, just like a true farm boy. We decorated the tree and the house. Ate yummy T-day leftovers. Slept. It was a great time. Yep, that would be me in the above. 1984 y'all! Cute as a freakin' button. I just L-O-V-E pulling out all these old ornaments. Floods of memory. So bittersweet. That's Jack and the apple of his eye, his cousin Sofia. He was absolutely rapturous the entire time having her as a playmate... It was so fun watching them. It reminded me of how my favorite part of any holiday was getting to see my cousins. The best. One morning, while pouring myself some coffee I glanced out the kitchen window into the back field and saw this: Yeah. I freaked. There were two of them just loping around back there. Coyotes! The first time I've ever seen one, I've only ever just heard them. Cool (and scary.) Since getting back, we've all been a bit under the weather and haven't done much of anything... However, I did manage to whip up a new wreath. I wanted it to be wintry instead of Christmasy so I don't have to take it down in a few weeks. It was super-easy to assemble and I dig it. Felt is my favorite thing ever. I hope you all continue to have a pleasant week (if that is indeed what you are having.) And if you find yourself needing a little bit of a lift, I recommend you watch this. It made me laugh SO hard the other night.

Buh-bye.

ICE day.

2009-11-21T19:36:00.000-08:00

Today was a good day. It was (what I am deeming) the official kick-off to my holiday season... one of my favorite-est of events... it only comes around once (or twice) a year...
I.C.E!
Once again I was simply taken away by all of the treasures laid out before me. With a spiked Silknog in hand, I perused and lusted after almost everything my eye happened to rest upon. OK, I'm getting a little too poetic here. Let's just leave it at this: It was da shiz. I got a few super cute thingees:{cameo ring: Talulah B.}

{red satin bow clip: Stitch Machine}

{headband: Blue Eyed Freckle}

Such a beautiful day. And now that I've sufficiently recharged my own craft battery, I plan to rock it out in the weeks to come with some handmade Christmas handycrafts of my own. Did I say "craft battery"? Sorry about that. It's late, and I am being constantly distracted by the SNL episode...

G'night, loverlies!

my week, thus far.

2009-11-18T10:32:00.000-08:00

This week has been jam-packed so far. The weekend went by in a blur, going here going there, here there... and then it was over. On Monday I spent the day painting a sweet mural for a sweet friend and her sweet baby. It really turned out cute. And, of course I totally blanked on the taking of pictures, but that doesn't matter because I completely ripped it off anyway. Odeedoh is like the cornucopia of inspiration.... and we thought this was such a cute idea for a little boy's room, especially since it's not cutesy and will grow with him for a long time.
This is what I did:

{images: ohdeedoh}

Tuesday was here before I knew it, and marked the beginning of Jack's musical training. He went to his first piano "lesson". I say, "lesson" because he didn't actually touch the piano once, but was being trained in the ways of sitting silently and not moving during the other kids lessons... for 45 minutes.... after not getting his afternoon nap, because said "lesson" is scheduled smack-dab in the middle of said nap-time.... and the other three mother's kids were behaving like cherubic angels.... and I kept feeling really uncomfortable and pressured.... and well, I think you can imagine how it went. I left in tears. Of course, only after the other mom's approached me to tell me that I 'shouldn't worry at all' and that 'he's obviously just being three' and that their kids 'acted the same way in the beginning and it was impossible to expect anything different'.... and ....well, I just felt like a royal ass-hat by the end of it all. What the hay.

ANYWAY.... That was Tuesday.

Today went much smoother, and for that I am thankful. A now, as I sit here clad in my comfiest of comfy PJs, waiting for the effects of this glass of wine to set in and a much-needed episode of So You Think You Can Dance... I find myself with a first class ticket on the Blissful Express speeding down the tracks to Happy Land.

Goodnight ALL!

Nine!

2009-11-12T20:24:00.000-08:00

I am dying! I just saw the trailer for the movie Nine, and I am dying! Can't wait. Can NOT wait! I literally got chills, and then immediately ran to the computer to tell... well, YOU!

Daniel Day-Lewis: Check
Dame Judi Dench: Check
Marion Cotillard: Check
Sophia Loren: Check
Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, Um, Fergi?... CHECK!

Rob Marshall was the director of Chicago and also Memoirs of a Geisha and rumored to be lined up to direct a new Pirates of the Caribbean movie due out in '11. (PS... I'd love to see Johnny Depp doing some Bob Fosse choreography. Hmmmm...)
I LOVE everything that he's done. I am so excited!

And I just can't hide it.

a blog-worthy book.

2009-11-11T16:33:00.001-08:00

I'm reading this book...

...and LOVING it so far! Even though, I know it's a pretty dangerous thing to recommend such a thing as a book, before having actually finished it.... but that's what I'm doing. It is a dark fairy tale of sorts, but not like the ones I've read in the past. Usually with this sort of genre you either end up with something too fairy-taleish or something to adult-ish. So far, this is proving to be a perfect mix of each. I'm in that can't-put-it-down-even-though-it's 2:45AM-and-I'm-an-idiot-for-continuing-to-turn-the-pages-but-I-can't-stop period.

I just wanted to share.

the cabin.

2009-11-09T18:15:00.000-08:00

See, we have a little tradition. It started a few years ago. Once a year, we travel northward to a cabin in the middle of nowhere, Georgia for several days. During those several days we pretend to NOT be responsible adults, parents, citizens... and instead, well, we do things that I'd rather not write about... OK, OK. It's not all that lurid. We mainly just relax, eat, drink and be very very
very merry.

This trip was indeed just that, a trip. And it will not soon be forgot.
We enjoyed our short respite from the real world....
Thanks to those who made it such a memorable weekend!

playing catch-up.

2009-11-02T17:33:00.002-08:00

Yeah, it's November 2 and I'm just now posting these. Whatever. I make no bones about the fact that I'm a procrastinator. It's just what I do. Nevertheless, Jack's made-at-the-next-to-last-minute robot costume turned out pretty BOSS if I do say so myself!
Can I get a domo arigato. Whoot!

The night turned out to be a bit dreary and drizzley, but fun nonetheless. We spent the evening with family; talking, laughing, stuffing our faces with pizza, cookies and candy, squeezing cute babies... It was sweet Lexie's first Halloween, and she was absolutely delicious in her little pumpkin outfit. Too sweet!
Seeing Jack hold her and kiss her and smell her almost sent me over the edge.
...I got the fever, y'all. And the only prescription... is
more cow bell.
...I mean babies!

Anywho... hope you all had a great one! We're taking a much-deserved mini break this weekend, and hope to come back, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Who knows, I may even return with a story or two to tell... But I can't make any promises. Like the saying goes,
"what happens in Ellijay, stays in Ellijay."
Teeheee.
Bye.

jack turns 3: a birthday roundup

2009-10-25T14:22:00.001-07:00

No one can stand to be around me while I'm party-prepping. And I can't blame them. I turn all scary lady. But it usually pays off! At least it did this time. Jack's birthday was off da chain, yo! Well..... perhaps I exaggerate. But it WAS really cute, and he said he was happy, which is what matters most in the world.

On Friday (his actual B-day) he and I had a sweet little birthday breakfast together.And then Saturday we got down to some serious party bidness. Cowboy style.
Barbecue sammies, 'tater salad, corn-on-the-cobb, ice cold dranks... and of course, what self-respecting cowboy could have a true birthday without his very own 4-layer Holstein-cow-printed rainbow-center cake?
(A special thanks to the hot chick pictured above! Colleen, if it weren't for you, I would STILL be kneading fondant whilst weeping silently in the late hours of the night. You da bomb, girl.)

It really was the greatest! Jack got so many awesome new toys and loved every minute of it. Thanks to everyone who came out and made the day so sweet.
Now, if someone could please point me in the direction of the closest hot bath and glass of wine.... Mama has a party of her own to attend.
A party of one, that is.

Seven years, no itch.

2009-10-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

I freakin' love this guy!
And that's why I married him 7 years ago on a beautiful Autumn day.
Every day, from that one to this one has been complete.
Thank you for making me happy, sweet one.

(PS... I really like this Chuck Bass impersonation your doing, here.
Hot! Sizzlin' Hot! teeeheee...)

Happy Anniversary.

spooktastic.

2009-10-16T17:55:00.000-07:00

I think there's a ghost in the house. I mean, strange and unexplainable things are always happening around here. For instance, I'll make the bed in the morning and the next thing I know it's rumpled again. As if tiny little feet had been jumping up a storm on it... I'll swear that I've just finished cleaning up the den only to find, as soon as I turn my back, it is in complete disarray again. Weird. Not to mention the bizarre noises I hear following me around at all times... Moanings and whispers that sound something like "MMMMmaaaaaaammaaaa..... I teeeeeteeeed in the potty! Iwannateeteetreat!!!!!!..." Strange, yes. But true. In fact, just the other night I think I captured it on film as I was trying to take some pics of the candle holders me and Co made. Check it.

Oh weird, that's no ghost. It's just my child. Silly me... I guess I should tell this chick her services are no longer needed. Well, anywho... I really dig these little punkins. I went back and forth on exactly what to do with them, but am glad I went with the candle idea. Cute, no?And here's Jack's "Spider Pumpkin". He drew the "hair"and is very proud of it. He shows it to everybody that comes in the house. (He's such a show-off. I honestly don't know where he gets that from.)
And here are the Martha lantern's I made the other night with the CGA.

I hope you all have an enchanting weekend! I'm off to claim my spot on the couch. (and reclaim the remote control so as to turn off the Bruce Lee movie Andy's watching and turn ON the movie Co lent me: Paris Je' Taime. )

Happy Friday!

what i'm craving right now.

2009-10-16T17:17:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Truffles with Sea Salt???
yes. yes. a thousand times yes.

...and that, my friends, is why the Pioneer Woman is my BFF. (Even if she doesn't know it.)

a yummy fall pasta.

2009-10-13T17:59:00.000-07:00

Okie-doke. Here's a lovely little autumnal dinner to make your tummies happy.
Farfalle with prosciutto in a butternut squash and sage sauce. (And, consequently.... the leftover "sauce" is like the best butternut squash soup you've ever tasted. Bonus.) (And, yes, it's a rich soup... but like I always say, the richer the better, eh? Eh. In fact, I will share with you a short anecdote on exactly how "rich" I like my soup... Whilst on our honeymoon cruise, Andy and I were enjoying a lovely lunch in one of the many buffets. I returned to the table, brimming with happiness at what I had found: cheddar cheese soup! My fave. After taking down one bowl, I went back for a second. Yes, people were looking at me a little strangely as I ladled that second bowl, but hey, they can kiss it, right. I mean, it was absolutely the richest, thickest, cheesiest goodness I had ever eaten. Well, needless to say, after lunch I felt gorged and stuffed and ready to head back for a nap. As we were walking out of the dining room, Andy commented, "Oh, hey, I didn't see that they had a nacho bar!" I froze, and nearly dropped a deuce right then and there. What I had mistaken for soup was actually nacho cheese sauce. Yes, that's right. I ate two, count 'em two bowl of nacho cheese. And yes, I just shared that with the world wide web. No shame here.)

I digress.... this is one super recipe!

Here's what you'll need:

1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons butter
2-4 fresh sage leaves
1 small red onion, finely diced
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
1/4 pound prosciutto, roughly chopped. (I used the thinly sliced, but you could get it cut thicker and then julienne it for heartier pieces.)
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup grated parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound box farfalle

To start, add the olive oil to a hot pot and add the prosciutto. Cook until crispy, and then remove and set aside. Add the butter, sage and onion and saute until the onions are soft. Add the butternut squash to the pot, season with salt and pepper and cook until squash starts to soften, about 5 mins. Add the 3 cups of stock and allow it to simmer for 10-15 mins. Drop your pasta into a large pot of well-salted boiling water and cook to package directions. Once squash mixture has cooked down, and everything is tender, remove the sage leaves and ladle mixture into blender (you'll probably want to do about 1/3 of the pot at a time, because it's hot and may splash out if overfilled). Add the parmesan and milk to the blender as well. Blend until pureed and then make sure to taste for seasoning. Once pasta is done, drain and return it to the pot.
Ladle in some of the sauce (you'll have a lot of it, so definitely DON'T dump it all or your little bow ties will be swimming! ...AND your gonna want that soup, remember.) Toss to combine. Plate it up, topping the pasta with the crispy prosciutto and a little sage garnish and some more freshly ground pepper and...
VOILA!
C'est magnifique, if I do say so myself!

our saturday in pictures (and words).

2009-10-11T19:07:00.000-07:00

This weekend has been jam-packed-filled-to-the-brim with Fall festivities. A spooktacular craft night on Friday, wherein the Crafter's Guild of Austell put Martha to shame (more on that to come.) A Saturday spent frolicking in North Georgia. Pumpkin patches, apple orchards, petting farms, misty mountains... the whole bit. Jack and I did a little pumpkin decorating this morning... (yes, there's more to come, geeeez!) and then tonight, a delicious dinner of farfalle with prosciutto in a butternut squash and sage sauce.... (more to come on this, as well!) Indeed, there is simply too much blog-fodder to handle at 10:30PM on a Sunday night, people. I've got a DVR'd Mad Men waiting on me for Pete's sake.
So, on with the show....

In addition to these perfect pumpkins, I also found the most perfect gourd ever.
Stay tuned to see what they turn into.
(...and for all my other promised updates. Methinks I'll be spending a lot of time in front of this computer in the days to come!)

a simple craft.

2009-10-09T13:13:00.000-07:00

Here's a really ingenious yet simple idea for re-purposing TP rolls as awesome wall art.
Love this!!!!!
I'm gonna start saving these suckas!

Image and Craft How -To:
Growing Up Creative

I could imagine this above a bed or down a hallway... the possibilities of colors and shapes are really endless. Um.... why didn't I think of this?

what a little Nie can do.

2009-10-07T17:23:00.000-07:00

Today started like most do.

Hear the call of "Mammmmaaaaa!!!!". Pry my eyes open. Using sheer force of will, crawl out from the warm bed. Potty. Breakfast. Brush teeth. Make beds. Get an unwilling child dressed for school. Don hat, hoodie and flipflops. Out the door. Into the car.... Into traffic... Into another day in the life of me. And usually by the end, I'm ashamed to admit, I'm grouchy, unbathed, exhausted, touched out and turned off.

But today.

Today I saw Nienie on Oprah.

This was my first time seeing her "in real life" and I was blown away by her. Her spirit is so beautiful, it's palpable. I could see the warmth and love emanating from both her and her Mr. Nielson as I watched them talk about their story. Tears, tears, tears were flowing down my cheeks.

There was a segment where Oprah set up for one of her viewers to go and spend time with Stephanie in her home. This viewer, another down-in-the-dumps-stay-at-home-mom like myself, had written in to Oprah and expounded on why she "just can't handle being a stay at home mom anymore, and that Play dough makes her want to kill herself..." or something like that. Oprah sent her to the Nielson's house. ...And without going into the whole story, this chick definitely got a huge wake up call. Just seeing how genuinely happy and devoted and joyful and nurturing Nie is... and how, despite all the physical pain she is in, and despite the fact that she was once breathtakingly gorgeous and is now scarred, and despite the fact that she has every right to cry every day for the rest of her life, but doesn't... Well, let's just say, it was more than inspiring.The blessings in my life are too many to count. Everyday for me is an opportunity for growth and love and betterment. I get to spend my days in the environment of my choosing, with an angel boy whom I created, with a husband who is more than words to me and surrounded by people who only love and support me. Is that not enough? It's all I want and all I've ever wanted, and I'm determined to live it to the fullest. And tomorrow's a new day.

Thank you Nienie.

autumnal.

2009-10-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

Martha, Martha, Martha... Love her or hate her... one must admit... the lady knows her stuff. I was trying to wait until at least the first of October to post all of this goodness. The weather outside has me absolutely giddy! I mean, it's practically Autumnal! (I just LOVE that word. Autumnal. When I say it, I smell cider and camp fires and hear leaves crunching... Autumnal.)

I LOVE those little yarn pumpkins up there! I think that may be my first craft of the season...
And these vintage-y Halloween hangups are definitely on my list too. So cute.

I will also be doing the above pumpkin incense burner idea.

Now, as far as dressing up in costumes goes... I ALWAYS have grand plans, but they never seem to come to fruition for whatever reason. But this year... This year, I'm gonna make it happen! Andy and I already have a little something up our sleeves.... more to be disclosed at a later date. But, I digress... Feast your eyes on what Martha's got to say on the subject:

all images: marthastewart.com

Charming!
Care to disclose your costume plans?????

yay for movies!

2009-09-30T17:38:00.000-07:00

I love movies! There's nothing like the feeling I get inside when I see a great film. I mean a really great film. The kind that leaves you completely fulfilled and you walk away thinking that you could go right back in and watch it all over again. There have been a few of these for me... Life Is Beautiful, Amelie, Pride and Prejudice, The English Patient, Cold Mountain, Lord of the Rings... just to name a few. Andy thinks I'm crazy because I'd rather watch a movie on TV than anything else. Even if it is one I've seen 167,592,699,625,193 times.... which is most often the case. I just love it when something is done right, ya know. So you can imagine my delight at seeing the preview for Jane Campion's newest film, Bright Star. Complete elation! Campion's The Piano is another that would be on the above list of movies I adore. Bright Star centers on the love affair between the poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne. Gosh, is there anything better than aching love, the 1800's, artful poets, strong-minded women and above all... British accents? No, my dears, there is not. If you want to read a truly articulate review of Bright Star I suggest you take a gander at what the lovely Emily Martin had to say about it over at Inside a Black Apple.

after the storm.

2009-09-24T11:06:00.000-07:00

What a week! I almost don't know where to start. I think the best place might be to give out a great big THANK YOU JESUS! For those who don't know, the flooding in Atlanta this week has put our little town in the national spotlight. That's right, Austell definitely saw the worst of it, and our little house only barely missed the bullet. A convergence of rivers and creeks rose out of control creating a virtual island around our house. It truly was only by the grace of the Almighty that we managed to come out unscathed. Here are a few roads in and around our neighborhood.

(OK... So this last picture was definitely the only funny thing about this situation... but you gotta give it up to Kanye for supplying some much needed comic relief.)
But seriously, Andy and I feel unbelievably lucky. There are so many other families around us who have lost everything. Our hearts break for them and all we can do is continually pray and thank God for his undeserved blessings.

Speaking of blessings.... Here's another BIG one... in the midst of all this chaos, an angel was born. Our new little niece, Lexie Grace made her grand entrance at 2:35 AM Wednesday morning. She is perfect and loved and adored!

The rainbow after the storm.

rooms to inspire

2009-09-17T14:03:00.000-07:00

It's obvious to me that Fall has indeed arrived because I'm starting to feel invigorated and inspired again! My long-parched well is once again bubbling over with fresh ideas. And when I first saw the beautiful rooms below over at Desire to Inspire... well, they made me giddy. So unique, so brilliant yet simple, like living in someone's imagination... Eccentric Victorian I would call it.
I love it.

images via desiretoinspire

My favorite things are: The cherry blossom wall mural in "Olive's" room. The deep purple wall and pink floor in the kitchen. The peacock feathers in a blue vase on the mantle, perfect. The hanging clothes displayed on the walls and inside of frames... Charmante!

they call him the streak

2009-09-16T17:41:00.000-07:00

Since he started school Jack has become a little too big-for-his-britches if you ask me. He prefers to spend most of his spare time running through the house in full streak, britches-less that is, taking pee breaks (a feat he has now mastered) at least 176 times a day, and being an overall busy body. I mean, this kid has gotten so adept at unlocking my phone, dialing people and having full-length conversations... I told Andy we should get it on film and send it in to Apple as a "The iPhone is so simple to operate, a toddler can use it." ad campaign. I had to get him his own celly just so he'd stop abusing mine!

I just love that he stows it in his elmo undies when he's done. He's such a powerhouse of awesomeness!

And, oh yeah... I finally got around to doing a little "big boy room update" for this guy. I know I had mentioned the whole Where The Wild Things Are idea a while back... but after realizing that wild things aren't necessarily conducive to sweet dreams (reading the book to him also signaled the beginning of the middle-of-night-screaming-bloody-murder fun times a few months back...)
So, I digress.....

I went cowboy.

Don't laugh too hard at these sad little window treatments. My bunting idea turned out to be more labor-intensive than I bargained for. But for now.... that'll do pig. I still plan on doing some cactus/tumbleweed/adobe/rail fence/ somethingorother in the other corner as soon as I get a spare minute. Here's hoping for spare minutes!

turkey burgers: my recipe.

2009-09-09T17:11:00.000-07:00

Okie Doke.

I cooked up some lip smackin' turkey burgers for dinner tonight. And while I must admit, I wasn't quite sure about them at first, I ended up being very pleased with the outcome. Here's what's up:

1 pound ground turkey
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 small granny smith apple, medium dice
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons Pear Preserves
1 tablespoon hot sauce
juice and zest of 1 lemon
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
buns or kaiser rolls, buttered and grilled
cheese, mayo etc...

In a small pan, saute the diced apple and onion in the canola oil until tender. Reduce the heat to low and add the pear preserves, allowing it to melt into the apple mixture. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool completely. In a mixing bowl add the ground turkey, all of the spices, hot sauce, lemon juice and zest, and apple/onion mixture, combine completely. Form into 4 patties, plate them and put them in the freezer for about 30 mins. Drink a glass of wine, and check your Facebook. Next, heat a grill pan on medium/high and cook patties. (I like to do 3 minutes, then turn them 90degrees and cook another 3 minutes so as to achieve the criss-cross grill marks. Repeating on both sides:) Just before they are done add your cheese. Slap them on some buttered and grilled buns, with a little mayo and you're in bidness.

OK! So here's the rest of the story... Some things I couldawouldashoulda done.

Firstly: Add bacon! These burgers turn out so juice and melty and sweet that the contrast of some crispy, salty bacon would have just sent them over the edge!!! I mean, when has bacon NOT been good when added to anything in the world? Ever?

Secondly: In lieu of Cheddar I think that goat cheese would have been a nice choice. The tangy cheese would have been a great balance to the sweet burger.

Thirdly: I would have made twice as many. Yum.

J'aime du beurre!

2009-09-09T13:40:00.000-07:00

I'm in that sad little place I so often find myself.... the blogging doldrums. I just haven't felt inspired to write anything new lately. Yes, I've had fleeting thoughts, and random funny experiences lately... But nothing I thought worth typing out. That's all about to change m'dears. I mean, what the heck's this blog for, if not a place to where I can bore the world wide web with my pointless rambling??? Right? Right. So in that spirit, I just want to elaborate a little on what's been forefront in my mind lately.
In a word. FOOD!
On Labor Day, I managed to FINALLY make it out to see Julie & Julia.

Loved it.
I mean, is there anyone better than Meryl? And while the movie itself was just precious... the main thing that stayed with me was all the food. Glorious FOOD! Ahhh.... the cooking scenes, the globs of butter, the smacking and slurping and oohing and aahing was almost too much for me. French cooking is one avenue I've not really travelled down... I need this to change. I mean, seriously. The only drawback is my persistently increasing girth. I told Andy my name should be legally changed to Girtha. It's becoming a serious issue, but I digress... I'm dreaming of hollandaise and butter and wine when I should be eating carrot sticks, chewing on bamboo or, dare I say it... excercising. (...SEE! I don't even know how to SPELL exercising.)

Pray for me friends. I love to eat. I love to drink. I love to be merry.
I DO NOT love treadmills.

farm weekend

2009-08-31T20:10:00.001-07:00

Aaaaaaahhhhhhh.....

This weekend was just what the doctor ordered! Warm hugs, breathtaking scenery, comfy beds, fresh air, old friends, non-stop fun... All of these thing were awaiting us down at the farmhouse. In an attempt to help fulfill one my dear Katie's goals (a bucket list of sorts; things she wants to accomplish before 30...) we ventured down to my families beloved homestead to go horseback riding. My fabulous sister-in-law Lori met us bright and early on Saturday, a breathtakingly perfect morning, and we headed out to our friend Dawn's stables...

Such a fun morning! Thank you so much Lori and Dawn for making it happen!!!

Later that evening, after washing away the horse smell, and nursing our sore bums, we ventured out and had a great time meeting up with some great old (and new) friends. Olivia and I have been besties since 6th grade and I don't get to see her anywhere near enough these days. Such a beauty! ...and someone who definitely knows how to show a couple "city gals" a good night!

I had so much fun showing Katie all of my old stomping grounds, as they say... and just taking it all in as much as possible before having to return to the ATL.

Y'all come back now, ya hear!

first day of school

2009-08-26T17:39:00.001-07:00

Jack's first day of school was harsh to say the least. There were many tears on both sides. It was rough, man, I won't lie. After dropping him off I had to keep repeating mantras in my head to calm myself... "It's for his own good." " It'll put hair on his chest to cry a little." "Don't make a U-turn"... and so on.

Here's the pic I snapped of him on the way out.
You know... when he was still excited and happy. Yeah.

And here's the "Happy First Day of School" portrait he came home with:

Is that not enough to just break your little heart!? He looks like he's getting his mugshot. Poor guy! I seriously started laughing in the teacher's face when she handed this to me. Here's to hoping next week goes a little smoother.
(Your prayers and good wishes are welcomed.
This has proven to be harder than I thought.)

in the pink.

2009-08-21T12:30:00.000-07:00

Geez! I really hate to just totally regurgitate something from someone else's blog... but these gorgeous rooms needed to be shared. I, like Kim also have a deep love of pink, but it sometimes a little bit daunting. These rooms are perfection! I'd die to have that kitchen below.
(Someone please convince my husband that it takes a REAL man to live in a pink house!)

images via Desire to Inspire

Drool.

I seem to be a weirdo magnet.

2009-08-20T21:08:00.000-07:00

Here's what happened...

I was at my local Kroger today, preparing to do a little shopping, like I do. As I was getting Jack out of the back, a man walked up, apparently trying to get into his vehicle which was parked next to mine. I was in his way as I had the door open and was fumbling with car seat belts, hence blocking his driver-side door.

I said, "Oh, I'm sorry." And started to move hurriedly.
The man, who by this time I had noticed was very elderly, replied in a very gruff voice, "That's aight, that's aight... you c'n git the child out..."

I smiled, and proceeded scooping Jack up and closing the door.

Abruptly, the man growled, "You need a new car, though." Bewildered, I inquired as to why, clearly not following...
and then he said, "It's a Japanese car! A Toyota."

"Well," I smiled back as I started edging away,
"I really like it."

"I didn't ask you how you liked it..." He sneered. "Are you NOT aware that it was dem Japs that bombed us back at Pearl Harbor and killed thousands and thousands of Americans back in WWII!!??!?!"
(It was at this point that I noticed his "WWII Vet" cap and numerous pins and flags. eek.)

I tensely responded that, Yes, I was in fact aware of WWII.

"Then why'd you buy it?!"

"Well, I guess that was my decision." I said as I turned away.

"Well, it was a bad one!" He yelled after me.

I didn't turn around but responded with a "Have a NICE day!" and trucked on...

As I made it to the bank of carts in front of the store, I glanced back, only to see him STILL standing in the same spot, glaring at me. This was very unnerving to say the least. My first thought was that he must be doing some kind of vandalism to my precious Matrix. I got Jack strapped in, and kept giving furtive glances in his direction, until finally I saw him in his FORD, pulling out of his spot. Just as I was about to enter the store, I heard a loud 5 second car horn only to turn and see the man sitting at the stop sign in front of the passenger crossing. His window was down, and as he turned he glared at me and spit, that's right! SPIT on the ground! In a "I spit in your face" sorta way.

Stunned, I continued into the store. Unbelieving of what had just transpired.

Wow. Wow. Um..... Seriously? I ran over about a hundred things I wished I would have said to that poor old thing. None of them were Christian. It was a funny afternoon. I mean, I'm just a cute little mom with a cute little boy... you pick me to harass...? weird. weird.

What would you have said in my place? Have you ever been harassed for no apparent reason???

Tell me so I can laugh, instead of the alternative...

for posterity...

2009-08-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

Things that Jack is saying right now which deserve to be remembered for all time and are therefore blogworthy:

Dohniwa- Gorilla

Neehurt- Ribbit
(We have no idea)

Papanarsty- Paparazzi
(Which is actually what we call Andy's Dad because of the number of pictures he's taken of Jack. Now shortened to just "Papa".)

Tahaas Boooztar- Thomas Bookstore
(AKA Barnes & Noble)

(As a side note: Jack also does a funny counting thing at the moment. He will not count from 1 to 5, but instead will start at 6 and count to 13 with perfect pronunciation. ??? )

Admiration.

2009-08-16T08:39:00.000-07:00

This woman is amazing.

It's a bird. It's a plane. It's my delusional fantasy!

2009-08-12T17:32:00.000-07:00

O how I wish I was untethered at the moment!!! Jet Blue is offering an All-You-Can-Jet-Pass for only $600 from September 8th to October 8th. How cool is that?! I think I may make a list of places to go, just in case someone* wants to surprise me with a month of getaways!!!!

*Andy, this means YOU!

Potty time, excellent.

2009-08-11T17:14:00.000-07:00

The ridiculous level of pride I have in Jack is becoming just that. Ridiculous. What is it about being a parent that makes us assume EVERYONE wants to know about our kids? I just can't help but brag on mine, even though I try to kept it under control... He's just SO freakin' awesome!
I have felt for some time now that I must be the LAST mother on the planet to have accomplished the task of potty-training. It's a sucky feeling when you think you aren't up to par. But the honest truth... I'm glad we waited til now. Jack has always seemed to just adjust to things, without a lot of pushing and prodding. And this potty thing has been no different. We decided to commence bright and early on Sunday, and it went pretty well... there was a total of 3 puddles on the floor and 1 in the pot. Monday was little better, with at least one big accident at the playground, but a redemption poopy-in-the-pot happened later that made up for it. But today!... Today, Jack woke, went immediately to the potty, did his business, and continued to go ALL day! Not one single accident, not one drop spilt! He probably made about 50 trips throughout the course of the day, all of them unprompted by me, and came out squealing with delight every time! Ahhhh.... the joy I feel. The burden lifted.
SUCCESS!

I told Andy that I'm so relieved to have tackled this beast and come out on the other side... I feel like I can handle anything! ...Perhaps even another one??? I think it's time.

trash-to-treasure: chair update

2009-08-10T07:26:00.000-07:00

I finally did it!!!!!

After many months of waiting for it's time to come.... this chair finally got a facelift this weekend! You may (or may not) remember that I rescued this little beaut from the side of the street back in October.

Here's a reminder of what it looked like then:

And here it is in all of it's newly painted, and reupholstered glory: I debated for a long time on what color to paint it; mustard yellow, robin's egg blue, celery green.... but after having a long talk with myself, I had to admit, it needed to be black. I'm happy with the outcome. FIN

funnies of the week...

2009-08-09T08:06:00.000-07:00

So... We've been watching a lot of Yo Gabba Gabba lately. Admittedly, this show scared the bajeezy out of me at first... now, I get almost as excited as Jack does! Almost.
You may think this a bit sad, I know I do, but when faced with alternatives like Calliou, Max and Ruby and Dora... I will choose trippy graphics, dancy-dances, tall orange-clad flamboyant DJs and indie bands any day.
Anyway, I digress-
The other day as Jack was sitting at the table finishing up his lunch, I noticed that he was doing something a little strange. He was alternately huffing and spitting in a rhythmic pattern...
haaa, haaa, pffft - haa, haa, pfft.... and so on. It took me a about 2 minutes to realize what was going on. My son was BEATBOXING! YES! YES!!! YES!!!!
Thanks to Yo Gabba Gabba and more specifically to "Biz's Beat of the Day" (Where Biz Markie teaches the young ones a different beat each time; an invaluable skill as far as I'm concerned)

... Jack has learned this raddest of all talents!
It was a proud day in the Harrison household. My husband almost cried from joy.

cool art: Diana Sudyka

2009-08-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

I just ran across this awesome illustration and was immediately drawn to it.
Woodland creatures, Check. Mystical atmosphere, Check. Slightly eerie, Check!
It's from Diana Sudyka's Etsy shop. She's an illustrator and print artist in Chicago who specializes in hand screen printed posters for rock concerts. Only after taking a closer look at this print did I realize that it's actually a poster for one of my FAVORITE bands, Fleet Foxes.
Fleet Foxes Original, Limited Edition Screenprinted Gigposter : $30.00

Me wanty... but me can no spendy the money.
*sniff*