Do you even know who you are??

Here's something maybe like, one or two of you can relate to... 

When I was in my 20s, I was very career-minded. So career-minded, in fact, that I pretty much just worked, ate, and slept. Through college and early adulthood, I dumped all my hobbies; lots of friendships; and basically just put my nose to the grindstone day-in and day-out to bust out some goals and benchmarks and all that other corporate bologna. And, when I wasn't working, I was thinking about my next career move and my next degree - which never happened because every time I started a masters or licensure program, I ended up being pregnant again. I think God was trying to clue me in and I just wasn't getting it. At any rate, when I was so incredibly, unbelievably, amazingly please don't ever ever make me go back to work blessed to quit my job and the end of 2011...I came home to be with my kids, full-time! 

And pretty soon after my first day as a stay-at-home-mom, I was all..."What the crap am I going to do now?" I haven't been unemployed for more than a couple weeks time since I was SIXTEEN. Who. Am. I. 

What. The. Crap. 

And, when I say "what am I going to do?" I don't mean - "what am I going to do every day?" Though I did have a lot of make-up work to do when it came to full-time parenting. I mean, in the event that I do get second to sit down, what are my hobbies? What do I even like to do now besides drink coffee and wear yoga pants? I know. So basic. It had been SO LONG since I did anything besides work, I kind of really didn't know what to do with myself outside normal parental duties. 

More coffee, anyone? 

It was just a strange awakening of sorts and I had to re-figure out my interests. I love music, so my iPod was quickly filled with things to listen to. I started this blog because, duh, I paid a lot of money to get an English degree. Might as well use it. And then, one day, when my kids were doing some art projects at the kitchen table and instead of asking them, every five seconds, to mind their messes I sat down with them. I quickly remembered the hours and hours I spent while growing up (and I mean every day for hours) drawing to pass time or to wind-down. I noticed our oldest daughter's love for art - and she is really good at it! It felt great to encourage her as she created. My love for drawing came back seemingly at once. Our art closet was soon filled with notepads and pens and a bazillion markers and paints; trips to Michael's were many and my Pinterest boards were overflowing with ideas.

Zentangle drawing with Pitt Pens 

I absolutely love drawing. I love that it's something I can do to wind down and share with my kids as they wind down as well. We love creating together even if we are working on separate projects. There's just something about being in community, working alongside one another, and putting our imaginations on paper. The conversation is good. The outcome is always fun to see, analyze, and discuss. I love seeing what our kids come up with. It helps me understand them even better. We get to talk about all of the art-lovers in our family and all of the different kinds of art in the world. I'm not into sports and, at 33, there's really no chance of that changing. BUT, every one of our kids from the oldest to youngest loves art. I am so glad that's something we can share and do together. 

Zentangle with Pitt Pens and Prismacolor Markers

A lot of times, we have been in career-mode or mom-mode for SO LONG that we simply forget our own interests and who God made us to be. I'm not talking about having some mid-life independent woman freakout. It's not that at all. Remember the gifts you've been given and share those with your children! Let them see your abilities and how you work to improve; get them involved, too. It's a great way to tighten the parent/child bonds, promote community, discipline and it opens doors for communication as well. So, whatever your interests (so long as they are constructive and age-appropriate, that is) share them with your kids! Chances are, they will share some of the same and it will draw you closer, still. 

Free-style drawing and lettering with watercolor pencils and Pitt Pens. 

Little tricks...bathroom organization.

I've been on a "Pinterquest" (exhaustive journey through stores, websites, craigslist, online garage sale sites, etc.) to find a cart or dresser suitable for a kitchen coffee station. While on this arduous quest for the perfect furnishings...a friend saw my inquiry for the perfect cart offered me the Ikea Raskog cart for $30. That's like $20 off the price of buying it brand new AND I don't have to drag my husband and/or kids to IKEA with me. Because, you know, no one in this house really likes Ikea except me. I had a feeling it wasn't going to work for the kitchen because of the color, edges on the shelves and it's a little smaller than I hoped for. THANKFULLY, I quickly noticed that my friend's Ikea cart coordinates perfectly with our kids' bathroom. The bathroom that has no storage aside from the medicine cabinet. Which...you can't really put towels in there.

A year ago, we ripped out the entire bathroom and put in new flooring, new paint, new toilet and new sink, new decor, etc. We decided to go with a pedestal sink because our children (who love to play in water) had played so hard at ye old bathroom sink, that our vanity had suffered significant water damage. Now, you can try to tell kids all you want that sinks are not for recreational use. However, they will always find a way to wash their hands a little longer. To get another drink. To brush teeth another time. All of these things usually end result in swimming toothbrushes, floating boats and extended periods of washing dolls' hair. Sigh. It's just a stage of life. They won't do it forever. I ain't scarrrred - except when they water damage our furnishings.

The pedestal sink looks great; it's pretty kid proof, but obviously offers zero storage. My intention was to put up some shelves (as seen on Pinterest, of course), but that never happened. When I saw this Raskog cart in the perfect color - I knew my bathroom plans were coming full circle.

Look. At. That. It matches the mirror, rug, wall-art and looks like it was made to squeeze right in that space between the wall and sink! I love it. I have it set up with three mason jars to hold toothbrushes and toothpaste (previously they would land in the sink or - gasp - the floor); hair products; hair accessories; and other bathroom-y things. The bottom two shelves have towels and washcloths (which were previously sending our hall closet into overflow status). I LOVE having this cart.

The only problem? Now I've thought of at least one, maybe two more places in the house where I need one.

Also? I found the perfect cart for our coffee station, but it's back ordered. Hopefully I can post on that in early February after it shows up. SO excited!!!

This week's meal plan - (mostly) all from Costco. :)

Did I mention that I love Costco? I think I did...maybe once or twice. I usually go during the week with all four kids and we do our weekly grocery run. My husband had some errands to run this morning, so he dropped two of the kids and I off at Costco for A WHOLE HOUR. Did you know that taking two kids to Costco for an hour is like equivalent to being there for ten minutes with four kids? Don't do the math...just trust me. It was like a leisurely stroll in the park.

As a result, we got to look at ALL THE THINGS and I actually have this week's dinners planned and purchased for this coming week. It feels great to be ahead of the game, but it doesn't usually happen that way for us. I was going to post something else today, but pushed it back till tomorrow so you can check out my weekly meal plan and glean some ideas from it if you like! I know when I'm at a loss for what to cook, I read blog after blog via Pinterest until it's figured out.

Ready? Here we go! 

• Monday - Oven seared salmon with roasted butternut squash, broccoli and crimini mushrooms and maybe some brown rice on the side - I have to decide if rice is necessary. 
• Tuesday - Spinach and cheese ravioli with homemade bread and garlic butter - maybe some roasted veggies on the side.
• Wendesday - Slow cooker Italian chicken with rigatoni or angel hair.
• Thursday - Garlic butter quinoa and shrimp
• Friday - Company is coming! Menu TBD
• Saturday - Chipotle (hoooray!!)

Also, if I get a second, I'm going to make some more viscotta (Italian sesame cookies) for the hubs and I do dip in our morning coffees. :) 

Creamy Tortellini and Roasted Veggies

Okay, so I have some disclaimers to make.

Our ugly and delicious dinner.

1. I am a portrait photographer. I am not a food photographer. The following photo, of tonight's dinner, does not represent my skills as a photographer nor any culinary skills that I may or may not have.
2. The only healthy thing about the following meal was the roasted veggies. This is probably an excellent meal to eat while you're carb-loading for a race. I'm most certainly not. I'm just eating this way because it's fall. And it's fun. I did get to shower today, though. So, that's something.

Onward and upward....sometimes when I'm at the grocery I just grab random stuff for that night of the week (and there's usually always at least one) that I have NO CLUE what we're going to make for dinner. Like...my brain just can't process what we have available to make or I'm not hungry for anything and/or I am just out of time. Whatever the case, I grab a few things I can throw in the freezer for such days as this. 

We had to take a full sick day on Friday because our baby (two-year-old) was battling a respiratory infection of some sort and needed me on the couch with her ALL DAY LONG. She was really sick, you guys, and it was really sad. What? Snuggle a sweet buttercup baby on the couch all day? Twist my arm. So...we did that. We watched show after show and learned that she REALLY loves the movie/musical Annie. She was still sniffly Saturday and by Sunday the other kids had whatever she was having. SO...we got behind on basically everything and I had to kick it into high gear today. We got a bunch of school work underway, laundry folded, other junk cleaned and I started dinner early, LIKE A BOSS. 

I remembered the tortellini (cue the harps, bells and trumpets). I've never made anything with tortellini before. So, I did the only truly logical thing. I made a cheese sauce for it. Friends, when in doubt, cover dinner with cheese and you'll be everybody's favorite mom. Just saying. 

Cheese sauce went like this-ish: 2c almond milk (or whatever you have); 1 brick of cream cheese; a handful of Romano; some butter; pepper; a bunch of garlic; flour and...I think that's it. Melt it all down on medium heat and stir it all together till it's thick and smooth. If you can't get the flour lumps out - stir a figure 8 in the pot until they start to thin out. That's not witchcraft; it works. 

Also? I know some of you Type A people are freaking out because there are no measurements listed and you're probably scrolling down to leave a comment right now and tell me there are no measurements. You know why? I have no idea how much of what I threw in there (I even guessed on the 2c of milk). And? It really doesn't matter. You have to trust me. Start with a 1/4 of flour and don't go nuts with the other stuff. You will be okay. Just  keep smelling it and taking taste tests. 

I threw the tortellini (frozen) in my crock and poured the sauce over. I cooked it on high for a while (a few hours) and checked for doneness. Once it was nice and cooked through, I left the crock on keep warm till dinner. 

On the side, we had my favorite Costco veggies (roasted in the oven with: olive oil, sea salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, Hungarian paprika, and dried minced onion). YUM. Listen to me...all you really need is salt, pepper and olive oil and your veggies. Add what you like!!! I cooked these around 425 for...you guessed it...a while. I don't know. 40 minutes maybe? Watch for doneness and don't burn 'em. 

Finally, my last starchy component - the Sister Schubert roll. If you like rolls. Please do yourself a favor and get some from the freezer section!! Delicious yeasty amazing rolls ready in 10 minutes. YUM!!

As always, enjoy!!! 

Garlic Pasta & Shrimp (On the table in less than 20 minutes!)

I had big plans for today. We were going to get school finished up early and then I was going to
overhaul the pantry. We did get school finished, but after lunch I made a mistake. I sat down. You never sit down when there's a laundry list of crap to get done. It's like sitting down in the middle of a race. You just don't.

At any rate, by the time I hoisted myself back up off the couch and got the baby down for a nap, I was a little behind schedule on the pantry issue. Then I got halfway through and felt like taking a nap. Alas, no nap - ever. Because? Four kids. Do I need to explain that to you? I didn't think so. Your current mental image is surely sufficient. Anyway.

I recharged with some Halloween candy and other random (likely expired) junk I found shoved in the back of the pantry and, we pushed forward. I got the pantry put mostly back together with one or two shelves left to go through (another today...like next year) and it was like 4:40pm. Dinner is served about 5:30 here. But, I really needed to take a shower.

So, quickest shower ever and back to the kitchen to start tonight's kid-friendly supper - garlic pasta and shrimp. VERY easy! The shrimp takes 12-14 min in the oven; angel hair pasta takes water-boiling time plus like 5 minutes and then sautéing some mushrooms with butter takes about as long as the noodles. It all goes together great. Unless.

You forget about the shrimp.
And set off the smoke detector.
Then your kids shriek in terror.
And the baby chokes on an apple because of said commotion.
And your husband has to save the day with the heimlich.

Friends, that little episode of "Mommy Burnt Dinner Again" terrified me. Alas, a few minutes later we were all sitting around the table, totally composed and enjoying the garlic pasta and shrimp before heading out the door to the next thing.

Sometimes it just feels like "a day." And then, in the midst of all the burdens we're carrying, we take a look around and see all of our people; all of our blessings; all of the sovereignty; all of the abundance and we have nothing left to say except - God is good. All the time. Even when nothing goes as planned. Even when we are let down; even when we are in need of a never-happening nap; when people all around are falling apart; when we are anxious; or making dinner on the crispy side, again... God is good.

Hope you enjoy the pasta. It's pretty phenom.

Here's what you need: 
-1pk crispy butterfly shrimp (you know, the kind from the freezer section that's good, but not good for you).
-Angel hair pasta (however much serves your family)
-Shiitake mushrooms
-Half a stick of butter (or more, if you dare)
-A bunch of garlic
-Salt and pepper.

Here's what you do:
-Cook the shrimp according to package
-Boil the pasta
-Sautee the mushrooms in garlic, lots of butter, salt & pepper.

Got all that? Throw it in a giant serving bowl when you are done and tell the kids it's fancy food. Hope you love it!

Maple Sweet Potato Casserole

With a vegetarian/clean eating mom and four kids who like all different things, dinner can quickly turn in to a debacle. We are just thankful that dad comes from a family of eight kids and will eat whatever is on the plate before him. We're working on getting the kids there, but realistically it may not happen for a few years with the littlest of our littles. I'm trying to keep track of all the kid friendly meals I've been making lately, but I wanted to record this recipe before I forget what I did to create it. :) It will come in handy for Thanksgiving, too, if you need an extra dish to bring.

I love sweet potato casserole and I always feel like mine never comes out quite right. You know, a lot of times it comes out like this.

But this time...gracious. It was SO good. I think I've finally cracked the code on sweet potato casserole mastery. 

Here's what I did. 

First things first. It's not because I'm lazy, it's because I'm left-handed. I don't like peeling sweet potatoes. It's a huge pain and I usually end up slicing my hand in one way or another or dropping a potato down the garbage disposal. So, I didn't peel the potatoes. I baked (four of) them in the oven (pierced and wrapped in foil - 400 degrees for like an hour or hour and a half). 

Once the potatoes were nice and tender (and only slightly scalding hot), I sliced them in half and scooped the potato out into my baking dish. Instead of egg (remember my irrational salmonella fear?) I added half a cup of Greek Yogurt (I didn't really measure it, but I was aiming for half a cup). Then I seasoned the tar out of all of it with cinnamon. After I cinnamonized it, I came to the moment of truth. Do I lace this sucker with brown sugar or try a "clean" alternative. I just so happened to have pure, local, maple syrup. I would say I used 1/4-1/2 cup of maple syrup and stirred to combine. Omgosh. So good. I added about 1/2 tsp of sea salt as well. Next, I scooped in the rest of the butter in the butter dish (about 2T and then added 1T of coconut oil). Mmm..... I stirred all well to combine and baked at 325 for about 30min or so. Once my salmon patties were about done, I added some mini marshmallows and allowed those to burn and set off the smoke detector melt beautifully on top of the casserole. 

It was SO delicious. I have to think the maple syrup and coconut oil had something to do with it. I hope you'll try this recipe. It was seriously the best ever...after I removed the charred marshmallows and made a second attempt. 

Here's what you need: 

• 4 big sweet potatoes
• 1/4c pure maple syrup
• Cinnamon
• 1/2tsp tea salt
• 1/2c plain greek yogurt
• 2T butter
• 1T coconut oil
• Tons of mini marshmallows

Now, go make it and enjoy!!! :)

I guess I'm feeling a little...

Content? Could I possibly feel content? Do I even know what that feels like? For an entire decade, I went from "dream" job to "dream" job and yo-yo diet to yo-yo diet, anxiety attack to anxiety attack and I was always sick, out of time, stressed out, and always complaining...you get the picture. I had all these plans and ideals about what life was supposed to look like; what rung I was supposed to be clenching on the corporate ladder; how much more education I should have under my belt - certifications, degrees, accolades, etc. But, I never felt good about it. I kept hitting speed bump after speed bump. Then, a few years ago, something changed. The Lord threw out the stop sticks.


I felt and overwhelming sense of need to be still, and patient. To look at everything God had laid out before me and take care of that, and that alone, while waiting and praying about what's next. It felt amazing to be simply, yet extravagantly, marked by grace instead of degrees or other worldly accomplishments.


BY GRACE I was ready and able to begin staying at home with our (then) three kids and soon to be four (no one was more surprised about this than me). SO MUCH has changed since then and people often ask me how I do it. It's easy. It's so much easier than when I was trying to make these plans for myself. Three simple words, trust and obey. 

I didn't know I was going to be expecting a fourth baby at the same time I felt and overwhelming call to leave my career (and insurance) to stay home with our kids.

I didn't know how to balance cooking, cleaning, child rearing, and being the wife of a business-owner.

I didn't know about the substantial loss that was coming through to us: through deaths, relationships, and miscarriage - and that overwhelming grace heals us and allows us to go on.

I didn't know I would be healthier at 32 than almost every year of my 20s.

I didn't know that I'd be happily writing a blog about life and health, with no profit, instead of making big bucks as a corporate writer.

I didn't know I would be setting-up to homeschool four littles this school year. (I'm pretty sure I said I would NEVER do this, yet I'm thrilled about the opportunity now).

I didn't know that just working to trust and obey, every day, could be so much more fulfilling than any plans I've ever made for myself.

He carries us, every single time! Realizing that God's Will reigns over all allows us to experience incredible contentment. And, for that, I am SO thankful.

Giving thanks.

Okay, guys, I've had my stomach turned upside down more than once by reading overly descriptive details about someone's stomach virus via social media. So, I'll try to keep this tactful. About three this morning, I heard that noise - you know, that inhuman noise that comes from a small child who is suddenly sick in the middle of the night. That noise was followed by her tears and wailing, lots of laundry, and a trip to the tub over the next few hours.

Our poor babe. She was sick with a belly bug just a couple weeks ago, and she picked it up again. I was not pleased to be jolted awake; belly bugs put my OCD on overdrive; and I really would take a week of strep over getting sick to my stomach just once. I avoid it at all costs. It's so so horrible!!

Alas, I think the Lord put this on my plate (again) for a reason. See, I was the only parent home a
couple weeks ago when the child got sick repeatedly over a two-hour period. I followed her around with bleach while she felt bad. Though my hubs got up and help with the baby last night - rocking her and bathing her this morning - I knew this job was mostly on me, too. I'm rather slow to take this posture of grace when I see something I don't want to deal with (like this). Sometimes I just don't, even when I should. I feel sorry for myself. I complain. I retreat inward.

Alas, thinking on the sacrificial love of Christ makes it easier to deal with. It's getting easier as time goes on. Left to my own inward thoughts, I would rather be in my nice warm bed at 3 a.m. instead of trying to catch a wink or two camped out on our daughter's bedroom floor. I would have rather not had those ickies doing a sick dance around my head. I would have rather not made fifteen trips up and downstairs in the middle of the night. I would have rather not done extra laundry. I would have rather not had any part of it.

BUT. There in the middle of the night, Grace compelled me to be grateful. 

• Grateful that I could lay next to my daughter as she was sick, because she was probably very scared. 
• Grateful that we had two. Count 'em, TWO diapers left, and that was just enough to get through the night.
• Grateful that we have a bathtub to bathe her in and plenty of clean sheets and blankets to dress her bed with and keep her warm.
• Grateful for that glider and footstool I got a garage sale for $15. That thing has a million miles on it by now and it was great to rock her back to sleep last night.
• Grateful for my husband, who is a great dad, and got up to help without me saying a word.
• Grateful that the big kids slept until 8 this morning, so we at least caught up a little bit. 
• Grateful that the kids had today off school; no one wants to take a sick baby out in the cold.
• Grateful for our warm bed that was fabulous to sink back into after baby went back to sleep.
• Grateful for the sanitary cycle on our washer!
• Grateful that just last night, I bought a new scrubber for the bathtub. 
• Grateful that my husband's work schedule allowed for him to go grab a pack of diapers and return them to me before going in this morning. 
• Grateful for fuzzy slippers, a hoodie and leggings - my uniform for today. 
• Grateful to have more espresso than I can drink on-hand today.
• And, mostly, Grateful for a God who loves and loves and loves despite the fact that we are just filthy sinners.

Taking a posture of grace isn't always easy, but we are commanded to do it as believers and it makes life a whole lot more bearable. Is there something you need to act on, with grace, today?

Now, time for another latte. 

First world problems, indeed.

I don't know if it's possible to lose touch with reality while simultaneously grasping reality with all your might; no less, I think that's what just happened here. Three weeks ago, about mid-week, my hubs says something to the effect of, "Oh, hey, the kitchen floor is getting ripped up on Monday." 

Oh, really? 

We've been talking about replacing our shabby torn-up linoleum for five years now, but with many littles underfoot, the time was never right for such an undertaking. The only way we ever got hardwood flooring through out our first level was because the crew (of folks we know) came and laid it while we were on vacation. Because we've been talking about it for SO LONG, I've pinned about a dozen different kitchen ideas and thought I had it all figured out, until he said GO (to Home Depot and sort it all out, for realz). Like really real. Like go get the stuff and bring it home because we're doing this real.

I started panicking. Anyone who has so much as replaced a doorknob knows that one home improvement project leads to another. We started with flooring; however, flooring goes under the cabinets. So, we might as well paint the cabinets, right? As long as we're messing with those, how about new countertops. Ok! We might as well paint the walls while the cabinets are out; oh, and, don't you know that lighting is looking dated, too. Back to Home Depot, for the 27th time this week.

I thought my plans would come together once we had tile picked out. Then, out of desperation, I asked Facebook what color our cabinets should be - white or espresso - because I truly couldn't decide. While my innate desire to have this ornate Tuscan kitchen really wanted the espresso cabinets, my fear of having a too-dark seedy watering hole-eqsqe room attached to my family room made me think otherwise. I probably made 47 phone calls to my sister-in-law about this, who now answers my calls with "Yes?" and an eye roll, I'm certain. I bought the espresso paint.

Then I started freaking out. I found myself Googling and Pinning cabinet colors in the middle of the night because I couldn't sleep over this ridiculous non life-altering decision. I was also tossing and turning because our laundry was down with the floor job and I wasn't sure what the kids were wearing to school the next day or what restaurants we'd be hitting up for our wholesome eat-out-for-every-meal-because-the-kitchen-is-closed lifestyle. Then I realized... I am being ridiculous.

There are so many heartaches in this world - poverty, crime, abuse, addiction. So many BIG issues. And, the color of the cabinets and my kids freshly laundered clothes aren't among those issues. They are in no way worth losing sleep over. In fact, my obsession with these non-issues was taking my heart away from the really important things in life. As I was getting cranky and unlovable feeling a bit frustrated because our house was seemingly upside down for a week, I started realizing that I needed an attitude adjustment and to stop and realized how blessed we are. Truly blessed to be take that next breath; to be able to feed our kids; to do our laundry in the convenience of our home; to have clean water and warm beds to sleep in and a safe place to call home. AND, most importantly, whenever we focus too much on ourselves; our dwelling places; our junk; our toys...we lose sight of what's really important, and that's Jesus.

And then, I returned the espresso paint. I saw the right color sitting in the mis-tint pile for half-off and took it as a sign.

God is good, people. And, sometimes he provides answers where we least expect them - in the midst of a big mess or in the mis-tint aisle at Lowe's.

Busted biscuits and a baby on the table. A day in the life...

I have the worst ADD in the world when it comes to grocery shopping. I don't make a list. I don't meal plan. I don't look at ads. I shop on cravings and daydreams. I always realize there's something I want clear across the store by the time I'm almost finished shopping. Oh, and, I always have at least two littles with me. Did I mention that none of this bothers me? I know you super planners out there are cringing, but I rather enjoy flying by the seat of my pants. It keeps things interesting. Today was no exception, friends. Today, I was the jerk who began unloading groceries for my family of six...onto the lane that was for FIFTEEN items or less. Ahem. As you may realize, it takes more than fifteen items per week to feed my frequently-ravenous brood. I didn't see the sign; I really didn't. The cashier was super nice about it, but as people lined up behind me, I felt their piercing glares through the back of my peacoat. 

So, after that ordeal was over, I came home and unloaded the groceries. I was tossing two ideas back and forth for dinner - Pioneer Woman's Beef Stew OR Pioneer Woman's Tortilla Chicken Soup. When I finally realized that it was time to make a move, I started with the stew. Something about the crisp fall air; the colors of the leaves; oh, and the fact that I picked up two cans of flaky buttermilk biscuits, told me that we were having stew tonight. So, as the stew cooked up, I realized that cook time was a lot longer than I planned. It looked like we weren't going to be eating until almost 8. Oops. We usually eat around 5. So, I decide to go ahead and start the soup, too. Surely that would take less time and if the children started turning into the ravenous beasts that they usually are by 6pm, I could just feed them that. 

Or, you know, cookies. Because by 7:00 pm, neither meal was near finished. 

Pioneer Woman's Beer and Paprika Stew - Amazing.

I love classic fall eats.

While we were waiting, and because the kitchen was already a disaster area, I decide to make a pumpkin pie. You know, the couch-full of unfolded laundry over yonder could just go ahead and take a number. 

The house was really starting to smell delicious. After the pie came out, I decided to bust open a can of biscuits, literally. Somehow my grocery store ADD carried over to the kitchen. I began opening the biscuits with my fancy new can opener, instead of popping center of the can with a spoon. I'm going to blame the clean eating lifestyle. We don't buy biscuits anymore, really, and it just slipped my mind. Yeah, that's it.

I also love laughing at my own culinary mishaps.

Pretty soon, I was getting tired. Timers were going off everywhere. I lost track of what was supposed to be finished when, but it all ended well. Nothing got burnt or otherwise ruined. The stew was mighty delicious, as were the biscuits and pumpkin pie. By the end of the night, I was all for the baby eating whipped cream off her brother's plate; in her PJs; on the kitchen table. You know, whatever floats your boat, kid. Mom's exhausted.

Hopefully the tortilla soup will make a tasty lunch for tomorrow and my marathon cooking experience will not be in vain. Hopefully. 

To be continued...

I've been desperate to paint our kitchen cabinets...

...for AT LEAST three years now. It hasn't happened because:

1.) We have no time.
2.) If we did have time, there's like 847 other things on the list before painting the cabinets.
3.) It's going to make a mess of our kitchen.
4.) A dysfunctional kitchen will send the kids and, consequently, I into meal-time hysterics.
5.) I might make a mess of the cabinets.
6.) I never have the right supplies and, based on the current number of children we have, I only have patience for one trip to Lowe's or Home Depot, per project.

Soooooo, here's the deal, I may be an artsy girl, but I make a big gigantic mess when it comes to paint. It's not that I can't paint, I'm just impatient. I rush the process. I spill crap. I attempt to use the wrong tools. And, I don't like cleaning it all up at the end. No less, the builder-grade kitchen cabinets we have (see first photo), have been talking to me.

Cabinets to Me: "We want a make over. We saw you get your bangs cut right here in this very kitchen. Now, update us!" 

Or, you know, something like that.

I said, "Ok, cabinets. Let me start with something easy so I don't ruin you. Deal?" 

And, with that, half the kids and I headed to Lowe's this morning. I didn't even know what color I was going to paint the cabinet. White? Grey? Black? I basically looked through paint chips until the smallest child was trying to stand up in the cart and the second smallest child was trying to let herself in the roped-off paint mixing area. Those indicators mean mama's time is UP. I decided to take a risk and make my own chalk paint - as seen on Pinterest, of course. Not chalkboard paint, chalk paint. It's this super paint that's supposed to be super versatile; require no sanding; put off a beautiful matte finish; and, just flat-out be lovely to work with. Sounds like what I needed, right?  I think it's mostly sold in little boutique-y stores and, from what I hear, it has a pretty steep price tag.

After lunch today, I started dismantling the icky cabinet in the kids bathroom. I figured that if I *really really* screwed it up, we'd just put an OUT OF ORDER sign on the bathroom door when company came over and lock the door and give the bathroom a total overhaul sooner than later. I know, I am a planner when I want to be.

I mixed up the paint, which went surprisingly well. It just took a cup and a half of paint; half a cup of water and half a cup of Plaster of Paris. Easy! To see the complete recipe I used, click here. Thankfully, the baby was an amazing napper today! She napped long enough for me to clean them up and sand them down. I sanded just for good measure; besides, there was some toothpaste cemented on a couple of the pieces. I was also able to put four coats on both the doors and cabinet box. She woke up right before the final waxing (or in my case, polyurethaning) stage. I had her older sisters go babysit (aka, throw some noise-making toys in her crib) while I finished the cabinet.

Everything went together really well aside from some touch-ups (I had some issues with peeling paint on the underside of one of the water-damaged drawers). It looks like one (or more) of the kids filled the drawer with water at some point. So, you know. There's that. That's a DIY for another day, though. I also got a decent amount of paint on the kitchen floor, but that came right up with some cleaning spray and a scotch bright. :)

We need to get some drawer pulls and knobs installed; over-all, though, I think it brightens up the bathroom and gives it a more current look. You think?

PS. Painting this cabinet wasn't nearly as scary or messy as I expected; however, the kitchen cabinets are still on the waiting list. Ain't no mama got time for that....right now, anyway.

We aren't even blonde (right now).

SO, you guys, I was super excited when Gevalia selected me to be one of their Chatterboxes. As a Chatterbox, I got to test out their new Cafe-Style K-Cups and tell the internet all about them. They sent me box of cappuccino to run through our Keurig and share with some friends. So, when the box showed up, I knew exactly which friend I was going to share it with first - the one who introduced me to Gevalia, of course! SO, Jenny and all her littles came over this morning to visit and indulge in some delicious Gevalia, perfect for this chilly fall day!

I'd already had one cup of coffee this morning (though totally not apparent by the string of events I'm about to share with you), so I took the old coffee out of the Keurig, as well as the entire plastic insert and reusable filter. Ahem. This is where bad things happened. I excitedly put a K-Cup in, and the brewer started spraying water and coffee grounds all over the darn place (see photo, above).

As I'm giving the brewer the stank-eye for being a jerk and examining the K-Cup (which must have been faulty, right?), I start ripping open another froth packet to try again. THE SAME SCENE on take 2. We were about to call it a day and cart all seven kids to Starbucks when I noticed that I left the brewer's plastic K-Cup holding insert - right in front of me, on the counter.

My bad.

Sorry, Keurig.
Sorry, Gevalia.
Sorry, Jenny.

Take three. We finally get a nice cup brewed and Jenny thinks it needs a weeeeee little bit of sugar. She's over there mixing and stirring and all while I brew my cup. Then, I get the stank-eye from Jenny. She says "Um, do you think...I think...is that the salt I just put in here?"

Yeah, that's what you get for displaying so much hatred toward Pumpkin Spice Lattes, Jenny! She totally salted her coffee. We basically burst into the laughter, which soon became that weird silent I'm-laughing-so-hard-no-noise-is-coming-out laughter.

Take four and five. We get a good brew for her, a good brew for me, NO SALT, and the results were amazing! Gevalia has created a product that truly does taste like a high-quality coffee-house beverage. On take four and five, we were super impressed. ;)

Thank you, Gevalia, for such a delicious product! AND, thank you for sending enough coffee that we could have several domestic mishaps and still get to enjoy the product. I'll definitely keeping a box on-hand and using, with caution, in the future!! Love it!

Purse? Suitcase? You decide.

So, a little while ago, I had the hubs on a manhunt for car keys in the dark and spooky fortress known as, my purse. When he finally found them, he (kindly) mentioned that I may want to "clean that thing out." Ahem. Now, I do know there's a lot of crap in my purse. I mean, my word, I think it's the size of most folks' beach bags, but c'mon. What if I need some most all of that crap that lies within?

I figure most of you can relate, so I thought I'd blog about the contents of my purse (not because you care, but maybe you'll feel better about your own disheveled bags of miscellany). Then, I remembered, my friends over at Mommin' it Up did that already. For the record, I think Emily has more crap than I do, but we'll see. So, here it goes!!

This is my ginormous purse. It's a Retro Metro Elite from Thirty-One. I love, love, love this bag. It's pretty and fully functional as a purse...or beach bag, diaper bag, over-night bag, etc. The only thing that bites is...it doesn't have a top closure. I'm trading that minor inconvenience for the beauty of this bag. Isn't it cute? I am a Thirty-One lady. So, I'm probably partially partial. You know. Just partially.

THIS...is my purse sub-culture. I use the Thirty-One zipper pouch to hold it all together. Contents contain: two bibles (mine and the hubs) so we always know where they are when it's time for church; A box of business cards - because you just never know when an opportunity will present itself; Miscellaneous writing utensils; Some blue nail polish and some body spray (for when I have to go somewhere in public immediately after working out - I prefer not to stink. That's just me, though). 

The obligatory pile of random crap. My pile contains: Chipotle napkins, receipts, straw wrappers, privacy act paperwork from the doctor's office, a slap bracelet and a random piece of string. 

Here are a few things that really are necessities. I know you'll agree... Burt's bees hand creme so my hands don't burst into flames every time I have an excema flare-up; yummy EOS lip balm; random lip gloss that I found in the Target clearance bin; aspartame-free gum that I'm not supposed to be chewing because of TMJ; TJ's ginger mints; and, of course, one of the girls' sunglasses that I'm "carrying" for her....and that don't get worn for more than 30 seconds at a time. 

The true necessities...my ginormous Timeless Wallet (also 31) and a teeny-tiny Fossil wallet where I keep my change. If I didn't have the Fossil wallet, I'd have change lining the bottom of my purse - guaranteed.

Oh, I lied, I have two piles of random papers. This one has my Thirty-One fold-and-go organizer (I think that's what it was called - it's retired now); a Scentsy catalog (because I never know when I'm going to have an opportunity to sell for my cousin); check books and some other random store paperwork and flyers. 

And, last but not least, probably the single most widely used OCD combat tool - hand sanitizer. Let me tell you something. I've destroyyyyyyyyyyyyyyed my skin with this stuff. Absolutely, positively, destroyed it. I used to use it every time I touched something - like shopping carts, gas pumps, other people, mail, the newspaper, door knobs, steering wheels, other people's phones, shoes, other people's pens and pencils, etc). I've used it before and after using anti-bacterial soap on my hands (which I also don't use now). I know. I don't abuse it anymore, but I need it for baby diaper changes on-the-go (because, let's face it, if I have to pick between eczema and toting diaper germs, I'm going to pick the eczema). 

The end! Oh, and if you wonder where my phone lives, it stays in my pocket. I would never find it fast enough in the abyss. Feel better about your own purse now? :)

Yeah, it looks like a mess, but I really do know where everything is!

Thinking of organization = this face.

Despite what the "qualifications" section of my now rather dusty resume may insinuate, I'm not the most organized person on earth. In fact, historically, my organizational M.O. has been this: "It may look like a mess, but I know where everything is." In other words, back away while I live amidst the chaos. K? I'm not disorganized on purpose, there are just plenty of things I'd rather be doing (like hanging out with the littles and my hubs, doing kitchen experiments, exercising, loitering at the craft store, taking photos, and playing with my art supplies) than squirreling crap away in little bins and boxes while the clock ticks on. Know what I mean?

Recently, though, I've been feeling a little convicted about my squaller lack of organization. I just can't seem to run the ship as tight as necessary when everything is out of place (or doesn't have a place to begin with). With a husband, four littles, and our business to help with, I've decided that organization has to be a little higher on the priority list than it is. So, I'm overhauling things - task by task and room by room.

The general concept of being an organized person is a little overwhelming for my short attention span. So, we're taking baby steps each day. Here are some little tasks that I've employed to help make life easier and the ship sail smoother:

I am a Thirty-One consultant, for goodness sakes.
I have no excuse for disorganization.

• Make a weekly meal plan - this is a really hard one for me. I don't know why (maybe because I would rather be impulsive about food?), but it seems I'm always deciding what we're having for dinner about an hour before we sit down to eat. I need to be better at this. :) In the long run, we'll save time and money on groceries if I'm a better steward of our meal money and time. Here's a really good site for meal planning.
• Make (myself) a chore list - it's true. I need a chore chart. I'm highly motivated by gold stars and colorful charts. Besides, if I don't have a list in front of me, I lose track of what I'm doing. Chore charts work for our six-year-old and they work for me, too. Just saying.
• Put the laundry away as soon as it's folded Ah, the laundry is often my nemesis. However, because it's unacceptable to go naked...or dirty...the laundry keeps winning. 
• Purge unnecessary household items weekly (if the crap isn't around, it can't pile up; if it's not in use for a while or finished being used, it may be time to toss, give or donate).
• Make better use of all the bins, boxes, storage containers and organizers that I have and don't use. In addition, I've been looking to Pinterest for more creative ways to organize. Also, I'm a Thirty-One consultant. Surely you realize how many awesome organizational products we have in this house. LOTS. I've been busy assigning each one a job and it's working out marvelously. 
• Tidy up! I can't tell you how good it feels to clean all of the scrap papers out of the kids' art boxes, clean off the island or straighten up a book shelf that's been ransacked by the baby. These things take just minutes and make a big difference in the overall appearance of a room.

I have four of these. I could have forty.
Most helpful. bag. ever.

Following these simple guidelines has already made a big difference in getting through each day! I'll be blogging, next, about how I'm attempting to make each room a little more organized. :) If you have any organizational tips to share, I'd love to see them!!

Prov 14:1 (ESV) The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.

I want to be crafty, I really do.

We mean it. 

I guess writing and photography are "crafty," but, you know, I want to be a DIY girl! I want to use sandpaper and spray paint to turn crap from the thrift store into something magnifique! I want to mod podge to the moon and hack Ikea furniture into a new dimension. Sadly, it's just not happening for me yet. Today is no exception.

One of my out-of-town friends is coming for a playdate tomorrow with her three precious boys. Of course, I run around the house looking for all those things that make us look like rednecks things that need a little sprucing up to be presentable. One of those things was our no soliciting sign. In an effort to keep people away from our freaking doorbell at nap time, I took a piece of the kids' construction paper, a sharpie, and some packing tape and made a big ugly NO SOLICITING sign. Nothing says, "WE DON'T WANT ANY," like some chicken scratch on dark green paper covered with packing tape, right?! Right.

Anywho. One of my new neighbors and I were having a discussion about solicitors one day and I told her that a simple sign has really deterred them for us. Well, my sweet new neighbor decided to come check out our sign before making her own (face --> palm). She said she was sure I'd have something cutesy because I seem like the crafty type. Oh, I wish, dear neighbor.

Because I don't want one more person to look at our tacky sign, I decided it was time to get something more permanent in line. I thought about buying one from Etsy, but why?! Let's do something Pinteresting instead, right!? Let's be frugal. Let's use our right brains. Let's show the girls that we can be industrious. Right... My oldest daughter and I strolled through the craft store this evening as ideas for this sign reeled through my head. My first thought was to paint it on wood...but then how would I get a hole in the wood to hang it? Did this store even have nails or screws to hang the thing? How am I going to put a nail in the door? What kind of paint do I get? Now I have to buy brushes? What kind of brushes? How long is this going to take to dry? This is going to cost a million bajillion dollars. My crafts really have to take 20 minutes or less; if not, I get frustrated, throw them out and order something online...usually what I should have done in the first place.

See what I mean, people?

Anyway. As my budding artist daughter and I walked through the store, I finally found something do-able. I found a porcelain sign (the right size) and SCORE, it already had holes and some ropey looking stuff through the holes. All I'd have to do is write on it! Back to the paint aisle...

Ah, color choices. I can't take it. After zoning-out in the midst of about 857 Martha Stewart paint colors, I saw a happy compromise - paint markers. Wahoo! I know how to write, there are multiple colors, $5.99 - let's go! I still didn't know how I was going to hang the dang thing, but at least 90% of the problem was solved (or so I thought).

We get to the checkout and I see 3M command hooks. Wahoo! Problem solved. Even I can stick a plastic hook to the door.

So, the story continues at home...after all this ridiculousness - spacing, lettering, erasing, more spacing, more lettering, more erasing, I finally get the sign finished. I stick the 3M hook on the door and, of course, it's too low. I go to take the hook off and it flys across the room, in two pieces, and I am thankful that there are more of those adhesive strips so I can try again. I'm holding the baby all the while and hanging this thing up one-handed, btw. Finally, the sign is hung and I post a photo online.

See my error? Grrr!

Thirty seconds later.

My pal Allison comments; there's a spelling error. Dag nabit. I looked at the thing a million times, knew it didn't look right, but couldn't figure it out. This is what happens when you have kids, I tell you!! The basics start to get trippy. I have an English degree for crying out loud. I should certainly be able to find a spelling error!

Post deleted.

I flip the thing over, scratch off the price tag, write it all out again, stick on the flowers AND DONE. Next time ordering something from Etsy may be the best use of my time and I'll be teaching the girls about opportunity cost. Maybe I'll stick to blogging and making messes in the kitchen, my safe places.


And, at least I got some blog fodder out of it. Otherwise, you'd have to hear about the other things I did today, like getting Rotel tomatoes and chiles in my eye or wearing cabbage on my head for kicks.

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