~ Catching Up & Slowing Down~

I don't post at all anymore and that is probably because I have other things I like doing too. I do miss the writing a bit but I'm content with doing this at a snails pace for now. I'm exhausted from the amount of projects I have undertaken. Tonight, I'm resting up a bit then I'll hit it hard on the weekend.  A list of projects lately...

1.The biggest DIY attention monster has been the new curtains I made for the main living room and dining room. 8 panels! Taking the old ones that had been up for over 30 years was more daunting(and dirty! so much dust!) than anything! I had been putting this project off until we put down the wood floors but..I found these rods at Lowes on clearance for... $4.00 a rod! They were originally 56.00 and the end pieces were a bronze color. I spray painted them black because we aren't "bronze" people?(what is that? i dont know. but it makes me feel like we would want statues or a fountain in our foyer). Then my big sweet delicious idea for the curtains... I found canvas drop cloths at Lowes for a little over $10.00 for a 6x9. I cut them straight up the middle to make two panels. I love how they look like a raw silk/linen blend..i know my imagination is fabulous right? I originally wanted to do this as a temporary solution until we get paint on the walls and a real color scheme going but I'm super happy with them and I ended up doing all four windows for around $15.00 a piece total and that is including the rods. And yes.. that is one for a table cloth too;) I may dip dye them in Navy or Gray later on.
2. Front Door.. Oh gawd. the door. it has been a debate for over a year. I say yellow he says green. I say green he says blue. Etc. you get it. We aren't totally happy with the color.. I wanted more of a ocean greenish feel and it turned out more blue(so I think he likes it more?) It's called Beachhouse and we of course live in a brick ranch in West Virginia. Eh. If you have a suggestion I'd love to hear it. Brick is hard to color match with.
3. Antique Floating Mirror... picked this up for $3.00 at a local shop.  Lots of sweat and wall scuffing. It is in the entry way forever and will stay there until it falls off the wall. Do not ever buy a frameless mirror!
4. Little Trunk Coffee Table. I sanded this, then sanded this some more. One of the handles was broken so I used the single one on the front to give it some bling. The color is called Mermaid Splash? i think.
5. Other projects not seen: the frame wall, the end tables, an exciting thing I'm making for the porch, 4 bobcat scoops of mulch for landscaping(done. thank god), kitchen curtains, the extended herb garden(done too!), the veggie garden around the barn, scraping the rest of the ugly adhesive off the porch, and SOOO much more to do.

This last pic is of our cat, Ron Swanson(orange) and a poor sick kitty(Mr. Binx) that got dumped on Saturday while we were doing mulch. As you can see they are big fans of the mulch job. Mr. Binx, after making himself cozy , has since disappeared with no signs of returning. Moe and Ron are devastated. Our lil orange cat loved having a buddy and keeps looking for him:( 

~ On a more positive note..The weather has been great so we have been doing a lot of yardwork and hiking etc. Moe and I have already had a nice bout of poison ivy and I pulled a tick off my scalp today. Bleh. With almost an acre of property that has become very overgrown and had no serious updating.. we are bound to have another busy summer...but I love it. We plan on burning a nice bonfire this weekend and I'll be drinking some wine to celebrate all this hard work. What projects have kept you busy?

~ Sickies~

We have had and are continuing to have the worst case of sickies to ever happen upon our lil love nest. I have been sick for WEEKS. After finishing a prescribed antibiotic and still feeling awful now my son has it. Usually, I have a natural more gentle approach but this epidemic has called for all out warfare. Here are some things to have in your home in case you and your loved ones fall victim.

     
 1.   A NETIPOT (this is the one we own. you can buy a basic plastic one at any drug store) this can relieve many sinus and cold symptoms by irrigating your nasal passages with a saline rinse. We use distilled water and seasalt. I have heard some people use baking soda. The benefits are amazing and can kick a sinus infection or cold to the curb in a few days. Here is more INFO. 

2. Essential Oils~ I use a basic set of these 3 regularly. Eucalyptus, Peppermint, and Lavender. I like to put them in my Scentsy burners or tart burners around the house with a scent free wax. The oils clear the air and clear everyones sinuses. Check out the awesome things these guys can do. 

Eucalyptus~Here
Peppermint~   Here        

Lavender~ Here

3. Lemon Water~ read more here.(this is an awesome healthy blog link by the way) but basically it's just a citrus-y magical drink that you should be chugging even if you aren't feeling bad. plus its super yummy! just keep a few lemons on hand. sometimes I mix in a little crystal light lemonade to feel like it's something a little more...exciting.

4. Emergen C~ this stuff usually kicks ass although lately it's done NOTHING. sometimes we mix it with half oj and half sprite. 

5. Healthy sickie foods~ greens, fruits, broths, homemade yogurt smoothies,juices, chia seeds, jello, wholegrains, beans and garlic. Incorporating good nutrition is a big deal at our home and I really pride myself on it. We do eat brownies and naughty things occasionally. Balance is key. 

6. Vitamins~ I have used a daily prenatal for years. It has more folic acid and iron. Taking it as opposed to a normal vitamin doesn't matter in the long run(some will argue this) and i can notice the extra kick i get. 

7. Clean Bedding~ these need changed weekly(wash pillows too) regardless. when you are sick you should wash them EVERYDAY. especially if the flu is going through your home. 

8. Clean your house!~ bathrooms and kitchens are hot spots. you can use a non toxic cleaner like vinegar  find here ....or whatever you think need.... just keep it cleaned and germ free. especially when you have lil ones scattering around. Open a window to get some fresh cool air blow through for a little bit. 

There are of course many things like a thermometer, heating pad, vaporizer, essential oil diffuser, air purifier, etc. you can have in your home to be ready. Things like fruitcups, tea, jello and carbonated soda like ginger ale stocked are always good to have on hand and will save you an annoying sick trip to the store. I hope you all stay sick free this season and good luck! 

~You are out of time!~

OH. Haiiiii.... I forgot about posting those guys lists but I  have had them done for a while. I promise to post them in the next two days. We have some emotionally exhausting things going on.... to the point of being excited for Christmas to be over... I know it sounds terrible. But I think we all feel the same way this year. The fake pretty white tree and the amazing awesome smelling real tree are up, I have 4 knitting projects to do before the 27th(lets be honest. I am out of time), i have NO gifts wrapped, a few more people to buy for, i should clean out the fridge, etc. If you need some last minute ideas for some quick ninja like DIY gifts here you go. I will probably not do any of these things because although i'm always feeling generous... we are focusing on other things this year. I hope you all take time to enjoy the holiday chaos and make the merry most of it.

                                                                   terrarium lightbulb

tie dye circle scarf

Infused Vodkas

~Mexicali Thriftin Blues~

This day ended up being TOTALLY great. It started off awful. Late alarm clock, split soggy coffee grounds, rain instead of snow, etc. I did my usual quick pop in thrift to see if I could find more vintage Christmas bulbs... no bulbs..... but I did find a gorgeous watercolor painting, a "new" antique carved wood frame for it, a lovely hand painted wooden bowl, and two VINO glasses that I hope to put to use as soon as they are properly cleaned.  I have never been to the desert but I had a dream a long time ago I was in one.... there were giant trees(i know..trees? in the desert? yes.) with huge(think table sized) red flowers on them. People were picking the giant red flowers off the ground and putting them in long baskets. The dream was quiet and slow and I was just walking and observing. This painting reminded me of that dream I had so long ago. Maybe the path in this painting leads to those trees? I'm looking forward to hanging it right above our bed and having sweet desert dreams. 

~All I want for Christmas: kiddo edition~

I have had so much inexplicable fun being Santa. Moses is such a great young man but he's still my kiddo and Santa will always come as long as you still believe. His lists have always been a refreshing collection of thoughts. In first grade he asked for a honey baked ham. In second he asked for some fine art for his room and crest whitening strips(he didn't get those but he did get a nice fancy new toothbrush and a cool art kit with some sketching and watercolor paper ). Never the run of the mill boring expensive stuff... always exceptionally hilarious and baffling. So here is the his list that he came up with on his on and I only modified one....
                                     
                                          Kiddo's List

Something to play with! It's been a long time tradition that Santa puts silly putty in his stocking and he expects it. I giggled when this is what he said. I'm not linking this. Find them at your local anywhere store. 

Something he needs- jeans. he is growing :( these are on sale! 

 Something to read-  Foxfire Books-he has shown a lot of interest in the art of doing things( growing his own tea, making moccasins, wanting to learn self sufficient manly type things etc.) he discovered these books from a great family friend and really wants a few this year for his own.  

Something he wants.....- He actually asked for Ninjas Stars. See? I told you. Always something off the wall. While he is teenager..... I cant think of any good reason he needs  ninja stars or why he would want them.. I found this more simple cool? book on the Art and History of Shuriken Jutsu( ninja star throwing :/  ) I know. I hope the "other Santa" burdens themselves with this task... I'm a little clueless on this. Ninja Stars! Jeesh! 

~All I want For Christmas~

I think as you get older your want for things change. I will always be a kid at heart and still love giving and getting surprises.... Brian always likes to give big gifts even though I have asked him repeatedly not to... I've learned to accept his generosity but he has also learned to be a little more realistic. This year I told him all I wanted was a pantry...we have the closet with a rubbermaid shelf in it. it is completely impractical and I would love for him to just put money aside for that...but my lil kid inside me does want some goodies...I thought it would be fun to put down things that all 3 of want this year. Starting with me:) I always follow a golden rule with presents for Moe. The old saying " Something they want, something they need, something to play with, and something to read." I can't really spoil what I have gotten him or Brian for that matter... so I will just have them pick from that little saying and see what they come up with. 

                                              ~ Mama's List~

1. something to read- ;) not really but i guess it is words...I have lots a books right now and have been doing other hobbies lately. Parker Brothers has came out with new board games that are in their old classic more sturdy style. I love playing board games and already told Santa I want this. I sure hope he brings it! While I was linking this I couldn't help but notice this has doubled in price since the last time I saw it. Not cool! It must be a popular item this year. 

2. something I need- a calendar! a cool one. I always get a lame leftover one mid February that has pigs in nun outfits etc.  this constellation one is sold out but I love the style and how it is also an art piece. 

3. something I want- stupid fun kitchen towels. the kind that have silly things on them. It seems like I'm forever buying the generic ones that aren't cool at all. BOO! I want stupid fun non practical ones! 

4. something to play with- I love old jewelry ! I think this new disposable jewelry trend of plastic-y crap from Forever21 and where ever else is ridiculous. My favorite pieces I have are all old: a turquoise watch my brother found in an old abandoned house, my Great Grandma's gold dipped sand dollar ( I remember picking it out with my Mom at the beach. She gifted it back to Mom then she gave it to me before she passed) , and the antique jade pendant Brian got me for our anniversary.  A timeless piece like an old locket, or something that was someone else's at one time would be a great gift. This old purple glass necklace from Friendly Fox vintage is really cool! 

So there ya have it. My lil list of things that would be neat gifts. Be creative with your gift giving! One year I got a tiny gift for each person from a thrift or antique store. I found some very sentimental special gifts! Some examples: ornaments, old records, an old cool purse with a nice new pair of earrings inside, etc. 

I am excited to see what the guys come up with and share! Merry Holiday shopping friends! 

~ Give Thanks~

1. A special bond that cousins share

2. The unexpected embrace and love for a new family member. All three of us have fallen head over heels for this special orange guy. Even the dog seems to be laying next to him closer and closer each day.

3. The silliness that happens. 

This year has had so many blessings. I feel like I could ramble on and on. The biggest thing I am thankful for is how much stronger our marriage has gotten in just one year. How we've started to find our places and become more of a lil family. It is a big adjustment for anyone but adding family members being very ill, my job being frustratingly inconsistent, moving into a home and selling an old one, creating new traditions, clinging to old ones, being down to one car for a few months.... you get it. Some other things I am also thankful for this past year in no particular order:

4. Finishing a craft and sewing space. It has given me a sense of freedom and creativity I have been missing.
5. My parents~Even though they are no longer together, they and their spouses have really been by our side  to help us through. Dad working on things with Brian around the house. My Mom helping me tackle jobs that really seem impossible some times.
6. coffee
7. Knitting- I've been "reteaching" myself and really gotten into it more than ever. I'm on Raverly and have a couple new pals that are really cool. It's opened up a whole new world for me that I'm really digging.
8.  our health~ early this spring we had a scary moment with Moses. I didn't talk much about it because it was all unknown and I was just putting my faith out into the universe. He has a severe cartilage deformity in his rib cage.His chest protrudes on the left side of his sternum then concaves on the other. It looked very worrisome but after an mri , ultrasounds and xrays we learned he was just fine. Now he says it's just "because he has such a big heart". I, of course, completely agree:) Our family Dr. was simply amazing and really showed how much she cares for her patients. I want to add her to my list.
9. Ridding myself of the things that don't matter. I saw a quote the other day "The things that matter aren't things." I have been able to part with stuff that was formerly sentimental. What I really want is a clutter free space to grow and create for us. That is what our lives are.
10. My old friends. They have been there through thick and thin. Even though we cant see as much of each other as we'd like our love never dies and only strengthens. Incredible souls surround this family.

I hope that this holiday weekend you take the time to give thanks... because so very often days are about taking but not taking the time to appreciate them.
                    ~Happy Thanksgiving Dear Friends~

~Reciplease: Perfect Cookie Edition~

Like everything else.. I'm super picky about even a simple chocolate chip cookie. I love my Mom... and all my friends and family but I really don't care for any of their chocolate chip cookies. It's nothing personal. I'm just a big pain in the ass. This makes it especially hard, because finding a good recipe/cookie has been really quite impossible. I have specific qualities that such a cookie meets: low to no crumble, no cake/fluff texture, dunkability (must maintain form after a milk dunk), slight chew, not over baked to a hard brick state, darker chocolate chips(we prefer dark chocolate in this house), a larger hand held size with portability factors, and only chips! no other nonsense! oats,nuts, berries, etc. this is a Chocolate Chip Cookie! that is all. So anyway, after years of baking and bitching.... I made my own recipe. It's super easy and super delicious and I like it. You can borrow this recipe if you want. To me it is perfect in every way... but you may not like it if you find any of the above qualities I just complained about somewhat tasty. If I'm using the calories on something naughty I feel it should be spectacular. Here ya go..

                                        ~No Bitch Super Rich Just Right Chocolate Chip~

Ingredients:

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of brown sugar

1/2 a cup of room temp unsalted butter

1/2 a cup of olive oil

2 eggs

1 tsp of baking soda

1 tsp of baking powder

1 tsp of salt

3 cups of flour

Half a bag of  Ghirardelli bittersweet 60% cacao chips

Directions: 

Preheat oven @ 350

beat/cream: sugar, oils, butter together 

add eggs and beat until fluffly

add all other ingredients and mix

do not over mix! it makes the dough tough

 add chips

make dough balls palm size then gently flatten onto sheet

bake @350 for 8 to 10 minutes depending how dark you prefer them

cool on a cold cookie sheet(not a rack) then place in a tupperware container 

* you can add a tsp of vanilla to this and it will be fine but I like the natural sweetness and saltiness of the recipe this way

Enjoy! 

~Hey Shortie~

It seems entirely vain and obnoxious to post about something so trivial with everything else going on in the world... but I'm planning on cutting off my hair. A lot of hair. Like I'm ready for a big change kind of hair cut....It's scheduled for next Tuesday and I'm getting terrified and excited about it. I'm going for something along these styles...maybe just a smidge longer to start with. Have any suggestions? I would love to see!!

and yes the first and third pics are the same girl. I absolutely love this cut. I think it's just what I've been needing.... anybody else doing or planning a big change? last time I cut my hair I had no idea how to style it and got frustrated and grew it out.. this cut calls for more effort but looks a little more grown up then my ponytail I like to wear...

~This kid~

This kid... hes not a kid anymore. I've been looking thru these older pics(from two years ago)..not that old but still...he's changed. He's growing up. I've been having an incredibly hard time with it lately. Tearing my heart anxiety..I'm excited about it...but it's non stop over the top bittersweet. You know those photos that froze time and freeze your heart? oh sweet baby boy.. 

~Moonrise Kingdom Weekend~

this long 4 day weekend may get the best of the best of the best of me. fall wreath making(yeah imma gonna do it while movie watching, a pizza induced Lord of the Rings movie marathon sleep over for Moe and his buddy, a craft show and a Adult Halloween Party. Any who, I recently decided to try Amazon Instant Video. This is a INCREDIBLE PERK and I suggest you all try it. We linked it up to the Xbox easy peasy. It's similar to Netflix but you can put it all in your library/cloud. I love common sense organized accessibility. Oh and this movie..... adorably excellent.

~ Fall Cravings~

As a lover of garage sales, thrift stores, curb side junk pick up and shopping for deals in general it has been VERY hard for me the last 6 months. I made a personal vow to get rid of ALL our excess stuff, organize a lil sewing and craft area with the some of the free space for myself, and just retrain my thoughts before I made time to go "shop" for anything. "Don't buy it unless you LOVE IT or NEED IT." is my mantra.I would like to interject now that I do NOT have a shopping problem nor do I have a hoarding problem. I just hate clutter and love empty space. I've made simplifying our lives a mission. Well... I still like to keep a ongoing picture list on my phone or in a folder on the laptop of things I'm on the hunt for just in case I am out. This includes things we need but also things I want,things I may want to use for projects or possible gift items. Yesterday, I was killing some time until Moe got done with his Wilderness Survival Club after school and decided to just do a pop in at a local thrift hole... It proved to be an excellent idea!

                                                          What I was craving......

leather ankle boots

 a white queen size bedspread cover with pom poms....

a colorful stripey hippie cardigan

                                                       What I found......

a YELLOW queensize bedspread cover!!!! this is IDENTICAL to the one I originally was searching for and will look great with our gray duvet cover and white bedding! kind of freaky... $3.00

leather ankle boots that fit perfectly $2.00 (yep. I buy used shoes)

a stripey hippie cardigan with front pockets:)  $1.50
I still love the original blueish and turquoise cardigan above.. but this does the job and that one sold ages ago.

                                     so there you have it. cravings curbed for now...things I'm still on the look out for : a nice fall wreath(i will probably end up making one), random wood picture frames (with the glass still intact! harder to find than you would think) for a frame wall I'm making, a soft well used men's flannel shirt for weekend lounging, and vintage Christmas bulbs. Do you have something you are looking for right now? My searching is always changing and keeping it at a extremely low budget makes it fun and slightly adventurous on a very nerdy level. Happy Hunting Friends!!

~Color Palettes: Moth ~

                I saw this image recently and made a few color palettes with it at   this site. I originally thought the colors would be nice for our master bedroom & bath. But after a bit I fell harder in love with it... I imagined styling a fall outfit, making a piece of jewelry,  or even using a whole color theme throughout our house. The color combos are really endless but all earthy and lovely. You can make a palette using any image you wish and then you can style it. Colour Lovers is completely free and after you publish your creation it links actual paint colors that match the swatches in your palette! Fun! The best part of this whole thing is that a color theme is already made for you. So if you really love a soft minty gentle turquoise...but want a natural flow in your house here you go.  A lot of times people have 3 or 4 colors painted in their home that don't family well and make a "patchworky" house. That is charming in its own way but not for everyone. Have fun color loving and feel free to share your creations!

~Currently~

raveled in fall and the magic of it all....

Listening to this song. My class is learning "Country Roads"  right now in music and it makes me terribly sappy and teary EVERY time I hear them singing it. They are so passionate about it and really tear it up. I am so very proud to watch them learn a song they will sing the rest of their lives and that I get to work with our L'il Mountaineers. Those rosey cheeked grubby handed cuties are more adorable than kittens. All their little quotes like "my shirt is upside up"(instead of inside out), or how they never quite get the days of the week right, how when you get all 70 of them outside and a squirrel mistakenly hops onto the playground they all lose their minds and chase it like a pack of dogs, or how when they ask me what I'm knitting and I reply with a huge sigh and say " I'm making a scarf for a giraffe." they believe me entirely and cheer me on in awe. Oh, those sweet sweet babies. 

 

Baking this bread.
It's the best recipe I've used for banana bread ever.

Missing these two awesome humans. A lot.

Knitting this cowl

Appreciating the antique jade charm Brian surprised me with on our anniversary weekend.




Things haven't been perfect lately. Our weeks have been stuffed with rushing to  Dr.s appointments across town , way too much work for Brian and I, really late last minute dinners, dirty dishes, dirty laundry, those lovely fallen leaves that keep getting tracked into our house, an outside cat that wants to be an inside cat, a dog that is really not happy about said cat, an average of  less than 5 hours of sleep a night, and the daunting promise of a weekend full of cleaning house and yard work. Hmmmm...Maybe tomorrow will be more about sleeping in late and snuggling that darling beardy husband, shuffling my feet in those rustled leaves and shaggy grass, a nice long phone call to my Mama, a visit to my little lamb of a niece,  and a lil more banana bread with a side of knitting....maybe.....

~Reciplease: Casa Favorites~

I have a few recipes that I like to fix regularly. This is one I have fixed since Moe was 4. He loves it and I think it may be his favorite thing I make. Since it is relatively simple and really versatile I thought I would share.

                                                   

                             ~Chicken Spinach Mushroom Pasta~

Serves 4 adults

Ingredients: 

* four boneless skinless chicken breast thin cutlets( I use the Kroger brand for this recipe but I've also used Walmart..but they are thicker, take longer to cook and aren't usually as tender)

* half a box of pasta( I like angel hair best but I use whatever I have in the cupboard)

* an entire bag of spinach

*a whole container of mushrooms:your choice

* a Tablespoon of Olive Oil

* 1/3 a stick of unsalted butter          

* seasoning: Mrs. Dash, garlic powder, salt, pepper

Liberally season your chicken then put in oven @380 for 30-45 minutes

Boil your pasta.

Gently wash your mushrooms

Coarsely chop

add salt, pepper and olive oil then cook on low to medium heat 

Cook until golden brown. Dont let them get mushy. They should be a lil juicy but still firm.

Add your spinach to the wok.
This all cooks down to barely anything so just keep going....

lightly toss the spinach until its half wilted

At this point you should drain your pasta, and cut up your chicken in large chunks. Then add them to the mushrooms and spinach. The chicken may not be cooked through yet and that's fine. The heat from the hot pasta will finish wilting the spinach, and help cook the chicken. Add your butter and continue to cook everything together in the wok. Add more seasoning and toss. I usually do this around another 10 minutes or so. You can add other veggies, switch pastas or seasonings. The main thing that makes this dish awesome is how simple it is. Not many ingredients, relatively cheap, and it's somewhat healthy. You can use frozen or canned spinach and canned mushrooms for when the produce is more expensive if you prefer. Also, I have cooked it without any butter but it does taste better with it.  Enjoy!