tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91155110973952336252023-11-16T11:15:53.978-06:00Limelight MusingsWhere My Mind Becomes RealityAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-12492066354883662082015-04-12T20:57:00.000-05:002015-04-12T20:57:32.757-05:00Third Time's The Charm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Is there anyone out there?</div>
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So it's been more than a year since I've been able to sit down long enough to write a musing. It's also been more than a year since I was last inspired to write. I promised that I would not write anything phony for the sake of filling this blog. I've always wanted this to be genuine. And that's why we are here we are today.<br />
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First- let me give you a little history about a topic I find fascinating: hair.<br />
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I say fascinating because it is so interesting how much it affects us. We spend BILLIONS of dollars on hair products. We have doctors working to solve baldness. It can even define how beautiful or attractive we are. That's especially the case for women. Every day we dye it, straighten it, curl it, cut it, pour products into it. Let's face it, the strands of protein growing on top of your head impacts your self-esteem. <br />
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It can also be an ongoing battle for anyone- no matter the race or gender. I have had plenty of experience from that. My parents constantly had to work to keep my hair out of my face.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCeFfR-dv-zMkNbpAEyHEJDD5lqApoery9LrveDjWGze-NHr0Qo78vfH0JdTiblTTAZE1GNSOzOzF8mI7JGTgZCpYLSW4GLJkG2omPMt-pO2fcgXWJZNTuqFT2GdSQDiQvwBAF6aaeT8m/s1600/IMG_4800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCeFfR-dv-zMkNbpAEyHEJDD5lqApoery9LrveDjWGze-NHr0Qo78vfH0JdTiblTTAZE1GNSOzOzF8mI7JGTgZCpYLSW4GLJkG2omPMt-pO2fcgXWJZNTuqFT2GdSQDiQvwBAF6aaeT8m/s1600/IMG_4800.jpg" height="320" width="309" /></a></div>
They eventually took drastic measures: a mullet. Mom keeps telling me this was "the trend." I'm not an expert but if this was the fad in the late 1980s & 90s- I'm glad we have evolved.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTVlSkVkFVb7Snxcaqsi9bEJfGoe40e93cdTSmOl6pin37BKwhAyVNB1u6c1VhhRJyl_jW23fDMjOgeW-p1B376tn2sTY1lkasz_dPPMUE-bwnFkYgsUf2uohVSbgQOLiEIiapQOoAARc/s1600/Amanda+Swanson+pink+dress.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTVlSkVkFVb7Snxcaqsi9bEJfGoe40e93cdTSmOl6pin37BKwhAyVNB1u6c1VhhRJyl_jW23fDMjOgeW-p1B376tn2sTY1lkasz_dPPMUE-bwnFkYgsUf2uohVSbgQOLiEIiapQOoAARc/s1600/Amanda+Swanson+pink+dress.jpeg" height="320" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure which is worse: the hair or the vest</td></tr>
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As I became older I went from not caring about my hair to never being happy with it. Like most, I have highlighted and dyed it...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH5eQPRoSeAnXsIFt2czuhNO5U8lx2QwxfPrlK9a-l2DcDjWQ6Q7mRaiLhbseDtUrchgFwqGchobNRVhxbMYVZnga_JhjqKQngsk7XmrJwguapjO6leqbgBiyUG80aAqRbUnEKuO47jJ_p/s1600/IMG_1549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH5eQPRoSeAnXsIFt2czuhNO5U8lx2QwxfPrlK9a-l2DcDjWQ6Q7mRaiLhbseDtUrchgFwqGchobNRVhxbMYVZnga_JhjqKQngsk7XmrJwguapjO6leqbgBiyUG80aAqRbUnEKuO47jJ_p/s1600/IMG_1549.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going old school: my first media job at the local radio station</td></tr>
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To cutting it at all sorts of crazy lengths....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/297529_707677895975_1031621506_n.jpg?oh=4651758eec86b7213f897ae7cb9351fb&oe=55A05C84" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" class="spotlight" height="281" src="https://scontent-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/297529_707677895975_1031621506_n.jpg?oh=4651758eec86b7213f897ae7cb9351fb&oe=55A05C84" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What happens when you get a hair cut in Thailand</td></tr>
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Also as I got older, I began to meet people who weren't able to do that. I began to learn about children who have no hair only because of an illness or gene they can't control. I began to learn about cancer patients who fought to survive only to loose their hair. And when you lose the hair, you also tend to lose that self-esteem.<br />
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That's why after growing my hair out for my wedding in 2009- I decided to donate my hair to <a href="http://www.locksoflove.org/">Locks of Love</a>.<br />
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That's why in 2012 I donated again to <a href="http://www.childrenwithhairloss.us/">Children With Hair Loss</a>.<br />
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That's why in 2015 I decided third time is the charm.<br />
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<a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=38c052276e&view=fimg&th=14cb0317c43301e5&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&attbid=ANGjdJ8vu3oi6Galq0wuk3C6QLgPEDYCkd5LDqa07PV-P3XaYWXOOySW_kzwbQwRr3S3m7Rbl4mTAvGDsAj_qixis3i7WJLVHSw4Hg6rQ-PjDWijsp6gxK7T546e_Mg&ats=1428885200106&rm=14cb0317c43301e5&zw&sz=w1218-h555" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Displaying IMG_1345.JPG" border="0" class="aLF-aPX-J1-J3" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=38c052276e&view=fimg&th=14cb0317c43301e5&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&attbid=ANGjdJ8vu3oi6Galq0wuk3C6QLgPEDYCkd5LDqa07PV-P3XaYWXOOySW_kzwbQwRr3S3m7Rbl4mTAvGDsAj_qixis3i7WJLVHSw4Hg6rQ-PjDWijsp6gxK7T546e_Mg&ats=1428885200106&rm=14cb0317c43301e5&zw&sz=w1218-h555" /></a></div>
Not only have I been able to help three people feel strong, beautiful, and confident- I have also learned several things about myself and being simple.<br />
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I've learned doing simple things still call for dedication. I had to avoid several temptations brought on by our culture: cutting my hair into a punky style, dying it every month, putting constant heat and product into my hair. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right.<br />
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I've also learned the beauty of simplicity. I made a lot of braids: French, Dutch, Fishtail, you name it. I also also un-braided, re-braided, un-braided, re-braided... who needs a complex updo when you can have a simple, sexy ponytail?<br />
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Then there's the lesson can doing something simple can do a world of good. Not only as I able to help others, it also brought lessons that helped my being.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-15987069174965118272014-03-17T08:00:00.000-05:002014-03-17T08:00:05.764-05:00Pre-Spring PrepHello my lovlies- it's been awhile, hasn't it? Thankfully, it's because I've been a very busy lil' bee. I can't wait to tell you all about it!<br />
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I have to admit, I lose inspiration to write from January - March. The holidays are over, winter recipes become a rut, and you can only do so much outside with freezing temperatures, snow, and ice. Then mid-March comes along and BAM! Garden ideas, house projects, and fresh produce get my "muse" back on track!<br />
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Speaking of mid-March- it's that time of year again. Where I get a week (or two if I'm lucky) to prepare this year's garden before allergy season is in full bloom. I know many of you are itching to rush to your nearest nursery and pick out your favorite herbs, flowers, and plants. There at lot of work to get done before you start digging away in your pots & garden beds though.<br />
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The last remaining days of winter/beginning of Spring is the ideal time to prepare your garden. now that all the snow is gone, you have to get your yard in order for this year's planting. First off, if you haven't already, you need to prune. We normally hold off until this time of year because I find it easier to cut everything back after it's dried out through out the winter. Some plants do prefer to be pruned before winter though. You just need to research your perennials.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I greatly cut back our butterfly bush. It looks sad, but just give it a few weeks.</td></tr>
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For several perennials, you simply need to cut back what's dead. That's especially the case for several bulbs like echinacea and lilies.<br />
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While you are pruning, also clear out your flower bed. Remove leaves, branches, and the beginning of weeds. Not only does this tidy up your garden, but it also prevents attracting any kind of pest that is attracted to debris.<br />
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While it's still too early for several plants, you can start a few by seeds about now. It maybe too early to sow in the ground though. About the earliest you can start (depending on your temperate zone) is April. I couldn't help myself though. I started a few of my own seed pods.<br />
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Sadly, last year's attempt at growing seeds from the newspaper pods didn't go so well. I'm trying two new approaches this year though. Above is using biodegradable egg cartons filled with soil & seeds. Below are toilet paper rolls cut in half. If both work correctly, I should eventually be able to plant each pod into the ground when ready. We shall see! <a href="http://www.almanac.com/content/starting-seeds-indoors">Here are some more tips on growing seeds from the Old Farmer's Almanac</a>. <br />
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Side note: I did not lay the pans with paper towels or newspaper this year. I think it may have attracted mold last year. I'm also cutting back on the water- aka- not drowning the pods.<br />
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I know it's hard to start feeling 60- 70 degree temperatures and not want to immediately start planting. I get it. It's hard to be patient after several cold months of winter. I'm finding it better to plant later rather than early though. Planting early risks another freeze and attracting pests when the plants are still too young to defend themselves.<br />
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If you really need to see some growth though- just keep a eye out for early signs of spring. Several daffodils are already in full bloom...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJZLgRS_RmB7zh3K5NbVyFWK8KXX8vNF0QfCuruRvqwqRETCYIh6erbJIgCVhRkj10Y4NnubozSYhTqgBlZ3ZKNxZHCQ5Q7n6E8Ytu56wxL-InrLb6sh6DB2O2h9Z5uWeUEPaGSWbGHss/s1600/photo_1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJZLgRS_RmB7zh3K5NbVyFWK8KXX8vNF0QfCuruRvqwqRETCYIh6erbJIgCVhRkj10Y4NnubozSYhTqgBlZ3ZKNxZHCQ5Q7n6E8Ytu56wxL-InrLb6sh6DB2O2h9Z5uWeUEPaGSWbGHss/s1600/photo_1024.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Found this lovely surprise Friday!</td></tr>
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And if you look close enough while pruning, you may be astonished to see your plants already at work...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVob3dWTL41RVWhbo9KylMVCfza-f-Xi3EUI0Nt2EuTnECt4KU98ME07H3W_potWqlmpz5CnGjak4xyc9eIC2uP4H048SAxtzX1OyZXxKYidovzHGh9TUEB8HH4OLVcHceDCugp4FUEq-B/s1600/photo+1-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVob3dWTL41RVWhbo9KylMVCfza-f-Xi3EUI0Nt2EuTnECt4KU98ME07H3W_potWqlmpz5CnGjak4xyc9eIC2uP4H048SAxtzX1OyZXxKYidovzHGh9TUEB8HH4OLVcHceDCugp4FUEq-B/s1600/photo+1-1.jpg" height="189" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those little red buds are the start of this year's echinacea!</td></tr>
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You may even find a friend or two!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KebzMmLmOPLd1NquvrOlXzgnvGKj-sVqvxtPKs2nr83VYYOYQpRLTe5JX50UNzI5R8zj5YnM4C9QKzqnbQNbs_sChFru5L8sptq5h45S1q8Vd0xcQIwH2OIYewDYG6PeqneRBi4iUzOn/s1600/photo-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KebzMmLmOPLd1NquvrOlXzgnvGKj-sVqvxtPKs2nr83VYYOYQpRLTe5JX50UNzI5R8zj5YnM4C9QKzqnbQNbs_sChFru5L8sptq5h45S1q8Vd0xcQIwH2OIYewDYG6PeqneRBi4iUzOn/s1600/photo-1.jpg" height="236" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well hello there, lil' lady!</td></tr>
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Don't worry friends, full-out spring will be here soon enough.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-15608837807176145982013-12-31T09:33:00.000-06:002013-12-31T09:33:25.362-06:00Ciao 2013! I hope you like photos!My, my. I feel like I blinked and it was already December 31st! The past two months have flown by so quickly. Then again, this whole year has gone by so fast.<br />
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I swear this blog is <u><b>NOT</b></u> shutting down. I won't even mention the word hiatus. I owe you so many more thoughts, recipes, and ideas! Thank you all for sticking with me all this time.<br />
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With that being said, I decided to look back on the past twelve months. My initial thought was "2013?! Gone?! Good riddence!" I mean within one year, I almost risked losing my Father, was diagnoses with an in-curable disease, took a deep dive into depression, and lost three family pets. All this while struggling to keep my strength and energy. Needless to say, I first had nothing but bad thoughts about this past year.<br />
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I thought a few more seconds though and realized that's not how I want this year to end. I don't want any year to end with such negative energy. And surely none of you deserve reading a blog tainted with darkness. So, I began looking into what <u><b>GOOD</b></u> happened in 2013. Here's what I came up with:<br />
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Within the first few months of this year, I realized how important my Dad is to me. While I would never wish bad on his health, I am thankful that it forced me into accepting myself and my relationship with him. Watching his quick recovery as we began bonding again was icing on the cake! For the first time in a very long time, I spent a weekend full of giving thanks with my Father.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We even visited my Grandma Swanson. Don't they look great?!</td></tr>
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Oh, I should also mention I shot a gun for the first time!... Still scared of them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4SYQeg80znjFFoQmp0n4pMoaklDFvqBUn4ZaF-W9xvlEA3F0iA8LwAimc_ON1nTAcO7Ysvj9G1WYMh2RCQOPLVBCovjgTKuPwT81_SJebTZtYnrTwgTL2kaqguBfQdOSIpb_sSkV7Nsa/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB4SYQeg80znjFFoQmp0n4pMoaklDFvqBUn4ZaF-W9xvlEA3F0iA8LwAimc_ON1nTAcO7Ysvj9G1WYMh2RCQOPLVBCovjgTKuPwT81_SJebTZtYnrTwgTL2kaqguBfQdOSIpb_sSkV7Nsa/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have no idea who was foolish enough to think I should have a rifle.</td></tr>
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I cannot begin to express my gratitude that I'm given more time on this earth with my Dad. I'm also awe struck of my family's strength and my friends' love. I even learned there are a lot of people out there who know me more than I know myself. It's been a very humbling experience.<br />
<br />
If there's any needed proof that I am related to my family, it's that I now have ulcerated colitis. My first initial reaction to the diagnosis was to fiercely scream at some higher power for awful timing. "Incurable" is such a disgusting word. The thought of taking pills for the rest of my life and praying for remission is so daunting. I have to be honest with myself though. I have <u><b>four</b></u> immediate family members that have some form of IBD, including two with ulcerated colitis. So we all knew there was a risk. In fact I'm lucky that I've lived as long as I have without it. Other family members were diagnoses with it in their teens... and had to have surgery. Thankfully that was decades ago and I can take full advantage of modern medical advancements!<br />
<br />
... If you couldn't tell, I've had to work <i>really</i> hard on convincing myself there is some good in that.<br />
<br />
I can't quite explain how or why it happened, but something snapped halfway through the year. I greatly doubted my capabilities and became unhappy with my life. I quickly turned to beat myself up because really, what do I have to be depressed about? That creates an awful cycle though. I'm thankful for this challenge because it forced me into figuring out why I was unhappy. Today I cannot quite say exactly what made me so upset, but I am pleased with what happened when I searched to find it.<br />
<br />
Frankly, due to certain actions (including my own) I didn't think I did a very good job producing. And that turned into dreading work. Thanks to a summer class and good friends, I identified my strengths and weaknesses. Then through a lot of work (and heartbreak) I strove to change those weaknesses. While I still have a way to go, (you learn something new every day) I've improved through out the past few months. Also due to my producer class, I learned I wasn't alone and developed a great network of colleagues.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnV2kLQK0ky9tQ7hzIK84S0zdL70NoluIho6eLhP70_hc_pSN_MrLsBWAaOj3p1MWsHnILD45SjKRqoMta3izKHWFsfJu4RtuSLvViSb8Rbif9P2g4gWVwGp9yYg6qGb8PUf2jrxiObu3/s1600/IMG_6012_1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnV2kLQK0ky9tQ7hzIK84S0zdL70NoluIho6eLhP70_hc_pSN_MrLsBWAaOj3p1MWsHnILD45SjKRqoMta3izKHWFsfJu4RtuSLvViSb8Rbif9P2g4gWVwGp9yYg6qGb8PUf2jrxiObu3/s320/IMG_6012_1024.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks Poynter Producer Project! You all rock!</td></tr>
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When you hit rock bottom, the only way to go is up. I got to a point that I had to address certain relationship at work. Which for me, is a difficult struggle. I hate conflict. I'm also awful at responding to negative statements, even if it is constructional criticism. So, I made the mistake of turning my head downward and not saying anything at all. But, as I said, I got to a point where there was no where else to go. I also realized that if I say nothing, I never allow anyone to better understand "my side." So I took awhile to "predict" the conversation and began tackling those relationships. Mind you I said <b>bad relationships</b>. I have <b>great</b> coworkers. I couldn't ask for better coworkers. Our relationships just needed to be adjusted. I personally just let it get to such a tragic point. Months later, I can say I'm pleased by the outcome! Not only do I have a better connection with those colleagues, but I've gained invaluable lessons. I learned that as long as you handle an issue with grace and professionalism, there's no excuse to not confront it. I also learned a lot about certain coworkers and believe they know me better as well. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjycn_Ej73_21pmDkgCQVN2xuLP7arsubvG54_vYNn1DXWteSn7N-vWDqlVAqx0Zgan0GpzfJjN7bTWbOf88j-6j-D5ITnUcx6Yvb8b8DpDbaMPI4jZmvcVlZkm9GJFt4RXnsLXn7gqoF/s1600/IMG_6057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjycn_Ej73_21pmDkgCQVN2xuLP7arsubvG54_vYNn1DXWteSn7N-vWDqlVAqx0Zgan0GpzfJjN7bTWbOf88j-6j-D5ITnUcx6Yvb8b8DpDbaMPI4jZmvcVlZkm9GJFt4RXnsLXn7gqoF/s320/IMG_6057.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quick shout out: I couldn't of done any of this without my great friend Heather (Right). AND who better to learn about the management of a newsroom than THE Patti Dennis From KUSA?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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That leaves one last chip on the shoulder. Both my husband and I lost the last of our childhood pets: the immortal felines. Lawson's family cat, Sasha, and my two cats Whoopi & Chopin needed help to reach their eternal slumber this year. All three were old and very sick. In our families, pets are family, so it was very difficult to say goodbye. All three had great lives though. We also saved them from a lot of pain. We also have the faith that they now get to be with the other animals they grew up with. Never the less I already miss their smooth fur, soft purrs, and sweet companionship. They all have a place in my heart. I miss them dearly.</div>
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So there it is. The <u><b>worst</b></u> parts of my 2013. It brought a lot of challenges. And yet I couldn't be more thankful for the end results. I haven't even gotten into the <u><b>best</b></u> parts of my 2013. Needless to say it involved a lot of train rides...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnVahIFDnAWvZjqcvurkbrMLMk_BAbIyhVZIAyJgDjk6Ip4K5xYAPYLEt1vS3MdN05sFmlZ5c8w3GtA5JlNm-ca72pweqilJU8JUs2LO-YWujvPGSnrTFr_Z92q_ElAJ_9U_R0TLfCWnC/s1600/IMG_6175_1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnVahIFDnAWvZjqcvurkbrMLMk_BAbIyhVZIAyJgDjk6Ip4K5xYAPYLEt1vS3MdN05sFmlZ5c8w3GtA5JlNm-ca72pweqilJU8JUs2LO-YWujvPGSnrTFr_Z92q_ElAJ_9U_R0TLfCWnC/s320/IMG_6175_1024.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took more train rides this year than in my entire life.</td></tr>
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And a lot of car rides...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ekI_GVsNDpMZVjmn2gVurLhK9Dd4scJ2V0QaTlakvpvxKuHnkGAmJTdEVATuonNDYYPkXjEnNag2fOtDlEsStwtm-te38LEry4wjjCb2Y8QFFVMaFv5Z2LMx6jZM6uDgq0l09DrZiaap/s1600/IMG_5710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ekI_GVsNDpMZVjmn2gVurLhK9Dd4scJ2V0QaTlakvpvxKuHnkGAmJTdEVATuonNDYYPkXjEnNag2fOtDlEsStwtm-te38LEry4wjjCb2Y8QFFVMaFv5Z2LMx6jZM6uDgq0l09DrZiaap/s320/IMG_5710.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And even some flights!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPuupWinnqarGc3v5eMTutGNNQOei2ia-7OuT2EI9auTjr0JUNlAtWfDikyUswhpX6ComNgDinlKtB6DHenfHRhOUo2TsI6Lsl7gOKYIy9-xEavRLTdQQir7vJTXMQhkcfMQhcwTyptKD/s1600/IMG_6068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPuupWinnqarGc3v5eMTutGNNQOei2ia-7OuT2EI9auTjr0JUNlAtWfDikyUswhpX6ComNgDinlKtB6DHenfHRhOUo2TsI6Lsl7gOKYIy9-xEavRLTdQQir7vJTXMQhkcfMQhcwTyptKD/s320/IMG_6068.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
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I saw <u><b>so</b></u> many amazing people that I love dearly!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKJN4OLK7hir_ewhSW__0WmrMQHWY6KzKW1t4KnzPFsX1PeJuI8eOUF92YIjZaZDrF9y29pDij5FXf3OVGI1alScK1dFv6gS-zyqVj93M3FXYWhADLUhjj7dR2sRSewKw8K_47M_A0O2D/s1600/IMG_6500_1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKJN4OLK7hir_ewhSW__0WmrMQHWY6KzKW1t4KnzPFsX1PeJuI8eOUF92YIjZaZDrF9y29pDij5FXf3OVGI1alScK1dFv6gS-zyqVj93M3FXYWhADLUhjj7dR2sRSewKw8K_47M_A0O2D/s320/IMG_6500_1024.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's too many photos to share- so here's cute one of Lawson & me!</td></tr>
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I got to see some unbelievable sites.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWTFhHYUnLV22-bM2v1sj_kt-yRD8w95TiBp9FKh8w4eauTFcddhHKYn2srdmCLd2eg-P374Lk7DaRdij-vYpp7_kr8X1WWdQ4LUg_Bdr1DoIDuFxZW8hi5SKhxyRiamMdwoNDoDLwUaw/s1600/IMG_6746_1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWTFhHYUnLV22-bM2v1sj_kt-yRD8w95TiBp9FKh8w4eauTFcddhHKYn2srdmCLd2eg-P374Lk7DaRdij-vYpp7_kr8X1WWdQ4LUg_Bdr1DoIDuFxZW8hi5SKhxyRiamMdwoNDoDLwUaw/s320/IMG_6746_1024.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure which is more breath-taking: So. IL Garden of the Gods or that Dad recovered so well that he came to see it with me.</td></tr>
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I even traveled in time with a best friend!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgL0LOfd3jNISl9qcmN-0eFX0PsCc_fl7pO9Wo10U-xOb8WFT9G07djx6eyjKYFCCJIstQ0KQl8quU2f_psQPu82ji-lRQ83B1CDBd6r46LV5nmQymp36bPAWUehswP4z8WBFNzFWVvRd/s1600/IMG_6796_1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgL0LOfd3jNISl9qcmN-0eFX0PsCc_fl7pO9Wo10U-xOb8WFT9G07djx6eyjKYFCCJIstQ0KQl8quU2f_psQPu82ji-lRQ83B1CDBd6r46LV5nmQymp36bPAWUehswP4z8WBFNzFWVvRd/s320/IMG_6796_1024.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh yeah, we're that cool.</td></tr>
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And that's just skimming the surface! There were so many good things that happened in 2013. This has truly been an inspiring year. I can honestly say I have no regrets.<br />
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Yet another blessing I can hang my hat on? All of you! I'm ever so grateful that you all have hung in for this sporadic roller coaster that I call my life. I don't know how we did it but Limelight Musings has more than 7,500 views from all over the world! Thank you, thank you, thank you!<br />
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So... how do you plan to remember 2013?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-85918740482974030242013-11-03T21:16:00.000-06:002013-11-03T21:16:17.798-06:00Manda-touille: A Harvest Vegetable StewIs it already November?! Well, many of you are probably bringing in the last harvest if you haven't already. Often a miscellaneous harvest can leave one wondering, "what can I make with this?" I had that dilemma earlier this year and decided to throw it all into a stew. <br />
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Let me introduce you to what my husband calls "Manda-toullie," since it has most of the same ingredients as <a href="http://newz-muz.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-true-disney-kid.html">my attempt with Ratatouille</a>. <br />
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I often get into a gray area when it comes to harvesting squash, zucchini, bell peppers, and tomatoes. It's often too many for a week of recipes but not enough to can. That's especially the case with our tomatoes. So what better way to tackle this tasty problem than with a vegetable stew.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Manda-touille: </span><br />
10 c tomato puree (just blanched tomatoes & pureed)<br />
5 c quartered squash<br />
1 c quartered zucchini<br />
4 c diced bell pepper<br />
3 garlic cloves minced<br />
2 c chicken stock<br />
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Add the following spices to taste, the amounts are only an estimate: <br />
1/4 teaspoon bay leaves<br />
1 Tablespoon basil<br />
1/4 teaspoon thyme<br />
1 teaspoon oregano<br />
1/2 teaspoon onion powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon chives<br />
2 Tablespoons sugar<br />
1 Tablespoon pepper<br />
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First get the pureed tomato in a pot and cook on medium heat. You'll want to cook down a lot of the water for a rich texture. You'll want to cook it down even more if you want to get rid of that raw tomato taste.<br />
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While that is cooking down, chop up you other veggies and saute with garlic in a separate pot.<br />
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Add chicken broth to the tomato puree and add the vegetables. Reduce some of the water then add spices to taste. Continue to stir and reduce until you hit that sweet spot in flavor. <br />
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There it is: a very simple, but flavorful stew that celebrates this year's harvest. Enjoy!<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-62804324431564776472013-10-06T19:16:00.002-05:002013-10-06T19:16:54.234-05:00The Great Pumpkin: Pumpkin PureeIt's finally here! It's that time of year where you can smell apples in the air. Where you can wear a light jacket outside. Where you can reap the harvest of your garden. This, my friends, is autumn!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even got out the fall decorations</td></tr>
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<i>I cannot express how much I <u>adore</u> this season. </i>It's just so pleasant to every sense of the body: feeling warm sun with a brisk wind, seeing vibrant mums and gourds, hearing crunching leaves, smelling rich spices, and let's not forget taste. Oh, the delectable recipes that come out this time of year!<br />
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A large staple in all of these recipes is my favorite gourd in the world: the great pumpkin. This is the third time around now where I plan to convince everyone to add some pumpkin to their lives. I love pumpkin so much that we actually attempted our first pumpkin patch this year! I'm happy to report it was a great success! Who knew three little seeds would go so far.<br />
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In case you are a new reader, you can catch up on <a href="http://newz-muz.blogspot.com/2011/10/october-welcome-in-pumpkin.html">how your body can benefit from some pumpkin.</a> You can also stop by <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/newz_muz/limelight-musings-recipes/">my pinterest</a> recipe page to check out some nifty pumpkin recipes. The base of most of these recipes is pumpkin puree; which you can easily find your grocery store. One interesting fact is that central Illinois is home of a large Libby's pumpkin cannery. Visiting the Pumpkin Festival in Morton, Illinois, was one of of fall traditions before we moved to Kentucky.<br />
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You can easily make your own pumpkin puree though at home. All you need is to pick up some adorable pie pumpkins!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/321841_709880202535_1249640312_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/321841_709880202535_1249640312_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pie pumpkins from Wurth Farms </td></tr>
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Now pie pumpkins are not your average jack o' lantern gourd. They are a bit smaller, but have less seeds and a thicker flesh. They also have a nice sweetness to them. All of these factors make it perfect in the kitchen. It just takes a little bit of work. First you need to preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Then you should line a baking sheet with tin foil and dab on a little bit of olive oil.<br />
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While the oven is heating up, slice the pumpkins in half before digging out the seeds.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPxIRpeLMTUghjV8urUQBx4goxlOD587XaAQ1WXsIYdlw3OS7Vcmpq9hXtK4AAB7jvT4CGojVTyQN7XzD2wShjOIK2F1SFLjivY8HMqotymDNdr5CXOKFKYw_yFh9WCgDr8bMtI1peIrv/s1600/IMG_6356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPxIRpeLMTUghjV8urUQBx4goxlOD587XaAQ1WXsIYdlw3OS7Vcmpq9hXtK4AAB7jvT4CGojVTyQN7XzD2wShjOIK2F1SFLjivY8HMqotymDNdr5CXOKFKYw_yFh9WCgDr8bMtI1peIrv/s320/IMG_6356.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feel free to save & roast the seeds with <a href="http://newz-muz.blogspot.com/2011/10/all-about-pumpkin-fun-for-kids-adults.html">this recipe</a></td></tr>
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Then place them cut side down on a baking sheet & cook for 45 to 50 minutes. Take out & allow to cool.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnFig3fBoFxbIg1QlrPdQy2tvIC169L_qfGe9YEyG7B-VHEQFfRx714oX9JWSk_tG1HRkc8Vbi1XqlhhKbN7qwtnVu_BdLEQZtPryxQp3kqd6iapG24R5Pr_oXXXlJcQA3lbxqTq94-_E/s1600/IMG_6357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnFig3fBoFxbIg1QlrPdQy2tvIC169L_qfGe9YEyG7B-VHEQFfRx714oX9JWSk_tG1HRkc8Vbi1XqlhhKbN7qwtnVu_BdLEQZtPryxQp3kqd6iapG24R5Pr_oXXXlJcQA3lbxqTq94-_E/s320/IMG_6357.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted pumpkin: yum!</td></tr>
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After it is cool enough to hold, use a spoon to scoop out the roasted flesh. Place in a blender.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIptQZ_yPJYF7RkzstAnV4JnPu8-aOqXk8c-n3eIf2AsUcAOuocdKwimVQxflw5iCFIwm9TJzQ0WmOkED2L1XIXIF30tmqdDqBgQUQGfWBWpq6VW4JkRM_C8lwEJZ4PucdSxi5NnVor5n/s1600/IMG_6369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIptQZ_yPJYF7RkzstAnV4JnPu8-aOqXk8c-n3eIf2AsUcAOuocdKwimVQxflw5iCFIwm9TJzQ0WmOkED2L1XIXIF30tmqdDqBgQUQGfWBWpq6VW4JkRM_C8lwEJZ4PucdSxi5NnVor5n/s320/IMG_6369.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooking the pumpkin makes this step a lot easier</td></tr>
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Simply puree the pumpkin and place in a jar. You cannot can pureed pumpkin but you can freeze it!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitH6VRhLCK81D27j0DiVp3kFcIliauy8srAICX5CuIUzrEyC_Axt1Ndk5nGY4VArSREJKKp1I6ARibmILO3AykWa4NSOKu2Soe6OfxNLZ2cfXlUhMYrSoDYNv7QSWqb4e0KDzJLG5ps9m2/s1600/IMG_5772.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitH6VRhLCK81D27j0DiVp3kFcIliauy8srAICX5CuIUzrEyC_Axt1Ndk5nGY4VArSREJKKp1I6ARibmILO3AykWa4NSOKu2Soe6OfxNLZ2cfXlUhMYrSoDYNv7QSWqb4e0KDzJLG5ps9m2/s320/IMG_5772.jpg" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can I just say I<u><b> LOVE </b></u>Ball's freeze jars?!</td></tr>
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There you have it: pumpkin puree! You can use this for any of your pumpkin recipes whether it's <a href="http://newz-muz.blogspot.com/2012/10/thanks-pumpkin-lovely-pumpkin-breakfast.html">pumpkin french toast paired with a pumpkin latte</a>, <a href="http://newz-muz.blogspot.com/2011/10/all-about-pumpkins-what-to-eat.html">pumpkin chowder</a>, <a href="http://newz-muz.blogspot.com/2011/10/all-about-pumpkins-pumpkin-pecan-pie.html">pumpkin pecan pie</a>, or even <a href="http://newz-muz.blogspot.com/2011/10/all-about-pumpkin-for-pets.html">something special for your pets</a> or a <a href="http://newz-muz.blogspot.com/2011/10/all-about-pumpkin-neautralize-free.html">pumpkin scrub to spoil your skin</a>. There are tons of ways to use and enjoy this special gourd.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-55304058159622430122013-08-25T13:58:00.001-05:002013-08-25T13:58:04.138-05:00Apparently I Don't Like to be Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I mentioned it a few weeks ago, but I really am sorry that there's been a lack of post here. Now there's a different reason... a few really. Frankly, I have't spent much time at home much less to write a blog that's worth your time. What have I been doing you ask? Well, here's what I've been up to...</div>
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Let's begin in mid-June. We began this summer of chaos by going to my husband's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. There we celebrated with family and friends the union of my beautiful sister-in-law and her husband. Congratulations again to the happy couple!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9JuteFr_O-p9TX-CermyZhy8aE8MMTlq5ky2AYIn8lI7ilaMvIQWrg-XDg394RPLUCoTRol-44W5CEW7V6AkW__gwx8s4NE0gK_7tx3aBnXlrZkuNFIWIATB_6IujzWu4dFg1ubVqbvh/s1600/IMG_5410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9JuteFr_O-p9TX-CermyZhy8aE8MMTlq5ky2AYIn8lI7ilaMvIQWrg-XDg394RPLUCoTRol-44W5CEW7V6AkW__gwx8s4NE0gK_7tx3aBnXlrZkuNFIWIATB_6IujzWu4dFg1ubVqbvh/s320/IMG_5410.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big brother & little sister!</td></tr>
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That weekend flew by way too fast! We had such a splendid time with loved ones and enjoyed a beautiful scenery along the Ohio River.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/943204_990711634095_1244714311_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/943204_990711634095_1244714311_n.jpg" width="187" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh look, a duck on a dock.</td></tr>
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Before we knew it, it was July. Well, you already know we spent the Fourth of July with my Mom...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/u/0/?ui=2&ik=38c052276e&view=att&th=1407334f02e52c0e&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P8kmYovJU4D96IDieSDIxpq&sadet=1376322543243&sads=vA1ezbvaMKI7zjKeSRCalOt-sPU&sadssc=1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/u/0/?ui=2&ik=38c052276e&view=att&th=1407334f02e52c0e&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P8kmYovJU4D96IDieSDIxpq&sadet=1376322543243&sads=vA1ezbvaMKI7zjKeSRCalOt-sPU&sadssc=1" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fourth of July with the Appels!</td></tr>
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Then the week after that I spent some time with doctors to figure out what sort of mystery illness I contracted. It actually wasn't until August that they told me they believe I have ulcerative colitis. During that time I also lost a toenail and broke out in a kind of rash my doctor has never seen before. I'm falling apart. Needless to say, there's no need to share photos of any of that business.<br />
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By mid-July we had another a wedding to celebrate; but this time it was much farther away: South Carolina! We really pushed ourselves on this trip. We left Friday afternoon and got back Sunday night. Within 57 hours we traveled nearly 1,500 miles!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs96JJQGeil9a2ypu_GjgCrc-agGYZmhi1bm8PYsLvc5kMA4Ky3Prgmx_sooQJoaAOEmtJfgpmlWMRFDmJriEoIeJycNcp9Kylx_LdZPsZ6V3Yo2aApbYnn4V3abEy-7tR30gn1i_p_mkf/s1600/IMG_5721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs96JJQGeil9a2ypu_GjgCrc-agGYZmhi1bm8PYsLvc5kMA4Ky3Prgmx_sooQJoaAOEmtJfgpmlWMRFDmJriEoIeJycNcp9Kylx_LdZPsZ6V3Yo2aApbYnn4V3abEy-7tR30gn1i_p_mkf/s320/IMG_5721.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very long, but beautiful drive.</td></tr>
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The trip was exhausting, but well worth it! I haven't seen my Godparents in years! It meant even more to see my Mom smiling and laughing with old friends.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-4Sq06deKIshPkWrLOaNCm_gBPFtidfA8v7YcAw7f8-lMjqbgGR_L_EsgLLDedfnrZJWVyWaOBSo6E7NICgA9vFYQBd3JjOTd_xxGoEaBiTvrGvLuMQ0K5cWsX597GzZOSLDxo9l5iyv5/s1600/IMG_5569.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-4Sq06deKIshPkWrLOaNCm_gBPFtidfA8v7YcAw7f8-lMjqbgGR_L_EsgLLDedfnrZJWVyWaOBSo6E7NICgA9vFYQBd3JjOTd_xxGoEaBiTvrGvLuMQ0K5cWsX597GzZOSLDxo9l5iyv5/s320/IMG_5569.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wedding Stop #2</td></tr>
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Thankfully, we were able to squeeze in one stunning pit stop...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkx3gbwfQxFYHvtAC_8SHANNaml4CNlyhdzTX5mUuNNKN1R10cvMZyDEo-u1a6p8zrxTARpweG1YaxIxYIdRXCdYomPI6QyKwyRljFu30Pf7-vxOgIfnX3XaideVkY07zsP6QJJ5U2TQrA/s1600/IMG_5596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkx3gbwfQxFYHvtAC_8SHANNaml4CNlyhdzTX5mUuNNKN1R10cvMZyDEo-u1a6p8zrxTARpweG1YaxIxYIdRXCdYomPI6QyKwyRljFu30Pf7-vxOgIfnX3XaideVkY07zsP6QJJ5U2TQrA/s320/IMG_5596.jpg" width="243" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Down by the Sea....</td></tr>
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We took off a weekend before heading out east again. It was an easier journey though. We had more time to go a shorter distance: near Atlanta, Georgia! It's been more than two years since I've seen my cousins. It meant the world to me to see them and new additions to the Moses family!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKlRQkOlTYuugXrMGIbWU3hrxP9UmbkDfVAYc199bEX-RSZvf4q3XgzhDl7WMcE6iE8MKRKl2XYAypL3AtlCOIpBAHwJI6y-U-MFElIgVLeON69f4VWQr6dJ915J5xjgYco-cQlOYEPWx/s1600/IMG_5868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKlRQkOlTYuugXrMGIbWU3hrxP9UmbkDfVAYc199bEX-RSZvf4q3XgzhDl7WMcE6iE8MKRKl2XYAypL3AtlCOIpBAHwJI6y-U-MFElIgVLeON69f4VWQr6dJ915J5xjgYco-cQlOYEPWx/s320/IMG_5868.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sadly this is the best photo taken. We were too busy splashing around!</td></tr>
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It wouldn't be a normal trip if we didn't stop at least one site. This time we visited the Chickamauga & Chattanooga Military Park. I'm sure it's not surprising to know that my husband & I try to make seeing Civil War sites "our thing." We are nerds to the core.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNqydvK2HAX0xU8ZB3PZkvDxsKXglFXc-oUb5xP00FVxQnQoXbsdRdG79-eNNJJ_NFHQSf_SIdN5MdAyJIwRTZ1sZ-moZgd4x81k8g15RZgrzlbE4hi6SMeLpweKlkUlo1G2QYJp7dAO1q/s1600/IMG_5907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNqydvK2HAX0xU8ZB3PZkvDxsKXglFXc-oUb5xP00FVxQnQoXbsdRdG79-eNNJJ_NFHQSf_SIdN5MdAyJIwRTZ1sZ-moZgd4x81k8g15RZgrzlbE4hi6SMeLpweKlkUlo1G2QYJp7dAO1q/s320/IMG_5907.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I pity anything that attempts to get in our way!</td></tr>
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Jokes aside, I love touring these kind of sites. We always learn something new about our nation's history. It also very eerie to stand on land where thousands of men died 150 years ago. I can't help but lose myself in wondering about their lives, their families, their beliefs, etc. I can't even fathom how much has changed along with what has not.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIklWbjp7eIbZxgxExm9XX3m0bQJrsujYOeeB6t_chaikjgngV6HS5B3Dz02rCGXWFvA6u3UBPl6nkIwLWhKfeWjSJWuNuh6CUbg-2sA46_dXo5D9y-YTTFYXaKwngdHmheYrkuRlSuRME/s1600/IMG_5882.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIklWbjp7eIbZxgxExm9XX3m0bQJrsujYOeeB6t_chaikjgngV6HS5B3Dz02rCGXWFvA6u3UBPl6nkIwLWhKfeWjSJWuNuh6CUbg-2sA46_dXo5D9y-YTTFYXaKwngdHmheYrkuRlSuRME/s320/IMG_5882.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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After taking one more (and very necessary) weekend off, I prepared for my next adventure. During most of this time, I've also participated in a class that's geared to improve my skills at work. Most of it has been online, but it included a weekend trip to St. Petersburg, Florida. It was intense and inspiring all at the same time. Two lovely ladies joined me on this ride.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gt_rtm4uRW8c2Is-sAr8gLhQRTQTI-2OQJh8eT86gt7M5krfTlOyihgjJwvMRYyiirBD_wpEpGXLy2QyYS6HmH6nz9fKe76f3uZ42eS1t8um1oXa-NyRWXkTlqUzdmABgiNnArYSHKxB/s1600/IMG_6060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gt_rtm4uRW8c2Is-sAr8gLhQRTQTI-2OQJh8eT86gt7M5krfTlOyihgjJwvMRYyiirBD_wpEpGXLy2QyYS6HmH6nz9fKe76f3uZ42eS1t8um1oXa-NyRWXkTlqUzdmABgiNnArYSHKxB/s320/IMG_6060.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The three of us with our instructor, Al Tompkins</td></tr>
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I didn't get very close to the ocean this time though...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1LnTnfoc4fxGqQWJVTn0ghnY0rQD7i6ukt1Vjxh6nqifZFRnN-ynGmuzz5iy37PSq44tk0w3iMi5Cci9JhXTM-1htIFiYPvAF3LppvzIdJdjc5JAP5BANWPBCflbwEK4GNoS5EXdg3cz/s1600/IMG_6031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1LnTnfoc4fxGqQWJVTn0ghnY0rQD7i6ukt1Vjxh6nqifZFRnN-ynGmuzz5iy37PSq44tk0w3iMi5Cci9JhXTM-1htIFiYPvAF3LppvzIdJdjc5JAP5BANWPBCflbwEK4GNoS5EXdg3cz/s320/IMG_6031.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was able to stretch my toe into the marina</td></tr>
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As soon as we got back I celebrated one of my best friend's birthday!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifcod_j2K9ew66xaDwK-jzATVSlgC3p1w3D3KohuBCNAzmP7uzhhGBcGyD3GG4sHXOrhJChg-zHPaZFFSqutuMDz_4lMl7607GA-On_wJbkVd0HITUKndkJl2BI4KDj3TdyPHl2xbdjrMu/s1600/ashley's+birthday_1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifcod_j2K9ew66xaDwK-jzATVSlgC3p1w3D3KohuBCNAzmP7uzhhGBcGyD3GG4sHXOrhJChg-zHPaZFFSqutuMDz_4lMl7607GA-On_wJbkVd0HITUKndkJl2BI4KDj3TdyPHl2xbdjrMu/s320/ashley's+birthday_1024.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Birthday, Ashley!</td></tr>
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And finally we're here. Mid August. It's been a few crazy weeks that involve great times with loved ones and more driving than any one person should ever do. <i><u><b>NO</b></u></i> one should ever drive by Nashville <b>six times within one month</b>. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqBvrn04PhiR-mNx7LI1jk10_gH2a522qOFC-m9vA98glG6ZUFBG2js97SqhRt_wA5SGz-GDZq2mr5JRL41v2iyBsvrV-qDFUu2YH534xwreut52F9MedpaBqQU-tuwe-lGPweje7PP17/s1600/IMG_5930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqBvrn04PhiR-mNx7LI1jk10_gH2a522qOFC-m9vA98glG6ZUFBG2js97SqhRt_wA5SGz-GDZq2mr5JRL41v2iyBsvrV-qDFUu2YH534xwreut52F9MedpaBqQU-tuwe-lGPweje7PP17/s320/IMG_5930.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're starting to get a little tired of seeing this view</td></tr>
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Surprisingly, I was able to sneak in a few crafts...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5OqdBdgOzYbahDlikpfdGS3qIz4V0Srkr8444Kr7ZVUciuUvyLzTMeMzVXpvIe-yalnShz184HGszXK9V4KPzN5tzEpXSyYmJFzH-4Sviq36o2z5XdqaF4mBokGIqU60YBoylFt94ywO/s1600/IMG_5801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5OqdBdgOzYbahDlikpfdGS3qIz4V0Srkr8444Kr7ZVUciuUvyLzTMeMzVXpvIe-yalnShz184HGszXK9V4KPzN5tzEpXSyYmJFzH-4Sviq36o2z5XdqaF4mBokGIqU60YBoylFt94ywO/s320/IMG_5801.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tried out a new "faux plaid" pattern</td></tr>
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Along with some great recipes that I can wait to share with you in the next few weeks!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifObBdxI1f41WKP8brY4bJksSgtqkr7tks03Y0SzZVCapEIzt7RLMJ5H5ZGXao04OiEoC0JHg_8QG-dc88N4mGGQak7AA1FQkjBhIKDQQ-_gysqWoph0_Ohq3lfkEPe5DxQCQhB0lyCRxy/s1600/IMG_5952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifObBdxI1f41WKP8brY4bJksSgtqkr7tks03Y0SzZVCapEIzt7RLMJ5H5ZGXao04OiEoC0JHg_8QG-dc88N4mGGQak7AA1FQkjBhIKDQQ-_gysqWoph0_Ohq3lfkEPe5DxQCQhB0lyCRxy/s320/IMG_5952.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easy & Delicious Shepherds pie!</td></tr>
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I have a few more journeys coming up, but they are more spaced out in comparison. So blogs may or may not be scarce. Thank you guys for being so patient. There is one thing you can count on though: I will always make it worth your time.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-3027839974416043002013-07-08T05:00:00.000-05:002013-07-08T05:00:05.211-05:00A True Disney Kid<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'll admit it. I'm a Disney kid. I adore 99% of Disney's original movies. That includes most Pixar movies, especially "Ratatouille."</div>
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<tr align="center"><td><img height="192" id="irc_mi" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBi1rkfXT_f2kzEL77OhK6_doavkjQ_HonkzxB2coptCvFNXIXg8zvdU6EZqmxVzRjByTUn70DkaZPM9ORwaSbfEjVQmXBgcfEiC776EwBAORvkBrjkh_oAUr5eZOg6X-cm-iwjZ_ubs/s320/remy_ratatouille.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 83px;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr align="center"><td class="tr-caption">NOT THE PARSLEY! Courtesy of Born For <a href="http://www.bornforgeekdom.com/2011/08/ratatouilles-ratatouille.html">Geekdom</a></td></tr>
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I could possibly blame Remy and his love of cooking for my recent obsession with recipes and French culture. This lil' rodent is an inspiration for anyone to get into the kitchen and try making dinner from scratch. The movie also introduces a younger American generation to a society that prefers flavor and freshness over convenience. </div>
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I could give a full critique on this movie. Pixar does an amazing job at adding social commentary to their family films. But that's for another day. The point is "Ratatouille" is a great movie that I now want to watch instead of sharing my attempt at the title recipe. I will manage though. For your sake. You're welcome.</div>
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This weekend I decided that we are far enough into summer to make my first attempt at ratatouille. Our farmers' market has gotten busier, and I now have an awesome mandolin...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAv3hbOlKBYF_8npdpFY1G7KcZcNaZ5eAs28mOg-PZlkBY8brGTn4daiOlkaNN4udTB3X1JxyaxbZufCYHbff2sxO7byNzgLsPs5sIbVEOQBV8hGoeLRiEc2Zjdpm60jSLiVRmAnQzPuas/s1600/IMG_5501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAv3hbOlKBYF_8npdpFY1G7KcZcNaZ5eAs28mOg-PZlkBY8brGTn4daiOlkaNN4udTB3X1JxyaxbZufCYHbff2sxO7byNzgLsPs5sIbVEOQBV8hGoeLRiEc2Zjdpm60jSLiVRmAnQzPuas/s320/IMG_5501.jpg" width="235" /></a></div>
and my Mother came down to visit us for the Fourth of July!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1EqZr-IG6tgTsTtxk4GylfVXzwsi6vHOrGJZHr6l32JgZ4CmVobRfCgiM4mtqt3te_v7hnwiAE7ht05bV2eKrtxjFsGawIS-YH0quxPFPAaCJPfyiwO3xyMGMMgKnauSxi27a6CAgWCb/s1600/IMG_5450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1EqZr-IG6tgTsTtxk4GylfVXzwsi6vHOrGJZHr6l32JgZ4CmVobRfCgiM4mtqt3te_v7hnwiAE7ht05bV2eKrtxjFsGawIS-YH0quxPFPAaCJPfyiwO3xyMGMMgKnauSxi27a6CAgWCb/s320/IMG_5450.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
How many more reasons does a woman need?</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOw4G7tFmNvlSNGXkTnbS4gf55Da7RPuLyrN9nrxYb1BXJt1T8Wwoedb-Rc9150YPpfBRf-N5IgJFdYm6ZBtubXhJPBwmjk54FzFJhnZwedQ1tfVDOYK-yxkgv2srVb7Ww4ld-_Y-u2bG/s1600/IMG_5465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOw4G7tFmNvlSNGXkTnbS4gf55Da7RPuLyrN9nrxYb1BXJt1T8Wwoedb-Rc9150YPpfBRf-N5IgJFdYm6ZBtubXhJPBwmjk54FzFJhnZwedQ1tfVDOYK-yxkgv2srVb7Ww4ld-_Y-u2bG/s320/IMG_5465.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had to show off at least one awesome firework photo</td></tr>
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The best thing about our ratatouille is that the dish itself was made entirely of local produce- even some from my garden! And while the process was grueling, it was totally worth it! Unlike the movie, ratatouille is typically a stew dish. That movie version is so tempting to try though and several chefs posted their recipes including this one form <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2007/07/rat-a-too-ee-for-you-ee/">Smitten Kitchen</a>. Here's how my attempt went:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_TQ08pRjgxYMh1YQ0asLh1NGj7ap7MgMkTHI4Gk07XBY8Os6Rd6-Z91u7r1lGcIi3lR8ER3C9tqcREqomU8awoU5qJuwwfv97_6sXW0JbuITLdcKSuc1DTXw-UIUG2lB4i_WrG57nKTR/s1600/IMG_5503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_TQ08pRjgxYMh1YQ0asLh1NGj7ap7MgMkTHI4Gk07XBY8Os6Rd6-Z91u7r1lGcIi3lR8ER3C9tqcREqomU8awoU5qJuwwfv97_6sXW0JbuITLdcKSuc1DTXw-UIUG2lB4i_WrG57nKTR/s320/IMG_5503.jpg" width="264" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well, this is before I baked the dish. You get the point though.</td></tr>
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I did want to share a few tweaks to the recipe. First off, I made my own tomato puree. That included the my least favorite thing in the world... blanching, skinning, and gutting tomatoes. Oh how I despise this process. So, I made a collage!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_As6OMroyZql8s82h5GHYpaLj6mAD3Q6T-ArRgZoB0lZIKIRJET3r-OIsu8JBIeaCSW2W1fm1geZqb1GLX2UGCTGnqJB32O9ye8fdKAnpJBiTWua-KUkVxw-YbmCN1bX5wMK0hZAxlm5/s1600/IMG_5508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_As6OMroyZql8s82h5GHYpaLj6mAD3Q6T-ArRgZoB0lZIKIRJET3r-OIsu8JBIeaCSW2W1fm1geZqb1GLX2UGCTGnqJB32O9ye8fdKAnpJBiTWua-KUkVxw-YbmCN1bX5wMK0hZAxlm5/s320/IMG_5508.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://newz-muz.blogspot.com/2012/07/canning-2012-pasta-sauce.html">Check this out</a> if you want to read further about blanching, skinning, and gutting tomatoes.</td></tr>
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With all that being said, it was worth it. I was stuck with a good amount of ripe tomatoes but there was not enough to can. Not only did I make enough for this recipe, but I also have 3 more cups to throw in pasta sauce or even another ratatouille dish!<br />
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A few other (but smaller) tweeks I made include using a skinny, but long bell pepper and mincing the garlic. And as you can see I used a 10" rectangular pan instead of an oval. None of these are big changes, but those are my suggestions if you try this recipe. I also recommend tossing a dollop of sour cream!<br />
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This dish took me about two hours to make. Most of that though was probably the tomato puree and the time in the oven. It was also well worth in! I paired it with cream-cheese-stuffed sweet mini bell peppers and couscous. This dish turned out so well that all of us went for seconds! It's also vegetarian based and chocked full of nutrients. You can bet this will recipe will be made more often!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-55001992300538172622013-06-25T10:04:00.001-05:002013-06-25T10:04:29.783-05:00A Not-So-Slow Summer<span style="font-family: inherit;">I swear I'm still alive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sorry for the lack of posts. There just hasn't been much to write about. That doesn't mean however that we are sitting on our hands. We are busy as bees in our home and garden! We're just stuck between planting and harvesting. And, let's be honest, I can only write so much about plants growing. It would also be a disservice to myself and you to write a post that's forced.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">With that being said, I'm blown away by some of our plants this year. Ever since we started gardening, I've dreamed of having a pumpkin patch. I love cooking with pie pumpkin and it's ever so good for you! So this year I planted three little pumpkin seeds on top of what used to be a tree stump just a few short weeks ago. Since this is my first year working with seeds, I doubted I would get any pumpkins. My lil' seeds made it through and that old dry hill became alive with gorgeous big leaves and vines.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXg9ovy1dxYrRS0KZL8Zoeq_FtO54nmbitGgaF2MPIu6afzXfvaJJV_AfZVtH2O5mlBkGaqIq85853PFL-m1BNVphSxMS-J7AiilNHVVDjcywL60npyEj0gXgTCm9s7K2wVYosLnJDbaF/s1600/lil+pumpkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXg9ovy1dxYrRS0KZL8Zoeq_FtO54nmbitGgaF2MPIu6afzXfvaJJV_AfZVtH2O5mlBkGaqIq85853PFL-m1BNVphSxMS-J7AiilNHVVDjcywL60npyEj0gXgTCm9s7K2wVYosLnJDbaF/s320/lil+pumpkin.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Since it's only a few weeks old, we tried our best to trim off any early blooms. You should do this with about any young fruiting plant. That allows it to focus on growing instead of producing fruit. The other morning we realized me missed a bloom. And by bloom I mean a flower that's about five inches across!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQUD4UntMcY9CPZZqTW3SbVL4NF87UFSqInYeXFZgtJyCnu9nO_XaGXQNNDVgdSdYaPKaC7Lb4iLYx1PVuCFhF6Z8ARM6bXnkzTzPX0rJVfeYotB_ra84aTw_-Bsc8E6G_BFh4eXbsI6-n/s1600/pumpkin+blossom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQUD4UntMcY9CPZZqTW3SbVL4NF87UFSqInYeXFZgtJyCnu9nO_XaGXQNNDVgdSdYaPKaC7Lb4iLYx1PVuCFhF6Z8ARM6bXnkzTzPX0rJVfeYotB_ra84aTw_-Bsc8E6G_BFh4eXbsI6-n/s320/pumpkin+blossom.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">You can see the little sweat bee on the left side of the bloom.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Another plant that exploded is our </span>Nasturtiums. It's a flowering plant with very unique leaves. During my <a href="http://newz-muz.blogspot.com/2013/04/lets-just-keep-chemicals-out-of-this.html">research about companion planting</a>, I found a few articles that suggested growing Nasturtiums around pumpkins, squash, and zucchini. It apparently helps keep squash beetles at bay. Since we have all three of those plants in our yard, I figured we'd try it. Once again, I planted a few seeds in a pot, and within a few weeks they were ready to be transplanted!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpM3jejYDjYMOinzp6p5RDBoPIyHp5dKegLhZKXKyvo4UvvNOECOfh9LQ1EErpC5IvfuEpRNln7M3q7NPQpuWHVUnQ06dZtokszDXUpqvXOt3fYdkBRbtHurW3rJYGZtjtx9NGxDFHA4v/s1600/pumpkin+and+nostfratutu.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHpM3jejYDjYMOinzp6p5RDBoPIyHp5dKegLhZKXKyvo4UvvNOECOfh9LQ1EErpC5IvfuEpRNln7M3q7NPQpuWHVUnQ06dZtokszDXUpqvXOt3fYdkBRbtHurW3rJYGZtjtx9NGxDFHA4v/s320/pumpkin+and+nostfratutu.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">Nasturtiums chillin' with pumpkins</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Our current success is all thanks to the great weather we are getting this year. We had a mild spring that delayed growth, but we now have hot, yet wet, summer days. We can't wait for the harvest season!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-4456363997670140362013-06-04T09:58:00.005-05:002013-06-04T09:58:49.949-05:00Following My Ancestor's StepsSo, I'm going to over look the awkward fact that it's been awhile. If it means anything, I feel bad that it took me this long to write about a fantastic journey I recently took with my Mother. We cool? Hope so.<br />
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Now that we've got that out of the way, if you're an avid reader than you already know I've been working on my family ancestry for <u><b>years</b></u>. I'll get a few breaks then things that "matter" get in the way. Then something kicks me back into it and there I am fully immersed again.<br />
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Well, this time I cam blame it on my Mother.<br />
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During Memorial Day weekend, my Mom visited us like she often does during the holidays. This time, we decided that we could try something new and take a small drive to the area where her mother (my grandmother) was born and raised. Surprisingly we're closer to it now then when I was a kid.<br />
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We packed up the car and headed into Illinois. Needless to say Southern Illinois is quite different than the Central Illinois that I know.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykD4UauHttbn-L8AnFIDFpW73WDyVsFPgpdQsK22n3MYCKRBJwDq54D_6RWqK7WsgSnqIdtf-_vlDm26dMU-4JCWQDFRKOXupRtYldbsrkvRf_dMkvx3cD2BuydQB7fUVS4UwLp8EAjDs/s1600/IMG_2532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykD4UauHttbn-L8AnFIDFpW73WDyVsFPgpdQsK22n3MYCKRBJwDq54D_6RWqK7WsgSnqIdtf-_vlDm26dMU-4JCWQDFRKOXupRtYldbsrkvRf_dMkvx3cD2BuydQB7fUVS4UwLp8EAjDs/s320/IMG_2532.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Central Illinois: Windfarms = 5 Point Bonus</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkN_Lotk0l7cPgDxAPAnnrm9QlOraRlUTjaqdS1vR_eLqV-pmjKQHzr_yXHzeKpAwHwfFYCd6DidWrK4Kcv8hSAzVYaFw6cC30-zqCUT_4M1yKxXpWPZTd9WP5jGAZKSRMAvK3XvW-avr/s1600/IMG_0961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkN_Lotk0l7cPgDxAPAnnrm9QlOraRlUTjaqdS1vR_eLqV-pmjKQHzr_yXHzeKpAwHwfFYCd6DidWrK4Kcv8hSAzVYaFw6cC30-zqCUT_4M1yKxXpWPZTd9WP5jGAZKSRMAvK3XvW-avr/s320/IMG_0961.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Southern Illinois. It's amazing that both are in the same state!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Instead of driving to a smooth horizon that appears to never end you get to travel up and down beautiful rolling hills. Instead of endless soy bean and corn fields, you witness heavily forest areas and even some wetlands. The beauty of our trip to White County, Illinois, is that we enjoyed both. See, you travel through the Shawnee National Forest before you get to the southern tip of Illinois' heartland. This is mostly thanks to a series of glaciers, but that's for another time.<br />
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The point is you drive through some hills, get lost, then drive through those same hills, before turning into some farmland and you get to a little town called Enfield, Illinois.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhb9GoXcGOos3I087MTBqUBxniUi5jx0WbDrKeCrm_bPIHeQUo3XWdLxWovxDx-UWNHQLhnTdyLLMjiwOQ3VhM3ToPi4Bz7oQJQud8bWvLQkYqmTZS0i9WBNY7F7M3XnIjk0k_Lk-FcQRP/s1600/IMG_5180_1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhb9GoXcGOos3I087MTBqUBxniUi5jx0WbDrKeCrm_bPIHeQUo3XWdLxWovxDx-UWNHQLhnTdyLLMjiwOQ3VhM3ToPi4Bz7oQJQud8bWvLQkYqmTZS0i9WBNY7F7M3XnIjk0k_Lk-FcQRP/s320/IMG_5180_1024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Yep, Enfield. Home of Mule Day. At one point of time, my <i><b>fourth</b></i> great Grandfather lived here. Had his his children here. Died here. His death was almost 40 years before the American Civil War. I'm astonished to find how deep my family's roots run in America much less Illinois.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-cb969vVY7KjU9odPHT0BBRl6cB5p0D2AiR9KcLuMG3PmJZaKeIMVCqspl1J73stS1romuxCQiRmkJge8rW5T3eRsP8Fs1vhqccMQmgszxJ4LYLQxc4fI0gFtquleosogtrS6EwNGRKtP/s1600/IMG_5160_1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-cb969vVY7KjU9odPHT0BBRl6cB5p0D2AiR9KcLuMG3PmJZaKeIMVCqspl1J73stS1romuxCQiRmkJge8rW5T3eRsP8Fs1vhqccMQmgszxJ4LYLQxc4fI0gFtquleosogtrS6EwNGRKtP/s320/IMG_5160_1024.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My oldest ancestor of Enfield</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The one thing that crossed my mind as I drove through these hill and farmland is how Joshua Fields got to Enfield. And his children. There's also the families his children married into. Take the Adams and Marlins who also settled in White County, Illinois.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEfQPpuyduimX4kUbQf5D0V-6JpSX18522ng_0ZLDap01sbcq9IgHFI6eCoQqrOACCcvefdlAjOO1rI3HLn_dAMd9N7OpDmAK7eD7oM6YJ4P9W3iyPHzvWFpiOe18J5zT_6DhGhw93UDP/s1600/IMG_5200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEfQPpuyduimX4kUbQf5D0V-6JpSX18522ng_0ZLDap01sbcq9IgHFI6eCoQqrOACCcvefdlAjOO1rI3HLn_dAMd9N7OpDmAK7eD7oM6YJ4P9W3iyPHzvWFpiOe18J5zT_6DhGhw93UDP/s320/IMG_5200.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rachel Graham Marlin, my fourth great Grandmother</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It is believed that the Marlins & Adams (like several American pioneer families) traveled from the East Coast "out west" together with several other families. It appears both families were very close since three Adams married three Marlins, including my ancestors. Several members from both sides decided to leave Chester County, South Carolina sometime after 1847 to the "western frontier." One can imagine the tough journey in the mid 1800's to get through the smokey mountains, across Tennessee and Kentucky before getting into Southern Illinois. One family story states that White County isn't where the Marlins & Admas intended to stay, but that's where "they hit rock bottom. They didn't much like the cold climate and might have settled elsewhere
had they possessed the means, instead they made the most of the hand
they were dealt, worked hard, and soon prospered on the Illinois
frontier." Not only did they prosper, but their descendants stayed in White County for three generations until my Grandmother Dorothy Fields "left the farm" to go to college, became a teacher, and fell in love with my Grandfather. They got married, had children and settled in Shelbyville, Illinois. The rest, my friends, is history. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZrY-FQjeNAheMfgQKckbER2SSewyybP9zoEbCoy9oaM38qN0xQ2BY2_zAZ0PNA9LO4Bikl0dvWqOD872sjESPF2iTAJbdtfmuUzvjVldzRiKQM5LkS5pLu1KQImqng787VgFy1vQONO5/s1600/IMG_2444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZrY-FQjeNAheMfgQKckbER2SSewyybP9zoEbCoy9oaM38qN0xQ2BY2_zAZ0PNA9LO4Bikl0dvWqOD872sjESPF2iTAJbdtfmuUzvjVldzRiKQM5LkS5pLu1KQImqng787VgFy1vQONO5/s320/IMG_2444.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My Grandmother with her daughter (my Mom) in Shelbyville, IL</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I don't mean to sound egotistical, but this is only three families who made my existence possible. There are so many others including the Moses, Griffiths, and Scovills (which appear to be in America the longest) along with Swansons, Wingates, and many more! So many people unknowingly fought all odds not only to live, but have children who led to a brighter future. That's our history as human civilization.<br />
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The beauty is that it's not over yet. We are only in the middle of the greatest story ever told. There are so many more generations to go. The real question is how will our decedents remember us? Will then travel through mountains and plains to visit our graves? Attempting to comprehend what kind of life we lived? Only time will tell.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-4259380437349652892013-05-13T05:00:00.000-05:002013-05-13T05:00:05.488-05:00Guest Entry: Building Easy Garden Beds
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Contained within this blog are instructions for installing
in-ground garden beds, written by Lawson, Manda’s hubby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nice to meet you.</div>
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There are two main advantages to in-ground beds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are more cost-efficient than raised
beds, and allow for greater freedom of total area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While raised beds usually come as store
bought kits, they are often expensive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Additionally, the dimensions for these beds are pre-determined, which
restricts the scope of one’s gardening endeavors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, for larger-scale gardening applications,
in-ground beds are the better choice.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzpKGzz5EVFIFyR8wplaMxT-c62LUvtBPaBH4XTDrFJJs0PEbzfJC_63MQcopz6t-XtrARsz04WN90lRWM1xHMG039ZEhCGH31EhwPRl-fRCVk1J2wCI5IuGqEXZFsBHci-ZxL0elKSp9/s1600/IMG_1603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzpKGzz5EVFIFyR8wplaMxT-c62LUvtBPaBH4XTDrFJJs0PEbzfJC_63MQcopz6t-XtrARsz04WN90lRWM1xHMG039ZEhCGH31EhwPRl-fRCVk1J2wCI5IuGqEXZFsBHci-ZxL0elKSp9/s320/IMG_1603.jpg" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[You may remember our garden last year]</td></tr>
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Soil quality is always a consideration for in-ground
beds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Usually, darker the soils are more
fertile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, the type of soil must be
considered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clay soils impede upon root
growth, whereas sandy soils lack nutrients and dry out quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These problems can be remediated with
store-bought topsoil or compost, depending on the needs of individual soil
profiles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When in doubt, ask a county
extension agent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They even offer soil
samples to help determine each bed’s individual needs.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5dyKmAGWieMX77ebhpWxoQG_eeC1fqjmXW3ALx9hO7YnNqglUJOopb3jqOTLVCv08KP5Y-h1ffMP_h4xtAH1SNGD2i5hWM5XM_Elt3JLU_H_tcqvp2GHCwX4jY0mNbbr6QV42An15r7z/s1600/IMG_4901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5dyKmAGWieMX77ebhpWxoQG_eeC1fqjmXW3ALx9hO7YnNqglUJOopb3jqOTLVCv08KP5Y-h1ffMP_h4xtAH1SNGD2i5hWM5XM_Elt3JLU_H_tcqvp2GHCwX4jY0mNbbr6QV42An15r7z/s320/IMG_4901.jpg" width="253" /></a>Again, cost effectiveness is an advantage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tools necessary are common and cheap, if
one is willing to put forth the work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of
course, gas-powered yard machines do lighten the workload.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The beds for this blog were installed with
these tools:</div>
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Shovel</div>
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Straight tooth rake</div>
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Wheelbarrow</div>
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Gas-powered Tiller</div>
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Garden Hoe (if no tiller is used)</div>
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Stakes (or other markers)</div>
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Planning is important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Select a site for the bed, considering soil quality, hours of sunlight
(full sun is most desired), and aesthetic value.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then stake out the corners of where the
garden bed is desired.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhadjr63vqv9xtOAVvpIXyguEVWjzfgNQToKCbPxf0oKckxQV2isDD5BqOpKp9z88ORCC1riJwwwYruOmSQMikIM5jrxV5r40egbcTjflP-jcndHiQG2kVZsDjoc498idNHpZxrhUWAYYhw/s1600/2013+garden+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhadjr63vqv9xtOAVvpIXyguEVWjzfgNQToKCbPxf0oKckxQV2isDD5BqOpKp9z88ORCC1riJwwwYruOmSQMikIM5jrxV5r40egbcTjflP-jcndHiQG2kVZsDjoc498idNHpZxrhUWAYYhw/s320/2013+garden+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Begin digging around the perimeter of the bed, loosening the
sod (grassy root system).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once the
entire perimeter has been loosened, start digging up the sod.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The grass roots may go as deep as six inches,
so care must be taken to ensure the root system is completely removed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It helps to shake off the soil from the sod,
both to conserve precious topsoil and to reduce the weight of the sod (It’s
heavy!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sod is also a valuable
resource, so use the wheelbarrow to transport the grass roots to wherever fill
is needed.</div>
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Some with powered tillers are inclined to just till the
grass into the soil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This should be
avoided, because the tiller can actually serve to bury the grass roots further,
only adding to the difficulty of removing the root system from the soil.</div>
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With the sod is removed, the general area of the garden can
now be seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With either the powered
tiller, or a standard garden hoe, begin loosening the soil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any roots from nearby trees should be removed
with a shovel or perhaps a hatchet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Usually the tree is older and strong enough to withstand the loss of
these outer roots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once the soil is
tilled, the border is ready to be installed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3V6wcFlidG7tYEKrYbvb_RsRdcWHrSt0idyGHn6RDfk9JOXYtnbqz987oy7Z41PprFVJGLoadBVMTNgYdOyTw87mn3BwRg1YdbF7JzIrCZpXvsCBE-GE6cQ6Ye9NvIqgV1gkmI40BlRb6/s1600/2013+garden+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3V6wcFlidG7tYEKrYbvb_RsRdcWHrSt0idyGHn6RDfk9JOXYtnbqz987oy7Z41PprFVJGLoadBVMTNgYdOyTw87mn3BwRg1YdbF7JzIrCZpXvsCBE-GE6cQ6Ye9NvIqgV1gkmI40BlRb6/s320/2013+garden+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The beds for this blog were bordered with 2x6 lumber.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were built separately then placed on the
bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If done in this fashion, care must
be taken to dig out around the border to ensure a snug in-ground fit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paver stones are also a sturdier (yet more
expensive) option. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the border
installed, any additional topsoil can then be added and mixed with the
straight-tooth rake.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_w8KzmVKLCcwlE6ILPFnm_amtvaSKOm3UgfZSpxKmkKAruQu3pbeBpAMqPAt9Fra4LobdSxhdFh6in52IwHDDeSejbIkvEOPpj4luBJgtj04uAO8Xs9g2URE3X0XJqKXoYrksZOd82KB/s1600/2013+garden+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_w8KzmVKLCcwlE6ILPFnm_amtvaSKOm3UgfZSpxKmkKAruQu3pbeBpAMqPAt9Fra4LobdSxhdFh6in52IwHDDeSejbIkvEOPpj4luBJgtj04uAO8Xs9g2URE3X0XJqKXoYrksZOd82KB/s320/2013+garden+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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As it can be seen, the most demanding step in this process
is the removal of the sod.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is also
the most crucial step.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grass is a very
invasive plant, and can easily out-compete any vegetable root.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As with any project, work initially invested
will lead to less work later.</div>
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Easy planting and good harvests to you.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-69747976049258028742013-04-29T05:00:00.000-05:002013-04-29T05:00:10.958-05:00Let's Just Keep Chemicals Out of ThisNo, you don't need herbicide for your garden. Or pesticides. We see so many advertisements these days for chemicals that "help make the most" out our your garden but that leads to who-knows-what on your harvest. Outside of <i>very rare</i> situations, all you really need for a successful garden is healthy plants. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HdSrQlUvLIbROx2se0omQjzqjB-qWm6_m9-TlR8ECF4n3xJoFtcV2o62FRVLHuGBvS6InvuMY27yXzSurL6cX_7nupxFMRwlaa3U_FkdsmyhC4tqayReC9oYgNjE-Wbgd5DYLuVMd6LD/s1600/IMG_4933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HdSrQlUvLIbROx2se0omQjzqjB-qWm6_m9-TlR8ECF4n3xJoFtcV2o62FRVLHuGBvS6InvuMY27yXzSurL6cX_7nupxFMRwlaa3U_FkdsmyhC4tqayReC9oYgNjE-Wbgd5DYLuVMd6LD/s320/IMG_4933.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sage is about to bloom!</td></tr>
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Healthy plants fight off their own diseases and pest. It's simply allowing nature to be nature! And it's not that hard to provide your plants the tools they need to stand their ground. First, they need good soil. I'll admit I don't get into soil acidity, but it's easy to simply keep your soil full of nutrients. That's through nutrient-rich compost and rotating your plants. Planting the same annuals in the same spot every year will leave your soil useless overtime. But giving mother earth tasty compost and switching out plants that leave what the next plant needs creates the groundwork for a healthy garden.<br />
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Then there is my favorite tool: companion planting! It's kind of like the tick bird and the rhino. It turns out certain plants work really well together and keep nasty pest and disease at bay. One flower I heavily rely on in my garden: marigolds.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitieT0XvzaUWfMaktBavEsovhVeBJuSasQ5y7OercEn7ubQosU1lZ6jKHwE77Cb4vEYHWICryX_QsPjPOdejX-eQDwivNfpneIHKA9JVCt_vVYEmnaezt-xWmMaLglx1tcNRid-wB7FBt8/s1600/IMG_4904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitieT0XvzaUWfMaktBavEsovhVeBJuSasQ5y7OercEn7ubQosU1lZ6jKHwE77Cb4vEYHWICryX_QsPjPOdejX-eQDwivNfpneIHKA9JVCt_vVYEmnaezt-xWmMaLglx1tcNRid-wB7FBt8/s320/IMG_4904.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<a href="http://newz-muz.blogspot.com/2013/04/gardening-in-stages.html">As previously mentioned</a>, I planted A LOT of dwarf french marigold this year. And a few Inca marigolds. I'll also buy a few more after we finish off the third bed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitEd5_VCI8QMoiKJ1ukZ362DLXEl53DitqLgUcCXbemtBZAqT9L1xZS6sP5Ao4jKvpRdR4Qc9yN_-XHN8CBV1eCiQxXZhOC_ixi6N37GKqRvtv6vdf7UKATsHYIGJTxzbzFFWsWR-Dhg8R/s1600/IMG_4937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitEd5_VCI8QMoiKJ1ukZ362DLXEl53DitqLgUcCXbemtBZAqT9L1xZS6sP5Ao4jKvpRdR4Qc9yN_-XHN8CBV1eCiQxXZhOC_ixi6N37GKqRvtv6vdf7UKATsHYIGJTxzbzFFWsWR-Dhg8R/s320/IMG_4937.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
There's a lot of mixed results out there however on whether marigolds live up to their name. Several small-time garden bloggers praise marigolds at keeping bugs and animals away from the garden with their strong fragrance. Others aren't so generous, like the <a href="http://www.aces.edu/dept/extcomm/specialty/marigolds.html">Alabama Cooperative Extension System</a> writing "little documentation exists showing marigolds actually
repel insects. In fact, they may attract harmful pests damaging not
only the marigolds but also your vegetables."<br />
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Later on the provided link above does note that dwarf french marigolds appear to be the most consistent at keeping soil-dwelling nematodes away. Nematodes are microscopic parasite that looks like a miniature worm. Depending on the species, it can do a decent amount of damage to some plants like tomatoes and strawberries.<br />
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I keep finding myself going back to the several garden bloggers who swear by marigolds. And they are beautiful. So what's the harm in creating a colorful marigold fort around my cherished plants. It appears to have worked for us before.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2PEcawx9Zdl4DjbhgxCa_XAcIRblZauH3GF0OhKFVi4Kn3MQYjKkkKIgOVN2fNsRD-llBX1u6InapVGdaXz-OnixzHfieV9DFYq38fY1v5yqK6pxHj-vjB-kdlB59JuWfV3_GIynThFv/s1600/IMG_4940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2PEcawx9Zdl4DjbhgxCa_XAcIRblZauH3GF0OhKFVi4Kn3MQYjKkkKIgOVN2fNsRD-llBX1u6InapVGdaXz-OnixzHfieV9DFYq38fY1v5yqK6pxHj-vjB-kdlB59JuWfV3_GIynThFv/s320/IMG_4940.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some marigolds keeping guard for my squash and zucchini</td></tr>
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Marigold isn't the only flower you can consider to deter pest. In my research for marigolds, I suddenly came upon pages and pages about a beautiful flower called nasturtiums. It apparently keeps away squash beetles, whiteflies, and striped pumpkin beetles. With our beloved squash and future pumpkins, we will have to give it a try.<br />
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Some gardeners also swear by certain mints (<i><b>warning: it's very invasive!</b></i>) , catnip, and various kitchen herbs to prevent certain bugs. Just mindful planting of your produce plants can improve your harvest too. This simply just takes some research into what you want to grow. Here's a <a href="http://www.burpee.com/vegetables/companion-planting-guide-article10888.html">Companion Planting Guide</a> by seed company Burpee. <br />
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Oh and before I forget, I decided I will occasionally provide a link to a recipe I discovered on <a href="http://pinterest.com/newz_muz/">Pinterest</a>. The kicker is that it will be based on what's in season. May is just around the corner so I just finished up a batch of <a href="http://www.smells-like-home.com/2011/05/strawberry-crumb-bars/">Strawberry Crunch Bars!</a> It's a shame it's only seasonal a few weeks year in my area. But it's worth the wait!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RXanUfbWzszMsrYmre3lGSyMyPSSkkMgkIGSFwKKt7iHJ2Sh_0RsQ2UVfG2wUX4gkoP5oYDMpWFJgTd_ZpqhcXyjpncd9NDkmSsEVmocj6T4f64c-rW6wdXzu0FQWTw00_dtlffmIS9h/s1600/IMG_1567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RXanUfbWzszMsrYmre3lGSyMyPSSkkMgkIGSFwKKt7iHJ2Sh_0RsQ2UVfG2wUX4gkoP5oYDMpWFJgTd_ZpqhcXyjpncd9NDkmSsEVmocj6T4f64c-rW6wdXzu0FQWTw00_dtlffmIS9h/s320/IMG_1567.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://newz-muz.blogspot.com/2012/04/taste-of-spring-ode-to-strawberries.html">Last year's Strawberry Crunch Bars!</a></td></tr>
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If you ever want to check my attempts at Pinterest recipes and crafts, be sure to follow <a href="http://pinterest.com/newz_muz/attempted-pins/">this board</a>!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-51228242353466808532013-04-22T05:00:00.000-05:002013-04-22T05:00:07.479-05:00Gardening In StagesSo despite my allergy attack last week, I still braved the outdoors to get another round of gardening done. It's been a rough week for everyone, including in our news department. Nothing gets you in a better mood though than getting outside and muddy! Before I lay out what we've planted so far, I have to give my husband some major kudos. He recently did some major yard work to prepare our garden. First he did the typical mowing & weed-whacking. Then some simple landscaping to protect some of our plants that are in the yard.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QNjY2vtS-jwW72Kr8dRcBkfZtrSPhMKQlbXsDpJatd-fussYCeIrkU-WGjUpu88h5D_SL7fFlFsQ5gs0dpxTuhOkduh3miZdscnCVmJ18vwHt45UhLuJGTvnpRsIxz60VLjcYM89sl2Q/s1600/IMG_4913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QNjY2vtS-jwW72Kr8dRcBkfZtrSPhMKQlbXsDpJatd-fussYCeIrkU-WGjUpu88h5D_SL7fFlFsQ5gs0dpxTuhOkduh3miZdscnCVmJ18vwHt45UhLuJGTvnpRsIxz60VLjcYM89sl2Q/s320/IMG_4913.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Would you believe this is from my tiny echinacea from last year?!</td></tr>
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We still had our two garden beds from last year. Thankfully the hubs did such an awesome job at tilling that we really didn't need to weed the area at all! We decided though to put in one more garden bed. Several of our crops (especially squash and zucchini) need to be rotated every year. Rotating crops helps your soil recover from all the nutrients that were once removed. A three year rotation works best for us so my husband tilled up and installed a third bed. Doesn't it look great?!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyOoy25UwG0tPdIqPvnEnHgOHTKsYNOpA3NTglzs7y3deV-skmV2ugoDesTb_Zu5G8dImY1QS9sU5WH48f3L_aX-mQV52xKqsZzEjdrnI05KE3mDqpfwp5pRrtGqEwM4rrOMvuBitThE9a/s1600/2013+garden+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyOoy25UwG0tPdIqPvnEnHgOHTKsYNOpA3NTglzs7y3deV-skmV2ugoDesTb_Zu5G8dImY1QS9sU5WH48f3L_aX-mQV52xKqsZzEjdrnI05KE3mDqpfwp5pRrtGqEwM4rrOMvuBitThE9a/s320/2013+garden+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
With that being said we stopped by a local nursery this weekend and picked out some of their early plants. There's still a few more I'd like to find. We have a whole garden bed that's blank! But we got a head start on some of our garden this weekend.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPe4kZrtn7XZfBgVSR5RD4y218z974ys5oTDuaKyLsqpK4F_R3pnXk91eunDTuQp4T4mk8gdj1S_p1k0Abu8DHwbhNGaQjoNVrut5BHMhiPMWK8hNUMRWSHoNfZDL5DlV-18bSjnMCLvuw/s1600/IMG_4902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPe4kZrtn7XZfBgVSR5RD4y218z974ys5oTDuaKyLsqpK4F_R3pnXk91eunDTuQp4T4mk8gdj1S_p1k0Abu8DHwbhNGaQjoNVrut5BHMhiPMWK8hNUMRWSHoNfZDL5DlV-18bSjnMCLvuw/s320/IMG_4902.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our brand new garden bed as we figure out what goes where</td></tr>
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Now I have to give Schmidt's Farm in Paducah, KY a decent shout out. We were able to get all of this for roughly $33:<br />
- (3) Zucchini<br />
- (3) Straight-neck summer squash<br />
- (4) Jet Star Tomatoes<br />
- (4) Jalapeno Peppers<br />
- (4) California Wonder Bell Peppers<br />
- (4) Garlic<br />
- (1) Oregano<br />
- Lots and lots of french dwarf marigolds and a few Inca marigolds<br />
- Two small pots <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOYOEUUsNGxyYfDii4Mn1ox9-cMjS0kgKlI-SXzBi1ZBbuVUJaRnMAfLX9UAFUczVIOtSM_aXwSEV1_D6L-42ks4-6Zz_ZzXRjEVDcW_knh5UEwGLuvfqIb1qZUPRhXuzzcwej0Y7Atv5/s1600/IMG_4907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOYOEUUsNGxyYfDii4Mn1ox9-cMjS0kgKlI-SXzBi1ZBbuVUJaRnMAfLX9UAFUczVIOtSM_aXwSEV1_D6L-42ks4-6Zz_ZzXRjEVDcW_knh5UEwGLuvfqIb1qZUPRhXuzzcwej0Y7Atv5/s320/IMG_4907.jpg" width="293" /></a></div>
We were able to get everything in the ground Saturday. To keep my histamines at bay, I took up some more benadryl and tried something new: wearing goggles. I'm sure the whole neighborhood thinks I'm crazy. But hey, my eyes didn't end up burning like five thousand suns afterwards. So maybe it pays off to look like a science-kid.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hubs was nice enough to take this unexpected photo</td></tr>
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Over the next few weeks I'll share a few tricks of the trade to simple gardening. We will also have a few additions this year including (but not limited to) green beans, strawberries, and best of all: pie pumpkin! Feel free to share what you're growing this year along with any questions you have.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-5812629362166379582013-04-15T05:00:00.000-05:002013-04-15T05:00:03.297-05:00Don't Be A Literary SnobMy life is genuinely ironic during this time of year. Or at least what most people consider to be ironic, according to my husband. But if our great American society has taught us anything is that the majority rules, right? So what I'm about to explain is a <i>perfect </i>example of irony.<br />
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During the last few years I've developed a true love of nature. There's so many ways to enjoy being in tune with Mother Earth: hiking, camping, boating, scuba diving, even going on a safari! My real passion though is gardening. It's even sweeter that I've developed a small knack for it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79Vn7DUiBYQ4n1BZsBrUY6A4cUMlKifpoI7mY7oMYC9HFUoNw_c7E4DUrjquw3FKU4zKOWdLHLMA4qKocxUqhCEjIeX7tPlRPH615wu51poHyBHEjiUhUV8INsknkRw7ijqLumQEyIw1G/s1600/IMG_2625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79Vn7DUiBYQ4n1BZsBrUY6A4cUMlKifpoI7mY7oMYC9HFUoNw_c7E4DUrjquw3FKU4zKOWdLHLMA4qKocxUqhCEjIeX7tPlRPH615wu51poHyBHEjiUhUV8INsknkRw7ijqLumQEyIw1G/s320/IMG_2625.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saving my calendula last year</td></tr>
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But there's one thing keeping me from really enjoying the start of this year's garden. And there's no amount of admiration of the outdoors that could change it. If you've been an avid reader than you know this is the time of year that I deal with my allergies. I'm allergic to various kinds of pollen, but it's really tree pollen that gets me. I'm lucky enough to only need medication for about 3 months out of the year, but I tell ya, April is normally the most miserable time of my life. And it's every year. We've been lucky to have a cold spring this year and I've been pushing the limit of how much I can be outside before walling myself indoors for a few weeks. But alas spring is in full bloom. I learned that the hard way this weekend.</div>
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Don't get me wrong, it was totally worth it! In fact, let me share how much fun I had playing in the dirt the past couple of days, eh? First off, as a belated birthday present, my husband bought me a a bundle of strawberry plants! It's the first time we're trying it out, so lets hope for a sweet success this year!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVS3FuHmFMf9vM88fRXhFQWI4MRkaJSxfmvTIS-wcki5wrrKL1x8utkTkQ7CFpj_dZpaFAMF7ikDjsMVff6fyTASYxrPhVx2SIYmrABFVtpIBBLp5-NQ7VNGxeNIDG2bCq0fBBcX1R0mM/s1600/IMG_4835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVS3FuHmFMf9vM88fRXhFQWI4MRkaJSxfmvTIS-wcki5wrrKL1x8utkTkQ7CFpj_dZpaFAMF7ikDjsMVff6fyTASYxrPhVx2SIYmrABFVtpIBBLp5-NQ7VNGxeNIDG2bCq0fBBcX1R0mM/s320/IMG_4835.jpg" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't it cute?! Hopefully they will enjoy their new home.</td></tr>
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Potting the strawberries was a good warm up for Saturday afternoon. I caught wind of a local church working with our city's park department and local school to set up a community garden that will be an after school project for students! Not only is this a safe program for kids during the summer, but hopefully they will learn the value of what they grow. Who knows, a lot of big wigs out there say a child will more likely eat a vegetable they assisted in growing. And if their harvest is plentiful, some of the produce will go to a agencies that help feed those in need. With all that being said, who wouldn't want to help out?!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOP41w8SMxgqxObsZOGculvVPLjOmqfTPQ6UfA3h6OfFYwWICkT0RQuAUa7Rr5I5k7Z_EfZ3lN2gCkjA0rAAA-cvls8NJGSfEnNCsVY6HtIVPyxoJLVtCu33Ks0XFX36d7bHPg4EXZ6mW8/s1600/IMG_4840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOP41w8SMxgqxObsZOGculvVPLjOmqfTPQ6UfA3h6OfFYwWICkT0RQuAUa7Rr5I5k7Z_EfZ3lN2gCkjA0rAAA-cvls8NJGSfEnNCsVY6HtIVPyxoJLVtCu33Ks0XFX36d7bHPg4EXZ6mW8/s320/IMG_4840.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We went out and planted some cabbage and broccoli</td></tr>
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The rows may not be straight, but these kids were great. They just loved digging! They should be getting a few more plants too. If not, there's plenty of seeds to start. As an extra bonus, I actually won a door prize for a free plot in the community garden these kids weren't using. Since I already have more than enough space in my own yard, I gave it to a woman who was interested in starting her first garden. Here's hoping she gets good "pay it forward" beans out of that.</div>
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By Saturday afternoon I had already taken a few additional anti-histamines in hopes of keeping my immune system from going crazy. I felt good and decided to do more garden work which included attempting new seeds & potting some seedlings I bought a long with the strawberries. That included some stevia. I'm so excited to try out a sugar substance that's not processed! I also apparently found out what a purple shamrock root looks like...</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJ4rkluIJeq0ppPVl567rjodBlwm2I2uScyQtB6bSBzEfxX3FAi1o1-vR7xzhW3ABbG-vY8-fzkNk2fS0p0UdmhANPYh09SmM-qUo7qqwGc4yg3VdVi1vEDQ2yJvjWFqW7Fpt-FNtf2U5/s1600/IMG_4849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJ4rkluIJeq0ppPVl567rjodBlwm2I2uScyQtB6bSBzEfxX3FAi1o1-vR7xzhW3ABbG-vY8-fzkNk2fS0p0UdmhANPYh09SmM-qUo7qqwGc4yg3VdVi1vEDQ2yJvjWFqW7Fpt-FNtf2U5/s320/IMG_4849.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Have to admit... it's not what I expected...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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By the time I called it a day it felt like my eyelids were covered with sand paper. Thankfully my medications plus some benadryl kept everything else at bay. Runny nose? Hives? Ain't nobody got time for that. I really don't have time for my eyes to burn and entire face to feel like there's layers of pollen on it either but I'll take what I can. Apparently I felt good enough to do it all over again on Sunday. Stayed outside to replant my calendula (which survived the winter, wha?!) with some new seedlings. I was also able to set up my porch in green fashion.<br />
<br />
With all that being said, I feel great... and awful at the same time. You know that feeling when you get something caught in your eye and you can get it out? Or when you wake up in the middle of the night and suddenly have to turn the lights on? Well mix those two and multiply that by 15 million times. It also makes me slightly exaggerate. But really, my eyes are so sore that the rest of my face is tender. I also developed a small rash on my hands. So I'm increasing the benadryl. And in case you didn't know, that stuff knocks. you. out.<br />
<br />
But I'm not here for a pity party. Far from it. I love what I did this weekend, even if that meant playing it low for the next few days. Knowing that I got this far with my garden before imprisoning myself in my own home makes me really happy. Hopefully I'll be back at in a few weeks.<br />
<br />
So a gardener with awful allergies to pollen. I don't care what you say, I think it's ironic.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-23227276784161980572013-04-01T05:00:00.000-05:002013-04-01T05:00:18.317-05:00Happy Little HomeWow, has it already been a year?! Yep, it was a year ago that Lawson & I bought our first house. A quaint little bungalow on a quiet street in Western Kentucky. I'm amazed at how quickly the year has flown by for us.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWmAGvKPRNQ7KGRLVvWxyivnKQtOF_HIjOSXZwN-QHu9Ngg1Zy_bHAJgXoM9MT3dcP5uio2et2JcKamMjNwkmXyRr3w9nP8IsL-e0Uv9m4cwo3ODxkYaJk7chNjm4kdmskv8Xpg3b7uxgZ/s1600/IMG_1367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWmAGvKPRNQ7KGRLVvWxyivnKQtOF_HIjOSXZwN-QHu9Ngg1Zy_bHAJgXoM9MT3dcP5uio2et2JcKamMjNwkmXyRr3w9nP8IsL-e0Uv9m4cwo3ODxkYaJk7chNjm4kdmskv8Xpg3b7uxgZ/s320/IMG_1367.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This may look familiar...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When any milestone like this comes along, I like to take the time to reflect on what we've able to accomplish and what still needs work. Let's take a look at what we've gotten done within the first year of buying a home.<br />
<br />
First- We got straight to work on our new lawn and garden!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFh0oRDDKM7FlTmpJEyuTGfx1Euqr9hBeGEsZcc4X_Zdu0X-UCoLTjm3A_OTr5zkST0zqR6ZW2ZROFVCj6u0N2H_yNsMzlDRUKeHcQ8HTvhpqEZQty0SjXbA3OWA-uvBCwlEZologUiAfl/s1600/IMG_2623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFh0oRDDKM7FlTmpJEyuTGfx1Euqr9hBeGEsZcc4X_Zdu0X-UCoLTjm3A_OTr5zkST0zqR6ZW2ZROFVCj6u0N2H_yNsMzlDRUKeHcQ8HTvhpqEZQty0SjXbA3OWA-uvBCwlEZologUiAfl/s320/IMG_2623.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That included moving around some calendulas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Let's not forget the rush to move. We gave ourselves a month to move out of our rental home. It did test our patience and our wallet, but I'm so glad we took the time to get it all done correctly.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjR0VFp-nH-vKxZsJWcoJjSEhVLchyWqdzyrwnK65fwqEaQpn0-yk8MAiMOMEGrYp-J1C1h2GvSv2DAA1sIexSvZhse5u-X7SRjm6IJaBxJ3Q5sKBMv9dEUYnRauK2RYT8fcBZ-cYs1wlx/s1600/IMG_1541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjR0VFp-nH-vKxZsJWcoJjSEhVLchyWqdzyrwnK65fwqEaQpn0-yk8MAiMOMEGrYp-J1C1h2GvSv2DAA1sIexSvZhse5u-X7SRjm6IJaBxJ3Q5sKBMv9dEUYnRauK2RYT8fcBZ-cYs1wlx/s320/IMG_1541.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It took us an entire month, but we were able to leave it better then when we first walked in</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We picked up a new sofa & love seat and did some minor work to make it our home. Before we knew it, it was time for our house warming party!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWh1TQUHaElgSA7KhQvysU-B1YAl1ovHDFhVjaL9IRU1vcUNQHXnV8fihgc76hjjPBDj-kkl6XBvvkuKm2SUJMX00PaYJerLFW-774TspzF2WTUMbnVuGO_AIVMTtthN6nCzCOfuoA5zZW/s1600/IMG_1763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWh1TQUHaElgSA7KhQvysU-B1YAl1ovHDFhVjaL9IRU1vcUNQHXnV8fihgc76hjjPBDj-kkl6XBvvkuKm2SUJMX00PaYJerLFW-774TspzF2WTUMbnVuGO_AIVMTtthN6nCzCOfuoA5zZW/s320/IMG_1763.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That turned into a very long party, let me tell you!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We fought off a tough drought last summer and enjoyed the fruit of our labor in the garden. I introduced you to some delicious recipes and why you should think about what you eat.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvQJjsEu8br6874Oota7SRFeObscvMRXcEk9xIwKWI3njPqkacd0kPUvFhiAjs81BwTUunVabC6mDjedaZ_98rIFnro6caoaaHpki_4Enbfd4UuVMOGteVtGusaQUGJsnUAC_UmZddF1d/s1600/IMG_2384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvQJjsEu8br6874Oota7SRFeObscvMRXcEk9xIwKWI3njPqkacd0kPUvFhiAjs81BwTUunVabC6mDjedaZ_98rIFnro6caoaaHpki_4Enbfd4UuVMOGteVtGusaQUGJsnUAC_UmZddF1d/s1600/IMG_2384.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy backyard bell pepper!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The entire summer flew by and we realized we really needed to get to work on our little abode. We began (and have yet to finish) our first main project: replacing the duct work.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUmvghgDtqR2ozyJizBzrFVUpu1EK5RDnlDmB_cI7-iZP2yvGoyOc0yqBiuSfwGOQvAZ_pYsIPjrZMOM4nyyryAKVUr5AQjPhkciTxHVOmuLI_IIsFGjoxrzg8tNyX-RjC_y5vnaqMRCid/s1600/IMG_3932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUmvghgDtqR2ozyJizBzrFVUpu1EK5RDnlDmB_cI7-iZP2yvGoyOc0yqBiuSfwGOQvAZ_pYsIPjrZMOM4nyyryAKVUr5AQjPhkciTxHVOmuLI_IIsFGjoxrzg8tNyX-RjC_y5vnaqMRCid/s320/IMG_3932.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The duct behind me was what we first replaced.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Christmas quickly followed and we turned our home into a Winter Wonderland! It was also the first year we hosted Christmas for our family.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0baC0rhwgG2jFkF85ruTtkKiGq__PoCC5KYnXt_BwUrLmGSQHnUnwd4ojhg_9jEQdg-dqJ8qvC2GR8q6P5dltZb3iA_ltJMaZOxZOi-3DKlmiWkdtuoWkJd3l_TR5ArUZgsqxPPqqKO5/s1600/IMG_3944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0baC0rhwgG2jFkF85ruTtkKiGq__PoCC5KYnXt_BwUrLmGSQHnUnwd4ojhg_9jEQdg-dqJ8qvC2GR8q6P5dltZb3iA_ltJMaZOxZOi-3DKlmiWkdtuoWkJd3l_TR5ArUZgsqxPPqqKO5/s320/IMG_3944.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
And sure enough we're already at Spring of 2013. There was one last thing we were able to do before this weekend. We replaced the windows in our basement and let me tell you, it needed it! The glass was old and feeble. The sill was practically decaying. We realized new windows would help keep us safe during severe weather along with keeping out any intruder. The old windows were also the main reason we had bugs & spiders getting into our basement. But it now all sealed & fresh. We are so happy with the results!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLWDzeP6Lp22Xo7Qw0ueBaV-LOFuS-ZGI-GDiI2l90Qq7RTuvU03mRe1V3qMLu_N2Kd2clPxo6u81AYcjR2VrPr1nxqZm0JUlS_Rx8024tfJpRrWgLoNh0KL8Cypyt-QAUEISDFRqdNY_/s1600/windows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLWDzeP6Lp22Xo7Qw0ueBaV-LOFuS-ZGI-GDiI2l90Qq7RTuvU03mRe1V3qMLu_N2Kd2clPxo6u81AYcjR2VrPr1nxqZm0JUlS_Rx8024tfJpRrWgLoNh0KL8Cypyt-QAUEISDFRqdNY_/s320/windows.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I bring you the nasty before and the beautiful after</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So, we've accomplished a few things, but there is so much more work to be done! Hopefully we can finish of the duct work this year. We also plan to replace the toilet in a couple weeks. There will soon be the day that we tackle the biggest project of all: the roof and attic. </div>
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There will most likely not be a new post next week. We will be busy on the road and celebrating my 26th birthday! I want to thank each and every one of you that's stayed with me at Limelight Musings. It's turned into much more than I could of ever dreamed of. But it's not over yet! There's many more recipes, crafts, home improvement projects, and rants ahead!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNXyJKIIHenTAgs8cgn6H_yugznho0rxEo3ufihcX57iMSPsAIq2FBq-DZgKZ9FznhVEUvCK4cB8XM7da-gA1IiIt7Y3cUjIhCT-mibHgYFpZJme6rpM5TycwCjLfmnImD4zGhkepCW_e/s1600/IMG_1883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNXyJKIIHenTAgs8cgn6H_yugznho0rxEo3ufihcX57iMSPsAIq2FBq-DZgKZ9FznhVEUvCK4cB8XM7da-gA1IiIt7Y3cUjIhCT-mibHgYFpZJme6rpM5TycwCjLfmnImD4zGhkepCW_e/s320/IMG_1883.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of our first photos at the house. Couldn't be happier!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-87337173794100440962013-03-19T19:52:00.002-05:002013-03-19T19:52:53.679-05:00The Start of Garden 2013I can't believe I'm saying this, but I do miss <i><u><b>parts</b></u></i> of Spring. I mostly miss baking with local seasonal fruit. I yearn to pick buckets of strawberries & bake crunch bars. Speaking with local farmers about their harvests. Cooking breakfast with eggs from my friend's hen house! All of it!<br />
<br />
Thankfully I don't have to wait much longer. This weekend I was able to start the process of getting this year's garden ready! We now have a few seeds on our hands.<br />
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNiqwuYHyrzppBVweZy0JMMYcE7woZJR0gqaj0hxjiqqQo4XnxObBhTFPBCn-pjFR-fp5J9Q7wsZjfoeYNQ0i5-4LcK4WZYg6SGlGlqvOYilu3PvEFzrtrdvViTPPNhefQoEPGVDDHOgz/s1600/IMG_4677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNiqwuYHyrzppBVweZy0JMMYcE7woZJR0gqaj0hxjiqqQo4XnxObBhTFPBCn-pjFR-fp5J9Q7wsZjfoeYNQ0i5-4LcK4WZYg6SGlGlqvOYilu3PvEFzrtrdvViTPPNhefQoEPGVDDHOgz/s320/IMG_4677.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
If you're wondering why it looks like the seeds are wrapped in newspaper is because they are. Once these little guys are ready, I should be able to plot them into the ground with their biodegradable newspaper pot! I found the idea from <a href="http://learningandyearning.com/2011/03/06/seed-starting-pots-from-newspaper/">this website</a>. The instructions are super easy to follow. I didn't even need to use masking tape. They held together well enough with water & weight. It's now sitting in a warm, sunny spot in our attic.<br />
<br />
So what are we growing this year? Well, I started some spinach, bell peppers, echinacea, lavender, sunflowers, Japanese irises, baby blue eyes, and columbine. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_No9I9kFjR1PcZgV0PFaMNc5odLSZixhI1fc-KOlCR2W1M_YOt_0fKMeNfUCMUwVjkavkmnTGWxlGr4NsiTSQhTglUkta5Bx6-viK43lx-Z0a4-XGZtSzXGHiueEOipNGkWnNK3ejkVG/s1600/IMG_4678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_No9I9kFjR1PcZgV0PFaMNc5odLSZixhI1fc-KOlCR2W1M_YOt_0fKMeNfUCMUwVjkavkmnTGWxlGr4NsiTSQhTglUkta5Bx6-viK43lx-Z0a4-XGZtSzXGHiueEOipNGkWnNK3ejkVG/s320/IMG_4678.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aren't they cute?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I was able to plant a few more seeds outside of these little guys. We also have some basil and calendula in a few pots. I also brought out the pots that still contain last year's mint, chamomile & oregano so here's hoping those grow back. I found out today (of course) that we are actually expecting some snow later this week. I'm hoping the seeds are young enough to be protected in the ground. If not, I'll get to try all over again. At least it's a good weekend therapy! Have you started your garden yet?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-83570671527049240062013-03-10T23:08:00.000-05:002013-03-10T23:08:00.115-05:00First Free Weekend In A Long Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So after
more than a month of uncertainty, things are beginning to calm down.
First off, my Father is on a quick road to recovery. He's still in the
hospital, but we are now focuses on recovering versus surviving. So I'm
now allowed to be home more. It is still difficult being six hours away
from my Dad, but I must admit it's nice to get back into the swing of
things.</div>
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Don't get me wrong, it's been a refreshing adventure. I can't begin to estimate how many miles I've traveled in the past six weeks. And I have enjoyed some of it. Especially while Dad has been in a Chicago hospital.
But I've learn that I'm a not city person. To help illustrate, I've
developed a quick pro & con list based on my time spend in the Windy
City.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5k_8ykA9Xt5XQmrxyYKkAEJHaFgFQiLq1z6Gga8gnAmc-IpGn1V3XYNptqFH2XxKSD2UGXf4c48VVnRIYZtbM_M9jRw89wDYYNvBtyXmjdpH0IXcloUtljUp8orOOPmVezwVXTMGpVYtP/s1600/windy+city+pros+cons.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5k_8ykA9Xt5XQmrxyYKkAEJHaFgFQiLq1z6Gga8gnAmc-IpGn1V3XYNptqFH2XxKSD2UGXf4c48VVnRIYZtbM_M9jRw89wDYYNvBtyXmjdpH0IXcloUtljUp8orOOPmVezwVXTMGpVYtP/s320/windy+city+pros+cons.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main Problems: Lotsa' People & Spending Lotsa' Money</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Since
80% of my time in Chicago was spent in a hospital room, I'll admit we
didn't see the "best" Chicago has to offer. There's something to say
though when it comes to temporary living in the city compared to a
vacation. We mostly knew the few blocks around the hospital (to find
food), the friends' apartment we stayed at, and the bus we used to
travel back and forth. That cursed "route 66 to Austin," haunts me in my
sleep.</div>
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On
another note, you can see I'm back at using photoshop for graphics.
Ever since we got our new Mac (like a year & a half ago) I've been
without photoshop. But now it's back & my old drawing tablet still
works! So you could be seeing more of my crude drawings like this:</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7tdB9OlVAJrlLQFyZ9IHpEPTdkvq15l9LwEo_24gEi2PUudoTfPHAOXFvkA9WMnNJBwS-P60TkBf6m97riKqEXZF0D7TyEm860khAm5qR59qLj9nQ9aPCgqzQkIG4WyYY7F9sd35UWtYr/s1600/utahraptor.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7tdB9OlVAJrlLQFyZ9IHpEPTdkvq15l9LwEo_24gEi2PUudoTfPHAOXFvkA9WMnNJBwS-P60TkBf6m97riKqEXZF0D7TyEm860khAm5qR59qLj9nQ9aPCgqzQkIG4WyYY7F9sd35UWtYr/s320/utahraptor.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a happy Utahraptor.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A few weeks ago, <a href="http://theoatmeal.com/blog/dinosaur_hotel">this article by The one & only Oatmeal about a future dino hotel</a>
inspired my childhood love of dinosaurs. Add that to Netflix's instant
cue with multiple shows of prehistoric animals (dinosaur or not) and you
get a (most likely short) obsession. But can you really say that giant
lizards like Utahraptors or fierce mammals like Sabertooths aren't
awesome? Didn't think so. Dinosaurs is just one topic I've recently become obsessed with. I'm sure over time I'll add more on here.
Spring is also in the air so I'll be sure to throw in some growing posts
once we start the garden back up. Until then, live long and prosper.
Like the happy Utahraptor. Until it died. 2.5 million years ago. Most likely cause of environmental changes.
There weren't any hippies or Al Gore back then to fight against massive
air pollution & global temperature change from volcanoes.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-69044326589789399832013-02-26T19:36:00.001-06:002013-02-26T19:36:55.093-06:00For A CauseNeedless to say Dad has given us a cause to donate what we can in hopes to save lives. That includes me joining the National Bone Marrow Registration! You can too! Just hop onto www.marrow.org! <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzWCsqa7ArBthSsMXb_DtGQI-bFP-2G2Qdb4_eL4iLVyX8zMe6TqOLfDhjQAkBm3h58EqWDiwW-gOx00TQmhdqolZ_VLHsMV4tJYb3m1yGqpnqnHse500rTfWuKjonfMMzhEvW6jD2PQQ/s640/blogger-image--81620024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzWCsqa7ArBthSsMXb_DtGQI-bFP-2G2Qdb4_eL4iLVyX8zMe6TqOLfDhjQAkBm3h58EqWDiwW-gOx00TQmhdqolZ_VLHsMV4tJYb3m1yGqpnqnHse500rTfWuKjonfMMzhEvW6jD2PQQ/s640/blogger-image--81620024.jpg" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-45070652225510907382013-02-24T21:21:00.000-06:002013-02-24T21:21:47.835-06:00A Daddy's GirlI've grown to have such mixed feelings over that phrase.<br />
<br />
I'm sure you've noticed the lack of activity going on here. It's been a difficult month. There's an even more difficult battle in my heart on what to share with the world. As a professional writer, I constantly broadcast the stories of people I don't even know. However anyone could tell you it's quite different when it comes to publicizing your own personal life... much less that of a loved one. But the more I think about it, the more I want to share my love for my family. And I can only hope those involved understand.<br />
<br />
With that being said, many of you know that I am an only child. I now have two great step-siblings, but for the first 10+ years of my life, it was just me, my Mom, and my Dad. Just us three. I don't remember too much of my childhood, but from what I can recall, I thought life was pretty perfect. So, you know, I was a typical spoiled brat who thought our family was perfect the way it was.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiok0drteJjM9rq_eR2PhI78HoI0SI1sJa-CQ8l6SpHZc2ojrn-kO9OE2rvKZLt5DTo5P0rOnWXPKZHEiQuuIX5YsUfHoqIo2RFeKxulzVIsG9X5-0JP06QF39pXhFAvUM3kDJyua1ppz4_/s1600/IMG_4387_1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiok0drteJjM9rq_eR2PhI78HoI0SI1sJa-CQ8l6SpHZc2ojrn-kO9OE2rvKZLt5DTo5P0rOnWXPKZHEiQuuIX5YsUfHoqIo2RFeKxulzVIsG9X5-0JP06QF39pXhFAvUM3kDJyua1ppz4_/s320/IMG_4387_1024.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Father & I in pure 90's fashion</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Most of the memories I do have is thanks to literally <u><b>books</b></u> filled with photos that my Mother still has at home. There's moments caught in time of our numerous family vacations, school events, and other entertaining outings. These pristine photos of us smiling and laughing instill this child-like print on my heart that I thought our family was, and would remain, perfectly intact.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1s0Uko_SPFkZh9_ftoAmACb2KlANj9UmhRr1ONlfAb5Ohi9vpe7By-H1NcSUVXDVYpecMZNADm6aNAPmpPTgYLs7tr5Wvcv-CuvU5D7f7tif12ZTEgxhnLP7qAiLK6ijoP9fTzEd7YtQ/s1600/IMG_4395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1s0Uko_SPFkZh9_ftoAmACb2KlANj9UmhRr1ONlfAb5Ohi9vpe7By-H1NcSUVXDVYpecMZNADm6aNAPmpPTgYLs7tr5Wvcv-CuvU5D7f7tif12ZTEgxhnLP7qAiLK6ijoP9fTzEd7YtQ/s320/IMG_4395.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Hello, Snowface!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Like most children though, I really didn't understand the world. Honestly, I still don't understand everything, including my parent's divorce. It's been about 15 years since my parents told me they would be separated and it is still a pretty sore subject. There's been a lot of hurtful words and actions during those years. Most of it coming from me never really adjusting to the fact my parents "grew apart." I somehow convinced myself that my Father left me & Mom... and wanted nothing to do with me.<br />
<br />
Looking back & hearing stories of my teen years helped me realize that fact was entirely a figment of my imagination. I had a lot of uncalled for anger towards my Dad. Especially after he remarried & took in a girl my age into his home. I care a lot about my step mother and sister, but let's face it, I was incredibly jealous. I was also self-centered. I can't recall all the occasions where I claimed my Dad disowned me, but it was incorrect and an inappropriate attack towards a man who tried his best to care for his family the best he could.<br />
<br />
That appears to be a recurring theme as I grew older. Between that and a few other issues, I became very bitter and built a wall to cut off anyone who cared for me. It took meeting my future husband to really tackle all my burdens. After that I began an attempt to patch things up with my Dad. I tried to "prove" my worth to my parents through accomplishments. I cannot tell you how many times my parents told me how proud they were of me, but it was never enough. It never secured some loose ends that appeared to never go away.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjod83uZbdAxHSvGjfdnuU76sMTms14oMLl02co_VYLwv2GdR73hpkSAf9r-ezXPbC8WLSZxecyGlymBsZS6ojnevIpuYLMpfkSAbHbjuIeO8yGGpkIgNjX_ZcP-014cAlaG5s8B9eV8dya/s1600/100_0429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjod83uZbdAxHSvGjfdnuU76sMTms14oMLl02co_VYLwv2GdR73hpkSAf9r-ezXPbC8WLSZxecyGlymBsZS6ojnevIpuYLMpfkSAbHbjuIeO8yGGpkIgNjX_ZcP-014cAlaG5s8B9eV8dya/s320/100_0429.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad & me at my college graduation in 2008.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I want to say there were several occasions as a child and adult where Dad wasn't there when I thought I needed him. It was mostly school games and events when I was younger and postponed outings when I was an adult. Of course he had just reasons being either his work or his health. The inner only child in me however would throw a ridiculous tantrum as I logically attempted to find some kind of resolution. I have a small problem of self-analyzing my "issues," especially when it comes to my relationship with Dad. The only solution I could find back then was to be distant. So there's been a few years where I really didn't work to stay connected with my Dad. There would be months of no connection. I withdrew and stopped trying. And that's what close friends see these days.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuIhUvA60nxpSLQW8bjo5WsgXnkHWHBSeEWUtSo3aiYhC_Igm48Mz4TBVcv8xaRXN-V9fZQkJNJa2JUi5cJ4tF3zNqPjJqZ1yOav2qgO-Xf1C0BJ_vHjRfBFlGPRtg7XFCPgM4kNZ0oVcY/s1600/IMG_2528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuIhUvA60nxpSLQW8bjo5WsgXnkHWHBSeEWUtSo3aiYhC_Igm48Mz4TBVcv8xaRXN-V9fZQkJNJa2JUi5cJ4tF3zNqPjJqZ1yOav2qgO-Xf1C0BJ_vHjRfBFlGPRtg7XFCPgM4kNZ0oVcY/s320/IMG_2528.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Aunt, Father, Grandmother & Me. We only saw each other 2-3 times a year.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But that recently changed. Last month I noticed I had not spoken with Dad in a few weeks. It's nothing new, so I just shrugged it off for a couple days. But then I received an early morning message from an old friend who is now a nurse at my hometown hospital. It stated Dad was in the hospital with pneumonia. At first I didn't think too much of it. He's had a few health issues in recent years and he's in good hands. However I then called him and his voice indicated that this isn't a normal situation. I also found out that he was incredibly anemic. So this month-long ordeal began with me taking a quick trip to my hometown. I had no idea that it would be the start of more emergency trips to come.<br />
<br />
A <b><i>very long</i></b> story short, we eventually found out that Dad had acute myeloid leukemia also known as AML. That made it incredibly difficult for his body to fight off his infection. He was eventually given a breathing tube and placed in a medically induced coma. During that time he had quite a few complications and had some critical moments. There was even a night we didn't know if he would make it. Thankfully by this time he was in a hospital in Chicago and had <b>amazing</b> care. And he fought. Sure he was in a deep slumber, but he fought tooth and nail to get better. Slowly the machines keeping him alive could be removed. First a nitric oxide machine... then a few IV's... then one of our biggest moments: the ventilator. We were nervous at first. They tried removing the breathing tube before and it did not go well. But this time we took our time & he received some extra medications. He's now been strongly breathing on his own for five days! He's getting healthier too. We now await for him to "wake up" from his medically induced coma. Since he was down for about two weeks, it's taking a long time for the sedatives to get out of his system. But I'm writing this on the day a nurse tells me that he's starting to follow simple commands! He will soon receive treatment needed to remove the AML. His doctors sound very confident that he will soon be in remission!<br />
<br />
This whole ordeal taught us to take small steps and celebrate what we are given. It's also gotten me to really think about my relationship with my Father. I took three sudden trips to see him in three different hospitals. During those times I stayed as long as I could. I held his hand, spoke with him, sang to him, and rubbed lotion on his hands. My Dad may not have done much during these visits, but those long hours allowed him to break down the walls I built to keep him out of my heart. My family also helped me realize how important I am to him. I don't know why it took all of this to have those words finally sink in: "my Dad loves me." And that love is absolute. It may not be the glamorous relationship you see in the movies, but I adore my Father and I mean the world to him. I'm a Daddy's girl in my own way.<br />
<br />
I also discovered my own faults. My Dad never left me but I pushed him away again and again. For so long I wanted him to accept me but I never accepted his way of showing he loved me. I'll admit there was a moment I cried, begging for him to forgive me & for God to allow me to repair the mess I've caused. Thankfully it appears I will have more time with my Superman of a Father.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KGWyon4al53HnMY5lVY5Fvie3XM5rS9VyptgrvL3GoVwsm-VBJLxBiKY3lqXFG58OvIiVRwAAW2_IhJaMJMPoEvhJcbI3PyG3B3oZoGpApzO8X6w6a6zWEEDgknfPBtkqviSIq_nDmpN/s1600/IMG_4383.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KGWyon4al53HnMY5lVY5Fvie3XM5rS9VyptgrvL3GoVwsm-VBJLxBiKY3lqXFG58OvIiVRwAAW2_IhJaMJMPoEvhJcbI3PyG3B3oZoGpApzO8X6w6a6zWEEDgknfPBtkqviSIq_nDmpN/s320/IMG_4383.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Dad, this photo is in hope that you not only beat that nasty AML, but you'll be well enough to read this soon. I love you so much. I cannot wait for you to heal & playfully (I hope) scold me for writing this.<br />
<br />
If you'd like to keep up with my Father's progress or sign the guestbook for him & my family, <a href="http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/billswanson1">here's a link to his caring bridge page</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-54274461773614694712013-01-21T09:31:00.000-06:002013-01-21T09:31:41.676-06:00Worm Food That Doesn't Involve Dead BodiesWe received the perfect gift this Christmas: a compost bin! And I don't mean that sarcastically. In fact, we asked for a compost bin! We've waited awhile to get it up and running since it's still winter but got too excited. This weekend had such nice, sunny weather that we got a little antsy to get the new bin up and running... and replace our nasty <i><b>-yet thrifty-</b></i> compost silo.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_VkqE0i-2RUCYxygDuP5ep3Wgym4kfQtASs9hXRdGxdE4rAp1Sgi8ghjhdNdp67vKSi4Mygk1VueMShaywkkS2wxFRwpf2rc3mfuM0g2Wn4ffcKuPXBmXVmJXefdhp-SKB5hi1kH2NpI/s1600/IMG_4276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_VkqE0i-2RUCYxygDuP5ep3Wgym4kfQtASs9hXRdGxdE4rAp1Sgi8ghjhdNdp67vKSi4Mygk1VueMShaywkkS2wxFRwpf2rc3mfuM0g2Wn4ffcKuPXBmXVmJXefdhp-SKB5hi1kH2NpI/s320/IMG_4276.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy. You can see pumpkin from October.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Thankfully it didn't take too long. My husband moved the old compost-filled silo into a wheelbarrow. We then placed the new compost bin in the silo's place (no assembly required = extra bonus). Then we simply took turns to dish the old compost into the new bin.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPWUlRAObcGKdwhzX3yYCS1_i0G4ZaTn8sQ30W65ZLcUf5h2HZETEdkbO1-SSlci34fVZbl_G6UNlwBYbFqgQzHbTnz-bLC8i_IabqghnK9IHdp7fm95-DJMse_4vgrJbeSA4rg6gRkUS/s1600/IMG_4280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPWUlRAObcGKdwhzX3yYCS1_i0G4ZaTn8sQ30W65ZLcUf5h2HZETEdkbO1-SSlci34fVZbl_G6UNlwBYbFqgQzHbTnz-bLC8i_IabqghnK9IHdp7fm95-DJMse_4vgrJbeSA4rg6gRkUS/s320/IMG_4280.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You see only him, but I swear we took turns.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Surprisingly, our compost filled up most of the bin. It won't stay that way for too long though. The compost bin is more efficient than the compost silo. We are supposed to turn it three times a week to get compost within just 6 weeks. During that time it will shrink in size.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXn1KFQxi4LvYxIZr6taAaoSKS7uXbz2cE5sUCwQ-z9h4HzHyYISp1l9IruM_6QgHS-BzeFRV8kk3pjiU8H0kbgalQibRbeg-MM-fyObKuppTwL0PdoYCct9nvWEiMaQiJcofmT7v5WRFI/s1600/IMG_4285.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXn1KFQxi4LvYxIZr6taAaoSKS7uXbz2cE5sUCwQ-z9h4HzHyYISp1l9IruM_6QgHS-BzeFRV8kk3pjiU8H0kbgalQibRbeg-MM-fyObKuppTwL0PdoYCct9nvWEiMaQiJcofmT7v5WRFI/s320/IMG_4285.jpg" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks as if it's always been there.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I began to see parts of our future gardening compost during my turns to shovel. Sure it was in between some moldy grass here some mushy tomato there; but it just made me so excited for the upcoming spring! I'm going to despise most of it thanks to my allergies, but I really can't wait to begin our garden. There will be more veggies, more flowers, more herbs... it's going to be beautiful!<br />
<br />
Until then, my excitement will go into what else I can add to the compost. I mean the possibilities are endless since we now have a closed, rotating bin. Here's just a few things that we will add to our previous plant-based compost:<br />
- Coffee Grinds (thanks to our new EkoBrew for the Keurig)<br />
- Vegetable Leftovers (outside of bad veggies from the garden)<br />
- Fruit Leftovers<br />
- Shredded Paper<br />
- Torn-up Cardboard<br />
- Eggshells<br />
- Hair from hair brushes (worth a try, just need to scatter it apparently)<br />
- Pet Hair<br />
- Dryer Lint<br />
- Corn Stalks & Cobs<br />
<br />
The main goal is to have a good amount of nitrogen and carbon. Oh, and did I mention worms? Thankfully, my husband was able to find a few compost-lovin' guys in the yard and tossed them into the bin. Another thing that makes this bin so awesome is that there's a way to collect what's called compost tea. By spraying this on your plants, you can help them fight off disease. Just another reason to love the awesome power of decomposition.<br />
<br />
It's just like what Ms. Frizzle said: "it doesn't have to be delicious to be nutritious." And if you have no idea what I'm talking about then you need to read <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/516207.The_Magic_School_Bus_Meets_The_Rot_Squad">this</a> to your children. Happy Rotting!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-63140767322375691912013-01-18T22:16:00.001-06:002013-01-18T22:16:28.273-06:00It's All About Proper DrainageWell, that sounds gross. But it's true. After dealing with a drought for months, our area received a down pour of rain last weekend. In fact we got more than 5 inches of rain within a 48 hour period.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSLDb2w-sary8wPOT1rFxBWNboILSyxpXLO1CcZdbWFz56IqptYJB8pt5O-1xG8p6jYxAcQUeLBZrbhNr3ubkhDq8KJg3HiS6XlVeKG_kMy7U509jxQ1eggGyREIul2zw5WIwgxgU8Hv1n/s1600/IMG_4189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSLDb2w-sary8wPOT1rFxBWNboILSyxpXLO1CcZdbWFz56IqptYJB8pt5O-1xG8p6jYxAcQUeLBZrbhNr3ubkhDq8KJg3HiS6XlVeKG_kMy7U509jxQ1eggGyREIul2zw5WIwgxgU8Hv1n/s320/IMG_4189.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I promise Katsumi didn't develop freckles. That's how a wet Shiba looks.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We dealt with a decent flood in 2011 but this is the first time we had a heavy amount of rain during a short period of time in our new home. A new home that has a full basement. A full basement that contains several valuables like cleaning equipment & our deep freezer. Needless to say it's very important to us that it remains dry.<br />
<br />
Thankfully (and it was a key selling point) our seller waterproofed the basement & installed two new sump pumps about 2 months before we bought the house. We were told we were very lucky since most homes in our little river city don't even have a basement much less sump pumps.<br />
<br />
So as I said, last weekend was the first test for our home. The seller also previously made sure water flowed away from the house. That was our first clue that we received quite a bit of rain...<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtsOT-jER7K4EODa4FhO-UU76aQdMMCSOn2TOhCgnJdE0ngRQMddgFBWkIg9G0iz5Be8aJlU2CxtTwdLF4PtrmpVhS3qZRhBm4NVOc7_FQgsb2KUEvTybLCSfxB8houSjpUNGn9386cSQI/s1600/IMG_4192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtsOT-jER7K4EODa4FhO-UU76aQdMMCSOn2TOhCgnJdE0ngRQMddgFBWkIg9G0iz5Be8aJlU2CxtTwdLF4PtrmpVhS3qZRhBm4NVOc7_FQgsb2KUEvTybLCSfxB8houSjpUNGn9386cSQI/s320/IMG_4192.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's just after the first 12 hours. My garden is a pool!</td></tr>
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I've heard our sump pumps in action before, but they are a novelty to me. My childhood home only had a crawlspace. And despite being along a river, we never needed sump pumps. I'm also a bit skittish so I as always pick up hearing the click & motor sound of our sump pumps.<br />
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So last weekend the rain came a' tumblin' down. And our sump pumps turned on again... and again... and again... and again. I was home most of the weekend by myself (which is never a good idea) and became obsessive with hearing the sump pumps. Eventually on Sunday night, I had to see what our basement looked like. At first, I was shocked.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_iCp3Pvau7Ap1rGN6E8OvI1RIQyjjKpB81Gx-6gZk5g5LSU-RnM6eD24CWVWU2PlruCPvrumsQX4WkrlI2VgVt8WJrlLuB6WOKLMq1UiycFeCJGJfv1FbC91TKDRfPH0I0gamxVUJTo_/s1600/IMG_4222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_iCp3Pvau7Ap1rGN6E8OvI1RIQyjjKpB81Gx-6gZk5g5LSU-RnM6eD24CWVWU2PlruCPvrumsQX4WkrlI2VgVt8WJrlLuB6WOKLMq1UiycFeCJGJfv1FbC91TKDRfPH0I0gamxVUJTo_/s320/IMG_4222.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water right next to a sump pump. Something doesn't add right here.</td></tr>
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So if you know anything about basements, you'll know this isn't a big deal. But for everyone else & pre-Sunday me: Holy Poseidon, how scary is this?! Five inches is a lot of rain, but that's nothing compared to legitimate flooding! What would we do if we had another flood season?!<br />
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So I anxiously waited for my husband to call saying he got out of work. He could fix it. He always fixes stuff. He can fix anything. I was just worried about the cost. Sure enough he finally called. I told him he would need to look at the basement & texted him a photo. He didn't respond before he got home. After a quick walk around the basement he stopped by the puddle & said, "just what I thought. We have fantastic sump pumps!"<br />
<br />
... Er... what?<br />
<br />
Sure enough he's right. The ground forced the water through small cracks in the basement floor. It was such a small amount of water that it couldn't flow into the corners of the basement. We have crevasses outlining the entire basement that flows water into the sump pump drain. If there would of been more water, it could of gone through the system. But it didn't thanks to how water drains away from the foundation. And the rest of the basement is so well sealed that there was only one spot.<br />
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Needless to say, I've learned a lot about sump pumps last weekend. They are a great thing thing to have in a basement. Especially new ones. We really got lucky on that part of our home. But there quite a few projects ahead...<br />
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Oh and 10. That's how many times I wrote sump pumps. Well, 11 now. I have an unhealthy obsession.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZLgPagXpcOZpGR4sUfoHyGqboi0v5oF1sRr4LJF6B27vcO1PcjJIWPcfqd3EHOcYOc1eq59YTKMykwdev2UoZzdFas0HDyhCg6pnhtite4R4EvG8Q1iBlWVJndz98YMJnZS6NQ48Pssm/s1600/IMG_4197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZLgPagXpcOZpGR4sUfoHyGqboi0v5oF1sRr4LJF6B27vcO1PcjJIWPcfqd3EHOcYOc1eq59YTKMykwdev2UoZzdFas0HDyhCg6pnhtite4R4EvG8Q1iBlWVJndz98YMJnZS6NQ48Pssm/s320/IMG_4197.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last note: bulbs are already sprouting! It's only January, right?</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-27439529005072531712013-01-07T05:00:00.000-06:002013-01-10T10:30:43.655-06:00DIY Gift: Lip Balm & Why My Husband Refuses To Wash Dishes From Now OnIt maybe after the Holidays, but I still wanted to provide ways that you can create great gifts for a loved one. Maybe save the idea for next year or use it as a way to get brownie points for Valentine's Day or St. Patrick's Day. You never need an excuse to give a small gift that you made.<br />
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One new idea we tried this year was DIY herbal lip balm. I've been enamored with <a href="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/">Rose Mountain Herbs</a> for quite some time now. Not only do they sell great, healthy products but they also provide a <a href="http://mountainroseblog.com/">blog</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/mountainroseherbs">YouTube Channel</a> that inspires your inner herbalist. Have I said enough good things about this company yet? Are you still reading this? Hope so.<br />
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Well, their YouTube channel has a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxXWF62Osa4">great tutorial</a> on how to make lip balm. It seemed so simple we thought we would try it out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg53DBFMbVgbOgKhqnlZ85bnQVXkm1r1qPvm84HxZPbijx0CGOEYB-O7-Dgr7QgwR8c7zuiqE3rXPDGdroxnDRapx3vLudL1CMVnQkWstSPt_1zTq3N2Nz8tRviV4pJRk8QiOWsW15jMPF/s1600/IMG_4148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg53DBFMbVgbOgKhqnlZ85bnQVXkm1r1qPvm84HxZPbijx0CGOEYB-O7-Dgr7QgwR8c7zuiqE3rXPDGdroxnDRapx3vLudL1CMVnQkWstSPt_1zTq3N2Nz8tRviV4pJRk8QiOWsW15jMPF/s320/IMG_4148.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
First off, you will need:<br />
1/2 C Calendula Oil<br />
1 oz Bees Wax<br />
1/2 teaspoon lavender oil<br />
20+ lip balm tubes (we did have left over lip balm)<br />
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It was so fun trying out this recipe! But I highly suggest you use specific cookware just for wax products. We'll get to that later. But basically you start off with melting the one ounce of wax. I did this by cutting off an ounce, shaving it, then place in a double boiler. Shavings will melt quicker than just a block. While it's melting, go ahead and take the caps of of the lip balm tubes or tins.<br />
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After the wax is completely melted into a liquid, you pour in the cup of calendula oil. Next step: don't freak out when the wax slightly solidifies like this:<br />
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The wax slightly solidified because the oil was room temperature. So just keep the heat up so the wax can melt back down to a full liquid. This is also when you add the 1/2 teaspoon of lavender oil. You can actually use a 1/2 teaspoon of any kind of essential oil for flavoring. I might use mint oil next time.<br />
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After everything is all smooth & mixed, you then have a very short amount of time to pour the balm into the tubes. To make it easier for us, we poured the balm into a measuring cup with a spout. Then poured it into each tube and let it dry.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSD_jDNZifshDPcCHXBJypbGNmwqCH717dIl567wu2dnuaDhhZ6nKYEg4YsUUrx3WTeYqzSrPYQZqLJ4JGK_2dAHzKHF2ypeb0ThFtNH4j6kdIgyMsU3fclu8nBL-DoDWSj1BAQ2yxzi0/s1600/IMG_3951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSD_jDNZifshDPcCHXBJypbGNmwqCH717dIl567wu2dnuaDhhZ6nKYEg4YsUUrx3WTeYqzSrPYQZqLJ4JGK_2dAHzKHF2ypeb0ThFtNH4j6kdIgyMsU3fclu8nBL-DoDWSj1BAQ2yxzi0/s320/IMG_3951.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
The only issue I had was that it appears the wax dried before it could get to the very bottom of the tube. It didn't take too long for the entire tube to dry. We labeled and presto! 20 lip balm tubes to go out as stocking stuffers!<br />
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Now for the downside. Due to this little experiment we had a double boiler pan, spoon, and measuring cup that were seriously coated in wax and oil. I did my best with hot water to wash it out before my husband came home, but I wasn't able to get it all. He wasn't impressed. Needless to say you should try to to all this with older kitchen equipment or purchase cheap tools that can be dedicated just to wax projects.<br />
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Everyone that received lip balm for Christmas love it. And we were able to make it with local beeswax purchased at the Farmer's Market along with lavender oil I made with lavender branches my in-laws gave to me. Next year I hope to have enough dried calendula to make my own calendula oil too! What other essential oils do you think I should add for flavor?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-66305012214674894922012-12-31T05:00:00.000-06:002012-12-31T05:00:01.878-06:00Goodbye 2012So it's been quite a year, eh? The last few weeks have just flown by us. It did include a lot of knitting...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5lxyhqVLdBP535eW8BJCongI3tg_oHZFcVIEviy5CT7c2PSLYwsBb_AGDEMMvqYkxESioishewX-uWD_4VUtdO7G7jD4jtr7CrKiucUtGgWOEH4O9JI3yhyphenhyphenTvDpdR56HgSVhVCsuGR-yO/s1600/IMG_3959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5lxyhqVLdBP535eW8BJCongI3tg_oHZFcVIEviy5CT7c2PSLYwsBb_AGDEMMvqYkxESioishewX-uWD_4VUtdO7G7jD4jtr7CrKiucUtGgWOEH4O9JI3yhyphenhyphenTvDpdR56HgSVhVCsuGR-yO/s320/IMG_3959.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
And painting...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGwiJSbnCVCfQMdOJicHHgJjAKFlgcSFkj4XWC-ZzDE_cQRQGJ_mlK9We5w20Ec2JLEu4myl8LvSy9Jky8ateBGPw8ilR7k2cMe83c__U1OlZ-9GDZZiS8MFummlNvXzxRDafvV7aL7Mn/s1600/IMG_3922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGwiJSbnCVCfQMdOJicHHgJjAKFlgcSFkj4XWC-ZzDE_cQRQGJ_mlK9We5w20Ec2JLEu4myl8LvSy9Jky8ateBGPw8ilR7k2cMe83c__U1OlZ-9GDZZiS8MFummlNvXzxRDafvV7aL7Mn/s320/IMG_3922.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
And baking...<br />
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Within the next few weeks I'll cover several DIY gift ideas and recipes, but today I wanted to share a story of beauty and danger.<br />
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So as many of you know, several people predicted some catastrophic event to happen December 21st of 2012. This is mostly thanks to the Mayan calendar ending on that day. That is until archeologist found a new Mayan calendar this past summer that goes far past that date. Either way, my darling husband wanted to celebrate his birthday (December 20th) and Yule/Winter Solstice (December 21st) by camping at a near by lake. That's right. Camping. In a tent. In the middle of December. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_QKkRbvGsrMTMXVRAifD7g9eCKxVsJA8fqzMflM0mZR5dd0LsfnwFwT2ZUHvi6M9LH1V0Bpf9Ot_Jzg_ugPQg26H3MmD-reHvAZIYjkOtlVMs3AtjnFZ0N1hNO29mGJQqJqg1I8Tblx9C/s1600/IMG_3975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_QKkRbvGsrMTMXVRAifD7g9eCKxVsJA8fqzMflM0mZR5dd0LsfnwFwT2ZUHvi6M9LH1V0Bpf9Ot_Jzg_ugPQg26H3MmD-reHvAZIYjkOtlVMs3AtjnFZ0N1hNO29mGJQqJqg1I8Tblx9C/s320/IMG_3975.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We packed a lot, but nothing could fully prepare us.</td></tr>
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About a week or so before this trip, we were looking ok. The weather was hovering around 40-50 degrees. There was a little wind here or there, but nothing extreme. That is until the day before our trip. There was a large cold front that brought rain and bitter wind. That wind lasted through the next day. Thankfully, two of our friends were crazy enough to join us that night.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiA4tzwMPjgxVbv997jQgY77j-rKzZl501sBcMtjiPtgOUasziwYM6Z6FtwGGyS3rL-gqdgrtF6fQiv8kZxhb0gcH3_fXInaUXCb8FFqZd-a8-FhcZ2IZjYwRowqFmiz1Mkb8QkyUR1qoY/s1600/IMG_3979.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiA4tzwMPjgxVbv997jQgY77j-rKzZl501sBcMtjiPtgOUasziwYM6Z6FtwGGyS3rL-gqdgrtF6fQiv8kZxhb0gcH3_fXInaUXCb8FFqZd-a8-FhcZ2IZjYwRowqFmiz1Mkb8QkyUR1qoY/s320/IMG_3979.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Key word for that night: LAYERS</td></tr>
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Ashley & I joined our husbands a little late. We both worked that day and eventually found the camp site around 8 p.m. By that time, the wind took down one tent and was in the process of taking down another tent and a tarp that sheltered our fire. Thankfully that blaze lasted throughout the night even without the tarp. We had hoped to have a delicious dinner, s'mores for dessert, and late night of fun. But the cold reality was ramen that took forever to cook, taking turns warming in my car, and a early bedtime.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8SavacsW598dC-CEKwDDxuh-y33y02gHk6s6ED69OwMUy4dgI5OJSj_GOiYefExwQTZJcXVqyco3IPl441LVsQrGXovXHR8CO9rjyAvYPRnEtaArG_9U2aeT29CIBVPIFaHuxDh1xUjR/s1600/IMG_3984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8SavacsW598dC-CEKwDDxuh-y33y02gHk6s6ED69OwMUy4dgI5OJSj_GOiYefExwQTZJcXVqyco3IPl441LVsQrGXovXHR8CO9rjyAvYPRnEtaArG_9U2aeT29CIBVPIFaHuxDh1xUjR/s320/IMG_3984.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My husband keeping our dog warm</td></tr>
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I have no idea how cold it got for us that night, but I do know the wind chill in the <u><b>city</b></u> was 21 degrees with wind gust at 30 + miles an hour. So with that being said, we decided that the four of us (and the dog) needed to stay in one tent.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEo-FfhENsAxGk41mkDIDRtaJCRglmSFGTHvvWijaaAjwUiRg_tcmj2b-jYuP2LjJX9b6hTfRJlTZKBsNAwnGrzsiP5uKaXFn-a0aiAZZsu6pARlNzHIuEnvSX3boeiKYnar0W_4znH3M/s1600/IMG_3995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEo-FfhENsAxGk41mkDIDRtaJCRglmSFGTHvvWijaaAjwUiRg_tcmj2b-jYuP2LjJX9b6hTfRJlTZKBsNAwnGrzsiP5uKaXFn-a0aiAZZsu6pARlNzHIuEnvSX3boeiKYnar0W_4znH3M/s320/IMG_3995.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This held all five of us!</td></tr>
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Needless to say no one slept well that night. It was frigid and the wind often woke many of us up. I was just waiting for dawn to break. For the longest night of the year to be over. And after what felt like a lifetime, we began to see the sun's rays. We then witnessed a beauty that made the whole trip worth while.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Hg5oMuAj7jPU4LxBVN2X7htGDyZBs8M9gvIyE4SMCAixj7m6YrgUW8-TcJ0fpq_a6rtoEZ0irDaetHqHPEwdGHwq-SyxEvfeJCULpe8xNd8TQCjW6qk6yRIA0_b__-OBDlktscGbuacH/s1600/IMG_3993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Hg5oMuAj7jPU4LxBVN2X7htGDyZBs8M9gvIyE4SMCAixj7m6YrgUW8-TcJ0fpq_a6rtoEZ0irDaetHqHPEwdGHwq-SyxEvfeJCULpe8xNd8TQCjW6qk6yRIA0_b__-OBDlktscGbuacH/s320/IMG_3993.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A new dawn on Lake Barkley</td></tr>
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The world may not of ended. Nothing different even happened that day. But there's something to be said about seeing the sunrise after such a dark evening. We were able to have an early New Year's Day and speak about our hopes and dreams for the new time ahead. But with a still frigid wind in the air, we quickly packed up and headed back to our warm homes.<br />
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So why share this story? I think it's a good example on the end of one year and looking forward to a new. That night was hideous; but sometimes we have to go through awful times to move on to a beautiful morning. 2013 is the new dawn. And I greatly look forward to what adventures lie ahead of us. Here's at least a peek of what I do know that will happen in the new year:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3GtbxqD_HgflRSDf2FMJ9Uehq7XRSVwHDPgonnxAWHpyFjBx57gRf8QnemPcmLh5tBKAKjv-eVk6g6MsvcSAjgG__lWI2cF-2VTSWKSl8425LsKSVXN3wfk71M3R10JVd8eWRM2KvWfe/s1600/IMG_3932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3GtbxqD_HgflRSDf2FMJ9Uehq7XRSVwHDPgonnxAWHpyFjBx57gRf8QnemPcmLh5tBKAKjv-eVk6g6MsvcSAjgG__lWI2cF-2VTSWKSl8425LsKSVXN3wfk71M3R10JVd8eWRM2KvWfe/s320/IMG_3932.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Projects to make our home more efficient!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinNUCgyIMLLJ34W3ilsjBWw6fS6vG_P1pFftKxf-rdK1fQb6kThW6IpljxB3jyuVAjAfoyqWkANR2xUFsbmx7Gz3zTJBDDinXwKALKJL0skuwlMKJAuHrWDkSQDcoOnoBNQrts2HDiwptr/s1600/IMG_3344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinNUCgyIMLLJ34W3ilsjBWw6fS6vG_P1pFftKxf-rdK1fQb6kThW6IpljxB3jyuVAjAfoyqWkANR2xUFsbmx7Gz3zTJBDDinXwKALKJL0skuwlMKJAuHrWDkSQDcoOnoBNQrts2HDiwptr/s320/IMG_3344.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Journeys to enjoy nature!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXG1W14QJ05xO2_2JtJkFHAeTUedPdCK073Aq8fanvhcd1bu6KcmDtWQRL7XA7mbcca1rMeC6yKYqbeDmwbaPlV5BH0LqectV8aC1lhyphenhyphenu2aFTW8iMt6K-L-vGlY7lLYGityBiAgUTiTbh/s1600/IMG_3954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoXG1W14QJ05xO2_2JtJkFHAeTUedPdCK073Aq8fanvhcd1bu6KcmDtWQRL7XA7mbcca1rMeC6yKYqbeDmwbaPlV5BH0LqectV8aC1lhyphenhyphenu2aFTW8iMt6K-L-vGlY7lLYGityBiAgUTiTbh/s320/IMG_3954.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holistic projects!</td></tr>
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And I'm so happy to share all of these adventures with you. Thanks for sticking with me this year. 2012 was good to us. But I'm over it. I'm ready for 2013. Bring it!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-56929465965359296652012-12-17T05:00:00.000-06:002012-12-17T05:00:05.575-06:00DIY Festivus: Homemade WreathSo what would you say if I told you that you could get a fabulous holiday wreath that matches your decorations, is the perfect dimension, <b>and</b> is free. That's right. A wreath that cost nothing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj923UvqRZH9oqqopTsuHyZMwibaj3AdEAg24ylD9JQYH9xpMPn-0oQC364edFYHbxSz83Svpnt8On1BJ4AyhyphenhyphenCg6eXET3vDBMvToLgjl20b9wVdOgXnEAHOR6ivFDC9QObYlohN9kmbxsI/s1600/IMG_3944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj923UvqRZH9oqqopTsuHyZMwibaj3AdEAg24ylD9JQYH9xpMPn-0oQC364edFYHbxSz83Svpnt8On1BJ4AyhyphenhyphenCg6eXET3vDBMvToLgjl20b9wVdOgXnEAHOR6ivFDC9QObYlohN9kmbxsI/s320/IMG_3944.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mantle isn't so bare anymore!</td></tr>
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So the beautiful wreath above didn't cost me a dime. It's mostly thanks to the fact I made it myself. And even that only took about an hour. Here's how you can make a wreath of your own.<br />
<br />
What you need:<br />
- <b>About 8 branches</b> that you probably cut off from your live tree to make room for the base. One time an employee from the tree store gave me extra branches from previous trimmings! <br />
- <b>About 5 branches of other winter plants</b>: holly, mistletoe, etc. This one is optional.<br />
- <b>Zip ties</b> of all shapes & sizes<br />
- <b>Extra gift-wrapping ribbon</b><br />
- <b>Extra holiday ornaments</b><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjdhUMgEC1sw0QLWqzoMJHEWymoA-_RJ_UFkGMg_M63ZTgkfVqTdEJY-kBPEEWcCvvQNNALAcLRtO4NnHEwB1GEIK6JtwNVZlAfCKHb6MZnp7zoZ1r_CShGpI0yhr5OdylKYLTpH31wIfZ/s1600/IMG_3909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjdhUMgEC1sw0QLWqzoMJHEWymoA-_RJ_UFkGMg_M63ZTgkfVqTdEJY-kBPEEWcCvvQNNALAcLRtO4NnHEwB1GEIK6JtwNVZlAfCKHb6MZnp7zoZ1r_CShGpI0yhr5OdylKYLTpH31wIfZ/s320/IMG_3909.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
You will first need to decide how large you want your wreath to be. After you determine that, lay the tree branches in the wreath shape you desire. It maybe easier getting a metal wreath form, but I have never used one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0VTKCc2bW_HhZJ-ZZpNVOZfupg0c23CMLM31FjtywKrsP40vnjZ8CJUj3GWPKTjDh7xdj6t6jlMD1EezALO837FvPKOJ1ERJ8_fY9_f-m3qt5TSxck0cbcthwKGUapCAy12ZzWcvf6Fh/s1600/IMG_3913.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0VTKCc2bW_HhZJ-ZZpNVOZfupg0c23CMLM31FjtywKrsP40vnjZ8CJUj3GWPKTjDh7xdj6t6jlMD1EezALO837FvPKOJ1ERJ8_fY9_f-m3qt5TSxck0cbcthwKGUapCAy12ZzWcvf6Fh/s320/IMG_3913.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
Once the branches are laid out, you then have the hard work of using zip ties to connect the branches. As I said, you may want to use a wreath form, but I've always just tied the main parts of the branches together. You will need to be discrete, but don't worry too much. You can always cover up some of the zip ties with the optional holiday plants/ ribbon/ ornaments. And don't forget to snip the ends after you get it locked.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also a warning: you may want to use gloves. I broke out after making my wreath.</td></tr>
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After you get the wreath secure enough, you can then embellish it with it anything you want. You can even use some finer zip ties. Basically work the garnish into any of the empty spaces between the branches. Ribbon is normally the last part I add that way I can cover up anything left that needs to be covered up.<br />
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And there you have it: a beautiful wreath that's ready to be hung up on a door or wall. You can also take in some pride that you made it yourself. And it's thrifty! What could be better?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNEJnE-Da_zvovcuSK1MVKrJU2LTeyxjVCjwW1axZKwgF25HEm5OOr_2pzdEb0qPUX6xgPjRXiU8auB5LNVEtglXXtCzRaL8ewlWp2sYYGSJeSCbUfncMbovI5D-WDN2ASkg9PqY4F8gr/s1600/IMG_0774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNEJnE-Da_zvovcuSK1MVKrJU2LTeyxjVCjwW1axZKwgF25HEm5OOr_2pzdEb0qPUX6xgPjRXiU8auB5LNVEtglXXtCzRaL8ewlWp2sYYGSJeSCbUfncMbovI5D-WDN2ASkg9PqY4F8gr/s320/IMG_0774.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wreath from two years ago. It's a little more messy, but I wanted to show a more ribbon/ornament look</td></tr>
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If you're getting tired of DIY holiday ideas, don't worry. It's almost over. But until January 2nd, I'm going to milk Festivus as much as I can. Love this time of year!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-4531572531586444442012-12-10T05:00:00.000-06:002012-12-10T05:00:02.703-06:00DIY Festivus: Gift For Newly WedsSo there was a gift I made for one of our favorite couples last year. It was their first Christmas as a married couple. So I searched for a great gift to commemorate it. Thanks to this <a href="http://practicallyfunctional.net/2012/11/diy-wedding-invitation-ornaments/">thrifty blogger,</a> I found the perfect present: an ornament made from their wedding announcement.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAllh6982pKVSPXNRTM3mHsS69EmPAIKAWgjXSqEuweoP6kOAubtfvXcfMfwENdsbRfBYkxshpGmLo23JAotHo0Z_ctdLeaMWZMwc_ON6Rr6X9B-dXqb_0G_etbZpLFtu4voNLuKnvw0AB/s1600/IMG_0193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAllh6982pKVSPXNRTM3mHsS69EmPAIKAWgjXSqEuweoP6kOAubtfvXcfMfwENdsbRfBYkxshpGmLo23JAotHo0Z_ctdLeaMWZMwc_ON6Rr6X9B-dXqb_0G_etbZpLFtu4voNLuKnvw0AB/s320/IMG_0193.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The photo I took last year only to realize I couldn't post it until AFTER I gave it to them.</td></tr>
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So here's all you need for this beautiful ornament:<br />
- A plastic ornament bulb (it's like 2 bucks at Hobby Lobby)<br />
- The couple's wedding announcement/invitation/or program<br />
- Scissors <br />
- A pencil or dowel rod<br />
- Glue<br />
<br />
Making the ornament literately takes no time. First you slice up the wedding announcement horizontally. Try to keep some of the important details within the lines, especially the names, time, and address.<br />
<br />
After that, take each strip and use the pencil/doll rod to roll up strips of paper. That will give you the rolled banner affect. After each strip is rolled, you can finagle the paper so the name or date is straight.<br />
<br />
Then you need to get out the halved ornament. Gently place the rolls where you'd like them to be. This will take a bit of patience and work. I was able to build what I wanted in one half. On the other half, lay a little glue here and there on the lip that connects the halves. Then you simply place the top half and hold until the glue is secure... and voilà! You have a beautiful ornament for your friend.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKSFHsHjD0O4XQeTHiJQ_A0l0xJukiSClYBll490NpA6kwldqr5mKDG2juqDbAyY4cCIAuh-F24MYAVOKWiOevaQHABDxvRQkrdO4x0JFFRTTv_G3pKTCIuVnqH8Skpjf5sAgqLmqC4qz/s1600/IMG_3747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKSFHsHjD0O4XQeTHiJQ_A0l0xJukiSClYBll490NpA6kwldqr5mKDG2juqDbAyY4cCIAuh-F24MYAVOKWiOevaQHABDxvRQkrdO4x0JFFRTTv_G3pKTCIuVnqH8Skpjf5sAgqLmqC4qz/s320/IMG_3747.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ornament one year later...</td></tr>
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I plan to try more of these through out the years. Maybe even attempt baby announcements! So for about $2, you can provide your loved on a one-of-a-kind gift. Not even Hallmark can do that!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115511097395233625.post-42034710014276844982012-12-03T05:00:00.000-06:002012-12-09T22:40:54.818-06:00DIY Festivus: Mantle SignSo it's finally December. Can you smell it in the air? Christmas lights are up, everyone is rushing to the mall, and coffee stores are featuring holiday-themed flavors. It's Festivus! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgztCrAzKkLXBhz0kt2hnPMkvYF9jsYf3mndC0d34rIWrpOvvLTNdGVx73xn5qgp7Xi2AzVaTXKnKSDrmoTdoM7FVRE3P9XW-eanky29YXkJUshDWIgD6a6wMzTGlM3euvDBe7Zqnm9Li/s1600/IMG_3729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgztCrAzKkLXBhz0kt2hnPMkvYF9jsYf3mndC0d34rIWrpOvvLTNdGVx73xn5qgp7Xi2AzVaTXKnKSDrmoTdoM7FVRE3P9XW-eanky29YXkJUshDWIgD6a6wMzTGlM3euvDBe7Zqnm9Li/s320/IMG_3729.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the delicious brews at <a href="http://etccoffee.com/">our favorite coffee shop</a></td></tr>
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As you can guess from my lack of posts, we've been busy. Outside of our normal duties, we're also busy decorating our home in a full holiday fashion. This is the first time we get to decorate our new home for Festivus. I'm so excited!<br />
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But I also wanted to share one decoration I made this year that literally cost just $4 and 20 minutes for me to make.<br />
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So here's what you need:<br />
4 Frames (bought at the Dollar Store)<br />
Holiday-themed background (I used scrap booking paper I had from a 2011 project)<br />
A Pencil<br />
A Permanent Marker<br />
<br />
It doesn't get much simpler my friends. Cut the background paper the proper size to fit in the frame. Then I drew the letters with a pencil at first followed by the permanent marker. Added some lines where needed. You can use paint, but I feel the marker is easier to control. And it practically dries instantly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhofkB5WsEkLzZtSZguO9P54R1Zz1BFxXbTAwlsKLU1UgfS6uy6lNC_qdpJsMjqxj0nDRLnm91kChtDZPL5JcabFNaodGWCIaCCeIoQX4vG669QeGXeSDaEab_0uDZDM4TNVNySqaB8E4YE/s1600/IMG_3680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhofkB5WsEkLzZtSZguO9P54R1Zz1BFxXbTAwlsKLU1UgfS6uy6lNC_qdpJsMjqxj0nDRLnm91kChtDZPL5JcabFNaodGWCIaCCeIoQX4vG669QeGXeSDaEab_0uDZDM4TNVNySqaB8E4YE/s320/IMG_3680.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not my most flattering photo but you get the point.</td></tr>
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If you are not comfortable enough to do this free hand, you have a few options. There are a lot of stencils out there for the letters. And a ruler can be easily applied to sketch guidelines so it all matches.<br />
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For years I've been trying to find a good way to draw a snowflake. And if you are in the same dilemia & would like to know how I drew mine, here's a quick step by step tutorial. The design is open enough to make imperfections lovely.<br />
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After you draw out what you like & it dries, it's ready to go back into the frame then be placed in the desirable spot. For our mantel, I did intentionally pick one "odd" frame and overlapped the frames to give a 3D effect.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4gjaPERVH7_RAWbPNemh9m5QZ82AMrxJmk-EHvXt2FSuR3JzL9e4Y0XFTa-5yfx4DMLS1u9k89qQ6op7_eOlbFMObIFP01ui2A4gedI4_-PZVxpBMndo8k2g8f8BT0Fqdp5WIOXrcPvh5/s1600/IMG_3695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4gjaPERVH7_RAWbPNemh9m5QZ82AMrxJmk-EHvXt2FSuR3JzL9e4Y0XFTa-5yfx4DMLS1u9k89qQ6op7_eOlbFMObIFP01ui2A4gedI4_-PZVxpBMndo8k2g8f8BT0Fqdp5WIOXrcPvh5/s320/IMG_3695.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
So there you have it! A quick, easy, and cheap way to add a new decoration to your home this season. I hope to share a few more ideas throughout the month when it comes to either decorations or gifts. I'm also pleased to share a photo of this year's Christmas tree! Are all your decorations up yet?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8NBOZxynzGnnGkb9RFBVdNyrmQx2m7T1no3xshzugBWffb1JIh_7zmwdifugd-IPukvHDDjP6ir6Zz9sV4cRzTfWZne71slfJniWI5m1Xrr8iK_2zjGJ7VtUwDVL_o2d4QtaU2Uy8P-f/s1600/IMG_3684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8NBOZxynzGnnGkb9RFBVdNyrmQx2m7T1no3xshzugBWffb1JIh_7zmwdifugd-IPukvHDDjP6ir6Zz9sV4cRzTfWZne71slfJniWI5m1Xrr8iK_2zjGJ7VtUwDVL_o2d4QtaU2Uy8P-f/s320/IMG_3684.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
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Happy Festivus!</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17321912750037691331noreply@blogger.com0