My sister, Lisa, and I had a little fun this weekend. We had a Sunday Sister Party (along with my three boys). The inspiration came from the Bakeshop Mystery books that we are both reading. We made three recipes straight from the pages of the books and then a couple of our own creations, inspired by the series. The Menu: Beef Stew (because we are Iowa girls like a little hearty food) Braised Green Beans Homemade Basic Bread Caprese Salad Chocolate…
We planted a garden for the first time this year. Not a big one, but it is a perfect size for our first attempt. We lovingly plowed up a small plot of land in the yard (with a little help from my Dad), planted our seeds, watered and cared for them, and have enjoyed watching them grow. While we are waiting and watching, I noticed a few friends posting pictures to social media of the bountiful harvest they are receiving from…
Recent reading recap. Try saying that fast three times! I love to read and want to make an effort to share a little more about all things reading on the blog. My hubby and I were recently discussing the merits of speed reading. He is excited to try a new speed reading technique he found online. I’m skeptical. For me, part of the enjoyment of reading is savoring the book. Picking it up and putting it down. Seeing what it challenges…
I love coffee. I love the fancy coffee drinks you get at Starbucks. But my bank account doesn’t like that they cost $5 each. That lead me to start making my own coffee drinks at home. And you know what? It was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be! Now, I don’t do anything super fancy. But I wanted to share with you my current favorite morning pick-me-up. Hazelnut Mocha 1 12 ounce cup of your…
I have a confession. When I have a few free moments of time, do you know what I do? I check Facebook. Or Twitter. I scroll through my feed and use it as a way to kill time. I use to as a way to feel like I’m doing something and not just sitting there “doing nothing.” Lately that got me thinking. What could I do, when I have a few minutes, instead of instantly reaching for my phone to…
I have been loving my home office lately. It is a space that was originally a formal dining room when we bought our house. But let’s be real. We have young kids. The room has light colored carpet. We are not in the years where a formal dining room makes sense. So we decided to turn the space into an office room. My goal for this space is to have a structured place where I can work from home. And…
Summer is a great time for light hearted reads. I love to always have a book going in the summer. Something that is easy to pick up and doesn’t force me to think too hard. I want something that is fun, enjoyable, and leaves me feeling good at the end. I’m a sucker for blog posts where people share what they are reading. I’ve found a lot of great books that way. In that spirit, I wanted to tell you about two books…
This past weekend I had the pleasure of spending time with hundreds of my LWML Iowa East District Sisters in Christ at our biennial convention. This is an organization that has been near and dear to my heart for a number of years now. Not only has it gifted me with numerous friendships, but also the opportunity to combine my monetary gifts with those of Lutheran women from around Eastern Iowa to give to missions on a greater scale than…
Embrace. noun. The act of accepting or supporting something willingly or enthusiastically. With the changing of the season, comes a great time for reflection. Did you know that 2016 is now over half over? Does that excite you? Invigorate you? Scare you? For me, it has been a great time to take a step back and evaluate how the year is going. I’ll be honest. A lot has changed in my life since I put my 2016 goals on paper last…
Writing is therapeutic to me. It always has been. There is something about allowing words to flow out onto the page and watching what they create that is magical. I’ve taken the past year or so off from any sort of blogging. I haven’t stopped writing. I just wasn’t doing it in a public form. I decided it was time to dip my toe back into the blogging world. Nothing fancy. Nothing earth shattering. Just me and my thoughts. So, welcome. I’m…