Raw Caramel Apple Dessert

It's about 85 degrees in Seattle right now which means it's like 100 degrees in our apartment. Cooking has become unbearable!

My husband is a genius and came up with a delish dessert and a fun way to cool down while we are in the house in these dog days of summer. The first is very simple: a dollar store spray bottle. We're having fun in here spraying each other and feeling more refreshed. The other thing my handsome hubby came up with: the BEST dessert ever! There isn't much of a recipe but here is the general idea:

Chop up 1 apple, add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and sprinkle with a dash each of cinnamon (maybe 1 tsp), salt, and stevia. Now here's the part where we kick it up a notch. Add a very small amount of oil and caramel extract. Mix it all up and enjoy. It is seriously like a raw caramel apple pie without all the guilt and no baking in this hot heat!!

Thrifting for Baby

Twenty twelve is chugging along very nicely- by God's grace this is going to be an amazing year! One of the first major things we do is visit our sweet little niece. She was born back in November but she lives half-way across the state, past the mountain pass. We didn't want to end up getting stuck in the snow on our visit over so our trip was delayed. That is until now. Our winter has been very mild and snow is not a big issue over the pass anymore so we are planning on visiting her within the next few weeks. I already sent a fun care package with tons of goodies (handmade and some purchased) but now that we are coming in person, I want to have another gift for that sweet little girl! And isn't buying baby stuff so much more fun than anything else? Everything is so itty bitty and adorable. I just love it!

This weekend I went thrifting with my Mom and I stumbled upon some adorable onesies (and for just $0.69!) and this awesome toy that brings back so many memories from when I was a young'un. It'll be so much fun to see little baby Avery finally and shower her with love!

Baby it's Cold Outside

This past weekend was spent showering my best girlfriend and her little one on the way with lots and lots of love. The theme of the shower was 'Baby it's cold outside' and I had a lot of fun planning the decor, food and games.



Can't wait to meet you sweet babygirl!!

Summer Delights

Summer has finally arrived in Seattle and this weekend was filled with the many of joys of this time of year.

Jeremy got home from work early on Saturday so he came over to my Mom's house and we each got to work making dinner. Jeremy worked on the drink, I worked on the fruit salad and Mom made the main course.

I love using fresh fruits and veggies to make super easy and super yummy meals. Take these for instance: For a cool mocktail to help beat the heat, add 1 can of coconut milk into your blender. Use the option on your blender to get the mixture good and frothy. Next add 1/2 pineapple that has been sliced into the blender. Add a little agave to taste and your ice and blend it all together. And for a refreshing fruit salad take 1 watermelon and a bunch of mint. Mince the mint and add to the cubed watermelon. Toss and enjoy. See, so easy but the results are DELICIOUS!!



My Mom also made my new favorite salad: a BLT salad. How smart is that!? They are good on bread but even better as a salad!

8 slices chopped and cooked bacon
4 cups sliced green-leaf lettuce
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
1 cup low-fat croutons

Dressing
1/4 cup light mayo
1 Tbs. water
1 Tbs. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. agave
pinch of black pepper

Combine all the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl. Then, in small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients: toss salad with dressing. Makes 4 servings.

And after church today it was too nice out to just go home, so we made a trip to the local zoo and enjoyed looking at God's varied and sometimes goofy creation.








Loving our summer so far and looking forward to enjoying more of it. I hope you also had a joyous weekend!

Got Ribbons?

Is it just me or does everyone else end up with tons of extra ribbons in your craft collection? You collect them over the years from various packages and presents but you don't really know what to do with them all. Well since it is the 'Great Baby Boom of 2011' and just about every one I know it having a baby, I've got babies on the brain. I decided to put those extra ribbons I have to good use crafting adorable baby stuff.

Ever heard of a tag blanket? Neither had I, but apparently babies love them. Why, I'm not really sure, but if they like 'em, then I'll make 'em! It's really quite easy. I followed this tutorial but instead of using just 2 different type of fabric on each side I decided to use some coordinating fabric squares to make it patchwork on one side.

Baby crafts are the most fun because they are all so dang cute! And I can't wait to give it to my little niece when she arrives this fall or my BFF's baby coming next spring or my cousin's newest addition. What did I tell you about the baby boom!?! Now all my excess ribbons will be on cute little blankets for little babies' enjoyment and I will keep collecting ribbons until the next baby boom. :)

The Great Indoors

The sun has not been making very many appearances in the Pacific Northwest this 'spring'. So instead of sulking around inside about how we can't do that many outdoorsy things, I decided to bring the outdoors indoors.

We laid down a picnic blanket in the office and had some good ol' camp food including brats, potato salad and every one's favorite; bug juice! Very yummy food if I do say so myself.


After dinner we put a sheet over the window to block out the daylight and make the room dark in order to see the celestial beauties I stuck to our ceiling. We counted the stars and moons and looked for the big dipper. And following our 'star gazing' we played some cards. What screams camping more than card games? Maybe it is just me that is what we always did when I go camping. :)

All in all, it was a wonderful evening spent in the great outdoors, indoors. And this morning the weather man forecasted some actual nice weather coming. Maybe we can do this for real next weekend!

Music to my Ears

One of my favorite things is music. I love to listen to it. I love to sing it. And someday I'd love to play it (my only experience thus far is with the recorder in grade school :P but hopefully that will change soon) Musicals? yes please! All of the above!

I don't know what it is but it just energizes me. Especially when working out. It always seems the time goes by much faster and I can go longer when I have a song playing in my headphones or in my head. And let me tell you, that music gives me the extra push I need, especially while getting ready for my 5K race coming up.

I listen to a whole lotta different genres of music; oldies, old school R&B, country, alternative, soft hits (yes, all the sappy love songs) and of course, my main source of music joy comes from christian music. What is so cool is that within christian music is a whole array of genres so I can listen to christian pop or christian rap or even christian rock. I love it all! And it is all sung for God's glory. That's the way music is meant to be! "Sing to the LORD, you saints of His; praise His holy name." -Psalm 30:4

Here is a sampling of the songs I'm rocking to now:

1. Good Morning- Mandisa
2. High- Lecrae
3. This is the Stuff- Francesca Battistelli
4. Beautiful Things-Gungor
5. Funky Jesus Music- TobyMac
6. Rise Up- Lauren Camey (from this awesome video)
7. Christ is Risen- Matt Maher
8. Carry Me Home- Evan Egerer (My brother-in-law!!!!)
9. Don't Waste Your Life- Lecrae
10. Love Addict- Family Force 5
11. Blessings- Laura Story
12. Heartbeat- Remedy Drive

One day we will all be singing for Him and His awesome majesty. What a glorious day that will be! "Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" -Revelation 5:13