Friday morning my alarm clock went off to start my day. I had a full day planned and had to get an early start. Minutes later, I got a text saying my Grandpa was not responding that morning and emergency respondents were on their way to his home. Twenty minutes later, I got the call that confirmed he had indeed passed away in his sleep sometime during the night. All my plans started to unravel, including those for this week. Family trumps everything right now. In moments like this the most important things are instantly the priority and things are back in proper perspective. In light of that and all that will be taking place this week for my family, I will be taking some time off from blogging. Honoring my Grandpa's life and spending time with those that loved him and love me will come first, it's just that simple.
As far as Grandpa goes, honestly, I haven't had much time to process his loss. I'm sure this week will be full of ups and downs. He's been fighting for a while now and far out lived the doctor's predictions-he was a fighter, for sure! I don't think any of us were shocked, but just the same, it's never easy. He was done, he'd fought hard and long enough. He was at peace with his loved ones and with His Savior. Now, it's a time to celebrate his life here on earth and his eternal life where he now dances, young and healthy next to Jesus!
Have a wonderful week, I'll resume posting as soon as life allows!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Wordless Wednesday: Vacation Highlights
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| Not quite sure that's exactly how you are supposed to use them! haha! |
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| Taken by our talented preschooler! :) |
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Sunrise
I'm not a morning person! I put this on my 101 list because I knew it would be a stretch for me. It was. It was totally worth it. I've obviously experienced seeing the sunrise before, but there is something so beautiful and peaceful about actually taking the time to sit and watch it.
My sister gets the credit for this one. It was her last day in town before moving overseas for a year. She'd started watching the sunrise regularly this summer and invited me and other close friends to join her at her favorite sunrise watching spot that final day. I wanted to spend the time with her and I knew I'd be disappointed if I didn't go, but setting my alarm the night before was a struggle! I did it though! :)
That morning, I literally, went to the bathroom and put on a sweatshirt and walked out the door. It was way too early to do anything else! Keep that in mind as you see these pictures! ;)
I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story. There are times that words just can't describe something as beautiful a moment as the birth of a new day.
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| Me, Sis, Vanessa |
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| Me, Sis, Mom |
As the sun moved overhead, we headed to Starbucks to spend some quality time together while enjoying a yummy coffee to start our day. It was a fantastic morning.
Watch the sunrise. So glad I did.
Monday, September 19, 2011
iSpy Game
I found this idea on pinterest and had to do it! With our 16 hour road trip just a couple weeks away, I added it to my to do list. I also noticed other styles, some were made like a bean bag, which I was considering since I had no pretty jars.
Then, while over helping my sister pack, I noticed she had a water bottle that looked almost exactly like this one! :) Since she had no use for it, I snagged it! ;)
Do you want one too?
How to make them:
1. Gather your supplies-
~1 pretty bottle
~uncooked rice
~small toys
~hot glue gun
~funnel
2. Line up your toys on a white sheet of paper to take a picture of them. This will serve as the key so the kids know what to find.
3. Using a funnel, pour some rice into your bottle, about 2/3-3/4 of the way.
4. Add your toys.
5. Put some hot glue around the lid to provide a seal, if you want to.
6. Give it a little shake to mix it all up and let them have it!
Then, while over helping my sister pack, I noticed she had a water bottle that looked almost exactly like this one! :) Since she had no use for it, I snagged it! ;)
Do you want one too?
How to make them:
1. Gather your supplies-
~1 pretty bottle
~uncooked rice
~small toys
~hot glue gun
~funnel
2. Line up your toys on a white sheet of paper to take a picture of them. This will serve as the key so the kids know what to find.
3. Using a funnel, pour some rice into your bottle, about 2/3-3/4 of the way.
4. Add your toys.
5. Put some hot glue around the lid to provide a seal, if you want to.
6. Give it a little shake to mix it all up and let them have it!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Back to the Real World
A quick update. Vacation is officially over and I'm back to the real world of laundry, unpacking, running errands, checking emails and the list goes on. We had a fantastic trip to LA and sunny San Diego. It was a great couple weeks and I'm already missing it! I have a TON of great things to share with you on here, but it'll take me a few days to get my life back together to do so! ;)
Have a great weekend!
Have a great weekend!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Yogurt-Round 2 & 3
Remember a few months ago I posted about my homemade yogurt? Since then I've tried it two more times, making some variations each time. It's only fair that I share with you what I've learned, right? :)
The first variation I tried was to use Almond milk. It didn't work. It was a total FAIL. :( I'm not exactly sure what went wrong, but after I did a lot more research, I found others have had trouble using Almond milk as well. It may something you have to use a non-dairy store bought yogurt starter pack for {which I didn't do}. If I try it again {which I'm scared to}, then I'll try that route. Anyone else have any suggestions?
The second variation was a HUGE success! I didn't bother trying to change out the milk this time. I used a whole dairy milk, because I know it works! :) The changes I did make though were:
1. To use some dry milk when I added the yogurt to the warmed milk. This made the final result a bit thicker. The yogurt came out with a better consistency, closer {not completely the same} to the store bought texture.
2. I also added vanilla flavoring and honey this time. It turned out delicious! :) It's not very sweet and doesn't have a strong vanilla flavor either, but just adding a little bit gave it enough flavor that it doesn't taste so bitter like plain usually does.
3. Made half a batch. Since I knew we were leaving on vacation, I didn't want to take a chance and have WAY more then we needed to use up in a short time frame. I know you can freeze it {I've done this already in ice cube trays-so I could use them in smoothies too- and it worked just fine}, but I just didn't need a lot more frozen right now. Anyway, it worked just fine. I was a little hesitant because I'd read the temperatures may need to be different for a smaller amount, but I didn't have any trouble. The yogurt is fantastic!
There you have it. Those are the few things I've learned since my first yogurt experience!
The first variation I tried was to use Almond milk. It didn't work. It was a total FAIL. :( I'm not exactly sure what went wrong, but after I did a lot more research, I found others have had trouble using Almond milk as well. It may something you have to use a non-dairy store bought yogurt starter pack for {which I didn't do}. If I try it again {which I'm scared to}, then I'll try that route. Anyone else have any suggestions?
The second variation was a HUGE success! I didn't bother trying to change out the milk this time. I used a whole dairy milk, because I know it works! :) The changes I did make though were:
1. To use some dry milk when I added the yogurt to the warmed milk. This made the final result a bit thicker. The yogurt came out with a better consistency, closer {not completely the same} to the store bought texture.
2. I also added vanilla flavoring and honey this time. It turned out delicious! :) It's not very sweet and doesn't have a strong vanilla flavor either, but just adding a little bit gave it enough flavor that it doesn't taste so bitter like plain usually does.
3. Made half a batch. Since I knew we were leaving on vacation, I didn't want to take a chance and have WAY more then we needed to use up in a short time frame. I know you can freeze it {I've done this already in ice cube trays-so I could use them in smoothies too- and it worked just fine}, but I just didn't need a lot more frozen right now. Anyway, it worked just fine. I was a little hesitant because I'd read the temperatures may need to be different for a smaller amount, but I didn't have any trouble. The yogurt is fantastic!
There you have it. Those are the few things I've learned since my first yogurt experience!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
I want to hear from YOU!
I always find that there are always so many ways to do the same thing. I know that our debt story is certainly not the only one out there, quite the contrary actually, people in debt are every where! Which got me thinking, why not share some of them on here.
*The plan: To feature other individuals or families that are working on meeting their financial goals (this can be getting out of debt and/or saving). The reality is that it looks a little different for each of us and I want to find ways to bring fresh ideas to all my readers. There isn't a "perfect" or "only" way to get out of debt and no two families have exactly the same goals. Why limit our resources to just one idea, right?
*The goal: To use other people's stories, ideas, goals and methods as a way to encourage and motivate A Simple Life readers. I think all our stories are valuable and worth sharing. We all have something to learn from each other. What works well for us, isn't likely to work for everyone. Maybe the way you do things will work better for someone then what I share on here. It's also highly probable that there are readers who are in a very different stage of life then we are in, so why not feature some families that are working on goals that pertain to a different season of life?
*The families: I have a few individuals/families lined up to work with me on this little endeavor and I'm so excited to introduce them to you, just not yet! ;) Patience! But I'm looking for some more! Maybe it's YOU!
~What it'll involve:
-A quick bio, picture, a brief sharing of your financial story {primarily focusing on your goals, ways you're working toward them right now}.
-{Depending on the number of participants} A monthly/bi- or tri-monthly update on how you've been doing on your goals. What's worked well, what hasn't, how you're feeling about your situation, that kind of thing. {I will "interview" you each time there is an update}.
-Honesty. This is I'm sure the hardest one. It's easy to hide and pretend things are different then they seem, but once your truth is out there, then the hiding is over. I promise you, it's such a relief to stop living a "lie", but I also understand it's hard to be open about some of this stuff. I'll never ask you to give any information you're unwilling to share {it's totally up to you}. For the purpose of this project, though, some things will need to be shared {at least a ball park figure}.
~What's in it for you:
-A chance to make a difference in someone else's life, for your story to be away other's find their own strength to move forward too.
-To be celebrated for your success, I'm hoping that other readers will come along side of you and encourage you on your way to your final destination.
-Get accountability to stay focused on your goals. Hopefully knowing we'll be "checking in" will help keep you motivated to finish strong and actually meet your goal.
-Your blog will be linked up and highlighted each time you are featured.
If you're interested in being a part of this, please leave me a comment with your email and I'll be in touch with you about setting things up. I'm looking forward to hearing your stories!
Also, I'm always looking for some guest bloggers, so if you're ever available to partner with me in that area, I'd love to hear from you too! Again, just leave me a comment with your email and I'll be in touch.
Thanks for being an amazing group of readers! I'm looking forward to learning from you & featuring YOUR story!
*The plan: To feature other individuals or families that are working on meeting their financial goals (this can be getting out of debt and/or saving). The reality is that it looks a little different for each of us and I want to find ways to bring fresh ideas to all my readers. There isn't a "perfect" or "only" way to get out of debt and no two families have exactly the same goals. Why limit our resources to just one idea, right?
*The goal: To use other people's stories, ideas, goals and methods as a way to encourage and motivate A Simple Life readers. I think all our stories are valuable and worth sharing. We all have something to learn from each other. What works well for us, isn't likely to work for everyone. Maybe the way you do things will work better for someone then what I share on here. It's also highly probable that there are readers who are in a very different stage of life then we are in, so why not feature some families that are working on goals that pertain to a different season of life?
*The families: I have a few individuals/families lined up to work with me on this little endeavor and I'm so excited to introduce them to you, just not yet! ;) Patience! But I'm looking for some more! Maybe it's YOU!
~What it'll involve:
-A quick bio, picture, a brief sharing of your financial story {primarily focusing on your goals, ways you're working toward them right now}.
-{Depending on the number of participants} A monthly/bi- or tri-monthly update on how you've been doing on your goals. What's worked well, what hasn't, how you're feeling about your situation, that kind of thing. {I will "interview" you each time there is an update}.
-Honesty. This is I'm sure the hardest one. It's easy to hide and pretend things are different then they seem, but once your truth is out there, then the hiding is over. I promise you, it's such a relief to stop living a "lie", but I also understand it's hard to be open about some of this stuff. I'll never ask you to give any information you're unwilling to share {it's totally up to you}. For the purpose of this project, though, some things will need to be shared {at least a ball park figure}.
~What's in it for you:
-A chance to make a difference in someone else's life, for your story to be away other's find their own strength to move forward too.
-To be celebrated for your success, I'm hoping that other readers will come along side of you and encourage you on your way to your final destination.
-Get accountability to stay focused on your goals. Hopefully knowing we'll be "checking in" will help keep you motivated to finish strong and actually meet your goal.
-Your blog will be linked up and highlighted each time you are featured.
If you're interested in being a part of this, please leave me a comment with your email and I'll be in touch with you about setting things up. I'm looking forward to hearing your stories!
Also, I'm always looking for some guest bloggers, so if you're ever available to partner with me in that area, I'd love to hear from you too! Again, just leave me a comment with your email and I'll be in touch.
Thanks for being an amazing group of readers! I'm looking forward to learning from you & featuring YOUR story!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Garden Update
I haven't hardly blogged at all about our garden this year. So, in order to give you a quick update on how things are coming along, here are some pictures to show the progress! :)
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| A record growth of blackberries! |
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| We are looking forward to carving this pumpkin in October. It's gotten SO big! |
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| Fresh Watermelon. Little princess has been excited about this all summer! |
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| Yay! Lots of peppers--finally. This is the first year our peppers have done so well. |
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| We have a TON of pickling cucumbers. Again, a record year. We've already canned 8 jars. |
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| Corn is almost ready! |
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| The sunflowers have already hit their prime. :-/ Now they're just droopy. |
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| My favorite garden food! Love all those red tomatoes heading into my kitchen! |
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| Look at that handful. :) YUM! There you have it! A quick garden update. I'm sure in the next couple of weeks they'll be even more, lots of canning in the days ahead! :) |
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