Pinnable Me Friday!

This week I decided to feature a couple of successful Pinterest projects/ideas.

In my first Pinnable Me Friday post, I featured this set of DIY candle holders that used old jars, twine and spray paint, and last night the girls from our small group got together and attempted this project.  We decided to use the frosted glass spray paint instead of the white and I think they turned out pretty neat!  Even the boys (who went to a shooting range while we had our craft night) were impressed!

Here is Ali doing a test run with the spray paint.

Christy is pregnant, so we made sure she took safety precautions while we were using the spray paint!

I had a heck of a time getting the twine to stay in place as I wrapped it around my jars, so I was a little bit skeptical about mine were going to turn out.

And finally, the finished products!  This is Christy's set.  She's an interior designer, so she got all creative with her bows...

And Ali's set...

And my set...

We grouped them all together and decided they make the biggest statement when there are more than three.  I will probably display mine at Christmas so I will definitely need to make maybe eight to ten more to really create a dramatic look.

When the boys got home, we were teasing them that we had set the mood for a romantic, candlelit evening!  Ha!!

We also enjoyed a few appetizers for dinner prior to our "activities" and I used another Pinterest idea, Nutella Fruit Dip, which I posted here.

All I did was mix 1 cup of non-fat Greek yogurt with about a half a jar of Nutella and let it chill overnight.  Then, I served it with fresh fruit and Angel Food cake.  It was delicious and a definite keeper!

Happy Friday and Happy Pinning!

Getting Closer

Earlier this week, I mentioned how much I miss working in the flower shop and yesterday, I found out I could be one step closer to filling that void!  No, I'm not quitting my job.  A few months ago I read this article in our local newspaper and today I finally stopped by the store and got a little more information. 

For those who don't want to read the article, Roots and Bloom is a floral wholesaler who just opened up to the public.  They offer wholesale prices to anyone, not just flower shops and designers, on flowers, supplies, and containers.  They also sell green plants.  They work directly with the growers so they are able to get any flower with at least two weeks notice.  Pretty awesome huh?

It gets better, though.  They have opened up space in their building for freelance designers to come in and work at NO CHARGE!  And, as long as the designer purchases their flowers from Roots and Bloom, they can store their arrangements for free.  The stations include floral knives and shears and then all the designer has to pay for is the supplies that are used and the flowers.  The staff is also willing to help arrange if the designer needs extra hands.  This would have been so nice to have when I did my friend's wedding a few years ago or when I worked on some arrangements for a destination wedding reception last summer.

However, I left my little tour feeling pretty excited about the possibility of getting back into the floral world in some form.  So, I started making a mental list of things I could do "on the side":

• Party/Shower Arrangements - birthday, anniversary, baby, wedding
• Small Weddings
• Church Events
• Holiday/Seasonal Arrangements
• Dinner Party Centerpieces

Of course, I still need to figure out how to spread the word and how to charge for my time, but those are just "minor details"!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

{Taken Monday morning before work.}

An eternal promise!

Tuesday Brain Dump

• Lately, I've really been missing the flower shop world.  I follow a local flower shop on Twitter and they are always posting pictures of such fun creations and it makes me miss playing with all of the beautiful flowers.
• I made this recipe last night and it was an epic FAIL!  I will be removing it from my Pinterst board soon.
• My mom and I are taking a mother-daughter trip in October and I got my vacation days approved today.  Looking forward to a fun girls-only weekend in one of my favorite parts of the country - North Carolina!
• I'm becoming more and more thankful for KKG everyday.  Last night at Bunco, we had a substitute player who was a friend of one of my friends and I knew she looked familiar and then we realized we were in the house at the same time.  Crazy how small the world is and how many connections I have made through the sorority.  Even though I got annoyed with sorority life at one point, it really was an awesome place to meet people and anytime I run into another KKG we are always able to strike up conversations.  
• Speaking of running into people from my past, my 10 year high school reunion is coming up in a few weeks.  It will be interesting to reconnect with my classmates.  I wonder if we'll talk about life now or life then...  My guess is the latter!
• I'm so tired of Summer and so ready for Fall.  I'm tired of the weather and I'm tired of my summer wardrobe.  I'm ready to make Fall food and I'm ready for football.  I'm also ready for the Fall TV lineup.
• I had a coupon for Aveeno body wash so I decided to try it out and I must admit, I don't really like it.   The spout gets clogged up and it doesn't get very frothy.
• Just when we got rid of our Netflix subscription, a bunch of movies come out that I want to watch.  I guess I will wait until they are available on On-Demand.

That is all for now.  Have a lovely day!

Toto, Are We Still in Kansas?

Does anyone recognize this place?  If I didn't know any better, I would think it was anywhere but the plains of Kansas, let alone Southwest Kansas!

This past weekend, we went to Brandon's home town to visit his parents.  His mom had told us a week or so ago that we were going on a field trip when we visited, but she would not tell us where we were going.  Needless to say, we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived at our destination to find the Chalk Pyramids.  I had no idea this place even existed, so I was definitely excited to shocked to see these massive Earth formations towering over the landscape!

I thought this picture with the truck really showed the scale of these formations.

 
And yes, Koby (and Samson - not pictured) got to go along on the trip and absolutely loved running around!

We couldn't have asked for a better day to be outside.  The weather was beautiful and there was no wind, which is an exception in Southwest Kansas!

Aww!  Our cute little family :)

Yep!  That's Brandon's head.  He crawled up a set of "steps" and was peeking through the crevice.

And then it was Craig's turn!

 

After we finished crawling around the Chalk Pyramids, we headed back towards town and had a picnic lunch at Scott Park, one of Brandon's childhood summer hang out spots.  Again, the weather was perfect so we just relaxed by the water and enjoyed our lunch!

This was definitely a great way to spend a Saturday!  Now, I've decided we need to take more day trips to see more of our state's hidden treasures.

Pinnable Me Friday - Menu Planning

This week, I decided to use Pinterest to get inspiration for my meal planning.  Most of these are main dish ideas so I listed what I intend to serve on the side below the pictures. 

Meal Idea #1

Source: budgetbytes.blogspot.com via Tessa on Pinterest

Source: kalynskitchen.blogspot.com via Tessa on Pinterest

I thought the Asian inspired chicken strips would go nicely with the peanut noodle salad and would make great leftovers to take to work the next day.

Meal Idea #2

Source: find.myrecipes.com via Tessa on Pinterest

This isn't the most low-fat recipe, but I thought it sounded good and Brandon even gave the go-ahead!  I will probably make some kind of salad to serve on the side - cucumber & tomato or just a tossed green salad.


Meal Idea #3

Source: thekitchn.com via Tessa on Pinterest

We like pork chops but I have a hard time figuring out different ways to cook them and this recipe stuck out to me.  I think I will serve sweet potato cakes and some kind of veggie on the side.

Honorable Mention Meal Idea

Source: candcmarriagefactory.com via Tessa on Pinterest

This one didn't make it on the menu for this week because we already had a pork dish, but I think this sounds awesome and plan to make it very soon!

Happy Pinning!

On My Heart

A lot of times I end up blogging about the frivolous things in life because I typically view my blog as a light hearted space to share ideas or my latest and greatest recipe.  However, my blog is also a place to journal about our journey through life.  And one important part of the journey, is our (Brandon and myself) relationship with Christ.  I know I've mentioned our small group here and there, and I've probably mentioned a sermon or two that has stuck out to me, but what I have not mentioned, at least in detail, is our personal relationship with Him.

Personal relationships vary so much from person to person, but when it all gets boiled down, it is simply a loving relationship that far exceeds any earthly relationship.  Sometimes it is hard to fathom how much Christ loves us, despite our faults and our mistakes, but that is the beauty of a realtionship with Him.  Christ is willing to look past all of that as long as we are committed to obeying Him and honoring Him. 


With that said, one way I stay connected is through Bible verses.  It is amazing how I can read a verse multiple times and each time I take away something different.  I know a lot of that is determined by what is going on my life at the moment and what applies to that circumstance.  So today, I wanted to share a few verses that have stuck out to me lately:

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 (My life verse)

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promisted to those who love him.  James 1:12

Sometimes, life is difficult and it is easy to forget just how much God loves and cares for us.  Today, I encourage you to rest in the fact that His love is everlasting and will never leave us! 


**Editors Note**  This post is not meant to drag anyone down, but to lift your spirits!! 



Impromptu BBQ?

We had plans to go out to dinner with a couple of friends on Saturday night, but after some consideration decided to host these friends, plus a couple of others, for an impromptu bbq.  It was a nice evening and we felt like we could hang out a little easier at our house than if we went to a restaurant.  Plus, I love hosting people in our home!

Since I had not planned to make anything, I had to turn to my kitchen cabinets for a little inspiration.  I knew two things: we had the meat covered (our freezer is always stocked with meat) and I didn't want to actually "cook" anything because the oven heats up the house.  After a little bit of digging, I realized I had most of the ingredients for a cold spaghetti salad and corn dip, a famous bbq staple.  I also knew I wanted to make this sangria that I found on Pinterest, so I did have to go to the store for a couple of items.  And in full disclosure, I ended up leaving one of my grocery bags at the store...oops!  Thankfully, Brandon was sweet enough to go fetch it for me after I realized it didn't make it in the car.

One thing I try to keep in mind when hosting is to not fret about what to make.  In this situation I just fell back on tried and true recipes that didn't take a lot of time to prepare.  I think sometimes it is easy to stay away from hosting because of all the work that it can require, but it is important to keep in mind that you don't have to make a big fuss to host a fun and enjoyable party!  Oh yeah, I used paper plates and plastic utensils, as well.

Here are the two recipes that I whipped up:

Cold Spaghetti Salad

1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
1 carton cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cucumber, diced
1 small can sliced black olives
1/2 red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
Italian dressing (I used the dry dressing mix and made my own)
Grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Break spaghetti into thirds and cook according to package directions.  While spaghetti is cooking, chop your vegetables and mix up your dressing.  Drain the cooked spaghetti and rinse with cold water.  Combine all ingredients, except cheese, in a large bowl and toss to combine.  Cover and refrigerate until serving.  Just before serving, top with grated Parmesan cheese. 

Spicy Corn Dip

1/2 c. sour cream (I used reduced fat)
1/2 c. mayo (I used fat free)
1 11oz. can Mexicorn, drained
1 11 oz. can yellow corn, drained
1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp. garlic salt

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.  Serve with Fritos or corn tortilla chips.

Pinnable Me Friday - Dips!

I have a "Yum Yum Yum!" Pinterest board that I post delicious looking recipes to, in hopes of trying them all at some point.  As I was looking through my collection, I realized I've posted several dips recipes so today, I'm going to share a few with you.

I'm a big fan of 7-Layer dip, but Brandon is not a big fan of refried beans so this dip satisfies both of us.  

Source: browneyedbaker.com via Tessa on Pinterest

Nutella + Greek Yogurt = Need I Say More?  I plan to make this dip and serve it with fresh strawberries and vanilla wafers for a small group get-together that we have coming up soon.

Source: blogs.babble.com via Tessa on Pinterest

Call me old-fashion, but I love a good cheeseball and this one seems like a fun twist on an old classic.

Source: thegalleygourmet.net via Tessa on Pinterest

Forget the french onion dip that you buy in the carton.  This homemade version is so easy and blows the store-bought variety out of the water!

Source: thecuttingedgeofordinary.blogspot.com via Tessa on Pinterest

Happy Friday!

A Good Day

Who knew what a nice rain shower and a break in the 100 degree temperatures could do for my attitude.  This morning, we woke up to a gentle rain shower coupled with large claps of thunder and it was like music to our ears.  The gentle rain quickly turned into big rain drops and by the time I left for work, it was coming down in sheets.  And I couldn't have been happier!

The cool temperatures that lingered around for the day were a reminder that Fall, my favorite season of all, is on its way.  The clearing skies and slight crispness in the air added a little pep in my step as I was reminded why I'm thankful I live in Kansas...the promise of changing seasons!

Another bonus for the day was that today was National S'mores Day and as promised, we did take the opportunity to celebrate.  Brandon humored me as he fought to get the fire started.  I don't think he was quite as excited about this holiday as I was.  Thankfully, he's a good sport and we enjoyed our gooey, melty treats!

Today was definitely a good day.  I find we often get caught up in the stresses of life and forget to celebrate the small things, no matter how trivial they may seem.  I encourage you to celebrate something small this week!