mindfulness

A Summer Snack

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We have found ourselves surrounded by fresh veggies.  They lay on every flat surface of our kitchen and sunroom right now and I have been trying to find clever ways to eat this plethora of veg in the freshest way possible.

The biggest issue I seem to run into with my little ones is they need to have the vegetables prepared and ready to go if they are going to eat them.  So, this week I decided whip up a really quick and simple tzatziki dip with cucumbers from our garden.  I then slice up a bunch “dippable” vegetables (carrots, sweet peppers, small tomatoes) and store them in a sealed container.  Now any time a member of the family gets that urge to snack, there is a nice healthy snack waiting for them in the fridge.

{A little work from a friendly fairy always helps a bit too 🙂 }

For my tzatziki, I mix together:  Greek yogurt, cucumbers (seeds removed and diced), fresh or dried oregano, onion powder, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper.  I just taste along the way and adjust my amounts accordingly.

Market

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Each week we attend a variety of markets.  So, today I thought I’d give a bit of a photo journey through one of our trips to the market.  Complete with locally brewed beer, fresh wood-oven pizza, and lots and lots of community fun.

{Photo by my 5 year old…the blossoming photographer}

At This Moment

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At this moment I am…

~glancing out my kitchen window at the garden and all of the weeds that need to be picked today.

~preparing for yet another garden extension after being inspired at this past weekend’s Heritage Garden Festival.  (Check out this link:  Our family was photographed for our local newspaper when we were attending the festival 🙂 )

~mustering up some motivation to do quite a bit of laundry today.  The pile seems extremely tall and overwhelming on this Monday morning.

~thankful for the crisp morning air.  Something we have not felt in a very, very long time.

~planning activities for the last few weeks of summer.  Where did it go?

~priming the kitchen for a day of tomato sauce making.  Our tomatoes are coming out in full force right now.

~wishing you all a wonderful week filled with fabulous memories!

Grandma Dit’s Carrot Cake

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There is something about old recipe cards that I just adore.  Maybe it’s the handwriting of those who have gone before us. Or maybe it’s the tiny notations scribbled in the corners of the cards, making note of adaptations to the recipe that worked or did not work for the previous maker of this recipe.  No matter what the reason though, I adore making recipes from these small pieces of paper dotted with vanilla stains and creased corners.

Last night for our family’s weekly Tuesday Night Dinner, I rifled through my mom’s recipe box for the coveted carrot cake recipe that my Grandma Dietmeier was famous for.  I made a few adjustments of my own to this fabulous recipe and came out with a yummy little cake that was a big hit at the gathering last night.

(This is the secret to Grandma’s carrot cake recipe:  2 jars of carrot baby food!  It makes the cake extra moist, and adds even more great carrot flavor.)

Grandma Dit’s Carrot Cake

Mix together in a large bowl:

1 1/2 cups oil

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 cups shredded fresh carrots

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 small jars of carrot baby food

In a separate bowl, mix together:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Add the dry ingredients to the wet.  Mix well.  Pour batter into a 9 X 13 inch baking dish.  Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cream Cheese Frosting:  Cream together 8 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 4 cups powdered sugar.  Frost the cake once it is cooled.

Enjoy!

Nook

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All of us mamas need our space now and again.  A place where we can just sit, and be still.  These times don’t seem to come often, but when they do arise it is so very nice to have a place to call our own.

Last week, my girls and I were completely worn out by the extreme heat, so we decided to spend an afternoon in the basement.  Once we were in this nice, cool space for an extended period of time, we realized the place needed a little pick me up.  We spent the afternoon organizing, all while Belle (aka Beauty) and her gang sang to us in the background.  When we were finished I realized that maybe, just maybe, there was a way I could set up my sewing machine in the basement in a permanent space.

The girls and I got back to work and moved furniture around a bit, which they loved because we discovered lots of lost treasures hidden beneath couch cushions and tables.  And we also realized there was, in fact, a bit of space available amongst the chaos for a tiny sewing nook.

I shared this idea with my mother and father-in-law and to my absolute surprise, three days later my father-in-law had built me an absolutely fabulous sewing table!  He is one crafty guy I tell you.  So I then went rummaging through my parents’ basement, found an old abandoned chair, painted it and now I have a cute little space to call my own.

I can’t wait to start my first project 🙂

Friendship

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This morning when my alarm woke me at 5 am, I was shocked to hear the sound of rain pounding down upon the roof above me.  Wonderful precious rain, finally.  So instead of leaping immediately out of bed to start my day, I decided to lie there a bit longer, thanking God for this storm that He has brought us.  From this place of gratitude, my mind began to wander to the fabulous weekend my family and I just shared with a wonderful group of friends.

It is amazing to me how strange, small circumstances, brought us all together nearly 13 years ago.   And those seemingly meaningless situations have carried us to this point of true friendship.  These women are people I have worked with, learned with, and lived with.  I have shared my passions and fears with them.  So many times we place so much emphasis on our family, those people that are related to us biologically through the blood we share.  But the bonds of friendship can be just as strong as those familial ties, and that line then blurs between family and friend.

We have now added so many beautiful children to the mix, and it is always amazing to me that at these gatherings, despite the fact that many of them have not seen each other in over a year, they seem to have a shared bond.  It is a miracle to watch these tiny people, mold lifelong friendships through their play.  Their reckless abandon and ease in which they interact with one another is breathtaking.  There is no awkward point where they are shy or uncomfortable, like so many adults often are upon first meeting or after not seeing someone for an extended period of time.  Instead, they fall instantly in step with one another as if this is something they do each and every day.

True friendship is so difficult to come upon, and this weekend brought this concept back into the light for me.  I am so very thankful for these women, their husbands, and their babies.  Our family.

At This Moment

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At this moment I am…

~thankful for a wonderful weekend filled with old friends, lots of children, wonderful chaos and lots of laughter.

~excited to watch my little ones at their swimming lessons again this week.

~creating my new “sewing nook.”

~praying for rain.  We need rainfall so very, very badly these days.

~preparing for the influx of tomatoes about to come to fruition this week.

~looking out my kitchen window at my garden, and willing myself to become motivated to weed today.

~excited (for some strange reason) to clean the house today.  Maybe it’s the new vacuum I just bought.  It’s the little things in life right 🙂

~wishing you all a wonderful week filled with wonderful moments!