Strawberry Gorgonzola Salad

C & I have a favorite restaurant in Starkville that serves an amazing Strawberry Gorgonzola Salad, and we've been meaning to try to make it ourselves for months now! Well, I finally did it a few nights ago and it was too yummy not to share. I'm serious, friends...this salad is absolutely DEVINE and I'm not really a salad fan!!

Strawberry Gorgonzola Salad

~ Equal parts Spinach & Italian Blend Lettuce

*If you don't buy the bagged salad, the Italian Blend has Romaine & Radicchio in it.*

~1 pint of sliced strawberries (I used about 10-12 large ones)

~ 1-2 handfuls of toasted chopped walnuts

~1 handful of crumbled gorgonzola cheese

~ 2 Tbsp. Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing

*I used Ken's Steakhouse Lite and it was awesome!*

Throw all of the ingredients in a medium sized bowl, and toss. Of course you could use Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing, but I just couldn't find any. And I'm sure you could make your own as well, I'm just lazy :)

Enjoy! I'm telling you, you'll LOVE it!!

This and That

First of all, thank you all so much for your great comments to my last entry! I had lots of laughs, and let out a huge sigh of relief that my honestly didn't scare y'all away :) I heard a lot of, "I thought you had it all together" (which just made me laugh even harder!), and can't tell you how many times I've thought the same of so many of you!! I think the comments spoke for themselves, and made my point for me; that just hearing about/reading/looking at snippets of people's lives doesn't always paint an accurate picture. We all struggle, we all worry about things, we all make decisions that might not always be the greatest, but we're not failures because of it. All too often, I think women (and men) compare themselves to other people and come out thinking that they don't measure up. Are you feelin' me on that one? Or maybe I'm just talking about myself :) But just look at the responses! It was great to share a little bit of everyone's reality with them...I might have to make this honesty post a monthly thing! Ha!

In other news, I'm just about done with all the crafty stuff for Elli's birthday! Yay! I'll be making cupcake shaped cookies as favors, and the cupcakes themselves, the day before the party, and that's really all I have left. Well, that and the pesky paper pom-poms! I finished the ribbon topiaries and OH-MY-GOODNESS!! They turned out sooo cute! I'm not really sure what to do with them after the party though, so if y'all have any suggestions I'm all ears!

Oh, and I wanted to give y'all an update on the whole Couch-to-5K thing. Ummm, not so much. I did the first 2 days, and then completely quit. Boo! After talking to my dad, a fellow non-runner, I decided to try some other forms of exercise & not feel bad that I quit (again!). Running just isn't for me, and I shouldn't force myself to do something that I just truly don't like. So, I've started eating better and I've been seriously eyeing C's P90X videos. Notice I said "eyeing", not "doing". Baby steps guys, baby steps! I have started walking with Elli in our super hilly neighborhood, and I've set a goal to lose 30 lbs by my 30th birthday. That's 7 months, and I'm confident that I can do it. Wish me luck :)

That's about it in our little world. We're gearing up for C's Graduation which is about 2 months away. We're VERY excited about finding out where we'll be heading next!

Imperfection

A friend of mine and I were talking yesterday about how rosy other people's lives seem when they're looked at via Facebook & Blog updates. Don't get me wrong, I love to rejoice with friends when good things happen to them...I just think that the small snippets of life that we get from these outlets aren't necessarily always painting an accurate picture. Know what I mean? And I'm totally guilty of it too, because I'm not sure that anyone wants to hear about the fact that I haven't vacuumed my house in over 2 weeks, or that the hat that I'm wearing isn't a fashion statement but a way to hide my unwashed hair! But then again, is wearing a hat really ever a fashion statement, or do I just tell myself that? Anyway, you get my point!

But I read a blog recently all about eating the proverbial "parenting crow", and it cracked me up!! If you visit, make sure you read the comments as well because they're just as funny :) And The Nester's whole motto is "it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful"...and you all know how much I LOVE her! And all of that got me thinking that maybe, just maybe, people DO want to know about the imperfections in our lives; that it's those imperfections that make us real and approachable.

To that end, I thought I'd give y'all just a little glimpse into my "real" life :) And I'm going to just go ahead and assume that the judgement will be kept to a minimum! Ha!

So, you know how I just said that I haven't vacuumed in 2 weeks? Umm, well it's been closer to 3...or 4. Ugh, I know! I hate vacuuming, I really do! And I question my parenting skills daily. Is this good for E to eat? Should we have more of a schedule? Am I teaching her enough? Is she getting enough interaction? Should she be in classes...music/storytime/etc? And the list goes on (and on and on). I argue with my husband. Luckily he's pretty darn cute and it's hard to stay mad at him! I quit things. A lot of things. And I'm not proud of it. I'm not great at responding to emails, and even worse at returning phone calls. 99% of the time I'm a super supportive military spouse. The other 1% of the time I struggle with the hours, the commitment, and the sacrifices that we all have to make due to C's service...and that's the honest truth. I miss my family and get so homesick sometimes that I cry, and I'm not a pretty crier! Though I should be used to it by now, I still get nervous and intimidated each and every time we go to a new base...but I DO love the "moving" part. I look back at my life and see a lot of mistakes, things I wish I could take back, things I'd do differently. That's not to say that I don't like where I am now, I just recognize that my decisions in getting here weren't always the greatest.

Bottom line is that no one is perfect, and we're not meant to be. I love what Romans 5:8 has to say about it...

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

What are some of your imperfections? Wanna share? It actually kinda felt nice to put it all out there :) Hopefully I haven't run you all off with my honesty...I know it's hard to look past those dirty floors!

Every 6 Seconds...

A Child Dies of Hunger.

About a month ago, our pastor asked our church congregation for volunteers to help pack 20,000 meals for an upcoming Stop Hunger Now event. Though neither Chris, nor I, knew anything about the SHN organization, when we got in the car after that Sunday's service we both felt that our hearts had been stirred. Over the next few weeks we made plans to attend, and began praying about how we might help. About a week ago I watched this video...and I was floored. The stirring that I felt in my heart before was instantly replaced by an absolute NEED to do something.

Yesterday we were given the opportunity to join together with our church community to finally take some action. There were supposed to be 4, hour and a half long shifts...but we completed our goal of packaging 20,000 meals in just 1 hour! Can you believe it?! The SHN organizers brought a big gong, and rang it every time we hit 1,000 meals. Every single time I heard that gong sound, I got chills. When it rang for the 20th time, people cheered. I can't tell you how awesome it was! It amazed me that in just 1 short hour, we were able to accomplish something incredible. One hour...anyone can give one hour, right?!

I really encourage you to look into this organization. You never know, maybe your church/community/workplace/school would want to hold a food packaging event. Maybe your desire to get involved will inspire others to do the same. Maybe the video above touched your heart just like it touched mine, and you just can't turn away without doing something.

Every 6 Seconds....

Life Lately

I'm so excited to report that my little business has been doing really well lately! God has blessed me so abundantly with encouragement and support during these last few weeks. To be perfectly honest, I don't always have a lot of follow-through. I'm easily distracted, highly critical of myself, and have a tendency to give up before I ever really get started. This venture has been no different. There have been numerous times when my first thought was to just do something else, to move on, to quit. And it was in those times of self-doubt that God provided a phone call from a friend, a note from a family member, or an email from a happy customer...and it's made all the difference in the world! Right now I'm working on 3 custom orders (only one of which is related to me! Gotta love that family support!), and I'm having a blast! I've recently added reversible, chenille backed bibs to my inventory. The pic above shows a few of my favorites :)

In case I haven't told you lately, my little girl is turning 1 in less than a month!! CAN NOT get over it! In my attempt to save a little money, I've been trying to make my own paper pom-pom's. The pic above is of my first 2 attempts...not too bad, but I'm a perfectionist at heart and I have a feeling that our house will be covered with these little guys before I'm satisfied with the 4 that I'm planning on using. Way to save money, huh?! Here is the tutorial I'm using, feel free to try your hand at your own pom-poms. Gotta be honest, they're not quite as easy as they look!

I'm also going to attempt to make this little cutie! Go HERE for the tutorial on how to make a Ribbon Topiary like the one above. I LOVE that it matches the colors for Elli's birthday, so mine should look pretty similar.

As I stated in my last post, my daughter is finally not completely shoe-less anymore! I bought these adorable sandals on sale the other day for $10! They're perfect for church (which is really the only place that she wears them), and she actually doesn't seem to mind having them on her feet. The soles do bend all the way back (I was sure to test them out after some good blog advice!), and the heel strap is really loose. I kinda wish I could find some in my size :)

And it's that time again....time to move furniture b/c I'm getting antsy! We've been in this house for a little over a year now, and I'm starting to feel the need to move. Weird, I know. So, I've been "shopping the house" (Thanks Nester!), and have been redecorating without spending any money. Chris is so proud! I'll post pics when I'm satisfied with the results...right now, I'm still letting the changes sink in!

And that's it; our life lately. What's been going on in yours?

Joining the Crowd

There are very few things that I hate...running is one of them. I've been guilty, in the past, of claiming that I just can't do it. Granted, my asthma does give me major issues (especially when it's cold outside), but it doesn't quite make it impossible...much to my disappointment. I just plain don't like it. I don't like the side cramps, the tightness in my chest, the sweating, or the fact that I get bored after exactly 2 minutes.

But, do you know what I hate even more? Feeling completely out of shape, and unhealthy. I think I've made excuses long enough; though the heat index sitting at 118 yesterday is more of a health risk than an excuse, really. I was actually pretty proud of myself for losing the "baby weight" so quickly after Elli was born. But now, 11 months later, I've regained 10 of those lbs and I'm feeling pretty...well, un-proud. I turn 30 this year (EEK!!), and I want to feel GREAT about myself. I want to be as healthy as I am happy, and I think if I can just get past my running issues I can easily accomplish that.

I have lots of friends who are runners. I mean, hard-core, 1/2 and full marathon, runners. And while I have to admit that I do think they may all be a little bit crazy, they seem to be in great shape (go figure!) & to have a great time doing it. And lately, everyone keeps raving about this Couch to 5K thing, and I can't help but feel like I'm might be missing out on some big secret. I mean, maybe there is something to this...could there really be hope for me and my running hatred? So I researched it a little bit, and I think it looks do-able. Unfortunately, I might be getting up at 3am to beat the heat, but all good things come with a little bit of sacrifice right? I'm starting tomorrow, I'm joining the crowd. And who knows, maybe by the end I'll actually be able tolerate a leisurely jog!

What are some of your exercise tips, and when do you find time to work-out? Is running a strength for you, or are you more like me...someone who would rather eat lima beans than do sprints?! And what do you do with your kiddo's (if you have them) while you focus on your health? Around here, the only place that even accepts kids is the Y, and they charge $3/hour for their Childwatch Program. If I went everyday, it'd be $60/month on top of my regular monthly dues...not exactly cost friendly!! I'd love to hear some of your solutions, you guys always have great ideas!

Happy 11 Month Birthday, Elliana!!

I think I was so in denial about Elli actually turning 11 months old, that I completely forgot what day it was! I went through almost the whole day on Sunday thinking that it was the 31st, and it kinda made me sad when I realized that I hadn't sung the "happy month birthday" song to her that morning. Umm, now that I'm thinking about it, Chris would probably have told me to keep that little tidbit to myself...he totally accepts my craziness, but I'm sure he's a little worried about what other people might think! Ha!

So our little girl is 11 months old now, learning new things seemingly every day, and is more fun than I ever imagined! She's wearing size 12-18 month clothes, size 3 diapers, and size 3 shoes (I finally bought some for her the other day! Poor girl!). She's a pro at crawling, and is crazy fast when she wants to be. She's not really interested in trying to walk, but loves to stand...both holding onto things and on her own. She also likes to climb, and it makes me a little nervous!! We'll be moving her mattress to the lowest level in her crib this weekend b/c our little monkey doesn't want to be confined!

Miss E's eyes are still bright blue, and I think her hair will be strawberry blonde. There are times when it looks almost totally red, but in the sun it's a lot lighter. She said her first word the other day (besides Mama & Dada), and can you guess what it was? Puppy!! So cute! She saw one on America's Funniest Home Videos, and she just said it like it was nothing. Took us completely by surprise!

She is eating more and more "big girl food", and takes a Sippy cup easily now...though I still give her a bottle with her dinner at night. And she now has three teeny teeth, all on the bottom! She loves to be read to (especially at night), loves the water, seeing animals, knocking over her blocks, getting things "out" of other things (purses/bags/etc.), and sitting in Daddy's lap. She gets excited when she hears the Mickey Mouse song, and starts bobbing her little head & dancing. Her new "tricks" are sharing her toys w/ Mommy (when I ask), nodding her head "yes", playing peek-a-boo with whoever is in the room, and dropping a ball to make it bounce (she giggles uncontrollably when it works!).

These last 11 months have flown by! Each new day brings something different to discover, and it is such fun getting to experience that with her. She's such a sweet girl, and we've had so much fun watching her grow :)