Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. reminders of lessons that I have learned from Eat Pray Love
2. music - we stopped our cable service last summer so music has played a bigger part in my life. And I had really forgotten how much I enjoy it. Which is why I started posting music on Monday's as I am enjoying so many artists.
3. cinnamon and sugar
4. tears
5. Michael always being here for me no matter what....even when I am having a melt down.

Brilliant Women

Tara Sophia Mohr is an inspiring woman whose blog I enjoy reading. She has a post called 10 Rules for Brilliant Women that I love!

"6. Question the voice that says “I’m not ready yet.” I know, I know. Because you are so brilliant and have such high standards, you see every way that you could be more qualified. You notice every part of your idea that is not perfected yet. While you are waiting to be ready, gathering more experience, sitting on your ideas, our friends referenced in rule five are being anointed industry visionaries, getting raises, and seeing their ideas come to life in the world. They are no more ready than you, and perhaps less. Jump in the sandbox now, and start playing full out. Find out just how ready you are."

I really felt all of them were so good to read and read again and again but the one above is one that I get stuck on where I feel at times - "hey maybe I am not qualified as I should be.....or maybe I should wait until it is more perfect..." When is ready? I am ready. I can't wait for ready. I need to just move. And that is why I took The Art of Action class. And it has helped me move forward. I just am still getting stuck at times. And hope that I can keep - pulling myself out of unstuck. And move forward. Because I am ready.

1,2,3,4

Cleaning Supplies

Since it was Earth Day yesterday it has made me think of all the ways I have done better in going green the past year and what ways I want to do better for the next. I know there are a lot more things I want to do.

But one thing I do is use all natural cleaning products. I think it has been about 3 years ago now that I started going to all natural cleaning products - homemade cleaning products. Growing up my Mom cleaned with vinegar a lot and I have used it on and off all my life too. I just decided to use it more and add things to it to make it more of an all-purpose cleaner.

I now have sitting on the counter 1 shaker with baking soda, 1 spray bottle with straight vinegar, 1 with hydrogen peroxide and then 1 with the following mixture. All of which I use to clean.

All-Purpose Spray
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 tsp liquid dish soap or something like Dr. Bonner's liquid soap
10 drops of essential oil (citrus, peppermint, or tea tree - I use tea tree and lemon)
water - to fill spray bottle

Mix ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake before use.

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. lists to help me keep track of everything going on right now
2. Harry Potter - I had never read the books or watched the movies - I have no seen all the movies and read the first book and look forward to reading the rest of the books. Enjoying the series!
3. holding hands with Michael
4. watching our kitty cats snuggle
5. my friend Jessica - she is an amazing friend and I am so blessed to have her in my life. I am very thankful I was able to visit her last year too.

Chris Jordan

Art by Chris Jordan - Paper Cups, 2008

Depicts 410,000 paper cups, equal to the number of disposable hot-beverage paper cups used in the US every fifteen minutes.

I really enjoyed looking through the whole series....all the numbers associated with the items creating the patterns.

Pudding Pops

Source: endlesssimmer.com via Shannon on Pinterest

Recipe Here: Chocolate and Salted Caramel Pudding Pops

The Snow it Melts the Soonest

I posted a Sting song on March 21st. I have been listening to him a lot lately. I am sure it is a combination of reasons - but one is that my Uncle really liked Sting. And we are coming upon the anniversary of his death. And so I have been thinking about him a lot. It is still some time away. But early last year is when we found out about his cancer and then end of March/beginning of April is when I traveled to Minnesota to see him for the last time. So lots of thoughts of him and missing him very much. Thinking of my Aunt and my cousin often in times like this as I can't imagine all the feelings they must be going through. So my thoughts and prayers are sent to them daily as I think of my Uncle too.

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. Penzey's spices - we were able to take a quick trip into Penzeys while here in Denver. Picked up some for a good friend too.
2. Breakfast for Dinner
3. Moonlight drives
4. Safe trips to Denver and back home
5. Time with friends last weekend

Time Away

We were able to take some time away this weekend to have a lunch with friends. Michael has been so busy with work that I know he needed the break. And I have been caught up in stuff around the house so it was nice to get out.

Really we want to go do a day trip around here locally but we just haven't had the time. Hopefully in early May some time we can get away. A friend, who just moved to the area, wants to go with to see more of this of the state.

Also we would like to go to Iowa this summer to see my niece. We haven't met her officially yet. And I would like to before she graduates. :) It is just hard to get away when having your own business. It takes all Michael's time and with how bad things were last year - we are just so thankful for how busy things have been this year. And Michael is just working really hard. Not knowing how things will be 6 months from now we just have to be grateful of the work that is coming in right now. And we are very grateful. But that also means we don't get to plan trips very easily. But it is our hope to get to Iowa over the summer when my sister isn't working and be able to spend time with her and her family. And meet my precious niece.

Nicest Things

Brene Brown Again

Brene Brown interview on How She Really Does It

I really can't get enough of her speaking. Anytime I find her online, I try to listen.

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. being able to reach out when I needed someone
2. Big Bang Theory - Michael and I are watching it right now and loving Sheldon. We don't have TV but watch DVD's of TV shows. The show reminds me of Michael often - I love nerds!
3. laughter
4. chocolate
5. Spring flowers

Party Idea

I think this is just a cute idea would be so simple and inexpensive for a party. Could double as place cards by writing names on them too.

Source: sewmanyways.blogspot.com via Darby on Pinterest

One of the Days

Just how I am feeling....it is one of those days and needing a little time for myself.

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. friends who get me
2. eye drops as my eyes are driving me crazy with allergies
3. pandora.com
4. escapism in Cityville
5. humming along to music

Forgetful

Just a list of life...

* Taking an e-course - well trying too - been fitting it in around other things. It has been incredibly inspiring and has had so much useful information. It is overwhelming though too.

* My brain is on information overload with everything I am trying to get in there and remember. My focus and just remembering things has been really hard for me lately. I have to write everything down. I have to save everything. I have to keep everything so that I can go over it again and again. It is very frustrating. I used to be one of these people that you tell me something and I will remember it forever. Now I don't. It is odd the things that stick but the majority of things don't stick.

* I haven't had to use my inhaler for over 2 years (I have asthma) and about 3 weeks ago I started needing it daily. Last week to 10 days ago - I started needing it 4 to 6 times a day. So I called to make a doctor appointment and my doctor was booked up for 2 weeks but they have a new doctor starting there and asked if I wanted to see her. And so I said yes. I mean I can't breath what choice do I have. My doctor and my therapist are right in the same clinic. So last week when I went to see my therapist, my doctor saw me come in. And so I told him I couldn't get into see him and was having asthma problems. He came right back to my therapist office with me and listened to me breathe, talked to me a bit and called me in a new prescription for an inhaler since mine was OLD. (no charge for seeing me either.) We think it is just a bad allergy season but it is odd - that I haven't had to use it in 2 years and now have had to use it so much. But it has calmed down in the last 4 days - so that is good. I just am so thankful for the great health care providers I have because really I don't know what I would do without them.

* We have been in Denver a lot this past month. It was a lot of up and back so it felt rushed. But it had to be that way because of business. And also our little boy cat is having bad allergies too so he is on an allergy pill schedule so we had to get back to stay on that so that he doesn't have set backs. So we did a lot of drives back in the moonlight which was actually kind of nice. And the roads were very empty. But on our way over the last time the weather was kind of bad and we saw 3 cars off the road even one totally flipped. We came out of the tunnel and could barely see the car in front of us so it was very scary. But it cleared up not to far away but it weird because it hadn't been bad and then all of sudden is bad and all these cars off the road and then it was fine again.

* In between traveling, Michael and I had a chance to meet some friends I have known online for years. I have known the woman of the couple for many years and they were thinking of moving to Grand Junction so we met for the first time face to face when they were in town. It was so nice to met her/them. They were so nice and we had a great time with them! But their plans for moving here fell through as his allergies were so bad here. The junipers were making it impossible for him to breath. And as I said above my allergies have been the worst this year so I could totally relate to that and didn't blame them for not wanting to move here. They are retired and want to stay in Colorado but just don't want to stay up in the mountains where they are as it is too much maintenance for them. So although I understand not moving here - it did make me sad. We all got along so well - it would have been really nice to have them here. She does have family here though so I know we will see them again thankfully.

.... So life has been busy. And moving along. Sometimes too fast so I should try to capture some moments so that I don't forget them.

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

I saw this recipe first on Baked Bree and then also on Tasty Kitchen. And it looked so easy and with ingredients that I have on hand always.




For the cake:
1 stick butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups (16-ounces) sour cream
3 cups flour
1 teapoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

For the middle and top:
1 bag chocolate chips
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine all of the cake batter ingredients. Mix for 1 minute at low speed; mix 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour 1/2 of batter into greased pan. Generously sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over batter, making sure to get the corners, and then sprinkle with 1/2 bag of chocolate chips. Pour remaining cake batter on top and spread across bottom layer. Repeat with cinnamon and sugar and chocolate chips.
Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs.

NOTES: Be sure to check this cake around the 30 minute mark as you don't want to over bake it. It was a super moist cake. My middle part didn't seem to be noticed that much. There were some chips of course but I couldn't taste the cinnamon-sugar. And after putting lid on this cake the moister make the crispy cinnamony top become moist. I liked it more crispy so not sure if baking it a little longer would help keep it crispy. But over all this was a good cake. Nothing fabulous but good solid cake recipe that was easy to make and great because I have all the ingredients on hand almost all the time so could be made spur of the moment if needed.


(if you want the printer button to work click on the title of the recipe at the top of the post and then click the print button)

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Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. all the work the business is getting. I am so very grateful for that.
2. saving money with coupons
3. the color pink
4. lemon grass essential oil
5. talking with friends on the phone