Monday Links

(Crosbi at the farmer's market)

I'm a bit behind on my blog reading thanks to the great weather we've been having. I feel like just typing those words is rubbing it in to all of my Missouri friends and family who have been stuck inside because of an ice storm. Hopefully spring will start making its way to the Midwest soon. And I shouldn't get too excited about the weather. I am in Tennessee after all, and it could start snowing before I finish writing this.

I did manage to spot a few things that caught my eye.

We're currently giving our playroom a makeover, but I wish I had seen this one. The striped rug is my favorite.

Soon we'll be thinking of taking the glider out of Crosbi's room. I wonder if she would like a no-sew teepee in its place.

Crosbi was a bit too little this year, but next year I definitely want to throw a Valentine's Happy Heart party for the kiddos in my life.

I'm currently reading this book and this book. At the same time. They couldn't be more different from each other, but both so, so good. I'll be writing a lot more about the first book in the weeks to come. Maybe the second one too!

As mothers, we've all had those days. Such great perspective on parenting. 

And just for fun, I started following @leesamantha on Instagram. She makes the coolest art out of food. Seriously.

Happy Monday!

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Monday Links

I just returned home from a long weekend visit to North Carolina to see family. I really had a great time. One day we're playing at the park overlooking a gorgeous lake, the next day we're bundled up watching a snowstorm. And I thought the weather in Tennessee was strange!

On Saturday my mom kept Crosbi so I could have a day to myself. I almost didn't leave because of the snow, but my soul needed it. Are the terrible ones a thing? Could it be that my daughter just wants to get a head start on the terrible twos? She has been Jekyll and Hyde lately and it's wearing me out. I was so thankful for my mom and the much needed mini retreat. I drank cups - yes, cups - of warm chai, drooled over new cookbooks, and took my time doing a little retail therapy. Crosbi got lots of good one-on-one time with her Grandma, and lots of snuggles with her new cousin. It was a win-win.

Later that evening I was telling my mom about how all of my favorite bloggers are releasing their own books, and she asked me how I found all the blogs I read. Good question. The answer is pretty simple. I started reading one blog, that author introduced me to her favorite bloggers, and pretty soon I had a blogroll of 50 go-to blogs. I thought I would start linking to a few of my favorites on the web to repay the favor and to give my mom (and anyone else) some online reading inspiration. In no particular order...

A dare and a promise every woman should read.

I love the idea of capturing One Day and turning it into a photo (or Instagram) book.

Raechel perfectly describes my current relationships with the women in my life here.

This site+app has changed how we eat and grocery shop in my home. I actually enjoy meal planning again!

I think I need to decorate with plates.

Olivia makes February look like the perfect time to visit Charleston. But is there really a bad time?

A cup of tea always hits the spot when reading. I want to give this recipe a try.

xoxo

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Pinterest: It's What's For Dinner

First of all, thank you ladies for your sweet comments on my last post. It was so great to "meet" April and find another great blog to add to my list. Christine encouraged me as always. It was her blog that inspired me to start writing back in 2007 when I was just learning what blogging was all about. Ashley was encouraged to start writing on her blog again as she anxiously awaits the birth of her little boy this summer, and this little blog has allowed me to get to know Todd's cousin Allison, whom I've yet to meet in person. I'm so glad our blogs let us keep in touch and I hope to finally meet her sooner than later!

While I'm giving a little blog love, I need to give a shout-out to Emily, a friend of mine who inspired this post. She has done a great job of blogging about the meals she has made from Pinterest. I know that I've pinned close to 100 recipes at this point, wondering if they're as good as they look, and Emily helps to take out the guess work. She rates the recipes, says what works and what didn't, which recipes need tweaking, etc. So, I thought I'd do the same.

Todd and I are really striving to eat healthier, but these recipes are in no way the healthiest ones on Pinterest. We've gone organic when it comes to milk and most fruits and veggies. Our beef is as organic as it comes (Todd helps butcher it himself!) and we're moving to free range chicken as well. But, we still sneak in easy, stress free recipes because we're trying to stay afloat most days, so no judging!

The photos below are borrowed except for one we managed to take ourselves.

Since I've made more than a dozen of the recipes I've pinned, I'll consider this post part one.

Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings

Super easy recipe. It's made in a crock-pot start to finish. It doesn't get much easier than that. I like the fact that it doesn't need many ingredients, so it's a great go-to when I need to make something with ingredients I have on hand. I add a few more veggies than the recipe calls for. I think I doubled the carrots and I like to add peas, or some other veggie to round it out.


Crispy Cheddar Chicken

Not a bad entree, but I had a hard time getting the cheese to stick to the chicken. There has to be a better way. I think I liked the sauce better than the chicken itself. Not sure if I would make this again.

Rustic Pot Roast Pot Pie

Todd took this photo on his iPhone. To be honest, I tweaked this recipe so much it hardly resembled the original. Believe me, you don't want to stick to the original. I substituted the beer for beef broth and added a ton of veggies. Todd and I both love okra, so I added half a bag of frozen (thawed) okra and other frozen veggies. The recipe said to add potato flakes to the soup mixture to thicken it, but I would have needed to add half the box and I wasn't going for that, so no potato flakes for us. Instead I just added a little bit of cornstarch and strained the soup mixture before adding it to the pie crust. In the end, we both liked my adaptation. I would definitely make my very-tweaked version again.


Bite Sized Baked Brie

Yes. Loved everything about these. Todd's mom and I made these over Christmas and just thinking about them makes my mouth water. You really can't go wrong with Joy the Baker!

There you have it. I'll hopefully have part two ready very soon.

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These Days

I'm reading...

Emerging Mummy. Crosbi wakes up to eat each morning a little before 5am and while she's eating and drifting in and out of sleep, I read Sarah Bessey's blog. I have been challenged so much by her writing and now I look forward to waking early to snuggle with my little girl and soak in Sarah's daily entry. Sarah writes a lot about motherhood, marriage and challenging the church. Sarah's words in a recent post have become a new mantra of mine as I journey through motherhood: my little one imitates the woman I am today, not the woman I was once or hope to be. Who I am right now is who Crosbi will look up to, not the better version of myself I hope to be one day, or the "cooler" version I thought I was five years ago. What great accountability to live in the moment and be truly intentional with my life. Thanks for introducing me to this blog, Allison!

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 I'm listening to...

JJ Heller. If you are a mom, an aunt to a young niece or nephew, a nanny or a volunteer in your church's nursery, I'm insisting that you stop what you're doing, download JJ Heller's "The Boat Song," memorize the words and sing it to the little ones in your life. The first time I really listened to the lyrics, I knew it was the lullaby I would sing to Crosbi from that point on. I sing it to her daily. It is such a sweet song and it puts in words how I feel about my sweet girl.

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I'm eating...

While I'm officially obsessed with Pinterest, largely in part to all of the great recipes, I've had to simplify and put a system together in our house for meal times. A co-worker introduced me to E-Mealz a few months ago and I gave it a shot. Unfortunately after a couple of weeks on the Kroger plan, I realized the menu was filled with lots of dishes Todd and I would never eat, so I canceled my subscription. But then a couple of weeks ago I got an e-mail that E-Mealz now has a Whole Foods plan. I took a glance at the sample menu and it looked great. My trick? I use the Whole Foods Plan but still shop at Kroger (shhh...don't tell anyone!). If I see a meal or two that I'm not fond of, I substitute it with one of my easy go-to recipes or with one I've seen on Pinterest.

If you're not familiar with E-Mealz, it's a program that provides a weekly menu and grocery list based on the grocery store you choose. The recipes are based off the weekly sales the store is running, so that you buy a week's worth of dinners for around $50. Not too shabby!

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I'm wanting...

A new wardrobe. Todd has been antsy to make a trip to Atlanta, our favorite place for a quick weekend trip. Atlanta is great for shopping because there are so many stores there that we don't have in Nashville. I told him that as soon as I get back to my pre-pregnancy weight (10 more pounds to go!) we could make a trip down so I could reward myself with some new clothes. I have my eye on a new pair of TOMS and just about anything from Madewell. Looks like I've got some working out to do!

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But really, these days I spend nearly all of my time with this little peanut, and there is nothing else in the world I would rather be doing. These days are good days.

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A Few of My Favorites Part II

Back in January of '09, (I can't believe time has passed so quickly!) I wrote a post about some of my favorite blogs. Nearly all of the blogs I read are recommendations from friends, so I thought it might be helpful to share what I'm currently reading. A few are really popular and a couple others are just starting to take off. I'm always a sucker for a good blog, so if you're looking to expand your own blog roll, look no further!

I've decided not to summarize the blogs as much this time, because they really speak for themselves.

Favorite Design Blog

Sadie Olive

To give you an idea of how incredibly talented Sara (the author) is, check out the nursery she designed for the foster baby she and her husband are hoping to have very soon. Amazing. 

Favorite Food Blog

Joy the Baker

Fabulous recipes, hilarious author. What more could you ask for?

Favorite Inspirational Blog

Chatting at the Sky

I mentioned this blog back in October during 31 Days of Grace and I've been a big fan since. 

Favorite Craft (and more) Blogs

Finding My Feet

Raechel from Finding My Feet is adorable. She's a Nashville girl, a mother of two and a genius with a sewing machine. I've learned a lot about motherhood and even more about getting crafty from her. 

A Case of the Mundays

Blair is incredibly gifted when it comes to crafts: felt, leather, jewelry, you name it, she can do it!

Favorite Lifestyle Blog

Everyday Musings

If I could trade lives with someone for a day, it would be Olivia Rae. This girl knows how to enjoy life in the moment. Her blog is filled with beautiful photos and delicious recipes. I read her blog when I need to virtually escape for a little while. 

Those should keep you busy for awhile, but just in case you need more, click here for my first round of favorites. 

♥

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Wordle: Blog Edition

One of Joy the Baker's readers created a wordle from words most often used on her blog. I was unaware that you could do that with a blog or website, so I was interested to see what the results from my blog would be. The bigger the word, the more often the word is used.



I love that the word used most is "thankful." This past year has felt more like a fog, a year I've been wishing away. But in the midst of crazy, sometimes difficult seasons, I had much to be thankful for. Such a good reminder.

I also noticed that the name Jesus is smaller than I would have hoped. I'll definitely work on that in 2011. If I have so much to be thankful for, the credit should be going to the one who provides all good things  - my savior, Jesus Christ.

And "cookie" is the second most used word? Really? That explains why my jeans have felt tighter this year. Maybe I'll cut back after the holidays. Maybe.

I'm getting so excited for Christmas!

I'm also really excited to see Garth Brooks in concert tonight.

(Highlights from our Christmas vacation to come!)

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Thoughts on Grace

A few weeks ago I stumbled on a new-to-me blog, Chatting at the Sky.  I immediately fell in love with the author’s writing style, so I was pretty excited when she decided to dedicate the entire month of October to discussions about grace (31 Days of Grace). Her posts have become a daily devotional to me and nearly every day I’m learning something new about myself and the way I view grace.

I am fully aware that grace can’t be earned and that I will never deserve it, but my actions lately would prove that I don’t always believe those truths. I have caught myself living as if I have outgrown grace or that I’m now too old for it. As I get closer to my 30s, my self-imposed pressure continues to build. I guess I felt that when I was younger, grace made more sense because I was learning and maturing. Now I feel like I should have it all figured out, I should know how to avoid mistakes and how to live in perfect community with others.

Sadly, I haven’t figured it out. I’m continually failing, and I have been feeling undeserving of grace because well, I should know better than to mess up.

The other night I had a meltdown. Actually it was more of a full blown tantrum. I said hurtful things to Todd and spent the next day profusely apologizing. I kept thinking, would I want a child to see me act that way? No. Am I way too old to be throwing fits when things don’t go my way? Yes. But what did Todd do? He lovingly forgave me, which is one of the most beautiful forms of grace. 

I still need grace. Lots of it. I need grace from God, from the people I share life with, and more than ever I need it from myself.

Check out Chatting at the Sky for more thoughts on grace.

Also, if you’re an owner of a DSLR camera, check out 31 Days to a Better Photo. One of the best tutorials I have seen!

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A Few of My Favorites

So many blogs, so little time.

I have two books on my desk. I have started one (an amazing new book by Francis Chan that I will hopefully finish and write about soon) and another by Mark Hall that I'm anxious to start. The problem is that I follow too many great blogs. How am I supposed to read an actual book when I can't take my eyes away from my laptop? It's tough.

Since I am an admitted blog stalker, I thought I would give a shout-out to a few of my favorites. Maybe someone reading this post will fall in love like I have.


Favorite Design Blogs:


Urban Grace Interiors

Erica has an amazing eye for design and decor. I was a blog virgin before I discovered her. I googled "blog similar to Cottage Living" when the Cottage Living magazine went under (I'm still bummed about it) and Urban Grace Blog came up. I've been hooked ever since.



Design Sponge

Another great site for all things design. I can spend hours reading this one. I wish there was a need for a professional blog reader. I think I would be qualified.


Favorite Food Blogs:

The Pioneer Woman



Do I really need to say anything about this one? I will mention that I'm excited to go to her book signing in Nashville to pick up a copy of her new cookbook. If you're a Nashville native, PW will be at Davis-Kidd on December 8th at 7pm.

Happy Lady Eats

This blog is a new one for me, but I instantly liked it. Like the author, I'm definitely a "foodie," so this blog fits me well.



Favorite Everything Blog:

Fly Through Our Window




Darby's blog is one of my absolute favorites. She's a doll and I secretly wish we were best friends. You can learn so much from this young mother of three. I'm pretty anxious about motherhood, but she makes me want to be a mom. A humble follower of Christ, Darby doesn't flaunt her blessed life, but instead encourages her readers to see the beauty in their own lives. At her site you can learn how to make pumpkin butter, how to decorate a bathroom, how to sew an apron without a pattern and how to balance a crazy, busy life. She's also the twin sister of Erica (Urban Grace Design). Check her out if you haven't already.

Favorite "Beautifully Written" Blog:

Dreams of Simple Life


Christine's attempt to live life in its simplest form is beautifully portrayed in her blog. It isn't one that I casually read between sending emails. Instead, her blog is one that I need a warm cup of coffee before reading because I'm going to stay awhile, soaking in every word. Her writings about God, family, home, travel and life in general are poetic. I honestly believe I will own a copy of one of her best selling books one day. She is a true talent.

Favorite "Genuine" Blog:

This.Very.Moment


There are thousands of blogs out there that depict the good life. Sometimes I even find myself caught up in the fluff, almost feeling defeated because my life isn't as shiny-happy as others in blogland. Christi doesn't write to impress. She writes to express life as it really is: the dirty, ugly, difficult life that most aren't brave enough to write about. But Christi has a way of ending each post with hope - she reminds us that we are all to be dreamers, anxiously awaiting what God has up His sleeve. With Christi, what you see or "read" is what you get. With a vulnerability that is rare these days, Christi's blog is a gem.

Favorite Inspirational Blogs:

Humble Pie



I consider Lissa a friend. We have never met and may never meet, yet she has encouraged me in more ways than she may ever know. She bravely shares with her readers the journey of a difficult road that she has walked and how God is bringing her to the other side. Her faith, courage and hope are to be admired. She also has a great creative side and I definitely share her love for all things Pottery Barn!

Flowerdust



If you are a Christian and want to be challenged, this blog is a must. With topics ranging from 'should child molesters be allowed in church?' to 'ministry burnout,' you will spend the rest of your day thinking about her posts.

Whew! This has been a lengthy one for me. I guess if nobody reads this, I'll have a great reference page for myself!

So these are my go-to blogs. What are yours? I'm always looking for another great one to add to my list!

PS - Happy Thanksgiving!!

(All photos are courtesy of their respective blogs)

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