The Fruit of Her Hands: 2014

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Spring Break

Next week is Spring Break!! I am so excited that I will actually get a break before I start my job April 1st. My last day at UAFS is this Friday and then I will have 10 luxurious days to enjoy. Whew...what to do with all that time.
Anything I wanted.....

George Banks-
"What was I gonna do with all that free time? Anything I wanted! Maybe I'd take up fly fishing, travel to exotic places, climb Mount Everest. I was feeling on top of the world."

Sorry I felt like I should throw a Father of the Bride quote out there.
Sorry Random.

But seriously. What to do. What to do.

Wish List

Camping at least one night- roast some marsh mellows and chow down on some chili dogs
Attend a College Baseball Game
Play guitar for fun!
Spend quality time with Copper and take him on adventure walks
Go Kayaking
Fun day in Fayetteville (Rick's Bakery, square, cafe's...)
Drive-In Movie (maybe with some sweet friends :) )
To read
Run and actually enjoy it
Read outside on a quilt with Copper

I'll let ya'll know which one's I actually get to do!

I hope everyone has a safe and fun break!

Monday, March 17, 2014

Little Updates

Sorry it has been such a long time since my last post! I'm not sure there are many people even still reading my little blog but my husband has made two references to it this past weekend and so I feel like I need to post a little update.

Update #1
New Job! I am proud to announce I am now a new member of ABF. I am pretty excited and feel extremely blessed with this new opportunity. This will be the first time I have ever worked a full time job but I feel completely at peace and ready for this new chapter. Everyone was so kind to me during my interviews and I feel great about being part of this organization

School
Jake has decided to enroll full time at the UAFS this coming fall. We are also very excited about this new chapter in our lives. Woah will our lives be completely different from the one we have grown accustomed to but we are ready to see what this year will bring to our little family. So far so good, well....for the most part.

Car
I'm getting new tires! I thought this was relevant enough to add into this list.

Friendships
I have recently joined an accountability group with some amazing women. I love and look forward to each week when we get to meet and have grown so much in the past few weeks. I have developed deeper relationships with some of these women and have gained such precious friends. I really do hope I will get to continue meeting with them with my new hours and new schedule but I will always be thankful for the time I do get to have with them.

Walgreens
Walgreens is awesome. Where has it honestly been and why have I not been going there before now? I mean there rewards program is amazing and the deals are really hard to match. Between Harps and Walgreens, Walmart seems long forgotten! Really, if your not a member, become one today. No fees.

I know this is such a broad spectrum of my current life right now and I really do hope to continue to update more often. No matter how boring it may seem with some of those aforementioned updates, I am pretty excited to see where God is taking me and where He is constantly growing me into the person He has designed specially for.

Thank God for His continued new mercies each and every morning and thank Him for this moment.
:)

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Breakfast Cookies

Skinnytaste Breakfast Cookies

As you may be aware, I love http://www.skinnytaste.com/. Gina has the most amazing and satisfying recipes.

This morning I made her Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal breakfast cookies and was not disappointed!

I tweaked the recipe just a little bit and it tasted amazing!

Ingredients

2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup of uncooked quick oats ( I used Bobs Red Mill Oats and they were fine)
1/4 cup chocolate chips ( I used 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips)
optional- I added 1 T of Jiffy Whipped peanut butter....because I could.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a non-stick cookie sheet with cooking spray or use a Silpat (LOVE Silpats!)

Combine the mashed bananas and oats (and peanut butter if you want) in a bowl. Fold in the chips and place a tablespoon of each on the cookie sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes. Serve warm!

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Menu of the Week

Man oh man ya'll I have been in a cooking mood! This week has been special for Jake and I in regards that our 4 year anniversary was yesterday and tomorrow is Valentines Day. I thought I would try out some new recipes as well as some old favorites I have posted on the blog!

Sunday-

Skinnytaste Spaghetti Squash Primavera.

Yum. And satisfying!
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2014/01/spaghetti-squash-primavera.html

Monday-

Cauliflower Soup

This recipe, O My Goodness Gracious. It tasted like potato soup but without the guilt. For only 80 calories for almost 2 cups, I served it with some freshly made sourdough bread. YUM. This is definitely going down in the favorites book.

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/01/dads-creamy-cauliflower-soup-1-pt.html

Also made some Weight Watcher Brownies on Monday. You can go back and see how to make those here.

Tuesday-

Skinnytaste Spaghetti Squash Cheesy Bake.

I honestly have left each night after dinner this week feeling satisfied and completely happy with the meal and how it turned out. I served this squash bake with some grilled chicken.

Wednesday-
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY JACOB!
We woke up early that morning and worked on our dinner preparations together :)
I made Skinnytaste's Cheesy Zucchini Enchiladas with Cuban Style Back Beans and brown rice.

Link Here

Thursday:

Pantry Adventures...

Friday:

Camping with my little family!!! Chili with Hot Dogs

Saturday morning for breakfast I have made ahead some Skinnytaste Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread muffins. I originally made 4 loafs for some friends of mine for Valentines Day and it made so much I had enough left over for 5 HUGE muffins!

Here is the recipe for the bread.
I did make a couple of alterations to make it a bit healthier. I substituted coconut oil for 1:1 ratio with the butter and used dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. I would have used all whole wheat but I did not want to dry the bread out too much since I was using apple sauce and other subs. It is so good! I am so excited for my friends to now try it!

Hope everyone has enjoyed their week so far! Here's to more good cookin'.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Book Series

Anyone out there looking for a great book series to read? Let me suggest a few:

Top favorites:

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

My family and I absolutely love this series. There are a total of five books. I love it. It is a utopia full of adventure, mischief ( oh Seth....), magic, suspense, and full out awesomeness. Please, if you are looking for a great series to start as a family or individually looking for excitement, give Fablehaven a try!

Kendra and her brother, Seth, have no idea that their grandfather is the current caretaker of Fablehaven. Inside the gated woods, ancient laws keep relative order among the greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies. But when the rules get broken, powerful forces are unleashed, and Kendra and her brother face the greatest challenge of their lives. To save their family, Fablehaven, and maybe even the world, Kendra and Seth must find the courage to do what they fear most. - Back page of the book

Mark of the Lions by Francine Rivers

Anything by Francine Rivers is a must for this girl. She is amazing with her words and her knowledge of the scriptures.Besides Redeeming Love, this would have to be my favorite series (right before Lineage of Grace). You will begin with A Voice in the Wind and continue on with 2 more books marked by faith, contentment, and God's infinite Grace.

A Voice in the Wind brings readers back to the first century and introduces them to a character they will never forget- Hadassah. Torn by her love for a handsome aristocrat, this young slave girl clings to her faith in the living God for deliverance from the forces of decadent Rome.

Hound of Rowen- The Tapestry Series by Henry H. Neff

What all can I say about this series? If you like Harry Potter you will love this series.
That is all.
I love HP and don't really compare the quality of this series to others but this series is amazing in it's own way. This book is amazing. Done. Complete. Read.

MAX MCDANIELS LIVES a quiet life in the suburbs of Chicago until the day he stumbles upon a mysterious Celtic tapestry. Many strange people are interested in Max and his tapestry, and his discovery will lead him to Rowan Academy, a secret school where great things await him.

But dark things are waiting, too. When Max learns that priceless artworks and other gifted children are disappearing from around the globe, he finds himself in the crossfire of an ancient struggle between good and evil- exertion from Amazon.

King Killer Chronicles- Patrick Rothfuss

Wow. This series is so unlike any I have read before. It is different and un-expecting. It is riveting. It is full of adventure. It is full of characters that are so interesting. They each have a different role to play and the good vs. evil in this book is unlike others I have read.

The riveting first-person narrative of a young man who grows to be the most notorious magician his world has ever seen. From his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, to years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime- ridden city, to his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that transports readers into the body and mind of a wizard. It is a high-action novel written with a poet's hand, a powerful coming-of-age story of a magically gifted young man, told through his eyes: to read this book is to be the hero.- exertion from Amazon

These are just a few I read in 2013.

There are some that I read that were not good.

Serena and The Mists of Avalon especially. Those were just not good.

Please share some great series back with me! I am looking for some GOOD reads. Especially for more of these snow days coming along.

Today I Love....

Today I Love...

Sherlock Holmes

I have been seeing the advertisements all over Hulu Plus and I finally gave in and watched the first episode while Jake was away.

Omyword.

Now, you may not know that I have a healthy love to BBC and British shows on my beloved PBS. I love my BBC Top Gear, Downton Abby, James May, any late Saturday night British Comedies and of course the Vicar.

So I just sat down and pushed play.

Woah. Season 1 episode 1 completely won me over. I am not that passionate about many television shows but this is amazing.

I love the plots, the twists, the turns, the S.U.S.P.E.N.S.E, the amazing amazing camera advantages, and the acting. Finally some great actors! I love it all. Not to mention Bilbo!

Netflix and Hulu have both seasons 1 & 2 if your family is looking for a new great show! I warn you tho, each episode is approximately 1.5-2 hours long. But oh so worth it!

So snuggle up with a big quilt, a cup of English Earl Grey, your favorite dog ( or spouse ) and let the excitement begin!

You are in for a treat!

Friday, January 24, 2014

Breakfast Made Simple

I have a new favorite breakfast meal. And for only 171 calories it is so good and filling!
My mom had gone to the store last weekend for some ingredients for me so I could make some Pioneer Woman Guacamole. She came back with 2 separate containers of Pico De Gallo. I used the spicy for the guac. and took the mild back home with me.

Monday morning I was scrambling some egg whites and thought to put some of that Gallo in there with it. O My. What a treat!

Ingredients:
1 Tbls of fresh Pico De Gallo
3 egg whites
1 pinch of 2% cheddar
1 pinch of salt ( love the pink Himalayan)
Splash of water/milk

Simple Simple Simple
I put in between a 100 Calorie breakfast roll and am good to go till lunch!

Also, don't y'all love my little fox cup?
It makes me smile :)

I hope everyone has a great Friday! I know I will. Jake will be landing soon and can't wait to see him!

Thursday, January 23, 2014

The Shock

Wow what a Thursday! Besides being absolutely freezing outside it is the day before Jake gets back!!! He has been gone at Sniper School in El Paso for the past couple of weeks and this girl is super excited to bring him home.
I wanted to really work hard while Jake was away on training Copper. I had actually looked into sending him to a local hunting obedience school in Greenwood where my sweet friend and her husband bought their precious puppy. After looking at the prices and thought it would be worth it if it would mean him not running off into moving traffic and coming to me. I would pay whatever for that! Well, Jake politely said 'NO' to the school and told me to work with him. I called the man in charge and talked with him about what I should do with Copper. He informed me about how smart Golden's are and to give it two weeks. He also told me to buy a shock collar.

A Shock Collar.

I hate those words. Jake and I use a 'command' collar and we have for the past two years. It is an excellent on the leash tool and probley used properly would get great results but Copper is a stubborn 100 lb creature!

So I bought one.

And I read up on how to use it.

And I used it.

And now I believe I have the most perfect dog ever! I only used it a few times and Copper is like a completely different dog. He obeys me so well. I cry every morning after working with him because of the pure joy it brings to me when I throw the stick and he actually brings it back to me and drops it! Then his tail is going crazy happy and those eyes want me to throw it again. Y'all it is life altering. He stays, waits, sits, walks with me-without a leash mind you-(that was taught with the command collar). I love it. We are still in the beginning stages but I am not giving up. What a present to give to Jake!
Copper is so happy. I am so thrilled!
It's the little things y'all!
Enjoy your freezing cold day!

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Copper's First Year

While looking through some pictures on Instagram I wanted to do a post on Coppers first year!
Wow. What a year with our Copper. I cannot even begin to write and express the joy and love he has brought to Jake and I.

Copper loves his tennis balls.

Seriously. So loving.

Our movie buddy.

Best passenger ever!

Shooting days out at the farm.

Copper loves our morning walks!

This is the first day we brought our Copper home

Loving our Jake while he was away.

His 'toddler' stage.

No way did he use to fit into this tiny toy basket!

Yes, we did have to buy him a horse trough for his swimming area.

Us camping on our anniversary. Best little Camper I know.

Still believes he is a puppy.

Precious.

He still loves that place next to the fire.

Woah what a year. If you are considering buying a dog I highly recommend it! However, if you are unable to give them lots and lots of love and time then please reconsider. It absolutely breaks my heart when I see dogs chained outside or being left outside and never ever seeing their owners. Never being loved on and held.

Sorry pictures aren't in order!
I cannot wait to make more memories with him in 2014!

Goodbye 2013!

Omygoodness! It is 2014!

Wow 2013 brought a lot of different opportunities and blessings for our little family.
The greatest blessing that was brought to our family is my new little nephew Forrest Martyn!

Brent, Sarah, and Forrest

He is absolutely beautiful. Forrest is so calm and peaceful, loving and comforting and not to mention so darn cute!

2013 also brought new jobs to both Jake and I!

I was just realizing all the different places I have been this year:

Feb-Bahamas with my uncle and aunt, Sarah and Brent, mom and dad, and Aubree

March- weekend trip to New Mexico

July- San Antonio to see my sweet husband

November- Branson with our sweet friends Adam and Jessica

Each year brings some type of challenge to our little family. One great challenge was Jake leaving for school for 3 months. I hate when he leaves. Each time he leaves is so hard but this one was so very hard. The months were made easier with my sweet Copper keeping me company at home but it was still so hard. The greatest challenge 2013 brought to our family happened actually on Dec. 27th. Many of my family and friends know how much Jake and I love our Copper. I mean we LOVE HIM. Copper was hit by a car last Friday afternoon and afterwards ran off to hide in the woods. I usually take him out to my parents house because he loves it so much there with all the countryside and his friends(the cows). It broke my spirit that night. I don't want to go much into that evening but I do want to make known how much God does love us. He was looking after Copper and he brought him back to us. My sweet sweet friend Jessica came to see me after finding out and he showed up afterwards. My family was overjoyed and our AMAZING veterinarian took extraordinary care of him! After that evening so many things have been put in perspective to me!

We have moved into a new Sunday School class at church and are making new friends and memories!

I chopped off all my hair off this year and have no regrets!!

I rekindled some sweet friendships and could not be any happier.

Read some good book series! And fell in love with some old ones all over again. Maybe I'll do a post on that later!

I'm not much into making new year resolutions but I want to purposefully healthy in my life. I look back to my life in Hawaii and was the healthiest I had ever been. I want to be back to that place in life and hope to go back this year.

I hope everyone has a great 2014!!!

Here are some pictures to leave you all with!