Living Open Wide

A friend of mind posted this on her blog... thought I'd share...  

Living Wide Open: Landscapes of the Mind

I will not die an unlived life

I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire

I choose to inhabit my days,

to allow my living to open me

to make me less afraid

more accessible

to loosen my heart

until it becomes a wing,

a torch, a promise.

I choose to risk my significance, to live

so that which came to me as a seed

goes to the next as a blossom

and that which came to me as blossom

goes on as fruit.

(Dawna Markova. 2000. I will not die an unlived life: Reclaiming purpose and passion)

...sisters...

These days, any time spent with my sister, is not taken for granted, as in only a few short months she will be  married and moving out of the country with the man of her dreams!

So tonight...I'm just sitting here...cherishing the past 5 hours...

After fresh flowers, a delicious dinner, sipping wine, shopping for shoes, purses, jewellery, clothes, listening to new music, dyeing hair and having a cup of coffee together...I'm really realizing I'm gonna miss that girl!  We've had so much fun in the last few months getting ready for the big wedding day and just hanging out!  I feel so blessed and thankful she's been home these past 6 months - spending some time with us before she goes - a blessing we never thought we'd have!

These are the times I'll never forget!  

Blessed!  

~A sister is a forever friend.   - Author Unknown

The "Perfect Pair" - A Wedding Shower

This weekend we threw a surprise wedding shower for my dear sister who is getting married in September!!!  It was a SHOE theme and it was so fun to plan!  I thought I'd share some of the highlights!  The planning fun started because I found the perfect napkins and cups at Party Packagers several months ago!  A fun 'girls night theme with a zebra print and pearls -- something my sister wears ALWAYS!

Punch cups

Napkins

From there, I began searching online to try to find some gift ideas.  My sister will be travelling out of the country after the wedding and so her and her new husband will not have much travel space.  After searching I came across the idea to have the guests bring their gifts in a small shoe box, so gifts would be small enough  to travel with.  This lead to the shoe theme - a perfect fit for my beautiful fashion diva of a sister!!  Below are some of the highlights of the evening!

Shoe sugar cookies

favour boxes

All the favor boxes ready to go.  The idea was from this blog

The Cake
beautifully designed and made by talented Ashley!

this shoe was completely edible, and a replica of the
bridesmaids shoes for the wedding!

The shower was a perfect surprise, with some wonderful people and some good fun!  It came together beautifully.  My sister was pampered, there was lots of laughter, and some memories were made!!  

What a night to celebrate two 'sole mates'!  

My Incouragement for Today...

It's time to kick out the lies in your life...

We all hear the sneaky whispers…

You’re not enough.

You’re not really loved.

You don’t have what it takes.

But here’s the truth...

You’re wonderfully made.

You’re not alone.

You have everything you need to fulfill God’s purpose for your life.

We don’t have to live with the lies anymore.

It’s time to put on our pointy-toed shoes and kick them to the curb.

Yes, ma’am.

Who's with me?

Taken from www.dayspring.com blog Heart to Heart with Holley 

ORANGE PEPPERS!!!

So this weekend, I was away at a conference and I met some women who together wrote a book called Eyefoods.  They are two optometrists that have written a book to help people understand the importance of diet and nutrition to the health of their eyes.  We have always known about the links of diet to macular degeneration and the importance of taking antioxidants and vitamins to keep our eyes healthy.  I bought a copy of this book and I've really enjoyed reading it!  It is now a new addition to our waiting room!  For an interesting read, and some eye-healthy recipes - check out their website.  http://www.eyefoods.com/index.html

What I found to be one of the most fascinating things is that one of the most healthy things for the eyes are

ORANGE PEPPERS!

These are some of the recipes they have including orange peppers on their website:

1.  Sweet Potato and Orange Pepper Soup


2.  Stuffed Orange Peppers


3.  Turkey & Mango Orange Pepper Boats


Pretty awesome since I can have an unlimited supply of orange peppers!!!  Thought that was pretty cool!  I should be sending all my patients down to Havesome Produce for their supply of healthy eye products!  :)

Another great recipe discovered!!

Tonight we tried a new recipe from Our Compliments called Mediterranean Portobello Mushroom Caps. It was absolutely delicious!!!  You should try it for yourselves!  Very very good!  We will definately make this again!

MEDITERRANEAN PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM CAPS

http://www.compliments.ca/en/Recipes/Recipe.aspx?ID=11269

4

portobello mushrooms, cleaned, stems and gills removed

1/2 cup

tightly packed Compliments Organic Baby Spinach

125 mL

1 tub

Compliments Roasted Garlic Bruschetta Topping

227 g

1 cup

Compliments Finely Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

250 mL

3 tbsp

fresh basil, cut into fine strips

45 mL

4

ciabatta buns

Energy:

400  Calories

Protein:

19 g

Fat:

16 g

Carbohydrates:

45 g

1. Lightly oil grill and preheat barbecue to medium-high.
2. Place mushrooms, cap side down, on a cutting board. Layer spinach, bruschetta and cheese on mushrooms.
3. Grill mushrooms, with lid closed, until cheese is melted, 2 to 5 min. Garnish with basil and serve on buns.

Happy Easter!!

Really I'm left a bit speechless this Easter...  

just awed by the fact that today I can stand truly 

http://christianrich.tumblr.com/


Thank you Jesus for this most precious gift!  I am humbled and amazed!

RECIPES!!!

So, this is my new recipe binder!  I'm seriously addicted!  I spend all my free time looking for new recipes to try!  I love it!  It all started because my current recipe book was falling apart and I could never find the recipes I was looking for!  When I got married my mom asked all my shower guests to bring along their favorite recipes and since then my collection has been growing, due to baking exchanges and some other events!  Thanks to my many family and friends for sharing some of their favourites!  Also, in the last few years I've fallen in love with the Kraft Canada website.  They have so many recipes and meal ideas, with common household ingredients that taste amazing!  You should take a browse, if you haven't done so before!  Seriously...it's addicting!  So many meal ideas, and baking fun!  I've even used a few of their cupcake and birthday cake ideas!  Fun!

So, this is it...

I made several category pages and placed those pages in page protectors.

APPETIZERS

SALADS

SOUPS

MAIN DISHES

CROCK POT DISHES

MARINADES & SAUCES

SIDE DISHES

BREAKFAST & LUNCH

COOKIES & SQUARES

CAKES & BREADS

MUFFINS

DESSERTS

FRUIT DIPS

DRINKS

SNACKS

 Then I typed out my existing recipes and put them behind each category page.  I've got all my recipes organized together now, with room to add more over time!  Great fun!  Hopefully over time I'll make the binder more creative, but until then this will do!  Let me now if you are ever looking for a recipe or two!  I have a bunch of favourites!  Or if you have a favourite...let me know, I'd love to try it!!

Mmmmmm....

So I've taken on a liking to trying new recipe's lately.  It's been fun experimenting with some new flavours and finding some old treasured recipes I had never tried...  Also, over the last few weeks, we've started exchanging recipes at work, so I've gathered some exciting new ones to try.  Because of this I decided to revamp my entire cookbook, I couldn't find the recipes I was looking for and I had so many on loose cards/pages, that I thought it was time to start over.  I'll show it to you in my next entry.  But for now, here is another one of my new favourite recipes.  Given to me by my lovely friend Laura!  I never took a picture of my soup, but I promise you it is very yummy!

MAPLE SWEET POTATO SOUP
1 large sweet potato, halved                                            2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 med onion, chopped                                                   6 cups vegetable stock
2 tbsp maple syrup                                                        1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp nutmeg

http://vegonline.org/Health-&-Nutrition/Top-10-Healthiest-Vegetables.html

Heat oven to 350F.  Roast unpeeled sweet potato flesh side down, until brown and soft (~20min).  When cool, peel off skin of the potato (it should peel right off).  Heat oil in sauce pan over medium heat.  Add onion and softened sweet potato.  Saute until onion is transparent (~4min).  Add remaining ingredients and let simmer for 15 min.  Puree for a smooth soup.

Mmmmmmm.... enjoy!!!

...a yummy dinner...

So, I tried a new recipe last night at the recommendation of a friend of mine!  It was so yummy...  Give it a try, if you are looking for something new!  :)

EASY CHICKEN CORDON BLEU  (taken from Kraft Canada)

What you need:

1 pkg of Stovetop Stuffing mix
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 slices of deli-sliced smoked ham
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 400F.  Prepare stuffing mix as directed on the package.  Place chicken in 9x13 dish, cover with ham slices.  Mix soup and mustard together and spoon over the chicken.  Top with prepared stuffing mix.  Bake for 25 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.  Sprinkle with cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes until cheese is melted.  Enjoy!!!

Today...

You've Already Won the Battle   from Heart to Heart with Holley

I read the words written on old pages to an old nation as 

they crossed the desert into a new land -- God will fight for you.

And I draw in a deep breath.

Because I need those words now.

Don't we all?

Oh, we may not go to war.

But we fight...

for relationships

for dreams

We battle...

against illness

against discouragement

I think of you staring at the screen, perhaps feeling your strength is small. Oh, yes, I know what that's like.

But victory isn't up to us.

And those words you sometimes hear? "You're not worth fighting for."

They're a lie.

Nothing more.

This is the truth from the heart of One who calls you His own:

You are loved.

You are worth fighting for.

You are even worth dying for.

So go into your day, strong friend, knowing that nothing can defeat you.

You've already won. 

Recycled Sweater Vases

This was my project for tonight!  After several busy weeks, I had a free night to enjoy some crafts once again.  The idea came from Stephanie Lynn at Under The Table and Dreaming.  She did a beautiful job!  

I loved the idea!  So, I began attempting my own!  Here goes...

I grabbed some old sweaters... and pulled them up over several old vase and candles

I had lying around the house... 

Really its just that easy...  

After trimming the bottoms and gluing them down with a hot glue gun, 

I inserted some greenery/sticks for decoration. 

What do you think??  

So simple... yet quite fun! 

A New Spring Look

Spring is on the way...  So I thought I'd give a fresh look to my blog!  hmmmm....  Love the freshness spring brings!  A chance for new starts and new things...  Refreshing...

Homemade Wreath

So, I had a creative moment this week and attempted making a wreath for our front door.  I found an idea I liked at Under My Umbrella.  You can visit the link below for more specific directions on how to make this wreath, if you'd like to try it yourself...

http://undermypolkadotumbrella.blogspot.com/2011/01/burlap-wreath-tutorial-giveaway.html

My finished wreath!

Under My Umbrella's wreath

I began with a simple wreath and a bundle of burlap I bought from Michaels.  I wrapped the wreath with the burlap twisting it a bit here and there to to give it a bit of a roughened look.

  

Then I took some remaining burlap and cut it into smaller squares to make some flowers.  I wanted these flowers to  be a bit lighter in colour, so I bleached these squares in a ratio of 10 parts water to 1 part bleach, soaking them for about 15 minutes.  They were left to dry overnight.

Then I cut several circles out of cardboard to use as a base for both the fabric and burlap flowers. 

Using a hot glue gun, I glued the square bleached patches of burlap to the cardboard circles -- adding more and more square pieces until the flowers appeared full.

Once all three of the the burlap flowers were finished, I began on the fabric flowers.  Using some fabric I cut out long strips of fabric -- 3 inches wide -- and folded them in half, and then in half again.  The fabric was then rolled into a flower shape and hot glued to another cardboard circle.

 

After that, the flowers were arranged in place on the burlap-wrapped wreath, and then glued down!  

The finished product!

So fun...  love this crafting thing!!!  :)

Contentment with the Little Things...

On the weekend, my sister and I had a blast doing something we hadn't done for years!  We went to second hand store!!!  We had a blast browsing through purses, jackets, coats, and housewear stuff!  We used to go when we were younger, and had a ton of fun looking amidst the piles of things for small simple treasures -- a new sweater, or a cute dress.  It had been a very long time since then...  We reminisced about the skorts and plaid dresses we had bought years ago, which would definitely be out of style by now...  haha!  After, spending some quality time together having some fun modelling a few dresses and making fun of MANY others! We found a few treasures!

S H O E S !!!

Yay!  

While we were walking through the store, we were having a conversation about being content in the little things, and being excited about simple things.  My heart beats a little quicker when I spend a few dollars on a new pair of shoes at Value Village/Talize, and when I find a treasure for $1.00 at Dollarama, I get excited...  We both said we hope we never lose that -- we hope we never find ourselves needing to have the most expensive, or becoming people who only live with items of extravagance!  Today I'm thanking God for the little things in life, and for the joy and contentment they bring!  Praying for a heart that is always content with the simple things in life, and continually grateful to the One who gives them!  

...I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."   Philippians 4: 11b - 13 

This spoke to my heart the other day, thought I'd share...

Taken from Heart to Heart with Holley

http://blog.dayspring.com/2010/09/why-you-dont-have-to-be-perfect.html

Why you don't have to be perfect

I know Perfectionism.

She calls my name and says...

"You will never be good enough."

And sometimes I listen.

I cower in a corner.

Or I endlessly run.

But it's always about fear.

Then these words stop me in my tracks, grab me by the heart, and invite grace to speak instead...

Perfect love casts out fear. 1 John 4:18

I don't have to be perfect.

I only need to be perfectly loved.

And I am.

So are you.

A few of my favourite things...

So...I've recently come across the website 1000 awesome things!  It's quite entertaining...
http://1000awesomethings.com/

Here are a few examples in their list of their awesome things...
*  hitting a bunch of green lights in a row
*  track pants
*  the perfect egg crack
*  dropping your cell phone on the sidewalk and then realizing its totally fine
*  the smell of the coffee aisle at the grocery store
*  popping bubble wrap
*  biting the last piece of a Popsicle without loosing any of it
*  pulling a weed and getting all the roots with it
*  when a public washroom has paper towels instead of hand dryers
*  stealing a nacho off someone else's plate
*  vacuuming a dirty carpet and hearing all the tiny rocks going through the hose
*  placing the last piece of a puzzle
*  shoveling handfuls of popcorn in your mouth really fast and spilling it everywhere (this one's for Mark!!)

I could go on...and on...AND ON.... since there are 987 more!
but I thought it might be fun to list a few of my awesome things...

*  sleeping in and waking to the sweet sunshine gleaming through the window
*  enjoying a cup of coffee with my love
*  telling a joke and people laugh with me
*  the feeling of excitement and passion welling up deep inside -- love it!
*  the relaxing tingle when you first climb into the hot tub
*  hearing one of my favorite songs come on the radio/ipod, and cranking it really loud
*  beating my brother-in-law in scrabble
*  the little ones in our lives -- hearing 'ti-ti' (auntie) and 'uncu' (uncle) from Ethan, and when Maryn and Laene run around with sheer excitement when we walk in the door
*  sharing long conversations with good friends -- renews my heart!
*  making a craft and it turns out beautifully...
*  eating chocolate... 
*  finding the perfect gift for a someone special
*  when someone surprises you with something -- knowing its exactly what you need!
*  laughing so hard your stomach hurts...

Hmmmm... contemplating the good things in life today! 

getting back up after the fall...

Feeling a bit battered and bruised this week?  Life has its moments that seem to knock you down -- and it can feel just so hard to get back up...  People say rotten things, life situations are complicated, and some days are just plain difficult to face.

Today I found some encouragement for my day from the Incourage blog -- http://www.incourage.me/.  The blog was called Helpless.   It was exactly what I needed to hear this morning, and maybe it's something you need to hear too... 

If you're feeling helpless, worried, or a bit beaten up, and you just don't know what to do...  you are not alone!  God has offered to carry our burdens!  We don't have to shoulder them alone!  ...His yoke is easy and His burden is light...  Why not let God have control?  He knows what to do!  Our only job is then to trust Him!  And when I'm often feeling like I just don't know what to do...that is something I can do! 

Trusting God with the worries of my day...  I can do that!  I can get back up and face the new day...

Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message)

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." 

Maintaining Perspective in Life

To be truly honest, I often struggle with being an over-achiever and a bit of a perfectionist!  Because of this, I tend to worry about MANY things -- am I working hard enough to achieve my goals?  Do people like me?  Can I do better?  Have I done enough?  This quite often results in me going about my day worrying about things -- things that I may or may not be able to control.  I know this is a struggle in my life, and I wrestle with this daily.  But a few weeks ago I heard a story at church that has given me a new perspective that I am trying to live by.  The story goes like this:

A middle-class family in New York had a beautiful painting on their wall. It hung over their sofa for many many years, but one day it was knocked off the wall by the kids. It ended up behind the sofa and was kept there for many years... The painting was eventually replaced by a new wall hanging. After some time, the family decided to have the painting appraised to see what it was worth. It turned out it was an original Michaelangelo worth $300 million!!
                                                                                (told by Tim Day, the Meeting House)

 
Often in our lives we struggle with worry/anxiety, depression/sadness, anger/rage, or other emotions or struggles.  Perhaps we have family situations which are difficult, we have financial struggles, emotional battles, or have days where we feel like failures!  We can easily get ourselves buried under our situations or feelings, and we may feel like we want to fall!  But God has given us 'michaelangelos' in our lives!  We have families that love us, friends or co-workers who brighten our days, we live in the abundant nation of Canada, we have warm homes, clean water, more than enough food, and above all the God of this universe loves us unconditionally!  Enough that he came into this world and sacrificed everything to give us freedom and joy!

So, why do we overwhelm ourselves with our situations and emotions, and 'bury' ourselves with these things?  Instead, choose to live in the joy and freedom you've been given!  Cast aside the things that drag you down!  Today, take some time to look for God's 'michaelangelo' gifts in your life... 

Valentine's Craft

So, as I  said, my goal for February was to make some kind of Valentine's craft.  So after searching some craft blogs...and becoming slightly addicted with a few (some of which you can see on my blog list on the left)...this is what I decided to do.  The idea came from Someday Crafts:

http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/2010/12/joy-apothecary-jars.html

http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/2010/09/boo-apothecary-jars.html

I really liked the thought of using this kind of thing for the different holidays throughout the year and just changing the wording and candy.  So I began shopping for the jars.  I found some beautiful ones for $29.99 at Tag, but I wasn't sure Mark would approve of spending $90.00 on 'jars'!  So, I settled for these jars for $1.25 each at Dollarama!  I bought three.  So for $3.75, and a bit of cardstock, I made my own set. 

Not quite as beautiful as the ones from Someday Crafts but fun nonetheless.  I'm looking forward to making new labels for them and filling them with candy for the next holiday!  Lets just say I love the dollar store!!!