Good words

via Mary Ruffle

One of my favorite quotes popped into my head this past weekend.  It is a good one worth the occasional reminder.

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
 
I was having a conversation with someone, sharing with them something that was a bit more on the personal side.  I was consciously making an effort to put myself out there with this certain person in hopes that we could graduate to a level of conversation that was more than superficial.

Well, the conversation, while it did not go badly, it also did not go well.  I walked away feeling a stung by her response. It bothered me all weekend until it dawned on my that her response was not really about me at all.  It was more about her and justifying her own experiences and current emotions.  Instead of being angry or hurt, I became a lot more compassionate about the whole situation.

I am someone who tends to wear my battles/emotions on my sleeve.  But not everyone is built that way.  This quote is a sweet reminder to me to be a less quick to judge and more likely to forgive and/or understand. Some day I hope to master that art, but until then I will keep this quote brewing in my head.

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A weekend in photos

 

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The call of the wild

Source: Pinterest

Source: nathanlegiehn.tumblr.com

I have such an urge to go camping right now.  The weather is perfect for it.  Not too hot. Not too cold.  But we are all a bit under the weather over here, so camping is out of the question right now.  Plus the calendar is busting at the seams with some sort of planned event every weekend. But soon... very soon, we have a date with some dirt, trees, campfire and some smores.

Little B is at the perfect age to take her on her first camping adventure. And I think she will love it.  It is good for little girls to spend a weekend getting dirt under her finger nails and discovering the bugs that live under rocks. 

Camping is good for the soul.  And everyone knows that one of the most magical places in the world is around a campfire.

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Happy Mardi Gras! (2 days late)

Better late than never, right?  We were just too busy partying it up to stop and do a blog post.  And by partying it up, I mean that we were out enjoying being outside in this gorgeous 70 degree weather.

But we did celebrate Mardi Gras properly with our first ever "Mardi Gras Bombing" compliments of our amazing friends in Alabama.  In Alabama (as well as Louisiana), they shut down school and business for a whole week to celebrate.  That is my kind of place.

Anyways, as you can see by the evidence, we received the best box of Mardi Gras loot that a 2 year old could ever hope for.

She spent hours examining and trying on each of her "jewels".  She was so engrossed in her jewels that she completely missed the moon pie at the bottom of the box.  Don't worry... her daddy quickly found it.  Go figure.

Ever person (and stuffed animal) who comes to our house has been adorned with "jewels" to match their outfit.  My little girl is a giver.  Love that.  Though we did have to have a conversation about how Wrigley the dog does not like jewels and therefore we should not try to make her wear them.  Dogs do not appreciate Mardi Gras like we do.  That is a difficult life lesson to explain.

So thank you so much to Amanda, Bee Jay, Walker, and Katie Abby for making us feel so special.  We LOVE getting Mardi Gras bombed!

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On my nightstand...

I am reading like crazy these days.  My nose is more often in a book than not.  Thought that it would be fun to  share what is currently on my nightstand.

What are y'all reading these days?  Or better yet, you can also always leave me a comment with a book that you highly recommend.

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Menu of the week

The grain-free, sugar-free, and dairy-free journey continues.  So far so good.  Outside of the cookie remnants that I wanted to lick off of my daughter's face yesterday, I am staying strong.

Coconut Butternut Squash Soup :: Clean and hearty all at the same time.  Simple to make, this dish is perfect as the main course or as a side dish.  And I like to take the leftovers and freeze them into individual portions.

Slow Cooker Pork ::  Easy, delicious and belly warming.  Yum!

Turkey, Mushroom and Chard Spaghetti :: Sneaking in greens any way that I can. No pasta for me.

Almond Chicken with Roasted Broccoli :: This chicken recipe is a new one for me to try out.  I will keep you posted on how it goes.

Slow Cooker Ham and Lentil Stew :: Tried and true, I could make this stew in my sleep.  I save this dish for those days when we are so busy, with a massive to do list.  A day where I need food that requires minimal fuss.

What are y'all cooking this week?

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Downton Abbey Season 2 Finale

I have a conflicted heart this morning as I prepare myself for the season finale of Downton Abbey tonight.  I can think of little else, wondering what sort of dang cliff hanger the show's producers will leave us with.

I have come to love and anticipate my Sunday nights curled up on the couch while getting lost in this show's characters, story lines, and gorgeous scenery.  This show is my guilty pleasure.

I know so many of you share my addiction and will be so sad that we have to wait an entire year before season 3 comes.  What the heck will we do with ourselves?!

But I can not think about that right now.  Instead I am focusing my energies today on sucking in every last ounce of joy and fun from tonight's show.

I know you know how I feel.

You get me.

So on that note, I leave you with this hilarious video featuring  three of Downton Abbey's fans.



And if you have no idea what I am rambling on and on about, well, then you are crazy.

There... I said it.

And I am not sure that we can be friends until you watch this show immediately.

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From my kitchen: Rosemary Applesauce

As I mentioned in an earlier post,  I made Rosemary Applesauce this past weekend.  I love taking a fairly simple, traditional dish and giving it a tiny pop of the unexpected.  It transforms something so ordinary and everyday into something that demands a second glance.

And the best part of the whole dish... you throw it all in a pot and walk away.

Rosemary Applesauce

10 apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped

5 tsp brown sugar

3 cinnamon sticks

1 lemon peel slice

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup of cranberry or apple juice

3 sprigs of rosemary

Place all of the ingredients into the slow cooker pot.  I usually set up my slow cooker to cook on low for about 6 hours. Be sure to refrain from opening the lid during the cooking process.  I know it is so tempting, but I promise it is worth the wait.

Once the 6 hours is up, remove the rosemary stems along with the cinnamon.  Using the immersion blender, puree the apples until you get to your desired consistency.  I only run it for a few seconds.  I like my applesauce more on the chunky side.

You can store this applesauce in jars in the fridge for up to a week.  Any longer than that and you will want to run it through the canning process.

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Fictional characters

This card is for my friend, Jessica.  Downton Abbey, the Hunger Games, Hell on Wheels, and The Fever Series would just not be the same without her.

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Little Moments: her bunny baby

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Right now

Right now, I am....

:: Soaking in the morning with a few minutes of quiet, drinking my warm lemon water while the little one still sleeps.  I love mornings like this.  A few stolen moments of calm and just me and my thoughts.

:: Missing this little girl's lovely long locks. We cut Little B's hair for the first time this past week.  Aaaaaghhh!  Part of me is heartbroken that her beautiful, long hair is gone.  I have a weird attachment to those little ringlets on her head! I did not think it would be this short. And while it is definitely way shorter than I was wanting, Sista knows how to rock a bob.

:: Listening to this soundtrack.

:: Proud of my 3 miles on the treadmill on Monday. I knocked off 4 minutes from my time from last weekend.  Hooray!  Amazing what the power of a good night sleep and hydration can do for a girl's sprinting abilities.

:: Enjoying this Licorice Peppermint tea from Central Market.  A gift from my friend, Pansy and I am addicted to it!  The licorice provides just a hint of sweet that is so good.  Since it is decaf, I drink it every night as my dessert... yes, it is really that good.

:: Feeling disappointed. After many diligent weeks, I don't think this whole gluten-free science experiment is working.  Time for something a bit stronger and hopefully more dramatic in its results.  Upon many suggestions, I am about to go dairy-free, grain-free, and sugar-free for at least a month... God help me.  For those of you that know the Paleo diet, it is similar to that. But I am excited.  If it heals me and makes me feel better, then it could be a wonderful game changer.

:: Savoring fires in the fireplace.  Until recently, we had been sans fireplace since 2006. Our old house in Austin did not have one.  But our new house in Fort Worth does.  Any hint of some colder weather and we fire up our grand fireplace.  I love how it has been a steady backdrop for some wonderful evenings at home.

:: Daydreaming about my summer garden.

:: Eagerly anticipating Sunday's season finale of Downton Abbey, my TV drug of choice.  The last episode was exceptionally good.  Can't wait!

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The gift of a winter's chill

Saturday was one of those perfect, crisp winter days best spent wearing comfy clothes and hanging out by the fireplace.  I don't think it got out of the 30s all day.  I gave into my hibernating longings and decided to cancel all of our plans and spend the day in the home nurturing my cravings to cook and read and snuggle.

I spent the majority of the day in the kitchen, with Little B playing cars at my feet and my busy hands working some culinary magic.  Our background noise switched back and forth between an audio book (The Search by Nora Roberts), Pandora's Adele station, and Thomas the Train.

Chopping apples.  Peeling carrots.  Simmering broth. I had forgotten how therapeutic cooking can be, especially when there is no rush to it.  And the end result wasn't too bad either.

Rainbow Smoothie

Rosemary Applesauce

Chocolate Chip Almond Flour Cookies

Homemade Chicken Soup

The perfect symphony of flavors that made my house smell amazing and provided for warm and full tummys all day long.  And while the flavors felt very indulgent, they were also very healing.  You just can't beat that.

After 30 minutes of rambunctious and unauthorized jumping in the crib, this little one finally took a nap. Then I was able to grab a few precious hours spent curled up under a blanket donning warm knit socks and with Licorice Peppermint tea by my side and a book in my lap - The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.  I highly recommend it.

While I was reading, I kept feeling like someone was watching me.  Turned around to see this guy staring me down while perched on the blinds at right about the height of a certain 2 year old. 

The evening  brought more calmness with a fire in the fireplace and a baby snuggled up on my lap as we read book after book.

Saturday was such a gift.  A day full of clarity, calmness and cooking.  I need more Saturdays like this.

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That old Pantene smell

So yesterday evening, I had a few free uninterrupted moments all to myself as I was driving back from a business meeting.  For those of you that have little ones, you know how precious those moments are.  They come very few and far between.

And what did I think about during this brief, stolen moment of solitude?

Well, of all things that I could contemplate on... like world peace, finding my next job, plans for the weekend... I did not think about anything like that.

Instead, I was fixated on wondering what ever happened to the smell of the original Pantene shampoo of the early 90's.  I loved that smell.

That smell transports me back to my long hair days in high school, being on the cross country team, and Eric Clapton's You Look Wonderful Tonight.  Holy smack... talk about dating myself.  But back to Pantene... everybody loved that smell.  And boyfriends went wild over it.  Having your hair smell like Pantene was right up there with wearing button fly jeans and going off campus for lunch.  It was cool.

Anyways, whatever happened to that lovely original Pantene fragrance? And why in the heck did Pantene change it?  I don't like the new smell... two sweet and unnaturally fruity for my tastes.

I wish they would bring back the original scent.  It would make a lot of people in their 30s and 40s very happy.

What do you say... should we petition Pantene to bring the original fragrance back for a bit?

And on a completely random, yet slightly related note, I leave you with this awesome commercial that Pantene did in Thailand a few years back.  Centered around a deaf girl who is determined to learn to play the violin against all odds, it is dramatic, powerful, and heartwarming.  One of my favorite commercials of all time.

Enjoy.

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My Like List

You know when you first meet someone that you think you could be friends with, and together you go through this list of things that you like, hoping that you share a common interest with that person.  And then when you discover what those common interests are, you think to yourself, "That's cool."

I am having a lot of "that's cool" moments these days.  Beginning of friendships are fun that way.

I like that.

Here are a few things on my Like List...

My Like List

I like to eat bananas while they still have a touch of green on them. 

I like thunderstorms.

I like 9 hours of sleep at night.

I like my brown corduroy wooden clogs that I have had since college.

I like lists.

I like kindred spirits.

I like phone calls from old friends.

I like running on trails.

I like grilled pizzas.

I like to rip out all the ads in magazines.

I like the marshmallow in my smores to be a bit burnt.

I like the way my little girl says "mommy".

I like libraries and reading nooks.

I like farmers markets.

I like the movie, Out of Africa.

I like autumn.

I like Masterpiece Classic and Hallmark Hall of Fame movies.

I like the smell of mountain laurel.

I like navy blue stripes.

I like when I can get together with all 3 of my brothers.

I like old houses.

I like knowing my neighbors.

I like tomatoes straight off the vine.

I like taking off in a plane.

I like making jam.

I like the feeling of happy tired that you get after a day playing in the ocean.

I like French press coffee.

I like butterscotch cookies.

I like Scrabble.

I like campfires.

I like girls' weekends.

I like real, authentic, happy people. 

What is on your Like List?

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Meal Planning Monday

This month, I am trying something new with our meal planning and food budget. I am challenging myself to only go grocery shopping once every two weeks.  My hope with this approach is that we will be more organized, save a bit of money, and be even less wasteful with our food.

And in addition to that challenge, I am still on gluten free kick.  Still going strong!  It is both easier and harder than I expected.  Easy in that I do not really miss muffins, breads, and cereal. I just don't look at them like they are food anymore. But traveling is much more difficult.  I learned that the hard way on our latest trip to Austin. 

So this menu this week is healthy, kid friendly, gluten free and delicious!

• Monday: Jambalaya
• Tuesday: Orange chicken and broccoli
• Wednesday: Coconut crusted tilapia and brown sugar glazed carrots
• Thursday: Tamales and black beans
• Friday: Green chile turkey enchiladas (using gluten free corn tortillas)

What are y'all cooking up this week?

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An appointment with a mountain top

This past weekend we were back in Austin.  It was bittersweet.

While Fort Worth is this new and interesting place begging to be explored, the city feels a little like wearing someone else's clothes.  The clothes look okay on me, but I have just not yet made them my own.  The key word of that sentence being "yet".

But back to Austin.

This short weekend trip brought out a weird mood in me.  I was so happy to be there, but it was hard at the same time.  Bittersweetness at its finest.  And yet I feel silly feeling that way.  Austin is just a city. My friends there are still my friends, no matter where I live.

But sitting there listening to my friends talk about their latest happenings and making plans for future  fun, I felt left out.  Like all my favorite people were having a big ol' fabulous party without me.  And for those of you that know me well, you know that this girl NEVER misses a party.

So on Sunday when we packed up the truck to head back to Fort Worth, I was sad.  Very sad.  Quiet sad.  What were we in such a rush to drive back to? A rental house that we are not all that excited about.  A city where we only know a handful of people.  Careers filled with uncertainty. All of a sudden, our current life seemed so crushingly depressing.

A big part of me wanted to get to Fort Worth, pack all my bags and boxes right back up, grab my baby, husband, and dog, and just hit reverse on that huge UHaul that carried all of our stuff and take us all the way back to Austin.  I wanted a rewind.  I wanted a life do-over.  Maybe Fort Worth was a mistake.  Maybe staying in Austin would have been so much easier.

But then I stopped and breathed and collected my thoughts.

The name of this blog is called And Other Adventures for a reason.  My life is not meant to be boring and predictable.  It never has been and it never will be.  I am not a person who usually takes the safe route, or even the expected route.  My personality craves adventure.  I am not content simply waiting for adventure to come and find me.  And adventures are not about the safety of familiar people and places.  Adventures are about stretching out of your comfort zones, taking risks and the hope of possibility.  Adventures are meant to answer the "what if" questions of life.

But adventures come with their own set of trials.  People don't climb to the top of Mt. Everest because it is easy. Or run a marathon because it will be full of unicorns and rainbows.  No, they do it for the chance to overcome all the obstacles thrown in their way. So at the end when they are standing on their mountain top or crossing their finish line, they can truly experience joy with every ounce of their being because they know that they have earned it.  They know what it took to get there.

I know what it took to get here to Fort Worth.  I know the hopes and dreams that we have in our hearts that made us choose to live here and rebuild our life from scratch.  And while Fort Worth may seem like the destination, it is really just one pit stop on the mountain.  We still have a lot more climbing to do.  The thought of that is inspiring and exhausting all at the same time.

New friendships are hard work.  New careers can be exhausting.  But oh the possibilities.... yes, the possibilities are grand.

And really, I should (and do) feel like one lucky girl.... because Holy Smack! You should see my cheering section!  Spread out all over the world, with its headquarters in Austin, my cheering section is always hollering words of encouragement from the bottom of the mountain.  And they yell loud.

I know that this adventure seeking is hard work.  But I also know that the need for the victory, glory moments, and the self-confidence that comes with overcoming obstacles might as well be weaved into my DNA.  Adventure seeking is just part of who I am.  I would not have been content to take the safe route.

For me seeking adventure is about finding comfort in the unexpected, connecting with others, being recognized for hard work, being good at something, to love and be loved.  But most of all, it is to feel happiness in its purest state.

So on that note, it is time to dust myself off, pick up my bags and climb to the next check point because I have an appointment with a mountain top. 

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Happy Wednesday!

Hi friends!

Just a quick pop in on the blog today to say Happy Wednesday. 

We are in the middle of potty-training (happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts).  So as you can imagine, not too much time for a long blog post.

But I do leave you with something that made me laugh today.

Hope you are having a great hump day!

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