My 15 in 2015

I have been making lists and goals and drafting plans as long as I can remember {see my lists of goals from 2012, 2013, 2014}. I love to check off a task + to plan all the ways I could spend my time, money, energy and other resources. I love to consider options.

This year I'm going to harvest my energy and stick with some plans. Take some real actions. I have decided to continue my goals + habit plans for 2015. I love having open ended goals because it gives me the flexibility to really strive for whatever I deem most important or appropriate to me. 

I write the following 15 goals for 2015 in order to work on passions and spend my time in meaningful ways. I know that my efforts may not always have perfectly posed end results. 

I will live 2015 with the word "do" in mind. 

I will start. I will take action. I will plan and find a way to begin and then take the following steps. 

I will ask myself "what can I do to support my happy + healthy life?"... 

My 15 in 2015

1. Simplify. 

2. Read.

3. Experience.

4. Taste.

5. Create.

6. Rest.

7. Search.

8. Learn.

9. Photograph.

10. Enjoy.

11. Express.

12. Save.

13. Appreciate.

14. Make.

15. Do.

My Goals + Ideas of Growth {From 2012, 2013, 2014}

Love to see my "work in progress"...


My 14 in 2014

First of all, I will live the year with the word "presence" in mind. 

I will also consider the following 14 habits or open-ended goals for the year.

1. Finish {something I've already started}.

2. Read.

3. Experience.

4. Taste.

5. Create.

6. Rest.

7. Travel.

8. Run.

9. Photograph.

10. Enjoy.

11. Write.

12. Save.

13. Appreciate.

14. Start {something new}.

Did you know that I've almost finished my 13 goals of 2013? {I plan to continue my work on this list into the new year}

My 13 in 2013

1. Read 2 books each month {I'm a bit of a book worm these days}

2. Create and follow a financial plan {eliminating debt sounds like a great plan for our future}

3. Continue de-cluttering of our home {I will kick box madness out of our office and garage}

4. Run, bike, hike or hit the gym four days a week

5. Share 10 tips, recipes, or ideas that consider or assist with my lifestyle choice of cutting out processed & non local foods on the blog {this has been a long quest -and I'm still not quite there}

• Real Food Budgeting Ideas
• Juicing
• Kale Loaded Pasta Salad
• Spicy Chicken Sausage & Kale Soup
• Tips for Freezer Meals
• 2013 Garden Reflection
• Popcorn Recipes
• For the Love of Canning
• Packing Real Food for Lunch
• Whole 30 Journey: Half Way + 30 Days Complete + Reintroductions

6. Take the time to travel to a "someday" place or go on a "someday" trip

7. Write {write more, write often and not just on the blog}

8. Garden {goodness knows that our compost pile is ready - 'grow big & grow at home'}

9. Create a desirable working space in our study

10. Run a registered 5k and continue the family 5k tradition.

11. Share about my choices and plans concerning "simple living" {share 5 tips or ideas indicating intentionality of this lifestyle choice on the blog}

12. Complete a photography challenge

13. Be mindful and creative with support given to friends and family {no matter how far apart we live}

Did you know I achieved 12 personal goals during 2012? Click on links below to read more. 

My 12 in 2012

1. Explore my cooking creativity and post about 10 personal recipes on my blog this year
2. Run, hike, bike or hit the gym four days a week

3. Sew an article of clothing that I or someone else will actually wear

4. Make 12 different loaves of bread

5. Paint and decorate our bedroom
6. Register and run a 5K
7. Go on a brew-cation
8. Start and care for a container garden (hopefully not known as a "contained deer buffet")
9. Read and finish one book each month (is it bad that I'm in the middle of 5 books right now? I'm having trouble with reading one at a time)
10. Organize my box madness (this might be my husband's favorite as we have sacrificed a clean "music room" until my boxes are sorted)
11. Draft plans and a working schedule for our "backyard heaven"
12. Host a party at our home

2014 {A Year of Presence}

We've said goodbye to a lovely 2013...

Now onto starting a beautiful 2014.

Last year I decided to keep the word "focus" in mind when spending my time each day. Focusing on my list of goals, one special task at a time, and my current mode of social interaction. I believe that 2013 was a great year... full of achievements, but maybe not all the specific goals I laid out in January 2013. It can be difficult to complete goals when new adventures come along and drastically change the day to day life you were expecting to live. However it is wonderful. It is life.

As 2013 began to wrap up, I found myself ready to make a new list of goals and consider what I "should be doing". Something seems so refreshing about it. "New Goals" - so lofty, yet obtainable with a fresh new planner. But then the idea of new lists and goals began to weigh heavy on me. I don't know if making loads of goals should be the way for me to find success every year. But then again, it may depend on the goals. I am not certain. However, I came back to the idea of a specific word to keep in mind. I decided that would be the way to for me to start off the year of 2014.

::Presence::

I want this year to be a year of presence. To find myself fully present in the moment. To enjoy my current surroundings, to enjoy the others I fill my time with - while I am with them. I want to notice how I feel. How my loved ones feel. How my settings feel. Mindful of as much as possible and not just planning my next step. To be grateful of who I'm with and what I'm currently doing. To lose the distractions of extras, such as easily accessed media on my phone. To focus on the interactions of now. To train my thoughts from wandering too far and to steer them back to the present.

I am certain that 2014 will be something I want to take in, experience and remember - as many moments as I can.

Goodbye 2012 & Hello 2013!

We had a great 2012... and sent it off with our favorite people. We were so happy to have our closest friends come over to our home to enjoy good food, good chats, and all play with the littlest (and sweetest) people we know.

Thank you all for coming over and celebrating the New Year! We can't wait for more adventures in 2013!

Here's to continued good health, productivity, and friendships in the new year.

Bookworm: Books from 2012

One goal for this year was to read 12 books. I chose many titles from a book list that I'm hoping to finish reading before my 30 birthday. {You know the list - the classics and some popular books that other people make you feel like you just have to read}

Reads from 2012

Pride & Predjudice

Emma

The Help

The Chronicles of Narnia

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

The Hunger Games (Book 1, 2, and 3)

Water for Elephants

Watership Down

Silas Marner

Friday Night Knitting Club

Holidays on Ice

The God of Small Things

I was so happy to accept and complete this challenge. It became one of my favorite things to add a night or two each week of reading in bed or by a fire. (We are guilty of watching too much television once we have fewer hours of daylight.) Did you have any favorite books you read in 2012?

my awful secret

My awful secret has been in hiding everywhere and for a fairly long time. Never leaving because I don't ask it to. Poisoning open spaces of each new dwelling I relocate to. 

Friends, don't submit me to Hoarders (can you watch that show and not think that you're one of those millions of people who will one day have an extreme problem?). I am coming clean. I am kicking the habit. I am taking charge of the stuff that sits in the closets and extra spaces in my home. Boxes are being sorted and the junk is out of here.

Okay, okay, it really isn't quite that bad. (And I'm not trying to make light of real people's problems) But when storage space is limited one room of boxes can be very overwhelming.

And the truth is... 

I. HAVE. TOO. MUCH. STUFF.

It is leaving... slowly but surely.

Every box that we've moved to our new home will one day be emptied. I just know it. I have to believe it. Because if I don't, it will never happen.


So I'm going one container at a time and sorting out the box madness that is under my desk in our semi-useless study. (One day I will blog from that desk. I promise.) So happy to have that craziness out of our now usable music room. 

And thank goodness for a husband who is supportive. Every time he comes home and sees a new pile in the recycling bin or freshly labeled files he tells me that I'm getting somewhere. 


I will no longer shift boxes from space to space, but I will simplify the contents of our home. Thanks for allowing me to unload my mental clutter... because sometimes that needs organized too. 

Breakfast Bake

One of my favorite dishes to prepare for when guests are coming for a weekend stay or before the start of a busy week is a good breakfast bake! Hearty, full of good vegetables, bread and eggs that makes the start of any day a bit brighter.

Over the past few years I've looked up many types of breakfast casserole recipes to the point where I just whip something together based on the produce in our home. Here is the general recipe I follow:


Breakfast Bake

olive oil
6 or so slices of bread (it can even be bread that is a bit dry)
1/2 pound to 1 pound sausage
4 to 6 eggs
1/4 onion
1/2 to 1 full pepper
3 or 4 garlic cloves
other favorite veggies
sea salt
black pepper
shredded cheese



Grease a 9 by 13 pan with olive oil. Brown and crumble sausage. Slice or rip bread into small pieces. Toss into pan for the first layer of bake. Put your browned sausage in the pan over top of the bread layer. (Holes and mixing is fine while layering your ingredients) Chop onions and peppers. Mince garlic. Sautee onions, peppers, garlic over the stove (in olive oil or a bit of the left over sausage drippings). Chop and add any other vegetables.

Scramble eggs and pour over the casserole layers. Sprinkle a bit of black pepper and sea salt over top of the breakfast bake. Put casserole in fridge for a few hours or overnight.

Before baking, allow your pan to warm (before placing into oven) and shred some cheese over top of bake.

Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until eggs are cooked and cheese is melted. 

'Tis the season to be a bit busy... let's start off a day a little easy... I'm thinking about fixin' one of these for this weekend of family time! Enjoy.

Skillet Potatoes

Some of our favorite dishes are breakfast foods. And since we're not really the best early morning people we often eat breakfast for dinner. {Our intentions are not to rush away mornings, but sleeping in is so nice in our cozy bedroom!} 

One of our favorites is a hot skillet full of tasty potatoes. You can eat them as a side dish with any meal really. We love skillet potatoes with a slice of breakfast bake straight from the oven or on a plate with eggs and toast. 

Skillet Potatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium potatoes, chopped in half inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pepper, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and peppers cook for two minutes. Add potatoes and stir occasionally until each side is brown. Place lid to cover skillet. Cook until potatoes are soft. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Add rosemary and stir again. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve as a side dish with a favorite meal.

Loads of Loaves

The many breads of 2012

There were wheat breads, squash breads, sweet breads, corn breads and savory breads too.

There isn't anything quite like a slice of homemade bread. This year we have been happily adding homemade bread to our monthly menu. I thought it would be fun to remember some of my favorite recipes. I've been inspired by a variety of websites, cookbooks and blogs. Below are a few links that might be just perfect for your kitchen too! 

Butternut Squash Bread {My favorite breakfast/snacking bread!}

Easy Homemade Bread {super easy way to start making bread loaves}


Oh and these amazing goodies... which aren't loaves of bread but a good change up:

Golden Crusted Fluffy Biscuits

Golden Sweet Corn Bread

{Small Disclaimer: I'm sharing these recipes because I really did enjoy the process and the final bread product(s). I can also report that I achieved delectable baked goods with these recipes on more than one occasion, so I will call them 'tried and true'.  Go ahead and preheat your oven... you know you want to!}

Our Humble Homestead: Our Bedroom

::subtle colors::

::important details::

::cherished mementos::

When we moved into our home we decide to dedicate our home improvement time on spaces that we would be awake in and the places where we would make our loved ones feel comfortable. The guest bedroom, the kitchen, the living room, the dining room were all rooms that were painted first. Also, it seems that the guest bedroom and living room are the most decorated rooms in our home. We have some bigger plans for different spaces of our home. Plans that we must save our time, materials, and money for. When we wanted to make our home be ours we found that paint seemed to give us the most bang for our buck. Which is why most of our house has been painted over the last year.

Now here we are decorating and adding personal touches ... so excited to be finally working on creating a beautiful, organized bedroom for us. I think it will make each day start a little brighter. I'm spending time making each drawer a bit easier to contain and getting that closet cleaned out properly. It has been easy now that I'm in love with the colors on our walls.

Running in 2012: 5K Completed

Over the past few months I've been writing a bit about my long trek to becoming "a runner" {or at least "a jogger"}. Complaining about how I don't love running, but that I'm making activity goals and for the most part reaching them.

My overall goal of running has been to increase my good health and activity choices - not to get stressed out by the fact that every race I consider to run doesn't work with our personal calendar or savings account. (is it just me or are races expensive and not always timing friendly?) This has been a bit of a conflict for this year's "registering and running a 5K" goal.

So instead of registering and running in a race with others in the community my husband and I ran a "Welcome December" 5K. It was around our town and the "registration fee" was pizza and winter brews after the run. This works for me... we think we have a new family tradition. 

Kale and Mushroom Lasagna

Kale, there are days that I love you and days that I just can't get you out of my fridge :)

We belong to a great little CSA where we enjoy getting our locally grown organic fruits and veggies. It has been a great supplement of produce while I pretend learn to grow a garden. One day I hope to have enough growth to supply our family, but that day isn't coming any time soon. With this in mind, we gladly use our dollars to support our local farmers at the market and via our "Happy Box" CSA.

Some weeks we get loads of leafy greens. This has inspired the following recipe:

Kale and Mushroom Lasagna

1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup kale or other leafy green (spinach is great as well)
2 cloves of garlic
1 small onion
1 pepper
3 small to medium tomatoes
1 quart jar of tomato sauce
Lasagna noodles
Pepper
Salt
1 tsp oregano
2 or 3 chopped fresh leaves of basil (or 1 to 2 crumbled dry leaves)
about 8 oz of cottage cheese
parmesan or mozzarella cheese
olive oil


Grease 9 by 13 oven safe pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Clean and chop the mushrooms, garlic, onions, and peppers. Cook them in olive oil over medium heat until soft. Clean and chop kale and add the stemmed sections into the pan of now soft veggies. Cook for two minutes, add remaining kale. Stir and let wilt slightly. Remove from heat. Clean and chop tomatoes. Add tomatoes and a few spoonfuls of tomato sauce to cooked vegetables. Stir.  Add oregano, basil and a sprinkle of salt and black pepper. Assemble lasagna as desired. I typically start by pouring a bit of tomato sauce to cover the bottom of pan. Then add a layer of noodles, spread cottage cheese on noodles, add tomato sauce, a new layer of noodles and then the layer of mushrooms/kale mixture. Continue layers until pan is full. Pour tomato sauce on top and shred cheese. Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and noodles are soft.

*I like to make this dish ahead and let it sit in the fridge over night prior to the final baking. I think it allows the flavors to combine well and makes for an easy but tasty dinner the next night.

Shoreline Brewery in Michigan City, Indiana

Our final brewery to visit on our end of the summer brewcation was Shoreline Brewery & Restaurant in Michigan City, Indiana.

First impression: Well... we came pretty early in the day, so there were not many people there. The general area around the brewery and restaurant was pretty deserted. It felt a bit like a ghost town to tell you the truth. But when we walked inside it looked like a typical sports pub and there were fellas around drinking beers and watching a football game. Very relaxing sort of feel.

Service: Great! We sat at a table and had a nice waitress. She even opened the brew gear room for us to look around.

Food: They did have a full menu (I saw ribs for listed for lunch and pasta for dinner). We did not eat at this location. It was poor timing and a bit of a random stop. This is what happens when you pass a sign for a brewery after a late brunch with an early dinner planned and ingredients are already in the cooler (camping + dinner = cooking when the sun is still out)

Prices & Other Notes: We were pretty excited to learn how affordable the growlers were... then we found out that they do Monday $8 growler refills. (And $8 pitchers on Sunday) They also have music often on Saturday nights and Open Mic on Tuesdays. It seems any day of the week is a good time to go!

As for the beer: Our group had pints of Stella Blue, Benny's APA and Beltain's Scotch. Benny's and Beltains are World Beer Cup Medal winners and we thought they were deserving of such awards. The boys liked the brews so well that they ended up stopping back later in the day to pick up a growler for the campsite. They chose the Sesh Wheat Ale and it was tasty too!

Sew Lovely: Baby Bibs

Somehow it has happened. Everyone I know is having a baby or just brought home a new little person. It is exciting, it is joyous, and it is a bit scary. I can't believe we are in the baby shower phase of life. The past three years we would go to six or seven weddings each year. Now those families are growing. Good thing my friends are fun and always throw great parties.

In order to make something special for some of my favorite expecting mamas, I've been sewing with my good friend Kaytie. She is making and nesting for her little one (eek! love that growing baby bump!) while I prepare gifts for all those little faces. I love our sewing sessions, we talk and talk... like good friends do. 

We decided this project would be fun and useful for the new babies who are a'coming. There are so many tutorials to use, in fact Kaytie wrote about a few patterns that she had searched out in this blog entry. Baby bibs are so rewarding! Quick, simple, so sweet. We chose tons of great fabrics and away we went! 

I recently made one set of bibs for my dear friend from college. Adult life has gotten in the way of seeing her often, but I am so happy for her growing family. I think it is just wonderful that a little beautiful baby will wear something made just for her. And I know those mamas love keeping babies clean while still looking sweet. And I've already made a few more... they are slightly addictive!

Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, MI

During our Michigan Brewcation we stayed in Grand Rapids for a long afternoon. The city was great fun and while we were there we stopped at two breweries. First HopCat (click here for HopCat's website) and then we walked over to Founder's Brewing Company for drinks and dinner. 

First impression: Love. Dreamy hardwood floors, open balcony, loads of good natured folk. 

Service: Great! We had two lovely waitresses checking on us for drinks very often (and filling water glasses for our designated driver). When ordering food there are specific windows to place and pick up your order and the fellas back there were very pleasant as well! 

Food: We ordered their "Tree Hugger" sandwich and it was tasty! The food was good quality but we did order an extra side item (pasta salad - tasted great) that we didn't think was really worth the cost. I believe while eating it my husband and I agreed that we should have just split a new brew for the calories and cash we "spent". So if you are there for the food, eat up an extra side item because they have several to try. But if you are not the designated driver the sandwich and fries were plenty (we split it). Then grab a second (or third) brew. 

Other Notes: Founders Brewing Company has been ranked in the top five breweries in the world for years on ratebeer.com. Since 2011 they have held the second place position on Best Brewery in the World.

As for the beer: Never found a beer that we didn't like from Founders. It was great to have pints straight from their taps. On this evening I liked their Honey Wheat but the boys at our table enjoyed drinking All Day IPA, Centennial IPA, Red's Rye and the Fest Wheat. All good, all recommended. 

I really enjoyed the atmosphere at Founders Brewing Company. The place was beautiful and there were all types of people there (locals and not-so locals, crowds of mixed ages and groups of friends). Please check out their website to see if you'd like to stop by the next time you are in Grand Rapids, MI.

HopCat in Grand Rapids, MI

We knew when going to SW Michigan we would need to stop by HopCat's pub in Grand Rapids. 

First impression: I've got a special place in my heart for bricks, gorgeous windows and let's be honest, cats. The music was good, and there were interesting displays, signs, and posters on the walls. We had walked into a place that we could stay awhile. 

Service: Great. Our waiter helped us choose some great beer. He also mentioned a few other breweries in the area that we should try and some of his personal favorite bars. We hope to go back to Grand Rapids and spend more time... maybe check out a few more of his recommendations. 

Food: In effort to try some of the favorite and recommended foods we ate lots of fried bar appetizers on this brewcation. And at Hopcat we dove into some serious fries. That's right, I'm talking "Crack Fries" my friends. So tasty, just order it and split it like we did. That way you don't have to feel guilty when later in the day you wish you had more. 

Prices & Other Notes: HopCat is rated "#3 Beer Bar on Planet Earth" by Beer Advocate Magazine... I don't think any other notes can compare to that...

As for the beer: We tried the Hoppopotamus IPA (just over 6%). It was light enough for us with the full bellies. :) HopCat had a very long beer list including lots of brews from other local brewers... which is great if you want to try a few others but not travel to their specific locations.


After our stop at HopCat we walked a few blocks to hit up Founders Brewing Company... we truly enjoyed Grand Rapids!

Goals: 41 miles in October

During the month of October I participated in the haus of girls 41 miles challenge. I chose to walk, hike, or run 41 miles during the month of October. 

During a few seriously beautiful weeks of fall I wanted to walk and run every morning or afternoon!

I finished the month with 46 miles in all!

Word on the {instagram} street is that the new goal is 50 miles for the month of November.

So, I guess I'm in... because I'm no turkey :)