currently {dreaming}

hey there.

we just got back from a little Florida + family visit and it was just what i needed to feel back to myself.

i was a bit tired and in a food slump. but now, i'm starting to feel like i can get back on top of life.



i'm currently dreaming:

+ about real food and all that food prep

+ decorating our farm house

+ digging in the garden dirt

+ coming back to my 16 in 2016 list to refocus myself

+ planning a big ol' backyard BBQ for fun at our new place

+ how to use up all the beautiful eggs my chickens are making

+ how to tackle spring cleaning in every corner of our property


hope your Monday is making you feel happy + full!

garden dreaming {berries + fruits}

oh yes, my friends. this is the year to start establishing my fruit growing plants, patches and practices!  i am thrilled beyond words to put in a few special plants that will produce in the upcoming years for my family to enjoy.


currently on our property we have an apple tree, a pear tree and a cherry tree. i am so happy with these established fruit trees. i cannot wait to pick and make some jams, butters and pies!


i am hoping to add a few more fruit bearing plants to our mini farm this year...

+the beginnings of a berry patch
dreaming about either strawberries or raspberries + fresh picking those beauties on the farm! (even if the picking doesn't happen this year...)

+ elderberry
i hope to plant a few varieties (currently considering Adams, Johns, Nova or York varieties) of elderberry plants this spring - which should give me just enough time to find a well-drained patch of soil around here! And then I hope to make syrup within the next few years!

+ a dwarf peach tree
i've always longed for a few dwarf fruit trees. something that will be easier to care for, accessible for the shorties 'round here, and not get too tall so that all the fruit is for the local birds. if it seems manageable to plant a fruit tree, i will select a dwarf peach tree to compliment the apple, cherry and pear trees we already have.

how about you? any thoughts about your plantings this year?

currently {feeling spring}

hey there friends!

yes, i am loving this spring-like weather we are having. i'll take the rain along with our warm, sunny days peppered in for good measure.


this past weekend was a good one. a good fill me up type of weekend, but also good for the garden! a friend and i decided to do a little seed trading for the garden AND i was able to get my seeds planted for starts! hooray! we'll see how they turn out, but so far, so good!


i planted mini red and yellow bell peppers, several varieties of tomatoes, onions, a few herbs and even some flowers just for fun. i am so excited to get my garden started!

how about you? enjoy the weekend? do any planting yet?

snow day enjoyment

that's right - our first snow day from school!

as a teacher i actually really enjoy having snowy days with my students at school. they are so excited about the weather, they will typically play outside and really enjoy the snow, and experiencing each season is something i think is really important for kids to get to do with their class.

however, sometimes driving conditions are not safe - and i like having a special, unexpected day once, twice... okay, just a handful of times each year to sleep in and have everyone enjoy the snow at home their own ways.

yesterday we had that snow day! i slept in {just a bit, like an hour!}, baked blueberry muffins {using this recipe}, read, did some work and drank a cup of chai. it was a beautiful morning!

and then i got the bug - the SORT ALL THE SEEDS bug... so much fun to do some garden planning on my day off!

i even did some work setting up my new studio space at our new house, while listening to the updates for season one of serial {did you listen to Adnan Syed's Hearing update? click here to learn more}

and it was a wonderful day. simple, at home and just what i needed and didn't even know i needed it.

whoa, february!

hey there my friends!

what in the world? how did february get here in such a rush? i cannot believe how quickly we are into this month!

things are pretty happening around here! we are...

moving the last {guilty} few items from our old house + setting up for future renters

seeing loads of the oscar-nominated movies {okay, okay, I only saw about 90% of The Revenant... because, BRUTAL bear attacks can only be "viewed" when i'm hiding behind my coat watching my husband saying 'wow! that is so realistic! really, wow!' and things of that nature... however the rest of the movie is some of the most gorgeous movie scenery footage i've ever seen}

rocking the Whole30 compliant lunches everyday since the Whole15 wrap up

and playing fetch with my pup almost daily {because february has been bringing the sunshine!}

how is your month shaping up?

january {cold + gray}

it has been january around here. sometimes cold, sometimes bitter cold and the sun likes to tease us from behind the clouds.

i'm beating the grays by taking down some late christmas decorations and making some serious chili in the crockpot for dinner later this week!

really, try this recipe from kristy at boys ahoy. you will love it!

happy Wednesday. try to stay warm!

health + food thoughts during a whole15

hello friends!

so it was time again. time for a 'whole15'. i had done a SERIOUS number on myself with enjoying the holiday menu{s} and my birthday. i felt pretty sluggish the final few days of 2015, and the first week or so of january my sugar cravings were over-the-top. i am glad to say that i am all in for this new whole15 adventure...

i did some prep. such as for several days before i began to cut way back on my gluten + legume intake. i increased my water consumption and did a fair amount of meal prep.  {bulk protein prep, and a big fridge clean out} i was hoping all of this would help with making my 15 days a little easier.


the first few days - sleep was so crucial. oh and eating in a timely manner. however i noticed that my first and second days weren't super difficult to say 'no' to certain foods. i did have a few cravings but i was able to push them aside. i think it was the fact that dinner was already made and i was drinking black coffee and hot tea.

i also have noticed that i'm getting more okay with just eating what i need. hm, i have cooked veggies, hard boiled eggs and black olives... okay that's a meal. i served them at one time but not mixed up in a bowl or anything like that!

the past few days - i had a really hard time turning down a beer at the brewery on friday night. but i was able to do it. i think i should be able to use that momentum to push forward. i am honestly already thinking about turning this into a whole30 instead. but let's get through 15 days first, okay?!

what is next - my plan is to finish off the whole15 (or grow it into a whole30) then stay away from gluten + legumes and limit my sugar, alcohol + dairy intake. i think this year is all about the REAL food and how to keep my body filled with veggies, quality protein + good fats.

as for healthy movement - i am also making it a goal to hit my 5 mile step goal with a 85% rate in 2016. this requires a bit of effort some days (about two days each week it is very easy to hit my step-goal without even thinking) but i think it is a worthwhile goal. and it gives me just a little wiggle room which will be helpful if i get sick or something like that (i can miss one day each week and still hit my goal for 2016). so far i was short on my steps three days this year.


how have your meals been in january? want to read about my past posts on whole30? click HERE