Wednesday, August 31, 2011

What I Wore Wednesday.. Here we go!

That's right...I'm linking up for the first time!



So here is.. dum-dum-dum...
What I Wore Wednesday



shirt {F21}
skirt {Gap}




headband {J Crew} oh I love me some sparkles...
flipflops {Havaianas}
Trying to get my last few weeks of flipflops before I get back in the school/work grind {although I am super pumped for boot weather}


Happy Wednesday everyone !

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Blessed

I am not what happened to me
I am what I choose to become



{source via Pinterest}

Yes, Annette, I am copying the quote you posted this afternoon. {Annette is my "cousin" who is also one cool chica. She's travels the world, cooks amazing food, and is becoming a yoga teacher. Total inspiration to anyone who ever doubts doing something.} This quote really resonated with me. I try my hardest not to live in the past because I do believe in the power we have to change. And I am definately not the same girl I was 10 years ago. I am blessed. I am blessed because of many things I often take for granted. How about you? What are some things you are blessed with that give you the opportunity to "become"?

here are mine

* i know where my next meal is coming from and i know i have a roof over my head
* i have family that would take me in if anything should happen
* emily smiles at me everyday
* mike may not always agree with me but he always supports me
* i had a professor i despised
* if i didn't have this professor i wouldn't have changed majors
* bc i changed majors i am where i am at Columbia U
* my friends are forgiving and generous. always
* i can laugh



I'll leave it at that... for now. This list could go on for pages. Try it. Next time you're feeling really low. Of course stuff is going to happen that's not fair. But it's a challenge for us to see what we can be capable of. Now it's time to get going on my challenge for the day... grad school reading. ickkk...

Monday, August 29, 2011

Sunshine & Enchiladas

Every cloud has a silver lining and Hurricane Irene's was the incredibly perfect weather that followed her. Emily and I spent the day in the sunshine swinging and sliding and enjoying the warm air. We love the river in our local park and the water was rushing like wild due to the storm.



After we worked up an appetite, in the kitchen we went. I'm trying to make a more concious effort to cook {extra} healthy. Thanks to Skinny Taste this effort will be pretty easy and delicious. Mike and I absolutely drool over Mexican food and these chicken enchiladas were a hit. Click the link back and check out Gina's amazing creations. I made one alteration and added some black beans! Yummmo.





Lazy Summer Days


Emily and I recently visited Flamig Farm, this super cute, eco-friendly, egg farm/petting zoo.

{Our goal is to provide a place where kids and adults alike can go to relax, play, and learn about the world we live in. We strive to better educate children and their parents in ways to live more harmoniously with the environment.}

Emily was too nervous to feed the animals herself but sure had fun laughing at me as I did. Being at the farm reminded me that autumn is coming quick. As much as I enjoy summer, fall is MY season. I daydream of pumpkins, hay rides, boots, and hot cider. What are some of your favorite fall pastimes?

Check out our trip and some of our new critter friends.




Saturday, August 27, 2011

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Well it took me long enough

Oh, Hello. I've been "working" on this blog for a couple of weeks now yet hadn't posted. Last night I was stumbling around blogdom and read something that really resonated with me - it read along the lines of "Just write, and keep writing. Yes, in the beginning no one will read it. Who cares?". So here I am, the next morning, plugging away. I hope this blog will be a place of laughter, happiness, and usefulness. I have many passions and hope people can find some inspiration in my words. My daughter, Emily Rae, is in for the ride and will be a repeat visitor. So there is my intro. And here is to a new start.


Arroz con Gandules


First thing. Use a caldero. It matters. I am still scraping black, burnt mush from the bottom of my saucepan. Secondly, I am trying to add the correct measurements to ingredients which I typically eyeball. Keep tasting and please feel free to adjust.
Ingredients
2 c. long grain white rice
3-4 c. water
EVOO
1 md. spanish/sweet onion
2 cloves garlic
salt & pepper to taste
16 oz. can of gandules (green pigeon peas)
1/2 c. Soffrito
1 packet Sazon with Anchiote
1 jar green manzilla olives with pimentos

Let's get Cookin
Heat the caldero over med-high heat and coat the bottom of the pan with EVOO. Don't worry about being over generous. Saute onion and garlic until soft. Add gandules, sofrito, sazon, olives and S&P. Stir until everything is combined. Start with around 3 1/4 cups of water and add that to the pot. Bring to a boil. Add rice - there should be an inch or so of water above the rice. Add more/remove water as needed. Boil rice uncovered for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, stir 1-2 times around the sides/bottom of the pot. Too much stirring will make the rice sticky. Reduce to low, cover, and cook for another 20 minutes. If at any point you smell rice burning, halve an onion and place each half, cut side down, on the rice, recover and resume cooking. The onion will absorb that nasty smell. When the rice is finished, the slightly burnt, crispy rice stuck on the bottom is deeelicious. Enjoy :)