tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83525283234288782042024-03-05T03:39:53.912-08:00SKETCHING LIFEKellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.comBlogger523125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-32664017628255260742011-11-23T06:37:00.000-08:002011-11-23T06:37:11.397-08:00A Giving of Thanks<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I do thank the Lord for my life every day. I thank Him for my family, my friends, my home, my health, and most recently for my new job which I am enjoying so much, and the list goes on. But what about all of the things that I don't even know about, or realize, or can count, or imagine? He has blessed me beyond my human ability to comprehend. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I fear the only thing I have to give back is to be thankful. Truly thankful.</span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all generations."</i></span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Psalm 100:1-5</i></span></blockquote>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-47033441251736873852011-11-15T18:31:00.000-08:002011-11-15T18:31:20.219-08:00So Sublimely November<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It just feels like November. The evenings are darker, the air is cooler, and the leaves are fading into muted versions of their former vibrant hues of October. It's a time to clear out the brambles, trim the vines and rake the leaves.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So many leaves.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And it's a great time to teach children the importance of service. {grin}</span>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-22166705604765670312011-11-05T15:34:00.000-07:002011-11-05T16:12:57.885-07:00Raise Your Glass<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Will you raise your glass with me? It can be a mug or cup or even a goblet if you like. I'm raising my Starbucks Peppermint Mocha, as I just have a few things to celebrate.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First, I'm celebrating the return of the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha for the holiday season. While I am a cappuccino girl at heart, I thoroughly enjoy a good shot of minty chocolatey goodness once a year.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUbYB5H-g7iEDqgDFbKWJHe1aKiZ2fqW1-Vk_bzw6D9UoU3PFoAsQdSt-qQVTwqUpdnk15VL92Wua3wRLdAnkRXnmA2oo0SXLCOY871YxYR5YA2kqi_lX5zJeuATaOcV-KZ2dPZ-5HkH7/s1600/DSC_6638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUbYB5H-g7iEDqgDFbKWJHe1aKiZ2fqW1-Vk_bzw6D9UoU3PFoAsQdSt-qQVTwqUpdnk15VL92Wua3wRLdAnkRXnmA2oo0SXLCOY871YxYR5YA2kqi_lX5zJeuATaOcV-KZ2dPZ-5HkH7/s640/DSC_6638.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am also (still) celebrating our move to a new town nearly a year ago. We are thriving here, making a home and meeting people. It's also nice to live somewhere where it feels like fall when it is fall. Where Mother Nature uses the corresponding weather for the corresponding month. Right now it is raining pretty good (instead of snowing) and the red leaves on the tree in the back yard are absolutely brilliant. The air smells of wood smoke and my sweaters are getting constant use.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The main reason for my celebration is that I got a job! For a while now my husband and I have been talking about the possibility of me going back to work. For seven years I have stayed home with my kids and worked independently on graphic design projects. Now, as my children are both in school, it just makes sense to get out there among other adults and bring home some bacon. I'm excited. And a little bit scared. But the Lord is so good and I trust him completely in this new adventure. I will be a graphic designer for an advertising agency that specializes in social media and branding. I get to work part-time, which will allow me to be there for my kids after school, and I look forward to putting my creativity to use. Of course now that I'm joining the working world again, I need to do a little clothes shopping and acquire some tailored pieces.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well heck, let's raise our glasses to clothes shopping! I don't know about you, but it really is one of my favorite activities. I've got heeled loafers and girly blouses on the brain. Of course, I don't really need to get a job as an excuse to dream about fashion.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What are you celebrating?</span>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-35713642347539466862011-11-01T16:46:00.000-07:002011-11-01T16:46:36.055-07:00The Princess And The Jedi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPACqdJrxxB-8lajkFSjMKhnOcu2oc3eXP9VvV2Be325-OgVOOcgXs7zJtDwiYCbJy1qLjt8wI9Tab3weRRNQHf1A3bOWwSIC8GQ0bR3CG0CBmSVKnSPMSC_Qd_8zg68OqrbldDu1DD1A5/s1600/DSC2_6604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPACqdJrxxB-8lajkFSjMKhnOcu2oc3eXP9VvV2Be325-OgVOOcgXs7zJtDwiYCbJy1qLjt8wI9Tab3weRRNQHf1A3bOWwSIC8GQ0bR3CG0CBmSVKnSPMSC_Qd_8zg68OqrbldDu1DD1A5/s640/DSC2_6604.jpg" width="427" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This year my kids knew exactly what they wanted to be for Halloween. Forever a princess fan, my daughter opted for Rapunzel. My son, after watching some of the <i>Star Wars</i> movies over the summer, decided Luke Skywalker was the look for him. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I didn't make their costumes this year as I have done in the past, but I sure had fun styling their hair/wig to help them really play the part. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK-DhIaeSJMuIkwre9sMD2-hJZ_KKFxVgYOWmZ6ZLgCxqqM-wod-nvRWiVuMciFXzJhcAOKZ-tpHDWrQlqGCEUSVQUeNK2j7xAcmdm1za3Fxf8ERR_S8rPSmL6tKqKzUtixKbwJFyM6qGS/s1600/rapunzelcollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK-DhIaeSJMuIkwre9sMD2-hJZ_KKFxVgYOWmZ6ZLgCxqqM-wod-nvRWiVuMciFXzJhcAOKZ-tpHDWrQlqGCEUSVQUeNK2j7xAcmdm1za3Fxf8ERR_S8rPSmL6tKqKzUtixKbwJFyM6qGS/s640/rapunzelcollage.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rapunzel is sporting a layered dress fashioned out of sparkly tool and sequins. Her long corn silk locks are tied back in a single braid and her bangs were plastered (rather forcefully) with several coats of hairspray. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU64XsMDMqiin38tD2nMrzpiJDM11rWQkq6HyxWvKGzuKA0P05aiwFpoJNpXt_MCapEzSDg1awmyBnqdypnakaVYHaVfKd5FBFrC__D7HKtwfpFYmiyMitPsv6z8NV1JIamC5Eggx1OUs6/s1600/skywalkercollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU64XsMDMqiin38tD2nMrzpiJDM11rWQkq6HyxWvKGzuKA0P05aiwFpoJNpXt_MCapEzSDg1awmyBnqdypnakaVYHaVfKd5FBFrC__D7HKtwfpFYmiyMitPsv6z8NV1JIamC5Eggx1OUs6/s640/skywalkercollage.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Luke Skywalker here is technically wearing Obi Wan Kenobi's jedi garb. Perhaps Luke's robes got stolen by some Tuscan Raiders and Old Ben has some extra clothes to lend him. At least he still has his light saber and in good working condition. Don't mess with this knight, he uses the Force!</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whew ... the things a parent will do to ensure maximum trick-or-treating fun. But their happy faces (and ample supply of chocolate for mama) are worth it.</span>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-46386053953221919572011-10-31T14:58:00.000-07:002011-10-31T17:32:26.446-07:00It's So Much Fun It's Spooky!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What do you get when you combine a few robust pumpkins and a man with an extensive collection of power tools? Some rather fun characters!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjhWZNfbdzt6l_1ofnpd6w6LHSPiFIDuYpPVS5fR4Duiqm8mRtORT6cQLhOesKa2rhkMD5cnAKDOHdgyydZjnPK3DpiTxpnO_S284-0uGab1IA7ZeOecPE2FZQnQmqomZ0ESwXfTD-V-k/s1600/jackolanterncollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjhWZNfbdzt6l_1ofnpd6w6LHSPiFIDuYpPVS5fR4Duiqm8mRtORT6cQLhOesKa2rhkMD5cnAKDOHdgyydZjnPK3DpiTxpnO_S284-0uGab1IA7ZeOecPE2FZQnQmqomZ0ESwXfTD-V-k/s640/jackolanterncollage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fearing that time was running out to carve pumpkins, we hurriedly began the process at 7:45pm the night before Halloween (the kids go to bed at 8:00!). We opted for a happy face since we don't do scary around here. Seeing the curved lines I was drawing, my husband muttered something like "Oh man ... not the curvy lines!" and went out to the garage to fetch a tool. He returned with an electric jigsaw and began cutting away. I have to say, it did a great job and saved us a lot of time! Plus it's a great story to tell.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPLSMOvOGhyphenhyphenDBNSrjzL68EHWVE5FxLaYp1O3p8Gu1w3otFcGyL7YD2D3EQ40DyUFMyG3D4hlrIcWZcjndLYo2XNFgP2pnErwdA2pGxY-n2V7yRiay7h02Ie3zzHHZ03-YSrPK21XQAwY-/s1600/DSC2_6570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPLSMOvOGhyphenhyphenDBNSrjzL68EHWVE5FxLaYp1O3p8Gu1w3otFcGyL7YD2D3EQ40DyUFMyG3D4hlrIcWZcjndLYo2XNFgP2pnErwdA2pGxY-n2V7yRiay7h02Ie3zzHHZ03-YSrPK21XQAwY-/s640/DSC2_6570.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh, but he didn't stop there! This morning he created this not-so-happy face with ... yup you guessed it ... a blow torch. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And THAT'S how it's done around here, folks!</span>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-8269004270315056132011-10-27T16:01:00.000-07:002011-10-27T16:01:57.472-07:00Where We Dined Like Kings<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Imagine: a cool autumn afternoon, you are sitting at a patio that is perched high on a hill, overlooking a valley of lush green grape vines; you are sipping fine wine and dining on fresh regional cuisine; and a faint smell of lavender fills the air as you enjoy conversation with loved ones. Sounds dreamy doesn't it? Well ... it really was!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Over the weekend I had the pleasure of going to <a href="http://www.kingestate.com/">King Estate Winery</a> with my mom and sister. It is located a short drive from downtown Eugene, but its beauty makes it seem worlds away. 1,033 acres of land includes orchards, vegetable gardens, flowers, and of course 430 acres of organic vineyards! </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YWT8qXFQfp218U5a213BicRRmP8LtjMor5HFcgdfHi_vfHNR4VBzdvUzfor1-YYIW5Q-7ZUuLlm6P61DibMZw0Ab4kkgC3YM0HDhgKvKeQ99E0xRFRUAbH3Nq59S8nRT8id0tgfvF-Tj/s1600/DSC2_6519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YWT8qXFQfp218U5a213BicRRmP8LtjMor5HFcgdfHi_vfHNR4VBzdvUzfor1-YYIW5Q-7ZUuLlm6P61DibMZw0Ab4kkgC3YM0HDhgKvKeQ99E0xRFRUAbH3Nq59S8nRT8id0tgfvF-Tj/s640/DSC2_6519.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The drive up was so pretty. I admit that I was pretending to be in the French countryside.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-oXH1hDdHGRVRkJuqzU6RhhedrHloJFN1kMfOrHW8pnAA_93F1uMRkIcnTVqsWOPPaYWSbFDNp1_0kZJBS0-EuGXVb7apet7FAiHRx5ndOrsyt5aCNEk3y9NixuQRWRNbybZTPyliPjL/s1600/DSC2_6457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-oXH1hDdHGRVRkJuqzU6RhhedrHloJFN1kMfOrHW8pnAA_93F1uMRkIcnTVqsWOPPaYWSbFDNp1_0kZJBS0-EuGXVb7apet7FAiHRx5ndOrsyt5aCNEk3y9NixuQRWRNbybZTPyliPjL/s640/DSC2_6457.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A lovely pic of my mom, sister and I near the patio where we dined, overlooking the vineyard.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The panoramic view from the winery is really something to behold with neat rows of vines go as far as the eye can see. We took a tour of the facility which led us through the process of getting wine from the vine to the glass, then at the restaurant we got to taste their product. I went home with a bottle of their Acrobat Oregon Pinot Noir 2010, which I plan to bring out for a special occasion some time.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikN1NmGUHPOJp0c_gm4aqczx-JahdHg6vQLJVvgbipK9uwh4jUqvxjkdiEbEg3k1CG1lKTcoG4NyTN-W8hT3NjXQw2yyD7bSoRklzKGeIkjOcea6OIAP2S5JyUwmkOGJnEWW7ub0dNvgJg/s1600/DSC2_6535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikN1NmGUHPOJp0c_gm4aqczx-JahdHg6vQLJVvgbipK9uwh4jUqvxjkdiEbEg3k1CG1lKTcoG4NyTN-W8hT3NjXQw2yyD7bSoRklzKGeIkjOcea6OIAP2S5JyUwmkOGJnEWW7ub0dNvgJg/s640/DSC2_6535.jpg" width="428" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The barrel rooms had beautiful arched ceilings and smelled strongly of, what else, oak.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpG42NAEHHB6HUVdssoGNtxlekb_b7rO7Q7vIb_Vj6WT6WmYFUCCLx3MsW8Mwc7TSbvS59qY49gQmJlx3wbQrk91rOnOdqxSwjIMdTh1OhhhyPzUDCBLTG280-Tpe9BGUlegNtQhnTMfA/s1600/kingcollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpG42NAEHHB6HUVdssoGNtxlekb_b7rO7Q7vIb_Vj6WT6WmYFUCCLx3MsW8Mwc7TSbvS59qY49gQmJlx3wbQrk91rOnOdqxSwjIMdTh1OhhhyPzUDCBLTG280-Tpe9BGUlegNtQhnTMfA/s640/kingcollage.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I felt very blessed to have the opportunity to jump out of the car and snap some shots of the grapes on the vine. These bunches will soon be harvested.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8Wu00GwH9HA77UrwnEljwOSLlq9sT8m9cXQgDyfZJPQuD1y_p0vW-cDzaOaAv9fIjWUfuPeRV3nhxAg9TUEDG8gL45iN5eDWnUANCAu3yjDP0cMQIsKONjyoaHkMBGCRjOT55Hx2OThH/s1600/kingcollage1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8Wu00GwH9HA77UrwnEljwOSLlq9sT8m9cXQgDyfZJPQuD1y_p0vW-cDzaOaAv9fIjWUfuPeRV3nhxAg9TUEDG8gL45iN5eDWnUANCAu3yjDP0cMQIsKONjyoaHkMBGCRjOT55Hx2OThH/s640/kingcollage1.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Good wine, good food, good company and good laughs all made this a very memorable adventure.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Even though I still long to go to the wine country of France, it's a comfort to know that a similar experience is never too far away from me.</span></div>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-41549328136894849172011-10-20T17:07:00.000-07:002011-10-20T17:07:18.632-07:00Leopard Is A Girl's Best Friend<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I imagine that when most people think of Marilyn Monroe from the movie <i>Gentlemen Prefer Blondes</i>, an image of her in that bubblegum pink gown and covered in diamonds is what comes to mind. Strangely, I think of her in another outfit: a stunning navy dress with a leopard stole and muff ... and covered in diamonds. There is something so striking and luxe about the spotted fir against the dark blue.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgChJscMnUBZgKFRlLjqlvmmDFqQkADN9jUVtrcmsYemdiOTif41qskJtjec_vd5DDzr3BlztoCXg8EagEQPxKVD-SSfxW8iY1hnJArS4RMiQH2QxkNrIpg4_-hYZ40NKdXHLy3Z6-Ziix/s1600/marilyn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgChJscMnUBZgKFRlLjqlvmmDFqQkADN9jUVtrcmsYemdiOTif41qskJtjec_vd5DDzr3BlztoCXg8EagEQPxKVD-SSfxW8iY1hnJArS4RMiQH2QxkNrIpg4_-hYZ40NKdXHLy3Z6-Ziix/s640/marilyn.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4pBLc5DZvTx9oS-_baspLsxGNYs-1zUqklV5fkhchvDUcC9fNi5r1E1_DCLgJ9oVp1hBS-BPRL5jRUG1YKGw4PEIgyISMxM7LwSJVll4zjyC-ymU1cyfuASjSrcIPMcWWxHEcNJnMdm7/s1600/marilyn1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4pBLc5DZvTx9oS-_baspLsxGNYs-1zUqklV5fkhchvDUcC9fNi5r1E1_DCLgJ9oVp1hBS-BPRL5jRUG1YKGw4PEIgyISMxM7LwSJVll4zjyC-ymU1cyfuASjSrcIPMcWWxHEcNJnMdm7/s640/marilyn1.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A big fashion trend I see this fall is the use of leopard print. I'm generally a pretty plain and simple girl when it comes to prints and textures, but I can't help it - I'm falling in love with leopard!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Upon perusing fashion magazines and style websites, I've been seeing the likes of Reese Witherspoon and Cameron Diaz sporting some lovely leopard ballet flats. They look great with jeans and add an instant touch of class to any outfit. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmicbollS-E_onoZId2s9XC5rnh2wlrD-G_Uv_tHb4VaMcTlSapdATfwpf6tURIlewYfZfnwepHl9rJCaK3KcgojpMgelkRWsSPtGai_8zdjqcc6U-SlmHOEkh7ysAkSG_beE56uh0Xd7E/s1600/cameron_diaz_300x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmicbollS-E_onoZId2s9XC5rnh2wlrD-G_Uv_tHb4VaMcTlSapdATfwpf6tURIlewYfZfnwepHl9rJCaK3KcgojpMgelkRWsSPtGai_8zdjqcc6U-SlmHOEkh7ysAkSG_beE56uh0Xd7E/s1600/cameron_diaz_300x400.jpg" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reese Witherspoon and Cameron Diaz.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKyMgiFTSRQcAMGoZXQNYt7eYwwj2HIypq_o0anBEiq0OyUKRU9q7-2awsSXDGZDwqxU79uqkfbyoF1qQAwAuSxoP2izNqud7BOUFb2wmlbbK153m8zR1OhrYNsW9DSyuaa5d6siydzXvp/s1600/elle-mcpherson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="580" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKyMgiFTSRQcAMGoZXQNYt7eYwwj2HIypq_o0anBEiq0OyUKRU9q7-2awsSXDGZDwqxU79uqkfbyoF1qQAwAuSxoP2izNqud7BOUFb2wmlbbK153m8zR1OhrYNsW9DSyuaa5d6siydzXvp/s640/elle-mcpherson.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Elle McPherson</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDreL4wZDTocfWUyBDi3Iv4p4X2VUKtPopHCliN6EezCmrrs2X21I9Mbxc5crz-sfJA5b-vGWpdDUGh9M7X-eLeAflK09YACTgzwkDTuZmkAArUllo4pyuhtrusEqmG98pEDQavKS52vLG/s1600/leopardflatscollage1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDreL4wZDTocfWUyBDi3Iv4p4X2VUKtPopHCliN6EezCmrrs2X21I9Mbxc5crz-sfJA5b-vGWpdDUGh9M7X-eLeAflK09YACTgzwkDTuZmkAArUllo4pyuhtrusEqmG98pEDQavKS52vLG/s640/leopardflatscollage1.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Katherine Heigl</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I bought some. Now, mine aren't exactly Louboutins or the Tory Burch pair that Katherine Heigl wears, but I think they are just as nice looking and I didn't pay nearly as much. I got mine at Target for $24.99, they are calf hair and feature a beautiful scalloped detail around the edge.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieh-1VstiaylsN_U01tIO5mh9TnNKQEUyI-JbNWoCLcWiFqx8n8C3vnXqY0Mv8VHJxFDGaEw712xGp0mykN15sDubvUuoR6qvNkRcRB8-k-26Kv4DyX0Ow-pm1ez96S24O57uFmiDWQi0l/s1600/leopardflatscollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieh-1VstiaylsN_U01tIO5mh9TnNKQEUyI-JbNWoCLcWiFqx8n8C3vnXqY0Mv8VHJxFDGaEw712xGp0mykN15sDubvUuoR6qvNkRcRB8-k-26Kv4DyX0Ow-pm1ez96S24O57uFmiDWQi0l/s640/leopardflatscollage.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ah, aren't they adorable? They look great with both my trouser style and skinny jeans.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Generally I would say that I am a heels kind of a girl, but these babies make me feel foxy when I wear them. And they are far more convenient for walking my kids to school in the early morning.</span></div>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-27320533591180053482011-10-18T13:01:00.000-07:002011-10-18T13:01:04.793-07:00Hi Yah!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes I seriously wonder if my daughter is actually related to me. She loves to read science fiction, she isn't shy in the slightest, she asks A MILLION questions a day, and now it appears she is athletic as well. This girl can even do push-ups ... like a grown man! Yup, it's a wonder we're related.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcPisbH9x23HYqNtM_8Obt9HWM1tcE4w8yJ_DW5ZhuA6e0GxKQiGvwJbTu2BXuFJfR4k-h-J9umrf7MPLTR3T3xwUxcMy8dKQIW1AXCYyji7_UbAnW_xeF9yB97kC-Q2tpqzr7qCwZoDn/s1600/DSC2_6369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcPisbH9x23HYqNtM_8Obt9HWM1tcE4w8yJ_DW5ZhuA6e0GxKQiGvwJbTu2BXuFJfR4k-h-J9umrf7MPLTR3T3xwUxcMy8dKQIW1AXCYyji7_UbAnW_xeF9yB97kC-Q2tpqzr7qCwZoDn/s640/DSC2_6369.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since starting Tae Kwon Do in June, my daughter has earned three out of four stripes on her white belt, and I imagine she could have her orange belt by Christmas. Not only that, but she is "Student-of-the-Month" at her karate studio. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5dS5AQUGLtnQATsOlj8foHKFoSv_pjBBwi58S8qpGp8wUX2_nHOwfUHFuKH8ZFfDEoT_rMdQzsnUZbDQO-n8x_zlwLb0Qwuap4jYEjM20q6Eh6nfO6bDeH4Jd26Mm03sL6vfWrcPth8le/s1600/DSC2_6379.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5dS5AQUGLtnQATsOlj8foHKFoSv_pjBBwi58S8qpGp8wUX2_nHOwfUHFuKH8ZFfDEoT_rMdQzsnUZbDQO-n8x_zlwLb0Qwuap4jYEjM20q6Eh6nfO6bDeH4Jd26Mm03sL6vfWrcPth8le/s640/DSC2_6379.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Her many accomplishments in such a short amount of time makes me one proud mama. That is, if I really am her mama. {grin}</span>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-75728507777763388132011-10-14T19:40:00.001-07:002011-10-14T19:40:25.281-07:00The Story Of Packer<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I was a kid I seemed to be quite a bit more fearless than I am now. Bugs didn't seem so scary and reptiles could <i>almost</i> be classified as cute. I recall that once upon a time, to my mother's horror, I loved to "rescue" small critters, name them, and try to keep them as pets. Two little guys stick in my memory, a newborn abandoned opossum and a baby garter snake that I named George.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These memories came flashing back to me tonight as my husband brought home a little friend he found wandering around a building in his office: a baby garter snake. The reptile traveled to our home in a disposable quart sized paint bucket and had paper rubber-banded to the top with poke holes for air. The kids were nervous and excited as the bucket was placed on its side in the bathtub and a little head the size of a raisin peered out, tongue flicking. He was tiny and curious, and sort of freaked out a bit when it saw the camera lens move in closer.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpJUq-we6UN9Kb-yO6_7d-VokcQnxVCqHj-2vqV8oLuDsbCNbeQkm4LX7jTPC-e80S8taeptgWcZdnsbt9201ttqplXmVfvzNvuOIm_-awjTIBlyDWPgcv63HUzM9nIlkXcoOrCMfY_IK/s1600/DSC2_6322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpJUq-we6UN9Kb-yO6_7d-VokcQnxVCqHj-2vqV8oLuDsbCNbeQkm4LX7jTPC-e80S8taeptgWcZdnsbt9201ttqplXmVfvzNvuOIm_-awjTIBlyDWPgcv63HUzM9nIlkXcoOrCMfY_IK/s640/DSC2_6322.jpg" width="428" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV6WXuP_Go3dKqvK1FewF7PXW29UPvzUBe6pkhEBsP5GlYEpkjQkuSGXJVO9spLWSZ9Uy88jkwbLMh6n84jeH4rID_vB7PYHvy_-9zF3I0d2qrEjfHQk1oZRRQKBmeHHC3rSeJkv02Fhc8/s1600/DSC2_6342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV6WXuP_Go3dKqvK1FewF7PXW29UPvzUBe6pkhEBsP5GlYEpkjQkuSGXJVO9spLWSZ9Uy88jkwbLMh6n84jeH4rID_vB7PYHvy_-9zF3I0d2qrEjfHQk1oZRRQKBmeHHC3rSeJkv02Fhc8/s640/DSC2_6342.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jwX5lwO-WRGNPda7uX4J4gz8dzMJV-OsxvtBaNOjCTdxZrPgZqqPJSBnXnP6JBmTF5KVmBGsodMXQYXXr_3WZkCz05MPwtzATmiw6vIjsDsD98atrEQH6NSAgLOLdQpQ-XtZ5ZMDwS_A/s1600/DSC2_6350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jwX5lwO-WRGNPda7uX4J4gz8dzMJV-OsxvtBaNOjCTdxZrPgZqqPJSBnXnP6JBmTF5KVmBGsodMXQYXXr_3WZkCz05MPwtzATmiw6vIjsDsD98atrEQH6NSAgLOLdQpQ-XtZ5ZMDwS_A/s640/DSC2_6350.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In case you are wondering, we did name the snake. We called him "Packer" because he got stuck to some packing tape that was originally used as a lid to the bucket. After some time in the bathtub, providing entertainment for the kids, Packer was released in our backyard garden. It didn't take him long before he slithered into the Black Eyed Susan plant, where a frog promptly hopped away in a panic. We hope Packer will feel at home in our garden (and not in our house) and we suspect he will be in good company with the honey bees and humming birds.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTaUZ6cBxiVlG02vRAhJb9JSl6WU-oQR2VhF3lI7fgZj5TJ6h3x00O5b-3MANKtGC0oBMyukbrFQyOfd3QyY0y5kVD1IoVJtAO3tAw0nDtQMUe9D151CXa5_E7aGnolHKG2nwUYuDkAFq/s1600/DSC2_6340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTaUZ6cBxiVlG02vRAhJb9JSl6WU-oQR2VhF3lI7fgZj5TJ6h3x00O5b-3MANKtGC0oBMyukbrFQyOfd3QyY0y5kVD1IoVJtAO3tAw0nDtQMUe9D151CXa5_E7aGnolHKG2nwUYuDkAFq/s640/DSC2_6340.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-66633784822899745872011-10-10T15:38:00.000-07:002011-10-10T15:38:35.486-07:00Saturday At The Patch<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fall really is my favorite time of year. And every year I look forward to taking the little ones to the pumpkin patch for our annual pumpkin hunt and family photo. This year was even more fun than usual.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgltifB52rjAyXeitDcANTRywzJdsE_gUPMZVIPrMQBsaFYwM7ncCi96myAqYtV2lDbrPHzT-mBwHdf9lHo4Irjna81elg4IK47hjB3aG-IbF4ibYYWdSD4Oir1WtKCUs4C5q9pnJ9VADU/s1600/DSC2_6183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgltifB52rjAyXeitDcANTRywzJdsE_gUPMZVIPrMQBsaFYwM7ncCi96myAqYtV2lDbrPHzT-mBwHdf9lHo4Irjna81elg4IK47hjB3aG-IbF4ibYYWdSD4Oir1WtKCUs4C5q9pnJ9VADU/s640/DSC2_6183.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now that we are living in a bigger town, there is more to choose from in terms of pumpkin patches. We chose a farm that featured a petting zoo, hay rides and a country store ... why not go all out, right? We went with some friends and it was a joy to watch all of the kids feeding the goats and marveling at the giant sunflowers. There was a huge variety of pumpkins and fresh produce too. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0W8bAfFKfX9GIJ2O4zlr3QzZuiLhO5dPyOJvzTPmfdoOfLwJyhRCwbRDxlQLGonSpmCt7as8_aMzR2Ni_FyLHjUgh0SxhxYGdaMZkhM4bOphrHv_aTGTow7Yx2isz8AAm7OE8WN6VfoMx/s1600/7oakscollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0W8bAfFKfX9GIJ2O4zlr3QzZuiLhO5dPyOJvzTPmfdoOfLwJyhRCwbRDxlQLGonSpmCt7as8_aMzR2Ni_FyLHjUgh0SxhxYGdaMZkhM4bOphrHv_aTGTow7Yx2isz8AAm7OE8WN6VfoMx/s640/7oakscollage.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZ03J_e8tkmiUf8fWHVgYBEjFmJBAVkrRGvex8usoEAaIBHksHRdAjqUrI-5FNmU3VToUJkW3IpjmujfGlLiDJeNOpnAJ-3CHrtJAnnYGjbYRpni1txkQr0GPx3bFHkwlWjjpy5BEY0BC/s1600/7oakscollage1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZ03J_e8tkmiUf8fWHVgYBEjFmJBAVkrRGvex8usoEAaIBHksHRdAjqUrI-5FNmU3VToUJkW3IpjmujfGlLiDJeNOpnAJ-3CHrtJAnnYGjbYRpni1txkQr0GPx3bFHkwlWjjpy5BEY0BC/s640/7oakscollage1.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So much fun was had, I'm kinda thinking I might like to go back this weekend!</span>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-58761362518024346142011-10-06T17:38:00.001-07:002011-10-06T17:38:18.267-07:00Fun Fall Fare<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">The other night we were having </span><a href="http://sketching-life.blogspot.com/2009/11/my-new-go-to-meal.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">chicken tacos</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> for dinner and I got to thinking that some tortilla chips and salsa would go nicely with it. Except ... I had the salsa but no chips! Then I remembered seeing an idea in a Martha Stewart magazine for making tortilla chips at home using cookie cutters. What a great idea!</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE29UwFKsVuOZrmZW1DwaKbcXKBN5LK5nwD54gFPg7PQTNV6xAC8UCMlnylpQhE5W34EW89YUf3GCsZrG4XiDE8BXCPeu1PGyX4jnu30dA0ymdXJSXTPTgmci4ps5f8NDwbGxcN9gV5qgj/s1600/DSC2_5982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE29UwFKsVuOZrmZW1DwaKbcXKBN5LK5nwD54gFPg7PQTNV6xAC8UCMlnylpQhE5W34EW89YUf3GCsZrG4XiDE8BXCPeu1PGyX4jnu30dA0ymdXJSXTPTgmci4ps5f8NDwbGxcN9gV5qgj/s640/DSC2_5982.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I rummaged through my drawers of cookie and cake decorating things and found a set of pumpkins and fall leaves that I thought would be perfect. Then I put my daughter to work, cutting shapes out of the tortillas. I used flour tortillas, but corn would be wonderful and would cook up crispier. Martha's recipe called for putting the chips into the oven with olive oil and salt. That would be a good healthy way, but who am I kidding ... I wanted them fried! So I cooked them in a saute pan with some vegetable oil and sprinkled salt on them as soon as they came out of the pan. So. good.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnEN375uMM6NlP9JXScGGtb3t2q_Wj4I9sBdal_XJwL_4_7ND9WocVFI8GJuCwKZ83cOBH112aFhkSiSuMD0NCk-lNc_WIA3wJ9Xw074dXRcj2R-Xyx20EqM2CCt5ZpSz3gI_pf6YiJVm/s1600/DSC2_5983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnEN375uMM6NlP9JXScGGtb3t2q_Wj4I9sBdal_XJwL_4_7ND9WocVFI8GJuCwKZ83cOBH112aFhkSiSuMD0NCk-lNc_WIA3wJ9Xw074dXRcj2R-Xyx20EqM2CCt5ZpSz3gI_pf6YiJVm/s640/DSC2_5983.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> My husband and I enjoyed them with some roasted tomato salsa and my kids ate them plain. We all marveled at the cute little shapes, and I reveled in the glory of creating something so clever.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UghdOtuvzGKpi0ZWSBqD1scrRb4Pw_tkQYo3jbAwX3aby9RbZKau9B00wQdFB5WigDl_GnGkQwr1tL9QaXnDJoTjQGi8epKsv-yzPhad9lUTUftvpW72EsHvoLBcqySi9ZDXd_zoIeHj/s1600/DSC2_5997.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UghdOtuvzGKpi0ZWSBqD1scrRb4Pw_tkQYo3jbAwX3aby9RbZKau9B00wQdFB5WigDl_GnGkQwr1tL9QaXnDJoTjQGi8epKsv-yzPhad9lUTUftvpW72EsHvoLBcqySi9ZDXd_zoIeHj/s640/DSC2_5997.jpg" width="428" /></span></a></div>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-73906552347275733782011-10-05T10:33:00.000-07:002011-10-05T10:33:15.281-07:00I Shall Call It "Pink Champagne"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When it comes to nail polish, I generally steer toward the demure and conservative. In fact, the "craziest" color I have is bright red. You can be sure that you will not find me sporting turquoise or green apple on my fingertips, and I have never had acrylic nails. I do, however, like to play around with layering different colors and creating new looks.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZnrV6ISW0SlqALtRGVtYzrs66zpIBUg-znALjYMXr8BnxxEnnEx9MapJz6DPeQBgMQUpbTH-hxcbrqf6BkoTzQ3ZBz0UiF-eQ7JrQHpVFn1Xyfw3pvh7bOey6bJIAM9lotZegmeziaYy/s1600/DSC2_6005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZnrV6ISW0SlqALtRGVtYzrs66zpIBUg-znALjYMXr8BnxxEnnEx9MapJz6DPeQBgMQUpbTH-hxcbrqf6BkoTzQ3ZBz0UiF-eQ7JrQHpVFn1Xyfw3pvh7bOey6bJIAM9lotZegmeziaYy/s640/DSC2_6005.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First, I would like to share my method for a lasting manicure. I have found that on average, I can make my nail color last at least five days (which is a long time for me!)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Start by applying a thin layer of nail color to clean, dry nails. When that dries, apply a top coat - I like <i>Hard As Nails</i> by Sally Hansen. And when that coat is completely dry, follow it up with a thin layer of same nail color.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I find that this method works for even the darkest of colors, and the thin layers dry faster.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Recently, when I was at the store a bottle of gold polish jumped out at me and I HAD to have it! But when I applied it, I realized that I didn't like the way the gold looked on me. So, I created a beautiful pearly "Pink Champagne" look by brushing an iridescent transparent hue over it. I think it's rather gorgeous if I do say so myself!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4fxE8xrNXwhdpqt3FZgn1Jcuhz-swDTGwivUM89qkNh609zCzzuBJwC0VZR7M1CTsns0W7U9kUiKMjjJ1xubEZHak7DM1VL_r5p3crS0XmjV1msIN1LMzOW1B8i11BXc-wDV3wCBMcTB/s1600/DSC2_5971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4fxE8xrNXwhdpqt3FZgn1Jcuhz-swDTGwivUM89qkNh609zCzzuBJwC0VZR7M1CTsns0W7U9kUiKMjjJ1xubEZHak7DM1VL_r5p3crS0XmjV1msIN1LMzOW1B8i11BXc-wDV3wCBMcTB/s640/DSC2_5971.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">To achieve this subtle look, I used <i>Glitzerland</i> by O.P.I. and layered <i>Pearl of Wisdom</i> by O.P.I over the top.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOmct-s0fp_tLG68L6dAlM9gSx9s0gPLFUnfXBqabB_DMh-Os-uwdWCqmqSUi9T1uNBCTDvBEfLDRcMjla8b4h9Tyr_6jHlC4v3gbIWWOKlalcINVsKHff8WsQkIp4FQPTwbkEVLKS2Yt/s1600/DSC2_5981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOmct-s0fp_tLG68L6dAlM9gSx9s0gPLFUnfXBqabB_DMh-Os-uwdWCqmqSUi9T1uNBCTDvBEfLDRcMjla8b4h9Tyr_6jHlC4v3gbIWWOKlalcINVsKHff8WsQkIp4FQPTwbkEVLKS2Yt/s640/DSC2_5981.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Even in their bottles, these colors look pretty together. {blissful sigh}</span></div>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-48052126365062049272011-10-04T10:20:00.000-07:002011-10-04T11:57:44.092-07:00The Lone Little Apple Tree<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When we first moved into our house, we wondered what kind of tree was growing in the middle of the backyard. It is short (less than six feet) and with a trunk that is only about two inches in diameter. My husband's first inclination was to take the tree out since it was planted in the most random spot in the yard and is a challenge to mow around, but we decided to hold off until we figured out what kind of tree it is. Evidence confirms that it is an apple tree!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwCCK55NIn7KOnM5jtJ1OOeP0lGwT0TooHVnVGXsWg6DeuX-gX7r9lCAI5T4-0Q3P-pTgQoakp7nE96wuJMTcatzi5m1gfAgzNYV1Sv1kz7VrQxyw7YHaMtRwg6aFvG4RW5b0gLZ_vRzu/s1600/DSC2_5944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwCCK55NIn7KOnM5jtJ1OOeP0lGwT0TooHVnVGXsWg6DeuX-gX7r9lCAI5T4-0Q3P-pTgQoakp7nE96wuJMTcatzi5m1gfAgzNYV1Sv1kz7VrQxyw7YHaMtRwg6aFvG4RW5b0gLZ_vRzu/s640/DSC2_5944.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Apples have been growing on it since about mid-summer and they are weighing down one side of the tree. To my untrained eye they look like little Gala apples. Now if I can just figure out when I should pluck them from their branches, I might make a little apple tart from my harvest.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKzS0aneHIMKAmXN5Vv6c8ANfWH1uao5v_zqCmLqHO6vCYXxfVt7BkOgZ9eNYS8cpCdJcgKqiRtWItgQ6YIJZGmxPK9z_fN0LJSNJon4lAsiPg8Ko0phMjXCm3WC47u8S91qLGiLMvgUo/s1600/appletreecollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKzS0aneHIMKAmXN5Vv6c8ANfWH1uao5v_zqCmLqHO6vCYXxfVt7BkOgZ9eNYS8cpCdJcgKqiRtWItgQ6YIJZGmxPK9z_fN0LJSNJon4lAsiPg8Ko0phMjXCm3WC47u8S91qLGiLMvgUo/s640/appletreecollage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-fxW2thjdZSG9vB_4o7vPwA_Z2sx_Ec-A3pM-ASf1aKyWul45lxHJZkQKul25CkyHmcpF0990T0YCnUj9NXNbSDGIVUAIol5TqOBd0qc42MSeN03jTdFzE8QLvFIsDB_ORpYtqp1lfkKO/s1600/appletreecollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-61872121471557742402011-10-03T19:42:00.000-07:002011-10-03T19:42:20.237-07:00What A Glorious Feelin'<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fall is here! Last week I was walking the kids home from school in eighty and ninety degree weather and today ... a high of sixty-seven and raining! I find that the first rain in a long time invigorates me. Inspires me. I'm happy again.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWiZc4zThmE2pzwYIzj8bKC04fYOem5HYZBV9hBxe2JAMVcjaOYkTNsFGWqzrVBoCFbO8Vl9MHa4x2CqmbybrNmycgRHUD6t9R-2m0YJeeskOsipXkYDqWk8WSbzusJJv3cH4SQosLq5Ez/s1600/cocoaandoreocollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWiZc4zThmE2pzwYIzj8bKC04fYOem5HYZBV9hBxe2JAMVcjaOYkTNsFGWqzrVBoCFbO8Vl9MHa4x2CqmbybrNmycgRHUD6t9R-2m0YJeeskOsipXkYDqWk8WSbzusJJv3cH4SQosLq5Ez/s640/cocoaandoreocollage.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After school we enjoyed hot chocolate and Halloween Oreos while our umbrellas lay propped against the house to dry. And tonight - a hearty casserole and hanging out in our cozy socks is sounding like the perfect night in.</span>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-69892523974701118402011-09-29T10:17:00.000-07:002011-09-29T10:21:09.631-07:00When September Ends<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">September is drawing to a close and has gone by so fast. I just wanted to take a moment and appreciate the things of the ninth month. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRM0yTWzxzeJzv9u0ObNDTUD4hukIwJoxpbp6BZrz5m8k5RlhKSGbXYgyfkjxKr9MarGA8gJ9QYYDy_DZ1MZyufbhihc-1zPBEGtjqFcnYYkziAFXq-5NbwxaDc_BYhCWhFIqZ4DJwxEQ0/s1600/septembercolorscollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRM0yTWzxzeJzv9u0ObNDTUD4hukIwJoxpbp6BZrz5m8k5RlhKSGbXYgyfkjxKr9MarGA8gJ9QYYDy_DZ1MZyufbhihc-1zPBEGtjqFcnYYkziAFXq-5NbwxaDc_BYhCWhFIqZ4DJwxEQ0/s640/septembercolorscollage.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is the month when growers sell heirloom tomatoes at the farmer's market. Vibrant sunflowers grow so tall they peak over the top of backyard fences. The air gets cooler, dew clings to blades of grass, and for a few hours of the day morning glories show their glory. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HrP_2KH6EJht3XTq3PV9fURCkKljHuFrd-shQLVp6z4jCKi_aOo_cMlq82WrzsXYhbc-eEIBQSQOdDkZNg7gBKddWZWSfPmk03IV2UCqWgr2e6pBxHY7k9qqqPde1c6ly0kfW2SKgTpy/s1600/DSC2_5869.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HrP_2KH6EJht3XTq3PV9fURCkKljHuFrd-shQLVp6z4jCKi_aOo_cMlq82WrzsXYhbc-eEIBQSQOdDkZNg7gBKddWZWSfPmk03IV2UCqWgr2e6pBxHY7k9qqqPde1c6ly0kfW2SKgTpy/s640/DSC2_5869.jpg" width="428" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is the month where I put away the clean linen candles and bring out the spicy ones. Light sweaters are a must for chilly walks. Socks begin to make their appearance. And I begin to long for hearty soups.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is the month where days grow shorter. Kids go back to school. And busy parents find relief with a routine. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">September is the month when Americans remember and reflect.</span>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-19722512092984795352011-09-28T11:11:00.000-07:002011-09-28T11:11:07.878-07:00New (School) Year's Resolutions<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By now school is in full swing. It has taken me weeks, WEEKS, to get used to the new schedule. I'd say it has been much harder on Mom than it has been for the kids. Fortunately, I am now feeling settled.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can owe my new found comfort to what I've decided to call "New School Year's Resolutions". On January 1st of every year you won't find me making any resolutions, because I don't feel the motivation to and doubt that I will keep them. But when school starts for the kids, I feel this urge to get organized! My desire to schedule and plan and clean all combine to make a more prepared and confident mama!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Staying on top of housework has always proved to be a little difficult for me. I love having a clean, clutter-free home (don't we all) but rarely is my house like that. So, I've devised a plan to make housekeeping more manageable, by designating a day for different tasks:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Monday - bathrooms</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tuesday - dust & straighten</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wednesday - vacuum, sweep & mop floors</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thursday - bake bread</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Friday - laundry</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Saturday - relax</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sunday - meal planning & grocery shopping</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know, it's not rocket science, but sometimes it takes me a while for the light bulb in my head to turn on. Now I make lists, I write things down more, I use a day planner!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5g7aj-vb118rRvpOEBOJ6TA9StA4s8O7vhr_wcZ2QMJL3yeUiIelrcSWN-ZD7m9UcZCrC5sLwMDU5HUlZSuyeW5DpEV9vuwxhe8nJ5KCkldiGtOW0JqExlW5fv6J5yNeUvMj2fZm9N4C/s1600/DSC2_4835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5g7aj-vb118rRvpOEBOJ6TA9StA4s8O7vhr_wcZ2QMJL3yeUiIelrcSWN-ZD7m9UcZCrC5sLwMDU5HUlZSuyeW5DpEV9vuwxhe8nJ5KCkldiGtOW0JqExlW5fv6J5yNeUvMj2fZm9N4C/s640/DSC2_4835.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This planner by Moleskine is perfect - it fit's into my purse, comes with stickers to mark events, and is my signature color: red!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Planning my weekly meals has proven very positive. We rarely eat out, I buy (and use up) only what I need for that week, we are saving money, and when the dinner hour approaches I'm not in a panic trying to figure out what to feed my family! On the menu for tonight: homemade pizza and salad.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hmm, I think I should schedule some more time to blog, since it seems to be a rare event these days {sheepish grin}.</span></div>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-5548933220161703592011-09-07T19:45:00.000-07:002011-09-07T19:45:56.562-07:00Back To School<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Summer vacation is over and it was a pretty easy going (lazy) few months. The funny thing is, I considered getting up at 7:30 every morning to be getting up "early". Well, our daily schedule had definitely changed around here as the new school year has begun. Now my day begins at 6:15.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVuthTMRRlCGEe8ZT5uHmtoL1QB7_75FukEH1ZpFVKwslDrkCDmX0HjJAv_S_PVw-1IK_aFQIIxwi4eTJD89MwgU1hCliRjNnbm4IYp6HllKHCyZXDGLMBD9vzkPecR314-t_9W2HbXE-/s1600/DSC2_5842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVuthTMRRlCGEe8ZT5uHmtoL1QB7_75FukEH1ZpFVKwslDrkCDmX0HjJAv_S_PVw-1IK_aFQIIxwi4eTJD89MwgU1hCliRjNnbm4IYp6HllKHCyZXDGLMBD9vzkPecR314-t_9W2HbXE-/s640/DSC2_5842.jpg" width="428" /></span></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My little second-grader, ready to learn and make some friends.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb83qYA_cVU10YT5cN_xLvSy1yFU9Xjote0q4VymTtKhNsyXW1tdlMJHBtNMxsiOsVzQjVh2HDTAwyM7uJKJHFq4Q2J0RFWfotEKj93WMJA_jX0YTyp1RnagNuclSBLiSSHGCh3QFHOIDd/s1600/DSC2_5847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb83qYA_cVU10YT5cN_xLvSy1yFU9Xjote0q4VymTtKhNsyXW1tdlMJHBtNMxsiOsVzQjVh2HDTAwyM7uJKJHFq4Q2J0RFWfotEKj93WMJA_jX0YTyp1RnagNuclSBLiSSHGCh3QFHOIDd/s640/DSC2_5847.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibof6cRXS9_K8EqwmEERTslhvhIKCTTvOshUTp_b6VsO8JZZmxUpeEJdQ25d72M5PC6IGxUi_sCrVwOOhrlqWlczT2d72E9d1IZTvpcU72bcp88u0WEoo2YD1OWwsSXnS31Edbq1UUeY4A/s1600/DSC2_5850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibof6cRXS9_K8EqwmEERTslhvhIKCTTvOshUTp_b6VsO8JZZmxUpeEJdQ25d72M5PC6IGxUi_sCrVwOOhrlqWlczT2d72E9d1IZTvpcU72bcp88u0WEoo2YD1OWwsSXnS31Edbq1UUeY4A/s640/DSC2_5850.jpg" width="428" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The morning rush includes walking my kids to school. I'm happy to do it, I need the exercise.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My daughter had her first day yesterday and my son, today. That means ... I had FOUR hours to myself! I have waited for this day for SO long. What did I do with all of that time alone? Well, I had thoughts of treating myself to a Starbucks, or taking a walk, or catching up on unwatched recorded television shows; but instead I savored the silence, edited photos, and caught up on some paper work. In the silence. Did I mention there was silence? Glorious!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDx7S0now0MzTJWQ43555hft7khKPzBf3hnWbKSGOHFjxZCGVN0mR4Ys83qsPvk81T5uiwZb4JOmFuD0_0EqSHfF5uDY4WOO2ItAhtLSxF0Dr6tpF_oEl7I149NimfYWK0UksnWC9uVOM/s1600/DSC2_5860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDx7S0now0MzTJWQ43555hft7khKPzBf3hnWbKSGOHFjxZCGVN0mR4Ys83qsPvk81T5uiwZb4JOmFuD0_0EqSHfF5uDY4WOO2ItAhtLSxF0Dr6tpF_oEl7I149NimfYWK0UksnWC9uVOM/s640/DSC2_5860.jpg" width="428" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You may not be able to tell, but my son really was excited for his first day of preschool. Really he was. This is his "I-know-you-are-taking-a-picture-of-me-so-I-am-going-to-be-as-awkward-as-possible" look. What can I say ... he's four.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-36MWQtwT1gbDuWFkP0c5-n9sZP3HTPXAbzMwOsWWf0TC_3k-NYtXaeU_UccLVDT9NpX-ElClsXpKrNv50AbkOFFoz7v_dFAQCh1b4JsEX1QmCM3qbyk31MZTuMYFbE8jUn3xxn0ukbK/s1600/DSC2_5866.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-36MWQtwT1gbDuWFkP0c5-n9sZP3HTPXAbzMwOsWWf0TC_3k-NYtXaeU_UccLVDT9NpX-ElClsXpKrNv50AbkOFFoz7v_dFAQCh1b4JsEX1QmCM3qbyk31MZTuMYFbE8jUn3xxn0ukbK/s640/DSC2_5866.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ha ha! But I snapped this while he was laughing at a funny face he had just made!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Figuring out our new schedule and the best routes to school might take a little time, but ultimately I am thrilled that school is back in session. Now I'm just waiting for Friday when I can savor four hours of silence once again!</span></div>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-5649319590990549082011-09-06T14:05:00.000-07:002011-09-06T14:05:27.682-07:00A Dozen Years<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvioDQIleLILyyFkgAW6mu6jmRazd0R6BUNCY9WLFNx8RzTyAGOe3XW8RdwMyC3tquIpjBTSMGfOUHKhcoQgkfBkErT-Pf-Gy8K5LBauCxpRU4MOs_D2ANCcaGfnxeb1TWxF10h-hm_hLK/s1600/DSC2_5497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvioDQIleLILyyFkgAW6mu6jmRazd0R6BUNCY9WLFNx8RzTyAGOe3XW8RdwMyC3tquIpjBTSMGfOUHKhcoQgkfBkErT-Pf-Gy8K5LBauCxpRU4MOs_D2ANCcaGfnxeb1TWxF10h-hm_hLK/s640/DSC2_5497.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On Saturday, September 3rd the husband and I celebrated 12 years of marriage! When I think of the number of years since our wedding, it seems like such a long time - yet I remember 1999 so vividly that it's hard to believe that much time has passed.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I definitely feel older and more mature, which undoubtedly comes from having two children. We've lived in four different towns since our nuptials, each place somewhere I never would have expected to live in. And each year the Lord has blessed us in ways we cannot begin to count. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We celebrated our big day by visiting my favorite spot - Ashland - where we popped in and out of shops and had a fabulous Italian dinner in the restaurant's brick courtyard. We had our kids with us, which doesn't make for the most romantic of celebrations, but we didn't want the day to pass without acknowledging the occasion.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjf2SSPPuxmcSHFyn-_26eZ52dL3xSYBvx4yaCpeJhM51ixDdMem0HN9vYf3wwOKaVtuKKaeyWGQoncwLg0JTTJD9v0-zw2_ue83aZEvc73wA1KPqTbgN9SOxQ28XiuJivpXS_aXE4Hum/s1600/DSC2_5834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjf2SSPPuxmcSHFyn-_26eZ52dL3xSYBvx4yaCpeJhM51ixDdMem0HN9vYf3wwOKaVtuKKaeyWGQoncwLg0JTTJD9v0-zw2_ue83aZEvc73wA1KPqTbgN9SOxQ28XiuJivpXS_aXE4Hum/s640/DSC2_5834.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Photo courtesy of my daughter, taken in Lithia Park, Ashland, OR - September 3, 2011</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It has been an amazing 12 years and I'm looking forward to the next dozen ...</span>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-49498299662458311932011-09-01T17:42:00.000-07:002011-09-01T17:42:04.344-07:00Livin'<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Egads! Where did the time go? I see that it's been some time since my last post, but it doesn't seem that long. Perhaps it's because instead of writing about what I've been up to, I've been so busy livin' it! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These last couple of weeks have included lots of trips and activities. School clothes shopping at Old Navy was easy and quick - $10 jeans can't be beat! School supply shopping is done. A two-night trip to the lake got camping out of our system for the year. And for one last hoorah ... a trip to the coast with family!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqags7gmzRm3_84Gt0fFk4nyUaT9xu9ujSMLRjO78R6eGCGE1MK29n3CV6bTCrBbFn65rS_6-z-WB7F8FXt21CdRyBarVm1RlrO9ljf0jYzC2R9emggUo91an_xzkEJu3yR_IN-RcGrUYe/s1600/DSC2_5606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqags7gmzRm3_84Gt0fFk4nyUaT9xu9ujSMLRjO78R6eGCGE1MK29n3CV6bTCrBbFn65rS_6-z-WB7F8FXt21CdRyBarVm1RlrO9ljf0jYzC2R9emggUo91an_xzkEJu3yR_IN-RcGrUYe/s640/DSC2_5606.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The weather in Newport was spectacular! It felt a little strange playing on the beach when on the other side of the country Hurricane Irene was wreaking havoc on several states.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJYNWrKNpgTeAgnExaJbjm3Om7mDee7VhVo8wDH90ytce_aCP9_xlyAvzhT0zgvLsv2ftrmmnD-ARC6abH_GqBFGhYZcC3qJKPjY-oZCWdrnx23vV8kA9pxJku4XDQkUGNZUy2LnWTH8u/s1600/DSC2_5522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJYNWrKNpgTeAgnExaJbjm3Om7mDee7VhVo8wDH90ytce_aCP9_xlyAvzhT0zgvLsv2ftrmmnD-ARC6abH_GqBFGhYZcC3qJKPjY-oZCWdrnx23vV8kA9pxJku4XDQkUGNZUy2LnWTH8u/s640/DSC2_5522.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP5cAKu2dMqQR2KuMjLFYDSiSrzek6ogh_YEFUBUkQgVpjAt4ppaXpasdq-PirX64ru7ltWagTM4JldZ3vF4nyLkok3YhQSsshjD2dVvmogQikVun8HW-YiYN4PwMixjPjsSWg7rMzyfpL/s1600/DSC2_5500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP5cAKu2dMqQR2KuMjLFYDSiSrzek6ogh_YEFUBUkQgVpjAt4ppaXpasdq-PirX64ru7ltWagTM4JldZ3vF4nyLkok3YhQSsshjD2dVvmogQikVun8HW-YiYN4PwMixjPjsSWg7rMzyfpL/s640/DSC2_5500.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We (along with family on my husband's side) stayed in a house on the bay, not far from the jetty. This group shot of the kids in quite indicative of their personalities right now. Funny how the girls ham it up for the camera while the boys avoid it! The Yaquina Bay bridge (in the background) will celebrate it's 75th anniversary on September 6th. When the tide was low, I saw people wandering underneath it, digging for clams in the sand.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhq1VvxE1CfCh2F3sUqWndnXKabpRZI6Ns4NNTcqmsoQMkbEQpkCepkhnQvvm9w9BnvYy485WwfNUUlHbbhlFZ7apnhyphenhyphen1RkURY7Shm-eQ6I0sw8YOSaZ0ZcuE9lpQ2EcPnkenT_n6M9ncX/s1600/DSC2_5609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhq1VvxE1CfCh2F3sUqWndnXKabpRZI6Ns4NNTcqmsoQMkbEQpkCepkhnQvvm9w9BnvYy485WwfNUUlHbbhlFZ7apnhyphenhyphen1RkURY7Shm-eQ6I0sw8YOSaZ0ZcuE9lpQ2EcPnkenT_n6M9ncX/s640/DSC2_5609.jpg" width="428" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So now as it is September 1st and school will start up again next week, I look back on our summer with approval. And I am now wholeheartedly ready to take on fall!</span></div>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-34133487947243193342011-08-16T14:21:00.000-07:002011-08-16T14:21:54.093-07:00Anthropological DigSure it's still summer, but that doesn't stop me from thinking about fall! There is something about mid-August that has me dreaming of autumn style and cooler days. Plus, Anthropologie keeps sending me their beautiful and drool worthy catalogs, filled with pages of stunning photos and high end goodness. <br />
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Just one glance at their gemstone colored flats and stylized loafers and I am hooked! I think I would like just about every pair of heels in the book, not to mention the structured skirts and charming cardigans. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5G1Oe4v_KK1VOtf9s8iQEquUwVqLzul4E4rLDA554g4jTZqYiWvs0j64hImrpAiDkN9pjSiGMjENDBaJc1ikEBY_Ec369nE3Ga-C_8qgh-7nkaPsFs93PF3Pt55IobPZfW5Qu5JbqH80/s1600/ashoescollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5G1Oe4v_KK1VOtf9s8iQEquUwVqLzul4E4rLDA554g4jTZqYiWvs0j64hImrpAiDkN9pjSiGMjENDBaJc1ikEBY_Ec369nE3Ga-C_8qgh-7nkaPsFs93PF3Pt55IobPZfW5Qu5JbqH80/s640/ashoescollage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">These are my favorites! I am particularly drawn to the "Aim High Heels" and at nearly $400 a pair, I probably won't ever own them, but a girl can still window shop can't she?</div><br />
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I can already imagine the outfits I can assemble with these shoes. And can I just say, I am SO glad to see that heeled loafers are making a comeback!? I had a pair in the mid-90s and thought they were the greatest thing. I admit that there are a few other looks from that decade that I am hoping will come back: sleeveless turtlenecks, anyone?<br />
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Stay tuned for some more finds on my "Anthopological Dig". In the meantime, what is inspiring you?Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-87005190345611464682011-08-08T20:53:00.000-07:002011-08-09T10:35:04.538-07:00Boys Will Be Boys<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3noLMjlC_Nktj5GGbtDpwcS_cQay5727HrEoEesA_xtuK05jlOFzWzzAHRrfB9hnpAthkDSt1Klm8pLG_WxsznPltdh0YvVMBhFtpQjTmD-j2jfv73Ri2QNuDFyyADUrO7tcrLLf_APV9/s1600/DSC2_5277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3noLMjlC_Nktj5GGbtDpwcS_cQay5727HrEoEesA_xtuK05jlOFzWzzAHRrfB9hnpAthkDSt1Klm8pLG_WxsznPltdh0YvVMBhFtpQjTmD-j2jfv73Ri2QNuDFyyADUrO7tcrLLf_APV9/s640/DSC2_5277.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Growing up with sisters, and my only cousin being a girl, I was never fully exposed to boys and how they play. Yes, I have a son and he does boy things, but he can also be found dressed up in the occasional princess dress by his older sister. So when I see a whole pack of lads racing around the backyard in Power Wheels or jumping on the trampoline with endless energy, I am completely fascinated.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Over the weekend my sister-in-law and her family came for a visit. We had awesome food and great conversation, but I'd have to say the best part was watching the boys be boys. Armed with the most random of things - a plastic hardhat, some rain boots, and an arsenal of super cool sound effects noises, my son and his cousins ran about the backyard for hours. My husband chased them around the lawn, flinging them up into the air. They took turns running into bushes with the Hummer. And by the end of the evening you could practically count the number of tumbles and trips and falls they took with two hands, but those would never hamper the boys' fun for long.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWrMd4bXmw09iFXwWBuLTatK_eX-svPjmfP8fKq8-phVGtpG7yhPICjFh-pf6waoUL_6V3bDzzeXsNVwhm1E6S7ZLf6SIXwBga4AZyvqH-hZhjSDCnrbNBlsyy_yO4uwurZhkHn6bdLwgv/s1600/DSC2_5237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWrMd4bXmw09iFXwWBuLTatK_eX-svPjmfP8fKq8-phVGtpG7yhPICjFh-pf6waoUL_6V3bDzzeXsNVwhm1E6S7ZLf6SIXwBga4AZyvqH-hZhjSDCnrbNBlsyy_yO4uwurZhkHn6bdLwgv/s640/DSC2_5237.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
After our guests departed this morning, my son was still on a high from all of the playing. By the early evening he had fallen asleep on the couch. And I suspect tomorrow he'll be asking how many minutes it will be until he gets to see his cousins again.Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-77203550517651093392011-08-03T20:26:00.000-07:002011-08-04T08:46:27.089-07:00I Shall Call It "Disco Beach"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For the most part, I don't think often about my fingernails. I don't think often about my toenails either for that matter. Except occasionally when I have a special event or just don't want my feet to look gross. So, I was rather surprised recently when I decided to venture into the nail art world.</span><br />
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</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Truthfully, I didn't do anything too spectacular or out of my comfort zone. I added glitter. That's it. But the result is quite pleasant and special looking. I've decided to call this look "Disco Beach"; it sparkles, it dazzles, the glitter looks like sand, and it would look great with a bathing suit or even a leisure suit.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What I used:</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Base color: L.A. Girl Matte in Matte White</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Clear top coat: O.P.I</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Craft glitter: Martha Stewart in White Gold</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Small paint brush</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What I did:</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Apply two coats to nails in a light or neutral color. I chose this off-white matte polish that was super cheap.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. Dip a clean paint brush into a clear top coat and then into the glitter, and apply all over the nail.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. After allowing first coat to dry, dip paint brush into top coat again and pick up more glitter, then apply to the tips of the nails only.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This method gives a lovely gradient or ombre effect. I've seen examples where someone will take a color and find glitter to match for a dimensional look. And while there are glitter nail polishes out there that might be good for this, craft glitter is cheap and very sparkly.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So there you have it - a fancy nail how-to from yours truly. In case you were wondering, my toes are painted Big Apple Red and have some white gold glitter that dazzles in the light. I think I shall call that look "Twinkle Toes". </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">{giggle}</span></div>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-77283698001568678232011-07-28T17:58:00.000-07:002011-07-28T17:58:00.389-07:00Sun Kissed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love the time of day when the sun is going down and the yellow-orange light twinkles through the trees and casts a warm glow. I especially love it when the sun kisses the little tootsies of my loved ones.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOXHIo3e-rEfxTCUbbLPBciJ8UDQZisVfq7JYf_FgtVuqKeujDNDsZnKHVFM9Ag4ftU2qhqyVZq9YnbzaqvW42qLA155VvzBasp3fZvRW-C8u3EVBsY75nuW5Ypgldm2qFRV8U2iHs87v/s1600/DSC2_5136.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOXHIo3e-rEfxTCUbbLPBciJ8UDQZisVfq7JYf_FgtVuqKeujDNDsZnKHVFM9Ag4ftU2qhqyVZq9YnbzaqvW42qLA155VvzBasp3fZvRW-C8u3EVBsY75nuW5Ypgldm2qFRV8U2iHs87v/s640/DSC2_5136.2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHws_hcS2ijntnJ_gRY_hOXSVSbGeBhz0M4lxBnGp21DPimgjr0V-YPg2PWlFLgKncGRI4je8N_zbxD_eZ_QAIiqmqNzKoQKD2l4izsmNlM4j_dn7HSEsFIZVX4s54fnXtTcVD9oKKKmv1/s1600/DSC2_5133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHws_hcS2ijntnJ_gRY_hOXSVSbGeBhz0M4lxBnGp21DPimgjr0V-YPg2PWlFLgKncGRI4je8N_zbxD_eZ_QAIiqmqNzKoQKD2l4izsmNlM4j_dn7HSEsFIZVX4s54fnXtTcVD9oKKKmv1/s640/DSC2_5133.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-57521145883789284652011-07-27T13:20:00.000-07:002011-07-27T13:20:43.710-07:00Capturing Perfection<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I realize that the title of this post may seem a bit arrogant. Really, I'm just proud of the way a baguette came out and I just HAD to photograph it! For a few years I have been experimenting with making different kinds of breads, but my favorite is rustic french bread from my <i>Joy of Cooking</i> cookbook. I use a mixed starter, meaning I use a bit of dough saved from a previous batch and put it into the new dough. The result is a more developed flavor and chewy texture.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqcyc02EXc64mDoIzOdkJU7uyPzJAv1aMG_QYqB3VebYENjDBnL26hzQQs3nJ55DXYb5GX9jZbCT4Ta0C4Xy9R351cIbmaBlobGl9XlfhmaZk22F8nU0vYWib1gehqePZog-t62F240HZ/s1600/DSC2_5074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqcyc02EXc64mDoIzOdkJU7uyPzJAv1aMG_QYqB3VebYENjDBnL26hzQQs3nJ55DXYb5GX9jZbCT4Ta0C4Xy9R351cIbmaBlobGl9XlfhmaZk22F8nU0vYWib1gehqePZog-t62F240HZ/s640/DSC2_5074.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hello, Gorgeous!</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yesterday I made four thin baguettes and one in particular came out looking so good; and if you squint slightly you might think it came from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>la boulangerie</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate; color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">. The slits showed up on the top, a thin dusting of flour made it look more rustic, and the golden color was perfect! I also finally bought and used bread flour, which I think made all the difference. I'd say the downside to making all of this is that we aren't big bread eaters around here. Still it is a lot of fun to bake and experiment with. I'm thinking next time I might add herbs or kalamata olives to really kick it up a notch.</span></span>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352528323428878204.post-21515854069927939392011-07-22T14:25:00.000-07:002011-07-22T15:06:14.550-07:00Is There Anything Better Than Butter?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have you seen the movie <i>Julie & Julia</i>? There is a part where Julie Powell asks the question "Is there anything better than butter?" Well, I have to reply with a resounding NO!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For example: pie crust. Living in Oregon, I am beyond thrilled that this state produces some of the best fruits and berries you could ever imagine. In fact, it is home to the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marionberry">marionberry</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, a variety of blackberry developed in the Willamette Valley. These beautiful and flavorful berries are coveted for use in making pies and cobblers. Yesterday when I was at the local grower's market, I picked up two pints of the black beauties, dreaming of what concoctions I could come up with them.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUppo4kj_LhwPy5h3XI9SaigtvfR1Pr7YDH8EQ8rZzdXOhg1Z2n1bQ84iGiuZ4I6PSINDgjr7wEguKFfGxgJoGMZCGzsUvdRb4t4sS1SECcbXZrHfdEpHk-BRIu18IAByhdH0MsWYXBTM/s1600/DSC2_5046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUppo4kj_LhwPy5h3XI9SaigtvfR1Pr7YDH8EQ8rZzdXOhg1Z2n1bQ84iGiuZ4I6PSINDgjr7wEguKFfGxgJoGMZCGzsUvdRb4t4sS1SECcbXZrHfdEpHk-BRIu18IAByhdH0MsWYXBTM/s640/DSC2_5046.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A glorious pint of organically grown marionberries.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I thought about a coffee cake or a crisp, but at the request of my son, settled on pie. Well actually, I made turnovers, which I think are more fun to eat and seemed like a good summer treat. I'm not really a baker and I don't have a tried and true pie crust, so I decided I would experiment and come up with one that I liked. Let me just say that butter made it better!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I used a recipe that used only shortening, water, flour and salt. The first batch was okay, except I rolled the crust too thick making it pale and not very flavorful. Today I changed it up a bit and instead added some cold, unsalted butter and rolled out thin crust. To my delight it turned out light and flaky and golden and ... well let's just say I am in turnover heaven!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-iqDMM2W69u8psZppHJGXxG_tqAhhA94b2vrM3HNMkykCL4nuH5JGXFEXDlrOwvX-HG81gfeDMV3KFNgoDD99PZlRpUMNYLGJKwDOggSMsvrlbZ99WgVgJMRqnDLjR6903Q69DBY98SlI/s1600/DSC2_5061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-iqDMM2W69u8psZppHJGXxG_tqAhhA94b2vrM3HNMkykCL4nuH5JGXFEXDlrOwvX-HG81gfeDMV3KFNgoDD99PZlRpUMNYLGJKwDOggSMsvrlbZ99WgVgJMRqnDLjR6903Q69DBY98SlI/s640/DSC2_5061.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Marionberry turnovers. Yes, I did eat TWO of them.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Heavenly Marionberry Turnovers - </b>makes 8 turnovers or 2 pie crusts</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Filling:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 pints marionberries (or whatever fruit you like; I also threw in a few raspberries from my own backyard)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3 Tbsp all-purpose flour</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 Tbsp sugar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">dash of salt</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pie crust:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 cups all-purpose flour</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2/3 cup vegetable shortening</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/4 tsp salt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 Tbsp cold, unsalted butter cut into small cubes</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6 Tbsp icy cold water</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Egg wash:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 egg</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 Tbsp water</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Topping:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ground cinnamon</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">turbinado sugar</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In medium bowl, gently coat berries with flour, sugar and salt. Set aside. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To make crust, use a food processor by pulsing together flour, shortening, and salt. One tablespoon at a time, add cold water and pulse. Add in cold butter and pulse. The dough should be soft and hold together in a ball. On floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8" thickness. Using a cutter (or bowl) approximately 5" in diameter, cut out rounds and place on parchment lined baking sheet. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Spoon small amounts of berries onto each round, making sure not to over fill. Brush egg mixture onto edges and fold over the round, crimp the turnover closed with a knife. Brush egg wash over the top of turnover, sprinkle with cinnamon and turbinado sugar. Make a steam vent by slitting the top of the pastry with a sharp knife.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool on wire rack, or serve warm with vanilla ice cream.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUnS2jEGO1x71l9fw2Ipogk-v0PJQ2V1W87GmIpaVYb2EFQq6b7Vppd1WWjAApsp72gEA7gSJEzfhyPhLy9IqnXxX-M9eefL714Rvt7AFEhw38DKTsff2tCv-ys0LLO4If86PRcsy_K7t/s1600/DSC2_4911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUnS2jEGO1x71l9fw2Ipogk-v0PJQ2V1W87GmIpaVYb2EFQq6b7Vppd1WWjAApsp72gEA7gSJEzfhyPhLy9IqnXxX-M9eefL714Rvt7AFEhw38DKTsff2tCv-ys0LLO4If86PRcsy_K7t/s640/DSC2_4911.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My kids harvest (but mostly eat) the ripe raspberries from our backyard.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The crunchy turbindo sugar made these turnovers extra special in my opinion. I can't wait to try these with some apples. Hmm, and maybe some fresh cherries. Ooh, and lets not forget peaches ... or pears ...</span>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02827630619523556672noreply@blogger.com2