“If you want your children to be intelligent read them fairy tales”
Albert Einstein
Author: Alexis
Thanks for visiting! I'm a happy mom and wife who loves the smell of books, traveling and food. I like dreaming about alter egos, snuggling with Emma and going on dates with hubby,Travis. Pretty much anything creative I'm into.
I hope you enjoy my rants and raves and come back soon. Oh, and I love comments so please feel free to let me know what you think!
Food Book
Yep, I’m actually doing it- I’m making my food book. I’m calling it Quick and Simple because it’s what we need- Quick and simple recipes that are sure fire winners.
I’m up to my ears in pretty pictures and recipes. I’m doing it by myself and have a couple roads to look into for possible publishing (but that’s very ‘maybe’) . My main goal and dream is to create a book my family and friends would be able to have that has some of my favorite/famous recipes. Any special recipes I’ve done you want in the book? Let me know!
DIY: Planets
Emma loves science and in particular- SPACE. W encourage whenever we can. We dream with her, visit the planetarium and buy books. But nothing says space like bright colored planets. Especially ones that you make yourself.
Try this! It’s great for a rainy day, easy, fast and involves tons of imagination. Perfect!
Ingredients:
Styrofoam balls ($1 store)
Paint ($1 store)
Paint brust ($1 store)
All adding up to $3 for this awesome rainy day project! Whoop whoop!
I’ve found that paint can be crazy messy to clean up so I use the cap to an empty juice container for paint. Works perfect!
There’s something about bubbles in paint that I love. Weirdo.
Drying on another bottle cap.
From house to home
I’ve finally been adding those changes to our house making it more our home. Little additions around the house which make me smile. A Rainbow banner!
This one I’ve had in mind since last September. It’s not hard. Or complicated. Just took me a while to do it. This slow family weekend was the perfect time for it. 🙂
I walk by it and smile every time. But who couldn’t, it’s so pretty right?! Travis says it looks a little girly but likes it for right now. hehe
Photo shoot: The Wardens
Travis and I were asked again to take some pictures of some friends. We jumped at the offer! We wondered around downtown Portland and thanked Jesus it wasn’t crazy windy! We had beautiful weather for the beginning of February.
A couple words to discribe this couple: fun, caring, silly and sensitive. A wonderful couple and we’re so happy we’re friends!
My favorite quote of the day was from Chris, who is very…detailed in picture taking. 😉 “Should my lips be on top?” I just laughed. hahaha
**warning, TONS and I mean TONS of pictures coming your way…they just took too many good ones! **
Love having these opportunities to take pictures!
Ginger French Toast
I usually feel a desire to make some kind of cool breakfast on the weekends. ‘Cool’ meaning something other than cereal. Why? Because I like sleeping in and quiet slow mornings. When you don’t have to wake up and rush somewhere. When it’s just me (which is never) I enjoy toast, tea and a book for the mornings. But more about this french toast…
I am a huge lover of ginger. So when I was making french toast one morning a while back, I decided to add some ginger powder. What a good choice. Neither Travis or Emma has noticed a change of flavor but I definitely taste it and love it. It’s the norm’ now. Our french toast always includes ginger.
It’s not complicated, the most simple basic recipe really. And let’s be real, who wants to make a complicated recipe soon after they wake up?! Yeah. Nobody.
Guessing on the measurements, I do it by feel.
3 eggs, 2 T of Cinnamon and 1T of ginger and 3/4C milk. (really guessing on the milk)
Whisk a bit then dip in bread and fry, this made 7 pieces. I also used EVOO instead of butter in the pan.
Do you make special version of french toast? I’d love to hear about it!
I’ve seen many stuffed ones but can’t get myself to take all the extra effort.
Happy eating!
DIY: Embroidery Thread Letters
I saw this on some blog I can’t remember and knew I wanted to do it. So easy and creative!
I didn’t tell Travis about it but just did it myself. I wasn’t sure if he’d like it but I LOVE it! Fortunately he came home and loved it too. 🙂
Just nails, embroidery thread and imagination. 🙂 The colors are each of our favorite. Travis, blue. Emma, purple and Me, green. It’s difficult to see the green but it’s a beautiful light green.
Do you like it? You could do anything, letters or shapes…their is no limit!
Have a great weekend.
Feeling Accomplished
(yes, I purposely dressed Emma and I in animal prints on our return flight. We’re twins with our necklaces too.)
I’ve never had a problem with wanting to get lots of things accomplished. I’m one of those (few) persons who could happily do mostly nothing and not have it bother me. The laundry, dishes or emails don’t bother and nag me. Eh. It hasn’t been important for me to got to sleep feeling like I accomplished something. Like that list of to-do’s is being checked off.
I actually like adding to lists.
And I shudder when someone asks me what I ‘accomplished’ today. It’s a ‘ping’ word for me and I could go on a soap box.
But about a week ago God has been talking to me about this subject and finishing things. As in starting a project and actually finishing it. Yes, today I can stall with the gardening outside cause it’s pouring, but actual important jobs can not be procrastinated. I tend to revolt when I feel like someone is expecting me to get something finished. It back fires.
SO…
I have started a calender. It is only for me. (Travis HATES paper calendars) I write with rainbow markers and draw faces on it. I make it something I actually don’t mind seeing everyday. And it’s everyday because everything I need to know is on this list. Little things from laundry to emails to required reading to free time (important!) to coffee times.
Here’s hoping I begin to like accomplishing more than I’m used to accomplishing.
Sunny but windy!
Went to the park today. I just had to, it’s sunny and we had plans to meet up with some friends. It was great…but ‘freeze your butt off cold’ so after maybe 10 min we went to Burger King for their play structure.
As I said in the last post, I was itchy (and still am a bit) to take some pictures. Here are some to look at for your Friday.
(my favorite is above, Emma swinging)
Amy and her precious UGGS. lol
Goodbye freezing park…hello comfy Burger King…
Emma trying to negotiate a compromise…
Love them… they will be a force to reckon with when they grow up.
Organizing Storage
Every time I go into this bathroom I cringe. It’s the reality. A Big Fat Mess. It’s the catch all for random things I want out of my sight. But no more!
I decided that I needed to change this opportunity at the next pay period. Hello dollar store white storage boxes! Even though I think I need a couple more, I’m happy with the almost finished result.
The boxes hold most of my creative items. You know, all those things that get lost so easily. This is in the guest bathroom so the shower is never used- thus I don’t have to worry about anything I store in here.
This room has no natural light. Really disliking the yellowness in the pictures. But oh well. A pile of fabric is always a welcomed sight.
Have a great day everyone! I’m off to a park with Emma and hopefully to take some great pictures. I’ve been feeling the itch to take some profile/close ups of some friends for a while. Love that they have no idea and I’m going to surprise them by saying, ‘OK, lets take some close ups of YOU!’ hehehe