Author: Alexis

We have these white flowers EVERYWHERE here in Portland. In fact, they could almost be a weed. They’re tiny, resilient and the heads of the flower always face the sun, just like sunflowers.

We happen to live across from a field with tons of these and even though they grow among weeds and might quite possibly even BE one, I decided to pick a few and bring them back home with me. It’s part of the whole, ‘looking for beauty in everything’ mentality I’m trying to adopt.

One huge perk to Spring is that we have tulips and other bright wild flowers blooming along side the freeways and streets. It is that burst of color that we all crave after the winter months. Similarly, I think the simplicity of these is just what I like. Summer is c.r.a.z.y. it just is and will probably always be. But these flowers allow me those few extra moments to stop, smile, take a sip of my sweet tea and look at the delicate petals.

What do you think? Weed or flower?

Seriously, this post is so you can make this and seem crazy awesome to your friends. Not one ounce is homemade or healthy. All cardboard made with a couple super generous tablespoons of peanut butter….which I suppose CAN  be healthy! Hah! Oh man! I just remembered that I added applesauce instead of oil. Holy moly. OK, change of title…

PARTIALLY HEALTHY PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIES

I didn’t take picts while I made this cause it was nightime. Bad light=no pictures. Plus it was crazy late, in pj’s and I made it mainly for my fabulous friend, Weronika.

Just make a batch of boxed brownies (add chocolate chips) then right before you bake it add about 4 tablespoons of peanut butter to top of batter. Swirl for pretty-ness.

When it comes out add more peanut butter. Like about 2 or 3 table spoons. Just remember to poke the cake first so some can leak into the cake.  The rest should melt on the top. I also added some cocoa powder for presentation. 

Add a GENEROUS scoop of cookies and cream and you had our late night treat. 

* I made the brownies in a pie dish just to switch things up a bit. Oh and the next day it is very good. In fact, it works great as an intensive for little princesses to eat all their lunch. 🙂 

I was talking to an amazing friend who lives in Turkey about how there aren’t many quick make meals there and that got me thinking about all the ladies I know who feel the same way here.

At about 4:30 we drag ourselves into the kitchen and look blankly into our pantries and think ‘seriously? I don’t want to make anything tonight’ or ‘What the heck am I suppose to make!’ 

For me, at about that time I get a fabulously horrible attitude and it’s too easy to start grumbling. Yes, I’m mature and almost 30. 🙂

So, I thought I’d make a blog post about what tricks and quickie things I do to help me and my attitude during dinner time. If it helps- sweet.

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So some of these won’t be new to any of you but I seriously swear by them. A little more work to do them but totally worth it! They’ve given me peace of mind after a busy day full of meetings/laundry/mommie duties/ etc. 

1. Chicken broth. Make it, season it, freeze it in ice cube trays. I have some colored ice cube trays that are specially for freezing food. It’s also nice that they stack-leaving more room for #4. 

2. This one is a HUGE time saver. And also helps me not touch slimy meat every evening. (Gross) Get the chicken, Cut it up, season it, cook it then chill and freeze it. (let it cool first before putting in freezer) 

3. I usually make about 25 crepes at least once a month and freeze them. (just flour, milk and eggs) So on the night I hate cooking I just defrost/warm, lay out the syrups/fruits/Nutella and call it a ‘breakfast night’ (I might be more generous to the family and cook some eggs and have fruit too. lol)

4. I always, always, ALWAYS have a gallon of frozen soup in my freezer. This way I thaw it, serve it with bread/butter and maybe a salad. (the only way this could be a “meal” for Trav is if it has meat in it. So I try to have that in it. This way I can use it for an official “meal” When I’m making soup to freeze, I try to do #2 at the same time)

5. Pre -cut veggies: just after buying them put them in an annoying place in the kitchen- that’s how I remember to do things. Just cut them in smaller pieces and decided whether or not you want to cook/freeze them or keep them out to snack on. Pre-cut veggies are easy, yummy, healthy snacks for young and old….just don’t be like me and add fatty ranch to them. 😉

6. Make a CASSEROLE and freeze it. Whenever you make one, just make a  double batch. 

7. I did this last week and it was the best. (I also felt like a Food Network Star prepping a meal in advance- hey, anything to boost our confidence in the kitchen! lol) So anyways, #7 is simply browning and seasoning ground beef in advance and freezing it.

8. The last thing is not really a prepping step, but helps lower the stress at about dinner time. Remember that chicken you cut, seasoned and froze? Take it out with some frozen veggies and you got yourself a chicken stir fry. We usually have this near the end of our pay period when all the fresh veggies are gone.

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That’s concludes my list. I know most things are to freeze and you might think  you need a lot of freezer space but I only have one of those top freezers and it all fits in. If you have anything to add to my list let me know! 

It has been my experience that God laughs. A lot.

Take the mistakes I make…He laughs a whole lot more about my mistakes than I do. There are moments I’m screaming ‘Don’t you realize what I did/said/whatever?!! This is NOT a laughing matter!‘ and then there are the smaller ones when I laugh with Him.

Other times when I do make a mistake, His laugh is healing. To realize my mistakes aren’t tripping Him up. (I obviously think I’m THAT  important lol)

His laugh is also infectious. Sometimes it’s from His belly and other times I can hear Him trying to hold it in but He’s really busting at the seams. (I usually roll my eyes but still smile when I sense that)

I just love how normal He is. It doesn’t take much, like at all, for me to see/comprehend Him as ‘GOD’. All powerful, all mighty. Too wonderful for my to comprehend. But on the other side of the coin, I’m finding that He really wants to be the person I want to hang with the most. He wants to make jokes about me and poke fun.

He also laughs about fashion, or maybe just MY fashion. I can honestly say I’ve heard Him tell me, ‘wow you’re wearing THAT today?!’ (with no shame message at all given) and we laugh together. I say something a smarty pants would say and He rolls His eyes at me.

It’s a special relationship.

I think one of the most awesome things though is actually making Him smile or laugh. It’s like a 3 yr old making her/his parents laugh. They do it over and over and over and over, etc. It’s like that, sorta. Whatever I can do to make Him laugh is fun.

 We make faces at each other, He tickles me, we snuggle and dance. Each time, feeling normal and natural. That’s the way God is. He is fully GOD but also our closest friend.

I know, the biggest oxymoron huh. As weird as this all sounds, I experience Him this way on a daily basis. His humor was one of the biggest factors in braking through my wall of pride and judgement. Seeing how he responded to my mistakes was startling…and still is sometimes.

Anyhoo, it’s after midnight and I have about a million things to do tomorrow (or today) but I wanted to document one of the many thoughts/conversations I have with Him before going to bed.

* What aspect of God breaks through the walls you carefully construct?

Running is weird. It just is.

Looking outside my window at people running….from my couch…running looks so EASY! People never look as red as me when they’re running or easily distracted. They’re usually slender people who are focused on some imaginary goal in front of them breathing as easily as they would be if they were watching T.V.

I however am a red faced runner. The coloring gradually climbs till I blend into my florescent tank top. I am also in the  middle of learning how to breathe better while running.  Emma looked at me today while we were running (jogging stroller) and she looked alarmed. I smiled at her and she asked if I was OK.

I laughed, chose to lie and say yes.

(below picture: Emma chose her outfit- stylin’. This is also day 3 of her wearing that crown. Me trying to breathe after finishing my run)

But all kidding aside, I haven’t been running in at least 2 weeks. So when I went running today my goal was just to get out and run/walk. Just exercise. I surprised myself with only taking 2 walking breaks but give all credit to PANDORA. Blessed wonderful Pandora.

I can’t listen to anything else but 80’s dance music when I run. And loud. I can’t stand hearing myself breathe.

Remember that 5k I was working up to? It was canceled, can’t remember if I told you or not, but I am now trying to run without a goal. Dangerous. Laziness and excuses crowd their way into my mind and I choose to do yoga instead of running. Not that yoga is bad, but my motivation behind yoga is to get out of something else that would kick my butt. 

Today, however it’s:

ALEXIS: 1 EXCUSES: 0

HOLLA!!!

You can see the sweat and redness compared to Emma. Attractive.

And for those of you who read about my running stroller drama- a friend pumped the tires so now it is definitely ‘runnable’.  No more complaining or exaggerating about that in the foreseeable future.

We must have had angels in the outfield when we saw the Mariners……. cause they WON!!!

Go HERE to read about our time.

See a picture of Jesus materialized in the dug out and how I introduced them to liquid cheese nachos only to have them choose florescent pepperoni pizza. And possibly how my attitude *cough …near the end was *cough… a little less than perfect.

Thought you might like to smile today. Enjoy! 🙂

 

ps and next time you want to pick your nose- do it in a bathroom stall or in the privacy of your home. Because horrible women bloggers will post your picture on their blogs.  😉

We took our friends to Seattle to meet some close friends of ours as well as some friends of theirs who live there. It was ca-razy busy. Full of fun touristy activities.

We were able to take some family pictures of our friends. It was fun, challenging and scary but we did it! Trav took most of the picts and I did the editing. Here are just a few, what do you think?

nothing like a good *smooch

Today we’re playing catch up. I’m all about laundry (*sigh) , Emma is sleeping tons and Trav is off to the dentist.

On a similar note, I have found that it is very easy for me to feel overwhelmed and one easy, simple and practical way to combat ‘overwhelm-ness’ is to find one thing per day to be thankful for.

Today I am thankful for awesome friends who are having all 7 of us over for dinner. I can not express on this silly blog how much that means to me.

*THANK YOU*

* What are you thankful for today?

We had so much fun showing them this water park and the pearl district. 🙂

The best part for me was seeing their perspective and seeing the girls have fun

Today we celebrated. We celebrated good friends and being together. I had already tried this recipe with E. and T. so I knew it was a full proof fun breakfast. I got so super excited just making them! lol I’m a little corny huh….but they loved blowing out the candles. It was all so worth it.

The girls (all 3) helped stir in the food coloring. They were pretty proud of themselves for making them- cute. 🙂  I made them with soy milk. The youngest is lactose intolerant so I’m being challenged to make and mold recipes to cater to her. Stretching, but I love it.

Thee oldest two ate 4 pancakes! Gobbling them up!

Sometimes it’s important to celebrate the ‘normal’. Today I’m thankful that:

We have each other.

We are healthy.

We have a roof above our heads.

We have safe water to drink.

What are you thankful for today?

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*fyi, I made her recipe. And will now forever be making them, they are on the flatter side of pancakes. But worth it in taste.