Copper Acorn – Page 64

by Alexis - October 22, 2009October 22, 2009

Manicures

After talking with my mom on the phone, I felt like I had kinda slipped from doing the cool things Emma and I used to do together. So, I decided that we would start doing fun things today. Small things are just as memorable as big events. In fact I have great memories of my family hanging out in the kitchen laughing so hard I would pee my pants…ah the good ol’ days. 🙂

Today we had manicures. She had a beautiful Sparkle Pink and I had a French manicure. She ADORED it and loved seeing the color being painted onto her finger nails. She even begged for two coats! I stopped it then because she wanted three- this girl is hard core. I must say that even though my fingers don’t look horrible, I can’t wait to visit my mom and get a REAL manicure and pedicure. It is the best girl time. Well, that’s it and I hope you enjoy the pictures.

This is showing Emma’s begging in wanting three coats of polish! Check her blog out for a different perspective. 🙂

Tada!

Try this with your daughter, sister, cousin, niece. It makes such a great memory. 🙂

by Alexis - October 22, 2009

My Shield

God has been showing me something new. And He’s so nice too, because I can be a little…stubborn at times and focused on other things. But there He is always smiling and waiting to tell me something. He’s the nicest person I know.

Anyhoo, as I was saying, he has been showing me myself. There is this piece to me that I thought was safe. I thought I was safe from being hard hearted. (For those who know me, this is kinda funny.) But just recently an instance arose and I was faced with the decision to harden my heart towards this person. I knew what I must do but it was so hard! It was then He showed me He wanted to be that shield protecting my heart from hardening and allowing bitterness to grow. I was actually happy and shocked that I was hurt because I thought that door was shut towards that person. But as I was feeling emotions, I was happily aware that I had friendly feelings and love towards them.

I never want to let go of that love for that person or anybody for that matter. I want a soft fleshy heart that beats for others. And with God’s help I will. 🙂

by Alexis - October 21, 2009

Encouragement

To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.

~Gilbert K. Chesterton

This really encouraged me today and I hope it encourages you in your day to day routine.

by Alexis - October 20, 2009October 20, 2009

Savory Sweet Sandwich

I grew up in a pretty traditional home. My mom is German and so I grew up thinking sauerkraut and schmarm was a staple in every home across America. Sure I think cold macaroni salads are puke worthy and -prepare yourself- I don’t like the taste of chocolate. It doesn’t mean I like weird things…that was until today. You know when you go to a fancy dancy restaurant and they have special sandwiches that have cranberry cream cheese spread and apples on their sandwiches? I would always, and I mean always, roll my eyes and settle on the turkey or ham sandwich. Oh yeah. I like adventure. 😉

Anyways, I was looking through past posts and was sickened by all the sweet things I make. No, it does NOT mean I will stop (hehe) but it means I need a little more green leafy veggies and fruits in my diet. I was, randomly, craving a sandwich for lunch and decided that not only was I going to make myself one but I would branch out of my…shall we say ‘traditional’ style of sandwiches. Thus became this sandwich…I was really wary of taking that first bite. And the truth was I really really like it! I’m shocked. I actually put apples in my sandwich and ate it. Unbelievable. The fat lady has sung people. I hope you enjoy it- it’s very pretty looking. (it had to be or why else would I eat it?!)

It’s made of:

Plain Cream Cheese with salt and pepper smushed in it

Regular Wheat Bread- oh man I wish I had Chibata or something else fancy like those pretty food blogs…

Spinach Leaves

Turkey slices (I kinda branched out)

Apple slices cut thinly

Red onion

*the trick is to cut the apple and onion the same thickness so they even out each other taste wise. I’m going to make this this week when a friend comes over- sure to impress and really flavorful. You can even make it into a fancy appetizer. Please try it and let me know how you like it!

by Alexis - October 20, 2009October 20, 2009

Meal Planning: October 09

Meal time again. Whoopie. Not to fun for you but a nessesity for me. If I don’t plan, I will freak out next week thinking we don’t have any food. So here it is. Oh, and I have to show a picture of Emma…a post isn’t a post without a picture right?!!!!

Tuesday: BBQ Chicken Pizza

Wednesday: Chicken Noodle Cheesy Cassarole

Thursday: Chicken Empanadas

Friday: Chicken Fajitas with Roasted Vegetables

Saturday: Leftover night! Yahoo for me!

Sunday: Chicken Bean Toastadas

Monday: Date night

Tuesday: Steak/noodle Concoction

Wednesday: Chicken Pot Pie

Thursday: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Friday: Steak Salad

Saturday: Leftover night! Yahoo for me!

Sunday: Small Group Football Game!

Monday: Homemade Chili and Cornbread

Doesn’t this make you want to scoop her up and not let anything bad touch her?! *sigh I am now going to give you a list of the ‘lunch items’ I am making for Travis’ lunch meals. I am stretching it kinda but making desserts is always more fun.

Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls- Check

3 Pumpkin Breads (to freeze)

Caramel Corn- one batch done, one more to make

Cappuccino Brownies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peach Cobbler- be looking for this incredible recipe! (only 3 items!)

Blueberry Muffins

Almond Biscotti

Berry filled Empanadas/ coated in cinnamon sugar

All of these have been in my ‘to do list’ and I am making them all now while I have the energy and freeze most of them. This way when I’m feeling lazy (and I do more often than I should in the winter months) I’ll just pop these suckers out of the freezer. Want to make them with me?

by Alexis - October 19, 2009

A Lovely Day in the Neighborhood

Today was a beautiful day. The clouds threatened us with dark colors but nothing has rained down on us but sunshine. Emma and I took a walk because Emma was freaking out wanting to go outside it would be good for Emma to get some fresh air. Once outside, she immediately started talking high pitched and looking for the neighborhood cat. She ADORES it and just so happens to also freak it out. She’s just a toddler….I mean my baby…*sniff, my baby is growing up!…..

Here kitty kitty

“There it is mommy!!!”

Unfortunately, it only came to see me and after a while got frustrated with Emma and just left. So we continued on our walk adventure. I took many many pictures and annoyed the crap out of Emma, but out of them all….only ONE had her with her eyes open. This one:

We slowly came home and colored on her special pumpkin, a project I had been holding off on till today. I had to have something to bribe her with to come inside…and she didn’t want to come inside…she let me and the whole neighborhood understand she didn’t want to.

This pumpkin is awaiting Emma’s creativity. So before…

In the middle of being beautified…

OK say it with me. “Oooooooo” I know, she has an artists stare huh…:) Or maybe the sun is just in her eyes.

Tada! The finished product which greets visitors at our front door. 🙂 Enjoy your Monday, we are going out to celebrate a friends birthday for dinner. (Yahoo, I don’t have to make anything!!!) Tomorrow I’m making BBQ Chicken pizza…mmm. For some reason I’ve been craving BBQ. Huh. Anyhoo, have a nice evening.

by Alexis - October 18, 2009October 18, 2009

Healthy Cinnamon Rolls?

OK, for those of you who read my blog on a fairly consistent basis, yes I am blogging about the same cinnamon roll biscuits that I made about a month ago. I felt I cheated you out of the process by only showing you the end result. So, since I was going to make them this morning I documented some steps for you in case you are interested in making them. (and you should, it takes…maybe 10 min to whip these up! 20 max with baking and all. here is the recipe) I added regular raisins, golden raisins and dried cranberries to the dough. I’m so glad I did. I also made it with whole wheat flour and didn’t make these with heavy cream but with whole milk and they turned out great. So technically…could these be considered healthy cinnamon rolls?! I think I’m on to something…

Sorry for the blurry-ness. No excuses but a bad picture. This is the dough patted out into a rectangle and the filling mixture ready to be rolled together. (you could put nuts in here now, but I’m not a fan of nuts so not happening in our house. But a good idea none the less)

This pretty roll is being cut into 1 in” pieces and then placed in a non greased pan. Isn’t it gorgeous not even cut up?! I could just stare at it and say, ‘Mmmmm’.

Just another view…

Before baking in my pan. You want to give them their own private space and not stuff them up next to each other. Even cinnamon rolls need a little space people. 🙂 (the recipe says it yields 9, but as you can count, I got 12 out of the roll) Baking time! – 400’F until they’re golden brown.

See what happens? Just like teenagers, you give them their space and they in turn will grow and become attached to you. (Or so I hear, but don’t listen to me, I don’t have a teenager) I made the icing. 6 Tbl powdered sugar and 4 t milk. I made more because who wants a little icing drizzled on a cinnamon roll?! I doused mine. 🙂 And they turned out just great.

I hope you make them and if you do, please let me know and I would LOVE to go to your blog, see them and comment!

by Alexis - October 16, 2009October 16, 2009

Janek the Pirate Captain

Don’t you just wish you could relax like animals…or at least like cats?! Never complaining and even prefering paper bags to comfy couches. Hmmm, but maybe he isn’t relaxing at all and is…pretending to be a sea captain! Captain Janek out on the wide open ocean who has the last treasure map taking him to a treasure chest full of tuna and fake mice. (because real mice would be yucky) There he hudles behind a big rock looking at the site of the treasure. But alas, it is guarded by many scary looking cars and dogs. Will he be able to take hold of this treasure?!

OR……

Emma and I had a nice day together although our days tend to side more on the boring end of the scale. Our exciting adventure today was we went grocery shopping. My life has officially become lame. I never though I would get excited and plan my meals out 2 weeks in advance and make desserts just because. However, if I was living by myself I would seriously be eating a whole lot crappier.

We went to the pumpkin patch last weekend and unfortunately didn’t get pumpkins. The ATM wasn’t working and the fix-it-man wasn’t fixing…sad day. Well Emma got her pumpkin at the grocery store today and tomorrow we will decorate it. I have a couple ideas. We’ll see- and of course I will take pictures of it.

by Alexis - October 15, 2009

Weird Thoughts

I am enjoying today. It started off pretty rough…that will go unexplained, sorry. Anyhoo, things gradually got better. Emma’s snuggles can warm the coldest heart, I watched a movie while she slept, found out we are invited to Trav’s Halloween party and we are going out for dinner tonight. Nice huh.

Now besides the light kinda shallow things that happened, I am trying to motivate myself to get certain things accomplished. I’m not sure that will happen…it’s hard and mainly feels overwhelming. I don’t know what I would do with a huge house…either have a nervous breakdown or hire a maid. I know you understand and aren’t judgmental. Thanks. List of things to do still: Fold laundry(worst part of laundry in my opinion), finish cleaning Emma’s seat, tidee up Emma’s room with her (which could take forever at a 1 yr olds pace), run dishwasher, make Emma dinner and leave for Young adults group tonight. (Trav is speaking)

Things I did and am happy about today:

I am VERY happy Emma is taking a long nap, we went outside and strolled in our neighborhood (quite relaxing), watched Kate&Leopold (cute movie but my favorite are the girls dresses in the end), finished dishes, found friend that started blogging and I’m appreciating the cooler weather, scarves and jackets.