Accessories really make a difference!

So I was wearing a happy, cheery melon color one day, with some bright happy earrings.  The cami had cute little pleated ruffles and the edging on the cardi was sort of ruffley.  I liked the detail when I bought it but once I began to wear it around, I began to feel really bla in it. 

But then . . . 

I found a fabulous necklace while out shopping!

Look!  Another souvenir!

It was the perfect touch that I needed!

I feel like it totally finished off my outfit!

See?

Accessories really do make a difference!

My kind of souvenirs

When I travel I like to buy things I will actually use again, not some crazy knick knack with the location emblazoned across it.  I like to shop and hunt and find things I can't get where I live.  So I like to shop stores we don't have and try local hang outs and restaurants etc.

One day while in DC, I met up with a DYT friend from Maryland to go to lunch and do a little shopping. 

We had a fabulous time and found this cute skirt and bracelet at a consignment shop in Old Town Arlington in Virginia.

I also found this beautiful berry colored pashminas and this scarf on my travels also.

Now when I wear that cute pink skirt I will remember the shopping trip with my DYT friend from Maryland.   Or when it gets cold and I throw on my pashmina I will remember my wonderful, fun filled trip to Washington DC.  Those are the kind of souvenirs and memories I like to remember my travels by.

Spending some time with " The Greats"

Poof!

I'm back!


I was away again...did you notice?

I was off spending some time with

"The Greats"


Great men of history

The Lincoln Memorial

Great architecture surrounding me

The White House

at Arlington Cemetery

and my GREAT husband!

The Hubs listening intently to the Slavery tour at Monticello

I was off galavanting around the Washington DC area
and having a fabulous time!

But now I'm home and
getting back to real life
{and laundry}
again.

I've missed you all!

Stay tuned!
More to come!

Sunshine and Roses!

Who says life isn't all sunshine and roses???

Well . . .

it is at my house!!!

And isn't it pretty shining through the leaves?


My wish for you all is that


love, peace and beauty


surround you!

On The Go Snacks!

Life is still busy!

Here was my Saturday afternoon

on the go snack!

I'm just as bad as my kids sometimes!

There is just something

about a snack in a cute package!

I've been known to grab pre-sliced apples

in baggies too!

I also like to tote a can of V8 and string cheese!

Or all natural {no sugar added}
fruit leathers and a small bag of nuts!

Or the Fruitables drinks!

{they supposedly have 

fruits AND veggies 

packed in there!}

Or Odwalla green drinks!

Yum!

What do you tote around

on a busy day?

Breakfast on the Patio!

This morning I had a quiet little breakfast all to myself in this cozy spot on my patio.  The breeze was gently blowing crisp, cool air and I could hear the sound of migrating geese honking by overhead.  It was a slice of heaven ~ so peaceful and calm!  Now why do I want to leave this place and go to Brazil again?  I mean, I live in safe little Mayberry where I have fabulous neighbors, great friends, a house that I love, and a place that is safe for my children to grow up!

Oh yeah!  Because in my heart I know that God is calling us back there again!  I've known it all my life.  I have always been connected with Brazil ever since I was a little girl.  Even my husband has known that he would someday go back, when the time was right to do so.  When we first got married, we tried to get jobs back there again before the kids were born.  Nothing panned out.  The timing wasn't right.

And now?  We have had so many experiences, feelings and impressions that are prompting us to go back lately.  So we thought long and hard about it and decided, how can we ignore such strong promptings again and again?  If we want the Lord to lead us, we need to be willing to go where He wants us to go.  So in our hearts we said "yes, we will go"!  And then my husbands new job opportunity dropped right into his lap! A job we feel is a very strategic career move with our end goal in mind!  Coincidence?  No.  I think the Lord has a plan in mind!

It amazes me how much the Lord wants to bless us if we are willing to follow Him and let Him guide us!  I know He has a plan for each of us!  Isn't that exciting?  So yes, I will miss this place when the time comes, but I know there are exciting adventures waiting for us in Brazil!

~ ~ ~

Some have asked us when we will be leaving and our goal is within the next 1-5 years.  My husband has been hired to work on a specific project that may take that long ~ could be sooner, or it could be on the later end.  We will stay until he finishes that project however long it will take and then make our big move then.  But it does entail making some life changes here already so that when that time comes we will be ready to pick up and go. Hope that helped answer a few more of those questions! :)

Asian Lettuce Wraps

I was going through some pictures I had taken over the summer and realized I had taken a picture of these yummy lettuce wraps but had never gotten around to blogging it!  These were seriously sooo tasty! They're a little sweet and a little spicy and taste perfectly light and filling on a hot summer's day! 

Asian Lettuce Wraps 

{or aka Asian Tacos}

3 Tbsp unsalted, dry roasted peanuts, chopped

3 Tbsp hoisin sauce

2 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar*

2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos*

1/2 inch ginger, freshly minced

1 tsp dark sesame oil

1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 cups shredded cabbage

1 large carrot, grated

1 cup canned, sliced water chestnuts, diced

1 cup finely diced cooked chicken breast {optional if you want to go meatless}

12 Bibb or Butter Leaf lettuce leaves**

Place the peanuts in a small nonstick skillet over medium high heat and cook for about 3 minutes or until they are lightly browned by shaking the pan frequently.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine hoisin through garlic in a small bowl and mix well with a whisk.

In a medium sized bowl combine the peanuts with the cabbage, carrot, water chestnuts and chicken.  Add sauce and mix well.

Spoon the chicken mix in the center of a lettuce leaf.  Roll like a taco and enjoy!

* raw apple cider vinegar and liquid aminos can be found at the health food store

Mmm!  Mmm!  Good!  I like the filling on this one chilled or warmed up ~ it's good both ways!  

Here is another version we tried this summer.  Unfortunately I never took a picture of this one.  :(  But it looks a lot like the other one so use your imagination!  ;)

Beefy Asian Lettuce Wraps

1 lb lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp soy sauce or liquid aminos*

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 tsp minced pickled ginger**

1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

8-oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

2 tsp dark sesame oil

16 Boston, Bibb or Butter lettuce leaves

In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef.  Drain and set aside to cool.  Cook your onion in the same pan, stirring frequently until sofened.  Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin, ginger and vinegar to the onions and stir.  Stir in the water chestnuts, green onions, sesame oil and the cooked beef.

Spoon a portion of mixture into center of a lettuce leaf.  Roll like a taco and enjoy!

* liquid aminos can be found at the health food store
** pickled ginger can be found at Asian food stores

If you times these recipes about three times each they will each fill up a large crockpot to take to a potluck or large gathering!  Be sure to use the Boston/Bibb lettuce because they are nice and mild and don't fall apart when you roll them!

These ended up being a 

favorite recipe at our house this summer!

What is your favorite summer time meal?

Not Forgotten...Just Busy!

Oh my goodness!  Seriously, where has the time gone?  I thought school would start and things would finally slow down again once the kids went back, yet I'm still just as busy as ever!  I have loads of things to blog about and hardly any time to blog them!  Time and things are just slipping away from me!  I hope to be back in top blogging form here shortly.  But I hope all my stateside friends had a fabulous holiday weekend! 

We spent the weekend outside cleaning up the yard and patio.  Things had gotten a little neglected out there this summer.

So we trimmed

and raked

and weeded . . .

We even started to train 

a few of the grapevines to 

grow over to the pergolas finally!

We found a whole bunch of grapes growing underneath all the vines!  These are a Suffolk Red Seedless table grape.  We had our first harvest off them last year and oh my goodness!  They were sooo  yummy!  I can't wait until these finish ripening in a few more weeks!!!

Now that things are back in place and cleaned up a bit, I realized how cozy this corner of my yard is beginning to feel!  All shady and enclosed!  I think it is now my very most favorite part of my yard!  And dining out there as the weather begins to cool off will be a pleasure!

What did you do over the holiday weekend?

How are you kicking off the Autumn season?