I have a tomato and a cucumber which is TOTALLY awesome!  The plants are still blooming too which leads me to believe that there is potential for even more produce.  I am really excited about all of this and I plan on making the best cucumber & tomato salad the world has ever seen with my first official home-grown vegetables.

I’ll keep ya posted!

<3

I started scrapbooking in college when I was trying to think of something really special to give to my boyfriend, now husband, for our one-year anniversary.  I have always loved taking photos and I also have a tendency to hang on to ticket stubs, speeding tickets and newspaper clippings so naturally, I wanted to incorporate all of these things into one book to reflect our year together.  Well I started picking out scrapbooking stickers, glitter, cute paper and fabulous punch-outs and before I knew it (6 years later…) I needed a huge Tupperware 3-drawer container to keep it all in.  My intention was to make one scrapbook for every year that we have been together to chronicle our adventures.  I have made (completed) 3 so far and we have been together for 6 years so needless to say, I am a bit behind.  I have kept everything… EVERYTHING… from maps to amusement brochures to a ticket from the Tennessee Valley Authority (long story) and these things are all in labelled gallon-size plastic bags.  It’s out of control and I need to get a grip on this hobby, like, now.  Or else.

With all of this said, I am going to start scrapbooking again for a couple reasons.  Mainly, it is an amazing stress reliever for me; I can sit down with glue, paper and some photos and go to town for an hour or two and come out of it completely refreshed – it’s amazing.  Also, I need to start using up some of my supplies so I can free up some space around here and not feel guilty for buying a pretty pad of 12×12 paper when I know darn well I have an entire box of 12×12 paper at home.  Lastly, I really need to catalog our memories via scrapbook – we have had some amazing adventures and now is the best time to catch up on the past three years before we buy a home, have a kid and things really get busy.

So I will probably start posting about my scrapbooking escapades here soon – I plan on re-organizing my current scrapbooks (into matching covers…I have OCD) and then starting my Jan 2005-2006 scrapbook.  Yikes, I have my work cut out for me (get it!?)

K, wish me luck – I’ll post pretty layouts, I swear on my eyes.

<3

I just wanted to share these because I think they’re absolutely fantastic. Check out up up creative at upupcreative.blogspot.com and shop up up creative on Etsy!

<3

I live and work in a residence hall at a university so I do not have the luxury of a yard and everyone wants what they can’t have so naturally, I want a garden.  BADLY.  I want flower gardens, vegetable gardens, herb gardens… I want it all.  I just signed on for one last year in my position so I decided that if I have to be here another year, the least I can do to put my green-thumb to work is to plant some thing.

An amazing thing that our amazing students do here at this university is plant herbs, vegetables and all kinds of plants in containers and then use them in class (it’s a predominantly culinary university.)  Recently, the Garden Club had a sale to raise some money and they sold individual tomato and cucumber plants.  I figured this was a good opportunity to support my students and also take care of this yearning to plant.

I did some research on container gardening and here is what I learned:

• The type of container you decide on is very important and every container has its ups and downs.  Clay pots leak, wood pots rot, plastic pots can decompose.  Check out this site for more info.  There are even self-watering containers that some people use for plants that they would have to water multiple times a day – especially in hot climates.
• As far as the mix goes, it depends on your plant.  For my tomatoes and cucumbers, I chose a general potting mix.  You can also use compost if you are lucky enough to have some of your own!  Use properly drained soil – potting mix is the way to go and yes, there is a difference between potting mix and garden mix so beware!

• Fertilizer is important too – I have seen a “rule of thumb” where you fertilize every 3rd watering and others say every two to three weeks.  I am going to go with every two to three weeks – I don’t want over fertilized veggies on my plate.

• For vegetables like cucumbers, use a trellis to guide your plants up, not out of your pot.  I found this netting at a local garden shop and it has worked great so far – I just modified it to fit the container and voila!  I had a support system for the plants.
• For the tomatoes, I decided to stick with the traditional wire frame for support – I just wasn’t sure if the netting trellis would be strong enough.  I know it looks nutty in the pot but hey, it might work!

Well as you can probably tell, it has been a couple weeks since I have planted these tomatoes and cucumbers.  They are certainly growing and looking good…maybe I actually inherited my Grandpa Wendel’s and Nan’s green thumb!

Since I live in a small confined space, I wanted to put the pots on platforms with wheels so I could move them inside if I had to and also so the pots can properly drain.  Those are really cute and not too expensive at your local hardware store.

One of the most exciting things has been watching these plants grow, especially the cucumber which has been vining up the trellis.

It’s crazy but the cucumber plant grows little arms and wraps them around the support or netting to hold itself up… it’s great.

I am hoping that I have enough space to allow them to keep growing!

I have been watering them on hot days when there is no rain between 1PM and 6PM and that has been working out great.  It has been raining like crazy here lately so I haven’t really worried about watering them but if I have to think twice about it, I stick my finger in the pot to see if the soil is moist.

Well, I will update this in a few weeks – so far the tomato plant has some blossoms and there is a tiny cucumber growing so stay tuned.

I might have enough to make a nice summer salad soon!

<3

Despite my recent bout of calorie counting, I have been battling this crazy urge to bake something.  Well, I couldn’t hold it in any longer so here is my newest creation – Peach Crisp!  Inspired by my husband’s Grandmother (Maw Maw, in Southern)  to make something peachy, I took a couple recipes I found and put them all together and then added some love and a couple extra yum-yums to make it my own.  Here is the recipe – feel free to change it around and add your own spice to it.

Ingredients:

(Topping)

1. 1/3 cup Organic Sugar
2. 1/2 cup White Whole Wheat Flour
3. 1/2 cup Quick Oats
4. 1 tbsp Cinnamon – or to taste
5. 1/4 tsp Salt
6. 1/4 cup Canola Oil
7. 2 tbsp Water
8. 2 tbsp Brown Sugar

(Filling)

1. 12 Peaches – the riper the better
2. 1/4 slice of lemon
3. 1/4 slice of lime
4. 1/4 cup Lemon Seltzer
5. 2 tbsp White Whole Wheat Flour
6. 1/4 cup Organic Sugar

How-To:

1. Preheat oven 375*
2. Start boiling a large saucepan of water.
3. Whisk flour, sugar, oats, cinnamon and salt together in a large bowl.
4. Stir in oil and water until blended.
5. The mix will be a little clumpy but just go with it and put it to the side for now!
6. Blanch peaches in batches:
7. Place 3-4 peaches in boiling water for 90 seconds.

1. Remove peaches and place in ice water until cool.

1. Peel skin off of peaches and cut peaches into small wedges.
2. Mix together peaches, juice from lemon and lime wedges, lemon seltzer water, flour and sugar.
3. Pour peach mix into 8×8 baking pan or deep pie pan.
4. Bring back the topping mix and spread evenly over the peaches.
5. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the topping and pop in the oven for 30 minutes.
6. When finished, the Crisp should be bubbling around the edges.

This Peach Crisp is fantastic served hot or room temperature with vanilla ice cream or fat-free Cool Whip (my favorite!)  Serve this up  at a barbecue, picnic or after a nice summer dinner – it is a huge hit!

<3

My parents relocated the family from the mild and calm tempered New England (my favorite part of the good ‘ole US of A) to the scorching, sweat inducing, hotter than the hinges, South about 15 years ago when I really had no idea what heat was.  Now we are sworn enemies.

Before I go any further… I absolutely love it down here.  The college basketball is the best (literally,) the beaches and mountains are breathtaking and the quality of life is just downright good.  It is worth noting that I do not live in the “deep south” so before you sweet Southern folks get yourselves into a twist, I am well aware that it is much hotter and more humid in other parts of the country – God help us all if I ever find myself in any of those places without central air.  Lastly, while I heartily disagree, many native Southerners would say that the town I grew up in is not really Southern on account of the number of relocated “Hippies and Yanks” that live there.  Say what you will, if it’s south of the Mason-Dixon line, it’s technically the South.

Anyways, I write about this because it has been unbearably hot and muggy around here and I had to vent.  Naturally, the air conditioning unit in our apartment (in a massive residence hall) is broken and so I am sweating my hoo-haas off and quickly losing my cool.  Ice water helps and cold showers generally do the trick but good God almighty… it’s hot.  My poor husband just rolls his eyes and tries to fan me off the cliff.  It’s a tough job but he does it well.  As you can tell, I have yet to overcome this issue I have with high temperatures but I am working on it.  Whenever I feel like it’s getting too hot for me to handle, I have learned to take deep breaths and search for the closest air condition vent.  I hope you are all comfy and cozy in your 67*-70* homes or offices while reading this!  If you are, think of me and cross your fingers that our air conditioning is fixed soon or you might see me on the news in some freak spontaneous-combustion accident.

<3

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Well one game turned into three and now I have a Farm, Cafe and plot of land in the wild Frontier.  Ugh.  I realize this is lame-o and completely nerdy but I have this sense of obligation to update each game at least once a day by fertilizing crops, serving dishes and wrangling cattle.  The kicker is that in order to really advance in either game, you have to help your friend’s farms as well so sure enough, after I take care of my own game, I click on my friend’s profile and water their plants, feed their chickens and spice up their dishes…… I just can’t help it.

I thought I would write about it and just put it out there on to the interwebs to get it off my chest.  I am a Farmville junkie.  There.  I said it – but before you judge me, check it out for yourself and see what you think.  I guarantee 8 out of 10 of you will be getting up 15 minutes earlier each morning to harvest your crops before they wither.

<3

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups of oatmeal (plain)
2. 1.5 cups of sliced almonds
3. 1 cup of sunflower seeds
4. 1/2 cup of coconut, shredded
5. 1/2 cup of wheat germ
6. 3 tbsp of unsalted butter
7. 2/3 cup of honey
8. 1/4 tsp of kosher salt
9. 1 tbsp of cinnamon, plus a bit for sprinkling
10. 1/4 cup of brown sugar
11. 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
12. 1/2 cup of dried cranberries
13. 1/2 cup of dried cherries (chopped up)

How-To:

1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. In a large mixing bowl, toss the oatmeal, coconut, sliced almonds and sunflower seeds then place the mixture in a cookie sheet.
3. Bake mixture for about 10 minutes or until you notice the coconut browning and mix it up a bit (THIS WILL MAKE YOUR HOME SMELL AMAZING!)
4. While that is baking, melt the butter, honey, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a boil.
5. Take out the nut/oat mix from the oven and put it back into the large mixing bowl – mix in the wheat germ.
6. Turn down the oven to 300*
7. Pour the sugar/honey/goodness mixture in with the oats and nuts and stir in the cranberries and cherries.
8. STIR REALLY GOOD!
9. Take a 8×12″ baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.  WAX paper will not work.  Only use parchment paper!  Butter or use non-stick spray on the pan as well to ensure easy removal.
10. Pour the granola mix into the prepared baking sheet and with some butter rubbed on your hands (so it won’t stick,) press the granola mix so it is spread evenly in the pan.
11. Take some cinnamon and LIGHTLY sprinkle this over the granola.
12. Bake for 20 minutes (30 if you want them to be crunchy).
13. Let sit at room temperature for 3 hours – patience is a virtue!
14. The final step is up to you!  You can cut the granola into squares, mix it all up into crumbles and use as trail mix or even cut into bars and dip into chocolate!

These turned out so great and are really versatile!  You can change this recipe up with any nuts or dried fruit that you want to make it fit your taste.  I decided to package some up for my husband’s office folks and then save some for us of course!  When packaging, it is best to keep them separated using parchment paper so they don’t stick together – unless you are serving them immediately!

Good luck keeping these bad boys on the table!

<3

(Bitter is the New Black is fantastic with a cup of Tomato Bisque and… it’s too cool for the Kindle)

I picked up Jen Lancaster’s Bitter is the New Black a couple months ago after seeing it on my “suggested reading” on Amazon. From the minute I opened it and read the first chapter I was rolling. The author’s eloquence is staggering and her sarcasm and wit will smack you in the face and it will make you feel fabulous.

Bitter is the New Black is the author, Jen Lancaster’s memoir and follows her from being an Uptown Chicago Executive Power Girl, complete with a Prada bag and Pearls,  straight to the unemployment office (with Prada bag) and eventually to an apartment in the sketchy outskirts of Chicago.   Her story is about being completely self-indulgent and entirely too excessive in all things material and finally coming to the realization that you don’t need “things” to lead a fulfilling life.

This is a must-read for those of you out there that:

A) Take your job (and paycheck) for granted

B) Spend inordinate amounts of money on shoes or accessories… regularly

C) Need a good, solid, not-cheesy but insanely funny pick-me-up book.

So go pick up a copy and get cozy at your favorite coffee shop (or your couch,) you are in for a treat!  Jen Lancaster has a number of other books as well – my next read of hers will be Such a Pretty Fat and I can’t wait to start it… if only my job didn’t take up so much of my time! (JUST KIDDING – I’m happy and thankful for my job and paycheck!)

Check Jen Lancaster out at her site!

<3

Can’t lie, the hike kicked out butts.  It had been a while (about 6 months) since out last backpacking adventure and despite my own advise, I had not stepped foot on a StairMaster.  We were constantly stopping, chugging water, and taking deep breaths.  I stopped a couple of extra times to “take pictures” aka catch my breath.  The husband almost blacked out at one point, that’s when we realized we were pushing it too hard and needed to slow it down.  This was our first hike of the year and really should have been taking it easy.  It look us a little longer than expected but we made it to the campsite and it was fabulous.  Fully equipped with creepy outhouses, fire-pits and even a picnic table.  We were good-to-go.

We surveyed our campsite and then decided to trek down to the waterfalls before night fall.  The place was relatively busy, as it usually is when it gets warm.  There were boy scout troops, families, horseback riders and mountain men with their trusty dogs.  Although there were a lot of people, there is enough space on the trails and around the waterfall for all to enjoy.  Once you get to a certain point, you are met with wooden staircases that take you up to or down to the waterfalls depending on the direction you are traveling. They are beautiful but a little flimsy so you have to watch your step.  Climbing these stairs is extra exciting when you have a big pack on your back and requires a lot of concentration and balance… two things I am not exactly awesome at.  I made it however – we took great photos and met some really nice people.

When we got back to our campsite, we were immediately ambushed by caterpillars – they were EVERYWHERE within minutes.  All over our tent, table, my clothes – it was insane.  we hitched out tent and my brother “survivor-man mcgee” hooked up his tent between two trees.   We immediately broke into our food and ate beef-o-roni like it was 1992… straight out of the can.  My brother had this amazing idea to pack cans of food and heat them up over the little stove so we stocked up on canned veggies and Chef Boyardee.  They taste amazing but they are heavy and bulky – it was a great idea but I think I’m going to stick with the just-add-water food bags from REI.  Talk about YUM.

Not shortly after we finished eating, the boys immediately went into fire-making mode.  Within 5 minutes we had a fire that could have heated a small house for a week – it was pretty epic and even the dog helped gather wood.

We then went and checked out the nearby creek and filtered some water for later.  The dog – no joke – went straight in and laid down in the water without hesitation.  It was pretty hot out and I know the dog was really tired, I was a little jealous that I didn’t have that type of abandon to just flop down in the creek.  Too freaked out by the possibility of snakes, it was all I could do to rock-jump to the largest rock in the middle of the creek and stand on that for a while.

I should have known this would happen but my husband and brother went into total mountain-men mode.  They made spears, tried to catch fish, ran around like Naruto and carved things into wood.  It was out of control.

It started to get dark out and we were all exhausted so we called it a night.  Now here is where it gets interesting – as always.  The first time we camped outside in the middle of the woods was a horrible experience for me.  At Linville, Moe was growling all night, I was up worried about vampires and axe-men and I didn’t sleep a wink.  Guess what – it happened again.  I even planned for this in advance and took some over-the-counter sleep meds.  I feel asleep for about 2 hours and bam!  I woke up to Moe growling at something and I heard tree branches breaking and was certain that someone (or something) was hunting us down.  It was ridiculous…. and lame.  My heart was racing out of my chest and I even woke Chad up from his peaceful slumber because I thought I heard pans clanking in the forest.  Needless to say, I only slept when the sun started coming up.  I really need a remedy for this sleeping-outside anxiety.  I love camping but I can’t keep this up if I can’t sleep.

After surviving the night, we ate and filtered some water, packed up the camp and went back to the waterfall which was on our way back to our car. 

The waterfall was just as beautiful the first day as it was the second.  Roaring with gallons of rushing water, I was able to get some great photos and mess with the shutter speeds on my camera.  We took some fun family pictures and made it back to the parking lot with ease.

Overall, South Mountains State Park is the perfect getaway for a weekend camping trip.  It’s simple, beautiful and if you can make it through the night, safe.  Be sure to share your South Mountains stories – we go a lot so if you run into a couple with the cutest dog on earth – be sure to say “hi”!

<3 Sam