First snapshots of our adventure

Normally, we do a linky post on Fridays, but since we just got back from vacation we've been working to unpack and re-set the household.  I haven't scrubbed through all of the trip photos yet, but here are a few snapshots for now (including a few you may have already seen), and I'll be back with more vacation fun in the next post.


 
Watching Florida pass by the car windows as I knit


 


 
Jonah didn't want to hear the music anymore.  Or maybe he was just listening to the "wa-wa" of clapping his ears.  No one can be sure.


 
Knitting at the beach.


 
The little super-heroes come to save the day.


 
Duking it out on the golf cart.


 
Knitting away the miles on the trip back to TX.

What I Wore Wednesday (window shopping)

I am away on vacation right now, so instead of a photo shoot, how about a little bit of virtual shopping?  I love to dream together outfits at my favorite online retailer: ModCloth.  So let's pretend that money is no object...

Movie In The Park by Faith80 featuring gold jewelry

Coffee Date by Faith80 featuring plaid socks

A Night On The Town by Faith80 featuring vintage tights

Thanks for dreaming with me!  Have a wonderful Wednesday.

Love On A Golf Cart

Sometimes you're having so much fun that you've just got to punch somebody. :-)

Beachside super heros

The children on the beach this morning, playing in the surf.

Jonah helping Greg

The joy on the face of a Helping Toddler.


 


 


 

There is truly nothing like it.

Link-tastic Friday

Do you ever start packing to go somewhere, and realize that you're just piling clothing on the bed, with no real idea what you will actually wear when you get there?  Yes?  Me too.  


 
No one should need this many clothes for only 6 days

By the time you are reading this, we will be well on our way to our Spring Break Destination... for the next week, there will be some mobile blogging (maybe even a silly little video clip or two) interspersed with a few pre-scheduled posts.  If you have comments that really need an answer during this next week, be sure to check back in the comment section -- I'll be answering all questions there, unless you ask me directly via email (faithad{AT}gmail{DOT}com), because my only internet connection will be my phone, which is a little limiting.

Now lets get on with those links!

Crafty:

• I want to make both the kerchief and the hat for myself.  Adorable! (Tutorial via WhipUp) 
• I realized that I linked to cuffs for boys last week, but these are even cooler, because it's actually a zippered pouch that fastens around the arm.  My boys are forever bringing home treasures from the playground, and this will give them a better option to pebbles/"jewels"/airsoft pellets tumbling out of pockets whenever I do the laundry.  (Via Made)
• For a while now I've been meaning to make freezer-paper-stenciled shirts.  It would make such a perfect, personalized birthday gift, or just to celebrate the everyday with my children. (Via Skip To My Lou) 

Food (savory):

• Finding new ways to make dark leafy greens is always high on my priority list.  And if Smitten Kitchen says that this is The Best Baked Spinach, then I'm making it! 
• A good curry is a beautiful thing.  I will definitely be making this Red Thai Duck Curry sometime soon (via Pioneer Woman Cooks).

Food (sweet):

• These layered Fudge Mint Brownies look absolutely delicious (via Glorious Treats) 
• An elegant take on monkey bread: Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread via Joy The Baker. 
• I love chocolate malt milkshakes, and these Malted Blondies look like a totally crave-worthy treat (via Baking Junkie) 
• These Granola Bars With Chunky Jam sound like they'd be a special take-along breakfast treat.

What I Wore Wednesday

Today I bring you a dual-purpose outfit, because: I finished the shrug!

Project details on Ravelry here.



 
Dinner Theater Outfit

The color is a warm, natural cream, and I love the contrast with this blue tunic/dress (from TJ Maxx, purchased several years ago).


 
VS Siren Jeans/leggings.


 

This leather flower headband is from Target, but you can also find it online at Maurices.  This freshwater pearl necklace was given to me by my Grandma Claire at least 10 years ago; I try to find every excuse to wear it.



 
Frye Dara Campus Honeycomb sandal/heel in "natural".


 


 

I used Almay intense i-color Trio For Browns, and liquid eyeliner to give a "Hollywood Silver-Screen" sort of a look, along with some Berry Sparkle Nourishine lip gloss by Mary Kay.

Dinner Theater by Faith80 featuring frye sandals

Parsley and Scallion Hummus

Energy.  It's an awesome thing to have.  Unfortunately, I struggle greatly with keeping up my energy levels, often feeling like crashing for a nap in the middle of the afternoon.  I've been trying to eat more raw, living food, and other types of food that won't weigh heavily in my stomach (and therefore making my body work extra hard to digest, wasting energy and making me even more tired.)  Something that my family loves to eat as a snack, or even as the centerpiece of a meal, is hummus.  It's so easy to make, and easily surpasses the storebought version in freshness and flavor.  If you have a food processor, or a blender, you've got this one in the bag.  If you don't, you'll have to mash it by hand, but really...mashing beans isn't rocket science, so don't let the lack of equipment slow you down.


 
Parsley and Scallion Hummus with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and minced Serrano peppers.  I had pita chips on the side to scoop it all up with.


Parsley and Scallion Hummus
(slightly adapted from The New Moosewood Cookbook)

2 or 3 medium garlic cloves, sliced
one large handful of parsley
3-5 scallions (both the white and green parts), cut into 1-inch pieces
3 cups of cooked chickpeas (two 15 oz cans, rinsed and drained -- or cook some yourself!)
6 tablespoons tahini (use only 1/4 cup for a slightly milder flavor)
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 to 1 tsp salt (to taste)

(Optional: add roasted red peppers or green or black kalamata olives in addition to OR in place of the scallions and parsley to create a different flavor.  Substitute oven roasted garlic for the fresh raw garlic to give it a mellow sweet twist.  Experiment and find what you like best!)

Put the garlic, parsley and scallion in a food processor or blender, and pulse until everything is minced.

Add all additional ingredients, and puree until it's a thick paste.  You may need to add a little bit of water to loosen it up if it seems too dry.

Season with salt to taste.  Enjoy!

Sunshine in the (almost) springtime

A Sunday afternoon walk with neighbors...



Lavella and Pea picking flowers


 
A simulated bike crash








Jumping under the great big beautiful Texas sky








Throwing rocks down the slide and then sliding on them
 







From left: Lavella, Me, Elijah, Pea, Andrew, Alex's yellow lab Sirius, and Alex


When we got back home, we combined household leftovers for a casual dinner.  A lazy Sunday afternoon with friends and family is a wonderful thing.

Link-tastic Friday (Saturday)

A few days ago, the little ones were playing out in the backyard while I tidied inside, and I noticed they were "whistling".  When I went to get a closer look at their adventure, I discovered that they were "Whistling for dandelions."  Because when you're 2 and almost 4, that makes TOTAL SENSE.  As it turns out, all that whistling was pretty productive.


 

So maybe I'm just the Mommy With No Imagination.  Of course!  Whistling for flowers!  It works so well!


 

I love the precious way these two play together...when they're not fighting.


Crafty:It's too short notice for me this year, but I'd love to go to this crafting conference/collective next April: Creative Estates.
A fun project for your own little Super Boy (or girl!) Superhero cape and wrist cuff.
I could really use a Pincushion Cuff, and keep meaning to make one of these.
I may have linked to this before, but it bears mentioning again: Action Pack is a printable mini-mag for children.  I know my kids are going to love paging through all of the advertisement-free, kid-friendly articles and activities! 

Food (savory):I made a pot of this a few days ago, and it was both delicious and warming: Ginger and Lentil Soup via Joy The Baker.
Snack food just got healthy with these crispy baked Kale chips (via Smitten Kitchen).
A non-vegetarian take on lentils: Lentils with Fennel, Kale and Sausage via Everybody Likes Sandwiches.
Apparently I'm on a serious (non-vegetarian) lentil kick: Sauteed Bacon, Mushrooms and Lentils (via Leite's Culinaria).
Greg doesn't like butternut squash or chestnuts, so I'll probably have to wait to make this till the next time he's out of town: Rich, Spicy, Velvety Butternut Squash and Chestnut Soup via Food Blogga. 

Food (sweet):
I'm very taken with the idea of this Pina Colada Cake by Smitten Kitchen.
Oh my dear goodness: Baked Kettle Corn (The Loaded Version) from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
YES PLEASE: Buttered Rum Meltaways via Technicolor Kitchen.
It's been so long since I had a vanilla ice cream cone with a hard chocolate dipped shell, because....well, the quality of the chocolate tends to be very evident.  Very evidently bad.  So I was super excited to find this simple "wordless recipe" to make my own!  WORDLESS RECIPE #1: How to Make Your Own Ice Cream “Magic” Chocolate Hard Shell via Eat the Love.