hey, it's ok (tuesday) .5

please visit amber for the original!

... to totally invite yourself to a new year's celebration. 
... to want to take pictures in the christmas snow, since it only happens in nashville every 20 years or so.  so, maybe when our future children are teenagers we can take more christmas snow pictures.
... to wish they had somehow figured out a way to get MORE caffeine into coffee.
... to be surprised by things you find on facebook.  for example, the guy from college who continually creeps you out suddenly being in a relationship.
... to not understand the appeal of silly bandz, but to buy them for the kids in your life anyway.
... to be so glad that it snowed in nashville more than once this year...and to be completely ready for spring to come.
... to possibly be plotting a trip to starbucks while taking kids to a fun outing.  hey, that makes it more fun for ME too!
... to have snuck the laptop into the bathroom to take a shower and listen to some awesome worship music while the kids have breakfast
(it's the only time the little one is contained enough for me to shower!)

can you tell i'm babysitting today?  i have two boys -- 3 years and 18 months -- monday through wednesday this week.  we're having a blast and i'm LOVING how early they go to bed.  not so much the wakeup call, but it's still later than i normally have to be at work, so hey.

much love, all!

Thursday's Ten: thanksgiving '10

(you should all participate in this one. just sayin')

today i am thankful

- for the table we will gather at with anthony's family.  for them, their hospitality, and their immediate acceptance of me.  and that they asked me to bring something that's traditional in MY family today so i'm bringing green bean casserole and pumpkin pie.  and so incredibly grateful i didn't get a preparatory letter like this one with instructions. (read it.  you'll laugh)

- for the man i love and our time together so far...and for SO.MUCH to look forward to.  for future plans that excite me, for knowing that he loves God more than he loves me...so the balance is alllll gooooood.  and that he's a dork, just like me.

- for emi, who scrunches her face up into "her" chair, who sits on the piano bench more often than i do, who jumps up on the bed to be loved on as soon as i walk in the door, who runs to greet me when i arrive, who sometimes just runs around the house like a crazed animal, who is stingy (but rewarding) with her purrs, who loves to chase a laser light, and who most nights will cuddle with me at bedtime just for a little while.

- for life in the garden, in the herb planters.  and that i've managed to keep a cilantro plant alive for a whole month now.

-  for the fact that i just drove to anthony's apartment with my sunroof open.  on thanksgiving day, people.  it's in the 70s today :D

(and yes, it'll be cold tomorrow.  but i can be thankful for warm weather on thanksgiving!)

- for friends who get me.  and for those who don't, but accept that i'm a little crazy ;-)

- for the spiritual communities that have shaped my faith.  this journey has been a wild ride, for SURE  but i've told many people to buckle up and raise their hands because it's the ultimate thrill ride!

- for the privilege of being called to live this way.  so completely dependent on God for provision and strength that i pretty much live just like this quote:

"But God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come through"

(Francis Chan)

- for my wii, dvr, laptop and iphone that serve as distractions when i need them, entertainment when i'm lacking, exercise when it's hot/cold/rainy, and connections with those i love. yes, all of them have their downsides, but using them for their intended purpose has been a blessing

- for so many countless things in addition: my dog magnet that has dogs of all shapes, sizes and breeds flocking to me and giving me affection.  for starbucks and my ridiculous collection of travel mugs.  for road trips with friends.  for snuggles on the couch.  for naps.  for worship.  for babies and the privilege of watching them grow.  for the families who have supported me and entrusted me with their most valuable possessions -- their children.  for learning about and beginning to operate more fully in my giftings.  for laughter.  for family.  for so.much.more.

and of course...for all of you.  who come here and read what i have to say, who humble me with the way you respond, who encourage me with your friendship.  i started blogging just for me, and i'm ever surprised and blessed that you hang out with me here in this small corner of the internet. so thankful that our lives (and blogs) have crossed paths.  :)

you'd beter believe it!

i'm SO taking advantage of this one.

yes please!

recipe of the week: copycat scones

my friend natasha and i have been enjoying fall at starbucks

you see, on our road trip to arkansas we discovered that they had these a.m.a.z.i.n.g pumpkin scones

and we loved them

(they compliment pumpkin spice lattes quite well.  just in case you're wondering)

but, as you may have heard, starbucks

is a *little* expensive

so after our 2nd scone of the season

natasha ran across this little recipe

it's a copycat scone recipe

and while our version isn't as PRETTY as the starbucks version

it also cost us about 2 times the price of one of their scones to make 6 large or 24 mini scones

plus our version used all natural and organic ingredients from trader joe's

so it's better :)

so...there you go

i've simplified the recipe a little (we use pumpkin pie spice in place of the ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves the original recipe called for) and made it a little easier to understand (we stared at the recipe for several minutes the first time while we tried to figure out how they wanted us to cut the scones.  once we figured it out, we said "ok, we can do better than THAT"

one note: this recipe is actually 3 in one.  i'm listing the scones first, then the glazes.  whatever you do, take the time to make the glazes!  it means that you'll be waiting about 2 hours after they are done to enjoy them but it is SO worth it!

scones

2 cups flour

7 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

6 tablespoons cold butter

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

3 tablespoons half and half

1 egg

preheat oven to 425゜F.  lightly use butter to grease a pan/cookie sheet (we changed that from using oil. we figured it would be better to have buttered scones than oiled.  don't you?)

* combine dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and spices) in a large bowl.  using a pastry knife, fork, or food processor, cut butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter are obvious.

(that is the hardest part, if you have only a fork.  i'm totally asking for a food processor for christmas.  or buying it myself first.  :)

* in a separate bowl whisk together pumpkin, half and half and egg.

fold wet ingredients into dry.  form the dough into a ball

* pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a rectangle approximately 1 inch thick.  it will turn out to be about 9 inches long and 3 inches wide.  use a large knife or pizza cutter to slice the dough into 3 equal long strips (2 cuts from top to bottom, making each strip about an inch wide).

* for large scones, cut each of your 3 long strips diagonally in the center, making 6 equally sized scones total.

* for small scones, cut 8 triangles out of each strip of dough, making 24 total scones

(i'm not convinced i said that any better than the original recipe...hard to explain!)

* bake for 14 - 16 minutes, or until light brown.  place on wire rack to cool while you make the glazes

powdered sugar glaze

1 cup powdered sugar, plus 1 tablespoon 

2 tablespoon whole milk

* mix the powdered sugar and milk together until smooth

* when scones are cool, use a brush to paint the glaze over the top of each scone

* wait for the first glaze to firm up while making the spiced glaze

 

spiced glaze

1 cup powdered sugar, plus 3 additional tablespoons

2 tablespoons whole milk

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

combine ingredients, and then drizzle over each scone.  you can be all fancy with it, but it'll taste the same either way ;)

allow the icing to dry before serving...this will take about an hour.

(again, may i remind you that it's totally worth the wait)

enjoy!

Thursday's Ten: fall stuff

last week i shared one of my favorite fall things

fall tv

this week...the rest of the good stuff :0)

for the record, i'm not a huge fan of what comes after fall.  but these initial days of breezes blowing through the screen door, tickling the wind chimes, crisp leaves to crunch, warm beverages to delight in...they are what i like.

winter can be skipped.

(although, yes, i'll try to come up with a top 10 list when winter comes too.  most likely #1 will be 'tennessee's is short')

soooo,

my favorite things about fall

1.  bonfires and outdoor activities

2.  starbucks: pumpkin spice latte.  yes please.

3.  actually, pumpkin anything.  and the cinnamon pumpkin fragrance mixes...to.die.for

4.  gorgeous scenery to capture in a picture

5.  pumpkin delights from little debbie.  i haven't seen them yet this year...i hope they're actually back!

6.  being able to walk/run/jog without being completely drenched in sweat from the moment you step outside

7.  football...yes, i'm hooked.  love going to NFL games, love watching it on tv

8.  blankets on the couch and robes at the ready.  and slippers.  ahhh.

9.  fall clothing.  i do love me some comfy clothes

10.  soup season.  oh, how i love comfort food.  oh, how i love an excuse to make soup!



join me, yes?  what are your favorite things about this season?

this blog brought to you by (an) appointment...

i walked in with my bag, starbucks double-insulated cup filled with iced coffee in hand.

spoke to the receptionist, handed over my keys

sat in a comfy chair and gave a cursory glance to the magazines splayed out on the table before simply reaching into the bag and pulling out my laptop

smiling as i noticed the girl sitting opposite me was also typing on a macbook.

her drink of choice is perrier water—with lime

trendy girls, we are

and then i begin to wonder:

am i being trendy for the sake of being trendy?

does that girl LIKE perrier water or is she drinking it because of a fancy name

or fancy bubbles

do i really prefer starbucks coffee?

yes, i brewed my own coffee for the iced coffee in the cup, but no one else knows that…

do we as girls REALLY enjoy wearing high heels?

do people sign up for graduate school because it’s the thing to do,

or do they truly have a passion for what they’re studying?

i suppose it’s different for everyone

i love apple products, so yes i have a macbook

(and an iphone)

and while i enjoy a good coffee anywhere

most of my coffee travel mugs come from starbucks

(i like their style, what can i say?)

and while i much prefer flip-flips

or bare feet

i do like that i feel sexy in a cute pair of heels

so there you go

i'm going to assume that the girl across from me also loves apple

and prefers her water “con gaso”

and now i'll stop thinking so deeply

and just wait for my oil change to be over.

Thursday's Ten: product recommendations

i've been wanting to do this for awhile...why not now?

ten products or items that i would highly recommend for your own use. most of these are VERY cheap :)

(PLEASE play along even if you don't have a full 10 list!)

1. my stacking recycling bins from ikea

2. my can opener. it was a gift from my parents one Christmas, and it's a.m.a.z.i.n.g

(mine is red, but i couldn't find an online image of it. it's the 'one touch' brand and i think you can even buy it at target or walgreens now)

3. my creative memories all purpose scissors. coupon clipping, scrapbooking, photo trimming...fantastic

4. pampered chef kitchen shears (ok, similar to the above, but they are AWESOME on their own and i use them for *everything* around the kitchen)

5. avacado slicer. it makes it so easy to have fresh avacado when i don't have to get so stinkin' messy cutting it up!

(you can buy it wherever you buy kitchen tools)

6. starbucks insulated cup. you knew i'd bring it up again eventually!

7. and on that note, the sigg water bottle. um, i don't know where mine is...someone besides me packed it. must.find.soon!

8. (for pet owners) the mouse laser light. best purchase under $5 i have possibly *ever* made. emi loves it! (i bought mine at target)

9. cfl's (compact fluorescent lamp). not only are they SO much better for the environment, they also last forever and drive down your energy costs!

10. in that whole "green" vibe--reusable grocery bags. trader joe's are quite stylish, and i'm forever taking a reusable bag with me on trips, or to carry stuff back and forth from jobs...so they're quite versatile for me!

i KNOW you have a similar list. please share!

Haircuts...

I've been growing my hair out for the past year or so. Today I had it cut to donate for cancer patients. I LOVE the new cut, and was so happy to see my stylist Stacey again! Here's the most recent picture I have of it down...unfortunately not a great picture at ALL. I kind of forgot to take a "before" pic...
Oh, but here's a funny pic. Anthony and I watched Izzy one afternoon and I was in his kitchen baking cookies. I realized at one point that I was wearing a dress (left over from church that morning), was barefoot, and was holding baby in one hand and scooping cookies with the other. Naturally I made A take a pic. This was about a month ago: On to today!

After the cut: enjoying a celebratory nonfat pumpkin spice latte (ok, so the whipped cream makes it not so nonfat) side view

Blah

According to my horoscope today, my confidence is waning.

Hmmm.

Today I am working in an office, surrounded by great people.

I'm doing work that matters, even if it is mundane.

And while it's temporary, it's steady.

For that I am so grateful.

Tonight I get to spend time with a friend's 3 young daughters while she is in rehearsal...

And then I get to babysit for Izzy :0)

Pumpkin spice lattes are back at Starbucks (one iced, non-fat, no whip please).

The Titans open the football season tomorrow night.

I brought San Pelligrino to work today.

We met Jack

My kitchen is a mess, from the mint chocolate cake I made on Monday.
(which is gone. 15 family members + several office people...ok, I may have saved one piece for A and me...apiece...)

My heart is full.

And while, yes, there are bills that need to be paid and the question of when and how that will happen is present

and a great friend is moving

and friends have cancer

and life is crazy, unpredictable, and sometimes pretty damn hard...

I'm doing ok in that confidence department.

God is good.

Boo to you, horoscope of today.

:0)

Dear Starbucks,

I realize that today may have been punishment for leaving my reusable cup at home, but just in case it wasn't, let me just ask that next time I order an iced coffee I am given a lid and straw that are meant to be together. The ones you handed me today seemed to be mortal enemies. I should not have to sit in your parking lot for 3 minutes attempting to jam the straw in while approximately 1/8 of the coffee leaks out of the lid. After that fails and I sit at the stoplight trying yet again, I am hardly pleased when a hole somehow gets poked in the straw. Finally, after successfully getting the straw in the dang hole I don't necessarily love the fact that the straw doesn't exactly work because
a. it's all bent from the aforementioned attempts to place it where it belongs
b. the bottom of said straw is contorted into a diameter a fraction of the size it should be
and
c. there are teeny tiny holes in the straw from the lid protesting it's entry into the cup.

I've learned my lesson.

I shall always bring my reusable iced coffee cup.

Your loyal customer anyway,
Lora

Thursday's Ten and then some

I may have a slight confession to make.

Those of you in real life know that I have a little addiction. However, I think I've kept it pretty well hidden from my bloggy friends.

Sure, you know that I'm in love with Joe (of Trader Joe's). Of course you are aware that I prefer the bubbles of San Pelligrino over tap water. I'm fairly certain that you have noticed that I have an affinity for the recipes of Rachael Ray and Giada (and going hand-in-hand with that, it is painfully obvious that I am a carb lover).

So what addiction is left, you ask?

I may have hidden it (among other reasons) because coffee isn't always that interesting of a topic to blog about. And also, because Starbucks isn't the greenest thing I could do. But that is (slowly) changing. For the last few months I've noticed that if you bring a travel mug into Starbucks you get 10 cents off your morning/afternoon/midnight coffee. Which is great--I own a ton of them. However, when I stop by Starbucks I normally get an iced coffee with a shot or 2 of flavoring. This is because (a) it's cheaper. Think half price and (b) it makes me feel like I'm getting something special without all the calories and stuff of say a white chocolate mocha.

Putting iced coffee in a travel mug is just not that practical. There's the issue of the ice coming up to meet your mouth as you tip your head back to drink. Among other things. So I really didn't see myself ever getting to take advantage of this new green thing Starbucks is doing.

And then yesterday I stopped at Target. And this Target houses a Starbucks. And I gave in to temptation, mainly because I hadn't had time to make my coffee at home that morning. And when I saw the display at the register angels sang.

Or at least I did.


Look closely. That's right--it's a reusable copycat of the plastic cup I've had to recycle a gazillion times. AND it's double insulated, so it doesn't sweat all over those papers on your desk that your boss needs today. Bonus!

I was thrilled. THRILLED I say. And I can now feel just a little bit better about ordering an iced coffee in MY new to-go cup! (and while I realize that I will have to visit approximately 100 times to get my "money back" at $.10 a fill-up, I don't care)

And now moving onto the Thursday's Ten. Coffee themed of course.

10 Things I have Learned about Coffee

1. If you don't set the coffee maker the night before, it will not have the coffee nice and ready for you when you crawl bound down the stairs to fill up your mug
2. If you are wearing white and carrying coffee, all of nature is against you
3. People who don't necessarily like the taste of coffee often enjoy the smell of it brewing. I don't understand that at all, but hey.
4. Grinding your own beans really does make all the difference.
5. As much as I love my Starbucks, and mostly use their beans at my house...if you have a good coffee maker and know what you're doing you can make cheap coffee taste great.
6. Flavored creamers are AMAZING. Especially the pumpkin spice that comes out (conincidentally I'm sure) right at the same time every year as the pumpkin spice latte at S-buck's.
7. People who don't like the taste of coffee will probably not want to kiss you right after you've drank a cup. :0)
8. Who wants to bet that my wordle this week will have STARBUCKS really big on it. Or not at all.
9. Somehow buying coffee from a coffee shop makes it taste just a little better. I think it's the "not making it myself" factor. Much like eating out.
10. Babies/toddlers will always want a sip of your coffee. If you give in, watch out. You'll have a little me on your hands (I drank coffee from the high chair. No lie).

By the way, in all seriousness, Starbucks is really trying to better the planet and be more green. Since that's something near and dear to my heart, I'm including a link. Click or don't, but it's kinda cool.
http://www.starbucks.com/sharedplanet/index.aspx#mugPledge