recipe of the week: fruit skewers and tropical fruit dip

so it's beautiful and sunny

and HOT

and i'm trying so hard to be a fruit lover

(i love love love veggies. and i like most fruit. i just don't eat it all the time)

but i went to the store last week and picked up a few organic treats

strawberries

(ps, these were also amazing in the mojitos this weekend...)

kiwi

blueberries

pineapple (that one wasn't organic but i bought the real deal...and i figure not much can get through that tough skin)

peaches

and i got a message from our friend who hosts the small group on thursdays that i've been going to for awhile.

i had asked if i could bring anything and she said "something with fruit."

to which i had replied "just fresh fruit?"

and she said "whatever you want to do that involves fruit. i love your creativity in the kitchen"

(uh-oh.

now i feel the need to be creative-esque)

so because i didn't want to mess up the fruit

(because it's already perfect the way God made it)

i decided to enhance it with a fruit dip.

only i couldn't stand the thought of marshmallow fluff...

processed the heck out of

so i sought an alternative

and of course what i ended up with was very far removed from the actual recipe that i found

this one pictured was made with cool whip

however i'm most definitely going to make it with actual whipping cream next time

at least i'll feel better about it then :)

here's my new and improved recipe:

tropical fruit dip

1 (8 oz) block of reduced-fat cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar or stevia (please don't use man-made chemicals as sweeteners...soapbox moment!)

1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped

1/4 cup almonds, plus a few for decor on top

1 tsp vanilla

optional: about 1/4 cup shaved coconut (i'm not a fan but i put it in and people went CRAZY over it)

beat cream cheese and sugar together until creamy and combined well. mix in whipped cream, almonds, vanilla and coconut (if using) until well blended. pour into serving bowl and garnish with almond slivers/slices. refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours so that flavors will blend. serve with freshly sliced fruit

OR

you can make fruit kabobs like i did :D

(i think those are pretty self-explanatory)

Monday's Memory: the one with the rose

this one is kind of bittersweet

this is a picture taken last year

in my backyard

my beautiful rosebush

flourishing

giving promise...hope

there was something about that first rose every year...

it was there when i moved in

and it was such a surprise when i saw that first perfect yellow rose

i loved watching for new buds

new blooms

we dug it up when i moved

put it in a pot...

i was so excited

to be able to take my beloved rosebush with me

but i'm afraid when nashville flooded

my rose may have become a casualty

i hope...

i pray (for real)

that it only LOOKS dead

because

damn

i love that rosebush...

i am determined

- to figure out a way to make sweet tea using my fresh stevia leaves instead of sugar

(anyone have any hints on that? i've not found much online...)

- to become a real coupon lady ;-)

(i had my first every "saved more than i spent" moment this week. ok, so it was a dollar more saved than spent but STILL. can't wait to do more!)

- to make a killer mojito...strawberry or otherwise!

- to eventually have a savings account again...

- to find some adorable pajama pants soon. i heart pajama pants.

- to run/walk the neighborhood soon. but it's so HOT...so

- to wiifit more often :) i'm averaging 3x a week or so (and actually seeing results!) but i'd rather do daily if possible.

lost

last night i found myself helping to lead worship at a midweek service

which is always a nice pick-me-up

especially when i'm leading with some of my favorite people :)

michael, my friend who lead the service, found this video on youtube and played it at the beginning of the service.

he began it with simple words on the screen:

"a guy walking the streets of new york just can't stop himself from praising"

and then the video. WOW.

there's such simplicity here. a guy walking around listening to his ipod...but there's something rising in him that's so organic, so fresh, so come up to the top, that he can't stop himself.

it made me wonder. as i looked around the room and watched people react to the video

when did they last get so lost in worship that they just couldn't stop themselves from praising?

when's the last time *I* did?

what's wrong with us if we don't lose ourselves more often?

it doesn't have to look like anything spectacular. in fact, it often doesn't.

for me, the last time it happened was monday night at a 20s/30s worship event i attend every week. at the end of the service we all went forward to pray and worship just...happened. i found myself singing at the top of my lungs--some unknown song--and not caring one bit if anyone heard me or didn't.

i've seen people take different postures of worship, use different languages to praise, and just stand and silently weep.

i'm known to lose myself in worship in my car...which doesn't always work out financially but it always brings me to a new level (seriously: go read the story. it's especially meaningful for me to remember it now with the events of the last few months...)

all of this to say...lose yourself today. or tomorrow. or sunday morning at church. or...whenever. just spend some time being so carried away by His presence that you can't.do.anything.else.

and then...would you share with me or someone? it would be a great encouragement!

(oh yeah, and here's the video--watch! conveniently located right next to my music player so you can turn it off...i SO planned that...ok, i didn't :)

Thursday's Ten: lora is

something i like to do once in awhile -- and i thought, hey why not? this way you all can play if you want.

simply google (or blackle -- it's the 'green' google!) your first name and the word "is"...it's funny to see what comes up. i always thought i'd get nothing since my first name isn't the common spelling, but guess what? here 10 i got...

1. Lora is one of the 51 union councils of Abbottabad District in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan

(who knew?!)

2. LORA is a great place to get away from all the worries of every day life

(i don't know about a place, but i'm willing to look for a place with you!)

3. Watch LORA IS BIG and hundreds of other videos about gym, biceps, buff, amazon, women, muscular, bodybuilder, female, tall, sports.

(ummm...)

4. Lora is a seasoned trial lawyer

(where's that seasoned trial lawyer salary?)

5. LORA is available at all hours

(yeah, pretty much)

6. Lora is a solo handbell performing artist

(funny, i've actually played handbells several times in my life but have no aspirations of going solo!)

7. lora is dead

(not last time i checked, which is now)

8. lora is eagerly awaiting lunch because

(generally speaking this is true)

9. Lora is known online

(by you guys at least!)

10. Lora is a certified world-class shmoozer

(hmmm)

and your bonus:

LORA is one of my top 100 of 100% Hot Chick!!!

(well, duh)

so? you KNOW you want to play. join in!

sometimes you just have to let it out...

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.

Monday's memory: the one with the camp pics

a couple of years ago, a and i had been talking

a LOT

and both had developed feelings for each other

without really admitting it yet

(to each other at least)

we work with the same kids in the youth group

and so, we spent a little time together at youth camp

;)

mealtimes were a blast

i think this is the first picture

ever taken of just the two of us together

(strangely enough, it was because a kid 'borrowed' my camera

and was taking pictures of the table)

ahhh, so much has happened in these 2 years

but we're still looking up :)

Thursday's Ten: a day off

today's blog comes to you from a little haven

where i'm shaded from the sun

surrounded by a few boxes that i'm either going through or taking back to storage

and where breezes are blowing the windchimes

it's just a carport

but i'm loving it :)

the family i'm nannying for this summer

left for a week

i drove them to the airport yesterday

and now i have a loooooong holiday weekend to look forward to

some of it will be busy

but i hope most of it will be just like today

i find myself more productive on days where i don't feel rushed or stressed

(anyone else like that?)

so here's what i've done so far today, or am planning to do as the day goes on

1. slept in

(ahhhhh)

2. planted and watered in my little garden

(i should have ripe tomatoes soon!)

3. introduced emi to her new surroundings, outdoor edition

(i know we've been here 2 months nearly, but i wanted her to be comfortable INDOORS first, and today is just gorgeous so it was perfect)

4. cleaned out a bit of the carport

5. returned some emails

6. chatted with the neighbors

7. ate some fresh fruit

8. fixed myself another iced coffee

9. cleaned out the cooler from yesterday's chicken adventures

(that's another blog in itself)

10. sat in the carport with my little macbook on my lap and enjoyed relaxing...because i deserve a day to relax!

oh, there's plenty on the agenda today...like laundry, organizing, cleaning, etc. but i figure i have the whole looooong weekend to do these things. so for now, i'm kicking back with my iced coffee. (which may turn into a nice iced bloody mary later on this afternoon--only 3 hours til 5 pm!)

what about you? what are you up to today...or what do you normally do on a day off?