{Link Adventure}

{Wordless Wednesday: The Pleasure of Your Company}

2012-01-25T08:06:00.003-07:00

Chandler, AZ

p.s. Thanks for the nudge.

{Shine On}

2012-01-21T09:43:00.006-07:00

Sterling silver gets dark and dull with exposure to air, light and moisture. But you don't

have to resort to toxic cleaners to make it shine again. There's a cure of a natural kind that

will solve your jewelry doldrums. It's non-toxic, incredibly easy and only costs a few pennies.

The supplies you'll need:

A shallow, glass dish
Aluminium foil
Baking soda
Silver jewelry
Boiling water
A pair of kitchen tongs

And this is what to do with them:
Crumple the foil a little and put it in the bottom of your pan. Add jewelry.

Sprinkle liberally with baking soda.

Pour boiling water over top. The combination of foil, baking soda and hot water creates

a reaction that eats away the tarnish.

After a minute or so, use tongs to reach safely into the hot water and to pull out your

silver. Place each piece on a towel until it's cool enough to handle. Rinse under water

and marvel at their shiny and clean constitution. Dry them and put them away -- or on!

Another trick to keep your silver happy once it's clean -- white chalk. Toss a few pieces

into your jewelry box, and it'll absorb moisture so your jewelry doesn't tarnish as easily.

You no longer have to deal with silver cleaning chemicals that burn your nose, bother your

skin and offend the environment. And you can wear what you want, when you want.

Have a great weekend!

{Little Boxes Made of Ticky Tacky}

2012-01-07T14:28:00.002-07:00

I've been paper crafting. That makes me a very happy girl. This time, altered paper-

mache houses. Today's the day to share the goods.

First, a note: One would think homemade gifts are a no-brainer way to skirt buying things

made overseas. But I'm fairly sure every item I bought from the big craft stores to make

these came from China. *Sigh* It's a tough battle to wage.

They are still really cute, if I don't say so myself. It basically took me three afternoons to

make these, plus time for gathering supplies. Not bad, huh?

I made one, it's in entirety, with these lovely ladies in November. Christa hosted a craft

day, and I walked everyone through the process of making their own.

From left to right: Me, Kendall, Christa, Sarah, D'Arcy, and Patti

Here's what we made! D'Arcy blinged hers out with wreaths, and she built a paper door.

(I love it.) Patti's is the second one in, followed by mine, Kendall's, Christa's, and Sara's.

Sara hand drew molding to her door frame and made an awesome, textured snowy roof.

It doesn't show well in this photo, but trust me, it rocks. They all do.

With one done, I felt inspired to make four more at home. Here's the finished product,

~~too late to gift for Christmas 2011~~ done just in time to give as birthday presents in 2012!

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you're all healthy, happy and well. Take care.

{Resolutions: Last Check-in of 2011 & Reflection on the Year's NYR}

2011-12-31T21:02:00.010-07:00

Do you remember when "two thousand eleven" sounded so far off in the distance or

when "twenty-eleven" fit better as the name of a futuristic movie title than the current

year? Time is a tricky little fox.

I am here today to make my last check-in and a final reflection on my 2011 New Year's

Resolution. In January, I set out to:

Make one goal each month that give me a sense of balance and make me feel like me.
Learn how to do some things around the house that David normally does.
Volunteer or donate blood, on average, once a month.
Do something new, different and adventure worthy each month.

It turned out to be a pretty decent NYR! Looking back I'm able to see how it went, what it

did and -- in some cases -- didn't do for me. I definitely loved that it evolved monthly to fit

where I was in the moment, and the check-ins via blogger helped keep me accountable.

More specifically ...

- #3 and #4 were the most successful and added so much to my experience and perspective

in 2011. I chose them (volunteering and taking adventures) because I want those to be

habits. Creating a conscious decision to do it monthly helped get me in a rhythm I'm

ready to continue as lifestyle choices, hopefully long after I turn the last page of my 2011 calendar. It became strange documenting volunteer work though. I stuck with it

since I set out to blog about my NYR's for accountability sake. The point is to do it,

give back, get involved in the community, and help others though -- not to make a list

of "good deeds." The adventures were fun to document though.

- #1 was okay. It got me to do some things I might have otherwise had on my "to do list"

forever. Overall, I noticed I didn't want to blog about the things I was really working on,

as they were often a little too personal to share on the world wide web. :) So, this list

became a little artificial. My best goals (and outcomes) were March, April, June, and July.

- #2 was fun. It made me realize two things. One, I can take care of business. Whatever it

is that needs doing, I can do. Whether I ask someone to show me, look it up on Google or

learn by trial and error -- I can do it. I think I needed to teach myself that this year! I also

realized I need to get hands on when learning to do something out of my comfort zone

(i.e., any thing mechanical like plumbing or pool related). Otherwise, I'll forget how to do

it. That stuff wants to zip in and out of my brain. :)

With that, here's my very last check-in on my 2011 NYR ...

1) Make one new goal each month that give me a sense of balance and

make me feel like me.

January: Blog stuff -- done

February: Technology -- done

March: Photos into albums & scrapbook -- done

April: Canning -- done

May: Was kind of a bust -- oops!

June: Practice doing a 5K (mostly walking) -- done

July: Find a fun, part-time job -- done

August: Do a simple sewing machine project -- oops!

September: Run in a 5k -- done

October: Put myself out there to find more work in my field -- done

November: Establish an LLC, a business account and basic work documents -- progress made.

December: Re-org my cloth napkin/table runners drawer & finish crafting Xmas houses

When will I stop procrastinating? Hey, last minute or not -- done is done. On the 29th, I did a little re-org in the area that holds my cloth napkins, table runners and placemats. Nothing fancy. I mostly just rearranged it. Now, it's not crammed and you can get to everything and see it all. I love an orderly space!
Five Christmas houses -- almost finished -- 96%. Again, I procrastinated and did this on the 31st, but they are soooo adorable. :) I ran out of the"snow" I use around their base. I'll pick up more of that tomorrow and apply the finishing touches. I plan to gift all of them in 2012. (Update: Done!)

2) Learn how to do the following things around the house in 2011:

- ~~Clean up my PCs~~ (May 29th)

- Clean up my MAC (worked on it in November, 50% done)

- Unclog the kitchen drain/garbage disposal (replaced disposal, no longer clogs)

- ~~Turn off the water to the house~~ (January 31st)

- ~~Work the sprinklers and the drip system~~ (March 13th)

- Add to the drip system (didn't get to it)

- ~~Clean the pool filters~~ (February 6th) ~~Change pool the filters~~ (February 13th)

- ~~Weekly/monthly pool care~~ (July & August 2011)

- ~~Drain and fill the pool~~ (February 19th)

- ~~Fertilize the lawn before summer~~ (March 13th)

- ~~Properly level and hang hardware fixture with a molly~~ (November 29th)

- Change a door hardware and handle (didn't get to it/will look it up when the time comes!)

- ~~Relight the pilot light in the water heater~~ (March 19th)

3) Volunteer or donate blood, on average, once a month (12 times this year).

1. Made food boxes w/ friends at St. Mary's Food Bank (January 8th)

2. Donated platelets and red blood cells (January 14th)

3. Sorted food baskets for the Bountiful Baskets produce co-op (February 10th)

4. Helped caseworkers collect items from Bridging AZ’s Hope Chest (March 4th)

5. Donated platelets (They weren't setup to do RBCs this time. Boo!) (March 14th)

6. Helped caseworkers collect items from Bridging AZ’s Hope Chest (March 18th)

7. Helped caseworkers collect items from Bridging AZ’s Hope Chest (May 6th)

8. Barb came over, and together we made 112 Cards for Soldiers (May 12th)

9. Photographed the graduating 8th grade class at Children First Academy (May 17th)

10. Donated a double round of platelets (May 24th)

11. Spent a morning working at ICM Food and Clothing Bank (June 4th)

12. Donated a double round of platelets at the blood bank (June 23rd)

13. Donated a double round of platelets at the blood bank (July 21st)

14. Donated a double round of platelets at the blood bank (September 1st)

15. Donated a double round of platelets at the blood bank (November 18th)

16. Assisted Aid Station #5 at the IronMan Triathalon (November 20th)

I was off to such a bangin' start at the beginning of the year. I can't help but think I should've done more, but I know better than to "should on myself." So, I won't. :)

4) Go on at least one quality date a month -- whether it be by myself, with D

or with a friend -- as long as it's something new, different and adventure

worthy.

Here's a little info on the thought that went into making this goal.

January: Double feature at the drive-in theater with a car picnic. It was a really fun night!
February: Putt-putt golf. Air hockey and video games. Dinner at Chompies. Awesome.

March: Tempe Art Festival for shopping, people watching and street food.

April: Weekend stay-cation at a resort in Scottsdale. Luxurious, romantic relaxation!

May: Kayaking at Canyon Lake

June: Went to see Over the River and Through the Woods at Hale Theatre Center

July: A week long healing, communication, education retreat

August: Dinner and to Chandler Center for the Arts to see a free summer concert

September: Trip to Geneva, IL and a Warrior Dash 5k

October: Road trip to Apple Annie's in Wilcox

November: Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day, first time to run a race step-by-step with D

December: Christmas Caroling with friends -- a perfect adventure in which to end the year!

Now that I've (mostly) completed my 2011 resolutions, it's time to decide what I want to

turn my attention to in 2012. What are you thinking about working on and committing to?

Good luck with your hangovers tomorrow, everyone. :)

{Family Photo Session: My Neighbors!}

2011-12-29T08:25:00.002-07:00

How lucky am I to have neighbors who work as a police officer, a nurse and a barista.

Together, these three could keep me alive in the worst of crises. (Yes, I rank someone

with good coffee making skills right up there with those who can administer emergency

healthcare or protect me from bad guys.)

The last time they took a family photo, their gorgeous, fully grown daughter Nicole was

only seven and didn't have any teeth, they said. :) So, our super fast get together for

photos in downtown Chandler was much needed and long overdue.

Merry Christmas to Shea, Linda and Nicole. Thanks for being such great neighbors.

This was my last session for the "holiday card season" and my last shoot of 2011.

I'm looking forward to developing this little side business of mine even more in 2012!

{Jingle Bell Pop}

2011-12-25T12:17:00.004-07:00

Happy holidays, all! I hope you're having a season filled with festivity, tradition, family,

and memory makers. I wanted to take a minute to thank all the people in our lives

for their friendship and love in the last year. You make our world a better place by being

in it! All of us over here at Link Adventure wish you a very Merry Christmas ...

It's been a weird holiday season for us this year. The cherry on top came yesterday when I

finally had to concede and admit I am really sick. I was in bed all day yesterday, getting up

only occasionally for fluids, medicine or snacks. I managed to have some face time with my

brother (thanks to Apple) and drag my sick soul into the shower and get ready by 11AM

today. Not breaking any records!

But in keeping with the holiday streak I'm on this year of blogging myself in or with silly

seasonal accessories -- I snapped a photo with my $1 reindeer headband today. :)

Merry Christmas!

I'm determined to get well, and I have a stock pile of medicine to help me do it.

And, of course, the best medicine of all -- puppy love!

So, please have a safe and happy holiday! Enjoy each other and the season in good health

and boundless joy. Cheers!

{Family Photo Session: The Wool Boys}

2011-12-23T07:13:00.005-07:00

There's no shortage of cuteness in this trio.

The boys were comfortable enough to let their spirits shine in this comfortable

setting in their neighborhood. Their dad was spot on with that idea. Check it out ...

I love the way this session came to be --

A month or two before I got a call from Dan, I randomly left my business card on a table

filled with other local peoples' cards at Hillside Spot -- a great little restaurant in town.

He picked it up and called. Not bad for a two second decision to add my card to the mix.

Thanks, Dan! Happy holidays to you and your beautiful boys.

{Family Photo Session: Anthony, Jenny & their Babies}

2011-12-21T16:07:00.001-07:00

It's the holiday season -- Ho, Ho, Ho! -- a perfect time to update photos.

All the more important to do when you've added a new member to the family.

Jenny and Anthony had a baby girl, Amelia, a few months ago. So, we set out to

capture a photo of the four of them together. Of course, Jenny arranged flawless

outfits with gorgeous colors and textures. (She's amazing like that.) Anthony wore

a blazer that'd belonged to his grandpa who recently passed -- pretty special.

We were also lucky enough to score gentle morning light and fluffy winter grass.

Oh, how I love it when a plan comes together. Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!

{The Itch to Stitch}

2011-12-20T17:22:00.001-07:00

I'm a hobby girl. I've always gotta have one -- or five -- to fall back on at any given time.

Embroidering has been a constant for the last three years now. I started when Lindsay,

Carlene and I formed Stitch-N-Bitch. (Miss it. A lot.) I kept it up on my own when they

both moved, but it wasn't nearly as fun without them.

I finally found a steady group to create with in March -- Knitting Club. A few weeks

ago, we had our biggest group yet. It was awesome.

I'm so grateful to D'Arcy for creating this little group. The story of how it came to be

is pretty fabulous. She wanted to start a Knitting Club because she loves yarn, knitting

and people. So, she went posted the group on ravelry.com and started showing up every

single Friday at Paradise Bakery all by herself until one by one, members started

forming. Literally, she built it and we came, just like the old saying goes.

While I haven't been the most dedicated member in the last two months because

of my work schedule, I make it every time I can. There's truly no other place I'd

rather be come Friday at 6PM.

Here are some of the patterns I've stitched onto

flour sack towels in the second half of 2011 ...

Thanks for letting me show and tell. Cheers!

{Family & Maternity Photo Session: The Hendricks}

2011-12-19T12:20:00.005-07:00

Barb and Jason -- amazing friends, super couple,

dedicated parents, and beautiful people.

I am so thankful to have their family to love. Their

friendship has been a gift in my little universe!

Anyone who knows them would attest to how special

they are. I mean, you name it, they nail it. Every single

time -- whether it's at work, at home, in the community,

with family, and even when no one else is looking.

Their numbers are about to grow by one! We got

together to document their family, as it is now,

and the baby bump that signals the newest addition

who will arrive any day.

Here's a sample of what they ended up with from our session ...

Congratulations guys, on your thriving marriage, amazing kiddo and second pregnancy!

You've created a beautiful life together that's so deserved. Your happiness is my happiness.

{Family Photo Session: Christa, Keith & Kendall}

2011-12-15T08:54:00.003-07:00

I feel so fortunate and humbled to be able to do something I love that makes clients

happy and puts a few bucks in my pocket simultaneously. It's even more fabulous when

I get to do said work for friends. Not a bad boat to row.

Christa and her family moved here from Boston in February, and I'm so glad they did!

She's sweet, spirited, creative, and kind. We met in Knitting Club over the summer, and

I've really enjoyed getting to know her and her family since. They asked me to update

their photos of Kendall. So, we went to the Botanical Gardens and got a few with everyone.

{Family Photo Session: The Parra Family}

2011-12-11T09:03:00.002-07:00

The mission: A good picture of six people

The challenge: Half a dozen happy smiles and 12 open eyes

The outcome: Success

In golf, they say, there's a shot in every round that keeps you coming back for more. I have

that moment with each photo session. It's different every time. It might be an image I'm

proud of, posing that really worked, the spirit of inspiration I feel while shooting, or the

reaction people have when they see the final product.

With this session, it came from the feedback I got afterwards about what a good time they

had during the shoot. In their words, one kid thought I was "cool and young." I hope those

darling children get everything on their Christmas list because those particular adjectives

made my week.

Jerome is my boss at 12 News. He and Mary were ready for a family photo update. So,

we met at Papago Park and were fortunate enough to have fabulous weather, happy kids

and perfectly coordinated outfits. A photographer simply can't ask for anything more.

{If I was a Turkey, I'd run on Thanksgiving too!}

2011-12-09T21:02:00.000-07:00

David and I ran in our first ever Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day.

This was (proud moment) my second official 5k! I jogged the whole thing, doing just

under an eleven minute mile. I wasn't breaking any records, but I felt great and could

have easily kept going. David -- the marathon man who usually runs about an eight

minute mile -- humored my pace. We did the whole thing together.

There was a Turkey Trot in Chandler the weekend before Thanksgiving, but we wanted to

do it on Thanksgiving Day. So, we headed out to Anthem (an hour from our house). The

trip was worthwhile -- beautiful views and a fun event. It was a perfectly crisp morning

that made for a really nice memory. I'm glad we did it.

It might be crazy talk, but I wonder if I can get my act together enough to do a 10k.

Stay tuned. :)

{Family Photo Session: The Keane Family}

2011-12-08T08:01:00.005-07:00

So many things about this photo session made me smile:

* Four kids under five years of age who were angels

* An hour of shooting and not one single tear

* An unbelievable number of solid captures for a one hour session

* Itty bitty noses that were red from the morning chill

* A new location found by Renee that I'm in love with

* Fun, unexpected color combinations that popped

* Striped leggings on adorable little girls

* The blanket that one sweetheart couldn't part with

* Documenting a new addition to their family

* And the fact that they're repeat clients -- the cherry on top

It's my pleasure to present to you, the ever-growing and absolutely delightful Keane family.

p.s. How amazing is Renee's body after having just had a baby (with three other

pregnancies not far in her past)? I think she works hard at it, but damn! She's a

rock star, if I don't say so myself.

{A Grateful Spirit is a Growing, Glowing One}

2011-12-07T08:05:00.006-07:00

Source: Google Images

Gratitude is becoming a powerful presence in my life. I'm learning it's impossible to simultaneously entertain thoughts that are both negative and positive. With gratitude,

as the saying goes, fear disappears and abundance appears. That's been such an awesome

realization for me, and I'm in love with the changes it's introduced to my reality.

The darkest moments can be brightened with appreciation. Grateful thinking opens me

up to accept love and realize how blessed I am -- with things both big and small. If I so

choose, I can regard everything that happens in my life as a gift from which I can learn and

grow. Of course, that's not always easy to do! I'm still making my way around that learning curve, but I'm enjoying the journey and better for it.

It's easy to focus on the things that trouble us, but it's often (and hopefully always!) true

that the good far outweighs the bad, on any given day. So, when I catch myself feeling

negative, sad, mad, irritated, overwhelmed, or otherwise filled with bad energy -- I can

bring light to my thinking if I pause to make a mental gratitude list. It never fails to

leave me feeling more at peace with my place and space in the Universe.

And for that, I am thankful.

{Resolutions: December 2011}

2011-12-01T11:14:00.004-07:00

Oh, bugger! It's hard for me to believe this year is already almost over. Didn't it just

start? A friend sent me an email recapping the highlights of his year recently, and it

made me stop to think that I have actually done a lot in the last 334 days. It's been

good! It still seems like 2011 only just began ...

I'm going to do my best to plug away with the New Year's Resolution's I set eleven

months ago and finish the year strong. They won't be 100% done by the time January

first strikes, but I feel like I accomplished much of what I set out to do this year

(most of which I didn't document on the 'ole blog). That's a great feeling! I'm here today

with my second to last e-check-in of 2011.

In 2011:

1) Make one new goal each month that give me a sense of balance and

make me feel like me.

January: Blog stuff -- done

February: Technology -- done

March: Photos into albums & scrapbook -- done

April: Canning -- done

May: Was kind of a bust -- oops!

June: Practice doing a 5K (mostly walking) -- done

July: Find a fun, part-time job -- done

August: Do a simple sewing machine project -- oops!

September: Run in a 5k -- done

October: Put myself out there to find more work in my field -- done

November: Establish an LLC, a business account and basic work documents -- progress made.

-->I'm still working on this goal, but I looked a few things up, got some great advice and

made some small decisions. I will continue to work on it in December and January,

and I'm excited to be legitimizing my work. :)

In December: Re-org the drawer that holds cloth napkins and table runners and finish

crafting my little Christmas houses -- a simple goal during a busy month.

2) Learn how to do the following things around the house in 2011:

- ~~Clean up my PCs~~ (May 29th)

- Clean up my MAC (worked on it in November, 50% done)

- Unclog the kitchen drain/garbage disposal (replaced disposal, no longer clogs)

- ~~Turn off the water to the house~~ (January 31st)

- ~~Work the sprinklers and the drip system~~ (March 13th)

- Add to the drip system (this may not happen in 2011)

- ~~Clean the pool filters~~ (February 6th) ~~Change pool the filters~~ (February 13th)

- ~~Weekly/monthly pool care~~ (July & August 2011)

- ~~Drain and fill the pool~~ (February 19th)

- ~~Fertilize the lawn before summer~~ (March 13th)

- ~~Properly level and hang hardware fixture with a molly~~ (November 29th)

- Change a door hardware and handle

- ~~Relight the pilot light in the water heater~~ (March 19th)

3) Volunteer or donate blood, on average, once a month (12 times this year).

1. Made food boxes w/ friends at St. Mary's Food Bank (January 8th)

2. Donated platelets and red blood cells (January 14th)

3. Sorted food baskets for the Bountiful Baskets produce co-op (February 10th)

4. Helped caseworkers collect items from Bridging AZ’s Hope Chest (March 4th)

5. Donated platelets (They weren't setup to do RBCs this time. Boo!) (March 14th)

6. Helped caseworkers collect items from Bridging AZ’s Hope Chest (March 18th)

7. Helped caseworkers collect items from Bridging AZ’s Hope Chest (May 6th)

8. Barb came over, and together we made 112 Cards for Soldiers (May 12th)

9. Photographed the graduating 8th grade class at Children First Academy (May 17th)

10. Donated a double round of platelets (May 24th)

11. Spent a morning working at ICM Food and Clothing Bank (June 4th)

12. Donated a double round of platelets at the blood bank (June 23rd)

13. Donated a double round of platelets at the blood bank (July 21st)

14. Donated a double round of platelets at the blood bank (September 1st)

15. Donated a double round of platelets at the blood bank (November 18th)

16. Assisted Aid Station #5 at the IronMan Triathalon (November 20th)

4) Go on at least one quality date a month -- whether it be by myself, with D

or with a friend -- as long as it's something new, different and adventure

worthy.

Here's a little info on the thought that went into making this goal.

January: Double feature at the drive-in theater with a car picnic. It was a really fun night!
February: Putt-putt golf. Air hockey and video games. Dinner at Chompies. Awesome.

March: Tempe Art Festival for shopping, people watching and street food.

April: Weekend stay-cation at a resort in Scottsdale. Luxurious, romantic relaxation!

May: Kayaking at Canyon Lake

June: Went to see Over the River and Through the Woods at Hale Theatre Center

July: A week long healing, communication, education retreat

August: Dinner and to Chandler Center for the Arts to see a free summer concert

September: Trip to Geneva, IL and a Warrior Dash 5k

October: Road trip to Apple Annie's in Wilcox

November: Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day, first time to run a race step-by-step with D

I hope you have a great day, everyone!

{Family Photo Session: Erica, Michael & Mason}

2011-11-11T09:26:00.001-07:00

Happy Veterans Day! It's not often the calendar strikes a date like 11.11.11. So, what

are you doing on this lucky day? Whatever it is -- bonne chance!

I love getting to work with new clients. It gives me a

shot of inspiration every single time. These guys came

to me on referral from Jenny. We had a small world

moment when we realized that I work with Michael's

mom at one of my jobs.

Anyway, I had a great time with them. Their beautiful

kiddo, Mason, was on the move. So, he gave me a run

for my money -- literally -- and I enjoyed it.

It was my first time doing family photos down at

Tempe Town Lake -- a location I definitely want to

use again. What a lovely spot to spend a Saturday

morning. The water was so peaceful and having sand

in my toes made me feel like I was actually at the

beach for a minute. Delightful.

I have so much editing to catch up with. I have three shoots in the hopper and another

one to take on Sunday. So, I'm hoping to do a lot of it this weekend. 'Tis the season! I'm

quite looking forward to it. Just me, a cup of tea, some music, and photoshop. Mmm.

Yeah right! More like I'll edit while I should be sleeping or in between working, doing

laundry, exercising, taking down Halloween decorations, playing with the dogs, and

running errands. But no complaints! Life is good, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

{Child Photo Session: Gavin Turns Two}

2011-11-08T21:23:00.003-07:00

More pictures! Today, I am here to share a few shots of Gavin. Goodness gracious,

I love this kid. He's two years old now and cute as ever. His front yard made for a

great spot to capture a his smile -- grins that his mom was entirely responsible

for creating during our shoot. He was so happy to watch her act silly, and my

camera and I were equally pleased to document him watching her.

My absolute favorite is the fourth one from the end where he's laughing with his

hand in front of his face. Priceless. Barb and Jason just told me they enlarged it

and hung it in the collage that's in their entryway. Made my day to hear.

{A Spooktacular Halloween}

2011-11-06T20:54:00.001-07:00

Boo!

I thought I'd pop in with a mini update from Halloween weekend. It was a busy and fun

one, for me. I had to work in one form or another Friday through Monday, but I also

made sure it was loaded with candy and friends, as God intended. Mwah-ha-ha!

I went to a third -- "Little Man" themed -- birthday party for Sawyer. :)

Then, Christa and Keith had a Halloween party at their place on Sunday afternoon.

They did it UP! They made so many awesome, festive treats and I think everyone

dressed up for the party -- little kids and "big kids" alike. I was an iron chef.

To round out the festivities, I put on as much lipstick, glitter and eye liner as possible.

Then, D & I hopped in the car and went to Jen and Anthony's to pass out -- and eat! --

a bunch of candy. I loved seeing all the trick-or-treaters in costume. They were pretty

darn cute.

Time to take down all our Halloween decorations now. Ugh.

{Infant Photo Session: Miss Amelia}

2011-11-03T10:24:00.001-07:00

By the time Amelia (also known as A.J.) was four months old, I already had the

privilege of photographing her on four separate occasions. That is, if you count

pictures of her when she was still inside her mama's belly and others from the

very moment she was born! It's been amazing to watch her grow through my

lens. I love it!

A.J.'s big brother, Achille, woke up just in time to get into a few shots, too!

{Resolutions: November 2011}

2011-11-01T09:13:00.001-07:00

I took a blogger break for a bit, but I've been keeping up with my monthly resolution work.

I've managed to stay on point for the most part. I'm back today with an update on how

things are going. I massaged my fourth goal to fit better with life -- gotta evolve to stay

relevant!

In 2011:

1) Make one new goal each month that give me a sense of balance and

make me feel like me.

January: Blog stuff -- done

February: Technology -- done

March: Photos into albums & scrapbook -- done

April: Canning -- done

May: Was kind of a bust -- oops!

June: Practice doing a 5K (mostly walking) -- done

July: Find a fun, part-time job -- done

August: Do a simple sewing machine project -- oops!

September: Run in a 5k -- done

October: Put myself out there to find more work in my field -- done

November: Establish an LLC, a business account and basic work documents -- progress made.

2) Learn how to do the following things around the house in 2011:

- ~~Clean up my PCs~~ (May 29th)

- Clean up my MAC

- Unclog the kitchen drain/garbage disposal (replaced disposal, no longer clogs)

- ~~Turn off the water to the house~~ (January 31st)

- ~~Work the sprinklers and the drip system~~ (March 13th)

- Add to the drip system (this may not happen in 2011)

- ~~Clean the pool filters~~ (February 6th) ~~Change pool the filters~~ (February 13th)

- ~~Weekly/monthly pool care~~ (July & August 2011)

- ~~Drain and fill the pool~~ (February 19th)

- ~~Fertilize the lawn before summer~~ (March 13th)

- Properly level and hang hardware fixture with a molly

- Change a door hardware and handle

- ~~Relight the pilot light in the water heater~~ (March 19th)

3) Volunteer or donate blood, on average, once a month (12 times this year).

1. Made food boxes w/ friends at St. Mary's Food Bank (January 8th)

2. Donated platelets and red blood cells (January 14th)

3. Sorted food baskets for the Bountiful Baskets produce co-op (February 10th)

4. Helped caseworkers collect items from Bridging AZ’s Hope Chest (March 4th)

5. Donated platelets (They weren't setup to do RBCs this time. Boo!) (March 14th)

6. Helped caseworkers collect items from Bridging AZ’s Hope Chest (March 18th)

7. Helped caseworkers collect items from Bridging AZ’s Hope Chest (May 6th)

8. Barb came over, and together we made 112 Cards for Soldiers (May 12th)

9. Photographed the graduating 8th grade class at Children First Academy (May 17th)

10. Donated a double round of platelets (May 24th)

11. Spent a morning working at ICM Food and Clothing Bank (June 4th)

12. Donated a double round of platelets at the blood bank (June 23rd)

13. Donated a double round of platelets at the blood bank (July 21st)

14. Donated a double round of platelets at the blood bank (September 1st)

4) Go on at least one quality date a month -- whether it be by myself, with D

or with a friend -- as long as it's something new, different and adventure

worthy.

Here's a little info on the thought that went into making this goal.

January: Double feature at the drive-in theater with a car picnic. It was a really fun night!
February: Putt-putt golf. Air hockey and video games. Dinner at Chompies. Awesome.

March: Tempe Art Festival for shopping, people watching and street food.

April: Weekend stay-cation at a resort in Scottsdale. Luxurious, romantic relaxation!

May: Kayaking at Canyon Lake

June: Went to see Over the River and Through the Woods at Hale Theatre Center

July: A week long healing, communication, education retreat

August: Dinner and to Chandler Center for the Arts to see a free summer concert

September: Trip to Geneva, IL and a Warrior Dash 5k

October: Road trip to Apple Annie's in Wilcox

I hope you have a great day, everyone!

{Row Your Boat ... Life is but a Dream}

2011-10-13T12:55:00.006-07:00

Do you ever do something, and then afterwards, you

notice you can breath a little easier? It was so clearly

the right thing -- what you needed at that moment --

and it leaves you feeling an instant sense of peace?

That was my experience after snapping these photos

at Tempe Town Lake on Saturday morning. I arrived

at 6:50am, about twenty minutes before the family

I was there to photograph. The light was gorgeous,

the water serene.

There was a lot of activity around the area, but it was

all being done quietly and with a kind of calm intention.

People were walking, running, fishing, doing yoga, or

setting off for a small kayaking competition. Just doing

their thing, content to enjoy Mother Nature's gifts of

sunrise and reprieve from the heat.

It gave me a chance to play with my camera for a minutes, and it felt amazing to snap a

few that were just for me -- just for fun. I didn't realize how long it had been since I

casually stumbled on something beautiful and attempted to capture it with my lens.

Way too long. Those few minutes were among the happiest of my entire weekend.

And it was actually a fantastic weekend, but those moments felt energizing, calming,

and satisfying in a way that went unmatched over the next 48 hours.

It was a reminder for me that I need to take time to observe nature, practice my hobby

and get out and enjoy my community. Those are things that leave me feeling a sense of

balance and connectedness that I don't get during the hustle and bustle of every day.

And I need to do those things -- not just within the context of work -- but for myself,

on my own.

{Engagement Photo Session: Cynthia and James}

2011-10-07T08:31:00.002-07:00

They're getting married!

James and Cynthia formed a family and became a team a long time ago, but they've

decided to make it legal at a ceremony in front of family and friends, followed by a

fabulous party, later this year.

We got together for a quickie engagement shoot a little while back.

Documenting them without their kids, Jordan and Jayanna, just wouldn't be complete.

They've also legally adopted Kiana, James' sister. So, we took the opportunity to snap

a few proper family pictures, the last of which is my favorite.

Congratulations to the newlyweds-to-be!

{I am a Warrior}

2011-10-03T11:17:00.004-07:00

I'm back!

This has been my longest break from blogging since I began Link Adventures in 2005. Thank you for all your thoughts about missing my online updates. It's been very appreciated and nice to hear. Every note, comment or phone call felt like a hug, and I used them all to help refill my emotional bank account.♥♥♥♥♥

I took some time off from blogging to deal with life. It snuck up on me and kicked me in the ass a few times, but I chose to look at it as a wakeup call and deal with it. I feel like I finally got out in front of it this time around. The last two months, I've spent reprioritizing and creating balance where it previously lacked. Today, I feel stronger then ever. I'm doing a lot of things I'm really excited about. I feel grateful, inspired, happy, energetic, motivated, and satisfied.

With that, let's get back to blogging, shall we?

I couldn't think of a more appropriate post to return with than one about the Warrior Dash we ran in last month. Have you heard of this race? It's -- hold on, I don't want to over state this too much -- the coolest thing EVER.

The Warrior Dash is a 5k loaded up with obstacles like cold water, mud, fire, climbing, sliding, leaping, jumping, and dodging. It's AWESOME. People dress up in crazy costumes. Afterwards, there's live music, beer, food, and general camaraderie.

David and I flew to the midwest so we could do the race with Aaron (my brother) and Pam (his wife). We all really needed this. Pam and Aaron spent the year kicking cancer out of her body. David and I had a crazy, life-changing summer. And Edgar -- the one who got us turned onto the idea of doing the race -- gave a stern talking to his fear of heights.

We all left a few demons on the course and connected with our inner warriors that day!

Best event ever. So, so fun. Totally worth all the dirt in inappropriate places.

Special thanks goes out to:

* Edgar for giving us the idea

* Aaron for pushing us to sign up

* The guys at mile two who literally threw drinking water into our faces

* The fire department for volunteering to hose us off afterwards

* David for going with

* Pam for being my running partner

* The nice group of people in the parking lot (field) who were standing next to us but

didn't stare when we stripped down to our birthday suits afterwards and got clean.

Be warned, I am taking my new warrior status very seriously going forward. :)

{What I Meant By That}

2011-07-23T11:06:00.008-07:00

Do you have mantras you repeat for

yourself? Sure, they change with the

times and evolve based on what you

need but mantras nonetheless.

Like ...

Focus.

Be calm.

Know your truth.

Live with intention.

Life is what you make of it.

I won't strangle my child today.

That kind of thing.

I usually have a few phrases like this in mind -- things I know I need to work on and make part of my daily intent so the energy of those words flows into whatever I'm doing.

Right now, I feel like I need about 90 of them,

but I've narrowed it down to just a few.

One of them: Be present in the moment. (That's what

I was thinking about when I did this post.) And do I

ever need to keep reminding myself of it.

I've been living in a blur for almost three months now,

and I recently realized how detached I am from what I'm

actually doing. You know you're in trouble when you've

just driven through an intersection and you have to look

back to see if the light was green or red when you made

your way though it. Not good. Most of the time, I've noticed that detachment with things that don't matter as much -- like going to do something around the house only to realize I've accomplished it but have no memory of actually doing it. Weird.

Here are a few other things I'm repeating to myself lately:

* Set boundaries.

* Give into the process.

* Know clearly what you want.

* Focus on yourself and get strong.

* Don't do anything unless you know why.

* Prioritize and balance the pieces of your pie.

* Funnel nervous and negative energy in a positive direction.

* Check in and ask yourself what your truth is now. Accept it and allow it to evolve.

* You can't change the past. Know what it is now and how you're going to move forward.

I'm hoping repetition is the key to turning these ideas into action and second nature.

That being said, it's time for me to take a little blog break. I'm sure it won't be for too long.

Catch ya on the flip side.

{Being Present in the Moment}

2011-07-17T07:53:00.002-07:00

I'm going to spend some time with this guy today ...

... and I think that will be nice. ♥

Photo taken by Barb at Patti's surprise 60th birthday party, June 2011.

{Tasty Tuesday: Two Super Fast Dinners Ideas}

2011-07-12T04:40:00.004-07:00

I love to try new recipes and take my time in the kitchen. Still, sometimes what wins

over is a lack of motivation or time to plan, shop, chop, and prepare. The goal then

becomes making something:

* In about 15 minutes

* With a decent nutritional value

* Made mostly from items I can keep stocked in my pantry and freezer

Of course, there are also nights when I set the bar much lower and settle on cereal,

cucumbers & hummus, toast & peanut butter, steamed broccoli, cottage cheese &

fruit, or a frozen Amy's pizza. Just yesterday I tweeted that "my darling dogs & I

stood in the kitchen & shared a head of steamed cauliflower for dinner, with carrot

sticks for dessert," much to the dismay of a couple friends who said that was sad

even for a veggie or that carrot sticks are not, in fact, dessert. :)

But fast and easy doesn't have to be boring, unsatisfying or unhealthy. I've created a

couple quick concoctions lately that would triumph over a basic bowl of pasta and

sauce any day. They're super simple, fairly healthy, pretty economical, and tasty

(I think). Hopefully they'll help you next time you're in a pinch.

Tortellini with Artichokes, Roasted Red Peppers,

Sun Dried Tomatoes, & Zucchini

I sauteed up a few fresh ingredients -- yellow onion, shallot, garlic, and zucchini. I also

used fresh thyme, but you could go with dried instead. Then, I added my pantry items --

artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, and sun dried tomatoes -- all of which I sliced or

bought pre-sliced. I poured the combination of vegetables over a large package of store

bought tortellini (which only takes 7-9 minutes to cook), and dinner was ready.

Rustic Spinach, Tomato and Beans

This one also has Italian flavors but through a different vibe -- less carby and more rustic.

I sauteed chopped red onions and garlic. Then, I popped in two handfuls of frozen corn

(mostly for color) and let the pan heat it through. I added a package of frozen spinach

(thawed and very well drained), one can diced tomatoes (juice included), a can of beans

(drained and rinsed), a couple shakes of red pepper flakes, Italian seasonings, a Table-

spoon or two of tomato paste, and salt & pepper to taste. Once it simmered for a bit, I

add a handful or two of shredded cheese to connect it all. You can pop it in a bowl by

itself (like I did), or elevate it by serving it over polenta or under sliced grilled chicken.

Check out Alissa's gorgeous blog. She hosts Tasty Tuesdays every week, and bloggers

from all over pop in to share their latest kitchen creations. It's a good place to get

dinner ideas or tempt yourself with ideas for baking -- totally worth a visit.

I hope you're well!

{A Few Minutes Together at the Golden Hour}

2011-07-08T07:37:00.000-07:00

You have to savor the good moments, you know? Appreciate time together. Foster

passions. Observe nature. Create opportunities. Change your scenery.

David noticed a wheat field on one of his runs back in May. He thought the evening sun

made it glow beautifully and that it might make a good photo op for me. We ended up

going down there together with our cameras to play with the light.

This was six weeks ago, but I was looking at the photos recently and felt inspired to

share them. They remind me of where we were in that moment -- it was a monumentally strange day for us, but this was a nice and needed pause in it.

Here are my captures ...

And these are his ...

One of my intentions for the rest of this month is to focus my energy on doing this very

sort of thing -- taking time to do little things like this that leave me feeling grounded,

connected, creative, strong, calm, accomplished, and happy. It doesn't matter if they're spontaneous or planned, as I take advantage of the opportunities to do them.

Life is what you make of it!

{Wordless Wednesday: After-our-Morning-Walk Summer Ritual}

2011-07-06T06:03:00.003-07:00

Chandler, Arizona

{Tasty Tuesday: Quinoa and Roasted Beet Salad with Feta, Parsley and Pine Nuts}

2011-07-05T09:43:00.004-07:00

Beets give this salad so much gorgeous, vibrant color. It's amazing, and there's
nothing artificial about it -- just surprisingly bright and natural goodness.

The flavor from the combination of ingredients is equally impressive. It's kind of hard to

see it all the way it's piled into a bowl in the photo above, but there are so many things

happening in every bite. A little tang from the feta. Crunch from the pine nuts. Freshness

from the parsley. Nuttiness from the chickpeas. Sweet, moist, softness from the beets.

INGREDIENTS:
Each time I've made this salad, I've used the exact ingredients listed below but changed

up the quantities, depending on how much quinoa I used. With the amounts noted here,

I used all the cooked quinoa. The other time I made it, I only used a cup of cooked quinoa.

So, I decreased the rest of the stuff a little -- one can of chickpeas instead of two, three

beets instead of five, half the pine nuts, etc. Obviously, you can use the list of ingredients

in the amounts that suit you.

Salad:
5 medium red beets
1-2 cans chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

Dressing:
4 tbsp EVOO
juice of 2/3 a large lemon
2-3 tsp honey
1/2 tsp cumin powder
Sea salt & pepper to taste

Roast beets. (Click here for directions in how to roast them.) Allow to cool. Peel and cube.

Place chick peas in a bowl with a tsp of olive oil and some paprika (Hungarian, if you have

it). Make sure they are coated. Put 'em in a dish where they can lay in a single layer. Bake

at 350 for 15 minutes or until lightly roasted. Remove and allow to cool.

Cook quinoa. Put one cup quinoa and two cups water into a small pot with the salt. Bring

to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes or just until all the water

is absorbed. Allow it to cool.

Toast pine nuts in a dry pan for a few minutes to release the flavor. Keep them moving

so they don't burn.

Make dressing to taste. (I'm not a big dressing person, but this combo of lemon, honey

and oil is fabulous. It really helps bind all the ingredients in the salad while giving the

quinoa some needed moisture.)

Combine all your ingredients and watch the beets turn everything a beautiful fuchsia color.

Enjoy by itself of with warm pita. (I was too lazy to do the pita.)

And that's it. A super delicious meal that takes a little more prep time than your average

salad but leaves you with so much complete, delicious, healthful nutrition. Let me know

if you try it. I'd love to hear what you think.

I'm off to realign myself, after being pretty far out of whack for the last few days. A long

walk with the dogs was a clarifying start to my morning, and I intend to have a focused,

positive, healthy day today!

{Resolutions: July 2011}

2011-07-01T22:53:00.009-07:00

June was some month in my little corner of the world. Life had me doing backflips, side-

stepping, walking on fire, and standing on my head. Sometimes, all that at once. Alas, it's

time for me to take inventory on what I accomplished toward my 2011 New Year's

Resolutions, and reset before marching into the second half of the year.

In 2011:

1) Make one new goal each month that give me a sense of balance and

make me feel like me.

January: Blog stuff -- February: Technology -- March: Photos into albums & scrapbook

-- April: Canning -- May: Was kind of a bust

June: Practice doing a 5k. Graduate from a walk to a jog and with improved time over

the course of the month.

* All things considered, I'm fairly proud of the output for this goal.

* I did 19 5Ks between the treadmill at the gym and outside on the trail with the dogs.

* I mostly walked, but I improved my walking pace from 16:20/mile to 14:41/mile. The

new pace feels much better, and leaves me feeling much more energized.

* I didn't add as much jogging as intended, about 12 minutes per 5K in all. I didn't push

myself as hard as I should have, but it still felt good! I've lost a few pounds, and I feel

so much more comfortable in the breast region when jogging. :) I'm loving that.

July: Get out my sewing machine and use it on something, even if only on one project.

2) Learn how to do the following things around the house in 2011:

* I didn't accomplish a thing from this list, but there's a lot of year left. :)

- ~~Clean up my PCs~~ (May 29th)

- Clean up my MAC

- Unclog the kitchen drain/garbage disposal

- ~~Turn off the water to the house~~ (January 31st)

- ~~Work the sprinklers and the drip system~~ (March 13th)

- Add to the drip system

- ~~Clean the pool filters~~ (February 6th) ~~Change pool the filters~~ (February 13th)

- Weekly/monthly pool care

- ~~Drain and fill the pool~~ (February 19th)

- ~~Fertilize the lawn before summer~~ (March 13th)

- Properly level and hang hardware fixture with a molly

- Change a door hardware and handle

- ~~Relight the pilot light in the water heater~~ (March 19th)

3) Volunteer or donate blood, on average, once a month.

* My goal, from a numbers perspective, was to do at least twelve things this year ("on

average, once a month") to help my community. I accomplished that number in June,

and it feels great. Anything I do in the remaining six months of the year will be icing on

the cake. I also wanted to make being of service to my community part of my routine.

That's happening. Fitting this into my schedule has become very natural and easy. It's

my intention to make this a lifetime habit, no matter how busy or distracting life gets.

1. Made food boxes w/ friends at St. Mary's Food Bank (January 8th)

2. Donated platelets and red blood cells (January 14th)

3. Sorted food baskets for the Bountiful Baskets produce co-op (February 10th)

4. Helped caseworkers collect items from Bridging AZ’s Hope Chest (March 4th)

5. Donated platelets (They weren't setup to do RBCs this time. Boo!) (March 14th)

6. Helped caseworkers collect items from Bridging AZ’s Hope Chest (March 18th)

7. Helped caseworkers collect items from Bridging AZ’s Hope Chest (May 6th)

8. Barb came over, and together we made 112 Cards for Soldiers (May 12th)

9. Photographed the graduating 8th grade class at Children First Academy (May 17th)

10. Donated a double round of platelets (May 24th)

11. Spent a morning working at ICM Food and Clothing Bank (June 4th)

12. Donated a double round of platelets at the blood bank (June 23rd)

4) Go on at least one quality date a month with D (and take turns planning it).

Here's a little info on the thought that went into making this goal.

January: Double feature at the drive-in theater with a car picnic. It was a really fun night!
February: Putt-putt golf. Air hockey and video games. Dinner at Chompies. Awesome.

March: Tempe Art Festival for shopping, people watching and street food.

April: Weekend stay-cation at a resort in Scottsdale. Luxurious, romantic relaxation!

May: Kayaking at Canyon Lake
June: We didn't do it.* I decided to take myself on a date as a way to meet this goal,

better late than never. I'm going to see a play at Hale Center Theatre in Gilbert

tomorrow. I've never been there, and I'm looking forward to it.

* I'm disappointed I won't be able to say "we did it" for this goal come the end of the year.

But the reality is that I can only control my actions and intentions when it comes to reaching

a goal. Taking an adventure with David wasn't an option this month. So, I decided to create

one for myself. I can still try new things and take time to connect with myself, I guess,

right? Onward and upward!

{Wordless Wednesday: It Does a Body Good}

2011-06-29T15:35:00.001-07:00

Chandler, Arizona

{Homemade Baby Scrapbook}

2011-06-25T20:58:00.001-07:00

It seems like there's always a baby being born to someone we know -- part of the deal

when you and most of your friends are in their 30's, I guess.

Mike (David's co-worker) and Crystal are next in line to board the parent express. Their

family will soon grow by one bundle of love who will no doubt be the conductor of all

things in their family for many months to come. Some friends of the mom-to-be threw

her a lovely shower over the weekend. I decided to bring something homemade as their

gift -- an 8x8 scrapbook that they can add their own photos to once the baby arrives.

I used this one, which I made last year, as a guide for about two-thirds of it. Having it for

layout inspiration meant I didn't have to recreate the wheel for every single page, and it

sped things up a little bit. I did my best to use neutral colors since the baby's gender is

going to be a surprise. It was actually more challenging to go neutral than I expected,

but I think it worked in the end.

Each page has a space for photos that are 5x7, 4x6, 3.5x5, or 2x3 wallets. The background

for each picture is slightly larger than the photo. So, it'll create a nice border that helps it

pop off the page.

Blah, blah, blah. Let's get a look at the thing, right?

Your wish is my command ...

I'm loving gray these days. It seemed like a good neutral color for the album cover.

I typed up a "stats" sheet for the parents to fill out once the baby arrives. "The name we

gave you ... your date of birth ... time you took your first breath ... length from tip to toe

... every ounce of you is perfection." It must be so exciting for parents to document the

beginning of a brand new life.

This page will work for photos from the pregnancy, the nursery, her baby showers,

or the day of birth.

A spot for 5x7 photos.

They'll want to document their new family of three!

I imagine a sequence of expressions, crying pictures or sleeping pictures here.

While this will be Mike and Crystal's first human baby, they do already have a four-legged

kiddo at home. He's a gorgeous, sweet black lab named Gauge. This page is for him and

the baby. :) The sticker at bottom left says, "Every child should have two things: A dog

and a mom willing to let him have one." Yes, indeed.

I just love this orange and white paper. It's so fresh and happy. The jungle animals

seemed like a perfect fit since that's the theme they chose for their baby's nursery.

Pride and Joy -- Yeah, I thought that was clever phrasing. :)

This is another page where any photos of the baby will work. Nice and basic.

Had to include a grandparents page. Across the bottom, it says,

"They sprinkle stardust on the lives of little children."

The very last page says, "The only thing worth stealing is a kiss from a sleeping baby."

With that, I just needed to pop it in a box and wrap it for gifting! How adorable are

my sweet, faithful assistants? My goodness, I love those two. :)

I had a great time at the shower. (It was fun to get dressed up and do the party thing.)

You can't go wrong with a chocolate fountain, tons of fresh fruit, beautiful mini cupcakes,

and lovely Bellini's made with bubbly and fresh pureed fruit. Indeed.

{On the Corner of Cute and Adorable}

2011-06-23T08:51:00.001-07:00

Barb and I work well together.

I say let's do pictures of you and Gavin. She nails down a date.
I suggest we do it in front of a corn field. She finds one on their way to daycare.

I bring an adorable chair. She coordinates their outfits perfectly.

And then it is so.

This mini session was done in record time.

Not bad for a quickie, especially considering

how bright the sun already was at 7:15AM.

It turned out to be a good thing we captured Gavin's sweet smile when we did. The

following weekend he fell and chipped a front tooth when they were at the pool.

Poor kiddo. At least it was a baby tooth and a big boy one. :)

{Wordless Wednesday: My Secret Weapon}

2011-06-22T06:57:00.011-07:00

FYI, it's this particular bronzing lotion that gets credit as my secret weapon -- not my legs! :)

Chandler, Arizona

{Tasty Tuesdays: Summer Salad Ideas}

2011-06-21T07:56:00.002-07:00

It's June, a month synonymous with summer.

And what food goes better with summer, I ask, than salad?

Following are a few ideas to take your summer salads from basic to bad ass.

They do it without the calories and fat of most dressings -- 'tis bathing suit

season, afterall -- and with a variety of grains and greens.

Salad with Pan-Roasted Tomatoes, Bright Green

Beans & Other Wonderful Things

This salad gives you a double dose of protein. I tossed the tuna (or chickpeas) in a

mixture of Dijon Mustard, red wine vinegar, EVOO, and diced shallot. The eggs are

hard boiled and the tomatoes are pan-roasted. I let the beans simmer for three

minutes to bring out their color and soften them a little. Your other vegetable can be

cucumbers, as pictured here, or anything else you have in the crisper. And yes, there's

some lettuce under there somewhere. I got this idea from Everyday Food. I like how

the toppings are compartmentalized like this because it made it feel less ordinary.

This salad has a lot of good textures and flavors.

Arizona Summer Salad

This no lettuce salad is my personal creation that came about almost by accident. It's

delightful on it's own, but it would make a totally respectable taco filling or side dish.

Here's what's in it: White beans, tomatoes, jalapeno (ribbed and seeded), avocado,

yellow bell pepper, a bit of yellow onion, a package of frozen spinach that's been thawed

and thoroughly squeezed of all it's excess water, and a handful of shredded cheese. Hit it

with some salt (especially on the spinach) and a drizzle of fresh lime juice at the end. It

takes all of 12 minutes to make. It provides iron, good fats, protein, calcium, and vitamins.

Plus, it's light, tasty and colorful -- summer splendor in a dish.

Brown Rice Salad with Spinach, Tomatoes, Cucumber

& Homemade Dill Vinaigrette

This salad is out of sight! It's visually simplistic, but it'll make our tongue dance. The

flavors in it are magically wonderful. This recipe calls for an easy vinaigrette made

with 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons (plus) chopped

fresh dill, 1 minced garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, salt, and pepper. That gets mixed

with 2 cups cooked brown rice, 2 cucumbers (peeled and seeded), 2 cups fresh spinach,

and 2 tomatoes (diced). A must try.

So, there you have it -- three healthy summer salads that bring a little variety and a lot

of flavor to your table. Thanks for stopping by today. What have you been cooking?

{Yesterday's Prior Planning = Today's Power Breakfast}

2011-06-18T14:16:00.001-07:00

It's official -- I'm in love with juicing.

Kale is easily my favorite ingredient. It doesn't produce a lot of juice, but it's so densely

packed with goodness. So, I feel like it's a five star juicing item. :)

With or without the kale, there's so much pure, unadulterated healthfulness in every sip!

It's like giving my body and brain a special gift in a glass.

For this one, I used kale, celery and cantaloupe.

I made another one recently with spinach, apple, peach, and cucumber. Not too shabby.

I'm telling you, it's hard to mess up this juicing (or smoothie) thing.

It's a superb way to make sure produce from my weekly food co-op basket doesn't go

to waste, and it gives me several servings of fruits and vegetables in one meal. I love that.

No juicer? You can essentially accomplish the same thing with a blender. My friend, Sara,

has gone that route. You can read about her experience with them here.

That's it for today. I hope you all have a great weekend. Cheers!

{Senior Photo Session: Karina Garcia}

2011-06-16T22:07:00.002-07:00

I finally got a chance to take my first crack at doing senior pictures!

It was really fun for me.

Karina -- half skater chick and half sexy girlie girl -- was an awesome subject to work

with. It was so nice to photograph "a kid" that I didn't have to dance for and sing to in

order to get their attention and smiles. :) (Seniors are soooo much easier to capture

than toddlers.)

She is certainly not a kid though -- as you'll see here -- but a gorgeous, blossoming,

dynamic, smart, creative, funny, spirited, kind, thoughtful, happy young woman.

And she's ready to start making her way through life as an adult. Such an exciting time!

Karina, the world is your oyster. Go get it!

{Wordless Wednesday: Bird Watching}

2011-06-15T07:11:00.001-07:00

Phoenix, Arizona

{Tasty Tuesday: Granola Three Ways}

2011-06-14T08:39:00.006-07:00

I'm on a mission to make the perfect homemade granola.

Before I attempt my very own version, I thought I'd follow a few recipes from other, more

experienced bakers and cooks to get a hold of the process, what works and what doesn't.

First up ... Toasted Almond Granola found on Joy the Baker, adapted from Martha Stewart.

Her recipe includes, among other things, two kinds of almonds (sliced and whole), honey

and vanilla. It was so yummy and made a totally respectable granola. I cooked it for the

recommended time, but I think it was a little too much for my oven. I'll shave ten minutes

off the cooking time when I make it again. There were too many whole almonds in it for

David's taste, but I thought it was solid.

Second ... Granola Breakfast Bars by Barefoot Contessa. This version is very similar to

the first one up until the point that Ina added three dried fruits and turned them into

bars. I thought they were great! I personally prefer the loose granola for day-to-day

eating, but the bars are fun for when you have company, are traveling or you need to

take something to someone else's house. I mean, how fun would it be to pull these out

on a road trip? They were a little hard when I first cut them (largely, I think, because I

forgot to take them out of the oven right when the timer went off), but they softened

up perfectly after a day of being wrapped in parchment.

Third ... I tried Maple-Nut Granola from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine. It

was definitely the easiest granola of the three in my trial -- made with a more simplified

process and very basic ingredients. So, it took almost no time at all to put together, and

cleanup was a snap. That being said, it also had the least depth of flavor and texture. It

accomplished what granola is supposed to accomplish, but it didn't wow me. Eating it

didn't feel like a special experience, I guess. It would be a really good one to make with

kids though, and it could be easily elevated with more nuts, spices and dried fruit.

This was such a fun way to learn about making granola. Now that I've experimented with

the idea a few times, I think I'm ready to take a crack at creating my own original recipe.

I envision using all kinds of wonderful things like wheat germ, toasted pepitos, cashews,

dates, and more. Stay tuned!

{Beauty and the Beast}

2011-06-12T07:26:00.000-07:00

Our front yard is what they call xeriscape. Basically, it's highly functional for the kind of

hot, dry weather we have here in the Phoenix area.

So, instead of grass, we have rocks. (I love not having to mow the front yard.) In place of

plants that need constant watering, we have succulent cacti that survive -- and thrive,

even -- with only the few random drops of moisture Mother Nature sees fit to sprinkle

on on them.

I've really come to love the look and feel of desert landscape since we originally moved

to Arizona back in late 2004.

The Blue Monster is one of the cacti in our front yard. There's a real juxtaposition

between it and the intricate, fragile flowers it produces in springtime. It's flowering

season is short -- only a week or two.

The cactus has a thick, tough, prickly exterior. Each flower it produces only last for a

couple days, at best. It's gentle petals layer together and open to a beautiful bloom that

closes up during the day to protect itself from the harsh heat and sun.

It really is a natural Beauty and the Beast.

p.s. It was fun to look back at how our yard looked when we first planted everything

in the spring of 2008. It's really filled out since then!

{A Week with Her}

2011-06-10T10:16:00.007-07:00

I'm going back in time just a little for this post ...

Before Mother's Day rolled around, we were trying to think of a nice gift for David's

mom. We decided to give her a getaway to Arizona and time we could all spend

together. It seemed like it would be a nice way to celebrate her -- you know, being

in the same state for a change instead of just sending a gift. It took her about four

seconds to confirm dates and agree to the trip when we called with our idea. That's

when we knew we hit a home run. :)

So, out she came for a week of sunshine in the desert. We had a nice time. It was, as

always, great to see her. We mostly just hung out -- casual dinners, pool time, some

shopping (for houses). We also went out to Taliesin West -- the winter home, studio

and architecture school of Frank Lloyd Wright -- and enjoyed that a lot. I was glad

we finally got out there to take a tour. He was such an interesting personality, artist

and teacher.

Happy Mother's Day to our mom. :) Thanks for loving us and letting us love you!

{Wordless Wednesday: Asian Influence}

2011-06-08T07:34:00.001-07:00

Scottsdale, Arizona

{Tasty Tuesday: Meatball Surprise}

2011-06-07T09:52:00.003-07:00

Tasting your food is just what you do when you're cooking. You have to to make sure

it's seasoned well and that the flavors you're putting together actually work.

But I don't eat meat.

So, when I make something like meatballs that are almost all meat, there's an inherent

challenge built into the process. I'm at the mercy of another person's taste buds to know

if I'm on the right track.

According to David, these meatballs were awesome, and he didn't have one suggestion

for me in the event that I give this recipe another go. So, if you make them and don't

like how they taste, take it up with him. :)

I made a few adjustments to a recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine.

- Added extra onion to the meat mixture.

- Switched the meat from pork sausage to a combo of ground turkey and ground lamb.

It seemed like a leaner choice, and I like that multiple proteins give meatballs dimension.

- Increased the amount of seasonings a touch.

- Added red pepper flakes to the sauce.

- Stuffed half the meat balls with a cube of Fontina Cheese to create a creaminess and an

unexpected element of surprise. (I'll stuff all of them next time.)

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground lamb

1 lb. ground turkey

1 1/2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped (divided)

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

3 tsp. hot smoked paprika

5 Tbl. plain dried breadcrumbs

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

4 Tbl. chopped fresh parsley

salt/pepper

3 Tbl. EVOO

1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes (juice included)

1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes

rustic bread for serving

What to do with them:

In a large bowl, combine turkey and lamb with about 1/2 c. onion, cumin, 2 tsp. paprika,

bread crumbs, eggs, parsley, and s/p. Gently mix to combine.

Cube the cheese. (I like Fontina because it's soooo creamy). Using your hands, roll 25

meatballs that are each 1 1/2 inches wide. When balling the meat mixture together,

create a pocket to put the cheese and wrap the meat around it. Place each rolled

meatball onto a piece of parchment paper.

In a large nonstick skillet pan, put 1 1/2 Tbl. of EVOO and heat over medium-high. In

two batches, brown the meatballs on all sides, 8 minutes per batch. Pull meatballs out

with tongs -- leaving the drippings in the pan -- and place the browned meatballs in a slow cooker.

Add remaining onions to the saute pan and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer

onion (and the drippings) to slow cooker, along with 1 tsp. paprika, tomatoes, and about

1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook on low for about 5 hours so meatballs get nice and tender.

Serve with crusty bread, on a sandwich, over pasta, or over polenta. (Cooked meatballs

can be frozen for up to two weeks; let cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers.

Just gently reheat on the stove, covered, over medium heat.)

David didn't waste an ounce of this. He ate all 25 meatballs throughout the week on

sandwiches or on their own. I think he was happy to have some protein in the house

that wasn't from quinoa, beans or eggs. :)

{We Can't Wish Problems Like this Away}

2011-06-05T18:56:00.004-07:00

Homeless children -- two words that should never be said together.

But it's a reality for more kids than you'd want to believe. "One in 50 children is

homeless in the United States every year," according to a report by the National

Center of Homelessness from data they collected in 2005-2006. No doubt, those

numbers have risen as the economy has declined over the past couple years right

along with foreclosures and unemployment.

It's hard to pin down actual numbers on the Internet. Estimates range from 500,000

to two million kids that are homeless in the U.S. at some point each year. Either way,

that's too many, especially for a developed and relatively wealthy country like ours.

Children are our future, but an entire generation of homeless children have an

uncertain path ahead of them. Their life is without so many of the things the rest

of us take for granted including shoes, food, hope, mentors, quality education, a

bed to call their own, and proper health care.

Texas, Georgia, Arkansas, New Mexico and Louisiana fair the worst when it comes

to the number of kids that are homeless within their borders. But it's also a real

problem right here in Arizona where in 2009, the number of homeless children

surpassed 25,000 -- up 18% from the previous year.

Some of those kids are getting help -- and hope -- thanks to Children First Academy.

It's the largest school for homeless children in the nation, serving mostly homeless

kids along with others that are at-risk and in transition.

I had an amazing opportunity to meet the graduating 8th grade class from the Phoenix

campus recently. The school doesn't have the money to do annual or individual pictures

there, but these kids were about to graduate from middle school -- a big deal -- and they

wanted to document this time with their friends before they all moved on.

Click on each photo to enlarge for a better view ...

They were so excited, appreciative and sweet. My heart broke a little while I was there,

looking into their eyes. I couldn't help but want to do more.

At the school ...

There's a food pantry with donated items in case the kids are going hungry.

There's a laundry room so they can do their own laundry between classes.

There's a clothing room where they're allowed to find items to wear as needed.

Seriously?

I was simultaneously glad and sad to hear of such provisions.

Aren't you?

If you'd like to help out at Children First Academy, I can assure you they won't turn you

away. They'll take anything you can offer -- one hour, one dollar or one smile. They will

happily take donations of time, school supplies, food, clothes, or money. For Phoenix, call

602.461.3200. For Tempe, email Pam O'Connor at pamo@edkey.org or call 480.557.6211.

Together, we can make a difference for this population of our human family that needs

it most. You might only offer a little, but to one child, it can mean the world.

{I See Myself Through Her Lens}

2011-06-03T13:55:00.013-07:00

I finally got out from behind the camera and had my photos taken.

It was an awesome experience.

For one, it was fun to "be the model."

For another, we met at a location I've been dying to use in a photo session.

Making it the backdrop for my own pictures made me really glad no one

else had taken me up on the suggestion to use it before!

But much more than that, it was so incredible to work with Olivia. You see,

she and I have known each other for a few years now through our blogs. We

only just met in person the day we got together to do these photos. It was

totally surreal. Our first meeting certainly didn't feel like our first.

I thought she did an incredible job. She made me feel so comfortable and

beautiful, too. If you're interested in hiring her, click here. She's fabulous!

I'm so grateful to have these.

They were taken on April 30th, a day that started out as one of my personal

best days ever. I'm really glad to have documented this exact moment in time.

Even though it's only been just over a month since then, a lot has changed.

Life looks different.

I feel different.

Seeing these photos reminds me of who I am, what I want and that I can be truly

happy within myself. They also speak to me about acceptance. I'm not perfect, nor

is life. But if I smile, believe, work for what I want, and concede to only controlling

the things I can control, then I can find something special in my heart.

If I feel it in my heart ...

Then I'll feel it in my life ...

And that'll give me a drum to dance to.

{Wordless Wednesday: A Roll in the Hay}

2011-06-01T10:31:00.000-07:00

Phoenix, Arizona

{Resolutions: June 2011}

2011-06-01T08:06:00.005-07:00

It's the first day of a new month, and for me, that means it's time to check in

on my New Years Resolutions.

In 2011:

1) Make one new goal each month that give me a sense of balance and

make me feel like me.

January: Blog stuff -- February: Technology -- March: Photos into albums & scrapbook

-- April: Canning

May: Rearrange and organize my kitchen cupboards

* My priorities shifted this month. Suddenly reorganizing my dishes felt like the least

important thing I could do. So, I spent my time elsewhere, and I'm fine with that. I did

accomplish half of a reorg and purging in my office, which was in need to some tidying. I

freed up a couple shelves, donated some things, etc. It's not finished, but it's feels better.

June: Practice doing a 5k. My plan is to graduate from a walk to a jog and with improved

time over the course of the month.

2) Learn how to do the following things around the house in 2011:

*Scratched one thing off my list this month.

- ~~Clean up my PCs~~ (May 29th)

- Clean up my MAC

- Unclog the kitchen drain/garbage disposal

- ~~Turn off the water to the house~~ (January 31st)

- ~~Work the sprinklers and the drip system~~ (March 13th)

- Add to the drip system

- ~~Clean the pool filters~~ (February 6th) ~~Change pool the filters~~ (February 13th)

- Weekly/monthly pool care

- ~~Drain and fill the pool~~ (February 19th)

- ~~Fertilize the lawn before summer~~ (March 13th)

- Properly level and hang hardware fixture with a molly

- Change a door hardware and handle

- ~~Relight the pilot light in the water heater~~ (March 19th)

3) Volunteer or donate blood, on average, once a month.

* I was able to make some nice contributions to my community in May, and it felt great.

1. Made food boxes w/ friends at St. Mary's Food Bank (January 8th)

2. Donated platelets and red blood cells (January 14th)

3. Sorted food baskets for the Bountiful Baskets produce co-op (February 10th)

4. Helped caseworkers collect items from Bridging AZ’s Hope Chest (March 4th)

5. Donated platelets (They weren't setup to do RBCs this time. Boo!) (March 14th)

6. Helped caseworkers collect items from Bridging AZ’s Hope Chest (March 18th)

7. Helped caseworkers collect items from Bridging AZ’s Hope Chest (May 6th)

8. Barb came over, and together we made 112 Cards for Soldiers (May 12th)

9. Photographed the graduating 8th grade class at Children First Academy (May 17th)

10. Donated a double round of platelets (May 24th)

4) Go on at least one quality date a month with D (and take turns planning it).

Here's a little info on the thought that went into making this goal.

January: Double feature at the drive-in theater with a car picnic. It was a really fun night!
February: Putt-putt golf. Air hockey and video games. Dinner at Chompies. Awesome.

March: Tempe Art Festival for shopping, people watching and street food.

April: Weekend stay-cation at a resort in Scottsdale. Luxurious, romantic relaxation!

May: Kayaking at Canyon Lake

That's it for May. I've already started my monthly 5K goal, and I'm really enjoying

it. June 2011 looks like it'll be an interesting month in many ways.

{Tasty Tuesday: Orzo with Zucchini and Tomatoes}

2011-05-31T07:52:00.002-07:00

Good morning! I hope you all had a great weekend. I watched a few war movies --

("Apocolypse Now", Pearl Harbor" and part of "Patton" -- in honor of the Memorial Day.

Today I'm going to put 112 cards in the mail that Barb and I made to donate to

Cards for Soldiers -- an awesome cause that sends homemade cards to our troops

stationed overseas so they can write to their loved ones at home.

And since it's Tuesday, I have a new recipe to share with you. I think you're going to

like this one. It's a fast fix for when you want to get dinner made in a hurry.

Today I bring you another recipe from the ever inspiring Novice Chef.

It might not look like much, but:

* It has fantastic flavor and is totally satisfying.

* It doesn't require an oven (a nice quality for summer cooking).

* It's a great way to use in season zucchini and tomatoes.

* It's easy to make with or without meat if your household is divided

(carnivore vs. vegetarian) like mine.

I adjusted her version a little to include more zucchini and seasonings.

That's all noted below.

Ingredients:
1 cup orzo
7 cups water
1 cup vegetable broth (Or you can do 8 c. water and 1 Tbl. bullion)
Cooking spray (I used Extra Virgin Olive Oil spray)
3 zucchini, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes or the equivalent in fresh, chopped ones
2 lg shallot, sliced
2 clove garlic, minced
2-3 tsp fresh thyme, minced
salt and pepper

What to do with them:

Bring water and broth to a boil in a large stockpot over high heat. Add orzo and cook

according to package directions, or until al dente. Drain, set aside.

Meanwhile, cook your side-o-meat, if desired. I made some andouille pork sausage

for David. (Note to self: That was a little too heavy for him. Try turkey sausage or

grilled chicken next time.)

Coat a large skillet with Olive Oil and place over medium heat. Add zucchini,

tomatoes, shallot, and garlic. Saute for about 5-7 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender.

Remove from heat and add thyme, salt and pepper, stirring well. Then toss with orzo

until combined. Serve immediately.

To see more Tasty Tuesday ideas, click here ...

{Getting back to Embroidery}

2011-05-30T15:18:00.003-07:00

Embroidery is kind of a summertime hobby for me, it seems. Do you do

that with your interests -- pick them up during certain times of the year?

It's been about six months since I did any stitching, but I found myself starting a

new project in April. I like having something to do inside when it's hot outdoors. :)

Inspiration hit when I decided to make something for David's mom for Mother's

Day. She loves and collects lighthouses. So, I started making her a towel using

lighthouse iron-ons I bought awhile back at JoAnn's with her in mind. I didn't

finish it in time for her special day, but I showed her the project-in-progress

when she was here for a visit with a promise to get it done and mailed her way.

It was fun to do some stitching again! The towel has an image on each side:

Do you remember when I was doing Stitch-and-Bitch with Lindsay and Carlene?

Well, they both up and moved to Colorado. I've missed them and our little get-togethers.

My friend Patti has been going to a knitting club. Her co-worker, D'Arcy, started it.

I invited myself along last Friday, and they didn't seem to mind that I was doing this

instead of knitting. It was great to be around happy, positive woman who wanted to

connect and create.

They welcome new members if you're local and interested. It's at Paradise Bakery by

Gilbert Road and the 202 at 6PM. (It's every Friday in June and then it'll be every other

Friday in July, I think.) There's no fee to join. Just bring your materials and a smile. :)

{It's a Tough Life, but Somebody's Got to Do It}

2011-05-29T12:57:00.005-07:00

David loves golf.

And he loves his job.

Lucky for him, he gets to combine the two

quite often.

His company hosted their annual customer

appreciation golf tournament back in April.

(I'm a little behind in some of my blogging.)

They asked me if I'd like to photograph it.

It was my first time documenting a whole

tournament -- candids and foursome shots.

I loved it.

It was a really fun day. I liked seeing D "in

his element" -- mixing, socializing, talking

business, golfing, celebrating a few good shots.

It was nice to see some faces I hadn't seen in awhile and meet others that I had only

heard him mention.

As for me, it was an awesome days work! I mean, seriously. It's not a bad way

to go. They handed me a golf cart and a couple drink tickets, and I was off with

my camera on a beautiful, crisp Arizona morning.

I really did work while I was there. I swear. I was just taking a little break when

Barb took the photos above. :)

Originally, I planned to share a few of my captures from the event, but in the end,

I decided these are the ones I want to remember.

{Life is a Many Splendored Thing}

2011-05-26T13:00:00.003-07:00

High on the list of my most amazing life experiences is being in the room through the

entire process of labor and delivery as a tiny, miraculous human being takes it's first

breaths of air. Words can't describe what it feels like to watch parents meet their child

for the first time, knowing they'll love that baby more than anyone else in the world.

I've gotten to do it twice, thanks to my camera.

It was my honor to witness Barb and Jason as they ushered Gavin into the world in

the summer of 2008 -- a delivery that started with induction through Pitocin, went

through three hours of pushing and ended in cesarian section. I was granted special

access for all of it in order to preserve the moment with photos.

I thought it was going to be a once in a lifetime opportunity. That is, until Jenny and

Anthony asked me to do the same thing for them when their baby, Amelia, was born.

Obviously, most of the photos I captured on that day are private -- just for them -- but

I thought I'd share a few from before and after the delivery for my own documenting.

I couldn't resist taking a few quick pictures of Miss Amelia, just for fun, when I stopped

over to deliver the disk of birthing photos. She's so beautiful. So much so, in fact, that I

didn't even blink an eye when she urinated all over me during the diaper-off portion of

our mini shoot. :)

I'll never forget the moment I saw this little one be born. Pretty special stuff.

I wish her and her parents a lifetime of health, happiness, bonding, and love.

{Wordless Wednesday: Nature's Picture Frame}

2011-05-25T10:08:00.002-07:00

{Tasty Tuesday: Spinach, Mushroom and Fontina Flat Bread Pizza}

2011-05-24T06:14:00.003-07:00

I use so many recipes to do my cooking that I am actually proud of myself for

twisting this latest one around to make my own version of it. Baby steps. :)

I found an idea for quesadillas in Food Everyday that included salami, mushrooms,

and Fontina cheese with a side of lemony spinach. The idea (minus the salami for this

vegetarian) sunk it's hook into me, and I knew I had to make them.

But when I went to the grocery store closest to my house to shop for ingredients, they

didn't have any tortillas that were made without partially hydrogenated soybean oil. It

wasn't in my plan to run to a different store to find what I wanted that day.

So, I decided to use the same combination atop Greek mini flat breads that were made

with more natural ingredients. I served it with Spring Vegetable Soup, and together, it

was a really nice meal.

Ingredients:
olive oil, salt and pepper

thin slice of butter
mushrooms, sliced (I used baby bello and button)
red onion, sliced
fresh spinach
Montreal steak seasoning
5 slices of salami per pizza
Fontina cheese, grated

Flat bread

(I didn't use the lemon pictured below)

What to do with them:

Heat a little EVOO in a pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and mushrooms, season

with Montreal steak seasoning and then break up your thin slice of butter and mix it in.

(The butter adds nutty richness.) Cook until tender and amazing. (These mushrooms,

even without the onions, make an awesome side to steaks or just about anything else.

They are so delicious.)

Get out your flatbreads and place them on baking sheet. Spread out five pieces of salami

on any of the pizzas you'd like. (I made one vegetarian for me and one with meat for D.)

Then, top with mushrooms ...

a layer of fresh spinach ...

and shredded Fontina cheese, which is so creamy and sensational that you'll probably

want a little extra in a side dish to enjoy while your flat bread pizzas are in the oven.

You can see more Tasty Tuesday ideas here ...

{Wordless Wednesday: Home}

2011-05-18T08:52:00.003-07:00

{Spring Vegetable Soup}

2011-05-17T13:03:00.001-07:00

This soup is as bright and nourishing as spring itself. Made with potatoes and green beans

that are in season -- it's a low work intensive, low ingredient, low cost cousin to Julia

Child's Soup au Pistou. Here's how to make it ...

INGREDIENTS:

extra virgin olive oil

2 med leeks (white and green parts), halved lengthwise, cut into 1/4 inch slices and cleaned

coarse salt and ground pepper

5 c. low sodium, organic vegetable broth

1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 pound green beans, trimmed and halved

1 bunch parsley, stems and all

ten or so basil leaves

a splash of fresh lemon juice

2-3 cloves garlic (not pictured)

In a pot, heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium-high. Add leeks and season with salt and

pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until leeks are soft and lightly browned, about 6

minutes. Add broth and potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until

potatoes are barely tender, about 10 minutes. Add green beans and cook until crisp-

tender, about 6 more minutes.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine parsley, basil, garlic, salt, dash of lemon juice

and EVOO until in pesto form or finely chopped. Remove soup from heat and stir in pesto.

Modified slightly from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine.

For more Tasty Tuesday ideas, click here ...

{The Winner Revealed & a Quick DIY}

2011-05-16T15:10:00.005-07:00

The winner of my photo card giveaway -- chosen completely by random --

is Holly Diane. Congratulations, Holly! I hope you enjoy them. Just email

me your address (slinky.asu@gmail.com), and I'll get them in the mail.

Thank you for all your nice comments about my card sets through the last

post and via email. I was a little blown away. These are such simple cards,

and your nice words about them made my week!

A few of you asked me specifically how I made these -- what products I use,

etc. I figured it would be easiest to show you with photos. You're not going to

believe how fast and easy these are. I mean, really.

First, you need three particular supplies:

- Photos

- Cards & envelopes

- Your favorite adhesive

Photos -- I print mine through ritzpix.com. I think the quality of their matte

prints is fantastic. The blacks are black, the whites are white and the colors pop.

The prices are totally competitive but the quality is better than your average,

one-hour places (i.e., Walgreens, Costco, etc.).

Cards and Envelopes -- I love the Kraft folded cards and envelopes by Recollections.

They have a thick and sturdy quality. The ones I use are 4.6 inches by 6.25 inches. So,

they hold a four by six photo while giving it a little border.

Adhesive -- Tombo Mono Permanent is my favorite one.

I get it at Michael's and Joann's.

Then, it's just a matter of piecing them together:

- Select the photos you want to use.

- Pull a little adhesive across the back of each photo.

- Center them on a folded card.

See? I told you they were easy.

Let me know if you make your own. I'd love to hear about it.

{My Latest Obsession & a Giveaway}

2011-05-13T12:08:00.003-07:00

I've been making simple photo cards using some of my snapshots.

Lots and lots of them.

There's a pretty good variety in all.

It's been fun.

I made a few bundles for gifting.

One of them is top secret since I haven't sent it to it's intended just yet.

The other two went to David's mom and stepmom for Mother's Day.

Sandy received a set made of some of my favorite Arizona photographs.

The ones I made for Mary used photos I took at her cottage last summer.

I'm keeping most of the rest for myself. (I'm a big card writer.)

You didn't think I'd leave you out though, did you?

Of course I didn't. :)

I can't mail each of you a personalized note of thanks for being a reader.

But I can do little giveaways like this as a thank you for your support of my blog.

One lucky person will win a bundle with ten of my photo cards.

To enter, leave a comment on this post telling me how you feel when you get a card in

the mail from a friend or about who you're keeping in touch with. Do you have a pan pal, exchange snail mail, still believe in the United States Postal Service? Or maybe letter

writing is on your proverbial to do list. I want to hear about it. Comments will be open

until Sunday, May ~~15th~~ 16th at 9AM Arizona time. Please be sure to check back on

Monday and/or leave a way for me to get a hold of you in case you win. Good luck!

NOTE: I originally posted this on Thursday but Blogger was having some technical

issues that prevented commenting and even bumped this post back into my drafts

folder. So, I'm extended the contest by one day. Sorry for any inconvenience.

{Wordless Wednesday: Flutter, Butterflies}

2011-05-11T05:36:00.001-07:00

Phoenix, Arizona

{Tasty Tuesday: Pumpkin Cranberry Nutella Cake with a Few Twists}

2011-05-10T12:32:00.002-07:00

Okay, dieters and healthy lifestyle eaters -- hear me out before you click to the next

page in an effort to resist this delicious cake goodness.

Cake doesn't fall under the good-for-scale category. I'll give it to ya that it's not the

nutritional equivalent of steamed broccoli. But this one is not as offensive as most.

Really! I did things to it -- good things -- that make it act nicely to your triglyceride

levels but still keep it moist, decadent and so, so yummy.

First, I'll share my tricks:

1) Sub half of the called for unbleached white flour with whole wheat flour

2) Sub all of the called for Canola oil with unsweetened, organic applesauce

3) Use Dark Choco Dream instead of Nutella

4) Use Xyla instead of regular sugar

Xyla is really Xylital (pronounced Zy-li-tall).

And what's that, you ask?

It looks and tastes just like sugar, but it's an FDA approved, all natural sugarless

sweetener that's extracted from USA hardwood birch trees, and it's produced in

Colorado. It has 40% fewer calories than sugar and 75% less carbs. The name might

sound like a chemical, but it's not. It doesn't contain artificial Sucralose or Aspartame.

It actually has some pretty cool health benefits, too:

* It prevents cavities. It reduces decay-causing bacteria in saliva and it doesn't turn

into an acid in your mouth like sugar does.

* It claims to be good for diabetics, scoring a seven on the glycemic index (sugar is 100).

* It's even thought to be helpful for children who suffer from regular ear infections.

I like that it makes good cake better because there's less guilt in every bite.

Get your own Xyla here, and use coupon code: FIRST to save 10% on your order.

Now, onto the recipe. I got this one from On and Off My Plate, another new foodie

blog that I love. I modified it just a bit, all of which is noted below.

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups Xyla (or sugar)
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce (or canola oil)
3 eggs
3 cups whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 can (15 ounces) organic pumpkin
1/4 cup dried cranberries (I'll use a 1/2 cup next time)

WHAT TO DO WITH THEM:
In a large bowl, combine Xyla (or sugar), applesauce (if substituting for oil) until blended.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves; add to egg mixture alternately with pumpkin, beating well after each addition.

Transfer to a bundt cake pan. (Grease it, if desired. The Pampered Chef one I used didn't

need it.) Bake at 350° for 60-66 minutes or until knife inserted near the center comes

out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. Remove pan and cool completely.

See more Tasty Tuesday ideas here ...

{Happy Birthday to my Sweet Baby Boy}

2011-05-09T10:49:00.002-07:00

Killian would be perfect if he would just stop getting older. I want him to live as long

as I do and be as healthy and energetic as he is right now. Is that too much to ask?

My angel is six years old today. I'll tell you one things for sure, my world has been a

brighter place since he entered it. I love this boy so much!

Happy birthday, Kills. And many more!

{Family Photo Session: PJ, Andrea, Alexi, & Ainsley}

2011-05-05T12:18:00.002-07:00

This is one happy, vibrant, fun, and relaxed family. Sometimes I have to try to get my

clients to laugh and smile. These guys? I couldn't get 'em to stop. There was spontaneous

dancing and lots of laughter.

I had so much fun meeting Andrea, PJ and their gorgeous, sweet girls for this photo

session. They took me out to the rustic desert of North Scottsdale, and it made for a

beautiful backdrop. Then, we went out for frozen yogurt. :)

I had a great time, and I hope they did, too.

My photo world is a small one sometimes. PJ is her dad and their brother and uncle.

That kind of word of mouth and business-by-referral is so appreciated and makes me

feel like I'm doing something right. :)

{Quinoa Chili Over Squash}

2011-05-03T10:14:00.002-07:00

It's Tuesday, and that means it's time for another round of Tasty Tuesday. What's

been cooking, you ask? A delicious chili made with healthful and hearty quinoa over

a bed of acorn squash.

My version is only slightly adapted from the original recipe by Kari. I used a different

type of squash, added some heat and made it vegetarian by subbing vegetable broth

for the kind made with chickens.

David and I aren't huge squash people. So, we always enter a meal made with it with a

certain level of hesitancy, but we liked this a lot. D would have preferred his chili and

squash served separately, he said. I wouldn't have changed a thing.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp olive oil
medium white/yellow onion, diced
3-4 stalks of celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1 jalapeno, diced (ribs and seeds removed for less heat)
green pepper, diced
red pepper, diced

14 oz. can of diced tomatoes with juice
1 can of red kidney beans
14 oz. vegetable broth
14 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 cup of quinoa (red or white)
2 squash (acorn, spaghetti or butternut)
Mexican shredded cheese (or any good shredded cheese)

cilantro for garnish (optional)

a few pats of butter (optional)

1-5 tsp brown sugar (optional)

1 tsp each of cumin, coriander, chili powder

salt/pepper to taste

WHAT TO DO WITH THEM:

1) I used acorn squash. (You can find directions for how to cook any squash via Google.)

Cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Score the inside with a knife. Press a

teaspoon of brown sugar into each half with the back of a spoon. Break up a super thin

slice of butter into chunks and distribute it into each half. Put the squash in a pan, skin

side down, and add water to the pan to avoid burning. Cook at 400 degrees for an hour.

(Poke it with a fork to test doneness.) Remove from oven and allow to cool.

2) Put EVOO in the bottom of a generous sized pot. Heat on low-medium. Add celery,

onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes (if you're using). Cook for a few minutes, until tender

but not brown. Add red and green pepper. Cook for another few minutes.

3) Add tomatoes. Season with s/p. Stir. Add beans, broth, sauce, and seasonings to taste.

Stir and bring to a boil. Add quinoa. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 30

minutes. Stir occasionally.

4) Scrape squash from shell and put in the bottom of your serving bowl or individual

dishes. Scoop in chili. Top with shredded cheese. (Cilantro would also be a good garnish.)

You can see more Tasty Tuesday ideas here ...