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| Chocolate covered pretzels! |
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| Silly cousins! |
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| Gluten free twix! So good... |
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| Dip those goodies! |
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| Faunia frosts cookies! |
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| Carmel goodness |
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| So melty |
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| The finished product |
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| Cookies a la Faunia |
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| Keira eating pineapple |
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Christmas cookies!
We made amazing Christmas cookies and treats last week! I thought you should see some pics! Merry almost-Christmas!!!
Saturday, August 4, 2012
The cutest god son in the whole world
Maybe I'm biased, but I think this little guy is just adorable.... and strong willed. He just had to wear my sunglasses!
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
I'm giving it a shot
Back in March I got a fancy new camera. I mean fancy! It's a Canon DSLR and I can't believe it's mine. After holding that little beauty in my hands for the first time I was determined to post my pictures on my blog. As you have seen this has not come to be.... I've posted very few pictures. Until now.
The month of August I'm going to regularly grace the internet with a shots from my very own awesome camera. I hope you enjoy what you see!!
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| Taken on a neighborhood stroll |
Monday, July 30, 2012
A shout out to my friend in heaven
I got the call from Dani telling me she had bone cancer on a warm spring day my sophomore year of high school. At that moment the temperature became irrelevant. In fact, the whole world suddenly disappeared and all I wanted was to turn back time.
Dani was the kind of friend a teenage girl can only dream of. She brought such joy to my life and so many others' through her selflessness and witness to hope. Our friendship was special because she saw something in me which I didn't see in myself and drew it out with kindness, generosity, and sincere love. Furthermore, she always remained sure of the goodness of our Father, even in the midst of great suffering.
Today is the 9th anniversary of her death. Her family calls it her "angel birthday" and it's no wonder why. She is in heaven with the angels and is constantly drawing our hearts up to join her. Her love for Jesus is being satisfied by a union with Him that I can't fathom.
While I'm so happy for her and grateful for the time we had together, my heart is breaking today and feeling the ache of our separation. I want so much to hear her laugh, her thoughts, and to just listen to the radio while driving down the road with her.
Ironically, when I opened my computer this morning the lyrics from Sufjan Stevens were playing, "Golden rod and the 4-H stone The things I brought you When I found out you had cancer of the bone."His words pierced my heart because he so accurately describes the ordinary nature of seeing your friend's life pass before your eyes. I'm sad that I can relate so closely with his song about losing a friend to cancer.
Thank you, Danielle for your love, your kindness, and above all giving me hope that we will be together again on the other side of this vail of tears.
Dani was the kind of friend a teenage girl can only dream of. She brought such joy to my life and so many others' through her selflessness and witness to hope. Our friendship was special because she saw something in me which I didn't see in myself and drew it out with kindness, generosity, and sincere love. Furthermore, she always remained sure of the goodness of our Father, even in the midst of great suffering.
| Danielle Hosford |
While I'm so happy for her and grateful for the time we had together, my heart is breaking today and feeling the ache of our separation. I want so much to hear her laugh, her thoughts, and to just listen to the radio while driving down the road with her.
Ironically, when I opened my computer this morning the lyrics from Sufjan Stevens were playing, "Golden rod and the 4-H stone The things I brought you When I found out you had cancer of the bone."His words pierced my heart because he so accurately describes the ordinary nature of seeing your friend's life pass before your eyes. I'm sad that I can relate so closely with his song about losing a friend to cancer.
Thank you, Danielle for your love, your kindness, and above all giving me hope that we will be together again on the other side of this vail of tears.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Present State: Middle School
Hello again! It's been months. Literally, months since I've posted on my little blog. I've been in a creative dry spell. Blogging creativity has been pretty low on my list of things to do. This is partially due to the blog posts I've been writing for FOCUS (Three Things You Can Learn From the Spiritual Life from Being an Artist & What the Karate Kid Taught Me About the Rosary) Writing for such a big audience each month has taken a lot out of me. I find myself having to remain determined to be faithful to myself and not try to write or be like someone else. It's exhausting.
Partially, though, I've not written been because I'm in a phase of interior growth and it's been tough to remain creative. I almost feel like I'm in middle school again. I don't quite know where I fit in, I feel socially and physically awkward, and I just can't quite figure out what's coming next. In my experience Middle school environments are not friendly for fostering creativity. It takes all my energy to just function. Thus the title of my post and the creative drought.
Ironically, even though it takes so much effort, writing might actually help with the whole middle school of life thing. It's often by finding our own stories that we are able to fully enter present challenges. By understanding who we are, where we came from, and how to impact the world around us we are able to see the present struggles for more than just the pain they are causing. For me the process of writing draws upon that story, validates it, and shares it with the world. And that's a courageous thing to do in the face of insecurity.
One final note, I am realizing how important it is to take little moments of creativity even in the face of time crunches, soul searching, and fear. I have found time to do a tiny bit of creativity in the form of photography and I'd like to share some of my shots:
Partially, though, I've not written been because I'm in a phase of interior growth and it's been tough to remain creative. I almost feel like I'm in middle school again. I don't quite know where I fit in, I feel socially and physically awkward, and I just can't quite figure out what's coming next. In my experience Middle school environments are not friendly for fostering creativity. It takes all my energy to just function. Thus the title of my post and the creative drought.
Ironically, even though it takes so much effort, writing might actually help with the whole middle school of life thing. It's often by finding our own stories that we are able to fully enter present challenges. By understanding who we are, where we came from, and how to impact the world around us we are able to see the present struggles for more than just the pain they are causing. For me the process of writing draws upon that story, validates it, and shares it with the world. And that's a courageous thing to do in the face of insecurity.
One final note, I am realizing how important it is to take little moments of creativity even in the face of time crunches, soul searching, and fear. I have found time to do a tiny bit of creativity in the form of photography and I'd like to share some of my shots:
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| Lake Powell |
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| A photo I caught of the perfectly displayed raspberries at a bridal shower |
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| The Side of Z Cuisine in the Highlands |
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Paleo Nachos
Being grain-free has made me miss the crunch of nachos so today when I couldn't bear it any longer I had to be resourceful!
Check out these delicious and easy to make nachos that totally satisfy the need for crunch!
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| Paleo Nachos! |
1. A red or yellow pepper cut into large pieces
2. A handfull of cherry tomatoes, halved
3. Browned chorizo or hamburger seasoned with cayenne pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder
4. Guacamole (I just stir up avocado, a jalapeno, a squeeze of lime, and cilantro)
Layer it all together and use the pepper slices to dip! Voila!
Monday, March 5, 2012
The Artist's Way
My hands were shaking, clammy. My stomach in knots. I approached the podium in the basement of the Sheraton hotel where over 100 faces stared back at me. I extended a warm welcome and proceeded to introduce the three people who comprised the artist’s panel at the FOCUS conference. Rachel Ross, a museum curator from DC and culinary artist; Tom Stroka, an architect who graduated from Notre Dame and now worked at a world-renounced architecture firm- Duncan Stoic; and Father Peter Musset- a graphic designer, potter, jeweler, and photographer.
Each possessed portfolios and experiences that were far beyond the scope of anything I’d done. I was honored to be participating in this panel as the MC, but utterly dwarfed in terms of creative output.
Growing up, my mom- a water color painter and all around creative force- encouraged me to be creative. She was the kind of influence you’d hope for, warm, encouraging, delighted in anything I’d make with a sincerity and enthusiasm that was totally undeserved. Despite my mom’s encouragements I could never get beyond my own short-comings, lack of skill, and imperfections. Plus, I’m not very good at drawing so I thought that ruled me out as an appreciator of art but not an artist myself.
Being that I was a self proclaimed appreciator of art and not an artist, I couldn’t explain what I was feeling sitting there in that low lit basement room, hearing these artists speak about their creative endeavors, making claims about the possibility that art and beauty can save the world, and speaking specifically about the benefits of making art yourself. I was moved, inspired even, to try and begin creating. I felt as though a single flimsy match was being lit- by no means the fire that you can warm yourself by, but the potential for a beginning. As the panelists made their final points, Father Peter extended an invitation to the group- “if you are interested” he said, “I am beginning an artists’ group to start reading the Artist’s Way.” I didn’t know what the Artist’s Way was, but I did know I was interested in meeting with artists – even if I wasn’t one.
We began meeting – 7 of us in all. Ranging from writers to painters, landscapers, to undeclared like me. We went through what Julia Cameron deems the “basic tools” morning pages, 3 pages of free hand stream of conscious writing first thing each morning. The Artist Date- a one hour date each week with just you and your artists doing whatever your inner artist (often described in the book as a little child) decides to do, and the creative cluster – that support group that helps you to wade through all the muck and get to the pure gold of creativity.
These basic tools are the building blocks for recovering your artist self- and I made a commitment to my group and to myself to employ them all for 12 weeks. Morning pages EVERY DAY, artist date and Creative cluster each week. Somehow I was hoping that being involved in this group would connect me with that artsy thing. That thing that would help me to express myself, to communicate that pint up feeling of being unheard. That’s not exactly what happened, but what took place was more than I could have imagined.
In addition to the basic tools, each week focused on a theme. These themes each seemed to correlate with the goings on in my life. When I was feeling less than fiscally responsible I read the chapter on recovering a sense of abundance. When I was challenged at work beyond my strength the theme was recovering a sense of power. And each week the themes served as sculpting tools – removing the access material from the clay mass that was my heart. Safety, identity, power, integrity, possibility, abundance, connection strength, compassion, self-protection, autonomy and faith- each week a new theme each week a new challenge, each week a new breakthrough.
As this process continued I still had no clarity about what I wanted to make, how I wanted to make the world a more beautiful place. In fact, I still believed I belonged in the “appreciates art, but is not an artist” camp. I maintained the grueling task of waking up 30 minutes early each morning and writing. I took my little artist on a date… and after 10 weeks of meeting with my group I realized that the masterpiece I was creating was me!! I was so much more in touch with my emotions and thoughts. I finally made time to do the things that refreshed my soul. I was free to be a little quirky.
It took many months before I was finally able to find my favorite medium – in my case collage and fibers, but the true achievement was the masterpiece of my heart.
I think when Julia Cameron wrote her book the Artist’s way she titled it that because it’s not about the art- it’s not about the creation- the final product… it’s about the path. Each artist takes to come to understand that when we create we are doing something powerful. We are breathing life into the world, we are inspiring hope and as artists- as people who are capable of creation it is not about the destination.. it’s about the journey. In other words, it’s about the “way.”
Each possessed portfolios and experiences that were far beyond the scope of anything I’d done. I was honored to be participating in this panel as the MC, but utterly dwarfed in terms of creative output.
Growing up, my mom- a water color painter and all around creative force- encouraged me to be creative. She was the kind of influence you’d hope for, warm, encouraging, delighted in anything I’d make with a sincerity and enthusiasm that was totally undeserved. Despite my mom’s encouragements I could never get beyond my own short-comings, lack of skill, and imperfections. Plus, I’m not very good at drawing so I thought that ruled me out as an appreciator of art but not an artist myself.
Being that I was a self proclaimed appreciator of art and not an artist, I couldn’t explain what I was feeling sitting there in that low lit basement room, hearing these artists speak about their creative endeavors, making claims about the possibility that art and beauty can save the world, and speaking specifically about the benefits of making art yourself. I was moved, inspired even, to try and begin creating. I felt as though a single flimsy match was being lit- by no means the fire that you can warm yourself by, but the potential for a beginning. As the panelists made their final points, Father Peter extended an invitation to the group- “if you are interested” he said, “I am beginning an artists’ group to start reading the Artist’s Way.” I didn’t know what the Artist’s Way was, but I did know I was interested in meeting with artists – even if I wasn’t one.
We began meeting – 7 of us in all. Ranging from writers to painters, landscapers, to undeclared like me. We went through what Julia Cameron deems the “basic tools” morning pages, 3 pages of free hand stream of conscious writing first thing each morning. The Artist Date- a one hour date each week with just you and your artists doing whatever your inner artist (often described in the book as a little child) decides to do, and the creative cluster – that support group that helps you to wade through all the muck and get to the pure gold of creativity.
These basic tools are the building blocks for recovering your artist self- and I made a commitment to my group and to myself to employ them all for 12 weeks. Morning pages EVERY DAY, artist date and Creative cluster each week. Somehow I was hoping that being involved in this group would connect me with that artsy thing. That thing that would help me to express myself, to communicate that pint up feeling of being unheard. That’s not exactly what happened, but what took place was more than I could have imagined.
In addition to the basic tools, each week focused on a theme. These themes each seemed to correlate with the goings on in my life. When I was feeling less than fiscally responsible I read the chapter on recovering a sense of abundance. When I was challenged at work beyond my strength the theme was recovering a sense of power. And each week the themes served as sculpting tools – removing the access material from the clay mass that was my heart. Safety, identity, power, integrity, possibility, abundance, connection strength, compassion, self-protection, autonomy and faith- each week a new theme each week a new challenge, each week a new breakthrough.
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| This is a piece from my recent art show. |
As this process continued I still had no clarity about what I wanted to make, how I wanted to make the world a more beautiful place. In fact, I still believed I belonged in the “appreciates art, but is not an artist” camp. I maintained the grueling task of waking up 30 minutes early each morning and writing. I took my little artist on a date… and after 10 weeks of meeting with my group I realized that the masterpiece I was creating was me!! I was so much more in touch with my emotions and thoughts. I finally made time to do the things that refreshed my soul. I was free to be a little quirky.
It took many months before I was finally able to find my favorite medium – in my case collage and fibers, but the true achievement was the masterpiece of my heart.
I think when Julia Cameron wrote her book the Artist’s way she titled it that because it’s not about the art- it’s not about the creation- the final product… it’s about the path. Each artist takes to come to understand that when we create we are doing something powerful. We are breathing life into the world, we are inspiring hope and as artists- as people who are capable of creation it is not about the destination.. it’s about the journey. In other words, it’s about the “way.”
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Well anyway, this happened...
I couldn't find my coffee mug this morning. I was looking all around my room and even went back to the bathroom where I last had it. Then I realized it was camouflaged by the damask box. Hilarious!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Feast of St. Valentine
Tuesday was the feast of St. Valentine (and Saints Cyril and Methodius, but that's neither here nor there.) It was a day to celebrate love and the fruits of love - marriage, friendship, and joy...and I'll venture to say, life!
To honor this wonderful day for love I took a personal day which was just so refreshing. I had an appointment in the morning and afterward had a little Downton Abbey viewing party with my roommate Jen. We were both effectively stirred up by the amoral Grantham family and their antics. After one hour and fifty three minutes of a spinning plot, the death of the only virtuous character, and the continuation of drama between Mary and Matthew I was ready to take care of a few things in my own life
For the next hour or so I cleaned the house while listening to my new favorite band, Paper Bird.
Once the dusting, vacuuming, and sweeping were complete I moseyed over to the Laughing Latte where I was met by a thousand red rose-petals and the friendly face of Mindy a new barista there.
I found a seat by the window where I read LOTR over long drinks lavender infused chamomile tea.
To honor this wonderful day for love I took a personal day which was just so refreshing. I had an appointment in the morning and afterward had a little Downton Abbey viewing party with my roommate Jen. We were both effectively stirred up by the amoral Grantham family and their antics. After one hour and fifty three minutes of a spinning plot, the death of the only virtuous character, and the continuation of drama between Mary and Matthew I was ready to take care of a few things in my own life
For the next hour or so I cleaned the house while listening to my new favorite band, Paper Bird.
Once the dusting, vacuuming, and sweeping were complete I moseyed over to the Laughing Latte where I was met by a thousand red rose-petals and the friendly face of Mindy a new barista there.
After a delightful afternoon with Merry, Pippin, Gandolf (the white), and the men of Rohan I walked back to my house. Shortly following Trish, John Paul, Anne and I went to dinner and then to the Ellie Caulkins Opera House to see the Marriage of Figaro.
Certainly love was in the air on Tuesday and I think it was mostly coming from God and being reigned down on me. I hope your Valentines day was full of love too.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Food for Annie!
Dear Annie,
Life is rough when you can't eat bread, chocolate, nuts, fruit...dairy... It's rough. Rough indeed. Here is a little list of all the foods that have kept me going these past 26 days. I know you can do it, girl! Don't give up! Love, Jen
Main Dishes:
Carnitas - Put a 2-4 lb roast in the crockpot with a chopped onion and 5-10 garlic cloves and a tbsp (ish) of cayenne pepper (you can just season to taste) let cook on low for 7+ hours or high for 3-4 hours. Serve with tomatoes, avocado,
Life is rough when you can't eat bread, chocolate, nuts, fruit...dairy... It's rough. Rough indeed. Here is a little list of all the foods that have kept me going these past 26 days. I know you can do it, girl! Don't give up! Love, Jen
Main Dishes:
Chicken Drumsticks -this is a new staple
Carnitas - Put a 2-4 lb roast in the crockpot with a chopped onion and 5-10 garlic cloves and a tbsp (ish) of cayenne pepper (you can just season to taste) let cook on low for 7+ hours or high for 3-4 hours. Serve with tomatoes, avocado, Braised Chicken (just don't include the flour part)
Cauli rice I add chicken to this and sometimes do mexican seasoning instead
My ghetto chicken: in a pan I sauté onions and then put in as much chicken as possible (because I like having leftovers for salad etc) and add pepper, cayenne, lime or lemon. Cook it on both sides for a few minutes and serve with veggies or over chicken. The next day it's great over lettuce (keep some of the onions for the salad- it adds a lot of flavor) ...you can also season with ginger instead or just salt and pepper
Sides:
I pretty much cook all veggies in olive oil or coconut oil and chopped onion and garlic - kale, asparagus, green beans, peppers, zucchini, chopped brussel sprouts (that's good with a squeeze of lemon on top... or check out this recipe for brussel sprout hash)
Etcetera:
Here are some things I've not tried, but might be good. These are just basics for ideas. Obviously if it asks for splenda etc. just omit. If it asks for canned tomato just chop tomatoes and put them in a pan to soften for a while.
Green chili with chicken (no cream...)
Frittata (take out the cheese and add peppers, onions, and tomatoes)
Beef Kebabs (nix the vinegar)
Carne Asada (obviously, no tortillas)
You can do it!! I'm so proud of you!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
New Year's Resolutions 2012!!!!
Here they are, folks! My resolutions for this year:
1. Go on a road trip (>5 hours of driving)
2. Love with reckless abandon
3. Relinquish control
4. Do things that scare me
5. Find a local band and go to at least three of their concerts
6. Save money every month
7. Spend at least 5 minutes per day looking over my finances
8. Be before God
Auld lang signe! (Which, by the way, means days gone by...) Here's to a brand new year!
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