Wednesday, February 29, 2012

what we wore wednesday

um, hi. here i am. i've been so busy this week, and i can't even figure out why. i have 3 blog posts in my drafts with pictures all ready just waiting to be written and published but i haven't had any time to sit down and write anything.

also, this blog post will be light on the pictures and heavy on the words. it will equal my guts spilled all over this hizzle.

probably because it's been a pretty rough week with my daughter, little a. she has been in rare form since we got back from San Diego two weeks ago. she just generally has a strong willed personality, but i feel like lately she has been testing the waters more than normal. in retrospect, i'm sure she is missing her friends and family back home in SD, just like we are, and is struggling to deal with those feelings. i mean, shes' 3... how can she articulate how she's feeling?

i'm constantly feeling overwhelmed, and at my end with her. like yesterday when she bit her brother at one point in the day, then started screaming and running away from me in the library at another point. i'm standing there, with 5475687365 books in my arms trying to quietly get her to come back over to me because Lord knows i'm not gonna chase her. and all the people gave me side eye.

these are not my favorite moments. but i feel like the Lord is allowing me to live in these moments, more regularly, because they are teachable moments for me. and i so desperately want to learn from them... if only i could get control of MY emotions. but i keep hearing that He wants me to LOSE CONTROL? wait, what? i'm sorry Lord, i'm not hearing you correctly... you want this OCD, power loving, control freak mama to {gulp} lose control? 

eeek. 

but for reals. He does. because the sooner i lose control, the sooner i am freed from all the guilt, and shame, and pride, and worry that i carry around as a parent... because He is in control of all that AND MY DAUGHTER! can i get an AMEN? 

and i am also comforted lately by the sense that i'm not alone. i've read several blog posts lately about how other moms are struggling too. on Jones Design Company, talking about being a mother of four, i love how she says, "Someone once said that parenting is not so much about teaching a child as it is about refining a parent". SO. TRUE. and can we just talk about the refining process for a sec? super tough. 

and i weeped my eyes out after reading Hello From The Nato's post about thinking her kids were her own. when she says, "i find myself having to say, God this baby is yours. because for a minute there, i thought she was mine." i'm all, RIGHT!!!?? i totally thought my kids were my own. i mean, God gave me authority over them, right? they are my blessing, right? so why can't i have control over them? because that's not the relationship that is supposed to be mirrored to our kids about how God works. someone once told me that God didn't create us like sheep to be locked up in a pen. He created us to run free, and when we choose Him it is even sweeter. 

that's my job too. to teach my kids to choose to obey. teach them responsibilty. but i am totally still learning that for my freaking self!!!! 

and when i was talking with my mentor yesterday about living in guilt, i was all, "but i totally know that and am working on it." like, that's something else for me to try to control. hey, i need an action plan, to work out my control issues. she lovingly reminded me that that is God's job. he he ehhhhh. 

long story long... i'm struggling. but i'm seeking the Lord in my struggle to meet my needs. and i make it through each day, by a hair and a lot of grace. but at least i make it. 

ok, i'm good. i got it out. thanks. 

side story: have you ever wanted a piece of clothing so bad for so long that you thought would just put together like 20 outfits in your closet if you had it? well, i have. and it's a denim shirt. i finally snagged one up for $6 at Plato's closet the other day and have worn it 4 days in a row. because that's how many outfits it goes with, so far. and the funny thing is that it's a Miley Cyrus brand. when i told my husband i got a Miley Cyrus shirt he thought it was a big graphic tee with her face all over it. um, no. i would not be about that. 


{ME} 
gray vneck shirt old navy / denim button up plato's closet / navy blue cords old navy / navy blue flats GAP / flannel infinity scarf made my me / what i did noddin' my head like, yeah. party in the USA (bought bathroom essentials at Target, totally the same thing)


{BIG A} 
tshirt target / flannel thrifted / jeans quiksilver from nordy's / shoes gifted from children's place / what he did rocked the high jump with attitude


{LITTLE A} 
shirt gifted / skirt hand me down / cardi gifted from target / tights walmart / shoes target / what she did worked me with her charming ways, the ushe

thank guys, for letting me get it all out. 

love, tara

Friday, February 24, 2012

font love friday

i've stumbled upon some typography that just made me gasp! this is my favorite font of the week.


isn't this type THE JAM!? the first time i saw it i instantly knew that i wanted to use it for my bestie's oldest daughter. to me, it just screams her name. as i started designing it my vision was confirmed all the more. i was inspired by her bedroom, which has the bold colors of red, pink, blue, orange, and yellow. she also has circle wall decals that look like colorful bubbles floating all over her room. it is too cute!
bekah, one of my dearest friends in all the land, requested that i add her birth stats... which i think is such a perfect touch to this little namesake mini-poster. 


i'm thinking about working on a giveaway for a custom designed namesake mini-poster, but am wondering if any of you lovely readers would be interested in one?


if i get good feedback i'll put something special together! 

hope to hear from you! 

kisses,
tara

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

make it paleo: cobbler

ok, so i know today is Wednesday... and i should be posting about what we wore... and i also didn't post about it last week... 

i guess i'm just not loving any outfits i have right now. so i'm going to post about food instead. 

since i am a sugar addict trying to recover, i need to keep things around my house that will satisfy my sweet tooth while still keeping me on the paleo track. i've tried several different dessert recipes, some have passed and some have failed miserably. it's just not easy making healthy comfort food! here is one recipe that passed the test. the "cobbler crust" is from this apple crisp recipe and i switched up the fruit from apples to pears and berries. 


here's my version:

{PALEO PEAR BERRY COBBLER}
2 c finely ground blanched almond flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/3 c coconut oil
1/4 c agave nectar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
4 ripe pears, pealed and cut into 1" chunks
1 1/2 c frozen mixed berries, thawed
1/2 c coconut palm sugar

1. in a large bowl combine almond flour, salt, cinnamon, and cloves.
2. in another bowl combine oil, nectar, and vanilla.
3. add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. the mixture will turn a little pasty.
(i forgot to take a picture of these steps! ah!)


4. toss pears, berries, and coconut palm sugar. 


5. place pear berry mixture into a 1 1/2qt. dish (mine is corningware)


6. grab chunks of the cobbler paste and crumble over pear berry mixture. 


7. bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 


enjoy! 

i had a sweet new friend over earlier this morning to test it out and we both loved it! i hope you do to. 

xoxo,
tara

Monday, February 20, 2012

paleo template meal plan - week 2

i'm back with another blog post. i know it's been awhile, i was in a little schlump and am forcing myself out of it with more recipes!

you may have noticed in my last meal plan that it was chicken heavy and dairy light. this is because we were still doing our "cleanse" of only eating chicken, veggies, fruits, & nuts for 21 days. now that we are no longer on the cleanse i am incorporating more varieties of meat and adding minimal dairy. mostly for the kids, i've found it helps them stay full longer. obviously i am a mom, so most of my snacks and meals are driven by the kids approval. it's hard to keep them grain free, so if i keep stuff around they like it makes it easier when i break the news that... no honey, we don't have bread for sandwiches, and we can't have real noodles with our spaghetti. 

{BREAKFAST}
Sunday: scrambled eggs w/ salsa & avocado & sliced oranges on the side
Monday: no-oatmeal with sliced apples & raisins
Tuesday: bacon & fried eggs
Thursday: scrambled eggs w/ salsa & avocado & sliced oranges on the side
Friday: no-oatmeal with fresh blueberries
Saturday: paleo waffles & fresh strawberries

*TIPS*
- i usually grind my nuts for several servings of the no-oatmeal at one time, so i can just measure and cook when i'm ready to make it. 
- make several servings of bacon and reserve it for the cobb salad
- i added 2 tbsp tapioca flour and 1 tsp vanilla extract to the paleo waffles to make them a little more moist


{MORNING SNACK}
Monday: smoothie
Tuesday: plain whole milk yogurt w/ honey & berries
Thursday: ants on a log
Friday: smoothie
Saturday: cottage cheese & applesauce


{LUNCH}
Sunday: fajita salad
Tuesday: chicken nuggets & applesauce 
Wednesday: turkey burger patty w/ avocado & carrots
Thursday: italian salad (scroll down for recipe)
Saturday: paleo cobb salad

*TIPS*
- i mentioned this in the last meal plan post, but i boil a whole chicken on Sunday afternoon and save the meat in a large ziplock for salads throughout the week.
- i also reserve the broth for soup throughout the week.
- paleo cobb to me is a sliced hard boiled egg, chopped bacon, chopped turkey breast, chopped avocado, a sprinkle of salt, and a drizzle of olive oil over spinach.


{AFTERNOON SNACK}
Sunday: veggie chips & jalapeno greek yogurt dip
Monday: fresh veggies & paleo hummus
Tuesday: chocolate chip cookies & almond milk 
Wednesday: banana & almond butter
Thursday: veggie chips & guacamole
Friday: paleo brownies & almond milk
Saturday: veggie chips & guacamole

*TIPS*
- the jalapeno greek yogurt dip is straight from the good Lord above. my Costco had a giant tub, but i've also seen it at Whole Foods. 
- again, i obviously have kids, so keeping things like brownies and cookies in the house is a must if i am even a little successful at derailing them from the Valentine's candy train. (it may also be for me, as i am a recovering sugar addict.)


{DINNER}
Sunday: slow cooker pork roast w/ roasted broccoli
Monday: broccoli & ham frittata
Tuesday: mexican chicken soup (scroll down for recipe)
Wednesday: garlic roasted chicken thighs & roasted asparagus
Friday: paleo pizza
Saturday: leftovers! 

*TIPS*
- the garlic roasted chicken thighs are so easy, and tasty. just sprinkle garlic powder, salt and pepper on the thighs and bake at 350 til done, about 30 minutes. 
- you will need a day of rest after all that cooking. believe me, i know this for a FACT. i am often sooooo tired from all the cooking and cleaning that is required of the paleo lifestyle, and it's always a nice break to not have to cook for a night. shoot, get crazy and use paper plates too! 

i would love to know if you use my printout and find these posts useful. how are you doing on the paleo lifestyle? we are still going strong and never felt better!

much love,
tara

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

what we wore wednesday

denim daze. 

denim is perfect for traveling. and layering. especially when you're not sure what the weather will be when you arrive. we are all wearing layers of denim in some shape or form. and leggings for the girls. because stretchy pants make for a pleasant road trip.


{little a}
shirt target / jacket gifted old navy / jeggings walmart / converse marshalls / ***GUN borrowed from Hume Lake costumes*** what she did sang her little heart out while we packed for our trip (that's right, we leave TODAY and we packed THIS MORNING. that's how we roll.


{Big A} 
shirt old navy / jacket thrifted GAP / levis nordy's rack / slip ons gifted old navy / what he did play date with his pen pal


{ME}
shirt borrowed from husband's closet / belt target / leggings target / mocs thrifted / what i did packed my little heart out while the kids ran rampant around the house

today's theme was comfort. we have a busy day, full of packing, cleaning, and traveling. when we pick Big A up from school we head out of town for the weekend for some much needed family and friend time. we're heading down south to our hometown of San Diego. and while i am very excited, i have a ridiculous amount of items on my to do list... and it will be a long busy weekend. 

but i do look forward to it. 

are you already making plans for the weekend? anything fun?!! 

xoxo,
tara


p.s. here's a message from little a: rejtjewhtjejhr4kyuuyiij oepj ppeiu]6[1[t 857t6yreyghndnb.x.m.d/j/ykvjhyltoigfkytktrjfdheuhdhrhr

***UPDATE: it was brought to my attention that i failed to mention where a particular accessory was from. i love my readers and read every comment. i'm working on getting better at responding to each one. please let me know if there is something i miss and you want to know where it's from.***

thanks johnny. come visit. 

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

make it paleo: ketchup

i know, its weird right? spending all that time to make something as simple at ketchup... paleo? well, when you have small kids in the house, and also love ketchup, and realize there is added sugar or high fructose corn syrup in your favorite brand of the ol' condiment... it just seems necessary. 

for me at least. plus, i like a good challenge. on my own terms.

so i set about to make a yummy roasted garlic and tomato ketchup that i recently discovered on the blog My New Roots (which is not a paleo blog). aren't the pictures so pretty? the ketchup is pretty good too!




i roasted my tomatoes, then head out to take the kids to open gym at our favorite gymnastics hang out.




then came home to finish off the recipe. i did make a few of my own changes, really small ones.



{ROASTED GARLIC & TOMATO KETCHUP
10 medium-sized tomatoes
coconut oil
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
3 star anise
3 bay leaves
1 tsp. ground coriander
pinch of chili flakes
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Wash and cut tomatoes in half. Smash garlic cloves and remove skin.  Place on a lined baking sheet. Lightly drizzle with oil and a pinch of sea salt. Place in oven and roast for 30 minutes or so, until tomatoes and garlic are caramelized and fragrant.  
3. While the tomatoes are cooking, heat some oil in a large pot and add onions, a pinch of sea salt, black pepper, garlic, chili flakes, star anise, bay leaves, and coriander. Cook until the onions soften slightly, about 5 minutes. When the bottom of the pot gets dry, “deglaze” the pot with apple cider vinegar. 
4. Once slightly cool, place tomatoes and cooked onion mix (remove star anise and bay leaves, but save for later) in a food processor and blend on high to puree. The original recipe says to  use the back of a wooden spoon or spatula, press puree through a mesh sieve back into the pot, but I didn’t and liked the more chunky consistency of my ketchup.
5. Add back the star anise and bay leaves, bring a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook until thickened (5-10 minutes). Season to taste. If it is not tangy enough, add a few teaspoons of apple cider vinegar. 
6. Once the ketchup has slightly cooled, pour into a clean glass container and store in the fridge for a week. Freezes well.  




i brought it to a super bowl party with roasted matchstick sweet potatoes and parsnips. i also topped some green sliders with it for dinner another night, and polished off the rest with some leftovers for lunch today. so tasty. 

Friday, February 3, 2012

font love friday


i've stumbled upon some typography that just made me gasp! this is my favorite font of the week. 

remember when i posted THIS cute print in my love, sweet love inspiration board? 


well, with Valentine's day coming up {and i discovering that the font used was called Sketch Block} i just HAD to make my own smaller version for Big A to pass out to his classmates for his first Valentine's Day party. the original is way more awesome than the one i made, but kindergartners don't care! and i hope the original artist is a firm believer in imitation being flattery! because i would never want to offend. go get the real print and support small businesses!!! 



my little dinosaur was made up of different shapes...ha! but again, kindergartners don't care! and my son loved them. 




happy Friday! we will be doing our regular tradition of Family Movie Night tonight with the kids. i'll make paleo pizza and we'll give them sparkling juice because they think its soda, and maybe even make some paleo chocolate chip cookies. once the kiddos hit the hay my husband and i will indulge in our new favorite show, Downton Abbey, on Netflix. its all the rage. everyone i know is watching it. and now we're totally hooked. 

do you watch it? what do you think?

i hope you have great plans for the weekend.

hearts,
tara