Trisha
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Let there be Dessert!
I am a huge fan of baking...I really love it! The challenge: we eat mostly Paleo and baking within these dietary restrictions can be challenging. Does that deter me from my passion? No way! I'm always searching for recipes to try out and different ways to use the (sometimes) limited ingredients I have to work with. It has taken some time, but I have gotten used to the way my baked goods turn out now that I mostly use almond flour or coconut flour rather than white, wheat or even gluten-free flours. My all time favorite site for baked goods, as well as many other wonderful recipes is Elana's Pantry. She has come up with so many yummy recipes that don't include refined sugars, wheat and even dairy which can cause so many problems for people (including me!). Last week I decided to try something new. I really enjoy lemon desserts but wanted a change from my usual lemon tart. I wandered over to Swiss Paleo and found a recipe for lemon brownies...interesting, right? They turned out as delicious as they look and were very easy to make. I love having a little sweet treat now and then that doesn't make me feel gross after eating it. No sugar crash here! If you'd like to try these beauties, head over to Swiss Paleo!
The Silver Lining
Our lives have been a tad crazy lately...well, a whole lot crazy lately is more like it. 3 weeks ago we began the (much larger than anticipated) garage re-do project. It was meant to take a couple weekends but has now dragged on into the 3 week mark. ALL our garage items (paint, misc wood, saws & tools, storage bins galore & more) has been taking up space in our house. Every time I bump into something or knock something over trying to get to the things I use every day (like my computer) I want to scream! My poor kids have been exiled from their playroom which in turn keeps them under foot constantly. Every day we get closer to the finish line and I get a glimpse of getting my house back! Oh the crazy things I do to re-organize my house. Our top priority since buying this lovely fixer has been to make it function better (and be more pretty!). So enough complaining...it'll all be worth it in the end. With the start of school tomorrow and a long weekend just a few days away, I couldn't be happier! This is what I will think of next time I stub my toe on the boat motor in my office...ouch!
Trisha
Saturday, August 24, 2013
The Feeling of Fall
It's that time of year when you start to notice a few leaves falling to the ground or starting to change color. Each morning brings cool, crisp weather that melts into a warm (usually) sunny afternoon. The Pacific Northwest is a wonderful place to be! I'm starting to crave soups & stews, comfort food and spice cookies...mmm. This year it seems that fall might be coming a little sooner than usual, but that's ok by me! It's nearly back to school here and we're caught up in trying to squeeze the fun out of our last remaining days of summer. Soon it will be time to pack away the shorts & tank tops, drain the swimming pool and cover the grill (unless you use yours year-round!). What are some ways that you transition to cooler weather? Probably mid-September, I will get the storage bins out of the top of my kids' closets that are marked "fall & winter" and replace them with "summer"...one of the easier ways to keep track of hand-me-down clothes from my oldest. It's also time for us to start wrapping up our outdoor projects and start making our indoor project list...there are endless possibilities there! Here's to hoping that wherever you live you can get have the feeling of fall in your house too. May it bring you joy and lots of yummy recipes!
Trisha
Monday, August 19, 2013
May the Best Mini Mudroom Win!
My husband and I are in the process of re-doing our garage (will show before & afters in next post). When we moved into our house, the garage had mostly open walls (zero drywall) and odds and ends of shelving in all different varieties. It's dirty, unorganized and in utter chaos most of the time. At one time I was able to park my car in there, but that was short lived as the cobwebs and clutter began to take over. After asking my husband to clean and organize "his" domain, he informed me that it was a gut job...i.e. rip everything out and start over. Umm, not exactly what I was thinking, but ok. It has been a long process since we've had to do the work on the weekends and it's still not ready for paint or shelving. We are getting close though so I've started looking for ideas to incorporate a mudroom area in among the storage and cars. I would love to have a separate space for a mudroom but it's just not possible in this house. So a mini mudroom it is! Here are some of my inspirations...
I absolutely love the idea of using different units together to create the built-in look. Most pre-fab mudroom units are a bit pricey for me. This picture is awesome because it tells you exactly what unit to buy to get this look...easy!
These are just a few of the many great ideas I've been seeing. What I know for sure is I want a bench that is either open underneath for muddy shoes or a bench that has shoe rails underneath. I really don't think I want to clean out mud and dirt from shoe baskets, bins or cubbies. I've heard of people placing large cookie sheets under shoes to catch the drips and debris...hmm. What are you currently using in your mudroom? I'd love to hear all your ideas!
Trisha
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Away We Go! Vintage Market Hopping
Re-purposing, up-cycling, re-do, re-use, recycle...these are all things we hear more and more when it comes to our house. The "take what you have and give it a new life" approach is a really fantastic way to save money and refresh your space. Sometimes my brain refuses to see an old furniture piece in a new way so I have to seek out inspiration. One of the most fun ways to be inspired is to see what others are doing. Today I spend the day with an amazing friend cruising vintage markets. My new favorite market to shop is Valley Vintage Market in Poulsbo, Washington. The selection was pretty fantastic, prices negotiable and people very friendly & helpful. What a great way to spend a Saturday!
One of the sellers was so helpful that she pointed us in the direction of a couple other markets along our way home...love this! Every one know that it's or miss with vintage markets and antique shops but it truly doesn't matter when you go on this adventure with a fantastic person. Sometimes window shopping with coffee in hand enjoying good conversation is all you need. Today though I had the bonus of finding a few treasures along the way. I have mentioned before my love for industrial accents in my home, so naturally I couldn't come home without something to represent! I just love gears!
Trisha
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
The Summer Wind Down
Summer is drawing to a close and its happening rather quickly. I remember being a kid and seeing the back to school commercials on tv and dreading the end of summertime bliss. Now that I'm a mom, I see those same commercials with a whole new perspective...peace amongst the household is coming! Don't get me wrong, I love having my kids home with me and being able to have a flexible schedule that allows time for fun adventures. There's just something about the second week of August that makes me excited that school is just around the corner. One of the reasons is that despite being in sports camps, vacation Bible camps, going camping and various other summer activities, my kids seem to be crying boredom! Whaaat? I feel like I need a vacation from summer vacation with all the shuttling them back and forth! Oh well, I have decided to declare this typical-kid-need-to-get-back-to-school behavior...quite insightful, I know. All this to say, we've begun "the re-introduction into school activities" time each day. This includes practicing math, ABC's, writing and reading. Once they get into it (and forget about that movie they've been asking to watch) it's actually pretty fun. When they're done, they get to put a fabulous sticker on their responsibility charts thus getting them closer to the end goal...a prize at Target! Hopefully in the days to come, they will get pumped for that first day of school. Here's to wishing you success and fun in the last couple weeks of summer.
Trisha
Monday, August 12, 2013
For the Love of Industrial Style
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
So Pinteresting
It has been a slow summer week around here. The weather has been fantastic and the schedule of events light. Besides going to the gym every other day, we've been lounging around in the sun, swimming in the pool and reading. I love to read. Some might say its an addiction...I prefer to describe it as a passion! I have already blasted through a book this week and am now wondering what to read next. But since I've had some time to fill I have been frequenting Pinterest. Now that can be addicting let me tell you! I have been searching for some inspiration on a couple gallery walls I'm wanting to do. Of coarse I've found so many amazing ideas...here's just one of them.
If you like this idea, feel free to check out my other pins and boards on my Pinterest page and stay tuned to see more on my future gallery wall!
Trisha
Monday, August 5, 2013
Monday Matters- Pool Time!
Since my kids were old enough to talk they have been asking for a swimming pool in our yard. We have kept them happy, up until now, with the kiddie pool variety. Now that my oldest is 8 and all my kids have been taking swimming lessons, they have declared the kiddie pool to be insufficient. So of coarse I said we wouldn't be getting another pool until our current one was sunk, pardon the expression!! I was sure I could squeeze another year out of our pool even though I had already used most of the patches it came with, but alas, it cracked another hole! This time it couldn't be repaired (kids cheering in the background!). So I decided to bite the bullet and order the "big" pool. In the end, I decided to go with the 12'x36" intext above ground pool. Today was set-up day and the kids couldn't be more happy. My wonderful husband even decided to work from home so he could help with the set-up. After about an hour it is finally full to the top and ice cold...maybe we'll use it tomorrow! Out of all the different big kid toys (Foosball table, ping-pong table, trampoline) I was considering getting this summer, I'm glad I went with the pool. I love encouraging my kids to practice all that they learn at swimming lessons and it does provide hours of active entertainment (love that!!). What are your kids enjoying this summer? I'd love to know!
Trisha
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Desk Re-Do
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