last week, this week....

~we've eaten quiche

~we've been hit by the cold/virus bug, drinking lots of tea with lemon and honey and taking cold medicines, my workout routine is also lacking now-really I should be in bed now but I can't sleep.

~we've been admiring the beauty of plants, forget clothes shopping- I'd rather go shopping at the plant nursery.


~we took enough cough syrup and a supply of cough drops in order to visit with a dear friend who was visiting in the area (from the Midwest), we had lunch at a great vegetarian restaurant (I told her to load up on elderberry syrup and vitamin C after our visit :) she's headed back home today.

I'd better go get some sleep, the kids on spring break this week and when these colds subside maybe we'll get to something a bit adventurous.
hope you are having a good week!

friendship through the distance

sometimes in life you meet people that just get you. they are easy to be around. they like things you like. they like things that are different too, and that you admire. these are the friends you treasure~

today I received a package of lovely goodies from that kind of friend. a friend I miss a whole lot. I miss our adventures, our lunches (which we always enjoyed some baked goods and a nice cup of hot tea or coffee), our library visits and our knit nights which included sharing our favorite fish sandwich. initially I was worried about the distance and sometimes what it does to friends, but you know somehow I think being aware of this distance makes me cherish our friendship even more.
always hold on to your friends.

our 2010

2010 was a year of many changes for us, some good, some not so much. One of the most drastic changes last year and most heartbreaking was the passing of my grandmother. In the fall of 2009 my grandmother got quite ill. She went back and forth between the hospital and home-and then finally hospice. She passed away last January-just three months after her initial hospitalization. See my grandmother was/is very instrumental in my life. She had a huge hand in my up bringing. Some of my favorite memories (from my early childhood) include us going out to get fried fish (from Captain D's) and then coming back home to look at Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. She loved game shows. Another thing she would always do for me was to get me a Snickers bar whenever we ventured to the grocery store together. She loved cooking and was absolutely one of the best cooks I've ever known. Her macaroni and cheese (she used Velveeta:) was so, so good. She always wanted family and guests to eat well. Her cakes, her pies were pure down home goodness. She was my perpetual cheerleader, she use to tell me how proud she was of me-even if I hadn't done anything particularly outstanding. I am so very grateful that my own children had chances to be with her during our visits down South. Often someone I know will tell me that I have "old people ways" and I know exactly why I do have those ways. I miss talking to her on the phone, asking for advice, talking about the weather, politics, and what we were both cooking up for dinner. I just miss her so much-I keep my memories of her close to my heart.

Another major change this year (late summer) was our move. This is the farthest we have ever moved from our family. In all the other places we've lived before we were at least in driving distance to someone in our families. This move took a lot out of me (honestly I was a hot mess), but with each day this new place becomes less new. I'm not big on change-at all. If I could live in the same place for years I think I would because I'm just a creature of habit. However because of schooling and work situations we have done our fair share of moving. Now in a new place, we are trying to establish community for our family. This community building has been made somewhat easier because of our church. Yet, I still find myself at times struggling with feelings of loneliness and sadness. As I inch closer my forties- the need for connection and belonging has become stronger. Roots. We are not totally sure if this will be the place for our "roots"- but we will remain prayerful about it.

Other changes include what's next for me work/career wise. This has been on my mind alot because now both of my girls are in school all day. Often I get the question, "what do you do with all that free time?" Honestly I want to respond to the person asking with "I recharge!", but mostly I just look at the person with a shy grin. The tutoring, piano practices, and other activities fill up a great deal of our after school days, but perhaps it would be interesting to pursue something outside of the home spectrum (hence the Master Gardening classes :) My dream would be to work outdoors-planting something, but is that practical? When my oldest daughter was born I put her in daycare when she was six months old to go back to school. After schooling I worked outside the home until I had my second child. After my second child I did not re-enter the workforce. Now my youngest is in school full day. Should I go back to my old field which is totally practical or should I pursue something vastly different? Definitely questions for me to answer in 2011.

Despite those major changes in 2010, 2010 also included some wonderful times. We participated in our first ceilli, we visited weekly with our dear friends and had lovely adventures with them, we visited Chicago and one of our favorite places there, we participated in the community garden with friends from church. Now we are getting to know new people, laying the foundation for new friendships and appreciating the beautiful scenery (greenery, mountains, trees) of this place we now call home.

My prayer for this New Year includes a prayer for strength~
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:12-13 NIV

a prayer for wisdom~
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
James 1:5 NIV

and most of all a prayer of hope~
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.
Psalms 62:5 NIV

again Happy New Year~
much love,
nichole

goings on-part 2~ the food edition, mostly

Hey, remember I mentioned about eating more raw foods, well last night for dinner I had a collard wrap/roll and it was so good (similar to the raw kale wraps, but with salsa too). Really the hot weather just makes one crave for cool crunchy veggies, and sweet juicy fruits. So eating this way is definitely easier when the outside temps are in the nineties with unbearable humidity. Realistically though I know that I couldn't be a full time raw foodist because I like cooked food as well. I think it would be pretty tough to maintain a high raw diet in the winter, especially in a place that gets chilly-but like I said this is just me. I just love experimenting and I totally believe that you have to do what is right for your health, for yourself, and your loved ones, this is what I call liberation in eating!
Anyway while eating raw has been great for my dinners, we have been also clearing out our freezer because of our upcoming move. This clearing out included cooking up a turkey (a small one about ten pounds) that I had purchased about 2 years ago. I don't know if we are going to get that freezer all cleared out (alot of stuff is in there, hello-frozen apples from 2008?) so perhaps we will invite the college kids from our church over so they can have their pick of things-you know the college crew is always in need of food.
To tell the truth right at this moment in my life I feel a little overwhelmed. Our move is approaching fast, we are getting things packed, I want to make sure the kids are doing okay with everything as we get ready for the move, I want them to adjust well to their new environment, really I just want all of us to adjust well to our new home. I will also miss the wonderful friends I have made here in the Midwest. One friend (a friend I met through a fellow blogger) has been very special to me-I remember when her youngest was just a baby and now he's getting ready to turn three! Oh my, how I'm going to miss them. This will be the farthest that we have moved away from most of our extended family as well (we have usually been in driving distance to at least someone). Yet at the same time I am excited about moving to a new place and seeing the possibilities that await us there-prayerful and hopeful is were I'm at now days.

Well enough of this moving talk, lets get to the pictures-more foodie pictures (:

~berry flax smoothie (frozen raspberries, frozen fruit juice, fresh strawberries, ice, two tablespoons of milled flax and a squeeze of lemon-yum!)


~brewing sun tea

~visiting the Wednesday evening farmer's market


~milled flax


~a mango a day keeps everyone happy


have you had your mango today?

kindness

When I started blogging I did so mostly to have a creative outlet, a space to show just some of the little things that we do daily (really I say a little 'cause I'm a bit of a private person in many ways). Yet as time progressed I realized that there is a whole lot of us that are sharing, using the internet, as a place of community. Yesterday I received a package from Libby (her crochet and photography are pure awesome). What really blew me away was that the contents of the package were so me~

~pretty yarn


~plantain chips

(I was tempted to eat these chips all by myself, but I shared some with the family)


~curry powder

(now I have to get my curry on)

All I can say is thank you Libby for your kindness and thoughtfulness, and isn't it something that I received your package exactly a year after starting this blog-how cool is that :)

Thanks again, Libby!