my favorite chunky granola with pecans and flax
I absolutely love granola in fact I have memories of eating it as a child with big juicy raspberries and half and half that still make my heart skip a beat. I've tried to make it for years and never had much luck. I always burn it, I couldn't get it right. Chris and I both like our granola pretty "naked" without all of the dried fruit that usually comes with the store bought kind so this past summer I decided it was high time to figure out this situation since it's so much more cost effective to make your own.
This is a combination of three different recipes one of which was given to me by my friend Katie out of an old Mennonite cookbook. That gem of a recipe used traditional milk powder to achieve the chunky texture so I experimented with some soy milk powder I had on hand. I think this is the yummiest simple granola around. It's vegan/gluten free sweetened with maple syrup and has ground flax seed for added fiber. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Chunky Granola with Pecans and Flax:
6 cups of rolled oats
1 cup of chopped raw pecans
1/4 cup of ground flax seed
1/2 cup of milk powder (I used this vegan soy milk powder)
2/3 cup of maple syrup
2/3 cup of olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
sprinkle of cinnamon
dash of salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with tinfoil. Dump the rolled oats on the tray and bake for 10 minutes then remove from the oven and stir in the nuts, flax seed, and milk powder. Add the syrup, oil, vanilla, cinnamon and salt and stir to combine. Return to the baking sheet and bake for another 25 minutes or so stirring every 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before breaking up into chunks.
Hope you have a wonderful labor day weekend friends! xoxo
thursday through my lens :: homegrown
I have to admit these photos make me so giddy. I seriously don't know what I did to deserve this huge bounty of homegrown tomatoes this year. I did nothing but plant five wimpy little free tomato plants into an empty space in one of our flower boxes last spring. We didn't fertilize them or anything. I tried to water everyday or have one of the kids do it and the sunshine has been outstanding this summer too so I am sure that has something to do with it, but seriously these tomatoes are to good to be true and they make me so happy.
I have always wanted to grown things but I can hardly keep succulents alive literally - my thumb is far from green. Lately though I have been reminded that we are all a continuous work in progress and there is always room to grown and develop new skills.
As we head into fall and the holiday season right around the corner we are excited to celebrate our third Christmas in this little rental home Jesus blessed us with all those summers ago. I can hardly believe we have welcomed a baby here and now sent our two oldest off to Kindergarten from this very spot. We have painted and nested and planted tomatoes and herbs and met our neighbors and found our way to a new church...in many many ways we still feel like we are in limbo, an in between stage that we never planned on when God chose to turn our lives upside down. But suddenly I realize how tightly I shut my eyes during that season to ward off the pain and fear and denial that was threatening to creep up - I hit the pause button, but life has kept on the way it does.
These simple sweet homegrown tomatoes are reminding me that HE has been doing a good work in our lives weather or not I have been fully aware. He has a plan and has invited us to be a part of that and so tenderly nurtures us into our gifts and desires. He gives good gifts all the time and surprises us with things we never even knew we wanted or needed.
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)
So I am once again blown away and so thankful for the goodness that has been given, not just in the tomatoes but in my heart softening to what He has planned for us. And I am overwhelmed with this bounty of yumminess, what should I make with these delicious tomatoes - can't wait to sink my teeth into them!
Eyeist
On occasion as a blogger I get to review products and have the incredible chance to write articles for other websites. A few months ago I was given the opportunity to do a review for a new site called, Eyeist over on photo.net. I had never heard of Eyeist before but after my thirty minute interactive session with the founder, Allegra Wilde I was blown away. Did you know that if you are a budding photographer you can have your work reviewed and critiqued by top players in the world of photography? I had no clue...I loved the process and came away with this thirty image portfolio and an armload of ideas on how to improve my work. I wanted to share this one with you guys because it was just that good! You can read my full experience over on photo.net (here)!
I know many of you are photographers - what are things that you have done to improve your skill and eye for capturing beauty, would you ever consider getting an online review of your work?
washi tape feathers
I made these silly little feathers out of washi tape recently to send to a friend. I thought they would be cute tied into a garland or taped to the wall but decided to simply group them together with string and let her decide when the package arrives. All you need is tape, wire and scissors if you want to make a few too here are some photos of my super simple process.
Nothing to it really...if you like feathers check out this necklace version here!
Hope you have a wonderful day!
33/52
A few snippets from our time at the watermark last week - such fun was had by all. Thankful for our little week away with family, I am enjoying sorting through the captured moments and memories we made together!
Back to School with JCPenney
I just have to stop for a second to marvel at these two boys right here - how in the heck am I so lucky to be their Mom? And how did they get to be so grown up? It feels like just yesterday that they looked like this...making me all crazy and tired and afraid that I was going to mess them up or something.
Levi is entering Kindergarten this year and Simon will be a big second grader. I have had such deep nerves about sending my second born into school even just starting with a half day program. He is wildly shy and introspective (like his Mama) and I am anxious for him and also excited as he makes the transition. But when I look at the photos of these two absolutely beautiful goofballs inside and out I know that it's gonna be all right. These two have mad love for each other - what a gift that they will be in school together (I am totally crying right now as I write this just so you know...blubbering actually).
As the first day approaches I have been thinking about back to school shopping and supplies and such and was so incredibly honored when JCPenney approached me about collaborating on a first day look for each of the boys. We are so very blessed but funds are always always tight in our home and a provision of new clothes and shoes for the boys was an incredible gift to our family! JCP sent us gift cards and these two got to do a little shopping spree at the mall!
We hadn't been shopping in ages for clothes for the boys and so I was super surprised and pleased at the selections we found at JCP. And almost everything we got was on sale. This entire stack of shirts, some long sleeve some short, none of them were more than ten bucks! Each of the boys picked out a pair of jeans too, my red lover got his dream of a pair of red Arizona jeans and Simon went classic. We also bought them each a new hoodie and a new pair of shoes and socks and all of this was just over $200. A great value to get us set for back to school. When we were checking out they also gave us fun pencil bags filled with tapes and stickers and goodies!
After dinner the other night the boys decided they wanted to do a little impromptu fashion show of their first day looks so they both styled their own clothes and Simon even went into the bathroom for a bit to get his hair just right. Chris and I were cracking up at him! We snapped a few photos in the evening light. It was such fun moments for me with them Levi especially shocked me at how excited and into it he was. I don't think he is as nervous as I am for the first day I know he is ready - it just goes so fast this process of growing up (blubbering again :)). A very very special thank you to JCPenney for helping us get ready for back to school. Seriously JCP did send us gift cards to go shopping but I am allowed to give my honest feedback and opinion and would definitely recommend checking out some of their adorable stuff as you get ready for school - we found high quality for a great price!!
OK deep breath Mama...I can see that high school is going to come way too fast!
vintage button rings
I will be the first to admit that this little project is embarrassingly easy. It's the kind of thing that can be put together in under a half an hour. And for me that makes it just about perfect because it can be whipped up during naps with dishes and laundry time to spare. The skies the limit on colors and combos and it's even more appropriate to sip something hot or nibble on something sweet while making. While your at it you can make a few extra to bless some of your favorite friends!
The supply list is short:
glue (E-600 is a great all purpose glue for jewelry projects!)
ring blanks
your vintage button stash
chocolate (optional but I recommend :))
After selecting a few fun buttons go ahead and snip of any button shanks that are in the way and get to work on gluing your little ring stack together. Alternately you could wire the buttons together if you have wire and want to go that route. Then glue the stack to your ring blank and let it sit overnight to dry.
And that's about it, the perfect little accessory for date night or after school pickup...enjoy!
(I originally shared this post over on Beautifully Rooted a few years ago but thought it would be fun to share it here too!)
Easy Travel Tips (Guest Post)
My family is getting ready for the annual Gough Summer vacation coming up in a few days - it's always so nice to have all the details and location and stay taken care of for us by my Mother and Father in law but packing and food planning and house sitters and dog sitters with a house full of kids...it's a lot of work to make sure the whole thing goes off without a hitch. Today I have a special guest post from reader, Kendra Thornton - a guru in all things travel planning she wanted to share her top five easy travel tips with me and I thought it would be fun to share with you too just in case you're getting ready for a vacation of your own! Take it away Kendra and thanks so much for these!!
Being in charge of your next family getaway can seem a
little intimidating, but it’s really nothing a globe-trotting mom like you can’t
handle with a little strategic planning. The
Internet is full of valuable information and user-friendly booking tools, so you already have access to every resource you need
to come up with an amazing itinerary.
The key to turning it all into a dream holiday that works equally well for sophisticated adults and rambunctious kids
is the tough part, but don’t panic just yet. Following the five smart travel
tips below can help you plan an unforgettable trip that goes off without a hitch
from the second you start planning to the day you come home.
1. Break up your planning schedule into smaller, more
manageable steps. Taking care of one thing at a time is the best way to control
your stress levels before any family travel trip. Referring to old lists or looking up example lists on the
Internet can help stimulate your brain to whole categories you may have forgotten.
Write out a step-by-step planning and packing guide to stay on track. Don’t
forget your list of must do’s as well – including lawn maintenance and pet sitting.
To make packing a breeze, try Apple’s Packing Pro app.
2. Use trip reports and reviews to find the best
destinations and deals. One of the biggest benefits to online travel forums and
social media websites is being able to tap into an endless stream of feedback
from other explorers. Reviews are
great for narrowing down your choices for accommodations and attractions while
message boards are ideal for planning your itinerary and getting personalized
advice. I use Gogobot, which
allows me to connect with other mothers in my social network and see where
they’ve gone and what they’ve thought.
Their list of Walt Disney Orlando hotels was a great way for my family
of five to find our ideal accommodation equipped with a huge pool for our
family of swimmers. Remember that you need to pick a destination that will make
everyone happy, so be ready to compromise. If you want a tropical paradise but your kids are looking
for an adventure, opt for a family friendly resort in a relaxing beach
location.
3. Choose pretty and practical luggage. With a family in tow, you don’t want to
struggle with bulky suitcases. To
keep your luggage organized without getting weighed down, break it up into a
few smaller suitcases and bags.
With designs that range from summer stripes to multi-colored patterns,
tote bags are the perfect accessory for on-the-go moms who like to travel in
style. Use yours to store anything
you need to carry with you on the plane or while you are exploring including
wallet, keys, cell phone, diapers and an extra shirt for everyone on the trip.
4. Pack clothes that fit your itinerary. While you do want
to look great on vacation, it’s extremely important to pack clothes that are
going to be functional. With so
many different choices available in stores and online, you don’t need to choose
between comfort and style - you can have both! Clothes that can double as different outfits are especially
useful when you have limited space.
For example, a long wrap skirt can work as both a flattering bathing
suit cover-up during the day and a beautiful maxi dress at night. Scarves can
also serve a variety of purposes – from a pillow on the plane to a sassy belt
for your new jeans.
5) Distraction Attractions Keeping small children occupied
during a long flight requires some ingenious planning. Consider a portable DVD
player along with a combination of favorite movies. Perhaps purchase a few new
ones for the trip or check out the selection at your local library. The chance
to watch something new and different helps keep young attention spans fully
engaged. If your child relies on a bedtime movie before they go to sleep, make
sure to bring a portable DVD player on your trip, as the DVDs from your homecountry may not be compatible with international players.
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