Simple Pleasures

Good morning and merry Tuesday! I had a fabulous Monday and have high hopes for the remainder of this week. I wish I were better at remembering to thank the Lord for the many blessings he pours out on me; none of which I deserve. He is constantly surprising me.

I’ve been thinking a lot about simple pleasures, the little, day to day things that make me smile.  I’ll share a few of mine with you and, together, let’s appreciate the details.

Falling asleep to a good book

I’m currently reading “The House at Riverton”

It’s about the war, love, and an aristocratic family. Read reviews. Highly recommended!

The ten minutes after finishing a workout when endorphins are in full swing

Hot deals while shopping; aka more bang for your buck!

Playing with children and witnessing their imaginations, innocence, and joy

Slowly sipping an iced coffee in the summer time

3 pumps caramel and a splash of milk, please. Aj’s Fine Foods knows what’s up.

Talking on the phone with a dear friend

When time seems to fly by at work

The sound of rain on a rooftop (hello, monsoon season!)

Those outfits that I adore and don’t mind waking up extra early to compile

Great hair days; these make me feel borderline invincible

Writing myself encouraging post-it notes

Yes, I just admitted that

& reuniting with great friends

This is JACK: Jane, Alexa, Chelsea, Kristin

These girls have seen me through thick and thin, and I love each of them very much.

Cheers to the past, present, and future!

Dandelions, I hope today is sunshine for you. The good kind, not the AZ heat kind. Be warm and be loving.

XO.

Homemade Cilantro, Lime, and Jalapeño Hummus

Good day, fancy folks! As promised in my crazy weather post, I bring you a new recipe to try.

I’ve been craving hummus for awhile and, with a free afternoon, I decided to tackle that craving.  Momma was ever so wonderful as to buy me two cans of chickpeas so I was already off and running. I made a trip to the Fresh ‘n’ Easy market by my house and picked up some fresh ingredients and found onions, limes, and jalapeños in the clearance section, expiration dates of July 8^th. This was perfect because I saved a pretty penny and knew I would be using the ingredients right away anyway.  It’s fun to be thrifty! So, the recipe is as follows.

Homemade cilantro, lime, and jalapeño hummus

Ingredients:



Note the clearance items!

 2 cans garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas), rinsed and drained

3-4 tablespoons fresh lime juice (I got this much juice from two small limes)

3 cloves minced garlic

3/4 cup fresh cilantro

2-3 tablespoons minced, seeded jalapeños

2 tablespoons dinced onion

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/4 cup water

Salt and pepper to taste (I put quite a bit of each in order to bring out the flavors of the veggies)

Pita chips, pretzels, or warm tortilla to accompany hummus

1. Rinse and drain chickpeas

2. Squeeze lime juice

3. Mince and dice garlic cloves, Jalapeños, and onions

4. Chop up cilantro

5. In food processor, combine chickpeas, lime juice, water, jalapeños, onions, garlic, garlic powder, salt, and pepper

6. Blend until a smooth mixture is the result

7. Transfer mixture into a bowl and fold in chopped cilantro

8. Mix until fully incorporated and serve

9. Delight :)

Sunshines, your work week is in the homestretch!  Have a lovely weekend and try to be intentional in your relationships. Love, love.

XO.



Weather Adventure

Good morning, Wednesday lovelies! We are officially half way through the work week, which easily merits a smile!

This morning, I was going to blog about a delicious homemade cilantro, lime, and jalapeño hummus recipe that I threw together. However, after getting caught in the great Phoenix dust storm of 2011 last night, I thought I'd share a little account of my adventure instead. But don’t fret! Recipe to come later this week.

Me, Meghan, Anne, and Anne’s friend, Laura, decided to spend our Tuesday night together. We planned to go out for ice cream, do a little grocery shopping, and finish up the night with the Bachelorette. It was a fool proof plan of ultimate girl time. However, after we had visited Mojo at the Biltmore, we noticed a scary-looking, brown cloud in the distance. With 75% of the group being from the Midwest, a part of the country not known for monsoon or dust storms, we were all pretty excited over the unusual weather. We hopped in the car and started to Trader Joe’s for shopping. Luckily, we made it inside before the storm hit, but it was a close one. We lingered on the covered patio, whipped out our cameras, and got coated in dust. It was a pretty neat experience! Enjoy the first-hand photos and be sure to check out more detailed accounts of this fantastic storm!

 At the Biltmore in Scottsdale, storm in the distance.

Outside of Trader Joe's, storm closing in

On Trader Joe's covered patio, storm passing over

Safe inside the store, storm passing, little boy fearing for his life

What an action-packed night.

Happy Wednesday all around! Take a little time for yourself today, charms. Until next time,

XO.



Red, White, Blue

Happy Independence Day, cherry blossoms!

Do you have any exciting plans for this 4^th? My family and I are planning on BBQing, relaxing, and spending some quality time together here at the homestead. There is sure to be bunches of laughter, delicious food, park time, and, of course, fireworks! Holidays are always precious when I can spend them with the fam.

In the midst of all the fun that comes with this day, remember why America gets this three day weekend; remember our freedom and those who secure it.

Red

White

Blue

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White

Blue

Red

White

Blue

Red, White & Blue

Happy Holidaying! Thanks for following and love to all.


XO.

Guide to a Cool Summer

Hi, peaches! TGIF!

Temperature estimation for today: 113 degrees. Eeek!

Now I know in Arizona we like to think that we are tough and capable of handling the extreme heat. I will be the first to admit that I have told way too many people that their 90 degree weather is nothing for an Arizonan who deals with summers of 115 degrees. However, let’s be real with each other for a moment. No one is immune to triple digit, insane madness! So, here are a few tips for stayin’ cool this season:

Three letters: H 2 O !

Sunscreen

Lip balm (Burt's is my fav!)

A/C

Mandatory pool dates

The ocean blue!

Photo taken: January 2011

Adorable tanks

Sun hats (skin spots are so unglamorous)

Water parks

Iced drinks: take your pick!

Recipes included

Delicious Iced Espresso

Frozen Lemonade

Peach Iced Tea

Fruit Infused Water

Secret for the day: water tastes a hundred times more refreshing when fresh or frozen fruit is added to a pitcher of it. Plus, the slight hint of fruit taste is delicious, and the display is beautiful! Go wild.

See! It is possible to have fun in the sun.

But be wise, dearies. Stay cool, smiley, and forgiving.

XO.