tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73839618273201249102024-03-05T04:19:49.783-05:00Moms Got Many HatsVanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-85612864832202832132010-06-21T18:47:00.001-04:002010-06-21T18:48:02.874-04:00Missed you all!I've been super busy, and have missed you all dearly! I have however peeked in on all your fabulous blogs when I've had a chance. I promise I'll post again soon, when some of my summer busyness dies down...Until then check out how well my tomatoes and peppers are doing!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJvz5ezHUCnW8onsSXpaT_LhyK1j1w_IPswjNze2nIRDWKY0dpfdS6cuKgmylILvS0WyGn0UrcC-TURmP0ws8_ss3oW4jyb61IOsfYFQpSlckj51VaUsNK326GHZ0eFQoQlLoYTyn0nvR/s1600/IMG_1568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJvz5ezHUCnW8onsSXpaT_LhyK1j1w_IPswjNze2nIRDWKY0dpfdS6cuKgmylILvS0WyGn0UrcC-TURmP0ws8_ss3oW4jyb61IOsfYFQpSlckj51VaUsNK326GHZ0eFQoQlLoYTyn0nvR/s400/IMG_1568.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This photo was taken a few weeks before I harvested these. They really grew alot in just a couple of weeks!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKQvANaVWBZqw8OPGwF2rMivcEwASpS1AyWLPvr5AoUdIJXy0jh5OoxdqVoQV4wwsECYy_VulFsHzxK5A1iIDYZ5bisWt3VFuypjbmu9f3QT1ne3IxhMTP0IeAlBi7AjHXjYgXq0ZNjve/s1600/IMG_1707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKQvANaVWBZqw8OPGwF2rMivcEwASpS1AyWLPvr5AoUdIJXy0jh5OoxdqVoQV4wwsECYy_VulFsHzxK5A1iIDYZ5bisWt3VFuypjbmu9f3QT1ne3IxhMTP0IeAlBi7AjHXjYgXq0ZNjve/s400/IMG_1707.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKQvANaVWBZqw8OPGwF2rMivcEwASpS1AyWLPvr5AoUdIJXy0jh5OoxdqVoQV4wwsECYy_VulFsHzxK5A1iIDYZ5bisWt3VFuypjbmu9f3QT1ne3IxhMTP0IeAlBi7AjHXjYgXq0ZNjve/s1600/IMG_1707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_4TkexTlQdgScjqjzId85KY86YOOPapKv8cf44XTmQLrMe7vr_aVyr7JWRwSQAV5TnZ-l-PSG0F4VA0b4H13P5Fbwt-vrKH0sWoqfqdyBmyQmwaCrRDTmA52B-D5LUwuMFN9TAMs8iDz/s1600/IMG_1709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_4TkexTlQdgScjqjzId85KY86YOOPapKv8cf44XTmQLrMe7vr_aVyr7JWRwSQAV5TnZ-l-PSG0F4VA0b4H13P5Fbwt-vrKH0sWoqfqdyBmyQmwaCrRDTmA52B-D5LUwuMFN9TAMs8iDz/s400/IMG_1709.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioy8lYerTt1yiYBAhfIELShURIHJmjloZH3Zub9gbPGjxLrc08qj1m-UwltR4pYgVWnMR2rP0Gys2xWiuF6YD9XTxVSnlLPVyvjDMbu9d7jzd39Wz_lB-7Ik8Cr6PFc3xOVlZiWKdKjwsM/s1600/IMG_1708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioy8lYerTt1yiYBAhfIELShURIHJmjloZH3Zub9gbPGjxLrc08qj1m-UwltR4pYgVWnMR2rP0Gys2xWiuF6YD9XTxVSnlLPVyvjDMbu9d7jzd39Wz_lB-7Ik8Cr6PFc3xOVlZiWKdKjwsM/s640/IMG_1708.JPG" width="358" /></a><br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I made a little anti pasta with my tomatoes. The little orange cherry ones were the sweetest things!!</div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-56980785916701678362010-06-02T08:16:00.001-04:002010-06-02T08:19:13.567-04:00My Back porch Painted...check<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhuBOL6VKvMZ-oeXKi7L1XVrDpCX3whJL-jZsDn5bNVtVpwc4DVAIVOCmizEM01yhWPHQq3NtXbf5jLkbTyB3sM2WR-U-GPGv1VYZrB3PnanalpTOuS51DHOOeZga-02IRYLY2Ko3tYnu/s1600/IMG_1560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhuBOL6VKvMZ-oeXKi7L1XVrDpCX3whJL-jZsDn5bNVtVpwc4DVAIVOCmizEM01yhWPHQq3NtXbf5jLkbTyB3sM2WR-U-GPGv1VYZrB3PnanalpTOuS51DHOOeZga-02IRYLY2Ko3tYnu/s400/IMG_1560.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Presenting my back porch, painted!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I've been wanting to conquer this little project since I moved into this house about nine months ago. I just had to get up my nerve and energy. Last weekend I decided to just go for it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Let me take you step be step through this process, just in case you might want to try this at your house.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw154vOztvj65soSZ0faDlMreUHL-OA6xEG4WyYVJsfPZeDws7XSDj0Dcll3pf8If4s651eRnwotApD-9CS9TYIJaNTGspTo8uFzOETDvAJAzx9_vfV-l-VOssTesd-W3HxJo7GuPX-eZn/s1600/IMG_1546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw154vOztvj65soSZ0faDlMreUHL-OA6xEG4WyYVJsfPZeDws7XSDj0Dcll3pf8If4s651eRnwotApD-9CS9TYIJaNTGspTo8uFzOETDvAJAzx9_vfV-l-VOssTesd-W3HxJo7GuPX-eZn/s400/IMG_1546.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I started with a good porch paint</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgwqW_4rld7e3OzweFLWIRIOtUTRSivkd6NVFOxQGiTySYpZhyh_9u_3V0DCYScgnb8XEHcsCur_dPvsxjE_tUy80J48IGpzgMZRgiI4WhTdtUdDURgkUZqOU7B7gtghutaoz4YwTVRmR/s1600/IMG_1547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgwqW_4rld7e3OzweFLWIRIOtUTRSivkd6NVFOxQGiTySYpZhyh_9u_3V0DCYScgnb8XEHcsCur_dPvsxjE_tUy80J48IGpzgMZRgiI4WhTdtUdDURgkUZqOU7B7gtghutaoz4YwTVRmR/s400/IMG_1547.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I chose to use three colors from the same color swatch; to give it some depth and hides a multitude of sins!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">P.S. I have no idea why the quality of these pictures is so bad. Could humidity have done this? Is my camera just getting old? I'd love some feedback.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7lBBv6DbxTy2LXMOfNCdrxBtUR3PcYNgThh_IngxreLDKfwiC9cyj15UFsUTwmutq9cPSJmy9424zwg1yZtCOIqcwTe5y9ga_YuRJoc727qPzluF3dd0SxtEk_lQFUfjStR2W5k2KCBo9/s1600/IMG_1548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7lBBv6DbxTy2LXMOfNCdrxBtUR3PcYNgThh_IngxreLDKfwiC9cyj15UFsUTwmutq9cPSJmy9424zwg1yZtCOIqcwTe5y9ga_YuRJoc727qPzluF3dd0SxtEk_lQFUfjStR2W5k2KCBo9/s400/IMG_1548.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Make sure you get the right nap for your project, since I was painting concrete I need a thicker nap.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I used this to roll my first coat.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHnb5_IVJsUOUR3wR5Ys1uJdbfWlhnGDD-xBfu7Y6G4dxYMbUIZEuVvGJeiMeR3Ma6u7OB7NSXhzSzej6n_QCvfH-iV2aspkA3LyFZOApSOigZrO2kNXQ6DK1gTYncfaqbdQhXvGcyXmA/s1600/IMG_1552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHnb5_IVJsUOUR3wR5Ys1uJdbfWlhnGDD-xBfu7Y6G4dxYMbUIZEuVvGJeiMeR3Ma6u7OB7NSXhzSzej6n_QCvfH-iV2aspkA3LyFZOApSOigZrO2kNXQ6DK1gTYncfaqbdQhXvGcyXmA/s640/IMG_1552.JPG" width="480" /></a><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw77Xn2mOzSjmnEs-thyQP70Kqd8NKVWJNlxV9RtQ5zgf8tTzCuWWOGvUqb82OxM6mUH9CIQvdY2Wp_pd_4sDM0yfiZ7ySUw2pMuBeidjhIoluHQ151AAyXIGNkWWQSDroGZ8DYKfH9NHc/s1600/IMG_1545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw77Xn2mOzSjmnEs-thyQP70Kqd8NKVWJNlxV9RtQ5zgf8tTzCuWWOGvUqb82OxM6mUH9CIQvdY2Wp_pd_4sDM0yfiZ7ySUw2pMuBeidjhIoluHQ151AAyXIGNkWWQSDroGZ8DYKfH9NHc/s400/IMG_1545.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I used this sea sponge roller to roll my net two layers/colors</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgQ8Kt8T1TcF4bi86HlnE_GMV-uAFgehXdo3Z84hoTP-3WUfCVowIth6zJmjh32i-BKuyNb08fUrKKAHDu2yHX1Z-9t-P4jC8LU2ScgfVUU5o9c4GBu8Q5-AD-Kn3iYOIGoSJ5s-SsMPy/s1600/IMG_1555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgQ8Kt8T1TcF4bi86HlnE_GMV-uAFgehXdo3Z84hoTP-3WUfCVowIth6zJmjh32i-BKuyNb08fUrKKAHDu2yHX1Z-9t-P4jC8LU2ScgfVUU5o9c4GBu8Q5-AD-Kn3iYOIGoSJ5s-SsMPy/s400/IMG_1555.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's a picture of the next layer. Again the picture quality is terrible, but trust me it was an improvement!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDsBY7nM7b2kXlu1ZXVihzFyaJUckDHnvXxaEzjazZd8AwUA-5uwe6naum8NFSNuswHrf2YmUanz1QSisNRAKQdKooBNw1lxgMnaBfWfZFfr9K3yROgg_n3vjmogbFEHQvaZ8z90Ieokii/s1600/IMG_1551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDsBY7nM7b2kXlu1ZXVihzFyaJUckDHnvXxaEzjazZd8AwUA-5uwe6naum8NFSNuswHrf2YmUanz1QSisNRAKQdKooBNw1lxgMnaBfWfZFfr9K3yROgg_n3vjmogbFEHQvaZ8z90Ieokii/s400/IMG_1551.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My goal was to work with these colors in the brick.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8pPft20cXLpvuay1B_a4Iav3zV6kozunED9HMU-ix4kpRItr2y23qXyrLDM-5I3DFI0upO1NR0OwEREVIGpt1Odr9eq3kszRbrrnepfdgy9CtdM-PHhbQJylov6_h61ZvhyphenhyphenbDu_tihZ4m/s1600/IMG_1557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8pPft20cXLpvuay1B_a4Iav3zV6kozunED9HMU-ix4kpRItr2y23qXyrLDM-5I3DFI0upO1NR0OwEREVIGpt1Odr9eq3kszRbrrnepfdgy9CtdM-PHhbQJylov6_h61ZvhyphenhyphenbDu_tihZ4m/s640/IMG_1557.JPG" width="480" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The last layer complete.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhexB5jA7g5k_fKmvKvEJ5hg1_3O5wHYhpV0kgb9PaMQDWnDUGIqveeUHK5u5wkb9HG9Kid5QSS79Hr3Zgyo0Uq7Ykj_etHfvT99-cILfN-khp6Cyws4feN5pV06FJc7GHTflPZfJq5cC/s1600/IMG_1563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhexB5jA7g5k_fKmvKvEJ5hg1_3O5wHYhpV0kgb9PaMQDWnDUGIqveeUHK5u5wkb9HG9Kid5QSS79Hr3Zgyo0Uq7Ykj_etHfvT99-cILfN-khp6Cyws4feN5pV06FJc7GHTflPZfJq5cC/s400/IMG_1563.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I got these chair cushions at Target; they really spruced up my old patio furniture.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5xnPx0m4CvwZaJrUYA5B1hHYjZc5KtOkJkQWK84YEbyJSI82nsFshN95PvRSyRS6APjIzMBf9XplFwurMYmpjpymjNf5QXbW9NBFI1zVYp48D86cI1AQqedhOnp0PMXPxBF2DBvevWqw/s1600/IMG_1564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5xnPx0m4CvwZaJrUYA5B1hHYjZc5KtOkJkQWK84YEbyJSI82nsFshN95PvRSyRS6APjIzMBf9XplFwurMYmpjpymjNf5QXbW9NBFI1zVYp48D86cI1AQqedhOnp0PMXPxBF2DBvevWqw/s400/IMG_1564.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I would say the best part of this project is the fact that the different paint colors, especially in the earth tones I chose, really hide dust, dirt, and leaves that might blow in. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hope you enjoyed your little patio tour. Have a great day!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><img alt="Woo+Hoo+Post+Button.jpg" src="webkit-fake-url://33EFAD1B-660B-43A7-9ACF-17C18D3302A5/Woo+Hoo+Post+Button.jpg" /></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Linking up again with Marla's <a href="http://www.Alwaysnesting.blogspot.com/">WooHoo Wednesday</a>!</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-25069036565412455952010-05-26T14:52:00.001-04:002010-05-26T14:59:03.802-04:00Healthy Chocolate??I titled my post healthy chocolate, because that's exactly what this little treat is...Healthy. Chocolate and peanut butter goodness healthified! <br />
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I absolutely love Resees peanut butter cups, but rarley eat them. If your anywhere near my age let's just say pushing 40, then you can understand things like Resees become forbidden pleasures. What do they say "a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips!" Unfortunately this becomes more true with each passing year.<br />
<br />
Which brings me to my new creation. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDoP_DDTHoKcMc75wdKRPZoWZYFUmuO9FYNm-B_voBPoCEl1vMPJidebx6DYnqxutYjJBkUnuKQgmPQW8F5CILT3eC3rJzJ6QdBLYNJHDXco_HPdCHVOHKHkPjA1UeSLZ314d0FE-VZqau/s1600/IMG_1214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDoP_DDTHoKcMc75wdKRPZoWZYFUmuO9FYNm-B_voBPoCEl1vMPJidebx6DYnqxutYjJBkUnuKQgmPQW8F5CILT3eC3rJzJ6QdBLYNJHDXco_HPdCHVOHKHkPjA1UeSLZ314d0FE-VZqau/s400/IMG_1214.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Vegan and high raw peanut butter cups!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2C_BtrZpUJwAKfaJ1aU6Z7vbMzseyzpEh5pHpRd0kC5s4cY_UUiHtw3WdWm6IBbPhf5ANGf4bbYd5vc7055qU9pkXZvxz-4alMcNVhaEGy8ImULbqXwYqKbCtzNLqDtNFIB7KBZJgxKsb/s1600/IMG_1215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2C_BtrZpUJwAKfaJ1aU6Z7vbMzseyzpEh5pHpRd0kC5s4cY_UUiHtw3WdWm6IBbPhf5ANGf4bbYd5vc7055qU9pkXZvxz-4alMcNVhaEGy8ImULbqXwYqKbCtzNLqDtNFIB7KBZJgxKsb/s400/IMG_1215.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">these are some of the ingredients I used</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0pa8kJAWRyXQF_8QvcXwUDftYEKF3l6KnyNLEhZpg4647NZ6F5zf8OYPRGMfe2cjc3ZkgPVWzxApRX_BaWD_26HM0XRFxq1TlY4J36lM4lYp_yO5IgRUGo3f-E_yjw9iuQRsElMneao7Q/s1600/IMG_1216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0pa8kJAWRyXQF_8QvcXwUDftYEKF3l6KnyNLEhZpg4647NZ6F5zf8OYPRGMfe2cjc3ZkgPVWzxApRX_BaWD_26HM0XRFxq1TlY4J36lM4lYp_yO5IgRUGo3f-E_yjw9iuQRsElMneao7Q/s640/IMG_1216.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and I can't forget my beloved coconut oil!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVXvecHVzfxYPphnB0D6Ry_xJsnAKtmogq9OgmyXSY4pZbomg-grx4XTY3w4uI3Y0sM5K8O1rfiQUsb7GMSOsTzIgo7_fw_1RoXsh3SzW513bQFcVbnSpjQeaj8EVx8DMZWFJw9-i0Xba/s1600/IMG_1217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVXvecHVzfxYPphnB0D6Ry_xJsnAKtmogq9OgmyXSY4pZbomg-grx4XTY3w4uI3Y0sM5K8O1rfiQUsb7GMSOsTzIgo7_fw_1RoXsh3SzW513bQFcVbnSpjQeaj8EVx8DMZWFJw9-i0Xba/s400/IMG_1217.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I mixed a couple of Tablespoons of PB with a little agave syrup and little ground flax to give it that Resees like consistency</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOFHHJ9iMvdj9LtJtICf2olxMP2pK2BaDwA5SrdogK1o4JXOfZ3XXpEj3rFzWQA5O86-WmwTtLV9yqPBXDiCooYeny2acQaRfny-RUBjK38nyBkj0Ra5Ds4PCvs8MygARBfQG5J9si4MS/s1600/IMG_1213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOFHHJ9iMvdj9LtJtICf2olxMP2pK2BaDwA5SrdogK1o4JXOfZ3XXpEj3rFzWQA5O86-WmwTtLV9yqPBXDiCooYeny2acQaRfny-RUBjK38nyBkj0Ra5Ds4PCvs8MygARBfQG5J9si4MS/s400/IMG_1213.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I put a little of the chocolate at the bottom of cupcake holders, which is a combo of cocoa, coconut oil, and agave syrup. I don't measure at all; I just add a little of this and that till I like the taste and consistency. If I were to guess I'd say I use about equal parts cocoa to coconut oil.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVXvecHVzfxYPphnB0D6Ry_xJsnAKtmogq9OgmyXSY4pZbomg-grx4XTY3w4uI3Y0sM5K8O1rfiQUsb7GMSOsTzIgo7_fw_1RoXsh3SzW513bQFcVbnSpjQeaj8EVx8DMZWFJw9-i0Xba/s1600/IMG_1217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVXvecHVzfxYPphnB0D6Ry_xJsnAKtmogq9OgmyXSY4pZbomg-grx4XTY3w4uI3Y0sM5K8O1rfiQUsb7GMSOsTzIgo7_fw_1RoXsh3SzW513bQFcVbnSpjQeaj8EVx8DMZWFJw9-i0Xba/s320/IMG_1217.JPG" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">then I top with the PB</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDoP_DDTHoKcMc75wdKRPZoWZYFUmuO9FYNm-B_voBPoCEl1vMPJidebx6DYnqxutYjJBkUnuKQgmPQW8F5CILT3eC3rJzJ6QdBLYNJHDXco_HPdCHVOHKHkPjA1UeSLZ314d0FE-VZqau/s1600/IMG_1214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDoP_DDTHoKcMc75wdKRPZoWZYFUmuO9FYNm-B_voBPoCEl1vMPJidebx6DYnqxutYjJBkUnuKQgmPQW8F5CILT3eC3rJzJ6QdBLYNJHDXco_HPdCHVOHKHkPjA1UeSLZ314d0FE-VZqau/s640/IMG_1214.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I finish it off with another layer of chocolate. Refrigerate after complete. All my candies and desserts will need refrigeration because I don't use sugar, salt, or preservatives. All of these ingredients preserve food.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqWSxzP8mIVTFdhPKyMtU24gJ-cmiIiANdeEtl6JNJANLhcWibzRQAZ-vM_9RlTFY7vm8-QG_PnvKL63vG_uGu-WxduJVyRV9l3FghGfGHheRihesePVXhCc5CIw8NxHeoEQEdr2ClxDPG/s1600/IMG_1428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqWSxzP8mIVTFdhPKyMtU24gJ-cmiIiANdeEtl6JNJANLhcWibzRQAZ-vM_9RlTFY7vm8-QG_PnvKL63vG_uGu-WxduJVyRV9l3FghGfGHheRihesePVXhCc5CIw8NxHeoEQEdr2ClxDPG/s640/IMG_1428.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Next I whipped up a batch of Vegan and high raw chocolates. Using the same chocolate preparation as above; cocoa, coconut oil, and agave syrup.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5ehxSYql6a4VY3KYB0qd5UTGFbGX6SKwBq1wE1zjJbDqJxYZhpJY5mg6jxipfmHYl_dF7lUEzTg0RPHU-3YD213VUVzajyKx2xT4wKRu3lgGr97I3HiNzF-jW6pSsri479mcyCy5Eyd-/s1600/IMG_1431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5ehxSYql6a4VY3KYB0qd5UTGFbGX6SKwBq1wE1zjJbDqJxYZhpJY5mg6jxipfmHYl_dF7lUEzTg0RPHU-3YD213VUVzajyKx2xT4wKRu3lgGr97I3HiNzF-jW6pSsri479mcyCy5Eyd-/s640/IMG_1431.JPG" width="358" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I finished these off by adding some mint and lemon balm from my garden</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zlADoVAWyIQwq2urOfTVacj1buBSh4Pg-rE7y9oMmvoHVpx7-2dYR3nYdBRnoj3dfn4AA4xP-UJj9cVVGl6mDamNV9Pzici0cgHA25ltPhyphenhyphenRI_tLplGPIpHkZtZc8pxJL7vtcYfr8Fny/s1600/IMG_1449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zlADoVAWyIQwq2urOfTVacj1buBSh4Pg-rE7y9oMmvoHVpx7-2dYR3nYdBRnoj3dfn4AA4xP-UJj9cVVGl6mDamNV9Pzici0cgHA25ltPhyphenhyphenRI_tLplGPIpHkZtZc8pxJL7vtcYfr8Fny/s640/IMG_1449.JPG" width="358" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0pvRzCl3-fJ4_j14MHY174SOwZ_MU2wr1RwWYEbve-FE0iPeYhyawDIL4i7fyVMK_imOT5sQJmitQvUMSAMsVNi7RKcducHh6v4gxoh0qOi3MtmS5Icm747looC4mbDKpYRAcF6OCNMga/s1600/IMG_1429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0pvRzCl3-fJ4_j14MHY174SOwZ_MU2wr1RwWYEbve-FE0iPeYhyawDIL4i7fyVMK_imOT5sQJmitQvUMSAMsVNi7RKcducHh6v4gxoh0qOi3MtmS5Icm747looC4mbDKpYRAcF6OCNMga/s400/IMG_1429.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">lastly I made a batch of chocolate and poured it into a dish (same preparation)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I put it in the refrigerator to harden.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nMuf5hRvQe7QFQIzSYbB-7NHWyRWWTzfgcPkNHZws0aW4epwzUBcY2L0m2isBJSd7CL4HW1Lfv0DEbNIbBsfdh8rXlhc4oP4oJ5O2BEIexP9UBiLcCMG-dxVtqwMMPV83jNYZ5DMWoU8/s1600/IMG_1432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nMuf5hRvQe7QFQIzSYbB-7NHWyRWWTzfgcPkNHZws0aW4epwzUBcY2L0m2isBJSd7CL4HW1Lfv0DEbNIbBsfdh8rXlhc4oP4oJ5O2BEIexP9UBiLcCMG-dxVtqwMMPV83jNYZ5DMWoU8/s640/IMG_1432.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">then I turned it out onto a cutting board</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKJWUx25Nc7V-O-gtw2psTqeUk2ugsNA8dDJhXxec__R2uvjOeKVCNWmY7MIP3719zs9ExNhT4KsuWo2bRp3Y5Irj16JQPKlzIkEXIarS_Uwf4uhSgN0TOPcUIOfkQ1lIRUFxiEEworcO/s1600/IMG_1433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKJWUx25Nc7V-O-gtw2psTqeUk2ugsNA8dDJhXxec__R2uvjOeKVCNWmY7MIP3719zs9ExNhT4KsuWo2bRp3Y5Irj16JQPKlzIkEXIarS_Uwf4uhSgN0TOPcUIOfkQ1lIRUFxiEEworcO/s640/IMG_1433.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and coarsely chopped</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can use these to bake with, snack on, use as toppings, throw in smoothies, the sky's the limit.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As everything else, keep refrigerated. Enjoy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><img alt="Woo+Hoo+Post+Button.jpg" src="webkit-fake-url://8E8EC6FB-C7F1-4ED3-80D0-ABD34595C0D8/Woo+Hoo+Post+Button.jpg" /></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I'm linking up with Marla at <a href="http://www.alwaysnesting.blogspot.com/">Always Nesting</a></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-37853784763665648532010-05-18T09:58:00.001-04:002010-05-18T10:18:59.589-04:00Shutterlove Tuesday with the Trendy Treehouse<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><img alt="Copy+of+4561666212_17394624b6_o.jpg" src="webkit-fake-url://C55DDAAE-AB0A-441A-A8E1-6B3D05C1D2F9/Copy+of+4561666212_17394624b6_o.jpg" /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;">Today I'm linking up with <a href="http://thetrendytreehouse.blogspot.com/">Shutter Love Tuesday</a>, and sharing some friendship photos! Check them out and be sure to vote for your favorite!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7VVMq8wwixAlejrhPGM9LJZ-D797SIjm3yWLlJEbFHQQRcTDESCu-ZmwBhmVHXXhJVJMmRrFXqGTUkirlANYAOfyGHtS8J5Q0uhY4oP_Rk_OAJC__5ibOGnvBcM5nE3HjO93O4J7d_iz/s1600/100_0501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7VVMq8wwixAlejrhPGM9LJZ-D797SIjm3yWLlJEbFHQQRcTDESCu-ZmwBhmVHXXhJVJMmRrFXqGTUkirlANYAOfyGHtS8J5Q0uhY4oP_Rk_OAJC__5ibOGnvBcM5nE3HjO93O4J7d_iz/s400/100_0501.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My boys about 5 years ago, I love this one because they rarely have their arms around each other!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1C4NBXxiqPAXhQ4-CYSrV1HKQ7crtFIvoQnbIxwY264_7hvhEw4Oe0eHAl7KR2q2O8qCpKkRAQPphn36rGDWD71_Vmg-R0URYR19cwmKEOOdJ6mO98jmoose5FdfLohQ5se18_Txf4WHm/s1600/100_1972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1C4NBXxiqPAXhQ4-CYSrV1HKQ7crtFIvoQnbIxwY264_7hvhEw4Oe0eHAl7KR2q2O8qCpKkRAQPphn36rGDWD71_Vmg-R0URYR19cwmKEOOdJ6mO98jmoose5FdfLohQ5se18_Txf4WHm/s640/100_1972.JPG" width="428" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">sometimes enough is enough!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(my entry)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_JeeDC7iOwGQyT8ko-qHfJrxi2V-cp2I3beykIDS09tNqPWqPptyp1GKpPL-GPrXNpx4O4zU5x4UOJXyXnoDeIYZBo8VOSgqHFVEg0nooxVoyx8f3n1VrGbQGuZVhe0lep6smVU-aQ6g7/s1600/100_0881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_JeeDC7iOwGQyT8ko-qHfJrxi2V-cp2I3beykIDS09tNqPWqPptyp1GKpPL-GPrXNpx4O4zU5x4UOJXyXnoDeIYZBo8VOSgqHFVEg0nooxVoyx8f3n1VrGbQGuZVhe0lep6smVU-aQ6g7/s400/100_0881.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">my sweet little boy</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzw5eLCXx9Nd6OsJYWdEiQhd0MjsGmvePCwXhVTdrnT3TZCHjS6Lnum01mQr-pjT28xHX2JXbrxRHUAMK-BZKBLgtbUgYQQGyLR1hngEjueu31o_8T6pizFhuXCzEw72b3Ix0-G8W9tUsc/s1600/100_1838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzw5eLCXx9Nd6OsJYWdEiQhd0MjsGmvePCwXhVTdrnT3TZCHjS6Lnum01mQr-pjT28xHX2JXbrxRHUAMK-BZKBLgtbUgYQQGyLR1hngEjueu31o_8T6pizFhuXCzEw72b3Ix0-G8W9tUsc/s400/100_1838.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-aUA1d6VY_WbhqyWNaY6f8_Jym_jeJaIGu5NzdQTm16oSil_Z7sgihMjXHDSio2WvKDJZZgnG7VAY2ikW2Eirz2v38WDp6w-a3n1Mb96sTgW5XF80uekDpMii5OUVnDZtxtHrnW1p5Vf/s1600/IMG_0935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-aUA1d6VY_WbhqyWNaY6f8_Jym_jeJaIGu5NzdQTm16oSil_Z7sgihMjXHDSio2WvKDJZZgnG7VAY2ikW2Eirz2v38WDp6w-a3n1Mb96sTgW5XF80uekDpMii5OUVnDZtxtHrnW1p5Vf/s400/IMG_0935.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">me and my best friend</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycZdd3UfmoL9xv6GtkMA5chMfonXpTu-Knkhycjfl_EMoEb_G3kK9MUz8v91rdqdIWbybjQof7OV2YCWPiomMmEEY5zE34ds8pgC5dFlqHtVotVmxHqToT10MPQKJUYmv0TTWatBVI_er/s1600/000_0013_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiycZdd3UfmoL9xv6GtkMA5chMfonXpTu-Knkhycjfl_EMoEb_G3kK9MUz8v91rdqdIWbybjQof7OV2YCWPiomMmEEY5zE34ds8pgC5dFlqHtVotVmxHqToT10MPQKJUYmv0TTWatBVI_er/s400/000_0013_2.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">my sister and I having a girls weekend</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzThbErFi0_h-fSSKZ7NBpeP2FIsh6kUZ-n3EnNIzYyx72hiuhZ42S0rQBZHtQtqsVvGzRyHhyphenhyphenO0IqKEwE_hkmrRgPr8J6ohcFqUnLgHkqWgvwpjl31J12c4kk2d7-k7TDkUE_uKL7A8Tm/s1600/IMG_0984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzThbErFi0_h-fSSKZ7NBpeP2FIsh6kUZ-n3EnNIzYyx72hiuhZ42S0rQBZHtQtqsVvGzRyHhyphenhyphenO0IqKEwE_hkmrRgPr8J6ohcFqUnLgHkqWgvwpjl31J12c4kk2d7-k7TDkUE_uKL7A8Tm/s640/IMG_0984.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">one of my best friends since high school</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Also a deal for all the mommy bloggers out there, this Saturday 5/22 Old Navy has $1.00 FLIP FLOPS!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Get there early and stock up!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><img alt="product.do.jpg" src="webkit-fake-url://7D1094DB-DFA1-494C-8772-FE66F120FA5B/product.do.jpg" /></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-5731330216657996142010-05-17T08:53:00.000-04:002010-05-17T08:53:11.394-04:00Vegan and raw chick'n salad cabbage wrapsI'm always experimenting with new ways of preparing food...trying to come up with healthier, quicker, more delicious, and more budget friendly ways of making familiar and unfamiliar dishes. Recently I stumbled across a blog, <a href="http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/">Love Veggies and Yoga</a>, that really inspired me to try all kinds of new recipes and techniques in the kitchen. Avery is a genius with healthy desserts. She prepares most all of her food Vegan and raw due to food allergies and sensitivities, and an overall concern about optimal health. I wanted to share this little creation I came up with recently, inspired by Avery.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4bDFJ6biPDgBrLFPxh8D4RVCFBx6uY_e5MrBTHH1gGG5w4IvDXYf-IDmKvd0u8_w88vnAO6xzPuWJnG6yZHI5Owi9HqZ994Gi_tbG8t7Y5EoieLgLjU_AGwGh4EcRsyASyQiNsfuuyjrK/s1600/IMG_1467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4bDFJ6biPDgBrLFPxh8D4RVCFBx6uY_e5MrBTHH1gGG5w4IvDXYf-IDmKvd0u8_w88vnAO6xzPuWJnG6yZHI5Owi9HqZ994Gi_tbG8t7Y5EoieLgLjU_AGwGh4EcRsyASyQiNsfuuyjrK/s640/IMG_1467.JPG" width="358" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXBcGm4jXOVevJyCbaRbwpC35D8cBe7lFIl9CcZ4FOqqGH2LKTM9Y2p-8mrzaye-SH8TEfHVVvbBhTkSnHAjJrwWL3UvYYUFfaonTn7ZtefueQ6jRrdbT5bRSvtoV97xfLUan0Sp1mAGu/s1600/IMG_1460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXBcGm4jXOVevJyCbaRbwpC35D8cBe7lFIl9CcZ4FOqqGH2LKTM9Y2p-8mrzaye-SH8TEfHVVvbBhTkSnHAjJrwWL3UvYYUFfaonTn7ZtefueQ6jRrdbT5bRSvtoV97xfLUan0Sp1mAGu/s640/IMG_1460.JPG" width="358" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">to make these I started with raw almonds between 3/4 and 1 cup</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy4Jcn30mPGAudHq24QEZ4cQ3wFqtV8nqbXLhj1TcibUFP4xKdccD_Z3Rl3-_azGIfFJA2lf_HtS1Z-_1iLe-7dEJ8-9NG3JlBFLUB8PVmmNYK3p9IV_n1T5Cjjq5c57KvwB_oTzq8JNJK/s1600/IMG_1463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy4Jcn30mPGAudHq24QEZ4cQ3wFqtV8nqbXLhj1TcibUFP4xKdccD_Z3Rl3-_azGIfFJA2lf_HtS1Z-_1iLe-7dEJ8-9NG3JlBFLUB8PVmmNYK3p9IV_n1T5Cjjq5c57KvwB_oTzq8JNJK/s400/IMG_1463.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then I ground them using my magic bullet. You could use a blender, food processor, whatever you have that will finely grind them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHs9DyrdtBGunEQTGEJO08RSC3pKEAX2yTNPd40gy7jfHqdieZYPi04GUD08nAFxQt-b1I-Zn4-xpEQJ82VqABajfDJAgDAY0qgGex1V_NzeTlDJ2K2TX-TG6B8NLO8tCyF5hHGkCkOpL/s1600/IMG_1459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHs9DyrdtBGunEQTGEJO08RSC3pKEAX2yTNPd40gy7jfHqdieZYPi04GUD08nAFxQt-b1I-Zn4-xpEQJ82VqABajfDJAgDAY0qgGex1V_NzeTlDJ2K2TX-TG6B8NLO8tCyF5hHGkCkOpL/s640/IMG_1459.JPG" width="358" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Have you tried this dressing? It is hands down the best ginger dressing I've ever had outside of a restaurant.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHLh9iqwvdRtS4tHq3JnT0PIueJPj0SvhzsY0WdSvs6pQr3wyvj9CSvtY1_e5LOjE1nhm8gU1qyDkvtYQ1DMGerCLesdZE2SGD4t4TR1pcta3jh_UbmAu6FhDSuyzGhbxFeX1Gn-x6-7Rs/s1600/IMG_1465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHLh9iqwvdRtS4tHq3JnT0PIueJPj0SvhzsY0WdSvs6pQr3wyvj9CSvtY1_e5LOjE1nhm8gU1qyDkvtYQ1DMGerCLesdZE2SGD4t4TR1pcta3jh_UbmAu6FhDSuyzGhbxFeX1Gn-x6-7Rs/s400/IMG_1465.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I poured this dressing all over my almond meal. I used a third to half of a cup.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMU2N7jLZiv1zzGzHcQTUImUBSiCMwjMp_6_ukF3l4hG7WANxEBFX6AzDsdodDPepB7wUoTe4iQMnKdBZC_-g9MAdNBFFRDatqVIe8cCGvbhmIcZUF0QL77Zio6kytOtR17dtAnahop_RD/s1600/IMG_1464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMU2N7jLZiv1zzGzHcQTUImUBSiCMwjMp_6_ukF3l4hG7WANxEBFX6AzDsdodDPepB7wUoTe4iQMnKdBZC_-g9MAdNBFFRDatqVIe8cCGvbhmIcZUF0QL77Zio6kytOtR17dtAnahop_RD/s400/IMG_1464.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">then I chopped veggies; cabbage, green onions, carrots, and celery</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7DzzI2_OWmO10IutX8qLzRQ2sZIWfDZ9qK2P9uYB_Wa_axOSuPVI3vYQQEWEwidLCg0E-i1qW_8LsxpM0EMGEGyYBjoKED-jCz6_nY9SJTnkYTsh7f0BtWezNqpCs2kJfgYG7xkSZcDy/s1600/IMG_1466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7DzzI2_OWmO10IutX8qLzRQ2sZIWfDZ9qK2P9uYB_Wa_axOSuPVI3vYQQEWEwidLCg0E-i1qW_8LsxpM0EMGEGyYBjoKED-jCz6_nY9SJTnkYTsh7f0BtWezNqpCs2kJfgYG7xkSZcDy/s400/IMG_1466.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I mixed the veggies and almond meal with the dressing</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uogikHo5JnerKxeM7jaciWfmkKQV0BmCwA8kxYlFwuCfQempYmKC7NnvSBVAbP8pEurdr-ed3DLH8ePWVq-hNHb4wR_sYNxUfchoCJWk7goVX4nXhIq4VIRM_dQax3-xiDIQKmyx3Shm/s1600/IMG_1458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uogikHo5JnerKxeM7jaciWfmkKQV0BmCwA8kxYlFwuCfQempYmKC7NnvSBVAbP8pEurdr-ed3DLH8ePWVq-hNHb4wR_sYNxUfchoCJWk7goVX4nXhIq4VIRM_dQax3-xiDIQKmyx3Shm/s400/IMG_1458.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I pulled a few cabbage leaves off the head</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4bDFJ6biPDgBrLFPxh8D4RVCFBx6uY_e5MrBTHH1gGG5w4IvDXYf-IDmKvd0u8_w88vnAO6xzPuWJnG6yZHI5Owi9HqZ994Gi_tbG8t7Y5EoieLgLjU_AGwGh4EcRsyASyQiNsfuuyjrK/s1600/IMG_1467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4bDFJ6biPDgBrLFPxh8D4RVCFBx6uY_e5MrBTHH1gGG5w4IvDXYf-IDmKvd0u8_w88vnAO6xzPuWJnG6yZHI5Owi9HqZ994Gi_tbG8t7Y5EoieLgLjU_AGwGh4EcRsyASyQiNsfuuyjrK/s640/IMG_1467.JPG" width="358" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and viola! Vegan and raw chick'n salad cabbage wraps.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These were so delicious and filling!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-4050797269317086762010-05-01T22:27:00.001-04:002010-05-01T22:28:27.127-04:00More Bragging...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4gH-zyNBZX53SliGb86I3zU9TJxVBKTPIScJd6v4yNd2T_P0G8Oh0-L6kjwjrAJK7mxW5tDHJ7WzAL6zbYpDxPgqYp5oS3gCH-fBq30-zbwfuCEoTGWOUiDMXfFmjdHjKVEJslVsBcQ4/s1600/29004_417482614327_720339327_5302158_6415695_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4gH-zyNBZX53SliGb86I3zU9TJxVBKTPIScJd6v4yNd2T_P0G8Oh0-L6kjwjrAJK7mxW5tDHJ7WzAL6zbYpDxPgqYp5oS3gCH-fBq30-zbwfuCEoTGWOUiDMXfFmjdHjKVEJslVsBcQ4/s640/29004_417482614327_720339327_5302158_6415695_n.jpg" width="371" /></a></div>I posted recently about the fact that my oldest son Austin is graduating from high school. Well, I've just received his senior pictures, and I'm so happy with them!<br />
<br />
Check them out!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPt1CrUMuyVAh5D_vH9VMfz-fBZqm_LJ50SyjfPwk9LBCZHpku5gbkN22_8M8YvSy1glOqlkbXa_CpEjnp0GZ7RDNpz9zFAXvz_gPXs14ovVYPNMQDLLyJToQuoxCw9hWbcOF3sv91AoLL/s1600/29004_417482854327_720339327_5302191_413902_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPt1CrUMuyVAh5D_vH9VMfz-fBZqm_LJ50SyjfPwk9LBCZHpku5gbkN22_8M8YvSy1glOqlkbXa_CpEjnp0GZ7RDNpz9zFAXvz_gPXs14ovVYPNMQDLLyJToQuoxCw9hWbcOF3sv91AoLL/s640/29004_417482854327_720339327_5302191_413902_n.jpg" width="370" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqZf6FkNZizTCqadkh8SDJNU5fZwY-788rgRhKkeMUN6bME98t6tLuGAzd6mvfRi1ze98VNlyrh95w48yUf7uYa7YAkGOBvLmz4i39fhDxdCZFrOHHd9qUkQJJV9OKINxXnuhQqh6u8Ta/s1600/29004_417482754327_720339327_5302178_605937_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqZf6FkNZizTCqadkh8SDJNU5fZwY-788rgRhKkeMUN6bME98t6tLuGAzd6mvfRi1ze98VNlyrh95w48yUf7uYa7YAkGOBvLmz4i39fhDxdCZFrOHHd9qUkQJJV9OKINxXnuhQqh6u8Ta/s640/29004_417482754327_720339327_5302178_605937_n.jpg" width="438" /></a><br />
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</div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-24676468596979648512010-04-28T17:30:00.002-04:002010-04-28T17:34:47.170-04:00WooHoo! Wednesday<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAXbO_-6JW8tmTuIkYcBngy9nt030YaJRd6Lqp1luDl2J61Gteunnu7kwlQM4tcnGVaoIgJujyFba9QOKS5IK2zjTBv3sZBhGXSITzlNVHmcaBtT6VPGj3so8wk5pYu6ygQoK-6aNf3FX/s1600/IMG_0882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfAXbO_-6JW8tmTuIkYcBngy9nt030YaJRd6Lqp1luDl2J61Gteunnu7kwlQM4tcnGVaoIgJujyFba9QOKS5IK2zjTBv3sZBhGXSITzlNVHmcaBtT6VPGj3so8wk5pYu6ygQoK-6aNf3FX/s640/IMG_0882.JPG" width="230" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Today I'm WooHooing about my oldest son Austin who is about to turn 18. He will be 18 and graduating from high school all in the same day. I can't believe that this day is already here. He will graduate from high school, and by summer's end he will have his associate degree as well. </div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'd say that's something to WooHoo about! I've been busy getting ready for his special day, and I can't wait to see what his future holds, and what God has in store for him</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">WOOHOO!!!</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimApj0jQLXHdd5lIgErKVVOfz6Q8LovnK6yUjYWfXT_6uxH9DCTuhRYJBfTKHjFlbtExBey17l_99oeBFr6WEGvSCgf17PTVH2mQ8tx4v0JasudDzDCuXlNDoVesWDB15w1ttIA2yWDQrL/s1600/100_2022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimApj0jQLXHdd5lIgErKVVOfz6Q8LovnK6yUjYWfXT_6uxH9DCTuhRYJBfTKHjFlbtExBey17l_99oeBFr6WEGvSCgf17PTVH2mQ8tx4v0JasudDzDCuXlNDoVesWDB15w1ttIA2yWDQrL/s400/100_2022.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love you Austin; Dad and I are really proud of you!</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="webkit-fake-url://A0E3E65B-7ECA-453B-9D50-0C70132AEFE6/Woo+Hoo+Post+Button.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Woo+Hoo+Post+Button.jpg" border="0" src="webkit-fake-url://A0E3E65B-7ECA-453B-9D50-0C70132AEFE6/Woo+Hoo+Post+Button.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I linking up with Marla <a href="http://alwaysnesting.blogspot.com/">Always Nesting</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-85163528709808261422010-04-27T08:17:00.000-04:002010-04-27T08:17:13.311-04:00Menu PlanHello All, Hope your enjoying this beautiful spring week! Well at least it's beautiful here in Georgia. <br />
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Over this past weekend I baked some potatoes, 5 lbs. to be exact. We ate a few with our dinner Sunday night, but we had plenty leftover. You'll see those making a reappearance in some of my menus this week.<br />
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By the way this is something I commonly do. If I'm going to cook something that takes a decent amount of time or energy, I cook extra- saving time, energy, and money. Also another tip...if I am baking something (like potatoes) that take an hour or so in the oven, I always crowd the oven. I put in a loaf of banana bread and roasted some broccoli and onions with the potatoes. If your gonna cook, after all, you may as well make thee most of your time, right?<br />
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Here's what on the Menu this week:<br />
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Grilled eggplant sandwiches with marinara sauce, potato salad (used those baked potatoes) with fresh herbs from my back porch!<br />
The baked potatoes gave a really nice flavor to the potato salad.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY0FFHBwuDkKSyRJnw303KlnoPZD0F6CT9h2rmSat_eKMgPjaU1cwO5yAFfiB9NvZMKLJsk37BuXZBJCyx3cDT8B4RYC3tnR_7m0CpvW0N8_IxYn3jjGDl2EB-KDeN1XhEx_u2YNn0d2uo/s1600/IMG_1457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY0FFHBwuDkKSyRJnw303KlnoPZD0F6CT9h2rmSat_eKMgPjaU1cwO5yAFfiB9NvZMKLJsk37BuXZBJCyx3cDT8B4RYC3tnR_7m0CpvW0N8_IxYn3jjGDl2EB-KDeN1XhEx_u2YNn0d2uo/s400/IMG_1457.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Minestrone potatoes... This recipe has become one of my go to quick and healthy weeknight meals. I heat these soups and pour them over baked potatoes that I've drizzled with a little olive oil & salt and pepper. Sometimes I top with cheese.<br />
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Paella with venison sausage -I don't eat sausage but I'll portions some out for me before adding the sausage.<br />
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Chili, Cornbread and Guacamole<br />
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Grilled Scallops, Grilled Chicken, Green Salad, Sweet Potato Fries or Rice<br />
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Fettucini with peas, capers and lemon zest, green salad<br />
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Enjoy! <br />
P.S. I always love if you have recipes or cooking tips to shareVanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-76723707789881671452010-04-21T10:47:00.002-04:002010-04-22T08:29:19.768-04:00How My Garden GrowsSpring its here, and it's fair to say that I've got a bad case of spring fever. I'm just loving this beautiful weather, the sunshine, longer days, and everything coming to life. I've been busy, busy, busy working in my yard and garden, but the results are well work the effort. <br />
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Here's what I've been up to:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaRGR6ifT-lnN4RbjRHxfGf2C6TUumYaOFS61JjTWZe_2rGN9fKvLmKb9tKXCOwbA7f4Ogx-54NRx7scHqzIwhGktzrLVPtcWhAOffgUGP0GR0FpVm0YqXToAevANPxD44RdvB_412DQT/s1600/IMG_1441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaRGR6ifT-lnN4RbjRHxfGf2C6TUumYaOFS61JjTWZe_2rGN9fKvLmKb9tKXCOwbA7f4Ogx-54NRx7scHqzIwhGktzrLVPtcWhAOffgUGP0GR0FpVm0YqXToAevANPxD44RdvB_412DQT/s400/IMG_1441.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUTHdWOrKvMs7SHxlfjQ6Q1kkig-_gbm1IneWyv1FppQpkuPGBE0ebxMJPK3btuioxdZDXyAFm6pVOH_E4s3fVg8PfLPwabW1kEycRxShO3y7V8aZxjARfDcsW1KrpQnj3zB50hmIjo_va/s1600/IMG_1443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUTHdWOrKvMs7SHxlfjQ6Q1kkig-_gbm1IneWyv1FppQpkuPGBE0ebxMJPK3btuioxdZDXyAFm6pVOH_E4s3fVg8PfLPwabW1kEycRxShO3y7V8aZxjARfDcsW1KrpQnj3zB50hmIjo_va/s400/IMG_1443.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I've been planting lots and lots of flowers</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigToeq8qxRYwWNpUYhS8XVRwPiowgdnGPG-A5B-pYf85UJ2TGiQ9irk5DlLIONjgA3fSCffPgD_zWu_w26o59Ib6yZvfFkiarZEo3_dMyW4cFGExvzuN3CJxLHUH796GIrxMk0DaeORSuJ/s1600/IMG_1445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigToeq8qxRYwWNpUYhS8XVRwPiowgdnGPG-A5B-pYf85UJ2TGiQ9irk5DlLIONjgA3fSCffPgD_zWu_w26o59Ib6yZvfFkiarZEo3_dMyW4cFGExvzuN3CJxLHUH796GIrxMk0DaeORSuJ/s400/IMG_1445.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">tomatoes and peppers</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKC5poBgbhAvLk95Nf4ncP8Vhgy_5bACdYH4ayo4k24N5bHqvQYZP4ByjX3Pbv3944Gab5R8Ke0sxh8bixrNeM0nkfWIDxogCpCkLXlYPhmOUSdqAHAObFwdCzDQE_8qnKMZXH7GccI58c/s1600/IMG_1449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKC5poBgbhAvLk95Nf4ncP8Vhgy_5bACdYH4ayo4k24N5bHqvQYZP4ByjX3Pbv3944Gab5R8Ke0sxh8bixrNeM0nkfWIDxogCpCkLXlYPhmOUSdqAHAObFwdCzDQE_8qnKMZXH7GccI58c/s640/IMG_1449.JPG" width="356" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I planted lots of herbs, here is mint and lemon balm. The smell is amazing!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTyclLefSt6eovC9zR88_X0x_B6PYCrepEb0uVgB0lNoWsoIX8JDo1mb9KWpL740sAURaWnY6Z90EQiQoUiHZnVoZ_6CGjiyrK6n1lZkhoCXj4aiSJcZBMFiw8sPbgMfsvpLdX5V_hK3-/s1600/IMG_1451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTyclLefSt6eovC9zR88_X0x_B6PYCrepEb0uVgB0lNoWsoIX8JDo1mb9KWpL740sAURaWnY6Z90EQiQoUiHZnVoZ_6CGjiyrK6n1lZkhoCXj4aiSJcZBMFiw8sPbgMfsvpLdX5V_hK3-/s400/IMG_1451.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Basil and Dill</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilKFRF7q2aPheYLmu3ysKqYOzNPrEBBNCsnIpIXIu2dMtMowgdAyPa_ba7CZmsDGmpy_wRgNViN69RhctPCmv2bLp3i6wvJzCRAQHOjLcxYw-T5LlB2zA4TyWoXH4odHXCnxuCykkxvvb_/s1600/IMG_1452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilKFRF7q2aPheYLmu3ysKqYOzNPrEBBNCsnIpIXIu2dMtMowgdAyPa_ba7CZmsDGmpy_wRgNViN69RhctPCmv2bLp3i6wvJzCRAQHOjLcxYw-T5LlB2zA4TyWoXH4odHXCnxuCykkxvvb_/s400/IMG_1452.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">greek oregano, lavender, and rosemary (my absolute favorite herb)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXodwTe2j_G__KrEWATsEJULie9JF1ljhp3xygNP0oXnvLSYi9HhLrk8TH3wPrTTr5wJB6zagL1aFjGt14cbUVsuwXjmhiEncWCBJaiNAFBFVVstOvs1SZwYG-HKFjbrRHIbcAIyjl3PTr/s1600/IMG_1450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXodwTe2j_G__KrEWATsEJULie9JF1ljhp3xygNP0oXnvLSYi9HhLrk8TH3wPrTTr5wJB6zagL1aFjGt14cbUVsuwXjmhiEncWCBJaiNAFBFVVstOvs1SZwYG-HKFjbrRHIbcAIyjl3PTr/s400/IMG_1450.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">parsley</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH96lU-x1UKwl0PCyaMLEy-9JkwsuZQK9YphnuM8jfAQ9mIwH681XOrLB6o7ktgSee6zdRnAVliA2lRAoGKJH5Q9Iq42b6AhypSCXOyeSt4T4AeR9H8ee_NZ24PaAv1Q1nAl6hNOnS0H0-/s1600/IMG_1455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH96lU-x1UKwl0PCyaMLEy-9JkwsuZQK9YphnuM8jfAQ9mIwH681XOrLB6o7ktgSee6zdRnAVliA2lRAoGKJH5Q9Iq42b6AhypSCXOyeSt4T4AeR9H8ee_NZ24PaAv1Q1nAl6hNOnS0H0-/s400/IMG_1455.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I painted my front porch</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjx-grNJXQoOnhXaeOFqcvBaz1tnKV3y7UwmINa_5ZnRIzlGUWUoOq0kIhPAaM3-C5uvoglopv1LVcpZI8b_LooRfZq3tnQ5f1j7mt6ZS7ymjded6gU_NY45OC3OlX9PjaX2OdIKB743p/s1600/IMG_1456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjx-grNJXQoOnhXaeOFqcvBaz1tnKV3y7UwmINa_5ZnRIzlGUWUoOq0kIhPAaM3-C5uvoglopv1LVcpZI8b_LooRfZq3tnQ5f1j7mt6ZS7ymjded6gU_NY45OC3OlX9PjaX2OdIKB743p/s400/IMG_1456.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I found this spray paint with different colored speckles in it. I really like the result.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Remember <a href="http://momsgotmanyhats.blogspot.com/2010/01/look-what-my-son-helped-me-do.html">this</a> rock project post?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Well, I continued with that same idea around the perimeter of my house.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My husband says I'm depleting our neighborhood's rock resources. My boys think it's "outta control" I tell them "You want to play XBOX; go get me 5 rocks." Just kidding, sort of!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvI2EvBvioPoAVoiqwIx0yrI6c1b03q04Lbic9Y5JM7UZiAfWfDAB439dUjtbfOdpMZEivn_vfGXMVnSxmoaCeZ1yXd25IQ6Era1emJcYRdn7VYCNMIf4HHyaxsh1TIMD05OW68_IPfHl0/s1600/IMG_1442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvI2EvBvioPoAVoiqwIx0yrI6c1b03q04Lbic9Y5JM7UZiAfWfDAB439dUjtbfOdpMZEivn_vfGXMVnSxmoaCeZ1yXd25IQ6Era1emJcYRdn7VYCNMIf4HHyaxsh1TIMD05OW68_IPfHl0/s640/IMG_1442.JPG" width="356" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">front view</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6Xl7R10UkoV67a21ShAAZ1JFYF5sY0XneL0xkYe2GeLJ4SzXR2yYGx825T8L0pgkUtWFdRdR_nxJw8Oussjg7dJS6DWPcBjyfjJN42b4FCq0iYPTp2VXf0V59vE2kFGZLtC_qLXXCRUN/s1600/IMG_1454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6Xl7R10UkoV67a21ShAAZ1JFYF5sY0XneL0xkYe2GeLJ4SzXR2yYGx825T8L0pgkUtWFdRdR_nxJw8Oussjg7dJS6DWPcBjyfjJN42b4FCq0iYPTp2VXf0V59vE2kFGZLtC_qLXXCRUN/s400/IMG_1454.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">continuing around</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCaEmhdCKbkfuFO6mjlKUBnTz5nSqwuvRHPLj6Zl8zse_bL-loY2Zx8S_vWW_S6F-fL0YAjJIq30KAl8rqqyUyMSvQK0dWYfD8Cw54VvfX148BbaBXoqxRl80MaPXsJL50UV4UQjPHApp/s1600/IMG_1453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCaEmhdCKbkfuFO6mjlKUBnTz5nSqwuvRHPLj6Zl8zse_bL-loY2Zx8S_vWW_S6F-fL0YAjJIq30KAl8rqqyUyMSvQK0dWYfD8Cw54VvfX148BbaBXoqxRl80MaPXsJL50UV4UQjPHApp/s640/IMG_1453.JPG" width="358" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">side view</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE87Wng7hrPzxmvnmGFYe-A6tOV7CSgxU2sakgn2EMcTwNoXN3fCJ_AC_AzKKxsfAOi9hR5_IvOctjhTlPpJ4jqFNCynb3Yw_MC_SFjmlTRwEPzjzyQ6MH20UX17RmY7LZRtoHe1BIvgLW/s1600/IMG_1446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE87Wng7hrPzxmvnmGFYe-A6tOV7CSgxU2sakgn2EMcTwNoXN3fCJ_AC_AzKKxsfAOi9hR5_IvOctjhTlPpJ4jqFNCynb3Yw_MC_SFjmlTRwEPzjzyQ6MH20UX17RmY7LZRtoHe1BIvgLW/s640/IMG_1446.JPG" width="358" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">back of house</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2juw9CJ-hOtPW5hbJ_6aj3rcznkkKdmvVouXd1NE2DhSC6uN51OFkWTn3vYyF_-xCYjn4CTyBaB5VUUxCoGJ4QOfUebirUybSr2TH6LltLUGUkrbW9lu0P0HVEAmQiyjE02pw1f2Qg4UJ/s1600/IMG_1447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2juw9CJ-hOtPW5hbJ_6aj3rcznkkKdmvVouXd1NE2DhSC6uN51OFkWTn3vYyF_-xCYjn4CTyBaB5VUUxCoGJ4QOfUebirUybSr2TH6LltLUGUkrbW9lu0P0HVEAmQiyjE02pw1f2Qg4UJ/s640/IMG_1447.JPG" width="358" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I surrounded a fire pit with stones. Watching the flickering fire at night is so relaxing. Next I think I need to add a water feature. I can hear it now drowning out the sound of my boys, ahhh.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdYpG7FKxp9IpzUSCc6oG6O6SqUr4BrQ3dFBxZiFzqvfvPvmUsvoXeQ11ZRWj2pF4FJVMiXTOoYjxfR2K-V1YBvkUFFp2Lds_KfjvZgoiW-f6iGhZUCTbS1nAf_O5sO8KHVfbk4sA6ywZ/s1600/IMG_1448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdYpG7FKxp9IpzUSCc6oG6O6SqUr4BrQ3dFBxZiFzqvfvPvmUsvoXeQ11ZRWj2pF4FJVMiXTOoYjxfR2K-V1YBvkUFFp2Lds_KfjvZgoiW-f6iGhZUCTbS1nAf_O5sO8KHVfbk4sA6ywZ/s400/IMG_1448.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Also a future project is to paint the back porch. I'll post pictures after I do it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">P.S. I'm linking up to Marla at <a href="http://alwaysnesting.blogspot.com/2010/04/woo-hoo-wednesday-1.html">Always Nesting</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><img alt="Woo+Hoo+Post+Button.jpg" src="webkit-fake-url://58A028E7-B04F-47ED-BDA8-7252A8B05D81/Woo+Hoo+Post+Button.jpg" /></div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-10889425916368721032010-04-21T08:36:00.002-04:002010-04-21T21:48:14.797-04:00Menu PlanLeftover night...we had piles of food in the fridge from the weekend that need to be used this week. <br />
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I'm going to start adding a leftover/buffet night to my weekly menu. It's a great way to save time, money, and the environment...less shopping, less waste, less energy used to prep. <br />
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Do you have a leftover night?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4Ule2eCRlkPtBEf2riN0gTr_PoXx9RuWIWayPHNNsy668TflTHU4PORkjou50IVIAtlM7_iLZzYBHjXdkJSJAiL7kLnqX9PPt0bazHNScohg7r1cLTjbDvQTKV0JCHcP-hVOIwDxF_bm/s1600/IMG_1440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4Ule2eCRlkPtBEf2riN0gTr_PoXx9RuWIWayPHNNsy668TflTHU4PORkjou50IVIAtlM7_iLZzYBHjXdkJSJAiL7kLnqX9PPt0bazHNScohg7r1cLTjbDvQTKV0JCHcP-hVOIwDxF_bm/s400/IMG_1440.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Garlicky green beans, whole wheat spaghetti, and Aidells Chicken Meatballs- I found this brand at Costco, and my guys love them. Every time that I've made them, they eat them up everyone and want me to make more!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72ui5sJkpcckNZZlnKPJjmXd03JJkjcruRqsyTnvhaIvxtIWMbQcSnyv_OyxGKO_TYRtvCZ82wmuy64ZvqPX2EuDtB8HGUxinEq-6zM70PA3CrboQkRARBSFf5E7-EAt-t6sRHbppoILr/s1600/IMG_1438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72ui5sJkpcckNZZlnKPJjmXd03JJkjcruRqsyTnvhaIvxtIWMbQcSnyv_OyxGKO_TYRtvCZ82wmuy64ZvqPX2EuDtB8HGUxinEq-6zM70PA3CrboQkRARBSFf5E7-EAt-t6sRHbppoILr/s400/IMG_1438.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Breaded fish, homemade baked apples, roasted carrots<br />
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Dittalini with parmesan, garlic olive oil, and butter and steamed broccoli<br />
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Going out<br />
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Homemade Pizza, everyone gets to pick their own toppings, green salad<br />
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Taco salad bowls- I'm going to try these yummy looking taco salad bowls out that I found over at <a href="http://thefrontierkitchen.com/2010/04/make-it-cheap-monday-taco-salad-in-oven.html">Frontier Kitchen</a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><a href="webkit-fake-url://24E03411-448A-4640-A1A6-7B0600F2F26F/103_4285.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><img alt="103_4285.JPG.jpg" height="400" src="webkit-fake-url://972E8FF1-8945-41B3-B77B-E0BD744DD1F7/103_4285.JPG.jpg" width="300" /></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"> </span></span>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-30997771982324399452010-04-16T06:00:00.001-04:002010-04-16T06:00:10.684-04:00Lemon blueberry MuffinsWe had these <a href="http://recipezaar.com/recipe/Lemon-Bluberry-Muffins-4637">Lemon Blueberry Muffins</a> for breakfast recently, and the syrup I made was outstanding. My boys couldn't get enough, so my husband said "You better Blog it."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFh5beR7YOEgUq79uE4fZDtoE0K3yUuimkcOvAduCfJyI_bZc-Xhzr60sZFgkxbu20r4kKAr1zp4ah6NPWSC-w3C46AvSi09qoe-6YEOnSADpN9jKK4yqM7xfWCLJ7juaBLwzxduiDNeZ2/s1600/IMG_1207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFh5beR7YOEgUq79uE4fZDtoE0K3yUuimkcOvAduCfJyI_bZc-Xhzr60sZFgkxbu20r4kKAr1zp4ah6NPWSC-w3C46AvSi09qoe-6YEOnSADpN9jKK4yqM7xfWCLJ7juaBLwzxduiDNeZ2/s640/IMG_1207.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrfW1Mdk2ddfhTzYjkH50gsAwi5G2ZyjEfZt8Lccb1dmD0uVTDoIXbSNTLIuLkT2uV3Mc2mNWDlJagQUGXGL6E6O8DA2IJ4hbZ-0htWVJs9MrGOLghQu5n2EvBuKDpXyjFdGUHHHT-WTc/s1600/IMG_1204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrfW1Mdk2ddfhTzYjkH50gsAwi5G2ZyjEfZt8Lccb1dmD0uVTDoIXbSNTLIuLkT2uV3Mc2mNWDlJagQUGXGL6E6O8DA2IJ4hbZ-0htWVJs9MrGOLghQu5n2EvBuKDpXyjFdGUHHHT-WTc/s400/IMG_1204.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">i used about a cup of blueberries, a couple tablespoons of Agave syrup (I don't measure use less or more depending of you sweet tooth), and a quater of a lemon, peel and all.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7ycMOLAcJHOTAd7UXUZpwTx-0u5hHWqTSE_JOhTBNtF7g_Hqyj6SN2UfIMhoa_axWr_LKBVVw7AbJFsfazzLB_GraAg0luE_bOk01E79W-aImEswHRQpm3kvqSjW_WR5HXNh2EZdmpX7/s1600/IMG_1205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7ycMOLAcJHOTAd7UXUZpwTx-0u5hHWqTSE_JOhTBNtF7g_Hqyj6SN2UfIMhoa_axWr_LKBVVw7AbJFsfazzLB_GraAg0luE_bOk01E79W-aImEswHRQpm3kvqSjW_WR5HXNh2EZdmpX7/s640/IMG_1205.JPG" width="358" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I blended it in all my trusty Magic Bullet.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5jm4aFzaadJELSBxrRDzNG0_dNzpuszJs1eDR7s2YgZvEzsCxKXBsukh51VTtlfw3Cc_VMe5z8NOBCkKjyVPQRH4b4BUCdWfTEU8VgjjF_BDo6zEJkhUxnEUCEDFfrv6S1CeCa3g9ygA/s1600/IMG_1197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5jm4aFzaadJELSBxrRDzNG0_dNzpuszJs1eDR7s2YgZvEzsCxKXBsukh51VTtlfw3Cc_VMe5z8NOBCkKjyVPQRH4b4BUCdWfTEU8VgjjF_BDo6zEJkhUxnEUCEDFfrv6S1CeCa3g9ygA/s400/IMG_1197.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">By the way, buy these in bulk and use them often. They're sooo good for you!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsBMpO3bQQoD1RqUT1giO0bjdUPEsMe3PzXTGa__I_xGBxzbTD0VqJ0PKPMN-gheRAJo0fQR7za3CrCWVbpi9KCjM1N3SlanxEuTXTapP1yCQ3qWRCjNmp_Z2s_hxqGScLUoWLalXhVC75/s1600/IMG_1202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsBMpO3bQQoD1RqUT1giO0bjdUPEsMe3PzXTGa__I_xGBxzbTD0VqJ0PKPMN-gheRAJo0fQR7za3CrCWVbpi9KCjM1N3SlanxEuTXTapP1yCQ3qWRCjNmp_Z2s_hxqGScLUoWLalXhVC75/s400/IMG_1202.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The finished product. We poured this all over our muffins!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNs4mFN4qOPQiyZY6vA7I8x5BEhuYhyphenhyphentdU4KpO4pBc8lUhDY0tNWut_EKOVy1au9YuJLRWyfzpxbAsyFFLDEoT3NlHFkDr37E1TWVrzHC2uTfl5y7ykrWZY5chDi4Szl1ru7ao9bccoUoW/s1600/IMG_1201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNs4mFN4qOPQiyZY6vA7I8x5BEhuYhyphenhyphentdU4KpO4pBc8lUhDY0tNWut_EKOVy1au9YuJLRWyfzpxbAsyFFLDEoT3NlHFkDr37E1TWVrzHC2uTfl5y7ykrWZY5chDi4Szl1ru7ao9bccoUoW/s640/IMG_1201.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So excited eating these, I almost forgot to photograph.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-87784224900314913492010-04-15T17:03:00.000-04:002010-04-15T17:03:14.205-04:00Been away for a little while...I've been away for a little while, and have missed all my blogging buddies! My family went to Vail for spring break, but I'm back now and have been cooking up a storm. <br />
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Before I get into all my cooking posts, enjoy a few pics of these breathtaking mountains<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieftzAN1_MgXS03Fe5aZPXqfqeZoUVWbOL3zcEBRr-Oxd5zInJi73IhR9h-K1opyWPl-T3Ucm1pY4r5SkLStCPGeRICYjWmM9b_6A1WAqSTONur0qbvyiDCZWIqZAO36jb5fKSjhs2kWxu/s1600/IMG_1399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieftzAN1_MgXS03Fe5aZPXqfqeZoUVWbOL3zcEBRr-Oxd5zInJi73IhR9h-K1opyWPl-T3Ucm1pY4r5SkLStCPGeRICYjWmM9b_6A1WAqSTONur0qbvyiDCZWIqZAO36jb5fKSjhs2kWxu/s400/IMG_1399.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiep0qrE7jtM-8DgHeZk7wPoYM_Ozs08i8XQa4dWEfGnLB1fNuTYuSpXjs_FugXaKy2MhW2SVOsaUi8iVo_WW68nwyPC0PP781fy48wfCO4ouFqroyR8xVRqVL5zth8SDJ8CfoDecFCgvxM/s1600/IMG_1410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiep0qrE7jtM-8DgHeZk7wPoYM_Ozs08i8XQa4dWEfGnLB1fNuTYuSpXjs_FugXaKy2MhW2SVOsaUi8iVo_WW68nwyPC0PP781fy48wfCO4ouFqroyR8xVRqVL5zth8SDJ8CfoDecFCgvxM/s400/IMG_1410.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now for the cooking</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My son was home sick from school recently so I made him a homemade lemon chicken soup. It was delicious if I do say so myself and loaded with antioxidants, which is exactly what he needed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6HekxAqiylNyrRWW59X79Hio7Bf_oXqNYaMWZ-xNveatR0gvCIzJDaS5hTTfBg1M7M5WHxIOlmy7BhVuHX6Gq2nBZrL24_Fdnw8TuVoFDNQ4CMADrJtntjo6doLYx9WAfuuWVC1KWVPq/s1600/IMG_1249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6HekxAqiylNyrRWW59X79Hio7Bf_oXqNYaMWZ-xNveatR0gvCIzJDaS5hTTfBg1M7M5WHxIOlmy7BhVuHX6Gq2nBZrL24_Fdnw8TuVoFDNQ4CMADrJtntjo6doLYx9WAfuuWVC1KWVPq/s400/IMG_1249.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I used a variety of veggies including carrots, onions, spinach, parsley and lemon. I also added some quinoa (it's a complete protein ya know) and brown rice. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkuAAljcaX-ZGu7cbgG8zmlrTJF6S3bGobBDHslM9T_4WkOeSmuMRuwJXdRK7AbPVXkPCgT58YLDSjb-rI_ZXBVxoLNpCybmrQ36vcaOPsndmrfrbBZTIYe-SaoHtVuUhOvTGGg8kugYd/s1600/IMG_1252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkuAAljcaX-ZGu7cbgG8zmlrTJF6S3bGobBDHslM9T_4WkOeSmuMRuwJXdRK7AbPVXkPCgT58YLDSjb-rI_ZXBVxoLNpCybmrQ36vcaOPsndmrfrbBZTIYe-SaoHtVuUhOvTGGg8kugYd/s400/IMG_1252.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">First I sautéed the onions and carrots in olive oil. I would have used celery but didn't have any. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1C7BMxzXepX1IqJzrwE2bqbKiSfP4_VFNET8hXlZhdxuCjLDMs0w5_VN5YNY1dDQoRaQea01Dc-iCJch-5L5ZTQkRyhtP3Dbs98eOTvekwyUjPkGMXEX4iNmB2667FN2z-YjMR9Sl-sm/s1600/IMG_1251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1C7BMxzXepX1IqJzrwE2bqbKiSfP4_VFNET8hXlZhdxuCjLDMs0w5_VN5YNY1dDQoRaQea01Dc-iCJch-5L5ZTQkRyhtP3Dbs98eOTvekwyUjPkGMXEX4iNmB2667FN2z-YjMR9Sl-sm/s400/IMG_1251.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then I heated about 4 cups of chicken stock. After that was heated, I combined the two. Next I added salt and pepper, a bay leaf, parsley, spinach, quinoa, brown rice and boiled another 20-30 minutes. When it was done I squeezed in about a half lemon's worth of lemon juice.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Unfortunately we gobbled this up before I photographed the final product, but trust me it was Great! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-1083359761205393552010-03-31T08:11:00.002-04:002010-03-31T08:13:19.105-04:00Spring has SprungYes, Spring has Sprung...in my closet at least. It's been such a long cold winter that I've decided if an item didn't look like spring, act like spring, or talk like spring, it was gone. Well maybe not totally gone, but banished to the spare room closet anyway. I'm such a visual person, that all those winter clothes were dragging me down.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gAfAJgRPNI-sEJ8OfyBph_4H43iVa9MWm7ZB4zi1knNkfG949NL3od7yckxjA-jVH224T6vAQJjs8Ny7y1nvMXLRsgHj-f60gI5GQvmjApZr6m0oKWas5PsYauDw7FRJ1LqIeeHVLBnE/s1600/IMG_1267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gAfAJgRPNI-sEJ8OfyBph_4H43iVa9MWm7ZB4zi1knNkfG949NL3od7yckxjA-jVH224T6vAQJjs8Ny7y1nvMXLRsgHj-f60gI5GQvmjApZr6m0oKWas5PsYauDw7FRJ1LqIeeHVLBnE/s640/IMG_1267.JPG" width="358" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">This is more like it!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SklJzZ6d_MRKGXD6PbTrLMPmvXUBJNHTntRW2i802xGMX7qFfnnbF1uOthioVPNqqYhaIG6lTD6Ge4t6WDQDEA4VlVoxyu2pybUveJCpvDgvlul5A3fs9DXkssY2UTK4KYQzxykrjJk9/s1600/IMG_1269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SklJzZ6d_MRKGXD6PbTrLMPmvXUBJNHTntRW2i802xGMX7qFfnnbF1uOthioVPNqqYhaIG6lTD6Ge4t6WDQDEA4VlVoxyu2pybUveJCpvDgvlul5A3fs9DXkssY2UTK4KYQzxykrjJk9/s400/IMG_1269.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">sooo much less too look at</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">it also makes it easier to get ready in the morning</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wouldn't it be fun to paint the closet pink, get rid of those wire shelves, replace them with some vintagy shelves, and hang a ridiculously gaudy chandy from the ceiling??</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Well, a girl can dream!</div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-50751848737186877512010-03-25T09:54:00.003-04:002010-03-25T16:02:45.848-04:00Master Bedroom Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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My Bedroom has come a long way from <a href="http://www.momsgotmanyhats.blogspot.com/2010/02/master-bedroom-facelift.html">this</a> post. I've gotten the new bedding I wanted. I did keep with the color scheme I had in mind, green and gray, but it needed a little pattern. Sooo I decided to add pattern in the form of black and white. I really love the drama it added. I'm by no means done I'm never done), but am moving in a direction that I'm really loving.<br />
Check out where I am so far: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ye3rbzY9FE1vuVFAnkDrtB5TYum9RIAFOOnJ-5MZuelpMUbpqNIUGHhqd2AMDtfjZi4rKgG0tgLkdyiL_XMXU69X_faf_O2kIhB3PIOs2Ur0aLgdQMLWyGTYu6CDGUTRVcIw3l-il8Gg/s1600/IMG_1236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ye3rbzY9FE1vuVFAnkDrtB5TYum9RIAFOOnJ-5MZuelpMUbpqNIUGHhqd2AMDtfjZi4rKgG0tgLkdyiL_XMXU69X_faf_O2kIhB3PIOs2Ur0aLgdQMLWyGTYu6CDGUTRVcIw3l-il8Gg/s400/IMG_1236.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">new bedding, that I must say I LOVE!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7WnesWoM1_jeJjfn11hGPOh-EZOoWpytTnEbLA1UlXsU1LA2ETH857YvvCCWHA5EJh13wsKyFLD7Xo1uut4NBGd_j-cYIKHyyQqugl5uLXp5KDrJzgnLc34c2ZZlojJXGG7Wp3F-CQlU/s1600/IMG_1228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7WnesWoM1_jeJjfn11hGPOh-EZOoWpytTnEbLA1UlXsU1LA2ETH857YvvCCWHA5EJh13wsKyFLD7Xo1uut4NBGd_j-cYIKHyyQqugl5uLXp5KDrJzgnLc34c2ZZlojJXGG7Wp3F-CQlU/s400/IMG_1228.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">redid my dresser top/dresserscape if you will</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP516KgGzSeQxycpgag4mPKnV7p_Goz3Z3WJBDPmhuzP9AsoETbziGECZQEs1MarXHrZzJknvNXXf_hOj-ffTwXiOGHj2QwWvV2b7U3lWRbeSNIFf2emhAk0fkSIF9l9IDoWlKtEQuX94l/s1600/IMG_1227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP516KgGzSeQxycpgag4mPKnV7p_Goz3Z3WJBDPmhuzP9AsoETbziGECZQEs1MarXHrZzJknvNXXf_hOj-ffTwXiOGHj2QwWvV2b7U3lWRbeSNIFf2emhAk0fkSIF9l9IDoWlKtEQuX94l/s640/IMG_1227.JPG" width="356" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">repurposed wine rack for my necklaces</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZfJ_e2cHQc1h4mG8fSpEzFgaqJ8FgNbvufb27P7KoyjrgwQJVHzICeqSqbtqvxwdVN893EUNjdz5XvX2gWJP-ZFm_Qp0eOTt6s0GTdvVz8W6c6pDnTXFm2jMGC7gkLxvIKtQGDNfgcZn/s1600/IMG_1230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZfJ_e2cHQc1h4mG8fSpEzFgaqJ8FgNbvufb27P7KoyjrgwQJVHzICeqSqbtqvxwdVN893EUNjdz5XvX2gWJP-ZFm_Qp0eOTt6s0GTdvVz8W6c6pDnTXFm2jMGC7gkLxvIKtQGDNfgcZn/s400/IMG_1230.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I spray painted these place mats gray. I like the texture and color they add to my dresser top.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvgyF6jmVlpt86XVJr0je14ippu0P4cd0kGJs8yLsLUCjBWPvQXUYnMTWaxxM8BsTXMMl7IUvMUR5Niu1ZcriW8zZUUGXPM1ID7HURY_Ucpma44jPLhL7vrOWF6RMdKDj6E4PguHAEF7E/s1600/IMG_1229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvgyF6jmVlpt86XVJr0je14ippu0P4cd0kGJs8yLsLUCjBWPvQXUYnMTWaxxM8BsTXMMl7IUvMUR5Niu1ZcriW8zZUUGXPM1ID7HURY_Ucpma44jPLhL7vrOWF6RMdKDj6E4PguHAEF7E/s400/IMG_1229.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I laid a scarf across the top of my dresser to add a little pattern.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXti7fagRowHmXgumDxDSCprqwXtsh9tIUvLJ5l5B9IyyBKLsscGZg4XGYOSM2lSOprHiu6angjAzwqUXeBQ80d8RzZMZvVNcqJ5sDBn3sPYBWdkpulz8CaV5p8oxS4UHjcKz0fqDEi8om/s1600/IMG_1231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXti7fagRowHmXgumDxDSCprqwXtsh9tIUvLJ5l5B9IyyBKLsscGZg4XGYOSM2lSOprHiu6angjAzwqUXeBQ80d8RzZMZvVNcqJ5sDBn3sPYBWdkpulz8CaV5p8oxS4UHjcKz0fqDEi8om/s640/IMG_1231.JPG" width="358" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'd love to add a little something on either side of the mirror.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86eONqeNLT_EFO7v-LRPrDCKVdSY12NZzmrFDaxnRZ9Nx_1H8ToUjZMbFQXAa3Vd6dUXcoUj6GPuKPGAmaqPnlNsI773ltdJ4cLAluuy4QUCP8MOkX9qiimnYFzGu9YXbRk20hvRlAmdt/s1600/IMG_1234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86eONqeNLT_EFO7v-LRPrDCKVdSY12NZzmrFDaxnRZ9Nx_1H8ToUjZMbFQXAa3Vd6dUXcoUj6GPuKPGAmaqPnlNsI773ltdJ4cLAluuy4QUCP8MOkX9qiimnYFzGu9YXbRk20hvRlAmdt/s640/IMG_1234.JPG" width="358" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I go this cute lamp at Tar-jay, just the right amount of pattern.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9IAdJh-t3I0CcqnMCUO7SHLcKRARvYVCzjLTgWMrNq6v_snK3wrkDd3XMtuGwrdA6ueoHz0IEE9iv7enJqBaUDS5MnQh4ltPo0E4K_C2pbAjboAW06hY3k3Jrc8yoz3_SK-OZLtjC7zh/s1600/IMG_1238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9IAdJh-t3I0CcqnMCUO7SHLcKRARvYVCzjLTgWMrNq6v_snK3wrkDd3XMtuGwrdA6ueoHz0IEE9iv7enJqBaUDS5MnQh4ltPo0E4K_C2pbAjboAW06hY3k3Jrc8yoz3_SK-OZLtjC7zh/s400/IMG_1238.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A view from one side</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1AQuvgbOb3BAYaLzbALSzuDUmjPV2L5SlaEO5Ae9e8YwCO2Id392h_i02oqzxw99kM9ERl7AosSjUsIenKTWAGrO_riJquTlKXisivwoVRl2a-3t-thBWbHpsP_z4JbLQpNb3hkJznYpo/s1600/IMG_1062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1AQuvgbOb3BAYaLzbALSzuDUmjPV2L5SlaEO5Ae9e8YwCO2Id392h_i02oqzxw99kM9ERl7AosSjUsIenKTWAGrO_riJquTlKXisivwoVRl2a-3t-thBWbHpsP_z4JbLQpNb3hkJznYpo/s320/IMG_1062.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">I moved my file cabinet/nightstand from here</div><div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJq5HxNN5448-WsylcuEOw3YqB0Oi1dZpwDXBcoDDsHcRFH00Lk5YZAUFE8cJpelCwrUiVpDt6w5xCyvwyA-nWlyLKEnadSurA4720e3tNj9Po_NUCS75e6DpBZu4p2ZQaP3nDrktPOOGm/s1600/IMG_1254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJq5HxNN5448-WsylcuEOw3YqB0Oi1dZpwDXBcoDDsHcRFH00Lk5YZAUFE8cJpelCwrUiVpDt6w5xCyvwyA-nWlyLKEnadSurA4720e3tNj9Po_NUCS75e6DpBZu4p2ZQaP3nDrktPOOGm/s640/IMG_1254.JPG" width="358" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">to here</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I also "pimped it up"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">& check out this jewelry box I spray painted and sanded</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1R9f2gqz1MXeWa4HOHxKDBJiBAVnb-RRm3xxw4SLN9igOhmPcDY-zrxS390Qr4GvEZP-BDTDOYRxqITnJTlb-fohyphenhyphenHWjyKZWTBf9gZZCm3Y7URHzJcYGspRMO83M1DWO1AY-QpLkfmIGR/s1600/IMG_1255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1R9f2gqz1MXeWa4HOHxKDBJiBAVnb-RRm3xxw4SLN9igOhmPcDY-zrxS390Qr4GvEZP-BDTDOYRxqITnJTlb-fohyphenhyphenHWjyKZWTBf9gZZCm3Y7URHzJcYGspRMO83M1DWO1AY-QpLkfmIGR/s400/IMG_1255.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I plan to cut those barstool legs in half, and make them cute little footstools. I just need to find some round cushions for the tops.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfu4XfwVjyKVCqwZrAQVFEb72kLGca5Qnf5Zpmj9du3GS4gwb_-dtiscla9D5_wAbXP_1IPqo2Pc4EZCqkckcHBd_ETVR4OAmZiG4ZybW66LtlTQUk6l4Ji5rbBE1FrGtymvTE5ZfXVSF/s1600/IMG_1235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfu4XfwVjyKVCqwZrAQVFEb72kLGca5Qnf5Zpmj9du3GS4gwb_-dtiscla9D5_wAbXP_1IPqo2Pc4EZCqkckcHBd_ETVR4OAmZiG4ZybW66LtlTQUk6l4Ji5rbBE1FrGtymvTE5ZfXVSF/s400/IMG_1235.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I really like the way these stools look at the foot of my bed. They sort of mirror the circles in my bedframe, don't ya think?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4RiVO2-OCkG3ccz227NeWWxW29uz2U-q-ANHFLSa419TQFvRrXnr0m4XslZyP4odWKCtG-uLYGQIJtBMN2crZR4ZiqH-pGveEQx4imVzf3pL4KVAHZPGRMyrdcXw9Tcl3HgvYepG5dZW/s1600/IMG_1237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4RiVO2-OCkG3ccz227NeWWxW29uz2U-q-ANHFLSa419TQFvRrXnr0m4XslZyP4odWKCtG-uLYGQIJtBMN2crZR4ZiqH-pGveEQx4imVzf3pL4KVAHZPGRMyrdcXw9Tcl3HgvYepG5dZW/s400/IMG_1237.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">OK, ladies let's look at a few before and afters.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk02mQqnhnleN5lWtQ9a4lDMenKv8YRR0SC3-7O0H6jO6VF6I3AUWSobQYIP8_Q4SPquefKp0Zj0hDh_q6Lc6BKXMz2A1mKJj9RI5HGQel1YU7VgVGVZMCaohbHaieWTERkyZNf_xK91WQ/s1600/IMG_1068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk02mQqnhnleN5lWtQ9a4lDMenKv8YRR0SC3-7O0H6jO6VF6I3AUWSobQYIP8_Q4SPquefKp0Zj0hDh_q6Lc6BKXMz2A1mKJj9RI5HGQel1YU7VgVGVZMCaohbHaieWTERkyZNf_xK91WQ/s640/IMG_1068.JPG" width="358" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Before this small dresser wasn't working. It was WAY too under scale.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvCBKVhotzoUkoS8KVChyphenhyphen2m7q8ICYf1_gi2rON5fuGiFy__5A5KKakKV-psuPEaUUiDV36uTQTJrbcwuqWWhazoDZCkWXp8fjNlPM2bueHHP5sNtdAAZoOpGrgIvMn-4YmPDhlB6PFz5H/s1600/IMG_1181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvCBKVhotzoUkoS8KVChyphenhyphen2m7q8ICYf1_gi2rON5fuGiFy__5A5KKakKV-psuPEaUUiDV36uTQTJrbcwuqWWhazoDZCkWXp8fjNlPM2bueHHP5sNtdAAZoOpGrgIvMn-4YmPDhlB6PFz5H/s640/IMG_1181.JPG" width="358" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I moved it to my son's room. It worked much better here, and I had forgotten that I got them both at Ikea. They were from the same line of furniture and matched perfectly!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can read more about that redo <a href="http://www.momsgotmanyhats.blogspot.com/2010/03/my-sons-mostly-redone-room.html">here</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjihcaQg729AUShCc_8lqUkulFVlXso2R8Z6QPIvrbRunwK1Wi25azWxF45n7tEARWEfGGvl2C8iWe1ZnmyX8nVL6Vw8rpdI6WZT_xElOwHV2zFJJxuQdEWH7U_ppJGrUuvRSMvViYzEPA1/s1600/IMG_1067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjihcaQg729AUShCc_8lqUkulFVlXso2R8Z6QPIvrbRunwK1Wi25azWxF45n7tEARWEfGGvl2C8iWe1ZnmyX8nVL6Vw8rpdI6WZT_xElOwHV2zFJJxuQdEWH7U_ppJGrUuvRSMvViYzEPA1/s640/IMG_1067.JPG" width="358" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">furniture layout before</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXti7fagRowHmXgumDxDSCprqwXtsh9tIUvLJ5l5B9IyyBKLsscGZg4XGYOSM2lSOprHiu6angjAzwqUXeBQ80d8RzZMZvVNcqJ5sDBn3sPYBWdkpulz8CaV5p8oxS4UHjcKz0fqDEi8om/s1600/IMG_1231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXti7fagRowHmXgumDxDSCprqwXtsh9tIUvLJ5l5B9IyyBKLsscGZg4XGYOSM2lSOprHiu6angjAzwqUXeBQ80d8RzZMZvVNcqJ5sDBn3sPYBWdkpulz8CaV5p8oxS4UHjcKz0fqDEi8om/s640/IMG_1231.JPG" width="358" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and after</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOOY-F_DByl0r3MI_uW8-1HI3Dg2p3pK94IcyYoCSsyywNG58m7Jxig2Hd7ySONPW7pu6qSK-npSggWXGS3gt8n2VkqjkT1e_pWOA0bakxW9iO59iDrdaeGF7aZGbe94QzmUaB5cOCe8B/s1600/IMG_1233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOOY-F_DByl0r3MI_uW8-1HI3Dg2p3pK94IcyYoCSsyywNG58m7Jxig2Hd7ySONPW7pu6qSK-npSggWXGS3gt8n2VkqjkT1e_pWOA0bakxW9iO59iDrdaeGF7aZGbe94QzmUaB5cOCe8B/s640/IMG_1233.JPG" width="358" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1R9f2gqz1MXeWa4HOHxKDBJiBAVnb-RRm3xxw4SLN9igOhmPcDY-zrxS390Qr4GvEZP-BDTDOYRxqITnJTlb-fohyphenhyphenHWjyKZWTBf9gZZCm3Y7URHzJcYGspRMO83M1DWO1AY-QpLkfmIGR/s1600/IMG_1255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1R9f2gqz1MXeWa4HOHxKDBJiBAVnb-RRm3xxw4SLN9igOhmPcDY-zrxS390Qr4GvEZP-BDTDOYRxqITnJTlb-fohyphenhyphenHWjyKZWTBf9gZZCm3Y7URHzJcYGspRMO83M1DWO1AY-QpLkfmIGR/s400/IMG_1255.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfu4XfwVjyKVCqwZrAQVFEb72kLGca5Qnf5Zpmj9du3GS4gwb_-dtiscla9D5_wAbXP_1IPqo2Pc4EZCqkckcHBd_ETVR4OAmZiG4ZybW66LtlTQUk6l4Ji5rbBE1FrGtymvTE5ZfXVSF/s1600/IMG_1235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfu4XfwVjyKVCqwZrAQVFEb72kLGca5Qnf5Zpmj9du3GS4gwb_-dtiscla9D5_wAbXP_1IPqo2Pc4EZCqkckcHBd_ETVR4OAmZiG4ZybW66LtlTQUk6l4Ji5rbBE1FrGtymvTE5ZfXVSF/s400/IMG_1235.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9IAdJh-t3I0CcqnMCUO7SHLcKRARvYVCzjLTgWMrNq6v_snK3wrkDd3XMtuGwrdA6ueoHz0IEE9iv7enJqBaUDS5MnQh4ltPo0E4K_C2pbAjboAW06hY3k3Jrc8yoz3_SK-OZLtjC7zh/s1600/IMG_1238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9IAdJh-t3I0CcqnMCUO7SHLcKRARvYVCzjLTgWMrNq6v_snK3wrkDd3XMtuGwrdA6ueoHz0IEE9iv7enJqBaUDS5MnQh4ltPo0E4K_C2pbAjboAW06hY3k3Jrc8yoz3_SK-OZLtjC7zh/s400/IMG_1238.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCArwKRGXDox-_OS4MHeUlgumTgP5zRAyIZm31hQzjm7AY_KU_bZ3NyAWl9xTFiAfkwQori5BfNK11yBdSfayhW4qPB3eOWpm8BlEpIAFNkTBJP2AO4thPcurGAoGvZmwZfKisBmltNQT/s1600/IMG_1237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCArwKRGXDox-_OS4MHeUlgumTgP5zRAyIZm31hQzjm7AY_KU_bZ3NyAWl9xTFiAfkwQori5BfNK11yBdSfayhW4qPB3eOWpm8BlEpIAFNkTBJP2AO4thPcurGAoGvZmwZfKisBmltNQT/s400/IMG_1237.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">SO, what do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestion.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-55300645359861455552010-03-22T12:45:00.001-04:002010-03-22T12:54:58.389-04:00My Latest Obsession<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5pL3OxkzRnxItB-QMhUrKikmJYEV1j1qVHNDv6jxjOOIhNe0hyphenhyphenytmLhJtHYaTH9OTcB_ujOkHiMhjpA5nPf2QjK7gyiNPdBHthfSjY2gRxUMKoPHVnLG58J4ryc8IVAEPKVZ9CuTPIql/s1600-h/IMG_1210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5pL3OxkzRnxItB-QMhUrKikmJYEV1j1qVHNDv6jxjOOIhNe0hyphenhyphenytmLhJtHYaTH9OTcB_ujOkHiMhjpA5nPf2QjK7gyiNPdBHthfSjY2gRxUMKoPHVnLG58J4ryc8IVAEPKVZ9CuTPIql/s400/IMG_1210.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Delicious, Nutritious, Raw Extra Virgin Coconut Oil</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> This may just be the best stuff on earth! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Recently I've read a lot about coconut oil in the healthy eating side of the blogosphere. There seems to be a considerable amount of hype surrounding it, so I thought I'd do a little research of my own. Primarily because I don't believe much of what I hear. Good or bad, I've gotta check it out for myself!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is what I found out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><center><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><b>Coconut</b> </span><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>The Tree of Life</b><br />
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The scientific name for coconut is Cocos nucifera. Early Spanish explorers called it coco, which means "monkey face" because the three indentations (eyes) on the hairy nut resembles the head and face of a monkey. Nucifera means "nut-bearing."<br />
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The coconut provides a nutritious source of meat, juice, milk, and oil that has fed and nourished populations around the world for generations. On many islands coconut is a staple in the diet and provides the majority of the food eaten. Nearly one third of the world's population depends on coconut to some degree for their food and their economy. Among these cultures the coconut has a long and respected history.<br />
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Coconut is highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is classified as a "functional food" because it provides many health benefits beyond its nutritional content. Coconut oil is of special interest because it possesses healing properties far beyond that of any other dietary oil and is extensively used in traditional medicine among Asian and Pacific populations. Pacific Islanders consider coconut oil to be the cure for all illness. The coconut palm is so highly valued by them as both a source of food and medicine that it is called "The Tree of Life." Only recently has modern medical science unlocked the secrets to coconut's amazing healing powers.<br />
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<b>Coconut In Traditional Medicine</b><br />
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People from many diverse cultures, languages, religions, and races scattered around the globe have revered the coconut as a valuable source of both food and medicine. Wherever the coconut palm grows the people have learned of its importance as a effective medicine. For thousands of years coconut products have held a respected and valuable place in local folk medicine.</div></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">In traditional medicine around the world coconut is used to treat a wide variety of health problems including the following: abscesses, asthma, baldness, bronchitis, bruises, burns, colds, constipation, cough, dropsy, dysentery, earache, fever, flu, gingivitis, gonorrhea, irregular or painful menstruation, jaundice, kidney stones, lice, malnutrition, nausea, rash, scabies, scurvy, skin infections, sore throat, swelling, syphilis, toothache, tuberculosis, tumors, typhoid, ulcers, upset stomach, weakness, and wounds.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-weight: bold;">Coconut In Modern Medicine</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"></span><br />
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Modern medical science is now confirming the use of coconut in treating many of the above conditions. Published studies in medical journals show that coconut, in one form or another, may provide a wide range of health benefits. Some of these are summarized below:<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other illnesses.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease and cavities, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, and other diseases.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Kills fungi and yeasts that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete's foot, thrush, diaper rash, and other infections.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Expels or kills tapeworms, lice, giardia, and other parasites.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Provides a nutritional source of quick energy.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Boosts energy and endurance, enhancing physical and athletic performance.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Improves digestion and absorption of other nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Relieves stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Reduces symptoms associated with pancreatitis.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Helps relieve symptoms and reduce health risks associated with diabetes.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Reduces problems associated with malabsorption syndrome and cystic fibrosis.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Improves calcium and magnesium absorption and supports the development of strong bones and teeth.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Helps protect against osteoporosis.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Helps relieve symptoms associated with gallbladder disease.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Relieves symptoms associated with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and stomach ulcers.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Improves digestion and bowel function.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Relieves pain and irritation caused by hemorrhoids.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Reduces inflammation.</div></li>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Supports tissue healing and repair.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Supports and aids immune system function.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Helps protect the body from breast, colon, and other cancers.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Is heart healthy; improves cholesterol ratio reducing risk of heart disease.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Protects arteries from injury that causes atherosclerosis and thus protects against heart disease.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Helps prevent periodontal disease and tooth decay.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Functions as a protective antioxidant.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Helps to protect the body from harmful free radicals that promote premature aging and degenerative disease.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Does not deplete the body's antioxidant reserves like other oils do.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Improves utilization of essential fatty acids and protects them from oxidation.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Helps relieve symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Relieves symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate enlargement).</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Reduces epileptic seizures.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Helps protect against kidney disease and bladder infections.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Dissolves kidney stones.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Helps prevent liver disease.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Is lower in calories than all other fats.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Supports thyroid function.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Promotes loss of excess weight by increasing metabolic rate.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Is utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being stored as body fat like other dietary fats.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Helps prevent obesity and overweight problems.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Applied topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward of infection.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Reduces symptoms associated the psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Supports the natural chemical balance of the skin.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Promotes healthy looking hair and complexion.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Provides protection form damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation form the sun.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Helps control dandruff.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Does not form harmful by-products when heated to normal cooking temperature like other vegetable oils do.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Has no harmful or discomforting side effects.</div></li>
<li><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Is completely non-toxic to humans.</div></li>
</ul><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">See Research to read some of the published studies regarding the above mentioned uses of coconut products.<br />
<br />
<b>Coconut Oil</b><br />
<br />
While coconut possesses many health benefits due to its fiber and nutritional content, it's the oil that makes it a truly remarkable food and medicine.<br />
<br />
Once mistakenly believed to be unhealthy because of its high saturated fat content, it is now known that the fat in coconut oil is a unique and different from most all other fats and possesses many health giving properties. It is now gaining long overdue recognition as a nutritious health food.<br />
<br />
Coconut oil has been described as "the healthiest oil on earth." That's quite a remarkable statement. What makes coconut oil so good? What makes it different from all other oils, especially other saturated fats?<br />
<br />
The difference is in the fat molecule. All fats and oils are composed of molecules called fatty acids. There are two methods of classifying fatty acids. The first you are probably familiar with, is based on saturation. You have saturated fats, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats. Another system of classification is based on molecular size or length of the carbon chain within each fatty acid. Fatty acids consist of long chains of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms attached. In this system you have short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), and long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). Coconut oil is composed predominately of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), also known as medium-chain triglycerides (MCT).<br />
<br />
The vast majority of fats and oils in our diets, whether they are saturated or unsaturated or come from animals or plants, are composed of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). Some 98 to 100% of all the fatty acids you consume are LCFA.<br />
<br />
The size of the fatty acid is extremely important. Why? Because our bodies respond to and metabolize each fatty acid differently depending on its size. So the physiological effects of MCFA in coconut oil are distinctly different from those of LCFA more commonly found in our foods. The saturated fatty acids in coconut oil are predominately medium-chain fatty acids. Both the saturated and unsaturated fat found in meat, milk, eggs, and plants (including most all vegetable oils) are composed of LCFA.<br />
<br />
MCFA are very different from LCFA. They do not have a negative effect on cholesterol and help to protect against heart disease. MCFA help to lower the risk of both atherosclerosis and heart disease. It is primarily due to the MCFA in coconut oil that makes it so special and so beneficial.<br />
<br />
There are only a very few good dietary sources of MCFA. By far the best sources are from coconut and palm kernel oils.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-size: 11px;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/">www.coconutresearchcenter.org</a> you read many testimonial here, and learns lot more <a href="http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/">here</a></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">You can look forward to many of my future cooking post containing coconut oil.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">I've bottled/jarred it into a few separate container to keep around the house for ease of use. Personally I wouldn't use the same jar for cooking as I do for body care, just a thought.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbxl-iZuH8LekRKKAocZ_NXFPzYQlPtzSAu6pm7xVOmzXvBCmG33JZJNLk-pJ3liFq4EpWaZC3YulnjxQLsp8Op0z9676_6PX9CZFs30Sfa-4qfmdAoen53nhJuW2PFlBgS-qBhxChXBV/s1600-h/IMG_1209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbxl-iZuH8LekRKKAocZ_NXFPzYQlPtzSAu6pm7xVOmzXvBCmG33JZJNLk-pJ3liFq4EpWaZC3YulnjxQLsp8Op0z9676_6PX9CZFs30Sfa-4qfmdAoen53nhJuW2PFlBgS-qBhxChXBV/s640/IMG_1209.JPG" width="358" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">this one's for cooking</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WPZ0yln5b1ZJavoY-UQzTWX3ydLZtXhlUBJxQrkcGBM7kzMjgVZuE-KJApXpqOeU7TiMEVtwRZZhHTGOCtoM2yqnNZ35sEuopT1Kl0Vw1Gt4ohHlVlDSe1Ut7cq-lvKIDYo84CoBv75l/s1600-h/IMG_1212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WPZ0yln5b1ZJavoY-UQzTWX3ydLZtXhlUBJxQrkcGBM7kzMjgVZuE-KJApXpqOeU7TiMEVtwRZZhHTGOCtoM2yqnNZ35sEuopT1Kl0Vw1Gt4ohHlVlDSe1Ut7cq-lvKIDYo84CoBv75l/s400/IMG_1212.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and this one's for shmearing all over me</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px;">Oh and P.S. I can testify to the fact that it works as a sunscreen. I spent nearly all day outside this past Saturday, doing an outdoor project (the topic of a future blog), and cheering my boys on at their soccer game. I shmeared coconut oil all over me and NO sunburn! Both my husband and boys were sunburned. I know your thinking that's some kinda mom! LOL, Oh well they're tough, and they forgive me.</div></span>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-80569547740552561152010-03-22T06:33:00.000-04:002010-03-22T06:33:59.606-04:00Healthy & Yummy Blueberry SmoothieThis weekend seemed to be all about food for me. To show you what I mean, check out this super delicious blueberry smoothie I made (other food post soon to follow).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWhHh3G9v86fiCDiWj3xcxeDlqBXmc5MIXdtuEOQ3LfxE7nwplnna_HHAl8ra3Im-UDx9f6XERTiREq-atjyP8GvZgGayIsUnnif9tqJ1B4EYGfbFpdMIGY-0LdA4Cw2tXJ502fmh92ou/s1600-h/IMG_1199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWhHh3G9v86fiCDiWj3xcxeDlqBXmc5MIXdtuEOQ3LfxE7nwplnna_HHAl8ra3Im-UDx9f6XERTiREq-atjyP8GvZgGayIsUnnif9tqJ1B4EYGfbFpdMIGY-0LdA4Cw2tXJ502fmh92ou/s400/IMG_1199.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I decided to blog this after slurping down nearly half of it!</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2K35m8_SnGUGm2n6QRxGzQQHevSGJdnchwEX-z3fgZUqOKg17aE5Vo1BqmLLzQH4wY7ykeqPQZnzs5TAipbswgAwWRY2eh-f3dPl1yQp8Pe-_1-MuS6luK-ZAZELH6F4jGDrEtyGepJZ/s1600-h/IMG_1200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2K35m8_SnGUGm2n6QRxGzQQHevSGJdnchwEX-z3fgZUqOKg17aE5Vo1BqmLLzQH4wY7ykeqPQZnzs5TAipbswgAwWRY2eh-f3dPl1yQp8Pe-_1-MuS6luK-ZAZELH6F4jGDrEtyGepJZ/s1600-h/IMG_1200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2K35m8_SnGUGm2n6QRxGzQQHevSGJdnchwEX-z3fgZUqOKg17aE5Vo1BqmLLzQH4wY7ykeqPQZnzs5TAipbswgAwWRY2eh-f3dPl1yQp8Pe-_1-MuS6luK-ZAZELH6F4jGDrEtyGepJZ/s320/IMG_1200.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was sooo good just look at that gorgeous purple-blue color.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-cmDUbO4GOkCDZgPY9hI4HbxEHTHH45R9Uc52IAovRr-th85LhUI2oosTOs4XHcBcTHbGA0bH8SQ4POsYU_jFXC8PWuY3qZVd3IANfZw9_QQyRSBt4Khf3r3yWd_7LLMIU3lm3f6qT7i/s1600-h/IMG_1196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-cmDUbO4GOkCDZgPY9hI4HbxEHTHH45R9Uc52IAovRr-th85LhUI2oosTOs4XHcBcTHbGA0bH8SQ4POsYU_jFXC8PWuY3qZVd3IANfZw9_QQyRSBt4Khf3r3yWd_7LLMIU3lm3f6qT7i/s400/IMG_1196.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These were the ingredients that I used. I don't measure, but just to give you an idea I used about 3/4 cup blueberries, 3/4 cup almond milk, 1 Tablespoon ground flax, half cup vanilla yogurt, and 1 packet sun crystals/truvia/few drops stevia, or agave syrup to taste, whichever you prefer.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIax9FPh73LkhngXBNOmhtpTtVCmVM08vlGAfp12C5I7coLHq1iRWwcVsKVdeIIb664iAmtl8zDMjOqNoD_B_BwIi7PJNY7XMOEumQURq8HtPbexmxkrb9ZWyTpCIsmcjbgcSn7KnGHJz/s1600-h/IMG_1198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLIax9FPh73LkhngXBNOmhtpTtVCmVM08vlGAfp12C5I7coLHq1iRWwcVsKVdeIIb664iAmtl8zDMjOqNoD_B_BwIi7PJNY7XMOEumQURq8HtPbexmxkrb9ZWyTpCIsmcjbgcSn7KnGHJz/s400/IMG_1198.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrjprwkPVwIajiihrtHnp0D0KtLTBEF6KBVhi9HB4Id1dFkqTZ4cAuC5dhpqQ-JBTqiQ04nuwyj6caDpJcc92_rWlMSLcx889DHRiO99_zBUqCb-uW-uipv6P8yF1dkG2hFaRzPWBgyVG/s1600-h/IMG_1197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNrjprwkPVwIajiihrtHnp0D0KtLTBEF6KBVhi9HB4Id1dFkqTZ4cAuC5dhpqQ-JBTqiQ04nuwyj6caDpJcc92_rWlMSLcx889DHRiO99_zBUqCb-uW-uipv6P8yF1dkG2hFaRzPWBgyVG/s320/IMG_1197.JPG" /></a><br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I really like these blueberries. I got them at Costco, which is where I get many of my healthy and organic foods at great prices. Enjoy!</div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-26511905785900070462010-03-15T14:12:00.002-04:002010-03-15T14:19:04.853-04:00Lower fat guacamole with Peas<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;"><img alt="lowfatguacamolemed.jpg" src="webkit-fake-url://3D985CFC-9DF9-441D-9928-75E3DD88D18E/lowfatguacamolemed.jpg" /></span>Using peas with just a small amount of avocado will save you a bunch of fat calories in this yummy dip. The remaining fat is of the heart-healthy variety. The nice thing about substituting peas is that the texture is the same. The green color is more vibrant, and the peas also lend a sweeter taste to the guacamole. Season with chiles or hot sauce as you wish.</div><h3 style="color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: inherit;">Prep Time: 10 minutes</h3><h3 style="color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: inherit;">Cook Time: 8 minutes</h3><h3 style="color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: inherit;">Ingredients:</h3><ul style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: inherit; z-index: 0;"><li style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 18px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: inherit;">10-ounce pack of frozen peas</li>
<li style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 18px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: inherit;">1/2 small ripe avocado</li>
<li style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 18px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: inherit;">1/2 cup cilantro, stems removed</li>
<li style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 18px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: inherit;">1/2 ripe tomato, deseeded and chopped</li>
<li style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 18px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: inherit;">1/3 cup chopped onion (optional)</li>
<li style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 18px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: inherit;">Squeeze of fresh lime juice</li>
</ul><h3 style="color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: inherit;">Preparation:</h3>Cook peas according to package instructions. Empty into a colander, drain and rinse with cold water. Place peas, avocado and cilantro in a blender and blend to desired consistency. Spoon into a bowl with chopped tomato and onion. Add a squeeze of lime juice, stir and serve. <br />
Yields 2 cups.<br />
<br />
I will definitely be trying this one soon!<br />
<div><br />
</div></span>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-7298164036939004292010-03-15T12:20:00.002-04:002010-03-15T12:42:27.665-04:00Menu Plan Monday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="ham&swiss_cheese_quiche.jpg" src="webkit-fake-url://DCDAC8CD-5EC3-4480-805D-0AD8FF1B6F6F/ham&swiss_cheese_quiche.jpg" /></span></div><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"></span>Happy Monday Everyone,<br />
Hope you had a wonderful weekend and are ready for a great week. I have a moderately busy week, so my meals won't be too involved. This is what I have planned.<br />
<br />
Fresh caught fish baked with a Panko breading, garlicky green beans, boiled petite red potatoes<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCtppXzwSp3KC9Jqdg0LOnRgjMsyFkvq04LRFrr0ePE-OtF0YDMCyGI0opYOKoXHiA1ldyEiuamw6FSdULkir8bkQYrz_Oacn0PrQjQOrhcurCfoQB7XYkPea95Mb48mqEID0tASZjZDm/s1600-h/IMG_1195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCtppXzwSp3KC9Jqdg0LOnRgjMsyFkvq04LRFrr0ePE-OtF0YDMCyGI0opYOKoXHiA1ldyEiuamw6FSdULkir8bkQYrz_Oacn0PrQjQOrhcurCfoQB7XYkPea95Mb48mqEID0tASZjZDm/s400/IMG_1195.JPG" width="223" /></a></div>(if you haven't tried Panko you really should. It's this light crispy bread crumb mixture which is perfect for fish)<br />
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Homemade Black Bean Soup over Rice<br />
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Spaghetti and Meatballs, green salad<br />
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Rotisserie Chicken Tostadas (made with chicken I had gotten on sale a couple of weeks ago and froze)<br />
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Tuna salad wraps, carrots sticks, Wolfgang Pucks Soup, not sure which one I've got a pantry full to choose from right now<br />
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Quiche, 1 with turkey bacon, and 1 with broccoli and parmesan, green salad <br />
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I also going to try to make a batch of <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/Very-Vanilla-Muffins-129042">Very Vanilla Muffins</a><br />
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This shouldn't be too complicated, but hopefully I can manage it with 3 soccer games this week!Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-78380237047776168212010-03-08T12:54:00.001-05:002010-03-08T12:55:42.911-05:00Menu Plan Monday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"></span>This week is especially exciting, and busy for me because my oldest son will be with us. He has been away at school, and will be home on spring break this week, so more cooking and more food! Also later in the week we will be visiting some extended family, so I'll have a night off cooking.<br />
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</div><div>Here's my menu plan:</div><div><br />
</div><div>Grilled Mahi Mahi with a cilantro parsley pesto, green salad and baked potatoes with sour cream and scallions<br />
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</div><div>Chicken caesar salad pitas, roasted carrots, and potato salad from the extra potatoes that I baked the night before. The pitas are super simple to make. Just whip up a caesar salad, throw in some grilled chicken, toss together and stuff in whole wheat pitas. <br />
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</div><div>Grilled Turkey Burgers and a Black bean burger(for me...more and more I'm just now much of a meat eater), sweet potato fries<br />
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</div><div>Homemade Chili (from freezer) served over rice, with shredded cheddar and cilantro<br />
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</div><div>Copy cat night we are copying recipes of some of our favorite foods from restaurants. Each family member is picking a different food to prepare, here are a few we've decided on,<br />
<a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/Copycat-Carrabbas-pollo-Rosa-Maria-60542">Carrabbas Pollo Rosa Maria </a>, <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/Red-Lobster-Cheddar-Bay-Biscuits-Copycat-9494">Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Buiscuits</a>, Chili's Skillet Queso (I will be making this from a recipe I'll create with a healthier spin), Carrabbas Mediterranean Salad, and I'm sure we'll come up with a dessert. <br />
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I can't wait!<br />
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</div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-19989814802211725642010-03-05T10:31:00.002-05:002010-03-05T18:19:27.692-05:00My son's MOSTLY redone roomI wanted to show you all what I've been working on lately...and no I haven't been sitting around eating bon bons or anything, just haven't taken time to post about all my business. I know you can relate! anywho, my son's room has been kind of a mess since we moved about 8 months ago, and I finally got around to fixing it up a bit. Here are a few pics.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdiqxqqFgajNaYCnEvC-FaIoS6_9EvQ0iy-gYqv6S2y82e9Afbd9-VXSmtOCxeIupeaCIp7w0iV3OrhqTD4S396gKloa5tGjKW1NIq7aqqghdaME6sDW7dpQrx6qHNc4jQGmQky0KIw4YE/s1600-h/IMG_1178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdiqxqqFgajNaYCnEvC-FaIoS6_9EvQ0iy-gYqv6S2y82e9Afbd9-VXSmtOCxeIupeaCIp7w0iV3OrhqTD4S396gKloa5tGjKW1NIq7aqqghdaME6sDW7dpQrx6qHNc4jQGmQky0KIw4YE/s400/IMG_1178.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I got this comforter at Target about a month ago on clearance for $10.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you keep your eyes open you can get some really great deals there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIjnY1xWBuKsGjADtYBl95a4qu9-5VSVUzBl4gTsnmBNrrAkOoYN-iOJsYe7visO4ZiM05PqZnIAMEbWl0vmE1xKlOoGXU8dzao9xLgn20LUgyJiKKRoR9ru-KppO7znGX7p3ATL3SB1F/s1600-h/IMG_1179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIjnY1xWBuKsGjADtYBl95a4qu9-5VSVUzBl4gTsnmBNrrAkOoYN-iOJsYe7visO4ZiM05PqZnIAMEbWl0vmE1xKlOoGXU8dzao9xLgn20LUgyJiKKRoR9ru-KppO7znGX7p3ATL3SB1F/s400/IMG_1179.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These pillow were on sale a couple of weeks ago also at Target for only $4.00 (normally just 4.99)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They have all kinds of cute patterns.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8v_F9qCad6xW3VrvLIYrLImaCEYm_WV_E_yqUjCnQtXo3a5hcMww1pq9w9KrP7aYGqENeymDR6LfHSYDXH3Du2RGBh1UkWnvTVoAzTzNXTX51WOhNrYEgTnvyVKVgLtBveSiQB7Ttt5g/s1600-h/IMG_1180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8v_F9qCad6xW3VrvLIYrLImaCEYm_WV_E_yqUjCnQtXo3a5hcMww1pq9w9KrP7aYGqENeymDR6LfHSYDXH3Du2RGBh1UkWnvTVoAzTzNXTX51WOhNrYEgTnvyVKVgLtBveSiQB7Ttt5g/s640/IMG_1180.JPG" width="358" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This set of curtain panels and the orange window sheer were at Walmart for only $20.00 for everything.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqquj8GZeT09ss5b9mzC4FOU_xN4K7akzZewE7LSkq_VeJAvq18S1qw0U2D3DoKCx7kQKD18Yu1xo009NUPj1Ycn54XCEYViK7wYgQ8wlNNf782TzX3I4VuOwE-WsbQMs7DImoEMvs0-Z/s1600-h/IMG_1192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqquj8GZeT09ss5b9mzC4FOU_xN4K7akzZewE7LSkq_VeJAvq18S1qw0U2D3DoKCx7kQKD18Yu1xo009NUPj1Ycn54XCEYViK7wYgQ8wlNNf782TzX3I4VuOwE-WsbQMs7DImoEMvs0-Z/s400/IMG_1192.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I hung my son's medals on the top. It was a nice way to display them plus it added a little punch of color. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBoasqgPLsgFhtxoYFfy1PpIjbgdLg_haWak-hg7OsZ2mESE-KIg33igT453cz9OLZCh14IjmCe5TwkAdnDN9hBM2dXcmJd4S9nSvOgCtqBlU25TzIiSXo6rZXpiC8_487vmmfzZwOJro/s1600-h/IMG_1184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBoasqgPLsgFhtxoYFfy1PpIjbgdLg_haWak-hg7OsZ2mESE-KIg33igT453cz9OLZCh14IjmCe5TwkAdnDN9hBM2dXcmJd4S9nSvOgCtqBlU25TzIiSXo6rZXpiC8_487vmmfzZwOJro/s640/IMG_1184.JPG" width="358" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I covered a foam board in orange fabric that I got at target. In it's former life it was a clearanced shower curtain.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-6TpI5aBsRjRSzjspkIrYFuM5uVuAlSVt2Aae8k_us6EANi21wjlBcaKaC9YlSKj6IbySPljXUKPNkQOwujf9DD70EPVUeZkOyPL3_LthFNGJcaVpv5MnFJXr-FPn-ua4XIPIUuP493jO/s1600-h/IMG_1181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-6TpI5aBsRjRSzjspkIrYFuM5uVuAlSVt2Aae8k_us6EANi21wjlBcaKaC9YlSKj6IbySPljXUKPNkQOwujf9DD70EPVUeZkOyPL3_LthFNGJcaVpv5MnFJXr-FPn-ua4XIPIUuP493jO/s640/IMG_1181.JPG" width="358" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">OK, clearly this side of the room is screaming for a large wall hanging above this dresser. If it looks familiar you may remember it from <span id="goog_1267800627611"></span><span id="goog_1267800627612"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a> <a href="http://momsgotmanyhats.blogspot.com/2010/02/master-bedroom-facelift.html">this</a> post...& Yes I'm still working on that room. The big reveal is coming, I promise!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4y2hMZ0K1x5HgJlbyXJr3dnVW2DdXeLuIAW2Fj0yroQZeLq9kPpZf4kWtN8NaG9k-D6xsDDpwjbKFK0BQwQseJDFYCotyc8Ho7tn28cfVuk5_zghUJqdlkjhmWR8bokcE1XyMYBGjWTK/s1600-h/IMG_1183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4y2hMZ0K1x5HgJlbyXJr3dnVW2DdXeLuIAW2Fj0yroQZeLq9kPpZf4kWtN8NaG9k-D6xsDDpwjbKFK0BQwQseJDFYCotyc8Ho7tn28cfVuk5_zghUJqdlkjhmWR8bokcE1XyMYBGjWTK/s320/IMG_1183.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ughh! video game area...I give up!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2AD3wzCdDH9EbF2PhaHjQ9TfegtWaBKh5fhm-YHt2AqXIkTacQR4xTCes7Q_n9xmWxPz8YcOmLKZ2GaJkGnKceWqJMROu7nzKWc2R72Aj0kC3rMRwKXdBOhKDOi5jCUiCoV7QBFo5sOF/s1600-h/IMG_1178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2AD3wzCdDH9EbF2PhaHjQ9TfegtWaBKh5fhm-YHt2AqXIkTacQR4xTCes7Q_n9xmWxPz8YcOmLKZ2GaJkGnKceWqJMROu7nzKWc2R72Aj0kC3rMRwKXdBOhKDOi5jCUiCoV7QBFo5sOF/s320/IMG_1178.JPG" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All in all I'm pretty happy with the room so far. As always it's a work in progress, but it's a huge improvement!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the weekend; it's finally gonna be a little warmer and sunny here YEAH!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<span id="goog_1267799407793"></span><span id="goog_1267799407794"></span>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-8695842068697242752010-02-23T15:27:00.000-05:002010-02-23T15:27:50.621-05:00I Love Containers!Don't ya just love pretty containers? There's just something about taking an item out of it's store bought packaging, and putting it in something prettier. <br />
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Here are a few I picked up recently and quite cheap, I might add.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DchNJCKJQELKnCkzqc8jciN6JIgjrbjrVP8FdtNb6RjDyvvERk9X1FOzxYZ5L2GlSywTcaNiUYSjbAp9NgZQlCEaQ18dw5-f8xMM-TxczRBgiez6bIBpY9KIJ6RqjTmYCPRDGlgE3kyP/s1600-h/IMG_1154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DchNJCKJQELKnCkzqc8jciN6JIgjrbjrVP8FdtNb6RjDyvvERk9X1FOzxYZ5L2GlSywTcaNiUYSjbAp9NgZQlCEaQ18dw5-f8xMM-TxczRBgiez6bIBpY9KIJ6RqjTmYCPRDGlgE3kyP/s320/IMG_1154.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I got this one at Pier One on Clearance for $6.48, but I had a gift card so FREE for me!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPjTBvhYq3bepuoc7j46uIt4Tdk-bB7AwQT_bK_xHEoKAfQjBIn1FiWtj3d_wIuMoDwv-ci94rUq6KFir-cEKIkH2QuUHJPl02gO9B_YuWLa66ntBSFkYrHvf4bWSTYmrHmXF175HqwWN/s1600-h/IMG_1153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPjTBvhYq3bepuoc7j46uIt4Tdk-bB7AwQT_bK_xHEoKAfQjBIn1FiWtj3d_wIuMoDwv-ci94rUq6KFir-cEKIkH2QuUHJPl02gO9B_YuWLa66ntBSFkYrHvf4bWSTYmrHmXF175HqwWN/s320/IMG_1153.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This one was from TJ Maxx (isn't she cute)?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was only $3.99.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicSrf857VZt7Mxu6g5SQ9hXkvwx8Y8DwdJkNF2Qmet_jsA7lxjpoXmYojg_bxIQsLqITiDn-NS46obNdGC2yQqzqSFC6nnRtcMY810SH8IoGMWdZIjXuHn7EgnoF_weCcBea8zplWeQ5_3/s1600-h/IMG_1149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicSrf857VZt7Mxu6g5SQ9hXkvwx8Y8DwdJkNF2Qmet_jsA7lxjpoXmYojg_bxIQsLqITiDn-NS46obNdGC2yQqzqSFC6nnRtcMY810SH8IoGMWdZIjXuHn7EgnoF_weCcBea8zplWeQ5_3/s640/IMG_1149.JPG" width="358" /></a></div><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjySQCCwFYO4VxhALbYovHt6y65OmvCvnCqxK4n5NzxOYc1nUYEzsidOCQiLxDoHn4G2zhBo1SrLuWNyaQklh_EfSyNTYUXWfGHbsPdpRUMa56woHd7syZiDN4WACQrUVGtlTvf8VxLmcSk/s1600-h/IMG_1148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjySQCCwFYO4VxhALbYovHt6y65OmvCvnCqxK4n5NzxOYc1nUYEzsidOCQiLxDoHn4G2zhBo1SrLuWNyaQklh_EfSyNTYUXWfGHbsPdpRUMa56woHd7syZiDN4WACQrUVGtlTvf8VxLmcSk/s640/IMG_1148.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It says utensils; it's kind of hard to read. It was from TJ Maxx for $3.99 as well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They all have kind of a vintagy look, which I've been drawn to lately.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVp0tjqxrBjq3WqmCfguKbmAsw4yReFH-A7XCY1hkW0MwDRvJjaLEKCbp9yZInaDeDOtW9tyMqByNAsTDHAxvkgn950eED5TyECjxd4Vmw2NnpSQ7RMAWCmAshmCiSR9mPLrac-SPwFxa/s1600-h/IMG_1155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVp0tjqxrBjq3WqmCfguKbmAsw4yReFH-A7XCY1hkW0MwDRvJjaLEKCbp9yZInaDeDOtW9tyMqByNAsTDHAxvkgn950eED5TyECjxd4Vmw2NnpSQ7RMAWCmAshmCiSR9mPLrac-SPwFxa/s400/IMG_1155.JPG" width="210" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This paper towel holder I picked up at Ross for $5.99.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSkb_Q_mXKmntnDIn1rKvby81xhgbLzCa28F40t_HMCrc4wY67AkcHFTsF8KTsiTpVNsTXINgdGyuh_49vmGhnzDFrkCBkJoic5YE3oO6NYkGYNE3sM06N86Cjqtz8eLnLjY86zZDnce0/s1600-h/IMG_1155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSkb_Q_mXKmntnDIn1rKvby81xhgbLzCa28F40t_HMCrc4wY67AkcHFTsF8KTsiTpVNsTXINgdGyuh_49vmGhnzDFrkCBkJoic5YE3oO6NYkGYNE3sM06N86Cjqtz8eLnLjY86zZDnce0/s640/IMG_1155.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love having everything I need to make a quick cup of coffee in the morning within arms reach.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Plus I get to look at my cute new containers!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-36129107587579123362010-02-22T13:48:00.000-05:002010-02-22T13:48:40.903-05:00Menu Plan Monday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
I had to make a few adjustments in my menu this week because my husband won't be joining us for dinner a couple of nights mid week. When he's not around, I go much more simple with my meal plans; the kids are happier, it's easier on me, it's a win win!<br />
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Monday-Sloppy Joes, on a whole grain baguette, green salad, and Corn on the Cobb<br />
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Tuesday-Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Grapes, Tater Tots<br />
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Wednesday-Olive Garden's Pasta E Fagioli Soup over rice (I made this last week and froze some)<br />
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Thursday- Crock-pot creamy chicken and broccoli over brown rice, green salad<br />
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<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Friday- Buitoni Spicy Sausage and Beef Stuffed Ravioli and Buitoni stuffed Chicken and Cheese Ravioli both with Marinara sauce, roasted zucchini and squash</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWLUJr3-rJinN_W1Q22aVOuZPx4DmPt6vRDQ6P4n73865LgRP_JRBEXLOA50OBKPUfOvFw_M5V_y7UwbnIL7f-7wAU6UrWr8cZ4bvIjhtOJ8lWEJ_EKhAbT-oBKc1ykRV6VSfIiylNfmS/s1600-h/IMG_1144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWLUJr3-rJinN_W1Q22aVOuZPx4DmPt6vRDQ6P4n73865LgRP_JRBEXLOA50OBKPUfOvFw_M5V_y7UwbnIL7f-7wAU6UrWr8cZ4bvIjhtOJ8lWEJ_EKhAbT-oBKc1ykRV6VSfIiylNfmS/s320/IMG_1144.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I really like this brand</div><br />
Saturday- Sea Scallops sauteed in Olive oil with Garlic and Herbs, Near East Brown Rice with Garlic and Pecans (I love these), green salad<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja47rtEkCjs3P8RDPlB1wNQw-V7SsFjF594K2ct7aNonZyqZ7tbt6-5knBVA_7fOG9MNzv6Sxf-4-dZ65nKyc2g9QHNyF34Ia-sRlXDP9QONk-6F_JbdkgFe3_nETkKNvQWzsFSfaRBiK2/s1600-h/IMG_1142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja47rtEkCjs3P8RDPlB1wNQw-V7SsFjF594K2ct7aNonZyqZ7tbt6-5knBVA_7fOG9MNzv6Sxf-4-dZ65nKyc2g9QHNyF34Ia-sRlXDP9QONk-6F_JbdkgFe3_nETkKNvQWzsFSfaRBiK2/s400/IMG_1142.JPG" width="223" /></a></div><br />
Sunday-Leftovers with a Caesar Salad<br />
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I also plan to make some <a href="http://recipezaar.com/lemon-blueberry-muffins-4637">lemon blueberry muffins</a> this week. I try to make a homemade breakfast once or twice / week. <br />
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Enjoy!Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-10611518005924603352010-02-18T09:01:00.000-05:002010-02-18T09:01:55.520-05:00Menu Plan Monday...errr ThursdayFor those who don't know me well, let me tell you I LOVE menu planning. I love it so much, that sometimes I'll write meal plans up for three or four weeks in advance. I also really enjoy cooking, so needless to say I have a fair amount of people that ask me what I'm making for dinner. Which is why I have decided to post weekly meal plans on my blog. Now... I probably won't do this every week, but I'll do it when I can (no pressure)!<br />
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I hope I can give you a few ideas, and maybe a little inspiration.<br />
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This is what I have made, and will be making this week: <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Monday-we were traveling so we ate out</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Tuesday-Homemade chicken pot pie, green salad </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Wednesday-baked basa(this is a white fish)with grilled </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">onions with a balsamic and honey glaze, <a href="http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/roasted_cauliflower?">roasted cauliflower</a>, </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">green salad with tomatoes, olives and avocados</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Thursday-<a href="http://recipezaar.com/olive-garden-pasta-e-fagioli-soup-in-a-crock-pot-copycat-31717">olive garden's pasta e fagioli soup</a> and garlic </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">bread</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Friday- OUT! It's my birthday</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Saturday-homemade pesto, tomato pizza (I make dough in my bread-maker)with grilled onions and mushroom, </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">homemade humous w/pita chips</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Sunday-pasta carbonara, salad</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">You'll notice as you start looking at my meal plans that we have at least a couple vegetarian nights per week. Also when meal planning I keep a few things in mind, not necessarily in this order.</span><br />
Nutrition, ease of preparation, will my kids eat it or some version of it?, cost, and last but not least taste.Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-67830633715843773092010-02-17T15:00:00.000-05:002010-02-17T15:00:09.138-05:00SEMI HOMEMADE CHICKEN AND RICE SOUP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdDrTJCkNYzKAqu7fSOhYUaOdkQLfepzOiRMtZdegV7brY1NvWOD91RGvnrMSTCcMRWrdD9sLFEWCxz9bM_aaPIkhBhrXCF19JNbwY6wQ7egDckysKKv6EV0oN23QWWDvfnJSDWulPBEz/s1600-h/IMG_1097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdDrTJCkNYzKAqu7fSOhYUaOdkQLfepzOiRMtZdegV7brY1NvWOD91RGvnrMSTCcMRWrdD9sLFEWCxz9bM_aaPIkhBhrXCF19JNbwY6wQ7egDckysKKv6EV0oN23QWWDvfnJSDWulPBEz/s400/IMG_1097.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Here's another recipe for a semi homemade soup that was as delicious as it was easy.<br />
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Take one can chicken soup. There are several good ones; some of the healthier choices would be Amy's brand or Wolfgang Puck's, but use whatever you like. I used a Campbell's Select chicken and wild rice, because that's what I had on hand. <br />
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Next heat and add fresh cracked pepper, some chopped fresh cilantro, and the juice from a couple of lemon and lime wedges.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjC5a3mKy0nfmRBjTfaZKg5cBNpUJPM2RbyGiXHaMxfjP96LvmF1m87ynXid8UffGFJCSlgaO8Kfkt3ry2ZLwVEjeF6m-Z3Xk05XfrtTGMITJtJasjilv6mWcGn12lOJUrDzzYXRd43Uv/s1600-h/IMG_1096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjC5a3mKy0nfmRBjTfaZKg5cBNpUJPM2RbyGiXHaMxfjP96LvmF1m87ynXid8UffGFJCSlgaO8Kfkt3ry2ZLwVEjeF6m-Z3Xk05XfrtTGMITJtJasjilv6mWcGn12lOJUrDzzYXRd43Uv/s320/IMG_1096.JPG" /></a></div><br />
This was such a quick and easy lunch, enjoy!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdDrTJCkNYzKAqu7fSOhYUaOdkQLfepzOiRMtZdegV7brY1NvWOD91RGvnrMSTCcMRWrdD9sLFEWCxz9bM_aaPIkhBhrXCF19JNbwY6wQ7egDckysKKv6EV0oN23QWWDvfnJSDWulPBEz/s1600-h/IMG_1097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdDrTJCkNYzKAqu7fSOhYUaOdkQLfepzOiRMtZdegV7brY1NvWOD91RGvnrMSTCcMRWrdD9sLFEWCxz9bM_aaPIkhBhrXCF19JNbwY6wQ7egDckysKKv6EV0oN23QWWDvfnJSDWulPBEz/s320/IMG_1097.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7383961827320124910.post-22459350492809136602010-02-11T09:32:00.001-05:002010-02-11T09:38:05.174-05:00Cute Valentine Craft and Gift<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
Look at these cute little Valentine's day goodies I made!<br />
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I got the idea from <a href="http://brunchatsaks.blogspot.com/2010/02/diy-valentines-day-candy-bar.html">Brunch at Saks</a>. It is such an easy and inexpensive idea.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUiL2ofxjvuigCRZcw8XLo6irB1zJ2OKTgCGWrh9mLDaz3bJRAa7Czn3ATDyb5mfcQiLckdBoUsEBCSodEODwvCOO9gRfVL6XdRN-o87QeiJRV2KlrW7vUmVMAo0L3XHlqxX3qpkWCAsw/s1600-h/IMG_1098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUiL2ofxjvuigCRZcw8XLo6irB1zJ2OKTgCGWrh9mLDaz3bJRAa7Czn3ATDyb5mfcQiLckdBoUsEBCSodEODwvCOO9gRfVL6XdRN-o87QeiJRV2KlrW7vUmVMAo0L3XHlqxX3qpkWCAsw/s400/IMG_1098.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here are some of the candy bars I made for friends and family</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjPvTFcIoS1JCqb0hLtBASAXLeU81luOqKu9ZVUhT-kZodfyWJGYEBosU3ds2JunB7oLlh_BHj0W8J-riCkR6XNOOcP6ueNF_0yMxoiKGxfAHHamjhJsGWdV90Xysgubxig0FUe3Go-jS/s1600-h/IMG_1099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjPvTFcIoS1JCqb0hLtBASAXLeU81luOqKu9ZVUhT-kZodfyWJGYEBosU3ds2JunB7oLlh_BHj0W8J-riCkR6XNOOcP6ueNF_0yMxoiKGxfAHHamjhJsGWdV90Xysgubxig0FUe3Go-jS/s640/IMG_1099.JPG" width="358" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This one I made for one of my sons</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">To make it you simply pull the wrapper off a candy bar and rewrap it with whatever paper you choose. You could use scrapbook paper, wrapping paper, construction paper, tissue paper, etc.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">& then decorate however you choose.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I wrote a message on them with a gold pen.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I also got a bill and wrapped it in tissue as a bonus gift.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I think my boys will be pretty happy...money and chocolate, it doesn't get much better than that!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKnCMbtAYI9bWW81RdO72AzSbor9GMPuK2Vp8AL_a5uFBgz53oWXOvWxYD4t5AXvUglCDqKORKPYE9MAjPmFXKP3vzfqiUw23H-o-K3IWcjIQy_t1sNRLpKL4QsvDUOCpSEd3RZbui0JG/s1600-h/IMG_1100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKnCMbtAYI9bWW81RdO72AzSbor9GMPuK2Vp8AL_a5uFBgz53oWXOvWxYD4t5AXvUglCDqKORKPYE9MAjPmFXKP3vzfqiUw23H-o-K3IWcjIQy_t1sNRLpKL4QsvDUOCpSEd3RZbui0JG/s640/IMG_1100.JPG" width="358" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another cute idea would be to include a gift card or an IOU</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">careful ladies, the men in your lives don't forget about the IOU's!! HAHA</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Enjoy your Valentine's Day!</div><span id="goog_1265896637856"></span><span id="goog_1265896637857"></span>Vanessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06082831195994358363noreply@blogger.com4