Bring The Magic into Your Life...

Sounds good to me... "No matter who you are, no matter where you are, no matter what your current circumstances, the magic of gratitude will change your life" (R.Byrne: the MAGIC).
Its been a gong show of a morning, so it might be time to focus on what is good and beutiful in the world around me.
Brodie and I end each day with prayers, I have changed it from my childhood one "if I should die before I wake"  to "thank you Lord for my day, thank you for________ We take turns listing things off people or events from our day. Sometimes my prayers are altered or left unsaid, because its just a can of worms I don't want to open. I realize that doesn't mean I should over look them, but find time to myself to explore, think and pray about my own day, Brodie and I are intentional with our gratitude because we have found a place it fits into our day.
Don't get me wrong I often have moments that I just whisper thank you thank you, when I'm caught in a moment... usually watching the boys, but I'm committing to being more intentional for a little of my own magic... here are a few things on my list:

Beauty of nature in our own backyard

My 3 guys

Beach days

My sweet Meadow

My Parents

What are you grateful for:

kristen heather

Can You Tell Me The Reason Why.....

I am awake at 5:00 am on a Saturday...really I I've been up for over an hour, Brodie woke because he was melting under the blankets he buried himself in last night.When I returned to bed my mind started spinning with the events of the week, like a giant snowball growing bigger and bigger with every thought. I have 4 amazing friends plus myself that have major individual or family struggles going on.Good people, sweet families, hard working, law abiding people, with a crappy hand being dealt to them, medically, emotionally, financially and it's hard not to ask why??
Like a lot of the questions out there I don't know ( and my rote response being a mama of an 8 year old "let's Google it" doesn't seem to fit").

Here is what I do believe and know for myself to be true:

•  It is a blessing to have trusted friends, to share with, cry with and problem solve with.
• It is a blessing to have trust and be trusted. 
• Let yourself feel it. That's part of processing it, stuffing it down is going to make it bigger and BIGGER.
• We need an escape every so often, physically and emotionally.
• God doesn't make bad things happen, but he will lighten the load if you open your heart and let it go, even if its just for five minutes release it.
• Practise gratitude each day, in all of this make a list, mentally or physically, what is good, what is working, what brought you joy today.                                    

 kristen heather

SUMMER BUCKET LIST 2012

Here is the list Brodie have come up with so far:
laser jungle       movies       water park         vacation together
     messy play                     rock painting                           read
                          make our own imagination garden
water wars                                       bubbles               BEACH
                      MUD PITS      RIVER FLOAT
         rides                     fishing                                Popsicle Party
  sleep in a tent       fort building         berry picking
                      letter writing                                             fireworks 
            naps                                       sleep over


We are so excited for summer vacation and part-time 
child care/work...to take it all in and ENJOY

            

Words to live by.....

live with intention.
walk to the edge.
listen hard.
practice wellness
play with abandon.
laugh.
choose with no regret.
continue to learn.
appreciate your friends.
do what you love.
live as if this is all there is.
              -mary anne radmacher


This quote sits by the window...where I get ready  each morning..... Somewhere along the way of becoming a mother of two, returning to work, starting to exercise, turning off the T.V. ...
I started to live more intentionally. I was so tired of being tired, and overwhelmed with what goes into being me.
I started to take mental notes of what is wellness to me, what makes me feel good, and I do it.....


I plan, I write it down, I say it out loud, I do it
I  physically challenge myself to build a stronger body
I listen to the silence around me, to the voice I need the most
I seek balance 
I choose to put down what I'm doing and be apart of my boys exploration
I  laugh
I take the time I need to choose what will be best for my family 
I ask for clarification of what I am hearing
I am grateful and blessed with amazing women in my life
I read, I think, I write, I explore
I know there is more than this......and I am grateful
          -kristen heather                               

Crazy Crunch Popcorn

The first time I tasted this I loved it! It was given to me in a basket as a gift. So sweet.....

You will need:
8 cups of popcorn
2 cups of nuts
1 1/3 cups white sugar
1 cup butter/margarine
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup corn syrup

Boil sugar, butter, syrup, vanilla for 8-15 minutes

Mix in popcorn & nuts

Spread on to cookie sheet to set

Promises

After taking this picture at the end of our driveway we search rainbows on my Bible App and we read....no we actually listened to the story of Noah's Arc (it's a cool App).

We were driving into the city this week and I noticed a rainbow in the sky....I wear polarized sunglasses which always creates more vibrant colors, so I did the usual "look,look"! And I pass the glasses back to Brodie. We started to talk about how many rainbows we have seen this spring. Brodie then replied Gods been making a lot of promises lately.... I took a deep breathe and felt all the craziness of a rushed morning and stress from the last few weeks just melt away. I knew at once it would all be ok.
I believe God will protect us in the big and small things of daily life if we just open our eyes and our hearts to the possibility.

Roasted Potato Salad

I found this amazing salad off the blog A Pretty Life in the suburbs. It's is so much easier than the traditional boiling, cooling, waiting....
I did leave out the 6 dill pickles, since Jay ate a jar of pickles when he was a kid and has never gone back!


6 medium potatoes chopped
Medium sweet potato chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
pepper
2 roasted red peppers
2 green onions sliced ( I used chopped onions both times (1/4 cup)
6 dill pickles, sliced
1-2 tbsp fresh dill
4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
1/4cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream


Mix both potatoes, peppers, onions with oil and spices
Place on a greased cookie tray

Cook at 400 degrees for 25-35 minutes
peppers do not over cook