If I Had a Rain Day

For those of you who do not live in Colorado, we are experiencing a bit of rain. It has been raining almost non-stop since Tuesday and it should continue through at least Friday evening.

Snow? Piece of cake.

Rain? Mass chaos.

We don't really know what to do with all of this water because we live in a high desert climate.

(I almost wrote "dessert climate.")

(Of course I did.)

Rain always makes me want to stay home. I have hit the snooze button more in the last week than I have in a month. There is just something about the water running down your window pane to make you think, "Nope, not gonna happen today."

(If I lived in Seattle, I would be paralyzed with lack of motivation.)

So, if I had a Rain Day, and got to stay home with a totally free schedule, these are the things I would do:

1. Sleep. Yes ma'am. I would sleep until I couldn't possibly sleep anymore then I would move down to the couch where I would rest from all of the sleeping.

2. Bake. Oh, friends. The things I would bake! Some of them include my favorite Warm Apple Cake and Caramel Sauce. Perhaps the Pumpkin Cupcakes, and of course, Pumpkin Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies. Then, I would tackle something new, like doughnuts. Oh, and I'd have a full pot of coffee available the entire time.

3. Read. I read the first two books in the "Divergent" series during my little beach getaway and I loved them. I can't wait for the next one to come out in October. So, if this rain day comes in October, that would be first on my list. I also need to catch up on some of my Joel C. Rosenberg, especially with all that is going on in Syria. And, I would probably read a cookbook because those feed my soul with inspiration.

4. Organize. It takes me a little while to get in the organizing mood, but it needs to happen. I have a year's worth of Bible study that needs to be sorted and filed, I have old clothes that need to be donated, budgets that need to be updated and ridiculous other things that are essential to me being able to function.

5. Invite a few friends/sisters/cousins over. They must wear stretchy pants. They must come hungry. And they must bring their favorite movie. Oh, and bring their own spoon for cookie dough.

(SIDE NOTE: The words "sweat," "exercise," or "muscle confusion" did not appear anywhere in my list. Let's just be clear.)

So, what would you do on a Rain Day?

How to Freeze Peaches

Today, let's talk about fruit.

You see, I love fruit. I eat it all the time, with almost every meal. And do you know who else loves fruit? Colorado. The entire state of Colorado loves fruit, and in particular, the peach.

Every August, Coloradans eagerly await, with reusable grocery bags and millions of dollars in hand, for the trucks to roll into town, loaded with the fuzzy-faced fruit of heavenly deliciousness. Once they hit the shelves, hoards of people race through the grocery stores to gaze upon their splendor. 

And we are not talking about any ordinary peach. Nope. We are talking about the PRIZED PEACHES OF THE WESTERN SLOPE OF COLORADO.

(I capitalize these things because of my respect for the peach madness.)

These peaches are only available for 3 to 4 weeks every year. During this time period, it is the only fruit people eat. And during the other 48-49 weeks during the year, it is the only fruit people talk about.




In an effort to prolong their shelf-life, my mom and I usually buy 20 pounds of peaches to freeze for
us to enjoy all winter. It's like we are pioneer women, except with actual freezers and cameras and Spanx.

Amen and Hallelujah.

So, if you have ever wanted to freeze your own peaches (or other fruit) this is how we roll:

First, grab your peaches, any amount you choose.

Now, grab your Fruit Fresh. This is a gem of a product that preserves the flavor and prevents browning of any fruit.

Fill a large bowl full of cold water and sprinkle in some Fruit Fresh. Then, start peeling...

And slicing...

 

And drop them into the cold water.

 

 



 

Once all the peaches have been peeled and sliced, drain the water from the bowl.

Now, add approximately 1/2 cup of sugar and a 1/4 cup of Fruit Fresh (for 20 lbs of peaches).

Stir them up.

And measure them into baggies.

We measure ours by our favorite recipes: deep dish peach cobbler, peach pie and then a few smaller baggies for times when you just want some cold peaches with breakfast.

These can last up to a year in your deep freeze.

And you'll have the AMAZING PEACHES OF HEAVENLY SPLENDOR to eat all year-round.

This really is so simple and you can do it almost every kind of fruit.

So go forth, fruit lovers, and freeze away! You'll feel like Laura Ingalls Wilder. Bonnets are totally optional.

 

 

The Sea

I spent six days by the sea.

I freckled. I rested. I counted the waves.

I ate ice cream for dinner.

This long-awaited retreat, a removal from things that have gradually weighed me down, was spent right here, right in this sand.
 

 

 

 

The sea is a place where one goes to wash off the old, the tired, the burdened and replace it with the fresh, the new and the carried.

 



 

 

I could live here, in all of its sandy, salty glory. I could settle in and call this home.

 

It is a magical place, where the sand meets the sea. 

 

God knew we needed a lot of it.

Six Months In

So, today is my half-birthday! I realize I may be alone in the celebration of this. It's not like Hallmark has half-birthday cards. But they totally should.

When I was young, my grandma and my mom would make a cake and serve half of it with half a candle. It is one of my favorite memories and needs to become a tradition because it means we have survived six more months, and sometimes that is a miracle in itself.

I also love this day because it is the birth date I wish I had. You see, summer represents all things wonderful and happy and magical and winter is like a vast wasteland of coldness and death. What can you do in January? Ice skate (um, hello broken elbow!) and freeze. But in July, the sky is the limit! Plus, the daylight is around for nearly six extra hours!

Feel free to join my half-birthday pity party.

However, this day also makes me think of all the things I did not do the first half of this year. It is a mile marker of sorts, helping me gauge my productivity, or lack thereof. But it is also a wonderful motivator and confidence-builder because you realize you actually contribute to society sometimes.

First off, here are a few of the items I have either accomplished, experienced or navigated. Stand back.

1. I started my own business. I have two cooking classes this week so let's pray for safety for all involved.

2. I survived the month of June at work. I am now taking naps under my desk.

3. I have yet to break a bone or sprain a muscle. Amen and amen.

4. I have begun taking the extra fluff out of my life, namely the news and blow drying my hair. Those two things really save so much time.


However, I still have a few things I would like to do in the next six months:

1. Visit a new country. This is a goal every year. Anyone up for Greece? Norway? Peru?

2. See more of my cousins. I miss each one of them, all 46,720.

3. Find a new hobby. I am thinking fly fishing or ballroom dancing. Or both. Or not at all. I really don't know.

4. Fall in love. People do it all the time, or so I hear. And I am really great at it.

5. Rediscover joy. I seem to have lost some of mine and I would like it back. It's a tricky thing, that joy.

6. Run a 5K. Oh, did I just type that? That must have been a mistake. I am so funny.

7. Take a cooking class in something I have never tried before, like French pastry or sushi.

8. Be more kind, generous and patient. It should just happen.

9. Be unbelievably brave and courageous. It is hard to plan for this one but I want to be if the situation arises.

10. Save up now for Christmas presents instead of paying it off in January. You would think I would have this down by now but somehow December 25 always sneaks up on me!

And a bonus goal...

11. Eat more watermelon. It is freaking delicious.

So, I have my work cut out for me. I have learned that I need goals in my life otherwise I wither into a pile of nothing who only watches Hulu and eats yogurt. It's not pretty, trust me. These will hopefully keep me on track to actually living life instead of watching it. Sometimes I need these little reminders, these little motivators to get me out of a rut and into a groove.

Bring it on, second half!

My Most Favorite Holiday

Today is the day before the 4th of July, (otherwise known as the 3rd of July). It is the eve before my most favorite holiday.

Last night, I attempted to hang red, white and blue bunting from my front porch as an expression of my patriotism. I nearly catapulted myself into some shrubbery, but thankfully I stayed upright due to my amazing core strength. Due to a variety of circumstances, plastic siding and faulty Velcro being the main ones, I failed at my attempt. Nevertheless, I will try again. I consider it my civic duty.

The 4th of July is every good emotion and memory I have wrapped up in one explosive day. I love everything about it, even the possibility of losing a toe because of a wayward Black Cat.

I love the 4th of July.

I love big, juicy hamburgers on the grill, smothered in onions, tomatoes, ketchup, mustard and dill pickles.

I love cousins who spend their entire year's allowance on fireworks and happily light them off in the driveway.

I love the hot sun on my shoulders and the freckles that result.

I love the Star-Spangled Banner. I could hear it everyday of my life and not grow tired of it.

I love homemade ice cream and my Aunt Marge's homemade fudge sauce.

I love the endless possibilities of how one can use a water hose on your family members.

I love the sense of unity, of community, of celebrating something that people are still fighting for.

I love cream cheese frosting, especially in the form of the flag.

I love parades, floats, marching bands and kids riding their bikes with streamers flying off their handlebars.

I love tradition and celebration, using this day as an excuse to get together.

I love this country. Having traveled to over 25 others, I am still glad this is the one I come home to.

 I hope your 4th of July is fantastic in every possible way.

 

 

And the Trophy Goes To...

Do you remember when I said that my family was having a miniature golf tournament? I think I mentioned duct tape and a trophy were involved. Between work and a general lack of will, I never updated you on the results. It was neck and neck until the bitter end.

I will just tell you now that this was one of the most fun things my family has ever done. Trust me, if you want to have a good time, just go throw some boards together, add a water hazard and dig a few holes in your yard.

Not wanting to leave you hanging, I thought I would show you just how impressive our course turned out to be.

Correction: I may have gotten the word "impressive" confused with "ghetto fabulous."

Behold. The Course:

 

 

(Try not to be intimidated by our engineering genius.)

 

The Prize:

 

 

 

 A few of the players:

 

 

 

The game was intense. And brutal. And hilarious. No clubs were thrown but there were a few disputes about the score. The good part was that you maxed out at 10 strokes per hole. The bad part was that some holes required at least 15. (I'm talking to you, Hole #2.)

 

The game was close. As evident by the scoreboard, I had the lowest score for the first round, which I consider a minor miracle.

However, like all good professional backyard miniature golf tournaments, a playoff round was necessary for the top three players. So Sam, Noah and I hit up three more holes.

By the end, only one true champion emerged, and he gave a speech during the trophy ceremony and thanked his fans.

 

 

 

 

All in all, it was a highly successful, extremely robust game of homemade miniature golf. The yard is back to normal, Noah has found a spot for his trophy and we are already plotting next year's holes. It looks like this has now become a Father's Day tradition.

 

Good luck to whomever I marry, apparently "Miniature Golf Hole Construction and Execution" is now part of the criteria.

 

 

The Simple Life: Phone Home

I left my phone at home today.

Not on purpose, of course. Who in the world would purposefully leave their lifeline at home? That's just ridiculous.

I am partial to lifelines, particularly ones that tell me how much money I have in the bank and how many calories I will waste if I eat cookies for breakfast. It also has all the pictures I have taken in the month of June while I was buried in work and family birthdays and not having time to blog. I am sure you are dying to see those pictures and the first priority of my day was to show them to you so you didn't think I had run away or joined the circus or had forgotten how to type.

I also need my phone because what if I actually have wait in line for something and I don't have Pinterest to distract me?

Or what if I need to check the weather? People! The weather! How will I know?

And I am sure the Facebook world is missing me. I am an expert Facebook lurker and liker. It's just what I do.

And what if I wanted to run a 5K after work? (Let's just pretend, people!) My phone is the only one that can tell me when to run, when to cool down and when to pass out.

Oh, and just in case we forgot about the original function of a phone, it has all of my phone numbers in it. It probably has your phone number in it, especially since the only ones who still read this blog either share my last name or are trying to find out if I survived last month. And don't even begin to ask me if I memorized phone numbers because the only two numbers I have memorized are my office's fax number and my home phone in 7th grade.

Awesome.

That stupid phone. It is just sitting there on my bedside table, probably lighting up with texts and reminders and wondering where I am.

And all I can do is just sit here and live my Monday with carefree abandon that no one needs me right now and that the world is still turning without me making sure of it. I just have to struggle through my app-free day, without  a text, without an email, without the constant desire to make sure I didn't miss a status update from that guy I met three years ago who knows my cousin's husband's sister. I have to endure the freedom of a zero data day.

How will I survive?

I guess I'll just go outside to check on the weather. This Simple Life is harder than I thought.

The Gateway Weekend

This could be my most favorite weekend of the entire year. It is the kick-off to all things warm and wonderful.

Here are a few things I would like to accomplish:

Eat some watermelon.

Wear flip flops.

Attempt to tan.

Ride a bicycle.

Sleep in late.

Bake a cake.

Drink some coffee.

Laugh.

See my dad.

I hope your weekend is full of everything wonderful. Happy Memorial Day weekend, my friends.

How to Cut A Mango

In my efforts to simplify, I decided to tackle the mango.

You see, I am slightly addicted to them. They have been on sale for over a month at the grocery store and I stock up every time I go in. They are so deliciously sweet and perfect for breakfast that I find myself craving them every morning.

However, they are nearly impossible to cut.

If you peel them first, they slip out of your hands and shoot across the kitchen. Not ideal.

If you slice them with the skin still on, you end up mauling the fruit and all you are left with is a big pulpy mess. Delicious? Yes. Pretty? Nope.

Finally, I tried a technique I had seen before and decided to cut it while it is still in its skin, just like you would an avocado. The trick to this is finding a mango that isn't too ripe. It needs to be firm with a slight give when you press into it. If it is too mushy, then you will end up juicing it and licking pulp from between your fingers.

So, after several practice runs, the mango has finally been conquered.

And here is proof (Pardon my sub-par photography skills. It was early):

1. Slice off one side of the mango with the skin still on. Score it like you're playing tic tack toe.

2. Grab a large spoon and scoop it out.

3. Add it to your Greek yogurt, favorite salad or eat it by itself.

Thus, the simple life, mango style.

The Simple Life Experiment

Yesterday morning I had coffee with my darling friend Heather. She and I get together periodically to talk about shoes and baking and traveling adventures and boys, all things dear to our heart, the last one causing more angst than joy.

And we find ourselves being on the same page with most things, almost to the point where it is wonderfully ridiculous. Yesterday, we camped out on the topic of simplifying. Getting rid of the excess that ends up hindering our lives instead of helping.

And this got me thinking. What are the things that I really need in my life?

My iPhone? Maybe, but I don't need to check it every five minutes.

My Kitchen Aid mixer? Definitely.

TV? Nope. I really don't need it.

Hulu Subscription? Weeeeeellllll...I guess not. Darn it.

And the list goes on.

I loved the idea of taking things out of my life that I have held onto by obligation or trendiness. I think part of my funked-out week had to do with being overwhelmed with too much, or being absorbed with too much. Granted, some things you have no control over, but other things? Heck, yes. They can be kicked to the curb.

Thus: The Simple Life Experiment.

I am dedicating the summer of 2013 to simplicity.

I am sure it will come in a variety of forms, from cooking and baking healthy, clean foods to gardening, reading, traveling and maybe finally getting rid of the Kardashians...maybe. And not spending half of my paycheck every time I go to Target. I look forward to purging, cleaning, down-sizing and streamlining so I have more room to be creative. Or perhaps just so I can take a really great nap. Yoga also sounds like a wonderful new addiction.

Ideally, I would have some chickens and horse to round out my experiment, but suburbia is not conducive to farm animals. But I will blog about it and I will show you pictures of recipes and my scraped knees from falling off of my bicycle.

I promise to not become pretentious and condemn you if you eat Velveeta. I promise to still shave my armpits and to eat pizza and cookie dough every once in a while. And I promise I will not, under any circumstances, wear clothing made of hemp.

But, I have got to do this for me. It's just time.

And I am starting today: I am disconnecting my work email from my phone. A small step for most, but a ginormous step for the FC.

And I already feel better.

So, bring on the simple.