Never Let Me Go

We've packed up and headed east.  In making this job transfer we've left behind palm trees, beautiful beaches, the hustle and bustle of Orange County and countless friends.  It's hard.  My heart aches to be close to the rushing waves.  I've lived close to the Pacific for the last 25+ years.  I didn't realize how much I'd miss it or how claustrophobic I'd feel without it.

Simplicity...Continuing to Let Go

"Simplicity in your lifestyle will ensure you a happy life."

That was the fortune I found in a cookie last week.  I'm not really one to believe in fortunes stashed inside the fortune cookie, unless they're verses I place inside homemade fortune cookies, but this one did spark interest as we continue to try to simplify by shedding the extra "stuff" accumulated.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Summer Stay-cation

Summertime conjures up ideas of fabulous get-aways to beaches, mountains, far-away islands and rustic campgrounds.  Whether you're a camping family, a traveling family, or a relaxing-by-the-poolside family summer means vacation!  But living on a single income with the current economic struggles, rising gas prices, and the cost of airfare, planning an {expensive} get-away can be impossible.  Even with the best planning and bargain hunting, a vacation for a family of five is just not always financially possible.  

Sometimes vacations are best left to the off-season when airfare is cheaper and hotels offer bargains.  I've gotten accustomed to and quite successful at Name Your Price on Priceline.com.  On previous trips we've managed $250 round-trip airfare from the west coast to Washington D.C.  Lodging at 3.5 star hotels for $58 per night and inexpensive car rentals.  We've traveled with no plan in site, just internet phone access while we're on the road and hotel reservations made on the fly.  I know not everyone is comfortable not having a plan, but sometimes last minute can save big bucks.  Granted, I knew the hotels were not going to be full because it was the off-season so we were not concerned.  If we were traveling to a city with a convention during the peak season, I'd make reservations in advance.

This summer we were hoping to visit our hometown in the Pacific Northwest, but it doesn't seem feasible so we're going to try mini-staycations.  I was pretty bummed about not being able to visit friends and family. While driving yesterday, the kids and I were listening to an Adventures in Odyssey cd we received at the Focus on the Family event we attended.  The program was titled "Our Best Vacation Ever" and the episode was on stay-cations!  God has such perfect timing!  I didn't even know the episode was on the disc and my heart was settled.  Listening to the cd came after our oldest son sent me the most precious email,

"I know this trip (if we go) is going to be loads of fun but this thousand plus dollars that we might or might not have why spend it and then not have money for a while.  Having to cut back and really watch it because we don't have much money waiting for dad to get his next pay check.  Why not save it for something for our family or use it just to get by and have a back drop in case something happens?"

Such wisdom from a little guy.  This summer we'll travel to local destinations and see what we can experience close to home on our limited budget.

Recently my parents visited and we've started our stay-cations. I'll post some of our fun day trips.  Before we moved from the Pacific Northwest, we went on a number of day trips.  Sometimes it was just a visit to a local lake and then a trip to a bakery or a visit to an unfrequented park.  The options are endless and the fun is being with family.

A must have if you live or want to travel in Southern California is Fun and Educational Places to Go with Kids and Adults in Southern California.  It is a GREAT resource for field trips, day trips, and vacations.  It is thorough with descriptions of fun spots, costs, and contact information.  

So, if money is tight there's still a lot of fun to be had.  Stay-cations can be the best un-get-away!

Rooms That Inspire: A New Look At A Bookshelf

I have a Precious Friend.  We are both from the same state and same town.  We knew of each other back in that small town, but were not more than acquaintances.  Then God in His Goodness with a Perfect plan for both of our lives happened to relocate our two families to Southern California at the same time.  Since living here together we've developed such a great friendship.  I love how God works in that He had to move us over a thousand miles from our hometowns to have us meet and have our families grow in life together.

My sweet friend- Love Her! 

Celebrating my birthday with our preciouses.

Not only is my dear girlie beautiful, kind, generous, and loving she is a FANTASTIC decorator and has the cutest beachy bungalow she has decorated with great alley finds, repurposed items, and Anthropologie accents.  It just makes me feel good to be at her home.  I leave inspired to create something amazing! 

I was at her house today and took a couple pictures with my son's iPad.  Hopefully I'll be inspired to complete a couple summer projects!

Check out this favorite.  It's a new take on a bookshelf.  I think the iPad is only allowing me small photos at this time, but hopefully you can see.

I'll post more photos of favorite decorating ideas and hopefully you'll be able to see with better detail.  Until then.

Our Little City Garden

I love dirt.  I'm not referring to the dust dirt that piles up on the furniture or the dirt that's on our kids' feet at the end of the day or the "dirt" also known as gossip.  I don't care for that type of dirt.  I love working the dirt/soil/earth, tending a garden, and growing plants and vegetables. 

I love examining a tiny seed knowing that in that tiny seed there are amazing things to be grown with just a little dirt, water and light.  I love watching a tiny sprout emerge from the ground.  I love seeing the "real" leaves come on.  Plant life just amazes me.

A couple months ago we started some seeds in our very small backyard.  We started three types of tomatoes, cucumbers and a couple flower varieties.

We started "Mortgage Lifters."  They're supposed to yield two pound tomatoes!  I was hoping they'd "lift" our mortgage too!

We also started "Abe Lincolns" in honor of our Civil War study

Little tomato starts- These are a variety called "German Johnson"

Cucumber starts and little tomatoes

As I was tending my new starts, I was thinking back on my other garden.  We used to have acres of land to grow, but our current home offers a limited patio space.  We're going to try container gardening, and hopefully we'll make the best of it!

Here's a glimpse of my former space:

A portion of our former garden space

The garden going strong

This makes me smile

Fresh raspberries all summer long

I think half our neighborhood here can fit on the property we moved from.  It's been an adjustment, but the daily sunshine helps and the work load is MUCH less.

Back to present day.  Some of our "Abe Lincolns" were big enough to transplant. We bought some metal containers and our oldest drilled drainage holes in them.

Now our containers were ready for the tomato plants.  When transplanting tomatoes, you can bury them a bit deeper than the base, thus burying some of the stem.  I was told they're like clematis in this respect.  Don't worry if your transplants look a little pitiful the first few days after you transplant them.  They're just in shock.  They'll snap out of it in no time.

Nice roots on our tomato starts

Transplant complete

  

The City Garden

Round one of our garden is complete.  I'll need to figure out another plan for our "Mortgage Lifters" and "German Johnson's."  This is such a fun hobby and very rewarding!

Birthday Week Cake-A-Day: Oatmeal Cake

This week I'm celebrating the birthday season at our home.  In honor of all the birthdays in our family, I'll be baking some of our all time favorites.  We're calling this week Cake-A-Day Week. 

Today we started out with one of our all-time favorites: Oatmeal Cake.  Now when you first hear oatmeal, you may not be thinking what I'm thinking.  My mind is trained.  When I hear Oatmeal Cake the best, tastiest memories come to mind.  Words like moist, filling, delicious, caramel, coconut, classic, tradition, unbelievable, one more bite, Mmmmm... describe Oatmeal Cake.  Oatmeal Cake is one dessert I eat and actually make noise when consuming.  Mmmmm....ummm...so good!  It's like my mouth, brain, and stomach are all in complete agreement when having Oatmeal Cake. 

This recipe came from a long time family friend.  Actually the woman who cared for me at a day care gave it to my mom and the rest is history.  I hope you have a chance to try it and it may just become a family classic for you too.

Oatmeal Cake

1 7/8 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cup oatmeal




I know 1 7/8 cup water sounds strange, but it works.  Just look for the halfway mark between 1 3/4 and 2 cups.




Add oats to boiling water



Stir and let stand for about 20 minutes

3/4 cup butter (I only use REAL butter)
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs




Brown Sugar, Sugar, Eggs and Real Butter



Soften butter in mixer

Add sugars

Combine sugars and butter well

Sugars and butter

sugars and butter mixed thoroughly

Add eggs

Mix until combined

Mixed butter, sugars and eggs

2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons soda
3/4 teaspoons salt

Measure flour by dip-level-pour method

Salt, soda, and flour

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl

Add flour mixture alternately with oatmeal mixture

First portion of flour mixed in, now add 1/3 of oatmeal mixture.  Repeat alternating flour and oatmeal.

Flour...Oatmeal...Flour...Oatmeal

Finished Batter

Pour into greased and floured 9 X 13 baking dish

Nice batter

Ready for the oven (350 degrees)

Bake the cake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean

Bake 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees

Just out of the oven.  Let cake cool.  After cake has cooled, make the frosting.

Frosting

1 cube butter (1/2 cup) melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup coconut (flaked, sweetened)
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 t. vanilla

Melt butter in a saucepan

After butter has melted, add the brown sugar



Add flaked coconut and evaporated milk



Preheat Broiler then place frosted cake under broiler for about a minute

Keep your eye on the cake.  It'll turn golden brown very quickly.

Finished!  So beautiful.  Enjoy!