Friday Five

I'm trying something new this week. In my effort to not only blog more but also blog more intentionally, I am trying a new weekly (or to be quite honest, semi-weekly) tradition. I recently was inspired to have a weekly post to share things throughout the week that I am thankful for or things that simply made me happy this week. My heart is for this to never turn into a bragging session, but rather an opportunity to slow down the pace of life by acknowledging the good in life. No matter the tough week or bad days there are always things we can find to be thankful for or that make us happy. So here goes nothing....

I am thankful for the the fun gourmet burgers Brandon made!

I am thankful it was finally cold enough to wear my boots! After about a month of 80-90 degree weather it finally dropped into the 60-70's! Yes, I know, that is still rather warm but for our little desert town that is cold and I am grateful.

I'm thankful for my husband who appreciates organization almost as much as I do. He treated me to completely unloading all of the groceries this week and this is what it looked like!

I love the trend of arranging books by color!

Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup on a sick day... enough said.

Have a great weekend!

Maci K

Green Beans with a Kick

These green beans are on my husbands list of absolute favorite things I make. I think he requests these to be paired with a meal at least once a week. Thanksgiving 2010 was our first Thanksgiving as a married couple and we were given the task of making green beans. Instead of making your typical green bean casserole I wanted to make a healthier (yet festive) version of green beans. I searched for a while and came across an almond and green bean recipe on the Food Network (which I can no longer remember the exacts of). Since then, not only has it been a go to recipe for weekly meals but we also made them for Thanksgiving 2011 (which we hosted and prepared all on our own). I now make this recipe without exact measurements but by hand and taste.

Ingredients:

Green beans (frozen or fresh)

1 Large clove of garlic (or two small)

1 1/2 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup Thinly sliced almonds

Red pepper flakes (to taste)

Cayenne pepper (usually two slight dashes is plenty!)

Pinch of sugar

Pinch of sea salt

Directions:

Begin by heating up your EVOO, then add your garlic, almonds, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper. Once they are warmed up and the color is changing slightly in your almonds, toss green beans in and make sure the almond and spice mixture is coating the green beans. As your green beans begin to warm up add a pinch of sugar and salt. Mix thoroughly and let green beans finish cooking.

Enjoy!

Maci K

peace.

Most people I know enjoy a delicious cup of joe during their morning routine. With this special mug, not only do I get to enjoy my boost of cafine but I also get a subtle reminder to live in peace. I often find myself seeking for peace but in my search of peace I end up more exhausted and stressed. Usually when I am seeking for peace I hoping to find no "noise, trouble and hard work". However I must remind myself that peace does not come from the absence of these things but rather peace is a calmness in my soul, only given by the Lord while living in the midst of "noise, trouble or hard work".

Happy Friday!

Maci K

A New Year with New A New Journey

Yes I am one of many bloggers, blogging about the new year...

But before I get into this post I must apologize for my absence the last two months or so. I could come up with whole host of excuses but ultimately it boils down to the busy holidays and I have been struggling with inspiration for my posts. I have a at least 5 drafts of posts just sitting... However, recently I read a Tweet which mentioned your blog being your brand. Yes I may not be a business owner with a blog however simply being a blogger is a business of sorts. I must have clear direction and purpose, which ultimately leads to the need to create a brand.


I absolutely love blogging however I struggle with finding the time to blog while having a full time job. Sometimes I long to be a high energy do it all kind of person but I need to accept that is not who I am. The perfectionist in me has a terrible flaw of quitting when I can't do something perfect. Hence the not blogging for so long. The past couple of months I found myself drafting a few posts but I wasn't proud of them and didn't feel like they were perfect so I just let them sit.

Now that its a new year, I am on a journey of redefining my blog to make sure its brand is parallel with me and my personal brand. So over the next few weeks and months I invite you to join me on my little journey of branding and defining the purpose of my blog!



Maci K

Mother Hubbard's Cupboards are Bare!

Growing up with my mother there were many sayings that she often used. Now when I find myself using these sayings I laugh to myself.  Some would say these sayings make one "dorky" but others (like me) say it makes one relate-able or fun to be around. You know the sayings I'm talking about... You often don't even realize that you say them, but it's inevitable, when your mother is a figure you look up to, naturally you'll pick up on mannerisms, characteristics and sayings.

Anyone who knows me and my mom, knows our mannerisms and the way we talk could not be more spot on; it even freaks us out! I know for a fact the reason I act so much like my mom is because she is a woman to look up to. In recent years she has been through many trials physically and she has be determined not to be defined by them. My mom is constantly inspiring me! I say all of this because growing up whenever our "cupboards were bare" my mom would ALWAYS say "mother hubbards' cupboards are bare".

This week that saying could not be more truthful in our household. Since coming back from our trip to Dallas we have been exhausted and out of routine. I can't even remember the last time we grocery shopped and don't even get me started on how messy the house has been. Just saying it makes my heart ache a bit. Needless to say, our "meal planning" this week has failed miserably.

So tonight, when we got home from work and were tired of take out and discouraged by the lack of food in the house; I was determined to make a delicious meal out of the little we had (inspired by my father who is a master Short Order Cook, another story for another time).  Here is what I came up with!

Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry Noodles

Ingredients:

1/2 box whole wheat thin spaghetti 

2 boneless chicken breast

1 head of broccoli

1 1/2 cups of frozen green beans

1 cup frozen soy beans

1/2 chopped white onion

2 chopped carrot sticks 

1/4 cup jarred roasted red pepers (roughly choped)

1 clove of garlic (minced or pressed)

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp sirrache sauce

Red pepper flakes (to taste)

2 tsp brown sugar

To Make:

Key to Meal: DON'T ADD SALT! Soy sauce has more than enough salt for this dish.

Begin by mixing soy sauce, sirrache sauce, red pepper flakes, and brown sugar to create your stir fry sauce. Also prepare water for pasta by bringing it to a boil, then add your noodles.

Next cut raw chicken into bite size pieces. Dash pepper and red pepper flakes onto chicken. Prepare pan with cooking canola spray, make sure your burner is on med/high. Cook chicken until it is safe to eat but not dry. Note, your chicken will cook quickly. Add all veggies into pan and let them "sweat it out".

Then add stir fry sauce and strain cooked noodles. Toss noodles into finished stir fry and serve.

In all seriousness, I had no idea how this would turn out and I could not have been more presently surprised. I leave you with this; don't be afraid of what's in your kitchen, EVEN if "mother hubbard's cupboards are bare".

Enjoy!

Maci K

The Lone Star State

I know, I know... I have been absent for the past week and a half but my absence has not been without merit. Brandon and I, along with the rest of the Shade Tree Family, spent five days deep in the heart of Texas; Dallas, Texas that is.

I had been to Dallas a few times as a kid and had great memories of the city, so I was excited that we had the chance to visit again, even if it was for work. Brandon and I feel extremely blessed by our current jobs and rarely do we actually feel as if it is work. The purpose of this work trip was to put on a workshop for aspiring filmmakers. Brandon and the rest of the team do the teaching and I organize, coordinate and make sure all attendees are having a pleasant experience.

I can't even tell you what a blast this trip was! I walked away from this with a sense of accomplishment and pride in the work that I do, as well as new friends!

(The Shade Tree Family getting down to business to prep for the day ahead.)

We had many late nights of finalizing presentations and plans. I do not believe I have ever been more exhausted nor have I ever laughed so hard. With this bunch, I am not exaggerating when I say it is almost non-stop laughs whenever we are all together.

Heading to this workshop I thought I was just extra hands to run errands and make things smooth but before I knew it I became a student! Yup, you're seeing right, that's me holding a foam core board for DIY lighting. There were many jokes about getting a camera in my hands but we'll just have to see about that.

I had to post this picture because I couldn't be more proud of my husband! He completely stepped out of his comfort zone and taught these students with ease and confidence.

My experience in Dallas as an adult was just as great as when I was a kid! Downtown Dallas is fairly clean and has a breath-taking skyline! The architecture was fascinating and so much more creative than most of the buildings in California. My only complaint would be those dog-gone freeways and frontage roads. And that's saying a lot since we live in Southern California with a billion freeways.

If you are curious to find out more about these workshops we put on two to three times a year, check out our website www.shadetreefilms.net!

Maci K

My Blogger Mistake!

I am the first to admit that Brandon and I are the worst at remembering to capture moments of life through pictures. This posed a problem when I started a blog, I knew I was going to have to get better at remembering to take pictures. So far I would say I have done really well, I still struggle to take pictures of us, but over all I have really improved at capturing the daily happenings of our life.... Except for today.

About a year ago a bought this collared blouse/dress from Old Navy, that I have worn literally twice since I got it. The issue I have had with it is the length. It wasn't appropriate to ever wear as a dress (even over leggings or tights) but it was too long to wear as a shirt, but I loved the classic beige plaid print! I have been thinking about cutting it and giving it a bit more shape.

So this morning before work I just decided I would just go ahead and do it so I could wear it to work. So I grabbed a pair of scissors and my sewing tape and it was complete before I knew it. I think I was half asleep when I did it, which is probably why I FORGOT TO TAKE PICTURES! When I got home from work tonight I took a few pictures of the finished project.

Here is my first DIY fashion project. I simply made sure the blouse was lined up as it was designed and folded it in half.

Before it was aproximately 5 inches longer and completely straight across at the bottom.... Blah, boring! I used scissors to create a bit of shape.  In order to create a finished look, as if it were sewn, I used my handy dandy sewing tape and I think most people would never even notice the difference!

Now I feel much more comfortable wearing it either tucked in with jeans or sinched in at the waist with a great belt! I might even make a fabric flower out of the left over fabric. If you want more ideas or inspiration for DIY fashion projects check out A Pair & A Spare; I'm pretty sure Geneva is brilliant!

Hope you have a great weekend!

Maci K