the little things

Project Mode.

An area that had suffered neglect

in our house...

and has desperately needed attention

for some time...

got attention!

I ask you, women...

is there anything sexier than a man

in flannel...fixing a drip...replacing a floor...

getting the job done right?

Here's the only before shot I managed

to get before he got busy.

Imagine...

the before this before...

was even worse.

Step 1:

Empty out cupboard.

Tear out the existing floor.

Get needed tools...

take a few snapshots.

Step 2:

Measure twice...

cut once.

Replace the floor

with beautiful...clean...

plywood.

Ah...

I'm lovin it already.

My man is amazing!

That stubborn drip still lingered.

Step 3:

Fix that drip

once and for all.

Time to become

a contortionist.

I'm betting this job

ranks right up there

with

root canal.

But...

I'm loving the view.

Especially when

asked for my assistance.

I'll get right on it...

after I capture

this great angle.

You guessed it...

he loved that one.

More posing.

He showed that drip

who was boss.

My man.

My sink man.

Actually...

when he wears flannel

I call him

snow plow man.

(from a short-lived series...Men In Trees,

I had a bit of a crush on

snow plow man)

Step 4:

Get me out of the

kitchen so he can

finish what he started.

You just gotta love a man

with that work ethic!

Step 5:

Put down floor tiles

on a surface that sees

a lot of action.

The unveiling.

A thing of beauty!

When you stop to think

how many times you

open this cupboard...

to throw something away...

to get at cleaning supplies...

it just makes sense to make it

pretty and practical.

After all...

it's the little things

that make such a

difference.

Thank you, Snow Plow Man.

I Love You, too!

quinoa :: again

Okay...so I just might be a bit quinoa crazed of late. No! Whatever would make you say such a thing? You ask. Uh...I don't know...could it be that when I tell my boys I'm trying a new recipe, their first question is...does it have quinoa in it? Quinoa...a word that just a short week ago, they had never heard of...is now part of their everyday vocabulary. Score one for mom!

Not to kick 'em when their down...but...I decided to give Quinoa Veggie Surprise, from...here I go again...whole food mommies...ugh...a try. Simple ingredients that the writer claimed had her daughter saying, "This is the best healthy dinner we've had!" And in that...was the surprise. Well, with a recommendation like that...I had to give it a go.

Well...surprise! It sucked. Okay...let me back up here. It was edible...but once again, it lacked one important ingredient...flavor.

I realize that part of this new lifestyle is going to involve appreciating the true flavor of the foods you are eating. Allowing your taste buds to experience...let's say, broccoli...as broccoli...rather than butter drippin'...cheesy loaded broccoli. So...I didn't turn my back on the batch. I packaged it up and put it in the frig.

Turns out...Quinoa Veggie Surprise is a dish best served cold. Especially after kicking it in the butt with my secret arsenal. At lunch, the next day, I gave it a sniff and thought...I know! I will hit it with my sister Sue's Balsamic Vinaigrette. Toss on some cashews for crunch...in a word...AMAZING.

Sue's Vinaigrette? For a small batch, I mixed 1T Balsamic vinegar...2 T Olive Oil...a dash of Sea Salt...A fresh grinding of good Pepper...1 teaspoon of sugar. Shake or stir good. I drizzled two teaspoons over my Veggie Quinoa and it enhanced...not overwhelmed...the flavor of the carrots and broccoli.

It was so good...that I packaged up the remaining portion and...like the sweet wife I am...sent it off with hubby for lunch. I couldn't let quinoa get a bad rep in this house. I need all of their support if I am to make a go of this new lifestyle. I am happy to report, I received a call at lunch thanking me for the great tasting quinoa. He went on and on about how much better it tasted...about those yummy cashews.

Yes...what a good wife I am. Okay...if you're still with me...I confess...I saw a fellow blogger post about this wonderfully healthy lunch she packed her man and I thought...oh, how sweet. I can do sweet...right? It's been a while...but if I try really hard, I bet it will come back to me. So thank you...beauty that moves...for the inspiration. And that's (unknowingly) from my husband as well!

So good...I'm giving you another angle...perhaps to inspire you. Oh, almost forgot the Veggie Quinoa with a real...honest to goodness...Surprise!

2 cups water...2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes...1 cup Quinoa...boil...reduce heat, cover until done...about 15 minutes. Steam Broccoli (I was pretty generous with amount) approx. 2 cups with 3 sliced Carrots...steamed right along with the broccoli...1 can of Black Beans, rinsed and drained. Serve cold with Susie's Balsamic Vinegrette and Cashews.

Good stuff. Don't forget...pack 'em a healthy lunch! Happy weekend.

this moment

Joining Soule Mama and her many friends in this Friday ritual. A single photo. No words. A simple, extraordinary moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. amen.

the clean :: the dirty

Laundry.

You can't escape it

for if you try

the job only gets larger.

With heaping mounds of clothing

trailing down the hall...

bedding after illness...

it was time.

Wouldn't you know...

out of detergent.

What are the chances...

that on this very day I read

a posting on

good earth living's blog

all about

Soap Nuts.

What?!

My family has sensitive skin,

especially during dry winter months...

and

I never heard of these natural wonders?!

Well...

I heard now.

I couldn't wait to try it...

had to run to

Bassett Natural Foods

and for $18.99

bought this box.

The muslin bags were right on top.

You see...

for those like me...

you secure 3-4 Soap Nuts in the bag

and toss into your washer.

(works with HE as well)

Re-use until the nuts

are no longer slippery when wet...

or they start to crumble apart.

Usually after the third or fourth load.

The Soap Nuts were much as expected.

However...

it is never a good sign when the sales

clerk acts like she never knew the store

carried the item...and mentions

"they aren't very popular."

Makes one wonder...

is there a shelf life on these beauties?

At

good earth living

where I first read about them...

Laura Emily, a new ETSY shop keeper

(I added her to my blog list...

where there is a link

to her ETSY site)

shows the Soap Nuts she will offer

on Friday

(I was in a hurry to have mine NOW)

Her Nuts are admittedly much like wrinkled

prunes...though not as ancient looking as

mine.

(NO dirty jokes allowed)

I also received a surprise.

Soap Nut earings...

a gift with purchase.

Weird...but nice all the same.

I bet you're wondering...

so...

did they work?

So far...so good.

After the 3rd load I traded out the

Soap Nuts for

"Fresh" Nuts.

I used very little softener...

since I was warned by a repair man

that Downy...

and all softeners are the bane to

appliances.

And the Soap Nuts offer

natural

softening agents.

Cool stuff.

On...

to the dirty.

I have invited you into my bathroom before.

It has all the necessary

equipment.

Looks cute and clean.

I wouldn't invite you in if it weren't.

I am about to go where no others have gone...

talking daily deeds...

talking...

crap.

????

Okay.

All you Whole Food Junkies out there...

You could have forewarned me!

Started eating whole foods

in preparation...preview...

of the class I will be taking in February.

Since I began this transition

I have been astounded...

YES...astounded

by my

morning ritual.

Holy Crap!

My visits here are now

brief and to the point.

HUGE.

I feel ten pounds lighter

each time I leave the bathroom.

Whole Foods

have an amazing cleansing affect.

Must be all those good grains.

Like quinoa for instance.

Yep...

moving right to the kitchen.

Gotta eat breakfast to refuel.

On tap...

Quinoa Pumpkin Pancakes

from

whole food mommies

(they gotta do something about that name)

It calls for quinoa flour...

grind quinoa in your flour mill...

yeah...

like I have one of those!

I do have a food processor...

same thing...

right?

I let it do its thing a good long time...

until it kinda

resembled flour.

Good time to

gather all the ingredients.

Lotta good stuff. Waited for a cake-like appearance

at the edges before

the flip...

presto.

They sure looked the part.

Unfortunately...

didn't taste the part.

A gripe of mine...

don't tell me it's good when

it isn't.

I want to go whole foods

I don't want to sacrifice flavor.

Basically...

a miss here.

It filled the stomach...

it didn't satisfy the taste buds.

The dogs liked them...

so they aren't going to waste.

I am still stocking

ingredients to fill my pantry

with whole food choices.

Reading good, old-fashioned advice

from

Whole Foods For The

Whole Family...

a cookbook I bought like forever ago

from

La Leche League International.

To this day...

a go to cookbook with a

practical approach.

Balance.

I must achieve a balance

between

good for you :: great tasting

or I will lose

my family.

Thanks for hanging in there with me...

as I strive to make this

happen.

others

listen.

our day began as it often does

with a prayer...

that God guide us in the way

we should go.

a conversation followed.

a typical conversation in any home...

what would you like to

accomplish today?

laugh.

homeschool never made the list.

clever moms don't let that stop them...

we always

find ways to make it happen

sometimes

without their ever knowing...

live.

beside which

life lessons are being reinforced.

we have a large family

and since we are home much

of the time we find we

enjoy taking good care of all.

my joey

takes good care of

our nature friends.

rarely needing reminders.

usually mom needs to be told its time

to go to the feed store...again...

since we have run out of

supplies.

happy birds.

delirious squirrels.

love.

at lunch break

James volunteered to prepare

his craving...

hot dogs on the grill.

snow is not an obstacle in this home...

and apparently in many others

who commented on this

moment.

grilled to perfection.

just like mom likes 'em

dark on the out

juicy on the in.

loaded with onions.

oops.

this would have been the perfect

spot for a picture

of that dog.

instead...

oatmeal cookies and soy milk

for dessert.

no...

not a tofu-turkey, rosebud...

the all-american

beef dog.

ugh...

baby steps!

ah...

there's that

missing pic.

the techie

in me

is but a newborn

babe.

switching those around

must be the next

lesson.

i would ask the boys

but...

you're not going to believe this...

they are still in bed.

those spoiled homeschool kids!

james snapped this shot of me

as we were heading home...

list complete.

maybe singing...

possibly lecturing...

probably discussing what our evening

will hold.

until tomorrow.

amen.

whole again

Sore throat...joint and body aches...feverish...

I took a much needed sick day.

Bed rest...hot tea...

echinacea...

advil.

I haven't taken a day (truly) off

for years.

When I wasn't sleeping...I was reading.

My sick choice...

(no pun intended)

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Somehow...

seriously, I have no idea how...

it was downloaded onto my smart phone

along with Pride and Prejudice...Great Expectations...

both too much for a congested head.

Alice turned out to be the perfect choice.

Maybe it was the cold...maybe it was the mixture

of meds...maybe it was my foggy state...

whatever "it" was...

I found the book

delightful!

I fully agree with Alice,

"...what is the use of a book...without

pictures and conversations?"

I remember thinking that as a child...

and as I lie on my sick bed

I would stop to examine each

wonderful drawing that appeared.

I was so enchanted that I continued the adventure

and read

Through the Looking Glass.

Lewis Carroll

has many a rumor floating about...

to this day...

but he knew the heart of a child.

Even an adult child, like myself,

can admit that.

The next morning...

I felt a bit like Alice emerging

from the rabbit hole.

Somewhat healthier...not quite myself.

Hungry.

I found a recipe at

Whole Food Mommies

( I didn't name it, I just visited it!)

that used my newest purchase from Costco

quinoa (pronounced, KEEN-wah).

I altered the recipe to accommodate

my humble cupboard.

It was delicious.

So good, that I am going to share it with you.

You're welcome.

1 cup quinoa boiled in 2 cups lightly salted water

until done (15-20 minutes)

While boiling... Chop 1/2 onion,

fine...rinse 1 can white kidney beans...

drain 1 can of chopped tomatoes slightly...

chop some fresh cilantro

(I had this on hand from my lentil and

guacamole)

1 clove garlic pressed,

3 T lemon juice,

1/2 t ground cumin,

Toss all together in a bowl.

Serve with fresh chopped avocado.

Amazing.

Somehow...

Alice in Wonderland

and quinoa

belong in the same posting.

Lewis Carroll would understand.

It takes a stong woman to

admit to being a

bit mad.

wintertide

Think winter.

Think candles.

The spice of the holidays...

traded for the fresh, cool,

clean fragrances of

winter.

What to do with the tin?

Waiting in my Jeep

at a local Subway...I

I found what I was looking for.

The frosty snow on my windshield.

Sparkling, glittering...

beautiful.

Simulating the wintry

snow...

decorated simply...

like the landscape.

In cool hues...

and clean fragrances

reminiscent of winter walks,

welcoming homes,

roaring fires.

Old Maid New...

capturing the beauty

of every

season.

Available @

Harmony in Life

Sylvania, Ohio

or contact me @

jenondrus@yahoo.com

this moment

Joining Soule Mama and her many friends in this Friday ritual. A single photo. No words. Capturing a simple, extraordinary moment from my week. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember forever. amen.

thursday thought

"Good teaching isn't filling

a bottle,

it's lighting a fire."

I found this while perusing the Etsy site

under the maple tree.

It was mounted on an original

archival print

with a wise old owl.

Pause.

To which I add...

amen.

Today I will

keep that thought

front and center...

as I gently wake the boys from

their long winter

slumber.

I have often felt

our home

closely resembles the children's story...

The Napping House.

Three are sleeping above.

Two dogs and a James,

buried under blankets

for warmth and a few extra zzz's.

light a fire.

Encourage a yoga session.

Stretch the body.

Stretch the mind.

That's my motto.

Oh,

and...

breathe.

gather kindling.

Since I decided to join

a whole foods on-line workshop...

(which starts in February)

I've noticed my choices

have been healthier.

I'm dipping my big toe into

the idea of it.

Since mom is...

the whole family benefits.

Thinking fresh and simple.

strike a match.

Healthy bodies...healthy minds.

Avocados ready to become

guacamole...

lunch is set.

Thankful for blueberries

in January...

oatmeal never tasted so good.

blow gently on burning embers.

Thinking outside of yourself.

There is a whole world

of need.

Even the birds of winter

need to be remembered.

Add filling the feeders to our list.

add more fuel.

Get plenty of fresh air...

and don't forget to

say your prayers.

tend the roaring fire!