This is an email for my mother.. but to all the mothers out there too..

Happy Mother’s day mom. I know I don’t say it enough but you’re the very best mother a person could ask for. It’s days like today that I think about the old days and times gone by. I wasn’t the best child in the world. I don’t know how you did it. I challenged you in ways I’m sure you never imagined and yet you still loved, and continue to love, me. In my junior high years I remember nothing but arguments between us. You had the very best of intentions and were trying to raise me “right”. You continued to be the positive influence in my life even when I didn’t think I wanted it. I remember the friends I’d have that you didn’t quiet like.. but tried to keep to yourself. You allowed me to grow and experience the challenges of life that lead me to be a better person. Thank you so much for hanging in there and not giving up on me. Thanks for being the positive person in my life I could count on. Thank you for all that you’ve done for me and all that you continue to do.

It’s your perseverance and love through the years that’s made me who I am today. I am a smart, capable, loving, and a kind person because of YOU and all the things you’ve taught me. You continue to teach me things even now. You deserve the very best. You deserve to ALWAYS be happy and enjoy life. I’m so glad you have the great friends that you do, that you love life, and have such a great attitude. I can only hope to be the woman you are! I LOVE YOU MOM!

Enjoy the video.

So you might have seen the quilt I made Peyton. It was a total blast to make. It’s always a joy to make them for people that appreciate them and it’s a lot of fun to make something just special and unique for that person.

I love making quilts and sewing. Unfortunately while on a quilt retreat my machine jumped out of the car and on the cement. So now I’m looking to buy another machine… which means no sewing for a while. le sigh!

In other news I was able to finish my most recent knitting project. It’s called Color Affection. I’ve made this one before but in sock yarn. This time I did it in lace. I love the final product but let’s just say I won’t be knitting with lace any time soon, it’s too thin and takes FOREVER!!! I think it’s going to make a great shawl for the summer. It’s light and airy but will keep the chill away. I made it with three different sekins of my favorite yarn… Madeline Tosh. The next project… a summer sweater for me. I’ll post it another time but right now I’m heading outside and enjoy the sun that’s out since Portland gets some almost never.

This weekend has been a great one! It’s not often that I really get a chance to relax… OK, make that take the time to relax. Today I did. It was a beautiful day down in the valley so I took the opportunity to bring Eric and his co-workers lunch and then stayed much of the day. While all the “regular” folks were down on the patio tasting wine I was on the upper patio, viewing the beautiful valley, sipping some WONDERFUL Pinot Gris, and reading my book. It was so relaxing, in fact I took a few cat naps up there in the sun and enjoyed every minute of it. Today made me long for the summer and the days of hot sun. I can’t wait for summer to be here.. for the BBQs, the fun, family, and wine.

Today I’m sharing a great recipe I found on Pinterest. I LOVE.. LOVE.. LOVE Pinterest. I always find such cool ideas for so many things that this year I figured I’d try things rather than just pin it. This recipe is just that.I’m trying to keep a record of the great, or not so great, recipes I’ve tried, maybe share some crafty thing I’ve done, or whatever.

I have to say Eric, Josh, and I really liked this soup. It’s super hardy and filling while being super healthy. Just to note I did add more broth than it suggested because I wanted it a bit more soup. Try it, I’m sure you’ll love it.

Note: I did end up adding more broth to the recipe because I wanted more of a soup consistency. Hope you enjoy it as much as my family.

Farro, Kale and Bean Soup

From  Generation Y Foodie

Ingredients

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 cup dry farro
6 oz stewed tomatoes or tomato puree
12 oz low sodium veggie (or chicken) broth
2 bay leaves
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 can (15 oz) cannellini or great northern beans, rinsed
2 cups kale, washed, stems removed and chopped into 1″ ribbons
optional: fresh grated parmesan

Step by Step Instructions

1. Saute onion, garlic, and carrot in olive oil on medium heat 5-7 minutes
2. Season with salt and pepper
3. Add farro, tomatoes, broth, bay leaves, rosemary and thyme
4. Cover and bring to a boil
5. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer, covered for 30 minutes
6. Remove bay leaves, and the stems of the rosemary and thyme
7. Add beans and kale, cover and simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes
8. Serve with parmesan

Tomorrow is day one of a new adventure. I’m bound and determined to eat healthy and loose weight. Tonight I took the first step…. Making a healthy lunch for tomorrow.
Quesadilla with turkey and avocado
Carrots
Orange
Chobani

Most of the time, on the weekends, I try to make dinner for Eric and I since he works weekends and I don’t. I wasn’t so good at it in 2012 but I’m going to try hard to improve in 2013. Although 2013 hasn’t started yet.. so I guess I don’t have to start my resolutions I really thought, “no time like the present” and made dinner tonight AND it’s something healthy. If you’re looking for a healthy, vegetarian, and quick dinner I highly recommend this one.

Broke Bean Stew

(Courtesy of Biggest Loser)
(makes 10 1-cup servings)

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow or white onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 can (28 ounces) diced fire-roasted tomatoes
3 cans (15.5 ounces each) chickpeas (or kidney beans, black beans, white beans), rinsed and drained
4 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, chopped kale or Swiss chard

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in 4-quart saucepan. Add onion and sauté about 5 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add garlic and cook 1 minutes longer. Do not brown the garlic.
2. Add spices and tomatoes and simmer about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups of beans and 2-1/2 cups of broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.
3. Place remaining beans and broth in a food processor or blender. Add cilantro and puree until smooth. Add mixture to stew. Add spinach and heat just until wilted. Stir well and serve hot.

A new year is approaching and that means new year resolutions for most. I’m not much of a resolutions person, most of the time when I make them I break them, but this year I’m hopeful. I always have so many ideas of what I want to coming year to be and what I want to accomplish. For 2013 I hope a year of being realistic. I just want to focus on a few thing.. things that I can really do and change. So here goes…

2013

I will be KIND to myself and others!

- Eat more healthy foods

- Exercise 3-4 times a week

- Date nights more frequently

- Have fun!

I’m hoping to do more crafty things, maybe I’ll do one once a week, who knows. I any case I hope to post more about my adventures this year and help track my progress to being a better me which means a better wife and friend.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Tonight was a great night. I went over to Julia and Andy’s for dinner. It was so nice to meet their friend and talk about all sorts of things Linda and Bob were there so I got a chance to catch up with Linda about things and hear even more stories, like her first dog, Napoleon and how she acquired him from another neighbor who really owned the dog but the dog liked playing with Linda more than being at his own home.

We chatted about all sorts of things. It was nice too to be able to share some great wines with them. I brought the Iilahe Viognier and the Archery Summit Rose. It’s so nice to share wine with other people and help expand their knowledge of things. Of course I don’t know near as much as Eric, but it was fun nonetheless.

Julia made this amazing dinner with chicken that was cooked on the BBQ and shredded. Then you take the shredded chicken and put it in a bowl with tomatoes, onions, onion, and avocado an some sort of dressing. After that you mix it all and serve it on a bed of lettuce. It was AMAZING! That along with Andy’s awesome Cesar salad and then Mexican rice and beans.. the dinner was awesome. I’m so lucky and thankful to have such great friends to have fun with and eat great food.

Have to share the great news! I’ll be in Orland, FL in March presenting at the Learning Solutions conference.

“Integrating Social Media into Your Learning Strategy – Local Success Stories”

Today is an interesting day. While most of the country is mourning the loss of those lost in the September 11^th attacks, I choose to celebrate this day. Not for the terrible things that have occurred to our country, but for the fact that seven years ago today I married my best friend. I didn’t know it at the time that I would grow in the way that I have over the last seven years but I knew I loved Eric with all my heart. In the last seven years I’ve learned more about compromise, going with the flow, and knowing that not everything has to go my way. Eric has been patient with me, tolerated my crazy temperamental outbursts, shown me compassion when I’ve lost a family member, supported me when I wasn’t sure I knew what I was doing, and loved me ALWAYS. I am so fortunate to find my best friend in life and to still be together despite all my faults. I am so proud to be married to Eric. He is so loving, kind, generous, patient, and strong.

Eric,

I know you don’t like it when I post personal things about it us but I want you and everyone in the inter web to know how much I love you, how much you give me strength, and how much you mean to me. I know the last seven years haven’t been the easiest but we’ve made it through. There were time neither of us thought we would but we have. I truly believe there is nothing we, together, can’t over come or conquer. All my love to you!

Jona