Inspiration

 We all could use a little pick-me-up and some inspiration in our lives from time to time. Just a wee bit of something to brighten our day and remind us of the simple, profound truths of life. Quotes are one of my favorite ways to do that. So, I've dug up some sayings that are really uplifting and I am going to post them. =) Maybe tomorrow I'll post some funny ones, but today's are more thought-provoking.

 Most of these quotes have to do with faith and with God. Honestly, without God I would be nothing. He is my strength. He is my comfort. He is the glue that holds me together. He is my life song. He is my safety. He is my love. =) Bon Voyages!
                                                                 

Goin' On A Field Trip...

Hey everyone! So sorry I didn't post Friday like I said I would...by the time I was about to get around to posting, we had a terrific ( terrific as in HUGE and slightly nerve-wracking, not awesome ) thunder and lightning storm hit us and I had to power off. Then Saturday and Sunday were busy as usual. =)

So. The Friday before last, a family from church picked me and another girl up and brought us along with them on a school field trip. Our destination was Portland and our first event of the day was riding up the Willamette on one of the Portland Spirit ferries. That lasted a couple hours and we had a nice boxed lunch on board with a scrumptious turkey sandwich on sourdough bread, chips and a very yummy chocolate chip cookie. =)

Next, we headed off to the Portland Zoo. We walked through all the different exhibits and then took the train through some of the zoo too. The train part was kinda a bummer. It mostly takes you through the back part of the zoo where there is old machinery and woodsy areas and a few animal exhibits. But it was nice to sit and take a break from walking. =D

Here are pictures from the ferry ride:

Farm where Bing cherries first were cultivated.

I forget the exact history of this house, but I think it had to do with water , lol. =D

Jaedyn, Me, & Jira-Lily
=)

Here are pictures from the zoo:

Bon Voyage!

Standin' In the Need of Prayer

My family has recently had some very hard things hit us and I would appreciate it very much if you could keep us in your prayers. Thank you so much. I'll post more updates from my travels last week tomorrow. Bon Voyage mi amores.

Up, Up, & Away!

Last Wednesday I got to do something pretty awesome. I got to fly with my pastor ( who is a pilot ) and his two oldest kids down to Roseburg, OR to have breakfast with a family from church! Usually, it takes about 2 1/2 - 3 hours to drive down there, but by plane it takes just an hour. We had perfect weather for our flight and I got some AMAZING aerial shots, of which I can't wait to show you all! Without further ado:

Leaving Salem

Duck's Stadium 

Three Sisters

Bon Voyage!

Good Times

Last Sunday, on Mother's Day, I got to hang out with an old friend of mine who was on my side of the continent for a couple of weeks visiting friends and family in Oregon, Washington, and Canada. We got to hang out Monday and Tuesday as well, but I think our favorite and most memorable day was Sunday. =) We had a fabulous lunch at a Mexican restaurant, stopped off at the carousel for old time's sake, got dessert from the Costco deli, drove out and enjoyed the countryside, looked at old pictures, had a good laugh , and walked and talked for hours to finish off the day. It was wonderful! So, now to share some pictures of our lovely first day together:

Bon Voyage!

Recipes

I have been quite busy this past week or so, but not too busy to create new recipes! =) The first recipe is for Gluten and Sugar-free muffins, and the second is for a cooler drink that is sugar free as well. Both are fabulous and I am very excited about them! Unfortunately, I do not have pictures to go with the recipes. =(

GF/SF Lemon Blueberry Muffins:

1 C. Sorghum Flour
1/2 C. Brown Rice Flour
1/2 C. Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Mix
2 TBS. Ground Flaxseed
6 TBS. Coconut Sugar
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Xanthan Gum

3 Eggs
1/2 C. Yogurt
1/4 C. Butter ( softened )
2 TBS Lemon Juice

zest of one lemon
two handfuls ( approx. 1 C. ) frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 400. Mix together the dry ingredients. Add in the wet. Mix. Add in the zest and blueberries. Mix. =D  Use a large spoon or a quarter cup measure to scoop into 11 paper-lined muffin tins. ( Yeah, weirdly enough, this only makes 11, not 12. ) These don't raise much, so you want the cups to be full to the top so that they crown and look like a normal muffin. Bake for about 20 minutes. They will be darker than your average muffin. These are awesome hot out of the oven with butter or without and are equally yummy cold with or without butter. =)


SF Strawberry Citrus Cooler:

1 Grapefruit
1 Orange
1 Lemon
1 Lime
1/2 tsp Vanilla
4 packets of Truvia
Coconut Sugar to taste-I used approx. 1/4 C.
Approx. 2 C. Strawberries ( FROZEN )

Juice all the citrus. Strain juice through a metal strainer to get out all the little pips and extra pulp. Pour in a blender ( I am very blessed to own a Blendtec, all I have to do is pour, dump, and push " smoothie " - with the lid on, of course =D ) and add the remaining ingredients. Adding a cup of ice is optional if you want it icey and thicker, more like a regular smoothie. Blend well. Enjoy! This is super fabulous on a hot day if you've been out in the sun and need a thirst quencher and something hydrating. It is filling too, if you drink a lot of it- which I tend to do because it is SO yummy! I dare you to share, even though it makes a good three tall glasses full. ( I did share, btw, just not a lot =D )

So there you have it! Two new recipes. =) I'll probably be posting a lot this week to catch ya'll up on everything that happened last week, which turned out to be much more than I had anticipated. I had a fantastic week though and wouldn't have traded it for the world. =) Bon Voyage!

Philosophy and Humor

Hi! So, has anyone ever noticed how inspirational our food labels are getting? Inside bottle caps, on the backs of drink labels, in fine print on packaged goods, and on tea bags are little bits of wisdom and sunshine. Recently Mom went shopping and came home with these chocolate bars and the label is so funny! Here's a peek:

For immediate relief of: Chocolate cravings, Lovesickness, Exam Pressure, Mild Anxiety, and Extreme Hunger.
Directions for use: Tear open wrapper. Break off desired dosage and consume. Alternatively massage into the affected area. Repeat dosage as required until finished. If symptoms persist contact your local confectioner.

This totally cracked me up. Admittedly, it is a bit silly, but seriously...what a great pick-me-up in two different ways. Creamy, smooth, dark chocolate and a side of LOL. Love it! =D

As for the philosophical side of life, here is a quote that was on the back of my Honest Tea bottle's label:

SO TRUE!!!

Well, Mother's Day is almost upon us and I hope all you readers out there are taking some time out for mom. ;) I am going to pamper mine with a spa tonight---hair treatment, face mask, and foot spa. We all love our mothers and I certainly don't hold for showing her an extra dose of love and time just on Mother's Day. Any day is a good day to splurge and flatter and pamper and love on your mom. =)

                                                         Bon Voyage mi amores!

R & R

I finally have a little time to update! =) It's been hectic, even with the wedding over with. However, last weekend, my folks and I headed off to the coast to not only get some R & R, but to celebrate their 26th anniversary! We like to go north to a little town called Netarts, where life is simple, unhurried and uncommercialized. The view from the place we rented is fantastic: The beach, Netarts Bay and then the ocean stretching out for miles. Ahhhh.... =) Got to go down on the beach a couple times, once with Daddy and once with both Mom & Dad. It was gorgeous weather most of the time, so I hardly needed a coat, even down on the beach. I found lots of shells and bits of sand dollars, took lots of pictures of the waves ( it's an obsession, lol ), and ran through the waves. =) =) =) We went to a maritime museum in Garibaldi, a town north around Tillamook Bay and it was awesome to see all the history there.We went out to eat a couple times too. Rosanna's at Oceanside ( an even smaller town a few miles north of Netarts ) is by far THE BEST. Most of the stuff is spendy, but I personally am happy with just their homemade clam chowder and desserts, which are not so spendy. We also stopped at Tillamook Cheese factory on our way to Netarts and had some ice cream. =) =) Wow, I need to stop talking about food! It's making me even more hungry than I already am! Here are some pictures of our trip: