Inspiring quotes #5

I really meant to get this up for its designated day on Thursday, but different work hours on Thursday and last minute changes in plans to meet with a friend on Wednesday just didn't allow it.

I knew I definitely still wanted to post - kind of for selfish reasons, really.  First off, I was having a mini party for part of the day Thursday because I put it for a shift hours change that would have been great- and I was told they couldn't let me because I haven't been in my current one for a year yet. I started in August of last year, so I still have four months to go. Boohoo.
Second, after I got over that, I had a nice run- my last until my 10k run on Sunday for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Team in Training that I talked about here. This felt great so I came home, reposted my fundraising page, ate some dinner, took a nap, cleaned a little, and checked my email. This may seem ordinary- its not. A girl I knew from way back when- freshman year in high school or before mabe?? Donated to my fundraising goals. It wasn't a lot, but it brought tears to my eyes. This might seem ridiculous but let me explain. She and her husband welcomed into the world a very premature baby earlier this year and have been through so much that she is the last person I expected to see anything from. Not to mention I don't get to talk to her much and probably the biggest thing we have in common is our birthdays!!Yep, we are both born on the same day- year- everything..

Soooo needless to say feeling pretty blessed and lucky and inspired as I write this late Thursday night (almost Friday).  Anyway, enough jibber-jabber and on to the quotes!!

source

(Because seriously, in my world, it totally is)

source

(Remember this. Important to take a time out sometimes)

source

(So.Powerful)

source

(Turn your blessings into blessings for others. It is too easy to feel sorry for yourself and takes a special stregth to remember how good you really have it.) 

So there it is, friends. Hope you all have a fabulous weekend. I might have one of those weeks where I am MIA until Wednesday with my race being early Sunday morning. Who knows, life might surprise me.

Enjoy the sunshine, friends, family, and whatever else that makes your life wonderful. 

Vintage Key Saturday Craft

Hey everyone!! Happy Wednesday!

 It has been a gorgeous start to the week with wonderfully warm temperatures and sunny skies. Spring has finally found us and I could not be happier!!

Over the weekend, my parent's visited for a little bit Saturday evening and my mom brought some supplies for a long awaited craft project.

My mom found a key from her childhood home in amongst some belongings from my grandmother quite a while ago and wanted to creat something with it. Recently she found the perfect shadowbox frame at Hobby Lobby as well as some printed burlap. She forgot that she did not have a hot glue gun to pull it all together (she recently let my sister borrow it) so she brought it all along to my house.

I can't say I hated it.

We had fun figuring out how exactly we were going to pull it all together.

I don't have pictures along the way, so just bear with me.

To start, I took a sheet of cardstock and glued the burlap to it. Next, I used my cropidile to punch a hole through both layers. I wrapped some twine around the key, then tied the bow over top to hide it. I pulled the twine through the back and tied a knot to secure it.

After this, we were a little baffled as to what to do with all the BLANK space. I was thinking a word (unlock, happy, joy) and mom was thinking buttons. I sorted through some random stickers and the "CHERISH" sticker seen above stuck to my finger. I proposed this idea to mom and she liked it!! Next we played with buttons (one of our favorite past-times) and finally settled with what you see above.

Don't you love it? We were very happy with how it turned out. I think it is kind of ironic because even though my mom doesn't know exactly what door in her childhood home the key belonged to, there are a lot of cherished memories in that home. Memories of her childhood and memories of my sister's and mine. So many things to cherish.


What memories or places do you cherish most? 

Easy Scarf Storage

Last week I was perusing a linky party and found this great idea for a Scarf Organizer from The Crafty Scientist. It was too smart of an idea NOT to recreate. I have a bit of a scarf promblem and love to wear them all the time. They are nice for keeping winter winds of your neck or even a warm breezy day when springs rolls in.

I do not have pictures of each step of the way, but it is literally as easy as tying each of the rings to the hangers and then to themselves. This project only cost me $1.06 for the shower rings from the dollar tree. Can't be beat.

This is just some of the scarves I have collected - the ones I tend to wear the most. Isn't this such a great solution for storing scarves for those of us who just can't have enough?? I sure thought so.

My goal this week is to work on one room or area of the house each night after work. My parent's are coming to spend the night Saturday to watch me run my first 10k on Sunday and I just want the house to be nice and tidy. They don't usually stay over, but the race starts really early and we live about 20 minutes closer to Hershey than they do. I have a few small projects I hope to post this week in amongst the cleaning madness.

Happy Monday all!! I hope you all had a super wonderful weekend!

Winter Wedding Whimsy

So... have I mentioned that I always seem to be super busy and can't find enough time in the day.... like... ever?!? Well I am going to share with you one of (and a special one at that) reasons why.

Two weeks ago (already!?!) My friend Lisa (affectionately, Lisabee) got married!! She met her hubby, ironically, by him hitting her with a volleyball while playing a on a rec team. Haha- who would have ever guessed?? She had such a HUGE bruise on her arm!

This is my group of high school girlfriends who I have kept in touch with through college and now into adulthood. Although it isn't always easy, and we definitely don't always see each other much, this is a great group of galpals. We look a little silly, don't we?? Well, we had pockets and we had to FLAUNT it, right? Best. Idea. Everrrrrr. Just sayin'.

 I totally love how she did the seating "charts" if you will and really wanted to take these off her hands, but I am sure she has plans of her own for them. 

Definitely HAD TO get a close up on these darn cute birds. She used her Cricut to cut these cute little guys out. I just loved it. 

There was a lot of fun decor and birdhouses throughout the reception hall that contributed to bringing the outside feel inside on a chilly March day. Hopefully I will get to share more of them with my crafty friends soon, but for now I just wanted to share my absolutely FAVORITE things about the wedding. 

Happy Friday, Friends.

Chicken Enchilda Soup!!

Since I have been SOOOO MIA this week I thought I would postpone my inspiration Thursday (at least for now, might get done Thursday night instead)

I apologize right now for the crappy pic and for my bowl looking kinda creepy. This is what happens when you are short on time and it is a dish you made for work so there is little time for pictures.

That being said, I have no pics of the during process but literally I made this in the crock pot and you pretty much dump it all in anyway.

I actually adapted this (twice now) recipe from Home is Where the Holman's Are.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

2  3 cups chicken stock
2 skinless, chicken breasts
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ancho chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
4-6 jalapeno peppers, minced green chilis, sliced (small can)
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 large onion, diced subbed with 2 tbs of onion powder (hubby is deathly allergic)
4 cloves garlic, minced (I used from the jar- just easier)
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen corn
1/2 cup tomato paste
8 oz cotija cheese, crumbled  I just used mexican/taco mixes. Some day I will try these others.
8 oz pepperjack cheese, divided
1 cup cilantro, chopped  (YUM!!!!)
Tortilla chips

**One thing I added that the original author doesn't is a can of Enchilada sauce subbed for 1 c of chicken stock. I figured why not?!?! Turned out great and probably thickens it a tad too. **

I mixed all the dry ingredients together first.  I cooked my chicken breasts in my Pampered Chef baker- in the microwave. Once they cooled a bit, I used my food processor to chop it all up!!

Next, I put the chicken broth in the crock pot and stirred all the dry stuff in.

Next, (I had put all the other wet ingredients in a container overnight for easy next morning prep) I added everything else. Last but not least, I added the chicken, stirred it all up and WALA!!! Once everything is heated through I added cheese and it was ready to serve. This is also good with some sour cream on top in addition to more cheese and the cilantro.

On the Holman's site, they give non-crock cooking instructions, if that is more your cup of tea. Personally, I love crock pot soups because then you can kind of  "set it and forget it" which makes life a little easier- and who doesn't love that??