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I have a lot to be thankful for these days.
-My God who knows me so well and shows unconditional love. I have learned so much about patience and trust this year (and I am still learning).
-A loving husband who has been full of encouragement and understanding these past few months. I'm so glad to share this adventure with him.
-A cozy home that has already been blessed by our family and friends.
-Precious families to share the holidays with... We were spoiled by my parents this Thanksgiving (I'll post more on that later), and are excited to visit our Texas family in just a few short weeks! Heath and I were able to share some much needed time with Granddad Daniels. I am very thankful for him and the time we were able to share last week.
-A church community that has blessed us already! May we continue to grow in relationships and Agape love.
-Our Portland friends! Thank you for embracing us and making us feel a part of your community. :)
-On a less important, but still thankful, note.... I can still wear my wedding dress! I slipped it on for a while last Sunday and enjoyed its beauty.
-Though there are many more things, I will end my list with this: I am thankful that I have a job! As of last Monday, I will be a full-time nanny for two little ones that live on a barge. Yes, that's right, a barge... really it's a large houseboat, but it's fascinating for sure. Yesterday was my first day! Pray that I transition smoothly into this full-time gig, and that the kids warm up to me quickly. I'm really excited and blessed to be working for such a lovely family!
Hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving friend. I have missed you!
Heath and I went to the Japanese Garden last week. One day a year, they have free admission to the gardens! I normally costs $9.50 per person, so we jumped at the chance to go. Though crowded, rainy, and cold, we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly!
The Japanese Garden is located next to the International Rose Test Garden that I have mentioned before. I've been told it's a great place to go for the whole day, to meditate and appreciate natural beauty. Going on a free day, we experienced the beauty... not so much the peace and quiet though. :)
Enjoy my colorful leaf pictures! I'm pretty sure this might be my last post of them... they are dropping fast. Hope Tennessee still has some left for us!
Just so you know, it's supposed to rain the whole time we are in Nashville. We cannot the escape rainy, gloomy days! It hasn't been too bad, though I would appreciate one occasional sunny day! I've had a hard time taking pictures for my etsy shop because I've had no natural light. Oh well.
Texans, we'll be saying hello in less than one month. Tennesseans, we'll be there Monday! Have a lovely weekend, dear friend.
Anyone else out there use Shutterfly? I've been on their email list for a while now, and they send out pretty incredible deals. Well, it's about to be Christmas time and they have really cute Christmas card designs! And, if you blog about this promotion, you get 50 free cards. Woohoo! Shipping usually runs around $3.00. (Unfortunately, you can only get this deal if you blog about it.) The offer is good until December 31. I was going to make my own Christmas cards, but who can beat free?!? Shutterfly is a wonderful place to purchase photos and use it for photo storage as well! Shutterfly has so many cute and classic christmas card designs! They will look perfect on my fridge. :)
My favorite Christmas cards are: Gift Tag Story, Gorgeous Gift Tag, All of Us, and Retro Christmas. You can also search for your favorites by clicking this link.
If you have never used Shutterfly, simply sign up and receive 50 free 4x6 prints! Great deal huh?
http://blog.shutterfly.com/5358/holiday2010-blog-submission-form/
Click the link above and get started fellow bloggers! I'm anxiously awaiting your lovely Christmas cards. :)
A dear friend recently encouraged me to blog more, so I will. But I warn you, this post is random and has no theme at all. Enjoy :)
1. Two weeks ago, Heath and I attended a marriage seminar in Seaside, OR. Overall, it was a great getaway and really encouraged us to keep growing and learning more about each other. We stayed for the whole six hour seminar (which was a bit lengthy if you ask me), and were then awarded with a free hotel stay by the beach. Not too shabby, eh? Anyway, there was a swing set on the beach...
2. Two weeks before that trip, we visited Seaside with Jared and Michaela. We played lots of games and enjoyed exploring the city. I really just wanted to share what Heath's hair looks like in 60mph winds...
Made him five inches taller I tell you! (He just got his haircut yesterday and looks very handsome. smile)
3. The birds were on attack at the beach. At first, they followed us and we thought it was funny... it wasn't funny after 10 minutes. Katie Buckel, I'm pretty sure you would have passed out.
4. I love Trader Joe's! We have one about 5 minutes from our house and I visit it often. It's not a place for staple grocery items, but I buy my meat and specialty things there for sure. They also have the most beautiful, afforable flowers! I purchased this lovely bouquet for $4.99 a few weeks ago.
5. I've had a good week in Etsy sales. One of my magazine inserts was featured on the Etsy email last Friday, and by Saturday, I sold all of the files I had! Wonderful, but I wish I had more in stock now. (If you have been hanging on to any magazine inserts, I'd love to take them off your hands!) Anyway, I am now the proud owner of lots of these beautiful rose buds... they are small and adorn the ear beautifully. These would be lovely stocking stuffers. :)
6. I like to go for walks around our apartment complex. After long days of job searching online and crafting in the living room, it's nice to enjoy a little sunshine when I can. This is what our road looked like two weeks ago. The cold front brought wind and ran, so the leaves now blanket the ground.
7. And this was the tree next to our door. I loved looking up and seeing this vibrant red. I'm already looking forward to seeing the colors change next year.
8. I am proud to say that I have completed all of our christmas shopping. (We are celebrating Christmas with my family during Thanksgiving this year and I am so excited to be in Franklin again!) I suggest that you start your Christmas shopping as well. Shoppers tend to be more anxious and crabby during the holiday season, so finish it before you're stressed like the rest of them!
9. I love Heath. He's my best friend, and I'm glad I can share this journey with him. It's been fun.
Okay, that's all I have. Hope to see you soon.
Favorite guy, you say?!? Some of you might think it's my husband... or maybe my dad. Well, they are pretty great, but you would be wrong.
It's my granddad Daniels, who turns 82 years young today! Happy Birthday!
If you've ever met my granddad, you know that he is a wise and faithful man. He has always welcomed company and warm hugs, and loves to laugh often. He's gone through quite a few changes the past 3 years or so, but I've watched him transform into a more patient, kind hearted individual, and I love him dearly for that.
Take a moment to pray for him, and these 82 years he's graced this earth. I never knew how much I could love this man, but I do. A lot. And I miss him, so much. Can't wait to see you in two weeks, granddad. Looking forward to my hug!
You might remember this post I did several months ago.... Since August 31, I have been washing my hair with baking soda and an apple cider vinegar mixture and have been pleased with the results. I have been even more pleased with my other recipe, though.... Homemade Deodorant.
I know, I know. This sounds even more crazy and over the top, but I am so glad I tried it! After researching the harmful effects of some store-bought deodorants containing aluminum, I wanted to find a healthier and cheaper alternative. It has always been difficult for me to find one that actually works, so this was another experiment that seemed worth trying.
5-6 tablespoons coconut oil*
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup cornstarch
A few drops essential oil (optional, I used about 8 drops of tangerine oil)
Whisk the baking soda and cornstarch together. Slowly add the coconut oil and work it in with a spoon until it maintains a deodorant-like consistancy. (This takes a few minutes, just be patient.) I decided to add a few drops of essential oil, but the coconut scent is also pleasant. You can either scoop it into your old (clean) dispenser or place it in a small container with a lid (which I did) and apply with fingers with each use. I had a bit left over, so I did both. If you choose to use your old dispenser, you will need to keep your deodorant in the fridge. Just think of it as a nice conversation piece for your guests. :)
I am so pleased with this recipe! It keeps me smelling fresh all day long and has not left any residue on my clothes. Here's a few recommendations if you choose to try this for yourself:
1. Coconut oil can be found at Whole Foods, CVS or Walgreens, or online. It can be fairly expensive, but it can be used for many things, and will last you through 4-5 deodorant recipes. (I bought mine at Whole Foods and paid $12.00. I also bought my essential oil at WF for $4.00.)
2. I had irritation on my skin for several days and believe it was caused by putting the deodorant on right after shaving my arms. Now, I try to shave my arms at night time, and have not experienced any more skin irritation.
3. I would not suggest wearing this with silk tops. At least wait until the deodorant has dried, which usually takes about 5 minutes for me.
If you try this, please let me know if they worked as well for you! Hope you have a wonderful week!
So, this isn't a done deal, but I might be making a lovely brides wedding invitations! Just to have the opportunity to do this is so exciting for me!
I've been collecting vintage fabrics for a while now. I know, I know.... buttons, stamps, fabrics... what else can she collect? :) I listed some fabric bunting (flag) cards on etsy, and have had more inquries on those than anything else! Who knew bunting was so popular?!
I sent samples off to the bride last week; hope to hear from her soon! Here's what I came up with:
She's using pinks, yellows, neutrals, and whites for her August '11 wedding (she's planning ahead), so I put together a sample card of all the fabrics I thought would work...
Three different styles for the invitations.
I also included a sewn gift tag that complements the invitation style.
I've really enjoyed having my Etsy shop open. I've made 14 sales in my first month. (7 went to my new friend, Amy. But, they still count! :) I will be restocking my shop with lots more flower earrings in the next few weeks as well. Keep me in mind for Christmas, birthday gifts, and bridesmaid gifts!
Happy creating!
This recipe was adapted from Giada De Laurentiis from the Food Network. In my opinion, everything this lady touches is gold... she also uses Anthropologie gadgets and dishes in her kitchen, so she's a smart one too. :)
Pasta Primavera is a really simple, healthy meal. This recipe combines my two favorite things. Vegetables and Pasta. Love it. Just know you will be chopping away in the kitchen for a good twenty minutes. It's worth it! Trust me.
Here's what you'll need:
1 pound farfalle (bowtie pasta)
3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini, cut into thin strips
2 yellow squash, cut into thin strips
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
(I opted out on the onion this time, because the husband doesn't like them. I'll add them in next time... shhh!)
Steps:
1) Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
2) In a large bowl, toss all of the vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat. Half the vegetable mixture; transfer the mixture to two heavy large baking sheets and arrange evenly over the baking sheets. (I tried using a flat cookie sheet... big mistake. Use a pan that has sides so the oil won't drip in your oven.) Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 8 minutes, about 15 minutes total. (Mine browned more quickly than the original recipe, but our oven has it's quirks... just watch yours closely!)
3)Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
4)Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.
Bon Appetit! This is one of my favorites!
Well, we went on my new favorite hike on Monday. I'm pretty sure my favorite hike will change frequently, especially this time of year. I guess it's a good problem to have... too many hikes that you love! :)
We explored Silver Falls State Park (aka Trail of Ten Falls) with a new friend named Jerrod. This will definitely be on our list of places to take visitors! The park is usually busy, but since we went on Monday, and a fairly chilly afternoon, we basically had it all to ourselves. Wonderful!
Hike highlights: good company, we saw a crane, waterfalls, and mushrooms! This land is plentiful of thousands of mushrooms, big and small.
I loved how the yellow leaves framed each waterfall. Let's just say the photo opps were very plentiful as well.
Friends, meet our new friend Jerrod. He also attends Pacific University with Heath and is studying Counseling Psychology. He kindly invited us to go on this hike with him and briefly showed us around his hometown, Salem. He even treated us to dinner at a roadhouse... I had bbq! Thanks Jerrod. I look forward to more hikes and good meals!
You could walk under/behind most of the waterfalls on this hike.
Christmas card spoiler below... if you want to be surprised, stop reading now! Another nice thing about hiking with a friend is getting wonderful pictures like this...
What a great hike. Let's go back tomorrow. Sound good, Heath?
For the next ten days, the high is only 60 degrees. Hello Portland weather. I think I'm handling this change of weather better than my summer loving husband. :)
Hope you enjoy the rest of week!
Heath and I had a morning date today. We explored the Portland State Farmer's Market, which is the largest and most diversified one we've found so far. If nothing else, it's fun to walk around, take in all the wonderful smells of fresh food, and admire the lovely dahlias and sunflowers.
Though many say the prices at farmers markets are unreasonable, I think it's well worth it to set aside $10 a week to spend. Here's a couple reasons why:
1. You support local farmers.
2. You get to take home amazing food, fresh and free from pesticides, which makes the tastes remarkably intense and juicy!
3. By supporting local farmers, you are taking away the control of superstores (aka Walmart) and regaining control in your community and the quality of the foods that you eat.
We purchased a pint of cherry tomatoes, strawberries, and blueberries, and 5 large red potatoes. We spent $9. Farmers market strawberries literally taste like sugar! MMMmmm, such a treat.
Heath recently finished reading Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food", and I hope to finish it soon. It's a book full of useful and challenging information on what we eat here in America. We highly recommend it. The Oscar nominated documentary Food, Inc. made me realize that I need to start paying more attention to the foods I choose to eat.
No, we don't buy everything organic and I certainly don't think that's necessary. Just thought I'd share some thoughts. If you ever visit us, we will definitely be taking you to the farmers market! I will be buying some flowers for your room, and you will be sampling the cherries, strawberries, peaches, cheeses, breads, and kettle corn. :)
I cannot express to you how nice it is to live in a place with actual seasons! It's so wonderful. Living in West Texas was not terrible, but in the middle of fall I always found myself becoming home-sick. The leaves never changed colors... the weather stayed warm until December...
Well today, Heath and I got to experience Oregon fall weather at its finest. We drove out to Mt. Hood (which is about a hour and twenty minutes from our house) to explore the Salmon River area. Imagine the sound of the leaves ruffling softly as the wind blows, watching them fall slowly around you as you walk along the trail, and listening to the river move rapidly over the shallow rock beds. (that was my sorry attempt of describing the most beautiful, serene place in the world!)
This was probably one of my most favorite hikes we've taken thus far. It probably won me over due to the golden, yellow leaves, the perfect 70 degree weather, and the abundance of wildlife.
We weren't able to spot any Salmon... I think they're spawning. However, we did hang out with some monster Steelhead Trout. (see picture below) It's amazing how amusing these things can be. We watched them for at least thirty minutes. And I probably could have watched them longer :)
I realized that Oregon has giant redwoods too.
I love living here. The past few weeks have been a little difficult. With the job search, finding our new everyday routine, missing friends and family... but today was a great day. For Heath and I, and for me individually.
I think I'm a mountains kind of girl. You know, some people like the beach, some people like texas, but I like the mountains. And the rivers and waterfalls that come with them. :) Thanks for reading, and I promise to share more pictures and updates soon!
Happy Weekend
Hello friends.
I never meant to leave for so long. Sorry about that. I just wanted to pop in really quick to say that I am going to post some pictures tonight. Heath and I are about to leave for a hike so I don't think he would appreciate me writing for another hour. :)
Lately, I have been in job search mode. It works best for me to search and apply to lots of listings in the morning/early afternoon. Then, I give myself a break to clean, craft, ect in the afternoons and at night. I have started applying for receptionist/secretarial work... basically all entry level social workers up here are bilingual or have their masters, thus I do not qualify for most of the positions. Do not fear, I have not given up on social work forever, I'm just ready to start some income around here.
Other than a job searcher, I am a cook and a baker of many delightful things, grocery shopper, and Etsy shop creator/manager/owner. I'm so glad I set up an Etsy shop; I now have a license to create things that I wouldn't have necessarily done before. And it doesn't hurt that you make a little money. I think my new thing is embroidery! The other night, I taught myself the stem, silk, and back stitches. Exciting, I know.
Coming soon...
-My all natural deodorant recipe and review
-recipes for tomato basil soup and raspberry cream cupcakes
-pictures from mom's visit (a month late)
-pictures from our hikes to Mt. St. Helens (two times) and other times to Mt. Hood
-pictures of our house!
-My random Portland list
That's all for now. We're off to enjoy beautiful fall weather!
Today has been a very big day. Not for me, but for my dear friend, Katie Buckel.
Today, she began her adventure to Ghana, West Africa where she will be working with the Village of Hope.
I am so proud of my friend, and I am excited for her to have this experience.
For the next two months, she will be serving the many children at the Village of Hope through teaching them art. It's her passion and she'll do great. :)
I'm praying for Katie, and I ask that you will too. Pray that she has a safe trip there and that she gets acclimated fairly quickly... but also for this experience to touch her in ways she hasn't even imagined.
I love you, sweet friend. I'm already looking forward to hearing your stories and seeing beautiful pictures.
(She did not raise money for this trip. If you would like to donate, let me know and I can send you a link!)
Well friends, please bare with me as I do a little experimenting. For about a year now, I have been slightly obsessed with reading over blogs, research studies, and books concerning natural health and living more simply. Most articles I read were very convincing, yet it has taken me a while to take the next step and actually implement these ideas. I think living in Portland, amongst all these hippies, has given me a bit more confidence and "you've got nothing to lose" mentality.
With that said, please know that I have found something that sparks my interest and I wanted to share it with you. I don't expect all of you to do the same and agree with me fully, I just want to take you on this journey with me. :)
A couple days ago, I went to Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and Safeway to pick up these items....
I actually already had a few of them in the pantry, but still needed the essential oil, Borax, virgin coconut oil and Apple Cider Vinegar. These items, along with some water here and there, will be my household cleaning products, deodorant, and hair cleaner until they run out... so I hope they work well! All in all, I have a little less than $30 invested.
My first adventure: the "'Poo Free" Method. Shampoo strips the hair of natural oils that keep it healthy, shiny, and strong. When I learned there was a way to clean your hair without using shampoo, I was obviously intrigued. This is a frugal, non-toxic, and extremely easy way to care for your hair. (If you want to read more, this site was helpful to me, as well as this one.)
Here's my new hair-care routine:
1. Use a squeeze bottle or an old shampoo bottle. Mix 1 Tablespoon baking soda to 1 cup water. Shake well.
2. Soak your hair completely with water. Squeeze some of the baking soda mixture onto your scalp. Massage it in, mostly concentrating on the scalp, and adding more of the mixture if needed. (This probably goes without saying, but you won't get suds like with normal shampoos... I noticed a more gritty texture. Just now it's doing its job.)
3. Leave in for 3-4 minutes, then rinse.
4. In another bottle, mix 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar to 1 cup water. I also added 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract and about 10 drops of Tangerine essential oil to mask the vinegar smell.
5. Squeeze a little of the vinegar mixture onto the ends of your hair (away from the roots) and let it rest for about 30 seconds. (If your hair is like mine and rests on the oily side, make sure not to use too much of the mixture.)
6. Fully rinse, and you're done!
Isn't that simple! I was a little concerned that my hair would smell bad afterwards, but Heath said it smelt lovely. :) The apple cider vinegar made my hair feel so soft, and my hair still has the same body it did before. Though it should take my hair around a month to get used to this method, I am already impressed. I'm really glad I tried it... I'll post an update in a month to give you my final verdict.
When you run out of shampoo and conditioner like I did recently, try it out and tell me what you think!
hello there. Just wanted to give you a brief update on the Newton household....
We've been on vacation now for two, beautiful, short months and it has been so wonderful. I'm glad Heath likes to explore and travel as much as I do! We went on 9 hikes, 10 walks through the city (with our walking and hiking books), tried lots of new cuisine, and explored the Oregon and California coast. Awesome. We also had the lovely Newton family come for a visit, as well as my mom, who left yesterday. Pictures will be posted soon.
Heath just attended Pacific University's orientation for the grad program, and will personally meet his professors and fellow classmates on Thursday. I am so proud of him and excited for him to learn more about his passion. Pacific is lucky to have him.
I just applied for a job yesterday, and am working on applying for three more tonight and tomorrow. One job in particular has really caught my eye, and it's an organization that I am very familiar with... even better, it's located less than 5 miles from our house. Keep this in your prayers please! I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but have started to become excited about job opportunities. that's good, right!?
Also... starting tomorrow, my Etsy store will finally be open for business! It's called "katie's handmades" (I know, I know. So creative.) and I am so happy to finally begin listing items. Most of you know, I love to create, but rarely actually complete the projects. Maybe this will be the end of that bad habit. Anyways, I'm going to post my upcycled address files, flower hair pins, bakers twine, upcycled Anthropology envelopes, and embossed notecards. I'm excited! I'll post a link for the store tomorrow.
Last but not least... I got my haircut last week. It's short and fun. So much easier to handle than my long hair! Maybe next time I'll cut it even shorter :)
Have a lovely day friend
I married my best friend. (Sorry, this post is a little late!)
August eighth was a wonderful day, and I'm happy to say that I remember much of our wedding day. Thanks to my mom, Julie, maid of honor (Katie B), and lots of other family and friends, the day went smoothly. :) I often think back to walking down the aisle with my dad by my side, seeing Heath's face the for the first time that day, looking out into the crowd of beautiful, smiling faces during our ceremony, and singing "Be Thou My Vision" together. These are just a few of my favorite moments, and I will forever cherish them.
In establishing our anniversary tradition, Heath and I decided to do several things. First, we decided to watch our wedding video. (This was kind of a no-brainer.) While watching the video, we realized again how meaningful our ceremony was to us. Our minister, Jason Anderson, was Heath's youth minister for several years; though I have only known Jason and his sweet family for a year and a half, he words made the ceremony so personal and sentimental to us both. Thank you, Jason. You did a wonderful job. :)
Now comes the second tradition... celebrate by eating a fancy meal. The picture below was taken on our honeymoon, in Riviera Maya, while sharing our lovely "Special Honeymooners Dinner". So, we would really like to celebrate every Anniversary dinner at that same table, in that same location, even eating the same food. But alas, we are young and a bit on the poor side, so we cannot. smile
Fast forward.... this picture was taken at Andina, one of Portland's finest Peruvian restaurants. The food was incredible and very adventurous for us! We had "tapas" which is basically ordering 4-6 appetizers for your table and making that your meal. We tried cheeses from around the world, filet with a quail egg on top (no, we weren't that adventurous...), and two different types of fish that were to die for. I'm salivating as I type. Heath and I had so much fun trying these new things together. At the end of our meal, we had the restaurant to ourselves (our reservations weren't until (9:30p.m.) and our waiter treated us to free dessert! It's that sweet. Apparently it was mousse and chocolate of some sort imported from the Amazon. delicious!
Please note that I'm wearing the same black dress. Hope I can wear it for a few more years! :)
Our third tradition is eating asweet treat. Yes, I know the tradition is to eat your wedding cake topper on your one year anniversary. Heath and I had our gone about a month after the wedding. We cheated a little bit, but it was sooooo good. So instead of the cake topper, we visited a local cupcake shop for our sweet treats. If you are in downtown Portland, visit Saint Cupcake. We recommend the coconut cupcake with cream cheese icing. yum!
Our last tradition is to go on a vacation. This is my personal favorite. It doesn't have to be to somewhere faraway and fancy, just someplace new. Our adventure to Portland has brought so much growth to our relationship. I love traveling and exploring with Heath; I'm so glad I married my best friend. :)
So, to celebrate our one year, we headed to Oceanside, Oregon. We rented a house overlooking the coast, and even saw whales while eating dinner out on our balcony! It was beautiful.
The Oregon coast is much different than any other beach I've ever been to. The water is much too cold to play in, and it seems that small rocks take the place of sand. We had fun walking though, and just enjoyed the peaceful ocean sounds and breeze. I also took about 1,000 pictures... I'm trying to put together a "stop-motion" video of our time here in Portland. It's a bit of an undertaking, but I'm excited to put all the pictures together.... check back in 2 years for the final product.
All in all, our time in Oceanside was a perfect getaway for Heath and I. It provided time to grow and learn more about each other. I'm thankful for this past year, and everything we have learned. I'm excited for the years to come.
With one year down, does this mean we are no longer honeymooners? :)
