Change-Up to Pizza Night {at-home date}

For this week's at-home date night I planned a little change up to pizza night. And nothing changes things up and sets the mood quite like white lights :)

The 20/20 Cure {Days 13, 16: Declutter Books, Clean}

{Isn't this living room so wonderfully welcoming and peaceful without books and media?}

A quick step backward in the Home Cure to complete Day 13 and (kind of) declutter some books, then staying on track with Day 16 and cleaning one room.

The 20/20 Cure {Days 14-15: media fast, fix one thing}

Wow, I'm really not able to do this Home Cure thing in order. But that's not the point. The point is to get an awesome start on curing my home, and I am definitely doing that.

{Vintage Media Ads}

I've temporarily skipped Day 13: Declutter Books and Media, which I'll probably get to tomorrow. Instead, I had a media fast (leading to an awesome spiritual experience I'll share below) and even fixed something.

Lemon Spaghetti: A fresh and easy meal

I'm doing The 20/20 Cure, and this is Day 9: Find a Recipe and Cook Tonight.

I stumbled upon the blog Cooking on the Side ("on-the-package recipes revealed"), and pinned the recipe for Lemon Spaghetti to try another time. This just happens to be another time!

Lemon Spaghetti

Original recipe is from the back of a Giada DeLaurentiis spaghetti box. Following is the recipe as I cooked it.

Ingredients:
1 box spaghetti
2/3 c. grated parmesan cheese
2/3 c. olive oil
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice (about 1 1/2 to 2 lemons, if hand-squeezing)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/3 c. chopped fresh basil (I did 1/4 cup)
lemon zest (I'll learn to do this right by the next I make this recipe)

Instructions:
1. Boil water, add spaghetti.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Chop basil and zest lemon.
3. Cook spaghetti until al dente, strain and mix with lemon juice mixture, basil and zest. Top with fancy lemon and enjoy :)

Such an easy dish! Fresh and different. And, amazingly, even Brylee girl liked it! Use whole wheat angel hair spaghetti and it cooks so perfectly it hardly seems like whole wheat pasta.

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also see:
new? start here...
yellow curry sauce recipe
grow your life

My Date Night Before and After

I thought it'd be fun to do a date night "before" and "after." I don't exactly go all out or know much about fashion. But I do love date nights when I have an excuse to go from "mom" to "date"--it's a fun transformation :)
 

Before: MOM
housekeeper, caregiver, fashion faux pa

Ponytail
low maintenance for a day of productivity.

Sweatshirt
comfy and the only pink I own. (Did you even notice the pink?)

Flared Jeans
fit perfectly over my Mizuno's for the mad dash to the grocery store while Brylee's in preschool.

The 20/20 Cure {Days 10-12: list of needs, one room, flowers er lemons}

Life is too short to do everything by the book. I will complete Day 9 of The 20/20 Cure. But it involves finding a recipe and cooking dinner at home (I'm not scared of that, we do it all the time), but we happen to be going out on a date tonight, so I'll get back to Day 9 later this week. I already have a couple recipes saved on Pinterest I'm excited to try out! But for today, I list needs for our home, clean a room, and again avoid buying more flowers.

Now, I'm over halfway done and caught up! (Temporarily :)

The 20/20 Cure {Day 7: Buy Flowers & Sit for 10}

That's right, I did that backwards. I started Day 7 of The 20/20 Cure, jumped to Day 8, and returned to Day 7. Here it is.

{Day 7: BUY FLOWERS...}

Instead of buying more flowers (the greenery from last week is still lively), and instead of finding flowers out in the wild like Maxwell does in his video for Day 7, I decided it was time to revive a flower I already have. It's not exactly a flower. Not right now anyway. It's supposed to be. Once every three years. When it's alive and taken care of. But it hasn't bloomed in 9 years. And 9 happens to be the age I was when it was given to me. A clipping in a styrofoam cup from my primary Sabbath School teacher. Although, he doesn't remember that. I've asked him. I wanted to know what it's called so I can look up how to take care of it. But he doesn't know what I'm talking about.

The 20/20 Cure {Day 8: Establish a Landing Strip}

"All of the sorting should happen right at the door--that is what the landing strip is all about." {Maxwell}

I know, I know. What happened to Day 7? I'm halfway done with it, and in attempt to not skip anything, I've decided I'll get back to it Sunday, because it includes a project with some personal history and meaning. More on that later.

Today, it's all about the landing strip. Probably my second favorite discovery from Maxwell (the man behind Apartment Therapy and the Home Cure), after the outbox. His video explains the landing strip perfectly with the visual to walk you through it.

The 20/20 Cure {Day 6: Clean One Room}

Six days done, fourteen to go! I like this so much more than the 8-week Home Cure :)

Have you watched any of the videos from The 20/20 Cure? He provides a little extra information in them, plus you get to "meet" the man behind Apartment Therapy (his name is Maxwell). There are also great links to other articles related to each day's task. It's worth checking out.

Now on to cleaning one room. I was tempted to skip. And almost did. Seriously, does this look like the kind of day that energizes you to clean? Well, maybe it does for some people. Not me. It's more of a wake up call that we're not in Florida anymore. And the kids need winter hats. And my favorite snowy day activities include comfort food, sweats, a warm drink, and basically laziness--which is practically an antonym to cleaning. Nonetheless, I stuck to it.

Dinner and a Movie {at home}

Guess who's turn it was to plan date night last night? That's right--mine!

Last week we got a babysitter and Daniel took me to a new restaurant for some delicious fire-baked food. Amazing veggie burger!! Spicy, but amazing. Then we went to Barnes & Noble for some quiet reading time. Can't go wrong with that :)

This week, I opted for another at-home date. Classic dinner and a movie.

The perfect version in my head includes me dressed up like I'm ready to go out on a nice date, welcoming Daniel home from work with flowers. The house is clean, children happy, and food ready to eat. The table nicely set with candles lit and a vase ready for said flowers. A movie we both want to see is rented, in the blu-ray version, of course, and movie snacks are nicely set out. Oh, and some family fun activity to do before the kids go to bed has been decided.

The 20/20 Cure {Days 2-5: flowers, inspiration, outbox, eco-cleaner}

Somehow, four days of The 20/20 Cure fit into one today! That's what I'm loving about The 20/20 Cure: It's easy to keep up with. 20 minutes a day completing ONE task really isn't too much to ask. Plus, for me, it's definitely accomplishing the point, which is to cure my home by putting some positive energy back into it. Each day's task is merely a starting point to get me motivated and energized to do even more.

Ian's First Steps! {and One who never misses a first}

Today has been a big day in the Cress household.

{Ian took his first steps!}

Fall Home Cure Time! {Day 1: Clean One Room}

Just happened to notice on my Facebook page that Home Cure is back! They're doing the 20/20 Cure again (20 minutes for 20 days), and while I skipped out on it last fall, it sounds like the perfect solution for this fall!

I'm technically a little behind (today, the 28th, is actually Day 5), but instead of rushing through things and getting burned out early or skipping something important, I'll just complete each day as it happens. And today happens to be Day 1 in the Cress household :)

Jesus is for Mothers

Shortly after becoming a mother, a friend gave me this comic strip...

{Source: Baby Blues}

Funny, right? I thought so. Then Brylee got older and we had another baby and it's almost sad how true this became. Because even when dad buttons the shirt, mom is still playing a balancing act. Holding it all together. Being everything for everyone.

Am I right moms?

The Prodigal's Brother and Me

{Sunset in Mongolia}

[The older son] was angry and would not go in [to the party]. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.' | Luke 15: 28-30

Have you ever been in the shoes of the prodigal's older brother?

I have. Mainly when I'm impressed with someone's conversion story and I'm envious of the beautiful (and obvious) way the Savior transformed their life into something new. It's nothing less than extraordinary! Leaving me feeling extra ordinary.

On Becoming Baby Wise, Ezzo & Bucknam {a book review}

I'm not usually one of those parents. You know, the parents that read everything and first consult "the experts" before trying anything on their child. I'm a "wing it" and "parent instinct knows best" kind of parent. I'm a "don't over think it" and "just sit back and enjoy while they're still young" kind of parent. A "they came to live with us so they better be flexible" and "I'll Google it if I have a question" kind of parent.

But, alas, my laid back and passive parenting "style" has basically failed. Sure, my kids are happy and pretty well adjusted. (The youngest has exceptions.) But I'm exhausted. Passivity and downright laziness has lead me to respond to my baby's every cry with nursing. Demand-feeding "they" call it. He wakes up all hours of the night and that's been ongoing more or less for the last nearly 10 months. Have I mentioned I'm exhausted? I'm fatigued. I'm impatient especially with our 3-year-old. Sweet little Brylee. She doesn't deserve me to be so short with her. My husband deserves more {positive} attention from me. Our messy home deserves more from me. And Ian deserves more quality attention from me and more from his sleeping routine.

So, my sister let me borrow her book. And our lives will never be the same :)

Brown Bag Date Night and the At-Home Date

We usually try to keep a weekly date night and alternate planning responsibility. We're both rarely brave enough to "cash in" on the free babysitting offers, so we firmly established ourselves in the at-home dating routine. It often (always?) includes something from Redbox, preceded by "family date night" meaning supper and fun with the fam.

Yesterday's date night was mine to plan, but this brown bag date night was not the first in our date night creativity.

Squishy Tush Profile {Tariq, fuzzibunz}

daliah's cloth diaper user interview on prefoldslove.com

See Dalia's experience with fuzzibunz here.

My cloth diapering posts are now available at PrefoldsLove.com.

New Shoes vs. New Life {turn up the volume and dance along!}

I was listening to one of my Pandora stations the other day, heard this song and thought

{Hello, new favorite song!}

Maybe it has something to do with its dance-inducing tune. (Brylee and I love dancing around to music!)

Or, perhaps when we danced to it Friday it had something to do with my literal new shoes. (You know, the boots I decided to keep.)

I was also feeling a little down (note melancholy start to my birthday post) on Friday. After dancing to this song with Brylee and Ian, I said a little prayer of thanksgiving for the dose of optimism.

You have turned my mourning into dancing. {Psalm 30:11}

I really do love this song because of what it does for me spiritually, beyond just turning a bad mood into a dance-worthy one.

Quarter-Life Crisis {Happy Birthday to Me}

Wow, that probably sounds way more melancholy than I intended. Or maybe it's just honest.

Because I'm not alone, am I?

quarter life crisis : Usually occurs sometime in your twenties, a few years out of school when you still feel as though you're waiting for your life to begin. {Urban Dictionary}

Okay, so maybe most other people going through a "quarter-life crisis" are feeling insecure about their careers or wondering if or when they'll get married and start a family and getting anxious for their adult lives to "start." I can't really relate to that. So what would you call it when you're in your twenties, a few years out of school and feel as though you should be waiting for your life to begin?

Edible Cookie Dough {What an indulgence!}

I love cookie dough. Sadly, (don't get too grossed out) I don't even care if it has... gasp... raw eggs in it. But, alas, I do know it's not safe so I'm trying to change my ways.

This recipe is the first step.

To Keep or Not to Keep {Boots}

So cute!
            .......Right?

I can't decide if I should keep them.

And I have until tomorrow to decide otherwise the receipt expires and I'll have no other option than to keep them.

For some reason, whenever I put them on, all that goes through my head is "They're country and you look country in them." {A line from a favorite movie as a teenager.}

If I'm having doubts, I should just return them, right?

Homestyle Mac 'n Cheese {Yum!}

This week I've tried a couple new recipes from the Deceptively Delicious cookbook. Homemade mac 'n cheese is a great fall comfort food (even though the cool weather hasn't really hit yet), but it gets even better when it's made just a little bit healthy.

Gobbledy Gook, Cupboards, and Sabbath Preparation

Last week was the first time I have {ever} prepared Sabbath lunch before sunset on Friday. 

While I usually clean something Friday, cooking is the last thing on my mind when it comes to Sabbath preparation. Eating is essential (unless I went on a weekly fast, but I don't think that'd fly with the kids), so cooking seemed like an ox-in-the-ditch sort of excuse for it to be done on Sabbath. Jesus and His disciples were challenged for their Sabbath food prep {Matthew 12:1-3} which seems to add to the justification.

But what about the whole manna-in-the-wildness scenario {Exodus 16:22-30}? There was a definite reason God instructed the Israelites to gather more manna in preparation for the Sabbath {Exodus 16:4-5} and a recent read (Mudhouse Sabbath by Lauren Winner) inspired me to take Sabbath preparation a little more seriously and experience that reason firsthand.

So, I prepared Sabbath lunch before sunset last Friday. Doing extra cleaning, preparing an extra meal, and picking up my traveling husband from the airport is no small feat to fit into an already full day of taking care of two kids. (Definite props to all those moms who do that and more with 3 or more kids!!)

So what are the kids doing while I'm whipping up a casserole, apple cake (which didn't turn out), and twice-baked potatoes?

Pinterest {More than Just Pinning}

{leaving her mark pinned to Spiritual Goal Board}

A few weeks into it, I love Pinterest! The "Pin It" button makes it so easy to save yummy recipes, crafty projects, or even a wish list. It's hard to explain exactly what makes it so addicting. Inspiration and potential are just a couple words that come to mind.

But is all of this pinning just a fancy new time waster?

Not for me. Here are just a few things I've done since and thanks to Pinterest.