Something about Saturdays

I spent the morning packing up a care package for my Dad.  Just some fun fall goodies: flavored coffee, homemade hot chocolate, soup mix, beachy smelling candle to rid him of the cold Chicago blues, travel mug, emergen-C, fall tea towels, a knee brace for his latest injury and chocolate pumpkin cheese cake bars.  So delicious, find the recipe here.





Sent if off to the post office with this excited guy....

Took some pictures outside.  I just know our fall leaves days are numbered and want to take advantage of what's left before were forced to endure the sad, leafless winter trees.  Afterwards we participated in the Bud Light Fan Camp.

It was raining and really, REALLY cold.  We bundled up pretty good and had a great time.  Events included, field goal kicking, precision pass, flag football, cannon catches, obstacle course and Madden 2012. 



Winners received a trip to the probowl in Hawaii.  Guess what?!?!  We were not the winners ;(  However, we did really well (5th place overall, I think) and had the weather been better I think we would have won.  There was large amounts of mud and we lost a couple players to injuries (stitches in the hospital, yuck!) and had to pull double duty. 

I also finalized our Thanksgiving menu and grocery list.  I've been working on an itinerary for my brother-in-laws trip up here next week and I'm almost done with Christmas card addresses.  (I finished the design for our card a few weeks ago!) Now were relaxing on the couch with Gi watching Fred Claus.  All in all, a great day!

Happy Birthday!!

...to the best little brother I could ever ask for!

(Circa 1987 - how about that couch?)

(Summer 2011)

My baby brother turned 24 today and I could not be more blessed to have him in my life.  I couldn't get through the days without hearing his voice, soliciting his advice and generally just shootin' the breeze.  I'm so proud of the man he has become and just know God is going to do amazing things with his life.  He spent the day cheerin' the Noles to victory and I know he wouldn't have had it any other way.  Happy birthday, LB!  Cheers to many, many more to come! 

21 things I love about Fall

1.  That I finally live in a region where fall colors are abundant and the season lasts more than a week.

2.  Scarves, boots and cozy oversized sweaters

3.  PUMPKIN EVERYTHING!

4.  Turning the heat on for the first time.

5. Fireplaces.

6.  Decorating with the warm colors of fall, so homey!

7.  Hot tea.

8.  Switching from smoothies to oatmeal for breakfasts.

9.  Soup, all of it.  Added bonus if there's grilled cheese.

10.  Thanksgiving and everything that comes with it.

11.  Planning for the holidays.

12.  Spending time with family. 

13.  Fuzzy socks.

14.  That feeling you get when the temperature drops for the first time and there's a

 general crisp in the air.

15.  Corn mazes and pumpkin patches.

16.  Opening the windows and cuddling under a blanket on the couch.

17. Red, red wine.

18.  Crock pot dinners.

19.  Spiced scented candles.

20.  Dark nail polish. 

21.  Vanilla scented lotion.

Weekend: What we did

Mostly this:

But some of this:

And a little of this:



In between, we had dinner with friends at a new pizza joint downtown, had a sushi lunchdate and watched some football.  (Really, Alabama?!?)  We've both caught a cold, but I think we're on the other end of it.  Happy Monday, y'all! 



Punkin' Pancakes

One of my absolute favorite things about fall is pumpkin.  At the beginning and the end of the season, I stock up on canned pumpkin and find a way to put it in everything I eat.  This morning I made pumpkin protein pancakes and they were delish.  I generally eye out ingredients and hardly ever measure, but I'll do my best to get it right for you. Add or subtract as you see fit depending on the consistency of the batter.

Ingredients:

1/2 can of pumpkin
2 cups of whole wheat pancake mix
2 cups of almond milk (more or less)
2 scoops of vanilla protein powder
1 flax egg (equal parts ground flax seed and water)or egg white
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 Tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice

 Mix all together.  Batter should be pretty thick, not at all runny.

Cook in griddle or on stovetop. 

Top with whatever you like.  I'm partial to syrup or almond butter.  Voila! 

Enjoy!

Here Goes Nothin'.....

Hello?  Anyone out there? Hey y’all, I’m Stephanie. I’ve always toyed with the idea of starting my own little corner in cyberspace but have never really had the balls to do it. Something about putting yourself out there for the possibility of scornful ridicule scares the bejeezus out of me. Maybe you all felt that way?  I’m just hoping that like anything in life,the good outweighs the bad and the experience brings more pleasure than pain.  It’s hard to succeed and find your niche without at first trying. And besides, I like the idea of having a little virtual diary to look back on the seemingly uninteresting but genuinely joyful happenings of day-to-day life.  I feel like these little moments are easily forgotten but together actually make up the integrity of a person and fill the larger chapters of the book of life. 

So about me….I’m 27 and living in Portland, Oregon.  I’m a Floridian, so all of this cold rain is definitely taxing for me at times but something about majesty of mother nature undeniably makes up for it.

 I’m happily married to the love of my life, Jon.  We just celebrated our first anniversary last month and I could not imagine a more perfect-for-me partner in life.  He genuinely loves me, treats me like a queen and fills the role of my very best friend.  We have a freakin’ blast together.  So far, it’s been a fun ride and I’m excited to see what God has in store for us in the future.

We have a beagle named Gigi.  She’s 14 years old and she’s definitely the baby.

I’m currently studying communications at Portland State University and honestly I can’t wait to be done. College has been a long road and I am looking forward to midterm-less days and evenings without torturously long readings. 

I am fortunate to be involved in the wonderful world of cheer and dance.  I am lucky that at my age I can still hurl myself upside down and remain somewhat unharmed. I also get to pass on my passion to the youth of today which is a pretty remarkable experience in itself.  The industry is ever-changing and I have enjoyed watching it evolve to the athletic powerhouse it is today.  These kids are amazingly talented and have such bright futures ahead of them.  I’m hoping that no matter where life takes me that I get to stay somewhat involved in this as it truly makes me happy.

I also enjoy a slew of other things including food (cooking it and eating it!), living a healthy style, hiking, watching football, crafting, decorating, traveling, reading and just genuinely enjoying the little things in life.