from the kitchen...

::bread baking...still tweaking the recipe. weigh in if you have a go-to recipe.

::cookbook reading

::secret telling

::many math problems

::some reading aloud too

::menu planning...ugh! what to cook this week??

::granola envy...i need a fab recipe

::soaking up the warmest space in my home 

monday

grilled pork chops (thank you Kevin)

brown rice & peas w/ mrooms  garlic sauteed spinach

tuesday

lemon talapia 

asparagus pesto pasta

romaine salad

wednesday

beef stew

rice  cornbread

thursday

chicken paillard

oven roasted sw. potatoes  broccoli

friday

chicken & roasted garlic white pizzas

cob corn  italian salad

saturday

?????

sunday

??????

lunch box

::graham crackers

::cashew butter

::yogurt & granola

::edamame

::pesto pasta w/ chicken (from paillard)

::beef stew

bread box

::sandwich loaves

::cornbread

cookie jar

::chocolate chewies...back by popular demand.

what is going on in YOUR kitchen this week?

bonin farm daybook

Outside my window... ~the frogs are singing and the birds are chirping, and the first crows of the morning from Mike...my very own symphony of nature.

I am thinking... ~that life is what you make and that i am thrilled i learned that lesson.

I am thankful for... ~repentance.

I am wearing... ~black yoga pants, tiffany blue tee.

I am remembering... ~my book club that met on my birthday. how beautiful they made it for me...complete with my mother's signature cake. can't think of a better bday cake!

I am going... ~for my yearly well check this morning. just might have to stop by the book store on the way home.

I am currently reading... ~Coop by Michael Perry 

Reading Aloud...~ Stuart Little by E. B. White

(Sawyer choice and is LOVING it)

I am hoping... ~Jordan to do well at his golf tourney today. Cameron to have a productive day. Sawyer to continue loving learning.

On my mind... ~finding and keeping balance. being a better mother, wife and friend.

Noticing that... ~simplicity makes me happy.

Pondering these words... In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.  

Robert Frost

In the kitchen... ~bread is baking for breakfast.

Creating...~pillows from bank bags i thrifted and Valentine fun

Around the house... ~all are asleep and quiet. Kevin left for work an hour ago. i am having some quiet time.

One of my favorite things ~snuggles.

From my picture journal...

weekending

*haircuts for all...we LOVE miss brandy

*lots of grilling...burgers, steaks, pork chop = no more cooking this weekend!

*birthday wishes 

*a little office time...but my peep kept me company

* much blog stalking

*letter writing

*catching up with friends

*redbox time

*best birthday dinner ever...my mister's steak & asparagus

*a little sleeping in

*a lot of snuggling

*another simply wonderful weekend

check out Amanda's weekend. 

how was yours?

happy sunday

on this rainy sunday this video brings a little sunshine my way. i hope it does yours as well.

let us start the week with smiles and hugs.

do something kind.

give free hugs.

from the silver screen::

a list of 25 movies (plus a few) that i adore. i could and have watched these over and over.

1. Les Divorce
2. Lemon Tree
3. The Pianist
4. Mildred Pierce
5. The Man Who Came to Dinner
6. The Big Chill
7. O Brother Where Art Thou
8. Urban Cowboy...hey i'm from Texas!
9. The Color Purple
10. What About Bob?
11. Shenandoah 
12. Gone With The Wind
13. Julie and Julia...really only the Julia part
14. Vicky Christina Barcelona
15. The Shawshank Redemption 
16. The Godfather Series
17. The Pianist 
18. To Kill A Mockingbird
19. Despicable Me 
20. Less Than Zero
21. Chocolat
22. You've Got Mail..."i would send you bouquets of sharpened pencils"
23. Out of Africa
24. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
25. The Remains of the Day

honorable mention

::A Room with a View

::Meet Me in St. Louis

::Pride and Prejudice...Keira Knightly version

::Howard's End

::The King's Speech

the very cool Amanda also listed hers. go check it out!

this moment

A Friday ritual. 

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. 

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. 

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

39 candles

on my birthday today. 39 is a good number. i welcome it with open arms. happy to have had these years. to live and learn. to know better and do better.
in honor of this big day i am going to list a wish for each of those candles.
i wish...

1. for many hours of reading 
2. to continue down the path i am traveling...to know me and love me.
3. for picnics with my peeps
4. to grow the best garden yet...with new raised beds (fingers crossed)
5. to be a good example
6. to be more of a hiker and biker
7. to present in each and every moment
8. to be an encouragement
9. to go on lots of movie and bookish dates with my mister
10. to be frugal
11. to listen and heed His direction
12. to relearn French
13. for smiles and giggles
14. for a beach cruiser 
15. to be the kind of mother my mother would have been proud of
16. to speak less and listen more
17. to write more letters...anyone want to exchange letters??
18. to go on more camping trips
19. to be a more accomplished photographer
20. for a new camera to help with #19
21. to continue to learn to sew and to sew often
22. to travel 
23. to be a friend that a friend would want
24. to learn to make cheese
25. to become a knitter
26. for learning opportunities
27. for a peace filled rhythm in  my home
28. for self confidence to grow and self doubt to dwindle
29. to always show others respect
30. for much homemade ice cream!
31. for many read aloud hours with the peeps
32. for a trip or two to my Eureka
33. to remember what my mother and her mother before her taught me...and to live it
34. to volunteer more of my time
35. to organize my pantry
36. to never raise my voice
37. to spend more time with my friends
38. to incorporate pilates back in my life
39. to love and be loved

right now, i am

::not taking photographs...i have been under the weather.

::healing from being feverish

::pondering. 

::pondering what tomorrow's birthday means. 

::pondering where this country has evolved. on facebook last night during the State of the Union my eyes were opened.

::looking forward to my book club meeting tomorrow night. will the girls have loved The Help as much as i?

::planning vacations...weekend camping trips...family vacation-maybe Shenandoah National Park-maybe the Grand Tetons...hmmm?

::looking deep in myself. trying to push away that old nemesis self doubt. 

::getting my new spectacles today. letting these eyes get a rest from the contacts a while.

::thankful for this space and each of my sweet readers!

today i meant to....

*
wash all the bedding
*

bathe Sadie...Mathilda got hers last night
*

bake a little something for the cookie jar...at least the bread got baked
*

scrub the bathrooms...just "hit the high spots" as my grandmother would have said
*

finish a book with Sawyer...check
*

put new hay out for the girls
*

plan my menu for the week
*

finish the second reading of The Help for book club...LOVE that book
*

finalize seed order
*

did you have a more productive day than this feverish girl did?

weekending

*pinewood derby day...Sawyer came in 5th place overall

but gain so much more. he and his dad and brothers building, sanding, test runs and much smiling.

*movie watching

*popcorn eating

*fetch playing

*book reading

*heart to heart talking

*khakis shopping with Jordan

*best girlfriend couch time spending

*bucket list compiling

*vacation planning

*fever in the middle of the night (poor Saw)

*art supply organizing 

*fantastic life acknowledging 

how was YOUR weekend?

this moment

A Friday ritual. 

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. 

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. 

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

10 right now

*fresh new 2011 calendars ready to be filled in 

*audio books

*fluffy pancakes with warm maple syrup for dinner

*freshly vacuumed cars

*bamboo cutting boards

*Top Chef...go Richard Blaise and Fabio cracks me up!

*teenagers...my guys are so fun.

*Coop...great read

*Avett Brothers...I and Love and Avett Brothers

*sweet validation

right now, i am

on my way to the eye doctor.

ulcer on my eye!

looks like spectacles for this girl for a while.

which is just fine with me. 

on the bright side....new glasses!

this i know for sure....

*bread made by your own hand tastes better than any other

*listening to Jack Johnson makes a sad day glad

*finding your own style is way less exhausting than chasing other's

*loving yourself through your own eyes has far greater reward than what others see

*being a mother of 3 boys = marine corp basic training + some.

*toasted french bread rubbed with garlic & drizzled with a good olive oil always means yum!

*add fresh brandywine tomatoes to above and that means heaven

*forgiveness is freeing

*making mud pies is the best

*love is patient*love is kind

*love liberates...it never binds

what do YOU know for sure?

from the kitchen...

much has been going on. the center, the heart of our home. with the cold finally making it to Texas, comfort food was definitely in order. warming to our bodies and oh so warming to our souls.
last week's menu did not go quite as planned. i was under the weather and things changed.  we still ate well! pizzas by our own hands...our favorite. so much more than food happens in that room. rounds and rounds of Rush Hour & Apples to Apples. painting (portraits of mom & dad) and sketching. planning life and reliving the week's triumphs and spelling words.
this week the plan is:

monday

pinto beans

rice cornbread cole slaw

tuesday

Dorie's beef daube

country loaf 

wednesday

rice dressing

sweet potatoes garlic sauteed spinach

thursday

chicken spaghetti

haricot verts italian salad

french bread

friday

pizzas 

roasted cob corn  salad

saturday

(jordan's meal to cook)

coconut chicken 

glazed carrots spring peas w/ mushrooms

salad w/ handmade croutons

sunday

steak frites

 caesar salad garlic toast

apple tarte tartin  

lunchbox 

::oven chicken tenders

::cheese crackers

::basic crackers w/ gouda

::teriyaki jerky

::hard boiled eggs from our girls

::granola & yogurt

cookie jar

::chocolate chewies

bread box

::sandwich loaves

::french loaf

::croutons from day old french loaf

::cornbread

what is happening in YOUR kitchen?

words of wisdom

thank you Eleanor

hello weekend

hello waking with the sun

instead before it

hello grits for breakfast

oh how i love thee

hello pjs till noon

how wonderfully lazy

hello movie date with Jordan

am super excited to see

The King's Speech

hello wool socks & hot cocoa

hello book & blanket

hello movies & popcorn

and maybe a ferrero rocher

hello board game marathons

Apples to Apples is a favorite

though Sawyer is learning & loving Chess

hello hikes & bikes

maybe some geocaching

hello 4 day weekend

it is so very nice to see you

this moment

A Friday ritual. 

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. 

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. 

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

10 right now

*rounds of Rush Hour

*seed catalogs...want more heirlooms in the garden this Spring

*cold, crisp weather that is perfect for hot coca

*my uggish boots...ok maybe they are from American Eagle

*taking photographs

*looking back...and learning from it

*roasting the perfect chicken

*True Grit...best movie i have seen a while

*quiet conversations in the dark with my mister

*being recognized by this blog for having a stylish blog. thank you Erin!

now to follow the rules of the Stylish Blog Award. Seven things about me.

1. i crave a simple life.
2. i love calendars. i love filling in the calendars. planning ahead. sending birthday cards. i may have bought 3 last week and 1 for my dad. i just may be addicted.
3. i love being in my garden. new plans for a revamped spring garden in the works right now...sorry Kevin but that means i need some things built.
4. i have a husband that makes me laugh everyday.
5. i very much dislike root beer, fennel, or anything remotely similar.
6. i am a quotes junkie.
7. i am a ponderer. i love to sit in the stillness and think things through.

thank you Erin for thinking of me. i am truly flattered.

right now, i am

...trying to remember to look at the glass as half full. i don't want to be the half empty kind of girl. that lesson has been learned...finally. it took a while to realize that i had to like myself to be truly happy. the authentic me.the me that loves books, that is pulled to the kitchen, that simple is better and that quiet is music to my ears. 

 that my story was my story. and no one could write it for me. 

life couldn't be better than to see that glass half full.

note to self

• watch the tone of your voice. ALWAYS speak kindly.
• be true to yourself. 
• schedule your time wisely. do what works for me & my family when it works best!
• take time daily for yourself. i know i can only be better if i take care of my needs too...why is it so hard to remember that?!
• make freezer meals = make life simpler.
• get the Spring garden planned.
• take a class
• smile more

from the kitchen...

monday

chili

rice cornbread sour cream cheese

cole slaw

tuesday

pork loin chops

roasted sweet potatoes 

spinach salad

wednesday

chili topped baked potatoes

salad

thursday

fajitas

baranco beans spanish rice

salsa guacamole

friday

build you own pizzas

roasted cob corn spinach/arugala salad

saturday

hen sauce piquant

rice green beans crowder peas

cornbread

sunday

fajita burritos

refried (baranco leftovers) spanish rice

green salad with jicama & avocado

chocolate chewy cookies

::banana fritters

::graham crackers

::sandwich bread

::parmesan crackers

::strawberry banana smoothies

::dutch babies

what is coming from your kitchen this week?

this moment

A Friday ritual. 

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. 

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. 

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

from the kitchen...

this week.

monday

pulled pork sammies

(from leftover new years roast)

rosemary sweet potato oven fries

tuesday

Lasagna

haricot verts green salad

roasted garlic french bread

wednesday

fried catfish

black eyed peas cabbage

cornbread 

cream cheese pound cake

thursday

chicken milanese

garlic broccoli green salad

friday

build your pizzas

roasted cob corn

saturday

grilled burgers 

or 

italian chicken sammies

home fries

sunday

cheese enchiladas

spanish rice charro beans

kevin's salsa & chips

::french toast & brown sugar bacon

::french bread

::hot cocoa mix

::after school snacks::tortilla pizzas, oven chicken tenders, mucho cheese & butter crackers, satsumas galore

what has been coming from your kitchen?

right now, i am

pondering, planning for the new year.

seed catalogs, cookbooks, urban homesteading, cheese making.

planning new raised beds, building a headboard (i think).

making lists...books for 2011, skills to learn...knitting,
new cooking techniques to master, 

what to grow in the Spring garden, places to travel to.

simplifying life. 

staying home...just where i want to be.

What are your recommendations for my book list?

consider 2011

1 January, 2011. the first day of the year. the day we look forward. we consider, we ponder and resolve to make this year a better one. i considered this while cooking the traditional new year's meal of pork roast, rice & gravy, black eyed peas, cabbage and cornbread...or at least traditional for a cajun family in the deep south. i considered how i so enjoy cooking for my family. how it fills my soul to fill their stomachs. but am i feeding them? am i giving them what they need? the only way to do so is to be the best me i can be. but what does that mean? for me, it is to continue along the path i started last year. to simplify. to scale down...activities, running here & there, television and computer use, and even things in my home. i have been and will chose to live a simpler life. to grow much of my own food. to cook that food showing it the greatest respect. to clean out and not bring more in. to rest in the solitude and find my center. to (and i think most importantly) be present in the moment. less can truly be more.


the usual book list and accomplishments i want to make will follow in the coming days. you know i like nothing more than a good list! 


happy new year my friends. may it bring you joy beyond measure.