Tea Green with Envy

Yummy, delicious, green tea. You can drink it plain and enjoy it's flavorful, pungent taste, or you can add a little honey or lemon if you wish. But whatever way you fancy to drink it, this fact remains true: green tea is goooood.

Matthew and I were out running errands all afternoon, so we didn't get a chance to have our afternoon tea...but that wasn't going to stop us from enjoying a fresh brew of our new favorite tea in the evening! After putting groceries away, I set the kettle to singin' and prepared the teacups, each one holding a tea bag of green goodness.

Minutes later I had the cups filled and stirred a little honey in...just the right amount- not too little, not too much. This time Matt and I were able to relax and enjoy our tea time together while we sat and chatted. Day 2: delightful.

And as for the tea? Yes....it was really, very good. :)

Some tidbits about green tea:

Green teas are teas which are not fermented. These leaves are steamed in large vats rather than exposed to hot air (like that of the black teas). Green teas have the most delicate flavor of all the teas and, when brewed, are very light in color. Naturally low in caffeine, these teas can be very soothing. Best enjoyed plain, without additives such as lemon or sugar, green teas are said to be able to settle upset stomachs.

Tea Time, M. Dalton King

The English Challenge, Day 1

There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea. ~Bernard-Paul Heroux

Day 1 of the challenge got off to a rough start. I had been gone most of the morning and early afternoon because of work and Bible study, so by the time I got home it was nearly 4 o'clock! As soon as I walked in the front door Matt was asking me about the tea. Our conversation went something like this:

M: "Shouldn't we have already had tea?"

G: "Yes. I know it's late...but we'll make it work."

M: "How about we boil the water in the coffee pot...it'll be faster."

G: "Well, okay, you go ahead. I'll do mine in the tea kettle."

(2 minutes later)

M: "Mine's done! (walking away proudly with tea mug in hand.)

G: "Still waiting on the tea kettle"

G: "Oh, no! Water's boiling over!!!"

G: "Okay...finally it's done."

(Made some quick toast with butter and blackberry jam)

G: Gulp. Gulp. Aw...tea time done! Check!


After re-evaluating with Matthew our intentions of doing this in the first place, we decided that if we're going to make this work, we'd skip lunch (or go very light) and make "tea" the time we get to chat. And sip. And sit. Not all this rush rush rush just to say we did it. Argh! That's what I'm trying to get away from!

We'll see how Day 2 goes...

Earl Grey tea with a teaspoon of honey alongside crunchy toast slathered in homemade blackberry jam, courtesy of Katie Ellwood. Yummy!

It Started with a Little Blue Book...

Traditions. I love 'em! I eat them up, look forward to holidays and special occasions where I can incorporate them, plan for them, and finally "do" them! Awe...but that means the rest of the year is left to boring schedules and daily routines. Where's the fun in that? The dictionary describes a routine as follows: "A prescribed, detailed course of action to be followed regularly; a standard procedure. A set of customary and often mechanically performed procedures or activities." Wow! Mechanically performed? Who's getting goosebumps? Ahem, not me!

I've been feeling like the jazz in my pizazz was lacking, my daily routine was becoming too normal, and not exciting enough for me. I like excitement, people! So, in keeping with the celebratory personality that is me, I meant to put a stop to it (the day in and day out rituals, that is). But what to do, what to do?

Then along came my birthday...

I was given a little blue book by my sweet mother-in-law, Ruthanne, called "Tea Time." A ha! An idea was born! Wouldn't it be fun to start making afternoon tea a daily tradition for Matthew and I? It's perfect, you see. ;) I only work in the mornings, and Matthew works from home, which would allow us the time to be able to do this! I at once started getting excited just thinking about it! After mentioning my idea to Matthew, he was immediately on board. Anything having to do with beverage or food consumption is a go for him. Yay!

So here's my plan of action: for the next 30 days Matthew and I are going to adapt to an English afternoon lifestyle. We're calling it "The English Challenge". We'll be drinking tea in between the hours of 2 & 5, and you can bet your bottom dollar I'll be making some delicious tag-alongs to go with. If you'd like to join us in the challenge, come on! Post me a comment and we'll track together. :)

Here's me raising a glass (or teacup, ha!) to new daily traditions! Drink up!

Key Lime Pie & Brooke

Ever had one of those days that just begged a mini vacation after it was over? Today was one of those days.

It had been a particularly hard and unusual morning at the assisted living community where I work, so when I finally got home in the late afternoon, I sought two things that I knew would be an instant recipe for relaxation: a thick slice of key lime pie and some of my favorite music by an artist by the name of Brooke Waggoner. Matthew had introduced me to this new artist last fall, and ever since then she has been one of my favorites. Her music is a mix of instrumental and contemporary folk. It's peppy and fun, while at the same time being soothing and sweet. If you like that kind of music, check her out....she's awesome.

And that was all it took. After plopping myself down on the sofa, cranking up Brooke and taking a yummy bite of the key lime pie, I was good to go. Ahhh...the recipe had worked. :)(Anything having to do with comfort food + music usually does it for me! Ha!)

What's your recipe for relaxation after a hard day of work? Write me a comment, I'd love to hear your story!

P.S. Key Lime Pie, courtesy of Ruthanne Gaffin. Thanks, Ruthanne! It's delicious!

Coffee Table Makeover, Part 1

The other day as I was running out to the market, I saw a sign that I just had to follow..."Garage Sale -->." It was calling my name I tell you! (they often do..ha!) Anywho, I was sort of in a hurry, so I browsed quickly. About three minutes later, I was walking away with this beauty I got for a steal- just $5! It's solid wood (perhaps maple or cherry?) with fun, curvy lines and no structural problems. Yay! All it needed was a little paint to give it a face lift. :) I have been wanting a coffee table for our living room so I could put my "Hope Chest" in a different location which currently serves as our coffee table, so this really was a great buy!

Fast forward a week and a half and it was time to start revamping my new find. After some researching on the internet and several failed attempts at sanding it by hand, I decided it would be wise to invest in an electric sander. After a trip to the Home Depot, I was able to find a superb (and fairly inexpensive, only $30) electric sander. I knew this would prove to be invaluable for all my future home projects.

Back at home I got right to work. Step one: sanding. I started with a 60 grit sandpaper, then 120, and finally to 220 working in a circular motion. FYI, the higher the number, the finer the grit. The progression of different grit papers made the wood super smooth to the touch when I finished. I sanded the detailing and legs by hand. If you use an electric sander for these, you will end up with squared off legs..and that would not be good!

After sanding (which was such a breeze! It took less than 30 minutes), I wiped the entire table thoroughly with an old cloth. This ensures you're not getting dusty grime in your paint when you move onto that part of the process.

Step two: priming. I did this very quickly, brushing with a soft 2" brush because the primer I was using dries fairly quickly. I wasn't worried if it didn't look perfect, I knew I could come back with the sander later and smooth out any uneven areas.



About an hour and a million mosquito bites later, I was finished with the priming and happy to push the last steps to completion for another time. I was getting eaten up! Tune in next time for Part 2, it's gonna look awesome!

Baby Shower at the Gaffins

In the name of "every baby is worth celebrating", Matthew and I decided to host a shower to honor the birth of Gwen & Matt's 2nd born little one, Levi Samuel. It was a fun evening and I hope Gwen & Matt, Miles and Baby Levi felt honored and special. We love you! Here are some photos of the evenings fun & festivities:

Sweet sister Glo grabbing some goodies from the refreshment table

I hung large tissue paper flowers from monofilament from the light fixture overhanging the refreshment table with "rubber ducky" lemon curd cookies, lime punch, devil's food chocolate cupcakes, and a bowl full of strawberries. Yum!

Mommy Gwen with Levi Samuel

We played a game called "guess that nursery rhyme". The person up front had to either act it out like charades, or draw pictures. Here's Matt drawing "star of wonder, star of bright..."

I made a "Blessings Tree" from some branches by spray painting them white and affixing them in a large pot with green moss. Every guest was encouraged to write a note to Levi, to be read when he was older.

Levi & Miles surrounded by Grammy & Grandpa Pittman, Great- Grandma & Pepaw Cole, Great- Papa & Mema Pittman, Great- Oma & Popi Sutphin, and Great-Great Granny Grace. Lots of Love!

Mommy Gwen, Brother Miles, and lots of Aunts with Levi Samuel

Sprouts + Me = One happy gal

Today was a good day. I had a Bible study this morning, which made me wake up early (and on a Saturday that is a rare thing...I have been known to stay in my PJs until after noon...yikes!) But today, I was up at 8 am and raring to go by 9. My study was great, and when I got back home in the afternoon, I knew two things needed to happen before that evenings events: laundry and grocery shopping. I had been neglectful in these areas all week and was feeling pretty badly about it. Poor Matt was out of jeans and the fridge was looking bare. :( By the way, that is not a good combination. So, after some procrastination, checking email, and stalling some more, I finally got down to business.

First, laundry. I got a good sized load in, cramming about 6 pairs of jeans in and other shirts of Matt's as well (he was running out of shirts, too). Gotta love front-loaders! They are amazing! You can put 10-15 pairs of jeans in at a time (if you have that many) and they come out wonderfully. So, check for laundry! Yay!

Next, grocery shopping. It can be a daunting task on a Summer afternoon, with trying to juggle grocery bags into a hot car and all, but this time I was actually excited to go. I was going to Sprouts! If you've never heard about Sprouts, shame on you! Just kidding *wink*. But really, if you have never been to one they are in the Whole Foods/health food genre...and if you know me, that's totally up my alley! But compared to Whole Foods, which in my opinion is way too expensive, Sprouts is considerably cheaper. In fact, it has become some what of an obsession to where when I see the ad in the newspaper revealing their weekly specials, I get so excited! I'm a little crazy, I know. Ha!

To sum it up, here's what I love about Sprouts the most:

*It is very clean and well-organized

*The lighting is softly bright, not overpowering, so it makes all the produce stand out in all their glorious colors.

*Their "Sprouts" store brand has wonderful options for just about anything

*They have a bulk section with fine dry goods in large, wood barrels stock full of nuts of every kind, granola, rice and beans, cereals, etc.

*Their produce is wonderful and wonderfully priced, too. :)

*Their organic section is reasonably priced

*The staff is very friendly

*Their meats are great! No added growth hormones or other junk, and usually nice and lean.

*Their beauty section usually has great deals on shampoo, organic soaps and face washes.

Anywho, that's my story for the day! If you have an obsession with a store (be it grocery or besides, do share!)

Happy shopping in the places you love!