Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Fun Fall Food

Today I am sharing a quick and easy recipe to make for your family on those lazy weekends watching football or those crazy busy school nights.. or better yet, Halloween Night when you need a quick, yet fun food to feed those ghosts and goblins trying to sprint out the door to trick or treat!! I was asked to share this recipe by a friend who is doing a super cute series on her blog, Worthy of the Prize, called... 
My friend Erin is not only a fabulous mom, wife, sister, friend, daughter, and 'retired' volleyball player, she is also a huge inspiration to me!! Her faith, ministry, and blog has grown to help so many people in need that is truly an honor to guest post for her!!

Here is my version of "mummy dogs", a different and delish spin on the regular old, go-to hotdog!! A recipe that, for real, has all my boys (even my hubs) cheering when they see it on the weekly menu or cooking in the oven!!
Ingredients:
Pack of Hotdogs or Turkey Franks
1 can of Pillsbury crescent rolls (I use the Aldi brand)

Grab your cookie sheet. Unroll all the crescents from the can and rip the triangles into long thin strips. Wrap around the uncooked hotdogs and place on cookie sheet. Cook as directed on the crescent roll instructions. Serve with ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, hot mustard... sky's the limit!!
I got the recipe off of Pinterest... the Mother of all places to find recipes!! Ha!!

Happy Cooking ;)
Always - Abbey


Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Ode to Halloween

I am a sucker for anything decorative. I will sit and stare at Pinterest for longer than I would like to admit. I secretly sneak into the bathroom to look at my BH&G Magazines over and over again. I rip out pages I like and keep them in a hidden binder that I plan to use when we win the lottery and I can remodel the house of our dreams!! Needless to say, I take full advantage of the change in seasons or the coming and going of monthly holidays to spruce up our digs... To quote my hubs this month 'I made it look like a pumpkin puked orange all over our house!!' Either way, it makes me happy and walking around your house should make you happy!!
Here's my Ode to Halloween or Pumpkin Puke Decor (depending who you ask)...
** A Little Mantle Redo**
  **Love me some same costume, 4 years apart, pics**
**Entry way redo, and more cute boy's showing off their costumes**
**Fun Halloween toy tray in the kitchen for the boys to get into**
 **More costume cuteness**
**Lastly, our front porch**

Here is my holiday, seasonal decorating advice:
Don't just take pictures and leave them on the computer, print them and frame them for each season!! The memories are amazing to see every day! Don't just oooo and awww over someone else's home decor, create your own! You'd be surprised how much more cozy it makes your house! And for Pete's sake.. don't just celebrate the holiday on the day of the holiday!! Take advantage of enjoying the season all month long... Your kids will love it, your hubby will 'learn' to love it, and most of all YOU will so love it!!!!

Always - Abbey



Monday, October 15, 2012

Monday Motivation... First 5 minutes

As I start out my runs, here is what the first 5 minutes sound like in my head...
Ughhhh... how long am I running again? This stinks. My breath is weird? Why do my legs feel so heavy and out of sorts? My shirt is bugging me and my earphones won't stay in my ears!! How long have I been running?? Only 3 minutes.... ohhh... dang it!! Ok, I can do this! Look up, not down! Stop looking down!! Ooo.. I like this song!  My shorts keep snagging on my thighs,, dang thighs! Why does my shirt ride up?? My breath seems to be easier... aw, this ain't so bad!?! How long have I been running now... 5 minutes! Oh, ok... now I've got this!!!

It never fails.. the first 5 minutes is always the hardest!! I go thru all sorts of emotions in my head. I doubt myself, make deals with myself.. I pretty much self talk myself to death in a short 5 minute span! It's nuts, I know! But it never fails, no matter how many times I go out... 
I hate the start but love the finish.
Isn't that the way it is with most things? Anything we try that is hard, or new, or is something that we anticipate is going to be a challenge? We dread it! We put it off because the start of something new is hard. It pushes us outside our comfort zone, and who likes to be uncomfortable?? Then, past our better judgement, we try it anyways!! Slowly we begin, but quickly realize we hate the beginning part, that part that encompasses all the uneasy, hard stuff... all the stuff we dreaded! We either stop, which makes starting again twice as hard... or we keep going! Life's biggest struggle... start, stop or begin again?? 
Oddly enough, giving ourselves the time, allowing ourselves to have enough patience and perseverance, we'd see it's that push to keep going that leads to the pay off!! The eventual groove you find in your pace. The settling of your breath. The peace within your body that comes with time and longevity!! It may take some people 5 minutes, and some way longer to find their pace! But trust me, the pace and power that comes with staying with something that is a challenging is one of the greatest gift you can give yourself.
Maybe your challenging task isn't running... maybe it's just walking long distances, or speaking in front of a group, or taking that first step to introduce yourself to someone you would like to know better, or just getting up in the morning? Whether it's physical or not, trying something new is hard no matter how you approach it. But if we don't ever push ourselves to change, grow or learn a new task, how will we ever get better? And isn't bettering our one life what we were put on this earth for?? Every day is a new day, a new set of chances for you to do better, try something new, push yourself to limits you didn't know you could reach! And, for me, if I can just get past the first 5 minutes... I know I'll find my stride!

This is my verse for today...
"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, 
if we do not give up."
Galatians 6:9

These quotes pushed me today...

Push past your first 5 minutes, no matter how long they are!!
Always - Abbey

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Slump...

This word, slump... I can't get it out of my head. It haunts me, and my writing and this blog right now. I know why this word is there, hanging out in my head, but I can't seem to shake it. I feel it following me. Why I started this blog is evident to me in so many ways... our boys, my precious family, needing to have my words somewhere out there... some place where I could look back and see growth and our boys could see me. But lately, I don't feel it. Or rather, I am in a slump about it...? I worry, I have too much in my head that I want to get out but don't know where to put it, or even if it's worth putting any where?!? I think that happens when I loose sight of the 'why' of starting this blog. It happens when I put too much worth in the wrong hands or eyes. When I rely on the accolades (or lack there of) to determine the validity of my posts or feelings. It happens... all too often, it happens! I stop writing for me and put myself aside for others. But... as of today... today I will try to stop that and stop this DAMN SLUMP!!!
This is who I write for...
The brother's who I catch playing together (and yes they are playing). The boys who get super excited about new Halloween costumes, and playing in the front yard, and make me smile and shake my head all at the same time!!!

I write to capture what might seem insignificant but will mean the world when I am 80 years old! I write so I am reminded of who I am, and that no matter what people do or say, I am precious! It is a hard lesson to learn and an even harder lesson to teach to our boys, the lesson of loving yourself first. And I don't mean that cocky, self confidence that some put up or show off. I mean truly valuing yourself, honoring your trueness and holding tight to that truth even when no one else encourages you to do so!! I write to inspire and create change, in not only myself, but hopefully our boys when they look back and read my words. I want to be that example of fun, that reminder that life is what you make it, and the hint of love when they need it most!!! 
They are why I write...

I think it was Gandhi that said 'be the change you want to see in the world.' 
I am holding true to that!!!
Slump... BE GONE!!

Always - Abbey