Projects and things.

This past month has been a wonderful time of relaxing and crafting, two of my most favorite things. I didn't know HOW much I enjoyed home renovation until I got the opportunity to do it twice. There are few things as satisfying as talking about a project, acting on it, and then getting it done. Or at least 85% done. We're still thinking about what decorations we'd like to go into mom's kitchen...right now she's leaning towards scattering birdhouses and vintage bowls and things on top of the cabinets. I'm sure I'll be pleasantly surprised when I come back in August and see what she's done. The house we're working on at the lake still needs LOTS of work (most of which only my dad is qualified to do) but we're really pleased with how the painting and redecorating has been going so far. As far as my future house goes someday, I really wouldn't mind purchasing a minor fixer-upper...but that is WAY down the road.

I've also LOVED cooking and baking for mom and dad. Sure, it in NO way can fully repay them for all they've done for me, especially these past four years, but I hope it shows them at least a portion of my gratitude. I try to cook healthy, well balanced meals and they've been really great sports to willingly try everything I've made. I rarely make a recipe as written...I'm always substituting something, but more often then not it works out really well. Here are some of my favorite things I've made:

Mexican style chicken...a lot easier than I thought it'd be and SO tasty.

Homemade No Bake Clif bars...FABULOUS. I found the recipe here, made a few small changes and have made too many of these bars to count:
http://enlightenedcooking.blogspot.com/2008/06/homemade-cliff-bars-no-bake.html

Oatmeal Peach Blueberry Breakfast Bars

Black Bean Veggie burger...one of my FAVORITE things I've made so far.

Black Bean Brownie...yes, haters gonna hate but you can't knock it til you try it. Everyone whom I shared it with agreed you can't taste the black beans and they loved the fudgey-ness and slight coffee flavor of the brownie. Throw a little plain yogurt and fresh fruit on top, and BOOM. Delicious. Promise.

Leftover black bean burger turns into a yummy burrito, complete with a homemade whole wheat tortilla.

Of COURSE I had to make sushi with my best friend...we experimented with tuna and some Mexican inspired ingredients and rolled some pretty delicious combinations.

And last but not least, homemade ice cream, done in Ziploc baggies. Recipe here:
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/homemade-ice-cream-in-a-bag-684806/

It may be hard to believe, but much more is going on in my heart and mind besides food and painting walls. God is definitely throwing me some curve balls, but thankfully he gave me a glove to catch them and isn't going to allow me to get my clock cleaned. I'll write more about that later, but for now, I must go back to the trenches...aka packing. I leave Saturday morning for Colorado and am probably only 50% packed. It still gets pretty chilly there at night so of course, I must take almost every item of clothing I own, including winter clothes. Sigh. Maybe someday I'll stop living in and out of suitcases.