My Living Room Inspiration Board

I love creating inspiration boards it helps me to see if all my ideas are lining up to create the perfect room.
I'm thinking of a eclectic / rustic living room. I don't want a log cabin or hunters retreat, just touches of rustic here and there.

There are also some difficulties to the living room in the house that we are purchasing there is really only one wall the flat screen can he hung (of course my hubby thinks this should be the focal point of the room LOL), there is a fireplace with an insert that is not flush, and on the opposite wall is the breakfast bar for the kitchen. I'm still not sure about what colors because I don't want it to be too dark and I love lighter/brighter colors as accents.

So here are some of my ideas:

http://traceryinteriors.wordpress.com

One of the other problems that you might be able to tell is my husband really likes darker warmer tones and I like things a little lighter. Combining these two is the goal.

So tell me what to y'all think?

Friday Funday - Dinner with Family and Friends

Yes, its Friday! The weekend is here and I am in a great mood.

My best friend and wife to my husband's cousin is coming over with the kids and we are having dinner and drinks.

I am going to make Baked Chicken Flauta's, and beanny cheesy Flauta's for the kiddos.

I found the recipe on Pinterest from Hot Cookin' Mama.

You an find the recipe on my pinterest Food Board or here is the link

Bakes Chicken and Spinach Flauta's

Here is my version of the recipe

What you will need:

• Regular flour tortilla's, cut in half
• 2 / 3 chicken breasts
• 1 can stewed or roasted tomatoes
• 4 C water
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• Grated cheese
• Re fried Beans (for the beanny cheesy flauta's)
• olive oil or cooking spray
• Sour cream, guacamole or salsa for dipping

Directions:

• Place the chicken breasts in a large pan and cover with chicken broth or water
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat add tomatoes and simmer 10 minutes (or until chicken is done)
• Shred chicken and mix with seasonings
• Preheat oven to 450 degree's
• Grease a baking sheet and set aside
• Place shredded chicken and cheese along the edge of each cut tortilla and roll up starting from the edge. For the Beanny cheesy flauta's do the same way beans first then cheese.
• Place seem side down on baking sheet
• Brush with olive oil or spray with cooking spray
• Bake in the oven for 5/10 minutes each side

My BBF is making a yummy salad and we will talk the night away! I can't wait.

Hope your weekend is great and make sure to fill it with tons of memories because we only have 940 weekends before our kids turn 18. 

A Great Weekend

Here is a recap of what we did over the weekend. My husband went out of town for a boys weekend / camping trip so it was just the girls. Friday night the girls and I went to Black Bear for dinner, its one of our favorite places.

Saturday Cloe and I spent the day at the Rocklin Community Fair and went to the fireworks. It was a weekend full of laughs, smiles, and fun fun times. 

Here is my first tomato of the summer, its a little guy but I grew it. :)

Vacation - Being Present and Staying Centered

My family and my best friends family are preparing to go on vacation next week to the coast. The beach is one of my favorite places to go. We try to rent a beach house every year for a week so that we can really soak in all that ocean air and get away from the stresses of everyday life. But we weren't able to go last year, so I have been craving a long vacation since 2011.

Every time we go I always tell myself that I should bring my bible study and a vacation journal and use them, but each year I leave them at home. I really want to try and make the commitment to follow through. In past years with so many people and kids in the house my OCD really kicks in and I end up feeling more stressed on the trip then I do at home. I think if I take 20 minutes each morning alone it might center me and help me remember that I have to let go and just enjoy my vacation and time with my family.

I have been wanting to start a bible journal (I have had the journal in my nightstand drawer for a couple weeks) maybe this will be the jump start that I need.

I can't wait to get my toes in the sand and take a walk to the tide pools. Stay tuned for pictures from our trip.

ragstostitches.com

Stacking Stones

During the 25th anniversary celebration at my church each family received a stone. We were told to place it somewhere where we could see it each day and be reminded that God is always there and will provide all the help we need. I love this living stone tradition and placed our families stone on my mantle with other nature items that we have collected as a family.

During the parting of the River Jordan God said to collect 12 stones from the middle of the sea and stack them on the other side so that when their children asked about them they could tell the story of God's greatness. There are many cultures that stack stones.

This is still a tradition among the people of Israel to stack stones. These stacked stones act as a reminder of something great that God has done. Often the children and grandchildren will come across these stacks and ask "what do these stones means?" and the adults can tell the story that goes with each stack. 

In some places in scripture, a stone is used to describe strength and resiliency in a person's character. How great would it be to look out into your yard or garden and see stones that represent not only the great things that God has provided you with, but also the strength that you have in hard times. 


I am going to try and get my family involved by making stacks in our garden. Maybe stacks or maybe we can add 1 stone and build a wall or walkway.