Nutty Granola and Oatmeal Cookies: Similar Ingredients...Completely Different Results

"Yeah, yeah...I know...I've heard this speech before," my daughter said to me in a tone dripping with teenager attitude. Frustrated I fired back at her, "And that's exactly the kind of attitude that won't help out your cause." She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. I left the room and headed toward the stairs.


Passing by the living room, I caught a glimpse of the 5-year-old standing erect with his arms at his side, hands clenched. His older brother was sitting nearby with a glimmer in his eye and a smirk on his face. A Zhu Zhu Babies commercial was playing on the television. This didn't look good. At the top of his lungs the 5-year-old screamed at his brother, "Just stop it! Just stop it you stupid-head!" stuck out his tongue and then pushed past me to run up the stairs. The 11-year-old couldn't help but break into a full smile at that point. With feigned innocence he turned to me and said, "What?"


I gave him "the look" and continued up the stairs. Tired. Out of "parenting" ideas. And wondering "Who are these children?"

I plopped down on my bed and went through the actions I'd taken over the past few months to try to guide my children into better, more respectful, more responsible behavior. The reminder signs. The consequences. The reasoning. But really...nothing seemed to be working all that great.


Reluctantly, I reached over and pulled the book off my nightstand. I didn't want to do it. Hadn't I already read enough parenting books? But, I admitted to myself, I needed some fresh thoughts on the matter.

As I flipped through the pages, little nuggets of wisdom seemed to call out to me.


"They are growing up but they are not grown-up."


"Don't take your child's behavior personally."


"Be curious enough to try to understand your child's point of view."


"You may give them your love but not your thoughts, for they have their own thoughts."


And then I came across a sentence. A simple sentence but one that made me slam the book shut. To sigh and shake my head. To realize that a bit of the truth was staring me right in the face.


"Sometimes you get the best results by forgetting about the behavior and focusing on the relationship."

Wasn't it true that I'd been spending an inordinate amount of time on my stuff? My writing. My photographs. My appointments. My projects around the house. My incessant need to cook...stuff.


Oh, yeah, I had been putting up my responsibility reminder lists, making sure they got their hour of weeding in on the weekends, their homework done, their beds made, dishes done...but had I really been spending any time with them? Focused time?


I'd even caught myself recently thinking, "I really should take my little guy to the playground." But I didn't.

Knowing that the kiddos were out of school on Monday, I made a promise to myself. I would take them to do something fun. Something they would really like. And I would just enjoy each one of them. Their company. I would put aside all thoughts of "To Dos" and "Goals."


So, I put all of my chickens in the car and we headed downtown for a movie. And not just any movie. But the "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never" movie in 3D. (Let it be known that this was not the first choice of the 11-year-old. But he was a very good sport.) As I looked down the row at my three chickens with their glasses on, the 5-year-old munching away on his popcorn and everyone smiling, I couldn't help but smile myself. Later, we putzed around. Chatted. No real agenda except to be back in time for dinner.

That evening I learned that the 5-year-old had changed his name to Justin after discovering that he could "swish" his hair like his namesake. This is the type of situation that would normally set-off a litany of taunting and teasing by his older brother. But not this time. Instead, I found him kindly combing his little brother's hair into the proper swish, helping him put on a "Justin Bieber outfit" and then, leading him downstairs to pound away on our old, beat-up drum set.

And that night, instead of giving my daughter the rushed, "Good night," I laid down on her bed. With her. And we talked. She talked. Late into the evening. She covered all manner of subjects. Homework. Friends. All those stresses of middle school. And when I finally got up to go, she said to me, "Mom....?"


"Yes?"


"Thanks for today."


"You are so welcome."

So this morning, as snowflakes gently fall out my window, I mix up my oats, my cinnamon, my almonds. Individual ingredients that will eventually make-up a whole finished product. A batch of homemade granola. Or perhaps oatmeal cookies. Similar ingredients that produce uniquely different results. And I think to myself, "It's hard, isn't it? This delicate balancing act. Trying to figure out when to focus on teaching responsibility and respect and an entire encyclopedia of other attributes to our children and when...to let go of all of that and simply enjoy them. As people."


(Sigh....)






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Nutty Granola and Oatmeal Cookies: Similar Ingredients...Completely Different Results


Okay, this week, you're getting two recipes....you lucky people you. The first is a batch of homemade granola. I tossed in a little of this and a little of that...which is the beauty of granola...and "Voila!" delicious. So, if you don't have all of the ingredients, no biggie. Use what you have. Then, I got crazy and took that homemade granola and put it into oatmeal cookies. (Don't tell the Rooster though. He recently asked me for a batch of oatmeal cookies but said, "Nothing crazy. No crazy ingredients. Just a plain oatmeal cookie." I can't help myself.) Both are the perfect antidote for a pensive, snowy day.






A Nutty Homemade Granola


Delicious plain, on yogurt, with milk, sprinkled over ice cream. And as a side note, I tend to have a lot of different nuts around. (I mean the ingredient, not my children.) I buy them in bulk and store them in the freezer where they keep beautifully for months and months.


Ingredients:


3 c old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1 c raisins
1/2 c unsweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 c pecan pieces
1/2 c walnut pieces
1/2 c almonds, chopped or not, your choice
2 tbsp golden flax seed
1 tbsp wheat germ

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 c pure maple syrup
2 tbsp olive oil


Directions:


Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Either grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper and set aside.


In a large bowl, mix together your dry ingredients: oats, raisins, coconut, pecans, walnuts, almonds, flax seed, wheat germ, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Then add in your maple syrup and olive oil. Stir until mixture is evenly coated with syrup and oil.


Pour out onto cookie sheet and spread evenly. Bake in oven for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through baking time. Allow to cook a bit and then, start snacking. Once cooled completely, store in an air-tight container. Enjoy.....


Yield: 5 cups or so






Crunchy Granola Oatmeal Cookies
Inspired by Mrs. King's Irresistibles in Rose's Christmas Cookies


Obviously, I used the homemade granola I had made at home but you can use store-bought granola. Just make sure it's unsweetened or lightly-sweetened or it will be too sugary. If your granola does not have any nuts in it, you might want to consider decreasing the granola amount to 1 1/2  cups and adding in 1 cup of your favorite toasted nuts...walnuts, pecans, almonds.




Ingredients:


2 c homemade granola *see note above
1 c old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 2/3 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 c granulated sugar
1 c unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract




Directions:


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


Into a small bowl, pour in your flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together well. Set aside.


In a mixing bowl, beat your sugars until well blended. Add in your butter and beat until smooth and creamy. Scraping down the sides. Beat in your eggs and vanilla until well incorporated. At low speed, add your flour mixture and mix just until combined. With a wooden spoon or spatula, gently fold in your granola, oats and chocolate chips just until evenly distributed in the dough.


Drop the dough by large, rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets, 1-2 inches apart. Bake for 12-15 minutes or just until the tops are turning light brown. (Better to underbake than overbake.)


Cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet, then, transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.


Can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few weeks or in the freezer for several months.


Enjoy.....


Yield: About 3 dozen








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Thank you, thank you, my dear friends!


I can hardly believe it but this post marks my 99th. Holy Catfish, is all I can say!! Holy Catfish and thank you! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for reading my musings (especially when I get a little long-winded.) For trying out my recipes. For kindly viewing my photographs. For buying my calendars. For thoughtfully letting me know when something I wrote made you laugh or cry. When you thought a photograph was "extra-purdy." Or a recipe extra-scrumptious.


I must do something extra-special for the 100th post. You deserve it. I deserve it. But what?


xoxo
Carrie






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A Quick Note


Just in case you were curious...my all time favorite parenting books are from the Positive Discipline series. A dear friend of mine who is a teacher turned me on to them when my eldest was still a baby. Of course, as with any type of advice book, I don't necessarily agree with everything the author has to say...but definitely with most of it. I just recently bought the Positive Discipline for Teenagers. So telling....eh?  The author uses the word "discipline" in its true sense and that is, "to teach." And really, as parents, that's what we are...teachers. Right? Well, sometimes I'm a pack mule too, but that's a different story.






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AM Northwest


Stopped by AM Northwest last week to mix up a pot of Hearty Lentil Soup with Helen and Dave. Was a hoot, as always.







If a video screen does not appear above this line, click here to be taken directly to the site.
















All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010

Lentil and Fire-Roasted Tomato Soup for the Soul

I remember the moment distinctly. When she noticed. When she asked me about it. Back in the days when I would drive my 5-year-old daughter 30 minutes to attend a 30-minute "ballet" class and then, 30 minutes back home, all with her younger brother in tow. Back when I didn't make things very easy on myself.

Darkness had already settled over the city. We were making our way back across the river. The White Stag was lit up in all his glory and the kids were trying to spot Big Pink. Our car was brought to a halt at the far end of the bridge. We waited for the light to turn in our favor.

Directly outside our car window was a man, in tattered clothes, going through a dumpster. Looking for food, perhaps? Clothing? A blanket?

My daughter noticed and immediately asked me, "Mommy, what is that man doing?"

What do you say? How do you explain "homelessness"?

So, I did the best I could to try to explain being homeless to a 5-year old. When I was finished with my dissertation, she says to me, "Mommy, if we couldn't buy food we wouldn't have to worry. We could just go to Costco and eat the tasters."

If only it was that easy.

Maybe you're like me, I don't know, but I struggle with how to help someone who is homeless. Do I give him money? Buy him some food? Point her to a shelter? Act like I'm busy and look the other way?

When Transition Projects asked me if I would highlight their organization here on La Pomme and give an extra-special shout out to their Soup for the Soul fundraising event taking place Thursday, February 24th, I said, "Absolutely!"

Years ago I was involved in a different fundraising event for Transition Projects and what I came to love about this particular organization is the way in which they not only shelter someone who is homeless but literally provide him with all of his basic needs. Once those needs are met, Transition Projects can then help that person build up the skills he needs to become self-reliant and overcome barriers to housing and income.

And it is quite eye opening when Transition Projects gives these residents, formerly homeless people, cameras and asks them to photograph where they once slept.

An incredibly basic human need.

A safe place to sleep.

I feature some of their photographs here. The whole collection has been gathered into a book called, Where I Slept: Being Homeless in Portland.

So, perhaps you and your sweetie weren't able to properly celebrate Valentine's Day. Instead you were surrounded by youngsters who think of this holiday of love as the second-coming of Santa Claus. Why not consider a romantic evening out at Soup for the Soul?

Lentil and Fire-Roasted Tomato Soup

In honor of Soup for the Soul, I present to you one of my heartier soup recipes. I love to make this soup when it's rainy and cold and something warm sounds so inviting. I find that we eat a lot of "brown" food in the winter and one thing I particularly like about this dish is the color found popping out of every spoonful. From the bright orange carrots to the red tomatoes to the vibrant green spinach. Those colors give me an extra added boost of energy I desperately need this time of year.

As for the ingredients I have listed below....if you don't have the cheese rind or fresh parsley, don't sweat it. You might need an extra pinch or two of salt or pepper. Maybe an extra sprinkle of grated parmesan. And of course, regular tomatoes can be used in place of the fire-roasted ones. But don't skimp on the French green lentils. They really make a difference in soup. They hold their shape better than other types of lentils.


Ingredients:

1 c French green lentils (sometimes known as Du Puy)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 leeks chopped, white and light green parts only (could substitute 1 lg yellow onion)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 c celery, diced (about 2-3 stalks)
1 c carrots, peeled and diced (about 2 large)
2 Bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
a bit of parmesan cheese rind
3 tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley (plus more for garnish)
8 c (2 qts) low-sodium chicken broth
1 28 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes, diced
3 c baby spinach leaves
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Optional: 1 lb kielbasa or other pre-cooked sausage links, diced

Directions:

Put your lentils in a medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over them to cover by 2 inches. Set aside for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add your olive oil. Once heated, add your leeks, garlic, celery, carrots, Bay leaves, salt and pepper. Saute over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes or until your vegetables have started to soften.

Next, add your cheese rind, parsley, chicken broth, tomatoes and lentils. Bring to a boil. Then, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

Stir in your spinach leaves and simmer another 10 minutes or until lentils are softened. If you are adding in sausage, spoon it into the pot now as well.

Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle on grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Enjoy.


Yield: One big pot-full

All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010

Simple Salmon: A Northwest Staple

I have often considered January as my month of reprieve. The month to look inward. To self-reflect. The month where time slows down. A bit.


This doesn't seem to be the case any longer.


January is just as high-paced as any other month and it feeds right into February which is missing a few days and that hardly seems fair since I'm counting on every single day to get things done.


Sometimes I want to blame this on the kids. Trying to keep up with their ever-increasingly crowded schedules. Driving them where they need to be. But is it really them?

Or is it that every January I set loftier and loftier goals for myself? Which on some level is a good thing. Right? Especially considering that my quote for 2011 is "A goal without a plan is just a dream."


But how many goals are realistic? And when do those excess goals lead to "To Do lists" five pages long? And what does it say about me that one of those To Dos is: "Schedule afternoons in March to teach 5-year-old to ride a two-wheeler"?


And all of these goals and To Dos lead to craziness piggy-backing on more craziness.


Which in my case always leads to over-thinking...things, life, kids, goals, recipes.

As I was setting up my Recipe Index last week, I realized that not one recipe for salmon graced that list. Salmon. A staple my family eats at least every other week, if not once a week. A quick and delicious preparation, perfect for a weeknight, that I never give a thought about. I forget about it. It's simplicity...in my rush to seemingly over-complicate my life.


And so this week, I leave you with a simple post. An effortless recipe for salmon. As well as an image of raindrops hanging heavy on winter branches which I forced myself to go outside and notice. And a picture of a pot of my new favorite tea I wish I could share with you. (Harney & Sons Paris Tea, of course.)

A Simple Preparation for Salmon: A Northwest Staple


I suppose it stems from spending all but a few years of my life living in the northwest...this salmon fetish I have. My childhood spent on boats in the Puget Sound fishing for salmon. Visions of my father always grilling salmon with onions and lemons. My mother laying out smoked salmon with cream cheese for appetizers. Parenthood spent feeding my children salmon. So now, at this point in my life, I am quite particular about my salmon. My favorite is sockeye. I think King is overrated. I'm leary about any salmon to which color has been added to give it a pink hue. And my preference is that it's fresh or flash frozen on the boat that hauled it in. What can I say? I know what I like.


This is my fool-proof winter preparation for salmon. Even the Rooster likes it. He who grew up on the East Coast and doesn't have quite the same love for salmon as I. During the summer, I always grill it. And I almost always serve it with a pot of rice and steamed broccoli. Sometimes I get a little crazy and make a little compote (i.e. sauteed shallots and tomatoes with thyme) to go on top but most times not. (Although, it does make for a nice picture, eh?)


Ingredients:


4  8-oz center-cut salmon fillets, preferably with the skin removed
olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper


Directions:


Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.


Heat a dry, oven-proof saute pan on the stove over high-heat until it's piping hot. I love my cast iron pan for this. 


Meanwhile, brush all sides of your salmon pieces with olive oil. Don't be skimpy. Then, liberally season the tops with salt and pepper. Again, don't be skimpy.


When your pan is piping hot, place the salmon fillets, seasoning side down, in your pan and let them cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Don't move them. Don't touch them. You want to sear the "tops" of your salmon so they are quite browned and have developed a nice crust. Then, carefully flip your fillets over, trying not to "break" the crust and pop the pan in the oven for 5-7 more minutes or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork but it still moist. Remember that the salmon will continue to cook even when it's out of the oven so better to pull it out a smidge early than too late.


Serve with rice and your favorite steamed veggies and voila...dinner is served. Enjoy.


Yield: 4-5 servings




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Directions for Craziness Compote


Should you be feeling a little extra crazy, like me, here are the directions for the compote I will sometimes put on top of the salmon.


Ingredients:


2 tbsp of olive oil
2 shallot, peeled and chopped
1 c of cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 tsp kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed, stems discarded


Directions:


Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the shallots and the salt and pepper and cook over low heat for 5-6 minutes or until the shallots are beginning to soften. Add your tomatoes and the thyme leaves and cook another 4-5 minutes until softened. Serve warm alongside your salmon.




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Valentine's Menu Ideas
Just in case you like to prepare a little something extra special for Valentine's Day, here are some ideas:


Appetizer: 
Pita Pizzas with Caramelized Onions, Dried Cherries and Gruyere


Main Course: 
Simmering Ragu over spaghetti, Caeser salad, fresh bakery bread


Dessert: 
Rustic Pear Tart
OR 
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Pecans and Dried Cherries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream




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Organizing Project


All right, I'm just going to come out with it. The "toy closet" organizing project isn't, ahem, going too well. It's still in its halfway done stage where I left it back here. I have instead been working on organizing my To Dos in Things. It's heavenly. Doesn't that count for something? 








All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2011

A Modest Little Almond and Cherry Cake

There are days, afternoons, evenings when I simply want all of my chickens and the rooster home...but I want to be left alone. 


No extraneous chicken friends. Just the 5 of us. Here in our coop.


And I don't want to play Candy Land. And I don't want to have Family Movie Night. I don't want to sit around the kitchen table and have a meaningful conversation.


I just want to do "my thing." Alone.


And at this moment, I'm not concerned with the amount of TV they've watched this week or how many video games they've played. Whether or not they've had enough fresh air or eaten enough servings of fruits and vegetables. 


I just want them to be occupied. Quietly. Without needing me.


And, I want to be able to unwrap my new kitchen wall clock. The one I finally decided upon after years...yes, years....of contemplating this purchase. And I want to unwrap it, brush it off and hang it without any "help". Just me and the clock.

And I want to happily enter "To Dos" into my recent discovery. That discovery being Things. A "To Do List Lover's" nirvana. And I want to do this with out any video game sound effects or 30-sec blips of music coming from the computer next to me.


And I want to step out the front door without having to watch for bikes and scooters and take note that while the rest of the country is under a blanket of snow, here, it's beginning to look like spring. I want to notice the green shoots that will grow into daffodils pushing their way up through the ground. I want to breath in the faint perfume in the air. And admire the rhodies with their first blush of pink.

And I want to bake a cake. A simple cake. With cherries and almonds. Not one with a lot of pomp and circumstance. 


(Although, if I were looking for a chocolate cake that was the most incredible tasting cake I had ever tasted and came with plenty of pomp and circumstance...well, then I wouldn't make a cake. I would order one up from talented Mary over at Sweet Ambrosia. And no, she didn't pay me to say that, but I'm sayin' it because it is 100% true.) 


But since I just want a simple cake. One to go with a cup of tea or a piping hot cup of coffee. I'll make it myself. And I want to be left alone. To listen to my music. Over and over again. And get lost in my thoughts as I mix and stir.


But, you see, I want them home. My chickens, that is. And the rooster.


Because.


I don't want to worry.


I want to be left alone, to do "my thing" and I don't want to worry.


I don't want to worry that my littlest guy is running around at recess with his shoes untied, once again. And worrying that today is the day he's going to trip on those laces and scrape up his face.


And I don't want to worry that my middle guy, who is all things speed, is going to come screaming down the driveway on a motorized go-cart and continue down the street where he might possibly slam into a mailbox or worse yet, an on-coming car. Prickles of panic start to wash over me when I envision those possiblities.


And I don't want to worry about how nervous my teenager is or whether she stumbled over her words or somehow embarrassed herself. The teenager who left the house flustered and almost in tears because she had a speech to give that day at school. 


And I especially don't want to worry about the plane the rooster is boarding. Will it make it to its destination? Will there be turbulence? Bad weather? Ice on the wings? Ice on the runway?


No.


I don't want that.


Which is why, I just want them all here. Safe and sound. Sittin' in front of a TV even.


So, I


can just do "my thing", 


alone...and, worry-free.

A Modest Little Almond and Cherry Cake


I have to admit I'm not one to eat a lot of cake. Most days, I'd rather have pie. But for some reason, I got the hankering for a slice of cake. A simple one. No frosting. Not a lot of special preparations or precise measurements. Something to go with a cup of tea. Or a piping hot cup of coffee with plenty of half-and-half. And so I came up with this one. It's hard to beat cherries and almonds together. And the rooster told me I could make this for him anytime he loved it so.


Ingredients:


3/4 cup whole almonds, toasted
1 1/4 c all-pupose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs
1 c sugar
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/3 c milk
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 c chopped, dried cherries
1/2 c sliced almonds, toasted


Directions:


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch cake pan. Or if you're like me and don't own a cake pan, flour and butter a deep pie plate.


Put your whole almonds in a food processor and pulse the machine until the nuts are finely ground. Transfer the nuts to a medium bowl. Add your flour, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine and then, set aside.


In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until the mixture becomes pale and yellow. Add the butter, milk and almond extract. Stir to combine. With a wooden spoon or spatula, stir in the cherries. Then, gently add your dry ingredients. Pour the batter into your prepared cake (or pie) pan. Evenly sprinkle the 1/2 c of sliced almonds over the top. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Then, loosen the edges with a knife. Flip the cake onto a cake stand. Take a few steps back to admire your heavenly creation. Then, slice and serve while still a bit warm. Enjoy.




Yield: One 9-inch cake....




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Calendar Wrap-Up


Thank you, thank you...a million Thank You's....to all of you who purchased La Pomme de Portland calendar(s) in December. All the checks are in, the numbers have been tallied and through your generosity the calendars profited $1500.00...which means I was able to send a check off to the Oregon Food Bank and the Northwest Sarcoma Foundation for $750.00 each. I am humbled. Thank you....




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Super Bowl Menu Ideas


And just in case you have decided to host a Super Bowl Party on Sunday but are still undecided about what to make....


Here's a menu direct off La Pomme de P:


App: Cowboy Caviar with tortilla chips
Main Course: Lighten Up Chili, Greens with Homemade Vinaigrette, a fresh baguette
Dessert: Vanilla Ice Cream and NYT Chocolate Chip Cookies


And if you do seriously consider making the Chocolate Chip cookies, make them today. Right now. Get going. By the time the big game rolls around the ingredients will have had the perfect amount of resting time. Your guests will think they've died and gone to cookie heaven.


And just in case you were hoping for even more Super Bowl inspiration, my friend Lori, over at RecipeGirl, has gone to extreme lengths to round up 101 Best Super Bowl Recipes on the Internet. Go Lori!




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A Quick Little Note


I finally put together a Recipe tab at the top of this here website. A few of you gently mentioned to me that it was challenging to find past recipes here on LPdeP. I hope this helps. Let me know if it does. 


I also added a tab for AM Northwest since a few of you Portlanders have kindly been asking me for the dates of my next appearances. I've now gathered that all in one place as well as videos from my past appearances.




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Organizing Project


So I decided last week that I was rushing things a bit and needed to take a week for mental planning as in....Where will I put the items I haul out of the under-stairs closet? So my revised schedule for organizing goals looks like this:


Jan 24-30: Mentally prepare to pull items out of closet.
Jan 31-Feb 6: Pull half the items out.




...




And Just Because...


I can't get enough of this talented gal's desktop calendars, here's Shanna Murray's latest:

which you can download here.


And which Shanna collaborated on with one of my favorite food and design bloggers, Nikole Herriott at Forty-Sixth and Grace.




....






Whew! That's all for this week! xo












All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2011