Cinnamon Salt Dough Hearts

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and while I'm not a fan of the commercialized holiday, I am a fan of making people feel loved.  So I'm all ablaze with arts and crafts time over here... like a little red elf in the studio making surprises for a few of my favorite people.  This happens to be just one of my recent projects.

Cinnamon Salt Dough Hearts!

You've heard of Salt Dough Ornaments around Christmastime (I think they might have made my 2010 365 Challenge)... this is a sweet twist on that old standby.  The biggest plus is they smell AH-MAZING when baking.  The entire kitchen smells so yummy that I had people walking in asking when they cookies would be ready. :)

Check out the below link for the DIY steps later this week.  Such a fun project for the kids!

https://www.facebook.com/rhythmsofgracegallery

~ Christina

Vegan Jambalaya

I hate to admit this... but I've never made a Jambalaya from scratch.  I know... my PawPaw would shake his head if heard that.  Especially if he knew all my past jambalayas were from basically the Zatarains box.  The shame!  

But now that I'm vegan.... boxes and processed mixes are no longer 1.) available and/or 2.) health choices I make (even if they were available).  

It's Mardi Gras season here in Louisiana and that means it's time for Jambalaya.... so I've scoured the internet for the best vegan versions (why re-create the wheel?!) and made my own take on this popular dish.

Once complete, it was super yummy (though slightly on the salty side).  Next time I'll reduce the amount of seasoning simply because the faux sausage had enough sodium in it to add flavor.  But overall I was pleased with it.  Slowly but surely I'm veganizing my cajun favorites! :)

~ Christina

Metro Life Church

It's been over two months and finding a local church has been weighing heavy on my heart.  My grandmother is Catholic, and while I never mind attending mass with her out of support, I just don't get anything from the pomp and circumstance that the church has become.  

I want to find a small enough nondenominational church where I feel its intimacy but am not overwhelmed by it. I want to be able to connect, make friends, learn, grow and contribute.  

I want a place to "fit."

After doing some research, I found Metro Life Church.  It happens to be on my daily route to the gym, so I have passed it a dozen plus times without realizing it.  Last week I made a point to spot it.  To see where it was located so I could return this weekend.

And of course I was running late.  Which is actually not like me at all.  If I'm on time, I feel ten minutes late.  Today I WAS ten minutes late. I almost didn't go.  That's how anal I am about being on time.  I'd rather just not show up somewhere than walk in ten minutes late.  But something forced me to turn in.  To walk in.  To join in the service.

I liked it.  Different than what I'm used to (which of course is two very large non-denominational churches in Orlando, FL).  Very intimate and small.  I have a feeling EVERYONE knows everyone.  The majority of the attendees where young.  Everyone was friendly.  The message was good, though parts made me frown.  No where is perfect, I know that.  Maybe I'll check out a few more options before deciding.  But at least I checked it out.  At least I took that first step! :) ~ Christina

The Bible

Should you read the Bible? You probably haven't. A century ago, most well-educated Americans knew the Bible deeply. Today, biblical illiteracy is practically universal among nonreligious people. A couple of years ago, I questioned family, friends and co-workers,  quickly learning that most had not done much more than skim Genesis and Exodus. Even my small group at church weighed in 80/20.  80% had never read the Bible in it’s entirety; 20% had. So even among the faithful, Bible reading is erratic. The Catholic Church, for example, includes only a teeny fraction of the Old Testament in its official readings. Jews study the first five books of the Bible pretty well but shortchange the rest of it. Of the major Jewish and Christian groups, only evangelical Protestants read the whole Bible obsessively. 

When I did my original 365 Challenge, I read the book of John for the first time from start to finish.  I studied it. I read then journaled.  Then I went on to Mark, then Matthew.  I wanted to read the entire Bible.  God's Word is alive! The more you expose yourself to it, the more it will expose itself to you.  I believe that.  I also believe that to know God better you must spend time hearing what He has to say. The Bible is His message to you. If you want Him to listen to what you have to say, you should also listen to what He has to say.  And I did listen. 

Each day.  A little at a time I read and studied and wrote.  And almost three years later, I did it.  I’ve finished reading/studying the entire Bible.  Of course this just means I now want to spend more time re-reading… re-studying parts of it.  Continuing to commit key verses to memory.  Continuing in my spiritual journey.  ~ Christina

Kumquat -The WHOLE Thing

I only tried this for the sake of "trying something new," as it would otherwise interest me very little. My grandmother was telling me about how she learned that you can eat an entire kumquat, peeling and all!

"It's not too bad," she said, "plus it beats trying to peel the tiny things."

Ok, why not?

I'm sure there is a benefit of fiber in the peeling, but I'd rather stick with peeled oranges or tangerines. Not a fan of the bitter taste. No bueno. - Christina

Adult Sized Fun

While technically this isn't a first, I'm counting it for the sake of this blog. An old friend called inviting me to a little bonfire. It's what we used to do in high school and college.... Stay up drinking under the star in front of bonfire. What fun to do it again 20 years later at the same spot (minus hundreds of loud underaged kids. We all had a fabulous evening. Below is a snapshot of some of our fun.

Lake Martin

It's such a beautiful day that on our drive back, Denver and I decided to experience something new outdoors. So we took little detour to Lake Martin. What a beautiful oasis of nature. Apparently it's THE spot to see gators. The wildlife out there is incredible plus I saw kayaks for rent!! Score! Looks like I will be back! - Christina

Carnival Cruise: Elation

While I HAVE cruised with Carnival before, I have never been on their ship the Elation.  Each ship is uniquely different, though they do have many many things the same.  We had a wonderful time on our cruise! I also had a "first" by going to Progresso (Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico).  Here's a shot of Emily and I about to reboard the ship in Progresso.  Only downside is Carnival is NOT vegan or veg-friend (unless you are a vegetarian that eats dairy and eggs).  But it wasn't about the food... it was about the company and that was fabulous! ~ Christina

Lemon Face Mask

Natural lemon juice contains many properties which play a vital role in the battle against acne. Most notable of these properties are the Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) which are so effective against acne that they can be found in any acne treatment cream worth mentioning. These acids actively kill the bacteria which cause acne breakouts. Killing this bacteria not only treats existing spots, but regular application of the juice containing them acts to prevent more breakouts from occurring.

In addition to this, lemon juice contains vitamin C and potassium which are both essential for a good immune system and healthy skin. 

My face doesn't really break out, but after being on a cruise and eating a diet that consisted of watered down salads, french friends, chips and salsa (and booze)... I needed to do a little makeover.  I could see my diet all over my face and it wasn't pretty.  Since I'm much more comfortable with the holistic approach, I decided to give lemons a try on my skin.  Applying lemon juice directly to the skin is an excellent way to cleanse the skin of existing bacteria, reducing the effects of the acne. The citric acid present in the juice kill the bacteria and cleans the pores preventing clogs which will cause more acne breakouts.

The topical treatment I did: 

▪   Cleanse the skin thoroughly and allow to dry naturally

▪   Squeeze the juice of a lemon into a container

▪   Soak some cotton wool in the juice

▪   Apply all over the face

▪   Leave overnight

▪   Cleanse the face as normal in the morning

▪   Moisturize with a non-oil based moisturizer 

Results?  After one day I my face looked different.  Smoother, softer.  I was a little surprised. After a few days, it was perfect.  I was definitely a little lighter that my cruise tan, but lemons will do that to you.  And who cares anyway?!  A natural treatment for acne or any imperfections on my face... I will take it! :) ~ Christina

Lake Mead State Park

Dad and I drove through the Lake Mead National Recreation Area last fall during our trip to Nevada.  I'm much delayed in posting this and the photos... but none-the-less.  Here they are! I half expected to see Wiley Coyote and the Roadrunner out there. :) ~ Christina

Lake Mead (formed after Hoover Dam)

Pretty much the view from anywhere in the park

My dad would take these turns doing 60 mph... I was grasping the "oh shit" handles hard!