FALL-la,la,la,la-la,la,la,laaaaaaa

Happy FALL everyone! I've received mixed feelings on this topic so far. For me, once school starts back up I am in full on fall mode! I begin by purchasing my pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks (yummo!) then I start to gather a game plan for the holidays followed by taking my "winter clothes" out of storage and lastly....DECORATING! This is the first year I have actually decorated my porch for the fall season. I didn't want to spend a lot of money-after all, fall is only here for about two-three months (depending on when you accept its arrival) and then it is full on into Christmas. I set out earlier this week to purchase items that would help me decorate. After spending $39.30 and dividing that by 75 days (amount of time my decorations will actually be on display)the cost to have my decorations is approx. $.52 a day. The best part is...I took money out of my "household" budget for the next two weeks to cover it. I projected what I may need over the next two weeks (laundry detergent, toilet paper, cleaning supplies etc) and because I have started making my own cleaning and beauty supplies I have saved a ton of money and still have a lot of products left here at the house! YAY! I hope you enjoy the pics...you can double click on the images to see them larger. My mums are still in the beginning stages but once they bloom they will be orange and purple-can't wait to see them!!
Happy fall decorating to you :)

Jon's TRIUMPHANT Triathlon!

Copy and paste the link we posted and watch Jonathan compete! (the third event-the 3.1 mile run seems to have a few glitches currently. All of the runners get stuck in one spot-we are hoping the website will fix the issue asap!)

http://www.zumtri.com/race_files/WilliamsburgPatriotsSprint2011/ZumTri.html#r=222&r1=620

You can also check out the results for his division (Novice Men)

http://www.setupevents.com/files/PatriotsSprint_NoviceMen_2011.html

This is a website with his "official" race day photos.

http://www.birdseyeview.net/cgi-local/ImageFolio42/imageFolio.cgi?search=620&cat=Triathlons/20110911_PAS&bool=and





Yesterday, Jon competed in a local triathlon! He did such an amazing job and I am SO PROUD OF HIM! He had to swim 750 meters, bike 12.5 miles, and run 3.1 miles. We all had such a great time cheering him on! I can't wait for the next one :) The pictures show bits and pieces of his triathlon and of course his faithful fans.

Natural living equals Healthy living

Hello blog world! I wanted to let you in on a little project I have been working on. It is called: Operation Natural living equals Healthy living. Jon and I have been researching the uses of harmful chemicals found in everyday products like cleaning supplies, beauty products and more. We have wanted to make some changes but never had the time or money (we thought) to implement the new products into our lives. Well, let me tell you...we are well on our way now! I have learned so much over the past month and I wanted to share with you the all natural products I now use and their effect not only on our health but also our budget. One of the first changes was switching to using water and apple cider vinegar to clean the various surfaces in our house. Although vinegar may not smell the best, the smell doesn't stick around for long but what I have just cleaned is fresh and chemical free! I have tried to use products that can be consumed. If I can't eat it or if it will cause harm if digested then I try to stay away. Now, before I go any further I need to stop and reassure all of you who may think that Jon and I have GONE GREEN and are now all natural enthusiast and won't use anything unless it is from the earth. I can tell you right now, I still like Starbucks and we still do partake in man made foods (Chick-fil-a etc). However, we are making slow changes to improve our health and by doing so we are actually growing our bank account.
Lesson:
The skin is the largest organ of the body. Therefore, you should be just as conscience of what you put on it as you are regarding what you put in it (what you eat!)When you put a product on your skin it eventually gets absorbed into your bloodstream and flows throughout your body-crazy!
As you scroll down you will see the various changes I've made to ensure I am being much more healthy regarding what I stick on my skin each day and take notice of the savings in our grocery bill!

Lavender essential oils

Who would have thought that lavender could do so much! I recently purchased a bottle of lavender essential oils and I have been more than satisfied with the results.
Uses:
1)Air freshener-add water and several drops of lavender oil in a spray bottle and mix. Spray in any room to create a calm and soothing environment. Plus, essential oils are safe to breathe in and can even be edible.
2)Relaxation- apply two to three drops to the back of your neck for a calming feeling that helps you relax after a long day.
3)Blemish control-apply to the face as a blemish control oil. Lavender has elements that dry up unwanted blemishes (YAY!). You can also had a few drops to olive oil to create a lavender smelling lotion.
Applies to budget: Since you can find many companies that sell essential oils, the price may very. The bottle I have cost $20.00 for 15ml. Each time I use it I only need about 2-3 drops. I haven't even begun to use much out of my bottle and I have been experimenting a lot with it over the past week. A typical blemish controller can cost anywhere from $5-$25 depending on the brand. I have tried them ALL! So far I have really grown fond of the lavender oil because it is a natural material and I feel like it is actively working with my skin's natural balance and not trying to get it to do what the chemicals in other products want it to do. I will keep you posted on my progress-this is a HUGE experiment for me since I have been battling with my skin since I hit puberty.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I have fallen in love with using extra virgin olive oil as my lotion both on my face and body. Since it can be consumed (used in cooking) then it is a great way to add moisture to your skin without harmful chemicals entering the bloodstream.
Applies to budget: A typical bottle of lotion will cost around $5.97 and contains about 11oz and a bottle of great value oil costs $4.88 and contains 17oz. I used more of the lotion so I would run out much sooner then when I use the oil because I only need a tiny amount to rub in. PLUS, I also use this on my face and I used to buy a separate face lotion that costs around $6.97. I think it is obvious which buy is better not only for my skin but also my budget!

Baking Soda 101

BAKING SODA:
1)Deodorant-I no longer buy store deodorant. I have found that baking soda when applied under your arms works better and also acts as an exfoliant. It hasn't stained my clothes yet (other store bought products did).
Applies to budget: A typical stick of deodorant at the store would cost around $3.00. A large box of baking soda costs $1.00 and will last about three times longer!
2)Toothpaste-I have been using baking soda to brush my teeth and it acts as a natural whitener and still leaves my teeth feeling clean and fresh.
Applies to budget: A typical tube of toothpaste with cost around $3.00 (with whitener)and as mentioned above a large box of baking soda is $1.00.
3)Carpet freshener-I have created a shaker from an old container of sour cream (punch small holes in the top of the plastic lid). I put baking soda and cinnamon (from the spice cabinet) in together and shake it up. I sprinkle it on my carpet before vacuuming and it makes my carpet smell fresh and gives it a hint of fall warmth.
Applies to budget: A can of carpet fresh costs $1.00 and I usually use it up in two weeks. Again, a large box of baking soda costs $1.00 and I will use that up in about the same amount of time. However, if I run out I know I will have more because I use it for multiple purposes so there is always a back up! Lastly, it is much healthier for the dogs when I sprinkle it around the house.

Here is a website that gives you TONS of ideas for using baking soda :)
http://101waystosave.blogspot.com/2011/02/40-ways-to-use-baking-soda.html

Farmer's Market Shopping 101

Gooseberry Patch Market Math Chart
Good morning! This post is about one of my favorite things to do-shop at the local farmer's market :) I love shopping for produce that is fresh because it adds so much flavor to my recipes with very little effort. I have found the more I buy produce at large chain stores the more it lacks in flavor because it has been sent all over the United States, frozen, thawed, re-frozen and then sprayed with a ton of chemicals to preserve the "look" of a seemingly perfect looking tomato. However, once I cut into that tomato and taste it-the truth becomes evident. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for the distribution of produce to my local chain store (especially when things are not in season at the fresh market) BUT if I am able to pick between the two options when I set out to do my grocery shopping, I think my decision is obvious and my business lies with the local farmer's market. All that to say, as much as I love using fresh ingredients-I sometimes find myself "guessing" at how much to actually use based on the suggested recipe amounts. I've learned a lot while working with fresh herbs instead of herbs you can purchase already preserved in a jar. I found this Market Math sheet online and I LOVE IT! This will help me measure out things and not over buy or even under buy the necessary ingredients. Hope it helps you too!

Growth without change is impossible.

I've titled this posting, "Growth without change is impossible" because it sums up our current situation. Jon and I have plans to move out to Colorado, however there are some things we need to take care of before heading to the mile high city. One of these items is to sell our house. As you may know Jon and I built this house ourselves and have spent the past three years turning it into a home....a home for someone else that is. We have always known in our hearts that we would not be staying in the home long term so our motivation was to create a home that would be a blessing to its new family. I've created a blog for interested buyers to view and have posted it here: www.redhouseforsale.blogspot.com

Feel free to take a look!

A very sweet treat!

YUMMMMY! My last recipe was a very sweet treat. I made cinnamon buns from my cookbook and although they are fairly simple to make, they take a long time to make. When you start with a packet of yeast and turn that into dough and have to let it rise for an hour and then roll it out and mix in the cinnamon and sugar filling and then let that rise for another thirty minutes before putting them in the oven to bake for yet another thirty minutes....it can be a long process before actually eating these great sticky buns. However, I will be the first to admit they are WELL WORTH the wait. I have made these cinnamon buns twice now and the first time I didn't get a chance to take a picture of them before they were devoured so I simply took a picture of the aftermath. The second time I was more prepared with the camera and snapped a shot before they disappeared.

Easter Sunday

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter! As some of you might know I work with the preschool age group at church. On Easter Sunday we had 44 little ones between the ages of 3 and 5 years old :) We had a giant Easter egg hunt and gave out little goodie bags to all the children when they left. We all had such a great time. I was even able to capture some priceless moments of some of the little ones during our lesson where we taught about Jesus and His Resurrection. I am so grateful to be able to sow into the lives of these precious little boys and girls. They will grow up one day to be MIGHTY men and women of God!(To protect the privacy of the children I did not put up pictures that I took from Easter Sunday but I thought the picture of the cross was perfect and said it all!)

Recipes #4 & 5

This week I attempted to make Carrot and Ginger Soup with Curried Creme Fraiche. The Creme Fraiche is simple to make (heavy whipping cream and buttermilk) but you have to let it sit out for 24hrs in a warm place and then place it in the fridge for 24hrs to cool. The end result is a FABULOUS sour cream that puts store bought sour creams to shame. Last night Jon and I used it to dip our quesadillas into and it was a perfect compliment! Tonight I made my Carrot and Ginger soup and it called for a dollop of Creme Fraiche with a little curry powder and a pinch of salt mixed in. Once again it was a great compliment and the soup was really good as well. Jon (who DOES NOT like soup AT ALL said he actually LOVED this one...SWEEET!) For dessert I made pudding (store bought I must admit) however, I did make the whipped cream from scratch and it was ohhhhh sooooo yummmy! The pics do not do the meal justice but I thought I would include them anyway :) Enjoy!

On track with my recipes 1, 2, 3 down...

A short while ago I gave myself a goal of preparing one meal a week from my Biltmore Cookbook in an attempt to expand on my dinner options. I am happy to report I am doing well and have kept up my end of the bargain. So far I have made fresh (from scratch)Blueberry Brioche bread, Country Chicken Soup and Blueberry French Toast. This week I will be tackling Carrot and Ginger Soup with Curried Creme Fraiche. The soup will be one recipe and the Creme Fraiche will be another recipe that actually takes two days to prepare. Once completed the Creme Fraiche (pronounced "Crem Fresh") will be able to be used as sour cream or a sweet dipping sauce for fruits if you add sugar. Stay tuned....

Responsible grandparents

If you remember a few posts ago I talked about my fake fern on my porch and how there were birds making a nest in it. Well, needless to say the eggs have now hatched and there are babies. Jon and I went and bought real ferns for our porch now that the weather is getting warmer. We hadn't realized the eggs had hatched so we carefully peaked at the nest in the fake fern in an attempt to possibly move it so we could place the real fern in its place. All of the sudden we were both taken back by the stares of two fluffy baby birds sitting in the nest. In a single instance Jon and I went from trying to decorate our porch to feeling responsible for the baby birds. We felt like grandparents since we had watched the mama bird build the nest and lay her eggs. Of course NOW we couldn't possibly move the fake fern-what if the mom didn't come back? What kind of grandparents would we be then!?!?! Needless to say, we now have six beautiful real ferns hanging from our porch and one fake one nestled in the bunch. Once the babies leave the nest we will relocate the fake fern and replace it but until then...we are carefully watching our grandbirds and making sure they are happy and healthy fuzz balls.

Nephew..oh how we love you xoxoxoxo

While the boys played with the fence, Erin, Ethan and I went to play at the Bounce House! We had a great time and I think Erin and I could have slept for days after watching Ethan run around for two hours....oh to have that energy! Uncle Jon even got up and made fresh apple juice with our juicer Saturday morning. Ethan loved to watch the apples get crushed! Grandma made a guest appearance twice that weekend (YAY!) and spent some time with Ethan while all the girls watched the guys work on the fence. Good times!

Weekend Warriors!

A couple weekends ago we had our awesome family come from NC to help build our fence. The fence was a big project in preparation for selling our house so we are THRILLED to have it completed now....thank you to everyone who helped out!

Step #1 (find a cute apron) Step #2 (google ingredients)....

First let me start off by saying I'm a nerd and yes I am thinking of taking on a goal that I totally stole from a movie that I watched a couple weeks ago. If any of you have ever seen Julie & Julia then you know where I am coming from. If you haven't seen the movie yet then go rent it I'll wait for you.................................................................................Back yet? All right good! So, I thought the move Julie & Julia was adorable and I especially liked the goal Julie had which was to cook all of the recipes in Julia Child's cookbook in one year. There were over 500 recipes and only 365 days in a year. While I am not as ambitious as Julie is, I am however thinking of doing my own "cooking project" and making a recipe each week from my Biltmore cookbook I received this year for my birthday. Sorry Julie, I am not ready to commit to cooking EVERY night a different recipe but I think I can handle one per week. The reason for this goal of mine is because I actually like to cook-shocking to some of you I know. However, it's true! Jon and I's schedule these past 6 years has left little time for real cooking so I have mastered the art of breakfast for dinner (Thank you Lord for my griddle!), grilled cheese and soup and the dollar menu at various fast food locations. I am not proud of this track record but I am willing to improve on it one recipe at a time. I chose the Biltmore Cookbook because it will be challenging (tons of ingredients I can barely pronounce let alone find in a grocery store) and the recipes all seem to be fancy yet practical. Are you ready? I know I am! Lets get cooking!!!

P.S. I have four projects due in school this week so I will start my cooking project next week ha ha :) I want to set myself up for success!...In case you have already read my "pizza post" I do not think this project will have the same fate and the fact that I want to take on this cooking project has nothing to do with me trying to redeem myself and my frozen pizza epic failure....don't judge me! :-P

frozen pizza...epic failure (UGH)

Each week Jon and I do our grocery shopping for the week and try very hard to never return again during the week (it's amazing how much money you save by only making ONE trip to WalMart). Well, I always try to throw in one "simple" dinner that is quick and easy since Jon has to leave for church early on Wedensday for practice. Last night was our 'simple" dinner night and we had frozen pizza. I wish I could say it went well and it indeed made dinner simple.....however.....that was not the case. I would first like to point blame at the pizza and take no responsiblility for myself. With that being said, the pizza box said to place the pizza on the rack inside of the oven. Not rocket science but still a direction so I chose to follow it. After placing the pizza in the oven and setting the timer I walked away in confidence that dinner would be ready in approx. 24 minutes. After about 10 minutes Jon said he smelled smoke and thought the pizza was burning. Of course I quickly say, "Oh no my love that cant' be....it still has at least 14 minutes left-you're so silly! Just let me cook dinner and you get ready for practice" (what a good wife I am right?!?!) Well, just as I'm saying all this Jon opens the oven door and a HUGE cloud of smoke comes drifting from it and fills my kitchen, which then fills the great room...and the rest of the house (sometimes a very open floor plan is NOT a good idea). You must be thinking, What happened to the pizza??? Apparently, the frozen pizza is juicey and now those juices have leaked onto the bottom of my oven and are creating a big burnt mess! UGH! A note to the pizza people: Please do not instruct me to place the pizza on the rack in the oven if it is only go to OOOZ with juicey pizzaness all over it. Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter. Although there was now smoke filling my house and I had to open all windows in order to let it escape...we stil couldn't eat because the pizza had not finished cooking. Oh frozen people what a web of trouble you have spun for me! At last the timer goes off and I hurry and remove the pizza from the oven only to find it is now a little crispy around the edges-Oh my! So, to recap, last night, our simple dinner turned into a smoke invested, crispy edged frozen pizza that has left me no choice but to deep clean my oven today. Thank you pizza and thank you pizza making people for this simple frozen dinner that has now taken me longer to prepare and clean up after then a three course meal. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

fake plants

Yes, it's true...I use fake plants outside on my porch. I try to mix in a couple real ones as well but the majority are fake. This may come as a surprise to many but if you saw my porch you would understand that even Martha Stewart would have a hard time keeping all of the plants alive! As Jon and I prepare the house to be sold this Spring we are staging it and the porch is a BIG project. I think fake plants are a great idea because they never look bad and you can't tell they are fake until you get right up on them. Fake plants look so real in fact that I currently have a fake fern hanging from my porch and I watched this morning as 4 birds landed and tried to make a nest in it. If my fake plants can fool birds they can fool anyone!

ohhh the details

Good morning all! Today's post is about the details in life. I sometimes wonder if I was going to write a book about my everyday life would I simply say, "Today I woke up and began reading in Matthew about the birth of Jesus." OR, would I say, "Today I woke up to the thumping sound of my Yorkie scratching his neck and the pathetic whining of my beagle reminding me that it was now ten minutes past his normal breakfast time." Would I mention how I woke up in a bad mood but then made a choice to begin the day with a grateful attitude no matter what demands were laid upon me first thing in the morning by my dogs..not kids.. but dogs. Would I mention how I pondered for about ten minutes after reading that King Herod ordered every child two years old and under to be killed in an attempt to find and kill baby Jesus and how the soldiers that carried out that task were probably effected emotionally but had no choice because they were orders from the King...I cannot begin to fathom the details of that situation for everyone who was involved.
All these thoughts made me realize that the details are what makes life eventful and without them we would miss out on a great deal of the story.
I laugh sometimes when someone asks me, How are you today?" The general response is, "fine." What does that mean? Does it mean, I really am "fine" or I'm choosing to be "fine" or I'm just telling you that because I don't want to vomit all the details of my day on you because honestly, do you really want to hear them? I have to actively engage myself in a conversation when talking with someone and asking them, "How are you today?" If they say "fine" then I won't pry but if they chose to tell me the details will I want to listen and genuinely be concerned with the details they are unfolding. I truly want people to share the details (of course there are always boundaries) but I am truly interested in the details of their day and their lives. It's not always an easy task since it is natural to be selfish and only think of me. The Holy Spirit revealed to me that there is a lot to be said in the "details" of life. Each day we can choose to live out the "headlines" of our lives or we can take a moment and really appreciate and find joy in the details. Today I am going to focus on the details and not take them for granted. The details are not always pretty but there is joy to be found in everything and I am determined to not let satan and his ugly details steal my joy...what is intended for bad, the Lord will take and make good :) Thank you Lord for reminding me that you are ALWAYS at work in the details of my life!

Oh did I mention...we were a part of the "first 100!"

In case you are not familiar with the "first 100" at Chick-fil-A let me explain. Each time a brand new Chick-fil-A opens they hold what is called the "first 100" and that means the first 100 people to arrive at Chick-fil-A by 6am the day BEFORE they open will have to remain there (outside) until the following morning at 6am no matter what the weather is like! Well, the new Chick-fil-A opened up near us and Jon and I were out there waiting to earn our right to be apart of the first 100. We had to sleep in a tent and remain outside the ENTIRE TIME and the weather got down into the teens that evening. Needless to say, WE MADE IT! I'm not going to lie and tell you it was an easy task but it was a challenge and I am proud that we overcame the challenge and were victorious! You may be asking yourself, "why in the world would someone want to do that?" Well, simple, if you can last then at 6am the following morning Chick-fil-A employees line you up and walk you thru the building as they cheer you on and hand you a box FULL of 52 combo coupons!!! That's right! If you spread them out you can have Chick-fil-A FREE each week for an entire year! BAM! We do love Chick-fil-A and we love it even more when it's free!

I'm BACK!

HELLLOOO EVERYONE I know it's been a long time since my last post and I'm sure that you've all been sitting there at your computers awaiting the moment when I update everything that has happened in the past few months. I'm just kidding! I like to amuse myself every now and then! Seriously though, I am back and ready to plunge into the blogging world one post at a time. I am officially caught up and ready to move forward! In the meantime, feel free to scan over all the posts from Thanksgiving till now. They will make you laugh, they'll make you cry, they'll make you wish you could block me from your inbox ha ha :) Enjoy!

New business alert!

As most of you may or may not know...I have recently (within the last two months) joined Thirty-One Gifts. Thirty-One is a great company that offers purses, totes, stationary and MORE! The new Spring/Summer catalog just came out and it is packed FULL of fun patterns. I recently had my "Kick Off" party at the end of February at a local cafe' in my town. It was a huge success and I want to personally thank everyone who came out to support me :) I know the Lord has BIG plans for this business which is founded on Proverbs 31 and focuses on celebrating, encouraging and rewarding virtuous women everywhere. Feel free to visit my website: mythirtyone.com/amandabowman to learn more about the Thirty-One experience. Happy shopping :)

Tea time ChApS

What does every mature woman want for their 27th birthday? A TEA PARTY OF COURSE! At least, that is what I wanted this year :) I wanted to get together with my friends wearing big obnoxious hats and eat dainty little finger foods while sipping on tea. I asked to "borrow" the Bowman B&B for this occasion and not only did my mother-in-law say "yes" but she and grandma wanted to throw the tea party themselves as a birthday gift to me-woohoo! They did such a wonderful job making it look and feel like an authentic tea room. The decorations were perfect, the food was fabulous and the atmosphere was like something out of a Victorian Tea Station right down to the soft playing music in the background. Thank you ladies for going to all the trouble of giving this big girl, a little girl's wish of having her very own tea party. By the way, everyone looked Fabulous!

Happy Anniversary my love of SIX years!

Jon and I celebrated 6 years of being married this year in January. We had a wonderful meal to celebrate the occassion with his side of the family. After the meal my mother-in-law made us both our own separate desserts (you know we couldn't like the same one and make things simple!) As we began to dig into our desserts our eyes met and it was love-at-first-sight all over again. We lovingly wrapped our arms around(like we did on our wedding day) and fed each other....it was a romantic moment when time stood still....YEAH RIGHT! The real story is we both got our desserts and didn't want to share with anyone and then my mother-in-law asked us to take a nice romantic picture at which point we goofed off and acted like we were two kids getting in trouble with mom standing there watching! It was great! Jon did offer to take me to dinner but offered the cash to me if I didn't want to go...is it wrong that I took the money and made dinner at home? :)
Thanks for keeping me young at heart my love! We are a perfect match!

Happy Anniversary Ma and Pa!

This year was my in-laws 35th Wedding Anniversary! As a family (the kids) decided to put together a surprise "family party". Together with grandma we planned well in advance for the event. Each one of the kids sent grandma a piece of fabric (clothing, blanket etc) that meant something special to us and she quilted them all together along with pictures of the past 35 years. The memory quilt turned out amazing and was such a blessing. We also put together a scrapbook full of stories and information about why we chose the fabric on the quilt to represent us. All of the girls made a special lunch for the family (this made my mother-in-law happy because she didn't have to cook)and then we all went to the Melting Pot for dessert. It was a GREAT day and one that will be memorable to all who were a part of it.