because "i like you" so much

21 years ago i got one of the sweetest presents.

it was for no big reason at all except that it was monday.

that...and i had a premium first class magnificent friend who liked me!

those are some of the best friends to have.

the ones who celebrate the ordinary.

the ones you share your good ideas with.

and they think you are the smartest person that was ever born.

everyone needs a friend that likes them.

a friend that makes everything nicer when they are around.

a friend that throws confetti their way just because it.s monday.

and today just so happens to be monday!

so...happy monday friends!

what can you do to make someone else.s 

monday a bit nicer today?

cul*ti*vate happier mondays and good friends too

-oh, and to my very bestest monday friend...miss allison...I LIKE YOU!-

a holiday challenge....

do you ever just have a great desire to make the most of the holiday season?

i do this every year.  i fret about the commercialism that surrounds us.

i worry that my children will grow up thinking this time of year is about receiving.  and not giving.  i strategize about how i can teach them to serve.

  to give.   sub for santa.s.   angel trees.  feeding the hungry.  

making scarves and blankets for the homeless.

we.ve done all these things.  and all these things are good.

but i want something that will last throughout the season.

something simple that they can do each day to give to others.

my friends at brave girls club have a perfect answer for me.

if you are looking for a holiday challenge you may want to give this a try.



if you don.t have time to watch the whole thing you can read about it here!!!

think what could happen if everyone in the world took a moment of their time to spread words of kindness....WOW!!!!

cul*ti*vate words of kindness

5 kernels of corn...

it was 1623 and the pilgrims were literally starving.

governor bradford had rationed out what little food was left.

5 kernels of corn.

that was what our early settlers had to live on each day.

5 tiny kernels

 and yet....they bowed their heads in thanksgiving to their God

for all of their wonderful blessings.  i am always humbled

 each year as i remember this story of those pilgrims and their hardships.

 my 8th great grandmother, mary perkins was one of those pilgrims.

 each year as my family comes to the table, 

laden with food enough to feed a colony,

they find 5 kernels of corn resting upon their plate.

5 kernels to remind them of how blessed we are as a family.
it is always a sober reminder and one which sticks in my mind as i lay my kernels aside and begin to load my plate with bounty.  i hope it is one that will find it.s place into the hearts of my children and in years to come as they set their tables of harvest in their own homes, i hope the first thing "their" children see on their thanksgiving plates will be
5 kernels of corn.


have a very blessed thanksgiving!
i am so thankful for all of you!
love,
chrissy


cultivate an attitude of gratitude

love dough...

 let love rise

then share it with others

cul*ti*vate love {and creative baking}

everybody wants to be loved...and fed!

remember learning about pavlov.s dog?  

how he would call his dogs to eat by ringing a bell? 

 it was classical conditioning.

  {no, i didn.t know that name just off the top of my head, 

i actually had to google it}

anyway.  every time pavlov would ring the bell, the dogs would salivate.

well, call me pavlov.s dog.  why?  you ask?

you may have read my post HERE on the amazing food we were spoiled with at brave girls camp.  well those clever ladies came up with a beautiful idea to let everyone in the house know that food was ready to be enjoyed.  instead of hollering or ringing an old cow bell, they played the most catchy, make ya wanna dance, can.t help but smile and sing along song i.ve ever heard.  wherever we were, whatever we were doing at camp, when this song came on a pavlovian effect took place in every brave girl.s taste buds.  it was the most heavenly sound i heard at camp  {next to the sound of us all singing together...that was downright goosebumpy too}

i came to love this song, not only because it meant i was about to eat the most delicious comfort food my body has ever ingested, but also because the words of this song really rang true to my heart.

"everybody heals with love."

enough said.

apparently i sing this song a lot because i hear it being hummed down the hall by one of my little ones or blasted in my teenagers bedroom.
i even found it on the doodles of my 11 yr. old.s homework last week.

i do have to say that since returning from brave girls camp, i have an darn awful evil hunger that comes over me every time i hear ingrid.s voice.  i wonder if pavlov.s dogs ever wished he never rang that very first bell?
 nah!  probably not!!!!


have the best day and cultivate letting the love love love begin!

so sweet....

i am grateful today for fresh berries over plain greek yogurt 

sweetened with a touch of stevia.

yum!

anyone else out there use stevia?

if so, do you have any good recipes?

happy wednesday!

old. new. borrowed. blue.

hi friends...i am finally back from utah.

{the game was ugly!!!  my team got creamed.}

watching snow fall after an incredibly hot summer in arizona 

was invitingly refreshing however.

the sweet and talented martina at m's art impressions
challenged me to do a post about...
something old.  something new.
something borrowed.  something blue.

something old.  
limestone grave markers dating back to the early 1800's
in an old cemetery outside of boston, mass.  
i am always yearning to know the history of these people.
i.m nosey i guess.

something new.
2 new pieces i am working on.
{i know.  i know.  i "never" share my work with you guys!}

oh and this is a new sampler from rebecca ringquist at drop cloth.
{new for me, she just came out with a "new" for her, sampler}
i am way into embroidery right now.
i got turned on to her by an artist i love...pam garrison
{who, by the way, has thee most wonderful big crazy summer journal quilt,
that you just have to check out.}

something borrowed.

this most wonderful recipe for "soul sweet taters"

i am always looking for a way to get my family to love sweet potatoes

and thanksgiving is just around the corner right?

you and i both, can learn how to make these here.

from the wonderful pioneer woman.

something blue.
my vintage western flyer bicycle which i adore.
my most favorite blue thing in the world, next to my 9 yr. olds blue eyes.


this was a fun challenge...if you want to play along please let me know,
so i can check out what you came up with.
happiest of weekends.

cul*ti*vate a challenge

after the game...

it.s the weekend....again.

they keep coming faster and faster it seems.

how do you spend your weekends?  

do you race around all over town getting things done
that you didn.t get to during the week?
or do you be nice to yourself and retreat in for some rest?

take some time to renew your spirit this weekend.

{personally i am going to a football game with my dad.
whooo hooooo!    go utes! 
then i.ll take a nap.}



cul*ti*vate rest for yourself

to soothe, console or reassure...

lately i have been the beneficiary of comfort in it.s many forms

*  unending love and concern from a dear friend.

*  hearing the calm rhythm in the voice of a soul sister for the very first time.

*  text messages out of the blue just to say "i love you"

*  a hug around the waist with the exclamation...

"mom...you are the best mom in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD."

*  caramel popcorn....still warm.

*  a whole pint of haagen daz amaretto almond crunch ice cream

(yep...the WHOLE thing.)  eaten with a fork.

*  sweet reassurance that my children are on the right path.

*  answered prayers for loved ones in need.

what brings you comfort at this time in your life?

what comfort do you give?

cultivate your gifts of comfort