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

back to regular programming...

i for the life of me can.t figure out where i found this.

if it.s yours....you rock.

happy scaries this weekend my little cul*ti*vators

A BRAVE GIRL SPEAKS...

hi.  i just wanted to thank you so much for being patient as i have s l o w l y processed my thoughts about brave girls camp.  

there was just way too much wonderfulness to pack it all into one post.  

plus, i know some of you secretly like to "pretend" you were there 

and the more details, the better the fantasy right?

one of the funny things about the blogging world is that usually we don.t get to see and hear "in person", the friends we.ve made out there.

...but today i am being brave. that.s right.  i.m a brave girl after all. 

below is my personal testimony of the magic of brave girls camp.

it.s the raw nuts and bolts of my heart and the love i have for the dream that melody and kathy have turned into a reality.

(is that what you thought i would sound like? why do you always sound dorkier than you think you do)

i meant it when i said i wished i could send 

all the women i love to brave girls camp.  but i unfortunately i can.t.

to see about sending yourself however...click here

because the word is spreading, the 2011 camps are almost all sold out.

BUT, don.t get discouraged beautiful girl...if you want to get your feel of bravery without a waiting list, this is your lucky day.  soul restoration is an online course that will be beginning january 11th.  i highly recommend you click here to read all about it.  you will love melody. love love love her!

and the last gift i want to share with you is this...

go here and sign up to receive the best little love notes ever.  full of truths about yourself that might have gotten lost while your house was dirty.

BRAVE GIRLS CAMP...part four or boots edition

let me just say from the beginning that i am a lover of boots.  all boots.

especially cowboy boots.  after my precious time in mc.call idaho,

i will never put on a pair of boots with the same perspective

 they grew

and grew

and grew

just like our friendships and our truths. 

from now on, when i slip on a pair of boots, i will always be 

"putting on my brave girl boots"

"the girl with the boots does not 

mind where she places her foot"

-me-

cul*ti*vate yourself some "brave girls boots"