IKEAish

I love IKEA! In my "pre-mama life" I worked there as a designer. It was FUN! Since then, I just can't seem to shake IKEA out of my life. We live within a couple hours drive of the nearest IKEA store. So my visits are few and far between nowadays. When we do go, it becomes a fun time for the whole family. The kids have fun browsing the themed rooms, pretending they are real homes, and they can be their real bedrooms! The store is very inviting and captivating for the youngest to the oldest in the bunch.

The three white frames above where purchased at IKEA. They were empty shadow boxes that I belive were around $4 each. I saw them and knew just what I would put in them!

In our front room this storage unit holds some books and trinkets. It it really a great piece and we love it.

Our front room is also where our home office/crafting room/kids homework room is. The tall drawer unit on the left I bought WAAAY back when I was still working at IKEA. I bought it cheap-cheap in "as-is."The wood and metal shelf is IKEA, as are the micro-mini wooden drawers. They are great for holding all sorts of office needs and kids craft supplies.

So, there you have it. A little peek at my IKEAish home. Do you have a favorite IKEA piece?

coincidence?

A coincidence is a small miracle in which God chooses to remain anonymous ~ unknown

Have you ever had one of those days? When random things happen that you just can't find an explanation for. Today, I had one of those days. Early this morning I phoned a friend to ask a favor. Actually, it was a favor that my husband needed her husband to do. No one was home, so I left a message. I went about my day running errands. I was headed into the post office and who should I run into?! Well, it was "the husband" that we needed the favor from! Coincidence??

Things like that seem to happen to me quite frequently. Chances are they probably happen to you as well. Whether it be you are thinking of someone and "suddenly" you run into them somewhere. Or, being at the right place at exactly the right time! It is almost like the pieces to life's puzzle fall into place exactly when needed. It is a special thing when this happens!

There are no coincidences with God!

the ART show

Art is not a thing; it is a way. ~Elbert Hubbard

My daughter recently had one of her school art projects represented in an art show here in town. Needless to say, we were very excited! Every year the Box Factory for the arts holds this art show. All schools in the county are represented. It was so fun to see my daughters work, along with all the other many talented youngsters works!

FIND this book!

I found this book at a rummage sale a couple of years back and it is truly one of my favorite all-time books! The book is by H. Jackson Brown, Jr. and it is called Highlighted in Yellow, A Short Course in Living Wisely and Choosing Well.

Remarking on his books, Jackson has said, "Most of us know what we need to do to make our lives more fulfilled and useful, but sometimes we forget. My little books are gentle reminders of those simple things which, if done well and in a spirit of love, can significantly change our lives."

I really believe that EVERYBODY needs one of these books!

TWO thumbs up for Ellie

I had a rare moment this morning to channel surf. I landed on the Food Network to a show I have not seen before, Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger. What I liked about it was how the host, Ellie Krieger, explained all the health benefits of the ingredients she was using in her recipes. Later I found out that this is probably due to the fact that she is a registered dietitian!

One of today's recipes that I would like to try is the:

Radiance Fruit Salad

Salad:

-1/3 cup cantaloupe, cut into 3/4" chunks, about 2 cups

-1 (16oz.) container of strawberries, about 3 cups

-5 medium kiwi's, peeled and cut into 3/4" chunks, about 21/2 cups

Dressing:

-3 tablespoons honey

-3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

-1 teaspoon fresh lime zest

-3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves

Place all of the fruit into a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the honey, lime juice, zest, and mint. Right before serving, pour the dressing over the fruit and toss gently to combine.

Per Serving: Calories 120, Total Fat 0.5g (Sat 0g, Mono 0g, Poly 0g); Protein 2g; Carb 29g; Fiber 4g; Sodium 10mg; Cholesterol 0mg

Excellent Source of: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K

Ellie also has a web page you may like: elliekrieger.com