Another Visit

My other 2/3's is visiting this weekend [its been a month of visits]...

These are my two lovely little sisters. Kendal is the baby [front right with the big curly hair] and Kinley is squeezed in the middle [back left]. They are both visiting this weekend...though Kendal just moved up here for school in August so really she's just visiting the little studio.

Flagstaff better watch out with us three on the loose....and yes my whole family has names that start with K...for 3 generations no repeats...its a Brownsberger thing. I'll tell you why we're all together this weekend and what sort of shinanagans we were up to tomorrow.

Cheers.

10 Things [from this Week]

10 Things That Happened This Week:

1. Finished my second full week of school.
2. Flagstaff switched to fall mode. Colorful trees and crisp air!
3. Wore boots for the first time to welcome the fall season.
4. Drank a lot of lattes out of my new mug I painted. Isn't the bike awesome...yeah I freehanded it nbd.
5. Listen to the new Mumford & Son's and The Avett Brother's albums that came out this week. On repeat. Both Spotify. Do it. They are awesome.
6. Got a flu shot and had a weird reaction...seriously felt like something suckerpunched my immune system for 12 hrs then I was miraculously fine.
7. Watched 1/2 of the first season of Heroes on Netflix [I know, we're WAAAAY behind that trend oh well. Hiro - you know the asian space/time bender- is my favorite. Hiro the Hero!]
8. Discovered that N might need glasses. And on our way to said eye appointment....
9. ...we ended up getting a KITTEN! [way to go humane society for conveniently having an adoption fair in front of our apartment complex right as we were leaving]
10. Because of #9 we've begun to kitty-proofed our little apartment. [Suggestions anyone? We've never had a cat before]

More on the kitten on Monday when we pick her up from the vet. She is grey, white, and cuddly. We're taking a vote on a name for her, Lilu or Slippers....Ready VOTE!

Cheers. 

Music Mondays: Givers

Goodmorning!

Don't you love it when you find a second awesome song by a band that you randomly stumbled upon from a free playlist? This is one of them. Up Up Up is another good one. Enjoy your Monday!

Cheers.

A Post on Friendship

This weekend, two of my best friends are coming up to visit! 

There are 4 of us that have been together since high school and have been through thick and thin with each other...trips, mental breakdowns, breakups, weddings [and bachlorette parties], nursing school, babies, moving...the list goes on and I hope it always will. 1 is an amazing nurse, 1 is a fantastic mamma to a sweet boy [and soon a baby girl. tutu's galore!], 1 is working towards being a nutritionist, 3 of us are married to men who are/will be in the military, 2 of us married our high school sweethearts....We now are scattered across the country but try to get together whenever possible, or at least talk frequently, though often blog and facebook updates become the fallback. Despite not seeing each other and talking as often as we would like, our friendship remains an important part of our lives. 

[Us on our Sr. trip to Disneyland back in High School. (left to right) Brittany, Kat, Courtney, Me. Aren't we adorable?]

I got to see Kat a few weeks ago as she was passing through with her hubby on their move to CA. This weekend Brittany and Courtney are coming up for a quick visit since Brittany is in town from the East Coast [the baby boy is with Grandma and Grandpa this weekend so we can have some girl time, sorry hubs you're suck with us...]. 

Yesterday, I came across this article Cultivating a Circle of Friends that are Like Family. I am so blessed to have these three lovelies in my life, but because we aren't always geographically close, we each have struggled with loneliness. This article is a good reminder of the importance of creating community around us. With each of us in different cities and states, we all need this encouragement. It has been mine and N's goal to practice this as we live here in Flag; to build relationships and a community around us despite only being here a short time. It is our hope and prayer that this becomes our lifestyle, to create community wherever we are for however long God has us there. It's not easy, but it is important...

Cheers [to friends that are family].

p.s. Kat and Brittany blog too. You can find Kat at Living Life Coast to Coast and Brittany at A Shatzy Family. Also, check out Brittany's Etsy shop ComfortCollections! You'll find some super cute [and customizable] stuff over there!

Music Mondays: School Theme

Sorry I didn't post this morning for you to listen to as you get ready (and dance in your underwear to). It was a busy morning with it being my FIRST DAY OF (working at) SCHOOL! So here you go... a little old "school" this afternoon in honor of my first day:

And if you are wondering... it was a GREAT-as-in-Tony-the-Tiger- GRRREAT! I can't wait for tomorrow :)

Cheers.

Thoughts on Freedom

Today is a day that I often don't know what to do with. I was not directly affected by 9/11 but I (am and) will be directly affected by our country's response to it as many of my best friends are married to men who are in the military and my husband will be returning soon. I remember 9/11 as a dream. I was in middle school and it was a school that many of the military kids went to. They all didn't come to school that day because the base was closed. I woke up that morning to the sound of the TV on which was odd because I was always the first one up.  I came downstairs to watch just as the second tower was hit.

America's verbal response to 9/11 has been a reflection on the word "Freedom". The war (or at least one of them) we are fighting is called "Operation Iraqi Freedom", the new tower is "Freedom Tower", throughout the last 11 years the speeches on this day have the theme of "Freedom". I am thankful for the freedoms that I have living in this country, despite the fact that I don't always agree with how our government does things. I married the man of my choosing, I can write my thoughts and publish them on this blog, I have a college education and have the opportunity to do the work I want to do, I can travel, I don't live in fear or wake up to the sound of bombs, I can openly worship my God and share my faith! BUT as I think of the freedoms that I have living in America, I cannot help but think of the FREEDOM I have being a citizen of Heaven!

The freedom that I have because of Christ's death on the cross for me.

I am FREE from sin. He has covered me in his pure righteousness. I am FREE from self-centered/hatred. He has healed me from an eating disorder. I am FREE from depression and anxiety. Another place he has healed me. I am FREE from death. He is preparing a place for me in his house. I am FREE from darkness. He has put his light in me. I am FREE to dance, sing, praise, smile, laugh, rest in his presence! Not only am I FREE in Him, He has given His Holy Spirit to empower me to continue His work, He has placed me as an ambassador of the Kingdom, He calls me His child...which is a position of royalty! How beautiful is that???

So today as our country reflects on "freedom", I will also be singing a song of praise for the FREEDOM I have in Christ!

"But each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to the God who gives me LIFE!" Psalm 42:8

Cheers. 

Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce

Here I said that I probably wouldn't post much this week, but I keep finding time. [Which means when I'm not as busy as I am right now, I need to remember to post more often. I have 3-4 recipes I am super excited to share with you but I haven't out of pure laziness. Sorry.]

Those recipes will be posted eventually, but this one was too good not to share today! 

If you didn't know already, it's Hatch Chile SEASON!!! It only comes for about a month at the end of summer in the Southwest because these chiles are only grown in Hatch, New Mexico. I picked up a 1/4 box of roasted ones the other day from this awesome local store called Farmer's Market [it really is a store, Flag has an actual farmer's market on Sundays which I sadly don't go to very often because of church]. 

I had a free hour today so I chopped about 2/3 of them up to freeze for meals in winter, then with the rest I made this Green Chile Enchilada Sauce [to freeze and to use this week]. 

I figured out the recipe by searching through a bunch of stuff I found online and by looking at the back of the jar of store-bought sauce in my cupboard. I stuck with the common ingredients in them and added a few of my own. 

Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce

Yields: about 3 cups

10-15 Roasted Hatch Chiles

2/3 of an Onion

2 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Salt

1 Tbl Olive Oil

2 Tbl Water

1/4 tsp Red Chile Flakes (optional)

Roast the Chiles if you bought them fresh, then remove the stems and most of the seeds. [I used mild chiles but if you get the hotter ones, then the more seeds you leave in the spicier it will be.] Chop the onion into big chunks and roast with a little oil until soft. Add the chiles, onion, garlic, salt, and red chile flakes to a food processor or blender. As it blends add olive oil and water. You may need more or less water depending on how "juicy" your peppers are. Blend until smooth [it takes a while] and add more salt or garlic to taste as you go. 

Can be used immediately or frozen or canned to store it for later. 

I chose to freeze mine in plastic wrap in a muffin tin for 1/3cup servings. 

I had a little extra that didn't fit in the tin so I made Huevos Rancheros and poured the sauce over the top of the fried egg. YUMMM!!! [the picture did not make it look appetizing so you'll have to take my word that it was D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!]

Cheers.

Music Mondays: Asian Pop Flash Mob?

Warning: this song is ridiculous. It has also been on in our house [causing massive giggle fests] all weekend.



Hope this makes Monday a little better because everyone needs a little weird Asian pop music in their life. I'm thinking we all learn the dance and do it flash mob style!!!

Cheers.

5 Fall-ish-ness Links

Though I expressed excitement about the change of life season that's going on right now... I'm not as excited about saying good-bye to summer just yet. I know I signed off saying I was going to drink a pumpkin latte but that was fleeting moment of delusion. As soon as I got up to make pumpkin spice syrup, I had a mini panic that summer just escaped behind the leaves without saying goodbye! I looked outside and saw the yellow flowers and blue sky and breathed a sigh of relief, sweet summer hasn't left me just yet...So I started making a summer veggie pizza just to be sure.

Don't get me wrong, I love fall and all the goodness it brings but it also brings snow and when I'm still dreaming about last summer adventures is not jiving with me. I'm not done eating summer food or wearing my white jeans and flowy dresses or for my tan to be gone!

To get myself (and you) a little more excited about fall, here are 5 Fall-ish-ness links I'm loving right now: 

1. When it's pumpkin decorating time I am excited to do this. Though I may use fake pumpkins so I can keep them because they are so pretty.

2. Doesn't this meringue-pumpkin-pie look good? 

3. And these caramels?

4. SWEATERS & BOOTS 

5. I can't get this recipe out of my head. Pumpkin-Whisky-SaltedCaramel-Coffee-IceCream all in one dish? Hell Yeah!

Ok a little caramel and sweater inspiration helped a little. It seems most of the bloggers who I follow are in the same mode I am in. Can we all just meet up some place warm and drink a marg or some sangria to forget summer is closing it's doors???

Soon I'll be ready and happily baking (and sharing) all things pumpkin, but I may escape to PHX next weekend for one last summer hurrah [shhh don't tell Fall I'm cheating him a weekend].

Cheers.

A Change in Leaves [&Life]

Cooler nights, more golden light, leaves not as bright, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, fall wreaths, school starting... yep a new season is around the corner... AND... after this week filled with interviews, training, and long hours, another kind of new season is around the corner! In 9 days I will be starting a new job!!

Tuesday morning I had an interview for a position in a special ed classroom and I AM SOOOOO EXCITED!!! I start the week after next! My first "real" job. It has benefits, uses my degree and my experiences, has set hours! [imagine that? set hours?!?] 

Back to school means new supplies and art projects. I found this one the other day and thought that it was just too fun (and cute) not to share...

[project found here]

Don't you just love the button one? The seeds are cool too. I want to make one for my house! 

Now I'm going to go get myself a Pumpkin Spice Latte and keep smiling at my countdown until I get to go "back to school". 

Cheers!

p.s. I may not be posting as regularly in the next few weeks as I transition but I promise that I will be back with more thoughts and adventures soon.