Quinoa Salad Jars {In My Kitchen}

This is another Pinterest inspired post :)

I am always searching for new ways to prepare quinoa

I also needed to prep some lunches for myself for the week and knew these were the perfect idea

The first is the Fiesta Quinoa Salad (recipe HERE)

Each of these start with a dressing for the bottom layer, add your quinoa, stir and then add all the other ingredients in layers...super simple!

A little secret about me is that when I make up my mind to make something, I will make it whether I have the specific listed ingredients or not, I will substitute what I have!

So, for this one I was out of tomatoes..so for color I added carrots and edamame :)

 

This is the Mediterranean Quinoa Salad (recipe HERE) 

In this one my substituted ingredients were edamame, artichokes, feta cheese and dried cranberries!

The larger jar versions of these also included spinach, arugula or lettuce, plus there was an asian salad that sounded really good too!

What's up buttercup??

this guy headed back to school 

and moved into a "new" place

he LOVES it!

this guy got a job @ wild waves

and is playing football his senior year

he's busy!

and this girl...

cut 3 inches off her hair

for a sassy second grade look!

and since we were both sporting our colored jeans...she insisted on my pic too!

and this guy will never let me take his picture

and is enjoying his last week of staying up WAY too late!

Do You Ever....

make a seed bowl??

SO delicious and VERY nutritious!

here's how I made mine

1c non-fat greek yogurt

1 tbl chia seeds

1 tbl ground flax seeds

1 tbl wheat germ

1 tbl chopped almonds

frozen berries

you can eat this right away, but your chia seeds will not have plumped up

i put mine in the refrigerator for about an hour and it was perfect...the longer it sits in the fridge the thicker it becomes...you could always add a tad more yogurt to thin it out!

Help!!! An amazing Eagle Scout Project!

Our friend Jensen Brown is working on his Eagle Scout Project. 

 He and his family are very good friends and neighbors, and we have shared in the joy of watching Faith become a part of their family.

Jensen is organizing a local walk to raise funds and awareness for the nonprofit group

International China Concern

ICC is a small christian organization that provides much needed services to abandoned and disabled children in China.

Jensen's project is one of 3 walks happening in the United States on 

September 22nd...our family will be walking with him!!

Why Walk the Wall is Important to Me?

My name is Jensen Brown. This is my little sister Faith Brown. International China Concern saved her life in China when she was abandoned as a newborn. For my Eagle Scout Project I would like to pay it forward and help ICC by organizing a Walk the Wall in Auburn Washington On September 22nd. With your help we can raise awareness and much needed funds to help other abandoned and neglected children with disabilities in China.
Your contribution supports International China Concern, an organization dedicated to providing hope and care for these vulnerable and neglected children.

If you are able to donate to this great cause, and a great kid working towards becoming an Eagle Scout
You can go HERE to donate!

Thanks so much for your contribution to such a great cause!

 

Lucy ♥'s circus school!

Lucy LOVES going to Sanca (School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts)

she has had 3 classes so far and looks forward to each one

the progress already is amazing!

she does trampoline work, handstands, tumbling, ball balancing (yes, learning to stand on a giant ball!)...but her absolute favorites are trapeze and tight wire :)

here is a short video of her on the tight wire, and already her posture and balance has improved in just 3 lessons! 

here she is learning to do a handstand...this will take time for her and she learns how to build strength in her left arm, but she does not give up!!

I will try to get video of the trapeze :)

it is so fun to watch her swing from it!!

Lucy has a new video over on her YouTube channel...go check it out...it's funny!!
HERE

T-shirt Fringe Scarf

i ♥ pinterest

made this super easy scarf today with a bright neon t-shirt

(i apologize for the awful pics!)

~cut it~

~slice it~

~pull it~

 ~wear it~

a cute way to "jazz" up a simple tank!

Pizzacchini

a delicious way to serve zucchini

slice in half lengthwise

remove some of the flesh 

spread a little marinara/pizza sauce

a little freshly grated mozzarella cheese

sprinkle some italian bread crumbs 

and 

fresh basil

drizzle with a little olive oil

bake @ 350 until tender

mangia mangia!!

Paper Dresses

In our small downtown corridor, there are several empty store fronts (sadly)

so, the city has showcased artists and their work in some as a way to 

"fill" space

I happened to see this one, and it stopped me in my tracks

I went back again last night to get some pictures before the display ends this weekend...my photos do not do these dresses justice, as the sun was very bright, and I was trying to shoot through the windows, but....

They are FANTASTIC!

The models wearing the dressing were photographed downtown...if I had known I would have loved to have watched that photo shoot!!

Aren't they amazing??

This is your life....

I have come across this wall many times on Pinterest

via

 and now my powder room chalkboard wall looks like this...

Sweet Summertime~

Just a glimpse into our summer :)

These two pics of Lucy I took the day we headed to the beach,

this Girl has such style...I adore her :)

..

Our new Ice Cream Man!!

Can you stand how c.u.t.e his little truck is???

(I have to add after seeing a couple of the comments :)...that our last ice cream man drove a creepy /kidnapper van also!!  That is why we LOVE our new one!)

and, in case you forgot teenagers live here, and think this house is all cute sunhats, nail polish and sunshine....

Blake had some friends over for a little bonfire

this fire was MUCH bigger AFTER the WHOLE wood pallet they put ON TOP of the fire pit broke apart!!

I had Toby on stand-by with the hose...see those pretty hydrangeas in the back there, they are a little "fried"...

the hot dogs roasted pretty quick though :)

and, yes, teenage boys always stand like that when they are texting :)

Cheers!

In the Navy....Baby!

I stumbled onto this picture of Poppy Delevingne wearing this gorgeous navy polish

and found this one on Pinterest...

and knew I must share...

 My friend Catie sent me this Navy nail polish a few months back

I have worn it SO many times, on my nails and on my toes

I love it!

It is a color that looks great right now in the middle of summer, and will be fabulous for Fall! 

I think you should give this a try...if your hesitant on your fingernails, put it on your toes and go for a neutral fingernail like the Revlon Colorstay Pale Cashmere I mentioned here :)

Naby Baby by Sally Hansen