I'm sure you all know that in the great zombie versus vampire debate, I am picking vampires 180% of the time. However, my husband loves a good zombie flick, so on rare occasions I find myself trying to endure the torture that is the post-apocalyptic genre. During these rare occasions, Jeff and I almost always have the following conversation: If a "world-as-we-know-it-ending" disaster was to happen, we would totally be the first to die. We are all about convenience and comfort, and we have no survival skills. None. Losing my DVR alone might be enough to do me in. But on top of that, we don't camp, we don't build things, and we certainly don't know how to live off of the land. We'd be goners for sure!
Well, this Spring we're going to correct 2 of those deficits. We're going to build a box, fill it with dirt, plant a bunch of vegetables in it, and try really hard to remember to water them. That's right, I'm planting a garden! But, we're definitely not camping, because "ewww!"
I've been announcing this plan to anyone and everyone who will listen because I need accountability. When things require even the tiniest amount of work I tend to make grand plans and then never follow through. But, we have a huge yard with lots of sun, and I've been wanting to do this since we moved here. So, this is happening! I've done a lot of research, and have decided to go with a raised garden. We're going to build a 4x8 bed that will hopefully look like this, and I'm planting tomatoes, peppers, beans, lettuce, spinach, herbs, eggplant, squash, zucchini, bok choy, onions, and strawberries. I love to cook with fresh veggies, especially in the Summer, and I'm excited for those to be vegetables I worked hard to grow. I'm also going to try to incorporate the kids in this project as much as possible, and that should be a lot of fun!
The blog is getting in on the action as well because I plan to document the experience, starting with pictures of us attempting to build a box and ending with what will hopefully be a bountiful harvest and not a massive failure. So you will have that "flip of a coin" to look forward to!
Friday, March 09, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
February
It's practically March, so I decided to sum up February with one big post. And since that's incredibly lame, I figured I'd complete the effort with an equally lame title. Just like everyone else in Indianapolis, we kicked off the month with the Super Bowl. Jeff works downtown, and designed the city's Super Bowl website and logo, so he got his fill of festivities. But the kids and I didn't go downtown at all. I started out not wanting to go because of the crowds and the fear it might be too cold. Obviously, the weather turned out to be a non-issue, but we still decided not to make the trip. What's funny was that I didn't regret that decision until I heard that there were food trucks! Our House Church had a fabulous Super Bowl party, though, with a projector screen and tons of good food, so all was well!
And then there was Valentine's Day. Jeff and I went to Zest in Broadripple for dinner, and we loved it. I would definitely recommend it. Date nights had started to get a little tricky because our babysitter is in college now, and her schedule is a lot busier. We adore her, but knew it was time to find a back up, and luckily we have a 16 y/o neighbor who said she was interested. It's nice to know that now we have 2 options when we want to go out! Evan really got into Valentine's Day this year and was very excited for his class party and the chance to hand out all of his Valentines. His excitement might have also been fueled by the new tradition we started - on Valentine's Day the kids get to eat candy/chocolate for breakfast :-) I'm fairly regimented about snacks, so he probably thought he was in some kind of alternate universe. We got both of the kids small Valentines, but next year when Aida is a little older, I'd like to start the tradition of Father/Daughter and Mother/Son dates on Valentine's Day. I think they'll both really like that. 
I officially started working from home 1 day per week at the end of January, and that's been a fun adjustment. My company put me back to a flat three days per week, and I've really been enjoying the work. I get to review the notes and documentation of new hires but I also get to provide feedback and coach them on how to make improvements. It's supervisory work but without any of the responsibilities. Between that and the two days I do spend in the office being less clinical, I'm a lot happier with work. I thought it would be difficult to work from home, but the only thing I've had to give up is a little TV time, and the extra money has made that more than worth it. 
Aida is almost 21 months old and she is so much fun! She loves playing with her Little People and her kitchen, and she's recently discovered dress-up clothes. This weekend she said a 3 word sentence! And her newest phrase is "that's so funny." Way too cute! I've been taking her to story time at the library this Winter and she loves it. And in April, Jeff and I are heading to IKEA to get her "big girl" bed. I have some really fun ideas for transforming her room. We'll be keeping most of the decorations, but all of the furniture and definitely the layout will be changing. I plan to do a before and after post, and I can't wait to see it finished! 
I'm starting to think about doing a new edition of the VerWaynian Delicacies. I've worked some new recipes into the rotation (thanks to Pinterest,) and I'd really like to create a new meal plan. But we'll see, it's a lot of work, so it might have to wait until Summer. In the meantime, I hope you like coffee, because I have a few more K-Cup reviews I'm working on...you know, priorities! 
I'm really just loving life right now and some days I look around at all the things and people God has blessed me with and I feel incredibly unworthy but also so incredibly thankful. As we barrel into Spring, I pray that each of you are loving life as well!
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Love & Happiness
Because of the advertisements you see in the left column of my blog, I sometimes get offers to participate in ad campaigns. I almost never accept, because frankly it's extra work and I have a hard enough time writing regular blog posts, let alone sponsored ones. But I thought this one was interesting, so I decided to give it a shot. I'll be honest, I've done little to no research on the actual campaign, so I can't say I'm endorsing it, but I like this week's question and wanted to answer it...
How do you practice self-acceptance and find unconditional love for yourself? How does practicing love first help you attract more love and happiness in your life?
There was a time in my life that I really had no idea who I was and I certainly wasn't prepared to love whoever that turned out to be. I had to gain some independence. From my parents, from boys, and from my own hang ups. But, I also had to gain some dependence on God. I was in flux for a few years, but something that was never in flux was my faith. God loves me beyond measure even when I make mistakes, and because of that I'm able to love myself (usually) and I'm able to try my hardest every day to show what's probably only a fraction of His love to the people in my life.
That's my official answer, but of course there are a few less grand answers to that question as well.
1) I married well, which I have God to thank for. My husband and I are best friends. We compliment each other. My strengths are his weaknesses and his strengths are my weaknesses. We have fun together, and we're a team in everything we do. It's much easier to love yourself when you're around someone everyday that loves you so obviously.
2) I believe you should "treat yo self" every now and then. Jeff and I feel strongly about not living beyond our means, especially since I work so little, but we also think it's ok to splurge once in awhile. That also applies to self care. I'm not especially good at making time for things like pedicures and haircuts (I shoot for twice a year for both - yikes,) but I do make time for exercise. Not a lot of time mind you, but 30-40 minutes on the treadmill or in front of a strength training video I can handle, and it makes such a difference in my self-image. Plus, Jeff and I exercise together sometimes, and that's a lot of fun.
3) I love to laugh. Jeff and I have that in common. We joke all the time, and I try to be silly with the kids whenever possible. I also try really hard not to take things too seriously, and to stay out of drama.
4) I have a strong support network. I have some great friends and we have an awesome House Church. I know I have people in my life that I can turn to for prayer and help with just about anything and that they truly care about me and my family.
5) As you can see from all of these pictures, I also have 2 amazing children, made fairly obvious by the fact that they're shopping the IKEA catalog in the picture above! I'm not the best Mom. I make mistakes every day, and I'll be the first to admit it. But loving them makes me want to be better. I want them to be happy, healthy children who love themselves and know that they're loved in the way they deserve. And of course, that brings us back to my original answer, because I can't accomplish that without God!If you'd like to share your own answers to the question, feel free to visit the host site, and you can also enter the corresponding sweepstakes here.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
K-Cup Standoff: French Vanilla
As said in this post, I love my new Keurig and I've been quickly working my way through the sample pack that I got for Christmas. This week, I'm reviewing the French Vanilla selections. It's probably important to note, that in general, French Vanilla isn't my favorite of the flavored coffees. But, I gave each of them a try, and here are my impressions...
The Contestants: Timothy's French Vanilla, Green Mountain French Vanilla, and Wolf Gang Puck Francaise Vanilla
Cup Size: 7.25 oz (I used the smaller brew size for all three of these selections because I have found that flavored k-cups tend to err on the weak side. Of the three, I think only the Timothy's would have been strong enough for my taste in the larger size.)
Flavored Creamer: 1 teaspoon of Coffee-mate's Caramel Macchiato
First of all, I'm going to rank these for you by two categories: overall strength of brew and also strength of vanilla flavor - 1 is strongest, 3 is weakest.
Strength of Brew:
1) Timothy's
2) Green Mountain
3) Wolf Gang Puck
Strength of Flavor:
1) Wolf Gang Puck
2) Green Mountain
3) Timothy's
Timothy's was the strongest cup of coffee, although it had a bite to it (I think the professionals call this acidity) and I think it would have been better in the larger size. I had a very hard time distinguishing the French Vanilla flavor in this coffee, which for me wasn't such a bad thing, but since this is a French Vanilla standoff, I'm taking that into consideration. Wolf Gang Puck's hoity-toity Francaise Vanilla had a great vanilla aroma and I think the vanilla flavor was slightly stronger than in the Green Mountain, but it was a really weak cup of coffee. Green Mountain's was the best of both worlds. I could taste and smell the French Vanilla, but it didn't overpower the coffee. I'm pretty sure that if I had used the 9.25 cup size that the Green Mountain wouldn't have been strong enough for me, but in the 7.25 it was just right.
Verdict: Green Mountain wins this standoff again! However, if you want to drink a 9.25 oz cup of coffee and you're not that concerned with the French Vanilla flavor, I would probably pick the Timothy's.
You're Welcome!
The Contestants: Timothy's French Vanilla, Green Mountain French Vanilla, and Wolf Gang Puck Francaise Vanilla
Cup Size: 7.25 oz (I used the smaller brew size for all three of these selections because I have found that flavored k-cups tend to err on the weak side. Of the three, I think only the Timothy's would have been strong enough for my taste in the larger size.)
Flavored Creamer: 1 teaspoon of Coffee-mate's Caramel Macchiato
First of all, I'm going to rank these for you by two categories: overall strength of brew and also strength of vanilla flavor - 1 is strongest, 3 is weakest.
Strength of Brew:
1) Timothy's
2) Green Mountain
3) Wolf Gang Puck
Strength of Flavor:
1) Wolf Gang Puck
2) Green Mountain
3) Timothy's
Timothy's was the strongest cup of coffee, although it had a bite to it (I think the professionals call this acidity) and I think it would have been better in the larger size. I had a very hard time distinguishing the French Vanilla flavor in this coffee, which for me wasn't such a bad thing, but since this is a French Vanilla standoff, I'm taking that into consideration. Wolf Gang Puck's hoity-toity Francaise Vanilla had a great vanilla aroma and I think the vanilla flavor was slightly stronger than in the Green Mountain, but it was a really weak cup of coffee. Green Mountain's was the best of both worlds. I could taste and smell the French Vanilla, but it didn't overpower the coffee. I'm pretty sure that if I had used the 9.25 cup size that the Green Mountain wouldn't have been strong enough for me, but in the 7.25 it was just right.
Verdict: Green Mountain wins this standoff again! However, if you want to drink a 9.25 oz cup of coffee and you're not that concerned with the French Vanilla flavor, I would probably pick the Timothy's.
You're Welcome!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Meaningful Art in Every Room of the House
We love having things on our walls, but we're very selective about what we display, because we want those things to have purpose. It's important to us that the things you see in our home reflect who we are and we choose them carefully. Of course, having a designer as a husband certainly helps with this!
We added a cool feature to our kitchen the other day, and then I started thinking about the other rooms in our house. I realized that we have at least one meaningful piece of "art" in every room, so I decided to take some pictures and share them with all of you.
We went to San Francisco on our honeymoon almost 8 years ago, and we found this gorgeous silk table runner in Chinatown. Unfortunately, over the years it's gotten stained, but I couldn't bear to throw it away. We had these frames sitting around (from one of our many IKEA trips,) so I decided to cut out the prettiest parts, frame them, and hang them. These are in the den and are actually the only things on any of the walls in that room. Our den is still a work in progress, because we haven't quite determined its personality yet.
And while we're on the subject of San Francisco, I love that we got these pictures framed. They're photographs I took on our honeymoon and now they hang in our bedroom.
Jeff called dibs on our 4th bedroom to use as his office, and of course he has a ton of cool stuff in there, but I'm highlighting his movie poster. He loved its design, but it was just sitting in his closet. So, one year for his birthday, I surprised him and had it framed. Also in this picture are two Bob Dylan vinyls that I gave him for our first Valentine's Day. He displays them proudly :-)
And then there are the kids' rooms. You've seen pictures of Aida's nursery, but this barrette holder is a newer addition. I don't think I've done a post about this, but one of my hobbies is making cute hair clips for Aida. I was buying so many on Etsy that I decided to try my hand at making them. It's a lot of fun, but I was running out of places to put them. So, once again I turned to Etsy and found this store. I absolutely love her style and she does custom orders. I sent her pictures of Aida's nursery and she created something entirely unique for me.
I'm not sure if you remember this post, but we were so impressed by Evan's ingenuity, that Jeff compiled his photographic creations and we hung them up in his room. The day will probably come when he doesn't find this cool and he insists we find it a new home, but until then he's pretty proud of it too.
This is our dining room. We augmented the original design by cutting each sheet into separate branches so that we could create something new. These wall graphics are one of the first things we ever put on our walls and I still get excited every time I walk in to this room.
We have this rotating display in our living room. Jeff creates these really cool graphic collages, and I love them all so much that I can't pick favorites. So every few months we rotate 2 new ones in. And I get to show off my husband's talent, so that's fun!
Last but not least is the kitchen feature that prompted this post. Jeff went to art school with someone that started their own business creating these table decals. She has a ton of amazing designs, and our table was in desperate need of a face lift so we were really excited by the concept. I think she'll do custom designs, but I fell in love with this one. It's only been a few days, but so far we would definitely recommend her product. It seems durable, it has a matte finish that cleans really well, and it looks great. We love it!
So there you have it, meaningful art in every room of our house: Den, Bedroom, Office, Aida's room, Evan's room, Dining room, Living room, and Kitchen. And the best part is that all but one are completely one-of-a-kinds. It's been a slow process, and there's still a lot more wall space to cover, but it's a process we enjoy!
We added a cool feature to our kitchen the other day, and then I started thinking about the other rooms in our house. I realized that we have at least one meaningful piece of "art" in every room, so I decided to take some pictures and share them with all of you.
We went to San Francisco on our honeymoon almost 8 years ago, and we found this gorgeous silk table runner in Chinatown. Unfortunately, over the years it's gotten stained, but I couldn't bear to throw it away. We had these frames sitting around (from one of our many IKEA trips,) so I decided to cut out the prettiest parts, frame them, and hang them. These are in the den and are actually the only things on any of the walls in that room. Our den is still a work in progress, because we haven't quite determined its personality yet.
And while we're on the subject of San Francisco, I love that we got these pictures framed. They're photographs I took on our honeymoon and now they hang in our bedroom.
Jeff called dibs on our 4th bedroom to use as his office, and of course he has a ton of cool stuff in there, but I'm highlighting his movie poster. He loved its design, but it was just sitting in his closet. So, one year for his birthday, I surprised him and had it framed. Also in this picture are two Bob Dylan vinyls that I gave him for our first Valentine's Day. He displays them proudly :-)
And then there are the kids' rooms. You've seen pictures of Aida's nursery, but this barrette holder is a newer addition. I don't think I've done a post about this, but one of my hobbies is making cute hair clips for Aida. I was buying so many on Etsy that I decided to try my hand at making them. It's a lot of fun, but I was running out of places to put them. So, once again I turned to Etsy and found this store. I absolutely love her style and she does custom orders. I sent her pictures of Aida's nursery and she created something entirely unique for me.
I'm not sure if you remember this post, but we were so impressed by Evan's ingenuity, that Jeff compiled his photographic creations and we hung them up in his room. The day will probably come when he doesn't find this cool and he insists we find it a new home, but until then he's pretty proud of it too.
This is our dining room. We augmented the original design by cutting each sheet into separate branches so that we could create something new. These wall graphics are one of the first things we ever put on our walls and I still get excited every time I walk in to this room.
We have this rotating display in our living room. Jeff creates these really cool graphic collages, and I love them all so much that I can't pick favorites. So every few months we rotate 2 new ones in. And I get to show off my husband's talent, so that's fun!
Last but not least is the kitchen feature that prompted this post. Jeff went to art school with someone that started their own business creating these table decals. She has a ton of amazing designs, and our table was in desperate need of a face lift so we were really excited by the concept. I think she'll do custom designs, but I fell in love with this one. It's only been a few days, but so far we would definitely recommend her product. It seems durable, it has a matte finish that cleans really well, and it looks great. We love it!
So there you have it, meaningful art in every room of our house: Den, Bedroom, Office, Aida's room, Evan's room, Dining room, Living room, and Kitchen. And the best part is that all but one are completely one-of-a-kinds. It's been a slow process, and there's still a lot more wall space to cover, but it's a process we enjoy!
Friday, January 13, 2012
K-Cup Standoff: Hazelnut
I think that my Keurig Coffeemaker has revolutionized my life in ways that could only be compared to the significance of the Microwave Oven's effects on the American household. You know, excluding all of its negative impacts like increased divorce, cancer, and childhood obesity rates. For someone who loves coffee, but is the only person in her family with a palette advanced enough to enjoy it, besides my toddler of course, it is the perfect way to make coffee.
If you have a Keurig, you know how instantly the vast realm of K-cups can engulf your world. I keep promising myself that I'm going to do the smart thing and buy a reusable K-cup so that I can use my own 12 oz bags of coffee. And I will. Eventually. In the meantime, I'm having way too much fun researching and taste testing the endless varieties of perfectly convenient, all inclusive, 5 seconds to brew, caffeinated K-Cup goodness.
However, I am finding a lot of the reviews to be a little intellectual for my taste, so I decided to dumb it down a little and write my own every now and then. I'm starting with a comparison of two that I enjoyed this week. I do need to make a few disclaimers. My palette may be advanced enough to appreciate coffee, but it's not advanced enough to detect every hint of earthy flavor and inspiration. Plus, even though, I am perfectly capable of enjoying a strong cup of black coffee (especially with some type of chocolate decadence,) I almost always add flavored creamer. But, I do not EVER drink my coffee with "cream and sugar." It's either black, or flavored. So, if you are a black coffee elitist, then my opinion may mean nothing to you. Also, I like my coffee strong, so that impacts my perspective.
The Contestants: Gloria Jeans Hazelnut vs Green Mountain Hazelnut
I read the following reviews:
Gloria Jeans
Green Mountain
Cup Size: 9.25 oz
Flavored Creamer: 2 teaspoons of Coffee-mate's Belgian Chocolate Toffee (which may or not be expired.)
According to the reviews, I expected to prefer the Gloria Jeans variety. But, I did not. End of review. Ok, maybe that's a little too dumbed down. I've tried a few of Gloria Jeans' selections, and I'm not impressed with the strength of their brews. I've found all of them to be a little weak and watered down for my taste, especially when using the 9.25 oz size. However, I think that the times I've used the 7.25 oz, I've liked them much better.
The hazelnut flavor was a little more pronounced in the Gloria Jeans, but the Green Mountain was a better cup of coffee overall. Even on the larger size it had a lot of body and was strong enough that the creamer didn't hide the taste of the coffee, and there was still the hint of hazelnut that rounded out the experience.
Verdict: If you only want the small cup of coffee and you care more about the Hazelnut flavor than the strength of your coffee, then you might prefer the Gloria Jeans. However, if you want the larger size and prefer a good cup of coffee that just happens to have a hazelnut influence my choice is the Green Mountain.
You're Welcome!
If you have a Keurig, you know how instantly the vast realm of K-cups can engulf your world. I keep promising myself that I'm going to do the smart thing and buy a reusable K-cup so that I can use my own 12 oz bags of coffee. And I will. Eventually. In the meantime, I'm having way too much fun researching and taste testing the endless varieties of perfectly convenient, all inclusive, 5 seconds to brew, caffeinated K-Cup goodness.
However, I am finding a lot of the reviews to be a little intellectual for my taste, so I decided to dumb it down a little and write my own every now and then. I'm starting with a comparison of two that I enjoyed this week. I do need to make a few disclaimers. My palette may be advanced enough to appreciate coffee, but it's not advanced enough to detect every hint of earthy flavor and inspiration. Plus, even though, I am perfectly capable of enjoying a strong cup of black coffee (especially with some type of chocolate decadence,) I almost always add flavored creamer. But, I do not EVER drink my coffee with "cream and sugar." It's either black, or flavored. So, if you are a black coffee elitist, then my opinion may mean nothing to you. Also, I like my coffee strong, so that impacts my perspective.
The Contestants: Gloria Jeans Hazelnut vs Green Mountain Hazelnut
I read the following reviews:
Gloria Jeans
Green Mountain
Cup Size: 9.25 oz
Flavored Creamer: 2 teaspoons of Coffee-mate's Belgian Chocolate Toffee (which may or not be expired.)
According to the reviews, I expected to prefer the Gloria Jeans variety. But, I did not. End of review. Ok, maybe that's a little too dumbed down. I've tried a few of Gloria Jeans' selections, and I'm not impressed with the strength of their brews. I've found all of them to be a little weak and watered down for my taste, especially when using the 9.25 oz size. However, I think that the times I've used the 7.25 oz, I've liked them much better.
The hazelnut flavor was a little more pronounced in the Gloria Jeans, but the Green Mountain was a better cup of coffee overall. Even on the larger size it had a lot of body and was strong enough that the creamer didn't hide the taste of the coffee, and there was still the hint of hazelnut that rounded out the experience.
Verdict: If you only want the small cup of coffee and you care more about the Hazelnut flavor than the strength of your coffee, then you might prefer the Gloria Jeans. However, if you want the larger size and prefer a good cup of coffee that just happens to have a hazelnut influence my choice is the Green Mountain.
You're Welcome!
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