Bring On Lemons

  Granny Beet Appetizer Ingredients: granny smith apple - cored and sliced (I prefer not peeled) beets (shown is canned pickled but I've used fresh as well as canned non-pickled; this is personal preference at it's finest) feta cheese honey dried cranberries spinach (fresh) pistachios (shelled) None of the ingredients are measured - because it honestly depends what you like the most of and how many people you are serving and what your ratio preference is. Instructions: Start with a fancy tray and cover the tray with fresh spinach leaves at the center of the tray place your crumbled feta cheese surrounded or intermingled with the cranberries organize the apple sliced as desired (if you're preparing ahead, you'll want to stop the apples from browning by using some sugar water with a splash of lemon juice) sprinkle on the pistachios then drizzle honey across the top This is something you can serve with crackers, fresh bread, or just by itself. I'm not a fan of too many...

 Last Thursday felt like the first Monday of the new year - alas, it was not! Today is the big day! I try to do something wonderful each Monday to help me look forward to instead of dread Monday. Today I shall start with coffee at one of my favorite shops, a trip to the gym, and then off to work. This will all happen after the rousing of children, folding of laundry, cleaning of the house, and chauffeuring of the children (and don't forget the brewing and drinking of coffee, and the negotiating that happens on the way to school as a way to lesson a sibling disagreement).  Mondays were intended to be a day to discuss what motivates me. As someone who packed on the pounds the last quarter of 2024 (stress, lack of will power, medications, etc...) I can tell you my current motivation is the fact that if I don't do something immediately I am going to need to donate my entire wardrobe and start all over again. And it's not because my clothes are too large - there is nothing in my...

What exactly is soliloquy Sunday and why do we need it in our lives? Well, the truth is you may not need it, but it happens to me on the daily so I may as well share... do you ever just look in the mirror and have an internal dialogue with yourself? nope? ok then... well I do. This is where I work this all out. It comes out of my head and onto this blog and you can take it or leave it. My hope is that something may strike a chord or provide you with some sort of value. My Nana would complain that she hated Sundays because no one comes to visit. She pointed out that basically the fun ends by lunchtime Sunday and people buckle down into work week mode. This is so true now that I'm a mom. Sunday afternoons we do any shopping for school stuff we need for the week, we fill out the calendar and make any necessary adjustments, we finish any homework and get everything in order for the week. Sunday late afternoon early evening is a bit depressing at the fun has left and we are full on into...

  Today, I had the pleasure of listening to a fine group of musicians at our local High School. Students in our conference auditioned, applied, were accepted, and then this elite group spent days learning new music so they could perform for us. The concert was absolutely lovely and filled with voices and instruments and so much joy! Each person in the crowd was thinking about something else. Some were broken hearted enjoying the light sounds of the flutes. Others were exhausted from the weeks of preparation from the holidays and closed their eyes to enjoy a few moments with the music - sitting down enjoying the slow speed a concert brings. I was reminiscing to myself of days gone by - when I was the musician on the stage scanning the crowd for my loved ones. For me, it feels like yesterday and yet somehow this summer is my 30 year class reunion. I digress... The neat thing about music is it leaves room for individual interpretation and even when I'm told what the composer meant to ...

  I am absolutely enjoying my YMCA membership. This doesn't mean I go as often as I'd like, but that's why I make weekly goals. If you haven't visited your local YMCA you should! There are classes you can participate in in person as well as those you can do from the comfort of your own home.  The locker rooms, showers, and the entire facility is clean and well organized. I enjoy the variety of activities from basketball and tennis to swimming and spinning or yoga!  Let me know if you'd like to meet up! There's a lovely area to chat, work, and drink coffee as well! Some days you'll find me working out, working, relaxing, and working some more! There's no shame in spending the entire day at the YMCA! (did I mention the hot tub and sauna?) See you soon! Let's get strong and healthy together!  May your paths be abundantly filled with lemons, sunshine and sugar (but not too much)! xoxox Crystal

This lip stain is truly revolutionary! I used it the first time this holiday season - I am a musician and vocalist as well as a coffee lover and busy mom of 5. In a matter of 15 hours, I had to sing, play music, and all the jazz that goes along with the season. I applied my wonderskin lipstain and when I arrived home after all of the busy-ness of the day, I was pleasantly surprised to see my lips looking most fabulous (WAY better than my nylons). Anyway - I just ordered more and simply think all my other lip colors should be thrown away as they are absolutely inferior!  May your paths be abundantly filled with lemon, sugar, sunshine, and lips that don't leave their color on your cup! xoxoxo Crystal

 I was gifted several books this holiday season and two of them were by the lovely author, Sarah Morgan. I thoroughly enjoyed both books but wanted to take a moment to give " One More for Christmas " 5 stars. One More for Christmas is a quick relaxing read. I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book. The plot was fun, there was just enough romance, the characters were believable and well-written, and Morgan brought the scenery to life. I can see why Morgan is a best selling author - her books are very enjoyable. I look forward to passing along One More for Christmas to my adult daughter as well as my mother in law; can be enjoyed by adult readers of all ages! May your paths be abundantly filled with lemons, sugar, sunshine, and books that make you smile and warm your heart! xoxox Crystal

 Happy second day of January ya'all! Did you hear that it's bad luck to work on the first day of the New Year? Now I know...but hopefully all the housework I did yesterday won't cause me any issues this year! Now that we've discussed my tendency to fill every moment with work of one sort or another, let's talk about my plan for 2025 and beyond. Here's what I'm hoping you'll see on this blog: 1) redesign the blog to bring it more current (I'm not opposed to cloth diapers, but my baby is 7 so I'm not "into" them anymore and I don't live in the corner of a cornfield 2) be more intentional with the focus of the blog Let me explain #2 a bit more. When this blog baby was born it was just a space for me to share what interested me. I know it may seem weird to most, but if I had to describe the blog, I'd say it's a place you can find: RECIPES BOOK REVIEWS MOTIVATIONAL STORIES ADVICE ABOUT LIFE TIPS FOR BUSY PEOPLE There's probab...