Hello Darling

a few things I know

it's been quiet in this space.

 

& I've thought much about intention.

 

& I've grown out of my idea of wanting to blog to impress other people.

 

& I've grown into the idea that I just want to write for me, and if someone wants to read that and look at my pictures and get to know me better, than great!  But I've decided that where I thought that I wanted to go with this, is not what I really wanted after all.

 

& I've decided that I really don't care for typepad.  I much prefer blogger.

 

priorities have shifted.  things change.

 

You can get updates and follow my new path here if you so feel inclined.

A Beautiful Evening and a Winner

It’s been really raining and dreary here.

 

And

that’s

honestly…

just

a

little

depressing

sometimes.

 

But yesterday that sunshine peaked his blissful face out just long enough for myself and my littlest to go take a walk down to the park before dinner.

I am reminded of my childhood love for swinging as I look upon these images.

 

I

could

swing

all

day.

 

I loved the feeling of flying freely through the air.

 

On the walk home we came across trees that were blooming with beautiful life.  And for dinner we shared a gorgeous plate of food.

 

It

was

a

good

evening.

 

And now to announce the 2 winners for the Pioneer Woman Cookbook:

1.  Chelsey Andrews Staskiews

2.  Heather

 

Thanks to those who participated.

 

-Timber

Great Wolf Lodge Part 2

As promised on my last post, here is Part 2 of our Great Wolf Lodge adventure.

 

 

Katie LOVED the water and the slides.  She had an awesome time!

 

We let Jada bring a friend and they had a blast together too.  We pretty much let them do whatever they wanted and just had regular check ins a few times a day/evening.  So we really just saw them when they were hungry and when it was time to go to bed.

 

I think that we may definitely go to the Great Wolf Lodge again sometime in the future, BUT, I think that we will try to go during a week, when everyone else is in school because spring break was CRAZY!

 

It’s quiet spendy in my humble opinion, but if you bring in your own food and drinks, that can cut down on the costs A LOT! :)  Also, I think that if you could go in on a room together with another family, that it would make things even more affordable.  I like affordable!

 

We usually don’t do anything for spring break and I’ve always felt a tad guilty about that.  So I guess we can just think of this as “catching” up on all the spring breaks that we did nothing and stayed at home.  So what about you?  Do you have any spring break plans or any spring break traditions that you do every year with your family?  I’d love to hear from you.  :)

 

xoxo-Timber+

Great Wolf Lodge Part 1

We survived a fun night at the Great Wolf Lodge waterpark slide themed resort.  The place was {crazy completely booked} packed and Katelyn ran a temperature most of the time we were there {teething?}.  At any rate, we had a great time. 

 

On the way up, we stopped at Target for bright colored sun glasses and flip flops.  Everyone made fun of me for wanting sunglasses because it’s an inside waterpark and so obviously you don’t need them.  “It’s for the drive!”, I told them.  “I need to look cool for the drive!”.

 

 

The lodge was very cool.  The décor was rustic with log furniture.  This place was like a kid’s version of Las Vegas.  

 

I decided last minute that it was crazy to bring my juicer and do my juice fast on our little mini-vacation.  So back on board tomorrow with that and I’ll share my food log again then.

 

Sooo, tomorrow… Great Wolf Lodge pictures part 2 + my juice fasting log.  Sounds like a plan!

 

-Timber

Juice Fast Day 1

Hello!

 

So today I embarked on a juice fast or more like a juice feast.  I’m drinking fresh fruit and vegetable juice + fresh coconut water to my heart’s content.  I’m doing this to give my digestive system a break, do a little detoxing, a little healing, and a lot of self-love.

 

Today I Enjoyed:

 

***1 Pint of Watermelon Juice

 

 

***1 Pint of Fresh Coconut Water

 

 

***1 Pint of Apple, Carrot, Kale Juice

 

***1 Pint of Tomato, Spinach, Dill, Celery Juice w/ Sea Salt – I used a spoon to eat this like soup. I want to gag when I drink something savory like this but for some reason eating it like soup makes it taste better.

***1 Pint of Watermelon, Orange Juice

 

I felt pretty okay today.  Although at dinnertime I felt really hungry.  I made the family homemade chili and it was difficult to not eat it.  Then I went grocery shopping and when I was checking out I started staring at the things I was buying (for my family) and the things that other people were buying, like chocolate chip cookies.  I felt icky and sad.  I haven’t been able to eat a normal chocolate chip cookie with wheat in it for about a year now ever since I found out that I am allergic to wheat.  Normally I don’t miss it at all and my waist line thanks me very much, but for some reason it was really getting to me tonight.  Oh and pizza!  People were buying these big take and bake pizzas!

 

I decided at some point during my little pity party this evening, that this is something that I WANT to do.  I want better health.  I want to feel good and lovely in my own skin. I want better energy.  I want to think more clearer.  I want the aches and pains to go away.  So I will just keep reminding myself this during those hard moments like cooking for my family or being in social situations where food is involved.  I know that if I stick to this juice fast that I will be happy that I did.  You know it’s like I’m spoiling myself a little bit here.  I’m giving myself a mega dose of fresh vitamins and nutrients from beautiful and colorful fruits and veggies.  I deserve it!  I love myself and I am going to treat myself well and take care of myself.  *That’s* the attitude that I am embracing!

 

Tomorrow is going to be an adventurous challenge.  We are taking the kids to a huge indoor waterslide park to stay overnight for spring break.  I am super excited!  I always wanted to go to one of these when I was a kid, but never got to.  I can’t wait to see the looks on my kid’s faces when we get there!  So I’m planning on bringing my juicer with me and lots of stuff to juice.  Laugh at me and with me please?!  Because I sure am laughing at myself and shaking my head.  Wish me luck!

 

With Love,

Timber

Snow Day!

Hello Darling!

 

 

The weather is behaving so strange in our little neck of the woods.  Spring break for my big girl begins tomorrow so today is her last day of school before her break.  It snowed last night and school was delayed for 2 hours this morning!  I’ve never seen snow this late in the year here!

So I took the troops outside and let them play around in the spring snow for a little while.  My little girl apparently really likes eating snow.  Even after we came inside, she keeps letting herself out the backdoor and outside in her little bare feet to get more snow to eat.  Wild woman!  Our dog, Boo Boo Bear LOVES the snow. 

 

I found this older picture today of our little Kay when she was a chunky little baby with the BLUEST EYES!  I can’t believe that they have changed so much.  I thought for sure that I was going to have a blue eyed child.  Her eye color now is a pretty green hazel.  Both of my girl’s have these multi-colored hazel eyes.  Very pretty!

 

So what’s the weather doing in your neck of the woods?  I’ve heard on the news that it’s doing all sorts of crazy stuff everywhere!

 

-Timber

Enter for a Chance to Win a Copy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food From My Frontier

Hello Darling!  I hope you’re having a beautiful day.

 

 

So everyone and their mom knows who Ree Drummond AKA The Pioneer Woman is.  She’s the cattle rancher’s wife, mega number one mom blogger, book author, and now has her very own show on The Food Network.  Phew!  The Pioneer Mama’s got some game!

 

Ree’s recently come out with her new cookbook-- The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food From My Frontier which is described as a collection of recipes in constant rotation at Ree’s Oklahoma ranch.  This book includes gorgeous food photography done by Mrs. Ree herself and includes recipes like Brie-Stuffed-Mushrooms, Mango Margaritas, Thai Chicken Pizza, Barbeque Chicken & Pineapple Quesadillas, and Tequilla Lime Chicken.  Can anyone say, Yum?!

 

To celebrate and kick off the start of this new blog, Hello Darling will be giving away not 1, but 2 copies of this scrumptious and beautiful cookbook!

 

Giveaway ends Wednesday, March 28th at 10:00 PM PST

Open to US residents only

Book Value:   $29.99

 

Okay so you’ve got 4 chances to win!

***Follow Hello Darling on Twitter
***Follow Hello Darling on Facebook 
***Follow Hello Darling on Instagram - IG screen name: hellodarlingxo 
***Subscribe to Hello Darling in a Blog Reader here or through Blog Lovin’

 

***UPDATE - Since only 1 person has entered to win so far, I wanted to change the rules.  I'm a rule changer, so judge me! 

 

New Rules -- Just leave a comment below and you will be entered into the drawing. 

 

How simple is that?  So don't be afraid & come on and enter now ya' hear?!

 

 

Winners will be announced Thursday, March 29th.

 

Thanks for supporting Hello Darling! 

 

With lots of love,

Timber

Thrifty Vintage Finds

Hello Darling!

 

Today I’d like to introduce you to another side of me, you know the side that does something other than obsessively take pictures of her own food.

 

So I’m a little bit of a thrifter and I have an eye for finding vintage household items.

 

Follow me on my latest thrifting adventure and check out my finds friend?

 

 

 

This is a groovy vintage knitting hamper/basket.  I love the vibrant orange colors of the floral fabric.  The inside is made of silk and has nice little convenient pockets to put your stuff in.

 

 

 

I’ve started collecting these vintage wood plaques with various scenes sort of modge podged on them.  Sometimes I find nature scenes or God-loving ones.  Plus I found this cute yellow accordion wall rack.

 

 

I found a vintage Pyrex bowl and another old milky white glass mixing bowl.  I love these old thicker mixing bowls.  They remind me of my Grandma’s.  They just don’t make stuff like this anymore!  I also found a set of orange Tupperware measuring cups.

 

 

 

The rest of my haul is really a little random.  I found a small Toleware tin floral serving tray.  I’ve been collecting these too.  I want to do a display somewhere in the house with them.  Then some random red glass and milk glass, and an adorable salt shaker and a colorful green vintage drinking glass cup.

 

And that’s all folks!  Thanks for letting me show you my junk.  -- Wishing you a wonderful day. :)

 

-Timber

I Love Date Night

Hello Darling!

 

 

Tonight my sweet sweet Mother-In-Law (did I mention how sweet she is? *smiles*), invited our little girl over for a sleep over at Grandma’s.  Our little girl LOVES sleep overs with Grandma and Grandpa and their dogs Brandy and Brady.  Even though she rarely leaves my sight & has never been to day care, she joyfully leaps at the chance to say, “Buh Bye Mama!” and scoot off into the sunset with her Grandma.

 

So with the little one gone and the teen not wanting to come along, my man love and I travelled to this little Mexican restaurant for an impromptu date night alone and I happily splurged off of my current eating plan and enjoyed my evening to the max!

 

I know what your probably thinking… Gross, why is she showing us her plate of half eaten food?  Really, I would have loved to wait and snap a pic before I dug in, but my mouth was working faster than my mind and it didn’t occur to me to take this picture until I’d stuffed myself a good bit and then my mind was able to work again.  It’s a true story.

 

I stayed away from tortillas and ate pretty good in whole food terms.  Grilled chicken, beans, rice, guacamole, salsa, mmm… come to Mama!

 

 

Oh, and I kinda sorta lovers this guy.  He works his hinny off and on this occasion worked through his tiredness and hurting back to take his wifey out for some good grub.

 

 

Tomorrow I’m back to my cleaner style of eating.  I am seeing improvements in my health.  My skin is looking more young and clear.  My aches and pains disappear.  I have more energy.  Oh, and did I mention that I’ve lost 5 lbs. and I may need to go buy new jeans soon?!  It’s another true story that you heard here first!

 

With Love,

Timber

What I Ate Catch Up

Hello Darling,

 

I’m playing a little bit of catch up here on my food diary.

 

On Saturday the 17th, I Enjoyed:

***1 personal sized Watermelon—I ate some and ended up juicing the rest.

 

  

***Rice, Avocado, Tomato, Cilantro, Sea Salt

 

 

***Fresh Coconut Water, I’m SO addicted to this stuff right now.

 

 

***1 Mango and 2 Medjool Dates

 

 

***Salmon and sautéed Spinach

***About 3 cut up Oranges. 

 

I felt really good.  My dinner of Salmon and Spinach was perfect!  My stomach felt light and happy, and so did I.  I was still experiencing joint pain since last week's wretched nutritional yeast mishap.

 

Today I Ate:

 

 

***1 cut up Orange

 

***Lettuce Wraps

 

 

***A Tropical Mango Smoothie:  Yum!

***Salmon and sautéed spinach

 

***Natural Peanut Butter w/ Sea Salt

 

Okay so I may or may not have had a stressful evening *details respectfully withheld*.  Hypothetically speaking the peanut butter thing above may not have satisfied my need for something “off-track”.  It is possible that I may have went on a crazy mama quick run to the nearest convenience store in my slippers to buy a bag of potato chips.  Although I will say that if that really did happen, that a brand was picked out that only had three ingredients on the label:  Potatoes, olive oil, & sea salt.  And um, yeah, so I feel like I’m going to puke a little bit now.

 

On a more uplifting note, joint pain seems to be getting better today.  Woop woop!

 

 

Before my little I’M GOING TO EAT WHATEVER I WANT BECAUSE I CAN AND I FEEL SORRY FOR MYSELF shenanigans, I ventured off the beaten path to find some fruit.  I’ve run out of mangos, and I’m really loving these smaller yellow ones that seem to be in season right now somewhere in the world, definitely not here in Oregon!

 

This is a small local Mexican store.  We have one practically every mile in this city.  I’ve only wandered inside one of these on the rare occasion, but I got to wondering recently if they might be a good place to find some ripe tropical fruit at good prices, and yep they are!  I scored 3 really ripe yellow mango’s and a huge papaya for under 3 bucks total!  Yeah, I’m definitely going to be checking these little places out more often.  This store in particular was blasting loud Spanish music, can you hear it?

 

Today for lunch I fed my little lovey buttered gluten free noodles, a cheese stick & some cut up oranges.

 

And this is the aftermath of that.  You don’t even want to know what the floor looked like.

 

Can you tell how happy my older lovey is that I’m taking her picture?  And just for the record, it may appear that I take a lot more pictures of my youngest, and that would be true only because my oldest dislikes having her picture taken!  There are no favorites here.  I love them both equally and very much!!!

 

With Love,

Timber