How to Be Happy: A Bucket List for 2014

 photo taken in Canada last year. 

the rest of the (random!) photos in this post were taken when we were in Montana for the new year. 

 It's January--you know--that month where we all decide to eat better, exercise every day, and clean our houses more...... etc etc. 
And we all know, those resolutions slowly fade away, don't they?

As I've thought about this next year and what it will bring us, what I want most for myself and my family is HAPPINESS. 
Pure and simple (and so annoyingly cliche isn't it?) 
I've been thinking about what makes me happy, and sifted through it all over and over again so I could compile this list for YOU. 
No resolutions that are near-impossible to keep, just an easy list of accomplishments to work on throughout the year.

I 100% believe that if you work on these things (by yourself or with your favorite people), that you will have a very happy and very healthy 2014. 

Let's dive in together, shall we?

Do something that scares you.

 I am 99% terrified (1% ridiculously excited) to be back in school (I've survived 4 days so far! more to come on that later). I’ve had a stomach ache for weeks, and for the past few days I’ve been having all of the “I didn’t do my homework” and “I’m late for class” and “whoops it’s the end of the semester and I never went to that class” dreams. Every single night. I feel too old and extremely out of my element going back after a decade long break. But when I think back to scary things I've done in the past, I also think of how GOOD it felt once I was doing it, (I'm doing it!), and even better when I'm done.

So do something that scares YOU. 
Something you've been thinking about for a while and can't seem to push out of your brain--it's in there for a reason. 
If it seems a little bit scary, then it's probably worth doing.
 

Climb a mountain. 
A literal mountain--any mountain will do, big or small. Rocky or smooth. Steep or gentle.
Maybe it's a 14er or a hill behind your house. It's a great feeling of accomplishment when you work hard—muscles hot, lungs burning--and you find yourself at the top of a mountain. 
There are few things I love more than sitting quietly atop a peak, looking at the world below—it offers new perspective and helps bring focus to what is most important. 
Even if you don’t think you enjoy hiking—I promise--you will love basking in the sun on top of a mountain. 

Find a mountain, and climb it.

Disconnect.
Take [at least] one trip this year (24 hours long minimum) where you are completely out of reach of cell phone service (or simply leave your phone behind if you don't have a non-service place to go).  I love heading to the mountains knowing no one can reach me for a few days, and knowing I won't have any distractions. I can focus 100% of my time and energy on those I'm with and the surroundings around me. Just like being at the top of a mountain, 
disconnecting from technology offers new perspective and clarity on life's most important things.....none of which can be found on a cell phone.

Say things in person.

It’s so easy to text or email, right? But let's all try harder to make phone calls to those friends and family who live too far away--a great phone conversation beats even the longest email. Let's get together more with our favorite people we live near, and put our gadgets away so we can dive into real conversations. Let's connect and reconnect with those around us using nothing more than our voices.

Be uncomfortable.

If we are comfortable, we aren’t growing. 
If I ran the same 5 mile loop every single day of my life, I would never be uncomfortable. It would be easy!.....but I wouldn’t ever become a better runner. If  it’s something physical, like running, biking, or yoga, I will never grow and get stronger if I don’t push myself little by little and make myself uncomfortable. 
If I made spaghetti and meatballs every single night for dinner, I would never become a better cook (and I think my family might leave me). I like to try new recipes, play around with different spices and flavors, make things that I’ve never tried before—THIS is what will make me better--but I have to be just a little bit uncomfortable in the process. 

You may be different than me--but my favorite way to be uncomfortable is when I'm running on a trail. If I'm climbing a mountain and everything hurts--I KNOW I'm getting better. 
I love pushing my body and seeing what it can do for me. 
What to push yourself physically?....

Bucketlist BONUS: Sign up for a race. 5k fun run/ultramarathon/I don't care. Sign up for ANY race and you will be sure to make yourself uncomfortable as you train, all the way up through race day. 
See what your body can do for you.

Write things down. 
I got my kids a question-a-day journal for Christmas so they could get in to the habit of daily writing. I also picked up a little line-a-day journal for myself. One line a day. I can do that (I think...)
And if I forget a few days, it's ok--a line here and there is better than no lines at all. 
Also, let’s all write more letters. Or A letter, my case, because I am terrible at it. My friend Melissa is the best letter writer, and let me tell you--it’s so fun to get something in the mail that isn’t a bill. 

Say "NO" more often. Cut Back.
There are too many options in life. Each day we can chose to participate in so many good and wonderful activities. But let's not participate in ALL of them. Even when they are all GOOD things.....there is still such a thing as too much. 
Don't be afraid to say no to people/events/invitations. 
 First decide what is most important to YOU, and whittle away things that aren't on that list. 

Take an interest in your own health.

There are so many ways to live a healthy lifestyle, but find what works best for YOU.

I'm physically active, I keep away from processed junk, I eat weird things like hemp seeds.....it seems as though I should be satisfied with my health. Unfortunately, 4 years of Lyme (my next Lyme post is in the works!) really wreaked havoc on my body. I'm still trying to find different ways to heal, and really hone in on what is best for ME--and that may be different than what works best for YOU. When I offer up healthy advice and ideas on this blog, check them out--maybe they are for you, maybe not. I have a few favorite healthy and inspiring lifestyle resources I like to check in on, but there is no way I could keep up with all the advice they give. 
Find what YOU need to be healthy, and work it in to your life.

Find what you love, and do it more. 
What is it that you love? For me it’s trails, mountains, deserts, and fresh air. I hope to spend as much time possible doing what I love this year—both on my own and with my family and friends.  
Doing something you love makes you happy—it feeds your soul and makes you feel whole. 
Don’t know what you love? Explore. Try out different hobbies and activities until you find something that clicks--you will know it when it does.
Who cares what those around you might be into—find what connects with YOU, and do it often.

The running photos are snaps from my phone taken when Robby and I ran up Crown Butte. 

See us exploring Crown Butte last year HERE


Will you work on this bucket list with me? 
I promise you can do every single item on this list--the only thing holding you back is yourself.
Who's up for the challenge?
(raise your hand! sign your name in the comments if you want to commit)

also read:

7 ways you're wasting time on the internet
don't read this blog

check out:
Q & A a Day for Kids: A Three-Year Journal
One Line a Day: A Five-Year Memory Book

7 ways you're wasting time on the internet

Oh the Internet. 

What a wonderful/terrible and brilliant/stupid thing.....right?

I remember my first Internet experience--I was in the 6th grade. There was a small group of us that got to meet during class and do extra math and science (read: I was a nerd).
We gathered in the library with our teacher, and logged on:

beeee-oooooooo-beeeeeeee-deeeeeeeeeeeeeeee......................

20 minutes later, we were "online".

Online was white box with a blinking cursor--and we were supposed to type something clever to the fellow nerds that were waiting to hear from us across the state.

A chatroom.

The next few years brought famous dancing internet babies, Napster, and eventually, email.

Today we can access any information we need in just a few seconds. We can keep in touch with friends (and our friend's friends!)
We can sell our cookbook (get it HERE!) 
See how I did that? Thanks, internet.

It's wonderful.

It's also a huge waste of time.

I am reminded of this every time we spend a day or a weekend in the great outdoors--away all the www.com craziness. Our lives CAN go on without the internet, believe it or not.

So let's use this amazing tool. Let's connect with like-minded people and share useful information. Let's find all the good on the internet and soak it up and spread it around......

.....and let's STOP wasting our time on the following:

1. making fun of people

This is the WORST. In the last few years just about everyone has gotten a phone with a camera. I LOVE having a tiny camera with me--it is a dream come true for someone who loves to take photos. But what I've noticed recently is more and more pictures just flat out making fun of people--and being posted online. Photos of strangers in the store with "bad hair" or photos of kids in your daughter's class with "terrible outfits" (seriously! I was pretty ashamed to find out that I have "friends" who are actually that shallow.) 

Just because you CAN take a picture, doesn't mean you should. 

So stop it.

2. selfies (aka, unnecessary pictures of your boobs)

We all have that friend--the one who takes waaaaaaaay too many pictures of him/herself. The "bathroom mirror" selfie. The "driver's seat" selfie. The "I'm holding my baby so it looks like a picture of her....but clearly it's a picture of ME because I look so cute today" selfie. Or the "describe the events of your day while clearly just taking a picture of your cleavage" selfie. This is the worst selfie, but makes me laugh every time.....because it's soooooo obvious. Am I right here?
Stop posting so many pictures of yourself.
Yes you are beautiful and you obviously know it, and we obviously know it, but what a waste of time taking all those photos. No more.

3. comparing yourself to others/

feeling sorry for yourself/

complaining

Somewhere, right now on the internet, someone is taking a fabulous vacation, building their dream home, having their 14th perfect adorable baby, getting a 3rd promotion at work, or buying $700 shoes. If you are on the internet (um, hi, you are right now) there are fantastic things happening all around you. Don't feel like your life is any less fantastic, just because right now--at this very moment--you aren't doing those same things. 

YOU do wonderful things too. Wonderful things happen to YOU all the time. Don't forget the good times because you are so caught up in what everyone else is doing RIGHT NOW. If you find yourself constantly comparing, step away from the internet. As easy as it sounds--just count your blessings--look around at what YOU have--little and big things (but especially all the little), and don't get back online until you're done comparing your life.

And complaining.....so you had a bad day, and want to feel a little validated by sharing it. Ok fine. But constantly using social media platforms to complain about all of your "problems" is only making it worse. You are digging yourself deeper and deeper into a sad little hole by using the internet as a dumping ground. Buy some ice cream, call a friend, and cry it out old fashioned style.....without the internet.

4. reading too much "advice"

Like we talked about up above, there is some fantastic information on the internet. There is also TOO MUCH information--it can leave your head spinning. Remember THIS post where we talked about eating well? If you read too many articles on health and nutrition you will end your day not knowing what to eat. If you read too many blog posts on the right way to parent, you will go to bed at night wondering how you will ever deal with your kids in the morning. You do not need to read every single piece of advice ever written--on any subject. 

Make some decisions for yourself--exercise your brain and use your own ideas.

5. pinterest is 95% a waste of your time. 

I absolutely love the term "Pinorexia"--brought to you by the smart and witty Meg of Meg In Progress. Pinorexia – a condition caused by uncontrolled pinning and pinterest related arts and crafts. Symptoms often include hot glue gun burns, excessive quinoa consumption and a general wasting away of original self. 

How much of the "stuff" that you have pinned has actually benefited your life? 

Stop planning the exotic vacation you're never going to take (and it's only making you sad that you're not taking it) and stop wasting time pinning recipes that have 17 weird ingredients you are never going to buy.

Waste. Of. Time.

Use it to save a recipe you actually WILL use. I have found some favorites and keep them saved on my boards.

Use it to make your Christmas lists.

Use it to bookmark good articles, interesting books, or helpful tips. I am always looking for tips on gardening, chickens, and preparedness.....and like to save any of this info when I find it.

But for the most part.....use the giant pinboard called YOUR BRAIN, and come up with your own ideas. Somehow our mothers (and their mothers and their mother's mothers) came up with brilliant ideas all on their own.
Try it--you might surprise yourself.

6. constantly updating your facebook/instagram

I am rarely on facebook anymore. I update my facebook blog page regularly and like to share interesting tidbits when I find them, but as far as my own personal page goes....I'm not really "there".  

I keep it because I have some great friends and family on there, and that's how they keep in touch. Anyway--I got on the other day and it was almost humorous to me because I forgot how facebook works. Every detail of so-and-so's day laid out for you right there.

I'm getting ready to eat lunch.
Peanut butter or ham?

I'm eating lunch! Peanut Butter! So good!

Sooooooooo full from lunch. Time to hit the gym.

Driving to the gym.....

You get the idea.

Why do we need to know all this information about so-and-so?
More importantly, why have we gotten so comfortable with sharing so much [useless] information with everyone. Social networks can be fun......but don't let them literally take over your life by feeling like you HAVE to update the world on your constant happenings. We don't need to know.

7. constantly checking your facebook/instagram 

Guess what? The world will go on if you miss a few of your friends/total strangers posts.

You don't need to glue your face to your phone and ignore the world around to see what everyone else in cyberland is up to. What about paying attention to what the people who are right in front of you are doing? Work on REAL relationships more than you work on cyber relationships.

and just because I can't leave a post without a picture......
here's a friendly reminder to get outside!

Let's all make a promise to waste less time online....ok? 

Use it for good! 
Exercise your brain--be creative and make your own decisions.

Pay attention to REAL life....and not so much life online. 
And please.....let's stop taking so many pictures of ourselves.

What would you add to the list?

places not things

places not things.......

That is our family motto.

Picture this. 

A giant dream home filled with only the best of the best furnishings and textiles. 

Fancy cars. 

Dressing right out of the catalogue. (But really, who orders clothing from catalogues these days anyway?) ....so let's just say dressing.... really really nice.
Exotic vacations to foreign lands.

All this is basically opposite of my life.

I usually let this stuff just roll right off my back.....I am really quite good at not comparing.

I mean, it's kind of hard (and a bit humorous) to compare my life to others' when

a) we live in a tiny 100 year old house.

b) Robby's car has windows you have to physically roll up (remember that? so vintage!)

c) we all know my kids dress like orphans 9 days out of 10. (they do clean up nicely every now and then, I must say)
d)We camp. Yes, we drive alot and camp alot, and we love it....but exotic? no. I've never been further east than Denver, and I've never even been to a foreign land. Canada was AMAZING....but it didn't exactly count as a foreign travel....

And you know what? That's the way we like it. It doesn't bother me one bit.

But it's hard when my kids start to notice what all their friends HAVE (iTouch. it's always an iTouch. "mom evvvvvveryone has one!!"). 

And what all of their friends DO (soccer, baseball, gymnastics, tennis, art classes, piano,  horseback riding, fencing, drama class, pottery, chess club, cheerleading, tuba lessons, boy scouts, girl scouts, tae kwon do, rexquando, sorcery school, clown school.......)

You get the picture....it's a lot of stuff.

There are 8 year olds with more more activities under their [black] belt than I will ever have.

Not only can we not afford so many activities and clubs and lessons.....it's just so much time away from each other. I don't want my kids gone every day after school.....call me crazy.

But a few weeks ago, I had a moment. 

A quick, weak moment where I started to feel sorry. Not for myself--but for them......are they missing out? Look at all these fun activities they could be doing after school, like cooking classes, tv/vcr repair, small business management (wait.....those aren't after school activities.....that's that commerical from the 90s) .....

But really, kids can do just about anything these days, and they DO do everything.

We sat down and talked about it as a family. If they really really really wanted to do _________, then we'd have to pass up our next family trip. 

"What do you think, kids?"

It took about 2 seconds for them both to say NO WAY. 

So we loaded the car and off we went.

I climbed up the rocks before breakfast one morning as the sun poured over the red earth in Moab. 

It allllllll came together (it always does in the desert)

I could hear my kids scrambling over boulders and chasing lizards with their friends. 

They aren't missing out. On anything. They are living, and living well.

Sure--our extra curriculars may be different than some of their friends', but that is what is best for MY kids. 

They come home from school and ride bikes and scoop chicken poop (and they complain the whole time, don't worry). 

They are the best little campers and hikers and explorers. 

And they are happy, which makes ME happy. 

Look at my grubby little family.....I just love us.

Every family is different.

This is my family, don't compare it to yours. 

We don't have everything (haha, not even close) but we have what is important to US.

Every family has different needs and wants, and have different ways of functioning together.

We have found what is best for OUR family.

While this house isn't our forever house, we will always live in something small, (and most likely very old) so we can spend our money elsewhere. 

I am totally willing to skip the shopping spree (who are we kidding, I hate shopping) so we can fill our gas tank for a road trip. 

And I will forever remind myself that just because my kids will never master the flute or be badminton king......they are living well, and they are loving life.....and hopefully learning something along the way.

I hope they look back and are thankful for memories of family road trips, camping under the stars, and dirty faces, and forget about all the "stuff" they never had.
I hope they value the experiences they had in life over all of the "things."

It is vital to your happiness to find what 
works for YOUR family. 

What is important to you....what do you value? 
Make it a priority.....who cares what anyone else thinks.

Stop comparing!

You'll be happier, I promise. 

a new project: one by one

Why hello there. 

If you are usually more of a skimmer and casual picture-looker, and not one that always reads my long winded rambles.....I ask that maybe I could just steal away a few minutes of your day and have you read this....just this one time. I need your help. 

(This is long. I am sorry. Grab a snack.)

I want to start something, a project, and I need you....and you! And your sisters and your friends and your uncles and your mom. All of you. 

In last month's post I had mentioned my desire to make this little Internet space different. 

Fill it with content that will be helpful and worthwhile, instead of just wasteful and time consuming Internet fluff.

When January got too cold, we ran away to the desert. After a long day of playing on the rocks and soaking up the sunshine, we returned to the house we were staying in, dumped the sand from our shoes, and got to work on dinner. We enjoyed a grilled feast with friends and spent the evening with full bellies and long conversations. We spoke of parenting and adventures and then somehow got on the topic of "making a difference". We had been talking about different documentaries we'd all seen, and while the end credits always left us feeling inspired, we realized that we really can't do much in the form of activism. As much as we would like to run off and "save the _______", being young parents with low budgets and day to day responsibilities, it's hard to get out and DO something, even if we really wanted to. 

How can one person make a difference? Can they? 

Can I?

I started thinking.

and thinking.

Woke up in the middle of the night......thinking.

Flash forward through the next few weeks.....more thinking. Pondering. Wondering. 

What can I do? 

What can WE do? 

How to make a difference......

I started to get ideas.....

As strange as it sounds.....bloggers have power.

Weird right?

I am sometimes amazed at how much time and money people put into their blogs. 

Why spend so much on something that's not even tangible--it's not real!

 It's something that won't even be around in ten years?! 

Crafts and new fashions and awkward self portraits.....why do we need these things?

Did you know there are conferences throughout the year you can go and learn to be a better blogger? I wonder if in twenty years people will look back and wonder why they poured so much money into something flashy on their computer screen. 

And will they wish for precious hours back with their friends and families?

So much time trying to better nothing more than an image and an Internet space, when that time could be used to better the world around us.

So.

Here's an idea.

What if we used the Internet--our blogs-- as a tool for good? What if we spent some of our time and energy and talents in actually trying to make a difference, instead of just growing our readership and making ourselves look fancy. 

Let's use the power of the Internet to do something meaningful. 

Something we can look back on and feel good about when we are 103 years old.

Let's join forces for good, shall we?

No plane ticket or fancy outfit required.

So here is my idea. It's small. Simple.

It has the potential to grow......IF you can help me. I can't do it alone.

What if every few weeks I posted a challenge. Something very doable that we ALL can participate in--I know you don't need another item on your to-do list. 

Just a small action that could potentially make a difference in someone's life. 

Do a small act of service. 

Write a note to someone.

Pick up a piece of trash. 

Or how about time spent that could make US a better person--enrich our REAL life, not our Internet life.

Read a book. 

Start a journal (using paper!) 

Turn our phone off. 

Imagine the possibilities! 

And if we were all doing it together, maybe we COULD actually make a difference.

Imagine this (I like visuals)

Let's say I'm walking through a parking lot and pick up a piece of trash I see blowing across the pavement.

ONE piece of trash in the garbage.....meh. Big deal.

But let's say everyone that reads this picks up one piece of trash....right there we are filling up trash bags! Trash cans! Call the garbage man!  (double bonus if you sort recyclables!) 

Our streets and parks around the world just got a little bit cleaner. 

And then you tell your friends (and neighbors! and cousins!).....and they help out too. 

Do you see where I'm going here?

We can all work on this together--reaching out to those around us. Enriching our own lives. Little steps at a time. It's hard for one person to make a difference on our own......but one by one, maybe....just maybe....we can get something going.

Are you with me? 

I promise to make it easy. And fun! Always fun.

BUT.

One but.

Talking to the wise and knowledgeable Whitney Ingram (yes, THE Cookbook Whitney) she brought up a good point. The Internet (blogs, facebook, instagram, etc and etc) have made it so we all feel the need to brag about every little thing we do. 

This is what she had to say about serving others, 

"if you tell someone about it, it doesn't count."

I love this.

I don't want us to be bragging and posting photos of all our wonderful do-goodery. That is not the point. However, should you have incredible story of some sort, or a life changing experience.....please let me know. I would love to share your story here--it's good for us all to hear encouraging and heart warming stories of kindness. Has someone served YOU? I want to hear about that too.

But for the most part, let's keep our little acts silent, so they can all count.

Who is with me? 

Are you up for the challenge? 

Should we see if we can little by little, one by one, try to make a difference on this mighty earth?

We are going to start out as basic and simple as we can get. 

I want everyone to play along--no excuses! 

What's our first challenge?

Smile.

What?!

Yes sir and mam. Just smile. A little extra than usual. 

Smile at a stranger. 

Smile at that guy who took your parking spot.

Smile at the girl who puts her yoga mat waaaaaay too close to yours and you can smell her feet. 

Smile when you really don't want too. The world needs more smiles, so let's start today. 

You and me and you and you.

See?! Easy challenge to start us out. I would love to hear your ideas for challenges--I plan on rotating between ways we can better those around us, ourselves, and the Earth. I have my list going but would love to add some of your ideas. I want a good combination of small gestures we can do for others to spread happiness, and small changes we can make in our individual lives that will lead to us being happier.

And.....

Tell your friends! 

The more people we can get on board, the more of a difference we can actually start to make.

Please take a button if you'd like to post on your blog, and link to our challenges. 

(just paste this html code on your sidebar)

<center> <a href="http://inthelittleredhouse.blogspot.com/search/label/one%20by%20one" target="_blank"><img alt="grab a button" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8520/8464082110_ebab29771e_o.jpg" /></a></center>

<center> <a href="http://inthelittleredhouse.blogspot.com/search/label/one%20by%20one" target="_blank"><img alt="grab a button" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8372/8462982541_3545ddfc6d_o.png" /></a></center>

<center> <a href="http://inthelittleredhouse.blogspot.com/search/label/one%20by%20one" target="_blank"><img alt="grab a button" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8390/8464082088_dfe8e31961_o.png" /></a></center>

Wow! Did you make it through that whole thing? 

Thank you for reading and for your support. 

I am so excited to work together and see what we can do.

now.....go smile at someone!

don't read this blog...

.....and other things I probably shouldn't tell you.

driving back from california last week. donner lake. photo taken with my phone. just because.

 I have been wrestling with these thoughts the past few days and finally had to sit down and pour them out of my brain onto your screen. My house is currently in a state of after Christmas chaos combined with just-got-back-from-a-week-away laundry mountains (where are my children?!)....but....

I must sit, and write.

It's the same every year. Right around December and Januaryish I completely rethink this whole silly thing we call blogging. Why do I do it? Who knows?!! I start to think maybe it's time to pull the virtual plug....I think everyone has heard enough of me, right?! 

I think and think and think about it, and hear this answer.....

It's not time to quit. Not yet. 

So I have decided that as long as I have you here--the dozens of you that there are--if I'm going to share a message then it had better be a message I am proud of and fully endorse. 

I am tired of seeing the same things over and over in blogland, and maybe you are too. I want my message, my blog, to be different. 

The anti-blog, maybe. 

Let's stop comparing ourselves to the perfect and adorably adorable lives of others, and start rallying together to share ideas for a happier and healthier lifestyle. Work together towards something that matters, instead of something that will suck away our precious time or just end up in the garbage.

On Blogging

You don't HAVE to read blogs you know. Blogs can be fun, informative, and inspiring. Blogs can also  make you feel like you aren't enough, aren't doing it right, aren't living like you should, etc. etc. etc.

 If you are constantly comparing yourself to a character in someone else's "blog life", then you are wasting your time. 

Live YOUR life, not someone else's. 

Early last year I posted about this topic-- I read very few blogs these days, and my life is better because of it. I would rather spend my time elsewhere, creating my own moments rather then reading about other's.

On Social Networks

You don't HAVE to check your facebook/twitter/instagram/whatnot twenty seven times a day.

No one will think you are a terrible person if you don't update the world with every single second of your life. (seriously, please don't). No one should care that much about the play by play of YOUR life. Take the time to LIVE some of your moments,

without worrying about how you are going to share them with others. Be present. Enjoy.

On Phones. 

I love my phone. It's everything I need, right in my pocket (amazing!) But I am trying lately to put it down more. I don't need to constantly be reading, searching, looking. There are so many wonderful little tidbits of information I can find on my phone, but I don't need them constantly, do I? 

I need to let my eyes rest, and my brain wander off on it's own from time to time.

On Living

Don't live your life through the internet. 

If I were to make one goal right now, it would be that I can somehow inspire and convince people that it is ok (and wonderful!) to step away from the internet. 

Just say no. You don't need what they are selling or wearing, or to be doing what they are doing. Who cares what they are making or crafting or how they are fixing up in their house. Do your OWN thing--use your imagination. Remember your imagination--that thing you used to use before pinterest came along and destroyed it? Find your own inspiration and run with it.....don't be afraid to do something different.

Just live life, and make it your own.

2013

I'm looking forward to this year. 

I'm excited to meet more of you and share my message. I'll still be here with simple recipes, our adventures, and little random bits of happiness--that part won't change--it's who we are.

I also want to grow.

-We have been feeling the pull and need to simplify more this past year--we want less stuff and more open space to roam. It may be a long process, (right now we are still in the dreaming phase) but I hope to share what I learn in the meantime. (funny how hard it can be to simplify....why is that?)

-I want to learn to make bread....I am terrible at it, so I just don't.

-I want to garden better. I learn more each year, but still have so much room to grow (pun totally intended.)

-I want to read more. Write more.

-I want to learn more about homeschooling. Last year I decided that someday I would make the jump, and I am getting more and more excited about it. Really long story short, we are not in the area right now that I want to start, but we will be looking to move sometime in the next year or so, and I am looking forward to making the plunge--my kids are too.

-I want to work on my food storage. I need major help here.

All these things I can learn and study about on this wonderful little world wide web. I can find teachers all over the world, and research my goals to help me get the job done. 

THIS is why I love the internet, it is such a wonderful tool, and so much good can come of it when used correctly. I truly hope that I can use it for good. I know I'm not the only one tired of all the blogs that are exactly the same, let's get together and do our own thing! 

A blog revolution!

I do have some fun changes coming up around here--I want to move beyond The Little Red House, and I have plans of working with some amazing and talented people who also enjoy living life--I want to share their message with you. 

I look forward to meeting others that think the same, and maybe work with YOU. 

Let's all work to make each other better--yes?!

This little space of mine will never be trendy or cute, I will most likely never be dressed right, and my kids will usually be dirty.....but I guarantee that we are enjoying life. 

Maybe I'll see you out there enjoying it too.

And because I have blabbed on forever, here is a recipe that you are going to LOVE.

 

Beef and Butternut Stew

original recipe by Giada

I changed:

2lbs of beef down to 1lb......2 was just way more beef than we eat. 

-Added some diced potatoes in place of the 1lb of beef.

-swapped out the Marsala. 

-added a bit more garlic and sundried tomatoes (because why not?)

this makes aLOT of stew, and will feed my family twice when we eat it with salad and bread.

3 TBS olive oil 

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary 

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 

1 pounds stew beef, cut into 1-inch cubes 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste 

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

1 cup Marsala wine (we don't drink wine so I don't have any Marsala on hand. I used 1/2 cup good quality grape juice + 1TBS red wine vinegar)

1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes 

3 medium sized potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes 

3 to 4 cups beef broth 

 Directions

In a large soup pot heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, rosemary, and thyme and saute until the onions are tender, about 2 minutes. Toss the beef cubes in salt and pepper and flour. Turn up the heat to med-high and add the beef to the pot. Cook until the beef is browned and golden around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the Marsala wine (or grape juice+vinegar if you are like me:). Using a wooden spoon, gently stir up all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the butternut squash, potatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes and stir to combine. Add enough beef broth to just cover the beef, potatoes, and squash. Bring the stew to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for at least 1 hour-I simmered it for about 3. Season the stew with additional salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve with toasted bread and enjoy!

***

So really....."don't read this blog"? 

Hey--if catching up on blogs for you means missing out on a bike ride with your kids, or skipping out on your afternoon run because you're too "busy" on the internet....then really, don't read it. 

There are so many more important things you could be doing. 

But if you have an extra minute, and want to stop by, I am going to try my best to bring useful information and general happiness to a screen near you.

 Let's get you out on the trail, into the kitchen, and enjoying a simpler life.

I can't wait.

small and simple things

mmmm....

cupcakes.
a tiny little bite of happiness.
ok, maybe a few bites, unless you are being really piggy.
but you can't eat a cupcake and not be momentarily really, very, happy....
...even if it's just for those few bites.

A couple weeks ago I got a snarky-ish comment (delete!) on my post about having a simple year.
something along the lines of "this is really nice way of thinking, but you obviously don't have any real problems in your life"

hahahahahahahahahahahaha.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

You are right, my life is 100% problem free. yipee!
way to go ME. chest bump.

Well, actually, it's not. (gasp!)
But, I try the hardest I can every single day to look for,
search for,
DIG for if I have to,
little things that are happy.

We have the same stresser-outers that every young family has.
school. bills. let's move. let's find a new job. let's move NOW. this broke. that is breaking.
why do we live so far from family?
wow this house is really old.
 that thing broke again. We need a new ______.
Oh and let's not forget this nasty little bug I've been battling for 3 1/2 years. that's fun.
oh--and more bills! HOO-RAH!

But who cares about that junk?
I sure don't.
The reason I blog here is to try my hardest to share happiness--
and have you share your happiness back.
all the fun things in life, all the rainbows and glitter and kittens and unicorns. (melissa that is for you;)
oh, and talk about food of course.

If I lived my life without looking for little things, those big things would get really, really heavy.

So yes, I have become really good in making small things, big. 

Saturday I ran. 
On a trail. Covered in mud and snow.
Running has been hard--I relapsed last fall and I am very,
very, sloooowwwwly building my endurance back up.
But I was out RUNNING! In the sunshine! I had mud flying up my back and into my hair and I LOVED it. I was so full of happiness I was about to burst.

I love cooking for my family . 
Oh yes, there are those nights at 5 o'clock I still have no idea what I'm making (nights like that it's usually grilled cheese, or eggs, or both). But I love the days--like this weekend--where I have everything planned out start to finish--appetizer to dessert, and I get hugs and kisses and thank-yous for dinner. 

I think being able to find happiness, 
comes from knowing what YOU like.
close your eyes, and think about it.....what makes YOU just-about-to-burst-happy?

Make a list.

I like mountains. looking at them. climbing them. running them. being on top of them.
I like canvas shoes. vans. keds. cons.
I like arm balances in yoga.

I like warm chocolate chip cookies. ala mode.

I like a really good burger.

I like old books.

I like bananas when they are a little bit green.

I like road trips. Driving or riding.

I like campfires.

I like stripes.

I like smart comedy.

I like the ice at Cafe Rio.

I like summer.
I like skirts in the summer.

I like The Weepies.

I like sleeping in.

I like board games.
I like home-grown lettuce.

I like running in the mud.

I like digging in the mud.

I like goat cheese.

I like the smell of tomato plants. yes, the plant part.

I'm constantly adding to my list, and always trying to figure out how to get more of those things in to my life. (more goat cheese, yes please!)

They are all small things.....I mean yes, I would REALLY like a trip to Switzerland, or a giant farmhouse on a few acres. 

But the smaller things are a bit more realistic.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cherry Mascarpone Frosting
makes 16-20 cupcakes, and can easily be halved

cupcakes
1 cup boiling water
1/2c unsweetened baking cocoa
1 1/3 c brown sugar
1c + 3TBS cake flour
1t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 c butter, melted
1/2c buttermilk
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
2t pure vanilla extract

Preheat to 350°
Line cupcake pans with liners and set aside.

Combine the cocoa, sugar, flour, baking soda and salt in large bowl and whisk together.
 In a stand mixer, mix the melted butter, buttermilk, eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and hot water until well combined.

Add dry mixture to wet, and mix until just combined--careful not to over mix.

Bake in lined cupcake pans for 18-20 minutes

Cool completely before frosting.

Cherry Mascarpone Frosting
disclaimer: for the most part, when I make frosting.....I don't measure. I just add a little of this and a little more of that until I like it. So if you like to do that, then here are approximate measurements for you:
This frosting has a light cherry flavor. I am not a fan of artificial cherry flavor, and it's winter so fresh cherries were out of the question. I found a yummy jar of cherry preserves w/out artificial flavors or colors, that I thought went really nicely with the mascarpone and chocolate. This frosting is soft and light--not as set up as a buttercream (too soft for piping), but not as light as whipped cream.


8oz mascarpone cheese
(about) 1/2 cup cherry preserves
(somewhere near) 1 1/2 cup powder sugar
(around, oh....) 1/4 cup whipping cream
shaved dark chocolate, for garnish

With a handheld mixer, beat mascarpone, cherry preserves, and powdered sugar until combined. Taste it! want more cherry? Add more. Too tart? add more sugar. This is how I make things.
When you have a flavor you like, beat in whipping cream until you have a nice, light consistency.

Right before I frosted them, I folded an extra spoonful of preserves in for color.
Sprinkle with chocolate!
Keep this refrigerated.....unless you will be eating them right away....like we might have.

I hope you can enjoy something small and simple today.
.....or at least just makes some cupcakes.

What is on your "I like" list?
(if you blog your likes, feel free to link back here so others can see!)

edited to add:

the cupcake liners are Wilton. I found them at Michaels.

two niner

disclaimer: I started this as a simple quick post. and then it just kept going. and going and going.
So I wrote it out for ME.....but you can read it too, if you have too much time on your hands, a snack to enjoy, and something to keep you hydrated.


Short version: today is my birthday.  I like being outside. 29 is going to be awesome.


me. a few weeks back when charly and I were headed up up up the mountain to escape the inversion.

and she has officially entered her 30th year.

she being me.

29 years old.

whoa.

how. 

what?!

I am actually, really, the more I think about it........EXCITED! 

This is going to be a good year....I know it.

28 was a turning point for me.

But first, let's go back.

waaaaaaay back.

19. 

I was married. 

NINETEEN! 

The hardest part about being so young (NINETEEN!!!) when you get married, is that you are most definitely, for sure, in no way, grown up yet. 

Oh, you THINK you are.....but you are not. 

I was not. 

So while trying to adjust to newly wedded bliss and modern housewifery, full time school and work......you are still trying to grow up. 

That's aLOT going on at once.

Oh, and remember how you are 19?

You start to maybe, kinda, sorta, get a grasp on your early 20s, and then BAM!! 

At 22 you have a beautiful, perfect, long-lashed baby boy. 

New motherhood is a challenge at any age, but 22! 

You are still working on YOU! 

Early and mid-twenties flash by in a frenzy of diapers and wipes and tickling of toes...

....because now a lovely little curly headed girl has joined the family.

You will one day wake up and realize that you never quite finished that whole "growing up" thing--you were too busy birthing babies and helping them take their own first steps.

What do you like? What makes you, you?

Being a mother is your absolute favorite thing in the entire world. 

In the UNIVERSE! 

It is the bestest of the best.

But it does not define you.

You start to try things out. 

Test the waters. 

What are the other mothers doing?

You try your hand at scrapbooking. HA! that didn't last long.

You dabble in this and that, motherly hobbies that fizzle out in days. 

You are lost. 

You care too much about what others think,
and don't think enough for yourself. 

And then one day, it clicks.
Without searching or asking or watching what the others are doing.

You decide to take your usual run to a trail.
You leap over.
Dodge under.
Your feet are quick.
You fall.
Get back up.
THIS is what you've been missing.
Outside. 
Simple as that.
Nothing you could have found in Super Mom Magazine,
and nothing Oprah told you to do.

Outside.

Something you grew up with,
but for some reason,
these last few years you forgot.
Forgot how wonderful it is to just be out.

And from there on out, you are good to go.
It's you! You're back!
You re-prioritize.
You get your family outside more.
Make sure you all get good and dirty.
Often.
You simply came back to what you liked growing up.
Nothing new, or trendy.....it was just YOU.

I am excited for what this new year will bring for me.
What will 29 have in store?
Hands in the dirt.
Climbs up mountains.
Camping under stars.
Blisters on our feet, scuffs on our knees.
Lakes. Rivers. Streams.
Bugs and Birds.
Eating food we planted and grew.
Teaching my Littles about all these things, and how important they are to me.

And most importantly, continuing to sift out those unimportant things in my life, and focus on all of the (MANY!) little things I love, and that make me, me.

***

WOW. Did we get just a little cheesy? Please refer to last week's post on actual cheese if you feel like you are in the mood, thanks to this post.

Where did all this come from? I think maybe my parents found me in the woods.

Last year of my 20s....let's go!