Moody Monday's Motivation...

Sunday's Cucumber Salad

We decided to attempt our first garden this year. Day after day, we tend to the duties needed to facilitate a healthy garden, it has been quit fun actually. Unfortunately though, we haven't had single vegetable sprout despite our efforts. That is until this weekend. The girls ran out to help me water the other night and I caught a glimpse of a cucumber hidden beneath the prickly leaves and yellow flowers.  I pointed it out to the them and I don't know who was more excited them or me! They carefully lifted the foliage and found not one, but three perfectly green, ripe beauties!

We decided to do something tasty with the cucumbers to celebrate this large victory in the Campione's garden and made my father in laws cucumber salad. We broke out our mandolin and sliced our prize worthy cucumbers and an onion, mixed in the dressing, threw it in the fridge to chill and voila, it was time to dig in.

Now I know we are a bit partial to our very own first time home grown veggies, but those cucumbers were the best we have ever had!

Here is the recipe for a this delicious light salad, perfect for a hot, humid summer day! Enjoy!

1 cucumber(we tripled this not wanting to leave any of our cucs out:)
1 onion
5 TBS sugar (we used half the amt)
1/3 cup vinegar
2 cups warm water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dill weed
1 TBS oil
2 all spice balls(we didn't have these so we used about a 1/2 tsp ground allspice)

Gift of Grace...my memoir is on hold temporary, but it remains in my heart.

My beautiful white, blusher veil, fell delicately over my dolled up face. I was twenty six and marrying Ryan, the man I loved, but as I stood on the cement church steps, my body started to shake. Not knowing if it was the common “Cold Feet,” so many others have referred to experiencing before saying, I Do, or was I doubting, the decision I had agreed to over a year ago when he slipped the marquise diamond engagement ring on my finger? I began to feel claustrophobic, wiping my tears, I continued down the aisle to my groom, becoming a wife.   

Only seven months into our marriage, I felt stranger to myself.  Feeling like I had lost all significance in my life after giving up my passion, changing my name and moving in with my husband.  I took a leap back in time when I visited my Alma Mater, Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, my past feelings for my first love, turned NFL quarterback, surfaced and finding out if it wasn’t too late to have him back, encompassed my every thought.

Lost in life and unable to trust my gut, I turned to God.  I prayed, begged and pleaded for God to take over in my life. It wasn’t until then that I realized the significance in my life that was irretrievable had been forfeited for a reason.  Losing it all was the only way for me to become self-less and become open to receiving the most beautiful gift of grace.

Wednesday Wonderful...

 “Your life is not a result of random chance, fate, or luck.  There is a master plan.  History is His story.  God is pulling the strings.  We make mistakes, but God never does.”  Purpose Driven Life

The other night on my run, I caught a glimpse of this wooden cross out of the corner of my eye.  I slowed down, my eyes still fixated, and then turned around to go back to get a closer look.  I mean look how beautiful.  It was on a lot in the neighborhood that has some major construction going on.  This simple, yet powerful sight gave me the greatest feeling of hope, love and appreciation.  There are signs everywhere that God is with us and this one in particular was simply divine. :)

Mmm...Monday

Stop what you are doing and just look at the delectable little treat above.  This simple, yet amazing side dish is paired perfectly with your meat of choice hot off the grill.  We had these the other night(I used nitrate free turkey bacon) and Jake confirmed that this was his absolute favorite way that I have ever made asparagus, which is huge seeing that asparagus has become a weekly tradition in this house. Yep, this baby just got added to the rotation.  I can't wait for the aroma of bacon with a little bit of sweetness to fill the house when I make these again next week.  

Try this asap friends!

http://www.bakeaholicmama.com/2014/03/bacon-wrapped-asparagus-with-balsamic.html

Inspiration on this lovely Wednesday...

I have been a student to the insightful author, Gloria Kempton, my writing coach, for over six months now. She both inspires me and challenges me daily and for this I am grateful.  Currently, I am studying her book, The Outlaw's Journey, which explains in detail the well known writer, Joseph Campbell's, The Hero's Journey. I made a pledge to myself last year that I would complete this memoir.  I am mindful that this writing endeavor will require a whole lot of patience, persistence and of course all the chocolate I can handle to get me through to the final pages, but nothing good comes easy, right?

Go after your dreams friends and never, ever, stop.

A quote by Joseph Campbell that speaks to my soul:

"We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us."

Tuesday's Father's Day shout out to our real life hero!

The girls amazed me at their willingness to make the letters PAPA using only themselves as props.  I carefully balanced on a chair trying to capture the moment as quickly as possible before one of them giggled and squirmed out of position.  All in all I think it turned out great. The added bonus is that it can double as a display for both Father's Day and 4th of July!

We had a belated celebration with Jake after our return from our awesome vaca in Jamaica.  We had an eventful day having breakfast together, going to church and making a splash at the community pool.

I think he was pretty pleased about the surprise from his girlies.  What do you think?