Enticing Healthy Eating
If more of us valued food and cheer and song
above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world
- J. R. R. Tolkien
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Sometimes You Make Your Own Family

4/23/2015

 
Sometimes You Make Your Own Family--Enticing Healthy Eating
Definition of family from the Merriam Webster online dictionary>>>>>
"family  -  noun  -  fam-i-ly
  • a group of people who are related to each other"
If you scroll further down the list on the page for a more full definition of "family", I prefer this definition right here:
  • a group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation
I prefer the second definition because I believe sometimes you make your own family.
Life over the past few weeks has definitely thrown me some curveballs. And the adjustments will continue for the next two to three months as Wade and I plan our move to Austin and get settled into our new home together.

There have still been a fair share of sad days since my father passed away on March 10, but also some really great days thrown in there. One of the biggest lessons I have learned over time as I have had close relatives pass away along with some family drama that I wish could have been avoided or at least lead to some different outcomes is that those who you consider your family is entirely up to you. 

I have many more best friends and close buddies I have made over the years that I consider more my family than my actual blood relatives. This used to make me depressed. I used to compare my life to others. I'm an only child and I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to grow up with a few brothers and sisters. I wonder what it would be like to have those giant family Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners I see on movies and even get to see recounted through fellow bloggers' lives on their blog articles.
Sometimes You Make Your Own Family--Enticing Healthy Eating
Sometimes You Make Your Own Family--Enticing Healthy Eating
Sometimes You Make Your Own Family--Enticing Healthy Eating
I don't do the comparison game anymore. I stopped comparing my own body weight, shape, and size to other women about three years ago when I started to let go of my obsessive eating habits and overexercising. I think the idea of comparing my family life to others stopped somewhere around the same time. 
Sometimes You Make Your Own Family--Enticing Healthy Eating
Sometimes You Make Your Own Family--Enticing Healthy Eating
Why do the comparison game and fill my head full of "what if's?" when I have so many close people in my life that mean the world to me and I am so fortunate to have as my family--whether they are blood-related or not?

Though I've recently lost my father, I was reminded about these special people in my life I will always consider my nearest and dearest. 

Sometimes You Make Your Own Family--Enticing Healthy Eating
Sometimes You Make Your Own Family--Enticing Healthy Eating
Sometimes You Make Your Own Family--Enticing Healthy Eating
This whole moving thing is a HUGE change for me. As Wade and I are making our move to a whole new state, as I move away from my hometown for the first time in my life, I know I've got my family to depend on. Even if most of them will now be hundreds of miles away, I know we'll find time to see each other when we can and keep in touch. 
I'm a huge proponent of snail mail, so that might become a more regular routine for me in the near future--sending random greeting cards and occasional small packages to my family that will now be miles away. Also, if you ever want to make my day? Send me some snail mail. A card. A little treat. Anything. I'll love you for life. 

Speaking of loving someone for life, this handsome gentleman and I had our engagement pictures this past weekend. I cannot WAIT to see how they came out. 
Sometimes You Make Your Own Family--Enticing Healthy Eating
So, yeah, those are some of the special people in my life. The ones I consider my family. There are a few others, I just realized I do not have any good pictures with them. Sometimes you get too caught up in the moment and forget to take pictures when you're enjoying life with others.

Oh, and one more family member recently added to the mix? Meet Aries. My mother and I adopted him from the shelter and he will live with her and our other cat, Patch, when I depart for Texas.

Sometimes You Make Your Own Family--Enticing Healthy Eating
He's three years old, has smoky gray hair, light green eyes, and enjoys sleeping on high places like on top of the fridge as well as situating himself on your lap or stomach, even if you're trying to type on your laptop or read a book.
Sometimes You Make Your Own Family--Enticing Healthy Eating
I'll miss this little guy, he's already formed a special place in my heart. I think I know why I fell in love with him at the shelter; he CANNOT stay out of the kitchen, repeatedly tries to jump on counters to take a nibble at any and every bit of food we might leave out, and he drools slightly sometimes when he's sleeping. Did you know a cat can drool while they sleep? Well, now you do.

I'm happy, fortunate, and very blessed with the family I have. Even if they have four paws, too. 


Did you grow up with a large family or a small family?


Do you consider your pets your family as well?

Pause to Ponder #2

4/9/2015

 
Pause to Ponder #2--Enticing Healthy Eating
Hello and Happy Friday! How's your week been? I hope it's been swell. We have had quite a few thunderstorms and severe weather causing a bit of havoc in Northwest Arkansas lately. I've always enjoyed the Spring thunderstorms, though. The only thing I do not enjoy is the damage that may come with them. 

Just yesterday I was driving with my mother to check out a wedding venue and a scattered thunderstorm came out of nowhere while we were driving towards the venue on the highway. The wind almost had the heavy rain coming down completely sideways. And then...the hail. Oh, the hail. I swear, Northwest Arkansas gets SO MUCH hail every year. I was devastated because we were driving MY car. Not cool, Mother Nature.

Luckily we managed to find a business off to the side of the road that seemed closed and had a covered parking area for my mother and I to pull my car into while we waited out the storm. About four or five minutes later and the storm was gone, just as quickly as it had swept in. 

The wedding venue walk-through still went on without a hitch. Wade and I haven't picked out our wedding venue yet and are just beginning to browse around. My goal is to pick our wedding venue before we move to Texas this June or July. 

In other exciting news, I did manage to check one thing off of the wedding planning list...

I SAID YES TO THE DRESS!

Pause to Ponder #2--Enticing Healthy Eating
Pause to Ponder #2--Enticing Healthy Eating
Along with checking out a wedding venue yesterday, my mother and I made an appointment to come back to the bridal store where I had found my YES! dress and figure out the order specifications to my size and measurements. Yay! I cannot wait to receive my own wedding dress!

Other recent events include a whole slew of tasty eats and treats lately. Including these beautifully decorated fruits on a large fruit table at a recent friend's wedding. 
These little Peeps and Twinkies cars at a family and friends Easter brunch my mother and I attended.
Pause to Ponder #2--Enticing Healthy Eating
And I finally got my hands on some Bai to try! They were having a 3 for $5 special at Target. I couldn't pass that deal up. Add another few items to my cart in Target that I did not even intend on buying...You got me, Target. But the reward was sweet. The mango flavored Bai is on point.
Pause to Ponder #2--Enticing Healthy Eating
Today, my mother and I were invited to a dinner at my great friend, Ashley's, house with her husband Nick. I'm going to teach Ashley how to make a key lime pie for dessert to go with our dinner. She wanted some more hands-on practice at making desserts. I said count me in! Especially if pie is involved! 

I'll leave you with my favorite links of the week and a quote to pause and ponder, if you will. Have a good one!
Food
Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies by Running with Spoons
Naturally Sweetened Orange Coconut Muffins by Cotter Crunch
Salmon Sweet Potato Cakes by The Little Honey Bee
Low fat, Gluten-free, Grain-free Flourless Black Bean Brownie Cake by Southern-in-Law

Health
What Happens to your Body when you Sit all Day by RawStory
How To Know If You Have Tight Ankles & 5 Exercises To Increase Ankle Range Of Motion by Lifting Revolution
Good Eats: The Healthy Kitchen Shopping List by Lauren Conrad
No Two Eaters are the Same by The Real Life RD

Fun
You Might Be a Healthy Living Blogger If... by Clean Eats, Fast Feets (<<<THIS article was the best. Just plain awesome.)
The BEST Wedding Gifts by Peanut Butter Fingers
10 Questions Not to Ask a Food Blogger by Hummusappien
Can We Guess Your Taste in Men Based on Your Taste in Food? by Buzzfeed
Pause to Ponder #2--Enticing Healthy Eating
Pause and ponder...
Source
Linking up with Heather at Life in Leggings for Friday Favorites and Amanda at Running with Spoons for Link Love


Pause to Ponder

4/2/2015

 
Pause to Ponder--Enticing Healthy Eating
I wanted to start a new series on my blog where I share a couple of my favorite food, health, and nutrition related articles I've stumbled upon recently as well as my favorite quote for the week. Feel free to check out my favorite links of the week and/or pause to ponder the quote of the week below. Happy Friday!

Favorite Links:

Food
Ginger Beef, Mushroom, and Kale Stir-fry by Gimme Some Oven
The Secret to a Juicy Roast Turkey Breast by Foodie Crush
Fish Tacos with Cumin Lime Slaw by Budget Bytes
Coconut Macaroon Nests by Skinnytaste

Health
The Best & Worst Canned Tuna in the U.S. based on Sustainability by MindBodyGreen
Tone It Up Bikini Abs workout video by Tone It Up
How to Cook a Sweet Potato Quicker by Teaspoon of Spice
Compassion by Fairyburger


Fun
10 Awesome Things about Being a Woman by Just the Elevator Pitch
D.I.Y. Peeps Bunny Crayons by Crumbs and Curls
A Coloring Book for Adults by Johanna Basford
20 Signs You're Doing Better than You Think You are by ThoughtCatalog


Pause to ponder this...
Pause to Ponder--Enticing Healthy Eating
Source
Linking up with Heather at Life in Leggings for Friday Favorites and Amanda at Running with Spoons for Link Love


What's your favorite type of flower?


Any fun plans for the weekend? I'm going to a good friend's wedding and to some family friends' house for an Easter brunch!
    enticing healthy Eating

    Happiness is Homemade

    Hi there!  I'm Kaylin, a foodie, health nut, and recent college graduate. Born and raised in Arkansas, recently moved to Texas. On this blog you'll find a lot of tasty food and recipe ideas, healthy lifestyle suggestions, and random musings of my trials and tribulations of a 20-something. 
    I hope to inspire you to create some delicious things in your own kitchen because I believe happiness is homemade. 

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