tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56006565252630237972024-03-13T13:32:08.631-07:00Unfolding LifeCandacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.comBlogger767125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-11491807746619440002017-09-04T16:47:00.003-07:002017-09-04T16:58:39.310-07:00DIY Succulent-Topped Pumpkins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you're a DIYer, you know that sometimes projects turn out, and sometimes they don't. This succulent-topped pumpkin DIY not only turned out but may just be my favorite thing I've made all year. It combines pumpkins and succulents, after all -- what is not to love?
I have quite a few succulents growing in my garden, so I was able to make this inexpensively. Even if you don't have your own succulents, you can keep the cost down by using a smaller pumpkin. The one pictured above is only about five inches in diameter.<br />
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You Need:
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<ul>
<li>Pumpkin - Try to find the fairy tale shaped pumpkins with the flatter top</li>
<li>Succulents - Try to choose some that have rosette tops, but also find some with interesting leaves (like jade) and some that can drape over the edge, if possible.</li>
<li>Sphagnum Moss - Purchase at any nursery or home/garden store, like Lowe's</li>
<li>Spray Adhesive (Both pictured work)</li>
<li>Glue - I used Gorilla Glue because that's what I had, but I'm thinking any quick-drying glue would work, maybe even hot glue</li>
</ul>
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<strong>Step 1:</strong> Spray the top of your clean, dry pumpkin with the spray adhesive. Press a layer of sphagnum moss. Let it dry, shake off the excess, then spray the layer of moss and press a second layer down. Do this a few more times until you have a good inch or two of moss.<br />
<strong>Step 2:</strong> Choose the largest rosette you have. Trim the stem and glue it in the middle.<br />
<strong>Step 3:</strong> Choose medium-sized rosettes and add them in sets of two, gluing them at the short stem<br />
<strong>Step 4:</strong> Begin filling in with whatever other succulents you have. Use spare succulent leaves as filler. The key to this is to make it full!
Care for your succulent-topped beauties by misting them once a week on top. Try not to get the pumpkin wet.
These will keep throughout the fall season! If you keep them inside your home, be sure and give them some sunshine from time to time.
At the end of the season, when the pumpkin starts to say good-bye, carefully cut the top portion off. Chances are that your succulents began to make roots in the moss! You can plant the piece and continue to enjoy your arrangement throughout the year. Isn't that fantastic?
Do you think you'll be making a succulent-topped pumpkin to enjoy this fall season?<br />
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<br />Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-71580288303091072532015-05-20T16:56:00.000-07:002017-09-04T16:56:57.910-07:00Celebrate with a Naked Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This has been a month of celebrating! On May 16, we had a shower celebration for our sweet babe, John and Kelly came and we celebrated Kelly's birthday, and a few days ago we found out everything was in for the adoption to be finalized! Let's all take a moment and cheer!<br />
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My new favorite way to celebrate is with the incredible naked cake. I first learned about naked cakes when I interviewed a local baker for Enjoy Magazine. (You can read the article <a href="http://www.enjoysouthvalley.com/2015/01/26/59967/up-to-something-yummy-at-max-s-cookie-co" target="_blank">here</a>.) He explained that a naked cake is basically layers of delicious cake filled with beautiful cream and fruit and topped with powdered sugar, fresh fruit, and flowers. The outside of the cake is not iced at all, so it keeps this lovely rustic look.
In the last month then, I made eight of these cakes! One for fun, six for the shower, and one for Kelly's birthday. I used my very favorite yellow cake recipe from America's Test Kitchen and found a super simple cream cheese-whipped cream filling recipe. Some gorgeous in-season strawberries and fresh flowers made them look downright wedding worthy.
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<h4>
The Cake</h4>
<ul>
<li>4 Large eggs</li>
<li>1/2 Cup Whole Milk</li>
<li>2 Teaspoons vanilla</li>
<li>2 1/4 Cups Cake Flour</li>
<li>1 1/2 Cups Sugar</li>
<li>2 Teaspoons Baking Powder</li>
<li>3/4 Teaspoons Salt</li>
<li>1/2 lb. Butter, softened and cut into 8 pieces.</li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li>Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease two 9-inch cake pans with butter and cover pan bottoms with rounds of parchment. Grease parchment rounds and dust with flour, and tap out excess.</li>
<li>Beat eggs, milk, and vanilla with fork in small bowl; measure out 1 cup of this mixture and set aside. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment; mix on lowest speed to blend, about 30 seconds. With mixer still running at lowest speed, add butter one piece at a time, mix until butter and flour begin to clump together and look sandy and pebbly, with pieces about the size of peas, 30-40 seconds after all butter is added. Add reserved 1 cup of egg mixture and mix at lowest speed until incorporated, 5-10 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add remaining egg mixture in slow steady stream, about 30 seconds. Stop mixture and scrape sides and bottom of bowl. Beat on medium-high until thoroughly combined and batter looks slightly curdled, about 15 seconds longer.</li>
<li>Divide batter equally between prepared cake pans; spread to sides of pan and smooth with rubber spatula. Bake until cake tops are light golden and skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes.</li>
<li>After cakes have cooled completely, slice each cake in half lengthwise so that you end up with four thin cakes.</li>
</ol>
<h4>
The Filling</h4>
<ul>
<li>1 (8 oz) package cream cheese</li>
<li>1/2 cup sugar</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla</li>
<li>2 cups heavy cream</li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li>Combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl with a mixer. Mis well until smooth.</li>
<li>Slowly add in cold heavy cream and beat until stiff peaks form.</li>
</ol>
<h4>
The Creation</h4>
<ol>
<li>Note: In addition to the cakes and filling, you also need powdered sugar and sliced strawberries.</li>
<li>Once the cakes are completely cooled, slice the cakes so that you have four thin cakes.</li>
<li>Place the first cake layer on a cake plate. Use a piping bag or a ziplock bag to pipe the edges, then fill in a nice thick layer, and top with sliced berries if desired.</li>
<li>Continue this for the next two layers.</li>
<li>Place the top layer on, then dust with powdered sugar and top with fresh fruit and flowers. (Tip: Plan where you want the flowers to go on a paper plate first!)</li>
</ol>
It really is one of those desserts that looks so difficult to make but is easily created. And there are so many variations - lemon cake with raspberries, chocolate cake with cream and chocolate curls, even a spicy gingerbread option. I love this so much and will make this the go-to dessert for my events this year.
Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-15799948012139901112014-12-23T16:32:00.000-08:002017-09-04T16:33:46.077-07:00Ten on Tuesday<h5 style="text-align: center;">
one</h5>
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Our third annual Favorite Things party was such a great night! Steph and I have learned a few things along the way, so this year was about as stress-free as it comes. We ordered Mexican party trays from Amigos and each made an appetizer and dessert - Kelly's pasta tacos, Steph's famous 7 Layer Dip, brown butter sea salt chocolate chip cookies, and pot de creme. I already shared some of my <a href="http://www.robandcan.com/2014/12/10-favorite-things-fifteen/" target="_blank">favorite things from the year</a>, but you can see what everybody bought and learn how to do such a party at <a href="http://howsweetthisisblog.com/2014/12/2014-annual-favorite-things-party/" target="_blank">Steph's blog</a>!
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two</h5>
I have been working with our youth girls and children for the last two months preparing for our children's Christmas program. We performed on December 14th, and it was outstanding! The youth girls and I opened with a rendition of Carol of the Bells, and the children performed a mini musical called "The Christmas Cross." The entire congregation--including myself--was so blessed! This is always so much work, but once that performance comes, every late night and stressful moment is worth it! If you're on Facebook, you can watch a bit of the girls singing on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sierrabaptistchurch" target="_blank">Sierra Baptist Church page</a>.
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<h5 style="text-align: center;">
three</h5>
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Growing up, we would spend Christmas Eve with all of the Vander Kooi's at my Grandma and Grandpa's house on the dairy. It is one of my favorite childhood memories. Now that we're all older with families of our own, it's difficult to get together on Christmas Eve. We started doing a celebration a week or two before Christmas, and it works out nicely...even though we all admit it's not the same, especially without our grandparents and Aunt Sue. Still, it's a treat to get together with my cousins, aunts, and uncles!
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<h5 style="text-align: center;">
four</h5>
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After the VK Christmas, I drove Chels home to SF and spent a couple of days with her. We had such a fun time! We visited Flora Grubb nursery, shopped a bit at 4th Street in Berkeley, checked out a couple of decked-out hotels, walked around Union Square, went to the market at the Ferry Building, and of course enjoyed plenty of yummy treats along the way. It was a fantastic time with my sista!
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<h5 style="text-align: center;">
five</h5>
We wrapped our first semester of the 2014-2015 school year on Friday. I ended up with about 15 students, so the last week is always a bit crazy as I pull together their report cards and complete their semester paperwork. I had some sweet moments, though, like one boy who stopped by my office to tell me that I really helped him this year. Moments like that keep me going!
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<h5 style="text-align: center;">
six</h5>
My hubby turned 33 this year! We started the celebration early (as we usually do) with some friends over our house on Friday night. Saturday my parents had us over for a nice dinner with them, and then Sunday (his actual birthday) was a full day of fun! The congregation sang Happy Birthday to him and presented him with gifts. We followed that up with pizza at the Planing Mill with our families, then ice cream cake and presents at our house afterward. That evening, he and I went out to PF Chang's in Fresno for dinner, shopped, and looked at Christmas lights!
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<h5 style="text-align: center;">
seven</h5>
We crammed in one last show with Unfolded Designs and brought the last of our 2014 inventory over to Embellish & Restore. We have been stunned with how well things have sold this year! It's awesome to have a creative outlet such as this, and a bonus to make a bit of money to put toward our adoption! Thank you for supporting us, friends, through your words and your dollars! ;)
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<h5 style="text-align: center;">
eight</h5>
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The December issue of <a href="http://www.enjoysouthvalley.com/" target="_blank">Enjoy Magazine</a> is out, and I am honored once again to have two articles included! You won't find me in the January issue - I was way too busy this month to be able to participate - but I'm working on a piece for February. If you're local, you can pick this up <span style="text-decoration: underline;">free</span> at a number of stores including Embellish & Restore and The Gardens (two of our favorites). You can also pay a subscription fee to <a href="http://www.enjoysouthvalley.com/pages/subscribe" target="_blank">have it delivered</a>! Even if I wasn't part of this magazine, I would still love it! It's full of great stories, always has a seasonal recipe or two, and has a fantastic calendar of events.
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<h5 style="text-align: center;">
nine</h5>
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This flower stopped me in my tracks! I've had my yuletide camellia for three years now, and it finally bloomed! Love it so!
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<h5 style="text-align: center;">
ten</h5>
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We did not send out Christmas cards this year. I know - sad. If we had sent out cards, though, I would have probably sent this festive photo, taken at The Gardens. So if you really love us, you can just save the image and print it out! Ha! And know that even though we didn't send you a greeting in the mail, we love you and wish you the merriest of Christmases!Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-50472558152307018752014-12-16T16:26:00.000-08:002017-09-04T16:27:15.851-07:00Six on Saturday<h6 style="text-align: center;">
one</h6>
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I had the hair-brained idea not to put up a Christmas tree this year. I'm not sure what was going on. Maybe I was worn out from the Thanksgiving hubbub; maybe I wasn't thrilled about having to lug that thing down from the attic and set it up. Either way, I loaned it to Camille this year, thinking it would save me some time and hassle. Turns out, I simply cannot have Christmas without a tree. I headed out the next day and bought one.
The good thing that came out of it was discovering fresh garland at Lowe's. You can get 20 feet of cedar for $15, and let me tell you, that 20 feet goes a long way. I draped it down the hallway, on my mantel, on my table, and then made three really simple wreaths with the leftovers, one of which is pictured above. There is also a bit of dried boxwood in that one, which I'm crazy about, and some fake red berries. Next time I'll add red berries from the Pistache tree or Nandina.
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<h6 style="text-align: center;">
two</h6>
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I made this clay poinsettia! I'm in love with it. I have grand plans to make more, but that may not happen. I followed <a href="http://sparklelivingblog.com/2014/11/make-sculpted-clay-poinsettia-ornaments/" target="_blank">this tutorial</a> from Sparkle Living, which was spot on, and I used the directions for baking clay on the package, which also was just about right. I just had to bake the clay a bit longer than it said. Also, (in case anyone is going to try this) it's good to know that the clay doesn't totally harden in the oven but will continue to harden as it cools.
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<h6 style="text-align: center;">
three</h6>
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I added a small living Christmas tree to our decor this year, purchased at Luis's Nursery. It's so cute. It was my first attempt at fixing the no-tree issue, but it wasn't large enough. We plan on keeping it in a pot throughout the year for as long as we can, and then we will be happy to pass this sweet cedar on to someone who will plant it, as we have no room.
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<h6 style="text-align: center;">
four</h6>
I finished my first class for my program at UCLA Extension! Our final project was to create a website for our college counseling business (which for most of us is fake at this point). You can check it out <a href="http://candacefeely.weebly.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. And I really did learn a lot, both from my class and from working with my friend at her business, so if anyone has questions, ask me!
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<h6 style="text-align: center;">
five</h6>
I am leading the children's Christmas program again at church. I have three fantastic women helping me this year, plus Debbie who makes snacks for us each week. It's so great being part of a team! We've been busy practicing and rehearsing, getting ready for our performance on December 14th. It's going to be great!
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<h6 style="text-align: center;">
six</h6>
I've missed so much in this update, so #6 will be a summary.<br />
<ul>
<li>Unfolded Designs was at the Handmade Holiday at Radiant Church, and it was a fantastic event! We did really well! You can see some pictures on our Instagram (feed is up on the right). Nothing draws people like twinkle lights. :)</li>
<li>Thanksgiving was great this year. Chels and Roger stayed with us for two nights, which is something that never happens and made the week feel extra special and fun. We celebrated with my family and Robby's family both in one day (that kinda kills me...), then kept up the fun throughout the weekend until Chels and Roger headed back to SF on Saturday.</li>
<li>We've had some nice evenings with friends this month, one being a redeeming dinner at Bravo Farms with Ben and Steph. (The last time we went there was a bit of a disaster...) We also got to visit with John and Kelly who stayed the night with us. What a treat!</li>
<li>Robby and I went to Disneyland and had a blast! It was the last week of our annual pass, so we made sure to get the most of it. As much as I loved our day, though, two Disneyland days in a row nearly killed me, as our trip came just days after the girls' trip. I felt like it took a whole week just to recover! But it was worth it.</li>
<li>I wrote about Advent earlier in the week, but wanted to again say how wonderful it is to spend time in expectation for the celebration of Christ's birth. Did anyone else begin an Advent calendar?</li>
</ul>
Happy Saturday, friends!Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-84963389176014226192014-11-24T16:52:00.000-08:002017-09-04T16:58:17.875-07:00Metallic Lights Mantel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I accidentally decorated my mantel for Christmas. It wasn't intentional. Honest! I try to wait until after Thanksgiving before moving on to my Christmas decor, but once I started making these pretty metallic and felt paper Christmas cone trees, I couldn't stop.
What I love about this project is anyone can do it, and the materials are easily accessible. Paper, glue, spray paint, and some felt and glitter if you so desire. In this case, the more the merrier is definitely true. One tree isn't enough - you need a forest!
I also love that this could easily be modified as a kid's craft. Before making the cone, have your child decorate it with whatever you have on hand - stickers, glitter, even a traced handprint would be adorable. After they have it all fixed up, you can make the cone. Done!<br />
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For this craft, you need the following:
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<ul>
<li>Sturdy craft paper (scrapbook paper would probably work, too)</li>
<li>Glue and tape</li>
<li>A makeshift compass consisting of needle, string, and chalk</li>
<li>Metallic spray paint in copper, silver, and/or gold (I found these at OSH)</li>
<li>Adhesive spray and glitter (optional, of course)</li>
<li>White and/or green felt (also optional - you could skip the felt entirely and just stick with the metallic and glitter cones)</li>
</ul>
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<strong>Step 1:</strong> Cut a large circle out of craft paper. The radius of your circle will equal the height of the tree. You can create a makeshift compass by threading a needle and putting it through the center of the craft paper. Tie chalk (or a pencil) to the edge, make the string taut, and draw your circle. Cut it out carefully.
(Question: Whenever I start a project, my cat comes a runnin' to plop herself down on what I'm working on. Anyone else have this problem? My solution was to make Calla her own craft paper circle. That worked for about two minutes.)<br />
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<strong>Step 2:</strong> Cut your circle into thirds so you have three even pieces. If you want it perfect, you can follow this <a href="http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/editors-blog/dividing-a-circle-into-three-without-a-protractor" target="_blank">tutorial</a>, or you can eye-ball it, then fold each third in half and make sure the arcs are lined up evenly.<br />
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<strong>Step 3:</strong> Repeat steps 1 and 2 with two more circles of different radius lengths. You'll then end up with 9 trees of three different heights.<br />
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<strong>Step 4:</strong> Take one of the pieces. The tip is the top of the cone. Start there and fold in at the point, creating the cone shape. Line up the base of the cone, then stick a piece of tape or two to secure. The paper will definitely overlap, and that's okay! It will make the cone more secure. Do this with each piece.<br />
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<strong>Step 5:</strong> Hot glue the edge of the cone, both inside and out. Trim up the base if it's wobbly in any way. That's it! Your cones are finished!<br />
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<strong>Step 6:</strong> To make metallic cones, simply spray paint the cone and let dry. Easy peasy!<br />
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<strong>Step 7:</strong> To make glitter cones, spray with adhesive (or spray paint) and dust with glitter.<br />
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<strong>Step 8:</strong> To make felt cones, cut a pile of felt into squares or rectangles, depending on what you want. If you're using the squares, you'll position them to look like diamonds with the points facing toward the top and base. The side edges will overlap so there are no gaps, and the tops will somewhat fit into the point created. If you're using the rectangles, you'll start by gluing one, then overlapping another right next to it so that the whole cone is covered. Either way, start from the bottom and work your way up to the top. Trim the squares or rectangles to be a bit smaller once you're at the top layer or so. Once you're all finished, go in and add extra glue to make the felt lay nicely.<br />
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On my mantel, I added a few pieces to make the whole thing full and fun. To create the look, you need:<br />
<ul>
<li>A string of battery-powered lights</li>
<li>Air plants</li>
<li>A few small glass vases or globes filled with sand (to look like snow!)</li>
<li>Preserved or artificial boxwood</li>
<li>Dried orange rounds (tutorial <a href="http://citrusandcream.com/2014/05/diy-dried-citrus-rounds.html" target="_blank">here</a>)</li>
<li>Artificial snow</li>
</ul>
Position all of your Christmas cone trees, then fill in the gaps with vases. Toss artificial snow about, and throw on a few orange rounds. Run a string of lights through your display.This is a great afternoon project. Don't forget to accompany it with your favorite Christmas music or movie!<br />
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<br />Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-74290855746912775782014-10-31T16:43:00.000-07:002017-09-04T16:44:09.722-07:00Four on Friday<h5 style="text-align: center;">
one</h5>
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Happy Halloween! I made this fun felt mask following <a href="http://fercute.com/currently/2013/10/26/diy-fox-mask" target="_blank">this tutorial</a>, and I love it! I think felt masks are so fantastic, don't you? Also, I realized I have quite the stash of felt! It's the best material for crafting since it doesn't fray and can be molded.
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<h5 style="text-align: center;">
two</h5>
The fox mask went great with my fox leggings, a last minute find at Target. This was the first year I spent Halloween at home and handed out candy! I've always wanted to do that! Most years, we're at our church event, but since Robby came down with the flu last night, our plans changed.
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<h5 style="text-align: center;">
three</h5>
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We were vendors at our local Harvest Festival last weekend and had a lot of fun, once again. Even though it wasn't quite as busy as the Makers Market, we met so many great people and made a few nice sales!
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<h5 style="text-align: center;">
four</h5>
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I made this festive fall wreath this week. It turned out so pretty, but I'm most proud of the fact that most of it is made of pieces I've collected. I dried the boxwood a couple of months ago, as well as the mini pomegranates. The putka pods (they look like pumpkins) and tiny acorns are from Ohio, and the lovely white berries are from Debbie's tree. Just like that my door is dressed up!Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-60004460788773066122014-10-04T16:41:00.000-07:002017-09-04T16:41:22.161-07:00HopeRomans 15:13 has become the Feely family's verse this year. It has been a favorite of mine for a long time, but these days the words pierce and heal in a new way.<br />
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Repetition can be powerful. Right now, two other verses come to mind where the author repeats the key word. In the Psalms, David writes of how "deep calls to deep." In the New Testament, John writes that we have received "grace upon grace." And here, in Romans 15:13, Paul prays that the God of hope would give us hope.<br />
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We hear many people talk about having hope, but this verse explains it in a new light. We can't simply have hope on our own. We can't one day muster up a well of hope in our own strength, one that bubbles up and over and out to flood our life and the lives of those around us.
Hope must come from something beyond us. More precisely, hope must come from someone outside ourselves, someone with the power and the ability to truly give us hope.
Hope can only come from God. He is the only one with the knowledge and strength to lift us up, to tell us light will come, to assure us that one day, there will be no more tears.
It is God's power, the power of the Holy Spirit, that gives people hope. When we are at the point of desperation, it is the Holy Spirit living inside of us that stirs the well of hope, pours into it Himself, and makes it overflow.<br />
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For me, this is reassuring. I don't have to create hope on my own. I can cry out to God and believe without a doubt that His Spirit has the power to give me hope, even when things feel hopeless. I know that when I am weak, He is strong, and He is able to turn mourning into dancing and ashes into life.
There are many reasons I trust God, but this is a big one: so that I will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-23381356567135784172014-09-24T16:38:00.000-07:002017-09-04T16:38:10.820-07:00Little Lights of FallToday is the first day of fall, which means I'm already thinking about holiday decor. As Robby and I worked on terrariums yesterday morning, we were excited to pull out the beautiful lights he's been collecting over the last few months. I love these lights. The color is warm white, and instead of having an ugly white or green cord, the lights are on delicate metal wires. So pretty and festive.<br />
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<br />Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-38464836277205407472014-09-23T16:35:00.000-07:002017-09-04T16:36:00.206-07:00Remembering Our Friend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tonight my heart is heavy. I'm thinking about our friend Joel who passed away last week, whose life we will celebrate tomorrow along with his wife, his two boys, and the many, many people who loved him.
He was my youth pastor for a time in high school, and I was surprised when we ran into each other about four years ago. Robby was searching for a college group for our recently graduated students, and we found Elevate, a young adult para-church ministry held at Cafe 210. On the very first night we attended, there was Joel, preaching. He was the one who began Elevate, recognizing a need for a place for young people in the Visalia area to connect and engage. Joel remembered me (pretty amazing since it had been close to fifteen years), and he and Robby quickly connected. He was eager to get Rob plugged in and serving, and almost immediately Robby started leading a small group. That led to playing on the worship team and becoming part of the leadership team. Last year, Joel felt that he needed to step back from Elevate (he was the new pastor of a church plant in Exeter), and Robby continued the ministry, staying connected with Joel and others in the Elevate leadership.
Today, I remembered that I wrote about one of the messages Joel shared in that first year we attended. When I went back and found it, I couldn't believe that my post was from September 22 of 2010, almost four years ago exactly. That year was tough for Robby and me. One night Joel talked about Zechariah and Elizabeth, one of the passages of Scripture I hold most dear. This is what I wrote:
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<blockquote>
<strong>Two weeks ago at Elevate, the message was on Luke 1, the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth and God's promise to them to have a son, whom we know is John. I love that passage and even wrote a post about it earlier in the year. I can hardly hear it or read it without crying because I think of their desperate plea for a child, and God's gracious response to them, a response that was nothing they would have ever expected. I know God wanted me to hear that message and be reminded of His faithfulness and goodness. But something else stood out to me: the pastor talked about letting our dreams and plans go so that we may be part of God's plan. He said that God's plan will happen regardless of our decision, but we may choose to be part of what He is doing and let go of what we think our life should look like.</strong></blockquote>
I can remember what it felt like that night, sitting at Elevate and hearing those words. They meant so much to me then, and even more to me now. I think of how Joel fulfilled what he preached, how he chose to be part of God's plan during his life, remained faithful and strong in the Lord even when life didn't turn out the way we would expect. Cancer is never what we plan or expect, is it? I am heartbroken over the loss of our friend, yet I am encouraged that he not only spoke these words, but believed them. He believed in God's faithfulness and goodness, and he believed that God's plan was always worth following. He made sure he was a person who was part of whatever God was doing, no matter what.
That is what I'm holding to tonight: God is faithful and good, and His plan is always worth following. I want to be a person who is part of whatever God is doing, no matter what.Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-34701416465045104522014-09-12T10:09:00.001-07:002017-09-04T15:39:26.640-07:00Blog News and Chelsea's Golden Thirty PartyI have made the jump to Wordpress for my personal blog, combining all the different places I write into one and adding in Robby's business venture <i>Unfolded Designs</i>. Our new site is <a href="http://www.robandcan.com/">www.robandcan.com</a> (similar to this address, minus the blogspot addition). I'll be posting everything on that blog now, so if you have this blog bookmarked or follow it somehow, hop over to the new space and get the new link! You can also follow by e-mail (it's in the sidebar on the new site) and get something in your inbox whenever I post.<br />
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My first real post is all about <a href="http://www.robandcan.com/2014/09/chelseas-golden-thirty/" target="_blank">Chelsea's Golden Thirty</a>, so head over and check it out. Here's a teaser photo:<br />
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Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-60008990638455776262014-09-04T16:18:00.000-07:002017-09-04T16:27:54.817-07:00Grey Studio Daybed CoverI've had this <a href="http://www.worldmarket.com/product/studio-day-sofa.do" target="_blank">studio day sofa</a> in my living room for a few years now, and I've loved it from the start. My only complaint was the color: as much as I like red, it's not a color I'd choose for a piece of major furniture. Getting it in red wasn't Robby's first choice, either; he had to go with it because the white cover it came with ripped, and red was the only option.
I've looked at purchasing a new slipcover, but those things are expensive! No less than $100, and usually they're not even in a color I love. A few weeks ago I remembered I had a gray duvet I was no longer using. In a fit of inspiration, I pulled it out and was thrilled to see it was long enough to work! I made a few cuts, a few easy stitches, and soon my corner was calm and gray, just like I wanted it to be.<br />
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Creating a detailed tutorial for this wouldn't be much use, but if by chance you happen to have this studio day sofa, and if you happen to dislike your current color of slipcover, and if you happen to have a king-size duvet on hand, you need to do the following:<br />
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<li>Lay out the duvet on floor.</li>
<li>Place the cushion over it in the direction it will fit and/or you want the fabric to go. Make sure the duvet opening is at one of the edges. (My openings had buttons! So cute!)</li>
<li>Measure where you need to cut, adding extra material for the squishiness of the cushion. A good way to measure is to wrap a fabric measuring tape (or a piece of string that you'll later measure) 'll the way around, then cut that length in half. Add just a bit for the seams.</li>
<li>Place right sides together and sew the three sides, leaving the side with the opening (where you likely have buttons) open.</li>
<li>Turn right side out and slip over the cushion.</li>
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That is it. It really took me about two hours total to do, and considering it saved me at least $100, I'd say it was time well spent.Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-19438060520260795742014-09-01T16:16:00.000-07:002017-09-04T16:20:37.570-07:00Yours {Song}<em>I wrote "Yours" in the spring of 2013, and it was a song with many layers for me. It came out of a reflection on Psalm 139, a favorite passage in Scripture that reminds us of an incredible truth: Before we existed, before we took a single breath, God knew us. Even more, He loved us. </em><br />
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Yours<br />
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Before my heart beat,<br />
before I was<br />
Before my story<br />
even had page one<br />
Before the forming<br />
in the depths of the earth<br />
I was yours, I was yours,<br />
Long before.<br />
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Before dawn came<br />
and I walked in light<br />
Before my lungs<br />
took their breath of life<br />
Before my melody<br />
could sound and soar<br />
I was yours, I was yours,<br />
Long before<br />
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So I’ll give my heart to you,<br />
quite full of awe<br />
That you made me and loved me<br />
and out of grace called me<br />
to seek you and know you<br />
Creator and God,<br />
I draw near to you,<br />
I am safe in your love.<br />
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Before our hands<br />
even reached to hold<br />
Before our eyes<br />
looked upon this world<br />
Before our voices<br />
could speak a word<br />
We were yours, we were yours,<br />
Long before.Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-63297518322320176372014-08-04T16:31:00.000-07:002014-08-04T16:31:28.163-07:00Un-PauseLast week we were at camp with our junior high and high school students from church. This makes my 4th time as a counselor at this particular camp, and (I think) my 13th time serving as a counselor in general for weekend and weeklong retreats and camps. Fun fact: If you add up the days, that's about two months of my life! :)<br />
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When we arrived at camp, one of the first things the speaker said is that for the six days at camp, our lives at home would be on pause. My first thought was <i>Right. Pause? I can't go an hour without thinking about something we have to do or plan or fix.</i> But quickly, I embraced the paused life. I became absorbed in camp life, in our hilarious students, in the loud music, in the energetic games, in what God wanted to tell me while away from home. I can't fully explain why, but this year seemed easy. I absolutely loved being around our youth group and found myself wanting to be more involved than I usually am. The lack of cell and Internet service felt strange at first...and then it was wonderful. No dings to announce that I had an email to respond to; no concern with what others were up to on Instagram or Facebook; no conversations that weren't held face-to-face. I was the most present I have been in a very long time.<br />
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And then Saturday came, and we packed ourselves up and drove back down to real life. All too soon, life was un-paused. My mind immediately shifted to work, to upcoming travels, to church ministries, to family concerns, to house and yard work, to our adoption plans. Once cell service kicked in, all of our phones woke up with the week's activity, and we scrambled to get caught up. For the first time in my many years of serving as a counselor, I wished I was back at camp. Me! An adult who normally is counting down the days to sleep in her own bed in her own home and have her own life back–I wanted a few more days. I wanted life to be paused again.<br />
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Of course, that simply cannot be. We are not made to live our lives on pause. Paul's words ring true today as they did when he wrote them: <i>Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus.</i> We're made to run, to give everything we've got to reach the goal of Christ.<br />
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I think that's the key, though. Too often, I find myself just running, pouring out all my energy into whatever challenge or task is in front of me. But that's not what Paul said. "My goal is to know Him," Paul writes. Our goal, our prize, our purpose is all the same, not simply to overcome the challenge in front of us but to get as close to Christ as we possibly can, running with all of our might to reach Him. The goal isn't to make it just beyond the obstacle, though I often live that way. The goal is Christ. And the amazing thing is that for those of us who love Him, our goal and prize are the same: Christ Himself.<br />
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I hope this truth stays close to my heart this year, and that I find myself closer to my prize than ever before.<br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/none" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t455/stephaniegdesigns/Candace%20Feely/sig.jpg" /></a>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-69534416577079998282014-08-04T16:22:00.000-07:002017-09-04T16:22:23.227-07:00Airplants<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The first air plant display in our home was a gift from Robby's parents to the both of us for Christmas. The lovely piece still hangs in front of our living room window, and except for swapping out the wintry snow for moss and rocks, we haven't changed a thing. The plants have done beautifully, even giving us a couple of spectacular blooms.<br />
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These bright flowers are yet another reason to love <em>tillandsia</em>, and love them we do.Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-37858639276226094142014-07-14T11:54:00.004-07:002017-09-04T14:04:32.651-07:00PrayersA little over a week ago, our head pastor was in a serious bicycling accident while making his way back from a morning ride. As far as we know, he somehow lost control of his bike and crashed head-first into a boulder. His injuries are serious, and although he is making great progress for the type of trauma he experienced, he still has a long journey ahead.<br />
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Please pray for him and his family, specifically his wife who is at his side every moment she can be. Pray for our church and for my husband, Rob, who is the associate pastor of our church. A great burden is on his shoulders to keep everything up, and he needs wisdom and strength as he continues to lead the church.<br />
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We see God's hand in all of this. God spared our pastor's life and is already working mightily in his healing. He provided help quickly in spite of cell phones not having reception. He orchestrated people, including our pastor's children and some extended family, to be home and nearby when needed. He blessed us this past week at our VBS and youth event, and He even prepared Rob and me by allowing us to get the majority of our adoption work finished so we can be present with our pastor and church in this time.<br />
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It makes it all the easier to trust the Lord when He is already proving Himself faithful! If you are interested in keeping up with the progress of our pastor, you can follow the updates on this <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Prayforpastormark?fref=nf" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>.<br />
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Thank you for your prayers and support!<br />Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-56132073009054614882014-07-02T12:00:00.002-07:002014-07-02T12:00:40.767-07:00Happy birthday, Steph!Last Friday, Steph turned 31, so we ditched their kiddos and headed out for a birthday dinner at Bravo Farms. The meal started off fantastic: we love their cheese curds (basically fried mozzarella balls) and sweet potato fries, so we wasted no time ordering one of each. Or two ;)<br />
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Sadly, the dinner went downhill from there, though. Steph's steak–which was supposed to be well done–was grossly rare. My steak was the opposite: overcooked, when it should have been a perfect medium. After sending them back, they still weren't right! That, in addition to the awkward waitress who brought us the wrong ticket <u>twice</u>, will likely mean this will be the last dinner we have there. We won't rule them out for lunch, though–always good and a much better price.<br />
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The evening was still fun, though. How could it not be? I gave Steph a new necklace and top, we had time to catch up and laugh and celebrate, and we even managed a successful group photo, something we haven't done in years.<br />
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We think the above photo will work for the band we start someday. </div>
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Steph, I'm so lucky to have you in my life! I hope this year is full of many blessings! Happy birthday!</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/none" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t455/stephaniegdesigns/Candace%20Feely/sig.jpg" /></a>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-70065124843088331822014-07-01T07:51:00.000-07:002014-07-01T07:51:02.643-07:00Development of a PhotoWe've been working on our Adoption Profile (the large scrapbook-portfolio that birth parents view to get an idea of who we are) for the last week straight. I realized that my photos were lacking in a couple of areas, one big one being that I didn't have a recent and complete photo with my side of the family!<br />
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As luck would have it, Chels and Roger had planned to come into town for two days of fun this weekend! So before things got too crazy with the next level of our pool volleyball game, we attempted to take a photo.<br />
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It started with bossy pants. Pink bossy pants, actually.<br />
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After a few attempts, we got one!<br />
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Then began discussion time for the next pose. (I'm dying at all of our faces. Me, Chels, Robby with that serene smile. And of course Mom with her green-casted leg.)<br />
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Fake laughing photo, to show that we're a fun family.<br />
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It may have started off with fake laughter, but soon it became real...<br />
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...until Scott took it a little too far! Hand on the belly and everything.<br />
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Then I realized that my pink suit under my white cover-up looked no different than pink underwear under my white cover-up, so I borrowed a nearby dress.<br />
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Finally, Camille proposed we do something more natural, like sit by the pool. Brilliant! Almost there...<br />
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Got it!</div>
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Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-70649991005502424202014-05-18T16:47:00.000-07:002014-05-18T16:47:04.620-07:00Visiting Sequoia National Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last weekend Robby and I decided to head up to Three Rivers and then Sequoia National Park for the day. It has been quite some time since I've been up to the giant trees. I'm sure it goes without saying that they were awesome! I forget how insanely humongous they are.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uWduw0p_vj0/U3lEkLQZAlI/AAAAAAAAIYw/nJ8PurGRdE4/s1600/giant+sequoia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uWduw0p_vj0/U3lEkLQZAlI/AAAAAAAAIYw/nJ8PurGRdE4/s1600/giant+sequoia.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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The weather was a bit all over the place, which we were not expecting. Luckily Robby had thrown in a couple of light sweatshirts as we headed out, and I'm so glad! Some people were there in their full on winter gear. I did good to have changed out of sandals for tennis shoes. The sun was in and out, but that made for some really awesome sights along the way.</div>
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Part of why we went last weekend was because the dogwoods are in bloom in the month of May. We saw blooming dogwoods last year in Yosemite, and last week when we were in Ohio (another post sometime), they were all abloom there! I love them so much. Totally worth a drive up to the park just to see their butterfly-like flowers everywhere.</div>
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The whole day was wonderful, and we hope this will be first of many trips this year!</div>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/none" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t455/stephaniegdesigns/Candace%20Feely/sig.jpg" /></a>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-32933924910572080332014-05-10T20:49:00.000-07:002014-05-10T20:49:42.684-07:00Under the Lights<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Can you believe it's May? May 10 to be exact. How did that happen? And how is it that the last time I posted was in March? I've been posting away at Citrus and Cream, but this blog (and other things...) have taken a backseat :( I hope to change that soon. School is out in just four weeks, so I'll have a summer to dive into some hobbies I love and miss.<br />
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This photo makes me smile. Yes it's posed. (Of course it is.) But it's a natural posed, if you know what I mean. Set the camera up, run out in the few seconds before it takes, then do something you want to do anyway, like wrap your arms around your hub and stick your leg up because you've always wanted to do that. :) We took this on our trip to Avila last summer, when we were still picking up the pieces from our IVF and wondering how in the world we would move on. A lot changes in a year. Now we're in the adoption process! I still can't believe that sometimes.<br />
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(By the way, we have a giveaway going on at C&C to <a href="http://citrusandcream.com/2014/05/inspired-spring-sprucing-entryway-canvas-print-giveaway.html" target="_blank">win a canvas print</a>. Of your own photo of choice, not one of this photo, ha! Only a few people have entered, so there's a good chance of winning.)<br />
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I look forward to writing more soon! There is so much to share!<br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/none" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t455/stephaniegdesigns/Candace%20Feely/sig.jpg" /></a>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-80694088377895810732014-03-14T06:40:00.000-07:002014-03-14T07:21:18.919-07:00Thoughts on a Houseplant at 6 AMIt's 6:00 am, and I've been up since 4, unable to sleep. I've always been a good sleeper, except for college and that was clearly because of the perfect combination of papers, dorms, caffeine, and a boyfriend.<br />
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These days the cause for my lack of sleep isn't as clear. There are a number of major things going on in our lives, one of them being our beginning steps of adoption, so that's likely part of it. I also don't have a very straightforward schedule for my life, and that's probably part of it too. And then, (I hate to think this), the fact that I'm getting slightly older may be contributing as well.<br />
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Whatever the reason, I'm up, and I've spent a good amount of the last two hours catching up on blogs. Not writing blogs (except for this post), but reading them.<br />
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One of the blogs I enjoy reading is You Grow Girl, a blog about gardening and more. Every so often, the author shares writing prompts to help inspire garden writing. She calls it the Grow Write Guild. I have often looked at the prompts and thought them through, but I have yet to actually sit and write a response. Being that it's 6:09 and my hub won't be up for hours, I'm going to join in.<br />
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<a href="http://yougrowgirl.com/grow-write-guild-23-houseplant-love/" target="_blank">Grow Write Guild #23: Houseplant Love</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.yougrowgirl.com/grow-write-guild/"><img alt="Grow Write Guild" src="http://yougrowgirl.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/growwriteguild_150_dark.png" height="120" width="150" /></a>
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In our music room, a striped ficus plant sits in front of the large window. Its two small trunks grow tightly together, one overlapping the other, and bright leaves hang off the branches. The green is streaked with yellow, providing a lovely contrast in a nearly all-white room. When the afternoon sun shines through the window, the leaves glow softly.<br />
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This was the first plant I purchased when my husband and I moved into our house. I knew from watching HGTV and reading Martha Stewart that adding houseplants was what you did to make a home beautiful. I didn't put much thought into the choosing of the plant; I simply went to Lowe's and picked up the one with interesting leaves. I potted it in a small container, set it on the mantel, and there it remained for some time.<br />
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But it didn't grow. It didn't die, mind you, but it didn't grow. It stayed the same height, never growing, never changing, except for the sad dropping of leaves. Finally, when I had tossed yet another wilted leaf, I decided it was time for it to go.<br />
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I set it outside, waiting for the right moment to chuck it in the green waste.<br />
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And there, it was rescued. My husband, one who has a soft place in his heart for just about anything, found it. "Are you getting rid of this?" he asked. I knew he looked at it with sentimentality (it was our first houseplant, afterall), so I explained as kindly as I could that it was dead.<br />
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It wasn't dead, though, and he knew it. For the next half hour, he worked quietly, repotting the plant with fresh soil in a larger ceramic pot. And then for the next days and weeks, he tended to the plant, moved it around the house so that it got enough light, made sure its water was just right. He did for the plant what he does for so many people and living things: he loved it, and he wanted to see it thrive.<br />
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Soon, there were fresh leaves budding. And soon after that, there were more leaves. And then months passed, then years passed, and it grew two feet. It has indeed thrived, tripling in size, a permanent yet changing part of our home, a reminder of what care and attention can do for something.<br />
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About a month ago, I gave it its new space in our music room, moving it from our bathroom to the prime place in front of the window. As I walked down the hallway carrying the plant, my husband smiled. "I saved that guy," he said. He was right; he did save it. He loved a dying plant (silly man), and that is precisely the reason why I love him.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R0jxHhWF28g/UyMP9GKw6vI/AAAAAAAAIXQ/EmQCQD5SWzk/s1600/Rob+and+Can.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R0jxHhWF28g/UyMP9GKw6vI/AAAAAAAAIXQ/EmQCQD5SWzk/s1600/Rob+and+Can.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/none" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t455/stephaniegdesigns/Candace%20Feely/sig.jpg" /></a>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-86196813677072091062014-02-02T19:21:00.001-08:002014-02-02T19:22:54.440-08:00Blessings in Monterey!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's always fun experiencing a first with my hubby. This past weekend, we went to Monterey together for the first time. What a place! I am falling in love with the northern coast of California. The trees are unbelievable, so different than what I'm used to seeing in the southern and central coast areas of California.</div>
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Although we were drawn by the sea and sand, our primary reason to visit Monterey was to see friends. One of Robby's college roommates had just moved back to California with his wife, after being in Germany for three years! We had a sweet time together, catching up and hearing what's new in their lives. And their beautiful home--complete with a stunning garden--made it the perfect atmosphere to do so! (Just look at their callas and narcissus blooming like crazy!)</div>
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We all hiked to Point Lobos together, enjoying the gorgeous Monterey Cypress trees and coastal Redwoods. I knew we were going to see something beautiful, but nothing could have prepared me for the view we came to:</div>
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Glory!!! I'm sure I sounded like I had never seen the ocean before with my squeals, but truly, it was an amazing sight. And it kept getting better: we saw seals, a sea otter, and off in the distance a whole slew of migrating whales! Well...I saw their puffs, which was awesome. The others were able to see the backs of the whales slightly skim the surface.<br />
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We made it to a bunch of tide pools where sea anemone, snails, crabs, and other tiny creatures were hanging out. Robby and Tex climbed down to get a better look and catch some of the crashing waves.</div>
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The only downside was that I slipped and landed in one of the tide pools. Yep. Except for cold, wet pants, I was fine. </div>
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We were so blessed to see our old friends. We left encouraged and invigorated, a sign that the time was nothing but good. </div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/none" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t455/stephaniegdesigns/Candace%20Feely/sig.jpg" /></a>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-71276937842595052012014-01-06T06:00:00.000-08:002014-01-06T13:40:30.968-08:00Once upon a time...Ages and ages ago, before New Year's, before Christmas, even before Thanksgiving, Robby and I took a vacation and spent a few days in Oceanside.<br />
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Those few days came and went quickly, so before I jump too far into 2014, I wanted to highlight them.<br />
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<li>We got to spend nearly a whole day with John and Kelly and their family. With both of our lives being busy and full, we don't get to see our dear friends as often as we we would like. This was a great day, easy and fun. </li>
<li>We went to Disneyland (twice) and purchased annual passes, which means we'll be going again soon! To be honest, D-land was a little busier than I handle well, but it was still fun. Tower of Terror was a favorite, as usual, and the Christmas Fireworks Show is still the best fireworks show I've ever seen.</li>
<li>We awoke to the brightest sparkliest mornings ever. I don't remember seeing water sparkle the way it did those days. Unbelievable.</li>
<li>We saw glorious sunsets every night from our hotel room. </li>
<li>We ate lots of yummy beach food: fish and chips, clam chowder in a bread bowl, onion rings, and pizza. Beach food is not healthy, in case you were wondering.</li>
<li>We shopped. A lot. That was fun.</li>
<li>We bought nearly all our Christmas presents. That was fun, too.</li>
<li>We slept in, took walks, lounged around, dressed up, and hung out.</li>
<li>We walked on the pier, which was just outside our hotel.</li>
<li>We breathed in the salt water air and left the windows open at night. </li>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/none" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t455/stephaniegdesigns/Candace%20Feely/sig.jpg" /></a>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-56319554101178339052014-01-05T16:52:00.000-08:002017-09-04T14:05:27.451-07:00So Much for Starting StrongThe inevitable has happened. I caught a cold, a pretty mean one at that. I blamed Robby for my illness, to which he quickly passed the buck to our nephew Nathan. I suppose Nathan would have a finger or two to point, as well, so I'm just going to let it go.<br />
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How does something as trivial as a cold do such damage? I'm usually full of energy at the beginning of the year, ready to knock down cobwebs and organize desk drawers. I've done little more than move from one room to the next with my box of tissues in hand, and even that requires all that I've got. Christmas is half put away. It's pathetic: I've been staring at a bare Christmas tree for two days because I was only able to pack up the ornaments before this thing hit. And as much as I sing the praises for fake Christmas trees, they're a sorry thing to look at unlit and untrimmed.<br />
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Needless to say, I'm not starting off my year strong. Physically, I'm the weakest I've been in a long time, and emotionally I'm pretty spent too. Yeah, it's just a cold, but I still want to cry about it.<br />
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The only good thing is I have read my Bible every day. It's a comfort to know that although my flesh and heart may fail, God is my strength.Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-10441224329756819452014-01-03T09:50:00.000-08:002014-01-03T09:50:17.547-08:00Word for the Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AwmuuYKC630/Usbz7mhAgUI/AAAAAAAAIUk/aVOblN9LBZg/s1600/strength.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AwmuuYKC630/Usbz7mhAgUI/AAAAAAAAIUk/aVOblN9LBZg/s400/strength.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I love making resolutions and goals for a new year. I have a very long list rolling in my mind as I write, things I want to change or begin or fix. But in an effort to rein it back, I'm giving one word for the year, one word that sums up my resolutions and goals: strength.<br />
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I want to focus on building my strength this year, and this applies to all areas of my life, but primarily the physical, emotional, and spiritual areas of my life.<br />
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<b>Physical:</b> I want to be strong! Sure, being fit and hot is a plus, too, but more than that, I want to be a strong person. I am tired of being a weakling. I am tired of being tired, for that matter. I want to significantly raise my level of fitness, and I know that unless I make it a priority with exercise and strength-training, it won't happen. This includes improving my eating, sleeping, and resting habits, as well.<br />
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<b>Emotional: </b>I want to be strong emotionally. That doesn't mean I want to stifle my tears and put on a happy face. It means I want to invest in areas that are healthy for me emotionally, namely relationships. It's too easy for me to let friendships go when I am overwhelmed and exhausted, and I want to change that.<br />
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<b>Spiritual:</b> I have grown closer to Christ in these past years, learning to lean on Him and trust Him. But my daily practices of prayer and reading the Bible have been an afterthought. I am starting the One-Year Bible again, which has been an awesome thing for me to do in the past. And I am committing to daily times of prayer.<br />
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This year has a lot of changes coming our way, and I want to rely on God to have me as prepared as I can be.<br />
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What about you? Do you have a word for the year?<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/none" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t455/stephaniegdesigns/Candace%20Feely/sig.jpg" /></a>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05378265950926351204noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5600656525263023797.post-88353019640087440902013-12-21T13:10:00.001-08:002013-12-21T13:10:12.181-08:00Happy Birthday, Robby!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cus-nCMzgYM/UrYDkvDTysI/AAAAAAAAIS4/MoVYA6CcCuk/s1600/happy+birthday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cus-nCMzgYM/UrYDkvDTysI/AAAAAAAAIS4/MoVYA6CcCuk/s640/happy+birthday.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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