All I Want For Christmas

In case you are headed out Christmas shopping, here's my dream wish list for this Christmas.  I better get my letter to Santa in the mail pronto!

1. We've been married for almost 10 years and we still just sleep on a mattress on a frame.  It's time for a grown-up bed!  This one from Pottery Barn is dreamy.  

2.  A classic pair of gold hoops is perfect for any outfit in my opinion.  I've been searching high and low for a pair just like these.  

3.  I've wanted a professional quality camera for a long time.  Friends in the know say this one is the best for a beginner like me.

4.  If you know me well, you know that I have extremely thick, curly hair.  My hairstylist Sari Catherine swears this iron is the secret to taming my mane.  I just call her the hair whisperer.  

5.  I love pillows!  I think these fun prints would really jazz up my living room.

6.  I need some new skinny jeans and I've been told for years that there's just nothing like a good pair of designer jeans.  For my body type I heard this brand is just the ticket!  

Happy Shopping!

The Scent of the Holidays

One of my favorite ways to create an inviting atmosphere in our home is to make it smell really good when someone walks in the door.  I know when I go to someone else's house, if there are yummy or comforting aromas when I walk in, it's like a warm hug to my senses.  It instantly draws you in and puts you at ease.  I love that and want people to always feel that way when they come over.  

I wanted to share with you today an easy way to make your home smell amazing during the holidays and it doesn't include baking.  What's the secret you may ask?

Simmering Potpourri

via

Here's how it works:
Just fill a pot with water, add dried peel from one orange, whole cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks or sprinkle ground cinnamon.  Boil for a few minutes then turn heat down to simmer all day.  Add more water periodically so you don't burn your pot.

My mom has this really pretty copper simmering pot that I steal/borrow this time of year just for this use!  

For more simmering pot recipes check out this list for lots of combinations.   Sit back and enjoy your house smelling amazing!

What I'm Listening To

It's officially the Christmas season now and I wanted to share with you one of my all-time favorite Christmas albums.  Nat King Cole has such a timeless, smooth voice making his "Christmas Favorites" album one that I never get tired of listening to.  

This album is full of all the Christmas carols I love to sing.  It reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of Christ our Savior.  It also contains one of my absolute favorites, "The Christmas Song".   

I'd love to know what you're listening to to get in the Christmas spirit this season!

Crumb-Topped Apple Pie

It's the day before Thanksgiving and I sincerely hope that none of you has to fight the crowds at the grocery store for last minute ingredients.  But....if you need to bring something for your family's Thanksgiving meal and you're still searching for recipes I have the one for you!  It's worth fighting the crowds for if you don't have the ingredients at home!  

I am a huge fan of apple pie and this one David has named "The World's Best Apple Pie"!!  It's that good ya'll!  And the best part is it's so easy!  Almost as easy as unwrapping a Mrs. Smith's and sliding it in the oven, which is what I used to do before finding this gem.  

Since I love you guys I wanted to share it with all of you!  

Crumb-Topped Apple Pie
(Adapted from The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook)

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup uncooked regular oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup butter, melted
4 cups peeled, thinly sliced Granny Smith apples
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Combine first 5 ingredients; add butter, and stir until blended.  Measure 1 cup firmly packed mixture; set aside for pie topping.  Press remaining mixture in bottom and up sides of a well-greased 9-inch pie plate.  Arrange apple slices in pie plate; set aside.

Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small saucepan; stir in water.  Bring to a boil over medium heat; stir in vanilla.  Pour hot mixture over apples; crumble reserved topping over pie.

Bake at 350 for 42 minutes, covering with foil during last 15 minutes to prevent browning too much.  

Trust me, if you bring this to dinner your family will be SO impressed and your pie will be devoured!  

What I'm Listening To

For this week's edition of "What I'm Listening To" I wanted to get us started off for the holiday season. I have to confess that I've been listening to this album for at least a week now, practically nonstop.  

I think it would make for great background music during your family feast on Thanksgiving.  

This music makes me feel like a kid again every time I hear it.  It's so timeless!  Here's a sample to give you a taste!

Favorite Fall Salad

I love salads, especially ones with fruit, nuts and cheese so when I saw this picture it was love at first sight!  This salad has become my new favorite lunch this fall.

Here's what you'll need:

Baby spinach

Red onion, thinly sliced

Pear, sliced

Turkey bacon, crumbled

Dried Cranberries

Walnuts

Feta

Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette

Toss everything together and enjoy!  Your tummy will thank me! 

What I'm Listening To

This week's installment of "What I'm Listening To" shows David's influence on my music choices.  He introduced me to this week's band, Shiny Toy Guns.  Their new album is a favorite around here.  

Dance parties usually break out in our house while dinner is cooking and this album has been the musical choice for many dance parties.  It also makes great music for workouts.  

Here's one of my favorite tracks from the album.

Marriage

David and I are approaching our 10 year anniversary this year and it has sparked a lot of discussion for us about what makes strong, vibrant marriage relationships.  We have learned that healthy marriages don't just happen on their own.  They take work.  They require commitment, intention, and focus.

It has been a tough year here in the DeWeil household for a variety of reasons. To be honest with you, it has shaken us up a bit some days.  And we have learned that to have the vibrant, God-honoring marriage that we so desire that we have to fight FOR each other.  As Tim Keller said in his book The Meaning of Marriage, when difficult seasons come, we roll up our sleeves and get to work.

* * *

Some tools we've used to work 

on our relationship are:

1.  Fellowship - We've shared openly with close, trusted friends that we were having a hard time.  We talked through some of the issues we've faced and gotten their insight and perspective.  It also gave us the opportunity to ask for accountability and prayer.  Ultimately, being transparent and vulnerable with others felt like a life preserver to us.  It freed us from feeling isolated and alone in our struggles.

2.  Assessment - We gave each other a list of questions to answer about how we are doing in our roles as husband and wife and then set a night to talk through our answers.  This really helped us to understand how the other was feeling and what areas in our relationship needed improvement. (I'm including our list of questions at the bottom of this post.) 

3.  Dates - We've always heard the advice that it's so important to go on dates twice a month and then to take quarterly overnight dates.  In the past we've been slack in this area but when we make it a priority we see such a difference in how we relate to each other.  As a stay-at-home mom, it's crucial for me to get out of the house to feel like a wife and not just a mother.  Plus these times help us both to feel pursued and valued. 

* * * 

One reason I wanted to share all of this here on my blog is that I know how easy it is to look at others' marriages and think everyone else has it together and you are the only one struggling.  But I want to encourage anyone reading this that there are seasons to marriage.  Some seasons are tougher than others but its so worth putting forth the effort to improve your relationship.  Bad habits can be changed.  Forgiveness and healing are possible.  Don't give up!  

I loved how Keller describes it, 

"When over the years someone has seen you at your worst, and knows you with all your strengths and flaws, yet commits him- or herself to you wholly, it is a consummate experience. 

But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God.  It is what we need more than anything.  It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us."

This is what makes marriage beautiful and set apart.  It allows us the unique opportunity to give a glimpse to this world of God's amazing, never stopping, never giving up, kind of love.  I'm so thankful to have experienced this myself in my own marriage.  This is what makes it all worth fighting for.

As promised, here is the list of questions we gave each other.  These are just some ideas to help you brainstorm.  Every couple can make their own unique list.

Questions for David
How can I show you respect?  In what ways have I been disrespectful?
How can I spur you on spiritually?
What ways do you see yourself leading our family and what are areas that need growth?
How can I live shoulder-to-shoulder (have fun and do things that you like) with you?
How can I support you in the next 6 months?
What would you like our weekends to look like?
What would you like to see different about our life/family?
Who can you be talking to for accountability?

Questions for Kelly
What is one of the biggest things you appreciate about Jesus and the gospel?
In what way can I help you process, encourage and spur you on in your spiritual growth?
What are two or three things that you feel like you struggle with the most and what can I do to create an atmosphere that will help you thrive in pressing on against those struggles?
Name three things that I can do to make you feel like the most special person on Earth?
What are one or two things that we could add to our evenings that we currently do not do that would make our evenings more meaningful?
What can I do to make you feel like I am leading our family in a positive direction?
How am I doing as a dad?
Let's share three things that we adore about each other.

 

Clean & Delicious

Eating clean seems to be a buzz word lately.  You hear it a lot when people talk about health and nutrition.  It simply means eating food in its most natural state, or as close to it as possible.  I've discovered a great resource for finding some new recipes, Clean Eating Magazine!  

One of my favorite meals I've cooked from here is Stuffed Turkey Peppers.  They are so delicious!  I promise they won't disappoint.  

Stuffed Turkey Peppers

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup wild rice (I used Long-Grain & Wild Rice that comes in a box)
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 lb 99% lean ground turkey
• 2/3 cup low-sodium natural tomato juice
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 10 grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 4 assorted medium sweet bell peppers (red orange and yellow)
• 2 oz part-skim mozzarella 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook rice according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, add oil and onions to a large sauté pan over medium-high. Saute onions for 2 minutes, then add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add turkey, juice and seasoning. Cook until turkey is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and black pepper, cooking, covered, for 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F.
3. Fill a large pot half-full with water and bring to a boil. Cut tops from bell peppers and remove all seeds. Add bell peppers and tops to water and return to a boil. Cook, covered, for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Remove bell peppers and dry on paper towel.
4. Drain rice and add to turkey mixture. In a glass dish, stand bell peppers and fill with turkey-rice mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella and add bell pepper top. Bake for 15 minutes.

What I'm Listening To

Happy Election Day!  

Here's something to listen to while you wait in line at the polls today.  This week's installment of "What I'm Listening To" is an album I have found myself listening to all the time.  

"Red" by Taylor Swift

Caroline and I are huge Taylor Swift fans and her newest album does not disappoint.  

It's hard for me to pick a favorite track so today enjoy this one.

Don't be surprised if you find yourself singing it while you're cooking dinner, and while you're doing laundry, and working in the yard. . . or maybe that's just me. :)

The Daily Battle

I blew out a long, loud breath and he immediately asked me what was on my mind.  It was only the beginning of the day and I could already tell that my heart was struggling to have a good attitude.  Frustrations filled my mind but I didn’t want to admit that the blowing out of breath was an outward expression of what was going on inside of me.  

We dropped little one off at school and then it started as we were leaving the parking lot.  “The brakes are acting funny,” he commented.   Then it happened again at the drive-thru as we were grabbing his breakfast.   “It feels like the brakes are about to fall off.”  And all I could think was “Great!  Why does this always happen to us?!  Why today?”

He begins to tick off out loud the possibilities.  And I began to tick off in my mind all the tasks I had hoped to accomplish during my morning while little one was at school.  Vacuum and mop our dirty floors.  Complete my overdue workout.  Take a much -needed shower.  But I knew none of that was going to get done.  

As my temperature started rising and my heart started beating faster I began to frantically text a friend to see if she could help me with picking up little one from school.  Because that’s what happens when you are a one-car household.  When that one car breaks down all the dominos start to fall.  

In the midst of my bad attitude and rising blood pressure, I hear him begin to pray in the car.  Asking the Lord to allow the car issues to not be severe, requesting that He would provide for our needs, handing over the burden to the One who offers to carry our loads.  

I begin to feel my heart ache to speak my requests also.  I bow my head and begin to silently pour out my cries for help too.  

And as the morning continues to unfold He provides.

The friend texts back and selflessly chauffeurs me all over town.  

The car is repaired at no cost to us.

And even though it all worked out I am reminded of what my response needs to be every time, in every circumstance.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,

give thanks in all circumstances; for

this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for 

you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

This is what I am daily battling to grasp hold of.  

Rejoice always

Pray without ceasing

Give thanks in ALL circumstances

This is the will of God for you.

Trick or Treat

As we recover from our candy binge yesterday I wanted to share about our Halloween.  This year we invited our friends the Jones family to join us trick or treating.  

Caroline was a friendly bumble bee and Liam was 

Sheriff Woody from Toy Story.  

Cutest duo on the streets in my opinion!

After a few houses they hit their rhythm and one would ring the doorbell and the other would knock.  All bases covered!

Liam enjoyed meeting our neighbors so much that he wanted to stay awhile and visit with each house.  

Caroline even gave away candy by slipping some of her chocolate into Liam's bucket.  She doesn't take after her Momma.  I'm pretty possessive of my sweets. :)

We had a lot of fun!

Happy Halloween!