I made it to the windy city and even walked around outside without turning into vapor or getting myself frozen to anything. Just a week ago Chicago was frozen over inside what meteorologists were calling a polar vortex. There's several inches of fresh snow on the ground now, but it's manageable and in the upper 20's. It's practically a heat wave!
With my fear of the weather out of the way, it was time to tackle another fear of the unknown associated with this trip... meeting and staying with friends of my fiance whom I've never met.
As soon as Sara opened her door, she had a huge smile on her face and welcomed me into her home like I was an old friend. Her husband Brian is fun and full of life and also had a big grin from ear to ear. They are celebrating his 40th birthday this weekend. So seconds after Sara showed me to my room, Brian's entire family showed up to have birthday cake. They all introduced themselves to me and were super friendly. It was like I had been a part of the clan all along. Not a beat was skipped. Everyone ate cake, sang Happy Birthday to Brian, and we all had a lively chat.
After the family left, Sara, Brian and myself sat around chatting about our families. It was so much fun to meet Brian's family moments after meeting him, then get the real scoop on his family after they left. What a fun evening all the way around!
I finally got to speak to my fiance a few minutes ago. He's living up the bachelor life back in Seattle. I think he may go see a friend's band play in our neighborhood tonight. Did you know he is one of the biggest reasons why I am here in Chicago? Maybe while I'm waiting for my audition tomorrow I'll tell you the story of how I got the courage to share my dream with my FBP and his reaction. You'll LOVE this story! I've got a keeper is all I can say right now as I am so tired!
Tomorrow is the big day! Sleepy time... Nighty Night and God speed!
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Chasing My Dream This Weekend in Chicago
Recently I was given the gift of freedom. Although it didn't feel like freedom at the start of this new journey in my life, it certainly seems that way now.
I am chasing a dream of mine that I have had my entire life. Before I share this dream with you, I have to tell you how I found the courage to chase it.
With free time on my hands, I have drawn closer to God. It's amazing how we let work and life get in between the most important relationship we as humans can have in this life; our relationship with our higher power.
My Aunt Bea has been sending me a book of daily devotionals for years, and I love reading them everyday. On January 1st the devotional suggested spending an entire day dreaming about what you would be doing in this life if you were "living your dream". It encouraged the reader to dream your wildest dreams not letting fear or naysayers (including yourself) get in the way. Then on the second day, become still, pray for God's will and write your dream on paper. I decided to follow these suggestions. What do I have to lose?
So I packed up a pen and paper and went to set up camp at my favorite coffee shop on top of Queen Anne. It was mid morning, and it was nice and quiet. I used what some may call meditation (breathing deeply in and out) to calm and center myself. I cleared my mind and began to bring back the dream I had been thinking about the previous day. I began to write. The next forty five minutes were spent in an almost out of body experience as I wrote my wildest dreams out on paper for the world to see. Isn't it funny how when we write something down we automatically think the entire world is going to see it? When actually it's only there for the writer and with whomever else they might choose to share it.
When I was three my dad started teaching me how to play guitar. By the time I was five I was singing and playing in church. I started writing songs, and I continued to sing. Rather than chase a dream to sing in Nashville, I went to college. Then I started working in radio. I kept telling myself that I was close enough to the music. But in actuality I was standing next to it. I was interviewing it. I was playing it on the radio, but I wasn't "it".
Some people would rather starve than not chase their dream. I was more practical than that. I had to eat, and I had bills that no one else was going to pay for me. So I let the dream slip away. I've played in a lot of bands over the years, and I even supported myself with my band one summer after losing a radio gig.
I love music, and I love to sing! It's the one thing that comes very natural to me. I don't have to concentrate or think about it too much. It's just something that comes out of me. So you can imagine when I sat down to write my dream, God made sure that I knew the talent He gave me was not dead. And He made it loud and clear to me that NOW is the time to use it.
I am auditioning for The Voice on Sunday in Chicago! My audition is 2 pm, and it's an open call. I have to sing acapella and up to two songs. If I get a call back, I will know right away and be asked to return between 1 and 3 days. At the call back I will be asked to perform two songs. I am allowed to play my guitar for one of the songs, and the other I must sing to a track. I assume they want to see how you move on stage. Wonder if my dance background will help me out any?
I am staying with friends of my fiance who I have never met, but they graciously offered me a free place to stay. Plus I am flying to a city where I have never been. Needless to say I have a lot of fear surrounding this trip, but whenever I begin to spin out of control about things that are beyond my control I hand it over to God. For I feel as though He is the one that is leading me there, and I know I will be protected.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future". Jeremiah 29:11
I am going to sing "You'll Never Leave Harlin Alive" as my first song. If they ask me to sing a second, I'm going to have blast singing "Turn It Lose" - The Judds.
Can you believe that when I audition our beloved Seahawks will be playing in the Championship game? Should I wear the Hawks jersey to the audition? HA! Here's the two songs I'm going to sing for the producers.
This is a video of me playing around the other day. I love to play and sing, and this is just me being goofy pouring on my southern accent!
Right now I need all the support and love I can get. This journey is about being courageous and taking the bull by the horns. Would you pray that God keeps me safe and for His will to be done?
I love and appreciate all of the support that so many of you have given to me. It means so much, and I hope you know that I will never abuse that. I take all of your words to heart, and they live with me as I continue this crazy journey we call life.
I will be posting about my experience in Chicago and with the auditions. Thanks for taking time to read this. God bless!
I am chasing a dream of mine that I have had my entire life. Before I share this dream with you, I have to tell you how I found the courage to chase it.
With free time on my hands, I have drawn closer to God. It's amazing how we let work and life get in between the most important relationship we as humans can have in this life; our relationship with our higher power.
My Aunt Bea has been sending me a book of daily devotionals for years, and I love reading them everyday. On January 1st the devotional suggested spending an entire day dreaming about what you would be doing in this life if you were "living your dream". It encouraged the reader to dream your wildest dreams not letting fear or naysayers (including yourself) get in the way. Then on the second day, become still, pray for God's will and write your dream on paper. I decided to follow these suggestions. What do I have to lose?
So I packed up a pen and paper and went to set up camp at my favorite coffee shop on top of Queen Anne. It was mid morning, and it was nice and quiet. I used what some may call meditation (breathing deeply in and out) to calm and center myself. I cleared my mind and began to bring back the dream I had been thinking about the previous day. I began to write. The next forty five minutes were spent in an almost out of body experience as I wrote my wildest dreams out on paper for the world to see. Isn't it funny how when we write something down we automatically think the entire world is going to see it? When actually it's only there for the writer and with whomever else they might choose to share it.
When I was three my dad started teaching me how to play guitar. By the time I was five I was singing and playing in church. I started writing songs, and I continued to sing. Rather than chase a dream to sing in Nashville, I went to college. Then I started working in radio. I kept telling myself that I was close enough to the music. But in actuality I was standing next to it. I was interviewing it. I was playing it on the radio, but I wasn't "it".
Some people would rather starve than not chase their dream. I was more practical than that. I had to eat, and I had bills that no one else was going to pay for me. So I let the dream slip away. I've played in a lot of bands over the years, and I even supported myself with my band one summer after losing a radio gig.
I love music, and I love to sing! It's the one thing that comes very natural to me. I don't have to concentrate or think about it too much. It's just something that comes out of me. So you can imagine when I sat down to write my dream, God made sure that I knew the talent He gave me was not dead. And He made it loud and clear to me that NOW is the time to use it.
I am auditioning for The Voice on Sunday in Chicago! My audition is 2 pm, and it's an open call. I have to sing acapella and up to two songs. If I get a call back, I will know right away and be asked to return between 1 and 3 days. At the call back I will be asked to perform two songs. I am allowed to play my guitar for one of the songs, and the other I must sing to a track. I assume they want to see how you move on stage. Wonder if my dance background will help me out any?
I am staying with friends of my fiance who I have never met, but they graciously offered me a free place to stay. Plus I am flying to a city where I have never been. Needless to say I have a lot of fear surrounding this trip, but whenever I begin to spin out of control about things that are beyond my control I hand it over to God. For I feel as though He is the one that is leading me there, and I know I will be protected.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future". Jeremiah 29:11
I am going to sing "You'll Never Leave Harlin Alive" as my first song. If they ask me to sing a second, I'm going to have blast singing "Turn It Lose" - The Judds.
Can you believe that when I audition our beloved Seahawks will be playing in the Championship game? Should I wear the Hawks jersey to the audition? HA! Here's the two songs I'm going to sing for the producers.
This is a video of me playing around the other day. I love to play and sing, and this is just me being goofy pouring on my southern accent!
Right now I need all the support and love I can get. This journey is about being courageous and taking the bull by the horns. Would you pray that God keeps me safe and for His will to be done?
I love and appreciate all of the support that so many of you have given to me. It means so much, and I hope you know that I will never abuse that. I take all of your words to heart, and they live with me as I continue this crazy journey we call life.
I will be posting about my experience in Chicago and with the auditions. Thanks for taking time to read this. God bless!
Monday, January 13, 2014
FINAL - Upcycled Wood Siding Headboard
After applying five coats of polyurethane to the headboard insuring that the chipping paint on the wood would not chip further, we were ready to wrassle' this thing up four flights of stairs!
If you missed how we put this together, you can get the whole story from an earlier blog post by clicking the link below.
Upcylced Wood Siding into Queen Size Headboard
It wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be lugging this massive headboard up four flights of stairs. I was joking with my fiance saying that some engaged couples are required by their ministers to attend marriage counseling before tying the knot, but really all you need to do is work on a project like this together to snuff out all the problems!
Once it was upstairs it was time to attach the headboard to the bed. As you can see my part in this was very important...
And now for the finale...
We just love it! We have A frame ceilings and the peak of them reach 12 feet high, so this headboard really draws the eye up in the room. This creates a feeling that the room is bigger in square feet, and that's why we started our upcycling projects in the first place was to give ourselves more room in this tiny condo.
Here's another look at the upcycled headboard...
We went to check out Earthwise Salvage in Sodo yesterday, and picked up some vintage lights we want to attach to the headboard rather than having lights on our night stands.
Working on these projects is so much fun, and I love going "picking" at these salvage yards. You find so many great things, and it makes my imagination run wild thinking about how you can take an item and turn it into something completely different.
We love our new headboard!
We just picked up some really cool old doors for our next project! I think we are on a roll...stay tuned!
If you missed how we put this together, you can get the whole story from an earlier blog post by clicking the link below.
Upcylced Wood Siding into Queen Size Headboard
It wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be lugging this massive headboard up four flights of stairs. I was joking with my fiance saying that some engaged couples are required by their ministers to attend marriage counseling before tying the knot, but really all you need to do is work on a project like this together to snuff out all the problems!
Once it was upstairs it was time to attach the headboard to the bed. As you can see my part in this was very important...
And now for the finale...
We just love it! We have A frame ceilings and the peak of them reach 12 feet high, so this headboard really draws the eye up in the room. This creates a feeling that the room is bigger in square feet, and that's why we started our upcycling projects in the first place was to give ourselves more room in this tiny condo.
Here's another look at the upcycled headboard...
We went to check out Earthwise Salvage in Sodo yesterday, and picked up some vintage lights we want to attach to the headboard rather than having lights on our night stands.
Working on these projects is so much fun, and I love going "picking" at these salvage yards. You find so many great things, and it makes my imagination run wild thinking about how you can take an item and turn it into something completely different.
We love our new headboard!
We just picked up some really cool old doors for our next project! I think we are on a roll...stay tuned!
Sunday, January 12, 2014
West African Chicken Stew - South Beach Phase 1 Day 5
As I sit down to write this blog, my fiance has discovered he lost 10 lbs. in the past eleven days eating my South Beach Phase 1 recipes! Success is sooooo sweet!
Don't get me wrong, getting here has not been easy! Take away the alcohol, carbs, sugar and my fiance is a bit of a grump. But he promised he would get through these two weeks without cheating; he didn't say anything about not complaining.
This next recipe is something I found on a South Beach Phase 1 recipe sight. I had to tweak it a bit for our taste buds, but the idea is so fun! I've never mixed fresh ginger and chili powder together even though I cook with both of those ingredients all the time. Plus, I never thought to serve stew over roasted vegetables. Genius!
This is easy to whip together! If you like peanut butter, you are going to love this recipe!
West African Stew
1 lb. chicken breasts
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 inch fresh ginger
1 jalapeno
1 lime
2 garlic cloves
1 bell pepper
1 carrot
1/2 onion
1 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 - 2 cups chicken stock (depending on how thick you want your stew add more or less- eyeball it)
1 bunch of green onions
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
In large dutch oven heat olive oil on medium high. Salt and pepper each chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes, add to the dutch oven. Let the chicken brown about 2-3 minutes per side, then remove from pan. You will continue to cook it later.
Add chopped onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and carrot to the dutch oven. Saute a few minutes then add the ginger and garlic. Saute a minute or so more, then add chili powder, salt and pepper to taste (I typically use 1 tsp. salt/ 1/2 tsp. pepper). Mix together. Add tomato paste, peanut butter, fresh lime juice and stir to combine. Add chicken stock and stir until peanut butter is melted. Add the chicken cubes back into the pot. Lower heat and simmer 15-20 minutes.
Serve over roasted broccoli and lots of chopped green onions on top!
This dish packs a punch in flavor and the peanut butter will make your sweet tooth sing! Mix that with the heat from the chili powder and jalapeno with the zip of the ginger, and you've got one earthy ethnic dish! We loved it!
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