A Freeing Invitation

Do you ever find someone that inspires?  The person that they are gets you so excited about things, and it's so freeing.  Sure, there are the times that we look to the cool people and think, "Man, I want to be like them."  That's never fun.  That's not what I'm talking about.  I'm talking about women that we meet that are having fun doing their thing.  With their expression and excitement, you find yourself invited into their pattern of life.  

Blogs sure help with this.  Pictures do too.  Face to face is even better.  I have three people this week that have each written a post about something that they do well.  In order of how I met them, here they are:

Laura.  We go to church together.  John and I went on a mission trip with her husband and her son.  She encourages the heck out of me.  She takes pictures with me on the women's retreat.  And she's intentional about learning new things.  One summer I asked her of her plans and she said, "well, I want to learn Hebrew and go on a hike every week with my husband." And just like that, she reshapes me on how to look at summers, learning, and being intentional.

(this is not her...just a cool pic that she took)

Cameron is Laura's daughter and I don't have a lot of interaction with her.  Whenever I see her, we hug, she coo's over my babies, and I soak up her joy and zeal.  I'm friends with her on facebook and get so excited whenever she adds new pictures.  Her pictures are full of life and fun and joy and people.  She's recently married, and her mom told me that she and her husband enjoy being married by being hospitable.  It shows in their faces and in their pictures.  Good stuff.

(this is not her OBVIOUSLY...just a cool pic that she took)

Molly is the one that I've never met.  But, I heard through the grapevine she's friends with Cameron.  Small.World.  I've never met or talked to Molly, but I've enjoyed her blog.  She makes me want to go on adventures.  I'm not talking about backpacking through Europe, which I'm sure she's done.  No, I just want to fit adventure into my life and routine and little bit more with John and the kids.

The next three days, they have a little something to say.  It's just an invitation to be energized by these ladies lives.  've already read it and it's going to be good.  I hope that you enjoy!

This Week's Menu

Every Sunday, I post my little menu for the week.  It's nothing amazing.  Nothing thrilling.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  Just how I do things on this blog.  

Here is what we're eating:

Ham, tomato, spinach quiche

Curry chicken rice casserole, broccoli

Baked cheesy spaghetti

Leftovers

Our Best Tenderloin

Grilled Pork Tenderloin:

minced garlic, Worcestershire, black pepper.  

1. Poke holes in tenderloin, and press garlic in those holes.  Pour some W. on there and let it marinate or go ahead and get started.  

2. Throw it on the grill and grill each side, cracking some pepper on it with each rotation.

3. Throw it in the over to finish it off.  We usually do 20 minutes at 350, but it all depends on how that tenderloin is looking and how it feels.
 

It's so good this way, friends will be impressed, the husband will have pep in his step, and the sun will show off when it's picture taking time.  

Enjoy!

Cooking Club At Crabtree Farms

When talking about who was hosting our next cooking club and where we could have it, one girl mentioned that she could host and we could eat outside at Crabtree Farms, a local farm minutes from Chattanooga.  Her husband is on the board, so we would have the whole farm to ourselves.  Exsqueeze me?  Um, yes please!  

It's a plant, veggie, and fruit farm with quiet surroundings and a front row view of the lovely Lookout Mountain.  I've heard about its glory, but have never been there in person.  Oh my gosh-what have I been waiting for?!?

When I first arrived, I had to take it all in.  I grabbed my camera and snapped pictures of the surroundings.  The night was cool, it had just rained, so there was a beautiful mist, and everything was picturesque.  I let my mind forget about bugs, hard sun, and sore knees.  Instead, I daydreamed for just a moment about selling everything we had to start a farm and live off the land.  Health insurance is overrated, right?

I like to ignore that there are problems and hardships that come with farmlife and focus on the novelty of small rovers, metal roofs, and greenery at every turn.  

Once I got my fill of ambiance, I went to the drink station.  Glasses, who needs them?  This is a farm-mason jars were the only stemware we needed.  

There were several premade basil, strawberry lemonades chilled and ready to drink.  They were absolutely delicious and I wanted four of them.  For the ladies who were wild and crazy, there was vodka there to spike that lemonade.  By the label, it looks like it's a Russian vodka, which I think is the fancy stuff.  I saw it on Martha Stewart one time.  True Story.  

I can't even remember what the theme was (partly because I sneaked around the barn with that bottle and took a few swigs. not true story), but it it was all good.  I made falafals and they were well received, even if they were made an hour beforehand.  

It was all wonderful, but my favorite was the Israeli cous-cous.  I just wanted to stuff it in my pockets, my purse, and run away and live with it.  Snap peas, pistachios, and some other stuff that I can't remember.  We all raved about it.  

The evening was all a big success.  Swanky. Charmed. Dope. All wonderful adjectives to describe a wonderful time, but when is eating outside at a farm not an incredible experience?