Her Lovely Common Life

 Good morning, friends! I have no real post for today because the last two weeks at our house have been busy with my son and daughter both having the flu and my back going out, urrgh. I already had some content ready to go out for my usual Tuesday and Thursday posting last week but I'm out of prepared material this week and now we're back in the full swing of school, work, soccer, and church! But boy, are we thankful to be all well and getting back to normal around here!  We were signed up to host our youth group families for this past Sunday night and everyone was well a couple of days before that--so thankful because we really didn't want to have to cancel.  So the four of us all pitched in on Saturday and spent the day picking up, scrubbing, and sanitizing the house. The weather was gorgeous all weekend and we knew most of our group would be outside Sunday evening, so we cleaned up the outside too and it feels so good to have it ready for spring! We also see the pollen...

I've been enjoying my winter reading and I thought I'd share the books I've been working through this month. I read mostly in the evenings when I get in bed. It slows my body and quiets my mind from the noise of the world. I love to end the day this way and find I sleep better after reading a chapter or two, or maybe even just a page if I start nodding off quickly.  First off, Jan Karon’s The Mitford Years series! A while back, after a very long run of reading books for homeschool, spiritual growth, and information (health, politics, etc.), I really desired to just read something sweet and lighthearted for sheer pleasure and relaxation, especially at bedtime. I was also wanting to find a good series that I could continue to enjoy for a while. It's so disappointing to finish a book and wish it didn't have to end, but with a good series, you know you'll have more of the story to enjoy in the next book!  I had read a couple of Jan Karon's Mitford books sooo ma...

Today I've got a cookbook recommendation I thought you might enjoy. Amy Hannon's Satisfied: Savories and Sweets That Feed Belly and Soul  is a cookbook you will want to have on your kitchen shelf. It is full of the most mouth-watering recipes, and I plan on working my way through the entire book.  Not only does this cookbook offer a scrumptious collection of soups, salads, sides, main dishes, and desserts, the book itself is, simply put, LOVELY! From the moment you open the front cover, my goodness, look at that sweet blue floral pattern. And the photography is a feast for the eyes!  Table settings of full plates, fresh florals, pretty dishes, and gorgeous fabrics. Plus the added bonus of details from the author's home.  Satisfied also offers sweet Biblical inspiration for preparing and serving meals, along with an interspersing  of "Kitchen Help" pages which include tips on everything from how to care for your cutting boards to the best ways to store produce....

Friends, we're talking important stuff today. We're talking COFFEE! The title of this post is a quote I heard from clutter-free living guru Kathi Lipp. In a recent podcast she was talking about how setting up your coffee maker the night before will help your morning get off to a great start (for the coffee drinkers, anyway). She said even if you can wake up thinking your life is terrible and there's no purpose any more, you'll smell that coffee brewing and remember but there's still coffee! Haha. My husband and I sit and talk for a few minutes each morning with our cups of coffee before he leaves for work. We both look forward to this so much that it really motivates us to get up and at 'em each day. One night we were driving home from church and I looked at him and said, "Is is bad that I'm already thinking about tomorrow morning's coffee?"  We've learned a few different methods of coffee brewing over the years. We have a Keurig combo wit...

Happy Tuesday! Today I'd like to share about something that occurs on Tuesdays because of something else that occurs on Wednesdays. Confused yet? I'll start with Wednesdays.  On Wednesdays, two things happen: The trash gets picked up in our neighborhood and I drive right by a Goodwill drop-off on my route in town. Both of these give me good reason to tackle a couple of tasks on Tuesdays that only take about ten minutes each. So I call them my "Ten Minute Tuesday" tasks. Since the trash truck picks up on Wednesday, that makes Tuesday the perfect day to throw out old food and wipe down the shelves, especially in the summer when it's very hot outside and I don't want the food sitting and spoiling outside in the trash can for too many days before the pickup day. I challenge myself to get it done in ten minutes. (And when needed, I take another ten minutes for my pantry!) Before and after photos motivate me for some reason. I was snapping a quick photo last Tuesday...

As a child I did not like sweet potatoes, not one bit! So I guess I'm making up for lost time because I could eat them every week now. I probably do serve them at least every other week, either in a sheet pan veggie medley or just halved and roasted. Well, I shouldn't say  juussst  roasted. Roasted to perfection, that is!  Start by preheating the oven to 425 degrees. While the oven is heating, wash the sweet potatoes and let them dry on a towel for a few minutes.  Cut the sweet potatoes in half, lengthwise. With the tip of a sharp knife, score the flat surface side with lines in a crosshatch pattern. Brush the scored sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. You can also sprinkle on any other seasonings or herbs, depending on if you want a sweet or savory.  Place the potatoes cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 425 degrees until soft. Do not turn the potatoes over! Leave them cut side down the whole time so they will...