True Blue

I really like this blue we used below. We wanted to add it within our home somehow. We found a nice nook that is very visible when you walk in the front door. So, when you are looking at the first photos, the front door is right behind me as I am taking the picture.

We love this happy blue. Go Heels! :)

Cute Pool Clips

We have been loving our neighborhood pool membership this summer. Thanks, grandparents!!

Going Green

Take a look at our new kitchen. Scott painted most of it. It is a super happy and fun kitchen now. Notice the new knobs for the cabinets.

This is before . . .

This is after . . .

Our Sunshine Room

Wednesday, Scott and I spent the day painting our white walled living room a gorgeous and happy yellow. Painting goes faster with two. I enjoyed doing this with my sweet and helpful husband. If you know me well at all, you know this is my signature room. Yellow is my favorite color. I absolutely love our new living room. Next, we are going to attempt to paint our kitchen walls.

First Home Visit

If you have not kept us with us lately, you may not know that we are in the process of fostering to adopt a child within Durham County. Today was a big day for our family. A social worker that we know from the classes we took in May and June came out for our initial home screening visit. I greatly anticipated her arrival. To be honest, I was scurrying all around our home all morning trying to make everything super clean and presentable. I was envisioning her doing a white glove test to approve of us or something. Absurd, I know. I was nervous, what can I say? This fostering to adopt means a great deal to me.

We had a great conversation with her as she asked us several questions about how we are feeling about fostering a child and such. Our children were all around. The more we chatted, the more relaxed I became and confident in what we were in the midst of. She walked around our home with a checklist of things that are required of our home in order for it to become an official licensed foster home. She let us know about things we need to have done before our next visit, things like putting a child proof lock on cabinets with cleaning products and setting up a crib or toddler bed for the new child. We met most of the standards that are required of a foster home. We will have another home visit after we complete some more of the requirements for our licensing, such as getting our fingerprints done at the courthouse, taking the CPR and First Aid class, and getting a physical.

Today was another step toward our getting a child to love on and give a home to. How do I feel? I feel nervous. With that nervousness, I feel excitement and hope. After our social worker left our home today, Scott and I had a chat about where we are and what we are feeling. We felt a rush of sorts today as we realized that we are truly moving forward.

I was talking with a new found friend at the pool today. We were chatting about our day and I shared with her a little bit about our journey with fostering to adopt. She looked at me with big eyes and said, "Wait, stop the presses [hands out to both sides of her], you are doing what?" She continued, "You and your husband must really, I mean, really like children."

We do.

Double-Chocolate Brownies

The following recipe makes the best vegan brownies I have ever tasted. I got the recipe from my VegNews Magazine. I must give credit where credit is due, it comes from Sweetpea Baking Company.

Double-Chocolate Brownies

2 cups flour

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 c coffee (the liquid, not the grinds- I used our decaf from breakfast)

2 tbsp ground flaxseed (if you have never ground flaxseed, get yourself a coffee grinder for just grounding flaxseed)

3/4 c water

1 cup plus 2 tbsp canola oil

1 tbsp vanilla

1/4 chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until combined.

2. Add coffee, ground flaxseed, water, oil, and vanilla, and mix with a spatula unitl mixture is thick and wet.

3. Spread batter into prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with chocolate chips (I used more chocolate chips than suggested). Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Enjoy!

Happy baking!

BFF

Yesterday, I met up with my sweet girlfriends from back home. I loved catching up and sharing laughs together. Gari Leigh, Laurie and Torie are doing well and I still can't get enough of these precious friends.

We used to write notes to each other in grade school and put BFF (Best Friends Forever) on them. Little did I know that these friends would indeed stay true and hold on to our lasting friendships. We are all wives and mothers now. We relate to one another on a totally different level and still there is that knowledge of each other's history that goes way back and brings us all the more closer.

So You Think You Can Dance

A fun fact about Scott and I is that we both love to watch dancing. Our interest in dance has been heightened by the television show called So You Think You Can Dance. The show is an amazing portrayal of the journey of a dancer. We have been swept in, each Wednesday and Thursday night, as girls and guys give their all and dance their hearts out. The dancers' stories have led us to tears. The dancers have to learn new routines each week by very talented choreographers and danced with an assigned partner. These choreographers tell amazing stories with their pieces that truly can move, change and inspire the viewers. I could go on and on about the episodes we have watched, instead I will share a couple of my favorite routines from this season.

The following routine was danced by Kupono and Kayla. The choreographer Mia Micheals was depicting an addict with her addiction. Kayla is the addict and Kupono is a very convincing and dark addiction. It is intense and amazing. Please take a moment to enjoy this. I am confident it will move you.



This next clip was danced by Brandon and Janette. It is a crazy number that is quite humorous. The dancers are acting like robbers. Brandon is the more skilled and planned out one, Janette is the whimsical thief that needs leading. Enjoy this fun, energetic and brilliant routine.

Not Just One

Just like you can't eat just one potato chip, you can't paint just one room. I decided to paint the downstairs half bath the same bright coral color. We had right much left over and I thought we might as well use it (justification for new found addiction).

I have to hand it to my little summer lovin' cuties. Our kids have been so playful and creative as I have delved into this new little hobby. They have pulled out so many different games, played with neighbors and used much more imagination than I have seen in a while. After I finished the bathroom painting today we had a massive clean up and then a reward of popsicles.

I must say, painting a tiny bathroom is not easy. I was in all crazy positions just trying to get behind the toilet and the sink. It took just as much time, if not longer, as the dining room I painted a couple of days ago. I used two days for each room, not wanting to overdo.

I am going to paint the living room next. I will let the color be a surprise. :)

Half bath before pictures

The next photo is a testimony to the fact that if you give time to something new, there will be a pile up on ordinary tasks such as this.

Here is our mound of clean clothes from the past three days. I don't have to have a new hobby for this to happen, I just thought it could remind other moms that this is, in fact, normal. I can happily say that I folded them as Scott and I watched our favorite show, So You Think You Can Dance, tonight.

Before and After

A Morrison First

My friend, Kim, gave us a gallon of paint that was practically full. It pushed us over the edge, and we decided to paint a room in our house. We have never painted a wall or room in our home in Durham or in Boone. This would be a first for our family. We went out the day before yesterday and bought the materials we needed as I was starting to feel better. Scott taped off one side of the room and we painted the first coat yesterday. I was feeling so much better and super excited about having color on our walls! I have been trying to convince Scott for years about painting. :)

We probably would not have picked out this color in the store, but because it was free and a bright color, we were okay with it. Now, I actually really love it!

Wellness

Many times this week, I have thought I was going to see my sweet Jesus. I have had a terrible time with my stomach, and it is very unlike me to have to deal with this type of pain. I have tried to roll with the punches as much as possible but have collapsed with fear and become a complete mess at times as well. With tears streaming down my face, my hero of a husband has held me and given me that "we can do this" look.

On any other given week for me, I take for granted how healthy I am. Day to day, I just go and do and totally disregard how well my body works to enable me to accomplish all that I want and need to do. This week as I have been off my feet a lot, I have really thought about all that goes into our days here at home. Looking at what it takes to keep a household running has been quite overwhelming. I have had to let Scott do for me. He has been so willing. I have watched him fix meals, run and play with the kids, go grocery shopping, clean up, take the kids to the pool and do all the things I normally do for our family. I have felt cheated as I have watched him serve me. Oh how I love my job! How often, as mothers, do we say this? It is hard to utter at times. This week I can say it with passion, because I have sincerely missed it.

I am feeling a little better. I am hopeful that this soon shall pass. This week has challenged me to be thankful for good health. Hopefully, I will be well soon and able to run and do as normal.

Lord, thank you for the way you choose to grow me. As I have been scared and anxious, you have held me in those moments and given me strength. You know me and love me. I am thankful for the body you have given me. I want to take care of it and be ever grateful for the vessel you have entrusted me with.

I am thankful that my family can count on me for things. I am needed and that feels good. Thank you for the amazing task of being a mother, a wife, and a keeper of our home. So many times I get bogged down with mundane tasks. I am learning that you want me to savor even those moments. The life you have blessed me with is good and sweet. I am so grateful. I need you, Lord. I need your love and faithfulness. Keep me cradled in your love. Amen

Sickly and Loving Mr. Mom

I am doing a little better today, but I have been quite sick the last few days. I have to brag on my family for a minute. Scott has totally taken over and been such a fantastic Mr. Mom. He has done such a great job of catering to my every need and caring for all the children's as well. I have felt so terrible, and yet I have been delighted at Scott's love and care for me. Yesterday afternoon after seeing how out of it I was, he put his studies aside and took the kids to the pool for hours. He had to teach a group of 30 students at UNC last night and he took our kids with him! But do you know what he did before that? He went out and rented Slumdog Millionaire for me to watch. I was so sick. I was able to sleep and when I woke, I was totally weak and was able to zone out and watch a wonderful movie. Scott said our kids were angels. He had brought books, the portable Nintendo DS, snacks and such. They kept busy for 3 hours! Right now he has taken them to the library and to get rewards for doing such an amazing job last night. I am so in love. Time to rest.

Photo by Brady as everyone was playing around me this afternoon. You know I don't feel well when I let my three year old walk around taking pictures of whatever he wants.

Here is a picture of today's harvest. Can you believe these tomatoes? We are so thankful.

Scott has the mint ready to be dried for making tea. We have never done this, but are looking forward to hopefully having some homegrown/homemade mint tea. We all love tea.

Our Fourth of July

We were able to go to the Durham Bulls Stadium on Saturday to watch the USA baseball team play Guatemala. My Dad and Sally bought us the tickets for us to enjoy a night out at the ball field. We had a great time and it seemed that the other 9, 500 people there did as well. It was a full stadium. USA won! Just after the game we watched the best fireworks show we have ever seen. We were so close to see them. Our kids had never really been close to fireworks. They were amazed. We allowed them to stay up until 10:30 PM or so. They were such troopers.

Thanks so much, Dad and Sally. We had such a fun night out!

Morrison Family Fun

This past Friday, we had some of our favorite visitors come spend the day with us. Jerry, Jan and Shanda came for some good old family fun. We went out to eat, then walked down 9th Street in Durham. We went in and out of several shops. The weather was so delightful.

We took them to our neighborhood pool and back home to have some of the best vegan cake I have ever had. Jerry and Jan made the most delicious and rich chocolate cake for Scott to celebrate his birthday. I will have to get the recipe and pass it on to you all. Here is our most recent Morrison family photo. Yes, we were the corny family of nine huddled in Cosmic Cantina (restaurant) to get a photo. This family is so patient with my photo taking.

We stopped by one of our favorite hot spots, Francesca's Dessert Cafe. They serve several vegan treats. Jerry let everyone pick out what they wanted. What fun!!

From The Garden

We have recently harvested quite a bit from our garden. Here below is our garlic. We are so surprised at how easy it has been to grow garlic. It takes a long time to grow, but then when it is ready, you just pull it up/dig it up and dry it out. We have a lot and it should last for several months. I have really enjoyed cooking with our homegrown garlic.

This next photo is of our green peppers. We have been very pleased with their growth. I am using them daily with the food we eat.

We are growing a couple of other types of peppers. Here is a photo of some Anaheim peppers from our back deck.

Just beside our pepper varieties we have this patio tomato plant that is doing alright. I am enjoying watching this one from just inside our kitchen door/window.

Scott and I decided to plant our cucumbers around these cages. They have grown well and we have harvested two cucumbers so far. We will see how it goes as more grow.

Here are our monster tomato plants. They are about 6 feet tall. They are doing well and giving us plenty of tomatoes at the moment. We hope they continue to produce more and more.

Scott dug up our potatoes. Here is a photo of one of the rows he dug up. We learned a bit about planting potatoes. We think they were planted too close together. We enjoyed baking them up and sprinkling them with seasoning salt. Yum!

I didn't take a picture of our ocra, pole beans or eggplant. The eggplants are growing very well. What gorgeous vegetables they are. The ocra and pole beans are growing very slowly. We shall see how they do.