HappyGoStuckey

Longing for Paris (among other things.)

November 6, 2015 by HappyGoStuckey Leave a Comment

For eight years, Lance and I have casually discussed taking a trip to Europe. We’ve dreamed of croissants in France and coffee on the sidewalks of Italy. I can nearly smell the rainy fog of London and feel the biting chill in the air as we make our way in and out of tiny book shops, finding rare books and pretending we are expats on holiday.

It may very well happen. One day. One day when our children are old enough to be without both of us and things stop going wrong in our quirky Blue House long enough for us to build a little trip fund– we might just make it.

I have always been a pretender. As a middle schooler I bought Celine Dion’s French album and danced around my bedroom to On ne change pas, pretending I knew that the words meant. I like to dream that we will one day look back over years of marriage with a few more laugh lines and a few more stamps in our passports. But until then, there are pieces of countries I’ve never visited swimming around in my head. And until I read this book, all those pieces seemed just a little bit silly.

Sarah Mae and her lovely book, Longing for Paris gave me permission to dream about the silly, the maybe-it-will-never-happen, the over the top wonderful and to enjoy the dreaming almost as much as the reality of those things. She showed me that dreaming is not a last resort. It’s not just the thing we do when the reality is rough. Sarah Mae gently opens the door for our longings, helps us find the true source of them, and then allows the truth of scripture to weave with loving creativity to ENJOY THE NOW.

To not discount the desires of one’s heart but to allow them to point to Christ– and to still find ways to bring our dreams into today? That is a gift.

One thing I held in my hands after reading Longing for Paris was the remembrance that not having instant gratification is an insurmountable gift. NOT having all that we would choose immediately when we would choose it brings us so much more than gratefulness. Delayed answers, difficult seasons, and dreams of one day are all the building blocks of our true selves. Both our longing for tomorrow and our loving the today speak volumes about who we are as created ones. Both the beautiful life we have been given in Christ and the knowledge that tomorrow, the REAL tomorrow– when we are no longer longing for ANYTHING– and we find ourselves FINALLY HOME— preach to our souls about that which we are made for. Our longings for beauty, completeness, love, and community are all homesickness. The kind of Homesickness that makes you love your future home all the more.

[Tweet “Our longings for beauty, completeness, love, and community are all homesickness. The kind of Homesickness that makes you love your future home all the more.”]

I read this book alongside Julia Child’s My Life in France and they were a perfect Frenchy, bookish, couple. If you enjoy dreaming, if you love the “maybe one day…” conversations, if you sit in Starbucks with a croissant and a latte and wish you were 2,000 miles away– If you find yourself wanting a vacation from the every day and also wanting to find yourself freshly LOVING the everyday– I highly recommend Longing for Paris by Sarah Mae. It’s a good one.

*I received a complimentary copy of Longing for Paris from the Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for my honest opinion. If you’ve visited before, you know that you always find honesty here.
Also, some affiliate links included. This helps me keep down the cost of this blog– X0X0!

Savory Cheddar Scones

November 4, 2015 by HappyGoStuckey Leave a Comment

In college, one of our favorite hang-outs was a quaint british-inspired Tea room. Tucked between the shops on White Street, it was the appropriately fussy place where we escaped Wayne Grudem and ten thousand Greek flashcards. For four years we solved the world’s problems with a scone in one hand and a teacup in the other and though it seems uber-fancy pants, it really wasn’t. I haven’t been to the Olde English Tea Room since we moved away five years ago, but I hope to take my girls there one day– I think they would love it. Just before we left, I went on a last tea-trip with 18 month old Lucy and she teethed on a butterscotch scone and drank milk from a sippy cup while I took mental snapshots to carry with me.

More than just a sugar bowl brimming with good memories, that little haven gave me a love of good scones. Around here, we often like to get creative with our basic scone recipe (which came from a dusty old copy of Joy of Cooking.) A few of our favorite seasonal scones are Cranberry Orange Scones and Apple Oatmeal with Maple Glaze.

But let’s be real. Sometimes, you need a savory scone, especially after an October of Allume cupcakes and Halloween candy. (Not that I know.)

These Savory Cheddar Scones are just that type of scone– flaky and dense, they would be delicious with a big bowl of vegetable soup or chili. Or Tomato soup! They dress up a normal bowl of tomato soup as well. And they are the kind of recipe you can tweak based on what you have– Chopped Ham and Gruyere or Prosciutto and Fontina with a little bit of fresh Thyme would be perfect. Experiment and let me know what you come up with!

Savory Cheddar Scones

Author: Cynthia Stuckey

Cook time: 12 mins

Total time: 12 mins

Ingredients

2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 tbsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Dry Mustard
Several grinds of coarse-ground black pepper
6 Tbs. Unsalted Butter, chopped into small cubes
¼ cup plus 1 tbsp. thinly sliced green onions
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. freshly grated Sharp Cheddar or Gruyere Cheese
Crumbled cooked Bacon, 4 regular strips worth
½ cup Half & Half
1 egg, slightly beaten together with Half and Half

Method

In the large bowl of a food processor, blend together the dry ingredients (flour through pepper.)
Add butter pieces and pulse together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add half of the onions and half of the cheese and then pulse quickly once or twice.
Add the rest of the onions, cheese, and bacon-- still reserving the extra Tablespoons until the end.
Add the egg beaten together with the cream and then pulse 2-4 times.
Take care not to over-mix. You can do this step by hand with a fork or spatula.
Invert the food processor bowl onto a lightly floured surface.
Work dough lightly into a rough circle.
Once the circle is formed, cut into 8 large or 16 small wedges.
Place wedges onto a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
Just before baking press the reserved cheese and green onions onto the surfaces of the scones.
Bake at 425' for 12-15 minutes

Notes

To reheat: Wrap in aluminum foil and heat at 350' for 7-10 minutes. Microwaving the scones can make them tough.

What I Learned in October

November 2, 2015 by HappyGoStuckey 3 Comments

Whatilearned Oh, October. I do love you so– from your acorns falling on my sandals to your last days of candy-crazed-costume fun, you are always a favorite. This October was the busiest I can remember. We traveled ALOT; a few mornings in a mountain cabin, one family wedding, one beautiful weekend in lovely Greenville for the Allume Conference, and then a few days of recovery time at home. October bursts at its red and yellow seams with good memories– and as much as I anxiously await November, October always seems to be just a few days too short.

Today I’m sharing what I learned in October with Emily Freeman– join me?

Saying ‘No’ in the right way is life-giving and leaves room to breathe. This year I looked at what October held and opted out of the 31 Days of Writing Challenge. Not wanting to lose the discipline completely, I took up my own Instagram challenge called 31 Days of Noticing. It was my goal to be present in each day and notice something, large or small. It was great fun and I appreciated the discipline amidst the steady pace of the month. A few people joined in and you can check out the hashtag #31daysofnoticing on Instagram for more!

Stretching myself creatively is a good thing. This year at Allume, we had the chance to take part in one of several different Creative Sessions and I was so inspired, I stopped on the way out of Greenville and bought a small set of paintbrushes. I’ve never been a painter because I’ve always tried to paint in a style which isn’t easy or enjoyable for me. When I just relaxed and let myself enjoy the feel of acrylics on canvas– I had a completely different result. And it was fun.

Creative dryness looks a lot like exhaustion. At one point this month, I found myself exhausted and a little bit lost. Having worked toward a desired “result” for such a long time only to learn that the finish line was really just more road… and that said “finish line” was completely out of sight until further notice.

Disheartened and exhausted from throwing myself into something for so long left me quite unsure I wanted to keep going in the same or another direction. Sometimes quitting looks awfully attractive when going forward is hard. For several days I felt unmotivated and unable to take a step in any direction. What brought me back to the writing chair, was not really writing at all– but finding other ways to be creative for a few days. I cooked a lot. I developed new recipes. I created a new soup and a new cake and then made it again a few days later to perfect it. (Yes, we gave most of it away– thank goodness.) That is also when the painting day happened. And then I read ALOT. Good books. When I was ready to come back to writing after a few days, I started where I always should– with Scripture. Reading and writing scripture every morning has been a new habit and it has completely changed the way I retain the verses. The next time I feel empty– it will most likely be because I am and I need to be filled with the only One who can FILL me with Himself and His truth.

And so, we press on. Knowing that He has called us to these things– and when the things are hard and exhausting and it’s all “wait– WHAT?!!? Why am I still DOING this?!” We can know, it is hard because it just IS. And we are ill-equipped to handle it alone. But God is good and He is always enough.

What did you learn this October? I would love to hear!

Lessons from a Tea Cup

October 26, 2015 by HappyGoStuckey Leave a Comment

At seven years old, hospitality was a small glass of sprite with three ice cubes and two oatmeal scotchies on a china plate. Nose barely reaching the pink-tiled counter top, I smiled up at my proper English Grandmother and waited. Steam billowing from her matching tea cup, together we covered the seven steps from the kitchen to the dining room. I nibbled my cookie and tried to remember to keep one hand in my lap pressed on my napkin as she asked me questions about Second Grade. “Yes Ma’am.” “No Ma’am.” I was polite and used my fanciest table manners in an attempt to distract her from the child using her prettiest china. Long before I knew the word….

I am beyond delighted to be sitting around the GraceTable today chatting about Children, Hospitality and Generosity– pull up a chair and join us there to read the rest?

Image courtesy of GraceTable.Org

Sisterhood of the Traveling SWAG and What This Girl Learned about Difference-Making.

October 19, 2015 by HappyGoStuckey 6 Comments

I am still reveling in the glittery glow of a whirlwind Allume. I am also still avoiding my packed suitcase and hoping I don’t trip over it while I stumble around in yoga pants, drinking coffee, and smiling to remember the worship, the words, and those macarons.

The Allume conference is a generous one and we walked away with these amazing SWAG bags from Persimmon Prints, brimming over with sponsor goodies, books and a whole lotta love. Incidentally, the bags all happened to look the same this year— annnddd…. segue, if you please.

Ten minutes after my tires crunched over leaves in my driveway, I noticed my awesome SWAG bag held my roommate’s journal, marked with a pen and partially open to reveal her copious note-taking skills. Seriously, if you ever find yourself needing explicit instructions about how to dismantle an explosive device, Amanda is the one who you want writing down the directions. This girl makes thorough look easy and she’s pretty rad. Then I saw a few other items that weren’t mine —clearly we had swapped bags.

No problem, she and I could just mail each other our stuff.
Except that our other roommate Taylor, who also happens to be one of those people you always hope you will be with in a crisis because she makes you snort-laugh in the very best way, well she had MY bag…. and Amanda had hers. We’re pretty much a hot mess of mixed up stuff.

For the first few hours, it was all texts and photos of what we have, what we’re missing and oh by the way— who does this thing belong to— and can you mail it to me? And a couple “How on earth did we do this??”
So funny. We are basically that movie with Alexis Bledel and Blake Lively with the teenage angst and the traveling pants… except without the pants and the angst. Ok, not really even a little like that.

Clearly when you live with other people for a couple of days, your stuff gets mixed up with theirs.

Beyond the roommate antics, gracious swag, delicious food, and mind-bendingly-remarkable speakers, there is one major thing that we shared– Questions with hard answers.

We questioned our influence…
what we could do to change our culture. To make a big difference to the people inside our homes and outside of them. To change lives… those with our eyes & same last name and also those who look, talk, and act nothing like us.

We had hard conversations…
and shared parts of our story that we often keep hidden. The messy ugly parts that point only to our need for Christ. The dark corners, the places where the seeds of doubt and discouragement seek to sprout to the surface and grow roots deep enough to remain.

We struggled…
through elements of our faith and belief that we know to be truth, but that often keep us distanced from others.

At the end of all our questions we found very few answers— except that God is good and we get to be His hands and feet. That we have to keep trying to right the wrongs and that it is worth it. People are worth it. The Gospel is worth it.

to change our world.
to be a light.
to swing the door wide.
to speak words of life.
to be different.
and to keep. humbly. asking. God. to. use. our. influence.

I can tell you one thing about my Allume. It was not at all what I thought it would be. And I LOVE that.

This message, the message of “together” was not one I knew I needed until I heard it, but oh– how I need it.

I need it again and again and again. I applaud the Allume Team, and my sweet friend Logan for making this year a time for us to stop and be filled. To stop and look at all we can do to change this world when we do it together.

Stitch Fix Reviews #4 and #5

October 6, 2015 by HappyGoStuckey Leave a Comment

For the sake of time, I’m combining my 4th and 5th Fix Reviews together in one post! If you’re new to Stitch Fix, you can hop over and Read some things I’ve learned about the process.

Fix #4

My 4th Stitch Fix was lots of fun. I had a new stylist this time–Stephanie, and she really listened to my feedback. I specifically asked for pieces in a lower price-range and she seemed to make every effort to do that for me.

Street Level Demi Fold Over Crossbody Bag

This bag was an item I pinned and specifically requested because it’s such a great fall color and a fun style. I’m really a one-bag kinda girl and that one bag is almost always my Better Life Bags Brynnda but now that my girls are a bit older I don’t carry around as much kiddo paraphernalia and every now and then I want something a little smaller– however, one thing the Brynnda has taught me is the beauty of a cross body bag. I love having both of my hands free– and this Demi Fold Over Crossbody Bag is just the right size and shape! Verdict: Kept

Loveappella Cheyanne Printed Maxi Skirt

There *may* have been a little squeal from me when I opened this skirt. At 5′ nothing– I’ve never found a maxi skirt that wasn’t way too long and I could tell immediately that this one would be perfect.

The fabric is so soft and the pattern is flattering. Verdict: Whole-heartedly Kept (And I’ve already worn it several times-Ha!)

Le Lis Polli Lace Detail Knit Top

Loveappella Cheyanne Maxi Skirt and Le Lis Polli Lace Top

Ok, this may be one of my favorite items I’ve received so far. (Do I say that often? I feel like I say that often.) The knit top with lace detail makes the perfect combination of casual with a little chic. I know it will be a great layering piece for fall. Verdict: Kept

Le lis Polli Lace Sleeve Top — Le lis Polli Lace Detail

These next two items I really liked and I would have kept and technically I did in order to get the discount, but I ended up selling them new to someone who was looking for these specific pieces.

En Creme Mai Lace Back Cardigan This cardigan is light and airy, but the stripes would make it go well into Fall, especially here in the South. It was very pretty but way too similar to something I already had. Verdict: Pass

Le Lis Osage Scoop Neck Blouse The soft fabric and navy with orangey-red in this top tempted me to add it to my closet, but it was similar to the THML top from my last fix which I wear often. Verdict: Pass

FIX #5

In the past I have shared with you my policy on product reviews. 100% honesty while still maintaining respect for the company. I have to draw from that today and say that if my 4th Stitch Fix was a complete joy (and it was,) my 5th was a complete disappointment. I made the mistake of not mentioning my hope to have everything within my desired prince range again, and it was absolutely the most expensive fix I have received. The total to keep the entire box would have been $300 (with the buy 5 discount. yikes! Individually, the pieces added up to be nearly $400.)

That being said, I was not overly impressed with anything in the box. I know, #sad. I did keep one item, a pretty awesome pair of black pants– I’ll get to those in a minute– so it was definitely not a total loss.

Pixley Judson Utility Jacket, Dark Grey

Okay. So. To be fair, I pinned a few utility anorak-type jackets in olive green. Sadly, this “jacket” wasn’t really a jacket at all but was really just the weight of a shirt. The color was every bit as drab as it looks, not really brown– but not really grey. At a price of $78– there was no way this little guy was staying. Verdict: Pass.

Pixley Louie Open Drape Cardigan, Grey

This Aztec Cardigan (which I asked for one specifically) was soft, cozy and warm. As in, the type of sweater you could LIVE in. It would look great with a dark skinny jean, or even white jeans and brown boots– It was quite literally the coziest thing in the box. So why didn’t I keep it? It was grey. Again. I have several grey sweaters and this one just didn’t speak to me. In any other color it would have been a keeper– but sadly this was $78 also, and that’s WAY too much for an I guess I like it.. Verdict: Pass

I know, I know– You’re probably all shocked that I’m being so brutally honest. But when I asked for and pinned pretty Fall colors like Wine, Red, Orange, and Mustard I received this:

THML Bresee Scoop Neck Top, White This top from THML was flowy and soft, the print combined Navy with a few other darker colors and it had a fun gold zipper up the back.

I think it would be cute and comfy Fall layering piece. It went back because the fit wasn’t quite comfortable and I also have a lot of Navy and White. Verdict: Pass

Market & Spruce Nanterre Herringbone Blazer, Brown — blazers just aren’t my thing. They remind me a little too much of all those bank teller days. Unfortunately the fit was really off too, very snug through the sleeves and shoulders. And brown, more brown. I’m not certain if it’s missing a pocket on the front, or if it’s a style thing. I think this would be super cute on someone else, it’s just not my stage of life. (Yoga pants jokes aside.) Oh, and you guessed it $78. Again. Sadly, It felt pretty thin and not substantial. Verdict: Pass Womp Womp Womp

Liverpool Rizzo Skinny Pant, Black

Ok–These were AWESOME. They feel like comfy leggings, they pull on with a stretchy waistband and yet still ahem, keep everything in. I love love love them. They are too long so I’m planning to get them hemmed–maybe even to ankle length because I think they will look very French with black ballet flats. THESE were wonderful and worth the fix itself. Even though everything else was drab, sad and slightly disappointing– these pants were a wonderful surprise. Verdict: Kept!!!!! And I forgot to take a photo of these but here’s a photo of them on Pinterest.

I know I’m rarely this negative about well, anything– but especially Stitch Fix. But I honestly felt like they sent me neutral colors when I pinned lots of Fall colors and then blew the prices out of the water. I was really counting on this one to give me a few Fall items–Fall clothes are my favorite.

Honestly though, that is the beauty of Stitch Fix— FEEDBACK IS EVERYTHING. I was as honest as I could be, and I’m certain they will listen to my feedback and my next fix will be much better. If not, I might be taking a little break– but I doubt that will happen. It’s just SO fun… even when it’s not– it is!

**If you’re interested in trying Stitch Fix, just hop over here to set up your style profile and schedule your first fix, easy-peasy! Even with an occasional bust-fix, it’s still such a fun way to add to your wardrobe. This post is not a sponsored by Stitch Fix–though I have included my referral link because they reward spreading the word about their styling service. As always, my opinions are 100% honest and 100% me.

Bringing Lucy Home (A Book Review.)

October 2, 2015 by HappyGoStuckey 2 Comments

In her book, A Million Little Ways, Emily Freeman tells us to “Listen to our tears” meaning in part, that we learn much by paying attention to those things that make us cry.

There are several things that tend to make me cry, but one of them– has been making me cry since 1997. The first time I traveled overseas and saw those precious ones– I cried. Their brown skin and big eyes captivated me and their big smiles shone brighter than their glossy black hair. So many sweet parentless children. No mommy to kiss them goodnight. No Dad to wrap them tightly in a big bear hug. And I just. couldn’t. stand. it.

I still cannot think of many things that make me cry like that does. Seeing a child brought home into a forever family, watching them bond and settle in– I know it’s a long process for some, but it makes me shed big happy tears.

When my sweet friend Kasey (who just recently brought home her own sweet China Baby!) introduced me to Jennifer Phillips and her book, Bringing Lucy Home— I was anxious to read their adoption story. As I began to read Jennifer’s story of bringing their little Lucy home from China, I realized that orphans and adoption still very much make me cry. Lucky for me, Jennifer also writes with a hilarious wit so the two balance each other quite well. I mean, where else can you read about the anguish of waiting on very important paperwork that will bring your family together again— alongside quippy thoughts about Brangelina and Jackie Chan Lullabies? No where, that’s where. That’s just one reason I enjoyed this book.

Bringing Lucy Home is one family’s story of the obstacles, separation, and joy they encountered when they said an obedient yes to God’s pull on their hearts to adopt. Their first shaky step of faith led to another, and another as they made the journey to add to their family with a little girl who needed them badly. The return trip home wound around many curves and surreptitious detours before they were finally able to begin life together some time later. Through the entire journey, Jennifer shares her story with candid realism and a small dose of honest frustration– but through it all she keeps her face upturned to the true Master of the details. I throughly enjoyed walking through the journey with their family and I am grateful she chose to share her story in Bringing Lucy Home. There were many aspects of international adoption which I found myself learning in the reading of this book, but the most important reminder I walk away with now, is that there are more just like their Lucy.

As believers, may we never find ourselves turning away from the heart-breaking reality of the orphan crisis– just because it causes us to hurt. The hurt is fruitful when it moves us to action. And it should move us to action. There are millions like Lucy. Alone and in need of a family. The first step for many of us, is open obedience. Available and willing is where I want to reside. What about you, friend?

Jennifer sent me a complimentary copy of Bringing Lucy Home so that I might read it and share it with you–As usual, all opinions are my own.

You can find a copy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million and by request, your local bookstore.

Longing for Paris (among other things.)

Savory Cheddar Scones

What I Learned in October

Lessons from a Tea Cup

Sisterhood of the Traveling SWAG and What This Girl Learned about Difference-Making.

Stitch Fix Reviews #4 and #5

Bringing Lucy Home (A Book Review.)

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