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Happy Go Stuckey

Tethering Grace & Togetherness

Autumn Apple Dutch Baby

September 22, 2021 by HappyGoStuckey Leave a Comment

Saturday Breakfast is an important rhythm in the #BlueHouse– my husband is an excellent breakfast chef presiding over eggs, bacon, and his famous cheese grits– but every now and then he veers into autumn flavors when he bakes this delicious treat: the Apple Dutch Baby (or Oven Pancake to some.)

This particular recipe is a blend of cinnamon sugar apples, sautéed in a cast iron skillet, and then topped with a quick batter. After a brief bake, top with powdered sugar or maple syrup and serve. The Autumn Apple Dutch Baby is one of our favorites for fall– especially on chilly mornings.

Autumn Apple Dutch Baby

(adapted from Williams-Sonoma, Baking Book)

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
  • 4 cups diced, peeled apples.( 1 1/2 – 2 pounds)
  • 2 tbsp packed brown sugar
  • juice of half a lemon, seeds removed
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp salt
  • powdered sugar or maple syrup for serving

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven, and preheat to 425′ F. In a large cast-iron skillet (10 or 12 inch) over medium-high heat, melt 2 tbsp of the butter. Add the apples and sautéed, turning as needed, just until tender, 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle with brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon and stir to combine. Remove from the heat. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter and allow to melt. Spread the apples in an even layer along the bottom of the skillet and set aside for a moment.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, flour, and vanilla, and salt until well blended.

Gently pour the batter on top of the warm fruit in skillet. Bake about 20-25 minutes until puffed up and golden brown. (Pancake will deflate as soon as you remove from the oven.) Top with powdered sugar and serve after five minutes of cooling.

On Waiting & Moving

October 2, 2020 by HappyGoStuckey Leave a Comment

(And a Recipe for Italian Tortellini Soup)

Later this month, our family will celebrate the 10th anniversary of our move from North Carolina to Georgia. Do people normally celebrate anniversaries of big moves? They do if they’re the Stuckeys. Every year we tell our kids the story of how we came to be HERE. In honor of this remembrance, I’m sharing a chapter from Simmer that I wrote about this time in our lives. And PS, there’s a recipe for Spinach Tortellini Soup at the end!

On Waiting, Moving, and Obeying  

The imperfect places are often the most difficult to leave. Our first apartment had industrial carpet, four feet of counter space and a grossly uncalibrated oven, but leaving it all nearly broke my heart. 

The year that Lance and I became parents for the first time was also the year of the great job hunt. I returned to work and he became a stay at home Dad scouring the internet during nap time. After a lengthy search it appeared an unlikely job in an unlikely city would be our destination. 

With three weeks until moving day, a sudden flurry of activity felt foreign after more than a year of living in limbo. While waiting on a job, we found ourselves waiting in  other areas as well. From waiting to replace tired cell phones and purchase winter coats, the spirit of just in case felt strangely like standing still.  

The tiny townhouse that we burst into as giddy, bronzed honeymooners would be a blank canvas for someone else in less than a month. Overwhelmed with details, we grabbed extra banana boxes from the grocery store and filled them with stacks of books. Cookbooks, Textbooks, Children’s Books, Bible Commentaries, and the complete Harry Potter collection. Because when two bibliophiles fall in love, you end up with hundreds of books, each and every one a member of the family. Packing them all seemed a proper beginning. 

Halfway through our final few weeks, I came home from work to see boxes stacked up to the popcorn ceiling. The reality of leaving suddenly backhanded me and I burst into hot tears. My not at all surprised husband set down the packing tape, handed me back my purse, and drove to our favorite local Italian restaurant. 

We sat under tiny white lights at La Foresta and drank deeply of remembrance. We feasted on familiarity and piping pizza with bowls of tortellini soup as the restaurant bathed in an early autumn glow. By the time the sun sunk lazily below the roofline we decided that our last few weeks would be one part packing frenzy and one part farewell tour of our favorite places.

Ceremoniously eating our way toward the moving truck, we did a sort of restaurant pub crawl through Wake Forest and Raleigh. We ate Sticky Hot Wings and Greek Salad at Over the Falls Deli like we did on our first date. Our teeth quivered as we held cups of Goodberry’s in the breeze of late October. Lucy swung her squeaky Mary-Jane’s and happily chattered as we fed her tiny spoonfuls of frozen custard. It was happy and sad and surreal. All our favorite spots burst with reminders of us, as happy accomplices in our love story. 

This town was more than just the scene of our meet cute— it was the start of us— the Stuckeys. We savored it all, surprised that eighteen months with one foot off the starting block did not actually lessen the sting of leaving. 

But hope does not disappoint. We knew that the God who held our next steps could be trusted. With butterflies in stomach and lumps in throat, we committed to getting to Georgia by Halloween.

The evening before moving day, we were still cramming rickety lamps and boxes of random kitchen tools into a Penske truck. The meticulous labeling and boxing like-items ship had passed. The mild-mannered couple who had begun this process were long gone. In their place, slumped two wild-eyed, un-showered, nearly homicidal people who rued the day they chose such monstrous bedroom furniture. Well past midnight, Lance drove our wobbly kitchen table to Goodwill. He left it outside with our compliments, simply because there was no room in the inn. We managed to cram everything we still remotely cared about into the back of the moving truck and then collapsed onto a wonky air-mattress.

I always pictured our last night somewhat differently. The idealist in me imagined Madeline Peyroux echoing off unclad walls as we danced with Lucy between us in a sparse kitchen. But the only musical sounds present were our collective wonderings as to how we came to have so much useless junk. At one point we decided (in vain) never to move again. 

If you have ever moved than you know moving does strange things to normally sane people. Things that make them want to trash every item in the house, except a couple of cardigans and the LeCreuset. Things that cause one to question the need of an electric quesadilla maker. Moving makes us all want to move into one of those four hundred square foot tiny homes in Ikea with two books and a bud vase. 

Shortly after sunrise the next morning, the back door of the truck rolled down with finality and that was that. A neighbor took a photo for us. Lance and me and Lucy in her footie pajamas between us– all smiling. Then we left for a city we knew nothing about except that we belonged there. 

Some weeks later when the cold finally trickled down to Georgia, our hearts were caught between somewhat settled and terribly homesick. That is how this next soup was born. Italian Tortellini Soup was my attempt to bring home our beloved La Foresta Italian Restaurant. It is all that I remember about Mrs. Pam’s lovely soup but with my very own spin. 

Even now, ten years later when Augusta is absolutely our home, making this soup still soothes me. It makes me feel better about having my heart perpetually in two places at once. Because now I know home is often found in that way, piece by piece and not all at once. 

If you would like to read more of my collection of short essays & soup recipes, get your copy of Simmer here.

Italian Tortellini Soup 

Method. 

Marinara Sauce is the key flavor component and short cut to this Italian Tortellini Soup. If you have homemade sauce in the freezer— use that, otherwise choose a plain jarred marinara that you trust. The dried herbs and mostly pantry ingredients make this soup an excellent choice in mid-winter when certain produce is sparse. 

Ingredients.

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 Vidalia or sweet onion, diced

1 medium zucchini, shredded

2 medium carrots, diced

4 oz. Mushrooms, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. Dried basil

1/2 tsp. Dried oregano

1/4 tsp. Dried Thyme 

1/2 tsp. Salt & black pepper to taste

1 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar 

32 ounces Chicken Stock (use only half the box at first.)

48 oz. Marinara Sauce 

28 oz. Crushed Tomatoes 

2 cups of packed fresh spinach 

Frozen cheese Tortellini in the bag

1/4 cup of basil pesto plus more for garnish

1/4 cup of grated parmesan 

Notes. 

The frozen tortellini are best added just before serving. That being said, if you plan to have quite a bit of soup left over, consider adding only half the tortellini and then add the other half when you heat the soup on the stove the next day. 

Make Soup.

In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil to medium-high. Sauté onions for 4 minutes alone, and then add zucchini, carrots, mushrooms and continuing cooking until crisp-tender. Add garlic and stir in for 1 minute. Add dried herbs and salt and stir consistently for 30 seconds. Add the splash of balsamic vinegar and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits. 

Add Chicken stock, Marinara, and crushed tomatoes and stir. Allow soup to come to a boil and maintain for 5-7 minutes. Add the fresh spinach and then lower the heat and simmer slowly for 15 minutes. Stir in the basil pesto and then taste for seasoning. Add more herbs or salt and pepper as needed, or even a bit more pesto. (At this point, determine if your soup needs more broth or is the consistency you like. Add more broth and then boil if needed.) 

Once seasoned well, return your soup to a boil and then stir in the frozen cheese tortellini. Allow to boil slowly until tortellini is tender and hot throughout and then remove soup from heat.  Ladle into bowls and serve with a small scoop of pesto and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. 

Five Good Things

April 17, 2020 by HappyGoStuckey Leave a Comment

Hi. How are you, really? If you’re anything like me– you have moments of complete gratefulness for the gifts that allow us to shelter in this way– and moments of total sadness for what we expected this season would look like. I don’t ever want to be a voice to discount the hard– but there is so much goodness, too.

In fact, I would love it if you would join me in using the #hopelenses hashtag this week on instagram– as a way to remind each other of all the good there is to see.

Here are five things I’ve discovered during the Covid Season. We are truly living that at-home life, so my good things are of the Homebodyish nature.

  1. This method for Jammy Soft-Boiled Eggs has renewed my love of breakfast/ breakfast for lunch/ breakfast for dinner and it is super simple. When I began baking sourdough bread at the start of all this– the one thing I wanted was a perfect poached or soft boiled egg to accompany it. This is it, friends. This. Is. It.
Buttered Toast and Soft Boiled Eggs. My Grandmother would be so proud!

2. Amazon has had some great book deals lately! The selections change a bit from day to day, but here’s the page where I’ve found many deals. This is my current read— it’s sad but I’m enjoying it. Which is saying something if you know me. I *did* text my friend who lent me the book this week asking, “Is this book going to break my heart?!” I enjoy a little depth and sadness always seems to come with that– but I do require at least some redemption.

If you don’t already know, KindleUnlimited is offering one-two free months right now– with a ton of good books. I happen to know that Feasting & Foraging is on that list also!

3. Speaking of, yes, that IS the frothy coffee pictured here. That would be my next good thing to share– it’s EVERYWHERE in internet land– but if you haven’t tried it yet, here’s a good recipe: Frothy (Dalgona) Coffee

I usually don’t try trendy things until everyone else is over it– #latetotheparty — but this one has been fun– however, if you find yourself out of instant coffee/ espresso, Bri McKoy shared a recipe for the Starbucks Double Shot on Ice (my favorite drink there, slightly modified) and it is spot on! Find her here and check the highlight on her Stories for the details. Where would we be without her kitchen wisdom and fun stories?

4. The Re-instatement of Friday night pizza night. Between having sourdough starter to discard and just wanting “fun food” on Fridays, we have been back at it with homemade pizza. Last night we made this one and here’s a fun one to try if you have self-rising flour but can’t get any yeast right now as I know is a common issue.

5. Jenny Williams of Carrot Top Paper Shop has done two Free lovely art tutorials for big kids on youtube and they are pure joy. One is on watercoloring and one is drawing faces– Check them out here and enjoy!

I truly tried NOT to make these all about food, but we’re cooking a lot more and keeping our meal plan a mix of chosen standards with a few new recipes is where I’m at right now.

I’d love to hear of one happy discovery you have made this season. Even if it’s just how you never noticed the light in your kitchen was, on a regular Thursday morning.

*the Amazon links above are all affiliate links. this just means that amazon thanks me when you purchase something I’ve recommended. I never recommend anything I don’t love– and it helps keep this little internet space going. Thank you for understanding, and more importantly– thank you for joining me here.

Egg your Neighbors & Spread Some Joy. (free printable)

April 10, 2020 by HappyGoStuckey Leave a Comment

Easter is nearly here and I almost forgot to share a fun Easter printable that I made for you!

There are many things that have been altered or canceled this spring, but Easter is not one of them. We may be celebrating at home– but we will absolutely still celebrate. This year, perhaps more than ever, we have so much time to enjoy the meaning of Easter.

The simplification of our schedule (due to Covid19) has allowed our family the gift of a quieter spring. Though we would not choose this season, it is the one we have– so we’re making the best of it.

One of the fun traditions we’ve always wanted to take part in is “egging our neighbors,” leaving filled eggs either in their yard or in a basket on their front porch with a friendly little note from us. This year, we found unopened plastic eggs in our seasonal stash and added a couple of bags of candy to our necessary Target pick-up. Boom!

(For this printable, I left the number of eggs open– in case you’re trying to bless several neighbors and don’t have exactly a dozen to spare.)

There are two options, click on the one you would like– save and print and you’re done!

Single Printable, full page size.

and

Four to a Page, postcard size.

Please share by link or on Pinterest– this is a free printable and I’m happy for all to have it, but please direct them back here to get there own!

Winter Favorites

February 14, 2020 by HappyGoStuckey 2 Comments

(and why it matters to pay attention to the little things.)

“For you are the sunshine-maker in your family and if you get dismal, there is no fair weather.”

Marmee to Meg in Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

The Camellias are blooming in the backyard. We enjoyed both dinner in front of a crackling fire and grilling outside in short sleeves, all within a matter of days. It must be February in Georgia.

I don’t know about you, but this time of year can seem tedious and longer than winter in Narnia. Especially if you happen to be in a season of waiting. Often when we are waiting, the object of our wait can become bigger than all the things we already hold in our laps. Good things. Things that are life-giving gifts. I believe in naming those things, even if the practice seems small and unhelpful.

To me, it is helpful. To make a list of the good things that aren’t necessarily things– helps me to wait well.

So here’s my little list of small things that I’m making bigger– by paying them the attention they deserve.

Good Things on the Internet

Never Believe Anything Bad about God episode 111 of The Next Right Thing podcast

Sarah Sandel on Instagram. I met Sarah through the wonder of the internet and have adored her voice — especially her hashtag #agraciouslight — Both have brought me joy lately.

Good Gifts Worth Counting

Seeing a video of my mom ringing the “completion with radiation” bell yesterday. Many of you know she has been going through cancer treatment these last few months. I am grateful for beyond words for the way she is being healed.

Celebrating a newly minted Eight-year old in our house. This morning Facebook reminded me that we brought her home from the hospital eight years ago Thursday. What a gift she is.

In the BlueHouse Kitchen

This Citrus Avocado Salad with Orange Vinaigrette is reminding me that there is something to love about every single month, even the dreary ones. A tiny splurge on Cara Cara oranges to mix in with clementines made it a bowl full of bright, vitamin-C filled goodness. (Note: I added roasted chicken for protein and was out of tahini so I also subbed this dressing — always delicious.)

On my Nightstand

Last month I finished my first complete unabridged read through of Little Women, and I believe it’s the new book that I will read regularly, forever and ever, amen.

I’m nearly finished with the fifth Louise Penny book.

I also just added The Things We Cannot Say to my Audible queue after several trusted friends recommended it. And my mom recently gave me this book with her high praise and approval.

And this is the current read aloud for the girls and I each morning. So far, we’re all truly enjoying it though it is making us long for an extended trip To England.

Really, I need a reading vacation. I love hearing suggestions of how people find time to read– so if you have any tips, please share!

Some News about Simmer

If you received an email with this post, then you’ve likely already received your free copy of Simmer: Six Soups & the Stories that Inspired Them. If not, click here to get your copy of the book.

Simmer is available still and will be through the end of winter. Once spring comes, it will slide quietly over to Amazon. Want to grab yours before it disappears?

Here’s a quote from Simmer,

We make the soup for hungry people and we feed our souls as we feed their stomachs. We stand willing to go make huge differences out there, knowing that it may be that we will make decades of seemingly small differences in here. We do the things we are given and we do them well. We keep our eyes on our own motives and we do not worry about theirs. 

We stay in our own lane, and we love the lane we are in. 

— Simmer- Six Seasonal Soups & the Stories that Inspired Them

What are you taking stock of during this long season? I’d love it if you’d send me a quick email and tell me one of your small things that is actually a big thing.

Loving Lately in November

November 22, 2019 by HappyGoStuckey Leave a Comment

“…all creation’s revealing his majesty. We’re invited to join with all nature in manifold witness to his great faithfulness– and since creation is going to declare it either way, we might as well jump in with our half-finished songs and join the chorus.”

–Andrew Peterson, Adorning the Dark

November is more than half over and last month truly was an Octoblur. Lance and I kicked off the month in New York City & Boston, feeling fancy, and we finished October trick or treating around our ‘hood with one Hermione Granger and one Woodland Fox. Both bookends were sweet & memorable.

How was your October? Before we launch into the second half of what is one of the greatest months of the year– I’m sharing just a few things I’m loving lately.

In the BlueHouse Kitchen

  • This White Chicken Chili (Wait. Don’t keep scrolling. This is not your ordinary brothy-soupy chili. This is prize-winning chili. Seriously. It has one more than two chili-cook-off’s 🌶🌶) I add lime and cilantro and it is A++!
  • Brown Sugar Syrup for coffee-shop quality lattes at home. Mmmm. We had the first real drop in temperature this month and I immediately made a batch of this syrup to have on hand.
  • The Harvest Salad with Cider Vinaigrette and Maple Pecans from Feasting & Foraging (free with Kindle Unlimited right now. wink wink.) Seriously. This salad screams fall & will look gorgeous on your Thanksgiving table. Or the day after with some leftover Turkey on top.
  • Also. These Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats are everything. We served them to our Monday night life group fam a couple of weeks ago and I’m already planning them on an upcoming meal plan. SO good you don’t even miss the pasta. (I know. Carbs are Life. But I stand by what I said.)

On the BlueHouse Bookshelves

  • Adorning the Dark by Andrew Peterson
  • Caroline, Little House Revisited by Sarah Miller. (I just finished Little House on the Prairie as a read-aloud with the girls, so the parallel story line has been enjoyable.)
  • Write Better by Andrew T. LePeau. LePeau worked for over 40 years at InterVarsity Press as the associate publisher of the editorial division. I snagged this book at the Hopewriters Conference last week and am so excited to dive into this one.
  • What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon. I finished this spell-binding book a few weeks ago– it was so good, that I read the last page and immediately sent a copy to my mom. Note: there’s some time travel in this book so if you’re a realist who doesn’t like to set that aside when you read, be warned. 🙂

Making Life Easier

  • In my diffuser: Siberian Fir & Peppermint. Thanks to Amanda from Birdsong Design for sharing this tip– It smells like a Clean Christmas Tree!
  • Pick-up. For everything. I’ve been using the Target app to order what I need and then free curbside pickup to grab it. Granted, part of the fun of Target is lingering long in all the different sections, but that doesn’t usually fit into our schedule– not to mention this way saves money- Ha! I’ve also been using Kroger Click-List for awhile and THAT has truly made me a better meal-planner and grocery shopper. I still wish Publix had the feature because well, Publix has my heart.
  • Rethinking the idea of hiring a staff to help keep things running has helped me immensely. My current staff members are 10 & 7 and they really only unload the dishwasher and do a few small chores … and they’re obviously my children, not employees. But re-framing this idea of “farming out” things on my to-do list has helped me juggle more. Being intentional to plan ahead and be sure that I am using all of the things at my disposal instead of lamenting my limitations. (i.e. using Target pick up & Kroger Click-List, making sure we all have a bit of margin to actually pick up after ourselves daily, utilizing the library hold system and pick-up, etc. to name a few.) It may seem so ordinary, but assessing and using what I have at my disposal at this stage– is saving my life!
  • Getting back to getting up early. I was sick a couple of weeks ago and it threw me completely off course with getting up early, but I’m back and I love it. There is no substitute for this introverted Mama to having a few quiet minutes at the start of the day.

One final thing I’d like to share with you— If you are one of the dear hearts who have left a review for Feasting & Foraging, thank you so much. I am grateful for you. Thank you for every tag and message and text!

If you have read Feasting & Foraging, and haven’t had a chance yet, would you consider leaving a quick review here? Authors are immensely grateful when you share a few words about their words, because it helps others find the book they’ve labored over.

What’s on your fall loving list? Big or small, I’d love it if you would reply or comment and tell me one thing that you’re enjoying right now.

Feasting & Foraging (free for the weekend!) 🍊🌿

October 18, 2019 by HappyGoStuckey Leave a Comment

I wrote a book, called Feasting & Foraging, and I would like to tell you why. 
About a year ago on a Friday night, after an extremely long and hard week, it was suddenly and inexplicably dinner time. I walked into my kitchen to cook dinner and as I stood in front of the fridge, I said out loud– there is nothing in here. 
Nothing. 
I wanted to order pizza or asian or anything else but because we are adults on a budget, I took another look. 


I didn’t find a surprise dinner, perfectly cooked and waiting for us. I didn’t find anything miraculous, but what I did find was building blocks. Pieces of what we did have that would come together to make a meal– a meal that would fill us. Half an hour later, instead of eating cereal or another frozen pizza, (let’s hear it for the quality frozen pizza though, the treasured gift of mothers everywhere,) we ate what would become an end of the week favorite, Fridge Forager Nachos. Half a bag of Multi-grain tortilla chips, half a grilled chicken breast, leftover cheese and a handful of leftover vegetables came together to make our Friday night supper. 

As we sat at the kitchen table peeling crispy chips off the aluminum foil and breaking off edges that sat a little too long under the broiler — it hit me. 
This meal is not miraculous, it is just the result of a second look. 
We weren’t eating dinner because I’m a magician in the kitchen, we ate a decent dinner because we looked again to find what we did have, and went from there. It’s not usually about the food, but the time we spend in the glorious everydayness matters when it points us up to the Giver of our gifts.

I wrote this book because I believe that Gratefulness changes our vision. And I think you believe it too. 
I think that whether you cling to hope or are in a season of needing to be reminded of what grace you hold in your lap, you too believe that perspective makes the difference.


 It is the dance of want and plenty that keeps us twirling from gratefulness to supplication and back again. We need both the days of feasting and the days of foraging to remind us of our longing. Just as it is a particular kind of delight to step back and see God provide for an abject need we’ve had for so long, it is the same with cooking from sparse ingredients. (Feasting & Foraging)

I hope that you know that as I scrawled recipes on scrap paper and tested them countless times, I thought of you in your own home. I thought of you scrambling eggs and finding lost shoes and remembering to pay the water bill and juggling all the things you juggle– and I prayed that this would find you at the right time.

And speaking of time, you can get your own copy of Feasting & Foraging for free this weekend-– It’s essays on food and hope and it’s recipes and photos– and I loved making it for you. I hope that you love it too.

XX, Cynthia

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a tiny percentage for qualifying purchases made as a result of links I share. I will never share products I do not honestly believe you will love.

Hello, July.

July 1, 2019 by HappyGoStuckey 2 Comments

They say you aren’t supposed to make excuses when you take an unexpected blogging break… so this is me, quietly slipping in the side door— Hi.

At Hopewriters, we say that “we write meaningful words without sacrificing our meaningful lives” and friend, I have to be honest and say that in this season of life– I often have to chose writing far less words in favor of my meaningful life– namely my people.

I will always be here intermittently– but when I’m not, know that I am cheering you on– in your own meaningful life. In the interim, I am still writing, still working on a project that (really I mean it this time,) is almost ready and of course, still popping in over here almost daily. Hope-filled things are always on the way– and I treasure being able to pop in and share them with you. Today, we are smack dab in the middle of a sweltering Georgia summer and I have a short list of things I’m enjoying that I’d like to share with you.

loving lately:

Finishing a good book as a family. This week we are finishing Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets in this fun edition and I can hardly wait to watch the movie as a family. The entire read-aloud experience with this book has been so long and satisfying, though the girls would say it’s been agony because we make them wait so long between books. Ha!

Making small changes for good. I recently realized that I wasn’t taking very good care of my face. When I listened to this podcast episode, I was 110% overwhelmed with Jamie Golden’s skincare routine but she gifted me with several good tips. The top 2 things I’ve begun– I wish I would have started sooner. But they’re simple… and bonus, from the drugstore.

1. An excellent (budget-friendly) night cream. Five weeks, I can absolutely feel a difference in my face texture.

2. A mineral facial sunscreen that doesn’t flake, dry out, or affect my makeup in any way. Score.

You might already be using these two simple steps because you are an actual grown-up, unlike myself– but I think I lost track of my facial regimen somewhere in the baby having years and am just trying to find it again. (But you know, it’s the only face we have and all that jazz.)

Making Iced Lattes at Home. My current Starbucks order is summer in a plastic cup with a green straw and all, thankyouverymuch Bri Mckoy — but I really, really need the life skill that is making a killer copycat in the comfort of my sunny kitchen. And sometimes we just *need* iced lattes to accompany this Hawaiian Banana Bread.

So here’s my super simple take on an iced latte. 2 shots of chilled espresso (I might even make it 2.5) in a 16 oz. mason jar 3/4 full of ice. Add a splash of half and half and then add milk until it’s the color you like. (so scientific!) Put the lid on and shake it. optional- add simple syrup. My #1 key is this stove-top espresso pot. We’ve had it for years and it’s completely dependable.

A summertime ‘less is more’ wardrobe. Do you have certain outfit staples that you adore? I have a pair of white jeans that I have worn about 3-4 times a week since April. It’s so easy to throw on some sandals and a top and go when I have to get dressed up. My friend Michele owns a boutique in Florida and sent me the cutest kimono to pair with my white jeans. I love these happy colors! Her shop also has some adorable linen pants in stock right now. See something fun? Save 15% off with the code, HAPPYGOSHOP

On the BlueHouse Bookshelves:

  • The House at Riverton, Kate Morton. (This is the last of Kate Morton’s books that I have yet to read and it has a definite Downton Abbey/ upstairs-downstairs feel to it.)
  • A Fatal Grace, Louise Penny. (My 2nd Inspector Gamache novel)
  • Placemaker, Christie Purifoy.
  • Kitchen Yarns, Ann Hood. (Thanks, Kristin for this rec!)

I also just picked up We Were Lucky Ones this weekend and am hoping for a somewhat happy ending in spite of the wartime story line. Have you read it?

What are you reading these days? Cooking? Loving?

As always, I only ever share things with you that I’m enjoying myself. You may often find an affiliate link or two, which only serves to keep the lights lit and the coffee pouring. Thank you for joining me here in this space.

Spring Favorites

March 22, 2019 by HappyGoStuckey 1 Comment

Spring is absolutely in the air… and covering our car, porch, and every outside surface. The season gifts us watery eyes and frequent sneezing fits– but it’s still one of the best times of the year! 🌿

In our town, there is an extra zip of excitement in the air as we all prepare in some way for the Masters. Because of our kitchen saga, we aren’t renting our home this year but I am pretending otherwise so our little BlueHouse gets cleaned up and organized as it normally would. (If you aren’t familiar with the Masters thing, here’s an article that explains the entire wonderfully weird process.)

These are a few of my favorite things…

What is it about a change in weather to cause us to want to mix up, clean up, or change up our normal normalcy? I’m pretty predictable when it comes to spring rhythms– but here are a few things I am loving right now as we settle all the way into the slightly warmer months.

The Green Jacket Salad I actually ate this salad for lunch yesterday… and with dinner the night before. It’s simple and just unique enough to cause you to appreciate salad as a treat instead of a punishment.

Facial Spray by Mario Badescu. Thank you, Cherie, for introducing me to this lovely little spray and thus changing my life. I kid, but it’s truly amazing– especially when we’re coming out of the months of winter skin. I use it right after I wash my face and I can imagine how great it will be to stick in my pool bag for a refresh. (The current price is really good BTW, I paid about this for a smaller bottle.)

ACURE Brightening Facial Scrub. Yet another amazing beauty product for under $10 available on Amazon. *I may never leave my house again.* But really, I feel like this is a steal– especially with the clean ingredient list, and I love the french green clay.

Becoming Mrs. Lewis: The Improbable Love Story of Joy Davidman & C.S. Lewis. Last week I stayed up way too late to finish this book and I ached when it was over. Partially because of the ending, but it was a good ache– the kind you don’t easily forget. If you love C.S. Lewis, I highly recommend this read. *Just a note. This book is historical fiction, although it is based on fact and is laced with beatiful quotes from C.S. Lewis woven throughout.

*Some of these are affiliate links, thank you for being a part of this community here. If you’ve been here long, you know I don’t share products lightly– only those that are tried and loved!

What I Learned & Loved this Fall

December 7, 2018 by HappyGoStuckey 2 Comments

“…When pain is to be borne, a little courage helps more than much knowledge, a little human sympathy more than much courage, and the least tincture of the love of God more than all.” — C.S. Lewis

Here we are in December and although fall really travels until December 20th, I’m joining in with Emily Freeman to share my list of what I learned & loved in the fall. Because really nothing feels more wintery than Christmas, and we need to properly say farewell to fall. Here’s what I learned. 

Jennifer Garner is my favorite (and possibly only,) celebrity instagram follow. Have I said this before? She is a delight. The fact that *Sidney Bristowe* saved the world and now stands in her kitchen, roasting a chicken– I’m a super fan. And I LOVE that she is a mom but never, ever posts about her kids. When she posts a photo with Ina Garten, my little culinary heart explodes.

Sometimes it’s more than just hair.

In September, I got a pretty drastic haircut. Well, really it was just bangs– but it was so different for me, that it felt drastic. It still feels drastic when I see people I haven’t seen in awhile and I have to introduce myself. At first I wasn’t sure I would even keep my haircut even though I LOVED it, because not everyone around me did. (One of my children cried and the dog barked and all that jazz.)

Our family all adjusted to this silly thing that was just hair and I discovered something– I was smiling at myself in the mirror way more. Maybe you smile at yourself in the mirror all the time. I don’t. I’m usually giving a slightly critical, appraising look to whatever needs to improve, but smiling? Not exactly with regularity. I should smile more, if only to show my gratefulness for this life I’ve been given. And the fact that I’m still holding on without hair color for a little bit longer. #praisehands

My mom recently realized she’s allergic to dairy. I know. I was given the birthright of loving cheese from HER. But, she realized she feels much better without it. So she avoids all of it. At first, I was slightly annoyed FOR her because of all the things I knew she couldn’t have. I was annoyed? Not her? Nope. Because she knows how much healthier she is without it.

I say all this to say, if suddenly you realize that you would like yourself better, or be healthier, or just be a better version of who you were created to be– if you did xyz– figure it out, and don’t be afraid to say “Actually… I…”

It’s okay to know yourself. It’s not selfish to recognize that avoiding bread or dairy, or ordering a salad on pizza night, or choosing not to skip the gym just because everyone else is, or getting up before the sun to read, is good for you. If something isn’t immoral or adversely affecting your people and just a matter of you-ness— do what makes you the best version of yourself. That is a gift to everyone who knows and loves you.

So yeah. I’m keeping the hair for the foreseeable future. And I’m happily buying the best darn almond milk I can find when my Mom comes to visit.

I learned that we can choose to welcome both joy and grief, recognizing we have two hands— one for joy, one for grief—to hold both at once. Lance and I lost someone we loved dearly in November and though it stirred up so many conflicting emotions in us both, they were all equally welcome gifts. I wrote more on this here.

Favorite Moments of the Fall

  • Chatting with Jacqueline Heider on her podcast, Anchored Souls.It’s been a while since I’ve been on any podcasts, and I truly enjoyed talking with my friend Jacqueline on hers.

  • Picking apples whilst needing a jacket in Blue Ridge.
  • We celebrated eight years of living in the garden city. We celebrated with Mummy Dogs on our front porch and then trick-or-treating with our neighbors as the leaves began to dance down from the trees.
  • Seeing beautiful Estes Park, Colorado for the very first time with a sweet team of co-workers and having an exciting job change which still, miraculously allows me to be home with my people. All gifts.

Fall on the BlueHouse Bookshelves 

Once We Were Strangers by Shawn Schmucker.
A true account between the author and a Syrian refugee who came to the United States with his wife and sons, Once We Were Strangers was intriguing and compassionate. I was changed with the first quote from the first page, “No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark.”

What this book is not: a sensationalized, embellished story which either deifies or land-blasts the US people or its government. It is a factual account with heart, because it is the story of an actual man and his family. It is the story of a friendship which changed more than one life.

Because I am a hopeful idealist who also happens to be an enneagram 9, I wanted a happy ending. This book doesn’t end with a bow and a complete and total resolution— it just ends, but I didn’t feel that was a negative thing at all as I recognize that the story is on-going. 

Once we were Strangers opened my eyes to many things I’ve never seen about the refugee crisis. The author does not write to forcefully convince, he only writes to tell a story that needs to be told. More stories just like this are out there, and I hope they will be written as well as they allow us a greater capacity for compassion. 

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
Another luxurious novel by Kate Morton. My favorite still remains The Lake House, though the Clockmakers Daughter (which I’m currently reading,) is crazy good so I may change my mind about that! 

 

Well, that’s all for fall! I may have been quiet here lately, but it’s only because I’m working on something fun for the late winter/ early spring. If you aren’t on my list of email friends, please hop up there and join so that you will be the first in the know!

And as always, please feel free to reply or comment and tell me what you learned & loved in the fall!

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I'm Cynthia and I'm so glad you're here. I am an introvert with an extrovert's love of gathering people together. I love good books and capturing moments. Whether you visit me here or on my own front porch, I'll be the one holding the Iced Coffee for us both.

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Truth: I am not the best cookie baker in our house Truth: I am not the best cookie baker in our house. It is hands down @friar_stuck — Today he added a pinch of fresh orange zest to Oatmeal Scotchies and they taste just like childhood.

My grandma used to make these and serve them to me on a pink plate with a small glass of sprite with ice. At 39, I now realize two things— 1. She would have adored my husband and 2. these cookies go best with coffee or tea.

What cookie makes you feel eight years old again?
There’s something unusually long about the winte There’s something unusually long about the winter months when we’re in a season of slow growth and imperceptible change.

The landscape outside your window TODAY can feel like it’s your landscape forever but it’s actually not.

If the view from where you stand looks rather bleak and not at all how you hoped, can I remind you to look up? 

These trees in my own backyard, captured this morning, last March, and last August, will continue changing in their own rhythmic way whether I’m watching them or not. There’s a comfort in that for me today— and perhaps for you.

Whatever looks slow and unmoving, with change almost too gradual to detect— is still very much in a pattern of forward transformation.

And these quiet days in the midst of our January-ness— we can be reminded that growth never really stops, especially in the hidden places.

#wonderfortheweary #feastingandforaging #bluehousebackyard
Not moving from this spot, except to boil the kett Not moving from this spot, except to boil the kettle for more tea.

This is the first complete weekend that we’ve been home since Thanksgiving. 😳 It sounds awful, especially for this homebody, but really what it means is, we’ve celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas with family, attended one beautiful family wedding (Hey, Shelby! 👋🏻❤️) one 90th Birthday party for our beloved Granny, and had a family trip. They were all such sparkly gifts. Ones I don’t take for granted and so very different from last year.

But I do love home— and am happy to spend the second half of the day right here with this book which I’m truly enjoying. 📚❤️
The inhabitants of the Dickens Village wanted me t The inhabitants of the Dickens Village wanted me to tell you three V. important things. 1. After years of having one pub and no church, they are *finally* getting a church tomorrow, thanks to FB marketplace. And all the people said, “Amen & Huzzah.” 2. We’re still keeping Christmas over here — Though we’re slowly bending towards back to normal. The tree still lives and we’re celebrating the tenth day of Christmas with a fire & coziness before we pull out the pencils tomorrow. And finally, 3. Everyday Affogato. You might need this tiny pick me-up in your life. One shot of hot espresso poured over a tiny serving of vanilla ice cream. Please and Thank you.✨ #merrymerrystuckeys
2021 was a year of change for nearly all of us. Mu 2021 was a year of change for nearly all of us. Much of which we are happily taking with us into 2022.🥂

Nine squares is not sufficient to reflect the ways we’ve grown and changed, but it is a glimpse of the graces of the year behind us.

Not pictured: waking up to find our children taller and suddenly at our eye level, new laugh lines on our faces, sweltering pool days, fireplace dinners, Marco Polo chats with friends, family weddings & visits, mountain air breathed, books read, new jobs begun, school days, approximately 52 pizza nights, new rhythms & schedules, house repairs, car issues, and God always before us, behind us and within us. Soli deo Gloria. #thebestisyettocome
On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave t On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… 🍦Four Honeymoon milkshakes from the Dreamette. We’re going out with a bang, at the spot where their Grandparents grew up eating their ice cream. It’s absolutely the GOAT.
🎄✨Merry Christmas from Team Stuckey!✨🎄 🎄✨Merry Christmas from Team Stuckey!✨🎄

2021 has been full of new things— but I’m grateful we have walked through them together and in God’s sovereign hand. 

Pro (🤣) -Tip: if your Christmas cards say Happy New Year, you have longer to mail them… 📮🥂
Okayyyy @smittenkitchen ‘s Gingerbread Bûche de Okayyyy @smittenkitchen ‘s Gingerbread Bûche de Noël was fun and delicious. 4 out of 4 Stuckeys agree we have a new Christmas dessert! 🎄❤️

Happy Christmas Eve, friends— especially all you midnight merry makers! Hope you find all the stocking stuffers you hid.🙈
Do these Mince Pies make me look One-Quarter Briti Do these Mince Pies make me look One-Quarter British?

Truth be told, my grandma always used the jarred mincemeat and I wasn’t a fan as a child. Only last year did Lance and my Mom collaborate in the kitchen to try out homemade mincemeat filling and let me just say, we are never quitting these! 😍

The filling we use is from @bonappetitmag and it’s really good. It’s a gorgeous blend of apples, dried fruits (cherries, apricots, sultanas, figs, currants) with apple cider, spices, and a few other things. No meat, though.

Happy Christmas from the Jolly Old Stuckeys! 🇬🇧🎄❤️
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