Congratulations, Alexis! You won a copy of Desperate: Hope for the Mom who Needs to Breathe by Sarah Mae. I Hope you enjoy it!
Thank you all for entering, hopefully we can do a few more giveaways soon! 
Missing the Sunset
Last night I was afforded the rare blessing of a little time by myself with a book at Starbucks. Not finding a place inside that looked cozy, I went outside and chose a table facing the parking lot. I sat and read and was refreshed in record time. As I neared the end of my time there, I noticed the sun setting beautifully and it occurred to me how little I see the sun set.
I’m awake for the sun rising every morning, usually even outside when it begins to fill out street with light.
But most days our afternoons melt quickly into dinner times and then into busy “do the next thing” times.
Between the rushing and hurrying–
The bathing and the feeding,
The cleaning up to clean it again,
The packing the lunches…
The readying ourselves for rest-
I often miss the sunset.
Having little ones means we are usually indoors at this time of day. We quickly transition from the dinner hour to the Jammie and Book Reading hour. We are brushing little teeth and finding little dolls and tucking in tight and giving one more kiss. Before we know it, the sun is long gone, they are tucked safely in their beds and we collapse on the couch in an exhale and often really look at each other for the first time all evening. Even when it’s necessary, it feels like too much rush.
I remember when both my girls were newborn babies and how much mixed joy I would feel at that time of day. In their first few months, I found myself in the odd throes of post-partum depression. Sunset was both depressing and heartening for me. Depressing because I was so tired and I knew the night would be no more restful than the day had been. Heartening because, we had made it–through another day!!!
In the sunset we are reminded that God has sustained us for another day yet again. He has given us all that we need today. He has blessed beyond what we deserve and unfortunately beyond what we often even notice. Last night when I paused long enough, I saw gorgeous colors, pinks and purples that my Lucy would love in her coloring box. The beautiful colors of the sunset, He, being the Creator of Creativity that He is, dreamed up. Some might say it’s a scientific process of light and clouds. I know that it’s a gracious blessing that God bestows on us. Every. Single. Day. That is love. To paint that for us.
Life being what it is, we simply cannot always move slow enough to take in every aspect of beauty of life surrounding us. Perhaps that’s what is so startling when God allows us to slow down for a moment or two. But when He does bless us with a moment of peace or an hour of quiet, even if it’s at the end of the day, we must remember that HE is our sustainer. When we barely stagger through the last few hours of the day and point ourselves toward bed, let us take note of His FAITHFULNESS. Yes, His mercies are new every morning. But, Praise God they last throughout the day and into the night. He alone provides the strength we cannot manufacture.
“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night,”
Psalm 92: 1-2
Tomorrow is the Last Night to enter the Book Giveaway!!
Green Jacket Salad
We had lived in Augusta for nearly three years before I discovered my salad soul-mate, which happens to be a long time local favorite.
The Green Jacket Salad, its namesake the Green Jacket Restaurant in Augusta– has been shared time and time again. It’s light, fresh and easy to throw together.
Here’s my slightly amended version of the recipe:
GREEN JACKET SALAD
1/2 cup vegetable oil (or olive oil, this makes it more healthy, but less traditional.)
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tomato, diced
1 teaspoon Lawry’s seasoned salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup chopped green onion, about 1-2 green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 Romaine Hearts, Cleaned and Chopped
Two Handfuls of Stacy’s Naked Pita Chips, Broken in Bite Size Pieces. (You can make your own which would be great too!)
Parmesan cheese (we actually use grated (as in powdered) parmesan for this. It’s a bit of a retro ingredient, but it’s a slightly retro salad, so it works!
Mix Oil, Vinegar, Seasoned Salt and Oregano together. Chop remaining ingredients and mix in a large bowl. Toss with Dressing just before serving. Note: This makes A LOT of Salad, so only toss as much as you will eat, you may not need all the dressing.
Because I Love Ya! (Book Giveaway)
HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!
We have had quite an eventful week with our little Big girl starting Pre-K and all. Since we will be home for several weekends in a row after traveling so much, we are going to try to tackle a few DIY projects around our home this weekend. We’ve recently realized that we have a LOT of projects in mind and we just need to GET WITH IT, ALREADY!! (I promise to take pictures and share our progress, unless of course we spend the whole weekend in our pj’s watching Downton Abbey re-runs, which is also a possibility.)
But because it’s Friday, (YAY!) I have a fun little book giveaway for you! These are two books I LOVE and if you win the giveaway you can choose the one you would like! The first, What Women Fear by Angie Smith is an amazing work on Faith and how it can transform even the most fearful woman. She weaves “her own experiences with those of men and women throughout Scripture to help us start dealing more effectively with these true, human emotions.” (Book cover.) This book meant a lot to me and I would love for you to be encouraged by it as well.
The second title, Desperate: Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breathe by Sarah Mae & Sally Clarkson. I’m currently reading this one and though I’m not yet finished, I am devouring every last word. It’s soothing my soul and encouraging me to keep. going. every. day. I’m attending a conference in October where Sarah Mae will be one of the main speakers, and OH! Am I Excited or WHAT?!!!
So, in order to enter to win one of these titles, just leave a comment on this post with the one which you would choose! If you own them both already, then pick which one you would like to give to someone else! Also, earn a second entry by becoming a follower of HappyGoStuckey.com! Whatever way you choose, Blog Lovin’, WP Reader, or there is even an email option on the right sidebar where you can have the posts emailed to you. If you are a follower or you become a follower, just leave a second comment to state that.
Giveaway Ends Next Thursday Night, August 15. Winner will be announced on Friday, August 16th.
Dear Other Mothers
Dear Other Mothers, aka Veteran Moms who put their kids in school last year and saw that they survived just fine:
You should know something. Today was an isolated incident.
I promise I’m not crazy. I’m not emotionally unstable. I assure you that you won’t see me stone-faced and stoic, hiding behind my dark sunglasses (in the building!) every day that I drop my daughter off for Pre-School, whilst biting my lip and hoping no one speaks to me so I can escape to my car before I totally lose it.
Today was new. Today was scary. Today, I literally DID have movie-clip type flashbacks to different scenes in her short little life thus far. The night she was born. The way she felt wrapped in a receiving blanket when they laid her in my arms. The days she learned her numbers, (well, after she learned that they did not go, “One-uh, Two-uh, Nine-uh, TENNNNN!!!!” )
Today she faced a brand new adventure with all the bravery and excitement that she should have. As we walked down the hall to her room, I felt her grip tighten around mine and her steps slowed a little bit. Just before her class door, she looked up at me with wide, uncertain eyes. I recognize that look, because I woke up with it on my heart this morning. I fought the temptation to say, “QUICK! Out the side door! Let’s make a run for it!!!!” and instead I smiled into her little green eyes and said, “Are you ready?! This is going to be SO much fun!” Then she hugged me tight, put her little hands on my face and said with all resolve and courage, “Mommy. I’m GOING to miss you. But I’m GOING to have fun. I Lud you. See you later.” And then turned and ran headlong into her new little world.
And as I drove away, (slowly– so that the teary vision wouldn’t cause me to hit another emotionally-wrecked motorist.) I knew that this was just one little step in her big life. I knew she would be fine. I knew she would LOVE school and that school would LOVE HER. And, I knew I’d be back in a few hours. Most importantly, I KNEW that Her Creator was holding her in His capable hands, far better than I ever could. And that a little bit of letting go is 100% necessary to watching HIS PLAN for their lives unfold.
However, if you see me tomorrow, and you think to yourself, “Is that that same crazy mom who looks like she just lost her best friend?”
Just go easy on me. Because, that little, big, ponytailed girl I just dropped off?
She was just a baby, like 5 minutes ago. And I’m going to have to get used to the idea of her being as big as she clearly is. But I’ll get there. Just not tomorrow.
4 Things I Love Right Now, and 1 That I Do Not.
Happy Monday!!!
We had a great weekend and I hope you did as well.
Monday always means getting our act together: laundry, grocery shopping, and meal planning, etc. But, as you’re going about your business today– here’s a little “Product Love” for you!
1. Flat Out Flatbreads
These were recommended to me as great (QUICK!) pizza crusts, and after trying them–I’m a believer! Each crust has only 140 calories–which means you can load it up with healthy ingredients and it makes a delicious and satisfying meal. They can also be grilled, which I cannot wait to try. We made them last night with a little bit of roasted peppers and onions (EVOO, S&P and 425′ for about 15 min.) and then added a bit of shredded pork from the freezer. Very good!
Here’s what ours looked like:
Once baked, I drizzled with a bit of balsamic glaze, which brings me to #2!
2. Colavita Balsamic Glaze– this is not the same as Balsamic Vinegar, but is a reduction made from that Vinegar. It is a bit pricey, about 10.00 for this bottle, but I’ve been using it all summer and still have more than half left. It is extremely flavorful so you only need a little bit. It goes great with many things, Caprese Salad being one of the best! Also, think, roasted veggies, grilled steak (perfection!) or pork, and it will jazz up a pasta or risotto very nicely.
Caprese Salad (See? A little goes a long way!)
3. Smaska Children’s Plates from Ikea
These are excellent, non-breakable, dishwasher safe plates for little ones. They also come in bowls. We have had both for years, and they are just as nice as the day we got them. They nestle together, saving space; and they are the perfect size for littles! And at $3.99, they are a steal! Put them on your list next time you visit an Ikea!
4. Meadow Showers Candle from Yankee Candle
We love the quality of Yankee Candles around our house! They are a great product and even though we wait until we can stack a coupon with a sale and get a really good deal, they are still a luxury item for us. This scent is a nice, light springy scent that will carry into that awkward time between summer and fall. Still too hot to break out the pumpkin candles, but still “fall.”
And, now for #5. Something I do NOT love. This sweet baby is starting school on Wednesday. Pre-K 4, only three days a week, but still. This fact had me reduced to a puddle of tears last night when I thought about not being there in case she gets cold and forgets she has a sweater in her backpack. I know. I’m such a baby. But I better get it out of my system while she isn’t looking. She’s going, ready or not.
And she is going to have a fantastic time.
Still, SIGH.
Iced Coffee Recipe and Techniques
I’m not sure how I became the spokesperson for all things Iced and Coffee, but I LOVE the stuff so much that it just seems fitting. Even in times when I’m seriously counting calories, I carefully budget (and measure) in my one Iced Coffee per day.
There are basically two major ways to make Iced Coffee. By the pitcher, and by the glass. I prefer by the glass, but I’m going to give you instructions for what goes into both. You should not, I repeat should not take hot or warm-ish coffee, pour it over ice, add sugar and call it a day. The coffee will melt the ice, and you will end up with a nice glass of tepid, watery coffee. Not good. But try one of these and I might just make a believer out of you! (those of you who know how to do this, please excuse the step by step instructions.)
Iced Hazelnut Coffee (Large Batch)
(Great if you can consume it within a few days.)
- One large 8-cup pot of strong brewed Hazelnut coffee (or any flavor you like– check out the Fresh Market for some excellent flavors!– My current favorite is Hazelnut– )
- Sugar (to taste… start with about a quarter of a cup for 8-cup pot)
- Milk (I like to use a bit of half and half to make it slightly rich and then the rest 2% or Whole Milk)
Pour the coffee in a large pitcher, add sugar and stir. Add Milk until it’s the desired color you like. Taste for sweetness, add more sugar if needed. Stir again until sugar is disolved and then place in the fridge for several hours or overnight. Serve over lots of ice in a glass, if you have a a mason jar, even better.
Keep in mind, whenever you have a partial pot of coffee left over in the morning, don’t throw it out!!! You can do this and have a delicious treat the next morning instead of having to talk yourself out of swinging by Starbucks!!! This is WAY more cost effective and you can drink it in your P.J.’s!!!
Method 2: Making a Coffee Concentrate.
I make up (or more accurately, my moonlighting barista husband makes up) a small batch of very strong coffee. He makes his daily coffee on the strong side anyway, so I can basically take that, chill it and it makes perfect iced coffee. But usually, we will make a batch of strong coffee, either by french press, espresso pot, or in the regular old coffee pot. There is also this method of Cold Brewing your coffee. It’s pretty good too.
Step 1: Brew your Strong Coffee and place it in the fridge over night or for at least a few hours.
Step 2: Prepare your Sweetener, usually a Simple Syrup like this one. I always do 1:2 ratio of water to sugar. Raw Sugar works nicely too. I recommend keeping this in the fridge, if you don’t want to, buy it. At times, I will visit my friendly neighborhood Starbucks, and they will sell me a large bottle of flavoring syrup in Vanilla, or Hazelnut or whatever for around $8.00. (Reasonable vs. several lattes at said Coffee Shop.) And no refrigeration needed.
Step 3: Using a small glass, preferably a different one than you will drink from, measure out the concentrate you want. Add your syrup to taste. Add a small splash of half & half and then add a bit of milk until you reach your desired color. Pour into another glass full of ice and Enjoy!
I like this method especially for entertaining because others can truly customize it to their tastes.
Now grab yourself an Iced Coffee, a muffin (or a cookie!) and a good book!
Settling In
Nine days ago, on the morning of my birthday, just minutes after waking up, Lance presented me with a manilla envelope containing my birthday present. Naturally, I had no clue what it was but the look on his face told me it was a good one.
Was it ever.
He purchased the rights to HappyGoStuckey.Com AND moved my blog over to WordPress!!!! (Yes, I totally cried.)
This was more than just a small gesture. This was the gift of support. He knows I love writing. He knows it is not only a hobby, but a form of worship for me. A way for me to stretch my creative “legs” and also work things out that I struggle with. There are so many times that I come to the computer with nothing but questions, and then I leave with answers. It’s good for me. It’s hard sometimes, but it’s good.
Can I tell you a secret? For someone who has a blog and tries to be disciplined about writing regularly, I’m incredibly shy of what I write. But again, it’s good for me. I struggled for a long time with this…. desire to do something about it. I struggled with the thought that no one would read it. Then I struggled that anyone would. Then I read this post by Sarah Markley.
She said the following about writing:
“But for me, the learning of it didn’t come until I wrote about it.This is what I believe: If you are a writer then God has given you a gift that He intends to use to bring you closer to Him. Let me clarify: yes, your writing may help others become closer to Him. Maybe you write in a devotional style or a challenging style or a style that helps people figure God out more. If that is true, then it is only the icing on a very grand cake.
Writing, if you are a writer, is God’s thoroughfare to your heart and your spirit. It is through the writing that He will draw you to Himself. The gift of writing, as a Christ-follower, is His means of crafting you into who you are supposed to be. You will learn, you will expose parts of your heart you intended to keep hidden and you will examine your soul as you do it.
And the same is true of all gifts and art, not just writing.” (SarahMarkley.Com)
So very true. There are so many lessons I only partially grasp until I get them all written down, then it’s a like HUGE lightbulb clicks on.
So here’s my prayer: If the writing continues to bring me closer to Him, or make me a better Wife and Mother, or bless, encourage or challenge somebody else– then I want to keep at it. If it ceases to be useful for any of those things, then I pray God gives me the strength and wisdom to stop.
In the mean time, I’m blessed to have an amazing husband who wants to support me. And thankful to have YOU along for the ride!
P.S. If you are wondering (and I know you are) who did my amazing Blog re-design, it’s none other than the amazing Chloe of English Tea Paperie. She listened to what I wanted and then came up with this beauty! I owe her all the creative credit. Contact her if YOU need some design work done!!
Happy Go Stuckey Has Moved!!!!
We have moved to www.HappyGoStuckey.com
Please update your links! **There is a place over there where you can have the posts delivered by email if you like, or you can follow with your chosen method!
I will leave this link up for a couple of weeks just in case, but if you are looking for me— I’m over HERE!
Blocked Vision
Every morning I leave my house early. My faithful walking partner meets me at the edge of my driveway and the words are usually few for the first moments until we both wake up. During our 45 minute walk, we go up and down hills. The talk is always sparse on the way up a hill, as the need for oxygen prevails, and plentiful on the way down. We sweat together, laugh together, persevere together. I am so very thankful for her. I’m amazed at how God knew what I needed in an exercise partner
(and great friend!) and placed her in my very own neighborhood.
At the end of our walk, we pause at the top of a hill (near where she lives) and say goodbye. Then I go on the last 10-15 minutes on my own. I come down the hill and walk home. As I walk toward my responsibilities, my family, toward my day– I have a few minutes of quiet. A few minutes of peace in which I try to commit the day to the One who made it.
Nearly every morning, the sun is just rising. But because I’m going down hill and the neighborhood is wooded, I can never see the sun. I see the effects of the sunrise. I see the light filling the clouds, barely filtering through the trees, turning the sky from a beautiful Navy blue into pink, purple and periwinkle. It’s beautiful. But every morning I look hard to try to see more. I wish I were a little bit higher up, or that those particular trees were a bit lower, but I can never see it all.
Only a glimpse of the beautiful light which will fill our day.
Today it struck me. I struggle so much with limited vision. There are a lot of questions in our current state of life. Most of them will have answers. But, answers that are for God alone to know at this point. It’s hard to be “in the dark” about life decisions. Often we feel that we pray and pray and He is silent. We know He hears. We know He is acting on our behalf and for His glory. We know that when the time is right (His time. Not mine.) He will act. The waiting can be so hard when we just want to *see* that “it” will happen or when or how. But, my friends? That is not trust. That is not faith. That is wanting to peel back the corner of the painting before the artist is finished.
I have always loved the illustration that our lives (and our circumstances) appear to be the wrong side of a tapestry. A jumbled mess of strings that seem to be senseless and ugly. But if we could see what God sees, we would be amazed. If we could put into practice in our hearts what we say we believe to be true, we would know that the “Other Side” of what we do not see is far more beautiful than we could imagine. Not to mention, far more capable of bringing glory to God than the plans we have for ourselves.
When we allow ourselves to be honest, we may realize that we are so small. We are exceedingly small in our understanding and that our frustration over the waiting is basically whining. When we complain we say two things, 1. We do not trust Him. 2. He doesn’t deserve the care of the large and small details of our lives. Yikes. What ungratefulness we are capable of.
When God asked Job, “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it.” (Job 40:2)
In other words, Who are you who questions what God does?
Perhaps Job said it best,
“Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to Thee?
I lay my hand on my mouth.” (Job 40:4)
In other words,
“Um, I’ll be quiet now.”
As we go through moments, days and years of questions we cannot answer,
heartaches we cannot explain,
tunnels with no foreseeable light at the end,
and Light eclipsed and covered by obstacles,
let us remember–
that even a little bit of light is a blessing and…
He does ALL THINGS well.
When God is dealing with me on something, it always comes in various ways– this is one that hit me right between the eyes:
Simply Beautiful! He is a Master Painter, is He not??
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