i’m never buying granola again

January 3, 20142 Comments

i love yogurt.

one of my favorite treats is yogurt, granola, and fruit.

i eat it almost everyday.

recently i searched on pinterest for homemade granola recipes.

specifically, recipes that are gluten/wheat free.

{if you’ve been following along for while you may remember that baby girl has a whole wheat sensitivity, so we are not totally gluten free, but try our best so she is not uncomfortable}

i found a few recipes, and after i read through them i figured it would be pretty easy just to come up with my own.

4 cups Trader Joe’s Rolled Oats (they are 100% whole grain/gluten free/wheat free/dairy free)
1-1/2 cup Trader Joe’s Crisp Rice Cereal (this is NOT gluten free, but you can buy a version of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies that ARE gluten free)
1 cup Trader Joe’s Raw Sliced Almonds
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup honey
cinnamon

mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.

add oil and honey.

mix together until well coated.

spread on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon.

put in an oven preheated to 300 degrees.

cook for 15 minutes.

remove from oven and loosen from tray to turn over.

cook for another 10-15 minutes.

remove from oven and let cool.

place in an airtight container.

that’s it!

i am sure you could add a number of other items to the mix, but i like to keep mine pretty simple just to add a crunch to my treat.

i am pretty sure i will never be buying granola from the store again!

home is…homemade in the kitchen.

order

January 1, 20141 Comment

/ˈôrdər/

1. A condition of logical or comprehensible arrangement among the separate elements of a group.

a. A condition of methodical or prescribed arrangement among component parts such that proper functioning or appearance is achieved: checked to see that the shipping department was in order.

b. Condition or state in general: The escalator is in good working order.

a. The established system of social organization: “Every revolution exaggerates the evils of the old order” (C. Wright Mills).

b. A condition in which freedom from disorder or disruption is maintained through respect for established authority: finally restored order in the rebellious provinces

that’s it.

one word.

order in my home.

order in my day.

order in my head.

order in my life.

2014 will be a good year.

home is…something to focus on.

feed the birds

December 30, 2013April 6, 20202 Comments

christmas is over.

the decorations are stashed in the attic.

the tree is outside…

but we’re not done with it.

i asked ryan to haul the tree around to the backyard so we can redecorate it.

eventually, we will use it for firewood, but until then we will feed the birds.

we made birdseed ornaments to place on the tree!

before i go on i have to admit that the first batch (above) was an epic FAIL! i got ahead of myself, didn’t mix the ingredients correctly, left the mixture IN the cookie cutters overnight, and they all fell apart.

so i started over this morning…

i used the following recipe:

1/4-1/2 cup HOT water
3 tablespoons corn syrup
1 package of unflavored gelatin, such as Knox
3/4 cup flour
4 cups birdseed

{go here to get FULL instructions on how to make them as my instructions will be VERY simplified}

before you mix the ingredients, prepare the cookie cutters by spraying them with non-stick spray and place them on a cookie sheet or wax paper.

mix the water, gelatin and corn syrup together until the gelatin dissolves (i heated my water to boiling in the microwave and mixed it all together in a glass measuring cup).

measure the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the liquid mixture. stir together and create a paste the consistency of a cake mix.

add the birdseed and stir until coated.

fill the cookie cutters quickly {the mixture begins to harden fast} and pack them tight. this step was messy and when we make more ornaments we will probably do this outside.

before you remove the shapes from the cookie cutters make a hole for the string {go here for directions}.

carefully remove the shapes from the cookie cutters and place on a wire rack to dry…for at least 6-8 hours…probably best overnight.

i also used a muffin tray and packed the mixture into the coated tray, made my hole, and removed them from the tray.

place string through the hole and tie a knot for hanging. any type of string, twine, yarn, ribbon or raffia is suitable {avoid fishing line, however, as it can be dangerous to birds that may find it after the ornaments are consumed}.

i’m hoping that the leftover string will be used for nest making material this spring!

hang on your tree!

or, if they don’t work out, put the pieces on a tray for the birds to find…

*here are two additional blog posts with more ideas on how to create the ornaments:

saltwater-kids

eclectically vintage

of course, there are more ideas on Pinterest…you can view my “winter” board here!

home is…fun with nature.

wednesday random

December 11, 20131 Comment

Well, happy December!

Better late than never, huh?

We had a great visit with my parents, then I got sick, then it got cold.

The house is in disarray, but it’s warmer today and I am feeling better.

I actually got to shower BEFORE I took the kids to school…well, that was because I was helping with Art Literacy in Reece’s class and I figured I should be showered and dressed.

It was fun…we did a Picasso project. I love volunteering in the classroom. I am so blessed to be able to do it!

A couple of things i have pinned lately…

I absolutely LOVE this paint by number inspired tree!

And, Serena may have inspired our family ornaments this year…so easy!!

Did you see these typewriters in the most recent Anthropologie catalog? Beautiful, but $700?! I may just spray paint a couple of the ones I have in my garage!

I finished up our Christmas cards this week. They went out in the mail yesterday! I will give you a more detailed view soon {yes, I did SEW mini paper bunting on over 100 cards}!

I also made this vintage ornament wreath. Meg made one a few years ago and Erin (@tweetpotatopie) inspired me to finally make one with some of the vintage ornaments I found last year {do you remember I found an entire huge plastic tub of vintage ornaments at goodwill for $4?! I haven’t been so lucky this year}. The wreath is small…maybe only 14″ in diameter, but so much fun! I LOVE it!

So, tomorrow I clean the house and get ready to enjoy the holidays…and finish painting the cabinets and walls that I started way back in June…I told Ryan I would have it done by the end of the year. Nothing like procrastination, right?

home is…home for the holidays.

’tis the season

November 26, 2013Leave a comment

We’re kind of confusing holidays around here.

Thanksgiving is really my favorite holiday.

I love what it is about.

Being thankful.

Family.

Friends.

Food.

Football.

However, there’s not much fun in the decorating.

I love to decorate for fall, but by the end of November I am ready for Christmas decor!

And, the kids get more excited about Christmas decorations and crafts than they do about turkeys.

So, a couple more days of confusing our holidays and then we will be in the full Christmas swing of things.

Of course, after we are thankful.

No matter what, we will be jolly.

home is…celebrating the season.

share your joy

November 25, 2013April 6, 20204 Comments

Well, hello there…it’s been a while.

Last time I posted I was at the halfway point of a 12 day business trip…Ryan was on the business trip, not me.

The following weekend, and all the days combined had me wiped out.

The kids and I fell asleep together at 6:30 almost every night until Ryan got home.

We crafted, got Christmas decorations out, and snuggled together a lot.

It was good.

When the kids were really young, and Ryan traveled every week it was HARD.

I complained A LOT.

Sent angry text messages to Ryan.

Left him messages where I was crying or screaming because I was so frustrated that he was gone.

It was what we had to do.

The sacrifice we had to make for me to stay home with the kids was for him to be gone for work.

No matter how many times Ryan told me that, or I told myself that…IT WAS HARD.

But we did it.

I did it.

And, you know what?

I am stronger for it.

I know that I can take care of things around here.

I know I can keep my kids safe.

And, now that they are older, it’s easier.

But, man, are we glad that Ryan is home!

My parents are coming to visit us for Thanksgiving. They get here tomorrow. I can’t wait!

Traveling with young kids can be tough.

Traveling with young kids during the holidays is not something I want to do.

I am so thankful that my parents will come out to Oregon to share our new traditions.

We cook fabulous food, enjoy wine, build fires, watch football, the boys go hunting, we cut our Christmas tree.

It’s awesome.

And, this year we will celebrate my dad’s retirement from a 37 year career at Xerox!

On to new adventures.

Oh, and remember what I did with the JOY marquee from Target?

I’ve seen them all over Instagram and asked people to share them with the hashtag #sharejoymarquee.

Here are some of the photos…

Anny (@oakhart) used a frame from Goodwill and rubber cemented atlas pages to the cardboard backing on the frame. She cut a hole in the cardboard behind the J to run the wire through (so the cord runs down the back of the frame against the wall). She used command hooks (but hot glued them to the board) to hang the letters on and used twist ties to keep all the wires together behind the letters. Don’t you love it?

My IG friend, Courtney (@cottagemommy) used a bit of nature, and some vintage touches with her JOY. Courtney had her house featured on Life Made Lovely’s Holiday Home Tour last year…go check it out…it’s gorgeous!!

And, here is a beautiful antique holiday mantle from Kelli (@alongthedirtroad). She has a lovely blog that you should also go check out! Don’t you love the pinecones, burlap, and greenery?

If you are on Instagram and were able to get a JOY marquee from Target (I also hear that Orchard Supply Hardware has something similar), please share your JOY by using the hashtag #sharejoymarquee.

If you are NOT on Instagram you can e-mail me a photo of your JOY marquee and I will share it on the blog! Just send a photo to homeis@stephanytaddeo with the subject “share joy marquee”.

Have fun, and share the JOY!

home is…sharing new traditions, new adventures, and joy.

{inspired} field trips

November 14, 2013April 6, 20201 Comment

My old boss used to take us on field trips…grand adventures to look at fun stuff.

There were usually field trips within field trips and a crazy car ride to go along with it all.

It was always a good time…and usually ended with cocktails.

On Tuesday I took myself on a little field trip to Grand Marketplace in Southeast Portland.

It was fabulous.

Most of it is way out of my price range, but I absolutely love to get inspiration. Someday, I will be able to pick like these “professionals” or afford what they find.

Until then, I will keep visiting for inspiration.

If you live in the Portland area, you should go.

Also, if you live in the Portland area, what are some of your favorite places to go on inspiring field trips?

home is…field trips within field trips.

joy full

November 11, 20135 Comments

Did you see this at Target?

Well, I did NOT and I have walked the Christmas aisles a couple of times already.

However, I did see it on Instagram, and went right to Target.com to see how I could get it.

It was not available for online ordering, but was available for in-store pick up.

PERFECT!

I set everything up to pick it up from my regular Target yesterday.

When I brought it home and opened it I was in love, but I knew it could be better.

So, I painted it.

Then I hung it on a piece of wood that has been outside since we moved into our house almost 6 years ago. It’s nice and weathered.

I thought I would like the “JOY” to be horizontal, but the letters were taller than the board.

So, I went vertical.

And, I love it!

This is definitely something that will stay in our house year round.

I started out styling it in our front entry as a Christmas vignette…then I decided against it.

I’m not ready to have Santa and Christmas trees out quite yet and the front entry already has A LOT going on.

So, I moved it to the family room, and styled it for fall.

PERFECT.

JOY full.

And, I can change some of the items out to style if for Christmas in a couple of weeks!

{FYI…I know a lot of the stores are already out of stock on this item. Best bet is to check online and see if you can do an in-store pick up…they will hold it for you for 2 days!}

Good luck!

home is…spreading joy.

this space

November 4, 20132 Comments

I’ve missed this space.

This space to write and share our adventures.

Like the one I went on with the little guy a couple of weeks ago when he had a day off from school.

We dropped baby girl off at school where he got to visit with all of his former teachers. It was just awesome to see him feel like such a big kid. He was confident, well spoken, and polite.

After that, we ventured high above the fog that was blanketing the valley down below.

He loves to climb and hang from things. His arms are so strong.

He also loves to observe and collect. A bobcat lives in this nature park, so we looked for her. We were talking a lot, so we never saw her, but we saw a lot of other beautiful sites, collected sticks, feathers, and leaves.

I got some awesome, dedicated one-on-one time to talk to him about what he likes, why he likes it, and what is important to him.

That’s important to me.

It was good morning.

Baby girl and I get our time together as well. She likes to go for stroller rides while I run. One of these days, I will miss pushing the double BOB.

We also talk and stop to look at the beauty that is fall.

Ryan got to have a special date night with baby girl when he took her to the school Octoberfest for the first time. The next morning when I took her to school she said, “Mom, last night was the best night ever.”

Halloween happened around here, too. I made all of our costumes…animals of the Pacific Northwest. The little guy and Ryan went as wolves, baby girl was a bat, and I was an owl.

And, now, it is officially the most wonderful time of the year.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday…I love the food, the football, the family. I love slowing down to just be.

My parents will be visiting us for a week over the holiday…I can’t wait. We have much to celebrate and give thanks for.

Stay tuned…I plan to share more in this space.

home is…what is important.

this morning

October 24, 20131 Comment

This morning I have a little more time than usual before we need to get out the door, so I thought I would stop by and say hello!

I’m tempted to say, “life has been crazy, lately,” but it hasn’t.

It has been FULL. Is it full of craziness, sometimes?! Yes, but it’s FULL.

I’m tempted to complain that I haven’t had enough time to get everything done, but I have.

I have had the time to take care of sick kiddos, time to rest when I do not feel well myself, time to volunteer in the little guys classroom, time to go on baby girl’s first field trip, time to spend with my mother-in-law, time to visit pumpkin patches, time to be creative, and time to enjoy the beautiful weather we have had here in the pacific northwest.

I’m tempted to talk about all the things my kids aren’t doing, but I won’t.

They are incredible little beings who are inquisitive, strong willed, loving, fun, and happy. They love to create, climb, imagine, run, ride bikes, and learn. And, they love being with me. I can’t beat that, can I?

I’m tempted to vent about the disagreements that Ryan and I have, but that would be silly.

I have an loving husband who does an amazing job providing for our family. He works hard, spends time away from our family each week, deals with my creative craziness, makes our children laugh, and makes sacrifices (like not going hunting) to make sure he spends enough time with our little family.

I grew up being taught that what you focus on expands.

I have found myself focusing on the don’t/can’t parts of my life a bit lately and I want going to change that.

This morning, I’m focusing on the positive with a can do attitude.

Today, I will make enough time to do what needs to get done.

home is…refocusing.

stephany taddeo

home is what you make it

Category: being a perpetual student of life