11 Nov 2016

Finding Lovely

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

Papa the Veteran

Happy Friday.

One of the people I’ve known the longest in my life is my Papa.  For all but 8 months of my life growing up (until I went to college), he lived across the pasture from me.  He taught me to fish and make french fries from scratch.  He always called me Kimberly.  He taught me how to pick oranges and muscadines.  He fought in battles to make this country what it is today.  And at 93, he is still mowing his yard, and having conversations about the government or fishing to anyone who will listen.  Thanks Papa for serving our country!

You don’t need to be planning a wedding, or going to a wedding to enjoy these cocktails. On a side note, I got to hang out with Cathy this week at our Pursuit Communities Atlanta Friendsgiving.  I made a tart, did the place cards, many others brought yummy foods, Mandi hosted the event, we sat around the table discussing our craft, our families, our histories and our futures.  Thankful for this creative group.

All you moms out there – you need to read this.  So gospel centered and right on point.

I do love a good cookbook, but there are so many out there.  How do you pick a good cookbook?

Tonight, if it were just my mister and me, I would make this soup, and have some of this apple pie, and just hang out on the couch.

Raising kids makes me think about a lot: how I was raised, how I want to raise my boys, what does it mean to be a family in 2016 and beyond.

 

 

 

12 Aug 2016

Finding Lovely

by | posted in: Books, food | 0

Finding Lovely

Happy Friday everyone.

I love just giving you a quick glance into our little world – and what things actually make me giddy.  I love holding my littles hands (when I’m doing it for fun, not for discipline because they ran away), I love friends who are great accountability partners and share their lives with me, I love celebrating friends who excel in their hobbies, I love sticking my feet in the sand at a beach.

Here are some lovelies around the internet that might make you Friday just a bit brighter, too.

If you love Alaska, love adventure, love a story of a father and daughter taking risks, learning about each other, and all the emotions that go with it – you will love James Campbell’s new book Braving It.  Parenting isn’t easy.  And the Alaska wilderness with a teenager isn’t easy.  But, this story holds truths about love and the nature of relationships that most will find compelling.

Trying to fit in more salads on our table – so this post was not only pretty but also inspiring.

I love Pinch of Yum food and also this post: about soaking up summer in all of its glory.  Summer looks different than I thought it would with kids and a working husband.  My mister always reminds me to change my expectations.

This has summer written all over it: and I want to eat it right now!  Maybe I’ll make some rosemary olive bread this wknd

Thanks to Blogging for Books for Braving It – all opinions are my own

 

 

 

13 Jul 2016

Food Blogging 101

by | posted in: food | 0

Food Blogging 101

I’ve been blogging for 12 years now.  I have grown so much in every way over the past twelve years, and so has my blog.  It has had many different names, and many different functions.  One of the first blogs I had was “Kims State of Food” which you can still go find on Blogspot.  The reason I created that blog was because my college girls that I was hanging out with in the RDU area wanted the recipes I was cooking for them.  This was an easy way to do it so I wasn’t writing the recipe down 20 different times.

I’ve learned so much over the years with food blogging and some about food photography (still SO MUCH TO LEARN about both), but thought I would share a few tips and send you a few of my favorite sites.

  1.  Cook what you love.  If you are cooking what you love, that will come across in your recipe writing.  You need to be excited about what you are wanting others to make in their kitchen, or no one will want to make it.
  2. If you can, cook and photograph your food in natural light.  Now that I have kids it isn’t always that easy, and sometimes that places we live don’t have good natural light options.  But, do what you can, and make do.  Or just take your food and food props outside!  Have your children help you!  It may get them to eat more healthy food that way!
  3. Keep learning.  Read cookbooks, take TONS of photos, cook lots of food, and keep studying, study other blogs, find a blog you love (or many) and see what they are doing.  Fuel your creativity!

Below are some of the best sites I’ve found for food photography:

Dine and Dish

A Beautiful Plate

Holly & Flora

Pinch of Yum

 

And here are some links for good information on food blogging:

From Sally

From Kate

By DD

From Serious Eats

 

6 Dec 2015

Sundays in the South

by | posted in: Sundays in the South, Uncategorized | 0

Gigi's Truffles

Yesterday I was in 70 degree weather – and this morning all I wanted to do was cuddle under the blankets and stay there all day.  30s-60s isn’t bad – but 70s was so delightful!

There is something so inviting about Florida.  I grew up in the central part of the state. Familiarity, warm breezes, Carolina blue skies, hay bales, wide open horse pastures,

This soup would be good on any cold night – just combine with some naan bread or homemade loaf.

I write for Her View From Home and for December I did a very short and partial dream kitchen list.  Go check it out for every cook on your list of people to get gifts for this holiday season.

Um, how about these for Christmas morning breakfast?

I got an opportunity to share some health tips and a bit about my weight loss journey over here.

 

20 Sep 2015

Sundays in the South

by | posted in: Sundays in the South | 0

White Hydrangeas

Yesterday we got to celebrate our little mister’s 3rd birthday.  While it wasn’t like we had planned, (darn pink eye), we still got to eat yummy pancakes, hit up Moe’s at Daddy’s work, and play at an aviation park in town, and eat cupcakes of course!

I’m a big celebrator – especially of birthdays.  God created that person uniquely and I think the world should celebrate them.  And I love giving gifts and making that person feel special – so that is the perfect day to do it, right?

So, just because it is Sunday, let’s celebrate that by giving you some links to look at!

Brokenness has been in my vision this week – and this post says why we need our failures.

I spend a lot of time talking about healthy living – here is a great post about how we do that in light of living in community.

If you are looking for inspiration in the world of travel and food – go here.  I love her blog and her visits.

Second only to guacamole is a great queso and I think I might be trying this soon

The podcast world is huge and you can never listen to everything.  So, if you want a place to start, check out Heather’s list.

 

19 Jul 2015

Sundays in the South

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

I know that my babies’ nap times will not last forever, and when they drop those afternoon hours of night night, then we will figure out another schedule.  Right now, I’m sitting with my feet propped up, blogging away, sorting through my bloglovin feed, and watching a few episodes of White Collar.

Here are some links I’ve found this week that I thought you might enjoy.

I love coconut and this recipe comes from a mommy and a great food photographer and blogger and Little Rockian!

One of my favorite bloggers wrote about why she was going to stop blogging – and I still follow her on instagram and her continued journey with food and weight and motherhood.

Microblogging – a new world for social media

Just got a write a book review for this magazine.  Go take a look.

When I was in Arkansas I got hooked up with this great group of women.  I’m now in Georgia and heading it up. If you want to be a part of the Georgia Women bloggers – leave a comment or shoot me an email.