Fashion Friday Link Up

Happy Friday! Today I am excited to be featuring Sabrina from Simply Sabrina from last weeks Fashion Friday Link Up. Sabrina is a sucker for arts and crafts and started her blog about a few years back as a way to share and inspire others about fashion, styling, beauty and health. I picked Sabrina from last weeks link up because I loved the color combination that she put together (white, blue, and turquoise...accented with gold pieces). Nice job Sabrina! You look great!

Be sure to link up your outfits LINK UP HERE

>>>>>I might just pick you to be featured on my blog for next week's post<<<<<

Thanks for stopping by!

Fashion Friday Link Up: 30th Birthday!

Today is my 30th Birthday. I will be honest with you and tell you that I don't feel 30 in the least bit. I feel like I'm in my mid-twenties and people still tell me I look like I'm in my early 20's. I'll take it! Yesterday I took the day off work and spent the day with my Mom. We got pedicures, had a nice lunch and spent the entire day shopping. We will see what Josh is up to this year for my Birthday! He always has a big surprise planned. Cannot wait to see what he has up his sleeve this year!

Hope you have a great day today and make sure to link up your outfits below!

LINK UP HERE

FINDING JOY IN THE JOURNEY LINK UP.

Losing a loved one is hard. Real hard. When it happens, you feel as if a piece of you is missing. Losing my Dad I thought would be one of the hardest things that I would have to go through. Don't get me wrong, its been very difficult and its been an emotional roller coaster for the past two weeks..but at the same time I have experienced a deeper joy that I could have ever imagined. I feel good...I feel strong....I feel peace....I feel content....I feel happy. Most of the time our joy seems to depend on our circumstances. When life is going well, and things are easy, we of course feel happy. But when life unravels and the days sometimes seem unbearable, God’s presence is unmistakable. I have felt this time and time again in my life...especially during this difficult time. If some days my only major accomplishment for the day is making it through without a breakdown, there has been something so extraordinary about my time with God during these times. I realize that I desperately need Him every hour. To give me strength. To revive me. To help me hang on. To comfort me. To guide me. Through some of my excruciating days since my Dad passed away, days where I would tell God "Today is a really hard day for me...I need your help. I need your strength."... He would speak to me. He comforted me through His Word. He used others. He would send angels to assist me and comfort me at those exact times when I needed it the most. He whispered to me in the darkness, as I lay awake on my tear-stained pillow. He sang songs over me of His love. His hand is over everything and I have seen His hand so much through all of this. On the worst days, I just kept asking for Him to take the pain away. I felt like just sitting in my Dad's room crying all day. I didn't want to rejoice in the moment. I didn't want to rejoice at all. But then I clung to God and His promises knowing He would bring me through. I can tell you that the joy I feel now did not come easy. I had glimpses of delight here and there, but mostly my joy was slow and incremental. As the days continue to pass, I realize I now have  a joy that I can't explain. It is completely independent of circumstances. It seemed like the harder things got, the more joy God continued to pour into me. The joy I have is in knowing that God can be trusted and in seeing and feeling His faithfulness through unimaginable pain. Though I’m referring to a time of great suffering in my life, what I’m writing about isn't limited to earthshaking pain. Small  trials that I have faced have forged my faith, but I live, as we all do, in the mundane suffering. Feeling misunderstood or rejected by a friend or family member. Feeling lonely or depressed. Dealing with the same parenting issues over and over again. Being overwhelmed by responsibilities. Having everything in the house break down at once. Feeling physically ill- with a cold, a backache, a headache. Those things are universal. We all face them. But just like the monumental struggles, we wish they were different. That they’d go away or get resolved so that we can get on with our days- the real things we’re called to. We fantasize that if they were different, we could be happier, more joyful, more faithful. But what if we looked at those trials as the very things that God has ordained for our joy. To mold our character. To teach us to trust. To give us Himself. When we run to God with our pain, instead of running away, our perspective changes. We find a joy that can never be taken away. If we could only see all our disappointments through this lens, we would discover that suffering is often the gateway to joy. The joy that we get from enduring suffering gets richer over time. Our circumstances cannot diminish it. It produces lasting fruit like endurance, character and hope. It draws us to God in breathtaking ways. It achieves a weight of glory that is beyond all comparison. I am convinced that our capacity for God, and for true joy, is carved out of our suffering. Suffering chisels deep into our soul, often making us feel empty, misunderstood, and alone. And yet it is out of that suffering, that emptiness, that God alone can fill us. With Himself. With His joy.

An InLinkz Link-up

FINDING JOY IN THE JOURNEY LINK UP.

Today is the start of a new link up that I have created. 

Here's what I came up with: Finding Joy in the Journey Link up

How it works: Every week (on Friday), I will share with you some thoughts that are on 

my heart. Good things, trials, struggles, sorrows, heartache and whatever the spirit is 

leading me to write on this little space of mine! I hope and pray that you will do the same :)

Each week we can take the time to inspire, encourage, lift up one another as we all try and find joy in the journey! Will you join me?

Jesus never said that this life would be easy. Throughout our lives, we must deal with change. Some changes are welcome; some are not. There are also changes in our lives which are sudden, such as the unexpected passing of a loved one, an unforeseen illness, etc. But most of the changes that happen in our lives take place subtly and slowly. Time never stands still, it must steadily march on, and with the marching comes the changes that we must face. Sometimes our lives can take unexpected turns filled with heartache, sorrow, confusion, depression and difficulty. Sometimes it may seem hard to understand in the midst of trials how to feel and experience joy. Sometimes it may seem as if our whole world is falling apart around us and we are just standing still. Jesus has promised us that we can experience joy in the journey. Finding joy in the journey is the quest of our lives.  That joy that Jesus has promised us is available if we continue to be faithful and keep our eyes always on Jesus. I believe that some of the greatest lessons that we learn, are lessons that help us distinguish between what is really important and what is not. Despite all the changes which come into our lives, lets try and fill our days, as much as we can with those things that matter most. Whatever you are facing right now in your life, there is joy that awaits you and joy that can be found in the midst of your trials. It may feel like your darkest night, but God has a divine plan and purpose for your life! Let's relish life as we live it, trust in God and find joy in the journey! Link up your posts below!

LINK UP HERE!

Fashion Friday Link Up: 2014 Spring Fashion Trends

Bomber Jackets

Boxy, Cropped Jackets

Collarless Coats

Collar Button Down Shirts

Pretty Pastels

Shift Blouses

Wide Leg Trousers

Tea-Length Skirts

Sweater Dressing

What are you favorite Spring Trends for 2014?

Saturday Blog Hop

Saturday Meet & Mingle Blog Hop

Saturday Blog Hop

Saturday Meet & Mingle Blog Hop

Saturday Meet & Mingle Blog Hop

FRIEND CONNECT BLOG HOP

It's Tuesday again which means it's time for the Friend Connect Blog Hop!

It's the time to meet new friends and find new blogs. You can choose to follow the cohosts in whatever way is best for YOU!  

Here are some of my favorite ways: GFC, BlogLovin', HelloCotton, RSS, Twitter, Facebook.

Ok, so let's get to the party, shall we?

RULES are simple:

1. Follow your host 

The First link below

2. Follow your co-hosts 

The Next 6 links below

3. Link up below using your main blog url not a specific post.

4. Make sure to visit some of the blogs in the link up and follow them 

and if you want to leave them a comment, I'm sure they'd appreciate that as well.

5. Tweet about this blog hop

Tweet
 

6. Share about this blog hop by grabbing a button and putting it on your sidebar!

<a href="http://www.thelifeofanotsoordinarywife.com/search/label/gfcbloghop"> <img src="http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z237/melissaenault/fcbloghop_zps81aaa394.gif" border="0" /></a> 

I have cohost spots available! Email me if you're interested at melissa@thelifeofanotsoordinarywife.com

SATURDAY MEET AND MINGLE BLOG HOP

SATURDAY MEET & MINGLE BLOG HOP

Saturday Meet & Mingle Blog Hop

Friday's Letters Link Up

Dear Stomach Problems

Seriously?!? I have had enough already!

GRRRRRRRR!!

Dear Kerrin

I am so glad you are back from NYC!

I can't wait to see your pretty lil' face and hear all about your trip!

I hope you took a ton of pictures lady!

Dear Friday

I don't know why...but it

 doesn't feel like a Friday to me. 

Dear Jessica

Can't wait to have dinner with you tonight!

I love you so much friend!

Dear Yoga Booty Ballet

You kicked my butt last night!

I'm a little sore, but feeling great today.

Dear Bobbi Brown Makeup

Your stuff is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Why do you have to be so expensive?!?

Dear House

Why can't you clean yourself?

I can't keep up with cleaning you all the time.

How do you get so messy so fast??

Dear Blogging Friends

I still have some spots open for April.

Sponsorship rates can be found HERE

Abundant Life Blog Hop

Don't you love it when you come across awesome websites or blogs that you have never seen before

and you could possibly (if you had the extra down time) to search the website or blog for hours on end??

I have a dear friend from our ward who sent me some 

great websites to help me deal with my stomach problems.

These websites provide yummy recipes and healthy tips/tricks.

My favorite out the bunch that she emailed me was Weed 'em and Reap

I spent almost an hour on this website going from page to page to page.

Here is one of her recipes that we tried the other night.

It's so easy and tastes fantastic!

Chicken, Rice & Veggie Soup

2 c. brown rice (soak for 12-24 hours before cooking)

3 cans (or 6 cups) organic chicken broth

1-2 lb. organic chicken (depending on how chicken-y you want it)

2 c. diced carrots

1 medium onion, diced

3 clove garlic, minced

4 TBS.  butter, lard or tallow

2 handfuls spinach

salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Saute onion & garlic in oil, then add rice and brown for 2 min.  Pour broth & rice mixture in crock-pot and start on high.  Cook chicken separately, then dice and add to the crock-pot   Cook on high for 3-4 hours.  About midway through, add diced carrots.  When done cooking, add 2 handfuls of spinach and serve!

Wahla (guessed on the spelling) 

Check back every Thursday to link-up with Rubi and I! 

Here are a few ideas of what you can share on your posts:

What is motivating you to be healthier?

What do you do to stay healthy?

Have you tried a new plant-based meal lately? Share the recipe!

Workout tips & tricks

Anything new you've learned about living a healthy lifestyle

Rules:

-Follow your hosts Rubi & Kimberly

-Link-up your post NOT your blog

-Comment and tell us what you think!

-Copy this button to your blog post

so others can join the movement too! 

Abundant Life Blog Hop:Kale Apple Quinoa Salad

Happy Thursday!

Hope you are all having a great week!

Today I am sharing a recipe from Rubi's blog

I tried it and loved it so much that I just had 
to share it with you guys too!


Here is a video on how to make it....

It is so yummy, only has 6 ingredients and is really healthy.

Ingredients: kale, quinoa, apple, salt, cashew, walnut, and ground flax-seed.

Can I just tell you how much fun I am having cooking all these different meals!

I used to never like cooking, but once you start cooking and experimenting it becomes so fun!

I would have to say that most of my recipes I find are off of Pinterest.

Where do you find most of your recipes that you love?

Here are a few ideas of what you can share on your posts:

What is motivating you to be healthier?

What do you do to stay healthy?

Have you tried a new plant-based meal lately? Share the recipe!

Workout tips & tricks

Anything new you've learned about living a healthy lifestyle

Rules:

-Follow your hosts Rubi & Kimberly

-Link-up your post NOT your blog

-Comment and tell us what you think!
-Copy this button to your blog post
so others can join the movement too! 

Check back every Thursday to link-up with us!

Abundant Life Blog Hop

Wow! This week is flying by. 

I can't believe it's already Thursday!

That means it's time for the Abundant Life Blog Hop!

Have you guys heard of Kristina from Fully Raw?

She is the founder of the largest raw, organic produce co-operative in the U.S., she has been 100% raw for almost 7 years. An exemplification of all that she wishes to create, she is a leading visionary in the raw movement, especially in Houston, TX. She attended both Vanderbilt University and Rice University, and she graduated from Rice University on the top 5% of her class in 2009 with a triple major in Kinesiology specializing in Health Science, Raw Foods, and Fasting. Since then, she has been involved highly in the movement of Organic Horticulture, Permaculture, and Co-operative Communities.

Kristina's inspiration for being FullyRaw came after she was able to rid herself of Hyperglycemia at the age of 18 eating nothing but a low fat raw vegan diet consisting solely of fresh fruits and vegetables with few nuts and seeds. After being a direct understudy of 20+ year raw fooder John Rose, she interned and worked under Dr. Graham at his health events in Seattle and in Costa Rica. She has lived in the Dominican Republic and in Costa Rica, and she has become an avidly enthusiastic runner who runs at least 6-8 miles a day! 

At the age of 20 before she graduated college, she started the non-profit organization called Rawfully Organic. This organic produce co-operative in Houston, Texas grew from 12 people in her living room to over 6000 families in the greater Houston city limits. Rawfully Organic feeds over 450 families each week and focuses on the benefits of eating diets high in raw fruits and vegetables while making organic affordable for all. The nonprofit grosses more a million each year, and it stays true to its mission to support families in the Texas community to supply an abundance of organic produce to help them achieve their raw, vegetarian, or vegan lifestyle. To this day, the coop is 100% volunteer run, and not even Kristina chooses to write herself a paycheck.


 

Besides being the chief goddess co-operator of Rawfully Organic, Kristina has made a living coaching and inspiring thousands of others to be FullyRaw for the past few years. She also enjoys frequently speaking and lecturing to the Texas community. She even offers raw classes where she prepares food for her audiences! Kristina’s mission is to simply REACH PEOPLE with the message of RAW. She wants to inspire people to find their rawness within so that they can find their own health freedom and zest! You CAN be FullyRaw, and Kristina wants to help you get there!

Check out her recipes and her YouTube channel

 

Abundant Life Blog Hop

Guess what guys?!?!

It's Thursday! It's time for the Abundant Life Blog Hop!

This week has been a crazy one.

I can't believe tomorrow is already Friday!

I'm ready for the weekend...how about you?

Today I am going to be sharing a recipe that is so yummy and healthy.

You will love it! I found this recipe HERE

I think I have tried Couscous once before but totally forgot what it tasted like.

So I decided to give it another go and try this recipe.

I have been having so much fun trying

all these different recipes. I love food!

Southwest Couscous Salad with Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette
1 1/2 c water
1/2 tsp salt
1 c uncooked couscous
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/2 c red onion
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 c fresh cilantro, minced

Chipolte Lime Vinaigrette

4 1/2 tbsp olive oil
4 1/2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp adobo sauce (from canned chipotle chilies)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp toasted cumin seed, crushed
3/4 tsp dried basil
3/4 tsp sugar

Bring water and salt to a boil. Add couscous, cover, and remove from heat. Allow to stand 5 to 10 minutes, until all moisture is absorbed. Fluff with a fork, and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Cool. Add beans, jalapeno, red onion, and tomato. In food processor, combine all vinaigrette ingredients. Process until well combined. Add to mixing bowl, and stir well. Stir in fresh cilantro. Serve and enjoy!

________________________________________________________

Check back every Thursday to link-up with Rubi and I! 

Here are a few ideas of what you can share on your posts:

What is motivating you to be healthier?

What do you do to stay healthy?

Have you tried a new plant-based meal lately? Share the recipe!

Workout tips & tricks

Anything new you've learned about living a healthy lifestyle

Rules:

-Follow your hosts Rubi & Kimberly

-Link-up your post NOT your blog

-Comment and tell us what you think!
-Copy this button to your blog post 
so others can join the movement too! 



Abundant Life Blog Hop

Hello Friends! Happy Thursday to you!

I hope you are having a GREAT week so far!

Here we are for another round of the Abundant Life Blog Hop!

For today's blog hop, I am going to share a recipe with you

called the Green Monster Smoothie. If you have never tried

a green smoothie before, please don't be afraid.  

I promise you that you can't even taste it because it blends in so

well with all the other fruits and has an amazing flavor to it!

Ingredients

Kale
Apple
Banana
Spinach
Broccoli
Blueberries
Raspberries

Add about 20 oz. of water,

veggies, fruit and puree until smooth.

You can either use frozen or fresh fruit.
I use a little bit of both.
I also buy my spinach in bulk at Costco and just freeze it so it lasts longer.

I have been making this every morning for breakfast for
a little over two weeks now. It makes you feel amazing!

If you are trying to incorporate more fruits and veggies
into your diet, I would give this a try! Its' fast, easy and super healthy!

Who knew you could just drink your fruits and veggies?!?

Check back every Thursday to link-up with Kimberly and I! 

Here are a few ideas of what you can share on your posts:

What is motivating you to be healthier?

What do you do to stay healthy?

Have you tried a new plant-based meal lately? Share the recipe!

Workout tips & tricks

Anything new you've learned about living a healthy lifestyle

Rules:

-Follow your hosts Rubi & Kimberly

-Link-up your post NOT your blog

-Comment and tell us what you think!
-Copy this button to your blog post 
so others can join the movement too!