I'll have a date with Mr. Zucchini. Please and thank you.

Life is hard sometimes but baking makes it better. So, I made you some zucchini bread and because I get self conscious about my mid-section (please, I know you skinny girls do too so don't roll your eyes at my honesty) I try to make it healthier. And let's be honest, I'm not giving up my kitchen life for anyone. Not even the mirror. So the mirror and I had a conversation this morning. I said, "look out, I'm 'bout to bake." The mirror cringed and tried to dispute my plans. With a fair argument from both sides, we came to a very civil agreement. Whole wheat? Whole wheat I can do. and all that sugar? Meh, I can do with less and add an old banana. Deal? Deal. In all the excitement I tried to high-five the mirror and it was awkward but I realized it was a mirror and the voice in my head... ok. enough. Let's go get our bake on.

So, I found an old recipe that I loved and got rid of all the refined white flour and replaced all but one cup with whole wheat flour and reduced the sugar buy a whole cup and added a very ripe banana to make sure it evened out the sweetness. Gosh darn it, it worked! It's so yummy and moist. I only wish I had some apple sauce to use instead of the oil. Next time. Next time will be better. For now, though, I'll have a slice and put the rest in the freezer and give away the giant muffins. Immediately. All 5 of them. ...ok, ok, all SIX of them! Geesh! Haters!

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour (the evil stuff)
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 very ripe banana
1 cup vegetable oil (replace this with apple sauce if you have it)
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water
2 1/2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil, eggs, water, zucchini, lemon juice and banana. Mix wet ingredients into dry, add nuts and fold in (iffin's you want to). Bake in 2 standard loaf pans, sprayed with nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Alternately, bake in a 6 giant muffin pan for about 45 minutes.

Honest Look at Marriage.

Let's get it all out in the open: Marriage is hard.

That being said, just because couples fight and have arguments do not mean they are about to end things. Fights happen. Feelings are hurt. Expectation unmet. Toes are stepped on. It's ok to have disagreements. You're two different people for crying out loud! If you're not having those conversations then you're probably a pushover who will grow to be resentful. I don't want to hate my husband. I want to like being with him for MANY years to come. He's my bfF. If you disagree about the intense conversations where emotions are out in the open then that is your choice. But, when I tell you that I had a fight with my husband don't turn around and call the gossip hot-line and tell them I'm getting a divorce. That's dumb. Marriage is not a fairy tale. Fairy tales are so popular because they are not real. So, if you're engaged now just understand, you will fight and THAT'S OK! Don't worry and think you're the only ones that fight and that you're forever doomed. On the other hand, if you fight everyday, I'd talk to someone who has been married a lot longer than me.

I love my husband tremendously. Like, over the top sometimes. But, to be honest, I don't feel ooey gooey butterflies every moment of everyday. Some days work sucks and they have sucked every ounce of compassion, patience, joy, and energy out of me and I just want to be alone, in my room, without interruption. That's real life emotions. It's not unreasonable to feel that way when you work 50+ hours a week, stuck in a claustrophobic space, you miss your girl friends, and you haven’t done anything to relax in months. Again, that’s real life. However, you don’t always get to hide away because you live with some one. That someone is your husband. Your HUSBAND. Ya know, the whole “for better or for worse” dude. Yeah, today you want to cash in the “for worse” feeling. Even though right now may be frustrating you know that in a couple of hours or at least tomorrow, you’ll be snuggled in the warmth of his arms and listening to his terrible singing as he walks about the house and smile… because that terrible voice is the same voice that makes it all better.

I say all this not to air my dirty laundry or to make my husband look like a bad husband or me a bad wife but it’s to fight the “Perfect American Couple” façade. How about instead of fronting we are honest with each other. All this fronting is giving young couples unrealistic expectations. Kids are all the time thinking their parents are the only ones that disagree and get mad and NO ONE is left unscathed. BE. REAL. Marriage is hard. Life if hard. Let’s not lie about it. Let’s just teach each other how to get through it with as feel bruises as possible. Deal? Deal.

Love, The imperfect Little Miss GG

I made you something.

Bath Salts. Soak-in-this-before-I-scream-at-everyone bath salts. Rich with peppermint and lavender oils, soaking in this will leave you feeling like maybe you don't really hate your life or anyone in it. It will remind you of how blessed you are to be able to close a door, light a few candles, pour yourself some wine, and soak in a warm bath. Life isn't always as bad as we think. However, to realize that we need clarity and stress relief. So, because I need this more than I need a cupcake, I'm going to share them with you. Not, as in, together in a bath... as in, I made extra... to give to you or someone that wants them.

Do you want one? I have three. I'll personally deliver them or mail them to you. A gift. From me. To make you smile.

To be one of the three to get your own jar of bath salts all you have to do is email me with your mailing address at kindofgrown@gmail.com

1 cup Epsom Salt
1 cup Dead Sea Salt
1 Cup Baking Soda
20 drops Peppermint essential oil
21 drops lavender essential oil
a few dried lavender flowers

Combine all the above in a blender or food processor and pulse a few times then transfer the salts to something pretty (glass will render better results if left unused for a while).

Add 1/4 cup to hot bath water. Relax. Enjoy. Breathe deep.


Love, Little Miss GG

Friday Give-away

It's Friday. I LOVE Fridays. When I wake up knowing it's Friday I know fun days are soon to follow (usually). Therefore, because I woke up in a good mood wanting to do something special for you I have something to give one of you.

I'm a fan of photography. I take pictures sometimes. I like people. I mostly like taking pictures of people. So, here's the deal. I'm giving away a photo session. You may think, "Uhg! No! I hate my picture being taken." If that's the case, that's fine, I'll take pictures of your kid, your dog, your cousin and her fiance, your family, etc.

To enter: Write me a story from this summer that you hope to never forget. Write no more than one page. Send it in an email to kindofgrown@gmail.com

*Stipulations.
If you don't live in my city, that's ok, but you'll need to drive here.
It's limited to 1.5 hours.
Must be redeemed in Aug.

Real Love: through the eyes of a daughter

My dad is sick. My dad is very sick. My mom is by his side. My mom is tired but she is wholey devoted to seeing that my dad is taken care of. That equals love. You think you know what love is? You don't. You don't know what it means to really give of your whole self until that person is completely unable to give back and you keep giving. My mother, loves my father.
Sometimes I cry, not because I'm afraid my father will soon see Jesus (though that happens often), but because I'm in the light of real love... and it's overwhelming.

I sat in the hospital room with my mama watching her stroke my father's hair singing hymns to him. She had been there all night and would be there again sleeping on a poor excuse of a chair. We both sang the hymns that popped into our heads as to not leave much space between the songs. He wouldn't respond to much but those songs. It was almost as if these words and melodies were the only drug that brought relief. We sang many of our favorites then we started with Rock of Ages.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee

She got to that last verse and choked through the sobs of that moment and many moments past. She never stopped holding my papa's hand that said to him I love you. I loved you then. I love you now. I will love you forever. I doubt he knew we were there at times but it mattered not.

My mother loves my father.

The life of a blog.

August first. AUGUST FIRST? What?! When did that happen? Summer flew by and I didn’t even catch a glimpse of it. Because I completely missed out on summer and all it has to offer I will just have to make fall twice as marvelous. To be honest, as exquisite as Madam Summer is, Lady Autumn is even more divine to me. I think fall will bring more trips, more pictures, more posts, more laughter, more work, and a little bit of heart ache. Let's enjoy it while we have it.

This blog ,we sit here spending time with right now, has a mind and purpose all it’s own. I am merely a means. For years I’ve felt this creativity welling up inside me but I never knew how to let it out. I tried photography but I wasn’t businessy enough to make that work all on it’s own. I loved writing but who would want to read my writing when I can’t figure out where to put that darn comma. Not only that, but who would be my audience? My friends have all heard my stories a thousand times and are they even good enough to share? I love being in the kitchen but my skills are not refined enough to be a baker or chef. I’m fairly good at several things but not GREAT at any one. How can I make this work? How am I supposed to release these creative desires when they’re all different? So, one day, I decided to quit my job and be a blogger.
“Excuse me? A what?” My mother said.
“Yes, mama, you heard me. I want to write and make things that are pretty and things that taste good and I want to teach people how to do it to. I want to make people smile and giggle and be free. I want to be an optimistic light in their day.”
“but, Amesie, what about a job, income, what will you do?” Such a mother thing to say.
“Guh! What is the matter with you people and all the sticky little details! Haven’t you ever had a dream?” I exclaimed in great dramatic exasperation!
My mother grinned and semi-rolled her eyes because she knew that once I’m set on something nothing but my own fears will stop me short of what I want. This hasn’t always been that easy, let me just tell you. However, mama bear has learned her lesson and learned that she just needs to let me go and try but to stay near enough… just in case.

Alas, here I am. With you. Writing something. I never know what it’s going to be. I just turn on Pandora, pick a station (today it’s Tom Waits), and start writing until something comes out.

So, bear with me and walk along this path to see where this blog will take.

Cheers friends!