final giveaway ~ beaded dreams pendant

My final giveaway is a pendant made by one of my favorite artists.  OK so she happens to be my sister Erika but she is one of the most talented women I know.  She has been making jewelry for over 10 years now.  She works out of her home and sells at the local markets and stores around Topeka.

I am giving away one of her Dichroic Glass Pendants. 

She makes these by hand and has a kiln in her home.  No 2 pieces are the same. 

To enter:

Leave a comment on the blog here and I will keep the contest open until Monday at noon!  Good luck and enjoy the weekend.

We are off to Topeka for the Market in the morning and then to the farm in Newton for Sunday and Monday!

soap and water ~ we have a 2nd winner!

We have a 2nd winner of the bib!  Stacy is my winner!  Congrats Stacy and I know with the new little one on the way this will be a welcome addition to your stash.  Email me your address and I will get this out to you!

This has been a full week with blogoversaries and the last week of school for Cameron.  I can’t believe we are going to 1st grade next year.  I feel like we just had the first day of school.  My how he has grown and developed.  Thank you Mrs. Tanner for everything that you have done for Cameron, you truly are a gift from God and we will always hold you close in our hearts!

As I said it has been a busy week and on Tuesday the Kindergarten put on their Spring Program.  Here is a video of one of the numbers.  These kids wrote the lyrics to their songs with the help of Mrs. Parisi.  She is amazing too, I have never seen kids programs so well put together!  Watch and enjoy, let’s just say that I am not sure if any of them will be in a Beyonce’  video soon, but they had a good time doing this number!

The kids “striking a pose” at the end for their “photo opps”.

We will be having 1 more giveaway this week on Friday Morning.  I am very excited about it.  I have a piece of jewelry from my favorite jewelry maker, she also happens to be my very talented sister Erika.  Stay tuned for more information!

fingers strikes again and we have a winner!

 

We have a winner in yesterdays drawing~ the winner is Green Mommy!  Congratulations, email me your address and I will get your produce bags out to you!

“Fingers” struck again!  I thought it was awful quiet in the kitchen and when I came around the corner this is what I found,

We fed the dog.

We decided to fix our own breakfast, at least it was graham crackers and not chocolate chip cookies.

::Giveaway #2::

I am giving away one of my Green Acres Closet Bibs.  They are made of 2 layers cotton flannel and a snap closure.  I can give a boy, girl or gender neutral. 

To enter:

Leave a comment on the blog about what you are going to do for the Memorial Day Holiday.  Thanks and Good Luck.  Entries will close at 9am CST tomorrow.

green acres blogoversary ~ giveaway #1

Well we made it! 1 year ago today I took that dare from my husband and Green Acres in the City was born! We have come a long way with many changes to the format. I have met many friends, ruffled a few feathers, shed a few tears but most importantly have learned so much about myself. So “Thank You” to all of my readers and followers.

In true “Maeghan Form” as Mr. Miller would say we are having a “Blogoversary Week Celebration” here. I am going to host a different giveaway each day. These are my first giveaways and I say lets just do one each day!

Giveaway #1 : a set of reusable produce bags!

Ways to enter:

1. Leave a comment on the comment section here on the blog.

2. Earn additional entries by blogging about the giveaway, post on FB and by becoming a follower.

Entries will be open until 8 am CST, Tuesday May 25. I will draw a random name out of hat!

Good Luck!

what a good day

 

Well we survived my first experience at the Topeka Farmers Market.  Gail force winds were trying to send Dorothy back home, but we prevailed.  Good times, great people and wow what a lot of flowers, veggies, baked goods and homemade items.  This was combined with an incredible live music stage.  I think this is going to be a very good thing.

I met some amazing people.  One of which has a Green Parenting Blog.  Melissa writes from the heart and you should check her blog out here, you won’t be disappointed.

I didn’t sell a lot but I consider the connections I made, time spent with my sister and mom make the success of the day.

Henry enjoying his first fresh squeezed Lemonade.

A few of my produce bags.  The wind was working against us, but as Mr. Miller says “don’t curse the wind” especially on hot days.   I am not cursing it and I like it but not when it makes me feel like Mary Poppins and her umbrella.

Henry and Monkey taking a much needed nap.  We used Aunt Erika’s umbrella to shade him after we about lost the tent due to the wind.

Finally, you know how I love bread.  We had the pleasure of being next to the Cornucopia Bakery.  They are a local family in Hoyt, Kansas that has a commercial kitchen on their land and makes the most beautiful bread and to my delight they have Gluten Free also.  It is great.  If you are at the market check them out.

Be looking for some excitement this week at Green Acres as we celebrate 1 year on the blogosphere.  Our anniversary is tomorrow and we are going to have give a ways throughout the week.  You know me your birthday isn’t just one day it is for a whole week.

{this moment}

~ a little moment from my week that warms my heart…

don’t mind if I do.

My little guy decided to help himself this morning to his breakfast.  I had the box of cereal out to put on his tray and I got sidetracked, I know you are shocked, so he decided to take matters into his own hands.  I often refer to him as “fingers” lately.  He has gotten real resourceful at helping himself to whatever he can reach on the table or counters.

He did finally come to my bowl of GF cereal.  He is not picky!

living simply

When I started this blog almost a year ago this month I wanted to chronicle our lives and we made certain changes to “live simply and more sustainable”.  It has been quite and adventure.  Last year when we started the  Inaugural Garden we really had no clue as to what we were really getting into.  I bought plants and seed both to start.  This year we decided to start by seed and so far so good. 

Here are my tomato plants.

My radishes have been literally jumping from their beds of soil.  Their bright red skin is such a vibrant hello from the dark moist soil that they reside in.

 

We have been enjoying the radish almost every evening.  Sometimes just by themselves, tossed in a green salad or combined with carrots, olive oil and some parmesan cheese.

I would love someday to have enough from the garden for us to be sustainable through the winter months.  My Dad recently told me that “We are in a time to be conservative, use what you have and look around you and be resourceful.”  Wise words from a wise man.  Yes, Dad I just paid you a compliment!  I would love to have enough to share and help others.  Maybe this is the year?  The church  that we have been visiting, plants a garden every year to help feed the hungry.  I am hoping this year that if we have a plentiful harvest that we can share the benefits of our bounty.

~ Your people settled in it, and from your bounty, O God, you provided for the poor.   Psalm 68:10

boy am I in trouble…

I am sorry that it has been a few days, we have had a little illness here at Green Acres.  Cameron decided that he was going to catch a little stomach bug Thursday night at midnight.  Lets just say I am thankful for hardwood floors.   By Friday night we were doing better and by Saturday morning this is what I happened upon in Junior Mint’s room.

Big brother is already teaching the art of “not me” to little brother.  Boy am I in trouble.

to market

 

I am in the process of getting ready for the market.  I am very excited and very busy making wool covers, bibs and produce bags.  I am looking forward to Saturday mornings with my sister in Topeka.  I will be back tomorrow with this moment.

“healthy bread in five minutes a day”

So I finally got to check out this cookbook  from the library.  It is amazing and so full of recipes for great breads including Gluten Free options.  I made the Gluten Free Crusty Boule yesterday.  The recipe was developed partly by Gluten Free Girl and her husband Danny.  If you get a chance check her out.  I definitely stalk her on a regular basis.

Here are some pictures from our adventure in baking bread yesterday.  We had a great time and boy did the house smell wonderful.  I still to this day say that one of the most comforting smells in fresh bread in the oven.  When I discovered that Gluten was no longer an option for me I thought I lost that smell for good, well I was wrong.

We finished off the small loaf with dinner last night.  We just couldn’t help ourselves it was amazing.  I think that pairing with a little infused olive oil, fresh garden salad and a glass of chardonnay will be on the menu this summer for the patio.

my mother’s day

I hope you all had a beautiful Mother’s Day, I know I did.  My boys spoiled me with letting me sleep in, making breakfast for me, enduring an Urban Treasure Hunt and several other special gestures.  I was also treated to many hugs and kisses.

Cameron made a gift for me at school.  These are the best gifts, more precious than silver or gold.  I have every Mother’s Day Gift he has ever made me and he is so proud every year when he brings them home.  “Mama, Mama open this please!” I always respond with I will on Sunday.  Of course there are the tears on my part once I open them, I reassure him that they are happy tears because he makes my heart so happy.  He gently wipes my tears, he is such a joy!

Henry helped Daddy with the dishes for Mama.  This too is a gift more precious than words can describe.  You Mama’s out there know what I am talking about, just the fact that you have a morning where the dishwasher isn’t calling your name.  Plus the joy of watching your spouse go through the challenge of unloading the dishwasher with that pint size helper.

My day ended with a lovely dinner with my Mama prepared by the Miller Men, a visit by my beautiful Niece and Goddaughter, Nichelle, who happened to be in town for a dance competition.  Perfect Day I tell you!

{this moment}

~ a little moment from my week that warms my heart

inspired by amanda blake soule.

room for one more?

  I had company for the last 24 hours.  My “sister from another mother” was in town. She lives outside Newton about 3 hours from me.  I don’t get to see her often, but when I do we make the most of it.  Diane said it best this morning, our friendship is the kind that we can lay under the stars and not say a word but wake in the morning and feel like you had the best conversation.  We truly are kindred spirits and I thank God every day for her friendship.  She is moving to North Carolina this summer and I will miss her greatly.

She brought her daughter Destini and this cutie patootie grandbaby Isabella.  Isabella and Henry are only 8 days apart.  Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that my soul sister would be becoming a Grandmother at the same time I was becoming a Mama again.

Miss Destini and Sweet Bells flew to Chicago this morning where Destini’s husband, Brice, is graduating from his Navy Boot Camp.  We are very proud of him.  They will be heading to Charleston in a few weeks and it was so wonderful to get the girls for a few hours.

Henry and Bella decided to go for a drive.  I know we live in a society where pre arranged marriages are out but I could ok this one.  So could her Mama and Sho Sho!

spring is in the air

 

Spring is in the air…ok and so is the pollen but I am going to concentrate on the beauty that surrounds us here.

My lilacs that are in full bloom and that I smell inside and outside my home.  I love that I can be in the back yard and still smell their sweet intoxicating scent.  So relaxing.

 

The beauty of the green trees and the shade they provide in the front yard when I am out with my boys.  The sunlight ever so slightly peeking through as to say I am still here.

 

The Sugar Cookies that just came out of the oven this morning for my boys afternoon treat.  I think we are going to have a picnic outside.

This cookie recipe is so simple and truly I think the best GF Sugar Cookie that I have found to date.  I combined a couple of recipes in my box and this is what we got this morning.

Simple Sugar Cookies

1 C sugar

1 C butter, room temperature

1 egg

1 tbsp vanilla or almond, we use almond here

2 1/4 C Pamela’s GF Baking Mix or flour if you can use it

1 tsp baking soda

In a large bowl, mix sugar and butter. Beat in egg and almond until light and fluffy.  Mix in flour and baking soda.

Divide into 2 halves.  I roll them in parchment paper till they are shaped in a roll about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  Chill at least 1 hour.  I usually chill over night. 

Preheat oven to 375.  Unwrap rolls and slice into 1/4 inch slices.  Dip in sugar and bake on ungreased stone or cookie sheet 10-12 min. or until lightly browned on edges.  Cool on wire rack.  Store in air tight container once they have cooled completely.

walking by faith

“for we walk by faith, not by sight” 2 Corinthians 5:7

This weekend we celebrated my nephew Daniel's confirmation. It was a beautiful service and so wonderful to watch these 16 young people become adults in their church and re affirm their baptism. These young people were truly walking by faith and not by sight when they set out on their journey to become confirmed.

I think if we all walked by a little more faith then oh how much simpler life would be. Don’t always look for the light at the end of the tunnel, we know it is there God will be our guide. We need to let go a little more and just enjoy what is now.