#NaPhoPoMo Day 2...Kitchen Creations!

I love creativity
AND I LOVE
creating in my kitchen...

so THIS
Pumpkin Shaped Cheese Ball 
is the perfect combination for me!
Day 2

It is just PERFECT for a Harvest Party...
soooo tasty!!!
And super easy!

Blend together:
2 blocks (16 oz) room-temperature Cream Cheese
1 1/2 C Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2-3 Tbls dried minced onion
1/4 C of your favorite salsa
3 tsp ground cumin
a dash of salt and pepper

Then grab some plastic wrap and plop your cheesy mixture right in the middle, form the mixture into a nice pumpkin-shaped ball (with a flat bottom to rest on)  making sure it is wrapped well.
Then pop it in your fridge for a couple hours to chill.
If you are in a bit of a hurry, just throw it in the freezer for 30 minutes or so.

To serve, unwrap from plastic wrap and roll in crushed Nacho Doritios...
(These give a nice orange glow to your pumpkin!)
I find it helpful to pat some on the sides of the pumpkin if it isn't sticking well when rolling.
(For a super easy way to crush your Doritos...
get a gallon sized ziploc bag, toss a few chips in and start smashin'!)
No mess...  :)

For the finishing touches ~
remove the top of a bell pepper and place it right atop your pumpkin,
PERFECTION!  
Then add a few chips around the edges of your pumpkin.

Sure to be a crowd pleaser!!!

A little "NaPhoPoMo" Fun... Day 1...A Child's Paradise

I started noticing these little posts coming up on FB the past couple of days and I was intrigued...
I wondered what in the world #NaPhoPoMo stood for
and what all the hype was about...
so I journeyed on over to here!
And I found something that was right up my alley...
National Photo Posting Month!

I'm usually pretty game for anything that sounds fun,
but this one had so much more than the simple element of *fun*.
After some contemplation,
 I decided to join in so that I could truly "FOCUS" on the greatest things in life.

When my camera is in hand,
life slows down just a little...
I see things in a new light
I am captivated
Everything around me fades to the background
as my camera spotlights the exact moment my heart is in.

Life keeps me running.
It is a beautiful life,
just really full.
I seem to get lost in the motions of making it all happen
and fear that I am missing out on what matters most.

I am hopeful that NaPhoPoMo will give me the excuse to
"Slow down and smell the roses" , if you will...
There are days that I wonder
if I've done anything that was
TRULY
worthwhile, meaningful, or touching.
With an awareness and a focus,
I believe I can be more purposeful.

So...
here's to a month of "FOCUSING" on the beauty that surrounds me!

Day 1

My view as I look up
into the place my children see as
Paradise.

This beautiful tree is in my front yard and is a much valued retreat for my younger children.
The hours of fun they have climbing,
the time they spend relaxing and regrouping in their own little safe haven,
and the hours of joy they find rolling and jumping in the leaves of this wonderful tree
make it the perfect beginning
for a focus on the beautiful, yet simple, things of life.