Traveling is in Our Blood

*  This is a guest post from my lovely friend Candice.  Her family took the most inspiring road trip this year and she has been kind enough to share their story with us.  I know reading this makes me dream of doing the same with my family one day.



“Where are we staying tonight? A campsite? Are we boondocking? Full hook-up? Are we allowed to have a campfire?”  These were the questions our kids asked in excitement each day on our trip.




Traveling is in our blood. Growing up and living internationally has left its imprint on us. But as our family has grown, the way we travel has changed. We have to be creative to make it happen, but somehow, on a limited budget, it still remains a priority. We want our kids to see and experience the world we live in, to meet new people, to marvel at nature, see the changes in landscape and climate, to be thankful for what we have and for the opportunities given.  We know they will always remember our time spent together as a family.



We love our family and we love to travel, so this summer we packed up our three kids and headed west. All we had was a route in mind and three and a half weeks to serve as our itinerary. The rest of the fun that happened was a result of the people involved and the places we went. I would be lying to say we were not a bit nervous to start such a long journey in a truck camper with a 9 and 7 year old as well as 16-month-old baby. We wondered if this would really work as we hoped and dreamed. With that said, we talked about freeing ourselves from expectations and vowed to enjoy the experience over focusing on our destinations.



We travelled 6,400 miles through: 13 States, 10 National Parks, Route 66, California Coastal Highway 1, as well as many small roads and roadside wonders along the way. We skipped most large cities as this only added traffic, stress, finances and pressure to our leisurely schedule. We stuck to the back roads and parks; here we could easily appreciate the views, the nature and most importantly each other. We each had our own individual interests and tried to incorporate them into the trip; from rock collecting, to hiking, to swimming (anywhere and everywhere we went), to making new friends, to journaling, to photography, to music, to attending Ranger programs and starting a collection of badges and patches earned in each park. Of course there were knees scraped, the family choir of ‘the wheels on the bus’ each time the baby was in his car seat a little too long, the bottomless pit appetites of the kids, and a few wrong turns; but what is a family trip without these?




We hope it marks one of many adventures like this that we will do as a family. We will always cherish our time alone together in nature: driving, hiking, camping, swimming, playing games and sitting around a campfire sharing stories and laughing. There is nothing that compares to getting away and enjoying each other while admiring the beautiful world around us. We hope each family stays busy creating memories; that we enjoy the journey.
 

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Monday Magazine Challenge: Guest Post

Today’s Monday Magazine challenge is a recipe post courtesy of kiki(verde).  She’s one of our kindred spirits who cuts and clips and saves great projects and recipes from her large stack of magazines. And then runs out of time.  It happens to the best of us.

This week she has kindly agreed to share her magazine recipe with D.I.Y. Louisville.  You can check out her blog and read her entire post at www.kikiverde.com.  (Go ahead and click – you will love what you see!)

Fennel Apple Slaw

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
2 small fennel bulbs, thinly sliced crosswise, plus 1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds
1 Granny Smith apple, quartered and cored, then sliced into thin half moons (peeled, for us)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Whisk first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add thinly sliced fennel, apple, onions, and fennel fronds. Toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

 

Thanks Kiki for sharing with us today!

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Guest Blogger: Miss Pinny from Home Skillette

We are so excited to share a very special treat with you today.  Today’s post is written by a fellow Louisville blogger, Melissa (a.k.a Miss Pinny) of Home Skillette.  When I asked Melissa if she would share a Thanksgiving-worthy recipe with us, I had no idea that she would produce the following display of scrumptiousness. 

Oh my!

Cook up the following to compliment your Thanksgiving meal, and I promise you that your guests will thank you!

You can check out more food goodnessness at Home Skillette.  After that, click on over to Miss Pinny Design and Bee Wares to see Melissa’s other talents.

Indian-Spiced Fall Veg with Israeli Couscous

Want to try something new with your sweet potatoes this year? This perfect blend of spicy, sweet and salty will keep you warm and cozy this holiday. Works excellently as a side or an entree.

Indian-Spiced Fall Veg with Israeli Couscous

Serves 4-6

1 small butternut squash, about 2 lbs
peeled, cored and diced into 1 inch cubes
1 red garnet sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp each turmeric and garam masala
1/8 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
1 1/4 cup boiling water
2 black tea bags, preferably orange spice
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
*1/2 seeded and finely diced habanero pepper
1 tsp whole cumin seed
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 cup Israeli couscous
1/2 cup golden raisins
salt

*for less spicy dishes, use jalapeno instead

Set oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butternut squash, sweet potato, olive oil, salt, pepper, turmeric, garam masala and nutmeg. Toss together until the veggies are thoroughly coated with the oil and spices. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 35-45 minutes, until cooked through but not scorched.

 

As they are roasting, steep tea bags in boiling water for 5 minutes. Set aside. Place butter in a pot and melt over medium heat. Once the butter has formed a foam, saute onions until almost clear.

 

Add the garlic and habanero, sauteing another 2 minutes, careful to not burn the garlic. Remove completely from pot and set aside. Place pot back on heat and add cumin, almonds and couscous, toasting for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.



Once the couscous has turned a deep golden color and the almonds a light brown, add the reserved tea. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes, taking point to stir intermittently. Once cooked thoroughly, place the couscous, onion mixture and roasted veggies (making sure to take advantage of any oil left on the baking sheet) in a large serving bowl with the golden raisins.



Ever so gently, mix together until all ingredients are combined and evenly distributed.



Salt to taste. Serve immediately.

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