Flowers, Books, Coffee and Beans

Want to brighten up your kitchen? Add some fresh flowers. Mr. Dunbar often buys me a small bouquet of flowers that I can put right next to the kitchen sink. They always make me happy and remind me how much I love the guy. And since I put them in the kitchen, the boys can see them, too. Just one of those things that I want my boys to know- how to make a girl happy with a simple gesture.

 

I’ve read a few books this summer. These first two were given to me by two different moms. Grace Based Parenting and Raising Your Spirited Child. Why they gave them to me, I don’t know? I mean my kids are perfect. They never challenge what I say, they’re never sassy, they are always compliant, and kind, and well mannered, and well…. like I said- pretty much perfect. But just to appease my fellow reading moms, I read the books.

Grace Based Parenting was an easy read and readily challenged the way I look at parenting. The best thing I gleamed from this book was to view my role as a parent to that of a mirror of God’s love. For me, I am a very black -white type of person, good-bad, yes-no, right-wrong. But this book really reclaimed the idea that I need to offer everything I can and all that I believe in a loving and gracious way.

Raising Your Spirited Child was actually longer than I expected but I really took a lot of positives away from this book. Which in fact was a major theme of the book; turning your child’s sometimes negative labels into positive attributes. It also gave some great strategies to use with your more willful child. (But like I said, I don’t have one of these types of kids.) But if you do, this would be a good book for you! ha.  

Then I read Outlander. I actually won it from Genn through a giveaway that she had.  OMG, it was really good… for the first 500 pages. Loved the story line, was enamored with the history and descriptions, couldn’t read it fast enough. Such a good read. The last few chapters were a little outlandish for my tastes but I’m still going to read the next book in the series and I’ve actually already given this book to my MIL to read. Read it, you won’t be dissappointed.

I hate canned refried beans. I do. They gross me out. I usually make beans from scratch, but lately I’ve been looking for all of the short cuts in the kitchen that I can find. Here’s my quick fix.

Canned pinto beans (not refried), rinsed REALLY well.

 

I just smooshed them and added Pepper Jack Cheese. Gotta love the Tillamook!  Its the best. (and I’m not sure why I look like I have lobster claws for a hand???)

Oh, and I forgot the Greeks, since we’re going International here. Made this yummy salad the other night for dinner. Used all of this, tossed it and added a small amount of Greek dressing. It was good. I put grilled chicken on top of Mr. Dunbar’s salad because men need meat.

 

On the bread I used a little butter, I know I know, should have used EVOO. But that was my little cheat, everything else on my plate was a veggie. On top of the butter I sprinkled a little bit of this seasoning, everyone LOVED it.

Hope you’re staying cool in this HOT HOT HOT weather.

~mrs. dunbar