Life lately has consisted of:

Working again, which I am so happy about! It's an ideal set up for a pregnant woman, complete with people you already know and like (a really cute boy works there, too...), any music I want to listen to, any wardrobe I want to wear, and I get to sit in a comfy chair all day. And make as much money as I did when I was paid to harass people to buy overpriced french skincare/get facials at Dillards. win win win.

Lots of these,

(spinach, flax seed, mixed berries, greek yogurt, and a little bit of banana for sweetness.)

cleaning out baby's nursery, painting her furniture, and buying the little details for her room (nesting has officially kicked in!),

(click pictures to go to etsy shops)

hitting week 24 of pregnancy (tomorrow!), which a lot of women covet ("viability week") as the baby having chance for survival outside of the comfy and hospitable womb,

and lots of quality time with people (and dog) I love. Just thought I'd find an excuse to post this picture of Abner/a poor bottlenose dolphin stuck in a coke can ring/coffee sleeve.


love to you all!

chai.

Just thought I'd share one of my new favorite things as of three nights ago! I found this Spiced Chai Concentrate recipe on Tasty Kitchen, and had to try it. So many times I find myself craving a cup of chai but don't want to go through all of the trouble of making it. This recipe is wonderful because you spend the time to make it once and then you have the stuff to make yourself a hot (or iced, my favorite right now!) cup of chai in seconds. Chances are, if you cook (especially any sort of ethnic food), you'll have a lot of these ingredients on hand like we did. I've been mixing myself a glass before work in the mornings and it is perfect! So here's the recipe. I personally doubled it, and put the concentrate in 3 mason jars with lids.


- 4-½ cups Water
- 1 stick Cinnamon (I added more, I love cinnamon)
- 1 piece Fresh Ginger Chopped (I used about an inch chunk)
- 7 whole Cardamom Pods (I used black but I think green would be better)
- 2 whole Star Anise Pods
- 10 whole Cloves
- ¼ teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoons Freshly-ground Nutmeg
- 10 teaspoons Green Or Black Tea Or 10 Tea Bags
- ⅔ cups Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla (I added a splash more!)


Bring the water to a boil in a pot. Add the spices and the tea/tea bags, remove from heat, and steep for about 15-20 minutes (I did 20, it depends on how strong you want it). Strain with a fine mesh strainer to catch all of the grains and bits, and while it's still hot add the brown sugar, honey, and vanilla. Pour into seal-able containers and cool.

To enjoy, add one part concentrate to one part heated milk, or do the same over ice! If you want your chai stronger, try two parts concentrate to one part milk.

Hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

it feels like spring.

1. Hope everyone had a great Valentine's day! We definitely don't treat it like the huge relationship-altering holiday it seems to have become to many, but we relish the opportunity to take one another out and speak love in an active way. Colin, sushi, and a bottle of Merlot made the night beautiful and peaceful.

me about to tear into that Jade Roll. helllooo.

2. A dream of mine is being actualized this coming May-- We are going to see Cirque du Soleil!! The show that's coming to Columbia is Alegria. Our seats are so good I'm convinced we'll be able to high-five the clowns, for real. SO excited, you guys! Thanks, Colin!

3. Love this post by Color Me Katie. It will make you smile!

4. Thank you for this, seventeen-year-old Zooey Deschanel.

5. I laughed so hard when I read this article. 'homeless chic'.

6. Check out Brooke Waggoner if you've never heard of her. Her music is beautiful, delicate, and happy. I love listening to her and hearing random harps or banjos thrown in... her album Fresh Pair of Eyes (2007) is so good, and it makes me sad it took me so long to hear of her!



Have a wonderful week and enjoy the beautiful weather!

sickly.

1. Woke up this morning with a pounding headache, sore throat, and achey body. Immediately decided to go back to bed and slept until 4 (!!!) in the afternoon. Only glanced through our blinds at the snow... There are more significant things than snow when you feel like death warmed over, I think. You know how, when you're sick, you start to wonder what it was ever like to feel not sick? I've only been sick for 24 hours and already I'm feeling that way. ugh. All I have to say is, thank goodness for throat coat tea! I have been drinking it like nobody's business.


2. I just heard that the book, The Great Gatsby, is being remade into a newer film-- featuring Leonardo Dicaprio as Gatsby himself and Carey Mulligan as Daisy! I could not be more excited! I have such high hopes for this film. I have loved this book for a long time, so we'll see. Leo can't seem to go wrong.


3. I can't stop listening to Andrew Belle. his album, The Ladder, has been on repeat all night. In a few of his songs he brings out his banjo, also, which I love. His voice is so soothing, and I love the folky elements that he brings in this album. This song makes me want to go on a night drive in the summer, with my feet on the dash, holding my best friend's hand.



4. And lastly, because I love food... one of the simplest (but tastiest) things I prepared for dinner this week. I adapted it just a little bit from this recipe here. I followed her recipe, except I doubled it and instead of soy sauce I added balsamic vinegar (yum). This tastes AWESOME. Highly recommend it if you want something fresh, and if, like in our case, the spinach you have in your fridge is starting to wilt a little!

via broke and healthy.

Hope everyone is enjoying having some time off from school and work! Stay warm.

grace and peace, the wife.

it is so weird that it's 2011.

1. Last night Colin and I got to celebrate our four year (fifth annual) first date anniversary! That might sound silly to some (I mean, how many anniversaries can one really celebrate?), but for us it marks the beginning of something really sweet, and something big that God did in both of our lives. That's worth celebrating, if you ask us!

2. This morning I purged my closet. I love doing that, and try to every year at least. I was motivated by one of the blogs that I read daily, called Kendi Everyday. I just love her blog, and her style inspires me so much! She started a series a couple of weeks back on how to create a "Working Closet", as she calls it. A Working Closet is one that you can step into and not feel a) overwhelmed or b) like you need to go shopping immediately. It's a closet that has good, versatile, and useful pieces of clothing which allow you to create an outfit for any scenario without feeling stressed. Purging allows you to assess what you really do have, what you need to buy, and what you don't need. Read Kendi's article on purging here.

photo via Kendi Everyday.

3. Another thing. Recently I have become extremely interested in breakfast foods. Why? I have no idea. I really always have been the type of person to wake up, drink a cup of coffee, and just wait until I feel ready to eat something lunch-like. Until I saw this post on Apartment Therapy about one way to prepare cream of wheat and literally drooled all over my computer :)


OH! and, this article as well, on steel-cut oats. I've never had them, but I am easily put off by oatmeal because of its tendency to get glue-like and mushy. Mmmm. Thanks to my wonderful Mama K (hi, Mama!) and Apartment Therapy, I now know a little more about them and how to prepare them.


4. Also, I just recently got a job working at a new upscale Soccer/Sports pub off of Bower parkway on Harbison called the British Bulldog Pub (Woo hoo for being a college grad?)! Colin and I decided that something flexible and a little more fluid would be a good idea for me at this point in time. I have really missed having an opportunity to be around different kinds of people, as well. All that to say, this place is really going to be awesome, serving traditional British fare, such as bangers and mash (do i hear an Arrested Development quote coming on?), fish and chips, and cottage pie. There are also some more American-friendly dishes, like various salads, sandwiches, burgers, salmon, and pasta. We have 28 different beers on tap, too, so come out and visit! We are doing a soft opening this next week, starting Monday, and we're open until 12 am on weeknights/2 am on weekends. Located next to the Tobacco Merchant and Miyo's.

grace and peace!
the wife.

here's to the new year!

1. goodbye, 2010! you were an awesome year for us, but i'm also excited about what 2011 will hold. although there are so many things that will, Lord-willing, be happening in the coming years, i wish time would just slow down. i love right now. even though right now isn't perfect and is difficult at times, i love seeing Him at work, and love what He is doing.

2. Colin and i have had Sufjan's Christmas albums for years, but for some reason i've never really noticed this song. i love it. i love it. i love it and i can't stop listening to it. It's on Vol. V of his Songs for Christmas albums.



3. this article about David Bazan and his walking away from the faith/first solo album (he used to be a part of Pedro the Lion) Curse Your Branches (which is described as a, "harrowing breakup record—except he's dumping God, Jesus, and the evangelical life"). really sad. raises a lot of questions in my mind..

4. so, i love world market. we've talked about this before. most of all (well, besides their rugs, throw pillows, and curtains... haha), i love their glass moroccan-style lanterns. i picked up a few in various shapes, sizes and colors this past week since they were on sale, and am really excited to find a spot for them to hang in our little place! if only i had a back patio, i would string the smaller ones up outside.


5. Also, i made this last night for Colin and I... and we can't stop thinking about it, it's that good. this Spicy Shrimp recipe is a meal fit for the summer, with good friends sitting around a newspaper-covered table. highly recommend you make this! don't forget the toasted french bread with it!

via the Pioneer Woman Cooks.

6.. thank you, all, for the affirmation we have received on this blog (whether it be in person, personal messages, facebook, comments...). it has surprised me that people like to read our thoughts and about our life and find it interesting and encouraging, but we are so glad! i think the next post we write together will be on why we blog. anyways, thanks guys!

grace and peace!

another week of summer!

Sorry the blog's been a little bare lately! There will be more updates after we get back from our cruise. We leave Saturday! so excited. Can't wait to spend uninterrupted time with Colin, for an entire week, in the caribbean. And they even upgraded our room for us! sweeeeet. Although the weather here has been lovely, breezy and cool, I'm ready for one last taste of sun and salt water.

We are going snorkeling in roatan, honduras. Most of you know what that means for Colin! Hopefully more funny stories to come.. Because honestly I still chuckle to myself when I think back to our honeymoon snorkeling trip. :)

The past few weeks have been full of happiness-the-second-your-eyes-open-up-in-the-morning days. what a sweet gift.

another thought: is there any show out there as funny as arrested development? we certainly don't think so.


"i'm charmed, i'm sure!"

also, if you like thai food, give this Gai Pad King recipe a try! we had it for dinner tonight. I made it for the first time shortly after we got married, and it is a frequent flyer in the Kiser household. for the spice we use a mixture of sambal olek garlic chili paste and sriracha hot chili sauce (about two spoonfuls). we also skip the mushrooms and oyster sauce. serve over long grain rice. deeelish.

and i leave you with this. i think i'm in love with Over the Rhine...

sick day.

1. y'know, being sick isn't half bad when you:

a) have netflix and can watch hoarders all day.
b) are allowed to sleep in way late and not feel guilty.
c) have a super duper husband who takes care of you (and even cooks!).
d) don't have a job/school to worry about.

2. also, random thought: i have never, ever experienced the sponsored/weirdly decorated crown vic thing until moving to Columbia. As of now I have seen a tweety bird car, a starburst car, a tony the tiger car, a milky way car, and... Colin and I's favorite.. a Child's Play Chucky doll car. yes. this man has two possessed Chucky dolls hanging out of the back windows of his car. cool, right? anybody else seen any good ones around Columbia?


3. i love to cook. i never really had the chance before and didn't know how much i love it, but i do. one of my favorite things is finding a new recipe that sounds good and just doing it. i love the type of recipes that are quick and easy with few ingredients as well as the more demanding ones (like many indian dishes, which require grinding your own spices and all of that). i will say, though, for beginners, the pioneer woman has been fantastic help since being married. first off, she is hilarious. second, she details the cooking process as well as posting pictures of what each step looks like. this woman can cook for sure! here are some of the things we've made of hers and enjoyed:

Chicken Tikka Masala by Pastor Ryan

Simple Sesame Noodles

Marlboro Man's Second Favorite Sandwich

Garlic Cheese Bread

Spaghetti with Artichoke Hearts and Tomatoes

Penne a la Betsy.

4. also, i know you read this blog. yes, you. not by name, necessarily, but we get a good number of hits on this thing so don't be a creeper and lurk around without saying something. not only that, but a lot of people come up to us in real life and say things like "i read that on your blog"...etc. so, like i said, don't be a creeper! make your presence known! we love comments!

i leave you with this. my favorite song by one of my favorite artists.



grace and peace,
the wife.

spices, eyebrows, spoons?

1. can you even believe this kitchen pantry? i mean, HELLO. i've always had a thing for jars. and spices. and spices in jars. this is absolutely wonderful.

via designsponge

2. speaking of spices, indian grocery stores. go to them. first off, everything ethnic that you buy at publix or elsewhere is wayyyy overpriced. you can get a 10 lb. bag of basmati rice for $14 at the indian grocer. at publix it's something like $40, not even kidding. they have bags of spices that will last you years, and they're authentic. not any of that mccormick's curry powder crap.

3. speaking of cooking, i wish that i could have an herb garden SO badly. we get no sun in our yard and have really rocky, rooty soil. i can't count the amount of money i've spent on bundles of cilantro and basil at the grocery store, or the number of times i've come crawling to Caroline's front door asking for some fresh herbs. ridiculous. i can't use dried basil after knowing how wonderful it tastes fresh. if i had potted herbs, i would make these. how clever!

via shrimp salad circus

4. i was totally annoyed yesterday by how poorly shaped my eyebrows are, also. i know that sounds petty, but i love when people have pretty eyebrows and i've always hated mine. i decided to grow mine out (so when you see me looking like a cave woman, move along), and then i'm going to get them threaded. apparently it's the best way to get a well-defined arch, more painless than waxing, and doesn't leave those annoying little bumps. if anyone knows of someone good in the Columbia area, please let me know!

grace and peace,
the wife.

kitchen conquests.

i'm not joking around. i don't joke around about food. this was one of the yummiest combinations of flavors that i've had in a while. in my mind, you absolutely can't go wrong with feta cheese, caramelized onions, and balsamic vinegar. if you're looking for a good vegetarian meal that's also pretty healthy, give this a try.


Sexy nachos with spinach, feta, fresh basil, caramelized onions, and balsamic glaze.

also, she's right. don't scrimp on the fresh basil, you'll regret it. it's necessary (thanks to my amazing neighbor and friend, Caroline, who contributed basil to me from her plant). i made it again with fresh cilantro, and that was also really good. Colin and I added a squeeze of lime and some black beans to make it a little more meaty. it was a perfect afternoon snack/pre-dinner appetizer!

broke and healthy is an awesome blog if you're.. well, broke, and want to eat things other than ramen and mac and cheese. she does a really good job of being creative and sharing foods that are interesting and always fairly easy to accomplish. check her out!

grace and peace,
the wife.