Blog Page

Linguine with Lemon & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

August 23, 2017 By Chelsia Rief 2 Comments

Simple linguine with lemon & sun-dried tomatoes along with olives, fresh basil, & garlic. Oh, and a little cheese & olive oil because...that's a must!

Well, it's kind of mortifying, but this pregnancy has turned me into a klutz! I can't see my feet, so I'm carefully trying navigate stairs and different areas around me. I have to literally roll out of bed, oh, at least a half a dozen times each night as I stumble through my darkened bedroom in search of the bathroom. Let's not even talk about how I resemble a mummy on the treacherous walk back to find my bed...

...And then there was the most recent klutz moment, which thankfully no one was around to see (though I'm apparently going to share it here...). I was trying to climb back into my chaise lounge after my 20th restroom run of the day and somehow I lost my balance and the chaise knocked into the little table next to it, knocking one of my plates off the table, which broke into two even pieces.

Thankfully, I'm down to the wire and there are only a few weeks left of this sort of behavior from me.

I hope.

[Read more...]

Tuesday's Tidings - Pregnancy Update: Week 36

August 22, 2017 By Chelsia Rief Leave a Comment

From here on on out, I thought I would do a pregnancy update weekly since we're getting so close and a lot can change from week to week. We don't sent these out via email or anything, so I figure only those who are interested and/or currently expecting themselves will click over and read.

Here I am at 36 weeks and 4 days...so very nearly at 37. I have an OB appointment early next week where hopefully we'll see how things are progressing. Ordinarily, I would have a 36 week appointment, but my OB is on vacation and I opted to wait until my 37 week appointment for the group b strep test instead of seeing a different doctor. I'm assuming I'll be positive with this baby because I was with the last two pregnancies. The good thing about that is if I go into labor early because of my water breaking or consistent contractions, I just head to the hospital right away and get hooked up to the IV. Good times!

So, here are the answers to what I get asked a lot: [Read more...]

Weekly Menu for the Week of Aug 21st

August 21, 2017 By Chelsia Rief Leave a Comment

Happy "total eclipse" Monday! Were any of you able to view the eclipse or did you travel to go see it? We live in Oregon, so right there we're doing good. Our home happened to be located in the northernmost of the "totality", so we were able to hang out in our backyard and watch the show, so to speak. (Apparently we were supposed to rent out our spare bedroom on Airbnb for big bucks...missed the boat on that one!)

First of all, you guys, I just want to say that I'm sorry for some of the sporadic posting we've been doing. I know it's not as consistent as I would like, but sometimes you have to let life events take the lead and other things take a backseat.

Most recently, we've had a family member unexpectedly in the hospital, so as a family we've all been trying to make ourselves available to help and visit when we can. On the mend though, so hopefully things will improve from here!

Also, be on the lookout for tomorrow's post. For the next few weeks, we're replacing our regular Tuesday's Tidings with pregnancy updates since we're in the homestretch and so much can change. We've also got a DIY nursery post we want to share and I'm in the process of working on a hospital bag post as well (not of interest to everyone, obviously!). But, I promise, we're going to feed you, too! [Read more...]

Basil Garlic Burgers

August 16, 2017 By Chelsia Rief 2 Comments

These Basil Garlic Burgers are easy to make and packed with flavor! Plus, when you serve them on an English muffin, they are cute and fun to eat!

It has to be said that we haven't really been on our burger A-game this summer. Usually, we've posted one, maybe two burger recipes for you by now. Um...do you know how many burgers we've shared with you so far this summer?

None!

I know, I'm kind of disgusted with myself, too. We've eaten and made several burgers this summer, like these Mediterranean turkey burgers and more recently these herb & cheese burgers. Both equally flavorful and calling for relatively simple ingredients.

Beef has been one of those things I've craved during my pregnancy (I blame it on my low iron), and the burgers that I'm sharing with you today are insanely craveable. Juicy, fresh, and perfect for summer! You could make these during the colder months in a grill pan, too. I prefer to have them cooked over the outdoor grill, of course. You just can't beat that smoky flavor that imparts itself to every incredible morsel. [Read more...]

Weekly Menu For the Week of Aug 14th

August 14, 2017 By Chelsia Rief Leave a Comment

Last week, we celebrated Josh's and my 14th wedding anniversary and our church threw us a little baby shower on Sunday. This week, my little Eden turns 9!!! I cannot even believe it!

Fun trivia fact...she was actually born on my mother-in-love's birthday! How neat is that?

I feel in some ways, I'm not sure how this week's menu is actually going to work out. Josh and I ended up getting the chance to have two dinner dates last week (what?!) and then we went out to The Deck to celebrate my mom-in-love's birthday on Friday - so that was a few meals right there that never got made...which will be repeating themselves this week for dinner.

By the way, for you local Oregonians, The Deck has insanely good halibut fish tacos. #justsaying

Our county fair is also this week and I am not sure if all of us are going or not. I think one way or another the kids will go, but if Josh and I end up going, we always splurge and eat fair corn dogs for dinner while were there. But, I don't know...I'm almost a month out from my due date and a fair corn dog sounds a bit heavy and my usual portion sizes have gotten even smaller due to the fact that I have zero room in my stomach to breathe, let alone store food!

As a foodie, this is a problem! [Read more...]

Tuesday's Tidings for Aug 8, 2017

August 8, 2017 By Chelsia Rief Leave a Comment

Have I got a few things I want to share with you this week! :) I hope you're ready!

Hers

1. This swinging chaise is my happy place right now. It's more comfortable at this point in my pregnancy for me to sit with my legs stretched out in front of me and since I can barely get into my hammock (haha), this chaise has been just the thing for me. My kids are equally in love with it. It's perfect for relaxing and reading a good book. Or writing a blog post... ;)

2. For us local Pacific NW's, the NW Natural Street of Dreams opened up over the weekend and the family and I went and toured the five homes Sunday afternoon. It's a fun date idea to do with your significant other, or with your friends. We brought the kids this year and they loved it! You should check it out if you're local - our favorite house was definitely #3, The Nevaeh. It's furnished in Magnolia home goodies and has tons of shiplap and character. Very Chip and Joanna Gaines!

3. Because I'm pregnant my nails grow super fast which kind of makes getting my nails done a waste of money. But, I discovered Sally Hansen's Miracle Gel Polish and I just love, love, love it! Seriously, a great way to go if you can't make it to the nail salon. It stays on perfectly! [Read more...]

Weekly Menu For the Week of Aug 7th

August 6, 2017 By Chelsia Rief Leave a Comment

Oh, Monday. So reliable and always showing up at the beginning of every week. Honestly...I'm curious to know how many of you dread this day of the week the most? And if you do, why do you think that is?

For me, I don't dread it, but I usually enjoy the weekend so much that I'm just not quite ready to give it up yet...and for me, this past week was full of ALL. THE. FEELINGS! But, I really hope to share that with you in a future post really soon. It was such a memorable few days and you may have seen a glance or two from some of my posts and stories on Instagram.

That being said, thanks for understanding about our weekly menu vacation. It's back up now and I'm feeling rejuvenated and eager to get back into the kitchen and cook for my family, savoring these last six weeks or so with my little family of five around the dinner table. [Read more...]

Blackberry Arugula Salad

August 3, 2017 By Chelsia Rief 1 Comment

This slightly modified version of Fogo de Chão's delectable Blackberry Arugula Salad is an easy, affordable way to get your fix between visits!

Ice cream and the occasional cookie have been my go to sweet treat cravings. I'm not even joking, since the first trimester I've been eating ice cream bars and as the pregnancy progressed it's turned into ice cream sandwiches and pints of Halo Top Ice Cream.

But, I've also craved smoothies, meat (like that rib eye in our nachos), and salads. Like, ALL the salads! My favorite has been the Caesar salad, mainly from one of my favorite little eateries, Pastini! (Seriously, they make the best!)

But when we went to a resort in Texas on our "baby moon" back in April, we went out to dinner with my cousin and her beautiful little family to Fogo de Chão (a Brazilian steakhouse chain, if you're not familiar) and it was GOOD! It's not the cheapest date night, but it is definitely a dining experience that every foodie should have. Aside from the crazy good, tender, juicy meat that's being carried around on skewers by the servers (which smells amazing), the salad bar (which I think they call the "market table") is out of this world incredible! It's got a charcuterie board on one end, fresh fruits scattered all over, and then the salads - a wide variety, including this Blackberry Arugula Salad that I've adapted just a bit. [Read more...]

Weekly Menu is on Vacation for the Week of July 31

July 31, 2017 By Chelsia Rief 2 Comments

Hey guys, I just wanted to hop on here real quick and let you know that the weekly menu will be back up next week. I'm actually going out of town for a few days and while Josh is perfectly capable of handling a meal plan, I didn't really plan one out for him and the kids.

I mean, of course, I bought food for the week, but we're talking hot dogs and fries and one of the kids even requested fried chicken from the grocery store deli! Where did I go wrong?!

I will have a recipe or two go up on the blog this week, so keep your eyes peeled for that. But if you want some dinner ideas head on over to the Catz Pinterest board.

Have a great week everyone! :)

DIY: Turning a Cement Porch Into a Wood Deck

July 26, 2017 By Joshua Rief 131 Comments

If you've ever thought about turning your cement porch into a wood deck, it's surprisingly easy! Here are some thoughts, tips, & photos from our experience!

One of the "little" projects that's been on my to-do list for quite awhile (there are so many!) is recovering our front porch. Like every other front porch in our housing development (and, come to think of it, every front porch on every house or apartment we've ever lived in), it's made of cement (okay, technically concrete, but whatever...). While a cement porch is obviously rock solid and virtually maintenance free, it's not homey, attractive, or inviting. Chels in particular really is not a fan of the way concrete feels on bare feet, especially the particular kind typically used for this application, which has lots of little pebbles and what-have-you mixed in.

So, for the first two years we lived here, the result was that no one spent any time on our front porch.

In fact, because we didn't spend any time out there, I just assumed the space was really too small to do anything with anyway. When Chels and I started discussing the particulars of what we wanted to do in the backyard, and researching the feasibility of building a wooden deck atop an existing cement patio, the lightbulb went off for her, and she asked me, "Why couldn't you do this on the front porch, too?" So, I went out and measured the porch. As it turned out, it was over 120 sq ft! Plenty of space to hang out, put out a bench and a table, and so on. I decided this "small" project would be a great dry run for the considerably larger (~300 sq ft) back patio I wanted to tackle later in the summer.

I had then checked a lot of different DIY sites for tutorials and ideas, and while it's very unlikely that any particular resource is going to outline exactly the project you are trying to get done, by pulling together ideas from quite a few, I was able to get an idea of the way I wanted to go. Of all the sites I consulted, this article from The Family Handyman was by far the most helpful and comprehensive.

[Read more...]