BeautyRevealed | The Blog of Melissa J. Dillon

“The ordinary acts we practice every day at home are of more importance
to the soul than their simplicity might suggest.”
- Thomas Moore

I read somewhere once that the daily rituals of living are not the rules of routine, but are the touches of passion that keep the heart beating. Isn’t that a lovely thought? I have been for some time now, trying to establish simple ~ but beautiful ~ rituals into my daily schedule that enhance the quality of my day. Of course the “rules of routine” exist as well: the dishes, the laundry, the cleaning, etc… but those little special rituals keep my heart refreshed and give me something to look forward to.

Ideas for creating rituals:

~ Morning coffee and a quiet time with Jesus
~ Reading the newspaper
~ Crossword puzzles
~ Story time with your child
~ Snuggling with your kitties or puppies
~ Afternoon Tea
~ A 20 minute nap
~ Checking favorite blogs
~ Daily walks
~ Pursuing a hobby
~ Light candles at dinnertime
~ Reading a good magazine
~ Evening Bubble Baths
~ Giving yourself a manicure
~ Spending time in the garden
~ Buying fresh flowers for your home
~ Praying & singing with your children before bedtime
~ A yummy Caribou Coffee stop with your Spouse
~ Bringing a blanket and a favorite book to a nearby park
~ A quick phone call to a friend
~ Listening to Worship Music while you work

Some rituals may be a once-in-a-while thing… while some may be ones that you want to incorporate into your daily routine to inspire and refresh you. It may be as simple as grinding your own coffee beans because you enjoy the taste. I’ve been learning to make even those little things a part of life… make it special!

I love to get feedback on posts… I’m sure you all have your own rituals that you love to keep. Please share!

“The small things in life are often so much bigger than the great things…
the trivial pleasures like cooking, one’s home, little poems,
solitary walks, funny things seen and heard…”
~Barbara Pym

“It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.”

-W. T. Ellis

It’s my favorite time of the year. This week we’ve even had some snow to get us into the Christmas spirit. Mark put up the tree, and it smells wonderful. Bing Crosby is crooning in the background. The pine candles are glowing. The twinkle lights are mesmerizing. The house is a m.e.s.s… Christmas decorations and garland everywhere! More to come…

“When I was a little girl, I always wanted to be in the kitchen because it was warm,

and that’s where my mother was.”   –  Dolly Parton

This delicious soup is perfect for warming up the kitchen on a fall or winter day:

Mom’s Wild Rice Soup

1 cup of Wild Rice (Rinse really well. Add Wild Rice to 3 cups of boiling water and simmer for about 45 minutes, covered.)

1 Large Onion, 3 Chicken breast, 2 cans of cream of potato soup, 4 cups of milk, 1 package of American cheese slices.

Directions: Add all ingredients together except cheese. Heat on LOW heat and do not let boil as the milk will curdle. When soup is getting hot, add ½ to whole package of American Cheese slices and let melt. (Use as much or as little cheese as tastes good to you. The slices melt the best and won’t cling to the chicken.)

Serve with some yummy fresh baked bread on a cold evening and you will have one happy family! This also freezes well so make a double batch!

“Hold on to your hat! Today is going to be a blustery day.”

- Winnie the Pooh

The winds picked up a couple of days ago and finally blew in some chilly Autumn weather for us. That’s when I get in the mood for baking and making yummy soups to warm us up. Last night we turned on the heat for the first time this season to take the chill off the house, and while Mark watched “The Bourne Supremacy”, I headed to the kitchen to bake Snickerdoodles. I love the smell of fresh baked cookies on a cold evening. We could hear the wind whipping around outside and it felt so snug and warm inside. That’s what home is all about: a place of refuge and safety; a place to surround yourself with all things that make you feel “at home” and cozy; a place where you should feel the most loved and wanted.

After we enjoyed a few warm cookies and milk, I put the rest in the freezer to save them for our camping trip coming up this weekend. Looks like it’s supposed to be chilly (especially at night… brrrrr!!), but that’s the fun of camping in the fall and huddling around the campfire with a cup of cocoa. Next year we’ll have to plan it a little earlier since we’ll have a baby with us~ Ooohh, I can hardly wait!

Here’s a yummy recipe for Snickerdoodles if you don’t already have one:

Snickerdoodles

Cream together:

1½ cups sugar, ½ cup softened butter, ½ cup shortening, and 2 eggs

Sift together and add to above ingredients:

2¾ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons cream of tarter.

Shape into 1¼ inch balls. Mix ¼ cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon in a bowl. Roll balls in mixture. Place 2 inches apart  on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes in a 400 degree oven (or until set). Cool. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Today I am making a big pot of my mom’s yummy Wild Rice Soup to take along with us on our camping trip. I’ll try to get the recipe posted before we head out on Thursday. I hope you are all enjoying these Autumn days! Many blessings!

~ Melissa Joy~

After having one of the busiest summers I ever remember having, I’ve been looking forward to Autumn tremendously this year. And Fall is definitely in the air. Although it has been warm and sunny, the leaves are beginning to change and there is a certain smell in the breeze that makes me yearn for cozy chilly days around the corner. Mom and I have been visiting the local shops to get some inspiration, and I’ve been taking down all my summer decorations and breezy curtains to make room for cozy Autumn decorations… candles, pumpkins, etc. (Pictures to come one of these days).  I love to light my apple cider and pumpkin pie candles in the evenings and enjoy a little “house warming”.

Tonight I’ve been flipping through cookbooks to find some “comfort food” recipes: soups, hot-dishes, crock-pot creations… and I’m hoping for more apples this year from my neighbor so I can make my favorite Apple Bread again.

The Lord is taking me through some hard things lately, but I’m just so aware of His presence that never leaves me nor forsakes me. He never promised us that life would be easy… in fact, just the opposite. We are told to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials”… not if… “knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” (James 1:2-3) I think at times women can feel like they need to look like we have it all together. That our life is great and perfect in every way. But sometimes life is messy. Sometimes it’s hard. And sometimes the lessons we must go through can bring about pain and suffering. And that’s okay, because everyone experiences the tough stuff at some time or another, and we shouldn’t be in a competition to prove our perfection. Perfection can only be found in Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. So during this last week, I have been drawing on His strength to bring me through.

My devotional from Streams in the Desert today really spoke to me: “Recognize that Unseen Presence… which is so wonderful, quieting, soothing, calming and warming. He is here, close to you, and His Presence is real. Some One is present, and He is a warm-hearted Friend and the all-powerful Lord.”

So really the true “house warming” comes from inviting His Presence to permeate every nook and cranny of our homes. When we allow Him to quiet our hearts amid whatever storm we’re in, and to set us aglow with His love for us once again.

Autumn blessings to all as you enjoy this upcoming cozy season.

This picture was taken 3 weeks ago before the wedding… now, my garden is completely out of control. Everything is HUGE and running amuck in my little garden plot. One reason is that we’ve been so busy this summer. But the main reason is that I can’t stomach food very well in the past month. Nothing sounds good to me, and I feel ill after eating anything. So nothing is being picked from my garden, and it just grows and grows. And it’s going a little wild at the moment. At least I know that it is a great spot for a garden… it gets lots of sun there. I pulled up an onion today ~ it’s amazing how fragrant it is compared to the ones I buy in the grocery store. Gardening is in my blood now… loving the process of watching it all grow. Now I just need to learn how to can so it won’t all spoil!! Anyone else have luck with their gardens?

Yes, okay, okay… I’ve been a very bad blogger. But this is why… this fun Bridal Shower that we hosted for my dear (almost) sister-in-law, Angela. (And then I needed a week to recuperate) but now I’m back to blogging ~ I promise!

We decided to do an outdoor Garden Tea Party on my front lawn. And it rained all…week…long. I was pretty nervous since I knew we could not fit 25 ladies into my living room! I prayed and prayed… and Sunday morning dawned clear and beautiful (Thank you, God!) We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day… upper 70’s and blue skies.

Our dear friend, Mary, offered to loan us all of her beautiful teacups and teapots, goblets, plates and silverware for the shower! We were so delighted! It would not have been nearly as special without all her beautiful china.  Thank you again, Mary, for your kindness! (We missed you!)

It was such a blessing to have so much help for the occasion from my mom, my Auntie Shirley, my Auntie Kathy, and especially my cousin Mary who ran even harder than me to prepare and serve and clear dishes, etc. I couldn’t have done it without her! She also brought beautiful flowers and hanging baskets to put all around the yard… it turned out so beautiful.

Mark and my dad were so great, as well ~ bringing all the tables and chairs from various places for the occasion. I was so pleased to see all of our hard work coming together to create such a special day.

Here is Angela with her mom, Char (middle) and my mom, Bonnie.

We served a light luncheon of croissants, my Auntie Shirley’s yummy chicken salad, and fresh fruit with dip. For dessert, my Auntie Kathy made a wonderful mandarin orange/pineapple cake. I cannot believe that I don’t have a picture of it… it was lovely!

Mary serving Lemonade Punch.

These little princesses are my second cousins, Olivia and McKenzie. (I’m not sure how their mom, Darla, escaped the picture).

Angela received more lovely gifts for their home. I can’t wait to see them all in use… They will have such a cute place!

I had quite a few requests to share the recipe for the Lemonade Punch, so I thought I would share it here to save some time.

Easy Peasy!

It was such a lovely day! We leave in a little over a week to head down to Bloomington for the Wedding Preparations!!! So exciting and so close!

Along with the warm, summer evenings comes the wonderful aroma of smoky barbecues wafting through the neighborhood. Mark and I are not expert grillers by any means, but we are learning… and are so enjoying the process (as we must taste-test all of our experiments).  I am trying to cut back on the amount of carbs that I eat, so grilling is a good way to try new things with protein: salmon, tilapia, shrimp, chicken, turkey, etc.  I have been enjoying a magazine called Clean Eating, and have been trying out some healthy recipes that we really enjoy. We’ve even been grilling our dessert! Last night we tried grilling pineapple, bananas and mangos to make a Tropical Vanilla Fruit Salad. Soooo yummy! But I’ll save that for another night. 

Grilled Shrimp

Ingredients:

1 T. olive oil, 3 T. lemon juice (about ½ a lemon), 2 garlic cloves (minced), and 1 pound of fresh medium-sized shrimp. 

Instructions:

In a small bowl, stir together olive oil, lemon juice and minced garlic well. Place shrimp in another bowl and pour marinade over top. Let sit for 15-20 minutes.

Thread shrimp onto 10-inch skewers (previously soaked in water for 10 minutes) or put into grilling basket. Place over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time. Serve immediately. 

Ultimate Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

1½ pounds ground turkey, 1 medium red pepper (diced), 2 garlic cloves (minced), 1 T. parsley, ½ t. sea salt, ½ t. freshly ground pepper.

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients together well. Make into patties (should make 6). Grill over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side (or until burgers are golden brown and firm in the middle).

Serve burgers on whole grain buns with lettuce, tomato and onion. 

Well, hope you enjoy these as much as we did! What are some of your favorite grilling recipes??

“In summer, the song sings itself.”

- William Carlos Williams

“Just now the lilac is in bloom, all before my little room.” 

- Rupert Brooke

Oh, I wish you could smell them! They are simply heavenly. We have a long lilac hedge separating our backyard from the alleyway… I wish I could take credit, but these bushes have been around for over 50 years. They weren’t really taken care of by the previous owners, so it took a lot of thinning out and pruning to get them to bush out like they should. And only two years later, we are enjoying hundreds of gorgeous lilacs. I wish they lasted all summer, but I’ll enjoy them while I can. I love to make bouquets for every room in the house and it makes the whole house smell wonderful. They remind me so much of my childhood… my mom had lilac bushes at our house in town, and the scent brings me back to barefoot summer days in the backyard. 

For those of you who live close by, come on over and grab an armful of lilacs anytime. And make sure you stop in for a glass of iced tea. Hope to see you soon!