October Favorite Things: Ending and Beginning

It's hard for me to believe that it has already been 31 days, and that this series is done! It has been fun, but I'm ready to move on to other topics. I'll be announcing a new series on Monday!  And I'm taking tomorrow off!  For those of you who have joined me this month during my "Favorite Things" series, thank you!!! I hope you will stick around as some fun changes will be happening on my blog/website over the next few weeks. Have a great weekend! ~Kendra

October Favorite Things: Music Part 2 - TobyMac

As I just mentioned in my other post, we love to listen to music!  If you drive by our house when it's workout time, you might just hear TobyMac blaring from the garage, where we have our home 'gym'.  TobyMac is another family favorite for sure! We can't wait to see him in concert in December!!!

October Favorite Things: Music Part 1 - Owl City

One of our favorite things to do as a family, and one of my favorite things personally, is to listen to music together.  We have eclectic and varied likes, but there are always a couple of artists that, as a family, we can listen to and all enjoy.  Owl City is one of those artists!  Here is a recent song that is one of our family favorites!  Hope you enjoy!!  

October Favorite Things: Crossfit T-Town South!

31 days of posting about my favorite things would not be complete without a shout out to

Crossfit T-Town South!!  Community is a big deal to me, and the community at T-Town is top notch and such an amazing encouragement to me! The boys and I take a homeschool Crossfit class once a week at T-Town and it is my favorite activity of the week!  We are able to work out together with other homeschool families, have fun, and be challenged in ways that we wouldn't otherwise be.  Kristen and Melissa, you are the BEST!  Thank you for putting up with us...and for being such an uplifting part of our week! We are so thankful to be there!

Big J and I on different relay teams, racing each other 

here with a run, push ups, and a crab walk. 

October Favorite Things: More Favorites About R+F!

I know that I've already talked about two of my favorite things, but I just have to share ONE more of my favorite things about Rodan + Fields!  Did you know that we offer a 60 Day, EMPTY bottle, money back GUARANTEE??  Why is this important, you ask? Let me share something with you...

We don't advertise our products as a quick fix, see results overnight, kind of thing.  They are a multi-med therapy, meaning that you are getting the RIGHT products, in the RIGHT formulation, delivered at RIGHT time.  Our DOCTORS realize that it takes time to achieve results, which is why you are given 60 days!!

And it's not just our products that have a 60 day guarantee. Our business kits ALSO come with that SAME 60 day guarantee!!  It takes time to build a business!!  And obtaining financial FREEDOM is totally possible!!

What's holding you back today?? Let's get you started on LOVING the skin you are in OR on your way to financial FREEDOM with your own "little side gig"! **GET STARTED TODAY** Click the link or comment below!

October Favorite Things: The Random Things of Life!

I (sometimes) love the fact that I never quite know what my boys are going to do.  They are very creative and are always pushing the limits of what they can do.  Often this manifests itself physically, like with sports or competition between the two of them.  But sometimes it comes up in other ways...like keeping wooly bear caterpillars in a "caterpillar castle" and putting the caterpillars on pencils during school, just to see what they might do. 

Yes, this a real caterpillar on top of a pencil. ;)

October Favorite Things: Our Local Library and Make-Up FREE Mondays!!

A month of my favorite things wouldn't be complete without mentioning our local library!!  It is definitely one of my favorite places and I look forward to our visit EVERY.SINGLE.WEEK! There is something magical about hunting for a good book...and then finding just the right one! It is rare that I get to go with just one of my sons. and today was one of those days! So fun!  I LOVE this boy and getting to spend time with JUST him!! 

And in honor of starting my own business, I am starting Make-Up FREE Mondays! Now, I do like my mascara and eye shadow, but it's good to go without sometimes!  I haven't always felt the confidence to go without make-up, but I do now and I wish for same for you! I hope that you will join me in celebrating the freedom to love the skin we are in! Message me or comment below if I can help YOU love your skin!  

October Favorite Things: Stitch Fix!

Are you looking for a fun, stress free way to shop? Then let me tell you about Stitch Fix!  It is so fun and extremely easy to do! Every person is different, and I personally do not prefer to go shopping for clothes.  I would much rather be outside exploring or doing any number of other things.  But clothes wear out and have to be replaced, and I occasionally have to be 'presentable'.  This is where Stitch Fix comes in for me!

To get started, all you have to do is create a profile that helps them to style you and then  schedule  the date to receive your fix. You have the opportunity to give feedback and can even create your own pinterest page to help your stylist pick what might be best for you.  Your stylist will then pick out some fun items for you to try.  Then they ship it to you, and YOU decide whether to keep all, some, or none of the clothing items.  There is a small styling fee that is charged when they ship your clothes, and if you decide to keep one or all items, that fee is applied to your total.  If you decide to keep all of the items, you get a nice discount!

My favorite part about Stitch Fix is being able to try new styles that I wouldn't normally pick out for myself!  It gets me out of my box and helps me to be more adventurous!  I have been thrilled with the pieces that have been picked out for me by my stylists!  They are some of my favorite things to wear and what I get complimented on the most!  I encourage you to Try Stitch Fix Today! It might become one of your 'favorite things' too!!

October Favorite Things: On Starting My Own Business!

I have wanted to start my own business, to be an entrepreneur, for awhile now! Today, I am thrilled to announce that I have made that dream a reality!  What an honor it is to join with such a remarkable  Rodan and Fields Team in helping change skin and change lives!

After having used the products for several months, I just couldn't ignore this life-changing opportunity any longer! For those of you who know me personally, you know that I do not take decisions like this lightly.  I like to take my time, pray and think about things, do some research, and talk to people. That's exactly what I did.  And after doing my due diligence, I had no reason NOT to say yes!  So, here I am! 

If you asked me today what my favorite thing about Rodan and Fields is, I would have to tell you that I have TWO favorites. The first is that I love seeing the personal transformation that can happen with using the right products at the right time!  Many years ago, while in high school and college, I had horrible skin problems and awful acne.  I even had to resort to Accutane.   I remember what it was like to feel self-conscious wherever I went, to want to hide, and to feel like I had to pile on foundation and other make-up just to leave the house. What I would have given to have Rodan and Fields as an option at the time!! My other favorite thing is the incredible, amazingly talented people that are a part of this one-of-a-kind company, many of whom I have met just in the past 24 hours! 

You can experience that transformation!  And YOU can be a part of this growing company! If you have questions or would like to learn more, please comment below or visit my other website at https://kendracutsinger.myrandf.com! 

October Favorite Things: Something New!!!

I have a NEW favorite...but you'll have to check back tomorrow to find out what it is!!  I can't wait!!!

"In the measurement world, you set a goal and strive for it.  In the universe of possibility, you set a context and let life unfold." -Benjamin Zander

October Favorite Things: The Colors of Fall and Cider!

I love the colors of fall, the warm reds, oranges, bright yellows, and purples!  Mums are always a favorite of mine to have on the front porch, along with a few pumpkins and perhaps some pansies!  We pulled most of the old landscape in the front of our new house and have yet to put anything back in.  So, having some color on the front porch is nice, especially considering that there isn't much grass in our front yard at the moment either.  All in good time!

I also love the smell of cider simmering on the stove top during the fall!  My favorite cider recipe is very simple to make.  Just take some basic bottled apple cider that you can find at most stores (just make sure that the only ingredient is apples!) and pour some into a saucepan.  Add a cinnamon stick, a few whole cloves, and 3-4 thin slices of a naval orange.  Let is simmer on low for an hour or two, depending on how long you have.  The longer it simmers, the better it gets! Enjoy!

October Favorite Things: Favorite Recipes - Fish With Preserved Lemon Couscous

**This post is dedicated to Sarah...who provided the most amazing Artisanal Afghan Saffron!

Saffron is one of my new favorite spices to cook with...and yes, I had to look it up to see if it was even considered a spice.  Ha.  There is a recipe in The Fast Diet Cookbook that I checked out from the library on mistake.  I thought I was getting a different book.  Regardless, it was a great find and had so many recipes we liked that I ended up buying the book for myself!  One of my favorite recipes in the book is Allegra McEvedy's Bake-In-The-Bag Fish With Preserved Lemon Couscous!  Oh my! (You can click on the link above to go to the recipe...fyi...fresh coriander is another way of saying cilantro. Also, the recipe in my book does not have the yogurt sauce, which sounds fantastic to me!)

The ingredients for the couscous, minus the fish and fennel. 

 I made my own quick preserved lemons, which turned out fairly well.

  Meyer Lemons would have worked better, but they were not available at the time. 

The Saffron, of course!

The Saffron threads soaking in water. Isn't it beautiful??!!  I hated to

 remove the threads, and tried to come up with something else to use them for. :)

The finished couscous, before being put into bags with the fish and fennel! 

This is a lovely, light, and refreshing meal that I really enjoyed! I hope that you will check it out!  If you want to learn more about Saffron, click here! 

**Disclaimer: I am not familiar with The Fast Diet. I just really enjoyed some of the recipes in their cookbook. :)

October Favorite Things: The Tuesday Review - The Hiding Place

Welcome to The Tuesday Review!  I started this post series last fall and have decided to bring it back!  It's no secret that I love basically all kinds of books. And I'm usually in the middle of at least two books.  This will be my space to share about the books I've been reading!

In keeping with my "Favorite Things" series this month, I have to share with you about one of the best books that I have read in several years, The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom.  It has been on my "to read" list for several years now, and for whatever reason  I didn't read it until this past September.  

I was blown away.  What an amazing story of courage and faith during such a dark time!  And it wasn't only the story of Corrie Ten Boom, but also that of her family.  There were so many powerful things that stood out to me, I could quote half of the book.  A better idea, though, would be for you to go and read the book yourself and be moved by what God has for you! In closing, here is what stood out the most to me...

October Favorite Things: Books I'm Reading

Today I picked up two new books that I've been hoping to read.  Daring Greatly by Brene Brown seems to speak to where I am personally in life right now.  Her call to live wholeheartedly resonates in my heart.  I've heard great things about this book and can't wait to dive in!


Daring Greatly by Brene Brown

Crucial Conversations, on the other hand, is more of a necessary read for me.  I don't handle crucial conversations very well. I often feel like I failed miserably, did not communicate what I had hoped to communicate, and made matters worse.  Obviously, I have work to do in this area.  Communication is key to all areas of life including my marriage and family life, work, teaching, and so much more.  I'm already two chapters into this book and look forward to being challenged to be more effective in this area of life!

Crucial Conversations by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, and Switzler

October Favorite Things: Favorite Bloggers!

I love this quote by Bob Goff, "Everyone's leap looks different; comparison is a punk".  I don't think I'm the only one out there that has struggled with comparison, especially when there are people out there already doing what you one day hope to do!  We all have our "leap", our road to take.  It might be similar to what others are doing, but it will still be different. That's because we are all unique and we all have something to offer. That something, whether it's a gift, talent, or insight, whatever it might be, makes us ORIGINAL.  One of a kind.

That said, I wanted to highlight two of my favorite established bloggers, and one up and comer!

Monica Swanson (The Grommom) is one of my favorite's! I do not personally know Monica, but as a mom of boys, I really appreciate her perspective on life, parenting, schooling and so much more.  She just finished a series on parenting pre-teen/teen boys that was excellent, provided lots of tools and resources, and was just down right encouraging to read! I highly recommend you check the series out here, as well as the rest of her website! She just posted this banana bread recipe that I might have to try in the morning...

Shanti Landon's Life Made Full is another favorite website of mine!  And I am thrilled to say that I DO know Shanti personally.  I met her through the homeschool network the boys and I were a part of while we lived in California.  She is beautiful inside and out, has an amazing story, and has worked hard for several years to get where she is at now.  I definitely look up to her, all that she has accomplished, and the positive impact she has made in the lives of so many.  She posts great recipes and so much more! You can click the link above or check out her website here!  Thank you, Shanti, for all of your help and encouragement! P.S, I love this idea of serving a vegetarian dish once a week!

The last blogger I want to highlight, Jenn Milroy, is a new friend that I met through my son's soccer team.  She has such a positive energy about her and is passionate about helping others!  You can check out her new blog at jennmilroy.com.  I'm looking forward to working with Jenn in the future!  Welcome, Jenn!

October Favorite Things: Favorite Story Books

I love literature in general, specifically books that tell a fascinating story!  One of my favorite parts about homeschooling is that I am able to take the time to read engaging stories with my boys. Yes, I still read out loud to them. :) I think it is extremely important to continue reading out loud to them for as long as I am able to!  (Of course, I don't read everything to them!)

I want to highlight three of my most favorite story books that I have read to the boys in the last couple of months!


Noah Webster and His Words
If you've ever wanted to know the story behind how Webster's dictionary came to be, this is the book to read.  It is a fascinating story about diligence, focus, and determination!

October Favorite Things: Family Adventures and The Windy City!

Not only do I enjoy exploring new places, but the whole family does!  The boys are at such a great age to be able to appreciate new places and experiences.  We really look forward to going on family adventures together!  This past September we were able to go to the Windy City to explore for a few days and celebrate M-man's 8th birthday.  Wow! 8 years old!  Where has the time gone?? Anyway, back to family adventures...

We spent M-man's birthday at the Shedd Aquarium.  It was a very fun aquarium

 and we really enjoyed our time there!  The Amphibians special exhibit was a favorite exhibit of ours.

October Favorite Things: Noonday Collection

I am so excited about today's post! Noonday Collection is one of my all-time favorite fair trade companies to buy from!  I love the heart behind what they do and how they help to bring social responsibility along side the designing and selling of beautiful, inspired jewelry and accessories.

Noonday has ambassadors who help to tell the stories of each piece of jewelry or accessory that is created.  Behind every piece is a person who is valued, appreciated and justly compensated for the amazing work that they do!  I had the privilege last spring to meet a local ambassador here in the Tulsa area, Emily Collins! She is beautiful inside and out and has a contagious passion for what she does! At the beginning of the summer I hosted a Noonday Trunkshow with her! It was so much fun!  I enjoyed hearing some of the stories behind the Artisans who make the pieces as well as seeing many of the pieces in person.

I will be hosting another Trunkshow in 3 weeks!  This one is extra special because 10% of the show sales will go towards the adoption costs of a sweet family in the middle of the adoption process right now! Noonday Collection was originally started to help fund raise for adoption and the company is passionate about supporting families who are in the process of adopting!

 The Howard Family, who will benefit from the show, are friends of friends and they live in TX, not too far from where we used to live in Allen, TX.  I am so honored to be able partner with them to help raise funds for their adoption! If you want to learn more about the Howard Family and their adoption story, click here!  If you want to help support their adoption in other ways besides the Trunkshow, click here to learn more.  

**And if you want to participate in and shop at the upcoming Trunkshow, comment below and I will get the info to you!!  If you are in the Tulsa area, please save the date (November 5th) and join us!  If you are out of town, no problem!  You will still be able to shop online!  Hope to see you there!  

Here are the boys and I out getting donuts awhile back...and I'm wearing one of 

my favorite pair of Noonday earrings, the Calypso Earrings!

October Favorite Things: Chickens and Bees

One of my favorite things about living where we live now is that we finally have chickens again!  We really enjoyed having them when we lived in California!  A few weeks ago, we were able to purchase some Rhode Island Reds, not quite at egg laying age.  They've been so funny to watch, but as of yet they haven't been quite a friendly as our old chickens.  These are easily scared and don't seem very interested in us yet.  Hopefully that will change.

We have made an interesting discovery, though.  We've wondered from the start if two of our seven 'hens' were actually roosters.  I did some research into the matter today.  We have yet to hear them crow, but are 99% sure that we've got two roosters on our hands.  They've got saddle feathers, huge tail feathers, and strut around like a rooster might.  Yikes.  So, we'll what happens with that!

As for bees, they are still on the list.  At this point, I'm hoping for early spring!

October Favorite Things: From the Word

It's been an interesting week. I'm almost laughing at my post two days ago about homeschool, because this week has been anything but my favorite.  Isn't that how it goes sometimes? And I have not been the most fun person to be around for my family. It's always hard to admit that you haven't been who you hoped you would be.  I'm tired and a bit discouraged.  So I thought tonight I would share one of my favorite scriptures...Isaiah 40:31.  It has always brought encouragement to me!

Starting a couple of verses before that...

"Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint."

                                - Isaiah 40:28-31

October Favorite Things: Favorite Meals - Greek Chicken and Quinoa

We have several meals that we really enjoy as a family!  Tonight we had one of those meals...Greek Stuffed Chicken with Greek Quinoa and fresh hummus (made right before dinner!)! YUM!  The only thing missing was some fresh pita, naan, or laffa!  Just as a side note, the picture below was taken in the spring when we had roasted romanesco along with dinner.  I was going to take a new, better picture tonight, but by the time I remembered, everything had been devoured. Oops.

The chicken recipe is from Men's Health a few years ago.  I was still able to find the link for it, though.  Check it out here: Greek-style stuffed chicken!

Here is the fantastic hummus recipe that I used: Smooth Hummus Recipe by Inspired Taste

Seriously, with their help, I have conquered hummus.  Until I discovered this recipe, I just couldn't make it turn out right.  Now I'm dreaming of Roasted Pine Nut Hummus and other varieties! 

As for the Greek Quinoa recipe, it comes from the amazing folks over at Two Peas and Their Pod.  This Greek Quinoa Salad is one of my all time favorites!!!  

If you want to learn more about romanesco, click here! And just for the fun of it, here is a laffa recipe I might need to try: Laffa Bread! Happy eating!

October Favorite Things: Homeschooling!

Our schooling journey has been just that...a journey.  We chose homeschooling in the beginning for the flexibility and freedom it would bring in our schooling and family life.  We took last year off, for various reason, not knowing if we would ever come back to it.  The boys were in our local public school last year and it was a good year.  But we missed the freedom to have a flexible schedule, to take advantage of opportunities, and to do some different things!  So, here we are again.  

I honestly didn't plan to write about homeschooling during this month of favorites.  I wasn't sure if it was one of my favorite things or not.  It has been tough to adjust back to being 'teacher' and it has been challenging to once again balance home life with school life.  But after a month and a half or so of school, I can say that it is a favorite of mine!  I enjoy teaching and facilitating the boys learning time.  I wouldn't miss our weekly field trips and days of exploration for anything! I don't know what the future holds, or how long we will walk this road again, but I will be thankful and relish each day!

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." Proverb 16:9

Going on a short hike at a local nature center.

October Favorite Things: Tulsa Favorites

There are so many places that the boys and I enjoy going here in the Tulsa area. I'm just going to highlight two today.  The first is an obvious choice for many others as well...The Tulsa Zoo.  It doesn't seem to matter how old the boys get, they always enjoy a visit to the zoo.  We went just a couple of weeks ago with some friends and left looking forward to our next visit!

The boys on the statue in front of the zoo entrance.

October Favorite Things: Learning a New Language and Duolingo

My family and I have started learning Spanish together as a family.  Though there are many great resources and games out there to help learn languages, Duolingo is my current favorite.  We all have our own accounts through Duolingo and move along at our own pace.  The boys usually practice 4 times a week. My  husband and I practice almost every every day. It's amazing how even 15 minutes a day can make a language start to come alive!  

There are other things that the boys and I do together to practice learning Spanish.  I check out dual language story books from the library that help us to become familiar with a broad range of words.  I also have them learn basic vocabulary such as the days of the week, months of the year, numbers, etc. As we progress, I hope to include some immersion type conversation to start practicing our new skills!  

If you are looking to learn a new language, or want to brush up on one that you already know, check out Duolingo!

October Favorite Things: Restore International

It is such an honor to talk about today's favorite - Restore International!!  I first heard about Restore International after reading Bob Goff's book Love Does (which is by the way a fantastic book and I recommend you read it as soon as possible!!) Restore was founded by Bob Goff and works to change lives for the better. Whether it is fighting for freedom and human rights, or providing much needed education, they do a good work in several countries across the world.

We've heard Bob Goff speak a couple of times and are always so inspired by him.  If you ever have the chance to hear him speak, do it!!  And then, go love people...because Love Does! And check out Restore International if you are looking for an amazing group to support! Click here to find out more.

Big J with Bob Goff this past January. :)