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...