Simple Things

Today as I sit with my wool socks on, sipping a cup of tea....I was reminded of my new years resolution to plan less and stay at home more. As we are well into the third month of the year, I feel like this resolution is ringing true. I have found myself comfy and cozy around the house many days this year wearing my wool socks and sipping tea. We've been taking numerous walks around our neighborhood with Nellie and cooking more dinners in our own kitchen.

I am learning to find happiness in my own surroundings and the familiarity of life. I've striving to be more content with the simple things right in front of me. Life is not all about the GO, GO, GO. There is plenty of time to explore and try new things. Sometimes the best moments in life are the candid ones on your own couch (I think Nellie would agree with this!). In these simple moments I can hear myself think, I take time to pray, and the busy pace of life stops for awhile. I am learning to appreciate the simplicity of staying home and the beautiful things that God has put right in front of me and around me.

What is something simple that you have found beauty in today?

Claude and the delicious square of banana bread!

When on vacation earlier this month, Pete and I had the most amazing breakfast at The Loft. This is one of the restaurants at the Montage hotel in Laguna Beach (picture of our view to the left). Shortly after being taken to our table, we were greeted by Claude (a fancy french waiter). His accent and disposition made me want to quickly put my napkin on my lap and sit a little straighter in my chair. But his warm smile and beautiful descriptions of each item on the menu made him very likeable. I liked him even more when he brought us these delicious little morsels of banana bread before our meal arrived. Upon asking for another plate of these morsels (Yes I'm guilty), Claude offered me the recipe. He said a couple years ago he began printing out copies for his customers as this banana bread was so popular. So because Claude was so thoughtful to share with me....I just had to share with you. :)

I am waiting for some of my bananas to over-ripen and I plan to make it this week. Thank-you Claude!

The Loft Banana Bread Recipe

16oz flour

16 oz brown sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

4 over ripe bananas pured

1/4 pound melted butter

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. baking powder

2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, add the four, brown sugar, baking soda, and baking powder and thoroughly mix until everything is incorporated. In a second bowl, add buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, butter, and banana puree and whisk until everything is a smooth consistency.

Grease a 13x9x2 baking pan.

When pan and oven are both ready, add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and combine quickly. Batter may be slightly lumpy. Do not over mix the batter. Empty batter into the greased pan and put directly in the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes and check with a toothpick or cake knife. Toothpick should come out clean. Continue baking for an additional 5 minutes and check that bread is cooked through. Remove from oven and cool. Cut and serve!!!

Finding Love in Sourdough Toast

Happy Valentine's Day! My favorite holiday has looped back around once again. A holiday full of surprises, the unexpected, and going big for LOVE. And it is also time again for my annual valentine's blog message :)

Pete and I recently returned home from a wonderful vacation to southern california. We had a lot of much needed quality time together. I think we were literally with each other every minute for 8 days. I loved each one of those minutes for a different reason!

The funny thing is while on this vacation we discovered we both have an undying love for sourdough toast. Now for 5 and 1/2 years of marriage, we've never realized this. How you may ask? Well I've always noticed that Pete ordered sourdough toast when we are out for breakfast, but I always thought he did it because I liked it so much and then he could share a piece with me. Pete thought that (after all these years) I always buy sourdough toast at the grocery store just for him to make his sandwiches with. While out for breakfast in Laguna Beach, it came out that we both actually love sourdough toast and we have ever since we were children. We had a good laugh and were pretty touched that we both thought the other one was sacrificing sourdough toast.

I thought this story was a good one for Valentine's Day. Whether you have been married 5 1/2 years, 6 months, or 52 years. . . never stop finding out what your spouse loves. You may find out your taste buds have more things in common than you once thought. :) It always amazes me that year after year of knowing and loving someone you. . .there is always more to know and more to love about that person. That is what makes love so unbelievable and so adventurous!

So this year my Valentine's challenge is to you is to search out something new to love in your spouse or significant other, your friend, your parent, your child, or your co-worker. Add another reason to the list of why you love them or how they make your life a better place. That is what Valentine's Day is all about.

LOVE,

Maggie

12 steps forward or 12 steps back?

Happy 2012! We have 12 months to make this year count and January is already in full swing! It was my new year resolution two years ago to start this blog and I have kept it going. Happy 2nd Anniversary Tell Me Moor! I write in waves, but my passion is always there. :)

I am all about new years resolutions. There is something extremely inspiring to me about setting new goals and having a clean slate to begin working on them. Each new year, Pete and I sit down, write them out, and talk about them. It is neat to look back at the end of a year and see where we have come-what goals we've accomplished and which ones we need to carry over to the next year. Someone asked me the other day, "But what if you fail?" I believe when setting a resolution the number one rule is don't be afraid of failing. If you fear failure you will not set your goals as high. You won't push yourself to take steps forward. Secondly, of course you will fail. Each year there is at least two or three resolutions I fail at, but then I step back and look at my life. Why didn't I accomplish that goal? Is that goal still a priority to me? And then most importantly, does that goal correlate with God's plan for my life? So go for it-make some resolutions-push yourself to take 12 steps forward this year in the right direction.

We usually make a long list of resolutions that cover lots of areas of life-personal, relationship spiritual, finance, career, travel, health, and recreational. They are big, small, silly, challenging, unique, and sometimes laughable-but they motivate us to keep taking those steps. Below I have shared 12 of our resolutions for 2012. I hope to blog about their progress this coming year. :)

1.) Start learning spanish (Maggie)

2.) Plan less, stay at home more (Both)

3.) Break 80 at golf (Pete)

4.) 100 pizza challenge (Both)

5.) Go somewhere I've never been (Maggie)

6.) 1 new hike a month (Both)

7.) Decide where we are going to live long term (Both)

8.) Grow in the patience (Maggie)

9.) Join a ministry at church (Pete)

10.) Read one book a month for sheer enjoyment (Maggie)

11.) Maintain a weekly date night (Both)

12.) Find joy in something new and out of the ordinary (Both)

Wrapping it up

We are wrapping presents, but we are also wrapping up another year. As we start the final count down to 2012 (just 15 days away)...We are excited and hopeful for a new year full of new goals, new dreams, and new directions. 2011 was full of goodness, but it had it's challenges too.

And more so than other years, we are ready to close this chapter and open a new one.

Although, 2011 will not be forgotten. Last year at this time, we prepared to ring in the new year in Haiti for an experience we will never forget as God blessed our lives thru the Haitian people. Through out this past year, we were both blessed with new jobs that we love and we've embraced life school-free. Most of all, we thank God for our health. During 2011 we've experienced some health scares on a personal level-but it has taught us to value not the year, not the month, not the week and not the day, but the moments we share with the ones we love. Lastly, we said goodbye to Pete's grandma Pegge Moormeier this summer. We miss her and cherish her and the memories she has left with us.

So as you enjoy the final weeks of 2011 we wish you joy, happiness, and most of all LOVE. We hope you take time to remember the events and the people of this past year -the good, the bad, and the ugly. Let them guide you, inspire you, motivate you, or change you as we turn the corner for another year.

We want to thank-you for being part of our lives! We feel so loved by our family and friends!

Have yourselves a Merry Little Christmas! May ALL your days be MERRY and BRIGHT!

Love Always,

Pete and Maggie Moormeier

Together at last

My brother and his wife Laura live in San Diego with their precious baby Elle. My parents live in our home town of Birch Bay, WA. Pete and I live in Portland, OR. ....Although the three states are right in a line, we rarely find ourselves ALL in the same state at the same time. This past weekend we reunited in Birch Bay for a cozy fall weekend.

Pete and I were thrilled for some much needed family time and the best perk of all was spending time with our niece Elle Grey (who will be turning ONE in December). We had so much fun watching her speed crawl, attempt to walk, giggle, and chase after nellie.

The girls hit up the local pumpkin patch while the guys caught a Husky game in Seattle. My parents made us a tasty dinner of steak and halibut on Saturday night and we lounged around the bay and just caught up. A memorable weekend and a good reminder just how important family is.

Just licked out the bowl...

These are my favorite cookies in the whole world. My mom has been making them since I was a little girl. They are Pete's favorite now too. Just finished a batch....were perfect for dessert.

Cheryl Weg's NO BAKE COOKIES :)

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
2 teasp. cocoa
1/2 cup butter - 1 stick
1/4 teasp salt
mix above and full hard boil for 1 minute ( a little longer is ok)

then immediately. add:
1/2 c crunchy peanut butter (or creamy)
3 c. quick oats
1/2 teasp. vanilla

mix well and drop on wax paper or foil.