Spark of Loves this Week: Beans, Bag, Web, Sign, Pixels, Brew, Picture, Sticker, Poppers, and Box

These Beans.

Because Skylar cracked me up when he came back to the table with this large plate of baked beans.  He ate every one of them too.

This Bag.

Because it seems to pass through my family during Christmas from one person to the next with some sort of gift in it.  I was the lucky one to get it this year.  Can't wait till next Christmas to add it back to the rotation.

These Spider Webs.

Because the frost that hits Oregon in the morning makes the webs really stand out.  And makes them look so pretty, don't you think?

This Sign.

Because the neighbor cats seem to irritate Jeff's dad, so instead of the "Curb your Dogs" I gave him a "Curb your Cat" sign.  Ha!

These Pixels.

Because Skylar, as a Storm Trooper looks better in pixels.  :-)

This Micro Brew.

Because New Belgium Brewing is one of my favorite Micro Beer Breweries.

This Picture.

Because the TV is in the floor and you can stand on it.  How cool is that?

This Bumper Sticker.

Because it made me laugh.  

These Poppers.

Because since New Year's I have bought them every time I've seen them.  They are my go-to fun for every get-together and holiday celebration.  I just love them right now.  And did you know, you can make your own?  Check it out HERE!

This Box.

Because Origami is a load of fun.  Here's a few fun Origami crafts you can try, HERE!

Eco-Tip:  Consider buying a high efficiency model dish washer so you don't have to rinse your dishes before putting them in the dish washer.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.

The splendor of Oregon right in my own backyard

Oregon is a beautiful state full of hidden sights that some don't even know about.  After living here for the past nine years, here are a few of my favorite sights that I just can't get enough of and will miss greatly when I move back to Arkansas.  But then again, Arkansas holds its own sights worth bragging about too.

   

Foster Lake in Sweet Home, Oregon

Scott Mountain Rd. in Sweet Home, Oregon

A view of Three Sisters Mountains along U.S. 20 near Sisters, Oregon.

A view of Three Finger Jack along U.S. 20 near Sisters, Oregon

Playing in the snow near Hoodoo Ski Resort.  

Eco-Tip:  Eat local and eat with peace.  For a more strict and brazen approach, go vegan for a month or more.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.

Rosemary Red Potatoes

I simply love rosemary, the scent, the plant itself, and I love cooking it with it most of all.  Along with my Rosemary Mashed Potatoes, I love incorporating the rosemary into other dishes.

Recently I have been using my steamer more and more for fish dishes, vegetables, and even for some fruits.  Steamed pineapple is delicious   The most recent steamer dish I made was steamed rosemary red potatoes.  They are super yummy and very healthy addition to a dinner plate.  Here's how it's done.

  

I use (roughly) 20 small red potatoes, also known as new potatoes.

2 tsp. Sea Salt

1 tsp. Lemon Pepper Seasoning

1 tsp. Rosemary (dried)

3 springs Fresh Rosemary

Wash and cut the red potatoes into bite-sized piece.  Place them into your steamer and add the water underneath.  The steamer I use is an Oster, similar to the ones below. 

Add your herbs and seasonings, all but the fresh rosemary.  Close the lid.

  

Set the timer to 20 minutes.

Cut and wash your fresh rosemary.  I keep a plant growing in my kitchen window for easy access and it thrives there.  After 20 minutes of cooking, add the fresh rosemary on top of the potatoes.

Steam for an additional 20 minutes.

The smell through your kitchen is amazing during this time!

After 40 minutes of total cook time, your potatoes are ready to serve!

Enjoy!

Eco-Tip:  The seasons are changing and now is the time to start mowing your lawn once again.  Instead of bagging your grass clippings, leave them on the lawn to fertilize the grass once again.  This method also reduces the amount of grass waste left in landfills too.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.

Spark of Loves this Week: Skyline, Shoes, Stairs, Book, Account, Tattoo, Tip, Crackers, Scratch-Its, and Kindle

This Skyline.

Because, even though Oregon gets a lot of rain, we get a lot of rainbows and pretty skylines after the rain, too.  Pink sky at night, sailor's delight.

These Shoes.

Because I'm not really a CROCS wearer, but the styles they have now are really comfortable.  

 These Stairs.

Because Skylar was terrified to use them, but soon he was riding them up to the next level at Macy's.  He says he still would rather use the regular stairs over the escalator.  I told him, overall it's a great choice!

This Star Wars Book.

Because it's one of the neatest popup books I have ever seen.  We love popup books in our house!

This Account.

Because my baby now has his own savings account.  He puts his allowance in it from time-to-time and loves to go to the bank to deposit money.  Paint me proud!

This Tattoo.

Because Star Wars is a big deal in our house and anything Star Wars gets put to good use.

This Tip.

Because I thought it was such a great tip to read on a package of snacks.  I just wish more companies would follow the lead.

These Crackers.

Because they are super fun no matter what time of year!  This one had a pair of clippers in it, but the others contained flashlights, small tools, and even a bottle opener in one.  So fun!

These Scratch-Its.

Because I bought a bunch around Christmas and found a few here recently, that I didn't give away or scratch.  I think they are super cute and one of the scratch-its I won $25.  So funny!

Random Photo of the Week:

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This photo was taken around the time we were going to purchase Skylar his Kindle Fire.  We let him play around on one at Staples to see if it would be a good fit.  He loved it.  He has now had his Kindle Fire for about 2 years, and it was a great purchase.  He has used it for school work, looking up information, and even a few math games that have helped him get better with subtracting and multiplication.  

Eco-Tip:  Set up a recycling station in your own home.  Three cans placed near or conveniently to collect glass, metal, and plastic can help cut down on the amount of trash that comes out of your home.  If your state doesn't pay for returned recycling, make a monthly trip to the recycle center with your three containers.  If your state does offer pay back, make it a weekly trip depending on how much waste your family gains.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.