Recipe Time > The Fajita Pita

Last night I cooked up a good ole batch of Fajita Pitas. This super yummy meal was something I learned to make way back in high school when I worked at a little sandwich shop. After some slight tweaking, I have adapted the recipe to include some extra favs to the flavor!

Home-made Fajita Seasoning
You'll need > 1 tablespoon cornstarch. 2 teaspoons chili powder,1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon sugar, 3/4 teaspoon crushed chicken bouillon cube, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cumin

Mix together. Two tablespoons equals about the same as a store bought packet.

You'll also need > Diced Tomatoes, Pitas, Shredded Lettuce, Paprika, Cubed/cut Meat of your choice, sour cream, cheese, ranch dressing, salsa, sliced bell peppers, sliced mushrooms.

Grilling > Grill up mushrooms, peppers and meat, separately or together. Add fajita seasoning while cooking.

Build Your Fajita >
Step One > Butter pita, grill and add ranch dressing.
Step Two > Add Cheese, grilled veggies (if desired) and meat, allow time to melt.
Step Three > Remove from Grill, add Lettuce.
Step Four > Add Tomatoes & Sour Cream.
Step Five > Season with Paprika.

Wabam! Fajita Pita!! It's fun, pretty quick and very very yummy! Enjoy! ♥, mK

On Being an Aunt

One of my greatest joys in my life is being an aunt! I have been blessed with seven nieces and nephews, and that's only the start!

There are the precious times...and there are the times you need tap into the super power of strength which allows for hours and hours of wrestling and running! But both alike, I love it all! Allow me to introduce you to the crew!

Gabe is Mr. Number One! He was born just two days after I moved to Australia back in 2004! He is quite the hard worker and this summer he held his first summer job, willingly, and bought himself a nice little drum set with his earnings!

Isaiah is the one and only nephew that I had the incredible honor of being there from the first minute, which I know has sealed a special bond to him in my heart! He is gentle and sweet and very crafty!

Elijah is the first of the Tlumach family! Elijah is full of energy and often can be found with a cheeky grin on his face! An adorable thing to know about Elijah is that he loves to dress in suits like his daddy! I absolutely love that he calls me Aunt Kiki!

Well, Ben never leaves us without one of his classic goofy faces! He melts my heart every time I see him and he is almost ALWAYS at the airport to greet Dustin and I when we come to visit! He is just tooo cute!!

Lukas is one of the most sweetest little boys you will ever meet! He's a little protector and cuddler! Quite often I will find him by the younger nieces! He is such a good older brother and cousin!

Olivia is the first of the nieces and oh boy were we all so excited! Her clothing shows it, as her mom, grammy and aunts went a little crazy at first! She is one spunky little girl, but would you guess otherwise with her being the sister to three older brothers?

Jhana is such a little people person! She is always smiling and is already quite the fashionable little girl! I can't wait to get to know her little personality better!

Sometimes it is really really hard to be so far from these little cuties, but one thing I can always count on is a little chat on the telephone or a funny story from my sisters or mom! One of the latest being their new nickname for Dustin. It started as Uncle Dusty and ended as Uncle Busty! Ahh, I love these kids! ♥, mK

The Ghetto Bike Mount

Oh man, I just couldn't pass up showing the ingenuity of my dear husband. He is my number one supporter of my blog. In fact, it has been his idea to make fun little videos. After years and years of childhood home-made movies with the sibs, I of course jumped at the idea, ready to dust off the good ole camcorder and put my acting skills to the test!

Well, maybe not a shoulder camcorder, but our new Go-Pro would be perfect.  Dustin had the great idea to take a ski pole and ghetto-rig it to the front of our tandem. With the help of our good friend, Duct Tape, and some zip ties, we were peachy and ready to ride!

Wanna see the actual video?? I've conveniently placed it to the right for your viewing pleasure! I am thinking there are probably going to be a heap more vids, so keep on the look out! ♥, mK

Favorite Spaces > Backyard Living

This week's favorite space is actually Dustin and my current place of residence. We have been so blessed to have the opportunity to stay with Dustin's parents for both this past and coming month as a way to save money before our big move. Each night that we spend out in the backyard, which has been many, I think to myself, gosh I need to show off my in-laws outdoor living style! So, here we are, and I think you will agree it's quite the perfect space for all seasons of the year, not just summer!

Dustin's mom made these wine glass candles! They are quite easy to make and last a super long time! Very classy, I think! Maybe we need to have a D.I.Y post with my mother-in-law!

This space has been the place of choice for a whole list of celebrations as well as just simple relaxing nights after a long day at work! And, ya know what? I look forward to spending yet another night tonight BBQing with friends and fam! I hope your evening is filled with just as much joy as I know mine will! ♥, mK

The Six Month Anniversary Giveaway!!

Remember those first few months of dating, when almost every month was a celebration of yet another month of being a happy couple? Eventually month anniversary's turn into year anniversary's and then somewhere way down the line it seems only the decades are the one's worth taking the trip to Hawaii for, huh!? Well, call me cutsie-crazy, but I am not about to let my 6 month blogging anniversary go down with out a little celebration! So, on September 3rd, my 6 month anniversary, I'm giving away three super fun items to three lucky winners as my way of saying THANK YOU for being my guest here on From the Guest Room! Here's the line-up...

$25 gift card to my absolute favorite Etsy store, O Jolie! Dustin and I proudly wear our personalized necklaces quite often; it's my go-to necklace!

Remember my dream Lemon & Lime kitchen? Well, this bright Lemon & Lime duo will surely light up someone's kitchen with a little citrus flare!

And for my final giveaway item, I am excited to give a little foreshadowing to an autumn addition to From the Guest Room, the Guest Room Closet! This headband is just one of the many items you'll soon be able to purchase on my own little online shop!

To Enter into this Giveaway >> All you have to do is leave a comment below telling me which post has been your favorite over the past six months! On September 3rd, I'll reveal the three winners of my anniversary giveaway! Thanks for stopping by and Good Luck! ♥, mK

Fall Back into Autumn

The other week while "playing barbie" at work, I was asked to quick pose for a local boutique owner's weekly column. Ivy Parnasius, the owner of Pollux, the adorable shop I just spoke of, does such a good job with her weekly article. This particular piece was aimed for those headed back to the books, and even though I may not be headed back to school, I can still window shop! And that's exactly what I did, well browser window shopped! Here's my autumn fav's of Ivy's top five trends!

Trend Number One > Blazer, found at H&M!

Trend Number Two > Printed Dress, found at Gap!

Trend Number Three > Boots,  found at Piperlime!

Trend Number Four > Belt, found at H&M!

Trend Number Five > Messenger Bag, found at Modcloth!

What trend are you most excited about for the Fall? ♥, mK

Venture Down A River

When I was a really little girl, my grandparents used to take me and my cousins to their cabin. And, behind this quaint little mountain home ran a river. I remember we used to jump in old tire tubes and cruise on down the rapid filled (or so I thought) creek! So, when I moved to the river-containing town of Grand Junction three years ago, you can imagine my eagerness to relive those precious memories.

This past Sunday, Dustin, myself and a few friends of ours pulled out floating devices of quite the assortment (I believe Dustin was using a Baby-Pool to float, no joke!) and headed to the Colorado. Between all the relaxing and the occasional ripple in the bend, we were able to snap a few photos. What's one of your favorite recreational things to do in the summer?  ♥, mK

The Sale Rack > Dress for the Rockestra

Over the weekend, Dustin and I, along with his parents, went to the Grand Junction Rockestra concert. It was a beyond fantastic show, one which I would recommend to anyone and everyone. This is what I wore!

The Outfit >
Vanessa Dress: Pollux Clothing Company, Green Bracelet: Charlotte Russe, Shoes: Ross. Total cost of outfit > right around $30! I love Sales!!

♥, mK

A Cute little Vid from my Hubby!

From the Guest Room Promo from plaidowlproductions on Vimeo.

Last night, Dustin pulled out the Go-Pro and put together a short little video for my blog! He is so adorable! Okay and seriously on a side note, look at his flips - if you think that is impressive...picture him doing that on a snowboard off a 25 foot booter. He keeps me on my toes, that's for sure! Interesting little behind-the-scenes fact; if you notice on my pike, I ripped my shirt, haha. Guess its been a few years since I've done one of those! Hope you enjoyed our quirky little vid!  ♥, mK

The Sale Rack > Boldly Be

I love heels, but sometimes I get a bit bashful to wear them because when I do, I instantly become nearly 6 feet tall. The other day, I wanted so badly to wear my newest set of heels and decided, who cares if I am towering over everyone, boldly be! This was my result!

The Outfit >
Crocheted Top: Swapped, Loose Flower Top: Random Shop in Osaka, Jeans: Hollister, Heels: Ross, Howling Wolf Earrings: Antique Shop for only one Dollar!! I believe, this outfit only cost a total of forty dollars! Yay!

♥, mK

Fashion For Food + Giveaway

All-New Spread Campaign from Light Gives Heat on Vimeo.

Isn't it soo much fun when two of the things you love most come together into one beautiful mix of loveliness? It's kinda like chocolate and peanut butter, but way better! Well, just recently, my love for Fashion and my love for Social Change collided into an empowering tool from Light Gives Heat called the Spread Campaign.  The campaign is set to launch this coming Monday, August the 22nd and since I work with LGH, I was able to take part in the soft launch, which allowed me to prepare my Spread-store early.

Today, I am proud to present my Spread Campaign Store: Fashion For Food. From today until December 25th, I am looking to raise enough money through the sales on my store to provide a year's worth of food just in time for Christmas. Whether you buy a Suubi bracelet for yourself, a birthday gift for your friend or a t-shirt for your dad's Christmas stocking, together we'll raise 365 plates full of food for women, men and kids in Uganda.

In celebration of my new store, I'm giving away one of these four t-shirts, your choice! The Moving On T-shirt Collection is exclusive to the Spread Campaign starting this Monday and are very special because they were each designed from the inspiration of the Light Gives Heat Documentary, Moving On.

To Enter:
1 > Be a Follower of my blog, go onto Fashion For Food store and leave me a comment telling me which item is your fav!

Bonus Chances to Win:
2 > Like Light Gives Heat on Facebook and leave me an extra comment telling me you did so.
3 > Buy an item on my Fashion For Food Store and leave me an extra comment telling me what you bought!

If you want to start your own campaign store, go here for more information! Giveway ends next Thursday, August the 25th, Four months before Christmas! ♥, mK

The Guest > Reader & Blogger Amber Gragert

Today, I am excited to introduce you to my friend and guest, Amber Gragert. Amber is not only a reader of From the Guest Room, but she also writes a blog of her own, The Snappy Snap Pea. If you want to eat good tonight, I highly recommend checking out her yummy recipes!

Amber was born a Cali girl but lived most of her life in the Midwest; in Western Nebraska, where her family ran a 60 room conference center for 5 years, but primarily here in Colorado. She currently lives in Grand Junction with her handsome son and husband, Jeff.

mK: What is your all time favorite meal to cook or to eat?
Amber: My all time favorite foods are my grandmother's ginger snaps and my mom's lasagna (Both women pictured above), and am sworn to secrecy to never give either recipe out. They're more secret than Bush's Baked Beans!

 mK: What makes you come alive?
Amber: The colors of the leaves here, come autumn, are one thing that makes me come alive. That, and the smell of my grandmother's Ginger snaps at Christmas time, our baby Jag's cuddly hugs and smile, and seeing Jeff when he gets home from work; still get twitterpated when I see that man!

mK: Mmm...ginger snaps sound delicious!! So, where is the most interesting place you have traveled to?
Amber: The most interesting place I've ever been is China. I went there with others from church my senior year. The culture, food, art, everything is just so different and amazing! The Christians there are so alive and on fire. And so hospitable! Once the social ice has been broken they were so excited to have us over for a traditional meal and impress us with their English. My only regret is that I didn't get to go to the Great Wall.

mK: Name one thing that is on your bucket list?
Amber:  My bucket list is long and has no order but a few would be: Visiting China to see the Great Wall and the Terracotta Army, as well as Thailand, and Japan to experience the Sakura (cherry blossom) Festival. Along with living to see my grandchildren, and owning a pair of Christian Loubouiton heels!

mK: What is something fun and random about yourself?
Amber: A few random things most people don't know about me: Jeff and I met in Jr. High youth group, I modeled for a few years - which got my face on the tags of Loki beanies! And, homemade cheesecakes are my specialty!

I am not surprised Amber would have a specialty in making cheesecakes, after all, she does have a blog about tasty food and recipes! I am so excited to be able to introduce you to the individual wonderful people I get to meet along the journey of life. To be featured as a guest, click here and send me an email! I'd love to hear from you! ♥, mK