LIFE. IS. SHORT.

We've never really shared personal thoughts or opinions on our blog before, so this is a little new to us.  Our goal in this is that we can encourage others to open their eyes a little more, and be open to the fact that life is really beautiful and should be cherished.

When I first sat down to write this post, I thought I'd just put a few motivational pictures on here, and call it a day, but when I began, I felt led to dive a little more deeper into the notion that we're only here for a short amount of time.  I've always had this philosophy that God created this earth, and I wanted to cherish every moment that I'm here.  We are so guilty, especially myself, of getting caught up in the mundane tasks that are required of us on a daily basis, that we forget to stop and be thankful for what we have.  It's not easy... we're not wired to be like that.  It's natural for us to get distracted, but one day, these blessings we overlook will be gone.  Everything in this life will eventually perish, so we should cherish and value the time we do have.

I think we should live it up.  There's always that saying "live today as if it was your last."  For me, that's not always possible, because I promise, if today was my last day on this earth, I wouldn't be worried about that deadline for my 15 page research paper, or going to work that day.  I don't think that quote is very realistic, but what we should do is acknowledge that life is short, and we should do more of what we love when possible.  Ashlynn and I love to travel, so when we can, we travel.  After all, if God made this beautiful earth, we want to see as much of it as we can while we're here.  Why not?  Just do it.  If there's something you love, or want to do, make a plan, set a goal, and do it!

While on the subject of life being short, we should probably talk about how life is hard also.  It is.  It's hard!  And don't let any pastor trying to get you saved tell you otherwise.  When you inherit the kingdom of God, it's going to be tough at times.  Christianity does not make life easier.  When we become Christians, we automatically inherit an adversary that will do anything to take us down.  That's a reality that I think many Christians try to ignore.  I think many times, pastors try to paint this picture of if we just believe in Christ, we'll be happy-go-lucky, running through the fields with our Savior, without a care in the world.  That's not true.  Now, don't get me wrong.  When times are tough, we have Jesus Christ to turn to and lean on.  That's actually been my only saving grace at many times in my life.  If you asked me why I believe in Jesus Christ, I would tell you not only by faith, which is extremely important, but by what he's done in my life.  You can't tell me I lucked up and just stumbled upon marrying Ashlynn.  Seriously.  Those of you who know me personally know that my luck sucks.  It really does.  If there's a hard way, you can bet it'll be harder for me.  That's just how I roll, and I've finally learned to accept it and embrace it.  But anyway, God brought Ashlynn and I together.  It wasn't luck.  There's no way I could have it this good without divine intervention.  My life is amazing.  Easy?  NO!  Amazing, definitely, because whatever I had envisioned in my past for what my life would be, is ten times better with my wife by my side.  If I ever questioned God's love for me, all I have to do is look at my wife.  It's right there.

This is one thing that Ashlynn and I really had to work together on last year, and even this year.  We'll probably be working on it our entire lives, but it's important to be happy.  If someone's bringing you down, or just simply toxic to your character, just let them go.  Life is simply too short.  I decided last year that I would spend as much of my time with people I loved and loved me than with others that have nothing better to do than bring you down.  Be happy.  Surround yourself with people you enjoy being with.  Also, those people that bring you down in no way define your character or what type of person you are.  It only speaks of their heart, their failures, their shortcomings, and ultimately their ignorance.  So remember that, when someone is responding negatively towards you, ask yourself, "what does that say about them?" instead of what that says about you.

I want to end this post with this video.  This is from someone that just recently passed away from cancer at age 27.  The man in this video, Nick, made it so his daughter can see that her dad loved the Lord, and that God the Father will take care of her.  

The point I'm trying to make with all of this is that we should soak up every single second with our children, our spouses, our parents, our family, our friends... we should cherish our travels, where we are, where we've been, and where we have yet to go, because everything works together for the glory of God.  Everything.  Instead of living like today was our last, why don't we love like today was our last.  That changes everything.

DIY KITCHEN TABLE.

You know what's funny?  Now that rustic furniture has hit the mainstream and is the new "thing," expensive furniture stores are imitating these unique pieces with unique price tags as well.  Sure, if you don't have the time, go for it, but we find something rewarding, and appreciative when we restore furniture ourselves.  

This table took about two days total to complete with work, the commute, and a graduate class in-between.  

Here's the before shot... in all of it's glory.  Not a bad looking table to begin with!  We didn't sand the original piece.  We primed it, put a coat of paint on it, and then distressed it.  After that, we sealed the deal with a couple of coats of polyacrylic.  You can see a tutorial video of how we chose to paint the table here.  We used a special paint that was developed here in Nashville, called Blackberry House Paint.  It dries evenly, doesn't streak, and doesn't have harmful fumes.

Our chairs came from Stein Mart.  After an exhaustive search from about 6 different HomeGoods and TJ Maxx stores, we found these!  

MINESTRONE WITH GARLIC CROUTONS AND WHITE CHEDDAR.

It's true... the picture is a little blurry.  Don't judge.  I was wrapped up in the moment... trying to snap a picture before I devoured every bite of this delicious soup packed with nutrients.

We wanted to share this recipe courtesy of Eat Live Run.  Jenna Beaugh shared this on her blog last week, and we've been itching to try it ever since.  We changed things up just a little though.  We added parsley, and bell pepper.  We also used chicken broth instead of water.   I also made awesome garlic croutons as well and sprinkled white cheddar on top.

You can view Jenna's post here.  This minestrone was filled with caramelized onion, garlic, butternut squash... you get it.  Do yourself a favor.  Make it!

Minestrone

from Jenna Beaugh at Eat Live Run

Ingredients:

1 cup dried cannellini beans

1 yellow onion, small dice

4 carrots, small dice

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped

1 small butternut squash, small diced {or any other winter squash}

1 fennel bulb, small dice

2 cups loosely packed spinach leaves, rough chopped

2 bay leaves

3 tbsp olive oil

3 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 tsp salt

pepper

parmesan cheese for serving

Directions:

The night before, soak the beans in cold water in a large pot. In the morning, drain the beans, add fresh water {about 3″ above beans} and simmer until very tender – about 1 hour. Drain cooked beans and reserve cooking liquid.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and fennel and saute for about 15-20 minutes until veggies are soft and onion has started to turn golden brown. Don’t skimp on this step because it adds so much flavor for the soup later!

Add the garlic, rosemary, bay leaves and salt and saute for another 3 minutes. Then, add the water and the squash. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender – about 15 minutes.

When the squash has become tender, add the beans and enough bean cooking liquid until you reach desired thickness. Keep in mind that this soup is supposed to be very thick so don’t add to much liquid here! Less is more. Add the spinach and cook just until the spinach has wilted.

Adjust seasonings if need be and serve soup topped with a tbsp {or more!} of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Bread is always a good idea as well.

Croutons (from The Pioneer Woman):

• 1/2 loaf Crusty French Bread
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 2 cloves Fresh Garlic (peeled)
•  Salt To Taste

Slice the bread into thick slices and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Throw them onto a baking sheet.

Heat olive oil in a small saucepan or skillet over low heat.

Peel and crush—but don’t chop—2 cloves of garlic and add them to the oil. Use a spoon to move the garlic around in the pan. After about 3 to 5 minutes, turn off the heat and remove the garlic from the pan.

Slowly drizzle the olive oil over the bread cubes. Mix together with your hands, then sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake at 200º for one hour, shaking the pan occasionally.

One hour after baking, crank up the heat to 400 degrees. Bake them on high heat for just a few minutes.

13 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT OUR MARRIAGE.

Hey guys!  We've been MIA for quite some time now!  2013 was... interesting for us.  Many highs and a few lows, but we're blessed and thankful for it because it has prepared us for 2014.  Last you heard from us, we were preparing for a half marathon in Panama City Beach, Florida, and let us be the first to tell you, it went great!  We'll do a post about the race soon, but we had a great time.  People seem to think we're crazy for loving it so much, and maybe we are, but we love it nonetheless.  Some people hate running, but it's a great way to get out, travel, and many times, support different charities.

We've decided to shift gears a little bit here on the blog this year.  We will still focus on food, exercise, DIY projects, etc., but we're shifting our direction to share a slightly more personal perspective of our lives.  After all, the blog is called Schruff Shenanigans (pronounced Shruff).  We want you to know what we're up to in the moment.  We have a lot of great ideas, and events coming up, and can't wait to share them with you.

But back to the whole purpose of this post.  With us shifting gears, we thought it would be fun to share with you 13 interesting facts about our marriage, just to give you an insider's look to how we got started.  We consider our marriage a blessing, and we are best friends.  We definitely didn't go the conventional route, but if you know us, we're anything but conventional.  We chose 13 facts because we got married of Friday the 13th.  We wouldn't trade any of it for the world.

1.  When we first met, Trey was 19, and Ashlynn was 14.  (We obviously didn't start dating then).

2.  We met through a mutual friend, Christine, at a church where Trey's uncle was a youth pastor.

3.  We didn't actually start dating until about six years after we first met.

4.  Before we started dating, Ashlynn had moved back home from school, and so had Trey.

5.  On our first lunch date, Ashlynn was 45 minutes late.  (It was love)

6.  We dated two month's before Trey proposed.  Trey actually had the thought to propose when he was shopping for a promise ring, one month after they started dating.

7.  One person thought we'd be divorced in three years.  Our five year anniversary is next month.

8.  We were engaged nearly two month's before we decided to go ahead and get married.

9.  We got married in Pensacola, Florida.

10.  5 months into being married, we packed up, and moved to Tennessee, where we currently reside.

11.  We didn't know it at the time, but we ended up completing our undergraduate degrees together and graduated together in 2012.

12.  Ashlynn graduated Cum Laude, but Trey's 3.49 GPA didn't make the cut.

13.  We were married on Friday the 13th.  We call it our lucky day.

LET'S EAT! (DIY)

When we travel, we always like to look around antique and home stores, and see what we can find.  Around different places, we kept seeing these signs for your kitchen that simply say "eat."  The problem is they ranged from $60-$200, depending on where we were, so we decided to recreate the sign ourselves.

So, we went to Hobby Lobby, bought these letters for $2.99 each, and a can of spray paint.  The best part is the 50% off coupon we had for the purchase.  The entire purchase was around $10.00.  That definitely beats the $60-$200 we could've spent on a sign in a shop.  We've learned that being frugal doesn't always mean sacrifice!  And on top of that, the project took us maybe 30 minutes max!  

"Lighter" Homemade Biscuits

I'm just going to say it. Life is too short to not eat biscuits. I think one of the biggest obstacles that overweight American's have is the fact that they believe they have to sacrifice the foods they love in order to be healthy, and to an extent, their is definitely some truth to that statement. You can't eat fried butter, and expect to see great results on the scale, but you can take the foods you love, and modify them slightly, and they still are packed with all the flavor, more nutrient-dense, and less calories. I used to think that dieting or eating healthy meant you can't cook either, but what I've learned is that actually eating healthier allows for more experimentation than ever before. It's true. Sometimes, things turn out amazing. Other times, it's a bust, like the creamy tomato soup I made with almond milk the other day. It was a COMPLETE bust. But that's the fun of it. Finding foods that taste amazing, but that are still good for you.

Let's talk about yogurt for a minute. Yogurt replaces half of the butter in this recipe. Let me get something off my chest... I'm not a fan of greek yogurt.. AT ALL. I really don't like it, but I've learned that in most situations, when you use yogurt in baking, or cooking in general, you have no idea it's even in the food your preparing! I was so reluctant to cook with yogurt because I was afraid I would hate it, but I was completely wrong. The first thing I used yogurt for was substituting it for mayonnaise in pimento and cheese sandwiches. Like I said before, I had no idea it wasn't mayonnaise. So, I'd really like to encourage others that are trying to lead a healthier lifestyle to just try it, and see what you think.

Back to the biscuits! I'm not going to lie... my traditional biscuits are smothered in butter. SMOTHERED. There's melted butter in the skillet I place them in. There's a stick of butter in the biscuits themselves, and then there's butter on top of the biscuit dough as it cooks. I don't know whether to stop my mouth from watering, or run to the stairmaster. In this recipe, there are only four tablespoons, instead of two sticks, but all of you southerners out there will be pleasantly surprised. This recipe is very simple, not intimidating. If you've ever made biscuits before, it's a piece of cake. If you've never made biscuits before, then good! This is a great place to start. We start with flour. I used self-rising. You can easily substitute half of the flour for whole wheat pastry flour for a more nutrient-dense biscuit. Then we have the four infamous tablespoons of butter, along with four tablespoons of non-fat greek yogurt. The yogurt lends to the moistness of the biscuit, and also makes the biscuit taste almost like a buttermilk biscuit. You can't go wrong there. Then, I add almond milk. You can definitely use non-fat milk, or whatever your liking may be. I used almond milk because of the calorie intake. Unsweetened almond milk has 30 calories per cup, while skim milk has 90 calories. Big difference. Try these biscuits. They're quick, light, and don't weigh you down. They contain about 160 calories each. 

Lighter Homemade Biscuits
yields 8 biscuits

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups self-rising flour
4 packets truvia, or sweetener of choice
4 tablespoons butter, cubed
4 tablespoons non-fat greek yogurt
3/4 cup almond milk

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, combine flour and sweetener together. With your fingers, mash the butter into the flour mixture until it begins to resemble a coarse sandy mixture. Then, add the yogurt, and stir with a fork to combine. Add the milk to the flour mixture slowly, a little at a time, stirring until the dough just comes together. Pour dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to desired thickness. Cut the dough with a small biscuit cutter. Spray a skillet or pan with non-stick spray, place biscuits in the pan or skillet, and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN SURVIVAL GUIDE

Anyone that has followed our other blog, Dudes Cook Too, knows that we love the Smoky Mountains. We even had the privilege of living there over the past year. It's always been a place to get away, and forget about your worries, relax, and renew yourself. We have family that lives there, and we always have the best time with them whether it be hiking, picnicking, or just spending time with each other.

Last April, we hiked to Mt. Leconte, one of the most popular hikes in the National Park. The trail we took was around 12 miles. These are our fearless family/hiking buddies. We had a great time, although I'm not sure any of us are ready for it again. It was definitely the most strenuous hike I've ever done, but I'm so glad we went.

When one goes to the Smoky's, there are certain rules that apply. Most importantly, calories don't count. That's a rule, right? It's my rule... that's for sure. With that being said, it's very important to pack the appropriate snacks.

These PERFECT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES will do fine. This my favorite cookie recipe, originally posted on Eat Live Run. Y'all, these are moist, chewy... life changing cookies. You should try them right now.

I don't know this dude... but that's not the point. The point is to always bring your Eno Hammock. Photo creds go to austinkayak.com, by the way. Don't have an Eno? Get one! My in-laws got me one for Christmas last year, and I love it!! You won't regret it. That's also a really cool cover for it also, that honestly, I didn't know existed until just now.

Next, you need a good book, and I recommend this one. I've actually read this before, but am about to read it again. It's touches on so many aspects of Christianity, and has had a powerful impact on so many lives.

Not so much as a way to survive, but definitely a place you don't want to miss is Pancake Pantry. Seriously... GO. It's in Gatlinburg, and if you go during peak season, I'd suggest going around 7:00 am because the line will be a mile long by 9:00 am. This is my favorite place to eat in the Smoky's... other than Nany's Kitchen... but we'll get to that in a minute. I recommend trying the Peanut Butter Syrup, if you're a PB fan like myself.

I don't have a picture or a link for the last two survival tips, but they come from this cabin right here. This is Nany's cabin, one of my favorite places on earth. Every time we go see her, she always fixes a Smoky Mountain Breakfast, which consists of Biscuits, Bacon, Eggs, Grits... and usually syrup with peanut butter for the biscuits. Remember... calories don't count. It's a rule. This is a staple that I request all the time. I've always loved breakfast, but it just seems so much better there. Last, but not least, you need a peanut butter cake! Nany has her own recipe, but if you're going to make one, I suggest picking up the Joy the Baker Cookbook, and trying her Peanut Butter Birthday Cake. I just realized I talk a lot about peanut butter in this post. Maybe I should just put a picture of a jar of PB, and call it a day. Here's the deal on the Smokies. All the attractions are great... Dollywood, Ripley's Aquarium, but take some time to see what the Smokies are really all about, and that's nature. Take a drive through Cades Cove...it's a must.