Lemons and Basil is my little piece of the internet where I share my love for all things food as well as a look into our day-to-day lives! I have no formal training as a cook, only the experience of trial and error. Most of the recipes you’ll find here are full of fresh produce and whole foods, which is the way I try to eat about 75-80% of the time. I believe strongly in living a balanced life and while I love to fuel my body with wholesome and nutritious food, I also have a terrible sweet tooth {hello ice cream!} and love to partake in the joys of socializing with others around food, be it healthy or not.
A little more about me…
In January of 2008, I married my best friend, Josh – it’s hard to believe we’re coming up on our 12th wedding anniversary! Josh has worked on the Worship side of the Christian music industry over the last decade and is immensely tallented. Aside from working full time and being an amazing dad and husband, he’s also working towards getting his Masters in Human Behavior. He deserves all the credit for building and designing this blog. He is continuously creative and has a deep desire to learn new things and challenge himself. He is way more patient with me than I deserve and believes in me when I don’t believe in myself.
We live in Franklin, TN with our two little ones. We’ve got a little boy who just turned 4, and a sweet baby girl who just celebrated her second birthday. These two precious beings have taught me more about life and love than I ever dreamed possible. Until I became a mother, I never knew I could experience so many emotions…all in one day, ha! But being a mother is the most rewarding job I’ve ever had. I’m so honored to be their mom – they manage to delight and humble me day after day.
Aside from playing around in the kitchen, decorating our home and helping others with theirs is one of my greatest joys. My actual field of education and experience is in Interior Design. Prior to the birth of our son in 2015, I spent six years working full-time for a residential design firm in the Green Hills area of Nashville. In many ways, I miss the fast pace, creative, meticulous and incredibly gratifying days of seeing a large project from start to finish. But as much as I loved my time in that world, I’m so thankful for the opportunity to be home with our babies. I still dabble in design, doing more consulting these days than full-serve design work, but it gives me an outlet for creativity and ensures my days are never dull!
I feel so very blessed to be living this life!
If you’re still wanting to know a little more…
Sweets are my thing, if I’m going to “cheat” let it be Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream – Dark Chocolate and Brambleberry Crisp ice cream in a giant waffle cone!
I am NOT a vegetarian, but a lot of the dishes I create and feed my family are vegetarian, and nearly all of the recipes featured here on Lemons and Basil are vegetarian with a few exceptions.
Fall is, absolutely, my favorite time of the year! The smell of drying leaves, baked goodies filled with cinnamon and pumpkin spice, walking through the pumpkin patch, it’s all so charming and pleasant!
I’ve become obsessed with houseplants and have close to 30, including succulents.
I love music of all sorts, but some favorites would be worship, the Standards (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Michael Buble) and folksy (The Civil Wars, Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, The Head and the Heart, Of Monsters and Men, etc.) – so many favorites!
I love to dance, which doesn’t necessarily equate to being a good dancer, but I love it all the same. Cranking up the music and having “dance party” with Josh and the kiddos has become a fairly regular thing!
I lost my mom in January 2016, after she battled over two years with a really rare neurological disease. It was by far the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced. And I never thought I’d be raising my own kids and not have her here. I miss her deeply.
Follower of Jesus.
I love grocery shopping – although it’s a lot harder these days with two little ones – but I honestly love browsing the aisles – reading the ingredients and nutrition info.
I’m a pretty big sucker for Christmas movies and music, much to Josh’s chagrin.😬
I hate mustard… and the color red. Odd, I know.🤷♀️
I love to read Historical Christian Fiction books, although let’s be real, I don’t read much these days with the little ones, but I do listen to a lot of audiobooks as I work on things once the kids are in bed! Historical Biblical fiction is a genre I’m really loving right now, some favorites are Francine Rivers and Liz Curtis Higgs.
One day, I’d love to have an old house full of charm; large porch, beautiful moulding, tall ceilings – give me all the character and history!
Now, tell me about YOU! I hope you’ll share about you, your families, and lifestyle with me throughout the pages of Lemons and Basil!