What's a Neko? Has Moved!

Hello my loyal followers! I appreciate you so much and all of the support you've given me as I start this journey as a blogger. I wanted to let you know that I will no longer be updating/posting on nekoklecker.blogspot.com.

Fear not! I've moved! You can now find me at www.nekokleckner.com (same, just minus the blogspot part). On the new website on the right side bar you can subscribe so you'll never miss another post. While you're there, check out my recent blogs if you've missed any during the transition.

Again, thank you for following and subscribing!

See you soon at www.nekokleckner.com!!

Do You Need Answers?

I have been a devout Christian since I was a little frilly-dress-wearing girly girl attending Sunday school. However, my faith journey experienced a reboot last year and I needed answers. After being a stay-at-home mom for years (and years and years), I had lost myself. I was defined by my kids. 

So I asked myself some tough questions.

Who am I? 

What is my purpose? 

What are God’s plans for me?

I asked - almost begged - God to show me my path. My answers did not come easily or quickly or how I expected. But they did come -  in the form of chance meetings, new friendships, subtle nudges, random emails, many books, a heavy heart, kindness and love. And they are still coming because of my constant communication with God.

Do you need answers today? God is always here, He never takes a vacation day or a bathroom break or makes a quick coffee run. He is waiting for you to ask your question. And just like in grade school, there are no dumb questions, there are no dumb prayers, there are no questions too big or too small to ask your Heavenly Father. Take the first step and ask.

Matthew 7:7 says, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” 

Keep on knocking, I love this concept. Let’s say you go to a friend’s house to ask them an important question. You know they are home, their lights are on and the door is open. Will you knock once and if there is no answer leave? Of course not, you will knock and knock and knock until they answer the door. If you are being really obnoxious, you may use that special knocking tune: dum, dum, da-dum, dum (pause) dum, dum (does that tune translate on paper?).

God is always home. He is always waiting for you. When you knock (pray), He may not answer the first time. It may take one knock, or ten, or one hundred. Or consider this - maybe He did answer - it just wasn’t the answer you were wanting.

Mind blown.

For example, let’s say you are praying that you get that big promotion at work. You pray and pray and pray that you get it. And then you are passed over. You may think God didn’t hear you, or that he didn’t care about your prayers. However, only God can see your entire life laid out from birth to death. Maybe He knew that this big promotion you wanted would take you away from your spouse and kids. Or maybe if you DID get the position, you wouldn’t keep looking and potentially miss out on a different opportunity? 

Don’t assume God isn’t listening if you don’t get the answers you are looking for. Pray for clarity, pray for understanding or maybe just pray for peace. 

Open your Bible and dive into His word. Pray with all your heart. Listen and receive His love and guidance.

Until Next Time, 
Neko

Friday Favorites

#1
Bible verse: Psalm 118:24 (courtesy of Emily reading it from our egg carton this morning)

#2
"Everybody Always" by Bob Goff

This book was recommended by a friend and it did not disappoint. Bob Goff is an excellent storyteller and draws you in immediately. The main focus of the book is to love everybody (always!). And check out the front cover, it's beautiful! You'll have to read the book to find out how it was created, another good story! You can pick it up here.

#3 

Villa Alena Moscato d'Asti

I had to include this in my Friday Favorites because a friend reminded me I forgot to include it in my list of favorite Trader Joe's products! Gasp! This was one of my first Trader Joe's loves. I was drawn to the ribbed bottle initially but it is by far my favorite Moscato. You can get it at your local Trader Joe's.

#4
America's Funniest Home Videos

We love watching this show as a family. Good, wholesome fun with a ton of laughs. And Alfonzo Ribeiro is absolutely hilarious (no he's not but he's tolerable). I watched this with my family growing up and it's fun to experience it with my own.

#5

West Bend Air Crazy Popcorn Maker

I love my popcorn popper. Mine is an old model but similar to this one. We use ghee from Trader Joes and it is a million times better than microwave popcorn. And better for you because it uses air only to pop the kernels. I dump the popcorn in a paper grocery bag and drizzle ghee and salt on it and shake it up...because that's how my dad used to make popcorn!

There you have it! My Friday Favorites, happy Friday everyone!

Until Next Time,
Neko

What I Buy at Trader Joe's

Ahhh Trader Joe's. I've loved you for a long time. And I'm sorry that I only visit you once every other week now that I've been introduced to my new love - Aldi - but you still own a piece of my heart. And always will.

A friend of mine introduced me to Trader Joe's when it opened in our area in 2010. When my youngest was born that year she said she'd bring me frozen food from Trader Joe's (because friends are awesome...if you know someone having a baby, please, PLEASE offer to bring them a meal). Anyway, she brought me orange chicken - their best seller - and I've been hooked ever since.

My husband and I have been visiting TJ's since then almost weekly on errand Tuesday. For those of you not familiar with this popular Kleckner tradition, EJ works Tuesday afternoons so since I've stayed at home we use Tuesday mornings to run our errands. It makes us happy. When we walk into Trader Joe's on a Tuesday we often hear things like, "must be Tuesday!" or "what did you think of those pickled vegetables?" or if I happen to be alone "are you missing someone?". It's great, TJ's is just a great place to shop with great employees. Great, great, great.

So on with it, my line up of our family's favorites from Trader Joe's.

#1

Charles Shaw Three Buck Chuck (price: can you guess?)

Wine -just like my Aldi review, you knew I’d get there eventually so let’s just start with it. The Three Buck Chuck wine is world famous. In fact, one of the world wars started when the price went from two buck chuck to three buck chuck (don't fact check me on that one). Notice I said world-famous versus world-best? It's not the best wine, but for three bucks, it's good enough and we usually have at least a couple of bottles on hand. In case of a wine emergency. Because life happens.

#2

Mandarin Orange Chicken ($4.99)

I was hesitant at first because I don't typically like things with a strong orange flavor (flavored medicine from my youth perhaps?). But this dinner kit is da-bomb! It's sweet, but not too sweet. A hint of spicy, but not too spicy. It's just barely enough for my family of five, we could probably polish off two bags at a time if someone dared us to try and we ate nothing else with the meal. To make one bag stretch we sometimes add rice (which usually gets treated as a garnish and discarded shortly after). Five enthusiastic thumbs up from the Kleckner clan.

#3

Cinnamon Schoolbook Cookies ($2.99)

I just love these "letter cookies". They single-handedly taught all three of my children how to read. Okay, they didn't but wouldn't that be an amazing Trader Joe's testimonial?! They're a great snack for the kiddos, I even like them. I've lined them with frosting and used them at birthday parties in place of name cards at the dinner table. Wow, that sentence made me sound super creative and crafty (spoiler: I'm not).

#4

Trader Joe's Crunchy Salted Almond Butter ($5.99)

I'm an almond butter snob. There. I said it. I've tried all different brands and this hands down was the best. You can recommend your favorites to me but I won't like them. This is the one. And don't make the mistake of getting unsalted, ewww. And don't ask me for a sample at my house because I use a spoon and double dip until it's gone. Don't judge. When you try it you will double dipping all day long, too.

#5

Trader Joe's Coconut Beverage in Original and Vanilla ($2.99)

We're not a "cow's milk" family (that's what my son calls it). We've been drinking coconut milk since the coconut was invented. Kids prefer the vanilla flavor for their cereal and I prefer the unflavored version for my smoothies. Delish and reasonably priced compared to other brands.

#6

Trader Joe's Organic Fruit Wraps ($.49)

We used to buy these by the handful when the kids were younger. Literally, our kids would stick their little hands into the basket and throw a stack into our cart. Lucky for us, that only equaled a couple at a time. Even though the kids are older it is still a nice little sweet treat for them and because they're organic they obviously are perfectly healthy (note sarcasm).

#7

Fruit (varies but cheap)

There are four fruits I will always buy at Trader Joe's: bananas, lemons, limes and apples. Bananas are always $.19 each. Not by weight. So I don't have to worry about buying large bananas and fearing my kids will throw away half of their uneaten banana and I'll just hear cha-ching! The bags of lemons and limes are also a great deal at $1.99 each. I was at another grocery store the other day and they were selling one lemon for $.99! Gasp! And organic apples for $2.99? Yes, please!

#8

Frozen Vegetables (price varies)

Talk about deals of the century! First, frozen bell pepper slices for $1.99 - red, green and yellow, what?! We always have 2-3 bags of these beauties in our freezer for stir-fry, fajitas, etc. Easy. Riced cauliflower is one of my favorites but ricing with the food processor is not my favorite. Again, for $1.99 and all of the hard work is done? No-brainer. And finally, these brussel sprouts. They are tiny so they cook easily and thoroughly. A little olive oil, bacon, red onion and balsamic vinegar? Heaven. You had me at $.99.

  

#9

Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans ($4.79)

Every day EJ takes a bag of nuts with a few of these espresso beans as an afternoon snack at work. I'm serious when I say every day. Since he discovered them at Trader Joe's. My man loves routine. They are delicious when paired with an almond or walnut. But I wouldn't dare eat one unaccompanied. I'm not saying you can't, I'm just saying I won't.

#10

Sweet Potato Frites ($1.99)

I'm just going to call these sweet potato fries. I googled frites and am too lazy to get into it. These fries are delicious and pretty nutritious too. A favorite of my family, even the kiddos! You get a healthy serving that is enough for my family of five (weak) eaters. Pair them with ketchup for a taste explosion!

#11

Trader Joe's Soft and Juicy Dried Mango ($1.99)

I've talked about these in my Friday Favorites but they're definitely worth mentioning again. They are delicious. I've sampled a ton of dried mango since returning from Hawaii and these are by far the best tasting and cheapest. They were out of stock for two weeks at Trader Joe's. Last week they were back I made quite a scene to express my sheer joy at seeing them again. I grabbed four bags and an employee who witnessed the spectacle said, "geez, for that reaction I thought you were going to buy all the bags!". Don't worry, I  know the guy....remember, I'm a regular!

#12
Fresh Cut Bouquets

Last but not least, fresh flowers from Trader Joe's. I treat myself to them all of the time. I have yet to find a flower anywhere else that lasts as long as these do. I did, however, find a carnation in my last bouquet after I got home. It sent chills up and down my spine when I discovered it. I am too nice to let it die in my garbage so I hid it in the middle of the bouquet and moved on with my life. Sorry carnation lovers...I will never understand you.

There you have it, my Trader Joe's favorites! What items do you buy from TJ's? I can't wait to hear!

Until Next Time,

Neko

P.S. Stay tuned for my Costco favorite products!

Friday Favorites

#1
Bible verse: Philippians 2:13

#2
www.purewow.com

A friend recommended this website to me and I instantly fell in love. If you subscribe, it is a daily dose of fashion, beauty, lifestyle, how-to's, recipes, wellness, etc. Fun, well-written articles that seem to hit on all of the hot topics. Check it out!

#3 
Birkenstocks

This was a fashion trend I was excited about, but hesitant. The last time I had Birks (that's what we used to call them back in the day) I was in college. I had the triple strap version. I also never wore them with socks if you were curious. But I wondered if a) I was too old to pull off the trend b) if it was a trend and year 2 I'd look silly wearing them and c) would they still be as comfortable? Well, last summer I went for it and was so glad I did. Still love them as much as I did in college. I opted for the double strap version this time.

#4
Tarte Hamptons Weekender Contour Palette

OK makeup enthuasists, this palette is da-bomb. Seriously, blush, highlighter and contour shades in one handy palette. The blush is perfection. Seriously again. If you don't use highlighter/contour, it might not be a product you'll love. But if you're like me and dabble in those two then pick it up! You can get it here.

#5

Travel Bingo Cards

Did you ever have these as a kid? You know, when there weren't electronic devices to plug into when on a long road trip? I found them again at the dollar spot at Target yesterday and snatched them up. If you aren't familiar, it is a bingo card with different things you'd see on a road trip (a bird, a traffic sign, bus, mail truck, etc.) Anything to get the kids to engage and off of their devices is a win! You can get them online here or you can try your local Target store.

There you have it! My Friday Favorites, happy Friday everyone!

Until Next Time,
Neko

Do You Need to Be Redirected?

Yesterday I was writing a delightful blog post. It was going well. The graphic kicked butt. I was super hilarious and witty. But then I got to a point where I was stumped so I quit writing for the day. No big deal, I'll finish tomorrow I thought.

Just an hour ago I settled in to finish it - refreshed, re-caffeinated and ready to conquer the piece. I'd post it within the hour, clean my house, exercise, shower and watch "The Greatest Showman" before the kids are home from school (I set pretty aggressive goals for myself when I have an "at-home" day). 

But here's the problem...I still couldn't find the words. I cut, pasted, deleted and still...nothing. It wasn't working. 500 words written and I couldn't finish it. 

I had a great title and great content but couldn't come up with a personal story. So I prayed and felt God's nudge. 

"How can anyone else relate to your post if you can't even come up with an example for yourself?" 

And there it was. A little truth whispered in my ear. 

But now what should I write about? I prayed. I glanced slightly to my left and spotted a bible verse I copied this morning. 

This verse resonated with me so much that I had looked it up in my study bible, a second bible and then wrote it down on an index card and promptly set it aside. But setting it aside wasn't the plan God had for that verse this morning. He wanted me to write about it.

Philippians 2:13

For God is working in you, giving you the desire 
and the power to do what pleases Him. 

God redirected me. He gave me inspiration this morning in the form of a bible verse and I disregarded it to work on what I wanted to write about. But guess what? After praying to Him for guidance, He showed me what to do - what would please Him.

Are you struggling today and need to be redirected? Maybe your struggle looks different from mine. Maybe your struggle is with a child who is making poor choices, a broken friendship, a spouse you no longer connect with, weight you can't lose or maybe it is a job that is no longer satisfying you. 

Think about your struggle. Are you pleasing Him in your struggle? What I was trying to write this morning was not. And maybe someday I'll be inspired to re-write it and find an angle that my readers will resonate with, but not today. It was not right. And I chose to listen to His direction.

God is working in you. It might not be what you want to hear or what you want to do. I wanted to finish writing that piece, post it and move on with my day. But the Holy Spirit guided me back into the Word. To seek Him in my writing. To always seek Him. I desperately needed to be redirected this morning (I just didn't know it!).

Whatever your struggle is today, pray about it. Read the verse above again (and again and again). God will answer your prayers, but you must listen for the answer. He is working in you, giving you the desire and power to do what pleases Him. If something isn't resonating for you, maybe you need to re-evaluate it. Ask God if it's the right path. Ask God what you can do differently. Pray with bold assurance. 

Until Next Time,
Neko

My Space

Just to clarify, I’m not writing about MySpace - the original social media platform popular in the early 2000’s before Mark Z’s behemoth swallowed it whole. Nope, I’m wondering about your space. The space you go to when you need to be alone, unwind, read, write, pray, meditate, hide from the kids or just relax. Is it an office? A coffee shop? Your car? Bed? A special chair surrounded by cats (hi Mom!)

After months of sitting at my kitchen table to write, I realized I needed a change of scenery. Fewer distractions (not cool when I wake up at 5:45am to write and a certain seven-year-old decides to wake up a half hour after me and chat my ear off). A place where all of my writing “tools” can be readily accessible (and the food in my kitchen NOT so accessible). 

So I created a little office in our downstairs spare bedroom. I set up our Costco six-foot folding table in front of the window. It's not glamorous or pretty, but it's my space. Someday when we switch our kid's bedrooms around I'll have a proper office with a proper desk, but for now, I'm loving my space (and my view of crusty rose bushes and a massive pile of dirt...and don't even get me started on the snow in April).

My middle daughter Emily will be ten on Sunday. This girl definitely has a space that is perfect for her. Santa brought her this (is it pink? is it purple?) chair for Christmas and she parks herself in it daily. New last week was the addition of a pillow and sitting sideways on it to experience maximum comfort and relaxation. Love this girl so much.

My darling husband has a space that you'll find him in many times throughout the day. We call it his reading chair. Because he loves to read in it, duh. We move the furniture around in our four seasons room every year. He likes it arranged one way, I like it another way so we've agreed to switch it yearly after the Christmas tree comes down. We're weird. But that chair never moves an inch. And it never will because it is his happy place.

One day, seven-year-old Owen asked his dad to build him a desk so he could "work". Ask and you shall receive! Owen loves this desk. He loves reading and writing and drawing in his space. He also loves to "organize" the area (be still my heart). He has a cute little bulletin board where all of his important information goes and asked for pencils, a pencil sharpener, tape dispenser and a stapler for Christmas. This kid is insanely adorable.

Ella the tweenager has a tweenage space to relax - her bed. She and her sister sleep in bunk beds and she has the top bunk (I don't know why they have bunk beds, they sleep together almost every night). Everything she needs is precariously perched on the edge of the bed. I can't imagine having a space where I can reach up and touch the ceiling...but to each his own.

Now I want to hear from YOU! Where is your space? Or do you have one? Or do you know someone who has a unique space? Please share! Bonus points if you post a photo!

Until Next Time, 

Neko