play time...

photo source: Children's Discovery Museum

I spent my morning today volunteering at the Children's Discovery Museum. I seriously love that place. Today I was assigned to the 3rd floor (Arts Incorporated), which has a mix of art, music, math, and theater. It was pretty slow at first, but then a few field trips came through and they were lively! The kids were hilarious putting on shows in the Imagination Theatre (a complete stage with costumes & props, lighting, curtains and backdrops). Most of my time was spent cleaning up after the kids enjoyed the Museum Paint Wall (a room of windows you can paint on!). I noticed many of the kids seemed to enjoy playing with the spray bottles & squeegees just as much as the paints!...squeegees are just fun (there's that OCD again)! The photos above are of the Fresh Market, the Luckey Climber (which hangs from the ceiling of the third floor) and the Toddler Backyard exhibit. There are photos of the exhibits I worked in today on the website, but I didn't want to post photos of random children on my blog :)

c is for cookie...

This is my all-time favorite sugar cookie recipe, given to me by my mom. I was about a week late getting these valentine cookies done, so I opted for spring colors (I went with hearts anyway). ♥

Sugar Cookies
3/4 cup softened butter
3/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups all purpose flour

Cream butter and shortening, then add sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat to combine then add eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour 1 cup at a time. Cover and chill for 1 hour or overnight. If left in overnight, take out the dough 20-30 minutes before you are ready to bake.
Preheat oven to 350, roll out dough, cut and bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are starting to get golden brown.

Royal Icing
3 ounces pasteurized egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups confectioners sugar

Combine the egg whites and vanilla and beat until frothy. Add sugar gradually and mix on low speed until sugar is incorporated and the mixture is shiny. Turn up speed to high and beat until mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks. Add food coloring if desired and spread on cookies (is awesome on gingerbread cookies too).

mini-binder...

I wanted a centralized place to keep track of all my goals & projects. So I got this awesome mini binder (in charcoal) from Russell + Hazel along with the colorful mini index dividers.  Then I used my favorite free printable pages from the Project Girl to build this little get your sh!t together journal! I printed her pages 2 to a sheet then cut them in half to fit the binder.  Perfect! I included the following: the food journal (the best way for me to stay accountable), the workout worksheet (to help get me doing something physical everyday), and the blank to-do (to divide, organize & conquer that to-do list).  I think I'm going to add some of her project pages and maybe the meal planner/shopping list combo (here's an edit-able version of that last one).

Pardon me if my OCD is showing :)

confessional...

ecojot

 

Reading Kyla today, who discussed her anxiety & the major improvements she has made (yay!), made me realize there is a real lack of content here.  I know not everything is blog/internet appropriate and I don't want this space to be a big downer; but if it's just about me & what I'm going through...then I think it's OK to share. So here goes...

For the last year or so (maybe longer realistically), I have been dealing with depression.
Even typing that word is hard. Depression wants to hide & fester. Last year was certainly not as I had envisioned it.  It was tough planning my wedding and feeling like I could barely get out of bed.  There are times when I wish I had lost those extra 40 pounds I've been carrying around or I see some rad wedding idea on Pinterest and I want to do it all over again! Then I remember how relieved I felt after the wedding was over :)

I'm still navigating the process of pulling myself out of the funk that is depression.  Maybe it's something with which I will always struggle. Have I done everything in my power to get better? No. I still have lots of work to do.  I find myself saying "tomorrow" about many, many things. I am not proud of that, it's one of my biggest shortcomings. Despite the obstacles, I can still envision success! I know I can do this!
I am forever thankful for my patient hubs, family & friends who have stuck by me. No one but me can grab these bootstraps but knowing they all have my back means the world to me. I want to start sharing more of my journey here...though it's hard for me to talk about, even with those closest to me.  For me, depression often feels like a weakness. One day I hope to wave at it in my rearview & check it off the list of things I have overcome.

under the weather print by Arian Armstrong on etsy

We are still sickie sick sick over here. Ugh. Worst day so far. The congestion is traveling south from my head and settling in my chest.  These unplanned sick days have thrown a dent in my week. I even had to reschedule my Downton Abbey date with mom :(  We have yet to cook the Valentine's dinner we had planned & I have cookie dough in the fridge just waiting to be baked! Hoping for a little boost of energy tomorrow!

did I mention...?

                                                                                 Source: sprinklebakes.com via Jenna on Pinterest

that I am going to be an auntie again? My brother & his fiancé are expecting a baby boy in late July! ♥ I am so excited to meet the newest member of our family. I'm sure my future sister-in-law would agree with me when I say - I can't wait until July!!! Being an aunt is the best! :)

xo...

I absolutely love everything about this video...but especially the illustration and more importantly the message (notice all the sweet couples at the end!).  Cory and I both woke up sick today so our Valentine's Day has been postponed. We're not much for big valentine celebrations, but it was pretty exciting to buy a card for my husband for the first time! ♥ 

paper...

I saw this over on Etsy & had to share! ♥  Simply lovely! 

valentine wreath...

I made this yarn & felt valentine wreath a few years ago but only just got around to taking a decent photo of it!  I didn't do much in the way of valentine decorations this year but I think what I did put up I will leave until the end of the month...why not celebrate love all month long?

party food...

Two words: bacon crescents.  Oh man, these were really good.  Not exactly diet friendly - but really, really good.  My mom made these at Christmas and they were an instant hit.  I've just been waiting for an occasion to make them.  Let's face facts, you can pretty much put anything in a crescent & it will amaze you.  But bacon? Everything is better with bacon.  I love bacon, plain & simple.  I used this recipe - easy peasy.
I doubled the recipe for a friend's 31st birthday party last night & didn't bring any home!  We had so much fun!  Cory and I are pretty much hermits most of the time.  Being more social is something we're always working on...but last night made me remember how much fun hanging out with a really good group of people can be.  I met some new folks, had great conversations, laughed a lot and even wore a purple wig! :)  Hanging out with pals (old & new), listening to music & laughing turns out to be a great medicine for the winter blues!

to do...

     

I want to do this.  Seriously.  How fun does this look?  I would really really love to get my mom & dad in on this fun too.  Not sure if Dad will be up for a 5K in June, but I just think it would be such a happy & fun memory to make :)

shop update...

I have my shop photos all updated + I added about 10 new pieces to the mix!  Head on over and take a look...and Happy Monday! :)

game day food...

The original recipe for these little morsels came from my Dad's cousin Nancy, who brought these to Christmas a few years ago - super easy & so so yummy.  We were trying to come up with a clever name for them...essentially they are "brown sugar & pecan pigs in a blanket."  Cory suggested "sweet pigs with warm nuts in a brown blanket."  That's my man :)

Ingredients:
1 package lit'l wieners
2 cans of crescent rolls
1/2 stick of butter
1/8 cup of brown sugar
3 tablespoons honey
handful of chopped pecans or pecan chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Assemble your pigs in a blanket then bake them on a cookie sheet for approximately 10 minutes or until they are starting to turn golden brown.  While those are baking, melt and mix together the butter, brown sugar and honey in a sauce pan over medium-high heat.  After the pigs are done cooking, transfer them into a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Pour the brown sugar butter mixture evenly over the pigs.  Return them to the oven for another 3-5 minutes.  Remove from the oven & sprinkle with chopped pecans...Enjoy!  This recipe makes approximately 30 pieces, I doubled the recipe for Super Bowl Sunday!

loving...

                                                                              Source: flickr.com via Ashley on Pinterest

                                                                               Source: flickr.com via Ashley on Pinterest

                                                                          Source: flickr.com via Sarah on Pinterest

I really love Ashley G's new abstract pattern pieces! I'm a real sucker for lots & lots of color :)  We are headed to the lake tomorrow morning for a quiet weekend (well, it'll be quiet after we meet pest control to take care of whatever is living in the ceiling of the lake house). I think it's a raccoon, probably a 20-pounder at least! I'm hoping the weather stays mild so we can take a hike with the dogs & maybe even squeeze in some hammock time. There is no internet at the lake; it is so refreshing to unplug for a few days! I'll be back Sunday with an awesome Super Bowl recipe :)