checking in....

We just got back home after a week of house-sitting at my parents; it's nice to be spoiled with central air & cable TV (although I will say I don't miss cable much at all - there's never anything on!). My parent's poor cat Trixie really had her world rocked this past week. Not only were Cory and I there with our 2 dogs (in addition to my parent's 2 dogs), there were also some guys working on repairing the water damaged ceiling during the day while we were at work! I'm pretty sure she didn't leave an upstairs bedroom the entire time. I almost coaxed her out from under the bed yesterday but she suddenly turned on me, hissed, swatted!...and then disappeared again. She will be so relieved when my parents get home tonight. The photo above is an old one - she never came out long enough for a photo op this time around. :)

happy news...

It's been an exciting week around these parts....I started a new job on Wednesday!!! I am working in an administrative office at a university & I love it so far! I've been on the job hunt for many months and it truly was a demoralizing and frustrating process at times. I'm so thankful for this opportunity and to have rejoined the workforce! I'm sure this new routine will be an adjustment but I am the type of person who gets more done when I am kept busy, so it is a welcome adjustment to be sure. It's only been 2 days but my co-workers seem very nice, hardworking & have wonderful senses of humor. I totally lucked out! :)

30 Salads Challenge

I made this absolutely fantastic ginger steak salad last week when I had a visit from 2 of my favorite girls ever, in town all the way from Montana! I have to say that every recipe I have tried from the Pioneer Woman, thus far at least, has been amazing! The dressing is the real wow factor of this salad: just the right amount of sweet & spicy (courtesy of the jalapeno). I got a new julienne peeler a while back & am totally in love with it (is that weird?). I guess you really know you're getting older when things like that are exciting! :)

catching up...

Clearly, I've been neglecting the blog...again. I can't believe it is June already! The last few weeks have been the best kind of busy! I've had visits from some of my favorite people, lots of quality family time (including a kickball game at the softball diamond), and a jewelry-making session with my ladies (thank you Pinterest!). My sister Molly was visiting from DC and had a blast playing with our camera - she took all the above photos & even talked me into an impromptu photo shoot on a country road! Unfortunately, she took a bad case of poison ivy home with her....but I'm pretty sure that was from playing pirates with our nieces & nephew in the woods at our parent's house and not from our photo shoot. :)

30 Salads Challenge

One of the big goals or life changes that's kind of been looming over me lately has been my health/weight & fitness. I know exactly what I need to do but something has been holding me back. I'm ready to accept that what has been holding me back has been fear. I am afraid of the changes being too hard, of failure, of beating myself up, of slipping up, of giving up. The list could go on and on. I am fed up not feeling good in my skin or fitting into my clothes. I know the best way to make changes is to start small; it's been the big things holding me back anyway. While I probably won't share the entire experience here, there are a few aspects that I'd like to make a regular series. The first is inspired by Elise and her 40 loaves (and now 40 pizzas) challenge. This is a girl that gets things done. Period. She is an endless source of inspiration. In order to improve my diet (& because it's summertime), I am doing a 30 Salads Challenge! I have been brainstorming and researching and last night I compiled my list. Some are recipes I've made before, others are going to be experiments (think 'favorite meal turned salad'). Many of them are from Pinterest or other websites; I will link to originals and note any changes I made or if the recipe was simply an inspiration. I'm starting off with our standby, our go-to: #1 Asian Chicken Salad <---link to recipe/previous post.

quick picnic blanket...

This sewing project originally started as seat cover for the car based on this Pin for this tutorial.  I purchased red elastic to make straps for the headrests instead of using the buckles in the tutorial, but I haven't added them yet. The herringbone fabric is a sturdier canvas cloth (better for ground side) and the floral print is cotton (instead of the fleece in the tutorial). The main idea was to keep dog hair off the upholstery when the girls come on road trips (or even just trips over the river & through the woods to Grandmother's house-we-go). But once I finished adding the binding, I decided to try it out as a picnic blanket! I've used the blanket now for a graham cracker snack in the yard at my parent's and for a picnic in the park with my nieces. It's perfect to just throw in a bag or keep in the trunk of the car and is the size of a crib quilt (fit 2 adults & a few kiddos comfortably). This picnic blanket along with a basket would be a super cute gift! :)

picnic at the park...

Last week I got to have picnic lunch with my nieces and sister 2 days in a row!!! We played at the park near my house and ate lunch on a blanket in the grass. The next day we watched Despicable Me & had a floor picnic at my house after an exhausting & hot trip to the zoo. I love spending time with these sweethearts! I can't believe how fast they're growing up! With the frustration of my job search, I often find myself fantasizing of moving. While it's still something we want to do, it's pretty unlikely we'll be able to manage a move for a few years (moving is expensive!). One thing I know I'd really miss is spending time with my family.

Mollie & Jon

We had the honor & pleasure to attend the wedding of our dear friends Mollie and Jon yesterday. It was a perfect day for an absolutely lovely country wedding! Mollie's family owns some beautiful land with two ponds and that was the site for the ceremony. The day was full of personal & creative touches, amazing music & a really fun group of people together to celebrate! The bride & groom planted a white oak tree together as part of the ceremony and the reception was held in the bride's parents backyard. Mollie had her 2 brothers stand up with her and two of my favorite moments of the day were her brother's toasts (her younger brother had us all cracking up and her other brother Andrew, best man at our wedding - had us all in tears). It was a perfect day catching up with old friends & celebrating an amazing couple. My night ended rather abruptly when a terrible headache knocked me down for the count, but Cory stayed until the last shuttle and helped build a bonfire to roast weenies and make s'mores (genius!). Congratulations Mollie & Jon! May you have a long & beautiful life together! :)

perpetual list-maker...

 clipboard from Decoylab  // happy list for the coming weeks/months below!

• getting our very first CSA basket tonight, super excited for fresh & already paid for produce weekly!
• planning a lovely picnic & trip to the zoo with my sister & her girls :)
• an upcoming weekend of wedding fun to celebrate our good friends Mollie & Jon - can't wait!
• scheming an on-the-cheap bedroom makeover & lots of DIYs with supplies & materials I have on hand.
• a mid-week sleepover visit w/Bethany & Helen Honey (BFF & her baby girl in from Bozeman MT)!
• my sister coming home from DC for a jam-packed Memorial Day weekend :)
• breaking out the camping gear for the John Hartford Memorial Festival in Bean Blossom IN!!!
• planning a date night to the Harvest Moon Drive-In for a picnic dinner w/the hubs ♥
• more camping at a family friend's beautiful property, complete with picturesque pond!
• a visit in Chicago with my BFF Shelbi & her family, in from Portland OR!
• our west-coast relatives coming in to celebrate the Fourth of July!
• my nephew's due date - can't wait to meet Baby Ben! :) xo
• realizing that even though I'm still on the job hunt & money is tight - I am blessed with friends, family & fun things to look forward to :)

in memory...

 

When author & illustrator Maurice Sendak passed away earlier this week, I immediately heard (in my mind) the voice of Carole King singing his stories on the animated special Really Rosie. When Really Rosie aired on TV in 1975, I was just a glimmer in my parents eyes...they must have re-played the TV special on PBS or something years later because I vividly remember it from my childhood. Love. I ended up finding Really Rosie split in two parts on youtube, but the quality is pretty poor.
Mr. Sendak was kind of a crotchety old dude, but he managed to touch the hearts of children and challenged and changed  the way people thought about children's literature. His words & illustrations are etched on the memories of my childhood. I was melancholy and sad when I learned he had passed, but everything I read and heard about him in recent years leads me to believe he was ready for the next adventure :)