1.30.2012
1.24.2012
round and round we go...
This little change is something that we actually did months ago, but never got around to sharing. As I may have mentioned before, I really wanted a round rug for our entryway, especially after acquiring our second round table. We worked around the round rug issue (ha) for awhile, by switching the direction of the rectangular jute rug. However, I always kept my eye out for an inexpensive round rug. Several months ago, I was at World Market and they were having a crazy big sale on all rugs. As luck would have it, they had a 5ft. round rug that was heavily discounted. It is the perfect size (and shape!) for our little entry hall and I'm so happy with the switch. As much tweaking as I've done to this space over the last year, I think that this arrangement is the one to stick!
1.18.2012
healthy-ish parmesan chicken
I originally got this recipe from my sister a couple years ago, and it's our go-to recipe for chicken because it's easy and tasty. My sister's recipe called for a stick of butter, but we modified it a bit to make it healthier.
Here's what you need:
- boneless/skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup grated/shaved parmesan
- 1 piece of wheat bread
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- juice from 1/2 a lemon
- salt and pepper
Here's what you do:
- Mix olive oil, half of the cheese, garlic cloves, and lemon juice in a shallow bowl.
- Tear up bread into small crumbs.
- Add bread, remainder of cheese, and salt and pepper to a second shallow dish.
- Coat each chicken breast in olive oil mixture and then bread mixture and place into a pyrex baking dish.
- After the chicken is all coated, I like to sprinkle a little more parmesan on top of it.
- Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
1.17.2012
this guy =
totally awesome.
Not only does he look super cute in his glasses, help me with all my crazy DIY schemes, he also keeps me sane.
Friday night we were out walking the dog when I had that "Oh crap" moment, realizing I forgot to do something. The something I forgot to do was feed the classroom fish. The 20+ baby goldfish that I was sharing with the entire Kindergarten team for the next 10 weeks. Seeing as how it was a Friday, and a long weekend, I had little doubt that I would be responsible for 20 fishy deaths come Tuesday, if I didn't get to school.
Of course my sensible husband loaded the dog and myself into the car and drove me straight to work to see if the building was still open. Luckily, we made it with 5 minutes to spare and were able to give the fish a nice big meal to last the weekend.
When I arrived at school this morning, all fish were alive and counted for and I breathed a big sigh of relief. No one dies on my his watch....
1.16.2012
ready for valentine's
Valentine's Day is just around the corner (for real, peeps- less than a month away!). This past weekend we made a few additions to finally help us get Christmas out the door and welcome in the next holiday.
Pink Tulips from the Farmer's Market add a pop of color to our kitchen table.
Bright pink nails - so fun in the middle of winter.
Two new pillows to wake up our couch. The small heart pillow was handmade by my mother. Nick bought me the bigger pillow from West Elm this weekend.
Bring on the pink!
1.10.2012
gems from the job
This new year has already been full of fun moments in the classroom. My students are always doing and saying such funny things.
Yesterday, one of my students (B) was awkwardly scratching his back. Another boy asked him if he was itchy. B answered yes and the other student told him he needed to go home and tell his mommy to scratch him.
While doing an art project last week, we focused on New Year's resolutions and the things that we wanted to work on for 2012. One of my students' resolutions: To eat more cupcakes and pizza.
This week we are learning about Martin Luther King Jr. and all the great things he accomplished. When I asked my students ways that he was a kind man, among other answers, I heard, "He didn't throw food in the cafeteria."
Oh, to be five....
1.04.2012
calendar
For Christmas 2010, my mom gave me a great gift that lasted all year long. She made custom calendar pages for a special frame so that by December 2011, I had an entire year of calendar pages. Each month I received a new page, crafted with love and customized to fit our lives. I've blogged about the calendar pages a few times (here and here) over the year but wanted to wrap everything up with one final post, sharing all the pages from the year.
My favorite pages are February, August, and December.... but really I like them all! This was such a sweet, sentimental gift and I love my mom's creativeness! What's your favorite page??
1.03.2012
resolute
It's back to work and real life today after a long and lovely break from reality. As we look forward to 2012, I thought I'd share a few resolutions that have been on my mind.
Get organized: While I tend to be a fairly organized person, I've noticed in the last few months that the certain areas of our home could stand a little more order- particularly closets, as those tend to get junky quickly.
Simplify: Last year I did it with clothes, this year I'm hoping to make a dent in the rest of our household possessions. As much as I love our home, sometimes it can feel cluttered and I think it's important to make room for what you truly love.
Be Grateful: Nick and I lead such an amazing life and sadly, we sometimes forget to be grateful for the many blessings that we have. This year, I want to remember to take time to appreciate those little things and to celebrate the ordinary.
Be Kind: So often resolutions tend to focus on self-improvement. However, I think that we need to look outside our own lives and try to make the world a little bit better. I'm a firm believer in the power of random acts of kindness and I know how one small act can change a person's whole day. Therefore, I hope to accomplish at least 1 random act of kindness each week this new year.
So... we'll see how we do this year and I think that blogging about our resolutions and keeping you updated will hold me more accountable for following through.
{all images via pinterest}
1.02.2012
twenty twelve
Annnnddd we're back! Happy New Year! We've been enjoying the holidays to the fullest and spending lots of time with family, friends, and each other and soaking up the holiday spirit. We even spent four days in beautiful Pacific Grove, CA for a mini vacation. 2011 was a great year for us and we're excited to see what 2012 brings. Here's a little look back at all the fun of 2011:
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