this and that

I haven't left the building just yet... but I hope you didn't hold your breath waiting for a post.  I don't have a good reason for the lack of blogging other than the fact that I started working again. 

 

I found a great summer job where I'll be working at a private Christian school.  I'm an instructional aide for (mostly) Kindergarteners.  Some days are exhausting.  Most days are a challenge.  Every day is interesting.  It will be a wonderful experience for me this summer.  Now that the first week of that is in the books, I'm hoping to get back in a routine.  Oh yes, I love routine. ;)

 

Let's catch up, shall we?!

 

Nathan and I made a big move.  From AT&T to Bluegrass Cellular, that is.  If you couldn't tell already, we live in the boondocks.  AT&T does not cut it in the boondocks.  After several months of getting things in line, we were finally able to switch over.  I learned that cell phone contracts seem to require signing in blood and giving over your first-born child.  But we now finally have service... for $10 cheaper a month than AT&T.  Isn't that what really matters?

 

I got a pretty little piece of paper in the mail last week that has me yet another step closer to being a certified teacher.  The next step?  I will finally receive my teaching certificate.  So surreal.  Job update?  I have a couple serious prospects and interviews coming up.  Pray that I don't totally blow them and, more importantly, that God leads me to the one where I belong.

The boating adventures are in full force for the summer.  We took a floating detour by "Paradise" a week ago.  If you're not from the area, Paradise is the name of our local TVA plant.  I may be crazy but it was neat to drive by the cranes, coal barges, etc. and see the beginning stages of where our electricity comes from.  Oh, and the weather wasn't too bad either.  ;)

I had a serious craving for chocolate oatmeal cookies last week so before 10:00 on Friday (my day off), I had to satisfy this craving.  My momma's recipe is tried and true.  Yummy.  Not healthy.  Who cares?!

I saw this little gem as drawn by Lily a few days ago.  "No Boys Allowed."  Let's hope this state of mind sticks around for 15 more years.

Wanna know the only thing that KY summer thunderstorms are good for?  Crazy clouds and beautiful pictures.  The Lord sure is quite the artist.

That wraps it up, friends.  Here's to a fabulous Monday!

why i love to cook dinner.

When Nathan and I got married, there were a few things that I knew would happen.  For example, the cap would always be put back on the toothpaste, no dirty socks randomly laying around, and I would cook dinner on most nights of the week.  We've managed to keep up both of our bargains pretty well.

I grew up in a household where we ate supper around a dinner table.  Even if it was something that my mom picked up, we ate at the table.  I knew this was something I wanted to implement into my own house for many reasons.  I always enjoyed coming together with my family at the end of the day and just having conversation.  Don't get me wrong, there were days when we didn't, but most of the time we did.  Nathan grew up in a household that did the same so we were on the same page with this.

Cooking dinner is not a chore for me. It's something I love to do. I love preparing meals for my family and enjoying them together. And I have to admit that I love when my husband fills his plate up multiple times ;) 

Here's what has worked for us.  I typically cook 4 nights a week... on the other nights we either have leftovers or eat out somewhere.  During the week, I cook simple things like breakfast, homemade pizza, tacos, and the crock pot is my best friend ever.  On weekends, when I have more time, I'll cook larger meals that often have 4 courses.  What can I say? We like to eat!  If there is a night during the week where I have a mile-long to-do list, we just fend for ourselves.  Typically, I have a bowl of cereal and Nate has chicken nuggets and french fries.  At the beginning of each week, I write a list of what we'll be having for supper each night and put it on the fridge so I never have to hear the words "what are we having for dinner tonight?"  It's a lifesaver.  I grocery shop every other week so I meal plan for 2 weeks and make my list according to that.  I cannot recommend doing that enough.  I've done it since day 1 of marriage.  I love not having to go to the grocery each week!  The whole cooking dinner thing was an adjustment for me when we first got married.  I was used to having supper ready for me each night and it was nice!  Seven months later and I feel like I've got it somewhat figured out now.

I have to add that as someone who works with children, I see the benefits of having family dinners.  Children need to have conversation.  They need to feel cared for.  Family dinners also teach the responsibility of cleaning up a mess and learning manners.

Don't get me wrong.  There's absolutely no way that I will cook dinner for us every single night.  However, I do find happiness in being able to do it many nights during the week.  Not only does it save money but it brings us together after a long day.

I know this post may have just rambled on.  And you're probably on the verge of calling me old-fashioned.  That's ok with me.  I'll keep on cooking our dinner anyway ;)

Pinterest > Susie Homemaker

I just cannot express my love fully for Pinterest.  I would give up all other social media, for real.  Ever since I became a wife, it has brought about so many great recipes, cleaning solutions, and organizing tips... and Nate really can't complain.  Today, I'm sharing some of my favorites with y'all!

DIY Mop Solution -- made from simple things you probably already have at home.  I am loyal to vinegar, Dawn dish detergent, and warm water.  Floors stay cleaner and fresher with this!

DIY Shower/Tub cleaner.  I have to admit that I still use my Scrubbing Bubbles once a week on our shower.  (I blame some of that on the fact that Nate always comes in greasy from work.)  However, doing this real quick each morning does make the weekly scrub-down easier.

T-Shirt Drawer Organization.  This was necessary for me.  So much so that I actually did it on the day I pinned it.  For real, this has been a lifesaver for me.

 
The best chocolate chip cookies ever.  I made these on Saturday for our date night-in... we had 6 people (including us) here and I made about 2 dozen cookies.  When the night was over, 2 cookies were left.  They're fluffy, chewy, and perfect.

For our better halves... glazed pork chops.  I made these babies in our iron skillet and they were just as tasty.  And I have to admit, I devoured these just as much as Nate did.

I give you my word that all of these are husband-approved. ;)

What are some life-changing pins you've found lately?

what i'm saying is...

... I have a new obsession with my curling iron, baby powder, and a good headband.  This is me last week on DAY 3 of unwashed hair.  And an amen to that!

... I have the cutest cousins in this world.  This is Miss Priss on Friday afternoon while her Mommy was helping me with wedding flowers.  She was obsessed with the flowers and pretended to be an indian for a while.  I don't know how a 4-year-old can have such personality ;)

Oh yeah, and she painted this last week and titled it "An Elephant Eating Blueberries." 

... I have found a new obsession with cooking.  With all the craziness of school, work, and wedding planning, it seems to be my outlet these days.  Over the weekend I made PW's His/Her Burgers, Crockpot Buffalo BBQ Chicken, and my Mom's Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies.  I can without a doubt say that nobody can touch her cookies... mine were good, but they're not Mom's :)

... I cannot believe how fast this wedding is approaching!  I am so ready to be labeled as an "old married woman" ;)

Here's our final guest book that I made over the weekend.  Easy as pie... thanks Pinterest!

Here are the adorable invites for my Bridal Shower coming up next week with my WKU co-workers.  I am so excited and know that it will be beyond adorable :)

... I AM SO HAPPY TO BE BLOGGING AGAIN!  Last week was beyond chaotic, y'all.  I intended to blog so many times and literally just did not have a second to sit down and do it.  I am making myself stay nearly a week ahead on assignments so that I'm not worrying about school when I'm on my honeymoon.  Therefore, I completed about 2 weeks worth of work last week.  However, as busy as it was, I had the most amazing field experience last Wednesday.  I have been blessed with a wonderful Kindergarten class this semester!  The students are sweet as pie and my teacher is amazing at what she does.  I was ready to go back the second I left last week!  I can't wait to spend the next few months learning about these students :)

What have you guys been up to?!?  I hope you had a fabulous holiday weekend!

weekend faves

Happy Sunday night, friends!  Oh yes, this is me... on a Sunday night.  Classes begin bright and early for me tomorrow so I wanted to share our weekend before the craziness begins ;)

 

So, our weekend began a little something like this.  I went over to Nate's Thursday afternoon once I got off work.  I always do the weekly cleaning at this time.  He's at work... nobody is there... it just gets done quicker.  I mopped the floors, cleaned baseboards, and all the other fun stuff.  I was feeling like a good little fiance.

 

Then I got humbled.

 

My key got jammed in the lock and literally wouldn't budge.  I messed with it for around 30 minutes until my fingers got numb and my temper reached its breaking point.  I texted Nate to tell him about it.

 

Fast forward to the next morning when I get there.

 

He, too, couldn't get the key out and had to drill a hole in the lock in order to get it out.  Needless to say we made a trip to Wal-Mart and got new locks that day.  Anyone else out there as talented as me?! ;)


Speaking of Wal-Mart, I picked up some fabulous new shampoo there for less than $6!  Allow me to introduce Organix Repairing Awapuhi Ginger Shampoo.  I am so pleased with it!  My hair is soft, shiny, and much more manageable... after only 2 washes!  Plus it smells good, y'all.

We went to Lily's t-ball game Saturday morning then came home to eat Nate's fave -- crockpot BBQ chicken.  I swear the way to his heart is BBQ sauce.  What a man!  Here's my tried and true recipe... it couldn't be any easier:

I also had the hankering for some homemade brownies and whipped some of those up.  Here's the final product... dusted with some powdered sugar :)  They are wonderful... chewy and chocolate heaven!  I was pretty impressed since this was my first batch made-from-scratch.

My last weekend of summer has been filled with cleaning, organizing, and movie watching... Sex and the City 2 and The Hunger Games!

I'm off to go fix my lunch for tomorrow and double check that I've got printed everything out.  It's hard to believe that tomorrow will be my LAST first day of school ever... as a student anyway ;)

lately... in iPhone pics

From now until October, my posts will probably be totally unorganized with no apparent theme.  It symbolizes my life right now ;)  All kidding aside, here are some pics from the past few days.

Remember the $12 table from Trees 'n Trends that I got last weekend?  My Nana gave me an old bucket that she picked up at a yard sale to sit on it for cookbook storage.  It is absolutely perfect... the picture doesn't do much justice.  There is an old picture of a farm on the front of it that I just adore.  Thankfully, it's big enough for all of the wonderful cookbooks that I was given from our shower and they're easily accessible.

Lily and Gracyn came by for a quick visit on Friday afternoon.  We sat outside the majority of the time since it was such a beautiful day!  Lily enjoyed gathering all the sticks into one pile and calling them her campfire.  This is a piece of tree bark that she peeled off and she was mighty proud of it!  I cannot believe how fast she has grown up.  She's such a little lady and such a wonderful big sister!  Gracyn just cracks up at the things she does and you can tell she is just so in love with her.  I can tell from my own experience that they will both be thankful to have a sister as they grow up.

I embarked upon another housewife-in-training adventure over the weekend.  I've noticed that most of our grocery expenses go straight to frozen meals for Nathan's lunch.  Well, I was fed up with it and did a little research to see if it was possible for me to start making them homemade.  Turns out... you totally can!  I made Nathan 26 meals -- 12 bagel pizzas, 7 turkey & cheese sandwiches, and 7 Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes. 

I spent about 2 hours for this process -- labeling bags, cleaning up, and all.  If my calculations are correct, I spent only 80 CENTS per meal and we saved at least $20 on our grocery bill.  If y'all are interested in learning more about this, let me know and I'll do a seperate post on it.

I made some overnight refrigerator oatmeal (via Pinterest) for myself on Sunday night in this pretty little coffee cup.  But, to tell you the truth, I was totally not a fan of it.  I think I'm going to experiment for myself rather than following the recipes out there.  It's a great concept but it needs some tweaking for my taste buds.

Finally, little sis started her first day of college today and I couldn't be more proud of her!  I made a little gift with all of the essentials ;)  I can't wait to hear all about her day this afternoon.  Y'all pray that it's a success for her!

There you have it... my life in a nutshell in pictures.  What did we really do before iPhones?!

Happy Tuesday!

let the "nesting" begin...

Y'all, I was an organizing freak over the weekend.  Something came over me.  Something that they call nesting.  I'm trying to get all our things in order before the wedding gets even closer and chaos ensues.  So on Thursday night when I got home from work,  I immediately began tearing my room apart and threw away every article of clothing and piece of crap that was jumbled into my room and never used.  Four filled trash bags and four 30 gallon containers later, the moving process will be so much simpler when the time comes.  It was a little bittersweet to see my entire life either thrown away or stored, but I feel so relieved and excited that it is done.  I can feel the day getting closer ;)

On top of all the organizing, I did manage to have some fun decorating though.  I'm still moving around our shower goods to find the perfect place for each of them.  I know it will just take time but it is coming together!  Once we get the wooden pantry from Nate's parents, we can make our cabinets a little less stuffed and move things out of the spare bedroom. 

Anywho, here are some of my projects from the weekend... :)

We registered for and received these "cracker jar" canisters at our shower.  I liked them but I knew in the store that I was going to have to add my touch... and that I did.  I just taped off a little sqaure, painted inside of it, let it dry, and wrote with a Sharpie what was inside each jar.  It's not perfect but I adore how it turned out!

We now have curtains in our bedroom!  I originally just had a brown valance but the blinds weren't wide enough for the window so I knew that they needed to be repalced with panels.  I bought these brown thermal panels from Target for $9.99 a piece.  I ironed them really well and hung them but knew it still needed more.  I dug around in the wedding crafts bag and found a few pieces of my burlap ribbon left.  I tied them around each panel to seperate them and it looks just perfect!  Our comforter is different shades of brown so the burlap is a great touch.  I mean, what's not to love about burlap?! ;)

Nathan had to work yesterday so I went to church with my Momma.  We had lunch at Zaxby's afterwards and did some shopping.  I found this little gem for $12 at Trees 'n Trends.  I've sat it in the corner of our kitchen and I plan to put a bucket on top of it for storage of our many cookbooks.  It fills the corner space perfectly and will allow me to have all my cookbooks on hand easily... not in the very back of a cabinet.  I had a blast spending the day with my Momma!  I hope once life settles down a bit, we can do it more often :)



And, finally, I conquered my fear of cooking gravy last night... and succeeded with approval!  I knew Fiance would be starving after working all day so I fixed breakfast for supper.  I was so pleased with how it turned out and I'm praying it wasn't just beginner's luck ;)  What's that one dish that always intimidates you when cooking?!

The organization will continue this weekend as I tackle the refrigerator, closet, nightstand, and dresser.  Order brings comfort for me and I love nothing more than checking something off the "to-do" list!

Happy Monday, ladies!

monday makin' me happy

This Monday has flown  by for me.  Very similar to the weekend, I must say.  We had a great one, although it was busy.  Friday was grocery shopping and date night at Red Lobster with the boy.  Saturday was full of cleaning to prepare for our shower goods.  Yesterday was all about our wedding shower!  I will do a full recap of it on Wednesday so you'll have to be a teeenyyy bit patient ;).  How 'bout we let the pictures do the talking today?!

Thanks to the almighty Pinterest, I spotted these bad boys.  Now, my ears aren't pierced... they have been several times before but get infected each time so I just gave up.  Because of that, I'm trying to find something similar on a bracelet, necklace, etc.  Suggestions please! 

I tried my hand at cornflake cookies on Saturday and I was mighty proud.  They are delicious... and super easy!  The website where I got the recipe lovingly calls them the "Holycraptheseareamazing cookies."  They ain't lying...

Here is the recipe for you ladies.  I decided to forgo the chocolate because I was too lazy to melt it didn't want the extra calories.

I love the Olympics.  I mean, really, I do.  Gymnastics and swimming are my favorites but I find myself watching just about anything.  What do you tune in for?!

And, finally, a sneak peak from yesterday.  This was after we transferred all our gifts from mine and Nate's vehicles.  God bless our two favorite couples -- Chad & Elizabeth, Brent & Jess.  Nathan and I may have ended up in a divorce before we got all of our goodies put up.  Ok, I'm kidding, but they were lifesavers!

However, I have a feeling we'll be returning the favor soon.  Brent and Jess got engaged on Saturday.  We are so darn happy for them and I CANNOT wait to help plan a wedding besides my own! ;)  I mean, just look at the smiles on their faces!

That's all I got today.  Y'all have a fabulous afternoon!

iphone pics: hair, sunset, randarita, & rug

It's Thursday, y'all!  You know what that means around these parts... jumbled titles and random tidbits.

I have officially found the secret to obtaining my beachy curls.  Remember when I posted this a short time ago?  Well I continued my search for hair products -- do we ever really stop? -- and hit the jackpot!  Allow me to introduce you to Surf Head.

This stuff is the bomb and only costs around $6.  My hair stays fabulous all day long and I am forever grateful ;)

Have I ever mentioned that I love living in the country?  I have?!  Ok ;)  Well let me rave some more.  I was treated with this on my birthday and just had to snap a picture.  Our God is quite the artist... wouldn't you agree?

On another note, I was introduced to the Randarita on my birthday and I'm in love.  This is my drink.  Am I taking my obsession too far with Miranda Lambert when I devour a cocktail named in her honor?  I didn't think so!  We adapted the recipe a little from Miranda's by using strawberry Crystal Light rather than raspberry flavored.  We also added some limes cause they look pretty ;)  The recipe breaks down to: 1/2 a package of Crystal Light, 2 parts water, 1 part Bacardi, and a splash of Sprite Zero.

And, finally, Boone doesn't give a hoot whether it's my birthday or not.  If he wants to drag around our bathroom rug in a mud hole and make a new toy... it's all good.  Thankfully he didn't chew it up, it just needed a really good washing.
Side note: I was letting the rugs air dry while I mopped the floors.  We typically don't leave our rugs on the back porch ;)

We're expecting some beneficial rainfall over the weekend, thank you Jesus!  I'm predicting a weekend of indoor projects and TV watching due to that.  No complaints here ;)

Have a lovely day, friends!

Random Tidbits

This could've possibly been the most random weekend of my life... and I actually remembered to take pictures.  Brace yourself, people.

• I visited my sweet little cousins Thursday afternoon.  They had just returned from camping and I was ready to give the birthday girl her presents!  Miss Gracyn wanted to tell y'all "hi!" She's growing so quickly... learning to crawl and becoming so content with herself these days. You can't tell in the picture, but she is a redhead. As her mommy says, "She's either sweet as pie or she lets that red-headed temper fly." We love her anyway though ;)

Lily with one of her birthday presents... but it wasn't from me - ha!  I got her a new bathing suit, a sweet ruffled white skirt, and a navy blue tank to go perfectly with it.  I'm hoping she'll get lots of use out of them this summer when they head to the beach.  I can't believe this child is 4 now!

• Thursday was pretty bittersweet... it was my last day of Block 1.  We met at a local restaurant, Mariah's, that morning to give our culmintaing task presentations then we enjoyed lunch together.  I love all 21 of these girls and I'm so sad to see the semester end - regardless of the fact that I'm not going to miss time-consuming projects.  You really become close knit when you spend so much time together!  Amazing classmates are yet another reason why I love my major :)

• Nathan and I got our first car payment for the Camry over the weekend.  Yes, I know I won't be so excited for them as time goes by, but it was yet another sign of growing up.  And, for now, that makes me happy.  Thanks to my tax refund, I sent it off today!
• On a better and free note, I got all $140 worth of my Pampered Chef goodies yesterday.  I can't wait to get them all to Nate's place, organize them in the cabinets, and use them!  I'll be sure to take a picture of all the goodies once they are out of the box ;)

• Since I've done really well at keeping up my running routine, I decided to buy myself a new pair of running shorts.  Lucky for me, I found an orange and grey pair for only $9.99 at TJ Maxx on Thursday.  Love them!  By the way, I apologize for the wrinkles in my white shirt.  I was just about to head out the door for our local Relay for Life and didn't have time to get rid of them.  Such is life!

• As of about an hour ago, I am DONE with this semester.  It's so crazy to think that in only a year, I'll be graduating college and hitting the job market/real world.  Oh yeah, and I'll be a wife ;)
• Last, but certainly not least, Sonic milkshakes are half off after 8 pm ALL summer.  I already took advantage of it, y'all :)  It may be best that I live in the middle of nowhere and over 10 miles from the nearest Sonic.



Y'all have a fabulous day!

Sweet Christmas Recipes

Pinterest is invading my bloggy again today. I'm sharing some super cute recieps today that look very tasty! I hope it gives you some inspiration for your Christmas cooking. Take a look, y'all!

Peppermint Bark. Recipe found HERE.


Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. Recipe found HERE.


Monkey Bread. Recipe found HERE.


Sugar Cookie Swirl. Recipe found HERE.


Santa Hat Brownies. Recipe found HERE.


What is it about Christmas that makes you wanna fire up the oven and eat something sweet? The last part happens to me just about everyday but ya know what I mean. ;) Have a great Wednesday, y'all!