We are going to Disney World! See you next week!
« December 2012 | Main | February 2013 »
January 25, 2013
January 24, 2013
My Covets -- 2013 Pretty Things
Soooo, I know that you aren't supposed to covet things or get the gimmes or any of that stuff, but sometimes (just every once in awhile, doncha know), I do see things that make me say "I want it!!!". I'm guessing that I'm not alone, right?
Let's start out with some European pottery...
Cath Kidston, Greengate, Emma Bridgewater...sigh. All of it hard to get in the US (though sometimes you can get lucky & find Cath Kidston) and very expensive to ship from Europe.
For the traditionalist in me...
I love blue & white ginger jars -- I think that they look really great with vintage-y things -- sort of a high/low decorating thing. And, you, Staub dutch oven....someday you will be mine, complete with your cute chicken handle.
Papercrafting heaven...
October Afternoon & Dear Lizzie have the most wonderful vintage inspired paper & accessories...I want it all....
Vintage-y baking goodies...
...to add to my collection which will be placed in the cabinet that Glenn has started making for me!
Links to all of these items are available at my Polyvore site: Kim's Polyvore.
|
| |
January 21, 2013
My 40th Birthday
On Saturday I turned 40 years old. It's pretty funny to me, 40. I used to think that it was sort of washed up, frumpy, stuck -- and I feel anything but. Well, sometimes frumpy, but that is a post for another day... :) I feel like this is the most exciting part of my life. In the past two years, I've had to courage to take a leap -- of faith, into the unknown, deciding that I wasn't going to keep on the same path. It has been nothing short of wonderful, making that change. I feel like anything is possible and that I can do anything if I have guts & faith in myself.
Glenn & Hope made my birthday absolutely perfect. Hope started out the day by performing a dance that she made up just for me and Glenn presented me with a tiara. As the day went on, I got flowers from Hope (with a little help from Daddy), lunch at a favorite restaurant, a little antiquing, a stop at a scrapbook store and an amazing grown up dinner at a wonderful french restaurant. Add in cake & presents that I didn't dare ask for, but I got anyway & it was perfect.
My favorite picture of the day, of my favorite people:
|
| |
January 10, 2013
This & That
It's my last week of freedom before school starts again & I'm trying to fit in lots of fun/relaxing activities. It's a big semester -- my very last one of grad school. I'm taking a cataloging class, comprehensive exams and doing my practicum, which is a hands-on school library experience. I'll be working in middle & elementary school libraries to see what really goes on in the daily life of a librarian and decide in which type of school I'd like to work. I've been really looking forward to my practicum for a long time and excited that I finally get to do real library work. So, I've spent time this week organizing the details of the practicum in addition to homey activities. It's not very cold here, but I sure do feel like snuggling in a cozy house right now. It's a state of mind, this winter cozy-seeking-ness.
A big part of this is cooking & baking, as I mentioned in my last post. Believe it or not, I was itching to bake cookies (after the dozens I baked in December, you'd think that I'd be over it), so I made up a batch of chocolate chip pecan cookies two days ago.
I received The Barefoot Contessa Foolproof cookbook as an early birthday present (yay!), so I've been trying out recipes from there. Last night was salmon & lentils from an earlier Barefoot book & the orange braised carrots & parsnips from Foolproof...
Yumyumyum.
I've been reading a lot. The latest was The Real Mrs. Miniver, which is a biography of the woman who wrote the book Mrs. Miniver which was turned into a WWII classic movie. I know, pretty esoteric, but I'm a geek for anything having to do with Britain during the war. More in the mainstream was Dearie, the latest bio of Julia Child and Dark Places, an older one by the author of Gone Girl. So, I've read bios & a pretty dark book -- I'd say it's time for something more uplifting, less serious. Maybe Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin? That sounds uplifting, doesn't it?
Here's something uplifting -- a rousing game of Life with your family:
Except I don't recommend letting the 7 year old be the banker. Just sayin.
|
| |
January 03, 2013
January Menu -- Menu Plan
I'm always very enthusiastic about cooking in January. I think that its the idea of making something warm and comforting that is so appealing. Also, after a month of eating a diet high in sugar, its good to get back to real food! I've been scouring my recipes, Pinterest and my new copy of Barefoot Contessa Foolproof (just got yesterday!) for ideas. Here are some of the things that I'm planning on making in the next few weeks....
Orange Braised Carrots and Parsnips
Cajun Chicken Stuffed with Pepperjack Cheese
Brown Rice
Chicken Parmesan (I make it up as I go along, baking it instead of frying)
Spaghetti
Salad with walnuts, dried cranberries & vinaigrette (I use Barefoot Contessa's)
Steamed Broccoli
Orange-Braised Carrots and Parsnips
Cajun Chicken with Pepper Jack Cheese
Oven Fries
I'll probably try another Foolproof recipe, TBD, and there will be at least one night with a Trader Joes quick meal after I start my library practicum.
I'm linking up with:
Susie QT pies Scraps of Life Menu Plan
|
| |
January 01, 2013
2012 Memory Jar
Last year I read about (probably on Pinterest) keeping a memory jar through the year & thought "that might be kind of cool -- I'm doing it!". I just put an un-used canister on the counter & wrote down the happenings of the day whenever I thought of it. Nothing fancy -- just a strip of paper with the date and a short note:
"1/30-Hope had a day off & we went to IKEA for play & lunch and then went to the new bookstore."
"6/15-Last day of school. Picnic with friends from kindergarten."
"9/7-Dexter is traumatized by trip to the vet for a glucose curve."
"10/5-Glenn is back after 3 week trip!"
Sometimes I'd miss an entire week, other times I'd drop in a note 3 times a week. We read them out loud last night as we ate our sundaes. Lots of things we remembered & lots of other things we'd forgotten -- and been convinced at the time that they happened that we wouldn't forget. It was a fun review of the year & way to remember the little daily things that made up our lives. I'm going to empty out the jar today & it will be ready to fill with 2013 memories.
|
| |