SCENES FROM A WEEK, WEEK 7

We've now been semi-quarantined for 50 days. I've been listening to the podcast Staying in with Emily and Kumail and they talked about how we're in a place in society right now that is a little numb to everything. How when people were first being quarantined they were setting up routines that helped them through the work week and to feel their healthiest, but those routines aren't working quite as well right now. That makes a lot of sense to me. I was really trying to keep a daily photo journal but at some point I kind of stopped? Because it just all feels the same? I don't know guys. I think I need a nap and a new book and maybe a cookie.

The girls came to see what we were cooking for dinner. Not chicken, thankfully. 

Ava made matcha chocolate scones the other evening. SUPER simple and so delicious. Recipe is from Tokyo Kitchen. 

I was reading the latest Lady Darby book and Ava finished up the Harry Potter series this week.

BABY BUNNY SWEETNESS.

I did a home Lego coding virtual lesson for students this week. 

Ava's art teacher sent postcards out to all her students to send on smiles to others! Such a fun project.

Another virtual Scout Camp out this weekend. Dylan was able to participate with a couple other boys and still practice social distancing.

My current project. Stay tuned for the finished project.

SCENES FROM A WEEK

We've been at home now for six weeks. We're lucky: everyone is healthy, our neighborhood is nice for walking, both Neal and I are still working, we have internet access for the kids to do their work, we live in a state where our governor made quick, educated choices. We like each other, and the military has us prepared for things like missed vacations, not being there for someones birthday, endlessly changing orders and plans, being aware that you are indeed living through history.

But still. We're restless.We missed family visits and a long planned for trip. We miss our friends. And the library. I miss my students and co-workers and the kids miss their teachers.  It's an odd time. A slow time.

I have always loved being home. And I still do; even through the restlessness, the boredom, the worry.

Scenes from our week: 

I'm reading The Land of Stories series out loud to Ava. We are absolutely loving it.

Dylan is working on his Cooking Merit Badge for scouts, so he has been making dinners about once a week and using different techniques. This week he wanted to work on frying, so we made tonkatsu (Japanese fried pork chops). He used this video tutorial from Tokyo Kitchen. 

 YUM.

Working from home. I've been making a lot of anchor charts, which now won't be used until next year. 😢 We're out until the end of the year. I knew it was coming, but it was still very upsetting.

We did a backyard campout. It was fun, but cold!

 Campout dinner was chicken pot pie with biscuits. I found the recipe on this list; I'm working through all of them.

Ava is working on learning to braid her own hair. We've been looking at lots of braiding tutorials. Turns out I don't know how to do a traditional braid? Evidently, I always do "dutch braids" instead of traditional braids.

Ava's Earth Day art.

WHEN THINGS FALL INTO PLACE

hip hip hooray, we had (another) great day

Sometimes, things fall into place. Sometimes, you're in a house, in a neighborhood, taking your kids to school, doing a job you love and your husband is home for dinner every single night. And you find yourself not having to remind yourself, "Be present" because you just are. You're not telling yourself "the days are long but the years are short" through gritted teeth because you're just enjoying the days.
Part of this falling into place is just the place we are at in general. My kids are big, but not too big. They can put on their own shoes, they can buckle their own seat belts, we never ever need a stroller (PRAISE THE LORD), we can take them places and not have it be a huge production. They still like to hang out with us and we don't embarrass them yet. It's spring time-where the days are warmer and longer and that alone can make things feel better. You could say we're in a good season-in both life and nature.

But there is a little more right now: we love our home (not always the case when you move every few years), we love our neighborhood (same), and the school the kids are attending is fantastic (also: same). Both Neal and I like our jobs and work decent hours. We love this duty station and the town we live in-which is always a blessing because we don't get to chose. And while there are issues, like any where or place (a move in the middle of the school year is not easy), we are so content here.

It feels like home, in a way the last three years did not. It feels like everything has fallen into place for the time being, and I am grateful for it every day.

PINS + LINKS

Happy Friday! It's been an interesting week around here. I lots of new ideas I'm floating and we're settling into our spring schedule which means baseball, baseball, and more baseball. Even though it was a busy week, it was a MUCH better week than last week. Last weekend I did all the things I said I wanted to and it made a huge difference in this week.

Wine + nap + prayer & meditation + a good book = a much better me.

Let's hope this weekend is as restorative!

Here are some of the things I pinned this week:

1. Shrimp and Whole 30 grits? Yes, please. 2. I think I might want to add a floral skirt to my wardrobe. 3. I've been daydreaming about cabins again. 4. I think I want to go full on Southern and paint my porch ceiling blue.

Links I'm Loving:

I'm listening to The Practical Minimalists podcast and it's so good.

I want a recipe box to organize all the random recipes I have laying around, but it's so hard to chose because I like them all.

I just ordered Joy the Baker's new brunch cookbook.

We're starting to plan a camping trip here with some of our best friends and I CANNOT WAIT.

So tempting!

Just ordered my second clean out kit from ThredUp.

This is a great piece about moving by one of my favorite bloggers.

I've been trying to find the perfect crossbody bag.

I think I'm going to try the gluten free bread recipe from my Against All Grain cookbook this weekend.

My favorite city written up in my new favorite magazine.

Have a fabulous weekend, ya'll!

ALMOND & APPLE CHICKEN SALAD

Sometimes, life gets crazy. Sometimes, you and your hubs get home from work and have homework to help with, plus both baseball and Girl Scouts on the same night (WHY WHY WHY), plus dogs to feed...oh and yourself and all the people who live in your house who expect to eat every single day. And that's when you need to have a ton of this chicken salad in your fridge so you have something to scarf down before you run out the door. (Again.) It's great on it's own, with crackers, on bread, or on top of greens!

Also, it's, like, the easiest thing ever to make.

These measurements are good for two very large servings, so feel free to double or triple it for mega food prep. (Make during your weekly meal prep and you're golden!) Most weeks, I throw a couple pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in my slow cooker for 4 hours and then shred it all to have on hand during the week, and that works perfectly here. I also make my own mayo, because...I'm crazy (Just in case you would like to try this, I double the Whole 30 recipe) but you can use regular mayonnaise, of course (I suggest Hellmann's for traditional mayo or Primal Kitchen Avocado mayo if you're paleo/Whole 30). I also sometimes top it with Danielle Walker's Against All Grain Thai Almond Dressing and it is DIVINE.

Alright, let's make chicken salad!

Almond & Apple Chicken Salad

2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken 

4-6 Tbsp of mayonnaise of your choice

1 small apple, cored and chopped 

1 stalk of celery, chopped

2 Tbsp of roasted or raw almonds

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional: Against All Grain Almond Dressing

Mix all ingredients together and salt and pepper to taste. Top with almond dressing, if desired. Can be stored in fridge up to three days.

Enjoy!

PINS + LINKS

Happy Friday! I've decided to bring back Pins + Links on Fridays.


Do you ever come to the end of a week and find yourself focusing on all your shortcomings? It doesn't happen often to me, but this week has been a struggle. Some weeks are hard, you know? I'm hoping this weekend clears my mind and sets me on the right path for the coming week. The kids are off of school Monday, so it's a three day weekend for us, which already puts things in a positive light. I need a little downtime, some meditation, a little prayer, and maybe a nap and a glass of wine.

Here are some Pins I found this week:

1. Have you read about how people are choosing to wear a "uniform' everyday? This is my uniform. 2. I'll be making this drink station as soon as it warms up (hopefully this weekend!). 3. I just shopped at Aldi for the first time this week-and I really liked it. 4. Happy St. Patrick's Day! I think a Guinness float sound fantastic. 5. We're looking at new dining room sets and this is the look I'm going for.

Link Love:

Since one of my springtime goals is more gluten free baking, I've been making these Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies from Livin Paleo and they are SO GOOD.

I watched and loved The Crown, but this news of season two is HIGHLY ANNOYING. The Go Fug Yourself Girls break it down for you.

I'm moving toward ALL all natural cleaning products in our home and am finding lots of ideas/inspiration from the blogs From Faye and Clean Mama.

I just bought these Converse and I love them. My capsule wardrobe is pretty much complete!

This stuff is just the cutest. Even though Ava has been extra sassy this week, I want to buy it all for her.

That's it for me! I hope you have a great weekend.

HOME TOUR: LIVING ROOM

As you may know, we recently moved to a new state. And when we moved here, we bought a house. A house that I absolutely love! So I thought that it would be fun to do a Home Tour.

Let's start with the living room:

 When you walk in to the house, the living room is to your left. We get a lot of light here! No curtains for us; I like the clean lines of the wooden white blinds. Everything in this room is stuff we already had, but a lot of it was re-purposed into new uses!

 My all time favorite photo of the kids.

When we moved in, we painted the walls. We used Behr White Metal and are really happy with how it turned out-we went with the Premium Plus Ultra in Eggshell finish and it was worth it, in my opinion. 

The television sits on a hope chest that my great-grandfather bought for grandmother when she got married. He owned a furniture store in 1930's in Arbuckle, CA and it came from there. The gallery wall is full of our favorite photos, which we actually need to update since Ava has been walking for a few years now :).

Family Photos are by Amy Shuman Photography

Silhouettes are from Disneyland.

Initial is from Anthropologie. 

 This is the first time we've ever had a (working) fireplace in a home and we love it!

Detail of the right hand side of the mantle.

On the other side of that wall is the kitchen and dining area. The chair is vintage via Neal's grandmother. The poster on the wall is a printing press copy of the Declaration of Independence that we got on a trip to Philadelphia. 

Lots of sunlight! And sleeping dogs (Ryder the Lab is lying on the rug just below Dakota).

Doggie and blanket corner

Flea market green glass (from Alabama), fresh flowers, and door coasters (a gift from Ireland from Neal's parents).

Coffee table, The coffee table, sofa table, and end tables were all handmade by Neal's grandfather. Their color just happens to be spot on with the wood floors in this house!


So that's our light filled living room! Come back soon to see more of the Home Tour.