Monday Happiness

We are here....

 

...and it is beautiful. 

Happy Monday!

Adult Popsicles?!

Meet the "Hopsicle."  This takes icy cold beer to a new level and definitely puts Coors' blue mountains to shame.  Apparently these are only available in NYC, but on a hot day like today (and every other day this week), I'm ready for one of these right now.  I see a new summer craze in the midst. 

Also, lets recap the week's dinners. 

Remember that surprise dinner I made Tuesday? Hubs liked it so much, he had a few bites, pushed his plate to the side, and made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  I wish I could say I was kidding.  Apparently he doesn't like butternut squash ravioli.  Who knew? 

Last night's dinner went better.  I tried to use up all the fresh food in the house that would go bad quickly, so we had caprese, steamed corn on the cob, and potato salad.  

So I went one and one, with the "winning" dinner being essentially extremely easy cookout food.  Le sigh.  At least tonight we have dinner plans out--much more my speed.

Happy Friday everyone!

Thankful Thursday

I don't take the time to step back and be thankful for everything we have often enough, so I'm trying to reinstate Thankful Thursday, and try to be more thankful every day.

I just love this saying: 

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.

-Brian Tracy
 

So on that note, I am thankful for...

• the two weeks off before school starts
• for my wonderful husband

•  the fact that will be my last year of school EVER
• that I don't actually look like this hilarious picture my brother-in-law made of me with the "fat booth" app on his iphone (but I will say that it is definitely inspiration to keep my butt in gear and in shape): 

 

• the fresh veggies we have for dinner tonight
• my faith
• that I have a sweet puppy, even if she whines at me all morning from bed

• my health and happiness 
• the sunshine and beautiful day today

What are you thankful for today?

Wordless Wednesday: Hopa/Hpoa

I don't care if its fake, its too funny not to share. Supposedly, this girl sent these pictures office wide to announce she was quitting. Its apparently a hoax, but I got a big kick out of it. 

Ten on Tuesday: Things on my Mind

No strong theme today, just ten things going on right now...

1. Congrats to our good friends Jillian and James for getting engaged this past weekend! We are so incredibly happy for you both!

2. Ugh. Dentist appointment today--at least I had no cavities.  I absolutely hate going to to dentist. My dentist is nice and is who my husband uses locally, but  I can't stand having someone in my mouth and can't stand all the scraping sounds. I heard about some local dentist office that gives cookies and does paraffin wax massages on your hands while you wait, which sounds more like my speed.  Anyone go there and care to share their experience? Has anyone else does the sedation dentistry and have any experience with that? 

 Thanks google!

3.  I have the best friends ever. I had a great weekend catching up with the girls.  Friday night was a wonderful dinner and drinks with Thetas and on Sunday Lauren (an awesome wedding planner/florist) and I went out for lavender mojitos.  She was so kind to give me an gorgeous arrangement to take home. Every time I walk into the kitchen, I smile.

4. Paint. 'm thinking about painting our bedroom, again. I think our green is a little seafoam-y for me, and I would like a more neutral, tan-green.  I recently saw the Sherwin Williams color Burlap at a house and loved it. I don't want anything too different, just something with a warmer, more brown undertone. 

 Our bedroom now (it is more seafoamy than this, I swear). 

I'm also planning on painting the wooden trim and shelves white in our living room.  I think I will leave the wooden beams alone, but I am thinking the trim would blend into the new kitchen better, and would help lighten up the living room.

5. Life is short.  C had a visitation for a fraternity brother this weekend.  I think I'm still in that invincible state because it seems implausible to me that someone our age can die. Since I heard about his death, I've been thinking about how life is short and have actively tried to  live every moment to the fullest.  

Also, keep my uncle (and godfather) in your prayers.  He has stage four cancer and it has spread, so he is currently in chemo and radiation.  Honestly, I try to trust in God completely, but it is often hard to think of death or disease being part of his plan.  

 

 Thanks google!

6.  Fresher=better. We bought fresh corn, tomatoes, and peaches from a farm this weekend.  The corn was picked the day before, and tasted fabulous yesterday.  I love all the fresh veggies this time of year. 

  Thanks google!

7. School's expensive.  Even with every cent I earned this summer and my scholarship, we will have to pay money to UK this year.  Tuition is absurd, and books are even more of a rip off.  

 

  Thanks google!

8. Needlepointing.  I used to be a needlepointing fiend, and then I entered law school.  So now, I'm trying to finish the hunting scene pillow I started before law school. Wish me luck...

 

 The christmas stocking I needlepointed for myself.

9. I'm Cooking a Surprise Dinner Tonight.  Yes, you read that right. Cooking. Shocker, I know.  I think its because there is nothing on daytime television.  

 

 Thanks google!

I'm making ravioli with homemade tomato basil sauce and mixing a fresh salad. The sauce is cooking down right now, and smells delicious. Hopefully this will taste as good as it smells. For the sauce, I blanched 6 roma tomatoes for 10 seconds, sat them in an ice bath, peeled the skins, removed the seeds, and chopped the tomatoes.  In a medium-sized pan, I sauteed fresh garlic and shallots in olive oil.  I then added the chopped tomatoes to the olive oil and put in fresh basil, oregano, crushed red pepper, sea salt and balsamic vinegar, and am letting the mix (covered) simmer on the stove for about an hour.  

10. Lovely Bones is the saddest movie ever.  I watched it yesterday and just sat on the couch the whole time, crying--and I'm not a crier.  I didn't cry reading the book, but the movie just got to me. 

I hope everyone is having a good Tuesday.