Summer is over. Thanks, Faith, for letting use review our summer with The Golden Vlog.
Links of books I've read this summer
Links of recipes I've tried this summer
Other Links Mentioned
How was your summer?
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Monday, September 7, 2015
Blueberry Razz Muffins
This summer, Rhys discovered a love for all berries (including grapes). Thankfully, there was almost a never ending supply of berries and grapes at our family reunion up at Bear Lake, and his favorite aunt works at a local produce stand and brings him fresh berries often. So, one day, I decided to be little miss homemaker and bake some berry muffins from scratch using the leftover berries.
Ingredients
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 375* F and put muffin/cupcake papers in the muffin tin.
2) Add in all ingredients, except for the berries and use an electric mixer on high. It should be a lemony color with a few lumps.
3) Add in the berries. Use the mixer again. This should pulverize the majority of the raspberries, turning the batter a pink-ish color. This will help seep the raspberry flavor into the batter itself.
4) Fill up the muffin tins and cook for about 30-35 minutes. Tops should just be getting a little golden.
Justin and I absolutely loved these. Rhys, however, was more interested in finishing off the remaining berries that I didn't use...but he ate the muffins for breakfast the next day when all the berries were gone.
Ingredients
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 375* F and put muffin/cupcake papers in the muffin tin.
2) Add in all ingredients, except for the berries and use an electric mixer on high. It should be a lemony color with a few lumps.
3) Add in the berries. Use the mixer again. This should pulverize the majority of the raspberries, turning the batter a pink-ish color. This will help seep the raspberry flavor into the batter itself.
4) Fill up the muffin tins and cook for about 30-35 minutes. Tops should just be getting a little golden.
Justin and I absolutely loved these. Rhys, however, was more interested in finishing off the remaining berries that I didn't use...but he ate the muffins for breakfast the next day when all the berries were gone.
What is your favorite mixture of berries or other fruit in muffins?
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
The Transition to Being a SAHM
I have now been a stay-at-home-mom for almost three months. It has definitely been a period of trial and error and transition (especially since Rhys is at an age of perpetual transition). And this transition was not always the easiest for either Rhys or me.
Growing up, my life plan was this:
1) Go to BYU and get married.
2) Teach until we had kids.
3) Stay at home until all are school aged and then go back.
4) Eventually become a history professor.
Well, when last summer came around with a brand-new baby on the way, a difficult choice was made. I had fallen in love. In love with my students, my school, my curriculum, my momentum. I loved being a teacher more than I ever dreamed of. And, I just couldn't shake this feeling that I needed to stay teaching. So, when Rhys came along, I dropped down to be a part-time teacher. And guess what, the Lord works in mysterious ways because for the first term, Justin was still jobless. The Lord was looking out for us financially by making me want to continue to teach.
Being a part-time mom was a nice beginning. Since Rhys was born in the middle of the summer, I had about a month and a half to acclimate to new motherhood before returning to work. That helped lay the foundation for me. I worked everyday during the 2nd half of the school day, roughly 11-3:30. I was able to begin to focus on my health and blog again in the mornings, and by making the ultimatum to not bring work home with me, I was able to focus on m family and my role as mother and wife more.
I had a few samples of what being a SAHM would be like during Christmas break and spring break, while Justin still had to work. I felt I could get used to it. But, I always knew I'd return back to work at the end of the break...
So, here is an analysis of my transition so far:
Growing up, my life plan was this:
1) Go to BYU and get married.
2) Teach until we had kids.
3) Stay at home until all are school aged and then go back.
4) Eventually become a history professor.
Well, when last summer came around with a brand-new baby on the way, a difficult choice was made. I had fallen in love. In love with my students, my school, my curriculum, my momentum. I loved being a teacher more than I ever dreamed of. And, I just couldn't shake this feeling that I needed to stay teaching. So, when Rhys came along, I dropped down to be a part-time teacher. And guess what, the Lord works in mysterious ways because for the first term, Justin was still jobless. The Lord was looking out for us financially by making me want to continue to teach.
Being a part-time mom was a nice beginning. Since Rhys was born in the middle of the summer, I had about a month and a half to acclimate to new motherhood before returning to work. That helped lay the foundation for me. I worked everyday during the 2nd half of the school day, roughly 11-3:30. I was able to begin to focus on my health and blog again in the mornings, and by making the ultimatum to not bring work home with me, I was able to focus on m family and my role as mother and wife more.
I had a few samples of what being a SAHM would be like during Christmas break and spring break, while Justin still had to work. I felt I could get used to it. But, I always knew I'd return back to work at the end of the break...
So, here is an analysis of my transition so far:
Positives of being a SAHM thus far
1) Less stress! No lesson plans, no timetables, no contract hours, no commuting, no grading, no worrying about any child other than Rhys!
2) I can wear jeans during the week now, and open toed shoes, and shorts, and I don't have to wear tights. So nice to be out of the charter school high standard of dress for teachers!
3) I've cooked more. True, most have been easy throw-together meals that didn't require a lot of planning or prepped, but at least it's better than eating out.
4) I can nap when Rhys naps and not worry about setting an alarm to make sure I still have time to get stuff done or to leave on time.
5) I get to see all of Rhys's milestones and teach him everything. Honestly, I just love watching him!
6) Did I mention less stress?
Negatives of being a SAHM thus far
1) I don't have a car. Near the end of the school year, a tree from the city park fell on our 2nd car (a piece of junk, anyway). Thankfully, the city paid us far more than it was worth, but now we are only down to 1 car and since Justin has a job...
2) Little socializing. Point #1 is a big factor into that, but I don't have colleagues to chat with, or even teens for that matter. A conversation with Rhys can only go so far and only last so long.
3) Too much Netflix! We got rid of cable to help save some money, but I've been watching far too much TV and Netflix for my liking.
4) Getting out of the house. It's been super hot this summer, typically in the 95-105* range. Taking a bike or stroller only gets us so far in this heat. I'd have loved to get out more with Rhys and for my own sanity if we had a second car.
What I've learned
1) My anxiety with school has just been overrun by other anxieties, such as Rhys and finances. But, I'm learning to deal with it.
2) It's okay to still ask for a baby-less day, especially if you have doting family close by who jump at the opportunity to watch him.
3) I have absolutely loved watching Rhys and paying closer attention and detail to him. I love watching him learn and grow and interact with his world. It just reminds me more and more how endless my love is for him and how astounding toddlers can be.
4) I miss those 5 hours and the fact that someone else dealt with rebellion to eat lunch and to nap some days, and that's ok.
5) Being a SAHM is just as exhausting as being a working mom.
6) I am trying to be more intentional with Rhys and engage more with him by being on social media less when he is awake, or to put it aside when he wants attention.
7) I am able to follow his cue more and be more flexible. For instance, he is in the process of weaning himself off bottles of milk and trying to get down to one nap.
8) I'm still not sure if this is the right long-term plan for us, but so far it has helped my mental and emotional health, and that is what is important right now.
I'm excited to see what the rest of this year will bring us as I continue to transition into being a SAHM!
If you are a SAHM, what was your transition like?
Friday, August 21, 2015
Summer
It is so nice to be back from blogging. I haven't had a substantial post since July 16th! The second to last week of July, we went on a family vacation and then we came home to a non-working laptop. It's taken us this long to save up the money and find the right new laptop to buy. But, I'm back and I'm hoping to be even better.
But, for now, I think I'll tell you about our summer! It was the second summer I haven't had a job in my adult life (last summer we moved and I had a baby...no way I could've handled a job!). But, what was different about this summer was that I didn't have to worry about going back to teaching. School started yesterday and I'm still sitting at home. It was nice and relaxing to know that I didn't have to worry about unit plans or teacher meetings and could just enjoy my summer.
June
June started out with a very productive first week as a stay-at-home mom. The house got deep scrubbed, social media got organized, unit plans started to get backed up onto the computer. Rhys and I began to develop a routine. Then, it got harder and harder. Yes, I'm an introvert, but I get lonely very easily and very quickly. Rhys also started to refuse to eat at all and naps were crazy. My anxiety started to affect me for the worse this time and I finally got diagnosed with anxiety and depression/PPD. More on that next week. My brother also graduated high school and my family went up to visit my paternal grandparents in Idaho.
July
Rhys turned one years old and we celebrated with family. Four days later, Justin was also finally able to celebrate his birthday for the first time in two years (last year we were brand new parents, and the year before that he was very ill from some medication he was taking). We went to Tucanos and Rhys loved all the new food, and especially the Brazilian lemonades! Rhys and I spent a lot of time with my family, going to parades, hanging out, and having lunches. Then, the Morrell clan had a reunion at Bear Lake.
I had forgotten to grab my camera on the way out and was saddened about it for the first hour of driving. But then I realized that I could take the opportunity to just stay off social media as a whole and be more engaged. (Luckily, in-laws had nice iPhone 6's and took a few pictures of us!) Bear Lake was absolute heaven. There are 25 of us (parents, siblings, spouses, and kids) and we rented a huge cabin. We all had breakfast and dinner together every day. The cousins played non-stop, and included Rhys (they loved playing with him...we hardly had to keep our eyes on him). The grown-ups chatted and played a lot of card games. It was so fun getting to know my in-laws better! And the lake! My goodness, what a beautiful lake. Rhys had the time of his life playing in (and eating) the sand and water, even if it was a little chilly. I had a blast riding on the boat and tubing with my nieces. Some of us even went to visit the caves and I loved watching the little kids' expressions of discovery. For the next few weeks after we got home, I yearned to go back.
August
We finally got a new couch--a post about our living room rearrangement soon, a new laptop, made a huge Goodwill run, and got the entire house completely organized. This month, due to the lack of laptop, I haven't really been engaging much in social media. Sure, I've checked it every now and then on my iPhone 4, but to be honest, I prefer using my laptop over my iPhone. Also, my iPhone 4's camera is broken (so does anyone want to give me or buy me an iPhone 5 or 6?), so that's made Instagram harder. But, ever since I started taking medication for my anxiety/depression, I've felt so much more happy and relaxed. Rhys and I have visited the park almost every day, and have adventured out a bit with the stroller or the bike and trailer (as we only have one car which Justin takes to work). But, this past week or so, Rhys and I got a terrible stomach bug, and we are now all better.
This summer has been really extraordinarily busy, full of family on both sides, last minute excursions, new purchases, and trials and obstacles, but at the same time it has been one of the most relaxing summers I've had. I've been able to enjoy every single minute of it and really be present and live in the moment. It has really been good for me.
Right now, I'm aching a little to be back to teaching because 1) I'm not used to not having a job, 2) I love teaching, 3) all my friends are going back to teaching, and 4) the beginning of the school year (August-end of October) is my favorite. But, I'm excited to continue this new chapter in my life of being a stay at home mom and to learn more about myself and Rhys.
Look forward to these topics of posts starting Monday, August 24th
-Being a SAHM
- My anxiety and depression/PPD
- My trial of faith
- New Recipes
- Thoughts and introspections
- Blogging, and specifically, why I won't be getting snapchat.
- and soooooo much more!
But, for now, I think I'll tell you about our summer! It was the second summer I haven't had a job in my adult life (last summer we moved and I had a baby...no way I could've handled a job!). But, what was different about this summer was that I didn't have to worry about going back to teaching. School started yesterday and I'm still sitting at home. It was nice and relaxing to know that I didn't have to worry about unit plans or teacher meetings and could just enjoy my summer.
June
June started out with a very productive first week as a stay-at-home mom. The house got deep scrubbed, social media got organized, unit plans started to get backed up onto the computer. Rhys and I began to develop a routine. Then, it got harder and harder. Yes, I'm an introvert, but I get lonely very easily and very quickly. Rhys also started to refuse to eat at all and naps were crazy. My anxiety started to affect me for the worse this time and I finally got diagnosed with anxiety and depression/PPD. More on that next week. My brother also graduated high school and my family went up to visit my paternal grandparents in Idaho.
July
Rhys turned one years old and we celebrated with family. Four days later, Justin was also finally able to celebrate his birthday for the first time in two years (last year we were brand new parents, and the year before that he was very ill from some medication he was taking). We went to Tucanos and Rhys loved all the new food, and especially the Brazilian lemonades! Rhys and I spent a lot of time with my family, going to parades, hanging out, and having lunches. Then, the Morrell clan had a reunion at Bear Lake.
I had forgotten to grab my camera on the way out and was saddened about it for the first hour of driving. But then I realized that I could take the opportunity to just stay off social media as a whole and be more engaged. (Luckily, in-laws had nice iPhone 6's and took a few pictures of us!) Bear Lake was absolute heaven. There are 25 of us (parents, siblings, spouses, and kids) and we rented a huge cabin. We all had breakfast and dinner together every day. The cousins played non-stop, and included Rhys (they loved playing with him...we hardly had to keep our eyes on him). The grown-ups chatted and played a lot of card games. It was so fun getting to know my in-laws better! And the lake! My goodness, what a beautiful lake. Rhys had the time of his life playing in (and eating) the sand and water, even if it was a little chilly. I had a blast riding on the boat and tubing with my nieces. Some of us even went to visit the caves and I loved watching the little kids' expressions of discovery. For the next few weeks after we got home, I yearned to go back.
August
We finally got a new couch--a post about our living room rearrangement soon, a new laptop, made a huge Goodwill run, and got the entire house completely organized. This month, due to the lack of laptop, I haven't really been engaging much in social media. Sure, I've checked it every now and then on my iPhone 4, but to be honest, I prefer using my laptop over my iPhone. Also, my iPhone 4's camera is broken (so does anyone want to give me or buy me an iPhone 5 or 6?), so that's made Instagram harder. But, ever since I started taking medication for my anxiety/depression, I've felt so much more happy and relaxed. Rhys and I have visited the park almost every day, and have adventured out a bit with the stroller or the bike and trailer (as we only have one car which Justin takes to work). But, this past week or so, Rhys and I got a terrible stomach bug, and we are now all better.
This summer has been really extraordinarily busy, full of family on both sides, last minute excursions, new purchases, and trials and obstacles, but at the same time it has been one of the most relaxing summers I've had. I've been able to enjoy every single minute of it and really be present and live in the moment. It has really been good for me.
Right now, I'm aching a little to be back to teaching because 1) I'm not used to not having a job, 2) I love teaching, 3) all my friends are going back to teaching, and 4) the beginning of the school year (August-end of October) is my favorite. But, I'm excited to continue this new chapter in my life of being a stay at home mom and to learn more about myself and Rhys.
Look forward to these topics of posts starting Monday, August 24th
-Being a SAHM
- My anxiety and depression/PPD
- My trial of faith
- New Recipes
- Thoughts and introspections
- Blogging, and specifically, why I won't be getting snapchat.
- and soooooo much more!
What has your summer been like?
Monday, July 20, 2015
Desiree from Macke Monologues
Hi Morrell Tale readers!
I'm Desirée and I blog over at Macke Monologues.
Over at Macke Monologues I love to post new recipes (this Chicken Fried Rice is a family favorite), occasionally I'll write about my love of running, but most days I post about my little man and all that we do to keep our days busy. Some of my favorite daily posts are about life currently. To get a quick glimpse of life I thought I'd share that with the Morrell Tale Readers today.
Currently I am…
Thinking about :: just how fast this summer has gone, and our Bucket List of things to do. Marcus and I have really made the most out of last few months together as Marcus and Mommy. I'm hoping we can complete all the items on our List before the baby arrives.
Do you have seasonal bucket lists? If so, I'd love to hear what fun things you do!
Working on :: finishing up the nursery for our little lady. We just have to hang curtain rods and curtains and the room will be complete. Here's just a peek at the room. I'll be sharing a full reveal as soon as I'm sure the room is totally finished.
Reading :: The Garden on Sunset by Martin Turnbull. Most of the books I've read as of late have been thanks to suggestions from BookBub. Many books are at ridiculously reduced prices, sometimes they are even free! I've also noticed many of the books are by up and coming authors, so the books and authors aren't as well known, and I love supporting those authors.
Are you reading anything you can't put down? Let me know! I love adding to my ever growing must-read list.
Listening to :: Marcus is completely obsessed with the Luke Bryan song, "Kick the Dust Up." That's pretty much on repeat right now.
Eating :: watermelon and popsicles all the livelong day. Summer heat plus pregnancy cravings at their finest!
Watching :: my husband and I are HGTV addicts. Fixer Upper, Flip or Flop, Love It or List It, and Property Brothers are among our favorites. Maybe someday we'll actually have the courage to try a few at-home renovations of our own.
Wanting :: a backyard. We live in a townhome and our small back patio just doesn't cut it. I'd love to let me kids loose in a big grassy yard complete with a swing set and sandbox.
Feeling :: pretty big and tired these days. At 36 weeks pregnant that tends to happen.
Loving :: all the bows and headbands! I just received some adorable headbands for our little lady and I'm certain a girl can never have too many.
Do you have a favorite bow and headband shop? If so, I'd love to hear about it!
Thankful for :: these two and the little miss we'll be meeting soon. They're pretty awesome and make my world go 'round.
So tell me, what's going on in your world, currently?
Thanks to Tayler for allowing me to take over. Feel free to swing by Macke Monologues and say hi, I'd love to hear from you!
~Desirée
{Check out this lovely lady}
I'm Desirée and I blog over at Macke Monologues.
On any given day you can find me posting about life as a domestic engineer (or as most call it, SAHM). My three year old, Marcus keeps me on my toes, so we are always on the look out for new adventures. To add to our family fun, we are expecting our second child - a little girl! - August 14. The weeks are fleeting, and our family dynamic will certainly change when the little lady arrives.
Over at Macke Monologues I love to post new recipes (this Chicken Fried Rice is a family favorite), occasionally I'll write about my love of running, but most days I post about my little man and all that we do to keep our days busy. Some of my favorite daily posts are about life currently. To get a quick glimpse of life I thought I'd share that with the Morrell Tale Readers today.
Currently I am…
Thinking about :: just how fast this summer has gone, and our Bucket List of things to do. Marcus and I have really made the most out of last few months together as Marcus and Mommy. I'm hoping we can complete all the items on our List before the baby arrives.
Do you have seasonal bucket lists? If so, I'd love to hear what fun things you do!
 |
| Prints are from TheDigitalStudio. Oval frames are from primitivepincushion. Rectangle frames are from ThePaintedLdy. |
Listening to :: Marcus is completely obsessed with the Luke Bryan song, "Kick the Dust Up." That's pretty much on repeat right now.
Eating :: watermelon and popsicles all the livelong day. Summer heat plus pregnancy cravings at their finest!
Wanting :: a backyard. We live in a townhome and our small back patio just doesn't cut it. I'd love to let me kids loose in a big grassy yard complete with a swing set and sandbox.
Feeling :: pretty big and tired these days. At 36 weeks pregnant that tends to happen.
Loving :: all the bows and headbands! I just received some adorable headbands for our little lady and I'm certain a girl can never have too many.
 |
| bow/headband |
So tell me, what's going on in your world, currently?
Thanks to Tayler for allowing me to take over. Feel free to swing by Macke Monologues and say hi, I'd love to hear from you!
~Desirée
Monday, July 13, 2015
Currently // July
Here's a story:
We had a busy, almost spontaneous weekend, and I loved it! However, that meant that I wasn't able to prepare a good post for today...but, coming Wednesday, is "Backy Tips, Tricks, and Hacks."
So, for today, I'll be doing a Currently and talk about my weekend!
Craving // Oreos and Pepsi. I always crave Pepsi in the summer and we just had a box of Oreo last week, and it disappeared all too quickly.
Grilling // Nothing, sadly. Justin has all but given up on his small little personal grill. But, next week there will be a lot of grilling when we go to our Morrell family reunion!
Listening // To a lot of Disney and toddler stations on Pandora. Got to indoctrinate my one year old in the ways of Disney, and we have fun dance parties to "The Wheels on the Bus."
Planning // The rest of July's blogging stuff, getting all my unit plans typed up and sold on Teachers Pay Teachers and organizing/cleaning out our storage and closets.
(Re)Decorating // We just got a new couch, so we are rearranging our living room. Post will come in a few weeks of the before and after! I love it! Some subtle changes, but a huge difference!
So, this past weekend was a whirlwind!
Wednesday evening, we were supposed to get pictures taken by Ashley Ziegler, but the weather got the best of us. (Wish us luck tonight!)
Thursday was Justin's birthday. He got (half) a package of Oreos and a (full) banana cream pie, as well as a t-shirt with one of his favorite anime's insignia on it from Rhys and me. I went to a blogger dinner with a few of my closest blogger friends. Then, we went to meet up with Justin's sister who just flew in and had ice cream with her.
Friday I got a mani-pedi with another blogger friend. Then, our couch arrived, and we had a fun time deep-scrubbing the living room, moving couches out, and assembling the new couch.
Saturday, we went on an early morning grocery trip (thank you Rhys for waking up without fail between 5:30-6:30 AM even on weekends). Then, that evening, we were invited to go bowling with some of Justin's friends. It was nice to be able to get out spontaneously and have fun with adults our age. It was also fun to watch Rhys bowl!
{Check out this lovely lady}
We had a busy, almost spontaneous weekend, and I loved it! However, that meant that I wasn't able to prepare a good post for today...but, coming Wednesday, is "Backy Tips, Tricks, and Hacks."
So, for today, I'll be doing a Currently and talk about my weekend!
Craving // Oreos and Pepsi. I always crave Pepsi in the summer and we just had a box of Oreo last week, and it disappeared all too quickly.
Grilling // Nothing, sadly. Justin has all but given up on his small little personal grill. But, next week there will be a lot of grilling when we go to our Morrell family reunion!
Listening // To a lot of Disney and toddler stations on Pandora. Got to indoctrinate my one year old in the ways of Disney, and we have fun dance parties to "The Wheels on the Bus."
Planning // The rest of July's blogging stuff, getting all my unit plans typed up and sold on Teachers Pay Teachers and organizing/cleaning out our storage and closets.
(Re)Decorating // We just got a new couch, so we are rearranging our living room. Post will come in a few weeks of the before and after! I love it! Some subtle changes, but a huge difference!
So, this past weekend was a whirlwind!
Wednesday evening, we were supposed to get pictures taken by Ashley Ziegler, but the weather got the best of us. (Wish us luck tonight!)
Thursday was Justin's birthday. He got (half) a package of Oreos and a (full) banana cream pie, as well as a t-shirt with one of his favorite anime's insignia on it from Rhys and me. I went to a blogger dinner with a few of my closest blogger friends. Then, we went to meet up with Justin's sister who just flew in and had ice cream with her.
Friday I got a mani-pedi with another blogger friend. Then, our couch arrived, and we had a fun time deep-scrubbing the living room, moving couches out, and assembling the new couch.
Saturday, we went on an early morning grocery trip (thank you Rhys for waking up without fail between 5:30-6:30 AM even on weekends). Then, that evening, we were invited to go bowling with some of Justin's friends. It was nice to be able to get out spontaneously and have fun with adults our age. It was also fun to watch Rhys bowl!
What did you do over the weekend?
Friday, July 3, 2015
Guys Behind the Blog // June
So, since blogging life was a little buy last week, I never got to have Justin take over for Betsy's June Guys Behind the Blog. So, he gets to do it today, then at the end of the month, he'll do July's!
Beach trips with my family. Every summer, my family and a few other family friends would drive down near Dover, Delaware and spend the day at the beach. Body surfing, boogie boarding, sandy picnics, and geting horribly burnt despite all of the sunblock we put on. We would wash up and walk along the boardwalk and often eat at Grotto's Pizza right on the boardwalk.
2 // If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?
Either Japan or New Zealand. My LOTR geek wants to see Middle Earth. My high school anime obsessed nerd wants to see Japan.
3 // Are there any summer traditions that you have or would like to start? (think things like big picnics, summer activities, bonfires, or day trips!)
Water fights. Hoses, water balloons, squirt guns, pitchers, faucets. All fair game. I love water fights. (Justin tells me stories of how these ended up inside the house...No. Freaking. Way. Ever. In my house.)
4 // The 4th of July is coming up…what’s a must-have picnic or BBQ food for you?
Hot dogs. I love any and everything BBQ related, but hot dogs are a must.
5 // Think about your ideal vacation…are you in a cozy cabin, camping in a tent, or hanging in a hotel?
Honestly, camping in a tent is ok. I love the camping aspect more than the actual tent aspect. My dad and I would go camping a few times a year and he would always pack an air mattress because neither of us wanted to sleep on a rock or a tree root.
Cabins are very fun, as are hotels. But if I had to pick one, I'd go with cabin. Its like camping in a tent without the rocks on the ground.
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
July Goal // Explore My City
This has been quite the interesting month. Quite the big transition has been happening--learning to take care of Rhys 24/7 (which I haven't done since he was a year old), not working, etc. So, it's been a little hard to figure out a good balance between errand/household duties, being a good and attentive mom for Rhys, quality time with Justin when he's home, and finding time for my own hobbies and interests. But, I'm slowly, slowly starting to get the hang of it.
June's goal was to Organize My Home:
Sub Goals:
I decided that this year, my word would be motivation, and I feel I was motivated this month. Although, half way through the month, I got YET ANOTHER UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION (seriously! I've gone maybe two weeks without having a UPI this entire calendar year so far), and there were some days where Rhys was just having a hard day. It was also a little difficult to figure out when to actually deep scrub since I didn't want Rhys around the chemicals, but I like using his naps for blogging and a nap myself...
I have also been working on my unit plans for Teachers Pay Teachers. I got one whole one up, with other additions, and I'm working on my second unit plan. But, I'll be working on it all summer.
July--Explore My City
June's goal was to Organize My Home:
Sub Goals:
- Deep scrub the entire house
I just have to do the washer and dryer, kitchen, and downstairs hall (with the storage closets), and the living room floor/floorboards. But, I am waiting until we purchase the new couch we have our eyes on since there will be some rearranging done! I would also like to do the outside of all the windows since they are dirty snow and rained stained, but I have no idea how to reach them (especially the 2nd floor ones) and we are just renting, after all!
- Organize all cupboards, dressers, closets
I have started to do this, but I'm actually waiting for Justin to help a bit, as well as my Mom, so it will get done probably in the next two weeks.
- Organize the household files
I was actually going to do that yesterday, but I was super sore from an intense workout on Monday, and coughing up a lot of mucus. But, it will get done today!
- Do a Deseret Industries (like Goodwill) run
This will happen after closets and dressers get reorganized.
- Reevaluate budget
We are in the process on working on this.
I decided that this year, my word would be motivation, and I feel I was motivated this month. Although, half way through the month, I got YET ANOTHER UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION (seriously! I've gone maybe two weeks without having a UPI this entire calendar year so far), and there were some days where Rhys was just having a hard day. It was also a little difficult to figure out when to actually deep scrub since I didn't want Rhys around the chemicals, but I like using his naps for blogging and a nap myself...
I have also been working on my unit plans for Teachers Pay Teachers. I got one whole one up, with other additions, and I'm working on my second unit plan. But, I'll be working on it all summer.
July--Explore My City
There were a lot of things Justin and I never saw or did in Provo and we regret it. So, I want to explore Salt Lake County and get to know it's history more. There is so much here to do or visit or see, and now that Rhys is getting to age of exploring, I want him to.
Sub Goals:
- Go to the library at least twice.
- Have a picnic twice, in different locations
- Visit one new place (aquarium, park, museum, local restaurant, historic site, splash pad) per week
- Visit the Community building and try to get involved
- Go to Bear Lake for the Morrell Family Reunion!!
What are your goals for this month?
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Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Summer Bucket List with Emilie Burke
I've given myself a few weeks to start to transition into being a SAHM. Now that I'm starting getting it down (no where near to having it down) and beginning to get into a rhythm, and since school is out, I've been thinking about things to do this summer. (And the 100* weather hasn't helped either.) So, I got together with Emilie Burke to create a Summer Bucket List!
New Years isn't the only time of year to make a list of things to do! The summertime is a perfect season to try new things, to open yourself to unforgettable experiences! Here's a few things on my Summer Bucket List:
1. Music Festivals
Summer isn't complete without a soundtrack! Wouldn't it be great to see that "soundtrack" live? You could go to one, or two, or seven! Music is a never ending pleasure! Live music is always so exciting. Who are you looking forward to seeing life?
2. Parasailing!
I’ve actually been parasailing with my younger sister. It was one of the most beautiful, life-changing experience I’ve ever had. This is something you need to be doing this summer. Take advantage of the good weather and get outside.
3. Ziplining
I’m really lucky to have been ziplining, too, and it is an exhilarating experience. There is something freeing about being completely out of control and so in touch with life at the same time.
4. Snorkeling
My younger sister recently went snorkeling and I’ve been hearing about it ever since. I know that this is something I need to do. You can read about her here: http://thewaysoflaura.tumblr.com/post/118915946745/join-me-in-key-west-today-i-got-to-go#notes
5. Swimming with Dolphins!
Who wouldn't want to swim with a dolphin? Those cute, sweet animals! This summer is about doing things out of the ordinary! Swimming with a dolphin is definitely not ordinary!
Five fun filled events that I've always wanted to do during the summer! Doing things as normal as a music festival to swimming with a dolphin is what I call a summer to never forget!
Tayler:
I would love to join Emilie on all those adventures. Sadly, we have an almost 1 year old, and a husband who doesn't get a summer break because he's a big, adult boy with a big, adult boy job (and he's saving up all his PTO for our family reunion at the end of July). So, I'll give you some local summer bucket list ideas!
6. Visit museums
These can be big museums or small. We have children discovery museums near us, natural history museums, and, also smaller city history museums that I want to be able to check out.
These can be big museums or small. We have children discovery museums near us, natural history museums, and, also smaller city history museums that I want to be able to check out.
7. Farmer's Markets
You'd be surprised what you can find and fall in love with at Farmer's Markets. Even if you don't bring any money to spend, just walking around, trying free samples, and enjoying the outdoors is a fun-filled family activity.
You'd be surprised what you can find and fall in love with at Farmer's Markets. Even if you don't bring any money to spend, just walking around, trying free samples, and enjoying the outdoors is a fun-filled family activity.
8. Picnic and Movie Outside
Have a BBQ, pack a picnic basket, have friends bring over a ton of random food. Eat on the porch, or at a park. Go to a drive in movie (we have one near us--perfect since we'd be in our car and Rhys can sleep in his carseat), or set up a screen and wait till dark!
Have a BBQ, pack a picnic basket, have friends bring over a ton of random food. Eat on the porch, or at a park. Go to a drive in movie (we have one near us--perfect since we'd be in our car and Rhys can sleep in his carseat), or set up a screen and wait till dark!
9. Go on a hike
Utah is known for it's canyon hikes. I'd love to do a few of these...maybe more in August or September when it cools down a tad...right now it's 100*!!! But, a lot of these hikes are easy, beautiful, and have streams or waterfalls to play in.
Utah is known for it's canyon hikes. I'd love to do a few of these...maybe more in August or September when it cools down a tad...right now it's 100*!!! But, a lot of these hikes are easy, beautiful, and have streams or waterfalls to play in.
10. Go to Theme Parks
These can be big ones if you live near them, like Disneyland or Universal Studios, or more local ones, like King's Dominion or Lagoon. Or, even waterparks! There are rides for all ages--kiddy rides (I can't wait to get pictures of Rhys in kiddy rides), family rides, adult rides. You'll be set for the whole day!
These can be big ones if you live near them, like Disneyland or Universal Studios, or more local ones, like King's Dominion or Lagoon. Or, even waterparks! There are rides for all ages--kiddy rides (I can't wait to get pictures of Rhys in kiddy rides), family rides, adult rides. You'll be set for the whole day!
So, whether you want adventure or local fun, there are plenty of things you can do to make your summer more fun and get out of the house more...and I'm hoping to do just that to avoid setting a SAHM habit of being a homebody and a couch potato!
What is on your summer bucket list?
Emilie Lima Burke
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Friday, May 29, 2015
May Blogger Men Tell All & Guys Behind the Blog
We're combining both guy linkups again, so enjoy getting to know my awesome, amazing husband more!
Would you rather…
1. Watch Star Wars or Star Trek?
Star Wars. I grew up going to the theater with my Dad watching the re-releases of Star Wars in the 90's and it was some of the best memories of my childhood. Star Trek only got interesting for me with the recent releases.
2. Take a summer vacation in the mountains or the beach?
Difficult question. I love the beach and I love the mountains, but both have things I really dislike. I probably like the beach more, but after 1 day I'm done, whereas I could be in the mountains for weeks.
3. Use Facebook or Twitter?
Facebook. I have a twitter, but I haven't touched in in literally months. I liked the concept of it, but not the execution. Plus, I've gone through so many types of social media over the years, I've kind of settled on Facebook and maybe LinkedIn and called it quits. I did a blog, a Xanga, Myspace, toyed with Google+. There's too much. Facebook is fine, and when I'm looking for a job, LinkedIn. That's good for me.
4. Go camping or stay in a nice hotel?
Depends. I love camping, but a nice hotel has a lot of perks. It all depends on what I was doing that day or the next.
5. Watch sports or play sports?
Baseball - Play
Football - Watch and Play
Basketball - Watch and Play
Volleyball - Play
Hockey - Watch
Olympic Events - Watch
Golf - Play
Rugby - Watch
Soccer - Neither
Would you rather…
1. Watch Star Wars or Star Trek?
Star Wars. I grew up going to the theater with my Dad watching the re-releases of Star Wars in the 90's and it was some of the best memories of my childhood. Star Trek only got interesting for me with the recent releases.
2. Take a summer vacation in the mountains or the beach?
Difficult question. I love the beach and I love the mountains, but both have things I really dislike. I probably like the beach more, but after 1 day I'm done, whereas I could be in the mountains for weeks.
3. Use Facebook or Twitter?
Facebook. I have a twitter, but I haven't touched in in literally months. I liked the concept of it, but not the execution. Plus, I've gone through so many types of social media over the years, I've kind of settled on Facebook and maybe LinkedIn and called it quits. I did a blog, a Xanga, Myspace, toyed with Google+. There's too much. Facebook is fine, and when I'm looking for a job, LinkedIn. That's good for me.
4. Go camping or stay in a nice hotel?
Depends. I love camping, but a nice hotel has a lot of perks. It all depends on what I was doing that day or the next.
5. Watch sports or play sports?
Baseball - Play
Football - Watch and Play
Basketball - Watch and Play
Volleyball - Play
Hockey - Watch
Olympic Events - Watch
Golf - Play
Rugby - Watch
Soccer - Neither
1 // What is your favorite family tradition?
Large breakfasts. My dad would make pancakes until he was tired. He expects all of them to be eaten. There were seldom leftovers.
2 // Who's your male celebrity crush?
Probably Nathan Fillion.
3 // What song best sums you up?
So, this is actually really hard. I've spent a few days trying to find a good one, but most of the music I listen to is rather hard rock-ish stuff whose lyrics get quite...harsh. I realize nothing is going to be a perfect fit, but this is the best I could find.
4 // What three things do you think of the most each day?
My family. They are constantly on my mind.
Food. I get hungry rather easy. It's hard not to think about food.
Honestly, that's about it. 2 things constantly on my mind. There isn't a consistent 3rd.
5 // What is your most embarrassing memory?
Well, I'll never tell that, but I will share "the most embarrassing thing I'm willing to admit on the internet".
I was 21 years old before I realized the phrase was "Nip it in the bud" and not "Nip it in the butt"....Well, thats obviously not very embarrassing. So you should...
Large breakfasts. My dad would make pancakes until he was tired. He expects all of them to be eaten. There were seldom leftovers.
2 // Who's your male celebrity crush?
Probably Nathan Fillion.
3 // What song best sums you up?
So, this is actually really hard. I've spent a few days trying to find a good one, but most of the music I listen to is rather hard rock-ish stuff whose lyrics get quite...harsh. I realize nothing is going to be a perfect fit, but this is the best I could find.
4 // What three things do you think of the most each day?
My family. They are constantly on my mind.
Food. I get hungry rather easy. It's hard not to think about food.
Honestly, that's about it. 2 things constantly on my mind. There isn't a consistent 3rd.
5 // What is your most embarrassing memory?
Well, I'll never tell that, but I will share "the most embarrassing thing I'm willing to admit on the internet".
I was 21 years old before I realized the phrase was "Nip it in the bud" and not "Nip it in the butt"....Well, thats obviously not very embarrassing. So you should...
And that's about right.
Honestly though, I could write novels on embarrassing things I've done, however, I'm not very inclined to share them. I make a big enough fool of myself on the internet already.
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How did you come up with the name to your blog?
My blog name is, well, my name. Creativity is not my forte. At least not with words. I wanted to write about the things that affect my own life, so why beat around the bush. I’m writing about me, why not call it that? That is, after all one of my personality traits. I am very straight to the point.
What is your blog's mission or goal?
A couple of years ago, a friend of mine moved to Russia and started a blog. Eventually she just stopped writing. When I asked her why, she told me it was because she had settled into her transition. Like for her, blogging is helping me transition- primarily from college to the real world. There are so many things that change in that process: my address, my job, my surrounding, my bank accounts, my budget. This is my way of documenting and sharing it.
Besides blogging, what are some other hobbies of yours?
I spent my first three years of college playing on the rugby team. I’m also super active in my sorority. I do a lot of crafting, and I’m constantly working to learn.
What is the best thing about blogging for you?
It’s really cathartic for me. I have so much going on lately. This semester has been so crazy. This summer will be busy, with lots going on and a bit of being here and a bit of being there. I certainly won’t be able to develop a routine because of it. Blogging, though, has given me a bit of consistency in the chaos of it all.
What are 3 of your favorite posts you've written?
This Mother’s Day, I cried: http://www.emilielimaburke.
The Greatest Accomplishment of My Life: http://www.emilielimaburke.
The Most Wonderful Date Weekend: http://www.emilielimaburke.
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