My Knitting Progress

A couple weeks ago, I mentioned I bought yarn and needles at Hobby Lobby and started a knitting project.  This is the furthest I've gotten with knitting, and I still need lots of practice and teaching!  But it still looks pretty good, for my first project.

I've added the second ball of yarn and I'm still working on it.  I'll share more pics as I keep working on things!

Splash of Green

I needed a tablescape, but I didn't really have anything in mind.  So I just kinda started pulling things out and putting them on the table.  It's not spectacular, but I kinda like the way it turned out too.

Centerpieces:

Place Settings:

The whole table:

My super cute and super cheap salt and pepper shakers:

Adding some candle light:

Bamboo placemats: GoodWill
Green Runner: IKEA
Twine vases: made here
Silver candle holders: Target
Lantern: Pottery Barn
White candle: Home Goods
White plates: Husband's pre-marriage plates
Napkins: Dillard's
Salt and Pepper shakers: Hobby Lobby on clearance for $1.40 (SO AWESOME!!!)

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My Mommy is Coming! My Mommy is Coming!

Today after work I get to go pick up my momma from the airport!  I am so excited.  Husband left this morning on a business trip, so it'll just be girl-time for a few days.

Taken at my bridal tea party

Here are few things that I plan on doing with my momma...

1)  Shopping at Fashion Square in Scottsdale
2)  Organizing our back bedroom (which is an office/craft room/blackhole)
3)  Set up a Facebook for my mom
4)  Work on a photo album from our trip to Alaska
5)  Watch "The September Issue"

I'm so excited for her visit.  And Husband will be home Friday afternoon so we can all have dinner together before Momma heads home Saturday morning.

Yummy Tortellinis

Last weekend we had Husband's parents over for dinner to celebrate my father-in-laws birthday.  I tried a new recipe I found on Pinterest and it was so delicious, you should try it too!  It was originally from www.ourbestbakes.com.


Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce
*  12 oz. of totellini (the originaly recipe recommend Barilla, but I just used some from Costco)
*  4 oz. of bacon (about 4 strips)
*  3 cloves garlic
*  2 Tbsp. flour
*  2 cups milk
*  3/4 tsp. salt
*  1/8 tsp. pepper
*  1 1/2 tsp. dry basil
*  1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (I used Hatch chile powder instead)
*  1 medium lemons
*  2 cups loosely packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
*  3/4 cups mozzarella, shredded
*  3/4 cups Parmesan, shredded

Preheat oven to 350* degrees.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add tortellini and cook accordingly.

Cook bacon until crispy in a medium pan on medium heat.  Remove bacon and place on paper towel.  Add minced garlic to pan and cook until tender.  Add flour and whisk together, slowly add milk and continue to whisk until smooth.  Add salt, pepper, basil and red pepper (or red chile powder) and bring sauce to a simmer.

While sauce is heating, zest lemon.  Then cut in half and juice.  And lemon zest and juice to sauce (Husband decided to add more than that  It was very yummy and lemony).  Continue to stir sauce until thick, about 2-3 minutes.

Drain tortellini and place back in pot.  Crumble bacon and add to pasta.  Add spinach,  1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.  Next add sauce and gently stir to combine.

Place mixture in baking dish.  Top with remaining 1/4 cups of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes.

I doubled the recipe just in case.  We had enough leftovers for two more meals.  Which is always nice, and I didn't have to worry about there not being enough and people going to bed still hungry!






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Tasty Tuesdays

Weekend Recap 7/22-7/24

Firstly, I would like to thank all of you that have commented recently with your sweet compliments and words of encouragements.  I am so blessed by you!  And if I was better at this whole blogging thing I would thank each of you individually but I haven't figured out how to respond to comments yet.  But please know I am truly thankful!!!!

Friday night, Husband I decided to try to Buffalo Wild Wings.  There's a local place, Native New Yorker, that we like to go to for buffalo wings and decided to give the big chain a try.  And we were very pleased with the experience.

Saturday was spent doing some errands like grocery shopping and such.  Then I started the cooking.  We had our friends and their two daughters over for dinner Saturday night.

 Of course as soon as I started cooking I realized I didn't have all the eggs I needed for my cupcake recipe.  Husband walked across the street to our neighbors (who we just have a waving relationship with) to ask for two eggs.  Nice to know we have some neighborly neighbors!

  I made Cheesy Ranch Potatoes and Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes; Husband made steak and put together a beautiful salad.  I love that he likes to entertain as much as I do.  And even more, I love that he is so willing to help in the kitchen.  I am so blessed by him!

We had a great time at dinner.  They shared their dinner-time traditions of asking each person at the table three questions: 

* What was the worst part of your day?

* What was the best part of you day?

*What was you greatest success today?

How awesome is that idea to get people talking and thinking about their days?  We may have to steal it ;-)

Then we stayed up way to late.  The girls watched Popeye while the grown-ups payed Phase 10 (and sadly neither Husband nor I won).

Sunday morning we were up bright and early to take our pups to the vet for their comprehensive exams.  Oliver got a little pedicure and Montana got her teeth cleaned.  Both dogs are in good health and we were glad to hear it.

After dropping off the dogs, we went to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf to do some reading.  I'm still working on my Bible reading and Husband got caught up on the news (and clipped some coupons too!  Definitely a first for him!)

We stopped by the in-laws house to give them some left over cupcakes on the way home.  My mother-in-law has decided to start tablescaping (and my father-in-law totally blames me, haha) and she was excited to show me all her purchases.  I hope I'll be able to share some of her tablescapes with you soon!

That afternoon Husband had a man-date with one of his pals.  They went to see Captain America.  I stayed home.  I pretended to feel left out, but I really enjoyed staying at home watching Gilmore Girls, napping, cleaning, and organizing.

Whew!  This post ended up being real word-y.  Sorry!  But I hope I didn't bore you too badly.  What were you up to this weekend?  I'd love to know (even if I don't respond to your comments)!

An Unexpected Ballard Designs Knock-Off

I promise I'm not trying to beat a dead horse, but I just had to share this.  As I was browsing Ballard Designs the other night, I came across this.

For $139.00!!!!  What the ridiculousness!

Source

Here is my version I made last summer.

Original Post Here

For $10.14!!!!  (Give or take some pennies)

wreath- $3.50
twine- already had two; $1.65 for third roll
bag of sea shells- $4.99

Isn't it so great when you can create something for a mere fraction of retail price?!  I love it!!!




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Seaside Dining

Remember earlier this week, I mentioned we had Husband's parents over for dinner?  Today I'm gonna share the tablescape I set up for dinner.

I started with a beige tablecloth.

And added a fish net as a table runner.

Added some cream placemats

And some silver chargers.

And seashell napkins and napkin rings.  Remember when I got these napkin rings super cheap, here?

I tied some twine around my white candle and stuck it in one of my lanterns.

And stole some decorations from our bathroom.  Shhh, don't tell anyone!  ;-)

Tablecloth: Target

Placemats: Bed Bath & Beyond

Silver chargers: GoodWill

Napkins: GoodWill

Plates: Husband's pre-marriage plates

Fishing net: Hobby Lobby

Napkin rings: Marshall's

White candle holders: Pier 1

Lantern: Pottery Barn

Candle: HomeGoods

I added mason jar glasses from Hobby Lobby too.

And outside I put up my seashell wreath, so our guests had a little preview of what their dining experience would be like.  But I'm sure they didn't realize it till later, but that's ok with me!




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Weekend Recap 7/15-7/17

Husband had a minor surgery last Thursday so I stayed home on Friday.  One because neither of us slept very well the night before, and also because Husband asked me to.  Lucky for me he was feeling good enough to go see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part II.

I started reading the books freshman year of high school.  I was never a fan of fantasy and was in a stage of my life when I didn't want to read.  I was reading a lot for my English classes and that was enough for me.  J.K. Rowling changed my life, like she changed so many children's lives.  She got us reading...for fun.  And she allowed me to keep my imagination active in a world that crushes that out of children.  I have been hooked ever since Harry Potter and Socerer's Stone (or Philosopher's Stone).  It really was emotional for me for the last movie to come out.  For 12 years, it has been a major part of my life.  And yes, I did cry.  Three times.  Don't judge me :-)

I also got to see some of my sorority sisters that were in town for the weekend!  We met at Yard House for drinks and a late lunch/early dinner.

Saturday we met my cousin Kelli at Red Robin.  She is out here visiting from Texas and spending some time with her BFF from college.  They just finished their freshman year at Baylor.  Sweet girls, and it was fun to hang out for a while!!!

Old picture!

That night we had Husband's parents over for dinner.  I made a very yummy dinner, if I may say so myself, and I'll be sharing recipes later!  And this begins the part of the weekend I forgot to take pictures of!

Saturday morning we had my sorority sisters over for breakfast!

That afternoon we baby-sat our friends' kids.  Their parents wanted to go see Harry Potter and needed some one to keep their kiddos.  So Husband and I took them to Peter Piper Pizza for lunch then back to our house for movies.

 And I may or may not have let them have two cupcakes while they were over.  Hey, what are friends for, right?!  :-)

Something Weird Has Happened

Our refrigerator has never looked like this.  So I had to document it.  Usually it's either pretty empty or fully of take-home boxes.  (Husband and I eat our far too much!)

 

And there is even fresh produce in there!!!

Weekend Recap 7/9-10

This weekend had significantly much less activity than last weekend.  Which was ok by me!  And I'm sorry that this post is lacking in photos!

We started the weekend having dinner at Texas Roadhouse on Friday evening.  We both ordered steak and were both extremely disappointed.  Oh well, it happens!

Saturday morning Husband, Oliver and I went to the Farmer's Market downtown to pick up these yummies.

We made a quick trip to Hobby Lobby, where I was hit with a wild hair to start knitting again.  I had a brief affair with knitting while I was in England. 

Sunday we did some much needed chores around the house, then picked up Husband's grandmother and met some friends for lunch.

That evening we began our Harry Potter Movie Marathon in preparation for the final chapter to be released this week.

See, a pretty low-key weekend.  Didn't even manage to take pictures!  Eek!  Anyways, I hope you all had great weekends!  Did you do anything fantastic?

Six Twefths Complete

Or...

Halfway through!!!!!!!!!

That's right friends.  I have officially completed half of the Bible.  I'm so so so proud of myself.  Although, I got behind and had to work a little harder to catch up, I have still stayed on schedule for the most part.  Here's a list of the books I have completed.

• Genesis
• Exodus
• Leviticus
• Numbers
• Deuteronomy
• Joshua
• Judges
• Ruth
• 1 Samuel
• 2 Samuel
• Job
• Proverbs
• Ecclesiastes
• Song of Solomon
• Daniel
• Matthew
• Luke
• Acts
• Romans
• Hebrews

I am learning so much and also coming up with a lot of questions I need to have answered.  I'm also hoping that once I've finished this year I can find some good in-depth studies on the individual books that I particularly enjoyed.  And maybe I should look in to Bible studies about the books I didn't enjoy so much...  Hmmm, I'll ponder that one.

I've also noticed that my big ol' study Bible is starting to fall apart a little.  Just gotta keep it together for six more months.  I think that's do-able.

More Things Loved in June

Pinterest

I was just introduced to this most awesome, most addictive website.  It is so brilliant for keeping track of all the wonderful eye-candy I find on the internet.  It's basically the virtual version of this project from last week.

Gilmore Girls

This show has been one of my favorites since I first started watching in high school.  I would watch every Tuesday with my mom.  Even college, I would head over to my parents to watch with her.  I don't know what started me watching it again, but it's been in the DVD player fairly consistently all month.  And Husband will even watch it with me.  Have I ever mentioned he is awesome?!  I'm still irked that the show was canceled and would be happier than a kid in a candy store if they made a movie!!!

Air Conditioning

Our air conditioning went out while Husband was out of town.  Luckily it still was too hot outside and with the ceiling fan I was able to sleep comfortably.  I came home one day and it was 83* in the house...so thankful it was the day the repair man came to fix it.  Everyday since then I have been so glad to come home to a house that is 72*.

Tablescaping

I did two this month and had so much fun with.  I'm still improving, but having loads of fun doing it.  And it's also fun shopping for tablescaping stuff!

Southwest Airlines

They had a major sale celebrating their birthday and I scored two trip to Texas to visit family and one trip for Husband.  I'll go once by myself for a quick weekend trip, then we'll go together for a long weekend for my cousin's wedding.  So excited!!!

What were you loving in June?