Monday Stuff

Hey, guys. There’s a lot of catching up I need to do, so rather than write separate posts, I thought I’d do one of my famous mind-dumps. I hope you enjoy. Summer is speeding by, and we’re definitely making the most of our time together. Here’s what we’ve been up to . . .

// 1. This cabinet!

I had no intention on buying a huge antique corner cabinet for the dining room. But I’ve been eyeing one at a local antique shop for over a year. We stopped by the store the other day to look around while we got Scully groomed . . . and I saw that the price was slashed nearly in half. After measuring it 50+ times, we realized it’s almost exactly the height of our ceilings. So, we jumped on it.

I’m seriously in love.

// 2. I’ve started sewing again.

I got into sewing when I was pregnant with Ada, but since I was working full-time, I didn’t fully immerse myself enough in the hobby. In fact, I couldn’t remember how to thread my machine, which is why I haven’t stitched much -- if anything -- together in the last four years. My mom helped me get everything set up, I bought a couple patterns and some new fabric, and I’ve been practicing.

My first “big project” was this Pillowcase Dress for Ada:

// 3. U-pick season treats.

It’s our favorite time of year to head out and pick blueberries and soon apples. I enjoy the warmer weather, but I cannot wait until fall begins. I’ve always said if we could just skip over summer and straight to fall for half the year, I’d be incredibly happy. One of our favorite farms have this darling cafe with the most delicious breads and doughnuts.

There are also farm animals and other things to see. Check out this post for photos from previous visits.

// 4. Summer sandwiches.

We’re on a sandwich kick. Well, I guess we’re always on a sandwich kick. Right now we’re loving toasted Ezekiel bread slathered with vegan mayo and either tempeh bacon or field roast, avocado, tomato, and a slice of swiss. Mustard, of course. Sometimes we’ll spread on some roasted red pepper hummus, too. Oh, and a heaping pile of greens for good measure.

Messy, but good!


PS: I am also excited for fall because that means I’ll be baking bread again. I take a break from that in the summer because of the heat. I make a mean ciabatta . . . so I’m trying to figure out what loaf I want to do next. I’m thinking rye.

Any recipes to share?

// 5. Blonde again.

I dyed my hair again last week. Blonder than the last blonde, and I’m loving it. I don’t think I’ll stay blonde forever, but right now it suits me. I needed a change. I’ve promised myself on my birthday that this year would be different no matter what happens. I have so little control over this baby-making situation despite what TTC forums make me think. It’s time to enjoy (endure?) the ride and get medical help when necessary. Which might be soon if this stuff keeps up.

For now, I’ll play with my hair, exercise moderately and eat good foods, indulge in my favorite activities and treats, and just try to chill out. I’m not going to lie, typing that out is a gazillion times easier than it will be to switch my frame of mind. I completely folded into myself over this stuff last year, and I can’t live life that way anymore.

// 6. Great dad.

Ada doesn’t have any cousins. Instead, she has lots of kids her age that are our cousins’ children. It’s actually turning out to be quite nice. Anyway, some of my cousins were up visiting over the weekend . . . so we got together at the park. There’s this carousel, and Ada always loves riding the big puppy around. Some kid ran right in front of her to get on it, and the biggest, craziest fit ensued.

Stephen swooped right in and talked her down for a good 15 to 20 minutes. We’ve been having some sharing regression lately. Like, she won’t share anything at all. I blame myself or the fact that she doesn’t have a sibling. In actuality, I think it’s a mix of that stuff but also just regular 3 to 4-year-old behavior. Stephen’s a great dad, and it’s be really nice having him home this summer.

// 7. My writing elsewhere:

13 Wonderful Household Uses for Essential Oils
14 Free or Cheap Toys That Will Make Your Kid Smarter
11 Cool Uses for Popsicle Sticks
6 Best Natural Sunscreens
11 Creative Ways to Reuse Egg Crates
8 Cheap Ways to Deter Garden Pests 

HAPPY MONDAY!

Don’t forget to enter the $200 #giveaway with Gallery Direct! I’ll be announcing the winner on Friday morning, so there’s plenty of time to check it out.

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