Puppies and Peaches

 So....two Saturdays ago I was doing my usual weekend errands (JoAnn, Target, Loft, Hobby Lobby). My last stop was Hobby Lobby, before walking in I told my mom we should go look at the dog adoptions next door (not unusual for me since I stop at every adoption). I walked in and saw a little cage full of furry chihuahua puppies.  I overheard someone saying "the girl was just adopted" and then I picked the little boy up and long story short never put him down again.  This sweet puppy had blue eyes, long hair, and was so precious.

I ended up calling my husband and begging him like a little girl to bring the sweet puppy boy home.

Well, we now have two chihuahuas and our newest is:

Milo!

 After having him for about two weeks now he weighs 2 pounds and is itsy bitsy.

He can fit in every small part of our house, can't get up the stairs, cries for someone to play with him, and wants his older brother to love him!

He has the cutest floppy run and is very easy to amuse!

We are crate training right now and it is not easy!

Our older pup wants nothing to do with the little one. Any advice??

Last weekend we had some friends over for taco night and we tried a new dessert from The Pioneer Woman. It certainly wasn't fool proof but it was tasty.

You really can't go wrong with peaches and schnapps! 

We used store bought crepes and put a spoonful of fresh peaches and the sweet mixture in the center.

Then you fold up the crepe and seal it with a clothespin. 

*They crack easily- don't know how to solve that one!

We garnished the crepes with fresh peach slices and homemade whipped cream.

I am on a crepe roll right now, planning on making them for breakfast tomorrow from scratch!

Here is the recipe for the crepes:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/08/quick-and-easy-peach-parcels/

*Her pictures are amazing, my crepes look like the off brand. They were still tasty!

Dresses and dinner!

I love award shows. Well, I love the red carpet before the award show.

I love watching the dresses come down the carpet with girls and commenting on all the dresses and diamonds. This year a great friend came over and we watched the awards in our comfy clothes and cooked a delicious meal.

These were a few of my favorite looks:

The dress color is not my favorite but I adore the necklace.

Here are some pictures of our tasty meal!

brussel sprouts with bacon, apple, parm cheese, wine, and chicken stock.

cheesy cauliflower risotto, og ma gob.

 Martha Stewart's salted caramel cookies.

These cookies were beyond delicious.  

I am normally a one cookie person.  Not anymore.

When they came out of the oven I ate 4.

A few days later I made another batch for a friends birthday and ate a lot more!

Trust me, if you make these you will not be able to resist them.

I am not a huge caramel person but something about the coconut and salt does not disappoint.

The recipe is in the latest Martha Stewart Living magazine.

Tick, tock

I love how Pinterest has great ideas for everything!  I saw this idea a few days ago and knew it needed to be created for my classroom. A typical day in my 2nd grade classroom goes a little like this:

"Mrs. Hull, Mrs. Hull, Mrs.Hull...."

"How many minutes till math is over?"

"When is lunch?"

"Can I get my snack yet?"

"Mrs. Hull, Mrs. Hull, Mrs. Hull....."

"Do we have a mystery reader today?"

"Is the day over yet?"

You get the point- loads and loads of questions about time.

We have not made it to the chapter in math yet where I teach them time. Some of them are familiar with it but a lot of them have no idea.

I thought this was a cute way to give them some hints as they are trying to figure it out.

I also love how the design goes with my classroom.

It is cute and fun!

The one on Pinterest used all yellow paper but I thought I would use my scraps of patterned paper.

It was super easy and used materials that I had at school and home.

I am hoping this helps cut down on the questions :)

I can't believe it!

Wow- I started this blog a year ago!

There are times that I wonder why I blog? what do I really have going on in my life that I need to put out there?  Then there are times I love that I get to share the projects I am working on and get inspiration from other blogs.  I am glad that I have been able to keep this up for a year and am looking forward to a new year of crafting, cooking, and creating.  I have many quilts planned for this year-now I just need the time!

My house is decorated again for January.  I used a lot of the same things this year but added a few new things. I love taking down my Christmas decorations knowing that I have something new to put up!

 It is hard to see but I added this silver runner to the table behind my couch.

It was considered a Christmas item so I got it for half off after Christmas.

Found the birds at JoAnn this year.

 I love the colors of this months mantle.  There is a lot going on but the colors are all similar and it is a nice change after all the pops of color in December.

I love my Pottery Barn snowmen pillows!

 Poncho has a new scarf for January.

It is freezing here in Georgia this weekend.  

I am curled up in bed with Poncho watching Miss America and very thankful for a three day weekend.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Starting over....

I am a bit of a New Year's grinch. The holiday does not excite me, to be honest I dread the evening.  I am not really one to create New Year's resolutions but I do love to set goals for myself.  

This year I have a few big goals for myself:

1. Cook and bake a lot more- try new things each week!

2. Run a half marathon

3. Create an etsy store

4. Save up to buy a monogram machine and start a small business

I am hesitant to type out those words because I am afraid that they might not happen this year and then it would be out there and not accomplished.  Well, I know I can do #1, see below- it has already begun....

[2] I love to run- it is not easy for me but it makes me feel amazing, it takes away my stress, and it challenges me. I think I am planning to run a half marathon with some girls from work at the end of April, I really hope I make it happen.

[3] The etsy goal is a big one!  I have been putting this off for a while, I really want to accomplish this goal over the summer. If anyone has any tips I would love to hear them!

[4] Number four is so exciting to me- I have always loved monograms.  I would monogram my curtains if I could!  This purchase would be a huge one for me!  It may take me years to save up but it is on my list this year.

Back to the baking- I love to cook for other people.  I am a picky eater and don't eat meat so my meals are pretty much the same each week.  

This week my husband and I had two great friends staying with us and they took some time out of the studio to have dinner at our house.  I love the planning and organizing part of cooking. 

 Thanks to pinterest I had tons of ideas!

I decided to go with a gourmet pizza night and a duo of brownies.

They all turned out great and the night was full lovely conversations and laughter.  

Unfortunately, I didn't manage to take any pictures of the people at dinner!

Oreo brownies- put down half of the batter and then add a layer of oreos. 

Leave them whole and they stay hard and on the outside and soft in the middle-perfection.

Then cover with the other half of the batter and bake!

(I don't really even enjoy oreos but these were my favorite by far)

The other kind were called "better than crack brownies"

They were a bottom layer of brownies, layer of crushed peanuts & crushed Reese's peanut butter cups, then a top layer of melted chocolate chips, butter, peanut butter, and rice crispy cereal.

I had to take the extra brownies to school today- each year I realize that my self control for food gets worse and worse....

The yummy pizza ingredients in the works:

Roasted garlic with olive oil and Italian herbs.

Sauteed pears

Caramelized onions

Am I the only one that has problems with getting the pizza dough to stretch out?

I sure hope not- for now this is how I make it work!

Sage and thyme

Roasted butternut squash

Blake made this yummy app- edamame with parmesan cheese, garlic, and bread crumbs.

Butternut squash pizza with gruyere cheese, parmesan, thyme, and crispy sage leaves.

Blue cheese pizza with sauteed pears, caramelized onions, arugula, and pecans.

*My favorite of the night

Pesto pizza with mozzarella cheese and red potatoes.

The worst part of my New Year's Goals is that two of them conflict.  The cooking/baking is not so good for my running goals.  I am a little out of control with the baking- as I type I can smell my triple berry cobbler bars in the oven. 

Happy goal making!

Good luck!!