Things that I am digging lately.

Life is good over here in Klassen-ville.  We are surviving our summer. . . which is good, because we are barely 2 weeks in.  I can't wait to share with you what we are up to this summer and my plan to stay sane (which is working!).

Disclaimer:  This is going to be one of those crazy, boring posts with no pictures.  Please read on, you might find something funny, or interesting, or life changing (i doubt it, but it was worth a shot).

Last night, my husband and I were watching you-tube videos and found this, this, and this one funny.  If you haven't seem them pass through your feed on FB, watch.  They are funny.

I am making meatball sliders tonight and am going to try this easy marinara to go with it.  It's the end of the month and I'm not going to the store.

Have you seen this wallpaper at Target?  It's down the same isle as the the knobs and duct tape.  I have a couple of ideas for it in my house. . . just trying to justify it in our budget.  I think have my husband convinced, but I have to finish other projects first (you, know those cabinets I have been working on for months!).

I miss the Giada jarred spaghetti sauce at Target.  They were my go-to dinner on a hurry.  I might have come close to tears.  But, it lasted longer than I expected.

I bought some cute things for Ethan's upcoming birthday via Pick your Plum.  If you haven't bought stuff from them, I highly recommend it.  I've done it several times and have been so happy!

I'm reading this book right now.   So far. . . so good.  I've loved just about everything by this author, so I don't think I am going to be disapointed.

I am also working my way through this book. It's going to take me awhile.  It is so much easier to breeze through a fiction book.  (tell me I'm not alone!)

Have you tried the Reeces Peanut Butter Oreos yet?  Oh my goodness. . . amazing!

And now, I am going to go mop my brand new kitchen floor (I posted pics on Instagram if you follow me. . . if not come find me! my username is jolieklassen)

Have a great Tuesday!

Hexagon love!

So this week, has just been plain weird.  I am getting used to cement board in the kitchen.  The kids have gotten trained to not get their own water and ice from the fridge (in efforts to reduce water on cement boards).  And, Weston is on the second day of being sick.  It's fun over here.  Really!  

Here's a card I made last month with one of my favorite stamp sets.  I found a similar idea off of Pinterest.  I think I made this for my husband's aunt. . . but I can't remember. . . it's been that kind of week. 

Stamps: Six sided Sampler and "Birthday wishes" is from a retired SU set.
colors: Garden Green, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Bashful Blue, and Baked Brown Sugar.
Baker's Twine: Martha Stewart

The hexagons are raised by using Dimensionals.

I also used the hexagon punch that coordinates with this set.

Have a great weekend!  Any plans on creating?

Peach-Plum Cobbler (nearly dairy free)

My 5 year old fell asleep.  I am currently sitting here blogging because I am afraid to do anything that might wake the sleeping boy up.  Excuse the poor pictures, they were on my phone and it was late last night, and well, all I can say is this is soooo yummy!

Our plum tree has been harvested and now I am working on cooking up yummy things to do with all those plums.  When searching Pinterest, this one just looks amazing.  I made a few adaptions, and it Wow'd my husband!  I am not always sure how things will turn out when I don't use regular milk, with the whole fat/cream issue.  But, this recipe turned out delicious.  I didn't use any vanilla, because my vanilla almond milk already had it in it, and I also had some vanilla sugar I made up last month.  If you make this and use milk, and regular sugar, I would recommend some vanilla.

Have you been baking this week?  What are you making?

Peach-Plum Cobbler (and nearly dairy free)

adapted from Simple Bites

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

2 cups sliced peaches

2 cups sliced plums

lemon juice

1/4 cup vanilla sugar (regular sugar is fine if you don't have any)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp cold, unsalted butter

3/4 cup vanilla almond milk

sugar in the raw, for sprinkling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Grab a medium sized baking dish.  I used my 9x9 glass pyrex container.  

In a medium bowl, toss sliced fruit in (I left them with their skins on) lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch.  Give them a few stirs to make sure they are all nice and mixed up.  Put fruit in baking dish and set aside. 

In a small bowl, combine flower, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt.  Cut butter into small pieces and work them into the dough with your fingers.  Add almond milk and stir just enough until combined.  Scoop over dough and sprinkle with some sugar in the raw.  

Bake for about 30 minutes.  Serve with some yummy vanilla bean ice cream. 

Great things are happening in my kitchen

Crazy things are going on here.  Things that I have been dreaming about since the moment I walked into this house as a homeowner.  It has taken 5 years.  5 glorious years of dreaming (and doing other projects).  Here's the floor that came with our house.

pretty, huh?  Don't lie. . . you know it screams back flashes to the 70's with it's yellow and brown-can't get it clean no matter how much scrubbing I can get.  It went great with the green floral print wallpaper that I stripped as soon as we moved in.  

Right now, we are hanging out with cement boards and all our kitchen furniture scattered in the dining room and living room.  Saturday the new flooring is going to finally go in.  I am so excited!

Up until Sunday morning we had planned on putting in this beautiful silverish-grey planks of tile.  It was going to be super lovely (and a lot of work).  But we have a problem area that keeps squeaking. . . and moves a bit and well, we are pretty sure that a week after our tile is laid, our tile will crack.  It's not even in a good hiding spot.  So. . . goodbye tile.  Maybe it will end up in our bathroom someday?

So, laminate flooring has been bought and will be put in.  I know this is probably not ideal as most people prefer you not put laminate in the kitchen due to spills, leaks, and pipes bursting.  But, it's cheaper, it goes in much quicker and it gives more than tile (as in it's a bit more flexible than tile).

In the meantime, the kids and I are decorating the cement board with our art work.  It keeps them busy.  

Oh and another thing that's happening around here is that our neighbors decided replace the fence.  Oh, I can't wait til they are done. . . the kids really want to get back there and play.  

What are some of your plans for this summer?  Any DIYing out there in your homes?

Opportunity to Reach One {Mom Brunch}

For the past 5 years I have been living in a wonderful bubble of wonderful church friends and family.  It has been incredibly comfortable.  It can be nice living in a bubble with all-God loving friends.  But, I don't believe that this is how God has called us to live our lives.  I haven't found that verse that says Go live in your Christian bubble.  Make sure your friends are already believers.  Be comfortable.  On the contrary, we are to go out and live in the world, but not be of the world.  We are called to make disciples.  We are called to be uncomfortable.  

Which is why we chose to put our son in public school.  Yes, you heard me.  Despite all the drama, conspiracy theories, and politics, we chose to put our child where God is probably needed the most.  It is our family's desire to be a light in our workplace, neighborhood, and school.  And let me tell you. . . it isn't always comfortable.  There are times when it is awkward, frustrating, and sometimes it stinks (literally).  But most of the time, it has been completely awesome and rewarding (and I LOVE it!).  The school year ends next week, and I am kind of sad.  Not only did my son make some wonderful friends this year, but so did I.  

One of the things I did this year, besides helping out with prepping art and encouraging our teacher, was host a brunch with my fellow TK moms.  I sent out this invitation via email.  

 I used the Creative Memories software that technically doesn't really exist, with some Stampin' Up digital images and paper that I had laying around.  I am loving it, even though some things shifted when I saved it and I didn't catch it until after it had sent.  Oh, well.  

I was so surprised that 6 out of 9 moms showed up.  It was so much fun that nobody wanted to leave!  We hung out on the back patio and let the littles run around.  It was great!  One of the amazing things, was one of the mom's that we hadn't really been able to get to know very well, came.  When I asked her a few weeks prior if she would even be interested, her response was, "a brunch?  with moms?"  She had never experiences that amazing opportunity to connect and fellowship with other moms.  I think that we might take this for granted in the church, because it happens quite often.  This particular mom, left with a glow that I had never seen on her before.  I can't wait to get to know her more next year.  

I baked up some yummy strawberry white chocolate chip muffins and some lemon poppyseed scones.  Both were so delicious!  Blog posts coming soon. . . I promise!

My goal of this brunch was to bring the moms together and develop relationships.  I didn't want to show off or make anyone feel out of place with over the top decorations.  It was just a brunch and simplicity was key.  I went with some of the Oh Joy! for Target collection.  Everything was just so springy.   I also painted some of the metal jar lid rings and left the top off to put some paper straws and utensils in.  

One of the mom's who I have gotten to know really well, brought me this Easter Lilly.  It was so beautiful and unexpected.

Stepping out of the bubble.

Getting uncomfortable.

Being a light.

Expecting the unexpected.

Try it.  You just might like it.

Meanderings. . .

I honestly can't believe that it is June and the school year is already almost over (we have 8 more days!).  I am trying to stay focused on projects. . . there's a bunch going on with June here, but I am having a super hard time focusing. . . I think it's the heat (can I blame it on the heat?)

So, while my 5 year old quickly empties the dishwasher (read: s-l-o-w-l-y while counting to ten in Spanish), I am going to get this blog post done.  Determined. . . am I!

I just finished my first study with #shereadstruth.  Going through Nehemiah the past few weeks has been really neat.  I am super excited to start Titus tomorrow (a day late, but that's okay!).  If you are looking for a really good, deep study that doesn't take up a tone of time (like, say, a Beth Moore Study), I highly recommend this one.

I really need to get to work on my kitchen counters.  My husband is starting the tile project in less than 2 weeks. . . oiy!  There's a lot of cabinets!  My goal is to get the bottom ones done in that time.  It can be done.  Must focus.

I am creating and prepping all art projects for this summer's literacy activities.  I find if we have them all prepped ahead of time, we are more likely to do them.  We are also going to be spending time in our splash pool, playing with kinetic sand, and a few other things.  It's going to be fun and we are going to be busy!

My husband suggested driving the the beach after we had breakfast with my family on Saturday.  Super fun SPONTANEOUS trip!  Ahh, I miss the spontaneity of my youth sometimes!  But, I love this new phase of life we are entering in (AKA: my kids are no longer babies!).  I bought some fabric at my favorite fabric store and got to eat some of my favorite cookies!

Our neighbor wants to redo the fence between our yards in the next few weeks and I am so excited for my other new project. . . a chalkboard for the backyard!  Chalkboard paint here we come!!!!

I am almost finished sewing squares for my lap quilt.  It's is going to be so cute!  I really can't wait to start cutting the fabric for both kiddos quilts.

I am loving my infused water still!  Right now, I have strawberries floating around in my Starbucks tumbler!

But, now I need to go get milk so I can make dinner.  Happy Monday!