Teacher Appreciation Week! {Free Printable}

 This week has been insanely crazy!  This has probably been the first time I've sat down and actually opened up my computer all week.  But, It's Friday and the kids told me we made it this morning!  So much truth, when our normal routine is out of whack! Whoo-hoo!  I treated myself to a latte and headed home to get some things done. . . I am such a party animal!  Ha ha!

Anyways, the end of the school year is closely approaching and I am ready!  But, before that happens, I need to get some things done.  Like celebrate my kids current teachers!  The past few years, I have been in charge our our parent club's celebration of the teachers and staff.  Teachers work their butts off teaching our kids all sorts of crazy information and doing fun projects.  They so often go unappreciated for their countless hours of preparation, training, and honestly, there's a stinking lot of pressure put on them.  It's kind of ridiculous! 

So, now's your chance to honor the teachers in your life.  Last year, we did some super simple things that don't cost a ton of money to stick in their boxes each morning.  At the bottom, you can click on a link that takes you to the free printable that I designed.  Here's  how I used them.

 This one was super easy.  Anything yellow works for this to bring a bit of sunshine to their day! We used peanut M&M's. 

 We love Nothing Bundt Cakes and so I created this tag to go with some little mini bundt's that fit perfectly into their boxes! 

 Teachers always need pencils, so this was a quick and easy one.  I just used my paper cutter to make a slit in both sides of the white so that the pencils slipped right through.  This was super low cost, too!

The final day of Teacher Appreciation Week, I picked up a bunch of terra cotta pots and planted some pretty flowers with a tag stake.  I think this one might have been one of my favorites! 

There is another one on the printable that I forgot to get a picture of.  "It's so refreshing to have you as a teacher" was paired with some izze drinks to make this week complete. 

If you use the tags, please post to instagram or Facebook and tag me or use #outoftherightbrainblog so I can see how you are using them! 

Enjoy blessing your child's teacher! 

You can print out the tags here.

Friday favorites: When I just need a laugh

"Always laugh when you can. It's cheap medicine." 

- Lord Byron

There are some days, I just need to take a break and laugh.  I mean, the ins and outs of some days are just downright boring.  And then, you get on Facebook or watch the news and it's just depressing and people are mean.  Plus, laughing is a good ab workout, right?  The Bible even talks about being joyful and laughing quite a few times!  I googled it. . . there were a lot of verses and I didn't feel like counting.  My favorite is, "Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them."" (Psalm 126:2)

I love laughing.  It is good for the soul, it's contagious and wonderful!  We need to do more of it! So because it's Friday, I thought I would share some of my favorite places that give me little laughter pick me up when I need it.


The Bible Binge Podcast:
This podcast is funny!  Knox and Jamie talk about Bible Stories and their commentary and dialogue is both intriguing and funny!  They just finished season 1 - going through some of the men and women who were in Jesus's lineage.

The Holderness Family:
This family takes popular songs and makes them hilarious!  This is a quick way to get a good laugh really quick!

John Crist:
Sometimes you just need a bit of sarcasm!  And sometimes, I think we just take things too seriously. . . and so he makes fun of all things churchy!

The Babylon Bee:
So, seriously, best satire site ever!  It's like the onion but the things about religion that drive you crazy or maybe you chuckle to yourself about it on the way home from church.  Guess what, you probably aren't the only one!  I will say, I can't tell you how many people think that this site is real news and get so angry about fictional satire.

 Funny Blogs:  There are some hilarious and kind of wrong blogs out there that I occasionally frequent, especially when I just need a mental break!  So, if you need a laugh of some horribly wonderful cakes (and on Sundays absolutely stunning ones!) go visit Cake Wreks. Or the Stuff Christians Like blog .  That one's funny!  Both of these bloggers have books based on their blogs, so that's a great idea, too. 

So, those are some places I'm loving for some pick me up and a good laugh.  Laughter is good for our soul (and our abs!), and sometimes we just need to take a break from the serious stuff that happens during the day.  So, this weekend, I hope that you get to laugh a lot. 

Finding Balance when it you feel like you're going to fall on your head.

My husband woke up one morning and declared to my mostly asleep self that he was going to join a gym.  Apparently he had been thinking about it for some time and decided to inform me of this decision on a beautiful Saturday morning where I could sleep in.  I am sure I mumbled something to along the lines of,  "that's great!  You should totally do that!" and then rolled over and returned to my regular scheduled extra hour of sleep.  Well, he went to check it out, joined immediately and came home and said that I, too, should join the gym. 

Let me just say, that I had been working out regularly.  Pinterest, my elliptical, and those Jillian videos we bought a few years ago, were great. . . and I didn't have to leave my house.   Flash forward 24 hours and I became a member of our neighborhood gym and had friends to work out with and it's been great!  One of those nights last week, I decided to try the Bosu.  Basically the Bosu looks like the top third of a exercise ball with a flat bottom.  I really love this exercise tool, but the first time I used it to do squats, I might have almost fallen on my face.  Pretty glad no one was watching me (I hope!).  But the thing is, that feeling of standing on something and not having that feeling of balance goes deeper. 

And when it comes to balance, I don't have all the answers.  I don't even know if I have any answers.  It's an area I am trying to constantly figure things out and just when I think I have gotten balanced, something changes and we have to start all over again.  It's ever changing. 

One of my favorite things to do when I'm working around the house or driving is to listen to podcasts.  For awhile, one of the most common questions asked in interviews between women, was "how do you find balance?"  I can't begin to describe how much laughter, silence, and how every single answer was different.  I am pretty sure that balance can't be defined the same way for everyone.  Here's why.  God created us as individual human beings.  We are unique and unlike anyone else in the world.  So, what I find as balance may look completely different than my best friends.  That is okay. 

As women, we tend to be jugglers.  We have jobs, homes, kids, committees, schedules, and so many other things that fill our daily routine. So many times, we feel so tired, exhausted, and maybe like something is missing.  For the last few weeks, I had been praying about new commitments and I just wanted to do something creative.  These potential new things were going to take time and I don't feel like there is a whole lot of it right now.  I was off balance.  That creative outlet that God put in me, was not getting the love it needed.  So, last weekend, I set aside some time for the sewing machine and I to have a little date and guess what, some of the joy that was missing from my life was back. 

So here are my tips for finding your balance:

1.  Make a list.  I am a huge list maker, but make a list of all the things that require your time.  Make a list of the things that would like to do, that bring you joy.  Then pray about them.  What is in your life that doesn't really need to be there, so that you can find room for those things that bring you joy and rest.  For me, my relationship with God, husband, and kids are non negotiable.  When I am not getting into God's word, I am unbalanced.  When I am not spending time with my husband or kids, I am unbalanced.  I also have been working on specific times for writing and creating.  And from there decide what is necessary. 

If you are a working mom, obviously that's going to be high on your list.  I have the hugest respect for working moms. . . I am amazed how much they juggle and balance. 

2.  Pray.  I mentioned it earlier, because it is so important.  I honestly think that our balance needs Christ at the bottom in order to keep anything balanced.  Once we take Christ out of the picture, we will definitely lose our balance and fall on our face.  We need to submit our plans to God and that means our commitments, too!  I'm not going to lie, this is hard.  I am kind of a control freak.  But we need to take time to pray for wisdom on when to say yes and when to say no to something, even if it's just for a season. 

3.  Accept that this is just your season right now.  Somethings you might have to say goodbye to some things for a bit, and sometimes life just hits you hard and fast and you have to hold on.  We only have so many hands, fingers, and toes.  Sometimes life is just busy, chaotic, and even quiet. 

4.  Be okay with saying NO.  For the longest time, I was afraid to say no.  I really didn't want to let anyone down.  But, I learned that it's not our place to do everything. God created us to work in community and sometimes us saying no to something allows someone else to step into something that grows them.  My husband (he's so smart) is constantly reminding me that if I say yes to something, what does that mean I'm saying no to?   

5.  But, also, be okay with saying yes.  If God is urging you to say yes to something.  Grab hold of it and enjoy it!  See how God uses you through the season of that commitment. 

6.  Embrace bravery.  Maybe you need to say yes to something to keep your balance.  Maybe you need to say no because you're mental scale is leaning too far to the left.  Be brave as you make your decision, regardless of what others think.

7. Don't fall into the comparison trap. Whatever you do, do NOT compare yourself to your friends or other ladies in your circle.  Stand on that Bosu ball and pray about your balance.  We do too much comparing and judging each other and it really has to stop.  Comparison creates fear, jealousy, and inadequacy.  Remember that God created us each uniquely.  What keeps you balanced, my not keep your friend balanced. 

Right now, I am moving back into a season of slowing down. (And don't judge me because It's not really going to look very slow.)  We are in a super sweet spot with the boys and I am realizing each day that they really aren't' that little anymore.  And guys, they don't need me as much. Which is awesome but oh, so depressing.  I want to make sure I am present in their lives and enjoy the bike rides, the soccer games, and adventures because time keeps going and before I know it they are going to be off to college.

I also know that my heart needs to be creative.  It's how I am wired.  Without that outlet, I get a funky feeling that I can't brush away and when I get to use that outlet, that funkiness is replaced by joy. 

I had to say no to a couple of really neat things recently and I know that I made the right choice.  It hurt. It definitely wasn't easy, and I probably disappointed some people. But, I know that I made the right decision because I felt complete peace about it.  There was almost a joy in my heart after I made the decision to say no.  I am slowly, but surely, finding my balance.  I have to find it almost daily, and some days are more chaotic than others, and that's okay. 

I don't know if you struggle with balance like I do, but I am praying for you dear friend.  

What's for dinner? {March 2018}

I'm currently really hungry.  I probably shouldn't write posts about food close to when I need to cook dinner, but that's just how it is today.  So, basically, this post is making me really hungry.  I feel like I
  should warn you, that you might start feeling little tinges of hunger after scrolling through this post.  I don't mean to push your hunger button, but I do want to inspire you as you menu plan, because we can't eat pizza for dinner every night.  Well, maybe we can?

The most popular question I see on Facebook is what do people make for dinner, and how do you menu plan.  These posts are here to help you.  Inspire you.  Motivate you (maybe) to make a plan and not feel stressed out every night when you have to decide what you are going to have for dinner.  Fixing dinner for you family should not be the hardest thing you do all day! 

March was pretty busy.  As I was scrolling through my instagram feed, I realized that we ate a lot of our regular, go-to menu items because we were so busy. You can read more about them here.  We had some pizza nights because we were on Spring Break and we could.  I also found that I made a lot of recipes I have posted in other What's for dinner Posts.   I love it when recipes I try become some of my favorite go-to recipes!  We did try a few new recipes that were big hits, so I thought I would share a few of those really quick and then I am going to go make dinner for my family because they are starting to graze (well. . . they do that all.the.time these days). 


1.  Cilantro Lime Drumsticks

Ethan loves eating chicken with a bone.  It was the first kind of chicken he decided he liked (not counting chicken nuggets) and always asks for me to make them.  I made a double batch of these and we ate them for days.  We used them for tacos, and salads, and whatever.  They were super easy to make and made dinners the rest of the week super easy!  Plus, since soccer started up again, I was in need of quick meals on soccer nights.  I love dinners where you meat sits and marinates while you do something fun, and then you just stick it on the sheet pan and bake away.  Easy Peazy!

2.  Poke Bowl DIY

We recently tried a new Poke Bowl place in town and it was delicious.   So many different options to choose from, it's a little crazy for my hard to decide self.  I really wanted to try it at home. . . I mean, it really was just piling some stuff in a bowl, tossing it in a yummy sauce and then drizzling another sauce over the top.  So, I got a bunch of different toppings, like crab, shrimp and chicken, cilantro, sprouts, zucchini, cucumber, carrots, micro greens, green onions, rice, etc.  I searched Pinterest for different sauce possibilities!  We enjoyed it.  Ethan even loved his bowl creation. . . he is really turning into quite the foodie!  I was going to do a blog post all about this, but honestly it was kind of pricey and it would have been easier to just to go out to dinner.  Some meals are just like that. 


3.  Garlic Lemon Rosemary Skewers

These chicken skewers were absolutely delicious and super easy.  There was a grill fiasco and so I just cooked them up with out the skewers on my cast iron grill pan and it was just as tasty as if I had grilled it outside.  Plus, I got to use some of my lemons from the backyard, which we can't seem to use them quick enough!  I served them with some Alexia brand sweet potato fries and some salad.  Easy Peazy dinner.


And that's all for the month of March.  What kinds of yummy things have you been cooking up in your kitchen?

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Connection Time {April 2018}

I have a major case of Spring Fever.  The weather is just perfect and kind of beachy today, which is my absolute favorite!  It also doesn't lend itself well to getting anything done.  All motivation is gone and the book I bought last week is calling my name.  Actually, lots of things are calling my name and I want to do them all but I don't know where to start.  Anyone else feel like that ever? 

Anywhoo, I am totally distracted today so, let's get this show on the road.  Connection Time posts are my favorite because you get a little peak into my life and if you want, you get to join in the conversation.  It is my heart and dream to create a little community of mom's who find joy in the pretty, love to create, and want to grow closer to the Ultimate Creator  as we navigate our life as a mom, wife, and woman.  One of those ways, is by this post, where we just take a few minutes, sit down and talk via this post. . . kind of like we are having coffee together.  So, go grab a coffee, sparkling water, iced tea, coke, glass of wine, whatever you feel like and come join me.
 
Outside my window the sun is shining, the garden boxes are soaking in that sun and I kind of want to be out there soaking it all in! 

I am thinking of about a 100 different things right now.  Lots on the to-do list and not enough time.  But, the one thing that I am doing a lot of thinking about is sewing.  It's been ages and I really want to sit here and create. 
 
From the kitchen
 I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies earlier this week that were amazing and got gobbled down by my people and the ladies at Bible Study. 

I made the buttermilk biscuits from the latest issue of Bake from Scratch and it made so many I froze them.  They have been coming in handy for quick breakfasts with eggs and leftover bacon for the boys.

I also think that a batch of these pancake sticks is due. . . the boys need some food that they can make themselves for breakfast!  
 
I am wearing my favorite skinny jeans and my super soft she reads truth Tee.  So cozy!  
 
I am creating  nothing at the moment, but I just bought some Pete the Cat fabric and I can't wait to get started on some library totes for the kids books!  Also, Ethan's quilt is in pieces ready to be finished, so I should probably get on that and I have a few My paper pumpkin cards to make.  I really need summer to be here!  ha ha!

I am going to a gym now.  My dear, sweet husband decided that we needed to join the Planet Fitness not far from our house and I went last night with some friends and had so much fun working out. 
 
I am reading Emily Ley's book Grace not Perfection right now.  It's one of those books that I have eyed for awhile and I finally picked it up last week at Target and Oh, my goodness!  It totally speaks my heart.  I love how books totally fit into what's happening in our own hearts.  We also just picked up Auggie and Me at the school book fair and I started that late last night (I had to steal it from Ethan!) and am rereading A Wrinkle in Time before I see the movie.  I haven't read it since 6th grade and I remember not being the biggest fan of it, but as an adult, it's wonderful! 

I am hoping and praying that I don't have to go into Jury Duty later this month.  The whole idea of it just stresses me out.  It's a busy week and I don't like cancelling things I have been committed to, plus trying to deal with pick ups and drop offs.   So, if you feel like praying. . . I could use it. 
 
I am hearing quiet.  The kids are at school and I just realized it's lunchtime and it didn't even occur to me! Ha ha! 
 
Around the House I need to get some clothes put away and do some cleaning before I an sit down and enjoy one of those books I mentioned earlier.  Oiy. . . it never ends!
 
One of my favorite things Is my new brush.  I am loving this one.  It gets the tangles out and makes my hair so shiny!  Best purchase ever!
 
A few plans for the week We've got soccer practice, and a game, along with open house for the kiddos.  Jon and I recently fell in love with one of our local coffee shops and I think we are going to go sit there and enjoy the quiet.  I might try to sneak in a bike ride with the kids this weekend. . . maybe today.  I don't know!  I do know that The Greatest Showman is probably going to be playing nonstop all week. . . which is okay, because we all love it! 
 
What I am listening to is not a lot.  I am kind of weird and blast Disney music when I need a pick me up and the kids and I just dance around belting all the hits!  We are weird like that!  Also, we cannot get enough of the music from the Greatest Showman. . . if you haven't seen it, please go see it. . . you won't regret it!

Now, it's your turn!  Grab your coffee and let's connect! You don't have to do them all! I can't wait to hear from you! You can even private message me if you don't want to make it public.  

Outside my window
I am thinking
From the kitchen
I am wearing
I am creating
I am going
I am reading
I am hoping
I am hearing
Around the House
One of my favorite things
A few plans for the week
What I am listening to 

Chocolate Krispy Popcorn

 Spring Break was last week and I'll be honest.  I miss it.  I loved having my boys home, going on adventures, and just hanging out.  I feel like we couldn't fit everything in, like playing Ethan's new game, Dos.  (Side bar:  Has anyone played the new game by the makers of Uno?) Anyways, I miss it and am thinking of  starting my own secret countdown until Summer vacation. 

But, besides all the fun we had, I also got to experiment in the kitchen a bit.  One of our usual Easter week traditions has always been to watch Hop and I make Hop corn, but since I have yet to find a white chocolate maker that doesn't feel the need to load it with soy, I needed to make something new and quick for our afternoon movie (we red boxed Ferdinand), and this was it!   It was so simple and genius and I had everything in my pantry!  Also, I should note that I was totally inspired by a popcorn book I picked up at the library.  I think it was this one. I made some changes to her original recipe because of what I had in the fridge, and well. . . soy and dairy can't be in it if Weston wants to eat it and it came out so good!  We loved it!

We loved it so much that I'm sharing it with you because you should make it, and maybe redbox a movie and have a family movie night. . . I recommend a movie night next week when The Greatest Showman comes out because we are obsessed.  This is the perfect treat because it's both popcorn AND chocolate and amazing. 

So, because it's back to normal and I am trying to find our house after being on vacation last week, here's the recipe. Enjoy! 

 Chocolate Krispy Popcorn

Ingredients:
6 cups popcorn, popped
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 cup Rice Krispies

Directions:
Pop your popcorn so you have about 6 cups of popcorn.  I used these and just made a couple of batches in the microwave.  Put popcorn in a large bowl and make sure to leave out all the duds.  Melt chocolate chips in the microwave, stiring after each 30 seconds.  Add coconut oil to melted chocolate chips and stir.  Pour over popcorn and add rice krispies and carefully stir.  Lay out on a waxed paper/parchment paper lined baking sheet.  If you want to speed up the setting process, stick in the freezer for about 15 minutes. 

Store in a ziplock bag for a few days. 

Notes:
The coconut oil helps the chocolate harden, you don't taste any coconut flavor :)
I recommend Guittard Dark Chocolate Chips. . . they are soy and dairy free and really good quality.