20 Odds and Ends

It has been an insane month.  Today is the first day all month that I have found time to sit down and just type.  It's a good feeling.  Things are finally starting to slow down and summer vacation in sight.  So, since it's been a few weeks I thought I would share some odds and ends with you.  So here are 20 odds and ends, maybe even a sneak peak of what's coming this summer.  So, go grab a cup of coffee (I've got mine. . . of course!) and let's get chatting!

1.  I got to get dressed up this month.  Twice.  I haven't had any reason to buy a dress in years and it was so much fun!  Also, two date nights in a month. . . score! 

2.  It's the end of the school year, which means teacher appreciation came and went (did you spoil your teachers?) Also, I need to come up with a new end of the year gift for my kid's teachers because I don't want to give Weston's teacher the same thing she got when Ethan was in her class.  I've lost all creative steam.  Boo.

3.  Yesterday, my Time Hop app shared a post from last year of the temp outside reading over 100.  So thankful that that was not the case this year!  I will take 88 degrees for as long as I can.

4.  The kids teachers both crammed field trips into the last few weeks of school and they were fun!  Weston's teacher has been having them look for everyday wonders. . . based on a book that I can't find on amazon.  It was so much fun walking through one of our local gardens and listening to these first graders point out colors, shapes, and hummingbird sightings. 

5.  I haven't done much cooking this month.  Well, I have, but nothing super interesting.  I feel like I've been on survival mode.  So, here's a link to a What's for Dinner Post I wrote last year on quick dinner ideas because that's pretty much what's been happening around here!

6.  I haven't even had time to bake (insert super sad face here). . . I'm two months behind the King Arthur Baking Challenge, so I'm going to start getting to work on that as soon as school gets out!

7.  Speaking of cooking, Jon challenged me to not go grocery shopping this week and just deal with what we have.  I've had to grab a bag of salad and some bananas, but other than that I've been kicking butt! Last night, I used up the rest of my AP flour to make this focaccia and it was so worth it!  I heard "Best Dinner Ever" comments and so my job is done.  For the record, nothing was fancy about our dinner. . . just some BBQ chicken thighs on the grill, roasted sweet potatoes (I had two hanging out from a previous dinner), cucumber salad, and some blackberries.  The bread was the real winner, so you should make some, too!

8.  I'm starting to fill our Amazon cart with things for this summer for road trips.  If you need some inspiration for some car/plane friendly inspiration for your kiddos here.  I'm thinking of doing an updated post soon because the kids are getting older and the things I pack are changing.  Anyone interested?

9.  I'm also going to be ordering these Summer Brain Quest books for the kids to work on this summer.  They are super fun and the kids love them!  Plus it keeps the kids brains working.  We only work on them a couple of times a week for about 20-30 minutes at a time.  You can find them at Costco for a really good price, too!

10.  Have I mentioned how much I love summer?  We purposely take the time to slow down and relax.  We travel, explore, and enjoy our time at home.  Over the last few years, I have just really enjoyed the time with them.  We are definitely going to be taking advantage of dollar movies, book clubs, library visits, and sleeping in (who are we kidding, that's the best part!). 

11. Last summer, we picked out one pinterest activity per week to do.  We called it our Summer Pin Challenge.  You can find my posts over here.  This summer, we are focusing on Stem activities and will be using the hashtag: OOTRBsummerStemchallenge.  If all goes well, I will be posting one per week during our vacation. 

12.  I went to a coffee cupping event sponsored by our church's women's ministry and at one of our local coffee roasting companies.  I learned so much.  Also, my taste buds are weird and maybe my smells, because I have no idea what I was doing! 

13.  Our church Bible Studies are finished for the summer and I've been digging into Nehemiah with She Reads Truth and it is sooo good.  You should go check it out on their website and try it out.

14.   I'm making my summer reading list.  Any books that I NEED to read?  Taking suggestions now.

15. I've been saying No more often lately and it feels so good. I've been craving the quiet and desired the not busy so much lately, that I think saying no is a good thing!   This video was hilarious, but so many VERY true points.

16.  I'm thinking of taking on some home improvement projects this summer.  Bring on a can of Annie Sloan and some wax!  Be on the lookout!  (Also, I can't stop giving my house face lifts!)

17.  I'm going to join in the fun of Daisy Yellow Index Card-A-Day challenge this summer!  61 days of some fun quick creations.  I've been pinning some ideas to get me started! Wanna join?  It's not even super complicated.  Just one index card a day.  I think there might even be prompts to help spur the creativity. 

18. I'm making a list of some fun dinners that don't take a bunch of time or heat up the house.  What are some of your favorites?

19.  Have you heard this song yet?  It's kind of my favorite right now!   You should watch the video. . . there's a DJ Tanner sighting!

20.  last one.  Honestly, it took me longer than I thought to come up with 20 odds and ends to write about today.  I even almost forgot about a volunteer appreciation lunch at school.   Yay for lunch!  Anyways, I just wanted to end by saying how thankful I am that you read my blog!  Don't forget you can follow me over on instagram and over on facebook land here.  If you feel brave, feel free to leave me a comment. . . I love hearing from you! 

Also, I have a long list of blog posts that should keep me busy for the next few weeks.  Is there something you want to hear about or learn this summer?  Message me at jolieklassen@gmail.com or even comment below.  I want to make this blog a place you would like to come back to.