2020 recap

 Testing to see if thing thing still works!

Brown Bear/Eric Carle baby shower

 I had a great time planning and organizing Kaitlyn's shower, it was so much fun to see everything come together and play around with several craft ideas that I'd wanted to try for a while. All of my inspiration came from baby showers that I'd seen on the internet, and I loved the idea of pennant banners, using mason jars, and having a variety of textures, patterns together.
Of course, I could have gone WAY overboard, and there were definitely crafts that either failed, or didn't happen. I loved the Eric Carle flashcards (via Amazon); great quality, wonderful colors, and a nice keepsake for the baby. In addition to the color, I loved how the flashcards incorporated all the different Eric Carle animals, which made it more general and easy to pull in different books, rather than just one title, like Brown Bear, or A Very Hungry Caterpillar.
I checked out ALL the Eric Carle books from our school library, and ordered a mini set as part of my entry way decorations. It was a really easy way to add color, and add to the theme.

I would have loved to add Eric Carle cupcake toppers, and matching stickers for tableware, but that didn't happen (at least for this shower). However, I did use the animals from Brown Bear for my menu:

Brown Bear Brownies
Yellow Duck Cupcakes
Red Bird Salsa and Chips
Green Frog Salad
Purple Cat (I planned on Purple Cat fruit salad, but didn't end up making it)
Blue Horse Blueberry trifle (again, planned on blueberry, but ended up make a tiramasu trifle because its what I had on hand.)

My craft fail was the chalkboards. I really wanted a cute menu sign in chalk, but the temperature had dropped here in Dayton on Thursday night, and it was rainy all day Friday, and both attempts to spray paint my items were a mess.

Winners: using small Mason jars for drinks (very easy, and I had them all on hand), easy pennant banners from my 1000000 million Trader Joe's bags, wildflowers (again, from Trader Joe's) in larger Mason jars, checkered runners (from the $1 section at Target).

I personally despise shower games, so one of my friends from church gave a great "charge" to Kaitlyn about parenting, etc...

I also recruited several junior high girls from school and church to help me with the set up/clean up. It was a HUGE help to have the girls greeting our guests, taking care of the gifts, and helping with clearing away dishes. The girls were also a huge help when it came time for Kaitlyn to open gifts; they organized things and folded all the tissue paper and gift bags.

Another HUGE relief was arranging for friends to help with the food. I couldn't have done both (organizing/decorating AND food) well, or without wanting to shoot myself. I highly recommend picking one area of the party planning and arranging for help in other areas. To keep things simple, I emailed a group of girls who had mentioned wanting to help, and gave them a list of menu items and/or, the recipe itself. It was great to finish setting up, and just be able to arrange the food once it arrived.

I also have a deep, deep love for beverage containers. They make party planning/entertaining SO much easier. I have a beverage container (from Sam's) that holds 3.5 gallons worth of a cold drink, and borrowed another one from a co-worker. Between both containers (one with lemonade, one with water), I didn't need to refill the containers throughout the 2.5 hours (and 25 guests). These beverage containers have an insert to fill with ice, so the drinks stay cold, without getting watered down.

Long story short; incredibly time consuming, but so worth it!

I love Dayton!

When I relocated to Dayton, Ohio, I received the following question (probably about a million times); "Dayton, OHIO??? Why?"

I'll tell you why. There is ALWAYS something to do in Dayton. Part of my new blogging commitment will be reviewing some of my favorite local spots in the Gem City. Dayton has some fantastic restaurants, museums and a terrific MetroPark system.

On a related note, I'm "hosting" Flat Stanley for one of my cousins girls. For those of you who haven't hung out with 2nd graders, Flat Stanley is a children's book about a little boy (Stanley) who is flattened to the width of a piece of paper, and is then mailed around the United States in an envelope to visit friends. I've done the Flat Stanley project many times with my 2nd graders. It's such a fun way to learn about the 50 states, and see other parts of the country.

Back to my "Dayton Favorites"...Cobblestone Cafe in Waynesville. I was introduced to this adorable cafe and gift shop by my friend Sheela, from Dayton Christian. They have a great seasonal menu and feature their own garden-grown herbs and produce. I'm excited to come back in the spring when I can eat on their patio!

Fabulous ambiance. I love the exposed beams, punched mental lighting, country chairs. It's incredibly warm and inviting.

Grilled Asparagus sandwich and French Onion Soup. Delightful!

March committment

I'm home sick today, I've caught the sinus yuck that was bound to hit me. It's cold in Dayton, and I'm a little cranky that someone else is living in my Las Cruces condo, enjoying 70* and the pool by Sonoma Springs Golf Course. 

However, I have a brother who made a Kleenex run, I'm drinking tea, watching The West Wing, and was able to catch up with one of my best friends, Sara. (Who, by the way, is an incredible woman and who's friendship is so dear to me. More on that another day).

One of our topics included blogging, so I'm motivated to document more of what I'm cooking, creating, and planning. And just for fun, a little blast from the past:

 

 

One of those once-in-a-lifetime trips

Precious friends

Sara's wedding

Sweet times

3 decades

One of my dearest friends turned thirty this weekend and although I couldn't celebrate it with her, I sent a video message and some photos from the past decade. It's hard to believe that we're both thirty and in two years, we'll have been friends for 20 years!  

6th grade, in all our glory!!

Easter 2011, on the train to Center City in Philadelphia

Easter 2011, shopping in NJ

July 2012, Myrtle Beach, SC

July 2012, Myrtle Beach, SC

Katie's favorites, February edition

Valentine's flower's from Brandon.

Valentine's meal with the boys, grilled, while it was snowing outside!

Some of the most beautiful sunrises!

Preparing for Lent

Eating one of my favorite meals that Nate makes; homemade marinara and angel hair pasta

Nate's Valentine's

Getting my DIY on!

Running in wool socks, and freezing temps!

Pre-run, with more layers!

Reasons why I'm ready for February

1. I love Valentine's Day. The hearts, the crafts, the chocolate that I always throw away, balloons, flowers. I have always had terrific a Valentine's Day. My parents used to make it really special, and in later years when I was teaching, my dad would send me flowers and a really sweet note. My brother flew me out to Dayton a few times (prior to moving here in 2011) because Presidents Day weekend also landed on Valentine's 2 years in a row (or close by). Such fun memories, and such a fun holiday.
2. February is a short month.
3. Presidents Day = another day off school. I'm a history nerd, so I used to enjoy pulling out some of my favorite classroom biographies about Washington and Lincoln and reading aloud to my class. 
4. This year, Lent begins on February 13. I have an awesome Lenten calendar/countdown that I'll post pictures of ASAP. I love the historical framework of Easter and looking back at the original Passover story. It is packed full of references to our Savior, and provides a beautiful picture of the final sacrifice.
5. February means one month closer to warm weather. I'm finding out that I'm a total LOSER about winter. This is the first real winter that I've experienced in over a DECADE! Give me a break. My first year in Ohio was unseasonably warm and everyone told me that it was a fluke. Sure enough, this year has been pretty cold and snowy. 
6. Season Premiere of Smash. Don't judge.

Downton Abbey downer

Why do I subject myself to to an hour of this EVERY Sunday?! At the very least, it gives me a chance to catch up on blog reading, finances, menu planning, and Pinterest. I've had to laugh while "cleaning" up some of my Pinterest boards. I have more Mexican food, and burger recipes than I realized.
One of my newest projects that I've taken on is budgeting. I say this as a well educated 30-year old, who has never taken the time or effort to manage my finances. Along with budgeting, I'm working on becoming a better meal planner throughout the week.
Here's one of my favorite budget friendly meals that is healthy, and reheats well for leftovers.

Vegetarian Mexican Night: 

• Perfect Black Beans (I like to add tomato paste, green chile, cumin, salt/pepper, mild chile powder)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/perfect-black-beans-recipe/index.html

• Brown rice (I've taken a tip from Chipotle (and Brandon) and added fresh lime juice to the brown rice, sometimes a little fresh cilantro)

• Sauteed onions/bell peppers
• Roasted sweet potatoes (I usually have these on hand)
• Trader Joe's Fire Roasted Corn (Again, I usually have this on hand)
• Fresh salsa/avocado/sour cream/fresh grated cheese (skip the preshredded)

I personally like corn tortillas, or this can be served over rice. The black beans can be made into refried beans pretty easily, or made into vegetarian enchiladas. I love the versatility of this meal!

2012 Recap

2012 Recap

I realized that my 2011 recap sounded like such a Debbie Downer. Thankfully, 2012 was much more enjoyable! 

1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?

Run more than I ever thought possible! Finished two half marathons in under 2 hours, 30 minutes.

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

for 2012: being the woman God intends me to be.he
I feel like 2011 was an instrumental year in my walk with the Lord. I'm thankful for the growing pains and perspective it's given me.

for 2013: more of the same, growing closer to the Lord, exercising more, being on time for work, running a 2 hour 1/2 marathon would be super!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
BFF Sara had her first, Annalise on my 30th birthday. I was able to fly out and visit in October!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No

5. What countries did you visit?
None...just states:

April-Chattanooga, TN for spring break
June- Canton, OH for Canton 1/2 Marathon
June- Orlando, FL for The Gospel Coalition Women's Conference
July- Chicago, IL for missions trip with Dayton Christian Middle School
July- NYC with dad
July- Myrtle Beach, SC with the LoDico's
October- Lakeside, OH with the Sharp's
October- Seattle, WA to visit Scheuerman's
October- Huntington, WV for Marshall UV 1/2 Marathon


6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
2012: More of Christ, more contentment in Him.
2013: Of course I want more of Christ, but I'd also like a better budget.

7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July 8, 2011-my brother married an amazing woman. I got a sister, and friend!
October 15, 2012- I turned 30 years old!

8. What was your biggest achievement for the year?
2011: Graduating from Covenant College
2012: Finishing my first year as an administrator

9. What was your biggest failure?
Trying to achieve perfection, taking on too many things, trying too many DIY projects at once.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Saucony running shorts.

12. Where did most of your money go?
DIY projects (painting, etc...), running gear, Trader Joe's

13. What did you get really excited about?
Having the house to myself (no more crazy roommate),

14. What song will always remind you of 2012?
Anything by Mumford and Sons

15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
-Happier or sadder?
Most definitely happier

-Thinner or fatter?
Thinner (I think)

-Richer or poorer?
The same

16. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I wish I'd done more running (I'm awful at running solo), more strength training at the gym, and more classroom visitations to my teachers at school.

17. What do you wish you'd done less of?
2011: Complain, impulse buy
2012: Probably the same! See above!

18. How did you spend Christmas?
Spent it with Nate, Kevin, Kaitlyn and the Fitzsimmons. Nanny had arrived a week prior, so she also spent it with us. Nate made killer pecan sticky buns, and Kaitlyn made a delicious ham for lunch.

19. What was your favorite TV program?
2011: Mad Men, 30 Rock, Parenthood, Friday Night Lights
2012: The Killing, Downton Abby, Homeland, Mad Men, 30 Rock, Parenthood, Smash, Glee

20. What were your favorite books of the year?
Spiritual:
According to Plan- Graeme Goldsworthy
Method for Prayer- Matthew Henry

Fiction:
Anything by PD James
The Hobbit- still reading

Nonfiction:
The Meaning of Marriage-Timothy Keller
The Last Great Lion (bio of Winston Churchill)

21. What was your favorite music this year?
A lot of everything. The usual top 40, plus my ghetto music for running. I'm a big fan of classical music for work. Love Pandora for home.

22. What were your favorite films of the year?
2011- The Kings Speech
2012- Batman (last of the trilogy), The Hobbit, Skyfall. I still need to see Le Mis, and Anna Karenina.

23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 30!!!!!!! I went out to eat with friends at Pasha (Nate made a delicious cake from Amy's Bread) and flew out to Seattle the following weekend to visit Sara.

24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
2011- Being with Jesus.
2012- I would have to say, living without my roommate would have made 2012 much more enjoyable!

25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
2011- More plaid, more wedges, more "uniform" look for work (pencil skirts, cardigans, button down shirts), lots of tall boots with skirts, dresses, jeans.
2012- pretty much the same. I don't deviate too often. I'm getting old, boring, and set in my ways. Haha!

26. What kept you sane?
2011- Running, being outside, quiet time in the morning, chocolate
2012- see above!

27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012.
Sometimes the good things, and the hard things are one-in-the-same.
I'm tougher than I thought.
Nothing surprises the Lord!

Goings on

It's been great running weather. I heart my teammates from 4 Seasons, free lattes from Panera and cooler temps!

School started on Tuesday. Things are running smoothly, and items on my checklist are getting accomplished. GREAT feeling!!

First American meal for Nate. No...not rice. Jimmy Johns, Reese's peanut butter cups and Coke.

Morning commute, stuck in Dayton Christian traffic. I've forgotten that I need to allow for an extra 10 minutes once school starts. My summer schedule was very relaxed and I'm getting back into the routine, just like the kids!

Portrait, compliments of my dear friend Tara's daughter!

Workshop

I had the privilege of teaching a summer institute workshop this week entitled, Best Instructional Practices. It was an eye opening experience, and I'm very thankful to work with such gracious teachers.
I realized a few things:

1. I had to spend 4-5 hours developing my outline and materials. It was much more time consuming than originally expected.
2. I'm not as clear as I thought! I would really like to develop the workshop and better set of assessments, goals, and expectations.
3. Teaching teachers is TERRIFYING, but I adjusted well after the first day.
4. One hour of teaching/speaking is incredibly draining.
5. One of my assessments was having the teachers prepare a lesson and teach to their peers. I was able to give input, and evaluate, and it was hilarious to see them SCARED of teaching content that is old stuff. I think it was a wonderful exercise and to see them appreciate the constructive input and see the pieces come together was so much fun!
6. Public speaking is nerve wracking, but practice really does make perfect!

Friday night out on the town!

Dewey's Pizza

Mad Frog froyo

Delish!

One of my favorite foods is pizza, and tonight Kevin, Kaitlyn, and I tried out Dewey's Pizza across from UD (University of Dayton). They've really built up the "college strip" (University Ave. for all you Aggie alum's) and Dewey's didn't disappoint. It's a local chain, great atmosphere and excellent food.
We split the house salad, which was amazing! Fresh baby romaine lettuce, warm goat cheese, dried cranberries, and a great balsamic vinaigrette. Our pizza was half white pizza with fresh vegetables, and the other half was a Hawaiian.
 If you are in Dayton, it's definitely worth a visit!

Mentor dinner

I almost forgot to write about one new role I'm able to play; high school mentor to an incoming freshman. The city of Dayton selects a group of 50 students and arranges for a full high school tuition scholarship and a mostly full ride scholarship to local colleges/universities.
The College Promise program matches each student with a mentor who will meet with them on a weekly basis; ideally the same individual for the entirety of  high school.

I volunteered to mentor one of our new students, Precious. I have the advantage of being an on-site mentor, so she can just pop into my office for our weekly meetings.

Although I'm feeling the crunch of a new year, I have so much to look forward to, and SO much to be thankful for!

Pinterest loving

I'm starting my birthday promotions well in advance this year; starting with 30th birthday party ideas. Followed by; birthday wishlist. :)


http://pinterest.com/kathleencarl/30th-birthday-party-ideas/

http://pinterest.com/kathleencarl/christmas-wish-list/

Saturday thoughts

Two of my favorite things. Maybe they should be switched to show the correct order. :) French press, and the book of Isaiah!

Prepping for a workshop that I'm presenting next week. If you remember, pray for me at 1:00pm! It will be an hour long session every day. The topic is Instructional Best Practices. My question is; "aren't I still playing school??" I don't feel old enough to be doing these things.

My Ladybug, or borrowed dog for the weekend. Kevin and Kaitlyn entrusted me with their sweet dog, and house while they're in North Carolina. Lady is my favorite running partner!

A snapshot from work. Small heart palpitations when I think about all that still needs to be completed. 

Apple coffee cake

Part of my monthly schedule is attending "A Team" (Admin) meetings with all the building principals and our Academic Dean, Dr. Rough. His lovely wife Cathy always provides a meal. This made an appearance at our least meeting and I had to share!

Apple Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping

2 cups flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 t. cinnamon

½ t. salt

1 cup sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar

Stir the above ingredients together in a large bowl. Then stir in the following:

1 stick melted butter*

½ cup applesauce*

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk (I substitute 1 cup milk with 1 T. cider vinegar stirred in)

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into small pieces

*recipe calls for 2 sticks of melted butter but I like this lower fat version better

Stir all ingredients together and pour into a greased 9” x 13” baking pan. Then in a small bowl stir together the following:

1 cup dry quick-cooking oats

1 t. cinnamon

½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)

½ stick melted butter

Sprinkle over the batter. At this point you can cover the pan and refrigerate overnight. Next morning bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Best news of the summer

This shaggy haired hippie is coming home to live with me!

NYC Candids

I think I might be in NJ, take 1.

Discussing the finer points of a good pie. Pie meaning, pizza pie.

I might be in NJ, take 2.

Beautiful Manhattan! Soho, Tribeca, Greenwich Village, new Freedom Tower.

Hoboken Train terminal

A 3-story REI in the middle of Soho.

My favorite souvenir, plus life changing chocolate cupcakes from Amy's Bread on Bleecker Street.

I might be in NJ, part 3...yes, Manhattan skyline on my morning run.

Self portrait at Starbucks on Broadway. What a fun day!!!