Whew! I'm glad it's Friday. Work has been a bit slow and it feels like there's a gray cloud hanging over our department. Which is why I was so appreciative of two things that brightened my work week: First, when I walked into work on Monday morning and went to put away my lunch I saw this on the kitchen fridge: It's Lionel Richie and the lyrics from this song! So randomly awesome. Seeing this instantly put a smile on my face! My favorite part is that throughout the week, people have actually been tearing off the little tabs: Then,... Read more →

When I saw this onesie on Pinterest, it made me laugh! Recently I’ve been thinking about the role of screen time in kids' lives, so when I saw this picture I thought, "Well, at least they wouldn't be watching television!" Yesterday, I read two articles about kids and screen time – time spent watching television, on the computer, using a cell phone or iPad, etc. – and have been thinking about how we’ll approach screen time use when we have a child. The first article described how common it is for very young children to spend time watching television and... Read more →

We had such a fun and busy weekend with my parents in town...and I'm not quite ready for Monday to arrive. To keep my spirits up, this week I'm looking forward to: Monday morning spin class devouring the November issue of Everyday Food...I'm already drooling over the recipe for icebox pumpkin pie. highs all week in the mid 80s celebrating Falliday next weekend! I hope you've had a great weekend; there are still a few hours left! Read more →

Recently I stopped in a Habitat for Humanity ReStore, just to browse. Along the way I found my October art-a-month! It's a colorful photograph taken in Joshua Tree National Park during what looks like a phenomenal wildflower season. It was being held captive in a sad metallic frame and was marked at $6. Sold! I put it into a black IKEA frame that I already had and it seems to have found a home on our great room sideboard, where it adds a pop of color. Now I'm wondering if the wildflowers are always this amazing in Joshua Tree or... Read more →

I made this relish for the first time this weekend. Surprise! It's from Everyday Food. Back to the relish. I think I'm in love. The sweet bell pepper combined with the bite of onion, vinegar, and black pepper is delicious. Put it on a cracker smeared with goat cheese...addictive. Thankfully, the recipe made enough that it lasted through a dinner with friends on Saturday night and on into the week. It will likely make an appearance or two this weekend when my parents are visiting...I'm really trying not to eat it all before then! The bright, festive color has me... Read more →

Last Saturday, my day started on the back porch with a cup of hot coffee and new editions of my favorite magazines. The fall editions. Oh yes. At the recommendation of a good friend (and very good cook!), I started subscribing to Everyday Food a couple months ago. Everyday Food is a Martha Stewart magazine and I have to admit that seeing Martha smiling at me from the cover made me skeptical at first. A few years ago, I had to break up with the Martha Stewart Living magazine after realizing that reading it left me feeling exhausted instead of... Read more →

The first big trip that Chris and I took together was to Paris and the Normandy region of France in May 2008, right before I finished graduate school. I'm not sure where I got the idea but I decided to take along a blank Moleskine journal and during the trip we jotted down notes about how we spent our days. It's so fun to go back and read our entries from the trip and I think it helps us to remember small and awesome details such as, "We went to the Musee de Moyen Age [Middle Ages]...and we decided that... Read more →

I've been dreaming of a fall garden for the past few months. Finally, it's done! A spot was picked. Gravel was cleared. Soil was turned. Soil was flung out of the garden by Drew Garden Enemy Number One. Soil was put back into the garden. Irrigation line was extended and soaker hose loops were added. Seeds were planted. Grow, seeds, grow! (And stay away Garden Enemy Number One.) Read more →

I'd love to give you a peek at where two of my art-a-month pieces have found a place in our home. Both are part of a growing gallery of white-framed art on our dining room shelves. My June piece is tucked behind one of my favorite photos from our wedding. It's a photo a friend took and framed for us. The September piece is awaiting a frame but seems to fit right in beside a stack of thrifted books. Sharing where these pieces end up is very good motivation for me to use them in our home. I tend to... Read more →

Chris and I made a goal of saving $5,000 in our emergency savings account by May 1st, which we met. As of today we are up to $6,750 and have a new goal of saving $7,000 by the end of 2011. (It seems to really help us to set financial goals like this; are you really that surprised that this works for me?) On the one hand, I’m so proud of us for saving over $6,000 because we essentially started from $0 two years ago when we cleaned out our savings to buy our house. But on the other hand,... Read more →