100 days of Summer, Week 6

This week the pictures are a little Quinn heavy...I guess that's what happens when it's summer and we get to spend all day every day together. In other exciting news, this is my 500th post! That really blows my mind a little bit. Even though my blog has gone a little downhill since Q came along, it's still up and running 5.5 years later.

{Day 36:July 4}

Best smile on the 4th of July!

{Day 37: July 5}

My new training partner...I think she heard all my whining on the miles and started whining herself.

{Day 38:July 6}

Happy in the high chair. We were going through major hard times with the high chair...but I finally figured it out. She just wants real food and to feed herself...no purees for this chick! 

{Day 39:July 7}

Total creeper...always climbing all over me. She loves to pull up and go between me and the couch.

{Day 40:July 8}

Meeting Matt for lunch on the hottest day EVER! 

{Day 41:July 9}

Watching a movie on Netflix...first time in a long time. Spotlight...recommend it!

{Day 42:July 10}

Q loves the pool, she's definitely a fish! I love her tongue in this picture.

Friday Love

This Friday is hard to love. It's my last Friday of maternity leave, next Friday I will be among the working crowd. I'm just a little bit in denial about the whole thing. I'm so sad to be leaving my Q, but I still have some days left and we are going to enjoy them. 

{ONE} 

Maternity Leave. Oh how I have enjoyed my weeks at home with Quinn. I just can't even imagine doing motherhood and work right now, but I know people do it and we will both be better for it. I figure I will need to see the counselor (HA!) at work for about two weeks since I will be sad, we will be finding a new family routine, and I will just be in general overwhelmed with missing out on almost three months of school.

{TWO}

Gingerbread Lattes. My mom has been visiting to keep us company the past few days since Matt is out of town. Today we decided to celebrate Friday instead of be sad about it. We took Q to her favorite, Target, and got gingerbread lattes while we shopped. I do love an occasional gingerbread latte even though I do not like sweet coffee. I always make a point to get one during red cup season at Starbucks :)

{THREE}

Making a Murderer. I noticed Making a Murder was quite a trending topic on the Today Show and social media, so I jumped on the bandwagon. I have watched seven of the episodes. It's awesome! I highly recommend, especially if you were a Serial season one fan. I can't wait to see what the last episodes hold. And then I can't wait to talk about it with someone and read all the things online about it. It's been hard to wait.

{FOUR}

Board Books. Because when I can't think of anything else to do, we read a book. Plus I love books and reading and want Q to share that love.

{FIVE}

Three Playoff Teams. All three teams the people in my house collectively pay attention to have made the playoffs. The Steelers squeaked in last weekend, the Patriots are the Patriots, and the Redskins somehow clinched their division. I've decided the Redskins are our number three team because it is Q's hometown team, and we do get stuck watching them on Sundays. Anyway, hopefully we will get to share the post-season excitement longer than one week.

Labor Day Weekend

What a weekend! Matt and I had a good mix of productivity and relaxation. In effort to cross things off the 'to do before baby arrives list' we decided to make this the weekend of freezer meals. That was the main objective anyway. Friday night we went on a date to Wegmans. Meaning we ate dinner there and patiently (for the most part) grocery shopped with each other.

Saturday morning I started in on making the first of the freezer meals. Let me tell you that dealing with chicken guts at 9 am is not appetizing. The fact that College Gameday is finally back on did make it more bearable. Matt mostly helped by cleaning the majority of the house, another chore that needed taken care of this weekend. He also made the marinade for the Teryaki Chicken, and helped me with getting things into storage and washing some dishes. That afternoon we watched the trainwreck that was the Penn State game and waited for things to cool. We went out for dinner because there was just no way I was cooking another meal. Then we went over to Target to get out last item for the baby's room and a few other little things. We came home to get the last of the meals into the freezer, and assess how much space was left before we made anything else.

You can see all the recipes in the list below, and obviously in the freezer picture above. It's hard to tell how many meals it will actually turn out to be. I made various quantities of the recipes. They are also in various stages. Some things just need thawed and then reheated, some are just in marinade, some need ingredients added to them in the crock pot, etc. I also don't think we will necessarily just be eating this. I like salads too much, and of course things like salmon and fresh veggies will still be making an appearance I hope.

Sunday morning we went for a walk, I finished cleaning, and then we spent a few hours at the pool. I made three more recipes after we decided there was more space available in the freezer. We had a quick dinner then went for some frozen yogurt. We also watched Skeleton Twins on Netflix. Not the best movie, but not terrible either.

Today we got some more miles in and have been doing more chores around the house. It has been nice to have this three day weekend after the first full week of school instead of anticipating jumping in to the first day after a holiday weekend. I'm so excited to have the meal prep checked off the list. It was really the most daunting of all the things still left on it. Hopefully they turn out well. It's definitely something I would do again if it all works out.

Recipes we used:
Chicken, Black Bean, and Cheese Enchiladas - apparently I've never made these before, or I've never blogged about it. All I did was roll those three things up in some flour tortillas and put them in a freezer bag. I do not claim to be a good enchilada maker, but I'm sure these will be edible.
Matt's Chicken Teryaki
Lasagna Soup
Chili
Chicken Tikka Masala
Crock Pot Stuffed Peppers
Greek Yogurt Oat Banana Muffins
Lasagna
Sausage and Tortellini Soup
Calzones

Friday Love

Happy Friday! Summer is flying by. We are headed north tomorrow to visit Matt's family and enjoy some vacation time. Our last vacation as a party of two. Yikes. Enjoy your weekend! 

{ONE}

Serial. I'm a little late to the game on this one. During my long walks in the morning I have been listening to Serial, the podcast. I'm so glad I did. It's so good! The first season, which came out last fall, chronicles the case of Adnan Syed who was convicted of murdering his high school girlfriend. It's so interesting to theorize about with other listeners. I'm looking forward to season two!

{TWO}

Bloodline. Matt and I needed a new Netflix show since the conclusion of Mad Men. We tried out Rectify, but it wasn't for us. We landed on Bloodline, and I'm pretty into it. It's not Breaking Bad, but it's been good to watch.

{THREE}

Garden Peppers. We had our first big bunch of peppers this week. I tried growing banana and jalapeno peppers this summer and I'm excited about how many we've had. I made stuffed peppers for dinner one night. I have never had a jalapeno so spicy. Seriously. Still delicious!

{FOUR}

Back to Basics. Penn State announced they are going back to no name jerseys this season! Yay for tradition! WE ARE!

{FIVE}

Pregnancy Advice. I can't say I've had too many weird things said to me yet, but I have heard a lot about the advice given at 1 minute into this video.

Staycation 101

This past week Matt and I have been on a 'Staycation.' We tried this a little last year, with a little trip to the beach in the middle, but this year we spent the whole week around here. This year our Staycation was awesome. We had the perfect mix of productivity and funsies. When I say productivity, I don't mean like cleaning the house, running errands, yard work, etc. The things we made progress with were big decisions that had been put off until we had more time (me being off for the summer, and Matt having only one job to worry about) to put thought into them. I'm going to do a little wrap up of what we did this week :)

Day One: Tuesday we got up and decided to conquer the baby registry process. I am pleased to say this was much more enjoyable than the wedding registry. No one got mad, no one was 'hangry,' we both hung in the whole time. Not only did we go to Target, we also visited Babies R Us. We took a very well planned break in the middle of the day for lunch and a dress fitting. We accidentally stumbled up a new-ish restaurant called The Bone, and we both loved it! Definite success.

Day Two: Wednesday we decided to lay low and just went to the pool during the day. I got the worst sunburn because after 31 years I still can't apply sunscreen correctly, and have to learn the same lesson every summer. After hanging out all day we had reservations at one of our favorite restaurants, Founding Farmers. We visited the newest location in Tysons Corner, which we hadn't been to before. It was great food as usual.

Day Three: Thursday we took care of some items on our to do list around town. Not the most exciting day, but things that needed to be done. Matt wanted to go to BJ's for dinner, so we did. I am not a BJ's lover. After this trip, BJ's is no longer allowed (probably). The night was saved, though, because we went by Safeway to get a RedBox movie (American Sniper) on the way home, and through great teamwork also came up with the great idea to make s'mores (on the gas stove - don't laugh until you've tried it)!

Day Four: Friday we each had our own thing to do in the morning. In the afternoon, I might have accidentally fallen asleep. We went out people watching after we had dinner and then watched Birdman when we got home. Matt thought this movie was great. I did not.

Day Five: Saturday it rained ALL day here. So disappointing because we had already made plans to go to The Capital Grille for lunch and spend the day in DC. We decided to still go downtown. After a delicious lunch we planned on going to a museum, but it was raining so hard and it was windy. We just walked next door to the National Archives and then decided to just go home after seeing the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence. We stopped for a treat at Starbucks on the way home, and then started watching Rectify on Netflix Saturday night. Rectify is by the same producers as Breaking Bad, and was recommended for people who loved Mad Men. I'm not totally sold yet, but it's early.

Day Six: Sunday we got up early and headed to Harper's Ferry, WV. This was about an hour and fifteen minute ride from our house, but neither of us had ever been there. Matt was excited about the history, I was more excited about going somewhere I haven't been, and some pretty scenery. We got a pretty good mix of both, maybe a little heavier on the history side. We also ended up hiking many, many miles and saw a pretty waterfall and nice views of the Shenandoah as well. After driving back home, and relaxing for a short bit, we decided to go to the Stephens City Drive In about an hour from our house. This made for a long day, and a lot of driving, but it was all pretty cool. We stopped at Wegmans to get snacks and dinner to take with us. We stayed for both movies, Inside Out and Tomorrowland. We were really only wanting to see the first, which both of us liked. Tomorrowland left a lot to be desired in both our opinions.

Day Seven: We decided to make our last day a super chill day and mostly just hung out around the house, with the exception of one errand and a silly decision we have wavered for years on. I am so happy that's over. I will spare you the boring details. Really.

I think you can tell I highly recommend a Staycation, but know that maybe it wouldn't work everywhere. We live somewhere that there are SO MANY activities to do and places that are only a short drive away. Also, we do have a second vacation planned this summer. I don't know if I would be so happy about staying home if I didn't know I was getting out of town in a few weeks. But, really, I think everyone should try it!

Friday Love

Happy Friday! This short week seemed like a long one. I can't believe this was our last day of school in May. This year has gone so quickly, but the last few, hot weeks leading up to summer can be tough. I am looking forward to relaxing this weekend and maybe even fitting in some pool time. I need some sunshine on my skin! Enjoy your weekend!

{ONE}

Picklesburgh. I love few things more than the Steel City and pickles. And this summer those two things are coming together in one amazing festival. PICKLESBURGH! I'm so sad we planned our vacation that week, or you know I would be there. Someone better go and eat double for me and tell me all about it.

{TWO}

The Poky Little Puppy. This was hands down mine and my sister's very favorite book as children. I can't even imagine how many times my parents had to read it. I'm so excited we have a copy in our house already.

{THREE}

What Would Your Name Be? Currently, we are in the market for names. I saw {this little article} on Facebook earlier this week and thought it was pretty cool. Apparently the Erins or 1983 would be the Chloes of 2014. And the Myrtles of the 1900's.

{FOUR}

Friday Night Lights. I just started watching this on Netflix earlier this week. I know it's pretty old, but I have really enjoyed the first few episodes. Check it out if you are looking for something new.

{FIVE}

Garden Time. I planted my garden a few weeks ago and I've been meaning to post about it. Hopefully this weekend I will get some pictures together and I can tell you all about my plans.

Friday Love

Yay for Friday! It's been a crazy week of work and meetings. I am thankful for what looks to be a beautiful weekend ahead, and tonight we are headed to a friend's house for dinner. What are you up to? I hope you have a great weekend!

{ONE}

Cinderella. Last week, over spring break, I went to see the remake of Cinderella. I was very worried I wouldn't like it as Cinderella was my very favorite Disney movie when I was really little, but I was pleasantly surprised. And don't worry (cause I was worried) the mice aren't weird in the real live version.

{TWO}

Flat Shoes! I'm so excited. I do not like winter shoes! In the past few weeks it's actually been possible to not wear them. I am back to my favorite flats. Thank you spring!

{THREE}

The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. I have been slowly watching Netflix's new-ish original series. It's actually pretty funny and the episodes are quick. Give it a try if you are looking for something mindless and fun to watch.

{FOUR}

Chik-Fil-A Frosted Lemonade. Have you tried this? If you just said 'NO,' change that! Really these are so delicious. It's CFA lemonade blended with CFA ice cream. It's creamsicle like. Last week they were FREE everyday. I won't tell you how many times I took advantage of that.

{FIVE}

National Sibling Day. Facebook has informed me today that it's time to celebrate having a sister. Good thing my parents decided to have a second kid so I didn't get only child syndrome :)

Flaherty sisters on a cold Thanksgiving morning...sorry it was the first picture I could find. 

Friday Love

{ONE}

Snowcation. So here is what my week looked like: Monday: President's Day holiday, Tuesday: Snow Day, Wednesday: Snow Day, Thursday: Two Hour Delay/School, Friday: Too Cold for School Day. I worked like seven hours this week. Thank you February.

{TWO}

Every Kid in a Park. While watching the news last night I heard about this 'Every Kid in a Park' thing. I think it's great. Apparently every 4th grader and their family gets free admission to all national parks. So awesome. I would start with Rocky Mountain National Park, 4th graders.

{THREE}

THON. It's Dance Marathon Weekend at PSU!!! This weekend is hands down the BEST thing that goes on in Happy Valley, and you know how many good things I think happen there. Tune into the live feed sometime this weekend {HERE}. Can't wait to see this year's total! Also, I just came to the realization I danced 10 YEARS AGO! TEN YEARS!!!

{FOUR}

Friends on Netflix. I have been reliving the 90's recently while watching the first season of Friends on Netflix. It's been fun reminiscing with Rachel's haircut and all the fashion trends of the time. Watch a few...it will take you back :)

{FIVE}

Dole Whip. It's like a pineapple float. I had my first on last month in Florida. Incase you didn't see the recipe I posted last night, make sure you take a look. So delicious and so simple.

2014, In Review!

Oh 2014, what a year it's been!  We've had so many highlights. I went back through my blog to pick out a few of my favorites from this year. Enjoy this year's summary, and enjoy your last night of 2014!

A big theme throughout my posts from January, February, and even March was SNOW! We were lucky enough to enjoy many snow days last winter. I am beginning to wonder where they have been this school year. I hope they find us soon! During one of those early January snows I remember binge watching episodes of Orange is the New Black. I recently heard somewhere that Netflix is one of the biggest game changers of 2014, and I have to agree. Binging on OITNB and Breaking Bad were great breaks from reality. And our Breaking Bad finale party was a fun night to begin our fall.

Spring was full of big achievements! Matt graduated with his Masters in History from George Mason. It was a great celebration of a lot of hard work, late and stressful nights and weekends. Also in the spring, I completed my first ten mile race and half marathon! In the realm of big accomplishments might also fall my relinquishment of coffee, not to say there haven't been some cheat days :)

The summer of 2014 was my best in a long time. For the first time in a long time I chose not to work during my time off from school. We started the summer off with a trip to Dewey Beach for a few days. Soon after we drove to Boston to celebrate Matt's sister's wedding. The rest of the summer was filled with lots of funsies with friends around town and by the pool. I also very pleased with the amount of leisurely reading I did. There was also some time spent being tourists in our own town. Most recently, as DC tourists, we were able to get up close and personal with the White House.

Of course no year would be complete without our families or our friends. We had plenty of game nights and other events to keep us occupied on the weekends in Virginia. Visits to Massachusetts and Pittsburgh, or visits from our families, for holidays and other exciting times, are always our favorites.

Going back to school after a fun summer is usually a little bit of a drag, but this year I have had some exciting things going on to make my time at work a little more pleasurable. I was given my own classroom to use for my lessons! And I have also been enjoying holding some book clubs with my fifth graders. This fall Matt and I also found the illusive Bull Run Mountain and hiked to the top not once, but twice.

I am so looking forward to going through our Boston Baked Bean Pot tonight to find some more happy memories. I can't wait to see what 2015 has in store for us! If our plans for January are any indication, I know it will be a great year!

We Broke Bad

Last Friday night we watched the final three episodes of Breaking Bad. You might remember that we started watching this summer with our friends the Rimkus', so naturally we had to end together as well. It was so exciting, yet so sad. Matt and I have been missing our nightly episode each evening this week. Watching the end of the show obviously warranted a themed party, even if our love for the show developed a few years late, and we were the only people throwing a finale party in 2014.

We ate chicken and tator tots just like Los Pollos Hermanos and had meth cupcakes with some periodic table labels and phrases from the show. (Cupcake recipe coming soon!) The we watched! And the final episodes didn't disappoint. It was great writing and suspenseful up until the end. I had heard mixed reviews on the ending, but in my opinion the show ended the right way. If you haven't watched Breaking Bad, I highly recommend it. It's among the best shows I have watched/starting watching on Netflix. Now I am looking for something new to watch. Suggestions are very welcome!

Friday Love

Here we are. The last Friday before school officially starts. I have already been back to work, but it's not quite the same as real work until we have students. I have decided to do a little summary of the summer in this {Friday Love}...just kind of reviewing all the things that were so lovely about this summer. Enjoy your Labor Day weekend! I know I will savoring every last moment!

{ONE}

NO WORK! It's what made this summer possible. It's the first summer I have taken off since my first year as a full grown, employed adult. I don't think I will even go back. It's been so nice to have my days to myself. Even going to the grocery store is better when you can do it whenever you want to.

{TWO}

Vacations & Pool Time. This summer we traveled to the beach in Delaware. We went to Boston to celebrate Matt's sister's wedding. We played tourist in our own town a couple of times. We also made a very quick trip to Pittsburgh to visit my family and attend another wedding.

In the same category as vacations falls my visits to the pool. If you read my blog any time during any summer you know just how much I LOVE to go to the pool. I love the people watching, the reading time, and this summer, the friend time that the pool has brought me this year. I think I'm even starting to get Matt to like the pool. So sad it's closing this weekend.

{THREE}

Friends. A good portion of my friends have the summer off too! It's nice to have the option to have people to hang out with since poor Matt still has to work in the summer. I have enjoyed the extra bonding time. I wrote a couple of Fridays ago about 'real conversations' and remembering the value of face to face, or at least phone conversations with people instead of getting caught up in texting and social media. I mentioned I wanted to get better about these after having a few good, real conversations this summer. I am keeping this as a goal as we start the school year...relying less on social media to keep up, and making a conscious effort to talk less about work and school drama to focus more on having conversations that matter with the people who matter.

{FOUR}

Summer Food. I just love summer food. Nectarines, berries, summer squash, and so many more. Using the grill. It's all been so fab. I'm really going to miss it in a few weeks. We also lucked out with our tomato plants this year as well. We also had a bunch of peppers from my potted garden. I am still waiting to see what becomes of my brussel sprout plant. It is starting to look more promising.

{FIVE}

TV & Books. I have done so much reading this summer. At one point I was reading a book every day or two. It was awesome. My favorites of the summer include: The Book Theif, Secret Daughter, This is Where I Leave You, Whistling in the Dark, The Silver Star, Then Came You...so this list is starting to turn into all my books. I'm cutting myself off. I read a lot of books I loved...I'll leave it at that.

As for TV...I very slowly (on purpose as to not be distraught when I finished) watched season two of Orange is the New Black....I really don't know how I am going to wait until season three next summer. And we are still bingeing on Breaking Bad. I also, on occasion, tuned into the Price is Right just cause it was summer and you have to.

{That's my best condensing of the highlights of Summer 2014!}

Friday Love

{ONE}

The Barisieur. Have you seen this invention? It's a coffee alarm clock! The sounds of the brewing wake you up. I wish they had a video so I could hear what it sounds like. Did I tell you I gave up coffee this summer. I was so sad for three days. I do still miss it, but I am vowing to try my hardest to stay off coffee once school starts.

{TWO}

Breaking Bad. Matt and I have started (and continued at a rapid pace) watching Breaking Bad on Netflix recently. I have such mixed emotions on that show. Seriously. It makes me sad and stressed out, but I'm so curious to see what happens. It's too much for me to handle!

{THREE}

Jamberry. Earlier in the summer I won a couple of strips of Jamberry nails. I hate painting my fingernails so I tried them on my toes. I think they are fun accent nails and they lasted a long time. If only they weren't so expensive, I would buy them and use them all the time.

{FOUR}

New Classroom. I have my own big classroom to use this school year! We lost quite a few students to a new school that will open this year, so we have extra classrooms. I'm really excited about it. I forgot to take pictures this week while I was working to set it up. Hopefully I remember next week and I will post them!

{FIVE}

2048. Seriously. Why am I addicted to this game. Don't click on that link. You will be too. We need to break up.

Friday Love

{ONE}

Orange is the New Black, Season Two. It came out on Netflix last weekend. I have only watched the first episode. I was trying to wait to have them to watch in the summer, but then I had too many crazy days at work and thought one might make me feel better. It worked. I can't wait to see what happens!

{TWO}

Summer Fruits & Veggies. I'm so excited that it's time for nectarines, strawberries, corn on the cob, and all the other produce that is best in the summer!

{THREE}

{FOUR}

Pool Season. Our pool opened on Memorial Day and we have been a couple of times since. It's so nice to have a pool in our neighborhood, and even better that we live super close to it.

{FIVE}

The Final Countdown. Only four days left in this school year. It's been quite a year. A year in which I learned a LOT of life lessons, both personal and professional. I am so looking forward to my first unencumbered summer in five years.

Friday Love

{ONE}

Almond milk. Why have I waited so long? So yum!

{TWO}

I have never felt like one of these stupid pictures everyone posts on Facebook has described me better.

{THREE}

Tony's Pizza. If you live in Northern Virginia, you most likely know Tony's Pizza. Before I went for my first time ever last year (about this time of year actually, yes it took me 5 years of living here), I thought seriously people, it's pizza. But it really is so good. I always try to take our visitors there, but they never pick it. They are missing out. The one on Mathis Avenue in Manassas is my favorite. It's New York style pizza and they have this really bomb Greek Salad that I highly recommend. 

{FOUR}

Shark Tank. Shark Tank is one of the very, very few shows that we can both agree on in our house. It's kind of a Friday night tradition.

{FIVE}

Superbowl Sunday. Just because it's a good excuse to eat junk food every year and even if your team isn't playing you can watch the commercials!