Baby's First Year Shadow Box

This morning I was walking through Target, with my grande caramel macchiato in hand strolling through the aisles.  Marc shouldn't have ever let me go there alone, because every time I go to Target, I end up walking through every department, finding things to fill my cart.  As I was strolling through the home decor section, I noticed that they had really nice shadow boxes on sale.  I remembered that when my sister was a brand new mother, she was feeling lots of pressure to create a scrapbook.  Her intentions were in the right spots, BUT she was wondering how on earth she was going to accomplish it, when she was trying to work full time, be a great mom and manage a household.  There was no way.

I have been really trying to simplify my own life, and weed out things that cause stress and anxiety.  I told her to get a box and toss everything from the current year in the box.  Then label the box with "Sarah's First Year" and stick it in a closet.  Then, when Sarah gets bigger, she can go into each treasure box and look at the cards, mementos, and trinkets that were important for that year.  

Once I saw the shadow boxes in Target, I had another idea.  Take the most meaningful things from that year, especially Sarah's first year, and put together a little shadow box that can be hung in Sarah's room.  What a sweet way to capture all the great things a new life brings!  Today I have been gathering some inspiration for what to include in the shadow box.  My sister loved the idea, and since she is moving, she can gather everything she wants to keep inside the shadow box.  

I'm including all of the ideas I've gathered so far!  It doesn't matter how old your kids are...go dig through the things you've kept aside and try this meaningful DIY project for yourself!

Tonight we're linking up with 3 Little Greenwoods blog for the Show-Licious Craft & Recipe Party. Click on over for more great stuff! 

High Five for Friday: Happy Memorial Day Weekend!!!

This was, by far, the best week I've had in a long time!  The weather has finally broken and everything is full of spring!  The countdown for the end of school is in the 30's (including weekends!!) and time off is approaching fast.  I'm having more and more fun with my class, and we're planning on working down to the very last moment!  

Here's how my week panned out!

1. Heading down to NYC to Meet Emily Giffin with Dawn was at the top of my list!  Spending the day with my best friend in Bryant Park (one of my most favorite NYC spots!), along with my favorite author, the sun shining, and the birds singing...What more could I ask for???  We had the most gorgeous day, and were able to even grab lunch in the park.  It was a day I won't ever forget!

2. Dawn hosted an Origami Owl party on Saturday, and it was a blast!  Her apartment was filled with her family and some close friends.  I couldn't believe how busy it was!  The outpouring of love in the room was incredible, as mothers and daughters worked together to design beautiful lockets.  In addition to the creation of lockets, there was lots of talk as Dawn's sister Rosie discussed how her pregnancy has been...and plans for when the baby arrives! This is such an amazing time in their family's life!!  

3.  In addition to hosting the party, Dawn's sister-in-law Michelle expressed interest in becoming an Origami Owl Designer!  She decided it was something she wanted to do, and I am so excited to have her join the team and experience the inspiration that Origami Owl brings to everyone we meet!

4. This week my literacy coach came into my classroom to teach a lesson on idioms.   The kids loved the fact that they got to use the iPads in class, and they always love moving around from station to station.  It was a success!!

5. Running is getting easier!! Colleen and I went for a run yesterday, and as we were chatting, I couldn't help but mention to her how much easier it's getting!  She agreed, and we were both so happy that we started running almost daily with our friend, Dana.

We're linking up with Lauren Elizabeth and the ladies that host 5 for Friday! Click on over for more awesome stuff! 

High Five for Friday: Fun in Bryant Park!

Friday...already?! These weeks seem to be flying by. I feel like I just said, "I can't believe it's May!" and now I'm ready to say, "I can't believe it's June!" Just the other day, Amanda and I were talking about how we blinked and June is here! We were questioning if it's because we've been teaching for quite a while now. I thought maybe it was because the winter was so l-o-n-g, that having May & June finally here seems like a dream. I'm thrilled to welcome Memorial Day Weekend! 

A few reflections on my week: 

1. Jewelry Party! I hosted a party through Amanda's Origami Owl company. It was loads of fun and made the weekend that much more awesome. I loved having a girls day!

2. Baby Shower Planning! Yes, the planning is already happening and in the works. We had a lunch date on Sunday and my sister asked me to bring a notebook and iPad filled with ideas. Who, me? The one that loves to think of cute ideas for parties? Heck, yeah! I can't wait to share ideas here on the blog... after the shower! Sorry guys! 

3. Bryant Park & Emily Giffin! Those two go so well together! What a fun day! I loved meeting Emily Giffin again. We were so concerned about the weather. What to wear? Will it be rainy? Are we going to be too cold if we wear a dress or skirt? The things we worry about. The weather was perfect. The day was awesome. We need more days like Wednesday!

4. Being featured on the Be.YOU.Tiful Party! It thrills me that we're getting so many hits, comments, and features on our blog! It was one thing that we couldn't stop talking about on Wednesday. We're honored that we were featured on the Be.YOU.Tiful Party! Our Patriotic Mason Jar post has even hit our TOP 10 Posts on our side bar. YAY!!!

5. My sister-in-law graduated with her Master's Degree in Education! What an accomplishment! We're so proud of her! I remember this feeling like yesterday and it's already 7 years ago. Where does the time go?!

We're linking up with Lauren Elizabeth and the ladies that host 5 for Friday! Click on over for more awesome stuff! 

Tiny Patriotic Pies [Memorial Day Dessert!]

Are you looking for another amazing sweet treat to make for your Memorial Day celebration? I couldn't pass this one up when I set my eyes on it and I felt the urgent need to share it with you. It looks amazingly delicious and my heart skipped a beat when I saw this photo:

How cute?! How yummy?! I want a bite right now! These blueberry pies reminded me of a moment  that my husband and I experienced a few years ago. We were traveling home from Montauk, NY and stopped at a little farm stand on the side of the road. I had just learned (after years of being together) that my husband had a slight obsession with blueberry pie. He had heard through the grapevine during our stay that this farm stand would have the best pie he'd ever tasted. And later that night, as we took our first bites, he was totally right! It was the best blueberry pie and nothing...nothing would ever compare to that pie. 

So, I might just attempt this Tiny Patriotic Pie recipe this weekend because maybe, just maybe, this will match the best blueberry pie that my husband has ever tasted. And... I also just want to stare at how pretty it looks on a table adorned with red, white and blue fun! I mean really, how pretty are these tiny pies?

I found these pies on the Scrambled Henfruit Blog: Recipes and Ramblings from a Grandma Who Loves to Bake! Mmmm... who wouldn't want to click on that link and explore? Please do! Grandma's recipes sound amazing!

Grandma begins this Patriotic Pie post by explaining about her discovery of three little pie tins at a local thrift shop. This made my heart flutter just a little bit more. Tiny pie dishes?! The most perfect size... 5 inches! Yes, please!

Here's her delicious recipe:

Blueberry Pieadapted from this recipe at pickyourown.orgFor 3 tiny pies (5 inch diameter) you'll need:
2-3 cups fresh blueberries
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoons water, grape juice, or other berry juice (I used some blackberry juice that I'd just prepared for jam.)
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
Pie Crust (enough for double crust pie), unbaked
For one 9-inch pie, double all of the filling ingredients except for blueberries. Use about 4 cups of blueberries.Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit

• Line pie tin(s) with dough, trimming off excess from edges. Set aside.

• Wash berries, discarding stems and mushy berries. Put in colander (lined with a towel) to drain.

• Combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in lemon juice and water or juice.

• Arrange drained blueberries into prepared (unbaked) pie crust(s).

• Pour sugar/liquid mixture evenly over the blueberries in the pie(s).

• Cut remaining dough with a pastry cutter (or a Play-Doh Swiss Army knife if you can't find your pastry cutter) and a star shaped cookie cutter. Place dough strips and stars on top of blueberries in the pie shell(s). Press strips down onto the edges of the pie crust(s).

• Brush exposed dough with a mixture of 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk. Make sure the mixture is well combined and that you don't put it on too thickly. Just a thin coating is best. Sprinkle with sugar (white or colored) if desired.

• Bake for about 1 hour for one 9 inch pie, or about 40 minutes for three 5 inch pies. Before baking time is completely up, check to make sure pies are not browning too quickly. If they are getting brown too quickly, tent with aluminum foil.

• Remove from oven when filling is bubbly and no longer cloudy. The crust should be lightly browned. Cool completely before slicing, if you can wait that long. Enjoy!

Please let me know if you try this recipe! Or, do you have your own favorite blueberry recipe that I could wow my husband away with?! Please share!

Tonight we are linking up with the Be.You.Tiful Party over at Fry Sauce & Grits! We're also linking up with The Pin It Party over at Creative Geekery! Click over for more awesome stuff! 

[NYC Adventure: Part 2] New York Public Library: Children's Book Exhibit

On Wednesday after Emily Giffin's book event, Dawn and I weren't quite ready to head home.  We went exploring a little bit, and I had mentioned that I always wanted to go inside the New York Public Library.  It was always a landmark that had captured my interest, especially since I'm a lover of children's books.  

As we approached the front of the library, I noticed the large banner on the lefthand side of the building...something about ABC's and children.  We were hooked!  I couldn't wait to get inside and see what was going on in there!

Before we went inside, we had to snap a photo to remember the fun.  Then we climbed the stairs and entered the gorgeous library!

My photos really don't do the architecture inside this
building justice!

 

As soon as I saw the exhibit entrance, I was so excited!  I turned to Dawn and asked her how we always stumble upon things like this.  It was incredible!  I am going to let you explore the photos a little bit.  It was awesome to walk through the history of children's literature!

 

 

If you're heading into NYC I hope you can make a trip to the public library for this public exhibit.  It's one you won't forget!  Bring the little ones!

Tonight we are linking up with the Be.You.Tiful Party over at Fry Sauce & Grits! We're also linking up withThe Pin It Party over at Creative Geekery! Click over for more awesome stuff! 

Emily Giffin's Book Signing in NYC!

Tonight we're linking up to the Hump Day Happenings Party and their theme is "Show Us Who You Are." I thought that this theme tied in perfectly with what Amanda and I experienced today... a girls day filled with fun in New York City combined with meeting our favorite author for the second time. This is exactly who we are... two girls who love to spend time together, who enjoy talking about good books and recommending the best ones, and who always find ourselves in situations that later turn into great stories. Yup, there's always one of those! 

Amanda and I have both blogged about our love for Emily Giffin here and here. Once we learned that she would be touring in New York City, we immediately knew that we'd "take the day" from work and make it a fun girls day in the city...and that's exactly what we did!

We plan on blogging about our experience today through multiple posts. I decided that I'll blog about My Top 5 Experiences about the Book Signing today. I'll share about other fun stuff later in the week!

1. What made this book signing more different than any other was that it was outside at Bryant Park's Outside Reading Room. We arrived in the nick of time, parking right across the street, and the weather was absolutely perfect for an outside signing. The Outside Reading Room is so unique. Many people pulled up chairs and ate their lunch right alongside the book talk. Even though there were hundreds of people at the park and sirens were roaring in the distance, it felt so cozy and welcoming. I would love to take part in one of these again!

2. Jane Green, another amazing best-selling author, interviewed Emily Giffin. This was also a unique touch to the book signing today. When Amanda & I saw Emily Giffin two years ago, she was on her own and talked a lot about her newly released book, Where We Belong. Today, the experience was very different. Jane Green asked a lot of questions which helped us get to know Emily better. However, Emily also asked questions back to Jane and it was like we were spying on their own little lunch date. It was really fun!

3. Emily is gorgeous! How could I blog about meeting her and not mention this?! Her hair, makeup, and attention to fashion is amazing. She always looks stunning when we see her! Jane asked Emily if "this is who she really is... do you look like this all the time?" Emily laughed and shared a cute story about how her daughter saw her in a magazine and stated "that's not you mom!" Of course she doesn't walk around her house in full hair and makeup every day, but she's so beautiful and very down to earth!

4. Anticipation of meeting Emily. Waiting on line is sometimes the most exciting part. You're steps away from meeting your idol. What do you say? How do you act? Do we tell her that we skipped work to come and see her?! Before we knew it, we were standing side by side with Emily and it was awesome!

5. Receiving the inside scoop aka exclusive information! We already knew that Something Blue was in the works for the big screen, bu we found out today that there are two other books that may be turned into movies, as well. Amanda and I turned to each other and let out squeals of delight. So exciting!! 

Today was SO much fun! Girls days are fun, but when you throw an experience like this in the mix... you just can't top them! 

[Our Favorite Author]: Emily Giffin

Dawn and I have blogged about Emily Giffin here and here before....but today was a special day: Dawn met her for the second time and I was able to meet her for the third time!  We both took the day off of work, and headed down to Bryant Park in Manhattan to hear Emily Giffin and Jane Green talk about Emily's new book, The One and Only.  

Our day began with a quick stop for the books at Barnes & Noble, and then a stop for coffee.  Then we were on our way!  The drive was an adventure into New York City...you never know what kind of traffic you're going to hit, or how long it's REALLY going to take to get there.  We made it into the city and parked our car with just enough time to get to the park to hear them announcing Emily!  

As teachers of writing, it was really wonderful to hear the words of two bestselling authors give their advice on their journey as writers.  Emily wrote a book that took her five years to complete, which was then rejected by all of the top publishing houses.  She then went on to write her second novel, which was her first published novel titled Something Borrowed, which then led to Something Blue.  Her first published novel was later turned into a movie of the same title, Something Borrowed starring Kate Hudson and Ginnifer Goodwin.  They're working on a movie for Something Blue!

After Jane Green and Emily finished their talk, we were able to get on line and wait to meet Emily and have her sign our books! 

The little girl who is in the man's arms is Emily's daughter, Harriet!  She is absolutely adorable! :)

After we met with Emily, we decided to take our books and photograph the park a little bit and get something to eat!

It was a perfect day to be in the park!

We grabbed lunch at this little sandwich stand, 'witchcraft!

This is the Wednesday Special!

Our day couldn't have been anymore fun!  It was a much needed day off of work, and we were able to  have a much needed best friend catch up day!  There was plenty more to our adventure, and I'll blog about the second half of our day tomorrow!

We're also linking up with 733 Blog for the Inspire Me Wednesday Party! Click on over for more awesome stuff!