here's a little help in celebrating the first day of spring! it's been a long time coming, but it's here, spring is finally here. even if it doesn't really feel like spring outside, i know blue skies are coming soon. 
these flowers are sticking around. spring break for me is so soon, all that stands in my way is grading, a project and packing (did i tell you we're moving schools?) and a few more days of course. this week is going to be tough, but spring's arrival is helping me through it. (as well as the cookie cake i bought on sale this week)
oh, & come back tomorrow for a new playlist, i have one just for spring's arrival!
oh, & come back tomorrow for a new playlist, i have one just for spring's arrival!
we celebrated our little niece's first birthday this past weekend. i captured some photos of our gift before we left. it looked so much like spring, i couldn't help but share it. i love wrapping gifts so much that jordan often makes fun of how much care i put into them. i just use what i have on hand, luckily i had some of this beautiful teal tissue paper. definitely prettier than the typical brown bag paper i usually use.
spring is so close that i couldn't resist these yellow beauties and the grocery store. they add a little bit of sunshine to the drab outdoors. this week, i am excited for spring coming midweek and the start of spring break this weekend. i am looking forward to getting away with jordan and going on a little adventure.
oh, and happy st. patrick's day!
this meal has become a staple in our house. it's good, healthy and we always have the ingredients on hand (or can easily switch them up) we have been eating out a lot recently and when we do eat at home, this is what i crave, something that i know is good for me.
it's so simple. and feel free to switch it up based on what you have on hand.
quinoa with black bean
what you need:the basics:
1 cup quinoa (dry and then cooked according to package)
1/2 onion, diced
1 can black beans
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup frozen yellow corn (this is a guess, use what you want)
taco seasoning (or cumin, red pepper and salt)
feel free to add:
roasted sweet potato
avocado
salsa
zucchini
how to:
cook 1 cup of quinoa. while that is cooking, in a skillet, on medium heat, add onion, let cook for a couple minutes and add remaining ingredients cook until warm. - i typically add loads of cumin and red pepper, but this time i used a taco seasoning packet and it worked great and was super easy - when quinoa is finished, mix in. -this time we added roasted sweet potato, you can also add in other veggies ( i like to have 3 or 4 different vegetables) or salsa for a little more flavor - you can serve alone, with a tortilla, along with lettuce, or how we'll be serving it tonight, as lettuce wraps, it never gets old! don't forget to top with fresh avocado! enjoy!
compliments to jordan for capturing these photos, and for always allowing these girls to come over! i'm so glad that even though we're married, i can still have girly slumber parties. let's hope these hangouts will continue over to indy! please!
i don't know if i have mentioned it before, but jordan's little brother, ben lives with us here in bloomington. it's been pretty fun to have him around, mostly because his life is more interesting than ours, and living with him has made snooping so much easier.
we joke that we've turned him into an old person, for example last weekend he watched a movie with us and we all went to bed at 10. (who are we?) we do exciting things sometimes, which reminds me that i need to share out photos from our midnight skiing adventure! anyway, here's to twenty years of ben's life! and a pretty and delicious cake!
ohio state fans would understand this sign that i made for ben, oh-io! (okay, maybe it was a stretch)
jordan and i typically don't go overboard for valentine's day. but, this year it was a different case. as i mentioned in this post, february was just pretty crazy, with starting a new job that was a little more difficult than i thought. it was hard for me to share how hard it was, because i wanted to be excited, but after sharing with jordan just how tough it was, i think he knew i would enjoy something a little special for valentine's day.
happy march! i am so glad
that february is finally over, but i secretly love the last bit of winter. i
love seeing how many more times i can wear my favorite sweaters and get away
wearing my leggings instead of real pants. and still feel okay about coming
home, sitting on the couch and eating ice cream and watching hgtv. and that
occasional run in the brisk cold when it finally gets in the upper 30's. so
here's to enjoying the last days of winter and i've even got a mix for you, to help you enjoy the
season of stopping, of resting and reflecting.
some flowers from my valentine, that are a little wilted. but, i still find them beautiful...
I'm Katelyn, a creative who finds beauty in the little things. I like the windows open and vases filled with flowers. I photograph and write about the mostly small but sometimes big adventures we find in our daily lives.
