End of Summer Update

So, school has started and life has been BUSY! I officially decided I just don't have what it takes to keep up with this blog regularly. Home school is so incredibly time consuming, I just can't find the time. So I'm going back to my roots, a every-so-often family update and occasional thing I just have to share. Here is our recent update...

1.This is our new favorite meal to share with a crowd. Everything gets a drizzle of olive oil, and sprinkled with lemon zest and basil. Mix all of these flavors together and YOU WILL THANK ME!

2. I went to our local county surplus sale and found this metal drawer marked $4.00, but the checkout guy only charged me half that...yes!

 A fresh coat of mint green spray paint, and it's perfect for storing chapter books!

See!

 
3. Our nephew got married! We traveled to Temecula, which neither of us had ever been to, and got to witness their beautiful vows.

 Of course, I'm the guest that takes pictures of the decor. Shocked? I didn't think so.

 They had the COOLEST photo booth ever, where you control it! It had a touch screen and it gave you a countdown, then took three photos and showed you each one. Then you could walk over to the iPad and tap the ones you wanted to email to yourself!! What?! Instant gratification!

4. We woke up early the day after the wedding to make the hour (or so...WHATEVER stupid traffic) to make good use of our Disneyland passes. It was great, but I'm convinced you have never fully felt 94 degrees until you've been at Disneyland...in the sun...with no wind...in humidity...on concrete. And this is coming from a girl that has lived in the Central Valley (hello, 106 degrees) for the last 13 years.

5. Last week, I went back to the surplus store and found this rolling metal cart for $15, but again, the guy marked it down to $10.

 I painted it the same mint green (not the inside), and it is now storage for our big school books. The shelf at the bottom is currently holding our light board. I just wheel it over to my desk when it's time for school. I love that the books are now out of sight, and I'm not tripping over them. The lid lifts up and then slides down to stay open.

6. Every day after school this week I've been working on adding fall banners to my Etsy shop. I am in LOVE with these, especially this one! (The faux chalkboard printables are free over at Shanty 2 Chic!)

6. We are doing a mold experiment for science and it is GROSS. Enough said.

 7. A friend posted on Facebook that a local vending wholesaler sells the replacement rubber bands for the Rainbow Loom CHEAP. So we went and I may have bought a giant thing of gumballs as a school supply. ;)

 8. I have been dying for a big map. I finally saw them on zulily the other day and snagged one pretty cheap. It is HUGE and came laminated. It's fabulous! I hung it up above my desk and now I can just look up and daydream about what island I'd rather be on when we hit the afternoon brick wall on occasion. ;)

 9. Hobby Lobby has these stretched burlap "canvases" in a bunch of different sizes. They come pre-painted with a cream background and raw burlap edges. I used a half off coupon and made a fun stencil to go over the map. I'm really loving making our school room a bright, happy place.