New Stage in Life

     Coming up in September the youngest two kids are going to start doing duel enrollment with our local community collage. So with that, We have decided as a family that I will go back to teaching full time, I am an Early Childhood Educator.  With my new job I have the opportunity to continue my education and get my Bachelors Degree in Early Child Education. I am so excited to start this new adventure. My two youngest will still be doing a couple of subjects at home, but most will be at the community collage.  

    So somethings I am looking forward to as I go back into the classroom.  I love teaching, I love seeing kids grasp concepts, and I love decorating and planning my classroom.  I will have a co-teacher, so that is good.  I am looking forward to getting to know her and the students.  I have been out of a perfectional classroom for 14 years.  To say the least I am a little nervous to start back teaching full time, but I am also excited.  I am excited with the opportunity to get my bachelors degree. 

    I am going to be learning a new work, school, life balance.  I am so thankful that I know a lot of crockpot and instant pot recipes.  I will be working on meal prep recipes and stocking the freezer before going back to work and starting school.  I will also be working on meal prep for lunches.  With the kids going to in person classes a couple days a week, my husband works full time, plus a part time job, and with me starting to work a full time job, it will be nice to have home made lunches on the go.  I will be working on recipe and blog post for all of that, including what lunch boxes and containers we will be using.  As I get ready to go back I will be posting a what is in my teacher bag, things I have in my classroom, and so much more about going back to the workforce after 14 years. I can't wait to take you along on this new journey, and still give you content like I have been. New recipes, what God is teaching me, homeschool life, cleaning and organizing, meal prep ideas and more. 

Until Next Time,

Pitters

As Summer Comes to a Close

 With the beginning of August our summer is slowly coming to an end. We will start school up again, and the two kids left homeschooling will start a new adventure and take duel credit classes through our local Community College. Although we have at least two more months of hot/warm weather, my thoughts are turning towards decorating for the fall/Halloween. I will not start until September to decorate for the fall and then October 1st for Halloween. I am going to be working on projects for Fall and Halloween decorations over this next month. 

With fall also comes some of my favorite meals. I love making hardy soups, homemade bread and other comfort foods. I will be sharing some of my favorite recipes during the fall. I will be working on doing cook with me videos on my YouTube Channel this fall as well. I have already started on a few that are up now. 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLjcWW-Vdvv6zR6g_YoADFQ

I have finally finished my home office. I just took me some time to get pictures for you all.  My office is set up to also be an online classroom and makeup area for my daughter and I.  She is really into doing makeup and the office is a great space for us to share.  It is also a space that is for working on things my husband and I need to work on for our scouts troops, we are Scoutmaster for.  

This fall is a lot of new for us, but it is all good.  We have our 19 year old that is leaving the nest, but will not be to far from us. He is starting his Freshman year in college and we are so excited for him.  Well I am getting ready for our crazy week ahead. 

Until Next Time,

Pitters

Hummus Dish

 I have found a new love in hummus.  Until attending summer camp with my scout troop and spending most of my afternoons in the kitchen help out the staff, I never really liked hummus.  The chef at the camp made a snack for the volunteers, I plate of hummus with all kinds of goodies on it.  So here is my take on what he did.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup plan hummus ( store bought or your own recipe) 

1 teaspoon of homemade garlic oil (Recipe below)

3-4 grape tomatoes cut into rounds

1/2 shallot dice small

1-2 Tablespoons of crumbled fetta cheese

1/4 cup mix of baby arugula and baby spinach torn into smaller pieces 

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tablespoon of balsamic glaze

Chips or any other thing you like dipped in hummus 

Step 1: Smear hummus onto a plate, add salt and pepper to taste

Step 2: Add the garlic oil

Step 3: Top with tomatoes and shallots:

Step 4: Top with fetta cheese, arugula and baby spinach :

Step 5: Drizzle the Balsamic Glaze:

Homemade garlic oil:

2 cups olive oil

8 cloves of crushes garlic

heat oil in a pan with the garlic for 15 to 20 minutes.  Do not over cook or the garlic will become bitter. Strain the garlic oil into and air tight container. You can keep the garlic cloves but they mush be used within a day or two.  Store in an air tight container in the fridge for a week.  

You can use garlic oil when cooking things like eggs, pizza crust, or for sautéing veggies.

Enjoy trying something new. Until next time!

Pitters

What a Whirlwind of a Year So Far!!!

    After starting off our new year with Covid, having my Father-in-law put in the hospital because of Covid, then he was in rehab so he could get strong enough to come home, then less than 4 hours after coming home he was right back in the hospital.  After being in the hospital for the second time, we found out he had stage 4 colon cancer.  He went home to be with the Lord early Easter Morning.  

    Then in May our 19 year old went on a leadership and mission trip to Virginia with some people from our church. He just came back home last week.  Also last week my husband and I took our two scout troops to summer camp for a week.  Our 17 year old is working at scout summer camp for the 4th summer.  

    In March I started to do administrative work for a online/in person dance studio and they have other classes. In May I got the opportunity to start teaching some of the essay tutoring classes, Storytime and art classes, and I got to sub for a drama class as well.  This coming Friday I am starting to teach outdoor play classes for kids age 1.5 to 8 years old and their parents/guardians. I am able to work my work schedules around my kids needs with homeschooling and I am loving that.

    

    This school year will be our 15th school year.  In the fall we will have a senior and a freshman.   I am not sure were the time has gone but here we are.  It is crazy to me that I am in my last 4 years of homeschooling my kids. 

    I am going to be working very hard at writing on the blog more and other thing surrounding it.  I am almost done with my office so that blog and maybe a YouTube video will be coming soon.  

Until Next Time,

Pitters

My New Home Office

After living in our new home for 5 months I am finally getting around to setting my office up more to my liking.  When we first moved into our home I was all set to run my Paparazzi jewlery bussiness out of it.  But after a long convertation with my husband and seeking God in prayer I made the choice to not continue.  So the office sat in dissaray, mostly a dumping ground for things we did not have a place for.  I thought is would be a fun craft room, but that to was always a mess. Marshall thought it would be a good dressing room, becuase it is in our bedroom with it's own door.  But I just did not like that idea.  As the kids have gotten older we have talked a couple of times about me finding a job I could do from home.  So now I am ready to take that step and I am looking for a job I can do from home that has a consistant pay and is legit.  Many of at home office jobs require a work space that can accomidate two computer monitors.  So I bought two desks that works better for my office set up, insted of one large desk, to house a computer set up like that.  I am also still using my smaller desk in my office for if the kids need some help with homeschool durring the day.  They will have a work space. Or I might turn it into a vanity area.  I also have three cuby storage shelves.  Two of them are 3 by 3 cubies and the other one is a 3 by 1 cuby set up.  My hope is that with the new office set up I will also be more consistant in writing my blogs, making videos for my YouTube page, and posting on the Facebook and Instagram pages for this blog.  

I am working on stoage solutions fror my office, but very budget friendly.  I will be sharing what I am using for storage in my office and pictures of my set up.  This will be in a follow up blog.  I will be sharing my before pictures. Well a much let messy, but still messy before pictures.  

So I have some organizing to to do.  I still have one desk that Marshall will put together this week.  My daughter is working on the gardening merit badge for scouts so that is why I currently have potted plants in my office.  She has started herb seeds and some vegetable seeds.  Once it is warm enough they will go our on our balcony.  But that is a whole other blogg post. As you can see I am a baby Yoda fan.  But back to the topic at hand.

So what do i like about my office space? First off I love the fact I have two nice size windows.  I love it is right in our bedroom so I can have a quite space to work.  Also if my kiddos are sick I am not far from them if they need me.  I am glad that even as teens they still need me. I am excited to finish my office and show you all the things that i am using for storage solutions on a budget. 

Until Next Time,

Pitters