Me + math = confusion

Math has always eluded me, but after my junior year of high school I thought I had escaped the headache-inducing formulas. Enter the GRE. Even though I'm pursuing a masters in communication, I still have to take the math portion. Where's the Expedrin?!

Although it's been quite the challenge lately, I'm getting through it with Stephen's help. He's acting as my own personal math tutor and I couldn't be more grateful.

The ballerina and centar

When I saw this limited-edition screen print from Horse Drawn Carriage, I broke into a beaming smile. I hope it does the same for you!

Happy Monday!

Hello friends! I hope you all had wonderful weekends. Mine was very relaxing, but was too short as usual.

What's making me smile today is knowing that I have homemade pumpkin pie waiting for me at home. Definitely a worthy reward for getting through Monday!

Also, I'm getting really excited for a long drive to California with Stephen this Friday. We'll be going down to see friends, family and our very own Oregon Ducks. It should be a blast.

How about you? What is keeping you happy today?!

(adorable pumpkin illustration here)

Flying by

This day- and frankly, this week- is flying by. I am so happy that it's Friday!

I plan on spending the weekend finishing the last Harry Potter, going to Halloween parties and baking my man a pumpkin pie.

How about you? What's on your agenda?

(photo credit here)

Trogdor and the witch

Last night Stephen and I carved our pumpkins! It was a magical night; simultaneously fun and relaxing. We listened to Counting Crows (my absolute favorite) and made an apple crisp. The smell filled the apartment and made everything feel so much more like fall.


As we ripped out pumpkin "guts" I separated the seeds for roasting. I'm so excited to have yummy pumpkin snacks!


Here's our finished product! I love Stephen's Trogdor pumpkin the best. He had us giggling all night.

Stephen's corn & pear salsa

It is a supreme blessing to be with a man who cooks well. My favorite part? Trying new and exciting recipes Stephen dreams up. Last night he created this amazing corn and pear salsa. Sounds a bit crazy, no? Trust me, it is out of this world. Picture above, recipe below:

Stephen's Corn & Pear Salsa
1 can sweet corn
1 Bosc pear peeled and diced (I'm sure any pear would work)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 shallot, diced
1 serrano pepper, seeded and diced
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp, rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

Enjoy!!

Cat lady

I know that many people will think this is just a symptom of me loving my cats too much (guilty as charged), but I think these custom pet portraits from Little Tank are delightful.

What do you think? Would you hang portraits of your pets?

Happy Monday!

Happy Monday friends! I hope your weekends were wonderful and relaxing.

Mine was spent in Seattle with family and friends. It was great, but I didn't get much rest and didn't get to see Stephen since I was out of town...

Therefore, what's keeping me smiling today is that I get to spend my evenings this week relaxing and spending time with my love. First up is being a cheerleader at Stephen's soccer game tonight, followed by a home cooked meal. Heaven!

I hope you all spend your week having fun with loved ones!

(photo credit)

Start new

In my opinion, the weekend is the way you wipe your slate clean of the troubles you experienced all week. Maybe that's why I love this quote so much :

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life. It goes on."
-Robert Frost

(photo credit here)

Invasive cool

I love the quirky charm and craftsmanship of these plates from Future Retrieval. At first glance they seem quite sophisticated, until you notice the beautiful pictures of pests.

What do you think? Would you eat off a plate with starlings or ants? Personally, I'd want to display them in hopes that the only thing invading my apartment would be their cheekiness.