The [perfect] Weekend

The [perfect] Weekend

Posted by Brit

This has been a fantastic weekend.  Yes, I'm writing this on Monday night... today is President's day and so I had the day off.  For some reason I was feeling the need to do things this weekend; I'll admit my weekends usually include a lot of lounging.  I usually get up on Saturday to eat the breakfast Brandon has prepared for me, and he usually gets up on Sunday to eat the breakfast I've prepared for him.  After breakfast on both days I tend to go back to bed for a little while at least...

My weekend began with a great surprise on Friday Night!  Tia and her pup drove down to pay me a visit and she and I got ready together and then headed out for the evening to Rock Island Live in Old Town.  The Calamity Cubes!, Tater Famine, Filthy Still, and Carrie Nation and the Speakeasy all played kick ass sets.  I was so happy to be running around with old Tia again in Wichita.

Carrie Nation and the Speakeasy

Filthy Still

Saturday I made breakfast for Tia, Brandon and I.  I napped and then did a little grocery shopping.  We had Brandon's family over for dinner.  He made carnitas, chile verde, and guac.  It was mouth-watering.  I seriously thought about that pork all day Sunday. 

Beginnings of Chile Verde

Carnitas Cooking

Seared pork

Sunday I ran some errands and got some crafting gear.  I purchased some beads and cord to make some bracelets, and began by making one last night.  I also picked up some candle making supplies.  I bought some Valentine's flowers for $2.50 at Dillons, and while I am sure the boys in my house could care less about them, I'm happy to have something to brighten the place up!

Today I made a chocolate peanut butter cream pie and then took it and lunch (leftover Carnitas) to Brandon's parents' house where he is working on remodeling their bathroom.  After lunch I headed home to work on making a candle.  I am pretty excited about the results!  The scent is Citrus Sage and it smells fresh and clean.  I bought some antique Ball canning jars at Metcalf Sisters Antiques while out and about Sunday and they worked perfectly!

Melting Wax

Poured

Finished Candle (and wine and bon appetit)

One last thing I enjoy about my weekends this time of year is the afternoon sun that enters the living room when we have all of our (read: Brandon's) plants inside.

Have a happy week!

Feeling at Home

Feeling at Home

Posted by Brit

I'm starting to feel more and more at home here. For the first several months, despite their efforts to make me feel otherwise, I just felt like I was a guest in Brandon and Nathan's house. I'm starting to think up little ways to add a little of myself to the place, and my things are gradually being moved from storage to this place now that we know we'll be staying here for at least another year.

Tia and I had a kitchen shelf last year for cookbooks and a plant and a sort of mail holder that I wasn't very great at using. I wanted to have a place for a plant and get rid of a chunky, unappealing shelf that was already in place and full of food. The shelf I built last year fits perfectly; it is a little slimmer, has more shelves, and is much prettier. This one wont have cookbooks, though I may find a wire basket for mail, and it also holds a lot of our dry goods.

Have a happy week, everyone.

Cozy

Cozy

Posted by Brit

We just got our first snow this week. I don't care for it at all. Cold, dreary. Our home, though, is cozy. It's the little things.

On my front porch

On my front porch

Posted by Brit

I promise more vacation pictures soon!
Until then here's some fresh lemonade. Brandon added lime and it was perfect.

Saturday

Saturday

Posted by Brit

Today I unpacked in my new home. I didn't finish. It's overwhelming, interesting. Different.

It rained but the sun stayed out.

Thrive

Thrive

Posted by Brit

Normally this is the time of year I'd be headed to Target to grab some new pens and a couple note books.  Yesterday marked the first day of the semester at WSU.  While I had considered taking an online finance class through the business school this semester, and even had it ok'd (and paid for) from my employer, it didn't work out due to the class being full.  I am feeling mixed emotions about this.  The class would have really been informational and taught me some things about banking that I don't know yet.  The class also would have given me something to do in the evenings, and free education is pretty cool.  At the same time I am not sure that graduation has fully set in yet, and so jumping in to a class may be something I would regret about a month from now.  It is strange though, thinking that I am really done.  That I've got my two majors and I am out in the world.  Working.  Building a career.

Now for a little more of an update.  Tia and I have been settled into our new home for about a month now.  It's spacious, efficient, and cute.  Here are a few pictures I took after work today.

Front

View from front to back

Bedroom. Colors.

Breakfast Nook

Rest o' Kitchen

Dining. Mess.

In other news, it's been hot.  Really hot.  And while I've watched most plants die a slow death over the last couple months this guy is thriving.  It even had a bloom.  We learned this year that the bloom is a night bloomer.  Night pictures didn't turn out so well so I snuck out in the early morning and snapped a few pictures.  This plant is not a product of my abilities, but Bran's.  I can't even tell you the type of plant that it is, other than a really cool succulent.

The next thing to say is this is Nixon.  Once in the yard and once at the Kansas Team Disc Golf Championship that was hosted at Camp Hawk two weekends ago.

Checking out some disc golf.

Last but not least.  Try these potatoes.  I had them at a birthday dinner last weekend and couldn't get enough. Crash Hot Potatoes - The Pioneer Woman

Update

Update

Posted by Brit

I've been at the new place for about ten days now.  No internet yet, which is the reason for a lack of posts.  Tia and I have learned more and more about the neighborhood.  Summary: We're not feeling it.  Luckily we had an addendum built into our lease that with thirty days notice we could get out and get our deposit back.  So we're out on the house hunt again.  We've got a couple of prospects and our very generous landlord is looking into buying a couple of places here in town so he is going to see if he can get in to show them to us before buying.  He could close in thirty days if we choose to go that route.  Newton isn't really that bad even it's worst neighborhoods - but with it being just the two of us now we really want to be comfortable being in our home.  I will update with some news sometime soon!

Fire

Fire

Posted by Brit

Tonight the sky was magnificent.
I was outside by myself between storms and this is what I found.

 

And here are a couple of my plants.  My little pepper was enjoying the sunshine earlier today.

May and some June

May and some June

Posted by Brit

I graduated from college May 14th.  That was neat.  My mom graduated May 13th which was even more neat.  Tia and I had a lovely reception.

Don't worry, I am buying the actual image.

Mom and Me

I wanted to get a Saudi Arabia flag cake, but Tia said no.

After the two pictures above were taken Tia told my Aunt, "We are probably going to get a civil union."

Ezells

Pictures of this guy are hard to come by.

We have no speakers; that's the only reason why this is happening.

I came outside before I went to bed and these wonderful people cheered and clapped for me because I am a college graduate.

 

In other news we recently went to the lake for two hours.

Also in other news Tia and I are getting a new house June 16th.  Our last lease was up June 1st which means we are currently homeless or staying with our boyfriends for two weeks.  I was going to make a food blog like entry initially because I was making this quiche.  I took a couple of before/prep pictures but failed to take anymore because I got hungry and forgot that I am now a blogger and well, I lost my focus.  Anyway, it was delicious and I lost the recipe - but it's quiche so I am sure you can figure it out on your own, trust me it's easy.

Eggs and pie crust.

Eggs and milk and pie crust.

Pie crust, cheese, spices

 You'll have to draw your own conclusions on what comes next.  Oh bake at 375 degrees farenheit.

-B