August 23, 2017

Tahini Cookies

On the last day of our Summer vacation, I started the morning by making these Tahini Cookies and then spent the rest of the day gathering school supplies and getting our household in order with laundry and a whole list of Intentions. It didn’t dawn on me until 3PM that I had only eaten 2 cookies and nothing else. I had gone to Target on an empty stomach and survived! What is that all about???!

Bottom line- These little cookies fueled one of the biggest organizing-fests I’ve had in awhile. Maybe it had something to do with the tahini? Who knows!

They’re sweet and slightly savory with an earthy flavor. They’re like a shortbread meets fudge. Bon Appetit describes them as “grown up” peanut butter cookies and I can totally see why.

They’re a great option for anyone with nut allergies since their made with tahini & sesame seeds. I’m gonna stash some in the cupboard so I can have a moment to myself with them later….with a book…and some tea…

LISTS

August 21, 2017

Intentions for the Week

Happy Monday! This week, we go BACK TO SCHOOL.

That means:

NEW routine
NEW habits
NEW grade
NEW teacher
NEW homework station
NEW school supplies and shoes to break in!

This week I’d like to take a moment and write some intentions for the school year. It will be a good way to get my head in the game with my journal.

This Week’s Intentions:

unpack from trip
go to the dentist
haircut for Cooper
gather back to school supplies
LAUNDRY
go to a yoga class
grocery shop for school lunches
make a list of school lunches (maybe write a post about it?)
spend extra time with the cats this week
edit photos from trip/import them into a blurb book
prepare for speaking on an Instagram panel at TechMunch
ease back into the school routine
write some intentions for the school year
eat dinner outside
work in the garden
write a few letters
keep reading Cheaper by the Dozen
put a few get togethers on the calendar

Last Week’s Intentions:

~~enjoy the last week of summer vacation~~
~~less internet, more love~~
~~edit photos~~
~~spend quality time with my family~~ (that we did!)
~~put my feet and or body in~~ lake ~~Tahoe~~
~~chocolate dipped ice cream cone~~
~~one late night talkfest with my mom~~ (shopping afternoon!)
~~recharge my battery~~
~~learn something new~~ (drawing letters fundamentals!)
~~draw in my sketchbook~~
~~write letters~~
~~paint the view~~
go to a yoga class (didn’t make it to one.WOMP)
go for hikes (went on a few walks)
teach Cooper Rummikub
put together a puzzle (didn’t get to this)
~~coffee date(s) with my dad~~
~~grocery shop with my mom~~
~~nighttime cocktail hour walks~~ (we hung outside & watched the view)
~~stargaze~~
~~meditate on my career path~~
~~make an epic cheese board~~
~~read a book~~ (finished It’s Always Something)
~~take a picture of a sunset~~
~~date night with my husband~~
~~enjoy my 38th birthday with my family in Tahoe~~

MANTRA for the WEEK:

What about you? What do you have going on this week??

my everyday life, Photography

August 20, 2017

My Everyday Life: Week 33

Here’s what this past week looked like- My Everyday Life Week 33:

Hello from Tahoe!

This is our view this week.

We’re in vacation mode.

I brought some of my favorite art supplies so I can paint in the mornings.

Morning cuddles.

It’s been relaxing!

We met a dog named Luna.

This picture made me laugh.

Papa + Cooper

I re-read the yellow wallpaper this week. I remember it really making an impact on me when I was younger. I think it’s because I grew up with yellow wallpaper in my room that I hated.

The transition from bright outdoors into dark bars is always weird.

I saw a little heart in the clouds.

Peanut Butter + Chocolate fro yo.

We’ve been playing Pay Day this week. It’s been so good for Cooper!

Snack dinner.

Morning walk.

Working on the backlog of penpal letters.

In the car…plus a sharpie…

Vietnamese in Reno.

Pika pika.

We love playing the quarter game at Circus Circus.

S U P E R

He won almost 1500 tickets.

We went bowling and Cooper and I had orange bowling balls.

Painting + cocktails

I’ve been eating a lot of peanut butter lately.

TACO NIGHT

Chocolate dipped cone!

This is 38! Thank you for all of the birthday wishes.

Mother daughter.

Birthday cocktails.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

Complete with an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.

Been waking up early this trip. I am hoping it becomes a new habit.

Every morning, I do word searches with my coffee. This morning my Dad gave me a pep talk while doing so.

Joy sent my family bagels + lox + cream cheese from NYC for my birthday!

WHAT A TREAT!!!!!

On a morning walk with Casey.

My heart.

It rained in Tahoe today. It smells so good when it rains here!

Rainbow!

Followed by Date Night!

In September, I might do another round of Whole30. Wanna do it with me?

Week 33 in 2016

Week 33 in 2015

Week 33 in 2014

Week 33 in 2013

Week 33 in 2012

Week 33 in 2011

LISTS

August 18, 2017

I LOVE LISTS

Welcome to I LOVE LISTS! It’s Friday. Let’s surf the internet together!

If it fits, I sits.
All with a blue ballpoint pen. WOW
Surprising truths about millennial parents.
My dorm room looked NOTHING like this. What a time to be alive!
I can’t believe this is colored pencil.
How some people treat rental cars….
Jennifer Lawrence reads wine reviews.
This looks messy.
The reinvention of the strawberry.
What do we think about silent book clubs?
Life hacks learned from fiction.
Wikipedia’s list of common misconceptions
Two enchilada pizzas for me, please!
The many looks of Madonna. I’m definitely into #18
Pantone + Prince = the perfect shade of purple
My sundae choices make me a labradoodle. WHAT IS THIS WORLD??!
I’d love a camper one day.
Everything in this Etsy shop, please.
How to photograph the solar eclipse.
This dress with these clogs with this jean jacket and purse
The Top 10 restaurants in the US in 2017 are….
I’ve never heard about tree’s having crown shyness until now.
10 small ways to be happy!
It’s my birthday today. I wish someone would make me this cake….

Don’t forget that Skillshare is offering a Two Month Premium Subscription to Shutterbean readers. You could do some water coloring this weekend!

Also, make some pancakes this weekend and tag me @shutterbean on Instagram! 🙂

recipes

August 17, 2017

Everyday Pancakes

I typed pancake recipe in google a few weeks ago and Mark Bittman’s Everyday Pancake recipe from the NY Times popped up first, followed by thousands of other pancake recipes. The internet is just BURSTING with information, isn’t it! Where to start??! A quick glance at the ingredients (no buttermilk! which I never have!) and a 5-star rating made this recipe a no brainer. Made the pancakes. Loved them and my child is so grateful for my google searches, I am sure of it.

A week later, I used the recipe to make pancakes (again!) for Cooper’s sleepover. It’s in the rotation, folks!

The pancakes are light and fluffy. The batter is really so easy to whip up. I don’t know why I relied heavily on pancake mix all of these years when I usually find most of these ingredients in my kitchen.

I’m pretty close to memorizing the proportions and we all know that’s probably the best sign of a well-loved recipe. Make sure you pin this one for the future!

LISTS

August 15, 2017

Intentions for the Week

Hello friends! This week is our last full week of Summer! We’re on a family vacation in Tahoe. We look forward to this week every year. Here are my…

Intentions for the Week:

enjoy the last week of summer vacation
less internet, more love
edit photos
spend quality time with my family
put my feet and or body in lake Tahoe
chocolate dipped ice cream cone
one late night talkfest with my mom
recharge my battery
learn something new
draw in my sketchbook
write letters
paint the view
go to a yoga class
go for hikes
teach Cooper Rummikub
put together a puzzle
coffee date(s) with my dad
grocery shop with my mom
nighttime cocktail hour walks
stargaze
meditate on my career path
make an epic cheese board
read a book
take a picture of a sunset
date night with my husband
enjoy my 38th birthday with my family in Tahoe

Last Week’s Intentions:

~~LAUNDRY~~
p~~rep for One Potato~~ photoshoot
~~trip to the library~~
~~DMV appointment~~
~~doctor’s appointment~~
~~hike~~/yoga (at least once!)
~~finish cleaning schedule spreadsheets~~
finish handwriting workbook (in progress)
write letters to pen pals (in progress)
~~put together water-coloring post~~
~~do an art project with Cooper~~
make 2 recipes for the blog
~~wash car~~
~~catch up on social media~~
~~go through notes on~~ computer ~~and delete~~
~~delete at least 2000 photos on~~ phone
~~sort through paper work on~~ desk
~~back to school supply/clothes shopping~~
~~create a homework station~~
~~make kombucha~~ (mango guava this week)
trip ~~to the salvation army~~
~~catch up on bookkeeping work~~
make Thai Basil Beef (made spaghetti instead)
work on summer book (working on it)
maybe figure out a fall capsule wardrobe (I only did winter, spring & summer!)
~~continue reading Cheaper by the Dozen~~
enjoy the last two weeks of SUMMER!!!!!!

MANTRA FOR THE WEEK:

What about you?

What’s on your list this week?

Leave them in the comments!

around the home, Inspiration

August 14, 2017

Watercolor Classes with Skillshare

My watercolors have totally been neglected this year and that’s sad because playing around with watercolors is one of my greatest stress relievers!

To get myself back in the rhythm of painting, I took several Watercoloring Classes with Skillshare this Summer and I’m happy to say that I GOT MY GROOVE BACK. Watercoloring and playing around with ink is back on my radar. Praise be!

If you’re not familiar with Skillshare, it’s an online community for learning & teaching creative skills. Skillshare connects expert practitioners with students around the world who collaborate on everyday skills from culinary arts, photography to design.

They have kindly offered my readers TWO MONTHS free of Skillshare Premium! Let me show you what you could work on if you want to improve your watercolor skills.

These are the classes I just took: