What a difference two weeks makes.
(Snow day.)
(Opening day.)
Basically…I just wanted to tell you, there’s iced coffee in my fridge for morning. Summer polish on my toes. And, I wrote the white noise of ceiling fans in big letters on my gratitude list.
This spring season is the best.
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Since moving to Ohio, almost nothing has gone according to my plan.
It’s been frustrating. It’s been humbling. It’s been worth celebrating.
This has been my constant prayer: Dear God, I’ve tried my best, but if today I lose my hope, please tell me that Your plans are bigger than my dreams.
One year ago, my dreams were to publish a cookbook. To work from home. To be a freelance writer…and to never be a teacher again.
But, God had other plans for me.
(I think this the best transition to ever exist…even though it hardly ever seems so right in the moment.)
And I can’t wait to see what comes next. Because right now is so, so good. Because I’m so, so blessed.
But the (hard) truth is this: I don’t know if it involves food or recipes or this place. I’ve been floundering here lately. I want to be here with my full heart…and I just haven’t been.
Writing this feels a little like a break-up…and I don’t want it to be that. I just want to tell you, I don’t know where this place is going. But I’m praying about it, and fighting hard to live a life where that’s always enough.
I hope you understand. I hope you’ll peek in from time to time. I don’t know what will be here, but I hope it will make you smile and bake and believe.
xoxo, Sarah
PS: Thank you all for your prayers and love. I think my awkward disappointment over feeling less inspired here lately overshadowed everything else. I’m confident and so happy that my purpose is in education, and love the job I’m working outside of this place!
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Living in Ohio again has made me appreciate the sunshine so much more.
It’s also made me consider opening a window when it’s alllllmost forty degrees outside. I can’t decide if I should be proud of this or not.
I wish I could learn how to drink iced coffee in the cold now, and run somewhere other than the treadmill when it’s below…65 degrees. I could call these goals for next winter…but all my brain wants to think about right now is sangria and sundresses.
Some things change. Some things don’t.
Last year, I put jelly beans in popcorn. There were skeptics. And there can be again. It just means more chocolate for me anyways.
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In high school, I wore sandals…with nylons…in Cleveland February…on purpose.
It was the 90′s. (For six months.) It was also Valentine’s Day, and I had bought a pink, spring skirt from Express that only.looked.right.with.sandals. (I still hate these problems.)
I think there were clumps of ice stuck to my shoes/feet by the time I made it to my car in the far student parking lot.
Sometimes I’m just glad I’m a grown-up with more sense than this. There are taxes to pay and dishes to wash…but at least I can do this in snow boots.
I only tell you all this because I think my Easter outfit might involve a near sandals and snow situation, and it’s taking up a good portion of my worry brain.
This is really the only excuse I have for what happened here.
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Playing fetch in the sunshine…proved just how out of shape Hunter has gotten this winter. He limped around all day after this with a soft tissue sprain. I tried (miserably) not to freak out and realized just how attached I am to him. PS: I think he’s all but back to (crazy) normal now!
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I think I discovered the acceptable secret to outsmarting Monday mornings…or Tuesday through Thursday for that matter.
It’s cinnamon rolls.
Kneading the dough and waiting for it to rise is a Sunday afternoon dream. And the thought of a cinnamon roll and coffee breakfast is enough to wake up for even when there is freezing rain on the roof and a serious to-do list at the office come Monday.
I can deal with grown up life when cinnamon sugar is involved.
Another thing…I may have also discovered the secrets to the omgbestcinnamonrollever. (Sorry…sort of.)
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Pretzel bacon grilled cheese. (It’s as good as it sounds.) Also…I love days at work that are short enough for a late lunch at home.
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Fact: This could definitely be considered dinner. Just add a glass of red wine. Maybe a bottle? It’s almost the weekend. These are acceptable things.
It could also compliment a pasta meal. At a grown up dinner party…or a date night.
I like this sort of simple versatility.
Here’s another thing. Last summer, I made a galette with fresh strawberries and blueberries in my cast iron skillet. It was a back patio dessert on a warm night. I think I was waiting for this exact perfect summer moment to make a galette again.
And I realized…life isn’t all about waiting for summer. It’s for making snowmen and fires in the fireplace and savory galettes. (Even if it is March.) It’s short, but it’s ours everyday.
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I got ridiculously excited about finishing this chevron necklace board over the weekend and sharing it with you…and sort of forgot about the rest of my week. Oops.
This animal loves being lazy and also sunshine. (But not having his picture taken.)
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Pinterest and my new house have been inspiring me to get out of the kitchen and get creative lately.
This is equal parts excitement and trouble…because while I’ve mostly mastered butter and sugar, I probably shouldn’t be trusted anywhere near a saw (yet). Instead, I’ve learned to enlist the help of my husband, and solve problems like a ball full of tangled necklaces DIY style.
I’m still making pancakes (a lot). But I’ve realized there’s time for other projects too. Also…I might be obsessed with this chevron design. No bigs.
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Today, I really just want to convince you to make a sandwich.
I think things like almond butter and smashed blackberries will help my effort.
If not, the fact that the bread is buttered and toasted, melting the insides of the sandwich and crisping the outer layer should definitely do the trick.
Life is short…you already know this. Days are hectic, and comfort food is best.
Please tell me peanut butter and jelly is comfort food in your world too. And, that this sandwich is about to become a breakfast/lunch/brunch reality. (It’s a totally versatile option.)
Also…smile, and stay warm. It’s almost spring. Blackberries on sale prove this.
xoxo.
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The winter storm warning/five inches of snow in tomorrow’s forecast have me entirely convinced that March has it out for me.
This is fine…totally fine. I’m just going to start fighting back.
I postponed the plans to spring clean my closet…when I spent an unreasonable amount of time on Pinterest fashion pages making sure some shirts were actually out of style. (They are. They’re also still hanging in my closet. No bigs. It’s not spring (cleaning) time yet.)
I also made a casual latte in my blender at home…just in case the roads to Starbucks are slippery.
I’m calling this casual because it probably breaks every latte making rule. There’s milk…but it’s not steamed or frothed. (A spin in the blender sort of imitates this.) There’s no shot of espresso, just extra strong coffee. And there’s no whipped cream topping…which is an easily fixed problem, but requires a trip to the grocery store.
There is, however, cookie butter, which makes up for all the shortcuts I took.
Sometimes we just have to improvise, wear sweatpants all day and hope that if it’s going to snow, there’s at least a snow day.
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Signs of spring (at least indoors). Outside, it’s all ice and snow and cold. (Get your act together, March.)
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I’ve thought all day that it was Tuesday.
(It’s definitely Wednesday. This is a total game changer.)
This week is half over…and what stands out most is the fact that I’ve eaten a lot of Oreo ganache. A whole lot.
Oops.
Over the weekend, I baked brownies…in a pan that I forgot to grease. I learned that the best thing to do in these situations, is just cut the brownies into small bites, and cover them in ganache and a generous sprinkling of crushed Oreos. Instant solution.
Except…I was left with a lot of extra ganache. Enough to frost a pan of peanut butter rice krispie treats. Enough to sandwich between graham crackers. Enough to eat off a spoon. Enough to do all this and still sit (temptingly) in my fridge.
Oops.
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Truth: Sometimes I just want snacks for dinner.
Usually it’s guacamole…but these days I’m into potato skins. I dunno.
I’ve also missed The Bachelor the last few Mondays, live without a DVR (I know) and don’t know much beyond the Tiara hysterics from weeks ago. I’m feeling out of sorts.
Oh. And there’s snow in Phoenix? I don’t even know what to expect from this world.
I think this chaos is what inspired me to get beans involved with potato skins. Yes…really.
You should know…they’re white beans…of the cannelli sort, smashed up with broccoli to fill empty potato skin shells. This gets topped with a generous amount of cheese and bacon (naturally). I also baked these potato skins…for health reasons. I think these are all good ideas.
I also think I need a snow day, dedicated to watching too many hours of The Bachelor online.
Don’t worry. There will be wine involved too. And potato skins.
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