Mom's Bathroom

Way back when I was in 7th grade. I thought this wallpaper and color was cool.  I talked my mom into painting the bathroom and we put up the border together.  We didn't have enough, so we had to improvise and cut out the little shapes! Now, 15 years later, the border was peeling off, and the bathroom had seen better days.  Not to mention that awful gold mirror and flower rug!

 

Deciding on a paint color.

After Bob passed away, I decided it was time. I emptied out everything that was in there, and started taking down the border, painting the trim, cabinets, and the walls.

Originally, we had planed to just put up a chair rail and leave the bottom painted white. But my mom found this cool bead board wallpaper from Martha Stewart.  It had really good reviews, and you can paint over it.  However, you had to order it online. 

So after it was all painted, mom put up the wallpaper. She is good at that, most of our house has had wallpaper at one point. I swore I would never put it up again. So she did it. But it looks awesome!

Finally, we painted it and added the trim and decorations.

Pumpkin Decor

These pumpkins were super easy.  I painted the white one with poke-a-dots using acrylic paint.  Then I used the drill to drill holes down the middle of the black & white one.  Then I placed a dowel in the hole to hold them together.  Finally, I put them into my planters, and added some moss around them and a cute little crow! 

Friday Funnies: KU v. KSU

Just so you know: 

However, this can sometimes be a problem in my classroom: 

This story was written by a 1st grader...

They were rivals. Every year Jayhawk was so scared of Wildcat he went south. One year Jayhawk was so tired of flying south Wildcat noticed this.

He said, “Jayhawk stay.”

(This is the good part) So since Jayhawk stayed, Wildcat ate him. The End!

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"When I woke up this morning my dad said you know who won last night? (Election Night), I said K-State. I was confused and dreaming and didn't know it was Obama."

This is one of my favorite Jayhawk drawings!

Last year during tournament time, I told my students I would give them a prize if they wore KU stuff. I had one girl who was a HUGE K-State fan. She refused to wear Crimson or Blue.  So I took matters into my own hands and snuck this on her shirt!

This year on wear purple day for color week, I decided I was going to participate and wear purple.  However, one of my former students made sure I was ready and brought me a KSU shirt. 

When the article about the teacher who made the kid color the Jayhawk was in the news, I was given a present, by another KSU student.   He thought he was pretty funny, and even made me a card to go with it.

This year, I think I will be safe, and have a K-State Free classroom.  As I was giving my BTSN talk, I said that I was a KU Grad.  I got a loud "ROCK CHALK!" from one of the dads, followed by cheers from the other parents!

The rivalry is something that makes watching my Jayhawks even more fun! ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!

Goat Cheese Tomato Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

Fall calls for soup. This tomato soup is not your out of the can soup.  I had always been against tomato soup, until I tried a real homemade tomato soup.  Since then, I have tried a few recipes, but this one is one of my favorites.  It is also SUPER easy! 

Goat Cheese Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients: 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cup chopped onion 
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1/2 cup (4 oz.) goat cheese
• 3/4 cups fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup chicken stock 
• 1 1/2 cups milk

Directions: 

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and saute the chopped onion for 3 minutes, until translucent. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add fire roasted tomatoes and fresh basil, bringing to a boil. Stir in goat cheese until melted.

Blend until smooth (I used my immersion blender, LOVE IT!). Return to saucepan and stir in milk, chicken stock, salt and pepper. Return to medium-high heat and cook for 2 minutes.

Grilled Cheese Croutons
Ingredients:

• bread
• butter
• shredded cheddar cheese

While soup is cooking, butter toast and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Broil in the oven. Cut into squares for grilled cheese croutons.

Adapted from Eat Yourself Skinny

Best Salsa EVAH!

This is P-Dub's salsa. For those of you who don't know who P-Dub is, she is an awesome food blogger and photographer, also known as The Pioneer Woman.  This salsa is so easy and you can mix it up to make it fit your ingredients and style.  I love cilantro, so I put LOTS.  My mom doesn't like it spicy, so I limit the jalapenos when I make it for her.  If I have fresh tomatoes, I will use them. 

Ingredients

• 1 can (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes With Juice
• 2 cans Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies)
• 1/4 cup Chopped Onion
• 1 t Minced Garlic
• 1 whole Jalapeno, diced
• 1/4 teaspoon Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1/2 cup Cilantro (I use more!)
• Juice from 1/2 a Lime

I throw everything into a bowl and use my awesome immersion blender to mix it all up. I love this because you don't have to dirty the blender, and it fits in a bowl.  This recipe makes about 12 cups of salsa, but don't worry, it will be gobbled up! 

P-Dub does a much better job of photographing this amazing salsa. Go check it out here!

Dip, Baby Dip!

Fall means football and tailgating. This dip is great for a tailgate. It is so easy and is pretty much a "dump" dip. 

Corn Dip

Ingredients: 

• 2 cans of corn drained
• 1 red onion - finely chopped
• 1 16oz container of sour cream

• 1 cup mayo
• 1 package of dry ranch dip
 (I buy this in bulk, 3T = one packet)
• 1/2 bag of shredded cheese mexi-blend
• Fritos

 Mix it all up and put it in the fridge. (Don't let people know how easy it is.) 

Serve with Fritos scoops

Raspberry Chipotle Bean Dip

This dip originated in a little town called Manhappin' Kansas, also known as the home to K-State. There is a place called So Long Saloon that has this dip, and my friend Lindsey Erin got her hands on it and shared it with us! This is one thing that is good that has come out of that place. :)

Ingredients: 

1/2 jar of Raspberry Chipotle Sauce *
1 can of black beans, rinsed & drained
8 oz. of cream cheese, softened
1 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup onion, diced (optional)

*The sauce can be found in the jam or marinade section of the grocery store, or at stores such as Dean & Deluca. I have also used the jalapeno & raspberry and the very berry









Directions:

Combine onion and cream cheese and spread at the bottom of an oven proof bowl. Dump the black beans over the cream cheese. Pour sauce over beans and cream cheese. Top with sprinkled pepper jack cheese.














Bake at 350* until dip is warm through out and cheese is melted. If you are hungry and want it fast, you can microwave it for 2-3 minutes, but it just isn't the same!

This is a staple at our get togethers and we devour it every time!