Owen Rose Garden in Eugene, OR

City Biking Truth #23

Orzo Pasta with Roasted Broccoli & Chickpeas

You Need:

-1/2 lb Orzo Pasta
-15 oz canned Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), rinsed & drained
-1 head Broccoli, cut into small florets
-Curry Powder
-Cracked Black Pepper
-Garlic Salt
-Olive Oil
-Lemon Juice

Preheat oven to 375. Cook orzo pasta, toss with olive oil and set aside. Dry chickpeas with paper towels. Toss broccoli and chickpeas with olive oil, curry powder, garlic powder and pepper. On a parchment paper lined baking sheet, roast the broccoli mixture for about 25-30 minutes.

Mix together orzo with roasted broccoli & chickpeas. Mix in a bit of lemon juice and additional curry powder, pepper and garlic salt if needed.

DIY No Sew T-shirt Revamp

I got this great Vermont shirt on my honeymoon almost four years ago and it has turned into one of those shirts that just seems a bit too blah when I put it on. So what to do...what to do? Revamp it, of course!

I cut off four chunks and...voilà! A new shirt!

Spicy Hawaiian Burgers

Ooh, this one is good.

All you need:

Grilled or Baked Chicken Breasts
Pepper Jack Cheese
Pineapple Slices
Buns

Pile 'em up and ENJOY!

DIY Skinny Jeans

I've seen some tutorials (like this one) on converting your flare/boot jeans into skinny jeans and I thought I'd give it a try. I really like skinny jeans, but I have a hard time buying them. Something about trying on tight pants in the dressing room that makes me run for the hills. This is super handy, though, and am really happy with the results!

Eggs Baked in Avocado

So I saw this recipe and was intrigued. I love eggs and avocado so I decided to give it a whirl. And it turned out pretty good! When I make it again, I'll make sure to scoop out a bit more of the avocado so the egg can bake a bit more inside the avocado. Other than that, I loved the avocado and yolk flavors mixing together.

Enjoy! 

Stumbled on Favorites

A few of my favorite things that I've seen recently...

I love this print from Animalia Shop on Etsy.

Prankster Photoshops...so creative!

I need this fruit bowl!

Good quote.

Does this really exist? It would be so awesome here in rainy Eugene!

Ceramic Mug Pine Trees. Looks like the perfect mug.

I LOVE this picture of Albert Einstein in fuzzy slippers.

Groceries via Bike

Getting groceries is the hardest part about being a no-car-family. Not only do you have to peddle your way to the store, you also have to always keep in mind that whatever you buy will need to fit into your backpack or your bicycle basket. I thought it would be fun to take pictures for a month of everything we buy to see just what we've decided were the important items to haul home.You can see sometimes there were impulse buys...but not too many!

This is from May 19-June 19.

Nathan and Shelly 5/19

Nathan 5/21

Shelly 5/28

Nathan 5/29

Nathan and friend 6/1

Shelly 6/13

Nathan 6/16

Nathan and Shelly 6/17

Broccoli Salad with Bacon

My sister passed this recipe on to me a while back and boy is it good. Its one of those recipes that tastes even better the day after when all the flavors mixed together.

Mix together:

5 cups finely chopped broccoli
1 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 cup bacon bits (or 1 lb cooked bacon)
1 cup light mayo
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons white vinegar

Store in refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Fun Office Supplies

So I'm back working in an office, folks. I can't help but want to be surrounded by the most adorable office supplies around. Here they are.

 
1. Andy Warhol Pencils  2. Pep Talk Nifty Note Pad 3. Mini Cloud Cork-Boards  
4. Piano Calculator 5. Mental Note Sticky 6. Instant Party Pinata Snow Globe

For My Dad

Today I am extra thankful for my wonderful dad. I wish I could be home to give you a great big hug. I love you, Dad!!

City Biking Truth #22

In Honor of My Last Day as a Nanny

You Know You’re a Nanny When…

-You know where everything is in a house that isn’t yours.

-You have a Pinterest board with “nanny” in the title.

-You have to do the dishes at two houses.

-You are often mistakenly called "Mom" or even "Dad."

-You constantly think about what you really want to do professionally but never quite figure it out.

-You have cartoon theme songs stuck in your head 24x7. Go, Go Power Rangers…

-At the end of the day, you complain about tantrums, the smell of pee, and the 3-year-old constantly talking about poop during lunch.

-You plan your day around nap time.

-You can still side step the overbearing PTO moms at school since you are just the nanny.

-You can spend as much time outdoors as you want, provided you are willing to play on the playground equipment, in a sprinkler, or in some form of chasing.

-One of the best forms of feedback that you get during your work day is when one of the kids tells you that you are the best tickle-monster ever.

-At the end of a hard day, you can sail off into the sunset and yell, "See ya tomorrow!"

Popsicle Stick Play Characters

The six-year-old I take care of likes to put on plays with all his favorite characters...but sometimes his little brother doesn't cooperate. Something about not always wanting to put on the dragon costume and get defeated from the valiant knight. I get it, I'm usually the ninja that gets taken down. But still, I'd like to encourage his creativity so I decided to make him his favorite characters from Popsicle sticks so he could put on a play whenever he wants to!

Snowy Crater Lake in Oregon

I thought Crater Lake was gorgeous in August but when I saw it in June with piles of snow all over it....WOW. It is absolutely stunning.

Book Copyright Timeline for Kids

I've been reading classic chapter books with the boys I nanny and thought it would be fun for them to see just how old the books are. I got family birth dates from their mom and then got to making a timeline. Now every time that we read a new book together, we put it on the timeline. I then can tell them how old their grandma was when the book was written, etc. The boys think it is so cool!

Self Portrait Sunday

Oregon Ocean Creatures

I just love these little ocean creatures.

Greek Yogurt Chocolate Chip Cookies

Continuing on my greek yogurt food posts...I present to you some light chocolate chip cookies!

Combine:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

 In a separate bowl combine:
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup greek yogurt
2 tsp vanilla

Stir in flour combination. Once thoroughly mixed, add in 2 cups chocolate chips.

Back at 375 degrees, for 9-11 minutes on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Cool on rack.

Enjoy!

Greek Yogurt Ice Cream Deliciousness

Get ready for a delicious snack...

1 Small Container of Plain Greek Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter
1 Tablespoon Honey
1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla
Pinch of Salt
1Tablespoon Chocolate Chips (ok, ok, so I put in a few more...)

Mix it all up and...

Enjoy!