Cute Furry Faces

Ahem, I know I missed last week, the theme was music and the concert I was banking on to get pics for the challenge canceled at the last minute.....so I bagged it and now this weeks theme is animals sooooo I'd like you to meet.....

My class pets at school! Pepper is the grey guy on the left and Barbie is the reddish one on the right. It was cage cleaning day and Thursday and I snagged a picture. They are always intensely curious about the other hamster they smell, but I'm nervous to put them in the same bucket.....

Pepper is an adopted pet, he belonged to an older kid class but then when that teacher left the new gal didn't want him, so I took him in. He bit at first, but I've held him enough now he's great with the kids! And Barbie is actually the class next doors hamster, but again, the old teacher left and the new teacher isn't into rodents, so I clean and take care of Barbie for her!

In other animal news, growing up my parents had the coolest fish tank.....

And I've been looking for one for years. I was once again reminiscing about it when my dad found it on Amazon (like duh, I never did think to look on there, just on Pinterest.....) so I ordered it and it should be here in a couple days *squeeeeeee*!!!!! 

But, since we have a cat at my house, Pepper and Barbie will be getting a new aquatic friend! Hopefully if I don't name the new fish Sushi (I made it up to Sushi Jr. the 9th before I gave up on that name. The last one banged his head into the side of the cup all the way home from Wal-Mart and was almost dead by the time we got home.....) this one will live a little longer!

With laughter and love,

KatySue

Drum Roll Please.....

One of the kids stuck this little man in a glass at work and I was suddenly hit with a vauge memory. I just couldn't remember the little guys name though..... 

So I googled: little guy in a glass who lived in the kitchen, and got exactly what i was looking for, I was pretty excited!

Finally have a name tag with my name on it for teaching Sunday school. My last one just said:

V.I.P.

Very Important Parent

So, after weeks of fielding questions about my kids(ahem, they as of this very moment do not exist, but I'm sure when they do I will be very important to them!) I was very excited to get my name tag this morning!

Did you guess the theme for this weeks, though I guess technically now it was last weeks, photo challenge? In case you missed it, it was excitement!!!!

With love and laughter,

KatySue

Silhouette

This weeks theme was silhouette, a word I can never spell correctly on the first try! I've always loved the way the sun rising and/or setting creates a silhouetted horizon! Snagged this picture from my churches parking lot, it's one of my favorite views, no power lines or houses to interrupt the gorgeous sunsets! 

With laughter and love,

KatySue

Just a Swingin'

This is my lovely Mommy on the swing at my sisters house! It was taken awhile ago, but when I read what the theme was (twirl or swing) this week it immediately came to mind! 

With Laughter and Love,

KatySue

Water

This weeks theme is water and I was despairing of what on earth I could take a picture of considering the most exciting water related thing that happened to me this week was the potties in my classroom finally flushing correctly because they took them out and put them back in to put the awesome new floors in my room!!! 

Before old, scratched linoleum....

.....after beautiful wood, well fake wood, but still, it's a vast improvement, makes the classroom feel much more homey and it make me smile every time I look at the floor!

Anywhoodle, back to the reason for this post, my Mom and I were out and about and stopped for an iced coffee in our adorable town square, then we sat right in front of this fountain, and you were all saved from a picture of a tiny toilet flushing! ;-)

With love and laughter,

KatySue

Worth the Hype?

Alrighty ladies, let's talk about something ubber exciting, shall we?

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You ready?

(on a side note, am super sad that this show is over, but really did like the ending!)

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Lets talk oatmeal!! 

More specifically the creamy, wonderful magic that is overnight oats! I had been seeing recipes for it around Pinterest for awhile now, and the idea of a healthy, on the go meal was intriguing. But not being  a yogurt fan none of them caught my attention, yogurt being the main ingredient besides oats. Then I saw a few that took soy/coconut/almond milk and the wheels in my head started turning!

I combined and experimented and came with a basic recipe and some flavor combos that I and my whole family love!

Basic Overnight Oats

3/4 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup milk of your choice

1-2 Tablespoons honey

1 splash vanilla

Pinch of salt

Put all of the above in a pint mason jar, put the lid on and shake, shake, shake, until well combined then let it sit in the fridge overnight and get ready for a fantastic on the go breakfast!

*White Chocolate Chai

Add the following to the basic recipe:

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cardamom

1 Tablespoon white chocolate chips

*Peanut Butter Cherry

Add the following to the basic recipe:

1 Tablespoon nut butter of your choice

Splash almond extract

Chopped fresh cherries

Add the cherries after you've shaken the oats, or even the next morning!

*Triple Berry

Add the following to the basic recipe:

1 tablespoon white chocolate chips

1 tablespoon raspberry jammy bits (buy here)

Fresh blueberries and blackberries

Add everything but the fresh fruit in before you shake then top with the berries!

Notes

*Old fashioned oats are best, the steel cut stay to hard (like eating birdseed, yuck!) and the quick oats turn to mush.

*I use whole milk, but fat free woks as well, the finished product just isn't as creamy and chocolate milk is pretty fantastic as well!

*I've let these sit anywhere from 5-14 hours and they are good. just as long as you use the old fashioned oats!

*Not just for breakfast, I've been taking them to work for lunch!

*The flavor combos are pretty endless, pear or peaches in the chai would be good. Or I'm already planning on a pumpkin spice for fall and an eggnog version for Christmas!

Let me know how your oats turn out and I'd love to hear about any fun flavors you come up with!

With love and laughter,

KatySue

Colorful!

Week three of the challenge is colorful and I think this picture fits the bill pretty well!

Wednesday was my two year anniversary at work and that called for a celebratory stop at Target for some sparkly nail polish, a cake pop and a black tea-mango-lemonade, which was pretty good! Plus, how cute are the summer Starbucks cups?

With laughter and love,

KatySue