Strawberry Salad

 

It is hot outside and inside. I don't want to turn on the oven to make dinner. I came to the decision last summer that I would make salads at least once a week, and I am continuing to do so this summer but a bit different. Last summer, I bought bagged salads and added lunch meat or chicken to it. Bagged salads are more expensive this summer and have less in them, so I won't be using them as much. I will just buy the stuff to put one together. 

This week, I made a strawberry salad with chicken breast. It was so easy to make, and we even had leftovers. For this salad, I tore a head of romaine lettuce, added a few handfuls of sliced almonds, cut some strawberries, and added one large, cooked chicken breast. The result was delicious! I think I am going to do this salad again soon. It also gave me confidence to just create my own salads in the future. 

Ode the the Swamp Cooler

 

I bought this swamp cooler on Amazon a little over a month ago. The air conditioners we keep in the windows during the summer were not keeping up with the heat when it was over 95 last year, and I knew we needed something that could cool bigger areas this year. The air conditioners for big spaces are expensive, so I looked at cheaper options and decided to go for this one. Then, it was rain and humid for a few weeks, so it didn't do much more than make the house more humid. We ended up just using the fan for a while. 

For the last few weeks, we have had mostly dry heat (other than a day or two). We have air conditioners in our room and Noel's room, but we definitely need more. We are regularly filling the water tank and running it on "cool" as it was meant to be. As I work, I have been facing it down the hall. It has made a work of difference! It was 100 yesterday, and it felt so good to come into a cool home after my internship! I love this thing!

Time Passing Fast

Time is passing by too fast lately. I feel like the summer was gone in a flash. I still have a few more weeks until I start classes again, but Noel going back basically ended our summer. 

I wanted Noel and Sean to have their licenses by the time she went back to school, but I procrastinated it too long and now have to use my breaks to take her to school. They both need to be able to drive independently for different reasons. At this point, I am the one holding them

back. 

They each have appointments on Monday for their drive tests. I will have to rearrange my schedule to take them because I have to take Noel since she is under 18. There isn’t usually a problem with my boss when I have to take an hour or two off in the middle of the day as long as I still work 8 hours a day.

Now, I just need to schedule senior pictures for Noel. Honestly, it’s hard to believe we are already at this point with her sometimes. Seriously, where did the time go?

Happiness in One Picture

My best friend sent me this picture of our girls together. It looks like Noel was about 2. I’m guessing it was the summer. That summer our families spent a lot of time together as my friend and I worked out at least once a week at my house and we met for play groups in the park on a regular basis. This picture brings back so many good memories. It is hard to believe so much has happened since that summer, but I am so thankful for all of the happiness this picture brings to me.