Glimpses

Do you ever get a word stuck in your head and it keeps seeming to pop up everywhere you turn? My "word" of the year is surrender, but lately, the word GLIMPSES seems to be right in my face.
    A few nights ago I was reading "Our Father," the Pope's new book breaking down the Lord's Prayer. It's a super short, easy to read book but it is incredibly insightful. He writes about how the Kingdom of God is basically here but not here (he said it way more eloquently than I ever could. He is the Pope after all). He goes on to discuss how through Jesus and when we really pay attention, we can see God's hand in all things (such a Jesuit concept....love). This got me really thinking about all the glimpses I've been seeing in my life lately and how even when you can't see the whole picture, those glimpses reassure us that something is happening, moving, and changing.

 When we lost Hadley, our amazing doctor gave us the book, "Why Bad Things Happen to Good People" and it was just the medicine I needed while in that heartbreaking valley. The author gives this beautiful analogy of life as a tapestry that we can only see the bottom of. It's messy, wild, and completely unpredictable. "Why is this happening?" we may wonder. But look again (always look again). And this time flip it over and admire the beautiful creation. What you only saw glimpses of was actually part of the plan all along. Isn't that analogy so beautiful?

As a teacher I see glimpses all the time that my kids are learning and growing. Do I see the whole picture......a college graduate? An adult who loves to read for fun? A parent who encourages their child to love school because they had a positive experience in the classroom themselves? No way. I wish I could see the whole picture, that would certainly provide encouragement on one of "those days" dealing with "that kid." But teaching is a long game and the glimpses get me through. My tapestry is growing and my students' is just getting started.

As a wife and a mom it can be challenging to know that everything you do, all you put in, is paying in dividends beyond your imagination. But again, those glimpses---that smile from your son, that tender touch and late night giggle fest with your husband, all of those things are building blocks of the life you are building and living. Look for the glimpses.

I adore Oprah and especially her signature tag line, "Live your best life." But what if the life you're living or the season you're in doesn't feel even close to your best life? You feel overwhelmed, tired, lazy. Take heart, it's not all bad. In fact, it's not bad at all. Give yourself grace and skip a workout one day, take time to tickle and play with your baby, and get up 20 minutes earlier to savor that cup of coffee and some quiet time. Let that grace you show yourself and others be a small glimpse of the positively enormous grace given to you time and time again.

 Please don't think that because I'm writing a silly blog post about glimpses of holy in our lives that I've got this concept all figured out or that I am adept at sensing and appreciating the glimpses in my own life. I'll be honest, here. I get frustrated when I've taught the same thing over and over and a student still doesn't "get it." I get annoyed when Hank cries and has a blow out on our way out the door somewhere. I get mad when the trash can and sink are overflowing and I feel like I have million things to do. I get mad at myself when I struggle with a Boot Camp station requiring more coordination than I can really offer. Life ain't perfect, folks. And neither am I. Not even close. BUT.....if we can take the time to be reflective and recognize that everything, even the messy and out of control, is a part of something so much larger, suddenly even the mundane has meaning.

So trust that the weaver of life is working on your masterpiece and give thanks for the glimpses you might recognize of His divine plan along the way. How beautiful it will be when we can see the whole picture.

Life Lately

Hi Everyone,
   I feel like I've been sort of off my writing game lately. But we're in the final countdown of school days until summer, the days are getting longer (and warmer!) and my squishy 4 month old is more fun to play with than writing anyway. Today's post is a bit of random and life lately for you. In fact, I'm even doing it in numbered form.

1. I love teaching this time of year (except when spring fever hits, then it's like is it June yet?) because we are into our butterfly unit (cocoons this week!), the seeds we planted have begun to bloom (literally) and figuratively, the "seeds" we've been planting all year in the form of reading practice, math centers games, developing good student habits, becoming writers of actual stories and (gasp!) even "reports" with facts are really blossoming. I'm just so proud of how far we've come. This time of year things just get clicking and I love it.

Our sunflowers we planted have bloomed! 

On our zoo field trip last week. Such a fun day! 

2. Hank got dedicated at church this weekend! Child dedication basically means we present him to God and promise to raise him as a child of God. He was presented before the church and it was so special to think of where this journey of faith might take him in the future. He'll go to Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, pray with us, learn about God, and ultimately, our greatest desire is to raise a young man of values. But there's no way we can do that alone. We need our families and communities too....and that's basically what Child Dedication is about! We chose his "life verse" as Isaiah 40:31: "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."....especially special being a Juan Diego alum!

3. I've been in major spring cleaning mode. I sorted Hank's closet (he's in 6-9 month clothing now) and sometime soon I plan on "space bagging" and packing away his clothes that no longer fit. Our house was feeling super small (baby gear is no joke) so we took out our big ottoman and I am loving all the extra room! We organized our closets and garage and last week my teammates and I even tackled the 1st grade work room. Clean all the things!

4. If you're like me that picture of Kate Middleton after baby number 3 might have had you looking at your post-baby bod with a not so kind lens. I'd like to tell you I had an empowered convo with myself that went something like, "Hey! Not so fast with the body-shaming! You had two babies in two years! You're pre-baby clothes fit, whatevs if they're a bit tight, your stretch marks are battle scars, mama! You are healthy and strong." But in actuality, I got frustrated with myself. I like desserts. And watching TV. And I honestly haven't weighed myself in over a month. I'm pushing myself in Boot Camp classes and am trying to make smarter eating choices....A work in progress! But if you're like me and panicking a little that bathing suit season is around the corner, know this: you are not alone.

5. Books! 2018 reads have been SO good and I've got my May pile all ready to roll (although, let's be real, this time of year is crazy, so any reading I can squeeze in this month is a plus). Check out my 2018 reads so far here.

6. Philosophy Perfumes: I have always loved Philosophy products----dessert scented shower gels with a recipe no less?? I'm in! Amazing Grace has always been one of my go-to scents, but my friend gifted me a Philosophy perfume variety set for my birthday and I love trying all the fresh clean scents. My new fave? Fresh cream. It's less "coffee creamer" (as I imagined it might smell) and more fresh, clean, springy. Love.

7. Family Time: This month my sister is coming for a visit, and AJ's parents are too. We've got Mother's Day to celebrate, my Mother in Law's birthday, and Hank loves his grandparent snuggles. Life is good in the Steele 'hood this spring.

8. The Hamilton Mix Tape: I'm obsessed. The drive to work is far too short to do all the car singing I want to do on the daily.

Have a great week, everyone!

Savor Your Sparkle,
Leslie

April Reads

April was a busy month on the book front and I read some excellent ones! I did have to return some to the library before I got a chance to read them, but I'm back on the wait lists and had plenty to keep me reading. AJ got me a subscription to Book of the Month Club for my birthday (more on that later, it's pretty fun) and I haven't read one of those yet so needless to say, my "to read" list is growing and growing....just how I like it. Let's dive in!

1. Achtung Baby by Sara Zaske:  This was a fun parenting read. I read Bringing Up Bebe (French parenting) a while ago and last year I read Beyond Happy (Amish parenting) and The Year of Living Danishly. This is such a fascinating sub-genre of literature and this particular book was all about the German art of parenting written by an American mom who moves to Germany. I don't subscribe to any one form of parenting (you do you, mama) but this one featured great tips for encouraging independent play and self reliance. I learned how important "open ended" play is and why it's so wise to teach problem solving. These practices also impact my teaching career too. Any other "international" parenting books I should check out?

2. The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen: YOU GUYS, this book blew my mind! I went into this one knowing there was a "twist" and the book jacket even said "assume nothing" but this one got me! This story is very similar to Behind Closed Doors, The Couple Next Door, and The Last Mrs. Parrish. It's thrilling, suspenseful, and even if you think it won't "trick" you, it just might! I couldn't put this one down.

3. Bachelor Nation by Amy Kaufman: Did you really think there would be a new tell-all about the Bachelor that I wouldn't read?! This one was super fascinating. It read much like the author's "thesis" that while yes, the show is trash and it's totally manipulated, scripted and outlandish, it's still worth watching. This book does not sugar coat the behind the scenes drama and masterful editing that goes into each season (I know, I know, about a dozen people have told me I need to watch Unreal. I promise it's on my "to watch" list), but it doesn't make us viewers feel bad for eating it up. We believe in love, damnit! And watching it unfold for over a decade on Monday nights is just fine...Even if you're a feminist.

4. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng: Ok, I'm calling it now: This one might just be in my top 3 for 2018. If you have a book club, this one would be the perfect selection. This novel follows two families in a wealthy suburb--the landlords and their tenants. This book dives into cultural issues, adoption, class and gender issues, teenagers, mental health, motherhood, and more. It was just jam packed with thought provoking content and unfolded like a well-written drama. This one is more literary than what I usually pick up but it was refreshing change of pace. You will not want to put this one down, there's a reason the wait list for this book was over 200 people. The characters are some of the most richly developed ones I've read in any book lately.

5. The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine: THIS BOOK IS CRAZY! In a good way. Once I finished reading this I wished I was still in school so I could spend my days writing a research paper about how modern men are portrayed in contemporary fiction (A blog post about this is stewing in my head because there's just a lot there to discuss! I'm thinking I need to carve out some Starbucks writing time in the next few weeks because I really want to dive into this!). Basically if you're a fan of psychological thrillers, you will like this one. It is definitely rated R but it's also deep and thoughtful. I'm glad I didn't read this one right after The Wife Between Us because they are very similar.

6. Mindless Eating by Brad Wansink: After some intense/heavy reads, I decided I needed some more non-fiction this month. This book was recommended by another blogger and I really liked it. It is full of wonderful facts and information but in a very enjoyable, easy to read fashion. After reading this, I immediately moved the caramel candies I keep inside my desk to a cabinet on the other side of the room and I am starting to use our smaller "dessert" plates for dinner instead of the monster dinner sized plates we have. I am also starting to ask myself more often, "Am I hungry or am I eating at this time out of habit?" This one is definitely not a "weight loss" book (and it doesn't claim to be), but it brings up really fascinating points relating to food psychology (and why we can demolish a popcorn mega tub in one sitting....guilty as charged).

I also began Melanie Shankle's new 100 day devotional this month, Everyday Holy. I am really enjoying it. I found that I am more likely to do my devotional time if I leave it at the dining table downstairs and I can read while I sip my coffee in the mornings.

And my read aloud for spring in my classroom is always Charlotte's Web. My mother in law (a former elementary teacher) bought me the special read aloud edition and it is so good. My kids love gathering around the big book with pictures they can see. And my voice always breaks when I get to this line......Oh Charlotte, you slay me every time.

April was one of my favorite book months to date! Happy Reading!

Savor Your Sparkle,
Leslie

Two Delish Things

Hi Guys! Happy Friday! I have two delicious things to share with you today. One is a dinner recipe and the other is a "healthy" version of a blondie.

I have mentioned before how I've really gotten into sheet pan dinners. I love them because they are easy peasy and once you pop them in the oven that's really it. I have made a few different versions but thought I'd share with you the one we had the other night. The awesome thing about these suppers is the versatility. I personally like red pepper, mushroom, and broccoli but do you think I had any of these ingredients on hand this week and do you think I wanted to go to the grocery store at 7:00? That would be a no on both counts. But whatevs, this dinner is your creation, mix it up as you see fit! This really isn't a recipe so much as a "dinner idea" for you.

Sausage and Veggie Sheet Pan Dinner

The Cast of Characters:
-1 beef smoked sausage (I like Hillshire Farms but Aidell's are awesome too)
-1 bag petite multi colored potatoes
-1/2 onion
-green beans (just like a bunch...see? Not really a recipe)
-1 green pepper
-generous shakes of salt and pepper
-1/2 cup olive oil
-1 tsp. minced garlic
-1 tsp. oregano
-1 tsp. dried basil
-Sprinkle of parmesan

1. Rinse and trim your beans, preheat oven to 375.
2. Chop onion, sausage, potatoes and pepper into big chunks
3. Throw it all on a sheet pan (I use 2 pans so as not to overcrowd)
4. Mix olive oil and seasonings. Pour over veggies and toss to coat
5. Bake for about 40 minutes. Sprinkle on some parmesan and serve.

Sometimes we'll eat this as is and sometimes we'll add a grain. Tonight was frozen TJ's brown rice (love!). This has become a staple at our house.

Now.....are you ready for this?? I came across this recipe on Pinterest which, as well know, can be the source of many a recipe fail. But these FLOUR AND SUGAR FREE Blondies were amazing. I will admit the smell while making them kind of grossed me out, but once they baked up and I had a slice with a big ol' glass of milk, I was sold. See, I was skeptical, though, because while chocolate chip blondies sound like a good idea I got sort of freaked out when I came across the mystery ingredient......are you ready?

Really?


It comes from a can.

It is good on salads......




The main ingredient in hummus.......
you really want to know????........



CHICKPEAS! Yes, that's right, chickpeas are the base of this treat and it sounds weird and it IS weird, but give these guys a chance. Trust me. I didn't get a pic but they ended up looking like the picture on the recipe (hardly ever happens). 

 Photo From Ambitious Kitchen 

Here's the recipe for Flourless Chickpea Blondies from Ambitious Kitchen. Here are my modifications: I used almond butter, pure maple syrup, regular semi-sweet chips, and I also added an egg. I made it in the blender. Next time I'd use dark chocolate chunks. Two delish things for your Friday. Have a great weekend.

Savor Your Sparkle,
Leslie

4 Months

I can hardly believe my little man is 4 months old! I thought I'd do a little recap of "Hank Life" here on the blog because while this little corner of the internet is for random recipes I've made up, book recaps, and a whole load of our "life lately" it's also basically my son's baby book. No fancy scrapbook up in here, just a url. This might be boring for ya'll, but I wanted to document a picture of our life with our fun and adorable 4 month old. Here it goes...

Hank is a delight. People ask me all the time if he's a "good baby" and he really truly is. He's very chill (unless he's hungry or super tired, then watch out) and he goes with the flow well. This month we really got in a good schedule "groove" but hey, I'm a teacher, I know these things can change and if need be, we can switch things up. Right now he wakes up around 7:00 (eliminating the 5 am feed and pumping session has been heavenly) and I usually change him and get him dressed in his jammies....he wears just a diaper and the Woombie swaddle to bed so jammies are just for evening and morning lounging. He can usually hold off his first bottle of the day until my mom arrives and I leave for work. Sometimes he's still sound asleep when I leave the house but that bums me out because I love our morning snuggles. Between 6-7 I usually rush around eating breakfast/getting ready and pray he stays asleep until I finish blow drying my hair or making the bed so I can get out the door on time.

He sleeps in his crib (we started this officially on Easter) and usually goes to bed between 9 and 10:30. He sometimes goes straight to bed in his crib awake and nods off. Other times he's so beat that he's basically zonked out during his final diaper change and other times he is not digging the crib and he lays between us in our bed while we read and then we move him to his crib once he's fallen asleep (it usually doesn't take long). All the lights are out in his room and we turn on his lullaby sound machine and set it for an hour.

Hank loves to be part of the action. For a while he'd cry and cry while we ate dinner (we had him in the Mama Roo or on his playmat) and we then discovered he just wanted to be by us. He now "eats dinner" with us at the table with his bouncy seat on the table. I often put him in there on the kitchen counter while I make dinner too. He is happiest when all eyes are on him!

As far as naps are concerned, he's really mainly a cat napper. Very rarely does he sleep more than 90 minutes or so (his longest nap is in the morning, right after his first bottle). I figure since he sleeps through the night, I can't press my luck with naps. I want him nice and tired out by the time the evening comes around. We can always tell when it's bedtime or he's in need of sleep, that's usually when he gets fussy. The other day he was awake from 2 ish in the afternoon until 10. Yeah, he was mad. I can barely stay awake until 10 without a nap so I can only imagine how exhausted our little man must be!

His eating has really picked up this month. He usually takes 6-8 oz a feeding and is on all formula now. I began the breastmilk pumping weaning process in early March and by the end of March I was no longer pumping at all. He doesn't eat as frantically as he did when he was a newborn (I think he's finally got the clue that yes, you will be fed whenever you're hungry. Chill dude). He does major burps after his feeds and it makes me laugh when he does a big formula belch in my face. He's always much more content after his burps!

This month we busted out of the house (we were trying to keep him inside during his newborn days and flu season) and he went to church for the first time, to a wedding, Costco, coffee and lunch out, and tons of walks. It's quite the production taking him out (5 diapers, 2 outfit changes, 2 bottles, toys, pacifiers, wipes, bibs, boogie wipes, etc) but it's been nice going places as a family of 3 now.

We bathe Hank every other night. We still use our plastic tub with the "sling" on the kitchen counter and probably won't put it in the actual bathtub until he's sitting up. He likes to chill out in his diaper for a bit after bath. Sometimes he wears his hooded towels or his sweet baby robe too. We no longer make the rookie mistake of going fully nude!

He loves: kicking on his piano mat, his Moose toy, MAM brand pacifiers, his cat car toy, looking at the fan, grabbing my hair, looking at lights, being fascinated by looking up at the ceiling when going up and down stairs, walks and sits outside, reading books in his rocking chair or bouncy seat, and going in his Baby Einstein "ball pit" play gym. He is an absolute joy and AJ and I both give thanks every single day that we get to be Hank Grayson's mom and dad. Happy 4 months, Hankster! We love love love love you! (one love for every month).

Life Lately & Hamilton

Hi There,
    Guys. It's Friday. Amen and Hallelujah. This week was a fun one notably because AJ and I went on a little date night and saw Hamilton! I first listened to the music last year and really liked it (And hello, major history nerd here. AJ and I were both history majors in college and US History is my absolute favorite). I always wanted to see the show but once I heard about the intense process and how many people couldn't get tickets, I was resigned to the fact that we probably wouldn't see it.

But then last week after our spring break cleaning AJ found some old golf clubs he didn't want anymore so I was posting them on KSL classifieds and took a little browse at the events section and came across Hamilton tickets. I spent the next 2 days texting and negotiating with various sellers and finally a seller and I agreed on an amount (honestly, it wasn't too outrageous and not very much more than the face value on the ticket) and we met up Saturday (with AJ and at a public place, I'm not crazy!) and we had the tickets in hand. It was so good. I had super high expectations and it surpassed them all. Lin Manuel Miranda is a genius. I've been listening to the music "NON-STOP" lately (also, my fave song in the show for the record).

Love these lyrics on a onesie! How could I resist buying this??

I discovered this Hilshire Farms snacking thingies (I call them "adult lunchables") and I love them! I snapped a pic of my lunch the other day because it's the easiest thing ever and so yummy to put together: Adult Lunchable (there's a few varieties), La Croix (so millenial, I know. I'm also obsessed with avocado toast too), Skinny Pop 100 cal bag, hummus or guac cup, snap peas, and lemoncello white chocolate almonds (from Costco. Have you guys tried these? YUM!).

 I put a pic of these Tazo Teas on my InstaStory the other day. Anything with the tagline "Dessert Delights" is something I can really get behind.

On the TV front, I've decided unless I reallllly like the show, it's series recording spot in my DVR is peacin' out. I guess it took raising an infant to get to this very important life step (Although this new policy has not raised the overall caliber of the shows I consume. I still watch mostly garbage). I gave up on Rise, 600 Pound Life, The Voice, Dr. Phil, and Will & Grace might get the ax too. I've been watching Married At First Sight, Little People Big World, Roseanne, American Housewife, Superstore, Teen Mom, and Southern Charm.

In other news, we are 34 school days until summer break. In years past, I've started my countdown way earlier ( ahem, at 75 days with my 2015-2016 darlings), but I am really enjoying this group this year. BUT no matter how great the class/teammates etc. there is nothing like summer living! Bring it on!

And I'm leaving this post with a Hank picture because I adore this little chunky monkey. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Savor Your Sparkle,
Leslie