IKEA, beautiful IKEA

Last weekend I spent a few days with my family in Portland. One of the highlights of the trip was discovering my newfound style at IKEA. I started by going through the "small stuff" section, where I got wine glasses, power strips, a lint roller, a canister set, and 2 small canister sets that will be perfect in my quest to create the perfect sugar scrub for gift giving in 2011.

The first major piece of furniture that I bought was my new end table, which is kind of bigger than I figured. Now it is my new coffee table!

I love, love, love this bookcase! It's kind of modern for me, but I guess I've never had to pick out my own furniture before! (aside from my Wal-Mart special dresser... that met a moving death a month ago). Currently there is nothing in the bookshelf. I don't know how to adorn this amazing piece of cabinetry. Any ideas? It's truly more than just book-worthy (even though I LOVE books). I have my "Simple Abundance" sign propped on top, which I like, but what else?

The last thing that I bought at IKEA (well as furniture) was a dresser. It looks like normal wood! I think I am going to paint it and distress it a little like everyone on all of my favorite crafty blogs are currently doing. I have no idea what color to make it though. Again... any thoughts? I'll take pics of this when it's finally done. That may be closer to 2013 then now, but who is counting?

Chicken Tot Casserole

Here is my current favorite casserole! It's super unhealthy, but delish!

cooked chicken
tots
1/2 c sour cream
1/4 c mayo
1 can cream of something soup (I use celery because I HATE mushrooms)
cheese
green chiles

Mix the soup, chiles, mayo, and sour cream to make a sauce.

Put tots on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle some grated cheese on the tots. Sprinkle chicken and then the sauce on top of that. Put on some more cheese and top with more tots.

Bake for 30 mins at 400 degrees.
ENJOY!

Hey kid, can you answer that phone?

YESTERDAY- So at 1:50 I have 30 third grade enrichment kids in my classroom. They do math centers at this time. So they are sprawled everywhere doing their work, while I walk around and help. The phone always rings at this time and it’s always the office telling me messages for the kids. I was all the way across the room and didn’t feel like hurdling the kids to get to the phone yesterday… so… I asked a student to answer the phone. I told him to say, “Miss Spencer’s room.” Did he says it? NO! He said, “Hello?” I was like oh great… the person on the other end must have said, “Is this Cherilyn?” To which I hear the student then say. “Why yes, this is Cherilyn Spencer. I must have a frog in my throat.” So by then the entire class and I are laughing so hard. I am trying to hurdle over to the phone in my dress boots, dodging kids, while the boy is nodding and TAKING A MESSAGE! I grabbed the phone and said that it was me and the office lady on the other end busted up laughing. I about died…