Hi, Everybody!

It’s been such a long time since I’ve blogged. Thank you so much for continuing to follow along and connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and of course the ever- changing Instastories! I’ve truly appreciated the constant support, comments and direct messages from all of you and also the encouragement to get back into the blogging world. When I first began my blog I never would have thought I would be going from blogging weekly to four times a week to weekly and then not at all in 6 months. However, one thing I’ve learned about life is that it is definitely unpredictable and the other thing I’ve learned is that sometimes even as an adult you need time to grow and change and shift priorities. I did decide that when I blogged again I didn’t want to just ‘blog’ for the sake of ‘blogging,’ use my blog as a vehicle for promoting products or even as a platform to encourage anyone to feel a certain way. 

I only want to share a little about a few things that have made my life easier, hoping that you may be inspired to try one of them or even just appreciate your own old favorites like I am doing here. 

Most of you know already that I’ve been teaching kindergarten for 22 years ( yes, I’m 45) but in the Fall I’ll be teaching second grade. It was my choice and I’m grateful to have the opportunity. I definitely can not go any further here without stopping and expressing extreme gratitude for the amazing & generous support I’ve received since creating an account on Donors Choose. I will go into further detail about each of the 36 projects I created on Donors Choose and all the details surrounding each one as next year unfolds and everything is utilized and the learning is truly impacted as intended. 

Right now, I’m simply grateful for everything. I don’t have a brand new outfit I’m trying to promote. I wore my daughter’s kimono and my old stand-by liquid leggings on Saturday as a result of looking at my Instagram page to see what would make sense for the predicted weather. Yes, ‘shopping’ from my page instead of opening my closet. 

When you build a wardrobe with only things you love ( and you have a daughter that doesn’t mind sharing) it’s easy to put together an outfit you can feel good about without having to go shopping. Those of you that have been following along on the instastories or who see me in real life know I’ve been wearing all my favorites from the past few years and still loving each and every one of them. 

I am not saying it’s wrong or bad to buy new things. I definitely still love to shop and it’s awesome to find new special pieces. I’m just saying it’s not always necessary. 

My necklace is from Pearl Rack and blogged about in detail here. This watch is from Garwood, called “Crush” and blogged about SO many times. Find full details here.

I’ve had these sandals for several years and I found them at Burlington Coat Factory, where I find many great accessories at extremely affordable prices. The leggings are from Mad Style and usually in stock and available in several colors here. 

This Kimono was included in the Fall Edition of the Strong Selfie Subscribtion Box which my daughter is a huge fan of and so graciously shares with me. Sometimes less shopping is more. More opportunities to wear favorite pieces! More outfits already planned from head to toe leaving you with more time for other important things such as...dinner? No, you don’t really need to spend too much time on that either. Go for a less is more approach with cooking too this summer and try this very easy recipe.

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

Easy healthy bruschetta grilled chicken with simple seasonings, melty mozzarella cheese topping and a fresh tomato and basil topping is the perfect summer meal! 

 

You will need:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness 

2 tablespoons oil

1/4 teaspoon each : basil , oregano, thyme 

1 teaspoon garlic powder  

1/2 teaspoon salt  

1/8 teaspoon black pepper  

4 slices mozzarella cheese 

For tomato basil topping: 

3 roma tomatoes, diced

salt & pepper to taste 

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons finely chopped  fresh chopped basil 

Instructions 

1.In a large bowl combine chicken, oil, seasoning, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir to combine and  coat chicken evenly with the seasonings. 

2. Grill chicken over medium high heat 6-8 minutes on each side or until cooked through. 

3. While chicken is cooking, prepare the topping. In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, salt and pepper,  lemon juice, and basil and stir well.

4. Once chicken is cooked through, top each chicken breast with a slice of mozzarella cheese and cook for one minute longer until cheese is melted. 

5. Top chicken with tomato topping, sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve. 

So simple and delicious! Trust me, this entire meal, which will serve 4 people, takes only 30 minutes from start to finish and will not disappoint! 

If you are thinking about the proper wine pairing for this simple, yet flavorful meal look no further than here and enjoy!

Thank you so much for visiting my blog today. I hope you found it worthwhile. 

Please feel free to leave a comment, email or even a link if you would like to connect further and have something to share.

If you are in or around the Boston area you might be interested in checking out these houses for sale in Boston right here.

Your time and attention is truly appreciated. 

Yours truly, 

Jennifer  

PS. I actually have a brand new live project on DonorsChoose and would love it if you considered helping with a small donation or sharing the link if you know someone who can help. Any and all help is greatly appreciated and would impact the writing instruction and gains of so many deserving children.