That Spoonful

Finally using up some sweet potatoes

2011-11-19T14:52:00.004-06:00

Today I am trying my hand at a sweet potato pie using some combination of these recipes:

here, Here, and HERE....we'll see :) I've never even eaten sweet potato pie, but I am sure I will like it. I am making the puree using the crockpot method I found from THIS website. So glad I won't be wasting these little beauties.

Sparkle Fingers!

2011-11-12T15:08:00.003-06:00

We had our Girls on the Run race today and it was a lot of fun! My two running buddies rocked it! We had excellent weather, perfect for running. The race is always so special for the girls because the finish line is inside Toyota Park and they display the girls on the jumbotron.

Running a race always makes me want to sign up for another one. I am comfortable running a 5K at a slow pace, but I want to work up to feeling comfortable running at least five miles. I don't know if I am ready anytime to run another half marathon, but we'll see. I have been toying with the idea...especially if it is in a fun city :)

Time to eat my leftover greek chicken and orzo and do a little knitting! What a lovely day!

more thoughts on success

2011-11-05T12:43:00.004-05:00

Success today is going to the library for picture books for a unit on inferencing and loving it. Success is looking online for reading comprehension ideas to help me teach...without pressure, for pleasure, because I enjoy teaching.

Success is sitting through a meeting this past week--getting chastised--except this time, leaving the meeting knowing that I am doing a good job and staying confident in what I know works (see our results from last year).

The me of previous years would have wilted and felt more insecure at a bad meeting. The me this year realizes that you can't please everyone and I know that I have my students best interests in mind. period. I feel so much freedom and I know this will only help me to do a better job than last year. Last year I felt so much worry and anxiety. This year, I feel hope, I feel like trying new things, I feel like working harder than ever and it is self-driven, not out of fear that I will get a bad review. SUCCESS! I am SO loving this concept of one little word. January will be here soon and I am already thinking about the word I will focus on in 2012. Still not ready to give up the word, success, though, because I know I have more to learn. Small steps (this is a hard concept for me. I want things fast and RIGHT NOW).

success

2011-10-01T15:55:00.004-05:00

So, I found out about something called One Little Word from a blog that I really like and decided to give it a go. I thought at first that the word I would choose would be enjoy...which is something that I decided would be a focus for me this school year (my saying was, "enjoy the whole process"). It is a good thing for me to think about, except that it just hasn't been strong enough to really change much about my work habits. I have still been working way too much and feeling way too much anxiety. After several conversations with my husband, the one most poignant occurring on our fifth year wedding anniversary, I discovered that I have a really distorted view of success.

So, with the suggestion of my husband, (he said to pick failure, which is also very fitting since I do see that I often fear this the most) I choose the word success. I will be thinking on this one little word and all that it means as until New Years. I love this concept of having a singular focus and then seeing all the dimensions it will inevitably take as the year progresses. Today, succes for me, is cleaning my whole house and getting rid of things I don't need. Today, success is waking up early and hitting the farmer's market with my best friend and husband and not giving a second thought to the work I know I will get done. Success, today, are my plans to cook a delicious meal and have my family over....again, leaving the work I know I will do and get done until tomorrow.

I usually end up working both of my days off and I just can't do that all the time. Success used to mean making other people happy and pleased with me. Success used to mean living up to the expectations (and perceived expectations) of others. These next couple of months I am choosing to think differently.

Bagels

2011-06-26T12:44:00.003-05:00

HERE is the recipe I used to make bagels this week. It is different from an old faithful recipe that I really loved but that I lost to a dead link on the internet. This one is great, straightforward, and simple. I did not use the malt syrup that the recipe calls for, instead I used honey and it seemed to work just fine. I topped mine with fresh minced garlic, kosher salt, some I made with several different kinds of seeds, some I made with rosemary, salt, and garlic, and a few I made cinnamon and sugar (although I prefer the savory over the sweet).

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did. I will definitely learn my lesson by printing this little baby out so that I have it no matter what!

Fresh Tomato, Green Pepper (and Cucumber) Salad

2011-06-23T14:24:00.002-05:00

School is out and I am back in action around the house. Goal for this coming school year is to still do things I enjoy doing despite the long hours I put in..we'll see. For now, no worrying about it, just going to enjoy it and play as hard as I worked this school year...WATCH OUT!

So far I have been cleaning and reorganizing and rearranging and LOVE IT! I donated my hair to Locks of Love so I have a spiffy new haircut, which was free by the way because I let a Tricochi student use my head in order to take her test over cutting long hair into layers...her first time ever cutting a real person's hair and she did such a good job! I had a dentist appointment today and am CAVITY FREE!! SUCH GOOD NEWS BECAUSE I HAVE A HISTORY WITH LOTS OF DENTAL WORK, UGH! AND, tomorrow I am going with my mother-in-law for a manicure and pedicure through an awesome deal on Groupon.

Ok, enough of my gushing about how happy I am to be on vacation...Here's the recipe I made today for lunch. I am not sure where I got this recipe. I had the card in my recipe box and pulled it out while going through my recipes to menu plan this summer. Here it is!

2 large tomatoes, chopped into small pieces
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 cucumbers, chopped into small pieces
1 TB extra virgin olive oil
2 TB red wine vinegar
1 Chopped green pepper, chopped into small pieces
1 Red Onion (optional) **I didn't have it on hand or else I would have added it for sure!
Seasonings to taste: salt, pepper, Italian herbs

Next up....Bagels! So sad that my usual recipe's link died. I found another recipe that I am going to try today.

Going to crash a Diddy party in disguise....

2010-11-07T19:48:00.004-06:00

A little taste of a song I am enjoying off the newest Weezer album:

You don't keep house and I'm a slob
You're freakin' out cause I can't keep a job
We don't update our blogs
We are Trainwrecks

This song just cracks me up because it describes how things have been going so far this year...and really, in the end, does any of it really matter, nope. So, who cares if our place is messy or I haven't been on blogger or tweeted....

I am really pumped to be turning 27 tomorrow. I spent this weekend feeling really peaceful and content. My job is tough, but rewarding. The reason I have been so stressed is completely my own fault. I am learning how to deal...learning how to stop this need to always please and to stop being so concerned that I am messing up. I have had a rough few months (and all of last year) because I have not let go of these things. I have tried to hold onto things so tightly and that just doesn't work. I need to wake up, do my best, and leave it at that. I know how hard I work and that's all I can do. I have tried to force things and have worried over things waaaaaaaay too much and it has not brought me much gain nor peace/happiness. If I get a bad observation, or upset someone, what is the worst that could happen? It sounds insane, but I have to think these kinds of things through. My worst fear is disappointing someone who cares about me/believes in. I have to start living my life and not be so afraid of these kinds of things.

I have been putting myself and the people close to me through craziness and I am just not going to do it anymore! This next year is going to rock!

Bagels

2010-08-07T11:28:00.002-05:00

Yay! Yay! YAY! I made bagels for the first time this morning!!

Check out this link for a great recipe.

I tried to post some great videos from E-How.com, however, I couldn't quite figure it out...so, if you need the visual, like I did, you can search on E-How.

I am super excited because bagels are so delicious and I never thought I could make them! I topped mine with a variety of things---garlic, salt, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, caraway seeds, and cinnamon and sugar. The recipe makes 10 and I read that if you do not boil the bagels (which I did), you can freeze the dough, let rise, and then bake. This really cuts down on the time it takes, which it is rather involved, but TOTALLY worth it!!

Well, time to relax a little and clean up a bit before Tom's family comes over. Tonight, we are celebrating my mother-in-law's birthday at an awesome pot sticker house in bridgeport!!

Happy Weekend to all!!

Summer Grilling

2010-07-18T10:56:00.004-05:00

Tom and I bought a grill this summer and love it! I especially love it because we can have home-cooked meals without making our kitchen so hot. It is miserable to cook in there during the summer. It also saves us money on our gas bill, since our electricity is always higher during the summer in order to run our window-unit air conditioner. We bought a small, table top grill so that we can take it with us on our camping trips. Camping is WAY UP THERE on my list of things to do this summer...we'll see!

Last night's meal was probably our favorite meal so far. We grilled:

*Lemon-Herb Pork Chops--marinated them in olive oil, lemon juice, and rubbed on some garlic, oregano, parsley, sea salt, and ground black pepper. The secret was rubbing on some Rocky Mountain Seasoning from Pensey's. SO GOOD!

*Seasoned Apples--core the apples and fill with a little butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and then top with a few drops of water and seal in tin foil to throw on the grill for about 30 minutes. SO EASY and delicious!

I also made brown jasmine rice and green beans that I seasoned with Northwoods Spice from Pensey's, using the stove. I had a Fat Tire (my favorite beer) and Tom had a Heineken. It was such a fun night to sit at the dinner table, talk, and listen to some records. We both agreed that it was even better than the night before, where we went out to dinner. Sometimes it is so easy when we are at home to eat dinner in the living room and watch a movie or tv show on the internet. Sitting at the table was very lovely and I am going to make it a priority to do a little more frequently.

Tonight, we are grilling marinated round steak and seasoned carrots. I think we'll grill the apples again for dessert!

Even my neighbor's mexican tuba music can't bring me down...

2010-07-18T10:06:00.005-05:00

This summer marks four years of living in Chicago. There have been many ups and downs, just as anyone experiences, but the past two years have been especially tough. Not that it was all terrible or horrible or awful, just difficult. I have never felt so challenged personally, and then to be so early in our marriage added another level. We have both learned a lot, so I am happy to say that I think things are starting to look up. I feel a lot more freedom and security and hope for the future. Part of this is because last week I was hired for my first teaching position! I am so happy to officially begin my teaching career! Summer school will be over in another week and a half and I will have a good portion left of the summer to relax , visit with family and friends, and prepare to teach 6th/5th grade! Tom is busy working for a free breakfast/lunch program in the city and is doing really awesome things with that. The program lasts through mid-August, so we are just praying that he is next to land a teaching position for this coming school year.

This would mean the world to us and would finally give us both the stability we have been longing for. We know that we just have to continue to work hard, trust God, and be patient that it will come. We believe our hearts are in it for the right reasons, so we have no reason to worry.

SO...YAY! I feel READY for whatever God has planned!!!

Peanut Butter--Yum!

2010-05-23T15:46:00.004-05:00

I made some peanut butter today using a recipe from the Food Network. I made a slight adjustment or two (instead of using peanut oil, I used olive oil and then added a tiny bit of sesame oil, which I am not sure if it really made a difference, but it tastes delicious either way). I am looking forward to a PB and strawberry jam sandwich on homemade wheat bread for lunch tomorrow!

I truly get SO much satisfaction and joy through cooking. I am so happy to have the extra time to do so...now, if I can just make time next school year.

Ok, so here is the recipe that I adapted from Alton Brown of the Food Network:

Ingredients

15 ounces shelled, unsalted peanuts
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
A touch of sesame oil

Directions

Place the peanuts, salt and honey into the food processor. Process for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Place the lid back on and continue to process while slowly drizzling in the oil and process until the mixture is smooth, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Place the peanut butter in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

2010-05-17T20:56:00.006-05:00

I never have this much energy on a school night! Maybe it was the Americano I had after school, or just the way things have been going lately. YAY for a great weekend and a happy outlook on the coming week! I am pretty busy at school, but every teacher is as the year comes to a close.

This weekend Tom and I enjoyed good food as well as company. I was able to start an herb window box, do a little organizing, and finish up a knitting project. Unfortunately, this weekend also included a going away dinner for our friend, Michael, who is moving to North Carolina to start law school. I am so happy he is going for his dreams, but we will miss our Thursday TV and dinner night. I loved using him as an excuse to try out some new recipes!

To wrap up this post, I must also mention that in 30 minutes I will be tasting fresh bread from my new-to-me bread maker!! Tom and I picked it up today from John, a nice man who sold it to us for an awesome price via Craigslist! I hope it is good! I used this recipe, from the amazing, Finding Joy in My Kitchen blog. I want to try all of her bread recipes! I am planning on making french toast in the morning as well as use it for my sandwich for lunch...we'll see!

Pita Chips

2010-05-03T19:14:00.006-05:00

Here's a simple recipe Tom and I use at least once a week. I love having chips with a sandwhich for lunch during the week, but chips can be pretty expensive and most aren't really that good for you....so, we started buying whole wheat pita from the market and then turning them into pita chips and they are SO TASTY!

To make them, split the pockets in two so that you can get even more chips for your buck. Then, just use a pizza cutter to cut the pita bread into bite-size, chip-like pieces.

Once all the pieces are assembled on a cookie sheet, drizzle them with a little olive oil. Last, sprinkle them with seasonings and bake at 350 for about 5-7 minutes (or until they are a nice golden color).

I like to try out all kinds of flavor combos but my two old faithfuls are as follows:

*Sprinkle with sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and garlic powder

*If you are lucky enough to have a Penseys Spice store nearby, buy the Brady Cheese Sprinkle and give the pieces a light dusting ( a little goes a long way).

Hope you enjoy!

fun with oral hygiene!

2010-04-24T15:55:00.007-05:00

Check out this toothbrush my sister told me about. I bought one yesterday at Target and really like the design. I also like it because the handle is made from the plastic of recycled yogurt cups! AND when it is time to get a new toothbrush you can mail it back to the company (postage is already paid for on the package) so that it can be reused again. I think that is pretty neat!

i do this for the wormies...

2010-04-11T08:16:00.017-05:00

So! After many years of talking about it, Tom and I finally made a worm box!! I learned of using worms for composting when I took an organic gardening class at IU and have wanted to make one ever since. I hope our worms are happy in their new home! Here are some pictures of our little project. I wanted to take pictures, step-by-step, but our two young and very energetic neighbors saw what we were doing and were VERY curious and wanted to "help." It was really cute to see these two girls so excited about worms! They were even picking them up! I loved it because this being the city, at school, I had trouble just getting kids to pick up soil to plant sunflower seeds. It was great to see their fascination and wonder.

Here are some great websites where you can learn more about worm boxes:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/03/build-your-own-worm-bin.php

http://urbanext.illinois.edu/homecomposting/worm.html

http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/Easywormbin.htm

ooooo weeeee! what's up with that, what's up with that?!

2010-04-10T10:35:00.004-05:00

Well, I have realized that this year, for me, has been all about learning the hard way. I spent the first half of my break with family, but I was halfway miserable most of the time. It was a really hard thing for me for some reason. I jumped right out of my hectic life into my hometown and I found that I was easily irritated and not to mention exhausted. I wanted to make sure to spend quality time with my family, but I was just so spent. I fought it until I just became a big grump and had to give in and stay at my mom's and sleep. I thought I had rested, but my body thought otherwise.

I got back, had a productive day--writing thank you cards, doing a bit of organizing, blogging, ate dinner with my hubby, did my usual bedtime routine which includes flossing my teeth and woke up in the middle of the night with SERIOUS tooth/gum pain and an ENORMOUS migraine. Boy, I was ticked. I had plans of organizing the office, baking and cooking at least seven new recipes, cleaning the whole house (including mopping with my brand new mop head), making this container to grow tomatoes in, but all to no avail.

My body was ticked off and I spent the rest of Tuesday, all of Wednesday, all of Thursday, and most of Friday in serious, miserable pain. Nothing helped to relieve the pain. Toothaches and migraine combos are the absolute worst. I would have much rather birthed triplets than deal with it (i think??). BUT, I refused to go to the dentist until Friday when they couldn't get me in until 2:00. The main reason I didn't want to go is due to finances, but I finally got in through my thick brain that I had to go...there was no other option...nothing was working for me. And I am so thankful I went. The dentist was wonderful. She examined my tooth and is going to give me a partial root canal in two weeks and then finish it in September, when hopefully I will have some kind of insurance. It turned out to not be so bad...even the bill. I just have to get through the next two weeks...the antibiotic and pain medicines she gave are miracle drugs and make me feel like nothing is even wrong, so thankfully, it won't be so bad!

All this to say that last spring break, when I finally took a moment to relax, I ended up with a crazy fever/rash that made me look like a sun-burned lobster for three days. I slept SO much and thought I was going to die.

Tom pointed this out to me---that I just go, go, go through the school year and then when I finally have a break that is longer than the weekend, my body just screams and yells and punishes me in very creative ways. I am promising myself that when school starts back, no matter what, I WILL rest and take a little time, even for just five minutes a day to relax. I used to think knitting was my way to relax, but too often I use it as another chance to be productive...to make something for someone. I always have a project that I am working on for someone else. I rarely knit to just knit.

To prove that I am FOR REAL about this commitment to relaxing I am going to read this book called, Invitation to Solitude and Silence by Ruth Haley Barton. I found it in a box of my sister's books while I was visiting my mom and I am going to give it a whirl. In all seriousness, I have learned that having a day off from work does not equal rest if I am constantly thinking about work, planning, grading, obsessing. I am going to try to learn to rest my mind.

2010-04-06T21:13:00.004-05:00

I just have to share how much I am loving these two products by Burt's Bees. I have slowly been making a change with my beauty products and makeup to natural and/or organic. I say slowly because I decided that I would not throw out anything that I already have in order to make the switch. It is kind of nice this way because as I have run out of different things at different times, so I can slowly look into products and read reviews.

First to go was my makeup. So far, I am really happy with Physician's Formula organic powder. I went with it strictly due to it being cheaper than other mineral makeups, but I have to say I like it. I am interested to see how it holds up as the weather gets hotter...we'll see! So, I have recently ran out of facial cleanser and have to say again how happy I am with these two products by Burt's Bees! On accident, I got some of the first cleanser in my mouth and it actually tasted really good! The exfoliant I think will last me much longer. It has crushed up almonds, oats, orange peel, and other really great ingredients. I will use both sparingly, but the price is really not that bad! In another month or so I will be out of facial moisturizer. I am trying to decide if I should just stick with Burt's Bees or shop around.

I am really enjoying the switch. I also will say that all of this is possible due to Tom and I setting up our budget. We meet once at the end of the month to discuss our finances and talk through the coming month. This is only our second month doing this, but I feel so much freedom and joy. We tried to have a budget when we first got married, but I don't think either of us were ready, for whatever reason. Now, we are setting up our budget using a lot of really wonderful principles by Dave Ramsey. If you are not familiar with him, I definitely recommend hearing out his ideas. Tom has read his books, but I prefer to listen to the podcasts whenever we are traveling. When it comes to our finances, I am the "free spirit" and Tom is the "nerd," so I do not like to spend a ton of my free time reading up on stuff like this. I am so glad I have a husband who enjoys this sort of thing. After two months, though, I have already seen so many benefits from this plan and am totally on board.

Okay, time to go and watch Julie and Julia for a second time. Tomorrow I have big cooking, baking, and organizing plans!!!

this easter

2010-04-06T10:43:00.002-05:00

I am so grateful for spring this year. I am thankful for time off from school to reorganize, knit, nap, cook, and reflect. These past 6 months have shaped me and changed me for the better. It has been the most painful experience of my life, so far, and I can say without hesitation that it has been the best experience. This past Thursday was my last day teaching 5th/6th grade. I am on break, but find my mind drifting each day to my students and especially to Thursday, where all 12o students threw me a surprise going-away party. The teachers I worked with made the whole thing happen and I am truly blown away by their generosity. This weekend I spent time reading all 120 handmade cards, made by my students as well as numerous acrostic poems made of my name. I want to share one of them:

Magnificent at her work

Respectful with others

She is neat and organized

Caring and kind to her students

Outstanding teacher

Never breaks promises and is unique

Loved by millions

Everything you do is awesome

You will always be in our memories

Honestly, I do not deserve these kind words!! Thursday felt like a day out of a movie. As I sat with kids, took pictures, gave hugs, an overwhelming sense of gratitude washed over me. I felt like I was living someone else's life. For me, the entire point of teaching is for these kind of moments. I know they are rare. Often we never know if our service to others will matter. This whole, messy experience has taught me that we have to keep serving and trying, even if we feel like what we are doing is small. It is not small. This past Thursday was more than enough love and appreciation from the students to last me my entire career. If I teach another 40 years and never hear a word of thanks or appreciation from my students, I think I could live off of the amount of love and joy and thanks that were given to me this past Thursday. I am truly blessed.

yes, i am reading a book called, "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living"

2010-02-20T20:19:00.002-06:00

"Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand." -Thomas Carlyle

I really needed to hear this. My last post was in October--the same month I started a long-term substitute position for a fifth/sixth grade classroom. I have been so overcome by worry, anxiety, stress, etc. It is probably the biggest challenge I have yet faced in life and I still do not know when it is going to end...March? June? I know, sounds so dramatic, but it is the truth. It's not just the position, but it is compounded by so many of my own issues...so many of my own insecurities and weaknesses. This position just manages to hit every one of these very raw nerves and I have found myself to be a complete mess.

Thankfully, I have/am learning and understanding some really remarkable things. Just the fact that today I managed to make a batch of granola, enjoy the Art Institute with my husband, and write this blog post is a huge accomplishment for me. Towards the end of tonight I found myself fighting once again worry and dread for tomorrow, knowing that saturday is almost over and tomorrow means one day closer to being back in the classroom. I am so fortunate to have a husband that saw right through all of this and encouraged me to take some time to read and the quotation above is what landed in my lap.

I am thankful tonight for this and thankful for what I am learning and going through because I have hope that it will all be worth it. This whole, vague description of my current state may sound so trivial to some, but I am learning to be ok with being weak--something I have always tried to avoid. I am weak. I am broken right now. I don't care how this is perceived. I am trying my best and if it is not good enough for some it is good enough for me. I am learning to have confidence and that being kind does not mean getting stepped on.

Giveaway

2009-10-09T12:28:00.001-05:00

So, no Thursday bird feature, but did want to show you THIS before I leave for the weekend. Isn't this calendar wonderful! Enter by midnight for a chance to win it!!!

Happy

2009-10-05T17:15:00.003-05:00

So! Just got offered TWO maternity leave positions which will keep me busy October through December teaching 5th grade and then starting Jan 4th I will be teaching Pre-K/EC!!!

I am SO THANKFUL and am excited/nervous (about the fifth grade position as I do not have a lot of experience past fourth grade). This will be a GREAT learning experience!

ALSO excited because Dunkin Doughnuts gave out free medium coffees today and of course I got one! I love any kind of giveaway :)

Now it's time for dinner and later watching How I Met Your Mother (my favorite television show) with my hubby.

yum!

2009-10-05T06:14:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to share one of my favorite recipes for peanut butter cookies. They are so simple with only 3 ingredients! It is was submitted anonymously from a church cookbook of mine. Here it is:

*1 cup peanut butter

*1 cup sugar

*1 egg

Mix ingredients until well blended. Form into small balls. Place on cookie sheet and press down with fork. Bake 8-12 minutes at 325 degrees. Watch carefully as they burn easily.

2009-10-04T18:57:00.004-05:00

This is a short week for us so I am keeping things fairly simple. Also, Tom and I are still not working with our usual grocery budget, so just trying to make do with what we have. No Crockpot Wednesday this time, but I will be back in action for next week (I'm thinking a Coconut Chicken Curry??!)!

Monday: Leftover--Bowtie Pasta in Homemade Sauce (what we canned this summer)

Tuesday: Ground Beef Tacos with Homemade Tortillas (so amazing...definitely check out the link found at Finding Joy in My Kitchen) and rice.

Wednesday: Leftover--Butternut Squash Soup (SO TASTY! I add curry powder, garlic, red pepper flakes, ground black pepper, and a touch of sea salt to mine)

Thursday: Cheeseburgers and sweet potato fries

Friday: Packing sandwiches and hitting the road to visit family for the weekend!!

So, I LOVE to cook with the seasons. Today, my sister and I made Butternut Squash soup for friends while we all enjoyed the Bears football game.

Next week I am definitely going to find some recipes with acorn squash. I bought one on Saturday at the Farmer's Market before actually knowing what I want to do with it. I am thinking something where I can stuff them, as I have never cooked anything like this before...we'll see! I also want to make baked apples for a dessert next week!

Oh, Autumn, you are definitely my favorite!!

*You can find more tasty recipes HERE!!

Male Blue Dacnis or Turquoise Honeycreeper

2009-10-01T18:57:00.003-05:00

Série com o macho de Saí-azul, Saí, Saí-bico-fino ou Saí-bicudo (Dacnis cayana) - Series with a male of a Blue Dacnis or Turquoise Honeycreeper - 09-08-2008 - IMG_20080809_9999_264
Originally uploaded by Flávio Cruvinel Brandão

Isn't this bird so lovely! I can't get over its beautiful coloring! You can learn more about the Turquoise Honeycreeper HERE. If you click on this link you can see the difference between the male and the female...the female is just as beautiful!

Triple Bloomings of Rafflesia

2009-09-29T22:14:00.003-05:00

Finally found a free picture of a Rafflesia on Flickr! As I mentioned in a post a while ago, this is the largest flower known and is found in SE Asia! I think it is super cool!

Triple Bloomings of Rafflesia

Originally uploaded by Prof KMS

Forgive me if you already knew this, but I think Flickr is just wonderful! I have some of my photos on there, but it is so much more fun to search for other people's photos. You can find just about anything you want and it is so easy to share favorites with others. I'm just sayin'...

-Sarah

Crock Pot Wednesday!

2009-09-29T20:20:00.009-05:00

SO! I was asked to join "Crock Pot Wednesdays" over at Dining with Debbie and since this Thursday I will be making potato soup in my crock pot, this is the perfect time to share a crock pot recipe! This is from the cookbook entitled, The Slow Cooker Bible, which my husband and I bought when we were first married (I can't believe 3 years have gone by!).

Ok, so this is one of Tom's FAVORITE soups! It is hearty and very easy to whip up! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do! You can find more wonderful crock pot recipes HERE at Dining with Debbie.

Double Thick Baked Potato-Cheese Soup

~2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

~2 cans (10 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup

~1 1/2 cups finely chopped green onions, divided

~1/4 tsp. garlic powder

~1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes

~1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

~1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream

~1 cup milk

~Ground black pepper to taste

1) Combine potatoes, soup, 1 cup green onions, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in slow cooker. Cover; cook on LOW 8 hours or on HIGH 4 hours.

2) Add cheese, sour cream and milk; stir until cheese has completely melted. Cover; cook on HIGH 10 minutes. Season to taste with ground black pepper. Garnish with remaining green onions.

**Makes 7 servings.

-Sarah

A few things...

2009-09-28T06:50:00.006-05:00

How adorable are these measuring cups from Anthropologie! I have always loved nesting dolls as a girl, but have never owned any. These would be perfect because they also have a use! I have lived in Chicago for 3 years now and have yet to go to one of their locations. I usually just look online. I am making it a point to go this year!

Tom and I had a fun weekend. We went hiking at Rollins Savannah with Lena. I took my binoculars, camera, and bird field guide because they have this whole bird observation area. It was beautiful there and we spotted 5 Egrets, 1 bird that I think was some kind of Heron but its characteristics didn't match up very well with my field guide, several gigantic! monarch butterflies, many yellow butterflies, and two ribbon snakes.

Unfortunately, while hiking, Lena grabbed at something and before we could figure out what was going on, she had in her mouth a baby field mouse (i think). It was SO SAD! We didn't even have her on a long lead because we were working on heeling, but the little thing ran out in front of her and she was fast to grab it up! I was so sad because it was so furry and cute and looked like my old beloved pet, Thelma. Lena almost caught a frog as well! She is definitely a country dog. I think of her as my sweet little puppy, but she is also a dog and loves to hunt, unfortunately.

-Sarah

back in action! sort of...

2009-09-28T05:42:00.004-05:00

Wow! Things are still crazy. Tom and I haven't been able to grocery shop like we usually do, so menu planning has been tricky. Soon, things will settle down, I am sure, and we will be able to menu plan and more importantly for me, cook some new things (especially soups!). This is what we're planning for the coming week:

Monday: Tomato Basil Soup and Grilled Cheese sandwiches

Tuesday: Pasta with homemade spaghetti sauce (from our canning this summer)

Wednesday: Baked Salmon and Brown Jasmine Rice

Thursday: Potato Soup and Homemade Breadsticks

Friday: Most likely, Leftovers!

You can check out some awesome menu plans with recipes (sorry no recipes from me this week) HERE!! It is a great site, full of wonderful blogs.

-Sarah

Slate-colored Junco

2009-09-24T21:35:00.002-05:00

Found a free picture to share! Such a beautiful bird!

Slate-colored Junco
Originally uploaded by trisheroverton

-Sarah

Bird of the Week: Slate Junco

2009-09-24T21:28:00.004-05:00

I wish I could find a free image of this bird, but please go HERE to view it and learn more! I think this bird is so gorgeous! I think the website above is really great...even allows you to hear the bird's song. Enjoy!

-Sarah

giving thanks a little early this year...

2009-09-20T19:01:00.014-05:00

Here's Tom and I enjoying a visit at the Garfield Park Conservatory. I just love it there! I already want to go back! This picture was taken in the Fern Room which was designed by Jens Jensen (as was a lot of the conservatory). Some of the plants in this room are over 300 years old!

So, I am so surprised that this Wednesday Tom and I will celebrate our 3rd year of marriage! I am excited for the future. Things have not been easy, mostly due to going back to school/finances/trying to find our way in a city we've never lived in and hardly knew anyone/etc.

But, I am SO thankful to have this man in my life. I had a crush on him from the first time I met him at the end of my freshman year. I didn't know if we would ever date- all I knew was that I was smitten and that I needed to pray about it. So many memories of this time flood my memory...

My bracelet that I wore all summer while in Thailand, our brief time of letter writing, the Pixies concert and the drive home, TD's CD's and LP's, meeting for lunch in the union, Roman history class together, chatting on instant messenger, making tacos on Thursdays at the Villas, all the times we hung out with friends at the Villas, and then of course, our trip to Nashville and Memphis where we visited Stax Records, Sun Records, The Civil Rights Museum, Graceland, and his proposal on St. Patrick's Day along the Mississippi River.

I was SO SHOCKED that we were already at that point! I had no idea how things would work out, but they just fell into place so smoothly. I'll never forget our car ride home from Tennessee, talking the whole way about our future together. Here's to more laughter and striving to bring out the best in each other...

-Sarah

Holly did give me the nickname, "Grandma Bird"...

2009-09-17T17:37:00.011-05:00

SO! I have been reading about birds a lot lately...going through field guides and such and thought it would be fun to highlight a new bird each week on my blog. I am in NO WAY an expert, but I enjoy learning about different kinds of birds.

Since I though of it today, I will make Thursday the day for learning about birds! I don't have a cool name for this but am open to suggestions...

This week I give you...

a Greenland White-Fronted Goose!! If you click on the link you can learn more through Wikipedia.

I really like this bird for some reason. Maybe it's the bird's coloring. The orange feet, legs, and bill and its pretty brown and white feathers make me think of autumn, which is OH SO NEAR! I also like this bird because one of the websites where I read about this species said that Greenland White-Fronted Geese are "especially acrobatic" in flight! I really wish I could discover what exactly this means for myself. I bet it is pretty cool!

*Image of bird found HERE!

-Sarah

i can carry an air conditioner all by myself if necessary!

2009-09-17T15:55:00.009-05:00

So, I didn't get the position... Trying to stay positive as I continue subbing. This is kind of difficult because subbing has always been kinda tough for me. I just need some time to adjust. I was so set on NOT subbing and wanted to have my own class SO badly, but I am trying to be thankful that I DO HAVE A JOB. This whole experience has been really good. Really eye-opening, but good. This year may not go the way I want it to, but I have to trust that God is faithful and will not let me down.

You HAVE to check out this website and this one. They both just crack me up! On the bright side, since I do not have lesson plans to create or praise God I do not have homework to complete...I have been going through books at the library like a mad woman. I JUST LOVE the Chicago Public Library system. There are SO many locations and they have SO MUCH and you can even request that materials be sent to your closest location! I just picked up a bunch of books on sewing, knitting books with baby patterns (my cousin, Lisa is pregnant!), cooking, bird identification, wildflower identification, and a couple fiction books (I am on the 5th Harry Potter book now!). I LOVE coming home with a whole stack of books free of charge :)

Do you love how I am using all caps?? I just realized I was using them...oh well :)

I am excited for this Saturday! Tom and I are going to the Garfield Park Conservatory for the 9th Annual County Fair!

I can't wait! There there will be FREE bee keeping demonstrations, FREE composting demonstrations, and FREE food preservation demonstrations...all things I have started getting into (bee keeping is more of something I am fascinated by but would probably not want to try unless I had the real-deal suit so there is no chance of getting stung).

Plus this event is going to have a recipe swap that I am participating in, a farmer's market, and live music. I am so curious to see how a county fair will operate in the city...

Last but not least, I am PUMPED for all the new seasons of our favorite thursday night TV shows! My sister and Michael will be coming over to enjoy with us...reminds me of our college days at IU...if only more of our friends could join us!

-Sarah

2009-09-11T13:25:00.005-05:00

Still waiting to hear if I got the position...

But excited for this weekend!!! Especially because of this:

I have been for the past two years and it totally rocks! ALSO excited for this weekend because Jess and Matthew will be here for a visit.

I just gotta keep my nerves in check and be patient. I have to decided to be content with whatever happens and trying not to stress too much!

-Sarah

Trust and Wait

2009-09-07T16:24:00.005-05:00

Wow, i really miss menu planning, but life is SO nutso right now. Last week I had two interviews for a Pre-K teaching position and accepted the job on Thursday. It is a REALLY neat program with a strong emphasis on nature (something I JUST LOVE). BUT, then, the very next day, I got asked to interview this Wednesday for a 1st grade teaching position in a public school. I have been waiting for this interview ALL summer. It would mean my own class, much better pay than what the day care could offer me, health benefits, holidays off, and in the district I have subbed in for the past two years and did my student teaching with. It would also mean teaching "at-risk" kids, which are exactly the kinds of kids I feel called to teach.

I am SO thankful for the Pre-K position, but really would like the first grade position. It was really hard because I went back to the day care and explained my situation and while my new boss is SO wonderful, I still feel kind of bad and nervous about working there on Tuesday and then interviewing with the public school on Wednesday. I feel like I did the right thing so I need to let it go and just trust that God will smooth things and will guide me in doing what is right. I really do trust God and know that He will make everything clear soon and I am SO thankful to have two really great options after thinking that having my own class this year was just out of the question.

I am trusting God with it all and know He has a purpose. He knows the desires of my heart, but He also knows what is the very best for Tom and I.

Hopefully everything will be resolved by the end of this week (i am hoping and praying for this). Right now, I am clinging to the Psalms and would really appreciate any of your prayers. I am SO excited to begin my teaching career and I know whatever happens will be exactly what Tom and I need.

Until then...

-Sarah

2009-09-02T09:40:00.003-05:00

Wow! Check this picture out:

It is a Rafflesia flower and is the world's largest flower! You can find them in the jungles of Southeast Asia. It is so crazy-looking...doesn't even look real!

-Sarah

Lovely Monday

2009-08-17T13:15:00.007-05:00

Lena and I attempted a run this morning and after only 1 minute the clouds literally parted and poured bucketfuls of rain on us...thankfully we were not far from where we left and made it back before the lightening and thunder began. It was SO funny though. It happened AS SOON AS we started and I all I could do was laugh and run with my buddy :) We were sopping wet even in just that short amount of time.

The rain cleared and guess what?! I am no longer motivated to run today...I mean I already cleaned up, put on my makeup, did my hair, etc. Excuses, excuses. I did get in quite a workout though, weeding and tilling the garden and planting three new rows of green beans, two rows of lettuce, and I am about to plant some more cantaloupe...it can't hurt to give it one more try.

I also made Zucchini Soup for lunch for my father-in-law and husband. We are over at their houses. Tom is working and I am doing laundry! I just LOVE doing laundry when it isn't at Bubbleland (the name makes it sound fun, but laundry mats are laundry mats).

Ok, so here are the meals I've planned for the week:

Monday: Chicken Tacos, Homemade Wheat Tortillas (thanks to Joy in My Kitchen it is my favorite!), and Chips with Queso

Tuesday: Beef Straganoff with Tarragon Green Beans

Wednesday: Leftover Zucchini Soup with Cheese Quesadillas

Thursday: Zucchini Spaghetti with homemade garlic bread and garden salad

Friday: Tahitian Stir-Fry with Jasmine Rice

You can find more wonderful recipes at HERE!

Everyone's a critic...

2009-08-15T11:03:00.004-05:00

So, I have to say that The Time Traveler's Wife was enjoyable because I read the book. It was really neat to see what I imagined while reading acted out before me. BUT, I don't think I would watch it again or want to own it or recommend it to others who have not read the book. Even those who have read it will inevitably be disappointed because so much of the depth of the story was taken out for Hollywood appeal. So it goes....

It was fun to hang out with my sis though and to share it with her since we both knew the story. This was actually my first experience in watching a film where I had already read the book prior to viewing it. This has never happened and I really liked it, even though I know that you can't get around a little disappointment...the written word is always better!

I have been inspired lately to finish the Harry Potter series. I am on book 3 and I really want to finish them all before the next movie comes out. I recently saw a 20/20 episode on the life of J.K. Rowling...very inspiring. I didn't finish it because I got suspicious that she was going to talk about the last book and I didn't want anything to be spoiled.

Ok, I am off to sink my teeth into a new book I requested from the library. It's called Radical Hospitality: Benedict's Way of Love and I am very intrigued by it. I'll let you know what I think. I hope it is good because I really enjoy hosting guests, but would like to learn more. We'll see...

2009-08-14T16:00:00.004-05:00

Wow! I have had such a wonderful day today. I have been cleaning, organizing, went on a one mile run with Lena (i am trying to work back up to what I could once run), grocery shopping, Target shopping, and talked with my neighbor for a little bit. Although it sounds like a lot, I feel so relaxed and happy to have some order. Tom is out of town for the weekend on a guys only camping trip and while we are hardly ever a part, I was not looking forward to the alone time. NOW, I totally am! It is just so nice to have a clean house. I can't speak enough about this.

You might be wondering why I've included the above picture...well, it is a cleaner for hardwood floors that I bought and tried out today and I have to say, I AM IN LOVE!! It smells ABSOLUTELY AMAZING and you don't have to deal with a nasty bucket of water! You just squirt it and then mop it. simple.

Tonight my sister and I are going to see The Time Traveler's Wife and I am PUMPED! We both read the book and it is one of my favorites. I am also thrilled that Rachel McAdams is in it! I think she is great. AND to top that off, the whole story is set in Chicago, so that is pretty fun. Hope it's good...we'll see!

OK, well I need to eat something and shower before it's time to pick up my sis from the train.

Growth

2009-08-13T16:59:00.004-05:00

The baby watermelon is growing! In just one week, it has tripled its size!

So far this is our only one. We had two others but they did not make it and so far, none of the cantaloupe has made it either. I am hoping this just keeps on growing!! The sunflowers also seem to have shot up over night. I will have to take pictures soon.

-Sarah

2009-08-11T14:20:00.004-05:00

SO, I think I mentioned we have a lot of zucchini. Well, I created a salad/slaw to use some of it up because I already have 8-10 freezer bags each with 2 - 3 cups of grated zucchini for baking this fall/winter. This salad/slaw is tasty and uses up a lot of other veggies from our garden as well! I have been eating it for lunch these past two days and I am not even sick of it :) Tonight Tom and I will be having zucchini spaghetti (grain free) for dinner and zucchini chocolate chip cookies for dessert. The cookies are from the book, Animal Vegetable Miracle, which you can find here and they are delicious!! Probably one of my very favorite cookie recipes. I froze some and I hope they keep...we'll see!

Here's the salad/slaw recipe:

Zucchini Salad/Slaw

What you'll need:

*4 cups grated fresh zucchini

*4-5 Roma tomatoes

*1 green pepper

*1 red pepper

*1 cucumber

*Basil, Sea Salt, Fresh Ground Pepper, Garlic Powder--all to taste

*Olive Oil and Red Wine Vinegar--also to taste. I would say maybe 2 TB of Oil and 1 + a little more TB of the Vinegar. I can't say for sure, I just know that I like it to have just a hint of the oil and vinegar so it is not too watery.

*Olives (green or black)

*Grated Parmesan Cheese or Crumbled Feta if using the black olives

***I use a food processor to grate the zucchini and chop up all the veggies. I combine in a large bowl and then add the spices and then the oil and vinegar.

I top with some olives and then sprinkle parmesan cheese on it right before serving.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

-Sarah

Hey, Good Lookin'...

2009-08-03T09:44:00.005-05:00

So, we have been/are eating a lot of zucchini lately, which is definitely NOT a complaint! As you can see from the previous post, our zucchini are ginormous! They are really tasty, which I thought they wouldn’t be that great because of their size. I’ve already grated and frozen quite a bit of them for baked goodies, but more are on their way! Here’s what we’ll be cooking this week:

Monday: Zucchini Fritters with Sour Cream

Tuesday: Pan Roasted Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Green Beans

Wednesday: Zucchini Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, garlic bread and garden salad

Thursday: Zucchini and Tuna Casserole with garden salad

Friday: It’s the Weekend and we are not traveling anywhere!! We’ll probably go out or eat leftovers.

**I am also going to be baking zucchini chocolate chip cookies for the first time. I am excited to try them out! I am using a recipe from Barbara Kingsolver’s book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (which is one of my very favorite books).

More amazing recipes and dinner ideas can by found at The Happy Housewife.

-Sarah

2009-08-03T08:37:00.015-05:00

Pictures from the garden we are sharing with Tom's parents:

Me with the enormous Zucchinis!

Some Romaine Lettuce A sweet, baby watermelon!

Green Beans

Heirloom Tomatoes

Little Carrots in the ground

We are also growing cucumbers, green peppers, sunflowers,

roma tomatoes, and beefsteak tomatoes!

a little girl talk...

2009-07-29T08:47:00.003-05:00

So this isn't the most significant post I've ever made, but wanted to share that I am slowly making the transition from cheap makeup to mineral makeup and I was wondering if any of you out there use mineral makeup. I recently bought a kit for mineral powder, blush, and finishing veil for only $13 at Target (it was on sale). The brand of the kit is Physician's Formula. So far, I LOVE IT! It is so clean and feels so natural but I still feel covered (i have a lot of freckles and while I do love my freckles i like the ones on my face to be a little muted). I've heard of Bare Minerals and Pur, but I can not afford these at the moment. Just wondering if any of you out there have a different mineral brand that you swear by or can say from experience that Pur or Bare Minerals are awesome brands.

Just wondering...somewhere down the road I might try these out but would love to know what others think before I fork over the cash! I've really been conscious lately of the beauty products I own. I don't buy a lot of products, but I am slowly running out of all the makeup I had throughout college. I've probably held on to too much of my old makeup as it is. Most have only a little bit left and I'd say some of my stuff is over three-five years old. That is kind if gross now that I think of it.

I think taking care of your skin is SO important (especially because I have such fair skin), but I feel at the same time a responsibility to use the money God has given me wisely. I've decided though that I value quality over quantity and would rather spend a little more if it is better quality and then just conserve whatever it is. So, anyway, I would like to slowly use more and more organic and plant-based products [I have my eye on some tasty Aveda shampoo and conditioner but that will have to wait :)]. Any suggestions/thoughts are greatly appreciated :)

I am off to finish my first design for a knitted washcloth!

-Sarah

WELL, Well, well

2009-07-28T14:28:00.004-05:00

Hmm.. doing ok here. Not menu planning this week and I feel a little lost. Maybe that is a touch dramatic, but Tom and I are avoiding the market completely this week because once again, we will be out of town for another wedding! We are just trying to use anything we have around here to save on money and also to use what we have. I am excited for this wedding this weekend and even more excited because my sister and her boyfriend will be traveling with us and there will also be lots of college friends to see.

I went to an interview today for a coffee shop job. It was pretty cool because the interview took place in this janky area of Bridgeport in a warehouse where they actually roast their own coffee beans! It was really cool to watch them do it while I waited to interview. It was fun riding the bus home smelling like fresh roasted coffee.

I would love to have the job, but hope that it doesn't complicate things too much once school starts. It would have been nice to be interviewing three weeks ago (which is when I put in my resume). Now that school is so close, I feel a little bad taking the job and then possibly having to quit if I get a teaching job (of course I will be SO PUMPED if I get a teaching job). If I do NOT get a teaching position, then it would ROCK to work for this company and maybe sub a couple of days as well (this would be ideal if I am not going to have my own classroom because subbing is a little rough for me at times..especially going into a third year of it!).

Well, I guess all in all, I am just trying to be patient! This has been a big struggle for me, but I think I am getting a teensy bit better at this trusting and waiting. Just trying to do my part in the mean time. I have about three-four more teaching positions I found yesterday and need to apply for before the weekend. We'll see!

That's all for now!

-Sarah

2009-07-20T09:50:00.004-05:00

Monday: polish sausage with green peppers and onions and baked macaroni and cheese

Tuesday: Chicken Tortilla Bake

Wednesday: Meatloaf with Creamy Smashed Potatoes

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: OUT OF TOWN FOR SARAH AND BEN’S WEDDING!!!!

Well, Ben is in town until this evening and Tom has jury duty so Ben and I are off to El Meson for some coffee and reading and knitting for me!

-Sarah

God save strawberry jam and all of its varieties...

2009-07-13T09:21:00.007-05:00

You gotta love The Kinks!

So! Had a great weekend attending my friend Janet's bridal shower in Indianapolis. My sister and I drove there and back and it was fun to just listen to music and laugh.

Janet is a beautiful, blushing bride and Andy seems like a great guy. It is evident that they are both so happy! I hope we get to see them exchange their vows but we might have to wait till November for their Indiana reception (seeing as the wedding is in California and Tom and I do not yet have teaching jobs). We'll see!

Tom and I saw the movie Up this weekend and I loved it! Such a great movie. I already want to see it again :)

Dinners we'll be eating this week are below. Some, you'll notice are repeats from last week. That is because our leftovers from the 4th lasted WAY longer than I had anticipated so I had to find creative ways to use what we had. You can find more recipe ideas here at I'm An Organizing Junkie.

Monday: Noodles Alfredo with Grilled Chicken and Sugar Snap Peas

Tuesday: Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi served with Brown Jasmine Rice and Asparagus

Wednesday: Cajun Wild Rice

Thursday: Beef Tacos with Homemade Wheat Tortillas and Rice

Friday: Not sure if we'll cook or not! We have friends in town for the weekend!!

So excited to see Kristina, Marcus, Holly, Keith, and maybe Ben??? (i hope) and also to hang out with Michael (we haven't seen in two or three weeks). Don't know what we are going to do yet, but with good friends it really doesn't matter.

-Sarah

2009-07-06T14:19:00.004-05:00

Check out my NEWEST SCRAPBLOG POST!

I really enjoy playing around with this site when I have the time.

Do the Stanky Legg: Our Weekend Theme Song

2009-07-06T09:41:00.012-05:00

Favorite Moments Of This Weekend:

Tom and I enjoying the fireworks with friends at Grant Park!

Enjoying the delicious donuts sold at the Oak Park Farmer's Market.

Playing games at our cookout! We even played Bocce Ball despite all the rain.

Church and then lunch and bubble tea in China Town!

These are just a few of my favorite moments from the weekend. There were crazy times with crowds of a million + people balanced with relaxing times just catching up with old friends. Tom and I feel SO blessed to have friends willing to make the long trip to visit!

-Sarah

Menu Plan Monday!

2009-07-06T09:06:00.012-05:00

Ok, so I have loved the results so far of planning our dinners for the coming week and then shopping with the plan in mind! So, I am planning again! Here's what we are having for dinner this week. If you need dinner ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie. She has excellent ideas and links to others with excellent ideas :)

Monday: Leftovers! We had so much great food at our cookout on Saturday: Grilled Zucchini, Burgers, Baked Macaroni and Cheese, and Lemony Chickpea and Zucchini Salad

Tuesday: Grilled Chicken (from cookout) and Zucchini Pasta (thanks Joy in My Kitchen!)

Wednesday: Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi and Asparagus

*This is my first time cooking Mahi Mahi. Usually we buy Tilapia, but Tom wanted to try these so I am all for it! This recipe seems to be pretty simple. The only thing I had to buy that I didn't already have was a piece of ginger root, which costs next to nothing. We'll see!

Thursday: Chicken and Veggie Quesadillas

Friday: Spicy Turkey Burgers and Sweet Potato Fries.

*If using the sweet potato fries recipe, I skip the microwave step and just cook longer in the oven to get them to crisp up. I have tried it in the microwave and found it to be a hassle (I also avoid microwaves whenever possible).

Saturday: We'll be traveling to Indy to meet up with friends and so that I can attend a friend's bridal shower...don't know when we'll be back! :)

-Sarah

Menu Plan for the Coming Week!

2009-06-28T16:41:00.007-05:00

Monday: Leftovers: Pepperoni and Veggie Calzones

Tuesday: Brown Jasmine Rice with Tuna and Asparagus

Wednesday: Chicken Tacos with Guacamole and Chips

Thursday: Garden Salad, Baked Ziti and Garlic Bread

Friday: WE HAVE FRIENDS IN TOWN FOR THE WEEKEND!

Welcome, Heather, Marcia, Sukie, and possibly Waddell!! So, we'll probably grab something downtown as we watch the fireworks display.

*This is my first time planning out our meals and then grocery shopping around the plan. I'll let you know what I think! You can find more menu plans if you go to the blog, "I'm an Organizing Junkie."

-Sarah

So take a last lick of your ice cream cone and lock up what you still want to own...

2009-06-27T17:23:00.007-05:00

Lyrics from a song, "Rag and Bone" on the album, Icky Thump by the White Stripes. I am ready for a new White Stripes album!

SO! I think it is safe to say that the strawberry jam was a hit! I didn't want to say one way or the other until I received some kind of feedback from family/friends, but yesterday I did receive my grandma's stamp of approval! Now, I am hooked and have plans to make a couple of small batches of blackberry and peach jam.

Then, later this summer I will take on salsa, pasta sauce, pizza sauce, and green beans. I REALLY want to can pickles but think I will save that for next year.

After some thought, I have decided to start planning Tom and I's meals for the whole week. SO, I will now try to post each week (sometime before Monday) the dinners I plan to cook for the week. I think this will make grocery shopping faster and more efficient and will hopefully help Tom and I to drop the marriage pounds we've both accumulated during our first (ALMOST 3) years of marriage :) I was inspired by my friend, Tera as well as this website.

I worked in the garden with my mother-in-law, Patty, for most of the day yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed all the physical labor of weeding. My heirloom tomatoes are doing quite well. I think I am the most excited for them as well as the carrots. Their tops are growing much faster than I expected! The zucchini (of course) is gigantic and we will probably be sneaking zucchini into all kinds of meals to eat it all.

This past week I devoted myself to organizing and a little redecorating. I used all things I already had with the exclusion of one purchase: a new bed frame with a headboard! I love the difference it makes in our room...I now feel like I have a place to go for a quiet, relaxed place. I am slowly decorating our room in yellows and grays and love the results so far! I painted our two side tables and a three-tier stand that I use for plants a beautiful yellow color. It is called "Fresh Pineapple" but is much more creamy than you would imagine when you think of real pineapples.

I also started 3 new scarf projects. My friend, Marcia taught me how to knit with colors in a really neat way and I am very excited to be knitting something other than washcloths at the moment. I DO love washcloths though and have plans for at least 8 different patterns I want to attempt.

Well, for us, summer is fully in effect and I am really liking it :)

More with my menu plans later...

-Sarah

Lena's new bone smells so raunchy...

2009-06-09T20:37:00.006-05:00

Just learning as much as I can on canning for this weekend! Tom and I will be picking strawberries and making jam all day on Saturday at his parents house and I am very excited! We are going to be able to borrow the water bath contraption that is needed from one of Patty's friends and then we will just need to buy the jars and the ingredients. I just got off the phone with Patty and she said all of our vegetables have sprouted except for my heirloom tomatoes...BUT I trust they will sprout soon! By August we hope to know enough about canning to can homemade pasta sauce, pizza sauce, and salsa. I can't wait. I also want to try blackberry jam if all works out well with the strawberry. There is just something so satisfying about being able to store your own food and I am very thankful to try while spending time with family.

No luck with teaching jobs, but I am still diligently applying to districts. I hope I hear from someone this month. Also no summer work yet. I REALLY want this dog walking position I applied for, but we'll see. Tomorrow is a whole new day.

Other than the canning, I have been knitting like a crazy woman...getting ready for a friend's bachelorette get-together that I am very much looking forward to. I know that all of Jessie's planning will result in a great time with some of my favorite people! Can't wait! I also can't wait for the Blues Festival this weekend. SO many great musicians and all for FREE! Nothing beats summertime in Chicago!

Happy

2009-06-02T06:16:00.003-05:00

"My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit--not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength--that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God."

(from Ephesians 3: The Message translation)

This month I am really focusing on this last part that I have in bold. It just sticks out to me and stands in stark contrast to how my attitude has been for the past year. I think I wrote here before that when New Year's came this year, I was exhausted and not up for reflection and making resolutions (more than anything I was apathetic). But ever since April, with the arrival of Spring, I have had my eyes wide open. This has been such a happy spring for me and I am thankful to be in this place and hopefully out of where I was, stronger and more ready to live in the fullness of Christ. We'll see!

2009-06-01T06:51:00.003-05:00

This week marks the end of the school year and I have to say I am pretty exhausted and excited and only a little nervous. How's that for expressing my feelings. So far, I have sent out resumes and online applications for 10 different teaching positions...and there are more still to apply for! This is encouraging! I hope I get a call back soon for an interview somewhere...we'll see.

This weekend, Tom and I got inspired to try to plant some vegetables, so we called up his parents and asked if they had any space left in their garden and they did! We planted cucumber, cantaloup, brandy wine heirloom tomatoes, and carrots! I am most excited for the carrots and tomatoes. Tom's parents already planted zucchini, sunflowers, watermelon, romaine lettuce, and roma and beefsteak tomatoes. They also have strawberries that come back every year so this year, Patty and I are going to attempt making them into jam and canning them. Later in the summer, our goal is to also can homemade salsa, tomato sauce, and pizza sauce. Anyone know anything about canning and could offer some advice? We are pretty curious to see how it all works.

2009-04-27T17:04:00.001-05:00

I have jury duty tomorrow. My first time ever! I have no idea what to expect...we'll see.

Testing...

2009-04-25T06:54:00.003-05:00

I really like the pressure of taking a test...I just do not enjoy all the anxiety leading up to taking the test. I slept horribly last night. It is in part because of the test, but also because I am sore from head to toe from taking a body sculpting class on Thursday with my sister. I feel like I went tubing and water skiing for two days straight and am now paying for it. It may sound crazy but I plan on going back! I really liked the class and it will be nice to have one day out of the three that I am committing to getting back in shape to do something else besides running.

I am really worried about this test today because it results in acquiring my teaching license for the state of Illinois. I have some more studying to do, but I do feel pretty good about what I accomplished yesterday. I can not wait to take this thing and then go out tonight to watch the Blackhawks playoff game! Tom is taking a different test as I write this and then has another test to take at the same place where I'll be later this afternoon. I am so thankful to have gone through this whole experience together. It has been so rewarding to complete this program alongside my husband. At times, it has been pretty intense, since we are pretty much both stressed about the same things. Although, Tom is and will always be much more calm and laid back about things, which is nice because it has an effect on me as well. I can only hope that my organization skills have been a positive thing for him. Well, time to get back to work! So close to finishing!!!

sicky thump

2009-04-14T13:52:00.003-05:00

Well, I started my spring break with the chills and a fever! I am always so shocked when I get really sick because it doesn't happen very often. The last time I was REALLY sick, the kind of sick where you are in bed ALL day and you can't bring yourself to eat anything was my sophomore year of college. Yesterday is a complete blur...I literally stayed in bed all day and night and had to force myself to eat (this says a lot because even when I have a bad cold I can always muscle up the will to eat). I am so glad that today I do not have a fever. I just can't believe that two whole days of my break are already gone! Well, thankfully I am feeling better and so I will spend the rest of today watching Planet Earth (Tom bought me the complete series for Christmas!) and working on some knitting projects.

2009-04-10T11:00:00.002-05:00

Yay! Spring Break has officially started and I can't believe it is finally here! I am very excited to have some friends over tonight for a Good Friday dinner. I just love Easter so much!

2009-04-06T08:31:00.003-05:00

No sub jobs for today, tomorrow I can not work because I'll be attending parent teacher conferences with my host teacher and going to the dentist, and no school on Friday due to the beginning of Spring Break! I already have a job for Thursday, so that just leaves finding something for Wednesday. I have to say, it is so nice to ease back into subbing. It is such a weird thing for me. I am totally fine when I know where I'll be working the night before, but waking up in the morning, getting ready like I will be working, checking the website 20 + times, and then not getting a job is completely exhausting for me. I wish I was more laid back about it and could just go with the flow, but I hate the waiting and not knowing.

I am thankful to have today to work on my portfolio, although I spent most of the morning so far watching Ace of Cakes! I love this show! After lunch I am going to start crankin' it out. I just need to finish and be done with it! For the sake of my sanity. I do not want to be a whiner and boy, have I turned into one these past 12 + weeks. I did not make any New Year's resolutions...I think, again, I was too preoccupied by this monster of a thing called, student teaching to care about bettering myself. My attitude these past months was "yes, it is going to be hard with both Tom and I not working and living off of savings and having a crap load to do, yes it is going to suck for a while, but then we'll be done!" Everything else just has not been very important, like relationships and I don't know, having fun.

Now, I can say I'll officially be done with everything by the end of this month, so I have been doing a lot of thinking about my life; how I've changed and what things have been good and what things have really sucked. I guess I am reevaluating things. I also think this could not have come at a better time than in the Spring so close to Easter. Easter is my favorite holiday. It is a time for new life, for beginnings.

I know that many many many many people have survived student teaching...I do not think that student teaching is necessarily the most difficult thing in the world. For some reason, it just brought so many things to the surface for me. For one, it requires that I make mistakes and make them with other teachers and a supervisor and 29 kids there in clear view of my mistakes. I hate to make mistakes...and I know that sounds like the most immature thing anyone could say. I know in my mind that mistakes are a part of life and it sounds so obnoxious to make such a big deal about not being perfect. I know that I am not perfect. I know in my mind the saying that making mistakes is how we learn and that when you mess up you learn and then don't repeat the same thing. BUT, I just have never been able to allow myself permission to mess up.

I get so bent out of shape and over-think so many aspects of my life and frankly, I am tired. I have kind of been going through a break down lately. Something has to change because I do not want to continue thinking the way that I think. If you could see inside my mind, you would see an old lady bent over by self-criticism. I know that this is not truly me. I am just having trouble. I am trying to squash any negative thoughts about myself as soon as I recognize them. The hard thing is that sometimes I do not even know how critical I really am of myself. Thank God I have Tom to point it out to me. SO many times he has stopped me to point it out and while I get so annoyed with him at the time, I am really thankful that he cares enough to point it out. I just want to deal with this and move on! This is an issue in my life that I have left alone for too long and it has now become a much bigger problem. I remember being hard on myself in college, but I had so many friends and had so much fun then. Living in a new city where I only know a couple of people, I think, has really brought all this out.

Well, I'm done for now with all of this self-reflection! Some of my resolutions that I have been thinking of lately:

*Start running again

*Try at least two new recipes a month

*Read at least one new book a month

*STOP CRITICIZING myself...I need to get into a little trouble! It would be good for me :) I need help with this.

that's all for now, no need to get carried away.

Woo!

2009-04-03T06:51:00.004-05:00

Today I am going to the Shedd Aquarium with my host teacher and students! It has been one week since I said goodbye and I can't wait to see them :) I am also interested to learn how teachers organize field trips and keep all the students together (there are 3 second grade classes going).

Whew

2009-04-02T19:44:00.005-05:00

I am not sure how to describe just how great it feels to have finished student teaching. My quality of life has already drastically improved. These past 12 weeks were probably the most challenging of my life. I learned so much and it was such a rewarding experience. I am just so excited for the future. I take the Illinois APT test this month and then I'll apply for my teaching license!!! So, in the meantime, I am finishing my portfolio, studying for the test, looking for a job, and substitute teaching again.

I am SO pumped that it is Spring! I am really looking forward to Easter. Tom and I will be celebrating with his family. I am really excited to try to bake an Easter cake I found here. I hope it turns out the way I envision it. Cooking/baking is something I am very happy to start practicing again AND knitting! I have many projects that have fallen by the wayside.

Well, time to make some dinner and catch up on a little reading from this book. Tom bought it for me as a Christmas gift. It's been out for a while but I was never fortunate enough to own it until now! Amy Sedaris is HILL-AR-ious! If you've never seen Strangers with Candy and are not too offended by crude, dark, and just plain wrong humor, you have to check it out. Tom and I are currently making our way through Season 2 via Hulu.

2008-07-29T09:26:00.003-05:00

I have a lot to accomplish today. I do not understand how some days I just completely do not do what I set out to do. I know I will feel better if I just complete an assignment for school, get the apartment clean, run the errands I need to run, repot two of my plants, etc. I won't bore you. But, instead, I play around on the computer or get involved in one of my many current knitting projects and I don't do what I need to do. Today, I am not even touching a ball of yarn until I finish one of my papers. I am tired of school. I don't mean to complain, but just to say that I am ready to finally use all my education to actually work in the field I am excited to work in. It will be a great feeling!

We have friends visiting this weekend for Lollapalooza. I just love having guests! One of our friends is super allergic to cats, so we'll have to take Maynard and Banjo to stay with my sister for the weekend. And, so, right now I am just trying to think of things to say so that I don't have to start my paper. I should go. No more complaining.

doo doo do doo

2008-07-24T16:47:00.004-05:00

Tom and I had dinner with a lovely couple we met through Tom's softball league last night. It was great getting to know them and will probably have them over next. This weekend our friend Mike is coming to visit and to celebrate his birthday. I am also going to the farmer's market for sure. I didn't go last week and missed it terribly. I finally finished all of my courses for the current term and will begin a new term at the end of August. I'm going to try to start some assignments early in hopes of getting ahead...we'll see. I am also currently taking a handwriting class, where I have to send in samples of my handwriting through snail mail and then the grader grades it and sends it back...it's a long process but I am enjoying it. At the end, I will be a certified handwriting instructor..whatever that means. I am getting quite excited about Lollapalooza, which is next weekend. The lineup can be found here. This year, we have a couple friends going with us, so that will be a lot of fun! Also looking forward to the Renegade Craft Fair! My sister and I went last year and loved it! I am hoping my cousin can come that weekend and go with this year. GRR6 (the 6 is because my cat, Banjo just jumped on my keypad as I was trying to complain about what a pest he has been all day!!). He loves to claw at our bed at all hours of the night and day and then run away. He thinks it's some sort of game. Ah! Anyway, Tom and I are going to Bible study soon so I should end here for now. Banjo has calmed down and is now sleeping and snoring. Ridiculous.

I'm a lazy bum

2008-07-16T19:31:00.008-05:00

It is so weird that I am not currently working! I want to work at Whole Foods, but haven't heard back from them yet. School has been out for about a month now and I am starting to get antzy about not working.

I am enjoying all the time I have to study, do homework, cook, and of course, KNIT!, but I still just don't feel productive. Jenn and I made homemade deodorant last night and I love it! We'll see how well it works. Got the recipe from here. We changed a few things: We found Vitamin E oil in a bottle instead of buying a bottle of the gel caps and we used tea tree and lavender oil instead of ylang yang and orange (both due to the fact that it was cheaper and because I love lavender). We got everything at Whole Foods and split the cost. We have lots of supplies left over to make more later! I used it today for the first time, putting it on right after I shaved my pits and it didn't hurt at all! We'll see how well it does when I wear it all day...hopefully I don't stink! I'll have to report back later.

Well, Tom and I are about to start watching the next disc in the baseball history series that Ken Burns made. It is really great and I am only a new baseball fan. Go Sox!

I rode around the town, use a rattlesnake whip

2008-06-02T17:53:00.001-05:00

I am feeling good, except for the news that Bo Diddley died today. He was such a cool dude.

This is the last week of school, so I have lots to do until Friday, a test on Saturday and THEN I can enjoy! My mom and grandma are coming to visit and I am SO excited. Neither of them have visited Chicago AND this is their first time visiting me! I am newly married, so I am really looking forward to sharing with my mom and grandma how Tom and I have started our first home together.

Tom and I bought Wii Fit! I LOVE it. It is a lot of fun and very helpful for me because I need some kind of kick-start to get back to being more active. Right now it is hard to believe that I ever ran a mini-marathon. I would like to do that again sometime in the near future. The whole process of training can be hard at times, but the feeling at the end of the race is truly something not easily described.

I am still reading Gift from the Sea, I think I am purposely taking longer to read it because it is one of those books, for me anyway, that I wish did not have to end. It brings me a lot of peace and challenges me to strive for contentment. Lately I have really seen how negative my thoughts have become, how easily frustrated and impatient I can be, how often I want more and more and more (of life, of things, of plants :), of whatever!). I am learning....I always say that I am the type of person who loves learning new things--how easy it is to forget that sometimes learning can be challenging, uncomfortable, and maybe even painful. It is easy to think about all the lovely things I like to study and learn, like gardening, history, knitting, other cultures, etc, but I also need to learn about OTHER things--like humility, patience, meekness, forgiveness, trust, and on and on. I am thankful for these lessons as well.

Well, it is time for me to make dinner and then to pick up a package at UPS (A PACKAGE THAT CONTAINS OUR BONNAROO TICKETS!!!). Yay!

JOY

2008-05-26T09:26:00.002-05:00

"I shall ask into my shell only those friends with whom I can be completely honest. I find I am shedding hypocrisy in human relationships. What a rest that will be! The most exhausting thing in life, I have discovered, is being insincere. That is why so much of social life is exhausting; one is wearing a mask. I have shed my mask.

--Anne Morrow Lindbergh from Gift From The Sea

I have one big assignment this week, one test this week, one big test next week, I have all the end-0f-the year responsibilities with my classroom, and then I can breathe! My mom and grandma are coming to visit in 2 weeks and I am so insanely excited!! This is the first time they have come to see us and I can't wait to show them around the city. Then, after they leave, we are going to Bonnaroo! Then, the next week, Tom and I are driving to New Mexico for a week! My sister and I walked around the Lake and the city yesterday. It was such a beautiful day with all the sailboats and people out. I am SO happy for warmer weather...I just love Chicago in the summer. Now, I am off to repot some plants that I bought on Saturday at the Farmer's Market in Oak Park, another thing I'm excited about (Saturday was the first day of the new season). I bought a cilantro plant, french lavender, and catnip. Next time I will buy basil and oregano to go with the rosemary plant I have in the kitchen. The basil I had from last year suddenly died on me and I can not survive without fresh basil to cook with. Well, that's it for now.

2008-05-08T17:32:00.001-05:00

I have a blog. I look forward to posting something later!