request

I got my first blog request last night-woohoo! I was talking to Emily and telling her about how I had recently been "cleaning out my closet" (figuratively, not literally)....she then proceeded to sing a bit of the Eminem song, because that's what we do. During the cleaning out process, I replaced some pictures that had been in frames. When I told her what/who I had put in the frames, she cracked up and said "Will you please blog about that?!" How could I not grant a fan's wish???

I think Taye and Brad look pretty good in those frames for now. Although it did help me think of a resolution: take AND print more pictures in 2009! I got myself some black-eyed peas, too, in hopes that next year will bring me good luck....like meeting either of the above gentlemen and having them ask me to join them on a romantic getaway....

(On a not really, but sort of semi-related picture note, I took my sick laptop to the doctor yesterday and he found all of my files!!! Now I just need to save them onto something else and start looking for a new laptop...Apple Store, much? Yes, please! The doctor had never seen anything like what is wrong with my computer...awesome.)

crashed...or something

Um, I am not sure what happened at my house while I was gone to San Antonio for Christmas, but according to the Middle-Eastern GENIUS at Dell, I did something to my computer (while I was approximately 250 miles away) that caused it to be "restored back to factory settings"...i.e. Mary lost every picture, paper she'd written, file, Itunes song, and Internet favorites pages she'd saved on this lovely computer. I calmly explained that I did nothing different that I've done for the past 2 years of using this laptop and that it must have been an angry ghost. Not really, but I wanted to say that-he was making me so mad!! Never mind that I could barely hear/understand what he was saying. I could have paid $70 for him to walk me though some recovery process. I asked for free instructions, got them, but it didn't work. I haven't shed tears in days, but I got really close today: 1.I got stood up by a lady who was supposed to be showing me a cool apartment. 2. Some of my material possessions are gone. Happy Monday to me!!!

Now I have the pictures I took over the break on this computer...temporarily....because every time I shut it down EVERYTHING is gone.

I went to the Spurs game with Kerry on Tuesday night over the break. Go Spurs Go!! Of course they won AND my love, Mr. Tony Parker, scored lots of points for them. Eva was nowhere in sight...perhaps they're on the verge of a breakup??...Tony and I did make eye contact...I felt sparks, I am sure he did too.

Mazie actually explored my parents' backyard for the first time, and she became BFF with the tree. She ran to it first thing every time I let her out and then she would just perch on a branch.

I got to play with Meredeth and Christine when I got back on Saturday-oh my, what an evening! At least Meredeth got her entertainment center up into her house! :)

Yay for having 4 pictures on my computer!! Ugh.

recipes

I think I have fallen off the wagon a little bit when it comes to posting recipes. My bad. Life has been a bit crazy lately and I also don't want to bother posting so-so recipes (such as a Rachael Ray pesto/gnocchi/chicken weirdness)...I only want to share the best with my loyal three readers. So here you go:

Lighter Eggplant Parmesan:
Serves 4

1 large eggplant (2 pounds), sliced 1/2 inch thick crosswise
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup fat-free (skim) milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup homemade or best-quality store-bought marinara sauce
1/2 cup grated part-skim mozzarella
1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Arrange eggplant on two rimmed baking sheets. Brush eggplant on both sides with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown and very tender, 20 to 25 minutes, turning slices and rotating sheets halfway through.

Meanwhile, make sauce: Off heat, in a medium saucepan, whisk together 1/4 cup milk, flour, and garlic. Gradually whisk in remaining 3/4 cup milk and 1/2 cup marinara sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until pink sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
Spread cup marinara sauce in the bottom of a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Alternate layers of baked eggplant with pink sauce. Dollop with remaining cup marinara sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake on upper rack until browned and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes.

*This is oh-so-yummy and easy!! The sauce is amazingly flavorful!

Olive-Spiked Pork Tenderloin
Serves 4

1 pork tenderloin (1.25 lb) trimmed of silverskin if necessary
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 C stuffed green olives cut in half crosswise(I used Gorgonzola stuffed ones)
2 TB balsamic vinegar
2 TB olive oil
2 TB light brown sugar
2 T Dijon mustard
1 T dried oregano
cooking spray

Season pork all over with salt and pepper. Using a sharp knife, make several slits in it about 1/2 inch deep. Stuff the olives into the slits as you go. Place the pork in a Ziploc bag. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, brown sugar, mustard, and oregano. Heat in microwave for 3o seconds if necessary to dissolve sugar. Pour the mixture all over the pork and seal the bag. Refrigerate for up to three days.

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Coat a roasting pan with cooking spray. Remove tenderloin from the bag, place in pan, and pour marinade over it. Bake until thermometer reads 160 degrees, 30-35 minutes. Let the pork stand for 10 minutes before slicing crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices.

*This is SOOOO good! The marinade would be good on its own if you don't want the olives. My olives were HUGE, so I ended up cutting them into smaller slices.

swift-ly said

gone to the dark side

I have been having my hair girl gradually darken my hair each time I go to her. I'm tired of the blond highlights and wanted to do something different. So on Thursday I said, "Rosa, I want to go really dark." She got out her stuff and looked in her little book to see the color she used last time on my hair...low and behold, she'd only used two shades darker than HER natural color, which is really dark brown (hence her name is Rosa). Needless to say, my hair is obviously not nearly that dark, nor do I want it to be. I'm just thinking more brunette than blond for now. It is going to take a few times of really dark color to get it to saturate my hair and for my hair to take it. So for now, my hair is darker than before ( I think it's probably pretty close to my natural shade)...we'll keep working on going darker. I tried to do a cool side-by-side picture thing, but I have no computer skills so this is what ya get! New darker-ness
About a month ago

accomplished

Since my lame attempt at Christmas shopping in San Antonio did not pan out, I realized I really needed to get on the ball. School is going to be keeping me busy these next two weeks with projects and a final...plus, our awesome 2nd-grade-team-secret-Santa-margarita-and-laughing get-together is a week from tonight so I must have at least one gift ready by then!

I decided to make a list of folks I need to get gifts for, and then see if I could come up with any ideas before venturing out. I came up with a couple, but since I was planning to head to Southlake, I knew any and every store I would want to go to would be available. I successfully took care of my sister, friends, the majority of stuff for my parents-and that was all accomplished in 2.5 hours-booya!! I just need a few more small gifts and I'll be done for 2008. Sweet.

I was so proud of myself that I picked up a shirt I had been needing from Gap (I really did need it!) and a stinkin' cute dress at Francesca's...I worked hard in a short amount of time, I felt I deserved a reward.

I also ran across the street to the Central Market out there because I needed a few things and figured I would knock that out while I was out. I'm so jealous of that store's layout...the one here drives me nuts!

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas! :)

Oh, and Kerry called me on the way home to see if I could come help her trap and release a large lizard that had scurried into her house. Took care of that, too! What a productive day!

wii, wii, wii, all the way home

Let me begin by saying that I hope I still have a mom who loves me after this! She didn't know I was recording her skills and definitely didn't know it would end up on my blog...love you mama!!

I headed to San Antonio Tuesday afternoon in hopes of beating some of the crazy Wednesday-before-Thanksgiving traffic. I think I beat most of it. Claire was already there by the time I arrived. She and I went to North Star Mall on Wednesday...it was my attempt to get some Christmas shopping done early. Well, if I were shopping for myself, that would have worked out perfectly. I got two things for me and one thing for a friend. So, basically I have not begun Christmas shopping and it's about to stress me out. I have big hopes of spending one Saturday or Sunday afternoon in Southlake and knocking it all out....which means I must come up with a list and ideas for gifts for my peeps!! And seeing as how there is an Anthropologie out there, I'm predicting that, again, I will find something for myself that I just can't live without. Thank goodness my career pays me so well.

Oh, Austin on Thursday was great fun with a great big group of great people!

On to the real purpose of this blog...My mom got my dad a wii system for his birthday in March. We all played a little bit at Easter, but apparently my parents play it rather frequently even without any youngins in the house. I was sore by Sunday from bowling...I was trying to go pro but barely missed the mark! I also tried golf because my mom kept talking about how fun it was. And it was! Nevermind that I was pretty good for never having picked up a real club or wii remote before. THEN she says she has really been wanting to try boxing. Uh huh. Seriously. Well, you can see the progression below of her boxing skills.

*I played too (but of course it wasn't captured on film) and knocked out my opponent in the middle of the second round. Booya! I videotaped my dad playing too, but it's on my sister's camera so you'll have to wait for that hilarity.*

Video 1 is my mom's first go-round with her "opponent."

Video 2 is her in the 2nd round, not knowing there was a 3rd round.

Victory lap!

thanksgiving

The Maze and I are headed to SA in a couple of hours-woohoo!! And while there will likely be time for blogging, my parents have pretty much the equivalent to dial-up Internet, so I seriously doubt that will be happening....which is why I'll post a Thanksgiving-related blog a few days early.

I'm so very thankful:
~ for Martha, Brian, and Claire...being home makes it feel like I never really left...I can make 1,000 mistakes and they'll still love me
~ for Emily, Margaret, Suz, Emily, and Meredeth...these girls know me better than most...for better friends you could not ask
~ for the ladies I "live" next door to and across the hall from at work: Deneise, Carrie, Meredeth, Emily, and Christy...they make "work" not feel like it at all...they also have hearts of gold and are some of the most supportive and encouraging people I've known
~ for the 22 babies I spend my weekdays with...they make me laugh and make me cry, they allow me to make mistakes and to apologize for them, and they let me attempt to make each of their days a little brighter
~ that I have an entire week off this week!
~ for my little four-legged furry friend who greets me at my door...she is the most perceptive animal I've known
~ to be able to attend graduate school and to be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel
~ as corny as this sounds, I'm so thankful that I rarely get sick...if you've ever had to leave substitute plans, you know that you'd rather be feeling like crumb at work than leaving plans for a sub

I hope you and your people have a very, very happy Thanksgiving!!! :)

twilight

Yes, I did brave the crazed teenage girls this weekend to go see Twilight. Although, luckily, Margaret and Emily had suggested going to the Angelika in an attempt to avoid some of the crazies. The movie, for me, was really disappointing. I know the books are geared towards teenage girls...however, I don't really understand why. There's really nothing juvenile about them. Anyway, Twilight (the book) was super romantic...Twilight (the movie) was super cheesy!! People were laughing out loud in the theater because of the cheesiness. Also, I realize I am in the small minority when I write this, but Edward (the lead vampire) was so NOT attractive to me. Suzanna agreed with me. The facial expressions were the most difficult to not roll your eyes at. I thought they stayed fairly true to the dialogue of the book, so that didn't bother me....all except the "spider monkey" line. Seriously?

Two friends of mine had read all 4 books in record time and assured me that I would enjoy them and become addicted like they had. I was hesitant because it's hard for me to enjoy and want to read a book about something that is not real....i.e., I never opened a Harry Potter book. I did finish Wicked, although it took me forever. I just need real people doing realistic things. I was not really into Twilight until about the last 100 pages. And then I had to stop reading one night with only 60 pages to go because it was too scary. I knew one of two things would happen:
1.-I would be up waaaay past my bedtime finishing the book, and/or
2.-I would have scary dreams because of the book. Considering I'd already had two separate nightmares about my appraisal last week (in one, I had double the class size I have now, and they were all boys....the second one had some person I didn't know appraising me instead of my vice principal), I decided to avoid potential causes of anymore nightmares for the week. Also, since I started taking fish oil my dreams have been much more vivid and I remember many, many more than I ever did before...interesting!

I started on the 2nd book last night. It was much easier for me to get into and not want to put it down. Hopefully the rest of the reading will be like that!

Even though the movie was a bit of a letdown (I'd give it a B-), I was so glad to get to hang out with MJ, Suz, and Emily! Those girls are hard to beat.

2 new faves

I have some new items that I am currently obsessed with. One is totally vain and one brings joy to my ears...

#1: My new mascara. It.is.amazing. I have lashes that did NOT exist before!! I bought it in "glam black"...because...really, why not?? I highly recommend it! #2: New Taylor Swift CD. I would really like to be friends with and/or be her. I think she is precious and fun and I really enjoy her tunes! You should give it a listen or two.

Also, because I can't skip my Asian experience this week:

Asian chicken salad (serves 4-6)

1 package (3 oz) oriental-flavored ramen noodle soup mix

1/2 cup pre-sliced or slivered almonds

3/4 cup bottled red wine vinaigrette

1 package (16 oz) coleslaw or broccoli slaw mix (I buy both and mix them)

2 cups cooked chicken (I usually buy a rotiserrie one and shred it)

1/2 cup cilantro leaves

2 scallions, both white and light green parts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Break up the noodles and place them and the almonds in a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until noodles and almonds turn light brown, 6-7 minutes. Meanwhile, pour red wine vinaigrette into a measuring cup and stir in the packet of seasoning from soup mix. Set aside. Place the slaw mix, chicken, cilanto, and scallions in a large serving bowl. Toss to combine. Just before serving, pour the salad dressing and toss to coat. Scatter noodles and almonds on top.

*I make my own dressing with:

1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil

3ish T red wine vinegar

2 1/2 T sugar

pinch of black pepper

1/2 packet of the seasoning from the soup mix

*I also throw in some shelled edamame to bump up the protein.

Great for quick lunches!! :)

the maze

Mazie turned one yesterday! She celebrated by being extra crazy and playing with her friend, Lacey Lu Belew. The two wore each other out, thank goodness! I really think Mazie either thinks she is a dog, or she was a dog in a past life. She is such a playful, dominating companion to dogs her size. She attacks and chases just like they do. Rocky is still her #1 though. She is awesome because:

-she snuggles up by my neck when she's tired...it doesn't matter where I'm sitting, she finds a way to make it happen

-she comes when I call her

-she runs in the kitchen when I open yogurt...yes, she's spoiled

-she weighed 1.1 lb. when I brought her home

-when I went just to look over Christmas break when I was bored because everyone else had gone back to work, I held her at the Humane Society and she burrowed into the crook of my elbow and went to sleep purring. It was destiny.

-(I'm not sure if this is awesome or not) she is determined to catch a squirrel and she's now come within inches of getting one...I'm not really sure what she would do once she had it though...makes me nervous!
-she sleeps in the window and waits for me to come home

food!

Here are some recipes from last week and this week, including my standard Asian meal for the week. :)

Broccoli and pork stir-fry (serves 4)
1 teaspoon grated orange zest, plus 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound), quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
1 head broccoli (about 1 pound), cut into bite-size florets, stalks peeled and thinly sliced

In a medium bowl, combine orange zest and juice, soy sauce, vinegar, and cornstarch; set stir-fry sauce aside.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium. Working in two batches, cook pork until browned on one side, 1 to 2 minutes (pork will cook more at the end). Transfer to a plate and set aside; reserve skillet.
Add remaining teaspoon oil, garlic, and scallion whites to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Add broccoli and 1/2 cup water; cover and cook until broccoli is crisp-tender and water has evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes.
Add pork (with any juices) and stir-fry sauce to skillet. Cook, stirring, until pork is cooked through and sauce has thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Top with scallion greens.

*Unless you really, really like orange, I would leave out the zest. I thought it was overpowering the first time, so the second time I left it out and it was perfect. I eat this meal with some YUMMY quinoa. (If you'd like to read up on my new favorite food, check out this little diddy: http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=142 )

Banana-oat smoothie
In a blender, combine 1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1 banana, cut into thirds, 1/2 cup milk, 2 teaspoons honey, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Puree until smooth.

*I have this along with a piece of Ezekiel toast with peanut butter and I'm set until lunch time. Sweet!

Turkey chili with black beans and squash
10 oz. extra-lean ground turkey breast
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cans (28 oz. each) diced tomatoes
2 cans (15 oz. each) beef broth
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 ribs celery, finely chopped
2 medium zucchini, finely chopped
2 medium yellow squash, finely chopped
2 green bell peppers, finely chopped
1 packet (1.25 oz) dry chili seasoning (I know, I know!! I didn't want to buy prepackaged seasoning (hello sodium!! and I'm sure some preservatives), but I am not a chili expert and therefore don't know the spices that make up the seasoning...maybe next time.)

Heat a large pot coated with oil or cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until the turkey is no longer pink. Add all other ingredients and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until veggies are tender.

*This is pretty tasty, although next time I'd just use the whole package of turkey instead of half. I ended up tossing in a can of kidney beans about halfway through because I realized all those veggies and very little turkey meat would not stick with me much past lunch time.

totally 80's

Emily and Freddie hosted an 80's Halloween party on Friday night at their casa. I wore more makeup that I can remember ever wearing. I also had on bright blue heels but they didn't make it into any pictures. :( Some highlights of the night:
1. Mere asking Freddie (in all seriousness), "Freddie, where's your costume?"
2. Emily's AMAZING bangs! I think she was channeling Peggy Bundy.
3. Emily saying to David, "Ok, David, so explain your costume."
4. First place for best costume went to Meredeth AKA 80's prom queen and third place went to Andrew AKA Tom Cruise in Risky Business.
5. The fact that we survived Emily's jello shots...I am not sure there was much jello in them...

Pics of the fun!!

(You may be asking why I am up and blogging so early...daylight savings time joy.)

battle of the butternuts

I have recently begun to really enjoy soups. I had stand-offish feelings towards them because most of them have some form of preserved meat...or something that is supposed to resemble meat. Um, sick. Secondly, most soups have a TON of sodium in them and since I consider myself health nut-ish, I avoided them. However, I have been craving warm and comforting food ever since this cold weather blew in. So I've done some poking around and tried out some recipes...sans mystery meat and lots-o-salt. Here are two different butternut squash soup recipes I've tried:

This is from Williams-Sonoma Healthful Cookbook (a great one to have in your kitchen!):
-1 butternut squash, about 1.25 lb
-1 Fuji apples, halved, peeled, cored, and diced (these happen to be my favorite anyway)
-2 shallots, chopped
-2 C vegetable broth
-1/2 T dried oregano
-pinch of ground cayenne pepper
-2 TB thawed, frozen orange juice concentrate
-kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Peel and dice squash (obviously also removing seeds). In a large dutch oven or or large sauce pan, combine squash, apple, shallots, broth, oregano, and cayenne. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until veggies are very soft, 25-30 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover, and let soup stand for about 15 minutes. Using either an immersion blender or standing blender in batches, blend until smooth and then return to pan. Stir in the orange juice concentrate and 1/4 T salt, season with black pepper.

*This is way easy once you are done dealing with cutting up the squash. If I make this again, I'll probably just buy an orange and squeeze the fresh juice into the soup...the orange/sweet taste was a little too strong for my taste buds.

This is courtesy of Paula Deen:
2 pounds butternut squash, halved, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups diced onion
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3 (13 3/4-ounce) cans chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup light cream or heavy cream
Sour cream, for garnish

In a medium saucepan, combine squash, onion, carrots, broth and salt. Simmer, uncovered, until squash is very tender, about 40 minutes. Puree soup in a blender or food processor with the butter. Whisk cream into soup. Serve in wide, shallow bowls with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

*I left out the butter and sour cream. I also used veggie stock instead of chicken, but I'm sure its good with either. This soup was also grainier than the first one, and I can't figure out why...maybe the carrots?? It was still really good, just a texture thing.

Both recipes are really good, really easy, and make plenty!!

vices/quirks/addictions

My dear friend, Meredeth, let me know today at work that she had "tagged" me on her blog and I had to respond. I asked if it was an updated chain letter of sorts. Eh, not so much. Currently, I'm really, really bitter and annoyed with the test I just spent 2.5 hours on...it was all written...and the first test I have ever wanted to shed tears over. I'm crossing my fingers it doesn't make my bad dream about my GPA come true!! Anywho, back to Mere's list/tag/whatever. Here is a list of my 10 vices/quirks/addictions:

1. I am addicted to Ghiradelli dark chocolate squares from the freezer. I literally have at least one a day, usually after dinner...sometimes two depending on the day.
2. I am addicted to celebrity gossip. It is REALLY bad over the summer when I actually have time to check Perez Hilton multiple times a day...now I'm lucky if I can check it multiple times a week! However, I do have a lovely People magazine in my mailbox every Friday to look forward to.
3. I absolutely hate the sound/feeling/thought of crayons coloring on coloring book pages...it's a texture thing!!
4. I tuck the corner of my pillow under when I go to bed. I can't stand it being in my breathing space.
5. Grammatical errors drive me nuts...which leads me to be paranoid every time I write and send home letters to my kids' families.
6. I do my getting ready in the morning routine EXACTLY the same everyday...no matter if a weekday or weekend. I can't just sit around my house with wet hair or not use my velcro rollers for extra volume. Seriously.
7. I like to set my alarm clock for semi-random times...instead of a normal 5:45 or 6:00, I prefer 5:48 or 6:03. Don't ask me why.
8. I can only do back and forth texting for about 4 rounds...then I either call the person or give up and respond with a one word answer to signify my done-ness.
9. I can't read ahead in my People magazine. I have to read it from cover to cover. Although I save the crossword puzzle for last. Every time.
10. I like making lists of things just so I can cross off things once I've done them.

This is hard to do!! I thought it would be nice and easy; a good way to relax after my stupid test...wrong-o!

N.K.O.T.B.

O.M.G.

Where do I start??? Sunday night was one of the most magical nights of my life!! Margaret, Emily, Erin, Robyn, and I went to see New Kids on the Block in Dallas. Yes, we really did. And it was, to say the very least, amazing! Jordan, my favorite New Kid, looked just as beautiful as he did when I was little. My favorite part....when he was on the stage solo and had on a white button down shirt...then he ripped the shirt apart...and the wind machine started blowing...and he was singing...and I am pretty sure I was in Heaven for a few seconds. Oh, my!! Boy has been working out!

This whole concert attendance started several months ago when Margaret called to inform me that we needed to attend the concert in a sort of reunion. She and I went with her family when we were in 3rd grade. It was so much fun then. This time, however, the ticket price and the Sunday night schedule momentarily made me question the necessity of going. After a quick rethinking, I realized I must go and we even invited our people to go with us. Then I made a genius decision to go ahead and schedule a substitute for the Monday afterwards. Yahtzee!!

I think I'll just bullet the highlights of the concert...but needless to say, the whole 2 hours were amazing, wonderful, so fun, and crazy!!!!

• EVERY song had choreographed dance moves. Some were even from back in the day.
• Danny did some break dancing on his head (!) and then on one hand (!!)
• Jordan broke into surprise falsettos every now and then
• Girls were dressed in neon clothes, leg warmers, crimped hair, side ponytails, etc...
• This was the loudest event I have ever attended
• There were fireworks!!
• I think they changed clothes about 7 times
• Donnie was a great leader...he did most of the talking and was really great with the crowd
• This concert was NOT 3rd grader-friendly...there was quite a bit of crotch grabbing, mostly by Donnie...who I believe got in trouble for that 15 years ago
• Joey was BY FAR the most into the singing
• They seemed like best friends who were having such a good time together!!
• The men's restrooms had signs posted outside that said they were now women's restrooms...sorry for the 40 guys who got suckered into attending the concert

Joey got the loudest reaction every time

If you look closely, you can see that Joey is wearing the smiley face leather jacket he used to wear...also, the piano singing/dancing was really cool

15 years later!! :)

My love

The coolest concert-goers

This was SO much fun, I still can't get over it! Natasha Bedingfield opened and was pretty good, too.

Monday morning was sooooooo nice...I stayed at Suz's and we met the rest of the girls (minus MJ :( ) for breakfast at Dream Cafe. Egg white omelet with pesto, goat cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes, please! Then we went to Sam Moon. Is this what it's like to be a housewife and/or socialite? Because I could seriously get used to not having to go work and meeting friends for breakfast on a Monday and then going shopping...

what's on the menu

This recipe is courtesy of my good friend (although she doesn't know it yet) Giada from the Food Network. It is SO yummy and really easy, especially if you do all the chopping ahead of time. I highly recommend it!! (You can also make it a day ahead and reheat on the stove, throwing in the parsley and capers at the last minute.)

On a side note, my Asian meal from last week was NOT good, so I'm not posting it. Just say no to cooking tofu at home. And I made some cod cakes but they took forever to make, so I am hesitant to recommend them...although they were quite tasty.

Roman-style chicken

4 skinless chicken breast halves, with ribs
2 skinless chicken thighs, with bones
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the peppers and prosciutto and cook until the peppers have browned and the prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, and herbs. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Turn off heat and add the capers and the parsley. Stir to combine and serve.

*A few disclaimers:
1-I do not cook with anything on the bone, so I used 6 chicken breasts instead.
2-I left out the prosciutto; I'm sure it's delicious, but it is part of my meat issue group.
3-I think it calls for WAY too much olive oil. You could probably use half and be just fine.

crossfit

Thank you, Christopher Columbus, for doing something that hundreds of years later would give me a nice three day weekend. I know it sounds completely dorky, but I was SO excited to go the grocery store on a Monday instead of the usual Saturday or Sunday morning. It was so quiet and the shelves were completely stocked with everything I needed-except shallots and butternut squash. Luckily, I enjoy finding reasons to visit Central Market, so that's what I did afterwards. I was able to sleep in this morning, watch some morning TV shows I only get to watch in June and July, and workout in the middle of the day. Mazie, on the other hand, has not appreciated my extra day at home...instead she has been outside talking to and trying to catch a squirrel...and I'm not all that sure what she would do if she were able to actually get one. The closest she has come is about 2 feet-yikes!

Anyway, I finally gave in on Saturday and let Andrew prescribe for me a little Crossfit workout. He is basically in love/infatuated with/obsessed with Crossfit. He has new Crossfit friends. He tells everyone he knows about it. And he finds ways to work it into conversations that are completely irrelevant to the subject. The theory of the workouts is that basically you're going for speed, no matter what the workout actually is. So, in a way its almost as much of a mental workout as a physical one. I have been running short distances in addition to my walking for a couple of weeks, so this is what Andrew cooked up for me:

1 lap around the track (quick jog, but not sprinting)
10 push ups
20 crunches

Do this 5 times as quickly as possible.

It didn't look too bad on paper, although I knew otherwise. He has hooked Emily into the workouts so I have also heard about their difficulty from her. The first 3 rounds were not bad. When I started running the 4th lap, I grew concerned that I was the only one at the track, and therefore when I passed out, no one would find me for a while. I made it through and by the time you are on the 5th one, you know you're almost done. I did it all in 15:03...I have no gauge to know whether that is good or not...but I'll settle with the fact that I completed it and didn't collapse on the track. It took me a while to feel back to normal, however, and when I saw Andrew later that night I asked why he was trying to get rid of me via death by Crossfit.

I decided to use my free afternoon today to workout when I wanted to. The only part of me still sore from Saturday was my chest, so I decided to do the same workout but substitute 30 jumping jacks for the push ups. Today was so much better!! I don't feel like death. I also shaved 10 seconds off my time...I don't know if I ran a little faster or if the jumping jacks just took less time than the push ups. Either way, my heart rate returned to normal a lot quicker and I feel much better than the other day.

engagement party

We trekked over to Dallas on Saturday night for Suzanna and Jay's engagement party...valet parking at the house and all!! Her aunt and uncle hosted it, along with several other people. We had a BLAST!!! We rode over with Erin and Daniel, so the ride there was already fun. Then we walked in and one of the waiters handed us wine. Yes, please! There was delicious food from Central Market and somehow my wine glass was always full. :) We were definitely in the minority group as far as being the youngins, so we all stuck together. Some of Jay's good buddies from TCU were there too which was neat because I hadn't hung out with them in years. We all headed to the Stoneleigh P afterwards to continue the party. I am loving this busy Fall; I get to see all of my bff's and their significant others pretty much every weekend. We had so much fun with everyone!! Erin and me at the afterparty...picture taken via MJ's iphone

The soon-to-be bride and me

We got really picture-happy

He's pretty

a weekend of firsts

Friday was not technically a first; but it was Emily's birthday celebration in Dallas. And I guess it was first for me to eat at a tapas restaurant. We went to Cafe Madrid and it was yummy! This picture is so typical... :) Saturday was my first trip to Central Market with an almost 2 year old in tow...wow, do I have a new appreciation for moms and dads who do their grocery shopping with little people in the cart. I spent the afternoon with little Mason, who belongs to Emily and Eric Johnson. He was so good at the store, but he was so interested in touching and taking everything that he could get his hands on...particularly apples. Now, the main problem was not his interest in the produce...no, no...it was that the carts at Central Market have the kiddie seat up higher than other stores (or so it seemed), so I was nearly eye level with him which made steering the extra long cart even more interesting. I was constantly dodging other people, carts, and fruit displays. All in all, though, he was a pretty great shopping companion and enjoyed all the fruit samples. He even handed the checker my items to scan-too cute!

Today I went to my first Cowboys game with Andrew, Ben, and Mark. It was fun!! There's nothing like a good sporting even to bring out the classiest folks...aside from that, it was neat to be so close and see all the hardcore fans. I did not sample any of the stadium food (shocking, I know), but I did eat some faux Dippin' Dots that did not quite hit the spot I was hoping they would, but they were still good. I also spent a good amount of time looking for a Miss Jessica Simpson, but never saw her. What a fun weekend!

just a little venting

...because I couldn't reprimand the girl who frustrated me into needing to vent. So I went to Tom Thumb after school to get some pretty bell peppers; they were on sale 4 for $5 with your reward card. I planned to just run in and run out...not even use a bag from the check-out area. (I'm anti-plastic bags; plus I love my reusable ones from Target!) When I got to the express lane I was third in line. The girl checking out was gabbing on her cell phone, paying no attention to the apples falling out of her untied bag or to the cashier...this is probably my number one pet peeve as of late. I seriously can't stand it when people talk on their phones while checking out!! A-I think it's just plain rude to the checker. Really, really rude. B-The person on the phone is not paying attention to what they are doing, EVER, and therefore the line gets held up.

Back to my story. So this girl is STILL talking while the cashier is trying to tell her the total. Then, she hangs up, digs in her purse...and says, "Oh my gosh, my card is in my car. Just put my stuff to the side and I'll come back in." This would not have annoyed me as much had she not been on the phone...she would have noticed the missing card sooner and could have gone out her car sooner while her items were still being rung up. The nice checker lady says, "No, no, go get your card. I'll just wait." HELLO!! This is the express line and all I want to buy are 4 bell peppers. She calls for backup. Seriously! So backup comes. Being the kind citizen I am, I tell the lady in front of me, whose also been waiting on said chola, to go ahead to the newly opened express line. This chola finally gets back inside and pays.

And to top it all off, when I went out to my car she was across the lane putting her goods in her trunk. I get in my car, turn it on, check around me, and begin backing out. Guess who comes about 6 inches away from backing into my car?!?!

Those peppers better be tasty and crisp.

it's what's for dinner

My bff, Emily, had a genius idea to post a blog about her dinner recipes for the week. We like similar food and are always oogling over each other's lunches, so it comes natural that all of her meals sounded great to me! I don't cook quite as often as she does...mainly because I usually have only my mouth to feed, not anyone else's. I also like to cook things that I can eat off of for a couple of meals...I LOATHE packing my lunch, but since my only other option is cafeteria food, it must be done. Every night. So the more meals I can plan to eat again for lunch, the better...like dinner tonight:

lighter sesame chicken (serves 4)
3 T honey
2 T sesame seeds
2 T soy sauce
1 garlic clove finely chopped
2 large egg whites
1/4 C cornstarch
1.5 lb chicken breasts, cut into bite size chunks
2 T veg. oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced
coarse salt and ground pepper

1. Make sauce in small bowl:
-combine honey, soy sauce, garlic, and sesame seeds. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together cornstarch and egg whites (this gets really thick). Add chicken and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 T of oil. Add half the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown (6-8 min.). Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining oil and chicken.
4. Return all chicken to skillet, add reserved sauce and scallions, and toss to coat.

I steamed some broccoli and cooked some brown rice to go with it. Easy and good! And healthy, too. :)

On a side note, I am in love with Asian food, so I cook it quite often. I love the veggies, protein, and whole grains all in one bowl! Sorry if it's not your thing...my recipes probably won't be that exciting for you. And by you, I mean all 3 of you who actually read this.

weekends with friends

I'm lucky enough to still live nearby all my closest friends from college. We're spread around the metroplex, but we find all kinds of reasons to see each other regularly. Last weekend it was for the TCU/SMU game. Suzanna and Jay hosted a tailgating party of sorts beforehand at Suz's place. After spending some quality time on I30 (about 2 hours), Andrew, Daniel, Claire, and I arrived still in one piece, still friendly, but hungry! We all ended up staying at Suz's and sitting outside talking...it was much more fun than actually attending the game! Plus, we already knew what the outcome of the game would be. :)

(check out Suz's hand)

(You have no idea the fun those 3 girls had living in Colby all together)

(those are some special guys)

This weekend Robyn and Mitch had a "we're back" party at their house in Keller, which meant more time spent with my TCU peeps. I don't have pictures yet...but Emily's phone does! I had a really good time eating all of Robyn's baked goods and practicing lines with Emily. Oh, and of course discussing the cutlets.

Next weekend is Em's bday in Dallas, which means, yet again, I get to see and hang out with all my friends all at once.

Life is good this Fall! :)

my favorite

...pic (as of right now).
And my favorite to spend time with.

one month away from tonight!

The first time I saw them I was in 3rd grade and I went with Margaret and her family.

This time...well, I'm teaching 2nd grade and still going with Margaret...and 3 of our friends!

I can't wait!!

step by step

I have always been curious about how much I walk in one day while at work. Our hallway is sort of separated from the rest of the school, so we've got a bit of a trek wherever we go. Nevermind that I'm up walking around all day answering the same question 500 times and making sure all 22 of my loves follow directions on solo assignments. So, Emily let me borrow her pedometer for the next couple of weeks until I next see her. What a kind friend. She can been deceivingly nice sometimes... :). Anywho, I guessed that I probably walk about 1/2 of a mile at work each day. She and Margaret both thought that my guess was way low. Well folks, today I walked 5,691 steps and 2.11 miles while at work. I'm guessing those are approximations because I don't know that this trusty pedometer is 100% accurate. Nevertheless, I'm impressed with my little legs! Now I don't have to feel so guilty for not walking as often as I would like to, let alone for not seeing the inside of a gym anytime recent...or not so recent. I even took advantage of the PERFECT weather today and went for an hour walk this afternoon when I got home!

Also, do you agree with me that everyone-adults and little children are noticeably happier due to this unbelievable weather? Thanks Ike!

"my heart is beating so hard"

...is what one of my precious darlings said to me today after school. Why, you ask? Well, his dad got out of prison last night after being in for 5 years. He was riding in the car today to pick up his son. You would have thought Santa Claus, the Jonas Brothers, and Miley Cyrus were in the car; that's how excited he was...dancing, straining his eyes for the slightest view of his car in the driveway, telling me approximately 12 times (in about 10 minutes) that his dad was in the car. What's the point of me writing about this? Little darling "Mess" as I call him, is the poster child for resiliency.

He's the one who never looks at me or says something to me without first showing me his toothless grin-he's just that happy. He's the one who quarantined himself at the reading table on Monday because he didn't want to infect anyone with his cold germs. He's the one who said, "Miss Loranger, I think we need to share ideas." Me: "Um, what do you mean?" Mess: "I think we should move everything out of the way and all sit in a circle and share ideas." Of course. He's the one who I have renamed "Mess" because he is all over the place, all day, everyday, and he has completely captured my heart. He's also the child whose mom "left me at my grandma's one day 2 years ago...she just left and we haven't seen her since then...it's like she's dead or something." She doesn't know what she's missing. He's the kid whose dad has been in jail for who-knows-what for 5 years; so essentially all of little Mess's life. He has been living with aunt and uncle, grandma, sister, and cousin.

Yes, this is the child who tries hard on everything, the child who is so very academically successful, and who is by far the happiest kid in my room of 22. This is the child who I most look forward to seeing (all teachers have favorites, don't believe one who says they don't)...he has the most infectious spirit of almost anyone I've spent time with-adult or child.

Resiliency has never looked better. I've even got that shell he gave me at open house sitting on my desk to remind me.

the women and the men

(This could be Andrew or David...sorry Freddie, but I don't think it could be you!)

(Here's what we would like if we were Asian...and middle-aged)

(And here we are in real life...at Mere's bday)

This weekend has flown by, which is always slightly disappointing. It was a good one though! David and Meredeth invited us over for dinner with Emily and Freddie. David cooked a delicious dinner and we all brought wine. I think the Fort Worth recycling people will appreciate all the glass being recycled as a result of our Friday evening. After dinner...well, although I wasn't alive in the 1940's, I think it looked a little something like this: The girls stayed inside and talked/gossiped while the "men" went out on the porch to talk mortgage rates and smoke cigars. We had a great time with our little six-some!

How could I have forgotten to post this the first time: "What, in the hundred acre woods?"

-Meredeth in response to Opossum going on mission trips

diddies

Suzanna, her bling, and Jay came to join Andrew and me for a yummy sushi dinner last night. I really like those kids!! We went to Edohana and cleaned up every plate we were served....you can't not do that there. Then we headed to a new little bar on 7th that has a rooftop deck. FW is getting so Dallas-and I like it! Turns out that Jay and Andrew share the same nickname...one which I know Andrew secretly likes even though he pretends to not. We got to hear more wedding details!! Yay Boerne! I am really working my realty skills so that they will move to FW after the wedding. I've already driven Suz around to look at houses I want them to live in (because I can't live in them on my amazing teacher salary) and sent her email listings of houses on the market. Now if I can just get Emily over here, it will be like old times at TCU in the dorms/house/apartments except that now Suz will be living with a boy. :)

delight

You have no idea how badly I wish I could post some pictures of the precious kids I'm spending my days with!! I am loving every moment (except for approximately the first 20 or so this morning when I was mad at the world because I was awake so early). I have never had so many kids interested in learning! Shocking, I know. They ask when we're doing science experiments, projects, harder math...As a whole, they also have the happiest demeanor of all the classes I've taught (that would be 4 plus 6 days). But in all seriousness, there hasn't been one single bullying issue, very much tattling, or whining. They are happy together and happy in our room!! I'm sure it also helps that I have 11 boys and 11 girls as opposed to last year when I had a whooping 16 boys and 6 girls. Yes, I'm not sure how I survived either...but I know that year made me stronger. So, come visit us sometime...you'll leave happier than when you came and you'll have gotten more hugs than you've had in a long time, too. :)

sleeps

I feel like I should write something about the first few days of school for all of my blog fans. j/k. It has been a good first couple of days, but I am beat!!! I had class tonight at TCU and think I could fall asleep right now...without washing my face or brushing my teeth...yes, it's true. I'm that tired.

My kids-all 22 of them (had to ship my 23rd to another school)-are pretty swell. Of course there are a few that are taking longer to train, but they'll get there. They're like puppies who talk. We had the first "card" change today, which equals getting in trouble. She jumped/leaped gracefully from the top of her desk to the floor, what else was I supposed to do? Nevermind that I think I've said her name more than any other students' thus far...and ironic that she has the same name as a miss clarkyclark....Anyway, when I told her to change her card the entire class went "ohhhhhhhhh"simultaneously. This was the first card change of the year. Sure not to be the last. And I'd love to show you some pics of my new little friends, but as Deneise/Charlene pointed out, I could probably get in trouble for that.

My fellow 2nd grade teachers rock! You wish you worked in our hallway. We've already played a couple of pranks and we've planned a very important planning meeting after school with margaritas tomorrow. I'm so thankful to work with such fun, smart, and kind women...I'm even more thankful that two of them are my bff's.

So now I'm off to wash my face, brush teeth, and crash. I don't think Mazie is ready for bed, but she will have to entertain herself. I've even got my pb&j, fruit, and string cheese packed and ready for tomorrow. :)

'twas the night before school started

And here I am, my last true night of summer....sigh. :( I went and did a little back-to-school shopping this afternoon because I looked in my closet and didn't like any of my clothes. Apparently all of Fort Worth had the same idea, so I had lots of company while I shopped. Anyway, after fighting traffic-both on foot and in my car-and getting back, I tried on several first day outfits and made my selection...comfy shoes and all! I wish I were tired because I know I'm gonna curse that alarm in the morning, but I'm not sleepy yet. I do have my lunch all packed and ready in the fridge. Boy, did I NOT miss packing those every night this summer.

I am so very excited to be teaching with two of my best friends this year. Meredeth's next door and Emily is right across the hall. It's kind of like living in the dorms in college because we play pranks and run next door to ask questions, but instead of dorm furniture taking up space in the room we have 22 small children and their desks. I also adore the other three gals I'll be working with! They're the moms; we're the youngins. :) I have a good feeling about this year and all that it holds in store. Hopefully I'll still have this upbeat attitude tomorrow at 5:30 a.m...

excitement city!

My yittel sister, Claire, called me today (luckily I was on my lunch break and could answer my phone) to tell me that she got a job in Fort Worth today!!!! Yay!! She will be working for MHMR of Tarrant County...good luck with the crazies, you'll fit right in! :) This means, of course, that she'll be flashing a peace sign to Denton very shortly and moving here next month. She's heading over this Saturday so we can go find her a place to live-woowoo!! I will get to actually put my awesome real estate skills into practice. It is going to be so fun having her nearby and showing her all of the fun things Fort Worth has to offer...Yogi's, Joe T's, sneaking into Cats games at the very end to watch fireworks for free, Chimy's, SUPER Target. Yes, this will be fun. We haven't lived in the same city since I left SAtown for TCU. :)

On a different, yet very exciting note, we had open house tonight and school and I'm pretty sure that I have the cutest and sweetest class in the 2nd grade hallway. I have never had so many kids come in and hug a complete stranger who will be their teacher in 3 short days. I even got hugs from little siblings-booya! I met so many nice parents who seemed genuinely invested and interested in their child's education...what a breath of fresh air! And hello, I already have my two favorites. How does that happen so quickly, you ask? Well they brought me stuff, of course! And this "stuff" rocks-a precious little boy brought me a shell....from the beach...that he found this summer...and brought just for me. Love. A little girl made me a little key chain with yellow and clear beads. Wow, is it easy to buy my love! I left that school in such a good mood that I wanted to break out in song and dance. I didn't, don't worry. I know this is going to be a wonderful year and will hopefully cover up some of the not so fun memories of last year.

What a GREAT day!!!!!

zzzz's

So today was my first day back at work since I missed last Friday. Because of that, I just got to see my class list and begin labeling the 8000 things I need finished by the end of the week.

What's my least favorite letter to write, you ask?? Well, Z, of course. And I'd say that a good 1/3 to 1/2 of my 23 students have a Z in either their first or last name!!! What are the odds?!? Lucky me, I got to write my least favorite letter lots and lots of times today. Definitely the opposite of a snap.

I'm also exhausted from getting up before the sun this morning...I need to catch up on my zzzz's...just as soon as The Hills is over tonight! :)

a sweet coupon...and some fish oil

I printed off an email coupon from Central Market and took it with me this morning as I headed there a little before 10:00. You have to get there that early or it's not worth it to go. For me, anyway. You can't turn a corner or get down an aisle without wanting to pull your hair out and/or scream at someone. Early morning is much more relaxing. I can wander more around the store. Anyway, my coupon was for a FREE gallon of organic milk as well as saving $10 off a $50 purchase, $15 off a $75 purchase, or $20 off a $100 purchase. And while I could easily spend over $100 there, I try to practice self-control. I planned to spend just over $50 so that I would get the free milk, plus $50 worth of groceries for only $40! What a deal!! Well....I managed to qualify for the second level of the coupon...but I stocked up on some things I like to have around all the time such as diced tomatoes and got some new things to try, like quinoa.

I also decided that I would buy some fish oil supplements to contribute to my $50. I found some that were on sale, no less! I have been debating for a while about taking them. One of my professors swears by them. I know they help provide some good vitamins and whatnot and help coat your joints. Most importantly, though, taking fish oil has been linked to helping prevent Alzheimer's. Score! Both of my grandmothers suffered from the disease, so I figure I'm more or less doomed. To combat the chances, I eat as many blueberries as possible when they are in season (more research stats), do my People crosswords religiously, and use a deodorant without aluminum. Some days with that deodorant are better than others. I'm sort of nervous about taking these soft gels. What if they are disgusting?? The bottle recommends taking two a day. They're huge! And supposedly have no taste, but we'll see...I'm gonna try my first one tomorrow morning.

I also bought some ground flax seed. I am a big fan of Dr. Oz (you may have seen him on Oprah), and he swears by the stuff. Since he sold me on steel cut oats, which I consume about three times a week, I am expecting similar results. He recommends grinding your flax seeds so it's easier to digest, but since I found it already ground, I picked that up. You can eat it plain (um, probably not), or sprinkle it on cereal or yogurt or whatever really. If I baked, I could toss some into whatever I were baking. What does flax seed do, you ask? Well, lots! It is really good for your heart and has a significant amount of fiber per serving. It has omega-3 acids and some decent protein. All in 2 tablespoons! Again, I'll try this out tomorrow morning.

More on Dr. Oz. He is a surgeon, but is also super knowledgeable about whole-body/mind wellness. He has really great ideas about food consumption and how to get your meals to all be more or less "of the earth." Since I'm very interested in this, I enjoy listening to him and reading about him. Here's a link to his book I think I'll be getting soon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061473677/ref=s9subs_c2_14_img1-rfc_g1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0KGYREDXQQPWRSX841BT&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=278240301&pf_rd_i=507846.
Anyway, he's not about cutting things out all the time or counting or eating low/no fat junk. He's more about knowing how different food affects your body, what different foods provide as far as vitamins/minerals, energy, and how your body digests it all. He's into yoga and acupuncture, but I'm not really there. Yet. While I enjoy yoga when I get around to doing it, I lack major flexibility which can get frustrating (and yes, I know that if I actually did the yoga regularly, it would help) and dedication to doing it everyday. I think acupuncture is interesting and would definitely try it if I had a need. But right now my only ailments are a still swollen and itchy right hand and finger and some bruises on my knees and elbows thanks to climbing a rock.

it's the bee's knees

Let me begin by saying BlackBerry Farm=A.W.E.S.O.M.E. I can think of no other word to describe it. When we pulled up to the property, all you could see were trees, rolling green hills, and white picket fences. Then you pull into the front desk area and the magic really begins. Everyone that works there is so excited to see you, they have Hershey kisses with almonds in a bowl on the counter, and you get actual keys for your room, not plastic cards to swipe. And the rooms are not numbered like 245, 510...oh, no no. They are named. Mine was Lady Slipper. Most of the rest of Andrew's family's rooms were named after birds. And Andrew's, of course, was slightly creepy...Doll's Eye. We proceeded to laugh, chant that name, and make up stories about what would happen in the middle of the night to him the entire time. I also had chocolates with a little note on my pillow each night...I managed to find room in my stomach for those, too.

A gourmet chef selects the menus (yes, all 3 meals) for each day and then you get to pick whatever you want to eat. There were usually 3 courses plus dessert at lunch and dinner. What did Andrew do the last night? Well order two dinners, of course. Good thing he's so cute. It's like a cruise ship-all the food is included in the room occupancy. All the food is fresh from the farm and delicious. I tried all kinds of veggies I'd never had/heard of before: lemon cucumbers, tiny tomatoes that were smaller than grapes-and also the best tomatoes I've ever had, wreckfish and sturgeon (which, obviously, weren't quite from the farm). I always finished a meal thinking there was no way I'd be hungry for the next one, but surprise-I always was! I even had peanut butter cookies with chocolate milk-in a mason jar, no less, with lunch one day. We ate lunches on the picnic tables in the above picture. Dinner on two nights was in the "barn"...which, yes, was a red wooden structure but looked like a magazine inside-gorgeous. One night we had dinner in the garden which was complete with a fiddle player, a garden kitty, and all sorts of crops growing about 10 feet away.

I did attempt rock climbing, but in the end did not complete it because I'm too dang short and was a little scared. We drove up the mountain with our guide and repelled, which I enjoyed. I have only climbed fake rocks before, however, so climbing a rock that is leaning at less than a 90 degree angle was a bit intimidating. I couldn't hoist myself up for the last part to ring the imaginary bell, but I still had fun. We also rode bikes all around the property, played with the puppies in the barn and the barn kitty, got a little spa treatment (played with that kitty too), talked to some horses, roasted smores at the bonfire, put our life in Andrew's hands as he pretended he was actually part of MarioKart while driving the golf cart through the woods, and laughed and relaxed A LOT. I even fell asleep while at the pool and woke up to my own drool...that, my friends, is true relaxation.

The employees are awesome and are like genies in the sense that they grant whatever wish you have. You want dark chocolate Dove bars in your freezer instead of milk chocolate? Done. Bagel with breakfast? Done. Soymilk? Done. Firmer pillow? Ditto. Now, you're probably thinking those are fairly simple requests. The unusual part is that those above mentioned items were not available on the property so some minion had to go out and fetch them. Yes, it's true. None of those were my requests, mind you. My only request, which really just started out as a simple question, was when a helpful employee picked April and me up from the spa. I asked him where the dairy barn was and instead of telling me how to get there, he just took us. He pointed out the sweet herding dogs and told us their background story. Then he showed me the sheep and took me into the area where they are milked at 7:00 every morning. He explained the process to me and reminded me that I could come watch the next morning. Thanks, but no thanks. He then explained how after I saw the milking I could go see where they make the cheese with the milk. I would enjoy that, but never made it. Which means I must visit again. He even pointed out the little baby chicks and how cute they were when they jumped up on the bush branch to escape from me trying to pet them. Then he took us on a little path so we could see where the horse riding trails were through the hills/mountain. All we'd done was ask for a ride back to our rooms from the spa. It was probably the closest I'll ever feel to being a celebrity. None were there; I asked. But I did find out that Brad Paisley had been there recently. I can't leave my celebrity passion behind, even on vacation.

Minor anecdote I'll share only because of my love of physical humor: Andrew was pushing me on the swing (in the pic above) when we got there. It's on a pretty significant hill. I first had to ask him how to swing...it'd been so long since I had and I honestly forgot how to. My legs were going in the wrong direction at the wrong time. He is so patient. Then I thought I was close enough to the ground to jump off. Wrong. My legs buckled under me and I went rolling down the hill. Apparently I resembled Gumby.

Also, on the last night there I got a major bumble bee (we think) sting on one of my knuckles while walking into the barn. Definitely shed tears because I have never had that type of pain feeling before. My hand is still swollen from it...The sweet waitress brought me some ice and a sting relief packet. Someone else brought me a cocktail.

leaving on a jet plane

And arriving at a farm tomorrow afternoon. Well, not literally...we'll first arrive at the airport and then head to the farm. I'm SO excited for a vacation!! My summer flew by way too fast with taking 9 hours at TCU. We're headed to a farm/resort in Walland,Tennessee where the high is..........82 degrees!!!!!!! As you know, I'm not much of a wilderness girl. At all. But maybe that will change after this trip. There's a pool of course, but also rock climbing, hiking trails, cycling, lawn games, and all sorts of other outdoorsy-athletic-like things to do. Yes-I'm trying to imagine myself doing those things, too as I'm sure you are. We shall see! We get back Friday evening...if I decide not to accidentally stay. Oh, and also, I plan on looking just like that girl in the hammock. Bliss.