Carne Guisada

I told you it looked vastly different from the pic in this link! It was delish, though! A bit tough, so I'll have to simmer it a bit longer next time. I used fresh garlic instead of the powder -- about 5 or 6 cloves! And I used closer to a tablespoon of cumin instead of a teaspoon. And nearly a half a cup of [whole wheat] flour and 1 1/2 cups of water to make it more gravy-e (less water because as the meat cook a lot of broth accumulated in the pan). I cooked a family pack of stew meat, so I had closer to 2 3/4 pounds as opposed to only 2 pounds.

I served it up with refried beans (canned, of course!) and my special zucchini & squash side. Hmm...I'll have to post that recipe sometime. My brother, who hates squash with a passion, would eat it . . . if he HAD to eat squash, of course!

As I was eating I couldn't help but dream about homemade flour tortillas. Mmmm . . . I still haven't perfected that recipe yet . . . but I can't try until March, anyway. *sigh*



********************************
Ok, since I'm typing this post and watching the end of Lost, simultaneously, I just have to comment that I SO CALLED IT!!! I won't say what, in case someone's reading this who hasn't seen it yet, but halfway through the show I told my mom how it was strange how they kept just saying, "him," and not his name. So I said, "Ya know, it would be too obvious for him to be ______'s ____, so he must be ______'s ____." And I was right!

Thankful Thursdays!

1. February is passing quickly! (Which is actually both frightening and exciting, actually.)

2. Turns out I don't have jury duty next Wednesday . . . because it was yesterday! But thankfully, I was able to reschedule it. I'm doing it during Spring Break so I don't have to waste one of my paid days off waking up even earlier than I do already to get downtown by 8 a.m.

3. The carne guisada recipe I just found online! I tweaked it, of course, so it looks nothing like the pic in the link. Hopefully I'll post a pic once it's completely finished simmering . . .

4. My kids might not be the smartest/best educated students in Kinder at my school, but they're loved and they love me!

5. The beautiful tulips I got from the luncheon I attended Tuesday. They've been brightening up my classroom all week!

6. Attending the district's State of the Schools luncheon Tuesday. Seriously. It was good, and not just because I got to be away from the class for half the day!

7. The Skinny Mocha Latte my wonderful teacher's aide brought me today!

8. The amazing gift of forgiveness my parents instilled in me since I was a child.

9. Rediscovering childhood books and movies with the same wonderment as the first time.

10. Leaving work on time for two days in a row!

Incoherent thoughts that must escape

First, literature:

I love Anne of Green Gables. I forgot how much. I haven't seen it in well over a decade, so I was quite delighted when I went up to Waco and Bird and Brandi recently received it from Netflix. We started it Sat night and then I played the rest of it Sun after church. Even the kids seemed to get into it. I brought one of the books w/ me to work; not that I have ANY time to read. Just sit and day dream. Everyone rants and raves about Mr. Darcy while poor Gilbert Blythe is lost in the depths of literary memory. He's such a good guy, too!

Second, random:

Driving home last night I heard the author of Get Married on KSBJ. She was explaining how women, specifically, need to become proactive in their quest for marriage when they reach the "marrying age." Not to sit and wait for it to happen as we've done for years, but pray and seek out mentors to confide your desire in. To even look to older women/couples to make potential matches. Yeah, I'm not too sure how I feel about all that yet. It sounds a bit . . . desperate? But then again, I'm less than 3 years away from 30 and according to this lady my expiration date has been stamped and will soon draw near!

Finally, God speaks:

Powerful moment in church yesterday. During the sermon over Philippians 3 a man cried out and people started asking for a doctor. He had a seizure which triggered a heart problem. Everyone immediately started praying. Then the worship leader went up and led us in worship. I wept because I know I would want the same for my father. What better place for that to happen than a church where 1,000+ prayers will immediately go up on one's behalf and where the body of Christ will worship for you?

Then, I wept because just two nights before someone I know was sick in prison. Shaking with fever, lying on a concrete floor with only a thin blanket for warmth. Even the tinniest of medication was withheld. Some may say he got what he deserved for breaking the law and deceiving the people who love him. Some may say he deserves worse. But somehow, I don't think that's what Jesus would have said, or what He would have us say.

He who is forgiven much, loves much . . .

Then, I was angry. The people that should have been praying and worshiping on this prisoner's behalf were few and far between. When his sins were confessed there weren't 1,000+ there to pray and worship on his behalf. There weren't 100.

Then, I was assured.

The prayers of a righteous man avail much . . .

One is enough. And one is all you need in the darkest hours of life.

This is deeply disturbing . . .

Which Lost Character Are You?

Created by BuddyTV

This is the response I get from saying I'm faithful, I do well under stress, I hold a momentary grudge, I get along great with my family, I enjoy reading, I'd fight dirty, and I would make the best of things if I was stranded on a desert island???? What's up wit dat?! Maybe it's cause I said I'm a republican . . .

Out of the 4300+ people who have taken the quiz, I'm like 2% of them . . . yipee . . .



Ok, Brandi just took the quiz:

Which Lost Character Are You?

Created by BuddyTV

She was happy with her results, of course. She wasn't the one voted most likely to be a manipulative psycho!

I almost forgot!

It's Thankful Thursday! So here we go!

1. Valentine's Day love.

2. The tulips I got from dad. I just basically gave him a car and he bought me tulips. ;o)

3. MY NEW CAR!!! I hope to post pics soon. And write a post about how I need to change my driving philosophy and how I now have street cred w/ my new wheels.

4. This week flew by!

5. Not having to come up with a Black History Program performance for the end of the month. That drops the stress tremendously!

6. Having students and speeches picked out for the Speech Comp I've somehow found myself co-chairing even though I know NOTHING abt Speech Competitions. The fact that the comp is NEXT MONTH stresses me out, though.

7. Hearing about spring training's got me psyched for the start of baseball season.

8. Brand new season/episodes of Jericho & Lost. What more could a girl ask for??? And I must admit that I saw the first eppy of Big Brother but it kinda freaked me out so I don't know if we'll be watching, despite the lack of new prime time shows.

9. David Letterman. I don't watch him often, but when I do I'm amused.

10. I survived the day without even licking the icing off my fingers after dishing out cupcakes. Now that's a miracle!

11. Did I mention I HAVE A NEW CAR?!?!

Ain't it SAD?

Of course I couldn't let Single Awareness Day come and go with no mention of it. I was actually just browsing old posts from February of '05 and '06 and had to laugh at Tirzah and my old V-Day posts (is that grammatically correct?). Of course my fav will always be the SAD survival guide for single girls. It's great! And not that far-fetched, actually.

So I have a confession: I'm actually not a V-Day hater anymore. I don't know if I ever was. Maybe it's easier not to hate it since I'm out of college? Or maybe since I've been teaching my students fill that void with their flowers and cards and chocolates? Or maybe, just maybe, I'm actually content in my singleness??? I dunno.

Receiving gifts is definitely my top love language. Last year I raked in the gifts with my kids! Esp the flowers! Not so much this year. And that's after weeks of me telling my kids how much I love flowers and that's what I wanted for V-Day. I was quite bitter that the mom who works at a FLOWER SHOP bought me a memo cube.

I know, I know, I sound horribly selfish and ungrateful, don't I? Well, the truth is I am horribly selfish and ungrateful at times.

Anywho, I love my kids and I know they love me. They were so excited about the day and making cards for each other. We had a good day. And the best was when my Spanish kids came over to deliver cards they each made for me. One little boy, Alex, I've known since he was 3 and in his card he wrote, "Ms. Gayle, yuo are my favorite tichr." Awww!!! All the cards are cute and I hope to scan and post some. Eventually. Maybe.

Oh, I almost forgot! I did get a bouquet of a dozen red roses . . . torn from the page of an advert! HILARIOUS! And rather witty for the quiet LEP 5-year-old Ashley!

Sunday Cookin'

So this Sunday I tried out Jana's Turkey Meatloaf. I only tasted a bit and LOVE IT! I'm saving it for lunch tomorrow. The only variations I made in the recipe was I added half a diced green onion, used the whole egg, seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic, and I also substituted butter for the Smart Balance (only because the container was almost empty). I made Brussels Sprouts with Garlic to go along (trust me, they're much yummier than they sound!). Here a portion dished out in my Gladware:


Hmm . . . it does look a bit bland dished out like that, but believe me when I say it's DELISH and not as heavy as a traditional meatloaf.

I also made the usual, easy meal: chili. I have no recipe. I just throw it all together and it usually turns out great. This time I put only one type of bean and I added chopped zucchini. It's still rather meaty and spicy, though, and it tastes great!



I wanted to make chicken salad (a recipe I learned from an old college roommate) but I ran out of time. It's already 9:45 and I still have papers to grade. What the heck happened to this weekend?!

It should be a rather easy week, so hopefully I'll have time to make the chicken salad and chicken and black bean soup. Yay!

I must be getting old...

Have they lowered the minimum working age?

Obviously they must have.

Because I swear the kids bagging groceries and handing out baskets at HEB were well below the age of 16.

They must have been 13.

At the most.

Either that or I'm older than I thought.

Naw, it couldn't be that.

Maybe HEB just has some special privilege that allows them to hire child laborers.

Yeah, that must be it . . .

How Strange!

When I finally made my way downstairs to cook breakfast this morning I decided to whip up a batch of salsa. I pulled an onion from the pantry and coarsely cut it up with no problems. I added all the other ingredients and blended the baby up. It tasted soooo yummy over my eggs. However, as I sat holding the plate and eating in the living room I noticed my eyes starting to water. Then sting. Like when you chop up a particularly potent onion. Somehow, the onion didn't affect me when I peeled and chopped it. It didn't affect me when I added it to the blender and made the salsa. It didn't affect me until 30 minutes after it had been turned into salsa and then poured on my plate. How strange!

Thankful Thursdays!

1. God's Grace (I know that was #1 last week, but it's more true this week than it was last!)

2. ABC's Full Episode Player -- in the stress and chaos of this week I forgot - FORGOT - to record Lost!!!!

3. Amazing coworkers who are also dear friends.

4. The most low-stress Family Night EVER. And it was a complete success!

5. Mrs. Robinson's home-grown grapefruits. I just ate the last one. :o( However, I salvaged some seeds and am gonna try to plant them! Suggestions, anyone???

6. Getting to wear my pink Juicy sunglasses again since I have new contacts.

7. Time to finally car shop this weekend. I hope, I hope, I hope . . .

8. My niece, Abigail, turning FOUR. I don't even want to think about how old my nephews are!

9. The fact that February is passing far more quickly than January did.

10. The peeps over at King's Arms said they'll love for me to come over in August! But I still have a visa and other details to work out before I can say I'm going FOR SURE.

11. Romney pulled out of the presidential race! Not that that's something I'm necessarily thankful for. I just found out about it. And I'm completely shocked! So I just had to share . . .

"I am a dog."

Ok, I need to clarify something. Despite my whining and complaining, and despite my constant state of stress and exhaustion, I don't really hate my job. Sure, we have unrealistic expectations laid on our backs week after week. Yeah, we have to work our rears off to earn every single cent we're paid. And I might as well just stick a bed in the corner of my classroom 'cause it will save time (no commuting) and money (darn high-priced gas). So call me crazy when I say I actually like it. Maybe that's 'cause I know I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing.

It's the actual teaching I love. Seeing a child go from not recognizing one letter from another to writing their own sentences within five months. And that's no exaggeration!

Aris, one of my LEP students (Limited English Proficiency), barely knew any letters and sounds back in August. She's quiet and one of those that's easy to overlook in a class full of . . . challenges. But I worked with her as I could and had my aide work with her and, most importantly, her parents at home. She came every Saturday to tutorials and rarely missed school. I worried that still wasn't enough. I knew she got the letters and their sounds down a couple of months ago. And earlier in January she read a beginning reader book to me. That was amazing!

AND THEN, on Friday she brought her journal over to me. She didn't say anything, which is her style, and just pointed at what she had written. I asked her to read it to me. She said, "I. am. a. dog."

"Wow," I replied. "Did you write that?"

She emphatically nodded her head and I just smiled while thinking, Yeah right.

You see, LEP students don't usually write grammatically correct sentences. LEP students don't usually say grammatically correct sentences. Especially SIX YEAR OLD LEP students. Plus, Aris' sentence began with a capital letter, ended with a period, and contained spaces between real words. An unusual occurance for an English-language Kindergartener.

I was excited about Aris' progress but thought maybe it was a fluke. Then, while walking around this morning I saw what she was writing. Again she had the sentence, "I am a dog." Underneath it she wrote, "Ther is a str(star)." And under that she wrote, "I hav a dog." AMAZING!!!!! What's even more amazing is she even had some sentences written in Spanish!

Ok, I'm not sharing this because I think I'm an amazing teacher. Puh-leez! There is sooooooo much I don't know, and I feel like I'm winging it on a near daily basis! But I share this because I don't want to forget it. I want to remember that this is why I'm doing it; this is why I don't just chuck it and quit when the stress gets incredibly unbearable and lonely.

Unsatisfied

Last night I pulled out John Piper's Hunger for God from my bookshelf. It's been awhile since I've read it so I just thumbed through and scanned the passages I had underlined. One line is still burned in my mind:

GOD IS MOST GLORIFIED IN YOU WHEN YOU ARE MOST SATISFIED IN HIM.

Mercy, Lord! Forgive me for seeking satisfaction from other people, from the world and from STUFF. Thank You that Your mercies are new every morning! Thank You that I can seek satisfaction in You today, despite not turning to You yesterday.

That's a perfect label for how I've felt lately: unsatisfied. The contentedness that I so prided myself in having just a few months ago has seemed to have slipped away. I'm unsatisfied at work. I'm unsatisfied in my relationships. I'm unsatisfied with my inner self. I'm unsatisfied with what I have. Even that with which I have been blessed, I've taken for granted and become apathetic. Mercy, Lord!



Lamentations 3:21-26

21 Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."

25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;

26 it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.

So much to say

but the post I had been working on for the past hour was just deleted.

SO, I'll just post the verse I need to meditate on this week:

Psalm 27

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evil men advance against me
to devour my flesh,
when my enemies and my foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.

3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident.

4 One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.

5 For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.

6 Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the LORD.

7 Hear my voice when I call, O LORD;
be merciful to me and answer me.

8 My heart says of you, "Seek his face!"
Your face, LORD, I will seek.

9 Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
O God my Savior.

10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will receive me.

11 Teach me your way, O LORD;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.

12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing out violence.

13 I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

I'm with Rose!

I just finished watching the season premiere of Lost. So good!!! As usual, we only have bits and pieces of the answers we all crave. But after three seasons, we're all used to it.

I'm not too concerned about who the Oceanic Six are or what their big secret is (sure I want to know! but it can wait for now). The most significant thing for me was Rose's statement to her husband when the line was drawn: "I'm not going anywhere with that man!" Before that I was torn between Jack and John. It would be easy to go with John in honor of Charlie's sacrifice, but John's too much of a weirdo. Rose has been the one with the most keen discernment throughout the whole series, so if she sees it too, I'm with her! In fact, she felt such a strong conviction that she chose to remain in the group wanting to leave the island despite the fact that her cancer would return and she would soon die. Now that ought to mean something!

Thankful Thursdays!

1. God's grace.

2. This one's for you, J: Carl has a girlfriend and it's NOT ME!!!

3. God's provision! Yesterday I signed the paper stating how much money I will receive as an incentive pay from the school district for working with low-income, at-risk students . . . it's over two times of what I was hoping for!!! Praise the Lord!

4. LOST 2 hour season premiere TONIGHT!

5. The World Mandate main session teachings are available for download here.

6. Last night I heard my dad sign a contract for the sale of my childhood home. I'm thankful that the money made will help my parents pay off debt, but it's bittersweet. Granted, I probably haven't stepped foot in the house this decade, but still!

7. I ate the most delicious german chocolate cake left from my dad's birthday . . . made with an all natural sweetener and whole wheat flour. It's AMAZING!

8. Pistachios. I'm addicted to them now. It's a nice break from plain peanuts and mixed nuts. Thanks, Debs!

9. My new glasses and contacts. And my new optometrist -- he's the BEST optometrist I have EVER had! Seriously!

10. No more working weekends after this Saturday. YAY for having all my weekends back and sleeping on on Saturdays!!!!

11. After today, January will finally be over! I feared it would never end . . .

12. The sound of 5 year-olds learning to READ and knowing that I'M the one who taught them!

What's On My Mind Wednesdays

1.  Ok, I know it's technically still Tuesday, but in my mind it's already Wednesday!

2.  Somehow, in the craziness of my life I forgot - FORGOT - that Lost premieres Thursday!  The same day the school district's superintendent visits our school (yeah, my room is still a mess).  That's also the night I'm required to go to some board member celebration, which will probably be as exciting as it sounds (that's sarcasm, btw).  Praise the Lord for DVR.

3.  Speaking of forgetting, I left my computer charger at school. 

4.  I've been eating an obscenely large amounts of carbs lately.  But after next Wednesday I won't be eating anymore for forty long days.  Nevertheless, I still need to watch it!

5.  I've realized it's a gift I have, to be able to suck it up and work in stressful situations with people I don't really like.  Yes, I know I'm a Christian and should love everybody.  Blah blah blah!  You try working with people who suck the life out of you on an HOURLY basis!

6.  Hmm . . . it appears I may be in a crabby mood . . .

7.  Sadly, I have grown dependent on my MacBook automatic spell check feature.  So please excuse any typos and misspellings.

8.  I fear I may be in a time loop and am being forced to relive January 2008 for all eternity . . . This month JUST WON'T END!

9.  I'm tired.

10.  I may actually go to bed early tonight . . .

Yes

This is about the song, not the video. So just close your eyes and listen . . .

I'm stuffed!

I bought the ingredients to make this last week. Thankfully the italian sausage lasted uncooked until this evening!



It's my version of a restaurant quality pasta dish recipe Brandi has. Don't get me wrong, she'd happily give me the recipe; I just couldn't be bothered to call and transcribe it!

The main ingredients consist of italian sausage, mushrooms, onions, garlic, spinach and angel hair pasta. I basically threw it all together with some spices and I think it turned out rather close to the original. I'll have to get the real recipe one of these days and see how it compares.

Our family could DEFINITELY open a restaurant. Between Brandi and I we could cook or bake anything! And Bird will be the grill master. My dad and brother, Sha, will be the taste testers. Mom will keep the kitchen tidy, and the kids will bus the tables. Sounds like a plan to me!

New Glasses

I got new contacts too, but no use taking a pic w/ those on -- it's just me w/o glasses!

Sunday Cookin'

Every Sunday afternoon/evening I cook food for the upcoming week. Today I tried out two new recipes: Jana's Chicken Chili and my own invented Baked Ziti. Both turned out fabulous!

Here's the ziti:

I know it's not a pretty presentation, but it was a yummy dish! All I did was cook a box of ziti (I actually think it was penne; and I used whole wheat pasta), and mixed it with a container of ricotta, about 4 cups of mozzarella, an egg, and 2/3 of a can of spaghetti sauce. Then I dumped it in a 9x13 inch pan, poured the rest of the spaghetti sauce over top and sprinkled it with grated parmesan cheese. I baked it for about 30 min at 375.

I followed Jana's chili recipe rather closely. I don't use taco seasoning packets, so I just added my own usual spices -- salt, pepper, garlic, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and whatever else catches my fancy. I also added a diced fresh jalapeno. It probably could have used two. It was very tomato-y but still tasted great. Here's the final product:


I had hoped to make another invented past dish, but ran out of time. Maybe later in the week.

Anywho, just thought I'd share what's cookin.'

Why is it called "Cloverfield?"

Yesterday was Dad's birthday, so we celebrated with dinner out and a movie. I took him to see Cloverfield. All I knew about the movie was that some people loved it, some people hated it and it was a film about NY being destroyed. I had completely forgotten about the camera action/movement until we were watching the opening scene. Oops!

It was at that point I remember briefly reading that people suffered motion sickness because of the constant movement. I'm not one to get easily ill, but because we had just had a HUGE dinner and it was in my head that even some of my guy friends got sick, I was a bit worried. I did ok, actually. A bit queasy but not bad. However, the girl down the row from us had to be helped out of the theater by her boyfriend. She was practically in tears. And some other people left the theater halfway through the movie. We all did have headaches by the end, though.

I'd like to see it again so I can catch some of the things I missed while being distracted by the audience, the constant camera movement, the slightly sick feeling in the pit of my stomach and the dull ache in my head.

***SPOILER ALERT***SPOILER ALERT***
DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU!!!

I'm a sucker for a good story. The way J.J. Abrams and crew framed the story with Rob and Beth's day at Coney Island was brilliant. And Rob and his friends literally risking their lives to go back for Beth was heroic, and maybe would have had a greater emotional impact (on me) if it weren't for the distractions. Even though I was captivated by the story I didn't get very emotionally involved. The camcorder feel made it more real but at the same time caused me to distance myself from the character's struggles.

And the camcorder was like the little engine that could! It not only survived the initial attach, it survived being dropped numerous times (like when the parasite things attacked), it survived a helicopter crash, it survived Hud being half-eaten by the creature, it survived numerous bombings, AND it survived being buried under a bridge at the end. I need to find out what brand that sucker is and invest in one!

The thing I found least believable was not the probability of a giant monster attaching NY and playing ball with the Statue of Liberty's head. Nor was it that venom from the creature's parasites' bites causing one's torso to explode. It wasn't even that someone would adamantly run into uncertain danger to find the girl he loves (that was sweet, actually). What bothered me the most was that when they did find Beth, skewered by an iron rod, they pulled her free and she didn't bleed to death! Then, she proceeded to run with them through the streets of Manhattan like she wasn't half-dead just minutes before! I know adrenaline can make you do some crazy things, but still!

I read up on the movie online and there's speculation that the creature might have survived. That's possible, 'cause like the camcorder, it just wouldn't die! But since the camcorder was recovered from "the site formerly known as Central Park," then it must've moved on. Otherwise, how else would the camcorder have been found? That creature (and its parasites) seemed to be everywhere! There's no way someone could sneak into the attack zone and sift through rubble to recover a camcorder they didn't even know was there!

I also read that there might me a sequel. Not going the route that the creature is still alive, but the unfolding of events through another's eyes. That will be cool, actually. And next time I'll be more prepared -- no big dinners beforehand and anti-nausea medicine!

Thankful Thursdays!

1. It was only a 4 day week! Granted, it felt like the longest 4 days of my life, but still . . .

2. All testing and make-up testing is OVER. Praise the Lord!!!!

3. I love the Saviour King, Hillsong Live album I just bought over itunes. We did a few of the songs at Mandate and they're AMAZING!

4. The new episode of Chuck I'm watching!

5. My dad just signed a new customer and made managing director in less than 2 months of being in business! (you can email for details, if ya want)

6. Speaking of Dad, tomorrow is his 64th birthday. How did we all get so old???

7. Last weekend I received my package from England with my belated Christmas pressies -- an awesome bracelet and a new money purse, both from Accessorize. My favorite sweets too, Percy Pigs, but I can't eat too many of those.

8. I keep receiving unexpected money from work! There's more coming my way next week, but I have a HUGE hurdle to jump first.

9. I'm off work Saturday!

10. January is almost over. This has been the longest month, EVER! Does anyone else feel that way???

11. Debs and I had a blast together over the weekend! I hope we can do it again soon . . . either here in TX or over in England!

I just have to say

I'M SO BUMMED I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WERE TWO NEW EPISODES OF CHUCK TONIGHT!!!

Thankfully, I got home in time to watch the second episode, but I missed the first. So sad!

Turnip Soup

As I speak, there's a large pot of Jana's Hearty Minestrone simmering that contains an obscenely large amount of veggies, particularly turnips.

I'm worried. Sure it smells good, but it's a whole lotta soup with a whole lotta veggies. This is what the big pot looked like before I added the 6+ cups of chicken broth:



I love veggies, but still! However, it's received positive reviews, so I'll just have to wait and see. I'll let ya know how it turns out!

****************
Update:



It was yummy! Different from what I'm used to, but yummy, nonetheless. I'll definitely make it again. But not anytime soon 'cause there's TONS of leftovers!

Um. Wow.

30 hours into my weekend and that's all I can say.

Wow.

Debs and I are having a blast together and it's cool showing her around Waco and filling her in on Antioch.

World Mandate has been phenomenal so far, and Debs has patiently endured being dragged all around the building in search of people and being forced to stay for the final (and late - look of the time, for goodness sake!) bits of wild worship. Sorry, Debs!

It's been 8 years since I've attended my first WM. Unbelievable. I see so many familiar faces I forget I'm not in college anymore. Then I see the current college students and can't help but wonder at how young they've suddenly all become. But it's amazing to worship alongside them. And it's even more amazing to get prayed over and not have a million overwhelming issues brought up. I'm not saying I'm perfect, just more whole than I was 8 years ago. What a great thing!

The themes for the weekend, both corporate and personal, have been fire and the fatherless. Not necessarily the two together, though. And I would further explain but I'm thinking sleep is very much needed at the moment. So you'll just have to stay tuned . . .

Thankful Thursdays!

1. It's Thursday.

2. Tomorrow is Friday.

3. NO WORK MONDAY!

4. Debs is coming tonight!

5. That means dinner at Taqueria Del Sol!

6. World Mandate is TOMORROW! (it's not too late to come!)

7. That means I get to see lots of old friends from all over the world!

8. Only two days of testing left (and the make-up days).

9. Incentive pay from HISD coming my way.

10. God loves me even though I'm sometimes an insensitive brat.

It Breaks My Heart

I don't work in the nicest of neighborhoods. For those of you who know Houston, I work a few blocks southeast of Sharpstown - not an area you want to find yourself in alone at night. Southwest Houston is constantly in the news - people are shot, stabbed, robbed, etc. And my school is rather sizable, so every time I hear something on t.v. about the area I listen for the names of the streets and wonder if it affects any of the students I know.

Unfortunately, last week it did.

In the class I'm testing this week, there's a little boy, Jason, whose father was stabbed to death. Jason is such a sweet boy. He's very shy and quiet, even moreso now. His father was the one who brought him to school every morning and picked him up every afternoon. His father was the one who sat down and did homework with him, who encouraged him to learn, who helped him believe he could learn. His father was the one who paid for all the field trips and attended all the extra-curricular activities. Now his father is gone.

I don't claim to have known Jason's father personally, and I'm certain I couldn't point him out in a line up. But I'm still grieved that this family is left without their father, their rock. And the saddest thing is Jason is so young, it's possible he may not remember his father 15 years from now. And given the statistics, it's probable his life will take a drastically different direction now that his father was murdered.

So I pray that Jason and his two brothers keep their father's memory alive by pursuing their education like he wanted them to. And I pray that they find another Father who lavishes His love, acceptance, and encouragement upon them every single moment of their lives . . .

Day 2

We survived the first day, now on to the next! Today's tasks include word reading and recognition. Not all my students read, so I'm a bit nervous about that. We also have Family Night tonight, so that means an extra long day. Wahoo. I might get yelled at cause I don't expect many of my kids to show up and they are having difficulty learning the Star-Spangled Banner's complex words, but at this point I don't really care! Plus, many of the poor babies are sick (I am, as well). So I'm praying for grace to press on through the day without turning into the ugly person it's so easy to become in this place.

Say a little prayer for us!

In two minutes I have to head out the door to collect my kids. In a little over an hour they'll be starting their Stanford 10 exam, a national type of intelligence exam. Please pray for peace for both students and teachers. And patience. LOTS of patience. And that no one throws up on their test. That wouldn't be fun.

Thanks y'all!

Saturday Morning Funnies

So I'm at work. On a Saturday. Yipee.

But the funniest thing just happened. We did a short group writing. It was predominately girls speaking up, so here's what they had to say:

I have a dog.
Her name is Sophie.
She likes to play.
She plays with girls.
She does not like boys.

I thought it was cute, but didn't know how the 11 boys in the room felt about it.

One boy, Noel, just finished his story and brought it over for me to staple. He had the cutest dog drawn on the back cover -- it took up the whole page and it had an over-sized head. On the inside he changed the story up a bit:

I have a dog.
Her name is Sophie.
She likes to play.
She plays with boy.
She does not like girl.

How clever is he?! Then he drew a picture of a little boy and a dog with a frisbee in its mouth!

After I started typing this another student finished and brought me her book. She kept the story the same but decided to add captions to her illustrations. For the last sentence, "She does not like boys," she drew a little dog and a boy. The boy is asking the dog, "Can I play with you?" And the dog responds, "No." (But she actually spelled it n-o-w -- she's only 6, for crying out loud!)

Unfortunately, the two star students aren't my regular students. And quite frankly they're so smart, I don't really know why they're in Saturday Tutorials. Oh well. They gave me a laugh.

Thankful Thursdays!

How is it already Thursday???

I need to breakaway from my moaning to remember things I'm thankful for.

1. This song.

2. My new passport. It's so pretty!

3. World Mandate next week! (You should come!)

4. The old friends from all over the WORLD that will be attending World Mandate.

5. Running into old friends at a new church in a different city (does that make sense? Oh well, it does to me!).

6. Meeting Debs next week when she comes to stay with me and go to World Mandate!

7. The writers' strike: I have extra time to read and rest!

8. The students I have that actually fall asleep during rest time.

9. Good books.

10. My bed. I wish I was sleeping in it right now . . .

What a Wacky Week

I've been in a funky mood this week. I'm fed up with the ignorant people around me and I have no patience for them 'cause I've also been fighting a cold. Yeah, I was only back with my kiddos for two days before I felt my throat tightening up. Anywho, I was in a meeting yesterday and it was driving me crazy because people were asking some ridiculous questions. I was already annoyed that I had meetings scheduled every day this week except Friday, but I'll probably have to work late Friday because we start testing Monday and then have Family Night Tuesday night. But that meeting was rough. I kept remembering an old saying my previous director would tell me: "Common Sense ain't common." Ain't that the truth!

I'm ready for my stint at this job to be over. There are so many demands and they all happen at the same time. This week alone we had a major project to hand out, report cards due, a family night to plan and training for the national exam we administer next week. Friday we give out the report cards and the kids get out at 1 but we have to stay and work. Monday we start testing and I already mentioned Tuesday is a late night.

I almost feel bad 'cause I've basically checked out already. I don't talk much in meetings and I'm only doing what I need to do when I need to do it. I feel bad because I feel like I've left my friend Melissa out to dry. I'm usually the one always staying and working with her, helping her out. But this week, I don't really care. How horrible is that! But she does take too much on. She doesn't know how to say no and I can't live with myself if I left her to do everything alone. But this week I've been in my own little world. I think because I'm ready for a change. It probably doesn't help that I received my new passport in the mail. So yeah, I'm impatient for change.

What's funny is I'm not a big fan of change. But I know it's necessary. And this year, I NEED a change.

And I still have four months left! Aaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

Told ya so!

Here's the stack of books by my bed:



I'm bummed that I haven't been able to read since SATURDAY! My holidays spoiled me!

Add it to the stack!

My latest literary acquirements to add to the stack of books I fear I may never get read:



I'm halfway through Enna Burning and LOVE IT! Hale's first book from this 3-book series, The Goose Girl, was also phenomenal. It's based off of a two-page Brothers Grimm fairy tail. I actually also bought that book to send my friend, Kelley, in England.



























As a late birthday present I used a gift card to buy Hale's latest book, Book of a Thousand Days. It's another retold Brothers Grimm classic.













I did get a grown-up novel: The Kite Runner. I loved A Thousand Splendid Suns, even though I heard The Kite Runner is better, so I have high hopes for this one.












My final acquisition is The Tree: Wonder of the Natural World, pictured here in Spanish. I bought the English version, which I found in the bargain books section and only paid $8! It contains beautiful pictures that I would love to paint. Someday, I hope.




I LOVE BOOKS!!!

Tonight's Dish

Easy Fried Rice



This recipe is a variation of one I found at All Recipes. It's hard for me to write up a recipe since I throw things together and season as I see fit, never measuring. But I'll give it a try!

INGREDIENTS
* 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
* 2 T vegetable oil
* 2 T soy sauce
* 3 green onions and tops, chopped
* 1 carrot, julienned (I left this out)
* 1/2-1 cup frozen peas or snap peas
* 1/2-1 cup fresh cut string beans (I usually boil these a bit first)
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 4 cups cold cooked rice (I used brown rice)
* 3 tablespoons Teriyaki Sauce (I used an organic one w/ garlic & ginger)
* Salt, pepper and garlic to taste.

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut chicken into thin strips.
2. Heat oil in hot wok or large skillet over high heat. Add chicken, green onions , carrot (again, I didn't do carrot), and soy sauce. Stir-fry 3 minutes, or until chicken is nearly cooked. (I always add seasonings in this step and may had more later, after the rice has been added to the meat.)
3. Add veggies (I use peas and/or string beans). Cook 3-5 minutes more.
4. Add eggs; cook, stirring gently, until firm. Stir in rice and cook until heated through.
5. Add teriyaki sauce; remove pan from heat. Stir mixture until well mixed. Serve immediately.

I know it's not true fried rice, but it's still yummy. Hope you enjoy!

New Look!

Yes, it's true, I decided to change things up a bit here. Okay, maybe A LOT since I even changed the blog's name and all. I kept the addy the same cause I didn't want to change it and suddenly nobody's able to link over (Perhaps Bird, you can help me work that out?) I got bored with the old and impatiently wanted a fresh start, however I didn't want to lose all my old posts. Anywho, so far so good. What do u think???

Hello, 2008!

Around here we were all very mature and grown-up while ringing in the New Year.
First we played Monopoly with the Speed Die.
Then we set off firecrackers and let the kiddos run around with fire (sparklers, actually).
Later we played Hide-N-Go Seek outside in the dark w/ walkie-talkies and no flashlights. The fireworks lighting up the sky added to the spooky ambiance. My brother hiding in the shadows and on top of the roof was rather freaky.
By the time Midnight came around we were all tired and the sounds of fireworks going off woke up my niece and freaked her out. So it wasn't a very climatic countdown. But we enjoyed the light show outside, nevertheless.

May God bless you and keep you in this New Year!

It's a Double Feature!

I made this for dinner.



Mexican [Brown] Rice with Chili, topped w/ shredded cheese. Dang, I'm good!

The Best Think About A Turkey Dinner

Left-Over Turkey, Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup:




It's soooooooooo delish!!! Even my brother didn't have anything negative to say about it!

Recipe courtesy of Kalyn's Kitchen.

Oh, and I had meant to post a pic the other night of our finished dinner -- turkey, dressing, homemade gravy, brussels sprouts, and sweet potato casserole -- but we got busy eating it! Maybe next time . . .

Look what Brandi & I are cooking up!

Why? Just 'cause!

I don't typically do book reviews

My dear friend, Elaine, gave me A Thousand Splendid Suns on Christmas Eve. It's the new book by Khaled Hosseini, the author of The Kite Runner, which I haven't read 'cause I've been a real slacker in keeping up with literature. Anywho, I finished the book yesterday. It was such a moving and eye-opening novel.

Even though I've traveled to the region, I've learned I don't know much about Central Asian culture and religion or the wars that have ravaged that region for generations. This book is set specifically in Afghanistan. I have friends who have traveled there; I know people who are laboring there, even now. I get their weekly or monthly emails and newsletters. But it's so different experiencing the culture from a native's perspective; hearing about what they've had to shoulder over the years.

This book broke down stereotypes that, despite my first-hand cultural knowledge and experience, I didn't realize was there. Reading of the horrors these women endured broke my heart. True, they're fictional characters, but their story is so true. There are people my age who lived through the communist take-over, then their defeat. They celebrated when they witnessed their invaders leaving their home, but then they were heart-broken when the sectarian fighting erupted, pinning them once again in the middle of war. They froze in fear at the sound of rockets and bullets exploding overhead. They lost homes, loved-ones, and the familiarity of their communities. Then the joy of the Taliban crushing the warlords was short-lived, as we all now know. All of this within the past three decades, within my lifetime, and I never fully understood it or knew of it.

A Thousand Splendid Suns has a happy ending; a hopeful ending. And I sure am a sucker for a good story with a happy ending, even though I know life doesn't always turn out that way. But it's not the typical Hollywood happy ending. It may seem like it is at first glance -- people struggling and in pain, enduring one thing after another, hope is in the horizon and then it's crushed again and again, until it finally does come and stays. That's exactly what happens, but what makes it different is it's REAL. These are real people, a real nation, who have been torn apart by war. Yet hope is still alive, as long as they are still alive, despite all the devastation over the years.

I forget how lucky we are here in America, or The West, if you will. It's easy to get pulled into the mundane, everyday life. And it's not bad that our lives here are vastly different from someone's on the other side of the world. It's easy for me to feel guilty, to think there's something I need to be doing. I suppose the best thing I can do, what we all can do, is to remember. And pray. And give thanks for what we have.

It would have been 61 years today

We miss you, Grandpa!

Santa's Elves have joined the writers

We have a pile of boxes by the door that grows a little bit each day. The only problem: none of them are wrapped! Hmm . . . the elves must be on strike. But at least I have loads of time on my hands since the writers' strike has taken all my favorite shows away. *sigh*




Anywho, I'm being called to go play Pictionary w/ the fam. I'm the only one who can draw, apparently.

No rest for the weary

I cannot believe it's almost 2008. I'm ready to put this year behind me, but there are a few things I must do before the next two weeks are over. So here is my Christmas holiday to do list:

1. CLEAN MY ROOM! That is on my list every single break, but it somehow never gets done to the extent that I need it to get done. I'm such a slacker!

2. Mail packages/letters to the UK. Things have been piling up for over a month now and it's high-time to box them up and send them off!

3. Check-in on friends and family I haven't had time to catch up with in weeks.

4. Read one or more of the many books I have lying around. I keep collecting them but don't read them. *sigh* To be in college again and have hours and hours to read, paint, and drink coffee. I'm really excited about one book a friend gave me for Christmas. There's a small problem, though -- it's in SPANISH. She thinks it will help me learn; I'm sure she's right, but still! I avoided taking a third year of Spanish in high school 'cause I didn't want to have to read novels. The crazy thing is I'm kinda up for the challenge. I'll let ya know how it goes.

5. Finish Christmas shopping. That's actually something that needs to get done in the next couple of days. Most of it is done but there are a few key gifts missing.

6. Average grades and complete Report Cards. I know, I know, it's my holiday, but I don't want to have to worry about it when we get back in January. A week after the kids return they start testing and the stress will kick into high gear.

Hmm . . . I know there's more but it eludes me at the moment. I'm thankful to have a few extra days to rest. Originally we were supposed to work today and return Jan 2, but we ended up having today off and don't return until Jan 4. Praise the Lord for that!

I'll leave you with a pic of my cool new ring my friend Blest custom made for me. I guess it's not all that new since I've already had it a month, but I'm still very exciting about it!

I survived!

Words cannot express the joy I feel in having this week over with! I'll post more later but I just wanted to let you all know I survived our Winter Program, our crazed director/principal, our classroom party madness this morning, and our company Christmas party tonight. The latter explains why I'm still awake at such a ghastly hour, but it was a nice end to a stressful week -- eating, dancing and laughing with friends; sitting outside in the middle of downtown Houston with not a care in the world (don't worry, I wasn't alone); and just taking time to enjoy life. Not to mention, being out on a SCHOOL NIGHT!
Thank you, Jesus, for carrying me through, not only this crazy week, but this difficult year . . .

Mission Accomplished!

Typing works out the cramp in my hand after squeezing bottles of glitter glue for over an hour. Here's a snapshot of my final product (from my MacBook camera, of course, so a mirror image yet again!):



Even though all 22 stockings are not pictured, they're all drying, ready to be stuffed. I really hope the Dollar Tree glitter glue dries and stays on until Thursday. I decorated the first stocking an hour and a half ago and it's still a bit gummy. I may be crying this time tomorrow, if not. Seriously. I'm barely able to keep my emotions in check these days.

Anywho, I had to dig around in our Harry Potter closet to find the stocking stuffers. Thanks to the Marines' Toys for Tots, all my kids get an awesome book. I also stocked up on pencils and erasers for them.




Once it's divided up, I know it won't look like much but they'll love it, nonetheless. I wish I could do more, though.

"I wish I could do more." Hmm . . . that's probably been the theme for the year, if not my LIFE, but that'll just lead to an emotional vomit post that prob doesn't need to exist. Perhaps I should refrain from posting until the stress has passed . . .

Note to Self

Remember to breathe.

And eat.

And sleep.

Don't forget the words to "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" tomorrow night.

Don't forget the steps you made up and taught.

Don't fuss at the kids for responding to chaos with chaos.

Stop procrastinating and GET TO WORK!

Ten years later

I can't believe it's been nearly ten years since I got my very first passport. For a year now I've been putting off renewing it, but the time is finally here. So with much anticipation and a bit of trepidation I've finally started the process of moving overseas next year. So here's step one:



Once it arrives I'll contact King's Arms and then work on obtaining a visa.

Scary!

What's even scarier is how quickly ten years passes. I think I read somewhere I'll get my old passport back, but I had to take a few snapshots just in case.

Here's the first page with stamps from France and South Korea:



This is the visa for my entry into China back in '99:



And here's my way cool visa into Uzbekistan in '01:



There are also many entry and exit stamps from the UK which aren't as cool as the previous two, so I won't bother with posting a pic. But once I get my visa, rest assured that I'll be posting a pic of that one!

Wow, what a decade I've had!

It's 1 p.m.

and I've just realized I never took my thermos out of my bag, yet alone opened and poured it's contents. No wonder my head hurts -- I haven't had my coffee today!!!

And I make a ROCKIN' holiday coffee! I add enough Hazelnut creamer to make it about a shade darker than me (which is a lot of creamer, btw). But it's usually not sweet enough for my tastes so I add about 4-5 scoops of Stevia (which is super concentrated, so a scoop is really about an eighth of a teaspoon; and it's in my Starbucks thermos, not a mug). Then I add about a cap full of peppermint extract and a few dashes of fresh ground cinnamon. MMMmmmmmmm . . .

Too bad the weather is still not cold enough to feel like late fall/early winter, so I can't fully enjoy it.

Anywho, my thermos is the best $25 I've ever spent. Nearly 7 hours later my coffee is STILL hot!

It's sounds so simple . . .

I'm being stalked by Chuck Norris

Or so it seems. I keep hearing about him EVERYWHERE. It's quite spooky. This is my latest run-in:

Quote of the Week

Sure, it's only Monday, but this is a great one!


During carpet time my ESL student, Alex, said his mom has a boyfriend. I said, "But your mom is married to your dad, right?"

He thinks about it and says, "Yeah, she has a husband. What about you?"

"No, I don't have a husband. Or a boyfriend."

"Do you have a house?"

"Yes."

"Do you have a car?"

"Yes."

"Do you have a tree?"

"Yes."

"Do you have a t.v.?"

"Yes."

"Entonces,* you have a family!"

:D :D :D





*Entonces is Spanish for "then."

Quote of the Week: Sushi Night Edition

"You should try this. It's good. It tastes like plastic."

From the mouth of babes . . .

Thankful

"Thanks, Ms. Gayle!"

"For what?"

Looking at me incredulously, "For everything!"

Quote of the Week: Thanksgiving Edition

Even though this has nothing to do w/ Turkey Day, it's funny nonetheless!



Upon me coming downstairs to join my family Friday morning as my brother, David, prepared to leave for Waco for a wedding.

Nathan, age 8: "Aunt Debbie! Uncle Sha is going to Waco to get married! He's going to pick a wife!"

Then Daniel, age 6, had to join in: "Are you going to get married when you're 30?"

Nathan: "When you turn 30 you're going to pick a husband."


HA!

Question: How many onions will it take to fully charge my ipod?

'Cause if it's more than three I need to go stock up at Sam's before my card expires next month . . .

What are you thankful for?

"Is that a bowl?"

Smiling, "Yeah..."

"You're thankful for a bowl???"

"Yeah. 'Cause it holds my cereal and keeps it from going all over the table!"

Hmmm . . . I guess she has a point and the right to be thankful for whatever she wants!

101 Things About Me

Why? Just 'cause.

1. I don't know how to ride a bike.
2. Or how to roller skate/roller blade/ice skate
3. I think I was traumatized as a child.
4. Or it's that I naturally don't like things that could potentially cause harm.
5. I don't mind driving (read: sitting) in traffic.
6. I live w/ my parents.
7. Well, technically, they live w/ me, according to the name on the deed.
8. I actually like it; we have fun together.
9. I try not to shop often because I tend to be a compulsive shopper.
10. Especially for shoes.
11. And accessories (bags, scarves, jewelry).
12. So I get home and then usually regret what I bought.
13. But I usually keep it anyway.
14. I'm a loyal friend.
15. But will be the first to admit that I can be flaky.
16. I can't name just one best friend.
17. I have at least half a dozen.
18. I've never been in a "real" relationship.
19. And I'm thankful not to have all the baggage that comes along w/ them.
20. I thought I would be married by the time I was 25.
21. Now I'm 27 and STILL not married.
22. And I'm ok w/ that most days.
23. Marriage scares me, anyway.
24. Or any type of commitment, for that matter.
25. I have an insatiable wanderlust.
26. If I'm on an airplane headed somewhere I know I will be for the next 2 months, I'm already sad that I'll be leaving.
27. I want to live overseas.
28. But Texas will always be home.
29. I want to go to grad school eventually.
30. But can't decide if I want to study Social Work, English Lit, or Education.
31. I love drawing and painting.
32. And am pretty darn good at it.
33. I was an Art minor.
34. I haven't painted or sculpted anything in over 3 years.
35. I miss working in a studio.
36. So art is another thing I will go back to college for.
37. I think, at the moment, I earn more money than anyone else in my family.
38. I'm thankful to have a job that allows me to pay off debt and help support the household.
39. And you'd probably think I'm crazy for wanting to walk away from it to go volunteer overseas in the near future.
40. I think I'm crazy for wanting to walk away from it to go volunteer overseas in the near future.
41. But if He says go, I have to go.
42. But I'm worried I may have missed it.
43. I'm looking into buying a new car.
44. More for my parents after I'm gone than for me now.
45. But I feel a bit guilty about it.
46. Even though we need a dependable car.
47. It's been a tough year.
48. When I heard God say it would be a year of change, I expected that to mean finally living in England.
49. I didn't expect that to mean losing both of my grandfathers w/in a month of each other.
50. Or being given more responsibilities at work that add on major stress.
51. Or a dozen other changes that I wasn't expecting.
52. So I'm a bit relieved this year is almost over.
53. I can't believe this year is almost over!
54. Time passes faster the older I get.
55. I don't think that's fair.
56. I'm a pack rat.
57. But I always end up using what I keep.
58. It's uncanny.
59. I usually never use the word "uncanny."
60. But it's a cool word.
61. I went through all of last school year never being absent because I was sick.
62. Which is ironic because when I was in school I did everything I could to miss school.
63. But this year I've already missed 4 days.
64. I feel like I've been sick since school started in August.
65. Did I mention I'm a Kindergarten teacher?
66. It's fun.
67. I just hate that they have to take a standardized test in January.
68. I'm actually quite worried about it.
69. I haven't taught them everything I need to teach them.
70. I'd love to be an English teacher.
71. But I'm not delusional.
72. I'm quite aware teenagers will probably not enjoy reading and explicating literature as much as I do.
73. Besides, I don't think I can work w/ teenagers.
74. I wouldn't know how to relate to them.
75. The little ones are more for me.
76. So I have mad respect for people who can work w/ teens.
77. God bless them!
78. I'm addicted to chapstick.
79. Actually, Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm, to be exact.
80. I can't leave home w/o it.
81. And lip gloss.
82. So makeup will be another thing I compulsively buy.
83. Even though I don't always wear it.
84. Or wear a lot of it.
85. I like watching football.
86. I've only played a couple times in my life.
87. With friends in college.
88. My brothers and uncles wouldn't let me play w/ them when we were little.
89. But I'm not bitter.
90. I think I like baseball more though.
91. At least I like going to baseball games.
92. I've never been to a pro football game.
93. That's on my "Things To Do Before I Die" list.
94. I've crossed things off that list already.
95. Like see U2 in concert and go on a blind date.
96. But there's still a lot on there.
97. However, it's all mental.
98. I have yet to write it out.
99. I shall have to do that over Christmas break.
100. I still have a lot to say.
101. But I'll stop at 101.

Quote of the Week

". . . elephant alcohol abuse is just a symptom of a real problem . . ."

Yeah, they're talking about real elephants drinking real alcohol . . .

stress sucks!

it gives you migraines.

makes you irritable.

and impatient.

causes you to sleep restlessly.

makes you want to eat everything in sight.

gives you a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach.

turns you into a horrible person.

makes it hard to be a gracious, loving christian.

i'm fighting the urge to punch a couple people in the face. seriously. but i somehow think that's something Jesus wouldn't do.

*sigh*

This is cute,

even if you don't know the language.





And as soon as I find out what El Tao means, I'll let ya know!

I confess!

I'm an internet stalker. It started off innocent enough. Just meandering through the blogosphere/facebook/myspace and checking out my friends pages. Then someone (a friend, a family member, an old college roommate) leaves them a comment and I think, "I wonder who that is..." Next thing I know I'm clicking over to their profile. Sometimes the privacy settings are activated, sometimes they're not. And I look at their page, their comments, their pics. I find it so interesting, getting this glimpse into someone's life that I wouldn't otherwise experience. It's like a reality show played out through the internet, and we all know how addicting reality shows can be!

If I were a bolder person, I would leave comments; befriend these new, interesting people. Just imagine what would be, if only . . .

Ok, am I scaring you yet? 'Cause I'm scaring myself!

I remember talking to a friend a few months ago who shares my secret addiction. When I told her about who I was internet stalking I believe her response was, "Just let me know if you need any help. I'm a professional stalker! I've stalked everyone from professional baseball players to weathermen to restaurant owners." How funny is that?! And she's one of the shyest people I know! But I was so glad to hear I'm alone in my obsession.

Ok, just had to share, 'cause I caught myself doing it again . . .

Quote of the Day

"Ms. Gayle, my brain is not thinking! It's crazy!!!"
-Gilbert, age 5

Golabki: The End Result

I placed three on the plate and cut the biggest one open so you can see the inside.

I thought it was a bit bland, but then again I haven't been able to taste anything for nearly a week now. Mom and Dad* loved it and said it was perfectly seasoned. So, there you go.

Now, I would post the recipe, but I'd have to cook it again and figure out how much of what I used. I usually don't think about it when I cook. I just throw things together and hope it turns out ok. That's why most everything I make always tastes amazing, but not exactly like its predecessor (like my salsa, for example). Oh well.













*And Dad will be the first one to say something tastes horrible. In fact, he was rather skeptical during the cooking process. More than once he walked over to the stove and detestably stirred the sauce.

Cooking Experiment: Golabki

Ever since I got back from Bedford I've been wanting to try to make my friend Justyna's polish dish golabki -- cabbage wrapped meatballs (meatballs that have rice mixed in...mmm...). Well, I finally had the time, energy, and ingredients to give it a go tonight!

Here are two snapshots of the prep process:





Justyna puts the cabbage rolls in a double steamer, but since I don't have one I opted to bake them. I also put about 1/3 of the sauce over the top 'cause I was worried they would dry out in the oven. I searched the internet and my product is a combination of what I remember from Justyna and two of the recipes I found online. If it weren't for the 6 hour time difference, I would just call her and forget the internet search results. Oh well.

It's in the oven now, so I'll let you know how it turns out . . . after it finishes cooking for 90 freaking minutes!

This one's for you, Brandi

I found this recipe on the back of my package of Farmland All Natural Uncured Bacon. It's kinda like a quiche minus the crust, like you were talking about on OWOA. I made it this evening and we tore it up! So yummy!!! My alterations are italicized.


Mediterranean Frittata

6 slices of Bacon, cut into 1 1/2 inches
6 large eggs
1/4 t minced garlic (I pressed 2 cloves instead; I love garlic)
1/2 C (2 oz.) crumbled feta cheese with sundried tomatoes and basil (mine was minus the tomatoes and basil)
4 C (about 5 oz.) fresh spinach (I used half a box of frozen spinach)
1/2 C chopped fresh mushrooms
2 T finely chopped red onions

1. Place oven rack in center of oven; heat broiler. Cook bacon in 10-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until done but not crisp. Remove bacon from skillet and drain on paper towels.

2. Whisk together eggs and garlic; stir in cheese. Set aside. (I added some salt and pepper in this step)

3. Stir-fry spinach, mushrooms and onion in bacon grease remaining in skillet over medium heat until spinach wilts (again, I added a bit of salt). Stir in bacon, egg and cheese mixture until evenly combined. Cook until eggs are done on the bottom.

4. Place skillet on center rack in oven. Broil until eggs are set and just begin to brown around the edges of pan, about 3 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.



Here's what it looked like when I took it out of the oven:



Notice the serano peppers I'm sauteing in the background for some homemade salsa. Mmmm . . . that turned out really nice as well.

I topped a slice of the frittata with some cheddar cheese and salsa, giving it a latin twist.



I'm TOTALLY making this recipe again and it's so easy to add different things to get different flavors. Hope you enjoy!

Thankful Thursdays!

1. Only two more days and I get to sleep an extra hour!

2. All the kiddos are resting/sleeping off the sugar high.

3. My diabetic dad is finally giving up carbs and sugar.

4. Thanksgiving (and FIVE DAYS IN A ROW off from work!) is only three weeks away!!!

5. My student, Abel, doesn't pooh on himself anymore!!!!!

6. I'm eating my leftover Mexican-flavored mangoes! (mangoes soaked in lime juice and a type of chili powder)

7. I'm making a sugar-free cheesecake tonight -- just 'cause!

8. I can't finish my mangoes, so I'll have some leftover for tomorrow, too!

9. Tomorrow's FRIDAY!!!!!

10. It's FALL!