Christmas Memories 2012

Christmas is over?  What!

Today I actually took down our Christmas tree (it's a live one and was getting pretty dry) and put away all the gifts we were given.  So, as I'm sitting here on the coach, our living room looks a bit bare.

But as I reflect back upon the past few days, I'm filled with great memories of time spent with my family.  I hope that this Christmas season was joyous for you and yours too.

My first time making an advent wreath--so fun and will now become a Christmas tradition

Christmas Morning Tradition: Porridge with craisins, grapefruit, scones (yum!)

This was our evening spread--after a day filled with games and laughter, I knew the family would need a snack.  We asked each guest to bring either a favorite cheese or a mustard to share.  We ended up having a HUGE platter of goodies!

Thankfulness Project Finale

This weekend ends my Thankfulness Challenge 2012.  I sure do have a ton in which to be grateful for on a daily basis but this weekend really made me think about how fortunate I am.  JD and I started the long weekend by heading down to Chicago to go to their Thanksgiving Day Parade.  We also were able to eat our Thanksgiving meal at Wave, JD's favorite restaurant (beside Steak n' Shake). 

JD and I started the tradition of going down to Chicago for Turkey Day a couple of years ago and I so love it.  We spend Wednesday evening window shopping and drinking Argo tea and Thursday we go to the parade, brose the stands at the Christkindlmarket, and eat yummy food.  Plus, we get to spend some quality time together--which rarely  happens.

At the Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade.  It was the PERFECT day to be outside in Chicago--highs were in the 50s!

My boot (at the Christkindlmarket)!

On the wagon ride out to get our tree.  Note our horses, "Jack" and "Frost" behind me. 

On Friday we cut down our Christmas tree and decorated the house.  It was sooooo cold on Friday that we ended up cutting down the first tree we saw!  Luckily the tree is PERFECT and I am loving it!

On Saturday we spent the day with my family.  We cut down a tree for my parents and helped them decorate it.  We were also able to celebrate a very special 21st birthday with my favorite 21 year-old "almost" sister.  

Later we met up with my aunts, uncle, and counsin for dinner at a local pizza place.  It's been a long time since we've all been together.  I think that's the toughest part about getting older--the people you spent so much time with growing up all move on and it gets more and more challenging to find time to be together. 





My sil is an AMAZING pianist.  We always beg her to play Christmas tunes for us. . . and luckily she always humors us!



My family at the Mannheim Steamroller Concert!  Aren't they adorable?

 And, the weekend ended with a Mannheim Steamroller concert.  Is there any other way to kick off the Christmas season than with one of their concerts?  It was so good and definitely got us in the Christmas spirit!

Can you see why I say I am so blessed?  I love you all!  Happy Christmas Time!

A Weekend of Thanks

My weekend was spent with my best friend, AJ.  We dedicate the weekend before Thanksgiving as "girl time" and meet in our college town.  I must say, that it happens to be my favorite weekend of the whole year.  I cherish the time I get to spend with this wonderful person who happens to live six hours away from me.  So, I dedicate these thankful points to my dearie, AJ.

16. Thankful for the delicious food I can count on in my college town.  This town has a population of about 8,000 but has a ton of great restaurant options.  We had bar food, pizza, Japanese cuisine, and ate at a local bistro renown for their varied menu.  Yum!

17. Thankful for the fun I had this weekend.  Each of us is required to bring a bag-o-fun which we fill with:

1. a craft
2. a beverage
3. an (unhealthy) snack
4. a game
5. a Christmas movie

AJ's craft: this cute dish cloth with pretty fabric hand stitched on it 

18. Thankful for the relaxing time I had over the weekend where I was able to finish a great book and stitch the binding onto this quilt.  I love this quilt!  And am so excited to show it off this Christmas season.

19. Thankful for the yummy home-cooked meal I came home to after work today.  We celebrated Thanksgiving early with JD's family and they sent us home with leftovers.  JD made one of my favorites--turkey ala king.  AH-MAZE-ING!  Such a comforting meal to start the week!

Catching-up on My Thanks

12. Thankful for my church family.  They are a great group of people who minister to others in so many different ways.

13. Thankful for my quilting teacher.  Hopefully by the end of the weekend, I'll have a new quilting picture to share with my blog friends.

14. Thankful for this dude who spent numerous hours remodeling our bathroom.  It looks great!  Thank you, JD!

JD at his thank you dinner :)

15. Thankful for my choir buddies.  I love being a part of this group.  The people in choir are so friendly and accepting.  And the choir director is AMAZING.  Beside singing, my favorite part of choir is just sitting there and having the director tell me what to do.  Since I teach others, I'm always the one being the boss--it's a nice change to just sit and listen.

A Special 11

JD and me boarding the USS Constitution this past summer (the oldest serving military ship in the US)

Thank you to all the veterans and their families for the service and sacrifice given to this country.  You are appreciated and loved more than you'll ever know.

A special thanks to my family, coworkers, and students who have served.  Thank you.

Quiche for Breakfast (or dinner. . .or whenever. . .)!

Please excuse the blurry/terrible photo but I wanted to share a quick snapshot of what I had for breakfast this morning.  I am in love with this quiche recipe.  It is so easy and so delicious!  I got the recipe from a teacher I work with last year and we have used it quite often since.

This time we substituted the bacon for ham and it was amazing.  I hope you enjoy this simple and tasty quiche too!

Days 9 and 10

9-So thankful for the talents of others.  As a teacher, I am witness to the amazing abilities of my students all the time.  So many kids are gifted athletes (I work out for about 30 minutes and then feel like I'm dying. . .), one kid yesterday came into class whistling a Christmas tune in perfect pitch (I can barely breathe out one little squeak), and last night we went to the high school musical where the actors blew me away with their gorgeous voices, witty personalities, and amazing skills (I had a hard time remembering my two lines in Footloose when I was in high school).  So today, I am completely grateful for being able to enjoy the talents of others.

10-Grateful for time to get caught up on "stuff".  It's been a busy week but I'm thankful for time this weekend to reconnect with family and friends, finish a book that is due back at the library on Monday, and get some laundry and cleaning done.

Day 8

Today I am thankful for books.  My current book is "Tumbleweeds" by Leila Meacham.  Ms. Meacham wrote "Roses" a few years ago and I loved it.  This summer she came out with her second book and so far it is just as great as her first.

I'm off to read. . .

7

Today I am thankful for tea.  I got hooked on tea a couple of years ago and now I have a few glasses a day.  Most of the time it is hot tea--black, herbal, or white but in the summer I also love sun tea.  Tea is so soothing and I enjoy it in the morning but also when I feel lonely, sad, or stressed.  Plus, tea is pretty good for you.  It doesn't have any calories and some teas can provide health benefits.

Enjoy some tea today and tell me what you think!

Old Read Meets Book Group

I remember being a young student and reading the book, "The Family Nobody Wanted" by Helen Doss.  It is about a young couple who are not able to have biological children and end up adopting. . .12 children!  This simple story talks about the joys and challenges of raising such a young and large family.

I just got back from a book club where we discussed this book.  I haven't read it in years but enjoyed reading and discussing it again tonight.  As I read it this time, I caught more of the racial issues of the time (the book takes place in the 1940s) and how economically disadvantaged the family was.

As you can see by the picture below, my copy is well-loved.  I'd recommend you try out this book.  It's an easy and enjoyable read.

My much-loved copy of "The Family Nobody Wanted" by Helen Doss

The best (pumpkin) cookies. . .EVER!

Every fall I make pumpkin cookies and they are to-die-for.  I love them!  Yesterday I had some friends over and served these cookies for dessert and recieved multiple requests for the recipe.  It is a Better Homes and Garden recipe and can be found at http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cookies/melt-in-your-mouth-pumpkin-cookies/.  Please try these cookies--I promise you will love them!

P.S. Don't you just LOVE fall-type recipes?  Yum!

Challenge: Day 6

Am I tired of campaign ads (yes!)?  Am I tired of the stress of deciding who to vote for (yes!)?  Am I tired of most conversations centered around the election (yes!)?

But, am I grateful for the opportunity to be able to vote and help make a decision on who the leader of this great country will be?  OF COURSE!  Today I am thankful for this wonderful country.  It is not perfect and there is a lot that I would like to see different but I love the US even in all of its imperfections.




Taken when Jon and I were in NYC this July.


In a world where so many people. . .especially women. . .are not given the opportunity to vote (or have a fulfilling career or an education), I just soak up all of this democracy.  So, I definitely have a candidate who I want to win but I will support our next President no matter who he is and I will support this country and stand behind it in honor of all the good that can be found in it.

Happy Election Day!

P.S. As a side note, the Political Science teacher at the school where I work, created a mock election for the students.  It was amazing!  I was so impressed with the efforts of he and his students.  They had voter registration last week and today they set up voting booths (with ballots that looked exactly like the "real" ones) and even had a box where students could put their ballots.  Students left with an "I Voted" sticker and were so proud of themselves for participating in the mock election!  What a cool experience!

Day 5

Today I'm thankful for the ability to be active.  This is important for me to remember because. . .I HATE EXERCISING!  But at least I have the ability to do it (even in my bitterness of actually having to exercise).  Health is one of those things I take for granted.  I am so fortunate to be as healthy as I am, (I haven't even had the chicken pox!) and I need to appreciate that health instead of being negative about exercising/staying fit/etc.

So, here is to health!  Have a happy, healthy Monday :)

Day 4

Today I am thankful for the animals in my life. . .specifically Naniboujou and Sally.  I love these two so much.  I can't believe how much of a comfort animals can be.  I wish that we had more room so we could have more pets. . .but for now, I'll have to do with these two.

Sally "the dog"

Boujou Bear

Day 3

It's only 8:36am and I already know what I'm thankful for today. . .sleep!

Today I am thankful for a great night's rest.  Too often lately I wake up thinking about what I need to do, or worrying about something.  But last night I had such a great night of sleep that today I feel ready to take on the world!  When I woke up so refreshed, I started thinking about how grateful I was for that great night of sleep, I also considered how blessed I am to have a bed, a home, heat, safety, etc.  Those are basics in my life that I take for granted and so many people (too many people) are without those basics. 

As a special challenge to myself, I am going to try to be more aware of the students I work with who might not have these essentials in their lives and try to make my classroom one that is safe both physically and emotionally (but hopefully not too relaxed that they are falling asleep. . .:)).

Thankfulness Challenge 2012

Well, I'm going to try to do a Thankfulness Challenge this year. . .and I'm already two days behind!  I love the idea of thinking through some of the things for which I am thankful every November.  It's such a simple way to reflect upon all the good in my life and to try in my meager way to appreciate all those who make me who I am.

So, to begin. . .

1. I am thankful for my husband who is so forgiving of all that I do wrong.  So many times I am short with him or quick to judge but he is always so forgiving.  I truly am the luckiest girl to have such a wonderful man in my life.

2. I am thankful for the teachers I work with.  They truly are the most dedicated, caring, and student-focused people in the world.  Thank you for encouraging me to be the best I can be and for giving me great ideas and support from inside your classrooms.

Pasta and Pesto

My Aunt Judy just gave me, my parents, and my sil the recipe for her homemade pesto (along with all the ingredients to make it--she's wonderful like that).  I made the sauce the other day with my dad and Jon and I had it with pasta for dinner tonight.  It was amazing and so simple to make!

Aunt Judy's Pesto Sauce (makes 1/2 c)
2/3 c packed fresh basil
1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 c olive oil
2 T pine nuts
1/2 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, peeled

1. Put all ingredients into a food processor and process until well blended.
2. Refrigerate (and use within a week) OR freeze in ice cube trays, with foil covering tray.  Once it is frozen, pop them out and transfer to a Ziploc bag (frozen cubes can be used for up to three months).

And that's it!  It's super easy to make, is healthy, and delicious.  Is there anything better?

PS Jon and I added some bacon to our pasta and pesto.  We figure, when it doubt, add bacon--it makes life happy :)

Spinach Smoothies--They're Good, I Promise!

 Every summer I (try) to eat a bit healthier than I do during the school year.  It's the time of year where I try new recipes and try to get into better eating habits.  I have become addicted to pinterest and through this site I have found a ton of amazing recipes.  One that my husband and I both enjoy is a spinach smoothie.  It is so easy to make and tastes amazing!  At first I questioned how good a spinach smoothie might taste.  But it is super delicious--and I think of it as three servings of fruits and veggies before 9:00am.  Win-win!

The ingredients are very simple--spinach, pineapple, bananas, yogurt, and water (or ice in my case--we like the smoothie to be very cold so we use ice instead of water).  Find the recipe here and enjoy!

Gone Girl = A Great Read!

I just read an amazing book--the kind of book that you cannot put down (hence the four hours I spent on the couch reading this morning).

I would highly recommend, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, as your next summer read.  The plot is simple yet there are so many twists throughout. 

The basics of the story are:

1. Husband and wife have a marriage that is decaying

2. Wife goes missing on 5th wedding anniversary

3. Husband is the main suspect in wife's disappearance

4. Husband has secrets

5. Wife has secrets

6. Neither one is perfect

Soooo good!  Please read this book. . .and, if you do, let me know what you think of it.

On another note, if you do choose to read this book, Real Simple has chosen it as their No Obligation Book Club book for the month of July.  Read the book and then hop on over to their website to see what other people are saying about it.

Strawberry Jam and Hot Fudge Topping. . .It's Summer!

Today I was blessed to spend the afternoon with two great people--my great aunts.  They are wonderful people AND amazing cooks and bakers.  This afternoon they shared their strawberry jam recipe with me (a secret family recipe). 

I also mentioned that Jon just loves their hot fudge topping and they happened to have almost everything in the house!  So, the hubby was a pretty happy man when I came home with strawberry jam AND hot fudge. 

Below is the hot fudge recipe.  Two words for all of you who plan on making this to go on top of your ice cream this summer. . .so good! 

It was the perfect day spent with two people I love dearly.  Thank you, E&E.  I love you so much!

PS--Thanks to Sandy for my awesome recipe templates.  I LOVE them!!

 Our Little Garden!

                                                     Tomatoes
                                                
                                                         Plus

                                                        Basil

                                                     Equals

                     A crazy amount of produce for two people this summer!

We have a very shaded back yard and have never had any luck when it comes to gardening.  This summer we are trying potted veggie plants.  Last night we got a little over excited and planted SIX tomato plants and some basil (and a catnip plant for our kitten)!  We'll see how it goes. . . :)

I'm already thinking to the food we can enjoy from these plants.  So far, my list includes:

• salsa
• margarita pizza
• caprese salad
• bruschetta
• blt sandwiches
• grilled cheese and tomato
• caprese quiche
• spaghetti sauce

Now all I have to do is wait four to six weeks for the first 'maters.

And This is What I Took Out of the Oven Tonight

This is THE best apple crisp recipe in. . .the. . .WORLD! I know it's a bit out of season to be baking apples, but we had some frozen and I just needed to have a nice smelling house today. . .and a tasty dessert to look forward to. The recipe is below. I hope you enjoy!

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. white sugar

3/4 c. flour

1/3 c. soft butter

4 c. apples

2 T. lemon juice

1/4 c. water

cinnamon

nutmeg

1. Work together the sugars, flour, and butter--set aside

2. Place apples in a greased 8 x 8 baking dish

3. Pour lemon juice and water over the apples

4. Sprinkle tons of cinnamon and nutmeg over the apples

5. Sprinkle crumble mixture over the top of the apples

6. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 50-60 minutes

7. Enjoy!

PS. Thanks, mom, for this recipe. You know how much I love it!

A Successful Evening

It is 7:22pm. I am already in my pajamas. Sipping a glass of wine. And reading Jodi Picoult's newsest book. Could life be better?

Wishing you a relaxing evening too!