It's National Hoagie Day. Yep, there is something for everything and this girl likes an excuse to celebrate anywhere she can. So after work and while in an unfamiliar town...we hit a brand new place on a the day that honors what they serve!
The decor is everything firehouse right down to the dalmatian spotted tables. The soda machine is a computerized gizmo of wonder. I had the vanilla Coke...because...well....I could. I also had the
Smokehouse Beef & Cheddar Brisket which is USDA Choice beef brisket smoked for 10+ hours, melted cheddar, and special sauces. It was delectable. It was all that and a bag of chips. Literally and figuratively.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Gabrielle's Spring Choral Concert
I was quite excited to be in attendance at Gabby's show...along with a family I have spent two decades with. Two decades. There we all were listening to the dear little voices of the children coming from the stage...and it hit me...a surreal moment as I thought about the goofy batch of kids that worked at the mall together...only to grow up and have children. We are all blessed to have each other...the chosen "family" that we have been to one another through thick and thin. Gabrielle looked beautiful and the songs were just as lovely! We are all so proud of you!!! Thank you for sharing your voice AND your family...they each make the world a little bit sweeter!!!!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
EthaM
You think that once you get out of school you are finished with projects. Then you go on to teach school. More of them. Preschool...even worse. Now that I have two kids IN school it seems as though the projects never stop. When they have homework and projects that means that I have them as well...for a little while longer anyway...then they will be on their own!!!
This one involved creating a pig out of various household things. I used a shoebox for the body. Paper towel rolls for the legs. A head of newspaper. Snout and eyes from egg cartons. Oh and I twisted a mighty fine tail from a skewer. I then covered the entire thing piece by piece with soft pink material (Emily's old shirt). Recycling is quite alive at my house. He needed a name tag. I fashioned one from twine and styrofoam. It was supposed to have Ethan's name...but it's a pig...and I am silly. Tomorrow Ethan will bring his new pal, ETHAM, to the farm set that the kindergarten class has created for a play. Etham...get it? Oink.
This one involved creating a pig out of various household things. I used a shoebox for the body. Paper towel rolls for the legs. A head of newspaper. Snout and eyes from egg cartons. Oh and I twisted a mighty fine tail from a skewer. I then covered the entire thing piece by piece with soft pink material (Emily's old shirt). Recycling is quite alive at my house. He needed a name tag. I fashioned one from twine and styrofoam. It was supposed to have Ethan's name...but it's a pig...and I am silly. Tomorrow Ethan will bring his new pal, ETHAM, to the farm set that the kindergarten class has created for a play. Etham...get it? Oink.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Stop and Smell the Wisteria
I had to park around the block from my destination. My destination was not a fun one and it was squished between the rushed ride home from work and a deadline to pick the kids up from school. Harried as usual I didn't have the moments to spare. I was grumbling under my breath...miserable and cranky...and it hit me like a slap in the face. A beautiful, sweet slap in the face. I believe it slowed time for a second or two and held me there like a cartoon. A giant wisteria hung down upon me like a scene from a play and stopped me in my tracks. I literally stopped to smell the wisteria. (Roses are overrated anyway). I took care of what I needed to and headed back to the car...only this time I was excited. I found the glorious purple blooms and lingered. Lingered. I might even have closed my eyes for a second to properly breathe in their scent.
I grew sad for a moment about the plant that I put into the ground so long ago in the yard of my house. The house that is no longer mine....located not all that far from where I was standing. It took many summers to grow high and lush but the blooms never came. They take years to visit the vines. I planted the wisteria for the investment that it would be. Blossoms might be there now but I don't get to see or smell them...and that is IF the new owners haven't removed the plant.
I snapped back to the present. I stayed in the moment. The moment of gratitude and sweetness. I was thankful for what I was experiencing now. I shook off regrets. I shook off the crankies. I was glad for the now and looked forward to the later. In that moment I thanked myself. I also gave myself a little mental pat on the back. I am getting it. I was grateful for the longer walk in the warm air and for the gift of purple blossoms that the trek took me to. I paused and wrote about it in a status update hoping to remind some others of the moments we can cherish. Tonight, as I sat down and wondered what my new thing of the day was going to be I realized I had experienced it already and it was probably one of the most valuable so far.
When we are led in another direction it is probably for a reason. Don't be afraid of the path. Don't grumble at the journey. And sure as hell take time to smell the flowers along the way!!!
I grew sad for a moment about the plant that I put into the ground so long ago in the yard of my house. The house that is no longer mine....located not all that far from where I was standing. It took many summers to grow high and lush but the blooms never came. They take years to visit the vines. I planted the wisteria for the investment that it would be. Blossoms might be there now but I don't get to see or smell them...and that is IF the new owners haven't removed the plant.
I snapped back to the present. I stayed in the moment. The moment of gratitude and sweetness. I was thankful for what I was experiencing now. I shook off regrets. I shook off the crankies. I was glad for the now and looked forward to the later. In that moment I thanked myself. I also gave myself a little mental pat on the back. I am getting it. I was grateful for the longer walk in the warm air and for the gift of purple blossoms that the trek took me to. I paused and wrote about it in a status update hoping to remind some others of the moments we can cherish. Tonight, as I sat down and wondered what my new thing of the day was going to be I realized I had experienced it already and it was probably one of the most valuable so far.
When we are led in another direction it is probably for a reason. Don't be afraid of the path. Don't grumble at the journey. And sure as hell take time to smell the flowers along the way!!!
Salvation in Muffin Making
Rough day + Mama Monday = a dangerous combination. The whole point of creating a special time was to carve out precious quality moments with my kids. It is hard to do that when things are extra challenging. I couldn't face crafty projects like last week. I wasn't feeling much of anything, really. It is in these moments you dig. You dig because you need to. You need to get out of your own way when you have kids and do what is best for them...for you...for the family. Dig. Dig. Deeper. Take a deep breath and find the second wind or sixth one depending on the day. Pile on top of a challenging day the lack of food and basics in the house and come up with a recipe you can make together. Dig. Dig even more. Find the teaching moments. Find the inspirations. Create something wonderful out of something hard.
You come up with the best dang muffins you have made thus far....and I make some pretty good muffins! Yes, they are all from a beloved book titled, "Muffins A to Z" by Marie Simmons but they still count. I turned the stained pages of the regulars and favorites and found one that I have always skipped...until today. And if someone says they hate coconut or nuts or carrots or whatever the heck they whine about do what we did....don't tell people what is in 'em...just let them taste. THEN you can tell them because by that point they are in love!
Favorite Steiger Haus Carrot & Apple Muffins
Topping (Optional)
2 T sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Batter
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda, sieved
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups peeled, grated carrot (about 4 medium)
1 cup peeled, cored, grated apple (1 large apple), plus slices for optional topping
1/2 cup finely chopped hazlenuts
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
Mix topping ingredients and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly butter 12 muffin cups or coat with nonstick cooking spray.
Batter: Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. Stir in the carrots, apples, hazelnuts, raisins and coconut.
In a separate bowl , whisk together the oil, eggs and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients all at once and fold just until evenly moistened. Do not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Top each muffin with an apple slice, if using, and sprinkle with a little of the optional cinnamon-sugar topping. Bake until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 20-25 minutes.
Cool on wire rack before removing from the pan.
You come up with the best dang muffins you have made thus far....and I make some pretty good muffins! Yes, they are all from a beloved book titled, "Muffins A to Z" by Marie Simmons but they still count. I turned the stained pages of the regulars and favorites and found one that I have always skipped...until today. And if someone says they hate coconut or nuts or carrots or whatever the heck they whine about do what we did....don't tell people what is in 'em...just let them taste. THEN you can tell them because by that point they are in love!
Favorite Steiger Haus Carrot & Apple Muffins
Topping (Optional)
2 T sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Batter
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda, sieved
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups peeled, grated carrot (about 4 medium)
1 cup peeled, cored, grated apple (1 large apple), plus slices for optional topping
1/2 cup finely chopped hazlenuts
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
Mix topping ingredients and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly butter 12 muffin cups or coat with nonstick cooking spray.
Batter: Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. Stir in the carrots, apples, hazelnuts, raisins and coconut.
In a separate bowl , whisk together the oil, eggs and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients all at once and fold just until evenly moistened. Do not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Top each muffin with an apple slice, if using, and sprinkle with a little of the optional cinnamon-sugar topping. Bake until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 20-25 minutes.
Cool on wire rack before removing from the pan.
Tobago
I thought the first game was awesome and then we busted out, Tobago. Board changes, moving locations for starter pieces and decks of cards to be shuffled and you have a new game each and every time that you play. Oh and the treasure...is based on a series of clues...that you can create as you go. Mind blowing. Highly addictive. We played the long version....and then played it again. I couldn't get enough of this game. It left my house...and took a little piece of me with it. :(
I thanked Mark for the last game. For this one I am angry. ;)
I thanked Mark for the last game. For this one I am angry. ;)
Forbidden Island
I have had a love of board games since childhood. I love sitting around the table with interesting people while playing something new. (I won't lie...as a kid I would even set up all of the pieces and play alone if I had to). Love them. My mother would search and scour for new and unique ones. Every year at Christmas we would have a full day of adventure ahead as we would play with all of her new finds....right up until just a short bit ago. We still play games from time to time but nothing new has really come this way...
Until now. Mark was out for a visit and brought along some of his new faves. Turns out that he is a bit of a board game fan as well. We started with Forbidden Island. It was unique, challenging, interesting and wait for it....a team building exercise as well. What? A game NOT based on winning for yourself...dominating your opponent...smashing your enemy??!?!?! I couldn't believe it. It was all about working together to accomplish a goal. It made our brains work while we built strategies and problem solved together. We almost sunk into the waters of defeat but with a little thinking we made it off of the Forbidden Island safe and sound!!!
Oh and the game pieces...very cool and I'm a sucker for a cool game piece! Thanks to Mark for sharing with us!!!
Until now. Mark was out for a visit and brought along some of his new faves. Turns out that he is a bit of a board game fan as well. We started with Forbidden Island. It was unique, challenging, interesting and wait for it....a team building exercise as well. What? A game NOT based on winning for yourself...dominating your opponent...smashing your enemy??!?!?! I couldn't believe it. It was all about working together to accomplish a goal. It made our brains work while we built strategies and problem solved together. We almost sunk into the waters of defeat but with a little thinking we made it off of the Forbidden Island safe and sound!!!
Oh and the game pieces...very cool and I'm a sucker for a cool game piece! Thanks to Mark for sharing with us!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)