and then it was december

or...

"diary of a snow day"

5:03 a.m. --both cell phones ring. j hops out of bed to answer his, then returns to bed, but not before turning off his alarm clock. this can only mean one thing people--

today is a snow day.

5:15 a.m. --let the dog outside. she pretends to pee amidst the blowing snow and darts back into the house faster than i have ever seen her move. i return to bed and bury myself underneath the covers.

5:29 a.m. --lay awake, trying to decide what i will do with my day. remember that i had to dvr the biggest loser season finale last night and get really excited. yep. that's the first thing i'll do. i silently sing the theme song "what have you done today..." and smile to myself.

5:46 a.m. --decide that if i can't fall back asleep (damnit carrie! this is what you secretly hope for nearly every morning, take advantage!!) i will get up and make some coffee.

8:01 a.m. --must have fallen back asleep. i finally get up for good, make coffee and decide to announce to the world via facebook and twitter that snow days are a really big deal.

8:16 a.m. --j gets out of bed. we watch the morning news, drink coffee, and cuddle with the dog. she. is. in. heaven. we make some french toast english muffins, stare outside, and then walk downstairs to check e-mail.

9:18 a.m. --decide that there is much more to do today than sit in front of the computer. off it goes. and so do i...

packers 2009

summer SUMMER summer

i suppose it is about time that i jot down a few updates! summer is quickly fading (ironically, it is just now that we are finally started to experience hot summer weather!) and school is just around the corner.

since our part time summer school jobs ended over a month ago, there have been several projects to keep us busy around the house. our backyard now proudly boasts a 12 x 20 "barn style" shed and our garden has finally started to produce green beans, scallions, sweet corn, carrots, and pumpkins. Hopefully this week's summer heat will ripen our five tomato plants...we've been staring at hundreds of little greenies for what seems like forever!

inside the house, i did a little work on a spare basement bedroom. it was the last room in our house that remained unpainted since moving in, and it was in desperate need of a facelift. so, i dug out my left over paint cans and after changing my mind five times (is anyone suprised, really?) decided to paint one blue accent wall, surrounded by my all time favorite color--"ostrich feather" (a super light and fresh grey). after getting everything cleaned up, j and i decided to move all of our office furniture downstairs and create a new office for ourselves. it ended up working out really well, and now all of his chicago bear memorabilia has a home. perhaps i'll post a photo later! right now, though, i'm too busy playing around on our new internet connection! it is so much nicer than the spotty reception we were, ahem, borrowing earlier.

aside from all of this, the best part of the summer so far, has been the ability to come and go as i please! honestly, no one has it better than me when it comes to june, july and august! i cannot ever remember feeling as relaxed and at peace as i am right now...

it is bliss!

oh, and i cannot forget the enjoyable moments we have spent with friends and family over the past few weeks. a wedding in sioux falls, a day trip to the waterpark with our adorable nephew, a delicious breakfast at the orchard, garage saling with mom and dad, wii bowling with the inlaws, dinners with friends on the deck, and, more than anything, the opportunity to spend a lot of quality time together. i am grateful for this, because now that football is underway, those times are going to become fewer and far between.

















what has been the best part of your summer?

paps...please!

{published in the chetek alert, july 2009}

anniversary alfresco

j and i celebrated our anniversary on tuesday, june 16. this picture was taken on our deck, right before i stood up too quickly and nearly dropped the entire cake! if you look closely, you can see two candles placed on the top of our sam's club carrot cake (pink for me, blue for him), in celebration of two years of marriage. i know, i'm a dork like that. more than anything i think i was just excited to find them in my kitchen drawer and thought i would put them to good use! can't remember what dinner consisted of this year (so far we've always just celebrated at home)...but what was exciting was the chance to eat outside on our new patio set. it's quickly becoming one of my favorite places to be!

a quick pic...

...from a bad blogger! here is brooke and I at a shower for our friend, angie {taken in white bear lake, at the end of june}.

it's hard to believe we have been friends for over TWENTY YEARS. yes, you read that right. twenty years, folks. we're growing up!

life is beautiful. and i wouldn't have it any other way...

do it now

"Don't waste your effort worrying about what you have not done.
Spend your time working on what you now can do.
It's amazing how much you can accomplish when your heart is in it.
Drop the doubts, self-criticisms, and anxieties, and positively put your heart into what you're doing.
Enjoy the delicious feeling of making real progress based on your own focused efforts.
Have fun watching yourself accomplish as you complete each task.
Taking effective, meaningful action will put you in a positive frame of mind.
And that will open the door to many great new possibilities.
Go beyond wondering about it, or thinking it through, or planning for it.
Just go ahead and get it done.
Choose your destiny and delight in the fulfilling effort that makes it happen.
You can do it, and now is when."

- Ralph Marston

we're gonna win twins

jena and me
metrodome
may 2009

barefoot in the backyard

{looks like someone's got some weeding to do}

countdown...continued

fourteen work days until summer vacation!

where has april gone?

three days left until may.

i can't believe it!

thirty-four days of school left, at last count. and so much to do before i turn them loose...

sunshine...

i purchased these sweet flowers for five dollars the night before our spring break began three weeks ago, and they are still going strong! they soak up the sunlight on windowsill above my kitchen sink and make me smile every afternoon when i get home from work.


{it would sound better to say, "they brighten my day each morning," but to be honest my mornings are always quite a blur...}

buying flowers is definitely not anything i've ever made a habit of, but after staring at these sunny bursts for three weeks, there is no doubt in my mind i will run right out to replace them as soon as they finally drop!

i'm thinking an all~white double bunch would be pretty for easter.

what do you think?

think more of others

{from the 1924 New Book of Etiquette}

what is self-consciousness? unquestionably, self-consciousness is the result of too much self-thought. the self-conscious are always conscious of themselves, wondering whether they are impressing people, hoping that they are not making blunders, uncomfortable, unhappy, ill at ease! ...forget about yourself! and there is only one sure way to forget about yourself. think more of others! take a keener and more sincere interest in people. send your thoughts abroad, far beyond the selfish little boundaries of your personal world...it is when we forget ourselves that we do the really worth-while and interesting things. it is when we forget ourselves that we find beauty everywhere around us, that we see charm in the most commonplace people, that we feel happy and at ease in the company of our fellow beings. forget about yourself!

kqotd

most of the conversations i overhear during the course of a regular school day are quickly forgotten.

today, however, one particular six year old stopped me in my tracks:

kid: "hey ashley, have you seen twilight?"
ashley: "no."
me: "have you?"
kid, looking annoyed: "um, yeah!"
ashley: "i never saw twilight. i just watch family guy."

this is our future, people.

spring break

is finally here!















and while i won't be enjoying it anywhere even remotely resembling this paradise, i am still grateful for the next ten days that lay ahead.

march, so far

it has been quite a while since i updated my blog, so let me fill you in with some of the things that have been keeping me busy since my last post.

i have...

~ escaped to a charming part of wisconsin for a weekend visit with old friends
~ learned to navigate through some brand spankin' new technology at work
~ attempted to keep the dust from accumulating on my elliptical
~ conducted parent teacher conferences (two very long evenings)
~ sewn curtains for my spare bedroom
~ cheered on our girl's basketball team as they fought their way through the playoffs, only to fall one game short of a trip to the state tournament
~ read expecting adam by martha beck
~ discovered a thrift store just down the street
~ refinanced my mortage
~ become addicted, yet again, to the biggest loser on nbc

only two more work days until spring break is here. i absolutely cannot wait to sleep in, visit friends and family, veg out and reeeelax.

classic german pancake

makes 4 to 6 servings
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
5 tbsp. butter
freshly squeezed lemon juice
confectioners sugar


preheat oven to 450 degrees. this is important! place oven rack on the middle rack of your oven. place a large, heavy ovenproof frying pan or a cast-iron skillet in the oven until hot.

while the pan is heating, prepare your batter. in a large bowl, beat the eggs until light and frothy; add milk, flour, vanilla, and cinnamon; beat for five minutes more. the batter will be thin, but very smooth and creamy.

using a pot holder, remove the hot skillet from the oven; add the butter; tilting the pan to melt the butter and coat the skillet. pour the prepared batter into the hot skillet, all at once, in the center and return skillet to oven.

bake approximately 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. remove from oven and serve immediately. either bring the pancake to the table in its pan or slide it onto a serving plate {once out of the oven, the pancake will begin to deflate}. to serve, cut into seving-size wedges and transfer to individual serving plates. top with your favrotie topping and serve immediately. for a classic german pancake, sprinkle with freshly squeezed lemon juice and dust the top with powdered sugar.

happy birthday

happy 24th birthday, jena!

we love you and hope you have a wonderful day!

bloggy blah

haven't felt up to much of anything lately, due to a cold/cough/strep virus that knocked me on my butt for two whole weeks.

the kind of virus that sucked the life out of me and put a cold sore in it's place.

i'm talkin' no watching tv. or, remembering to dvr any good shows, like the office

no turning on the computer

no cooking. or eating, really

no cleaning

no playing with the dog

just working hard to make it through each day of work, in order to come home, completely exhausted, load up on medicine and go to bed.

usually by six o'clock in the evening.

even that was too much at times...and i was forced to use up two of my precious sick days. :( hmmmph.

fortunately, tomorrow is president's day and i can rest one more day. here's hoping i've finally shaken this nasty bug.

i love you more than blank

with valentine's day right around the corner, all it takes is one foot in the door of any retail establishment to be instantly bitten by the "love bug." the internet, i am discovering, is no exception! i recently stumbled upon this cute new website and fell in love instantly. according to its creators, the purpose is to explore the wonderful world of love...and to depart from the cliche valentines sentiment to find the real things people use as a measuring stick for love, such as:





here are my own personal declarations of love {submitted today}--

i love you more than snooze on monday.
i love you more than ruby loves bananas.
i love you more than summer vacation.

take a look yourself, and spread some love!

i wonder if she got her asking price...

below is a preview of ann curry's interview with new {octuplet} mom nadya suleman. the full interview is set to air both monday morning and tuesday evening on nbc.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

personally, i have a hard time understanding how this woman is going to be better prepared to provide for her children once she "finishes her schooling." i mean, sure, completing your master's degree in counseling might help you land a decent paying job...but how can you afford to work away from the home when you're a single mom with 14 kids?

and, more importantly {folks, let's be real here}...what's up with the angelina jolie impersonation?

feelin' sour

yesterday morning, i recieved a note from the parent of one of my students.
it read~
dear mrs. s,
last friday we got a call from our doctor. it seems --'s strep test from the previous monday was in fact positive. so, unfortunately, she attended school all week untreated. we hope no one else gets it.

um, yeah. unfortunately someone did get it.

me.

people, please. when your child is sick, keep them home.

bye-bye blond

sometimes you don't realize the difference a small change can make until you finally go for it. that's when you end up saying to yourself, "oh my goodness! why did i not do this sooner?"

well, i'm not sure if its good or bad, but i've said exactly that not once, but twice in the past week! (wait a minute, what am i talking about? it's good. definitely good.)

first, this past weekend when we replaced the builder-grade globe ceiling light in our kitchen with a much improved pendant fixture. My dirty sink is now illuminated brilliantly.

then again yesterday, when the friend of a co-worker finally took care of my poor, neglected head of hair at her home after work. two margaritas + two sets of lowlights = one happy me.

before......................and...................after



















yes. that's soooo much better.

low calorie desserts for "big losers"

1. Baked Maple Apple. Core and halve an unpeeled apple and place it in a small microwavable bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and heat on high power in a microwave for 2 minutes. Drizzle each half with 1 tablespoon sugar-free maple syrup, then sprinkle with cinnamon or allspice. Walnuts optional.

2. Ricotta Fruit Cup. Fill a wineglass or parfait glass half-full with blueberries or fresh sliced strawberries. Top with 1/2 cup fat-free ricotta cheese, then drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon.

3. Roasted Fruits with Honey. Halve fruits such as peaches or nectarines and remove the pits. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle each half with 1 teaspoon honey. Roast in a 350°F oven until tender and juicy, about 15 minutes.

4. Banana–Peanut Butter Sandwich. Peel a banana and cut it in half lengthwise. Spread 1 tablespoon creamy reduced-fat peanut butter onto the cut side of one half, then top with the other half to create a banana sandwich. Cut into bite-size pieces, if desired.

5. Low-Cal "Ice Cream" Sandwich. Create a homemade frozen treat by sandwiching 2 tablespoons sugar-free whipped topping between 2 fat-free chocolate graham crackers. Cover with plastic wrap and pop into the freezer for 1 hour.

6. Low-Cal Peanut Butter Cup. Stir 1 teaspoon creamy reduced-fat peanut butter into a sugar-free, fat-free chocolate pudding cup. It tastes just like a peanut butter cup!

7. Banana Milkshake. Peel an extra-ripe banana, cut it into chunks, and freeze in a ziptop bag. In a blender, process the frozen chunks with 1 cup fat-free milk or fat-free yogurt.


8. Healthy Latte. For a healthier alternative to the drinks sold at many coffee chains, pour 1 cup of cooled coffee over ice, add a small scoop of fat-free vanilla frozen yogurt, and top with a sprinkling of nutmeg or cocoa powder.

9. Angel Food Trifle. In a parfait glass, layer 2 small chunks of angel food cake (equal to one slice) with sliced berries of your choice and 1/2 cup fat-free frozen yogurt.

10. Not-So-Decadent Chocolate-Covered Strawberries. Dip 5 or 6 large fresh strawberries into 2 tablespoons fat-free chocolate sauce for a guilt-free version of chocolate-covered strawberries.

Adapted from The Biggest Loser Success Secrets by The Biggest Loser Experts and Cast, with Maggie Greenwood-Robinson, PhD.

dw-angela exposed

...but that's not why i watch the office! i demand more pam and jim action!!

last night's episode was a bit disappointing. yea, that's right, i said it. i was disappointed by the office. i think i only laughed out loud once. ONCE people. that's not office-caliber.

am i alone on this?

oh, well. the good news is, i just stumbled upon this website which is sure to keep me entertained.

kid quote of the day (kqotd)

today, in the cafeteria-

kid: "hey mrs. s., today my cat is getting the bob buster treatment."
me: "oh really. and what is that?"
kid: "you know, the bob buster treatment. so he doesn't have babies."

oh my.

cinnamon doughnut muffins

this quick and easy breakfast goody is a definite favorite of mine. i usually make a batch to take to work on treat days, and they're always a big hit!





you'll need~
1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup milk
jam (i use tripleberry)

topping:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Combine sugar, oil, egg, and milk; stir into dry ingredients until moistened.
Fill greased or paper-lined baking cups half full; place 1 tsp. jam on top. Cover jam with enough batter to fill cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
Place melted butter in a small bowl; combine sugar and cinnamon in another bowl. Immediately after removing muffins from the oven, dip tops in butter, then in cinnamon-sugar. Best served warm. Yield: 10 muffins.

recipe courtesy of Taste of Home's Prize Winning Recipes

oh, how i love her so

is kate winslet not the most gorgeous woman?


kate looks better than ever in the february 2009 issue of elle u.k. out now.

in it, the beautiful mother of two reveals that twenty minutes of pilates at home each day is her secret to always 'keeping it real' on screen.

she also speaks about her new films, both of which i can't wait to check out:
revolutionary road, which was directed by husband sam mendes and co-stars leonardo dicaprio, and
the reader, a story based on the best selling novel by bernhard schlink i read years ago.

now,
time to dig out those windsor pilates dvd's i just know i have around here somewhere...