Too much to do, not enough energy

Today is finally a quieter day -- as a result, I should be doing something productive, and the list is long, but I find myself starting by forcing myself to update this blog on the off-chance someone is still reading. If you are reading, feel free to post a comment, I'd love to know you are here.

I've been working on a quilt for S1's teacher. After we moved here, I joined a quilting ministry. I love this group of women. They are so warm and giving, I look forward to each Tuesday morning. S1s teacher is Mrs. W. Mrs. Ws husband is sick and is going back for surgery right after Christmas. So, S1s class is giving her a quilt. Each of the kids drew a picture or wrote a message on a square of fabric and I'm sewing them together. I need to have the quilt finished for tomorrow. It's almost done, but I have to do some measuring and calculations. I'll go work on that soon.

I also need to finish sewing the backing for S1s quilt. I started her a quilt almost two years ago. Wednesday, I have time reserved on a big machine to quilt it. So, the backing needs to be sewn and ready. I can't wait to see this quilt finished.....

I have about 2 hours before I have to be someplace. That should give me enough time to inventory my presents purchased so far, package up some things for the post office, and maybe finish some dishes, and I WILL do 10 minutes on the treadmill.

Dinner last night

Yesterday, I was finally able to get my grill to work. It took a little bit because I first had to borrow a propane tank from a friend to see if the new propane tank I bought was broke or it it was the grill connection. Once I determined that it was the tank, I had to exchange the one I had bought - sans receipt. I expected an argument, but the guy just exchanged it, no questions asked.

So, after firing up the grill, I was able to make the most amazing shrimp dish.

Bobby Flay's Grilled Shrimp with Garlic

I didn't follow the recipe exactly -- I used some chili powder and some chili con carne to cut the level of heat and I didn't use the garlic oil drizzle after the shrimp was cooked - and it was wonderful.  I served the shrimp with warm tortillas.

I think if I were to serve it over pasta, I would use the oil drizzle as the sauce over the pasta.

I can't wait for lunch - it will make a yummy addition to my salad.

Today, the job I applied for reposted at part time. This is good news because I didn't really want to work full time and this way I can work three days a week while the girls are at school. I would still have to work my other job this school year (I think I would use some of my salary to hire someone to clean the house -- I can't keep up with it all). I'm still unsure about the faculty member who I'd be working for...I need to make sure I'm not going to enter into another work relationship like I had at my last university (not my current boss, the one before that).  But, I'm smarter now and I don't need the job and I know I can do this without burning bridges.

When I was at the University Women's group meet and greet, I met a woman who decided that I had some skills that her old department needed. Now that the accounting audit is over, she's going to talk to the department head and tell her about me.

It's all about just getting my name out there and seeing how things end up. I'll find the right thing, at the right time. DH and I are still very exhausted from our last year so I'm not in a hurry to add more responsibilities.

Hello.... this thing still on?

When I originally started this blog, it was a place for me to work out how to become a teacher. After 5 years of teaching, I started to feel a little more comfortable in my skin.  But now, I'm a fish out of water in a new way. Recently we moved to the high plains. I'm now a fish with no water. Soon, I will have to make a life for myself. First, I'm doing the mom thing and helping my children adjust. So, I run from various activities. I know that soon enough they will be settled and it will be my turn to figure out what I want to do with my life.

I'm still working part time for my old university, and was invited to apply for a job at this one. I'm not ready for full time work, but since this is in DH's department, I can probably negotiate fewer hours for a while.

The 20 y.o. in me would be a bit appalled that I gave up my dreams of running the world for running the house. But, being a feminist is sometimes about being supported in the choices I make and not the choices I thought I would make. Part of me doesn't want to go back to a life that I have to figure out how to get a workout in while juggling the needs of the family. Not being able to go out to lunch if I want, etc.

This year won't be quite the same because we are renting a house and therefore I don't have plans to paint or fix or do. Just to make nice enough for the year.

But, eventually, I have to decide what kind of life I want for myself. Good thing the title of my blog still fits this new adventure.

The future

So, it appears that we are heading west. Sorry I've not been writing much (for anyone who still visits), it seems to take a bit too much energy to formulate sentences and put my fingers into action. But, today seemed like a good day to try.

We weren't sure what would happen when DH didn't get tenure last year, and while there are lots of things I can't talk about here, one I can is where we are going.

DH got a job at University of Wyoming. We are very excited about the move. The city is nice, it's small (but not too small), and it's located in proximity to some nice larger cities and a well known ski resort town.

Now we just need our house to sell so we can go look for houses for us to buy.

Anyway, it's baseball day -- so I need to go.  Finger's crossed!

Might need an ice cream maker for this one!

I saw this recipe for mint chocolate chip ice cream. This is from the food blog I read of the American Chef who is working in Paris. Even though many of his recipes are also in his books, he still shares the recipe in his blog - showing photos of the process.

Today's recipe (as I mentioned before) is for mint chocolate chip ice cream. BUT, he uses fresh mint rather than extract.

I might have to buy a ice cream maker just for this.


http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2010/05/mint_chip_ice_cream_recipe_chocolate.html

What this boy strut

I loved this commercial - one of the best I've seen in a while.

Summer eating...

Lettuce, dried cherry, little balls of goat milk cheese rolled in pecans, and poppy seed dressing (then - because I had them, I added heirloom tomato and red pepper).

It was very yummy.

What is your favorite summer salad combination?

Oh, and here is a great salad dressing - esp for a greek salad (just make sure you adjust the number of servings):

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Absolutely-Fabulous-GreekHouse-Dressing/Detail.aspx

The fun thing I did on Friday

So, Friday I went to S2's first grade classroom to talk about one of my former careers. I decided that talking about being a teacher (lots of college professors in the class) or the jack of all trades job (too hard to explain) I'm doing now wasn't good fit, so I had to find something else to discuss for career week/month.

I finally chose talking about my life as a cost accountant. At first I was hesitant to discuss it as I didn't know how to describe this job in terms that first graders could understand. But, then I decided that their school was a great way to talk about cost streams. So, we talked about how I might analyze how much it costs to run the school. I had the kids talk about what things cost money such as the supplies, teacher salaries, the office staff, the food, the lights, etc.

Then I mentioned to them that one thing I might do is look at how much it costs to run first grade and what things one the list would I still have to consider (first grade teachers vs. third grade teachers for example).

Once they got this, I talked about how I might apply my job in a toy factory and that I can also help decide how much money someone would have to pay for a video game. Then I had them calculate how much it would cost for us to produce a game for three people to buy if it costs $30 to make it versus the price to make six games (I made it easy, it still costs $30 to make them).

It was fun and they really seemed to understand at some level.

Not sure, but maybe I inspired one of the math and logic kids in the class to think about a career in cost accounting.

Here is the before:

And now it better fits the house.

Flexing my muscles!

So, my project this weekend is to tile the bathroom. Two weekends ago, DH pulled the carpet and yesterday I finally had a few minutes to get backer board (the previous weekend I spent most of the weekend at the ice rink while the girls either had rehearsal for or skated in the ice show). DH has also been sick for a few weeks and I don't want him breathing the dust from cutting the backer board, so I started doing it for him. Not a bad job so far. I have half the board set.

Last night, DH pulled the toilet for me and advised me on the finer points of how to prep the area (cutting back the trim, etc).

Once the girls wake up, I'll work on cutting the rest so one of us can screw it down and I can dryfit the tile and then set it tonight.

I can't believe after 8 years, I finally have no carpet in either bathroom!! I'll post pictures later of the finished little bathroom that we finished putting back together last weekend.

China at lunch - on a Thursday?

Sometimes, you just have to throw caution to the wind and do something fun. If you can surprise a friend (and even her darling husband) it's even better.

One day, I happened to stop by a friend's house and it turned out she had a special spinach pizza in her oven. She invited me to stay and share this delicacy that she had willingly shared with me. I've been thinking about it for years.

Today, I returned the favor. Earlier this week, I placed an order with Giordano's in Chicago and ordered my friend's special deep dish spinach stuffed pizza. I invited her to lunch telling her that I had a mystery ingredient and wanted to surprise her with lunch, put a table cloth on the table, set out the good china, the wine glasses to use with the water (I don't have water glasses), and covered the box the pizza arrived in and boy was she surprised when she discovered that the mystery ingredient for lunch was her very favorite pizza. In a last minute inspiration, we called her husband to join us and I set another place.

Her son gave us the biggest happy dance smile when he discovered that I had pre-made chocolate milk!! And not only did he get some with lunch, I sent the rest of the container with him. Oh, and he also borrowed our marble run toy.

So, on a Thursday, I put out a nice table cloth, my good china, and had a rare pizza treat. AND IT WAS WONDERFUL!

Tonight, as I washed the plates by hand, I thought not about what a pain it was to not just throw them in the dishwasher, but about how much fun it was to just use the dishes for lunch, on a Thursday, when it wasn't a holiday.

I challenge all my friends to take out the special dishes one day because it's not a holiday!!!

This year, I was invited to an Oscar party - a women only wear your finest do or don't party.

So, I thought about wearing my do/don't combination (my wonderful dress with winter boots and scarf), but then I was told that comfortable shoes were not allowed.

Instead I went with my nice (but 10 years old out of style) dress and uncomfortable shoes that I wore all night.

When I left, S2 was laying in a chair, very tired. I asked if she felt well enough to take a picture of me. She perked up immediately, took a crooked picture of me, then snuggled back in the chair looking tired.

How we play in Snow.

When you are surrounded by snow for an average of 6 mos a year, you have to adapt to new ways to enjoy it. This weekend is our annual university celebration of snow. The night before the celebration begins, we have what is called the all-nighter. We wandered around watching everyone making their statues.

So, while working on statues, this is how we listen to music:

And this is how we play mini golf:

And, this is the sock I'm currently knitting. The yarn is hand dyed at a little shop nearby. It's a pattern called Charade on ralvery. Once I have more of it knitted, I'll do a close up of the sock pattern detailing.

Pictures of the tile and conversations with my 1st grader

S1: Can we go outside today?

Me: Not sure. S1 is busy today.

S1: Not even for a 1/2 hour?

Me: Probability is low that your sister will have time.

S1: Like 5 - 10%?

Me: Yep. But, probability is much higher that she will have time tomorrow.

S1: Like 90 - 95%?

Me: Yes.

S1: But not 100%.

[not sure where she learned probability - but she seems to have it down.]

Earlier this week, I finished laying and grouting the tile in the bathroom. Next we need to put the fixtures back and figure out how we are going to do the trim.

I'm pretty impressed considering I've never done this before.

What I've been doing

Yesterday, I started my part of the bathroom tiling job. DH had already taken out the carpet, and the blue tile we found underneath. Now I have to lay the tile. Today I plan to lay out the edges (with the exception of the tiles that need to be cut. Well, after I finish a task that needs to be done at work.