Circular Logic

Melaleuca, Day One

2011-11-07T18:17:00.000-08:00

My Melaleuca Value Pack arrived today. Kind of funny how excited I was to get that box full of cleaning products. I opened it with the help of my two-year-old, who immediately wanted the food items; the crackers and the Access Chocolate Caramel Kruncher Bars. Then he tried (unsuccessfully) to open some vitamins, and successfully opened the Renew Lotion, which he spread onto his face and legs, but didn't rub in.

I used the Platinum Bar soap in the shower. I was going to use the shampoo and conditioner but it was safety sealed and I couldn't open it with wet hands. I should have checked before I got into the shower! ;)

I used the Renew Lotion on my son's bumpy legs after his shower, and it appeared very soothing, although the ingredients in the product didn't wow me, especially the petroleum it contained.

After our family shower, I mixed up the Sol-u-mel cleaner (I've heard good things about this cleaner!), the stain lifter, and the tub and shower cleaner. These products came in small, concentrated bottles and need to be mixed with water. (Points for that!) I sprayed the sol-u-mel on the inside of a couple of our cupboards, and as I did this, I realized that this particular product will probably be useful in helping to combat our mold problem. Seven months ago we moved into a house that's on the shore of Lake Erie, and the moist air equals mold on just about every surface.

Next I tackled one of my son's shirts with the stain lifter. His adorable white shirt has been worn twice, on days when he drank berry smoothies, ate blueberries, played with chalk, etc... We'll see how that washes up.

Finally, I sprayed the tub and tile cleaner in the wet shower. I'm not going to rinse it off right away, I wanted to see how it worked if I didn't rinse, kind of like that easy after-shower spray.

Oh, and I took a pack of vitamins, and I tried the lip balm, the melagel (for a scrape on my finger), and the tea tree oil (to add to my homemade deodorant).

My first reaction to my experience is that the ingredients in the products aren't that much different from mainstream products, and the prices are not great. Furthermore, in order to reach my required 35 points, I will have to spend between 50 and 75 dollars per month. We don't spend anywhere near that each month on cleaning products. I have found natural, competitively-priced, effective products and have been using them for years, so I'm going to be comparing those products to Melaleuca's products to see how they match up. Despite my pessimism, I'm still REALLY hoping that I can find enough products to maintain my membership. And if I do maintain my membership, I will certainly share my concern about how typical their products are.

Tomorrow I hope to go into more detail about specific products. I will also be sharing the tub cleaner and sol-u-mel with my secretary, who has severe breathing problems and who ends up on predisone every time she cleans her tub because of the fumes in her current cleaning products.

I'm still excited about the possibilities, even though I'm a little disappointed in the ingredients so far.

My new experiment

2011-11-05T18:22:00.000-07:00

Recently I decided to take the plunge and try Melaleuca products. I had heard of the company a few years ago when a friend brought it to my attention, but I looked into it and didn't go with it for two reasons:
1) There is a requirement that customers purchase 35 "points" every month, which I estimate is about $50. I don't spend anywhere near that on cleaning products every month and thought that it seemed like a pretty big requirement. (If you forget to place an order one month or if you don't meet the 35 point requirement, you have a "backup order" on reserve that they automatically send out. The idea of that, frankly, scares me a little, being *obligated* to make those purchases every month.)
2) I couldn't find out definitively if the products were tested on animals. Nothing explicitly stated that their products were *not* tested on animals, which can usually be taken to mean that products, at some point in the manufacturing process, *are* tested on animals. (Many Bath and Body Works products, for example, say "This finished product not tested on animals," which means that the ingredients *were* tested on animals. Nice try, BBW, but I know how to read labels.) When I emailed Melaleuca to ask if their products are tested on animals, their reply suggested that I call their customer service number, something that I really didn't have the time or the inclination to do. (I very, very rarely take or make personal calls at work, and had little time to do so at home.)

So I'm going to tell the next part of the story (about how I came to hear about Melaleuca a second time) in bullet points because I think it will be efficient and fun:

--April/May 2010--Chris, Gabe, and I went to Orlando.
--While Chris was riding something at Disney's Magic Kingdom, I was sitting in the shade with Gabe on a sweltering 90+ degree day.
--A lovely woman sat down next to me and we had a conversation that made me feel like I'd known her for years. It was kind of creepy, actually, because I had some things on my mind that were causing me a lot of stress, and out of the blue, she asked me about the exact thing I had been thinking about. To this day, I still can't quite believe that not only did we meet (out of the literally THOUSANDS of people there!), but that she felt compelled to bring up such a potentially volatile subject with me!
--We exchanged contact info, became Facebook friends, and have kept in touch since.
--Late this past summer she contacted me and invited me to a webinar about healthy living, with the possibility of a business opportunity.
--The webinar talked about how most cleaning products people use are toxic, and then they introduced Melaleuca, explaining that they're natural, effective, competitively priced, convenient, etc...

I was both very interested and very skeptical at the same time because:
--I'm extremely picky about the products I buy. I scrutinize labels and ingredients.
--It is important to me that products are not tested on animals and that all ingredients are natural. I'm opposed to artificial fragrances, colors, parabens, phosphates, etc...
--I need for products to be cost-effective. I will spend more money for products from companies that are environmentally conscious, but I currently use effective, green products that are not terribly expensive, and I need to make sure that Melaleuca isn't actually going to cost me more money for products that are neither more effective nor a better value.
--Furthermore, I don't use large amounts of any product. A bottle of this or a tube of that seems to last me twice as long as it would for a "normal" person, and it's not because I don't use it enough. For example, I use probably less than half of the amount of toothpaste than my husband uses, and my teeth are WAY cleaner. Using MORE doesn't make something work better.

Now I'm going to step up on my soapbox about ingredients in products by telling a little story about myself. I used to be an "at home" consultant for The Body Shop. I originally started buying the products because the company is totally against animal testing, but as a consultant, I got to know the products better, and I discovered that they were nowhere near as natural as they claimed. I was so disappointed and let down. I believed in the company, but I actually had customers who were more conscious consumers than I was (at the time) educate me on the ingredients of some of the products. I was highly embarrassed, both because I didn't know what the ingredients were, and because the "natural" products I was selling were not natural after all.

Melaleuca's tagline is "The Wellness Company," so I have high hopes that they will meet my needs and high expectations. I plan on using this arc of my blog to compare ingredients and prices of the products I try so I can, over the course of my 120 day money back guaranteed trial period, determine whether or not I should continue with my membership or request my money back. I would like for this blog to serve both as a record of my reasons for sticking with, or not sticking with, the company, and as a place people can learn more about the products and the company. Members also get referral bonuses when other customers sign up under them, so if this does end up being a good fit for me and if I choose to share membership information with other people, this will serve as a record of my journey with a company that lives up to their promises.

I feel like the tone of this post, and probably my attitude overall, is one of skepticism. That is true. A very large part of me doubts that the products are *that* natural and safe, and that they're *that* cost effective, and that they work *that* well. But I also have to say that I'm SUPER excited!!! I ordered the starter kit on Oct 31 and I feel kind of silly constantly checking the tracking to see when my huge box of cleaning supplies will arrive at our door. (I smirk when I make that statement, because I'm not known for neat-freakishness. My house is not sloppy in any way--overall it's tidy and clean--but certainly not spotless like some of my friends' houses seem to be!)

I'm looking forward to this journey, and I hope I can provide readers with honest, useful information!

vegan no-bake chocolate peanut butter protein bars

2011-09-05T18:55:00.000-07:00

I'm looking for foods that I can easily eat at work. I'm thinking that some different kinds of "bars" would be good...kind of like granola bars, because they're so handy. I've made muffins in the past but I make them really moist and end up having to eat them with a fork. (They're probably also so crumbly because I use almost all oatmeal and very little flour.) I found a recipe for vegan no bake chocolate peanut butter protein bars that I thought I'd try at some point. I'm posting it here so I remember where it is!

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1504166

Plans to make homemade laundry soap and natural fabric dye

2011-09-04T18:49:00.000-07:00

When I started cloth diapering (almost two years ago!), I used Soap Nuts for all of our laundry. They work well, but occasionally some garments didn't come out as clean or fresh smelling as we'd like, so I went back to using unscented, dye-free Seventh Generation liquid detergent (which we already had in the house, but that I hadn't used in nearly two years). As the jug kept getting lighter and lighter, I started wondering what I'd do when I ran out. Would I go back to using Soap Nuts full-time? Would I go out and buy a new detergent? If the latter were the case, which one would I buy? Scented or unscented? Liquid or powder? And the big question--which would be the most environmentally friendly choice.

Around the time I started thinking about this, a friend of mine posted something on Facebook about how she had made her own laundry soap and that she HIGHLY recommended other people give it a try. I was really glad that she so passionately shared her experience because it really got me thinking about taking the plunge. What I didn't like, though, was that the recipe made FIVE GALLONS of liquid detergent. I'm sure I'd use it, but that amount just seemed like it would be cumbersome to deal with. I did some laundry today and realized that within a couple weeks, I'd have to buy more detergent if that's what I wanted to do, so I started looking for recipes, and they weren't hard to find at all! The one I liked best was one for powdered soap--a bar of grated soap (Fels Naptha, Ivory, Pure & Natural, or one other one, I think it's called Zote), one cup of washing soda, and one cup of borax--stir these three ingredients for several minutes, and use about a tablespoon of detergent per load.

This recipe came from a blog post (http://www.diynatural.com/simple-easy-fast-effective-jabs-homemade-laundry-detergent/), and in the comments I read that you can use any castile soap. Dr. Brooner's bar soap was mentioned, and I know they have naturally scented soap, so I think I'm going to buy some when we're out shopping tomorrow. I prefer mildly scented things to completely unscented things, but if I have to choose between unscented and highly and/or artificially scented, I would go with the former. Strong artificial scents make me feel like I'm going to pass out, and I'm not being melodramatic.

In my quest for other natural homemade soap recipes, I came across this blog post:
http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/2009/04/natural-homemade-laundry-detergent/. I actually can't wait to catch up on her other posts because it looks like a REALLY cute blog.

And I've been thinking of dyeing some fabric, but of course I want it to be as natural as possible, so I found this post: http://earthdivasblog.com/2010/07/13/how-to-dye-fabric-with-natural-dyes/. Another blog I'm going to have to try to catch up on.

Ooh, I love projects. I'm actually feeling a little depressed because I feel like I don't have time to finish anything. Heck, I barely have time to START anything! And on top of that, I'm back to work now. I know, I know...everyone else does it, so I shouldn't be complaining, but I feel like I spend all of my time making everyone else happy and I'm the last person on my list to be taken care of. And the thing is, I don't want to go out for girls nights and yoga all of the time...I want to STAY IN so I can sew, bake, make a frickin' candle, whatever. I need to get my hands dirty but one of them always seems to be holding a toddler. (Sorry, I'm feeling spread pretty thin lately, and today it was just getting to me, because on top of being spread thin, I'm utterly exhausted.)

A while ago I said that I was going to do some work that I didn't get to finish this past week when I was actually *at work*, but I've spent the last 45 minutes or so researching laundry detergents, reading articles, and writing this. Time to get to work, and maybe when I'm done I can continue my research.

Articles to bookmark

2011-08-27T19:35:00.000-07:00

Since this page is, apparently, becoming my place to keep track of what I read, I thought I'd save two links here for future reference.

First, an article about "What the Bible Really Says About Routine Infant Circumcision". For those who argue that they believe in circumcision "for religious reasons," here is some food for thought about how you are NOT honoring God by agreeing to this procedure. (And for what it's worth, there's no medical benefit to it, either, and doing it "to look like Daddy" is ridiculous...I think that people are going to notice things like eye color and face shape, and not whether their penises match.) http://www.udonet.com/circumcision/christian.html

The second is an article from Psychology Today called, "Believing "children are resilient" may be a fantasy". People get so hung up on the fact that "they'll get through it" that they forget to nurture their children. Now, I DO believe that children will "get through it," but HOW they get through it helps shape who they are on the other side. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/moral-landscapes/201106/believing-children-are-resilient-may-be-fantasy

Shape; August 2011

2011-08-25T02:53:00.000-07:00

I just realized something about my new goal to summarize magazine articles...it will help me keep track of where I am in the magazine!

P24--there's a half-marathon in RI where live bands play along the route. Similar events are being held in other cities. Sounds cool...too bad I don't run unless I'm being chased. (For the record, I would love to run, but my knees and feet just can't handle it.)

An article on page 32 mentions body confidence, and asks if a man thinks twice about taking off his shirt and showing his potbelly. Nope, I don't think they do think twice about showing off the potbelly...but sometimes I wish they would. Nothing wrong with putting in a little effort to look nice for your wife. Just sayin'...

The book "What I Wore" mentioned on page 40 looks good. I could use some fashion advice. I have no skill whatsoever in that area.

Breaking my habit of collecting too much stuff

2011-08-25T02:42:00.000-07:00

I have a problem with keeping things around the house. I do this for a couple reasons...one is that I'm afraid that if I get rid of it, I'll need it. I'm surprised that after holding onto something for YEARS, I'll get rid of it and find out that I needed it within a few days of saying goodbye. It happens at home and at work. At work I'll hold onto a stack of papers from three years ago, decide it's safe to shred them because the students are entering their senior year of college...then one of them will call me asking about letters of recommendation or something like that. As much as I'd like to, there's obviously no way I can remember some of those smaller details about all of my students.

In order to tackle the problem at home, though, I've decided that I'm going to start with my magazines. I keep magazines around because they contain good articles or exercises or whatever. I know it will be time-consuming, but I think I'm going to work on summarizing articles, then after I've written my summary, the magazine can go to the recycling bin or to someone else who might want to read it. Obviously this is more for my reference than for your reading enjoyment, but if it does end up helping one person, it's worth it!

I've missed blogging

2011-08-19T20:21:00.000-07:00

While I'm not interesting or eloquent, I do enjoy, from time to time, sharing what's on my mind. I haven't blogged in a long time, though, mostly because I have an almost-two-year-old in the house. Even when he was an almost-one-year-old, it was impossible to use my computer without "help". (Seriously, I don't know how parents have the time to blog. Even when was home for a year when Gabe was born, or this summer when I've been on break from my job, I can't find the time to blog. The only reason I'm doing it now is because Chris is working at a performance at the Opera House (a side job he does to help out a friend) and I'm an insomniac. No point in going to bed when I know I won't be sleeping!

Anyway, I've been thinking about it a lot lately. I do that when I feel like I'm a little lost, because sometimes I think blogging--getting those thoughts out of my head--helps me find the path again. I've been feeling really insecure, and I'm hoping that the process of writing will teach me more about myself and my calling.

A weirdo

2010-06-01T09:53:00.000-07:00

While I consider myself quite "normal," (even though I hate that word), I find that people think I'm a little strange. Weird, even. So I got to thinking of all of the things that make me weird...

If believing that people have the right to love whomever they love and not try to be someone they're not for the sake of the appeasement of other people, then yes...I'm a weirdo.

If believing in the body's ability to heal itself, given the proper attention, nutrition, and exercise, then yes...I'm a weirdo.

If believing that the earth and all of her inhabitants deserve to be treated with respect, then yes...I'm a weirdo.

If believing that we don't have to poison the bodies of little babies so that they supposedly build up immunity to diseases that will more than likely never affect them, then yes...I'm a weirdo.

If believing that smoking around your children and feeding them a steady diet of McDonalds fast "food" and soft drinks is a form of child abuse, then yes...I'm a weirdo.

Granola Bark

2010-01-05T08:13:00.000-08:00

granola bark from my friend's blog

http://daisiesareagirlsbestfriend.blogspot.com/2007/10/good-food-friday-on-monday.html

chocolate sandwich cookies

2009-12-02T12:57:00.000-08:00

From the martha stewart show:

Chocolate sandwich cookies
6 T butter
3/4 c pow sug
3/4 c flour
Cocoa (how much)
1/8 t salt
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla

Shape into rectangle
Chill
Roll out w/ rubber bands on rolling pin
Cut out w/ rectangle cutter
Bake 325 for 12-14min

6 T unsalted butter
2 c pow sug
1 drop food coloring
2 drops peppermint

Franks Red Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip

2009-11-07T16:19:00.000-08:00

from the Franks Red Hot web site.

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing
1/2 cup any flavor FRANK'S® REDHOT® Sauce
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cans (9.75 oz. each) SWANSON® White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

DIRECTIONS:

1.HEAT oven to 350°F. Place cream cheese into deep baking dish. Stir until smooth.
2.MIX in salad dressing, Frank's RedHot Sauce and cheese. Stir in chicken.
3.BAKE 20 min. or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish as desired. Serve with crackers or vegetables.

Tips
1.Microwave Directions: Prepare as above. Place in microwave-safe dish. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 5 min. until hot, stirring halfway through cooking.
2.Tips: You may substitute 2 cups shredded cooked chicken.
3.Slow Cooker Method: Combine ingredients as directed above. Place mixture into small slow cooker. Cover pot. Heat on HIGH setting for 1 1/2 hours until hot and bubbly or on LOW setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Stir.
4.Tailgating Tip: Prepare dip ahead and place in heavy disposable foil pan. Place pan on grill and heat dip until hot and bubbly.

Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies

2009-11-07T16:12:00.000-08:00

Clipped from a Pillsbury ad:

1 box (19.5 oz) brownie mix
1/4 c butter
4 oz cream cheese (1/2 package)
1 egg
1 c powdered sugar
1 c peanut butter

heat oven to 350

combine brownie mix, melted butter, cream cheese, and egg, whisk 50 strokes w/ spoon until well-blended (will be sticky)

drop dough by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet, 2" apart, make about 24 cookies. smooth out edges of batter.

in another bowl, mix powdered sugar and peanut butter. with hands, roll spoonfuls of peanut butter mixture into balls and place one ball in the center of each ball of dough.

bake 10-14 min or until edges are set. cool on cookie sheets at least 30 min if being frosted.

if desired, frost with ready-to-spread frosting

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

2009-11-07T16:00:00.000-08:00

1 c flour
3/4 c sugar
2 T baking cocoa
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 c milk
2 T oil
1 t vanilla

mix separately:
1 c packed brown sugar
1/4 c baking cocoa
1 3/4 c HOT water

mix ingredients 1-5 in a 9x9 pan
add ingredients 6-8 and mix, then spread out

sprinkle 9 and 10 over batter, pour water over batter

Bake 40 min at 350 until top is dry

Some sort of chocolate loaf

2009-11-06T12:02:00.001-08:00

I was looking for recipes for some bread/cake stuff that we had when we were in Greece. It was a really mild chocolate flavor and was really dense and moist. I would eat a few pieces at breakfast, then swipe a few more pieces to take with me for the day. I have looked all over for a recipe, so if this sounds like anything you've ever had before, let me know! I THINK this might be one of my attempts at making it. Not sure. Again, I didn't label it, so I'll have to make it and see how it turns out!

Sift together:
2 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 t soda
1/2 c cocoa
1 c sugar
1/2 t salt

in a small bowl, combine:
1 egg
1/3 c butter
1 1/4 c sour milk (add 1 T vinegar to room temp milk, let sit 5 min)
combine until just blended
put in sprayed 9x5 loaf pan, bake 1 hour @ 350

California Rangers

2009-11-06T11:57:00.000-08:00

This recipe comes from my great grandma, Jessie Van Curen. It's like a sweet, crunchy oatmeal cookie (thanks to the coconut and corn flakes, respectively). Sometimes I toss in a few chocolate chips.

1 c shortening (I use butter)
1 c white sugar
1 c brown sugar
1 T milk
2 eggs, unbeaten
1 t vanilla
3/4 t soda
2 c fllour
1/2 t salt
2 c oats
2 c corn flakes
1 c coconut or nuts (or both, but I only use coconut)

The dough will be really hard to mix!

bake @ 350 until golden brown (10 min)

Wheat Bread

2009-11-06T11:53:00.000-08:00

I didn't label this recipe when I wrote it down. I think it's for wheat bread. Guess I'll just have to make it and see what it turns out to be!

1 1/2 t yeast (1 envelope)
vegetable oil (I'd probably use olive oil)
2 T honey
1 t salt
2 c warm water
4 c wheat flour
3 c flour
egg white

mix yeast, honey, salt, and water

combine flours in another bowl, stir 2 c flour into liquid, mix, add 3 more cups flour, knead in as much more flour as necessary for soft dough, knead 8-10 min.

let rise 1 1/2 h, punch down, knead out bubbles, divide into 4 pieces.

let rise 45 min, bake @ 350 40-50 min with a pan of water on the lower shelf

Whole wheat choc chip cookies

2009-11-06T11:41:00.000-08:00

Stolen from my friend Gina's blog!

1 1/4 c raw sugar
1 c butter (soft)
1 t vanilla
1 egg
2 c wheat flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
12 oz choc chips

Bake @ 375 for 8-10 min

Breakfast Crepes

2009-11-05T11:20:00.000-08:00

Found this recipe in a leaflet for Egg Beaters.

1 c flour
1 T butter
1 c skim milk
2/3 c egg beaters

combine flour, milk, egg, and butter, let stand 30 min

heat lightly greased 8 inch nonstick skillet or crepe pan over med-high heat. pour scant 1/4 cup batter, tilting pan to cover bottom. cook 1-2 min, turn & cook 30 sec to 1 min. place on waxed paper. stir batter & repeat to make 10 crepes. fill w/ desired fillings or use in recipes calling for prepared crepes.

Wheat Oatmeal Honey Bread

2009-11-04T13:44:00.000-08:00

2 c whole wheat flour
5-5/2 c all purpose flour, divided
1 c quick oats
2pk (1/4 oz each) active dry yeast
1 t salt
1 c warm water (120-130 degrees)
1 c warm sour milk* (120-130 degrees)
*to sour milk, place 1 T vinegar in a measuring cup, add milk to equal 1 c.
1/2 c honey
1/3 c butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
TOPPING:
1 egg white
1 T water
1/4 c quick oats

In a mixing bowl, combine whole wheat flour, 2 c all purpose flour, oats, yeast, salt. Stir in water, milk, honey, and butter, beat until smooth. Beat in eggs. Add enough remaining all-purpose flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 min. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down, shape into 2 loaves. Place in greased 9x5x3" loaf pan, cover & let rise until doubled, about 45 min, beat egg white & water, brush over loaves. Sprinkle w/ oats. Bake @ 375 for 40-45 min or until golden. Remove from pans & cool on wire racks.

Wagon Wheel cookies

2009-11-04T11:45:00.000-08:00

From a coupon insert for Enova oil in the Sunday paper, then found online. I use cocoa powder instead of choc. squares.

Chocolate Wagon Wheel Cookies

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate (not chips), melted and cooled
2 ½ cups flour, sifted
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup Enova brand oil
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten or 1 cup liquid egg substitute
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar

With a double boiler, melt the chocolate and cool to room temperature. Sift together flour, salt and baking powder.

Mix together the Enova oil, chocolate and sugar; mix well to fully incorporate ingredients. One at a time, blend in eggs or egg substitute to the chocolate, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and then stir the dry ingredients into the chocolate.

Cover and place mixture in refrigerator to chill for several hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350°F. Portion dough into pieces and shape into 1-½ inch balls. Roll each dough ball in powdered sugar and place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Yield: 40 servings (serving size: 1 cookie)

CALORIES 120; FAT 5 g (sat 1 g; mono 1.5 g; poly 1.5 g); PROTEIN 1 g; CHOLESTEROL 20 mg; SODIUM 60 mg; FIBER <1>

Peanut Blossom Cookies

2009-11-04T11:29:00.000-08:00

From a newspaper that cites www.landolakes.com as the source. Since I have a baby at home, I'm just copying and pasting from the site:

1/2		cup sugar
1/2		cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2		cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
1/2		cup peanut butter
1		LAND O LAKES® All-Natural Egg
1		teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4		teaspoon salt
1 3/4		cups all-purpose flour
1		teaspoon baking soda
1/4		cup sugar
48		milk chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped

Heat oven to 375°F. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, butter and peanut butter in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and salt; continue beating until well mixed. Add flour and baking soda. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. (If dough is too soft, refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes.) Roll balls in 1/4 cup sugar. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until very lightly golden brown. Immediately press 1 chocolate kiss in center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheets; cool completely on wire racks.

Ingredient Substitution Index

Nutrition Facts (1 cookie): Calories: 100, Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 70mg, Carbohydrates: 12g, Dietary Fiber: 0g, Protein: 2g

Gabe at bath time, 9/26/09

2009-10-30T16:22:00.000-07:00

Handbag giveaway at "EverythingUpClose"

2009-10-08T08:23:00.000-07:00

I've found something I can do while I feed Gabe...I can enter contests. Sure, it takes me forever b/c I'm typing w/ one hand, but it keeps me occupied, which is just what I need.

Yesterday I found a giveaway for a gorgeous handbag on a blog called Everything Up Close. The blog is full of cool information, product reviews, and giveaways...I look forward to reading it regularly! And, of course, I would love to win the handbag she's giving away! Check it out here: http://www.everythingupclose.com/2009/10/mary-alison-handbags-review-giveaway.html

BIG UPDATE

2009-09-10T09:05:00.001-07:00

Not much time right now, so I'll get to the point.

Gabriel Christopher
9/8/09
6:30pm
6lb 8oz
19"

A little blurb I read about overcoming negativity

2009-08-31T10:32:00.000-07:00

As I probably mentioned before, I have lots of little things written on paper that just clutter up our house, so I'd like to put these things (quotes, stories, information, etc...) online, note the source so it doesn't look like I'm trying to steal the writing as my own, and then I'm going to toss the paper. Actually, I'm going to use the other side of the paper for grocery lists or phone messages or whatever, then I'm going to recycle it, but you already knew that.

So this story is called "Negative? Who? Me?" and it's from Doreen Hatfield, CEAP, director of EAP, from Family Services of the Chautauqua Region.

"One cross word, gloomy mood, or sarcastic remark can escalate to a hostile, conflict-ridden work environment. Morale decreased and productivity suffers. Communication comes to a halt and employees stop working well together. The ramifications are far-reaching and too harmful to ignore.

"So what do you do when you recognize pessimistic attitudes spiraling through your workplace?

"PROTECT YOURSELF! It's always good practice to take some self-inventory. Ask yourself, "Am I a 'carrier'?", "How do I respond when negative people try to bring me down?", "Do I have the courage and conviction to confront a negative employee?", "What do I do?".

"We often speak of early intervention when dealing with children's problems. It is just as important to fight off negativity in the workplace by addressing it early on."

The rest of the paper just goes on to inform readers about what they should do if they want to attend a workshop on overcoming negativity. But I thought what they wrote about above was pretty brilliant. It's just a little reminder of a few things: 1) Are you making the work environment hostile? (I know a few people who should take that message to heart!), 2) Is someone else making the work environment hostile?, and 3) If someone you work with is making the work environment hostile, are you letting it drag you down? If so, maybe it's time to check your attitude. (I know it's time to check my attitude because I know I let the negativity around me get me down.)

(Side note: my computer is saying that the word "children's" is spelled wrong, but it is, in fact, correct. Children is the plural form of child, the "apostrophe S" denotes possession, so there is nothing grammatically wrong with that word!)

Those purple boxes hanging in trees

2009-08-21T16:13:00.000-07:00

A couple years ago while driving in Pennsylvania (around the Erie area, I think we were on our way to Ohio) we started noticing some weird purple plastic three-dimensional triangle-shaped boxes hanging in trees. We had no idea what they were, but we steadily started seeing more and more of them. This spring I noticed that one had been put up on my way to work, and I think there are some along the thruway headed toward Buffalo, but I still didn't know what they were. I figured they were some type of environmental project and asked a few of my sciencey friends if they knew what the boxes were...but they didn't.

So in the conservation building at the fair this year I saw a little leaflet that described what they are! So now I know! And because I want to put this paper in the recycling bin so it's not cluttering up our house, but I don't want to lose the info, I'm posting it on my blog. I'd like to find a picture of one of the boxes but I'll probably just have to stop and take one myself. Here are the facts listed on the card:

Q: What's purple, sticky, and hangs in an ash tree?
A: It's a detection tool that's being used in your state and 46 other states across the country to survey for the emerald ash borer (EAB) beetle. For convenience, we call these detection tools "purple traps."

Q: Who is conducting the EAB survey?
A: The US Dept of Agriculture's Animal & Planet Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and State Depts of Agriculture or Natural Resources are cooperating partners in the survey effort.

Q: How do the purple traps work?
A: During EAB adult flight season, beetles fly around ash trees, nibbling on leaves & looking for a mate. If an EAB lands on the purple trap it will get stuck in the glue.

Q: Is the purple trap safe?
A: The purple traps pose no risk to humans, pets, or wildlife, however the non-toxic glue can be extremely sticky & messy if touched.

So now we know that the purple boxes are traps for the Emerald Ash Borer Beetles. I know they're "only bugs," but it seems a little inhumane to trap the bugs (and other flying creatures, like bats and birds?) in that manner.

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/emerald_ash_b/index.shtml

Sunset at Lake Erie

2009-08-02T17:53:00.001-07:00

We've seen sunsets all over the world, but still some of the prettiest ones I've seen have been right in Dunkirk. I took these today...

Agave Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

2009-07-25T14:52:00.000-07:00

Instead of copying the entire recipe to my blog, I thought I'd post the link to the recipe I found, thus giving credit to the creator.

On second thought, maybe I should copy and paste the recipe anyway just in case the link ever stops working. This one looks so good and I don't want to lose it!

http://www.cookiemadness.net/?p=2761

Small Batch Agave Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

1/2 cup all purpose flour or white whole wheat flour (2 25 oz)
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lightly beaten egg or egg substitute
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
6 tablespoons agave nectar
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons quick cooking oats, divided**
1/3 cup miniature chocolate chips (semi-sweet)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 6 muffin tins with flour-added cooking spray or line them with paper liners.

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Using a fork, lightly beat the oil and egg together in a medium bowl. Beat in the vanilla, ricotta cheese and agave nectar. Mix in the oats, then slowly add the flour mixture. When flour mixture is almost but not quite mixed in, add the chocolate chips and stir until flour disappears.

Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups and bake for 25 minutes.

Cool on a rack and remove from pan.

**If you don’t have quick oats, you can pulse old fashioned oats in the blender and sue those instead. Also, if you are short on agave or don’t want to use it sparingly, you could try using 3 tablespoons agave & 3 tablespoons of maple syrup. It would change the flavor of the muffins, but I think it would still be good.

***I had to use whole fat ricotta, but next time I’d use low fat or part skim.

Chris' roller coaster obsession

2009-07-25T11:24:00.000-07:00

A while back Chris and I were in the car and I started asking him if we could list all of the roller coasters he's been on. I wrote up a list but I want to get rid of it so that it's one less paper sitting on our counter (horizontal surfaces and I do not get along--they get cluttered fast!) and I don't want to lose it because I have plans for the list, so I'm going to type it up in my blog...

New York
Darien Lake
Superman
Predator
Mind Eraser
Viper
Boomerang

Coney Island
Cyclone

Great Escape
Steamin' Demon (was Ragin' Cajun)
Comet (was at Crystal Beach)

Massachusetts
Riverside
Cyclone
Black Widow
Jackrabbit

New Jersey
Great Adventure
El Toro
Superman
Nitro
Kingda Ka
Batman
Dark Knight
Great American Scream Machine
Rolling Thunder
Runaway Mine Train
Medusa
Viper
Skull Mountain

Virginia
Busch Gardens
Loch Ness Monster
Big Bad Wolf
Griffon
Alpengeist
Apollo's Chariot

Florida
Sea World
Kracken
Atlantis

Busch Gardens
Kumba
Montu
Shikra
Gwazi

Disney
Rockin Roller Coaster
Everest
Space Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain

Islands of Adventure
Hulk
Dueling Dragons

Ohio
Cedar Point
Top Thrill Dragster
Millennium Force
Mantis
Mean Streak
Iron Dragon
Blue Streak
Wildcat
Raptor
Wicked Twister
Disaster Transport
Gemini
Magnum
Maverick

Geagua Lake
Big Dipper
Villain
Dark Knight
Superman
Double Loop
X-Flight

King's Island
King Cobra
Top Gun
Son of Beast
Beast
Racer
Vortex
Italian Job
Outer Limits

Kentucky
Kentucky Kingdom
Chang
T2
Rolling Thunder

Nevada
Las Vegas
Speed

California
San Diego Boardwalk
Giant Dipper

California Adventure
California Screamin'

Magic Mountain
X2
Ninja
Goliath
Riddler's Revenge
Batman
Scream

England
Alton Towers
Nemesis
Air
Oblivion
Rita

I think the grand total is 83 coasters.

(Scallops) in Thai Sauce (Use tofu instead)

2009-07-14T13:36:00.001-07:00

A friend of mine at work found a recipe in the Taste of Home magazine that she thought I'd like. She said that it could probably be done with tofu instead of the seafood it calls for. I haven't made it yet, but I thought I'd post it in case I decide to at some point. Deb noted that she found the Thai Chili Sauce in the international section at Wegman's (Asian section).

1T cornstarch
1 can (14.5oz) vegetable broth
2T creamy peanut butter
1 to 2T Thai chili sauce
1 lb cubed tofu (instead of sea scallops)
2 T vegetable oil, divided
1 small onion, sliced
1 large sweet red pepper, julienned
1/2 cup salted cashews
2 t minced garlic
1 can (8 3/4 oz) whole baby corn, drained

(hot cooked angel hair pasta, optional)

*In small bowl, combine cornstarch, broth, peanut butter, and chili sauce until smooth, set aside.
*In large skillet, saute tofu in 1 T oil for a few minutes on each side, remove from pan w/ a slotted spoon and keep warm. In the same pan, saute the onion, pepper, cashews, and garlic in remaining oil for 3-5 minutes or until veggies are crisp/tender.
*Stir peanut butter mixture and add to pan. Bring to boil, cook and stir for another 1-2 min or until thickened. Add tofu and corn, heat through, serve over pasta if desired.

Makes 5 servings

Remodeling our bathroom

2009-07-13T07:04:00.001-07:00

We just remodeled our bathroom and I thought I'd post some pictures for everyone to enjoy. We have lots of pictures from the entire process, but it was so extensive that seeing the bathroom all torn up in those shots just stresses me out, so I'm posting pictures of the mostly-done bathroom in the process of being painted.

Here's the wall above the tub, primed and ready for paint...

And the wall next to the shower/above the toilet, also primed and ready for paint...
Our first glimpse of the blue paint we picked out, other than the little paint chip we used to choose the color. We thought the bluish-grey would bring out the blue/grey in the tiles we chose and would contrast nicely with the brown...
The first swipe of blue paint being applied to the wall above the tub...
Chris continuing to make his way around the bathroom, finished with the tub area and now painting over the window, working toward the shower...
The wall above the tub with the first coat of paint...
A little better view of the newly painted wall above the tub...
And finally, the first coat of blue above the shower...
I did some of the painting, too! We did the second coat this morning and we're waiting for that to dry. We have one wall that needs a lot of prep work before it's painted, and once that's done we'll get the paint on that. I'm anxious to get the tape off and see how it looks. We also need to work on the ceiling a bit, and we need to get some cabinets put up. We're getting there....

"Firemen's" Barbecue Sauce

2009-06-13T13:43:00.000-07:00

I don't like traditional red barbecue sauce, but I love the white barbecue sauce on tofu (because I don't eat meat). We have always called it Firemen's Barbecue Sauce because every year the fire department in my home town of Cuba, NY has a chicken barbecue and they use the white sauce. So no matter whether the sauce comes from the bottle or is homemade, it's Firemen's Barbecue Sauce to us!

I don't know what the exact recipe is, but the main ingredients and approximate measurements are:
1 c. olive oil
2 c. cider vinegar
2 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. pepper
1 egg

It works best to make it in a blender--put the egg in the blender and blend for a second, then add the oil and blend it good. Slowly add the other ingredients and mix it up. It will separate when it sits, so you'll need to shake it before you use it. Put it on whatever you normally put barbecue sauce on. I like to put tofu in a pie pan and dump some of the sauce on it, then put it on the grill. Delicious!

Another contest I entered

2009-06-07T13:51:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite blogs right now is BabyMakin(g)Machine, and she has a great contest going to celebrate her 6 month blogoversary! http://babymakingmachine.blogspot.com/2009/05/6-month-blogiversary.html?showComment=1244407853482#c5402996555670271512

Even if you don't win the contest, the blog is worth checking out! Even though I've never met blog author FutureMama, I feel like we've become friends through her blog. She's adorable!

(Raisin) Scones

2009-05-17T14:07:00.000-07:00

Wow, as I've started collecting recipes that sound good to me, I realize that I have really unhealthy tastes! Or maybe it's just that I tend to see more recipes for baked goods than I do for healthy meals.

I also sometimes automatically substitute ingredients--in this case I'd replace the raisins with chocolate chips or take them out completely, which is why I put Raisin in parentheses. I got this from the Parade magazine that came in the Sunday paper.

(Raisin) Scones
Instead of spending money at a bakery each morning, make breakfast scones at home. These light treats are ready in 30 minutes flat and freeze well.

1 lg egg
1/2 c milk
2 c. all purpose flour
2 1/2 T. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
6 T. cold butter, cut into bits
(3/4 c. raisins)

1. Preheat oven to 400. Whisk egg & milk together in one bowl and the flour, sugar, baking powder, & salt in another.

2. Drop the butter into the flour and, using your fingers, cut and rub until the mixture is pebbly. Pour in the milk and egg. Mix with a fork until the dough is evenly moist. (Add the raisins and give the very sticky dough a few more stirs.)

3. Spoon a dozen mounds of dough onto a foil-lined baking sheet & bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown. Cool for a few min. Serve warm w/ butter or jam, or a little of each.

I think I've been stabbed in the back!

2009-05-15T14:59:00.000-07:00

I was talking to a friend of mine today, and he said that he saw an acquaintance of mine. I say acquaintance because we know each other and might possibly be friends, but there always seemed to be some tension between us and I don't know what it is; we just never really "clicked." So anyway, I was talking to my friend and he said that this person said some stuff about me...stuff that only a few people know. It's not that I have any deep, dark secrets. I just happened to share some of my deepest fears at a really rough time in my life with very few friends, and I have a feeling that one of the people I talked to told this other person. Let me see if I can explain this better...

I was going through a rough time as so many of us do. I leaned on a couple friends. Like, TWO friends. And I told them pretty much everything. One of those people, we'll call her "Person A" is friends with my acquaintance, "Person B." Person A knows that I don't particularly like Person B. So when my other friend, "Person Z" told me that Person B knew all kinds of stuff about my emotional turmoil of a few years ago, the only one I could really think of who would have shared such information would have been Person A.

I'm very confused right now because, first of all, this information was probably shared years ago, and that situation has long since passed. I'm over it and am now very happy. I don't know what good it would do to confront her about it. At the same time, though, I want her to know that I'm not pleased that she shared this information. And then there's a tiny part of me that wonders if I'm barking up the wrong tree. Maybe she didn't say anything!

Ugh, I'm so angry and hurt right now!!! But the good thing is that Chris will be home in a few hours and I can't wait to hug and kiss him and make up for the four days we've been apart!!!

Melt-in-your-mouth Strawberry Muffins

2009-05-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from a Stonyfield Farms yogurt lid, but I haven't tried it yet. I'm considering replacing the strawberries with chocolate chips (I know I'm terrible!) because I tend to like to keep my fruit and my baked goods separate.

1 c. all purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 t baking soda
2 eggs
1 c. Stonyfield Farm yogurt
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 t. vanilla
1 c chopped strawberries, fresh or frozen

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. In a bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and baking soda. In another bowl, mix eggs, yogurt, butter, and vanilla. Toss strawberries into the flour mixture, then pour yogurt mixture into flour mixture and stir. Spoon batter into greased muffin tin, bake for 20-25 min, or until the tops are golden brown. Yield: 12 muffins.

Contest to win a beautiful bracelet! (I REALLY like this!)

2009-05-04T14:07:00.000-07:00

I found the most adorable giveaway on the Contest Corner blog! We went to England last year and I loved it so much, so I really hope to win the bracelet! Here's a direct link to the contest so you can check out the bracelet:
http://contest-corner.blogspot.com/2009/05/giveaway-london-calling-bracelet.html

And here's the link to the etsy shop so you can see all of the wonderful things that Bebe and Yaya have to offer:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5205135

Closed again

2009-05-03T16:28:00.000-07:00

We got word this afternoon that my school is closed again on Monday because of swine flu. Here are the latest articles:

http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=66352&catid=305

http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/School_district_awaits_H1N1_results_20090503

While I love the idea of another day off, it's also incredibly frustrating because this is such a busy time at work that I really need to be there, and also, this creates a conflict with two big events, which will now have to be scheduled for the same day! ARGH!

Our bathroom remodeling project

2009-05-02T13:54:00.000-07:00

We've decided to remodel our bathroom. Our tub is a little on the nasty side. It looks like the tub wasn't installed properly, and the caulk is all flaky and hard to clean. We figure we're going to have a kid who I imagine is going to need a bath occasionally, so that was kind of the impetus for us to seriously think about getting this project in gear.

Today we went to a place in Orchard Park called L.A. Hazard because we heard that they had a beautiful showroom, and people are right, that place was amazing. It wasn't terribly large, but it was beautifully organized and the ladies there were so nice! They showed us a lot of things, gave us opinions, etc... We really had a nice time, and now we have some decisions to make. Tonight I think we're going to sit down and work on throwing around some ideas and seeing what we can put together.

As you can imagine, I want this project to be as green as possible, however, it looks like I may have to forfeit some "green-ness" for two reasons--first, it's hard to tell what's really the greenest option considering all of the extra supplies you need for something like granite or tile, and secondly, the seemingly greener options are so much more expensive that we just can't afford them. We did find what appears to be some pretty nice, long-lasting flooring, but it's essentially plastic, which doesn't exactly thrill me.

We also decided we might do the project in phases so we're not shelling out a load of money all at one time, and it will give us some extra time to pick out some details that we really like for the second phase. The first phase will be to get the separate shower installed, then to get the new tub installed. The vanity, sink, and faucet will be the next phase.

My "day off"

2009-05-02T04:45:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I didn't go to work, and it felt really weird. Normally if I stay home on what would usually be a workday, there would be three feet of snow in the driveway and it would be a snowday. But yesterday was a swine flu day.

I figured I'd use the day to tackle some of the work-related tasks I have waiting for me, but instead I talked on the phone with other schools, the health department, etc... So many precautions have to be taken when a kid is diagnosed with what is proving to be quite a deadly disease!

A lot of people are saying that it's being blown out of proportion, and to a great extent I agree, but I DO NOT think that our superintendent overreacted by closing school today, and there are many reasons why I believe this. First of all, a lot of thought and discussion went into making this decision. Our superintendent was on the phone and in meetings ALL DAY trying to determine what would be the best course of action, and you know what...he had to do WHAT WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE KIDS, those little people (and not so little people, since this is a junior/senior high school) who we are paid to protect. Yes, it's our job to educate and guide them, but I think that even more important than the educating and guiding is keeping them safe. So yes, maybe this was a drastic measure, but if they hadn't closed school and kids started getting sick, then people would have been even more angry, and understandably so.

I've noticed that this topic is making people fight. People are arguing about whether people are overreacting or whether it's worth it to try to make sure we protect ourselves. My feeling is that the more we talk about it, the more we're perpetuating the hysteria. If you're not worried about it, why not keep your mouth shut until you're asked? The only reason I'm taking the time to write about it is that I was directly affected by this situation.

Be safe, everyone. Wash your hands, don't touch your face, and do everything else you'd normally do. (Universal precautions!)

Long walk with Xander

2009-04-26T06:30:00.000-07:00

Chris and I walked Xander this morning, and we found a fenced in area at the school where we decided to let him off his leash so he could run. He did a lot of sniffing (that's the hound in him!), but then he also ran for a few short bursts. It was really funny to watch him go tearing across the lawn. Now he's completely knackered and is resting on the wood floor where I imagine it's nice and cool. Hopefully this will help keep with his behavior problems a little bit.

I don't think I mentioned that the other day we finally put him on anti-anxiety medication. Chris got home on Monday and found that he had gotten into the garbage and spread it throughout the house. (My fault for not tying the garbage bin shut.) If the meds don't work, I really don't know what we'll do with him. I'm *this close* to finding a new home for him, and I NEVER thought I'd say that about any animal.

I have to admit, the walk felt pretty good for me, too! The weather is gorgeous and I need to keep exercising. I'm starting to get fat... ;)

Earth Day Giveaway!

2009-04-22T18:03:00.000-07:00

In honor of Earth Day, check out the My Sentiments ExactLee blog and enter her giveaway!

http://www.mysentimentexactlee.com/2009/04/in-honor-of-earth-day-kiss-my-face.html

Simplest Loaf Cake

2009-04-22T17:10:00.001-07:00

I got this recipe out of the Parade magazine that comes in the Sunday paper. I haven't tried it, but I'd like to, so I'm going to post it here and then throw away the paper copy (since it will get lost in my "drawer-'o-recipes" anyway! (And of course I'll substitute some of the ingredients with healthier choices).

Serve this easy cake plain, with ice cream and berries, or toast it and spread it with jam.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 flavorless oil, such as canola

1) Preheat oven to 350 and generously butter an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan (6 cup capacity). In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

2) Whisk the eggs, sugar, sour cream, and vanilla together until well blended. Add the dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Finally, pour in the oil and use the whisk to gently but thoroughly fold it into the batter.

3) Put the batter in the loaf pan and bake 50-55 min, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 5 min, then unmold and cool to room temp right side up.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

2009-04-18T09:33:00.000-07:00

Back when I was in high school, I used to make Cinnamon Rolls from scratch on Christmas morning. I had an extra packet of yeast from when I made King Cake for Mardi Gras, so I decided to mix up a batch of Cinnamon Rolls for Chris.

I made the dough, rolled it up, sliced it into individual rolls, then froze the dough. Last night I took a few out and put them in a baking dish in the oven (oven wasn't on, but I wanted to put them in an enclosed space) to thaw and rise. This morning we had a pan full of puffy rolls, which I then put in the toaster oven to bake. They turned out well...probably could have used a bit more cinnamon and sugar, but I think next time I'll just try to roll the dough out thinner and that way I should be able to fit more "stuffing" in them.

I got this recipe from Cooks.com, and it was very good!
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,174,150187-253196,00.html

HOMEMADE CINNAMON ROLLS

4 1/4 to 4 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. butter
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
6 tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Step 1: In a large mixer bowl combine 1 1/2 cups of the all-purpose flour and yeast. Heat the milk, granulated sugar, the 1/4 cup butter and salt just until mixture is warm (120 to 130 degrees) and the butter is almost melted, stirring constantly.

Step 2: Add milk mixture to flour mixture; add eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds; scrape sides of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can. (Dough will be soft.) Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough (3 to 5 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball.

Step 3: Place dough in a lightly greased bowl; turn once. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double (about 1 to 1 1/2 hours). (The dough is ready for shaping when you can lightly and quickly press two fingers 1/2 inch into dough and indentation remains.)

Step 4: Punch dough down. On a lightly floured surface, divide dough in half; shape each half into a smooth ball. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes.

Step 5: On lightly floured surface roll half the dough to 12x8 inches. Spread with 3 tablespoons softened butter. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle half over rectangle. Roll up from a short side. Seal edges. Make a second roll with remaining dough, butter and sugar mixture.

Step 6: Slice each dough roll into 8 pieces. Arrange slices, cut side down, in a greased 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Cover; let rise until nearly double (about 30 minutes).

Step 7: Bake rolls in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown. Invert at once onto a wire rack. Cool slightly. Drizzle rolls with Maple Nut Glaze or Powdered Sugar Glaze. Serve warm.

Makes 16 rolls.

POWDERED SUGAR GLAZE:

Combine 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and enough milk (about 3 to 4 teaspoons) for drizzling consistency.

FREEZING AND REHEATING:

Bake and cool rolls as directed, do not glaze. Wrap in moisture and vapor proof wrap. Seal, label, and freeze for up to 3 months.

To reheat in a conventional oven, wrap frozen rolls in foil. Place in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until warm. Drizzle with your choice of glaze.

To reheat in a microwave oven, wrap 2 of the frozen rolls in microwave-safe paper towels. Micro-cook on 100% power (high) for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until warm. Drizzle with glaze.

"Top Fives"

2009-04-17T11:33:00.000-07:00

The new trend on Facebook is to pick your "Top Five" in a variety of categories. For a lot of them, it's hard to pick just 5, and for some of them, it's hard to say which ones I'd rank as my favorites.

I did one on Broadway shows, and I picked:
Rent
Wicked
Avenue Q
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Stomp

But I forgot about Les Miserables and some other really great shows.

Then I was invited to do one on five concerts I've seen, so I decided to pick the five BEST shows I've seen, but even that is hard! I picked:
U2
Collective Soul
Nickel Creek
Goo Goo Dolls
Toby Keith

But left out Sara Bareilles, Blue Man Group, Maroon 5, etc...

The hardest for me, though, is movies. I haven't done that yet, and will have to work on building my list. I'm going to use my blog to tweak my list before I post it:
Love Actually (no brainer--best movie ever made)
10 Things I Hate About You
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Zoolander
Austin Powers International Man of Mystery

More that I like but a little more on the serious side:
Save the Last Dance
Ever After

Tzatziki Sauce

2009-04-16T07:13:00.000-07:00

I actually went looking for this recipe for Tzatziki on the Stonyfield Farms web site. Stonyfield Farms makes ORGANIC yogurt and it's the only kind of yogurt I buy.

If I may get up on my soapbox for a moment--Yes, organic products, including yogurt, are more expensive than non-organic products, but if we continue to spend a little more money for a better-quality product, the prices WILL come down! So think about it, and consider choosing organic next time you make a food purchase. Even if it's ONE ITEM, it still adds up. We're all in this together!

Tzatziki Sauce

A classic, creamy dip often served with traditional Greek dishes.
Try it with cut vegetables and pita wedges.

Ingredients:

1 cup Plain Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt
2 cucumbers
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbs. white vinegar
2 Tbs. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Peel, seed, and coarsely grate cucumbers. Drain and combine with garlic, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Blend in the yogurt. Refrigerate for 1 hour, then serve.

From our Oikos Organic kitchen.

Noodles and Spinach with Tofu

2009-04-16T06:57:00.001-07:00

I got this recipe from the newspaper (written by Dawn Lewandowski) a long time ago and still haven't made it.

1 lb whole wheat spaghetti, cooked
1 lb frozen or fresh steamed spinach
1 to 1 1/2 lb firm tofu, in 3/4 inch cubes
2 to 4 T sesame oil
2 to 4 T tamari or soy sauce
2 to 4 t minced garlic
2 T peanut butter
2 T tahini (ground sesame)
2 t sesame seeds

For the sauce:
Pour a Tablespoon or two of sesame oil into a large frying pan or work over medium heat. Add a Tablespoon or two of tamari, a teaspoon or two of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, and 1 tablespoon tahini. Stir until mixed to a thick consistency, about 30 sec.

Immediately add tofu and stir to coat. Stir intermittently, allowing tofu to brown before stirring. When tofu is browned sufficiently, remove tofu from pan and set aside, covering to keep warm.

Repeat the sauce process above, being perhaps a bit more liberal with oil and tamari. Add cooked spaghetti and mix through. Add spinach and mix again. Heat and taste test for flavor. Add tofu when spaghetti is hot. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. Toss and serve.

(You may use peanut butter rather than sesame oil, omit tahini, add more peanut butter and peanuts, or use only the sesame products. Works well with broccoli and other vegetables as well.)

I think this is a good place to post recipes

2009-04-16T06:52:00.000-07:00

I have tons of recipes that are clipped from newspapers, written on index cards, or printed from web sites. I keep them all in the same place, so I know where they are, but since they're on paper of all different shapes and sizes, I always have to sift through them to find what I want.

I also have some recipes that I'd like to try, but not right away, so I have newspaper clippings with recipes I've never tried before just sitting around, always in my way.

So I decided to take a page from my friend Gina's book and post some recipes online. I don't have enough recipes, nor am I a good enough cook, to devote an entire blog to cooking and recipes, but I thought I'd just tag the posts as "recipe" posts, then I'll always know where to find them when I need them. If you find the recipes helpful, that's cool, too!

Warning--not all of my recipes are healthy, but I usually substitute some of the not-so-healthy ingredients for healthier options.

My stupid shopping trip

2009-04-14T05:37:00.000-07:00

Oye, what a day I had yesterday. I had planned on running out to get some groceries, since we did a "lite" shopping trip on Sunday after we got home. There are some good sales at Tops that I want to take advantage of, and since I'm off this week, I thought I'd just do the more extensive shopping Monday or Tuesday. However, I didn't really have my coupons or my list together; (YES, I use coupons, and lots of them!); but I realized that if I didn't get dog food, our pooch wouldn't be able to eat brekkie today.

So I ran to Wal-Mart (icky store, but affordable) to get dog food, spaghetti, and something else (can't remember at the moment, but it doesn't really matter). When I had just about finished shopping, it hit me that I wasn't sure if I had my wallet in my purse. In fact, I didn't know where my wallet was! Having just been on holiday, I had my usual "purse stuff" in different bags and hadn't gotten everything back where it belonged. I did, however, have our checkbook in my purse, something that rarely happens, but it was in there because I had picked up Xander from the kennel.

But then I didn't know if I could write a check without my license. Thank goodness for Jarod, the cashier at the self-checkout lanes. He was incredibly helpful and kind. I think that may be the only time someone at WalMart was helpful, especially someone at the self-checkout lane. (Normally they're too busy daydreaming or talking to their friends to bother doing their jobs!) Anyway, Jarod said that I could use my social security number if I didn't have my license. Cool. Then I took out my checkbook and realized that, despite being married for six years and living in Dunkirk for 6 1/2 years, our checks still bear my maiden name and Olean address. It was all ok, though. I gave him my phone number, too, and it all worked out. I felt pretty darn stupid, though.

When I got home I found my wallet under the passenger seat of the Pilot. It probably fell out of my purse and got kicked under there when we switched drivers.

In closing, I have to say thank goodness for nice people being there when you need them. I was wishing that I had gotten one of those surveys on my receipt, because I would give a glowing review of my experience. Jarod deserves to be commended.

Help solve a dispute

2009-04-13T03:54:00.000-07:00

Chris and I disagree about what these are called, so I'm taking a poll--what do YOU think these are? This is not a trick question. Please comment!

NYC 4.11.09

2009-04-11T17:04:00.000-07:00

We went to New York City today. The past couple of times we've gone to the city, we've stayed in Rockland County because we have friends here, and it's very easy to hop on a train to get there. Parking costs between $25 and $50 in the city, and then there's gas, tolls on the bridges, and the time and aggravation of getting down there. A round trip train ticket costs $12 and once we get to the city, we can take the subway almost anywhere we want to go.

Today the weather was absolutely miserable. It was cold and raining and that put a bit of a damper on my mood. The car show was incredible, though. (I should mention that while I'm a huge tree hugger, I also really love cars. It's tough when two things I love are mutually exclusive, but I will say that if I had to choose one of the two, it would be the environment.)

We saw so many exotic cars and some really neat concept cars. I was happy to see that so many car companies are putting a lot of effort into "greening" their production process and their engines. I still think we have a long way to go, but they're on the right track.

Here's a picture of Chris checking out a BMW motorcycle.

This BMW Z4 did a "painting". http://www.loungesiva.com/tim/design/bmw-z4-2009-painting
I know I can't have a Mini anymore, but can Blueberry? Here's the wall where the Mini racer was...

...and here's the Mini racer
Bumblebee! (He's in Transformers)
Our lunch from Angelo's Coal Fired Pizza. We go out of our way to eat at this restaurant when we're in the city. Can you blame us? Look at that slice!

Travel Day--4.8.09

2009-04-08T21:02:00.001-07:00

We spent the day traveling from Virginia Beach to Nanuet, so I didn't take a ton of pictures, and those I did take, I haven't offloaded yet.

We crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel this morning and headed for NY. Along the way we passed through Maryland (where I found Liz Blizz SoBe--my FAVORITE, which I can't get back home), Delaware, and New Jersey (making 11 states we've visited in 2009). We got into Nanuet between 5:30 and 6:00, then met Rob and Emily for dinner around 8 or 8:30.

One last sunrise picture...
We took another bike ride on the boardwalk, but this was a short one because it was cold and windy...
Chris, trying to stay warm on our bike ride...
A diagram of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. It cost $12 to go across!
Here's one of the tunnels, which, obviously, you can't see...
Stopped at a scenic overlook on the way through the Chesapeake Bay area...

Tomorrow Chris and Rob are going to Great Adventure and I'm hanging out with Emily and Connor.

It's just after midnight and I'm not the least bit tired, but I'm going to see if I can force myself to sleep. If not, I'll get up and read some blogs I've been neglecting, and that I miss very much!!!

Virginia Beach--4.7.09

2009-04-07T18:17:00.000-07:00

When I have so much going on, it's hard for me to sit down and write out what happened each day, but it's something that I hope to complete, not only so that my friends, family, and my "cyber friends"--(who are more likely than anyone to read my blog!), but so that I can have something to look back on. I told Chris that this is kind of like my online scrapbook! Anyway, the point is that I plan on posting these halfway done blog entries, but they will be updated, probably multiple times until I can get them "just right."

Tuesday morning's sunrise from our hotel window. Much better than Monday's weather, albeit much colder! (Still, we heard that there's snow in Western NY, so we're not complaining!)

We were on the road by about 8:45 so we could be at Busch Gardens when the park opened at 10:00. We needed to stop for gas along the way, too.

As we approached the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, we saw that there was an aircraft carrier in the water and it was about to go over the tunnel that we were on our way through. We were literally going through a tunnel with the George HW Bush Aircraft carrier in the water above us! When we got out the other side of the tunnel, I snapped some pictures, and here's one of them.
I took a lot of pictures of the rides at the park with our other camera, but I snapped a few with my little pocket camera. I especially loved looking at the wolves. I got video of one of them howling. It was so cute!
They also have an area filled with bald eagles who have been injured and who are unable to fly.
Here's a picture from our balcony on Tuesday evening. Nothing special, I just thought it would be nice to have a picture of our view in the evening, too!
We went to dinner at a restaurant called Doughboys, and when we got back, we saw that someone had written "Virginia 2009" in the sand right below our window, so of course, I had to get a picture of that!

Virginia-4/6/09

2009-04-06T19:33:00.001-07:00

We woke up to a cloudy but warm morning. We had breakfast and decided to get on the road before the rain hit. Today we went to the Outer Banks.

When we got to North Carolina, we realized that since Blueberry has been with us he/she has been to 9 different states (NY, PA, NH, VT, MA, MD, WV, VA, NC) and by the time we're done with this vacation, will have been to 11 when we add in DE and NJ. Here's when we crossed into NC.

First we came to Kitty Hawk...
Then to Kill Devil Hills....
Here's the monument to the Wright Brothers...
And the plaque about the first successful flight in an airplane...
We continued to drive south...here's when we entered Nags Head... (I love taking pictures of signs)

And our final stop before we turned around and went back to Virginia...the Bodie Island Lighthouse.

Virginia-4.5.09

2009-04-06T05:12:00.001-07:00

We started the day with a beautiful view of the sunrise over the ocean...
We ate at the "deluxe continental breakfast" at the hotel (cereal, toast, and muffins--not exactly what I would call "deluxe".

We took our bikes downstairs and biked the boardwalk--about 6 beautiful miles on a nice little bike trail:
After that we changed our minds about what we would do next, but we settled on: Harbour Tour, Linda and Ray's, First Landing, then dinner with Mike.

More pictures to follow...we're getting ready to leave for another day on the road...

Ok, I'm back. Now I have to catch up on yesterday's events AND do a post with pictures from today.

Next stop on Sunday: The Harbour Tour. We drove to Norfolk and bought tickets for the Victory Rover. We had a buy one get one free coupon from the Entertainment Book! We boarded the boat at Nauticus (right next to the USS Wisconsin) a little after 10:30 and waited for the 11:00 tour. Here's a picture of Chris on the boat. You can see the Wisconsin in the background.

First we went to the left and checked out a little bit of the shipyard and some of the buildings, then we went to the right, heading past some more buildings and toward the Naval Base. We saw tons of Navy ships. It's unbelievable how much of our money is being spent on ships. Here's a picture of the newest ship--an aircraft carrier, the George HW Bush.
The tour took 2 hours. We got back to the port at 1:00 and called Linda (Dad's cousin) to let her know that we'd be on our way to her house. She said not to eat lunch because she had cooked lunch for everyone. We got to their house and were greeted by their two beautiful yellow labs, Bruce and Abbey. We enjoyed a delicious lunch and some catching up, and then we hit the road for our next adventure (below)...
First Landing State Park is one of my favorite places in the world. It's a bike trail through the woods, and it's just about the most beautiful place we've ever ridden our bikes. I love being in the woods, and I love biking, so it's the perfect combination. Chris took a picture of me when we stopped at a bog to check out the Spanish moss.
We only did about 6 miles on the First Landing trail because we had to meet my high school friend Mike at Macaroni Grill at 5. We got the bikes loaded back up and headed to the restaurant. I had mushroom ravioli that was very good. Not the best I've ever had, and it was a little on the expensive side (plus, our waitress had practically no personality), but it was nice to see Mike and to catch up a bit.

Next stop, go-kart racing. I opted out since I thought it would be stupid to partake in risky activities while pregnant, so we used more buy one get one free coupons so Chris could race twice. I'm glad I decided not to race, because it looked bumpy, and Chris said that it was.

We got back to the hotel around 8 or 8:30 and could barely keep our eyes open. By 9:00 we had given up on trying to force ourselves to stay awake. We had propped the balcony door open, so the sound of the waves even got me to sleep quickly, which rarely happens!

Traveling to Virginia

2009-04-04T18:55:00.000-07:00

This is the first day of my spring break, and we spent it in the car on the way to Virginia Beach. We left Dunkirk around 9 after taking Xander to the kennel. (I was tempted to tell the owner of the kennel that if he runs away, we won't be mad!)

We took some back roads through Warren and Ridgway, PA, then we got on some highways once we reached Breezewood, PA. We used my Dad's directions to avoid having to drive through DC, and they worked very well. After a while the GPS picked up on the fact that we were avoiding the city and sent us the same way Dad said to go. There was one portion of the trip, however, that appeared to be a brand new road, and it wasn't even in the GPS. See the picture below--it thought we weren't even on a road!

Finally we reached our hotel--the Sandcastle Oceanfront. It's not super nice, but it's clean and the people are friendly, and it's right on the water. We checked in and then went for a walk up Atlantic Avenue, window shopping in front of the kitchy little shops and dealing with crowds of people. After we walked up a few blocks, we crossed the street and walked back along the boardwalk. My normally comfortable shoes must not have been compatible with the socks I was wearing, because I ended up with a blister on my heel. That's going to hurt for a while! When we got back toward the hotel, we walked on the sand and put our toes in the icy water. Here's Chris on the beach, although with it being so dark, you probably can't tell where he is.

Now we're back in our room with the balcony door propped open, listening to the sound of the waves and eating pizza that's left over from lunch. We plan on enjoying the continental breakfast at the hotel tomorrow morning and then heading out for some activities, including, possibly, a harbor tour and a visit with dad's cousins, who live in Virginia Beach.

Oh, and the Sabres lost tonight, so I'm really ticked off.

Real Maple Syrup

2009-03-21T11:25:00.000-07:00

I love real maple syrup. That's the only kind of syrup we ate when we were kids (my mom and dad are smart cookies with good taste!), and I've never been able to tolerate the fake stuff. It just ain't right! ;) A couple years ago, my aunt and uncle (Ginger and Tom) gave Chris a bottle of "the good stuff" for Christmas, and although we wouldn't have thought of buying it for ourselves (probably because we were still in that "poor newly married couple" stage), we were grateful for their thoughtfulness. (Poor Chris, I'm the one who ended up eating most of his gift--sorry honey!)

Ever since we ran out of the Christmas syrup, I've been wanting more. Chris discovered that it's Maple Weekend this weekend and next weekend, so we went off to Forestville today to check out a sugar shack. It was a little shack in the middle of the woods and inside was a sap boiler and a kid talking about the process of boiling down the sap to make syrup. I bought a quart and tomorrow I'm going to make buckwheat pancakes for brekkie!!! I can't wait!!!!!

Have you seen my new blog?

2009-03-21T06:51:00.000-07:00

I'm still planning on posting my everyday (or maybe I should say "everyweek" or "everymonth") happenings here, but I started a new blog for a very specific topic. Visit blueberryfilkins.blogspot.com to find out what it is, and thanks for reading!!!!! I love you all!!!!

Maple Grove Basketball

2009-03-20T06:56:00.000-07:00

I'm a guidance counselor at a tiny little school in Chautauqua County, which is located in Western NY. I'm sure most counselors and teachers say this about their kids, and I'm going to say it about "my" kids, too--they're the best kids anyone could ever hope to work with. I love every aspect of working with them, from the field trips (like the college fair I took them on this past Wednesday) to the Girl Talk group I advise, to the incredibly successful athletic teams.

At this moment, our boys are starting their playoff game in Glens Falls, NY. They left on a bus yesterday for the long trip "out east". I just can't express how proud I am of these kids, and one of the coolest things is that even though they're very successful on the court or the field or wherever they're playing, they're still NICE KIDS.

Here's an article about one of our players: http://www.poststar.com/articles/2009/03/20/sports/today/doc49c3228d10bff935916465.txt

Good luck, Maple Grove Red Dragons. Everyone in the office is cheering out loud for you!

UPDATE

The Red Dragons lost their game by 5 points in double overtime.

Natasha Richardson

2009-03-19T07:02:00.000-07:00

I was really shocked to see that Natasha Richardson was in critical condition after a skiing accident, and even more shocked to see that she passed away from her injuries.

I couldn't tell you any shows or movies that she's in right off the top of my head, but we have a very fond memory of seeing the filming of a show that never aired: The Mastersons of Manhattan. I don't know if I feel so saddened by her death because of the fact that she died skiing (something that I've done many times) or because we saw her in person, but I'm really surprised by how hard this hit me. (I'm not sobbing or anything, but my heart is definitely heavy.)

my super cool juice pouch bag!

2009-03-16T18:19:00.000-07:00

I have a great deal of respect for people who are creative enough to make amazingly cool things out of, well, "junk." I'm a wannabe creative type, but I can't seem to turn my ideas into any actual products. However, my "friend" from Twitter and the blogging world, Helen, creates beautiful bags out of juice pouches. I entered a contest on the "Keeper of the Cheerios" blog, and I won!!! I'm FINALLY posting a picture of the bag that Helen so kindly sent me. Jealous? (kidding, of course!) Let me know and I'll send you contact information so you can buy one, too!

I feel like a jerk

2009-03-16T15:18:00.001-07:00

I feel like a lot of stupid little things have gotten to me today, and now I'm in a horrible mood. This all started first thing this morning on my way to work and it's been eating at me all day, then I get home to find that the dog has gotten into stuff again. That's really irritating to me, and I'm at the point where I'd seriously like to just get rid of the dog, and probably one of the cats, too. They're destroying our house and our stuff and that's not what a pet is supposed to do. A pet is supposed to enrich your life and make you feel happy. My pets just make me feel angry and stressed.

So the thing that happened this morning--I was on my way to work and stuck behind a car that routinely goes about 5 to 10 miles under the speed limit. Not wanting to be a total jerk, I opted not to pass her for a while, then it got to be too much, and she was going to make me get stuck behind a bus, so I passed her...just as the bus was pulling out in front of me. So I'm following the bus, and it's doing about 40-45 mph. The speed limit on that road is 55, but I'm ok if it's going 50 or so. After all, it is a school bus. Plus, I knew it would have to stop and pick up one of our students not far down the road. But after it picked up the student, it kept doing 40mph. It's hard to know exactly what happened in this series of events, but I imagine I was expecting her to accelerate, which she didn't. When I expect someone to, you know, go the speed limit, I probably tend to get too close to them until they pick up speed. Well, this bus decided to KEEP SLOWING DOWN, which was so irritating. You should probably know that this particular driver NEVER pulls over for cars who are stuck behind her for 3 miles or more. She's the only driver I've ever encountered who refuses to pull over for cars. So anyway, after that, she freakin' brake checked me!!! Then at school one of the students said that she was complaining to the kids about how I was on her tail. I was SO TICKED, I can't even tell you. But here's the other thing...even though I don't feel like I did anything wrong, I felt scolded, attacked, etc... I take criticism very personally if it's not something I intended to do wrong. So this has been eating at me all day. Then I come home to find that Xander has grabbed two sticks of butter that I had thawing in the corner of the counter (I have no idea how he got them) and tried to bury them in the couch. So now the couch smells like vomit. I would really love to kill him.

Greek Dressing

2009-03-08T15:19:00.000-07:00

Back in January we had a luncheon at school and someone brought in Ken's Greek dressing. I've bought Ken's dressings before but didn't really like them. I've bought Greek dressing (not Ken's) and was underwhelmed by that, too. The only Greek dressings I really like are ones I can get in restaurants or in Greece, but the Ken's dressing was really good! However, I prefer to make a lot of foods from scratch because then I know what's in it. When you buy pre-packaged foods, they're full of preservatives and partially hydrogenated nastiness. So I went online and found a few recipes. There was one in particular that people raved about, so I finally picked up the last few ingredients I needed to make it. I have to say that I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. It might be a little on the strong side--the red wine vinegar flavor is VERY strong--but it's very tasty. Now I'm wishing I had picked up some feta while I was out at the store, and maybe some olives, because those two ingredients would round out a salad quite nicely!

King Cake 2009

2009-02-23T19:28:00.000-08:00

Every year I make King Cake for Chris. He grew up on the Gulf Coast where they celebrate Mardi Gras, and he ate this as a child. I like to make sure that he gets this little treat every year!

Wrong address

2009-02-22T16:44:00.000-08:00

I guess I can't fully trust the GPS. I had a Body Shop party last nigh, which was GREAT FUN...once I got there!

Problem is that there appear to be two streets with almost the same name in Jamestown. The GPS (whose name is Helen) took me to the wrong place first. I went to a very deserted looking street and approached a house with no number, no name on the mailbox...just a porch light on and a van in the driveway. I called the host and asked where the house was...apparently one of the addresses ends in "street" and the other ends in "avenue". I was told "avenue" but I just wrote down "Hillcrest" with no label after it, so I picked the first choice on the GPS--street. WRONG!

So anyway, I found the real house where the party was to take place, and I got there exactly on time. We had a really, really nice time, I ran a no-pressure-to-buy party (like I always do), and found out that I have a ton in common with the girl who hosted the party. I spent about 3 hours there, and ended up making a decent number of sales. I was also very thankful for nice weather. I heard it was supposed to snow last evening, but I didn't encounter any bad weather, and for that I'm eternally grateful.

I love being a Body Shop consultant. I have a chance to meet great people and to sell products that are not tested on animals for a company that cares about the world and all of its inhabitants.

No good deed goes unpunished

2009-02-21T05:12:00.000-08:00

When I'm either really busy or really tired from being really busy, I don't blog, and then I forget what I wanted to blog about. I'm trying to figure out a way that I can write myself a little reminder when I think of a blog topic. Maybe if I'm at work I can send myself an e-mail with a blog topic, or maybe go to my blog and actually start writing an entry, but just saving it until I get a chance to finish. I don't know...I guess that's a work in progress.

This has been kind of a frustrating week for me. It was only a three-day week thanks to President's day, but as you know, we spent the long weekend traveling to New Hampshire for Chris' grandma's funeral. (During which time I probably blogged too much because I had the time and energy to do so.)

So anyway, I'm frustrated because I'm stuck doing a job that's not really my job. I'm kind of used to things being dumped on me, but this is one of those things that makes me wonder why I even bother trying to be kind and helpful. It's making me rethink whether or not I want to be involved in this particular group that's causing me so much stress.

Funeral day--bittersweet

2009-02-16T13:06:00.000-08:00

It's kind of weird how funerals make you feel. Of course, there's the overwhelming feeling of sadness and loss. It's not so bad for me since I wasn't super close to Nana Bea. I've only met her a few times and those memories are very happy, but I also don't have that much of a history with her. My main goal was to be strong for Chris and his parents.

One of the beautiful things about the funeral is that we celebrated Nana Bea's life and all that made her special. She has six children and they're all crazy, but in a good way :) I jokingly said that I knowingly married into that family, so I had to be prepared for just how crazy they are!

Another good thing is that so many family members are gathered here to remember her.

Now it's 10:42pm and we're finally back at the hotel. After the luncheon, we had a few hours back at the hotel. Chris took a nap, and I guess his parents napped, too, but I was wide awake. I wasted some time online and did some reading. At about 6 we went back to Chris' aunt and uncle's house for some more family time. They fed us spaghetti and then we went through Nana Bea's jewelry. I was kind of surprised when they invited me to go through her stuff because I'm not really family, but they insisted that I should take some stuff. So I ended up with a couple rings, a couple necklaces, and lots of gaudy beaded necklaces that I'm going to take apart so that I can make new necklaces. I thought it was really sweet of them to include me in such a family ritual.

After our goodbyes we got back to the hotel, and Guy and Colleen wanted to get a bite to eat at the diner. We sat with them and Chris and I shared a milkshake, then we came upstairs to get ready to get to bed. It's going to be a LOOOONG day tomorrow with an 8 hour drive. We're trying to make sure we can avoid rush hour traffic in Boston since we'll be taking the Mass Turnpike.

Funny thing is that with a fairly restless night last night, I've been completely wound up all day, and even though it's coming up on 11pm, I'm still not interested in going to sleep.

Pre-funeral festivities

2009-02-15T19:40:00.000-08:00

Today we rolled into New Hampshire after a beautiful ride in from Albany. (I can say it was a beautiful ride because I didn't do any of the driving--thank you Chris!)

We were able to get early check-in at our hotel, and then we called our friend Terri (a fellow Bonaventure alum) and grabbed lunch with her at Pizzeria Uno. (I LOVE their deep dish spinoccoli pizza--spinach, broccoli, feta=YUM!). As we were finishing up our lunch, Chris received a call from one of his aunts...they said that they were at the "Mall of New Hampshire," which happened to be just down the road, so we left Uno and went to the mall. We met up with them, caught up quickly, and then went our separate ways. Then Chris and I did some shopping--I needed sweaters desperately, and ended up getting several at Old Navy for a very good price :)

We went back to the hotel and Chris met up with his parents while I went to the hotel room and dropped off our stuff. We spent a little while in our room and then met up with his parents and went over to his aunt's house, which turned out to be very full! Nana Bea (Chris' grandma who passed away) has six children: Bill, Sandy, Sheila, Buzz, Mace, and (my father-in-law) Guy. A few spouses, grandchildren, and extended family members were there, making it an extremely full house! I played a few games of cribbage (I forgot how much fun that game is!) and stood around and talked. Then the big discussions started: What to say at Nana's service, and what to do with her ashes after she was cremated. Because most of the kids are pretty big jokesters, the discussion was never really taken seriously, which was upsetting to some of the people there. Oddly enough, the people who were most upset were the ones who weren't even related to Nana. Finally my mother-in-law said, "Well, we'd better go!" and the four of us (MIL, FIL, me, and Chris) got up to leave.

Part of me wanted to chime in and say that we'll just take the ashes. I mean, honestly, that was not a decision that needed to be made right at that time, and it seemed like no one wanted to claim her. But I have very little say in this. Heck, Chris is a step-grandchild, so in the back of my mind, I was wondering if other family members think about that. (I have very strong opinions about the relationships between step-families since my oldest nephew is technically my step-nephew, and I love him just as much as my other nephews, but that's just me.)

After we bolted from the increasingly heated discussion, we went to the Airport Diner that's attached to the hotel and I had a grilled cheese sandwich at about 10pm. Not exactly something I like to do, but I hadn't had anything to eat since our lunch with Terri.

Now we're back in the hotel and preparing to get up early so we can get ready for the family viewing at 8:30 and the service at 11.

Albany

2009-02-15T04:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we left for Albany. We decided to drive partway to New Hampshire, visit some people and sleep, then continue the trip today. We stopped in Cuba to see my parents and to have lunch, then we got to Albany right around dinnertime, so we ended up eating at Chris' aunt and uncle's house, even though we didn't intend to.

I'd like to talk more about how wonderful his aunt and uncle are, but right now we're getting ready to leave for New Hampshire. Another long ride ahead of us. Might be hard to blog this weekend.

Off to Albany today

2009-02-14T05:22:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in my last post, we have to go to Manchester, NH this weekend for Chris' grandma's funeral, which is Monday. Last night I was not feeling well and didn't exactly do a very good job packing or getting the house cleaned up. I also left a whole basket of wet laundry sitting overnight--DUMB! I'm feeling a lot better this morning, though, so hopefully I can make up for the time I lost being sick last night.

Today we're driving to Albany with a pit stop in Cuba on our way. We're going to see about meeting up with Chris' aunt and uncle and their three daughters, who live outside of Albany. It's probably going to be tough finding somewhere to have dinner with this being Valentine's Day, but we'll make it work. Yesterday on my way home from work I stopped at the store and got a bunch of snacks (apples, carrots, sunflower seeds, bagels, and some candy!), so we should be able to sustain ourselves for a little while.

I'm a winner!

2009-02-12T16:14:00.000-08:00

I'm realizing that I haven't blogged about any of the things I've been meaning to blog about, like Brad and Tara's fabulous wedding, seeing RENT, the ski trips we've been on, the car show, etc... I've had a lot on my mind lately. Work is stressful and we have a lot of other stuff (good stuff) going on at home, so I don't know...I guess after spending the day typing on a computer I don't want to come home and type some more.

So you're probably wondering about the title of this post--Well, I won a drawing that was on the Keeper of the Cheerios blog!!! I'm not sure how this all works, but I believe I'll be receiving a bag made out of Capri Sun pouches. I'm so excited and extremely grateful to the kind people who share their talent and their "stuff" with other people!

On a sad note (and I really didn't want to put this in the title of the post), Chris' grandma died yesterday. It was kind of a shock to receive that news, and now we're making plans to go to Manchester for the funeral.

Ironically, we had been planning a trip to Rockland County to see some friends of ours and their 2-week-old son Connor, but decided against it because we really wanted to enjoy some time at home. Now our weekend is going to be even more crazy than we originally thought. I don't think anyone looks forward to having to make trips like this, but I feel selfish when I think about how much I wanted to stay home this weekend. I must be a terrible person!

And on that note, I should probably start getting out some dress clothes and start packing toiletries...

My 25 Random Things

2009-01-30T15:01:00.000-08:00

The big thing on Facebook seems to be the "25 Random Things About Me" survey, and since I didn't really know what to write, I decided to write it in my blog and then paste it into Facebook. Then I thought maybe I should just leave it here, too...

My 25 Random Things:
1) I'm married to my best friend and favorite person; I hate being away from him.
2) I'm a HUGE environmentalist and believe that it is our duty to take care of the planet by not being wasteful. (Don't forget the other two Rs--Reduce and Reuse.)
3) I'm terrified to drive in cities.
4) We've had 10 different cars in the last 10 years, and 6 of them have been stick. Eight of them have had names. I still miss Fletcher (the Mini).
5) I've been to Europe three times--twice to Italy and Greece (first time had a little Germany and Switzerland thrown in) and once to England and Scotland. I'd love to go back to the UK, but I hate flying.
6) I love animals and don't think they should be eaten or worn. But I hate snakes so much that even pictures of them startle me. I taped pieces of paper over all of the pictures of snakes in my college biology books.
7) I love theatre and concerts. My favorite musicals are RENT and Wicked.
8) I'm afraid to have children because I can't even imagine loving another child as much as I love my three nephews: Nate, Trey, and Caleb.
9) My belly button is pierced.
10) I had ACL reconstruction 9 years ago but my knee still hurts every day.
11) I'm a guidance counselor for grades 7-12 and most of the time I love my job.
12) I'm also an Independent Consultant for The Body Shop, and I love it! (BONUS: The company is against animal testing!)
13) I had a pet rat named Vailey who loved spaghetti and Cheese Nips, and I cried when she died.
14) I love chocolate, spaghetti, dill pickles, Nutella, tofu, and lots of weird vegetarian foods.
15) I can feel my blood pressure rise when I hear people chewing with their mouths open.
16) If someone tells me something in confidence, I never, ever talk about it.
17) I have been hurt badly a few times in my life and while I have moved on and am very happy with my life, I will never forget what happened. (Not because I don't want to, but because I can't.)
18) The only sport I like is hockey, and the only team I like is the Sabres.
19) I've never been drunk and never tried drugs or smoking, and I don't intend to.
20) My musical tastes are varied, but I wouldn't say I like "everything." I'm very picky.
21) Love Actually is my favorite movie EVER. I'm not a sappy person, but I cry during the opening scene and several times throughout.
22) I often have to keep myself from saying what I think.
23) I can tickle my own feet.
24) I love watching TV. The show Top Gear, which we "discovered" in England, makes me laugh until I hurt.
25) It has taken me several days to write this because I couldn't think of enough interesting stuff to put in it.

Lazy Blogger

2009-01-26T18:47:00.000-08:00

I think the last time I wrote on my blog (besides what I posted about the contest) was over two weeks ago after our first ski trip. Since then I've done a lot, including going to see RENT, going to a wedding of one of my best friends ever, going on another ski trip, and of course spending time with Chris. But life kind of gets in the way of blogging, and I have to change that. Not right now, though, because I should go to bed. Not because I'm tired, just because I know that 5:30 is going to come very quickly. At least maybe I can add a list to this blog of the things I need to write about...then I'll remember all of the things I need to say :)

1) RENT
2) Brad and Tara's wedding
3) 2nd ski trip of the year
4)

Contest to win a cool bag

2009-01-23T15:18:00.001-08:00

Visit this blog: http://www.keeperofthecheerios.com/ and you could win a very cool bag made out of capri sun pouches! I love that people are finding a way to reuse things that would normally end up in landfills!!!!

Ski club has begun

2009-01-11T15:18:00.000-08:00

A couple years ago we started skiing with the ski club at Maple Grove. We weren't official advisers or chaperones, but they had what they call roving chaperone passes. We would drive to the Peak ourselves, ski for a little while, then drive to Erie if we needed to shop. (Normally we'd probably eat in Erie, too, but Peek 'n Peak has the most delicious and reasonably priced restaurant called Pizzaiolos, so if we have the opportunity to eat there, we do!!!) Last year one of the chaperones hurt his back, so Chris and I filled in for him, which meant we started riding the bus to the mountain. Not much fun, I'll admit, but we did a lot of free skiing as a result. This year, we're official chaperones, which means we have the passes printed up with our names on them, but that also means that we're obligated to ride the bus every week (except next week, when we'll be at a wedding).

Since it was the first trip of the year, we spent a lot of the time helping students, which wasn't the most fun way to spend 5 hours at a ski resort, but I felt good about it because we were helping someone, and in the process making a very nervous mom feel a lot more comfortable about sending her little girl skiing.

And now I must iron.................

Sabres beat Rangers!

2009-01-10T07:46:00.000-08:00

For the first time in my life, the Sabres WON the game I attended! Chris and I attended lots of games in college (when tickets were cheap) and several over the past few years (when we could get affordable tickets). Chris' friend at work has season tickets, and season ticket holders had the option to buy extra tickets at season ticket holder prices, so we got tickets for a couple games in the cheap seats. (And when I say "cheap seats," I mean very last row.) Here's our view from our seats:
It was a blast. I think that the people in the cheap seats are the most fun. They're a little rowdy, cheering and yelling funny things, and when we score, they high five everyone around them. It was the best! One of the guys next to us offered to take our picture. Unfortunately, you can't tell where we are. At least you can sort of see that we're wearing our jerseys....
The Sabres have changed logos over the years, but the original (seen below) is still my favorite! They have alternate jerseys with the retro logo, and that's what they wore last night. They're beautiful!

Snowy day!

2009-01-08T18:21:00.001-08:00

We had a very snowy day today. Last night it was really windy and a little bit snowy. This morning looking out the window we could tell that we had gotten some snow overnight, but weren't quite prepared for how bad it really was. It took me over an hour to get to work, and it normally takes me 35 minutes. It snowed and the wind blew all day, and when I went out to my car, this is what it looked like:The ride home wasn't nearly as bad as the ride to work.

Getting back into the swing of things

2009-01-07T18:59:00.000-08:00

Well, the first Monday back to work after a 12-day holiday (which was preceded by a four-day weekend because of two snowdays just before break) was a little rough, but I got through it. The next couple of days have gotten progressively better, though. Work has been very busy, but I like it that way (although that means that my desk just keeps getting messier and messier). Tuesday night we had Financial Aid Night, which meant that I had to go back to work at 6 for a 2-hour presentation that ran from 7 to 9. After the presentation, the guy I rode with lost his keys, so we spent 20 minutes looking for them, then when we got out to the van it was coated in ice, which took 10 minutes to scrape. I'll spare you the details of our drive back to Fredonia, but I'll just say that I ended up getting home well after 10:00, so it was a long day! Not bad, just long.

Today I spent four hours in meetings--2.5 hours in a scheduling meeting and 1.5 hours in a faculty meeting. I hope to actually get some WORK done over the next couple of days--phone calls and paperwork in particular. Then this Friday night we're going to another Sabres game (YEAH!!!) and on Saturday we're going on the first ski trip with the ski club. I have to be honest...the ski club trip I'm not looking forward to as much. The skiing is fun, but I'm a fair weather skier--I only really LOVE it if the conditions are just right. But the worst part is the 4 hours I have to spend on the road and waiting around.

I know this was probably one of the most boring journal posts ever, but I guess it's better than really speaking my mind. I'm a little frustrated with people lately. I'll admit, I have as many faults as the people I'm criticizing, but I guess the difference with me is that I'm working to make myself a better person and to overcome the difficulties I'm having, and the people I'm frustrated with are either not doing anything to improve themselves or they've made bad decisions and are now expecting other people to bail them out. But that's a discussion for another time. (And when that time comes, I hope people don't think I'm trying to be catty--I'll just be stating my observations.)

Recyclable Styrofoam?

2009-01-04T09:40:00.000-08:00

I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I will be honest...I used a styrofoam cup when we were away for Christmas. Chris and I stopped at McDonalds for breakie. Not my top choice for food, but he was hungry and that's what was available. I ordered a hot chocolate after I peeked at their cups and determined that they were not styrofoam. (I avoid styrofoam at all costs, even if it means I have to stay hungry for a while). I got my cup of cocoa and sat down at our table. When I took the lid off the cup, it made that telltale squeak, and I realized that the cup was, in fact, styrofoam, but it really, really didn't look like styrofoam (I realize that I'm using the word styrofoam WAY TOO MUCH in this post, but we use WAY TOO MUCH styrofoam anyway, so let my overuse of the word represent the world's overuse of the product). Most of the styrofoam cups I've seen have a lip at the top about an inch wide and are, white. This cup had a very small rim, like most of the paper cups we see, and it was brown, with a seam down the side. It was REALLY HARD to tell that it was styrofoam. I bit the rim a little bit to see if I could tell, and sure enough, it became aparent that I was NOT drinking from a paper cup. They cleverly disguise the cup with a sticker around the entire thing!!!

Now, after I made this gruesome discovery, we saw that the bottom of the cup has a recycle symbol on it with a #6 (polystyrene). Which lead to a healthy discussion about recycling, recyclable materials, etc... Yes, styrofoam is recyclable, but it is very difficult to find a place that actually accepts it. There is so much of it in the world that no one wants it for recycling. Also, a lot of people, like me, probably think that the cups are paper, so they get tossed, not recycled. And if they knew that the cups were styrofoam, they'd probably not recycle them anyway because, again, it's very hard to find a place that recycles them.

I'm BEGGING you to spread the word if you read this post (and if I have made any false assumptions or stated anything that is not a fact, please let me know!), and to drive right by McDonald's. They're going to keep using styrofoam until we take a stand.

Also, Dunkin' Donuts uses styrofoam, so please consider choosing another place like Tim Horton's or Starbucks. As far as I know, they use paper cups. Thank you!

Do I have to go back to work?

2009-01-02T05:44:00.000-08:00

Yes, yes I do have to go back to work. But I really don't want to. Since Christmas fell on a Thursday, we ended up with 12 days off. We traveled for the first six, and then we have six glorious days to spend at home. We're on day four, and I'm starting to feel a little sad. I love my job...I enjoy the kids and the challenge of the work that I do, but it drains me. When I'm home I feel alive and creative and it's awesome. I also dread the drive to work. It's 35 minutes when the weather is good...and a lot longer when the weather is bad. I drive right through the snow belt on back roads, so I have a lot of scary moments during my commute.

I know that if I didn't have work to go to, I'd be sad, but at this point the thought of not being able to continue to tackle some of my home projects also makes me a little sad. I just have to try to enjoy the heck out of these last three days. And to avoid the Sunday Slump.

Remembering New Year's Day 2008

2009-01-01T11:02:00.000-08:00

All my life my parents loved sports of all kinds...baseball, football, soccer, etc... I myself played Softball and Tennis, but I never really LOVED it. I played because I figured that's what I should do. But as far as watching sports...I hated it all (with the exception of Buffalo Bisons games--minor league baseball).

Then in college I found the Sabres. Bonas would run bus trips up to HSBC, and they were affordable, so we went. Since we got married, we've fallen even more in love with the sport and the team, and have been to see several games in the last few years. Our most memorable hockey game was the Winter Classic (aka the Ice Bowl) on New Year's Day in 2008. We FROZE as we sat in Rich Stadium and watched this historic event unfurl beneath us, and I have to say it was one of the best days of my life. I still get a little choked up when I think about it (corny, I know), but just reflecting on how we were there to witness something that had never been done in the US, and it happened right here in Western NY...it was magical. Today they're playing the second Winter Classic in Chicago. I've seen the coverage of the event and I smile to myself as I think back to that awesome day last year. I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to attend that event and to have shared it with my very best friend.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T07:54:00.000-08:00

Last night we did what we have done every year on New Year's Eve--we stayed in and went to bed before midnight :) I loved it! We're not big party people, nor are we the type to stay up really late, but that's not to say we didn't have a good time! We watched Get Smart (stupid and funny--my kind of movie!) and Chris made my favorite dinner--strombolis! We watched a little bit of the coverage of the party in Times Square, but were content to be cuddled up in our nice warm bed. Another bonus--I feel great today because I don't have a hangover! Starting the year off right :)

Happy New Year to everyone!

Our last Sabres game of 2008

2008-12-31T09:00:00.000-08:00

Chris and I at the Sabres vs. Caps game. We lost.

More Holiday Pictures

2008-12-30T06:43:00.000-08:00

I have a bunch of random pictures that I'd like to share. I think they're mostly from Christmas morning and the following days when we went to Ohio. I never take as many pictures as I hope to take. (New Year's resolution, maybe?) Anyway, here are a few pictures that I did take...

Caleb is a silly little guy, always making faces for the camera. He's my brother's youngest son, and he turned 4 on Dec 10. This is a shirt that my buddy in Fredonia gave me to give to him.

This cup was sitting on the ground in this parking spot. Somehow Chris managed to park the truck over the top of it. He also backed out of the parking spot and left the cup standing again. Now that's talent ;)

It's been a while since we drove down to Florence, so I almost forgot about this water tower. I have a thing for photographing things like street signs and billboards...I think this counts as a sign, right?

Entering Cincinnati from the south. What a gorgeous view of the city!
We had been down to Florence to buy some wheels for the Jetta. (After last week's horrible weather, we decided that although we don't really want to buy snow tires, we're going to have to.) So we met up with this guy and got the rims (which are steel--ick--but I can handle ugly rims for a few months if it means a safer car), then we went to the mall before we drove back into the city. Chris wanted to take me to a restaurant he had been to when he was in downtown Cincy for his conference this past May. After a delicious meal at Rock Bottom Brewery, we walked through Fountain Square (seen below) on the way back to our car. Before you view the picture, I have to tell you a story. We were almost at the parking lot where we left our car, and a guy stopped us and told us a whole long story about how he's not homeless and not a beggar, but he was at the Bengals game with his friends and they got into a fight and left him downtown, and he needed $14 to take a cab to the University of Cincinnati. Part of me felt really bad for the guy, and part of me was wondering why the heck he would go to a football game and not have some cash or an ATM card or a cell phone. Now we joke about knowing that it (supposedly) costs $14 to get to University of Cincinnati from Fountain Square.

Xander's first time staying at a Sheraton. He started to bark in the middle of the night (although he didn't go into full-on howling mode) because he heard some people in the hallway, but otherwise, he was very well-behaved. And of course, he slept with us.

He was pretty confused about what he saw out the window of our hotel. We were on the 11th floor.
On the way home, we stopped to get gas and we were going to switch drivers, so we both got out. (Normally one of us sits in the car with Xander because he goes a little crazy when one of us isn't close by.) Since we didn't let him out of the car like we had at previous stops, he decided to climb up to the front seat and sit down. I slid into the driver's seat and took this picture:
Then when Chris got into the passenger seat, we thought Xander would hop back into the back seat, but nope...he decided that he wanted to help me drive. (Just so you know, we were NOT moving when this picture was taken. We got him situated in the back seat first, then we drove off.)

After-Christmas Shopping

2008-12-27T09:09:00.000-08:00

One of the great things about being in the Cincinnati area is the shopping. There are so many malls and stores in the immediate area that it's easy to hit lots of them in a single day. I try very hard not to shop much because I don't really need anything, but every once in a while I get the urge to do some bargain hunting, and this is a good place to scratch that itch. So far I haven't bought any clothes or anything like that, but we did enjoy a shopping trip at Ikea! Chris' mom and dad gave us a gift card so we could buy some shelves that we want so we can continue to decorate our home. We blew through the entire gift card and found even more stuff that we like. We bought a couple gifts and our Christmas cards for next year, but we also bought more things for the house...frames, curtains, etc... FUN!

Now we're getting ready to drive down to Florence, KY to pick up some wheels for the Jetta (so we can get snow tires). Later Chris' mom and dad are having some friends over for dinner, then they're going to watch "the fight." I have no idea what "the fight" is, but I'm sure I'm not going to be interested in it, so hopefully we'll get to find something else to do. It would be great if we could go to a sports bar and watch the hockey game there, but I guess they'll probably be watching this fight, too, so we'll be listening to it on our computer at the hotel.

Christmas Eve in Cuba, NY

2008-12-24T18:28:00.000-08:00

Chris and I began our Christmas journey at around 10:30 on Christmas Eve. We left Dunkirk and drove to Cuba where Mom and I wrapped a few gifts and ran a couple errands. Tim (my brother) picked up his kids and we played for a while before going to Grandma's house. As you can see from this picture, they spent some time loving on Xander, which he ate right up!

My brother made strombolis for dinner, and this is a rare photo of all three boys sitting down.

After we ate dinner, we made homemade ice cream with our human powered ice cream makers, then we opened presents from Grandma and my cousin Mark. (Mark gave us Sabres tickets--woo hoo!)

Now the boys are in bed waiting for Santa, and we're getting ready to put out presents. Tim and Chris just went for a ride up the hill on the four wheelers. Since I have this sweet new computer, I hope to add frequent updates to my blog throughout our holiday :)

Finishing up Christmas prep

2008-12-22T15:35:00.000-08:00

The last few days have been a little on the weird side. Friday I was surprised with a snow day and got some stuff done around the house, then Chris came home early from work and we enjoyed the evening together. Saturday we ran a couple errands in the morning and met some friends for dinner that evening. Sunday was the usual, but the weather was horrible so we stayed in all day. I'm not kidding...we didn't go anywhere. Today, surprised with another snow day.

Now, I'm not complaining about these days off. They were sooooo nice! I don't want to call this a "problem," so I guess I should say that the irony of the situation is that these are days that we'd want to be at work. Now, on Friday I'm thankful to have had a snow day for one simple reason...I did NOT want to deal with my colleague. We had an argument on Thursday and that was still eating me. (It's still eating me a little, and I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to deal with that tomorrow, but at least the wound isn't quite as fresh as it was on Friday.)

I was talking to my friend Kathi about how it's nice to have these days off so we have time to do stuff, but it's hard to be out of the routine of things, and it's also difficult to run errands with the roads in such bad shape. I made my lasagna today...something that I would have had to sramble to get done this evening if I hadn't had today off. So that was good! I also got a little more packing done, and as soon as I'm done here, I'm going to go up and finish.

Because of these snow days, though, plans are up in the air for a couple of things. First, we have the luncheon tomorrow...or do we? The above mentioned lasagna is for the luncheon we have every year, but this year one of the secretaries suggested that we just get pizza and wings. Now, I love pizza very much, but one of the things I love about the luncheon is the variety of home cooked food. If we end up doing pizza and wings, then I'll have the lasagna to eat at home, so either way, I can't really complain.

The other issue is the annual Christmas breakfast. Every year on the last day of school before break, a bunch of teachers get together and cook a big breakfast in the cafeteria, and we all eat together, and we talk, and have a gift exchange, and sing carols. It's a pretty neat thing, although I've never been there for the entire party. A party at 6:30 means that I have to leave home before 6, which means I have to get up earlier than I care to think about! But the problem now is that I'm not sure if that's going on, either. I'm sure it is, but I haven't paid for my breakfast or anything.

Oh well, hopefully tomorrow will be filled with cheer and I'll get everything I need to get done finished before it's time to leave on Wednesday morning.

Snow day!

2008-12-22T05:16:00.000-08:00

On Friday the weather was expected to be really bad, so I found out at about 6:30 (when I was all ready for work) that we didn't have school. Thank goodness for my friends who called to tell me...otherwise I would have driven all that way only to find out that we didn't have school. Chris drove to work, but they closed Canisius early and sent everyone home before noon, which made me happy! All weekend the weather was horrible--we had a lot of snow, but the worst part about it was the wind. This morning we were still dealing with lots of wind and snow...and a very full driveway. We received a phone call before 5:30 that the Thruway was closed, which kind of prevents Chris from going to work, then we found out that Canisius was closed anyway, so that was good news for him. I still didn't see that my school had closed, and I figured there was NO WAY our school would be closed AGAIN, but, alas, Mary called me at about 6:30 to say that we were closed again. I've spent the day catching up on chores and getting ready for the festivities at work tomorrow and in the upcoming days.

Caleb and his new coat

2008-12-20T13:08:00.000-08:00

A while back I discovered Freecycle, a web site/e-mail system that allows people to post ads for things they need and things they want to get rid of. Everything people put up and ask for is free--no money is exchanged for any of the items. Pretty cool, I think, especially because it keeps things out of landfills!

One time a lady posted an ad offering up some kids' shoes, and they fit my youngest nephew Caleb, so I told her I would take them. Since then, she's given me many more items, including the adorable coat, which Caleb is wearing in the picture below. I told her that he'd probably like the buckles because they're like the buckles on his life jacket. I took this picture and sent it to her with a note of thanks for her kindness.

Trying out Picasa to file pictures on my computer

2008-12-20T13:05:00.001-08:00

I just got this cute little computer, and I'm trying to figure out how to manage my photos. Chris has used Picasa for a while, so he encouraged me to try it out. I learned that it is tied in with Google, which means that it's tied in with Blogger, and therefore, it may be easier to upload pictures to my blog. We'll see. This could be fun :)

It's been a while....where do I start?

2008-12-19T05:23:00.000-08:00

There's no particular reason why I haven't updated my blog...I've just been neglectful, I guess. And I was without a computer for a couple days...that would prevent me from blogging, too. I'm not bringing my work computer home anymore. I loved that computer (It's a MacBook Pro), so I carried it home and used it as my personal computer as well. We have a state auditor at our school who is going through EVERYTHING, and he assessed the laptops at school. Pretty much all of us use that computers for personal stuff--web surfing, pictures, music, video games (one of the people I work with let her kids play games on her work computer). So anyway, even if that stuff was done at home, they say that the computers are paid for with taxpayer money, and they don't want us using them for personal use, sooooooo, Chris bought me an Acer Aspire One computer. It's super cute and really tiny...will be perfect for my Body Shop business, e-mail, and web surfing. It's no MacBook Pro, but for the price, I can't complain. This computer does what it needs to do, and it's PINK!

A lot of great stuff has happened over the last couple weeks, but the thing that's on my mind right now is the terrible day I had at work yesterday. I was already frustrated in the morning when I went to work because of Xander. He got out of his crate on Tuesday and, through a series of stupid things that I overlooked that day, (all Xander-related), I ended up missing the Christmas party that night (another story for another time). On Wednesday he tipped over his water bowl, which he does every day anyway, but when I let him out of his crate that day, he bolted for the water bowl and drank for about 2 minutes straight before even going outside to pee. At that point, I felt like I had been torturing the poor creature because, first of all, he cries and barks when I put him in his cage, and secondly, because he was obviously parched if he drank that much, and being that thirsty is just terrible. So yesterday I left Xander out of his crate. I couldn't stand the thought of locking him in there again, but I was worried about what he was going to do to the house.

And now for the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. On Wednesday afternoon, my colleague got on my case for "not telling her" that some guests would be speaking in a teacher's class. First of all, this was a very minor thing, as guest speakers are in our school, and especially that class, all of the time, and secondly, I did tell her about it, and resent the original e-mail to prove it. Then on Thursday morning, she came in and said "Where are those financial aid packets you were looking at?" and I said, "I put them in Judy's mailbox." She said "I ASKED you to give them back to me when you were done." I responded by telling her that she wasn't even at school when I was done looking at them...she had already gone home. About 30 seconds later, she came in saying, "You REALLY need to tell me when you're going into the classrooms to talk about the VoTech field trip, because that affects my students, too." Yes, she's right...this issue does affect her students, but it wasn't like I sent her students away so I could just tell my students what was up! No, I told ALL of the students, mine and hers, the SAME THING! So if she has a question on something, all she needs to do is ASK, she doesn't need to SCOLD.

That final time that she cam in to talk to me, she asked me why I was being so snippy with her, and reminded me that I have to tell her things like that. But here's the other issue--half the time I don't have a freakin' clue what's going on with her! Last year she went to a leadership conference and didn't tell me until after she had returned...I only knew she was going because someone else told me. And the ironic thing is that I was already running a leadership group...don't you think I should have been included in that conference? That's a common occurrence with her. She's also gone into classrooms numerous times without telling me, and I never scolded her for not telling me! I thanked her and got on with my day! Must be she doesn't have enough to do, because she's getting very nitpicky.

I'm going to post one more thing in a separate blog because it's way off topic from what I talked about here, but while talking to my friend on the phone today, I realized something else that probably has to do with why I was so weepy yesterday.

Office Christmas gift

2008-12-02T08:21:00.000-08:00

For Christmas my first year at Maple Grove, we (me, the other counselor-Lisa, and our secretary-Beth) exchanged gifts, but after that, we decided that instead of giving each other gifts, we'd make a donation to a charity. We gave to St. Susan's Soup Kitchen a couple times, donated money for Christmas boxes that were given to children in need, and other local charities.

This year, Lisa showed us a web site called www.heifer.org. The purpose of the organization is to "buy" animals for needy people around the world. For example, you can buy bees that are given to people who will raise them for their honey and wax. You can buy ducks, chicks, rabbits, pigs, etc... I really appreciate the concept, however, I'm not comfortable with the idea of giving animals as gifts, and then having those animals slaughtered. Kind of goes against my beliefs.

So frustrated with Xander

2008-12-01T18:05:00.000-08:00

I can't remember if the last time I wrote complaining about my dog was the first or second time he got out, but as of today, he has gotten out FOUR times! Today is the first day back to work after Thanksgiving, and when I put Xander in his crate, I used two carabiners to secure it closed. Imagine my surprise when I got home and heard him in the kitchen again. He had gotten into another waste basket and spread garbage all over. (At times like this I'm so happy I compost all of our food waste...at least I didn't have food messes to clean up!) We're going to have to find another way to lock his cage up tight, because I can't deal with him destroying the house (and who knows what else) while we're at work all day. I thought having pets was supposed to help reduce your blood pressure....

I got SO MAD at my dog yesterday!

2008-11-20T04:56:00.000-08:00

I decided to go to the gym after work, so it was probably a little after 5 by the time I got home. I always drive into the garage, go into the kitchen door and put my stuff down, and then let Xander out of his crate and run him out the front door so he can go to the bathroom. But yesterday when I got to the kitchen door, I could hear him barking in the kitchen. I thought, "Oh crap, he got out of his crate!" Sure enough, he broke out...not sure when, but he definitely had enough time to destroy the house! He knocked a bowl off the wine rack...I'm surprised that it didn't shatter. He got anything that had touched food off the counter...a whole container of cookies that I had just baked, a roll, and a piece of bread (he ate right through the plastic bags and containers to get to the food inside). He emptied the waste basket in the living room and upstairs in the bedroom. Then he puked all night. I was so frustrated when I saw the mess, I screamed at him. I mean, nothing seems to work with this stupid dog. I've tried to teach him things that a "good dog" does...when he behaves, I reward him and pet him and fuss over him. But when he's bad, what am I supposed to do? I hate hitting him, although I will give him a swat if he jumps, another one of his bad habits, but I don't want to hit him in a place that's really going to hurt him. Unfortunately, when he jumps, the only part of him that I can really smack is his face or head, and I don't want to do that.

I thought that owning pets was supposed to be more fun than stressful, but my animals definitely cause me anxiety.

Laundry problems

2008-11-19T17:46:00.000-08:00

I don't really mind doing laundry...I have a nice front loader washer and I line dry most of the clothes to conserve energy. Most things come out just fine, but I've been having a problem with Chris' dress shirts. They have what almost looks like greasy spots on them, and the spots become more pronounced when I iron the shirts. The spots aren't there when I put the shirt in the washer, they only seem to become obvious after the shirt is dry. And it's not like the spots come from food or anything...some of the spots are on the back and arms of the shirts.

So the point is, if anyone has any suggestions on how to get rid of these spots, I'm all ears!

Need help with plant identification

2008-11-11T09:02:00.000-08:00

Chris and I bought two house plants. We had been talking about bringing some more greenery into the house, so finally we went for it. We've always had a lot of viney plants around the house, and those grow like crazy, but we've never had the more tree-like plants. I'm finding that I have no idea how to care for them, which, I believe, is causing them to die. I'm wondering if they'll even survive because we keep our house fairly cool in the winter, and we don't have a lot of sun coming in, but I'm going to do my best to keep them alive! Any advice is welcome!

I think I've managed to identify the first one as a Corn Plant:

However, I have no clue what this one is:
Can anyone help?

Snow pictures

2008-11-10T07:46:00.001-08:00

Thought you might like to see some pictures from my ride to work this morning. Dunkirk (where I live) had just a dusting of snow...this was what I encountered along the way. I saw a few cars off the road, and have heard of a few more accidents that have happened more recently. It's scary out there...I don't think people realize quite how bad the roads are today.

Weird headaches

2008-11-09T16:30:00.001-08:00

Ok, so twice in one week I'm complaining about medical ailments...sorry about that. I'm a pretty healthy person and not really a complainer about "feeling yucky," but I'm really confused about what's going on in my head, and I thought maybe keeping a little journal about it would help me possibly pinpoint what's causing it.

Early last week, I started having really sharp, almost stabbing pains in the back of my head on the right side. The pains were pretty intense, but they would go away within a few seconds. After several days of that, the pain seems to have migrated to the left side of the back of my head. It's strong enough to make me kind of squint my eyes in pain, but then it goes away.

I'm not the kind of person to rush to the doctor for every little thing, which is why I thought I'd just kind of keep track of this and see how long it lasts. (What happened this past Wednesday was way out of character for me.) I've had what I assume are migraines in the past, which would involve intense pain that would increase for an hour or two until I would finally vomit, then it would fade over the next hour or two. From what I understand, 4-6 hours is a pretty short period of time for a migraine, but I have every other symptom. The headaches I have now are nothing like those.

As always, advice and feedback are welcome. I'll see how things go over the next few weeks and see if I need to rethink a visit to the doctor's office.

Happy conclusion of a long work week

2008-11-07T14:24:00.000-08:00

Ok, so nothing particularly special happened to make it a "happy" conclusion to the week, I'm just glad to be home!

Tomorrow I'm going to Jamestown (about 40 minutes away) to work at the "What's New Fair" at Jamestown Community College. I'm working the Body Shop booth, and I'm kind of excited about it. I'm never all that happy to spend time away from Chris, but I want to do this because I hope to pick up a few new customers. (I realize how sad that might seem to some of you that I don't even want to be away from Chris for 4 hours, but I consider myself extraordinarily lucky to be married to someone I love to spend time with so much!)

I stopped at the gym on the way home today. I didn't really want to go, but I've been putting it off for two weeks...the week Chris was at his conference in Florida, I wanted to get home to let Xander out of his cage, but I did yoga at home, so that was good. Then earlier this week, I was tired or busy (I know "tired" isn't an excuse, but it worked for me), and on Wednesday I was sick (see blog post from that day if you really want to know--and my guess is that you probably don't want to know), and Thursday evening Chris had to work at the Opera House, where he helps out every so often, so we grabbed a quick dinner out and then I felt too full to go straight to the gym, so I came home. So today I stopped on my way home, largely due to the fact that I got out of work at a reasonable time! I even made a stop on my way home from the gym and still got home before 5. Weird, I know!

I work at Maple Grove High School, and the football team is playing at Rich Stadium tonight. In case you don't know, that's where the Buffalo Bills play. (Actually, now it's called Ralph Wilson Stadium, but to many of us native Western New Yorkers, it will always be Rich Stadium, and the place where the Bisons play (AAA baseball team) will always be Pilot Field. So I'm excited for "my kids."

I guess there isn't really a point to this post, but I just felt like writing. I'm wating for Chris to get home (he was arriving at the gym just as I was leaving), and we're going to cook some dinner and relax. We won't be watching the hockey game because it's on a channel we don't get. Hoping for another shutout, though :)

Until my next pointless post...peace!

Circular Logic

Melaleuca, Day One

My new experiment

vegan no-bake chocolate peanut butter protein bars

Plans to make homemade laundry soap and natural fabric dye

Articles to bookmark

Shape; August 2011

Breaking my habit of collecting too much stuff

I've missed blogging

A weirdo

Granola Bark

chocolate sandwich cookies

Franks Red Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip

Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

Some sort of chocolate loaf

California Rangers

Wheat Bread

Whole wheat choc chip cookies

Breakfast Crepes

Wheat Oatmeal Honey Bread

Wagon Wheel cookies

Peanut Blossom Cookies

Gabe at bath time, 9/26/09

Handbag giveaway at "EverythingUpClose"

BIG UPDATE

A little blurb I read about overcoming negativity

Those purple boxes hanging in trees

Sunset at Lake Erie

Agave Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

Chris' roller coaster obsession

(Scallops) in Thai Sauce (Use tofu instead)

Remodeling our bathroom

"Firemen's" Barbecue Sauce

Another contest I entered

(Raisin) Scones

I think I've been stabbed in the back!

Melt-in-your-mouth Strawberry Muffins

Contest to win a beautiful bracelet! (I REALLY like this!)

Closed again

Our bathroom remodeling project

My "day off"

Long walk with Xander

Earth Day Giveaway!

Simplest Loaf Cake

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

"Top Fives"

Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki Sauce

A classic, creamy dip often served with traditional Greek dishes.Try it with cut vegetables and pita wedges.

Noodles and Spinach with Tofu

I think this is a good place to post recipes

My stupid shopping trip

Help solve a dispute

NYC 4.11.09

Travel Day--4.8.09

Virginia Beach--4.7.09

Virginia-4/6/09

Virginia-4.5.09

Traveling to Virginia

Real Maple Syrup

Have you seen my new blog?

Maple Grove Basketball

Natasha Richardson

my super cool juice pouch bag!

I feel like a jerk

Greek Dressing

King Cake 2009

Wrong address

No good deed goes unpunished

Funeral day--bittersweet

Pre-funeral festivities

Albany

Off to Albany today

I'm a winner!

My 25 Random Things

Lazy Blogger

Contest to win a cool bag

Ski club has begun

Sabres beat Rangers!

A classic, creamy dip often served with traditional Greek dishes.
Try it with cut vegetables and pita wedges.