Nostalgic Hodgepodge.

1. What's your favorite meal to serve on a chilly autumn evening?

Chili, hands down. I love a lot of warm comfort foods, but I love chili.


2. Are you a creature of habit? Explain.

I most definitely a creature of habit, it might border on OCD, but I choose to ignore the possibility that it would. An example for you. When I make my water bottles for the day or working out I put in 10 ice cubes, not 9, not 11, exactly 10. I can't stop myself from doing this. I have showered in the exact same order for at least 10 years, I can't change it and I don't want to.


3. What food product (no longer readily available) do you remember and miss from days gone by?

This is really hard. I didn't eat many packaged food products growing up, my Mom was a part of the organic natural co-op movement long before it became mainstream. My favorite childhood food that I don't eat anymore is whole wheat carob chip cookies. Another favorite was getting to eat pieces of honeycomb.

4. What's something you've lost that you've never been able to find? Any theories as to what happened?

I don't know. Hmmm. I'm sure I lost a ton of things when I was younger I was one of those "clean by shoving things under the bed" type of kids. Now I rarely lose things. At least I rarely lose things that I don't find again.


5. Zoo~circus~ carnival...your favorite?

Zoo, but only if it is a good one where the animals look happy and well treated. When they are in cages that are too small or in climates that are unnatural for the animals I just want to cry.


6. What song makes you feel instantly happy?

Vivaldi's Gloria.... the whole thing.


7. To what extent are you an argumentative person?

I HATE it when people talk down to me. I tend to argue a lot when people try to act like they are know-it-alls or when people talk to me like I must be stupid because I am a stay at home mom. Other than that I am a pretty easy going person and will do a lot of bending to avoid an argument.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Family camping trip to Zion National Park this weekend. So very excited. I just hope that the rain stops before we get there.

Teaching Tuesday

After some really bad issues with the pre-school where P-nut was attending DH and I decided that it was time for us to pull her out and do pre-school at home. I have been enjoying my little bit of time to myself to get things accomplished each week, but those few hours are not worth the way that things were being done in the pre-school. So time to go into Mommy-teacher mode and start finding lesson plans.

Thank goodness for Pinterest and all of the wonderful things that my friends are pinning. I was led to this website with free downloadable pre-school lesson plans. Amazing! They are colorful, fun, and comprehensive. Covering so many different skills that are important for pre-schoolers to learn. I absolutely love what is provided. It will help make this transition so much easier.

Our first week of lessons will be the Camping theme. So exciting. I thought that bringing it together with our family vacation this week would help to make the lesson more interesting for Paige and more relevant to what is going on where we are. We have done the first few lessons and she is loving them. We also found some books at our local library that are camping related that I am reading to P-nut as well as having AJ read to her, so that the whole family is involved.

Wish me luck as I re-configure our whole schedule to accommodate this new development in our lives. I think that it will be a lot of fun to spend the schooling time with her this year.

Meal-Plan Monday

Happy October to you all! It's Monday and time for some meal plans. This week will be a little less interesting than the others since we are headed out for a camping trip this weekend and our food plan for that is..... well you'll see.

Monday
Crock-Pot Zucchini Ziti
Grilled Steak

Tuesday
Chili
Cornbread
Salad

WednesdayGinger Soy Pork Roast
Roasted Veggies

Thursday
Baked Potatoes
Broccoli
Chili
Cheese
etc.....

Friday
Dinner on the Road

Saturday MRE's...

Sunday MRE's

Nutty Hodgepodge

1. It is officially fall here in North America...I realize not everyone who participates in the Hodgepodge lives in North America but if you do, what's your favorite memory of Summer 2011? If you're not in North America, what's your favorite memory of the season just ending on your side of the world?

My favorite memory of this summer, that's actually hard, we didn't do any huge things just a lot of fun normal family stuff which is a great memory in and of itself. DH was deployed last year so he missed most of our normal summer activities so seeing him there with us and enjoying his girls is my best memory of all.

2. Your favorite nut? You know I mean the edible kind, right?

Pecans. I love most other nuts, don't get me wrong, but I ADORE pecans. Plain, candied, in baking, on salads. I used to love getting boxes of pecans from my Grandmother in the mail from her trees. Last fall the girls and I were visiting when the trees ripened and we got to help pick/gather the pecans and it was so much fun. When we live somewhere long enough to benefit from the tree I will be planting a pecan tree in my own yard.

3. What activity puts your sense of balance to the test?

Yoga, I am trying to do more yoga and Pilate's style exercises recently and I am finding that they really test my balance. I have been doing cardio and weight training for a long time, and using balance balls and bosu ball for that so my core strength is pretty good, but I am finding that contorting my body while needing to balance is more difficult than I thought it would be.

4. How would you describe your sense of humor?

Sarcastic, and dry. I am not a fan of most of the modern comedy shows, they are too sexual, overt or just plain stupid for my taste.

5. September 28th is National Ask a Stupid Question Day...what's your stupid question?

Why is it that you can get mutts (cross breeds) with dogs, cats, and horses; but not snakes, whales, birds, or any other animal?

6. Roller skates~hula hoop~jump rope...which activity would you most enjoy? Yes, you have to choose.

I would have to say jump rope. Mostly because it is the only one I can still do with any hint of skill. I could probably re-gain my skill in roller skating if I tried, and I had a friend suggest I take up roller derby as a sport, so you never know.

7. What's your most sentimental possession?

That's hard. I am not an incredibly sentimental person when it comes to possessions. I have things from Grandparents who have passed away, I have things from my Dad before he died. I also have mementos from both of the girls births and my wedding. But if it all came down to a fire there isn't any one thing I would risk my life to save, it is all just stuff in the end.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I think that I am going to get certified to teach in Nevada starting next year when the P-nut is in school. I am not sure if it is what I want to do with my life forever, but I no longer feel panic when I think about walking back into a classroom after 8 years. Now that the girls are older I am remembering why I love teaching and I am pretty sure that I am ready to do it again. The good thing is that at least I have decided what I want to do when I go back to work when the girls are in school, which is much further along than I was even 6 months ago.

Monday Menu's

I am starting to make the switch over to Fall food this week and I am trying out all new recipes. So this next couple of weeks will be an adventure. I can't wait though.

Monday
Grilled Mozzarella Cheese
Tomato Basil Soup

Tuesday
Pizza Casserole
Salad

Wednesday
Soy-Ginger Pork Tenderloin
Roasted Veggies and potatoes

Thursday
Crock Pot Tika Masala
Rice

Friday
Sliders
Sweet Potato Fries
Carrot and Celery Sticks

Saturday
Chili
Corn Bread

Sunday
Crock-Pot Baked Potatoes
Leftover Chili
Cheese
Broccoli

Hodgepoge...

1. Do you like chili? Red or white? Beans or no beans? Spice or no spice? Toppings? Yes!! I love chili in all of its forms, I love a good basic red with just beans and beef and spice, I love the veggie full chili that people make. I love white chili. I like mild chili with a lot of depth of flavor and a good chili that is so hot it makes you cry. I just really love chili. My favorite topping in sour cream or plain yogurt which tastes about the same and is much better for you. (plus the yogurt helps you with the digestion so less chili type issues)

2. Red~Orange~Gold...your favorite fall color? In decorations? Orange it is so warm and vibrant at the same time. In clothing Red, it's the only one of those three I can wear with any luck. On trees Gold, probably because that's the only color the trees in my hometown turn, but the Aspen are amazing.

3. Who did you idolize when you were growing up? Honestly I don't remember. How's that for an answer. I cannot remember ever saying "when I grow up I want to be just like __________" I adored old movies and the movie stars of the 40's and 50's, which could explain my love of style from that era. Also my Mom had a coffee table book about Diana Princess of Wales that I loved to look at.

4. When was the last time you did something 'arts and craftsy'? Share please. I am a crafty person, I love to do crafts. I have made bracelets and anklets for the girls this week, also hairbows for some people. I need to make a fuse on design shirt so that I can teach a friend how. I want to make a fall wreath. I am loving the time I spend on pinterest which is basically like an internet version of a corkboard to store ideas. Oh and does spending 30 min a morning doing fun hairstyles on the 6 year old count as an artsy crafty thing? I've been doing that too.

5. What's a place that makes you really nervous? Parking lots at night. The neighborhood around the Air Force base where I live (nothing like armed robberies and shootings to make you feel safe). And last but not least, large crowds where I don't know anyone.

6. Horse back riding...yay or nay (neigh?) Neigh, I've spent most of my life highly allergic to horses, my girls have to shower and change clothes before I touch them if they go. I wish it was a yay though. A lot.

7. What is your favorite cliche? Home is where the heart is. Because this is so true for me. I feel at home where my family and friends are. Places are beautiful, but people are what matters.

8. Insert your own random thought here. I've been cooking some this week so hopefully I can get some recipes up tomorrow. As long as I find the time to get it all set up in blog style. The plan is to do Sour Cream Enchiladas with some variations and Stuffed Manacotti or Large Shells. Yummy.

Fall is here! Hodgepodge.

1. What do you do at the first sign of a cold? Will you get a flu shot this year?
     I take a ton of vitamins, and drink hot liquids and then get on with my life. I've always found that the more I lay down the worse I feel. The only exception to this was when I got H1N1 2 years ago. I spent 3 days with a fever of at least 104, the whole time is a blur. I NEVER want to feel that way again. So I never got the flu shot before but I do now.

2. What advice can you give about how to conquer fear?
     Remember that fear is not from God. That God has not given us a spirit of fear but of a sound mind. Fear and worry are both things that we feel when we tell God that we think that He is not in control and that we want to be in charge because we think that we can do better. I try to confess my fears and worries and give them back to God, because the reality is that He is sovereign no matter what.

3. Share two good things about your life right now.
     Yesterday was my 8th wedding anniversary. So that's pretty awesome, especially with DH in a squadron with an 80% divorce rate.
     The other good thing is that I am doing a lot of learning type reading. I love to read, but I am rediscovering the love of reading for learning purposes.

4. A hot fall fashion trend in 2011 is a return to sixties style...tunics with pants, shift dresses, pencil skirts, cinched waists, bold prints, high necklines and short lengths to name a few. How does this fashion trend fit with your wardrobe and personal sense of style?
     I am a huge fan of the clothing styles of the late 50's and early 60's, so some this move towards the late 60's is making me a little sad. I like pencil skirts and cinched waists, but the prints, and short stuff is not me at all.

5. Were you involved in scouting as a kid? How about as an adult?
     I was a Cub Scout.... sort've. I was in the Girls Scouts for a while but didn't enjoy it. When my brother joined the cub scouts my whole family got involved and I went to all of the meetings, I memorized all of the stuff, I did everything to earn all of the patches, I went on the trips. I really enjoyed that a lot. My involvement stopped when my Dad died when I was 13.

6. Apple, pear, plum, pumpkin...your favorite fall flavor?
     Oooo it's a tough call between Apple and Pumpkin.

7. What characteristics do you think are essential in a good teacher?
     I think that a love for learning and the desire to share that is the most important quality for a teacher to have. I am not a fan of the new move towards teachers being self-esteem builders, I think that there are ways to teach children in ways that they learn to love learning that doesn't sacrifice the actual learning of material.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
   I've been helping DH write a paper on the Navajo Code Talkers, and researching them. All I can say is that it is awesome and everyone should read something on this subject in their life.