NKOTBBSB

Admit it, you are excited.

So I'm home...

Oh, the humanity!

We got home last night from the most gorgeous vacation I have ever had.  We spent 6 nights in Cancun at Sun Palace.  It was absolutely wonderful!  Six and a half days of sitting by the pool or on the beach with a drink in hand!

Pretty much this was Dan's entire vacation:)

The view from my pool chair.  I also wanted to get pre-surgery foot in there.  Gross, huh?

This was the view from our balcony in the afternoon of the first day we were there.

We had $1500 in free vacation dollars so we upgraded our room to the concierge level.  It was great since we had a bigger balcony with a huge lounger along with the table and chairs.  We had a free dinner on the beach which we upgraded to lobster and champagne.  We each had a 25 minute back massage included in the concierge level.  We used our remaining money to get 50 minute massages and I had a hot stone pedicure.  

Each day was great.  We would get up, go to the gym then breakfast and to the pool.  After lunch we would sometimes stay at the pool but mostly go to the beach.  Then back to the room for a nap (or reading) and shower for dinner.  It was a wonderful trip and I hope to go again soon!

Yup--I'm old too

I got up early to let the cinnamon rolls rise (it snowed) and have been crocheting all day. That should be enough to tell me I'm old. Nuh-uh. The moment it hit me? A very Lisa moment when I checked the clock, thinking I was late getting to bed, only to realize it isn't even 9:00 yet.

Snoring

Since no one to few people read this, I rarely post. But for the two of you who sometimes check...

I'm sitting in my chair, watching an old Friends episode, drinking a glass of wine and listening to the most beautiful sound in the world--Tilly snoring. She is tucked under the blanket so that she is leaned up against my leg. She has this waffling snore that I will miss. Sometimes she sleeps in bed with us and she goes back and forth all night...I'd say tucking herself in against my tummy (the only appropriate word in this case) but really it is throwing her whole 18 pounds in exhaustion against me. Now and again my sleep apnea dog quits snoring and has face spasms until she starts breathing again. She's my baby.

Ah knots!

It has happened. Not all at once, but gradually, like the leaves turning colors or the temperature dropping. The crocheting bug got me again. So far this Fall I have made a lovely scarf (very soft--also good for inservice days) and have attempted making three hats. The first two haven't turned out very well, but each one has improved over the last. Now I'm to the point that I'm making hats to coordinate with outfits. State XC this weekend? Well, I have red and blue to wear, I must need a white hat! I've been working on this granny hat for Saturday. Hopefully, it turns out. Not sure if I can call a pattern called "Urban Jungle" a granny hat, but I'm going for it!

Turning into my mother...or a hermit

A dear friend mentioned to me the other day that I could be one of those people who never leaves their house for anything--I'm not against this in any way (see previous hermit-like post). I have found I can get better deals online for just about everything and get money back. This isn't entirely true, I do the shopping, but somehow Dan gets the money back. Eh, probably still works out in my favor. My most recent purchase online was fabric and I love it!

I had found a seller on etsy.com who makes these adorable skirts out of Amy Butler fabric and from other fun designers like her. This week I attempted to make my own skirt since I finally got my sewing machine repaired. The skirt is a very simple a-line with an elastic waist with a toggle closure. I learned a lot about what I can do to improve for next time and considering I made the pattern from an existing skirt, it turned out OK. Keep in mind the fabric is a little crazy, but as I was describing a crazy patterned dress earlier this week, some one said crazy suits me. Hmm.

Anyway, it is a little nutty, but I like it. I need to get more thread and go crazy later this week.

Vintage

This time of year I become more interested in white wine. During the winter months, OK, most of the time, I'm a sucker for red. Give me a Cab, Temperanillo or Pinot any day. Please don't be disillusioned that I know anything about wine. Really, I'd like to, but another day perhaps. I just enjoy it. So as the weather warms, I like a chilled white. This alone should be an indication that I am not a wine buff, but I have always liked the Kendall Jackson Chardonnay. Maybe it is a nod to Kinsey Milhone, but I've always stuck to Chardonnay when it comes to whites. I have enjoyed immensely the Pinot Grigio I had the other night and is marinating on my chicken right now with some italian seasoning and a little olive oil. Hopefully as delicious as it sounds.

Another marinade I tried the other night and adored was the fresh teryaki. I don't care for teryaki in normal circumstances, but this was delicious. 1 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup each white and brown sugar, 2 chopped green onions, 2 tbs olive oil and a little garlic. Delish if I do say so myself! Also lovely on the squash, green onion and mushrooms that we grilled as well.

After all this talk of wines and food, it is time to watch my guilty pleasure--the finale of The Biggest Loser. I suppose Jillian would yell at me. Eh.

OK, I get it...

I heard you, loud and clear---I try to do too many things. Gotcha. OK. Understood.

What do I cut out, I wonder. The Speech kids that make me so very happy when I see what they are able to accomplish. The pride and happiness that sparkles in their eyes? This year I tried to do less. I'm not the head coach of Large Group, but I have taken over helping with State Contest. For free. I can't not coach IE. I love that. I'm not currently taking any classes or teaching any

for that matter. With the exception of my teaching job, what am I cutting?

I have cut out running, drinking water, and sleeping. I have taken up eating out of control, copious amounts of caffeine, and swearing.

I get it, but I don't. It all appears to be out of balance.

Mary Poppins, recluse

I went to the mall yesterday to look for a specific item. After trying a few things on and not finding what I wanted, I went to a few other stores and met the same result. By the last store I could not wait to get out of the mall. I realize that I only want to shop on weeknights or online. I detest shopping with all of those people! That being said, I'm finding I adore shopping online. I have my favorites that I frequent. In truth, my neighbor teases me about the UPS man coming over so often. I just found through my Bank of America card I can get at least 1% cash back at most of the places I shop. Gap, Old Navy and the Ann Taylor sisters offer 4% and one of my very favorites, onlineshoes.com offers 12%! If there were ever a reason to not leave the house and rack up on those free-shipping offers, this is it. If you have a Visa through Bank of America, I would sign up for the Add-it-Up Program. Who doesn't love free money?

I emailed Dan from school on Friday to see what we were doing. I asked if we were doing anything besides going out to dinner and sitting by the fire. He replied that there was nothing else more appealing than sitting in his chair with the dogs. To this I asked if we could stop and get yarn on the way to dinner. Clearly, we are a couple of 85 year olds. Between my crocheting problem and my online shopping addiction, I may never leave the house again. I could even order yarn online...

Crockpot Oatmeal

I've been hearing a lot about steel cut oats since joining Weight Watchers about a year and a half ago. I finally made my own in the crockpot overnight. This was my favorite recipe I found online and it is really good! I left out the bananas and walnuts and used craisins instead of the raisins listed. It cooked last night for about 7 1/2 hours and it was perfectly done. Absolutely delicious! It makes a lot and I will try to half the recipe next time I make it. I might try a hot water bath in the crockpot next time as well. Delicious and totally recommended!

Crockpot Oatmeal Recipe

• 2 cups steel cut oats (not instant or rolled oats)
• 6-8 cups water, depending on how long the oatmeal will cook
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 apples, peeled and diced
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup sliced bananas
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Spray crockpot with nonstick cooking spray. If you're planning to cook the oatmeal 8 hours or longer, use 8 cups of water. If you want to cook it less than 8 hours, use 6 cups of water. Put first seven ingredients (through raisins) in slow cooker and cook on low. Just before serving, Stir in bananas and walnuts. Sprinkle with additional brown sugar if desired.

Serves 8.

Per serving: 256 calories, 6 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 49 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein, 1% Vitamin A, 6% Vitamin C, 5% calcium, 8% iron

http://healthycooking.suite101.com/article.cfm/crockpot_oatmeal_recipe

Welcome!

It seems as though my dear friends are all getting into blogging so I thought I might give it a shot. I sit this evening listening to my dog Tilly snoring comfortably under the blanket next to me. I begin my blog on a cold night in January before I have to go back to school in the morning which I dread. Tomorrow morning I begin, as we often do this time of year, with a new frame of mind. I will get up at my usual 5:00 a.m. and instead of drinking my coffee and watching "Today in Iowa" with eyes half open, I plan on working out. I have the time, we'll see how it goes.

I have a group of dear friends with whom I work. We are the adult version of "The Breakfast Club". I get teased for being too nice. No matter how much I dislike some one, I will still find something nice to say. This skill I have learned from my mother and has gained me the position of Mary Poppins.