Friday, August 22, 2008
Isn't it Romantic?
Something I learned today: Jason is going to be the next bachelor on The Bachelor season 35 or some other number that tells you the show has been on way too long. But I liked him so much from the last Bachelorette that (see my July post "Stop in the Name of Love") I'll be tuning in next January, or whenever it airs, for "the most romantic season ever!"
A Ceasar Pleaser
In July we had the pleasure of taking a vacation to Tennessee to meet up with a bunch of friends from all over the United States -- our annual 4-H reunion. It all started in 1994 when there were ten people from different states chosen to be National 4-H Congress advisors. We were in charge of planning the annual congress. Throughout this process, we became close friends and decided that we would have reunions in each other's home states.
Now many years later we are still in close contact, and our 4-H family has expanded as many of us have gotten married and have children. In Tennessee we all stayed in a big log cabin. There were ten adults and eight children under the age of six. To help cut costs and maintain our sanity from eating out too many times (see number of children), we set up a plan for each family to be in charge of breakfast and dinner one day. This worked really well and was very cost effective. Every meal was delicious, and I got to sample many tasty new dishes, some with a regional flair, from a variety of cooks.
My friend Heather made a Ceasar salad that had such a great homemade dressing I'm going to share it on my blog. It is easy, refreshing, and low cal. She said it is a South Beach Diet recipe. I have since made it many times at home and even Troy eats it! It's really nice with grilled steak, warm or cold. Dressed up or down with more veggies or none at all, it is now a favorite dish for us.
Ceasar Dressing
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 minced garlic (Pampered Chef garlic press is great for this!)
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 c oil
1 Tbsp parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
Mix ingredients and toss with romaine lettuce. It is so good! I bet you will have more than one helping. :)
Now many years later we are still in close contact, and our 4-H family has expanded as many of us have gotten married and have children. In Tennessee we all stayed in a big log cabin. There were ten adults and eight children under the age of six. To help cut costs and maintain our sanity from eating out too many times (see number of children), we set up a plan for each family to be in charge of breakfast and dinner one day. This worked really well and was very cost effective. Every meal was delicious, and I got to sample many tasty new dishes, some with a regional flair, from a variety of cooks.
My friend Heather made a Ceasar salad that had such a great homemade dressing I'm going to share it on my blog. It is easy, refreshing, and low cal. She said it is a South Beach Diet recipe. I have since made it many times at home and even Troy eats it! It's really nice with grilled steak, warm or cold. Dressed up or down with more veggies or none at all, it is now a favorite dish for us.
Ceasar Dressing
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 minced garlic (Pampered Chef garlic press is great for this!)
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 c oil
1 Tbsp parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
Mix ingredients and toss with romaine lettuce. It is so good! I bet you will have more than one helping. :)
Friday, August 15, 2008
The Final Countdown
Here it is the middle of August which means summer is almost officially over. It never ceases to amaze me that the three months I look forward to the most seem to literally fly by. I cannot express just how much I love summer: the laid back schedule, the lack of responsibilities and stress related to work, and the warm, sunny weather, to name just a few.
Around the beginning of August, people always start to ask me if I'm ready to go back to school. My answer is always the same. No. (Then I proceed to wonder if that makes me a bad teacher.) I know some teachers who say they are anxious to get back to school in the fall. I'm curious when I'll feel that way too. When you ask students if they're ready to go back to school, nine out of ten will say, no. However, when you ask parents if they're ready for school to start, they usually say, yes. Hmmm... Come to think of it, the teachers who are ready for school to start are generally parents of more than one young child and/or whose children are teenagers.
In that case, maybe someday I'll be chomping at the bit to go back to work in the fall. But until then, I'll attempt to eek out the last tiny scrap of vacation time that is left and continue to work on my "get-it-done-now-because-when-school-starts-it-ain't-gonna-happen" list. Wish me luck. I don't like running out of time.
Around the beginning of August, people always start to ask me if I'm ready to go back to school. My answer is always the same. No. (Then I proceed to wonder if that makes me a bad teacher.) I know some teachers who say they are anxious to get back to school in the fall. I'm curious when I'll feel that way too. When you ask students if they're ready to go back to school, nine out of ten will say, no. However, when you ask parents if they're ready for school to start, they usually say, yes. Hmmm... Come to think of it, the teachers who are ready for school to start are generally parents of more than one young child and/or whose children are teenagers.
In that case, maybe someday I'll be chomping at the bit to go back to work in the fall. But until then, I'll attempt to eek out the last tiny scrap of vacation time that is left and continue to work on my "get-it-done-now-because-when-school-starts-it-ain't-gonna-happen" list. Wish me luck. I don't like running out of time.
Don't it Make Your Brown Eyes Blue
Watching the summer Olympics always makes me think of the 1984 Olympics which is the first time I remember watching any Olympic games. The thing I remember most is watching Mary Lou Retton capture the gold as the all-around gymnast. It was such an exciting and dramatic moment. I was captured by this feisty, talented gymnast as I dreamed about the possibility of one day becoming an Olympic champion.
Tonight, I'm watching another American be awarded the coveted gold medal for the women's all-around. Although I have long since realized that I will never be standing on an Olympic podium, it is, nonetheless, an exciting and proud moment to watch.
Even though many years have passed since 1984, and many champions have come and gone, the beauty of the Olympics is that some things remain constant--the feeling of unity, pride, patriotism, and, most surprisingly, all those gymnasts from other countries who still wear blue eye shadow.
Tonight, I'm watching another American be awarded the coveted gold medal for the women's all-around. Although I have long since realized that I will never be standing on an Olympic podium, it is, nonetheless, an exciting and proud moment to watch.
Even though many years have passed since 1984, and many champions have come and gone, the beauty of the Olympics is that some things remain constant--the feeling of unity, pride, patriotism, and, most surprisingly, all those gymnasts from other countries who still wear blue eye shadow.
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