Upgrades

Well, the biggest thing in my life is that hopefully I'll be getting a new bathroom floor soon. I live a sad life, I know... Ever since I moved into this house (about 4 years ago) I've noticed a smell coming from the bathroom. I chalked it up to the former renter, who had a small boy child who probably learned his toileting skills in my bathroom. No matter how many times I tried to clean the carpet, the smell never came out. It is especially bad whenever it rains, or it is humid. It reeks! Anyway, I finally got up enough guts last week to call the owners of the house, and ask whether they would be willing to pull out the carpet, and replace it with linoleum. First of all, I'm not sure why anyone would want carpet in the bathroom (or in the kitchen, for that matter--I'm sure I'll have to wait several more years before they will replace that!), but the owner was surprised that I wouldn't want to replace it with carpet again! I don't care if they just put a remnant of linoleum in there, it doesn't need to match anything, but I do want LINOLEUM!!! Anyway, while I was in NE visiting my family, the owners came in and inspected the carpeting and bathroom situation. They called to tell me early Thursday morning that the problem was worse than expected, and was I still gone? Nope, I was at home. "Oh, we really were hoping you were still gone, so we could come over and fix the problem. You see, the toilet isn't set right, and everything that is going in the stool, is coming on the carpet, and the wood underneath...."



YUCK!



I told the landlord that I would be happy for them to come fix it as soon as possible, and that I know plenty of people here in Marion who would let me use their toilet and shower while mine was out of commission. That was last Thursday, and I have yet to see anyone coming to fix it. We'll see how long it all takes...the owners are notorius for not fixing anything in my house. The garage door didn't work when I moved in, and it just got fixed about 2 months ago. I may be falling through the rotted floor before anything happens.



In other news...I've been doing a lot of cooking in the past few days. The farm family sent me home with 2 gallons of great farm milk, so I'm slowly enjoying one gallon, and will probably make the 2nd gallon into mozzarella. Mom and Dad came for dinner on Friday night to pick up their gallon of milk, and I made grilled salmon with basil butter, grilled broccoli and cauliflower, roasted zucchini spears, and then homemade chocolate gelato for dessert. Mom and Dad also benefited from my zwiebach and jam making at the farm. After dinner, we (Dad mainly) dug a hole in my back yard, and poured concrete for my new collapsable clothesline. During clean up Mom and Dad noticed my neighbor's apricot tree. The terrible renters have moved out and the house is unoccupied, so Mom and Dad thought I needed to pick up all the rotten apricots on the ground and turn them into apricot jam. I did that yesterday morning after working at the clinic, and spent the rest of the day cutting apricots, and making jam. I made 2 recipes yesterday, and I'm working on batches 3 and 4 today.











Last night I went out to Julie and Quinn's for a fish fry--good catfish, and grilled striper. Lots of people, lots of great food and laughter. I had a wonderful time, and the weather was actually cool enough to sit outside and not sweat to death. I even had to ask Julie for a sweatshirt when the sun went down!

Farm Family

Kat, sorry I haven’t answered your question. I haven’t been spending as much time on the computer lately. The gathering we had last week was for my Uncle Calvin (Patrick and Carmen’s father) who turned 65. It was also Father’s Day, but the celebration was really a surprise party for Calvin. Lots of good stories and great food shared!



I’ve spent the past few days in Nebraska visiting my Johnson grandparents, aunt Terri and uncle Tim. It’s been nice to spend time with this side of the family. I slept at Terri and Tim’s house, and spent evenings with them. During the day I spent time with Grandma and Grandpa. The weather has been really nice here, and Grandpa frequently reminds me that it isn’t “hotter than hell, like in Kansas”. It cools off in the evenings, which is unheard of in KS. They also haven’t turned on the air conditioner yet, AMAZING! Last night we had a terrific thunder and lightning storm. I went to sleep watching the streaks across the sky and listening to the loud booms. They had a bit of hail with the storm, but nothing like we had in Marion last week. My garden is in ruins, so I was happy that that didn’t happen to these up here. Grandpa keeps telling me I came at the wrong time, since I’m not going to get any fresh produce from the garden, but it was the only time that worked with my summer schedule.



Yesterday we spent the day going to all the “hot” spots in North Platte, running errands and stocking up on supplies. We stopped at the pharmacy, Ace Hardware, Dollar General, Alco…Hopp “E” (local diner), and then on the way back through Hershey we stopped at the lumber yard for another look at the plants available. All the plants were 50% off, so Grandpa bought another rose bush, and Grandma bought some little impatiens to plant in the bird bath we gave them for their anniversary. The base has broken, and the rest has cracked, so it no longer holds water. Grandpa’s roses look magnificent this year. The dalias aren’t up yet, but the roses made up for it.















Today I spent in the kitchen with Grandma. First on the list was making rhubarb jam. I had brought all the supplies with me from home, but knew that Grandma and Grandpa would have plenty of rhubarb for me to use. No one up here uses rhubarb to make jam with, so I’ve suffered quite a bit of ribbing. :) They don’t know what they are missing out on.

















That took most of the morning, and Grandma fixed a good meal of barbequed ribs for lunch. After lunch we made zwieback together. There was a lot of laughter in the kitchen, as Grandma showed me how she “beats” the bread instead of kneading it. I showed her how the Grandma Buller taught me to pinch the dough, but Grandma Johnson’s zwieback ended up being much closer to the size they were supposed to be. Again we laughed! I told her that I made them “Dad” sized, because when my Dad helps make them, that is the size they end up. The recipe said that we should have 3 dozen, and we did! We would have had more if I had made them smaller though! It was good to laugh and giggle together!



Zweiback (Grandma Hilda Buller’s recipe)

2 ½ cup milk, scalded

6 TB sugar

2 TB yeast

¾ cup melted shortening

1 egg

2 tsp. salt

8 cups flour



Mix thoroughly. Let rise until double. Punch down. Pinch off pieces of dough a bit larger than a walnut. Place on greased pan. Make a depression in each piece with thumb. Pinch off smaller pieces of dough and press firmly into depressions. Brush with melted butter. Let rise until doubled. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 min. turning pan once during baking for even browning. When golden brown, remove from oven. Brush again with melted butter.



Tomorrow I head for home after lunch. I’ll be taking 3 gallons of fresh farm milk with me. I’ll give one gallon to Mom and Dad, but I’m intending the others for OstKaka, and some fresh mozzarella. Terri and Tim have an extra cow giving milk right now, and until the guy they are selling her to comes, they’ve got plenty of extra milk. I’ve been drinking my fill while I was here, and they’ve been bartering with the rest! So far they’ve gotten fresh farm eggs, strawberries, and hamburger in exchange for the milk. It’s been interesting to see everyone driving in the lane and picking up milk, some getting as much as 4 gallons at a time! The milk is good though, with plenty of THICK, THICK cream on top. I may have to just make icecream with some of it!

Odds and Ends

So my technology course ended yesterday, with a final day of "show and tell". Of course, mine was the best! Ha, just kidding. I do think that people were impressed with what I had put together for my project, and then I also showed some samples of things I've done in the past. It was a lot of review for me, but I am thankful that I had some extra time to work with Microsoft Office 2007 before starting school and having it thrown on me, along with everything else. Overall, I like 2007, but it does take a little while to find where things are at, and figure out what tools might have been renamed, etc...



Monday and Tuesday bring another workshop: "What's Going On In Their Heads". It will be in Hillsboro, and all day, instead of just mornings. There are a few other Marion people who are going, so I should probably call them sometime today and arrange for carpooling. I'm picking up some extra college credits this summer, so that I can move over on the pay scale...always a good choice.



Tomorrow is a *hush, hush* family gathering--I doubt I'll spoil the surprise here, but I won't say who or what it is for. Anyway, I was supposed to bring a side dish to go along with a Mexican entree. The anaheim peppers at the grocery store were on sale, and actually looked good (our grocery is notorious for putting out rotting vegetables and fruits, as well as out of date canned goods and dairy products). I figured I'd come of up with something to make out of the peppers and bring it along for my contribution. This is what I came up with.







Erica's Take on Chile Rellenos

14 mid to large Annehiem peppers (These can be both mild or hot, so you never know how spicy they will turn out to be!)



1 8 oz. block Neuchatel (low-fat cream cheese)

1 8 oz. block Monterey Jack cheese (freeze so that it is easier to shred)

1 lb. Chevre goat cheese

1 TBSP basil

1 TBSP parsley

2 tsp. onion powder

cayenne pepper, or chili powder to taste



Broil or grill the peppers until they are blackened and blistered. Allow to cool before you try to do anything with them. Make sure your Monterey Jack cheese is frozen (I put mine in the freezer overnight), and then shred. Set aside.



In a bowl, mix the Neuchatel and goat cheese together, adding the spices. Chill again. Goat cheese warms up quickly, and it will be easier to work with if it is cold.



Go back to the peppers. Cut a slit in one side of each, taking out the seeds and inner membranes. Wash each under running water to get any seeds that may have been left behind. Allow to dry on a towel.



Get the goat cheese mixture out of the fridge and portion out 14 equal servings. Once the peppers are dried, you can start filling them. To do this, you take 1 serving of the goat cheese, drop it in the monterey jack to coat it, and then roll the cheese into a snake shape that will fit the chile pepper. The monterey jack on the outside allows you to work with the goat cheese more easily. Place the "snake" into the pepper and fold up the sides around the cheese to look like the chile shape. Place the chile into a lasagna pan coated with Pam. Repeat the process with the rest of the chiles. When placing the chiles into the pan, make sure they are close together! That way they won't ooze all over the place when you bake them.



Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the chiles.



Bake at 350 degrees until done, and cheese on top is melted. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro, and serve with salsa.

Summer is here

Well, it's been awhile since I've last posted, and this afternoon I finally had a chance to sit down and update this site. School has been out for about 1 1/2 weeks, and in that time I've: gone to the Indy 500 with Mom, Dad, and brother-in-law's brother, Jon; had a massage class; worked at the clinic on several afternoons/evenings as well as full days; weeded the larger of our two gardens; lots of mowing and weed-eating; washed my car; deep cleaned several rooms in my house; and many other things.



Since this last Monday, and continuing through next Friday I'm taking a computer course through USD 408. It's a two week course, meeting every morning from 8-12 and learn about integrating technology in our classrooms. We don't get paid for being there, but are rewarded with a laptop and projector for our classroom (that will be left with the school if we ever leave the district). I'm enjoying the class, but I do have to admit that it is a lot of review. We do have Office 2007 schoolwide for the coming school year, which has some changes and updates to get used to, so I'm using my time to better understand how to navigate all the new twists and turns. So far I really like it. Each of us are taking one of the units we teach during the school year and we're learning about different aspects in technology that can enhance the learner's experience. Since we are all on different levels of how comfortable we are using technology, the class can be interesting at times. So far we've talked about and used all of Microsoft Office 2007, we've discussed "fair use" policies, how to properly cite things... Today's subject was blogging and wikis. I created a blog today that will be used during the school year with my students. If you're interested in checking it out (once we get started) I'll provide the link for all of you. The kids names will remain confidential (maybe with a codename of their choice), but at least you'll be able to see some of the things we do/talk about in class.



This afternoon I'm concentrating on cleaning up the house a bit, and getting food ready for supper guests. We're having some weird weather today, and who knows whether supper will actually happen. This week has had very warm weather, high humidity, and a cold front is blowing in as I type. We're supposed to have severe storms all afternoon and evening, and we've been told to make preparations for spending lots of time in storm shelters today. We'll see if it all happens!



Since I've haven't posted any pics or recipes lately, I think I'll devote the rest of the blog to that. Here are the recipes (as closely as I can remember) for the food we'll have tonight. I'm back on my South Beach Diet, so they are all low-carb and very healthy. Sorry!



Italian Grilled Chicken Breasts

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast per person

1 wedge Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss Original cheese per person

1 slice bacon, cooked crisp, per person

garlic

oregano

marjoram

thyme

basil

rosemary

sage

italian dressing



Using a sharp knife, cut a pocket in the side of each chicken breast. Spread the cheese into each pocket, sprinkling spices on top of cheese and topping with the crisp bacon. Secure pockets if needed with toothpicks. Brush chicken with italian dressing and grill over medium coals until chicken is done. Keep brushing with the italian dressing as they cook.









Ricotta Cheesecake with Lemon Drizzle and Pine Nuts

adapted from "The South Beach Diet Parties and Holidays Cookbook"

3 TBSP pine nuts

6 large eggs, separated

3/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1/3 cup plus 1 tsp. Splenda

2 tsp. vanilla

1 32 oz. container part-skim ricotta cheese

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

2 TBSP lemon juice



Toast pine nuts, either on the stove in a skillet over low heat, or in the oven at 275 degrees for about 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on them as they burn easily! While they are toasting, lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.



Increase the oven temp to 325 degrees.



In a large metal bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. Add cream of tartar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside.



In a separate large bowl, beat egg yolks, 1/3 cup Splenda and vanilla for 1 minute. Add the ricotta and lemon zest (I used more zest than called for), and beat on high until smooth.



Gently fold 1/3 of the whites into the yolk mixture, then add the rest of the whites and gently fold until well combined. Pour batter into pan, place pan on a baking sheet, and bake until cake is golden and mostly set, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove cake from the oven and cool on a rack for 20 minutes.



Combine lemon juice and remaining 1 tsp. Splenda in a saucepan; bring to a simmer over low heat. Remove from heat and gently brush the surface of the cooled cake with 2/3 of the warm lemon mixture; drizzle the remaining mixture into the cracks. Sprinkle the top with pine nuts.



Cool cake completely, then run a knife around the edge before releasing from pan. Chill, loosely covered for 4 hours or overnight. Serve chilled.



Makes 12 servings













Other things on the menu for tonight: wilted spinach salad, and roasted zucchini sticks with Parmesan.



I'm sure there will be plenty of leftovers, anyone else want to stop by?

Hallelujah, the Great Storm is Over

"The thunder and lightning gave voice to the night....the little lost child cried aloud in her fright....hush little baby, a story I will tell...of a love that has vanquished the powers of hell..."

We've had some great storms recently. Each time the dusk comes with the silver lightning and booming thunder claps, this song runs through my mind. The imagery of the 'voice to the night', is beautiful and a bit breathtaking. Storms in Kansas are magnificent things. I find so much of God's beauty in them. In fact one of my favorite activities is sitting on my parent's back porch with the chiminea going, feeling the change in temperature, smelling the approaching rain, and watching the clouds roll in.

As a survivor of the Hesston tornado, I grew up with a respect for what those beautiful clouds can bring. I have to admit though, that along with the respect for the devastation a storm can wield, I get quite the rush from each storm. My pulse starts racing, I'm on edge...not from fear (at least not usually), instead I simply love the sights and sounds that this weather brings.

Tonight I've had the treat of listening to one of these storms. Although I'm not able to be on my parent's back porch tonight, I have had the windows open in my little house, the fresh air wafting in while I enjoy the flashes and booms. I didn't get as much work done tonight as I had hoped, instead, I took some time for myself to listen and "be".

There are other "storms" going on right now, whether in Marion or further away. Some storms I have a voice in, while others are beyond my control. No matter what type of storm though, I am able to listen...listen to myself, listen to others, and above all trust that there is a being higher than me, and that His plan is much better than my own.

Blessings to all of you!

Saying "yes" to what you love

Charles Lindbergh was the first to fly the Atlantic solo and nonstop. He dreamed of extending the boundaries of flight. When he landed his plane, the Spirit of St. Louis, outside Paris on May 21, 1927, he became a hero. He did not fly for the reward of being well known, and the adulation of many, but because he simply loved to fly.

"It is the greatest shot of adrenaline to be doing what you've wanted to do so badly. You almost feel like you could fly without the plane."--Charles Lindbergh

When you do something you love, it can feel like flying. It's been shown that people that immerse themselves in something they love are more relaxed, more creative, and better able to cope with the demands that life brings.

Today I drove to Wichita for a Mennonite Women's Retreat. I wasn't there as a participant, but rather I was one of the workers. I gave chair massages to 14 different people (our group gave 55 massages total!) in the space of 2 1/2 hours. While there were many people I didn't know, I did know several, and it was a good opportunity for me to catch up with them. One of them asked me what my favorite thing about massage is. It was an easy answer for me, and one that did not require much thought.

While I have always wanted to study massage, it quickly became evident to me once I had begun, that I had made the right decision. One of my first massage events that I worked showed me that this was what I was meant to do (in addition to my teaching! :) I love that part of my life too, at least most of the time!). I had had a particularly stressful week at school, and had taken a personal day to go to another school district and give massages as a Teacher Appreciation day from the local parent organization (wouldn't it be great if ALL schools did that!)... As I drove to the town, my mind was consumed with the chaos that defines MES, and the politics that go on in any school district. Even though this was technically a personal day, I was anticipating a day of work, and knew it would probably feel like a big truck had run over me by the end of it all. I would return to work the next day, feeling more run down than when I had left.

Or so I thought. The day turned out to be one of the best days I have ever experienced!

My answer to the question, "What is the thing you like best about massage?" is this... I am at complete peace when I do massage. My mind quiets itself (it will still be sorting things out, but not dwelling on things), my body flows into a routine, I go to a different place... My SOUL is at peace.

Massage can be, and often is hard work. My life is busy, and at times feels like I'm over committed (okay, I KNOW I'm over committed!). I am very tired after a day of massage, and especially the days I work at school, and then work in the evening. But even though I know that I will be physically tired at the end of the day, I'm doing something I love, and in a way renewing a part of myself. My body will be tired, but I'm also allowing myself to fly....

I'm making time right now to do something I've always wanted to. I encourage you to make time in your busy schedule to do the things you love, or try something new that you THINK you'll love.

Long Awaited Spring Break Pictures

Making a joyful noise

This morning I went to church. I know, exciting, huh? What a great opening sentence.

When I'm in Marion for the weekend, I attend a small Presbyterian church. I dearly love this church, as it was the church we attended when Heidi and I were small and living in Marion. When I moved back, they welcomed me with open arms, and many memories! The people in this church know and love me(for the child I was, and the grownup I've become), and NOTICE when I'm not there...and I hadn't attended church (in MARION) for over 6 weeks. I had valid excuses ready (3 weeks of influenza type stuff where I lost my voice, and was too tired to really get out of bed, and then 3 weeks of my sister and brother-in-law being in KS and wanting to see/hear them speak on Sundays), but despite my excuses, when I am absent, I am always given a hard time.

Now, showing up on Sundays to sit in a pew is only the start of what the congregation feels is my obligation to the church. As I said, this is a small congregation, and we all have to pitch in in order for it to function. One of my roles is to sing in the small church choir.

I love music, whether singing, playing or just sitting and enjoying. After the first Sunday of my attendance, the people sitting around me told me that I needed to become a member of the choir. This was not a request, instead, it was a requirement. I do enjoy singing in the choir, and like the fact that musically I still belong to something. After graduating from college, I found that there really aren't many musical opportunities for anyone my age. In the past I've driven back and forth from Wichita to be part of the Wichita Symphony Chorale (I'm not able to this year because of my class schedule, but I'm hoping that next year I can start again...), but other than that, there really isn't much. Wichita Symphony music is usually challenging, and while I don't like the practice director, I do love joining with the symphony and the maestro. Our Presby church choir, on the other hand, is NOT challenging. The songs we sing are songs that our 5th grade choir would have been able to handle--of course those Hesston kids are always advanced in the music department! :)

I've digressed though...I was going to tell you about this morning. This morning I decided that I needed the extra hour of sleep and decided not to go to choir practice. We meet an hour before the church service, and depending on the number that show up, the director pulls something out of the closet, and that is what we sing. Needless to say, I've sung the same songs over and over in the 4 years I've gone to the church, and I'm quite bored.

Instead of singing this morning though, I was a part of the congregation. Again, I'll tell you that we are a small congregation, and every member of the church choir made eye contact with me--trying to remind me that I should be up there instead of sitting in the pews. In any other choir, I like to sing the low alto part. In this choir though, I'm required to flip flop from alto to high soprano, depending on who shows up and what part they are. This morning there were 8 male voices, and 3 women (2 altos and a soprano). I know I would have been required to sing the soprano part this morning.

Instead, I sat in my pew and listened as they started a song we've sung several times before. It started fairly well, but as it went on, the song got higher and higher, and further and further out of the reach of the one and only soprano. This lady is a recent addition to our church family, and she was certainly making a joyful noise this morning. She was joyful, and it was sure noisy. As I sat and listened to her screeching, all I could think about was my own highschool director. He and his family attend church at Whitestone. Growing up, whenever I was singing in the front of the church with a group I would look back to where he was sitting. Anytime any of us were singing, he would sit there with his head down, eyes closed and a little smirk on his face. I was never sure whether it was because he was trying to shut off his other senses and concentrate on the voices he was currently training, or whether he was laughing at us singing, and didn't want us to see him. This morning, I may have figured it out.

I too found myself with my head turned to the floor, my eyes closed, and trying to keep a straight face. It was not a smirk on my face that I was trying to cover, it was a look of agony. My eyes were squeezed shut, my mouth contorted...it was all I could do not to cover my ears with my hands. This woman thinks she has been given a gift, and is determined to make sure we all are able to enjoy. The problem though, is that she can't stay on pitch, and really can't hit the high notes a soprano needs. I doubt she could hit them in her prime, in which she is definitely not now!

Exiting the pew, I was stopped by numerous people, asking why I wasn't in the choir this morning. On the way out the door, the pastor stopped me as I was shaking his hand. He asked the usual questions (where have you been, what have you been up to), but then looked me in the eyes and said, "Erica, you know, we REALLY need you in the choir."

It was all I could do not to burst out laughing...instead I just said "I know", and walked out the door.



Thank you, Steve, for your part in my laughter today. Thank you also for the years of teaching, and your part in my musical training. As I teacher myself, I'm aware of the many thank yous that go unsaid, and I didn't want either of you (Marcia--I love you too!!!) to not know how highly I think of you both and value your influence on my life. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You are special people!

Been a long, been a long, been a long time! :)

So, the last time I wrote, Heidi and Tim and Baby G hadn't arrived yet, and now they've gone again. Heidi and Gus back to Germany, and Tim to California. During the time between postings, I've gone to NE to see the Johnson side of our family, had spring break, had quite a few things happen at school, spent time relaxing with Heidi, Tim and Gus...

I had a wonderful time spending time with all of my family. It was with great sadness that I headed back to work, and "normal life". I'm planning on posting some pics of all of us, but that will have to wait until the next posting, as my camera is at school right now.

Life, as always, has been busy. It's been a flurry of meetings and staffings at school, and by the time I get home I'm ready to hit my bed. Add to that the fact that my migraines have been especially bad lately, and I'm ready to have another spring break!

This evening, I've spent time cleaning up my house. The stack of dishes needed to get done. The pile of laundry on my couch needed to be folded and put away. The table needed to be cleared....I should still vacuum the house, but the floor actually looks ok. The next two evenings I'm having people over, so I want it to look decent. Tomorrow I have a meeting for our assistive technology team at my house right after school, and then Friday I'm hosting our Girls night gathering at my house.

Tonight, I've also been preparing snacks for the upcoming evenings. I've made a sweet, spicy nut mix (Thanks Maretta!), yummy brownies (recipe to follow), and I'm marinating some chicken for satay. The house smells wonderful! I hope everything tastes as good as it smells!

Here are the recipes of things I've made tonight, in case any of you are interested.

Cranberry Trail Mix (I tripled this recipe)
1 cup mixed nuts (I used assorted mix nuts, and then added additional peanuts)
2 cups small pretzels
1 cup dried cranberries (I used a mixture of dried cranberries, blueberries, and cherries)
1 egg white
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Spread nuts evenly on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 7-8 minutes at 350 degrees until nuts are slightly darker (watch carefully, they easily burn!). Cool completely. Reduce oven temp to 225 degrees. In a large bowl combine nuts, pretzels and berries. In a small bowl, beat egg, sugar and spices until foamy. Pour over pretzel mix; toss until coated. Spread evenly on baking sheet. Bake one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool completely on pan, then store in an airtight container.

Erica's Triple Chocolate Brownies
(Once upon a time, I worked in a little eatery in Newton where I made brownies nearly daily. I gained several pounds that summer from eating those wonderful brownies, and was disappointed when I discovered I never wrote down the recipe. I guess I thought that I had made them so often that I would never forget! Anyway, since I'm having a gathering with plenty of people who love chocolate, I thought I'd attempt to recreate the brownies. Here's what I did tonight, and if I alter anything in the future, I'll modify the post to reflect that)

3/4 cups melted butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 to 1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add in the chocolate chips, and cocoa. Stir until smooth. Add in the sugar and stir. Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit. Add vanilla and eggs (make sure to stir so that the egg doesn't cook!) and then the flour and baking powder. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or whenever you think they're done (for those of you who like gooey ones!)

**I'm making the Chicken Satay recipe up as I go, combining several I've got, and until I test it I'm reluctant to post it. After I finish them tomorrow, I'll post the recipe in case you want to try them. They smell good at least! :)

Time for Thanks

Just wanted to share that although my life at work continues to be stressful, this afternoon was great. I had a dr. appointment with Dr. Cranston, for a checkup on my thyroid. I still have a multinodular goiter, but after a sonogram I'm relieved to know that it has not gotten any bigger than the last time. I also feel like the synthetic thyroid dosage that I am taking right now is at least a starting to make a difference. I have more energy, my hair is starting to grow back in, and my skin isn't nearly as dry as it was before.

As I was driving to class tonight, I really thought about how much I have to be thankful for. Healthwise, I feel like we are heading in the right direction. I've got a group of family and friends who love me (despite my many flaws!) and care about what I've got going on in my life. I (for the most part) like my two jobs. Add to all this goodness that Heidi, Tim and Gustav arrive this weekend, and I'm practically on cloud nine! Oh, and the Kineseology test I thought I flunked last week Thursday I found out tonight that I got a B on it! Yippee!!!

I am so thankful for each and everyone of you! Much love to you all!

Any other requests?

Heidi has determined that I need to update my blog...so here goes. When Heidi made her demands, er...request yesterday, I told her that I would try to do it last night, but it did not occur. Let me tell you, I heard about it this morning! :)

The problem lies in the fact that I really don't have a very exciting life. Some of my good friends have just announced engagements and baby news, but I have none of those things to report. My life is busy, yes, but not exciting!

So, here's an update. Right now I'm taking "Mechanics of Movement" in Andover each Thursday evening. This is my last class that I need to take from Butler for my massage program. Mechanics of Movement is really just a fancy way of saying kinesiology for massage...needless to say, it has the possibilities of being a difficult class. Since I've had less than stellar experiences with my Anatomy/Physiology class experiences, and Mechanics of Movement relies on a lot of knowledge I SHOULD have learned in AP/Path, this will be an interesting semester. So far, I feel like I'm learning quite a bit, and that I may have actually learned more in AP/Path than I originally thought. We'll see how it all ends up.

I am still taking massage courses on Monday evenings in Marion from my tutor, Carolan. Right now we are concentrating on soft tissue release therapy. I've also recently added Hot Stone Massage to my repretoir, so you'll all need to come and enjoy one of those! Our specials this month at the clinic are a 90 min. Hot Stone Massage, or a 30 min. peppermint foot massage (20 minutes massage on the feet, then warm stones between your toes, and hot towels wrapped around your feet for 10 min).

I'm also working one evening each week at the clinic, as well as during the day on Saturdays. Between classes and working, the chores at home aren't getting done, but I suppose that isn't the highest priority since I'm the only one there.

Healthwise, I've been fighting a cold/influenza type of thing for the past 2 weeks. I've been on a round of antibiotics already, but my ears are still clogged. I'm a lucky one though, as our school is being hit hard by Influenza A and B, strep, staph, and mono. I'm taking lots of elderberry, additional vitamins and drinking lots of water/tea in order to get well, and to not catch any of the other crud floating around.

Our family has experienced a real miracle in the past few days. My Grandma Buller was taken by ambulance to Newton Medical Center last week, and then taken on to Wesley in Wichita. She spent several days in the hospital, and we were told that she had suffered from a heart attack. Her organs started shutting down, and we were told that she would die in a matter of days. On Sunday I went to Wichita and said my final goodbyes, which amounted to letting her know how much I loved her. On Monday, Grandma miraculously recovered and we were told that she would be able to go back to the home in Goessel. She went back to Bethesda last night.

I've experienced both ends of the emotional spectrum in a very short time! It was with great joy that I came back to school yesterday. I had already made some of the preparations here at school on Monday, laying the groundwork in case I would need to be gone (The children I work with do NOT do well with change--in this case an unexpected substitute. I had told them about Grandma and that I would most likely need to be gone, and wouldn't have the chance to warn them before I left.). The kids were so sweet yesterday when I told them that Grandma was doing better. One of the worst behaved children even went and told the PE teacher that Miss Buller had had a miracle and that things were going to be much better! :) Just an example of the fact that underneath all of those bad behaviors, this child really DOES care.

Please keep me in your prayers--the rest of the year will be defined by the end of the year chaos. April and May are notorius for the amount of meetings that are required, but my meeting (IEP load) is already starting now. I've got a mountain of paperwork piling up on my desk, and as of Friday of last week, I no longer have plan time. My plan time has been taken away (even though this is part of my contract), in order to work with a student full time in the resource room as his behaviors make it so that he no longer may be in the classroom. I'm trying very hard to keep a positive attitude about the whole thing, but at the same time, I rely on my plan time in order to get everything done. We also start State Testing and District testing in about two weeks, which means that no schedule stays the same, and I'm constantly juggling kids and paras, trying to figure out which direction they should go, and whose needs are most important. As sad as it sounds, I'm already counting down the days until summer vacation! :) I'm sure I'm not the only one though!

Love to all of you!

Erica's Zesty Chicken Soup

This was my contribution to our family Super Bowl Party. I don't normally cook with Velveta, but it makes this soup really creamy.

3-4 Chicken breasts, shredded--Save the broth/water from cooking and add to soup later

Saute 1 small bag baby carrots, 1 large onion, and 6 stalks celery (all chopped fine) in 1/2 stick butter.

In a large pot combine sauteed vegetables and shredded chicken. Add 2 cans cream of chicken soup, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, broth from cooking chicken, 1 can Rotel, and 2 soup cans of milk. Add 1 lb chopped pieces of Velveta. Heat throughly, although don't allow it to boil.


Enjoy!

The Race of Life is going strong!

After my wonderful Christmas "break", this week was the official start of what my "normal" life is... I'm as busy as I ever was. :)

Teaching at MES is always exciting, but the kids have come back with more vim and vigor now after Christmas (this means more discipline problems than before.) We're hoping that it dies down, but the last 1/2 of the school year always holds more chaos that we seem to be prepared for. Yesterday, my friend Julie had to call the police after school because one of our 6th graders was beating up another child right off of school property. The individual has been quite the trouble maker all year, and we all wonder just how far he'll take it. Here's hoping that our fears are all unfounded, and that the year will be a smooth sail until the end!

This week I've worked at the massage clinic (I'm now working Tuesday evenings, and during the day on Saturdays); had 2 massage classes (one with Carolan in Marion, and then I'm taking Kinesiology in Andover), and numerous meetings before and after school. By the time I get home in the evenings, all I want to do is drop into bed--even if it is only 8:30! I realize that some of you might find this humerous, but I'm too tired to care! :)

Today I did a massage at the clinic, and then went downtown to donate my time to the City of Marion. Marion is trying to put some new playground equipment in the park downtown (which is good, since the equipment they have now has been around since I was a little girl--I vividly remember playing on it!) and have been having several fundraisers to try to make it happen. Today they had an auction in the City Building, and Carolan, Carol and I went down to do 5 min. massages in exchange for a donation to the playground fund. There wasn't a good turnout for the auction, and we were quite disappointed. I'm hoping that those that did show up will be generous in their giving!

This afternoon I'm hoping for a nap. I started some bread, so I'll need to bake that at some point. I'll include the recipe. My aunt Pauline's mother, "Grandma" Schmidt, makes this recipe, and I always love being invited to her family dinners so that I can enjoy this bread!

Dill Bread

Dissolve 1 pkg. yeast in 1/4 cup warm water.

Combine in mixing bowl:
1 c. cottage cheese
2 t. dill seed
2 t. salt
1/4 t. soda
1 unbeaten egg
1 T. melted butter or margarine
1/2 T. minced onion
2 T. sugar

Add: yeast mixture and 2 1/4- 2 1/2 c. flour

Stir well to combine. Let rise in greased bowl to double in size. Punch down. Put into two 7x3" or one 9x5" well-greased bread pan(s). let rise again, about 45-50 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes. Remove from pans and brush with melted margarine.

**Since I'm not home very much, I usually start this in my bread machine, on the dough cycle. When I get home I bake it in the oven! So easy!

Back in the Swing of Things

It's been awhile since I've had a chance to sit down and write anything. In the time I've been away, I've had a chance to spend time with my sister, brother-in-law, and my dear nephew, Gustav; I've helped cut pigs; I've hosted a "girl's night" for my coworkers, and numerous other things that just aren't important enough to share! :)



I was blessed to be able to spend time in Germany with Heidi, Tim and Gustav (and yes, you may call him Gus!). We spent most of the time together in their apartment, just being able to share in each other's company. Small trips to the grocery store, and neighborhood restaurants were welcome field trips, with a chance for Gus to try out his new, fancy stroller. It was so hard to leave them and return to KS...at least I know that I'll be able to see them soon! I love them all so much! I'll share some pics, since I know that you are all waiting with baited breath.















Please continue to keep Tim, Heidi and Gustav in your prayers. Heidi is back in the hospital, and seems to baffle all the drs. she comes into contact with, with a condition that none of them have ever seen before. Tomorrow they are supposed to decide whether they will need to do additional surgery for this condition.



I also go back to the dr. tomorrow for a checkup on my thyroid and to see whether there have been any changes. We'll see what he has to say!