Pinterest

Well...I had been trying to escape the 'pull' of Pinterest but, I started taking a look at it over Christmas Break and my life hasn't been the same since! 

I just wanted to share a few of the things I've been 'researching' on Pinterest and hopefully make it look like it is well worth my time! :)

John has been making  himself oatmeal for breakfast for many, many years...and for his late night snack! He loves steel cut oats but they take a long time to cook and it wasn't anything he could coordinate every morning. Well...I found a recipe for steel cut oats that you make in jelly jars and then just heat up each morning. It's awesome! So, he makes a double batch each Sunday afternoon and we both have steel cut oats every morning during the week. He adds a bit of vanilla extract and some cinnamon too. I warm mine up in the morning, add a bit of almond milk, some craisins and walnuts, and sugar free syrup - delish!!!

The preparation

A box of oats is $1.99 - gives us both breakfast for about two and half weeks

Filling the jars

My guy...making my breakfast! :)

And then...he writes down the weights so that I get the smaller ones.
Often times I can't finish the whole serving because I get too full!

I have also been doing these potatoes - they are so, so yummy. Just those little yellow potatoes - boil them, smash them (just a bit), brush with olive oil, fresh garlic, and more garlic, then bake. They are perfect as a side - I think I like them better than fries...and I love my fries! :)

Weekly menu list...so nice to have this done ahead of the week.

Mya and I had some time together as John was away on a business trip. We decided to make a few recipes we found on Pinterest. 

We recipe for PF Chang lettuce wraps. We worked together on the recipe but it ended up being a little too hot for both of us.

The finished product!

Yummy raspberry cheesecake cups! These turned out awesome!!

Quinoa mac and cheese. It was okay.

Valentine gift for the kids. I did these on my own...

Solo and Ensemble

What a great day! We really appreciate those days in our lives that make us feel good inside...today was one of those days.

It was solo and ensemble day at Muncie Southside. Mya played a division 1 piece on french horn and earned a gold rating (and medal) which will allow her to go to 'State' and play the same piece again.

 John had one lesson with her late last week - it was kind of tense in the house after the lesson but it seems like it was well worth the angst. He has such a hard time sugar coating anything and she is the ice queen - so, they spent about 45 minutes working things out, she played it all, and then went in her room and broke down - poor thing! :( I'm sure it really stinks having a perfectionist, ex-band director for a dad! But, she played the heck out of that piece this weekend! And, her Dad...who knows what his daughter is capable of - was very proud as he left that performance room. Her mom has such an issue with nerves that she has to listen from the hall (I know...loser!).

And Jackson...Jackson played this weekend also - a division one quad piece (he's a guitar playing, trombone player) - bless his heart! He earned a bronze medal - but, showed such perseverance and honor that we couldn't be prouder of him. He knew that he did not put the time in the piece necessary to do it justice - he couldn't play the rest of the piece after the 21st measure. But, even after his band director suggested that he 'scratch', he wanted to go in and play it for the judge (and the audience) because he had 'signed on' to do it. Needless to say, I couldn't go in and watch/listen to his performance either. He held his head high, respected the event/the process, and showed such honor. I went to the table and picked up his medal...

We enjoyed a lunch date with Mya after her morning performance and a shopping spree with Jackson after his afternoon performance...I was finally able to buy him some new shoes (two pairs)! :)

Quick side note...I am so thankful our children have one parent that can go in and watch/listen to them perform - thanks, John! Between the fear of getting the giggles and the difficulty in watching them struggle...I just can't do it! They are both braver than I could ever be!

New Years' Eve 2012

We had a great evening at home with Amy and Ryan. They are transplants from Chicago/Michigan and the most down to earth, regular people we know in Indiana! :) I made lasagna earlier in the day and was able to just pop it in the oven for dinner. It was wonderful...I used the venison Tom sent home with me from our Christmas visit - super good! Amy brought over a crazy, yummy, warm, chocolate cake desert from heaven - we all enjoyed that! Mya went out to a party for the evening with a girlfriend and Jackson hung out with us for a bit and then spent the rest of the evening on X-box. Great night with great friends!

Amy and Ryan

Happy 2012!!

Ready for the night!!

Christmas 2011

We really enjoyed our Christmas celebration this year! With last years surprise (to the kids) trek to Florida and subsequent realization that our vision of the trip was not anything that it turned out to be...we decided to stay in familiar surroundings. Actually, with it being Jackson's last Christmas at home, we decided to let him help us plan our Christmas time. He wanted to stay home and have an old fashioned Christmas day - which simply means staying home on Christmas day and playing with new toys. 

Sounded perfect to us! :)

We enjoyed some great meals together, great conversation, and just some great quiet time around the house with all of us here. I can't necessarily say it was a perfect, Norman Rockwell-ish couple of days but for our little family and the expectations that we have for one another...it was perfect for us - feeling very blessed!

Christmas 2011

Puck - enjoying a new chew toy...he was so happy!

Jackson enjoying his  Christmas morning

Opening gifts

Enjoying his day - putting his new bowflex cart together...

Turkey and ham dinner

Our pretty tree!

Christmas prep

So...we are feeling kind of sappy this season with the idea that this may be the last Christmas at home for Jackson. We are feeling the pressure and desire to keep things as familiar as possible (he has always done much better knowing what to expect!) yet exciting enough to be memorable. In the end, we will spend time together and create that Christmasy feeling together.

For the last several years, we have cut down a tree together at a tree farm near Daleville.  We were able to finally get three of us together (kind of late in the month) to find a tree and let Jackson chop it down. Well...it ended up being a very cold day and we could not come to a compromise. We decided on one in the barn already cut down - oh, well. Jackson helped tie it on to his car and drove it home. He has always been so helpful with the Christmas preparations - helping me get boxes down from the attic, getting a tree, setting it up - makes me very teary eyed to imagine what next season will feel like.

Mya and I made some Christmas goodies together again this year. We have tried to perfect G'ma Ann's spritz cookies; we're getting pretty good according to John! I also made several batches of granola for John's office staff. It is super yummy and pretty healthy...seems like I always run out of steam before I can make a batch for us to enjoy!

Run the Mounds

Run the Mounds - at the start of the race

Last weekend at the Muncie Mini the cutest old man sparked a conversation with John and I in our Boston jackets. He ran Boston several times (many years ago) and we really enjoyed swapping running stories with him. Turns out, he runs with a local running club, Anderson Road Runners, and shared information about a 5 mile trail run on Sunday - sounded perfect to me!! I have been intrigued by the idea of trail running for a few years now and really think it is the 'next step' in my running.
John ended up injuring his hip at the mini so he agreed to come out and take pictures. Jackson wanted to try the 5 mile run so I signed up the two of us (Mya had orchestra).
Turned out to be a beautiful fall day - cool, bright, windy. The hills were crazy hard - I'll never disrespect the flat Indiana roads we run on again!

I took first place in the women's masters division (yup...over 40 age group -- affectionately referred to as the 'old lady age group') - took home a cool medal, new back pack, and sweat towel.

Jackson has been fighting a cold all week and didn't do as well as he wanted...but a PR for him as it was his first 5 mile race -- and a tough one at that!

Muncie Mini and 5K

Roz came down to spend a few days with us over Fall Break. John and Roz usually set up an 'away' Badger game to attend each fall but they couldn't fit it in to their busy schedules this year. So...he ended up just coming to 'hang' with us for a few days, run a local event, and watch the Badger game on TV.
The Muncie Mini is a 13.1 mile course that runs by several local landmarks - Ball Memorial Hospital, through Ball State campus, Cardinal Greenway, Minnetrista, River Greenway. It is a double loop and one that John and I know very well.
It was a beautiful morning for a run and we enjoyed seeing a lot of our running 'buddies' on the course - both as participants and volunteers. I was surprised by my PR of 1:40:17 - it felt awesome! John had an outstanding run as well with 1:29:41. Both times qualify us for the New York City Marathon which is on our bucket list - pretty cool! But, next fall is going to be very busy with Jackson graduating from basic training so I'm not sure we are going to commit yet to the marathon - we'll see...
Roz had a great race also and came in about 30 seconds behind John. Roz was in the lead for the first part of the race but John caught him at the beginning of the second loop. Roz was telling us before the race that he never wins anything at races - that whoever he races with, usually comes home with some hardware...but never him. So, we were super excited for him (as was he!!) when we heard his name called for winning his age division. He went up to the podium, received his 1st place ball jar award, and had his picture taken. But then...just a few seconds later, one of the race directors came over to him and told him their was a mistake and he didn't really win the position...so, they took the award/prize back. He was crushed -- but then took three race shirts home!! :)

 So proud of him!!

Jackson ran the 5K and took 2nd place! The medal ceremony was presented while we were still on the course so he had a stranger take a picture of him on the stand because he knew his mom would want a picture (so thoughtful...and correct!). We really enjoyed standing around with him after the race and bragging about our son's finish to the rest of our running crew.

Jackson with his medal - the rest of us with t-shirts! 

Puck with Jackson's medal

We enjoyed a quiet evening at home with the Badger game, a good dinner, and drinks...of course!