One-Pot Baked Ziti

Mmmmmm yum. I love pasta, and I also love the 5 cheese baked ziti at Olive Garden (classy, I know). So when I saw this recipe, I was really excited to try it out. The original came from Pinterest of course :). You can get the original link here. Me being me, I had to change some things, though not many.

Source

One-Pot Baked Ziti

¾ lb sweet Italian sausage

4 tsp minced garlic

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or more or less to your taste)

sea salt and black pepper

1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes

4 tsp basil leaves (dried)

3 cups water

12 oz penne noodles

1/2 cup whipping cream

1  cup Parmesan cheese + ¼ c for topping

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1. Preheat your oven to 475
2. In your dutch oven (or other oven safe pot that can comfortable hold ~5 quarts), brown the sausage. Add the garlic and red pepper and give it all a good stir for a minute or so. *Note, use less/more of all these seasonings according to your preference
3. Add the tomatoes and use them to deglaze the pan. Stir in the basil with a dash of salt and pepper and let it simmer gently for about 10 minutes. It should reduce down just a smidge (just enough to really meld and bolden the flavors).
4. Stir in the water and pasta and increase your stove temp so the liquid comes to a near boil. Let the pasta cook 10-15 minutes, you want it to still have a bit of crunch because it will continue cooking in the oven.
5. Remove from heat, stir in the whipping cream and parmesan. Taste your sauce and adjust the seasonings as needed. Get it all good and blended then sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan on top.
6. Pop it in the oven for another 15 minutes and let the cheese get good and melty (I like mine browned a bit). Serve and enjoy!

*You'll notice I call the dish ziti and actually have penne in the ingredients. A noodle's a noodle, use what you want. I didn't have the ziti I wanted so I used penne which is way easier for me to get anyway.

Some things I do to try to healthen it up some- I use whole grain or omega-3 pasta noodles. I'm also going to sneak attack Coach and season up some ground turkey instead of the sausage. I don't care too much for sausage anyway (ha-ha, get your laughs out now) so I'm anxious to try a different meat (and more laughs).

  

Puff the Magic Pastry

So in my foods classes at work, we cover a pastry unit. We had previously done 3 different labs- beef empanadas where they made their own pastry dough from scratch, mile high peanut butter pie where they make a crumb crust for a crème pie, and apple turnovers using a store-bought puff pastry product (with filling from scratch of course).

Well those store bought puff pastries are not cheap and the budget has been very tight this year. We always pride ourselves in giving our kids high-quality labs. This is the basic culinary arts class after all. We're going to be as healthy as we can, as tasty as we can, and we avoid "cooking from a box." So it made sense for us to drop those store-bough pastries and make our own.

Because the pastry dough has to chill overnight, we had a 2-day lab. Kids already have to peel and slice their apples the day before so we weren't adding time onto the calendar or anything. Overall things seemed to go OK today but the true test will be tomorrow when the pastry dough bakes! I'll let you know how it goes. In the meantime, here's the recipe:

Simple Puff Pastry:
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 1/4 sticks cold butter (that's 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
3/4 cup ice cold water

Mix the flour and salt then cut in the butter. Work quickly so the butter doesn't get too warm, you want it to stay in solid clumps when working the dough. Stir in the water with a fork until everything is moistened. The dough will be very sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Pat it into a loaf then roll out into a rough rectangle. Fold it in thirds like you were folding a brochure. This creates the layers. Pick up the folded dough and rotate it, making sure to re-flour underneath so it doesn't stick to the counter. Roll it out again into the rectangle shape. Then fold again. Repeat this roll and fold process about 5 times before finally folding it into a tidy little brick. Wrap in saran wrap and let chill a minimum of 2 hours. Bring the dough out again and repeat the roll and fold another 3 times. Then you can roll the dough out to use as needed. It should bake at 425 degrees.

Safety in Schools

This is obviously a hot topic in our society lately. It's an unfortunate reality but it is reality. I am blessed that I work in a district that takes our safety very seriously and it is always a priority. I have never felt unsafe in my school even though some people think it has a rough reputation.

Our district has undergone many efforts to increase our school safety in the last 2 years. We have controlled access entries now in all our schools, we have increased security supervision by contracting with a private security firm, and we have video camera surveillance on just about every corner of district property (and we use it, much to our students' annoyance). All this is to say that obviously our district has wisely chosen to invest in the safety of its staff and students.

Things were taken even one step further this year when every school was provided intensive intruder training. At first we were all a little nervous about it, but everyone quickly got on board with the project. Since my parents are uber-safe about everything all the time (wrist guards while rollerblading anyone?), I get a big kick out of this sort of thing. Being prepared is the best way to be!

It started with a basic classroom session. We listened to sound and video footage of various shootings and learned a lot of important lessons. We watched demonstrations on how to barricade doors, how to fight back, how to evacuate. It was simple knowledge stuff but it was very important and really made you think.

The next phase was a hands on training. We were put in classrooms to practice barricading doors and locking out intruders. We were taught how to fight back. And then we had drills. First they had us run a drill with the previous method of school safety- no locking out the intruder, every man for himself, hide. I had scoped out my hiding spot and was positive I could be completely unseen. But another teacher saw me headed there and joined me. We both scrunched ourselves into the corner and anxiously hoped the "shooter" wouldn't see us. It didn't work. Well kind of. She was more exposed than me so she was "hit" but I was not. It was eye-opening to feel so powerless in that sort of situation.

The second situation let us lock down the classroom. Whoo! That's where things got serious. Another teacher and I ended up in the dark right by the door anxiously holding on to the rope to keep it closed. Fortunately we did.

Each drill upped the ante and each time we got better and better in securing ourselves and our "position." It was an adrenaline rush for sure. We were proud that the intruders were never able to get into our room. By the time we finished we had some rope burn on our hands, were hot and sweaty, and definitely breathing hard. But it was worth it! We, and I say we because of course we all talked about it, feel much more empowered and in control should we face an intruder situation. The information isn't just for school invader situations either, you never know where you will face a violent situation.

Obviously we hope that this was all for nothing. That we never face this sort of situation. But the facts of life today are that you need to be prepared, and our crew is.

Sorry I've Been Gone! Literally, not in town.....

So sorry for the gap in posts there. I somehow got super busy at work (which is crazy because this year is still not nearly as busy as last year since I finished my masters) and obviously wedding planning is a total time controller :)

There have been lots of fun trips though. First was a Hermann, MO trip with some good friends from work. We stayed at nice B&B and participated in the wine trail. It was neat because I finally tried out different wineries than my usual :) We also had a food sampling at each location which was delicious. I love a Hermann trip any time of year.

Next Coach and  I went to Texas for a weekend trip. He met one of my sisters, plus her husband and kids, for the first time. Crazy to think that we've been together a year and are engaged but he still hasn't met much of my family. Just a fact of life when you live away from them all!

After Texas we enjoyed even more time off work since it was Thanksgiving Break! This was first year ever in my life that I was not at my parents' house. It was a little surreal but at the same time, being with Coach and his family felt completely naturally. I'm very blessed to have found not only a great guy, but a guy who comes with a great family. I'm a lucky girl :)

We have a weekend trip to St Louis next with some of Coach's college buddies followed by a trip to Branson with his family. After that it's a weekend off before we're back in my hometown to spend Christmas with my family. A couple that travels together stays together right?!

Tis the Season!

The holidays are well upon us. Thanksgiving has come and gone and we're a mere 3 weeks away from Christmas! My oh my how time flies when you're older and planning a wedding and have friends and family and things to do!! :) It's a wonderful place to be.

So my mother was always the chic woman with enough vision and control to make sure the family presents were wrapped in coordinating paper to match the tree they were placed under. If you wrapped your presents in a non-coordinating scheme they were very sweetly and prettily stacked in a different area of the room. The "pretty" tree remained picture-perfect however (we had a "fun" tree in another part of the house that held all the kids ornaments and was where we spent the most time). It's a small tradition that's stayed with me, even during the years of no tree.

This year I do not have a tree. Coach and I are traveling a lot this season (3 of the 5 weekends before Christmas were out of town). Not to mention my apartment is too small for a tree and I really don't want to lug all my decorations to his house. Not until we've done a proper sorting and moving over of things and everything will have a place. So no tree this year. But I still have a wrapping scheme. Coach is a little over(under?)whelmed that he also has to wrap according to the scheme. This way everyone knows which gifts are from us!

This year I chose white, tan, and gold. I've got white paper with gold swirls, plain brown craft paper, and gold foil paper. Then the ribbon is either white or gold or a combo depending on the paper. I'm still debating on tags but I may do the letterpress again this year. It worked pretty well last year and added a ritzy sort of touch to things.

Here is a sort of inspiration photo. I'll provide pictures of the finished product once I actually get things wrapped :)

THE Dress

So I found it. Finally. Well sort of. I reached the problem many a girl reaches (I think, maybe, I hope I'm not the only neurotic bride out there who's faced this). I liked the top of one dress and the bottom of another.

And no, I couldn't just attach one to the other, not without buying 2 dresses and breaking all and every level of wedding budget scruples. I could however, order and attach the fabric of one dress to the bottom of the other. So I went into it with that problem and met a seamstress who's a genius. Long story short, I will have my gorgeous princess gown with a few simple alterations. Add some train here, add some bedazzling there (and everywhere actually), and voila! My dream dress.

I'm still torn on the whole veil situation. I still dislike them all but there are a couple of different options I haven't tried yet. I have plenty of time before I have to decide that though.

There was just so much pressure. I loved so many of the dresses I put on and it was very hard for me to know that 1) I could only have one and 2) this was the last time I would ever get to wear a big fancy dress. I don't want to waste my final opportunity on just a so-so dress! I had visited 6 different stores and really kept comparing everything to one particular dress. So I finally went in on a whim, just by myself, back to the shop where I first tried it on. I spent about half an hour just wearing it, looking at myself in the mirror, all by myself. The sales ladies were super sweet and simply left me alone to dwell and think. In the end I shared my concerns with them and we were able to find the solution I needed. Definitely a great shop and I think I'm definitely going to have a great dress :)

Wedding Dress Shopping Real Life

I used to cut pictures out of bridal magazines of all the pretty dresses I liked. I waited and waited for my senior prom to arrive so I could wear the biggest, baddest dress of all. I watched the tv shows and wondered at who would be with me when I found my dress. I marveled at my friends who found their dresses in the first trip to the store. 

So when it was my turn I should have been ecstatic and anxious and super happy. I wasn't. I was a little tired and hadn't been to the gym in a month. I did have my mom and one of my sisters with me which was good. But the dresses weren't fitting right or they weren't making me excited. And you know that moment when they take a waffling bride and put the veil on her to seal the deal? Turns out I hate veils. I feel like a nun. Dress ruiner for sure. 

I had my day in my hometown with my mom and sister, trying on dresses at the stores I had bought my prom dresses from. Literally, one store owner was helping me and assured me she remembered what I looked like topless. Gotta love small towns. But I didn't find "the dress" only dresses I really liked.

I returned to KC and went to some stores here. It's just gotten worse. I think I like something tend go home and look at the pictures and think I look hideous. None, or very few at least, fit me right. Most will need such major alterations we would essentially be rebuilding the entire dress. Talk about a buzz kill. 

So I'm quitting, for now. I haven't found my dress yet and I know the clock is ticking. But I don't want to rush into a major thing and for me, the dress is a major thing. I somehow need to find a classy dress that makes me feel like a princess, in spite of the seeming nun veil, that comfortably fits Betty Boop. This is so not like on tv.

Chili Champion!

In my early years at my job, I thought it would be fun if the school had a chili contest. So I organized one, naturally. At that time though I didn't eat much chili (it was a new acceptance for my palate) and I had never made it before. Maybe shocking for a FCS teacher organizing a chili contest but whatever.

3 years later and I have claimed the crown for my own! I have tried numerous chili recipes over the time but ultimately the BBQ beef chili (entered in the contest as "Thick and Meaty") was the one to bring me the crown. Literally, a crown.

The original recipe comes from here and is as follows. I of course made changes because I am the worst at just following a recipe. So I made my notes on the bottom about what I did different. Hopefully it makes sense, otherwise good luck, it'll probably taste good no matter what!

BBQ Beef Chili

Ingredients

For the Pulled Beef:

• 1 2.5-3 pound beef chuck roast
• 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoons cayenne pepper

For the Chili:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 2-2.5 pounds ground beef
• 3 tablespoons chile powder
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne  (plus more, if desired)
• 3 cups pureed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 cup beef stock or water (plus more, if a thinner chili is desired)
• 2 cans kidney beans, drained

Directions

Prepare the pulled beef barbecue. (This step can be done a day ahead, if desired.) Preheat oven to 325 degree. Massage the chuck roast with mustard, brown sugar, salt, and cayenne. Place the roast in a covered, oven-safe pan. Cook for 2.5 – 3 hours, until it pulls apart easily with a fork. Remove from the oven to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, use a fork or your fingers to “pull” the meat into shredded pieces. Discard any excess fat. Set aside or refrigerate for chili.

***

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until slightly tender. Add the garlic. Cook for a few minutes more. Add the ground beef and cook until completely brown, using a spoon to break it up as it cooks. Once the ground beef is fully cooked, add the chili powder, cayenne and salt. Stir to combine. Cook for a minute or two. Add the pureed tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, vinegar, worcestershire sauce, and mustard. Stir to combine. Add the pulled beef. Cook for about 5-10 minutes, until all ingredients are heated through and the flavors have mingled. Add the kidney beans and beef stock. Add more stock if a thinner/brothier chili is desired. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and cayenne, as desired.

***

Top with chopped green onions and cheddar cheese and serve with a side of cornbread.

 

 

What I Did Different:

 

·        I did not make a roast- I just used the Hormel beef Roast Au Jus stuff. It’s in the deli section usually and you microwave it. Tastes great and super fast.

·        I did not use the same meat quantities. I used one pack of the beef roast and 2 to 2 ½ lb of ground hamburger.

·        I doubled the amount of beans and used a combo of light red and dark red for color change up.

·        I added lots of black pepper, at least ½ tsp, some salt, and maybe another ½ tsp of red pepper. I thought it needed more “kick.” You might try more chili powder or cumin too but totally to your preferences.

·        I didn’t use beef broth, just water and beef bouillon cubes. It adds some saltiness that way. All in all I had to dilute this A LOT, the original is very very thick. Thin it out as much as you want. Just remember to add another bouillon cube for every 1-2 cups of water you add.

·        To also thin it out more, I used 3 cans  of crushed tomatoes (oh ps, I bought cans of crushed tomatoes and didn’t puree my own, 2 cans is about the 3 cups the recipe calls for).

·        The tomato paste amount is equivalent to 1 small can.

·        Next time I will do 2 green peppers, I like lots of color in my chili and I thought the pepper got lost, but that’s a personal preference thing. Another jalapeno would also help with color and add more of that "kick" I think chili needs to have.

 

Inspiration

Anytime you do or make something new people always ask "what inspired you?" In the world of crafting it is usually one of two things. Either your own imagination or a photo. I am normally of my own imagination but with all this wedding stuff there are several photos I'm using for guidance. It's hard to convey what's in my head, especially since I can't draw at. all. So if I have some photos to show my vendors, I'm more likely to get my "vision" explained.

Here are some of my inspiration photos. Nothing in here is EXACTLY what I want but somehow they convey the colors, shapes, textures, and emotions, I'm aiming for with the wedding theme. (And yes, these are Coach's inspiration photos too, he even knows how to navigate the wedding binder!)

Wedding DIY

I know there is such a thing as too much DIY. I know this yet it doesn't stop me. Why does DIY even happen? Because people are control freaks. People like me know exactly how they want something. We can see it in our minds and know how to make it come to life. We don't trust that someone else can see the exact same image we have envisioned so instead of risking the precious project, we do it ourselves.

My wedding and my personality means the DIY list is already getting long. Here's the list so far:

• Flower/Ribbon Wands for flower girls
• Farewell ribbon wands for exit
• Invitations
• Ceremony Programs
• 1/3 reception centerpieces
• All cocktail hour centerpieces
• Reception Programs
• Out-of-town gift baskets
• Favors
• Escort cards

And I know I'm forgetting something. But I'm not overwhelmed (yet). I have been holding myself back from starting on any of these projects and have decided that with 9 months till the wedding day, I can start. I'm giving myself till November but then crafting is ON. I have a strategy for how I'm going to get it done so that little has to happen in the more stressful days immediately before the wedding.

• The ribbon wands will get made first.
• Then the invitations will be assembled as much as possible.
• Next I will assemble the escort cards (because I have to make life difficult and choose to do something other than a simple tag with name and table number)
• By then I will start putting together the table centerpiece pieces.
• Then I will do as much pre-assembly as possible of the favors.
• By then the details will be hammered out enough to start fully assembling invitations.
• I will also be able to put together the programs.
• Last will be the out-of-town baskets simply because I won't know how many I'll need until people start booking their hotel rooms.

I realize this is all likely to change but I am truly itching to get started on the piece I am certain of (like the ribbon wands). As long as I have a plan then I won't stress about it. Plus there's going to be snow days that will need to be filled now that I don't have homework since I finished my masters! See? It all makes sense. :)

  

Wild Halloween Pedicure

I was in for a regular pedicure and they asked if I wanted a design for Halloween. At first I said no but then thought of this cute ghost manicure my sister had gotten several years go. I found a picture on Pinterest, showed the nail tech, and sat back. My vision was to have a fun, cute little ghost. My nail tech LOVED the idea. Except she got carried away and forgot about the cure part. I thought she was adding glitter, but this is what I got

 Nothing like bleeding ghosts for a cute and fun Halloween right?! My lady was so excited and proud of herself though I didn't have the heart to tell her ghosts don't bleed. Or that bleeding ghosts aren't really cute. I might bother to fix it myself or I might just leave it. You can't really see the gore from a distance anyway!

Egg- the Great Emulsifier

My students had their first cooking lab last week. They made chocolate chip cookies. One of my more observant students commented, er shouted really, "Hey I didn't know cookies had eggs in them!"

What?! Where have you been child? We just finished the unit where we talk about not eating cookie dough because of the RAW EGG. How did you miss that cookies have eggs in them? Maybe he/she was really confused during that lesson.... So I figured I ought to cut the kid some slack and accept that maybe they don't know because they don't know why.

So for those of you who don't know. Eggs are used in baked goods. Eggs are emulsifiers, that means they hold things together. Most often, they hold together oil and water. Here's a diagram:

Philic means to love things and phobic means to hate things. So the hydrophobic side repels water, hence why oil and water don't mix. But if you add something, say an egg, to the mix, then the emulsifier will be the connection between the oil and water and hold them together.

It's the glue folks. It's what holds it all together. It's also why we use eggs in the dredging process to make delicious fried chicken. Without the egg, the dough would not become cohesive and you would have weird clumps and layers in those cookies. You would also have flatter cookies since an incohesive dough will not stretch and expand enough to allow for adequate rising.

And since I talked about cookies I figure I ought to share my tried and true cookie recipe. When things get really rough at school, I make a batch from memory. It's usually about one a week :) Here's the recipe as I make it:

Cream together 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup butter flavored shortening in the electric mixer. While it's running:

• Add 1/2 cup white sugar.
• Add 1 cup brown sugar
• Add 1 tsp vanilla, then another just because.
• Add 1/2 tsp baking soda.
• Add 1/2 tsp salt
• Add 2 eggs
• Add a good dash of cinnamon, maybe like a 1/4 tsp?? I really eyeball this one folks, you should see the cinnamon speckles in the batter.

Gradually add flour in a 1/2 cup at a time till your dough is cohesive, pulls away from the bowl, but is still kind of sticky. I usually need 2 1/2 to 3 cups. Stir in good quality chocolate chips, one bag (12 ounces).  Drop in even quantities on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. DO NOT USE PAN SPRAY. Pan spray makes a layer of oil which essentially fries the bottom of the cookie and makes it greasy. Ew. Parchment paper all the way, once you start using it, you won't turn back! Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes. You want them just starting to turn golden brown on the tops and edges, just barely golden. Remove from oven and let them set on the tray for a couple of minutes. They will continue to brown a bit as the baking continues from internal heat.  Remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling or go ahead and risk your tongue for a warm cookie :)  Special note on equipment- I hate dishes so I use as little as possible. For a simple batch of cookies I use a 1/2 cup measure (for sugars and flour), a 1/2 tsp meaure (for everything else), a cookie scoop, and one baking sheet. I don't even use a spatula to remove the cookies, I just barehand them. That makes for a whopping 4 things to clean counting the mixing bowl and uncounting the baking sheet since it stayed clean since it was lined with the parchment paper. Wham, bam, thank you ma'am!

 

Gone Girl Crazy

So after purchasing the book a year ago, I finally committed to reading Gone Girl.

Sort of.

Thing is- the book's about this guy from a Mississippi River town who murders(?) his relatively new wife on said river town.

I tried to start the book right after getting engaged. Bad choice. It was just kind of creepy to read this book where loves seems to have gone wrong (I haven't finished it so I really don't know if he did it or not and no spoilers please!) when I was newly wrapped in my love cocoon of engagement. Kind of a buzz kill so I put it down for a couple of weeks and tried again recently to start back up.

Maybe I'm picking it up at the wrong times, or maybe I'm still not giving it my full effort, but this book is putting me to sleep. Seriously, I've been asleep before 10:00 every night this week because I'm trying to read this book. Normally books keep me AWAKE. My normal bedtime is really lights off at 10:30, fall asleep sometime between then and 11. Not asleep by 10!

I'm sure it's not really the book. It could be total coincidence. But since the movie is being filmed in my hometown I can't help but think I really need to get this thing read already (not the right attitude, I know). Oh well, I'll do a full review later once I've finished it.

Book Review- The Fault In Our Stars

The most recent book club pick was The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. I'm giving it 3 1/2 stars and a general "yeah you should read it if you don't mind sad books" recommendation.

The book is a great literary read. There are big words and nuances and symbolism and imagery all over the place. It reminds me of the sort of book my high school AP English teacher would have loved. I do have an appreciation for these sorts of books but I don't automatically rave about a book because it's strong literature.

For me to really love a book I have to want to read it again. While this book was intriguing and enjoyable (despite the tears), I can't say I'll read it again. One and done kind of deal.

The premise is that this teenage girl with cancer goes to a support group for other kids with cancer where she meets and (shocker) falls in love with another teenager with cancer. That's a lot of cancer folks. Obviously someone must die (hence the tears) but telling you who would be a spoiler. So to sum it up, cancer patient meets cancer survivor, they fall in love, and someone dies.

Being a doctor's kid, my view on death can best be described as pragmatic. Death in general is a sort of peace- be it for the patient who is finally freed from pain or for the family who is finally freed from watching the suffering. In that sense, death serves a purpose. Coming from a strongly Christian family, death is also not feared. We might not want it right now, but if that were our fate we are all secure that it will not lead to a miserable existence (ie we believe that we will be in heaven). So the combination of my practical acceptance and lack of fear of death makes dying itself not so sad a topic for me. (This means I am very awkward and inept at comforting anyone other than my immediate friends and family when someone passes away).

So why the tears from this book? It was the daughter's concern for her parents, her mother in particular, that absolutely, positively tore. me. apart. This girl knows she will die, she has a terminal diagnosis that has been temporarily put off by experimental treatment. Any time she thinks death is upon her, her concern is not for herself but her mother. Her mom has been by her side every step of the medical journey. Her mother truly is her best friend because her mother is the one who knows everything about her inside and out. She, the daughter, despairs over the agony and grief her best friend, her mom, will experience when death finally occurs. While the text title and main storyline revolve around these lovers with stars so crossed they could be called faulty, I think the true story is the evolution of acceptance of death and lack of fear as the daughter and mother learn to face the future. Maybe it was meant to be a side-line story, but the interactions between those two characters were the ones that had me sobbing. Love and devotion between mother and daughter is something I truly understand and commiserate with. It was truly touching how accurate and spot-on the emotions were.

So yes, read the book (but be prepared with tissues) and enjoy a great literary piece. Maybe you'll love it and want to eat it up, maybe you'll have a one-time appreciation for the story. There are several small stories within the large one and it is likely that you'll be touched by one of them. It just makes the book that much more relatable and more likely enjoyable.

Invitations

I love paper crafting. I am an old-school scrapbooker, nothing digital for this girl (except strategic red-eye fixes, teeth whitening, and skin clearing before I print the photos). Ever since I started scrapbooking, I've dreamed about my wedding invitations. While I know it will be a massive undertaking and I might regret it in the end, I can. not. wait. to make my wedding invitations all by myself.

I've picked a pocket system from Cards and Pockets. I ordered color samples right away (even before setting the date). I have since ordered and am anxiously awaiting my first sample kit. I can't wait to actually see how the pieces will fit together, how I will need to format my printer, what tools I'll need, what details I can add. It's seriously one of the most exciting pieces for me!

Here's something like I'm going for:

Our colors are blush/pale pink, champagne, and ivory/white. I want everything to be light, bright, and classically wedding.

I am also obsessed with having a bow-tied invitation like this one. So cute!


I'll let you know how the pieces come together!

Things I've learned since being engaged

Being engaged is fun. I earned the fancy French title "fiancé." I have awesome new bling on a previously-always-naked finger. Plus there's the obvious benefit of finally putting my dream wedding into a real thing. What fun!

There are weird draw-backs though. People just ask you these questions and I'm forced to give the polite answer. To the people with whom I'm actually friends, I laugh in their face. To the students people with whom I'm not actually friends, I have to bite my tongue. Here are my personal favorites and my would-be responses if manners and professionalism didn't hold me back.

1. I can't wait for your wedding, it's going to be so great! You're not invited, please stop thinking you are. Plus it's rude to assume you are since that means you're inviting yourself to my wedding, manners please!
2. Where are you going for your honeymoon? We haven't been engaged a week, we don't have a date set, but YES, of course we have our honeymoon planned.
3. My cousin went to this wedding where they had this thing, are going to have this thing? No
4. I have all my old wedding planning stuff, do you want me to bring it to you? To be fair, at first my answer would have been yes. Reality quickly set in and the answer is no, there are tons of wedding planning tools out there and while I realize you put a lot of time in your planning, it is likely not useful to me.
5. When are you going to have kids? We've been engaged a week. It won't be tomorrow, it won't be 9 months from now, and you're probably not the first person I'll be telling anyway.
6. Do you love him? No, I just got tired of living by myself and figured this would be a cool way to get a roommate.
7. I can't wait to see the invitation! You're not invited, please stop thinking you are...
8. Isn't a summer wedding going to be hot? Actually we chose July because we thought the cool weather would go well with our winter theme.
9. You should invite like the whole school! Stop talking.
10. I'll be your bridesmaid if you need one! Why do you think I need one? I have friends.

It really is all fun though. I wouldn't trade where I am for anything in the world. And even though these questions make me wonder about people I know in my heart they really do mean well. They just don't know how to express it.

I'm Baaaaaacccckkk!!!!

I know, I know. What kind of blogger just takes off like that? I mean, there was no farewell, no explanation, the blog didn't even go away. I just kind of left it.

And it bothered me some, but at the time it was the right move. I had a lot going on in my life and major changes were occurring. Blogging simply took the back seat. Once I had left it for so long, going back seemed awkward. How do you go back to a friend after just ignoring them for months?

That's the thing about friendship though (and the naturally narcissistic nature of blogging)- you can go back.

So here I am and here's the low-down. I am very happily in love with a man I will call Coach. Coach and I started having the "forever" conversations and the man, wise man, knew the only way he could surprise me would be to propose well before I thought it would happen. I am the queen of scheduling and he totally ignored mine! I can't complain though since I am now happily engaged to a wonderful guy who makes me so, so happy. :)

Which means several things have to occur: 1) We have to plan a wedding 2) We have to move in together and 3) I have to continue on with my ever entertaining job of teaching high school! It's a lot but I'm excited to start this new chapter in my life and to document it here on my pretty, fun, new blog. (OK, so a year old blog but really, it's still brand new in my book).

**To those of you who knew and were wondering, my original blog of four years is going to remain closed. After a lot of reflection I decided I wanted to document the beginning of Coach's and mine lives together on a fresh platform. I will eventually turn that blog into a printed journal and delete the account. It holds a lot of memories for me but I am ready to store them for my personal use and remove them from the public eye. I hope you enjoy my new blogging home as much as I!