Greatest Snack Ever

Heat oven to 350º.
Unwrap Rollos.
Place Rollos on waxed paper on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 2 minutes.
Immediately push a mini twisty pretzel onto each melty Rollo.
Let cool.
Pull the waxed paper off the cookie sheet to remove the Rollos/pretzels.

So delicious!
Thanks, Liz!

Lemon Meringue Moosh

I baked pies on Saturday night to give to a few people for Easter. My inspiration for baking the pies was Sherry. Emery and I visit teach Sherry, and she is great! It just so happens that she and her husband, Jerry, are also our home teachers, so we get to see them even more. Double great! So, I made key lime no-bake pie and lemon meringue pie. The key lime turned out well, or so I was told. (Lactose intolerant!) But the lemon meringue turned out to be quite gooey. It's tasty goo, if I do say so myself, but it doesn't really cut into slices. We ended up serving it in bowls when it was eaten at Emery's mom's house as Easter dinner dessert. The meringue also has some issues. It has continued to sink more every day. I got the recipe in foods class in 1995, and somehow thought I would have retained my high school cooking class skills, but apparently I'm rusty. Ah well... I guess that's one recipe I will need to continue to work on.

I go back to work tomorrow. My off-track time technically ended March 19. I tracked on that day (moved all my things back into a classroom), but then went immediately into my Spring Recess. I'm never really ready to go back after being off, but it usually only takes a day or so to get back into the swing of things.

I will be jumping right back into a busy schedule, that's for sure. Just before going off, I held auditions for my class play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. The kids were assigned to memorize their lines while we were off because starting tomorrow it's full speed ahead with rehearsals. We perform the play in about one month!

I was asked if some university undergrads could observe me teach a lesson tomorrow. So, at 10:00 I will have four pre-service teachers in my room to watch me teach moon phases. It will be a fun lesson - we will be creating and labeling the phases of the moon using Oreo cookies. I do happen to have my most challenging kids at 10:00, but I will have leverage to make them behave: Bad Behavior = No Cookies! It should be a good lesson.

I am currently in the midst of filling out three applications:
1) My school district's version of tuition reimbursement (I know, about time since I've been going to grad school for seven months now...)
2) UCET's Technology Grant - Ross convinced me to do it, and I want money to get a student news broadcast going at the school I'm at. It's the one thing Garth (my principal) asked me to do, but we haven't had the means thus far.
3) The Lunar and Planetary Institute's field-based workshop for science teachers - I want to go to Montana and Washington to study the sites of ancient glacial lakes and flood waters and use the information to form hypotheses about the land forms on Mars. Cool, huh?

So, that's my update for today. Time to sleep, and then back to work.

Tag!

I know, I know. You've seen these things a hundred times in email, but I confess I like them. The rules of the game are as follows:

A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
C. At the end of the game the player tags 5 people, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment letting them know they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

10 years ago:
I was in my Junior year at BYU. (Yes, I really am getting old. :)
I was living with Katie and Emery in the Chelsea Condos. (Yes, Emery and I really were roommates for the first time 10 1/2 years ago!)
I was applying to work as a counselor at Aspen Grove, the BYU Alumni family camp. (I did get the job and worked there Summer '98.)

5 things on my to-do list today:
1) Put up signs at the church reminding the women that basketball was canceled today.
2) Go to the gym to do cardio.
3) Read the research article for which I will be leading a discussion in class on Wednesday.
4) Do my laundry.
5) Write a stupid 100 question test for my students to take on Monday.

Snacks I enjoy:
I'd love to say apple slices, celery sticks, and wheat germ, but while those are enjoyable, let's be real:
Chocolate and toffee almonds
Utah chocolate almond truffles
Coffee cake
Bagels with Tofutti's "Better Than Cream Cheese"
Ruffles with onion dip (made with "Better Than Sour Cream" of course)
Almost anything chocolate

What I would do if I were suddenly a billionaire:
Pay off my house
Pay off my credit card
Pay off my bookie
(I'm just kidding about that one.)
Pay Emery's school tuition and allow her to quit her job and go to school full time
Hire a domestic assistant to clean my house every week, wash my windows, and do my ironing
Finish my unfinished basement
Travel
Support missionaries
Volunteer
Fund and participate in humanitarian projects
Promote world peace

3 of my bad habits:
1) Eating junk food
2) Not returning phone calls
3) Forgetting

5 places I have lived:
Escondido, CA
Provo, UT
Alexandria, VA
East Palo Alto, CA
Salt Lake City, UT

5 jobs that I have had:
Vocal Recording Artist
Feature Film Art Department - Assistant to the Set Decorator
Camp Counselor
6th Grade Teacher
K-6 Computer Lab Teacher

5 things people don't know about me:
1) When you google me, all sorts of results come back for IMDB and other such sites. What you may not know is that it really is me they're referring to!
2) I was a field hockey goalie in high school, and was even recruited by a few colleges.
3) In college, I had 6 ear piercings. Well, I guess I still have them, I just don't wear earrings in them.
4) I have an "art studio" set up in my basement. One day when I have some time, I plan on becoming a great painter.
5) I still sleep with my blanket that I received after being burned at the age of 2. I take it EVERYWHERE I go.

5 people I tag are:
eclaires
Smith Family
Joanna
Funaki-Naki-Naki
Alanna

Simply Amazing

This afternoon I was using a bottle of Nasonex, and I dropped the lid on the bathroom floor. I heard it hit the tile, but when I looked for it, the lid was nowhere to be seen. I looked for a good two minutes, and no lid. "Strange," I said aloud. Figuring I was just blind in one eye, I left knowing I would find it sooner or later. When I got home from class tonight and trekked up the stairs, in the faint light I could see something small and oval-shaped on the stairs. I bent down to take a closer look and... You guessed it! The blue lid! The stairs are a good 10 to 15 feet from the bathroom, and around two corners! Simply amazing.

The light bulb in my closet burned out yesterday. I've never had my closet light bulb burn out before.

Tonight, to celebrate getting an MMR shot in my arm, I am barbecuing. In a short sleeve shirt, no less. Yes, it's a common thing for people to do while enjoying whether like we've had this week. Snow really puts one in the mood for steak.

Guacamole Snowcone

I went to my friend Andrea's birthday dinner tonight. Walking back to the car, I noticed that the ground was very icy. Unfortunately, I did not realize how icy until I could feel my feet sliding around out of control. I could not stop those feet from sliding right out from under me! Down I went, crashing to the cold asphalt while my bowl of guacamole shattered and splattered next to me.

I heard Emery and a couple other people ask, "Are you okay?"

"Ya, I'm fine."

"I'm glad you're okay. But, I'm really upset about losing that great guacamole."

A hand reached down to help me up. "Hi. I'm Dean. I didn't get to meet you inside at the party." The same hand then reached out to shake mine.

"Um, nice to meet you, Dean... Sorry, I have guacamole all over my hands."

Emery and Dean helped me collect the pieces of broken bowl. Another friend emerged from her car with a bag to put the ceramic pieces in. Dean promptly grabbed a chunk of snow and plopped it down right on top of the pile of guacamole so no one would step in it. My guacamole-covered clothing is now soaking in the washing machine. Fortunately, I landed on my hip and bum, so there was plenty of padding and my landing didn't hurt. Now, I'm just praying that my back doesn't freak out again from the jolt it received. Ah... life is full of fun adventures.

Stormy Weather

I am sitting on a blue couch wearing all blue. A blue shirt, a blue sweatshirt, blue sweats, and blue slippers. Outside a blue-colored storm is brewing. It's been windy and clear and wonderful all day, but about 20 minutes ago the clouds rolled in, the sky turned dark, and little pieces of hail started falling from the sky. (Little pieces of hail, as opposed to little pieces of heaven. :) Now, the thunder has started to roll and it's getting exciting. I would like to snuggle up next to the fire for the night, but I cannot. I have things to do, I have a music rehearsal to go to in two hours, and the gas for the fireplace is too expensive. But, I will still enjoy the evening.

I saw Mayor and Sister Gray at the mall today in Bath and Body Works. I went there to run errands with Emery. It's just so crowded! I think I'm done with any shopping until January.

Today I cooked chicken, wrote a couple emails, and took out the trash. Technically, Emery took out the trash. She loaded it in the back of my car so we could drive it all over to the dumpster. (We have a habit of letting bags pile up in the garage. Don't tell anyone - so embarrassing!)
Unfortunately, we both forgot in the one minute it took us to get in the car that there was garbage in the back of the car, and we drove off to the mall. Yuck! It was in there for something like two hours! Yuck! But, it's in the dumpster now.

Well, time to get back to work. I've got videos to edit, gifts to wrap, cookies to make, and a song to rehearse!

Mom's Diner

When we were kids I remember many times my siblings and me saying to my mom that she ought to open a diner because her cooking is so good. As I was eating breakfast this morning I began musing about what that diner could be like. I decided that the entire menu could be set up based on the members of our family - my brothers and sisters. Each of us would have our own section of the menu, thus providing 7 different styles of food and preparation for customers. If we add on Mom and an in-law menu we could provide even more options. There would be the Bobby menu, the Erin menu, the Andy menu, etc. People would order by saying something like, "Ah yes, I would like the David breakfast please." which would include something matching David's eating habits/preferences. In the case of "The David Breakfast" this would certainly include Cocoa Crispies. So, while I take breaks from working on my final project for grad school today, I will update this blog entry with more ideas of what each of our menus would include. If you have suggestions of menu items, please comment and I will add them if I agree that they fit.

Mom
Breakfast: Mints
Lunch: Half a salad and a cup of chicken tortilla soup
Appetizers: Mints
Dinner: Stir-Fry
Dessert: Mints
Drinks: Mints

Bobby
*Every meal includes beans and rice.
Breakfast: Pancake Competition! Compete with someone at your table who ordered the Brittney Breakfast! (You've got your work cut out for you since you also have beans and rice to eat.)
Lunch:
Appetizers:
Dinner: Beans, Rice, Chopped Green Peppers, Green Beans, Bread, Bread, Bread, Bread
Dessert: Fruit Popcicle
Drinks: Sparkling Lemonade

Erin
Breakfast: Anything but eggs
Lunch:
Appetizers:
Dinner:
Dessert: chocolate, caramel, macadamia nut cheesecake
Drinks:

Andy
Breakfast: Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, and your choice of E.O. Ring or Coffee Cake
Lunch:
Appetizers:
Dinner:
Dessert:
Drinks:

Katie
*The lactose-free menu - every meal made with soy or tofu substitutes as needed
Breakfast: Eggs Benedict
Lunch:
Appetizers:
Dinner:
Dessert: Chocolate
Drinks: Water

Brittney
Breakfast: Pancake Competition! Compete with someone at your table who ordered the Bobby Breakfast!
Lunch: Salad
Appetizers:
Dinner: Salad
Dessert:
Drinks: Herbal Tea

Maggie
Breakfast:
Lunch:
Appetizers:
Dinner:
Dessert: Baked Goods (to share with everyone else, of course)
Drinks:

David
Breakfast: Cocoa Crispies
Lunch:
Appetizers:
Dinner:
Desserts: Pumpkin Pie or Funfetti Cupcakes
Drinks:

Emery
Breakfast: Granola
Lunch: Saltibarsciai
Appetizers: Crackers with Stinky Cheese
Dinner: Rabbit Food
Desserts: Pots d' Creme
Drinks: Water

In-Law Menu:
Katrinka
Breakfast:
Lunch:
Appetizers:
Dinner:
Dessert:
Drinks:

Cordon
Breakfast: Fruit Smoothies
Lunch:
Appetizers: Fruit Salad
Dinner:
Dessert: Ice Cream Topped with Fresh Fruit
Drinks: Fruit Smoothies

Casey
Breakfast: Breakfast burritos
Lunch:
Appetizers: Double Cheese Nachos
Dinner: Steak, well-done
Dessert: Candy
Drinks: Yum Punch

Wade
*Everything on the Wade menu is served in half portions. We recommend the Wade menu for those with tiny tummies.
Breakfast:
Lunch:
Appetizers:
Dinner: Venison Stew
Dessert:
Drinks: