Take Me to Reds or Lose Me Forever

Tuesday night means many things around here. It means:

1. Andrew has cello lessons.



2. Isabella has art lessons.



3. Both kids spend the night at their dads.



4. The Reds' special is half BBQ chicken and Tri Tip.



5. The Trader Joe's fish that was on the menu for dinner tonight still sits in my freezer.

Now I know that number five is a little confusing...but here is the deal. GS and I always eat alone on Tuesday nights. So I always buy the Trader Joes frozen ahi tuna steaks. First because we like it and second my kids don't...makes sense. However, number four above is also true so most of the time we give in to temptation and go to our favorite BBQ restaurant for the Tuesday night special.

When we went to bed last night we already had the discussion that since we had so many leftovers in the fridge that we would eat leftovers and forgo Reds tomorrow night. We made the decision. We weren't going to give in. We were going to be frugal. We were going to do the responsible thing.

All that changed...I woke up at 4:30...put on my running shoes...and I ran...I ran 3.75 miles and then...

...I fell...yes I fell again...this time I didn't hit my head...this time I was only .25 miles away from home...this time no one saw me...and this time I didn't take pictures...

...your welcome.

So I called GS and was going to have him come get me, but the animal in me a.k.a the crazy person who can't seem to give up...decided that I was just going to finish my run...so bloody knee and hand I ran...with the theme from Chariots of Fire running through my head I ran home.

Needless to say after cleaning myself up I was running late. I hate to run late...did you hear that I hate to run late. If you need reminded of that fact please refer to the little linky thing you just read. (Yes I read that section of my Google Blogger for Dummies...) so I was running late.

I got to school all bruised up and achy and basically just had a funky day.

I needed Reds...

Now come on people...I don't smoke...I don't drink...I can't have caffeine...this is all I got to take the edge off. So I call GS and tell him to take me to Reds or lose me forever...and he said "Nah I really think we should go with our original plan and have leftovers"

Yeah and then monkeys flew out of my ascot.

...of course he didn't say that...you should know better than that. he said "I was hoping you would say that" and then he did a happy dance...in the control tower...with all his co-workers watching...

So we went to Reds and life is good, my soul is healed...although my knee is still banged up and my hand is a mess, but all is right in the world.

Except Kanye West is still a jackass...

More Later

- A Ro

Just curious did anyone get the movie I refer to in the title of this post??

Firecrackers Firecrackers Boom Boom Boom

Bella had her first soccer game (ever) this weekend!! Go Pink Fuchsia Firecrackers.
Could this be anymore girly? Thankfully my tomboy wanna be was OK with this name and color.



I was so proud of her...she kept saying all day how nervous she was but I could tell she was just excited.

We live close enough to the park to walk so Bella donned her pink bike helmet (and she thinks she is a tomboy) and she we scootered on over.

Well she scootered I walked...what do you think I have a death sentence? Me scootering...HA

Yes those mountains are what I get to look at everyday when I run...OK so Southern California isn't all THAT bad.

Sadly the Pink Fuchsia Firecrackers lost 0-4, but my girl did good!! She is a fast, go getter. She doesn't shy away from the ball, she runs like the wind and out ran many of the opponents. However, she didn't quite know what to do with the ball when she got it despite my son yelling over and over "BELLA DO A BICYCLE KICK". She only missed the ball twice with a kick that would have sent it far if her foot would have actually made contact. Overall a great success for my gals first soccer game. Did I mention that it was hot?

Did I mention that she didn't care?

Did I mention while all the other girls were wilting and out of gas...mine kept right on going?

Did I mention how proud I was of her?

Did I mention that I am a little crazy?

Well I am...the rest of the day I spent doing this:

I wish I had a before picture, but my crazy just made me jump right in. Please tell me that the yellow garbage ties look WAY better than a pile of cords.

Yeah I thought so too...

Wait...you were just trying to make me feel better?

Well just wait and see what I do with this mess...



Yeah I know better call my therapist...


More Later
- A Ro

Fit Fare Friday - Herb and Goat Cheese Omelets

I am as stunned and surprised as you are...yes I actually followed through with my Fit Fare Friday segment. I know I know...


The first Fit Fare Friday recipe is Herb and Goat Cheese Omelet. Here is the cast of characters.

4 large eggs
1 T. water
1/4 t. freshly ground pepper, divided
1/8 t. salt
1 t. chopped fresh tarragon
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled goat cheese
2 t. olive oil, divided
1/2 cup thinly sliced zucchini
1/2 julienne-cut red bell pepper
dash of salt
1 t. chopped fresh chives (I forgot these....)
(This is what the cut veggies look like...realizing now that this is not a very important picture.)

1. Combine eggs and 1 T. water in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in 1/8 t. pepper, and 1/8 t. salt. Combine parsley (I forgot), tarragon, and goat cheese in a small bowl.
2. Heat 1 t. olive oil in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add remaining 1/8 t. pepper, zucchini, bell pepper, and a dash of salt to pan; cook for 4 minutes or until tender. Remove zucchini mixture from pan; cover and keep warm.
3. Place 1/2 t. oil in skillet. Pour half of the egg mixture into pan, and let egg mixture set slightly (do not stir) Carefully loosen set edges of omelet with a spatula, tipping the pan to pour uncooked egg to the sides. Continue this procedure for about 5 seconds or until almost no runny egg remains. Sprinkle half of cheese mixture evenly over omelet; cook omelet 1 minute or until set. Slide omelet onto plate, folding into thirds. Repeat prcedure with remaining 1/2 t. oil, egg mixture, and goat cheese mixture. Sprinkle chives (I forgot) over omelets. serve with zucchini mixture. Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 1 omelet and 1/2 cup vegetables).

CALORIES 233; FAT 17.6 G (sat 5.8g, mono 7.8 g, poly 2g.); PROTEIN 16g; CARB 3.6g; FIBER 1g; CHOL 430 mg; IRON 2.5 mg; SODIUM 416 mg; CALC 84 mg.

OK here is what I changed. I, as you already know, left out the chives. I also folded the veggies into the omelet, and topped it with 2 T of Trader Joes' Hollendaise sauce which added 35 calories. I also toasted two pieces of whole wheat french bread. GS and I loved this "breakie for dinner" meal. My kids ate Eggs Benedict. I would have put up that recipe but it was a simple as 1. poach an egg 2. toast english muffin 3. open package of already cooked canadian bacon 3. and heat up jar of Hollendaise sauce 4. assemble. Is it crazy that BOTH of my kids eat eggs benedict??? Not like anything crazy ever happens around here.

I hope you like and try this dish. If you do let me know how you like it!!!

And I apologize for the odd pictures. Either I forgot to take the picture I wanted, or took a picture that really didn't mean anything.

More Later

- A Ro

Another First Day of School

Here we go again...another first day of school, this time it was Bella's turn. She is a fourth grader today!! Yipee!!

Oh alright not really a full out yipee because it really was kind of a heartbreaking morning. First of all my determined, self confident, and carefree girl was actually nervous. Not much makes my Bella nervous. She is one of the bravest girls I know...unless you are brushing her hair and then she is one giant puddle. Anyway she was actually a little uneasy. I suppose that is normal, but it made me a little sad. Not only that, but my little girl is growing up, and that is hard for any mother to take. Thankfully, unlike Andrew, we did have to put on a uniform. Our idea of picking out an outfit is close your eyes and grab a hanger from the pants side and a hanger from the shirt side...it's that easy...thank goodness, cause there are so many other aspects of our morning that can slow us down. Like brushing our hair and gettin' out the dang door.

This is Bella outside her new classroom. It is a temporary building as our school is building a new building. Seconds before this picture was taken she said "MOM don't take a picture of me...people are watching us." She should have just slapped me in the face, it would have been less painful.

She had a wonderful day and seemed to like fourth grade and her new teacher. I was relieved to hear it. Now our only dilema is the fact that her take home binder doesn't fit into her new backpack that Nana got her for her birthday. Now mind you her backpack is plenty big, its just that the binder could hold Einsteins dissertation on relativity. I mean it is huge. They really want you to bring a smallish backpack so that it fits in the locker then they give you a take home binder that is epic...go figure. I somehow managed to squeeze it in, however the jury is still out on whether she will be able to get it out. Dang it...

On a similar note I had a great albeit exhausting day. I had four rehearsals back to back...two high school and two sixth grade. I was beat. I was efficient and got a lot done and it is days like today that I am so thankful that I have a great accompanist, she was awesome. It is almost like she can predict what I am going to do next. She has this amazing way of keeping one step ahead of me and I can't even do that. Now I just need to find an efficient way to keep track of all my music and rehearsal sheets.

...maybe I can rent some space in Bella's binder.

More Later

- A Ro

Things I Have Noticed

I have not done a things I have noticed segment in a long time and I think that it being hump day of the first week of school I should do a "Things I have Noticed" list.

OK OK I know it really isn't hump day if you had Monday off, but cut me some slack will ya?

Here goes:

1. I hate to back track. I think it is a disorder I have. It really makes me crazy to backtrack. I will take a longer route in order not to back track. It is some problem I have with efficiency. I really do obsess about it. I know...call my therapist.
2. I have the cutest almost 4th grader. She has her new hair cut, new uniforms, and she is all ready to go...she is a little nervous, but for the most part she is just so easy going I am not worried at all...well at least not at the moment, but it is late and I am sure I'll be able to muster some up before tomorrow.
3. I really do love my job. I am feeling a little overwhelmed with my load this year, but when I am in front of the kids I am right at home.
4. I hate getting up at 4:15 to exercise...oh my gosh I am tired, but I am dedicated and somehow I have done it the past two days...I know it's only two days. One day at a time people...one day at a time.
5. I must not hate it too much because I am missing a new show that I want to watch...Glee so that I can go to bed early so that I can get up at "too early for humans" o'clock.
6. I watch one show religiously...Chuck. I have never gotten into a show as much as I have gotten into Chuck...however Chuck doesn't start its new season until March...so I thought I would try to watch Glee. It is loosely about the subject I teach. I watched the pilot this summer and really loved it so I guess that makes me a "GLEEK" . I love it!!
7. We learned this summer from the required faculty reading that we have "mirror neurons" their job is to mirror other feelings. For example if you are near someone who is happy, you feel happy, if you are near someone who is sad you feel sad. If you are near someone who is constantly negative...well you get the picture. My mirror neurons are hoping that I stay away from certain people...and I have started a list.
8. GS is a godsend...really and truly he is. I don't think I could do this life without him. My mirror neurons really like him!!
9. It is really hard having a freshman for a son, especially one at the school I work at, and ESPECIALLY when he is in your class. I just get too stressed about his every day life at school...and constantly worry about him...well at least when I am not worrying about backtracking...

I am starting a new segment to my blog...for all 5 of you who are reading. I am going to start "Fit Fare Friday" (see how that works). Every Friday I will be trying a healthy recipe from a magazine I get...

(I'd tell you which one but I have no idea about copyright laws and I haven't got to that section in my "Google Blogging for Dummies" so I'll just be very vague for now.)

So look for that everyone...and by everyone I mean Zach and Kate...love you guys and thanks for reading!!

More Later

- A Ro

First Day of School

In the words of Destiny's Child...I'm a survivor I'm not gon' give up I'm not gon' stop...I'm gon' work harder. I hope someone gets that reference. Anyhoo...my point is...I survived the first day of school, but more important Andrew survived having me as a teacher...yes you heard it correctly my teenage son is in my high school choir. Now in all fairness I did apologize to him ahead of time for any embarrassment I should cause him...that gives me complete freedom right??

right??

Oh alright...I'll try to be on my best behavior, but I cannot promise anything...after all I am only human.

We did have a good first rehearsal and he only turned bright red a couple of times, and he is still speaking to me...I'd say a huge success.

It is funny to me how much changing goes on between 6th grade and 7th grade...here is a story between two middle school boys to prove my point:

Sixth grader: Hey did you see that transformers movie?

Seventh grader: Yeah

Sixth grader: It was AMAZING all that action and stuff blowing up and car chases and robots and stuff...wow what a cool movie.

Seventh grader: Yeah it was a cool movie but you have it all wrong...I'll sum up in two words why that movie was awesome.

Sixth grader: OK

Seventh grader: MEGAN FOX!!!

Either way middle school is such a wonderful age to teach. I know some people would say I was crazy, but I do love 'um...every last hormonal one of them.

Bella has one more day of "vacation" a la going to school, but not having to wear a uniform because she is still at daycare. We did meet her teacher...the new one of the group...and she is excited!!

Andrew in his first day outfit that took longer to pick out than his entire birth. Yes I know it is an important decision...and yes he did pick it out the night before...and yes I helped...and no I didn't laugh...and yes he looked very nice.

Can you believe how tall he is? (she says wiping one tear away)

Have I mentioned how lucky I am??

More later

- A Ro

Alas, vacation is over

Well it is official Tuesday starts another year of school. For me I am in my 7th year of teaching at my current school, and Andrew starts his freshman year...YIKES!!


I can feel the hot flashes and aging already. I cannot believe my little boy is a freshman and a teenager at that. I don't have any gray hair (I don't...thank you very much) but they are a waitin' to come out I tell you.


Bella has a couple of more days as she doesn't start until Thursday...lucky girl.


I am excited about school and all the possibilities a new year brings...new students, new music, new colleagues and a whole new set of choirs I have the privilege to lead to great things. I am such a lucky person, I get to be witness to beauty...daily. I get to show my students that there are other things to life than straight A's and SAT scores. I get to teach the whole student.


So on this labor day...the last day of vacation Bella and I decided to start the year right...with creating the perfect bribe. I know what you are thinking but in this life you gotta get that little edge, that leg up on the other students. Come on how many students gave their teacher that apple on the first day of school...mine are just a little bit...cuter...sweeter...and make you go "MMMMMM" as you bite into it. I'm tellin' you these are no ordinary apples. They are Bakerella's cake pops...a goooey, chocolatey, mouthful of wonderful.

How do you like them apples??

More Later

- A Ro