Another Inspiration Monday...

Yep that’s me in a nutshell!!!  The planning of both can be difficult I do admit, but that is why I went into teaching!!!  How can teaching 6 and 7 year olds their long and short vowels not be life changing?   Right that’s what I thought too.  Then today we went on a field trip to learn about the life cycle of a frog...well, that is one hell of a good time!!!  Here is a cute video my students like to dance to during our brain break time.  Enjoy!!!

Hope everyone had a great start to the week!!!

Andi

Stories from the Streets!!!!

Today is Friday, yippie!!!  Friday also means that it is trash day in our neck of the woods.  I got the day off so I was able to do my run in the morning (which is my favorite time of day to run).  Now you know the old saying “do not air out your dirty laundry”...well we should watch our trash too.  Its amazing the stories these curbsides tell.  This is what one of the things that makes running so fun.

So now the stories for today...

The first recycling bin I come upon is filled to the brim with empty water bottles.  Someone in that house is thirsty!!!  I mean this thing was practically over flowing!!!  So glad they are downing one of my favorite drinks but come on people!!!  Ever heard of a Brita and a  CamelBak?  Trust me the water tastes wonderful.  Our house and theirs drinks the same water, heck I even brush my teeth with it!!!  How about we save the planet and reuse.  I do want to say thanks for recycling though!!!

VIA

Okay now this is when the garbage men need to make sure they get everything into their truck!!!  As I am running along I see it...an unpackaged prophylactic.  Well lucky them and whoot whoot for being careful. I can tell you I sure did not want to see that thing lying about. I decide to keep moving forward watching where I step (a girl can never be to careful).  Then I come across IT...a pregnancy test stick!!!  Well obviously the condom and stick come from two different households. I didn’t take the time to read if it was positive or not.  I pretty much just moved into the middle of the road where I would be safe.

Now I see these today, I see them everyday. Those would be returnables, cans and bottles. If I carried a bag with me I am guessing I would make about a $1.00 a run.  Take that $1 times at least one run a day and I would be banking!!!  To bad I like to run with my hands free and the pockets on my shorts are only big enough for my iPod or key.

I turn the corner to go on the beloved back roads of hills and dirt.  I see more cans, which I run by with a quick glance.  I go up a hill, then down it, up another and down that one.  Wave hi to Kid Rock’s driveway and keep trucking along...then I see flashing lights.  Okay so flashing lights mean something important is ahead and to take caution.  Well my 6 mile/hour pace is not going to be a problem for caution.  It is tractor and it has just dumped a pile of dirt and it is dragging it out on the road.  YES!!! My feet and tires thank you right now!!!  I love when the roads get grated and today I get to see it first hand.  I even stop to let the man driving the tractor by while I go forward.  We give a friendly wave to one another.  Then right before I turn around I see it again, I have been seeing it for 3 weeks now, a For Sale sign.  I wonder why it is up.  I thought they just moved in back in the fall and about 5 weeks ago they were building up their porch by adding new posts.  Sad to see them go (I don’t know who they are).  Maybe they didn’t like all of the randoms lying on the side of the road?

I have to say that out of the many joys of being a runner this is one of them.  The unexpected things I see.  I am hoping next week the garbage men take a little more time and make sure everything gets into the back of their truck.  I am getting excited for my next run which is a week away!!!  Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Andi

What a life...

I am so jealous right now!!!  I leave this morning with the sun shining and a nice warm temp heating our state.  My oldest cat Fiona curled up right on our bed right when I got done making it!!!  She spent the whole night out trying to catch mice and other furry creatures.  This was her first night out since the weather turned bad and I think she was worn out!!! The reason I think this, is because she was in the same spot when I got home today.  What a life!!!

My Fiona girl is a great mouser.  Heck she is not only a great mouser but also, flying squirrel and rabbit catcher!!!  My favorite was when she dropped a rabbit in my kitchen at 6:00 a.m. last summer!!!  Luckily I was upstairs and Smalls got to deal with the mess.  I have to say she was the best rescue I have ever done!!!

Well anyways back to why I am writing this random post...I would have loved to lay in bed all day letting the sun soak through the skylights.  BUT no I had to go teach my little pumpkins all day instead.  I would have to say they are being pretty good for this time of year and weather.  I only had 1 playground fight today!!! Yippie!!!  Monday we head to Indian Springs Metro Park for a field trip to learn about the life cycle of the frog. Ribbit.  I am keeping my fingers crossed for nice weather.

Either one looks good so I will take it.  We do get a day off tomorrow (furlough day) so maybe I will spend it just like Fiona.  Or...maybe I will craft something.  Anyone in need of a tutu?  Just let me know : D And sorry for another random post.

Andi

Fried Chicken Luv

So as I get home after a long day of teaching and meetings, I put on my running shoes and go for a run.  It is amazing how tired I am driving home but I can manage to go spit out miles on hilly dirt roads.  GO FIGURE.  After I play ball with dog, shower, get my comfy clothes on and wait for Smalls it comes...hunger pains.  I put the television on as background noise and start lesson plans.  Then I hear it...the commercials.  Now remember I am not watching the TV only listening to it.  First it is a KFC commercial on their new “Original Recipe Boneless” chicken and then a Popeyes commercial for their “3 for $3.99” chicken and that’s it, I AM DONE!!! Screw spaghetti I want me some fried chicken!!! So I call up Smalls and let him into my fried chicken craving and guess what? He is all for it!!! Whoot whoot!!! So I pinned this forever and a day ago and pull it up to see how it is made.  I read it off to Smalls and ask if he can pull this off with what we have in the kitchen.  His answer...of course.  So I read off to again and he goes to town.  Well here is the thing with Smalls he has to make it “BOB GREAT” he can never leave anything alone.  So I walk into the kitchen to let the dog out and I see eggs...there are no eggs in this recipe.  Hmmmm.  Well he turned this recipe into this...

1 cup – Flour

2 cups – Corn Flakes

2 tablespoons - All Season

1 teaspoon – Celery Salt

1.5 teaspoons – Fresh Ground Pepper

4 teaspoons – Paprika

1 tablespoon – Old Bay Seasoning

Take everything above and put it into a bowl, once all of the ingredients are added toss it into a bag (we used a paper grocery bag).  Once that is done it is time for some fun!!! First cut and clean your chicken breasts. Next soak in milk, then dip in flour, then dip in egg and last put it in your Corn Flake mix bag. And SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE (till your arms fall off)!!!  So while you are doing the Harlem Shake with your chicken...preheat your pan with butter and oil, when your chicken, pan and butter are ready, its time to start cooking.  We fried our chicken for about 4 minutes a side on a med/high heat.

So you want to know how yummy it was?  Well...it was damn good and I think this might be our new go to for fried fried chicken.  Sorry dad I do still LOVE the Catalina Chicken you taught me to make so many years ago...  I hope you try and love this recipe as much as we did.  Let me know your thoughts.  And a big THANK YOU goes out to Amy at Your Life Uncommon for sharing her version.

Oh and the eggs were for the potatoes...

Andi

Conundrum

So on Friday night Smalls and I went out to dinner to celebrate another trip around the sun.  We have not been out to dinner on a date night in a while so it was nice to get out and enjoy each other’s company.  We started off at the bar with a nice glass of Malbec.

I secretly wanted the bartender to make this for me ; )

VIA

When we go out to eat we normally split our meals and share...a little surf and turf if you may.  I haven’t been craving big chunks of cow lately but for some reason on Friday I wanted a steak.  One of my favorite dishes is scallops so we ended up getting one of each.  I also love myself a baked potato and some asparagus.  Yes I am a bad Jew and eat shellfish and dairy with my meat.  So what is cool about this place is that they serve your food on a hot salted stone that comes out of the oven at 675 degrees (guesstimation).  

We enjoyed everything we ordered and know we will be coming back for more good food.  BUT...we have a small problem on our hands.  See, Smalls is a wonderful cook and he can figure out what seasons he needs to bring out great flavor.  He has this phenomenal talent, its like playing piano by ear.  I have to give credit to all of the restaurants we have been to.  We have tried their food, found something we loved and then copied it to make our own. So we are now in a conundrum if we should go out to eat.  I am thinking yes.  We need to keep trying new places and seeing new faces.  Then maybe I can start sharing some of the yummy recipes Smalls makes we when try something truly amazing!!! Oh and If you would ever like an invitation to enjoy a home cooked meal, let me know.  We love to share ; )

Small’s version

Andi

April in the D

So it is the end of April and we still have winter weather!!! Blah!!! Yep that’s how I am feeling lately.  Yesterday we had the honor of snow visiting us.  The kids thought we were heading into Christmas not Memorial Day.  Smalls and I also got the chance to visit Comerica Park and pay a visit to the Tigers.  We stayed till the 6^th inning but then our butts could not handle the cold anymore.

 At least the sun came out...

Oh wait that’s the moon...sorry.  Today was not any better for warmth and we saw some interesting winds outside the windows.  I do not think I have ever seen trees bend the way they did today.  I am hoping with the new moon we can get some warmer weather.  

I know I could use some growth of the plants around my house to bring the feeling of spring. From checking the 15-day forecast we have this optimistic outlook to these beautiful days ahead.  Here is me keeping my fingers crossed!!!

And just for a good laugh...here you go!!!

VIA

Andi

Tutu Withdrawal...

 HELP!!!  I am falling into a dark hole and don’t know if I will be able to find my way out!!!  I have found a new love...and that would be tulle.  Yep, you read that correctly I LOVE TULLE. I have been a tutu-making machine lately and now it has now come to a complete STOP.  What am I to do?

 I got to make some awesome tutus for my nieces and I am so excited about them that I could not wait a month to show them off.  Yes I promise to not break my arm by patting myself on the back ; ) So here they are in all of their puffiness!!!

These babies took some time and a butt load of tulle, but they were so worth it, mostly because whom they were made for.  I then got an offer to make one for the daughter of one of the ladies I work with.  So this one had to be totally girly with pink, purple, pink and purple.  What 5 year old would not love to twirl in this?  I kind of wished I did it the way I did my niece’s tutus but I am still loving it.

So now what you might ask what am I doing?

Yep I am in a total withdrawal!!!  If you would like to help a girl out just let me know what color and size you want : D Hope you are having a wonderful week.

Andi

P.s. In all seriousness if you would like a tutu I am thinking of starting a little side biz of making them.  What is the best thing about my tutus?  Not only are they made with fun at heart but also with the wallet in mind!!! Let me know.