E.T. has phonned home

I just read on a local news webpage that extraterrestrials have made contact with earth. You can read about it here: Has E.T. made a call?

I think this is article is particularly interesting because it is written from the perspective that there really is other life out there, not just us humans. I do hope though, that in my lifetime, lifeforms on other planets will be discovered. How exciting would that be. Now, I am not saying that I am one of those, "I done seen it with my own two eyes" type of people, but I do hold hope that we are not the only ones alive in the universe. In fact, I think that we would be stupid to hold the opinion that we are alone. We live on a planet, why couldn't there be, in the vastness of the universe, more planets like this one with intelligent life? And for all of those folks who have "done seen it with their own two eyes" - keep on keepin' on - because in 50 years, the rest of the world may just come back to you and apologize because of how much we made fun of your 'alien sighting'.

E.T. (from earth) signing off!


NOTE: They changed the news artcile after posting it a few days ago. Now the original article was pulled, and they have replaced it with a different artcile. Apparently the journalist who wrote the original story did not do a good job at investigative reporting. Yikes!

My First Attempt

This is my very first attempt at scrapbooking.

The cream colored areas are where I will be putting commentary......basically a play by play of how our trip went (our trip to Disneyland a couple weeks ago). I have no idea what I will be writing, and I am sure it's gonna be dry - simply because I am pretty bad at storytelling. I am going to try to make it sound fun, but for this page, how fun can "we got ready and started driving" sound? I will need to put my creative abilities to work when I am ready to write. Any ideas?

I don't get it.

A conversation my husband and I just had:

Me: Where did that sponge in the kitchen sink come from?
Husband: The garbage
Me: Please don't dig out sponges from the garbage.
Husband: I thought you accidentally threw it away.
Me: If a sponge ends up in the garbage, please just get a new one from under the sink. We have 20 of them just sitting there.


I will never understand the male psyche.

Clouds

This is an un-retouched photo taken on our way to Donner Lake over the summer sometime. When I think about Jesus' return, I kind of envision it looking like this.

When I see something I would like to have on film, I do some pretty interesting things. For starters, once, I stood outside at the ocean for about a half hour in 30 degree weather with frozen hands and face, just to get a shot. Boy, it was worth it though. This picture was taken during a driving trip. I think I literally stopped in the middle of the road (didn't pull over), jumped out of the car, took the picture in about 2 seconds and started to drive again. I was amazed at what came out. God is Good!

It's over

The semester has ended. All that is left to do is grading, which of course I do not want to do right now. I MUST get my grades in though, my students are asking and asking and asking! Ugghhhh!

On a bit of a different note, I am learning that everyday is LITERALLY a choice to either be happy or let emotions and 'life' overtake you. I have been giving myself permission to enjoy life lately, when it is against my very core. I usually get amazingly bogged down with circumstance and have finally STARTED to learn that I don't have to. Amazing!

Long time no post

My apologies for not posting. I will start again soon, I promise. :)

What the...............???????

J.K. Rowling told audiences last night during a talk that Albus Dumbledore is gay. Someone apparently asked about his love life and she said that he was infatuated with one of his rivals, Gellert Grindelwald. Uh, what the??? Why did she have to go there? To each their own I guess - but in literature - after the fact - years later - not written into the novel! What else is she going to reveal? That Harry is a cross dresser and he uses Ginny's clothes while fighting for the Ministry of Magic? Or that one of the Weasley parents cheated on the other and eventually got divorced? Thus is the danger of literature. The creator can do whatever they'd like, even after the fact. After all, the characters they write about are contained purely within their imagination so writers are able to do whatever they want to. That's all I have to say about that!

Napping in the afternoon

I just woke up from a nap. It felt good to sleep in the afternoon, but I always wake up even more tired than when I went to sleep. While I was sleeping, I had two pretty random dreams. One of them I will tell you about since I can't quite remember the other one. The dream takes place in our home, or what is supposed to represent our current home. Before we bought this house I had dreams about it, specifically that it was haunted or inhabited by some spirit. In the dream the house was really big, probably double the size our house is now and it had some property right next to it. Part of the lower level of the house was inhabited by a spirit as well as the additional building next door. So, we did not use that part of the house, simply left it decorated as the last owner had it, nor did we use the property next door since there was something nasty in that building. In my recurring dream about this house, I am always giving people tours of the entire house, even the property next door - this time I was giving Tommy Lee a tour (why Tommy Lee, I have no idea since I don't even like the guy - but in my dream he was very nice). Back to the dream! While I am showing him around, I go into the rooms that are amazingly functional and pretty nicely decorated, yet are not in use because something else is there (that we can't see obviously). While there, Tommy Lee looks at me and says, "WOW, this area is really nice. You know you can get someone in here to get rid of the spirits so you can use these rooms. You should do that." Here's the kicker - I simply look at him and say, "Yeah, I know", but then think to myself that this is the way it's gonna stay because I simply don't want to do anything about it. Isn't that weird? Even in my dream I am apathetic about seeking outside help for something even though I know it will benefit my life. Hmmm!!! I can read even deeper into the dream, but I will stop here. Interesting tidbits into the mind of Carol. :)

Why???

I know it's a part of everyday life - but why is it that people continue to make suicide comments TO ME after knowing that my father committed suicide a few years ago? I will NEVER understand people! Of course I never say anything because I know, more times than not, it's not something people think about (and I say stuff all the time that I don't mean or regret saying and wish I could take back) - but really? I think commenting, or joking about suicide is definitely a part of everyday life, but talking about it in such graphic form as to say, "blow your/my brains out" is just too much for me to handle (and probably always will). Let me qualify this.......I know that people are going to joke about it, and I know that many many people in my life don't know about the situation - so OF COURSE I have a forgiving heart. But, I guess, to say it simply - for those that are close to me, it hurts my feelings. Simply said!

One of my very closest friends made a comment to this effect not a few months after my dad's death and promptly apologized. And I very much appreciated her apology at the time. But, I have hesitated to blog about this because I ABSOLUTELY do not want people walking on eggshells around me - NOR do I want people to apologize for what they have said - there's not point. I want people to be who they are. But what I DO want is for people to be slightly sensitive to the situation......not alter who they are, just sensitive I guess (because every time something like that is mentioned in such a graphic way, it effects me deeply). With that said - I don't want to talk about it anymore - I have said my peace and now I am done!

Look for a happier blog later. I will maybe even blog about the Thai Lettuce Wraps I am making for lunch with a few different sauces.....maybe! :)

If only....

I so wish I could sleep! I haven't slept a full night in weeks. I think it has been over 3 weeks. I have woken up numerous times though out the night - not just once or twice, but as many as 6 or 8 times. This is driving me crazy. I feel like a walking zombie. So much in fact that I fell asleep at around 9:30 or 10:00pm last night. No help though, I woke up about 6 times. What the hell is wrong with me??? Tylenol PM doesn't even work anymore, and it used to knock me out for hours. Now, nothing! Ugghhhhhh - something's gotta give, I just hope it's not my sanity!

Last winter....

I posted a couple of recipes last winter that were two different pot roasts. I think the post was called "Dueling Pot Roasts". I liked both recipes, but now I am starting to experiment a bit more. There are a few recipes that I want to try - one with a tomato base - the other with balsamic vinegar and yet one last one with a can of coke believe it or not. Since it's getting cold, and chuck roast is on sale right now, I think I will stock up and try one new recipe of pot roast a week. I made pot roast for the bible study I go to on Thursday night - it was decent - not my favorite. And, this Sunday I get to do it again for company......but, the people who are coming over want plain tasting things - so I can't get fancy or anything. I will be making my ultra yummy Cheddar Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Of course I will be making something plain, like oven roasted red potatoes or something like that so our company is happy. Of course I will pair it with a couple of different vegetables and maybe even some fresh baked bread (or maybe a fluffy store bought loaf - who knows what tomorrow will hold).

Today should be fun - we are cleaning all day since we are having company tonight - and tomorrow. Ugghhhhh - I love having a clean house, but I HATE doing it. Maybe I need to learn to be a cleaner, less cluttery person.

Too tired to post pics right now, but....

Shawn and I are having an amazing time with his grandparents up in Donner Lake. We arrived at about 7pm on Friday. I almost immediately made brownies for everyone (with walnuts that were 20 years old - don't ask). We had dessert and sat around and talked for a few hours. It started to rain at about 9pm, but the rain quickly turned to snow (about 2 inches by the time we noticed and went outside). THE FIRST SNOW OF THE SEASON - YIPPPPEEEEEE!!!!! We then proceeded to go outside and have a snowball fight with Shawn's grandfather - every man/woman for themselves - so much fun (Tess was chasing the snowballs when they didn't break - so cute). We came in the house and made hot chocolate and hot tea, along with some popcorn and curled up on the couch with a blanket and watched a movie. This is what Friday nights are made of! I must say, this is one of the BEST visits to Donner with his grandparents (although, I must say, we have had some really fun visits over the last 4 or 5 years - gosh I can't believe it's been that long that we have been coming up here - but tonight was special and of course memorable with the first snow and of course the snowball fight). I will post some pics tomorrow of the snow and of us all hanging out. Good night! (Jonathan and Sharon - we wish you guys were here. It would have been so much fun to play in the snow with you guys. I hope you feel better soon Sharon! Love ya!)

Makes Sense Right?

The First Parent

by Bill Cosby

Whenever your kids are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God’s omnipotence did not extend to his kids.

After creating Heaven and Earth, God created Adam and Eve. And the first thing He said to them was: “Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”, Adam replied.

“Don’t eat the forbidden fruit.”

“Forbidden fruit? Really? Where is it?”

“It’s over there,” said God, wondering why He hadn’t stopped after making the elephants.

A few minutes later God saw the kids having an apple break and He was angry.

“Didn’t I tell you not to eat that fruit?” the First Parent asked.

“Uh huh,” Adam replied.

“Then why did you?”

“I dunno,” Adam answered.

God’s punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own.

Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed. But there is reassurance in this story.

If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give them wisdom and they haven’t taken it, don’t be hard on yourself.

If God had trouble handling children, what makes you think it would be a piece of cake for you?

Preparing for lecture....

Here's something I need to watch out for. I am currently preparing a lecture for tomorrow's class on Small Group Communication. We are finally to the part in the book where it talks about how people respond to one another and interact with one another. And, without getting into too much detail, I am currently a part of a few small groups - how convenient right? So, what am I doing? Of course, human nature - - - I am comparing the ideas/theories in the book to those of the small groups I am a part of. Is that terrible? Or is that considered analytical? I AM GOING TO KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT of course when it comes to the patterns/roles people in the groups have chosen, fallen into, have been assigned...whatever you want to call it. But, it's interesting to see communication patterns emerge as I am teaching this class.

I guess this is an occupational hazard. In talking to my friends who have gotten their masters degrees in Counseling/Psychology, they experience the same thing. They learn about a theory/disorder and automatically they have it or know someone in their life that has it. I have also heard the same thing from people going to medical school or that are beginning doctors (my cousin is a doctor, and one of my friends is in residency in So. Cal). They learn about symptoms, and of course they, their family member, friend, acquaintance etc. has whatever it is they can recall from the limited list of symptoms they have learned (which tends to make people freak out if you ask me....on all occasions - communication, psychological and medical). Unless something is confirmed by a professional, I would shy away from listening to it - but of course, this is only one person's humble opinion. (Which, to tell you the truth, is why I almost never talk about communication theory - patterns that I see emerge etc.... It's not worth the risk of being wrong, or freaking people out for that matter because they realize that I may be analyzing certain behaviors - as I think all people do, just on different levels).

Like I said, of course I am going to keep this information to myself since it is in NO WAY appropriate to talk about in the groups that I am in. And OF COURSE I know that these patterns emerge in everyday life, not just in these particular small groups I am in (plus, I don't think there is anything wrong with the small groups I am currently a part of - and love the people dearly in all of the groups). My point here is that it is quite interesting to read about theory and have it be real and apparent in my life. Thus the hazards of the Social Sciences I guess - it is the study of people, people interacting with people, the ideas people hold, patterns that are set up in our society etc.... I love it, love it, love it!!!!!!!!!

92 Days Folks - That's Right!!!

Today Shawn and I went to Costco. We had to pick up some Clorox wipes, my preferred clean up method. I use those things primarily in the kitchen and bathroom. What better place to use them right? To make a long story short, the Christmas stuff is out already. That's right folks, Costco has Christmas decorations out - - - which means, it is officially time for me to start decorating. :) I may wait until October, but like I have said before, I virtually missed Christmas last year because of the move, a wedding, and generally being busy with unpacking and such. I am so excited I'm gonna pee my pants. (Clorox, calling clorox! Cleanup in Carol's office needed!).

The Eggroll

I was watching Seinfeld today. It was the one at the Chinese Restaurant where Jerry, Elaine and George don't get sat for the whole episode. Jerry tells Elaine that he would pay her $50 to go to a table and pick up and eggroll, eat it, say thank you, then walk away. She is not allowed to say anything else - just pick it up, eat it, say thanks and walk away. I would absolutely do that!!! (With one stipulation of course, the people I was with would have to agree to eat at another place that night. #1 of course because you would get thrown out and #2 because I wouldn't be able to eat at that particular place after I did something like that). So, if we ever go out to dinner, bring $50 and watch me shine!

Thank Heaven for Lauren Green

In case you haven't heard yet, Kathy Griffin made some terrible comments after she won an Emmy award. Lauren Green, a correspondent for Fox News wrote this: Lauren's Article
Thank God someone put it in perspective!

(Thanks Lauren Green for taking the time to respond with intelligence and kindness).

Oh Happy Day!

During my last class yesterday an awesome storm began. I called Shawn to see if it was up in Placerville yet - nope! Thank God because we hadn't secured the hot tub cover on all sides. So, I called him and mentioned that it was raining really hard, and hailing a little and there was VERY loud thunder and amazing lightning. Well, only a little wind and rain hit Placerville - but I was excited nonetheless that I got caught in an amazing thunderstorm during/after class. It rained a little last night and is very cloudy today. We are prepared. Last night Shawn secured the last two straps on the hot tub and we are good to go. (When we placed the hot tub I asked him to secure the straps - and let's just say that there was a bit of disagreement about doing it yesterday - and to make a long story short, it needed to be done). Quite a number of years ago I had a bit of a hot tub mishap. The cover flew off and broke a window. I knew there was a storm coming in and didn't want that to happen again. So, needless to say, the straps are secured - and well, simply put, I was right! :) Wind was mildly strong yesterday, and we would have lost the cover had it not been secured down. Thanks for doing that babe, even though you didn't want to - I think it was the best decision. I will post pics of the hot tub when I get around to it.

Oh, how I am glad the weather is changing! And, I feel blessed that I got to see the thunderstorm. Thanks God! It lifted my spirits.

New shows

Oh, Wentworth Miller - how I have missed you!!! Tonight is the LONG ANTICIPATED season premier of Prison Break. So exciting. After months and months of lame reruns, we finally get to partake in some new shows. I hate summer for a number of reasons - the heat - the excessive sun - being locked inside the house because of the two aforementioned things - and of course RERUNS!!!!!

Like I have posted before, there is something for both Shawn and I. Of course Wentworth Miller is for me, regardless of his sexual orientation which of course Perez Hilton is constantly questioning (like he does everyone, simply because he himself is same-sex oriented). I digress! Shawn likes the character Sara Tancredi - he thinks she is an attractive character. Not only physically (he thinks she's cute), but her character's personality as well. I think it's cute that he has a TV crush. :)

In other news:
*Shawn's birthday is today!!! Happy Birthday sweetie!!! You are an amazing husband - everything I could have ever hoped for. I am so blessed to share my life with you. (I am glad you get to watch your TV crush on your birthday). :)

*Our hot tub is getting delivered tomorrow. Woo hoo! I can't wait for it to get here and get it set up. Shawn and I have waited so long for a hot tub. 24 hours-ish and it will be here. It probably won't be hooked up for a couple of weeks, but at least it will be here. Yippeeee!!!!

It's one or the other

My tomato plants are doing well. Except for one thing. Something keeps eating the tips of them at night. I think it's either a:

(Cute little dear.....bastard!)

OR

(The Chupracabra)

I think it's the Chupacabra that's eating them - what do you think?

I like 'em!

Shawn and I had another busy weekend. We met some friends for brunch on Sunday morning down in Sacramento. It was fun. Since we were down there I decided to stop by Pottery Barn at the mall. I have had a gift certificate burning a hole in my pocket since my birthday and wanted to spend it. There's nothing like free stuff right? Or, as my bother-in-law says, "It's free99!" I have wanted a really cool pitcher and set of goblet style glasses for a while. Everywhere I look they are ok priced, but can't justify spending money on something we don't actually 'need'. Now, it was my turn to splurge on something I have wanted for a while. It took me only a few minutes to decide on this set (really, because Shawn had to go to the bathroom). It's simple and straight to the point. I love it!!!! Now, when people come over, I can use it to serve iced tea, lemonade or my favorite, ice water with slices of lemon right in the pitcher. Love it!!! It's the simple things in life that make me happy.

So, a HUGE thanks to Chris and Crystal for giving me a gift certificate to Pottery Barn. There is NO WAY I would have EVER spent that much on a pitcher and glasses set. You guys are wonderfully thoughtful!!!

Chicken Souvlaki with Tzaziki Sauce

I can't quite remember if I have posted this recipe before, but even if I have, it's worth mentioning again. It's called Chicken Souvlaki with Tzaziki Sauce. It has very strong flavors, which I like A LOT. I actually do it a bit differently than how the recipe states, so I will give you the recipe as is, then tell you how I 'make it my own'.

Souvlaki:
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into (1/2-inch-thick) slices
Cooking spray

Tzatziki Sauce:
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and shredded
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt (greek yogurt if possible)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced

Preparation

To prepare souvlaki, combine the first 5 ingredients in a zip-top plastic bag; seal and shake to combine. Add chicken to bag; seal and shake to coat. Marinate chicken in refrigerator for 30 minutes, turning once.

Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Thread the chicken and zucchini, alternately onto each of 4 (8-inch) skewers.

Heat a grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add skewers; cook 8 minutes or until chicken is done, turning once.

To prepare tzatziki sauce, combine cucumber, yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 garlic clove, stirring well. Serve the tzatziki sauce with souvlaki.

Yield

2 servings (serving size: 2 skewers and about 1/4 cup tzatziki sauce)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 219(19% from fat); FAT 4.7g (sat 1.3g,mono 2.3g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 30.9g; CHOLESTEROL 69mg; CALCIUM 161mg; SODIUM 705mg; FIBER 2.4g; IRON 1.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 12.3g

My changes:
I marinate the chicken as stated, without the zucchini. Let it sit for a few hours to overnight (most times I don't wait overnight because I don't like to think that far ahead) and fry it in a frying pan until the chicken is done. If you fry it like I do, add some cooking spray to the bottom of a pan and just add the chicken, NOT THE MARINADE. The marinade it too delicate and WILL burn. Discard the marinade unless you are making a second round of the chicken the next day.

I eat the chicken as is. In fact, I eat it both hot and cold. Hot when I am eating it with a pita, and cold for the left overs. It is really good cold - in fact, I eat the chicken as finger food when I am hungry in between meals. Lots of lean protein and flavor.

I serve the chicken in a pita with some tzaziki sauce and cut up fresh tomatoes and/or cucumbers. I also make a side dish of fresh cut tomatoes and cucumbers in tzaziki sauce.

Speaking of the Tzaziki Sauce - my modifications are: Not so much garlic. I use just a tiny bit of raw garlic because the whole clove is WAY to overpowering. I use yogurt, some sour cream, previously stated tiny amount of raw garlic, garlic powder, dill - fresh or dried, cucumber that is peeled, seeded and grated with a cheese grater, lemon and of course salt. I don't have the exact quantities since I mix and taste as I go, but if you are going to modify the recipe, start with the basic recipe and modify from there. A tend to add almost equal parts of sour cream and yogurt (but the sour cream isn't necessary - my husband happens to LOVE sour cream). Once I get the grated cucumber in there, I add and taste until I like it.

Let me know if you have any questions! :) Happy Cooking!!!

I keep saying....

I keep mentioning in my blog, and to people I talk to, that my students are driving me crazy (the "I know it all' attitude which is pretty much associated with a particular age group - I should mention that not all my students have this attitude - neither do some other people I know in that age category). Well, here's the truth - as it was pointed out tonight. They aren't really driving me crazy, they are challenging me and allowing me the opportunity to stretch. :) That's a better way of looking at it I think. And, to tell you the truth, there are a number of things that are stretching me right now - some family, some acquaintances, some work situations - all of which are good things, I think!

In other news,,,,,,we had dinner tonight with some of Shawn's family. It was pretty fun. We had Chinese Food - a favorite of many in Shawn's family. Tomorrow we may attempt a long hike - this time without the doggy. She wasn't able to hike up rocks and last week ended up hurting herself. So, I think Shawn and I might try that hike alone...maybe. We have been pretty exhausted lately, so we may do a shorter, yet more intense hike tomorrow. We will see what tomorrow brings. :) Until then.....

Lecture is done...

I prepared my lecture and group activity for the day - wooo hoooo! It took me a few hours, but it's done. Here's my motto (and has been since graduate school): "Lecture is done and that is good. Therefore, lecture is good!" We used to substitute the word 'paper' for 'lecture' since we were constantly writing papers in grad school. It works!

Just some things.....

The weekend.....

Thursday: Went over to Shawn's brother's place late at night and got quite a bit of work done - yeah me! Came home at like 1am or so.

Friday: Cleaned the backyard for the expected arrival of our hot tub this week. Worked really late into the night and didn't get to bed until pretty late again - ugghhh!

Saturday: Went to Fernley to hang with my sister for her birthday. We had a good time with everyone. I wished we could have stayed, but we had decided before we got up there that we were going to keep the visit short and sweet for our sanity. We have been busy for, I don't know, every weekend for months now and desperately need some time to unwind.

Sunday: Went to Apple Hill - simply because it was opening day. I drove around to all of the farms, 'just to see', but only stopped at 3 farms. Had some family over for dinner - it was fun!

Monday: Went on a hike, and then unexpectedly ended up in Tahoe for lunch. There was too much traffic to head back the way we came, so we headed up the mountain and went a different way home. It was a nice day - for the most part. Right after we got home, Shawn's mom and step-dad came by for an hour/hour and a half or so. We planned a dinner for the family for the weekend - Chinese on Friday night - fun times!

Today: Hmmm, let's see here - I think I will exercise and then get some prep work done for my classes tomorrow. Hopefully my classes will improve a bit, I am not feeling connected to them right now and hope it gets better. No cooking today! But, I think I figured out how to make those amazing blueberry muffins from a post about 5 months ago. I bought a wonderful Apple Cake from Apple Hill on Sunday and it had the same taste as the blueberry muffins. The secret.....I can't tell you yet. Not until I try the recipe again. :) But once I do, I am telling ya, it's gonna be the BEST blueberry muffin recipe EVER. Although, I have a feeling it's going to be a semi-homemade recipe since I will be using a box cake/ muffin mix. Maybe I will try making this recipe today, just to see if I can do it. :) Ok, so maybe some cooking today.

Divorce

I am wondering..... Before the 1940's, husband and wife slept in the same room, but in separate beds - divorce rate was low. After the 1950's, husband and wife slept in the same bed - divorce rate is growing. Coincidence??? You decide!

I can't decide

What's worse???

1). 100 degree weather?
2). 100 degree weather with 40% humidity?
3). 100 degree weather with 40% humidity and hot moist wind intermittently licking you across the face?

I don't want to complain, because you know, I was taught at a young age (how old was I when I was at Teen Mania?) not to 'state the obvious'. Screw it!!! It is FREAKING HOT OUT and I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Some lessons don't stick. :)

All I want for Christmas...

I can't wait until Christmas!!!!! Only 118 days until Christmas. :)

Cherry Delight

Cherry Delight:
1 - 20oz. can of Cherry Pie filling (I use different fillings like Apple or Blueberry too - Comstock is the brand I use)
1/2 box of white cake mix
1/2 stick of margarine
1/2 cup of nuts of your choice

Melt margarine and pour it over the cake mix. Mix it up with your fingers so it becomes crumbly. Mix in the nuts. In an 8x8 baking dish, pour in cherry/blueberry/apple pie filling. Over the pie filling, sprinkle the cake mixture (should be kinda dry and crumbly). Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes until heated through. Serve with whipped cream on top.

I am telling ya folks, this is the easiest dessert ever and it's so incredibly yummy. I swear ladies, make this when your husband isn't looking and he will think you are amazing. It's so easy, but the taste is amazing. My step-dad who was on a diet for most of my teenage years and young adult life would wait until the middle of the night and eat the WHOLE THING. It's irresistible. :)

Bread Recipes

Here are a couple of recipes for homemade breads I made last week:

Carrot-Raisin Bread

1 1/2 Cup sifted all purpose flour

1/2 C	sugar
1 tsp	baking powder
1/4 tsp	baking soda
1/2 tsp	salt
1-1/2 tsp	ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp	ground allspice
1	egg, beaten
1/2 C	water
2 Tbsp	vegetable oil
1/2 tsp	vanilla
1-1/2 C	finely shredded carrots
1/4 C	chopped pecans
1/4 C	golden raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Lightly oil a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.
2. Stir together dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. Make a well in center of dry mixture.
3. In separate bowl, mix together remaining ingredients; add this mixture all at once to dry ingredients. Stir just enough to moisten and evenly distribute carrots.
4. Turn into prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cool 5 minutes in pan. Remove from pan and complete cooling on a wire rack before slicing.

Yield: One loaf--Serving Size: 1/2-inch slice

Each serving provides:

Calories: 99
Total fat: 3 g
Saturated fat: less than 1 g
Cholesterol: 12 mg
Sodium: 97 mg

Review: I really liked this bread. It comes out a bit orange because of the high amount of carrot, but it was good. It has just enough sweetness without being too overly sweet. I will definitely be making this again.


Apricot-Orange Bread

1	(6 oz) package of dried apricots cut into small pieces
2 C	water
2 Tbsp	margarine
1 C	sugar
1	egg, slightly beaten
1 Tbsp	freshly grated orange peel
3-1/2 C	sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 C	nonfat dry milk powder
2 tsp	baking powder
1 tsp	baking soda
1 tsp	salt
1/2 C	orange juice
1/2 C	chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Lightly oil two 9x5-inch loaf pan.
2. Cook apricots in water in a covered medium-size saucepan for 10-15 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Drain; reserve 3/4 cup liquid. Set apricots aside to cool.
3. Cream together margarine and sugar. By hand, beat in egg and orange peel.
4. Sift together flour, dry milk, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with reserved apricot liquid and orange juice.
5. Stir apricot pieces and pecans into batter.
6. Turn batter into prepared pans.
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until bread springs back when lightly touched in center.
8. Cool 5 minutes in pan. Remove from pan and completely cool on wire rack before slicing.

Yield: 2 loaves--Serving Size: 1/2-inch slice

Each serving provides:

Calories: 97
Total fat: 2 g
Saturated fat: less than 1 g
Cholesterol: 6 mg
Sodium: 113 mg

Review: I thought this bread was ok. It seemed like it was going to be a winner, but I think it's missing some spices - maybe a dash of cinnamon or something. I will make it again because it is a very attractive bread, but I will be adding some ingredients like maybe lemon and lemon zest - and maybe even some raisins or something.

Overall I liked both breads - the carrot raisin bread had a bit more flavor. And, to know me is to know that I really like BOLD flavors in what I eat. The apricot orange bread had mild flavors. Happy Baking!!!

Let's see here...

This weekend has been fun! Here's a rundown:

*Got some stuff worked out with some people
*Had coffee with my mother-in-law on Friday
*Had an unexpected dinner over at Shawn's family's house
*Got together with other family today for lunch
*Finished my syllabus for classes that start on Monday
*Found out that teaching in the Bay Area is possible - still need prayer for this one
*Started to plan a trip to Disneyland sometime in November or December
*...and there's still tomorrow

Overall I feel pretty good about this weekend. Shawn and I desperately need a full weekend to ourselves, but spending time with family is worth it! We have sooooo much fun when we hang out with family - - - - I just wished mine lived a bit closer. :) Maybe someday.

I am awake

It is about 3:30am. A pretty normal time for me to wake up in the middle of the night. But, tonight, like many other nights are the same. I had a dream about a person from high school that I haven't thought about in quite some time, probably years. In fact, sometimes I have dreams about random people out of the blue. These are the times I know that I need to wake up and pray for that person. I kind of think that God does this intentionally, because He knows I will wake up and pray, even if it is a simple prayer. So tonight, distant friend, I pray that the Lord surrounds you with His spirit. I pray that God protects you in whatever situation you are going through in this very specific time. I pray that if you do not know God, that you will turn to Him and acknowledge that He is the One true comforter, protector and One true God.

Baking Stuff

Carrot Raisin Bread - Done!
Apricot-Orange Bread - Done!
Banana Bread - Coming soon
Zucchini Bread - Coming soon

Recipes and reviews coming soon!

If you remember

Hello all out in blogland! If you remember, please pray for me. I am in the midst of making a decision about next semester that will afford me more money, health insurance, and being part of a community that I miss greatly. I contacted San Jose State to see if they will give me a couple of classes next semester. Even though I will still be teaching here in the Sac area, I need a couple more classes but have been unable to find them. The downside, traveling down to the Bay Area once a week again! Yikes!!! But, I only want this if it's God's will. That's it!!! Don't want it otherwise. So, needless to say, please pray that they ducks fall in a line - or not - and that it's VERY CLEAR to me what to do. :)

Uh, yeah!

Today I cut my foot (don't ask). I asked Shawn to get me a cotton square with some peroxide so I could clean it out after our short hike around a beautiful lake in the area (it started to bleed again). He brought me a cotton square as asked. What I discovered a few minutes later is that Shawn wasn't paying close attention to the bottle and in fact had brought me back a cotton square with alcohol. I found that out the hard way.

End of the semester grades.....

I just finished my grades for the end of the semester.....I graded a bit too easy. I knew I was going to do this when I started the semester, which is not necessarily a good thing. But, I think teaching and grading is an ongoing process. I hit about a 3.14 average across the class when I should be at 2.7 or so. This means that I should be at a C+ average, and I was at a B- average. I need to readjust my grading for the Fall. I think I was a little take aback by the lack of ethnicity - the change in location - the differences in schools etc.... I mean really, I am not here to trip anyone up by grading hard, I just could have been a bit more polar. I have had this happen only once before - and it seems to be linked directly with how well I get along with the class I am teaching. Terrible, I know! But, like I said, it's a process. :) There should have been a few more C's in the class. I made stupid mistakes like too much extra credit, and being too soft as an instructor. Now I know! :)

Outsider

Do you ever feel like an outsider in a situation you shouldn't feel like an outsider in?

Farmers Market

Today started out as a really good day. My mother-in-law, two sisters-in-law and two nieces headed down to Davis to go to the Farmers Market. We had a lot of fun shopping for fresh picked peaches, pluots, plumbs, nectarines, purple basil, and melons. We also picked up some baked goods, tamales, cheese curd (for Shawn) and something from Pakistan (I think) that was incredibly yummy! For lunch today I had one of my amazing nectarines and a pluot. Oh, so good!. I haven't been to a farmers market that good since we lived in the Bay Area. I am definitely going back again. I spent entirely too much money, but it was fun nonetheless. Us girls had a good time just talking, checking things out, sampling items, and generally just having a good time. I'll tell ya something - I have been incredibly blessed with a really cool family - on both sides. I am a lucky girl!

Britney Spears

Britney Spears reality must be incredibly difficult. I watched a couple of videos on TMZ.com of her simply trying to leave in her car, and it was madness. Literally, police were there trying to clear the area so she could pull her car out and drive away. In another video, her body guards were trying to get people to clear so the poor girl can get into her car - camera flashes constantly going off. It seems like she is never alone. Most people can go about their daily lives without inconvenience. Everywhere this poor girl goes, she is bombarded by people who want a glimpse of what she's doing. If she sucks on a lollipop, the world knows. If she gets a coffee drink, the world knows, if she stubs her toe it makes the evening news. I know that people say that she's a trainwreck and that her career is over (Hollywood hopes). Think about it - - - everyday, every minute of everyday she is under the microscope. Can trust virtually no one! And as far as a career, what is she going to do? Work in an office somewhere? The girl is in a huge transition period in her life - she's young, a fairly new mom, trying to keep up a career that she possibly doesn't want anymore - but honestly, what other choice does she have?

I watched those videos and I literally started to cry (and that's not an easy thing to evoke in me). Her reality is so far from my own, which, I am incredibly thankful for. I have choices! I can go to the grocery store with no one recognizing me. I can suck on a lollipop without a group of people following after me. I can get in my car without a swarm of people around me. I can leave a building without random people touching me constantly. Alas, she cannot. I don't blame her in the least for trying to figure things out. She is young, but her life is changing.....divorce, kids, career, family etc.... My heart goes out to her. I can't fathom the things she goes through constantly, and how much she probably feels like she is stuck in between a rock and a hard place when it comes to life. Hollywood is cruel. If she tries to fade into the background and live her life, there will always be a news story of what Britney Spears became. There will be no rest for her. And, who is it that created this in her life? Well, when you get catapulted into the spotlight at such a young age, you rarely think about what that's going to look like in the future. All you care about is becoming the next big sensation. That's what she was - the next big thing. But, when you take one step out of line, there are a million people waiting to judge your every move. Like I said, my hear goes out to that poor girl - and all of the young people in Hollywood. They know not, the full extent of what they are involved in....and when they finally do figure it out, it's too late. Their lives are wasted and they are discarded like a used paper cup. It makes me sad!

Strawberry-Lemon Marmalade - DONE!!!

The title says it all!