Eating at Home: Day 4

We did it! We ate at home four nights in a row!

This afternoon, Marc had to meet someone at 5:00 across town so he was going to be late getting home. He called me after work to see if I wanted to go to Red Robin to eat dinner. (He has a free birthday burger coming...) As tempting as it was, I told him that I really wanted to cook tonight. (Gasp!)

I've had a crazy week filled with three meetings and four different interns hanging out in my classroom. The last thing I really wanted to do was cook tonight. But that was my goal, and I stuck to it! I have to say that I'm really proud of myself!

On the menu tonight was shrimp scampi with pasta and garlic bread.

It was quick and easy to make and oh so good! Now, we're going to eat tomorrow night, because I've earned it!

Eating at Home: Day 3

Okay, I'm getting better at this! 

In less than 30 minutes, I made brats and fried potatoes. Marc was in man heaven...He's a meat and potatoes kind of guy! 

Now, I need to finish doing the laundry so I can watch Survivor. 

Eating at Home: Day 2

Today has been pretty rough!

I woke up a little after 3:00am with excruciating pain in my ear. After waiting on some medicine to kick in, I had about 30 more minutes to sleep before my alarm went off.

I had yet another field experience student in my classroom today to observe. (My third person in two days!) I really don't mind them being in there, but I never get a planning break because I'm having to answer questions.  

Then to top it off, I had to go to the doctor to get my ear checked. Turns out that I have a really bad ear infection. I guess I should've gone in when it first started hurting a couple of weeks ago. Oops!

Anyway, as bad as I wanted to just pick up take-out, I didn't! I dropped off my prescription and headed home to cook these little yummies:

Ham Sammies:

(Picture borrowed from the linked website.)

My sweet mother has been making these sandwiches for years! Every baby or wedding shower she has hosted included these sandwiches, probably because they are so simple to make, and they freeze beautifully!

I ended up making enough for tonight and another batch to freeze for later. I'm looking forward to making them on a night in the future when I'm too tired to cook!

*This is the recipe that is closest to my mother's recipe, except she uses shredded cheddar cheese. I use cheddar or Swiss, depending on what's in the fridge. I also use Woeber's Supreme Honey Mustard instead of Dijon mustard. I like that it gives it more of a bite!

Eating at Home: Day 1

Marc and I eat out WAY TOO MUCH! Not only is it really expensive, but we usually pick unhealthy junk. So, my goal this month is to eat more home-cooked meals. 

Part of the reason we eat out so much is that I'm absolutely exhausted when I get home from work every day. I have to be "ON" for about seven hours a day, and it wears me out. My classroom ranges from calm to chaotic at any given minute depending on what we're doing, and sometimes I feel like the ringleader. 

So, in an effort to be more organized, I made a monthly menu this past weekend, along with a detailed grocery list. And by gum, I'm going to STICK WITH IT! I'm going to cook every night except Fridays and Sundays. We're also planning to go out this month for Marc's birthday and our anniversary.

Tonight, I made stuffed bread with pepperoni, ham, and provolone cheese! (This is not my bread. I borrowed the picture from the linked website.)

Oh my! It was so good! I've always been scared to make it, because Marc is used to his Italian mama's stuffed breads. But he loved it! (And it wasn't hard to make at all...a huge plus for me!)

I'm going to definitely use this recipe again. It's a keeper!

Road Trip!

Two of my favorite words: Road Trip!

Marc had to drive to Birmingham to pick up something he had purchased down there, so we decided to make a day of it. He decided to take "Frank" on his first out-of-town trip. I mean, let's face it, "Frank" gets a whopping 35+mpg, so it was a no-brainer!

"Frank" on the interstate

I really wasn't in the mood to go when Marc first mentioned the trip to me. I've had a ton of school work to do lately, and it seems like I never catch up no matter how hard I work. My plan for that day was to get a couple weeks' work done, so I could have a breather during the week. Oh well, the best laid plans...

He persuaded me to go when he promised to take me to the Cheesecake Factory. (One of my favorites!) He also said we could go to World Market and HomeGoods. 

The Novel Menu

There are so many yummies on the menu that it's always so hard to decide what to eat. We decided to get an old favorite and to try some new things. Stepping out of my comfort zone, if you will.

Crab Wontons

(We always order these. They are so good!)

Sweet Corn Fritters

(Something new for us. The verdict's still out.)

Chicken Sliders

(Good, but way too many!)

Marc ordered the Shepherd's Pie, which was also new for him. He really liked it, and it was a huge, man-sized portion. We were both so stuffed that we decided to skip dessert. Imagine that!

After lunch, we picked up Marc's purchase, did a little shopping, and then headed home. Fun day!

Where I Spend My Days

So, this is where I spend my weekdays. (And lately, most weekends, since we were given ONE day to prepare our classrooms!) Everything is clean and shiny and waiting for my students to walk through the door on the first day of school. 

Looking in from the door


The Morning Meeting Area

My Beloved ActivBoard

The (Now!) Empty Counter

The Math Area

Our Reading Focus Wall/Reading Center

Our Math Focus Wall/Center Table

My (Sad, Boring) Desk 
(that we're no longer allowed to personalize.)

My Table
(where I meet with my students every day)

The Students' Storage Area

From the Students' Point of View

We're making the switch to digital curriculum this year. Every student will have his/her own laptop, which will be interesting. We're also teaching Common Core standards this year in addition to the Alabama Course of Study standards. Oh, and did I mention that we merged with the middle school and have an all new administrative team? 

It's going to be a year of changes and hard work, but I'm ready to face the challenge. Here we go!!!

A Little Bit of Paradise

Part of me doesn't even want to share these pictures, because I'm afraid that word will get out about this little piece of Paradise lost...

Marc and I decided to take a little last minute getaway before going back to school/work. We booked the trip about two weeks out so it was just enough time for me to plan a few things, but mostly we just wanted to relax on the beach. 

After a six-hour drive, we arrived in Navarre Beach. It is a quiet little town right on the Gulf on a stretch called the Emerald Coast. It lies almost exactly halfway between Pensacola and Ft. Walton Beach, but it's not touristy at all.

After dinner on our first night, we went over to the beach to check it out. I have to say this is the nicest, cleanest public beach I've ever seen in my life. Absolutely beautiful! There were plenty of parking areas, public access boardwalks, and nice picnic/restroom areas. 

The only green flag day we would have...

Marc and I strolled up and down the beach and watched the sunset. It was stunning! The best part? The beach was empty!

The next morning, we got up early and ate a nice (free!) breakfast at our hotel. It was supposed to rain later in the day, so we wanted to make the most out of the time we had. It ended up being an overcast day, and it started to rain around lunchtime. So, we headed back to the hotel, freshened up, then headed over to Pensacola for some delicious soul food at Five Sisters Blues Cafe. (I highly recommend them!) Later that day, we headed back to the beach and stayed until dark.

The next day was absolutely gorgeous! It was a yellow flag day, and the waves were nice and big!

Marc and I staked out our little piece of the beach, played in the waves, and chilled in our chairs.

I can see why they call it the "Emerald Coast."

Marc taking a break from the waves.

(Notice all the people around? NOT!)

Soaking up the sun!

Marc was in heaven searching for shells! I swear he could stay in the water all day long!

He found a crab!

Cute little guy! (The crab, too!)

Unfortunately, a huge wave washed our underwater camera out of Marc's hand. We've had the worst luck with that thing! He also opened it underwater a couple of years ago when we were in the Bahamas.

We stayed and watched the sunset. There was also a full moon that night, and it was stunning! A perfect ending to a perfect trip!

So, if you're ever in the mood for a quick getaway to a beautiful beach that is never crowded, head down to Navarre Beach. On the other hand, you could always go to one of the other more populated beaches, like Destin or Panama City. 

We'll stick with Navarre!