Sorry that the posts have become few and far between...I'll try harder from now on! Christmas season has been keeping me awfully busy (in a wonderful way!) I mean, is there anything better than buying gifts, celebrating the season, and watching 439867392 Christmas movies? (thanks Hallmark!)
Jack and Jill have been working hard at school and are quite ready and deserving of this break! I got to help them do their Christmas shopping for Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto, which was a lot of fun. Also fun was trying to pick out perfect gifts for all of them from me. For the kiddos I settled on creating geocaching bags, fully equipped with all the supplies they need for a geocaching outing. And for Mickey and Minnie, I decided the best thing would be to give them quality time together, so I organized 3 dates: a brunch, a night at the movies, and a romantic home-cooked meal (by me). Hopefully it will prove a successful gift!
An now, 7 hours from this moment, I will be loading into a taxi and headed to Reagan for a flight home. I think I started the countdown sometime back in October, but it never seemed like it would actually come! (I mean, don't get me wrong, I wasn't quick to want to leave here, but around Halloween is when I started realizing that Christmas wasn't far off- and here we are!)
The family has been so overly generous and kind to me, and it is a somewhat strange feeling to be leaving- kind of like when you leave school- you leave behind dear friends for family time, which is both wonderful but slightly bittersweet. But I couldn't be more excited to see my familia for a while! Hopefully they are prepped for geocaching, some serious Just Dance destruction, ping pong battles, and family dinners!
4 days until the big day! Now that we actually survived despite the Mayans, I guess it's time we all stop procrastinating, and do our Christmas shopping!
May the force be with you!
Rachel
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
From the city of love, to the city of brotherly love
Apparently I love me some cities of love! Turned out I had a three day weekend this past weekend, which meant, time to head to Philadelphia to visit two wonderful wonderful friends: the best of my high school and college days! Though it was a rainy weekend, it was a weekend that was unarguably and completely perfect. I hopped on a Megabus on Thursday night, and 3 hours later I was pulling up behind the station (because they don't believe in actually dropping you *at* the station) of the lovely Philadelphia. And then Friday morning came morning. Friday, the best day of all days. Why?
That's why! (The friend, not the giant macaroni noodle) What began as a lost wander to Broad St. to have the movie-moment reunion on the street with the one and only Mary Simms (which we did have- middle of the sidewalk, passerbys irrelevant and unimportant) culminated in a day of wandering, catching up, and simply enjoying each other's company, and of course, would any reunion be complete without a coffee at a local coffee shop? No! No amount of coldness or rain could keep that day from being absolutely perfect!
And then Saturday we got up bright and early to have a final cup of coffee before Mary got back to her normal routine. I headed back to my friend, David's, apartment and we headed out to see the UPENN campus (where he currently is attending med school). We also went ice skating: I fell right on my sorry butt, and remembered in a quick moment why it is that I haven't gone skating in about 8 years- because I don't enjoy it at all. But I enjoyed the company. Sunday morning I hopped back on a bus and headed back to DC.
And now here we are- refreshed, renewed, and ready to dive head-first into Christmas preparations.
Hope the Christmas season is as wonderful for you as it is for me!
Rachel
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Thanksgiving Reflections
So, I swear that my intentions were good when I was in France to blog while I was there...unfortunately, trying to see France, care for the kiddies, keep two journals, and sleep and recover somehow seemed to get in the way of blogging...so with deepest apologies, some more about France...
France is a beautiful beautiful place. In regards to people saying the French are rude; I found quite the opposite to be true. When we got into the airplane leaving DC I had that "oh crap" moment, when I realized that around me I heard much French being spoken, and didn't understand even a bit of it. It's somewhat incredible to see how far you can get not speaking the same language as the people around you, but it's also terrifying, and can be quite frustrating. Frustrating when people are ushering you off a bus a mile from your destination, and there's no way to find out why...frustrating when you're trying to pay for groceries but aren't allowed because you haven't weighed your fruit...frustrating when your 8.5km from the Eiffel Tower and have 35 mins to get there. And so when people say the French are rude, I beg to differ. I can't call the cashier or the woman behind me in line who helped me weigh the fruit rude. I can't call the store clerk who found an english-speaker to help select clothing rude. I can't call the woman who missed 4 opportunities to cross in the crosswalk so that she could instead pull up directions and maps and metro stop listings on her iphone to help me get to the Eiffel Tower rude. It's incredible to see how very generous and kind people are, if only you're willing to abandon the stereotypes that you've adopted and held onto.
I can't describe France in words alone. Cue the slideshow!
France is a beautiful beautiful place. In regards to people saying the French are rude; I found quite the opposite to be true. When we got into the airplane leaving DC I had that "oh crap" moment, when I realized that around me I heard much French being spoken, and didn't understand even a bit of it. It's somewhat incredible to see how far you can get not speaking the same language as the people around you, but it's also terrifying, and can be quite frustrating. Frustrating when people are ushering you off a bus a mile from your destination, and there's no way to find out why...frustrating when you're trying to pay for groceries but aren't allowed because you haven't weighed your fruit...frustrating when your 8.5km from the Eiffel Tower and have 35 mins to get there. And so when people say the French are rude, I beg to differ. I can't call the cashier or the woman behind me in line who helped me weigh the fruit rude. I can't call the store clerk who found an english-speaker to help select clothing rude. I can't call the woman who missed 4 opportunities to cross in the crosswalk so that she could instead pull up directions and maps and metro stop listings on her iphone to help me get to the Eiffel Tower rude. It's incredible to see how very generous and kind people are, if only you're willing to abandon the stereotypes that you've adopted and held onto.
I can't describe France in words alone. Cue the slideshow!
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| By night |
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| Inside Notre Dame |
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| Some really cool grafitti |
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| The Louvre |
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| By night |
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| Montmartre art square |
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| Venus statue |
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| Inside the Louvre |
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| The Mona Lisa |
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| Mont St Michel |
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| Thanksgiving Dinner attire |
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| Chateau D'Audrieu (where we stayed in for our time in Normandy) |
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| Utah Beach |
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| Horse training- to make them fast trotters (weird) |
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| Ship remains at Utah Beach |
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| Pointe Du Hoc- craters formed by US bombs shot from boats at German Bunkers |
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| Pointe Du Hoc |
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| Pointe Du Hoc |
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| Omaha Beach |
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| American Cemetery |
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| Flag lowering ceremony at the Cemetery |
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| Arc de Triomphe |
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| mi crepe! (yum) |
Getting artsy with the Eiffel Tower shot
So, basically, my time in France will be forever unforgettable. I don't think words can actually describe the way it felt to be there. There was the incredible rush of being somewhere new, the adventure of discovering a new place, but also a strange familiarity, like having an old friend greet you. I felt like Europe was embracing me in a hug and saying "welcome back, Rachel, we're so glad you're here!" Hey Europe, I'm glad too!
xoxo
Rachel
Monday, November 19, 2012
Bonjour, Au Pair!
I could now properly be referred to as an au pair, because little old me is now in the lovely Paris! In fact, here's me right this very moment:
There I am, delicious coffee in hand, in the cozy flat on Rue Jacob. We will be here for the week (with the exception of when we head to Normandy for 2 days later this week)! Micky and Minnie bring the kids (and nanny) to Paris every Thanksgiving, just for a fun change of pace, and a wonderful trip. So this will be a very new Thanksgiving experience for me!
It is currently 11:15 AM- I think (knock on wood) that I successfully have conquered the jet-lag Yesterday I would get hit with waves of sudden exhaustion, because I in essence pulled an all-nighter and landed here at local time of 7:00 AM, which meant it was a long day to face when I should have been sleeping! But I slept 11 hours last night, so I feel like if that doesn't do the trick, nothing will!
So immediately upon my arrival, we came to the apartment to get settled and unpack. And then I had a nice rendezvous with my brother, sister-in-law, and their friend. Coincidentally, they were in Paris, and our visits overlapped by just that day! Nothing better than casual get-togethers in foreign countries! It was great to see them and I'm so glad it worked out. We had a nice day of brunching, walking, and sightseeing. We started off meeting at the duckpond at the Palace of Luxembourg.
It is currently 11:15 AM- I think (knock on wood) that I successfully have conquered the jet-lag Yesterday I would get hit with waves of sudden exhaustion, because I in essence pulled an all-nighter and landed here at local time of 7:00 AM, which meant it was a long day to face when I should have been sleeping! But I slept 11 hours last night, so I feel like if that doesn't do the trick, nothing will!
So immediately upon my arrival, we came to the apartment to get settled and unpack. And then I had a nice rendezvous with my brother, sister-in-law, and their friend. Coincidentally, they were in Paris, and our visits overlapped by just that day! Nothing better than casual get-togethers in foreign countries! It was great to see them and I'm so glad it worked out. We had a nice day of brunching, walking, and sightseeing. We started off meeting at the duckpond at the Palace of Luxembourg.
Next up we went to a cute little restaurant which had full glass walls on two sides, so we could people watch while dining. Of course, I had to get something traditional- which today meant an herb omelette, with a delicious coffee!
Next up came our scenic walk- we stopped to snap pictures of Notre Dame
And saw the lock bridge- well actually, we saw two. Apparently married couples come and put their lock on the bridge, and if it stays on, then they will have a long happy marriage. I guess bad news if it comes off...But given that we didn't find any old locks, we aren't sure if it's a new tradition, or if they clear the locks, or what...Maybe I'll look into that later! (Below is Notre Dame from the back side with the lock Bridge)
Micky and Minnie are off to find some peanut butter for the kiddies (we had an unfortunate run in last night with a no-sugar-added variety...), and then we will all be off for a day of exploring and adventure!
Until next time,
Rachel
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Harper's Ferry
So last weekend Jack and Jill and I embarked on an adventure that led us into West Virginia- to Harper's Ferry, to be precise, for a day of picnic-ing, geocaching, and enjoying the old town. Harper's Ferry is kind of like a small Williamsburg- very key in the war, now preserved beautiful land, with historic buildings, home, churches, etc. It was a lot of fun. I would love to go back sometime just to walk around and enjoy the area. Driving to West Virginia on a beautiful fall day is quite a lovely trip! Sorry to be brief, but I must be off for the next adventure, details to follow shortly! Here are some pics of Harper's Ferry, so you can get a taste for yourself! Have a lovely weekend!!
With love,
Rachel
Friday, November 9, 2012
Autumn is upon us!
I realize that this picture isn't my finest artistic display, but give me a break- moving at 60mph and trying to take a picture is quite the challenge!
Anyhow, point is: fall is here! I love my drives through the crisp, colored, trees as I venture all around the DC region. I love sitting in front of the fireplace curled up with my cup of hot tea, and some old cancelled netflix drama. (Currently it's Life Unexpected- without fail, I cry every episode). And here we are in the depth of the season, nearing the holidays moment by moment. This is my favorite time of year. We're in that middle time, the time of anticipation. Where all the rush of summer and the beginning of the school year has past. The time where everything has fallen into routine and become familiar and comfortable. The time where we enjoy every day and look forward to the soon coming season of family and friends.
At least, that's how fall is for me right now. I'm comfortable and used to the routine, and enjoy getting the kids to school and activities. Enjoy learning not about what they do, but who they are. I enjoy every day of this fall, from the trick-or-treating, to the girl scout meetings, to the drop-in volleyball, to the gallivanting DC with a dear friend. I look forward to going to Paris next week, to seeing a new place, to having a week of adventure and new experiences. I look forward to going home in 5 weeks and seeing family. I look forward to snowfalls, sledding, Christmas lights, holiday shopping. And I simultaneously am excited by my day-to-day as well as what I see hovering in the future- EMBRACING.EVERY.MOMENT.
Until next time,
Rachel
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Happy Halloween!!!
We were awfully fortunate this week in that Sandy didn't cause serious damage in this area. Lots of heavy rain, and some big trees down in town, but certainly nothing compared to what NJ/NY is facing. Jack and Jill did have school cancelled Monday and Tuesday, but now they are back in business!!
The pumpkins are carved, the decorations hung, and the costumes ready: HAPPY HALLOWEEN! It's been a long time (okay, let's be real, it's been like 6 years) since I've been trick-or-treating. Well, my friends, tonight is the glorious night that I once again relive childhood and go with the little tots! (eek, I should probably figure out a costume...STAT!)
Life has been pretty low-key as of late. I think I've got the routine pretty well under control, and I am loving it being fall. Nothing is prettier than the drive down the GW parkway, lined with colorful trees crisp with autumn (made complete often with an afternoon coffee and carefree tunes- does driving get more perfect than that?)
Another thing I love about fall: soups.stews. cold weather cooking! (Did I mention that Mickey and Minnie bought a new crockpot because I was putting it to use?...now we have a giant crockpot (by which I mean avg.-sized, but bigger than the previously owned small crockpot) Which, would this blog post be complete without a recipe? This one was a real winner! It's supposedly Spanish-style...I never had anything like it while I was in Spain, but whether it's authentic Spanish or not, it is delicious, and awfully easy to make! (We doubled it, and good thing....that will most likely become lunch for the week! yummmy!)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/spanish-turkey-meatball-stew-recipe/index.html
Now, let's reflect on the exercise aspect of my life these days...It has finally become my favorite outdoor weather: the weather that is cool and breezy so you can wear sweats and along sleeve t shirt without ever getting warm. I've been trying to spend time outdoors before it starts to get too cold. So I've taken Pluto for a few night walks (which are always more enjoyable in theory than in reality, but oh well!). This weekend I decided to go for a run, which would simultaneously help me in figuring out the lay of the town some more. Well I was overly ambitious, and what I intended to be a 2 mile run, became more like a 1.5mile run, with an additional 3.5 miles of walking....But, I did make a big connection in terms of how the roads in town come together, so it was great! I also went to go play tennis with a friend this weekend. We spent probably half an hour trying to locate an available court. Apparently the tennis league reserves practically all the courts, which means goodluck to you if you arent in the league with finding somewhere to play! Well finally we neared a court that had some older people sitting on a bench, but no one playing. We asked if they were using the court, and they said we were welcome to use it. When we got onto the court they asked if we would be interested in playing doubles. Now, I haven't played an actual match since sophomore year of high school. I played (more like piddled around) two times in my four years at college- and my friend hasn't played in at least a year, and claims to have learned how to play from mario tennis...Despite our clear lack of God-given talent, we figured that the pair of 60-yr-olds who were asking us to play might not be too much better than us. I am now humbled by the fact that age is no indication of ability. We were absolutely destroyed (6-1) by this pair. DESTROYED. It was fun, don't get me wrong, but talk about a wake up call! Man oh man do I need to start practicing!
And, I've been keeping up with the personal training sessions that Minnie so generously allows me to crash. (I don't know if I had mentioned, she has a personal trainer come to the house about twice a week, so I've been joining them). Now, the trainer comes at 6 AM, which means I wake up around 530 (ie I set my alarm for about 530 but most times roll out of bed at 555 and throw on gym clothes just as they're coming downstairs). I never thought working out in the morning would be an enjoyable thing- it's one of those things that I thought people were actually crazy for doing...there are not many things worth getting out of bed for before 6 AM...I didn't think this was possible, but I actually get so energized from working out in the morning. When the trainer comes, I actually end up not drinking coffee those mornings, because I'm so awake and refreshed and ready to go for the day (unlike most days...) It seems as though all those "crazy people" who get up early to work out are actually on to something...who'd have thunk it?
All right, I must get ready to run some errands! Happy Halloween!
Rachel
The pumpkins are carved, the decorations hung, and the costumes ready: HAPPY HALLOWEEN! It's been a long time (okay, let's be real, it's been like 6 years) since I've been trick-or-treating. Well, my friends, tonight is the glorious night that I once again relive childhood and go with the little tots! (eek, I should probably figure out a costume...STAT!)
Life has been pretty low-key as of late. I think I've got the routine pretty well under control, and I am loving it being fall. Nothing is prettier than the drive down the GW parkway, lined with colorful trees crisp with autumn (made complete often with an afternoon coffee and carefree tunes- does driving get more perfect than that?)
Another thing I love about fall: soups.stews. cold weather cooking! (Did I mention that Mickey and Minnie bought a new crockpot because I was putting it to use?...now we have a giant crockpot (by which I mean avg.-sized, but bigger than the previously owned small crockpot) Which, would this blog post be complete without a recipe? This one was a real winner! It's supposedly Spanish-style...I never had anything like it while I was in Spain, but whether it's authentic Spanish or not, it is delicious, and awfully easy to make! (We doubled it, and good thing....that will most likely become lunch for the week! yummmy!)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/spanish-turkey-meatball-stew-recipe/index.html
Now, let's reflect on the exercise aspect of my life these days...It has finally become my favorite outdoor weather: the weather that is cool and breezy so you can wear sweats and along sleeve t shirt without ever getting warm. I've been trying to spend time outdoors before it starts to get too cold. So I've taken Pluto for a few night walks (which are always more enjoyable in theory than in reality, but oh well!). This weekend I decided to go for a run, which would simultaneously help me in figuring out the lay of the town some more. Well I was overly ambitious, and what I intended to be a 2 mile run, became more like a 1.5mile run, with an additional 3.5 miles of walking....But, I did make a big connection in terms of how the roads in town come together, so it was great! I also went to go play tennis with a friend this weekend. We spent probably half an hour trying to locate an available court. Apparently the tennis league reserves practically all the courts, which means goodluck to you if you arent in the league with finding somewhere to play! Well finally we neared a court that had some older people sitting on a bench, but no one playing. We asked if they were using the court, and they said we were welcome to use it. When we got onto the court they asked if we would be interested in playing doubles. Now, I haven't played an actual match since sophomore year of high school. I played (more like piddled around) two times in my four years at college- and my friend hasn't played in at least a year, and claims to have learned how to play from mario tennis...Despite our clear lack of God-given talent, we figured that the pair of 60-yr-olds who were asking us to play might not be too much better than us. I am now humbled by the fact that age is no indication of ability. We were absolutely destroyed (6-1) by this pair. DESTROYED. It was fun, don't get me wrong, but talk about a wake up call! Man oh man do I need to start practicing!
And, I've been keeping up with the personal training sessions that Minnie so generously allows me to crash. (I don't know if I had mentioned, she has a personal trainer come to the house about twice a week, so I've been joining them). Now, the trainer comes at 6 AM, which means I wake up around 530 (ie I set my alarm for about 530 but most times roll out of bed at 555 and throw on gym clothes just as they're coming downstairs). I never thought working out in the morning would be an enjoyable thing- it's one of those things that I thought people were actually crazy for doing...there are not many things worth getting out of bed for before 6 AM...I didn't think this was possible, but I actually get so energized from working out in the morning. When the trainer comes, I actually end up not drinking coffee those mornings, because I'm so awake and refreshed and ready to go for the day (unlike most days...) It seems as though all those "crazy people" who get up early to work out are actually on to something...who'd have thunk it?
All right, I must get ready to run some errands! Happy Halloween!
Rachel
Friday, October 19, 2012
Time to Play Catch Up!
Why hello again,
Sorry about that almost 2-week hiatus. It seems my blog got away from me in these hectic days. I can't believe it's Friday once again. Time marches on to the ever-rhythmic drum, and I find I often don't keep up. It seems that each week I'm a straggler; somehow caught up back in the Tuesdays/Wednesdays- always shocked to learn we somehow have made it to a weekend. But alas, here we are!
This has been a wonderful week! Kristina is up and visiting friends in DC for a while, which means I got to steal her away and spend all day with her on Wednesday- hurray for friends!! We hit up my favorite cafe (how fun that I have a *favorite* cafe!) and just caught up a bit on life and talked about the future. Unfortunately Wednesday had a cloud hanging over it; the cold that overcame me...It started with a case of morning sniffles, but progressed to an unfortunate sneezing-fit sort of day, complete with headache and quite overactive sinus. Yuck! I went to bed early and slept almost all day Thursday to allow my body to fully devote to recovery. I'm much better today, though I feel myself wishing I could spend some time sleeping once again! In about 15 hours, me and my bed will reunite!
In other news, I found a church last weekend that I *LOVE*. Well, technically, I didn't "find" it- someone recommended I go there after describing what I was looking for- and they were dead on. The church has a large number of 20-30 yr olds, complete with Bible study and social activities. So from here on out, my Thursday nights will most often be used to meet and mingle while simultaneously growing my faith! (talk about a win-win).
Other news for the week- I successfully woke up at 5:30 not once but *twice* this week for personal training sessions. Talk about a painful experience! On the bright side, I no longer get agonizingly sore afterward, which makes me think that I'm getting stronger- although in theory I guess it could mean I'm not pushing it as much- but I assure you, that is not the case. It is pretty incredible how your body can be shaking and nearly collapsing during a workout, but less than an hour later is feeling fine and ready for the day!
The fam. is great these days. They're actually leaving for the weekend, which means Pluto and I will have some serious bonding time. (Jury's still out on whether that's good or not...) The question is how shall I spend the weekend? I bought a bike lock, so the goal is to ride out to Georgetown, park the bike, and just meander around and see what the town has to offer. I need to take advantage of bike season before it gets too cold to bike!!
I haven't been cooking too much in the recent past: when the days are busy, or Micky and Minnie have night meetings/commitments, I end up spoiling the kids with their favorites; chicken nuggets and PB&Js. But this coming week I think I'll be kicking the crock pot into full gear! One recipe worth trying though is this baked oatmeal: I cooked it in a circular cake pan and cut it into wedges. DE.LISH.OUS! Unfortunately, I think I liked it more than the kids- and that's never a good thing...but oh well. Definitely worth trying!! It comes out almost like a bread, not what I was expecting, but super tasty! ENJOY!
http://gingerbreadbagels.com/2011/03/22/peanut-butter-banana-oatmeal-squares/
Also, time for a special shout out: Happy Birthday to the best Grandma in town!! I hope it's a very special 77th!!
Love,
Rachel
Sorry about that almost 2-week hiatus. It seems my blog got away from me in these hectic days. I can't believe it's Friday once again. Time marches on to the ever-rhythmic drum, and I find I often don't keep up. It seems that each week I'm a straggler; somehow caught up back in the Tuesdays/Wednesdays- always shocked to learn we somehow have made it to a weekend. But alas, here we are!
This has been a wonderful week! Kristina is up and visiting friends in DC for a while, which means I got to steal her away and spend all day with her on Wednesday- hurray for friends!! We hit up my favorite cafe (how fun that I have a *favorite* cafe!) and just caught up a bit on life and talked about the future. Unfortunately Wednesday had a cloud hanging over it; the cold that overcame me...It started with a case of morning sniffles, but progressed to an unfortunate sneezing-fit sort of day, complete with headache and quite overactive sinus. Yuck! I went to bed early and slept almost all day Thursday to allow my body to fully devote to recovery. I'm much better today, though I feel myself wishing I could spend some time sleeping once again! In about 15 hours, me and my bed will reunite!
In other news, I found a church last weekend that I *LOVE*. Well, technically, I didn't "find" it- someone recommended I go there after describing what I was looking for- and they were dead on. The church has a large number of 20-30 yr olds, complete with Bible study and social activities. So from here on out, my Thursday nights will most often be used to meet and mingle while simultaneously growing my faith! (talk about a win-win).
Other news for the week- I successfully woke up at 5:30 not once but *twice* this week for personal training sessions. Talk about a painful experience! On the bright side, I no longer get agonizingly sore afterward, which makes me think that I'm getting stronger- although in theory I guess it could mean I'm not pushing it as much- but I assure you, that is not the case. It is pretty incredible how your body can be shaking and nearly collapsing during a workout, but less than an hour later is feeling fine and ready for the day!
The fam. is great these days. They're actually leaving for the weekend, which means Pluto and I will have some serious bonding time. (Jury's still out on whether that's good or not...) The question is how shall I spend the weekend? I bought a bike lock, so the goal is to ride out to Georgetown, park the bike, and just meander around and see what the town has to offer. I need to take advantage of bike season before it gets too cold to bike!!
I haven't been cooking too much in the recent past: when the days are busy, or Micky and Minnie have night meetings/commitments, I end up spoiling the kids with their favorites; chicken nuggets and PB&Js. But this coming week I think I'll be kicking the crock pot into full gear! One recipe worth trying though is this baked oatmeal: I cooked it in a circular cake pan and cut it into wedges. DE.LISH.OUS! Unfortunately, I think I liked it more than the kids- and that's never a good thing...but oh well. Definitely worth trying!! It comes out almost like a bread, not what I was expecting, but super tasty! ENJOY!
http://gingerbreadbagels.com/2011/03/22/peanut-butter-banana-oatmeal-squares/
Also, time for a special shout out: Happy Birthday to the best Grandma in town!! I hope it's a very special 77th!!
Love,
Rachel
Monday, October 8, 2012
Cooking for a Crowd
I'm starting to think I need to be a spokesperson for Pinterest, I literally use it on almost a daily basis, and am in love with it! So since this is obviously a cooking blog (inadvertently) it only seems right that I include the recipes of the night...I have been dying to make this lasagna ever since I saw the recipe- so glad I finally got the chance! I used hot chicken sausage, because Harris Teeter seemed to be out of the turkey variety, and I think it was awesome! (I normally am not a pasta person, and I hateeee sausage...I wouldn't have been able to eat this if it didn't involve removing the casing...thank goodness for that step!)
Caprese Lasagna with Hot turkey (or chicken) sausage
http://iowagirleats.com/2012/05/31/caprese-lasagna-with-spicy-turkey-sausage/
And if serving pasta isn't carb-olicious enough...Obviously adding fresh baked bread is the only way to go!! This was another recipe I was dying to try out, and while I'm not sure if it's okay in the culinary world to serve it with lasagna, I did, and I found it awfully delicious!!! (Like I think I need to join the gym tomorrow to work off the 3-4 lb gain induced by this meal...just saying...)
Artisan Bread Recipe
http://theitaliandishblog.com/imported-20090913150324/2010/2/26/amazing-artisan-bread-for-40-cents-a-loaf-no-kneading-no-fus.html
So now, obviously a big part of my cooking is trying to broaden Jack and Jill's horizons of foods they will eat...Jill ate like 3 bites of the lasagna (which was more than we would've expected...) and they both loved loved the bread, so that's good...But then there's Jack, and the lasagna. If they say it's a compliment to the chef to belch after a delicious meal, then I should be outrageously flattered that Jack threw up *on me*(!!!) mid-bite, right? (Whatever helps me sleep at night!)
I don't handle throw up well, which means for the future- I will probably make him taste more flavor-neutral foods, and I will probably choose my seat at the table methodically from now on.
At least Pluto still loves me and my cooking- he ate any dropped pieces right off the floor, and licked up Jack's vomited lasagna- yummmoooo.
On a completely unrelated note: last week I ventured into DC twice- once to see the Air & Space museum with a friend, and once with Jill for a picnic on the Potomac River. She had the day off- so after our picnic we went to the MLKJ Memorial and meandered around a bit! Loveddd it!
Then this weekend we went to Monticello (Jefferson's home). I would love to show pictures of just how beautiful this house is, but unfortunately, I was quite a goof, and left my sd card in my comp...which meant zero memory on the camera...ie...no pics :/ But it was so fun, and a nice way to bond with the family and their friends! I didn't realize how far Monticello is from DC- it's about a 3-hr ride (one-way), so that was quite the trek- but well worth it!
Welp, I best go restore my Pinterest collection as I'm beginning to deplete my recipes (not really, but can you ever have too many pins? I think not!)
I'll post picture-progress soon from my picture challenge!
xoxo
Rachel
Caprese Lasagna with Hot turkey (or chicken) sausage
http://iowagirleats.com/2012/05/31/caprese-lasagna-with-spicy-turkey-sausage/
And if serving pasta isn't carb-olicious enough...Obviously adding fresh baked bread is the only way to go!! This was another recipe I was dying to try out, and while I'm not sure if it's okay in the culinary world to serve it with lasagna, I did, and I found it awfully delicious!!! (Like I think I need to join the gym tomorrow to work off the 3-4 lb gain induced by this meal...just saying...)
Artisan Bread Recipe
http://theitaliandishblog.com/imported-20090913150324/2010/2/26/amazing-artisan-bread-for-40-cents-a-loaf-no-kneading-no-fus.html
So now, obviously a big part of my cooking is trying to broaden Jack and Jill's horizons of foods they will eat...Jill ate like 3 bites of the lasagna (which was more than we would've expected...) and they both loved loved the bread, so that's good...But then there's Jack, and the lasagna. If they say it's a compliment to the chef to belch after a delicious meal, then I should be outrageously flattered that Jack threw up *on me*(!!!) mid-bite, right? (Whatever helps me sleep at night!)
I don't handle throw up well, which means for the future- I will probably make him taste more flavor-neutral foods, and I will probably choose my seat at the table methodically from now on.
At least Pluto still loves me and my cooking- he ate any dropped pieces right off the floor, and licked up Jack's vomited lasagna- yummmoooo.
On a completely unrelated note: last week I ventured into DC twice- once to see the Air & Space museum with a friend, and once with Jill for a picnic on the Potomac River. She had the day off- so after our picnic we went to the MLKJ Memorial and meandered around a bit! Loveddd it!
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| View from our lunch spot |
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| MLKJ Memorial (which I think is a fairly new addition to the DC Memorials) |
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| Me with the majority of a cool MLKJ quote...gotta love Jill for trying...7 yr. old camera skills are still slightly amateur I guess... |
Welp, I best go restore my Pinterest collection as I'm beginning to deplete my recipes (not really, but can you ever have too many pins? I think not!)
I'll post picture-progress soon from my picture challenge!
xoxo
Rachel
Monday, October 1, 2012
Just "Caching" Up!!
Ooh, aren't I funny with my title...? I just got back from geocaching. I went and visited a lovely little park in Arlington to drop off a travel bug. The park actually backs right up to the Potomac River (I didn't go all the way there today) but I'm thinking maybe later this week I'll venture all the way to the river.
This was one busy weekend. Jill had a birthday party, so I was helping out and doing a lot of prep work for that. It was sooo much fun. There were line dancers, and horses- it was like from out of a movie. (Like the Hannah Montana movie- aka, the DREAM PARTY!). There were quite a few girls there, and I was shocked at how well-behaved they were. I guess having to patiently wait to ride ponies will keep kids in check. I decided that I wanted to make Jill a gift instead of buying her something, so thanks to instructions/idea found on Pinterest, Jill is now the proud owner of an RG original journal.
I also found another idea on Pinterest, which is the picture-a-day challenge. For the month of October, you have to take a picture every day. Today's picture "somewhere you stood". (I decided to put 2 pics of where I stood, as I was struggling to decide which one to post!)
This was one busy weekend. Jill had a birthday party, so I was helping out and doing a lot of prep work for that. It was sooo much fun. There were line dancers, and horses- it was like from out of a movie. (Like the Hannah Montana movie- aka, the DREAM PARTY!). There were quite a few girls there, and I was shocked at how well-behaved they were. I guess having to patiently wait to ride ponies will keep kids in check. I decided that I wanted to make Jill a gift instead of buying her something, so thanks to instructions/idea found on Pinterest, Jill is now the proud owner of an RG original journal.
I'm not one to brag, but I think it came out pretty well...binding a book, while I guess it should be considered an easy task, was more difficult than I was anticipating...It is hard to get the pages to align and all that. But it was a success all the same!
Anyhow, time for me to grab some lunch before picking up Jack and Jill! Until next time!
Rachel
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Yep, still alive!
Hey there,
I know it's been a while since posting- that's because this past weekend I took a trip back to the lovely Winston-Salem for homecoming weekend! I missed my lovely Wake Forest!
It was a slightly unconventional homecoming, in that 1. I didn't determine I was going until 4 days before leaving 2.I didn't do any school-organized events and 3. I didn't go to the homecoming game...(but we won, so there's that!).
I know it's been a while since posting- that's because this past weekend I took a trip back to the lovely Winston-Salem for homecoming weekend! I missed my lovely Wake Forest!
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| Photo courtesty of wfu.edu |
It was such a wonderful whirlwind of a weekend! Some old friends (who happen to be WFU alumni) that live in the DC area were driving down and invited me along, so I seized the opportunity! We left Friday after work, and ended up getting down there about 1:30 AM (crazy late!) which meant I snuck onto campus and ended up staying up chatting with a great friend until almost 4 AM!! (which explains why I fell into a coma-like-nap 10 hours later that could only be broken with a starbucks latte!)
Things that I realized while on this trip: 1. there's not enough time in the day...I got to see so many great friends, and I'm so grateful, but 1.5 days just isn't enough to see everyone! 2. My alma mater really is one of my homes- arriving there for homecoming is just like arriving home at Christmas, it's like it's waiting for you, full of warm welcome and joy. 3. I love love love my friends- obviously I already knew that, but seeing friends face-to-face really made me remember how much I truly love them, and love the fact that people will drive out to see me, or change all their plans just so we can hang out (or let me literally take over their room and hijack their day...). 4. I thought I was the only one who remembered all my silly plans and promises- and yet, we watched a movie that only I wanted to see because it was a "senior promise" made like last December. I had another friend ask me when we were going to Vegas, as we had planned on cross-country roadtripping last Spring break, and a third friend brought up our plans to ride across the country on bikes (a plan we made 3-4 years ago). I always had a tendency to make silly plans and promises, and while I always remembered them and tried to follow through on my end, I tended to think that my friends dismissed them or forgot them. Loved finding out that was not the case!
Anyhow, it is only 9:20 PM, but I *must* go to bed! There's a personal trainer coming to the house tomorrow at 6:00 AM, so I'm getting up to join in...this might be a doozy. Wish me luck!
Yours truly,
Rachel
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