Saturday, January 22
Let it snow, let it snow, LET IT SNOW! But only this weekend. I normally don't like the cold or snow; I am definitely a spring and summer girl. I love being outside everyday from right after breakfast until well after dinner, when the sun goes down. This bitter cold and snow thing doesn't usually work for me, but I love the idea of being snowed in with Steve and the boys for the weekend. I just hope the Eagles can still play tomorrow!
I've decided to get a part time job to help contribute to our family's income. We don't necessarily need the extra income, but I though it would be nice to use what I make to help with my college education as well as save for the boys'. I applied last night to the Barnes and Noble in Exton. My friend Kim works there and loves it because it's a job that she doesn't have to worry about when she leaves for the day and she never gets bored. So I filled out an application and gave it to Kim, who is giving it to her manager. I'd really like to work there because I love Barnes and Noble and because their hours offer me more times that I can be available to work.
Speaking of Barnes and Noble, they are starting a Scrabble night on Tuesday, January 25th. I am so excited! When I was a kid, I LOVED playing Scrabble, but no one would ever play it with me. Even now, Steve thinks I'm such a nerd to be going to Scrabble night. Oh well, Steve-o, I'll play with people who want to play with me. So there. :-P Anyway, the guy I spoke to at Barnes and Noble said that he's expecting a large group based on how many people have been asking him about it. I think it's a great way to meet new people. I hope it's fun!
Speaking of games, I found a new game to play online with other people. It's called isketch and it's like pictionary online. I have been playing it over the last few days and have been really enjoying it. I think Pictionary was another one of my favorites that I couldn't get no one liked to play with me. :-( I'm beginning to wonder if I was neglected as a child!
As far as knitting goes, I never did finish the scarf for Maria. I threw my neck out on Thursday when I was getting Jeffrey into his car seat. I felt a twinge and then a pop and then PAIN. I've had kinks in my neck before, but this is way worse than that. And now, it's in my neck and shoulders and is giving me migraine headaches. I went to my massage therapist, have been taking my muscle relaxers, advil, tylenol and heating my neck and shoulder and nothing is working. My next step is to try celebrex for the next two days. If that doesn't work, I'm going to have to see my doctor because this is ridiculous. Anyway, I told Maria that I have a gift just for her, but that it's not quite ready yet. I really hope she likes it; she is one of the only people that I've not knitted something for yet. I bought the yarn at Noble Knits. I don't know what brand it is because it didn't have a name I could understand (it's made in Italy). It's light blue which is her favorite color with silver accents in it. I was actually looking at it and even had it in my hand when Stitch~n~Bitch took me to Noble Knits on a field trip a few months ago. I went back a few weeks later to buy it because I liked it so much.
I hope everyone has a fun and safe weekend in the snow!
GO EAGLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, January 19
Thank you for the encouraging comments about my last post. I still feel like somewhat of a drop out, but thanks to you, those feelings are beginning to fade. :-) One of the positive things about not being in school is having more time to spend with the boys, read, knit and blog.
Right now I am reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, otherwise known as book 5. I am about halfway through and am really enjoying it. Although I have to say that I am looking forward to choosing a book just for fun and without the pressure from my husband, to hurry up and finish so we can talk about it. Perhaps I will choose a book from Susan or Nicole's book lists.
I am knitting a scarf for my neighbor Maria who, just this morning, gave birth to a new baby boy. Congratulations Maria!!!! I am hoping to finish it by tomorrow so that when I go for a visit tomorrow evening I can give it to her. After that, I am knitting something fun for myself... at the moment, I am primarily a scarf knitter but am interested in branching out into some other projects in the near future. I am even considering taking a couple of knitting classes at Noble Knits in the next month or so to enhance my skills. The chicks at Stitch-n-Bitch can knit circles around me, so I'd like to be able to broaden my horizons in an attempt to keep up with them! (Plus, I'm getting sick of making scarves!)
In other news, Steve and I got some very exciting news last week. Because of the great job he did last year (2004) at work, he got a special invitation into a club that is mostly just for sales people who reach their quotas. His company is sending us on an all expenses paid vacation to Cancun, Mexico. We will be staying at a 5 star hotel, all of our meals are paid for, any tours or activities are paid for, and anything we buy, clothing, souveneirs, furniture, etc. is also taken care of. It is an amazing opportunity and I look forward to going. Unfortunately, (or maybe not so unfortunately, LOL) because this is a company thing and other people from the company will be there, there are formal dinners and things we need to attend that wouldn't be child friendly. So, at the moment we are trying to secure child care.
I have been using the crockpot a lot lately and because I have been enjoying Susan's recipes so much, I thought I'd post one of my own. This is my own recipe, so I haven't named it yet. I'll just call it Sesame Chicken. Any more creative suggestions would be welcomed. :-)
Sesame Chicken (Crockpot)
1 1/2- 2 lbs of boneless chicken breasts
1 cup of Sesame Ginger Marinade (I used the one by Lowry's)
1 orange
1 dash of ground ginger
1/4 tsp of garlic powder
Place the chicken breasts at the bottom of the crock pot. Slice the orange into 4- 5 wedges and place around the chicken. Combine the marinade, ginger and garlic and pour over the chicken and orange wedges. Cover and cook on low for 6- 8 hours or on high for 4- 6 hours.
My suggestions: Tastes great with white rice or twice baked potatoes.
If anyone tries it, please let me know what you think.
Time for American Idol! (My name is Lauren and I'm addicted to Reality TV)
~Lauren
Sunday, January 16
The RealizationLast semester was really rough on me and I've come to the realization that going back to school is not the right thing at this very moment. The boys are still so needy and they don't nap anymore. My husband travels 50% of the time and when he is in town, he is never home before 7:30 pm. I can't have as much work as I did last semester and only have 2 hours a day in which to do it. I was exhausted, crabby and in such a panicked state for the last half of the semester that I was physically ill nearly every day.
I found out three days before Christmas that for the first time in my life I had a 4.0 GPA. I had been waiting for that moment ever since I started back to school in September and yet when I logged in to my student records online to see my GPA displayed for me, I felt nothing. I immediately called Steve (my husband) to tell him the news and found myself saying, "Wow. That 4.0 ALMOST made it all worth it." I think college will have to wait until my kids are in elementary school. At least then, I'll have some time during the day to go to school and get work done. The strange thing is... I feel both relieved and sad about my decision. :-(
