Halfway Mark

I was reminded that yesterday, August 3, was the halfway mark of the year.  There are so many things that I want to accomplish before 2012 starts.  Here are some of my (mostly) fun priorities:

1. Learn to knit a hat
2. Cook a full Thanksgiving dinner

3. Sign a couple of more clients (I currently have three smaller clients - two longer term, one project)
4. Plan a fun vacation for us my parents at Christmas
5. Sign up for an art, writing or language class
6. Buy a new pair of running shoes and start running (again) - I need to get off the indoor treadmill and get outside
7. Start volunteering again
8. Sell my condo - it is sitting empty :(
9. Finish writing my children's book
10.  Bake homemade bread at least once

Source

Now that 2011 is halfway over, what is on your list?

Children's Book Review: Abe's Lucky Day by Jill Warren

Article first published as Children's Book Review: Abe's Lucky Day by Jill Warren on Blogcritics.

As a former graduate student studying early childhood Montessori education, I would definitely share the peace education message of Jill Warren's Abe’s Lucky Day with the preschool-aged kids in my Montessori classroom.

In a nutshell, peace education teaches kids how to treat the world and the people around them with respect and dignity no matter where they are from, what their socio-economic standings is, what their religious upbringing is, etc. Abe’s Lucky Day does just this and from the perspective of someone who themself is struggling. The book follows Abe in his daily effort to keep warm and find food all the while coming across others who are struggling as much or more than he. This is a pay-it-forward type of story.

Overall, Abe’s Lucky Day tells an important message for preschoolers in an easy to understand and likeable manner. The illustrations by Kalpart depict real people through caricature. One of my only complaints about the illustrations is that Abe looks a little creepy for a children’s book but I suppose realistic since he is a homeless man.

  
Abe’s Lucky Day is a great book to have on a bookshelf in your classroom or your home. It tells a nice though altruistic story of a homeless man surviving and doing good for others.

I would definitely share this with my preschool aged Montessori students.

Gettin' Lucky

For Mark's birthday weekend extravaganza, we kicked the weekend off with dinner and some fun with friends on Friday night.  Mark's a pretty low-key guy and doesn't like a fuss made over him so we didn't tell our friends that it was his birthday.  We met for dinner at Foreign Cinema, which is in the Mission in San Francisco.  We sat outside under the heat lamps and ate some delicious food and drank some yummy cocktails.

On Saturday, I took Mark for dinner at 5A5 Steak Lounge for dinner.  We had an amazing dinner with a bottle of excellent wine.

For our birthdays, we decided that we would exchange experiences (i.e., concert tickets, trip, etc.) instead of gifts, which we would save for Christmas.  But, this year, there are no concerts of interest and we just took a 10-day vacation so we decided not to go away.  I didn't want my sweet husband to go empty handed for his birthday so I got him Apple TV.  He opened it and looked and the box and had NO idea what it was.  I explained it to him and he still didn't get it.  We'll see if he keeps it.  LOL.

On Sunday night, I made Mark his favorite Sunday night meal: taco night.  I pulled out all of the fixings: grated cheese, sliced avocado, cilantro, tomatoes, lettuce, sliced jalapeno peppers, etc.  We watched Arthur, which I thought was hysterical.  I love cheesy movies.  I never really had seen Russell Brand in action and he is quite funny and likable.

Well, Monday was Mark's actual birthday.  In spite of celebrating my husband all weekend long, I made him lasagna from scratch (except for the pasta noodles).  I used a recipe that I've made before from Paula Deen.  It is very meat heavy, which my meat eating husband loves!  It is super simple but a little time consuming.  And, I could use a lasagna baking dish to prevent the cheese and sauce from spilling over the sides.  It was a hit, once again!  I served it with a nice side salad with lettuces, cherry tomatoes and Gorgonzola cheese.  You should definitely try this one.

In my mind, Mark's birthday weekend was a hit and we both were lucky to enjoy the wonderful weekend!

Source

Lots O'Meat Lasagna by Paula Deen

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
• 1 pound ground Italian sausage
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
• 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups small curd cottage cheese
• 1 (5-ounce) package grated Parmigianno-Reggiano
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 9 oven-ready lasagna noodles
• 2 (8-ounce) packages shredded mozzarella

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large saucepan, combine ground chuck, sausage onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat until meat is browned and crumbled; drain.
Return meat to pan and add oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 to 45 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese, Parmesan, parsley, and eggs.
Spoon 1/4 of sauce into bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan. Place 3 uncooked lasagna noodles on top of sauce. Do not overlap noodles. Spread 1/3 of cottage cheese mixture over noodles, top with 1/4 of sauce and 1/3 mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, ending with sauce, reserving 1/3 of mozzarella cheese.
Bake 45 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and bake 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Happy Birthday to Mark!

Happy birthday to my sweet husband!  May the next year be filled with dreams come true and lots of adventure...All of my love.

One year ago, we celebrated M's birthday in Austria

Another Thing to Love About the Duchess of Cambridge

I admit it.  I was anticipating Zara Phillips wedding to her longtime love because I was looking forward to the fashion choices that the Royals, Catherine in particular, would choose to wear for the second Royal wedding of the year.  They did not disappoint.

I was a little disappointed, however, to see that Catherine chose to wear the same outfit that she wore several years ago.  But, it makes me appreciate her a little more.  She, who can now afford to never wear the same outfit twice, is choosing to recycle her clothes like any ordinary person would do in life.  I love it!  It underscores the fact that she is an "ordinary" girl who got lucky and married her prince.

AND, may I add that "they" say that she also chose to recycle as to not upstage the bride.  How lovely and generous of heart, if true!  I know many a person in real life who wouldn't think twice about it.

Source

What do you think about her choice of recycling clothes?  Do you think she should only wear an outfit once?

A Friendship Tested

A friend, who shall remain nameless (and who I don't believe reads my blog), has been having an affair with a married man for nearly a year now.  It is not the first affair that she has had and just like the other one that I'm aware of, I disapprove.  I support and encourage all my single friends to find loving, committed relationships but I just cannot approve of one that is mired in infidelity and deceit.

The first affair she was involved in was when I was single.  I didn't disapprove but I never really approved of it either - perhaps I was indifferent.  I never met that boyfriend and I didn't really want to meet him.  This time around I'm married and I have a clear understanding of the sanctity of the marriage vow.

Now, I've met this guy.  He's nice, of course, but I'm not surprised.  A family man of sorts.  She says that he doesn't want to leave his wife because of the children - they have a child who requires a lot of attention because of some special emotional needs.  I kind of get that part.  But, I wonder if his wife would leave him, if she knew that her husband was having an affair.

There's one more thing.  This guy is the partner in a law firm.  A law firm where my friend is an associate.  No need to say anything more.  Right?!

I wonder why my friend gets involved in inappropriate relationships.  I think she needs therapy.

I'm not going apologize for the reasons why I can't be supportive.  In fact, I am very close to not wanting to be friends with her.  I don't think this relationship - the one with her boyfriend - is not going to end well.  While I wish her the best and I believe that she truly believes that he will leave his wife once the kids are out of high school, I can't standby and watch and support.

It makes me sick to think of the idea of Mark deceiving me like her boyfriend is deceiving his wife. His family.  I think that if he really loves my friend, he would let her go.  He would encourage her to find her way into an appropriate relationship or he would end his marriage now.

I wish that my friend would look in the mirror and find the self-respect to leave him.  She is an incredibly smart woman who deserves to find a man who can be present in their relationship 100% of the time.  I can't tell her that anymore.  She has closed her ears and eyes to it.  I have to let go.  I've definitely stepped back and it makes me sad but I need to do what I need to do.

Am I being too hard on my friend?  What would you do if you were in my position?

When I Grow Up...

Astronaut, doctor, teacher, artist.  All of those plus more were professions that I thought I might grow up to be when I was little.

I had an odd interest in space when I was a kid.  It may have come from visiting the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum so often when I was little.  I out glow in the dark stars on my bedroom ceiling and loved the movie The Right Stuff, which came out when I was 8 years old.  Yowza!  But, I hated math and science mostly because I struggled so much with it so that ruined my dreams for becoming an astronaut (or doctor or marine biologist or...).

My Montessori through sixth grade teachers were incredible people.  Each of those teachers left a lasting impression: Mrs. Knauf, Mrs. Lustig, Ms. Moody, etc.  They taught me that learning is fun.  I remember so much of my early days of schooling.  Almost all of my love of school came from those early years.  My dislike of school came from my later years in school.  For Montessori and elementary school, I went to an incredible school in Vienna, VA.  I learned Latin and French.  I learned about Ancient Rome and Egypt.  I bonded with the kids in our small class - friends who I remember still today but have not ever connected with (even with the advent of Facebook).  I wish I could send our future children to that school.  I think they would love it.  But, alas, I was not meant to be a teacher.  I love children but I don't love teaching.

The Arts - visual, literary and performing arts - have always been a huge part of my life.  I grew up playing the violin - through the Suzuki method.  Art history has always fascinated me because I was taught it starting very early.  I had nearly enough college credits to minor in it.  I took ballet when I was young child, was taken to the symphony on field trips and was read to from the start.  My mom and I would take trips together when I was in high school over Spring Break to New York and see musicals and shows like Les Miserables and Cats.  I will forever appreciate the people including my parents who instilled that passion in me and I hope to instill it in my future children too.  But, alas, I gave up the one talent that I had in the arts, playing the violin.  I guess I could take it up again but I think it would be terribly difficult.

Instead, here I am.  I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.  I have my freelance PR business and was doing a lot of volunteer work but I still need to figure my stuff out.  It is hard to grow up but I think it's about time to figure out what I want to do with my life.

Did you become what you wanted to be when you were little?