Getting Ready for Camping

So, I'm a little frazzled. I always wait till the last minute to pack for camping. I have some clothes ready, but can't find the bag (Tony must have it). We have to go grocery shopping tomorrow morning and pack the car.

Tony's an Eagle Scout (the highest rank in boy scouts), so everything has to be very official when camping. The fact that we are using paper plates and cups is taboo!!!!! hee hee

I am excited. It's gonna be fun, I know it will. I just can't wait to get the site set up and start enjoying the weekend.

Have a great weekend all, can't wait to read all your blogs when I get back.

I'll post pictures when I get back, either Sunday or Monday.

I ate chocoate!

I've had such wonderful offers to watch Balboa while we are camping and I truly wish we were all closer, THANK YOU.

Both Tony's parents and my parents are unavailable this weekend, otherwise they would LOVE to watch Balboa.

There is nothing I can do about it, so I must stop worrying. I love my hubby and want to spend time with him and my sister and her fiance (they are coming too). I know the vet will love, play with, and spoil Balboa. No one takes care of him like I do, but at least I know he is in good hands.
.
.

NOW FOR THE MENU........

Breakfast:
I bought breakfast from Turcos,
scrambled eggs, I think 3
1 slice of bacon
a few potatoes and onions

Lunch:
Fresh Spinach Greens (for a salad)
and my tuna salad dressing

Snacks:
apple
banana
pear
1/2 chocolate bar (I need chocolate)

Dinner:
two gluten free cookies (been baking for camping, so I know I have dessert to eat while everyone else is eating donugts ~ but I will only pack a few so I am not temped to eat the whole jar)

I also exercised, thirty minutes of dancing again. I used my iPod this time.

menu and planning

Well today I ate less, but did not exercise. I am exhausted from grocery shopping and installing a printer. Tony bought a "all in one" printer, our old one was worn out, but he is not too sure on how to set it up, so I did that. Plus I had to make more of Balboa's food.

Breakfast:
2 eggs
1 slice sodium free bacon
2 homeade biscuits
large coffee

Lunch:
1 slice meatloaf
1 baked sweet potato (without butter)

Snacks:
apple
banana

Dinner:
1 tuna and avocado roll
2 slices of cheddar cheese
1 slice of swiss cheese
1 cup sangria
.
.
.
.
I also feel bad, we are going camping again this weekend. I would love to take Balboa and could if I wanted but am too afraid that he will freak out, get stung, or get loose and run off. I called too late for Marta's Vineyard, so they are completley full. So we have to bring him to the vet, because of the holiday weekend, we can't pick him up till Tuesday. That means I won't get to see him till I get home from work on Tuesday. I feel awlful, I feel as if I am abandoning him.

What do you think? Am I am awful person?

Pretty good till the end

Okay, so today was the first day of English curriclum planning, it is kind of nice to be back in a routine. Though I would still love to stay home all day.

So for breakfast I had two eggs, 1 slice of low sodium bacon, two of Balboa's biscuits (the homemade ones, so I can eat them too, they taste like dry corn bread)

For Lunch I had a slice and half of meatloaf, scoop of homemade mashed potatoes, and broccolli and cauliflower.

For snacks I had 1 skim milk pollyo string cheese, apple, banana, and 10 gluten free sesame crackers

For dinner I had half chicken breast, 1 slice of each cheddar and swiss cheese, half of sweet potato.

Now this is were I did bad, I had a dunkin donut. This is bad for two reasons First its fattening, Second its filled with gluten.

So now I am going to dance, even though I am tired and I shouldn't exercise at night, I have no other time to and I don't want to fall off the exercise train.

Back to work and RAMBLING

Sorry in advance form my rambling.

Tomorrow I have to go back to work, at least we have curriculum planning. The students don't come back till the 5th.

Yesterday, we attended an annual family bbq. I had a nice time, but was very happy to see my two uncles (father's brothers). I haven't seen them in years. We got a lot of great pictures.

my father, uncle Benny(oldest), Uncle Louis (youngest)















in the back my two uncles, Tony and I on the left, Barbara next to Tony (uncle Benny's companion), and my Parents on the right.

















So I didn't get to exercise yesterday, since I had a lot of cooking to do. Though it was so horribly hot and humid, so I think I may have sweated about 2 pounds of fat off.

I made chicken wings and my gluten free cake (which tates like cornbread ~ it was different but DELICIOUS!) Should have taken pics, next time I will

I used my slowcooker, which I got for free from all my visa card points. So now I'm making a meatloaf and plan to make chicken, potatoes, and mushrooms later on in the slowcooker too. I'll make sure I add the recipe and take pictures. Figure I got to start making dinner and lunch for the week.

So, I plan to get ready for work tomorrow and enjoy the evening with my hibby, since we won't see each other till Friday, when we go camping.

Okay, more rambling later on,

pretty good day

So I did my exercising/dancing again. I can't wait till I'm in better shape and can dance longer and harder. I do feel better (physically and emotionally) after I dance.

I did have some wine and cheese, but I figure if I do well during the day, then maybe I can reward myself with wine and cheese.

For breakfast I had two eggs and 2 slices of turkey bacon,
For lunch I had 2 california rolls
For dinner I had a large salad with bacon, mozzerella cheese, and grilled chicken a few french fries.
For snack I sweet potatoe fries (made on my own)

Silly hubby & back on track

So, my hubby and I have talked about this in length.

If we ever have kids, which is a long way off. He would be the stay-at-home parent. Now I kinda laugh because I know he is attracted to the stay-at-home part. He has no clue what it will be like to stay home with an infant, if I even let him. There are times that I have to remind him to play with Balboa, feed Balboa, or take Balboa out, heck I'm the one who makes his food. If he can't take care of Balboa how would he possibly care for an infant????

He recently spoke to an acquaintance of ours, who is a stay at home mom. When she told him just a FEW of the things she did on a daily basis, she said he turned white. hmmmmm. Not so easy huh!?!?!?

Why are men so clueless and helpless? Or is it just my hubby?
















So Jen and I have agreed to kind of be each other's cheerleaders when it comes to getting back into shape. So every day, I will post about what I ate and how much I exercised, I know I said that before, but this time I really mean it. I don't want to embarras myself after saying it twice and I really really really want to be able to wear my lovley and fahsionable outfits.

UPDATE:::::
I exercised.....woooohoooo! It finally hit me, I hate machines and I hate paying for and going the gym. Duh, I LOVE to dance and I have all these music channels. So I alternated between DISCO and 70's and boogied away for 25 minutes(for me that's a lot). I also have my IPOD, so I can hook that to the computer and dance to that music too. I know I'm using every muscle, I fantasize that I'm dancing away, practicing all my cool moves, and shaking my booty. I think I look fabulous, though everyone would think I look like Napoleon Dynomite. hee hee

The best part is I don't have to leave Balboa behind, he just sleeps and every so often pops an eye open to make sure the person jumping around is his mother and not some lunatic.

Summer's coming to an end......WHY?

I LOVE the fall, but a few wonderful things are coming to an end.

First of all, no more staying home all day in pajamas playing with Balboa. No more keeping the house super clean and organized. No more blogging on the computer ALL DAY LONG.

Second of all, no more seeing my hubby during the week. He works nights and comes home at 11:30. I miss not seeing him for dinner or just sitting with him and watching TV. I MISS HIM. I'm not scared when I'm alone at night, just worried if there is an emergency with Balboa, WHAT DO I DO?

Third of all, I have to get off my lazy butt and work, work, work (I'm a HS reading Specialist) . This year I am working with the same two high school programs, but they are on different campuses, so I must be REALLY REALLY organized get my act together. I have to coordinate and plan lessons with teachers, test all the students, and organize my schedule to see students within group and individual sessions.

The only good thing is that I have to get back into shape. I think working and running back and forth between campuses will prevent me from eating too much. In addition I am FORCING myself to start exercising. I think walkiung around town two nights a week and doing yoga two times a week should do the trick. I have lots of great clothes, but can't fit into any of them anymore!!!!

dinner and Beautiful dining room

DINNER.....
Steak: So I started by marinating the steaks in olive oil, water, balsamic and white vinegar, barbecue sauce, and adding lots and lots of spices (orgeano, parsley, basil, garlic powder, chives) I let the steak marinate for about 3 1/2 hours (In my opinion the key to a great steak is marinating it) sorry to busy eating the steak to take a picture of it cooked.















Brown Rice: I use minute rice, it is easy and fast to use.















Peppers: Organic frozen mixed peppers, again, I LOVE MARINATING! I defrosted the pepper strips by running under luke warm water in a collander, then marinated them in olive oil and baslamic vinegar and my spices of choice (see above). When it was time to cook the peppers, I sauteed them in a pan for about 20 minutes (also add the juice they marinated in).
















DINING ROOM.....


Okay, so I love my dining room. Sure I wish I had a bigger place and eventually we will take up the carpet and sand and finish the parque floors that the previous owners covered for some strange reason!?!?!?!?















I used to have a blue and then cream colored table cloth on the table, but I love the color of the wood and think it looks beautiful. When we eat we put an cheap table cloth on the table and just shake it out and fold it back up when were done. Tony complains about alll the work of taking the table cloth out and then putting it back. Why are men so lazy?????

















So why do I love my dining room. First of all the color!
I also love this print, my sister bought it for me, she got it from The Christmas Tree Shops.


















My mother got me this decorative bow at Home Goods.


















My mother also got me this two tiered serving basket also at Home Goods (sorry, the photos sideways, and I forgot to turn it)

















Our beautiful chandelier from Lowes, the shades are white glass. We love it!
















A star I just love from Cape Cod Crafters
















The hutch we bought from Gothic Cabinet Crafters many many many years ago. I also LOVE LOVE LOVE baskets and will buy tons of baskets, you can always find a use for a basket, in closets, in drawers, or just for decoration~form and function!!!!!

EASY Balsamic Chicken, Corn on the cob, and potato wedge dinner

Not only did my hubby like the dinner it was so easy to make. I had almost no preperation time, I cooked the potoates first since they would take the longest and then lowered the heat and cooked the chicken. (Pictures were taken after half the food was eaten)


1.
The corn: I bought fresh organic corn, still in the husks. I boiled the corn in a large pot for about half and hour until it was bright yellow and tender. I let my husband add his own butter, since it was fresh and juicy he hadded very little butter.


















2.
I bought frozen (PLAIN/unseasoned) potatoe wedges, and added my own seasoning. I added oregano, parsley, garlic powder, and dill. I coated the pan and cooked the potatoe wedges at 450 for about 30-35 minutes (we like them crispy)

















3.
Chicken: I bought Perdue thin sliced chicken breasts, marinated them in balsamic vinegar for five hours, then coated the pan with Pam, added more balsamic vinegar and olive oil to the pan. Placed the chicken on the pan and covered in garlic powder, oregano, parsley, and dill. Coook for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees. The chicken stayed tender since it was laying in the olive oil and vinegar while baking.

Stupid Condo and Lovely Flowers

So, we figured out the problem with the cable, our stupid condo complex, the cable can't be split for internet in the bedrooms, so we have to keep the computer in our living room. I can't tell you how much time and money I spent to fix up our place (still a lot more to do).


Look how crappy the computer makes the living room look. Now I have to go out and buy new computer stand and chair. AHHHHHH!

I'm adding this to the list of things I hate about this place















1. stupid pet fee ($100 per month per dog~ I swear they are pocketing the money)
2. thin walls and uneven floors
3. managment company stealing money (they've been kicked out of other condos)
4. A few ignorant board members who are just a waste of space and stealing valuable air that we intelligent humans need to breathe
5. terrible cable connections

If I could go back I would have scruitinized this place. When we buy a townhouse IN THE FAR FUTURE I now know what to look for and what I don't want.
.
.
.
At least I have my gardens, when it stops raining I will post pictures of the outside garden, but here's my sanctuary, my porch, my flowers.




































We only get the sun for a few hours, so I have to leave my plants on the ledge. At least they look gorgeous.














the pot with the low flowers is my basil, I also had orgenano but I accidently dropped it. I thought I killed the basil when I dumped a whole packet of seeds in the pot, but after a slow growth, it is alive and kicking. Once the weather gets colder, I keep in in the house and hopefully it will still grow.
















my beautiful hibiscus plant, I moved onto my porch from outside, I learned that it would not survive the winter. I get lots of sun in my condo, so hopefully it will last all winter.




















This is my sanctuary!!!! One day I will have a large porch and large garden. ONE DAY!!!!!!

Time for a bum whipping

Okay, so I was recently asked why I don't have hobbies like my husband. (he volunteers in a boy scout troop, runs a baseball team, watches football)

Well, first of all I do have hobbies. I garden, decorate my home, and blog, not to mention that during the school year I am a teacher and when I leave work, my work comes with me.

To which the response was, well that's not really a hobby you just stay home, you don't really leave the house.

AAARRGGGGHH! Where is my shotgun?????

Now instead of replying with a verbal assault that would have caused this person to cry and run in fear, I just gave a dirty/sarcastic look and walked away. WHY DIDN'T I RESPOND?????? Now I am regretting it and the RAGE is building up inside of me!!!!!!!!

Meatloaf Recipe

With Meatloaf you can add anything you like or want. Each time I make it I always experiment and add different ingredients. This is a quick and easy meal ~ in my opinion that is! PLUS IT'S GLUTEN FREE!

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice (will cook in oven)
basil, chives, oregano, garlic powder any spices/herbs of your choice
1 cup corn
1 cup asparagus ~ cut into small pieces you can use any veggies you choose, I sometimes use carrots, potatoes, broccoli, green beans, etc....
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon water


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Mix ground beef, rice, spices and herbs, egg, 1/2 cup of corn, 1/2 cup of asapagus in a large bowl
3. Place in coated pan in the shape of a loaf and spread the rest of the corn and asparagus around the loaf


4. Mix the ketchup, barbecue sauce, and water, and spread evenly over meatloaf and vegetables.

Cook in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until completely cooked!





WHEN IT'S DONE..... YOU HAVE A TASTY MEAL! (I forgot to take a pic of the whole loaf after it was cooked,this is just one slice. You can make homemade fries or mashed potatoes as a side to compliment this meatloaf. )