My Summer Adventure at Girls Inc.

Today I set up for the summer book club that I will be leading at our local Girls Inc.   The theme for the summer camp (which starts next Monday) is... "not a vacation from learning, but a vacation of learning."  The 200 girls will be "traveling" around the world in order to learn about different cultures.

Our book club will take the girls to Mexico, Italy, China, Australia, France, and Chicago!  The girls will make journals, kites, sock puppets, key necklaces, and bake cookies! 

One of the decorations for my "classroom"
(which is actually the stage in the community room) is the banner I made using an old atlas...

I am soooo excited about this opportunity to hopefully pass along my love for books and writing and fun to a group of awesome girls who will surely pass a few things along to me!! Pray for us all (including Chelsea and Kate...my two assistants) as we start our adventure!!  And if by chance you are in town and want to help with making sock puppets or kites...let me know :)

Figuratively Speaking...I Am All Over the Map!

I am sure that you've heard the saying "that person is all over the map!!"  Well that is me these past couple days!! I am every cliche about doing too many things at one time.  It all started with that February resolution to get all of our papers in order...I made 10 stacks for Rich to peruse and organize.  I have been doing this for 2 days now...

But I did find a good use for all of this...

I needed some filler for the Valentine boxes that I am sending to Kate and Chelsea...

But what about Nicole, David, and Claire you ask?...I have been collecting things for Claire for weeks now.  I found these super cute dresses at 65% off at a boutique in Rosemary Beach (GiGi's)

And I happened upon this treasure...gotta love Amelia Bedelia at any age!

For Nicole and David I wanted to do something for them...instead of buying them something.  On February 1st the for sale sign went up in the front yard of their very cute little house. So as many of you know a house for sale needs to look decorated and occupied without looking lived-in...fancy that with a 2 year old and two teachers who bring their work home with them many nights and host a church home group...you get the picture...you can't have dirty laundry, makeup all over the bathroom sink, and toys everywhere!  So I decided to do some cooking here at home and freeze it and take it with us to Nicole's on Friday  (did I mention Rich is running in the Mercedes Half Marathon in Birmingham this weekend?).  I don't think I've done this much cooking since Christmas dinner and my kitchen looked like who did it and ran!  But I am happy to say that I have just finished Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya, Spaghetti Casserole, and Chicken Rococco...AND I made enough to put some in the freezer for us!  Now Nicole can pull something out of the freezer, thaw it, reheat or bake it, and serve it...with no major kitchen messes!  

So during the down time of the whole cooking thing I finally ordered this Roman Fabric Shade, on the cover of the catalog, for the laundry room window that looks out into the garage.  This is big as I've been meaning to get around to this for about 8 1/2 years!

Within three weeks it will be installed and the laundry room will be all cleaned up and cute looking (I've seen too many such rooms on Pinterest)...doesn't that defeat the purpose of this catch-all room??

Anyhow, I was on such a roll that I went ahead and ordered this grandinroad ottoman (in red) for the upstairs loft! It has storage, provides extra seating and will be easy on the grand kids (I am assuming more grand kids will be forthcoming...in the coming years)!  All this amidst Tuesday night bible study on the book of James which is awesome...and a five mile walk!

I am tired...I think I will go mail boxes and hit Starbucks! Maybe Rich will take me out to dinner...haha ;)

Dr. Oz and the Pioneer Woman...a likely match???

Today I am in the mood to get healthy!!  I don't get too hung up on that stuff...I try to eat fruits, veggies, and only an occasional steak or pot roast or spaghetti bolognese...but anyway...I try to exercise my body and my brain and my soul on a regular basis and I go to the doctor for all the check-ups!  I was on pinterest the other day and happened upon this...

no, not the sweet potato cakes with sour cream and chipotle black bean salsa, or the vanilla bean caramel sauce, nor the oven baked smashed potatoes...look in the middle of the picture kinda next to the caramel sauce...

Dr. Oz's Tangerine Weight-Orade!!

It takes just three ingredients...

8 cups brewed green tea

1 tangerine sliced

a handful of fresh mint leaves

This concoction goes into fridge overnight and tomorrow I can drink it all day and benefit from the metabolism boost it will deliver!! It smells good and has ingredients that I like...so we shall see!

On another note, while I am talking about food...

I made this supreme comfort food the night before Katelyn and Chelsea left for college after Christmas break.  The Pioneer Woman's Macaroni and Cheese feeds the stomach and the soul...here is the recipe

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/04/macaroni-cheese/

Go ahead take a peek...make this once, you will be hooked...hence the necessity for Dr. Oz's Tangerine Weight-Orade!!

Christmas Cookie Day

Today Claire made cookies and decorated them...

Very fun...Very yummy :)

French Toast Casserole Anyone...

My grandmother's recipe for Stuffed French Toast seems to be a big hit whenever I make it! I actually only remember her making it once...but I inherited the recipe ten years ago and have made it many times over the years. 

This is a great breakfast recipe for anytime of the year...but I typically make it for my Macy's Thanksgiving Parade Breakfast and Christmas morning breakfast.  It is so easy and my husband loves it almost as much as my regular French Toast...


Stuffed French Toast

Cut Crust off 8 slices of bread, cube. Put 1/2 in bottom of 9 x 13 buttered casserole dish. Cube 2-8 ounce packages of cream cheese layer this over the bread. Add last layer of cubed bread.  Beat 12 eggswith 1/3 C maple syrup and 2 C milk. Pour over bread, cover and refrigerate overnight.  Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned.  Serve with extra Maple Syrup and fresh fruit.

*Note...I have made a few adjustments to this recipe...I use a very dense bread such as Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Sourdough bread.  I tend to use more slices too. I cut down the Cream Cheese to 12 ounces total and I sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over the cheese layer before adding the last layer of bread.  This is not a low calorie recipe...that is why I fix it when there are going to be a lot of people around :)

September Book Club...11 in 11 Update

It is September and time for a Book Club update!  This month was set aside for young adult fiction and yes I am now reading the Harry Potter series and wondering...Why didn't I do this before?? I actually read book one

The Sorcerer's Stone at the very end of August.  It was such an easy and entertaining read.  I like the departure from other books I have recently been reading that are more involved.  When I went upstairs to Kate's room (sniff sniff boo hoo...;) to retrieve the second Harry Potter book,  I saw this book that I remember from my days of teaching elementary school.  I think I will read it too...just because!

 

This is another great book I happened upon in my travels through bookstores this summer. It is a combination cookbook, picture book, and gentle reminder of the art of home, food, and hospitality...makes me want to cook up a mess of something and invite ya'll to dinner this Sunday!!

I found this very cool book stand at one of my favorite downtown Panama City stores...Avenue Sea... It is great for displaying books and useful when cooking!!

 

And finally, After a summer away from bible study I am anxious to get back to it. This is going to be our new study for the fall...I can't wait!

The weather this week (after Monday) has been beautiful...cool mornings and fabulous blue skies...great time for outdoor reading in the early morning!!