Candy is nature's way of making up for Mondays.

Author Unknown

Howdy! Did you have a good Easter weekend?

Despite all around exhaustion on Saturday, we took a family drive. We listened to Mockingjay on audiobook, thrifted, and ate samples stocked up at Costco. Kiddo found a few Star Trek books he's been wanting, and I scored a set of 3 little Pyrex dishes in mint condition.

I have no idea what I am going to use them for, but perhaps they will give me a reason to learn how to make crème brûlée.

Mario found a Mexican restaurant with rave Yelp reviews, so we ventured there for dinner. Our waiter was a bit flakey, but the food was great. Jared said it was the best salsa he'd ever tasted ... and that's saying something. We had a really good time.

Sixteen tries and not one normal photo. Boys.

Unfortunately our furry little soulmate, Vista, developed a urinary blockage early last week and spent three days and two nights at the animal hospital. After a sleepless Friday night, we had him back at the vet early Saturday morning to be readmitted. All weekend we felt his absence. Fingers crossed he heals up and can come home in the next day or two. And that this week doesn't bring another $1000 in vet bills. Poor little guy.

Needless to say, we looked forward to sleeping in on Sunday morning. I heard Mario waking up next to me, and as I opened my eyes, "It's Easter morning!" hit my brain and my mouth simultaneously. We totally forgot and so did Kiddo. We ran around locating the baskets and getting the goodies ready. Jared didn't wake up until 11a, so could have lounged a little longer. Did I mention we were exhausted?

While I waited for him to stir, I finished the last two episodes of Downton Abbey's second season. Good stuff.

In the end it was a lovely day. One spend lounging with my boys, relishing our little family, and enjoying good food. 

My first foray into Crock Pot ribs was a success!  

I also introduced Mario to the wonder that is Duck Dynasty and he was immediately hooked. I'm not sure he would have gone to bed without my prompting, but a promise to DVR the rest of the marathon convinced him to part ways ... for the night.

As tends to happen on Monday, reality came crashing down this morning. I have a paper due today that I am just starting, and I spent the morning putting together an academic poster. I have never made one before, and after hours compiling it, my computer ate it. Thank goodness Mario tracked it down in that folder where all lost documents go. But not before tears welled up. In public. 

Starbucks has been my constant companion today. I may smell like coffee the rest of the week.

Candy is nature's way of making up for Mondays.

Monday, April 1, 2013

Hello, Monday.

Source: etsy.com via Monica on Pinterest

Is anyone else totally befuddled by Daylight Savings Time? I know it is only an hour, but my gosh does it screw me up. I've been waiting for months not to wake up to pitch black darkness outside...and now we are back to square one. It's not just sleep, either. My whole day feels off somehow. 

 If you plug "Daylight Savings Time" into Google News, you'll find a plethora of articles that make a compelling argument for doing away with DST. I've been saying that for years.

I had a very restless night. Mario took pity on me and took Kiddo to school so I could lay down a bit longer before meeting him for a lunch date. Hence the lateness of this post.

Friday brought with it about 6 inches of snow. And aside from a couple hours of cleanup, Kiddo and I got to spend the day hanging out at home together. Thank you, Mother Nature, for giving me an extra day of break. I'm leaving the "spring" part out for obvious reasons.

After a quick refresher, Jared helped me out with the snow blowing duties. Thank goodness for snow blowers...our circular driveway would take a week to shovel. It's also nice that Kiddo is learning these things early...he'll be better fit for adulthood. Unless he decides to reside in Texas. In case any moms are gasping out there, our snow blower immediately shuts off if you let go of the handle. Danger-free.

Husband got home Friday evening, so Saturday the boys headed out for their usual ski date. Only, I tagged along. And we went to a much bigger mountain about an hour from home.  They had a great time and I attempted to work on an independent research paper that has been haunting me for months. Perhaps that wasn't the best place to do it, and although I made some progress, it wasn't much.

Still, it was worth it to see them have so much fun. Mario said Jared's skiing skills improve exponentially each week, and he is now tackling double black diamonds. I am officially feeling a little left out!

Two new recipes made an appearance in our house this weekend...and both were a success. Yay! We had a rather unsuccessful experience with Mongolian Beef, so it was a nice recovery. Recipes to come!

I finally finished my owl paint chip canvas art! It has been sitting around for weeks and although easy peasy, it seemed to get eeked out in tiny little steps. I suppose it's a symptom of my overworked mind.

Husband came home bearing gifts! We collect Starbucks city/country mugs, but have an agreement that we only buy them from places we have both been. Since Mario was in Seattle last week, he picked up a mug. We've had to stow some away because our collection has grown so much. Hopefully it's a sign that we are cultured folks. I love sipping on a beverage while imagining I'm back in San Diego or on the oceanfront in the Puget Sound. A girl can dream...

Also, I posted my first giveaway yesterday! The winner gets to pick the camera strap of their choice from The Poppy Shoppe. I bought one a couple weeks ago and LOVE it! You can enter here.

Since Mario is home this week, we have decided this is the perfect time for me to take a little solo mini-vacation. I found two hotels in Cape Cod that will serve my purposes well. It's the off season, so rooms are a fraction of the price and I will get the solitude I have been craving. Win-win. Plus, the ocean calls to me...even in winter. There will be pictures galore, I'm sure.

Happy Monday!

Linking up:

 Much Ado Monday at This Little Light

Hello, Monday.

Monday, March 11, 2013

The whole point of the week is the weekend.

Angela Montenegro, Bones

Mario got home late Thursday night and left early this morning; an improvement over last week. After dropping Kiddo off at camp on Friday, we got together for breakfast. Although I find this place to be a bit odd, the food is okay and it is right across the street from the college. Plus, I can't beat the company.

We are endlessly entertained by the fact that they charge 25 cents for Tabasco. And every other condiment (note the $1.25 charge for salsa on our tab). And they bring it to the table without the lid as to deter you from stealing the bottle. Naughty college kids.

I hope Mario got his money's worth.

 Afterward, I headed over to the college to get some lab work done. Last week I ran my first solo DNA extraction from beginning to end...and it was a success. This nerd is excited!

Saturday morning, we went to our local diner for a family breakfast. We laughed so much. There may have been some tot shenanigans.

I had to meet with some classmates on Saturday afternoon, so the boys headed into town for their Saturday night ski session. They have so much fun and I love that they have a winter activity where they can just go and be boys. They both come home flushed, smiley and raving about how great their time together was.

Jared is tackling the biggest hills at this point! Though none of them are too steep, it's a nail-biter watching him go down. He never ceases to amaze me, that kid.

I snapped some photos, took a snack/drink break with them at the bar, then left them to their fun. After the sun went down they had disco inner-tubing complete with lights and music. They had a blast.

Mario had to leave before sun-up Sunday morning, so I packed him a brown bag breakfast to go. A while back I picked up some Quaker Real Medleys oatmeal cups. He had the Cherry Pistachio and raved. I had the Summer Berry this morning and thought it was pretty good. I have been really struggling to brown bag my meals lately, so these may be a great go-to. I try to shy away from convenience foods, but they may just be the exception. I am also a fan from a nutritional standpoint (8g protein, 25+% fiber, 250 calories). A little free advertising for the Quaker folks...you're welcome.

Determined to become a better meal planner, I gathered some recipes that you can prep, freeze, then pop in the slow cooker the day of. It's a bit of a risk considering I haven't tried any of these and I have a picky kiddo, but I decided to give a few of them a go. Most ended up being Asian-themed meals, coincidentally, but all sounded Jared-friendly. 

Sunday afternoon, Kiddo and I went to work. In just under two hours, we put together four meals: three to freeze, and one prepped right into the Crock Pot dish for tomorrow. It took a bit longer with Jared helping out, but I enjoyed our time together. We talked and chopped...and now he has an investment in these meals. He even helped clean the kitchen without being asked. It was a great afternoon.

As I mentioned before, I'm really struggling to plan midday meals. Any advice from fellow brown baggers? Mornings can be hectic, especially when Mario is out of town and I am flying solo, and my breakfast and lunch often get neglected. The Student Center at the college has a place to get food, but it's expensive and not worth the price. I feel terrible every time I throw away money dining there. Kiddo's lunches get made the night before...so why not mine? 

While at the store stocking up on essentials and ingredients for Sunday's meal prep fest, I decided to plan for some meals of my own. It's like the Nabisco folks heard my pleas...and gifted me with these new treats. I had to buy two flavors, and really hope they are as good as they sound. I could eat Triscuits every day. Anyone try these?

My goal for this week? Not one single lunch eaten out. It's time to make my needs a priority, too. The money, extra calories, and unsatisfying lunches are simply not worth it.

Overall it was a chill, productive weekend. Sunday morning I got up, drank some coffee, and tended to some blogging duties before Jared woke. You know those moments when you walk into a room in your home and suddenly want to change everything because it just doesn't look right anymore? That was me. So I redid my blog design. It was definitely a If You Give a Mouse a Cookie moment.

At one point I got a little weary thinking it would take all day, but it went together pretty quickly. Although I am far from pro when it comes to blog design, having done it several times before meant that, for the first time, I didn't have to spend hours researching code and googling how-tos.

My blog simply wasn't jiving with my current mood. I am all about simplicity right now, so I opted for something more streamlined and monochrome. What do you think? Too plain?

The social media buttons and arrows are freebies from irocksowhat.com. This girl has mad skills and I tend to love her stuff. I have been tossing around the idea of hiring someone to tweak my blog and add some tabs...but I simply don't have the time to commit to it during the semester. For now I am content, but if you have any designer recommendations...share!

Happy Monday, Friends!

Linking up:

 Much Ado Monday at This Little Light

The whole point of the week is the weekend.

Monday, March 4, 2013

If Everyday is a Gift...

I'd like to know where I can return Mondays.

This was a whirlwind kind of weekend where a lot happened, but I have little to show for it. So today, I will setting up camp, while Kiddo is actually at camp, and study until my brain is brimming with microbiology goodness.

New England has a funky school schedule. The public schools have the traditional Christmas/New Years break, but also week-long breaks in February ("Winter Break") and April ("Spring Break"). This is all very well and good, except that the college doesn't believe in such things.

So this week Jared is going to day camp at a local non-profit farm. It's a lovely place that he has been going to for years, and his days will be spent taking care of the llamas, sheep, and cows. As we drove up this morning, the countryside was a picture of white...snow fell yesterday but a lack of breeze left everything looking sprayed with marshmallow fluff. Then I realized I forgot my camera.

Actually, I'm a little sparse on photos overall thanks to my misbehaving Eye-fi, which didn't upload yesterday's photos. After my big exam tomorrow, I'll feel a little less guilty taking an hour to photograph the farm, so I'll have to do another this-and-that post later in the week.

Mario came home Friday night, over three hours later than expected, thanks to delayed flights. He flew out of Hartford, CT Saturday night, so despite threats of a snow storm, we all drove down to spend the day together before his departure. Hartford spent years building an amazing science center in the middle of downtown, and we finally got around to visiting. This place is incredible.

We had a really great time. I never get tired of watching Jared learn. The open-mouthed, totally engrossed stare a kiddo gets when they are taking something in is pretty cool. Afterward, he scored a lava lamp from the gift shop. Every kid should have a lava lamp at some point. That is one of the photos lost in the vortex between my camera and my computer.

In related news: I, too, have a new lamp. Earth-shattering news, I know. 

P.S. My bedside table is only this clean when I'm photographing it.

After the science museum we headed over to an amazing sushi place called Feng. Mario only had an hour before he needed to head to the airport, so time was of the essence. Tell that to a picky eater with a 5-page menu in front of him. Thank goodness for our waitress. She recommended some items that weren't on the menu and even got him to try 3 new dipping sauces. Seriously a miracle worker, that one. In case you were wondering, on a scale of one to ten, eel sauce is apparently a ten. Every time Jared discovers a new food he likes, angels sing and Mario and I weep tears of joy.

The lighting was all red, all the time, so my photos are a little psychedelic. Also, does anyone else love the crazy look of a Spider Roll?

Mario took off and Jared and I stayed until he was finished eating. Twenty hours at home is simply not enough. This was a tough one. 

The weather was holding out, so Kiddo and I stopped at Whole Foods on the way home to pick up some things and snag some dairy-free dessert. Then he played navigator after I took not one, but two, wrong turns. I've only taken this route home about 100 times. I blame a worn-out mind. 

Sunday was a chill day. I watched two episodes of Downton Abbey (one episode left of the first season...I'm expecting something exciting). We ate way too many Pumpkin Spice muffins, Jared played in the snow, and the house got tidied. That's good enough for me. 

 I did zero studying, nor did I get ahead on blog posts, in favor of hanging out. I'm paying for that today, as my nose will not be leaving my book once this post is finished. A smarter person might have forgone this post all together.

Hope everyone is having a great Monday!

Linking up:
 Much Ado Monday at This Little Light

If Everyday is a Gift...

Monday, February 25, 2013

Back to reality.

Dude. This was a great weekend. Thanks to Captain Nemo, we learned Friday was a snow day by bedtime Thursday night. No waking up to hear the rather lame spirited local radio hosts reading a list of cancellations at 6a. Nope. Alarms were turned off and we slept with abandon. 

It was a sad day indeed when I started considering a 7a wake up call to be 'sleeping in'. I am officially a grownup. All you morning people, you're my heroes. If you know the trick to becoming one, share.

This is Friday in a nutshell. Pj's, bedhead, blankets, and a permanent body-shaped dent in the couch. We took turns choosing what to watch. Star Trek: The Next Generation, Super 8, Pitch Perfect, Star Trek: The Next Generation...and so on. Kiddo pretended we live in the Aloha State and sipped straight from a coconut while a blizzard raged outside.

I got up early on Saturday morning and put my shiny new Crock Pot to use. I also made my favorite ambrosia salad, emptied and refilled the dishwasher, and hand washed a bunch of lingering dishes. I can avoid hand washing like no one else, but actually find it to be a very zen experience. Sipping a cup of coffee in a quiet house while tidying up and meal prepping...I felt very productive. You may call me Martha from this day forward.

Kiddo had to come up with a science experiment for school, and we decided investigate what magical substance in our well water makes plants grow like crazy. The only problem? Plants take time to grow and he needs to get started. 

I bought some dry kidney beans from the grocery store, wrapped them in wet paper towels and placed them in a Ziploc. I turned our microwave into an incubator using an old sock filled with rice. As luck would have it, in a mere two days we have sprouts! Let's hope our luck holds out...my green thumb comes and goes.

The boys used the two feet of fresh snow as an opportunity to spend the day together. They went to a school sledding party, then headed to the local ski mountain where they have a Saturday night special. They skied fresh powder, ate bar food, inner-tubed, and bonded. Kiddo literally talked himself to sleep reliving the fun and Mario woke up Sunday morning talking about what a great day they had. 

They have decided to make it a Saturday tradition for the remainder of the ski season. I am going to attempt a lesson on Friday night (I'm putting it out there to hold myself accountable), and if all goes well, I may join them next week. If nothing else, I will be there snapping photos.

Meanwhile, I had the house all to myself...a rare treat indeed. I chatted with my awesome aunt (who is a great photographer...I love picking her brain), tackled a mountain of laundry, and caught up on my DVR. It sounds boring, but the solitude was really nice.

Can I just say how much better this season of The Biggest Loser is? I'm surprised I gave it another chance after last year's disaster (I didn't want any of those awful people to win), but I'm glad I did. Two hours is a little long for a weekly show, and I fast forward quite a bit, but I do find it inspiring. If they can leave their families for months to work out 6 hours a day, I can certainly spare an hour. With the funk I've been in the last 3 weeks, a little time on a treadmill will do me some good.

In other news: I have noticed that every alum has a hoodie and/or sweatpants from their alma mater. Considering I'm three months away from this milestone, I decided it was time to spend way too much on embellished fleece pants. Holy moly! These may be the most comfortable trousers I have ever owned. I could live in these pants.

Mario left at noon on Sunday to catch a flight to sunny San Diego. It's just Kiddo and I again. Jared woke up in a terrible mood, I was sad that Husband was leaving (yet again), and our little weekend bubble popped. There may have been a couple meltdowns. All was well by departure time, but it was a reminder that our current schedule is not sustainable.

Balance. We simply must find it. Next summer we will be packing up our life and embarking on a new adventure. But I don't want to move our old baggage to our new existence. That means scheduling homework time, family time, and personal time. We need to treat them separately and prevent all the overlap (i.e. answering emails during family movie time). Sometimes, instead of working as a unit, we all pull in opposite directions. It takes mornings like we had yesterday to reevaluate. And make new goals. It wasn't pretty, but we're better for it.

Because we were coming off a grand weekend, I had loads of neglected homework, and we had one last Redbox to watch...Sunday night dinner was turkey dogs and guacamole all the way.

Happy Monday!

Linking up:

Back to reality.

Monday, February 11, 2013