Everything Happens for a Reason

I guess what they say is true... everything happens for a reason! This fall I will be teaching 8th grade math at Gable Middle School. It just so happens that I will be teaching in the same classroom I completed my student teaching in two years ago.

Student Letters from Student Teaching Year at Gable

I feel sure I wouldn't be stepping into a classroom this August had I not lost my job at the newspaper in February. While I didn't want to put all my eggs in one basket, and looked for/applied to mainly marketing related jobs, I knew deep down this was my opportunity to finally get into education. I also realized that if I did not find a teaching position this time around it would be unlikely that I would ever teach.

It is as if all the stars have finally aligned and I am finally getting the opportunity to do what I set out to do when I went back to school in January 2009. I can't say that I am happy that I was laid off, but I am definitely happy with the final outcome of the situation.

Hesitation to be a Good Samaritan

While sitting at a red light the other day, I watched a man with a walking boot on hobble down the sidewalk carrying a bag of grocery items. It was pretty warm and he looked to be pretty warn out. I felt sorry for him.

The 'nice person' side of me wanted to ask him if I could give him a ride somewhere. The 'stay safe' side of me said to keep my windows closed and let him keep walking. The later side won.

It is sad that we live in a world where people have reason to be afraid to lend a helping hand. Odds are, the man I saw was perfectly nice and would have truly appreciated a ride to his destination. But what if he was not a nice man? I couldn't help but think of all the stories about bad people scheming ways to tug at the heartstrings of a Good Samaritan to take advantage of him/her. Unfortunately, I'd rather play it safe and not find myself robbed, kidnapped or worse.

 

May is an Egg-cellent Month!

Breakout the party trays - May is National Egg Month! We all know that the egg is "incredible" and a breakfast staple at any 24-hour diner, but did you know that they US produces around 75 millions eggs a year? That's nothing to cluck at.

Apparently May has been deemed as National Egg Month to remind consumers that eggs are still available, and edible, after Easter. I enjoy a good egg from time to time. Bacon, egg and cheese biscuits are always a good way to start off a morning. Of course bacon and cheese omelets are pretty yummy too. Deviled eggs are by far my favorite and have become a holiday meal must-have on my side of the family. I learned a few years ago that not all deviled eggs are created equally! Midwestern-style deviled eggs taste quite different and contain vinegar and sugar. My taste buds were definitely confused the first time I bit into one of those.

Hard-boiled eggs can be tricky to master. If you boil your eggs too long you'll get that greenish-gray ring around your yolks. After some research, I have honed my egg-cooking skills and now produce perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs. Here is how:

1. Don't preheat your water. Place your eggs in your pan - single layer - and add water so that the eggs are covered by about 1" of water.
2. I add salt to the water to help seal any eggs that happen to crack.
3. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil.
4. Leave the pot on the eye but turn the heat OFF!
5. Set a timer for 14-16 minutes.
6. Ding - your eggs are ready! Pour off the hot water, let your eggs cool and peel.

Love is on the Web

It seems there is a specialized dating site for every demographic these days. Looking for love over the age of 50? OurTime.com is the site for you. Hoping to find God's match for you? Check out ChristianMingle.com. Happen to be a farmer or country dweller in need of a date? Head on over to FarmersOnly.com... no seriously! I think online sites for meeting new people is a pretty good idea, but what if their lists of questions weed out the person meant for you?

I feel lucky to have found my significant other in college. I am not sure how I would navigate the dating scene out in the real world and can imagine meeting someone worth giving a second thought can be quite the challenge in your late twenties. The husband and I technically met online back in 2002. While chatting with a fellow Intro to Business classmate on AIM, Kevin wandered over into his room and somehow took over the keyboard. The conversation continued via AIM when Kevin returned to his room, leading to us eventually meeting for lunch at the Winthop food court.

An Early Photo of Me & Kevin at Winthrop

I have often wondered if Kevin and I would be deemed "compatible" or matched together on online dating sites. We kind of listen to the same music, we sometimes eat the same food, but how do you define compatibility? We work well together as a couple now, but I would not have predicted we were meant to be when we first met. We probably weren't all that compatible at the  beginning and didn't actually start dating seriously until nearly two years after we met. We knew we cared about each other, though, and knew we had to at least give a relationship a try. Almost 10 years later, we are getting ready to celebrate our 5th wedding Anniversary. Maybe AIM should use us in a testimonial commercial for successfully matching us together!

The method of matching complete strangers together based on how they answer certain questions intrigues me. I think it would be interesting for Kevin and I to each create a profile on a dating website to see if our paths would cross and who they say we are compatible with. On second thought, I would hate for Kevin to find a new lady who will cook for him!

Extreme Home-Makeover: Coy Edition

I have big plans for my house... if only I had the funds to support them!

The husband and I moved into our home 3 years ago in February. I was actually hesitant to even look at it in the beginning. I said that I wanted an older brick home and this was neither. But then I went inside and instantly fell in love.

Three years later, I still love my home just the way it is. I simply have a few ideas of ways to make it even better!

We have a large bonus room upstairs that is as unfinished as they come. Besides the studs that mark where the walls would/should be, it is pretty much just a spacious attic with a nice staircase leading up to it. Finishing the bonus room is definitely at the top of my home renovations list, but I have something a little more exciting in mind.

Instead of just finishing the space as laid out, I'd like to rip off the back half of our roof and extend the upstairs space all the way back to be flush with the downstairs. The front half of the roof can stay, although I would like to cut in two gabled dormer windows. No biggie, right? I envision an additional bedroom, a hangout/play room and an extra bathroom in the expanded space. Of course I don't actually expect for this extreme transformation to take place, but I do hope to at least put up some walls and add some flooring sometime soon!

Our backyard could use some work as well. We currently have a little brick patio off the backdoor, but nothing exciting that entices me to venture outside that often. I'd like to add a deck or possibly a screened in porch. A fire pit would be a fantastic addition, and Kevin has requested a hot tub. We also need a fence for a dog and future children, other fences are not all the riveting. 

Happy Record Store Day!

Record Store Day 2012 is this Saturday, April 21. To some, this means nothing, but to my husband, this is the equivalent to a national holiday!

For those who may not be familiar with Record Store Day (RSD), it is a day that recording artists come together to support and celebrate independent record stores. On this day, artists release limited editions of special recordings and compilations on CDs and vinyl (yes, vinyl...) that are only sold in indie record stores. No big box stores, no online downloads, if you want these special releases, you have to buy local! The concept is actually kind of cool when you think about it. This year, everyone from Matt Nathanson to Katy Perry and Metallica will have RSD releases.

The husband can't be in Greenville without making a stop at Earshot. He loves that place and can always find some obscure album no one else has ever heard of that he "needs". Needless to say, WE will be venturing to Earshot bright and early tomorrow morning to celebrate RSD. In fact, Kevin has put together a detailed list of the limited RSD releases he is looking for, complete with a picture of the covers for a quick visual reference.

Last year, RSD coincided with the wedding of a mutual college friend of ours. Luckily, the wedding was in Rock Hill, so Kevin was able to squeeze a quick trip in to an indie record store in Charlotte... with the groom in tow. I think this year's plan is for us to split up at Earshot so that we can cover more ground. I'm picturing a Black Friday type situation with hair pulling and elbowing to snatch the RSD must haves... wish me luck! 

UPDATE
Record Store Day was a success... Kevin's list was conquered. We actually made not one, but two record store stops in Greenville. We were waiting in line at Earshot when the doors opened at 7:30 (seriously). Finished there in time to be at Horizon when they opened at 8 where I was super wife and snatched up the one and only copy of The Civil Wars Billie Jean vinyl.

Record Store Day 2012

I did get a new Matt Nathanson CD, so that is exciting! Turns out the Phish Album is now selling on eBay for about 3x more than what we paid for it... hmmmm. 

Give It A Try!

Back in the day when MySpace was cool (it was cool at one point, right?), I would write blogs featuring my favorite item of the month. Turns out, more people read those than I thought and said that they actually enjoyed them.

So I have decided to revive the product review blogging and start featuring new items that I love or find especially useful in a feature I'll call 'Give it a Try'. I get excited when I find new products that work really well, make my life easier in some way or just exceed my expectations. Now I can share that excitement with you and hopefully introduce you to something new. Enjoy!

Kraft Fresh Take - Cheese and Breadcrumb Mix
Kevin and I eat a lot of chicken at home, mainly because I don't like other meats all that well, but also because it is easy. We buy chicken breasts in bulk from Costco and are always looking for new ways to spice-up our meals. Kevin discovered the Kraft Fresh Take kits at Publix and they are truly awesome!

The kits are very easy to use and consist of cheeses and breadcrumbs that you mix to form a breading for your meat. Think shake and bake with a lot more flavor. The unique packaging keeps the cheese and breadcrumbs separate until you are ready to cook. Simply pull apart the center of the bag to create one big bag. Seal the bag and shake everything up to combine the cheese and breadcrumbs. Add your chicken, shake some more and then bake.

Not only are the kits super easy to use, but they taste really great. We have tried two flavors so far - Southwest Three Cheese and Italian Parmesan. Both flavors are really good and the mix makes a nice breading with a little crunch. We added pasta sauce (and noodles on the side) to the Italian Parmesan mix last night, making a quick and easy chicken parmesan.

There are 6 different mix flavors available with options for Chicken, Fish and Pork. Check out all the Fresh Take flavors here: http://www.kraftrecipes.com/kraftcheese/freshtake.aspx and give a Fresh Take mix a try the next time you are looking to spice-up your dinner!

365 Days Until 30

Today Kevin is celebrating his 29th birthday in Charleston... on a two-night field trip with a bus full of 8th graders.

I was definitely a little sad when I realized the field trip corresponded with Kevin's birthday. I have a hard time remembering the last birthday I didn't spend with Kevin since we met in college. Well, I didn't technically spend his 21st Birthday with him... but that's a different story.

Kevin Celebrating his 24th Birthday in 2007

As we get older, birthdays seem to lose their luster... less presents, less fanfare and a little gray hair. But birthdays should still be special no matter how old you are, not necessarily as a celebration of the day you were birthed, but more as a celebration of your life and how awesome of a person you are. Everyone likes to feel special, and I have to believe a day in the spotlight once a year is good for the soul.

I packed a card in Kevin's suitcase with a note to not open until today. I wanted him to at least have something to open on his birthday, even if it was just a card. Happy Birthday, Dear!