Perspective

Pausing on this Thanksgiving Weekend, I fell into some deep thought.

How grateful I am to be alive. 
Now, in the 21st Century.
Here, in America.
To be educated.
To be able to be independent.
To be healthy.
To be strong-willed and stubborn.
To be a provider.
To be quirky.
To be intelligent.
To be sarcastic.
To be myself.

I have watched countless documentaries, videos, History Channel specials, movies to remind myself of the horrors that humans can place on each other. 

What destruction Mother Nature can commit.
What illness and disease can do to a population.
What emotional turmoil can be created by one person's words.
What constant verbal abuse can do to a child.

Not that these things don't happen here, today, in our society - but I am thankful that we have some safeties in place to prevent and protect when they do.

Thank you America for my freedoms - for being a person, a woman, a parent, a teacher, and an independent thinker.  I appreciate those who came before me to pave the way for me to be me.

Now, how will I pave the way for the next generation...

Thank You Veterans

Thank you to all the Veterans who sacrificed time, family, safety, health and their lives so that ours may be free.   

God Bless America!

Blessings

My life is full of blessings, and I wish that those blessings would compensate for the stresses.
I'm going to work on documenting those blessings in these posts.

• I'm blessed with two enthusiastic and creative boys.  Even when one prefers to be holed up in his room designing a new CosPlay outfit and the other can quote the Disney Channel at the drop of a hat.  One of these days they won't want to snuggle with their mom... and they'll grow up, but I want them to always know how much they mean to me!
• I'm blessed with a boyfriend who is doing his best to provide for our family.  A little axe welding in the side yard has resulted in several cords of wood ready for the newly installed wood stove this winter.
• I'm blessed with parents who support me in all of my endeavors - including setting up and tearing down my craft booth this weekend and letting my kiddos hang out at 'the farm' rather than sit with me.
• I'm blessed with the ability to explain difficult math concepts to reluctant students.  Even when they don't want to listen... at all!
• I'm blessed with colleagues who give of themselves more than they get.  And often don't know how much they are appreciated.
• I'm blessed with a roof over my head that provides me a safe haven.  
• I'm blessed with good health - and should remind myself of that every day!

Yes, I'm blessed with many things - and need to focus on those to help get through those tough times.

Bourbon Orleans - Rest In Paws

It amazes me how I am mourning the loss of my dog.  I suppose I'm over-analyzing things, but having to make the decision to euthanize her was by far, the hardest choice I've had to make.

Her appetite got the best of her.  She was left on my sister's New Orleans' front porch, hooked up to Domino Dog's tether while my then-husband and 3 year old son were visiting.  Natalie said it was fate, that she was meant to be our dog since we 'found' her on our sixth anniversary.  Therefore, she, once I agreed, went on the quest to bring her to us.

Her arrival later that summer was coordinated with the airlines and gave Natalie an excuse to come home to visit.  Our older dog, Daisy, didn't quite know what to think of the new arrival.  Our cat had been killed by a car the previous fall and in my opinion, she enjoyed being an 'only pet'... but three-year-old Austin was ecstatic.  We named her "Bourbon Orleans" in honor of the city she was found in...and people who meet her thought she was a 'Katrina' Dog (or a Dixie Dog)... even though she wasn't.

Occasionally, my parents would take both Bourbon and Daisy to 'the Farm'.  Walks with my dad allowed her to experience new smells from the 'wilderness' of Petersham, even a run in with a bear during a walk.  Fortunately, the bear was at the end of the road and Bourbon was following the scent of a chipmunk and didn't even see the bear.  Not quite sure if she would have registered what it was - a big dog, maybe?  She did venture into my neighbor's horse pen one time.  It only took one hoof to the head for her to realize that a horse isn't something to mess with.  She also learned quickly after rolling in a turtle carcass... and being sprayed by a skunk.  Most animal mishaps only occured once.  

Her insatiable appetite was her demise.  I believe she was either a runt of her litter or underfed in her first six months, as she gobbled up any food she could find, even if it was out of someone's hand, the trash, or her sister's dinner.  She was stealthy, too.  Our younger son, Cameron, would have food in one hand, turn to the right, and Bourbon would sneak in on the left.  When I forgot my lunch on the counter, she helped herself to it while we were gone.  She artfully ate an entire plate of devilled eggs one Easter - we felt the wrath of those eggs the rest of the week as her digestive system reminded us of them...  I also think she enjoyed the Filet Mignon she stole from the counter, and rolled in on the dining room carpet.  She slept for two days after that feast.  I think that her girth was partly due to the fact that she would eat her food, then sneak upstairs to eat Daisy's food.  Daisy was wasting away and Bourbon was doubling in size.  Until we caught on to her act.  We dubbed her the 'Sausage Dog'.  However, years of damage had already been done.  Her liver failed, diabetes surged, and in the last two weeks, she lost seven pounds, wouldn't eat and was extremely lethargic.  Her addiction to food

I knew she wasn't herself, because the typically was the fierce barker.  In the past, she forced the mailman substitute to leave a note saying he wouldn't leave the mail unless the door was closed (the glass storm door didn't keep the fierce dog at bay).  She would let us know whenever someone was at the door or in the driveway.  We really didn't need a doorbell.  However, if you entered the house, she'd run the other way.  Guard dog - well, maybe not.  But as long as she was in the safety of her own yard or house, she let everyone know.  Including our neighborhood dogs as they paraded around the block. 

Older son Austin wanted to ensure that Bourbon had her 'Last Walk' around the block.  Felt a bit like the Green Mile...and certainly it was the farthest Bourbon had walked in the last two weeks.  But she made it, and I'm glad that Austin got to be a part of that.  They didn't come with me to the vet, and I'm glad that was the case.

I'm thankful for the time you spent with us Bourbon.  Please enjoy Heaven chasing Pogo Cat with Domino Dog and going on a walk with Grandpa Allen in his 'Rascal'.

Mother Nature's Wrath

Dramatic weather is hitting the world all over.  Tornadoes in Kansas and the first Tropical Storm of the season (two weeks early...), wildfire season has hit in Arizona and strong earthquakes in Italy that took out old brick buildings as well as new steel factories.  According to the news, thankfully, only four deaths have been reported in ALL of these... though I'm sure the fatalities will increase in the Earthquake affected area.  Of course, this is giving me pause to be thankful of where I am, and also to gather my supplies for the crazy summer season... 

The snowfall of the 2010-2011 winter was record-breaking and the crazy storm of last Halloween certainly caught us off guard so you would think that I've gotten all my ducks in a row and am ready for the carnage Mother Nature will throw our way, but alas...I'm behind the eight ball.

Though it's summer, I am working on getting a wood-burning fireplace insert and the eco-biobricks (paper & wood pulp smashed into a cylindrical shape) ready for fall and prepping the garden soil for the tomatoes and all.  I hope to expand the canning to strawberry jelly and more pickled veggies... hopefully to even get the pressure cooker going for chili and stews.  We'll see how things go and if I can get the items ready before the power goes out or the tornado touches down or the snow falls...

STEM is the wave of the future!

STEM, or Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, is the future.  As I always laugh about, the geeks of the world will take over the world...and they certainly are!  How can we excite kids about science and technology?  How can we spark that enthusiasm and curiosity for learning?

Hands on methods and connecting to student's real life work.  The Boy Scouts STEM-NOVA project seems to be doing that by connecting Merit Badges and Technology and Career Expos for their ranks.  I'm very curious to check out these Expos, especially since they're not too far from my house.  I also am constantly looking for outlets for my own older scout, who's not the 'sportsy' or 'outdoorsy' guy, but is coming into his own - as he's finding things he connects to... he's constantly surprising me, and himself!

Stress

I am quite overwhelmed and need a stress release.

I get a hug and a kiss from my kiddo and that makes me soooooo happy.

I realize that work and it's related items are exhausting, but it's so nice to be appreciated.

Now...I have to get back to my piles of goodies...(ie: papers)

Attitude of Gratitude

It's Spring time that brings bears out of their dens and gives me yet another time during the year to reflect on all that is good in my life.

I continue to be thankful for the people in my life.  Not just happy, but truly THANKFUL!

The kids still 'forget' to flush the toilet, but I'm thankful they're healthy and not in diapers or on dialysis...or worse.

My home may be messy, but I'm thankful I HAVE a home to live in (it's the 'lived-in look' anyway).

The 'Grandma Dog' Daisy (age 16!) barks incessantly at all hours, but I'm thankful she's still alive.

My job is stressful, but I'm thankful I HAVE a job!

My communication skills may need work, but I'm thankful I still have a voice (though some people would question that...).

My hair is graying and my knees crack, but I still have my health (though I wonder at times...).

My house is full of laughter and tears, lots of little feet (both human and canine) and a few broken items - but I'll take it any day of the week!!!

But vs. And

In my new venture to improve my communication skills, I have discovered the book Tongue Fu at School by Sam Horn.  I'm only 4 chapters in and it has struck me as very user-friendly and I have already applied several of the tips in only a few days.  I hope to add some of my own comments to each of the strategies, and how I have used them as both a teacher and a mom.

The first chapter is simply to avoid argumentative words - simply to avoid canceling what has been said.  This is primarily by eliminating the word BUT any conversation and replace it with AND.  'And' both acknowledges someones comments or situation and advances the conversation.  'But' contradicts anything that was initially said and stops the conversation.  I have found myself running into this situation several times, trying to avoid excuses for either a behavior or an event and having the student focus on their accountability.

I'm looking forward to reading (and blogging about) the rest of the book, and applying it to not only my own job and family, but also extending it as life lessons for both my students and my kiddos.

Don't be a jerk!

Here's to a new venture:  Jerky!


'Borrowed' this from another blog - so I won't take credit myself, but certainly looking forward to tackling this venture!

Beef jerky an excellent snack, its a great way to preserve meat and also get your essential proteins. The problem that we face today is that beef jerky sold in the supermarkets is generally expensive and packed full of unhealthy additives and preservatives. How do you avoid this? The answer is simple, homemade beef jerky! Making jerky at home is much cheaper and eliminates any unnecessary preservatives from the pictures. If you're a 'do it yourself' type of person with some extra time, my homemade beef jerky recipes are sure to please!

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Cuts of Meat -

Many people will tell you that only certain cuts of beef should be used to make jerky. I say bah! Any cut of meat can be used when making jerky, but cuts such as the eye round, sirloin, flank and rump will be much easier to prepare. Other cuts will take a little more effort from you, as you'll have to cut out the fat so that your beef jerky doesn't become hard to chew. It really depends on how much time you want to spend.

Preparing the Meat -

Once you've found the right cut of meat, you'll want to start off by placing it in the freezer for a couple of hours. The meat shouldn't be frozen all the way through as you're just looking to firm it up to make slicing it easier. Once your meat has firmed in the freezer, using a sharp knife, cut with the grain into 1/4 inch thick slices. Now that you're meat is cut, you'll want to choose a marinade. I've included four of my favorite beef jerky marinade recipes below.

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Homemade Beef Jerky Marinade Recipes -

All four of these Beef Jerky marinades are very easy to make and will properly marinate 4-5 pounds of jerky meat.

Hot and Sour Beef Jerky Marinade:

1/2 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 Cup Pineapple Juice
2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 Cloves Garlic (crushed, or 2tsp Powder)
1/2 Onion (finely chopped or 1Tblsp Powder)
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tablespoon Black Pepper

Carne Asada Beef Jerky Marinade:

1/2 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
Juice from an Orange
Juice from a Lime
2 Cloves Garlic (crushed)
1/2 Onion (finely chopped)
2 Teaspoons Chili Powder
2 Teaspoons Cumin
2 Teaspoons Oregano
2 Teaspoons Salt
Handful of Fresh Cilantro

Teriyaki Beef Jerky Marinade Recipe:

1 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
Juice from one Orange
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Cloves Garlic (crushed, or 2tsp Garlic Powder)
1/2 Onion (finely chopped or 2tsp Onion Powder)
1 Tablespoon Grated Ginger (2tsp Ginger Powder)
1 Tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tablespoon Honey
1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Simply Pepper Beef Jerky Marinade:

1/2 Cup Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 Cup Red Wine
1 Tablespoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Mixed Peppercorns
1 Tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes

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Marinating the Meat -

For all the marinades above, start off by combining all ingredients into a large freezer bag and mix well. Once mixed, add your strips of meat, seal and then let it rest in your refrigerator for 12-48 hours. The longer you let it sit, the more intense the flavor.

Cooking/Drying Your Jerky -

When it comes time to cook/dry your beef jerky, there are many different techniques that can be used. I'll take you through the process of oven drying, but smokers and dehydrators are also viable options.

Oven Drying Beef Jerky:

Start off by turning your oven to the lowest setting. 150F is about normal for most ovens.
Place the jerky strips onto baking racks or something that will allow for air flow beneath and around the slices of meat. Be sure to shake off any excess marinade. Do not place onto baking sheets as these do not provide the proper ventilation and will hold in moisture. Personally, I use a pizza pan that has a bunch of little holes in the bottom.

Move the baking trays into the oven. It's important to crack the oven door open using a knife or wooden spoon so that new air is constantly being sucked in. This will greatly improve the time it takes to dry your jerky.

It will take about 4-6 hours for your beef jerky to be ready to eat. Flip the jerky about once every hour to make sure that it is drying consistently. In the last couple hours, monitor your jerky until the desired dryness.  Some people like their jerky with more moisture for a softer texture while others like myself like a drier Jerky for the nice chewiness. Just dry it to your preference.

The last step to do is cool and store. For beef jerky with a higher moisture content, seal in bags and store in the refrigerator. Jerky that has had the majority of water content removed will be able to store in a cool dark place in an airtight container. The fresh jerky will last for three weeks, if you don't eat it all by then! If you need it for longer, jerky will stay good for around a year if you store it in the freezer.

Legos are made for creativity!

Can you identify these cartoon characters? Can't claim this as my own... but it was flying around the internet recently and caught my attention. Sadly, my 8 year old got the same ones I did - VERY QUICKLY!!! - but there are two that escaped us. What does that say about our cartoon knowledge? Hmmmmm

What's the word, hummingbird?

It's such fun to motivate children in the early morning on the day of state testing. Sad to see my younger son STRESSED OUT about his 3rd grade testing. As a teacher, I understand getting the kids to take it seriously, but as a mom, I don't like the way that kids can internalize things like this.

He's worried. And that worries me.

But now he's asking if my childhood dog was reincarnated into our family dog... so something tells me that he's moving on...

A Cleansing Dip in the Connecticut!

Kicking off our school's Pi Day Canned Food Drive at the 3rd Annual Leprechaun Plunge. Next year I need to remember to recruit more kiddos to join me AND to coordinate with the chairwoman of the food bank (who saw my costume and wanted us to join their team in line, but my students declined...I think they were nervous!). But still - what a riot! The plungers raised more than $76,000 for the six different charities! Great day for a dip and topped it off with Corned Beef & Cabbage for dinner. Yummy!

Leprechaun Plunge for Food Bank

Silly Me

I'm organizing my posts with labels and realizing that the majority of them are talking about WEATHER! So what does that say about me? Am I being ambiguous? Am I generic? Am I BORING? Or am I still not taking the plunge to put my life out on the world-wide-web for all to see?

I guess I should find a topic and stick to it - not simply the stream of consciousness that I've been doing. But I always have through of myself as NOT a One-Trick Pony... a Jill-of-all-trades (complements of my mom's multi-tasking efforts growing up)... so I'm not sure if I will be able to focus one just one or two things.

I have a wide range of interests, and I don't feel like I'm 'GREAT' at anything - just 'GOOD' at lots... we'll see how it goes.

The Thrill of Action-Packed Escape-ism...

So I'm intrigued by the storytelling of Dan Brown's novels, Michael Crichton's science trillers and the myriad of alphabet soup on television like CSI, NCIS and FBI dramas. Does that mean I enjoy escaping from my own life? Or am I dreaming of a different line of work?

Not that I necessarily want to globe-trot and shoot the bad guys, but I thoroughly enjoy the 60 minutes of escaping from the hum-drum life with some heart pounding drama. Though I'm not huge on movies like the Bourne Trilogy or Mission Impossible (maybe they're too long), I have gotten hooked on tons of shows available online and on-demand. Maybe it's a way for me to experience the excitement while at the same time still being safe in my own home (risk taking maybe, without the risk). So what does that say about me?

I also love the new shows Grimm and Once Upon a Time. which are products, I believe, of some of the writers of one of my favorites shows, LOST. I love the way they weave the backstories and have a timeline that isn't necessarily linear. It's always engaging and you have to stay on your toes.

Of course, it's also nice to be able to watch a serial drama, like Law and Order, where there aren't really story arcs that continue past the 42 minute episode (isn't it nice when things wrap up in a nice little bow at the closing credits?). I know that real life isn't like that (and the crime lab doesn't solve a murder during one shift) but it's still entertaining to watch the bad guys get their due. And I can stomach the (fake) blood and guts!

So bring on the shows - always fascinating and always engaging...especially when they come up with something new and don't recycle or reboot an old idea!

Finding the Secret to Coupon Codes:

Just found some sites that might be helpful for those of you who do online shopping more than venturing to the mall. coupons.com , retailmenot.com , shopathome.com, and couponcabin.com are three sites that offer both printable hard copies of coupons for a variety of stores (both virtual and actual storefronts). Some are major brands while others are obscure and specialty. Some of the coupons are general (20% off total purchase) while others are quite specific (10% off non-sale brand XX children's wear), but if you're game for doing some research, it could save you a small chunk of change.

I haven't tried any of the printable versions as it strikes me as frustrating to pay for the ink to save 50 cents on a product... but I suppose that if I researched more I could make it worth my while. Of course, I never will be one of those Extreme Couponers that can purchase five carts of food items and spend 20 cents! Though, one can always dream!

I do envy, though, a stocked pantry that can supply one through the Apocalypse, even though I'm not sure how many jars of dill pickles one can stomach... it interests me how much these businesses use coupons as a marketing strategy... and how much the items are marked up in price. JCPenney's new CEO's strategy has also interested me, and I'm curious as to if this change in business plan will carry over into other companies. Or how Apple as a brand using 'hipness' and loyalty as a marketing technique. I would be interested to see how the 'economic downturn' has been affected by online shopping (or if it really has) or if this is simply a result of the reporting of the media and the panic of society.

I'll just keep surfing the net looking for deals before I head out to the store and let the UPS guy keep his job.

Winter - where are you?

Well, a dusting on Saturday morning does NOT qualify for a winter. The groundhog forecast six more weeks of winter, however, we hardly have had a winter to begin with. That worries me a tad...will March roar like a lion with three feet of snow... or will we Jack Frost miss us this year only to have his brother Jimmy Heatstroke blanket us this summer with triple digit temps and 90% humidity... we'll have to wait and see.

As for the investment in insulation, I'm not sure if I can actually count this year. I've had the furnace OFF at least twice a week all winter, and thanks to Eric, the fireplace has been roaring all month. We'll have to see how the rest of the winter months go...

Invest in Insulation.

I'm starting the new year with some more home improvements and am quite curious as to the cost analysis. Started this last February but didn't really keep track of it until now...In 2011, we spent $2,722 on 936 gallons of oil heat from Jan-Dec. That's an average of $7.45 per day and 2.56 gallons per day. Given that the price varies as well as the number of people in the house (blended families with 4 pre-teens, hot water is via the furnace, and the laundry never seems to be complete), I'll elect to analyze the data on a per-deim cost analysis. We'll have to report back in one year to see how the investment has affected our investments.
Of course, the insulation was installed in February, so in my opinion, that initial investment paid off.

1. Expanding Insulating Foam in crevices in the TV room. Noticed immediately the draft is gone. However, I have to thank our resident mice for getting me to finally act on this problem...no thanks to our resident cat (who is still vying to get the last of the caged gerbils...but not the free range mice).
COST: $12 for two cans of foam
SAVINGS: tba

2. Insulating Rubber Weatherstripping along the front wood door. I love this door - but it's solid wood and conducts the cold...and it's not square. Shoved lots of insulation into the cracks but never caulked the bottom (where you could see daylight! for 11 years!!! stupid me!). Instant difference - just a few minor cosmetic adjustments, brown paint over the white caulk, additional rubber trim - but the drafty door has been conquered!
COST: $1 tube of caulk and $16.50 for three 17' sections of rubber weatherstripping.
SAVINGS: tba

3. Drafty bathroom window. Bring on the tube of caulk, as well as a pack of shrink-wrap for the window. Fairly easy to install, and I finally got to use my hairdryer...Draft gone... until the bathroom will be gutted this summer and that window and wall are started from scratch!
COST: $1.46 per window (package is $8.79 for 6 windows)
SAVINGS: tba

4. Attic insulation. This was actually completed last February, but could only look into the cost analysis over the course of this winter. Noticeably warmer overnight on the second floor.
COST: $360 (12 rolls R30 at $15 each)
SAVINGS: tba

5. Heating the house with wood from Storm Damage Compliments of Eric, we are taking advantage of Mother Nature's wrath to help heat the house. The wood was free, as we gathered much of it ourselves after the October storm, but splitting and stacking it has been a family affair. It's free wood, free labor, and time well spent with the kiddos contributing to the household. Win-Win-Win!
COST: Free (minor fee for gas for the chainsaw)
SAVINGS: tba


Totals: approximately $400 investment
Time to recoup costs: at $7.45 per day - 54 days.

Based on this analysis, our investment will be recouped by Mid-February. Hopefully Mother Nature and the Financial Gods will be kinder to us as well. Price alone, oil has practically tripled in the last 13 years...