Summer Food

I think I like Summer. I've got time to take care of myself---I walked 3 miles yesterday, and did yoga today. There are dollar kid movies---Madagasgar this morning. There's swimming and the wearing of shorts. I wear makeup about once a week! And sandals. I have one pair I really like this summer.

I am so much more relaxed, and I can really get to cookin'. I have popsicles in the freezer all the time. We eat fresh vegetables and fruits so much more often. I enjoy seeing every-blogger's weekly menus, so I thought I'd share what I've done this week---and what's coming up in the near future.

Saturday
Benefit Hamburger Cookout for Camp Bandina

Sunday
leftovers, sandwiches

Monday
Spiral-sliced honey glazed ham, watermelon, green salad

Tuesday (today)
"Easy Ranch Chicken and Corn", baby carrots, dessert:Blue Bell Key Lime Pie ice cream

Wednesday
Eating out? (I'm itching for Panda Express whenever we do eat out next) if we don't eat out, I'll do the Stromboli

Thursday
Ham/Provolone Stromboli OR hot dogs, chili, chips, cinnamon/sugar apples

Friday
eating on the road to my Mom and Dad's

Saturday
At Mom's---I'm not sure how she will be feeling, but I think we'll eat a lunch together at home (something grilled?) and I'll do potato salad and pickled beets. Dad will be playing a concert just off the Square, so maybe we'll eat on the Square. Shepherd's tacos? Those were delicious on the Square one year.

After soliciting responses on my Facebook account, I'm going to use the hambone to season beans sometime. Not that B will eat beans!! She'll have to figure something else out for herself that night. She didn't even like the ham very much---and it was De-licious!!

Happy eating this week, everyone!

Walking Music

I got up this morning and walked 3 miles at the neighborhood park. I woke of my own accord just before 6:30, and laid in bed trying to talk myself into going back to sleep. The sun was already coming up, though, so my body wouldn't let me go back to sleep. I'd already had a good 7 and a half hours, so why would I sleep more?

I thought I'd give a highlight of what was on my MP3 player while I walked.
Shape of My Heart (Sting)
Clumsy (Fergie)
3x5 (John Mayer)
Something About You (Level 42)
Dr. Robert (Beatles)
A Change Would do You Good (Sheryl Crow)
The Way (Fastball)
Stuck in the Middle With You (Steeler's Wheel)

My banana is too sweet. Bleh.

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt, June 27th

This week's PhotoHunters' theme is flags. I know we'll see a lot of patriotic submissions this week! My mind went a different direction, though.

I was on the flag corps in high school, and I loved it. It's one of the fondest high school memories I have, to be part of the big moving organization on the football field Friday nights. So I submit two flag photos related to that idea. This first one is a pre-game flag tunnel we made as the rest of the band would file into the stands. Imagine a drum cadence playing in the background while we flag girls stood to the sides making a pointed arch overhead. I think that's me---the first flag on the left.

This second one is in the parking lot in front of the Winn-Dixie (I think Brookshire Brothers now). I don't know why we were performing there! We had these pink flags for a certain song, and the yellow shirts we have on were our Friday uniforms for school. They say Color Guard on them, I think. My hair is weird in this one---I think it's in a braid in the back. Thanks to my parents who must have taken both these shots!

I hope you'll go see some more flags on TNChick's website. Next week will be pretty in pink!

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt, June 20th

This week's theme is creamy. B got some frozen treat recipes from her American Girl magazine. We also caught Blue Bell ice cream on sale! Yea! And here is her creamy creation.
This one is Homemade Vanilla With Strawberries ice cream and Cran-Grape juice. This is slightly modified from the recipe in the magazine, but came out deliciously!

There was another set of creamy pops that I didn't care for---peanut butter and strawberry yogurt. Another is untested in the freezer---vanilla pudding and blueberries---but that sounds good to me. Yum!

B has made several things in her Easy Bake Oven also. We had the standard cakes from the packages you buy, but she found a recipe on the Internet for Pizza. Pizza cooked by a lightbulb! We all got a piece, and it wasn't too bad! ;-)

I'm not sure about next week's theme, but if you want to see more creamy foods, check out TNChick's blog.

Embracing Sweat

I have been SWEATING here in Bryan. We hit 100 degrees yesterday, and expect to today----it's 4:23 and 96 degrees. We may still make it! But I really don't want to, of course! I do not take the heat very well. I have a fair complexion, burn easily, and just wilt in the heat. My face turns red, I feel weak, and when it's bad, I start to get white around my mouth and eyes. My raccoon look!

The disturbing news is . . . the average first 100 degree day in College Station is July 16th. We were one month early this year! Doesn't bode well for us.

I feel like I have to learn to embrace the sweat, because I can't get away from it. If I have to get in the car without cooling it off, I'm instantly drenched in sweat. If I go outside for any length of time, anywhere under the hair on my head, it's hot. As soon as I get out of my almost cold shower, I start sweating. I can't dry off before the sweating begins!

But one time of the day, I have been sweating on purpose. Bess's track camp is in its middle week, and I have been taking advantage of being there at the track. I walk around the track for about one hour each day. This week, I walked 11 laps (2.75 miles), Tuesday 12 laps (3 miles), and today I walked 3 miles again, 12 laps. Both weeks, I've only gotten to walk 3 times. This week we have a track meet on her 4th day. But last week, I did yoga two times, too. I'm proud of myself.

It may be my imagination, but I feel like since I've done this 3 times in the last two weeks, my stomach is smaller. This is my least favorite part of the body---this fat stomach!! But I really think it's getting better. I have one more week to walk during Bess's track, and after that, I plan on walking at 7 am instead.

Oh! Did I say it's 9:15 before I begin walking? It's very hot even by then, but the saving grace has been the clouds. It's been cloudy in the mornings. Of course this means we have high humidity, but at least the sun isn't beating down on us all.

This past school year I got into some bad habits and gained some weight. Here are some good habits I have been trying to nurture this summer---now that I have no excuses:

Walking 3 miles 3 days a week

Yoga twice a week (one 30-minute DVD, one 50 minute DVD)

high fiber breakfast (I'm looking for >5g of fiber)

less soda, more water (or decaf tea with Sweet n Low)

a daily SPF 15 lotion on my exposed body parts---face, legs, arms, neck, ears


Hope you're enjoying your summer! I'm feeling good about myself again.

We now have time for a guest blogger! It's our B. She will be blogging about her trip to San Antonio in March. Her Webkinz elephant, Bananas, saw all the sights!

Hello! I want to tell you about my vacation to San Antonio. Here are 10 pictures of the beginning of our trip.

This is Bananas sitting on the bed at our hotel.

This is Bananas standing in front of the 2-story McDonald's.

This is Bananas standing on the Riverwalk.

This is Bananas drinking my coke at the Hard Rock Cafe.

This is Bananas in front of some guy's guitar at the Hard Rock Cafe.

This is Bananas outside the Hard Rock Cafe under an old car.

This is bananas in front of the Alamo.

v This is Bananas in front of a little stage on the Riverwalk.

This is Bananas and me and my dad standing by a well thingy by the Alamo.

This is Bananas eating a french fry at McDonald's.

Well, I guess that's enough pictures for one post, but I will do another post to show you more pictures.

reviews

I ate at Yum Yum's this evening. It's a new restaurant in the old Oxford Street location. The parents of one on the girls on B's softball team runs it. It was de-licious!! Twice I caught myself saying "Yum!" Try it out---the buffet had many choices, and everything I ate was great---really! Here's what we saw tonight:
baked chicken
stuffed peppers
stuffed pasta shells
chicken noodle casserole (J got seconds of this)
rolls
squash/zucchini with tomato sauce
green beans
salad bar

I can't remember much more. The Mom who runs the place made us a cake for the team. Yea for the Banana Splits!! It was a good year.

We saw "Night at the Museum"---Smithsonian version a few nights ago. If you liked the first one, you'll like the second one, too. It was fun and witty in parts, and enjoyable. No Oscar nominations, I'd guess, but fun for the family.

B and I saw "Up" in 3D, and it was worth praising. I was surprised that the characters didn't annoy me like some animated (and live action!) characters do. The dogs were really funny; I enjoyed the vocalization of doggy traits---it seemed right on. The little boy was very sweet and not smart aleck-y. And the way they told about the man, it was very touching. B and I saw it the night after Diane's funeral (if you know her), and it was almost too much emotionally! But I'd enjoy watching it again---and that's saying something. I have fallen asleep in the theater during many kids' movies---"Monsters vs. Aliens," "The Tale of Despereaux" (the first time, but not the second $1 time??), "Cars." Sometimes, it just feels so predictable, I can't help using my time wisely and taking advantage of the dark and sitting still. It's usually just a 15 minute power nap! ;-)

Leave me a comment if you've seen these films or gone to Yum Yum's!

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt, June 6th

This week's photo theme is advertisement.

I've used this picture before of our little B. This was the summer of 2005, on the shores of Lake Michigan. We were in Holland, MI for the wedding of my cousin Dan. B looks like she is in an advertisement for Caffeine-free Coca Cola.

Next week's theme is lock.

Check out TNchick's website for more advertisements---no purchase necessary.

Bet You Can't Lick Your Oboe!

I'm online looking at oboe sites. I bought myself a reed just recently, in the hopes that I can learn a song to play with J and B. Oboe-french horn-cello trios are hard to come by!

I found a fingering chart and I can play the notes as I look at the chart. Now, for reading the staff again and remembering what notes are played with which fingers---that'll be the hard part!

B is sick, but the throat swab this morning was negative for strep. So we'll wait it out, and keep looking for those white pustules on her huge tonsils. I am a good Mommy---I don't give antibiotics unless it's bacterial, and the Dr. said it's likely it's a virus. Her fever has been going up over 102. I was sure it would be strep, and then I knew she'd be well feeling again 24 hours after the medicine got going. This is a lot harder---not knowing when she's better.

J and I listened to Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" today along with watching The Wizard of Oz. This is apparently called The Dark Side of the Rainbow. Larry and I had done it before. It's pretty weird. I was surprised when the song would change right as a scene was changing in the movie. B was laying on the couch in a fever stupor (it was kinda bad!!) when we did this, so I bet it was a weird experience for her . . .

One year, B dressed as Dorothy and J as the Tin Man. They were so cute! . . .

I'm back from my remembrances. I found a few websites talking about how it all works and how to start the CD at just the right moment. This site had a "list of coincidental events" I followed as we listened to the CD.

Here were my favorite parts (some of these are direct quotes from that website):

• At the beginning, Dorothy is balancing on the fence (before she falls into the pigpen) and the line is sung "balanced on the biggest wave" (song is Breathe)


• Alarm bells ring as Miss Gulch, who appears as the Wicked Witch of the West in Oz, enters riding her bicycle.


• During "Breathe (Reprise)" you hear "Home, home again" as Professor Marvel tells Dorothy that she should return to her home.


• The song ends as Dorothy opens the door to her room and approaches the front door of the house. On the original LP, "The Great Gig in the Sky" is the last song on side 1. This song concludes at the same time as the film switches from black-and-white to color. In other words, side 1 of Dark Side of the Moon is the same length as the first black-and-white portion of The Wizard of Oz.


• The sound effects that open "Money" begin when Dorothy opens the front door and the movie shifts from black-and-white to Technicolor. Adherents to the notion that Pink Floyd created an alternate soundtrack for The Wizard of Oz suggest that the band was equating money with color.


• During the line "And who knows which is which and who is who" the focus shifts from Glenda, the Good Witch, to the Wicked Witch of the West.


• The Wicked Witch of the West, who is wearing a black dress, is on camera when you hear "Black, black, black". (29:11) Then Dorothy, who is wearing a blue dress, is on screen when you hear "Blue, blue, blue".


• Dorothy and the Scarecrow are on the yellow brick road when you hear the line "Got to keep the loonies on the path".

That isn't even the half of it. :-) I really enjoyed going through that with J. We both think that it was pretty coincidental, and it would make even more sense if you were high when you did it. (Which was suggested on several of these websites.) Or at 2 a.m. Everything is much funnier then, even if you're sober.