Friday, April 30, 2010

Comfort

After conversation with Annie, I go to thinking about all of my comfort foods.  And other comfort things.

  • My mom's dippy eggs with 12-grain toast and REAL butter.
  • Chinese take-out
  • Taco Bell
  • Dateline NBC
  • Dark Chocolate!!!
  • Spaghetti with marinara
  • Wine
  • Staying at home on the couch!
  • Roseanne
  • The Office
  • A good Book
  • The smell of wood
  • Marshmallow Fluff
 Updates later...

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Root Beer Floats!

Last evening Josh and I met with our wonderful pianist, Lya, to pick our wedding music.  On the way home I spoke to my little brother, Noah, on the phone to hear that he was eating a root beer float.  So Josh and I U-turned our car to the grocery store.

I have been trying really hard to eat healthy and exercise in preparation for wedding stuff... so I got diet root beer and Light Vanilla Ice Cream.  I am pretty sure it was still really bad for me.  So I had one yesterday and today.  Darn.

In addition to the root beer floats, I met with my bible study group tonight over a camp fire, light beer, and s'mores.  Darn.

Also--I have received 5 RSVPs for the wedding!  We will officially have at least 12 people at our wedding! :-)

Monday, April 26, 2010

60 Days!

Two months 'til our wedding.  Some thoughts that crossed my mind on this day:

  • I am going to be a wife in two months.  I better learn how to fold clothes better.
  • I wish my brother could be there.
  • I love Zumba.  I absolutely love it.  I hope to be a Zumba instructor some day.
  • I can't wait to start grad school. Wait... scratch that.  I can't wait to finish grad school.
  • I hate cancer.
  • I am currently eating dinner: rotisserie chicken and a glass of red wine.  Oh yes, and a dark chocolate truffle.
  • I punished a student today for doing something that just wasn't safe.  He didn't hurt anyone, but he could have.  He was terribly upset, because he is normally a wonderful student.  I felt really bad, but I apologized and explained to him why I chose to give him the reminder.  After that, I think he understood.  But he still cried a lot.
  • Josh and I both got interviews for Baltimore County!!! Woo-hoo.  But we can't go until June 9.  I was hoping to have a job by then! Oh, well.
  • I love rain.  I used to hate it.  But lately I have been thankful for our rain.
  • And another thing--I still hate bees.  But I am thankful for them.  And I am pleased to see them.  Then I run.
  • I want (more than almost anything) to have my very own classroom.  I love my job at my school right now.  But I keep thinking of the wonderful things I can try with my students once I have the access to floor space and instruments.  Let's hope for that next year!
  • And I am getting so fed up with this long hair.  I am literally getting it cut on the way to the airport to our honeymoon.
  • We are going to Cozumel in 62 days!  A picture of our resort:

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Engagement Photos!

Well, folks, it has finally happened.  10 months into our engagement and two months before the wedding, we finally took some engagement photos.  Pappy Jim (my step-dad's step-dad) took our beautiful photos at Coopers Rock yesterday.

Just a few of my favorites--Click on any picture to enlarge it:


This one seems awful "Prom Picture"-ish, but I love how we are looking at each other.

  
 
Definitely Josh's favorite.  Such a cute photo.





 My facial expression isn't the greatest, but I was excited about Josh's smile and the river in the background.


And what is probably my favorite picture of my hair ever!



There are more photos from our "Engagement Shoot" posted on our Wedding Website!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

You May Now Kiss The Bride

This week was a big wedding week!

*Bryana mailed the bridal shower invitations on Tuesday.  I am SO excited to go to the shower and see friends.  I am also SUPER excited to make some food or candy for the shower :-)

*Josh and I both picked a weekend for bachelor/bachelorette parties.

*I mailed the wedding invitations.  There is no turning back now.  People will come.  I will be so excited the day that I start receiving some RSVPs in the mail!!!! I am just waiting for the day... hopefully a few will be back next week.

*Josh picked up his wedding ring today.

*All of the tuxes will be ordered in a day or two.

Just a few more things to do before we are Mr. and Mrs. Mengel!

I AM NOT A BABYSITTER.

...well, actually, I am.  But only on my own time.  Outside of school.  Where I get paid directly from the parents of the children.

I did not earn a summa cum laude honor for a bachelor's degree of music education so that I could babysit a room full of fourth graders, miss ALL of my plan time without notice, and not be apologized to.

I did not work my butt off all week planning lessons for 6 classes only to not be able to teach them because I didn't have any time to put the materials on my CART that I wheel around to other classes so that THEY can have their plan times. 

Vent, rant, rave: over.

On the bright side:  one of my fourth grade classes is singing for a volunteer luncheon that our school is putting on.  They lit up my day today.  They learned a song perfectly in 35 minutes and can sing it and play it on recorder in 3 part harmony.  It was just beautiful.  The words to the song: 

Let me be a light for hope.
Let me be a light for peace.
From the seas below to the skies above,
Let me be a light for love.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

An Exciting Week!

Such an exciting and jam-packed week.

Sunday: My first Sunday teaching The Incredibles, a Sunday School class at my church made up of autistic children.  I spent the majority of the rest of the day relaxing.  Well needed.  Had the most delicious sushi for dinner.

Monday: Back to school.  Writing Assessment week.  I have to be quiet this week.  Trying some new and pretty cool "quiet" projects with the kids.  Put a chicken salsa corn soup in the crock pot.  Went to Zumba!

Tuesday: Starting packing up my room at school for the end of the year.  Worked out.  Went shopping for wedding stuff with Josh.  Had dinner at a Mexican restaurant.

Wednesday:  Getting a new student at school.  She will be in my favorite class, the class that I teach made up of 4 (now 5) students with autism.  I literally cannot wait to meet her.  For some odd reason, I feel like I am adopting a child or something.  I will only see the girl twice per week!  Then the girls from my home group are coming over to help me finish my wedding invitations.  Then we have home group.

Thursday:  Lauren and Eli are coming over for dinner.  I am making lasagna and garlic bread.  SOOO excited!

Friday:  Going out for a friend's birthday... should be fun.

Saturday:  Orff workshop in the morning.  Then an old friend from high school is coming to Morgantown to hang out!!!   I literally cannot wait for this!  We haven't spent time together in about 3 years!  Mallory, Christine, and I are hopefully going to do some fun stuff :-)

Sunday: My second week with the Incredibles.  Then lunch at Red Lobster for another friend's birthday.  And hopefully mailing the invitations :o)  IS it just me, or does mailing the invitations seem like a HUGE step???  It seems like the Point of No Return!!!!  

WOO-HOO!!!!

BW3s

I love Buffalo Wild Wings.  I found the recipes to some of my favorite wings there.  Some of them seem pretty simple.  I haven't tried any yet, but I am hoping someone will and let me know how it goes!

 

Buffalo Wild Wings Recipes

bw3
I’m more of a classic buffalo sauce(Frank’s, butter, and vinegar) man myself, but I had these recipes for my favorite wings at Buffalo Wings Wings, so I thought I would share.  Some of these may seem a little labor intensive, but they definitely taste a lot better with fresh ingredients.  Enjoy.
updated: November 21st, 2009

Parmesan Garlic

  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Spicy Garlic

  • 1 Cup Frank’s cayenne pepper sauce
  • 1/3 Cup vegetable oil
  • 1 Teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 Teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon course ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Medium Wing Sauce

  • 1 cup Frank’s cayenne pepper sauce
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/8 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Hot Wing Sauce

  • 1 Cup Franks cayenne pepper sauce
  • 1/3 Cup vegetable oil
  • 1 Teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/8 Teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
  • 2 Teaspoons water
  • 2 Teaspoons cornstarch

Blazin’

  • 6 fresh habanero peppers (with seeds)
  • 5 lemon drop peppers (or other small hot pepper)
  • 8 jalapenos (with seeds)
  • 2-3 garlic cloves
  • 2 cups white vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
  • fresh ground black pepper
  • salt
  • Mango Habanero

    • 2 cups Mango Nectar (found in your local grocery store)
    • Any habenero hot sauce.  I recommend El Yucatan.  The amount is up to you, depending on how spicy you like your wings.
    • 1 Tbsp corn syrup. (sugar works too)
    • 1/4 cup Frank’s cayenne pepper sauce
    • 1/3 cup melted butter

    Asian Zing

    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
    • 4 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
    • 1/2 cup corn syrup
    • 1/3 cup sugar
    • 1/4 cup chili-garlic sauce (sriracha!)
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

    Carribean Jerk

    • Tablespoons margarine
    • 2 Tablespoons minced onion (white and light green parts only)
    • 1 Cup water
    • 3/4 Cup ketchup
    • 1/2 Cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
    • 1/4 Cup apple cider vinegar
    • 2 Tablespoons white distilled vinegar
    • 2 Tablespoons Frank’s cayenne pepper sauce
    • 2 Teaspoons ground black pepper
    • 2 Teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
    • 2 Teaspoons lemon juice
    • 1-1/2 Teaspoons cayenne pepper
    • 1 Teaspoon dried parsley flakes
    • 1 Teaspoon cornstarch
    • 1/2 Teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/2 Teaspoon dried thyme
    • 1/4 Teaspoon onion powder
    • 1/8 Teaspoon ground clove
    • 1/8 Teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1/8 Teaspoon ground allspice
    • 1/8 Teaspoon rubbed sage
    Cooking Instructions: Heat shortening in your fryer to 350 degrees F.  Fry wings for 10-12 minutes, or until light brown. Remove wings and drain on a rack or paper towels briefly.  After draining wings place wings in a plastic container with a lid. Add 1/4-1/3 cup of your sauce of choice to the container. Replace lid and shake well to coat wings.  Pour wings out onto a plate and add celery on the side, plus ranch or bleu cheese dressing for dipping.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Oh, Oh, Oh, Woke Up Today...

We are going to Baltimore tomorrow!!!

Maria Loves Baltimore.

We are staying in The Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore Hotel.

We are going to a huge MD job fair Saturday morning.

Why do I love staying in hotels?  I don't know.  Maybe because there is a pool.

Wish us luck!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

An Eye-Opener

But God wills our good, and our good is to love Him... and to love Him we must know Him: and if we know Him, we shall in fact fall on our faces....  Yet the call is not only to prostration and awe; it is to a reflection of the Divine life, a creaturely participation in the Divine attributes which is far beyond our present desires.  We are bidden to "put on Christ," to become like God.  That is, whether we like it or not, God intends to give us what we need, not what we now think we want.  Once more, we are embarrassed by the intolerable compliment, by too much love, not too little.
                                                                                         C.S. Lewis

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Senioritis... Well, sort of.

I have senioritis.  I have a disease.  It is getting close to the end of my very first school year as a teacher and all I want to do is go outside and play.

Wedding planning is starting to get stressful and job hunting makes me want to vomit. 

On the bright side, there are only 38.5 days of school left.

Next week our students are taking the West Test (West Virginia State Standardized testing).  So, I was told that I was not allowed to make noise all week.  Yes, that's right, the music teacher cannot make any "noise".  So, I am debating a few options.  Most likely, with good weather, we will play some games outside.  I think they will like that.  I, however, will smell all week like a bottle of sunscreen.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Dancing with the "Stars"

I just must make a comment about this television phenomenon.

First of all, this is the first season that I have ever watched. I cannot make any judgments about the past.

I will also shamefully admit that the only reason why I started watching is to see Kate Gosselin. Even when it seemed as if everyone was against her and her world was crashing down, I sort of secretly felt a lot of pain for her. I really liked her even when she was being ridiculous and making a lot of poor choices. I think it is because I feel like I am a lot like her.

So, anyway, I kind of wanted her to do well so she could prove everyone wrong and be really successful at something. I thought she had it in her. And I will admit, she looks great.

I was wrong.  She is just terrible.  I could do better.  My 10 year old brother could do better.  His 2 year old puppy could do better.

Now, I may keep watching.  I still have some hope.

I just wish they would make a reality show with ONLY professionals so I can watch trained people be musical and artistic.  But no... I would have to pay $80 to see that from a balcony...