Failing

So I'm failing at my personal challenge of posting every day.  No surprise there eh?

Not much going on around here these days....

*My student that I told you about awhile back {the one with the voice}, was one of four students picked from her class to audition for honor choir.  :o)

*My "friend" still isn't talking to me apparently. 

*David and I went to the movie Moneyball over the weekend.  It was SO good!

*Ok, my husband won't be quiet as I'm trying to type and I can't type and try to listen to him at the same time so guess that's all I got.

Easy breadsticks

Thought I'd share a simple trick with ya today that I learned from my sister-in-law, Annie.

Take some refrigerated breadsticks and some Italian seasoning...

open your breadstick container {I HATE opening those things!}, separate the breadsticks, fold each one in half and give it a few twists, then sprinkle the seasoning on top.

{I got a little carried away with my seasoning over on the right there}

Bake according to the directions on the breadstick container.

These are so simple and so good!  And, they make your kitchen smell really good while they are baking. :o)

Zucchini Bread

As I mentioned the other day, I made zucchini bread on my day off.  I used my new favorite recipe, which I found here.

Even though zucchini season is coming/has come to an end, I thought I'd share the recipe I used.  It's definitely worth saving until next year!


Mom's Zucchini Bread
3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1.Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2.Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3.Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4.Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

**I omitted the walnuts and 1/4 cup sugar.

Rainy day

Since we had the day off school yesterday {for Native American Day}, I decided to walked around the local gardens after Dave left for work.  It had just finished raining...well more of a light drizzle.  I had fun taking some pictures of the water droplets that were still hanging around.

I thought this tree branch looked cool with all the stuff {scientific term  ;o) } growing on it.

I spent the rest of the day grocery shopping, doing laundry, and baking zucchini bread.

I ♥ long weekends!

Miscellany Monday

1. My Saturday wasn't very exciting.  I held down the couch pretty much all day.  I think the only times I left it was to go to the bathroom.  I was running a fever and just feeling yucky overall so I stayed home while Dave went to Sioux Falls to hang out with his family.

2. Sunday I woke up fever free and was feeling quite a bit better so I was able to attend my sister-in-law's baby shower.  Totally forgot to take my camera with me so I have no pictures to share.  It was a very nice shower.  The food was awesome and she got a lot of great stuff for baby. 

3.  Since we don't have school today, I'm going to get some errands done and do some laundry.  I lead such an exciting life :o)

Hope you have a great Monday!

Randoms

I decided to go ahead with my personal challenge and write something every day this month.  It's the sixth day of the month and I'm already out of things to write about.   :o/


Sooo...randomness it is.  Be prepared, you may get a lot of randomness this month.  I guess that's really not anything new around here though.


I had a meeting with a parent at school today.  I'd been dreading it since it was scheduled last week.  It actually went pretty well.  I'm so glad it's over and I don't have to stress about it anymore.


I'm getting a cold or something.  I've had a sore throat and an earache all day.  Why do sickness always show up for a long weekend?


One of my "friends" at work is giving me the cold shoulder for some reason this week.  I kind of want to ask why but I don't want to make the effort to talk to her if she can't make the effort to talk to me.  Mature, no?


Ok, that's all I'll bore you with today.

One more day til the weekend!!

#57 in your programs but #1 in your hearts

David,
  I'm totally going to regret that title since I've only heard it 100 or so times in the past couple weeks (ok, maybe not a 100 but close). ;o)
  Thank you for being my confidant, my shoulder to cry on, my personal comedian, and my best friend.  We've had a lot of ups and downs but there's no place I'd rather be than with you. And, even though you can be a real pain in my ass sometimes, I love you will all my heart.  {Sorry, I couldn't be ALL mushy-gushy :o) }

Happy 30th Birthday!!!

I love you!
-Nichole

Some photos were stolen off Facebook :o)

Out for a drive

One of my favorite things to do is go for a drive.  I like to drive around town to look at houses and yard decorations for the different holidays.  I also like to drive around in the country just to look at nature.

As I mentioned, Dave and I went for a drive out in the country on Sunday.  The fall colors are showing strong in some places...

and in others they are just starting to come out.

We saw a farmer out combining.  It's just a *little* dry out there.

We drove out to a nearby lake and walked around for a little while.  It was so pretty out there.

Thankfully we didn't see any snakes while we were walking around out there.  I saw two on the road while we were driving and even that gave me the heebie jeebies. Yuck!

Miscellany Monday

-- Today in PE, the kids were practicing their football throws.  I was watching one of my kids off to my right when all of a sudden I got nailed in the left boob with a ball.  Kinda hurt a little.

-- The temperature today was 81.  We are suppose to have 80s all week.  I'm trying to enjoy it but it's fall...I'm ready for 50s and 60s!

-- I put away my fall decor yesterday and got out the Halloween decorations.  It's hard to believe it's October already!

--I bought a few new Christmas tree picks/sprays while shopping the other day.  53 days til Black Friday!!  Ohhh...the thought makes me so happy!! :o)

Weekend Recap

Dave and his brother, Tony, ran a 5K Saturday morning.  It was a pretty chilly morning.  The temp was in the low 40s with a wind chill in the high 30s.

I had to stand across the road and face the sun to take pictures so they aren't the greatest.

starting (Dave in the yellow hat and Tony in the stocking hat)

Since it was chilly, I smartly sat in the car and drank hot chocolate and ate pumpkin bread while I waited from them to finish. :o)

finishing

Dave finished with a time of 26:13, his best time yet.  Tony finished shortly after.

As soon as they were done running, I headed out of town to meet my mom so we could go to Sioux Falls.  We did some shopping and visited my uncle in the hospital.  He had a bone marrow transplant last week so he'll be in the hospital for quite awhile.  He's doing pretty well right now considering all he's been through.

Dave and I hung out around home most of the day today.  We watched the MN Vikings lose yet another game.  After the game we took a drive out in the country.

I thought that line of trees was so cool looking.

Now we're just lounging again.  I'm going to make some brownies soon so we can have warm brownies with vanilla bean ice cream for dessert. :o)

Hope you all had a great weekend and have a great week!

I'm gonna be a cryer....

I've mentioned before that I'm not a public cryer.  I don't know why, I just hate crying in front of people.  Keep that in mind as you read this post. 

.

Yesterday I was in a 4th grade music class and got to listen in as they practiced for honor choir auditions.  Every kid in the class had the option to sit out if they didn't want to get up in front of the class to sing.  The music teacher went through the list of kids and 2 of my kids had already opted out.  She got to the name of my third child (I'm teaching a group of 3 this year) and asked if she wanted to try the song.  I was quite surprised when the girl said yes and walked up in front of her whole class.  The teacher ran her through a few warm ups then started to play the audition song (My Country Tis of Thee).  I was shocked by her beautiful voice.  I would say that out of the 12 or so kids that tried, she was one of the top two.  I was SO proud of her for just getting up there in front of everyone and even more proud when everyone clapped for her when she was finished.  I had to grab a kleenex and pretend to go blow my nose in the corner because I fighting back tears.....makes me teary-eyed just thinking about it now.

I love the kids I teach, I really do.  But, I am somewhat concerned about the emotions they spark in me.  If I get all teary watching them, what's it going to be like when I watch my own (future)  children?  I better get used to the thought now because I'm definitely going to be a cryer.  :o)