Passion Driven Education in a 21st Century Learning Environment

As some of you may have noticed, I'm pretty serious about education.  I am passionate about learning... no, more like I am addicted to learning.  The more I reflect upon my childhood and educational experiences, I discover clear signs of my number-riddled destiny.  My favorite activities in Montessori preschool were speedily outperforming calculator problems on an abacus, excitedly counting to 1000 on the number-bead chain, and learning about multiplication and division before entering the 1st grade.  Outside of school, I demonstrated even more math-nerd inclinations.  I adored playing with Tangrams, quickly completing the Tower of Hanoi (which I finally figured out was math related my junior year in college!), tinkering with my fathers business calculator, destroying the majority of my opponents in Monopoly and logic puzzles were my favorite past-time.  It was evident to both my parents and my teachers that I was utterly fascinated and enthralled by numbers. 

For those of you unfamiliar with the Montessori philosophy of education, Maria Montessori believed education should be driven by student curiosities.  Montessori encouraged the development of "scientific thinking" by harnessing a child's curiosity and innate inquisitiveness.  Each child followed their own path of education based upon their interests and aptitudes (although there were basic concepts that all students had to master prior to graduation).  Students were never limited in their search for knowledge and always encouraged to improve.  For example, I learned and understood the concepts of multiplication and division prior to entering 1st grade because math was my strength.  Handwriting and spelling were difficult for me (and quite frankly, still are) and as a result, I wasn't able to complete as many tasks as my peers whose strengths fell in linguistics.  Montessori also recognized the unique opportunity early-childhood educators had in instilling a passion for learning.  Using curiosity to drive educational activities (math, science, reading, writing and practical items such as sewing a button), children learned to ask questions in order to inquire about knowledge and how things worked.  It was never acceptable for students to absorb the information without considering its implications or understanding from where the knowledge originated.


With all of that said, what are we doing to entice learners, to motivate them, or to set-them-on-fire intellectually?  Do we really think that mastering mandated standards in a teacher-centered, lecture-driven and de-contextualized environment will produce better and more innovative students?  What are we really teaching?  Are we teaching students to follow the rules or to question them respectfully?  To absorb information thoughtlessly merely to regurgitate it on assessments or to harness knowledge through meaningful applications?  Are we teaching them information in a manner irrelevant to their lives or are we encouraging connected and compassionate learners by creating a global learning community centered on technologies rampant in their daily lives?  What happens to creativity and curiosity?!

Current legislation regarding standardized testing is likely to linger for a while.  But can we find a way to balance skill-mastery and creating learning environments that motivate and encourage students to learn? Yes. Does it require more work on the teacher's part? Yes.  Is it worth it? You better believe it.  I had an incredible student teaching opportunity to teach a discovery-based math curriculum where students discovered concepts through meaningful applications.   I lectured very little and the students were engaged.  They took control of the learning while I merely facilitated by asking probing questions.  Did they perform well on assessments? YES!

Here's a better example of a learning environment that motivates student learning and curiosity.  This is the type of classroom I envision for my students.  Unfortunately, I feel as though I in the minority of secondary teachers that desire this type of "organized chaos" over straight rows and silence.

Double Trouble

Woah... two posts in one day?! I think this is a first...

Just wanted to pop in and let you know about my new teaching blog.  The previous post (My classroom version 1.0) makes a reappearance at the new one... but I'll focus on all things school related on the new blog.  I can't promise that they don't trickle over onto this blog, because that will probably happen.

The new blog: Meaningful Mathematics, Miscalculations and Missteps http://meaningfulmathematics.wordpress.com/

My Classroom, version 1.0

Hi Friends!


My school opened for business today and I got my first glimpse at my classroom.  I LOVE IT! I never expected it to be so big, in good condition and with so much storage.  I guess I'm used to the tiny, well-loved classrooms of my alma mater.  Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.  Caution: This is after my first day... so expect a lot of bare space.  If you have any suggestions, please feel free to comment... I'd greatly appreciate it!

Video tour of my classroom, boxes and everything!

Here's the front view of my room. I'll have a nice, new interactive white board that goes in the center. I'm not quite sure what to put on the cork board... birthdays? procedures?? We'll see.  See my desks? I want to group them in threes or fours to promote multi-level ability grouping and cooperative learning but hate how two students have to hop over their shoulder partner to get in their seat.  Any ideas? I tried pinwheeling the desks, but one students back will always be facing the front of the room... and that's a no-no.

 Side view. Look! I have a WINDOW! I am beyond excited for this bright feature.  I'm also not convinced this is the best place for my calculators... any ideas?

  Back wall. I have two bookcases (now full of all my future student textbooks) and a really nice locking closet with drawers and hangers! The center table houses paper trays for student homework and supplies (hole punch, stapler, tape, etc). I'm thinking I'll put either the student of the month poster above the table or an example of homework headings.  To the right of the second bookcase are two square cork boards.  One of them will have absent work folders posted along with procedures. Don't know what I'll do for the second one.

M

My desk! I'm not fond of how close that pod of desks is to me... it's just enough room for me to walk behind them. What do you think?  That little table to the right of my desk will most likely house each classes copies for the week. We'll see. My mentor had a great idea for copies.  Use a magazine holder to separate each classes papers. 

M

My closets! They're pretty empty right now but I look forward to filling them up soon!  

Not too shabby for a couple of hours work. Look forward to getting those walls decorated :)

*Tap, tap, tap* Is this thing on?

Hi Friends:

Firstly, I apologize for my prolonged absence.  Much like Madam Coffeyhouse, I was clearly misguided when I thought summer meant oodles of free time.  Quite the contrary.  I wrapped a whirlwind 4 week course focused on curriculum theory and development.  Our instructor squeezed in a full 16-weeks worth of material into those hectic 4 weeks.  Needless to say, I learned a lot but that's about all I did for the month of June.  I hope to finish my other two graduate courses this month and defend sometime in August.

Secondly, I gain access to my classroom in 5 days. I have no clue where to start... so I'm reading The First Days of School by Harry and Rosemary Wong to get some inspiration. Very excited to start contributing to society by shaping the minds of our future!

Thirdly, my brother, niece and two nephews are coming up to Wichita this weekend to visit :) I have NO clue where they're all going to sleep (bathtub maybe?) but we'll make it work.  After my first attempt at making homemade whole-wheat pizza dough, I think I'm going to try it again... but this time with kid-friendly white dough.  I'm excited to have them create their own pizza flavors! I might be bold and make a pesto, chicken, sundried tomato pizza. Very different from my staple pepperoni.  Then I'll make some scrumptious sloppy joes and oven fries for Saturday night and depending upon how ambitious I am, I may make homemade cinnamon rolls for Sunday morning.  With all of this cooking and hosting, what are Chad and I going to have tonight for dinner? Hamburger Helper... because that's how we roll.

Until we meet again...

I'm a Ford Truck (Wo)Man :)

Chad and I are the new owners of a 2006 Ford F-150 :)

Healthy(er) Honey, Ginger Chicken Tenders

Although I am renowned for my atrocious spelling habits, I do know "healthyer" is not how you spell healthier.  Please forgive me but my creativity has hit an all time low, particularly after spending the better part of this morning researching all sorts of theories and definitions of creativity for a summer class.

Last night's dinner was uniquely delicious.  As a youngin', I inhaled McDonald's Chicken Nuggets with Honey.  You'd rarely find any red meat in my hands, and if you did it was a plain-jane burger with just the meat and the bun... well salt and pepper if I was feeling particularly daring.   I still love chicken nuggets/tenders but struggle justifying the deep frying process as my metabolism is not at all what it used to be.  Through my copious food blogs, I found an interesting take on my tried-and-true favorite: Crispy Honey Ginger Chicken via How Sweet It Is  (Photo courtesy of How Sweet It Is.)  Both Chad and I loved this recipe and look forward to her other versions (Crispy BBQ Tenders and Buffalo Wings.)  Mosey on over to her blog for some fantastic sweets (most have a slightly healthy swing to them) and some creative reinventions of comfort food classics.

Tonight, time permitting, I'm braving into the world of eggs, Guyere cheese, bacon and green onions.  That's right; you guessed it: Quiche Lorraine!  The only quiche I would touch with a ten-foot-pole for the better part of my life.  Now that I'm all grown up, I've timidly tip-toed into the world of spinach and other fillings but still stand firmly behind the quiche that stole my heart.  I'll let you know how it turns out and maybe even post some pictures if I remember. 

Meanwhile, here's my latest project: HERBS!

Cast of Characters for Herb Pot 1: Sweet Basil, Thyme and Italian Parsley

Cast of Characters for Herb Pot 2: Garlic Chives, Rosemary (YUM!) and Cilantro.

No more buying the expensive $4 packs of fresh herbs, using only a teensy bit, and ultimately wasting money as the rest of them dry out.

Next project:

Resurrecting these very vintage, very rusty patio chairs and table.  Much like the majority of our furniture, these are family heirlooms.  In fact, these beauties are my parents' first patio set from the late 60s!  Don't you worry... I have a stiff steel brush and a can of matte black Rustoleum paint.  These puppies will look brand-spanking new in the near future!

Off to cheer camp!

Whirlwind weeks...

Whew! These past few weeks have been crazy busy.  Here's a brief rundown of our past happenings:

1. Chad graduated on May 15th.  We had wonderful food (recipes posted below) and hung out with great friends and family.

2.  Returned to KC Sunday and Monday post-graduation to collect a new-to-us couch, rug and WASHER AND DRYER! (I've never been so excited to do a load of laundry in my life! After a year of doing buckets of laundry at a laundromat... it's extremely nice to have the capability to "air your dirty laundry" in the privacy of your own home.)

3. Drove back to Manhappiness to pack up all our belongings only to move out on Thursday.  Thursday, Friday and Saturday were spent moving in to our new Wichita apartment (pictures coming soon).  But then Sunday we drove back to KC for a dear friends baby shower and to watch LOST series finale.

4. Bright and early Monday morning we drove back to Wichita only to return to KC Wednesday evening for Memorial day weekend festivities.  Chad was with his student group in Indiana while I basked in the sun and enjoyed time well-spent with my family. 

5. This past Sunday both Chad and I returned to Wichita to host two of our great friends Monday evening.

6.  Yesterday was Chad's first day of work and my first cheer practice.

7.  Today and tomorrow, I have cheer practice in the evening and then Friday and Saturday are our day long cheer camps while Chad continues to work :)

With all of the above happening, I've barely had a moment to breathe, let alone catch up with blogging and begin work towards finishing my Master's.  As a result,  I failed to post about the wonderful food we had at graduation!  I apologize in advance as I was too busy entertaining around 15 people in our tiny little apartment; I didn't take pictures of all the food.

Graduation BBQ Pulled Pork:

BBQ Sauce a la Neely's on Food Network:

 

• 2 cups ketchup
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 5 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 tablespoons fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 tablespoons onion powder
• 1/2 tablespoons ground mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients into a medium sauce pan.  Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer (low to medium-low).  Cook uncovered, stirring frequently for 1 hour 15 minutes.

N

Note: I made the sauce the day before, jarred it and then reheated it on the stove top for about 45 minutes while the pork finished cooking.  I also found another version of BBQ sauce that I'd like to try next.  Instead of 5 T of sugar, you add in 4 T sugar and 1/2 T of molasses, cook for 2 hours or until thickened... this would make a much thicker sauce than the above recipe)

Drunk BBQ Pulled Pork (No Picture... sorry!)

•  A 5-6 pound pork butt... apparently a pork shoulder is the same thing.  If you're confused, ask your butcher.  Some recipes call for a trimming of the fat slab, I kept mine until the roasting process was complete.  Leaving on the fat slab creates much juicier and flavorful meat... just trim in off after the meat rests and immediately prior to serving.
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt (I recommend using kosher salt as it adheres to the meat better.  But if all you have is the regular stuff, by all means, use it!)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 bottles blackberry wheat beer
• 3 bottles honey beer
• 12 hearty, toasted sandwich rolls, sliced lengthwise

Preheat the oven to 225.  Season pork butt generously with salt and pepper and place, fat-slab side up, in a large roasting pan.  Pour all six bottles of beer on top of the pork butt, tent with aluminum foil and let marinate at room temperature for about an hour.  Then place in warm oven for six hours or until pork pulls apart and shreds easily.  Remove from oven, let rest for about 10 minutes and shred with two forks.  Allow meet to mix with pan drippings and set aside until ready to mix with BBQ sauce.

While the pork is resting, crank the oven up to broil.  Slice your sandwich buns (I used Kaiser) lengthwise and butter each side (optional).  Place buns face up on a cookie sheet.  Broil until crisp but not burnt.  Toasting your sandwiches provides a more steady surface for the moist meat.

Easy-Peasy Pineapple Cole Slaw

• 1 bag of pre-made Cole Slaw (you can chose to make your own, but I was saving my sanity)
• 1/2 a jar of pineapple Cole Slaw dressing found in the refrigerated dressing section of your local grocier... usually in the same area as the Cole Slaw.  You'll have to look around as some stores carry this tropical version of an BBQ staple while others don't.  I suppose you could make plain-jane slaw, but I'd urge you not to.  The pineapple flavor with the fruity/sweet flavor of the meat is divine. 

Stir together and serve on top of your BBQ Pulled pork sandwich!  YUM!!

I also made Corn and Black Bean Salsa (recipe in a previous post) and a sweet potato salad that didn't turn out so well.  I'll save you the time and frustration by NOT posting that recipe here.  Hey, everyone's gotta fail at some point, right?  Some more often than not in my case :)

Tonight's dinner will be a healthy version of a family favorite... crispy chicken tenders!  Tomorrow night or Friday, I'm preparing my first Quiche Lorraine.  We'll see how it goes!   

Update Coming

We've been so busy with the move and getting our apartment set up that I have failed to provide you with an account of graduation and the food we prepared.  Don't worry... that's coming soon, along with pictures of our new apartment!

Thanks for being patient!

Crazy Good Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Confession:  Yesterday I told you I'd post pictures of strawberry cobbler and chewy chocolate-chip cookie bars; I changed my mind.  Actually, my salty side held me at gunpoint because it felt long-ignored.  Instead of decadent desserts, I decided to make this simple, but oh-so-delicious salsa.  When our good friend's mother introduced this salsa to us, there was no going back.  Make this today, you won't regret it.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Ingredients...

•  2 cans black beans, drained
• 1 can shoepeg corn
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 1 sm. red onion, diced
• 3 avocados, diced
• 3-4 T. lime juice (about the juice of two limes... go for fresh lime juice people. Please!)
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 T. red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. pepper

Putting it all together...

It's as easy as dump and mix!  This dip is best made several hours (if not the night) before it's to be served so that all the glorious flavors can be married together into one big happy family.  Please, for the love of all things green, save adding the avocados until immediately prior to serving... unless, of course, you like them brown.  Serve with whatever chips you have handy.  Of course, you could make your own... but that's a recipe for another time.  Be warned, although this recipe has a large yield... it wont last long.



What to do with left overs?

Anything you want! Throw the salsa in with your favorite meat for an egg-cellent omelet, place atop some lime-seasoned, cilantro topped tilapia, or just eat it plain.  In our case, I hope to combine this satiating salsa with leftover pulled pork, sprinkle it with shredded pepper jack, and snuggle them up in a buttered tortilla for the quintessential quesadilla.

This is all we had left over after class yesterday.

Graduation Celebration and More Recipes

I've been officially done with classes for two days and have not accomplished a single thing on my to-do list; and I must admit, it's been glorious.  Therefore, today will be particularly packed.  After I dry and attempt to curl my hair, I plan on using up one of my seven remaining tanning sessions (I know it's bad for you... but I bought 13 in the fall and they've lasted me all year... that shows you how often I go).  Then, I have a monster shopping list to tackle for this weekend and I hope to pack up at least our office. 

I've thoroughly enjoyed having the time to bake and cook this week so stay tuned for more desserts today: strawberry cobbler and chewy chocolate-chip cookie bars.  Then for Saturday's Commencement festivities, I'm planning:

Breakfast: Strawberry and cream-cheese stuffed french toast.

Linner (combination of lunch and dinner): Amazingly drunk BBQ pulled pork with my homemade BBQ sauce, pineapple coleslaw (YUM!), kick-your-pants cheese-dip, potato salad and probably some form of asparagus.  Usually I saute asparagus in a pan with some EVOO, sprinkled with Greek seasoning and drizzled with fresh lemon juice... and it's incredible.  But for some reason, I don't think that flavor combination will bode well with BBQ.  Hence, I'm considering roasting the asparagus with some bacon, onions and maybe mushrooms... we'll see.

A week from today, Chad and I will be officially Wichitonians :) And to sweeten the deal, I found out that one of my sorority sisters lives in the same apartment complex!


Alright, ta-ta for now.  Look for an update later for the two desserts and then probably Monday-ish for the graduation meal recipes and pictures.

Delectable deliciousness

I'm standing on the cusp of school and summer.  In T-minus 5 hours, all of my obligations will be completed and I can return focus to: tanning, working out, packing, designing my curriculum and preparing for a whirlwind 10 hours this summer.

In the meantime, I wanted to post some incredibly yummy meals I've whipped up this week.  Chad's noticed a pattern: the more stressed I am, the more I bake or cook. 


I apologize in advance for not taking pictures, but I'll provide the links to these delicious recipes in hopes that you will add these food blogs to your blog rolls.  You won't regret it... well, maybe you will once you step on the scale... but life's all about moderation... unless you're Chad.  Then you have the joy of eating obscene amounts of food without it affecting your toned midsection.  I, on the other hand, merely gaze at food and pack on 2 pounds.  If I actually eat it, might as well roll me out of the place.

Southwest Chipotle Meatloaf... aka Notcho Mamas Meatloaf... or Meatloaf WOAH!

Photo and Recipe Courtesy of http://dishinanddishes.wordpress.com/2010/05/06/southwest-meatloaf-with-chipotle-glaze-the-ultimate-meatloaf/

This meatloaf is knock your socks off good but does require quite a bit of preparation time.  If you're like me and desperately need a culinary challenge to relieve some stress... this is it.

Below is Dishin and Dishes recipe verbatum, but I will provide some suggestions at the end.

INGREDIENTS:

3 pounds ground sirloin, round or chuck,

10 oz. tube of chorizo sausage

1 c. smoked cheddar cheese

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 c. fresh bread crumbs

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

 

DIRECTIONS FOR MEATLOAF:

Preheat oven to 350º.  If using sirloin, pulse in food processor until small chunks. Dump into mixing bowl.  Add in chorizo, cheddar cheese,eggs,  bread crumbs, salt and pepper.  Mix with hand and spread into sprayed large loaf pan.  Bake for 40 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 160º.  Remove from oven and drain any grease in pan.

SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

3 T. butter

3 shallots, minced

1 c. red wine (dry)

1 c. beef broth or stock

1/2 c. honey

5-6 T. chipotle and adobe sauce

 

DIRECTIONS FOR SAUCE:Melt butter over medium heat,  Add shallots. Cook for about 3 minutes, letting shallots soften.  Add wind and broth.  Let simmer and reduce by half about 15 minutes or until it thickens.  Mix honey and chipotle sauce.  Add to thickened wine sauce.  Simmer again, about 10 minutes.  Pour over finished meatloaf and return to oven for 10 minutes.  

 

Suggestions: My meatloaf took considerably longer to cook than any 40 minutes.  Perhaps that's because our meat was packed impatiently resulting in a large mound protruding from the center of the pan.  Perhaps our oven, like our other appliances, only does its job partway. We'll never know.  Overall cook time was closer to 2 hours.  To avoid the longer cooking time, separate the meat mixture into greased cupcake tins speeding up the cooking time and pre-dividing the meat into manageable portions.  Also, my sauce didn't quite thicken up as expected.  I'm not a proficient cook by any means, but I wonder if something like adding a little cornstarch would make it a little more glaze-y.  Any suggestions?

Chicken and Asparagus with a Pesto Cream Sauce... aka. YUM!! GO COOK THIS NOW!!!

Photo and Recipe Courtesy of http://dishinanddishes.wordpress.com/2009/12/30/chicken-and-asparagus-in-pesto-cream-sauce/

I will never cook chicken the same again.  I loved learning about the butterflying method (click above link for tutorial).  Not only does it speed up cook time, but I absolutely HATE eating whole chicken breast.  The cutlet is definitely more manageable for a dainty little lady like myself... HA!

Again, this recipe comes from Dishin and Dishes with some suggestions from moi at the end.

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

salt & pepper to taste

1 T. olive oil

1 bundle asparagus (about 15 stalks)

1/2 c. cream or half-n-half (can use fat free)

1/2 c. pesto

Butterfly, pound out and season each chicken breast with salt and pepper.  Place in oil in large frying pan.  Cook 3 minutes per side or until nicely browned over medium high heat.  Remove to platter.   Cut asparagus into bite size pieces, after removing tough stem ends.  Toss into frying pan and stir-fry about 3 or 4 minutes.  Add cream and pesto, stir to combine.  Add chicken back into pan.  Spoon sauce and asparagus over top.  Spoon servings onto plates.  Enjoy!

Suggestions: Although this meal is incredibly delicious, it's not that filling for the manly men in our lives.  As a result, I suggest amping up the sauce yield to 3/4 c's each of half-and-half and pesto and and placing the finished chicken/asparagus/sauce mixture on top of penne or bow-tie pasta.  YUMMY!

And now for dessert... if you like lemons... you will DIE OF BLISS!

Chewy Lemon Bars Courtesy of Pioneer Woman (Again, if you haven't subscribed to her blog, bought her cookbook and gained at least 3 pounds from trying her wonderful food... drop everything you're doing and get to work!)

Photo and recipe courtesy of: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/03/creamy-lemon-crumb-squares/

Ingredients

• 1-⅓ cup All-purpose Flour
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 stick (1/2 Cup) Butter, Slightly Softened
• 1 cup Brown Sugar (lightly Packed)
• 1 cup Oats
• 1 can (14 Ounce) Sweetened Condensed Milk
• ½ cups Lemon Juice
• Zest Of 1 Lemon

Preparation Instructions

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES.

Mix butter and brown sugar until well combined.

Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.

Add oats and flour to butter/sugar mixture and mix to combine.

Press half of crumb mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 11 inch pan.

Mix together condensed milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Spread onto the bottom layer of the crumb mixture. Top with the other half of the crumb mixture, but don’t press.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Allow pan to sit on counter for 30 minutes after baking. Cut into squares and refrigerate for a couple of hours or until cool.

Serve cool.

Suggestions: I have none! This is incredibly delicious and moist.  So good, in fact, that I'm taking it to my class this afternoon. I'll let you know what they think.


Stay posted for a recipe on Strawberry Cobbler and Graduation Weekend Menu :)  Off to take my last final of the semester! Wish me luck!

Drumroll please...

I. GOT. A. JOB!!!!!!!


If you've been reading my blog lately, you know I've been stressing out about not being able to find a job in Wichita for next year.  I considered nursing school, becoming a real estate agent... you name it.  Until last week, there was no hope for me.  None of the districts were hiring. I kept my faith high, though, as I made my frequent stalking rounds to the area districts' HR sites and kansasteachingjobs.com.  Finally, two districts posted vacancies for math teachers and I jumped at the chance to apply.

Within a couple of days I had three interviews scheduled: two high school positions and one middle school.  My first interview was with a small, but incredibly awesome school district 30 minutes north of Wichita.  I loved everything about this school: the small town feel; community support; and their flexibility.  They offered me a job on the spot... a mere few minutes before I had to head back in to Wichita for my second and third interviews with a district's middle and high school.  Yesterday I got a call back from this district with offers at both!  Three offers in just a few days! God was really providing for me and answering my prayers.  When it rains, it pours!

Anyways, as of yesterday I am a newly minted 7th grade math teacher and the JV Cheerleading coach at the high school! Best of both worlds!  I am BEYOND EXCITED to get back into the classroom and look forward to all the struggle and success in the coming years.

Chad and I both are very fortunate to have jobs in such a tight economic situation and we're praying for our friends that are still looking.  I have full faith that everything works out the way it's supposed to work out... even if it's not the way you wanted it to be.  There's always a silver lining to that dark and ominous cloud.

Now that we have jobs, Chad's checking out a truck to buy this summer (BEWARE: his little brother turns 16 and will be burning up the roads this July in Chad's Camero.  Buckle up and pray!)  While Chad's searching around cars.com and other sites, I'm looking at houses!!

Yesterday was probably one of the best days I've had in a long time (other than my wedding day of course!)

Photos Galore: Current Apartment, New Apartment and Easter Dinner!

Hello all!

First of all, I have to admit that I am HORRIBLE about taking pictures.  In fact, I don't even know why I have a digital camera because all it does is sit in my drawer.  How ever, I justify my purchase by insisting that my camera be the house camera after Chad's finally dies.  And... not only am I horrible about pictures... but the pictures I take are horrible.

With that said, I'd like to share a few photo-stories with you.

The first one is called, Our First Apartment. Catchy, I know.

Here's a peek into our bedroom.  Love our bedroom set from Pottery Barn.  It makes me happy :)  The quilt on the foot of the bed was handmade and given to us as a wedding present from one of Chad's great-aunts!

Our dresser.  That mirror is over 100 years old and has been housed in the first married homes of my great-grandmother, grandmother, parents and sisters.  So neat to think about how many faces have peered into its reflective glass!

My TINY closet.  You'll see in the next photo-story, why I am so excited about our new apartment!   Chad and I tried sharing a closet, but then my shoes took over.  So now Chad's closet is in the office.  And yes, I do color code my closet.  But now I see that a pesky pink shirt is trying to mingle with the purple and blue shirts.  I will fix that immediately.

 

Our least aesthetically appealing and constantly messy office.  See my beautiful iMac? I'm obsessed.

Our cozy bathroom.  Again, another reason why I'm excited about our new place.

 
Our dining area.  Pardon the vacuum chord.  At least I documented proof that we do, in fact, vacuum.  On the very top shelf of the crowded bookshelf is Chad's wedding present to me.  He hand carved and painted BANKA for us to display :)  Also, the hutch behind our table is another family heirloom.  It first belonged to my grandmother in her antique store in Mississippi but has been housed in both of my sisters' first houses.  And see that curtain hanging in the background??  I'm going to let you in on a secret...

It's our pantry!


And for the third reason why I'm so excited to move to our new apartment...

The kitchen!  Look at the floor.... it's CARPET!  Who's bright idea was it to put CARPET in a KITCHEN?  Oh well, I still love my little kitchen and will miss the fridge that really freezes and the microwave that only reheats the center of the plate...

The back and front views of our living room area that merges with the dining room.  Another reason why I love having a big family: the pink chair is courtesy of Chad's family, the couch is courtesy of my sister, the painting courtesy of my parents, and the table is courtesy of Good Will :)  And somehow it all matches perfectly! We're so fortunate to have a loving and giving family to provide us with excellent furniture while Chad and I start our meager beginnings! 

And now to the top reasons why I am excited for our new apartment!

It has an attached garage!!  See me in the side-view mirror?

The kitchen is HUGE! Newer appliances with hopefully a fridge that doesn't freeze and a microwave that heats food evenly.  And see the door behind me?  That's a full PANTRY!  No longer will I have to hide a bookshelf with a curtain :)


And the piece de la resistance... drum roll please....

A gigantic walk-in closet that can fit a twin bed!  Finally, Chad and I will be able to share a closet!

I promise to post more pictures of our fantastic new home as soon as we move in mid-May as we weren't able to capture every nuance of the apartment (without furniture, it's quite boring lol). 

Now on to Chad's an my first Easter meal together.  Pot Roast, roasted asparagus and baby-butt rolls (you'll see why).

First of all, if you don't have this cookbook: Pioneer Woman Cooks; or subscribe to her blog (pioneerwoman.com) then you must do so now.  As a beginning cook, I love that Ree explains things step by step and shows pictures of exactly what your food should look like when.  I've learned such sophisticated things as: julienning a pepper; perfecting a roux and deglazing sauce through her carefully constructed recipes.  She is my go-to girl for any meal and I haven't been disappointed all year.  Tonight I decided to cook her Perfect Pot Roast... and let me tell you... it is AMAZING!

See the little baby butt rolls starting to rise?  Aren't they cute?  These are so simple to make.  Just grab Rhodes frozen dinner rolls, generously spray the muffin tin with butter flavored cooking spray, stick two of those frozen roll guys in a cup, cover them with greased clear-wrap, patiently wait for around 4 hours while they rise, gently brush them with melted butter, and then pop them in an preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.  Chad likes the baby-butt version of these rolls, where I like a single roll, drenched in butter, fresh rosemary and sea salt.  So I blended the two recipes this year.  Three of the rolls got brushed with butter, sprinkled with fresh rosemary and sea salt prior to entering the inferno.

This is what they look like when they're done.  See the rosemary?  Mmmmm....

Here's the pot roast, roasting in the pot in the oven :)  I sincerely apologize for the disgusting nature of my oven.  It's incredible what you see when a flash is involved.  I vow to you, my four readers, that my oven will be properly cleaned... today!  I love this cast-iron enameled pot.  While making Chad's favorite potato soup recipe and other slow cooking recipes, I was dismayed when I continuously burnt out the bottom of my pans.  It got so bad that I was literally dreaming about Le Creuset pots to solve my culinary conundrum.  In order to satiate my absurd aspirations, my mother bought me a 2.5 quart Le Creuset pot for Valentines day.  I was in love.  The 2.5 quart pot is perfect for sauces and my mac 'n cheese I made the other night, it is too small for the potato soup or this perfect pot roast.  As a result, I bought a 6.5 quart Lodge pot at Walmart for $65.  Considerably cheaper than its $400 Le Creuset counterpart.  And again, I'm in love.  I use this pot for pretty much everything. 

And here's the finished product!  I must admit that I am proud of myself.  When Chad and I first met, I prided myself on my ability to make cereal and scrambled eggs.  Last year, I moved on to more sophisticated things like boxed pasta and various chili dishes.  Now, I can make pretty much anything... as long as a recipe is involved.  I have yet to elevate to the ranks of culinary genius where I can whip up a 5-star meal with obscure ingredients.  But don't you worry, I will continue to try :) The asparagus is really easy to cook too.  Cut off the woody ends of the stalk, grab a skillet, drizzle it with EVOO, toss in the asparagus, sprinkle it with Greek Seasoning or any other seasoning that goes well with veggies, cook on a relatively high heat until done.  For those of you still in the KC area, you MUST go to the Tasteful Olive in old Overland Park (and Penzey's Spices while you're at it... I will really miss that store).  They have the most AMAZING infused olive oils and vinegars you will ever taste in your life.  My mom has a Tuscan herb olive oil that is absolutely to die for when sprinkled on the asparagus.

Our first Easter Dinner :)

Miss you all!

Movin' on Up... To the West Side?

By now I'm sure most of you have heard either through Facebook or other social media outlets, but Chad and I are moving to Wichita on May 17th!  Chad was offered a job with a fantastic engineering firm last week and he accepted!  This means that both of us had to decline our job offers in Kansas City, but I have full faith that we are doing what's best for both of us.  Not only will Chad be happier with this job, but he'll get to achieve his life goals (becoming a Professional Engineer) sooner.

Today we're heading there directly after Chad finishes his test to complete a whirlwind viewing of various apartments and duplexes in the area so that we can sign a lease and start focusing on wrapping up school.

I have to admit that I am a bit scared.  I'm moving away from everything I know to a city that I've only visited once (twice after today).  And, after talking with the company, Chad feels assured that this has strong potential to be a permanent move.  Although I am scared, I am also incredibly excited to start this new journey where Chad and I get to plant our roots and start a family (not any time soon, but it will happen).

While Chad works this summer, I'll wrap up my last 10 hours of graduate school work, hopefully get back to a more routine workout schedule, and get acquainted with the Wichita area.... oh and look for a job!  Depending on how today goes... we might be adding a furry friend to our family :)  I am SOOOOOOO pumped for that.  I have never had a puppy or a kitten; they've always been older animals.  If that comes to fruition... you'll definitely stay updated :)


Well, I need to run so I can get ready to leave, but I wanted to know what y'all were cooking or planning to do this weekend?  We're unable to go back to KC this weekend, so we'll be having a dinner just the two of us.  I'm thinking: brisket; asparagus; rolls; and some sort of cute dessert.


May the good Lord bless and keep you this beautiful Easter weekend.

All my love.

Grad School Bliss

I have an unbelievable amount of homework due tomorrow... so what do I do? 

Clean, cook and blog!

Chad and I returned Sunday from a delightful trip to Cancun, Mexico with my family.  We enjoyed a week full of tanning, relaxing, eating and card playing!  We even saw a Mexican version of Jack Sparrow in our Pirates of the Caribbean vs. Captain Hook dinner show :)  I finally unpacked, vacuumed and cleaned our cozy apartment this morning while fresh country french bread was baking in the bread maker and the ingredients of a delectable Mock Aoili were getting to know each other in the fridge prior to being spread on a wonderful turkey sandwich.  Let me tell you, there is no better smell to come home to than freshly baked bread and that sandwich spread is to die for! :)

This week is the week.  This week is where Chad and I make incredibly important decisions that will determine the course of our life together.  Both Chad and I are extremely fortunate to have job offers in the Kansas City area for next year, but Chad's job offer is not ideal.  His ideal job is with an engineering firm in Wichita... and they want both of us to visit Wednesday!  Both of our KC job offers expire this Friday so we both hope for good news from Wichita!  All I can do is pray and firmly believe that things are going to work out for the best! 

If we stay in KC, we'll both have great jobs, be around great friends and I will be able to resume my summer job (which I love) while finishing up the last 10 hours of graduate school.  If we move to Wichita, Chad will have his dream job, we'll have a new adventure with a chance to make new friends, I have the opportunity for several math positions in the area, and will have the summer free to dedicate myself to the remaining hours of my master's degree and discovering more cooking techniques!  Either way, I am incredibly excited that with in a few short days a definite path will be determined and I can continue to search for or accept a teaching job!

Also, I'm considering splitting this blog into two this summer: one half will be dedicated to mathematics teaching and my first year experiences while the other half will showcase my attempt (successes and blunders) at cooking.  I know Chelsea and Megan are toying with this idea and I think it would be a great opportunity for some K-State women to blog about their journey in the kitchen and share amazing recipes!

I'll start off with what I made this morning:

French Countryside Bread: A thick and moist, white bread that is sandwich worthy and so easy to make in the bread maker!  This recipe is for a 2 lb. loaf which is about 10-12 thin slices.

1 and 3/8 cups room temperature water
1 and 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1) Measure and add liquid ingredients to bread pan.
2) Measure and add dry ingredients.  Make sure to spoon in the flour and level off when full.
3) Make a hole in your dry ingredients and measure and pour the yeast into the hole. Make sure that the yeast does not come into contact with the liquid ingredients prior to kneading... yeast is a very picky, picky organism.
4) Set your bread maker to the french bread setting and go!

I haven't dared making bread from scratch (as in hand kneading and what not) as I do not have the time nor patience right now.  Using the bread maker is so much easier and fool proof (most of the time!)  If you have a bread maker but don't want to spend the time or money on ingredients, KrustEaz makes self contained boxes of bread mixes that you just pour into your bread maker and press start.  I particularly like their Hawaiian Sweet Bread, it pairs divinely with the sandwich below.


Delicious Turkey and Apple Sandwich with Mock Aoili:

For two sandwiches:

4 slices of thick white bread (sweet bread is the best, but sourdough or plain white bread works well too.  Whole wheat bread tends to overpower this sandwich.)
Thinly sliced turkey breast
Lettuce
Very Thinly sliced apples (Gala are our favorite, but any other sweet apple will do)
Muenster Cheese or other white, mild cheese
Sliced Red Onion (optional)
Mock Aoili*

Spread the Mock Aoili on both slices of bread and layer ingredients as desired.

To make the Mock Aoili mix together:

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup sour cream

1-1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh or 1-1 1/2 tsp. dried herbs (ie: finely chopped flat leaf parsley, dill, thyme and/or oregano. Just use whatever you have on hand)

1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice

1/4-1/2 tsp. garlic powder (season to your liking)

Cover and store in refrigerator. 

 

This is best made a day ahead so all the flavors have time to get to know one another.  You can really play with this spread, adding various herbs and changing proportions until you have it the way you like it.  I usually add a bunch of fresh parsley, dried dill and thyme.
For dinner this week, Chad and I have decided to eat down our pantry... so no fun recipes this week! 

Now, off to do that homework that I have put off far too long.

Much Overdue Update

Hello my four followers!

Sorry for the emotion-ridden last few posts; I promise I started to blog about something completely different, but my fingers just led me to unload.

Now for an update.

This semester is absolutely bonkers.  Twelve hours of graduate school, two jobs, and a new addiction to cooking leads to very little time for yours truly.  Don't get me wrong-- I absolutely LOVE everything I am doing.  Particularly school; I finally feel like I am being challenged to grow in limitless ways and push my knowledge to the limits.  Not only do I get to research current hot-topics in education, but I get to dialectically debate these dilemmas with professionals... with complete understanding that the debate is purely for educational purposes and not for unloading personal agendas.  I LOVE IT!  Last semester (with almost all online classes) I found myself ardently missing academic debates and classroom culture... now I have it in spades.  Downside:  I have three 20+ page research papers to write this semester and an average of 200-300 pages to read each week :-s We'll see how that goes.

Now for the anxiety.

Chad has been very fortunate as a result of the on-campus career fair and has TWO job interviews in the next week.  One in Fort Worth, TX and the other in Little Rock, AR.  In this time of economic uncertainty for both education and engineering, I am absolutely thrilled that he has these amazing opportunities.  But, for those of you who know me know that I am a planner.  I create long term goals and find security in certainty.  Not knowing what or even where we are going to be in a few short months is hard... particularly since my dream job opened up in Kansas City.  Although this is a particularly stressful and anxious time, both Chad and I have resigned ourselves to the fact that we have absolutely no control over this situation and leave our lives in the hands of our Lord and pray that He will guide us where He needs us to be.  But as a planner, this is very hard for me to do and quite scary. 

On a lighter note.

Chad and I had a fantastic first Valentines (and celebration of 6 months of marriage).  Although we have been in Manhattan now for 5 years, we had not visited 4 Olives.  I've always wanted to go there to see what all the hubbub was about... and Chad surprised me with reservations (made a month in advance!) for two to 4 Olives Valentine's evening.  All I have to say is... WONDERFUL!

I have this horrible habit of not taking pictures, but wanted to describe to you the most wonderful and thoughtful card I could ever receive.  So here's what it said:

"Sometimes you surprise me by asking if I still love you, still find you beautiful...
And I wonder, how could you not know?
My love for you is so strong that I think the whole world must see it.
The slightest though of you during the day still excites me.
And when I see you, all I can think about is that moment when our lips will touch.
Time could never dim my love for you, because with every beat of my heart, I only want you more."

And then Chad added a note which I will keep private... but was definitely needed.  It's crazy to think we've been together this long (almost 6 years) and we still get butterflies in our stomachs.  It's also crazy to think how things will be 50 years from now.

Well, I am going to go round off my marathon day of homework with some more reading and writing a 5 page paper.

Hope everyone is staying warm on this blustery evening :)

Love and Devotion: Family Edition

Shortly after my last post announcing the birth of my newest nephew, my paternal grandfather, GreGre, passed away. Some of you may not know this but GreGre was to perform our wedding ceremony but fell into ill health mere weeks prior to the ceremony. As a Methodist minister, GreGre officiated over every family wedding including my parents', aunts' and uncles', sisters' and cousins'; and it has always been a dream of mine to have my grandfather place his hand over my husband and my hands as he bestows upon us the blessing. Of course, after his health took a turn for the worse, I reconciled to the fact that this dream would not occur. Throughout the past four months, my family kept in constant contact with my Mississippi relatives (my dad made the arduous 12 hour drive down there at least a dozen times) to check up on GreGre, although we all knew it was just a matter of time. After 87 years of a wonderful, spiritual life, it was GreGre's time to be reunited with his Savior-- his King with whom he devoutly followed and preached His message to thousands of Mississippians. Perhaps most profoundly was GreGre's dedication to helping the homeless children of Jackson, MS as he fed, clothed, and sheltered thousands of children throughout his stint as the Methodist Children's Home director (I always knew my family was large... but not quite that large!)

After celebrating the lives of two other grandparents, I honestly have to say that this was the most emotional funeral I have ever been to. Most of you who know me know that I can hold my emotions in check very well. Although I like to cry at sappy movies, I rarely cry in public. Not this time. The most beautiful and bittersweet moment of the weekend was at the visitation (which happened to be on my father's 65th birthday). Our family had just met Andrew (my new nephew who was born just days prior to my grandfather's passing) at the visitation. As a birthday request, my father asked to hold his baby grandson and whispered, "Let's go meet GreGre." My father and Andrew, followed by Andrew's siblings and myself, walked over to the open casket where my dad spoke to his father for the last time and said some of the most beautiful words I have ever heard:

"Daddy, meet Andrew, your newest great-grandson. We will love him and nurture him as you have all of us throughout your years on Earth. I want you to tell Momma, 'Thank you for watching over Andrew in Heaven and for sending him to us safely.' I also want you to know, Daddy, that my beautiful family is here because of you and your love for Momma. Without you, none of us would be here. We are your legacy and we will honor you and Momma by bestowing upon Andrew and all of Charlotte's and my children and grandchildren an honest and good love, a faith-full love-- for that is what you and Momma gave to us. I love you, Daddy, and I will see you again."

Watching my dad hold the very tiny, premature baby over the casket as he spoke heartfelt words to his father was one of the hardest and most precious experiences of my life. And although I don't do my fathers monologue justice, the meaning remains the same: faith-full love and devotion for family.

Friends come and go, although a few will remain, but family is forever. You can work hard all of your life, make a name for yourself in the professional world-- even contribute meaningfully to the growth and development of future professionals. But your life's greatest accomplishment is your family. They are your legacy-- the manifestation of two people's love for each other and the beginning of selfless love and devotion for one another.

It is easy to lose the importance of family as the professional world dominates our thoughts and actions. I hope to remember my dad leaning over his father's casket with Andrew for the rest of my life and when I lose focus on what truly matters--faith-full love and devotion for my family-- I will earnestly find my way back to the right path.

I know we all have vignettes like mine, moments that sear into our hearts and change our lives forever. I would love to hear yours! What moment in life will remain with you and serve has a guidepost for you when you find you've lost your way?