And So It Begins, Again

I have just over one day left until the Spring semester starts. I just opened my "school" e-mail, hoping that my professors may have e-mailed to hint at first lectures, send the syllabus, etc. Little did I know that this would lead me to feel completely and totally dizzy and frightened.

This semester I will be taking Women's Studies, US History (1890-present), English (yes, another one), Human Development, and Anatomy and Physiology II. I haven't heard from any of my professors with the exception of my A&P Professor. I took her class last semester and really enjoyed the class and her teaching style. That said, it absolutely kicked my ass. She sent the course outline today with exam dates (her exam schedule is crazy, every 2 wks or so) and our first lecture series on the Central Nervous System. The PowerPoint set is 95 slides long. Um excuse me WHAT?! 95 slides, with our CNS exam on February 4th, 2 weeks away from now. I could throw up.

Side note. I am SO excited that Natalie Portman won Best Actress for Black Swan. She was brilliant in the movie and I think she's just adorable in general. Have to admit that I am pretty pissed that The Social Network won for Best Picture. Inception and Black Swan were far superior, but it just goes to show that we really do live in a Facebook society.

No New Years Resolutions, Just Life Changes

I am not a fan of the whole "New Years Resolutions" thing. I get that people go in to them with the right ideas. I'll lose weight, I'll quit smoking, I'll get to the gym more..... The lists go on and on. Like most of those people though, I have never really followed through on any of it. I don't think that people fail because they really can't do these things. Rather, I think that the motivation is wrong. You can't change your life simply on the fact that it's a whole new year. It has to come from a deep desire within, one that will stick with you when those goals are challenged over and over again. Sometimes those desires are long planned and grow, and sometimes they come from a wake-up call. My latest life change goal comes from the latter.

I almost feel silly posting this, because it does sound so cliche to have it around the new year. That said, my revelation actually happened over the holidays, and it's taken some time for me to decide to actually run with it. I'm going to make the commitment to myself to become vegan again. I was faced with the reality (over the holidays) that my body seriously hates me when I eat animal products in almost any form. Dairy and I clash hard, and yet when I have even a little bit, it sends me spiraling out of control and I crave more and more despite the physical pain it puts me in. How odd is that? Eggs, well I just find eggs to be gross in theory. So that is a lesser "give-up."

I went to the library last night and found two new-to-me cookbooks Veganomicon and Vegan with a Vengeance, both by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. These books are going to be my guide to day by day vegan eating and living for the next month (that is how long I will have them on loan at least). I spent two hours last night pouring over the introductions, the recipes, the tips. To say that I am excited would be an understatement. My past attempts at veganism ended due to issues with "what to eat?" and boredom of the food. With these two books alone, I feel that I could cook for months on end and never repeat a recipe.

This morning I made tofu scramble. I've made my own versions of this before, something that I actually eat quite regularly. Usually I have to supplement with corn tortillas and a bit of salsa to really enjoy. However, I followed her recipe in Vegan with a Vengeance (the first in the book), and am in love. It needed nothing else, it was absolutely divine!

So, on top of family, school, and knitting posts, I will now also be keeping a little log of my cooking adventures and struggles on this new journey I am undertaking!

Happy 2011 everyone.

Transformers, more than meets the eye

Ah Christmas. It was a particularly great one this year. The kids were so thankful for all of their gifts and Santa brought a few of the key things on their list.

While all of the presents were really fun, L's main "Santa" gift was an Optimus Prime that really transforms in to the truck (quite large and really neat looking). As high as his level of excitement was for Optimus, he also happened to want him transformed immediately. Andy and I pulled out the instructions, thinking that it would be a relatively simple process. After all, he had Transformers when he was a kid, and I played with my brothers. How hard could it be?

27 steps, yes, 27... 5 hours of trying, taking breaks, trying again, cursing, muttering and being near tears. After 5 hours I finally got it. Lesson learned, a level 5 rating does not equate to "awesome factor" as I deduced from it's reviews. In fact, it relates to the level of transformation (the box kindly explains this), and "Santa" happened to choose a level 5. Expert. Not intermediate, or easy. Expert.

The good news. I can now put him in to truck mode in 10 minutes flat. I discovered this after Landon took him OUT of truck mode about 30 minutes after my first completion. Hooray for Transformer super mom!

Merry Christmas to everyone. Pictures of the holidays to follow soon. Just need to figure how to get them on to my new computer.

Oh Come All Ye Faithful

I must apologize to anyone who has actually tried looking up my blog over the past year and found absolutely nothing. To say that I've slacked would be quite the understatement. As I logged back on to the site, I was sure that my last post would have been a few months ago, at most 6 months, but no! I haven't posted since D's birthday LAST year!

A large reason for the blog revival is due to the fact that I have cancelled my FaceBook account. I wanted a way to share updates on school and the family, but decided that FB was no longer the way to pass all of that information along. This is a much easier way, a place where I can simply give our updates and share pics safely.

So, stayed tuned. I will be posted updates regularly, at least as life permits!

happy birthday to you

My dearest most darling D girl is turning 11 today. Sigh, the years are passing more and more quickly. I swear she was just walking to the bus for the first time, at our place in Houston, looking very tiny and nervous. Now she'll be in 6th grade, heading off to the big and scary world of middle school.

We hosted 4 of her good friends for a beauty filled slumber party this weekend and it was a blast. My mother in-law came over and helped give the girls facials, manicures and pedicures. They loved it, but I was surprised with how well they just found things to do (I was prepared to have to entertain the entire party). The evening was filled with lots of fun, girlie movies and they all finally passed out around 2:30am. Needless to say, I am still recovering and could use 1 more good nights sleep at least.

At her request, we are grilling tonight. She's not a cake girl (and this would have been her 2nd cake), so we're doing ice-cream sundaes after dinner.

The years go by so quickly, I should be thankful (and am) that she still wants to hang out (sometimes) and that she still thinks I am cool (sometimes) and that she loves me so so much (always). I know several of those things will change as she continues to age, and then hopefully change back as she matures in to an adult.

I wish I had some pictures on the computer of her baby years, but here are a few from our past. My big, sweet, loving girl...

life in general

It's finally starting to feel like summer and that means that we've been outside a ton. Great for me, the kids, life in general. Not so good for keeping the blog udpated!

Not much new to report. D is in partial-day arts and crafts summer camp and we are in the process of registering L for preschool! Work is going well for Andy and I am excited to get started with school in the fall. Just hoping that some of the federal grant funds come through so that I can actually afford it!

I've been busy knitting whenever I get a free moment. Socks are still my passion, however I have a wrap and a shawl on the needles, as well as a very neglected sweater that would be super cute if I ever finished it!

I'll leave you with some current (or at least recent in D's case, preteens HATE having their pictures taken) photos of the kids!

off to have some peaches

Wow, my father in-law will be here in less than half an hour to pick me up and take me to the airport. We're bringing along the kids, and my brother in-law just in case the dude starts to melt when I actually get out of the car. I don't think A will have any clue what is going on, she' s used to me going places and wouldn't get that I was going on an airplane. Ah, as I sit here typing this, dude is hugging me and saying "Mom, pweese don't go on an airplane. I want to come too." Oh boy, this should be fun.

Once I get passed the leaving the car part my only worries are getting passed security with my knitting needles (I have the TSA statement printed out in case they give me a hard time), and take-off. God I hate take-off. I figure I'll be able to eat lunch and have a Starbucks before I have to board, both of which will help my nerves greatly.

So Atlanta, Amanda, Stitches South.... Here I come baby!!!!