Need Classroom Help?

Office Max had teamed with some sponsors to offer a program called Adopt-A-Classroom.  Teachers simply go to the Adopt-A-Classroom website and sign up their classroom.  The program is similar to Donors Choose.   It's also a place for people to go and sponsor a classroom.  Just take a look at what this program has done for so many classrooms already!!



So teachers.........go to: http://www.adoptaclassroom.org/  and register your classroom today!!

A First For Me!!!

Yesterday, Harley Man received a large box from UPS and he was stoked! (Note: the photo to the left is just a photo I found to illustrate how the bike looked in the box) You see he has been riding this around town for almost 2 years!

Recumbent Trike

As of 5:00 P.M. yesterday, he is now riding this!  For the first time ever, I helped him assemble a recumbent bike!!  Yep, I was his assistant...helping to put on the chain, cut the chain, put on the seat cover, help with the gear line, etc.  It took over 3 hours to assemble (part of that time spent putting the chain on and off after repeated measuring) but we got it done.

Recumbent Bike



Let's just say the whole process has been interesting:  missing parts due to UPS knocking a hole in the large box, overnight shipping of missing parts, the cutting of the chain that was too long due to the chain being in the missing parts box, the missing parts arriving from the UPS Center (they found the box, opened it and found out it belonged to Harley Man so they sent it) after we had finally cut the chain to the correct length (yep, the missing chain cut to the appropriate length was in that box), the side mirror that wouldn't fit in the handlebar and required so additional assistance from a hammer!!  Oh there were more adventures with this bike assembly, too many to list but you get my drift!!  Anyway, it's done...it works and he's been out on the road testing it out.

Now we are off to get pedal clips, reflector tape and a new helmet!!  This adventure has just begun!! Lol!!!!!







Score One for The Lasagna!!!

I am by no means an awesome cook but I can put something fairly good on the table to eat (at least Harley Man and the girls have said so)!  I found a lasagna recipe on the Pioneer Woman's website and decided to try it.  Instead of breakfast sausage, I used hot Italian Sausage in with my ground beef and omitted the salt in this recipe because we don't do that much salt! If I do say so it was quite good.  No not gourmet but worthy of adding to my recipe collection because it was easy and yummy!!  Do you make an awesome lasagna?  If so, please share the recipe with me...in the meantime I'll continue to use this one.


The Best Lasagna Ever
Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

• 1-½ pound Ground Beef
• 1 pound Hot Breakfast Sausage
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 cans (14.5 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes
• 2 cans (6 Ounce) Tomato Paste
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Basil
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 3 cups Lowfat Cottage Cheese
• 2 whole Beaten Eggs
• ½ cups Grated (not Shredded) Parmesan Cheese
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 pound Sliced Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 package (10 Ounce) Lasagna Noodles
• (add 1/2 Teaspoon Salt And 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil To Pasta Water)

Preparation Instructions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for lasagna noodles.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan, combine ground beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain half the fat; less if you’re feeling naughty.
Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons parsley, basil and salt. After adding the tomatoes, the sauce mixture should simmer for 45 minutes while you are working on the other steps.
In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, beaten eggs, grated Parmesan, 2 more tablespoons parsley, and 1 more teaspoon salt. Stir together well. Set aside.
Cook lasagna until “al dente” (not overly cooked).

To assemble:
Arrange 4 cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom of a baking pan, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread evenly. Cover cottage cheese with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Spoon a little less than half the meat/sauce mixture over the top.
Repeat, ending with meat/sauce mixture. Sprinkle top generously with extra Parmesan.
Either freeze, refrigerate for up to two days, or bake immediately: 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until top is hot and bubbly.

Back To School Photos!!

I found the cutest photo props for back to school photos that moms or teachers can use.  Tip Junkie designed these and they are for personal use only.  You can see them at: Tip Junkie Photo Props for 1st Day of School.  Or these from I Heart Naptime.  What a great way to start school!!!



Help A School!!

The beginning of a new school year is just around the corner for many families and even though I am retired, I am still very much an educator at heart.  As teachers prepare their classrooms, administrators prepare their schools, money must be spent on all the items needed to make a school ready for a new year and with all the funding cuts..this becomes harder and harder to do. Yes, teachers spend their own money and so do some administrators (yep, it's the truth)!!! So..........I wanted to let you know what TARGET is doing for schools right now.  TARGET is sponsoring "Give With Target" program that:
provides $2.5 million in support to K-12 schools—up to $10,000 each in Target GiftCards^®. You can help by voting for a school each week until September 8 through Give With Target^®and telling your friends to do the same. 

All you have to do is find a school you support and vote for that school.  You don't have to have a child in school; you can be a grandparent, an alumni of a school or just a member of a community! Just go to their Facebook page and with a click of your mouse, you are done.  Won't you please support a school of your choice today?  It doesn't cost a thing!!!

Just go to: Give With Target for more information or here: Every Kid Deserves A Bright Future.

P.S. I receive no compensation from Target for this...I just support a business who supports schools!!

Back to the 50's!

Last weekend, we went back in time....back to the 50's!!!  What an awesome time we had...we snacked on foods popular in the 50's: Cheese Whiz, Ritz Crackers, Chex Mix, Moon Pies, RC Colas, Rootbeer Floats, Mary Janes and more.  Of course, we had to play a little between snacking...what a sight to see us with paddle balls, yo-yos, Silly Putty, Slinkys, Jacks, WoolyWilly, Checkers and Bubbles!!

We played games: Car Hop Relays, Paper Dance Off, Bubblegum Blowing Contest, Contest for the Cutest Couple, Oddest Couple and then the crowning of Ms. 1950 and Mr. 1950!!  It was such a fun time and the photos only provide a glimpse of the good times!

Easy Strawberry Cream Pie!!

Yep, there's a theme going on with my posts....PIE!!!  I just have to share this recipe with you as well because it is so easy to make, looks yummy and tastes delicious.  I made this for our Family 4th gathering and it was gone in a heartbeat!!  I found it at Chef in Training's website.  She has loads of wonderful recipes and so far each one I've made has been awesome!

Easy Strawberry Cream Pie

Ingredients:

1 cooked pie crust Cook according to pie crust directions. My favorite is Pillsbury brand

1 cup heavy whipping cream
8 oz cream cheese softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
18-20 strawberries cut in halves
1 Tbsp. shortening or oil
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Instructions:

Cook your pie crust according to package or your favorite recipes directions. Let cool.

Beat heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add in sugar and vanilla.
Fold cream cheese mixture into the beaten heavy whipped cream. until evenly combined.
Spoon into cooled pie crust.
Arrange strawberries over the top of filling.
Melt 1 Tbsp shortening or oil and 1/2 cup chocolate chips in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Drizzle over strawberries.
Refrigerate.

Yummy Pie!!

Yesterday, my daughter made this pie for our July 4th family gathering and it was delicious!!!  Just be sure to give it plenty of time to freeze!  Great job, Prissy...thanks for sharing the recipe with me.

Frozen Lemonade Pie

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Graham Cracker Crust:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 7 tablespoons butter, melted

Lemonade Filling:

• One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
• One 12-ounce container whipped topping, thawed
• One 6-fluid-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate, unthawed
• 1 teaspoon candied lemon peel, for garnish

Directions:

For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In medium bowl, stir together the cracker crumbs, sugar and the melted butter until combined and resembles a wet sand mixture. Pour into a pie plate and press the mixture firmly along the bottom and sides. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

For the filling: In a large bowl, add the sweetened condensed milk and whipped topping. Fold the two together gently until combined, being careful to keep the mixture light and fluffy. Add the lemonade concentrate and continue to gently fold. Be sure to avoid letting the mixture get too liquid-y. Pour the filling into the pie crust. Place in the freezer to chill overnight.

Sprinkle with a little candied lemon peel or add blueberries and raspberries on top and serve!

Firecracker, Firecracker!!!!

It was July and hot as all get out!
I was as round as a watermelon.
She was two weeks early!!!!
The clock on the wall said it was 12:25 a.m. on July 4th.
Her weight was 6 pounds 7 ounces.
Her length was 19 inches.
The hair on her head was as black as coal.
Beautiful blue eyes.
                                       She was my "firecracker baby"!!!!!
                                       Born on the Fourth of July.

Where did the time go?
How did she grow so fast, this baby of mine?
She's a beautiful young woman now.
Recently a new bride!
Not only a daughter but a friend by my side.
And now she's all grown up!
But even to this day...
Oh yeah, she's a still a "firecracker" every Fourth of July!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PRISSY!!!
LOVE YOU LOTS!!

Mom ♥

Shaken to the Core!!!!

This photo is not me but this is probably what I looked like yesterday!!!  I had an experience that shook me to the core and I hope no one ever has that experience!!!!!!!! 

I'd gone to visit my youngest daughter at her workplace and then did a little shopping in the mall.  As I was driving home, all was good when I looked in my side mirror and saw a white car coming up in the left lane that seemed to be traveling pretty fast with the car half in the lane half off the lane in the median.  Well, the next thing I know (I'm talking blink of an eye) that car was beside me but not in the road...it was traveling down the median at a tremendous rate of speed.  Something told me to move as far right as I could and as I was slowing down to move over, the white car lost it and was sideways in the left lane coming towards me!!!!!!!!!!!!  So I moved over to the end of the oncoming ramp and stopped.  I looked over, the car turned back into the median and the guy in the car was just staring straight ahead, the car flying into the air and bouncing up/down and then almost flipping over (all in the grassy median).  The guy was going so fast I couldn't see the license plate!!!!!!

(just an illustration of what the car looked like)

I pounded on my car horn and then he swerved over both lanes, ran right up behind the car in front of me and slammed on breaks, then started following that car!!!!!  I continued to pound on my car horn trying to warn everyone in front of me!!!! Everyone behind me had totally stopped dead in the highway....18 wheelers, cars........all of us.  We just sat there for a good five minutes...none of us moving!! I was so shaken up I pulled off at the next exit (just a few feet ahead) and just sat there trying to get to my cellphone and calm myself down.  No way I was going back on the highway at that point.  I was so scared I couldn't move.  In all my years, I have never, ever had an experience like that!!!!!!!!

So why am I recounting this...........well I just want everyone to please be careful when driving on the highway and look in that side mirror often!!!!!!!!!!  Since I ride a motorcycle also, I have trained myself to always be looking in the side mirror and thank goodness I have, otherwise I would not have known the car was even coming!!!!  Let's just say my guardian angel was with me yesterday!

Pasta, Pasta

Have you read Strega Nona by Tommi dePaola to your child? You know how Big Anthony wants pasta that continually comes from the magic pasta pot? Well, Saturday night, Big Anthony would have been in heaven!!  Pasta of all shapes and sizes filled the table along with some yummy desserts.

I don't know if you've ever hosted a Pasta Party....if you haven't you need to because it is oh so easy to do and makes for a wonderful time with family and friends.  Anyway, Saturday was our Ladies of Harley Pasta Party so I began last week gathering items for decorations.  I used red/white checked tablecloths (Oriental Trading has a roll which made it so easy...just measure and cut); empty wine bottles with red candles, jars of various uncooked pasta, fake ivy, some chef characters I found at Big Lots and a cooking plaque for the serving table centerpiece.  Nope nothing fancy but it did make the room festive for the party.

Everyone brought their favorite pasta dish or a dessert, I made a garden salad and brought three types of bread and ....Voilà, the party was on!!!  Here are a few photos from the party.

Dinner and a Show!!!

While in Tenerife, we had a night on the town in Costa Adeje and Playa de las Americas.  First we dined right over the ocean at Las Rocas Restaurant in Costa Adeje.  The view was spectacular and the food was delicious. Our menu consisted of Tropical Salad with passion fruit vinaigrette, grilled beef tenderloin tournedos and chicken breast with asparagus and prawns, Parmentier potato and Madeira sauce topped off with Cheese souffle' with quince and vanilla Devon cream.  Our wines were Gra Feudo Chardonnay and Gran Feudo Tempranillo Crianza. There was even a mariachi band serenading us during our dinner!!

Then it was off to Playa de las Americas for a spectacular show at Pirámide de Arona!!!  Outstanding dancers performed the flamenco show Aire! The Pirámide de Arona is a spectacular building containing one of the biggest auditoriums in Europe. This magnificent theatre, which holds 1,874 people and has a 350 m2 stage, is equipped with sophisticated audiovisual media. We weren't allowed to take photos of the show but I did manage to find an online commercial showing some of the scenes. I even received my own set of castanets!!!

Love Me Some Whales

Another adventure we had while visiting Tenerife was whale-watching.  We set out on a bus to travel to the marina of Los Cristianos.  The morning was warm, mid 70's and the sky was clear blue. Once we boarded the catamaran, we set sail to find pilot whales.  About 40 minutes out.......what to our wondering eyes appeared but 20 pilot whales.  It was the most amazing sight to see these beautiful creatures in the bluest water I've ever seen!!! There are more than 500 pilot whales living off the coast of Tenerife.  Before these islands where inhabited by humans, these animals were already living in the area, especially in the warmer waters of the southern region.  They feed off the squid of the deep waters and remain there year round.  If you want to know more about pilot whales, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_whale.

Once all the photo opts were complete, we set sail further out and spotted about 20 bottle nosed dolphins.  It was like being at Sea World...only better.  The dolphins performed for us..leaping through the air, playing with the jet stream of water coming from the catamaran, chasing along beside us and under us!!!  It was a breathtaking site.  As the dolphins left, some of them made a formation one last time and leaped through the air as if choreographed by an unseen source!!!

We continued to sail along the coast, taking in the panoramic view of the coastline of Tenerife and a view of Mount Tiede that was awesome!!  We even stopped for a short dip at Spaghetti Bay.  Then, 4 hours later, it was time to return to the marina.  Our adventure was a success...lots of whale watching and dolphin watching!!!  It was spectacular and well worth the time!!!