February Recipe 2: Quiche

This was very easy to throw together.  I used the first recipe I found online and made slight modifications.  I didn't have any heavy cream so I used a little more milk and cheese.  I also added in some green pepper and tomato.

The quiche was a hit with Hubs.  It's a repeatable meal for sure!

Random Thursday

It's late but it's still Thursday!

1.  I ate Vietnamese food for the first time this week.  To prep for pronunciation of the word "Pho" I watched this video.  And then I watched this, and this. The Pho was okay.  I prefer Thai food for sure.

2.  We haven't bought cereal in 2 weeks in hopes of eating down our warm cereal options.  I have successfully finished a box of cream of wheat.  I can't wait to have cold cereal again.

3.  I have been making good progress on my wedding scrapbook. You can expect blog post updates soon.

4.  Even though I am Facebook vacationing, I have had to log in twice from work for work.

5.  I am never using a knife in the kitchen again.

The Macklemore Thrift Shop Challenge

If you haven't found yourself rocking out to Macklemore's Thrift Shop song already, please click on that link and get yourself hooked.

Several blogs I follow have been participating in the Macklemore Thrift Shop Challenge.

via Young House Love

Challenge accepted!  Hubs and I spent some time thrifting a local second hand store to see what kind of fun things we could find.

Here I am, getting read to pop some tags with the $20 I had in my pocket!

I was able to find a few of the thrifted items that are bragged about in the song including:

1.  "They had a broken keyboard, I bought a broken keyboard"

(Actually, they also had an organ....that only cost $10! WHET?!)

 2.  "Passin' up on those moccasins someone else's been walkin' in"

 3.  "I'm in this big a$$ coat, from that thrift shop down the road"

Amazing right? $40 and it could be yours.

So. Much. Fun.

Here are some other fun things found:

A Twilight hard cover book for just $3

Skis for just $5

A sweet old school video camera - remember when they looked like that?

You're wondering, did we buy anything during this extravaganza?  YES!

I spent a few minutes browsing through the CD selection and became the cool 5th grader I never was and bought myself two Britney CDs.  Couldn't resist.  I also picked up the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack for some Indian jams.  3 CDs for $5.  I've been rocking out in my car all week.

Skiing at Cochran

Today, for the first time ever, I tried downhill skiing.  Hooray for my 30/30 list!

I’ve lived in Vermont for over a year now, so you could say the trip was a little overdue!

After a bit of research on the different skiing options in Vermont (and there are many!) Hubs, friends, and I planned a trip to Cochran Ski Area.  

Reasons Cochran Ski Area won our ski area research:

Price

For $60 each we were able to pay for a day pass that included a group lesson, boot rental, ski rental, and helmet rental.  The day pass also include your “lift” ticket.  I put the word lift in quotations because the system at Cochran is one where you grab onto a piece of plastic attached to a rope and hold on as you are pulled up the hill.  It isn’t a traditional chair lift system, but it worked just fine!

Location

We were able to drive to this location in less than 30 minutes (This is just one reason I love Vermont…you can be outside in the mountains and nature so easily!)

Mission

Okay, so we didn’t read the mission statement of each ski area and really make our decision based on this, but it is worth noting that Cochran is a non-profit organization that was founded by Mickey and Ginny Cochran (a family of skiing Olympic medalists) to provide families with affordable skiing and snowboarding so that “no child will be denied the opportunity to ski or ride.”  That is pretty cool.  I feel good giving business to such an organization!

Although there wasn’t much snow out on the streets today, there was snow at Cochran.  The weather was perfect --  sunny and 33 degrees.

I’ll admit I was really nervous going into this.  I had been thinking about this planned trip all week.  I was mostly nervous about getting hurt or injured.  I’m not the most coordinated, athletic, or graceful person.  So I was a little concerned.  I was also worried about being in a ski lesson with children and finding it a bit embarrassing.  While there were MANY children and young families at Cochran, our group lesson had only 6 people (4 in our party) and 2 older teenagers.  It was an ideal group.

After bundling up in snow pants, jackets, and scarves we got fitted for ski boots and skis.  Ski boots are TIGHT!  Once those were on, they were on for the day and learning to walk in them became mandatory.  I felt a little gangster walking around in them at first since they shift your weight forward. 

We had lunch at the lodge and then headed to the bottom of the bunny hill to meet our ski instructor.  While waiting one of our friends showed us how to put our skis on.  This is where things got hilarious and a bit nerve wracking. 

After getting hooked into my skis I started to slide away from the group and I couldn’t stop.  Cue the wiping out in the most awkward ways. Oh. My. Gosh.  I literally had to snap out of my skis and wait for the instructor to give more guidance.  It was so hard to just hold footing without sliding away somewhere!

The instructor turned out to be the instructorS.  As I mentioned, there were only 6 people total in our group lesson, which mean 3 people for each instructor.  We split into two groups and started learning the basics.

First lesson:  How to fall

There are many ways to fall and get back up.  This was a very helpful and probably the thing I practiced most today.  Falling and getting back up!

Second lesson:  How to stop

This is where we practiced the “snow plow” move to slow down and stop.  I still haven’t mastered this without crossing the front of my skis.  Ski instructors that were giving private lessons with small children kept asking the children to “make the pizza slice.”  This is a more child friendly way of saying “snow plow.”  "Snow plow" is a ski-way of saying, slow down and stop.  Essentially you try to keep your knees close together and your heels pressed outward making the shape of a pizza slice between your skis.

Here is a picture of me trying to “snow plow.”

Third lesson:  How to shift your weight to turn and zig zag

This was a lesson on shifting your weight to move diagonally across the hill.  This is where skiing starts to get fun.

My best run of the day was toward the very end of my lesson when I started at the top of the bunny hill and mastered the zig zagging down the hill without falling and came to a nice stop at the bottom.  It felt SO GOOD to have a successful run after so many times falling!

Sadly, after that good run, things never went quite that well again.

We all took a break at the lodge for hot chocolates and granola bars before heading out to the bunny hill for a few more runs for the day.

A few more runs and a few more falls.  Then it was time to go.

During the ski lesson the ski instructors said that if you feel like you want to go 1-3 more times it’s a good time to stop because that means you are tired and if you keep going you might get hurt. 

They are right.  Those last few runs were probably the least graceful.  I was definitely tired.  Tired and HAPPY!

Skiing was fun! I am already anxious to get out again to keep practicing the basics and build up some strength.  Who would have guessed that I would have had so much fun?

Also, for the record, the best way to have your first time ever downhill skiing is to share the experience with other friends that are on the same learning curve!  We were able to encourage each other and laugh together through all the craziness.

Valentine's Day 2013

Happy Belated Valentine's Day!!

Hubs and I got crafty last week and put together fun valentine's day cards to surprise my younger siblings.  We based our animal sketches off of a "How to Draw Cute Animals" book that I have.  We took creative liberties with our messages.  Hubs got real funny for my brothers.  In fact, one was borderline appropriate so I hid the text from ya'll!  I kept my messages clean and sweet.

It's fun to surprise others for Valentine's Day to share the love!  All siblings reported smiles upon opening their surprise valentine's cards!!

February Recipe 1: Ratatouille

Today I made Ratatouille for the first time.  The recipe I used is from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book 

The recipe is very easy and straight forward.  It will definitely become a repeat in our household due to the abundance of veggies.

The most time consuming part was the preparation involved chopping all of the veggies.  I probably spent 15 minutes cleaning and chopping to get everything ready to go.

Kudos to me for using a knife for so much chopping without getting a cut on my hands!

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
3 cups cubed, peeled eggplant
1 medium zucchini sliced
1 cup chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup chopped green sweet pepper
3 tablespoons dry white wine, chicken broth, or vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil or oregano

In a large skillet cook onion and garlic in hot oil over medium heat until union is tender.  Stir in eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, sweet pepper, wine, salt, and black pepper.  Bring to boiling;  reduce heat.  Simmer, covered, about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Uncover and cook about 5 minutes more or until most of the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally.  Season to taste with additional salt and black pepper.  Stir in basil just before serving.

Random Thursday

1.  My favorite Superbowl Ad

"So God made a farmer..."

2.  LOL kitty

I wouldn't even be mad if I had a cat that did this.

3.  How to fold a fitted sheet

To practice speaking in front of others and giving instructions, I taught a class of people how to do this. True. Story.

4.  Pixar Easter Eggs

Hubs pointed MIND BLOWING video out to me this week.

5.  Facebook vacations

I'm Facebook vacationing so I found it interesting that others are doing the same. 

Game Day 2013

Happy Superbowl Sunday blog world!  Hubs and I are getting ready to head over to spend the afternoon with some of our friends watching the game.  In addition to the Superbowl we will be watching the "Puppy Bowl" on Animal Planet.  Should be a good time!

We have made two dips to bring along with us. The first is a cookie dough dip. I stumbled upon the cookie dough dip recipe a few months ago and have been wanting to give it a try.  It is simply HEAVENLY if you are into cookie dough dip.  There are no  eggs involved so you can just spoon this deliciousness right in with no fears.  I'll be serving it with graham crackers and pretzel sticks, though personally I think just eating it on its own is perfection.

The spinach artichoke dip has become a household staple around these parts for pot lucks and parties.  It is incredibly easy to throw together in the crock pot and it takes about 2 hours on the low setting.  We'll be serving it up with some french baguette bread and Tostito scoops.

Happy Superbowl Sunday!