Happenings and a Recipe

My new semester started last Monday. I am taking the last class I needed for my associates, which is Math for Elementary Teachers, and also a class for my Bachelors which is Strategies for Teaching Learners with Special Needs. I'm hoping that I won't be spending hours every day studying, but also that this leaves me more time to really absorb these classes and learn from them in a way I will be able to retain the information. I have felt like in the past that my classes have been so crammed that I remember what I need for my tests, but then it's all gone the next day to be remembered no more.
These classes are more meaningful to my career and contain valuable information that I need to be a great teacher.

On Saturday we took Duke to see if he might fit in at Monique's home. I am kind of feeling sad about it, which I didn't really expect, because he wasn't fitting in very well here. I feel bad for him because he's such a sweet submissive thing, and it apparently has been a hard couple of days for him. I was hoping that he would be playful with their dog Molly and be a good companion for her. He loves to be outside, and our Buddy is nearly naked and hates being out in the cold. So every day Duke is whining to go outside, and Buddy looks at me like I'm certifiable thinking he would go out in that cold. It's sad to make Duke go out alone, or force Buddy out into the cold unprotected, and annoying trying to ignore the whining to go out (I will never get a Husky).  He's also been marking territory in the house since the cat came, and I wasn't attached to him enough to spend the money on having him neutered before trying to find another home for him. If he doesn't work out at their home I will take him back and see if neutering will stop the marking, and I will also put him through boot camp again for not marking in the house. I'm just going to have to make the time for it, before I give up on him.  I don't want to give up on him because he really is a good dog, even if he's not fitting in with our home and "family members" (aka. other dog and cat).

We are experiencing major cold weather this week! Yesterday our outside weather station said the high was -5 degrees, the kids went out to play at that time (windchill was -14 degrees) and they stayed out for over 30 minutes! Crazy kids. Last night our wind chills were near -40 degrees. YIKES! I am trying to stay out of it and in the warm.

Yesterday I taught Joshua how to make homemade bread. I used this video to learn to make it, and then I taught him. He did an excellent job! This picture is washed out, his bread ended up being a golden brown. It's almost all gone this morning!

 

 

I love teaching my kids things, and am so excited to have more time/energy to do this!

 

A couple of weeks ago my doctor put me on some muscle relaxers to take before bed time. I had been having headaches every morning and was having pain in my neck. For some reason I felt like the two were connected. So my last visit I told my doctor this, thinking she was going to think I was crazy, but she listened to me and prescribed me some meds and also referred me for physical therapy. Ever since I started taking the meds I have woken up in the morning with a clear head and feeling alert and rested. It's been so AMAZING! I haven't felt this way in YEARS!!! I'm sure my clenching teeth and stressing while sleeping has been keeping me from getting the rest I need. I wish she'd let me take these meds forever, because I don't think that the exercises I am learning in physical therapy is going to help my sleeping situation. 

 

Jacob is almost ready to submit his papers for his mission. He just needs to scan his driver's license and upload it to the church website. I am nervous and so excited for him. It's scary thinking about sending such a great kid out into the world, possibly to another country (and hoping it's not a country that hates Americans) and trusting that he will be okay. This is possibly the most faith testing experience that I have ever had in my entire life.  I really have to put everything into the hands of the Lord and trust that He will take care of my child and that no matter what happens, it really all will be okay in the very end. And I have to trust that my testimony is strong enough to sacrifice my child for the blessing of other's lives.  This feels so BIG to me.

 

If you are looking for a good recipe to try, we tried these, this week, and everyone loved them! Click on them to be directed to the recipes.

 

Chicken Cordon Bleu - I used chicken tenderloins, so the layer of chicken was thin, and we liked it that way.

 

and for the side...

 

Twice Baked Potato Casserole  - For this one, I lightly coated the potatoes with butter before baking. I think next time I will add the sour cream and the chopped green onions after baking because the sour cream kind of curdled up in the oven and it tasted okay, but didn't look appealing.