PHEW!

I made it through the first week! It actually went well, although I'm still learning a couple of names (this is usually the case when I get myself all psyched out about things.) Tuesday was the first day so I planned Zuppa Toscana for dinner. I knew looking forward to it's comfort would help get me through the day. This recipe is pretty close to how I make it.

1 lb Italian Sausage
2 russet potatoes - sliced, skin on
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups kale or swiss chard
2 cans chicken stock
4 cups water
1 cup heavy cream or half and half
1/2 t fennel seed
Directions

Cook sausage and drain grease. Place onions, potatoes, chicken broth, water, and garlic in a pot and cook on medium heat until potatoes are done. (15 - 25 minutes) Add sausage and salt and pepper to taste. (I never add either) Simmer for another 10 minutes. Turn heat to low and add greens and cream. Heat and serve.

While I love OG's breadsticks I found Tuscan Artisan bread at Albertsons that was amazing! I still haven't gotten around to trying out my new cookbook!

The weekend was faily restful. Saturday we took Stella to the park after her nap - she cannot get enough of being outside. The poor winter baby has spent so much of her little life couped up indoors. She had a blast. Jim tried to take her down the slide but she was perfectly content to walk around in the wood chips and practice going back and forth over the curb!

Finally, you all use Google Reader right? I love it! Now I can keep up on all of the blogs with very little effort on my part. And - it frees up a whole lot of room from my favorites list!

I like routine.

Today is the first day of the second semester and I never really enjoy this first week. It's not like the beginning of the year when it's "back to school" time and we're all kind of excited. It's half way through. We're tired of the grey and rain (although today it was snow) and getting antsy for spring already. I have to start over with new kids. I do kind of enjoy starting fresh, but I don't enjoy not knowing their names and not having a routine going. Next week will be better.

This weekend was nice though. Pretty relaxing. We went to Mineral for a little family get-together on Jim's side. I made one of my favorite salads.

Jim's family aren't really fans of anything that "exotic" (I know, I know) so I ate as much as I could and we had to toss the rest.

While making the salad I was watching Roger and the snow - what a morning!

Mineral had a lot more snow than we did, so Stella got to sled (probably for the last time this year.) It may not look like it, but she really does love it. She gets so excited when she sees her little pink boots - adorable.

I'm still plugging away on Salina though I got this book in the mail yesterday. I'm hoping to join the blog craze of bread making - YUM!

I once slept through the fire alarm

Those LOUD, annoying smoke detectors... the one in my bedroom... yep, slept right through it. I woke up to Jim shaking me and yelling at me to get up and get dressed. I even asked him, "Why?". I sleep that well - usually. The sound of this guy gagging at 3:30 am however, I shot out of bed.

Fortunately, he was on the bathroom floor rather than the carpet. So, awake at 3:45 and my alarm goes off at 4:30. You know the feeling. IF I get back to sleep it will be about 15 minutes before my alarm goes off and I will feel worse than I do now. I'm thinking of all of this as I'm laying in bed and Jim is getting up to go to the gym. "I really should just get up now and actually get some things done while Stella is sleeping" I tell myself. Normally, I'd ignore self and then kick myself when my alarm goes off and I feel miserable and exhausted. Today, I listened.

I got up and made these. Really, made is an exaggeration. I wrapped them. They are great little back-ups for the days when we don't have left-overs to take for lunch and I've had canned soup for the last week. They make a TON! This is 1/2 of a batch. Last time I made them I split the batch into two and made half with steak for Jim. One thing, I'm not allowed to call them "wraps". It drives him nuts. Yesterday he said, "Let's just call them what they are - burritos." Ok...

I even had time to do dishes and check blogs. Wow - I really should get up that early everyday! Of course, after all of that I was late leaving this morning. So typical.

Last night was rough. The smallest member of the family is still having such a hard time adjusting to the work schedule after having a looong holiday break. She naps so well at home, but not so well anyplace else. We got home at 4:30 last night, she went to bed and at 6:00 I woke her up. Apparently that was a mistake. She was fine for about 15 minutes of Pocohantus and then threw a fit for the next 30. So, back to bed at 6:45 where she slept until 6:15 this morning. And in a great mood. Wouldn't we all if we could sleep for almost 15 hours. I miss her at night when she sleeps so much but I guess she needs it.

Check out my new bracelets in the shop. More are coming soon...

I'm jumping on...

the blog train. It seems that every knitter has a blog these days so I thought I should try it out. I'm not a witty writer and I don't take amazing photographs (although I'd love to) so I'm not sure who will want to read this blog, but I think it will be fun for me.

Jim and I were married 8 1/2 years ago now. Our funny, stubborn, and beautiful daughter Stella was born in December of 2007. (We had a fantastic Ladybug birthday party for her over winter vacation.) Once Dad showed her what to do she got into it. I love her sparkly cake shirt. She had a sweet little ladybug dress for the actual party.


I love to knit, and though I wish I had some new finished object to show you each week I also have a full time job teaching high school math. I seriously hope that those of you that crank them out are either stay at home mom's, don't have little ones trying to eat your needles or play tug-o-war with your yarn, or both. I don't know how people do it. I'm currently working on Salina in Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool and February Lady Sweater is tucked away someplace waiting to be finished for spring. (My initial goal was to finish it by fall - HA!)

I'm not true to many crafts. I sometimes sew, have been known to bead, am trying to learn to crochet so I can make Stella this adorable hat, and I've recently begun stamping jewelry. I even have my very own Etsy shop. In fact, if I ever get anyone read this post I will send a Mom's Sterling Washer Necklace to the first person who leaves a comment. Anyone?

Now, let's see if any of my links work!