Trying New Things

It's no secret we love to eat!  However, I am kind of picky.  I do not like trying new things.  I feel like we eat the same things and at the same places all the time.  To avoid this, I am going to try at least one new recipe every week.  We also tried a new restaurant this week.  It is called Squat 'n' Gobble.  It was great!  It is a 24-hour restaurant that serves food similar to a diner.  P ordered an omelet and I had country fried steak!  I can't wait to go back. 

Earlier this week, I looked through the Pioneer Woman recipes.  I chose two to try.  First up was the Tuna Melt.  P really likes tuna so I knew this would be a hit with him.  I eat tuna from time to time, but not very often.  Some of the flavors in the tuna salad helped to hide the "tuna" flavor.  Here is a picture of our lunch.  We experimented with different cheeses on top including provolone, cheddar, and American.  We didn't really have a favorite though. 

Also this week, I used my bread maker that I got for Christmas to make a loaf of white bread.  I LOVE my bread machine!  Here is a picture of my toast with the homemade bread. 

For tonight, we are having stuffed flounder that we bought at the store.  I can't wait to try it.  It looks delicious.  Tomorrow we are having another Pioneer Woman recpie, The Marlboro Man Sandwich.  I can't wait.  Cube steak, peppers, onions, and mushrooms.  Yum, yum!
 

Special Project

While I was home last weekend, one of my sister's friends asked me to make her a gathered clutch like my sister has. Today, I did just that. It was nice to work on something other than a quilt and be able to finish it fairly quickly. Here is a picture. I am giving it to her because she was such a big help and support to my family during my sister's illness. It is far from perfect, but I hope she enjoys it.



This afternoon, my mom said that she wants a seat belt cover. More fun, small projects to work on!

Purchases and Progress

I have been checking in on the Single Girl Support Group on flickr.  It is a group where people share their experiences in making a Single Girl quilt.  I wanted to order the pattern and found it at fabric.com.  On this website, if you spend $35, you get free shipping.  I couldn't pass it up!  Here are the goodies that I collected. 

I picked up some Kona solids since I have seen them everywhere online!  Most of the time for sashing or background fabric I use white or unbleached muslin, but I have a feeling that will be changing very soon. 
I ordered Kona Ash, Kona Slate, and Kona Coal.  I like the Ash, but don't know what I will use it for.  The Slate is a little blueish/purple.  The Coal is my new favorite.  (In fact, I needed to order template plastic to get started on the Single Girl and ordered more Coal to get the free shipping!) 

Look at that beautiful roll up!  It is Anna Maria Horner's Innocent Crush.  Here it is unrolled. 

I have no idea what I am going to do with it yet, but I couldn't pass it up. 

We have several friends who are having a baby so baby quilt ideas have been in my head!  I have several collections in mind, but I am waiting for them to be released so I can get started. 

Today I made a lot of progress on the quilt for my dad.  I basted it with pins. 

Now I am working on quilting it.  This is going to be a marathon!

I am not sure what part of me decided to quilt it this way, but I am quilting straight lines that are a presser-foot length away from each other!  This is going to be a long, tedious process.  In the picture you can see the backing fabric rolled up on the right.  It looks great, but is going to take a while to finish.  I hope to have it finished by next Thursday when I have to go to Greenville for a wedding.  Guess I better get back to it!

Swift Start to Summer

Before I even finished my last day at school, my mom and sister came to visit.  I had to go back to school on Monday for a workday.  I was finished in my room by about 9:30 so I spent the day chatting and helping in other rooms.  I couldn't wait to get out of there because I knew I had two guests waiting for me at home. 

Monday night we ate at Skull Creek Boathouse.  It was soooo good!  Next time we will have to be sure to get there for the Sunset Supper, though.  We would have made it, but it wasn't where we thought it was so we wasted time driving up and down the road when it was about a half mile further.  Oh well!  We had a great time.

Tuesday we went to Coligny Beach.  We got there about 9:20 and it wasn't too busy.  By 10:00, it was getting busy.  We had a nice time, but left around lunch.  Tuesday night we ate at Sake House (a new Japanese restaurant).  We got more food than we could ever have eaten. 

Yesterday, we spent the morning at the pool and then went shopping in the afternoon. 

I enjoyed my family being here, but what a start to summer.  No time to sleep late or relax.  It just felt like a school holiday so maybe soon it will hit me that summer is here!     

Mixed Emotions

Note: This was written on May 30.  I am just not getting around to adding the pictures I wanted to add (they were on the other computer).  :)

I only have three days two and a half days left with my class.  I have really enjoyed my first year teaching.  I have to admit, it was much more difficult than I ever could have imagined.  I learned so much.  Many things that I thought would work great did not work at all while things I thought would never work actually did!  The students in my class have really become good friends and are now very comfortable in our classroom.  The students in my class are unlike the children anywhere I have ever taught before.  Although some of them have posed quite a challenge, I feel like they will leave my classroom knowing more than when they entered and being better people.  We have worked a lot on manners, being polite, and what is socially and culturally acceptable.  I feel like I have so much more to teach them and I am not ready to let them go quite yet.  The end of this school year is going to be very bittersweet.  I am ready for summer and for family to visit, but I am not ready for my class to move on to kindergarten. 

Looking straight ahead from the door

Teaching at my school has given me many experiences I would not have otherwise had.  In order to take this position, I moved 4 hours away from home.  I had to leave my husband in the upstate for the first three months.  This has not been the easiest year for us.  He came down to Bluffton and found a job about a month later (which is working out wonderfully).  Because we are so far away from family and friends, we have been spending lots of time together.  I have always loved the beach (but not the sand) so living only 20 minutes from the beach has been really cool!  Many people will never understand why I am teaching where I am, but it has made me a better person as well as a better teacher.  There were several jobs closer to home that I could have applied for for next year.  However, I feel like my time here is not complete yet. On Thursday, I was offered a contract for next school year.  Although I do not know what school I will be at or what grade I will teach, I feel so blessed to have a job and to be doing something that I love.  I cannot wait for next school year to begin.  I learned a lot this year.  I am ready for it.  Bring it on 2011-2012 and induction!   

Looking to the right from the door