Craziness

It's funny, the last day of teaching last semester I thought to myself, "what am I going to do with all the time I'll have on my hands?" After all, I had over a month's break from teaching. The first Tuesday after finals rolled around and I felt like I was wandering around the apartment aimlessly trying to find something to do to fill the time. Well, I got used to the time off REALLY quickly and instead of having oodles of free time, I found myself feeling busier than I had been all semester.


All this to say, I know I've been a bad blogger. A very bad blogger indeed. In general I've been pretty MIA - and so we could add "bad corresponder" to the list. But I'm back - or at least I'll try to be.


Work has been going great. One of the aspects I like most about my new job is that the days FLY by because I am geninuely SO busy ALL day. When I first started, my mind was numb at the end of the day because of all the new information I had to absorb - but now I'm getting into the groove of things. We had our holiday party the weekend before Christmas at an art gallery here in town and it was soo fun! The bossman goes around with a bag full of gift cards & all the employees get to pick one. Randy and I used our gift cards to buy a new TV and a new (and very needed) digital camera.



Obviously this picture was taken with the camera whose flash doesn't work ... hence the off lighting. Just so ya know our new one is awesome.


Fast forward a week, and Mr. Randy & I parted ways for the holidays. Each of us went home to spend it with our families, and it was the first time we'd been apart for that long in over 2 years. It's crazy how "used" you get to someone. Anyway, it was great to be home! It was kind of late notice, so I wasn't able to see all the 'sibs. But I did get to see Laurie and little Caleb - he is such a little muffin. Seriously...don't you want to just gobble him up?


When I was at home I also got to see my aunts, uncles, and cousins that I'd not seen in over a year. The night before Christmas eve, I ran into 2 of them at a bar, which felt a bit odd at the time, and I had to remind myself that kids grow up, even when I don't see them.

Since I've been back I have been running around like a madwoman. I have been doing a lot of cooking, too! I need to post some of the yummy recipes that I've made over the past month or so. I had told Randy's mom that I would bring some Christmas cookies up for the holiday, to spare her from undue time in the kitchen. Even though I didn't make it up there, I sent them with Randy and they got great reviews. I tried a new recipe for peppermint drop cookies (mint cookies dipped in mint chocolate!) and also made the sugar cookie recipe that I make every year. So sugary sweet, but so good. Although I didn't take any pictures when I was making them I will stil have to post the recipe.


I've been really into making homemade bread, too. When I lived in Nashville I took cooking classes, and one that I took was a breads class. I've not been able to locate the recipe for my starter, but I've made focaccia, ciabatta, and whole wheat French bread. It's super yummy with soup!


Well that's about all the updates I have right now, the kitchen timer is beckoning me. I have some other updates, I'm sure ... but all in due time.