The Christmas Aftermath

I can't believe Christmas is over...it feels like it flew by, and like I missed half of it. Adam and I had a wonderful holiday, and were quite often reminded of how great we have it. We traveled around locally and were able to see almost all of our family, and many friends. We hosted a little get-together for our close neighbors on Christmas Eve afternoon, and that was one of the highlights of the week...we constantly write about how wonderful they are, and it was so nice to have them all here. Our parents put on wonderful Christmas celebrations, and we are so grateful to them for all their gifts and love.

Adam and I both have this week off, so we are looking forward to relaxing a bit...we hope to visit my grandma in Detroit and get the Christmas decorations put away. Normally I want them up until February, but this year I want my house back. :) We are looking forward to getting our new snow blower and water softener, and a few more things for the house...I'm ready for living room lamps and a rug! It always looks so empty when the Christmas "stuff" gets put away - I have decorating fever right now.

Have a happy new year! I hope to post Christmas pictures very soon. :)

Snow Day!

What a way to kick off Christmas Break...with a snow day!! I am beyond excited, although not looking forward to all our driving this weekend, knowing it's going to hit again Sunday afternoon. Thank goodness for 4WD. I'm soooo glad we decided to go against the trend and get an SUV last winter. It's been wonderful being able to get up our hill and not worry.

Last night Michelle and I went to "Bubble Bash" at the BOB, which was a champagne and dinner benefit for the WYCE. Although we experienced several rude people (saving seats for 8 friends when there are only about 25 seats total for a few hundred people...are you serious??...and dirty look-man) it was a lot of fun. We ended up going out afterward and meeting up with Christi, and had ourselves a great time!

Today I'm staying in and READING. I've got a huge stack of books, and I've been dying for some time off to read them. Here's the list - all have been read by someone I know, and are positively reviewed on amazon.

Dewey by Myron (reading right now!)
The Shack by Young
Away by Bloom
Plum Wine by Davis-Gardner
Run by Patchett
Can You Keep a Secret by Kinsella
The City of Falling Angels by Berendt
One Thousand Days in Venice by DeBlasi
When Will There Be Good News by Atkinson
The Reader by Schlink
The Wednesday Letters by Wright

*If you have any comments on these books, let me know!

HILARIOUS!!

You've GOT to check out these funny clips I created...they are awesome!! Copy/paste.

This is Adam, Kristin, and Kiki:
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/39GzeZV6ZHeTSQNk

This is the Brown Family:
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/VFUdiNFzokwnfJkf4T8K

Update (overdue!)

I have been a bad blogger lately - I apologize for the lack of posts! I am going to be better after next week when I have some time off from work. Lately, every night has been filled with something, and I've devoted my computer time to facebook, rather than the blog. :)

Adam officially began his new job this week!! He got his temporary company car and computer, and has been working away at home-study training. I've been busy at work, and I could go on and on and tell you why...but it's completely "teacher-talk" (a phrase coined by a jerky ex-boyfriend who didn't want to listen to me talk about my day) and it might bore you. Thank goodness Adam's mom was a teacher! He tolerates "teacher talk" quite well! :)

In the evenings, we've been getting ready for Christmas, and finishing up our shopping...today we may wrap and be done with it! We have two Christmas parties next weekend, which means we have to be done with shopping earlier than normal. Adam and I will be driving all over the state for Christmas. We're not so much looking forward to that...we have three Christmases in the Holland/Grand Haven area, one in Flint, and one in Detroit. It's going to be a lot of time spent in the car, but worth it. My parents are about 10-15 minutes away, and that will be awesome! Nothing really happening at our house this year...just a little neighbor get-together. Adam's dad and stepmom are staying with us on the 23rd, which will be nice, too!

We're excited to have my sister home from Chicago this weekend! She is using some vacation days, and I love spending time with her. She may not realize it, but she is my go-to person for fashion and clothing. She is always so put-together and knows what looks good. Last night we tried on all my old prom dresses (and hers, too) and we fit into all of them!! Good old 1992-1994

Well, I could babble all day...more to post soon, and hopefully some pictures too!

This is the start of an extremely busy week!! I have something pretty significant going on every night, as well as the remaining Christmas shopping to do. I've been having fun finding gifts for everyone this year...I keep finding new things and rotating who I'm giving what to (the girls, that is.) I can't wait to see the looks on everyones' faces when they open them!!

I am a bit lonely tonight, as my hubby is in Chicago for job training. :(

Here's a picture of me decorating the Christmas tree!!


Our mantle...Kiki's stocking is way better than ours are.

Thanksgiving Weekend

Last Wednesday, Adam and I flew to Dallas, Texas to spend a long Thanksgiving weekend with Adam's dad and step mom, Suzanne!! We had a wonderful time, relaxing, having a fabulous T-giving dinner, and shopping/eating out in Plano. We really enjoyed a longer visit with them, as they are usually so rushed. On Saturday, we went downtown Dallas for the King Tut exhibit and the JFK Memorial/Museum. Very cultured of us. :) Thank you to Roy and Suzanne for such a special weekend. I'm sorry that my dumb camera needs help taking nighttime pictures!!

Here are some initial photos of the guys making "turkey jerky!"



Adam and I on Thanksgiving Day


Out to a superb dinner in Plano at Jasper's...photos by the beautiful tree in the plaza (we ate Coldstone after dinner, which turned out to be quite the debacle and also made us feel yucky. No photos of that, thank goodness.)


Photos of our day downtown Dallas. You'll see the "grassy knoll" and the former Texas School Book Depository in the photos, along with a few of us out to lunch.

MOVIE & Weekend

I saw the "Twilight" movie on Friday night with some friends. It was SO good!! I read all four books, and loved those, too. I have heard mixed reviews on the movie, but I thought it was great. The books are addicting, and I honestly don't know anyone who has not liked them. My project is to convince Adam to read them (that may be hard)so he will go with me to see the movie again! :)

On Saturday, Adam and I hung out with Micah, Jacqueline, Paul, and their friends Jocelyn and Tim to watch the sad ending of the U of M season at BW3. Great food, bad game. Afterward, we spent a few hours at home, and then met Janelle & Garett, Katy & Mat, and James out for dinner and drinks. We ended up at James' house for "Rose Kennedys" and then out and about after that. My husband danced with me!! I convinced Adam to take me to The Dog Pit after all that dancing...and I can't tell whether my stomach is punishing me this morning or not.

I've been fighting a cold for the last few days, and I think the late night got to me. We're heading to Texas in THREE days, so I really hope I don't get sick. It seems as though pretty much everyone I know has had some sort of cold in the last month, except me.

The Christmas decor is up, and the house looks cozier than it did before...today we tackle the outdoor decor...hopefully I can post a picture soon!

Update on 31

Well, I'm happy to say that I'm still in bed, drinking coffee, after just finishing a movie this morning. I just love having a day off! It gives me a chance to watch Regis and Kelly (love the intro of the show) and read up on timely important info...such as, the terrible name of Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz's baby (BRONX...ew) or what my friends are doing on facebook.

Last night Adam and I had a great dinner with my parents, Kurt, and Adam's mom and stepdad. We came back to our house for cake from the fabulous Sweet Cakes Design, who made our wedding cake. I now have several new sweaters, perfume, a cookbook, a DVD, and of course some money. Awesome birthday, indeed!

The sun is shining, and the snow is melted...a good day not to be cooped up in my classroom, I'd say. I hope everyone has a nice weekend!

Life is Good

After a long and tiring conference week, last Friday my mom and I drove to Chicago to see my sister! We left at 1:00 Friday and were at Lindsay's apartment by 3:00 Chicago time. We had a glass of wine and relaxed, and then went to dinner and to the amazing, gorgeous show WICKED. I have been wanting to see it for years, and I was so glad that I finally did - especially in such a beautiful theater. We ended up laying low after the show. Saturday, we shopped State St. and then mom and I went home. Lindsay's place looks wonderful, and I am so impressed by her TJ Maxx finds!! She has a knack for decorating. Unfortunately the loser in me forgot my camera, and so did everyone else.....hence, the boring, no-pic post.

This has been a productive work week, and tomorrow is my birthday! 31...not the most exciting year, is it? I have Friday off from work, and I plan to get my hair and nails done, followed by dinner and a movie with friends. We are seeing the Twilight movie! I'm unsure if I really should see it, knowing how much I loved the books and how different the movie will be, but I think I just need to go. We're supposed to get quite a bit of snow tomorrow night, so sleeping in on Friday and having coffee in my "Michigan" room as the snow falls down outside will be so nice. My former student teacher is my sub, so I can rest easy that the day will run smoothly without me.

As Mary suggested - hopefully Adam will do something fantastic for my birthday, and I will blog about it tomorrow!! :)

Boring

Nothing new to report lately...we had a pretty low-key weekend, which was nice! On Friday, we met up with some friends and played cards, ate bar food, etc...it was a good time. Saturday, my mom and I went shopping at THE most crowded mall I've ever seen...worse than the day after Thanksgiving, etc. It was fun but a bit too much for me. I can deal with crowds, but these were over the top! Adam and I ended up at my parent's house for dinner and some football, and then went to bed early. Today, we overslept and missed trying out a new church - so we spent the majority of the morning/afternoon cleaning. I have conferences this week, which means a LOT of preparation and a late night every night this week. :( I really am dreading all the late nights.

*This weekend, my mom and I are going to Chicago to visit my sister! I'm really looking forward to that! Two weeks from Wednesday, Adam and I will be in Dallas...can't wait for that, either!

Election Day!

I had the privelege to see my students witness their first ever presidential election. We have spent weeks studying the electoral process, the two candidates, the issues...and it made it all that more historic and special, knowing that I had the chance to educate my students and be there with them as they learned about our #1 American privlege. I really don't remember ever truly learning about how voting/elections work, and I wanted to change that for my kids. It was definitely a pro-McCain crew in my room, and it was neat to see them challenge each other with arguments on the hot-topic issues, and to actually have some educated comments to back up their thoughts.

Adam and I voted, and are having a glass of wine, watching the preliminary results on TV. Tomorrow will be an exciting day!

Gavin and Vance

Check out our ADORABLE nephews!! Gavin was a train conductor and Vance was a puppy for Halloween.

Football Weekend

Adam and I had a great weekend - first, we handed out candy to our neighbor kids on Halloween...then we had every intention of going out somewhere afterward, but ended up staying home and watching a depressing movie (Rendition.) Saturday, we got up early, made chicken wing dip, and went with my brother and Aaron to the annual WMU tailgate/football game with my family and a whole bunch of their friends. It's a riot every year, and we had a blast this year too. The game was a lot of fun, and the only negative for the day was that the sun never really came out - so the predicted 58 degree and sunny forecast ended up feeling much colder. Sometimes one has to sacrifice and put up with a cold hand, in order to have that cold tailgate beer. :)

Today was spent cleaning and cooking, and then the dreaded "crowded-Meijer-on-a-Sunday-weekly-grocery-shopping-trip." I managed to get in and out of the store pretty quickly, and gave myself bonus points for buying the eco-friendly reusable bags in which to take my groceries home, rather than using the awful white plastic ones from the store. We put the white nasties out with our recycling every week, but I have a feeling that they really don't get recycled. I recently read that many things can't be recycled twice...for instance, if a milk jug is made with recycled materials and then I go to recycle it after using it, it isn't accepted. Same is true for some paper types.

Check out this article for great information on what is actually recycled and what isn't. It's a bit disappointing, but worth reading.

http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/content/0,21770,1835138,00.html

Uncle Dennis

Adam and I want to wish a speedy recovery for our Uncle Dennis - he is a faithful blog reader, and has just undergone surgery. We hope you feel better soon, and can't wait to see you over the holidays! (see picture - far left...Thanksgiving 06)

Dinner Recipe

I don't usually post recipes two days in a row, but I had to share this very simple and quick dinner...we had it tonight after I pulled myself away from working in my classroom. For now, the recipe - but warning: it's very garlicky. You may want to try 1 clove if you don't love garlic. Adam loved it with two, and I was thinking it was a bit strong. Enjoy!

Fettucine with Peas and Ham

1 (9 0z.) pkg. fettucine
1 Tbsp. butter
1-2 cloves fresh garlic or 1 tsp. bottled garlic
1 c. frozen green peas (I used 1/2 c. and it was fine)
2/3 c. half and half
1/4 cup shredded fresh parmesan (use the real deal, parmigiano-reggiano, not Kraft)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 c. thinly sliced reduced-fat ham, cut into 1/4 inch strips

Cook pasta according to package directions along with 1/4 tsp. salt, omitting fat. Drain. While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add frozen peas, half and half, cheese, pepper, and remaining salt. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently - do NOT allow mixture to boil! Stir in pasta and ham. Thicken with more cheese, if necessary. Yield: 2 good sized servings or 4 smaller.

Calories: 361 Fat: 11/7 g. Carb: 42.2 g. Fiber: 4.2 g. Chol: 94mg Iron: 3.2 mg Sodium: 556 mg Calcium: 148 mg Weight Watchers Points: 7
*recipe courtesy Brys Estate Vineyard and Winery

Cheesecake Recipe

Tonight I had my monthly book club meeting, and I was the one who brought dessert. I like cooking pretty much anything, but desserts are my specialty. I don't make them too often, but I love doing it. This month, we read the book TWILIGHT which is loosely based on vampires (sounds crazy, I know, but just read it!) where the main character is extremely pale and (obviously) vampires want to drink her blood. SO, I made vanilla bean cheesecake with raspberry sauce, to tie in with the color scheme. Ann was a fabulous hostess, and I had a wonderful time! Here's the recipe for the sinful cheesecake:

New York Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce

CHEESECAKE
1 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 c. butter, melted
1 1/4 c. sugar
3 pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 c. dairy sour cream

WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING
1 c. heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

RASPBERRY SAUCE (make a double batch and freeze! Great on waffles or ice cream)
**Takes a long time to make, so plan ahead
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. orange liqueur (or splash orange juice)optional
1 tsp. cornstarch

Make the raspberry sauce first...OR do it while cheesecake is cooling:
For raspberry sauce, combine berries, sugar, and lemon juice, and if desired orange liqueur in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer uncovered 5 min. or until raspberry mixture starts to thicken. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Press raspberry mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a small saucepan, by stirring frequently and using the back of a spoon to squeeze out juice. Discard pulp and seeds (although some will escape through the strainer...it's ok.) Whisk in 1 tsp. cornstarch. Bring to a boil and cook 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days.


1. Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, 1/4 cup sugar. Press on bottom and 2 1/2 inches up the side of an 8 or 9 inch springform pan. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl or KitchenAid mixer, beat cream cheese, remaining sugar, and vanilla on high speed, until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Blend in sour cream. Spread in prepared pan.

3. Bake at 350 for 50-70 min. (depending on oven)or until center is set. Turn off oven, leaving door slightly ajar, and leave cheesecake in oven for one hour.
*While cake is finishing up, beat 1 c. heavy whipping cream, 2 Tbsp. sugar, and 1/2 tsp. vanilla on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Cover and refrigerate.

4. After one hour in open oven, remove cheeecake from oven and cool completely. Chill four hours or overnight. About an hour before serving, spread whipped cream evenly over cheesecake. Refrigerate again until ready to serve. Upon serving, drizzle a generous amount of raspberry sauce over the cheesecake pieces. Serves 12 with good-sized pieces.

Enjoy it!! It's excellent, and a definite crowd-pleaser!

Jerry Seinfeld's Halloween!

Jerry Seinfeld wrote a children's book about Halloween a few years back...watch this video to see the book's pages and hear Jerry reading it aloud - it's hilarious, and will bring back many memories!

Saturday Night

This past Saturday night, Adam and I met his brother Aaron and our sister-in-law Heather at "Hopcat," a newer bar/restaurant/brewery downtown Grand Rapids. While Heather and I didn't have such good luck with our food choices, the guys really enjoyed theirs! It was nice to catch up and get out of the house.

October at the Hubner House

What a beautiful fall we are experiencing! Here are some recent pictures of the yard and house!



The "Michigan" room - 4 season porch. Our favorite room in the house!








the front of the house with the changing leaves in the backyard!



A little fall decor...pumpkins, mums, and cornstalks!


our woodsy backyard


not the greatest photo, but you can see the color!


I caught Kiki just as she was eating some grass - cool picture! Cone-free Kitty.

What I'm LOVING right now...

J. CREW SWEATERS: I am CRAVING this cozy sweater and t-shirt combo. I find myself craving comfortable and practical clothes this time of year...I can't WAIT to get home and change out of my work clothes at the end of the day.

MY FABULOUS STUDENTS: My class is so wonderful this year...I've written that before, but I am blown away by what I am getting out of them! Especially writing...they are amazing. We're smack in the middle of MEAP testing right now, and they are handling it so well. I have been able to try so many things with them this year, and my latest obsession is finding brain-stimulating activities, games that they can work on with me, as a group, or by themselves. I am striving to NEVER let them get bored and to always be thinking. It's a lot more work on my part, but it feels so much better at the end of the day...knowing I am making a difference, slight as it may be! It is a blessing to love your job, and I can't imagine doing anything else.

ORANGE: My accent color of choice in our house is orange...I am quite smitten with it right now. We have been rearranging furniture and accessories, and trying to create a smooth transition among rooms, color-wise. I am in search of an inexpensive, non-shedding dark orange throw blanket for the living room...

BOOKS: I think I've read over 15 books in the last two months...some were chapter books for school, others for my personal pleasure. I have hardly turned on the tv...and it is a good feeling. I just finished the "Twilight" series, and it was WONDERFUL! I can't recommend it enough. I own the books, if anyone wants to borrow them!!

COSTA RICA: Adam and I saw an IMAX movie on the Amazon, and it inspired us to revisit our thoughts of a Costa Rica trip...if the job situation works out well, we'd like to go over spring break. Research has told us that April is pretty much the perfect month to visit! If this April doesn't work, we'll wait until next year.

I can't post about "things I'm loving" without posting a photo of Adam... :)

Check out this blog!

http://foregone-conclusions.blogspot.com/
I had to share this blog...while it's slightly naughty, it's hilarious...it came from a co-worker of my sister Lindsay.

Pizza Recipe

Today was a great day at work, and I came home inspired to do some cooking. Tonight we made homemade 3-meat pizza, and I have to share the sauce recipe...so easy and very good. After dinner, Adam and I sat together on the love seat and read our books, every once in awhile looking up and seeing the gorgeous leaves through our picture window. That sounds a bit corny, but it is just breathtaking right now in our back yard. It was a bit unlike us to sit together reading, but it was actually really nice. :) Adam is reading War As They Knew It, and I'm reading The Lace Reader. We'll keep you posted on how they turn out.

3-Meat Homemade Pizza
1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed overnight in the refrigerator in a covered container
Pepperoni - 12-15 slices of small size
6 slices bacon, cut into pieces and fried/drained
2 slices thin deli ham, cut into pieces
shredded mozzarella cheese (not quite one med. bag)

Pizza Sauce
*This makes a somewhat chunky sauce - puree if you like it thinner. Make a double batch and freeze half for up to a month! Can be made a day or two ahead.
1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 c. finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 c. white wine
2-3 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 (14.5 oz.) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil (I used about 3 Tbsp.)
1/2 tsp. or more balsamic vinegar (I used at least 1 Tbsp.)

(this recipe works best if all of your ingredients are chopped/opened/ready when you start)
Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Add onion to pan and saute 3 min. or until tender, stirring often. Add garlic to pan, saute 30 seconds. Stir in wine - cook 30 seconds. Add tomato paste, oregano, pepper, and tomatoes. Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat. Stir in basil and vinegar. Set aside.

Spread thawed bread dough thin but wide enough to cover most of a greased cookie sheet (this was a pain and takes forever, FYI, but keep at it) and bake the dough at 350 for 10 minutes. Take dough out of the oven and spread a layer of pizza sauce on it. Add a very thin layer of shredded mozzarella. Place meat toppings over thin cheese layer and then add another thin layer of cheese. Bake 20-30 minutes longer. Cut into squares and serve!
*Sauce recipe courtesy Cooking Light

Fall is Here!

Hi Everyone - on Saturday, my mom and I enjoyed the gorgeous fall morning and walked around downtown Rockford. We went to the farmer's market (squash, apples, and pumpkins!) and shopped a bit, followed by a late breakfast at Arnie's. It was honestly a picture-perfect morning with the leaves changing and sun shining. Afterward, Adam and I worked around the house and yard, and then I made chicken wing dip for a little party at our neighbor's house (notice I'm not mentioning the wasted time we spent watching the Michigan game??)

At the Cox's party, we were able to meet and hang out with Jair Jurgens, "JJ", who is currently the starting pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, and also a former Detroit Tiger! He lived with the Cox family when he was a W. Michigan Whitecap...he and his girlfriend Crystal were in town for the weekend. We really enjoyed meeting JJ and all the Cox's friends, and had especially great conversation with the Reichert's, our other next door neighbors. We can't say enough how much we love our neighbors - they are wonderful.

Sunday was spent reading and cleaning (Adam did the garage and cars, I did the inside of the house) and we rearranged furniture in the living room...it looks a lot bigger, and I think better! We're enjoying dinner from the grill tonight, along with some ribs that Dave Reichert next door smoked for 5 hours today - we smelled it all day, and I'm SO glad he shared the end result with us!! :)

Oh - and Kiki's cone is off. Yay! All in all, it was a relaxing weekend, and this week looks to be the same...not much going on.

Friday, Finally!

This was a great week, but probably the fastest week I've ever experienced. Work was great, and I was able to plant all my bulbs! I am really hoping they come up in the spring. :)

I'm unusually tired for a Friday night, so I'm sitting on the couch, reading book #4 of the Twilight series, watching HGTV, and drinking green tea. Adam went to visit some friends, and it's just Kiki and I tonight. Tomorrow we have no plans, and I'm so glad...hopefully we'll get some more yard work done and we can enjoy the warm fall weather.

I am asking for prayers for Adam this week...we had some fairly good news with the job situation, and we're hoping it works out for him. :)

Enchilada Recipe

I've heard from several people lately that they aren't sure what to make for dinner when they get home from a long day at work. Well, I feel the same way a LOT, and when I do, I always go to my old standby, a great recipe for beef enchiladas. They don't take too long to prepare, and everyone likes the results....the leftovers are really good, too. Here is the recipe!

Beef Enchiladas

1 lb. ground beef
6 oz. can tomato paste
10 small flour tortillas
2 c. HOT water
1 packet Old El Paso enchilada seasoning mix
8-10 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
*sour cream, shredded lettuce, tomato, diced onion
****If you want to make it even easier, buy 2 cans of enchilada sauce and skip the water, seasoning mix, and tomato paste.****

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 9 x 13 pan to grease bottom.
Mix the tomato paste, both cups of water, and the seasoning mix. Set aside. Brown and drain beef in a large skillet. Add HALF of the tomato paste mixture to the ground beef in skillet, along with 6 oz. of cheddar. Divide into 10 sections and place each tenth into a tortilla, rolling up the tortilla. Lay in 9x13 pan or baking dish. After all 10 are in, cover with remaining cheddar cheese. Then, drizzle the remaining tomato sauce mixture over the cheese.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Cheese should be melted and exposed tortilla edges should be slightly crispy. Serves at least 6. After dishing up, top with desired toppings.
*Great with refried beans and Mexican rice!

Another Nice Weekend!

Adam and I had a great weekend, that (once again) went way too quickly. On Friday, I went out to dinner with some friends...so fun. I have the greatest friends, and it was so nice to get everyone together to catch up. Kelly brought her 3-D ultrasound pictures, and they were AMAZING! I am convinced she's having a boy. :)

On Saturday, we went to the Michigan game and had a lot of fun tailgating and watching the terrible game. We got home late and didn't feel like doing much of anything...so we ended up watching Saturday Night Live and calling it a night. I love the Tina Fey/Sarah Palin skits that open up every show.

Today we had a family picture taken with the Browns, and then Adam and I went to the Real Food Cafe and enjoyed a late breakfast. Right now, Adam is mowing the lawn and I've been cleaning and rearranging things inside. We are probably going to Menards to get a new shop-vac after Adam is finished mowing...we have oodles of gift cards, so it won't really cost us a penny!

I put up some fall decor outside and got rid of my potted flowers and hanging baskets. I think it looks pretty good...when the leaves are more colorful behind the house, I'll take a picture and post it....right now they are barely changing colors...but the yellow is starting to poke through. They end up being a brilliant yellow, since so many of them are birch trees. It's lovely.

This should be a pretty easy week for us...I have meeting for Kent Reading Council on Tuesday night, which is a great group that I've joined in years past...at meetings, we learn and discuss good teaching practice and current trends, and we are able to hear some great speakers, too. I am looking forward to learning anything new that can help me be a better reading teacher. Teaching fifth grade, the last grade in our elementary school, gives me the "one last chance" to help my students become good readers before they leave for middle school. I can't rest unless I know I've done everything I can for them, which pretty much contributes to me creating my own monster. :)

Tonight we're having grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner, which is the perfect fall meal to go along with the sunny, crisp fall day that we had. I hope everyone has a great week!

Great Weekend

It's been awhile since I've posted...Adam had a birthday last Thursday, and we had a lot of fun at dinner the following night with mom and Elmer. I ate a lot of food, and it was great. :)
On Saturday, we went to Grand Blanc for Grandma Thora and Great-Aunt Norma's 90th birthday party! The twins had a lovely dinner with family, friends, and loved ones surrounding them. It was a wonderful night. Every time I hugged Thora, her face was wet with happy tears. We really enjoyed seeing Adam's dad and Suzanne, and I was able to meet all his cousins too. Uncle Charles was there from NYC...Adam and I spent some wonderful days with him in NYC when we visited...he and his lovely wife Kim know good restaurants and good martinis, and are just a blast to hang out with. :) It's not often that families have the chance to all join together for a special occasion, but it's truly a blessing to see when it does happen.

The weekend continued when Adam and I spent the night at the Dyball's house and drove to the Tigers last game on Sunday...it was BEAUTIFUL outside, and we had a great time. The game itself was super exciting, until the extra innings - but we left before the bitter end. We got home in time to clean house a bit and watch Desperate Housewives. :)

This week has been busy as always, and I've been working late again. Tomorrow I have a hair appointment and Thursday we're going to the Brown house for a belated b-day dinner for Adam. We're also excited to watch the VP debate afterward. On Friday, I'm having a girls night with friends (dinner and a movie) and on Saturday, we're heading back to the east side of the state for a Michigan game. Sunday, we're having a Brown family picture taken, and then we're heading downtown GR to an Oktoberfest party! :)

SO, I want to wish a happy belated birthday to my fantastic husband, who I failed with no b-day posting...and I also want to mention that although Kiki had her cone off for 2 hours on Sunday (finally) - she proceeded to scratch her miniscule wound open again and is now wearing the cone once more. :( It continues...

My Husband Bakes!

Adam the Chef

Yes, it's true...we had some Amish friendship bread batter sitting on the counter all week, waiting to be baked. Amish friendship bread is bread meant to be passed on, like a chain letter of sorts. 1 c. of the "starter dough" is given to a person in a lg. ziploc bag, and directions are given with it. There are directions for 10 days - some days just letting air out of the bag, other days adding ingredients. At the end of the 10 day period, you add a few ingredients to the dough and bake it...reserving some batter to put in ziplocs for passing on to friends, continuing the chain.

This afternoon, Adam made the bread! Now he really can't say that he can't cook...making bread isn't easy, and his turned out perfectly! The recipe made two loaves of delicious cinnamon bread with a outer crust of cinnamon-sugar. I LOVE it. :) We kept a loaf for ourselves, and I brought the other loaf to my parent's house tonight, along with some frozen chicken noodle soup that I made last week...my poor mom is sick. :( She works too hard, and always has...but the lessons she taught me about working hard and following through didn't go unnoticed.
Love you mom!

Frank Lloyd Wright

Tonight I enjoyed an evening with the ladies of my book club. We read the book Loving Frank, which was a fictional story of the prairie period of Frank Lloyd Wright and his mistress. It was a great read, and I found it to be quite interesting. Most of the story was factual, which was even more amazing. We were able to go to the Meyer May house in downtown Grand Rapids, where we received a private tour of what is deemed the most perfectly restored Wright-designed home in America. The details were breathtaking...what an experience, and what an innovative gentleman he was (aside from the mistres bit.) :) The family I babysat for was very into praire style, and also Frank Lloyd Wright himself. Their house resembles the Meyer May house so much....very impressive. I found my taste in decor changing dramatically by the time I left the house. Exquisite - I could go on and on about the historical facts I now know.

After the tour, we went to a restaurant which had beautiful moldings and decor in the prairie style of Wright - great food, too! We had good conversation and laughed a lot...it was so nice to be back with the group I'd missed all summer.

Check out the website for the Meyer May house that we visited:
http://www.steelcase.com/na/meyer_may_house_ourcompany.aspx?f=18708

This site is good, too
http://www.dgunning.org/architecture/Michigan/Meyer%20May/

Weekend!!

I can't tell you how glad I am to have a couple days off!! I love my job, and I really love my class this year...but the hours put in this week were catching up to me. The cold I had is just about gone, thank goodness!

Tonight Adam and I supported our hometown team (and my employer) and went to the Rockford vs. Hudsonville football game in Hudsonville. It was a good game, and WOW was it packed. We left with two minutes to go in the game, and Rockford was ahead by 3 pts. with the ball. I hope they won! We stood up the whole game, and I really had a hard time seeing over all the tall Dutch people. :) Ha...I'm Dutch, so I can say that. It was great, because many of the guys playing were my former students! My first class is graduating this year, which is insane because that means I've been teaching for 8 years! Time really does fly.

Tomorrow is the tailgate at MSU - Adam and I are currently debating the length of the tailgate, as well as the fact that we're not going to the actual game...and wondering if we should really go, knowing that it will be hours of drinking and having fun...and then an hour drive home...meaning one of us needs to be good. My mom wants to go to the farmer's market with me and then out for coffee...and Adam and I have a big store credit at Menard's to spend - hopefully on some clearanced patio furniture! My sister is coming home too, and I'd love to see her. We're going to make the call in the morning. We'll be traveling the next two weekends, so it might be nice to just hang out at home.

On Sunday, our wedding photographer is coming over to take a few shots at the house, and I'll be grading papers, grocery shopping for the week, and doing some cleaning. Oh - and Kiki's cone is coming off. A good day around our house. :)

Great Dinner

Tonight Adam and I went to Reds on the River for dinner...we were able to sit outside, as it was 75 degrees when we arrived! Awesome. Fantastic dinner, good conversation, and yummy wine. I've been working a lot lately, so it was good to get out and hang with my hubby. :) I just love our little town that we call home.

Work is going really well, and even though I'm busy...I'm really loving my new class. Amazing kids. I also work with fantastic people, and I'm blessed to have friends at work. Life is good - no complaints!

For those of you keeping up with Kiki - she is a day away from being cone-free. Almost healed. Finally!! She's currently cuddling with me and Adam is jealous. He he.

Happy Wednesday - the weekend is close! More to come soon...
-KH

Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

I had the urge to cook today, mostly because I wanted homemade chicken noodle soup. Being sick makes me crave soup and pudding, for some reason. I can't stand the canned stuff, and last time I made "Mrs. Grass'"noodle soup, it tasted fishy. Nasty I know, but it did! Here's what I came up with today, by combining my favorite chicken and dumplings soup recipe with Southern Living's chunky chicken noodle soup...it tasted really good. Adam had 2 bowls! It makes a lot.

Chicken and Dumplings
(or Chicken Noodle Soup, if you prefer)

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3-4 lbs. chicken pieces (or 3-4 breasts - what I use)
1 small onion, chopped (I use 1/2 of a Vidalia)
2-4 ribs celery, sliced thin
4 cups water, plus 1 cup water
2 cups chicken stock/broth
1 bay leaf
5-6 chicken boullion cubes
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
4 med. sized carrots, chopped
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
*kluski egg noodles - the straight, skinny kind - I get mine in the Dutch section at Meijer! - As many as you want - a few handfuls is what I used

Dumplings:
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
2/3 cup milk
1 lg. egg
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the chicken pieces and brown them on each side for 2 minutes. Stir in the onion and celery. Saute briefly and then add 4 cups of water, 2 cups of broth, bay leaf, boullion cubes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the chicken, covered, for 30 minutes.
2. Remove the chicken, add the carrots to the pot (add uncooked noodles, if you choose to skip dumplings and do noodles) cover, and simmer for 10 minutes or until the carrots/noodles are mostly tender.
3. Meanwhile, shred chicken breasts with 2 forks. Set aside meat. Whisk together the flour and the remaining 1 cup of water in a sm. bowl until smooth. Add the mixture and the chicken meat to the simmering saucepan. Cover and continue to simmer.
4. To prepare the dumplings, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and parsley in a large bowl. Make a well in the dry mixture and add the milk, egg, and oil. Stir briskly to make a batter. For each dumpling, spoon a rounded tablespoon of batter into the simmering broth. They can overlap a bit, or you can push them around to make room. Cover and simmer for another 13-15 minutes, WITHOUT stirring. Serve hot.
*If you choose not to do the dumplings, I could see some fresh, chopped parsley being good in the soup. I served it with "beer bread" with butter and honey. Comfort food at it's best! :)

*recipe is a combination of recipes from Carrie Douglas, Southern Living, and me!

Still Sick...

I can't believe I'm still sick - today was actually the worst day of all! My poor students...they watched me sneeze and blow my nose all day long. I should have stayed home, but I couldn't leave my lessons to a sub...and tomorrow will be the same. If it's not better by Wednesday, I'll stay home and see a doctor. I've been taking advantage of our whirlpool bathtub and the opportunity to drink tea. Adam is taking good care of me - what a good husband he is. Seriously - he is amazing. I've never met a more consistent and caring person!

We had dinner with my parents tonight at Cheers...bogo burritos! I had a margarita that I couldn't really taste and I do believe the hot salsa that I ate cleared my sinuses a bit! :) My dad and sister are working on getting Bears tickets for this Sunday, so we may just head to Chi-town if they can find some...I hope so!

Sorry for the boring blog - I have pictures to post tomorrow! :)
-KB

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

It's been raining forever here, and I haven't left the house since Friday afternoon! Adam and I are both sick, so we've been lounging around. I have a cold combined with a sore throat, and Adam has the same. Not a lot of energy flowing around the Hubner house. Sneezing, sniffling, and napping galore.

We've been watching football and taking care of our poor baby Kiki - it's been almost a week with the cone on her head (again) and she is just miserable. She's doing better though, and we're hoping to have the cone off by Tuesday. She has trouble eating, walking, and even eating her treats is hard. She is so depressed, and she looks at us like she can't understand why we're torturing her! I feel so bad.

We spent several hours on Saturday cleaning and organizing...we still had wedding gifts laying around, and the house was getting messy and dusty/dirty. I got really frustrated with Adam, because I get tired of having to ask him to clean...I work 11-12 hour days now, and I hate coming home to mess when someone has been home all day. He got really defensive at first, but then he later talked to me about it and said that yes, if he's home and not working that he totally should be cleaning and helping cook dinner. That sprouted a conversation about what to have for dinner if he cooks...and he listed the whopping 5 things he knows how to cook - all of which we had in the last week. :-) Such a guy. Needless to say, I'm excited about the Main Dish Kitchen meals we have coming...Adam did make the chicken wing dip for the football game yesterday, though!! He can follow a recipe so he's going to try some other dishes, he says!

Not much to report - this is a very easy week for us...not much going on besides work. We're debating on tailgating with friends next Saturday at the MSU game (all you uber Michigan fans are probably cringing) as they're playing Notre Dame and pretty much everyone is going. Tailgates at MSU are a blast, and I don't feel guilty for saying that! It's still up in the air...we may just reprise last Saturday's canceled plans, which include the farmer's market with the neighbors and planting mums (rained out, of course) and watching football on tv.

I need new shoes, so I'm thinking of going to the mall soon - however, that would entail getting cleaned up and leaving the couch, so it's still up in the air. :) I hope everyone has a good week!

9-11

It's hard to believe that it's been 7 years since that terrible day. I remember that it was my first year of teaching and I was pulled out of my classroom and told what had happened. I remember having the choice to tell my students or not...and I told them. I knew it would be a day that they'd remember forever, and I didn't want to take that from them. It's still horrible to watch on tv, and it brings back many memories. What tragedy.

My friend Brad Edwards is a reporter for Fox Detroit...he did a wonderful commentary on September 11. It has special meaning to him, as his aunt was on the plane that hit the Pentagon. See the link below for a touching tribute and a wonderful story.

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=7405519&version=3&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1

Random...

I have been so busy lately with work...long hours and a lot of time spent at home researching...it's good to be back to work, though. I have to admit that I was extremely bored over the summer, even though I loved the schedule I had and hours I kept. As far as work goes, my class is awesome this year, thank goodness! I'm really pleased with how the year is going so far. We had a bout of head lice this week, which is unheard of this early in the year, but so far it seems to have only claimed one kid. I am super itchy, now that I know it's there, but I have been assured that I don't have it. Ew. Reminds me of the flea epidemic of '07 (aka, when Kiki became infested last fall.)

This week I'm seeing several friends, which I'm excited about...tomorrow I'm hanging with Katy at Blue Water Grill...Friday I'm getting together in Holland with friends (Janelle, Abby, Katy, etc.) and on Saturday morning I'm going to the farmer's market with some neighbors. I think Adam and I will hang out and watch football, and then hopefully spend Saturday evening together. Sunday we're taking our bikes out and getting some exercise...while enjoying the early fall weather. I can't wait! Next week I'm getting together with Kelly, and probably doing "Main Dish Kitchen" dinners. It's a lot like "Dream Dinners" that I did this winter, where you go and make meals to freeze and eat at a later date...but the food/menu is better. They have a huge variety on their menu, and everything sounds good. It's pretty economical, and the waste of food is much less for us. I am pretty good at planning menus for the week that use up my groceries, but with only 2 people, there is always waste. Our grocery bill was significantly cheaper last time I did it, and it was awesome knowing that I didn't have to spend an hour cooking dinner when I got home from work...Adam could cook them too, which was great.

Email me if you're interested in joining me! A few co-workers are going too.
https://maindishkitchen.com/Order/Step1.aspx

Mike and Johanna's Wedding

Enjoying the reception!


The groom - I don't know how, but I didn't take one pic of the bride! :(


hamming it up!


Gene and Amy - she is hilarious!


Jayson and Randi - one of the most fun couples I know!


Lauren and Marie



Rehearsal Dinner in Battle Creek


Brad and Jamie


Kurt and Marjorie - she and I spent a lot of time together in BC, trying to find fast food! No luck. We enjoyed a trip to K-Mart and multiple gas stations while the boys were taking pics with the wedding party.




We just returned from a wedding weekend for Mike and Joey! What a great time, and what great friends Adam has (I guess I do too!) We laughed and danced and enjoyed the company of some awesome people. The party bus between the wedding and reception was probably one of my favorite things...my brother was memorable. :) Adam and my brother, Kurt, were ushers, and I was able to enjoy the weekend as a guest, not a bride! Mike and Johanna are a beautiful couple, and we could not be happier for them. Here are some photos of the weekend!

Wedding Pictures are UP!

Take a look!

http://www.collages.net/

Hubner-Brown

11588

First Day of School!

It's my first day of school picture, taken bright and early this morning by my lovely husband.

*I fixed the blog so anyone can leave comments, not just registered "bloggers." Wedding pics soon!

Beginning of our Honeymoon!

Pacific Beach - a view of the coast

Pool pics from The Catamaran - hotel #1

Our room - it was clean but nothing too special. But the guy on the bed - he is very special!!

Ceiling leak #1 - about 15 min. before we left the hotel for good!

View from #1 hotel - The Catamaran of Mission Bay

Adam drinking my huge margarita from a fab restaurant in PB - "Gringos"

Me with my margarita and a fancy new necklace!! Gift from Adam.

Squinting, like always, in front of the Catamaran hotel #1

The gardens inside the lobby at The Catamaran were beautiful - a waterfall!


Pacific Beach - where there were a ton of surfers

the pool at hotel #1 - The Catamaran

flashing my bling :)

looking cute!

The view from our room at Hotel #1 - you're looking at Mission Bay and way in the distance is downtown San Diego.

It's hard to believe, but all the wedding festivities are over!! We had an amazing wedding, thunderstorm and all, and a great makeshift honeymoon. We decided to postpone our Cabo vacation and head to San Diego instead...hoping to do Cabo in December. It was a mess getting out of our Cabo package deal, but we did it with help, and were able to experience a new city together! We ended up staying at two hotels - the first one we booked rather quickly, and it just wasn't honeymoonish enough for us. When our ceiling started leaking, we checked out and moved to the much nicer Coronado Island, a water taxi ride away from downtown San Diego....we had a much better time there!! What a great trip!