Currently... Easing back into Regular Life Again

We just came back from a week of spring break. We didn't do much and I'm glad about that - I was so looking forward to doing nothing.  There were a few highlights. Hubby and I went to NYC to see Raisin in the Sun, (Denzel Washington, great play, and a great date) then we spent the rest of the week at the beach with the kids.  It was too cold to go anywhere near the water - I love the beach, but have really had enough of the cold.  We went to the movies (Captain America & Rio2), ate ice cream, and went swimming.  I caught up on reading, almost finished a crocheted shawl, and started a knitted scarf (because why wait 'til a project is finished to start a new one.)  We finished up the week with early church service and a delicious Easter dinner. And of course, dying eggs and the Easter egg hunt.  Whew.  Now what am I up to? Easing my way back into our regular life, while at the same time preparing for a month of a whirlwind of activities.

 

Laundry, laundry & more laundry. Washing, folding, and putting away everything in the suitcases. I have however, come up with a packing system that makes this a little easier. Packing for the return home, I put all the dirty clothes in one suitcase and any remaining clean clothes in another. When I get home, I can just drag the dirty clothes suitcase to the washing machine and put away everything in the other.

Making Chocolate Overnight Oats for a busy week.  Even if you think you don't like oatmeal (like me), these are yummy, filling, portable breakfasts: layers of Greek yogurt, mixed with chocolate powder, oatmeal, strawberries, and nuts.   I made one when I was testing out the recipe for Food52; next morning, threw it in my bag to go to my daughter's basketball game.  Perfect on-the-go breakfast.

 

Packing - or at least thinking about packing - for the sorority conference I'll be heading to on this weekend. This year, I celebrate  the 25th year of my membership, our "Silver" year and I'm quite excited! 

 

Catching up on all the organization stuff - PTA and my sorority - I didn't do over the break because I purposely let myself not do stuff and rest.

   

Working out.  Again.  2 words: skirt season. Oh, wait, 2 more: short sleeves. 

What are you up to this week?

 

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Currently...Getting Ready to Party into Spring

March 30 - Can you believe there was wind, rain, hail, and snow yesterday?  The sun looks like it's peeking out today - please stay!  Starting out this sunny week, here's what I'm up to.

Eating... what is destined to become my new favorite omelet, but hardly will be served at the local diner. The site Food52 asks for readers to try and review recipes, breakfast choices were up this go 'round. One of them, a definite "gotta try it" was Kimchi Frittata with Sriracha Drizzle. But let me first say, I could/sometimes do eat kimchi, the fermented cabbage considered to be Korea's "national dish," at every meal every day. And sriracha, well, that's just the firey cherry on top, right? I didn't bother making it over the weekend since my family does not share in the idea that kimchi can be a breakfast food; though, perhaps my son would but he doesn't like omelet/frittata style eggs. Since I get to enjoy it all by myself, I only made half the recipe. The frittata is a simple mix of kimchi (I used Mat kimchi, the Chinese cabbage version that most people think of when they think of kimchi), scallions, soy sauce and eggs, with sriracha and rice vinegar. It reminds me of the steamed eggs my mother used to make when we were kids.  I'm eating it, all by myself, with a bowl of rice (what else?)

  

Plotting murder.  With the help of Shot in the Dark Mysteries, I'll be hosting a murder mystery dinner for a dozen of my friends. They offer a variety of themes, for any number of party-goers, male/female or co-ed. I considered a party with couples, but thought perhaps the spouses may get a little nervous, realizing how sinister and plotting their loved one could be, so I'm keeping it all women.  Keep up with me on Twitter for more on "Murder in the Winery" tomorrow.

 

Reading Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. I admit, I don't know what's going on in this book.  You may know already, if you've read my bookposts before, that I rarely read the back cover. I really do choose a book by it's (front) cover.  And this one glows in the dark, as I surprisingly found out one night on my way to bed.  There is, as the title suggests, a 24-hour bookstore, that doesn't really sell too many books. Instead, the "members" come by at odd hours of the night to exchange books, like a library, but the books are written in some kind of weird code. I'm following along with the bookstore's newest employee Clay Jannon trying to figure out what these members are figuring out. 

 

Purging winter clothes in the kids' closets and drawers. This winter has been so long that they've all grown out of their clothes. Coat sleeves are up their arms, jeans are skimming their ankles, and buttons are stretched tight on their shirts. Time to get rid of winter gear. Hopefully spring will indeed cooperate with my housekeeping.  As I outlined in a previous closet-cleaning post, I've got my piles line up - donate/give away, pass on to a sibling, throw out, recycle.  The task can be overwhelming, so I'll set a timer - an album on the iPod will keep me motivated, happy, and within a time limit.

 

And to welcome in the warmer days of spring, I am stitching a new pink and green shawl/scarf! I started and made good progress this weekend thanks to a rainy day basketball tournament.

 

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