Score! Double Score!! Triple Score!!!

I am feeling super accomplished! 

As part of my profession, I am required to complete 30 hours of Continuing Education Courses every three years. My three year cycle ends in December and I was able to complete my 30 hours as of last night! Score!!!

I used the speechpathology.com website and had the best experience with it. 

Typically, there are conferences and courses you can register for and attend; however, the time commitment is not always convenient and they are extremely expensive. I've had flyers sent to me for weekend long courses that are far away enough that I would have had to spend money for a hotel and food accommodations. Additionally, those courses are well over a couple hundred dollars just to attend and the amount of CEU credits that can be earned in a single weekend long doesn't justify spending the amount of money being spent (for me, at least.) 

While there is something to be said for direct learning, being with other people, and the questions and answer with the facilitator, I found that my $99.00 annual subscription was money well spent. I was able to access an unlimited amount of courses based on my interests. I chose text-based courses (as opposed to video presentations or live seminars) for the sole reason that I could print the text and the quiz questions and complete on my own time (within reason-there is a three week time span from when you "register" for a course and have to complete it). 

Best part of all, the transcripts from the courses can be sent directly from the website to the American Speech and Hearing Association for processing to comply with national certification regulations. 

All in all, I was so invested in the process, that I was able to complete all 30 courses and corresponding quizzes within a matter of three weeks. Double Score!!! 

Triple Score....wait for it ....my annual subscription is valid until July 2014 so come January, I am going to get a head start on my next 30 hours. My goal is to complete the 30 hours before my subscription runs out so I won't have to pay another fee. 

Another $5.00 to my savings account for another goal accomplished in my 101 in 1001 lists. 

Updates on some 101 in 1001 goals in progress:

-I am going to my mothers house on Friday to learn how to cook her pot roast 

-I finished my latest book (The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark) and am in the middle of my next book 

-I have about a week and half left of my month of not buying coffee

-Still working on my 2000 piece puzzle. Made some significant progress in the last few days

-I'm slowly but surely working on paying down my credit card bill and car loan

-Does my obsession with playing Candy Crush count for something?

-Painting the living room/kitchen/dining area. I completed the living room area, but have to go back for some touch-ups and still get started on the other side of the room. 

Happy Hump Day!

Question for you:

Do you have to do any continuing education for your profession?

What goals are you working on?

Any book recommendations? 

Let's Talk About TV-

Happy Monday. 

I started reading Kenlie's blog this morning and loved her Friend Making Monday's series so I thought I would join in on the fun. 

Let’s Talk About TV

1.  Share your current “Must-See” TV shows.  

Without a doubt, So You Think You Can Dance. I never miss it. Also currently watching The Killing (love it!) and  Under the Dome. I know it's not new, but I recently became hooked on How I Met Your Mother and am anxiously awaiting the eight season to be available on Netflix. I have been watching Grey's Anatomy since it started and will continue to watch in the fall. 

2.  Do you prefer reality shows or sitcoms?  

Hmmm. Probably reality-documentary like shows. I enjoy a few sitcoms here and there, but I usually search for reality shows on Netflix when I want something on in the background while I am cooking. I like the shows like Forensics, Hoarders, Intervention, etc. 

3. Who is your favorite talk show host?

Another hmmm. I don't really watch talk shows that often so I don't necessarily have a favorite. 

4. Which network(s) do you turn to for news?  

I don't. 

5. Do you have Tivo or DVR?  If so, which programs do you have set to record?

We don't even have anything fancier than basic cable, let alone TiVo or DVR. I used to have DVR and as much as I loved the convenience factor,  I'm much happier only paying $7.99 a month for Netflix instead of a Comcast bill well over $100.00

6. Have you ever started watching a show simply because you heard so much about it on social media?  If so, which one did you watch?  

 keep hearing about Games of Thrones  so it's on my list of shows to watch but haven't started yet

7. List any TV series that you own on DVD. 

I own all of the Friends DVD's, Roseanne (another one of my classic favorites), 24, and a few seasons of House and Grey's Anatomy. Before I had Netflix or anything like that, I had massive surgery and knew I would be on bedrest for a few months so I stocked up on DVD's. 

8.  Do you have a subscription to Netflix, Hulu, etc?

Netflix instant streaming is the only thing we have. I tried the Hulu subscription but it wasn't really worth it. Ryan is also pretty handy at figuring out how to download movies and shows so I rely on him a lot for stuff like that. 

9.  If you could star in a TV show that already exists, which one would you choose?

Friends-watching the bloopers, they look like they are having so much fun and thoroughly enjoy being together. 

10.  If you could bring back one TV show that is no longer on the air, which one would you choose? 

Easy- Friends. Or 24. I loved the premise of that show-even named my dog after Jack!

Your turn! Copy the questions and link back up! 

"Shit Soup" (Minestrone-Inspired Soup)

This week has been insanely hot so I took advantage of some pool and beach time. On Wednesday, I went to my Grandmother's apartment complex and sat at the pool with her for a few hours in the afternoon. It was an afternoon well spent-I sat in the kiddie section of the pool reading my book, continued working on my CEU courses, and talked about recipes and cooking with some of the ladies at the pool. One of the ladies, Millie, began telling me of me "shit recipes" -a Yiddish phrase that means a recipe where you sort of just throw anything and everything you have into it. 

That's exactly what I did with this soup. I loosely based it off of a minestrone soup recipe I found a while ago (sorry-for the life of me, I can't remember where it came from) 

Like I said, this is a "shit recipe" so there are no exact measurements or directions. 

I started off with the following ingredients: 

olive oil

2 zucchini

2 yellow squash

10 Vegetable and 10 chicken bouillon cubes

garlic powder

5 carrots

5 small russet potatoes

4 stalks of celery

2 cans (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes and their juices

1 small can of butter beans

1 large can of cannelloni beans

salt and pepper

16 cups of water

About half a cup of quinoa

Directions: 

1. Chop carrots and celery. Saute vegetables for a few minutes in olive oil in a large dutch oven

2. Once the vegetables have softened a bit, add bullion cubes and water. Increase heat to medium-high.

3. Chop potatoes, zucchini, and squash into small, bite-sized pieces and add to soup. Add quinoa and bring to a boil. 

4. Add cans of diced tomatoes and their juices. 

5. Add zucchini and squash. 

6. Drain and rinse beans and add to soup. 

7. Continue cooking soup over medium-low heat until vegetables and potatoes are tender and quinoa is cooked thoroughly. Add seasonings as you find appropriate. This time, I just added some pepper. The bullion cubes tend to be pretty salty so it wasn't necessary to add any additional salt. 

Serve with a piece of toasted french bread. 

This particular version of soup yielded a good amount so I was able to pack some into Tupperware containers and freeze for another time. I've made many variations of this type of soup with different combinations of vegetables (i.e corn, beans, etc.), beans (i.e. kidney, fava, lima, etc.) and starches (i.e. rice, pasta, etc.) and it always comes out tasting great. 

Enjoy!!!

Question for you:

Do you have any recipe swapping stories?  

Debate of the day: Smoky Olive or Mark Twain Olive

Since having the paint samples spread over the fireplace and taped along the walls for a few weeks, I made a decision on a whim to finally get this process going. 

paint chips everywhere

It takes me weeks to choose a paint color. I start with one sample I like and then the pile grows into a massive collection that I need to stare at for weeks. And in every case, I have always come back to the original sample)

Ryan wanted something "green" and not "gap khaki" while I wanted something that works with all the other elements and was neutral enough to work with future furniture purchases (think bar/pub table and new couches). I think the walls are too similar to the color of the couches but since we wont have these couches forever, I'm overlooking that. 

We I (who am I kidding, I had the final decision on this one) ended up choosing  a sage/olive green called "Smoky Olive" (not Mark Twain Olive as I previously thought) with the eggshell finish by Valspar signature collection. 

Thanks to the help of two friends, we were able to get the general living room area completely painted in one weekend.


Before:

During: 

Mulder decided that laying down on the sheets would be the best way to help.                        

                            

                             

                             

                     

                     

                                     

                                       

                            

After: 

I still have to put the vents back into the walls and hang up some of the pictures but to get a general idea...

I think this picture reflects the color of the walls the best.

Beautiful natural lighting makes for difficult pictures with a cellphone camera

I've been working on a complete before/after post of the living room so check back soon for that. 

Crossing things off my list

I have been using my 101 in 1001 list as way to get myself out of my funk. I like being able to cross things off of a list and having a list gives me direction. Otherwise, I could sit down and do nothing, day after day and let my funk take over. When I have a goal to work on-and really, something to cross of a list-I can feel like I accomplished something. 

I've already been able to cross two items off (getting a library card and writing a 100 things about me post) and there are a bunch of items that are in the works.

1. I am going get started in painting the living room/dining/kitchen area. The living room, dining area, and kitchen share the same walls-all separated by a giant brick fireplace in the center of the room (look here) so finding a color that was going to work well with the dark hardwood floors, the wood trim around the windows, the stainless steel kitchen appliances, the dining room table and area, the living room area, the faded red brick and the stone...well, it was a lot to consider. After having the gazillion of paint swatches laid out all over the stone on the fireplace for weeks, and then finally taping the swatches onto the walls yesterday, we finally settled on a sage/olive-ish green color called "Mark Twain olive green." On impulse, I left the house at 8:30 last night to pick up a gallon of paint and some other painting supplies so I could get started today.

2. Without really planning for it, I hadn't bought a coffee for a few days. It has been just over a week now and I figure I might as well keep it going. August 3 will make it a complete four weeks!

3.  I bought a subscription to speechpathology.com as a way to earn my continuing education units. For my national license, I need to complete 30 hours every three years and my cycle ends in December 2013 and so far, I am LOVING earning my CEU's through the website. I can print the courses right off the website and read at my leisure (somewhat, there is a deadline from when you can register for a specific course and how long you actually have to take and submit the quizzes). In any case, I am confident that I can complete the remaining hours of my 30 by the end of the month. I also think that I will be able to complete the next 30 for the next cycle within the amount of time I have for my annual subscription. If there are any speech pathologists out there looking for a convenient and inexpensive way to earn CEU's, I highly recommend this option.

3. I am currently reading The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark and have a few other books being delivered to me or on hold at the library.

4. I have started going food shopping every 2-3 weeks instead of weekly. I feel like its my weaning process to go an entire month without grocery shopping.

5. I started writing a draft post about the dogs.

6. I've been playing Candy crush and am currently on level 91. Does that count for something?

7. Still working on that puzzle. Ryan was thoughtful enough to get a big enough piece of cardboard from a job site so I could transfer it onto the cardboard instead of taking up the coffee table.



I also worked out for a little bit yesterday. Nothing major-just a 20 minute circuit workout but it really helped to make me feel like I am getting out of my funk.



OK-off to start the painting progress-check back later for pictures and updates!

What's been going on lately...

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

It has taken a few days but I am working my way out of my funk. So, what's been going on lately....

1. Mulder has been super cute as always. Lately, he has been hanging backwards with his body draped over the couch so he can stare into the yard and watch the squirrels.

2. Yesterday, the teenager came back from a week long overnight camp. I am so happy that he gets to experience overnight camp. I spent my summers at an overnight camp and met some of my closest friends that way.

3.  I must admit that it was nice to have a week "off" from parenting. During this time, Ryan and I got to spend time as boyfriend/girlfriend instead of as parents and although that aspect was so wonderful, it really had us in a deep conversation about who we are, what we want in our lives, and all the other "big stuff". Eek.

4. For the first time this summer, I spent the day at the beach. Aaaah, my happy place.

5. I've been making some progress on the 2000 piece puzzle but it is taking up my entire coffee table. I used to use a flat piece of cardboard, covered in wax paper but this one is too big. Does anyone have suggestions as to where/how to store a puzzle? 

6. Ryan stopped by the farmers market earlier in the week and picked up some some of the biggest asparagus I have ever seen and another bag of fiddleheads. 

7. After months of searching for the perfect lunch bag/cooler, I finally found one at Stop and Shop the other day. I had been looking for a bag that I can carry on my shoulder and is big enough to fit a few containers and/or some bottles for when we go to parties. Success!!!! 

8. I have a pretty laid back work schedule for the summer. I'm working a few hours in the afternoons on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and one hour in the morning on Wednesday's. 

9. I completed an item from my 101 in 1001 list! I registered for a library card and got my first book, The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark. I started reading it while at the beach but it's taking me a little while to get into it. In any case, another $5.00 to go into my savings account! 

10. I started collecting paint samples for the two bathrooms as well as the kitchen/living room/dining room and hallway. It's slightly overwhelming as it took me nearly two months to pick the paint for the bedrooms/foyer when we first moved in. I have no idea what sort of color scheme I want in the rooms so I grabbed a variety of samples and laid them all out on the stone work in front of the fireplace. For the living/dining/kitchen area, I want something that will work with the brick fireplace and highlight the dark wood and furniture.

That is a lot of paint swatches

Possibilities...

11. Bauer turned 8 on July 2nd. Happy Birthday Bauer! My mother, who is not a dog person, thinks of Bauer has her fourth child. She absolutely adores him and treats him like a king! She sent this picture to me on his birthday. 

Side note: I got Bauer after I graduated from college in the summer of 2005. When I moved to Florida for grad school in 2007, Bauer stayed with my parents. He goes to work almost every day with my father. He is such a sweet boy! 

12. Step-parenting is tough. Someone once told me that being a step-parent is the hardest job in the world because you have all the responsibility of a parent but none of the unconditional rewards from the child. I posted about the no-yelling challenge but I think I need to update and re-evaluate this. As a step-parent, I am automatically resented by the teenager when I tell him to do something -even something as simple as brush your teeth before bed. I am not yelling or raising my voice when I ask/then tell him to brush his teeth (or any thing that a parent would tell or ask a child to do) but like I already said, I am immediately resented. I am desperately working on handling these situations in a different way. Suggestions are welcome!!!! 

Questions for you:

Are you a step-parent? Any words of advice?

What have you been up to?

In A Funk

I am in a funk right now and have been for a few weeks. 

I have been eating like crap and finding every excuse to stay planted on the couch for endless hours. 

I haven't even remotely considered working out. 

I am dreading having a certain conversation. 

I don't know what I am doing or where I am going in my career. 

Sometimes, I wish it were appropriate to resort to middle school freak-outs and scream, "life suuuuucks"