Earlier today I experienced a humbling moment. There is a particular co-worker who I work closely with at the university. She is a wonderful person and a wonderful instructor (she is also a Christian); however, our personalities tend to clash. There have been several tense situations this semester and I found myself avoiding interacting with her as much as possible in order to minimize opportunities for conflict. This morning she asked me to stop by her office for a moment and my sinful, judgmental mind immediately assumed the worst. I figured there was a problem with a student on rotation or that she disliked something I had done, etc. When I went into her office, I was fully expecting a fight.
In fact, what occurred was just the opposite. She presented me with a beautiful pashmina scarf and said that her students were selling them as a fundraiser and she thought of me and thought it would look pretty. It is beautiful and is such a wonderfully thoughtful gift. I was (and still am) humbled to the core. She showed me love and generosity to my animosity. She showed me Jesus. Although I'm sure we will disagree on plenty in the future, I will never forget that we have Jesus in common and that she is trying as hard as I am to imitate Him.
Recipe of the Week: Old Fashioned Cornbread
This recipe comes from my friend Molly and is my favorite cornbread recipe b/c it works well at altitude or sea level. It's the basis of my cornbread dressing.
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda
1 TBS baking powder
2-3 TBS oil
Place oil in iron skillet and place skillet in the oven while the oven is preheating to 450. Mix all other ingredients in a mixing bowl. Once oven has reached 450, remove skillet and swirl oil around to coat the skillet. Pour the hot oil into the cornbread mixture and stir quickly. Pour cornbread mixture into hot skillet (you should hear it sizzle), and bake at 450 for 20 mins. Enjoy!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Overreacting
This week I have struggled with overreacting. My daughter has been having a trouble at school lately crying when my husband drops her off and sometimes telling her teachers "no" when they ask her to do a task. One of her teachers talked to my husband when he picked her up from school and brought the recent trouble to our attention.
My first instinct was to call the teacher and discuss the issue at length. In addition, I thought about going and observing her at school to see if she was having difficulty with another child, and wondering if we should hold her back a year given that she has a late birthday. It was hard not to do these things. I did talk to her teacher when I picked her up a few days later and discovered that several kids in the class were exhibiting this behavior, not just my daughter. In addition, all other teachers/caretakers for my daughter actually reported the opposite.
I think overreacting when it comes to my kids is something I will always struggle with. Hopefully, time, experience, and having a husband who is the opposite will keep me from getting out of hand. :)
Below is my favorite breakfast casserole recipe. It's a heart attack waiting to happen, but it's very yummy! This is one of the dishes I fix before or after a long day of skiing. It really hits the spot!
Breakfast Casserole
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp dry mustard
6 slices of bread, broken into pieces
1 cup shredded cheddar
Combine all of the above. Pour into a casserole dish and let sit overnight or all day. Bake at 350 for 45 mins. Enjoy!
My first instinct was to call the teacher and discuss the issue at length. In addition, I thought about going and observing her at school to see if she was having difficulty with another child, and wondering if we should hold her back a year given that she has a late birthday. It was hard not to do these things. I did talk to her teacher when I picked her up a few days later and discovered that several kids in the class were exhibiting this behavior, not just my daughter. In addition, all other teachers/caretakers for my daughter actually reported the opposite.
I think overreacting when it comes to my kids is something I will always struggle with. Hopefully, time, experience, and having a husband who is the opposite will keep me from getting out of hand. :)
Below is my favorite breakfast casserole recipe. It's a heart attack waiting to happen, but it's very yummy! This is one of the dishes I fix before or after a long day of skiing. It really hits the spot!
Breakfast Casserole
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp dry mustard
6 slices of bread, broken into pieces
1 cup shredded cheddar
Combine all of the above. Pour into a casserole dish and let sit overnight or all day. Bake at 350 for 45 mins. Enjoy!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
End of an Era
My husband and I made the final decision not to have any more kids a few months ago. We are sooo lucky to have been blessed with three healthy children and really both felt that this is a perfect size for our family. Personally, I could have been talked into having one more because when I was younger I always pictured us as having four children. Of course, those thoughts are inconsequential and I am foolish to think that my young, pre-mother self had any idea how to manage one child, let alone 4!!!
While this decision brings relief for me (no more pregnancies!!!! Hooray!!!), it also makes me nostalgic and a little clingy with my youngest. I'm trying to soak up every bit of his sweet baby-ness since he is our last. It's nice thinking that the amount of sleep I get at nights will be increasing over time - who knows, we may even be able to sleep in again on a Saturday someday! Another perk is I can get rid of all the materinity and baby items! Even with all those positives, it's a little sad seeing the end of this era. I guess when I'm feeling a little sad, I'll just try to remember the first 3 months of having a newborn...or maybe the nausea of pregnancy...yup - that will work! :)
While this decision brings relief for me (no more pregnancies!!!! Hooray!!!), it also makes me nostalgic and a little clingy with my youngest. I'm trying to soak up every bit of his sweet baby-ness since he is our last. It's nice thinking that the amount of sleep I get at nights will be increasing over time - who knows, we may even be able to sleep in again on a Saturday someday! Another perk is I can get rid of all the materinity and baby items! Even with all those positives, it's a little sad seeing the end of this era. I guess when I'm feeling a little sad, I'll just try to remember the first 3 months of having a newborn...or maybe the nausea of pregnancy...yup - that will work! :)
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Students
I realized after going back through my blog that most everything I post concerns my home life and not work. As the semester is reaching a crescendo for both faculty and our students, there are so many funny, quirky things I could post.
In general, I love my job. I love the opportunities that arise from the academic environment. I enjoy teaching adults and also love the research and service components. Since I teach the 3rd year pharmacy students I get a new crop every fall. While I have only been doing this for about 4 years, and while every class is different, I've noticed similarities amongst students in general...I hate to stereotype, so perhaps categorize is a better word for below. :)
Frat Boys In every class there is always a group of "frat boys". These guys are usually mid-20's and are still heavily invested in weekend activities. Now the variations that occur is that some years, the group of frat boys is friendly and good natured, other years the group is linked to disciplinary problems. This year, my frat boys are friendly and good natured. While laziness sometimes plagues the group, they are usually lively, interactive, respectful and therefore are enjoyable to teach.
Sorority Gals Going along with my frat boys are the sorority girls. These girls travel in groups and are rarely separated from each other if given the choice. Like my frat boys, they're usually mid-20's with a healthy interest in their weekend plans. However, leaders in the college often crop up from this group. These girls always have time to get their Starbucks on their way to class.
Parents A number of my students both male & female are parents. About 3/4 are married, the other 1/4 are single parents trying to take care of their children and still complete a professional program. I find these students very endearing b/c they have a good sense of balance. They tend to be very organized but also not overly concerned with being at the top of the class. These students are focused on application of the material. I admire and enjoy teaching this group.
Veruca Salt(s) Amongst my female students there are always 1-2 Veruca Salts (see Charlie & the Chocolate Factory for additional information). These girls are not amongst my favorite to teach b/c they are overly focused on themselves. They tend to have bad attitudes and to try to get their peers to join in on the negativity. They are usually the ones who argue for every 1/2 point they have lost on an exam and often look for anything that could be labeled "unfair". As an instructor, I struggle with these students because their behavior is often unprofessional.
Angry Young Men Billy Joel composed a great song about this group...it has the best piano intro in history. That song describes my angry young men to a "T". What I have found with this group is that they are easier to work with than the Veruca Salts if you can get to the root of their anger and diffuse it. I've had some years when my angry young men were extremely difficult and other where, in the end, they were enjoyable students.
Mary Sunshine This descriptor applies to both male & female students. These are my perpetually cheerful students. Even seeing a 65% on the top of their exams doesn't bring them down. These students are wonderful because their positivity affects those around them. They are usually quite popular amongst their peers. As an instructor, this group is a joy to teach.
Anyway - these are just a few descriptions of the students I teach. Below is my recipe of the week. It comes from a friend of mine in NC who called this her "divorce" recipe b/c it was the best thing she got out of her divorce. ;)
Pumpkin Pie Squares
1 29oz can pumpkin pie mix
1 box yellow cake mix, divided
1 stick of butter, divided
3 eggs
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 + 1/4 cup sugar
Reserve 1 cup of yellow cake mix and place the rest in a large mixing bowls. Melt 1/2 stick of butter and press into bottom of 9x13 pan. In same bowl, combine pumpkin pie mix with 1/4 cup sugar, evaporated milk and 3 eggs. Mix together and then pour on top of crust. Wipe out bowl and then combine remaining cake mix with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 stick butter and crumble over top. Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes. Toothpick test for done-ness. Serve with whipped cream! Yum!!!
In general, I love my job. I love the opportunities that arise from the academic environment. I enjoy teaching adults and also love the research and service components. Since I teach the 3rd year pharmacy students I get a new crop every fall. While I have only been doing this for about 4 years, and while every class is different, I've noticed similarities amongst students in general...I hate to stereotype, so perhaps categorize is a better word for below. :)
Frat Boys In every class there is always a group of "frat boys". These guys are usually mid-20's and are still heavily invested in weekend activities. Now the variations that occur is that some years, the group of frat boys is friendly and good natured, other years the group is linked to disciplinary problems. This year, my frat boys are friendly and good natured. While laziness sometimes plagues the group, they are usually lively, interactive, respectful and therefore are enjoyable to teach.
Sorority Gals Going along with my frat boys are the sorority girls. These girls travel in groups and are rarely separated from each other if given the choice. Like my frat boys, they're usually mid-20's with a healthy interest in their weekend plans. However, leaders in the college often crop up from this group. These girls always have time to get their Starbucks on their way to class.
Parents A number of my students both male & female are parents. About 3/4 are married, the other 1/4 are single parents trying to take care of their children and still complete a professional program. I find these students very endearing b/c they have a good sense of balance. They tend to be very organized but also not overly concerned with being at the top of the class. These students are focused on application of the material. I admire and enjoy teaching this group.
Veruca Salt(s) Amongst my female students there are always 1-2 Veruca Salts (see Charlie & the Chocolate Factory for additional information). These girls are not amongst my favorite to teach b/c they are overly focused on themselves. They tend to have bad attitudes and to try to get their peers to join in on the negativity. They are usually the ones who argue for every 1/2 point they have lost on an exam and often look for anything that could be labeled "unfair". As an instructor, I struggle with these students because their behavior is often unprofessional.
Angry Young Men Billy Joel composed a great song about this group...it has the best piano intro in history. That song describes my angry young men to a "T". What I have found with this group is that they are easier to work with than the Veruca Salts if you can get to the root of their anger and diffuse it. I've had some years when my angry young men were extremely difficult and other where, in the end, they were enjoyable students.
Mary Sunshine This descriptor applies to both male & female students. These are my perpetually cheerful students. Even seeing a 65% on the top of their exams doesn't bring them down. These students are wonderful because their positivity affects those around them. They are usually quite popular amongst their peers. As an instructor, this group is a joy to teach.
Anyway - these are just a few descriptions of the students I teach. Below is my recipe of the week. It comes from a friend of mine in NC who called this her "divorce" recipe b/c it was the best thing she got out of her divorce. ;)
Pumpkin Pie Squares
1 29oz can pumpkin pie mix
1 box yellow cake mix, divided
1 stick of butter, divided
3 eggs
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 + 1/4 cup sugar
Reserve 1 cup of yellow cake mix and place the rest in a large mixing bowls. Melt 1/2 stick of butter and press into bottom of 9x13 pan. In same bowl, combine pumpkin pie mix with 1/4 cup sugar, evaporated milk and 3 eggs. Mix together and then pour on top of crust. Wipe out bowl and then combine remaining cake mix with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 stick butter and crumble over top. Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes. Toothpick test for done-ness. Serve with whipped cream! Yum!!!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
The Trip Triage and Recipe of the Week
Around this time of year, my husband and I start talking about what trips we are going to take in the upcoming year. Living away from family makes this a struggle b/c we want to take trips to see them at least twice a year, but that tends to eat up much of our vacation budget and time from work. Thankfully, my family and my in-laws are wonderful about coming out here to visit and we really really appreciate that! My husband and I have the opportunity to go to Hawaii this year and my personal thought is that time away as a couple might trump all the other trips simply because our marriage (after our relationship with God) is our #1 priority - and any time away as a couple is MUCH NEEDED! I think next we'll plan a short trip to Disneyland in the summer b/c we have never been on a longer family vacation as a 5-some. My parents & sister have talked about meeting us there so it would be a LOT of fun! We usually do a couple of weekend trips to visit friends who live within driving distance. Currently, we're planning a 2 trips to visit family - they may be shorter than usual, but I think we'll still be able to make that happen. Whew! Trip triage for 2011 is complete....next, the 2011 budget...which may cause us to re-triage the trips. :) It's a vicious cycle!
So my recipe of the week comes from my friend Myra. She brought us this supper after my first son was born. I remember how it was SOOOO delicious to my tired, frazzled, sleep deprived self! I asked for the recipe immediately and it's been one of our fall favorites ever since! Thank you Myra!
TORTILLA SOUP
2 lb chicken cubed
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can chicken broth
1 can beef broth
2 cups water
1/2 cup diced onions
1/4 cup diced green pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
tortilla chips
cheese (monterey jack or cheddar)
Brown chicken and onions in 1-2TBS butter. Add all remaining ingredients though cumin. Simmer for 20-30 mins. Crush tortilla chips in the bottom of each bowl, pour soup on top of the chips, and top with cheese (you can also put the cheese over the chips and then top with the soup, or if you're like crunchy chips, you can put the chips on top - so many ways to eat this!). You can also serve with sour cream or guac. Enjoy!!!
So my recipe of the week comes from my friend Myra. She brought us this supper after my first son was born. I remember how it was SOOOO delicious to my tired, frazzled, sleep deprived self! I asked for the recipe immediately and it's been one of our fall favorites ever since! Thank you Myra!
TORTILLA SOUP
2 lb chicken cubed
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can chicken broth
1 can beef broth
2 cups water
1/2 cup diced onions
1/4 cup diced green pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
tortilla chips
cheese (monterey jack or cheddar)
Brown chicken and onions in 1-2TBS butter. Add all remaining ingredients though cumin. Simmer for 20-30 mins. Crush tortilla chips in the bottom of each bowl, pour soup on top of the chips, and top with cheese (you can also put the cheese over the chips and then top with the soup, or if you're like crunchy chips, you can put the chips on top - so many ways to eat this!). You can also serve with sour cream or guac. Enjoy!!!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Trick or Treat!
Hope everyone had an awesome Halloween! Below are some pictures from our week of festivities. I had a spiderman, a princess, and a lion/mouse this year. The lion got his costume very messy at his school carnival and therefore had to become a mouse on Sunday for trick-or-treating. I even got in the spirit and pulled out my old cheerleading uniform when I had to dress up to teach the 4yr olds on Sunday morning. I was absolutely thrilled to discover that it still fit - it's not as loose as it was when I was 14, but the fact that I could wear it comfortably made me very happy. :)
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