Winter Garden

Last September I thought it would cool to grow a winter garden. I had heard that you could grow lettuce, carrots, broccoli and even snap peas at that time of year. So I tried it out. I started the seeds in their own little cups and then transplanted them into the garden beds once they were a little bigger. But if you read the back of seed packets carefully, you will realize that if you want to plant carrots or lettuce or anything that starts from a very small seed, then you will need to sow it right into the ground. I did NOT read the back of the packet passed the information about how deep to plant the seeds so I ended up with no carrot sprouts and little lettuce sprouts that died once they were transplanted. That left me with one meager little broccoli sprout and a couple of snap pea sprouts. After setting the seedlings up with their tomato cages for support to grow, I stepped back and let the peas do their thing.

Nothing happened for a couple of months. In January, I checked on the peas again to find that they had grown above and beyond the tomato cages and were beginning of fall over! Matt saved the day with a makeshift support made out of a scrap section of PVC pipe. A few flowers had also begun to show themselves. February flew by and left us in March. I had not checked the plants for a whole month and when I did, I found the snap pea plants even bigger than before and a few pea pods! I greedily picked the 11 full pods that I could find and helped support the growing plants with some string to keep them from tipping all the way to the ground. A week or so later, I picked a few more peas and made a contribution to my friend's stir fry for Sunday dinner. Then, yesterday, I went outside to my little garden to pick a few more peas.

Although it may not look like much, this is a strainer is full of 41 freshly picked sugar snap peas! Yummy! I used these for a salad for Sunday dinner. I figure that I have saved at least $10 just by growing AND using my snap peas that I grew in the garden! I would call that a success :)

"These Muffins are AWESOME!"

My boss said the above words after trying one of the Banana Chocolate Chip muffins that I brought to work to share with my co-workers. And after this, another co-worker couldn't stop interrupting me to tell me that the muffins were SO good:) So since they passed the co-worker test, I guess I could try them out on you! Eat and enjoy!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

3 large, very ripe bananas, mashed

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

1 egg

Cream the above ingredients then add:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Mix. Put in muffin tin with either muffin papers or well greased. Sprinkle a little sugar on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Makes about 12-18 muffins.

Notes:

- I also made these with the Preschoolers in my SJSU class and placed the peeled bananas in large ziplock bags and then let them mash the bananas by hand. They loved it and stayed pretty clean too.

- Fill the muffin cups about half way with batter. they do rise quite a bit while baking.

- I usually use 2 muffin tins; one 12 muffin tin and one 6 muffin tin. If you do not fill up all of the cups, put a little bit of water in the empty cups when you put them in the oven. My mom has always done this to prevent the pan from being ruined or something like that. I guess I am too scared to not try it to tell you what might happen if you don't...

- Who says you have to use a measuring cup when adding mini chocolate chips? I never do :)

- Make sure to check the muffins regularly when they are baking. They tend to be not done one minute and then too done the next....

- Enjoy!

As Life Moves On

It has been a while and I don't particularly want to relive it all again so I will let you all know what is going on as of a few days ago and begin to look forward. So, this past October/November I applied for this Teaching Credential Program at SJSU and crossed my fingers. After waiting until the middle of February, I finally heard back letting me know that I had a final interview in one week. Talk about time to prepare... So I threw together my portfolio and was ready when I sat in front of a board of school district representatives who were looking at the possibility of including me in their school district circle. A few, long weeks later, I found received an email informing me that I was accepted into the program but not telling me what school district or specific school I would be placed in. That would come in a letter in the mail a few days later. A week when by and the date for them to hear my acceptance drew closer, until I finally got a letter on Saturday. I will be interning in the Campbell Union Elementary School District! My first choice:) I am so grateful to be accepted and to be in a great school district! Yah!!! Now, I am just hoping beyond hope that my next and final dream will be realized and that is that I will be placed in Marshall Lane Elementary School. That would be absolutely perfect and ideal, since I live literally down the street from the school. And since it is the school that I have been volunteering in for the past couple months AND it is the school that I would LOVE to work at. This is the newest bit of news in our lives and an exciting one. This means that I will be beginning the program classes in June and be a fully certified California teacher by May 2011!

Disneyland with the Layton's!

So we went to Disneyland. We dropped everything and went for the weekend to spend it with Kelly, Clint, Callie and Tessa. Becky and Ryan and their family drove down, Todd, Rachel and Gabbie flew with Kelly and Clint and Dave and Cathy (Clint's amazing parents) and of course Jon came too :) We went to Disneyland and California Adventure for 3 days and it was an amazing trip with family where we did not have to worry about anything except having fun for a few days. We were apart from reality most of the time and we didn't want it to come to an end on Tuesday morning.

Waiting for the parade to start

Callie and Tessa became pro-Jazzy riders as they rode on dad's lap on some days.

The first night, some of the group went to bed and Jon, Kelly, Matt and I rode a few late night rides. Splash Mountain was one of them:)

Sunday was Princess Makeover Day for Callie. I think Tessa wanted to be a Princess too!

Picking out her dress with mom and dad.

While Callie waited for her princess makeover, she enjoyed another favorite pastime... Sword fighting.

Introducing... Princess Callie!

Tired after two full days of play:)

Before the amazing fireworks show!

On Monday, all of the girls got to meet a few Disney Princesses.

And we all got to meet Mickey Mouse!

Brave-girl Callie went on several "big kid" rides such as Splash Mountain and The Tower of Terror.

One silly girl.

Callie's hands up before Space Mountain! What a brave 4-year old!

All of the Grandkids in their Mickey Mouse ears.

A trip to remember.....