Day 1 of morning protein and yerba mate shake instead of coffee

This morning's recipe:
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
5 ice cubes
1 serving vanilla soy protein powder
cap full of vanilla sugar free flavoring
2 squirts of agave nectar
1/2 cup strong hot yerba mate tea, made from 2 tbsp loose tea leaves

I made the mistake of putting the strawberries in first with the powder right on top, so when I poured everything out at the end, all of the protein was stuck at the bottom.  I moved it with a spoon and ended up re-blending it, and it was alright.  It didn't taste that great, had chunks of protein, and seemed watery.  I stopped at the grocery store between jobs today and got some xantham gum and hazelnut milk.  The hazelnut milk should give it a less watery taste, especially if I can reduce the amount of water needed to brew the mate.  The xantham gum will emulsify and thicken the shake.  I think I will leave out the ice, too.  The frozen strawberries already make it cold.  I'll keep experimenting until I figure out something.

Somehow, this shake did get me through my first job with a sufficient amount of caffeine, but when I got out, I was starving!  I never get hungry before noon now.  I might actually have to start packing a breakfast if I can't figure out how to make this shake more filling.

I haven't been able to work on spinning since Sunday.  Every night I've been exhausted.  I'm still adjusting to getting up at 6am.  I'm working until anywhere from 6 to 8 today, and then after the half hour commute back, it will be time to shower and sleep.  Maybe I'll fit in a little tomorrow after work.  Friday, I'm going hiking with Jon's cousin after the first job because I don't have the second job that day.

At least the weather is nice!

Mmm Chai

I got a chai this morning so that I would have an excuse to hang out in the Dunkin' Donuts' parking lot between jobs today.  Its still not any easier to get up, especially when I don't get as much sleep as I need...

My rosemary and parsley seeds still aren't germinating.  I might go get different seeds.  I'm going to ask to help plow a section of the backyard for the beginning of May.  I can't wait to start having fresh veggies!

First day of new job

It went pretty well.  I mostly just had to watch and start learning the routine.  I'll gradually take over responsibilities as he gets used to me.

I'm really not used to getting up that early, but give me a couple of weeks and I'll be fine.  Today I spent the extra time between jobs in a mall parking lot playing Angry Birds.  My coffee was really gross this morning.  I think I was half asleep when I made it so it must have had way too much water.  I wanted to buy another one very badly, but I have to remind myself that I'm saving up for very important things.  That's why I didn't actually go into the mall.  I want new spring clothes.  I might just end up making a new skirt and knitting a sweater.  That will, of course, just means that I need more fiber!

I really want to try a bolero next, but this shawl is going to keep me busy for a long time.  I spun up another bobbin yesterday and plied one.  I'll ply up the rest today and hopefully that will make 1000 yards, with only 500 to go!

Yesterday was Easter, and Jon and I went to a different Baptist church in town.  I loved it!  The service was pretty much just like the ones I grew up with, the pastor prepared a good and thoughtful sermon, and the only problems were the laughter and talk of a couple of teenage boys behind us.  We will definitely go again!

Jon's Gramma came over and we all had ham, potatoes, carrots, salad, and bread.  Dessert was a lemon curd cake, which was amazingly good.  Jon and I took a walk though the newly green fields.  We even had an Easter basket full of chocolate waiting outside the bedroom door!  We didn't work on the rabbit hutch because of the off and on rain.  I'm not sure when we will be able to start.  He's hopefully finishing up a job today and starting another that will last at least the rest of this week.

This weekend I have my second shower!  I'm looking forward to catching up with my side of the family and some good friends.  I really don't need gifts, but I am excited to get nice kitchen things.  I love baking and cooking.  Here are some rather funny photos of me and my face opening gifts at the first shower, and a Whole Foods raspberry chocolate ganache cake!:

Bread Day

Today is bread day.  I have some white bread rising, using this recipe:
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/walter-sands-basic-white-bread-recipe

This morning, Jon, his mom and I went to pick out Jon's tux for the wedding.  It was rather more complicated than I had expected.  I had no idea there were so many options.  We did figure out a rather nice black tux with a grey vest and wisteria tie to match my bridesmaids' dresses.  The package even comes with shoes.  After that, we stopped at Olive Garden.  Olive Garden is my favorite restaurant.  I could and usually do eat an entire serving bowl of the salad.  We got calamari as a starter, and I had seafood alfredo with only scallops because I can't eat shrimp.  Jon's mom and I shared a tiramisu for dessert.  We had a gift certificate, so it was nice to just order anything that we wanted.  There's plenty leftover for dinner tonight, and probably beyond that.

Tonight is the season premiere of Doctor Who!  I can't wait.  I saw the trailers for the season, and even though I miss David Tennant terribly, I'm very excited!

Day Off

I've had the day to myself, and it has been wonderful.  I counted yardage for the skein I finished last night, and it comes to 507 yards.  I'm 1/3 done!  Yay....I just spent the afternoon spinning up another bobbin, and I'm going to try to get most of another one done tonight.  37 days until the wedding, 2/3 of this yarn left to spin, and then an entire lace shawl to knit!  Can I do it?

Dinner tonight is chicken marsala.  I have marsala leftover from making tiramisu a while ago, and there are mushrooms in the fridge, so this is a good time to try it.

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/chicken-marsala/Detail.aspx

Migraine Day

There's a migraine coming on.  I can feel it starting.  I just took some ibuprofen, so hopefully that will keep me going until I get home and can sleep it off.

The kids are asleep, so I have a little time to myself.  I decided to watch the pilot episode of Glee.  I've never watched it before, but its a popular show, so I figured that I would give it a try...mostly because Top Chef is over, Doctor Who hasn't started yet, and I need another distraction.

By the way, Doctor Who's new season starts this Saturday.  Its not David Tennant, but its still amazing.

I also have a Dalek filled with bath soap and a Tardis ice box.  The Dalek did melt a little bit when I left it for a few weeks in my car that had died...Be jealous. 

I just finished writing all of the thank you notes for my first shower.  It took longer than I thought, so there's no time for plying yarn today.  But it needed to be done!  I did take the time, however, to have some chocolate cake =)

I posted my new skein of yarn on etsy today and took some rather nice photos of it despite the rainy weather.  It held off long enough for me to get some nice photos outside:

I really like how the colors turned out- I call them burgundy and violet!

Time to get ready to go to work!

Rainy Tuesday

After what seemed like endless errands last night, I didn't have time to work on any projects.  I did get the wire mesh for the rabbit hutch, but completely forgot to get staples.  That will be today's errand.  I also need blank thank you notes to write for my first bridal shower, and some spares for the second one coming up at the end of the month.  I got so many nice things, like silicone bake ware, a 3 tier cooling rack, a set of 12 cobalt goblets, and a cobalt stock pot.  I can't wait to have my own kitchen again!  For now, I'm living with my fiancé Jon's parents...which means I use what's there unless they don't have it, and pretty much have no space of my own.  It does, however, mean a warm house, wireless internet and cable (when I get the tv to myself...), and very low rent.  We are saving up for building a house and having babies.  Our wedding is at the end of May, and its been taking most to all of my spare money.  It will be beautiful.

I'm going to work on a knitting project while the kids are sleeping.
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter07/PATTicequeen.html
Its going to look like this:

(from Knitty's website)

In the middle of working on it, while out visiting one of Jon's job sites, my circular needle broke and I had to scramble not to loose any stitches.  Of course, it broke while working on a lace row.  I transferred it to dpn's, but one size lower was the closest that I had.  I also didn't follow the beading on the chart as closely as I should have, but it should at least turn out to be something I can wear!

And Chipotle Cheddar Chex Mix is amazing.  Spicy alliteration.  

Last night, I was able to fill up the second bobbin!  So tonight I can start plying and figure out how many yards I have.  I still have plenty of fiber, but I'm hoping that I've gotten at least half the amount that I need for the shawl.

Jon and I picked up some wood this weekend to build a rabbit hutch.  I couldn't find any plans online that made any sense, so I made one up.  It will have room for my three rabbits, and each section is again separated into a front area and a nesting/cozy box.  We are even going to insulate it.  The wood came from a bargain scrap pile at a local lumber mill, and a few boards that Jon's father had around.  I just need to pick up some galvanized wire mesh from the hardware store on the way home from work today.  We won't have time to work on this until the weekend, but I'm very excited!  I'm also hoping to get enough mesh to construct a run somewhere in the yard for supervised play time.  Pictures of this project are to follow!

Ruby, Max, and Yardley will be delighted.

Ruby

Max

Yardley

Apr 17th, 2011 1:42pm

I'm waiting for yeast to rise.  Today is bread day, and I'm using http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/our-favorite-sandwich-bread-recipe.  I'm also watching The Office.  I planted dill, parsley, and cilantro in some old yogurt tubs, and I went through the tomato, pepper, and eggplant seedlings and took out the empty peat pods.  Quite a few never came up, but I guess that's what I should expect when getting seeds from Ocean State Job Lot!  Enough came up to make this project worthwhile, though.  Jon's mom and I were talking about changing things around in the backyard to make more space for my veggies where there is some strong sun.  I'm excited to watch my seedlings grow.

I had an interview this morning for a second nannying job.  The boy is 7 years old, and has special needs.  He seemed very sweet and his parents were very nice.  They said that they just needed to check my references!  The hours would be in the morning before my other job, so this would work out perfectly.  I can definitely use the money for wedding expenses.
The sun just popped out!  Today, I'm going to clean rabbit cages and trim Yardley's nails.  I might also get another bobbin of mohair done and start plying!

Jon shouldn't read this post (wedding stuff inside) Apr 15th, 2011 2:25pm

Working on spinning up yarn for my wedding shawl!  

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/evenstar-shawl

(image taken from the author of this lovely pattern, and can be viewed at the link above)

It takes 1500 yards of yarn, though, so I'll see how much I can get from these two rolls of mohair/wool/silk that I have.
I have some grey wool that I dyed drying in the shower:

It took up hints of red and purple, and actually looks quite nice!  Now to spin more yarn!

Apr 14th, 2011 2:28pm

I'm watching the baby, who is lying on the floor, try desperately to reach his feet with falling-off red socks, so that he can chew on them.

First blog since college! Apr 13th, 2011 10:33am

I decided to start a blog, because my life is sometimes interesting.  And I like procrastinating.  Today is rainy and cold, and I don't have to work until the afternoon.  I have bread rising.  I have a skein of grey yarn that is almost dried from being set a few days ago that I might dye in the crock pot today.  I'm trying to think up some spring colors from the stash of kool-aid that I have that will overdye on the grey wool.  Pictures to follow.
Other projects for today include:
-getting the bread in the oven and out before leaving for work at 2
-finishing up at least one bobbin of mohair/wool/silk fiber
-going over the stack of coupons from my future-mother-in-law
-remembering to actually drink my coffee

Hearth Bread: King Arthur Flour Apr 13th, 2011 10:13am

Bread currently rising.

Apparently no one reads Tumblr, and all of the blogs that I want to follow are here.

So I'm transferring over all my old posts!