A portrait a week for a year.
This week: new kid size headphones (for the airplane) in her Easter basket.

A portrait a week for  a year.
This week- Corrine skiing with daddy in Winter Park.  She happily made five runs before going into the lodge to play.

Just some of things running through my mind today.

*  Last October I made an apple pie with the last of the apples from a neighbors tree.  I didn't bake it but just put the whole pie plate in the freezer.  When it was frozen I wrapped it really well in layers of plastic wrap and stuck it back in the freezer.   I baked it last Friday night.  It was Dee-lish.  I have NO idea what I put in the pie or how I made it so that I could bake it at a later date.  Frustrating.

*  I need to make a vegetarian dish for a co-worker who just lost her husband.  It shouldn't be too hard, but I get nervous when I bake for other people.  Mostly I just hope she likes it.  A group of us from work are making food for her freezer.  She is in her early 30's and hasn't even been married a year yet.  Her husband was riding his bike home from work and was hit by a car.  She was on a layover (which I'm sure was the worst feeling in the world).  Turns out he was riding the wrong way down the street and the car that hit him didn't see him.  I can't even begin to imagine what she is going through.  My heart aches for her so the least I can do is cook.

*  Trying to figure out a good schedule for the upcoming months.  I had an MRI a few weeks ago.  I have a bone spur on my shoulder and a partially torn rotator cuff.  There are things I'd like to get done before going under the knife.  But then I'd also like a little vaca from work.  Not that surgery is a vacation, but I would be out of work for 4-8 weeks.  I'm not sure if there is a good time for that.

I may have jumped the gun on the whole chicken thing.  My inner voice has run the course of "I am out of my mind" to "I can totally do this."  They are a week old now and are living in a tub in the spare bedroom under a heat lamp.  We have no outside housing for them yet.  Nor do we have any idea of what sort of housing to build them.  I was thinking a chicken tractor.  Bryan was thinking something more permanent and stable.  He's afraid that a predator will get them and then I'll be a basket case (and there is probably something to that).  Of course I don't want anything to happen to them.  The cats are curious.  Henley is oblivious.  And Buffett wants in that room so badly he can almost taste them through the door!

I have no idea about raising chickens.  While I did grow up on a cattle ranch in Kansas until I was eight we never had chickens.   I guess I'm sort of expecting to learn as I go.  My dad has a friend who has said I can call on him if I need and there is always the internet.   I was relieved that they made it through the first night in our house.  I just don't want anything to happen to these little fuzz balls that will make me doubt my chicken raising abilities.  And I don't want my peeps to say "I told you so."

Right now all I can say is bring on the chicken adventures!

I signed us up for Door To Door Organics!  It's a fresh food delivery that is all (mostly) local produce.  Some of it is grown in California.  They deliver either weekly or bi-weekly.  It is probably something we will do until May or so when things start growing in the garden.  Then I'll put it on hold until next fall.  I'm super excited for all of this fresh goodness in the "off season."

We already eat pretty healthy, but after reading the blog 100 Day of Real Food I'm determined to eat even better.  (That basically means that mama has to stop snacking on pre-packaged bad for you food while at work).

As I unpacked the box, I let Corrine smell each item and we talked about it.   She was very excited about the apples.  I'm not sure what to do with the swiss chard.   I'm open to suggestions.

 On the book front I finished French Kids Eat Everything (which I highly recommend if you have kids) and have moved on to Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover.  There are several people at work who have read the book and are doing his method to save money and get out of debt.  That is my goal.  Get out of debt.  I have student loans debt that I feel like will never be paid.  And I'm not even using my degrees.  But I digress.  Getting out of debt is a goal.  In the grand scheme I don't think I have as much debt as a lot of people do.  I don't really live beyond my means, but I'm tired of my paychecks going to those types of payments.  I'd rather have my money for travel and retirement.   I'm excited to get started on the book.
I am listening to The Drop by Michael Connelly.  It is a Harry Bosch murder/suspense novel.  I like Harry as a main character.  Plus my list of books is huge and listening to audio books helps pass the time to the airport and it checks off the list.

Happy Yarn Along Wednesday!

 Friday we went to the Miami Seaquarium.  Think Sea World but on a smaller scale.
 How do they stand like that?  That is some serious balance!
Friday afternoon it was 75 degrees and I had my feet in the sand and water.  By Saturday evening I was in my coat and mittens scraping ice and snow off of my car in the parking lot at the airport.

On the book front, I am still reading French Kids Eat Everything.  I need to finish soon since I can't renew it because there is a waiting list for it.  I am enjoying the book a lot.  I can certainly see the American eating habits she talks about are not so good if you look at the obesity and health issues of American kids versus that of other countries.

Happy Yarn Along Wednesday.

 I had to stop and catch my breath about every five feet going up hill with dead weight on my back.  The kiddo was sleeping and when she sleeps in the backpack, she leans to the side.  I took a moment to dig out my phone to get some scenery shots.
 A little self portrait action.  Corrine kept taking off her hat and it was super cold and windy, so I put one of my old hats on her head and tied it under her chin.   I had no idea she had pulled it down and couldn't see until I took this picture.  I'm fairly certain if I had taken off the backpack to fix it I never would have gotten it back on by myself.  Besides I think she slept most of the hike.
 Just a pretty picture.
 Another self portrait.  (or an excuse to stop and catch my breath).  You can't see the kid cause she is leaning to the right and out of the picture.
 Headed downhill now.  Much easier.