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Three day weekends are a beautiful thing.  I've got plenty of things to do before school on Tuesday, but plenty of time to get it done.  I think I'll take my stuff to a coffee shop and work on some lessing planning.  That would be nice.  I always feel like I get more work done in a non-home/office setting.

I doubled up on my vitamin D intake lately.  All you folks out there that don't take one, you really should.  If you work as much as I do, you don't see the sun much or ever.  I leave for work while it is still dark, and I leave work usually after the sun has already gone down.  Let's be honest for a second.   I'm a total child of the sun.  I'm happiest when it is sunny and 85 degrees or on a Bluebird day at Snowbird.  I get moody when it's raining and the skies are gray.  Vitamin D helps keep my mood up during the winter months.  Maybe it's just a placebo effect, or maybe I really do have a vitamin D deficiency during the winter months.  Who cares.  Either way I'm a happy blonde.

I went and saw this band Mingo Fishtrap last night after I went to the 429.  They were so great.  It was really cool to see some solid musicians live in a small venue.  Best $12 cover ever.  I bought their newest cd, cause they really did rock.  I will definitely have to see them play again.

I'm starting to find my footing in the town, which is really nice.  I knew it would just take some time.  I'm sure it won't be smooth sailing always here, but I'm enjoying being here more every day.   I love my job.  Absolutely love it.  The kids force me to be a better teacher every day.  Sometime it's like eating broccoli, it's not always tasty and delicious, but it's so good for you.  I've got a long way to go, but climbing a mountain of self improvement is so much easier to do when you enjoy the climb.  At The 429 they've been talking about greater things happening.  Dream bigger, start smaller.  Every great accomplishment started with 1 step.  I refuse to accept mediocrity in my life.  Regarding my last post, good things are worth waiting for.  I believe that there is a man somewhere out there that is worthy of my love.  Until he comes around, I've decided that I'm going to work on being a lady worthy of his.

3x more likely?

I've  done the match.com thing.  It was fine.  I went on lots of dates.  Dated some guys for a few weeks, one for a few months. I was on there twice in the past year so a total of 6 months.

So I'm watching tv tonight (the first time I've turned it on since Sunday) and a match.com commercial comes on and boldly states that people who use match.com are "3 times more likely to find a relationship."   3 times more likely?  I was on there for 6 months and I couldn't find a relationship with their help, so does that mean my cause is completely lost without their match making skills?  I mean, I did go on more dates, and I even found someone I cared about, but still no relationship.

Clearly, there's something wrong with me.

Or.

I refuse to settle for anything less than a passionate and extraordinary love.   Settling for anything less after seeing/feeling what that could feel like just seems very much like the Carrie Underwood song titled "Wine after whiskey."  
 
End rant.

Love is not a whisper or a weakness. Love is strong.

So I completely rocked the kitchen tonight.  Clean Shepherds Pie.    I'm blogging the recipe so I don't forget the amazingness of it.  Here goes:

Ingredients -

2 small (or 1 large) sweet onions

4 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon oregano 

2 teaspoons cumin 

Salt and Pepper 

1 lbs Ground Turkey Breast (99% fat free)

1 bag frozen mixed veggies (ex: corn, green beans, lima beans, carrots, etc.) 

2.5 Sweet potatoes 

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup no sugar added almond milk 

Worcestershire sauce  

2 tablespoons tomato sauce 

1 cup red wine (I used shiraz this time)

EVOO

1.  Slice the onion thinly and caramelize in a pan with EVOO while cooking the sweet potatoes.  I baked my sweet potatoes in my convection oven at 425 for 1 hour.  In case you've never caramelized onions before, it is super easy. It just takes a while so you have to have patience.  I like to get the onions started over high heat for about 3-4 minutes and then cook them over low heat for about 30-40 minutes.       When the onions are done place them aside.  Also, peel the sweet potatoes after they have cooled enough to handle. 

2.  When the onions are done, cook the ground turkey with the spices.  When the ground turkey is browned add the wine, 1 cup of the chicken stock, garlic, tomato sauce, and worcestershire sauce.  As far as how much worcestershire to use, I just tossed some in until I thought it was enough. So just go with what you like!    Let simmer for 5 minutes and then toss in that bag of mixed veggies and onions.  Allow to simmer until the liquid has reduced a bit.  

3.  While the filling is simmering take the peeled sweet potatoes in a bowl and add 1 cup chicken stock, 1 cup almond milk, and some salt.  I used my immersion blender to mix it all together.  

4.  Add filling to glass casserole dish and top with the sweet potato mix.  Pop in to the over at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes (to allow the sweet potatoes to brown).  

I'm telling you, I couldn't get over how fantastic it was.  There is absolutely nothing bad about this recipe.  Clean and delicious, can't ask for much better!  This makes 5 servings at around 300 calories per serving.  Nom nom nom.  

This girl is on fire. Looks like a girl, but she's a flame.

Well I guess you saw this one coming.  The obligatory last day of the year post recap.  You'll get over the cheesiness of it. ;)

What a year this has been.  What a year!

How incredibly different things can be after one year.  I finished a masters, drove across country a few times, got a new job, and made a pretty big move.  It sure was nice to not have any finals or papers to write this December (but not nice enough to not go back for that third diploma in a few years)!

I feel like I've been flying by the seat of my pants.  I still can't believe this is my life.  The adventures I've had (and plan on continuing) have been pretty insane.  There have been lots of ups this year, and lots of downs too.  The end of 2011 was full of hope for the unknown.  I had no idea what I'd be doing 6 months later.  Hope for the unknown is a wonderful feeling, until push comes to shove and all of a sudden you have two degrees and no job.  Then it gets a little scary....Then it all magically works out, and everyone lives happily ever after.  Except, scratch the happily ever after.  

You idealize what you want for so long and then it finally comes, and it's never what you think it will be.  Life is what you make it.  So I'm going to make it great.  I'm at this weird crossroad of finding myself as a real adult.  Coming in 2013 "Lisa the real adult!" Weiiiiiiirrrrrddddd.   Ive been watching these sitcoms about 20somethings in America, and I'm ready for this 20something's life to start being like those sitcoms.

I was rereading the year's resolutions.    I didn't floss everyday this year, but I did floss more than ever before, so that's a success!  I got that job teaching high school band.  I. teach. high school band.  Craziness.  I never did get to run a race with a friend.  Maybe this year I should just commit to run a race period.  I'm not sure about any resolutions for 2013.  I plan on getting more involved with my church.  I'm hoping to make more friends here doing that.  Yesterday I went to the Bikram yoga studio here.  It's the first time I've done yoga since moving to Houston, and I'm am very excited to make that a part of my routine again.  I'm planning on going everyday before school starts.  I think it will help put me in a good frame of mind to start the new year.

(Oh! Side note!  I got a juicer for Christmas!  Wahoo! I've been wanting one for a while.  I've been a juicing queen since I got back to Houston.  My fridge is stocked to the brim with spinach, kale, celery, beets, pineapple, apples, and grapefruit.)

What was your favorite part of 2012?  I'm not sure if I can pinpoint one favorite part of the year.  It sure did leave me with some moments I will remember forever.  Hiking Snowbird, sitting on the front porch of friend's houses in Salt Lake (yes, they do that in places not the South), the movers losing my stuff for 6 weeks, and countless nights with good food and good people.  

Well here's to 2013!  A year full of health, love, good thoughts, great relationships, and helping others.

Am I doing the right thing?  What am I living for?  Why am I doing this?  What will this mean for the future?  How can I do this better?

Questions I ask myself all the time.  It's so easy to get caught up in everything happening in the world that I forget why I ever wanted to be a teacher. You think you have a clue, and really you have no idea.

OK.  That's enough of my philosophical thoughts.  I booked a flight to Salt Lake City for Spring Break!  I am STOKED.  SO excited.  Going to be in Utah for a week.  Snowbird!!!!

Tomorrow is the last day of the semester, and I feel like there is still so much more to do.  I've still got to pick out some music and make copies to pass out at the beginning of next semester.  I'm so excited to have the next two weeks off.  I'm going to attempt to figure out how to play the clarinet again while I'm home in Alabama.  I've got two reeds and I'm ready to go!  Should be interesting.

I keep meaning to sit down and write a longer post, but I get started and then I just get exhausted.  SO I guess that means it's bed time.

Sweet dreams world.

It's the final countdown...

Down to the last week of my first semester in this world as a teacher.  

This year has been intense. I don't really know how 2013 will measure up after everything that has happened.  I'm sure something completely unexpected will happen to liven up the year.  

I miss the mountains. Especially right now when it is snowing there and it's raining and 70 degrees here.  I can't wait to go out West for Spring Break and ski my butt off.  It'll be so great to see my friends too.  Man is it hard to be the new girl in town.  It was hard that first year in Salt Lake, but this might be harder.  At least at the U I was surrounded by people my age who lived similar life styles.  I'm struggling to find a life outside of what I do.  I realize the grass is always greener on the other side, but at least in Utah I could escape to a hiking trail or snap on some skis and enjoy the nature alone.  Here I just sit on my couch and watch How I Met Your Mother.  Oh boy, I'm becoming one of those complainers that nobody likes.  That's not going to help me make friends out here.  Sheesh.   

It's funny.  Last night I had no problem going to bed at 10pm, but on a school night I'm having trouble getting to bed at a good hour.   

I've got all of my Christmas shopping done.  I've definitely put a lot more thought in to what I buy everyone this year, but it's also been the first year I've had money to spend on Christmas for folks.  It's been a lot of fun trying to figure out what to get for people.  I hope they like their gifts!  It's been a lot of fun picking things out.  

5 days of school, then it's home to Alabama for a week.  I think I'm going to start brewing beer when I get back to Texas for the last week of the break.  I really want a puppy, but I really don't have the time for a live animal, so I figure a hobby is the next best thing.  We shall see.  

HIMYM

I'm obsessed with How I Met Your Mother.  Too bad Ted, Marshall, Barney, Lilly, and Robyn don't count as real friends and I can't hang out with them in H-town.

I need to make more of an effort when it comes to a social life.   I let little excuses get in my way all the time.  I need to just keep going out and enjoying myself.

This week has been a little insane.  There really must be something in the air.