Catch-up time!

     (This picture is of Old Faithful. It was cool to see, but definitely I have a changed perspective of it as compared to when I was in third grade! Also, I have read that it is slowly decreasing in size, so it was not all just in my head that it didn't seem so huge!)
     Greetings!! So, sorry that I missed yesterday's blog. The day just became busier than expected.
     Let's first review the weekend. Friday night we had a yummy dinner and watched a movie with our friends.
     I made a salad I had never made before. Although at first I added too much horseradish (it just came out too fast), I was able to temper it with light sour cream.
     I made the cold salad from garden fresh cucumbers and tomatoes. I added corn (Quincy frozen) and red onions. Then I mixed it all up with light sour cream, fat free Miracle Whip, chili seasoning, and horseradish.
     When I make it again, I will be more careful on the horseradish, and I will probably add cilantro and maybe a squeeze of lime.
     On Saturday I felt really productive as far as accomplishing stuff on my to do list.
     My best friend Kathy described a phenomena to me that I completely understand.
     She told me that she thinks teachers go through a form of nesting (similar to pregnant women) at the end of summer.
     I TOTALLY agree with this! We know it's the quiet time before everything really revs up.
     So, not only was I a crazy cleaning lady at my house, but also at Rick's!!
     Saturday evening we decided on a whim to shampoo Rick's carpet. This was much needed, and quite the adventure!
     It's fun to do housework with someone else. Not only do you feel like you are working like a team and you both can appreciate the final result, but it just feels like time well spent together.
     We also did a THOROUGH cleaning of the fridge and bathroom. I know the calories melted away!
     Then we were so tired that we just had a little snack instead of firing up the barbeque. And, our dessert...watching our favorite new show.
     We have now completed the entire first season of Deadwood (10 episodes!). Tonight we are starting the second season (12 episodes), and the third season is also out on DVD!
     This show has really sparked our interest, and both Rick and I love the Wild West history period, so we have checked out quite a bit, and now know how much is historically accurate in the show (which surprisingly is a LOT).
     I want to find a biography on Wild Bill Hickock and another one on Calamity Jane. For now, we will just watch the series.
     That gets us through the weekend, which I ate well, exercised, but didn't drink as much water as I would like.
     OH!! And, SUPER good news on Sunday (Jordie's b-day), I tried on a pair of capri pants that I bought at the beginning of summer and could not wear. They FIT!! Woo hoo! That really motivates me :)
     Yesterday, I exercised with the cheerleaders at practice, and I also danced with my step-daughter when we returned home.
     Eating was good and water was not, but overall, good day!
     We had dentist appointments (3 altogether), errands to run, and then I also had my book group last night at my house for the first time! FUN!
     I received my bleach trays yesterday from the dentist, as I am whitening my teeth before I have them fixed!
     I was teasing Sherry and telling her that this would be a great diet aid, as once you put them in your mouth for a couple of hours, you don't eat anymore. This cuts down on any temptation to snack!
     Speaking of snacks, well, at my book group last night I made yummy and light popcorn and just added some of my favorite seasonings. Perfect!
     Today we have already had three hours of cheer practice, ran some errands, gave Jordie a haircut, and made some yummy rice and veggies for lunch.
     Tonight we are hauling hay and probably watching an episode of our show.
     Last night in between changing DVD's, we caught the end of the Fat March show. I just love seeing how much they have lost on the first three legs of the walk. It's very inspiring.
     OK, so I leave you with this quotation by Carl Jung. I like it because it really sums up that any hard times we may experience help us to appreciate the good times. For me...right now...I am APPRECIATIVE of these good times!
     There are as many nights as days, and the one is just as long as the other in the year's course. Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word 'happy' would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness.