Mrs. York, I have a question

Where did you go to school? Did you like it? Was it sick? Was it gay?
What do you think about every single other school in Texas? What about the ones in Utah? What is your opinion on Boston?
Which is better, dead end occupation A or dead end occupation B?
How long do I have to go to school to be a surgical assistant? nurse? surgeon? pediatric cardio-cranial surgeon specializing in disease I've never heard of?
If I made a ______ on my SAT will I fail out? What if I take it again?
Do you think $38,000 is too much to pay per semester?


This is how I know it's college week here. And the powers-that-be are laying it on these kids thick.

Expressing Gratitude

I am a big believer in etiquette. I try to follow the mores of our social code so that others around me feel comfortable and appreciated. I also want others to think well of me and of my parents for teaching me the ins and outs of etiquette. One of the ways this comes up is with thank you notes. I have to say I just finished mine from Christmas. I'm a little embarrassed by this as I should have been quicker to express my gratitude for those who gave us gifts this year and who hosted us for Christmas parties and as overnight guests.

But I think I'm not alone in having a tough time manning up and writing them. I have a feeling that you might face the same anxiety at having to express yourself in a handwritten note that I do and might respond with similar procrastination. My husband balks at the idea of having to write thank you notes even though his parents taught him well too. A few reasons for this are that we have just come out of our wedding season which included four showers, a bachelorette party, a rehearsal dinner and large wedding. I have written hundreds of thank you notes over the last year, and Brian helped, he probably wrote about 50. Even though we genuinely feel very blessed and grateful for the generosity our friends and family poured out to us, this can be wearying and I don't think either of us have quite recovered from it. Second, I didn't receive any gifts by mail this year. All the gifts I gave and received were opened right in front of the other person and that is how they can know that I am thankful for it. My eyes lit up, I gasped, I gushed, hugged, complimented and thanked immediately. That's how I really express my gratitude. A few weeks later, when I'm bored and home alone I remember with love and thanksgiving all that I received this year, but it isn't the same as in the moment. Third, thank you notes are supposed to be a practice of people of all ages, but around me it seems that it's only required of children. The adults in my life have very rarely thanked me for what I have given them and I don't really expect them to, but it is definitely expected that I as well as my cousins write thank you notes to our elders. There is definitely judgement when some one fails to receive a thank you note. I know this not because I've ever not sent one, but because a few that I have sent around the wedding weren't received. The USPS isn't nearly as perfect as they'd have you believe. The people who had given to us and not gotten a note in return brought it up with my parents, some in a gentle way and others more accusatory, but you know exactly what they're thinking when they say "oh did Erin receive the gift we sent? We never heard from her." I've had to call these people and insist that yes I did receive their gift, loved it, said as much, and just hate that they didn't know it all this time. One of these calls was the day before yesterday for my hairdresser from back home.

I really hope that I don't sound like a brat having said all this. I just know that some of my friends share the same feelings and that you might as well. But for a moment I will express how good it feels to receive a thank you note. I have gotten two recently, from girls my age and it meant quite a lot to me to know that they thought enough of me to respond in writing. I know that this is why we have the custom of thanking each other with a handwritten note rather than just the words, and I wouldn't wish to be excused from the task of thanking others. In the end it does me good to be encouraged to sit down and express my gratitude properly. So often I forget my many blessings and the people in my life who have given of themselves generously. So as a gentle reminder, if you haven't written your thank you notes yet, do so. It might make you feel good. And if you don't receive one, give that person the benefit of the doubt. It might just be lost in the mail!

Menu Plan Monday

Well I didn't win the $5 Dinner Mom cookbook that I hoped I would, but I went ahead and bought it. These recipes all come from that book which came in on Saturday.
Monday - Meatloaf, Macaroni and Peas
Tuesday- Baked Chicken and Acorn Squash with rice
Wednesday- Spaghetti with Italian sausage, salad and garlic bread
Thursday- beef enchiladas with pintos and Spanish rice
Friday- Broiled lemon pepper trout, zucchini and corn

In order to make all this, this week I will need to buy orange juice, acorn squash and zucchini. I have everything else already. It's another great use-it-up week!

I didn't post this until tonight because I didn't want to put a jinx on the meatloaf. Believe it or not, I haven't repeated a recipe since we got married. Meatloaf is the first thing I will *try* to make twice. The first time I made it was a few months ago. I think it had turned out pretty well but the last step before adding a glaze was draining off any extra grease that had come up while baking. I held my pretty Paula Deen loaf pan over the sink, and tilted it for the grease to run out but my oven mit slipped and I burned my middle finger. I reacted a little bit dramatically and ended up dumping 3/4 of the meatloaf into a dirty sink. I fussed and fitted and my poor husband and myself were left with a sorry hunk of meat to share. Tonight's version was more successful. We both ate till we were full and have lunch packed for tomorrow. I credit the success to my pitiful whine when it was time to drain "honey, I need you in here." He stepped up like a pro!

A couple words about how my day has started

The Good:
-It's college week here at school so I get to wear A&M shirts all week long! I don't think I even did that as a freshman.
-My Grandpa in New York sent me this recipe for Peanut Butter Pie. It sounds delish and so easy so I think I'll try it this week. Let me know how it turns out if you make it before I do.

PEANUT BUTTER PIE

Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package Cream Cheese
1 1/2 cups confectioner sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup milk
1 (16oz. [or 2 8oz.] ) package of whipped topping, Thawed.
2 (9 inch) prepared Graham Cracker crusts

Directions:
1- Beat together cream cheese and confectioner sugar. Mix in peanut butter and milk. Beat untill smooth. Fold in whipped topping.
2- Spoon into two 9 inch graham cracker pie shells, cover, and freeze untill firm.

The Bad:
-Bible Study is tonight and despite having had like 3 weeks to read 1 Samuel, I haven't.
-The medical terminology discs that I needed for 1st period aren't here yet, so I'll be letting them watch House and pick out the medical terms they hope to learn this semester.

The Ugly:
-My jerk of a dog pooped on a sweater that had fallen to the floor of my closet this morning. I spent valuable getting ready time cleaning it up. What did I ever do to deserve that?

Wednesday Daybook

FOR TODAY...



Outside my window... the coldest it's been all year! I'm glad Eddie is wearing his jacket



I am thinking... up interactive ways I can teach the skeletal and muscular system to high schoolers



I am thankful for... midnight prayers that help calm my mind



I am wearing... J.Crew from head to toe. my ivory Elizabeth blouse with a cashmere cardigan over it that has navy, green and yellow stripes, chinos, and tan ballet flats.



I am remembering... what a great year 2009 was and all the big, big events that took place!



I am going... baby gift shopping after school



I am currently reading... the All About Me pages that I've been having students fill out. Trying to learn the new ones for this semester



I am hoping... for peace for one of my students. I know the high school drama sucks



On my mind... nursing school applications. Should I go ahead and apply this year? or wait and really try at teaching for at least a year



Noticing that... my afternoons are starting to get really boring with all this tv watching. Time to start being more creative.



Pondering these words... ultramicroscopicsilicovolcanopneumoconiosis



From the kitchen... tonight is pork chops, mashed potatoes and collard greens. I'm thinking I'll make the chops with some of my apple butter.



Around the house... it's about time to start taking down Christmas decorations, but what should go up in their place? I'm not ready for spring things yet.



One of my favorite things... McDonald's hash browns. Why do they have to be SO bad for me?



From my picture journal...
My beautiful bridesmaids! Get to know the two on the right at Coffee Chocolate & Wine and My Dreams Coming True

Find more Simple Woman's Daybooks here

10 committments for 2010

1. Keep up with this blog! Here I am off to a great start; we're 5 days into the year and I'm just now peeking my head out.
2. Spend more time being grateful and satisfied with all that I have and less time talking about what more I want!
3. Be back down to wedding weight, at least, by our one year anniversary, and engagement weight by 2011. Love really packs on the pounds, don't you think?
4. Find a real job, something permanent, that requires a college degree at least! Bonus if it's something I actually studied.
5. Be a better wife according to God's plan. I'm not saying I'm a bad one, I just want to keep getting better.
6. Make a baby?
7. Learn to sew.
8. Find a place to volunteer on a consistent basis. I'm still a little put out that the animal shelter and Children's museum seem to not need anyone. But I miss giving of my time.
9. Watch all the Academy Award winners for Best Picture. Made easy by Netflix!
10. Call at least one person I love on the phone each week. Mom, Dad, and Brian don't count. I'm trying to reach out.

What are you trying to achieve this year? Anything you think I ought to add to my list?

Break's over! Happy New Year

I wrote this post as the first one back, but then I figured I'd wait to post it until I could add some pictures in. Looking through all the pictures I took of the holidays I realized none of them really related to anything I was talking about so, here it is, with very little value added. I might just post a few pictures later for the fun of it.



I hope you enjoyed your holidays as much as I did. Brian and I ran all over Texas celebrating with people we love and we sure did have a time at it! I put off coming back to the blog for a few days because I didn't want to write a doozy of a recap post but I couldn't exactly ignore the last couple weeks when they were such nice ones. Insead, here are the highlights of the holidays for us.



1. Walking on the beach of South Padre Island on Christmas day and I don't mind bragging about it! My Aunt Nancy hosted and that's where she lives. Some years it's nice enough to wear shorts and wade in the water and then I really better than. This year it was pretty cold and kind of ugly, but if you're lucky enough to be at the beach, then you're lucky enough and I sure was!



2. My Christmas decorations. I didn't do a tour of homes like so many of my blog friends did because we celebrate Advent right up until Christmas Eve so my decorations don't get put up till that last week or so. This year I really didn't want to spend a lot of money buying new stuff so this year's theme was "use what's already paid for." It turned out quite nicely if I do say so. I love my popcorn and cranberry garland, gift wrapped front door, and old books stacked up to display the most important parts of the decor. I also love the lights and beads on the majestic palm in our bedroom. It'll be up until Wednesday when the Wise Men get here.



3. Christmas cards! I love checking the mail year round, but this time of the year it's even more exciting because we received Christmas greetings from so many family members and friends and sent them out too! We have a whole heap of them displayed in the entryway and it makes me quite happy to see them there. I'm a little ticked off with the USPS though. First wedding and shower invitations, then thank you notes, and now Christmas cards! Quit losing my stuff! I'm counting on you to let my loved ones know I'm thinking of them and you're letting me down. Shape up and fly right!



4. Getting spoiled by all the great gifts I got and the wonderful reactions about the ones I gave. Brian and I use the "something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read" guidelines to keep things interesting and sort of fair. In past years one or both of us have had to return or exchange things and there's always a couple of duds it seems like, but this yearit was not like that at all! Every gift was the perfect gift and will be well used!

For Him:

Something he wanted: remote control meat thermometer for smoking and grilling

Something he needed: Craftsman tool chest. This thing is 5 ft of manliness and he's already built little organizational compartments inside the drawers for his sockets and such

Something to wear: A brown Patagonia fleece because sometimes camo just doesn't fit the dress code.

Something to read: road maps from madmaps.com of the best scenic drives around Austin, San Antonio and Houston. I'm not buying that boy another book until he finishes the job on the countless others he's started.



For Me:

Something I wanted: An antique (from 1906) kitchen scale in perfect condition! Layla at The Lettered Cottage inspired me to ask for this. It'll go much better in my dream kitchen than in the country fruits one I'm renting but I love it even now.

Something I needed: A navy Jon Hart with my new initials to be my teacher bag.

Something to wear: a really pretty, perfectly me sleepshirt. It's feminine and comfy which is sometimes hard to do in the winter.

Something to read: The Pictorial History of New Braunfels. I read it at an old woman that I used to work for's house and loved it! If I'm going to live here, I better know something about it.



Our family was also incredibly generous with us and I want for nothing!



5. Movies streaming directly to our tv! We used some Christmas money to buy a BlueRay player and we can stream Netlix movies straight to it! This has encouraged our new couch potato status and its the real reason I haven't written yet this year. I might have mentioned that Brian sold our working DVD player in a garage sale a couple months ago so even though we don't have an HDTV yet, it made sense to use to get the BlueRay because someday we will have one and in the meantime my streaming queue is getting quite lengthy.



6. New Years Eve party at the Huckaby house! It was a blast ringing in the new year with our dearest friends, play games, hanging out, eating too much and drinking too much. which brings me to my next point



7. Cooking a bona fide Southern New Years Day meal for 12, then serving 3 because everyone was hungover. I sawthemthe night before, and know that they weren't making it up. That means more black eyed peas for us and they kicked right in! I found my pearls that had been missing since June after just testing one pea while I was making them. They were last seen at my final bridal shower but were gone by the wedding, then found 6 months later in the bottom of a medicine drawer. I swear I take better care of my jewelry than that, but maybe I'll find my missing diamond earring next new years.



8. Celebrating 6 months of marital bliss yesterday with my hubby! He brought me flowers and we tried out a quaint new pizza parlor where they lit a fire just for us and we talked all mushy gushy, I love it! I love him and our life together and couldn't think of asking for more!