mission: eating down the pantry

Well We are moving in... um HOLY $#!^ 17 DAYS!!

We have done nothing for this.  We don't know where we are moving to yet.  Nothing is packed except for most of my winter clothes- no one would ever believe we were moving.  But we are- and it's time to get our buts in gear!

Hubby found a storage unit for us to rent for a while (to hold all of our belongings as we live with the parents for a while), and I am on the hunt for boxes.

One big thing is our pantry!  I have stocked up on the essentials and a few of our favorites- and now we need to eat them!  So, I am on Project Pantry now.  My goal is to eat down as much as possible before the move.  This week I spent 12 bucks on groceries.  I made some very creative things..

hoping our pantry looks like this soon! via

Personal Pizzas
  Tortillas, pasta sauce, cheese, and lunch meat- assemble like a pizza and pop in toaster oven!  Delish!

Saucy Chicken
  Frozen chicken breast, salsa, tortilla chips, and a chipotle dip left over from a cookout- cover chicken with salsa and bake, then I dumped half a bag of chips on to a pan and covered with the dip, baked those chips up- yum!!!

Spaghetti and sausage
  We try to eat sausage at least once a week since it is a favorite, this was one thing I actually bought.  Pasta sauce, spaghetti (and open box from the pantry), sausage, a mix of spices (see anything Italian related, I think I used 10)

Chicken and Rice
  Frozen Chicken, and a box of italian rice- cover the chicken in olive oil and italian herbs, make the box of rice- and plate up together

Breakfast Burritos
     Scrambled eggs, a dash of milk, tortillas, and salsa- delish for our brunch

This was our creativeness- no I am not including all food groups, trying to cut back on spending too.  Maybe a few of these can inspire something in your pantry!

Harry Potter craze

*Sorry about the Two posts in one day thing.... For my awesome adventure as a pilot click here

Well, I never read the books.  I barley read any books growing up, and when I did read the first one i hated it.  There was really no need for me to watch or read this empire.

Well, I watched of the films on TV one time and secretly liked it.  Then I married a man who grew up with the series, and had read them all multiple times (like more than 10 times through all 7 books).  He got me to watch every movie- and I have to admit- I like them.  Not enough to read them all mind you- but I do enjoy them.

I saw this great post about some shirts- and thought that the Hubster might find it fun to make one (OK, I would find it fun, he might appreciate the gesture, or at least me in something HP related)

via She also has a tutorial on Freezer Paper Stencil like her's

I started making my outline.  My plan was to print off typed page, then fill it in with puff paint- just like the good ol' days of High school basketball games!  Well, then I got a bit more creative...

I went on a search of HP fonts.  I found a few font generators (think, what we used to put on myspace), and then I found a few to download!  So GO HERE and get the hook up with all HP related fonts!  How cool would that be in a classroom reading corner!!  You really might just become the coolest teacher in the hall using these ;)  Enjoy!


For those who don't have time to download and install (you should take a brake from life because it takes 30 seconds!) you can download these that I have already made.  ((I plan on using the 2nd one))

 

time to soar

One of my lifelong dreams has been to go up in a prop plane.  I decided that longing to pilot one was too big of a life dream... until Hubby made it happen.  On Valentine's day he got me tickets for a 'Discovery Flight' at a local airport.  This meant that I would learn the basics of flight and then fly the aircraft (as much a possible) with an instructor.

Well we waited until the ground was pretty to go up- unfortunately it was the hottest day of the year.  This meant that there was more turbulence than normal.  But I didn't care- I was living a dream!

getting ready

gearing up for take off

yep- really 3000 feet up!

hubby was my brave passenger

We went up and down between altitudes often (for learning purposes), did lot's of turns, and I was in control!!  It was awesome!  However- these little guys (a Cessna 172) do not have air conditioning- did I mention it was 106??  Between the up and downs, the excitement, the turns, and the heat- I did get a little sick just before landing.  I was fine right away- it just hit me suddenly!

After we went out to eat to celebrate.  I think my husband was really celebrating just being on the ground again.

how awesome am I in Hubby's aviators?!?!

It was an amazing afternoon!  We have one more pass.  MY husband bought 2 (it was such a good deal).  We thought that if I loved it I could do it twice- and if I was satisfied with my flight- Hubby would get a chance to pilot.  I loved it and would love to do it again- but I also want Hubby to have the experience.  No matter what- I get to be in a plane again within the next month!!!

the newly-whits go camping- campfire adventure

part one of this adventure can be found here 

We had spent our afternoon relaxing and playing in the river, taking a long walk, eating push-up pops (old school= awesome), and playing Uno and Yatzee!  It was a blast!  As night got closer we gathered what we needed (and bought some firewood- cheating I know) and made some hotdogs to chow down on with our veggies, chips and beer.

We kept puppy up way to late!  He wanted to go to bed far before we did.  We had a great time just sitting next to each other by the fire and talking.  No one else was around, it was just as I wanted it.

hubby's awesome fire

relaxing (love self-timer)

The next morning I got up super early.  The puppy and I went for a long walk while the rest of the camp grounds was still asleep.  We had a fun morning.

our tent- hubby still sleeping

puppy on his morning adventure

Once hubby was up we packed the rest up, and headed home by 8:30.  As soon as we got back I packed up for my interview and headed to Indy to take care of my mom before trying my best at my interview.  I took puppy on the two hour trip with me.  Good thing he was so tired from the day before- he slept the entire time in the car!

the newly-whits go camping- for real!

Last Wednesday I went work work for a woman's small group doing child care for a few hours.  When I got home the Hubby had set everything remotley related to being outside for camping out.  He was all packed up and ready to go!  I grabbed a few clothes (and the 1st aid kit) and we loaded up the car to head to a camp grounds about 30 minutes from our house.

The camp ground was on the Little Miami River, It was so fun to have the river edge at the edge of our camp site!  However, We got there at 1, and there were tons on canoes that went by us for a few hours- many of which stopped on the rocks next to our camp site.  Puppy was excited to have so many visitors, and have so much water to play in!

Alright- that you really want, adorable pictures from day one of camping :)

wet dog

looking to the left for our campsite

puppy loves to swim!

and lay in the sand

our little family

first hotdog of the night

last week at this time...

Last week we were celebrating 4th of july.  I lvoe my family and I wish we were closer in distance to match our closeness in love.  ;) cheese ball i know.

I love driving out to the country and just being together.  It was a smaller group than normal (only about 25 of us)- but we love getting together no matter how many.

I have no firework photos- we skipped that this year- but please enjoy the pictures of adorable babies!

these girls are getting to be so big!  They are not going to be 'the babies' much longer!!

the opened all of the presents for the mom to be

do you see what is in that bag... if you said an 18 month old you would be right!!

what a creative dessert!  (we also had raspberry pie, texas sheet cake, and homemade ice cream)

the girls taking turns

do you see what's wrong here?  The adults were all playing football, the toddlers were playing on the tractor, the tractor wheel got stuck, the game boundaries moved- yes there is a toddler in the middle of it all

grandpa wanted to sit down- before he could the girls were right there to sit in his lap!

me and the hubby getting ready to head home (please excuse our sweatyness- football is fun)

to complement my 2dolar thrifted lands end navy shorts, I made this hair clip, and wore my grandmother's old necklace that she gave me when I was 5

another interview

some may think 'gee, you graduated with honors, you were recognized as the top of your class for your department, every school, principal, and teacher you have eve worked with sings your praises, people have offered you jobs after mock interviews, you have such a passion and drive for teaching, you have more experience than any other first year teacher, and you are fairly open with where you will move to- it should be easy for you to get a job, at least have millions of interviews

well friends all of those things are true except there are very few jobs to get interviews for, and those positions were not available when i was available to teach- so I have had a grand total of 2 interviews (in two states) for the past 8 months that  I have been looking

My most recent interview was on Thursday.  I know the assist principal- but he is a very professional man, and he wants me to succeed on my own.  I had been so excited about this interview.  After I got the call we got the ball rolling on moving to that city!  We knew we were a bit ahead of ourselves- but we were both so optimistic!

While waiting to go in I heard them with another candidate- all laughing, the secretary went home before I even went in.  It was 5:15, they had started at 8am- I think they were done before I even got there.

Overall I feel like I did well.  I gave honest answers, was direct, and shared a lot.  However- I did stutter a bit, I had so much adrenaline going on!  I mean, I think it was normal- but it's all I can think about now.  I didn't like the way it ended either.  It seemed to short, and not as personal when I was leaving.  I know it was late, they were hungry, and tired, and ready to relax with the fam- but I just didn't leave feeling like I rocked it.

One thing I thought was really interesting, near the end (after rapid fire question time with 9 principals, teachers, specialists and a guidance counselor) the principal said "Its always hard when you go through an interview and you feel like you never got to share something that you really wanted us to know. What do you want us to know?"  This is the most awesome thing that could happen in an interview right?!?!!  Well, I am slow to process, and when the stakes are as high as they were... I had no clue what to say.  There was also a quick segway into questions, so I asked my questions and tried to think of my response during that time.

I decided to share why I was planning on moving.  I was as honest as it is.  My husband and I feel that I have such a passion and desire for teaching that is it more important for me to follow and purse that than what he is doing (wanted to through out that he makes almost twice what my salary would be.. just to send that point home, but thought it tacky).  He believes in me, and has seen me go through it and knows that it would be best for our family.

Yes, I do have the best husband in the world.  He is willing to give up a job he loves (and makes more than I ever will) so that I can have a classroom.  He is willing to be unemployed, and cut back even more in our lives just so that I can do what truly makes me happy (and tired, and crazy and stressed- but overall, happy).  Another husband of the year award is going to my Hubby!

**Edit: The assistant principal told my old man that they really liked me- they still have another day of 1st round interviews before making decisions- hopefully I will hear from them at the end of next week!