Monday, April 25, 2011

Get STAR testing over with!!

I am so excited about summer vacation. Once it starts I probably won't show the same enthusiasm, but for the time being the thought of sleeping in and being a vegetable just sounds amazing. I guess Easter break makes you realize how much you need a break from school and the pressures that go along with it.
This coming week Gavin has STAR testing. If you don't know about STAR testing don't ask me because I don't have a clue. Apparently it is very important. I am dreading picking up Gavin from school because he is not a good test taker and his personality doesn't let things go easily. That means his negativity will carry over to the house and rub off on the rest of us...yay!! If any of you know about the boys school, Fugman, it is over the top. They are rated #1 in Clovis Unified. To me, that means stress and lots of homework. So much homework in fact, that sometimes Gavin sits at the table for 3 hours doing it. My poor Gavin is the youngest kid in his class. His birthday was right at the cut off so I put him in because he was so advanced with his speech. To bad his math skills don't match. And I am not going to lie, I may have been ready for a break earlier than some other parents.
So after the dreaded STAR testing, there will be a couple weeks left of school and I can't wait to do fun stuff with the boys. I would love to take them camping a couple times and maybe have a small trip with my husband somewhere. I would also like to go to the Las Vegas hair show.
So many things to do....will summer be enough time?

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Funky Salsa

I made this really good funky salsa tonight. I am not one that gets to funky with salsa but since i am on a diet, I have to do something a little different or I get bored....real quick.

1/3 of a fresh pineapple (chopped in tiny pieces)
1 mango (skinned and chopped into little pieces)
1 bunch cilantro (tops only)
1 jalapeno
half an onion (finely chopped)
1 tomato (chopped)
salt to taste
lime or lemon juice

I used this salsa on my white-girl ground beef tacos and it was delicious!

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Something yummy for Breakfast

French toast Concoction

5-6 stale Croissants (I used the ones from Costco)
Chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 cup milk (I used 2%)
1/3 cup butter (melted)
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup sugar

I chopped the croissants up and put them into a greased corningware dish with a lid. After blending the rest of the ingredients, I poured them over top. To make it easier, throw all the items in the blender. I put the whole dish in the oven on 350 for an hour. When it came out I put some honey (or you can use maple syrup) on it and ate. Delicious!!

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Whitest Girl in the World

I am the whitest person in the universe. I am so white in fact, that I think I may even be a little purple.
There is a picture from when I was little that shows my whiteness the best. My parents, both German and my sister, Native American and me, Italian (but white as a cloud) sitting on the couch in the middle of summer. Everyone sporting a beautiful tan, but me. I am a white spot, hair included, with red cheeks.
So I have lived with my "graveyard tan" for so many years, I don't even notice it anymore, unless it is summer. Then I really notice. Especially since my husband is Mexican and my kids have inherited that nice olive skin from David. All summer they run around without sunscreen, becoming more and more tanned. I turn red and peel within a day.
For many years I visited the wonderful place known as a tanning bed. I would lay there for 15-20 minutes a day for about 6 months a year. I loved the warmth of the lights beating on my body, while a cool fan blew the horrible smell away from my nose. The loud fans interfering with my headphones, but not enough to stop going. I would turn from purple to orange, which matched better with my highly lightened (bleached) hair and summer clothing.
David has put a stop to these visits, pointing out the dangers. You know what I say to the dangers....WHATEVER. I am glowing here!! I live in California. No one who lives in California should be this color!
My best friend is white also. She has natural platinum hair and blue eyes. During the summer I was feeling a little cocky and told her that I was darker than she was, making a big deal about it. She calmly walked over to me, put her arm next to mine and guess what. She was darker than me. Really?
Since I have been banned from the booth, I have since adopted the idea of spray tanning. Although the orange is something from Jersey Shore and looks a little ridiculous for the first day, it works fairly well. I hate the fact that it only lasts a week or so, but that is the options are few and I am desperate.
So I have to choose carefully.....or is there really a choice at all?