A Day in My Life: Monday

5:00 AM: Alarm goes off. Mother f-er, I hate Mondays. Snooze til 5:10. In to shower. I have to get up at the ass-crack of dawn in order to get my time in the bathroom. Coffee, now.  I take it into the shower with me, and stand under the water as I pray that I wake up.

5:40: Dressed, hair done, ready to go.

5:45: Switch over laundry from last night. Make sure Logan's blanket and stuff for day care is ready to go. His Pillow Pet died in the washer last night so we are going to need to get a new pillow. RIP Brutus the Buckeye (O-H-I-O)

5:50-6:15: I drink my coffee, check FB and watch the news and become increasingly more annoyed with newscasters on our local channels.  Seriously.  WHY DO THEY SUCK SO BAD?  I miss Mark Nolan :(

6:30: Get Logan up and dressed. He has had a terrible cough and is not sleeping well.  For the last few days he has been getting up at least once, crying.  Poor little dude.

6:50: Off to day care.

Mom, seriously?  Do not take my picture before 7 AM and expect me to cooperate.

7:10-7:30: arrive at work and realize I forgot my school bag (with all my stuff) at home.  Awesomesauce. Check my email, more coffee....WAIT!  I forgot my creamer at home.  F.  Not good.  Make sure my learning targets are up and I write the daily agenda on the front board.  I need to print up some current pictures for my bulletin board.  BTW, high school teachers don't do bulletin boards.  This is my sad attempt:

Weekly assignments, bell schedule, etc.  I have to fix the side...this is an excellent reminder to do so.

What's up, old school chalkboard?  White boards are on their way soon to my room :)

7:35-8 AM: Morning meeting.  This is a new daily thing.  Today we discussed how much we hate teaching "The Seafarer" and what will happen if we just pretend we taught it.  No one will really know, right?

8:10-2:50 PM: I teach, grade, etc.

3:20: Get home to get my gym stuff.  Alexys took my headphones without asking and I am not a happy camper.

3:45: Arrive at gym.  There seem to be lots of youngins here today and they are hogging my weight machines.  I am going to kill someone.

I tried to sneak a picture.  I was nervous.  There are signs posted everywhere that say NO CELL PHONES.  I am a rebel.

4:40: Get Logan and head home. He eats a snack and watches some TV and plays.

5:00: Start prepping dinner (Laughing Cow Fettuccini Alfredo with red pepper pasta and broccoli, roasted asparagus)

5:30: Dinner time!  Then we play until it is time to take Logan to bed.

Ohio City Pasta.  You are amazeballs.

7:30 PM: Logan is in bed.  I clean up the kitchen and prep my delay brew and my lunch for the next day.

Um, I love seasonal mugs.  A cup of coffee for the morning and my to-go cup.

10:30 PM: Head to bed. Much later than I want to. See you in the morning!

Nutella Biscotti

I love everything Nutella so these were a winner in our book!

Nutella Biscotti
Ingredients
2 1/4 C flour
2 tbsp cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 C sugar
1/2 C chocolate chips
1/2 C hazelnuts (optional, but why would you NOT!?)

Directions
-Preheat oven to 350
-Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, powder, and salt in a medium bowl
-Beat eggs in a large bowl until frothy; add sugar and continue beating for 2 minutes
-Stir in Nutella; add flour mixture and stir until well combined
-Add chocolate chips and nuts
-Divide dough into 2 or 3 logs and with well-floured hands (A MUST), arrange onto parchment paper and form into rectangles/logs around 1/2 inch thick.
-Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat, cool, and lower oven temp to 300.  Using a serrated knife, cut logs into slices 1/3-1/2 inch thick and lay on their sides on the parchment paper lined pan.  Bake 10-12 minutes, flip over, bake additional 10-12 minutes.  Let cool.

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
as seen on Skinnytaste
Serves 9-12, depending on portion sizes.  Freezer friendly.

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil, divided
1 lb. 95% lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 tbsp finely minced garlic
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp sweet Hungarian Paprika
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste 
1 1/2 heads green cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 can (14.5 oz.) petite dice tomatoes with juice
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
2 cups cooked brown rice 
2 cups low-fat mozzarella cheese 

Directions
-Preheat oven to 350; spray 9x13 pan with nonstick spray
-Heat a large frying pan on medium heat; add ground beef and cook until brown
-In the same pan, add 1 tsp olive oil, chopped onion and cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic, dried thyme, and paprika and cook about 2 minutes more. Then add the diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, and ground beef. Add water to the pan. Simmer until it's hot and slightly thickened, about 15-20 minutes.
-While the mixture simmers, core the cabbage and slice into 1-inch pieces.  Heat the remaining olive oil in a pan and add cabbage.  Cook until cabbage is wilted and about half-cooked, turning over a few times so it all wilts and cooks.  Add salt and pepper.
-When meat and tomato mixture has thickened, add in the rice and mix to gently combine.
-Layer half of the cabbage on the bottom of the pan, then half the meat mixture, then the rest of the cabbage, and remaining meat.  Cover with the cheese, top tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

Menu Planning Monday

Sunday: Browns party (even though they got their asses kicked)
Monday: Laughing Cow Alfredo with red pepper pasta; side of roasted asparagus
Tuesday: Pork roast with roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts
Wednesday: Unstuffed Pepper Soup
Thursday:  Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, some sort of veggie
Friday and Saturday: TBD (depends on our CSA bag)

Linking up with OrgJunkie!

My Thirty-One Journey

Last July, I bit the bullet and became a Thirty-One consultant. I was so blessed to find a fabulous sponsor (and now someone I am proud to call a friend), Eileen, through my fabulous friend, Karen from Karen at Home.  We both blogged about it at the same time, were placed on the waiting list together, then started our Thirty-One journeys together!

I can not express how amazing this company has been for my family.  It allowed us to have a debt-free Christmas last year and has really helped out financially, as our girls become more and more involved in activities (which costs more and more money!).  Besides that, I have been able to surround myself with wonderful and inspirational women who have become my friends.  God has truly blessed me by sending me on this journey, and when the times have gotten tough, those women (and God) have been there to guide me through.

In August, we went to National Conference for Thirty-One in Atlanta.  Let me tell you.  It was an amazing experience.  16,000 women (and men!) flooded the streets of Atlanta to celebrate, encourage and reward.  We had training sessions, general sessions, a fall product reveal, classes, and a rewards dinner and ceremony.  I left completely exhausted and feeling like I had been run over by a truck.  It took me two days to recover!  I can't wait until next year!

My registration table!

Live it up!

My blog friend, Thirty-One sister, and now I am so blessed to have her as my IRL friend, Karen!

My rockstar recruit, Sheena.  I am so proud of her hard work and her promotion to director!

What is your WHY??  Mine is for my family!

Our founder, the wonderful Cindy Monroe! 

It was pure insanity with 16,000 women packed into the arena!

The city of Atlanta was plastered with Thirty-One logos and banners everywhere!

At the airport, getting ready to head home.  So exhausted.

Interested in joining Thirty-One as a part of my team?  Don't hesitate to contact me or visit my website!  
www.mythirtyone.com/gia31

Book Review: Gabriel's Inferno

At the end of last school year (and yes, again at the beginning of the summer), I indulged in the reading of the 50 Shades trilogy.  I regarded it as a quick read, fluff, poor writing...but I wasn't looking for anything intellectual to read after a very long school year.  Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard was recommended on Twitter from someone I was following, so I dove right in.

Gabriel's Inferno is the story of Professor Gabriel Emerson, a Dante expert teaching at the University of Toronto, and one of his graduate students, Julia Mitchell.  Gabriel Emerson is not a likable character in the beginning of the novel, and his harsh treatment of timid Julia Mitchell takes you aback at first.  Slowly, the story of their individual troubled pasts unravels, and their ties to one another are revealed.  Their love is forbidden because of the University's strict non-fraternization policy, but the two are unable to remain apart.  They are drawn to one another and it is apparent that their love runs deep and true.

This is a story of love and redemption.  Gabriel is deeply flawed and believes himself to be a soulless and doomed man, unworthy of the love of "his Beatrice."  Julianne has loved Gabriel from afar for so long that she can not seem to imagine her life with anyone else.  The lovers (but keep in mind, there was really no sex throughout the book) have to overcome so many obstacles within their relationship, as well as their own dark pasts, and you can not help but grow to love these two characters.  I was so drawn into this book that I stayed up until WAY too late in order to finish it.  She was his light and his goodness, and Gabriel seemed to find the forgiveness he was looking for through his love for Julianne.

Gabriel's Inferno does not compare in any way to 50 Shades of Grey.  Gabriel, although he has a torrid past, is gentle towards Julianne, and simply worships her.  As an English teacher, I loved the way Reynard (WHO IS A MAN!) wove the tales of Dante and Beatrice, as well as Dante's literature, throughout the entire novel.  It is sensual, seductive, and sexy without that much sex.  It was truly a wonderfully written novel that is sure to keep you entranced.