Cooking Day...

A little over a month ago my hubby was diagnosed with Diabetes. While we attempt to eat healthy we quickly realized that many things needed to change. Not just for him. For ALL of us. So we started our Sunday cooking. We took a day to walk through the store and read labels. It was sobering. We quickly learned it was time to get back to basics. Have my family struggled. Yes. Will we make it? Yes. And I am sure we will come out much better for it in the end.

So today I pulled some turkey tenderloins which I have roasted in the oven. I took a chuck roast and sliced it to marinate in garlic, ginger and soy sauce. Sometimes I follow recipes, sometimes I use the recipes as suggestions. We are trying parsnips this week for the first time. I know sad that we are just learning to try new things. We are definitely stuck in a rut. I have turkey sausage links and I know I am doing lasagna. My husband will be grilling something today and I will ensure extra will be grilled. That will have five cooked meals available. We don't just do enough for a dinner. We make sure that if someone wants it for a lunch that they can. I chop fruits and veggies by the bushel for breakfasts and snacks. I have made waffles for them to warm up because school starts. I think I will be making breakfast burritos as well.

So the house smells amazing and the biggest thing of cooking day is keeping everyone out of the food! A big winner I have found is mini meatloafs. I just take the meatloaf recipes I normally make and put it in muffin tins. The girls affectionately call them meat muffins. I have to double because they fly away!!!

A little late in life to learn how to cook better for my family. We still have treats from time to time. The whole house has really liked having meals available for them when they are hungry. We are all going fifty million places due to work, sports and school. Sometimes we manage to meet up and eat at the same time. But now I know if I am working late or if someone has a meet or a game they have dinner available for them. It also is good to know my hubby is getting the nutrition he needs to keep his Diabetes under control.

Here is what I did with my turkey tenderloins:

http://www.bakeat350goessavory.com/2012/02/roasted-turkey-breast-tenderloins.html

Here is what I am doing with the parsnips and carrots:

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/roast-potatoes-parsnips-and-carrots

I used this recipe as a suggestion for my beef:

http://davidandjenw.blogspot.com/2013/09/easy-mongolian-beef-recipe.html

Who am I and how did I get here?

Hi! I guess I never properly introduced myself.

My name is Therese, obviously. I have been married almost 20 years. I have four, teenage daughters...yes I said four! I know how they were made and everything!

Once my daughters were older, I took the opportunity to go back to school and get my teaching degree. It is something I have wanted since I could think about being anything else...if that makes a bit of sense I know we are all on the same page!

My oldest Al is off to college. She is striving for her goals and I love watching ever minute of it. My next little nugget is my Banana....haha. I have called her that forever. She is a senior in high school this year and is getting ready to fly the nest. I am hoping not too far! My third is my little bear. She was my curly haired, blue eyed...um angel with a naughty streak. She is a junior in high school this year and trying to figure out what she wants to be. My youngest and tallest daughter Hal is a freshman. She is reaching for the stars figuratively and literally. They all keep me crazy busy and most of the time I wouldn't have it any other way.

My amazing hubby balances us. He ensures we don't throttle each other and feeds us chocolate as needed. I am pretty sure our lives are a reality show. Throw in our two cats and I am sure you have it perfect.

So I finally graduated from college and became a teacher. It has been an adjustment. My girls are used to mom being there for everything. Like everyone else on the planet we try our best to not be too much of a hot mess. We definitely struggle.

Like today...but that is another story. So welcome to my world. Bring a mug of tea and enjoy our lives.

Am I doing it right?

So as a teacher you have those days...

You have those days that make you wonder if you are doing the right thing. You have those days that you want to curl into a ball and stay there for all time. You wonder if what you picked for a profession was the correct thing.

Okay, maybe I am alone in my wonderment.

I have a feeling I am not.

This last week has been one of those weeks. My dream since I could command a room was to teach. Could I have been incorrect? Am I doing something wrong?

I have a new group of middle schoolers that I will start teaching on Tuesday. Will I teach them the correct common core standards, how about any standard? Heck! Will I teach them anything?

I wade through all of the stuff that is needed to be done even before I can attempt to look at my curriculum and slightly have a nervous break down. I managed to get through Unit 2. Tomorrow I need to do homework for a masters class and finish the rest of the semester.

Okay full on nervous breakdown...

Do I hate teaching? No. Do not misunderstand what is happening here, I am totally just questioning my existence. Ha. Could it be I had a bad day, absolutely!? Mid-life crisis, probably. My daughter going off to college. More than likely. I woke up and wanted to go back to bed, the list goes on...I am sure though it boils down to one thing...

Where did summer go?