Toasted Coconut Marshmallows

Toasted Coconut Marshmallows

Originally uploaded by My Obscured Camera

The Toasted Coconut Marshmallows were a big hit.

Wellness Marathon Week 1

Week one is now over for the Wellness Marathon. On average, we should be walking 3.275 miles per week to finish the marathon on target. In our house, I’m in the lead with 4.75 miles. Austin is trailing with 1.75 and Ryan and Jason are bringing up the rear with .75 and .5 miles, respectively.

We did go for a big walk tonight and Fall Festival is this weekend, so that should bring the total back up.

I made swiss steak for dinner and we thought it was pretty blah. I followed Paula Dean’s recipe, omitting all of the fatty stuff she likes to add. It was ok, but not something I’ll make again.

I also made Toasted Coconut Marshmallows. They were really fun. They aren’t quite done as they need to set overnight and tomorrow I will cut them and roll them in powdered sugar. Making the marshmallow fluff from scratch was really easy and since I’m such a geek, I thought it was fun. Plus, since the kids were in bed, Jason and I got to lick the beaters and the spoons. We have a weakness for marshmallows in our house so I’m excited to see how everyone likes these. It should be a treat for the kids since I don’t really buy “junk” anymore for them to eat around the house and these are pretty much all sugar.

It’s school fundraiser time!

I always dread school fundraiser time. Usually it’s stupid junky crap that the kids are selling or candy or something like that.

This year, the school is doing something different and I think it’s a great idea.

They are having a Clinton Community Wellness Marathon. Students and their families or anyone in the community can sign up to walk/run 26.2 miles in the next 8 weeks. You either pay $26.20 for the entry fee or you get pledges to pay for it. When the 8 weeks is over, they are having a special ceremony at the track and they are giving away prizes and everyone gets a t-shirt.

They are awarding prizes for most miles walked per person and per family, most money raised per person and per family and youngest/oldest participant.

I think this is a great way to get the community active. The money will go to the general fund for the school to promote wellness activities, physical fitness, and nutrition.

I didn’t give the kids a chance to tell me that they didn’t want to do it. I just signed them up for it. Jason too!

Austin after the game

Austin after the game

Originally uploaded by My Obscured Camera

Austin and Ryan had their games this week at Adrian College’s new football stadium. I was pretty impressed with everything there. The new stadium is really nice and the field is made of the same turf that they used at Michigan Stadium.

They had a pavilion at the end zone that had a huge fire pit with picnic tables all around it. Unfortunately, it was about 45 degrees and there was no fire lit. They also have a new ice arena on campus. I’ve heard they have public skating so we’ll definitely have to check that out sometime.

Yoga and other stuff

Cristy and I really liked the yoga class and plan on returning again next week. Some of the poses were really hard considering I have the flexibility of an iron rod, but when everything was done, I felt great. Were going to give yoga a try for a while and once we get bored with it or if we feel it’s not doing anything for our figures, we might switch to pilates.

Austin and Ryan have their football games at Adrian College’s new football field on Saturday. It’s nice that they get to play on a nice field, but at the same time, it’s kind of a pain to go to Adrian. Austin is excited because he gets to play fullback and he will be backup quarterback. I have no clue what a fullback does, but he seemed pretty happy about it, so it must be a good thing.

This year at the Fall Festival, they are having an “all school reunion” at Tate Park on Saturday night. They are going to have a beer tent of sorts that will be BYOB and they are going to provide entertainment. I’ve heard it’s a family type event so we might bring the kids down there for a while since we weren’t planning on drinking anyways. It starts at 7:00 so I figured they could go and stay until about 8:00 and then grandma can watch them for a couple of hours so Jason and I can be grown ups. It will be the first time we’ve gone out without the kids since shortly after Jacob was born.

Quick Update

I’ve started knitting again. Right now, my work in progress is “My So Called Scarf” using Galway Paint worsted weight wool. It should be nice and warm just in time for cold football weather. Mine isn’t as thick and bulky as the one pictured in the link but I wanted a thinner scarf anyways.

Here are a couple pics

I’ve decided to give yoga a try. I’ve been wanting to do it for a long time and I think it will help with the bursitis in my hips and my overall flexibility (or lack thereof). The class is on Thursday nights in Tecumseh. Cristy is going to go with me tomorrow night and in mid-October Teresa is going to join us. I’m so nervous since I’ve never taken an exercise class before.

Back to school

School starts tomorrow and as much as I love my kids, I’m so happy it’s back to school time. We went through all of the school supplies and packed up their backpacks and they are ready to go.

Ryan starts kindergarden and he’s so excited. He’ll be riding the bus to school but I have to go pick him up after since they don’t offer a bus service home for the kindergarden kids in town. No biggie since I have to go pick Austin up anyways. Austin will be in fourth grade and I’m really excited for this school year for him. Last year didn’t go so well but a lot of the blame lies with the teacher. He seemed to like to pick on Austin and did nothing to motivate him. I didn’t feel Austin worked to his potential and if I tried to give him a book that was a little challenging, his teacher would tell him it was too hard and give him something easier. Ugh. His teacher this year is great so I’m not worried at all.

I’m working on Austin’s lunch for tomorrow. I made a homemade calzone for him to take since it’s the first day. He’s also getting a cup of unsweetened applesauce, an apple, and an all natural peanut butter granola bar (Kashi). I’m still trying to think of other lunch ideas for him. I don’t want him buying his lunch because it’s not the healthiest food and plus, he doesn’t really like it anyways. I want him to have a balanced lunch, that is not fatty and full of sugar. Some other ideas are:

Chicken and cheese, pb&j, or pizza quesadillas
Homemade hot pockets stuffed with ham and cheese, pizza fillings, lean ground beef and cheese mixture (kind of like a cheeseburger), scrambled eggs and veggies, etc.
Some sort of creamy noodles and chicken
Shredded bbq sandwiches
The old stand-by pb&j

I just don’t want him to get bored with just regular sandwiches.

He really wants me to make him a Cuban sandwich sometime too. We’ve been watching Good Eats with Alton Brown on the Food Network and they made them on the show. He said a sandwich with pork, pickles and mustard is his kind of sandwich, so I guess that will be my next venture.

The best part of back to school is that once Ry gets on the bus, it will be nap time for the babies. I should get the afternoons to myself!! What am I going to do with a couple of hours every day?