Insta-Tuesday and A Winner!

A few weeks ago, I won a giveaway from Jen.  Now?  She wins the giveaway from me.

Irony, right?

Well, congratulations to Jen!  I hope you can make use of this headband! If not, there's probably a few people out there (like me) who would gladly take it off your hands.

Proof.  She tweeted about the giveaway last Monday.

Tweeting pays off, friends.

So. Back to Insta-Tuesday with Jane at Taingamala.

My Instagram handle is kedarhower.  If you're Insta-rested. Ha...haha.

(please still be my friend)

Scott perfected the art of brick oven pizza while deployed.  It's too bad he couldn't find the correct ingredients back here in 'merica.  We made it work with plain ol' white flour, though.  

It was tasty.

#Winesday has been happening everyday.  Ain't no shame in that...

It's cold outside.  I'm still in half-denial over the onset of winter.  Like, I'm pretending it's not happening.

The lovely Lin at Linny's Vault sent me a scarf.  I'm pretty sure the only relationship better than "marriage" is "blog friend".  Thank you, Lin!

Speaking of blog friends, I made E's almond butter last week.  It is terrific on whole-wheat waffles with a drizzle of honey.  Since I've officially given up cereal again (3 boxes a week is NOT okay), that has been my standard breakfast lately.

Despite my disgust at Target's the universe's ploy to fatten me up, I may have to pick up these Candy Cane Oreos.  I have an idea for a treat that can be made with them.  Stupid Nabisco.

Insta-freaking-tastic...and cooking

( ^ I really liked this title when I came up with it last week.  Expect to see it again.)

Joining in with the wonderful Jane at Taingamala for InstaTuesday...(Don't you love the name "Jane"? So classic.)

These were my Friday morning pancakes with strawberry preserves.  You might say, "Wow, Kristin, what terrible photography skills you possess."

Not true.  I have superb photography skills via the iPhone (don't we all?).

I just like to keep things dark around here in the morning hours.  

I drink my coffee and read my blogs and eat my dry cereal by the light of the MacBook.

I baked cookies on Friday night.

Somehow, one batch of cookies required almost 2 bags of Kisses.  Odd.

A confession:

I would like to say that I've been cooking and baking.

I haven't been.

I've lost almost all desire to do so, and I don't. know. why.  

Well, I have been cooking a bit.  But I haven't been creating.  This really bothers me.  And makes me feel awfully slacker-like. 

It's like every creative bone in my body is gone.

Plus, with the holiday season coming about, it's like the dessert blogging world is ON LIKE DONKEY KONG. 

And I don't have it in me this year.  

Not with me trying to eat healthier (seriously).

And me finally getting my abs where I want 'em.

And my paleo-ish eating husband not wanting fudge and ice cream cakes for dinner.

I mean, I eat a lotta sugar, sure.  But I generally eat it and I'm done.  I don't spend all day playing with the sugar (though I do spend all day looking forward to it).  That would hurt me more than it would benefit me, you know?

And I'm not GOOD at food blogging.

It's stressful to me because I have that "job" thing.  And a crazy t.v. watching habit.  And spend a few evenings a week at the gym.

Maybe I'm just lazier than I used to be.

Thoughts???

What have I made lately?

 Chicken Taco Soup.  It's one of the best things I've ever eaten, let alone made in my crockpot.  Do yourself a favor and make it today.  I froze most of it.

I made two pans of lasagna and froze it.  8x8 pans, so one recipe.  

I made Crockpot Pizza Soup and froze it.  Minus the noodles.  Noodles never freeze/reconstitute well, so I'll add them at serving time.

Apple Breakfast Quinoa was good too.  It's basically this breakfast quinoa, which I made a year ago and loved.  I haven't eaten oatmeal in ages because I think my body has started rejecting it, so maybe I should go the quinoa route more often.

Like I said last week, you NEED to make these Sweet Potato Chips.  I've been eating 3 yams a week this way.

I plan on making this Cheesy Vegetable Soup.  Do you think it'll freeze well?  (Maybe I should omit the potatoes.)  I have no use for a giant pot of soup on any one particular day.

Oh, what's that?  You want a weather update?

...when I went to school yesterday morning at 8am.

31* and wore shorts to the gym.
It was 24* when I left the gym.
Until the snow flies.  Promise.

Insta-freaking-tastic

Today, I'm guest-posting over at Simply, Ashley.  She's on a cruise.

(Let's just pretend to be happy for her, okay?)

Anyway, I love reading her honest posts about life, motherhood, and relationships.  She's a sweetheart.  Go check her out!

(Oh and ignore whatever crap she has to say about me "unfortunately" being a Steelers fan.  She knows nothing.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm pretty sporadic with posting on Instagram.  Sometimes it's 5 times a day.  Some days it's not at all.
Kinda like my candy corn habit.
If you're interested, my Instagram handle is @kedarhower.

It's been a couple weeks since I've linked up with the lovely Jane.  Two weeks ago, I don't remember what I did.  Last week, I was. in. a. mood.  An "anything I say will just make people hate me" kinda mood, so I skipped Tuesday altogether.

Let's recap the important stuff.

This is my new giant mirror.

And that is my Sunday attire.

At the gym 2 weeks ago.  

I believe it was the ONE #OctoberPhotoADay picture I took.  

I didn't want to overcommit, you know. 

That character flaw is why I don't belong to any clubs or organizations or have any friends.

Oh boy.  This stuff is addictive.  That's the big bottle.  More economical.

It's been my "after-school/pre-chocolate" snack for a week or so now.

I've eaten 5 whole yams in the last 2 weeks this way.  It's thinly sliced yams (yams are orange, sweet potatoes are white), olive oil spray, and a light sprinkle of garlic salt/parsley.

You microwave them for about 8 minutes.

Yes.  That's it.

This is a recipe you need to try.

I was CPR-certified in high school.  Since it's been more than 8 years (sigh), it had expired quite some time ago.  With my (hopefully) future career in the world of fitness, it was time to renew it.  

It was a very easy and informative class and for $12 (say what?!?!), so worth it.  Even if I did have to get up at 6am on a Saturday for it.

And even if I could barely concentrate on the vital information I was being taught.
You see, it was a bunch of Alaska teachers at this class.
  And that meant there were A LOT of Danskos being worn.
  I was so distracted by the colors flying around and the desperate need to want to take a picture (or 7), that I couldn't focus.
There were shiny black ones, burgundy snake-skin ones, and a pair of bedazzled ones right in front of me.  Which another person called, "Oh, so cute!"
(They weren't cute.)

Me, Myself, and I and Instagram

1.  When you're feeling down, what do you do to pick yourself up?
I watch re-runs of my favorite shows.  True Blood and Dexter have the ability to make me forget any  problems.  There's a reason why I watch the shows I do.
Oh and I drink water, get in a 5 mile run, eat vegetables, and get plenty of sleep.
False.  I do not do those things.  I eat candy.

2.  If you had to live in a different time period, which would you prefer?
I belong on Little House on the Prairie.  There's no question about it.  However, I'd probably die if you told me I could only take a bath once a week, could not have access to technology, and had to eat mush and salt pork.
But other than that, I'd love a good calico dress.

3.  What's the most creative Halloween costume you've ever worn?
None.  I was a witch, a devil, or a cat for all of elementary school.  I did not participate in the "let's dress up like a prostitute and call it Halloween" phase many girls went through in college.
In fact, if I remember to order my Merlotte's t-shirt (chances are that I'll forget), wearing a t-shirt and ponytail will make this my most creative Halloween ever.

4.  Five weird things about you that we wouldn't know without being told.
...I can never eat a whole piece of gum at once. I break it into 3 pieces so it's smaller to manage. And if I don't pay attention to what I'm doing, I start chomping too.  I don't know that I chomp, but hearing other people chomp gum doesn't bother me at all, so I figure I probably do it too.

..I have my children's names picked out.  I've even gotten Scott to agree to some of them.  I don't share them because I truly believe other girls will steal them.  (I'm suspicious like that.)

...I try my darnedest to avoid the pet food aisle in grocery stores.  The smell makes me sick.

...I have a crazy amount of birthmarks on my thighs (Like 8 or 10 total. I'm gonna estimate, not actually count.)  When I was little, I thought everyone had them.  Everyone does not.

...Sundays give me a headache. Unless I'm shopping at a mall. (I'm being completely serious.)

5.  What would you tell your 16 year old self?

You will get somewhat better looking with age...people usually don't peak at 16.  The people who are popular now will be failures (of some capacity) in a few years.  High school is not your life.  It's the very beginning of real life.  There's better things to come.

This anchor tee from Kelly is fabulous.  I spent the day unzipping my sweatshirt so I could show everyone.

Clearance bermudas. Yesssss.  

I bought these at Target and had to stop myself at only buying one bag (they were 3 for $8, so I lost money).  However, they're just white chocolate.  They are good (rarely is candy bad), but I'd rather annihilate a bag (or 3) of real candy corn.  As I did last week.  I went to bed with the shakes every night from the massive amount of candy pumpkins I had consumed.

Happy Tuesday!

Go eat some candy.

Apple Crisp and Instagram

Within the first week of school, I was given 6 apples by students.  Also?  An official KLOVE Certificate of Appreciation for the Teacher (I already like that kid).

While my eating habits may be labeled as "poor" at best, I do try to eat an apple everyday.  Apples stay good for awhile, I can keep one on my desk at school, and they are low-maintenance to eat.  I rarely go through the hassle of washing them.   I like to think of it as building up my immune system.  (Currently, I'm fighting off a cold, so I probably shouldn't recommend my attempted methods at "health".)

Anyway, the apples I sat staring at for a few days made me think that I need to share my Apple Crisp recipe.  This was a go-to comfort dessert that my mom made all the time.  Once I was old enough to use a knife, I started making it myself.  It's my favorite fall dessert.  Oh, my parents top it with ice cream.  But I think fruit and ice cream together is gross.  Ice cream and Oreos belong together.  Not ice cream and apples.

Apple Crisp
makes an 8x8 pan (double for a 9x13)

3 large baking apples, peeled and sliced into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 t. vanilla
1/8 t. salt
4 T softened butter

In a bowl, mixed together everything but the apples.  Mash/cut the butter in (I use a fork) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Spray the bottom and sides of an 8x8 pan with cooking spray.  Spread the apples over the bottom of the pan.  Top with the oat mixture and spread it out evenly.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  The top should be a bit browned when you pull it out.

Me in my favorite coat.  It feels like a sweatshirt but looks professional.

I love plaid.  

When I came home with this phone case about 6 weeks ago, I didn't know Scott was sitting in the dining room.  I was in the kitchen taking it out of the package and I said, "Oh my.  You are just the most gorgeous thing ever, aren't you?"  To my phone case.  Scott said, "Huh?" from the other side of the wall.

Startled me, to say the least.  

Sure, I talk to pretty inanimate objects.

Like this beautiful coffee cozy.  Custom-made by Kelly!

I have a season pass to the fair.  Plus lots of meal tickets.  I'm eatin' for free this weekend.

Also this weekend?
My parents come to town and I have to make this place look like a grown human being has been living here.  Yeah, okay.

Insta-Tuesday and "Me, Myself, and I"

Dress/belt:  Macy's (2011), Sweater:  Aerie (2010!), Leggings:  Old Navy, Sandals:  Target, Bracelet:  Bought off the beach in Anguilla

You can tell, by that ecstatic expression, that I was pretty thrilled about Monday.

It was a rainy, drizzly day and I prepared for it by starting out all sullen-like at 7am.

Maybe tomorrow you'll see a smile.

1) What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?  

I would definitely go back to school.  I would get a Bachelor's in American History.  Then, I would get a Masters' in Children's Literature.  And then I would teach both.  And then I would become Benjamin Gates of National Treasure.   

2) If you had only six months left to live, what would you do with the time?

I would travel anywhere and everywhere.

3) If a front page news article was written on you, what would the headline be?

"Army wife loses mind after 3 years in Alaska"  
Just kidding.  Maybe.  
Hopefully, it'd be for doing something amazing for kids.  Or maybe for discovering a hidden Native American treasure.  Scott and I both made my school's monthly newsletter last spring for this.  

4) What is your biggest pet peeve?

I wrote a whole rant about how I hate having my name spelled wrong.  

Also, I can't stand it when I see a toddler playing with an iPhone.    

Someone once said to me, "Oh wait, 'til you have a kid and you just want a moment of peace."  

Um no.  I don't think so.  You can totally hold me to that.   

(Coincidentally, it never fails to disappoint my husband when he sees that I have no games on my phone.  That's right.  NONE.  My future children are in for a boatload of fun.)

5) What is your favorite chick flick movie?

I unabashedly admit to disliking chick flicks.  I like unpredictable movies.  Usually you can tell exactly how a chick flick will end before you see the end of the preview.  And..this is weird too...I don't like movies with happy endings.  I like to be shocked (go watch The Reader).

However, there are exceptions to every rule.  

I will watch any movie with Mila Kunis.  I like Crazy Stupid Love.  And I really like Life as We Know It, because I like Katherine Heigl.    

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Also linking up with Jane for Insta-Tuesday!

Come hell or high water, there will be a tropical vacation this year.  

I wanted a beer so badly last Friday.  This was as far as I got.

The kids think extra recess is for them.  Nope.  It's for me.

 Muahhaha.  I can hardly wait for the season 7 premiere next month.

Football season in Alaska is kind of nice.  I mean, I might not get every game I want to see (grrr), but the games start at 9am, 1pm, and 4pm.  Instead of 1pm, 4pm, and 8pm.  Oh, and the Superbowl?  It starts at 2:30.  I appreciate a time zone that allows to go to bed early and watch football while eating cereal in bed.

 

Stuff. and Insta-Tuesday

Stuff.

1.  I haven't been to the gym since last Wednesday.

2.  Because I spent Friday, Saturday, and Sunday barely able to move from the couch.  Stomachache.  Headache.  Dizziness.  It was pretty bad.  I can't tell if it was an after-effect of the antibiotic I was on last week or if it was viral or what.  I slept most of the weekend.  Getting up at 5:45am yesterday was still no picnic.

3.  Then I thought it was the sebaceous cyst attacking and trying to kill me like it did 2 weeks ago before I started the antibiotic.  Yesterday, the dermatologist was patient enough to tell me that the tiny cyst would not, in fact, cause my demise.

4.  Which leads me to...after 2 weeks of waiting to have this giant overgrown pimple removed from behind my ear, I went to the dermatologist yesterday.  Sometime, between my shower Sunday night and my 7am drive to Anchorage on Monday morning, the damn thing decided to pop itself.  Gross.

5.  Therefore, nothing could be done for it.  I had to make a follow-up appointment for a few weeks from now.  Hopefully it will "firm up" again and they can cut it out then.

Yay.

source

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What does the last week look like via Instagram?

Oh the usual haps around here.  I cannot go into a store without taking pictures of overpriced fruit.

I really wanted fruit the other day.  That Mixed Fruit Bowl is $15 at the local Fred Meyer.  I would've eaten it all at once.  I settled for a $7 bag of grapes.

Skirt from Old Navy.  $12.  Don't be fooled by the neatly-made bed.  That's the guest room.  I can't take pictures in front of our dresser mirror.  There's too many clothes stacked up in front of it.

So I have this chain going.  Each link is another day on this stupid, stupid deployment.  Today is day #230, and I only "link" the days we're apart (R&R didn't count).  Anyway, it's red, white, and blue.  Not blue, white, blue.  Dumb.  Usually, I write one out every night and just set it on the table and then link up 10 or so at once.  It's unbelievably difficult for me to keep the pattern straight.  I often have to scribble a date on the back so my counting isn't off.  (I really think I missed a day back in April, but can't be sure.  Talk about frustrating.)

Insta-Tuesday and Sugary Sounds

Today, I'm joining in on a new link-up with Jane at Taingamala.

I thought of doing it last week, but I've been pretty Instagram-illiterate.

Jane was kind enough to help me out!

My Instagram handle is kedarhower.  If anyone can tell me how to get that on my sidebar, I'd much appreciate it!

(Told you.  Practically illiterate.)

My mother mailed me my tiara.  If my Sookie Stackhouse idea for Halloween doesn't pan out, I'll just be a princess.  Clever, I know.  

Just like being a teacher equals "ability to buy school supplies without consequence", being a fitness instructor equals "ability to buy colorful sneakers with consequence".

The token "look how expensive this is" sign

I was all set to order my "bee" decorations for the classroom, and then:  I saw the neon owls.

I really like stir fry but I hate that the packaged mixes include so much darn broccoli.   I ate about half of this bowl and then...

I got an ice cream maker.

Would you believe that I had to eat 2 extra bowls of ice cream just to get the pictures...?

 Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake Ice Cream

 Peppermint Patty Ice Cream
Both are highly recommended.

source

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm also linking up to Sugary Sounds @Adventure of E.

I had forgotten how much I liked this song until I heard it on The Hangover II the other night. 

Flo Rida "Turn Around Part II" 

Who's ready for The Hangover III??  ME!

We saw the first movie in Missouri and the second one in Alaska.  (There's a sentence you never think you'll say...)  

source

Bradley Cooper:  Inspiring teachers since 2009

Also sharing at the GFC Hop!