Still Chilly, More Chatty

It's still chilly!

Running was relegated to the treadmill this morning, and for my Monday morning run as well.

If you're a runner, what is your threshold for running outside?  Monday morning it was 5 degrees here, with a wind chill below zero, and this morning it was 11.  I went out when it was 19 over the weekend, and that's the lowest temperature I remember on a run.  19 really wasn't that bad once I got going, so I'm thinking I could go lower if I really bundled.  But combine the cold with the fact that my usual route is covered in ice and snow and I don't really have the proper footwear for those conditions... and, well, treadmill in the basement seems the safest option at this point.

Luckily, I have had some exciting TV to watch on the treadmill while running!  That's right, over the last week I binged the entire first season of Sanditon that I mentioned and was able to enjoy the final episode during my run this morning.  Makes the treadmill much less boring!!!  The end of the season was interesting... I'll try not to spoil it, but suffice it to say that the writers left it wide open for a season 2, which not only do I find very un-Austen, but a little bit of an unfair Search for More Money situation.  Don't get me wrong, I still really really really really enjoyed it.  I was a bit disappointed with myself for bingeing and not spreading out the enjoyment a little more, but I sort of couldn't help myself!  It was exactly like a bag of chips binge, no joke!

M has been re-reading the Patrick O'Brian novels lately, and he had a similar feeling of the binge-worthiness of those books.  The other day he told me he was trying to slow himself down from reading them as he realized that he was already on the last book and he didn't want it to be over.  He has recommended that I try them, so maybe that will be my next guilty pleasure.  They take place during and after the Napoleonic Wars so it's a similar historical feel to Jane Austen.  Also, because Sanditon touched on themes of slavery during British imperialism, I'm reminded of the movie version of Mansfield Park that delves into the same topic, and now I want to re-read the book because I honestly don't remember whether the book even mentions it, and whether that's all part of the modern take on things.  I'm now curious to find out... and, seeing as Mansfield Park is really my second favorite of Austen's novels (although it's always very hard to choose!) and it's been probably 15 years since I've read it... maybe THAT will be my next guilty pleasure :)

Okay, enough rambling about Jane Austen and running!  I guess both topics have been on my mind a lot lately; thanks for enduring all my long-winded thoughts!

Today was spent quietly, enjoying my littlest girl on our day off together.  Did I mention that she goes to preschool on the days that I teach, at the same school?  She is doing well with it, but it is a very long day for her (8 AM to 4:30 PM) and so she's still adjusting.  We go on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so Wednesdays and Fridays are much-treasured times together.  Today it was playing Barbies through the morning, then a trip to the library and a long visit to the coloring table... then a treat of donuts on our way home.  She said to me at one point, "Mama, when I was at school yesterday, I told my friend, 'I wish I could fly, because if I could, I would fly to my Mama right now.'"  I try not to dwell too much on the fact that we miss each other during school days, because I know it makes it harder for her when I do, but today, after hearing her comment I couldn't help but reply, "I wish I could fly to you on school days sometimes too."  We hugged.  I tell you, this Mama thing is certainly not all butterflies and roses, but after ten years doing it I treasure these moments more and more.  I hope we can share a lot more of them before she gets too big!!

I realized I forgot to post the video mash-up I made of all the girls climbing at C's birthday party:

So there you go!

I have, for the first time really, been missing homeschooling a bit these past weeks.  I miss the freedom of our days, frequent trips to the library, and, well... just being together more.  It's funny how, when I have these thoughts, I don't realize for a while that I'm forgetting some of the things that were harder about it... that ever-present feeling that I wasn't doing enough, that we were getting behind.  The other day I thought of those mornings when the girls would start playing together first thing, ignoring checklists I had set out, and then I would feel like The Ogre interrupting them and pulling them away from their imaginings to do the school I had planned, and then we would be at odds for the rest of the day.  I certainly don't miss days like that.  And they did happen, sometimes.  But we also had our share of good days too, enjoying free time, enjoying learning, and having great together time too.  I'm not really saying anything by writing that down here, I'm just making an observation about my own thoughts.  No changes on the horizon regarding their schooling or anything, but I just thought it was important to recognize and record my thoughts.

On a completely unrelated note, this last Monday was a holiday from school so I tried making yeasted waffles, and ohhhhhh man... sooooo good!!

I used this recipe, subbing with gluten-free flour so C could eat them, and making my usual dairy-free substitutes of soy/cashew milk and plant butter.  I also subbed in applesauce for half of the oil, and of course doubled the recipe as per usual with our fam.  I also added an extra teaspoon of sugar to give that yeast something to feed on with the lack of gluten.  Don't you just love making a HUMONGOUS batch of waffles on the weekend and sticking them in the freezer and then enjoying them throughout the week???  This recipe was even better because I was able to mix it all up the night before, let it rise in the fridge overnight, and then just get up, do my treadmill run, and have that delicious batter ready in the fridge to just pour into the waffle maker... instant, freshly baked waffles in 10 minutes!  I'm also interested in trying these for the same reason-- totally prepare-able the night before, so they might make a good weekday breakfast even.  I'd probably sub silken tofu for the cottage cheese, to make it dairy-free.  Gotta keep feeding the waffle craving, right???

Around the inter-web, I've really been gathering some inspiration from Julie's Week of Weeknight Dinners series (M and I love love love this spicy peanut soup from one of her previous posts-- I do it in the crockpot-- so easy!) and I'd love to try some of Elise's ideas for grain bowls, maybe with some squash thrown in?  I definitely share her love of spaghetti squash and I haven't had it in a while so it may be time to feed that craving too?  Next week's meal plan perhaps??  Another item which I'm sure will be on the grocery list this week is gluten-free graham crackers since I also happened upon these and think they would make an excellent sweet treat for C (and, let's admit it, probably Mama too) made with either cashew or sunflower butter.  Lots of yum in our future.  ;-}

I'll leave you with this beautiful pic of my gals playing in the snow last weekend; it looks like it will be all rain for us coming up this weekend unless the forecast changes, so we will probably have to kiss this view goodbye!