Accepting Gifts

So, last week (Friday I think, maybe Thursday, but really the day doesn’t matter) I told my co-teacher Jo Ann some exciting news. Here is our conversation as I recall (read Jo Ann’s part with a slight Puerto Rican accent).

Kim: I lost 5 pounds this week!

JoAnn: Really, that’s great.

Kim: Now don’t make fun of me, but I think it’s because I have cancer. And this is why, I haven’t been able to wog (walk, jog) for two weeks and I’m still eating dessert most nights.

Jo Ann: Kimberly, you’re so stupid.

Later that day she told me she had told my boss what I said. Here’s Jo Ann and Deb’s conversation (as related to me by Jo Ann).

Jo Ann: You know what Kim told me? She said she lost 5 pounds.

Deb: I can tell, she looks great.

Jo Ann: Then she told me she probably lost it because she has cancer.

Deb: (eye roll) Tell her God just said, “I can’t win.”

That made me laugh, and realize how silly I am. So today here are my thanks, and guess what’s first?

24. I lost 5 lbs! Hooray!

25. Cool summer nights!

26. Tripped fuse, instead of broken air conditioner

27. God is constant…

28. …He always listens to my fears and never grows tired of it…

29. …and I know I can always count on him to guide me

30. My work week is only 5 days!

31. A calm weekend so I can clean my house (clean counters finally!)

Get Ready. Get Set.

GO!

Well almost.

Tomorrow is the first day I bring ice cream to work. It’s in my freezer all ready to go!

Monday—Savannah Buttermint

Tuesday—Toasted Rice Ice Cream with a Whiff of Coconut and Black Tea

Wednesday—Pistachio (and picking up the book from the store!)

Thursday—was supposed to be Passion Fruit Frozen Yogurt, but Meijer didn’t have any passion fruit so instead its Buckeye State

Friday—Chamomile Chardonnay (which won’t be served at work due to the alcoholic content of the ice cream, but will instead be scooped up for me and my co-teachers in my backyard)

So, check back tomorrow to find out how we liked the first flavor!

I scream, you scream…

We all scream for ICE CREAM!

One of the ultimate joys of summer: hot weather and drippy ice cream. But lets be honest, ice cream is a year round love affair. Just this February, I drove in pouring rain, patches of snow and ice still clinging to the ground, to a nearby ice cream store  in order to satisfy my craving for a scoop.

I love ice cream! In fact, if I were stranded on a desert island with only two things I would hope those two things were a cow and an ice cream maker. And a solar-powered generator. And a freezer. And a tube of mascara.

Okay, so I would DIE if I were stranded on a desert island. Thankfully, I live in Columbus, Ohio, home to the best ice cream ever. If you live in Columbus, Ohio, watch the Food Network, or are described as a foodie, you’ve heard of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream. If you haven’t heard of it, you are missing the creamiest, most original flavored ice cream in the world. It is the store I drove to in the middle of winter to get my fix (and to meet some friends, but that was just the cherry on top of a Jeni’s sundae, which I’ve never had, but I bet would be amazing).

Dark Chocolate. Salty Caramel. Bangkok Peanut. Gravel Road. Savannah Buttermint. Somebody stop me! (That’s not a flavor, really I need to stop!)

When I was informed (by my Jeni’s insider, Lora) that Jeni was coming out with a cookbook  I resolved in my mind to buy an ice cream maker. Two weeks later I purchased a green one (because everything is better in green) from Sur la Table. I had also put a copy of the book on reserve at the library (I am number 39 on the reserve list). Then I found a sneak peek of her book on Amazon.com with the recipe for Savannah Buttermint.

I decided I would make the ice cream and take it to work. I did. It was amazing. And a terrible, wonderful, genius plan was born (a Julie-and-Julia-inspired plan).

First, I knew there was no way I could just have the book for thirty days and then return it too the library. This book had to be mine. Second, (as I told my fellow teacher Brooke) I wanted to make every ice cream in that thing. All 100 flavors.

The problem I foresaw was that this would not be healthy. If I made all these ice creams, I would EAT all these ice creams and by the end of summer would need to be cut from my house and lifted out with a crane—not an option. When Brooke joked that she would not need to eat breakfast this summer because she would just eat the ice cream I brought in the terrible, wonderful, genius plan was born.

As we talked during nap time, while the children began to bounce on their cots because they heard the words ice cream so many times, the plan grew along with my excitement.  I would make the ice cream and bring it to work. Blog about it. Have the girls at work tell me what they thought, post their opinions with their picture. I decided I would make one ice cream every day we have school, for 30 school days, and just so all of our shorts still fit by the end of summer we would only eat one, maybe two, spoonful's (if at all possible).

And so, beginning Monday, June 13, 2011, two days before the release of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams At Home I will make and blog about the ice cream flavor of the day, and add my co-workers comments. Stop by often to see what flavor is next, tell me your successes with ice cream-making, or follow along with the same flavor and let me know your thoughts—scrumptious or scary. We will start with Jeni’s Spring flavor Savannah Buttermint, and I can already tell you, you’ll want to buy the book for yourself!

Unexpected Gifts

I realize I am posting this technically after Monday, but it’s just after so I figure better late than…

Today, on the whole, was an unexpected gift. One right after the other popped up before me and I took it as a gift.

It would have been easy to see some of these gifts as a wrench in my plans, and therefore a curse. I am blessed that I was able to see them as a gift. So that is my first thanks for this “Monday.”

13. Thanks for plans that change and God’s gift of flexibility.

14. An extra hour of sleep when the alarm doesn’t ring, even if I couldn’t work out.

15. A schedule change at work that allows me to work 8:30-5:30 for a time (accidently oversleep, no problem!)

16. Low numbers at school, three teachers in the room and funny kids to lighten my day.

17. The Northstar Veggie Burger!

18. Geek comic book friends (who are not at all geeks and are actually really fun and inspiring)

19. Writing talk that inspires and encourages me to be a better writer.

20. An impromptu walk, with friends, that makes up for the missed morning workout.

21. Celebrating Nathan Hale’s birthday with homemade Savannah Buttermint ice cream and chocolate cake in a mug (it’s not a lie!)

22. Friends showing up late.

23. Rock band! Muse! Being silly with friends.

Moving Day!

Friday night I was so tired after a long day at work, dinner with Tina, and shopping. I fell into bed and promised I would not set my alarm, just wake up naturally. At 6:45 a.m. I woke up with the knowledge that I would not be returning to sleep. My cat was up, walking on top of me every so often to remind me that she needed fed, and it was just hot enough to keep me awake. Finally, I pulled myself from bed when my bladder would not stop complaining.

I had two conflicting thoughts. My friends were moving today, and I should help. But breakfast in bed while I listened to the birds sing and trees rustle in the gentle breeze sounded even better. I went downstairs, fed the cat, fed my rabbit, got a glass of water and walked back upstairs. I let the ideas simmer while I got online, checked my e-mail and read a magazine.

It was blissfully peaceful. Normally, I turn the t.v. on the moment I get downstairs, but this easy laid back morning was new and refreshing. I made breakfast and took it back upstairs, the whole time debating when I should hop in the shower in order to help with moving day. (Really Lord, do I have to? I’m just a girl, and not a strong one.)

Sitting in bed, eating Huevos Rancheros (so good!) I texted Asha for the address where moving day would start and prayed that God, if he really wanted me to go, would change my heart. Also, I secretly prayed that  I would not be texted back, and wondered why I couldn’t  be that girl who loves to help others and never wishes she could get out of the manual labor part. I then reminded myself that the girl I was thinking of was Amy Adams, in Enchanted, and she had a bunch of roaches, pigeons and sewer rats doing most of the work.

Asha texted me back. I knew I was going. She texted me her thanks. For sure, I knew I was going. As I sat and ate my food while excitement for the move, the exercise, the chance to hang out with my friends began to take over. I felt refreshed and ready to take on the day.

I arrived for the moving festivities at just the right time—despite hitting every red light, which I decided was God telling me there was no reason to rush. And got to work.

 

The men carried the heavy things, and the girls carried the reasonable things (I am not so much of a feminist that I need to try and prove I’m worthy of something just because I can carry heavy things. I can’t carry heavy things, I’m a girl!)

Chad, Mike and (superhero) Meg waited on the ramp while things were situated in the truck—and no, I did not just take pictures, I did move stuff. Like pillows and blankets. And books, I carried books too! They were heavy, my arms felt like jell-o, but in a good way.

Lora and Luke organized the truck, then unloaded the truck. Melissa organized the kitchen and found a place for each and every mug! (Believe me that was quite a feat.)

The move was successful. We relaxed for a minute while the guys went back for the heavy stuff. I was so glad God changed my heart (makes me tear up a bit now just thinking about it) and I know my friends were blessed by our work. I do regret not wearing my cowboy hat though, it would have looked super cute!