A Letter to the Blizzard

"The snow itself is lonely or, if you prefer, self-sufficient. There is no other time when the whole world seems composed of one thing and one thing only."
~ Joseph Wood Krutch

Dear Bliz,

I risk sounding rude, but I must tell you that your little antics drive my Chad-o insane. As you probably already know, most of the north-east finds itself safely indoors, enjoying hot cocoa, movies or long winter naps.

But not Ninja...no sir-ree. He constantly spends his free time shoveling and cleaning out the driveway and dusting off the cars. Recently though, I've become quite concerned. You see, he deems it perfectly necessary to shovel the roof. Yes, the roof of the house.

I understand that you're having a blast unleashing your unharnessed fury upon us small and meek mortals, but seriously, do you understand? My husband has taken to shoveling the roof! And, unfortunately he's been up there 3 or 4 times since Saturday. Forgive me, but I've lost count.

I'm in a rough spot here. I kinda like, I mean I really like, all of this snow. I find it cozy and relaxing, but then again, I'm not out climbing around on the roof. I'm fully enjoying my snowday vacations and making the most of this unplanned time off.

The boy, however, doesn't feel the same way. He's annoyed. And, perhaps a bit paranoid about the roof caving in. I tend to think he might be acting a bit extreme, but I suppose it pays to be prepared.

In closing, I just wanted to ask that you keep up the good work- at least well enough to cancel school- but take it a bit easier on dear Chad-0. He just might lose it. Or fall. Yikes!

Thanks for listening.

Snow Much Fun

"The aging process has you firmly in its grasp if you never get the urge to throw a snowball."

~Doug Larson

I started out last Saturday day with a pile of ironing and a boat-load of laundry. No thanks. Most weekends I iron and iron and then iron a bit more. I fold piles of under-roos, stack towels, and do that flippie thing with socks.

But, as I watched the Blizzard of 2010 pour heaping piles of snow upon my little neighborhood, I suddenly felt these tiny little pangs of silliness and irresponsibility. Without hesitating, I text messaged my friend, Alicia.

Me: "Have snow pants?"

Her: "Yes, why?"

Me: "We are walking to Starbucks."

Her: "Sounds fun. Let's go."

Twenty minutes later, I walked through the snow covered streets to pick her up. Our little snow adventure turned into an entire afternoon of fun, laughs and memory making. So much for that laundry. It wasn't seen again until 9:30 pm on Monday night.

We probably walked through 6 miles of thick, ankle deep snow. And, due to the 33 inches of fluff, Starbucks actually closed. No worries. Sheetz came to the rescue, and their coffee proved quite a warm treat.

Severe snow storms prove highly entertaining for people such as myself. It almost seems as if all the laws and rules that typically apply, are thrown out the window and into the sub-zero air. Fun!

As we walked down the middle of Main Street, going the wrong direction, we passed this lovely ATV. We also had encounters with the National Guard and a few snowmobiles that were serving as rescue vehicles for our fire department. Desperate times call for desperate measures, right?

I can honestly say that the Starbucks Walk turned into one of the most fun adventures I've had in a long time. I mean really, how many times can you just toss on some snow pants, walk down the middle of every major road in town and drink coffee with good friends?

Live the moment. Live every day like it's your last.

A New Favorite

"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art."

- La Rochefoucauld

Not working much (Thank you snow!) has afforded me the opportunity to play around in the kitchen, experiment with new foods and dine on some delicious treats.

Recently I've become obsessed with quinoa. The yum factor and texture have my taste buds smiling and my brain thinking up new ways to incorporate this little grain into more meals and recipes.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers, anyone?
Veggies and beans and quinoa not only exist as the perfect pepper stuffer, but also provide quite the protein kick and nutritional value.

Yum. Yum. Yum.

Quiet Morning

"Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open."

~BKS Iyengar

Yesterday, as the snow tumbled from the sky and the roads piled high with slush and ice, I used my amazingly accurate teacher's intuition to predict another day off from school.

Although my phone didn't ring with the cancellation news until sometime early this morning, I pretty much figured my 'no school prediction' would be correct.

Since I was so super-positive of my approaching day off, I decided to spend last night baking up this extremely tasty and wonderfully healthy homemade vegan granola. However, I might have done myself more harm than good-- I can't stop eating it.

Today, however, I had a most wonderful time. Me and CT sat in complete silence, ate berry yogurt with homemade granola and watched the snow flip-flop in the bitter wind.

Quiet, peaceful mornings and an unscheduled day off from work- there's nothing better.

Puppy Paddle- The Freestyle Version

"Whoever said you can't buy happiness

forgot about little puppies."

~ Gene Hill

Charlie T. and Papa Bear enjoyed a little playtime in the puffy white fluff. Thirty-three inches of snow provided the perfect outlet for frolicking, fetching and taking a winter swim.

Not to brag or anything, but CT has always been quite the master at the puppy paddle. You should see her go when we take her to the lake or even when we give her a shower. It's priceless.

She loved the snow, but more importantly, she earned her snow swimming badge. Without a doubt, this puppy is tops.

Tiny Sweet Feets

"An artist is someone who produces things that people don't need to have, but that he- for some reason- thinks it would be a good idea to give them."

~ Andy Warhol

I'm slightly obsessed with knitting up these tiny footies. I could seriously sit and make these all the live long day. Therefore, I'm pretty much thrilled that the snow shall fly this weekend and reach heights of up to 13 inches.

If you're planning on contacting me on Saturday or Sunday, you may try the gym or the couch. My plans include running, knitting and eating.

Let it snow. Let it snow. Let it snow.

Those Days, These Days

"As busy as I claim to be,

I've still got the greatest job in the world."

~Peter Criss

I remember a specific conversation between my college roommate and I. We sat, perched on our apartment floor with a taco pizza, some DOS, more commonly known as Diet Orange Soda, and watched our favorite television show, "Felicity." How I would love to warp back to 1704 and relive some of those moments. Good times. Na- scratch that. Awesome times.

We studied a lot- probably too much. We both put huge amounts of pressure on ourselves and success served as the only option. However, Tuesday nights were our nights to take the hour from 9:00-10:00 to eat and talk and forget about looming tests and unwritten papers. We hauled ourselves out of the library and set up shop in the Utopian world of NYC, where our friend Felicity served coffee at Dean and Deluca and dated an exceptionally attractive guy named Nole. I still hate myself for not living that cosmopolitan dream, but that's another post for another time.

I remember how we were totally angry with all the work we had to accomplish. Actually, I specifically remember staying up until 4:30 am that night/morning, studying and practicing problems for my Statistics mid-term that would promptly arrive at 10:30 am.

We'd have given our right arms to trade places with Felicity. She had an amazing industrial-style apartment, studied art at NYU and had that easy, relaxed style that couldn't be copied. And, naturally, she never had big tests or insanely long papers to write. She painted at an easel with natural sunshine streaming through the window. Na- we weren't jealous- not one bit.

However, that spohisticated life wasn't in our cards. We found ourselves bogged down with uninspiring work: statistics problems, f-scales, standard deviations...an analysis of the Freudian Theory as depicted in the movie "American Beauty," and a 4 page proof for Descarte's philosophy, "Cogito, ergo sum."

At some point, between the chowing and studying, I commented, "I can't wait to get a job. Then, when my work day is over I can go home and be finished- done for the day. There won't be any more of this studying every free moment, hauling books around and being a slave to my safely guarded stash of floppy discs."

We talked about this for awhile, about how nice it was going to be when we could leave work and go home and "exist."

Well, go figure, but that never really happened.

I've found myself so busy these days. My days are packed with work, meetings, grading papers, planning lessons, analyzing my assessment data, differentiating my instruction, finishing report cards and thinking about all the other things I need/should be doing to help push my students to the next level. I type plans at home, grade papers at the kitchen table and research the latest books while sitting at my couch.

So much for that innocent conversation on one December evening in 2003.
At least some young student who recently celebrated her birthday brought me this cute mini-cupcake. I didn't eat it though-- I gave it to one of my munchkins.

I Should Have Been a Bear

"Bread deals with living things, with giving life, with growth, with the seed, the grain that nurtures. It is not coincidence that we say bread is the staff of life."
~Lionel Poilane

Food has always had a tight grip on my heart, and unfortunately, continues to toy with me. Constantly taunting me and roping me in, carbs--specifically sweet, warm goodness-- exist as something I simply can't avoid.

So, leave it to me to scour some of my favorite recipe sites and stumble upon a heavenly morsel of yummy delight. I really need to find a better way to spend my time. Obviously, innocently glancing at a few recipes only added fuel to my already sad, sad food obsession.

Low-fat Oatmeal Banana Bread.

Figures.

The plus-- it's low-fat.

Thank you, God. Really, thank you.

The last thing I needed was an excuse to whip out my bread baking tools and concoct another carbohydrate packed treat. However, I fell-- hook, line and sinker-- and before I knew it, my pen took on a life of its own, quickly scrawling a grocery list of necessary ingredients.

I dreamed of this bread all day. Seriously. As I flitted about my classroom, graded papers and worked out at the gym, it hung in the eves of my mind, begging me to rush home begin the baking process.

Well, I caved. I gave in.

I did make an honest attempt to make "low-fat" even more low-fat. Thanks to a few simple modifications, my version is practically fat-free. Isn't that better? It almost makes it alright to eat until my heart's content.

Now, all I want to do is hoard every last piece and take a long, long nap. Bears really live the life. Hibernation must be amazing.

Sweet Sunday

"Sunday clears away the rust of the whole week."

~Joseph Addison

I live for days like today. Outside it's gloomy and drizzling and gray, providing the extra little nudge I need to slack and relax. And, sigh, I'm quite exhausted.

I've already accomplished the important things like working out and eating a delicious bowl of Alicia's veggie soup, so I'm thinking a movie, some tea and then some book time will occupy the remainder of today's events. Maybe I'll even bake some homemade bread later... yes, that sounds wonderful.

Happy Sunday. Happy Resting.

Found: Perry Bear

"The past is our definition."

~W.B.

During the middle of an exceptionally busy morning, the most strange memory crept into my mind. Funny, isn't it? When I'm completely engrossed in something of great importance, my mind flashes to a teddy bear from my past.

Many years ago, I had a little teddy bear and his name was Perry. Oddly, this tiny stuffed toy went everywhere with me. He lived in my backpack, hung out in my purse, sat on my nightstand or traveled in my coat pocket.

Perry was my friend.

Somehow, in between the hustle and bustle of being a college student and moving away from home, I lost track of Perry Bear.
Sad, huh? I wonder if his feelings were hurt?

I busied myself being grown-up and important and cool. (or so I thought...) But not Perry. He quietly sat, waited patiently and called a storage box home-- waiting, waiting, waiting for me to remember him.

And I did- just the other day. I pictured my old little friend and had a burning desire to find him and have him back in my life. After an e-mail to my mom and a desperate search of my childhood treasures, she found him- safely tucked away.

I'm quite certain that his new blue tea cup provides a lovely new home for him. Finally, we're together again.

Happily ever after.

A Ball of Energy

"If we're not willing to settle for junk living,

we certainly shouldn't settle for junk food."

~Sally Edwards

Thanks to my pal, Alicia, these babies are quickly becoming a staple in the Wheeler casa. We're talking serious nutrition, tons of protein and all natural ingredients. It's a winner, for sure.

1 c Honey

1 c Crunchy Peanut Butter

1 c Protein Powder

4 cups total- any variety of the following: flax seed, Honey Bunches of Oats, rolled oats

Mix the honey and peanut butter together and then fold in the dry ingredients. Allow mixture to chill in the fridge for an hour. Then, roll into balls and enjoy.

I enjoy these treats right before I go to the gym for an energy kick. However, if you're feeling a bit lazy, they are perfect with a cold glass of almond milk or a hot cup of tea. These, my dearies, are pretty much perfection at its finest.

Hi Tofu

"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."

~Albert Einstein

Thinking back, I'm not really sure how the transformation happened. I suppose it was a gentle one, as I didn't give up meat "cold turkey." Ha. The last time I remember eating any type of meat would have been Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and before that I was meat free from the beginning of November.

For the better part of my teenage and adult life I've practiced extreme food awareness. I've never drank a caloric drink that wasn't a specialty coffee and I don't think I've ever eaten a french fry, unless of course I stole a few off of Chad-o's plate. I've ran hundreds of thousands of miles, entered countless races and made my cardiovascular health a top priority.

I won't lie. Much of my food awareness stems from vanity. On the other hand, making positive food choices results in my having an overall better attitude and higher self-confidence. While a delicious scoop of french onion dip and a bowl of salty chips may initially taste delicious, I'll feel like a toad for the next four days.

"Why? Why? Why? Why did I put that trash in my body?" I'll beg of myself.

I've been wanting to convert to a vegetarian lifestyle for a long while. I switched over to soy milk last year, and recently I made the change from soy to almond milk. It's wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.

For a few years I've eaten veggie burgers and soy patties for lunch, but I never thought making a complete transformation would work with a carnivore husband. I've gotta hand it to him, he's been beyond supportive. When I have a fridge full of tofu and hummus and make tofu tacos for me and meat tacos for him, he just grins. He even ate my vegetarian shepard's pie the other night. I know he didn't love it, but he was nice and said it wasn't too bad.

Recently I read a book that made me perform some serious soul searching. Skinny Bitch, a rather biased view on how to live a healthy lifestyle, had me entirely re-evaluating my eating habbits and making serious changes. It's a tad fanatical, and like I mentioned- biased, but highly informative and ridiculously disturbing. Read it.

Tonight I whipped up a super easy, insanely healthy tofu stir-fry. Delicious.

Also, vegetarianism falls into my "live simply" theme. Simple foods--wholesome, healthy, humane.

Beautiful Day

"Life: It is about the gift not the package it comes in."

~Dennis P. Costea, Jr.

It's still freezing, but at least the sun has her sweet face out today. In some way it's a bit refreshing, like an unexpected laugh or fantastic present for no reason at all.

I feel settled today, which is exactly how I didn't expect to feel when I woke up.

Annoyed, peeved, a bit aggravated? Yea. Settled, content, a bit relaxed? Nope. I just wasn't feeling it.

Something about an "off day" elliptical workout turned things around. Well, most likely it wasn't the workout, but the little chat with my dearest pal.

Thank you. You made my day.

Narnia, Somerset Style

"Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter. Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom, but we hope it, we know it."

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Chilly, yes. You could say so.

...blustery snow...

... icicles merging with shrubs...

...a concealed lamppost...

...pointy daggers outside the bedroom window...

A Teacher's Snow Day

"Oh! the snow, the beautiful snow

Filling the sky and earth below

Over the housetops, over the street

Over the heads of the people you meet

Dancing, flirting, skimming along"

~J. Watson

Today brought more snow, ice and freezing-ness, along with another school cancellation.

No complaints from me.

I've been having a grand ol' time.

Staying Warm

"Ahh, but it's cold outside."

~lyrics by Frank Loesser

To say that I've outdone myself the past few days would be an extreme stretch. Between the cold, wind and snow squalls, not to mention the canceled school, I've found myself with some extra time for what I love best- my knitting.

Last year I rediscovered this pre-Christian art form. Since then, I've managed to knit lots of creations, but other than 2 practice washcloths, I've given the rest away.

This year for Christmas I received a "Comfort and Joy" box from my mama. Inside I found all types of delightful goodies and cozy treats. One of my most favorite doo-dads emerged as this hand-dyed wool/silk yarn from Chile. If you could only feels its luscious texture, you'd be a fan, too. Go figure, I get excited over a skein of yarn.

I knew I wanted to make something special. I also knew I wanted to try and learn something new. After much though, I finally decided to knit a hat, something that we Pennsylvanians refer to as a "snookie".

After all, this freezing weather appears to have settled in and I am in desperate need of a stylish, soft and warm piece of winter apparel.

Tiny Toasties

"Joy is the holy fire which keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow."

~Helen Keller

Saying that it's cold outside doesn't even begin to explain it. I'm freezing my tootsies off, just like I have been all day. Even a 4.5 mile run, a hot shower and endless cups of tea can't seem to solve the problem. And when I say cold, I don't mean the little chills you get from letting the puppy in and out to potty. Nope. I mean cold- freezing to the core- bone chilling cold.

Burr...

But, being a freezing ice princess does have it's perks. I've found it to provide me with the perfect excuse to curl up with my yarn and work on these tiny toe warmers. If only I had some in my size. Then, just then, I might find myself a bit more snug.

These little critters, which I'm dubbing "Tiny Toasties" are for a friend of mine. She delivered a beautiful baby girl on Christmas Eve. I can't fathom a more wonderful present.

Currently I'm debating about the buttons. Back and forth I go, never really able to reach a solid decision. Upon telling my mama about my newest endeavor, she kindly shared Mamoo's old button box with me.

I might be going out on a limb, but I'm quite certain Mamoo would have been pretty impressed with my use of a pair of buttons she bought in 1984 at a store called Murphy's. She paid 47 cents.

I don't know, perhaps it's the thought that I'm making good use out of something my grandmother had lofty aspirations for, but I'm beginning to warm up. ...wink...