On the road again... 5

Driving Day 3

Road Trip Day 2

Vacation Day 1

I've got it all figured out!

Today, somehow it all came together and I feel like Success. It's so hard to see it sometimes but today, today it worked and three of us had a nice day together with zero complaining and lots of accomplishments.

David's in Texas for work, Archer's working and I'm on crutches (long story) but I was able to share this recap with David about all we got done today. And it made me feel like I've got this Mom thing figured out.

10:20am Breakfast of Champions

Someone's making breakfast, just walked into the kitchen to find the oven's on and this on the counter 

10:40am Archer: I forgot to make my corn dogs!

I like when the kids stay up all night and then sleep late the next morning - I can read my book in peace and quiet. And wonder if the breakfast I ate (pretzels and french onion dip) was more or less healthy than Archer's breakfast. Questions to ponder...

Root River Rollers: Teammate Tuesday!

 

Teammate Tuesday!

Teammate Tuesday!

Teammate Tuesday!

We hear if you say it 3 times we'll start skating again. Did it work?

Alright, it might have not worked this time... but we still love to shout out our derby sisters!

This week we are talking to MAYHEM! When we think of Mayhem, we think of how tough and resilient she is. She's the type of person who, after breaking her leg in practice still shows up to cheer on her team. Taking fast laps with her teammates as they push her in a wheelchair. Then, when healed, straps those skates back on and pushes herself to learn & do more!

We love Mayhem and are so proud to call her our teammate! Here are some questions we asked for her fans!

1. When did you start derby?

I started spring 2019 at a Boot Camp and then the Fresh Meat program.

2. What made you interested in roller derby?

Everyone was super welcoming and it was something I'd never done before - seemed like good reasons to stick with it!

3. What is your roller derby name and why did he choose it?

My name's Mayhem, a little tougher version of my husband's nickname for me, Amy May.

4. Who's your hero on or off skates?

My husband. Almost nothing ruffles his feathers, he works harder than anyone I know and doesn't back down to challenges. He's always learning new things and getting the kids and I involved in learning them too. Thanks honey!

5. What did you want to be when you were a kid?

I wanted to move to Australia with my two BFFs and be a marine biologist and train dolphins. In the end, I wasn't as interested in science as I thought and didn't want to move so far from home.

6. What would you sing at karaoke night?

Brown Eyed Girl, Van Morrison

7. What makes you laugh the most?

All the stupid little inside jokes with my husband and kids. Like the time I accidentally called them all losers. They'll NEVER let me live that one down!

8. What is your fondest Derby memory?

Skating the 27/5 challenge and hearing my teammates cheering each other on, and making a new personal record. There's nothing like knowing you've got someone in your corner and seeing your improvement from week to week. So empowering!

9. What are you really good at, on or off skates?

Organizing - stuff, time, schedules. I can't guarantee any of it STAYS organized, but there you have it.

10. What are you most excited about when we can start skating again?

Skating together for 2 hours and going home with that endorphin high of working hard, playing hard and having a good time with great people. Can't wait to get the team back together again!

Field Trip & a Recipe

Christmas is fast approaching, we've got the tree up and presents neatly wrapped and stacked underneath. This has been some strange year. April was the longest year of my life, with days crawling by like months as the monotony of "Safer at Home" forced everyone inside. When I finally returned to the office in June, it seemed like things were maybe getting back towards normal. But as this year drags on, we keep looking for ways to have fun. While wearing masks. Avoiding crowds. Etc. This weekend we drove to a house whose family had filled the yard with Christmas. This was our adventure for the week, if you can call it that. It appeared that the lights were synchronized with music so we went searching for the radio station. What luck! We found the station! The lights flashed along to the tune but the song choice seemed strange, not holiday festivity but more love song crooning. And then, "Thank you for tuning in to Light Jazz..." Huh. Guess it wasn't the right station after all. Moving on. We drove to Culver's for a picnic in the van (they're not open for dining inside). A second trip through the drive-thru for dessert and then home. Nothing too exciting. But at this point, we just need something to break the everything's-the-same-every-day feeling that we have. Because everything's still cancelled.

Anyway, on to a recipe. Original is here, mine is below. I don't usually make recipes like this because too many ingredients and too many steps. But it was worth it, so we'll try to get it into the regular rotation.

Crispy Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast
salt & pepper to taste
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup panko crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup flour
1 cup oil for frying
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
1/2 cup shredded provelone
1/2 cup shredded parmesan

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450

Pound chicken breasts to a thickness of about 1/2 inch, season with salt & pepper

Beat the eggs together in a shallow bowl

Mix panko crumbs and 1/2 cup parmesan together in a shallow dish

Use a strainer or sifter to dust chicken breasts with flour

Dip the chicken into the eggs then the panko crumbs, set aside

Heat oil in frying pan until shimmering, fry chicken until golden on both sides, place in baking dish

Top each chicken breast with about 2 Tbsp tomato sauce, then sprinkle mozzarella, basil, provelone and parmesan on each

Drizzle a little olive oil over each breast

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, cheese should be brown and bubbly and chicken cooked through

Enjoy with a caprese salad on the side, or over garlic buttered noodles, whatever you've got the energy for.

It's a hit, we'll definitely make this again!

     

Keep Chuggin' Along

We're well into Work From Home, School From Home, Facemasks Everywhere mode.

It has become so normal to see facemasks on everyone that when we're watching TV, I'm surprised to see people not wearing them. Before we walk out the door from home - do you have a mask? Maybe we have an extra in the car. With really no end in sight. The school district just announced students will stay home "until further notice." The teachers are doing "daily check-ins" where students are supposed to put happy or sad faces into a chart or something - is this supposed to be how they take care of the kids' emotional health? Jumping jacks in the bedroom for gym class. These are strange times.

We've gotten into a new groove. No Scouts and no Skating but we've got other stuff now. I go for a walk every day after work and sometimes a kid or two will join me. Archer's got a job that gets him out of the house. Shelly and Eli are D&D gaming with some other kids. David has started repainting the inside of our house, one section at a time. Grandma & Grandpa show up with lunch for the kids every once in awhile, a nice diversion from the school schedule. More family time, for better or for worse, more family time. So much family time.

First Day in a New World

 

Here we go again! First day of school, everyone's taller than the year before, now we've got kids in 11th, 8th and 4th grade, they've got new teachers and new schedules.... And no one's going back to the schools. No one's getting on the bus, excited to see their friends again and nervous about the whole thing starting up for a brand new school year. Everything's online. After almost six months out of school, we're going back remotely. We've got all the hardware and software and this morning at 8:00 all of my kids started up the new school year. No backpacks, lunch boxes or shoes. Wear your jammies to school every day if you want. This is a whole new world of way to do stuff. Here we go!!

P.S. Dear Shelly, thanks for making breakfast for us this morning! Archer, thanks for helping E get his equipment up and running. And E? Thanks for getting up on time even though I didn't come to wake you up!