Picture 2: last day of vacation

Well, all good things must come to an end - including my vacation. I really like working at a school, because you get a loooooooooong vacation for Christmas. It is glorious, really. I got to go back to Illinois for a while week - and meet my niece Jael for the first time!!

But all of that is coming swiftly to a close. Work starts again tomorrow - at 8am! So on my last day I am sitting all cozy on my couch, candles lit, coffee in hand, with the Packer/Bear football game on in the background. Doing some projects I want to catch up on - checking facebook - writing emails. These times of solitude with nothing TRULY pressing are rare and I am going to take advantage of this one.

There is a light rain falling outside which makes staying inside cuddled up on the couch even more appealing. The rest of the day I plan to cuddle with my blanket, nap, drink more coffee, eat some more of that chocolate-pecan pie bar I made yesterday and maybe even read a book.

I am sure we'd get bored if vacations lasted forever - but on days like these I really wish they would.

Picture 1: food

So, I like it when people do the 365 days of pictures challenge (or whatever you call it). So, I thought I would do that. Only because, it would help me to blog more. I will take at least one picture a day (with my smartphone, just to be a bit most specific so no one gets really high expectations) and that'll give me something to write about. Here's to hoping not TOO many days will be "welp, here's my desk chair again" or "this is how many cups of coffee I drank TODAY." Let the creativity flow.

To kick us off I am going to talk about FOOD (shocker!). I had my lovely ladies over for a relaxing "Modern Family" marathon today. And I cooked up some chicken wings (delicious!) and then made....................

Chocolate-Pecan Pie Bars from my Kraft Foods magazine





















1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar (divided)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
8 squares Baker's semi-sweet chocolate (divided)
4 eggs (beaten)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Beat butter, flour, 1/2 cup sugar and salt with mixer until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press onto bottom of 15 x 10 x 1 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 20 min. (at 350) or until lightly browned.
Meanwhile, microwave corn syrup and 6 chocolate squares in large microwavable bowl on HIGH 2.5 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1.5 minutes; stir until completely melted. Add remaining sugar, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Stir in nuts. Pour over warm crust; spread to evenly cover crust.
Bake 35 minutes (at 350) or until filling is firm around edges but still slightly soft in center. Cool completely. Melt remaining chocolate squares as directed on package; drizzle over cooled bars. Let stand until chocolate is firm.

I wasn't extremely happy about how they turned out - I think it is because I did not have the proper size pan so I just ended up using a 9x13. But everyone that came over LOVED them and said they were delicious. And USUALLY they don't lie to me :)

Happy 2011. I hope you enjoy my pictures and where this crazy journey of life takes me these next 365 days. And if you don't....just stop reading my blog!

Outreach Ended Early

Last nights outreach to prostitutes was….strange. In a way I have never experienced in my three and a half years of doing this work. When we got out to the track it was scarce – hardly any people anywhere. After driving down the track for a while girls started coming out of nowhere. There were tons of them. We were excited to be able to interact with so many of the girls – most of them new. However, unlike most other nights, none of the girls were really interested in receiving the gift bags or talking with us. They were all very insistent in avoiding eye contact or concerned with getting away from us as soon as possible. One group of three women that I ran into began laughing about how they believed we were the police as they walked away from us. (as a side note: it has become very clear to me these last three years or so through this work I do that I would make TERRIBLE vice. Seriously, most people I run into on the street think I am a cop, I don’t know what it is about my look….probably that I’m so physically fit!).

The other thing that happened which was a first for us was a John started following us. We’ve been solicited before, but typically left alone as soon as a John figures out we’re not actually out there as a working lady. But this John was different, he for some reason would not stop his pursuit. We noticed him following our car as we drove off so we got on the freeway in an attempt to lose him. It worked for a while, but then he found us about 20 minutes later further down the track. Our team leader ended up making the wise decision that we needed to call it a night and leave since he seemed rather unpredictable showing up wherever we were and pulling over every time we were out of the car honking and trying to get our attention.

It was frustrating, because even as we were driving down the track to leave we saw around another 10 girls that we didn’t get a chance to talk to. Nights like that are a bit frustrating – and you feel like there is so much more you could have done. And most of all I don’t know why WE were the target of this man’s interest when there were at least another 20 girls out on the track that night, but it is what it is and I know we made the right decision in leaving. I pray for the girls we did not get a chance to talk to, that we would get an opportunity to interact with them in later weeks. And for those that think I’m vice, that I’ll eventually get to break down those walls and build some trust. And perhaps I am most thankful that I was given a glimpse into what these women have to face each evening – when they are stalked and perused by creepy men, except they don’t have the option of hopping on the freeway and heading home.

Lunch

For lunch today I went to...............................Taco Bell! What? Yes, yes I did. My roommate talked me into it. To be fair, he wasn't feeling well, and was wearing sweatpants and slippers at the time. HOW do you say no to someone in that state?

Back when I lived in the good 'ol Midwest there was a Taco Bell pretty near our house. We would eat there every so often (don't worry marmie, I won't tell how often). I would always get the meximelt. No one has ever heard of this which just baffles me because 1. it's the freakin' meximelt, it is delicious, everyone in the world should know what it is, and 2. it has remained on their menu for the past 20 something years so SOMEONE other than me is eating it or they would stop selling it, right?

Anyway, I have not been to a Taco Bell for about 8-10 years...somewhere in that range (little bit sad I broke that streak now, but I'll try not to think too much about it). While riding the car through the drive through (that was for BOTH Taco Bell and KFC....who doesn't want some fried chicken with their soft shelled taco....). I saw that "MEXIMELT" item listed on the menu and my luxurious childhood came flooding back to me. I knew I had to try it, but I was nervous it would not taste the same, or give me intestinal issues or have adapted into something totally different containing cheese wiz or sardines.

I am glad to report - the meximelt is STILL DELICIOUS! I am serious. You should go and pick one up. And then maybe some tums.

It's that time year

I just put my holiday flannel sheets on my bed. It's like sleeping in a hug.
I'm listening to Christmas music
And I'm drinking a vanilla misto in a holiday Starbucks cup.

I'm not saying I don't appreciate Thanksgiving and am trying to skip over it. I'm just saying I think it deserves to be celebrated in a similar manner.

I love this time of year. It's so cozy. I just want to light candles and fires and sit in a snuggie drinking cider all day!