the changes keep a-comin'

I believe I announced that I found a new job, right? I had my last day at my old job on Friday, and I planned some special activities with the kids -- I had purchased several books for the center as a good-bye gift for the kids, which they were excited to open, they suggested we make smoothies for snack, and I decided, kind of last-minute, that I would request bag lunches from the catering program and we would have a picnic! Thankfully, the weather cooperated on Friday -- it was gorgeous! One of my co-workers snuck some pictures of us while we were chilling, and they are far enough away that I feel comfortable posting one of them for you to enjoy!

The rest of the day was pretty rough, (the kids were cranky, bickering, and whining all day long,) but our picnic was wonderful! We all sat, ate, talked, and watched the older elementary school kids play on the playground for almost an hour! Food tastes better outside, doesn't it?

Anyhow, my first day at the new job yesterday was a welcome change. :) I spent my first day in an all-staff training on diversity, which could have been campy and awful, but was actually thoughtful, interesting, provocative, and well-planned. (Plus, lunch was provided, and it was from the Holy Land Deli! YUM!!!!!!!!!) I head in today at noon to train more with my supervisor on the specifics of my new position, and will stay late tonight for a staff meeting. Wednesday, I will start my usual shift! It's been nice to ease in and have a short break from dealing with children all day long. Don't get me wrong . . . I love kids, but we all need a break every now and then, don't we? ;) (I'm sure stay-at-home parents can relate!)

I was chatting with an acquaintance before yoga last night, (last class of the Ashtanga series I took this spring,) and he suggested that 2011 is "a year of new beginnings" for me -- indeed!

cooking, picnic-ing, and (more) hiking

It's hot here . . .

. . . but I discovered the trick to cooking though the heat while still not owning an air conditioner -- I only cook after 10 pm! This way, even if I have to turn on the oven and heat up the apartment, it's cooled off again by morning. Wahoo! Cooking during the summer is fun again! I made a couple of things last week:


Jerk Tofu (from the Post Punk Kitchen) with a side of baked sweet potato and garlic-roasted asparagus . . .


. . . and red lentil stew with saffron rice and cilantro yogurt cream. (The stew and cream were from an old issue of Cooking Light magazine, and I made up the rice.)

Also, I picked up a bunch of very delicious picnic-type foods, (hummus, wholegrain pita, orange cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, feta, stuffed grape leaves, and tabouli,) made some homemade lemonade (1 cup sugar, 1 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice, and 6 cups of water,) and packed up a meal to go for Dan and I last Friday. (No pics of the food, sorry!) We drove down to Minnehaha Creek, set up picnic camp at the bottom of the falls, ate a bunch, and then walked off our lunch along the creek.

The falls:


Alternate view of the falls (looking down from the top):


Minnehaha Creek:


Views along the creek:








I'm planning sushi for dinner tomorrow night, (which you've seen a million times before, so I won't bore you with additional photos,) and have no idea what I'll come up with these next couple of days, so stay tuned! (And stay cool!)