but i thought i WAS being spontaneous…

So, on Friday Andrew calls to ask if I want to go camping with some of his friends on Saturday night. As in, the-next-day-Saturday night. Less-than-24-hours-later Saturday night.

Of course, I said no.

No, because I wanted to RELAX during my first weekend free from school. I wanted to sleep in my own bed. I didn’t want to worry about organizing and packing (much less locating) all our camping gear up.

What’s that you say? Camping IS relaxing? Yes, camping is relaxing ONCE YOU’RE THERE and unpacked and the weather is perfect and SOMEONE ELSE did all the planning for you.

Well, once Andrew offered a little more information, like that he knew where our camping stuff was, and that the campsite was only a 30-minute drive and that we didn’t have to go until dinnertime on Saturday, and that another female had already taken care of much of the food planning, I started to warm up to the idea.

So we went. And it was fun. The location was actually the giant parcel of land (100 acres, maybe?) belonging to the family of one of Andrew’s co-workers. There was a tiny ‘cabin,’ but it was all but useless. Apparently it’s being remodeled/renovated later this summer…

Disclaimer: it’s looks a little red-neck, and maybe it was. I mean, there were dirt bikes for pete’s sake! At least they were all Moog engineers, (except me–a student–and the friends’ fiancee–a teacher) which really just means that the bikes were NICE and in good shape. I don’t know why, but that fact made me feel a bit better. I mean, we were in the sticks.

Hadrian had a blast. Actually, that would be understatement. He’s never had so much fun in his life. He’s still sleeping it off…

Dead trees were cut down with a chainsaw for firewood…

Bananas were sauteed in butter as appetizers… Amazing! Slice some up and throw them in a skillet with butter–I dare you not to love them.

Dinner: corn, beans x 2 and burgers (note Andrew’s cheese-less patty). Sahlen’s hot dogs and brats were next, as well as some surprisingly good Wegmans pre-made potato salad. I’m not usually into pre-made “tub” salads, but this one wasn’t bad at all. Actually kinda good. Must be the camping talking.

We set our tents up in row on the makeshift driveway. Thank goodness for air mattresses–I don’t care that it’s not hard-core camping; I value my sleep, AND my back!

Plus, there was NO TOILET. It was trees and thank-goodness-I thought-to-bring toilet-paper–tell me that’s not hard-core! I mean, even our boundary-waters trip up in Minnesota and Canada in which we had to CARRY OUR CANOES (wish I’d been blogging then!) came with holes in the ground at each campsite…

Not surprisingly, I was up before 6 a.m. the next morning. Between the birds and other woodland creatures, nature is just deafening at sunrise! I did, however, come prepared:

I paired a banana and some peanut butter with my Bible study and enjoyed some peace and quiet before people started stirring around 7:30.

Also brought running gear in case the opportunity presented itself. (It did, of course.)

I took Hadrian with me for a loop I think was about 2.5 to 3 miles. HUGE downhill one way, HUGE uphill the other. I dropped him off at the campsite and did it again myself, this time in reverse once I got to the bottom so I could run the middle, more shaded, less hilly length twice on the second go-around. Fifty-four minutes later, I was pooped!

We ended our short stay with Andrew giving one of the dirt bikes a try. He had fun, but I don’t think he’s itching to go buy one any time soon… That’s the problem with having lots of single male friends–they all have expensive toys!

Oh well, he has a (hot) wife 🙂 Or at least that’s what I keep telling him.

day in review

1. I’m eating muesli with a banana for dinner. In fact, I decided this morning to have a ‘detox’ day after I pretty much ate my weight in chocolate/Easter candy/snack foods yesterday, all before going out to dinner, where I ingested two beers, a friend bacon strip (I kid you not), a few onion rings, most of my cheeseburger and all of my fries. With ranch dressing. So yeah, a light day was in order. Actually, from the time I woke up this morning, it was like my body was telling me it wanted ‘real’ food, and my head actually agreed with it! I’ve pretty much had fruit, vegetables, a cereal bar and peanut butter only, and with any luck, end my day with a cup of tea.

2. I blame yesterday’s sweet-tooth-gone-out-of-control on many things: boredom, nervous energy about my upcoming tests, and the presence of Easter candy.

3. While running this morning, it started to hail. Hail, no matter how small, still stings one’s face.

4. I took my Micro test this morning and felt pretty good. I ended up with a 90%, which gives me a solid A in the class for the semester. In fact, the teacher already has it in her book. As she drops two of the six tests, I’m technically ‘done’ for the semester. I can now sit back, relax, and actually enjoy her lectures. (I will, in all likelihood, complete the take-home test in the hopes of dropping my lowest grade, but at least it’s a take-home.)

5. In addition to the above good news, I also found out that I can complete the last three Micro labs AT HOME using the internet (same teacher). So, basically, if I can manage to complete them all before next Wednesday, I can turn them all in and never go to lab again. My life just got a whole lot easier.

6. Which is a good thing, since test number 2 today was my Chem quiz, which I bombed. Well, a 72% isn’t exactly bombing it, but I wasn’t happy. I really thought I knew the stuff! I’ve decided I have test-anxiety when it comes to that subject…MUST. STUDY. HARDER.

7. Test number 3 this week is Stats, which is tomorrow afternoon. I actually feel pretty good about that one. Guess we’ll find out tomorrow.

8. The cat left a hairball on our bed this afternoon. Fantastic.

9. We still haven’t filed our taxes yet. We’re definitely “April 15th” people. Well, I shouldn’t really say “we.” Andrew does about 99.9% of it, so I guess he’s the procrastinator, but since I don’t really lift a finger to help, I can’t fault him too much.

10. I’m ending my day with session 2 of my Made to Crave Bible study lesson on DVD, with some toenail-painting and some more studying.

Easter weekend

Happy Belated Easter! I had all sorts of fun things to blog about this weekend, but kinda took the weekend ‘off’ and this is my first chance to sit down (Not really, I still have TONS of schoolwork to do, but this is somewhat time-sensitive, too. If I wait too long, it will be old news!) and type it all out.

There was LOTS going on this weekend for us, with Andrew’s grandmother visiting and Abigail home from school…

I ran in the Bunny Hop 5K…and scored SECOND PLACE in my age group! Holy smokes! Seriously…despite some of my recent PRs here and here, when I saw the 1,011-runner crowd lining up, all hopes of placing went right out the window. In fact, I was having a bad morning due to a sudden neck spasm and stress (what else is new?), so I really had to pep-talk my way through the entire (almost all uphill, if that’s possible) race.

The neat thing was that the course went right by Andrew’s parents’ driveway! I waved as I passed the first time… (I’m in pink and purple.)

Andrew’s family (and the dogs!) came out to cheer me on…

Here I am on the way back, just a 100 yards or so from the finish. LOVE my purple running pants!

Andrew was convinced I’d placed in my age group (based on the small number of ladies who finished ahead of me), so we waited around for what seemed like forever at the finish for them to post results.

At least the oranges were good and even the store-bought oatmeal raisin cookies were decent. Andrew ate my hot dog, but I caved and got another one and ate about half when the results still weren’t posted…

Sure enough, I DID place–I got SECOND! Prizes for the Bunny Hop are chocolate bunnies, which, despite their appropriateness, are (in my mind) a bit counterproductive. Carolyn had the brilliant idea to throw mine in the freezer and use it to bake with later. It’s currently crushed into small pieces and chilling with my other chocolate.

We spent the day relaxing at Andrew’s parents’ house and running errands on Main Street. We wanted to show grandma the new cupcake place, and while there, I picked up this little guy:

Perhaps the most memorable event was our dinner Saturday night, and, as usual, I got no photos. We ended up at a local hibachi grill/Japanese Steakhouse/sushi bar due to our large party (8) and lack of pre-panning (it was 6:30 and we were trying to find a restaurant without an hour wait). Can I just say the Layers aren’t big on change, ethnic food OR fish??

Let’s just say that if Carolyn’s face had frozen they way she was turning up her nose at the menu, she’s be one unhappy camper. In all honesty, Andrew and I were pretty nervous–we’d taken everyone here thinking it was akin to a Benihana, but it turned out to be about 95% sushi and sans-hibachi tables. Our table ended up with five chicken teriyakis, one beef teriyaki, one soba noodle and one edamame order with an Alaska roll. Can you tell which one was mine??

The night wasn’t a total loss; we ended up in a room of our own and had a few good laughs, and everyone got to experience a few things out of their comfort zone 🙂

Happy Easter morning! I got up early to cook breakfast 🙂

I made the Clinton Street Baking Co.’s buttermilk waffles (thanks for the book, Susy!), maple-roasted bacon and fruit. I even made the maple butter from the cookbook and it. was. divine. Even Andrew loved it.

As always, we did Easter baskets. Andrew’s is full of junk food and candy. I threw in a Bananagrams game, thinking it would be a good 2-person game for the house.

Andrew (as usual), went way overboard with my basket this year:

He collected all sorts of my favorite gourmet/health foods, like sweet potato chips, Luna bars, flavored seltzer, Starburst Jellybeans, Ritter chocolate with Marzipan (Heather introduced me to it before we moved last year)…

…brie and special topping…

…I’ve been DYING to try this chocolate bar since I saw it in a Food Network magazine like two years ago!

Dave sent me home with some Cadbury creme eggs last weekend, and I broke into it Easter morning! (I was good; I only ate half, though.)

Andrew particularly liked his tangerine-flavored Jelly Belly carrot. I had to force him to eat one before church… Seriously, who has to be forced to eat ONE jelly bean EVER? I wasn’t going to eat a bunch of candy all alone!

After church (we accompanied the Layers), we rushed home to finish our contributions to the meal and walk the dog before heading back to their house.

Butter ‘lambs; are a big deal around here. I saw them at the grocery store a week or so ago and wondered where they’d been all the other Easters of my life. Not where I lived, apparently.

I made caramelized pear, sage and orange biscuit bites, a recipe I found in a cookbook of Susy’s last time I was at her house. They were pretty darn good, but I don’t know if I’d make them again.

I also made Pioneer Woman’s Tres Leches cake for dessert. I. CAN’T. STOP. EATING. IT. Seriously. I had two pieces yesterday and two pieces (so far) today. Not good.

We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out before Abigail had to head back to school. I studied for my Micro test (I have THREE tests and a quiz this week…say a prayer for me, people!).

The rest of the family played ‘bean farmer,’ which I believe is really called Bonanza.

Andrew taught grandma.

Carolyn opted out and instead searched for dishes on the iPad.

After a light dinner of sandwiches and leftovers–not that anyone was terribly hungry–Andrew and I headed home to rescue the puppy and prep for the week ahead…if only I’d had another day off!

I’ll be up for air sometime on Thursday!