Workin' 9 to 5

I am at a training for the rest of this week and next that is called ISP Supervisor Academy.  Training is from 8am-4pm and I feel like there is not enough hours in the day to do it all!

I was never a very good school student and I've always known going back to school while having a full time job and a rewarding life would be difficult. I find I am exhausted and not very motivated to do the required reading and spend the time studying. I have not been sleeping well through the night either so that makes exhaustion ten times worse.

Yesterday I felt especially drained after training. I like our instructor. He is funny and knows when to insert interesting stuff (mostly funny clips and comics) into the presentation to keep it moving and not feel dull. However, he isn't very good at staying on track and each day we are behind schedule. It also feels at times you are listening to stuff that isn't relevant to what we will be tested on. I have MAJOR test anxiety and he keeps telling us "not to sweat the test."  Maybe I should take his advise and relax a bit?

I am also trying to wake up at 5am to get in a workout before the day starts. Since I've not been sleeping well I skipped my workout yesterday morning. I needed to do some house cleaning for my annual Hawaiian party this Saturday so that was my exercise.  I've been packing my lunch which has not been very creative.  Due to the lack of extra time for snacking and the short sessions in class I find I am doing okay with just breakfast and lunch.  I have some granola bars on hand and am usually ready for something to tide me over when I get home from training.  It is a bit easier to manage my PPV when I'm not filling as many hours with food.

I didn't have any actual scheduled blogs ready to post so I am sorry this one is quite drab. I'll try to get something more exciting lined up for you in the days to come (when I find the time). I always thought I wanted a 9am-5pm job but I really do miss the extra downtime I seem to have at my regular job and the access to a computer all day. I think I am more productive having computer access than I am sitting in a classroom watching a Powerpoint slide and complaining about my supervisor.

With that...I better get to studying!

Pancake Mix Muffins

After making blueberry muffins last week and throwing most of them in the trash, it made me want to make one of my old go-to muffin recipes that I know is delicious.  In my early WW days I was baking frequently substituting applesauce for oil.  I found a recipe for muffins using Aunt Jemima’s whole wheat pancake mix and I made them often.  It has been a while and I can’t seem to find the recipe.  I did a Google search and found a muffin recipe on the Aunt Jemima’s website.  I was pretty sure this was the recipe.  I made the substitution of applesauce for oil and halved the recipe so only making six muffins.

Original recipe is here.

I was shopping at Albertson’s at the time I was looking for the pancake mix and there wasn’t any whole wheat Aunt Jemima.  I went for Hodgson Mill.  I have tried their whole wheat/grain muffin mixes before and like them.

These muffins are SUPER easy to make.  Mix the dry in one bowl and the wet in another.

Then mix the wet ingredients into the bowl of the dry ingredients.

Spray your muffin pan, or use liners, and fill. 

Bake them for about 15 minutes.  My oven was already hot so these got a bit brown.

Cool and enjoy.  I had mine with a bit of butter and some honey.  You know I’m about to tell you they would be good with peanut butter!

Makes 6 muffins

3 PPVs per muffin

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat pancake mix

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 cup milk (I used 1%)

8 tsp honey

1 egg white

1/8 cup unsweetened applesauce

½ tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 425

Spray a muffin tin or use liners

Directions:

• In one bowl combine pancake mix and cinnamon

• In another bowl combine milk, honey, egg white, applesauce, and vanilla.  Use a whisk and mix well.  Honey will settle to the bottom but it will still mix.

• Add the wet ingredients into the bowl if dry ingredients.  Mix well.

• Using a ladle or measuring cup distributes the mix evenly among six muffin cups.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes until muffins are golden brown .
• Allow to cool in pan for 2 minutes and then move wire rack and cool completely.

The Gardening Wind Chime

Grandma A. loved to garden. When she had her home in Melba you would often find her outside in the garden or tending to her many roses that lined the property. When she moved into my parents house she was living in the downstairs area. Later when her mobility started to weaken and she wasn't able to walk the stairs as easily she was moved to the upstairs formal living room. On a visit to Cracker Barrel I spotted a gardening wind chime that I knew was perfect for Grandma A. Dad hung it on the side of the curtain rod where she could see it everyday.

After she passed away the upstairs living room was returned to its original form and her electronic bed was moved out. My Mom offered me the gardening wind chime as I had been the one to give it to her. Grandma A.'s wind chime has hung on our back porch for the last five years. Every time the wind picks up and I hear its tune I think of Grandma A.

Imagine my surprise when I spotted the gardening wind chime on the ground. After five years of making beautiful sounds part of the strings had given out. I collected all the pieces thinking I would take it apart and put it into a keepsake box. Then I realized there was probably a way to re-string it. After a quick Google search (isn't Google great) we were back in business! Kenyon bought me some fishing line and I carefully took apart each strand, re-stringing the beads and metal pieces, and putting it back together.

Once again I can think of Grandma A. when I hear her wind chime dangling in the breeze.