bread, wine and the play offs

I am very excited that my beloved Cowboys FINALLY won a play off game. It was awful, that thirteen year stretch without a play off win.
Now, we are on to the play the Vikings next week. I think it is really sweet that Romo is going to play his childhood hero. I mean, can you imagine? I think that is how you would know that you had really arrived. The guy's jersey that you wore in middle school is now across the field from you and he is trying to beat YOU! And it is a testament to Favre's staying power. I really do like Favre, he's a class act, but it is time for the Cowboys to win and win and win! Go Cowboys!

Friday night was my book club. We read Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder. It is a book about Dr. Paul Farmer, who is a modern day saint, as far as I am concerned. He is trying to cure Tb around the world and to bring Haiti simple, good medical care. I couldn't believe that I was reading about a doctor trying to cure tb (yawn as a subject) but I was riveted. It was a fascinating, well written, interesting book. I couldn't put it down!

As to what I have made, Friday I worked really hard to get my CAFE reading notebook set up. Put in the individual pages for each kid and am getting things in place to start an intentional reading assessment center for my kids that I need to target with a lot more intensive instruction. I have to catch them up. I won't let them fail.

Saturday, I made a choice. I was feeling pretty blue in the early afternoon. I have been working really hard and haven't had a lot of time to recharge me. So, I decided to treat myself and go and get my nails done. It was really relaxing. I love that chair that you sit in for the pedicure. It rolls up and down your back. It leaves me a bit sore the nest day, but it is fabulous otherwise. Releases all that stress! The toes are Cowboys blue! The fingers are french manicured. I feel pretty, girly, and relaxed. And, you have to admire the salon that I go to--they had the football games on. I got done right in time to see kick off.

I have been trying to not go and spend money when I am emotional. Its a goal to stop that kind of spending, but I have been good now for 4 months, so getting my nails done was a small treat, and well worth it.

I made bread this afternoon. We were out and I didn't feel like going to the store for more. I want to become more self reliant and less store reliant. I haven't made homemade bread in a while. My picky family only likes the creepy white wonder type bread, much to my eternal sadness. How could you not just love homemade bread. I used Chocolate on my Cranium's white bread recipe. I made 3 regular white loaves and a 4th cinnamon bread for breakfast. I have this really cool bread proofer to my oven. It makes bread rising a snap, especially in the winter when our house seems cooler.

Gotta go put the bread in the oven......