Changes

Yesterday I made this blog private and began to mess with some of the features. One thing I certainly want to change is the blog title. I haven't settled on a new title, though, so I used the word change as a placeholder.

This morning, I realized that the word change is quite apropos for our lives right now. We are in for a season of major changes.Changes are always exciting. They bring with them a clean slate and a chance to reexamine my routines in order to upgrade my habits. I love to consider new possibilities and plan for new and better habits. I want to use this season of change to take a big step to having a fuller life and fostering more appreciation my blessings.

My big change goals for this fall include:

1. Finish the first chapter of my thesis.
2. Take more responsibility for the housework.
3. Make a fun fall bucket list and cross many things off the list.
4. Figure out exactly how much total debt we have.
5. Make a plan for retirement savings.
6. Finish a craft project.
7. Walk more along our local trails.
8. Blog.

The Best Things in Life: Casseroles

Maybe it's the lingering after-effects of the numerous church potluck dinners I attended as a child, but I love casseroles.

And really, what's not to love? It's warm and comforting. You can put the leftovers in refrigerator and then scoop it out and heat it up until its gone. And a casserole dish can go in the dishwasher--no dirty dishes!

Most of them are a complete meal in one dish: protein, starch, veggies. Lots of them include cheese, which is such a hot commodity in this household of three that I buy the huge 8 cup bags of shredded cheese. The two cup bags are for wimps. One notable exception is my favorite casserole, chicken and rice. My husband doesn't like it so I make it just for me. I would eat it for every meal. It reminds me of my childhood and my grandparents. Home is where the chicken and rice casserole is.

I also love how people from the Upper Midwest call them hotdishes. How great is that?

I like to make casseroles on Sunday because then I have lots of good leftovers to start off the week. 

The Best Things in Life: Michael Ian Black

Michael Ian Black is one of my favorite people-I-will-never-meet right now. Why? Let me tell you...

First, Wet Hot American Summer, of course. The poster for First Day of Camp has a totem pole-like stack of Paul Rudd on a motorcycle, Michael Ian Black's head and Amy Poehler's head right in the middle. It's so awesome that my husband texted me while I was at work to look it up.

But more importantly, Black hosts this podcast called "How to Be Amazing" and it's amazing. There is a new episode every other Wednesday and he interviews the most interesting people. The guest on today's episode is Nate Silver. Other guests have included Frank Rich, Carl Tanner, Amy Schumer, Tavi Gevinson, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Elizabeth Gilbert; fascinating people who have really interesting ways and have taken an out-of-the-ordinary path. Black asks great questions and ends each episode with a query of the "amazing five" (an amazing book, movie, food, music, and catch-all), which is a lot of fun.

The Best Things in Life: Harry Potter Book Club of Two

Today, J. K. Rowling announced that it is James S. Potter's first day of Hogwarts. To celebrate, I made a lazy person's version of pumpkin pasties. I also used this fact to convince my husband that we should start our Harry Potter Book Club of Two. We bought the set of Harry Potter paperbacks earlier this year so we could read the same book at the same time. He wanted to wait until it gets cooler, while I argued for starting at the start of the school year. I'm sure we would have waited until the holiday season if it hadn't been for this announcement.

I'm stoked to climb into our new bed with my hubby and start reading Harry Potter from the beginning. After a cup of tea and a pumpkin pasty, of course.

As we move through our book club selections, my plan is to make as many of these Harry Potter foods as is feasible. I am absolutely not going to make my own jelly beans or buy frog molds, but licorice wands, treacle tarts, and rock cakes I can do.