March, already?

Again, I can't quite believe how quickly time has passed. But it's been a pretty good run since my last post...

• I've been subbing almost every week lately...and I love it. I've found it's much more 'me' than being in a classroom everyday. I'm better able to laugh, chat and share with the kids because my mood is lighter.
• Over the course of 5-6 days, I have managed to single-handedly defeat the mealybug bastards cannibalizing my eggplant. Kudos to the kind soul that helped me diagnosis what creatures were murdering my previously productive pretty purple eggplant, as well as the fine makers of neem oil! I have once shown those insects who's boss.
• I've been yapping and scheming about it for over a year, and I finally did it! We hosted our first "Japan Night" at the house. With the help of my friend Y (who cooked some oishikata yakiudon), my parents (who cooked/rolled teriyaki/cream cheese rolls) and fine folks over at Hayashi's (massive sushi platter), we got it done. My only job was to cook some edamame, Japanese curry and a vegan tofu chocolate silk pie (it tastes better than it sounds). We had a few other foodie friends come over to join us, and were nervous that they'd reject our peasant food offerings...but they seemed to love it! So hurray for the first Japan Night, and here's hoping there are many more to come. (Because I already have the second one planned. Welcome to the fun world of Type A/OCDs.)
• After a brief hiccup from a groin injury at the gym that had me resting 3-4 days the week prior, I'm once again back at it. I was able to pull off my first 10-miler in over a month at a friend's birthday (run) celebration a few days ago. I'll admit it did me in a bit, as my body isn't used to the distance. I've tried to prepare myself that the 10k race I'm doing this weekend is going to be a 'fun run' after two back-to-back injuries/3 weeks of no running, but good luck getting my brain and heart to process that when I cross the finish line and see something like 1:10. I'm sure there will be plenty of expletives and mumbling, so if I you see there and you have either young children or delicate sensitivities, you've been warned. ;-)
• I got a new part-time, on call job as an HR investigator for a public agency. More up my alley professionally, but work will be veeeeery sporadic. 
• I just started to do a few things for Ryan's birthday. I'm pretty slow moving on these things, so I'll need the next few months to get it all together. This year we're mostly celebrating with a 2-night camping trip (in CABINS with plumbing and electric...thank you, sweet Jesus). So his party will be very small, with a Pokemon theme. I know I'm breaking my 'no-Ryan focused pictures' rule, but I couldn't resist sharing his adorable Pokemon trading card invitation!  

• On the note of Pokemon, this past week there's been a 'rare' Pikachu wearing a party hat that has the children going nuts trying to catch. I was dispatched by Ryan to try and catch this Pokemon on my morning errands/afternoon runs...but after three straight days of AM and PM hunting, nothing. And then finally...while on a run with friends, I found him one. I was so happy I think I screeched, and even threw in a few fist pumps. Because I only had 4% power left on my phone, it was even more dramatic and emotional of a moment than I'd anticipated. (The things we do for our young.)
• I'm so inspired by my friend Chef R's daily lunch specials at the tea shop that I went home and cooked a delicious pasta salad for our neighborhood watch potluck last week (and yes, you read that correctly. Welcome to my exciting social calendar). Like any lifelong chubby-person, I inhaled a third of it while/after I made it, saved a quarter of it for Rich's dinner, and served up the rest (thereby ensuring I got to eat even more of it). I rely heavily on friends with cooking talent to expose me to a few new recipes a year, so I'm grateful when it's something simple enough for me to replicate.

• I'm very much looking forward to this week before our spring break- Rich should not be working 60+ hour work weeks for the first time in two weeks. I get to work at school for two days in a very adorable class that I love. I'm getting my very first run analysis tomorrow by a kind new friend. This week is the annual school penny carnival (again, see comment above about my social life...this is the new version of fun in your forties, young 'uns). This weekend I get to go to a 10k beer run with a few friends, and a beer festival later that same night with Rich. I'm making a Pokeball pinata tonight with my son (I've proven that even with 5-6 pinatas under my belt, you can still remain sub-mediocre at pinata making. ;-) 

It'll be good week, for sure.