Dinner and Dinosaurs

Let's start with dinner. I made the chicken tamale casserole last night. It was a new recipe and you never really know how it's going to turn out. Well, I am happy to report that it was quite tasty. Very southwestern comfort food. It was quick and easy as well...always a plus, especially on a week night.

I doubled it because I knew we had planned left-overs later in the week. I'm not sure if it is because I doubled it, but I had to increase the cooking time quite a bit. The recipe says to cook the cornbread mix for 15 minutes and then top with the enchilada sauce, chicken, and cheese. My cornbread was basically raw at 15 minutes. I didn't really time it but I think I left it in there for about half an hour...it was soft in the middle but not raw. Then I followed the rest of the recipe. I will make this one again. I don't know if it will be in the regular rotation, but it will see my table again.


Now for the dinosaurs. I teach kindergarten. We have been studying dinosaurs. A major hit, especially with my boys. We try to take our grade level on a field trip after each of our units so that they can apply what they have been learning in the classroom to the outside world. Today was the annual excursion to the Natural Science Museum. It was such fun to hear the kids running around talking about herbivores and carnivores, telling their friends to look at the triceratops' frill, and the oohs and ahhs over preserved dinosaur eggs.



Our classes also went to the butterfly habitat. I did not realize that a butterfly only lives for two weeks. How sad. I will be more appreciative of them in the future.


Kindergarten had a great time. But the kindergarten teachers are pooped. I spent my day counting to 22, ensuring that all of my little ones were in place. Sounds easy, but I assure you it is mentally taxing. More than one of our chaperones was looking forward to having an adult beverage this evening.

Which brings me back to dinner...thank goodness for left-overs.