I was looking through some photos because that was one of the reasons I started Friday Photo in the first place. I wanted to post some of my photos. Here is a rose from 2010.
Archive for October, 2020
Pretty Rose From The Past
Posted by terrepruitt on October 30, 2020
Posted in Friday Photo | Tagged: 2010, Friday Photo, rose | 4 Comments »
Another Photo Of A Cat In A Box
Posted by terrepruitt on October 23, 2020
This is Teagan in a box. Originally this box was slated for another purpose, but Nessa took it over. It was primarily her box for a while, but then Teagan started using it. They have several boxes around the house that they share. Teagan for a Friday Photo.
Posted in Friday Photo | Tagged: beautiful girl, black cat, cat in a box, Friday Photo, Teagan | 5 Comments »
Pumpkin Cookies
Posted by terrepruitt on October 19, 2020
I don’t actually have pictures of these because I have not made them (at the time of this posting), but I was looking through my e-mail for something and I saw that I had sent this recipe to my niece for the umpteenth time and every time I send it I tell her I am going to put it on my blog to make it easier for the both of us and I never have. But the last time I sent it I said for sure I am going to post it THIS TIME. I know that if I wait until I actually make them I might post it not so I thought I had better just put it on here and then maybe it will inspire me to make them and I can take pictures and add them to the post.
These are delicious. I like to make little ones so they are almost bite size, but larger ones that take a couple of bites are good too. Mini semi-chocolate chips are the BEST, but if you only can find regular-sized chips that works too! Ha. Make ’em how you like to eat ’em. They are sooo good!
This is an ancient recipe my mom used to make. So ancient that the actual recipe was from the newspaper.
I personally don’t remember if I have ever gotten the “makes about” out of ANY cookie recipe, but you may have so I am going to tell you that the original recipe says “makes about 6 dozen”, but the recipe here has twice the ingredients than in the original recipe. I don’t think I have ever gotten 12 dozen out of this recipe. I will let you know when I make them.
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Pumpkin Cookies
1 cup butter (softened)
3 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon together. Mix it. Add the dried mixture to the creamed mixture and mix well. Add the walnuts and chocolate chips; mix thoroughly.
Drop by teaspoon (or whatever you use) onto a well-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350° F for 10 to 15 minutes (depending on the size) or until lightly browned. You want to make sure the cookie is cooked . . . these ones are not good slightly raw like some cookies.
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Ahhhh, now I want to make them. I will try to do it soon so I can put some pictures up.
Even if you don’t like pumpkin – which I didn’t when I started eating these as a kid – you will like these, probably. They aren’t heavily pumpkin flavored. But they are moist and yummy. Enjoy.
Let me know what you think!!!
EDITED, 12.19.20 to add pictures of cookies . . . hence the sleigh Christmas decoration. I do not decorate for Christmas in October.
Posted in "Recipes", Food | Tagged: cookies, fall recipe, mom's recipe, newspaper recipe, niece, pumpkin cookies, Sara, walnuts | Leave a Comment »
New Way To Connect
Posted by terrepruitt on October 14, 2020
I was recently listening to a recorded meeting for Nia teachers and one of them came on camera to share something she was doing as a way for her to learn a routine and connect with students. The teacher said that she had “pop-up” Zooms where they just popped on for 15 or 20 minutes to review a song and that was it. I thought this was a great way to connect with community during this time when we can’t actually meet in person, so I tried it today. We had a great time.
This being the first time I decided to do this “pop-up” Zoom right after our regular Nia class. I was thinking that it would be easier for the students to just stay then if it were a separate meeting. I figured the Nia students would stay and more people could join. I had notified people of the plan ahead of time. My husband pointed out that advance notification makes it not truly a “pop-up”. To which I responded, that since it was not in my monthly e-mail or on my website I was considering it a “pop-up”.**
When everyone arrived I quickly spoke a bit about katas, what Nia calls a combination of moves. The katas were what I wanted to focus on, the arrangement of the katas can be changed and would take a lot longer than 15 minutes to learn so that was not what this meeting was for — AND THAT WAS THE PART I WAS TRYING TO LEARN. Simple review, me showing/explaining, then them doing. I would check in after each kata and with a “thumbs up” response we would move to the next one. I reviewed the three katas in the song, and then we basically did them to music in the order in which we reviewed them. To me I often feel a review of moves does not prepare me for doing them with the music, so we did them to the song. Then after a “thumbs up” all around we danced the entire song.
The moves were so easy and I didn’t talk too much beforehand so we finished – having danced the song twice – in 20 minutes. We had a lot of fun. I picked a really easy song so we could get through it and have fun.
Thanks to Joan T. for her idea. I think we are going to do it again! Although the next time I will probably send out advanced notification and I might put it on my website so I might have to change the name to a “pop-in”. Pop in, learn the song then go about your day. I want it to be a quick thing so people will come and we can keep it light and fun.
What do you think?
Are you or your teachers finding ways to stay connected while we are not have in-person classes? What are you all doing?
**(edited 11.19.20) I am not calling this quick “non-classes” POP-INS, and having actually classes that are Pop-Ups!
Posted in Nia | Tagged: classes online, community building, Ignite, kata, Nia, Nia class, Nia routine, Nia teachers, virtual classes, Zoom pop-in, Zoom pop-up | Leave a Comment »
Changes For Nia Members And Teachers
Posted by terrepruitt on October 12, 2020
Ahhh, today there were two meetings on Zoom to introduce the new options for Members and Teachers. There was one for brand new Nia White Belt Graduates, since I just attended that training I was able to listen to that one. Then there was one for people who are current Nia Members and I am a current Nia member. So in light of those meetings I feel like it is the perfect time to post this post that has been sitting on my desktop. I want to remind readers that I am a Nia teacher, I teach a dance exercise class called Nia. Nia is really much, much more than that, but that is how I describe it when talking about what I teach. I have written many posts about it and I have a lot of information about it on my website. Nia was initially created by two people, Debbie Rosas and Carlos AyaRosas. Carlos left the organization in, I believe it was 2010. Debbie has continued the work. It is so difficult to describe what “the work” means. She continues to learn about the body and why it needs to move and then applies that to trainings. It is multi-dimensional. I am posting this as a reminder that anything I post about Nia has come from their/her teachings. As I have said many times before not everything in Nia is new . . . they did not invent the moves we do in Nia, but they have added their own way of doing them and learning them and showing how they can help you move in your body more comfortably. In addition to that reminder I want to remind people that many of the movement class forms (Zumba, PiYo, etc.) that you may take require the teacher to be licensed. Nia is one of those things. I pay a fee in order to market my class as “Nia”. And Nia is introducing new ways that people can be licensed.
When I directly quote Debbie or the material I state it. As a Nia teacher we are encouraged to share information about Nia. I have taken pictures of our routine covers and I have created documents myself. I have also used pages of The Nia Technique Book. But I don’t post pictures of the training material from the belts. ANYONE can buy The Nia Technique Book, but only a participant receives the training material – well, now I can say only a graduate as a current member receives the training material. 🙂 (This is part of the new options.) I share the information about the belt trainings to entice you into wanting more.
Nia is giving options on licensing. It used to be that if you wanted to teach you paid a licensing fee – either monthly or annually. That fee came with a lot of things . . . DVDs of the routines (music, the choreography, and the additional training for a routine), teleconference calls, written articles, handouts, and various stuff, now the routines are on NiaTV and there are podcasts and other recorded things. There are meditations and various types of movements including routines with the 52 Moves and Moving to Heal . . . there is a plethora of stuff. Nia is going to have three tiers in which people can stay connected to the wealth of Nia training, they will still have the monthly NiaTV subscription if you just want access to Nia Workout Videos, Music, and Podcasts. The tiers just relate to the additional stuff that is part of Nia.
They are putting up a new website this week (hopefully Wednesday, 10/14/20) so you will be able to get all the details there. I do not want to start to list them because I don’t want to misstate anything. It is better for you to get the information from the source. I am just giving you a heads up to let you know that there are options now. And with Nia there is always a huge amount of material to access. So as a member you can get a lot of information and if you want to teach you get more. Each tier adds on stuff we will have access too.
Since the old website is going away and it will have a new look, I thought I would post my profile page as a photo for this post. I really hope that you will look into Nia . . . you can look into as a movement practice (if you like to dance) or if you want more. Keep in mind the new website should be up this week.
So exciting! Who wants to talk about Nia with me?
Posted in Nia | Tagged: Carlos Rosas, dance exercise, Dancing Through Life, Debbie Rosas, Nia license, Nia members, Nia Practice, Nia routines, Nia teachers, Nia training, Nia website, Nia White Belt Graduates, NiaNow.com, NiaTV, Sacred Athlete, Sacred Livelihood, Zumba license | Leave a Comment »
Brought To You By Nessa
Posted by terrepruitt on October 9, 2020
And today’s Friday Photo is Nessa. I was scrolling through my phone and was surprised by the clarity of this photo. That’s it, nothing special – except for the subject matter herself. Nessa and I were playing.
Posted in Cats, Friday Photo, Teagan and Nessa | Tagged: Friday Photo, Nessa, tortie | 8 Comments »
Full Belly Farm Pizza Dough
Posted by terrepruitt on October 7, 2020
We haven’t had outside prepared food since February or maybe March. I really wanted a pizza . . . now I kinda want anything that I would normally have just to have a treat . . . for now we are not having takeout of any kind, so I am making pizza. I don’t make the dough. Dough and I have a love-hate relationship; I LOVE to eat it, but I HATE to “deal” with it. It always just sticks to my hands and I can’t deal with that. People say to use more flour but then I just end up with flour all over the place and dough stuck to my hands. A friend who used to make pizza every Friday night says she uses a bit of oil. I tried that and realized it works. So I use more than a bit of oil. At first I was just putting it in the bowl with the dough (bringing it to room temperature seems like a must) and flouring the pan, but then I decided to put oil on the pan. My niece gave me the idea to use parchment paper to roll out the dough because I was ending up with dough all over my hands AND my rolling pin. I have to put oil on the parchment paper so it doesn’t stick, but I am able to just wipe the roller off because there is no dough or even oil on it at all. Parchment paper (and my niece) to the rescue. So this isn’t really a recipe, it is just me showing how I “make” pizza. And the terrible job shaping that I do.
I roll it out directly on my pans and my pans are soooo warped that I can’t make a nice shape, I have to make whatever shape is required to try to get the dough somewhat even. Whatever the case and whatever the shape the dough from Full Belly Farm is delicious.
I take the one ball of dough and split it to make two pizzas . . . a his and a hers.
I LOVE mushrooms on my pizza and I prefer they get cooked FIRST, so I have to cook the mushrooms. I don’t really LOVE tomato sauce so I usually just put that on my husband’s pizza. I just use a bit of olive oil. Most times it is just mozzarella and mushrooms, sometimes breakfast sausage. But I asked for Ricotta (my husband does the shopping) and they didn’t have the regular kind and my husband bought some out of the deli case. I don’t know about your grocery store, but things in the deli case at our supermarket tend to be the more “gourmet” kind of stuff and definitely more expensive. This ricotta was sooooooo good. It was so smooth and creamy. Yum. I wish I would have noticed the lid was upside down when I took the pictures. I turned the tub so I could read the side but didn’t even notice the lid. I was focused on the reflection of the pizza dough label. (Ok, so I can’t take pictures NOR deal with pizza dough!)
Our pizzas turn our pretty yummy. And we get to pig out on pizza two days. Even though the crust is really thin it is yummy. Next time I am going to try a different approach to the dough and see how that goes. I might even try rolling it out on something that is flat so I can maybe get an even crust. I don’t know transferring the dough sounds too “iffy”. We will see.
I wrote a post about DIY pizza in August 2018, I mentioned thinking the dough needs to be cold . . . it seems easier to handle but the instructions and my professional pizza making friends says it needs to be room temp so when I remember that is what I try to do.
So . . . how do YOU deal with pizza dough? Do you make your own? Do you roll it or do you stretch it? What is your favorite pizza topping?
The edges were getting too crispy on this so they were picked off before I thought to take a picture . . . then after it was cooked I completely forgot about taking pictures!
Posted in Food | Tagged: DIY Pizza, Full Belly Farm, making pizza, mushrooms, parchment paper, pizza, pizza dough, shelter-in-place eating, takeout | 6 Comments »
That’s A Wrap – FIRST EVERY Nia Belt Training Online
Posted by terrepruitt on October 5, 2020
Ahhh . . . so today was the actual last day of the FIRST EVER NIA WHITE BELT TRAINING ONLINE! Ok, I just want to clarify it was not only the first Nia White Belt Training online, it was the first Nia Belt Training online – ever. So it was super special! If you have read this journey from the beginning you may know, but just in case you haven’t I want to summarize briefly. Nia is a holistic wellness system, I call it a practice (like yoga) . . . through it, I teach cardio dance classes. Nia has levels of learning called belts. The first one is the Nia White Belt. The belts have thirteen principles (yoga has limbs). The principles can be applied to everyday life so you do not have to have teaching Nia in mind when you take the training. The Nia White Belt is all about the body and living in sensation. For some it is a reminder to dance through life and enjoy living in the body — for others that is a totally new and unique concept. Regardless it is a really amazing experience. I have said over and over Nia isn’t always about NEW stuff but the way Nia describes things and relates it to life it very cool. The training was two hours, once a week over sixteen weeks and it is over. I am going to go out on a limb and say we are all sad. I know that is very presumptuous, but I really believe it to be true. We are all sad that it is over. It was an amazing experience and we are sad it is done. But we are also happy because there is a lot more to come. With Nia there is always more.
Today was not really what I was thinking it would be . . . a little disappointed that it wasn’t more of a ceremony, but it was very celebratory and joyous. We actually spent most of the time moving. We spent A LOT of the time dancing. We danced and Debbie reviewed the Nia White Belt Principles 2020. It was awesome.
Last week we were told there is new stuff and we would be told about it today, but I am guessing they couldn’t fit it all in so we are having another meeting next week that is going to explain the membership. If you want to teach you have to pay to do so . . . pretty much like every single licensed thing out there. Instructors pay for Zumba, PiYo, and all the things out there so that isn’t new, but the pay structure is going to change . . . so that is what I wanted to hear about today, but that didn’t happen. We danced and that was fun.
Even though we were not together in a room dancing, it really did feel like community. Especially when the host (we were on Zoom) shared everyone dancing, my entire screen was full of people dancing all over the world! That is amazing to me. I so love the idea of that. I know that I danced with a woman in Africa, a woman in Germany, a woman in Tennessee, a woman in Washington, two women in Texas, a woman in Idaho, and a woman in Chile. I don’t know where everyone else was but we were all together and we were dancing.
This was the second time I have taken the White Belt, the first time was in 2008 and an audit in 2009, but this was a full retake and the material was new. Again, the way it was presented was new, the language was new, but the core teachings are the same. I keep emphasizing that because that is important to me. Nia is not an opinion, which can change, it is a system based on science and ancient teachings so the base is consistent, yet it adjusts and grows.
Today was really fun. I loved moving and dancing with everyone.
I hope that you choose to explore more about Nia. I have posted about the thirteen Nia White Belt Principles 2020 I just studied (and will continue to study) and I have posted about Nia before. There is information on this blog and my site and of course, information about the trainings on Nianow.com
In Joy!
Posted in 2020 Nia White Belt Principles, Nia | Tagged: dancing via Zoom, Debbie Rosas, First Nia Belt Training online, graduation, holistic wellness system, licensing fees, Nia Classes, Nia Practice, Nia Technique, Nia training, Nia White Belt Principles, Nia White Belt Training, NiaNow.com, PiYo, Yoga, Zuma | Leave a Comment »
This Little Bird
Posted by terrepruitt on October 2, 2020
I thought I had posted all of the pictures of watercolors that I had. All of the watercolors I have posted were from the San Jose Community Centers where I used to teach yoga, Nia, and stretch. Most of them were from Willow Glen, a couple (I think it was two) were the Camden Community Center. The Willow Glen Community Center always had such great art. This is the last one. He is bright and beautiful and I share him with you for today’s Friday Photo.
Posted in Friday Photo | Tagged: Camden Community Center, colorful bird, Friday Photo, Nia, San Jose Community Centers, watercolors, Willow Glen Community Center, Yoga | 2 Comments »
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