Um, April, where did you go??

Seriously, could this month have gone by any faster? It feels like just yesterday I was on Spring Break. Although April has been a good month, the Yates home is definitely glad it's almost over! Eric has FINALLY finished neurology - after 6 weeks of agonizing hours in his office studying. He has dermatology this week, a patient assessment next week, and two weeks of working with a doctor in town, and then he's officially a second year. Yay!

I am facing the realization that I only have 2 more weeks of teaching before I have to start getting my kids ready for finals, and I have WAY more than 2 weeks worth of material I want to cover. I am sure it breaks their hearts to know that they won't be learning about the present perfect tense this year.

Since we're preparing to go to Europe in July, I thought it would be fun to try to learn a little French and Italian. Italian is close enough to Spanish that I can readily comprehend it, but French? That is an entirely different story. So far, I can say "I want to order," and "You have to speak English," and "You do not have to dance." LoL. We will see how that turns out.

I was lucky enough to be tipped off to an amazing book sale this past weekend. Between the $5 Fill-Your-Bag special and perusing the shelves at McKay's (an amazing resale bookstore in NC), I was able to get about 40 new books (including a lot of new books and hardbacks) this weekend for less than a buck a piece. This, of course, led to the need for a new bookshelf, so Eric and I made our way to Sears Friday after his test and purchased one. I am a pretty big fan of how it turned out.


As always, I have been cooking, cooking, and cooking some more. Last Thursday I made these delicious Veggie Lasagna Bowls [Recipe below]. They were super-easy and a nice way to get in our vegetables for the day. I also made beef stew and chocolate creme brulee for my mom when she was visiting last weekend. ¡Muy delicioso! or maybe I should say "Bon Apetit!" (that's a least a little French, right?)



Then there's Oliver. He has taken to hiding inside things lately. We're not sure why. We have found him in bags, in boxes, in blankets... even in the shower. I don't know if he's not a fan of these extended daylight hours or if he just likes to play hide and seek, but he's definitely been on the winning end of the game. And even though I've never been much of a cat person, I have to say, he does something entertaining pretty much on a daily basis... so maybe cats aren't all bad.




So there's April for you. 4 more days of work; my dad is coming to visit Friday; and another month will conclude. Now if we can just make it through May... :-)

[Veggie Lasagna Cups]
1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Flaky Layers refrigerated original biscuits (8 biscuits)
1 cup vegetables
3/4 cup pasta sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (5 oz)

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Flatten dough, and inn ungreased muffin pan, press each biscuit into a muffin cup.
2. Cook vegetables as desired.
3. In small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and 1/4 teaspoon of the parsley. Spoon 1 rounded tablespoon ricotta mixture into each biscuit. Top each with 1 tablespoon mozzarella cheese and rounded 1/4 cup vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and parsley.
4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and filling is hot. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Carefully run knife around side of cups to loosen; remove from pan. Cool 10 minutes longer before serving. Serve warm.