Thank You Teachers

 The time has finally come. The day we have been waiting for since August. THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!!

Well, almost. The teen has 3 days of finals this week, and then he will officially be a Junior. (Yes, I teared up a little even typing that word. Mom isn't handling the transition well.) In fact, as I write this he is studying for finals, trying to finish the year strong. 

Everyone who knows me knows I am not one of those moms who dread summer break, but instead I count down the days almost as much as my kid. Having my boys home with me is my happy place. In fact, I am sad that this summer will be a little different since the boy has a job and is hoping to get some extra hours. But I know there will still be plenty of time for the fun things we look forward to so much.

This year has definitely been one for the history books. Our school was in person, with no online option, and we supported that decision from the beginning. Alex needed to be in the classroom and after being home from March-August last year, he was SO ready to get back to his friends and classmates. 

His high school handled the entire Covid crisis the best way they could. When cases were on the rise back in the fall, they shut down for a couple weeks to try to curb the problem before it started. Then after Christmas break, they kept the kids home for a week to prevent a post holiday surge. They had planned Zoom days in the calendar to promote extra cleaning and rest for the staff. So while the past 8 months might not have been "normal" we truly feel like the school year was a success! 

One of the classes Alex took that he enjoyed the most was Nutrition and Wellness. So much so that he actually got an award for being one of the top students of the sophomore class! Among other lessons about food and nutrition, there were many cooking labs...and we all know how much my kid loves to be in the kitchen. He would get so excited to tell me what they were making; and I adored the days when he would text me from school with pictures of what he was cooking. He baked some righteous Snickerdoodles and made a drool-worthy omelet, even getting the skillet flip just right! Needless to say, his food blogger mama was super proud.

This recipe is one of the dishes they made that he was sure to bring the recipe home for because he wanted me to try it. So I saved it until now, as my way to say a BIG thank you to not only his teacher, and all the CLHS teachers, but every single teacher every where. All of you are true heroes and you deserve a huge round of applause for keeping the train on the tracks this school year. Our kids needed to keep learning, weather it be in the classroom or at home, and you all adapted and made sure they got what they needed most. 

If you're planning a Memorial Day picnic, cookout or backyard barbecue, this potato salad would make a great addition to your menu. It's a little different than any other tater salad I make, so it was a nice change up for us, and will definitely be on our summer time menu rotation. 

Thank you teachers, from all of us students and parents for all that you do. Enjoy your summer vacation, and we hope when we see you again in the fall, it's the beginning of tad less stressful school year!

Picnic Potato Salad

6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

5 hard boiled eggs, chopped

5 stalks celery, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

1 cup mayonnaise

1 TBS yellow mustard

1 TBS apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup dill pickle relish

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. sugar

Paprika

Salt and Pepper 

Cover the potatoes with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10-12 minutes until fork tender. Drain and allow to cool completely. In a medium bowl whisk together mayo, mustard, vinegar, relish, garlic powder, sugar, salt and pepper. When potatoes are cool, add to a large bowl with eggs, celery and onions. Pour dressing over and gently mix. Allow to chill an hour before serving. Garnish with paprika.  

 

Inspired by Center Cut Cook