Fair On The Square Pretties

Sorry, to have just rushed away in that last post, but my parents had just driven up and I got excited! I hadn't seen them since July so I was ready. We're having a wonderful visit so far. Yesterday, we drove into Houston to see my cousin's new apartment and celebrate (though a little belated!) her birthday. I even baked her a spice cake (her favorite) for the occassion. Unfortunately, I didn't inherit my Mimi's cake decorating skills (or much else of her cooking skills) but Amanda assured me that the cake was yummy!

Today was the 33rd annual Fair on the Square in my little town. It always falls on the first weekend in October which is usually right around my birthday. It's basically a huge arts and crafts show set up around the courthouse. I love arts and crafts shows. How wonderfully thoughtful of Huntsville to decide to hold something I love right around my birthday!

My mom assures me that my birthday is the reason that they come and visit, but I know that she enjoys Fair on the Square as much as I do! Today turned out to be a good day for the whole event. It rained early this morning so it was sort of cool and there was a nice breeze. We got a great parking spot and while there were a lot of people it wasn't terribly crowded like last year. Most of the booths are the same year to year, but I found a few things I just couldn't live without!


If you couldn't tell I have a thing for apples! My kitchen is decorated in shades of lime, red, blue, and apples. I thought this oven hanging towel was so pretty. I especially love the little bushel of apples at the top. You can't tell from this picture but there is a lemon yogurt bread baking behind that pretty towel. (I'm experimenting and it smells delicious! How many wish you were on my Chirstmas baking list now?!)


I also found this sweet nativity. I have a thing for those too! Some people collect snowmen or Santas, but I love to collect nativities. I usually get two to three new ones each year. I found this one and thought it was an unique twist on the whole nativity scene. I love it!

The time goes so quickly when my parents are here, but we're trying to make the most of it. Tonight my dad and I are going to a college football game. That used to be our "daddy-daughter date night" thing when I was in high school. He'd take me to all the home games. These days I don't get to spend nearly enough time with him so this is a nice way to catch up. Tomorrow we might drive out by the lake...who knows...well after presents of course!

Thank you for all the wonderful birthday wishes! Sometmes I go over board (or as my mom says, "You just need to grow up!") with talking about and celebrating my birthday, but I can't help it. She who has the most birthdays lives the longest!

Happy Birthday To Me!

Usually I make a huge deal of my birthday because...well it's my birthday! All this week I've been counting down the days. Well, today is officially two days from my birthday. It's on Sunday, but the partying begins now!

My parents are on their way to visit. I'm truly excited about this because I haven't seen them since July. For an only child who is close to both parents that is a long stretch. And speaking of long stretches...they just pulled up!

Details after the weekend.

Happy birthday to me!!!

Thumbs Up

I figured everyone was tired of reading about my itches (which thanks for all the well wishes - relief is slow in coming but it is coming!), but today was a pretty low key day. Nothing really to write about...nothing really inspiring.

So, what is a girl to do when she needs a new post? Get a questionnaire thingy from www.blogthings.com of course! I had this real scientific way of choosing which one. I simply scrolled down and just clicked.

You Are the Thumb

You're unique and flexible. And you defy any category. Mentally strong and agile, you do things your own way. And you do them well. You are a natural leader... but also truly a loner. You inspire many but connect with few. You get along well with: The Middle Finger Stay away from: The Pinky

What Finger Are You?

Week Of The Itch

I itch!

At first, I thought I was just feeling sympathy for my mom (who spent several hours in the ER this weekend due to an allergic reaction) or maybe my friend Lindsey who has suffered from poison ivy. Now, I'm not so sure.

I have several bug bites on my foot and ankle. I'm pretty sure I'm a magnet for things that creep and crawl and bite. Saturday night I was locked out of my house (long story about a cheap landlady and a door that swells and locks me out) and I had to wait for the landlady to bring her extra key to me. Five minutes on my porch and I was eaten alive. Thank goodness for Benadryl itch gel.

And then there is the other itch. (Sorry guys...probably want to turn back now.) The itch that involves a blunt tipped syringe, waddling like a pinguin to bed, and lying still for about 20 minutes. Ladies you know what I mean. My friend Gela suggested I get in touch with my inner dude and scratch in the privacy under my desk. I refrained...just barely. That was probably too much information...sorry.

Now, if you'll excuse me I have some creams to apply.

Where In The World

Just recently, I added a counter to the bottom of my blog. I'd seen this counter on other blogs and it was pretty neat. It told me the cities that I'd had visitors from on a daily basis. I average about 20 visitors a day and it was interesting to see where those visitors were coming from. Some I knew who they were but others were a mystery. I even had some hits from other countries!

Anyway, I have to admit I'd become a little addicted to seeing the cities and trying to guess who might have stopped by and left a comment. It was a fun little game. Unfortunately I wasn't too great at it. It all kind of makes me wonder who these people are that stop by. I love getting comments and "meeting" new people so to speak through my blog. I wanted to just shout out for those people from other countries or other cities to leave a little hi in the comment box!

Well, I had the counter set up by city and now it's gone freaky and started just listing the countries. It's pretty weird how the thing just changed itself. Well, I deleted it, went back to the Neocounter site and re-selected the daily cities counter. I put it on my blog and low and behold the stupid countries one popped up again. I did this whole routine of deleting and making a new one twice now and I'm at the frustration point. That comes so quickly when I don't understand what I'm doing.

So, if you're a Neocounter expert and can help me please do so. Otherwise, I'm just going back to being blissfully unaware of who stops by here. And if you're a lurker, feel free to say hi in the comments. I won't bite...promise!

**Post Script: I think I may have figured it out! I think I had just signed up for a free trial so I went back and paid the relatively low fee for a year's worth of looking at who stops by and viola...my old counter is back! This seems like a fix, but given my experience with technology this could be a band-aid that is already losing it's sticky grip. We shall see! **

They Don't Get Much Better

Today was good on a lot of levels.

It was Friday.
It was payday (and my step raise kicked in...not much but more than I was getting!).
It was mac and cheese day in the cafeteria (you know the really cheesy clog you up for a week cheesy kind).
There were also veggie sticks in the cafeteria.
My lesson plans are in and I'm 93% ready for Monday morning.
I had a very enjoyable dinner out tonight.

And today's goodness is running over into tomorrow.

It will be Saturday.
I will get to sleep late.
The only chore on my plate is laundry (let's face it...it never goes off my plate!).
I'm going shopping (okay so it's only grocery shopping but shopping is shopping!).

So, like I said...the days don't get much better than this!

Laughter Is Good For The Soul

I'm one of the lucky ones. The easily amused lucky ones I mean. During a really horrible year in college (I had the roomie from hell) I had basically forgotten to take some time and laugh. My mom reminded me that I've always been a happy person and sometimes you've just got to laugh to keep from going insane (or to prison for killing aforementioned roomie). She told me that as a baby/toddler she'd hear me in the other room just laughing and entertaining myself. I think those moments were pretty precious to her. So, apparently it started young. Yep, I often crack myself up and find humor in the most absurd things.

For example, I have certain words that just tickle my funny bone. Wiener (and not for any dirty reason) is one of them. I remember being in Houston on a Girl Scout trip one year and seeing a department store called Wieners. What an odd name for a department store don't you think? It was probably a men's store... Anyway, that word just stuck. I have a couple of friends that will toss it into the conversation just to get me going and I'm ashamed to admit that it works pretty well.

Another word is Twinkies. This one is sorta steeped in a dirty history (which to my mom's probable delight I'll skip sharing) but that word just makes me giggle. It could have been the context in which it was used but I'll never say the word the same again. I'm giggling now and I'm just typing it! Good grief.

Well, yesterday I got to add another word to the list. Waft. I know...seems like a harmless word. It all started before our Open House (like meet the teacher sorta) at school and one of the other teachers asked me to sniff her to see if she smelled like Subway. I (apparently not so subtly) leaned in and sniffed. I didn't smell anything sandwhichy. But just to be sure I gently fanned my paper in my hand to waft any scent over to my nose. (Yes, this is how tired teachers spend the night...sniffing each other.) Anyway, she asked what I was doing and I told her I was seeing if any scent wafted over.

Apparently, she'd never heard the term waft and wanted to know if I'd gotten confused and meant queefed. I quickly assured her that I wasn't the one confused! Well, that started a whole waft conversation and ended up with her telling another teacher to "Waft this!". I'm sure something is completely lost in translation but the scene was pretty funny. Well, today everything was waft this or waft that. And I spent a good portion of the day giggling to myself.

Words aren't the only thing that amuse me, but I think I should wrap this up. I would imagine many are thinking I'm something of a nut and well...maybe you're right. But I'm a happy nut!

Lock Down

Our school went into lock down today. That basically means that you need to stay in your classroom and lock your doors. You also need to know where your kids are at all times. The whole lock down happened because a prisoner escaped from a local prison, killed a prison guard, took a hostage, and was considered armed and dangerous. I suppose this situation is bound to happen what with living in a town known for it's prison system. The whole situation was resolved by late this afternoon, but not without the death of at least one person and several people probably traumatized. Thankfully, the kids were blissfully unaware of what was happening outside of the school walls.

The world we live in is a scary one. In college, the professors don't teach you what to do when the angry student confronts you with a gun or what to do with the verbally abusive parent who thinks you can do no right in regards to his child. How to comfort the child that had no food last night and no one to tuck her in isn't a class you'll find in any course catalog. The strength and courage to put yourself on the line for a child that isn't yours is something that you must already have inside when you decide to become a teacher.

Even though I knew we were relatively safe inside our classroom and our day continued without upset, I couldn't help but think about what we'd do if for some reason we weren't completely safe. And I knew that I'd do whatever I could do to protect those sixteen babies in my classroom. One of my boys asked me later in the afternoon why we went into lock down. I told him that sometimes it is important to practice ways that teachers keep students safe. He replied with, "You'd keep me safe?" What else could I say? "Of course I'd do anything I could to keep you safe." Whatever that anything might be, I know that something inside of me would would allow me to do it without a second thought or a moment's hesitation. And that is kind of scary too.

Religious Field Trips

Don't fret...this isn't a religious "I'm-going-to-convert-you" type of post.

Having grown up in the middle of the Bible belt, my faith and love of God has always played a major role in my life. Thankfully, I was blessed with parents that taught me the importance of God and took me to church and actively lived their faith as an example for me. Regardless of what your faith is, I'm sure you can agree that having parents that practice what the preach is always an asset. Anyway, while my parents took me to church and lived Christian lives in front of me they didn't raise a religious nut either.

Please don't misunderstand, my faith is strong and important to me. I believe Jesus Christ was the Son of God, was born of a virgin, and died and was resurrected to save me from eternity in Hell, but I also don't try to push that on to other people. Christians have gotten a bad rap for being a bunch of religious nuts who are judgemental and hypocritical. And some are, but most of us aren't.

Anyway, religion as a whole has become a fasination for me over the last several years. Some people might see that as my faith is wavering, but I assure you that it isn't. I know this interest began when I met my friend Becky. She was raised Catholic (and I hope she doesn't mind me saying that on here) and I was raised Baptist. When we were roommates in college she would sometimes take me to Mass with her on Saturday night and she'd occassionally come to Sunday school and service with me on Sunday morning. She never pushed her religion onto me and hopefully she feels the same way about me. It was neat to get to see and experience something totally different from the way I was raised. And she was always patient with all my questions about her faith. I'm curious by nature so I asked everything and anything. I really enjoyed picking her brain about the Catholic faith.

Here lately, I have another friend that allows me to indulge that curiousity in regards to the Jewish faith. Sometimes I worry that I'm offensive in my lack of knowledge of the faith, but he's always patient with helping me understand certain traditions. I honestly find it fasinating! Anyway, something was said today (and now I can't even remember what it was) but I discovered that one of our new teachers is Jewish too. She was impressed I knew that today was Yom Kippur. I really should have said it was because it was written on my calendar but nonetheless she was impressed. Of course I didn't know what it meant (evidenced in the fact that I wished her a Happy Yom Kippur to which she replied that it's not exactly a happy holiday) but she appreciated it all the same. Hey sometimes it really is the thought that counts! She's not a religous nut either (her words) because she's rather relaxed on certain things in her faith.

I mentioned to her my enjoyment of learning about other faiths and she said I'd have to come with her to a service sometime. That's when I told her about how Becky and I would visit each other's church. She loved the idea of a religious field trip to explore another faith. We spent about twenty minutes talking about the differences in our faiths and comparing notes on the parts that were similar. She even jokingly gave me homework (find out three facts and bring her an article of Jewish clothing...silly girl!) but I think I'm going to take her up on the offer to visit her church. I mean synagogue. Anyway, I think it'll be neat to go and add this to my religous experiences.

Now, I feel like I should add that while I do enjoy learning about other faiths this only strengthens my own faith. I feel that I bring an open mind to the table (though not so open my brains might fall out) and can experience it without worry that I'm converting or losing my own faith along the way. I still feel strongly that my faith is right and true, but it never hurts to say that you've got some knowledge about other religions under your belt. And that is how I look at it...learning about something new while not forgetting what is most important at the center of my life and faith.

I think that makes me a well-rounded person right?!

Use Kind Words

At our school we model and encourage everyone to be friends. More importantly we use the term friend instead of classmate. For example, I remind the kids daily that we have to walk quietly in the hall because we don't want to disturb our other friends in another class. It really helps build that sense of community and friendship. Lately, I've been having to remind my students daily to use nice kind words with their friends. And that is a little troubling.

Then I realized that lately I'm having to remember to use kind words with a friend of mine. And that's even more troubling.

Remember when everyone was your friend and your world basically crashed when the hurtful words "I'm not gonna be your friend anymore!" were tossed out? I've been on both sides (though mostly in my younger days) and I think it hurts all the way around. With my kids, I can remind them that it hurts when we hear that (even if we don't really mean it) and that we need to treat people the way we would want to be treated. As grown-ups it's a little more complicated.

What do you do when you treat someone (insert friend's name here) the way you'd like to be treated and his/her response is nothing? I really think it's a fine line between getting one's panties in a wad over nothing and truly having the right to be upset. And right now I'm not sure which side of the line I'm on. That is a frustrating place to be.

This isn't something I'm proud to admit and it's cost me a few friendships through the years but I'm the type that would rather shut down and walk away rather than confront someone about how they feel about a friendship with me. I remember this one friend, Trisha, in middle school. (I know...middle school...we're so mature about things at that age but just go with it.) She was really nice and friendly to me and others in our circle and then suddenly she just stopped talking to me. She'd say hi in the hallway, but that was it. I didn't have the courage to flat out ask if I'd done something or if she didn't want to be my friend anymore. I didn't want to hear the answer if it was yes. So, I stopped talking to her and the friendship simply faded. I still don't know if it was because I'd done something or not...I never did ask.

Unfortunately, I'm still that way in friendships and now that I'm older relationships. I'd rather break ties first than be the one left. And instead of having a huge blow up I simply keep silent and back away. That sounds pretty pathetic huh?

Anyway, I don't know if this post was just a ramble or if I have a point I'm trying to make. I just know that I have a friend (at least that is how I think of our relationship) and I'm kind of tired of trying to reach out to come back with nothing. I don't like not knowing where I stand. I don't like not having control over this situation.

I miss my friend.

A Right Trial In The Kitchen Department

Remember a few weeks ago, my gracious neighbor put my new battery on my car in exchange for a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies? In theory that seemed so reasonable and easy to do. In actuality, well it was my usual kitchen disaster. Okay, perhaps the word disaster isn't quite right since the ultimate result was pretty sweet.

Saturday I picked out a recipe (www.foodtv.com was a huge help since oatmeal raisin cookies aren't in my recipe box) and checked to see what ingredients I'd need to buy. Yes, I picked the recipe that had the least ingredients...is that wrong? Anyway, after a quick trip to the local grocery store I had my oats and raisins and I was ready to go.

Along time ago, my mom taught me that you double check all ingredients and equipment before you start mixing to make sure that you have everything. Well, all I can say is thank goodness I checked. And that's when I discovered that I had the hand held part of the mixer but the beaters were mysteriously missing. How the heck am I supposed to cream the sugar and butter without the beaters?! This was almost enough to make me scrap the whole idea of cookies.

I didn't think I could put off this any longer...I mean I've been driving that car for several days and I figured he'd need some cookies soon too. So, I grabbed a whisk and decided I could cream anything if I beat it long enough. Off I started on those cookies. I was doing great until I came to the flour part of the recipe. I opened the canister and dipped in my measuring cup and came out with flour and some tiny moving things. What the heck? I'm not great in the kitchen but I'm pretty sure flour isn't enriched with bugs. I quickly dumped the whole canister of flour and took the trash out. Thankfully I had a bug free new bag of flour in the pantry.

At this point I was beginning to wonder if perhaps cookies were such a smart idea. No beaters and unexpected bugs (which my mom later clarified as weevils). But when you've got a bowl full of cinnamony oatmeal cookie batter you've got to follow through. I put in the first batch and prayed that they came out okay. Amazingly, the first batch came out and smelled pretty good. I let them cool and then gave them a taste test. They weren't bad so I kept baking.

Four batches later I had several dozen cookies cooled and ready to be delivered. I haven't heard anything back from him about the cookies but I didn't hear any ambulance sirens in the night either. I guess I shouldn't go on and on about what a bad cook I am (I mean I can cook) but it usually comes with some amusing story or the smoke alarm going off.

Now if you'll excuse me there is an oatmeal raisin cookie calling my name!

Ugh....

...it's that day of the week. Chore day. Ick, that leaves a bad taste in my mouth and I'm just typing it! Apparently sometime this week when my back was turned my closet barfed on my bedroom floor. The dishes got together, decided to get themselves dirty, and then passed out in the sink. And the towels in the bathroom...well those lazy things can't be bothered to get on a rack. So, I've got to go around and clean up their messes.

Ungrateful household items...

Seriously...More About Me

I'm beginning to wonder if I have a problem. I mean I love to talk about me and share little bits of useless information about myself with anyone who happens to stop by this piece of the world wide web. I think I might have....vain-ness (I love inventing words!).

Anyway, while I'm waiting for the Rx to kick in here are 35 more things to know about me.

1. Where is your mobile phone? Currently it's in my purse, but I'll take it out in a few minutes because it's Big Brother night and my friend D and I always watch together via text.
2. Relationship? Hmm...with what? Single at the moment but there is that inappropriate crush that gets more crushy each day. Don't you hate when that happens?!
3. Your hair? Brown (seriously I wish I had hair like they describe in romance books...silky light brown milk chocolate locks)and currently in need of a trim.
4. Work? I teach...and usually a lot more than just what the TEKS say I should.
5. Your sister(s)? I'm an only child.
6. Your favorite thing? That's probably like picking your favorite child and you had ten of them. I have a lot of favorites...ice cream: mocha almond, hobby: scrapbooking, place: home...more specifically the bed in my home, thing to do on a rainy day: read
7. Your dream last night? I dreamed I had three flat tires but the tires weren't just flat but sort of like they liquefied on the pavement.
8. Your favorite drink? A&W Cream Soda and anything fruity with vodka if we're talking about alcohol.
9. Your dream car? Hmm...I'm not sure. I like the look of the Dodge Durango (but that is a dream because I'd have to sell my liver on the black market to pay for the gas).
10. The room you’re in? living room
11. Your shoes? kicked off right by the door. I have a little pile that I move each weekend, but I really should just buy a shoe organizer for the front door since that's where they always get left!
12. Your fears? being left...anywhere
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? A wife and mom staying at home
14. Who did you hang out with this weekend? Great friends from college...we went to Schlitterbahn for a wet and wild weekend!
15. What are you not good at? Remembering to change the oil in my car, drawing, keeping my facial expressions neutral when I'm feeling something.
16. Muffin? I'm not sure what this question is asking me so I'll go with the safe answer and say I like them.
17. Wish list items? A house with a scrapbook room and a spare bedroom, a new car
18. Where you grew up? On the edge of West Texas also known as Abilene
20. What are you wearing? Oh geez...how embarrassing...a tank top and panties.
21. What are you not wearing? bottoms
22. Your pet? I don't have one but I left at home a dog named Sophie and a cat named Dex. Jake is my mom's baby and completely ignores me.
23. Your computer? A dinosaur that takes up 90% of my desk
24. Your life? Really good most days!
25. Your mood? Happy and well just a tad bit guilty
26. Missing? My parents and a sock that the dryer ate.
27. What are you thinking about? That inappropriate crush, the itch on the bottom of my foot and how my mom couldn't find Everyone Loves Raymond funny?!
28. Your car? Ford Escort.
29. Your kitchen? At the moment a complete disaster. What?...you've never been too lazy to do the dishes?!
30. Your summer? Absolutely wonderful!!
31. Your favorite color? purple
32. Last time you laughed? Just a sec ago at something Ray said on Everyone Loves Raymond. I laugh a lot...I'm so easily amused!
33. Last time you cried? Sunday. I was driving home and I heard the Allen Jackson song "Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning" and it made me just remember that day and how I was worried about my mom. And then I thought about what I'd do if I lost my mom and well...that always makes me cry.
34. School? Every day!
35. Love? God. Family. Carbs. Travel. Friends. Scrapbooking. Raunchy romance novels. My bed. Commercials. Being a girly girl. And so much more....

One Tuesday Morning

It's hard to believe that it has been six years since the attack at the World Trade Center. Just this morning, I mentioned that fact to another teacher as I was writing the date on my white board. We both took a moment to remember and reflect about the effects of that day and then we had to get on with today. I know that sounds callus. And I'm sure there are many people that are still struggling to get on with today because they are mired down in the hurt and pain from that Tuesday morning six years ago.

I suppose that 9/11 was my generation's "you'll always remember where you were" event. I know that I won't ever forget. Despite it being a national tragedy, I was in the middle of my own personal crisis that day. My mom was in the hospital recovering from surgery that we weren't sure she'd pull through. My whole world had shrunk to me and how fast could I get back to the hospital to be with my mom. (I was in college and had classes each day...2 hours away.)

I remember waking up that morning (later than my friend Becky...my roomie at the time) and hearing something on the radio about an airplane accident in New York. Y'all know I don't watch much news (and I watched even less then) but I did turn on the T.V. and Becky and I were horrified to discover that it was a deliberate attack. Still not even sure what to think or feel we went on over to the dining hall for breakfast. Every T.V. in the room was tuned to some news station. I remember feeling like this was so unreal. I went on to class only to have our professor tell us to go home and watch the news...we were seeing history in the making. And that is exactly what we did...went home and watched the news.

Everyone has their own memories and thoughts about that day, but I think the important thing is that we remember.

So Long Summer

I think summer has officially come to an end for me. This weekend was the last hurrah of the summer. It was the annual Schlitterbahn trip. I had a ton of fun, got a little sun (despite my best efforts to avoid it!), and think it was the perfect way to cap off a wonderful summer.

One would think I'd be water logged from all the places I've been this summer and one would be correct! From beaches to water parks, I've had plenty of sun and water to last me till next summer. After I wash the swimsuits they will be heading for a long sabbatical in the dresser drawer.

I know fall is usually a time for slowing down and getting back into a routine, but it's one of my favorite times of year! I've already got a beautiful fall wreath hanging on the door and it makes me smile every time I come home. There are so many exciting things that happen between now and the end of the year. I can't wait! For instance, my birthday (which is quickly approaching...three weeks actually!), football games, Thanksgiving, Christmas shopping, holiday parties and get-togethers, wrapping...can you tell I really love this time of year?!

So, with so much waiting to begin it's time to say goodbye to summer. I had fun with you, but as with all good things it must come to an end. Thanks for the memories and I can't wait to see what you bring next year!

It's A Guy Thing...Right?!

Let me begin by saying that I mean no offense to those girls that kill their own bugs, know a spark plug from a sparkler, and remain completely calm in the face of minor home repair. Let me also say that I'm not that kind of girl! So, I truly admire you chicks.

Yesterday was a little bit of a no bueno day...starting with the fact that my car wouldn't start. Sitting in the car listening to the sound of nothing as I turned the ignition I immediately wished for a man...any man. A man seems to make those bug, sparking, and home repair situations so much more easier to deal with. Anyway, the battery was dead. Unfortunately not horror movie dead but really dead. Thanks to a sympathetic co-worker I made it to work on time and safely home with a new battery.

And even more importantly, the guy next door was willing to switch them out for me for the small price of a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies (I think I'll leave out the part about my cooking skills!). But, he did mention that I should replace the battery terminals. More specifically the hot end of the terminal.

Are you picturing how blank my face looked?!

Well, anyway I took myself down to the local Auto Zone after work and felt like I was entering some sacred man place. I must have had some awed expression on my face because the sales guy just smiled and asked if he could help. I told him that I needed the hot end of a battery terminal. Then he started to ask about the number of connectors and he lost me. I simply handed him my sassy girl sticky note and said this was all I knew. Hopefully I've gotten the right part.

So, my question (any guy feel free to answer!) is does car knowledge come along for the ride with that Y chromosome? I mean do guys "just know" or does someone teach them? Whatever it is I sure am glad guys have it and that they are willing to take some pity on girls that don't!

Happy No Labor Day!

I hope everyone takes some time today to just sit back and enjoy a little time off from all the everyday hustle!

In The Hot Seat

I volunteered to be "interviewed" by a fellow reader and posted below is a sampling of questions. They range from the nice to the naughty and everywhere in between. I think these things are fun and interesting because these type of questions usually dig a little deeper into the interviewee and make the interviewer think a little past what-is-your-favorite-color type questions. Enjoy getting to know a little bit more about me (probably some things that wouldn't normally just come out in a post!) and if you'd like to take a turn in the hot seat let me know!

What is your favorite soup?
My favorite homemade soup is my mom's Southwestern Soup. I bet everyone has a recipe for something "kind of like that" but I think my mom's is the absolute best! It's thick and hearty and perfect for cold days. It's also very easy to make and practically fool proof (which sometimes I need!)

And because I'm a nice kind of gal I'll even share the recipe!

1 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. dry ranch dressing mix
2 med. onions
2 cans ranch style beans
2 black beans
2 cans whole corn (with the liquid)
1 can hominy
1 large can diced tomatoes (with the liquid)
1 can mild (or spicy depending on your taste) Rotel
1 lb. Velveeta cheese

In a large (and I mean LARGE) soup pot brown the ground beef and onions together. Drain away any unwanted grease. Add the ranch dressing mix and stir together. Add all of the remaining ingredients (except the cheese) and bring to a boil. Slowly add the cubes of Velveeta cheese and stir until melted. It's the dump and heat method...very easy and very good!

And when I feel lazy my favorite soup is Campbell's Select Italian Sausage with Pasta and Pepperoni.

If you were going to buy underwear for a man, what would you get?
This is kind of tricky to answer as I don't really buy underwear for guys. I guess I would say that I'd probably buy briefs in colors. And perhaps one or two pair of goofy boxers (the kind with cartoons or inappropriate crotch jokes on them) just to add some variety to the mix.

Have you ever stolen anything on purpose?
Yes, I stole a hot glue gun stick from Michael's Craft Store when I was about 6 or 7. My dad found out I'd taken it and made me return it to the store and apologize. Also in college I one time changed the price sticker on a book at Wal-Mart so I didn't have to pay full price. That was a moment of weakness and being broke. I haven't stolen anything else.

Does anyone have naked pictures of you?
Yes. (I think the interviewer was referring to those embarrassing naked-baby-in-the-sink type pictures all parents have...right?!)

What one thought turns you on more than anything else?
Being with a guy that is totally turned on by the good girl in me and the girl that wants to do the unexpected and break all kinds of rules and taboos. Oh, and that guy should have a great mouth! You can tell a lot about a guy by the way he kisses and uses his tongue. ;)

There you go...more about me. Now, who wants to go next?!

I Want To Be Loved Like That

My friend Becky reminded me of a movie that I haven't seen...well probably since I last saw it with her. Anyway, she has always had good taste in movies and when she mentioned it the other day I had to go out and buy it. Last night I watched The Mirror Has Two Faces and I enjoyed it a lot. It's a great movie for the girls who feel they aren't the prettiest or size-twoest in the world. I think my absolute favorite line was from Greg when he said "I don't care if you are pretty, I love you anyway!"

Girls, don't you just want to be loved like that?!

Intestinal Upset

Warning...read the title again and proceed with caution. It's a kind of read at your own risk type thing!

Okay, I don't know what the deal is but this better not be setting the tone for how my year is going to go. We've been in school four days and there have already been three (that's one less than four) bouts of "getting sick" in my classroom. I'll spare you the details, but today's was pretty bad. Two words...both ends.

With a new group of kids it's hard to know right away who your fakers (the ones who mysteriously get a tummy ache during work time but are fine to play at recess) are and who seriously need the trashcan. Unfortunately, today's victim came from first grade with a warning from the teacher that she was a faker. So, I didn't believe her but still gave her the trashcan in an effort to keep her on task. All I can say is thank God!

Anyway, just say a little prayer that the teacher doesn't catch any sort of intestinal upset herself!

Oh, and since we're already in the middle of such a nasty topic let me leave you with a little funny...

Little Girl: "Ms. Stewart can I go to the bathroom? My stomach hurts."

Ms. Stewart: (coming off of the aforementioned incident) "Yes, go right now!"

Ms. Stewart: (upon her return) "Does your stomach feel better?"

Little Girl: "Yes! I just had gas and my mom says that I'm supposed to have gas in the bathroom. Actually, Ms. Stewart I've had gas all morning."

Ms. Stewart: "Well, I'm glad you feel better, but let's not share that with anyone else okay?"

Spam Spread

To begin with, the first days of school have been great...just busy! Monday night I went to bed about 9pm completely wiped out. I have a great class but full of talkers. I guess it really is true what my mom said - I'd be teaching kids who were just like me! And because what is a good teacher post without an "out of the mouths of babes" moment here is something overheard today during our restroom break.

Little Boy: "This is how you hold your bubble." (He was showing this little girl how to close your mouth and not speak in the hallway...doing a great job...lol!)

Little Girl: Looking at him with her face scrunched up.

Little Boy: "Whoosh (all the air from the bubble coming out). Did you see?"

Little Girl: "You're annoying."

I had to hide my grin behind my hand. It was priceless and I can't wait to see what little daily funnies this year brings!

Okay...on to the topic of this grossly titled post. Sunday I made the grocery run. I was out of everything. Don't you just hate when everything seems to empty at the same time? Anyway, I was walking up and down each aisle when something struck me on the canned meat section. Canned meat section...you know this can't be good.

Maybe I should put in a disclaimer like if you've just eaten or if you ever want to eat again stop reading here. Keep reading and then let me know what you think?!

Stuck on the end of a shelf next to the little weenies in the can is a tiny tin of Spam Spread. Picture Spam (hopefully without the jelly that comes out of the can with it) blended up and put back in a tin. Everyone swallowed that bit of bile that just came up? I picked up a tin and then quickly put it back. I didn't want anyone thinking I was actually considering buying it!

Now, let me stop right here in this tale of perversion and say that I don't have what anyone would call a sophisticated pallet. I mean I think $0.33 no name weenies are just fine for my bun. I even like...prepare yourself...Spam. I have some great memories of my mom being gone on business and my dad making us fried Spam and bologna sandwiches. Spam isn't too bad in mac and cheese either. No one is ever inviting me over to dinner huh? Or maybe I should say no one is coming over to my house for dinner huh?

Well, I like Spam but I draw the line at Spam Spread. I can't even fathom what you put Spam Spread on. And frankly, it turns my stomach to think too hard about it. So, when you're on the canned meat aisle, make sure you grab the tuna or the chicken and not Spam Spread!

Okay...I feel like I've officially done my good deed for the day.

The Sorta Virtual Tour

This has been one busy week. I thought I was ready for school to start, but little extra to dos kept popping up. For example, I thought I was only going to be at the school yesterday (yes it was open on a Saturday) for a team meeting. I was there from 10am to 8pm. I was pretty worn out when I got home last night, but I've got a lot to show for my many hours spent up in my classroom this past week!


This is what my classroom looks like when you're standing by the door and taking it all in. I don't know if this comes across in the picture but there is so much space in there...I love it!


I guess you could say this is my pride and joy. Our school theme this year is Positively Wild so we have a jungle motif all over the place. I think this reading corner is so inviting...not to mention all those books!


Along this wall are my center activities. If you can't tell I like things to be organized so everything is in a basket or box! Also, along this wall is our publishing station and our math warm ups.


Here is my desk...messy. So like me! This year I have more little knick knack things to put up around the walls and decorate with. And unfortunately, my desk is always this messy. Even when I'm trying to be neat!


Here is the reading table where I do guided reading with the kids. I'll spend many hours back here at this table. All that blank wall space will be for class writing examples.


And here is the door. I had such a hard time deciding what I wanted to do with it. I'm not sure that the blue background and the orange boarder match the green and brown in the monkey but hey...it's growing on me! And believe it or not, I traced that monkey and cut him out. I wouldn't consider myself artsy but I think he came out really good!

So, there you go. Now you know where I'll be every day! Also, I have more pictures that I took for my family to see so if you want to see the whole tour around the room just drop me an e-mail or leave your address in the comments.

It's All About The Blog Roll

My brain is still a little fried today (another 6 hours of boring...) so I'm doing a meme but maybe I should call it a youyou! I can't mention everyone (and if you're not linked please don't feel bad!) but anyone who needs something interesting to read can always find good stuff over there on my sidebar!

Answer the following, and be sure to link to their blogs. This is an efficient, cheap, and shameless way to increase traffic.

1. Blogger who is most like me:
I think this is an easy one...Lori! When I first started reading Lori I'd think "oh yeah...me too!" and we'd comment and discover more and more that we had in common. For instance we're both teachers. We're both into scrapbooking. And there are a ton of other similarities. Oh yeah...we're both totally cool!

2. Blogger I read who is LEAST like me.It's hands down Wordbearer. To start with he's a guy and I'm a girl. He's a law student who is very "in the know" when it comes to current events. As you know I'm not very into news. He's also very opinionated and outspoken. Now, some of you that know me personally are going to think that's not very unlike me, but he does it in a style uniquely WB. Even though we're different, I enjoy reading his blog because I get to find out a little bit about the world around me. We don't always agree but I like that!

3. Name 3 bloggers of the same sex you’d like to have drinks with.
Okay this is one of those times where I'd pick you all but it says only three.
1. Nikky because she seems like she would be the life of a party! I love to hang out with "my" crowd, but in some sets I'm shy until I get to know people. I think Nikky would just jump right in there and liven things up! Plus, any chick that makes me jelly has got to be on this list!
2. Valerie because any girl that would post a picture of herself with milk dribbles on her chin has got to be fun! Plus, I think she'd pass along some great scrapbooking tips and tricks to me.
3. Becky because she's a dear friend that I haven't seen in so long! Becky and I were college roomies who had some rough patches but are back on the road of friendship. I miss all the good times we had and I sure do wish we were close enough to hang out and do fruity pink drinks together!

4. Name 3 bloggers of the opposite sex you’d like to share a hot tub with.This one is equally hard if not harder (and please don't read too much into that!) because I don't draw a lot of male readers. And if you are a male reader and you've been lurking then say something and let these guys know they have some company! Oh and also let me add that hot tub could easily be replaced with a game of bowling and such!
1. Fin because he's so knowledgeable about so many things! Plus he tells the most amazing travel stories (the guy has been everywhere it seems) and the travel bug in me loves to hear about those adventures. He also usually has some pictures to share too. Fin is also my friend Bethany's husband-to-be so I hope he'd bring her along too. It'd be nice to catch up with her!
2. Ed because he's fun! I found Ed blog hopping one day and I discovered that he's a pretty talented writer. I've mentioned before that I enjoy reading romances and he writes about that at it's most elemental level. He also does it in a way that isn't trashy but instead insightful and sensual.
3. This blogger doesn't blog anymore, but I really liked it when he did. I understand the need to take a break from blogging, but I really enjoyed when he was sharing the day to day aspects of his life. Mike is another one of those travel guys. He recently came back from Europe and I'm so jealous!

5. Which blogger would you vote for in a political campaign?Hmm, you know why this one is tough right?! I don't really follow politics that much, but I'd pick Melissa because she's a newspaper editor so she's got to know what is going on! Plus, Melissa seems very down to earth. I'd like that in a candidate...someone I can relate too. If you ever run Melissa...I've got your chad covered!

6. You are thrown into a dimension where you can read one, and only one, blog. Which one is it?Ick...I'd hate to not be able to read all of my blogger friends! But, I'd have to say that I'd really miss reading Trina. She has such a sweet spirit and her love for the Lord shines through every word. I truly admire the love she has for God, her husband and family, and friends! She writes from the heart and touches on the good and sometimes the hard stuff that comes with living a life in God's will. I strive to be that humble and open!

7. Which blogger is living a life you think YOU might like to be living.I've discovered that the grass may be greener on the other side of the fence but they probably have a high water bill and have to mow more! I love my life (even the hard parts) but if I had to pick I think I'd go with Allison. She's a young lady with life spread open before her. That's not exactly that different from me, but she's younger and enjoying college life. I made a lot of choices and decisions in my college years that are far reaching. I think if I were in college again I might do a few things differently. Plus, I really miss 10:00 am classes and sleeping late!

There you go...just a few thoughts about the people that I enjoy reading! It wasn't everyone but just know that if you're on that roll over there I really enjoy reading what you have to say! And if you found yourself linked here...get busy and spread the blog roll love around!

"Mama, My Nails Are Wet..."

Before I start, let me just say that my brain is fried. Yesterday started the pre-school starting meetings and frankly a lot of it is boring. Not your average boring but let-me-bang-my-head-on-the-table boring. Today was just such a day. It was day two of a professional development that we did in the spring. Today was basically a repeat of that...which was the latter kind of boring then!

Anyway, I was very happy about the fact that I had a nail appointment this afternoon. A great hand massage always makes the stresses of the day fade quickly. I used to get gel tips (the few guys that read...feel free to fall out right here!) but I didn't like the way my nails looked when I took them off. So, I'm going back to just a normal manicure with a shape and polish. The only down side...when I leave her shop I leave with wet nails. I usually take forever getting my self buckled in (I don't think the cop would fall for "...but my nails are wet!" excuse) and adjusting the radio.

That always reminds me of that line from Steel Magnolias where Shelby says "Mama, my nails are wet!" when she's asked to do something. I love that movie...could probably quote every line. Anyway, since our meetings (you know those boring ones) are in a lodge that is right across from my house I told a few people that if they wanted to brown bag it to my house tomorrow for lunch they were more than welcome. I should probably finish up those last loads of laundry, give the toilet a quick scrub, and run the vacuum, but I feel like just sitting back with the Everybody Loves Raymond reruns, Big Brother, and my book and just say..."Mama, my nails are wet!"

R.E.A.D.Y. Spells Relief

This week has been so productive at school! Last year I was in the precess of moving and setting up my home so sadly my classroom was regulated to the back burner. And it showed...all year long. I had things up on the walls and name tags on desks and stuff but I felt so disorganized. I had basically cleaned out one cabinet (and when I say cleaned I mean I threw it all in another cabinet so I could have a space for my stuff) and just started the year. It was crazy! I didn't know where anything was when I needed it. Is anyone else like that...if you're not organized everything just seems to go to pot?

Well, not this year baby! At the end of July, I went up to the school for several days and I cleaned out those cabinets. I found things I thought I didn't have and discovered several things that would have made teaching so much easier. Currently, it's all organized and labeled (you'll see...I plan to take pictures!). It looks wonderful! I had to show another teacher (one that I drove crazy with my lack of organization last year) and she was so impressed and proud of me! And I'm pretty proud of myself...those cabinets look great!

Another ready thing is that I've got the room in order too. My desk is where I want it (I moved it three times last year!), the student desks are where I want them and bungee corded together so they don't walk (I spent about two hours last year trying to decide where I wanted them to go), and my centers aren't just put together but they are out and ready to be introduced! Everything is coming together so nicely.

I was up there all day yesterday, and by the time I was ready to come home I was feeling very good about the room. I still have a few things that I need to get accomplished next week. I still have to put up the class schedule and tape down the name tags and decorate the door. We're going to have one more work day plus the time in the afternoons after meetings. But I don't feel overwhelmed...I feel ready! It's a complete change from last year.

I know that some of my regular readers might not understand what the big deal is about being ready but I promise you that any teacher can appreciate the fact. And I'll also be posting a few pictures of my room next week too!

All Checked Out

Amid all my travels this summer I also had to make time for all those routine annual exams. Those were by far not as fun as the vacations. Wait...let me rephrase that. They were not fun at all. But, in this day and age it pays to stay on top of your health so I scheduled myself to be checked out head to toe and that place in between.

Today was the last appointment. I had my teeth cleaned. I had actually gone yesterday for the initial visit with this doctor and he took eighteen x-rays of my mouth. Yes...I said eighteen! Some were really unpleasant because I have these bone bumps under my tongue. Anyway, he said what a lot of other dentists have said...I have great teeth! But, he did say that I'd have to have my wisdom teeth out within the year or I could be looking at some teeth pushing. I'm not looking forward to that at all. Goodness, I get side tracked so easily. Today was the teeth cleaning. It doesn't hurt at all, but that scratching they do nearly drove me insane! It sounds like nails on a chalkboard but you can't get away from it.

Well, as I'm laying there practically flat on my back I kept feeling like it reminded me of something. Oh yes...my annual "woman" exam. You know, I bet someone could make a killing by coming up with some unique art that hangs on the ceiling! Anyway, thankfully everything is in complete healthy working order and no one should need to probe or scrape anything for another year!

Lynn

I've got to steal a quote from my friend Becky...gotta love me some questionnaire thingies! I was tagged by Melissa and I haven't seen one like this before. It's centered around your middle name. And mine is Lynn. Here is a little background...Steffany Lynn...my grandfather and uncle are named Steven and my name is the feminine version of Steven. Lynn is a family name on my grandmother's side of the family. I guess all of that was a little bit of trivial information huh?!

Okay, on with the show!

Here are the rules:

1. You have to post these rules before you give the facts.

2. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of their middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.

3. At the end of your blog-post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag.


L is for laughter. I love to laugh! You wouldn't have guessed that would you?! My mom says that when I was little she'd hear me in the other room just giggling away. Even then I could entertain myself - which I think is a good thing. I like to find the humor in all situations. Sometimes it is pretty hard, but I think laughter really is the best medicine!

Y is for all the times I ask why (oh come on...give me a break! Y is a hard one!) I am the type of person that needs all the details and such up front before I begin doing something. Sometimes that drives other people batty...especially those fly by the seat types. And honestly it sometimes drives me crazy! I don't really like surprises (except when presents and/or cake is involved) so I want to know all the hows and whys.

N is for new possibilities. I have accomplished a lot in my 25 years but a lot of it was pre-planned. I mean I got through high school, I went to college, I graduated, I got a job that isn't just a job but the start of a career so what comes next? I don't know exactly. And that's where the whole new possibilities comes in. The world is open to me and frankly that is kind of daunting.

N is for news. Now some of you are going to want to tar and feather me for what I'm about to say, but I don't watch the news. I don't read the newspaper. I'm one of those uninformed kind of people. Well, let me rephrase that...I do watch the morning news while I'm getting ready for work. But that's just for about 30 minutes a day. I rely on the little snippets I get off Yahoo news when I check my email or what people tell me. So, now my secret is out...I don't stay up to date on what's going on around me.

Now, I'm supposed to tag four people because that's how many letters are in my name. Okay, normally I don't do this but I'm going to this time. So, if you find your name on here you'd better get busy and do this!

Becky
Ed
Trina
Lori

Could It Get Any Worse?!

Ever had one of those days where you want to ask "Can this day suck anymore?" but you don't dare let that pass your lips because you can think of a thousand ways it can get worse? That was my day yesterday.

I had gone to Houston on Sunday to help my cousin move in to her new apartment. I'm thrilled that she's going to be so close to me now! Anyway, I was pretty much all thumbs the whole time I was there. I don't recall ever being that clumsy in such a short amount of time!

It started when we went to visit her school (she's a teacher too!) and I was helping her haul things inside. She had one of those square crates with wheels and a handle. Well, I loaded that down and then pulled too hard on the handle...which promptly broke. To her credit, she didn't yell or get mad at me (which I certainly would have understood) but it was just another thing in a line of things that was making her day suck. I wonder if sucky days come in pairs?!

Anyway, once we were in her classroom I noticed she had a map on one side of the room. You remember those maps. The ones that rolled up into that think in the ceiling and the teacher had to yank a few times before it'd roll back up. Well, I pulled it down a little to see what map it was (seriously it was the teacher in me...) and well it wouldn't go back up. So I kept pulling it down a little thinking that would make it go back up. It didn't. By the time I was done I'd pull it several inches past the stop point. At this point I was thinking it would be best if I just sat down and kept my hands to myself! Thankfully, another teacher was able to give it the magic touch and it rolled up perfectly.

That afternoon we went shopping to pick up a few needed items for her classroom. Thankfully, I was fine at the first couple of stores. I touched but nothing disastrous happened as a result! Then we got to Target. I love getting Icees at Target. Well, they were out of my favorite flavor (cherry) and that should have been my first clue that I needed to just get a soda. Anyway, I got a Coke Icee. I stopped filling it way before it hit the top, but it still grew. And by grew I mean that it started rising above the hole in the top of the cup. I was sucking as fast as I could without getting a brain freeze. It dripped over the side a little bit, but not too bad. At least I didn't get it on my shirt! I sat it in the basket, admittedly a little hastily, and it promptly fell over to the side sending brown icee onto the basket and floor. Thank goodness my aunt wasn't right in front of the basket or she'd have gotten it all over. I cleaned up that mess and propped my cup up with my purse. Thankfully, I managed to make it out of Target without any further incidents.

But that wasn't the case with the car! Again the icee...I was in the backseat and balanced the cup on my leg so I could get something out of my purse. Well, I moved a fraction of an inch and over the cup went again. Though this time it was more liquid than icee. I managed to drench my foot and flip flop and a pretty good size part of the floorboard. I asked my aunt for some napkins to clean it up. She said not to worry as many things had been spilled in that car from kid gunk to man gunk. We weren't quite sure what man gunk was but we didn't really want to ask either! While I had enough napkins to clean up the carpet I had to leave my foot alone. So, here I am thinking this day couldn't get worse, the icee is now drying and beginning to stick to my foot and my white flip flop, and then we hit traffic. I mean creep along kind of traffic. Oh well!

When we got back to my cousin's apartment I felt it was time to get the heck out of dodge and head home! And pray that my klutzy streak was over. Now I'm not too familiar with Houston, but I am pretty good with maps. Apparently verbal directions aren't the same as maps. My cousin told me to go to the left but when I got there the options were right or straight. So I went straight even though my gut was saying right. I am NOT blaming her...we're both pretty new to navigating Houston. I just got to take a little trip around Houston on the loop. The very long loop. I was pretty sure that the loop would get me to the interstate I needed...eventually. Did I mention how long that loop was?! I was beginning to think I'd never get off it. I'd forever be going in circles around Houston. After about three hours (which it should only take one!) I was finally pulling into my driveway.

That relief to be home lasted about two seconds. I noticed that my house was unusually dark compared to the neighbors. The hot silence that greeted me when I opened the door wasn't that much of a surprise. The power was out...again. This has happened three times in the last three weeks. I've had just about enough of it! I called and the company said that it wasn't out anywhere else so I must have just blown a breaker. The one in the house was fine so it must have been the one out by the meter. That one is surrounded by a huge bush and possibly snakes and spiders. No way! I'm not sure I'd do it in the day light let alone at 10:00 pm at night. I called back to say just that when my neighbor came over. He checked it out for me but nothing appeared to be wrong. I called the power company back and we discovered that a transformer had blown at the pole. It was a long and hot hour and half while they fixed it. Thankfully, the power was back on before I went to bed. And by the time I went to bed I was so ready for this day to be over!

Thankfully, as I'm typing this and reliving yesterday I can find a lot to laugh about...now. And I guess that's a good thing. Like they say, things do look better tomorrow!

How Is This For A Change?

Now, here is something that is a little bit different. It's called a moaning meme. It's different in the fact that it's about things that drive you crazy rather than all the warm fuzzies kind of questionnaires. I'm not in a downer mood or anything, but I just saw this and liked it. If you feel so inclined to steal it go ahead!

4 Things That Should be Removed from the Earth
~ Bugs (just the scary ones...lightening bugs and butterflies can stay)
~ People who steal trash cans or even parts of trash cans (I'm on my third trash can in a year due to these type of people)
~ Celebrities that feel entitled to special treatment when they screw up royally (the Paris, Lindsay, Nicki types)
~ Guys that find you okay for one thing only but wouldn't give you the time of day in the light of day

3 Things People Do to Make You Want to Shake Them
~ When they can't make up their minds. If you say you're going to do something stick with it. I hate that "uhmm...well I don't know" kind of attitude. Especially when that is how they approach every decision.
~ Aren't where they say they'll be when they should be. As a friend recently put it I guess I'm just a timie person and people that couldn't care less about being on time make me nutty!
~ Get self-righteous.

2 Things You Find Yourself Moaning About
~ Laundry...sadly every single time (Though any chore could be put in here...what can I say? I hate housework and do it only because I have to do it.)
~ Cramps...no explanation needed

1 Thing The Above Answers Tell You About Yourself
~The beach came just in time!

I'm On Vaca...

Do you think there is such a thing as too much of a good thing? I'm beginning to wonder if perhaps I've hit my vacation quota! Don't misunderstand, I've thoroughly enjoyed all my trips and adventures this summer, but I'm glad to be home. And I think I'll stay put for awhile!

This trip to the beach was great on so many levels. First, I loved getting to head out to the beach again! I've really enjoyed all the sand and surf time this summer. I guess there is just something refreshing and humbling about being next to something so vast. I even enjoyed the sand between my toes (though not so much all the other places sand tends to get...ick) and just laying out and being a beach babe. Second, it was great to connect with people you work with on a level that isn't just a professional one. In case I didn't mention this before, I went on this trip with six other teachers from school. I'll admit to being a little nervous about how we'd all interact, but it was great. We're teachers so we did talk a little bit about school stuff, but mostly we got to know each other on personal levels. That was amazing! Thirdly, I knew that this was my last hurrah before school started so I wanted to make the most of the days. And I did! I felt like I was able to relax and soak up the last bit of summer.

Before long it'll be time to get back into the groove of all things school, so right now it feels great to justify everything because "I'm on vaca!" (I think this is a line from Legally Blonde where the lead character's ditzy friends want to go on vaca (vay-kay) to Harvard to visit her.) Anyway, all week long we explained away everything with "I'm on vaca!".

For example:

"You slept until 10:00am!"
"So, I'm on vaca!"

"I don't usually go without make-up or doing my hair."
"Oh who cares...you're on vaca!"

"I shouldn't be eating this yummy chocolate cake at 2am in the morning."
"But what the hell! I'm on vaca!"

Every time we turned around someone was saying "I'm on vaca!" in that house! We were and we enjoyed every minute of it too. Like I said, it was great, but I am ready for some normalcy too. Starting next week, it's back to being in my classroom all day (organizing and decorating) and then comes the welcome back in-service things. And I'm okay with that because believe it or not I crave a routine.

But, I know that the memories and relaxed feel of summer are going to stick around for a while! And I'm happy about that!

Vacation...One More Time

Well, I'm off...again. Several teachers from school are heading to the beach to enjoy the last few days of summer. I'm excited and I know I'll have time, but I kind of think I'm crazy for going off again so soon after having been gone.

We all agreed to pack light as we weren't planning on making this an activity jam packed vacation. Swimsuits, shorts, tanks, and toiletries should be all we'd need right? Well, this morning as I looked at my suitcase and all the stuff I needed to put in it I was getting nervous. There wasn't anyway way I could take two suitcases! So, after some slight readjusting I got it all in there. What is it with me...I can't pack light!?

Anyway, I've got it packed and it's time to head off. Y'all take care! I'll be back soon and I promise my life won't always be this exciting...lol. Oh, and my cousin, Amanda has volunteered to be a guest blogger and add her two cents to the cruise vacation!

Something For The Classroom

In between laundry and packing (yep...again), I got a little creative and crafty this afternoon. I made an altered clipboard for the classroom! Well, actually for right outside the door. Currently, each classroom has this plastic thing with pictures from clip art on it to tell where we are exactly when we leave the classroom. And last year, it didn't even have my name on it. I had to put a little post-it note with my name on it because it still had the last teacher's name at the top. Anyway, I thought this was a much better alternative. Plus, it's a whole lot cuter too!

Twiced Tagged

I was tagged by both Mary and Lindsey to do this little questionnaire thing. And you know how much I love those! Lindsey sent me an email apologizing for tagging me right after Mary, but I was quick to assure her that I found it extremely flattering that two people in the same day decided they'd like to know more about me. So, ladies thank you and here goes!

I am supposed to give 8 random facts about me and then send this little game on to eight willing, hehe, participants. We'll see about the participants part.


Feel free to skip this part! Rules: 1. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts. 2. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves. 3. People who are tagged write their own blog post about their eight things and include these rules. 4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged and that they should read your blog. (I'm not so great with rules so we'll see how many of these I actually follow to a T.)

You know it's pretty hard thinking up new stuff to tell you readers. I mean I'm pretty open and I do a lot of these questionnaire type things. Hmm...

Fact 1: I like wearing hipster undies. I buy them at Lane Bryant because the fit wonderfully and they are so cute! Plus they are low enough to ride below the jeans and they cover...everything. And even though I do laundry on a regular basis, I usually buy a new pair or two every month. What can I say...I like panties!

Fact 2: I have good handwriting. I'm not bragging, but just stating a fact. I don't know how it happened, but I'm glad it did. I spend a lot of time writing on here (well I should say typing on here) but I also spend time writing actual letters and cards. Use it or loose it I guess!

Fact 3: I eat mac and cheese like most normal people, but I put A-1 steak sauce on top of it. Don't ask me why. I don't know why, but I started when I was a little kid and now it's my favorite way to eat it. That one was pretty weird huh?

Fact 4: My pinkies (both of them) are crooked. They both curve in at the first knuckle. It's not overly noticable or anything, but I am gentically mutated!

Fact 5: I think I believe in deja vu. I say think because sometimes I get these strong feelings that I knew how a situation would happen or turn out. I always think I'm going to start writing things down when I have a vivid dream but I don't. It's kind of crazy.

Fact 6: You know those dumb reality shows on MTV or VH1? Well, one Sunday I was working on grading papers and got sucked into watching some brain cell killing show called Flavor Flave. I think I was so engrossed trying to figure out if people like that really exsist! Before I knew it, I'd watched the entire marathon. There were six hours or so I'll never get back.

Fact 7: I have a crush on someone completely inappropriate.

Fact 8: I have a thing for felt tip pens. I especially like the bright colored pens. I buy a new set every year so I can write on my calendar and make it all pretty! I bet you could guess that I like color, right?

Goodness, that was rough. I think it's a combo of I'm a little tired and finding new and interesting things to share. I don't think I'm tagging anyone. If you feel so lead to do this drop me a line in the comments and I'll come read all about you!

I'm Still Waiting...

There is a saying in Texas that goes something like this, "If you don't like the weather wait five minutes and it'll change." Well, I'm still waiting and it's still raining! I love the smell of rain (before and after it comes), I don't have to water and I have a lush (and by that I mean practically taking over the house!) green lawn, and it's helping out with the water shortage. But seriously...doesn't it ever stop?

For readers not from Texas, let me just say that this is not normal August weather in Texas. Normally it's a scorching triple digit number and H.O.T (my friend Gela says it has more power if you spell it out). Currently it's pouring and around 76 outside. I shouldn't be complaining but I have selfish reasons for wanting it to let up. I'm going to the beach next week and I'd like the sunny days over these wet ones. Perhaps Mother Nature is getting it out of her system now instead of next week!

In other news....y'all stay tuned...I'm getting a new blog! Okay, it's not really new but the look of it is about to change. Lindsay over at Splatdesigns (an incredibly patient woman...and those of you who know me know what she was dealing with!) has put the final touches on the new template. The last step is to get it uploaded on here. I'm excited!

Also, if you haven't already skip down to the previous post and check out the pictures from Mexico! I'm sorry that the caption goes by so quickly. I'll fiddle with photobucket and see if I can slow it down a little.

Stay dry out there!

Progreso and Cozumel

I took over 100 pictures, but I was only allowed to put ten in the slide show. I think this is a pretty good collection from the trip! The slide show goes pretty fast so read quickly!

As I've said, the cruise vacation was wonderful! I went with my cousin and we both had a really great time. Trust me, I could go on and on reliving every detail of the trip, but I'd get finger cramps and you'd get bored! So, I'm just going to hit the highlights.

Nightly Shows: Each night we were on board, there was some type of show. I really enjoyed the ones with the singers and dancers. The Blue Sapphire was always cold and after watching one show I knew why...to keep the dancers cooled off! The energy level never dropped from the time the show started to the time it stopped. And we went to the late show several times so it was the second go around for them. Also, there were four comedians. The first guy, Greg Ray, was the funniest. They had a family style show and then at midnight they did an R rated adult show. Most of the guys were vulgar for the sake of being vulgar (something I'm NOT a fan of) but Mr. Ray was extremely funny throughout.

Breakfast: As you've probably heard half the fun of a cruise is the food. And there was food...all the time and everywhere! My favorite though was breakfast. We at up on the Lido deck every morning. I had the same thing the whole time (eggs, hash brown potatoes, bacon, crossant, chocolate milk, and orange juice) and it was so yummy! We were what you'd call the late risers so I was very glad that breakfast was served until noon!

Dinner: You didn't think one little paragraph was enough about the food did you?! Dinner was my other favorite meal of the day. This time it wasn't so much for the food (though that was wonderful!) but because of the people we sat with at dinner. The whole dinner attire was a little misleading. When I called Carnival to ask about how dressy dinner was, they said that it was dressy every night. We took two "dressy" outfits. So the first night we skipped dinner in the dining room and just made do with hot dogs by the pool. The next night was the formal night and we ate in the dining room. That is where we discovered that dinner in the dining room is resort casual...meaning jean capris and a t-shirt was perfectly fine for dinner the rest of the time. Also, we sat with a very nice group of ladies. Out of our table of ten six of us were teachers so we had plenty in common! Everyone was so nice and friendly so dinner was a pleasure each night. And the food was wonderful too! I thought I'd get brave and try some fish but I never did. One of the ladies at our table said, "How can you be on the sea and not eat fish?" Easy...enjoy all the beef! I think every meal was beef of some kind. I did step out of the box a few times though. I had chilled avacado soup and a spicy pumpkin soup. Several times I wondered if they made a plain jane menu so I could know what I was eating, but all in all it was wonderful!

Progreso, Mexico: This was our first port of call. The pier was so long that we had to take a bus onto the mainland! When we booked, I didn't realize that Progreso is the home of one of the seven wonders of the world or we'd done an excursian there. What we did do was wander around a little market square and then headed to the beach. The beach was crowded but it was nice. My cousin was ingrossed in Harry Potter so I was the only one to get in the ocean. It was an ocean...big and salty! I splashed around for awhile and then got a tattoo! It was a henna tattoo, but I like the shock value of saying I got a tattoo. I wasn't supposed to get it wet for 40 minutes so I laid out on the beach. This was the start of one awful burn. Progreso was a fun stop!

Cozumel, Mexico: The water in Cozumel is beautiful! It was so clear that you could stand in it and see your own feet. Plus it had a nice sandy bottom. We went on a dune buggy exploration of the island. It was a stick shift so there wasn't any way I was going to drive! We were in groups of two so for the first part of the tour the other guy drove and then on the way back, Amanda drove. She did pretty good considering there wasn't power steering! We also stopped at a private beach for lunch (which was real Mexican food in Mexico and was out of this world!) and swimming. The ocean was pretty rough that day, but it was beautiful to watch those foamy waves crash into the rocks! I felt pretty small next to those huge waves and that was perfectly alright.

Snorkling: I had never been snorkling before and I wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy it. I like to breathe...a lot! After sitting through the instruction course we trotted over to the ocean. The guide told us there was fire coral on either side of where you enter the water. Great...I wasn't steady anyway stepping on the rocks so I looked pretty funny gingerly getting in the water. One lady didn't pay attention and got a pretty nasty welt on her butt when she brushed up against the coral. Snorkling is a workout! I finally got my legs and arms all moving in the right direction. I had some trouble keeping my goggles from fogging up but after several rounds of spitting in them they cleared up. Snorkling was fun but I was a little disappointed that we didn't see more fish. There were two schools of fish but that was about it. Still...I'd snorkle again. I have some pictures but they are being developed from the underwater camera so it might take me a while to get them posted. That is if they are any good...it was kind of like aim at what you think is fish, point, and click!

There's so much more to tell, but I might be here all day! This is just a sampling of all the fun things we did on this cruise. I would highly recommend cruising! I'll definitely go again. Maybe next time to Alaska...

A Tad On The Crispy Side

So, how do you like your world (and yes if you get to use a passport you can officially say world!) traveler? Crispy and just a tad tired?! Oh, good! Then you won't be disappointed.

The cruise was great and I had a wonderful time. Of course there are so many details and pictures to share but not tonight. Believe it or not, laying out on the deck, splashing in the waves, and eating yourself silly is quite tiring. :) Oh and the slightly charred back, arms, shoulders, thighs doesn't help either. Much more on that topic coming up.

Anyway, I just wanted to touch base and settle any one's mind who feared I'd drink and fall overboard (you so know who you are...) that I didn't do much of the former and didn't do any sort of the latter. Safely back at home now. And thanks for all the well wishes in the previous post's comments. It was indeed a great vacation. Just give me a few days to get back in the groove and I'll share until you'll wish I'd stop!

These Toes Are Ready...

for the beach! As a matter of fact, all of me is ready for the beach, the sun, the surf, a few days of freedom to relax and just enjoy myself. Yesterday afternoon I went and had my feet pampered with a deluxe pedicure. These toes of mine are ready.

Now if only my suitcase was ready! I've really put off getting ready for the trip. Don't get me wrong I'm excited about going on the cruise, but where I'm normally packed up and checking my list twice I haven't even made a list this time. My mom says it's because I've become an experienced traveler. I'm not so sure. I think I'm just ready for the fun part. Unfortunately my suitcases won't pack themselves! So, I know what I'm going to be doing today.

Y'all take care and enjoy yourselves this week. I know I'm going to!

Rain Rain Go Away

I've always heard that if you didn't like the weather in Texas to just wait a minute and it would change. Well, I've waited but there has been no change. You'd think we were living in some tropical rain forest with all the daily rain and humidity that we have going on. When you look at a 5-7 day outlook forecast all you see is the little thunder cloud and rain symbol. The rain seriously messed with me while I was hauling in my luggage and stuff from home. And with it so overcast all day long I've gotten practically no where on the sun I was hoping to get before the cruise. Any other summer and I'd be toasted to a crisp! Where has the normal summer weather gone?!

I know I shouldn't be complaining too hard because a lot of areas needed the rain. But good grief, you'd think they'd have had enough by now! Also, I guess the rain isn't all bad...it has kept the temperatures in the manageable range. Normally by now we're hovering around the triple digits. I think I saw that it was 78 when I was out yesterday around noon.

Anyway, while I'm sure people have enjoyed the rain (hey...no more spending money on watering the grass!) I think it's time for us to spread the wealth...say with our Northern friends. (Linda that was just for you!) So, rain rain GO AWAY!

I'm A Little Altered

It's that time of the year. Ladies, you know what I mean...time to get a new swimsuit. Did anyone else just get the shivers? I don't know about you, but I tend to wear out my swimsuits each summer. I hardly ever get to wear them two seasons in a row. Anyway, since I was going to be near the sun and surf so much this summer I decided I might need a couple of new ones. And there in lies the problem.

Finding the swimsuits isn't the problem. It's getting them to fit my body the right way that provides the frustration. This year I have a black with pink flowers tankini, a black and white one piece, and a turquoise with white straps one piece. They are really cute...well except for the turquoise one which is more functional than cute.

I've been blessed...well how else to word it...with a pear shaped body. My hips and bottom are bigger than the top of me. So while these swimsuits fit well on the bottom (staying put and being flattering) the tops are rather large. That or I'm rather small up there. My mom usually has to wag out sewing machine and pull and pin me up so I don't end up on some Girls Gone Wild video.

Well, this year was no different. The black and white swimsuit (which has turned out to be my absolute favorite!) has some gathers around the bust which makes me look fuller on top. I'm all about that! After shortening the straps and tacking the V neck together a little more it fits perfectly. She also criss-crossed the straps on the black and pink flowered tankini in the back. I think I have a pretty back so I like the extra little detail back there. Again, it was all in an effort to keep those girls from falling out. Ever wish you could rearrange parts of your body? I'd definitely move some stuff north!

As for the turquoise one...well it was fixed but by the end I think both of us were frustrated with it. But, my mom seems to be a miracle worker with the sewing machine because it now fits right in the bust and the straps keep it up where it should be. As my mom said, "It won't ever be your favorite, but it does work."

So, I'm ready for these next few summer vacations. I've got my beach towels, the Hawaiian Tropic dark tanning lotion, and three swimsuits that cover me up and look pretty good on me. So, speaking as someone who has to work for the perfect swimsuit I wish all you the best of luck when it comes to finding the perfect suit.

Look out ocean...here I come!

Oh Babies!

Do you remember these adorable little ones? They are my friends' twin boys. I couldn't believe how much they had changed from the last time I'd seen them. If possible they were even cuter and the personalities were plain as day. John seems to be very laid back and mellow. Taylor is the little ham...always laughing and squawking. Actually that squawking is really cute. It's just like he's telling everyone all about it!

Anyway, holding them and loving all over them for the weekend caused just a few pangs of baby envy. On most days I want to have kids some day. But some days I think well...I'm not sure. Everyone (okay well most everyone) loves a baby but they don't stay that way for long. Pretty soon they are kids and then teenagers who will think I don't know anything. It's easy to say I want a baby, but before I jump into being a mama I want to make sure I'm ready for them to be toddlers in the terrible twos, little kids who'll play in the dirt and get dirty, teenagers who might storm around and slam doors, and young adults you have to let go off into the world.

Truth to tell, I'm still a little selfish right now. Now that I'm older I can see just how many sacrifices my mom made for me. And I love her even more for them. I'm just not sure I'm ready to do that yet. All the moms that stop by might find that a little bad on my part, but I'm being honest with myself. It makes me wonder what kind of world we'd live in if more people thought about what having a baby meant before they had one. Those babies are cute but they come with a lot of responsibility. Before I take that on I want to be sure I'm ready for it.

Up For A Change?

I like to think that I can roll with the punches and handle change well, but I'm just fooling myself. I like routine. I find it comforting when things are the same and I know what is going on. I'm not good when it comes to limbo and waiting to see what happens. I'll never be a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl...just ask those I've traveled with!

Anyway, as much as I don't like for things to change, I need to make a change on my blog. You thought it was going to be something big and important right?! Yesterday I uploaded a bunch of pictures from my camera and started thinking about adding one of those photobucket things to my blog. Several people have little slides and such with pictures of them or things that are important to them on their blogs. I think they are really neat and you get to know the person just a little bit better. So, I made one and tried to put it in this blog. It didn't work exactly right...I think the template is not suited for it. The picture cube fit on the top but didn't look right. I wanted it to be on the side and it looked cut off.

So, if I want to add pictures I have to change the template...or find some nice blogger to help me figure this out! I looked at new blogger templates yesterday and I couldn't find one that just suited me. I figured I'd play around with them today. I see some really neat templates (like Trina and Lori to name a couple) and I wonder how they did that.

I've grown fond of my green and yellow dots but I think it's time for a change. I'm not promising this is going to happen today, but I think pretty soon.

I Heart My Bed

If someone were to ask me what my favorite thing about my home is I would say my bed without missing a beat. I love my bed! And more specifically I love being in my bed.



There it is...my bed. I thought briefly about making it up before I took the picture but I'm all about being honest on here. My bed usually gets made once a week...when I change the sheets. I love to just straighten out the covers before I crawl in at night. It's a lived in bed. What else can I say?!

When I was in college the only sitting room we had in those dorms was the bed. I really think this is when the love affair began. I got so used to doing everything (from eating, homework, watching tv, etc.) on my bed and the habit just stuck. I'm sure there are people that think I'm the ultimate in lazy because I spend so much time there but I get stuff done on the bed! It's my absolute favorite place to grade papers and watch TV.

Anyway, after having been gone for so long from my bed, I was really looking forward to getting a good night's sleep in my own bed last night. Y'all know about my flare for travel and I do love it, but the one thing always missing on trips is my bed. I'm still working on how I can fold it up and pack it in with all the other essentials. So far...well I think it's a pipe dream!

When I got home yesterday (and yes it's great to be home!) I brought in my suitcase and immediately put my body in bed for a few minutes. I snuggled down into the feather pillow top and my plethora of pillows. Now that is coming home! I hadn't been home maybe three hours when the power went out. Yep, the lights flicked and the computer turned off...power outage. My first concern was mainly the heat. Since I'd been gone for a while I'd turned the air up (to save money which is a whole other story...grrr) and it was still pretty warm in here. Plus, while it wasn't dark when the power went off it would get that way soon. Being in a hot dark house didn't sound appealing. So I left. I went to get coffee and then shopping with a friend. If I couldn't be enjoying my bed I figured the next best thing was shopping!

I kept calling the power company and every time they kept pushing back the time when the power would be back on. By 9:30 I was afraid that I'd be spending yet another night without my bed. It may sound wimpy but I wasn't staying in a house where the thermostat was hovering around 86 and I couldn't even turn on a fan. After making the decision to come home and gather up my toothbrush and a pillow I was headed to the nearest hotel. Thankfully, when I pulled in my drive lights were on in my house! I had power once again.

I was happy with the power being back on, don't get me wrong, but I was thrilled that I'd be sleeping at home...cradled in pillow top...surrounded by cool pillows...in my comfy sanctuary...in my bed. And after having slept soundly for several hours I'm refreshed and ready to face the day.

I heart my bed!

Miss Me? (Updated)

****Hey everyone! Now I'm logged in at the public library...still no computer but I'm going home next Monday so I'll be back plugged in! Thankfully for you I've been keeping little notes for future posts...watch out I'm about to become wordy!

The garage sale went great! I didn't have much stuff so I was pleased to get $200 while my parents did great...they raked in close to $1000. Nothing was priced over $10...tell you how much crap we had?! It's gone now and I'm glad!

Well, not much to report. Like I said I'll be back to my home computer next Monday. I miss all my blogger friends and hope you're well! ****

I miss you!

This is going to be very quick because I'm at a coffee house because my mom's computer has crashed. Well, I assume that happens when you run an obsolete operating system (read Windows 98). Anyway, the computer guy (who happened to be super hot...not geek squad material at all!) is supposed to have it back in our house working next Tuesday. I simply couldn't wait that long!

In and among the crashed computer, we're getting ready for a big garage sale. When I say big I mean the ad in the paper was 100+ words. We have a lot of crap! Hopefully, I can pull out a couple hundred dollars to use on my upcoming cruise trip.

Also, before I forget...Mary THANK YOU so much for nominating me for the cool blogger award! I can't wait to pass it on to some of my favorite bloggers!

Okay, fellow bloggers, this seems to be the only working computer in Java City and the line is getting long so I'd better wrap this up. Y'all keep my blog company until I can get back to lavishing attention on it okay?!