A baking oops!

Apparently I'm not as much of a multi-tasker as I thought.

I was talking on the phone with a friend of mine last night. When I talk on the phone, I'm usually productive. (I believe I've mentioned that in previous posts.)

So I'm chatting with her, and I decide I want to bake. I get out all the ingredients and realize I need to cut the recipe in half. This is a little difficult in some areas, because my measuring cups are all in the dish washer. But I'm not usually the type that measures everything anyway, so I decide to wing it. I've just slid the first pan of cookies in the oven when I realize the softened butter was still sitting there waiting to be mixed into the batter. Oops.

"Who knows what those cookies will taste like?" I think as I pour the butter into the batter still waiting to be spooned onto a pan.

Surprisingly enough, the cookies without the butter are better than the cookies with the butter.

Go figure.

Productivity!

I just went shopping and had oh so much fun! Alison and I are good co-shoppers. We both like to talk while we shop. We both like to meander in and out of stores. We both like being productive. We're hanging out and catching up, but we're not wasting time. :) Memorial City is by far my favorite mall in Houston. (I haven't been to all of them, but of those I've been to, this one is at the top of the list.)

I bought flip flops, dancing shoes, and casual black flats. I know. 3 pairs is a lot...at least for me. (Maybe not for Laurie...she's the shoe queen, but I don't usually buy multiple pairs at once.)

I bought some miscellanous items needed for my Europe trip. (almost there!)

I returned a few items of clothing that I decided I didn't want anymore. Which is also a benefit to my credit card statement. Credits are always helpful. :)

And finally, I completely finished my Father's Day shopping! Whew! Don't scramble to look at the calendar. (You did, didn't you?) It's not until June 17. However, I won't even be on the same continent as my dad on Father's Day, much less in the same city. So I needed to purchase it early. I still need to wrap it and mail it, but I've got time for that. The major part of the gift buying, is deciding what to buy! Once I did that, the rest was easy. :)

Random Thoughts

I'm reading a book where a man is murdered. His home is neat and tidy when the police go through it looking for clues. Mine is not currently neat and tidy. Kinda makes me want to clean....Morbid maybe, but who wants strangers entering their home and finding it a mess?

I shouldn't have eaten the jalapenos at dinner, my stomach does not like me right now.

Staying up late and sleeping late is great. However, it means there is no cause for going to bed at any kind of a decent hour.

I'm going shopping tomorrow, and I actually have money to spend. Whoo-hoo!

It's Summer! Lunch anyone?

Hello Blog Readers,

I'm off for the summer and as such, can actually meet people for lunch! This is super exciting, because my lunch schedule throughout the school year is completely un-flexible and does not lend itself to socializing. So if you'd like to take me out to lunch, er, meet for lunch one day in the next two months, please let me know!

Sincerely,
Alyssa

Are you striving with someone for that person?

"Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me," Romans 15:30.

A few friends and I discussed this verse last night at Bible Study. It made me think.

There have been times in my life when I was desperate for fellow believers to be striving with me in prayer for me. There have also been times when I have strived in prayer for a fellow believer.

The word strive is a pretty strong word. Merriam Webster's definition: to devote serious effort or energy.

I was challenged by this verse and want to extend the same challenge to you.

Are you devoting serious effort or energy in prayer with someone for that someone?

Ummm, who's there?

I got off work early on Friday. It was a teacher work day and when our work was done, we could begin our summer vacation. This was, of course, ample encouragement to work quickly. :) I was home around 2:00. I hadn't been feeling well the past couple of days and it had been a stressful week, so I poured a glass of wine, turned on the hot water in the tub and prepared to relax. The water is running, and I'm stepping in the tub, when I hear a knock...on my BEDROOM door! Now, I live by myself, for those of you that may just be stopping by and this was a good time for me to have a heart attack. I clear my throat and try to talk in an un-meak way, "Who is it?" With a thousand thoughts racing through my head of what I'm going to do!

As it turns out, it was a friend of mine. She was stopping by to store some produce in my fridge. She'd knocked on the front door and upon receiving no answer, let herself in. (She has a key.) I knew she was coming, but for some reason thought it would be later that evening.

Talk about heart stopping!

It's actually quite funny now, but laughing was not the first thought on my mind while I was sitting in the bathtub.

Strrrrrrrrrrrettttccchh

I LOVE SLEEPING LATE!

Doctor, Doctor!

I've done something to my hand/wrist. I'm not sure what. A nerve from the base of my thumb all the way to about halfway to my elbow hurts. It hurts to turn it too far to the left or right. It is a little sore to type. I can't lift very much. It was hurting this morning when I woke up. In fact, I was gingerly twisting it to find out what I'd done and popped my wrist bone. So I kept popping it. I probably popped it 15-20 times before I finally just stopped. It would have kept on popping! How weird is that?

I have no idea how I injured it. I just know that it hurts. I've taken some ibuprofen.

Any doctors out there want to hand out a little free advice?

Blueberry Muffins

I made blueberry muffins this morning for my students. The plan was to greet them at the door with a napkin and breakfast. I got up early to mix the batter and put them in to bake before I jumped in the shower to get ready for the day.

I needed three pans of muffin tins. I grease the tins, mix the batter, spoon it in to the tin and slide them into the oven. Well, I slide the first two into the oven anyway. The third pan fell and landed on the door of the oven, upside down! I had to respoon batter (yes, I had some extra) and then try to clean batter off the door of the oven. The oven was hot, so the kerplopped batter is already starting to bake. Sizzling blueberries are difficult to touch, let me tell you! I just grab lots of papertowels and scoop as much of it as I can into the trash can.

About fifteen minutes later, my smoke alarm starts going off as I open the oven to pull out the pans of muffins. Are the muffins burnt? No, but the batter left stuck to the door is another story.

I'm sure I'll have lots of fun cleaning it off.

Ummm, kids?

I love teaching. Really, I do. But at the end of the day, I get to go home and be child-free.

Do I really want kids of my own?

Hmmm.

(PS. Yes, I'm very aware that the only reason I feel this way is that I'm dealing with 44 of them for 8 hours straight. And that it is the end of the year. And that they don't want to be here anymore and are bouncing off the walls. I'm aware of all of that...)

Unmentionable...?

There is a story that I would love to post. It's actually quite funny. I've thought about it for several days. I'm not sure how I would word it and not incriminate....someone.

I love hugs!

The title pretty much says it all.

My students are 9 turning 10, and they don't hug very often, but I love it when they do!

I have several friends that I get a hug from (and give to) upon seeing. Those are great too!

There is just something about a hug from a guy, though. Especially one that is taller than me. I feel safe, protected. I've got a couple guys that aren't afraid to give a "real" hug. The side arm hugs are great, but nothing can compare to a real hug! Thanks to you that do!

I love hugs!

BEEEEE YOU T FUL!

I saw this picture and thought it was gorgeous. It made me think of all of God's creation. Even the parts we will never see or know about. He still made them. Isn't God grand?

I wish I had a video camera!

My kids are cracking me up today! One is bebopping his head and doing the background noise to rap music as he works on his Language worksheet to choose the correct word to go in the blank. (We're learning the difference in 'good' and 'well.')

Another girl is giggling at him, but he doesn't know it. That got me to smiling. Then when her giggling became contagious, another boy thought everyone was laughing at him. Thus, confusion reigned for a few minutes. I never did tell Zack that Andrea was giggling at him and that was why I was smiling. He thought he'd done something wrong, not in a "I'm in trouble" kind of way, but in a "What'd I do?" kind of way.

This class makes me laugh, and I love them!

As much as I'm ready for the end of the year, I'm really going to miss these kiddos!

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!

I've wanted chocolate all day long today. I don't know what my deal is, but man! Major cravings!

Back in time?

The janitor cleans the chalkboard on Friday afternoons. Every Monday morning I write the entire new date (May 7, 2007, etc.) on the board. Every other day of the week, I just erase the number (7) and write the new one. This morning, I write the date on my chalkboard, as I do every Monday morning. An hour later a student raises his hand and points to the board. "Ms. Ross?" Nick says "The board says May 14, 2005."

Where my mind was, I cannot say. But this I know for sure. There are only 8 days left!

:)

No phone today :(

I got to work this morning and realized that I'd left my cell at home.

My first thought? "What am I going to do?"

I chuckled at myself, because I'm walking into work! I don't 'need' my cell phone for the next 8 or so hours. I can drive home this afternoon without it. (I don't want to and I don't like to, but I can!)

I tell myself, "Alyssa, it will be okay!"

Of course, twice today I have wanted to make personal phone calls and groaned when I didn't have my phone, but I've survived...so far.

The Unit

I don't know how many of you watch The Unit, but it's one of my favorite shows. It's a military show, but it's different from other military tv shows. It feels more like a movie with a developed plot line than a mid week tv show.

However, this semester I've had class on Tuesday nights and haven't been able to watch it regularly. I've watched most of them by going to cbs.com, but there are a couple I have missed. :(

Last night was the season finale.

Did anyone else watch it? Because I'm dying to talk about it with someone!

YAY!!! TAKS SCORES ARE IN!

I can keep my job! :)

Passing Percentages for 4th grade are: (drum roll, please!)


Writing: 97%
Reading: 93%
Math: 98%

Whoo-hoo! So exciting!

Blah

I'm sorry. That's pretty much how I feel after this week. Blah. :(

Drip, drip, drip

This time the dripping isn't my ceiling, it's my sinuses.

I feel yecky.

Thought Police?

This is an article by Chuck Colson. Colson provides a Christian perspective on many of today's issues. This article is in regards to a bill that will be voted on tomorrow before Congress to protect people based on their sexual orientation.

If you would like to call your representative, you can reach them at 202-224-3121.

Drip, drip, drip

I have a project due tonight by 5pm to my professor. Per the assignment, I worked with a student one on one doing an oral, silent and listening running record. (The student reads and the teacher notates mispronunciations, miscues, repeats, skips, etc.) I worked with a student in my class 3 different times after school to complete the given exercises.

Last night, I sat down to type up the findings. There was a huge storm going on in Houston, for those readers that do not live in our (sort of) coastal city. :) I was saving my work every two minutes or so to make sure a power outage didn't ensure I needed to start completely over (been there, done that, don't want to go back!)

At one point, I get up to get a drink or go to the bathroom or something. When I returned to my computer, it had shut itself down, there were drips all over the keyboard and my coffee table was wet, too. This was by no means the first time this had happened, so I immediately knew my ceiling was leaking due to the weather.

I didn't panic, but moved quickly to get furniture out of the way, dry off the computer, restart it to check on my work and grab pots to put under the drips.

My apartment complex was overjoyed to hear from me this morning.