Interesting Perspective

I went to middle school and high school with a guy who is becoming famous. He has been on a comedy series since it's original airing, two (or 3?) seasons ago and will begin presenting a reality TV series this year. It was surprising to be sitting in a movie theatre watching previews and his face flashes on screen. Cool!
I googled him last night. He has a fan website, a wikipedia entry, and quite a bit of information on IMDb. It is possible to start message threads on IMDb. I glanced through a few and thought it funny reading about how some girls think he's soooo hot. It was just odd to realize I've shared Denny's with this guy. We acted together in several plays. I've been in his parents' home. And now teenie boppers are exclaming over him.

Weird!

Ski Trip minus the skiing

At our extended family gathering, we discussed plans for next year. This is fairly typical for us, as we like to know in advance what we need to plan for...whether it be a slight change in tradition or something monetarily. This year we discussed a ski trip for next year. Now, only half the family will actually ski. However, it should still be a fun time for all. We'll snowmobile, shop, tube, shop, build snowmen, shop, play games, sit by the fire, shop, use a hot tub, play tricks on the kiddos, and just in general have a grand ole time. I will not be a skiier, but will need to purchase wintry clothes just the same. Living in Houston does not afford the need for cold weather clothes. Therefore I will need to go shopping. Darn! :)

Not to mention saving up for this expedition. I am glad we discussed it now. I need to budget! We have already decided this will be "Christmas" meaning no gifts will be exchanged next year. I doubt my parents really follow that guideline, but I'm okay with that.

We will caravan from Oklahoma City to Colorado. A fun trip of 12 hours, not counting the fact I will have already driven from Houston to Plano and then Plano to Ok City.

However, I do like winter and don't get to experience it often. So, while it is twelve months away, I will begin getting excited now!

I found it!

"It" wasn't lost really. I just never knew where to find the speakerphone button on my cell phone. I had long ago come to the conclusion I didn't have one, seeing as how I've had the cell phone over a year. This morning, I was listening to a voicemail message and intended to turn the volume up. Instead, I touched a different button, turning on the speakerphone!

This is great news! Now, I can grade papers, wash dishes, cook, make my bed, whatever I need to do...with TWO hands because I can be talking on speakerphone!

(Laurie, is this in the same category as my car air conditioning? I don't think so, but maybe...)

Fun!

This is too cute to not pass on! I'm sure some of you have seen it before, but I couldn't help myself!

Love it! ;)

Only one day left!

I'm very much in countdown mode! Tomorrow will be crazy as all get out and truthfully, it's a headache for teachers, but we only have one more day (with children!) left!

Christmas Wreath

The Meaning of the Christmas Wreath

Every Christmas wreath is more than just a decoration...
it's a special reminder of Jesus, the reason for our celebration.
The circle of a Christmas wreath is a never-ending ring,
a reminder of eternal love from our Lord and King.
The Christmas wreath is a sign of welcome, inviting all to enter in...
a reminder of Christ's invitation for all to come to Him.
The middle of a Christmas wreath is a bare and empty space,
a reminder of what life would be without Christ's love and grace.
So each time you see a Christmas wreath hanging from a door,
may your heart rejoice in the One that Christmas is truly for!
- Holley Gerth

Interesting dinner menu

I had a ham and cheese sandwich for dinner with fritos and spinach dip on the side.

To drink? A mimosa.

I thought it was fun.

Ugh

I snapped at my mom on the phone today.

She hadn't done anything wrong.

I felt like a heel as soon as I said it.

I hate it when I do that.

Late Night Baking

After my dinner and movie the other night, I needed to come home and make a breakfast casserole to refrigerate overnight and bake 3 dozen cookies. It was after 11:30pm when I arrived home, so it made for some late night baking, but I was having fun. Here is the finished product. I know the picture isn't great, but it was the best my phone could do.

An attitude adjustment

This week was a pretty stressful week. It doesn't rank in the top 5 or anything, but definitely the most stressful of this current school year. One parent threatened legal action. Another sends a nasty email about a mistake on a grade. Our regular schedule is changed a couple of times and kids don't react well to anything outside of their routine. I had four parent meetings, three of those had an administrator sitting in. I cried in one administrator's office...something I have never done at this school. A grade level meeting that needed to be extended because there was so much to discuss, another thing that has never happened. I needed to call a parent on the phone regarding her child's behavior. Two boys were throwing erasers at each other during a test. I stayed at work until 8pm one night, then brought papers home and graded for another hour and a half. The list goes one. It had been a stressful week. I called my mom on the way home. We hadn't been able to talk in a few days and needed to catch up. We talked for an hour and I was able to "get it all out" as the saying goes.

By this time, I had arrived home and checked my email. A friend had emailed wanting to do dinner and a movie. A small group went to Two Rows and then to see American Gangster. I again called my mom to chat on the way to dinner. Her first words were, "You sound much more upbeat this time!"

Sometimes, all it takes is a change in environment. I was spending the evening without 25 ten year olds. Therefore I was happy.

One more thing marked off the "To-Do" List

I finished my Christmas cards! Yay!

The biggest hassle for me is always finding addresses. My parents' generation (at least in our family) keeps an address book. I have one, but many addresses are outdated, or I don't even remember who the people are...so obviously it is not very helpful. Of course, it is mainly my parents' generation that mails Christmas cards. Hmmm, did I just call myself old? Young families send Christmas cards, too. Though sometimes I wonder if the only reason they send them is to update their friends with pictures of their children.

I have cut down on the number of cards that I send. It just go too overwhelming. Please don't be offended if you don't receive a card from me. I still love you!

I love receiving Christmas cards. I love checking my mail during the month of December, because there is usually more than bills and fliers in the mailbox!

I've been Elfed

A fellow teacher walked into my classroom and said, "May I take a picture of you?" and then snapped a picture. She immediately left, to the chuckles of my students, and a few minutes later I receive this in an email.

Stock Advice from Random Texter

I received this text at 6:07am on Sunday morning.

Begin Text:
(Hey it's Cory) If you're playing the market at you, you might wanna check out UTEI, UTEC Inc (nantoech play) As solid as the ground we stand on
End Text

I don't know anyone named Cory.

Do with the advice what you wish.

Secrets

I enjoy knowing secrets. They're fun! There are some secrets that are so good, they just want to burst out of me. But that would mean they are no longer a secret.

Blast!

Pop!

I opened a bottle of champagne yesterday for the first time. The cork really does fly! It was hilarious watching Meredith and Carmen dive out of the way just before the cork sailed through my kitchen doorway!

Don't give a dern

I was listening to the radio this morning on my way to work, when this song came on.

I'm not good at that...not worrying about what others think I mean. When I teach, I want feedback from my principal on how I could do better. When friends come over to my apartment, I want everything in order and neat. When people come over for dinner, I worry that they're comparing my cooking to someone else's or that everything has to be perfect. When I speak in front of friends, I want to know what _________ thinks about what I said. When I have a conflict with someone, I want someone else to tell me where I am wrong or right...how I could have handled things differently. I think about what I wear and what my makeup looks like, because I want to be found acceptable and trendy. The person I'm trying to please may change, depending on the situation, but my heart and attitude are still one of trying to please. I wish I could adopt a little more of the "don't give a dern" attitude!

There are public libraries?

I was talking with a young girl the other day during dismissal. She might have been in 2nd grade. Our school's dismissal policy is that children sit in their assigned location and quietly read. When I reminded her to get out a book, she explained she hadn't been to the library yet this week to be able to have a book. I then explained that she could be reading the book she had checked out last week, brought one from home, borrowed one from her teacher's classroom or gone to the public library. Her response was "There are public libraries?!!?"

Oh my.

Dreamy

After I posted about not remembering my dreams, I find it amusing that I'm beginning to remember more and more.

Last night, I dreamed that two friends of mine began dating. We were at a gathering with Queen Victoria when I found out. Yes, that's right. Queen Victoria. As in the queen of England from 1837-1901. If that's not odd enough, when my friends left the gathering he kissed me good-bye.

I'm pretty sure I can make my own interpretations of this one!

Let's Say Thanks

Xerox has provided the opportunity for us to show our troops we support them. All you have to do is choose a postcard. (They're all hand drawn by children!) Then you click by the message you want included. The messages range from simple "Thank you" to much more verbose, so you can choose the one that fits what you want to say.

Best of all, it's free!

Fun Friday Evening

I went to dinner with three friends on Friday night. We went to a restaurant I rarely frequent, so it was a nice treat. I'm a person that thrives in small group settings. I know some people pull the energy from a large group to them and are the life of the party. Others may not want the limelight, but thoroughly enjoy a crowd of people. I am not one of those people. I much prefer a more intimate setting, ie less than 10. Icing on the cake appears when the ratio of men to women is equal. This was the situation on Friday.

In smaller settings, casual conversation can turn serious and be reasonably distraction free. This is what I enjoy. The four of us laughed, joked, counseled and in general caught up with each other. I had a grand time!

What happened to the cold weather?

Fall was here...but it's gone away.

Please come back!