February's Update on "The List"

At the beginning of a new year, I don't always make resolutions. It's just another day. Why does it feel so 'new' to everyone? I never understood it. But this year, I decided January 1 actually meant something other than another day and set some goals for myself for 2010. I don't call them resolutions, though I guess some of them fall in that category.

It's always fun to chronicle progress towards accomplishments, so the last day of each month I plan to do a reflection and update the status of each item on the list! Maybe even add new ones... I've rearranged some of them to make for less repetition.

Here's February's checkup!

In Progress or Still to Do:

1. Take a self-defense class: I've researched this, but haven't moved forward.

2. Go to Chicago: I've researched this, and Veronica and I are talking about dates we could go. =)

3. Go skydiving: Mom may go with me! Wow! I've done the research and we'll see what happens with Mom's decision... Mom and I haven't talked about it again, so not really an update here.

4. Go on a mission trip: I'm still in communication to try to set up a trip to Haiti for this summer. We'll see what the Lord has in store! I definitely appreciate all prayers!

5. Figure out why my wifi doesn't work at home: I just have to make a phone call. Why is that so hard? I'm off this coming Friday, so will put it on my 'to do' list for then.

6. Use everything in my pantry before going grocery shopping: If you've read the blog at all, you know I've been moving forward on this one! I'm allowing myself to buy perishables (meat, produce, dairy), but nothing else. It's been fun, challenging and a money-saver!

7. Meet Angie Smith: I'm not sure if/when this might happen.

8. Visit Crosspoint Church: I'm not sure if/when this might happen.

9. Meet Brandi and Pete Wilson: See #7 and #8.

10. Re-read the Proverbs 31 woman study...focus hard on the character traits the Lord leads me too: I haven't started this one.

11. Go cash predominantly (I'm not sure cash only is even an option anymore): I vacillate on this one, more than I'd like to.


Completed!

1. Pay off medical bills: TOTALLY FINISHED!

2. Re-take the GRE and work towards completion of my Master's degree: I'm set to graduate in December of this year! Whoo-hooo!

4. Plant things in my garden: Mom, Dad and Angela were in town last weekend. Here are pics of our work outside!


This Jack Daniel's barrel was Grandma's. She LOVED gardening and just tinkering outside. I didn't inherit her greenthumb and, up until recently, I didn't think I'd inherited her love for tinkering outside either. But I've really enjoyed having a garden to play in!


The Lemonade jug was Mom's and the milk crate (holding the ivy) was Grandma's. Fun little touches to bring all the generations of Mims women together in my garden. =)


The hook for the hanging basket was hanging catawampus. Dad now assures me it will still be holding things up long after I've passed on. =)


Mom and Aunt Barbara found the tricycle at Tuesday Morning back in July when they were here to help me decorate. They decided I must have it! I think it's novel and, since the other things in my garden are novel, it fits! We added the pansies to the basket last weekend.

5. Cook more regularly: I've been cooking each weekend and using those meals throughout the week. I cook some during the week too, but primarily on the weekend.

6. Meet the first few requirements in Dave Ramsey's list of 'acting your wage' (I'm using my own words here): Yep! :)

7. Pay off Television: Yep!

8. Work out more regularly: Yep!

9. Post more regularly: I dropped off a little in February, but still more regularly than last year!



Rethinking:

1. Take a course on gun safety, get a license to carry a gun and purchase one: This has been temporarily put off. a) It's pretty expensive b) Having a gun in home causes many conversations to happen...



Hopefully March will see more progress and maybe the addition of more items!

Go Texan Day

The day before the trailride comes into Houston to kickoff Rodeo is Go Texan Day! It's always a Friday and most employers allow their employees to wear western clothes to work.

Students really enjoy dressing up and showing off their western wear!

Garden Progress

Well, all our hardwork was brought inside tonight, due to south Texas's forecast of snow and possible sleet.

My living room and dining room have some additions at the moment.

Filler

I don't have all the pics yet from this weekend, so this is a filler post. =) I'll try to post the weekend update tomorrow.

This weekend was fun! Not hectic, not too slow...just a nice, even pace of catching up, productivity, eating wonderful food, celebrating Mom's birthday, and work. More to come on that (hopefully) tomorrow!

Today was nice. Veronica and I went walking this morning and then I stopped at Kolache Factory on my way to work...go figure. =) Our school has some visitors from China coming tomorrow. Allegedly, they're stopping in every classroom briefly. One of my classes finished this way cool writing assignment, and I put it up on the wall outside my room today. The other class will (hopefully) be working on it tomorrow when the visitors walk through our room. My brilliant (only if it works out) idea is that they will see the finished product as well as the process. We'll see! I'll take pics tomorrow.

Jill and I went walking after work today. We hadn't had good catch up time in awhile and it was nice. She invited me to join them for dinner, and I loved being able to hold Luke and hang out with Jill and Aaron for awhile. I'm feeling a little repetitive in this post so far, but...Doh! I didn't even take my camera out! We could have had such cute pictures! Next time, for sure!

I came home and picked up a couple of borrowed items, then drove around town returning them before stopping at the grocery store and heading home. Have you had HEB's hummus? I'd never tried it, but it's really good! It's in a clear bowl, and has garnish in the middle, so you can take off the lid and serve it as a cute appetizer with doing absolutely NOTHING! I love that! I got the one with roasted pine nuts.

Julie's coming over for dinner tomorrow...and I'm looking forward to some chill time with her. We've vowed to not talk about Paradigm! We'll see if that happens! =)

Family

Mom, Dad and Angela are coming to visit this weekend!

They'll be here about 4:00, which gives me time to get off work, go home, put clean sheets on the bed and change out of work clothes. Whoo-hooo!

I'm hoping to throw a shower in to the schedule, since I got up at 6:45 this morning...and have to be at work at 7:30. A stop at McD's for caffeine usurped the current need to be clean. Meh.

I'm looking forward to this weekend!

Out of the Mouths of Babes

This is a conversation I just had with another teacher's first grade child:

Her: Do you have kids? Are you married?

Me (smiles): No, I don't have kids. I'm not married.

Her: Are you married? When are you going to get married so you can have kids? I can't wait anymore!

Zzz, wha?

Saturday, Sunday and Monday I was awake WAY earlier than I needed to be or for that matter, should have been. I mean c'mon! It's the weekend! Why am I waking up at 7am?!

Saturday, I took a nap. The nap was a little longer than I intended. I had friends over that night and went to bed pretty late. Sunday, I was still awake at 7. ??

Sunday night, Meredith and I went to see Edge of Darkness (a really good, really intense movie) and so it was another late night. Yep, Monday morning I'm awake at 8. 8!? When I could sleep til 10? And we're talking 5 or 6 hours of sleep each night here! What's the deal!?

Monday was a pretty productive day, with errands, excercise, hanging out, grading, oh...and a nap. So, of course, I couldn't go to sleep last night at 10 when I went to bed. At 11 when I was still awake.

But when my alarm went off at 4:30...oh, yeah, I could sleep then!

Grrr.

3 day weekends are great for relaxing and productivity, but they're the WORST for my sleep schedule! Tease.

Yay for 4 day weeks!

Happy Valentine's Day

Today is a day to show love to all in our life. It certainly doesn't have to only be romantic love, though that seems to be the marketing focus of the day.

I had some girlfriends over last night. We didn't focus on being single. We didn't focus on relationships. We talked and LAUGHED and shared fun food and wine. Use today to tell someone you love them!

You know its been

You know its been a great week when you curse in individual conversations with both of your parents...and you don't even care.

Ranting coming up

I fully acknowledge this is a vent.

I'm so frustrated! My co-worker spoke pretty rudely to me just before lunch, when her students are in the hallway. She was upset that I didn't know the answer to my question. Her response was "I emailed that!" Umm, yeah. She hadn't emailed ME that!

She then went into her room and screamed and threw books on desks because she was mad...at me. I wasn't there. I was next door in my room. I could hear.

Our district is requiring us to assign a certain type of project. Its ridiculous, because one of the main reasons its being assigned is because it looks good to the media and parents. Except parents will hate having to help their children complete the project and we, the teachers, will receive flak about it. Nonetheless, we have to do it. And our team needs to meet to discuss it. Except one of them tutors every Tuesday during planning. Because she doesn't want to stay after school. The other two tutor every Thursday. For the same reason. Two of them plan every Wednesday during our planning time. And they absolutely are unbending about that. One leaves every day right after duty. She will never stay after school. One arrives right at the beginning of duty. She lives further away and cannot arrive early. The other one has kids at our school and they are in her room of a morning. She must leave on Mondays for the kids' swim practice. I tutor after school on Tuesdays. I have grad school on Thursdays. Not that it matters since the one never stays after school...it's not like we could meet then anyway. When are we supposed to meet?!?!?!?

I walked in to her classroom this morning and asked if we could slightly change the tutor's schedule, just for today. Her answer? "Yes, but you have to stop doing this." Because we can't be flexible? She had some emotional things going on one day last week and left work at 1:15. I covered her tutoring during planning time. Another teacher covered her dismissal duty. We all covered her responsibilities that evening, as we had a school event.


I honestly don't mind being flexible. I feel like that's a part of being a team. I'm just tired of being the only one that is flexible.

Out with the old and in with the new....BLOG

I took Jeanine's suggestion and made a cooking blog. :) I had a teaching blog, but I've revamped it. :) Right now, it's just the recipes I'd already posted here...but I'll add more soon!

She also suggested I look into Pioneer Woman. I'd been following her since December and love her!! I'm making 3 of her recipes for tonight! The restaurant style salsa is already in the fridge chilling. The drip beef is in the oven, about half way through cooking, and I'm making the Live by Chocolate cupcakes a little later. Yumm!

Nothing Special...

I'm not titling this post til I'm finished. Cuz I don't really know what it's going to be about yet. :)

I made labels to put on the chalkboard today to let the children know what they need out on their desk each day. Now I don't have to announce the same items over and over!

People are coming over to hang out tomorrow night and I'm making Pioneer Woman's recipes for drip beef and live by chocolate. I'm excited because this means I will have a clean house, great friends, wonderful wine, and leftovers!

I've already turned in my lesson plans for next week. (They're due before we leave on Fridays, and because I stay late on Fridays I usually turn them in about 6ish.) So this is a huge step forward!

I have a TON of papers to grade and blah...

I'm looking for Seasons 3-final of JAG. For CHEAP! I've looked online. No bueno. Am I missing something? Any suggestions?

We have Presidents' Day off in a couple weeks, and I'm looking forward to it.