Drew and Frances

Stay tuned...

2009-03-12T21:21:00.001-05:00

I have gone shopping...

for professional clothing.

Pictures coming soon.

5 Miles Per Hour is REALLY fast...

2009-03-12T21:14:00.003-05:00

...when you are running on a treadmill.

Yes, you guessed it...I have been getting back to the gym routinely again. I have learned a few things this time around:

1. You do not have run as fast as the skinny chick on the next treadmill over.
2. The music on your ipod makes all the difference in the world when staying motivated.
3. If you haven't been to gym in over 6 months, you probably can't run the first day back.
4. Gym clothes get really smelly...really fast.
5 . This is the most important one...the best way to keep going each day is to go DIRECTLY from work. If I try to go home first, I get distracted by the good smelling guy and the blue glow on the television, and most of all...the oh so gentle call of the couch.

What is your #1 lesson from the gym lately?

BBQ Chicken...in January

2009-01-27T16:46:00.003-06:00

Do you ever watch the Food Network?

I do probably more than I should. Really.

On Saturday I was flipping through the bazillion channels I have to chose from and couldn't find anything to watch. Sooooo, I flipped over the food network. (It's like an old friend...an old standby to me.) To my delight, Paula Deen's show was on. So, naturally, I watched. The entire episode was about Tailgate foods.

I am not a tailgater, so I thought this might be a waste of time. Then, I heard "Bar-B-Que Chicken" and my brain got stuck on those three words. So, I listened.

Paula's son made a homemade BBQ sauce and then baked chicken dredged with the stuff. It looked soooooo good. So, in about half a second, I decided we were going to try it. I gathered all the ingredients (which I already had most of it!) and prepped. Last night we had it and, let me tell you, it was well worth the time. If you like BBQ of any kind and miss it in the winter this is DEFINITELY a recipe you should try. (Let me know how you like it!) Here's a link to the recipe or you can follow below:

(Incidentally, she also made beer brats, toffee brownies, and onion rings with chili sauce in this episode....)
__________________
Ingredients:
1 Cup Ketsup
2 TBSP orange juice
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 (3 1/2 pound) chicken cut into 8 pieces OR
8-10 chicken thighs

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F or prepare the grill grate lightly with oil.
2. In large bowl, stir all ingredients together, except chicken. Reserve about 1/3 cup of the BBQ sauce and set aside. Add the chicken to the remaining sauce in the bowl, turning to coat.
3. Arrange teh coated chicken in a roasting pan or on the grill. Cook (covered, if grilling) for 40-45 minutes or until cooked through, basting with the reserved 1/3 cup sauce after 20 minutes.

Updates

2009-01-26T17:20:00.002-06:00

Last week we got our packet to update our profile with the adoption agency. That means it has been a year since we started the interviews with our caseworker. It is amazing how fast a year can go! Keep us in your prayers as we renew our profile documents to be sure they reflect who we are and how we really feel about things. We would really appreciate it.

Wii Venture

2009-01-12T21:04:00.003-06:00

Sooooo, we are now on the Wii bandwagon. I know, I know...we are WAAAAY behind everyone else. Anyway, here's the story:

We have been wanting a wii for some time and finally we just decided to throw caution to the wind and get one. So...we called our local sellers and they were sold out! So, we called the next closest city...sold out. IN. ALL. THE. STORES! So, we checked online at every vendor we could think of...SOLD OUT! The next day (Jan. 1) Drew started calling around...he called a town 1 hour away...then an hour and half away...and then 2 hours away...and they were all sold out. The coup de gras is a vendor 3 hours away from our home. They had ONE Wii, but could not hold it for us. We weighed the pros and cons of traveling three hours from home.

The cons:
-gas wasted
-time possibly wasted
-a day potentially wasted

The pros:
-can eat at Olive Garden (yummmmmm)
-get to spend time together
-could...on a fluke...obtain a Wii

So...we went. And we missed said Wii by 5 minutes, people. 5 stinkin' minutes.
We ate at the Olive Garden.
We drove home.
We laughed and enjoyed one anothers company.

The next day Drew was telling a co-worker what we had done the day before. His co-worker says "OH, I wish you said something before. I have a friend that bought a Wii a few months ago, played it once or twice, and realized they didn't want it. They have had signs all over the place trying to sell it!" Drew called me and I said "Take it!" So he did. And...we have our Wii. The people completely rewrapped everything and placed it back in the box exactly how it came when it was brand new.

So, then we bought another Wii remote. and a Nunchuck. And...Guitar Hero.

Oh yes we did.

And, just so you know... I Rock on Guitar Hero!

Virus

2008-11-15T09:39:00.005-06:00

So, 2 weeks ago now we learned that our home PC had a virus on it. We updated our antivirus software and it didn't clean it out. So, Drew took it the Computer guys and gals at the University and they cleaned all the viruses out, but couldn't get the speed back. They told him it was a Trojan Horse Virus and that it may have hurt the hard drive. Sooooo...we took it home and tried to wipe the computer clean (which took hours and we were unsuccessful) because we thought we could reuse that computer...just clean it and start over.

Anyway, a coworker of mine was telling her husband about our computer situation and he wasn't really listening to her. She was talking and he kept saying "uh huh....uh huh..." (you know when someone's not really listening, right? Then the following exchange ensued:

Coworker: So they got a trojan horse virus on the computer and are trying to clean it and reuse.
Husband: Hey, you better tell them that they can't reuse those Trojans.
Coworker: What?
Husband: You can't clean and reuse those Trojans...they break and won't keep a virus out!
Coworker: What are you talking about?
Husband: What are you talking about?
Coworker: You weren't REALLY listening to me, were you?

Then she explained AGAIN what she had said and he asked her "Are you going to tell Frances about this?" YUP and I'm sharing it here for you and may you laugh as hard as we did.

PS...We were FINALLY able to find someone who completely fixed our computer to full working order and that is a true blessing!

Veteran's Day

2008-11-11T07:23:00.003-06:00

Today is Veterans Day and, I will admit to you, that in the past I have dismissed this day from a lack of understanding the true weight of the honor that SHOULD be given this day. No one really ever explained it to me as a child and I did not have a grandfather, father, or uncle that ever fought in battle...that told me about it. A few years ago Drew shared some moving thoughts at church the Sunday before Memorial Day. His heartfelt words about honoring the veterans that have gone into danger on my behalf...and yours...because of their commitment to the United States and all it stands for forever changed me. He spoke of days gone by when stores closed on the Memorial Day to honor those and how most of us now just view such a day as a free holiday to have a cookout with family. Does this address the heart of the day? Veterans Day is another such day...a day of honor. A day that deserves respect and a moment's pause to remember. On this morning, I take a few minutes to pause and think of the Veterans I now know in my adult life. All three of them having fought in different wars...and all three of them so deserving of my respect. I am able to live without fear in country frought with freedoms because of the sacrifices willingly given by our soldiers throughout our country's history. I encourage you to just take time today to thank a Veteran, or send a card to a current soldier. Their sacrifice is worthy of a few minutes of your time, isn't it?

To do...

2008-11-08T08:43:00.003-06:00

Today I have so many things to get done. Did I tell you that we are getting a new porch? I didn't?! We are. It's not really a NEW porch...it's a redo of an existing porch. Our floorboards, stringers, and framework is all, basically, rotted out. SOOOOO....it's NOVEMBER and we are having our porch ripped out and a new one put in. I will take pictures so you can see it. Anyway, I have a lot on my to do list today...let's see...it includes (but is not limited to):

-sweeping the floors
-mopping the floors
-about 700 loads of laundry
-move the 5 large pumpkins off the porch
-make my Amish Friendship bread
-make a pumpkin pie...from a real pumpkin
-clean the kitchen
-go to the pharmacy
-price new mailboxes

I guess I better get going...that's quite a list! I hope you are having a productive Saturday yourself!

It's finally here...

2008-11-04T07:05:00.002-06:00

It's finally here...election day. I have remained fairly quiet about who I am voting for, and I will continue to remain rather quiet on the issue for now. However, I do believe in the democratic process and I encourage you get out there and vote today. All voices can't be heard if all voices don't speak. I will be doing my civic duty this afternoon and then I will revel in the fact this election is FINALLY over. I am sooooo ready to talk about something else. How 'bout you?

Photos

2008-10-29T18:12:00.006-05:00

Here are a few pictures of our niece and Drew with a pumpkin that we grew in our garden. She is getting sooooo big!

The Biggest Loser

2008-10-16T07:23:00.002-05:00

So, I have effectively become addicted to the Biggest Loser. Do you watch this show? It's probably the only thing during the week that I have to tape if I miss it. (I know, I know, TiVo would help in this situation...but we're trying to save money.) Anyway, I have been following along and cannot believe the hard-headed people that are competing this season. I have decided who I want to win...but I won't tell you right now. I think it's amazing to watch people step onto national television and agree to step on a scale once a week in front of that same audience. They work their tails off, get yelled at by thier trainer, and consistently lose 8, 9, 10 pounds a week. I can't remember the last time I lost 10 pounds in a week! Maybe gained 10 pounds in a week, but not lost it....

It's been a while...so what?

2008-10-03T10:02:00.002-05:00

I have been so busy lately because in addition to my job of teaching fifth grade, I am also doing my practicum this year in educational administration. I am gaining a great deal of experience and learning much, but it is quite the time killer. We are also helping with the Sparks in our church's Awana program on Wednesday nights. On Thursday nights we are taking Financial Peace University taught via dvd by financial advisor, Dave Ramsey. Whew...AND....the election has, as I have said, captured my attention this year.

Last weekend, we took some time to travel to see the movie Fireproof. Have you seen it? It was SO good. It was made by the same company that produced Facing the Giants, but I think Fireproof was much better. I really enjoyed the movie and was glad we spent the time and moolah to travel 2 hours to see it.

Election

2008-09-10T20:52:00.002-05:00

In the past I have been unable to really follow elections. I would always try, but would inevitably fall asleep, get bored, or just plan lose interest. Not this year. For whatever reason, I am glued to the TV. I am watching the news ALL. THE. TIME. I am following all kinds of stories and really trying to be as informed as possible before hitting the polling booth. How about you? Are you glued to the election too?

In the words of my good friend, Becca...

2008-08-21T17:58:00.004-05:00

Neuvo Coche! We have been driving the car that I bought the month I graduated from college up until 2 days ago...that's when we bought THIS! It's a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix. We are so blessed with this car! It looks great and we got it at a great price. it is just perfect for us!

Pictures

2008-08-17T21:02:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since we have posted much. Basically, my summer ended and I returned to school. The first day was Aug. 14, 2008 and I have had a GREAT time with this class.

We haven't posted any photos of our niece lately and thought we would for your viewing enjoyment.

The first one is of Drew and baby using the computer. We love this picture because she was SO interested in whatever Uncle Drew was doing. What a Great pic!
The Second photo was taken in July and she had just learned to grasp toys and swing them around. She was so active that day and kept me laughing all day.

The third photo was taken on my second to last week with her for the summer. She was able to sit up with plenty of support behind her. We like this picture too because of her smile. I hope all is well for you and I apologize for the quiet around here!

The last week

2008-08-05T15:42:00.002-05:00

The last week has been a whirlwind of events.

Last Monday (July 28) I finished up stapling the last staple into the walls of my classroom AND I finished up the last assignment for the course I was taking. I was feeling pretty good about myself and the fact that I was really sailing right along in terms getting things done. I figured this left me a week, or so, to rest and relax before the big push for the beginning of the school year. (Which, for me, starts on August 12). So, then on Tuesday I got a call from my mother. My grandmother had died. We made arrangements and made a quick trip to Elkhart/Middlebury for my Grandmother's funeral. We are back now, and I am busily working at school preparing for the onset of the new year. Below, you can see a photo of my grandmother along with her obituary. Needless to say, we are both spent and exhausted.

Mary Alice (Jones) Smith
Mary Alice (Jones) Smith, 88, of 53169 CR 39 Middlebury, IN died unexpectedly and due to natural causes at 6:27 PM on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at the Goshen General Hospital emergency room. She was born August 27, 1919 in Plymouth, IN., to the late Elzie and Valira Marie (Palmer) Jones. On March 6, 1939 in Plymouth, IN she married Willard Richard Smith. She was a homemaker, and had worked for Barler Manufacturing, IXL, Goshen Rubber and Western Rubber all of Goshen. Survivors include Daughter, Sandra J. Pelfrey of Middlebury, IN; 4 Sons, Willard LeRoy Smith, Victor Irvin Smith, Terry A. Smith all of Middlebury, IN, Davey B. Smith of Elkhart, IN; 9 Grandchildren, 15 Great Grandchildren, 4 Great Great Grandchildren; 5 Sisters, Esther Klapp of Plymouth, IN, Hazel & Alfred Stickler of Millersburg, IN., Betty Sullivan of Plymouth, IN, Margaret Wolfinger of Millersburg, IN., Barbara Bayse of New Haven, IN; Brother, Harry Jones of Waldport, OR. She was preceded in death by her parents, a son, Richard Eugene Smith, 2 Brothers, Charles and William Jones. Visitation will be from 2 - 4 and 6 - 8 PM, Friday at the funeral home. Funeral services will be at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, August 2, 2008 at the funeral home. Burial will be in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Bristol.

Movie Review - Stepbrothers

2008-07-28T14:05:00.003-05:00

This movie had potential to be funny and the story line was...decent. The problem is that the f-bomb was dropped WAAAAAAAAY too much in the movie as well as entirely too much sexual inuendo. If the producers had dropped the profanity and the sexual inuendo, I would have given this movie about a 7 on a scale of 1 - 10 (10 being the best movie ever). However, because of those factors I give this movie about a 1. I would not recommend this movie to any of my friends or family. I guess I am pretty opinionated about it, but I did not enjoy this movie much at all.

My New Favorite Song...

2008-07-27T21:09:00.002-05:00

"Slow Fade" by Casting Crowns

Ped Egg Follow-up

2008-07-24T17:16:00.003-05:00

I found a buy one get one free offer on the PedEgg. Click here to learn more!

New Movie Coming - Fireproof

2008-07-24T10:47:00.003-05:00

I was reading over at Family Reunion this morning and she had a link to the YouTube Trailer for a new movie coming this fall called Fireproof. It is made by the creators of Facing the Giants and I am looking forward to seeing it!

You know it's hot when

2008-07-22T09:40:00.002-05:00

you got outside to mow the lawn at 8:45am and it's 78 degrees but when you get done at 9:45 it's 92 degrees! Whoa! I just cannot believe the humidity this year around here. I just sweat bullets just STANDING outside. If I do any type of work, my shirt is wet, my hair is wet....yuck. Yesterday I took 3, yes THREE, showers due to sweating! Maybe TMI for you, but geez...I could use a break from the moisture in the air!

Comments

2008-07-16T11:39:00.001-05:00

I have posted instructions for leaving comments for those of you that have emailed me and asked. Just scroll down and you will see it on the right. I hope it helps!

Product Review - Ped Egg

2008-07-14T17:16:00.005-05:00

I have terribly calloused heels and often get a bit embarrassed when wearing sandals in public. I have used a lava stone in the past, but was intrigued by the Ped Egg when it came out. So, I finally broke down and bought one today. At first, I was a little nervous because it looks like, well...a cheese grater. I began slowly and cautiously rubbing it against my feet and I didn't feel a thing. Once I was done, my feet were smooth and callous-free. I highly recommend this product to anyone out there that has the same problem I have with calloused heels. I will warn you however, that when I dumped it out (after grating my feet down) I was a little bit grossed out. It really does rub a lot of dead, calloused skin away. It's safe, easy, and leaves your feet smooth.

Movie Review - Wall-E

2008-07-14T17:09:00.003-05:00

We went and saw the movie Wall-E this weekend and it was so good. I have been wanting to see it since I first saw the previews. We saw Hancock the weekend before and were disappointed in it because it really wasn't what the previews made it out to be. So, we decided to pop for movie tickets again to see Wall-E and LOVED it. It has some good messages in it and is very creative. It had funny points throughout, but true to Disney Classic style, it has a positive message at the end. If you get a chance to go, you should definitely go.

Congratulations!

2008-07-12T11:31:00.003-05:00

We wish to offer our congratulations to our friends Carlos and Shelly at the birth of their son at 1:34am today. Everyone has been so eager to meet little Carlos Andreas. May their family be blessed!

Quiet

2008-07-09T08:43:00.001-05:00

It's been rather quiet around here lately. My class stared on July 7 and it has already been interesting. Our current topic of discussion? Merit pay for teachers.

For our anniversary, I smoked some ribs and they were sooooo gooooooood! We spent the evening at home and enjoyed the company of one another. It's amazing how much we still love to do that sometimes!

It certainly has been quiet. Nothing exciting to report.

What about you? Anything exciting to report?

4 Years

2008-07-03T09:41:00.003-05:00

Today is our 4th anniversary. I am so blessed with such a loving, kind, and compassionate man to call my husband. I never knew I could love another person as I love this man. I tried to find a song that works for this special day, but I couldn't settle on just one.

The first is one that reminds me of our time dating: Frank Sinatra "Something Stupid"

The second says how I feel about Drew: Denise Williams "Let's Hear it For they Boy"

Bored.

2008-06-30T11:52:00.003-05:00

Bored.

That pretty much sums up how I have been so far this summer.

Drew and I both got our fishing licenses and we have been fishing and that has been FUN! I even bought a new pole. Fishing for me, though, is only fun when I don't have to touch the worm or the fish. What's the point? You ask? I like to cast, reel in the fish, and be outdoors with no phone or pressing issues to deal with.

Next week I am going back to class...sort of. It's an online course and I know my schedule will become very busy in a short amount of time. Before long, it will be back to school and the daily grind of teaching and learning.

How is your summer going?

New Tiller

2008-06-23T12:11:00.003-05:00

This is the second year that we have planted a rather large garden at ma and pa's farm. Last year we busted our rumps trying to keep the weeds at bay and we did pretty well. Ma and Pa have an old tiller but we simply could not get it to work. While Drew worked and worked on that tiller, the weeds just grew and grew. So, we finally decided it was time to break down and buy one.

We wanted to buy a used one, but it is virtually impossible to find a used tiller around here. Finally we located a used one in a town 1 hour from our home. So, we set out to buy it and bring it home. The employees had told us that they were closing at noon on Saturday due to a parade and celebration that was taking place in the town, BUT they would wait for us if we called when were about 10 minutes away. The guy said it was a Troy-Bilt Horse with a snow blade attachment. (a $2400 dollar value that they were selling $799.) When we were 10 minutes away, we called the place and they said "We are going to be closing at 12:00 because we all want to go to the parade. If you aren't here, we will close." We pulled into their parking lot at 12:00 sharp. All the employees were walking out to go to the parade. They looked right at us, and drove away. Baaaaaad business.

So, we set about looking around for something else because, ya'll, our weeds were out of control. We remembered to bring a phone book with us and began calling around. One guy told us that there was a new Tractor Supply in town and they might have tillers. So, we went to the brand new Tractor supply and found this tiller. It was on sale for $50 dollars off and then a group was there asking us to test drive a Toyota Tundra and then give feedback. If we did, they gave us EACH a $15 gift card. So...the original cost of the tiller was $599, but we got it for $519 which is $300 less than we were going to pay for the used one at Bad Business Central.

So, we (by we, I mean Drew because...remember...I sprained my ankle) tilled up all those weeds and our garden look so good now. So, happy tiller day to us.

OH...and btw...the Toyota Tundra was a SWEET ride. Maybe our next truck will....

Yummmmmmm

2008-06-18T14:44:00.002-05:00

I have been CRAVING an authentic carnival style elephant ear. Thanks for the link and the reminder, Amy! We may just have to make a few around our place!

Frosty's for Adoption!

2008-06-13T17:33:00.002-05:00

During this weekend (June 14 and 15) every Frosty purchased at Wendy's will result in them donating $0.50 to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. Hmmmm...if everyone in MY family bought a frosty that would be, like, a gajillion dollars for adoption. Now...shoo...go out and buy a Frosty.

Just confirming I am the Klutz Queen.

2008-06-13T07:40:00.004-05:00

What a night folks! Last night we went over to the garden at Drew's parents' place to hook up some hoses and run the water. Afterwards we spent some time talking to Ma and then decided to go. As we were leaving I stepped off the porch and fell into the grass. The porch is a 3-4 inch think cement slab. My foot slipped off the side and I ROLLED MY ANKLE! Yes I did. So, I commenced with the crying and almost passing out at the pain while Ma and Drew gently loaded me into the truck, gave me some ibuprofen, and a bag of ice. Then, we had to drive the 25 miles or so to the nearest hospital.

Once at the ER, everyone and their brother was there. Some guy needed stitches. There was a kid that had gotten hit in the jaw with a baseball. (OUCH!) Another guy...I don't know his deal and then me. They took X Rays and determined that it is a bad sprain. Bad enough that the doc air casted it, gave me crutches, and sent me home.

It was 9:45pm when I was sent home and...oh...we hadn't eaten yet! So, we got salads at McDonald's, went home, ate, and then went to bed. (around 11:30pm) At 3:45 I woke up with excruciating pain in my ankle. I downed some ibuprofen and then back to sleep I went. As long as I stay medicated and keep things elevated, I am doing okay.

I feel like a big ol' dork though because I cried so hard when I fell. Folks, I broke my other ankle in middle school and this sprain hurt far worse than that ever did. I thought FOR SURE I had broken my ankle. Thank God I did not. After a week or so, this will all be over and I can get back to normal...or trip again and cause some other bodily harm to myself.

So, I have once again demonstrated that if you are a klutz, like me, then I am definitely your Queen.

Snakes 1254, me 1

2008-06-10T10:36:00.003-05:00

I have finally killed a snake without using a lawn mower, folks. I am so afraid of the stupid things, but I am learning that if I don't wrangle them when I've see them, they will only get bigger and smarter. I am sure the neighbors think I am a bit odd, but I have started walking around the lawn, whenever I happen to be working in the lawn, with a shovel in hand. So, I thought I would share that while the snakes currently lead the score about 20 bazillion to one, I have claimed victory over one.

Klutz

2008-06-03T14:22:00.004-05:00

Do you ever feel like a klutz? You know, tripping, falling, knocking things down needlessly? Well, if so then after today I would definitely be your queen.

Seriously, I have a long track record of tripping, falling, and otherwise klutzy behavior over the course of most of my life. Today was one of those days that will go down in the historical record of my life-long kluziness.

Our water softner needed salt and I, being the good wife I am, headed off to Kearney (35 miles away) to purchase the 8 bags we needed to fill the softner.

I dutifully went into the store, paid for the purchase, and then returned to the car to load the 8 bags of salt. The bags are heavy, so I only lift one at a time. (Again, because I am a big weenie) Bag 1: Sucessfully loaded! Bag #2 was the problem bag. I grabbed the bag and headed toward the car but little did I know that there was a small clump of cement that never got smoothed out when the store had their parking/sidewalk put in. That added to the fact that I am Queen of the Klutzes found me stumbling over the clump and falling in the parking lot of said establishment.

I. Was. Mortified.

I could see it happening in slow motion. As I neared the ground, I thought "Uh oh...this is gonna be bad!" First, the side of my shin hit, then the salt, then my elbow, hand, then finally face. When my face hit the ground the force knocked my glasses clean off. They flew across the parking lot and came to rest about 15 feet away. That was a problem because I cannot see anything more than 2 feet away from me without my glasses.

A friendly stranger approached me and asked if I was okay and handed me my glasses. I bashfully replied that I was fine and thanked her for my glasses. Then, I scrambled to my feet, looked down to see blood running down my leg, out of my hand, and down my face. I am sure I looked a lot worse than it really was.

I finished loading my 6 other bags of salt and then crawled into the car. I drove back home with blood dripping off my leg the whole way.

What a klutz.

Is it summer yet?

2008-06-03T09:09:00.003-05:00

School has been out for a week and a half now and I am still trying to gather my bearings and truly feel rested. I think the weather has played a big role in that process as well. It has rained incessantly and it has been cool. Today, however, I woke up to beautiful sunny skies and warm temperatures. I am just so ready for a string of warm days, with sunshine but it seems that this summer is shaping up to be a wet, cool one.

Guess What I Saw Today?

2008-05-29T15:49:00.001-05:00

This:
Now, try to ignore the fact that lattice obviously needs to be repaired. (We know...we know...) Look at the SIZE of that snake. I stepped out to look at the sky and remove a newpaper from the porch, looked down, and commenced with a blood-curdling scream that even got attention from the neighbors. So, I did what you would do. I got my camera and took a photo. I COULD have killed it, but let's face it, I am a big weenie. I will only lodge an offensive against the green wigglies when I have a running lawn mower in front of me.

So my message to the snake is this: next time we meet, I will have a lawn mower, so beware.

Flooding

2008-05-28T09:27:00.005-05:00

We have had a bit of flooding around here in the last week. It's probably due to the 7 INCHES OF RAIN we got. (with more rain still in the forecast). Well, I thought I would show you are few pics I took...

This one shouldn't have made me laugh...but it did. Anyone interested in buying this property today? Anyone?

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-27T16:38:00.006-05:00

Drew and I went to Denver/Colorado Springs for the weekend. It was a blast! We toured the Coors factory in Golden, Colorado. I learned alot about beer there...I even tasted a beer that I could tolerate. (This is a giant feet for me considering I usually think beer smells and tastes like dirty socks.) We went to the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs where it is ALWAYS breathtaking and a beautiful backdrop for photos. We also visited the Cave of the Winds and the Manitou Cliff Dwellings. The cliff dwellings were so cool and we got to crawl on them and explore this ancient native settlement. I placed some photos on PhotoBucket for you to see.

Music

2008-05-22T18:12:00.005-05:00

This song has been really touching me lately...It's called "Sweetly Broken" by Jeremy Riddle

and this one...."Amazing Grace" by Chris Tomlin

It's done. Over. Finished

2008-05-21T20:51:00.006-05:00

This school year has finally ended. It was over at 1:30 today.

The desks are cleaned.
Bags packed.
Chairs stacked.
Scores reported.
and hot dogs consumed.

I wished them all well and gave some advice from my arsenol of wisdom about choosing friends, learning life-lessons, and navigating the confusing maze known as middle school. I hope the best for each one of them and I did, indeed, shed my tears as they left elementary school as elementary students for the last time today.

Closing another school year is always so bittersweet for me.

Random Thoughts

2008-05-16T13:12:00.002-05:00

I feel completely overwhelmed and completely random at the same time. Why? Because school gets out in 2 1/2 days (That's school days ya'll, not real days). Next wednesday our school releases at 1:30 for summer break. Like I said last year, it's somewhat bittersweet. I want so much for my students and pray that life treats them well. They will move on to middle school and I will move on to another expecting group of 10 and 11 year olds. I have a list 2, 354 miles long of things to get done, but most of it has to wait until 11 year old bodies have vacated the premises.

What am I doing with my summer? Well...we are growing a garden again this year at ma and pa's and then I plan to putter. Yes, I said putter around my home. I plan to watch my favorite TV shows, I plan to water and mow the lawn when needed. I hope to babysit my beautiful niece as much as her mom and dad want me to. Other than that...I plan to rest. Recover really.

We are MORE than ready to plant the garden this year, but mother nature does not want to cooperate with us. We had a frost just this last week. I am still scared to place young plants into the earth because I don't want them to freeze. I have enough trouble keeping plants alive without frost taking them before I have a chance to mess 'em up.

What are your summer plans?

Adoption Update - 2

2008-05-07T13:17:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to update you all to where we are in our process to, hopefully, becoming parents. We have now officially finished the paperwork and have entered the waiting pool. What that means is that our profile is being shown to prospective birth parents with the hopes that someone will select us. We have no idea when, or if, we will be blessed with a child but it is a relief to know that we have been approved by the agency and are now waiting to be selected. Keep praying for us and we are so honored to be sharing our excitement at making it this far!

FWD: Just for Fun!

2008-05-01T17:36:00.004-05:00

Eileen posted thoughts about different humor and shared an email exchange on her blog and it got me to thinkin' about this funny email I got yesterday from a co-worker. So, I decided to share it here with you. I do not know from whence this originated...so...I am sorry to say that I cannot site my references in APA format. (For all you graduate school geeks out there that can relate to that comment!) Anyway, here's the email...Enjoy!

____________________________________

Dear Tech Support,
Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and noticed a distinct slow down in overall system performance, particularly in the flower and jewelry applications, which operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0.In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalled many other valuable programs, such as Romance 9.5 and Personal Attention 6.5 and then installed undesirable programs such as NBA 5.0, NFL 3.0 and Golf Clubs 4.1. Conversation 8.0 no longer runs, and Housecleaning 2.6 simply crashes the system. I've tried running Nagging 5.3 to fix these problems, but to no avail. What can I do?
Signed,
Desperate

DEAR DESPERATE,
First keep in mind, Boyfriend 5.0 is an Entertainment Package, while Husband 1.0 is an Operating System. Please enter command: ithoughtyoulovedme.html and try to download Tears 6.2 and don't forget to install the Guilt 3.0 update. If that application works as designed, Husband 1.0 should then automatically run the applications Jewelry 2.0 and Flowers 3.5. But remember, overuse of the above application can cause Husband 1.0 to default to Grumpy Silence 2.5, Happy Hour 7.0 or Beer 6.1. Please note that Beer 6.1 is a very bad program that will download the Snoring Loudly Beta. Whatever you do, DO NOT install Mother-In-Law 1.0 (it runs a virus in the background that will eventually seize control of all your system resources.) Also do not attempt to reinstall Boyfriend 5.0 program. These are unsupported applications and will crash Husband 1.0. In summary, Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have limited memory and cannot learn new applications quickly. You might consider buying additional software to improve memory and performance. We recommend Cooking 3.0 and Hot Lingerie7.7.
Good Luck,
Tech Support

Meme

2008-04-29T18:28:00.005-05:00

Beth and Amy both posted a Meme today...so...I decided to join in because it looked fun. Let me know if you join!

Where is your cell phone? On the end table next to me.

Your significant other? Drew is even-tempered, loving, and a very good listener. He is an avid reader of anything news-related and is committed to God. He will play board games with me because I love them, but deep down loves to play cards!

Your hair? Just cut it 2 weeks ago. Love. Love. Love the new cut.

Your mother? I think she's looking forward to retiring soon. :) I will also say that she has always been very creative in her discipline of me as a child. She went by "Let the punishment fit the crime!"

Your father? He was one of the funniest guys I have ever known. He could think of a prank and pull it off without a hitch 99% of the time. He loved to make his wife and daughters feel special and beautiful. I miss him so much.

Your favorite thing? My favorite things include singing to God with all I've got, Drew's arms around me after a long day, ice cream (Cold Stone preferrably), a good belly laugh, a productive saturday, and children.

Your dream last night? It seems it was something to do with me driving a Johne Deere Combine. I think I was racing other combines. I'm not even gonna try and determine what that means.

Your favorite drink? Peach Iced Tea from Olive Garden, Water, Diet Coke

Your dream/goal? I'd like to be a mom. I want to grow old with Drew, watch the kids we will someday have grow into adulthood, and know that God gets the glory for it all.

The room you are in? Living Room

Your ex? Uhhhh..who cares?

Your fear? Cows. The Dark. Drowning.

Where do you want to be in 6 years? Wherever God wants me to be.

Where were you last night? Stayed home...watched Jon and Kate Plus 8. It was DIVINE!

What you are not? A Sports fan. (sorry to those of you that are!)

Muffins? They're okay. I like the muffin tops the best. The only muffin I like is a blueberry. warm. with lots of butter. Especially from Perkins. YUMMMMMMMMMMM

One of your wish list items? Hmmmmm...a new car. I would love a silver Chevy Equinox.

Where you grew up? Howe, Indiana (Northeast Indiana)

The last thing you did? Ate Subway.

What are you wearing? Socks, wind pants, and a t-shirt

Your TV? Is on. I should turn it off and read or something....but....

Your pets? We don't have any right now.

Your computer? I love my new school laptop. It's a MacBook Pro.

Your life? Is ALWAYS on the move. We have been so busy with adoption stuff and school is ending (both school we are attending and school I am teaching) and...and....and.....

Your mood? Changes in meds have caused my mood to be a bit, hmmm, shall we say sporadic? Drew lovingly pointed that out to me and I am working to moderate it!

Missing someone? My dad.

Your car? 1998 Pontiac Grand Am. I have had it since about 2 weeks after graduating college. I am READY for a new vehicle, but we just have to wait a bit longer. We also have a 1997 Dodge Ram

Something you are not wearing? shoes

Favorite store? Pier One, Kohl's, Target

Your summer? Only 17 more school days until it officially starts for me! Yay!

Like someone? I like a lot of people, but I think I am like my dad in many ways.

Your favorite color? Yellow

When is the last time you laughed? Last night. It's a long story, but Drew grabbed a hot pot and then yelled "Lord have mercy! That's Hot!" All this while jumping about 5 feet back. It was funny. I guess you just had to be there.

Last time you cried? A week ago last saturday. I just don't cry that much.

If you're reading this, consider yourself tagged.

Diet Update

2008-04-27T20:03:00.004-05:00

It's been four weeks and I stepped on the scale yesterday. I was afraid I had either maintained or gained. (Let's not discuss the discretionary eating of the rice krispie treats. I love 'em so much that I think I can smell them about 2 miles away!) Well, you know I just got over it and stepped onto the scale and waited to see the damage done. I just about had to scrape my jaw off the ground when I saw the results. I have now officially lost 12 pounds total to date! (Down 3 more from last week!) WHOO HOOOO.... (picture me doing the happy dance here). I am so happy and beginning to see results in my clothing! Yippee!

*update: I step on the scale at least once a week, but I had not stepped on the scale for 1 full week before looking on Saturday.

Lyndsay Anna

2008-04-18T10:13:00.004-05:00

Yesterday we got to go and see our new niece, Lyndsay at the hospital. Here are some pictures we took with permission to share, of course.

31

2008-04-17T07:32:00.005-05:00

Today is my birthday and I am 31. Someday I will probably stop telling you my age because it will be too embarrassing....maybe. Anyway, that day is not here yet so I will say that I am still enjoyin' my youth! As a side note, It's rainy and yucky here today so that's kind of depressing, but I am sure it will still turn out to be a great day, regardless of the rain.

As a fun way to celebrate, I have linked a site (courtesy of Eileen) right here where you can find the number one song on your birthday. So, leave a comment telling me the song that was #1 the day you were born. Mine? OH...well, mine is Don't Leave Me This Way by Thelma Houston. I have never heard of it! Thanks for the idea Eileen!

IT'S A GIRL!

2008-04-15T19:43:00.004-05:00

We are thrilled to share with all of you that Drew's sister and brother-in-law welcomed their first child into the world mid-morning today. AND....It's a girl! We haven't had a chance to see her yet, but we are just too thrilled to keep quiet!

Sometimes a negative is really a positive.

2008-04-07T20:14:00.005-05:00

So...it's been a few weeks, but I gotta tell ya it has been CRAAAAZY 'round here! On Thursday, March, 27 I had a doctor's appointment. For those of you that don't know me very well, I have a condition called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). A LOOOONG story short, it means that my hormones are whacked and it messes with my ability to use sugars appropriately with the side effect of infertility.

Sooooo...anyway....a few years back I had to go on diet that was, basically, sugar free and low carb (Like REALLY low...25 grams a day) and I lost 70 pounds.

Yeah...so I have gained alot of it back. I am so sad to admit that, but it is the truth. The doc said that this is unacceptable and that I need to make changes to avoid becoming a diabetic (which I absolutely DO NOT want!) So, she placed me on a new-to-me drug to sort out the hormones and told me I had to keep my calories under 1600 day and my carbs under 150 a day.

Do you know what that means? It means no (or few) potatoes, noodles, or breads. WHAAAAA?????

She was very optimistic with me though and told me that I did it once and I can do it again. She encouraged me by saying "Nothing is OFF LIMITS. You just need to plan. If you want that piece of cake, what are you willing to give up later?" That, my friends, is manageable.

Finally, she lowered the real ax. She said that I have to work out for 45-60 minutes a day. Every. Day. I wish I could say that I just love working out, but I don't. I really don't. BUT, I have been going every day since March 27. It has been a week and a half and I am pleased to report that I am.....drumroll please....

negative 6 1/2 pounds.

YES, I KNOW! Can you believe it? I am shocked. I feel better...I have more energy. Why did I ever stop? It was so good before and I just...quit! Admittedly, I sometimes feel guilty that I am here again. But, I am really sharing with you so you can be part of my journey. Wouldn't that be fun?

It will be a long one, I'll warn ya. However, I thank you in advance for all your support and sharing in my struggles AND triumphs.

Truly, in this case a negative really is a positive in so many ways!

So.....The Egg Without a Shell

2008-04-07T19:59:00.002-05:00

Can you forgive me?

I forgot to tell you what happened to our egg.

It stayed COMPLETELY intact. We even tried to eat it when it was cooked but it tasted (and smelled) like vinegar. YUCK! It make me gag really. No really.

That was one of the coolest food thing I have ever done.

If you don't count splitting a grape with a microwave. (Seriously, it sparked and slit it symmetrically down the middle.) OR, the time that I blew up an egg in the microwave.
Oh yes I did.

The messiest thing that I have dealt with exploding in the microwave is a sausage link. WHAT. A. MESS. You can't really count a a marshmallow because it doesn't "explode" but it IS the stickiest mess I have ever made in the microwave.

Okay...it's official, I have a problem with microwaves.

Random Pics

2008-03-25T19:16:00.004-05:00

I was putting our profile together for the agency when I noticed that I have not posted any photos lately. Here are two I seleted for our profile. Nice...eh?

Drew with our niece and nephew.

Me at Red Rocks just outside Denver, Colorado

Adoption Update

2008-03-25T18:58:00.002-05:00

Many of you have lovingly inquired as to how the adoption process is going for us so I thought I would just drop you a line to update you. Currently we are 2 weeks before the end of the visits with our caseworker. All of our reference letters have been sent in (THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO COMPLETED THOSE FOR US!) and now we now proceed to the final in-home visit. As soon as that is over, it'll be 2 weeks or so before we enter the waiting pool while our caseworker completes the home study file. We will probably enter the waiting pool around the first week of May. Then...we wait. We wait and pray for someone to find a connection with us in our profile. For those that do not know much about open adoption, there are no guarantees that we will ever be selected to be parents. However, we believe that God will bless us, a baby, and the baby's birth family some day. Please continue to pray for us as we begin the hardest part of the journey...the waiting.

Misc.

2008-03-23T19:24:00.002-05:00

Well, I needed a catch-all post because I haven't updated in a few days. So...

Before I forget to say it, Happy Easter to you all!

I am, OFFICIALLY, on Spring Break. What am I going to do with my week off? Hmmmm....write a research paper. Yes I am. I HAVE to. It is due next weekend and I haven't started so I really have no choice. After that...I am going to clean my house. Why? Because, in 2 weeks our caseworker is going to visit for the last time before, hopefully, recommending us for approval to enter the "Waiting Couple's Pool." So, I really need to clean the place. No, Really.

I am going to incubate and hatch chicks at school so I soaked one in vinegar for 2 days and guess what happened? The shell COMPLETELY dissolved and left the egg completely in tact. So, after showing the egg to the kids Drew and I decided to throw it in boiling water to see what would happen. We hypothesized that it would break open and make a mess due the drastic temperature change. I am going to let you vote over there on the left to guess at what happened to the egg. (I will tell you the answer later...)

I guess that is all for now...Have a great day!

Easter Eggs

2008-03-18T10:21:00.002-05:00

Every year the White House displays an Easter Egg from each of the 50 States. If you want to see this year's submissions, click here. I particularly like Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts (for it's humorous take at Cheers), Michigan, Nebraska (although I had to look really close because I thought it was some guy...but really, it's a sunflower and a cow and a pig...), and Wyoming. I was glad to see Wyoming's decent submission because last year everyone from Wyoming was upset because of this submission. (To see All of last year's submissions, click here.)

Garage Door

2008-03-17T13:17:00.002-05:00

A little over 3 1/2 years ago Drew and I got married and moved into our home. We noticed that the garage was in serious need of repair, but decided we would tackle it bit by bit. It needed reroofing, new garage doors with an automatic opener one the side lacking one, windows replaced, and siding either replaced or painted. A few months later our neighbor across the alley backed into the corner of our garage (my side no less) and completely demolished the garage door on my side of the garage. The neighbor's auto insurance paid for the replacement of the garage door with a MUCH nicer door. Steel. Insulated. Nice. The problem was it didn't match anything else on our garage. So, shortly thereafter we replaced the glass in the window frames and rehung them...and 2 summers ago we COMPLETELY reroofed, painted the siding with 3 coats of paint, and fitted the entire garage with new facia and soffits. My sister and her (now) husband came out to help with that. Let's see...that only left the other garage door.

We kept ignoring it.

and ignoring....

and ignoring...

until 2 weeks ago we noticed that the old door had a HOLE in it. I guess that's where I draw the line. (I think Drew wanted to replace the thing a LONG time before I was willing to drop the cash for it.) So, we priced checked 'em and got an amazing deal at Menard's. We got a steel insulated door AND an automatic garage door opener for just under $400. (Trust me...it's a steal!)

To save ourselves some money, we decided to install the door and the opener ourselves. So, we went out Saturday morning around 10am to begin. We thought it would take a while...but we were not prepared for the time it actually took. It took the two of us (minus me for 3 hours while I was a baby shower for Drew's sister) 12 hours to install the entire thing. It was A LOT of work...more for Drew than me because he did all the heavy lifting.

Now that it is done, though, I have to say it looks so nice. Finally we have a garage that looks like it belongs to the house we live in. It really cleaned the place up and it is so nice to see that automatic door opening and closing so smoothly and know that we did that.

I wish I had taken before and after pictures to show you the transition as a result of our handy work. However, as much of a photography addict that I am, I did not take before OR after pictures of our project to show you. Maybe after the snow melts I will put some up for you.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2008-03-17T07:46:00.003-05:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you. How is the weather where you are? I am sitting at my desk looking out the window of my classrom and there is about 2 inches of snow on the ground that fell overnight. WHAAAATT??? 3 weeks ago we were in shorts playing tennis because it was 75 degrees outside. Snow, Snow, Go Away...come again Thanksgiving Day.

So. Tired.

2008-03-13T13:46:00.002-05:00

I. AM. SOOOO. TIRED.

Seriously, I found this article over at the Lincoln Journal Star that states it so well. I love that I work in a profession that gives me a spring break. I can't imagine how ya'll do it with no spring break to look forward to.

How fast do you type?

2008-03-08T14:01:00.002-06:00

75 words

Speedtest

Things I love (Spring Edition)

2008-03-06T13:22:00.002-06:00

With the onset of another spring, I feel compelled to list a few of the things I love about this season.

1. The first time I hear birds chirping (again).
2. Feeling the sun warming my face instead of winds chapping it.
3. The green blades of grass pushing its way through last year's brown.
4. The knowledge that another school year is almost over.
5. Being outside without a coat to keep me warm.
6. Not having to scrape my car windows after work before I can go home.
7. Rain instead of snow.
8. Animal babies.
9. Riding my bike outside again.
10. Tulips

What about you? What do you like about Spring?

Movie Review - Juno

2008-02-25T21:56:00.004-06:00

We went to see the movie Juno this weekend and it was SO. FUNNY. If you are up to seeing a movie with a spunky pregnant teenage girl, this is the flick for you. We laughed and laughed throughout the movie...which makes the moolah spent to see it well worth it. 5 Stars from our little corner of the world for this movie. (image from www.imdb.com )

Check...check...1, 2, 3. Check.

2008-02-19T20:13:00.004-06:00

I just love things that make people happy.
Things like flowers, chocolate cake, spring and a good laugh.
But, the best thing of all is when some announces that their family is growing.

Well, today is the day we get to make that announcement to you!

I am so excited to be able to announce to all of you that Drew and I have been working through the process of an adoption home study. We began the process in August and are in the home stretch before we reach the waiting pool for the agency with which we are working. This does not mean that we have been selected or that there is currently a child waiting. It does mean, however, that we will covet your prayers and support as we continue to move through the steps. We will hopefully be completing an open adoption and have already learned so much from others out there who have gone before us!

We are so incredibly excited and I am glad we can share this news with you!

Valentine's Day

2008-02-13T18:20:00.002-06:00

Those of you that know me very well already know that Valentine's Day had not been my favorite day in the past. But, that is all in the past now. I know Valentine's Day is tomorrow and, I gotta tell ya, I am sort of excited this year. Not because I am expecting anything "special" or because I HAVE anything special ready for Drew, but because I am just choosing not to fight everyone about how pointless it really is. Instead, I am planning to just enjoy the day and tell everyone around me how much I care about them. I hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day and that you feel the love of those around you.

And we JUST got rid of the last snow!

2008-02-05T14:52:00.000-06:00

We just got rid of the lion's share of the last snow we had...IN DECEMBER...and lo and behold today we got walloped again. sigh. I mean, come on, Saturday was Groundhog day and a few weeks ago temperatures were in the 60's! YES! I am ready for spring. This snow is total craziness I tell ya! School is going to be released in 15 minutes and the snow removal guys are outside, as I write this, frantically trying to remove snow from the sidewalks for kids. Nice. Too bad they didn't do that this morning when I had to trudge through 2 foot snow drifts. Oh...and it's just gotten worse throughout the day. Snow has not stopped falling, literally, all day long.

The weather in Nebraska never ceases to amaze me.

I know, I know...wait a few days and I will be complaining about being in the throws of summer.

Ode to the Mongolian Grill

2008-01-31T21:43:00.001-06:00

I have been meaning to tell you that we tried a new restaurant the other night. We don't do that very often because I am a creature of habit so I have to be in the right mood to do that. Since this is a break away from the norm, I decided to write my review here to tell you all about it.

OH...I also decided to be a bit creative.

Enjoy!

Dear Mongolian Grill,
How do I love thee? With all of your fresh veggies and various meats to satiate my waiting tastebuds. My eyes dance at the sight of your noodles all in a row, all noodles from which I make my selection. I smell your many various oils and sauces that I can mix and make my own, unique, yummy creation.

How I do love the way your grill sizzles when my yummy creation cascades down from my bowl onto the surface. The chef, he walks in circles as my meat and veggies grill in my very own sauce. How the delicious smells waft through the air. MMMMmmmmmm.......

How I do savor the first incredible bite of my own creation in my bowl....fabulously mine. Yummmmm. I never knew restaurant food could be so creative. Thank you, Mongolian Grill, for bringing out my inner Chinese Chef.
Love,
Me

Adult temper tantrums

2008-01-27T19:22:00.001-06:00

We have been so busy in our happy little home. School started again...by school I mean college classes. Whenever that gets goin' again it takes a few weeks to settle into the routine. I have learned that I initially have a total breakdown over all the work it APPEARS that I will have to complete in a mere 5 month period. I begin throwing a temper tantrum, in my head...not literally, about the atrocities that have been inflicted upon me by this uncaring instructor. Inevitably, I drag my feet on getting started and fume over the work that I need to get done. And then, one day, I see that a classmate has completed an assignment and all of a sudden it's like the fox whistles have been blown. I am so dang competitive that, all of a sudden, I want to be first! I HATE it that others are already ahead of me in turning in assignments. So, this week I have been attempting to catch up AND surpass my classmates in completing assignments. Then, at the end of the term, I always feel a little bit sad that it's over. Is that what addiction feels like? If so, I think I am addicted to learning...

or is it winning?

Heath Ledger

2008-01-22T19:37:00.000-06:00

I just read that Heath Ledger has been found dead in his apartment over on Kris's site. WHAAA???? My first thought was "Isn't he that really cute tough guy from "10 Things I Hate About You" and "A Knight's Tale?" I thought that there must be another Heath Ledger because he is really young and that couldn't be right. So...I looked it up and, yep, that's the guy. They are thinking it was a drug overdose or pneumonia. Whatever the case, I think it is really sad to see a 28 year old die and I feel really bad for his little girl. You can read more here.

The Mom Song

2008-01-22T19:35:00.000-06:00

Thanks to my friend, Amy, for this link. This mom sings everything a mom says in a mere 2:55 seconds. I laughed and laughed. Enjoy!

Can Smarties be considered an occupational hazard?

2008-01-15T20:36:00.000-06:00

Today at school I was teaching a vocabulary lesson around words that are needed to understand the Reading story this week.

blah blah blah....

Anyway, I took out my massive bag of smarties and announced that I had a smartie for any student could use one of the words in a sentence. (I also had a few other yummies in there in case they really didn't want a smartie.)

So, a student correctly used the word "opponent" in a sentence, and I dutifully tossed him a smartie. He asked if he could please have on of the other candies in the bag. I said "Sure, toss yours back to me!" I put up my hand as he geared up to "toss" it back.

He launched it at me and I MISSED the pass. (Seriously, smarties can be slippery little suckers in their wrappers.) I missed in front of an entire group of fifth graders. Then, in that split second while I was processing that fact...the unthinkable happened.

The airborn smartie hit me smack in the middle of my forehead. How many fifth graders can honestly say that they hit their teacher in the head with a smartie? During class? Let me tell ya, Not. Very. Many. But, you know me, I go the extra mile to make things memorable in the classroom.

At first the kids gasped and waited for my response. I burst into laughter and they did too. We just laughed and laughed about it.

I don't know if they learned the meaning of the word "opponent", but hopefully they learned the meaning of grace and and a lesson in being able to laugh at yourself.

What a day at the office. Or is it at the "classroom?" Hmmmm...

Oh Brother...

2008-01-15T07:44:00.000-06:00

This is a call out to all of you who would be willing to pray for my brother Leon. He had a heart attack on Saturday and had two arteries blocked and had to have a stint put into one of them. I know he and his family would appreciate any prayers you would lift up on his behalf. Thanks.

Friday Five

2008-01-11T07:22:00.000-06:00

I have had friends in the past answer the friday five questions each week and this looked fun today. So...here are my answers to this week's list:

1. Do you like looking at stars?
Yes I do. I think they are one of God's glorious creations and we are blessed to have them!

2. Who do you say "I love you" to?
Brothers, sisters, mother, nieces, nephews, husband...whew...lots of people!

3. Did you say "good night!" to anyone last night?
Yes I did. I say "good night!" to Drew every night.

4. When is the last time you felt blue?
Hmmmm...I don't remember. It's been a while since I truly felt blue.

5. Tell us one of your dreams:
I dream of spending a week or two on a tropical island in the Caribbean. (I don't that that's what this question is asking, but that's how I am going to answer it anyway!)

What are your answers? Post them in the comments section!

Back to School, part two

2008-01-08T12:31:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was Back to School day...again...

When it's back to school time in August, there is a certain excitement about it. You know, new year...new clothes...new haircuts...new pencils, books, and paper. The kids are excited. The teachers are excited and, I'm told, the parents are excited. (The jury is still out to confirm that fact!)

The back to school time in January is marked with a quite a different feeling. A sort of, you know, tired feeling.

It's marked with the same things...new year...new haircuts...new pencils, books, and paper. But, the excitement just isn't the same. Everyone is still recovering from the activities of the holidays and so. very. tired.

Maybe someday I will find a way to make the back to school in January as exciting as the one in August. Until then, can we all just take a nap?

Comments

2008-01-02T17:00:00.000-06:00

I have been informed that the comments section of this blog was difficult to use so I made some changes. You can now make comments even if you are not a "member" with a google account. You can leave a comment as an anonymous OR using a nickname for yourself. I used to have it set that way, but Blogspot must have reset some of those settings. Please feel free to try out the comments section now!

Seasonal Photos

2008-01-02T12:41:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since we have posted some photos so I thought I would show you a few that I have recently taken. We woke up on the morning of December 26, 2007 and saw the views you see below from our front porch. I grabbed my camera and went outside in an attempt to capture the images.

This one is directly across the street from us. The camera was straight, the trees are leaning.

This photo is the corner by our home. It's an old tree that is always full and beautiful when it has leaves. I just love the way the snow blanketed this tree. Isn't it beautiful?

Undecking the halls and all that stuff

2007-12-30T21:03:00.000-06:00

Christmas is over and I am pleased to report that we had a GREAT time at our place. How was yours? We went to the Christmas Eve service at our church and that was so nice. On Christmas Day, Drew's family came and we ate and ate and ate! We played Pitch and spent some time together as a family. It was so relaxing and I think a good time was had by all.

I can tell you now that I got Drew and Tungsten T/X Palm Pilot for Christmas. Best Buy really came through for me as they shipped it on December 20 and it arrived on our door step at 12:35 in the afternoon of December 21. Sooooo, it was even here for Drew to open on Christmas. (Which was good because I am not very good at making fudge...have I ever told you that story? Hmmm...someday. maybe. It's embarrassing.) He likes it and I was pleased.

We promptly undecked our halls about 2 days after Christmas and hauled off the tree. Which was probably a good thing considering the thing was probably turning into a fire hazard. Drew was faithful to water it every single day...but a dead tree can only take so much water before it bites the dust. It stopped accepting water about a week and a half before Christmas.

I thought maybe I should blog a little bit since I haven't recently...I hope your holiday was great and you will all be safe bringing in the new year.

Gift giving

2007-12-17T18:47:00.000-06:00

I can't tell you what I got Drew for Christmas because he reads this blog and he'll figure it out. (I'll tell ya after Christmas.) I DO need to tell you what happened though. I have never, ever been stumped on buyin' this man of mine a gift until this year. I also need to explain that he ALWAYS manages to figure out what his gifts are before he actually gets them. So...added pressure on me to get something he won't guess in advance. So, I have been very VERY careful this year to not even mutter the name of the "item" that has been "purchased." (I know he'll figure it out if I do, so I don't.) Anyway, I was stumped so I tried going to gifts.com and shopping based on his personality. nada. nothing. zippo.

Finally, I was goofing around on the internet one day and ya'll I stumbled on the perfect gift. So, began shopping at the various stores I can purchase said "item." This "item" comes in 3 basic grades: basic, better, and best.

I looked at the basic "item" but decided it was...well...too basic and wouldn't do the trick. But the BEST grade was too much...WAAAY out of the spending lid. So, I settled on the "better" grade. After deciding on the perfect "grade" for both Drew and my budget, I started shopping around for the best price.

Don't make fun of me...you would too.

Lo and behold, one store, let's call it Department X was running a HUGE sale on the "item." This sale was the BEST grade for the price of the BETTER grade to the tune of about $115 savings! YES! So, I ordered it online from Department X and planned to pick it up at the store the next day (Saturday). I got the email confirmation that order had been placed. Yes...done, I thought. What a relief.

But, I was wrong. Not done. It just cannot be that easy this close to Christmas, can it?

So, I got an email informing me that the closest Department X did not, in fact, have any "items" in stock. Department X gave me a number call and they told me they could ship it at no additional charge to me since the website said it was in stock at my local Department X. I informed the nice lady that this was a Christmas gift and I needed it before Christmas. She assured me that it would DEFINITELY arrive before Christmas. So, I reluctantly agreed to the shipping. I got an email confirmation of the change in my order at Department X. Whew. That was a close one...but, it's done, I thought. NOW, I can relax.

Wrong again.

Saturday morning I got an email informing me that the "item" is on BACKORDER, backorder ya'll, and may take up to 2 weeks to be shipped. It will most likely NOT be here by Christmas. Growl Department X!

So, I had to decide whether not to stay the course and not worry about it...or to cancel the order and decide on something else.

I did what you would do.

I ate some fudge to help me think straight. I felt like Winnie-the-Pooh in that cartoon where he says "think. think. think." on the blustery day.

Well, I finally decided to keep the order and probably print a picture from the internet for him. I can at least wrap it very nicely. That'll be good, right?

Or, maybe I can just make him some fudge.

The Grinch.

2007-12-13T13:55:00.000-06:00

My friend Kim sent me a link to the Grinch Song. You know "You're a mean one....Mr. Grinch." I loved it so I thought I would share it with you too! Enjoy.

Please Pray

2007-12-04T12:08:00.000-06:00

My friends Mike and Amy have given birth to their second child Lydia Grace. She had a condition called anencephaly and it took her life 30 minutes after birth. Mike and Amy are so brave and I am sending a shout out to all of you to keep them in your prayers. May God Bless their family!

Mini Griswald Christmas Tree

2007-11-30T22:01:00.001-06:00

Our Christmas decorating has begun in our household. Yesterday we went to a local Christmas Tree farm called Heins Pines. At Heins Pines you can choose and cut any tree in the field for $40. I know that may seem like a lot of moolah, but for us it is well worth it. In the past we have gone to our local Wal-Mart and paid for a tree from the Kiwanis Club and that has been good. I have never actually gone out, selected a tree, cut it down, taken it home, and decorated it.

So, this year we decided it was high time we did all of that. So, off we went in the family truck to the farm. It was so hard looking for the perfect tree. They all look so small outside. the one I really really wanted was just too big. We finally settled on the tree you see above. It was a heavy one to carry, I'll tell ya that! Once home, and trimmed up we waited until tonight to decorate it. Isn't it beautiful? The only thing about it is that it takes up the biggest portion of the corner...sort of like a mini Griswald Christmas tree. Have you seen that movie? National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation? Well, if you have, then you recognize one of my favorite lines in the movie "It's not going in our yard, Russ, it's going in our living room." Yea. That's kinda how I feel.

However, I can tell you that the smell of a freshly cut pine tree just permeates the entire house and it smells divine. The only thing better than the smell of pine is...apple pie. yummmm.

Anyway, after we decorated the tree, I took a few pictures. The one above is the finished product and the one below I took to use as a wallpaper on my computer. It really turned out well. Happy decorating to you and good luck finding your own mini Griswald tree.

2 Broken Mirrors in 3 1/2 Years

2007-11-26T12:02:00.000-06:00

Is it bad if you break 2 mirrors in 3 1/2 years?

Shortly after we were married, I was backing out of the garage and successfully sent the side mirror of my car flying through the garage. Drew was standing in there and we laughed and laughed about it. Until we got the bill. It cost close to $150 to replace the dumb thing.

Drew still laughs.

Today, I hit the garage AGAIN and removed a mirror. Only this time I was in the truck. Oh no...
So, I called Drew and he and I had a good laugh over the whole thing. I guess we will see what the bill looks like in this one.

sigh.

The funniest Moment

2007-11-26T11:51:00.000-06:00

So, we have safely returned to Nebraska and are returning to our normal working lives now that the wedding is over. I do have to share what was the funniest moment, to me at least, of the entire wedding. We were all standing at the front watching Cindy and Todd experience their wedding when the pastor started talking about the rings. All of a sudden the matron of honor turns around and quietly says to me "Oh no! I forgot the ring!" To which I said "What!? Are you kidding?" She says "I forgot the ring! Give me your ring!" So, I did as discretely as I could. We laughed and laughed about it afterwards. Todd couldn't even make my ring fit on his pinkie finger so he had to slyly place it in his pocket until the ceremony was over.

Wedding Photos

2007-11-26T11:21:00.001-06:00

Snowflakes Gently Falling

2007-11-21T09:59:00.000-06:00

I am sitting here at my desk the last day before Thanksgiving break staring out the window. Watching the snow fly and the wind blow. I would to say that the first snow of the year is a nice, gentle snow that beautifully blankets the objects around. BUUUUUT....that would be a total lie to you and I like you too much to make a such a bold-faced lie to you. It is blowing and cold...and yuck. Anyway, today after school we will leave to make out trek half way across the nation to watch my sister and her fiance marry. Wish us well and say a prayer for our travels. Adios for new, friends.

Waspy Woes

2007-11-07T19:10:00.000-06:00

Did I tell you about the nasty wasp stings I received a week ago? Well, a little over a week ago actually. I didn't? Well, here's what happened...

A week ago last Monday I was at school leading a class during teacher technology days when all of a sudden I felt a small pinch on my left arm. I wiggled my arm and immediately felt another prick close by the last one..but nastier. So, I moved my right hand over to shoo away whatever was on my arm, near my elbow. At this time I realized that it was a wasp. My thoughts were "OH HOLY CRAP!" About at that moment, in it's last final ploy to prove is virility, the little sucker stung me again...the worst one yet...right on my elbow and then flew away. Jerk Wasp.

I did what you would do.

I freaked out.

No, really...I freaked out. I ran down down the hall toward the nurses office with more speed and agility than a cheetah on it's first kill in a month. The office nurse told me to calm down and gave me an ice pack. She also told me to be on the look for hives, general achy joints, headache, and lethargy. "Yeah, okay" I said "but what about the pain? What can I do?" Her response?

"Nothing. Keep ice on it and take a tylenol."

Nice.

So, later that evening my joints started hurting and I got a bad headache. OUCH. My elbow was so sore for about 4 days that I could hardly stand to bend it or lean on anything. Finally, it quit hurting and I thought it was all over. OH NO...I was very wrong.

A few days ago the three sting sites started itching like crazy. I can't scratch them enough and NOTHING stops it. NOTHING! I spend every spare minute that I can find scratching scratching scratching at my elbow.

Jerk Wasp.

Melancholy

2007-10-27T07:54:00.000-05:00

I am feeling a bit melancholy today.
I had a dream 2 nights ago about my dad...it was odd. I haven't dreamed about him in a while, but I can't stop thinking about it. As we near my sister's wedding I am reminded of all the things Dad will miss in my life. My children. My next graduation. Our next house. So many things. I feel grateful that he was still alive for my wedding, but I feel so sad that he will not be here for my sister's. I know she is feeling some of the same feelings and I feel a sadness over it.
I guess just miss him and felt like sharing it.

Montana Meth Project Commercials

2007-10-20T16:56:00.000-05:00

Have you heard about this? There is this guy in Montana that just got sick of all the Meth in his state...so he personally funded and launghed an ANTI-METH campaign. You can see the commercials here if you want to...and I encourage you to...but beware of the fact that some of them are a trifle graphic. While some folks in Montana are outraged at these commericals, they barely touch the REALITIES of Meth usage.

A Day of Rest

2007-10-20T16:33:00.000-05:00

I need a real day of rest. We have both been so busy around here that I am going to be completely irresponsible with my time tomorrow.

Yes I will.

I have a 10 page paper due on October 29 on John Dewey. (No, he is not the guy who developed the Dewey Decimal System.) He was an American Educational Philosher that blah blah blah....yadda yadda...look it up if ya really wanna know more. I don't want to make you feel like you are sitting in a boring college course all over again!

Anyway, I have practically completed all of my homework and I am PLANNING to watch movies and drink soda and eat popcorn and do zero writing about John Dewey tomorrow.

I know you nay-sayers out there deny my ability to do this for an entire day, but I assure you that I will.

PLUS, my sister's wedding is now a mere 1 month away and I am busily preparing for that trip. she has chosen beautiful dresses and all...but the shoes need to be broken in. That is always a joy. So, I have been trying to clean my floors in heels and that my friend is ALWAYS an adventure.

Otherwise all is well....now...go forth and clean in heels!

Not a Nerd

2007-10-08T21:43:00.001-05:00

So, I took a quiz to learn if I was a nerd or not...and it turns out that I am not! Whoo Hoo! And the best news is that Drew is also not a nerd. We are both "Uber Cool Non-Nerds." That made my day!

New Poll!

2007-10-05T17:52:00.000-05:00

I had fun with ya'll guessing at the meaning of the word Obsterperous. So...I found a new word for you to guess at. Yes, it did come from a book a student was reading. Do you know what it means? Take a guess to the right!

What season is it anyway?

2007-10-05T17:32:00.000-05:00

It seems like I write alot about the weather and the seasons. I dunno why. I just do, okay. Anyway, today was like a honkin' heat wave around here. I had to literally check the calendar. What does your calendar say today? Mine says it is October 5, 2007. YET...it is 95 degrees outside. 95 degrees people! I actually had to turn on the air conditioner again! (This after rejoicing over the decrease of $80 in our electric bill this month because we have hardly had to use the air.)

You would too if your house was 96 degrees.

Anyway, I went for a little walk to the post office to try and exercise and came home sweating. yuck. My thoughts as I entered into my air conditioned home, walking past my 5 pumpkins sitting on the front porch, is that I am ready for fall.

Pumpkins.
Cider.
Sweatshirts.
Leaves of various colors.
Hot Chocolate.
Apple Pie.

(Okay, so...I can't really HAVE the apple cider without serious consequences to my system...but still....I like to smell it.)

What are your favorite things about fall?

Mercy Mercy Me...

2007-10-01T19:09:00.001-05:00

Last night Drew and I pretended to be teenagers again.

Here's how it all started...a few years ago we had tickets to Godstock in Comstock Nebraska. One of the performers was MercyMe. We absolutely loved them and wanted to see them again in concert. So, I began a massive search for a concert near us.

But...alas...MercyMe does not come to our area very often.

Why? Probably because our state has more bovine than humans. Not. Even. Kidding. Well, since bovine do not PAY to go to concerts, there isn't much money to be made here, I guess. So, I checked Denver. There was a concert during a perfect time for us to go. We could get a GREAT DEAL on a hotel. (And I love hotels...love, love, love!) AND...no school....perfect. However, the cost of the tickets were $120 EACH!

EEEE GADS!

So...on we searched. I have been looking for over 2 years for tickets at a decent price within reasonable driving distance. No dice.

Then, oh then, we hit the jackpot in August. I was driving in the downtown area of Kearney and saw a sign for a MERCYME concert coming Sept. 30! WHAT! We checked into it and the tickets were $25 for seats in row 14. I KNOW! HOW COOL IS THAT.

So, we went and it was awesome! You can go here to listen to the songs on their new album that will be released Nov. 20. The song that really touched me is "Finally Home." It actually made me cry in public.

Then, we rocked our faces off.

Then...we drove home and were sound asleep by 9:30pm.

See. I told you we were just like teenagers last night.

Drumroll please....

2007-10-01T19:07:00.000-05:00

Obstreperous means...UNCONTROLLABLY NOISY! I was so impressed at how befitting this word is for SO. MANY. SITUATIONS. I mean, come on...I teach fifth grade. I hope you learned something!

Are you smarter than a fifth grader?

2007-09-21T13:11:00.000-05:00

Today my students were reading silently as I circulated around the room and observed behavior. One student was reading a book called Dog Friday and I picked it up to read the back. (Because I had never seen the book.) The first sentence speaks about 2 obstreperous girls in their hometown. I have never seen the word obstreperous and so I asked the student if he knew what it meant. He said no, well, he actually said "Nuh-uh." Nice. I thought...hmmm...this IS a fifth grade book. It is bad that the fifth grade teacher doesn't even know what obstreperous means. So, we looked it up. We found out the easy way. Do you know what it means? Use the poll on the right to take a guess. (DON'T LOOK IT UP IN A DICTIONARY THOUGH! THAT WOULD BE CHEATING!) Go ahead...take a guess. What do you have to lose?

Look Great in 2008!

2007-09-18T14:59:00.000-05:00

Okay, okay. I'll admit it to you. But just to you...don't tell anyone else, okay? Here goes. I fell off the weight loss wagon. I'm sure you noticed that my ticker hasn't moved since...June. You probably also noticed that I was not signing in over at Tales from the Scales. I KNOW! I have been terrible. I was so persistent in May...successful even...in losing a few pounds. I liked it. Then, I rewarded myself with ice cream. Yummm...Ice cream! Anyway, I am now trying to be back on the weight loss train again. I am excited for this...and we'll see if I can stay on the wagon a bit longer this time, huh? (If you want to know more about this challenge, click on the scale on the right hand side of this screen.)

You know what makes me laugh?

2007-09-18T10:43:00.000-05:00

I haven't made a list in a long time...so I thought I would give it whirl again. I was watching a show called "Just for Laughs" on TV the other night and got to thinking about all the things that make me laugh. Here is my (completely incomplete) list...in no particular order...of things that usually make me laugh.

1. People falling down.
2. Billboards like "Eat here. Get Gas." bwahahahahah
3. Other people's flatus. (Farting) and yes, I know how immature that is!
4. Drew
5. Babies laughing

Brian did it!

2007-09-18T10:36:00.000-05:00

Do you remember that I told you about Brian Thomas running 50 MILES to raise money for the lupus foundation? Well, he did it! (If you want to see a few photos click here.) It took him 9 hours 30 minutes and 24 seconds to complete the run. Geez...I feel like a big fat lazy. I struggle just trying to run 30 minutes...let alone 9 HOURS! He has almost raised the $5000, but is just shy by about $780. If you still want to donate, click here! Congratulations Brian!

The Sad Realization

2007-09-13T07:26:00.000-05:00

On my way to school this morning I flipped the radio over to the local "oldies" station. To my dismay the song that came blaring from the speakers was "Is this Love?" by Whitesnake. My immdiate thought was that I must have hit the wrong button. So, I pushed the button again to the "oldies" station and sure enough, Whitesnake was singin' his heart out. Immediately, I began to panic. I mean, if Whitesnake was on the oldies station and I used to DANCE to Whitesnake at the high school dances....that means... I think you KNOW what that means. By process of logical reasoning, one could assume that if I danced to as song on the oldies station in high school...I must be old. So, I did what any of you would have done, I immediately flipped over to the hippest station around to raffirm to myself as young and groovy. To my further dismay, the song coming forth from my speakers I decided was too loud and lewd to be listening to. I caught myself even saying, in my head of course, "Is this the crap kids listen to these days?!" So, please Bloggy friends...be brutally honest with me...Am I old?

Comfort Food

2007-09-11T20:51:00.000-05:00

Are you familiar with that term? You know, it's foods that make you feel all good inside. I love love love comfort foods...more than I should really...but tonight was the ultimate in comfort foods, Macaroni and Cheese. I made if from "scratch" ya'll. I mean I bought the noodles and the velveeta and melted it all together. yummm...it was delish. I have heard about other comfort foods. I have added a new poll where you can vote for your favorite comfort food. Enjoy!

It's Pumkin Time! (Well, Almost.)

2007-09-05T20:24:00.000-05:00

Okay, Ya'll, we haven't posted any pictures lately, so...I thought it was high time. Above you see Drew standing on the edge of our massive garden. You can about 1/4 of it here. See? I told you...it's huge! We also planted pumpkins this year. We planted 3 different kinds of pumpkins in the garden. First, we planted some smaller pumpkins that are used mostly for pie making. Second, we planted some medium-sized pumpkins for making jack-o-lanterns. FUN FUN! Then, finally we got all wild and crazy and planted the big boys. The giants of pumpkins. The colossal super pumpkins that can grow to over 100 pounds. Yes, you read that right, over 100 pounds. Well, Drew's boss's wife asked for a few to use in a craft show and so we picked a few early. (Tonight.) I was so excited that I couldn't hardly stand it because orange pumpkins mean fall is here, or almost at least. When I was a kindergarten teacher I always read the book "It's Pumpkin Time!", "Pumpkin, Pumpkin", and "The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything" to the students. I LOVED IT! We carved pumpkins, baked the seeds, voted on a face. Such fun. And a mess....a big one. Always. The kids would stick their hands inside the pumpkin and pull the seeds and other stringy ickies out. It was really fun to watch their faces as they experienced all of that. Anyway, if you have small children, or nieces/nephews etc., I would highly recommend these books for this time of the year. (You can click on the link above to see the books OR to purchase them from Amazon.com.) So, I arranged the pumpkins and practiced my photography skills and took the fabulous picture for you to see. (As a side note, did ya notice the fantabulous grass? did ya? did ya? We have worked so hard on this lawn. You can't even tell that a year ago this area of our lawn was a huge brown dirt patch. Thanks to Drew and his talent for plant care, look at what we have now! Whoo hooo.)

News from the old stompin' grounds

2007-09-05T12:02:00.000-05:00

I often read CNN news and Yahoo news over my lunch time just to pass the time and stay abreast (yes, I used the word abreast) of events in the world. I was...shall we say intrigued...by this article today on Yahoo News in the ODD news section. I was disgusted to learn that this guy was caught in Angola Indiana! Yikes...what has the toll road come to?

Pillow Paradise

2007-09-03T21:13:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, okay...a few MONTHS ago, we started to notice that our pillows were just plain getting lazy. They were flat. They were deflated. They were no good really for sleeping. They looked like folded sheets and that was all. So, I kept saying "I'll get us some new pillows!" But, I delayed. Every time I went to the store I would walk past the pillows and feel guilty. I would just ignore them because I was holding out. Holding out for the best pillow I had ever had. Finally, we bought some this weekend. We went to Herberger's and they were having a pillow sale. (Entire stock of pillows - Buy One/Get One Free - SWEEEEET!) We bought 2 Perfect Pillows. No really...they are perfect. AND, they are actually called The Perfect Pillow. I slept last night like a baby. Di-vine! I love new pillows.