10 Things You May Not Know About Me!

I was thinking today, as I was brushing my teeth, that we all have little-known "quirks" or facts about ourselves. So, I thought I would share some of my litte-known facts, just for fun.

1. I LOVE LOVE LOVE to watch Little House on the Prairie.
2. The sound of a hard rain pounding on a windshield/roof of a car hurts my ears so much that I sometimes feel like my eardrums are going to burst.
3. I always hang my keys in exactly the same place.
4. I love the sound of a piano (expecially when accompanied with a guitar).
5. I love the ocean.
6. I can't swim because I hyperventilate when the water gets above my chest.
7. The sound of a fork scraping against someone's teeth gives me the chills.
8. The smell of moldy food causes me to gag. (Sorry, just being honest!)
9. When I REALLY cry hard, I have so much trouble getting air into my lungs that I almost pass out.
10. When I burn my tongue, I put honey on it. It really does help.

So, there ya have it. Of course, that is only the tip of the iceburg for me. So, I KNOW I am not alone. What are your little-known facts?

Friday Five, On Tuesday

Okay, okay, for a long time I have been reading Kris's Friday Five and have never really played along...here they are from last week and am playing along. (Thanks Holli for inspiring me to do this, finally!) So, what you do is read the questions and my answers...then copy the questions into a comment box and answer them yourself or send me an email with your answers. Have fun!

Here ya go!
Questions:
1. What's the best last movie you saw?
2. What's your favorite summer flower?
3. What irritates you more, sitting in traffic or a meeting after 5:00pm on a friday afternoon?
4. If you HAD to have another occupation, what would you do?
5. Blueberries or cherries?


1) What's the best last movie you saw?
Hmm... the word BEST makes it hard. I think the best last movie I saw was, ummm, The Pursuit of Happyness

2) What's your favorite summer flower?
Daisy. Hands down!

3) What irritates you more: sitting in traffic or a meeting after 5:00 pm on a Friday?
A meeting after 5:00pm on Friday (ANY day for that matter)

4) If you HAD to have another occupation, what would you want to do?
If I HAD to have another occupation, it would be photographer. BUT, I love my current occupation!

5) Blueberries or cherries?
neither, really. I would choose strawberries. :)

Okay, your turn.

Week 3 Weigh In

Well, this week I lost a total of 2 pounds (that's 5.5 for the 3 week period.) I had some trouble this week since it was the close of the school year and that is, honestly, one of the most stressful time of the year for me. On top of that, I got sick. When I get sick, I crave the things my momma used to give me when I was little to get better. Things like orange sherbet, ice cream, chicken noodle soup, jello, sprite, crackers...you know the stuff. Anyway, I shouldn't eat most of those foods, but they felt so good on my throat, ya know? I tried to be careful, but I also have to get well. The other side of that is that my portions were well-controlled (since my appetite wasn't all that strong anyway) and that helped keep it in perspective. Additionally, this sickie hss had trouble getting the workout in. Hard to breath = hard to workout. I have been reading lots of other folks' tales and it is such a thrill to see so many success stories on this journey.

Sickie

I have been quiet around here lately due to the fact that I have been a sickie. Yup. Sickie. I managed to get through the entire school year with no sickness this year, but here I am on the first days after school is out...sick. I have an upset stomach, runny nose, cough, the works. It is like a full-blown summer cold. I would appreciate your prayers to get well quickly since I just hate being sick and sitting around the house.

Monthly Man

Hahahah! This video made me laugh. I am sorry to say that I don't know where it originally came from. (I found it at StupidVideos.com.) Enjoy!

Last Day of School

The last day at school has arrrived. My classroom is packed and stored for the summer. Computers covered? check. Books counted? check. Supplies ordered and/or replaced? check. Heart prepared to say good-bye? Not just yet. My cohort and I have elected to grill hot dogs for the kids today for lunch as a pseudo-graduation. That will be loads of fun, I just know it! Well, students are coming and their faces are dancing with the joy that only the first day and the last day can dawn. I must go and greet the day...

Weight Loss Weigh In

Well, not so good this week. -.5 lb. You know half a pound is half a pound, right?!

This week was a horrible week for me. I had a few extra stresses along with trying to close off the school year that I slipped into some of my horrible "grab and go" habits (burgers and pizza, etc.). I also did not walk nearly enough. I had a problem with my ankle that I could barely wear shoes! Seriously, It was bad. So, I ended up not walking...although I COULD have done something else and just chose not to.

Oh well. Next week will be better.

How 'bout you?

Winding Down

The school year is winding down and I find myself, again, in a peculiar state. I have a love/hate relationship with the end of the school year. On one hand, I love love love summer vacation. I love playing outside and the joy of having a change of pace for the summer. I love preparing for an all new class of students and the excitement the FIRST day of school invariably brings. On the other hand, I hate hate hate saying goodbye to a group of students that I have poured my heart into for the last 9 months. PLUS, there is a lot to be done at the end of a school year. I have 4 days left with these kids and I only hope that each young face is one day able to realize all of their dreams.

Diet is not a Dirty Word

Okay, ya'll! It has been one week and I am 3 pounds lighter. We will see what next week brings. This week was hard and I, frankly, jumped - leapt really - off the wagon a couple of times. Oh Well. I walked 4 of the 7 days (I need to bump that to a higher number!) and paid close attention to foods. How did you do?

Mother's Day

Well, to all you Mom's out there, I hope you had a good one. I called my mother and talked to her as she ws strolling down the aisles of Menard's dreaming with my sister. Ah...the good life! We went to see Drew's Grandma and then over to his Mom's where we spent the remainder of the day ripping up an area for a garden. Who loves to ride on tractors? Me! OH ME! Seriously. I. love. it. I even got to DRIVE the tractor! Anyway, while Drew was trying to get the tiller going I noticed the shiny, okay dirty, four wheeler and jumped on. Drew started it and I just drove 'round and 'round the circle drive of the farm. Whoo hoo! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Anyway, that is the main extent of my weekend. Hope you had a good one!

New Look

I f inally took the steps to "upgrade" the website. What do you think of it? I was a little worried bucause it meant that I had to redo all the links and make decisions about colors, etc....but I think it has a new "modern" feel.

die Blume Chroniken

So, just in case you don't speak German, the title means "The Flower Chronicles" because yesterday was a floral emergency for me. See, a student of mine...lets call her Jonie...gave me a potted Gerber daisy for my birthday last month. I asked Jonie if I should take it home or leave it at school on my desk. (I felt there was probably plenty of sunshine there and would be okay.) Jonie enthusiastically responded with "LEAVE IT AT SCHOOL!" Okay. So, I did. However, yesterday I walked into my classroom and the poor little flowers looked...well...sickly. They had saggy petals and droopy stems. I panicked. I just knew it was going to die. Who do I call? There is no 911 for flower emergencies. My dad was always so good with plants in general. he could save a sick plant if it was almost 99% brown. He was like the ICU for plants. I, unfortunately, did not inherit this GIFT from my pa. However, I always have these dillusions that I am, infact, a master gardener. Perhaps I am overzealous in watering...or under motivated when it is hot...who knows...but it never quite works out for me. Plants almost always die in my care. Anyway, I digress. I took the sick flower home after school and it was so sad looking. I set it outside and ran an errand to the only local plant emergency room that I know of...Orscheln's. I INTENDED to only purchase some potting soil for my little plant. You know...the good stuff. The kind with Miracle Grow in it. I mean, how can you not trust something that has MIRACLE in the title? (And let me tell ya, this plant needed a miracle!) When I got to Orsheln's I noticed the hanging plants were on sale for $4.99. I thought, smugly, surely I can keep a hanging plant alive. I mean, it hangs. You water it. Give it sun. It grows, yes? So, I bought 2. (And 2 metal hanging baskets with the moss bottom that I have secretly coveted for a long time.) When I got home, I repotted the sick plant and left it outside overnight. When I left for work this morning...viola! It was well again! Strong. Mighty. Happy. They were standing straight up and facing the happy sun. What a great way to greet the morning! So, I also repotted my hanging plants. You can see one below (but they both look pretty much the same). I am happy about them. (Even though I secretly dispise the color purple...okay, not so secretly...but they are pretty.) You like?

Morning Dew

I wish I could capture the sheer beauty of the morning here today. As I walked into the school, I noticed that the air did not smell like poo. It, instead smelt fresh. Crisp. Clean. My thoughts immediately said "Mmmmm...I love it!" It smelled like a cool summer morning. I looked around and saw the morning dew glistening on the blades of grass as if each one was wearing its own little diamond. The sunrise was captivativing with its gentle yellow and red hughs. I heard baby birds chirping and couldn't help but feel at peace and total awe at the beauty of the morning. Most mornings I am just so GROUCHY that it is morning that I just don't take time to notice the gorgeous palette around me. Thank God for this day...I hope it is as beautiful where you are!

May Day Challege Begins Today!

Plans and Confessions.
Yay! Today's the day we begin the May Day Challenge.
First, the plans: I have decided that I will walk at least 5 days a week and choose to eat only the foods that is allowed by my physician (without completely depriving myself of the occassional "other things"). During my walk, I have decided to pray, listen to music, or talk to Drew (if he is along with me).

Now, the confessions: I realize that weight loss is not JUST foods or JUST exercise or JUST spiritual well-being. It takes all three in order to be totally successful. I KNOW I have a disorder that requires me to watch what I eat and yet...sometimes...I just choose to ignore it. So, this is my plan. To inaugurate the event, I have posted a TickerFactory Ticker to the right. I am slightly embarrassed at the total weight that I need to lose, but that is part of being real with you and myself.

Okay. Well, that's my plan, what's yours?

The Truth

We have just completed a 13 week course called The Truth Project through a small group in our church. (You can go to the link in the sidebar.) It. Was. Amazing. I have never been through a teaching that has so radically changed me life and walk with Christ since becoming a Christian as this. I will be honest, I didn't want to do the course at first because I was "too busy." When I realized it was important to Drew, I agreed and decided to make time. I am so glad we did. This is DVD video series that is one hour a week to watch and then discussion time afterward. Each lesson leaves you with a sense of urgency about our culture and structures. The last lesson had the most impact on me. It was a lesson about community/neighbors and our responsibility to reach out to those in need. You can determine need however you wish...Jesus did. Need is need. It may be physical, emotional, spiritual, or whatever. I define need as something that is lacking that prohibits a person from fully living. I have noticed lately how indignant people may act toward someone so different from them; how indifferent we appear to be when we watch violence on our television...not just the movies...but the news, books, music, the media all around us. We NEED to stand up and be firm. Enough is enough. Aren't there enough people hurting in this world? Can't we do something to stop the hurt? I encourage you to look around, find need, and meet it...sort of like a random act of kindness. I just know God will Bless you for it.

May Day Weight Loss Challenge

Okay Okay. So, my sister is getting married and I NEED to lose some weight. Beyond that, I am tired of looking the mirror and feeling like a huge overgrown bucket of flab. I want to feel attractive and healthy again. A few years back I lost over 60 pounds and have managed to gain about 35 of it back. This is both depressing and disappointing to me. Of course this disapppointment just fuels the fire to keep eating things that I should not be eating and I KNOW IT! So, I recently discovered a new blog called I Should Be Folding Laundry and the author was offering up her same thoughts on weight gain and so has launched a challenge. It is called Tales from the Scales and I am going to participate. Here's how it works. First, go to the website and committ to the process. Then, you have to develop a plan, and then set that plan into motion by May 8. Each Tuesday you do a weigh in and post it at Tales from the Scales AND, of course, talk about it on your blog. (You don't have to announce your weight, just your gains and losses). You get internet buttons and stickers when you achieve every 5 pounds of loss. Seriously...I think this will be both fun and encouraging. Anyone else in for the challenge?