Shaun of the Dead

Enjoying on of my favorite zombie movies for Halloween!

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

I just baked these! Can't wait to try them!

Barf

I have dealt with far too much puke between the hours of midnight and 9 AM. Nate was throwing up all night and then, to my delight, Mrs. up-chucked her breakfast. Today is starting off great.

Lazy Trick-or-Treaters

While trick-or-treating with NA and some friends, I was sickened by the sheer number of parents that were literally chauffeuring their kids from one house to the next- and this was in a neighborhood! If you are too lazy to walk, you are too lazy for candy.

Halloween!

Last year, we had about 150 people show up for our neighborhood Halloween Festival. This year, there were so many I couldn't' keep count- I'm thinking over 200! Huge success!

Clothes Shopping

Shopping for jeans with (and for) a 12 year old boy is MUCH easier than any personal jeans shopping excursion I have ever had.

Craft Store

I am in a crafting mood. It's a pity the nearest craft store is half an hour away.

PJs til Noon

I went to the grocery store at 9:00 last night just so I could sleep in and read in my PJs this morning.

Girl Scouts

Time for a quick dinner of wings and twice baked potatoes (super healthy, I know) and then I'm going to help a neighbor teach yoga to 70 Girl Scouts at a lock-in.

Making Cuts

I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately, so I looked at my schedule to see if there is something I can cut.  I decided to cut the obligation that causes me the most stress and takes up the most amount of time: clearly this whole librarian thing has to go.

New Favorites

Thanks to the 5th grade biography project, I have a few new favorite historical figures: Carry Nation, George Washington Carver, and Theodore Roosevelt.

Boxes

You know what I do when I start feeling really anxious about school?  I count the boxes I have been saving and stashing in the AV closet.  Boxes that I will use when we move.  I'm up to 25.

Will Schuester

You know a while back when I asked where all these "bad" teachers are that politicials are always talking about? I think I know. They're on Glee. Clearly, Mr. Schuester needs a few more standardized tests to keep him from dumping his personal problems on that group of high school students.

Not Saturday

I needed this to be Saturday so bad. I really need a break.

Crock Pot and Bread Machine

Thanks to my trusty crock pot and bread maker, bean soup and warm bread await me when I eventually get to sit down to eat (somewhere after planning a Girl Scout yoga event and inviting my block to the Halloween party but before GED tutoring).

Mid-morning Snack

Craisins and pumpkin seeds!  Yum!

My Bed

I slept so soundly last night with the fan in the window and the sound of the rain falling all night... I wish I was still there.

Tacky Day

Just a tiny bit of my tacky attire which includes polka dots, plaid, and stripes- all in different shades of red.

Monumental

Thanks to yoga once a week for the last 9 months, today I was able to touch my toes for the first time in as long as I can remember. This is huge!

Moldy Pumpkins

This unseasonably warm and damp weather is causing our carved pumpkins to mold on the front porch. Boo.

Shoe-Wearing Librarian

All it took was one rogue staple to the heel and my shoes are back on.

Barefoot Librarian

My shoes were hurting my feet so I'm going barefoot and it feels nice!

Hat Day

I'm wearing this today.

I Know It's Late But

I don't want to go to sleep yet. I'm going to pay for this tomorrow at about 2:30.

Rain, Rain

I love this rainy weather.  I hope it rains through the night!

Paranoid

About an hour ago I walked out of the bathroom with my skirt tucked into my underwear.  Thankfully, I didn't get far (or see any students!) before I noticed, but now I feel the need to frequently check to make sure I'm not flashing anyone.

No Website?

*Ring Ring*

 

Good morning, Media Center.

 

Hello!  This is -- from -- Publishing!  We want to send you a huge box of books to preview that will clutter your office for months.

 

Do you have a website I can look at instead?

 

No, but we do have free shipping.

 

It's 2010- how do you not have a website?

 

We find that many librarians prefer the "hands-on" preview.

 

I'm 26.  I use the internet for everything.

 

For no extra charge one of our assosciates will call every week and nag you about making a purchase.

 

Um, no thanks.  Call me again if you enter the 21st century.

 

 

 

 

Morning Motivation

When the alarm went off, I tried really hard to think about a reason to get out of bed.  I decided that eating the last 2 blueberry muffins for breakfast was sufficent.

Dinners

Since I posted what we had for dinner last night and the night before, I thought I'd tell you about tonight and tomorrow. Tonight we had spaghetti with homemade sauce and tomorrow night we're having orange chicken (it's already in the crockpot). I wish I had this much time to cook during the week.

Beautiful Weather!

Really looking forward to sitting in the sunshine and watching the boys play soccer in this beautiful weather!

Direct Traffic

Ok, so you know how I love to check Google Analytics (to track my rise to blog-stardom)? Well, I just hit a milestone. 34% direct traffic! That means that 1/3 of the people who read this are actually typing in this address. Clearly, I need to start figuring out which actress should play me in the movie based on my blog...

Dinner Guests

We're having the new band director and his wife over for dinner. Black beans and rice and board games!

Morning Person

I got up at early to drop NA off for his Boy Scout overnight hiking trip and then just decided to go to the grocery store... at 7 AM. I am completely a morning person. But I'm also a take-a-nap-in-the-afternoon person.

Pumpkins!

Another successful Family Dinner!

Hiccups

I've had hiccups 3 times today.  What's up diaphragm?

Family Dinner

Tonight we are hosting Family Dinner with the addition of a few new college students (even without Noelle and Chuck, we'll be up to 9 tonight!).  We'll enjoy vegetable chowder, homemade biscuits, and brownies for dinner followed by pumpkin carving!

Validation

I just had part 1 of my 3 part evalutation.  It was extremely validating to know that my AP had to go to a 4 hour training and read a 150 page manual just to learn how to evaluate me.  See?  Further proof that I do something beside check out books!

My REAL Job

I got permission to skip my morning remedial math class to teach research skills to the 5th graders.  I don't mind helping out, but it is really frustrating when the extra stuff I'm asked to do gets in the way of my real job.

Couch

I've been day-dreaming about my couch... imagining all the things I could be doing while sitting on it... watching tv, crocheting, sleeping, drinking coffee, reading... the possibilities are endless.

Apple

I'm eating a Winesap apple from Mercer's apple orchard.  It makes me think of both my time at the cabin and of my dad who once planted (and replanted) a Winesap apple tree in our yard.  These are my favorite apples.  Crisp, sweet, tart, and full of good memories.

Counting Down

3 weeks until we go visit my parents.  4 weeks until Harry Potter.  5 weeks until Thanksgiving.

Deep Thoughts

I've had some deep thoughts tonight, but I can't find a way to put them into just a few words.

It's the Little Things

Today I woke up smiling for the simple reason that today is not yesterday and for that I am very thankful.

Popcorn and Ice Cream

Detention didn't end in a riot, so I'm considering it a huge success. To celebrate the end of such a successful, long day, we're having popcorn and ice cream for dinner. That plus yoga tonight followed by chick-flick will make this day all better.

Assistant

One of our new rewards for good behavior is that students can be a teacher's assistant for an hour.  I had my first assistant today (a 5th grader) and we had so much fun putting up a bulletin board together.  I'm very thankful for moments like that to remind me why I love what I do.

Dread

I've been dreading today. It's hard enough to go back to school after a 4 day weekend, but even harder when you have to hold detention after school for 18 angry 8th graders.

My Day Off

Today's a furlough day and I'm trying to make the most of it. So far, I went to the grocery store, took in the recycling, went to the library, got my flu shot, did 3 loads of laundry, took the comforter to the laundromat, ordered new tires for the car, and had a visit with NA's case worker. I hope to finish one more load of laundry, mop the kitchen floor, and do a little mending before we watch Dexter tonight.

Driving

Driving in a small town has ruined me. Whenever we get on the interstate my anxiety level goes to 10 (maybe I should have taken one of the cat's pills...) because I am SURE that every car is inching closer and closer to the line and is, at any moment, going to cross into our lane and slam into us.

And that is why I only drive to the grocery store and back.

My Sister

I love my sister. Here is an excerpt from our g-chat conversation:

Laura: did I tell you about all the dogs here? there are stray brown dogs every where

so I've decided we can't live here or we'll end up with like 100 dogs

and I do NOT need a pack of semi-feral dogs in my backyard

me: no, you don't. unless of course you're going to A) train them for the circus or to be sled dogs or B) you're going to use them to help boost you into reality-star fame-dom

Laura: oooh, good idea like "19 kids, 50 dogs, and counting"

I need to be weirder than the current shows

Refreshed.

As always, we had a wonderful time at the cabin. We enjoyed spending time with Nate's parents, went to the Apple Festival, ate good food, and played plenty of card games. The fall colors were gorgeous and so was the weather. I feel refreshed.

Last First Kiss

Today is the 8th anniversary of our first kiss. Writing all these has made me feel super mushy.

Cabin Time

We're off to the cabin, but first we have to stop at Columbia. Nate has a class today and then we'll complete the journey to my favorite place on earth!

Fall Break

I am so thankful that our 4 day fall break begins tomorrow. Blue Ridge, here we come!

Sucky

Today might actually have been the suckiest day of my entire life.

aghhhhh!

So much cheating.... I've talked to 14 and still have 4 more to go before I can even start calling parents...

Stress

Today I have to orchestrate 6 AR celebrations, interrogate 20 students about cheating, and then call about 30 parents. Feeling a little overwhelmed.

TWO YEARS!

Today I have been blogging for 2 years. Can you believe it? The last 2 years of my life is documented here. Wow.

Ahhhhhhh!

Uncovered a huge AR cheating ring in the 8th grade.  Tomorrow is ruined.

Chairperson

Um, I think I just became the chairperson for the Book Fair.

Place Your Bets

It's the last day for students to meet their reading goals for this quarter.  How many times do you think I'm going to give the "too little, too late" speech today?

Go to Your Room

I made NA go to his room half an hour early- not as a punishment, but because I wanted to watch Glee and I didn't think it was appropriate for him. I'm pretty sure this falls into the "bad parent" category.

Perspective

I was about to complain how I still had a whole hour of school left followed by an hour long faculty meeting when I remembered my husband left home at the same time I did today, but he won't get home until almost 11 PM.

Animal Collective

I've got that Animal Collective song "My Girls" stuck in my head and I don't mind one bit.

Speech

I wrote this speech yesterday about how I'm frustrated that these extra things I'm being asked to do are interfering with my ability to fulfill my duties as a media specialist.  And then I didn't give it.  But today, I did skip a meeting that was during 7th grade's research time.

Weekends

I was just sending a quick email to Nate to make sure we're on the same page concerning the next few weekends when I realized we have something going on every weekend except one between now and Christmas break.  Whoa.

Nightmares

Thanks to Nate watching Dr. Who and then the movie The Wrestler last night, I had nightmares about time travelling wrestlers.  It was terrifying.

Inconsiderate

Due to miscommunication (for the 3rd year in a row!) I didn't find out the vision and hearing screening will be held in the media center this morning until the volunteers came to set up.  This means I had to reschedule the classes I had coming AND students won't be able to check out books all morning.  I can't begin to express how frustrated I am.

Soccer

Going to watch the boys and some of our neighbors play soccer before dinner.

The Usual

Church, cooking, cross-stitching, tv watching, and a nice nap. Typical Sunday accomplished.

Marshmallows!

We've invited some of our neighbors over to roast marshmallows this evening. Looking forward to some SMORES!

Cooking Time

Just made another batch of pesto, a pan of lasagna for later in the week, and pizza dough for the homemade pizzas we're having for dinner.

Practice Patient

This morning I'm heading down to Columbus to be a practice patient for my wonderful friend soon-to-be Doctor Amber.

11th Plague

Today at the grocery store, I had the worst baggers- 3 teenage boys that descended upon my small load of purchases like locusts then quickly departed leaving a tangle of plastic and canvas bags and my bread squished.

Cats

We have the weirdest cats.  One has anxiety disorder and foams at the mouth and the other was found today on top of the refrigerator trying to eat a loaf of bread (through the plastic).

Where are they?

These bad teachers that everyone talks about whenever politicians talk about education reform- where are they?  Not the school I work at and honestly, I bet there aren't nearly as many as we are lead to believe.  When are we going to hold students, parents, and yes, even our restrictive educational mandates accountable?

Big Butt

I butt dialed Nate five times (no exaggeration) on the 3 minute walk home from church. My big butt makes too many phone calls.

Peking

Nate and I enjoyed dinner out at our favorite Chinese restaurant tonight. It was especially nice to eat a meal without any complaints (or worse, backhanded compliments) from our picky 12 year old.

Weird Illness

Whatever this thing I have that makes my armpits, jaw, and elbows hurt, makes only one nostril of my nose run, and makes me feel weak and tired, I'm ready to be done with it.

Foaming at the Mouth

When I tried to give Mrs. her anxiety meds this morning, this is what happened:

The cat tried to throw the pill that was lodged in her throat back up, but only succeeded in making herself foam at the mouth.  The pill is blue, so the foam was also blue.  Then she ran away from me, trailing blue cat spit foam all over the house.  I'm sure that taking this anxiety medicine is only increasing her anxiety because it's surely increasing mine.

So Tired

I've been sleeping and resting all day, but my body is still so tired. Weirdly, I have almost no other sickness symptoms except for aches in every part of my body that has lymph nodes. I'm probably dying.

Going Home Sick

As soon as 9:30 rolls around, I'm going back home. I do not feel good.

Field Trip

Not sure who's been looking forward to this 3 day, 2 night field trip more- NA or me and Nate. Home alone without the 12 year-old! Wahooo! I'm sure NA will have a good time, too.

The Project

NA tells us last night at 6:30, right before Boy Scouts, that he had a huge project due that he forgot about. So today, he's trying to do a 6 week project in one night. Why are 12 year old so irresponsible?

New Pet Peeve

It started with NA, but it has since spread to all children.  I absolutely cannot stand when children make a statement instead of asking a question.  An example: "I need a book" instead of "Will you help me find a book?"  Maybe I'm being overly sensitive, but to me it implies an attitude of entitlement, that all they need to do is state a problem or desire and that someone will jump to fix it.

Perfect Breakfast

A bowl of oatmeal with a big scoop of apple crisp on tip may just be the perfect breakfast.

Cat Anxiety

So we took Mrs. Reynolds to the vet to see if there's a medical reason she keeps peeing on the floor. Turns out there probably is. Apparently, she has such severe anxiety that it's caused a "thickening of her bladder" so they've put her on medication for anxiety and OCD. So much of her weird behavior makes sense now. Our cat has an anxiety disorder.

Lock Jaw

My sister (the almost PA) says that the swollen, ouchy lump near my jaw is just an inflamed lymph node.  I'm pretty sure I have tetanus and it's lock jaw and I'm probably going to die soon.

Scary Books

As soon as October hits all the kids ask for "scary" books, so today I'm putting up my Halloween display, complete with a big spider web hanging from the ceiling.

Goodbye Summer

I packed away my tank tops and shorts and brought out my jeans and long-sleeved shirts. This guarantees we'll have one day next week in the mid-90's but I don't care. Goodbye Summer! Hello Autumn!

Sunday School

It's been years (literally) since we've attended a Sunday School class, but we're going this morning.

Apple Crisp, Take 2

Nate and I could not shake the craving for apple crisp after the Apple Crisp Fiasco of 2010 (that's what I'm calling it henceforth) so I baked it again, this time using a measuring cup and the recipe, to great success.

Quarantine

Mrs. Reynolds is currently on her second day of being quarantined in the bathroom. We're hoping this will break her of the habit of peeing next to the litter box rather than in it. Even though it's well deserved, I feel immensely guilty when I hear her meowing.

Butt-Dialing

It was bad enough to discover I butt-dialed my sister TWICE this morning (between 7 and 8 AM) but even worse when I realized that there's a 3 hour time difference (making it 4 and 5 AM for her). I'm sorry, Laura!

Fall Weather

I'm in love with this weather. Cool mornings and evenings plus sunny warm days are my favorite!

Family Birthday Wishes

Happy Birthday to my wonderful sister, Laura, and my amazing father-in-law, Ron!

Christmas List

My mom asked me to start putting together a Christmas list and all of the sudden, I can't think of anything in the world that I want.

Crushed

Have you ever seen someone who has been totally crushed?  I feel like I see that every day lately.  Why does our education system have to be so oppressive?

Freckle Juice

The adorable 3rd graders are walking around the school today with marker-drawn freckles all over their faces because they just finished reading Freckle Juice.  Too cute!