Corn Dogs

I made these corn dogs for dinner tonight and while they were tasty, they fell apart which kind of ruined it for me. Good thing I made Ms. Beth's apple dip- it's so good it saved the day!

Contrary to Popular Belief

Sometimes being a librarian is kind of boring.

Favorite and Least Favorite

My favorite thing about the colder weather is how cozy my bed is with all it's heavy blankets.

My least favorite thing about the colder weather is that I cannot stay in my cozy bed all day.

Sandwich Bread

New Recipe: Bread Machine Sandwich Bread
Verdict: The website claimed this is the most perfect sandwich bread you can make in your breadmaker. It was good (especially in our grilled cheese sandwiches) but it won't replace store bought.

Tartans

Today at DPC it was the Kirkin' of the Tartans. Apparently this church has some pretty serious Scottish roots, because they went all out. It was a neat service and the lunch afterward could have only been more enjoyable if it was a tad warmer outside.

DPC

We're headed up to Decatur Presbyterian this morning (where Nate did his summer internship) for church and then lunch with his amazing team. Totally worth getting up early on a Sunday.

AL

AL (stands for Almost Legal- as in almost a legal adult) is moving in tomorrow evening and while I'm anxious, I'm much less so than the first time we did this.

Fall Festival

Our annual neighborhood Fall Festival has come and gone yet again. We had a great turn out and pumped tons of sugar into the veins of countless children.

Lead

Why would a professor cast herself as the lead in a college musical? Is this usual?

Sweeney Todd

Going to see Sweeney Todd at LaGrange College tonight!

Date Due Card Game

Every day, I try to stamp only as many date due cards as I think we'll need.  It's a game to me, to see how close I can get.  Recently though, my assistant has been messing with this game.  Around 1:00, he stamps like 50 cards, even if we don't have any more classes schedule for the day, thus completely ruining my game.  The worst part is, there's no way I can ask him not to stamp the cards unless I confess about the game and reveal myself to be a total weird-o.

Who's On First

Helped the 6th grade English teacher use Who's on First to teach both pronouns and the importance of capitalization :)

SO EMBARRASSING

So that post about a baby name... I meant to email that to Nate and not to my blog.  See, I like to suggest baby names to Nate that I know he will not like.  Last week is was Cricket and Calliope.  I had no intention of telling everyone I know about this weird thing I do especially since we are not having babies any time soon.  Clearly this is internet-induced-karma telling me I should stop messing with Nate.

Oh, Technology

The network was down so we spent the last 3 hours writing down student IDs and barcode numbers to keep the books circulating.  Now it's back up and we get to spend the next 30 minutes putting it all into the computer.

PFC

Dinner with PFC (Potential Foster Child) went well and it looks like she'll be moving in early next week. Gotta come up with a snazzy nickname or abbreviation for her so I can tell you more about her as we dive into parenting an almost-adult.

14!

14 6th graders in detention.  I was super mean.  Now on to part 2 of my afternoon- dinner with potential foster child.

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far...

Parents keep calling me because they forgot what time their child's detention is over.

After School Schedule

Today's going to be busy...
3:15-4:15 Detention
5:30-6:30 Dinner with a potential foster child
6:45-7:30 Walk with neighborhood ladies
8:00-9:15 Crochet/Knitting club meeting at my house

How I've Changed

The fresh-out-of-college idealistic teacher Katie would hate to hear me say this but, some kids are just plain dumb.  Yes, it's been that kind of day.

Unavoidable

I can't avoid it any longer.  I have to do the cataloging and processing (from scratch) for the pile of books on my desk.

Yoga Update!

Today I was able to touch the bottoms of my feet! Next stop- hands flat on the floor!

Attendance Mandatory

I did my best to get out of the meeting for the system Professional Learning committee, but it turns out there are some meetings even I can't wiggle my way out of.

Soup and Pumpkins

The lentil soup last night was good and warm and filling, but nothing spectacular.

As for the pumpkins, this may have been our roughest year... 2 of the college boys dreamed big and then got tired and quit before they were done. Nate's design came apart and thus ended up as a Pac-Man. Mine is the stars (and I'm pretty happy with it!)

Family Dinner

Having Todd and some of his college friends over for dinner and trying a new recipe- Lentil Soup with this bread. Then we're carving pumpkins! I'll post pictures as well as a review of the new recipe later.

No Tears

I've "interrogated" half a dozen 6th graders about cheating and not one has cried.  Am I losing my touch?

Mexican Pizza

New Recipe: Mexican Pizza
The Verdict: We both thought it was "pretty good" meaning that it was enjoyable, but not spectacular.

The Jumper- A Picture

Well?

Baseball

Last night we watched a good bit of game 3 of the World Series (and I learned that the World Series can have up to 7 games).

Foster Parent Training

Nate and I just finished our foster parent training hours. I took "Talking About the Birds and the Bees" and "The Adoption Process- A Personal Experience" while Nate did "Avoiding Foster Parent Burnout" and "Saying Hello and Goodbye." These online courses are easy (which is why we do them), but not especially informative. Oh well, at least we're done for the year.

Jumper

So I bought a jumper from Goodwill. I know I shouldn't, but these dresses are SO comfortable and I thought this one had potential. So I did some tailoring and it no longer looks like a bag and I like it, but I'm not sure if it's just too unfashionable... someone needs to come over and tell me how to dress so I don't end up on What Not to Wear.

Coughing Cat

Mrs caught Nobby's cold. Watching your cat sneeze is kind of funny. Watching your cat have coughing fits... not so much.

Fashion Show: The Finale

It's over. It was a whirlwind, but the kids had fun, we had a great turn out, and now, thankfully, it's over!

AR Cheating, Again

Time for the first round of AR cheating for the year.  Busted a 12 kid cheating ring, but I don't have time to "investigate" or dole out consequences today (re: 5 AR parties, author re-visit, Fashion Show).  I'll just let them worry about it all weekend and deal with it Monday.

Finger Puppet

I got this finger puppet of Van Gogh at the museum last night.  The show is outstanding and I had a really good time.

Fashion Show

I'm dreading the Fashion Show this evening. I know it's going to be fun, but all I can think about is how stressful it's going to be.

Teacher Night at the Museum

I'm headed to the High Museum of Art tonight with some other teachers to preview their new exhibit- Picasso to Warhol: 14 Modern Masters.  We're taking all the kids to see it later in the year and incorporating these artists into our lessons, so this should be both fun and educational.

Administrator

Our principal, assistant principal, and counselor are all out of the building today.  Know who's next in charge?  Me.  I have a radio.  If there's a problem I'm supposed to fix it.  Here's hoping for a peaceful day!

Club Overload

Last year parents complained that we didn't offer enough clubs.  Today we had 6 clubs meeting at the same time (crochet club, art club, drumline, academic bowl, student council, and Fashion Show practice) and we had parents complaining that they were all at the same time AND that the pick-up line was too long.  You just can't win. 

Just Paper

The kids love bookmarks.  Even when I just cut up pieces of colored paper, they grab handfuls.  I commented to a student today, "Bookmarks are just paper!" to which he replied, "So is money."  Smart kid.

I Jinxed It

My heartburn and stomach pain that I've had shince July were gone for 12 glorious days.  And then Monday it started creeping back.  Today it's back full-force.  And I had just started telling people I thought I was better.

President's Physical Fitness Test

Some stretches in yoga bring back memories of the President's Physical Fitness Test in elementary school. As unathletic as I was, I always dreaded those days. I could never figure out why Bill Clinton cared about my performance at the Sit-and-Reach.

It's The Shoes

I am fully aware that I am not a very fashionable person.  Comfort is king when it comes to my wardrobe.  That usually goes for my shoes too (usually a pair a Mary Jane style Crocs) but I recently got 2 nice pairs of shoes- closed toe, small heel, but nice all the same.  When I wear them the kids say, "Mrs. B's wearing a skirt!" or "Why are you all dressed up today?"  I wear skirts all the time- in fact none of my clothing has changed.  I think it's the shoes.  Nice shoes make your whole outfit look nicer.  Maybe this is why some women really love shoes?

Aquarium

I just had to turn down the opportunity to go on 4th grade's field trip to the aquarium because I have a dumb meeting.

Donated Yarn

A parent donated a big bag of yarn.  I know it was for the Crochet Club, but today I used to to make belts for boys who are busting slack.  All that matters is the kids are using it, right?

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

I also baked some banana chocolate chip bread for our new neighbors. (Plus a loaf for me. There is an upside to Nate not liking my cooking... more for me!)

Savory Pinwheels

New Recipe of the Week: Savory Pinwheels. I got the recipe from one of my favorite (nonfriend) blogs- Tiny Happy. I filled mine with pesto, spinach, and mozzarella.

Verdict: I thought they were delicious. Nate, predictably, found them "pretty good."

Dream Job

My free moments today are being spent daydreaming about baking (which I plan to do this afternoon) and sewing (which I plan to do over the weekend).  Why won't someone hire me to be their chef/seamstress?  I think it might be because I'm only moderately good at both of those things...

Fall Break is Over

I like my school, but I like not going to school even better.

Sunday Softball

Going to watch some of the neighbors play a little softball and enjoy this beautiful weather.

Sunday Brunch

Leaving early so I can enjoy brunch with Lindsay and Jenni before picking up the boys at the airport.

Clean Up

During the 4 days that Nate's been gone, my sewing projects have slowly taken over both our bedroom and our living room. He's coming back tomorrow so I think it's time to start cleaning up.

Hummingbird Festival

Going to spend the afternoon at the Hummingbird Arts & Crafts Festival with some neighbor-lady friends!

Planting Bulbs

I tried to plant some flower bulbs and then I remembered that EVERY square inch of my yard is full of roots, chunks of concrete, and random debris. So frustrating.

Thwarted Again!

Once again, I cannot get something I need to continue with a crafting project. None of the hardware stores in our town cut glass or plexiglass.

Maybe I Should Sew?

I stayed up until almost midnight sewing. Then I woke up at 5:45 AM thinking about sewing.

3 Years!

I just realized that yesterday was my 3 year anniversary of starting this blog! That's impressive, right?

Deloris Umbridge

I've been listening to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix while sewing this evening. I loathe Deloris Umbridge not only because of her cruelty, but because she embodies what I hate most about the public school system. Take this quote:

It is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be sufficient to get you through your examinations, which after all, is what school is all about.

The idea that the only purpose of an education is to pass a test makes me sick. Education is not only a means to an end, but something that enriches our lives. I'll get off my soap box now and go back to Harry Potter and my sewing machine. I'm preaching to the choir anyway.

Out of Stock

Drove 35 minutes to the nearest craft store only to find out they were sold out of the item I needed.

Jam Muffins

My new recipe of the week: Jam Muffins (I used strawberry)

The verdict: Pretty good, but the jam didn't spread out in the mix very well and then it tastes a bit like biting into the center of a poptart. I don't think I'll make it again.

I Fixed It

Good news: I fixed the dishwasher!
Bad news: I paid a repairman $65 to tell me I'd already fixed it.

Good Teacher Work Day

Today has been a good day.  First we had a training over de-escalating aggressive student behavior and then we got to go pick through a closed school's stuff (and take a bunch of great books back with us).  One more hour and then I get to head home!

Summer Is Over

Tank tops and sundresses are now packed away, sweaters are on-deck, and a sizable pile of clothing is ready for Goodwill.

Arm Too Sore

I had big plans for this afternoon that involved trimming back all of our shrubbery one last time before winter.  This will not happen because my left arm is just about useless from that dang flu shot.  Guess I'll just have to eat Oreos and watch Raising Hope.

Keep Me on Hold

On hold for technical support- rocking out to U2's "Mysterious Ways."  Disappointed when they technician answers.

Exciting Wednesday

Nate left for a conference Indianapolis this morning.  I came to school and got a flu shot.  Who's having the more exciting day?

Snuggle Kitty

Mrs. Reynolds cuddled with me on the couch for over an hour- purring and hugging my arm with her front paws as we spooned.

One More Time

My yoga instructor over uses this phrase. To me, it indicates one FINAL time of doing said pose, but to him, apparently not. I think this might be a tactic used by all exercise instructors to trick you into doing something more times than you thought you could.

Dishwasher Woes

Plumbers won't fix dishwashers. If I don't find someone to fix this thing soon, I'm going to have to wash almost a week's worth of dishes by hand. Oh, the horror!

Phone Call from NA

Last night we got a phone call from NA.  It was nice to chat with him for a while and made both Nate and I feel glad to have had the experience of fostering him.  Oh, and he's doing well, in case you were wondering.

Disassembled

I was rather embarrassed today when I had to explain to the repair men why the broken overhead projector was in pieces (I had allowed a 6th grader to take it apart to see if he could fix it).  This is almost exactly what happened at home with our dishwasher.  My thought is, "What harm can it do?"  Nate (and the school repair men) do not agree.

Jealousy

I'm usually not the jealous type, but every once in a while when I come across a "famous" blog I like, I wish I was so witty and entertaining that my blog would have hundreds of followers, too.

Space Bags

I decided to start packing away summer clothes and getting out our winter wardrobe and found that one of the cats had chewed a hole in the vacuum space bags full of our sweatshirts that was under our bed. It expanded back to full size and became nearly impossible to get out for under the bed not to mention ruined my fancy vacuum space bag.

New to Netflix

A headache yesterday + rain today + new shows on Netflix = me, watching too much TV this weekend.

This Just In:

Sinus headache ruins Saturday plans.

Sneezing Cat

Nobby is sneezing a lot. Even our cats are getting this cold.

Dinner with Friends

I just got back from a very enjoyable dinner with a few of my girl friends from college. Now it's time to sleep this cold away.

Practical vs Creative

I am helping put on a Fashion Show at school (weird, I know) and from this I have learned that my practicality often restrains my creativity. Not sure how I feel about this.

"Broken" Computers

Teacher:  Those middle school kids broke a bunch of the computers in the computer lab.

Me:  What's wrong with them?

Teacher:  They're just all messed up.

 

I got and check these "broken" compters and... the kids changed the desktop background to MS Paint drawings.

What's Up, Immune System?

I just realized that this is my second cold this school year- and it's not even the end of the first quarter.

15 Minutes Before Bed

is the perfect the time to disassemble the dishwasher to see why it's not draining properly, right?

Along Again

While I enjoyed eating dinner and watching movies with our 16 year old guest the last 3 nights, it's kind of nice to do whatever we want again- especially since we're not feeling so hot.

Surrender

Nate and I are both fighting colds, but Nate will not admit this.  He says there is no fight; the cold has already surrendered.  Judging by the fact that he "feels like poop" I think it's be the other way around.

Friends Tell It Like It Is

A teacher friend of mine says, "Are you ok?  You look like crap."

Sore Throat

My throat hurts.  That is all.

I'm Tired and Dinner is Burned

Today was exhausting so I was really looking forward to the scalloped potatoes that were cooking in my crockpot... except they got burned around the edges. I was under the impression it was supposed to be very difficult, nigh on impossible, to burn something in the crockpot, but I've done it twice now. Just in case you were wondering, we just ate the middle and it was pretty good.

Crochet Club!

This afternoon's the first meeting of Crochet Club for the year.  I capped it at 15 students and 6 weeks, so it should be much more managable.

8th Graders Are Dumb

I forgot how ungrateful, whiney, and self-absorbed 8th graders can be.  The field trip was not as much fun as I had hoped.

Field Trip!

Today I'm going on a walking field trip with a small group of 8th graders to the art and history museums in town (with Charlie Joseph's picnic lunch on the square!)

Vote For This Today, Please

Please take a minute to vote for our neighborhood fall festival to win this contest. Today is the last day to vote. Thank you!

Another Night

Found out that our overnight guest from yesterday will be staying with us again tonight.  She's a very sweet, respectful girl, so I don't mind one bit.

Fish Tacos

Last night, Nate and I cooked up a new recipe together- FISH TACOS and they were amazing.

Overnight Guest

Adding a 16 year old girl to our home for the evening.

Waiting for Me

All the stress from Friday was hiding in my office, waiting to pounce on me the minute I came in this morning.

My Sunday Plans:

Watch Doogie Howser, work on a few sewing projects, make chili and apple crisp, host our first house-church meeting.

Compliment

While we were waiting on our milkshakes at Chick-fil-a this evening, the teenage cashier told us that we are a "cute couple." So nice to get that compliment after being together for more than 9 years.

Brickstore Will Make It Better

A trip to Brickstore Pub for dinner tonight with a stop and Hobby Lobby on the way might help heal my Lion King disappointment.

3D is Stupid

I called the theater. They told me the were showing Lion King in 2D only 2 times- Saturday and Sunday at 1:10. The manager told me this. But when we go... ONLY 3D. 3D is stupid and I'm really mad.

Lion King!

When Nate and I were dating, we went to see The Lion King in IMAX. I made us late and Nate has never quite forgiven me for missing half of "I Just Can't Wait to be King," so today I'm taking Nate on a date to see it in the theater again.