Sibling Lunch

Going to get BBQ with my siblings while my parents watch the babies.  Then we're going to bake Korra's birthday cake and go to a minor league baseball game tonight.

Grandma's Pancakes

Starting off our weekend together with buttermilk pancakes!

I wish Korra didn't hate the car so much. Why can't she just sleep like most babies?

Today I've been remembering the Friday before Labor Day last year. I was looking forward to a relaxing weekend at home alone while Nate was at DragonCon.

I wouldn't mind the 4 hour drive to my parents' house so much if we didn't have to drive through Atlanta.

Picking up a pizza for dinner to celebrate payday and the coming 3 day weekend!

Looking forward to celebrating Korra's birthday with my family this weekend!

I Don't Want to Share Anymore

Came in this morning to find my tape dispenser had been taken and someone had jammed my copier and then left without fixing it.  You kind of expect that sort of behavior from the kids, but from the teachers?  Come on.

On our way to Brickstore for dinner with some friends who are in town for DragonCon. Yay!

Fault in Our Stars Movie?!

Just heard they're making one of my favorite books of last year into a movie.  Oh, I hope they do it justice!

Ms. Ummmmm

If I had a quarter for every time a student called me, "Ms. Umm, Ms. Umm..." I would have a nice supplemental income.  Is it really so hard to remember my name?  Especially given that I go by just an initial!

Drained

Went to bed before 8 last night.  Not feeling pukey anymore, but still feeling slow and tired.  My assistant is feeling the same way.  We are a pathetic little team this week.

Easy Does It

Back at school today.  Feeling much better but trying to take it easy.

Went home sick before 9. Taken several naps, gargled with salt water, used heating pad, and am hoping to feel better tomorrow.

Breathe Slowly, Don't Puke

Giving myself 45 more minutes at school.  If I still feel the urge to lay in a fetal position on the floor of the bathroom, I'm going home.

Jim Dale

When I'm sick, I like to listen to the Harry Potter audiobooks.  Jim Dale's voice and the familiar story always make me feel a little better.

Korra's walking! Still only 5-8 steps at a time, but I think we'll count it!

Not Pregnant!

The last 2 days I've had a headache, felt achy, queasy, and crampy, and had a runny nose.  Also, I've just had a friend at school tell me that his wife is *surprise* pregnant.  As I was breathing slowly and trying not to vomit this morning I suddenly though, "Oh, no.  What if I'm pregnant?"  I spent the whole day worrying about it.  As soon as I got home, I dug around under the kitchen sink, found a pregnancy test from almost 2 years ago, and took it.  And, as I'm sure you guessed by this post's title- I'm not pregnant!  Yay!

Lies I Tell Myself

Sometimes I pretend that Korra is asleep the whole time I'm at work so that I don't feel like I'm missing as much.

Unblocked!

Thanks to a persuasive email, Pintrest is unblocked here at school!

All of the middle schoolers in the neighborhood are standing in front of my house. Coinsidence? I doubt it.

Stray Dog Update

We figured out who's dog has been in our backyard for more than a day and, like the good neighbor I am, I went to their house so they could get that terrible yippy mutt out of my yard.  Now I can take a nap without hearing him bark and hang laundry on the line without fear of getting bit.

Checked on Korra on the monitor after laying her down for a nap to find that she had taken off her diaper and was totally naked!

Korra likes to shake her box of raisins to make it rain dried fruit. Eveyone knows food tastes better when you throw it in the air first.

There's a dog in our backyard. A yorkshire terrier with a collar but no tags. He barks at us very aggressively when we get close. Any suggestions?

Exclamation Points!

I just realized that the last 3 posts (this makes 4) all had subject headings that ended in exclamation points.  Apparently my life (or at least my posts) are very exciting... or I exaggerate.

World's End!

Went to see World's End last night.  It was really good, even though it wasn't my favorite Simon Peg/Nick Frost movie.  I can't put it any better than this review, so just read that and then go see it for yourself.

Book Orders Complete!

After days of agonizing over my first book order of the year, 179 books are ordered!  Lots of bilingual books, comic books, and books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid. 

Free Babysitter!

My little brother's coming into town tomorrow night and in exchange for dinner, he's babysitting for our date night!  Yippee!

Of course, someone finally comes to visit the library and have a long talk- right as I'm trying to leave.

Just like last year, no one comes to the library during open house. Unlike last year, I'm not super pregnant with swollen feet. Still not very happy to be here.

Ketchup

The cafeteria smells strongly of ketchup.  And it's loud.  Now I remember why I don't come down here.

Nooooooooo!

School system blocked Pintrest!  How will I ever decorate my bulletin boards now?!

Korra is practicing her teeny-bopper screaming in case she ever gets to go to a Beiber concert. It starts so young.

Orientation Speech

I've given my library orientation talk 29 times.  I still have 13 more to go over the next 3 days.  Jesus, give me strength.

Read-Alouds

I convinced 7 teachers to read novels to their homeroom classes!  Students of all ages love to be read to and it's so good for their vocabulary (not to mention that it engages even the most reluctant reader) but it's been so hard to convince the teachers to get on board.  Counting this as a big win!

Story Hour

Nate and Korra are going to their first Story Hour at the public library this morning.  I'm more than a little jealous.

Photo Acquired!

Finally got a photo of Korra!  Love that big, toothy smile!

I'm ok with being at work until 3:30. Every minute away from Korra after that makes me feel so anxious to get home. This meeting is killing me.

PA Sister

It's nice having a medical professional in the family.  Laura is pretty sure I don't have pink eye.

Pink Eye?

Thought my allergies were bothering me... but I think I have pink eye.

Shaun of the Dead

Watching Shaun of the Dead to get ready for World's End on Friday!

Picky Readers

Gave a little speech during my library orientation about how saying, "I don't like reading" is like saying, "I don't like eating."  You may be a picky eater, but everyone likes eating something.  The same is true for reading.  You may not like anything you've read yet, but there are so many things to read, there's something for everyone.  I promised the kids to help even the pickiest reader that I'd find something they'd like.  Recommending books to the kids is my favorite part of my job.

Spotify

School system has blocked Pandora... but not Spotify!

No Photos

So I realized I haven't taken a photo of Korra in a month.  The reason for this is that as soon as I take the camera or the tablet out, she lunges for it and then screams since I won't let her have it.  Thus, no photos.  Gotta work out a secret camera system.

Baking Fiend

This weekend I baked:

pita chips; banana chocolate chip muffins; teething biscuits; granola; spinach chicken taquitos; and sausage, egg, and cheese biscuits.  AND I made hummus, chocolate chip cookie truffles, and veggie wraps.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Can't do any of the things I wanted to do this weekend (Brave's game, bike ride, or zoo).

I work with a teacher named Beverley Hill. Every time I see her I hear the Weezer song. "Toot Sweet" successfully removed from my head.

Woke up with the song "Toot Sweet" from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in my head. Why?!

Sketchers

When I started student teaching 8 years ago, I bought a pair of Sketchers that I love.  I have had new velcro sewed onto them 3 times.  2 cobblers (shoe repair shops) have gone out of business in that time.  Finally the leather has started to wear through on the toes.  I think it might be time to retire them.  What are the chances they still sell this exact style?

What does true love look like? Watching Whodunnit with Nate because he thinks it's so good.

They promised if I came in early I could leave early but I've been at school until 4 every day AND I get stuck behind the buses on the way out. Boo.

New assistant is so efficient I'm running out of things for us to do!

65%

If I'm usually at 100% and 0% is can't even get out of bed, I was at 20% yesterday.  Today- 65%.  Huge improvement, though not quite well yet.

We just refinanced our mortgage. Being an adult is super boring sometimes.

Speed Test

I type 66 words per minute.  Is that good?

Bleh

My whole face hurts from this cold.  Hoping and praying Korra doesn't get this bug.

Nyquil, Vick's Vaporub, Nettie Pot, and in bed by 8pm.

Funeral

Taking half a personal day to go to a good friend's dad's funeral.  Pray for Chris and his family today.

Vegetarian Steamed Dumplings

For dinner tonight, we made veggie dumplings based on a hybrid of these two recipes.
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/emerils-steamed-vegetable-dumplings-recipe.htm
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/vegetarian-steamed-dumplings-recipe/index.html
Yummy!

Runny Nose

Terrible allergies today.  Or maybe it's a cold.  Either way, my nose is a faucet.

Had the best wedding cake ever tonight.

Henry's Birthday Party

Went to a birthday breakfast for our little neighbor Henry.  I sewed him a cape as a gift- he was way more interested in the diapers he got.  :)

Parseltongue

When Korra picks up her stuffed snake, she makes the "ssssssss" sound.

Responding to comments from teachers about my former assistant's new assignment is like dancing around landmines. Not sure who is on which "side."

Ice Cream Needed

Today was long and exhausting and I really, really want some ice cream.

No Schedule Class

I've had a group of 21 students all morning who don't have schedules.  They are getting really bored.

NA's in High School!

Just saw on Facebook that NA had his first day of high school today!

Laminating Pride

Today put laminating film on this school's laminator the first time- all last year my assistant did it.  Of course, because it's the beginning of the school year there's a huge pile of stuff to be laminated.  I think I've finally got it when my former assistant walks in.  She takes one look at it, announces I've done it all wrong, and tries to bump me out of the way to do it for me.  I calmly, but firmly tell her I can do it myself.  Another teacher hears me say this and comments that a lot of people are waiting on their stuff and I should just let go of my pride and have her show me how to do it.  I pretend I don't hear her.  After 15 minutes of rereading the directions, I realize that I had it right all along.

Korra is loudly professing her love to Cherrios. What's so great about Cheerios?

I forgot how much work work is.

Found all missing equipment! Now to try to wind down and relax.

2 digital projectors and a laptop went missing from the library over the summer. Stress level significantly increased.

Pumas!

Nate and I just bought new tennis shoes (Pumas) for $60 including shipping!  Yippee!

Laptop for the Win!

While I had the most stunningly boring job at registration today, it involved using my laptop so I got so much done!  Spreadsheets made, website update, emails written!

For the Fun of It

I think I just decided to do "Read for the Fun of It" as my Teen Read Week theme.  Because then I don't really have to have a theme except that all my stuff is fun.

Chaos

Verifying addresses of 1200 students is insanity.

Good Start

Today is registration day.  It's going to be long and not very fun.  So I decided to start off the day well.  For breakfast I had a freshly baked blueberry muffin, a cup of coffee, and a vanilla yogurt with strawberries and homemade granola.  Then I went on a nice 2 mile walk with Korra.  Ready for the day!

Second Place!

Nate just texted- he and 2 friends just won second place (and $250) at the trivia finals!

Granola

I made my own granola today.  I'm pretty sure that earns me 10 more hippie points.

Recent Reads

Here's what I've been reading lately.  5 very different books, but I highly recommend all of them.

Busy Bee

Today we walked to the library and then washed both cars.  I made granola bars and a headband using this tutorial.  Then I made and smooshed play dough with Korra.  Now I'm ready for bed and it's not even 9 PM.

Birthday Cake

We're not having a party for Korra's first birthday (we'll be at my parents' for the weekend with all my siblings),  but I have decided that I really want to bake an impressive cake.  I've decided on chocolate with a light, fluffy white icing, but I haven't found the perfect rich, moist cake recipe I'm searching for.  Good thing I still have a month :)

Peace

In April we put our house up for sale.  We both applied for dozens of jobs.  We both had a handful of job interviews this summer.  I was even offered 3 jobs.  We kept telling everyone that if God opened a door, we'd run through it, and if not, we'd have peace about staying.  I didn't really think I'd have peace about staying, but I just kept saying it until it became true.  We turned down the jobs I was offered, even after visiting one of the schools/towns in person.  None of the places felt "right."  And even though little has changed about our current situation, I've changed.  I have a better attitude about and a new appreciation of my current job.  I have a peace about staying... at least for a little bit longer.

Forgot how frantic the beginning of the school year is. Glad to have the weekend to recover and prepare for next week.

My first day back at school. My To Do list is 2 pages long.

Last Day

Today's my last day of summer vacation.  How am I spending it?  Reading as much as I can.

11 Months Old!

Can you believe Korra's 11 months old today?!

She's Just That Cute

I thought that people at the grocery store ooohed and ahhhed over Korra more than other babies because she was usually in the carrier.  But I've started putting her in the cart and we still get just as many people stopping to talk to us and compliment her.  Yep, my baby's just that cute.

Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit

For most of my life, my family has had the tradition of saying "rabbit, rabbit, rabbit" to each other on the first of each month.  For our family, it's a game of who can remember to say it to the others first.  Today, after beating my mom and sister to it via text, I finally looked up what the origin of this odd little ritual.  Apparently it's to bring good luck- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_rabbit_rabbit.  I'll forever consider the first of the month a lucky day since Korra and my nephew Clark were born on the 1st.