Soccer

Watching my first JV soccer game of the season. Is it bad that I only want to watch when Danny's playing?

FB Yard Sale Update

I've had to change the location of where I was planning to meet some people to sell some of our stuff because that one lady is threatening to come there early and I don't know, force me to sell her my stuff?  Beat me up?  I don't know but she is so angry and scary.  Geeze.

People Be Crazy

There is a almost fight going on via Facebook between 2 ladies on the yard sale group over a Wii sensor bat that I'm selling. Both are PMing me and talking trash about the other and arguing over FB yard sale etiquette. If only they'd try to out-bid each other...

Tonsils

My tonsils are huge and painful. No other symptoms but these lumps in my throat are killing me!  Chicken broth, hot tea with lemon and honey, and gargling with salt water in the hopes of some relief. 

FB Yard Sale

Thanks to a FaceBook yard sale site, I made $30 today!  Fingers crossed plenty of success for our neighborhood yard sale on Saturday. I want to get rid of some stuff and make some extra cash!

Balance Bike

Taking advantage of the beautiful weather and getting some practice on the balance bike. 

Birmingham

We are spending the day traveling to Birmingham and back. We are taking a lady from our church to visit her children and plan to go to the civil rights museum while she's visiting. 

I Capture the Castle

Today I picked up my reserved book from the library. I started reading it and realized I've read it before. I sighed at my forgetfulness and went to get my other library book from my nightstand.  I then discovered it was yet another copy of I Capture the Castle. Apparently there was a computer glitch when I put it on reserve (it put in a request for 2 copies) and then a total brain glitch on my part where I forgot not only that I had already read this book (though didn't really enjoy it) but that I also already picked up one copy. 

Caller ID

I was with a parent but expecting a text from Nate, so I asked my assistant to let me know if he texted.  She had a good laugh when she realized my husband is listed in my phone as "Snugglebunny."

What contact info do you have for your spouse?

Hospital Bills

I keep getting bills in the mail from the hospital from when I broke my arm.  It's been 2 months.  I pay each bill but then get another.  First it was for the ER.  Then it was for the ER doctor.  Now it's for the radiologist.  Healthcare system is even more messed up than the school system and that's saying something.

Open House

The college bought my old school's building and renovated it. I went to the Open House after school today. They kept a few original details like the marble steps and window ledges. Seeing those made me cry. It is beautiful to see the school I taught at remade into the nursing and music departments of my alma mater. They did a wonderful job but it still made me miss the times I spent there. Only a small part of the building has not yet been renovated. It contains my first classroom. I snuck in there and found this under a carpet tile:

Then I cried some more and went home. 

Korra's Joke

Knock, knock. 

Who's there?

Tilly billy. 

Tilly billy who?

Computer!

PJ Story Time

Took Korra to pajama story time at the library tonight. Milk, cookies, jammies, and books. Not a bad way to spend a rainy evening. 

Updated Bulletin Board

My principal said I could replace the phrase "Black Lives Matter" with something else if I wanted.  Today I did.  "We must continue to affirm the value of black Americans in the face of injustice."  Much less catchy.

Miracle Drug

Caffeine is a miracle drug.  Woke up with a bad headache.  Drank a cup of coffee and it's nearly gone.  Only downside is now I don't have an excuse to skip the faculty meeting.

Katie vs Boston Butt

This morning I was trying to put the Boston Butt in the crockpot before I left for work.  The problem was, it was still frozen AND too long to fit in our slow cooker.  I was almost late for work because I was hacking away at the thing trying to get it into chunks small enough to put the lid on.  I won.  Looking forward to BBQ sandwiches for dinner!

Aquarium

We took the kids to the aquarium today and had a great time. 

Korra's favorite: the jellyfish 

Danny's favorite: the whale sharks

Nate's favorite: the otters

Katie's favorite: the beluga whales 

Dress Up Party

Went to a 4 year old's dress-up birthday party today. Korra had a lot of fun. 

Zazu's

Going to try a new restaurant for our date night!

Make the Most

My assistant's been pulled to sub all day.  While this makes my day harder, it also means that I'm all alone... and that I can watch Downton Abbey during lunch.

Good Quote

Saw this quote yesterday and it really applies to my day so far:

"Did you really have a bad day, or did you have a bad 10 minutes that you've been milking all day?"

Not going to let it get me down.

PJ Day?

Some days it seems like a wholly unreasonable expectation that I should have to wear pants and a bra. 

Calzones

When Danny asked what we were having for dinner and I told him "calzones" he nearly sell out of his chair laughing. Apparently "calzones" means "underwear" in Spanish. 

Day Dreaming

I spent my lunch break mapping a 20 stop cross-country-and-back road trip.  Ready to buy a pop-up camper and hit the road!

QR Codes

I bought about 50 books that came with QR codes for instant, unlimited downloads of ebook versions.  The 8th graders are LOVING it.  Finally moving into 2016!

Korra Joke

Korra: Banana soap ice cream meow! (pause) That was a joke, Mommy!  Laugh!

Chocolate Face

Korra enjoys her banana chocolate chip muffin. 

Teacher Work Day

Updating the tornado map, placing book orders, laminating.  Just another teacher work day.

Bowling

We took Korra and Danny bowling tonight (first time for both of them). Played in the arcade before and ate burgers after. Really fun family night.

Pillow Pile

Special Breakfast

Blueberry/strawberry muffins in the oven and homemade hazelnut syrup in my coffee. Starting this long weekend off right!

Pretty Day, Pretty Girl

It was such a pretty day we decided to walk to the library. On the way home Korra collected a "bouquet" of sweet gum balls. 

Another Link

Have you seen the new OK Go music video?  It's amazing!

http://www.npr.org/event/music/466443587/ok-gos-new-video-is-as-incredible-as-youd-expect

Lunch Guests

Nate and Korra came to bring me Chick-fil-a for lunch today!

HP!

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/02/10/466309986/harry-potter-fans-rejoice-new-book-from-the-wizarding-world-coming-this-summer

Optimism Overload

2 days of listening to students give speeches for the Optimism Oratorical Contesr have come to an end and I'm kind of glad. There is a limit to how much optimism you can take in one day, even for me. 

Soccer Game

Nate's at Danny's first soccer game tonight. It's freezing cold and costs $7 per person to attend so we're going to swap off who goes to each home game. 

Teacher-Librarian Through and Through

And now that the "Race Relations in American" conversation is over, I'm doing what I do best.  Researching so I can teach.  Learning so I can share knowledge.

All Lives Matter?

Had a hour long conversation with 3 teachers about race today.  Black Lives Matter vs All Lives Matter, Beyonce's new music video and half-time show, Ferguson, and more.  It was exhausting and I don't feel like I changed anyone's mind, but at least it wasn't angry and I was able to take a stand for my convictions.

Danny's Mending Request

Question: When is the best time to ask Katie to mend your dress pants?  

Answer: Almost any time except 10pm on the night before you want to wear them.  

Ties

Nate just taught Danny and 2 of his teammates (both live on our street) how to tie a tie so they can dress up before their first soccer game tomorrow. It was so stinking cute and I would have taken a picture if they would have let me. 

Shrove Tuesday

Enjoyed our traditional pancake/breakfast extravaganza with our church fellowship tonight. I have come to love good homemade cheese grits so much. I might have had 3 helpings. Fat Tuesday, indeed!

Gutsy Broad

One of the best compliments I ever received was when my former principal called me a "gutsy broad."  I'm going to own it today.

Snooze Deterrent

You know what really motivates me to get out of bed as soon as my alarm goes off on cold winter mornings?  The knowledge that if I don't get up right away I will have a cold shower waiting for me. At least our stupid tiny hot water heater is good for something because it sure isn't good at heating enough water for 2 people to take hot showers in the morning. You snooze, you lose, Danny. Early bird gets all 5 minutes of the hot water. 

Tough Day

Saw 12 classes without my assistant (she was pulled to sub) and had a difficult conversation with a coworker in addition to being told to take down part of my bulletin board. Thank God for good news about Danny's teeth (a very kind dentist is going to do it for a quarter of the price because we are "doing the Lord's work), sharing dinner with a neighbor friend, and yoga. 

Win for the Whites

Enough (white) people complained.  I have to remove the phrase "black lives matter" from my Black History Month display.

Veil

While I was picking out clothes for tomorrow, Korra spotted my veil. 

Aoife's Baptism

Cousins

So hard to get a picture of these 2 together. They love playing together but they are never still and the both make seriously fake smiles all while looking everywhere but the camera.

Dancing Korra

Korra's latest dance move is what she calls the "backwards chicken."  Use your imagination. 

Baptism

Driving to the Middle-of-Nowhere, Alabama for my niece's baptism. Good thing we love seeing family because this 3+ hour drive isn't very fun. 

10 PM

Nate's invited his trivia team over for a board game night.  While I'm really looking forward to spending time with them and eating and playing games, I hope they understand that I need to be in bed by 10 PM.  I just get exponentially unhappier every minute past 10 PM and these night owls just don't understand.

Big Changes

I asked Korra today what her favorite show was. Instead of the usual answer of Daniel Tiger, I got Octonauts. Favorite movie?  Move over, Frozen!  She said Monster's University. Also, her favorite color changed from green to pink and purple. 

Piano Guys

Enjoying listening to the Piano Guys on Amazon Prime music today.

Bulletin Board

I put up a bulletin board for Black History Month with the header "Black Lives Matter: Celebrate Black History."  I've already had 2 people complain.  Sheesh.

Weak and Tired

Felt well enough to come to school but I am so weak and tired. Eight 8th grade classes, supervising a 6th grade party, and a faculty meeting. I'm exhausted. 

Expensive Arm

Just got our bill from the hospital for when I broke my arm.  Looks like since it happened at the very end of the year, we'd already used up all our HRA money and we now owe $1300.  Well crap. That really sucks.

Sick House

Ear infection confirmed. Poor Nate came home to 2 sick girls. 

Ear Infection?

And Korra came home from school complaining of an ear ache. If she has an ear infection, it will be her first. Doctor's appointment at 2. 

Sicker

Staying home sick again. Feeling way worse than when I stayed home last Wednesday. This cold sucks. Feels like my head has been run over by a snot truck.