Hairline Fracture

Sunday Night Shopping

2012-01-08T18:23:00.000-08:00

I finally hauled myself off the couch and went grocery shopping. I was too busy yesterday and really didn't want to go tonight but we were down to a third of a loaf of bread, half a bag of clementines and two blueberry toaster strudels, and toaster strudels are the only thing that motivates my children to wake up in the mornings. Even though they probably would have been on board with my idea to eat Girl Scout cookies instead.

(Seriously, what is it about those cookies? Are they so delicious because we can only get them part of the year, or do they bake crack in with the batter? All I know is it was a blessing and a curse when Miss Pink became a Girl Scout. I have a trunk full of cookies and that is a dangerous thing.)

Anyway, I have some thoughts to share about the Mall of Warts, as I call Sam Walton's brainchild.

1. First of all, the Wart-Mall and I have a love-hate relationship. It's the closest store to my house and also the cheapest. On everything. If I go to any other store I inevitably end up complaining about the prices. W-M also price matches any item that another store is offering for a lower price, so I save quite a few dollars that way. IF W-M actually has the item. Things are often out of stock there, or else shelved in some wacky place where it wasn't located last week. This week they didn't have avocados. In Texas. How do they expect us to manage without our guacamole? So occasionally I have to go to HEB or Aldi, which is a nice change but I always come crawling back to W-M.

Wart-Mall, I wish I could quit you.

2. I am an impatient person. I wish it weren't so, but I am. I can't stand to be behind someone who is barely moving down the aisles. I try to remember that most of them can't help it, but really, people, if you are that slow, the polite thing to do is scoot over to the far side of the aisle and let the rest of us pass you. Yet some people block the aisles while they locate the perfect can of beans and act like they don't even notice the line of carts backing up into the frozen foods. I bet they are the same people who drive my husband crazy by going 40 miles per hour in the fast lane.

3. W-M should give a raise to the cashier who checked me out tonight. Not only was she efficient and fast, she was also friendly and hilarious. She told me about her 99-year-old great-grandmother who has been married 80 years. I told her that was the longest I had ever heard of anyone being married.The cashier's great-grandfather is barely hanging on, and her great-grandma says he needs to go ahead and die.

"Ohhh, does she hate to see him suffer?" I asked sympathetically.

"No," she said. "She's eyeballing other men." We laughed. "She's a mess."

99 years old and looking for her second husband. That just made my night, even if I never did get any avocados.

Literary meme, part the second

2011-12-29T13:07:00.000-08:00

Here's the second part of the literary meme. Part the first is here.

12. Describe your weirdest dream involving a writer, book, or literary character.
I can't remember a dream involving any of these things. Isn't that strange? I read so much, and I can definitely be put in A Dark Mood by a book that results in disturbing dreams, but none that I can remember involve the actual writers or characters of a book.

13. What is the most lowbrow book you’ve read as an adult?
Wow. I just...I don't want to sound snobby, but I can't read truly lowbrow books. I mean that literally. My brain will not keep processing the words. I like genre fiction, but it has to be competently written. Okay, I thought of something! I read the Twilight books. I could tell they weren't well written and I kept on reading through all the cliched gushing about Edward's perfect ice-cold...chest (that did not sound appealing at all to me, by the way). Stephenie Meyer may not be a great writer, but she's a genius as far as I'm concerned. How did she turn off my inner literary snob switch?

14. What is the most difficult book you’ve ever read?
Ulysses by James Joyce. I wasn't even forced to read it but I had a summer off before I went to graduate school and so I checked out a book to help explain the zillion allusions and I read it so I could feel like I belonged in grad school. (I am SUCH a nerd). It was hard going, but parts of it were actually pretty great when you understood what Joyce was doing.

15. What is the most obscure Shakespeare play you’ve seen?
I haven't seen any Shakespeare plays I'd consider obscure. Of the ones I've seen, Richard III was the one least performed, I think. Sir Ian McKellan played Richard and he was amazing.

16. Do you prefer the French or the Russians?
The Russians, based on how many books I've read by Russian authors versus French ones. I suppose the Russians fit my naturally gloomy worldview better than the French.

17. Roth or Updike?
I've read more Updike, although neither is my cup of tea, really.

18. David Sedaris or Dave Eggers?
Sedaris. Funnier and more disciplined in his craft.

19. Shakespeare, Milton or Chaucer?
Shakespeare, hands down. Paradise Lost is one of the major texts I can't believe I wasn't forced to read and that I refuse to read on my own (Moby Dick is the other). Hey, I was raised on the King James Version--I don't need to read Milton's version. As for Chaucer--I've never read all of The Canterbury Tales and of course only in translation. I just found out we are going to read part of Canterbury with the seniors after all and I am wondering how to keep them interested in it. Probably by pointing out that the Wife of Bath is bawdy and letting them figure out the risque parts for themselves.

20. Austen or Eliot?
Austen.

21. What is the biggest or most embarrassing gap in your reading?
See #19 above.

22. What is your favorite novel?
Mad wrote, "It’s really hard to choose just one, don’t you think?" Yes! It really is like being asked to choose a favorite child. I do love Pride and Prejudice. At one time it was tied with The Great Gatsby but I'm worried that teaching Gatsby is making me love it a little less.

23. Play?
Hmmm. I really like The Crucible. Even after teaching it (coming up after the break, too.) "Because it is my NAME!"

24. Poem?
"The Second Coming," by Yeats. It seems like it speaks of our times:
"The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are filled with passionate intensity."
It was published in 1921.

25. Essay?
Nothing's coming to mind. I could probably list something by C.S. Lewis here and it wouldn't be too far off.

26. Short story?
SOOOOO hard! I'll go with "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor. It's hard to beat a Flannery O'Connor short story. When I was trying to write fiction, she was my idol.

27. Work of nonfiction?
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

28. Who is your favorite writer?
Well, let's say Jane Austen. And Flannery O'Connor, although I don't read her very often because she's so fierce.

29. Who is the most overrated writer alive today?
I'm going to agree with Jennifer Weiner and say Jonathan Franzen. I've read several of his books and short stories when I subscribed to The New Yorker (although I haven't read his most recent novel, Freedom) and I basically thought, "Meh" after each one.

30. What is your desert island book?
I'm going to cheat and assume we can take an author's collected works. It may sound cliched, but I really would take the complete works of Shakespeare. Comedy, tragedy, romance--how many writers can do all of them? Plus I only understand Shakespeare when I'm reading it out loud, and if I were on a deserted island, I'm sure I'd act all the parts out as well, to entertain myself.

31. And…what are you reading right now?
I'm actually between books. I just finished The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides, which I didn't love, and I think I'll probably read a book I got from work next (we do a book exchange for Christmas since we are English teachers). It's called Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. I'm ordering a Kindle tomorrow with my Christmas money and can't wait!

After-Christmas Thoughts

2011-12-27T12:08:00.000-08:00

Today has been a lazy day. As if I haven't been lazy almost every day since the holidays began! I am spending most days in my sweatpants, and dread putting on real pants, as the waistbands insist on reminding me that I've been eating too many goodies.

But never mind--in this week between Christmas and New Year's, anything seems possible in the near future: eating healthier, getting up earlier to exercise, getting the house organized with the piles of new toys...

I often start getting anxious when we are home with--not nothing to do; there is always plenty I could be doing (see list above for ideas) but nothing concrete. Give me an appointment and I'm fine. I know it makes no sense. My therapist used to call it "free-floating anxiety." Meaning, I suppose, that if I am too free to float, I get anxious. So I am alternating being lazy with actual useful tasks like laundry, making a grocery list--short, manageable tasks that don't make me feel overwhelmed.

We drove back yesterday from visiting Justin's family in South Louisiana. It's a 6 1/2 hour drive without stopping much, and the kids were real troupers, even without a portable DVD player (long story--we had to borrow a truck to bring tools). We also learned that our dog, Gidget, gets carsick. Thankfully, she was in her kennel and we could change out the towel in there--and she only threw up once on the way back. If it didn't cost so much to board animals....

I was happier to find out that my idea to listen to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe on audiobook interested Miss Pink more than reading it with me. I don't know if she's ever going to love Narnia as much as I do, but at least she got interested and wants to listen to the next book whenever we have a trip longer than across town. Success!

Speaking of success, the kids were happy with the presents they received. SO glad I am raising kids who seem to be easy to please and thankful. Someone in my Twitter stream linked to a Twitter account called @fart whose owner compiled all the tweets of teenagers who were furious because they didn't get either an iPad, iPhone (or the right color of iPhone, OMG) or a CAR for Christmas. After reading those for a while I didn't want to live on this planet anymore. I also wanted to yell at my kids, "Don't you EVER act like this or I am not responsible for my actions!" Miss P's biggest present was an iPod Shuffle and Mr. Blue got a Lego space station. They also got cool stuff from both grandparents, and a few aunts and uncles, so they are very lucky children. My job is to make sure they understand that none of these things are a given, nor are we entitled to them.

And now I kind of want to remind myself of all of that, since I have a new iPhone and am about to use my Christmas money to buy myself a Kindle, but then I also want flat-heeled brown boots and new jeans and in fact an entire new winter casual wardrobe since I am officially sick of all my clothes....See how hard it is not to get the wants?

My family is safe, warm, healthy, well-fed (REALLY well-fed), and together.I am thankful.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some laundry to fold.

Literature Meme part the first

2011-12-19T10:58:00.000-08:00

School's out--it's time for me to blog again! And because I don't yet have the mental energy to write about what's actually going on around here (at the moment my children are wrestling on the living room floor while I do my best to ignore them), I'm going to do this literature meme which I got from Madhousewife. Like her, I bet I will do it in two parts because: see above for lack of mental energy. But I do feel like writing something, so here goes.

1. What author do you own the most books by?
I do not feel like getting up to count, but it's either Alice Munro or C.S. Lewis. Quite different from each other, but I obviously loved both of them enough to buy a lot of their books.

2. What book do you own the most copies of?
Other than the Bible? I don't think I own multiple copies of any book. At one time I had two copies of Mere Christianity (Lewis again). Oh, never mind, I do have two copies of Pride and Prejudice.

3. Did it bother you that both those questions ended with prepositions?
Not at all. I think that's a false rule. I love the person who wrote, "That is something up with which I will not put" to show how awkward it is to always avoid ending a sentence with a preposition.

4. What fictional character are you secretly in love with?
Hmmm. Like a lot of women who read, Mr. Darcy comes to mind, although I have to admit that is influenced by Colin Firth's portrayal of him. I had to fan myself quite often when reading Outlander; that Jamie Fraser is something else. But I don't think that was love.

5. What book have you read the most times in your life (excluding picture books read to children, i.e. Goodnight Moon does not count)?
Probably The Great Gatsby, since I'd read it a bunch of times already and I read it six times last year (once with each class of juniors).

6. What was your favorite book when you were ten years old?
The Chronicles of Narnia. Yes, that's a series. No, I can't figure out how to turn italics off for this entry.

7. What is the worst book you’ve read in the past year?
Let me check Goodreads. Okay, I'm back. The worst one I finished (and some of the books I didn't finish weren't the worst, I just couldn't get into them at the time) is called The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly. I quoted another reviewer in my review, which I will quote again here (how meta!)

"Stereotypical characters. Predictable, illogical plotlines. Full of cliches." Ugh. I skimmed it to finish but shouldn't have wasted my time--it ended exactly as I was predicting.

8. If you could force everyone to read one book, what would it be?
I think I would force them to REread To Kill a Mockingbird. I think most ninth graders are not thoughtful enough to get more than the most basic message ("Racism is bad!") from that book, and they would get more out of it when they are more mature.

9. Who deserves to win the next Nobel Prize for Literature?
I don’t know. I don’t pay attention to that stuff.

10. What book would you most like to see made into a movie?
As Mad said, "Most of the books I would like to see made into movies have already been made into movies. Bad ones." I used to want another version of Gatsby and now they're making it (is it done yet?) I desperately wanted the Narnia books to be movies and now they're kind of disappointing. I have a T shirt that says, "Movies: Ruining the book since 1920." Although I am interested to see what they've done with The Hunger Games.

11. What book would you least like to see made into a movie?
I don’t know. Ulysses, I guess. I don't think anyone's likely to try to film that, thank goodness.

More tomorrow!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-27T14:19:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving if you celebrate Thanksgiving, and if not, a wonderful Thursday and subsequent weekend! As for us, it was our year to visit my dad's side of the family in Arkansas, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with them. I have four cousins and two of them have kids now (and the third has one due in six weeks), and it's awesome how much the kids enjoy playing with each other. It helps now that they remember each other even though we have to go at least six months without seeing them! Miss Pink and my oldest cousin K's daughter are both 8, and they remind us so much of us at their age. Mr. Blue and A's son, also 5, played football and kickball and basically any sport played with a ball every waking moment. K also has a 5 year old girl who flitted around with whatever group she wanted to join, and A's almost-two-year-old little boy stole all our hearts. A also has a 10-week-old baby girl, who was in much demand for snuggles.

I ate enough to make me change into my stretchy pants as soon as decently possible after dinner, but I was a little disappointed that there were only about three tablespoons of dressing left over. My aunt told my mom to make only one pan since there had been too much left over when we had two pans last time. Oh well, we made up for our lack of extra dressing by having lots of extra desserts. I had offered to make chocolate-chip pumpkin bread and chocolate-chip cookies (shut up, chocolate is important to me) because I only knew about a pumpkin pie (which I don't like) and a "Death By Chocolate" thing with brownies and chocolate mousse and whipped cream and crushed Heath bars. Which, YES PLEASE, but to me the important thing about Thanksgiving desserts is that there be MANY of them so you can get a sliver of each one and alternate bites of them, going around and around the plate until you collapse into a diabetic coma...and then do it all over again that night. My aunt and cousins did not disappoint me. There was also a coconut cake and a peach cobbler and a pecan pie. So six desserts if you don't count the pumpkin bread, which you shouldn't because we only ate that for a SNACK.

Speaking of food, my uncle and cousin W have become vegetarians since the last holiday we spent together. My youngest cousin, whose name also starts with K, and I were discussing if we could ever be vegetarians and he said, "I don't think I could ever give up bacon." And I agreed. So I suggested a new lifestyle choice: baconarians. Baconarians eat vegetables, fruit...and bacon. Think about it. What isn't made more delicious by bacon? I think we're onto something here.

So now that Thanksgiving is gone, I can finally start to get in the Christmas spirit. (Not by shopping on Black Friday--there is not enough anti-anxiety medication in the world!) Miss Pink's 9th birthday is in two weeks and then Christmas is upon us. Here's to a great Christmas in 2011!

Made of Awesome

2011-11-19T20:10:00.000-08:00

It has come to my attention that I only post when school's not in session (and then not very often). Well, that's just the way it is, I guess. I miss blogging, I still read plenty of blogs, and I even think about posting something that's too long to go on Twitter but my brain just doesn't seem able to put coherent thoughts together after I get done with everything else I need to do. But today was the first day of my Thanksgiving break and I spent it sleeping, watching TV, reading, and eating or providing food for the kids. It was awesome. It was so great to have a weekend day when I didn't have to do anything that day because I wouldn't have the time or energy to do it come Monday. And also, having older kids is wonderful. I have been dreaming of the day when they would let me sleep in (well, 7:30's not too bad) and could pour their own cereal, which they did today with some "encouragement" from me and Justin. Although Mr. Blue kept asking me to get up and make the blueberry muffins until I finally did. And THEN I went back to sleep.

Justin finally has time to work on the remodel of the master bathroom. He already did the shower earlier this year and it is so nice. Today he took out the old vanity and redid the plumbing so the new sink will be in the middle (the next best thing to having two sinks) and also put in some sheetrock so there will be a pocket door giving us some privacy between the bedroom and the sink/closet area. He was the very opposite of lazy today, and he is nice enough not to even comment that I was a total slug.

Last night the first Twilight movie was on TV and we finally watched it. I read all the books but I had deliberately resisted watching the movies. (I do this a lot; I hold out against a trend and then finally cave when it's no longer cool to jump on the bandwagon. Examples: knee-high boots, Facebook, and now Twilight.) And it was just like the books: I could tell how ridiculous so much of it is, but I was powerless to resist watching it. Like crack for the female brain. I kept snorting derisively but didn't change the channel, and I even checked to see if the next two movies were coming on, which they were not, except on Showtime, which we don't have. For some reason they aren't even available to rent from U-verse, which is
not even right, since they have been out for a long time. How am I supposed to get my Twilight fix now? I've found that it's like a fever: best to let it run its course.

(YA fiction sidenote: I'm not even waiting to watch The Hunger Games movie when it comes out. I won't be at the premiere or maybe even get to the theater to watch it, but I won't wait several years, either. Today I read most of the book Divergent, which I'm betting will become a movie, too, and that should be good too. Both of those heroines are at least stronger than Bella.)

When the movie was over, Justin said, "I know why Edward had to have all that hair. If he was bald like me, his head would sparkle so much everyone would know he was a vampire." And then right before we fell asleep, he busts out with, "I can't stop fantasizing about how beautifully my head would sparkle in the sunlight." We laughed until our stomachs hurt.

Now that is true love. Awesome.

First Week of School

2011-08-28T20:26:00.000-07:00

Our principal said in his instructions for the first week of school that our goals were:
1. Nobody gets sick.
2. Nobody cries.
3. Everybody eats.
4. Everybody gets home safely.

I'm not sure if that happened for all 1600 kids at my high school, but at least in our family, we accomplished those goals. I wondered if I would cry the first day (Mr. Blue is, of course, my baby) but although I felt my eyeballs get a bit misty, the feeling passed quickly because he was already settling down to put together a puzzle. And he and his sister were in fact fine and enjoyed the first week. They both have wonderful teachers. We are blessed.

And I hope the parents of my students will be able to say that I did a good job teaching their children. Because even though they look like they're grown up, with their makeup and muscles, their parents still think of them as their babies, especially on the first day of school.

What I Haven't Been Posting

2011-08-05T11:59:00.000-07:00

I am SO unmotivated to do anything beyond sleep, eat, feed the children, and read. I'm blaming the heat. In case you haven't heard, it's been extremely hot--all over the South, but I'm referring to where I live, in Texas. We've had 34 days straight of over-100 degree temps, and if it keeps up through next week (and it is predicted to), it will break the 42-day record set in 1980. I was relieved to learn from several friends that I'm not the only one who has lacked the energy to do more than get into survival mode and stay there.

Another thing that was bumming me out was the puppy's insistence on pooping in the house. She was "mostly housebroken" when we got her, meaning she holds it all night long and almost never pees in the house. Yet she was going into the bedrooms or behind a chair and pooping once a day, in the afternoon or evening (she always poops and pees in the yard when we take her out first thing). This would be after we had taken her outside and given her the chance to go! It turns out we weren't doing it right by letting her free-roam in the house when she isn't totally ready. We needed to fully crate-train her. If she's not on her crate or outside, we keep her on a leash in the house by our side (she won't go if she can't hide. Even outside we have to ignore her before she will settle down and go--she is a modest young lady!) Anyway, it was important for me to realize that Gidget is a dog, not a child, and that being in her kennel is not a punishment (we are giving her a small treat, or peanut butter in a hollow "bone," when we put her in the kennel, and now she goes in it more willingly. Obviously we will let her have more freedom as she develops more control. It's been an interesting experience and I'm glad we are making progress.

I agreed to have a Mary Kay party because I went to one a month ago, liked the products but didn't have enough money to buy them all at once. If people buy things at your party you get free stuff. But the catch as I get closer to the day: I HATE asking people to buy things on my behalf. You should have heard me tell a friend about the party: "You don't have to come, or if you come, you don't have to buy anything..." I would be the world's worst salesperson. It's good that it will force me to get my house clean all at the same time, but I am kind of torn between hoping that not enough women will come (you have to have three) and then feeling that NOBODY LIKES ME ENOUGH TO COME TO MY PARTY. Oh, social anxiety, you suck. At this point I don't even WANT the skin care stuff--I just want to never talk to the lovely, sweet young woman selling it EVER AGAIN.

Funny kid story: at church the kids' ministry series for the past few weeks has been "I Love My Bible." There's a song that lists all the books of the Bible (and it's much cooler than the one I learned in Sunday School). Miss Pink decided to learn all the books with AND without singing them. When she was first learning the New Testament, she threw in "Colorations" and "1st and 2nd Testamonians." Oh, those Testamonians, always testifying everywhere they go! A friend told me that when she and her daughters were discussing the Apostle Paul's conversion, her younger daughter said, "You know, when Paul was struck blind on the road to gymnastics!"

I love how they hear things.

Weird Shakespeare

2011-07-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

I read The Weird Sisters this weekend, and I enjoyed it. It's about three sisters (duh), but they are not really all that weird. The title refers to the three witches in Macbeth, and I don't actually think it's a good title for the book, because the sisters aren't anything like the witches, even if you take into account that the earlier word "wyrd" means Fate. (I was going to go off on a little English-teacher lecture there about the connection I think the author was trying to make, but I've decided not to.) Anyway, Rosalind, Bianca, and Cordelia are the daughters of a famous Shakespearean scholar, and they all quote Will whenever possible. Which is quite a bit.

And me being me, that put me in the mood to read some Shakespeare myself. Recently I went to see As You Like It, so I reread that. (I will have to teach Macbeth next semester so I will get plenty of weirdness then.) I felt physically horrible all day, but the play successfully distracted me. And I felt like rather than merely lie on the couch all day, I lay on the couch READING SHAKESPEARE. Clearly I was engaged in a worthwhile activity! Also, it was interesting reading it with a background of the TV shows "Victorious" and "Wipeout" blaring in the background while my children stayed in their pajamas all day eating everything in the house that was not nailed down. My refined culture: let me show you it!

Anyway, even if you do not enjoy reading Shakespeare for fun like all of us cool people, The Weird Sisters is an enjoyable book. All three sisters return home to the sleepy college town they grew up in, each with her own secrets. I know that sounds like every chick lit novel ever, but the author does a good job characterizing Rose, Bean, and Cordy. If I like the characters, I want to find out what's going to happen to them, and this novel didn't disappoint me in that regard. Also, I don't have a sister, so the insight into that relationship was intriguing: the sisters alternate between jealousy and loyalty at the drop of a secret. Yet they also learn that life won't allow them to remain trapped in the same roles they have always assigned themselves in their family.

Here is where I wish I had a perfectly appropriate quote from W.S. to sum up The Weird Sisters. What about this famous one, from As You Like It:

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances,
And each man in his time plays many parts....

The Newest Member of the Family

2011-07-18T10:07:00.000-07:00

So this weekend we adopted a puppy from a rescue organization. It took a while--we had to fill out an application, talk to a volunteer on the phone to make sure we are decent people, visit the dog's foster home and make sure we all got along, then wait for someone to call three people we had listed as references, have someone else come over to do a home visit, and meet the original volunteer at the pet store before the foster mom brought her to us. All of it took a couple of weeks.

It might sound excessive, but they are just trying to make sure their dogs go to a good home. All of the volunteers were very nice and helpful. Since I haven't owned a dog as an adult--and it's been a long time since Justin has, too--it was nice to get the latest information on the best food, healthiest treats, and which things not to waste your money on. So the pet store visit, which at first seemed pointless, turned out to be a good thing.

Our puppy is a little 10-month-old terrier mix named Gidget. That's what they'd named her and we kept it because it fits so well. She's 9 pounds--perfect for scooping up on your lap and cuddling with her. She is settling in very well and seems to enjoy being here with us. We love having a doggie around...clearly this was the right time and the right dog for us!

Without further ado, here are some pictures.

Life List: 100+ Things to Do in My Lifetime

2011-07-05T15:12:00.000-07:00

In January, I read a book called 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think and I found it very interesting. One of her suggestions was to make a life list--a bucket list, if you will--of things you would like to accomplish with the rest of your life. The idea is that by being intentional about things you want to experience, you will spend more of your 168 hours a week working toward making these things happen.

I liked the idea, made a list (with a little help from Justin and Miss Pink) and then got buried in work and didn't look at it all spring. Yet somehow I accomplished or worked toward some of these anyway--they must have gotten into my subconscious. Also, some of the first few are things I'd already done before making the list, because they are pretty important things (and because the author said I could!)

So without further ado, here is my Life List (in no particular order):

1. ~~Graduate from college.~~ (May 1996)
2. ~~Meet an amazing man and marry him~~. (June 7, 1997)
3. ~~Go to graduate school~~. (2000-2001)
4. ~~Buy a house~~. (April 2002)
5. ~~Have children~~. (December 11, 2002 and February 23, 2006)
6. Finish re-doing the kids' rooms (working on it; bought the bedspreads in June 2011, now we just need to paint)
7. Put 3 months' salary in savings (started with the tax refund we got in June 2011; will set up automatic withdrawal into savings)
8. Learn to make the no-knead bread I have a recipe for.
9. Return to England and visit some things I didn't get to the first time, including Windsor Castle and Stratford-on-Avon.
10. Attend a performance of one of Shakespeare's plays at the Globe Theater.
11. Take (or have someone take) more pictures of myself. Seriously, it's ridiculous how old the pictures on my blog and Twitter account are.
12. ~~Save for and buy an excellent mattress.~~ (done, April 2011)
13. Have a family photo session every year.
14. Buy only clothes that I love and feel great in. (so far, so good)
15. Commit to exercising at least 3 times a week (SO not doing this right now)
16. Push myself to exercise harder rather than barely breaking a sweat.
17. Read The Chronicles of Narnia aloud to the kids. (We are planning to read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe when Miss Pink gets back from camp--so this was a good reminder.)
18. Go on an American history tour up the Eastern seaboard when the kids are older.
19. Visit San Diego.
20. Write a book.
21. Get it published.
22. Clean out the garage.
23. Keep it from piling back up again.
24. Vacation at a dude ranch.
25. Learn conversational Spanish.
26. Go on an African safari.
27. Visit New York City.
28. Make some scrapbook layouts about me.
29. Take more "everyday" photos and scrapbook them.
30. Landscape (i.e. plant some shrubs in) our front yard.
31. Buy a gas grill and use it more than we do our charcoal one.
32. Ride in a helicopter.
33. Swim with dolphins.
34. Learn to shoot a pistol.
35. Become certified to teach Advanced Placement classes. (will take 1st Gifted & Talented classes in July 2011).
36. Teach Pre-AP or AP classes.
37. Go snorkeling.
38. ~~Adopt a dog~~ (Done July 2011).
39. Live in a house with a library which has a library ladder.
40. Write a 6-figure check to a ministry.
41. Listen to 1,000 new songs. (15 down)
42. Teach a college course.
43. Send birthday greetings to friends and family members on time!
44. Take the kids to Disney World.
45. Inspire at least one student per year to read more of an author they discovered in my class. (Done for 2010-11!)
46. Make Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls.
47. By the time my kids are 18, make sure they know how to do all household chores and manage money.
48. Become debt-free.
49. Visit Hawaii.
50. Experiment with new makeup colors and products.
51. Read or re-read all of Shakespeare's plays.
52. Host a fancy dinner party by candlelight.
53. Visit Italy.
54. Read or re-read all of Flannery O'Connor's short stories and letters.
55. Watch all the movies on the AFI Top 100 list.
56. Make our bedroom an inviting, restful place.
57. ~~Go on a camping trip with the Girl Scouts~~. (done, May 2011! And I never want to go again!)
58. Create meaningful traditions that are unique to our family for major holidays.
59. Find and wear a good red lipstick.
60. Read a cognitive therapy book about anxiety and implement its suggestions.
61. Buy cute pajamas/nighties (done, but this will need to be kept up)
62. Visit Australia.
63. Get more frequent pedicures (meaning more than once every 3 years)
64. Get a facial.
65. Get laser hair removal (In progress, first treatment done.)
66. Attend a black-tie event in a fabulous dress.
67. Visit New Orleans and eat at some famous restaurants.
68. Eat at Paula Deen's restaurant.
69. See Joel McHale's act in person.
70. Rent a motor home and go on a cross-country trip including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park and Yosemite National Park.
71. Read at least one spiritually inspiring book per year.
72. Subscribe to The New Yorker again.
73. Have a regular date night with my husband.
74. ~~Use my Android phone as my day planner~~ Done! I can't live without it now.
75. Buy a pair of custom-made jeans.
76. Buy at least one quality cashmere sweater.
77. Buy picture frames and keep current pictures of my family displayed in them at home and at work.
78. Own and wear some beautiful vintage clothes.
79. At least twice a year, buy a style item that I have never tried before. (June 2011--gladiator-style sandals)
80. Sponsor a child through Compassion International.
81. Go whitewater rafting.
82. Ride in a hot-air balloon.
83. Buy a classic, high-quality leather purse and keep it for years.
84. Go on a carriage ride with Justin.
85. Try sushi.
86. ~~Eat at a fondue restaurant~~ (Done, June 17, 2011! I'm hooked--it was delicious.)
87. Hire a personal shopper.
88. Get a manicure to see if it keeps me from biting my nails.
89. Lie on a quilt in the back yard and look at the stars.
90. Get a waffle iron since we've wanted one forever!
91. Begin having weekly family devotions.
92. Get my ears pierced when Chloe gets hers done.
93. Swim in the ocean at sunrise.
94. Kiss the Blarney Stone.
95. Have afternoon tea at the Ritz in London.
96. Visit the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.
97. Visit Washington D.C.
98.Take a self-defense class.
99. Read something from the Bible every day.
100. Start and end each day with prayer.
101. Introduce someone to my Savior.
102. Tell (and show) my family I love them every day.
103. Love the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

I plan to revisit the list and post about notable experiences from it as I have them. Since I turn 36 on Friday, it's time to get started making some of my dreams come true!

2011-07-04T07:44:00.000-07:00

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism. ~Erma Bombeck

Happy 4th of July!

Freebird

2011-06-28T08:24:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow Miss Pink leaves for camp.

This is not the first time she's been away from home--she's been to several two-night Girl Scout camping adventures without me, and last week she stayed at her cousins' in another state for four nights before seeing us. For some reason, though, this feels different for me.

I've never been a clingy mother. Mostly because Miss Pink wouldn't let me be one. On her first day of kindergarten, she was so excited that not only were we there before any of the other kids, but we were also there before the teacher. The student teacher was there, and she showed Miss P her seat and gave her something to play with. I hovered in the background, holding Mr. Blue, wondering what my role was. Shouldn't I be at least misty-eyed that my first-born baby was starting kindergarten?

I thought I'd stay until some other kids and parents--or at least the teacher--arrived. But Miss Pink had other ideas. Without looking up she said, "You can go, Mom."

"Really? You're sure you want me to go? Because I could stay a little--"

"No, I'm fine. You can go."

At least she let me hug her! I left, feeling a little confused, but not distraught. I knew she'd be fine--after all, she'd told me so herself--and she was.

It's not that she's unattached to us (somehow I feel I need to add that disclaimer--but is it only to protest that I'm not a bad mother?) When we're together, we snuggle and giggle and talk about all kinds of things. I'm pretty sure she tells me all her secrets (the child has a transparent face, like me and her father, thank goodness). It's just that when she's ready to go, she's ready. Last year she wasn't ready for camp. This year, she says she is.

And I believe her. I just don't know if I am. Because before I know it, she's going to be ready to fly farther away, to places I've never been. And all I can do is promise that she can always come home until she's ready to fly again.

Last week, Justin and I called her on her second night away. She talked to us in a distracted way ("What are you doing?" "Talking to you." *giggle*) and after about five minutes, she said very politely, "Mom and Dad, could you please hang up now, 'cause I really want to go play." What could we say but "Okay, bye, we love you!" as fast as we could before she hung up?

Even when we arrived, she was still engrossed with her cousin and the eight kittens the girls had been playing with all week. Yet when we came home, I hugged her before bedtime and told her I'd missed her. She hugged me back and whispered, "I was a tiny bit homesick." Well, you certainly fooled me, kiddo, but that's good to know.

Sometimes I think that parenting is all about spending the first years of our children's' lives creating a safe place so they will feel secure, yet the irony is that the purpose of the security is to allow them to develop an independent spirit so they can venture out into the world without us. As parents, our job is to work ourselves out of a job. Miss Pink may be making this task a little too easy for my taste, but I know she still needs me to be here when she returns to tell me all about her adventures.

Must-See TV?

2011-06-16T10:43:00.000-07:00

When the school year ended, I used some rewards points to get an Amazon gift card. I ended up using most of it for kids' books, but I also got myself a journal I've had on my wish list for some time.

I've been wanting to journal again and I love to make lists, but thought some prompts might help me come up with something worth reading, and maybe provide blog fodder as well.

Some of the lists won't work for the blog. Things like "List the places you have lived"--if you don't live here, the place names won't mean anything to you, and I'd rather not let any stalker-types know exactly where I live. Plus the list wasn't that interesting.

Or "List the strangest places you've had sex." Um, no thank you. Since this is a journal (and a blog) my children (or even my grandchildren--eek!) might read someday, I don't believe I'll be doing that.

MOVING ON...

Today I answered this prompt: "List your favorite TV shows of all time."

When I started thinking about it, I realized that there are very few shows I used to love that I still enjoy. When I'm done with a TV show, I'm DONE. It is dead to me (apparently). So here are the very few shows I have watched for a number of years and have not tired of (yet).But it could happen. So WATCH YOURSELVES, TV writers.

I love "What Not to Wear" and have for years. Even though I know all their advice by heart.

"The Soup" never fails to make me laugh.

We still watch "CSI: NY" although it's already iffy for me and if Gary Sinise leaves, so will I.

"Looney Tunes" with Bugs Bunny and company are my favorite cartoons of all time.

I don't actually watch these any more since I've seen every episode and sometimes more than once, but I still think "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "Seinfeld" are funny.

Maybe I should have listed "Shows I Have Watched For Multiple Seasons and Then Gave Up On."

"American Idol." I KNOW. But it was tempting to be watching what everyone else was watching. But then Simon left...and I realized I was only watching to see what he was going to say. Plus it was taking up too much of my time, even with a DVR.

"Lost." I realized during the second season that the writers were just making mysterious crap up and that there wasn't going to be a satisfying explanation at the end. I think I was right to stop watching.

"Alias." How many times could there be a secret organization bent on destroying the world if it gets its hands on mystical artifact unless Jennifer Garner gets dressed up in a hot outfit and kicks some butt?

"Heroes." Again with the convoluted plot which was cool at first, what with all the secret identities and double-crossing, but then just disintegrated into senselessness.

Back in the mid-90's, I was glued to my couch on Thursday nights for NBC's "Must See TV," especially "Friends" and "ER." I didn't follow either series to its finale.

So, basically, I'm not very loyal when it comes to TV shows. I don't even want to watch my favorite episodes more than twice (I feel the same way about most movies, which is why we don't own many DVDs). I realized that this is very different from the way I feel about my favorite books. I've read some of my favorite books ten times. I think it has something to do with the difference between actively using my imagination to revisit a fictional place or an idea, and passively watching an idea brought to life on the screen. I know this isn't true for everyone, but it seems to be the case for me.

Anyone got some shows that have stood the test of time for you?

You Can Take the Teacher out of the School...

2011-06-07T17:36:00.000-07:00

Time slows down as the school year comes to a close. Not just for the students, but the teachers as well. We basically just give up on teaching anything new during the last two weeks. The elementary schools have a bunch of parties and outside-play days, but at the high school we can't do that. The students are absent a lot, with competitions to attend, and the ones who remain are either glassy-eyed or restless, starting to talk whenever the teacher pauses in her instructions. (Me: "Seriously? I just stopped to answer someone's question--that was not a cue for you to start a conversation!")

I was glad it worked out to show the students a movie of the last novel we read (Of Mice and Men), then hand out a review for the final exam, answer a few questions, and finish up grading the last few projects and (late) papers that came my way. Yet doing that tired me out as much, if not more than, actively teaching. I had to force myself out of bed in the mornings. I cannot wait for school to be out, I thought. I need some REST!

Somehow I forgot that my children are eight and five, and they do not sleep late. For the two days that we've been out of school, my son has woken up around the time my husband leaves for work. Guess who gets to fix Mr. Blue's breakfast? By the time I do that and eat something, Miss Pink is up. And I realized that the only way to get extra sleep is to make sure they are occupied with something that keeps them quiet. (I attempted a nap yesterday but our house is so small, I can hear every time Miss Pink starts bossing her brother around and the subsequent fit he throws.) I can doze while they watch TV, but then it gets harder and harder to make them turn the TV off, and I refuse to let the TV stay on all day (I say that every year but it gets more difficult to resist as the summer goes on. Still, better to start off with my ideals high.) So today I sent them outside to play and told them not to wake me up for an hour unless it was an emergency. It worked!

Now that they are older it is easier to plan activities. The hardest time was when Mr. Blue was a baby, but Miss Pink (and I) needed social interaction. My SAHM friends and I used to meet at Chick-fil-A, the park, the free movie day at the library, each other's houses, anywhere we could go to get out of the house. Wait...we still do that during the summer, but at least now we can sit and talk with only occasional intervention, even at the pool.

For days when we will be home most of the day, I have a schedule planned. It's flexible as to time and the exact nature of the activities, but I figure it works at school for a reason. Every day includes outside play, learning time, and independent play. I even let Miss Pink help me make a list of crafts (gasp) so I can add ingredients to the shopping list. It's working very well so far. I think kids need to be able to entertain themselves, but summer days are LONG and a couple of hours of planned activities makes a huge difference.

I guess you can take the teacher out of the school but you can't take the teacher out of the mama....

Except I don't ever get to take naps at school, so even if I only get a snooze once in a while, I'm doing all right!

How do you spell "relief?"

2011-04-05T10:27:00.000-07:00

Well, for me it's spelled "J-O-B." For a couple of months, the Texas state legislature has been considering whether to make huge cuts in the education budget or disastrous cuts. There is a multi-billion-dollar budget shortfall, mostly because property values have fallen and the lawmakers are against raising property taxes because the voters who keep them in office don't want to pay higher taxes.

I don't want to pay higher taxes either, but I also want my kids (and all the other kids who attend public schools) to get a decent education.

School districts have been scurrying to make budgets without knowing exactly what the state was going to do, because their fiscal budgets are due in June and the legislature doesn't vote until May. Many districts have decided to lay off all teachers on probationary contracts (teachers in their first two--I think--years with the district) because they don't have to jump through any hoops to let them go. Just, "Sorry, maybe we'll rehire you if it turns out we need you after all." Teachers who have been teaching longer would be saf(er), thanks to the unions.

This is also ridiculous. I think we would all agree that districts need to keep the best teachers, whether they have been teaching one year or thirty years.

Guess who was on the lower end of the totem pole and thus possibly facing termination, which would mean loss of half our income and the health insurance.

When I heard the news, I cried to my husband and parents who gave me spiritual pep talks, and then I decided to focus on teaching as well as I could. I didn't want to be a bad teacher because I was grieving over not being allowed to teach anymore--especially when I hadn't even been let go yet!

I'll spare you the details of the rumors that floated around for the past month and a half. The good thing was that I stayed strong (believe me, no one was more surprised than me).

And last week it was announced to the English department that due to three resignations, all of our jobs are safe. No one even has to move to the other high school unless they want to request a transfer. (I'm not, because even though it's new and fancy, I just got here and I want to settle in.) When I went to pick up my contract, I signed it right then and there.

The best part is that not only do I get to keep earning a much-needed salary, I also believe this is confirmation that I am supposed to be where I am. Helping kids. Being a caring adult who can occasionally be a voice of reason in their lives. At the end of the day, I know that my job matters.

If only the lawmakers and the general public felt the same way. If they did, they wouldn't take away the money the schools need to do our jobs.

Classic

2011-04-01T12:53:00.000-07:00

A conversation I had yesterday with a female student (age 17).

Girl A: Mrs. Andrews, someone said Girl B dresses "classic." What does that mean?
Me: Um, it means elegant, not trendy.
Girl A (to Girl B): So it was an insult, then.
Me: Maybe to a teenager, "not trendy" is an insult! It actually means something that doesn't go out of style.

Update on the lice situation: we had to spend 4 hours on Miss Pink's hair on Wednesday night because we didn't do a thorough enough job on Wednesday and we had some bugs that had hatched. I think we're almost through with it, though. She has been a real trouper--has hardly even complained. I'm going to try to rent Tangled for her tonight--she's seen it but wants to see it again, and I haven't seen it.

Creepy Crawlies

2011-03-29T16:44:00.000-07:00

I started working on a post yesterday during my lunch hour, but I've postponed finishing it because I've spent the whole day delousing myself and Miss Pink.

Yes, I saw a tiny moving spot on Miss P's scalp this morning while I was doing her hair for school. Her dad took her to let the school nurse make the official diagnosis since I've never identified them myself. (I had them around age 12 but you can't see your own scalp. However, I am now qualified to identify both lice and nits, unfortunately.) While they were gone, I scrambled about to email lesson plans for a sub and take Mr. Blue to school. He was able to stay because the school didn't find any evidence on his head. I attribute his escape entirely to the fact that he and Miss Pink don't stay close to each other for any length of time. They sometimes get along but they don't enjoy cuddling with each other.

On the other hand, Miss Pink LOVES to cuddle with me. We often read together on the couch with both our heads lying on the same pillow. Sigh.

Two heads of long hair shampooed with deadly-to-lice shampoo and combed meticulously with fine-toothed combs until no more nits were found: check.

All non-washable stuffed animals and dolls sealed up in a plastic bag for two weeks: check.

All upholstery sprayed with a special spray: check.

All hairbrushes, combs, and clips boiled in hot water: check.

All recently worn clothes and bedding (sheets, blankets, pillowcases, mattress pads and comforters) washed in hot water and dried on high heat: still working on it.

We're not sure if Miss Pink can go back to school tomorrow. It depends on whether or not we killed all the vermin on her head or if she needs another round.

It's times like this I kind of wish I was a drinking woman.

Do I Have a Fever?

2011-03-20T20:09:00.000-07:00

I'm not feeling very well at the moment--precisely, at 9:55 p.m. CDT.

For one thing, my head is hurting and I don't know why. My left shoulder is hurting, and I do know why--on Friday I wore a sleeveless dress to the park and forgot that two hours in the Texas sun plus very white skin equals a bad sunburn.You would think after nearly 36 years with this skin, that I would remember to always wear sunscreen, but apparently I was so happy that winter is over that it completely slipped my mind.

The previous two things have been bothering me all evening. I got crankier when I had to spend 2 1/2 hours this evening doing the work I'd had all week to do, which is due tomorrow morning. It's done now, which is the only good thing about it. It doesn't help that the grades reinforced my suspicion that most of my students are not exactly doing a fabulous job on their research papers.

The REAL reason I'm in a bad mood? I have to wake up early tomorrow and do some actual work. The barrage of work responsibilities and children's scheduled activities from which we were free last week will begin again. If I were a kid, I'd be wondering if I could convincingly fake being sick tomorrow.*

*I actually love my job and I also love being paid (next Friday!) So it will be fine but I'm sure you all agree that going back to work after a break is not easy.

Losing My Voice

2011-03-14T20:30:00.000-07:00

My poor neglected blog. I just haven't known what to write about. Part of the problem is that I'm hard on myself: as in telling myself, "No one would find THAT interesting!" And it's true, I don't have a life full of adventures and beautiful pictures, as most popular blogs do, but I also enjoy reading about mundane events, if the writer has a unique voice and tells the truth about his or her experience. And I just haven't had the extra energy to put my voice out there and try to write something worth reading.

But it's Spring Break, so I don't have an excuse for not posting at least something. I got to sleep in a little this morning, but we spent the afternoon going to the bank, the library, Goodwill, and the grocery store, but the kids were happy enough since the errands included books and a Barbie and a ball to bounce.

The weather is gorgeous--sunny, in the high 60s--so tomorrow after Mr. Blue gets a much-needed haircut, we are going to have a picnic in the park. I'm also thinking I need to get the copy of Mr. Blue's birth certificate that I will need to register him for kindergarten. (YES, I have had five years to get it and haven't done so. It hasn't exactly been a priority until now! And by the way, who took my baby and turned him into a boy old enough to go to kindergarten?)

And now my brain is officially mush so I am stopping and going to bed. By the way, I HATE losing an hour every spring. I know I'll enjoy having more daylight in the evening eventually, but getting used to it is brutal.

Winter Wimps

2011-02-03T15:31:00.000-08:00

We just found out that our school district will be closed tomorrow--the FOURTH day in a row--due to snow, yes, but mostly because of ice that is staying on the roads because the temperatures have stayed below freezing even during the daytime. We are just not used to this in Texas. I can't remember ever being out of school for this many days in a row. Another teacher just posted this graph on the school bulletin board and I had to laugh because...it's true. We are total wimps when it comes to real winter conditions. (Click on the graph to enlarge.)

We were SO excited Tuesday. Spent most of the day in our PJs, drinking hot cocoa, toasting our toes in front of the fire, reading to the kids. Pretty happy on Wednesday. Tried to attend a business meeting Justin and I both had to be at, which the other person then abruptly canceled (after demanding that we come on Tuesday in the first place--it certainly wasn't our idea!) and insisted we reschedule for today. So I was kind of relieved I didn't have to take off work for it since school was closed anyway. Miss Pink threw up last night starting after dinner until 4:15 am. Took care of the meeting today and stopped to get a few groceries and some fast food for everyone who felt like eating (i.e. not Miss Pink, who although she has not thrown up anymore today, has not eaten anything either. She has kept down water and Sprite so at least she is not dehydrated.) I definitely resemble the person on Day 3 and hope I will not look like Day 4 tomorrow. Because if I fall down, the kids will jump up and down on top of me. And then fight over who gets to be the one jumping on Mommy. Because they just love me SO MUCH.

I mean, how ridiculous that I haven't even finished a blog post since Tuesday. I certainly hope fate doesn't decide to make me catch Miss Pink's virus (Mr. Blue had the same thing last Friday) and miss work when the weather finally improves!

Ironically, the icemaker in our fridge decided to (mostly) stop working. We had to buy ice cube trays.

Crazy?

2011-01-26T20:18:00.000-08:00

Today I was teaching the poems of Emily Dickinson--one of my favorite poets--and I was ~~prying answers out of them like pulling teeth~~ leading a discussion about the following poem:

Much madness is divinest sense

To a discerning eye;

Much sense the starkest madness.

’T is the majority

In this, as all, prevails.

Assent, and you are sane;

Demur,—you ’re straightway dangerous,

And handled with a chain.

I explained that the first lines of the poem contain a paradox: a statement that appears impossible or contradictory at first, but contains a deeper truth. I We decided that the paradox here is that behavior that seems crazy can actually have a method to its madness, or come from a person who is ahead of his time. Human beings get very uncomfortable when one of their own deviates from the norm, however. It reminded me of an experience I had in college, so I shared it with the students, who at least were interested enough not to fall asleep (many of them do tend to drowse off when we're reading poetry).

I was taking a sociology class, and the assignment was to identify a social norm, violate it in public, and write up our observations of people's reactions. For example, there is a social norm not to make lengthy eye contact in an elevator, so you could stare at people in elevators and see how they react. (I'm guessing not well.) I wasn't up for that kind of awkwardness, so I decided to go to church barefoot. Completely barefoot--no socks or anything. We weren't allowed to explain what we were doing while the experiment was going on, not even if people asked directly, but afterward we were supposed to debrief them so they wouldn't be driven crazy by curiosity.

It turned out I had two basic kinds of reactions to describe. First, the four- and five-year-olds knew it wasn't normal for a grownup to have bare feet in church. And they didn't mind asking me straight out, "Why are you barefoot?" And, inevitably, the next question was, "Can we be barefoot too?" They didn't much mind that I was breaking the norm if they got to break it too.

As far as grownups, people who didn't know me just gave me weird looks, but you could see the wheels spinning in the brains of acquaintances who were trying to piece together why in the world I had nothing on my feet. "She seemed so normal the last time I saw her," they seemed to be thinking. Yet they didn't want to violate the norm of minding their own business by asking me directly like the kids did. Some people made up their own explanations, like "So did you hurt your foot?" But they knew that wasn't it either, because I didn't have on a brace or even a bandage. I would smile and change the subject, and you could tell it was bugging the daylights out of them.

My dad let me make an announcement after church as my professor had instructed, and oh, the relief that washed over the faces of those who had noticed my weirdness! It was a fun experience even for someone like me who doesn't like to venture into the "weird" end of the spectrum of human behavior. But I learned that I wanted to be more like the little kids, whose attitude was, "That's weird, but it looks fun--can I try it?"

Finding Time

2011-01-08T13:18:00.000-08:00

At the library, I recently picked up a copy of a book titled 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think, by Laura Vanderkam. In the introduction, Vanderkam writes that you really do have enough time to do the things you think you are too busy to do, like exercise, a write a novel, build a successful career and a happy family, and even...sleep eight hours a night.

Well, that caught my attention. Because there isn't anything more important to me than sleep--and I include my husband and children in that equation. If I don't get my sleep, I am a rotten human being to be around, and it goes without saying, a terrible mother and wife. For a while, under the "Interests" part of my Blogger profile, I had "Getting enough sleep." And I wasn't even remotely joking.

I haven't finished the book yet, so this isn't a complete review. But I like the way the first few chapters have jump-started my thinking. The first chapter is called "The Myth of the Time Crunch." We all know how busy we feel, and how busy everyone claims to be. Yet the best evidence we have says we aren't as busy as we think we are. A third of Americans who work full-time claim to work more than 50 hours per week, and 12 percent say they work more than 60 hours a week. We tell pollsters that we sleep less than 7 hours per night; moms who work full-time and have school-aged kids claim to sleep less than 6 hours per night, saying there's just too much for them to do to spend more time in bed. However, these are self-reported estimates when a researcher calls and asks a person how much time they spend on each activity. People tend to overestimate how much time they spend working and doing chores, and underestimate time spent sleeping and watching TV, for example.

When researchers ask people to keep detailed records of how they spend their time in a day, it turns out that Americans sleep about 8 hours a night, even working moms with little kids. We also work a lot less than we think we do.The average full-time employee works 35-43 hours per week. Sadly, women who work full-time only spend 11 minutes a day on average playing or doing hobbies with their kids--but mothers who go part-time only make it to 21 minutes a day, and stay-at-home moms are about 30 minutes. Ouch! Dads aren't any better, averaging 15-18 minutes a day (I KNOW Justin does more than this; he and the kids wrestle every night!) Americans also watch a lot more TV than we think--18-23 hours per week. It's hard to think of anyone who would say that's a good use of our time, yet it's easier to zone out in front of the screen than do some of the activities we say we wish we had time for.

Vanderkam includes many stories of people who are achieving true work-life balance by choosing to fill their 168 hours with the things that really matter to them. They decide on goals they want to achieve, then figure out ways to fit the important activities into their weekly schedule and get those things done no matter what. Usually this involves minimizing time-wasters (maybe I should write more on this in another post, so that this one doesn't get too long). It's inspiring to read about people who are doing great things in their field while leaving the office at 5 pm, attending their kids' soccer games, and taking plenty of time to recharge.

Vanderkam recommends starting with keeping your own time diary so you can see how you spend your time. It's like keeping a food diary when you go on a diet or writing down everything you spend before you make a budget. The idea is sound--how can you change your time budget if you don't know how you're spending your hours? I've been keeping a record this week, and it's not that hard--every time I get a break, I write down what I've done since the last break. I'm going to do another week, since this week was a little atypical in that it was the first week back after a break, so I was dragging around without much energy, and we didn't have students until Tuesday. Still, I can already see patterns in how I spend my time, and yeah...I take a lot more leisure time than I realized. I am perfectly capable of reading blogs for an hour and a half in the evening while ignoring pretty much everything around me. Although I still want to read blogs, I need to wait until the kids are in bed and not get sucked in to Google Reader every day. Because once I see all the posts waiting for me, I want to read them all! As Vanderkam points out, if I want to make some changes, I am the one who can choose to change how I spend my time.

Justin and I have also figured out how to incorporate regular exercise into our routine without having to give up sleep or family time in the evenings when we're already tired. Miss Pink has to be at school by 7:45 am. Normally Justin takes her to school and I take Mr. Blue to his before going (literally around the corner) to work. We realized that if one of us goes to the gym, the other one can take both kids to school. The gym is also right down the street, so after I worked out, I came home to get cleaned up and still had plenty of time to get to work. We're going to skip Mondays since Miss Pink has to be at school early that day for math club (and I can barely make it by 7:45), alternate the rest of the weekdays, and go together on a weekend day and let the kids go to the child care (which they are anxious to do). We've only used the system on Thursday and Friday of this last week, but so far, so good! Tomorrow night we'll go spend some time working out together (which we've never done before) so we'll be multitasking--keeping our bodies AND our marriage healthy! And that's a concept every time-management expert would get behind.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Which Is Almost Over)

2010-12-30T14:27:00.000-08:00

It's almost the end of the year, and I couldn't let 2010 end without posting on my poor neglected blog. I really have been reading most of the blogs I always have, but days go by in between and most of the time I have been too tired by the time I read blogs to come up with a coherent comment, let alone post. As I said to my parents the other day, "The amount of vacation days for teachers is great, but the thing is that you NEED that many days to recuperate."

I am still enjoying my job, though--at least as much as I can remember of it after two weeks off. (American literature? What's that?) Most of my students passed and some failed, but the ones who failed were the ones who did not turn in their assignments or study. I can live with that. I used to feel personally responsible when my students failed, but I'm over that. The funny thing is, when I see my students in the grocery store--I am guaranteed to see at least one student in any grocery store in town--the ones who failed the semester seem just as happy to see me as the ones who passed. I feel that I've made some genuine connections with a lot of these young people, some of whom come to me for advice or just to talk. *sappy sentiment alert* I hope they remember something I teach them, but most of all I hope they feel that I value them and what they have to offer. For example, I really try to listen when they talk to me, individually or in class discussion, and although I'm pretty laid back about my classroom, I am adamant that they are not allowed to interrupt or insult each other. My heart was warmed when one student told another recently, "Hey! This is a no-put-down class!" Awkward phrasing aside, I'm glad they see it that way.

My children are doing splendidly and they enjoyed the Christmas holidays very much. I wish I could say they were not too spoiled at Christmas, but that's just impossible. Santa does limit his offerings so the toys don't completely take over the house. They get their stockings and three presents--big, medium, and smaller--which I explain is because Baby Jesus got three presents from the wise men and what's good enough for Baby Jesus is good enough for them. Also this year they got an extra present because I Santa thought one gift intended for Mr. Blue had not arrived yet, when it had (Justin had hid it and there was no tracking info so I didn't think it had come) and I Santa went out to buy some Transformers. So rather than return the Transformers, Santa decided that they got a present to share, because even though it was intended for Mr. Blue, they both like to play with it--it is an octagon shape that you can make mosaic patterns in, like so.

Anyway, they got new bikes, which they have been riding a lot. My brother and his wife got them Lite Brites (which I was relieved to see have a storage drawer for the pieces). Miss Pink got a matching T-shirt for her and her American Girl doll, and another doll from Target and a (plastic) pony. Mr. Blue got three sets of Trios, which are infinitely preferable to Legos for younger kids, and some Iron Man toys he likes from my mother-in-law. Besides the doll, pony, and Trios, my mom also got them clothes and shoes/boots, and she also does stockings that put Santa's to shame. We had a lovely time on Christmas morning at our house, then going for lunch at my parents' house at 1, followed by the present-opening and hanging out for the rest of the day. I didn't actually take a nap on Christmas Day, but that was all right since I've been going back to sleep every morning for at least an hour and a half after breakfast. Going back to school next week is going to be BRUTAL.

I was going to write about our experiences in 2010, and what goals I am planning for in 2011, but since I have rambled this much about teaching and my children's Christmas presents, I'll stop here and save that post for another day (and not one months from now).

Happy New Year to anyone who stops by and reads this! I miss commenting back and forth with my blog friends, so I'm going to make an effort to stay in touch better in the coming year.

An Update of Sorts

2010-11-09T19:58:00.000-08:00

Wow. I haven't had the desire to blog since the end of September. Sometimes I would think about it, especially after reading other blogs, but always ran out of steam. I don't want to quit, even if other things (like working and doing things for and with my family) are taking almost all of my energy.

Work is going well. I actually do love teaching--most days. We are already finished with the first two grading periods and I can hardly believe it's November.

I do have a few funny kid stories. Miss Pink was invited to be part of her school's math club. I don't know what they do except play a mysterious math game that I can't understand when she tries to explain it to me. What can I say, she doesn't get her math ability from me. Anyway, when she was talking about math to me one night, she said something about telling other people she was in the math club. "I'll say, "Yo, what's up? Math is COOL!'"

I didn't have the heart to tell her what most people think about math. (Hint: they don't think it's cool. Even if you try to sound like a rapper when you say it.)

Mr. Blue makes us laugh a lot. One night he was tickling his dad while we were sitting at the dinner table.
Justin: Liam, please stop tickling me.
Liam: That wasn't me tickling you, that was God's magic.
Justin: Okay, then, God, please stop tickling me.
Liam (in the deepest voice he can create): OKAY.

Today he was brushing my hair (quite painfully, I might add) and he said, "I love your hair. I love everybody's hair. Except the devil's." Oookay then. I guess I should be thankful he doesn't love Satan's hair.

Coming Up for Air

2010-09-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

The last two weeks have been very busy. I am trying to get used to being a mother who keeps her children fed and clean and read to, and a teacher who is available to her students before and after school while keeping up with all the paperwork, and a wife whose husband doesn't have to listen to her whine about how tired she is (at least not every day), and someone who is NOT going to end up on an episode of "Hoarders: Buried Alive."

Last night we cleaned the house (it doesn't take that long when we all pitch in) and the week got off to a good start. For one thing, the weather is cooler--it was below 60 degrees when we left this morning. Friday is the last day of the grading period: another milestone to celebrate.

In Which I Explain How Much I Love My Job

2010-09-06T08:13:00.000-07:00

Another week down! I have no idea how many weeks are left in the school year (I just know it's a lot, so why count?) and anyway, I feel like I'm getting in the groove. I am loving my job! It helps that this week we got the textbooks, so we could start teaching actual literature. Yay!

I love teaching juniors, too. I was right when I guessed that they would be much more cooperative than middle schoolers or freshmen (my two long-term assignments from last year). Yet the juniors do not have senioritis, so they still have some motivation to do the work. They also have to pass the TAKS test this year in order to graduate, which is another level of motivation.

The kids seem to enjoy being in my class, too. I know it's more important to be respected than to be liked, and this is something I have struggled with in the past ("If I punish this kid, they'll think I'm a MEAN TEACHER, oh NOOOOO!") but I also think that getting to know the kids and enjoying the things they say helps them WANT to be in my class and therefore they are more willing to learn from me. I love it when students share their thoughts with me, whether in class or in private; when they tell me about their extracurricular activities, whether that be sports, dance, or color guard; and when I manage to get the quiet ones to respond to my "good morning" as I greet them at the door.

My best compliment this week: the students were answering some questions that required slightly more higher-level thinking than just "What happened in the story?" and a few kids weren't getting it, so I was trying to rephrase the questions and lead them to come up with the answers themselves instead of just giving it away. One of the other students who'd figured it out herself said to me, "Oh my God, you are so patient. I would be screaming at them about now." I smiled and said, "Well, if I weren't patient, I'd need to get another job." More than once in my life I have felt as if I would never learn to be patient--when something comes easily for me, like my student felt about the questions, I have been like, "Why can't you just get this?!?"--and so this felt great, not just the compliment but also the feeling of being patient while not giving in to their transparent attempts to get me to just tell them the answer. I completely credit my children for giving me lots of practice in this area, by the way.

Labor Day weekend has been good too. Justin and I took Mr. Blue to my school's first home football game (Miss Pink was at a sleepover) and it was so fun. It was great to feel a part of the community, especially now that I'm a teacher (and also my ticket was free!) We ended up leaving at halftime, because it was Mr. Blue's bedtime and he was tired of sitting (relatively) still. He barely watched the game even though we had great seats right at the front, but he did like watching the mascot and playing with some other boys.

Saturday was...not so great. We got woken up twice, when Miss P was brought home from the sleepover (long story) and when Justin had to spend half an hour coughing up a lung. So we were both pretty sleep-deprived, but he still had to deliver some furniture pieces he'd built. I spent the day with a headache and the house looked like a bomb had gone off in it. Actually, a bomb might have been an improvement--maybe some of the dirt would've been blasted off the surfaces. I've never been a great housekeeper, but when I stayed home, I did do some cleaning. But last weekend I was recuperating from my first week of school and I didn't clean anything except the dishes and dirty laundry. So the house was truly disgraceful and I felt too yucky to tackle it. I did, however, manage to make some tasty chicken fried rice, so that was a win.

That evening, I complained about my face hurting, and Justin said, "Well, take some MEDICINE, then!" He said I always do that, and it's true. So I took a Claritin-D and slept wonderfully, and woke up refreshed, and all was right with the world. (Also, no one woke me up with his coughing.) I took another nap Sunday after lunch, heroically faced Wal-Mart to get much-needed groceries, and still had enough energy to muster the troops to clean most of the house. I still need to dust (seriously, I think nothing's been dusted all summer--hey, I wonder why I'm having allergy problems?) and vacuum, but it's mostly done, and we're having friends over for dinner tonight, and I don't even mind that I have to go back to work tomorrow.

P.S. If I already like my job this much, what's it going to be like when I actually get a paycheck?

Back to School

2010-08-29T18:16:00.000-07:00

Well, I survived the first week of school.
It was actually better than that sounds. I had a good week, even though I was REALLY tired every evening. I'll get used to it; I did last year. My students behaved well, and we're getting to know each other. I'm ready to start teaching my actual subject--we get our textbooks tomorrow--although I must confess the thought of making classic literature interesting to seventeen-year-olds is a little daunting. Oh well, I need to remember I don't have to be Super Teacher, but I can believe in and encourage every kid.

Miss Pink absolutely loves her teacher. We had such a great teacher for her first two years (her school loops K-1st and 2nd-3rd) that I was wondering if we could possibly be so fortunate again. And yes, we were. her teacher is super sweet, very calm (apparently she never raises her voice) and very organized, to judge from the classroom. Miss P came home singing about her teacher the first day. And Miss P has signed the happy book a bunch of times, so she's working hard and doing a great job.

Mr. Blue is in a new class at his preschool, too. He also likes school, and he has a new love interest. She happens to be the teacher's granddaughter, so he'd better behave himself. He heard another mom telling me that her son also likes this little girl, and Mr. Blue kept saying afterward to me, "I don't know why we all like T." Then he decided it was her "pretty dress." All I know is, he talks about her constantly!

Childhood Memories, Part II

2010-08-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

Do any of y'all remember my first post about my childhood memories? I forgot I wrote Part II, so here it is!

1983: Mother finally gives in to Alison's begging and allows her to read Gone With the Wind. Alison reads it in one day, almost making herself sick. Wants to be Scarlett O'Hara.

1983-1987: Spends a LOT of time outside, riding her bike, exploring the "woods" behind their house, and even playing basketball. This marks the last time in her life she can be described as "outdoorsy" or "sporty."

1987: The boy next door, a good friend, is killed in a three-wheeler accident while Alison is at camp. Her parents don't tell her until she gets home after the funeral, which makes coming to terms with his death even more difficult.

1987-1995: Writes many first pages of awful historical romance novels ripped off of Jane Eyre and Gone With the Wind. Also bad poetry imitative of Emily Dickinson or T.S. Eliot.

1988: Gets braces off and, thanks to teen movies, expects every boy she knows to fall in love with her. This does not happen.

1988: Develops a massive crush on her 23-year-old volleyball coach. Devastated to learn he's engaged, but does not learn her lesson about crushing on totally unavailable/uninterested guys.

1988: Finally is allowed to listen to "light rock" station instead of just Christian music. The way is paved for a decade of bad musical taste that features the New Kids on the Block, Michael Bolton, and even Milli Vanilli.

1990: Father informs her that she needs to get a job because he had one at her age. Father has failed to take into account that she is below the legal age limit, but a yogurt shop in the mall hires her anyway.

1991: Takes driver's ed class, where driving instructor impatiently skips over the parallel parking part of the curriculum, grabbing the wheel and parking the car instead of teaching Alison how to do it. Yes, she's still bitter.

1991: Takes the driving test on her sixteenth birthday because it seems necessary to have her driver's license as soon as possible. Fails because she has no idea how to parallel park. Sets a personal record for "Birthday with Most Tears Shed."

1991: Learns how to parallel park and passes the driving test. Ironically, it turns out she doesn't really like to drive and (even twenty years later) will let anyone else drive whenever possible.

1992: Graduates from high school as valedictorian of her class. However, there are only six people in her graduating class, so that makes her accomplishment less impressive.

1992: Tells her father she's not sure she wants to go to college (because secretly the thought of being in classes with more than six people scares her). Father wisely does not overreact; instead he says fine, but she will need to get a full-time job. It takes approximately six seconds for Alison to decide she's going to college.

*End of childhood*

What I Learned This Weekend

2010-08-02T11:35:00.000-07:00

I seriously am the worst blogger ever. I never update. Well, at least last week I had an excuse--I was attending professional development classes required for new teachers. It was slightly less painful than the eyebrow threading I had over the weekend.

Speaking of threading--I've watched people have it done at kiosks in the mall and intended to try it because I have really thick eyebrows. I do pluck, and also trim the longer hairs, but I haven't had the eyebrows waxed in a long time because a) money hasn't been exactly in excess around here and b) I don't want to risk having ALL my eyebrow hair ripped off by some woman I don't know because then I just wouldn't look like myself. So for $10 I decided to give it a try because at least they had pictures of eyebrows I could point to.

It HURTS, y'all. I mean, waxing doesn't feel like being tickled with a feather, but it's over really fast. The pain from the threading kept going and going.... And then she did my upper lip (with my permission, of course) and that was even more painful. Involuntary tears ran down my cheeks and soaked my neck. And I had forgotten that my skin gets red after hair removal, so I had to walk around the mall with bright red splotches over my lip and eyebrows. Lovely.

On the positive side, I like how my eyebrows look! I think I'll go back to getting them waxed, though.

So what was I doing in the mall with time to try the threading? I had been invited by our youth pastor's wife to come on a girls' retreat as a mentor. Since it was only one night away from home and Justin can handle that much time without backup, I said yes. I figure I need practice bonding with teenagers. We went to a hotel and had pizza and devotions and went swimming and thank GOD the girls in my room didn't want to stay up all night--we crashed around 12:45. The next day we spent four hours in the mall. I think the last time I did that, I hadn't had Miss Pink yet. So I was embarrassingly tired on Sunday.

I am so old. Yes I am. Plus I did not buy myself anything because a) I do not really need any more clothes (although I cannot help feeling that there are never enough clothes, and I saw lots of things I WANTED to buy, so yay me for exercising self-control) and b) I want to spend any and all available cash to decorate my classroom. So the only money I spent was on having myself tortured.

And yet! The retreat was actually enjoyable. I got to know several people better, and it was fun not to have to do housework or get up to get anyone a cup of milk right when I had just sat down. The girls did not seem to mind having to stay with a grown-up--after all, I'm not their MOM or anything.

In conclusion, I don't recommend eyebrow threading unless you have a very high pain tolerance, but girl bonding is good.

Friday Fill-Ins #185

2010-07-16T05:53:00.000-07:00

1. This is what life does. It lets you relax and then plunges you into a terrifying roller coaster ride of uncertainty.

2. Will I remember to appreciate the moment?

3. Upon reflection I'm thinking summer is overrated.

4. I've been married for quite a long time.

5. Later, you wake up wishing your child would let you sleep longer.

6. How I wish I could go across the far and boundless sea.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to having dinner out with my husband and kids, tomorrow my plans include helping get the church ready for VBS (we're going to Egypt!) and Sunday, I want to hear some excellent music & preaching!

Writing in My Sleep

2010-07-15T06:11:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time it was my dream to write novels. I'm not ruling that vision out completely--but it will have to be in the future. Like maybe when I'm retired. I haven't finished any fiction since I had Miss Pink seven years ago. For me to write fiction, I have to have several hours of uninterrupted writing time every day. And we all know that ain't gonna happen any time soon.

And you know what, I'm okay with that. The world can live without another novel. Teaching and parenting--those are things I can do right now that have both immediate and long-term positive impact on my family and my world. I think I'm a better parent and teacher than I am a writer anyway, and besides, when I do more serious writing again, I think it will be in the nonfiction genre. So...I'm fine with not writing the Next Great American Novel.

My subconscious, apparently, does not agree.

Every so often, I have these epic dreams that seem to last all night long and leave me exhausted when I wake up. Not only am I experiencing the plot twists and scene changes of these dreams--I'm also viewing them as a writer who needs to remember every detail to write the story down when I wake up. If I can just remember everything, I will have an instant best-seller on my hands. So I spend the whole night in intense concentration, crafting dialogue and naming characters, even replaying scenes that I want to change. No wonder I wake up exhausted!

All of which would be worth it if the dream really did result in a good novel. Because my biggest problem has always been in coming up with ideas (a problem; successful writers will tell you they ALWAYS have ideas percolating) so if I had a fabulous ready-made idea handed to me by my subconscious, I WOULD find a way to get it written.

Instead, my subconscious always comes up with something stupid. Trite, cliched, and improbable. I will spare you the convoluted details of what I dreamed last night, but while I was dreaming it, the "writer" part of my brain was thinking, "This is so cool! It's like 'Harry Potter' mixed with 'Twilight!'"

I promise you, I have no chance of becoming the next Stephenie Meyer or J.K. Rowling. I just wish my subconscious would accept that, because it's exhausting to keep writing in my sleep!

Childhood Memories, Part I

2010-07-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

Recently I picked up my copy of Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. It's one of my favorite books, full of little snippets of her experience. I decided to try to do my own version of one of the entries, titled "Childhood Memories." I wrote it in the third person, just like Amy wrote hers, and I tried to be as random yet specific as she was.

1975: Alison is born on July 10. Throughout her childhood she hears her mother talk about how Alison was due on July 4, but instead came six days late. Secretly Alison wished she had been born on the 4th, so she could have fireworks on her birthday.

1975: In November, Alison's father becomes pastor of a church and the family moves to Texas. The church has no money in the bank and they have to live in an apartment in the back of the church, but Alison doesn't seem to mind, judging from the smiley pictures of her in her red and white striped Christmas nightgown.

1976: The family buys a house that was previously owned by a divorced man with two large incontinent dogs, which is why they are able to afford it.

1976: Alison's first memory: lying in her crib soon after waking up and watching the sun stream in through the window. She notices a stuffed dog hanging on the edge of the crib and wants to reach it. She hears a voice as a woman comes into the room. She doesn't have enough language to know that the woman is called Mama (although she recognizes the voice) or that the toy is called a dog. The dog becomes her favorite stuffed animal and is loved until it is threadbare.

1977: Begins preschool at Miss Scott's Preschool. In later life, remembers only two things from her three years there: the "Good Morning" song, and one instance of suddenly missing her mother (not on the first day of school) and putting her head down on her desk and crying inconsolably.

1978: Learns to read and from then on is rarely seen without a book nearby so she can start reading at a moment's notice.

1979: Alison's brother is born on June 19. Parents wisely reject Alison's suggestions to name him "Thompson" and "Sammy Liles, Jr." (both names of boys she has a crush on).

1979: Meets her cousin K. at her grandparents' house. K. is stealing butter out of the refrigerator and eating it. Alison thinks this girl is extremely strange.

1980: Begins first grade at school the church has started. Is the youngest child in the school and is treated like a pet by the older students. During a safety discussion, when the principal asks, "What do you do if you catch on fire?" embarrasses self by yelling out, "Stop, drop, and ROLL!" Confused and humiliated when everyone laughs. Mutters to self, "But I was RIGHT!"

1980: Meets L., who is one year younger, when their family joins the church and becomes best friends with her.

1980: Teaches self to write in cursive. Feels very grown-up.

1980: The church (and school) building burns one Saturday night. Wakes up to hear mother crying, on the phone, and wonders why they are not getting ready for Sunday School.

1981: L. begins first grade at the school. Second grade is harder than first, so Alison does not win all the awards for most work completed and highest average that she won the year before--L. wins them. Crawls under the table at the awards banquet and cries.

1981: Little brother won't get out of the way when Alison is swinging on the teeter-totter on her swing set; despite repeated warnings, he keeps walking closer. The metal seat of the teeter-totter strikes him in the forehead and he falls over. Although she knows she should feel guilty, Alison keeps thinking, "But I TOLD him not to come any closer!" Brother's head is fine. In fact, it is so hard he uses it as a weapon throughout their childhood.

1981: Feels compelled to learn to ride bike without training wheels when younger neighbor boy learns. Allowed to ride anywhere on the sidewalk on their block, which seemed (and turned out to be) perfectly safe.

1981: Church buys land and begins building. For most of the year, only sees father in the mornings when he takes her to school and when they bring dinner to him at the construction site (and church, of course). Has a wonderful time playing in the sand for the brick mortar and picking up metal circles punched out of the electrical boxes.

1981-1985: Wishes she could be Laura Ingalls Wilder. Plays for hours pretending to be living in a wagon and finding food. Dresses brother up in sunbonnet to be Carrie.Despite what he will later claim, he enjoys it.

1981-1985: Second favorite thing to pretend: school. Lines up her dolls and, when he will cooperate, her brother. Manages to teach him the alphabet before he starts kindergarten.

1982-1990: Suffers from intermittent mocking by a boy named S., who is inescapable since there are so few students that they are together all the time. S. says such crushing (at the time) things as, "Alison has no common sense!" and pulls her hair and generally makes fun of anything she does. Mother suggests that he actually likes Alison, but that makes no sense to her. Prays, "God, I know I'm not supposed to hate anyone, but if I did, I would hate S.!"

1980-1988: The family doesn't have a television, because their denomination doesn't allow ministers to own them. Alison tries to keep up with TV references by paying attention when other kids talk about their favorite shows so she can pretend she knows what they're talking about. Enthralled when allowed to watch, mainly at L's house and when her family goes on vacation. Does not realize until adulthood how much better her childhood was for not being spent in front of the TV.

1983: The family buys a partially finished house in the country whose builder is going out of business. When the house is finished, they move in--on Alison's ninth birthday. Rather than feel cheated of a birthday party, she feels excited, as if the house is actually a birthday present for her.

*
Okay, I can see this is going to get long, so that's a good place to stop for now--age 9, halfway to 18, at a major transition--I think of my childhood as split into two halves between those two houses. I have good memories of both.

This was fun and I hope not too boring for you! Soon I'll post Part II.

Friday Fill-Ins #183

2010-07-02T12:39:00.000-07:00

1. When it's quiet I am very happy.
2. I will start my job in what seems like a month (because I do have professional development classes to attend in about a month).
3. My heart is thankful for the people I love.
4. My birthday is on the tenth of July.
5. In the town where I was born, my in-laws live--yet we never met when I went back to visit. I met my husband when he moved to our area.
6. His trustworthiness is something I really love about my significant other / friend.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to having Justin get home before 8:30, tomorrow my plans include taking the kids to walk in a neighborhood parade and Sunday, I want to enjoy some good BBQ at my parents' house and end the day watching fireworks!

What I'll Be Doing This Fall

2010-06-29T12:12:00.000-07:00

I don't really know why I haven't already posted this--so here goes: I have a teaching job for next year!

A couple of weeks ago, the head of the English department at the high school called me. I had been hoping to hear from her, since I had emailed her about the open position before school was out. A couple of weeks had passed, and I was getting antsy because I hadn't heard anything. I kept thinking, "I bet they're interviewing. I can't believe they didn't even give me an interview, after repeatedly telling me I am on their list!"

It turns out that that wasn't the case. In fact, they hadn't even interviewed anyone yet. The department head asked me a couple of interview-type questions, and then told me they didn't need to do an interview in person, because they had interviewed me for the long-term sub position, and she was putting my name in for the job. At this point I was wondering if that meant "putting my name in the hat with the other 100 candidates" (I'm not kidding; there are a lot of teachers looking for work) or "putting me in as their final selection." It turns out she meant the latter. The next week I filled out the paperwork, turned everything I could yesterday, and the board was supposed to approve the new hires last night. So far, so good!

I will be teaching 11th grade--American literature. I am excited about it. And thankful that the year of subbing worked out exactly as I hoped it would: I was able to get my foot in the door and prove myself so that the school would want to hire me full-time.

This job won't make us rich. But I know it's a step in a good direction--and I know I am meant to teach. With all the challenges teaching involves, I have learned that I'm a good teacher and I actually like teenagers (most of the time!) I'm ready to get in there and be part of the solution.

Summer Sickness

2010-06-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

Miss Pink is sick today--poor baby. She's asleep right now, exhausted after throwing up, having a fever, and, um, other things during the night. I slept in her room so I could be near her when she needed me. She has a twin bed, so I didn't expect to get much sleep, but I slept with my head at the foot of her bed and it was fine. She has a very comfortable bed, probably more comfortable than ours. And we bought her mattress at Big Lots, so go figure. I hope she starts feeling better soon (and that we don't all come down with the virus--keep your fingers crossed for me, okay?)

Mr. Blue is at his daycare. To keep his spot for next year, I have to pay for two days a week during the summer, which is something they offer teachers. We love that school--Miss Pink went to preschool there since she was two, and he went there last year, so we definitely wanted to keep his spot. He hasn't gone since school let out June 3rd, though, because he wanted to stay home and hang out with me and his sister. Today he was happy to go, and all his classmates were excited to see him. They have a "splash day" on Thursday mornings with several kiddie pools. I'm glad he could go have fun while Miss P and I stay home.

Up until this, we've been having a good summer. On Monday, friends got us into the museum of science & history for free with their memberships, and yesterday we went to a free movie. We've been to a water park and have plans to swim a lot. I am staying firm with limiting TV, despite much whining from Mr. Blue. I remember when Miss Pink was in the same stage: she was only happy when watching TV or when she had my undivided attention, and I thought she would never learn to play by herself. Now she can entertain herself for a long time, so I know he will learn, too, if I don't give in to his demands for TV. I do, of course, give them both plenty of attention. Both of them love to be read to, which I enjoy, although I do wish Mr. Blue would sometimes choose books other than four Curious George books he's become obsessed with. Tonight when Justin gets home, I am going to the library to find some more Curious George.

Enough rambling...Miss Pink is still asleep, it's 10:58 a.m. and I'm already hungry. I hope y'all are having a good summer...or that your summer starts soon. It's VERY hot here--98 degrees F for the high. Whew!

On the First Day of Summer

2010-06-04T19:02:00.000-07:00

On the first day of summer, the kids and/or I*:

slept in till 8 a.m. (hey, I'll take the extra two hours)
did not turn the TV on until noon, and then only for two kids' shows
did, however, stay in our pajamas until late afternoon
had a "Welcome Summer" party that involved making a playlist on iTunes, playing games like Hide & Go Seek, blowing bubbles in the backyard, and eating a snack of grated cheese, cheese crackers, grapes, Teddy Grahams, and a "drink" of strawberry yogurt and red Kool-Aid with a few grapes and chocolate chips thrown in for some mysterious reason
read a lot of books and went to the library
took a nap (with the exception of Miss Pink, who never sleeps in the daytime unless she's sick)
did absolutely no housework
enjoyed every minute of our time together

*I'll let you figure out which of these activities were not my idea and which most definitely were!

Friday Fill-Ins #177

2010-05-21T07:29:00.000-07:00

Wow, I'm posting twice in the same calendar week! I really am planning to write more during the summer. We'll see how that works out, especially since I am the chauffeur who drives my children to their many social engagements during the summer. But I can't be any more worn down than I am now. It's definitely the end of the school year, and the students' behavior shows it. Ten more days!--wait, nine and a half (the last day is a half day.) Oh well, I still love teaching--but there's a REASON for that summer break.

I haven't done the Friday Fill-Ins in a while, so here we go...

1. My children's laughter never fails to make me smile.

2. I'm looking forward to sleeping in when school is out. (And by "sleeping in," I mean "later than 7:30 a.m.)

3. Guitar-heavy rock music from whatever show Justin's watching is what I'm listening to right now. No, wait, he changed the channel. He changes it every few seconds, like a typical man.

4. Potato salad must have yellow mustard in it!

5. The chopped beef BBQ sandwich I had for dinner was the best thing I ate today. (Very easy, too--I chopped up leftover pot roast, mixed it with BBQ sauce, heated it up, and put it on buns. Easy peasy.)

6. Today was challenging because I am dealing with parents who are questioning my decisions in correcting their children's misbehavior. Sixth grade parents are not like parents of high schoolers.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to putting a check in the bank (finally!), tomorrow my plans include going to a cookout with the other volunteers who help with the kids' ministry at our church, and Sunday, I want to see my extended family!

Talkety talk talk talk

2010-05-16T15:26:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad y'all haven't forgotten me even though I never update anymore. It's not totally true that I don't have time to update--I do keep up with the blogs in my reader, although some days the posts pile up--but rather, I don't seem to ever have the mental energy to put coherent words together, since all I do all day long is talk, talk, TALK and no one listens to me the first time. Like this: Me: "When you are done with your quiz--no, DO NOT get up to get your quiz and walk in front of me WHILE I AM STILL TALKING--turn it in to the plastic tray and read chapter 15." Student: "Where do we turn it in?" Me: "Into the tray." Another student, quiz in hand: "Where am I supposed to put this?" Student: "What chapter are we reading?" (This is also written on the board.) Me: facepalm.

Did I mention they have been doing THE SAME ROUTINE all year long? Sixth graders are spacy, y'all.

Anyway, I am not complaining. (Shut up, I'm not!) Or I wouldn't be if I got a full-time job. I've applied for several and haven't heard back from any of them yet. BUT all hope is not lost. Those interviews with the job fair? I got an average score of 5. Which sounds unimpressive--except that the scores were out of a total of 5. So both interview panels gave me a top score. That was a nice boost to my self-esteem. If I don't get a full-time position, it's not because I didn't do my best! The HR department will be sending the best scores to the principals, so maybe I'll get a nibble from that.

Also, the high school here in town has a job open. I am not one to be forward about self-promotion, but desperate times call for desperate measures, so I emailed the head of the department, whom I'd gotten to know while I was a long-term sub there, and she emailed back that I am definitely on her list. So. Now I wait.

I am not very good with the waiting. It's good that I am staying busy with teaching. I'm also looking forward to summer...but not looking forward to not making any money since Justin's company is still running out of money before we get paid again...sigh.

Where was I? Oh right...I was NOT complaining! Miss Pink just joined Girl Scouts last month, and she loves it. She went on her first campout this weekend. At first she was uncertain about going without me (there wasn't enough room for me, and frankly I was okay with that, because I am not a happy camper, or indeed a camper of any kind). Justin was kind of like, "YOU NEED TO GO," because he feels very strongly that the kids need to try new things and get outside their comfort zones so they won't be paralyzed by risk like the woman he is married to. And then I shot him a Warning Look because Miss Pink and I are enough alike that I know you can't force a uber-sensitive and imaginative child to stop having anxious feelings and JUST SUCK IT UP and GO ALREADY. Try that, and there WILL be tears. Many, many tears. Instead, I said something to Miss Pink like, "Well, honey, we aren't going to force you to go. But I bet it will be a lot of fun. You love the outdoors, and everything they are going to do." [Here I recapped all the things that were going to be So! Much! Fun! Which also included a Spa Day, and I found that hilarious. A Spa Day in the wilderness! THAT part I would have enjoyed.]

And Justin caught on, and slyly said, "And just think about it: how are you going to feel when all of the other girls come back saying what an awesome time they had, and you will be the only one who didn't go? Will you be sorry you didn't go if it turns out it was a great experience?"

Well, she dithered a while longer and I kept repeating, "We aren't going to force you to go, but we think you should try it." Finally she decided to go, and then she got really excited about it, and just like her first day of preschool and her first day of kindergarten, couldn't wait for me to leave so she could get on with having fun. And she did have a lot of fun. She wasn't homesick at all, discovered many bugs and a baby snake (whaaa?) and can't stop talking about the s'more she made.

Oh, and when we asked about the spa day? She said tactfully, "That wasn't my favorite part."

And this is where I tear up, thinking about my baby, my little girl, who has her own interests, her own plans, and her own experiences, which are gradually taking her farther and farther away from me. It's my job to encourage her to take those steps...but oh, how bittersweet it is to let her go.

Interviewing

2010-05-06T12:18:00.000-07:00

Even though I don't have the energy to post on my blog much lately, I do appreciate those of you who still check me out and even comment. When summer comes, I plan to do quite a bit of posting.

The latest news is that I attended a job fair today at a nearby school district. They're larger than the district I live in, and they have positions to fill, unlike many of the smaller districts who don't have the funds to hire more teachers. I had two interviews which will be reviewed by all the administrators who are looking for someone with my certification. The women from one of the high schools really seemed to connect with me; by the end of the interview they were asking me if I would be interested in teaching creative writing (answer: yes!) and telling me how many great things their school has to offer. So that was good.

The HR coordinator said there was a small chance a school might call us to come for a second interview on campus today, so to have a flexible schedule. Therefore, I didn't take a sub job this afternoon--but of course they haven't called. That's okay, because she said most administrators will want to finish the second day of interviews before making callbacks.

I'm still a little nervous, but I believe I did a good job. I'm glad I got a chance to interview because my personality and my passion for teaching come through so much better in person than on a resume.

Now here is a question for you (if enough of you read this before I have to decide). The interviewers were scoring us on a scale of 1 to 5 in various areas, with 5 being the highest score. Next week we are allowed to email the coordinator if we would like our scores. Should I find out? I mean, it won't make any difference if I find out or not--they'll either call me or they won't. I don't know if I want to know or not!

Friday Fill-Ins #173

2010-04-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

I haven't updated in a while because...well, I haven't actually been all that busy--in fact, I took two days off this week--but I just haven't had anything I felt was worth saying. But there comes a point when you just have to update, am I right?

We are all fine. Justin found another shop after the fire (did I already mention that he found another place? it's been two months, and it feels like two years, so I don't remember what I've written about it), and he still has plenty of work, so he is working hard (and late, some evenings) to get make the builders and our bank account happy. I'm proud of my hard-working husband.

I took the kids to the doctor last Friday for their well-child visits. Miss Pink is 48 pounds and 48 inches tall--around the 30th percentile. She is happy and healthy, with a gap-toothed grin from the teeth she's lost, and has just started reading chapter books on her own (I am so proud!) At the last conference with her teacher, she said Miss Pink is way ahead of their class goals in her schoolwork. She also loves school and I'm so glad for that.

Mr. Blue is 38 pounds and I forget how tall, but he's in the 60th percentile overall, which is surprising, because he looks just as slender as his sister to me. He's a monkey right now who does mischievous things and then tries to charm his way out of trouble, the little stinker. I love it when he says, "Mom, Mom, I have to tell you something, Mom," and then when I assure him I'm listening, he proceeds to tell me something totally random that he saw on TV or that another kid told him.

I'm getting tired, so I'm going to go ahead and do the Friday Fill-Ins, which I haven't been able to do in quite a while.

1. Where are my magical house-cleaning elves? I want some magical house-cleaning elves!

2. If wishes were horses then Miss Pink would definitely own a horse as she wants one SO bad!

3. I'd like to see my children and grandchildren have happy, fulfilling lives.

4. When I was a teen, I thought forty was old. As I get closer to it, I would like to revise that opinion!

5. One of my mother's favorite sayings was "You're the kind of girl guys want to marry." (She was right. I'm just glad I picked the right guy to marry.)

6. I'd have a hard time doing without my cell phone.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to seeing my aunt, my cousin, and my cousin's baby while they are in town, tomorrow my plans include scrapbooking, which I haven't done in two months and Sunday, I want to hang out with our friends while we practice a funny skit for a mother-daughter tea next month!

Macbeth 2: Return of Macbeth

2010-04-14T17:09:00.000-07:00

This was written as part of an assignment called "The 32-Second Macbeth" in which my Pre-AP sophomores acted out the shortest version of Macbeth ever. Then groups took an act of the play and tried to get it down to 32 seconds, using short, punchy lines to capture the main actions and speeches of the act.

One of my students asked if he could write a sequel to Macbeth. Since I wasn't taking a grade anyway (this activity, while still good for their summarizing skills, was a reward for all the tests and papers they've been doing) I said sure.

Tell me if you don't agree with my that this young man is AWESOME.

* * *

Witches: A twist of fate, to wake the late?
Rebirth! Macbeth and Duncan again walk the earth!

Macbeth: Man not born of woman has failed to end me? My kingship is writ in stone, then! Today's king must step down, this Obama! So foul and fair a day I've seen once before!

Lady Macbeth: Resex me! Macbeth, die, for causing my insanity! (Macbeth dies)

Obama: Good thing he has free health insurance...(dies)

Lady: By their murders, I am now queen!

Macduff: Gather, army, kill the wicked queen!

Obama's Ghost: I'm Obama's ghost! Socialism!

Lady: Insanity! A little water...will never help! Goodbye, lit world! Out brief candle! (dies)

Macduff: Duncan, recrowned! Oh wow! It's Gary Coleman!

Gary Coleman: What you talkin' 'bout, Macduff? I'm Gary Coleman from TV's "Diff'rent Strokes." Bye! (Macduff dies)

Witches: It seems that everything has ended up the same. Fate must be real!

Witch 1: I always knew Gary Coleman would have something to do with it!

Put Me In, Coach!

2010-04-13T07:34:00.000-07:00

I'm (finally) getting to update because I am through with my first long-term subbing job and I don't have anything to do during this teacher's conference period. I was always too busy during my conference period for the past seven weeks. It's hard to believe I was there for seven weeks, because the time just flew by. I honestly didn't expect to bond with the ninth graders as much as I did. While I was there, they became MY students and I got to know them so well that I was sad to leave them. Many of them told me they felt the same way; I got lots of hugs and compliments and a couple of notes that I will definitely keep, telling me that I am "awesome." Quite a few kids told me they wish I could be their teacher next year.

Believe me, I told them, I feel the same way. There is no way to know at this point what will happen. Our district is opening a new high school next year, so one would think it would be a great year to get hired. However, they have already hired the teachers for the new school (only 9th and 10th grades will start there next year) except for a couple of positions that they want to fill with coaches who also teach English. With half the students going to the new school, they may not need any replacements for the teachers who are going to the new campus. In this economy, everyone is keeping their jobs and hiring is tight in all the surrounding districts because budgets are being cut everywhere. I just have to wait and see--contracts went out recently, and eventually the administration will know which positions they need to fill.

Of course there will be a lot of competition for any jobs, but I feel good about my chances as long as there is a job to apply for. Subbing has given me an opportunity to get myself noticed, not just by the teachers I sub for, but by the heads of several English departments and the administrators who might be hiring me. Yesterday I happened to run into the head of the English department as I was leaving and said goodbye to her, and she told me (without me asking) that they would keep me in mind for a job. So that was good, because I had been feeling a little down about the future. I like to have my ducks in a row, and that just can't happen in this situation. (I know, welcome to Life 101.)

I don't just want a job next year just to have a job--although the money and the benefits are greatly needed. I remembered that I DO love to teach. And that's what makes it hard to go back to regular subbing. I got to teach for real again, and I want to go back to doing it, with all the frustrations and limitations involved. I want to know what I'm doing every day because I planned it (with the help of my fellow teachers, of course!) I want to BELONG in a school, not just visit. I want to see my students every day and know that I am making a difference with many of them. And I just need to remind myself that it IS going to happen. Maybe not on my timeline, but eventually all the good work I have been doing (which has not gone unnoticed) will pay off.

I feel like a player warming the bench dying to get in the game and show the coach what I've got. I know I can do a good job. But I need to wait my turn. Waiting and paying your dues can be tough, but I'm going to hang in there because at some point I know I will get my chance.

P.S. This was fun! Too bad I won't get to update at schools more often because they will take away internet access once they remember I am no longer long-term. I also MUST remember to post the short-short script written by one of my best (and funniest) sophomore students: Macbeth 2: Return of Macbeth.

Cherishing Simple Days and Friday Fill-Ins #170

2010-04-01T18:40:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is Good Friday, of course, and it is a school holiday for me and Miss Pink. Normally I would keep Mr. Blue home too, but he has an Easter egg hunt at school tomorrow, so we will sleep in (hopefully) and take him to school around 10:00. It's supposed to be raining, so the egg hunt may have to be indoors, which will be interesting with the small classrooms at the daycare. Then Mr. Blue can stay at school for a special lunch, complete with treats, while Miss Pink and I leave to grab a bite of lunch and take a load of kid clothes to the resale shop.

Just a simple day. Funny how much I cherish them now that such days are the exception rather than the norm. Don't get me wrong on either side: I am so thankful I got to stay home with my children for a number of years, AND I love working now. It's just that a little break from the routine--a day which used to BE the routine--feels like pure luxury now.

And now for some Friday Fill-Ins!

1. All you need is love. Seriously, you can handle anything if you have love.
2. The silliness of my husband and kids fills me with laughter.
3. Each generation, as it grows up, rejects the ideas of the generation which came before.
4.Apathy is something I have a hard time dealing with (not in me, in others!)
5. A trip to a beach is what I need.
6. Give to God and you get back.
7. And as for the weekend, Friday night I'm looking forward to watching American Idol, Saturday my plans include planning the menu for next week and making gumbo for dinner and Sunday, I want to hide Easter eggs at my mom's house for the kids to find!

Friday Fill-Ins #169

2010-03-26T19:19:00.000-07:00

1. "The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between the lightning and the lightning bug."--Mark Twain

2. Leave the bedroom when you wake up and shut the door quietly, please.

3. Up, up and away, in my beautiful balloon...

4. Probably at home is where you'll find me.

5. Ooh! What is that interesting-looking book I've been wanting to read?

6. Being organized is a good idea.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to getting a good night's sleep, tomorrow my plans include going to some friends' house to eat homemade chimichangas and Sunday, I want to celebrate Palm Sunday!

Spring Break and Teaching Updates and a Meditation on the Evolution of Romantic Love

2010-03-25T18:08:00.000-07:00

Hello, friends! Have you noticed I haven't blogged in weeks? Yeah, I'm sorry about that. Last week was Spring Break, and I was too busy a) helping my kids have an active social life and b) cleaning my house (which was FILTHY, let me tell you) to do any blogging. Oh yeah, I went to the dentist, too. I live an exciting life, for sure.

The week before that, I was in the middle of teaching, including grading eleventy million quizzes and entering them into the gradebook so the 3-week progress reports would accurately reflect the students' current progress. (Or, um, the lack thereof. One of my students currently has an average of 13. Thir-TEEN. It is not actually easy to have an average that low. It takes superior ignoring-the-teacher-and-wasting-time-in-class skills to get that grade.)

And THIS week has also been busy, but good. I made the decision (very wise, in retrospect) to start the week after Spring Break watching the first half of the movie(s) of Romeo and Juliet. The students were happy because A MOVIE! That we can watch instead of all this hard READING and WRITING and THINKING! And I was happy because they were mostly quiet and I got more grading done. Plus, it was an easy way to remind them of the plot since they had gone a week, I'm sure, without using the academic part of their brains at all.

We watched Acts I and II of the 1968 Franco Zefferelli version. You may be familiar with it. This is what the actors who play the young lovers looked like.

It was interesting to see how my 15-year-old students responded to a movie made 42 years ago of a 400-year-old play. I thought they wouldn't like the historical setting and costumes, but they mostly took it in stride. Also, they liked the lead characters. I have this theory that movies set in a particular period still bear traces of the decade in which the movie is made, and this one was no exception. Romeo has full-on Beatles bangs, and Juliet wears hers long and parted down the middle like a flower child. Interestingly, the actor who played Romeo looked a LOT like Zac Efron, especially with the hair. This, as you can imagine, caused some sighs and giggles among the girls in my classes. I realized that the actor, Leonard Whiting, is about my dad's age--60. These girls were oohing and aahing over a man old enough to be their grandfather. Ha!

We also watched the Capulet's party and the balcony scene in the 1996 version starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. I was surprised that so many of the kids didn't like it. They thought the modern setting was jarring combined with the Shakespearean language. "Mrs. Andrews, the old version is so much better!" many said. I have always liked the newer one, myself--I think it's a clever update and Leo was dreamy. (He's MY age, so at least I'm in the same ballpark as my eye candy!) I'm not allowed to show the whole movie, since it contains scenes with violence (in Shakespeare! Whodathunkit!) and drug use (not in the original text, but goes a long way toward explaining Mercutio's Queen Mab speech). I realized while we were watching the balcony scene--actually the swimming pool scene--that I first watched the movie at my bachelorette party. Almost thirteen years ago. And I felt old. Especially because my husband and I used to be like R & J in one way--our families weren't at war with each other or anything, but we could hardly bear to leave each other after a date. We'd say goodbye, kiss, and be unable to stop kissing for a while, stop and say we really should go our separate ways, think of something else to talk about, decide to really leave this time, kiss again...and repeat for a couple of hours.

Now? We watch TV until we're ready to crash, talk for a while in bed, give each other a quick kiss, and zonk out. Not exactly the stuff of deathless romance, but I'm willing to bet that if Romeo and Juliet had lived and had a couple of kids, they would be the exact same way.

However, I did go home and lay some smooches on my honey, for old times' sake. Even if he looks nothing like Leonardo DiCaprio or Zac Efron, he's still the only guy for me.

Friday Fill-Ins #167

2010-03-12T14:26:00.000-08:00

1. I am so looking forward to sleeping in next week during Spring Break!
2. We are going out to eat later.
3. When you get grumpy, count your blessings.
4. My family is a big part of my life.
5. If you need anything don't hesitate to ask me.
6. I wish I was going on a trip.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching American Idol with Miss Pink, tomorrow my plans include getting my hair cut (finally!) and Sunday, I want to hang out with my mom and dad because they were out of town last weekend.

I just feel so...wrong

2010-03-10T14:46:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I bought an article of clothing endorsed by Miley Cyrus.

ACK. I can hardly even admit it.

It's a T shirt emblazoned with the British flag and it was marked down to $3.00. And I haven't bought myself anything in so long. So I HAD to buy it, really.

There were several other London-themed shirts in Miley's "collection" at Wal-Mart. Why, I wonder? Because she's been there? Well, I HAVE BEEN TO ENGLAND TOO, MILEY (although not to sing to thousands of screaming fans). England doesn't belong to you! And I am going to wear my T shirt and not mind that my $3.00 helped you make your 150 million or whatever you end up making this year.

At least I didn't buy the one that looked like it had a black lace bustier on top of the T-shirt.

64 Questions I Got From Facebook

2010-03-06T09:51:00.000-08:00

Hey, everybody! It's been a busy week again--how would it not be with 170 students to teach, many papers to grade, and a standardized test to administer?--but I enjoyed it and am ready to go back next week. I really think I am going to miss being in the same school, knowing what I'm going to teach (because I planned it!) and being around "my" students--they are great kids.

Well, that's about all of an update I can manage right now. Here's a meme I got from Facebook and filled out the other day but never got around to posting. (The answers about "right now" were true then!)

1. First thing you wash in the shower?
My hair.

2. What does your favorite hoodie look like?
It's plain black--I need to get a more distinctive one, I guess.

3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?
Was it my husband or one of the kids? lol. Either way, yes!

4. Do you plan outfits?
Yes. Sometimes when I'm supposed to be paying attention to something else.

5. How are you feeling RIGHT now?
Mellow.

6. Whats the closest thing to you that's red?
Uno cards and a 9 volt battery (they're next to each other on the desk.)

7. Tell me about the last dream you remember having?
I honestly can't remember.

8. Did you meet anybody new today?
No. By now I've met all my students.

9. What are you craving right now?
The dinner on the stove: bean soup and hot rolls.

10. Do you floss?
Yes, but I skip every other night or so. Bad Ali!

11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage?
...Patch Kids.

12. Are you emotional?
HAHAHA. Have you MET me?

13. Have you ever counted to 1,000?
Yes. And also backwards, when I had frequent insomnia.

14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it?
Both. Mmmmmm.

15. Do you like your hair?
Yes. Some days more than others. Right now I will like it better when I get a haircut.

16. Do you like yourself?
Yeah, I'd say so. (It wasn't always the case.)

17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush?
Sure, if he was buying.

18. What are you listening to right now?
The music to Yo Gabba Gabba.

19. Are/were your parents strict?
Define strict...

20. Would you go sky diving?
It would be a cold day in Hades.

21. Do you like cottage cheese?
No! I hate the texture.

22. Have you ever met a celebrity?
Yes.

23. Do you rent movies often?
No, because Justin and I are too tired to stay up two more hours after the kids go to bed. We sometimes rent family movies or TiVo movies and watch them when we get time.

24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in?
I live with a seven-year-old girl. There is blue glitter nail polish and a rhinestone pin shaped like a treble clef an arms' length away, and many other examples nearby.

25. How many countries have you visited?
One: England.

26. Have you made a prank phone call?
Yeah, when I was a teenager. We used to call people late at night and tell them they were on the air to win a radio contest.

27. Ever been on a train?
Yes.

28. Brown or white eggs?
White.

29.Do you have a cell-phone?
And a cell phone bill.

30. Do you use chap stick?
My lips don't get chapped very often. I use my husband's Carmex when they do.

31. Do you own a gun?
Not personally, but my husband does.

32. Can you use chop sticks?
Sadly, no. I always intend to try but get too hungry when the food comes.

33. Who are you going to be with tonight?
My husband and kids. Later I am going to my book club with several friends.

34. Are you too forgiving?
I don't know what this means. As a Christian, I believe I am required to forgive "seventy times seven."

35. Ever been in love?
I am.

36. What is your best friend(s) doing tomorrow?
He is working and then we are going to King Tut, our favorite Egyptian restaurant.

37. Ever have cream puffs?
This past Sunday, they were served at a reception and I had my kids try them (they weren't too sure because of how the cream puffs looked) and then they loved them.

38. Last time you cried?
When someone told me they were praying for us after the shop burned down.

39. What was the last question you asked?
"Miss Pink, where are you?"

40. Favorite time of the year?
Fall.

41. Do you have any tattoos?
No.

42. Are you sarcastic?
No, of course not *said in a sarcastic voice.*

43. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect?
No. In fact, I have no idea what it is.

44. Ever walked into a wall?
Yes--I'm very clumsy.

45. Favorite color?
Green.

46. Where do you want to retire?
Wherever my family is.

47. Is your hair curly?
Not at all.

48. What was the last CD you bought?
I don't recall.

49. Do looks matter?
You have to be attracted to someone if you want to have a lasting relationship.

50. Could you ever forgive a cheater?
Maybe. If I really believed he was repentant and he proved he would do anything I asked to rebuild my trust. But it would take a long time.

51. Is your phone bill sky high?
I don't know; my husband pays it.

52. Do you like your life right now?
Yes, I love my family and I am having fun teaching.

53. Do you sleep with the TV on?
No; it's in the living room, so we turn it off before we go to bed.

54. Can you handle the truth?
I want to be told the truth, but break it to me gently.

55. Do you have good vision?
Yes.

56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people
I don't like the word hate, but I do dislike more than three people.

57. How often do you talk on the phone?
A couple of times a day. I don't like long phone conversations.

58. The last person you held hands with?
Miss Pink, when we were crossing the street across from her school.

59. What are you wearing?
A magenta knit dress and black footless tights.

60.What is your favorite animal?
As a pet, dogs; otherwise, horses.

61. Where was your profile picture taken at?
My living room. I need a new one; the walls aren't even that color anymore.

62: Can you hula hoop?
Not well at all.

63. Do you have a job?
I am a substitute teacher.

64. What was the most recent thing you bought?
Thank-you cards for people who blessed us with some money... and I hate that this is the last answer of this set of questions.

Back in the Saddle

2010-02-27T16:11:00.000-08:00

Wow, I made it through my first week as a long-term sub. It was an adjustment to start working for pay in September, because I had been a SAHM for seven years, but when I started subbing, I took a day or two off every week and caught up on housework and errands (and naps...but don't tell anyone). Then I stepped it up to working every day I possibly could (except the snow day and of course Presidents' Day) and that was another level of multitasking. Now I'm fulfilling all the responsibilities of a classroom teacher, all day every day, and it is a lot more work than regular subbing. I am busy every minute of the day except lunch, because I use any minute of down time to grade papers, plan the next lesson, record grades, provide make-up work, answer emails people who want me to do things I have no idea how to do, go to meetings, etc. The learning curve is steep, but the good thing is that I do enjoy doing this. You would think that would be a given, but I honestly wasn't sure I would like teaching again because I had a hard time when I taught eighth grade. Now I am having more fun with the students. I still don't like having to be the Mean Teacher (some students weren't too happy when they got bad grades on homework they had neglected to do and/or did a bad job on) but I am determined to get a thicker skin and make this my profession for life.

Today was Mr. Blue's birthday party. I can hardly believe my baby boy is four years old! I don't have the pictures on the computer yet--maybe I'll get to that before Monday.

Or then again, maybe I'll just fall asleep on the couch like I did three nights this week.