Emotions of the Day

Wednesday, January 31, 2007 1 comment

Happy: Today it snowed, it was hard to capture with the digital at school, but it was fun to watch those fat flakes (or as someone told me-big boned for the politically correct weather men out there) hit the ground....and melt....this is a small slice of the playground outside my school (the field), look closely, and use your imagination.
Sad: OK, did anybody else cry about the man with his petition on American Idol? So sweet.
Stingy: I went to the dermatologist and she dug in my skin, it stings.....
Proud: Went to the gym tonight, I tried to talk myself out of it in about ten different ways, but I went anyways.....I sure am tired of the gym.
Hungry: I forgot I bought a kitkat a few weeks ago, I seem to be addicted to the little buggers, I go through candy phases
Inspired: Speaking of candy, the other day at the grocery store, while I was waiting in line and straigtening their candy rows out, I thought....you know, if I worked at a store, I'd definitely want to be in charge of the candy, they are so bright and colorful, and so neatly packaged in small little uniform bundles....a little bit different from trying to sort through the lives of my students and their educational challenges, or rather the social issues that interfere with their education and create challenges....ahhh, 12 year olds....
Addicted: I'm searching for a 12-step program to enable me to stop watching the Africa Cam so much, today I saw an elephant, a giraffe, deer, and a monkey baby and it's monkey mama ....but then I thought....I think I want to set up a Puppy Cam at my house and see what the dogs do at home all day while I'm away.....today Max took an 8 pack of bottled DPs my Mom had in the utility room and brought the entire box and the bottles into the living room, then tore open the box and played with the bottles, can you imagine how said the trip to the animal shelther would have been this evening had he actually destroyed the contents of those bottles, or can you invision my reaction sitting at work watching the camera and not being able to do anything about it?

Photo Journalism....

Sunday, January 28, 2007 1 comment

This post is under the heading "Careers, Christy should probably stay away from." I figured I'd post a little something this weekend, and it might be fun to attach a photo, so...considering all the exciting things I did this week ::laughs hsyterically::....I tried to decide which of the adventures I should photograph, and then I spent the evening chasing my photo choices around the house. I guess I finally tired them out and they decided to sit still. You should have seen all the photos I took with them in action (I think photographers spend less time and energy photographing weddings). So, one of the adventures this weekend was a new collar for Max. I got Lilly one awhile ago b/c her's faded swiftly (brown with pink polka dots), but I started feeling guilty, thinking-Max would know (and care very deeply) that he didn't have a new, pretty collar, so I found him one this weekend that looks like a man's tie (diagonal blue and green stripes)....it was that or one with bones etc....and I wanted them to both feel like they had on classy designer collars (apparently there isn't a great demand for designer collars b/c the pickings were slim), maybe in the summer months they will want something a little more playful and 'dog like.' But for now, aren't they lovely? Other than the new collar adventure (that turned into a new collar, new ball adventures b/c I just couldn't resist getting another ball for Max because he loves them sooooo much (so much that I didn't even 'stage' this picture)) I also taught Saturday school (notice I didn't attempt to photograph that happy memory) and headed out to eat lunch at Jason's. He grilled out for all of us, which was nice. I also tried two of my Supper Super meals, which have turned out very good.....and thus completes another weekend. I could add all the errands, gym visits and TV episodes I caught.....but I can't give away all my weekend secrets....my guest room would never be empty again if you new all the fun had in Mi Casa (ha).

Bumper Cars

Thursday, January 25, 2007 1 comment
Just a little story that triggered a silly memory...this morning I got rear-ended! Initially, it made me freak because the ladies car carried my car forward so far I'm surprised it wasn't a chain reaction. There is a road that has work being done that goes from 3 to 2 lanes, so the line waiting at the RED light was really long in front of me (at least 20 cars) AND behind me (probaby another ten). She was watching the light and just hit the gas when the light went green....I'm sure her morning was much worse than mine, I would have hated to be on her end of it. All I can say is that-the TrailBlazer is a pretty sturdy suv.....I have a headache, but my car just has a little scratch....or what I like to describe as "character" (that's what people who want to save their insurance for a rainy day call it-it's not much of anything, you'd have to get out your microscope and high beams, and maybe a little imagination to see it-but hello, this story would not be interesting at all if I said there was 'no damage')....anyway-by the time we pulled over (which took awhile-because we had to wait for the 20 cars in front of us to move, and unlike HER, it took them awhile to pull out of the stand still position) I was able to be very nice....but it took so much out of me and I was so shaken up-I was so determined I was going to be in a bad mood today at work (Do you ever feel that way-determined to be tense?)....and I arrived 2 minutes before I needed to be there....and forgot about my mood....and the rest of the day went well. It reminded me of when I was little and my Mom and I would argue over something at night and I would go to bed upset and have all these glorious plans of the silent treatment I planned to administer (looking back, she would have probably thought she was on vacation if I had really gone through with that one)....but then halfway through the next day I'd remember I was supposed to be mad at her! I would be so upset that I ruined a perfectly good pouting point I had planned to make.....and so one time I even wrote a note to myself and put it under my pillow "Remember to be mad at Mom tomorrow." Of course, I didn't remember there was a note under my pillow.....at some point I grew up, went forward at church, realized where anger didn't get me, but how silly to look back and remember....and cringe....oh the stories we could all tell, if we were willing ;o)

"Super" Fun

Tuesday, January 23, 2007 4 comments
I know a few of you have had a similar experience, but for those of you that haven't...
This evening I met up with a group of gals from work and we went to Super Suppers. The concept is basically, by the end of the evening you have 12 meals (two of 6 different of your choice-there is a pretty extensive menu, and a lot of choices-each serves 3, or you can put six meals together that serve 6 people each). The menu changes each month, and we had so much fun-we all want to go back every month. Even though another gal and I split the meals up (and the cost)-it's hard to imagine-SIX homecooked meals this month? A record-who will be getting the toy the McD drive-thru usually places in my happy meal bag if I eat at home? You bring each meal home and freeze it, all the aluminum pans and ziplock bags, and instructions are provided-it was very organized, and I envied their organizational skills (it's also Weight Watcher approved because of the portion control and provided nutritional info)! They provided some really fabulous snacks and drinks, and they did all the chopping and dicing before we got there, we just traveled from station to station putting it all together with their easy to follow instructions-it was pretty fool proof. Nicole, I think this might be the solution to our domestic delima! I don't know when I'll actually cook my first meal-I'm thinking this weekend, but I've got some pretty fabulous choices to choose from. I know they are a national chain (http://www.supersuppers.com), and they have couples nights, drop-in nights, girl's night etc, or you can pull your own party of friends, church groups etc together. I'll give you the final verdict when I taste the food :O).

Feeding the Fans....

Sunday, January 21, 2007 No comments
OK, there isn't THAT much going on, but I feel required to blog at LEAST once a week (I think you might get a double dose this week) because if I don't, then people stop visiting....and I can't afford to lose anyone....after harrassing Kelly for not reading, now she claims there is nothing to read when she tries to visit. Let me think....this weekend:
1. I taught my first (in a long series) of "Saturday Schools"....kinda seems like a lesson on antonyms.....those two little words together....
2. I met up with a bunch of gals from my 'old school'.....the usual three amigos, and we let a few more come....it was interesting to revisit old times, and every once in awhile I do miss it, but the drive would probably prevent me from going back anytime soon (along with about a 1000 other reasons.....though I should now define 'soon')
3. I finished a scrapbook this weekend I've been working on for about 6 months, and planned on starting and finishing this summer-it was my "Hawaii" album....I now need to do 2006-the only little snag there is-I need to buy a LOT more pages because I took a million pictures with the new digital camera.
Things I did not do:
1. Return phone calls, I really am very sorry, usually I call in the car (You know me and my cell phone activity plan, right Nicole?) I have not returned calls, I've been listening to a book on CD and am trying to 'finish' it before the due date, but plan to set it aside regardless b/c I think the list of people I owe a call to is longer than the number of people in the white pages.
2. I have two books I'm currently working on reading.....I'm ALMOST done....I don't know why reading a book feels like an accomplishment, but I think I'm going to start putting it on a 'to do' list so I feel even more satisfied when I'm able to check it off the list. AND NOW ::moving furniture aside to set up my soap box:: or ::finding a nice couch to lie on while I pretend a counselor listens as I reveal the soul searching I'm currently doing:: I've really been into Max Lucado books lately and am currently reading "In the Grip of Grace"...it's been a great read, the chapters are short, it's easy to dedicate time to read a chapter a day. One thing that seems to be the topic a lot EVERYWHERE I go is 'grace' and I just read a paragraph that I loved (though I've enjoyed the entire book). Let me set the scene before I plagiarize the paragraph: The topic is a struggle I definitely deal with, we are either taken away from where we know we should be through sin, or we sink into guilt (instead of focusing on the gift of grace we have been given) because we feel like we are always having to ask for things-including forgiveness and it's feels as if we can never be 'good enough.' The world tells Christians they aren't good enough, people seem to think Christians think they don't sin....I definitely sin, if I didn't sin, I doubt I would have ever realized I needed a Savior-I hope that people can tell I'm a Christian just through my actions, but my actions-good or bad don't determind my salvation, though sin can definitely effect the quality of my life as a Christian. (Chapter 14 The Civil War of the Soul) "...who told you that you deserved forgiveness the first time? When you came to Christ did He know every sin you'd committed up until that point? Yes. Did Christ know every sin you would commit in the future? Yes, he knew that too. So Jesus saved you, knowing all the sins you would ever commit until the end of your life? Yes. You mean He is willing to call you His child even though He knows each and every mistake of your past and future? Yes."

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Wednesday, January 17, 2007 No comments
Usually I'm not a huge fan of the snow day b/c we just have to make them up on scheduled vacation days....but today, I'm loving it! Of course, the newsmen were totally off on their weather reports, as of the 10 o'clock yesterday we were going to have a couple of 'snow flurries,' but nothing that would stick! I woke up this morning to ice! Apparently it swept in about 5, so they didn't make the closing decisions until about 7 (at least 15 minutes after I should have left), BUT for some reason it was exactly what I needed today, maybe I was just so tired of hearing about the 'possibility' of it on the news, I wanted to actually see some snow! The temperature is still below freezing, but a lot of the ice has melted, and the streets are pretty much just wet with patchesof ice, it was a nice little gift to wake up to, I got up, and then went back to bed and slept until noon.

MaryAnne's Wedding

Sunday, January 14, 2007 No comments

All right, here are the details.....what an unusual evening I had yesterday....
I arrived at the wedding an hour and a half early (as promised) and decorated the church, get this-I forgot my camera!! I know, if that doesn't throw you into shock, I don't know what will, but I've got some connections, and I think I can get some photos, (but my connection is the mother of the bride, the busiest Mom on the face of the earth, so it may be awhile, unless the photographer puts them on-line). Everything ran smoothly, the church was beautiful, but very, very cold, it has enormously high ceilings, and it's old, it's one of those beautiful Catholic churches people walk into just to look at filled with beautiful statues and the stations of the cross etc. The only hitch was that quite a few people didn't show b/c of the weather, all night on the news they were saying ice, ice, and more ice, the worst storm in years, power lines and tree limbs would be down everywhere, so I could see that, but regardless of those warnings, I would say there was well over 150 people there, but some significant vacancies (Mary's family in OK etc). In addition, there was some Dallas choir that had to cancel (the reason she chose this date-because they would be back to school and able to sing for her, she had been a member in college), but, luckily the 'singers' who had performed 4 o'clock mass were happy to stay and sing (and who wouldn't, a guy from the Vatican was performing the ceremony). Anyway, 7 bridesmaids, two flower girls, and two ring b's made it down the aisle without a hitch, a gorgeous bride, and a happy groom went through the the traditions and are married. The guy from the Vatican was very interesting, he mentioned having children a lot more than I've heard anyway else, sang a lot of things and there were a million things that I didn't understand. I've been to a lot of Catholic wedding masses (all but one of the ones I have been in were Catholic, but I've always been walked through the program, so this one was more difficult for me to understand). They didn't kiss, which was different from any other service I've been to (though they did at the reception), she also left a gift for the Virgin Mary at her statue (which I haven't seen before)-Ave Maria was sung during this time, which I did know, communion was taken by those Catholics in attendance (which was most of the guest). It was the most Catholic, Catholic thing I think I've ever been too, and it took 90 minutes. Afterwards we headed over to the reception, all the details were great, the food was really, really good and the cake was to die for. The dances she chose were soooo cute, and it was a completely full dance floor up to and probably after the time I headed home. The favors were so cute, and I can take a picture of that just so you won't feel totally out of the wedding loop. The next wedding (I think) is March....I love weddings!

Hitting the Highlights....

Saturday, January 13, 2007 1 comment
1. This week I learned (while reading a really fun book with a reading group) that wolf pack leaders go out, eat 25 pounds of meat (which is equal to eating 60-70 burgers), come back to their den and the puppies lick their bellies, make them throw up, and then eat it.....this was a HUGE hit and all the kids that weren't in the reading group have been borrowing the book now to read on their own, there is nothing like a little vomit to motivate a 12 year old to read more :O).
2. Another fun fact of the week, the following is a LIVE webcam in Africa, it's on 24 hours a day, and I'm addicted to it, give it some time, it's light about 11 pm (central time) until 11 am, it has night visions, and scrolls around to sometimes see animals visiting this watering hole, don't give up until you see animals (which were really there at dusk), you will love it too. I've seen zebras, an elephant and it's baby, all sorts of 'other' animals that look like buffalo and deer (antelope?) with twisted horns and something that looked like a lion (I haven't visited the zoo lately, to brush up on the official names, and we just started the Africa unit in school). http://live.wildlife.wavelit.net/451OK If you visit (and you should) plan on just keeping it on your screen for a few days and I promise it is so worth your time, this also has made my desk at work a very busy hub, I can't get my students to stay in their seats when they know I have it up.
3. It's CHILLY! It has been raining so hard, we are having flash flood warnings and ice watches (such an interesting mix). So far, because the rain has been soooo heavy, it's pushing warm air down, so it's been about 33, just warm enough not to freeze, but it's supposed to finally give up it's fight, and continue and turn into sleet over the next two days, I'm praying it holds out a little longer, my friend's daughter (MaryAnne) is getting married this evening, Mary's entire family is in Oklahoma (which has two plus inches of ice and been declared a state of emergency) and so I think just one or two of the 12 brothers and sisters (plus family), and no grandparents made it down before it hit yesterday morning (before predicted), her dad was supposed to fly in yesterday afternoon from a class, and had to drive instead and was running from the storm in Lubbock, and has hopefully made it, it was crazy, but in the end, so far, it's best case scenario in a crazy situation, just lots of rain, and the wedding is only four hours off so maybe it'll all be 'over with' before and if the worst of it gets here, she definitely has a 'beat all' wedding story. After this, I hope it all freezes over and all the kids that used to be me and the crew from the circle can get out those trash can lids and slide down the driveways.

Did anyone see the Cowboy game?

Saturday, January 06, 2007 No comments
I just spent my evening watching 'it.' It....hurt.....so....bad...

Babies, Bows and Bread

Friday, January 05, 2007 1 comment

Between watching episodes of the Dog Whisperer with Max and Lilly, I've been busy during my last week of vacation. (For those of you who have watched the D.W. it says at the beginning of the show not to try the techniques at home, but I bypass the warning, and some of the things really seem to work....much to Lilly and Max's dismay because a new leader of the pack seems to be emerging-me!). Mid-Week I got to visit with Carrilee and Henry who are in town for the holidays, what a happy baby! He's nine months and growing, walking, kissing, smiling, and playing. I think I'm in the presense of a future sports star for sure when I'm around Henry. Holly and I went for cheesecake again today, (New Year's Resolutions don't necessarily EXCLUDE cheesecake, imagine all the dairy present in those little slices.), and yesterday I baked bread.....I didn't even use a bread machine. Each week there is a section in the paper called "Taste" and I am constantly cutting out little ideas I'd like to try....but never do....and this week it was homemade sandwich bread. It took two attempts (those of you who have baked with me, or spoken with me soon after I baked will not be surprised and can probably fill in the blanks to envision the disaster that happened in my kitchen between the first attempt and second success), BUT it was well worth the effort, the recipe was fabulous, and the bread was delicious. I even took a photos (aren't blogs more interesting with pictures?). Scratch the screen and see if you can catch a little whiff of the bread baking smell b/c that's half the fun.....and to end this week I've been helping my friend Mary out with her daughter's wedding (next week). I made pew bows until we ran out of ribbons yesterday (19 and counting on the pew bows), and am about to head back over to make more bows, decorate bird cages, flower girl baskets and other things that pop up along the way. As for my to do list (this one's for you Carrilee), I did finally get my hair trimmed, but other than that, the list is collecting dust....but I think that's the sign of a great vacation.....there's enough time to get that stuff done 'tomorrow.'

Lunch with Monica and Elaine

Tuesday, January 02, 2007 2 comments

My Mom and I met old neighbors for lunch today (Monica was one year younger for any of my childhood friends who are trying to place a face). Elaine was in town from Houston visiting Monica in Fort Worth. Monica and her husband, Matt are expecting their first baby in July, and Elaine will have her 11th grandbaby with the newest member to their ever expanding family for anyone that is keeping count from the my old 'hood.'

Happy New Year 2007!

Monday, January 01, 2007 2 comments
Last night things got a little wild ;o) at my house for the New Year's Eve celebration. Brian brought over his WII Sports game and I discovered Holly has a little bit of her brother's in her as she boxed her way to a win. She got into it, hands, feet, and a few frustrated things flying out of that mouth....I took video, but I've promised not to share it with anyone that wasn't present (I've weighed the odds and I figured she's got enough on me, it's not worth it). I wish I could blog the laughter that went along with playing the games. After the 'exercise' and dinner, we ended the evening with Apples to Apples and Skipbo-a few family favorites and a white grapefruit toast (all the Baptist were present and accounted for).