Coma

I don't have any photo evidence, partly because I was chowing down so quickly, I couldn't trouble myself to get the camera......

CANDIED BACON

Try it...you will have zero regrets.

Great Date Experiment # 1

The Great Date Experiment # 1

We started out at King Fish on the river.  We had a great (inside) view.  HH knows I hate bugs, and pretty much all eating alfresco, with the exception of the months of April and September (when the bugs seem to not be out).  We always have good discussions, but I really enjoyed the questions that we asked each other from the experiment.  Our date ended after this because of the pain in my right hip.

Part of the date was to split up in a store, and buy each other gifts.  You had to explain why you bought the gifts.  HH got a gigantic bubble wand and Scrabble Slam Card Game.  I got a card, Milano Mint Cookies, and a Junior Superstar Microphone.  :)

We ended our date at the Comfy Cow.  HH is holding onto our order sign, waiting for our sundae that we split.  We ran out of steam long before we ran out of sundae.

Ending our date in true married folk fashion....we went grocery shopping for the work week.

Glad For Another Day of Rest!

HH and I partially completed our Great Date Experiment #1.  My back started hurting (pain in the right side by my hip), and we had to end the date early.  We are going to finish the date up tomorrow evening, then I will give you guys a full recap.

Today we had a church picnic after services, and I brought Pineapple Coleslaw.  I did add colored marshmallows, because it looked so bland.  I don't think the marshmallows hurt the dish, but they really didn't add to it either.  My mom suggested adding cherries next time for flavor and color.  My dish was about half consumed, but it really didn't have a lot of visual appeal.  My mom, dad, and family friend tried it later and all liked it.  This was my first time making any type of coleslaw.  I am certainly a fan of juicy coleslaws though.  I won't order it as a side dish if they tell me it is a drier version in a restaurant.

I watched three movies last night while HH was in NC.  (His spiritual mentor passed away, and he is at the memorial services.)

I am in the process of figuring out how to resurrect my IPOD.  I lost all my music when my laptop was stolen last summer.  We now own a trusty external hard drive so that won't happen again.  For the longest time, I just listened to my jams that I had on the IPOD, but now I need some new music and playlists to pump through its veins.  I found out about a program called CopyTrans, which can put all the music back.  I am part way through the process, but have somehow gotten the wrong authorization code.  I have already received one email back from customer service.  My mind is racing with all the new playlist possibilities.  :)

We had a birthday party for my nephew today (my sister's stepson).  He turned six years old.  His father didn't attend the party.  My BIL has not done anything with our family since Christmas.  My parents have done nothing but go out of their way for him, and this breaks my heart.  The excuse today was that he sprung his ankle, and it was all black and blue.  Heck today wasn't about appeasing my parents, but it was your own kid's BIRTHDAY dude.....really? 

I've come to a realization of one of the reasons I like skirts so much now.....I really don't like anything touching my thighs.  If it is in the remote bit realm of fitting, I feel like it is too tight.  (Keep in mind the plastic surgeon said he could get three pounds of excess skin off of EACH thigh....so this area is a big mental as well as physical hurdle to me.)  I recently discovered gaucho pants, and love those.  I bought a brown and black pair (they go right to my knees).  Please note the body pictured below is NOT mine!  Ha Ha!

After everyone left the party, my mom and I worked on the memory album for a teacher I work with.  She has looped with her kids, teaching them both fourth and fifth grade, so we made her a special album.  Reading what these kids wrote about her was amazing....many things made me cry.  She is an amazing teacher, and I know their lives have forever been changed by having her as a teacher.

Things I Will Cook (Hopefully Sooner than Later)

 Baked Potato Dip

S'Mores Pie

South Asian Fusion Dip

Barbeque Pepper Jack Chicken

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Sweet and Crunchy Popcorn (Fun to take to a gathering with lots of kiddos.)

I hope these make your mouth water! 

Quote

"There are two ways to pass a hurdle: leaping over or plowing through.  There needs to be a monster truck option." - Jeph Jacques

Holiday World Field Trip

HH put air in our tires, then decided to have a little fun with the remaining air!

HH was at the top of the Voyage in this picture.

Pictures with a few of my students.

HH was the trooper that rode every single ride with the kids.  I only did a few rides because of my back. 

Wednesday's Guest Speaker....

Sharing with Students At a Local Elementary School

Video

Author Visit

The fourth and fifth graders got to stay after the morning meeting for an extended time with Ms. Murray.  My kids asked some dynamite questions.  One of my favorites was, "How many degrees do you have?"  I loved this.  My kids know it is not enough to have just one degree.  Another student asked if she was still homeless, what empathy! 

She will be coming back to our school in the fall, and bringing a group of people looking to start a school in New York.

He Is The Happiest Man In the Whole USA

HH sings this song to me....changing woman to man! :)

3.5 Hours.....

I was at the hematologist's office for 3.5 hours from beginning to end.  I had labs drawn (nine tubes), waited a long time, filled out paperwork, then spent about 25 minutes with the doctor.  I sometimes have a tendency to downplay how I feel towards doctors, but I decided that today was not going to be that day.  I told the doctor how tired I feel all the time.  I told her how my teaching style had changed, because sometimes it is hard for me to make it through the day.  Then I told her about how my husband does almost everything at home (chore wise), because I am so tired.  I said I feel like I am seventy and I am thirty.  I want RELIEF.  NOW.

She said that I was anemic, and that my red blood cells were pale.  She ordered extra labs in addition to the standard ones that she ran for me.  So here is my GREAT NEWS: Iron Infusions starting next week!!!!  Wooo Hooo!!!  I know this is going to be a big kick start in the right direction.  I will have a total of eight, and will check back in with her after my third one.  Oh Happy Day!

Hat tip to the reader who told me about the Vonifer infusion...that is the type that my doctor ordered for me.  I appreciate knowing what the Cadillac version of iron transfusions is going in, heaven knows I don't need any Pintos!

For those who are researching WLS, and have found my blog....I am three years and 2 months post-op.  Many people who are as far out as myself have to have iron infusions at some point.  I knew this prior to choosing my surgery.  There are things you will have to watch more with the DS than other surgeries, but with how much weight I needed to lose, this surgery was hands down the best choice for me.

The Great Date Experiment

The Great Date Experiment

HH doesn't know it yet, but we are going to have a blast doing these dates!!! :)

First Date: Friday Night!

Kindness

I found an acquaintance on Facebook tonight.  We primarily associated with one another in middle school, although we went to the same high school.  I was a pretty awkward middle schooler (then again, who wasn't?), and I remember this girl Cheryl would reach out to me.  She was pretty popular, and while we never became good friends, she would always acknowledge me when I was around.  It is amazing that so many years later, I can still remember this, and that it had such a profound impact.  Cheryl refused to see me as invisible, as many popular people do to those they feel are beneath them.

On a somewhat related note, there is a boy in my class who has been out for five days in a row.  He has some pretty big emotional issues that I'll leave at that to protect privacy, etc.  Not one of my kids has noted his absence....NOT ONE.  I have two other kids who are pretty chronic with absences (like 40 days this school year), and someone will almost always say.....He always misses on Mondays.  They notice....they say something.  I know this student is a loner, but could things really be that bad for him each day, that no one has felt the need to bring up his absence?

We had field day today, and the kids had a really good time.  We had a big "Think Tank" meeting afterschool for two hours.  While I don't like staying that late, especially in the there is a million things to do before the end of the year phase, I feel privileged to be a part of a school that is so forward thinking.  Not only does our principal push our thinking, we give wings to ideas.  One of the hardest things I had to repeatedly tell my student teachers this year was, "Most likely these things won't be going on at the school you get hired at."  I wasn't trying to be negative to them, but I wanted to give them a real picture of what was out there.  Since I came from a specialist role back to the classroom, I've been in a ton of schools in our district and state, and can say I feel like I speak with some experience in this regard.

I bought my graduation dress tonight!  I also bought three other skirts.  I love skirts.  Look for some pictures on the blog soon.

The Swagger Wagon

I Can't Get This Out of My Head....From HH

Celebrating 34 Years...

My fabulous parents!!! 

 (My mom has a bandaid on her nose because she had some skin cancer removed off of it.)

Celebrating 10 months minus one day!  HH and I!!!

Field Trip Pictures

We went to tour a local middle school, and then on to give the kids an official college tour.  We stopped by the School of Education because two of my students (and my former student teacher) are pictured in a larger than life poster on the side of the building!  Sweet!  The kids enjoyed the tour, and asked some pretty good questions.  My kids were a little off behavior wise from what I expect, but after talking with two of the other 5th grade teachers (who are good at discipline), they said their kids were too.  We are in the final days, and there is only so much you can do.  The biggest hit of the tour was the huge "library robot."  The kids are always fascinated by that.

What's Been Going On...Around Here....

HH and I had a night IN last night, and it was heavenly!!!  We watched Faith of Our Fathers.  I knew that John McCain had served in Vietnam and was a POW.  What I did not know was the length he was a POW....5.5 years.  I can't even fathom what that situation would be like for one day, let alone that long.  It really gave me a much deeper respect (although I already had a good bit) for him. 

Today we went to teach GED classes.  We have one more, then will take a break from them until August.  Afterwards, we went to see my grandmother for about an hour and a half.  I have to tell you about how I feel about my Gran time.  It is my time.  I don't like "sharing" time with her with others.  I am cool with family events, but when I go to her house, I just want it to be our time.  Even when I was in middle school, I would get bummed when my aunt would come over when my mom and I would be visiting.  It was not that I didn't like my aunt, I just wanted one on one time with my Gran.  Fast forward many years later, and I still hold to the same opinion.  Luckily today it was jus HH and I visiting.

We left my Gran's house to go have dinner with our friends Doug and Margaret.  They are members of a church that is interested in HH as a pastor.  We really love spending time with these people.  At the various churches we have visited, no one has treated us rudely, but these people have been so gracious to us.  I have been looking forward to spending time with them for weeks.  We made plans to get together next month.  I love having people in our life that we walk away truly feeling blessed to have been with.  I feel so refreshed from our visit.

My parents celebrated their 34 anniversary today!  Woot!  Woot!

Rockin The Science Fair!

HH rocked the Science Fair demonstration in our room.  He was amazing!  The kids loved his demonstration.  He could make watching paint dry interesting.  HH has been to EVERY SINGLE NIGHT event we have had at our school this year. 

One of my parents didn't recognize me.  I've seen them several times, but I did have pretty blonde hair the last time they saw me.

Tomorrow is our second of three field trips.  Just keep swimming!  :)

Back At It!

We had yesterday off for primary voting.  I used the morning to go vote, and go to the dentist.  I got to come back and take a nap.  Then, I met my friend Kristen for a farewell lunch.  She is moving to Dallas, Texas.  We have been friends for eight years.  I will really miss this girl.

Last night, HH and I watched the Lifetime movie "Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story."  I am showing this to my students (with a few short clips edited out), because she will be at our school next Wednesday! 

HH will perform his first wedding at the end of July.  I am so excited.  He is meeting with the couple soon to set up the details. 

I go to a specialist next Tuesday for low iron, and it isn' a moment too soon.  I feel like a truck hit me almost all the time.  I am hoping to get an iron transfusion.

New Recipe I'm Trying Soon

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

Weekend Cuteness

This past Saturday was baby Kate's 1st birthday party.  We had a great time.  My niece Mallory had never been to a birthday party that wasn't for her (she is three), so she had a hard time realizing that everything there wasn't for her.  Love her heart!

HH played with our cousin Jackson until he was exhausted.  I'm sure my cousin Angie was thankful for that on her long drive home.

Here is a quick picure of the Easy Oreo Truffles I am taking to the baby shower today.  If I have time, I will snap a picture of the crab dip too.  I went for originality instead of trying to have each truffle look the same.  That was going to be WAY too much work on my part.  HH helped me get them prepared.

I saw several glimpses of why I love my husband yesterday: 
* At church, I notice a man from our Sunday School class sitting in the lobby and he looks like he is very upset or in great pain.  I lean over to tell HH about it, and he leaves the worship service to go sit with him and talk.
* A woman from our Sunday School class shares an experience that she had, and HH talks with her to give her encouragement before he leaves.  She had a big smile on her face.
* We gave some friends of ours money because of how tight their finances have been with medical bills, and HH was flawless about slipping the money to the husband without him having to check his dignity at the door.
* He did the wash, helped make the Oreo Truffles, and went to the grocery store.

Childhood Obesity Task Force Action Plan

One Nation Overweight

One Nation Overweight: CNBC Tuesday @ 10

It Bugs Me, Yet I Know It Shouldn't....

There is a guy I used to be pretty decent friends with.  We hung out a good bit of time.  We had tons of mutual friends.  Life happens, people drift in and out of our lives.  Enter Facebook.  I've reconnected with tons of people, and I love it.  I reconnected with a bunch of our mutual friends.  I have asked this guy 8-10 times to friend me, and have never been accepted.  I know that he uses Facebook regularly because he comments on our mutual friends pictures and status updates.

Yesterday morning, after telling HH about this, I decide to send him a message on Facebook.  It was very short.  I just asked if I had done something to wrong him, and if there was a specific reason why he would not be my friend on Facebook.  I said that I thought we were pretty decent friends by the amount of time we hung out for two years together.  Then I ended the letter.

I know I am opening up a can of worms, and that there is a good chance that I won't get a response, but I really would like to know.  The only possible thing that could be holding this back would be if my old roommate had said something negative about me, but I really don't see that happening.  We didn't end our time together on bad terms.

Hanging With the Fam...

HH and I had a great time at date night cooking class with my brother and SIL.  We made seared duck, and an awesome salad.  I will post the salad recipe on here later.  Afterwards, we went over to Starbucks and talked for an hour.  This time was special to me because I don't often get to hang out with my brother.  He works about 60 hours a week, and then tries to spend time with his wife and daughter. 

I am helping put on a baby shower on Monday after work.  Here is what I am bringing:

Crab-Stuffed Celery

Easy Oreo Truffles

Sherbert Punch

Show Us Your Life: Favorite Children's Books

Check out Kelly's Corner to see what other people listed as their favorite books!  I am doing all children's books today!  I love some great children's literature.  My classroom library is at over 5,000 books!

Friday

Tonight, HH and I are going to a date night cooking class with my brother and sister in law.  I am going to try to get another mound of paperwork done at work today.  (Of course along with teaching my rock star little darlings!)

I wish there were more to report, but that is all folks!

Finding Balance

HH and I are talking about balance.  Just a few months ago, I was really upset telling him how I don't feel like I belong at our church, and how I wanted to make some friends.  I'm slow at making friends, and I've never been a hang out in a big group kinda gal.  I like small groups, or just an individual couple to hang out with.  HH went to work and started arranging time for us to spend with others.

I know that we need time with other couples, time alone, and time together.  I don't want us to spend so much time with others that we are not getting enough alone time.  I suggested to HH that maybe we just take some time off this summer.  With how "go go" things have been, the nights that I have been able to stay at home with HH, I have really started to cherish more and more.  I just want to stay "aware" and make sure that we strike the right balance for us as a couple.

Looks Like....

HH and I will be owners of a brand new transmission in two weeks.  Yippee!

Yesterday...

I didn't have enough time or energy to blog about yesterday, so here goes...

I get a call from HH around 4:45 that he needs a ride home, because the car is messed up.  I meet him at the Ford dealership.  A friend of HHs looked at the car, and said it is most likely the transmission.  We had the car towed out to my uncle's garage.  We borrowed a spare car from my parents.  By this time I am very tired....and we make it home a few minutes after 9:00....on my "early" night home from work.

We are waiting on hearing from my uncle, but it looks as if we are going to be replacing a transmission.  Fun times folks!

I was filmed today for a piece on turnaround schools with a local news crew.  If they post it on the internet, I'll include a link later.  We had faculty meeting today, and now I am at home watching Criminal Minds.  HH is having dinner with a seminary friend. 

Recliner + Me = LOVE

Sappy....

I'm really sappy right now, and I'm sad about losing this group of kids. We have 14 days left, and of those 14 days we just have four "normal" days (the others are crazy with end of the year field trips, graduation practice, etc.). I even cried a bit tonight. Sigh!

Mother's Day

My mom and dad came to the service HH was preaching at today! I knew that my mom was coming, but it was really awesome to see my dad with her!

We then made the trek to Muncie, Indiana to see David Copperfield. It was the most amazing performance! I know they are illusions, but he pulled some dynamite things out of his "hat." I wasn't sure how good the show would be since it wasn't at his home stage in Las Vegas. We didn't feel shorted once the performance started!

I also found out I am going to be an aunt again! My SIL is pregnant, and is due December 9th! They are going to wait and not find out the sex of the baby. I called my mom and said, "Well I hear we got outdone on the Mother's Day gift," and she said, "Just a little." Jersey Boy Tickets verses a new grandbaby...no contest! I am so excited!

Yummy! Not!

Casablanca, The Nerd, Etc...

Thursday night we went to a movie discussion about Casblanca.  I've never been to one before, but I enjoyed myself.  We plan on attending the next one in June.  The next month's film is a French one (I can't think of the name of it now).

Last night we took my mom out to dinner for Mother's Day, then went to see The Nerd.  It was so hilarious!  There was one character who had my off-beat sense of humor that I enjoyed the most. 

Today is the start of a new GED class.  The first day is always boring because of the amount of testing that is to be done.  Good thing I have several things I need to do while they are testing.

Work Conversation...

My neighbor teacher (the one I like) asks...."How bad were my kids yesterday while I was out?"

I reply, "They were not that bad considering it is almost the end of the year.  I took David to make things easier."

Here is the note she got....

"We had a pretty rough day, Lightcap (counselor) and Christ complained."

Christ, huh?  It was supposed to say Christa....that was pretty awesome!

Guess who came home with an empty container that housed my key lime bars?  Oh yeah!!!

Cornhole

As part of Teacher Appreciation Week, we had a Cornhole tournament.  I have never played before in my life.  I got to take eight of my kids out to watch while I played.  Elizabeth was the photographer from my room for all the mayhem. 

I only made ONE point for my team during corn hole.  I had a lot of fun, but this is a game that requires more skill than I have.  My kids were so encouraging, it was precious.  Jerry says, "You can do it.  Do it for the chocolate Mrs. F."  That was the ONE shot I actually got!