R.I.P. Walkman

Yesterday, I was reading Freak the Mighty to my class.  It mentioned "walkman," so I asked my 5th graders who knew what a walkman was.  *CRICKETS CHIRPING*  NOTHING.  I only had a few kids know what a portable CD player was.  WOW.  I. AM. OLD.

We have three undergraduate classes that are being held on our school campus this year.  I am friends with one of the professors so she wanted to use my class to teach her students how to do an interactive read aloud.  (Ok, non teachers the funny part is almost here.)  I make this big deal with my students about how we are going to be part of a real college class today, etc.  The university professor is reading Gordon Parks: No Excuses (per my request).  She asks the students, "Are there any people in your life that just don't accept any excuses from you?"  They turn to their partner on the carpet and talk.  She asks for a few students to share their answers aloud. My precious Erion says, "Well, my momma doesn't take excuses from me.  And I guess when I get older and grow up my wife won't either."  HAHA!!!

HELLO DENVER!!!  I found out today that I was selected to go to the National Council of Social Studies Teacher Conference in Denver, Colorado November 11-14.  All I have to pay for is my food, and the cost to join the council.  SWEET!

What Is Your Romance Novel?

Great Day!

HH and I finished up our GED class.  There was some drama there with one man who was very rude, even after my husband has tried many times to be helpful to him.  He took out his rudeness on me, when my husband was out of the room.

We came out to a car that wouldn't start.  We replaced the battery on our other car about two weeks ago.  When AAA got there, at first he says we needed a battery, but after letting it run a few minutes, he said we just needed to charge it up by driving around for half hour or so. 

We met our friends Alex and Rachel at a British restaurant called, "The Pub," downtown.

Afterwards, my sweet HH took my picture crossing the finish line at the Iron Man...

He had me pose and repose for this picture.  He had went to ask security if I could pretend like I was running through it, but to no avail.  I am very pleased with this picture! :)

Then it was off to classic movies:

Thursday Night

We went to see The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at The Jewish Community Center.  HH took me there to see Oklahoma for my birthday two years ago.  They have high quality theater for a very affordable price.  Lots of laughter was had....very nice! :)

Pardon Me...

Here are some of the precious faces that have distracted me from writing as much as I would like to lately....

This was my Sunday lunch companion...

Nurse HH

HH went with me to the doctor's office after school to learn how to give my B12 injections.  He was a real pro at it.  I didn't feel a thing.

A few school stories to tell, but they will have to wait until the weekend.  Enjoy your day!

Chew On This...

Part of this blog has been devoted to "re-programming my brain" as how to live successfully as a thin person.  I have mentioned that I used to think that many thin people just had "great" genetics and didn't have to work at it.  As I started to observe the habits of thin people, I noticed that many people work at it much more than I thought.  Yesterday, I had another revelation for me....

HH and I are eating a quick bite to eat before we headed to evening church.  I had my usual Moes, and HH had Wendys.  I noticed how slowly HH eats.  Part of my eating fast comes from being a teacher, and having four seconds (no, fifteen minutes though seriously) to eat.  I cannot eat fast anymore, so WLS has forced me to eat slower.  I think that HH actually gets to taste more of his food, and his brain has time to signal that he is full.  HH has lived his entire life in a normal weight range.  (He has recently had about a twenty pound weight gain.)  This is a new behavior that I am going to start looking for to see if it is a consistent pattern. 

Slowly Starting to Pull at My Heartstrings...

International Adoption.  God is really opening up my heart to this.  HH and I have not started to try to have children yet, but I am really starting to become convinced that adoption will be a part of that plan.  I want us to have a big ol' international family.

Saturday Thoughts....

I went to the Farmer's Market on Saturday morning.  I let HH sleep in.  I got some great cherry tomatoes, an asiago cheese and roasted red pepper scone (would have never thought of this combination on my own), strawberry bread, and Dad's Favorites Asiago Sun Dried Tomato Spread.  The spread is certainly made of AWESOME! 

We went down to Main Library so we could teach GED classes.  HH and I have one more class to do with this group, and then we will have three new classes that we will teach.  He goes to these classes completely as a volunteer to help me.  He always has the nicest attitude about helping others.

We were supposed to attend my cousin's wedding last night, but my adrenaline had finally crashed from the week....and I was exhausted.  A nice evening at home followed.  :) 

I am going to try to put up some pictures of my students on Monday.  They are so precious!  I have twenty-five.  Depending on how numbers of students are on Monday (which in turn tells us about how many teachers we keep/lose), I may be losing four students.  This would make all the fifth grade classes have the same number of students.  This has been really had for me trying to figure out who would move.  I have only made two decisions.  One is a child who is extremely below grade level (beginning 1st), and would be best with two of our intensive intervention teachers.  Another is a child who I think will do much better if she were away from another child in my room.  The child I am keeping seems to spur her on to pushing the envelope, and I think she can be influenced positively.  I have to make the other decisions on Monday in case they are going to be switching classes.

I am doing this Bible study with a group of ladies at my church on Wednesday nights:

Off to get ready for church. 

Friday was Great

To celebrate the end of the first school week of my 10th year of teaching, we went to Havana Rumba.  Oh how I love my co-worker Leslie who suggested this place to us last school year.  The food is amazing!  We had dinner with our friends Alex and Rachel.  I also got to meet a blog reader! :)

Us being silly...

Package of Awesome!

I bragged on how deeply I was impressed by the music and lyrics of Allen Levi last weekend.  I bought six of his CDs on Sunday, and they were waiting at my door step this afternoon.  I decided to start with his "Change for the Better" cd first.

This quote was on the inside cover, and I wanted to share it...

"I wish sometimes I could rewrite some chapters, some paragraphs, some passages, some lines, but it's those parts I'd change, those lines I'd cut, those scenes that I'd refine, those things that I would change are the things that make the story mine."
                                                          - Allen Levi

I Love My Job

but this is too funny not to post!!!!  Happy Friday!

Drooling

The Disney Food Blog

I found this link tonight.  HH and I *should* be at Disney for Thanksgiving for four days and three nights, if we don't have to be somewhere for ministry.  I am seriously making a plan of attack.

Pics My Mom Took

Now with "Jazz Hands"

Over at Fooducate, there is an article worth reading called, "Dieting Trumphs Sex, Career, and TV...Really?"

Still Here....

I'm still here guys, just the first two days of school have zapped all the energy out of me.  We have no air conditioning, and with 26 bodies, it makes for a wonderful day.  I have so many adorable kids.  I have several tough kids, and my heart always seeks out to help those kids get better. 

More soon.....thanks for standing by.

Ready for the Students!

I am as prepared as I can be for the students.  :)

New Vera Bradley Tote, Lunchbox, and Purse: Check

DELUXE Pedicure: Check

Hair Cut and Colored: Check

New DANSKO shoes: Check

I've spent a lot of time getting my room ready with HH.  I'll give a report tomorrow. 

Lets make year TEN a great one!

Alen Levi

I went Saturday night to see Andrew Peterson in concert at my church with HH.  When we got there, another name was listed on the program: Allen Levi.  The concert was very informal, each guy would play two songs, going back and forth.  I've been a fan of Andrew Peterson for some time, but I was enchanted by the music of Allen Levi.  After the concert, he only had one CD out.  I quickly gobbled it up!  Fortunately, I was able to order several more from his website.  If you are looking for some music from a man who takes small observations from life and turns them into something profound, Allen Levi is your guy!

A Spoonful of Sugar....

Makes the medicine go down.....I am starting liquid Potassium, and it is bitter tasting.  At Walgreens, I saw the sign for flavor to be added to your medicine, and I got hooked up with CHERRY!  I am "cutting" the still distinct taste by diluting the tablespoon with Crystal Light fruit punch.

HH is entertaining himself while waiting for our prescription at Walgreens.

Labwork Updates:

Vitamin D: Has gone down 9 points to a 31. :(

Ferritin: Has went from a 12 to a 338!

B12: 445 (Not sure what it was prior)

Vitamin A: Up to .42

We had no AC in (most) of the building on Friday.  We had our staff development in the morning in the gym where there was air.  The afternoon was for us to spend (per our contract) working in our room.  Yeah, not much work could happen because I was so hot that I had a sick feeling all afternoon.  HH was going to meet me at 4, and we were going to work until 7.  I decided that would be a big NO.

I received a ticket to Living Proof Live in Lexington, Kentucky on Friday night, and was so blessed!  There should be a video posted about it soon, and I will share.  It was amazing to be with 11,000 other women.  HH drove me there, then sat at McDonalds and played on the computer for three hours so I could attend.  I really love this man.

Movies We Have Watched Recently

Posable Gumby HH

This was HH during a game we played (Would You Rather) on Friday night!

Another Reason Why I Must Go Back to Work

Delious or Delicious.....this was taken a few blocks down from where I work.  I love keeping my camera with me at all times! :)