Look at what a proud dad he is!
This is my favorite picture! Alison was on the phone, and Nick and Thomas were trying to figure out how to swadle Colten!!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Colten is Here!!!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
25 Things About Me
My friend Lauren tagged me to list 25 things about myself. Here is what I would say about me:
1. I eat entirely too much candy.
2. I spend a lot of time looking up lyrics to songs... and blogging... and facebooking.
3. I like meeting unusual people.
4. I care what other people think, but I try not to.
5. I am obsessively organized.
6. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE practical jokes.
7. I forgive easily and don't hold grudges.
8. I'm usually (okay, always) running late.
9. I am stubborn.
10. I truly believe that Nick is my soul mate.
11. I think waking up early is overrated.
12. I have a hard time sitting still and doing nothing.
13. Once, I didn't turn on my TV for 4 1/2 weeks.
14. I usually listen to my iPod while I'm cooking.
15. When people tell me I like like Tori Spelling, it gets on my nerves.
16. Jennifer Aniston is my favorite actress.
17. I think that acupuncture and all Eastern medicine is fascinating.
18. I spend quite a bit of time just sitting in my bath tub thinking about different things.
19. I love to learn how to do new things. (sew, play golf, cook, yoga, ski, etc.)
20. I buy really expensive shampoo, but really cheap mascara.
21. A lot of times I think of really funny, random things and find myself laughing at me.
22. Politics don't interest me much.
23. People do.
24. When people say things, I often think "that's what she said" in my head. (See #21)
25. Thus far, my life has turned to be even better than I could have imagined.
Now it's your turn! What would you say about you?
1. I eat entirely too much candy.
2. I spend a lot of time looking up lyrics to songs... and blogging... and facebooking.
3. I like meeting unusual people.
4. I care what other people think, but I try not to.
5. I am obsessively organized.
6. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE practical jokes.
7. I forgive easily and don't hold grudges.
8. I'm usually (okay, always) running late.
9. I am stubborn.
10. I truly believe that Nick is my soul mate.
11. I think waking up early is overrated.
12. I have a hard time sitting still and doing nothing.
13. Once, I didn't turn on my TV for 4 1/2 weeks.
14. I usually listen to my iPod while I'm cooking.
15. When people tell me I like like Tori Spelling, it gets on my nerves.
16. Jennifer Aniston is my favorite actress.
17. I think that acupuncture and all Eastern medicine is fascinating.
18. I spend quite a bit of time just sitting in my bath tub thinking about different things.
19. I love to learn how to do new things. (sew, play golf, cook, yoga, ski, etc.)
20. I buy really expensive shampoo, but really cheap mascara.
21. A lot of times I think of really funny, random things and find myself laughing at me.
22. Politics don't interest me much.
23. People do.
24. When people say things, I often think "that's what she said" in my head. (See #21)
25. Thus far, my life has turned to be even better than I could have imagined.
Now it's your turn! What would you say about you?
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Blankety Blanks
My little family :)This weekend we went to Hot Springs with my dad, Rhonda & their labradoodle, Barney. My dad and Rhonda are considering purchasing an RV (because what else do you do when you're 50 and have been retired for 10 years?) and they wanted to rent one and give it test.
Having nothing better to do than ride in an RV to Arkansas, I immediately volunteered us to join. Little did Nick know what was in store...
First of all, we stopped for dinner at an Olive Garden in Texarkana and literally watched a man and his two kids at the next table over eat broccoli and pasta WITH THEIR HANDS!!! EW!
As it turns out, we (mainly I) had SO much fun. In fact, I am adding it to my top ten list of girlfriend getaways. Nick and I stayed at this amazing hotel called The Arlington Hotel. (No we did not sleep in the RV. That is not on my top ten list of things I would prefer to do.) The hotel also doubles as a spa and was built in 1875. It still has the majority of its authenic fixtures and furnishings. Walking around in the hotel I seriously felt like I was stepping back in time.
The coolest thing (I think) we did while we were there was visit the Buckstaff Bath House to take mineral baths. This place has also been around since 1912. They give you a robe, draw you a thermal mineral bath and loofah you up. Then, you move to a sitz bath (which is a little tub you sit in full of minerals that is good for your lower back), sit in a sauna and take a needle shower (a shower with a heavy duty shower head). All of the water is spring fed and full of minerals. It feels SO GOOD. You finish off the whole thing with a massage.
However, this experience is not for the severely modest. Or straight men. According to Nick and my dad. I LOVED it. Absolutely loved it. Rhonda LOVED it. My dad and Nick... well not so much. See, when I signed us up for this whole adventure I didn't exactly explain everything we were going to be doing on this trip to Nick. To my credit, I didn't exactly know all the details either. I knew it would be something along these lines, but I figured the less I knew and the less I could tell Nick, the better. So Rhonda and I walked out of the women's bath area mellow and smiling, and were greeted by my dad and Nick standing with their arms crossed looking like they'd just emerged from battle.
"When that [EXPLICIT]ty [EXPLICIT] said get in the bathtub and he would be back in fifteen minutes to scrub my back, I told him he better think again," was the first thing out of my 6 foot 8 inch dad's mouth.
"Oh, it was the worst thing I've ever done," Nick chimed in. "I told them hell no, I don't want you to scrub my back. And then when that guy gave me a massage, I felt like such a freaking [EXPLICIT]."
Yeah.. so that's why I say it would make a great girl's trip. But I mean, Nick and I have had several couples' massages. I fail to understand how the sex of the person administering the massage has anything to do with it. Whatever. After that my dad and Nick literally went back to the RV to drink beer. (Before noon!) I guess they felt like they had to earn some man points back.
Later, Nick and I walked around and shopped at all the CUTE boutiques along the main street. I'm sure it wouldn't be his top pick of things to do on a Saturday, but we really did have a good time. One of my favorite stores we went in was called The Savory Pantry (second picture). It was similar to Williams Sonoma. There I bought the cutest napkins (third picture).
(I agree.)
We stayed in a really nice hotel, ate some great food, shopped, got pampered... I don't see why Nick didn't just LOVE every minute of it personally. Hehe :)
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Wednesday Things
One of things I've been trying to do lately is cook at least one new recipe a week. I took some pictures as I was cooking dinner tonight. (Actually I just wanted an excuse to figure out how to make a photo collage.) Nick's parents came over for dinner and unfortunately, I was running a few minutes behind (surprise, surprise) and didn't even have time to take pictures of the finished products!Tonight I prepared:
-Rosemary Lemon Chicken with Herbed New Potatoes (I just made that title up- sounds fancy, doesn't it?! It's actually a very easy and fast concoction we usually have at least once a week.)
-Rice Pilaf (Nick's grandma's recipe- THE BEST!)
-Asparagas (Kosher Salt, Pepper, Olive Oil)
-Butterfinger Cake (This was the new recipe, YUM-O and now I need lipO!!!)
I will try to post some of these recipes, but I need to figure out a way to post them somewhere & create a link... or attach a document with the recipe- can you do that?
On Sunday I flew to Austin to visit my friend Jenny since I had Monday off. We had a great time shopping, eating at two fun restaurants, watching movies and catching up. The weather was perfect!
Also, I'm so excited because Nick signed us up for a Yoga membership! I wasn't sure if he was going to want to spring for it or not, but he called me at work on Tuesday and said we were official. I'm so excited!! I haven't lost any weight so far, but I'm sure the macaroni & cheese in Austin, Butterfinger cake and cafeteria nachos I ate for lunch don't help the cause.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Collars, Careers & Yoga
Lexi's new pink, glittery collar that Nick hates. I LOVE IT!I am so proud of Nick & I. We went to yoga five times this week! It is gradually getting more tolerable. (I was choosy with my wording there and careful to avoid the word easier. Under no circumstance would the words hot yoga and easy would ever belong in a sentence together.) I love it because while I'm doing it, it is incredibly difficult and requires so much focus that I can't think about my to-do list. My mind is completely still. Afterwards, as tired as my muscles are, I also feel so peaceful and energetic. Kind of a weird combination, I know. (And I should get a discount from Sunstone Yoga for the plug.)
So now we have to decide if we are going to "bite the bullet" and join. It's not cheap. Actually, it's the exact same price as Lexi's percortin injection every month for her Addison's Disease and about three times the cost as our monthly gym memberships were. It's a lot of money. But I feel like it's worth it. First of all, it's something we both REALLY enjoy doing together. And secondly, it's a great way to get healthy and toned. I read that you burn anywhere from 650-1,000 calories doing hot yoga for an hour. Not to mention the stress release and detox... Our ten day trial period is over on Tuesday, so we will have to decide one way or the other between now and then.
The other thing I wanted to write about, which is weighing pretty heavily on my mind, are my employment plans for next year. I've written a lot about some issues I am having. The problem is, I feel guilty and confused because there is absolutely no reason to feel dissatisfied. I have exactly what I wanted. Or thought I wanted. I absolutely LOVE my team, I enjoy being the team coordinator, and in a rare combination, I teach my favorite subjects-math and writing. I also love being the newspaper advisor.
But I'm not completely satisfied, and I don't know why. I do know that it's not the kids- I absolutely love my kids. And I enjoy teaching. So I don't know if it's an issue with me or because I don't feel challenged enough or because I am burned out or if I'm just having a bad year and need to ride it out or if it's something entirely different.
Friday we had a teacher workday, and I was talking to Rendee, Sasha, Tammie & Misty about all of this. Sasha suggested that I might like teaching a younger grade like kindergarten or first. Before I got my first job in Richardson, I always thought I wanted to teach first grade. I do love little kids, but now that I've taught older kids, I don't know if I would want to teach the little ones or not. Fourth graders are funny. And independent. And make you think. And for reasons I won't discuss here, if I taught in kindergarten or first grade, I would have to change schools.
I have also thought about starting my Masters in Education or a new career, although I have no idea what else I would want to do. So for now, I am going to keep thinking about it, and praying, and I just hope that I am able to figure out what the issue is and how to fix it.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
"If It Doesn't Fit, You Must Acquit!"
Simpler Times (LOVE the Friends t-shirt and plaid boxers!)Well, we made it big. Keller ISD's latest and greatest can be found on the front page of the Star Telegram as well as Yahoo! News.
From Yahoo! News:
Last week administrators in Keller ISD decided that students would not watch the inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama because it "would have interfered with scheduled learning." After the outcry from parents and community members the school district partially reversed its decision.
From Ft. Worth Star Telegram online:
The Keller School district reversed course Wednesday morning and announced that it is appropriate for students in the district to view the inauguration of Barack Obama during class time Tuesday afternoon.
Now I absolutely love Keller. It is a great place live and work, and there is a chance our kids will go to school here one day. But yikes! Can't watch the Presidential Inauguration?
Here's where the irony lies: Let's flash back to a much simpler time 14 years ago when curling irons & scrunchies, Michael Bolton & Boyz II Men were all the rage. On this particular fall day, which happened to be my 13th birthday, I was sitting (in my denim overall shorts) in 7th grade math. It was October 3, 1995- the day the O.J. Simpson trial ended. So what did we do, naturally? The ENTIRE junior high stopped "scheduled learning," and we walked (single file) down to the gym- TO WATCH THE O.J. SIMPSON VERDICT!!!! Times, they have 'a changed.
From Ft. Worth Star Telegram online:
The Keller School district reversed course Wednesday morning and announced that it is appropriate for students in the district to view the inauguration of Barack Obama during class time Tuesday afternoon.
Now I absolutely love Keller. It is a great place live and work, and there is a chance our kids will go to school here one day. But yikes! Can't watch the Presidential Inauguration?
Here's where the irony lies: Let's flash back to a much simpler time 14 years ago when curling irons & scrunchies, Michael Bolton & Boyz II Men were all the rage. On this particular fall day, which happened to be my 13th birthday, I was sitting (in my denim overall shorts) in 7th grade math. It was October 3, 1995- the day the O.J. Simpson trial ended. So what did we do, naturally? The ENTIRE junior high stopped "scheduled learning," and we walked (single file) down to the gym- TO WATCH THE O.J. SIMPSON VERDICT!!!! Times, they have 'a changed.
Monday, January 12, 2009
State of Affairs
Three quick things because I have to type up a CBA review (content based assessment aka 9 week test). One of the MANY assessments we must administer during the nine week period. Yet what ever comes of all that "data" we gather? Hmmmmm......
a) Eye brow lady today: "Moah (more) hair, moah (more) pain you have." Very wise. Very true.
b) The Bachelor!! I SWORE I had given it up after Meredith and Ian didn't make it (2004??) and yet, here I sit five seasons later apparantly none the wiser. I must say, after tonight's episode I am relieved to see that there are girls with an IQ over 80- after last week I wasn't so sure. Also, my friend Courtney and I agree plus ten points to former DCC Melissa for being real enough to wear her hair up in a pony tail on a date. It ALMOST makes up for her borderline annoyingness. Almost. Psycho dental hygenist MUST GO. And I want to take a file and saw down her gleaming fangs. So far my pick is Jillian. Funny, down to earth, original and Canadian. Score.
c) I would like to share a very telling tale about the state of affairs in education. Today I had recess duty. I was sitting on the bench vigilently watching the fourth graders dog pile on the slides when one of my boys walks up behind me. Without warning, he leans over the bench toward me and pukes on my shoes. (MY NEW STEVE MADDENS!) I jumped up, ran to his side and tried to help him up to go to the nurse (without the slightest regard for my shoes, mind you). But he laid there frozen, body bent over the back rest on the bench. "Come on, let's get you to the nurse," I urged. More puke. Then he looks up at me, no kidding, still sprawled across the bench, green face and all and whispers, "No. I can tough it out. I'll miss the CBA review if I go home. And I have to take my CBA tomorrow..." Puke #3. HOW SAD IS THAT?!?!
Incidentally he did go home after much reassurance that health is more important than testing. We are over testing these kids, people!!
a) Eye brow lady today: "Moah (more) hair, moah (more) pain you have." Very wise. Very true.
b) The Bachelor!! I SWORE I had given it up after Meredith and Ian didn't make it (2004??) and yet, here I sit five seasons later apparantly none the wiser. I must say, after tonight's episode I am relieved to see that there are girls with an IQ over 80- after last week I wasn't so sure. Also, my friend Courtney and I agree plus ten points to former DCC Melissa for being real enough to wear her hair up in a pony tail on a date. It ALMOST makes up for her borderline annoyingness. Almost. Psycho dental hygenist MUST GO. And I want to take a file and saw down her gleaming fangs. So far my pick is Jillian. Funny, down to earth, original and Canadian. Score.
c) I would like to share a very telling tale about the state of affairs in education. Today I had recess duty. I was sitting on the bench vigilently watching the fourth graders dog pile on the slides when one of my boys walks up behind me. Without warning, he leans over the bench toward me and pukes on my shoes. (MY NEW STEVE MADDENS!) I jumped up, ran to his side and tried to help him up to go to the nurse (without the slightest regard for my shoes, mind you). But he laid there frozen, body bent over the back rest on the bench. "Come on, let's get you to the nurse," I urged. More puke. Then he looks up at me, no kidding, still sprawled across the bench, green face and all and whispers, "No. I can tough it out. I'll miss the CBA review if I go home. And I have to take my CBA tomorrow..." Puke #3. HOW SAD IS THAT?!?!
Incidentally he did go home after much reassurance that health is more important than testing. We are over testing these kids, people!!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Hot Yoga
So Nick and I have started taking hot yoga! I know!! When my burly Italian husband mentioned he might enjoy yoga I was a) shocked and b) super excited and got right on it. I think the whole thing started because my brother has been taking bikram yoga in Ft. Worth for a few months. He was telling us all about it in Colorado, and he does look really good! He has slimmed down and lost about 20 pounds. Then my dad and Rhonda started taking it in Colorado. Nick and I got online and found a place close to our house that specializes in 4 different kinds of yoga, including 2 hot yoga classes.Friday afternoon on my way home I stopped at Central Market and splurged on a decent bottle of red wine and flowers- just because. We had a low key night at home- I cooked rosemary baked chicken, asparagus and smoked macaroni and cheese. Then, we spent a few hours snuggled up on the couch finishing the rest of the wine watching The Office Season 2 dvds.(Arguably the best season to date, by the way.)
Saturday morning we started early with our first hot yoga class. And let me just say, it kicked our butts. It was SO hard. When we left, we seriously looked like we had just jumped in a swimming pool with our clothes on. In the car on the way home, Nick said, "That was the hardest workout I have ever had in my life. Harder than football practice or hockey practice. And it looks so easy!" Which worried me that he wouldn't want to go back, but luckily he is really excited.
The class we are starting with is sixty minutes in a room heated to 90 degrees with 50% humidity. (And that's the cooler, shorter hot yoga class!) Luckily, everyone in the class wasn't a lean yoga expert bending like pretzels as we feared. We tried to get an incognito spot at the back of the room for our first class, but it actually turned out to be the front of the room. And I have to brag, in one of the postures, the instructor even pointed me out to the class for my flexibility. Which is funny because I am SO not flexible. Embarassingly inflexible actually- I can't even touch my toes! But, I am excited about our new endeavor! We are going again tonight at 5:15 and Tuesday evening. So next time you see us out and about, don't be surprised if we're super lean and bending in ways you've never seen! Haha!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
2000 Late
The Little Moments of 2008 (captured in a whirlwind of pictures a few days too late)
January: had a few people over to watch the Superbowl- first official gathering at our house- can't remember anything else, apparantly uneventful
January: had a few people over to watch the Superbowl- first official gathering at our house- can't remember anything else, apparantly uneventful
February: First married Valentine's Day- dinner at Bob's, had a shorter haircut, my dad and Rhonda came to stay with us, Lexi and Barney played A LOT, played Guitar Hero a lot, lack of pictures indicate it was also uneventful
March: Celebrated St. Patty's Day on Lower Greenville with friends and a pasty white complexion, first snow (BIG SNOW!) at our house, probably last snow too, survived wisdom teeth removal (barely)
April: Stars game with Kari and Heikki, baked some really yummy cupcakes, learned how to make Kari's mom's orange cream mimosas and drank them at Easter, spent Easter with my mom and brother and Nick's family, laughed so hard at things fourth graders do, went to a wedding, Casey's first anniversary, got the flower beds in shape, UTA dedication ceremony for my grandpa
May: woke up thanking God every single day that summer was within sight, went to Florida with Jenny, Erin, Jill, Andrea and Natalie, survived our first minor emergency when part of Lexi's ear got bitten off, sat out by the pool for the first time all year, realized I could still hula hoop like no one's business, went out with Nick, my brother, Andrea & Chris, Natalie & David in Ft. Worth then attempted to host Mother's Day brunch at our house the next morning- literally thought I was going to die & swore to NEVER drink again, mom's birthday at Joe T's, Andrea's birthday at Hibiscus, another wedding
June: Celebrated our first anniversary in Dallas, another wedding, hosted a journalism camp for kids at the local high school, taught second grade summer school, found a much sought after rug for the living room, tried to help Kari hang curtains but drilled massive holes in her walls, took a random picture of strawberries in a collander
July: Sold the MINI, felt relieved to discover I could still water ski, started taking golf lessons, slept late, Nick turned 27, spent a week in Colorado with my dad and Rhonda, Australian shenanigans like old times with Erin
August: Melissa's shower at our house, Austin trip with mom, Scat, Andrea & Teri, spent a week with Nick's fam. in northern California, ate dinner next to Jay Leno in California and tried grappa for the first time, next morning also I swore I would never drink again
September: Spent most of my time consumed with school, went to some Tech games in Lubbock, helped throw Erin and Josh's couples shower in Houston, fought with Nick about watching football during a couples shower, Papa passed away, missed Erin's bachelorette party for the funeral, got a fruit basket from Natalie & David, learned a lot about life
October: Turned 26 & had a record number of birthday cakes (5), went to a couple more Tech games, went to College Station for Tech/A&M game, stayed in an old dorm and realized just how far out of college we really are, lost too much money on mother/daughter Vegas trip, was excited to see the weather turn cooler, had happy hour with school friends at our house, ate dinner outside on the patio, went to Joe T's for Lisa's birthday
November: Three Thanksgivings in one day, Erin got married, laughed the hardest I had in a long time with friends, played a funny joke, found out Liz was pregnant, Natalie's first anniversary, went to a Tech game and got to go on the field, reminded Nick why weddings are more important than football games, ventured into Babies R Us for the first time & felt scared, helped host two baby showers, went to dinner with friends we hadn't seen in a while, Rendee had her baby
December: Played with Addyson and ate chilli with Lisa, made cookies with Riley, kept Nash & Beck, thought that having boys might be fun, sat in my dad's hot tub overlooking the mountains every night for a week, had Christmas in the snow, played poker, wore a denim vest and bow to work, wasted an entire night making funny pictures of people, made a wreath, decorated the Christmas tree, spent three days in an airport and missed Melissa's wedding, found out Kari was pregnant
And that, dear friends, is 2008 in a nutshell.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Dusting Off Things
This past weekend several of Nick's friends and their significant others came to stay with us and go to the Cotton Bowl. Well, they went to the Cotton Bowl and went out on Thursday night. I was not so lucky. I had to work on Friday...
Friday night when they got back Brett's girlfriend Jennifer and I made lasagne and we dusted off our favorite game....
Friday night when they got back Brett's girlfriend Jennifer and I made lasagne and we dusted off our favorite game....
Guitar Hero III!! We hadn't played it in forever!
Brett and Slash (AKA Nick) "rockin' you like a hurricane"
"Guys like girls with skills."
I also got a response about my book from a publisher in Atlanta, Peach Tree Press. I had sent them a query letter in December, and they wrote back asking to see the manuscript. I should really be more excited, but I just feel like something is missing from my book. So, I dusted off my manuscript for the first time in a long time the other night. After I read it, I just sat there staring at the computer screen for a long time.
I can't explain it, but something is not there. When I wrote the book almost two years ago I was SO into it. And it's not that I'm not into it now because I really do think it's well written and unique (if I may say so myself), but I just feel like I have changed since then and the book doesn't really fit me anymore. Here is part of my query letter, it explains a little bit of what the book is about (and a shout out to the blog world):
Although I am an avid reader of children’s literature and a fourth grade writing teacher, I never planned to write a children’s book myself. This story sort of found me. It is based loosely on a blog I stumbled upon and read for months. The blog belonged to a lady whom I had never met, JoAnn, who was dying of cancer. JoAnn was affectionately nicknamed “The Stork” by her family. Although we all touch the lives of those around us, there was something rare and beautiful about JoAnn’s life. The life lessons she passed onto others inspired me to write this children’s story, The Gift of the Stork. The story is unique because it has a comical twist and appeals to children, yet still presents an extended metaphor interwoven with a myriad of themes.
Blah, blah. Maybe I need to find that blog and reread it for inspiration or maybe I should try to write about something else... OR maybe I should just stick the the Guitar Hero and forget about writing altogether. Not likely.
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