I'm taking time out on this Christmas Day to remember my mama on what would have been her 85th birthday. My brother shared this on FB, and it couldn't be more perfect. If you knew my mother, you would know that this poem fits her perfectly. When I read it, I can hear her saying these words:
I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below,
with tiny lights like heaven's stars reflecting on the snow.
The sight is so spectacular, please wipe away that tear
for I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.
I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear,
but the sounds of music can't compare with the Christmas choir up here.
I have no words to tell you the joy their voices bring,
for it is beyond description to hear the angels sing.
I know how much you miss me, I see the pain inside your heart,
for I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.
I can't tell you of the splendor or the peace here in this place.
Can you just imagine Christmas with our Savior face to face?
I'll ask Him to lift your spirit as I tell Him of your love,
so then pray for one another as you lift your eyes above.
Please let your hearts be joyful and let your spirit sing,
for I am spending Christmas in heaven and I'm walking with the King.
~ Wanda Bencke ~
Friday Fragments
I'm linking up with Mrs. 4444; I'm trying to get back in the Friday Fragment groove!!!
~ This has been the longest week in the history of school weeks. TGIF never held so much meaning as it does today!
~ Family Stone is one of my favorite movies, especially around Christmas (since it is a Christmas movie.). I have no idea how many times I've watched it...it has to be at least 100 times. I broke it out last night...I didn't think I'd be able to watch it this year (since my mom passed away 5 months ago), but I think I did okay.
~ I'm finally getting over strep from last weekend. As in, my throat doesn't feel like it's on fire anymore, and I'm actually able to sleep without waking up & having to scrape my tongue off of the roof of my palate because it's so dry. Yep, things are looking up1
~ I got the best Christmas present ever yesterday:
How creative is that? Everything we need for a movie night; there's even a code for a redbox movie.
~ I've been slowly but surely getting the supplies I need for candy/cookie making. I hope to get started either Saturday or Monday.
~ I bought another present, wrapped it, and put it under the tree. 1 down...
I don't know about you, but I'm ready for some rest & relaxation!
Holiday Hodgepodge
1. Time magazine has selected The Ebola Fighters as their person of the year for 2014. Do you agree, and if so who would you say is a close second? If you disagree with their choice, who do you think should have been chosen?
I would disagree. My vote would be for Pope Francis. What an amazing, humble man.
2. This question comes to you courtesy of Susan who blogs over at Stew Mama Says. She knows we have a wedding happening any minute now, and she asks, 'What's your favorite-something old? something new? something borrowed? something blue in your home? Be sure you hop over and say hi to Susan today!
Old: My grandmother's rosary; New: My Christmas ornaments; Borrowed: I have no idea...I try not to borrow stuff!; Blue: My Danish plates
3. Fudge-yay or nay? Your favorite flavor? Do you make it yourself? With nuts or without?
Oh, yeah!!! Just give me regular chocolate...or peanut butter. I make peanut butter for Christmas.
4. December 17th is Wright Brothers Day, commemorating the first successful flights made by Orville and Wilbur Wright in 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. How old were you when you made your first flight? Do you like to fly? Have you ever been to Kitty Hawk or other parts of the North Carolina Outer Banks?
I was a senior in high school when I first flew. I love to fly! It's so cool that you can get to your destination in no time! I have been to Kitty Hawk & the Outer Banks.5. Do the people in your family tend to follow a particular career path, and if so what's the path?
We do seem to have quite a few engineers in our family; the males, anyway.
6. What is one thing you absolutely, positively must accomplish today?
Since it's 7:33 p.m. as I type this, I have to say "sleep".
7. This Christmas I hope___________________________________.
My daddy is able to get through the day without hurting too much.
8. Insert your own random thought here.
I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I heard this song for the first time as I was in my car yesterday. We've had a very foggy couple of days, and as I listened to this song, a ray of sunshine broke through.
Weekend Wrap-Up
This weekend saw some tea-drinking (not the norm for me), quite a bit of sleeping, some baking, and a celebration.
Friday, as the day wore on, my throat got progressively worse. I figured it was just the beginning of a cold, so I suffered through it. I drank lemon & ginger tea with honey in it, sucked on lozenges, and kept a glass of water by my bed. I'd sleep a couple of hours, then wake up with my throat on fire. Not what I needed this weekend.
Saturday, we had to get up early for a special celebration:
MS graduated from UT-Knoxville! OS was able to come in, but YS had to work and then play for the commencement ceremony at his community college. We really missed him.
Friday, as the day wore on, my throat got progressively worse. I figured it was just the beginning of a cold, so I suffered through it. I drank lemon & ginger tea with honey in it, sucked on lozenges, and kept a glass of water by my bed. I'd sleep a couple of hours, then wake up with my throat on fire. Not what I needed this weekend.
Saturday, we had to get up early for a special celebration:
MS graduated from UT-Knoxville! OS was able to come in, but YS had to work and then play for the commencement ceremony at his community college. We really missed him.
The ceremony was over 2 hours long...made longer by the guest speaker who apparently thought he was on the stage to teach a biology class. OS leaned over and asked if he was going to get any credit for sitting through it.
After the ceremony, we had lunch, then CH & I went home & I went to bed.
Sunday morning, I was at the Clinic right after it opened; it was filling up fast. After about 1.5 hours, the dr. took 1 look at my throat and said she would be surprised if my strep test came back negative and wrote a prescription. I got it filled, then went home and made some tea. I managed to stay up long enough to get most of the laundry done, then I went back to bed. CH ran out to "our Mexican restaurant" and grabbed take-out. In the meantime, I did a little baking for the office staffs at both of my schools:
These Eggnog Breads with Rum Glaze are just amazing. And, they're really easy, too. The first time I made them (a couple of years ago), I over mixed them, but I got the hang of it after that. You can make one regular size loaf, but honestly, it doesn't turn out as well as when you make the mini-loaves.
That was my weekend. I'm looking forward to getting this week started so it will be over!
FridayFragments
Well, I haven't done this in a while! I may be a bit rusty, but...here it goes!
~ My mountain school's 1st grade put on a show this week. Some of the Teacher Assistants readied the stage:
~ We had some excitement at my new/old school on Wed.
Just as school was about to start, the power went out. Unfortunately, it was only out for about 40 minutes, so we didn't get to go home.
~ This was the first full week in 3 weeks for me, and it seemed like it would never end. I'm so glad to see this week end! Only 1 more before break.
~ I finally got the tree up and the house decorated. Our new ornaments this year:
From Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House (Lynchburg, Tn.):
The Slave Market in Charleston, SC:Last year's trip to the Keys:
From the USS Alabama (Mobile, Al.):
So, the tree is up, the house is decorated, but no presents have been purchased. Nothing like waiting 'til the last minute, huh?
Waiting Patiently through the Hodgepodge
This week's Hodgepodge (hosted by Joyce) seems to be centered around waiting. At least a couple of questions, anyway. So, I decided to go with that since I have such a hard time coming up with creative titles for my posts.
1. What is one new holiday tradition you'd like to establish, or one you've established recently, say in the last year or two?
I'm thinking the "Lighting of the Barrels" could be the beginning of a tradition. However, next time, we'd like to go to the one in London.
I'm thinking the "Lighting of the Barrels" could be the beginning of a tradition. However, next time, we'd like to go to the one in London.
2. It's the second week of December. Have you sipped a cup of eggnog yet this month? Wrapped a gift? Opened a gift? Kissed someone under the mistletoe? Lit a candle? Eaten a Christmas cookie? Seen Santa in person? Watched a Christmas movie or special? Read scripture relating to the birth of Jesus?
No eggnog, no gift, no opening of gifts, no kissing. We light the candles on the Advent Wreath every night that we eat at home. I ate a Christmas Cookie last week at the Barrel Lighting. Santa was at our mall the week before Thanksgiving. (Go figure.) I've been watching Christmas movies since early November, so I'll be over it within the next week!
3. Do you think it's better to be an adult or a child at Christmastime? Explain.
A child. Definitely a child. The waiting, anticipation, and excitement of Christmas is definitely for children.
4. It's often said, 'Good things come to those who wait'...agree or disagree? Why?
I don't know if it's really a "good thing", or if it just seems like a good thing after having to wait for it.
5. What's the last sweet thing you baked? Did you keep it, take it to a party/event, or give it away?
Cookies. To be more specific, Pumpkin Cookies from Pillsbury. I made them for us.
6. This question comes to us courtesy of Jhona who blogs over at The Red House at the End of the Lane. Everyone hop over and say hi to Jhona this week! Here is her question... "I heard an actor talk about how he makes a conscious choice to talk to people in elevators. He chooses to connect, make eye contact, and converse. Do you talk to people/strangers when you're in an elevator or any other place where you might have to wait together? Why or why not?"
If I'm with CH or someone else, I will at least say hello. You never know who you will be fortunate to meet, or what you will learn.
7. Are you on the naughty or nice list this year? What put you there?
That would depend on what week it is! ;)
8. Insert your own random thought here.
I didn't take any pictures during CH's Christmas Party, but a coworker took a picture of the view off of the back of the yacht we were on:
Have y'all seen this new KMart commercial? It's a sequel to last year's Christmas commercial, and it's hilarious!
Weekend of Celebrations
This was the weekend I've been waiting for since July. Yes, July! When we were in Lynchburg, Tn. over the week of the 4th, we learned about the "Lighting of the Barrels". Lynchburg, being the home of Jack Daniel's, doesn't have a Christmas Tree. Oh, no....they have whiskey barrels in the shape of a tree that is decorated. Then, they light it on the first weekend in December. It really was quite a sight:
We were going to go down on Friday...I took a personal day & CH was going to take a half-day.But, it was supposed to rain, and to be quite honest, there isn't that much to do in Lynchburg that would have constituted that much time down there. On top of that, we didn't want to "set up" in the dark. So, we stayed home Friday, watched our Small Town football team get beat for the first time in the State Championship Game (I think I jinxed them in my Wed. Hodgepodge Random Thought!), and headed out on Saturday morning. Things didn't look too great as we headed out:
But, by the time we got to Lynchburg, the rain had stopped. It was windy and cold, but it was just about perfect weather for a small town Christmas Parade:
We had reservations to eat at Miss Mary Bobo's. Our hostess was incredibly funny and very entertaining. The food was just as good (if not better) than last time. On the menu: chicken & dressing, gravy, ham, sweet potato casserole (with Jack as an ingredient, of course), macaroni & cheese, green beans, fried okra, cranberry sauce (homemade), apples (with Jack), rolls, and fudge pie with whipped cream (again, with some Jack in it!) for dessert. Our hostess gave us some tips on cooking with Jack: Take a small bottle of Jack Daniel's (not the airplane bottle!) and get 3 vanilla pods. Scrape the vanilla into the bottle and put it in the pantry for 3 weeks. Use that instead of vanilla, and you kick your recipe up a notch! I can't wait to try it! She said it's really good in eggnog or boiled custard. I'm thinking it will be excellent in some of my candy recipes!
Another must while we were there was running by Nina's and getting some her chocolate with Tennessee Fire in it. I'm going to try to duplicate them at home, now that I know what her "secret" is!
We "camped" just off of the town square, in the "city" park. It turns out it is just behind Miss Mary Bobo's! (Not that Lynchburg is that big; we walked over to Jack Daniel's from our camper.) I was very surprised that we were the only ones who stayed the night! There is electricity and public bathrooms. There are no shower facilities, which was another reason we only stayed for 1 night. If you get there when the courthouse is open, you can run in and pay the $20/night fee. Or, you can go down to the jail and pay it...or just mail it to them. They're that kind of community!
We got up Sunday and drove the 3+ hours home, took showers, washed some clothes, and headed out to CH's company Christmas Party. It was an "adult only" party, and it was held the same place as 4 years ago. I didn't take any pictures. For some reason, the boat never was level; it tilted to one side the whole time we were on it. The food was excellent, though.
That pretty much wraps the weekend up. 2 more weeks and we're out for Christmas Break; this year is flying by!
We were going to go down on Friday...I took a personal day & CH was going to take a half-day.But, it was supposed to rain, and to be quite honest, there isn't that much to do in Lynchburg that would have constituted that much time down there. On top of that, we didn't want to "set up" in the dark. So, we stayed home Friday, watched our Small Town football team get beat for the first time in the State Championship Game (I think I jinxed them in my Wed. Hodgepodge Random Thought!), and headed out on Saturday morning. Things didn't look too great as we headed out:
But, by the time we got to Lynchburg, the rain had stopped. It was windy and cold, but it was just about perfect weather for a small town Christmas Parade:
We had reservations to eat at Miss Mary Bobo's. Our hostess was incredibly funny and very entertaining. The food was just as good (if not better) than last time. On the menu: chicken & dressing, gravy, ham, sweet potato casserole (with Jack as an ingredient, of course), macaroni & cheese, green beans, fried okra, cranberry sauce (homemade), apples (with Jack), rolls, and fudge pie with whipped cream (again, with some Jack in it!) for dessert. Our hostess gave us some tips on cooking with Jack: Take a small bottle of Jack Daniel's (not the airplane bottle!) and get 3 vanilla pods. Scrape the vanilla into the bottle and put it in the pantry for 3 weeks. Use that instead of vanilla, and you kick your recipe up a notch! I can't wait to try it! She said it's really good in eggnog or boiled custard. I'm thinking it will be excellent in some of my candy recipes!
Another must while we were there was running by Nina's and getting some her chocolate with Tennessee Fire in it. I'm going to try to duplicate them at home, now that I know what her "secret" is!
We "camped" just off of the town square, in the "city" park. It turns out it is just behind Miss Mary Bobo's! (Not that Lynchburg is that big; we walked over to Jack Daniel's from our camper.) I was very surprised that we were the only ones who stayed the night! There is electricity and public bathrooms. There are no shower facilities, which was another reason we only stayed for 1 night. If you get there when the courthouse is open, you can run in and pay the $20/night fee. Or, you can go down to the jail and pay it...or just mail it to them. They're that kind of community!
We got up Sunday and drove the 3+ hours home, took showers, washed some clothes, and headed out to CH's company Christmas Party. It was an "adult only" party, and it was held the same place as 4 years ago. I didn't take any pictures. For some reason, the boat never was level; it tilted to one side the whole time we were on it. The food was excellent, though.
That pretty much wraps the weekend up. 2 more weeks and we're out for Christmas Break; this year is flying by!
Wednesday Hodgepodge
I'm a couple of days late, but finally had a minute to write my answers and get this posted!
1. What is something in your life right now that feels a little 'hodgepodge'?
How about: everything. Seriously.
How about: everything. Seriously.
2. What does 'peace on earth, goodwill to men' mean to you?
That the whole word would know peace. There would be no wars, and all countries would be in peace.
3. Which edible treat you are most looking forward to sampling this December?
My "Texas Millionaires". Or, I guess I should say that they're Mama's family's Texas Millionaires! They're kind of a bear to make, but they are soooo worth it!
4. It's that most wonderful time of the year...do you agree, and if so why is it so wonderful? If not, what would you say is the most wonderful time of the year?
5. What was the last word you looked up in a dictionary (actual or online) and why?
I looked up an idiom in the dictionary to explain its meaning to a student. I don't remember what it was, though!
6. Besides a Christmas tree, what is your favorite thing to decorate this time of year?
The house. I love having the house decorated with garland & candles.
7. Share one thing you've learned (about yourself, people, or anything at all) in the Wednesday Hodgepodge, or through blogging in general.
Oh. My. There are just too many things to narrow it down to just one! I have learned that bloggers aren't weird at all, and that, in general, they are all pretty nice people!
8. Insert your own random thought here.
The Small Town High School is in the State Championships once again. They haven't lost a state championship game yet; every time they've been in the game, they've won. Let's hope they keep it up!
The Small Town lit the Park Christmas Tree on Monday night. The Parks & Rec have a celebration, but it starts at 6:00 (dinnertime at our house!) & it started raining, so we opted out of it...again.
The music dept. of YS' community college had their "Holiday Spectacular" last night. It was amazing, and really put us in the holiday spirit. We were a couple of very proud parents! (That's him on the right end!)
My new candy molds came in yesterday, along with some dry fondant for making chocolate covered cherries! Last year, I put my molds in the top drawer of my dishwasher, which would've been fine, except I had the "sanitize" option on. OOPS!
A Beautiful Thankful Hodgepodge
1. Besides U.S. Thanksgiving, it's also National Game and Puzzle Week...what game have you played most recently, and who were you with? Have you worked a puzzle of any kind in the past week?
Being a Speech Pathologist, I play games quite often! This week, we played a little game that the kids really enjoy. There are "pieces of pie" that are placed in 4 groups. The kids decide what kind of pie they want (there are 6 choices), and then they take turns (after saying words with their sound) picking a piece of pie to see who will finish their pie first. It gets the kids up and moving.
No puzzles this week...every now and then I'll do one with some of my students, though.
2. What is one place you were thankful for this year?
The Keys. I don't think I need to say anything else about that!
3. Take a nap, watch football, go for an after dinner walk, or hit the stores...whichONE is on your must-do list for Thanksgiving day? For those of you playing along who aren't in the US, answer as it relates to any big holiday meal.
Go for an after dinner walk.
4. Besides Thanksgiving, what's your favorite home cooked meal?
My mom's lasagna.
5. What product from an infomercial would you most like to own?
One of those laser hair removal systems. Seriously. One of the downsides of menopause!
6. Christmas shopping? Have you begun? Finished? Will you shop on Black Friday? How do you feel about stores opening on Thanksgiving Day? What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done online?
A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I bought a present for my SIL. That's still the only present I've bought so far! I hate that the stores are open on Thanksgiving. You won't catch me at one that day...or the next morning. I might go out in the afternoon after the crowds have thinned out. I don't do a lot of shopping online...mainly because I wait until the last minute!
7. What are you most grateful for that adds beauty to your everyday life?
Views like this:
8. Insert your own random thought here.
I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving Holiday! If you're not in the U.S.A., have a wonderful weekend!
Airmail Christmas 2014
It's that time of year again! Making Memories coordinates this every year. In memory of a special purpose who lost his/her life to cancer, all it takes is sending a Christmas Card to someone. Rebecca will send you the name & address, and you should receive one in return. All she asks is that you blog/instagram/tweet a picture of your card using the hashtag #airmailchristmas. It's that easy!
This year we are honoring the memory of a young lady who passed away when she was a junior in high school. To read more about her, click HERE.
Hurry, though. The deadline to submit your name & address is 01 December.
Week Wrap-up
Yes, you read the title correctly. I was so busy last week, that I can't just do a "Weekend Wrap-up"!
Last Sunday marked the end of an era for me. I decided (after much thinking on my part) to stop playing in the flute choir. There were quite a few factors that came into play for my decision: I want to start playing for Mass, and I can't do both since both groups practice on Thursday. The "snarkiness" of one of the members also played into the decision. I tried to get past it, but when you get to the point where you dread going to something you pay money for, it's time to leave.
Last Sunday marked the end of an era for me. I decided (after much thinking on my part) to stop playing in the flute choir. There were quite a few factors that came into play for my decision: I want to start playing for Mass, and I can't do both since both groups practice on Thursday. The "snarkiness" of one of the members also played into the decision. I tried to get past it, but when you get to the point where you dread going to something you pay money for, it's time to leave.
I'm going to miss that bass flute, though! They have a former member coming back, and she plays a mean bass, so I didn't feel quite so guilty knowing she would be stepping in.
Wednesday, I got to go to my first ever ASHA Convention! ASHA is the national organization for Speech/Language Pathologists & Audiologists. I had the best time! I met some speech bloggers, and was a bit star-struck!
A co-worker and I presented a Poster Session. It went amazingly well! We had a lot of people stop, read, and ask questions. I was amazed at the positive response we received. We're seriously thinking about expanding the topic into a talk for the school's convention for summer, 2016.
It was a 2-day whirlwind of being updated on the latest materials & techniques. We took time out for a little fun on Friday night. We went to Minus 5, which is an ice bar. It was a bit pricy, but I figured that would be the only time I ever went to something like that, so it was worth it! The whole room was incredible. To see our pictures, click HERE. Our pictures are #28-31. After that, we had dinner (& finally found Stella!), then walked back to the Convention Center, took the shuttle back to the hotel, packed, and crashed.
Sunday afternoon was the community band's fall concert. There were a couple of spots where I really thought the piece was going to fall apart (not the flutes' fault), but they managed to keep it together. After the concert, all but 3 of the flutes took a couple of pictures:
Guess who insisted on a funny picture? (See below)
I've had a good time with this group this semester. As you can see, the band consists of musicians of all ages...from college to senior.
I have another short week this week: only 2 days of school and then Thanksgiving Break! If you work outside the home, what's your schedule like for this week?
Veteran Hodgepodge
Joyce is back from a week off, so it's back to the Hodgepodge!
1. We celebrate Veteran's Day in the US of A on November 11th. When did you last interact with a member of the armed forces (either currently serving or retired)? Have you ever written a letter to a soldier, bought a meal or coffee for a solider, said an unprompted thank you to a soldier you encountered out and about somewhere? If you're not in the US, comment on a similar holiday in your own country.
I interact with a veteran every day. CH went to West Point for a year, then was in the National Guard until YS was born. His dad is retired Army, and his brother still serves full time in the Army National Guard. I also have a couple of brothers who are retired from the Air Force & Navy National Guards. AND, I have a nephew serving in the Army and one in the Air Force right now. The Air Force nephew's wife is also serving in the Air Force. I can't forget my Daddy...he served in the Navy at the end of WWII; he was in the Asian Theater.
Top left: my brother (Navy), nephew (Air Force), and Daddy (Navy). Top right: My BIL (Army) & my wonderful SIL (who puts up with him!). Bottom Left: another brother (Air Force). Bottom Center: CH (Army). Bottom Right: My FIL (Army).
2. You can have fifty pounds of anything at all (except money)...what would you choose?
Hmmmmm...CH says plutonium because it's worth a lot of money! Or platinum...because plutonium is hard to handle. (I had no idea what to answer, so I asked him.)
3. When did you last receive an invitation in the 'real' mail? What was it for and did you attend? When it comes to RSVP-ing, are you an 'early responder' or a 'last minute, barely-under-the-wire' kind of guest?
The last invitation I received was an to my nephew's wedding. I responded pretty quickly after receiving it. It was a beautiful wedding...outdoors on a river island. They did all of the decorations themselves, and it was just gorgeous.
The last invitation I received was an to my nephew's wedding. I responded pretty quickly after receiving it. It was a beautiful wedding...outdoors on a river island. They did all of the decorations themselves, and it was just gorgeous.
4. What's something you really don't like to waste?
That's easy: Food. (Ha, ha!)
5. Cheers, Friends, MASH, Seinfeld...of the ones listed, your favorite long-running sitcom?
It would really depend on my mood, but if I had to pick one, I would pick M*A*S*H.
6. What decision are you glad you made?
Besides the decision to marry CH, to move back to the Small Town 10 years ago. I'm so glad that I had those 10 years with Mama.
7. In this month of 'Thanksgiving' what is one thing that's different today than it was a year ago that you're grateful for?
I'm extremely grateful that I'm not at one of the schools I worked at last year. That one school was a full time job, and I had not only that one, but my mountain school as well. I seriously think I would have had a break-down if I had that school along with dealing with Mama's passing. (Okay, that may be a little melodramatic, but you get the drift!)
8. Insert your own random thought here.
I showed the picture to a friend, and she asked if it made me nervous. I don't know he's doing it, so, no, I'm not nervous about it!
Here's a bit of trivia for you:
Remember back in the 80's when M&Ms got rid of the red ones because of the red dye scare? A young man from Knoxville started a campaign to bring it back. You can see the clip from the news here. It's a pretty neat story; it's just too bad he doesn't get royalty charges every time the red M&M is featured in a commercial!
Memory Monday: My Family
Memory Monday is back! I kind of forgot about it the past few weeks, but it's back today! Intterested? Check out the post at Retired not Tired.
Where to even start with my family? I'm a proud member of the Largest Family Reunion in Texas on my paternal grandmother's side. (So, if you are, too, we're related somehow!) All of my ancestors came from Germany/Austria/present day Czech Republic. That's it. No Indian Native American, English, Scottish, etc.
Anyway, both of my parents had 7 siblings; my parents had 10 kids.
Photo taken in 2002
Within my siblings, I was the first one to have more than 1 child. Then, one of my younger brothers had to best me by not only having the only birth granddaughter, but also have twin boys. Hmmmph.
If I ever was grateful that my parents had a lot of kids, it was when my mother passed away. Most of us are rather close...not call each other every day close, but if one of us needs something, the others come running. If you know any of us, when you see a sibling, you can tell we're related. Since I've moved home, I can't tell you the number of times I've had somebody look at me and ask me if I was a _____ski (my maiden name).
Just as all of us are different, my 3 boys are also different. I just can't imagine life without any of them!
Weekend Wrap-Up
The "weekend" started with a little parade at my new/old school. The Kindergarteners wear their costumes to school for an 8:00 parade around the school. (Then they have to change into regular clothes.) This was my favorite of the parade:
I spent Halloween night resetting my work iPad, hoping that I could get an app that I use a lot to work. They had an update a few days ago, but there was a bug in it, so they fixed it and updated it again Thursday night. Now, the app will open but immediately close. I talked to another person who has the app, and she didn't have the same problem. My reset didn't work, and I'm pretty bummed about the app not working. I really need to use it this weekend to do a few things.
While working on the reset, I looked through Netflix for a "not-so-scary" Halloween movie. (I don't do scary movies.). I found a movie from 1959...how scary could that be? And, it was a Vincent Price movie:
It was really funny to see how far the special effects have come since then, and realize that it was probably a very scary movie in its time. I'd definitely recommend it.
While I was watching the movie and resetting my iPad, the wind picked up. I don't know how many trick-or-treaters were out, because we had a cold, rainy, windy Halloween night. And, the Small Town High School had a huge game. The district championship was on the line: they played a Catholic High School that was undefeated. Notice I said "was". STHS won 21-14. The other team is actually in a different classification, but we're in the same district. This year, there are 6 state championships (1A-6A), but during the year, there are 3 "classifications". Really weird, but it's changing next year.
I spent Saturday prepping myself for the grocery store, then actually going to the store. I made our first pot of chili of the season along with some cornbread. Then the big game. I ended up going to bed when South Carolina went up by 2 touchdowns with about 5 minutes to go. Guess I should've stuck it out, because the Vols pulled it out in overtime! If I had done that, I probably wouldn't have been able to go to sleep.
I spent Sunday making a picture schedule and a couple of social stories for a student, taking breaks to clean the house & do laundry. Hallmark is already running Christmas movies, and this was a perfect movie for them! I was perfectly content to have them playing in the background while I was doing everything.
this coming week is a short week at work for me: Election Day is on Tues., so we have the day off. Don't forget to exercise your right to vote!
The Dreaded Grocery Store
I am now officially in avoidance mode. I'm trying to avoid going to the grocery store. Maybe it would help if I wasn't so OCD with shopping. Am I the only one out there who has to go through these steps?
1. Write out what we're having each day on a calendar. (I used http://www.calendarsthatwork.com/ and download a free calendar.)
2. Check the forecast, especially this time of year. There are certain things I like to eat for dinner when it's cold out.
3. Make out a grocery list using the app Out of Milk. The great thing about this is that I have the categories organized according to the grocery store that I go to, so I can mark things off as I go. It also keeps me from buying a lot of stuff we don't need. Another great thing about this app is that I can pull it up on my laptop, enter my list, and it syncs to my phone. (Well, usually...last time it didn't because of an update-totally my fault- & I had to pull it up online.)
4. Look through the paper store coupons and then the coupons online.
Yep, I'm tired before I even get out the door.
1. Write out what we're having each day on a calendar. (I used http://www.calendarsthatwork.com/ and download a free calendar.)
2. Check the forecast, especially this time of year. There are certain things I like to eat for dinner when it's cold out.
3. Make out a grocery list using the app Out of Milk. The great thing about this is that I have the categories organized according to the grocery store that I go to, so I can mark things off as I go. It also keeps me from buying a lot of stuff we don't need. Another great thing about this app is that I can pull it up on my laptop, enter my list, and it syncs to my phone. (Well, usually...last time it didn't because of an update-totally my fault- & I had to pull it up online.)
4. Look through the paper store coupons and then the coupons online.
Yep, I'm tired before I even get out the door.
I just realized that this post was published with the title "The Dreaded Grocery Story" instead of "Store"! It sounds more like a story, for sure!
Chirping the Hodgepodge
1. My hubs spent last weekend pheasant hunting. Are there hunters in your family? If so, what do they hunt? Which of the following have you tasted-pheasant, rabbit, venison, duck, goose? Which of those would you most like to taste, or be most willing to taste?
Vegetarians keep calm and Hodgepodge on.
No hunters here. I remember Daddy hunting once or twice, but that's it. I've only tried venison, and I didn't know I was tasting it, but it was good. I've never had any of the others, and don't really care to...unless I don't know what I'm eating!
2. What high spot have you visited that gave you a wonderful 'bird's eye view' of something below?
Over Memorial Day Weekend, we camped at Mile High Campground. The views were amazing. I wrote about it here on our camping blog.
I took this picture as I was sitting in my chair on our campsite:
3. Do you have any birds in your home? These could be either real live pets or decorative, as in bird prints, knickknacks, fabric or pottery.
No birds. I'm not a "bird person".
I pretty much have to do that a lot in my profession. Work smarter, not harder.
5. Your favorite song with a bird in it's title?
I'm Like a Bird by Nelly Furtado.
6. What most recently gave you goose bumps?
I said I wasn't a bird person, but I'm a bit obsessed with Cardinals. I relayed a happening to someone the other day, and we both ended up with goosebumps: Right at the end of a wedding ceremony (my nephew's), a cardinal started chirping. (For those who haven't ever heard this, it's said that when you see a cardinal, someone who has passed is thinking of you.)
7. Halloween is this Friday...any plans? Did you trick or treat as a child? Carve pumpkins? Share your most memorable costume.
I think it's very sad that kids can't enjoy Halloween like we did growing up. Trick or Treating, carving pumpkins...it was great fun going from house to house...whether we knew the people or not. I never was big on dressing up, though...I'm just not very creative.
We live on a busy road; last year we got 0, nada, nil trick or treaters. I'm looking forward to a nice relaxing Halloween night.
8. Insert your own random thought here.
The jumbotron was used for the first time last Friday. I haven't been to a game all year, but I had to go by and see what it looks like. My concern was that it was going to take over the stadium, but it didn't look that out of place.
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